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First edition 1998
Second edition 2003
Second edition, revised 2005
Third edition 2010

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ISBN 978-0-19-957112-3
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4253001741119747

Contents

Editorial staff

Preface

Preface to the first edition

Introduction

How to use this dictionary

Oxford Dictionary of English

Editorial staff

Editor

Angus Stevenson

Project editors

Charlotte Buxton

Sara Hawker

Maurice Waite

Lexicographers

Jeremy Butterfield

Andrew Delahunty

Penny Hands

Helen Liebeck

Julie Moore

Corpus and data development

Pete Whitelock

John Mansfield

Viktor Pekar

Pronunciations

Catherine Sangster

Research and editorial assistance

Wade Guyitt

Anne McConnell

Design

Michael Johnson

Production coordinator

Karen Bunn

Publishing manager

Judy Pearsall

For the first edition

Editors

Judy Pearsall

Patrick Hanks

Chief science editor

Bill Trumble

Associate editors

Georgia Hole

Helen Liebeck

Jeremy Marshall

Catherine Soanes

Angus Stevenson

Maurice Waite

Editors, word histories

Glynnis Chantrell

Edmund Weiner

Assistant editors

Catherine Bailey

Katrina Campbell

Martin Coleman

Lucinda Coventry

Chris Cowley

Julia Elliott

Sara Hawker

Martin Nixon

David Shirt

Louise Jones

Michael Lacewing

Alyson McGaw

Rachel Unsworth

Sandy Vaughan

Pronunciations

Susan Wilkin

For the second edition

Editors

Catherine Soanes

Angus Stevenson

Editorial staff

Julia Elliott

Sara Hawker

Della Thompson

Maurice Waite

Specialist subject consultants

Aeronautics

Ron Wingrove

American Football, Baseball, Basketball

Frank Abate

American Indian Terms

Frank Abate

Ancient Near East

Jeremy Black

Architecture & Building

Harold Morgan

Australian Rules Football

Bruce Moore

Hilary Kent

Ballet

Katherine Barber

Chess

Gerard O’Reilly

Computing

Jeff Prucher

Rowan Wilson

Katrina Campbell

Alan Gay

Costume & textiles

Caroline Imlah

Finance & commerce

Philip Nixon

Genetics

David Hopwood

Geography

David Munro

Alisdair Rogers

Ice Hockey

Eric Sinkins

Islam

Jonathan Birt

Fozia Bora

Kenneth Cragg

Languages & peoples

Patrick Hanks

Law

Folla Christie

Bryan Garner

Linguistics & grammar

Patrick Hanks

Mathematics

Mark Dunn

Medicine

David Mant

Military Terms

Charles Kirke

Nautical terms

Moke Wall

Philosophy

Simon Blackburn

Statistics

Ken Church

World English consultants

US English

Christine Lindberg

Frank Abate

Orin Hargraves

Elizabeth Jewell

Erin McKean

Australian English

Bruce Moore

Canadian English

Katherine Barber

Robert Pontisso

Caribbean English

Lise Winer

Indian English

Satarupa Chaudhuri

Sumanta Banerjee

Indira Chowdhury Sengupta

Sukanta Chaudhuri

Pam Marjara

Harsh Sethi

Jameela Siddiqi

Deeba Zafir

Irish English

Gearóid Cronin

New Zealand English

Tony Deverson

Graeme Kennedy

Scottish English

Christopher Bailey

Wylie Horn

Fiona McPherson

Michael Proffitt

South African English

Mary Reynolds

Penny Silva

Jill Wolvaardt

Preface

The first edition of the groundbreaking New Oxford Dictionary of English was published in 1998. For this third edition, now called simply the Oxford Dictionary of English, more than 2,000 new words, senses, and phrases have been added, and key areas of vocabulary have been reanalysed, reviewed, and revised. Fast-moving areas such as computing, mobile technology, the media, finance, and the environment have provided many of the new terms, and there is also a great deal of new informal and slang material.

New entries tend to be the focus of attention when a dictionary is published, but in the case of this edition the revisions to existing entries are at least as significant. More than 70 per cent of UK households now have Internet access. People not only work and access information and entertainment online, but also carry on their social lives via the Internet. These changes in society are reflected in the language, and in the dictionary: items of core vocabulary such as bookmark, browse, favourite, feed, and friend now have new meanings, and other computing-related definitions have been revised to take account of the fact that computers are now part of everyday life.

Oxford Dictionaries are responsible for the largest language research programme in the world, constantly monitoring language use of all types in all parts of the English-speaking world. Our primary source for new and revised material is the Oxford English Corpus, a database of more than two billion words which provides a detailed picture of 21st century English as an international language. In compiling this new edition we have also drawn on other sources within Oxford’s language research programme, including the database of the Oxford Reading Programme, which now consists of around 100 million words.

Entries for proper names have been revised, with death dates and other changes noted as necessary. For example, the Indian cities formerly known as Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras are now referred to as Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. All population figures have been researched, and where possible recent census figures are given.

The Oxford Dictionaries team work alongside the staff of the full historical Oxford English Dictionary, and are very fortunate in being able to call on their resources and expertise. Apart from the contributors listed on the separate credits page, we would like to thank Graeme Diamond and his group for help with drafting new words, Philip Durkin and Katrin Thier for work on etymologies, and Bill Trumble and Jeremy Marshall for advice on scientific entries.

The Oxford Dictionary of English is available online as well as in print, via Oxford Dictionaries Online. The site, which is updated regularly, allows much fuller exploration of the dictionary text, and beyond: the user can follow links from dictionary to thesaurus and dictionary to dictionary, consult extra information on usage, grammar, and writing, and view more than 1.9 million illustrative examples of real English. However, consulting a book can still be the quickest and most convenient way of finding a definition, as well as being an enjoyable method of browsing in its own right.

Note on trademarks and proprietary status

This dictionary includes some words which have, or are asserted to have, proprietary status as trademarks or otherwise. Their inclusion does not imply that they have acquired for legal purposes a non-proprietary or general significance, nor any other judgement concerning their legal status. In cases where the editorial staff have some evidence that a word has proprietary status this is indicated in the entry for that word by the label trademark, but no judgement concerning the legal status of such words is made or implied thereby.

Preface to the first edition

The New Oxford Dictionary of English is a completely new dictionary, written on new principles. It builds on the excellence of the lexicographical traditions of scholarship and analysis of evidence as set down by the Oxford English Dictionary over a century ago, but it is also very much a new departure. The New Oxford Dictionary of English is a dictionary of current English and it is informed by currently available evidence and current thinking about language and cognition. It is an inventory of the words and meanings of present-day English, both those in actual use and those found in the literature of the past. The compilers have gone to the heart of the traditional practices of dictionary making and reappraised the principles on which lexicography is based. In particular, the focus has been on a different approach to an understanding of ‘meaning’ and how this relates to the structure, organization, and selection of material for the dictionary.

Linguists, cognitive scientists, and others have been developing new techniques for analysing usage and meaning, and the New Oxford Dictionary of English has taken full advantage of these developments. Foremost among them is an emphasis on identifying what is ‘central and typical’, as distinct from the time-honoured search for ‘necessary conditions’ of meaning (i.e. a statement of the conditions that would enable someone to pick out all and only the cases of the term being defined). Past attempts to cover the meaning of all possible uses of a word have tended to lead to a blurred, unfocused result, in which the core of the meaning is obscured by many minor uses. In the New Oxford Dictionary of English, meanings are linked to central norms of usage as observed in the language. The result is fewer meanings, with sharper, crisper definitions.

The style of definition adopted for the New Oxford Dictionary of English aims in part to account for the dynamism, imaginativeness, and flexibility of ordinary usage. The New Oxford Dictionary of English records and explains all normal meanings and uses of all well-attested words, but also illustrates transferred, figurative, and derivative meanings, in so far as these are conventional within the language.

The layout and organization of each entry in the dictionary reflect this new approach to meaning. Each entry has at least one core meaning, to which a number of subsenses, logically connected to it, may be attached. The text design is open and accessible, making it easy to find the core meanings and so to navigate the entry as a whole.

At the heart of the dictionary lies the evidence. This evidence forms the basis for everything which we, as lexicographers, are able to say about the language and the words within it. In particular, the large body of texts collected together online as the British National Corpus gives, with its 100 million words, a selection of real, modern, and everyday language, equivalent to an ordinary person’s reading over ten years or more. Using computational tools to analyse the data in the British National Corpus and other corpora, the editors have been able to look at the behaviour of each word in detail in its natural contexts, and so to build up a picture for every word in the dictionary.

Corpus analysis has been complemented by analysis of other types of evidence: the New Oxford Dictionary of English makes extensive use of the database of the Oxford Reading Programme, a collection of citations taken from a variety of sources from all the English-speaking countries of the world. In addition, a specially commissioned reading programme has targeted previously neglected specialist fields as diverse as computing, complementary medicine, antique collecting, and winter sports. Other research includes a detailed and comprehensive survey of plants and animals throughout the world, resulting in the inclusion of hundreds of entries not in any other one-volume dictionary.

The general approach to defining in the New Oxford Dictionary of English has particular application for specialist vocabulary. Here, in the context of dealing with highly technical information which may be unfamiliar to the non-specialist reader, the focus on clarity of expression is of great importance. Avoidance of over-technical terminology and an emphasis on explaining and describing as well as defining are balanced by the need to maintain a high level of technical information and accuracy. In many cases, additional technical information is presented separately in an easily recognizable alternative format.

The New Oxford Dictionary of English views the language from the perspective that English is a world language. A network of consultants throughout the English-speaking world has enabled us to ensure excellent coverage of world English, from Canada and the US to the Caribbean, India, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. We have benefited from the opportunities provided for communication by the Internet; lively discussions by email across the oceans have formed an everyday part of the dictionary-making process.

Many people have been involved in the preparation of this dictionary, and thanks are due to them all. Those not listed on the separate credits page who deserve special mention include: Valerie Grundy, for her contribution as managing editor during the early stages of the project; Nigel Clifford, for research in special subjects; Fred McDonald, for work on word histories; Sue Atkins, Bob Allen, and Rosamund Moon, for their contributions during the early development of the project; Judith Scott, for assistance with foreign pronunciations; and David Munro, for assistance in updating place-name entries.

Introduction

The Oxford Dictionary of English has been compiled according to principles which are quite different from those of traditional dictionaries. Evidence of real language use is now available in sufficient quantity to allow us to construct a picture of English that is more accurate than has been possible before. The approach to structuring and organizing within individual dictionary entries has been rethought, as has the approach to the selection and presentation of information in every aspect of the dictionary: definitions, choice of examples, grammar, word histories, and every other category. The aim of this introduction is to give you background information for using this dictionary and, in particular, to explain some of the thinking behind the new approaches.

What makes an Oxford dictionary?

The information presented in the Oxford Dictionary of English is based on close analysis of how words behave in real, natural language. Behind every dictionary entry are examples of the word in use—often hundreds and thousands of them—which have been analysed to give information about typical usage, about distribution (whether typically British or typically US, for example), about register (whether informal or derogatory, for example), about currency (whether archaic or dated, for example), and about subject (whether used only in Medicine, Finance, Chemistry, or Sport, for example).

The Oxford English Corpus

The first edition of the Oxford Dictionary of English (then called the New Oxford Dictionary of English) was the first English dictionary intended primarily for native speakers that was compiled by analysis of a corpus. A corpus is a collection of texts of written (or spoken) language presented in electronic form. It provides the evidence of how language is used in real situations, from which lexicographers can write accurate and meaningful dictionary entries. Whereas compilers of previous dictionaries were able to base their work on only a limited selection of citations, lexicographers on the New Oxford Dictionary of English could analyse hundreds or thousands of examples of each word to see how real language behaves today.

The corpus used on the first edition was the British National Corpus, a database of 100 million words. Revisions made to to this third edition, and new material added to it, have been derived largely from analysis of the new Oxford English Corpus, which contains more than two billion words. All content dates from 2000 at the earliest, and the corpus is regularly updated with the latest material, allowing a true picture of language change to build up.

The Oxford English Corpus represents all types of English, from fiction and specialist journals to everyday newspapers and magazines, and from official reports to the language of Internet message boards and chat rooms. And, as English is a global language, used by an estimated one third of the world’s population, the Oxford English Corpus contains language from all parts of the world—not only from the UK and the United States but also from Australia, the Caribbean, Canada, India, Singapore, and South Africa. It is the largest English corpus of its type: the most representative slice of the English language available.

Meanings of words and phrases change and so do spellings, despite the existence of ‘standard’ or ‘correct’ spelling. A strength of the corpus is that it contains not only published works in which the text has been edited (and made to conform to standard spellings and grammar) but also unpublished and unedited writing like emails and blogs. Some of the most inventive uses and deliberate exploitations of language, not to mention common-or-garden mistakes, start out in this kind of informal and unselfconscious language, so tracking them is an essential part of tracking the language as a whole.

Analysing the corpus lets us identify items that occur there but are not covered in the dictionary, and so helps us to draw up a shortlist of potential new entries. It tells us which words are commoner than they were ten years ago, and which are rarer; and which words are increasingly being used in a different way, or in a different sense. It also lets us define familiar, established words more accurately, by telling us more about them. For example, the corpus shows that the verb cause typically has as its object something bad—like death, damage, chaos, disturbance, problems, etc. Most dictionaries define the word neutrally, for example as ‘make (something) happen’, but armed with the corpus information we have redefined it as ‘make (something, especially something bad) happen’. Similarly, decline is often defined simply as ‘become smaller, fewer, or less’, but a look at the corpus shows us that the typical subject is something regarded as good, such as standards, output, or income—when something such as crime decreases it doesn’t decline, it falls.

Concordances show at a glance that some combinations of words (called ‘collocations’) occur together much more often than others. For example, in the concordance on page x, ‘end in’, ‘end the’, and ‘end up’ all occur quite often. But are any of these combinations important enough to be given special treatment in the dictionary?

Recent research has focused on identifying combinations that are not merely frequent but also statistically significant. In the Oxford English Corpus the two words ‘end the’ occur very frequently together, but they do not form a statistically significant unit, since the word ‘the’ is the commonest in the language. The combinations end up and end in, on the other hand, are shown to be more significant and tell us something about the way the verb end behaves in normal use. Of course, a dictionary for general use cannot go into detailed statistical analysis of word combinations, but it can present examples that are typical of normal usage. In the Oxford Dictionary of English particularly significant or important patterns are highlighted, in bold or in bold italics, e.g.

Figure 1 Extract from a short concordance from the Oxford English Corpus, showing the word ‘end’.

end

[no obj.] (end in) have as its final part or result: the match ended in a draw.

[no obj.] (end up) eventually come to a specified place or situation: I ended up in Eritrea | you could end up with a higher income.

For further details, see the section on Grammar.

The Oxford Reading Programme

The citation database created by the Oxford Reading Programme is an ongoing research project in which readers around the world select short extracts from a huge variety of specialist and non-specialist sources in all varieties of English. This database currently stands at around 100 million words, and tens of thousands of new citations are added every year.

Illustrative examples

The Oxford Dictionary of English contains many more examples of words in use than any other comparable dictionary. Generally, the examples are there to show typical uses of the word or sense. All examples are authentic, in that they represent actual usage. In the past dictionaries used made-up examples, partly because not enough authentic text was available and partly through an assumption that invented examples were somehow better in that they could be tailored to the precise needs of the dictionary entry. Such a view finds little favour today, and it is now generally recognized that the ‘naturalness’ provided by authentic examples is of the utmost importance in providing an accurate picture of language in use.

Word trends

Through our analysis of the Oxford English Corpus for the third edition we have been able to identify some high-profile words whose use has changed significantly since the beginning of the century. Thus, for example, terror is now commonly used as shorthand for terrorism, and web primarily relates to the Internet rather than to spiders. Some of these findings have been presented in a new feature called Word Trends, which give an informal account of the word’s development.

The structure of an entry

If a word has more than one part of speech, the first part of speech shown is the primary one for that word: thus, for bag and balloon the senses of the noun are given before those for the verb, while for babble and bake the senses of the verb are given before those of the noun.

The general principle on which the senses in the Oxford Dictionary of English are organized is that each word or part of speech has at least one core sense or core meaning, to which a number of subsenses may be attached. If there is more than one core meaning, this is introduced by a bold sense number. Core meanings represent typical, central uses of the word in question in modern standard English, as established by analysis of the Oxford English Corpus and our other language databases. The core meaning is the one accepted by native speakers as the most literal and central in ordinary modern usage. This is not necessarily the same as the oldest meaning, because word meanings change over time. Nor is it necessarily the most frequent meaning, because sometimes the most frequently used modern sense of a word is a figurative or extended one.

The core sense also acts as a gateway to other, related subsenses. These subsenses are grouped under the core sense, each one being introduced by a solid square symbol.

nose ▸ noun 1 the part projecting above the mouth on the face of a person or animal, containing the nostrils and used for breathing and smelling. ■ [in sing.] the sense of smell, especially a dog’s ability to track something by its scent: a dog with a keen nose. ■ [in sing.] an instinctive talent for detecting something: he has a nose for a good script. ■ the aroma of a particular substance, especially wine.

There is a logical relationship between each subsense and the core sense under which it appears. The organization of senses according to this logical relationship is designed to help the user, not only in being able to navigate the entry more easily and find relevant senses more readily, but also in building up an understanding of how senses in the language relate to one another and how the language is constructed on this model. The main types of relationship of core sense to subsense are as follows:

(a) figurative or metaphorical extension of the core sense, e.g.

barbed

core sense

having a barb or barbs: barbed arrows.

subsense

(of a remark or joke) deliberately hurtful: a fair degree of barbed wit.

boiling point

core sense

the temperature at which a liquid boils and turns to vapour.

subsense

the point at which anger or excitement breaks out into violent expression: emotions had reached boiling point and could spill over into violence.

(b) specialized case of the core sense, e.g.

ball

core sense

a single throw, kick, or hit of the ball in a game, in particular:

subsense

Cricket a delivery of the ball by the bowler to the batsman.

subsense

Baseball a pitch delivered outside the strike zone which the batter does not attempt to hit.

demand

core sense

an insistent and peremptory request, made as of right.

subsense

[mass noun] the desire of consumers, clients, employers, etc. for a particular commodity, service, or other item: a recent slump in demand.

(c) other extension or shift in meaning, retaining one or more elements of the core sense, e.g.

bamboo

core sense

[mass noun] a giant woody grass which is grown chiefly in the tropics.

subsense

the hollow jointed stem of this plant, used as a cane or to make furniture and implements.

management

core sense

the process of dealing with or controlling things or people: the management of the economy / businesses were slow to adopt the key elements of environmental risk management.

subsense

[treated as sing. or pl.] the people managing a company or organization, regarded collectively: management were extremely cooperative.

ambassador

core sense

an accredited diplomat sent by a state as its permanent representative in a foreign country.

subsense

a representative or promoter of a specified activity: he is a good ambassador for the industry.

Many entries have just one core sense. However, some entries are more complex and have different strands of meaning, each constituting a core sense. In this case, each core sense is introduced by a bold sense number, and each potentially has its own block of subsenses relating to it.

belt ▸ noun 1 a strip of leather or other material worn, typically round the waist, to support or hold in clothes or to carry weapons. ■ short for SEAT BELT. ■ a belt worn as a sign of rank or achievement: he was awarded the victor’s belt. ■ a belt of a specified colour, marking the attainment of a particular level in judo, karate, or similar sports: [as modifier] brown-belt level, ■ a person who has reached such a level: Shaun became a brown belt in judo. ■ (the belt) the punishment of being struck with a belt.
2 a strip of material used in various technical applications, in particular: ■ a continuous band of material used in machinery for transferring motion from one wheel to another. ■ a conveyor belt. ■ a flexible strip carrying machine-gun cartridges.

Specialist vocabulary

One of the most important uses of a dictionary is to provide explanations of terms in specialized fields which are unfamiliar to a general reader. Yet in many traditional dictionaries the definitions have been written by specialists as if for other specialists, and as a result the definitions are often opaque and difficult for the general reader to understand.

One of the primary aims of the Oxford Dictionary of English has been to break down the barriers to understanding specialist vocabulary. The challenge has been, on the one hand, to give information which is comprehensible, relevant, and readable, suitable for the general reader, while on the other hand maintaining the high level of technical information and accuracy suitable for the more specialist reader.

This has been achieved in some cases, notably entries for plants and animals and chemical substances, by separating out technical information from the rest of the definition:

balloonfish ▸ noun (pl. same or balloonfishes) a tropical porcupine fish which lives in shallow water and can inflate itself when threatened. • Diodon holocanthus, family Diodontidae.

benzopyrene /ˌbεnzə(ʊ)'ΛIriːn/ ▸ noun [mass noun] Chemistry a compound which is the major carcinogen present in cigarette smoke, and also occurs in coal tar. • A polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; chem. formula: C_20H_12.

In other cases it is achieved by giving additional explanatory information within the definition itself:

curling ▸ noun [mass noun] a game played on ice, especially in Scotland and Canada, in which large round flat stones are slid across the surface towards a mark. Members of a team use brooms to sweep the surface of the ice in the path of the stone to control its speed and direction.

curling ▸ noun [mass noun] a game played on ice, especially in Scotland and Canada, in which large round flat stones are slid across the surface towards a mark. Members of a team use brooms to sweep the surface of the ice in the path of the stone to control its speed and direction.

cuttlebone ▸ noun the flattened oval internal skeleton of the cuttlefish, which is made of white lightweight chalky material. It is used as a dietary supplement for cage birds and for making casts for precious metal items.

As elsewhere, the purpose is to give information which is relevant and interesting, aiming not just to define the word but also to describe and explain its context in the real world. Additional information of this type, where it is substantial, is given in the form of separate boxed features:

earth ▸ noun 1 (also Earth) the planet on which we live; the world: the diversity of life on earth. ■ the surface of the world as distinct from the sky or the sea: the pilot brought the plane gently hack to earth. ■ the present abode of humankind, as distinct from heaven or hell.

The earth is the third planet from the sun in the solar system, orbiting between Venus and Mars at an average distance of 149.6 million km from the sun, and has one natural satellite, the moon. It has an equatorial diameter of 12,756 km, an average density 5.5 times that of water, and is believed to have formed about 4,600 million years ago. The earth, which is three-quarters covered by oceans and has a dense atmosphere of nitrogen and oxygen, is the only planet known to support life.

Eocene /'iːə(ʊ)siːn/ ▸ adjective Geology relating to or denoting the second epoch of the Tertiary period, between the Palaeocene and Oligocene epochs. ■ (as noun the Eocene) the Eocene epoch or the system of rocks deposited during it.

The Eocene epoch lasted from 56.5 to 35.4 million years ago. It was a time of rising temperatures, and there was an abundance of mammals, including the first horses, bats, and whales.

An especially important feature of the Oxford Dictionary of English is the coverage of animals and plants. In-depth research and a thorough review have been carried out for animals and plants throughout the world and, as a result, a large number of entries have been included which have never before been included in general dictionaries. The style and presentation of these entries follow the general principles for specialist vocabulary in the Oxford Dictionary of English: the entries not only give the technical information, but also describe, in everyday English, the appearance and other characteristics (of behaviour, medicinal or culinary use, mythological significance, reason for the name, etc.) and the typical habitat and distribution:

mesosaur ▸ noun an extinct small aquatic reptile of the early Permian period, with an elongated body, flattened tail, and a long, narrow snout with numerous pointed teeth. • Genus Mesosaurus, order Mesosauria, subclass Anapsida.

kowari /kə'waːri/ ▸ noun (pl. kowaris) a small car- nivorous marsupial with a pointed snout, large eyes, and a black bushy tip to the tail, found in central Australia. • Dosycercus byrnel, family Dasyuridae.

hiba /'hiːba/ ▸ noun a Japanese conifer with evergreen scale-like leaves which form flattened sprays of foliage, widely planted as an ornamental and yielding durable timber. • Thujopsis dolabrata, family Cupressaceae.

Encyclopedic material

The Oxford Dictionary of English includes all those terms forming part of the enduring common knowledge of English speakers, regardless of whether they are classified as ‘words’ or ‘proper names’. Names such as Shakespeare and England are as much part of the language as words such as drama or language, and belong in a large dictionary.

The proper-name entries are designed to provide not just the basic facts (such as birth and death dates, full name, and nationality), but also a brief context giving information about, for example, a person’s life and why he or she is important. For a few really important encyclopedic entries—for example, countries—a fuller treatment is given and additional information is given in a separate boxed note.

Grammar

In recent years grammar has begun to enjoy greater prominence than in previous decades. It is once again being taught explicitly in state schools throughout Britain and elsewhere. In addition there is a recognition that different meanings of a word are closely associated with different lexical and syntactic patterns. The Oxford Dictionary of English records and exemplifies the most important of these patterns at the relevant senses of each word, thus giving guidance on language use as well as word meaning.

For example, with the word bomb, it is possible to distinguish the main senses of the verb simply on the basis of the grammar: whether the verb takes a direct object, no direct object, or no direct object plus an obligatory adverbial:

core sense

attack *(a place or object)* with a bomb or bombs: they bombed *the city* at dawn.

grammar

[with obj.]

(the asterisks match the direct object in the example with the bracketed item in the definition)

core sense

informal (of a film, play, or other event) fail badly: it just became another big-budget film that bombed.

grammar

[no obj.]

core sense

Brit. informal move very quickly: we were bombing *down the motorway* at breakneck speed.

grammar

[no obj., with adverbial of direction]

(asterisks show adverbial in example)

This has particular relevance for a dictionary such as the Oxford Dictionary of English, where the aim is to present information in such a way that it helps to explain the structure of the language itself, not just the meanings of individual senses. For this reason, special attention has been paid to the grammar of each word, and grammatical structures are given explicitly.

Where possible, the syntactic behaviour of a word is presented directly: for example, if a verb is normally found in a particular sense followed by a certain preposition, this is indicated before the definition, in bold:

build

... (build on) use as a basis for further development: Britain should build on the talents of its workforce.

In other cases, collocations which are typical of the word in use, though not obligatory, are shown highlighted within the example sentence:

cushy

… (of a job or situation) undemanding, easy, or secure: he doesn’t have anything like the cushy life you professors have | the Caribbean posting is not a cushy number.

end

… (end up) eventually come to a specified place or situation: I ended up in Eritrea | you could end up with a higher income.

Great efforts have been made to use a minimum of specialist terminology. Nevertheless, a small number of terms are essential in explaining the grammar of a word. The less familiar terms are explained below. All terms are, of course, defined and explained under their own entries in the dictionary.

Terms relating to nouns

Nouns and senses of nouns are generally categorized in this dictionary as being either [mass noun] or [count noun]. A mass noun is one which is not ordinarily found in the plural and is not used in the singular with the indefinite article ‘a’ (it is normal to talk about ‘bacon’, for example, but not ‘a bacon’ or ‘three bacons’), while a count noun is one which can be used with the indefinite article ‘a’ and can take a plural (e.g. shirt, shirts).

bacon

[mass noun] cured meat from the back or sides of a pig.

badminton

[mass noun] a game with rackets in which a shuttlecock is hit back and forth across a net.

banking

[mass noun] the business conducted or services offered by a bank.

By default all nouns in this dictionary should be regarded as count nouns unless stated otherwise. The label [count noun] is used to mark those senses of nouns which can take a plural where this is in contrast with an already stated mass noun.

ballet

core sense

[mass noun] an artistic dance form performed to music, using precise and highly formalized set steps and gestures.

subsense

[count noun] a creative work of this form or the music written for it.

brokerage

core sense

[mass noun] the business of acting as a broker.

subsense

[count noun] a company that buys or sells goods or assets for clients.

However, there are particular groups of mass noun that can take a plural form in certain circumstances, for instance when referring to different types of something such as food (as in the panel tasted a range of cheeses). For reasons of space, such uses are recorded in the Oxford Dictionary of English only when they are particularly important. Some categories of mass noun that can take a plural (although this may not be explicitly stated in the dictionary) are given below. The Oxford Dictionary of English is the official dictionary of the television word game Countdown, and the following list may be helpful for people who enjoy the programme:

1. Types or varieties of:

- food and drink, e.g. yogurt/yogurts, pasta/pastas, rum/rums

- plants: e.g. clover/clovers, barley/barleys

- fabric: e.g. gingham/ginghams, silk/silks

- certain languages or subjects: e.g. English/Englishes, music/musics

- metals and alloys: e.g. steel/steels, solder/solders

- rocks: e.g. granite/granites, lava/lavas, clay/clays

- chemical compounds: e.g. fluoride/fluorides, hydride/hydrides

- other substances or materials: e.g. rind/rinds, soil/soils, sealskin/sealskins, suncream/suncream.

2. Portions or units of something, especially food and drink: e.g. lager (glasses/bottles of lager = lagers), paella (portions of paella = paellas).

3. Shades of colours: e.g. pink/pinks, scarlet/scarlets, grey/greys.

4. An instance of:

- an action or process: e.g. completion (an instance of completing a property sale = completions), genocide (act of genocide = genocides), lambing (an act of lambing = lambings)

- a surgical operation: e.g. circumcision/circumcisions

- an emotion, pain, or feeling: e.g. backache/backaches, grief (an instance or cause of grief = griefs).

5. An area of land of a specified type: e.g. bogland/boglands, terrain/terrains.

Other terms relating to nouns:

[as modifier]: used to mark a noun which can be placed before another noun in order to modify its meaning, e.g.

boom

[often as modifier] a movable arm over a television or film set, carrying a microphone or camera: a boom mike.

bedside

the space beside a bed (used especially with reference to an invalid’s bed): he was summoned to the bedside of a dying man | [as modifier] a bedside lamp.

[treated as sing.]: used to mark a noun which is plural in form but is used with a singular verb, e.g. ‘mumps’ in mumps is one of the major childhood diseases or ‘genetics’ in genetics has played a major role in this work.

[treated as sing. or pl.]: used to mark a noun which can be used with either a singular or a plural verb without any change in meaning or in the form of the headword (often called collective nouns, because they typically denote groups of people considered collectively), e.g. the government are committed to this policy or the government is trying to gag its critics.

[in sing.]: used to mark a noun which is used as a count noun but is never or rarely found in the plural, e.g. ear in an ear for rhythm and melody.

Terms relating to verbs

[with obj.]: used to mark a verb which takes a direct object, i.e. is transitive (the type of direct object being shown in brackets in the definition), e.g.

belabour

[with obj.] argue or discuss (a subject) in excessive detail: there is no need to belabour the point.

[no obj.]: used to mark a verb which takes no direct object, i.e. is intransitive, e.g.

bristle

[no obj.] (of hair or fur) stand upright away from the skin, typically as a sign of anger or fear: the hair on the back of his neck bristled.

[with adverbial]: used to mark a verb which takes an obligatory adverbial, typically a prepositional phrase, without which the sentence in which the verb occurs would sound unnatural or odd, e.g.

barge

[no obj., with adverbial of direction] move forcefully or roughly: we can’t just barge into a private garden.

Terms relating to adjectives

[attrib.]: used to mark an adjective which is normally used attributively, i.e. comes before the noun which it modifies, e.g. certain in a certain man (not the man is certain, which means something very different). Note that attributive use is standard for many adjectives, especially those in specialist or technical fields: the [attrib.] label is not used in such cases.

[predic.]: used to mark an adjective which is normally used predicatively, i.e. comes after the verb, e.g. ajar in the door was ajar (not the ajar door).

[postpositive]: used to mark an adjective which is used postpositively, i.e. it typically comes immediately after the noun which it modifies. Such uses are unusual in English and generally arise because the adjective has been adopted from a language where postpositive use is standard, e.g. galore in there were prizes galore.

Terms relating to adverbs

[sentence adverb]: used to mark an adverb which stands outside a sentence or clause, providing commentary on it as a whole or showing the speaker’s or writer’s attitude to what is being said, rather than the manner in which something was done. Sentence adverbs most frequently express the speaker’s or writer’s point of view, although they may also be used to set a context by stating a field of reference, e.g.

certainly

[sentence adverb] used to emphasize the speaker’s belief that what is said is true: the prestigious address certainly adds to the firm’s appeal.

[as submodifier]: used to mark an adverb which is used to modify an adjective or another adverb, e.g.

comparatively

[as submodifier] to a moderate degree as compared to something else; relatively: inflation was comparatively low.

Standard English

Unless otherwise stated, the words and senses recorded in this dictionary are all part of standard English; that is, they are in normal use in both speech and writing everywhere in the world, at many different levels of formality, ranging from official documents to casual conversation. Some words, however, are appropriate only in particular contexts, and these are labelled accordingly. The technical term for a particular level of use in language is register.

The Oxford Dictionary of English uses the following register labels:

formal: normally used only in writing, in contexts such as official documents.

informal: normally used only in contexts such as conversations or emails to friends.

dated: no longer used by the majority of English speakers, but still encountered occasionally, especially among the older generation.

archaic: very old-fashioned language, not in ordinary use at all today, but sometimes used to give a deliberately old-fashioned effect or found in works of the past that are still widely read.

historical: still used today, but only to refer to some practice or artefact that is no longer part of the modern world, e.g.

baldric /'bɔːldrIk/ ▸ noun historical a belt for a sword or other piece of equipment, worn over one shoulder and reaching down to the opposite hip.

almoner /'aːmənə, 'alm-/ ▸ noun historical an official distributor of alms.

literary: found only or mainly in literature written in an ‘elevated’ style.

technical: normally used only in technical and specialist language, though not necessarily restricted to any specific subject field.

rare: not in normal use—may occur occasionally in word games, crosswords, or in the works of certain writers.

humorous: used with the intention of sounding funny or playful.

dialect: not used in the standard language, but still widely used in certain local regions of the English-speaking world. A distinction is made between traditional dialect, which is generally to do with rural society and agricultural practices which have mostly died out, and contemporary dialect, where speakers may not even be aware that the term is in fact a regionalism. The Oxford Dictionary of English aims to include the main contemporary dialect terms, but does not set out to record traditional dialect.

offensive: language that is likely to cause offence, particularly racial offence, whether the speaker intends it or not.

derogatory: language intended to convey a low opinion or cause personal offence.

euphemistic: mild or indirect language used to avoid making direct reference to something unpleasant or taboo.

vulgar slang: informal language that may cause offence, often because it refers to the bodily functions of sexual activity or excretion, which are still widely regarded as taboo.

World English

English is spoken as a first language by more than 300 million people throughout the world, and used as a second language by many millions more. It is the language of international communication in trade, diplomacy, sport, science, technology, and countless other fields.

The main regional standards are British, US and Canadian, Australian and New Zealand, South African, Indian, West Indian, and SE Asian. Within each of these regional varieties a number of highly differentiated local dialects may be found. For example, within British English, Scottish and Irish English have a long history and a number of distinctive features, which have in turn influenced particular North American and other varieties.

The scope of a dictionary such as the Oxford Dictionary of English, given the breadth of material it aims to cover, must be limited in the main to the vocabulary of the standard language throughout the world rather than local dialectal variation. Nevertheless, the Oxford Dictionary of English includes thousands of regionalisms encountered in standard contexts in the different English-speaking areas of the world, e.g.

bakkie /'bakiˌ 'bΛki/ ▸ noun (pl. bakkies) S.African 1 a light truck or pickup truck.
2 a small basin or other container.

– ORIGIN Afrikaans, from bak ‘container’ + the diminutive suffix -ie.

larrikin /'larIkIn/ ▸ noun Austral./NZ a boisterous, often badly behaved young man. ■ Austral, a person with apparent disregard for convention; a maverick: [as modifier] the larrikin trade union leader.

– ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from English dialect, perhaps from the given name Larry (pet form of Lawrence) + -KIN, or from a pronunciation of larking.

history-sheeter ▸ noun Indian a person with a criminal record.

Stifferation ▸ noun [mass noun] W. Indian unpleasant experiences; suffering: our sufferation shall he no more.

The underlying approach has been to get away from the traditional, parochial notion that ‘correct’ English is spoken only in England and more particularly only in Oxford or London. A network of consultants in all parts of the English-speaking world has assisted in this by giving information and answering queries on all aspects of the language in a particular region. Often, the aim has been to find out whether a particular word, sense, or expression, well known and standard in British English, is used anywhere else. The picture that emerges is one of complex interactions among an overlapping set of regional standards.

The vast majority of words and senses in the Oxford Dictionary of English are common to all the major regional standard varieties of English, but where important local differences exist the Oxford Dictionary of English records them. There are more than 14,000 geographical labels on words and senses in this dictionary, but this contrasts with more than ten times that number which are not labelled at all.

The complexity of the overall picture has necessarily been simplified, principally for reasons of space and clarity of presentation. For example, a label such as ‘chiefly Brit.’ implies but does not state that a term is not standard in American English, though it may nevertheless be found in some local varieties in the US. In addition, the label ‘US’ implies that the use is typically US (and probably originated in the US) and is not standard in British English, but it might be found in other varieties such as Australian or South African English. The label ‘Brit.’, on the other hand, implies that the use is found typically in standard British English but is not found in standard American English, though it may be found elsewhere.

Spelling

It is often said that English spelling is both irregular and illogical, and it is certainly true that it is only indirectly related to contemporary pronunciation. English spelling reflects not modern pronunciation but the pronunciation of the 14th century, as used by Chaucer. This traditional spelling was reinforced in the 16th and 17th centuries, in particular through the influence of the works of Shakespeare and the Authorized Version of the Bible. However, in the two centuries between Chaucer and Shakespeare English pronunciation had undergone huge changes, but spelling had failed to follow.

In the 18th century standard spelling became almost completely fixed. The dictionaries written in this period, particularly Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language (1755), helped establish this national standard, which, with only minor change and variation, is the standard accepted in English today. The complex history of the English language, together with the absence of any ruling body imposing ‘spelling reform’, has ensured that many idiosyncrasies and anomalies in standard spelling have not only arisen but have also been preserved.

The Oxford Dictionary of English gives advice and information on spelling, particularly those cases which are irregular or which otherwise cause difficulty for native speakers. The main categories are summarized below.

Variant spellings

The main form of each word given in the Oxford Dictionary of English is always the standard British spelling. If there is a standard variant, e.g. a standard US spelling variant, this is indicated at the top of the entry and is cross-referred if its alphabetical position is more than three entries distant from the main entry. The entries below show that filo is the form most commonly used, but phyllo is equally correct and acceptable, although found less frequently.

filo (also phyllo)

phyllo variant spelling of FILO.

aluminium (US aluminum)

aluminum US spelling of ALUMINIUM.

Other variants, such as archaic, old-fashioned, or informal spellings, are cross-referred to the main entry, but are not themselves listed at the parent entry.

Esquimau archaic spelling of ESKIMO.

-ise or ize?

Many verbs end with the suffix -ize or ise. The form -ize has been in use in English since the 16th century, and, despite what some people think, is not an Americanism. The alternative form -ise is found more commonly in British than in American English. For most verbs of this class either -ize or -ise is acceptable; this dictionary has used -ize spellings, with -ise given as an equally correct, alternative spelling. For some words, however, -ise is obligatory: first, where it forms part of a larger word element, such as -mise (= sending) in compromise, and -prise (= taking) in surprise; and second, in verbs corresponding to nouns with -s- in the stem, such as advertise and televise.

Hyphenation

Although standard spelling in English is fixed, the use of hyphenation is not. In standard English a few general rules are followed, and these are outlined below.

Hyphenation of noun compounds: There is no hard-and-fast rule saying whether, for example, airstream, air stream, or air-stream is correct. All forms are found in use: all are recorded in the Oxford English Corpus and other standard texts. However, there is a broad tendency to avoid hyphenation for noun compounds in modern English (except when used to show grammatical function: see below). Thus there is, for example, a preference in both British and American English for airstream rather than air-stream and for air raid rather than air-raid. Although this is a tendency in both British and US English there is an additional preference in US English for the form to be one word and in British English for the form to be two words, e.g. pay day tends to be the commonest form in British English, while payday tends to be the commonest form in US English. To save space and avoid confusion, only one of the three potential forms of each noun compound (the standard British one) is used as the headword form in the Oxford Dictionary of English. This does not, however, imply that other forms are incorrect or not used.

Grammatical function: Hyphens are also used to perform certain grammatical functions. When a noun compound made up of two separate words (e.g. credit card) is placed before another noun and used to modify it, the general rule is that the noun compound becomes hyphenated, e.g. I used my credit card but credit-card debt. This sort of regular alternation is seen in example sentences in the Oxford Dictionary of English but is not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the dictionary entries.

A similar alternation is found in compound adjectives such as well intentioned. When used predicatively (i.e. after the verb), such adjectives are unhyphenated, but when used attributively (i.e. before the noun), they are hyphenated: his remarks were well intentioned but a well-intentioned remark.

A general rule governing verb compounds means that, where a noun compound is two words (e.g. beta test), any verb derived from it is normally hyphenated (to beta-test: the system was beta-tested). Similarly, verbal nouns and adjectives are more often hyphenated than ordinary noun or adjective compounds (e.g. loss-making, empirebuilding).

Inflection

Compared with other European languages, English has comparatively few inflections, and those that exist are remarkably regular. We add an -s to most nouns to make a plural; we add -ed to most verbs to make a past tense or a past participle, and -ing to make a present participle.

Occasionally, a difficulty arises: for example, a single consonant after a short stressed vowel is doubled before adding -ed or -ing (hum, hums, humming, hummed). In addition, words borrowed from other languages generally bring their foreign inflections with them, causing problems for English speakers who are not proficient in those languages.

In all such cases, guidance is given in the Oxford Dictionary of English. The main areas covered are outlined below.

Verbs

The following forms are regarded as regular and are therefore not shown in the dictionary:

- third person singular present forms adding -s to the stem (or -es to stems ending in -s, -x, -z, -sh, or soft -ch), e.g. find → finds or change → changes

- past tenses and past participles dropping a final silent e and adding -ed to the stem, e.g. change → changed or dance → danced

- present participles dropping a final silent e and adding -ing to the stem, e.g. change → changing or dance → dancing.

Other forms are given in the dictionary, notably for:

- verbs which inflect by doubling a consonant, e.g. bat → batting, batted

- verbs ending in -y which inflect by changing -y to -i, e.g. try → tries, tried

- verbs in which past tense and past participle do not follow the regular -ed pattern, e.g. feel → PAST and PAST PARTICIPLE felt: awake → PAST awake; PAST PARTICIPLE awoken

- present participles which add -ing but retain a final e (in order to make clear that the pronunciation of g remains soft), e.g. singe → singeing.

Nouns

Plurals formed by adding -s (or -es when they end in -s, -x, -z, -sh, or soft -ch) are regarded as regular and are not shown.

Other plural forms are given in the dictionary, notably for:

- nouns ending in -i or -o, e.g. agouti → agoutis; albino → albinos

- nouns ending in -a, -um, or -us which are or appear to be Latinate forms, e.g. alumna → alumnae; spectrum → spectra; alveolus → alveoli

- nouns ending in -y, e.g. fly → flies

- nouns with more than one plural form, e.g. storey → storeys or stories

- nouns with plurals showing a change in the stem, e.g. foot → feet

- nouns with plurals unchanged from the singular form, e.g. sheep → sheep.

Adjectives

The following forms for comparative and superlative are regarded as regular and are not shown in the dictionary:

- words of one syllable adding -er and -est, e.g. great → greater, greatest

- words of one syllable ending in silent e, which drop the -e and add -er and -est, e.g. brave → braver, bravest

- words which form the comparative and superlative by adding ‘more’ and ‘most’.

Other forms are given in the dictionary, notably for:

- adjectives which form the comparative and superlative by doubling a final consonant, e.g. hot → hotter, hottest

- two-syllable adjectives which form the comparative and superlative with -er and -est (typically adjectives ending in -y and their negative forms), e.g. happy → happier, happiest; unhappy → unhappier, unhappiest.

Usage Notes

Interest in questions of good usage is widespread among English speakers everywhere, and many issues are hotly debated. In the Oxford Dictionary of English traditional issues have been reappraised, and guidance is given on various points, old and new. The aim is to help people to use the language more accurately, more clearly, and more elegantly, and to give information about some of the less well-founded assertions about ‘correctness’ that are sometimes made.

This reappraisal has involved looking carefully at evidence of actual usage (in the Oxford English Corpus and other sources) in order to find out where mistakes are actually being made, and where confusion and ambiguity actually arise. The issues on which journalists and others tend to comment have been reassessed and a judgement made about whether their comments are justified.

Since the 15th century traditionalists have been objecting to particular senses of certain English words and phrases, for example ‘aggravate’, ‘due to’, and ‘hopefully’. Certain grammatical structures, too, have been singled out for adverse comment, notably the split infinitive and the use of a preposition at the end of a clause. Some of these objections are founded on very dubious arguments, for example the notion that English grammatical structures should precisely parallel those of Latin or that meaning change of any kind is inherently suspect.

USAGE There is a traditional view, first set forth by the 17th-century poet and dramatist John Dryden, that it is incorrect to put a preposition at the end of a sentence, as in where do you come from? or she’s not a writer I’ve ever come across. The rule was formulated on the basis that, since in Latin a preposition cannot come after the word it governs or is linked with, the same should be true of English. The problem is that English is not like Latin in this respect, and in many cases (particularly in questions and with phrasal verbs) the attempt to move the preposition produces awkward, unnatural-sounding results. Winston Churchill famously objected to the rule, saying, ‘This is the sort of English up with which I will not put. ’ In standard English the placing of a preposition at the end of a sentence is widely accepted, provided the use sounds natural and the meaning is clear.

USAGE Due to in the sense ‘because of’, as in he had to retire due to an injury, has been condemned as incorrect on the grounds that due is an adjective and should not be used as a preposition; owing to is often recommended as a better alternative. However, the prepositional use, first recorded at the end of the 19th century, is now common in all types of literature and is regarded as part of standard English.

USAGE Aggravate in the sense ‘annoy or exasperate’ dates back to the 17th century and has been so used by respected writers ever since. This use is still regarded as incorrect by some traditionalists on the grounds that it is too radical a departure from the etymological meaning of ‘make heavy’. It is, however, comparable to meaning changes in hundreds of other words which have long been accepted without comment.

The usage notes in the Oxford Dictionary of English take the view that English is English, not Latin, and that English is, like all languages, subject to change. Good usage is usage that gets the writer’s message across, not usage that conforms to some arbitrary rules that fly in the face of historical fact or current evidence. The prescriptions of pundits in the past have had remarkably little practical effect on the way the language is actually used. A good dictionary reports the language as it is, not as the editors (or anyone else) would wish it to be, and the usage notes must give guidance that accords with observed facts about present-day usage.

This is not to imply that the issues are straightforward or that there are simple solutions, however, and it is certainly not intended to advocate an ‘anything goes’ approach to writing and speaking. Much of the debate about use of language is highly political and controversy is, occasionally, inevitable. Changing social attitudes have stigmatized long-established uses such as the word ‘man’ to denote the human race in general, for example, and have highlighted the absence of a gender-neutral singular pronoun meaning both ‘he’ and ‘she’ (for which purpose ‘they’ is increasingly being used). Similarly, words such as ‘race’ and ‘native’ are now associated with particular problems of sensitivity in use, and the ways that disability is referred to have come under close examination. The usage notes in the Oxford Dictionary of English offer information and practical advice on such issues.

USAGE Traditionally the word man has been used to refer not only to adult males but also to human beings in general, regardless of sex. There is a historical explanation for this: in Old English the principal sense of man was ‘a human being’, and the words wer and wif were used to refer specifically to ‘a male person’ and ‘a female person’ respectively. Subsequently, man replaced wer as the normal term for ‘a male person’, but at the same time the older sense ‘a human being’ remained in use.

In the second half of the twentieth century the generic use of man to refer to ‘human beings in general’ (as in reptiles were here long before man appeared on the earth) became problematic; the use is now often regarded as sexist or at best old-fashioned. In some contexts, alternative terms such as the human race or humankind may be used. Fixed phrases and sayings such as time and tide wait for no man can be easily rephrased, e.g. time and tide wait for nobody. Alternatives for terms such as manpower or the verb man exist: for example, staff or employees, and to staff or to operate.

USAGE In contexts such as a native of Boston or New York in the summer was too hot even for the natives the noun native is quite acceptable. But when it is used to mean ‘a non-white original inhabitant of a country’, as in this dance is a favourite with the natives, it is more problematic. This meaning has an old-fashioned feel and, because of its associations with a colonial European outlook, it may cause offence.

USAGE The word disabled came to be used as the standard term in referring to people with physical or mental disabilities in the second half of the 20th century, and it remains the most generally accepted term in both British and US English today. It superseded outmoded, now often offensive, terms such as crippled, defective, and handicapped and has not been overtaken itself by newer coinages such as differently abled or physically challenged.

Although the usage is very widespread, some people regard the use of the adjective as a plural noun (as in the needs of the disabled) as dehumanizing because it tends to treat people with disabilities as an undifferentiated group, defined merely by their capabilities. To avoid offence, a more acceptable term would be people with disabilities.

Word Histories

The etymologies in standard dictionaries explain the language from which a word was brought into English, the period at which it is first recorded in English, and the development of modern word forms. While the Oxford Dictionary of English does this, it also goes further. It explains sense development as well as morphological (or form) development. Information is presented clearly and with a minimum of technical terminology, and the perspective taken is that of the general reader who would like to know about word origins but who is not a philological specialist. In this context, the history of how and why a particular meaning developed from an apparently quite different older meaning is likely to be at least as interesting as, for example, what the original form was in Latin or Greek.

For example, the word history for the word oaf shows how the present meaning developed from the meaning ‘elf’, while the entry for conker shows how the word may be related both to ‘conch’ and ‘conquer’ (explaining how the original game of conkers was played with snail shells rather than the nut of the horse chestnut):

oaf ▸ noun a man who is rough or clumsy and unintelligent.

– ORIGIN early 17th cent.: variant of obsolete auf from Old Norse álfr’ ‘elf’ The original meaning was ‘elf’s child, changeling’, later ‘idiot child’ and ‘halfwit’, generalized in the current sense.

conker ▸ noun Brit, the hard, shiny dark brown nut of a horse chestnut tree. ■ (conkers) [treated as sing.] a children’s game in which each has a conker on the end of a string and takes turns in trying to break another’s with it.

– ORIGIN mid 19th cent, (a dialect word denoting a snail shell, with which the game, or a form of it, was originally played): perhaps from CONCH, but associated with (and frequently spelled) CONQUER in the 19th and early 20th cents: an alternative name was conquerors.

Additional special features of the Oxford Dictionary of English include ‘internal etymologies’ and ‘folk etymologies’. Internal etymologies are given within entries to explain the origin of particular senses, phrases, or idioms. For example, how did the meaning of red herring come about? Why do we call something a flash in the pan?

red herring ▸ noun 1 a dried smoked herring, which is turned red by the smoke.
2 a clue or piece of information which is or is intended to be misleading or distracting: the argument about women’s choices is largely a red herring. [so named from the practice of using the scent of red herring in training hounds.]

— PHRASES flash in the pan a thing or person whose sudden but brief success is not repeated or repeat-able: our start to the season was just a flash in the pan. [with allusion to priming of a firearm, the flash arising from an explosion of gunpowder within the lock.]

The Oxford Dictionary of English presents the information in a straight-forward, user-friendly fashion immediately following the relevant definition.

In a similar vein, folk etymologies—those explanations which are unfounded but nevertheless well known to many people—have traditionally just been ignored in dictionaries. The Oxford Dictionary of English gives an account of widely held but often erroneous folk etymologies, explaining competing theories and assessing their relative merits where applicable.

posh informal ▸ adjective elegant or stylishly luxurious: a posh hotel | I’ll have to look posh. ■ Brit, typical of or belonging to the upper class: she had a posh accent.

▸ adverb Brit, in an upper-class way: trying to talk posh.

▸ noun [mass noun] Brit, the quality of being elegant, stylish, or upper class: we finally bought a colour TV, which seemed the height of posh.

▸ verb [with obj.] (posh something up) Brit, smarten something up: the sealing wax with which she poshed up Muriel’s dancing shoes.

– DERIVATIVES poshly adverb, poshness noun.

– ORIGIN early 20th cent.: perhaps from slang posh, denoting a dandy. There is no evidence to support the folk etymology that posh is formed from the initials of port out starboard home (referring to the more comfortable accommodation, out of the heat of the sun, on ships between England and India).

snob ▸ noun a person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and looks down on those regarded as socially inferior. ■ [with adj. or noun modifier] a person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people: a musical snob.

– DERIVATIVES snobbism noun, snobby adjective (snobbier, snobbiest).

– ORIGIN late 18th cent, (originally dialect in the sense ‘cobbler’): of unknown origin; early senses conveyed a notion of ‘lower status or rank’, later denoting a person seeking to imitate those of superior social standing or wealth. Folk etymology connects the word with Latin sine nobilitate ’without nobility’ but the first recorded sense has no connection with this.

Researching word histories is similar in some respects to archaeology: the evidence is often partial or not there at all, and etymologists must make informed decisions using the evidence available, however inadequate it may be. From time to time new evidence becomes available, and the known history of a word may need to be reconsidered. In this, the Oxford Dictionary of English has been able to draw on the extensive expertise and ongoing research of the Oxford English Dictionary.

Pronunciations

Generally speaking, native speakers of English do not need information about the pronunciation for ordinary, everyday words such as bake, baby, beach, bewilder, boastful or budget. For this reason, no pronunciations are given for such words (or their compounds and derivatives) in the Oxford Dictionary of English. Words such as baba ganoush, baccalaureate, beatific, bijouterie, bucolic, and buddleia, on the other hand, are less familiar and may give problems. Similarly, difficulties are often encountered in pronouncing names of people and places, especially foreign ones, such as Chechnya, Kieslowski, and Althusser.

In the Oxford Dictionary of English the principle followed is that pronunciations are given where they are likely to cause problems for the native speaker of English, in particular for foreign words, foreign names, scientific and other specialist terms, rare words, words with unusual stress patterns, and words where there are alternative pronunciations or where there is a dispute about the standard pronunciation.

The Oxford Dictionary of English uses the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to represent the standard accent of English as spoken in the south of England (sometimes called Received Pronunciation or RP). The transcriptions reflect pronunciation as it actually is in modern English, unlike some longer-established systems, which reflect the standard pronunciation of broadcasters and public schools in the 1930s. It is recognized that, although the English of southern England is the pronunciation given, many variations are heard in standard speech in other parts of the English-speaking world.

The symbols used for English words, with their values, are given below. In multisyllable words the symbol ‘ is used to show that the following syllable is stressed (as in kə’bal); the symbol , indicates a secondary stress (as in ,kalə’bri:s).

Foreign pronunciations

Foreign words and phrases, whether naturalized or not, are always given an anglicized pronunciation. The anglicized pronunciation represents the normal pronunciation used by native speakers of standard English (who may not be speakers of other languages) when using the word in an English context. A foreign pronunciation is also given for words taken from other languages (principally French, Dutch, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish) where this is appreciably different from the anglicized form and where the other language is familiar to a reasonable number of English speakers.

Where the native form of a foreign place name is given in addition to the anglicized form, only the foreign pronunciation of this form is given, e.g.

Wisła /'viswa/ Polish name for VISTULA

Foreign-language transcriptions are based on current national standards. Regional variations have not been given, except in the case of Spanish transcriptions, where both Castilian and American Spanish variants are given (if distinct). Transcriptions are broad, and many symbols, identical to those used for transcribing English, have similar values to those of RP. In a few cases, where there is no English equivalent to a foreign sound, a symbol has been added to the inventory. The additional symbols used to represent foreign pronunciations are given on the right.

How to use this dictionary

a^1 /ə, eɪ / an

I. determiner

1. used when mentioning someone or something for the first time in a text or conversation

• a man came out of the room

• it has been an honour to meet you.

Compare with the.

2. used with units of measurement to mean one such unit

• a hundred

• a quarter of an hour.

3. [with negative] — one single; any

• I simply haven't a thing to wear.

4. used when mentioning the name of someone not known to the speaker

• a Mr Smith telephoned.

5. someone like (the name specified)

• you're no better than a Hitler.

6. used to indicate membership of a class of people or things

• he is a lawyer

• this car is a BMW.

7. in, to, or for each; per (used when expressing rates or ratios)

• typing 60 words a minute

• a move to raise petrol prices by 3p a litre.

– origin Middle English: weak form of Old English ān ‘one’. / usage: On the question of using a or an before words beginning with h, see usage at an.

a^2

I. abbreviation

1. (in travel timetables) arrives

• Penzance a 0915.

2. [in combination] — (in units of measurement) atto- (10−18).

3. (Brit.) (with reference to sporting fixtures) away

• March 15 Sheffield United (a).

4. (used before a date) before

• a1200.

[from Latin ante.]

II. symbol — ( a)

1. [Physics] acceleration.

A^1 /eɪ / a

I. noun

1. the first letter of the alphabet.

2. denoting the first in a set of items, categories, sizes, etc.

3. denoting the first of two or more hypothetical people or things

• suppose A had killed B.

4. the highest class of academic mark.

• a dazzling array of straight A's.

5. (in the UK) denoting the most important category of road, other than a motorway

• the A34

• busy A-roads.

6. denoting the highest-earning socio-economic category for marketing purposes, including top management and senior professional personnel.

7. ( a) — [Chess] denoting the first file from the left, as viewed from White's side of the board.

8. (usu. a) — the first constant to appear in an algebraic expression.

9. [Geology] denoting the uppermost soil horizon, especially the topsoil.

10. the human blood type (in the ABO system) containing the A antigen and lacking the B.

11. (with numeral) denoting a series of international standard paper sizes each twice the area of the next, as A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, etc., A4 being 210 × 297 mm.

12. a shape like that of a capital A
[in combination]

• an A-shape.

13. [Music] the sixth note of the diatonic scale of C major. The A above middle C is usually used as the basis for tuning and in modern music has a standard frequency of 440 Hz.

14. a key based on a scale with A as its keynote.

II. phrases

1. from A to B

from one's starting point to one's destination

• most road atlases will get you from A to B.

2. from A to Z

over the entire range; completely.

• make sure you understand the subject from A to Z.

3. plan A

one's original plan or strategy

• plan A having gone horribly wrong, Ferguson used the interval to change his formation.

Compare with plan B.

A^2 /eɪ/

abbreviation

1. (in card games) ace

• you cash ♥AK.

2. against (heading the column in a table of sports results which shows the goals or points scored against each club).

3. ‹informal› A level.

4. ampere(s).

5. ( Å) — ångstrom(s).

6. answer

• Q: What is a hung parliament? A: One in which no single party has an overall majority.

7. (in names of sports clubs) Athletic

• Dunfermline A.

8. attack (in designations of US aircraft types).

9. Austria (international vehicle registration).

a-1 /ə, eɪ, a / an-

I. prefix

not; without

• atheistic

• acephalous.

– origin from Greek.

a-2 /ə/

I. prefix

1. to; towards

• aside

• ashore.

2. in the process of (an activity)

• a-hunting.

3. in a specified state

• aflutter.

4. on

• afoot.

5. in

• nowadays.

– origin Old English, unstressed form of on.

a-3 /ə/

prefix

variant spelling of ad- assimilated before sc, sp, and st (as in ascend, aspire, and astringent).

a-4 /ə/

I. prefix

1. of

• anew.

2. utterly

• abash.

– origin sense 1 is an unstressed form of of; sense 2 is from Anglo-Norman French a- (Old French e-, es-), from Latin ex.

-a^1

I. suffix

1. forming:

2. ancient or Latinized modern names of animals and plants

• primula.

3. names of oxides

• baryta.

4. geographical names

• Africa.

5. ancient or Latinized modern feminine forenames

• Lydia.

6. nouns from Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish

• duenna

• stanza.

– origin representing a Greek, Latin, or Romance feminine singular.

-a^2

suffix

1. forming plural nouns:

2. from Greek or Latin neuter plurals corresponding to a singular in -um or -on (such as addenda, phenomena).

3. in names (often from modern Latin) of zoological groups

• Insectivora.

-a^3

I. suffix

1. ‹informal› of

• coupla.

2. ‹informal› have

• mighta.

3. ‹informal› to

• oughta.

– origin representing a casual pronunciation.

A1

adjective

1. ‹informal› very good or well; excellent

• guitar, A1 condition.

2. ‹informal› (of a vessel in Lloyd's Register of Shipping) equipped to the highest standard; first-class.

A2 level

noun

(in the UK except Scotland) an examination or pass at A2 level, representing the second component of an A-level qualification.

A3

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a standard European size of paper, 420 × 297 mm
[as modifier]

• A3 posters.

2. A3 paper

• a prospectus printed on A3.

A4

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a standard European size of paper, 297 × 210 mm
[as modifier]

• an A4 page.

2. A4 paper

• several sheets of A4.

A5

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a standard European size of paper, 210 × 148 mm
[as modifier]

• a little A5 booklet.

2. A5 paper

• printed on A5.

aa /ˈɑːɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] basaltic lava forming very rough, jagged masses with a light frothy texture.
Often contrasted with pahoehoe.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Hawaiian 'a-'a.

AA /eɪˈeɪ/

abbreviation

1. Alcoholics Anonymous.

2. anti-aircraft.

3. (in the UK and South Africa) Automobile Association.

AAA /eɪeɪˈeɪ/

abbreviation

1. (in the UK) Amateur Athletic Association.

2. American Automobile Association.

3. Australian Automobile Association.

AAAS

abbreviation

American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Aachen /ˈɑːx(ə)n, ˈɑːk(ə)n German ˈaːxn//

an industrial city and spa in western Germany, in North Rhine-Westphalia; pop. 258,800 (est. 2006).
French name Aix-la-Chapelle.

AAD

abbreviation

analogue analogue digital, indicating that a musical recording was made and mastered in analogue form before being stored digitally.

Aalborg /ˈɔːlbɔːɡ / Ålborg

an industrial city and port in north Jutland, Denmark; pop. 101,497 (2009).

Aalto, Alvar /ˈɑːltəʊ/

(1898–1976), Finnish architect and designer; full name Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto. He often used materials such as brick, copper, and timber in his building designs to blend with the landscape. As a designer he is known as the inventor of bent plywood furniture.

AAM

abbreviation

air-to-air missile.

A & E

abbreviation

(Brit.) accident and emergency (hospital department providing immediate treatment to people who are injured or taken ill)

• a nurse at work told me I should go to A & E

• [as modifier] an A & E department.

A & M

abbreviation

Hymns Ancient and Modern.

A & R

abbreviation

artist(s) and repertoire (or recording), used to denote employees of a record company who select and sign new artists.

• A & R people out to find the next Radiohead.

aapa /ˈɑːpə/

I. noun

(Indian) an elder sister.

• I met Abdul's aapa.

– origin from Urdu āpa.

aardvark /ˈɑːdvɑːk/

I. noun

a nocturnal badger-sized burrowing mammal of Africa, with long ears, a tubular snout, and a long extensible tongue, feeding on ants and termites. Also called antbear.
● Orycteropus afer, the only member of the family Orycteropidae and order Tubulidentata.

– origin late 18th cent.: from South African Dutch, from aarde ‘earth’ + vark ‘pig’.

aardwolf /ˈɑːdwʊlf/

I. noun

a black-striped nocturnal African mammal that feeds mainly on termites.
● Proteles cristatus, family Hyaenidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from South African Dutch, from aarde ‘earth’ + wolf ‘wolf’.

aargh /ɑː / argh

I. exclamation

used as an expression of anguish, horror, rage, or other strong emotion, often with humorous intent.

• now they're talking about putting up taxes—aargh!

– origin late 18th cent.: lengthened form of ah, expressing a prolonged cry.

Aarhus /ˈɔːhuːs / Århus

a city on the coast of east Jutland, Denmark; pop. 239,865 (2009).

Aaron /ˈɛːrən/

(in the Bible) brother of Moses and traditional founder of the Jewish priesthood (see Exod. 28:1).

Aaronic /ɛːˈrɒnɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the biblical priest Aaron.

2. relating to or characteristic of a high priest

• the Aaronic priesthood.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Aaron + -ic.

Aaron's beard /ˈɛːr(ə)nz/

I. noun

a name given to the rose of Sharon and some other plants.

– origin early 19th cent.: alluding to Aaron, whose beard ‘went down to the skirts of his garments’ (Ps. 133:2), because of the prominent hairy stamens or the long runners which some of these plants put out.

Aaron's rod /ˈɛːr(ə)nz/

I. noun

the common or great mullein.

– origin mid 18th cent.: alluding to Aaron, whose staff was said to have flowered (Num. 17:8).

AARP

abbreviation

American Association of Retired Persons.

A'asia

abbreviation

Australasia.

AAU

abbreviation

(in the US) Amateur Athletic Union.

AAUP

abbreviation

American Association of University Professors.

ab

noun — (usu. abs)

1. ‹informal› an abdominal muscle.

Ab^1 Av

I. noun

(in the Jewish calendar) the eleventh month of the civil and fifth of the religious year, usually coinciding with parts of July and August.

– origin from Hebrew 'āḇ.

Ab^2

abbreviation

[Biology] antibody.

AB^1

noun

a human blood type (in the ABO system) containing both the A and B antigens. In blood transfusion, a person with blood of this group is a potential universal recipient.

AB^2

abbreviation

1. able seaman.

2. Alberta (in official postal use).

3. (US) Bachelor of Arts.
[from Latin Artium Baccalaureus.]

ab- abs-

I. prefix

away; from

• abaxial

• abdicate.

– origin from Latin.

ABA

abbreviation

1. (in the UK) Amateur Boxing Association.

2. (in the US) American Bar Association.

3. (in the US) American Booksellers' Association.

abaca /ˈabəkə/

I. noun

1. a large herbaceous Asian plant of the banana family, yielding Manila hemp.
● Musa textilis, family Musaceae.

2. [ mass noun] — Manila hemp.

– origin mid 18th cent.: via Spanish from Tagalog abaká.

aback /əˈbak/

I. adverb

1. ‹archaic› towards or situated to the rear; back.

• the little strip of pasture aback of the house.

2. [Sailing] with the sail pressed backwards against the mast by a headwind.

• Peter holds the jib aback until our bow swings across the wind.

II. phrases

take someone aback

shock or surprise someone

• he was taken aback by her directness.

– origin Old English on bæc (see a-2, back). The term came to be treated as a single word in nautical use.

abacus /ˈabəkəs/

I. noun

1. a simple device for calculating, consisting of a frame with rows of wires or grooves along which beads are slid.

2. [Architecture] the flat slab on top of a capital, supporting the architrave.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a board strewn with sand on which to draw figures): from Latin, from Greek abax, abak- ‘slab, drawing board’, of Semitic origin; probably related to Hebrew 'āḇāq ‘dust’.

Abadan /abəˈdɑːn/

a major port and oil-refining centre on an island of the same name on the Shatt al-Arab waterway in western Iran; pop. 219,772 (2006).

Abaddon /əˈbad(ə)n/

I. a name for the Devil (Rev. 9:11) or for hell.

– origin late Middle English: via Greek from Hebrew 'ăḇaddōn ‘destruction’. Its use for ‘hell’ arose in the late 17th cent.

abaft /əˈbɑːft / ‹Nautical›

I. adverb

in or behind the stern of a ship.

• a line of clouds was spotted abaft by the starboard lookout.

II. preposition

nearer the stern than; behind.

• the yacht has a shower just abaft the galley.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘backwards’): from a-2 (expressing motion) + archaic baft ‘in the rear’.

Abakan /ˌabəˈkɑːn/

an industrial city in south central Russia, capital of the republic of Khakassia; pop. 163,200 (est. 2008).
Former name (until 1931) Ust-Abakanskoe.

abalone /ˌabəˈləʊni/

I. noun

an edible mollusc of warm seas, with a shallow ear-shaped shell lined with mother-of-pearl and pierced with a line of respiratory holes. Also called ormer, ear shell.
●Genus Haliotis, family Haliotidae, class Gastropoda.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally North American): from American Spanish abulones, plural of abulón, from aulón, the name in an American Indian language of Monterey Bay, California.

abandon /əˈband(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cease to support or look after (someone); desert

• her natural mother had abandoned her at an early age.

2. leave (a place or vehicle) empty or uninhabited, without intending to return

• derelict houses were abandoned.

3. ( abandon someone/thing to) — condemn someone or something to (a specified fate) by ceasing to take an interest in them

• an attempt to persuade businesses not to abandon the area to inner-city deprivation.

4. give up completely (a practice or a course of action)

• he had clearly abandoned all pretence of trying to succeed.

5. discontinue (a scheduled event) before completion

• fans invaded the pitch and the match was abandoned.

6. ( abandon oneself to) — allow oneself to indulge in (a desire or impulse)

• she abandoned herself to his kiss.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. complete lack of inhibition or restraint

• she sings and sways with total abandon.

III. phrases

abandon ship

a. leave a ship because it is sinking.

• a Mayday message was received before all on board abandoned ship.

b. hurriedly leave an organization or enterprise

• he would rather abandon ship now than resign in shame in two years.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French abandoner, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + bandon ‘control’ (related to ban^1). The original sense was ‘bring under control’, later ‘give in to the control of, surrender to’ (sense 3 of the verb).

abandoned /əˈband(ə)nd/

adjective

1. having been deserted or left

• an abandoned car

• abandoned pets.

2. unrestrained; uninhibited

• a wild, abandoned dance.

abandonment /əˈbandənm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of abandoning or being abandoned

• she had a feeling of utter abandonment and loneliness.

abandonware

noun — [ mass noun]

1. computer software that is no longer distributed or supported by the developer or copyright holder

• those who illegally distribute abandonware on the Web see themselves as archivists who are helping save old computer programs for posterity.

abase /əˈbeɪs/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. abase oneself)

1. behave in a way that belittles or degrades (someone)

• I watched my colleagues abasing themselves before the board of trustees.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French abaissier, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + baissier ‘to lower’, based on late Latin bassus ‘short of stature’. The spelling has been influenced by base^2.

abasement /əˈbeɪsm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of abasing or being abased; humiliation or degradation.

abash /əˈbaʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. abashed)

1. make (someone) feel embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed

• Harriet looked slightly abashed.

II. derivatives

abashment /əˈbaʃmənt /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French abaiss-; compare with Old French esbaiss-, lengthened stem of esbair, from es- ‘utterly’ + bair ‘astound’.

abate /əˈbeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of something unpleasant or severe) become less intense or widespread

• the storm suddenly abated.

2. [with obj.] — make (something) less intense

• nothing abated his crusading zeal.

3. [with obj.] — [Law] reduce or remove (a nuisance).

• this action would not have been sufficient to abate the odour nuisance.

– origin Middle English (in the legal sense): from Old French abatre ‘to fell’, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + batre ‘to beat’ (from Latin battere, battuere ‘to beat’).

abatement /əˈbeɪtm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of abating or being abated; ending or subsiding

• this trend shows no sign of abatement.

2. [Law] the reduction or removal of a nuisance
[as modifier]

• it was resolved to serve an abatement notice.

abatis /ˈabətɪs/

I. noun

‹historical› a defence made of felled trees placed lengthwise over each other with the boughs pointing outwards.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, literally ‘felled (trees)’, from Old French abatre ‘to fell’ (see abate).

abattoir /ˈabətwɑː/

I. noun

(Brit.) a slaughterhouse.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from abattre ‘to fell’.

a battuta /ˌɑː bəˈtuːtə/

I. adverb

[Music] (especially as a direction) returning to strict tempo.

– origin Italian, literally ‘to the beating’.

abaxial /abˈaksɪəl/

adjective

[Botany] facing away from the stem of a plant (in particular denoting the lower surface of a leaf).
The opposite of adaxial.

abaya /əˈbeɪjə/

I. noun

a full-length, sleeveless outer garment worn by some Muslim women.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Arabic ‘abāya.

Abba^1 /ˈabə/

I. noun

1. (in the New Testament) God as father.

• ‘Abba, Father,’ he said, ‘all things are possible to you’.

2. (in the Syrian Orthodox and Coptic Churches) a title given to bishops and patriarchs.

3. ( abba) — (Indian) father (often as a familiar form of address in Muslim families).

– origin via Greek from Aramaic 'abbā ‘father’; sense 2 is from Hindi abbā, from Arabic ab.

Abba^2 /ˈabə/

a Swedish pop group which became popular in the 1970s with catchy, well-crafted songs such as ‘Waterloo’ (1974) and ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’ (1977).

abbacy /ˈabəsi/

I. noun

the office or period of office of an abbot or abbess.

• the abbacy of Ely was vacant.

• he made several notable improvements during his short abbacy.

– origin late Middle English: from ecclesiastical Latin abbacia, from abbas, abbat- (see abbot).

Abbas, Ferhat /əˈbas/

(1899–1989), Algerian nationalist leader. President of the provisional government of the Algerian republic from 1958, he was appointed first President of independent Algeria in 1962 but fell from favour the following year.

Abbas, Mahmoud /əˈbɑːs/

(b.1935), Palestinian statesman; also known as Abu Mazen. He was appointed first Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority in 2003 and in 2005 was elected President, following the death of Yasser Arafat.

Abbasid /əˈbasɪd, ˈabəsɪd/

I. adjective

relating to a dynasty of caliphs who ruled in Baghdad from 750 to 1258.

II. noun

a member of the Abbasid dynasty.

– origin named after al-Abbas (566–652), the prophet Muhammad's uncle: the dynasty was founded by his descendants.

abbatial /əˈbeɪʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to an abbey, abbot, or abbess.

• a possible abbatial vacancy.

– origin late 17th cent.: from medieval Latin abbatialis, from abbas, abbat- (see abbot).

abbé /ˈabeɪ, French abe/

I. noun

(in France) an abbot or other cleric.

• the abbé was his confessor.

• [as title] Abbé Pierre.

– origin mid 16th cent.: French, from ecclesiastical Latin abbas, abbat- (see abbot).

Abbe, Ernst /ˈabə, ˈabi/

(1840–1905), German physicist, inventor of the apochromatic lens.

abbess /ˈabɛs/

I. noun

a woman who is the head of an abbey of nuns.

– origin Middle English: from Old French abbesse ‘female abbot’, from ecclesiastical Latin abbatissa, from abbas, abbat- (see abbot).

Abbevillian /abˈvɪlɪən/

I. adjective

1. [Archaeology] ‹dated› relating to or denoting the first Palaeolithic culture in Europe, now usually referred to as the Lower Acheulian.

2. (as noun the Abbevillian) — [Archaeology] ‹dated› the Abbevillian culture or period.

– origin 1930s: from French Abbevillien ‘from Abbeville’, a town in northern France where tools from this culture were discovered.

abbey /ˈabi/

I. noun

1. the building or buildings occupied by a community of monks or nuns.

2. a church that was formerly an abbey.

– origin Middle English: from Old French abbeie, from medieval Latin abbatia ‘abbacy’, from abbas, abbat- (see abbot).

abbot /ˈabət/

I. noun

a man who is the head of an abbey of monks.

– origin Old English abbod, from ecclesiastical Latin abbas, abbat-, from Greek abbas ‘father’, from Aramaic 'abbā (see Abba^1).

Abbott, Tony

(b.1957), Australian Liberal statesman, Prime Minister since 2013; full name Anthony John Abbott.

abbreviate /əˈbriːvɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. shorten (a word, phrase, or text)

• ‘network’ is often abbreviated to ‘net’.

2. shorten the duration of; cut short

• I decided to abbreviate my stay in Cambridge.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin abbreviat- ‘shortened’, from the verb abbreviare, from Latin brevis ‘short’.

abbreviated /əˈbriːvɪeɪtɪd/

adjective

shortened; cut short

• an abbreviated version of the earlier work

• we intended to run an abbreviated event.

abbreviation /əbriːvɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. a shortened form of a word or phrase.

• SKU is the abbreviation for Stock Keeping Unit.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of abbreviating something.

• nursing records must be written without abbreviation.

ABC^1 /eɪbiːˈsiː/

I. noun

1. the alphabet.

2. an alphabetical guide

• an ABC of British locomotives.

3. the rudiments of a subject

• the business had been learning the ABC of its trade.

II. phrases

(as) easy (or simple) as ABC

extremely easy.

• economics can be as simple as ABC.

ABC^2 /eɪbiːˈsiː/

abbreviation

1. American Broadcasting Company.

2. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

ABC Islands

the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.

ABD

abbreviation

(N. Amer.) all but dissertation, used to denote a student who has completed all other parts of a doctorate.

• ABDs will be considered but receipt of the doctorate will be a condition of tenure.

abdabs /ˈabdabz / habdabs

I. plural noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› nervous anxiety or irritation

• that idea gives most lawyers the screaming abdabs.

– origin 1940s: of unknown origin.

abdicate /ˈabdɪkeɪt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a monarch) renounce one's throne

• in 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated as German emperor

• [with obj.] Ferdinand abdicated the throne in favour of the emperor's brother.

2. [with obj.] — fail to fulfil or undertake (a responsibility or duty)

• the government was accused of abdicating its responsibility.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin abdicat- ‘renounced’, from the verb abdicare, from ab- ‘away, from’ + dicare ‘declare’.

abdication /ˌabdɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. an act of abdicating or renouncing the throne

• Edward VIII did not marry until after his abdication.

2. failure to fulfil a responsibility or duty

• we are witnessing an abdication of responsibility on the part of European governments.

abdomen /ˈabdəmən, abˈdəʊmən/

I. noun

1. the part of the body of a vertebrate containing the digestive and reproductive organs; the belly.

2. [Zoology] the hinder part of the body of an arthropod, especially the segments of an insect's body behind the thorax.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin.

abdominal /abˈdɒmɪn(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to the abdomen

• abdominal pain.

II. noun — (usu. abdominals)

1. an abdominal muscle.

• Pilates greatly benefits the lower abdominals.

III. derivatives

abdominally

adverb

abdominoplasty /abˈdɒmɪnə(ʊ)ˌplasti/

noun

[Medicine] a surgical operation involving the removal of excess flesh from the abdomen.

abdominous /əbˈdɒmɪnəs/

adjective

‹archaic› (of a person) having a large belly; fat.

abducens /abˈdʒuːs(ə)nz/

noun

[Anatomy] short for abducens nerve.

abducens nerve /abˈdʒuːs(ə)nz ˌnəːv, abˈdjuːs(ə)nz ˌnəːv/

I. noun

[Anatomy] each of the sixth pair of cranial nerves, supplying the muscles concerned with the lateral movement of the eyeballs.

– origin early 19th cent.: abducens (modern Latin, ‘leading away’), from the Latin verb abducere.

abduct /əbˈdʌkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take (someone) away illegally by force or deception; kidnap

• the millionaire who disappeared may have been abducted.

2. [Physiology] (of a muscle) move (a limb or part) away from the midline of the body or from another part.

• the posterior rectus muscle, which abducts the eye.

The opposite of adduct^1.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin abduct- ‘led away’, from the verb abducere, from ab- ‘away, from’ + ducere ‘to lead’.

abductee

noun

a person who has been abducted.

abduction /əbˈdʌkʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of forcibly taking someone away against their will

• they organized the abduction of Mr Cordes on his way to the airport

• [ count noun] abductions by armed men in plain clothes.

2. (in legal use) the illegal removal of a child from its parents or guardians.

• the man is also accused of the attempted abduction of another youngster.

3. [Physiology] the movement of a limb or other part away from the midline of the body, or from another part.
The opposite of adduction (see adduct^1).

abductor /əbˈdʌktə/

I. noun

1. a person who abducts another person.

• she endured a two-hour ordeal at the hands of her abductors.

2. (also abductor muscle) — [Anatomy] a muscle whose contraction moves a limb or part away from the midline of the body, or from another part.
Compare with adductor.

3. any of a number of specific muscles in the hand, forearm, or foot
[followed by Latin genitive]

• abductor pollicis.

– origin early 17th cent. (as a term in anatomy): modern Latin (see abduct).

Abduh, Muhammad /ˈabduː/

(1849–1905), Egyptian Islamic scholar, jurist, and liberal reformer.

Abdul Hamid II /ˌabdʊl ˈhamɪd/

(1842–1918), Ottoman sultan 1876–1909. An autocratic ruler, he was deposed after the revolt of the Young Turks.

Abdullah ibn Hussein /abˌdʊlə ˌɪb(ə)n hʊˈseɪn/

(1882–1951), king of Jordan 1946–51. He served as emir of Transjordan from 1921, becoming king of Jordan on its independence.

Abdul Rahman, Tunku /ˌabdʊl ˈrɑːmən/

(1903–90), Malayan statesman, first Prime Minister of independent Malaya 1957–63 and of Malaysia 1963–70.

abeam /əˈbiːm/

I. adverb

1. on a line at right angles to a ship's or an aircraft's length.

• the lighthouse was abeam at noon.

2. ( abeam of) — opposite the middle of (a ship or aircraft)

• she was lying almost abeam of us

• [as prep.] before I knew it, I was abeam the ship.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from a-2 (expressing general direction) + beam.

abecedarian /ˌeɪbiːsiːˈdɛːrɪən/

I. adjective

arranged alphabetically

• in abecedarian sequence.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin abecedarius ‘alphabetical’ (from the names of the letters a, b, c, d) + -an.

abed /əˈbɛd/

adverb

‹archaic› in bed.

Abel /ˈeɪb(ə)l/

(in the Bible) the second son of Adam and Eve, murdered by his brother Cain.

Abel, Niels Henrik /ˈɑːb(ə)l/

(1802–29), Norwegian mathematician. He proved that equations of the fifth degree cannot be solved by conventional algebraic methods, and made advances in the fields of power series and elliptic functions.

Abelard, Peter /ˈabəlɑː(d)/

(1079–1142), French scholar, theologian, and philosopher. He is famous for his tragic love affair with his pupil Héloïse (see Héloïse).

abele /əˈbiːl, ˈeɪb(ə)l/

I. noun

the white poplar.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin albellus, diminutive of albus ‘white’. The term was reintroduced in the late 16th cent. from Dutch abeel (from Old French abel), when specimens were imported from the Netherlands.

abelia /əˈbiːlɪə/

I. noun

an East Asian shrub of the honeysuckle family, typically having small tubular pink or white flowers.
●Genus Abelia, family Caprifoliaceae.

– origin modern Latin; named after Clarke Abel (1780–1826), English botanist.

abelian /əˈbiːlɪən/

I. adjective

[Mathematics] (of a group) having members related by a commutative operation (i.e. a * b = b * a).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from N. H. Abel (see Abel, Niels Henrik) + -ian.

Abeokuta /ˌabɪəʊˈkuːtə/

a city in SW Nigeria, capital of the state of Ogun; pop. 487,600 (est. 2005).

Aberdeen /ˌabəˈdiːn/

a city and seaport in NE Scotland; pop. 166,900 (est. 2009). It is a centre of the offshore North Sea oil industry.

Aberdeen, 4th Earl of

(1784–1860), British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1852–5; born George Hamilton Gordon.

Aberdeen Angus

I. noun

an animal of a Scottish breed of hornless black beef cattle.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Aberdeenshire and Angus^1, where the breed originated.

Aberdeenshire

a council area and former county of NE Scotland. Between 1975 and 1996 it was part of Grampian region.

Aberdonian /ˌabəˈdəʊnɪən/

I. adjective

of Aberdeen.

II. noun

a person from Aberdeen.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin Aberdonia ‘Aberdeen’ + -an.

Aberfan /ˌabəˈvan/

a village in South Wales where, in 1966, a slag heap collapsed, overwhelming houses and a school and killing 28 adults and 116 children.

aberrant /əˈbɛr(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. departing from an accepted standard.

• this somewhat aberrant behaviour requires an explanation.

2. [chiefly Biology] diverging from the normal type

• aberrant chromosomes.

II. derivatives

1. aberrance /əˈbɛrəns /

noun

2. aberrancy

noun

3. aberrantly

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin aberrant- ‘wandering away’, from the verb aberrare, from ab- ‘away, from’ + errare ‘to stray’.

aberration /ˌabəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically an unwelcome one

• they described the outbreak of violence in the area as an aberration.

• I see these activities as some kind of mental aberration.

2. [Biology] a characteristic that deviates from the normal type

• colour aberrations.

3. [Optics] the failure of rays to converge at one focus because of a defect in a lens or mirror.

4. [Astronomy] the apparent displacement of a celestial object from its true position, caused by the relative motion of the observer and the object.

II. derivatives

aberrational

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin aberratio(n-), from aberrare ‘to stray’ (see aberrant).

Abertawe /ˌabəˈtaʊeɪ/

Welsh name for Swansea.

abet /əˈbɛt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. encourage or assist (someone) to do something wrong, in particular to commit a crime

• he was not guilty of murder, but guilty of aiding and abetting others.

2. encourage or assist someone to commit (a crime)

• we are aiding and abetting this illegal traffic.

II. derivatives

1. abetment /əˈbɛtmənt /

noun

2. abettor /əˈbɛtə / abetter

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘urge to do something good or bad’): from Old French abeter, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + beter ‘hound, urge on’.

abeyance /əˈbeɪəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of temporary disuse or suspension

• matters were held in abeyance pending further enquiries.

2. [Law] the position of being without, or of waiting for, an owner or claimant.

II. derivatives

abeyant

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in the legal sense): from Old French abeance ‘aspiration to a title’, from abeer ‘aspire after’, from a- ‘towards’ + beer ‘to gape’.

ABH

abbreviation

actual bodily harm.

abhinaya /əb(h)ɪˈnɑːjə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Indian dance) expressive techniques used to convey a theme, mood, or idea.

– origin Sanskrit, from abhi ‘towards’ + ni ‘carry’, literally ‘carry towards (an audience)’.

abhor /əbˈhɔː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. regard with disgust and hatred

• he abhorred sexism in every form.

II. derivatives

abhorrer

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin abhorrere, from ab- ‘away from’ + horrere ‘to shudder’.

abhorrence /əbˈhɒr(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of revulsion; disgusted loathing

• the thought of marrying him filled her with abhorrence.

abhorrent /əbˈhɒr(ə)nt/

I. adjective

inspiring disgust and loathing; repugnant

• racism was abhorrent to us all.

II. derivatives

abhorrently

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin abhorrent- ‘shuddering away from in horror’, from the verb abhorrere (see abhor).

abide /əˈbʌɪd/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] ( abide by) — accept or act in accordance with (a rule, decision, or recommendation).

• I said I would abide by their decision.

2. [with obj.] ( can/could not abide) — ‹informal› be unable to tolerate

• if there is one thing I cannot abide it is a lack of discipline.

3. [no obj.] — (of a feeling or memory) continue without fading or being lost.

• at least one memory will abide.

4. ‹archaic› live; dwell.

• many unskilful Men do abide in our City of London.

II. derivatives

abidance /əˈbʌɪd(ə)ns /

noun

– origin Old English ābīdan ‘wait’, from ā- ‘onwards’ + bīdan (see bide).

abiding /əˈbʌɪdɪŋ/

I. adjective

(of a feeling or memory) lasting a long time; enduring

• he had an abiding respect for her.

II. derivatives

abidingly

adverb

[as submodifier]

• an abidingly mysterious quality

Abidjan /ˌabɪˈdʒɑːn/

the chief port of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), the capital 1935–83; pop. 4,000,000 (est. 2009).

abigail /ˈabɪɡeɪl/

I. noun

‹archaic› a lady's maid.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from the name of a character in The Scornful Lady by Beaumont and Fletcher, possibly in allusion to 1 Sam. 25: 23–24: ‘And when Abigail saw David, she … fell at his feet, and said, “… hear the words of thine handmaid”.’.

ability /əˈbɪlɪti/

I. noun

1. [in sing., with infinitive] — possession of the means or skill to do something

• the manager had lost his ability to motivate the players.

2. [ mass noun] — talent, skill, or proficiency in a particular area

• a man of exceptional ability

• [ count noun] pupils of all abilities.

II. phrases

to the best of one's ability

as well as one can

• Conrad must do his job to the best of his abilities.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ablete, from Latin habilitas, from habilis ‘able’.

-ability

I. suffix

forming nouns of quality corresponding to adjectives ending in -able (such as suitability corresponding to suitable).

– origin from French -abilité or Latin -abilitas.

ab initio /ˌab ɪˈnɪʃɪəʊ/

I. adverb, adjective

‹formal› [Law] from the beginning
[as adv.]

• the agreement should be declared void ab initio.

– origin Latin.

abiogenesis /ˌeɪbʌɪə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the original evolution of life or living organisms from inorganic or inanimate substances

• to construct any convincing theory of abiogenesis, we must take into account the condition of the Earth about 4 billion years ago.

2. ‹historical› another term for spontaneous generation.

II. derivatives

abiogenic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘not’ + Greek bios ‘life’ + genesis.

abiotic /ˌeɪbʌɪˈɒtɪk/

adjective

1. physical rather than biological; not derived from living organisms.

• abiotic chemical reactions.

2. devoid of life; sterile.

• soils are seldom completely abiotic.

Abitur /ˌabɪˈtʊə, German ˌabiˈtuːɐ/

I. noun

(in Germany) a set of examinations taken in the final year of secondary school.

– origin from German, abbreviation of Abiturientenexamen ‘leavers' examination’.

abject /ˈabdʒɛkt/

I. adjective

1. (of something bad) experienced or present to the maximum degree

• his letter plunged her into abject misery

• abject poverty.

2. (of a situation or condition) extremely unpleasant and degrading

• the abject condition of the peasants.

3. (of a person or their behaviour) completely without pride or dignity; self-abasing

• an abject apology.

II. derivatives

1. abjection /abˈdʒɛkʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. abjectly /ˈabdʒɛktli /

adverb

3. abjectness /ˈabdʒɛktnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘rejected’): from Latin abjectus, past participle of abicere ‘reject’, from ab- ‘away’ + jacere ‘to throw’.

abjure /əbˈdʒʊə, əbˈdʒɔː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› solemnly renounce (a belief, cause, or claim)

• MPs were urged to abjure their Jacobite allegiance.

II. phrases

abjure the realm

‹historical› swear an oath to leave a country forever.

• prior to transportation, offenders were sometimes permitted to abjure the realm.

III. derivatives

abjuration /abdʒəˈreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin abjurare, from ab- ‘away’ + jurare ‘swear’.

Abkhaz /abˈkɑːz/

I. noun

1. a member of a people living mainly in Abkhazia.

2. [ mass noun] — the North Caucasian language of the Abkhaz.

II. adjective

relating to Abkhazia, its people, or their language.

Abkhazia /abˈkɑːzɪə/

I. an autonomous territory in NW Georgia, west of the Caucasus mountains on the Black Sea; pop. 215,972 (2003); capital, Sokhumi. In 1992 Abkhazia unilaterally declared itself independent, sparking armed conflict with Georgia, and the following year drove Georgian forces from its territory.

II. derivatives

Abkhazian /abˈkɑːzɪən, abˈkeɪzjən /

adjective, noun

ablation /əˈbleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the surgical removal of body tissue.

2. the removal of snow and ice from a glacier or iceberg by melting or evaporation.

3. the erosion of rock, typically by wind action.

4. the loss of surface material from a spacecraft or meteorite through evaporation or melting caused by friction with the atmosphere.

II. derivatives

ablate /abˈleɪt /

verb

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘taking away, removal’): from late Latin ablatio(n-), from Latin ablat- ‘taken away’, from ab- ‘away’ + lat- ‘carried’ (from the verb ferre).

ablative /ˈablətɪv/

I. adjective

1. [Grammar] denoting a case (especially in Latin) of nouns and pronouns and words in grammatical agreement with them indicating an agent, instrument, or source, expressed by ‘by’, ‘with’, or ‘from’ in English.

2. (of surgical treatment) involving ablation.

• all nine patients were treated by ablative surgery.

3. relating to or subject to ablation through melting or evaporation

• the spacecraft's ablative heat shield.

II. noun

1. [Grammar] a word in the ablative case.

2. ( the ablative) — [Grammar] the ablative case.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ablative (feminine of ablatif), Latin ablativus, from ablat- ‘taken away’ (see ablation).

ablative absolute

noun

a construction in Latin which consists of a noun and participle or adjective in the ablative case and functions as a sentence adverb, for example Deo volente ‘God willing’.

ablaut /ˈablaʊt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. alternation in the vowels of related word forms, especially in Germanic strong verbs (e.g. in sing, sang, sung).
[as modifier]

• an ablaut series.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German, from ab ‘off’ + Laut ‘sound’.

ablaze /əˈbleɪz/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. burning fiercely

• his clothes were ablaze

• [as complement] farm buildings were set ablaze.

2. very brightly coloured or lighted

• New England is ablaze with colour in autumn.

3. filled with anger or another strong emotion

• his eyes were ablaze with excitement.

able /ˈeɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [with infinitive] — having the power, skill, means, or opportunity to do something

• he was able to read Greek at the age of eight

• they would never be able to afford such a big house.

2. having considerable skill, proficiency, or intelligence

• the dancers were technically very able.

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘easy to use, suitable’): from Old French hable, from Latin habilis ‘handy’, from habere ‘to hold’.

-able

I. suffix

1. forming adjectives meaning:

2. able to be

• calculable.

3. due to be

• payable.

4. subject to

• taxable.

5. relevant to or in accordance with

• fashionable.

6. having the quality to

• suitable

• comfortable.

– origin from French -able or Latin -abilis; originally found in words only from these forms but later used to form adjectives directly from English verbs ending in -ate, e.g. educable from educate; subsequently used to form adjectives from verbs of all types (influenced by the unrelated word able), e.g. bearable, saleable.

able-bodied /eɪb(ə)lˈbɒdɪd/

adjective

fit and healthy; not physically disabled.

• he was the only able-bodied man on the farm.

• (as plural noun the able-bodied) full integration between the able-bodied and the disabled.

able-bodied seaman able-bodied rating

noun

a seaman or naval rating able to perform all duties.

abled

I. adjective

having a full range of physical or mental abilities; not disabled.

• an astonishing company of abled and disabled dancers.

See also differently abled.

– origin 1980s: back-formation from disabled.

ableism /ˈeɪblɪz(ə)m / ablism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. discrimination in favour of able-bodied people.

• we were fed up with the ableism of the women's movement.

II. derivatives

ableist

adjective

able seaman

noun

a rank of sailor in the Royal Navy above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman.

abloom /əˈbluːm/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. covered in flowers.

• in the springtime the cliff top is abloom, first with serviceberry, then dogwood.

ablush /əˈblʌʃ/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹literary› blushing.

ablution /əˈbluːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — (usu. ablutions)

1. ‹formal› ‹humorous› an act of washing oneself

• the women performed their ablutions.

2. ‹formal› ‹humorous› a ceremonial act of washing parts of the body or sacred containers.

3. ( the ablutions) — ‹formal› ‹humorous› (Brit.) (in army slang) a building or room containing washing facilities and toilets.

II. derivatives

ablutionary

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin ablutio(n-), from abluere, from ab- ‘away’ + luere ‘wash’. The original use was as a term in chemistry and alchemy meaning ‘purification by using liquids’, hence ‘purification of the body by washing’ (mid 16th cent.).

ably /ˈeɪbli/

adverb

skilfully; competently

• Steven has summed up our concerns very ably.

-ably

suffix

forming adverbs corresponding to adjectives ending in -able (such as suitably corresponding to suitable).

ABM

abbreviation

anti-ballistic missile.

Abnaki /abˈnaki / Abenaki /abəˈnaki/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people of Maine and southern Quebec.

2. [ mass noun] — either or both of the two extinct Algonquian languages ( Eastern Abnaki and Western Abnaki) of the Abnaki.

II. adjective

relating to the Abnaki or their language.

– origin from French Abénaqui, from Montagnais ouabanăkionek ‘people of the eastern land’.

abnegate /ˈabnɪɡeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› renounce or reject (something desired or valuable)

• he attempts to abnegate personal responsibility.

II. derivatives

abnegator

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin abnegat- ‘renounced’, from the verb abnegare, from ab- ‘away, off’ + negare ‘deny’.

abnegation /abnɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of renouncing or rejecting something

• abnegation of political power.

2. self-denial.

• people are capable of abnegation and unselfishness.

– origin Middle English: from Latin abnegatio(n-), from the verb abnegare (see abnegate).

Abney level /ˈabni/

I. noun

[Surveying] a kind of clinometer consisting of a sighting tube, spirit level, and graduated scale.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Sir William Abney (1844–1920), English scientist.

abnormal /əbˈnɔːm(ə)l/

I. adjective

deviating from what is normal or usual, typically in a way that is undesirable or worrying

• the illness is recognizable from the patient's abnormal behaviour.

– origin mid 19th cent.: alteration (by association with Latin abnormis ‘monstrous’) of 16th-cent. anormal, from French, variant of anomal, via Latin from Greek anōmalos (see anomalous).

abnormality /abnɔːˈmalɪti, abnəˈmalɪti/

noun

1. an abnormal feature, characteristic, or occurrence

• babies with congenital abnormalities.

2. [ mass noun] — the quality or state of being abnormal.

• miscarriage can be caused by fetal abnormality.

abnormally /abˈnɔːməli/

adverb

in a manner that deviates from what is normal or usual; irregularly or extraordinarily

• her heart started beating abnormally

• [as submodifier] an abnormally wet autumn.

abnormity /abˈnɔːmɪti/

I. noun

1. an abnormal feature, characteristic, or occurrence

• tests for abnormities.

2. [ mass noun] — the quality or state of being abnormal

• abnormity of the abdomen.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from late Latin abnormitas, from abnormis ‘monstrous’, from ab- ‘away, from’ + norma (see norm).

Abo /ˈabəʊ / ‹Austral. informal, offensive›

I. noun

an Aborigine.

II. adjective

Aboriginal.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation.

Åbo /ˈɔːbuː/

Swedish name for Turku.

aboard /əˈbɔːd/

I. adverb, preposition

1. on or into (a ship, aircraft, train, or other vehicle)
[as adv.]

• the plane crashed, killing all 158 people aboard

• ‹figurative› he came aboard as IBM's new chairman

• [as prep.] I climbed aboard the yacht.

2. on or on to (a horse)
[as adv.]

• with Richard Migliore aboard, he won the cup at a gallop.

3. [Baseball] on base
[as adv.]

• putting their first batter aboard.

II. phrases

all aboard!

a call warning passengers to get on a ship, train, or bus that is about to depart.

– origin late Middle English: from a-2 (expressing motion) + board, reinforced by Old French à bord.

abode^1 /əˈbəʊd/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› ‹literary› a place of residence; a house or home

• my humble abode.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹formal› ‹literary› residence

• their right of abode in Britain.

3. ‹formal› ‹literary› ‹archaic› a stay; a sojourn.

II. phrases

of no fixed abode

(of a person) having no permanent residence

• both defendants were said to be of no fixed abode.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘act of waiting’): verbal noun from abide.

abode^2 /əˈbəʊd/

verb

archaic past of abide.

abolish /əˈbɒlɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. formally put an end to (a system, practice, or institution)

• the tax was abolished in 1977.

II. derivatives

1. abolishable

adjective

2. abolisher

noun

3. abolishment /əˈbɒlɪʃmənt /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French aboliss-, lengthened stem of abolir, from Latin abolere ‘destroy’.

abolition /abəˈlɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of abolishing a system, practice, or institution

• the abolition of the death penalty.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin abolitio(n-), from abolere ‘destroy’.

abolitionist /abəˈlɪʃ(ə)nɪst/

I. noun

a person who favours the abolition of a practice or institution, especially capital punishment or (formerly) slavery.
[as modifier]

• the abolitionist movement.

II. derivatives

abolitionism /ˌabəˈlɪʃ(ə)nɪz(ə)m /

noun

abomasum /ˌabəʊˈmeɪsəm/

I. noun

[Zoology] the fourth stomach of a ruminant, which receives food from the omasum and passes it to the small intestine.

– origin late 17th cent.: modern Latin, from ab- ‘away, from’ + omasum (see omasum).

A-bomb

noun

short for atom bomb.

Abomey /əˈbəʊmeɪ, ˌabə(ʊ)ˈmeɪ/

a town in southern Benin, capital of the former kingdom of Dahomey; pop. 87,941 (2006).

abominable /əˈbɒm(ə)nəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. causing moral revulsion

• the uprising was suppressed with abominable cruelty.

2. very bad; terrible

• what an abominable mess!

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin abominabilis, from abominari (see abominate). The term was once widely believed to be from ab- ‘away from’ + Latin homine (from homo ‘human being’), thus ‘inhuman, beastly’, and frequently spelled abhominable until the 17th cent.

Abominable Snowman

noun

a large hairy creature resembling a human or bear, said to live in the highest part of the Himalayas.
Also called yeti.

abominably /əˈbɒmnəbli/

adverb

1. very unpleasantly or unfairly

• he had treated her abominably.

2. very badly

• his head hurt abominably

• [as submodifier] restaurants with abominably bad service.

• it is abominably rude of her to call so early.

abominate /əˈbɒmɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› detest; loathe

• they abominated the very idea of monarchy.

II. derivatives

abominator

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin abominat- ‘deprecated’, from the verb abominari, from ab- ‘away, from’ + omen, omin- ‘omen’.

abomination /əbɒmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a thing that causes disgust or loathing

• concrete abominations masquerading as hotels.

2. a feeling of hatred

• a Calvinist abomination of indulgence.

– origin Middle English: from Latin abominatio(n-), from the verb abominari (see abominate).

aboral /abˈɔːr(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [Zoology] relating to or denoting the side or end that is furthest from the mouth, especially in animals that lack clear upper and lower sides such as echinoderms.

• the aboral surface.

2. [Zoology] moving or leading away from the mouth.

II. derivatives

aborally

adverb

aboriginal /abəˈrɪdʒɪn(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times or from before the arrival of colonists; indigenous.

2. ( Aboriginal) — relating to the Australian Aborigines or their languages.

II. noun

1. an aboriginal inhabitant of a place.

2. ( Aboriginal) — a person belonging to one of the indigenous peoples of Australia.

3. ( Aboriginal) [ mass noun] — any of the numerous Australian Aboriginal languages.

III. derivatives

Aboriginality

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin aborigines ‘original inhabitants’ (see aborigine) + -al. / usage: See usage at aborigine.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission

noun

an Australian government body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, established in 1990 and abolished in 2005

• the delivery of these services was previously overseen by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.

Aboriginalization /abəˌrɪdʒɪnəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/ Aboriginalisation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) the practice or policy of enabling Aborigines to take up positions in organizations, particularly those dealing with Aboriginal affairs

• the Aboriginalization of education.

– origin 1970s: from aboriginal + -ize + -ation.

Aboriginal site

noun

1. a place of special cultural significance to a particular Aboriginal group

• there are a number of sacred Aboriginal sites that need protection.

2. a place which shows evidence of Aboriginal occupation

• archaeological research on Aboriginal sites.

Aboriginal tent embassy tent embassy

noun

(Austral.) a semi-permanent site of political protest established in a public space, from which indigenous people and their supporters campaign for improved rights

• the Aboriginal tent embassy remains one of the most politically and symbolically charged sites in the national capital.

aborigine /abəˈrɪdʒɪniː/

I. noun

1. a person, animal, or plant that has been in a country or region from earliest times.

2. ( Aborigine) — an aboriginal inhabitant of Australia.

– origin mid 19th cent.: back-formation from the 16th-cent. plural aborigines ‘original inhabitants’ (in classical times referring to those of Italy and Greece), from the Latin phrase ab origine ‘from the beginning’. / usage: Both Aboriginal and Aborigine may be used as nouns referring to a member of an Australian Aboriginal people, but Aborigine is the commoner and is often preferred, especially in the plural.

aborning /əˈbɔːnɪŋ/

I. adverb

(chiefly N. Amer.) while being born or produced

• the idea died aborning.

– origin 1930s: from a- ‘in the process of’ + borning, verbal noun from born (North American dialect usage) ‘to be born’.

abort /əˈbɔːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. carry out or undergo the abortion of (a fetus).

• Louisiana allows women to abort an embryo up to 12 weeks old.

• [no obj.] the right to abort must remain a key element of a woman's ‘reproductive rights’.

2. [no obj.] — (of a pregnant woman or female animal) have a miscarriage, with loss of the fetus.

• an organism that infects sheep and can cause pregnant ewes to abort.

3. [no obj.] — [Biology] (of an embryonic organ or organism) remain undeveloped; fail to mature.

4. bring to a premature end because of a problem or fault

• the flight crew aborted the take-off.

II. noun

1. ‹informal› ‹technical› an act of aborting a flight, space mission, or other enterprise

• an abort because of bad weather.

2. ‹informal› ‹technical› an aborted enterprise.

• I've wasted almost a year on an abort.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin aboriri ‘miscarry’, from ab- ‘away, from’ + oriri ‘be born’.

abortifacient /əˌbɔːtɪˈfeɪʃ(ə)nt / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) causing abortion.

II. noun

an abortifacient drug.

abortion /əˈbɔːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks

• concerns such as abortion and euthanasia

• [ count noun] illegal abortions.

2. the expulsion of a fetus from the womb by natural causes before it is able to survive independently.

3. [Biology] the arrest of the development of a seed, fruit, or other organ.

4. an object or undertaking that is unpleasant or badly made or carried out.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin abortio(n-), from aboriri ‘miscarry’ (see abort).

abortionist /əˈbɔːʃ(ə)nɪst/

noun

‹derogatory› a person who carries out abortions.

abortion mill

noun

‹informal› used pejoratively by opponents of abortion to refer to an abortion clinic.

abortion pill

noun

‹informal› a drug which can induce abortion, especially mifepristone.

abortive /əˈbɔːtɪv/

I. adjective

1. failing to produce the intended result

• the rebel officers who led the abortive coup were shot.

2. [Medicine] (of a virus infection) failing to produce symptoms.

3. ‹dated› (of an organ or organism) rudimentary; arrested in development

• abortive medusae.

4. ‹rare› causing or resulting in abortion.

• abortive techniques.

II. derivatives

abortively

adverb

– origin Middle English (as a noun denoting a stillborn child or animal): via Old French from Latin abortivus, from aboriri ‘miscarry’ (see abort).

abortus fever /əˈbɔːtəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the commonest form of undulant fever in humans.
●This disease is caused by the bacterium Brucella abortus, which is also the chief cause of brucellosis in cattle.

– origin 1920s: from Latin abortus ‘miscarriage’.

ABO system

noun

a system of four basic types (A, AB, B, and O) into which human blood may be classified, based on the presence or absence of certain inherited antigens.

Aboukir Bay, Battle of /ˌabuːˈkɪə / Abukir Bay

a naval battle in 1798 off Aboukir Bay at the mouth of the Nile, in which the British under Nelson defeated the French fleet.
Also called Nile, Battle of the.

abound /əˈbaʊnd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. exist in large numbers or amounts

• rumours of a further scandal abound.

2. ( abound in/with) — have in large numbers or amounts

• this area abounds with caravan sites.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘overflow, be abundant’): from Old French abunder, from Latin abundare ‘overflow’, from ab- ‘from’ + undare ‘surge’ (from unda ‘a wave’).

abounding /əˈbaʊndɪŋ/

adjective

very plentiful; abundant

• his abounding creative talent.

about /əˈbaʊt/

I. preposition

1. on the subject of; concerning

• I was thinking about you

• a book about ancient Greece

• it's all about having fun.

2. so as to affect

• there's nothing we can do about it.

3. (chiefly Brit.) used to indicate movement within a particular area

• she looked about the room.

4. (chiefly Brit.) used to express location in a particular place

• rugs were strewn about the hall

• he produced a knife from somewhere about his person.

5. used to describe a quality apparent in a person

• there was a look about her that said everything.

II. adverb

1. (chiefly Brit.) used to indicate movement within an area

• men were floundering about

• finding my way about.

2. (chiefly Brit.) used to express location in a particular place

• there was a lot of flu about.

3. (used with a number or quantity) approximately

• reduced by about 5 per cent

• he's about 35.

III. phrases

1. be about to do something

intend to do something, or be close to doing something, very soon

• the ceremony was about to begin.

2. be not about to do something

be unwilling to do something

• he is not about to step down after so long.

3. be on about

see on.

4. know what one is about

‹informal› be sensible, self-possessed, and aware of how to deal with difficult situations.

• don't go to the Congo without knowing what you're about.

– origin Old English onbūtan, from on ‘in, on’ + būtan ‘outside of’ (see but^2).

about-turn /əbaʊtˈtɛːn / ‹Brit.› ‹chiefly N. Amer.› about-face

I. noun

1. (chiefly in military contexts) a turn made so as to face the opposite direction

• he did an about-turn and marched out of the tent.

2. a complete change of opinion or policy

• the government made an about-turn over the bill.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. turn so as to face the opposite direction.

• suddenly he about-turned and saluted again.

III. exclamation — ( about turn!)

1. a military command to make an about-turn.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally as a military command): shortening of right about turn.

above /əˈbʌv/

I. preposition

1. in extended space over and not touching

• a display of fireworks above the town

• a cable runs above the duct.

2. extending upwards over

• she held her arms above her head.

3. higher than and to one side of; overlooking

• in the hills above the capital

• on the wall above the altar.

4. at a higher level or layer than

• from his flat above the corner shop

• bruises above both eyes.

5. higher in grade or rank than

• at a level above the common people.

6. considered of higher status or worth than; too good for

• she married above her.

7. in preference to

• the firm cynically chose profit above car safety.

8. at a higher volume or pitch than

• he seldom spoke above a whisper

• the doorbell went unheard above the din.

9. higher than (a specified amount, rate, or norm)

• the food was well above average

• above sea level.

II. adverb

1. at a higher level or layer

• place a quantity of mud in a jar with water above.

2. higher in grade or rank

• an officer of the rank of superintendent or above.

3. higher than a specified amount, rate, or norm

• boats of 31 ft or above.

4. (in printed text) mentioned earlier or further up on the same page

• the two cases described above

• see above left

• [as adj.] at the above address

• [as noun] since writing the above, I have reconsidered.

III. phrases

1. above all (else)

more so than anything else

• he was concerned above all to speak the truth.

2. above and beyond

a. in excess of the expectations or demands of

• she was always there to help us out in difficult times, above and beyond the call of duty.

b. in addition to

• you might consider giving employees an extra day or two off each quarter, above and beyond sick days.

3. above oneself

conceited; arrogant

• he's getting a bit above himself.

4. above the law

in a position where one can avoid being bound by the laws that govern ordinary people

• the army was above the law and enjoyed complete impunity.

5. from above

a. from overhead

• branches rained from above.

b. from a position of higher rank or authority

• mass culture is imposed from above.

6. not be above

be capable of stooping to (an unworthy act)

• he was not above practical jokes.

7. up above

above one's head; overhead

• we heard a sudden rumbling from up above.

– origin Old English abufan (as an adverb), from a- ‘on’ + bufan (from bi ‘by’ + ufan ‘above’).

above board

adjective, adverb

legitimate, honest, and open
[as adj.]

• certain transactions were not totally above board

• [as adv.] the accountants acted completely above board.

above-mentioned

adjective

(in printed text) denoting a person or thing previously mentioned

• the above-mentioned changes did not take place overnight.

above-named

adjective

(in printed text) denoting a person or thing previously mentioned

• any of the above-named books will give the interested reader much more information.

above-stated

adjective

(in printed text) denoting a point or idea previously stated

• we should not abandon the above-stated democratic ideal.

ab ovo /ab ˈəʊvəʊ/

I. adverb

from the very beginning.

– origin Latin, literally ‘from the egg’.

Abp

abbreviation

Archbishop.

abracadabra /ˌabrəkəˈdabrə/

I. exclamation

a word said by conjurors when performing a magic trick.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› language used to give the impression of arcane knowledge or power

• I get so fed up with all the mumbo jumbo and abracadabra.

– origin late 17th cent. (as a mystical word engraved and used as a charm to ward off illness): from Latin, first recorded in a 2nd-cent. poem by Q. Serenus Sammonicus, from a Greek base.

abrade /əˈbreɪd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. scrape or wear away by friction or erosion

• it was a landscape slowly abraded by a fine, stinging dust.

II. derivatives

abrader

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin abradere, from ab- ‘away, from’ + radere ‘to scrape’.

Abraham /ˈeɪbrəham/

(in the Bible) the Hebrew patriarch from whom all Jews trace their descent (Gen. 11:27–25:10). In Gen. 22 he is ordered by God to sacrifice his son Isaac as a test of faith, a command later revoked.

Abrahams, Harold /ˈeɪbrəhamz/

(1899–1978), English athlete; full name Harold Maurice Abrahams. In 1924 he became the first Englishman to win the 100 metres in the Olympic Games. His story was the subject of the film Chariots of Fire (1981).

abrasion /əˈbreɪʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of scraping or wearing something away

• the metal is resistant to abrasion.

2. [ count noun] — an area damaged by scraping or wearing away

• there were cuts and abrasions to the lips and jaw.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin abrasio(n-), from the verb abradere (see abrade).

abrasive /əˈbreɪsɪv/

I. adjective

1. (of a substance or material) capable of polishing or cleaning a hard surface by rubbing or grinding.

• the wood should be rubbed down with fine abrasive paper.

• don't use abrasive kitchen cleaners.

2. tending to rub or graze the skin

• the trees were abrasive to the touch.

3. showing little concern for the feelings of others; harsh

• her abrasive and arrogant personal style won her few friends.

II. noun

a substance used for grinding, polishing, or cleaning a hard surface.

• the refrigerator is easily damaged by abrasives.

III. derivatives

1. abrasively /əˈbreɪsɪvli /

adverb

2. abrasiveness /əˈbreɪsɪvnəs /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent. (as a noun): from Latin abras- ‘abraded’, from the verb abradere (see abrade), + -ive.

abrazo /əˈbrɑːzəʊ, əˈbrasəʊ/

I. noun

(US) an embrace.

• they stood in a wordless abrazo.

– origin Spanish.

abreact /ˌabrɪˈakt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Psychoanalysis] release (an emotion) by abreaction.

• they were unable fully to abreact their responses to the trauma.

– origin early 20th cent.: back-formation from abreaction.

abreaction /abrɪˈakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychoanalysis] the expression and consequent release of a previously repressed emotion, achieved through reliving the experience that caused it (typically through hypnosis or suggestion).

• he was using dream abreaction to treat a schizoid patient.

• [ count noun] a series of interviews and abreactions.

II. derivatives

abreactive

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from ab- ‘away from’ + reaction, translating German Abreagierung.

abreast /əˈbrɛst/

I. adverb

1. side by side and facing the same way

• the path was wide enough for two people to walk abreast

• they were riding three abreast.

2. (usu. abreast of) — alongside or level with something

• the cart came abreast of the Americans in their rickshaw.

3. up to date with the latest news, ideas, or information

• keeping abreast of developments.

– origin late Middle English: from a-2 ‘in’ + breast.

abridge /əˈbrɪdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often as adj. abridged) — shorten (a book, film, speech, etc.) without losing the sense

• an abridged text of his speech.

2. [Law] curtail (a right or privilege).

• even the right to free speech can be abridged.

II. derivatives

1. abridgeable

adjective

2. abridger

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘deprive of’): from Old French abregier, from late Latin abbreviare ‘cut short’ (see abbreviate).

abridgement /əˈbrɪdʒm(ə)nt / ‹chiefly US› abridgment

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of abridging a text.

2. [ count noun] — a shortened version of a larger work.

• an abridgement of Shakespeare's Henry VI.

3. [Law] curtailment of rights.

• the abridgement of the rights of ownership.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French abregement, from the verb abreg(i)er (see abridge).

abroad /əˈbrɔːd / ‹chiefly Brit.›

I. adverb

1. in or to a foreign country or countries

• we usually go abroad for a week in May

• competition from companies at home and abroad.

2. in different directions; over a wide area

• millions of seeds are annually scattered abroad.

3. (of a feeling or rumour) widely current

• there is a new buccaneering spirit abroad.

4. freely moving about

• hospital inmates abroad on the streets of the town.

5. ‹archaic› out of doors

• few people ventured abroad from their warm houses.

6. ‹archaic› wide of the mark; in error.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. foreign countries considered collectively

• servicemen returning from abroad.

– origin Middle English: from a-2 ‘on’ + broad.

abrogate /ˈabrəɡeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› repeal or do away with (a law, right, or formal agreement)

• a proposal to abrogate temporarily the right to strike.

2. ‹formal› evade (a responsibility or duty)

• we believe the board is abrogating its responsibilities to its shareholders.

II. derivatives

abrogator

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin abrogat- ‘repealed’, from the verb abrogare, from ab- ‘away, from’ + rogare ‘propose a law’.

abrogation /abrəˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the repeal or abolition of a law, right, or agreement.

abrupt /əˈbrʌpt/

I. adjective

1. sudden and unexpected

• I was surprised by the abrupt change of subject

• the match came to an abrupt end.

2. brief to the point of rudeness; curt

• you were rather abrupt with that young man.

3. (of a style of speech or writing) not flowing smoothly; disjointed.

• abrupt, epigrammatic paragraphs.

• an occasionally abrupt narrative.

4. steep; precipitous

• the abrupt double peak.

II. derivatives

abruptness /əˈbrʌptnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin abruptus ‘broken off, steep’, past participle of abrumpere, from ab- ‘away, from’ + rumpere ‘break’.

abruption

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› the sudden breaking away of a portion from a mass.

2. (also placental abruption) — ‹technical› [Medicine] separation of the placenta from the wall of the womb during pregnancy, especially when it occurs prematurely.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin abruptio(n)-, from abrumpere ‘break off’ (see abrupt).

abruptly /əˈbrʌptli/

adverb

1. suddenly and unexpectedly

• the film ends rather abruptly

• a drama about two young brothers who are abruptly abandoned by their father.

2. in a rude or curt manner

• she barely conceals her irritation and speaks briefly and abruptly to the woman.

3. steeply; precipitously

• the forested terrain ascends abruptly.

Abruzzi /aˈbrʊtsi / Abruzzo /aˈbrʊtsəʊ/

a mountainous region of east central Italy; capital, Aquila.

Abruzzian /əˈbrʊtsɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Italian region of Abruzzi or its inhabitants

• the Abruzzian mountaineers sung their praises.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the Italian region of Abruzzi

• Abruzzians sometimes use mutton in this dish.

ABS /eɪbiːˈɛs/

abbreviation

1. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, a hard composite plastic used to make car bodies and cases for computers and other appliances.

2. anti-lock braking system (for motor vehicles).

abs-

prefix

variant spelling of ab- before c, q, and t (as in abscond, abstain).

abscess /ˈabsɪs, ˈabsɛs/

I. noun

a swollen area within body tissue, containing an accumulation of pus.

• once the abscesses burst, they usually discharge for several days before gradually healing up.

• ‹figurative› one of his priorities as prime minister was to lance the abscess of corruption.

II. derivatives

abscessed

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin abscessus ‘a going away’, from the verb abscedere, from ab- ‘away from’ + cedere ‘go’, referring to the elimination of infected matter via the pus.

abscisic acid /abˈsɪsɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a plant hormone which promotes leaf detachment, induces seed and bud dormancy, and inhibits germination.

– origin 1960s: abscisic from abscisin (the earlier name for the hormone), from abscission.

abscissa /abˈsɪsə/

I. noun

[Mathematics] (in a system of coordinates) the distance from a point to the vertical or y -axis, measured parallel to the horizontal or x -axis; the x -coordinate.
Compare with ordinate.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting the part of a line between a point on it and the point of intersection with an ordinate): from modern Latin abscissa (linea) ‘cut-off (line)’, feminine past participle of abscindere (see abscission).

abscission /əbˈsɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] the natural detachment of parts of a plant, typically dead leaves and ripe fruit.

• leaf abscission in trees.

• [as modifier] abscission layer.

II. derivatives

abscise /əbˈsʌɪz /

verb

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin abscissio(n-), from abscindere, from ab- ‘off’ + scindere ‘to cut’.

abscond /əbˈskɒnd, abˈskɒnd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to escape from custody or avoid arrest

• the barman absconded with a week's takings

• 176 detainees absconded.

2. (of a person on bail) fail to surrender oneself for custody at the appointed time.

• charges of absconding while on bail.

II. derivatives

absconder /əbˈskɒndə, abˈskɒndə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘hide, conceal oneself’): from Latin abscondere ‘hide’, from ab- ‘away, from’ + condere ‘stow’.

abseil /ˈabseɪl, ˈabzʌɪl / ‹Brit.›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. descend a rock face or other near-vertical surface by using a doubled rope coiled round the body and fixed at a higher point

• team members had to abseil down sheer cliffs to reach the couple

• (as noun abseiling) there are facilities for abseiling and rock climbing.

II. noun

a descent made by abseiling.

• a 120 ft abseil.

III. derivatives

abseiler

noun

– origin 1930s: from German abseilen, from ab ‘down’ + Seil ‘rope’.

absence /ˈabs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being away from a place or person

• the letter had arrived during his absence

• I supervised the rehearsal in the absence of the director.

2. [ count noun] — an occasion or period of being away from a place or person

• repeated absences from school.

3. ( absence of) — the non-existence or lack of

• she found his total absence of facial expression disconcerting.

II. phrases

1. absence makes the heart grow fonder

‹proverb› you feel more affection for those you love when parted from them.

2. absence of mind

failure to concentrate on or remember what one is doing.

• his reply conveyed his absence of mind.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin absentia, from absens, absent- (see absent).

absent

I. adjective — absent /ˈabs(ə)nt /

1. not present in a place, at an occasion, or as part of something

• most pupils were absent from school at least once

• absent colleagues

• wings are absent in several species of crane flies.

2. (of an expression or manner) showing that someone is not paying attention to what is being said or done

• she looked up with an absent smile.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( absent oneself) absent /abˈsɛnt /

1. stay or go away

• halfway through the meal, he absented himself from the table.

III. preposition

(N. Amer.) ‹formal› without

• absent a willingness to negotiate, you can't have collective bargaining.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin absens, absent- ‘being absent’, present participle of abesse, from ab- ‘from, away’ + esse ‘to be’.

absentee /ˌabs(ə)nˈtiː/

noun

a person who is expected or required to be present at a place or event but is not.

• an absentee from the match.

• [as modifier] absentee pupils.

absentee ballot

noun

North American term for postal vote.

absenteeism /abs(ə)nˈtiːɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of regularly staying away from work or school without good reason.

• high levels of absenteeism caused by low job motivation.

absentee landlord

noun

a landlord who does not live at and rarely visits the property they let.

absently /ˈabs(ə)ntli/

adverb

in an absent-minded way; vaguely

• Keira toyed absently with her fork.

absent-minded /ˌabs(ə)ntˈmʌɪndɪd/

I. adjective

having or showing a forgetful or inattentive disposition

• an absent-minded smile.

II. derivatives

1. absent-mindedly /absəntˈmʌɪndɪdli /

adverb

2. absent-mindedness /absəntˈmʌɪndɪdnəs /

noun

absinthe /ˈabsɪnθ / absinth

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a potent green aniseed-flavoured liqueur, originally made with the shrub wormwood.

2. [ mass noun] — another term for wormwood (sense 1).

– origin late Middle English: from French absinthe, via Latin from Greek apsinthion ‘wormwood’.

absit omen /ˌabsɪt ˈəʊmən/

I. exclamation

used when referring to something undesirable, in the hope that the thing mentioned will not occur.

– origin Latin, literally ‘may this (evil) omen be absent’.

abso-bloody-lutely /ˌabsəblʌdɪˈluːtli/

adverb

(chiefly Austral./NZ) ‹informal› emphatic or humorous form of absolutely:

• I feel abso-bloody-lutely dreadful

• ‘We should celebrate,’ Otter said. ‘Abso-bloody-lutely,’ Matt agreed.

absolute /ˈabsəluːt/

I. adjective

1. not qualified or diminished in any way; total

• absolute secrecy

• absolute silence.

2. used for emphasis when expressing an opinion

• the policy is absolute folly.

3. (of powers or rights) not subject to any limitation; unconditional

• no one dare challenge her absolute authority

• the right to life is absolute.

4. (of a ruler) having unrestricted power

• Dom Miguel proclaimed himself absolute monarch.

5. [Law] (of a decree) final

• the decree of nullity was made absolute.

See also decree absolute.

6. viewed or existing independently and not in relation to other things; not relative or comparative

• absolute moral standards.

7. [Grammar] (of a construction) syntactically independent of the rest of the sentence, as in dinner being over, we left the table.

8. (of a transitive verb) used without an expressed object (e.g. guns kill).

9. (of an adjective) used without an expressed noun (e.g. the brave).

II. noun

1. [Philosophy] a value or principle which is regarded as universally valid or which may be viewed without relation to other things

• good and evil are presented as absolutes.

2. ( the absolute) — [Philosophy] that which exists without being dependent on anything else.

3. ( the Absolute) — [Philosophy] ultimate reality; God.

III. derivatives

absoluteness /ˈabsəluːtnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin absolutus ‘freed, unrestricted’, past participle of absolvere (see absolve).

absolute advantage

noun

[Economics] the ability of an individual or group to carry out a particular economic activity more efficiently than another individual or group.

absolute alcohol

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ethanol containing less than one per cent of water by weight.

absolutely /ˈabsəluːtli/

adverb

1. with no qualification, restriction, or limitation; totally

• she trusted him absolutely

• [as submodifier] you're absolutely right.

2. used to emphasize a strong or exaggerated statement

• he absolutely adores that car

• [as submodifier] Dad was absolutely furious.

3. [with negative] — none whatsoever

• she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

4. [as exclamation] — ‹informal› used to express and emphasize one's assent or agreement

• ‘Did they give you a free hand when you joined the band?’ ‘Absolutely!’.

5. not viewed in relation to other things

• white-collar crime increased both absolutely and in comparison with other categories.

6. [Grammar] (of a verb) without a stated object.

absolute magnitude

noun

[Astronomy] the magnitude (brightness) of a celestial object as it would be seen at a standard distance of 10 parsecs.
Compare with apparent magnitude.

absolute majority

noun

a majority over all rivals combined; more than half.

absolute music

noun — [ mass noun]

1. instrumental music not intended to represent or illustrate something else.
Compare with programme music.

absolute pitch /ˌabsəluːt ˈpɪtʃ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Music] another term for perfect pitch.

• I have absolute pitch and I could hear those quarter-tones.

2. [Music] pitch according to a fixed standard defined by the frequency of the sound vibration.

absolute temperature

noun

(Symbol: T) — a temperature measured from absolute zero in kelvins.

absolute title

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the guarantee of title to the ownership of a property or lease.

absolute unit

noun

a unit of measurement which is defined in terms of the fundamental units of a system (mass, length, and time), and is not based on arbitrary definitions.

absolute value

noun

1. [Mathematics] the magnitude of a real number without regard to its sign. Also called modulus.
●The absolute value of a complex number a + ib is the positive square root of a 2 + b 2.

2. ‹technical› the actual magnitude of a numerical value or measurement, irrespective of its relation to other values.

absolute zero

noun

the lowest temperature that is theoretically possible, at which the motion of particles which constitutes heat would be minimal. It is zero on the Kelvin scale, equivalent to −273.15°C.

absolution /absəˈluːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment.

• absolution from the sentence.

2. ecclesiastical declaration that a person's sins have been forgiven

• she had been granted absolution for her sins.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin absolutio(n-), from the verb absolvere (see absolve).

absolutism /ˈabsəluːtɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the holding of absolute principles in political, philosophical, or theological matters.

absolutist /absəˈluːtɪst/

I. noun

a person who holds absolute principles in political, philosophical, or theological matters

• he was a moral absolutist with little patience for shades of grey.

II. adjective

relating to or supporting absolute principles

• an absolutist political tradition

• these claims might strike many people as absolutist and extreme.

absolutize /ˈabsəl(j)uːtʌɪz / absolutise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [chiefly Philosophy] [Theology] make or treat (something) as absolute.

• modes of absolutizing what is merely relative.

II. derivatives

absolutization

noun

absolve /əbˈzɒlv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. declare (someone) free from guilt, obligation, or punishment

• the pardon absolved them of any crimes.

2. (in church use) give absolution for (a sin).

• she asked the bishop to absolve her sins.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin absolvere ‘set free, acquit’, from ab- ‘from’ + solvere ‘loosen’.

absonant /ˈabs(ə)nənt/

I. adjective

‹archaic› discordant or unreasonable.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin ab- ‘away, from’ + sonant- ‘sounding’ (from the verb sonare), on the pattern of words such as dissonant.

absorb /əbˈzɔːb, əbˈsɔːb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take in or soak up (energy or a liquid or other substance) by chemical or physical action

• buildings can be designed to absorb and retain heat

• steroids are absorbed into the bloodstream.

2. take in and understand fully (information, ideas, or experience)

• she absorbed the information in silence.

3. take control of (a smaller or less powerful entity) and make it a part of a larger one

• the family firm was absorbed into a larger group.

4. use or take up (time or resources)

• arms spending absorbs roughly two per cent of the national income.

5. take up and reduce the effect or intensity of (sound or an impact)

• deep-pile carpets absorbed all sound of the outside world.

6. (often be absorbed in) — take up the attention of (someone); interest greatly

• she sat in an armchair, absorbed in a book

• the work absorbed him and continued to make him happy.

II. derivatives

1. absorbability /əbˌzɔːbəˈbɪlɪti, əbˌsɔːbəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. absorbable /əbˈzɔːbəb(ə)l, əbˈsɔːbəb(ə)l /

adjective

3. absorbedly /əbˈzɔːbɪdli, əbˈsɔːbɪdli /

adverb

4. absorber /əbˈzɔːbə, əbˈsɔːbə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin absorbere, from ab- ‘from’ + sorbere ‘suck in’.

absorbance /əbˈzɔːb(ə)ns, əbˈsɔːb(ə)ns/

noun

[Physics] a measure of the capacity of a substance to absorb light of a specified wavelength. It is equal to the logarithm of the reciprocal of the transmittance.

• a plot of absorbance versus wavelength would give a Gaussian curve.

• [ count noun] absorbances were recorded with a clinical photometer.

absorbed dose

noun

[Physics] the quantity of ionizing radiation absorbed by a body, measured (usually in grays) as the energy absorbed per unit mass.

absorbent /əbˈzɔːb(ə)nt, əbˈsɔːb(ə)nt/

I. adjective

(of a material) able to soak up liquid easily

• absorbent kitchen paper.

II. noun

a substance that soaks up liquid easily.

III. derivatives

absorbency /əbˈzɔːbənsi, əbˈsɔːbənsi /

noun

absorbent cotton

noun

North American term for cotton wool.

absorbing /əbˈzɔːbɪŋ, əbˈsɔːbɪŋ/

I. adjective

intensely interesting; engrossing

• an absorbing account of their marriage.

II. derivatives

absorbingly

adverb

absorptiometer /əbˌzɔːpʃɪˈɒmɪtə, əbˌsɔːpʃɪˈɒmɪtə/

I. noun

[Physics] an instrument for measuring the absorption of light or other radiation.

II. derivatives

1. absorptiometric

adjective

2. absorptiometry

noun

absorption /əbˈzɔːpʃ(ə)n, əbˈsɔːpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process by which one thing absorbs or is absorbed by another

• the country's absorption into the Ottoman Empire

• shock absorption.

2. the state of being engrossed in something

• her absorption in the problems of the Third World.

II. derivatives

1. absorptive /əbˈzɔːptɪv, əbˈsɔːptɪv /

adjective

2. absorptivity

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘the swallowing up of something’): from Latin absorptio(n-), from absorbere ‘swallow up’ (see absorb).

absorption costing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of calculating the cost of a product or enterprise by taking into account indirect expenses (overheads) as well as direct costs.

absorption nebula

noun

[Astronomy] another term for dark nebula.

absorption spectrum

noun

[Physics] a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation transmitted through a substance, showing dark lines or bands due to absorption at specific wavelengths.
Compare with emission spectrum.

absquatulate /əbˈskwɒtʃʊleɪt, əbˈskwɒtjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial]

1. ‹humorous› (chiefly N. Amer.) leave abruptly

• some overthrown dictator who had absquatulated to the USA.

II. derivatives

absquatulation

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: blend (simulating a Latin form) of abscond, squattle ‘squat down’, and perambulate.

abstain /əbˈsteɪn/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something

• she intends to abstain from sex before marriage.

2. refrain from drinking alcohol

• most pregnant women abstain or drink very little.

3. formally decline to vote either for or against a proposal or motion

• forty-one voted with the Opposition, and some sixty more abstained.

II. derivatives

abstainer /əbˈsteɪnə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French abstenir, from Latin abstinere, from ab- ‘from’ + tenere ‘hold’.

abstemious /əbˈstiːmɪəs/

I. adjective

indulging only very moderately in something, especially food and drink

• ‘We only had a bottle.’ ‘Very abstemious of you.’.

II. derivatives

1. abstemiously /əbˈstiːmɪəsli /

adverb

2. abstemiousness /əbˈstiːmɪəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin abstemius, (from ab- ‘from’ + a word related to temetum ‘alcoholic drink’) + -ous.

abstention /əbˈstɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an instance of declining to vote for or against a proposal or motion

• a resolution passed by 126 votes to none, with six abstentions.

2. [ mass noun] — restraint in one's consumption; abstinence.

• alcohol consumption versus abstention.

II. derivatives

abstentionism

noun

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting the action of keeping back or restraining): from late Latin abstentio(n-), from the verb abstinere (see abstain).

abstinence /ˈabstɪnəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something, typically alcohol or sex

• I started drinking again after six years of abstinence

• abstinence from premarital intercourse.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin abstinentia, from the verb abstinere (see abstain).

abstinent /ˈabstɪnənt/

I. adjective

refraining from an activity or from the consumption of something, especially alcohol

• the patients are best advised to be totally abstinent from alcohol.

II. derivatives

abstinently

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin abstinent- ‘abstaining’, from the verb abstinere (see abstain).

abstract

I. adjective — abstract /ˈabstrakt /

1. existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence

• abstract concepts such as love or beauty.

2. dealing with ideas rather than events

• the novel was too abstract and esoteric to sustain much attention.

3. not based on a particular instance; theoretical

• we have been discussing the problem in a very abstract manner.

4. (of a noun) denoting an idea, quality, or state rather than a concrete object.

5. relating to or denoting art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but rather seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, colours, and textures.

• abstract pictures.

II. verb — [with obj.] abstract /əbˈstrakt /

1. ( abstract something from) — consider something theoretically or separately from (something else)

• to abstract science and religion from their historical context can lead to anachronism.

2. (usu. abstract something from) — extract or remove (something)

• applications to abstract more water from streams.

3. used euphemistically to indicate that someone has stolen something

• his pockets contained all he had been able to abstract from the flat.

4. ( abstract oneself) — withdraw

• as our relationship deepened you seemed to abstract yourself.

5. make a written summary of (an article or book)

• staff who abstract material for an online database.

III. noun — abstract /ˈabstrakt /

1. a summary of the contents of a book, article, or speech

• an abstract of her speech.

2. an abstract work of art

• a big unframed abstract.

IV. phrases

in the abstract

in a general way; without reference to specific instances.

• there's a fine line between promoting US business interests in the abstract and promoting specific companies.

V. derivatives

1. abstractly /ˈabstraktli /

adverb

2. abstractor /abˈstraktə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Latin abstractus, literally ‘drawn away’, past participle of abstrahere, from ab- ‘from’ + trahere ‘draw off’.

abstracted /əbˈstraktɪd/

I. adjective

lacking concentration on what is happening around one

• she seemed abstracted and unaware of her surroundings

• an abstracted smile.

II. derivatives

abstractedly /abˈstraktɪdli /

adverb

abstract expressionism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a development of abstract art which originated in New York in the 1940s and 1950s and aimed at subjective emotional expression with particular emphasis on the spontaneous creative act (e.g. action painting). Leading figures were Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning.

II. derivatives

abstract expressionist

noun, adjective

abstraction /əbˈstrakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of dealing with ideas rather than events

• topics will vary in degrees of abstraction.

2. [ count noun] — something which exists only as an idea

• the question can no longer be treated as an academic abstraction.

3. freedom from representational qualities in art

• geometric abstraction has been a mainstay in her work.

4. [ count noun] — an abstract work of art.

• critics sought the meaning of O'Keeffe's abstractions.

• a series of black-and-white abstractions.

5. a state of preoccupation

• she sensed his momentary abstraction.

6. the process of considering something independently of its associations or attributes

• the question cannot be considered in abstraction from the historical context in which it was raised.

7. the process of removing something, especially water from a river or other source.

• the abstraction of water from springs and wells.

• [ count noun] abstractions from the Lowther in Cumbria.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin abstractio(n-), from the verb abstrahere ‘draw away’ (see abstract).

abstractionism /əbˈstrakʃ(ə)nɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the principles and practice of abstract art.

• O'Keeffe did not abandon abstractionism.

2. the presentation of ideas in abstract terms.

• his tendency to abstractionism.

II. derivatives

abstractionist /abˈstrakʃ(ə)nɪst /

noun, adjective

abstract noun

noun

a noun denoting an idea, quality, or state rather than a concrete object, e.g. truth, danger, happiness

• the website contains considerably more abstract nouns than hard facts.

abstract of title

noun

[Law] a summary giving details of the title deeds and documents that prove an owner's right to dispose of land, together with any encumbrances that relate to the property.

• solicitors insist on a full abstract of title.

abstruse /əbˈstruːs/

I. adjective

difficult to understand; obscure

• an abstruse philosophical inquiry.

II. derivatives

1. abstrusely /əbˈstruːsli /

adverb

2. abstruseness /əbˈstruːsnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin abstrusus ‘put away, hidden’, from abstrudere ‘conceal’, from ab- ‘from’ + trudere ‘to push’.

absurd /əbˈsəːd/

I. adjective

1. wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate

• the allegations are patently absurd.

2. arousing amusement or derision; ridiculous

• short skirts and knee socks looked absurd on such a tall girl.

II. noun — ( the absurd)

1. an absurd state of affairs

• the incidents that followed bordered on the absurd.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin absurdus ‘out of tune’, hence ‘irrational’; related to surdus ‘deaf, dull’.

absurdism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. intentionally ridiculous or bizarre behaviour or character

• the absurdism of the Dada movement.

2. the belief that human beings exist in a purposeless, chaotic universe.

absurdist /əbˈsəːdɪst/

I. adjective

1. intentionally ridiculous or bizarre; surreal

• a delightful piece of absurdist nonsense.

2. relating to or supporting the belief that human beings exist in a purposeless, chaotic universe.

II. noun

a writer or artist who deals with absurdist themes

• the French absurdists of the fifties.

absurdity /əbˈsəːdɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality or state of being ridiculous or wildly unreasonable

• Duncan laughed at the absurdity of the situation

• [ count noun] the absurdities of haute cuisine.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘dissonance’): from Latin absurditas, from absurdus (see absurd).

absurdly /əbˈsəːdli/

adverb

1. in an absurd way; ridiculously

• he brags absurdly about his horse.

2. [as submodifier] — to a very surprising extent

• the share price is absurdly low.

ABTA /ˈabtə/

abbreviation

(in the UK) Association of British Travel Agents.

abubble

adjective — [ predic.]

1. full of excitement and enthusiasm

• he was abubble with the news.

Abu Dhabi /ˌabuː ˈdɑːbi/

I. the largest of the seven member states of the United Arab Emirates, lying between Oman and the Gulf coast; pop. 2,061,100 (est. 2009). The former sheikhdom joined the federation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971.

II. the capital of the state of Abu Dhabi; pop. 896,800 (est. 2009). It is also the federal capital of the United Arab Emirates.

abuela /aˈbweɪlə/

I. noun

(US) (in Spanish-speaking areas) one's grandmother

• Diego lives with his abuela and helps run the family restaurant.

– origin Spanish.

abuelo /aˈbweɪləʊ/

I. noun

(US) (in Spanish-speaking areas) one's grandfather

• breakfast tortillas topped with chili sauce, onion, and cheese—just the way my abuelo liked it.

– origin Spanish.

Abuja /əˈbuːdʒə/

a newly built city in central Nigeria, replacing Lagos as the national capital in 1991; pop. 776,300 (est. 2006).

abulia /əˈbuːlɪə / aboulia

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] an absence of willpower or an inability to act decisively, a symptom of schizophrenia or other mental illness.

II. derivatives

abulic /əˈbuːlɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: coined from a-1 ‘without’ + Greek boulē ‘the will’.

Abu Musa /ˌabuː ˈmuːsə/

a small island in the Persian Gulf. Formerly held by the emirate of Sharjah, it has been occupied by Iran since 1971.

Abuna /əˈbuːnə/

I. noun

a title given to the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

– origin Amharic, from Arabic 'abūnā ‘our father’.

abundance /əˈbʌnd(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. a very large quantity of something

• the tropical island boasts an abundance of wildlife.

2. [ mass noun] — the state or condition of having a copious quantity of something; plentifulness

• vines and figs grew in abundance

• she was blessed with talent and charm in abundance.

3. [ mass noun] — plentifulness of the good things of life; prosperity

• the growth of industry promised wealth and abundance.

4. the quantity or amount of something present in a particular area, volume, or sample

• estimates of the abundance of harp seals.

5. (in solo whist) a bid by which a player undertakes to make nine or more tricks.

– origin Middle English: from Latin abundantia, from abundant- ‘overflowing’, from the verb abundare (see abound).

abundant /əˈbʌnd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. existing or available in large quantities; plentiful

• there was abundant evidence to support the theory.

2. ( abundant in) — having plenty of

• the riverbanks were abundant in beautiful wild plants.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin abundant- ‘abounding’, from the verb abundare (see abound).

abundantly /əˈbʌnd(ə)ntli/

adverb

1. in large quantities; plentifully

• the plant grows abundantly in the wild.

2. [as submodifier] — extremely

• my boss made it abundantly clear that if I didn't like it, I should look for another job.

abura /əˈbjuːrə/

I. noun

a West African tree which yields soft pale timber, and leaves that are used in herbal medicine.
● Mitragyna stipulosa, family Rubiaceae.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Yoruba.

abuse

I. verb — [with obj.] abuse /əˈbjuːz /

1. use (something) to bad effect or for a bad purpose; misuse

• the judge abused his power by imposing the fines.

2. make excessive and habitual use of (alcohol or drugs, especially illegal ones).

• at various times in her life she abused both alcohol and drugs.

3. treat with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly

• riders who abuse their horses should be prosecuted.

4. assault (someone, especially a woman or child) sexually

• he was a depraved man who had abused his two young daughters

• (as adj. abused) abused children.

5. ( abuse oneself) — ‹euphemistic› masturbate.

6. use or treat in such a way as to cause damage or harm

• he had been abusing his body for years.

7. speak to (someone) in an insulting and offensive way

• the referee was abused by players from both teams.

II. noun — [ mass noun] abuse /əˈbjuːs /

1. the improper use of something

• alcohol abuse

• [ count noun] an abuse of public funds.

2. unjust or corrupt practice

• protection against fraud and abuse

• [ count noun] human rights abuses.

3. cruel and violent treatment of a person or animal

• a black eye and other signs of physical abuse.

4. violent treatment involving sexual assault, especially on a regular basis.

• young people who have suffered sexual abuse.

5. insulting and offensive language

• waving his fists and hurling abuse at the driver.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin abus- ‘misused’, from the verb abuti, from ab- ‘away’ (i.e. ‘wrongly’) + uti ‘to use’.

abuser /əˈbjuːzə/

noun

1. a person who uses something to bad effect or for a bad purpose

• notorious abusers of the English language.

2. a person who makes excessive and habitual use of alcohol or drugs, especially illegal ones

• a chronic cocaine abuser.

3. a person who treats another person or animal with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly

• a vicious abuser who beats both his wife and his son.

4. a person who sexually assaults someone, especially a woman or child

• how much do we know about what makes someone a sexual abuser?

Abu Simbel /ˌabuː ˈsɪmb(ə)l/

the site of two huge rock-cut temples in southern Egypt, built during the reign of Ramses II in the 13th century BC and commemorating him and his first wife Nefertari. Following the building of the High Dam at Aswan, the monument was rebuilt higher up the hillside.

abusive /əˈbjuːsɪv/

I. adjective

1. extremely offensive and insulting

• the goalkeeper was sent off for using abusive language

• he became quite abusive and swore at her.

2. engaging in or characterized by habitual violence and cruelty

• abusive parents

• an abusive relationship.

3. involving injustice or illegality

• the abusive and predatory practices of businesses.

II. derivatives

1. abusively /əˈbjuːsɪvli /

adverb

2. abusiveness /əˈbjuːsɪvnəs /

noun

abustle

adjective — [ predic.]

1. bustling; busy

• the pier was abustle with voyagers and well-wishers.

abut /əˈbʌt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a building or an area of land) be next to or have a common boundary with

• gardens abutting Great Prescott Street

• [no obj.] a park abutting on an area of waste land.

2. touch or lean on

• masonry may crumble where a roof abuts it.

– origin late Middle English: the sense ‘have a common boundary’ from Anglo-Latin abuttare, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + Old French but ‘end’; the sense ‘lean upon’ (late 16th cent.) from Old French abouter, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + bouter ‘strike, butt’, of Germanic origin.

abutilon /əˈbjuːtɪlɒn/

I. noun

a herbaceous plant or shrub of warm climates, typically bearing showy yellow, red, or mauve flowers and sometimes used for fibre.
●Genus Abutilon, family Malvaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Arabic ūbūṭīlūn ‘Indian mallow’.

abutment /əˈbʌtm(ə)nt/

noun

1. a structure built to support the lateral pressure of an arch or span, e.g. at the ends of a bridge.

• the first bridge was of timber with stone abutments.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of supporting something with an abutment.

• efficient abutment is needed at this point.

3. a point at which something abuts against something else.

• a mirror with a delicate border of engraved blue glass in ten sections, each abutment masked by a thin metal strip.

abutter /əˈbʌtə/

noun

(chiefly US) the owner of an adjoining property.

abuzz /əˈbʌz/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. filled with a continuous humming sound

• the room was abuzz with mosquitoes

• ‹figurative› the city was abuzz with rumours.

ABV

abbreviation

alcohol by volume.

abysm /əˈbɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

‹literary› an abyss

• the abysm from which nightmares crawl.

– origin Middle English: from Old French abisme, medieval Latin abysmus, alteration of late Latin abyssus ‘bottomless pit’, the ending being assimilated to the Greek ending -ismos.

abysmal /əˈbɪzm(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. extremely bad; appalling

• the quality of her work is abysmal.

2. ‹literary› very deep.

• waterfalls that plunge into abysmal depths.

– origin mid 17th cent. (used literally as in sense 2): from abysm. Sense 1 dates from the early 19th cent.

abysmally /əˈbɪzməli/

adverb

in an extremely bad way; appallingly

• she treats me abysmally at times

• [as submodifier] the conviction rate is abysmally low.

abyss /əˈbɪs/

I. noun

1. a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm

• a rope led down into the dark abyss.

2. a wide or profound difference between people; a gulf

• the abyss between the two nations.

3. the regions of hell conceived of as a bottomless pit

• Satan's dark abyss.

4. ( the abyss) — a catastrophic situation seen as likely to occur

• teetering on the edge of the abyss of a total political wipeout.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘infernal pit’): via late Latin from Greek abussos ‘bottomless’, from a- ‘without’ + bussos ‘depth’.

abyssal /əˈbɪs(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. ‹chiefly technical› relating to or denoting the depths or bed of the ocean, especially between about 3000 and 6000 metres down.

• the abyssal depths of the Atlantic.

• the genera found in the abyssal North Atlantic.

2. ‹chiefly technical› [Geology] another term for plutonic (sense 1).

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin abyssalis ‘belonging to an abyss’ (see abyss).

Abyssinia /ˌabɪˈsɪnɪə/

former name for Ethiopia.

Abyssinian /abɪˈsɪnɪən/

I. adjective

‹historical› relating to Abyssinia or its people.

II. noun

1. ‹historical› a native of Abyssinia.

2. (also Abyssinian cat) — a cat of a breed having long ears and short brown hair flecked with grey.

Ac

symbol

the chemical element actinium.

AC /eɪˈsiː/

abbreviation

1. (also a.c.) — alternating current.
[as modifier]

• the AC supply.

2. air conditioning

• a sedan with power steering and AC.

3. Aircraftman or Aircraftwoman.

4. appellation contrôlée

• AC Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

5. athletic club.

6. ( ac.) — (N. Amer.) acre

• a 22-ac. site.

7. before Christ.
[from Latin ante Christum.]

8. Companion of the Order of Australia.

a/c /eɪˈsiː/

abbreviation

1. account.
[from the obsolete phrase account current, denoting a continuous account detailing sums paid and received.]

2. (also A/C) — air conditioning.

ac-

prefix

variant spelling of ad- assimilated before c, k, and q (as in accept, acquit, and acquiesce).

-ac

I. suffix

forming adjectives which are often also (or only) used as nouns, such as maniac.
Compare with -acal.

– origin via Latin -acus or French -aque from Greek -akos.

acacia /əˈkeɪʃə, əˈkeɪsiə / acacia tree

I. noun

a tree or shrub of warm climates which bears spikes or clusters of yellow or white flowers and is typically thorny. Also called wattle^1, especially in Australia.
●Genus Acacia, family Leguminosae: numerous species.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek akakia.

academe /ˈakədiːm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the academic environment or community; academia

• bridging the gap between industry and academe

• a lifetime in the groves of academe.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘academy’): from Latin academia, reinforced by Greek Akadēmos (see academy).

academia /ˌakəˈdiːmɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the environment or community concerned with the pursuit of research, education, and scholarship

• he spent his working life in academia.

– origin 1950s: from Latin (see academy).

academic /akəˈdɛmɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to education and scholarship

• academic achievement

• he had no academic qualifications.

2. relating to an educational or scholarly institution or environment

• students resplendent in academic dress.

3. (of an institution or a course of study) placing a greater emphasis on reading and study than on technical or practical work

• a very academic school aiming to get pupils into Oxford or Cambridge.

4. (of a person) interested in or excelling at scholarly pursuits and activities

• Ben is not an academic child but he tries hard.

5. (of an art form) conventional, especially in an idealized or excessively formal way

• academic painting.

6. not of practical relevance; of only theoretical interest

• the debate has been largely academic.

II. noun

a teacher or scholar in a university or other institute of higher education.

• the EU offers grants to academics for research on approved projects.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French académique or medieval Latin academicus, from academia (see academy).

academical /akəˈdɛmɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to a college or university

• the academical year.

II. noun — ( academicals)

1. (Brit.) ‹dated› formal university attire.

• the procession was robed in academicals.

academically /akəˈdɛmɪkli/

adverb

in a way that relates to education and scholarship

• applicants must excel academically.

academician /əˌkadəˈmɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a member of an academy, especially the Royal Academy of Arts or the Académie française.

2. (N. Amer.) an academic or intellectual.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French académicien, from medieval Latin academicus (see academic).

academicism /ˌakəˈdɛmɪsɪz(ə)m / academism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. adherence to formal or conventional rules and traditions in art or literature.

• the opposition between academicism and creative authenticity.

academic year

noun

the period of the year during which students attend school or university, usually reckoned from the beginning of the autumn term to the end of the summer term.

Académie française /əˌkadəmiː frɒ̃ˈseɪz, French akademi fʀɑ̃sɛz/

a French literary academy responsible for the standard form of the French language and for compiling and revising a definitive dictionary of the French language.

academy /əˈkadəmi/

I. noun

1. a place of study or training in a special field

• a police academy.

2. ‹dated› a place of study

• he was educated privately at academies in Margate.

3. (in England) an inner-city school which is funded by the government and sometimes also by a private individual or organization but is not controlled by the local authority.

4. (US) (Scottish) a secondary school, in the US typically a private one.

• Mark left St Andrews Academy with five highers, and studied maths at Glasgow University.

5. ( the Academy) — the teaching school founded by Plato.

6. a society or institution of distinguished scholars and artists or scientists that aims to promote and maintain standards in its particular field

• the Royal Academy of Arts.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the garden where Plato taught): from French académie or Latin academia, from Greek akadēmeia, from Akadēmos, the hero after whom Plato's garden was named.

Academy Award

noun

‹trademark› an award given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Hollywood, US) presented annually since 1928 for achievement in the film industry in various categories; an Oscar.

• the Academy Award for best director.

Acadia /əˈkeɪdɪə/

I. a former French colony established in 1604 in the territory now forming Nova Scotia in Canada. It was contested by France and Britain until it was eventually ceded to Britain in 1763; French-speaking Acadians were deported to other parts of North America, especially Louisiana.

– origin from Acadie, the French name for Nova Scotia.

Acadian ‹chiefly historical›

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Acadia.

2. (chiefly Canadian) a French-speaking descendant of the early French settlers in Acadia.

3. (US) a descendant of the Acadians deported to Louisiana in the 18th century; a Cajun.

II. adjective

relating to Acadia or its people.

açai /aˈsʌɪiː, asʌɪˈiː/

I. noun

a South American palm tree producing small edible blackish-purple berries.
●Genus Euterpe, especially E. oleracea.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Portuguese açaí, from Tupi-Guarani asaí.

acajou /ˈakəʒuː/

I. noun

another term for cashew.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, via Portuguese from Tupi acajú.

-acal

suffix

forming adjectives such as maniacal, often from nouns ending in -ac (as in maniacal from maniac).

acalculia /ˌeɪkalˈkjuːlɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] loss of the ability to perform simple calculations, typically resulting from disease or injury of the parietal lobe of the brain.

– origin early 20th cent.: from a-1 ‘not’ + Latin calculare ‘calculate’ + -ia^1.

acanthamoeba /əˌkanθəˈmiːbə/

noun

an amoeba of a genus which includes a number that can cause opportunistic infections in humans.
●Genus Acanthamoeba, phylum Rhizopoda.

acantho- /əˈkanθəʊ / acanth-

I. combining form

having thorn-like characteristics.

• Acanthocephala.

• acanthamoeba.

– origin from Greek akantha ‘thorn’.

Acanthocephala /əˌkanθə(ʊ)ˈsɛfələ, əˌkanθə(ʊ)ˈkɛfələ/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a small phylum of parasitic invertebrates that comprises the thorny-headed worms.

II. derivatives

1. acanthocephalan

adjective, noun

2. acanthocephalid

adjective, noun

– origin modern Latin (plural), from acantho- ‘thornlike’ + Greek kephalē ‘head’.

acanthodian /əˌkanˈθəʊdɪən/

I. noun

a small spiny-finned fossil fish of a group found chiefly in the Devonian period.
●Class (or subclass) Acanthodii.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Acanthodii (from acantho-) + -an.

acanthus /əˈkanθəs/

I. noun

1. a herbaceous plant or shrub with bold flower spikes and spiny decorative leaves, found in warm regions of the Old World.
●Genus Acanthus, family Acanthaceae: many species, including bear's breeches.

2. [Architecture] a conventionalized representation of an acanthus leaf, used especially as a decoration for Corinthian column capitals.

– origin via Latin from Greek akanthos, from akantha ‘thorn’, from akē ‘sharp point’; the architectural term dates from the mid 18th cent.

a cappella /ˌa kəˈpɛlə, ˌɑː kəˈpɛlə/

I. adjective, adverb

(with reference to choral music) sung without instrumental accompaniment
[as adj.]

• an a cappella Mass

• [as adv.] the consorts usually perform a cappella.

– origin Italian, literally ‘in chapel style’.

Acapulco /akəˈpʊlkəʊ/

a port and resort in southern Mexico, on the Pacific coast; pop. 616,384 (2005). Full name Acapulco de Juárez /deɪ ˈhwɑːrɛz, Spanish ðe ˈxwares, ðe ˈxwareθ/.

acara /əˈkɑːrə/

I. noun

a small deep-bodied freshwater fish native to Central and South America, having elongated dorsal and anal fins.
●Genera Aequidens and Cichlasoma, family Cichlidae: several species.

– origin from Portuguese acaré, from Tupi.

Acari /əˈkɑːri / Acarina /ˌakəˈrʌɪnə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a large order (or subclass) of small arachnids which comprises the mites and ticks. They are distinguished by an apparent lack of body divisions.

II. derivatives

acarid /ˈakərɪd /

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from acarus, from Greek akari ‘mite’.

acaricide /ˈakərɪsʌɪd/

I. noun

a substance poisonous to mites or ticks.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek akari ‘mite, tick’ + -cide.

acarine /ˈakərʌɪn / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a small arachnid of the order Acari; a mite or tick.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting acarines.

acaroid /ˈakərɔɪd / acaroid resin

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a resin obtained in Australia from some kinds of grass tree, used in making varnish.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

acarology /ˌakəˈrɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of mites and ticks.

II. derivatives

acarologist

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek akari ‘mite, tick’ + -logy.

ACAS /ˈeɪkas/

abbreviation

(in the UK) Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service.

acatalectic /əˌkatəˈlɛktɪk / ‹Prosody›

I. adjective

(of a line of verse) having the full number of syllables.

II. noun

a line of acatalectic verse.

acausal

adjective

not governed or operating by the laws of cause and effect.

ACCC

abbreviation

short for Australian Competition and Consumer Commission:

• earlier this month the ACCC ruled that the group is engaged in anti-competitive conduct.

accede /əkˈsiːd/

I. verb — [no obj.] (usu. accede to)

1. ‹formal› agree to a demand, request, or treaty

• the authorities did not accede to the strikers' demands.

2. ‹formal› assume an office or position

• Elizabeth I acceded to the throne in 1558.

3. ‹formal› become a member of an organization

• Albania acceded to the IMF in 1990.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘come forward, approach’): from Latin accedere, from ad- ‘to’ + cedere ‘give way, yield’.

accelerando /əkˌsɛləˈrandəʊ, əˌtʃɛləˈrandəʊ / ‹Music›

I. adverb, adjective

(especially as a direction) with a gradual increase of speed.

II. noun

an accelerando passage.

• the first movement's long accelerando.

– origin Italian.

accelerant

I. noun

a substance used to aid the spread of fire.

• stolen accelerants could be used as fire bombs.

II. adjective

‹technical› accelerating or causing acceleration.

• accelerant factors for carcinoma.

accelerate /əkˈsɛləreɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (especially of a vehicle) begin to move more quickly

• the car accelerated towards her.

2. increase in rate, amount, or extent

• inflation started to accelerate

• [with obj.] the key question is whether stress accelerates ageing.

3. [Physics] undergo a change in velocity.
(as adj. accelerating)

• an accelerating electron radiates off some of its energy.

II. derivatives

accelerative /əkˈsɛlərətɪv /

adjective

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘hasten the occurrence of’): from Latin accelerat- ‘hastened’, from the verb accelerare, from ad- ‘towards’ + celer ‘swift’.

accelerated learning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an intensive method of study which enables material to be learnt in a relatively short time.

2. a programme of learning which allows academically able children to progress through school more rapidly than others.

acceleration /əksɛləˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a vehicle's capacity to gain speed

• the three-litre model has spectacular acceleration.

2. increase in speed or rate

• the acceleration of the industrialization process.

3. [Physics] the rate of change of velocity per unit of time.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin acceleratio(n-), from accelerare ‘hasten’ (see accelerate).

accelerator /əkˈsɛləreɪtə/

noun

1. something which brings about acceleration, in particular:

2. a device, typically a foot pedal, which controls the speed of a vehicle's engine.

• he pressed the accelerator to the floor and the taxi shot forward.

3. [Physics] an apparatus for accelerating charged particles to high velocities.

• electron accelerators.

4. a substance that speeds up a chemical process, typically the vulcanization of rubber or the curing of a plastic.

accelerator board accelerator card

noun

an accessory circuit board which can be plugged into a computer to increase the speed of its processor or input/output operations.

accelerometer /əkˌsɛləˈrɒmɪtə/

noun

an instrument for measuring the acceleration of a moving or vibrating body.

accent

I. noun — accent /ˈaks(ə)nt, ˈaksɛnt /

1. a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, especially one associated with a particular country, area, or social class

• a strong American accent.

• she never mastered the French accent.

2. a distinct emphasis given to a syllable or word in speech by stress or pitch.

• the accent falls on the middle syllable.

3. a mark on a letter, typically a vowel, to indicate pitch, stress, or vowel quality

• a circumflex accent.

4. [Music] an emphasis on a particular note or chord.

• short fortissimo accents.

5. [in sing.] — a special or particular emphasis

• the accent is on participation.

6. a feature which gives a distinctive visual emphasis to something.

• blue woodwork and accents of red.

II. verb — [with obj.] accent /akˈsɛnt /

1. emphasize (a particular feature)

• fabrics which accent the background colours in the room.

2. [Music] play (a note or beat) with emphasis.

• the quick tempo means there is less scope for accenting offbeat notes.

III. derivatives

accentual /akˈsɛn(t)ʃʊəl /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘intonation’): from Latin accentus ‘tone, signal, or intensity’ (from ad- ‘to’ + cantus ‘song’), translating Greek prosōidia ‘a song sung to music, intonation’.

accented /ˈaksɛntɪd/

adjective

1. spoken with or characterized by a particular accent

• he spoke in slightly accented English.

2. (of a word, syllable, or musical note or chord) stressed or emphasized.

• a metrical foot consisting of two unaccented syllables followed by one accented syllable.

accentor /əkˈsɛntə/

I. noun

a small Eurasian songbird with generally drab-coloured plumage.
●Family Prunellidae and genus Prunella: several species, including the dunnock.

– origin early 19th cent.: from late Latin, from ad- ‘to’ + cantor ‘singer’.

accentuate /əkˈsɛntʃʊeɪt, əkˈsɛntjʊeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make more noticeable or prominent

• his jacket unfortunately accentuated his paunch.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from medieval Latin accentuat- ‘accented’, from the verb accentuare, from accentus ‘tone’ (see accent).

accentuation /əksɛntʃuˈeɪʃn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of accentuating or of being accentuated.

• the accentuation of the Treasury's currency policy.

• a condition with accentuation of female characteristics.

2. the pattern of relative prominence of syllables in a phrase or utterance.

– origin late 15th cent.: in early use from medieval Latin accentuatio(n-); in later use (early 19th cent.) from accentuate.

accept /əkˈsɛpt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. consent to receive or undertake (something offered)

• he accepted a pen as a present

• she accepted a temporary post as a clerk.

2. give an affirmative answer to (an offer or proposal); say yes to

• he would accept their offer and see what happened

• [no obj.] Tim offered Brian a lift home and he accepted.

3. ‹dated› say yes to a proposal of marriage from (a man).

• Reginald was a good match and she ought to accept him.

4. receive as adequate, valid, or suitable

• the college accepted her as a student

• credit cards are widely accepted.

5. regard favourably or with approval; welcome

• the Irish never accepted him as one of them.

6. (of a thing) be designed to allow (something) to be inserted or applied

• vending machines that accepted 100-yen coins for cans of beer.

7. believe or come to recognize (a proposition) as valid or correct

• this tentative explanation came to be accepted by the men

• [with clause] it is accepted that ageing is a continuous process.

8. take upon oneself (a responsibility or liability); acknowledge

• Jenkins is willing to accept his responsibility

• [with clause] he accepts that he made a mistake.

9. tolerate or submit to (something unpleasant or undesired)

• they accepted the need to cut overheads.

II. derivatives

accepter

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin acceptare, frequentative of accipere ‘take something to oneself’, from ad- ‘to’ + capere ‘take’.

acceptability /əksɛptəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being tolerated or allowed

• what has changed is the social acceptability of such actions

• it was simply beyond the limits of acceptability to attack someone who could not defend himself.

2. the quality of being accepted

• money derives its purchasing power entirely from its acceptability as a medium of exchange.

acceptable /əkˈsɛptəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able to be agreed on; suitable

• the electoral arrangements must be acceptable to the people.

2. moderately good; satisfactory

• an acceptable substitute for champagne.

3. pleasing; welcome

• some coffee would be most acceptable.

4. able to be tolerated or allowed

• pollution in the city had reached four times the acceptable level.

II. phrases

the acceptable face of ——

the tolerable manifestation or aspect of (something usually considered suspect or immoral)

• the film's breezy domesticity is the acceptable face of sentimental guff.

III. derivatives

acceptably /əkˈsɛptəbli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from late Latin acceptabilis, from acceptare (see accept).

acceptance /əkˈsɛpt(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of consenting to receive or undertake something offered

• charges involving the acceptance of bribes.

2. [ count noun] — a draft or bill of exchange that is accepted by being signed

• a banker's acceptance.

3. the process or fact of being received as adequate, valid, or suitable

• you must wait for acceptance into the village.

4. agreement with or belief in an idea or explanation

• acceptance of the teaching of the Church.

5. willingness to tolerate a difficult situation

• a mood of resigned acceptance.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French, from accepter (see accept).

acceptant

I. adjective — ( acceptant of)

1. ‹rare› willingly accepting (something).

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, ‘accepting’, present participle of accepter.

acceptation /ˌaksɛpˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a particular sense or the generally recognized meaning ( common acceptation) of a word or phrase.

– origin late Middle English (originally in the sense ‘favourable reception, approval’): from late Latin acceptatio(n-), from the verb acceptare (see accept). The current sense dates from the early 17th cent.

accepted /əkˈsɛptɪd/

adjective

generally believed or recognized to be valid or correct

• he wasn't handsome in the accepted sense.

• the accepted consensus within the church.

acceptive /əkˈsɛptɪv/

adjective

ready to accept something without resistance; receptive.

acceptor /əkˈsɛptə/

noun

1. a person or thing that accepts something, in particular:

2. [Chemistry] an atom or molecule which is able to bind to or accept an electron or other species.

• some micro-organisms can use oxygen as an electron acceptor.

3. [Physics] an acceptor atom forming a positive hole in a semiconductor.

access /ˈaksɛs/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] (often access to) — the means or opportunity to approach or enter a place

• the staircase gives access to the top floor

• wheelchair access.

2. the right or opportunity to use or benefit from something

• do you have access to a computer?

• awards to help people gain access to training.

3. the right or opportunity to approach or see someone

• we were denied access to our grandson.

4. the process of obtaining or retrieving information stored in a computer's memory.

• this prevents unauthorized access or inadvertent deletion of the file.

5. [as modifier] — denoting broadcasting produced by minority and specialist interest groups, rather than by professionals

• access television.

6. [in sing.] — ‹literary› an attack or outburst of an emotion

• I was suddenly overcome with an access of rage.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. approach or enter (a place)

• single rooms have private facilities accessed via the balcony.

2. obtain or retrieve (computer data or a file).

• information can be accessed from several files and displayed at the same time.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘sudden attack of illness’): from Latin accessus, from the verb accedere ‘to approach’ (see accede). Sense 1 of the noun is first recorded in the early 17th cent.

access charge access fee

noun

a charge made for the use of computer or local telephone-network facilities.

access course

noun

(Brit.) an educational course enabling those without traditional qualifications to become eligible for higher education.

accessibility /əksɛsɪˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being able to be reached or entered

• the restoration project involved repairing the roof and improving accessibility.

2. the quality of being easy to obtain or use

• students were concerned about the accessibility of quality academic counselling.

3. the quality of being easily understood or appreciated

• the accessibility of his work helped to popularize modern art.

4. the quality of being easily reached, entered, or used by people who have a disability

• many architects believe that accommodating wheelchairs is all there is to providing accessibility.

accessible /əkˈsɛsɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of a place) able to be reached or entered

• the town is accessible by bus

• this room is not accessible to elderly people.

2. able to be easily obtained or used

• making learning opportunities more accessible to adults.

3. easily understood or appreciated

• an accessible account of his theories.

4. able to be reached, entered, or used by people who have a disability

• features such as non-slip floors and accessible entrances.

5. (of a person, especially one in a position of authority) friendly and easy to talk to; approachable

• he is more accessible than most tycoons.

II. derivatives

accessibly

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin accessibilis, from Latin access- ‘approached’, from the verb accedere (see accede).

accession /əkˈsɛʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the attainment or acquisition of a position of rank or power

• the Queen's accession to the throne.

2. the action or process of formally joining or being accepted by an institution or group

• the accession of Spain and Portugal to the EU.

3. the formal acceptance of a treaty or agreement

• accession to the Treaty of Rome was effected in 1971.

4. a new item added to an existing collection of books, paintings, or artefacts.

• the day-to-day work of cataloguing new accessions.

• [as modifier] the accession number.

5. an amount added to an existing quantity of something.

• substantial accessions of gold.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. record the addition of (a new item) to a library, museum, or other collection.

• each book must be accessioned and the data entered into the computer.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the general sense ‘something added’): from Latin accessio(n-), from the verb accedere ‘approach, come to’ (see accede).

accessorize /əkˈsɛsərʌɪz / accessorise

verb — [with obj.]

1. decorate or augment (something, especially a garment) with a fashion accessory

• sequinned catsuits were accessorized with cork-heeled shoes.

accessory /əkˈsɛs(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a thing which can be added to something else in order to make it more useful, versatile, or attractive

• optional accessories include a battery charger and shoulder strap.

2. a small article or item of clothing carried or worn to complement a garment or outfit

• she wore the suit with perfectly matching accessories—hat, bag, shoes.

3. (also accessary) — [Law] someone who gives assistance to the perpetrator of a crime without taking part in it

• she was charged as an accessory to murder.

II. adjective

‹chiefly technical› contributing to or aiding an activity or process in a minor way; subsidiary or supplementary

• functionally the maxillae are a pair of accessory jaws.

III. phrases

accessory before (or after) the fact

[Law] ‹dated› a person who incites or assists someone to commit an arrestable offence (or knowingly aids someone who has committed such an offence).

IV. derivatives

accessorial /aksɛˈsɔːrɪəl /

adjective

[chiefly Law]

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin accessorius ‘additional thing’, from Latin access- ‘increased’, from the verb accedere (see accede).

accessory cell

noun

[Physiology] any of various cells of the immune system that interact with T lymphocytes in the initiation of the immune response.

accessory mineral

noun

[Geology] a constituent mineral present in small quantity and not taken into account in identifying a rock.

accessory nerve

noun

[Anatomy] each of the eleventh pair of cranial nerves, supplying certain muscles in the neck and shoulder.

access provider

noun

another term for service provider.

access road

noun

a road giving access to a place or to another road.

access time

noun

[Computing] the time taken to retrieve data from storage.

acciaccatura /əˌtʃakəˈtjʊərə/

I. noun

[Music] a grace note performed as quickly as possible before an essential note of a melody.

– origin Italian, from acciaccare ‘to crush’.

accidence /ˈaksɪd(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› the part of grammar that deals with the inflections of words.

– origin early 16th cent.: from late Latin accidentia (translation of Greek parepomena ‘things happening alongside’), neuter plural of the present participle of accidere ‘happen’ (see accident).

accident /ˈaksɪd(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury

• he had an accident at the factory

• [ mass noun] if you are unable to work owing to accident or sickness.

2. a crash involving road or other vehicles

• four people were killed in a road accident.

3. ‹euphemistic› an incidence of incontinence by a child or animal.

• he had a little accident, but I washed his shorts out.

4. an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause

• the pregnancy was an accident

• it is no accident that Manchester has produced more than its fair share of professional comics.

5. [ mass noun] — the working of fortune; chance

• members belong to the House of Lords through hereditary right or accident of birth.

6. [Philosophy] (in Aristotelian thought) a property of a thing which is not essential to its nature.

II. phrases

1. accident and emergency /ˌaksɪd(ə)nt ənd ɪˈməːrdʒ(ə)nsi /

(Brit.) a hospital department concerned with the provision of immediate treatment to people who are seriously injured in an accident or who are suddenly taken seriously ill.

2. an accident waiting to happen

‹informal› a potentially disastrous situation, typically caused by negligent or faulty procedures.

• people living near the site where the boy was crushed to death said it was an accident waiting to happen.

3. accidents will happen in the best regulated families

‹proverb› however careful you try to be, it is inevitable that some unfortunate or unforeseen events will occur

• problems like these should not occur, but accidents will happen.

4. by accident

unintentionally; by chance

• she didn't get where she is today by accident.

• nomadic hunters probably ended up on the new continent by accident.

5. without accident

safely

• he was able to stop the train without accident.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘an event’): via Old French from Latin accident- ‘happening’, from the verb accidere, from ad- ‘towards, to’ + cadere ‘to fall’.

accidental /aksɪˈdɛnt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. happening by chance, unintentionally, or unexpectedly

• a verdict of accidental death

• the damage might have been accidental.

2. incidental; subsidiary

• the location is accidental and contributes nothing to the poem.

3. [Philosophy] (in Aristotelian thought) relating to or denoting properties which are not essential to a thing's nature.

II. noun

1. [Music] a sign indicating a momentary departure from the key signature by raising or lowering a note.

• horn parts are usually written without key signature, the necessary accidentals being added.

2. [Ornithology] another term for vagrant.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2 of the adjective and sense 3 of the adjective): from late Latin accidentalis, from Latin accident- ‘happening’ (see accident).

accidentally /aksɪˈdɛnt(ə)li/

adverb

by chance; inadvertently

• his gun went off accidentally.

• accidentally knocked the vase over.

accident-prone /ˌaksɪd(ə)ntˈprəʊn/

adjective

tending to be involved in a greater than average number of accidents.

• he's always been accident-prone.

• the accident-prone chemicals giant suffered its ninth toxic discharge.

accidie /ˈaksɪdi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› spiritual or mental sloth; apathy.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin accidia, alteration of acedia. Obsolete after the 16th cent., the term was revived in the late 19th cent.

accipiter /akˈsɪpɪtə/

I. noun

[Ornithology] a hawk of a group distinguished by short, broad wings and relatively long legs, adapted for fast flight in wooded country.
● Accipiter and related genera, family Accipitridae: numerous species, including the goshawk.

– origin from Latin, ‘hawk, bird of prey’.

accipitrine /akˈsɪpɪtrʌɪn/

I. adjective

[Ornithology] relating to or denoting birds of a family that includes most diurnal birds of prey other than falcons, New World vultures, and the osprey.

• accipitrine hawks.

●Family Accipitridae; treated as a subfamily ( Accipitrinae) in this sense when the osprey is included in this family.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Latin accipiter ‘bird of prey’.

acclaim /əˈkleɪm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. praise enthusiastically and publicly

• the conference was acclaimed as a considerable success.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. enthusiastic and public praise

• she has won acclaim for her commitment to democracy.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘express approval’): from Latin acclamare, from ad- ‘to’ + clamare ‘to shout’. The change in the ending was due to association with claim. Current senses date from the 17th cent.

acclaimed /əˈkleɪmd/

adjective

publicly praised; celebrated

• the band released their critically acclaimed debut in 1994.

• an acclaimed artist.

acclamation /ˌakləˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. loud and enthusiastic approval

• the tackle brought the supporters to their feet in acclamation.

II. phrases

by acclamation

a. (of election, agreement, etc.) by overwhelming vocal approval and without ballot.

• the First Chamber approved ratification of the Treaty by acclamation.

b. (Canadian) (of election) by virtue of being the sole candidate.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin acclamatio(n-), from acclamare ‘shout at’, later ‘shout in approval’ (see acclaim).

acclimate /ˈaklɪmeɪt, əˈklʌɪmət/

I. verb — [no obj.] (often acclimate to)

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) acclimatize

• helping freshmen to acclimate to college life.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) [Biology] respond physiologically or behaviourally to a change in a single environmental factor.

• trees may acclimate to high CO_2 levels by reducing the number of stomata.

Compare with acclimatize.

3. [with obj.] — (chiefly N. Amer.) [Botany] [Horticulture] harden off (a plant).

II. derivatives

acclimation /akləˈmeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from French acclimater, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + climat ‘climate’.

acclimatization society

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹historical› an organization promoting the introduction of exotic flora and fauna into the wild

• he encouraged the formation of acclimatization societies and established preserves for native New Zealand birds.

acclimatize /əˈklʌɪmətʌɪz / acclimatise

I. verb — [no obj.] (often acclimatize to or be/become acclimatized to)

1. become accustomed to a new climate or new conditions; adjust

• it's unknown whether people will acclimatize to increasingly warm weather.

2. [Biology] respond physiologically or behaviourally to changes in a complex of environmental factors.
Compare with acclimate.

3. [with obj.] — [Botany] [Horticulture] harden off (a plant).

II. derivatives

acclimatization /əˌklʌɪmətʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French acclimater ‘acclimatize’ + -ize.

acclivity /əˈklɪvɪti/

I. noun

an upward slope.

II. derivatives

acclivitous

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin acclivitas, from acclivis, from ad- ‘towards’ + clivus ‘a slope’.

accolade /ˈakəleɪd, ˌakəˈleɪd/

I. noun

1. an award or privilege granted as a special honour or as an acknowledgement of merit

• the hotel has won numerous accolades.

2. an expression of praise or admiration.

• poignant accolades and urgent testimonials of thanks.

3. a touch on a person's shoulders with a sword at the bestowing of a knighthood.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, from Provençal acolada, literally ‘embrace around the neck (when bestowing knighthood)’, from Latin ad- ‘at, to’ + collum ‘neck’.

accommodate /əˈkɒmədeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a building or other area) provide lodging or sufficient space for

• the cottages accommodate up to six people.

2. fit in with the wishes or needs of

• any language must accommodate new concepts.

3. [no obj.] ( accommodate to) — adapt to

• making users accommodate to the realities of today's marketplace.

II. derivatives

accommodative /əˈkɒmədeɪtɪv /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin accommodat- ‘made fitting’, from the verb accommodare, from ad- ‘to’ + commodus ‘fitting’.

accommodating /əˈkɒmədeɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

fitting in with someone's wishes or demands in a helpful way.

• we always found the our local branch most accommodating.

II. derivatives

accommodatingly /əˈkɒmədeɪtɪŋli /

adverb

accommodation /əkɒməˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) a room, group of rooms, or building in which someone may live or stay

• they were living in temporary accommodation.

2. ( accommodations) — (chiefly N. Amer.) lodgings, sometimes also including board

• the company offers a number of guest house accommodations in Oberammergau.

3. the available space for occupants in a building, vehicle, or vessel

• there was lifeboat accommodation for 1,178 people.

4. the provision of a room or lodgings

• the building is used exclusively for the accommodation of guests.

5. a convenient arrangement; a settlement or compromise

• the prime minister was seeking an accommodation with Labour.

6. [ mass noun] — the process of adapting or adjusting to someone or something

• accommodation to a separate political entity was not possible.

7. [ mass noun] — the automatic adjustment of the focus of the eye by flattening or thickening of the lens.

• the power of accommodation to near objects.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin accommodatio(n-), from accommodare ‘fit one thing to another’ (see accommodate).

accommodation address

noun

(Brit.) an address for correspondence used by a person who wishes to conceal or does not have a permanent address.

• I opened an accommodation address in Paddington in a fictional name.

accommodation house

noun

(Austral./NZ) a simple hotel or guest house, particularly one in a rural area

• fire officers inspected two budget accommodation houses in order to prevent another backpacker tragedy.

accommodationist

noun

(US) a person or political group that seeks compromise with an opposing point of view.

accommodation ladder

noun

a ladder or flight of steps up the side of a ship allowing access from a small boat or a quayside.

accompaniment /əˈkʌmp(ə)nɪm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a musical part which supports or partners an instrument, voice, or group

• she sang to a guitar accompaniment

• [ mass noun] sonatas for piano with violin accompaniment.

2. a piece of music played as a complement or background to an activity

• lush string accompaniments to romantic scenes in films

• we filed out to the accompaniment of the organ.

3. something that supplements or complements something else

• these biscuits are a lovely accompaniment to tea.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French accompagnement, from accompagner ‘accompany’.

accompanist /əˈkʌmpənɪst/

noun

a person who provides a musical accompaniment to another musician or to a singer.

accompany /əˈkʌmpəni/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. go somewhere with (someone) as a companion or escort

• the two sisters were to accompany us to London.

2. be present or occur at the same time as (something else)

• the illness is often accompanied by nausea

• (as adj. accompanying) the accompanying documentation.

3. provide a complement or addition to

• home-cooked ham accompanied by brown bread.

4. play a musical accompaniment for.

• he would play his violin, and Mother used to accompany him on our organ.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French accompagner, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + compagne, from Old French compaignon ‘companion’. The spelling change was due to association with company.

accomplice /əˈkʌmplɪs, əˈkɒmplɪs/

I. noun

a person who helps another commit a crime.

• an accomplice in the murder.

– origin mid 16th cent.: alteration (probably by association with accompany) of Middle English complice ‘an associate’, via Old French from late Latin complex, complic- ‘allied’, from com- ‘together’ + the root of plicare ‘to fold’.

accomplish /əˈkʌmplɪʃ, əˈkɒmplɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. achieve or complete successfully

• the planes accomplished their mission.

II. derivatives

accomplisher

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French acompliss-, lengthened stem of acomplir, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + complere ‘to complete’.

accomplishable /əˈkʌmplɪʃəb(ə)l/

adjective

able to be achieved or completed successfully

• this guide simplifies a seemingly mammoth task into accomplishable baby steps

• we will have to negotiate and see what is accomplishable.

accomplished /əˈkʌmplɪʃt, əˈkɒmplɪʃt/

adjective

1. highly trained or skilled in a particular activity

• an accomplished pianist.

2. well educated and having good social skills.

• a very elegant and accomplished woman.

accomplishment /əˈkʌmplɪʃm(ə)nt, əˈkɒmplɪʃm(ə)nt/

noun

1. something that has been achieved successfully

• the reduction of inflation was a remarkable accomplishment.

2. [ mass noun] — the successful achievement of a task

• the accomplishment of planned objectives.

3. an activity that a person can do well

• typing was another of her accomplishments.

4. [ mass noun] — skill or ability in an activity

• a poet of considerable accomplishment.

accord /əˈkɔːd/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — give or grant someone (power, status, or recognition)

• the powers accorded to the head of state

• [with two objs] the national assembly accorded the General more power.

2. [no obj.] ( accord with) — (of a concept or fact) be harmonious or consistent with.

• his views accorded well with those of Merivale.

II. noun

1. an official agreement or treaty.

• opposition groups refused to sign the accord.

• a peace accord.

2. [ mass noun] — agreement or harmony

• the government and the rebels are in accord on one point.

III. phrases

1. in accord with

according to.

• things didn't happen quite in accord with expectations.

2. of one's own accord

voluntarily or without outside intervention

• he would not seek treatment of his own accord

• the rash may go away of its own accord.

3. with one accord

in a united way.

• the association is acting with one accord in this matter.

– origin Old English, from Old French acorder ‘reconcile, be of one mind’, from Latin ad- ‘to’ + cor, cord- ‘heart’; influenced by concord.

accordance /əˈkɔːd(ə)ns/

I. noun — (in phrase in accordance with)

1. in a manner conforming with

• the ballot was held in accordance with trade union rules.

– origin Middle English: from Old French acordance, from acorder ‘bring to an agreement’ (see accord).

accordant /əˈkɔːd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹archaic› agreeing or compatible

• I found the music accordant with the words of the service.

– origin Middle English: from Old French acordant, from acorder ‘bring to an agreement’ (see accord).

according /əˈkɔːdɪŋ/

adverb

1. (usu. according to) — as stated by or in

• the outlook for investors is not bright, according to financial experts.

2. in a manner corresponding or conforming to

• cook the rice according to the instructions.

3. in proportion or relation to

• salary will be fixed according to experience.

4. ( according as) — ‹formal› depending on whether.

• the distribution of his property differed widely according as it was real or personal estate.

accordingly /əˈkɔːdɪŋli/

adverb

1. in a way that is appropriate to the particular circumstances

• we have to discover what his plans are and act accordingly.

2. [ sentence adverb] — as a result; therefore

• there was no breach of the rules; accordingly, there will be no disciplinary inquiry.

accordion /əˈkɔːdɪən/

I. noun

1. a musical instrument played by stretching and squeezing with the hands to work a central bellows that blows air over metal reeds, the melody and chords being sounded by buttons or keys. Compare with concertina.

• her five brothers and sisters were singing to the accompaniment of an accordion.

• [as modifier] an accordion player.

2. [as modifier] — folding like the bellows of an accordion

• an accordion pleat.

II. derivatives

accordionist /əˈkɔːdɪənɪst /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German Akkordion, from Italian accordare ‘to tune’.

accost /əˈkɒst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. approach and address (someone) boldly or aggressively

• reporters accosted him in the street.

– origin late 16th cent. (originally in the sense ‘lie or go alongside’): from French accoster, from Italian accostare, from Latin ad- ‘to’ + costa ‘rib, side’.

accouchement /əˈkuːʃmɒ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› the action of giving birth to a baby.

– origin late 18th cent.: French, from accoucher ‘act as midwife’, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + coucher ‘put to bed’ (see couch^1).

accoucheur /ˌakuːˈʃəː/

I. noun

a male midwife.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, from accoucher (see accouchement).

account /əˈkaʊnt/

I. noun

1. a report or description of an event or experience

• a detailed account of what has been achieved.

2. a record or statement of financial expenditure and receipts relating to a particular period or purpose

• the barman was doing his accounts.

3. (chiefly Brit.) a bill for goods or services provided over a period

• there's no money to pay the tradesmen's accounts this month.

4. an arrangement by which a body holds funds on behalf of a client or supplies goods or services to them on credit

• a bank account

• I began buying things on account.

5. a client having an account with a supplier

• selling bibles to established accounts in the North.

6. a contract to do work for a client

• another agency was awarded the account.

7. [Stock Exchange] (Brit.) a fixed period on a stock exchange, at the end of which payment must be made for stock that has been bought.

8. an arrangement by which a user is given personalized access to a computer, website, or application, typically by entering a username and password

• we've reset your password to prevent others from accessing your account.

9. [ mass noun] — importance

• money was of no account to her.

10. an interpretation or rendering of a piece of music

• a lively account of Offenbach's score.

II. verb

1. [with obj. and complement] — consider or regard in a specified way

• her visit could not be accounted a success

• he accounted himself the unluckiest man alive.

2. [no obj.] — ‹archaic› give or receive an account for money received

• after 1292 he accounted to the Westminster exchequer.

III. phrases

1. by (or from) all accounts

according to what one has heard or read

• by all accounts he is a pretty nice guy.

2. call (or bring) someone to account

require someone to explain a mistake or poor performance.

• the government is being called to account for the economic disaster.

3. give a good (or bad) account of oneself

make a favourable (or unfavourable) impression through one's performance.

• he gave a good account of himself in matches against Crewe and Chesterfield.

4. keep an account of

keep a record of.

• I kept a weekly account of my workload and activities.

5. leave something out of account

fail or decline to consider a factor.

• our obsession with growth leaves issues such as sustainability out of account.

6. money of account

denominations of money used in reckoning but not current as coins.

7. on someone's account

for a specified person's benefit

• don't bother on my account.

8. on account of

because of

• they had closed early on account of the snow.

9. on no account

under no circumstances

• on no account let anyone know we're interested.

10. on one's own account

a. for one's own purposes; for oneself

• he began trading on his own account.

b. alone; unaided

• he'll be investigating on his own account.

11. settle (or square) accounts with

have revenge on.

• an embittered Charlotte is determined to settle accounts with Elizabeth.

12. take something into account (or take account of)

consider something along with other factors before reaching a decision.

• teachers should take a child's age into account.

13. there's no accounting for tastes (or taste)

‹proverb› it's impossible to explain why different people like different things, especially those things which the speaker considers unappealing.

14. turn something to (good) account

turn something to one's advantage.

• he turned his literary accomplishments to account in his pictures.

IV. phrasal verbs

account for

a. give a satisfactory record of (something, typically money, that one is responsible for).

• I had to account for every penny I spent.

b. provide or serve as a satisfactory explanation for

• he was brought before the Board to account for his behaviour.

c. know the fate or whereabouts of (someone or something), especially after an accident

• everyone was accounted for after the floods.

d. succeed in killing, destroying, or defeating

• a mishit drive accounted for Jones, who had scored 32.

e. supply or make up (a specified amount or proportion)

• social security accounts for about a third of total public spending.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘counting’, ‘to count’): from Old French acont (noun), aconter (verb), based on conter ‘to count’.

accountability /əˌkaʊntəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or condition of being accountable; responsibility

• lack of accountability has corroded public respect for business and political leaders.

accountable /əˈkaʊntəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible

• ministers are accountable to Parliament

• parents cannot be held accountable for their children's actions.

2. able to be explained or understood.

• the delayed introduction of characters' names is accountable, if we consider that names have a low priority.

II. derivatives

accountably

adverb

accountancy /əˈkaʊnt(ə)nsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the profession or duties of an accountant.

accountant /əˈkaʊnt(ə)nt/

I. noun

a person whose job is to keep or inspect financial accounts.

– origin Middle English: from Law French, present participle of Old French aconter (see account). The original use was as an adjective meaning ‘liable to give an account’, hence denoting a person who must do so.

account executive

noun

a business executive who manages the interests of a particular client, typically in advertising.

accounting /əˈkaʊntɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process or work of keeping financial accounts.

• an investigation into suspected false accounting.

• [as modifier] standard accounting practice.

account keeper

noun

a person who keeps the records of the financial affairs of a business.

account rendered

noun

a bill which has been sent but is not yet paid.

accounts payable

plural noun

money owed by a company to its creditors.

accounts receivable

plural noun

money owed to a company by its debtors.

accoutre /əˈkuːtə / ‹US› accouter

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. clothe or equip in something noticeable or impressive.

• magnificently accoutred, he was led up to the high altar.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French accoutrer, from Old French acoustrer, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + cousture ‘sewing’.

accoutrement /əˈkuːtəm(ə)nt, əˈkuːtrəm(ə)nt / ‹US› accouterment

I. noun — (usu. accoutrements)

1. an additional item of dress or equipment

• the accoutrements of religious ritual.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from accoutrer ‘clothe, equip’ (see accoutre).

accra /ˈakrə, əˈkrɑː / akara

I. noun

(in West Africa and the Caribbean) a fritter made with black-eyed peas or a similar pulse, or, especially in Trinidad, mashed fish.

– origin from Yoruba àkàrà ‘bean cake’.

Accra /əˈkrɑː/

the capital of Ghana, a port on the Gulf of Guinea; pop. 1,970,400 (est. 2005).

accredit /əˈkrɛdɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give credit to (someone) for something

• he was accredited with being one of the world's fastest sprinters.

2. ( accredit something to) — attribute an action, saying, or quality to

• the discovery of distillation is usually accredited to the Arabs.

3. (of an official body) give authority or sanction to (someone or something) when recognized standards have been met

• institutions that do not meet the standards will not be accredited for teacher training

• (as adj. accredited) an accredited practitioner.

4. give official authorization for (someone, typically a diplomat or journalist) to be in a particular place or to hold a particular post

• no journalist accredited to the UN has ever been expelled.

II. derivatives

accreditor

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French accréditer, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + crédit ‘credit’.

accreditation /əkrɛdɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or process of officially recognizing someone as having a particular status or being qualified to perform a particular activity

• the accreditation of professionals

• [as modifier] a simple accreditation process.

2. official certification that a school or course has met standards set by external regulators

• the first fully online university to receive national accreditation

• the accreditation of professional training programs in Canada.

3. an acknowledgement of a person's responsibility for or achievement of something

• both parties create authorship, and to make this clear I have always used joint accreditations.

accrete /əˈkriːt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. grow by accumulation or coalescence

• ice that had accreted grotesquely into stalactites.

2. [with obj.] — form (a composite whole) by gradual accumulation

• the collection of art he had accreted was to be sold.

3. [Astronomy] (with reference to matter or a body) come or bring together under the influence of gravitation.
[no obj.]

• the gas will cool and then accrete to the galaxy's core.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin accret- ‘grown’, from the verb accrescere, from ad- ‘to’ + crescere ‘grow’.

accretion /əˈkriːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. growth or increase by the gradual accumulation of additional layers or matter

• the accretion of sediments in coastal mangroves

• ‹figurative› the growing accretion of central government authority.

2. [ count noun] — a thing formed or added by gradual growth or increase

• the city has a historic core surrounded by recent accretions.

3. [Astronomy] the coming together and cohesion of matter under the influence of gravitation to form larger bodies.

• during the later stages of accretion the outer 100 km or so of the Moon melted.

II. derivatives

accretive

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin accretio(n-), from accrescere ‘become larger’ (see accrete).

accretionary prism accretionary wedge

noun

[Geology] a mass of sedimentary material scraped off a region of oceanic crust during subduction and piled up at the edge of a continental crustal plate.

accretion disc ‹US› accretion disk

noun

[Astronomy] a rotating disc of matter formed by accretion around a massive body (such as a black hole) under the influence of gravitation.

accrue /əˈkruː/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a benefit or sum of money) be received by someone in regular or increasing amounts over time

• financial benefits will accrue from restructuring

• (as adj. accrued) the accrued interest.

2. [with obj.] — accumulate or receive (payments or benefits) over time

• they accrue entitlements to holiday pay.

3. [with obj.] — make provision for (a charge) at the end of a financial period for work that has been done but not yet invoiced.

• at 31 December the amount due for the final quarter is accrued.

II. derivatives

accrual /əˈkruːəl /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French acreue, past participle of acreistre ‘increase’, from Latin accrescere ‘become larger’ (see accrete).

acculturate /əˈkʌltʃəreɪt/

I. verb

assimilate to a different culture, typically the dominant one
[no obj.]

• those who have acculturated to the United States

• [with obj.] the next weeks were spent acculturating the field staff.

II. derivatives

1. acculturation /əkʌltʃəˈreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. acculturative

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from ac- + culture + -ate^3. The noun acculturation dates from the late 19th cent.

accumbent /əˈkʌmb(ə)nt/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a cotyledon) lying edgeways against the folded radicle in the seed.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin accumbent- ‘reclining’, from accumbere, from ad- ‘to’ + a verb related to cubare ‘to lie’.

accumulate /əˈkjuːmjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. gather together or acquire an increasing number or quantity of

• investigators have yet to accumulate enough evidence.

2. gradually gather or acquire (a resulting whole)

• her goal was to accumulate a huge fortune.

3. [no obj.] — gather; build up

• the toxin accumulated in their bodies.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin accumulat- ‘heaped up’, from the verb accumulare, from ad- ‘to’ + cumulus ‘a heap’.

accumulation /əkjuːmjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the acquisition or gradual gathering of something

• the accumulation of wealth.

2. [ count noun] — a mass or quantity of something that has gradually gathered or been acquired

• the accumulation of paperwork on her desk.

accumulative /əˈkjuːmjʊlətɪv/

adjective

gathering or growing by gradual increases

• the accumulative effects of pollution.

accumulator /əˈkjuːmjʊleɪtə/

noun

1. a person or thing that accumulates, in particular

• an accumulator of capital.

2. (Brit.) a large rechargeable electric cell.

3. (Brit.) a bet placed on a series of races (or other events), the winnings and stake from each being placed on the next

• an eight-horse accumulator.

4. [Computing] a register used to contain the results of an arithmetical or logical operation.

accuracy /ˈakjʊrəsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality or state of being correct or precise

• we have confidence in the accuracy of the statistics.

2. ‹technical› the degree to which the result of a measurement, calculation, or specification conforms to the correct value or a standard

• the accuracy of radiocarbon dating

• [ count noun] accuracies of 50–70 per cent.

Compare with precision.

accurate /ˈakjʊrət/

I. adjective

1. (especially of information, measurements, or predictions) correct in all details; exact

• accurate information about the illness is essential

• an accurate assessment.

2. (of an instrument or method) capable of giving accurate information

• an accurate thermometer.

3. providing a faithful representation of someone or something

• the portrait is an accurate likeness of Mozart.

4. (with reference to a weapon, missile, or shot) capable of or successful in reaching the intended target

• reliable, accurate rifles

• a player who can deliver long accurate passes to the wingers.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin accuratus ‘done with care’, past participle of accurare, from ad- ‘towards’ + cura ‘care’.

accurately /ˈakjərətli/

adverb

in a way that is correct in all details; exactly

• we are simply unable to predict long-term trends accurately

• every single vote was accurately counted.

accurse /əˈkəːs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› put a curse on; curse

• we accurse them by the authority of the court of Rome.

– origin Middle English: from a- (expressing intensity) + curse.

accursed /əˈkəːsɪd, əˈkəːst/

I. adjective

1. ‹literary› under a curse

• the Angel of Death walks this accursed house.

2. [ attrib.] — ‹literary› used to express strong dislike of or anger at someone or something

• this accursed country!

– origin Middle English: past participle of accurse.

accurst /əkəːst/

adjective

archaic spelling of accursed.

accusal /əˈkjuːz(ə)l/

noun

less common term for accusation.

accusation /akjʊˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a charge or claim that someone has done something illegal or wrong

• accusations of bribery.

2. [ mass noun] — the action or process of accusing someone

• there was accusation in Brian's voice.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin accusatio(n-), from accusare ‘call to account’ (see accuse).

accusative /əˈkjuːzətɪv / ‹Grammar›

I. adjective

(in Latin, Greek, German, and some other languages) denoting a case of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives which expresses the object of an action or the goal of motion.

II. noun

1. a word in the accusative case.

2. ( the accusative) — the accusative case.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin ( casus) accusativus, literally ‘relating to an accusation or (legal) case’, translating Greek (ptōsis) aitiatikē ‘(the case) showing cause’.

accusatorial /əˌkjuːzəˈtɔːrɪəl/

adjective

[Law] (of a trial or legal procedure) involving accusation by a prosecutor and a verdict reached by an impartial judge or jury.
Compare with adversarial, inquisitorial.

accusatory /əˈkjuːzət(ə)ri/

adjective

indicating or suggesting that one believes a person has done something wrong

• he pointed an accusatory finger in her direction.

accuse /əˈkjuːz/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often accuse someone of)

1. charge (someone) with an offence or crime

• he was accused of murdering his wife's lover.

2. claim that (someone) has done something wrong

• he was accused of favouritism.

– origin Middle English: from Old French acuser, from Latin accusare ‘call to account’, from ad- ‘towards’ + causa ‘reason, motive, lawsuit’.

accused /əˈkjuːzd/

noun — ( the accused) [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. a person or group of people who are charged with or on trial for a crime.

• the accused was ordered to stand trial on a number of charges.

• two of the accused were sentenced to thirteen years in prison.

accuser /əˈkjuːzə/

noun

a person who claims that someone has committed an offence or done something wrong

• I dislike any law that puts the burden of proof on the accused rather than the accuser

• Hero faints before her three accusers leave.

accusing /əˈkjʊːziŋ/

I. adjective

(of an expression, gesture, or tone of voice) indicating a belief in someone's guilt or culpability

• she stared at him with accusing eyes.

II. derivatives

accusingly /əˈkjuːzɪŋli /

adverb

accustom /əˈkʌstəm/

I. verb — [with obj.] ( accustom someone/thing to)

1. make someone or something accept (something) as normal or usual

• I accustomed my eyes to the lenses

• [with obj. and infinitive] sixth-form education is supposed to accustom pupils to think for themselves.

2. ( be accustomed to) — be used to

• I am not accustomed to having my word questioned.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French acostumer, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + costume ‘custom’.

accustomed /əˈkʌstəmd/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. customary; usual

• his accustomed route.

AC/DC /eɪsiːˈdiːsiː/

adjective

1. alternating current/direct current.

2. ‹informal› bisexual.

ace /eɪs/

I. noun

1. a playing card with a single spot on it, ranked as the highest card in its suit in most card games

• the ace of diamonds

• ‹figurative› life had started dealing him aces again.

2. ‹informal› a person who excels at a particular sport or other activity

• a motorcycle ace.

3. a pilot who has shot down many enemy aircraft.

• a Battle of Britain ace.

4. (in tennis and similar games) a service that an opponent is unable to return and thus wins a point.

• Nadal banged down eight aces in the set.

5. [Golf] ‹informal› a hole in one.

• his hole in one at the 15th was Senior's second ace as a professional.

II. adjective

‹informal› very good

• an ace swimmer

• [as exclamation] Ace! You've done it!

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› (in tennis and similar games) serve an ace against (an opponent).

• he can ace opponents with serves of no more than 62 mph.

2. ‹informal› [Golf] score an ace on (a hole) or with (a shot).

• there was a prize for the first player to ace the hole.

3. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) achieve high marks in (a test or exam)

• I aced my grammar test.

4. ( ace someone out) — ‹informal› outdo someone in a competitive situation.

• the magazine won an award, acing out its rivals.

IV. phrases

1. an ace up one's sleeve ( ‹or N. Amer.› in the hole)

a plan or piece of information kept secret until it becomes necessary to use it.

• the prime minister has several other aces up his sleeve.

2. hold all the aces

have all the advantages.

• he held all the aces: he was the Director, he could lecture on whomever he liked.

3. play one's ace

use one's best resource

• deciding to play her ace, Emily showed the letter to Vic.

4. within an ace of

(Brit.) very close to

• they came within an ace of death.

– origin Middle English (denoting the ‘one’ on dice): via Old French from Latin as ‘unity, a unit’.

-acea

I. suffix

[Zoology] forming the names of zoological groups

• Crustacea.

– origin from Latin, ‘of the nature of’, neuter plural adjectival ending.

-aceae

I. suffix

[Botany] forming the names of families of plants

• Liliaceae.

– origin from Latin, ‘of the nature of’, feminine plural adjectival ending.

-acean

I. suffix

[Zoology] forming the singular of group names ending in -acea (such as crustacean from Crustacea).

– origin from Latin -aceus ‘of the nature of’ + -an.

acedia /əˈsiːdɪə/

I. noun

‹literary› another term for accidie.

– origin early 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek akēdia ‘listlessness’, from a- ‘without’ + kēdos ‘care’.

acellular

adjective

1. [Biology] not consisting of, divided into, or containing cells.

2. [Biology] (especially of protozoa) consisting of one cell only.

acentric

adjective

1. without a centre; not centralized.

2. [Genetics] (of a chromosome) having no centromere.

-aceous

I. suffix

1. [Botany] forming adjectives from family names ending in -aceae (such as ericaceous from Ericaceae).

2. [chiefly Biology] [Geology] forming adjectives describing similarity, especially in shape, texture, or colour

• arenaceous

• olivaceous.

– origin from Latin -aceus ‘of the nature of’ + -ous.

acephalous /eɪˈsɛf(ə)ləs, eɪˈkɛf(ə)ləs/

I. adjective

1. lacking a head.

• an acephalous skeleton.

2. having no leader or chief

• an acephalous society.

3. [Prosody] (typically of a hexameter beginning with a short syllable) lacking a syllable or syllables in the first foot.

– origin mid 18th cent.: via medieval Latin from Greek akephalos ‘headless’ (from a- ‘without’ + kephalē ‘head’) + -ous.

acer /ˈeɪsə/

I. noun

a Eurasian or North American deciduous tree or shrub of a genus which includes the maples and the European sycamore.
●Genus Acer, family Aceraceae: numerous species.

– origin from Latin, ‘maple’.

acerb /əˈsəːb/

I. adjective

‹literary› (chiefly US) another term for acerbic.

• dry, acerb, literate satire.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin acerbus ‘sour-tasting’.

acerbic /əˈsəːbɪk/

I. adjective

1. (especially of a comment or style of speaking) sharp and forthright

• his acerbic wit.

2. ‹archaic› ‹technical› tasting sour or bitter.

II. derivatives

1. acerbically

adverb

2. acerbity /əˈsəːbəti /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin acerbus ‘sour-tasting’ + -ic.

acesulfame /ˌasɪˈsʌlfeɪm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white crystalline compound used as a low-calorie artificial sweetener, typically in the form of a potassium salt ( acesulfame-K).
●A sulphur-containing heterocyclic compound; chem. formula: C_4H_5NO_4S.

– origin 1980s: of unknown origin.

acet-

combining form

variant spelling of aceto- shortened before a vowel (as in acetaldehyde).

acetabulum /ˌasɪˈtabjʊləm/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] the socket of the hip bone, into which the head of the femur fits.

2. [Zoology] any cup-shaped structure, especially a sucker.

II. derivatives

acetabular

adjective

– origin late Middle English (denoting a vinegar cup, hence a cup-shaped cavity): from Latin, from acetum ‘vinegar’ + -abulum, denoting a container.

acetal /ˈasɪtal/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an organic compound formed by the condensation of two alcohol molecules with an aldehyde molecule.
●Acetals have the general formula R^1CH(OR^2)2, where R^1 and R^2 are alkyl groups.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from acetic acid + al from alcohol.

acetaldehyde /ˌasɪtˈaldɪhʌɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless volatile liquid aldehyde obtained by oxidizing ethanol.
●Alternative name: ethanal; chem. formula: CH_3CHO.

acetamide /əˈsiːtəmʌɪd, əˈsɛtəmʌɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the amide of acetic acid, a crystalline solid with a characteristic musty odour.
●Alternative name: ethanamide; chem. formula: CH_3CONH_2.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from acetyl + amide.

acetaminophen /əˌsiːtəˈmɪnəfɛn, əˌsɛtəˈmɪnəfɛn/

I. noun

North American term for paracetamol.

– origin 1960s: from para- acet yl aminophen ol.

acetanilide /ˌasɪtˈanɪlʌɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a crystalline solid prepared by acetylation of aniline, used in dye manufacture.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_5NHCOCH_3.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from acet(yl) + anil(ine) + -ide.

acetate /ˈasɪteɪt/

noun

1. [Chemistry] a salt or ester of acetic acid, containing the anion CH_3COO− or the group —OOCCH_3.

2. [ mass noun] — cellulose acetate, especially as used to make textile fibres or plastic
[as modifier]

• acetate silk.

3. [ count noun] — a transparency made of cellulose acetate film.

4. [ count noun] — a sample version of a recording disc cut by a stylus rather than formed by a stamper, and coated with cellulose acetate.

acetic /əˈsiːtɪk, əˈsɛtɪk/

I. adjective

of or like vinegar or acetic acid.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French acétique, from Latin acetum ‘vinegar’.

acetic acid /əˈsiːtɪk, əˈsɛt-/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the acid that gives vinegar its characteristic taste. The pure acid is a colourless viscous liquid or glassy solid.
●Alternative name: ethanoic acid; chem. formula: CH_3COOH.

– origin late 18th cent.: acetic from French acétique, from Latin acetum ‘vinegar’.

acetic anhydride

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the anhydride of acetic acid, a colourless pungent liquid used in making synthetic fibres.
●Chem. formula: (CH_3CO)2O.

aceto- acet-

combining form

[Chemistry] representing acetic acid or acetyl.

acetobacter /əˌsiːtə(ʊ)ˈbaktə, ˌasɪtə(ʊ)ˈbaktə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. bacteria that oxidize organic compounds to acetic acid, as in vinegar formation.
●Genus Acetobacter; Gram-negative oval or rod-shaped bacteria.

– origin modern Latin (genus name), from aceto- + bacterium.

acetogenic /əˌsiːtə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk, ˌasɪtə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

(of bacteria) forming acetate or acetic acid as a product of metabolism.

acetonaemia /ˌasɪtə(ʊ)ˈniːmɪə/

noun

another term for ketosis.

acetone /ˈasɪtəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless volatile liquid ketone made by oxidizing isopropanol, used as an organic solvent and synthetic reagent.
●Alternative name: propanone; chem. formula: CH_3COCH_3.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from acetic acid + -one.

acetonitrile /əˌsiːtə(ʊ)ˈnʌɪtrʌɪl, ˌasɪtə(ʊ)ˈnʌɪtrʌɪl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] an odoriferous toxic liquid, used as a solvent in high-performance liquid chromatography.
●Alternative name: methyl cyanide; chem. formula: CH_3CN.

acetous /əˈsiːtəs/

I. adjective

producing or resembling vinegar

• acetous fermentation.

– origin late Middle English (rare before the late 18th cent.): from late Latin acetosus ‘sour’, from Latin acetum ‘vinegar’.

acetyl /ˈasɪtʌɪl, ˈasɪtɪl/

noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting the acyl radical —C(O)CH_3, derived from acetic acid

• acetyl chloride

• an acetyl group.

acetylate /əˈsɛtɪleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. acetylated)

1. [Chemistry] introduce an acetyl group into (a molecule or compound)

• the acetylated forms of chloramphenicol.

II. derivatives

acetylation

noun

acetylcholine /ˌasɪtʌɪlˈkəʊliːn, ˌasɪtɪlˈkəʊliːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound which occurs throughout the nervous system, in which it functions as a neurotransmitter.

acetylcholinesterase /ˌasɪtʌɪlˌkəʊlɪnˈɛstəreɪz, ˌasɪtɪlˌkəʊlɪnˈɛstəreɪz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an enzyme that causes rapid hydrolysis of acetylcholine. Its action serves to stop excitation of a nerve after transmission of an impulse.

acetyl coenzyme A

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] the acetyl ester of coenzyme A, involved as an acetylating agent in many biochemical processes.

acetylene /əˈsɛtɪliːn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a colourless pungent-smelling hydrocarbon gas, which burns with a bright flame, used in welding and formerly in lighting.
●Alternative name: ethyne; chem. formula: C_2H_2.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from acetic acid + -yl + -ene.

acetylide /əˈsɛtɪlʌɪd/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt-like compound formed from acetylene and a metal, containing the anion (C≡C)2− or HC≡C−. Acetylides are typically unstable or explosive.

acetylsalicylic acid /ˌasɪtʌɪlˌsalɪˈsɪlɪk, -tɪl-/

noun

systematic chemical name for aspirin.

ach /ɑːx/

I. exclamation

dialect (chiefly Scottish) form of ah:

• ach well, win some lose some.

– origin late 15th cent.: Scottish Gaelic, Dutch, and German.

Achaea /əˈkiːə/

a region of ancient Greece on the north coast of the Peloponnese.

Achaean /əˈkiːən/

I. adjective

1. relating to Achaea in ancient Greece.

2. ‹literary› (especially in Homeric contexts) Greek.

II. noun

1. an inhabitant of Achaea.

2. ‹literary› (especially in Homeric contexts) a Greek.

The Achaeans were among the earliest Greek-speaking inhabitants of Greece, being established there well before the 12th century BC. Some scholars identify them with the Mycenaeans of the 14th–13th centuries BC. The Greek protagonists in the Trojan War are regularly called Achaeans in the Iliad, though this may have referred only to the leaders.

Achaemenid /əˈkiːmənɪd / Achaemenian /ˌakɪˈmiːnɪən/

I. adjective

relating to the dynasty ruling in Persia from Cyrus I to Darius III (553–330 BC).

II. noun

a member of the Achaemenid dynasty.

– origin from Greek Akhaimenēs ‘Achaemenes’ (the reputed ancestor of the dynasty) + -id^3.

achalasia /ˌakəˈleɪzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which the muscles of the lower part of the oesophagus fail to relax, preventing food from passing into the stomach.

– origin early 20th cent.: from a-1 ‘without, not’ + Greek khalasis ‘loosening’ (from khalan ‘relax’) + -ia^1.

achar /əˈtʃɑː, ˈatʃɑː / achaar

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Indian cookery) a type of pickle in which the food is preserved in spiced oil

• mango achar.

– origin from Hindi acār, from Persian.

acharnement /əˈʃɑːnmɒ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› bloodthirsty fury or ferocity.

– origin French, from acharner ‘give a taste of flesh to a dog, falcon, etc.’, from charn, archaic variant of chair, from Latin caro, carn- ‘flesh’.

acharya /əˈtʃɑːɪə/

I. noun

1. (in South Asia) a Hindu or Buddhist spiritual teacher or leader.

2. an influential mentor.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Sanskrit ācārya ‘master, teacher’.

Achates /əˈkeɪtiːz / ‹Greek & Roman Mythology›

a companion of Aeneas. His loyalty to his friend was so exemplary as to become proverbial, hence the term fidus Achates (‘faithful Achates’).

ache /eɪk/

I. noun

1. a continuous or prolonged dull pain in a part of one's body

• the ache in her head worsened

• a handful of salt in the bath water is good for aches and pains

• [ mass noun] he had stomach ache.

2. [in sing.] — an emotion experienced with painful or bittersweet intensity

• an ache in her heart.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. suffer from a continuous dull pain

• my legs ached from the previous day's exercise

• I'm aching all over.

2. feel intense sadness or compassion

• she sat still and silent, her heart aching

• she looked so tired that my heart ached for her.

3. feel an intense desire for

• she ached for his touch

• [with infinitive] he was aching to get his hands on the ball.

– origin Old English æce (noun), acan (verb). In Middle English and early modern English the noun was spelled atche and rhymed with ‘batch’ and the verb was spelled and pronounced as it is today. The noun began to be pronounced like the verb around 1700. The modern spelling is largely due to Dr Johnson, who mistakenly assumed its derivation to be from Greek akhos ‘pain’.

Achebe, Chinua /əˈtʃeɪbi/

(1930–2013), Nigerian novelist, poet, short-story writer, and essayist; born Albert Chinualumgu. His novels, such as Things Fall Apart (1958), show traditional African society in confrontation with European customs and values.

achene /əˈkiːn/

I. noun

[Botany] a small, dry one-seeded fruit that does not open to release the seed.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin achaenium, derived irregularly from a- ‘not’ + Greek khainein ‘to gape’.

Achernar /ˈeɪkənɑː / ‹Astronomy›

I. the ninth brightest star in the sky and the brightest in the constellation Eridanus, visible only in the southern hemisphere.

– origin from Arabic, ‘end of the river (i.e. Eridanus)’.

Acheron /ˈakərɒn / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. one of the rivers of Hades.

II. ‹literary› hell.

– origin Latin, from Greek Akherōn.

Acheson, Dean /ˈeɪtʃɪs(ə)n/

(1893–1971), American statesman, Secretary of State 1949–53; full name Dean Gooderham Acheson. He was instrumental in the formation of NATO, and implemented the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine.

Acheulian /əˈʃuːlɪən / Acheulean

I. adjective

1. [Archaeology] relating to or denoting the main Lower Palaeolithic culture in Europe (preceding the Mousterian) and a similar culture in Africa. It is represented by hand-axe industries, which are dated as a whole to about 1,500,000–150,000 years ago.
See also Abbevillian.

2. (as noun the Acheulian) — [Archaeology] the Acheulian culture or period.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French Acheuléen, from St-Acheul near Amiens in northern France, where objects from this culture were found.

achha /aˈtʃhɑː/

I. exclamation

1. (Indian) okay; all right.

• ‘Achha! We'll meet at eight.’.

2. (Indian) is that so? (used in responses to indicate the speaker's surprise, joy, or doubt).

• ‘Achha! She's going to marry the minister's son?’.

– origin from Hindi acchā.

achievable /əˈtʃiːvəb(ə)l/

adjective

able to be brought about or reached successfully

• it was an ambitious goal, but it seemed achievable

• he broke the climb into small, achievable stages.

achieve /əˈtʃiːv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. successfully bring about or reach (a desired objective or result) by effort, skill, or courage

• he achieved his ambition to become a press photographer

• the killings achieved nothing

• [no obj.] people striving to achieve.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘complete successfully’): from Old French achever ‘come or bring to a head’, from a chief ‘to a head’.

achievement /əˈtʃiːvm(ə)nt/

noun

1. a thing done successfully with effort, skill, or courage

• to reach this stage is a great achievement.

2. [ mass noun] — the process or fact of achieving something

• the achievement of professional recognition

• assessing ability in terms of academic achievement

• a sense of achievement.

3. [Heraldry] a representation of a coat of arms with all the adjuncts to which a bearer of arms is entitled.

achiever /əˈtʃivə/

noun

a person who achieves a high or specified level of success.

• his children are achievers destined to follow an exacting academic route.

• a high achiever.

achillea /ˌakɪˈliːə, aˈkɪlɪə/

I. noun

a Eurasian and North African plant of a genus that includes the yarrow, typically having heads of small white or yellow flowers and fern-like leaves.
●Genus Achillea, family Compositae: numerous species.

– origin via Latin from Greek Akhilleios, denoting a plant supposed to have been used medicinally by Achilles.

Achilles /əˈkɪliːz / ‹Greek Mythology›

a hero of the Trojan War, son of Peleus and Thetis. During his infancy his mother plunged him in the Styx, thus making his body invulnerable except for the heel by which she held him. During the Trojan War Achilles killed Hector but was later wounded in the heel by an arrow shot by Paris and died.

Achilles heel /əkɪliːzˈhiːl/

I. noun

a weakness or vulnerable point.

• the Achilles' heel of the case for nuclear power remains the issue of the disposal of waste.

– origin early 19th cent.: alluding to the vulnerability of Achilles.

Achilles tendon

noun

the tendon connecting calf muscles to the heel.

achimenes /əˈkɪməniːz/

I. noun

a Central American plant with tubular or trumpet-shaped flowers.
●Genus Achimenes, family Gesneriaceae.

– origin modern Latin, either from Greek akhaimenis, denoting a different plant (euphorbia), or from a- ‘not’ + kheimanein ‘expose to the cold’.

Achinese /ˈatʃɪniːz/

I. noun

1. a member of a people living in northern Sumatra.

2. [ mass noun] — the Indonesian language of the Achinese.

II. adjective

relating to the Achinese or their language.

– origin from Acheh, Atjeh, a territory in northern Sumatra, + -n- + -ese.

aching /ˈeɪkɪŋ/

adjective

1. having an ache in a part of one's body

• the cool air was a relief to my aching head.

2. arousing, experiencing, or expressive of intense sorrow or longing

• I write this letter with tears in my eyes and an aching heart

• an aching sense of loss.

achingly /ˈeɪkɪŋli/

adverb — [usu. as submodifier]

1. in a way that arouses or expresses intense sorrow or longing

• the letters are achingly tender

• an achingly beautiful piece of music.

achiote /ˌatʃɪˈɒti/

I. noun

North American term for annatto.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Spanish, from Nahuatl achiotl.

achiral /eɪˈkʌɪr(ə)l/

adjective

[Chemistry] (chiefly of a molecule) symmetric in such a way that it can be superimposed on its mirror image; not chiral.

achkan /ˈatʃkən/

I. noun

a knee-length coat buttoned in front, worn by men from South Asia.

– origin from Hindi ackan.

achlorhydria /ˌeɪklɔːˈhʌɪdrɪə, ˌaklɔːˈhʌɪdrɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] absence of hydrochloric acid in the gastric secretions.

– origin late 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘without’ + chlor- + hydro- + -ia^1.

Acholi /əˈtʃəʊli/

I. noun

1. a member of a farming and pastoral people of northern Uganda and South Sudan.

2. [ mass noun] — the Nilotic language of the Acholi.

II. adjective

relating to the Acholi or their language.

– origin the name in Acholi.

achondrite /əˈkɒndrʌɪt/

I. noun

a stony meteorite containing no small mineral granules (chondrules).

II. derivatives

achondritic

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from a-1 ‘without’ + chondrite.

achondroplasia /əˌkɒndrə(ʊ)ˈpleɪzɪə, eɪˌkɒndrə(ʊ)ˈpleɪzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hereditary condition in which the growth of long bones by ossification of cartilage is retarded, resulting in very short limbs and sometimes a face which is small in relation to the skull.

II. derivatives

1. achondroplasic

adjective

2. achondroplastic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘without’ + Greek khondros ‘cartilage’ + plasis ‘moulding’ + -ia^1.

achromat /ˈakrə(ʊ)mat/

noun

a lens that transmits light without separating it into constituent colours.

achromatic /ˌakrə(ʊ)ˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to, using, or denoting lenses that transmit light without separating it into constituent colours.

• achromatic microscopes.

• a lens of achromatic construction.

2. ‹literary› without colour

• the achromatic gloom.

– origin late 18th cent.: via French from Greek a- ‘without’ + khrōmatikos (from khrōma ‘colour’).

achromic /eɪˈkrəʊmɪk/

I. adjective

‹rare› having no colour except black, white, or shades of grey

• an achromic area of skin.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from a-1 + Greek khrōma ‘colour’.

achy /ˈeɪki / achey

I. adjective

suffering from continuous dull pain

• she felt tired and achy.

II. derivatives

achiness

noun

acicular /əˈsɪkjʊlə/

I. adjective

‹technical› (chiefly of crystals) needle-shaped.

– origin early 18th cent.: from late Latin acicula ‘small needle’ (diminutive of acus) + -ar^1.

acid /ˈasɪd/

I. noun

1.
a. a substance with particular chemical properties including turning litmus red, neutralizing alkalis, and dissolving some metals; typically, a corrosive or sour-tasting liquid of this kind. Often contrasted with alkali and base^1:

• trees were exposed to mixtures of heavy metals, acids, and overdoses of nutrients

• [ mass noun] traces of acid.

b. [ mass noun] — bitter or cutting remarks or tone of voice

• she was unable to quell the acid in her voice.

Acids are compounds which release hydrogen ions (H+) when dissolved in water. Any solution with a pH of less than 7 is acidic, strong acids such as sulphuric or hydrochloric acid having a pH as low as 1 or 2.

2. [Chemistry] a molecule or other species which can donate a proton or accept an electron pair in reactions.

3. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› the drug LSD.

• she didn't have a clue the sweet had acid in it.

• [as modifier] a bad acid trip.

II. adjective

1. containing acid or having the properties of an acid; having a pH of less than 7. Often contrasted with alkaline or basic:

• acid soils.

2. sharp-tasting or sour

• acid fruit.

3. (of a person's remarks or tone) bitter or cutting

• she was stung into acid defiance.

4. (of a colour) strikingly intense or bright

• an acid green.

5. [Geology] (of rock, especially lava) containing a relatively high proportion of silica.

• the magma may start off fairly basic and end up at the close of the eruption much more acid.

6. [Metallurgy] relating to or denoting steel-making processes involving silica-rich refractories and slags.

• the acid Bessemer process.

III. phrases

put the acid on

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› seek to extract a loan or favour from (someone).
[ acid from acid test, referring to possible resistance (because gold resists nitric acid).]

IV. derivatives

acidy

adjective

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘sour-tasting’): from Latin acidus, from acere ‘be sour’.

acid drop

noun

(Brit.) a kind of boiled sweet with a sharp taste.

acid-fast

adjective

[Microbiology] denoting bacteria that cannot be decolorized by an acid after staining, which is characteristic of the mycobacteria that cause tuberculosis and leprosy.

acid head

noun

‹informal› a habitual user of the drug LSD.

acid house

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of popular synthesized dance music with a fast repetitive beat, popular in the 1980s and associated with the taking of drugs such as Ecstasy.
[as modifier]

• the thumping rhythm of acid-house music.

acidic /əˈsɪdɪk/

adjective

1. having the properties of an acid, or containing acid; having a pH below 7.

• a cocktail of acidic pollutants.

Often contrasted with alkaline and basic.

2. sharp-tasting or sour

• acidic wine.

3. (of a person's remarks or tone) bitter or cutting

• the occasional acidic comment.

4. (of a colour) strikingly intense or bright

• an acidic yellow.

5. [Geology] (of rock, especially lava) relatively rich in silica.

• acidic granite batholiths.

6. [Metallurgy] relating to or denoting steel-making processes involving silica-rich refractories and slags.

• acidic slag.

acidify /əˈsɪdɪfʌɪ/

I. verb

make or become acid
[with obj.]

• pollutants can acidify surface water.

II. derivatives

acidification /əsɪdɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

acidimetry /ˌasɪˈdɪmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. measurement of the strengths of acids.

II. derivatives

1. acidimetric

adjective

2. acidimetrical

adjective

3. acidimetrically

adverb

acidity /əˈsɪdɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the level of acid in substances such as water, soil, or wine.

• the increased acidity of rainfall.

2. the level of acid in the gastric juices, typically when excessive and causing discomfort.

• smoking does not affect gastric acidity.

3. bitterness or sharpness in a person's remarks or tone

• the cutting acidity in his voice.

acid jazz

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of popular dance music incorporating elements of jazz, funk, soul, and hip hop.
[as modifier]

• the acid jazz scene in Chicago.

– origin apparently coined from acid house and popularized by the Acid Jazz record label founded in 1988.

acidly /ˈasɪdli/

adverb

with bitterness or sarcasm

• ‘Is it up to you to make that decision?’ she asked acidly.

acidophil /əˈsɪdə(ʊ)fɪl/

noun

[Physiology] an acidophilic white blood cell.

acidophilic /ˌasɪdə(ʊ)ˈfɪlɪk, əˌsɪdə(ʊ)ˈfɪlɪk/

adjective

1. [Biology] (of a cell or its contents) readily stained with acid dyes.

2. [Biology] (of a microorganism or plant) growing best in acidic conditions.

acidophilus /ˌasɪˈdɒfɪləs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bacterium that is used to make yogurt and to supplement the intestinal flora.
● Lactobacillus acidophilus; a Gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium.

– origin 1920s: modern Latin, literally ‘acid-loving’.

acidosis /ˌasɪˈdəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an excessively acid condition of the body fluids or tissues.

II. derivatives

acidotic

adjective

acid radical

noun

[Chemistry] a radical formed by the removal of hydrogen ions from an acid.

acid rain

noun — [ mass noun]

1. rainfall made so acidic by atmospheric pollution that it causes environmental harm, chiefly to forests and lakes. The main cause is the industrial burning of coal and other fossil fuels, the waste gases from which contain sulphur and nitrogen oxides which combine with atmospheric water to form acids.

acid rock /ˌasɪd ˈrɒk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of rock music popular chiefly in the late 1960s, associated with or inspired by hallucinogenic drugs.

acid salt

noun

[Chemistry] a salt formed by incomplete replacement of the hydrogen of an acid, e.g. potassium hydrogen sulphate (KHSO_4).

acid test

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a conclusive test of the success or value of something

• gritstone is the acid test of a climber's ability.

– origin figuratively, from the original use denoting a test for gold using nitric acid.

acidulate /əˈsɪdʒʊleɪt, əˈsɪdjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. acidulated)

1. make slightly acidic

• acidulated water.

II. derivatives

acidulation

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin acidulus (from acidus ‘sour’) + -ate^3.

acidulous /əˈsɪdʒʊləs, əˈsɪdjʊləs/

I. adjective

1. sharp-tasting; sour.

2. (of a person's remarks or tone) bitter; cutting.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin acidulus (from acidus ‘sour’) + -ous.

acinus /ˈasɪnəs/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] a small sac-like cavity in a gland, surrounded by secretory cells.

2. [Anatomy] a region of the lung supplied with air from one of the terminal bronchioles.

II. derivatives

acinar

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: Latin, literally ‘a kernel’.

-acious

I. suffix

(forming adjectives) inclined to; having as a capacity

• audacious

• capacious.

– origin from Latin -ax, -ac- (especially forming adjectives from verbal stems) + -ous.

-acity

I. suffix

forming nouns of quality or state corresponding to adjectives ending in -acious (such as audacity corresponding to audacious).

– origin from French -acité or Latin -acitas.

ack-ack /akˈak/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. [Military] ‹informal› anti-aircraft gunfire

• a quick burst of ack-ack fire.

– origin signallers' name for the letters AA; ack for A was replaced in military use by able in 1942.

ackee /ˈaki / akee

I. noun

1. a tropical West African tree which is cultivated for its fruit and has been introduced into the Caribbean and elsewhere.
● Blighia sapida, family Sapindaceae.

2. [ mass noun] — the fruit of the ackee, which is eaten as a vegetable but is poisonous until fully ripe.

• a tree full of ackees.

• [ mass noun] a dish of ackee.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Kru ākee.

ack emma

I. adverb

(Brit.) ‹dated› informal term for a.m.

– origin early 20th cent.: signallers' name for these letters.

ackers /ˈakəz/

I. plural noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› money.

• what you get for your ackers is two CDs.

– origin 1930s (originally used by British troops in Egypt as a name for the piastre): probably an alteration of Arabic fakka ‘small change, coins’.

acknowledge /əkˈnɒlɪdʒ/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — accept or admit the existence or truth of
[with obj.]

• the plight of the refugees was acknowledged by the authorities

• [with clause] the government acknowledged that the tax was unfair

• [with direct speech] ‘That's true,’ she acknowledged.

2. [with obj.] — recognize the importance or quality of

• the art world has begun to acknowledge his genius

• the hotel is widely acknowledged as one of Cornwall's finest.

3. express gratitude for or appreciation of

• he received a letter acknowledging his services.

4. accept the validity or legitimacy of

• Henry acknowledged Richard as his heir.

5. [with obj.] — show that one has noticed or recognized (someone) by making a gesture or greeting

• she refused to acknowledge my presence.

6. confirm (receipt of something).

• I should be grateful if you would acknowledge receipt of this letter.

II. derivatives

acknowledgeable

adjective

– origin late 15th cent.: from the obsolete Middle English verb knowledge, influenced by obsolete acknow ‘acknowledge, confess’.

acknowledged /əkˈnɒlɪdʒd/

adjective

1. recognized as being good or important

• he's an acknowledged expert in the field.

• an acknowledged comedy genius.

2. admitted or accepted as true, valid, or legitimate

• Prince Louis's acknowledged heir.

acknowledgement /əkˈnɒlɪdʒm(ə)nt / ‹chiefly US› acknowledgment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. acceptance of the truth or existence of something

• there was no acknowledgement of the family's trauma.

2. recognition of the importance or quality of something.

3. the expression of gratitude or appreciation for something

• he received an award in acknowledgement of his work.

4. the action of showing that one has noticed someone or something

• he touched his hat in acknowledgement.

5. [ count noun] — a letter confirming receipt of something.

• I received an acknowledgement of my application.

6. ( acknowledgements) — a statement printed at the beginning of a book expressing the author's or publisher's gratitude to others.

• the reproduction on page 50 wasn't mentioned in the acknowledgements.

ACL

abbreviation

anterior cruciate ligament.

aclinic line /əˈklɪnɪk/

I. noun

another term for magnetic equator.

– origin mid 19th cent.: aclinic from Greek aklinēs, from a- ‘not’ + klinein ‘to bend’.

ACLU

abbreviation

American Civil Liberties Union.

acme /ˈakmi/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. the point at which something is at its best or most highly developed

• physics is the acme of scientific knowledge.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek akmē ‘highest point’. Until the 18th cent. it was often consciously used as a Greek word and written in Greek letters.

Acmeist /ˈakmiːɪst/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting an early 20th-century movement in Russian poetry which rejected the values of symbolism in favour of formal technique and clarity of exposition. Notable members were Anna Akhmatova and Osip Mandelstam.

II. noun

a member of the Acmeist movement.

III. derivatives

Acmeism /ˈakmiˌɪz(ə)m /

noun

acne /ˈakni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a skin condition characterized by red pimples on the skin, especially on the face, due to inflamed or infected sebaceous glands and prevalent chiefly among adolescents.

• he was clean-shaven with a face that had been ravaged by acne when younger.

II. derivatives

acned

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: via modern Latin from Greek aknas, a misreading of akmas, accusative plural of akmē ‘highest point, peak, or facial eruption’; compare with acme.

Acol /ˈakɒl/

I. noun

[Bridge] a British system of bidding designed to enable partners with weaker hands to find suitable contracts.

– origin 1930s: from Acol Road in Hampstead, London, the address of a house in which the system was devised.

acolyte /ˈakəlʌɪt/

I. noun

1. a person assisting a priest in a religious service or procession.

2. an assistant or follower.

• she runs the department through a small group of acolytes.

– origin Middle English: from Old French acolyt or ecclesiastical Latin acolytus, from Greek akolouthos ‘follower’.

Aconcagua /ˌakɒnˈkɑːɡwə/

a mountain in the Andes, in western Argentina near the Chilean border, rising to 22,834 feet (6,960 m). It is the highest mountain in the western hemisphere.

aconite /ˈakənʌɪt/

I. noun

1. a poisonous plant of the buttercup family, bearing hooded pink or purple flowers and found in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere.
●Genus Aconitum, family Ranunculaceae: many species, including monkshood and wolfsbane.

2. [ mass noun] — an extract of aconite, used as a poison or in pharmacy.

3. (also winter aconite) — a small herbaceous Eurasian plant, cultivated for its yellow flowers in early spring.
●Genus Eranthis, family Ranunculaceae: several species.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via French and Latin from Greek akoniton.

aconitine /əˈkɒnɪtiːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a poisonous alkaloid obtained from monkshood and related plants.

acorn /ˈeɪkɔːn/

I. noun

the fruit of the oak, a smooth oval nut in a rough cup-like base.

– origin Old English æcern, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch aker, also to acre, later associated with oak and corn^1.

acorn barnacle

noun

a stalkless barnacle that attaches itself to a variety of surfaces including rocks, ships, and marine animals.
●Genus Balanus, family Balanidae.

acorn squash

noun

a winter squash of a variety with ridged dark green to orange rind and yellow flesh.

acorn worm

noun

a burrowing worm-like marine animal of shallow waters. Its body consists of a proboscis, a collar, and a long trunk with gill slits, and contains a structure resembling a notochord.
●Class Enteropneusta, phylum Hemichordata.

ACOSS /ˈeɪkɒs/

abbreviation

short for Australian Council of Social Service:

• ACOSS released a report slamming the performance of employment assistance services.

acotyledon /əˌkɒtɪˈliːd(ə)n/

I. noun

[Botany] a plant with no distinct seed leaves, especially a fern or moss.

II. derivatives

acotyledonous /əˌkɒtɪˈliːdənəs /

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin plural acotyledones (see a-1, cotyledon).

acouchi /əˈkuːtʃi/

I. noun

a large forest rodent resembling an agouti, found in the Amazon basin.
●Genus Myoprocta, family Dasyproctidae: two species.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Tupi.

acoustic /əˈkuːstɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to sound or the sense of hearing

• dogs have a much greater acoustic range than humans.

2. (of building materials) used for soundproofing or modifying sound

• acoustic tiles.

3. (of a device or system) utilizing sound energy in its operation.

4. (of an explosive mine or other weapon) able to be set off by sound waves.

5. (of popular music or musical instruments) not having electrical amplification

• a sad, gentle acoustic ballad

• old-fashioned acoustic instruments.

II. noun

1. (also acoustics) — the properties or qualities of a room or building that determine how sound is transmitted in it

• the Symphony Hall has perfect acoustics.

2. [treated as sing.] ( acoustics) — the branch of physics concerned with the properties of sound.

• Tyndall lectured on acoustics.

3. short for acoustic guitar.

• these German-made acoustics are exceptional value and a pleasure to play.

III. derivatives

1. acoustical

adjective

2. acoustically /əˈkuːstɪkli /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek akoustikos, from akouein ‘hear’.

acoustic guitar

noun

a guitar that does not require electrical amplification, having a hollow body that amplifies the string vibrations

• he toured alone, playing an acoustic guitar.

acoustician /ˌakuːˈstɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

an expert in the branch of physics concerned with the properties of sound.

acoustic impedance

noun

[Physics] the ratio of the pressure over an imaginary surface in a sound wave to the rate of particle flow across the surface.

acoustic shock

noun — [ mass noun]

1. damaged hearing suffered by the user of an earphone as a result of sudden excessive noise in the device.

acquaint /əˈkweɪnt/

I. verb — [with obj.] ( acquaint someone with)

1. make someone aware of or familiar with

• new staff should be acquainted with fire exit routes

• you need to acquaint yourself with the house style.

2. ( be acquainted) — know someone slightly

• I am not acquainted with any young lady of that name

• I'll leave you two to get acquainted.

– origin Middle English: from Old French acointier ‘make known’, from late Latin accognitare, from Latin accognoscere, from ad- ‘to’ + cognoscere ‘come to know’.

acquaintance /əˈkweɪnt(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — knowledge or experience of something

• the pupils had little acquaintance with the language.

2. slight knowledge of or friendship with someone

• I renewed my acquaintance with Herbert.

3. a person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend

• a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.

4. [ mass noun] — acquaintances considered collectively

• his extensive acquaintance included Oscar Wilde and Yeats.

II. phrases

make the acquaintance of (or make someone's acquaintance)

meet someone for the first time and come to know them slightly.

• I'm honoured to make your acquaintance, Miss Morland.

III. derivatives

acquaintanceship /əˈkweɪntənsʃɪp /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘mutual knowledge, being acquainted’): from Old French acointance, from acointier ‘make known’ (see acquaint).

acquaintance rape

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) rape by a person who is known to the victim.

acquiesce /ˌakwɪˈɛs/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. accept something reluctantly but without protest

• Sara acquiesced in his decision.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin acquiescere, from ad- ‘to, at’ + quiescere ‘to rest’.

acquiescence /ˌakwɪˈɛsns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the reluctant acceptance of something without protest

• in silent acquiescence, she rose to her feet.

acquiescent /akwɪˈɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

ready to accept something without protest, or to do what someone else wants

• his acquiescent mood.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin acquiescent- ‘remaining at rest’, from the verb acquiescere (see acquiesce).

acquihire /akwɪˈhʌɪə / acqhire /akˈhʌɪə/

I. noun

an act or instance of buying out a company primarily for the skills and expertise of its staff, rather than for the products or services it supplies

• this would appear to be a straight acquihire to pick up an engineering and product design team.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. buy out (a company) primarily for the skills and expertise of its staff, rather than for its products or services

• the start-ups are being acquihired in a bid to harvest their talent.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of acquisition and hire.

acquire /əˈkwʌɪə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. buy or obtain (an asset or object) for oneself

• I managed to acquire all the books I needed.

2. learn or develop (a skill, habit, or quality)

• I've acquired a taste for whisky.

3. come to have (a particular reputation) as a result of one's behaviour or activities.

• he acquired a reputation for scrupulous honesty.

II. phrases

an acquired taste

a thing that one comes to like over time

• pumpkin pie is an acquired taste.

III. derivatives

1. acquirable /əˈkwʌɪərəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. acquiree

noun

[Finance]

3. acquirer /əˈkwʌɪrə /

noun

– origin late Middle English acquere, from Old French aquerre, based on Latin acquirere ‘get in addition’, from ad- ‘to’ + quaerere ‘seek’. The English spelling was modified ( c. 1600) by association with the Latin word.

acquired characteristic acquired character

noun

[Biology] a modification or change in an organ or tissue that is due to use, disuse, or environmental effects during an organism's lifetime.

acquirement /əˈkwʌɪəm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of acquiring something

• the acquirement of self control.

2. [ count noun] — something acquired, typically a skill.

acquisition /ˌakwɪˈzɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an asset or object bought or obtained, typically by a library or museum.

• the legacy will be used for new acquisitions.

2. a purchase of one company by another.

• there were many acquisitions among travel agents.

• [ mass noun] the company intends to grow within itself rather than by acquisition.

3. [ mass noun] — the buying or obtaining of assets or objects

• western culture places a high value on material acquisition.

4. [ mass noun] — the learning or developing of a skill, habit, or quality

• the acquisition of management skills.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘act of acquiring something’): from Latin acquisitio(n-), from the verb acquirere (see acquire).

acquisition accounting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a procedure in accounting in which the value of the assets of a company is changed from book to fair market level after a takeover.

acquisitive /əˈkwɪzɪtɪv/

I. adjective

excessively interested in acquiring money or material things.

• we live in a competitive and acquisitive society.

II. derivatives

acquisitively

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French acquisitif, -ive, from late Latin acquisitivus. from Latin acquisit- ‘acquired’, from the verb acquirere (see acquire).

acquisitiveness /əˈkwɪzɪtɪvnɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessive interest in acquiring money or material things

• a culture of acquisitiveness permeated his administration.

acquit /əˈkwɪt/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — free (someone) from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty

• she was acquitted on all counts

• the jury acquitted Bream of murder.

2. ( acquit oneself) — conduct oneself or perform in a specified way

• the goalkeeper acquitted himself well.

3. ( acquit oneself of) — ‹archaic› discharge (a duty or responsibility).

• they acquitted themselves of their charge with vigilance.

– origin Middle English (originally in the sense ‘pay a debt, discharge a liability’): from Old French acquiter, from medieval Latin acquitare ‘pay a debt’, from ad- ‘to’ + quitare ‘set free’.

acquittal /əˈkwɪt(ə)l/

noun

a judgement or verdict that a person is not guilty of the crime with which they have been charged.

• the trial resulted in an acquittal.

• [ mass noun] the women felt their chances of acquittal were poor.

acquittance /əˈkwɪt(ə)ns/

I. noun

[Law] a written receipt attesting the settlement of a fine or debt.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from aquiter ‘discharge (a debt)’ (see acquit).

acre /ˈeɪkə/

I. noun

1. a unit of land area equal to 4,840 square yards (0.405 hectare).

• he farms 1,200 acres in East Yorkshire.

• [as modifier] a 15-acre estate.

2. ( acres of) — ‹informal› a large extent or amount of something

• acres of space.

II. derivatives

acred

adjective

[in combination]

• a many-acred park

– origin Old English æcer (denoting the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plough in a day), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch akker and German Acker ‘field’, from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit ajra ‘field’, Latin ager, and Greek agros.

Acre

I. /ˈeɪkə / — an industrial seaport of Israel; pop. 46,300 (est. 2008).
Also called Akko.

II. /ˈɑːkrə / — a state of western Brazil, on the border with Peru; capital, Rio Branco.

acreage /ˈeɪk(ə)rɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an area of land, typically when used for agricultural purposes, but not necessarily measured in acres

• a 35 per cent increase in net acreage

• [ count noun] a modest acreage.

acre-foot

noun

a unit of volume equal to the volume of a sheet of water one acre (0.405 hectare) in area and one foot (30.48 cm) in depth; 43,560 cubic feet (1233.5 cubic metres).

acrid /ˈakrɪd/

I. adjective

unpleasantly bitter or pungent

• acrid smoke

• an acrid smell.

II. derivatives

1. acridity /əˈkrɪdɪti /

noun

2. acridly

adverb

– origin early 18th cent.: formed irregularly from Latin acer, acri- ‘sharp, pungent’ + -id^1, probably influenced by acid.

acridine /ˈakrɪdiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless solid compound obtained from coal tar, used in the manufacture of dyes and drugs.
●Chem. formula: C_13H_9N.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from acrid + -ine^4.

acriflavine /ˌakrɪˈfleɪvɪn, ˌakrɪˈfleɪviːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bright orange-red dye derived from acridine, used as an antiseptic.

– origin early 20th cent.: formed irregularly from acridine + Latin flavus ‘yellow’ + -ine^4.

Acrilan /ˈakrɪlan/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a synthetic acrylic textile fibre.

– origin 1950s: from acrylic + Latin lana ‘wool’.

acrimonious /ˌakrɪˈməʊnɪəs/

I. adjective

(typically of speech or discussion) angry and bitter

• an acrimonious dispute about wages.

II. derivatives

acrimoniously /akrɪˈməʊnɪəsli /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘bitter, pungent’): from acrimony + -ous.

acrimony /ˈakrɪməni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. bitterness or ill feeling

• the AGM dissolved into acrimony.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘bitter taste or smell’): from French acrimonie or Latin acrimonia, from acer, acri- ‘pungent, acrid’.

acrobat /ˈakrəbat/

I. noun

an entertainer who performs spectacular gymnastic feats.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French acrobate, from Greek akrobatēs, from akrobatos ‘walking on tiptoe’, from akron ‘tip’ + bainein ‘to walk’.

acrobatic /akrəˈbatɪk/

I. adjective

performing, involving, or adept at spectacular gymnastic feats

• an acrobatic dive.

II. derivatives

acrobatically

adverb

acrobatics /akrəˈbatɪks/

plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. spectacular gymnastic feats.

acrocyanosis /ˌakrə(ʊ)sʌɪəˈnəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition marked by bluish or purple colouring of the hands and feet, caused by slow circulation.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek akron ‘tip’ + cyanosis.

acrolect /ˈakrə(ʊ)lɛkt/

I. noun

[Linguistics] the most prestigious dialect or variety of a particular language.
Contrasted with basilect.

II. derivatives

acrolectal

adjective

– origin 1960s: from Greek akron ‘summit’ + -lect as in dialect.

acromegaly /ˌakrə(ʊ)ˈmɛɡəli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormal growth of the hands, feet, and face, caused by overproduction of growth hormone by the pituitary gland.

II. derivatives

acromegalic /ˌakrə(ʊ)mɪˈɡalɪk /

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in French from Greek akron ‘tip, extremity’ + megas, megal- ‘great’.

acronym /ˈakrənɪm/

I. noun

an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word (e.g. ASCII, NASA).
Compare with initialism.

– origin 1940s: from Greek akron ‘end, tip’ + -onym.

acropetal /əˈkrɒpɪt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [Botany] (of growth or development) upwards from the base or point of attachment.
The opposite of basipetal.

2. [Botany] (of the movement of dissolved substances) outwards towards the shoot and root apices.

II. derivatives

acropetally

adverb

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek akron ‘tip’ + Latin petere ‘seek’ + -al.

acrophobia /ˌakrəˈfəʊbɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme or irrational fear of heights.

II. derivatives

acrophobic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek akron ‘summit’ + -phobia.

acropolis /əˈkrɒpəlɪs/

I. noun

1. a citadel or fortified part of an ancient Greek city, typically one built on a hill.

2. ( the Acropolis) — the ancient citadel at Athens, containing the Parthenon and other notable buildings, mostly dating from the 5th century BC.

– origin Greek, from akron ‘summit’ + polis ‘city’.

across /əˈkrɒs/

I. preposition, adverb

1. from one side to the other of (a place, area, etc.)
[as prep.]

• I ran across the street

• travelling across Europe

• [as adv.] he had swum across.

2. [as adv.] — used with an expression of measurement

• mounds some 30 metres across.

3. expressing position or orientation
[as prep.]

• they lived across the street from one another

• the bridge across the river

• [as adv.] he looked across at me

• halfway across, Jenny jumped.

4. [as adv.] — referring to a crossword answer which reads horizontally

• 19 across.

II. phrases

1. across the board

a. applying to all

• the cutbacks might be across the board.

b. (US) (in horse racing) denoting a bet in which equal amounts are staked on the same horse to win, place, or show in a race.

2. across from

opposite

• she sat across from me.

3. be (or get) across something

fully understand all the details of an issue or situation.

• the legislation is mind-bogglingly complex and you really need to be across it.

– origin Middle English (as an adverb meaning ‘in the form of a cross’): from Old French a croix, en croix ‘in or on a cross’, later regarded as being from a-2 + cross.

acrostic /əˈkrɒstɪk/

I. noun

a poem, word puzzle, or other composition in which certain letters in each line form a word or words.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French acrostiche, from Greek akrostikhis, from akron ‘end’ + stikhos ‘row, line of verse’. The change in the ending was due to association with -ic.

Acrux /ˈeɪkrʌks / ‹Astronomy›

I. the star Alpha Crucis, which is the brightest star in the southern constellation Crux and the twelfth brightest in the sky.

– origin from A for alpha + crux.

acrylamide /əˈkrɪləmʌɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless crystalline solid which readily forms water-soluble polymers.
●The amide of acrylic acid; chem. formula: CH_2CHCONH_2.

– origin late 19th cent.: from acrylic + amide.

acrylate /ˈakrɪleɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of acrylic acid.

acrylic /əˈkrɪlɪk/

I. adjective

1. (of synthetic resins and textile fibres) made from polymers of acrylic acid or acrylates

• a red acrylic jumper.

2. (of paint) based on acrylic resin as a medium

• acrylic colours.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — an acrylic textile fibre

• a sweater in four-ply acrylic.

2. (often acrylics) — an acrylic paint.

• she paints mainly in acrylics.

• [ mass noun] washes of white acrylic.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the liquid aldehyde acrolein (from Latin acer, acri- ‘pungent’ + ol(eum) ‘oil’ + -in^1) + -yl + -ic.

acrylic acid

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a pungent liquid organic acid which can be polymerized to make synthetic resins.
●Alternative name: propenoic acid; chem. formula: CH_2CHCOOH.

acrylonitrile /ˌakrɪlə(ʊ)ˈnʌɪtrʌɪl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a pungent, toxic liquid, used in making artificial fibres and other polymers.
●The nitrile of acrylic acid; chem. formula: CH_2CHCN.

act /akt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. take action; do something

• they urged Washington to act

• [with infinitive] governments must act to reduce pollution.

2. ( act on) — take action according to or in the light of

• I shall certainly act on his suggestion.

3. ( act for) — take action in order to bring about

• one's ability to act for community change.

4. ( act for/on behalf of) — represent (someone) on a contractual, legal, or paid basis

• he chose a solicitor to act for him.

5. ( act from/out of) — be motivated by

• you acted from greed.

6. [with adverbial] — behave in the way specified

• they challenged a man who was seen acting suspiciously

• he acts as if he owned the place

• try to act like civilized adults.

7. ( act as) — fulfil the function or serve the purpose of

• they need volunteers to act as foster-parents

• a day-care centre which will act as a meeting place.

8. take effect; have a particular effect

• bacteria act on proteins and sugar.

9. perform a role in a play, film, or television

• she acted in her first professional role at the age of six

• [with obj.] he acted the role of the king.

10. [with complement] — behave so as to appear to be; pretend to be

• I acted dumb at first.

11. [with obj.] ( act something out) — perform a narrative as if it were a play

• encouraging pupils to act out the stories.

12. [with obj.] ( act something out) — [Psychoanalysis] express repressed emotion or impulses in overt behaviour as a defensive substitute for conscious recall, typical of some behavioural disorders.

II. noun

1. a thing done; a deed

• a criminal act

• the act of writing down one's thoughts

• an act of heroism.

2. ( Acts or Acts of the Apostles) — a New Testament book immediately following the Gospels and relating the history of the early Church.

3. [in sing.] — a pretence

• she was putting on an act and laughing a lot.

4. [with adj. or noun modifier] — a particular type of behaviour or routine

• he did his Sir Galahad act.

5. (usu. Act or Act of Parliament) — a written law passed by Parliament, Congress, etc.

• the 1989 Children Act.

6. a document attesting a legal transaction.

7. ( acts) — ‹dated› the recorded decisions or proceedings of a committee or an academic body.

8. a main division of a play, ballet, or opera

• the first act.

9. a set performance

• her one-woman poetry act.

10. a performing group

• an act called the Apple Blossom Sisters.

III. phrases

1. act of God

an instance of uncontrollable natural forces in operation.

• the flooding was surely an act of God.

2. act of grace

a privilege or concession that cannot be claimed as a right.

• the bonus remains a payment made as an act of grace.

3. catch someone in the act

surprise someone in the process of doing something wrong

• the thieves were caught in the act.

4. get one's act together

‹informal› galvanize oneself into organizing one's affairs effectively.

5. get (or be) in on the act

‹informal› become (or be) involved in a particular activity, in order to gain an advantage.

• many German breeders want to get in on the act.

6. a hard (or tough) act to follow

an achievement or performance which sets a standard regarded as being hard for others to measure up to.

• it was not easy being the second President of the United States; George Washington was a hard act to follow.

7. in the act of

in the process of

• they photographed him in the act of reading other people's mail.

IV. phrasal verbs

act up

a. ‹informal› (of a thing) fail to function properly

• the plane's engine was acting up.

b. behave badly.

• all children talk back and act up from time to time.

c. be promoted to a more senior position on a temporary basis.

V. derivatives

actable

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin actus ‘event, thing done’, act- ‘done’, from the verb agere, reinforced by the French noun acte.

ACT

abbreviation

1. advance corporation tax.

2. Australian Capital Territory.

Actaeon /akˈtiːən, ˈaktɪən / ‹Greek Mythology›

a hunter who, because he accidentally saw Artemis bathing, was changed by her into a stag and killed by his own hounds.

actant /ˈaktənt/

noun

1. [Grammar] a noun or noun phrase involved in the action expressed by a verb.

2. (in literary theory) a person, creature, or object playing any of a set of active roles in a narrative.

ACTH

abbreviation

[Biochemistry] adrenocorticotrophic hormone.

actin /ˈaktɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a protein which forms (together with myosin) the contractile filaments of muscle cells, and is also involved in motion in other types of cell.

– origin 1940: from Greek aktis, aktin- ‘ray’ + -in^1.

acting /ˈaktɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art or occupation of performing fictional roles in plays, films, or television

• she studied acting in New York

• I'd prefer him not to go into acting as it's such an insecure business

• [as modifier] an acting career.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. temporarily doing the duties of another person

• the acting supervisor.

acting pilot officer

noun

a rank in the RAF above warrant officer and below pilot officer.

actinian /akˈtɪnɪən/

I. noun

[Zoology] a sea anemone.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from the modern Latin genus name Actinia (from Greek aktis, aktin- ‘ray’) + -an.

actinic /akˈtɪnɪk/

I. adjective

‹technical› (of light or lighting) able to cause photochemical reactions, as in photography, through having a significant short wavelength or ultraviolet component.

II. derivatives

actinism /ˈaktɪˌnɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek aktis, aktin- ‘ray’ + -ic.

actinide /ˈaktɪnʌɪd/

I. noun

[Chemistry] any of the series of fifteen metallic elements from actinium (atomic number 89) to lawrencium (atomic number 103) in the periodic table. They are all radioactive, the heavier members being extremely unstable and not of natural occurrence.

– origin 1940s: from actinium + -ide, on the pattern of lanthanide.

actinium /akˈtɪnɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Ac) — the chemical element of atomic number 89, a radioactive metallic element of the actinide series. It is rare in nature, occurring as an impurity in uranium ores.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek aktis, aktin- ‘ray’ + -ium.

actinolite /akˈtɪnəlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a green mineral of the amphibole group containing calcium, magnesium, and iron and occurring chiefly in metamorphic rocks and as a form of asbestos.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek aktis, aktin- ‘ray’ + lithos ‘stone’ (because of the ray-like crystals).

actinometer /ˌaktɪˈnɒmɪtə/

I. noun

[Physics] an instrument for measuring the intensity of radiation, especially ultraviolet radiation.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek aktis, aktin- ‘ray’ + -meter.

actinomorphic /ˌaktɪnə(ʊ)ˈmɔːfɪk/

I. adjective

[Biology] characterized by radial symmetry, such as a starfish or the flower of a daisy.
Compare with zygomorphic.

II. derivatives

actinomorphy

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek aktis, aktin- ‘ray’ + morphē ‘form’ + -ic.

actinomycete /ˌaktɪnə(ʊ)ˈmʌɪsiːt/

I. noun

a bacterium of an order of typically non-motile filamentous forms. They include streptomycetes, and were formerly regarded as fungi.
●Order Actinomycetales; Gram-positive.

– origin 1920s (originally only in the plural): modern Latin, from Greek aktis, aktin- ‘ray’ + mukētes, plural of mukēs ‘fungus’.

action /ˈakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim

• ending child labour will require action on many levels.

• strike action was threatened.

2. the way in which something such as a chemical has an effect or influence

• the seeds require the catalytic action of water to release heat.

3. short for industrial action.

• the rank and file want to call the action off.

4. the events represented in a story or play

• the action is set in a country house.

5. ‹informal› exciting or notable activity

• the weekend sporting action begins on Saturday

• people in media want to be where the action is.

6. [as exclamation] — used by a film director as a command to begin

• lights, camera, action.

7. a thing done; an act

• she frequently questioned his actions.

8. a gesture or movement.

• his actions emphasized his words.

9. the way in which something works or moves

• the weapon has a smooth action.

10. the mechanism that makes a machine or instrument work.

• a piano with an escapement action.

11. [ mass noun] — armed conflict

• servicemen listed as missing in action during the war.

12. [ count noun] — a military engagement

• a rearguard action.

13. legal proceedings; a lawsuit

• a civil action for damages.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. take action on; deal with

• your request will be actioned.

III. phrases

1. action at a distance

[Physics] ‹chiefly historical› the exertion of force by one body on another separated from the first by empty space.

2. actions speak louder than words

‹proverb› what someone actually does means more than what they say they will do.

3. go into action

start work or activity.

• skin divers were close at hand, ready to go into action if the stunt went wrong.

4. in action

in operation; working

• watching him in action, normal workers are left in awe.

5. man of action

a man whose life is characterized by physical activity or deeds rather than by words or intellectual matters.

6. out of action

temporarily unable to work or function

• a heart attack put him out of action.

7. put into action

put into effect; carry out

• ideas need to be put into action.

8. take action

do something official or concerted to achieve an aim or deal with a problem

• if there is a breach of regulations, we will take action.

• he vowed to take tougher action against persistent offenders.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin actio(n-), from agere ‘do, act’.

actionable /ˈakʃ(ə)nəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. [Law] giving sufficient reason to take legal action

• an actionable assertion.

2. able to be done or acted on; having practical value

• insightful and actionable information on the effect advertising is having on your brand.

actioner

noun

‹informal› a film predominantly consisting of exciting action and adventure.

• the James Bond actioner ‘Goldeneye’.

action figure

noun

a doll representing a character known for vigorous activity, such as a soldier or superhero.

action group action committee

noun

a body formed to campaign politically on a particular issue.
[as name]

• the Child Poverty Action Group.

action-packed /ˈakʃ(ə)npakt/

adjective

‹informal› full of activity or excitement

• an action-packed programme of events.

action painting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of abstract painting in which paint is randomly splashed, thrown, or poured on to the canvas. It was made famous by Jackson Pollock, and formed part of the more general movement of abstract expressionism.

action point

noun

a specific proposal for action to be taken, typically one arising from a discussion or meeting.

action potential

noun

[Physiology] the change in electrical potential associated with the passage of an impulse along the membrane of a muscle cell or nerve cell.

action replay

noun

1. (Brit.) a playback of part of a television broadcast, typically a slow-motion replay of an incident in a sporting event.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› an exact repetition of an action or event.

• husband Simon promised her an action replay of the wedding if she could lose weight.

action research

noun — [ mass noun]

1. studies carried out in the course of an activity or occupation, typically in the field of education, to improve the methods and approach of those involved.

action stations

plural noun

the positions taken up by military personnel in preparation for action (often as a command or signal to prepare for action).

• Copland ordered action stations at midnight.

Actium, Battle of /ˈaktɪəm/

a naval battle which took place in 31 BC off the promontory of Actium in western Greece, in the course of which Octavian defeated Mark Antony.

activate /ˈaktɪveɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) active or operative

• fumes from cooking are enough to activate the alarm.

2. convert (a substance, molecule, etc.) into a reactive form.

• a DNA-repair enzyme that is activated by visible light.

• (as adj. activated) activated chlorine.

II. derivatives

activator /ˈaktɪveɪtə /

noun

activated carbon activated charcoal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. charcoal that has been heated or otherwise treated to increase its adsorptive power.

activated sludge

noun — [ mass noun]

1. aerated sewage containing aerobic microorganisms which help to break it down.

activation /aktɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of making something active or operative

• phones with voice activation

• the constant activation of the vibrating alert is running the batteries down.

2. [Chemistry] the process of making a substance chemically or catalytically active.

activation analysis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a technique of analysis in which atoms of a particular element in a sample are made radioactive, typically by irradiation with neutrons, and their concentration is then determined radiologically.
[ count noun]

• instrumental neutron activation analyses were performed.

activation energy

noun

[Chemistry] the minimum quantity of energy which the reacting species must possess in order to undergo a specified reaction.

active /ˈaktɪv/

I. adjective

1. engaging or ready to engage in physically energetic pursuits

• although he was seventy he was still robust and active.

2. moving or tending to move about vigorously or frequently

• I couldn't feel the baby moving, and it was normally very active.

3. characterized by busy or lively activity

• they enjoyed an active social life.

4. (of a person's mind or imagination) alert and lively.

• Caroline nodded slowly, her active mind already racing ahead.

5. participating or engaged in a particular sphere or activity

• sexually active teenagers

• she was an active member of the society.

6. [ predic.] — (of a person or animal) pursuing their usual occupation or activity at a particular place or time

• tigers are active mainly at night.

7. in operation; working

• the old watermill was active until 1960.

8. (of an electric circuit) capable of modifying its state or characteristics automatically in response to input or feedback.

• the receiver is continuously active whenever the vehicle ignition is switched on.

9. (of a volcano) that is erupting or has erupted in historical times.

• the volcano became active on 28 March last year.

• Etna is Europe's highest and most active volcano.

10. (of a disease) in which the symptoms are manifest; not in remission or latent.

11. having a chemical or biological effect on something

• active ingredients.

12. [Grammar] denoting a voice of verbs in which the subject is typically the person or thing performing the action and which can take a direct object (e.g. she loved him as opposed to the passive form he was loved).

II. noun

[Grammar] an active form of a verb.

III. derivatives

activeness /ˈaktɪvnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘preferring action to contemplation’): from Latin activus, from act- ‘done’, from the verb agere.

active birth

noun — [ mass noun]

1. childbirth during which the mother is encouraged to move around freely and assume any position which feels comfortable.

active carbon active charcoal

noun

another term for activated carbon.

active citizen

I. noun

a person who actively takes responsibility and initiative in areas of public concern such as crime prevention and the local community.

II. derivatives

active citizenship

noun

active duty

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the playing of a direct role in the operational work of the police or armed forces as opposed to doing administrative work.

• the number of policemen on active duty was doubled.

active immunity

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the immunity which results from the production of antibodies by the immune system in response to the presence of an antigen.
Compare with passive immunity.

active layer

noun

[Geography] the seasonally thawed surface layer above permafrost.

active list

noun

a list of the officers in an armed service who are liable to be called on for duty.

actively /ˈaktɪvli/

adverb

1. in a deliberate and positive way

• the company is actively looking for a buyer.

2. in an energetic or vigorous way

• they were actively engaged in supporting the war effort

• actively growing weeds.

active matrix

noun

[Electronics] a display system in which each pixel is individually controlled.

active service

noun — [ mass noun]

1. direct participation in military operations as a member of the armed forces.

• an airman on active service.

• her son saw active service in the Gulf War.

active site

noun

[Biochemistry] a region on an enzyme that binds to a protein or other substance during a reaction.

active transport

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the movement of ions or molecules across a cell membrane into a region of higher concentration, assisted by enzymes and requiring energy.

active voice

noun

[Grammar] a form or set of forms of a verb in which the subject is typically the person or thing performing the action and which can take a direct object (e.g. she loved him as opposed to the passive form he was loved)

• rewrite the sentence in the active voice.

activewear

noun — [ mass noun]

1. casual, comfortable clothing suitable for sport or exercise.

activism /ˈaktɪvɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change.

• growing activism on the abortion issue.

activist /ˈaktɪvɪst/

I. noun

a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change

• police arrested three activists

• a committed animal rights activist.

II. adjective

campaigning to bring about political or social change

• activist groups around the world are organizing solidarity events

• a green-leaning activist magazine.

activity /akˈtɪvɪti/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the condition in which things are happening or being done

• there has been a sustained level of activity in the economy.

2. busy or vigorous action or movement

• the room was a hive of activity.

3. (usu. activities) — a thing that a person or group does or has done

• the firm's marketing activities.

4. a recreational pursuit or pastime

• a range of sporting activities.

5. [Chemistry] a thermodynamic quantity representing the effective concentration of a particular component in a solution or other system, equal to its concentration multiplied by an activity coefficient.

– origin late Middle English: from French activité or late Latin activitas, from Latin act- ‘done’, from the verb agere.

act of contrition

noun

1. (in the Roman Catholic Church) a penitential prayer.

• we said an act of contrition together.

2. something done to make amends for an offence.

act of state

noun

an act passed by the executive power of a state, typically one relating to foreign affairs or foreign citizens.

actomyosin /ˌaktə(ʊ)ˈmʌɪəsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a complex of actin and myosin of which the contractile protein filaments of muscle tissue are composed.

– origin 1940s: from actin + myosin.

actor /ˈaktə/

I. noun

1. a person whose profession is acting on the stage, in films, or on television.

2. a person who behaves in a way that is not genuine

• in war one must be a good actor.

3. a participant in an action or process

• employers are key actors within industrial relations.

II. derivatives

actorish

adjective

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting an agent or administrator): from Latin, ‘doer, actor’, from agere ‘do, act’. / usage: In the time of Shakespeare female roles were played by boys or men, and women did not appear on stage in England until after the Restoration of 1660. Female performers were then called either actors or actresses—it was only later that actor became restricted to men—and it seems that we are returning to the original situation. Although there is still an awards category at the Oscars called Best Actress, some people are again using the gender-neutral term actor for both sexes. See also usage at -ess^1.

actorly

adjective

1. characteristic of an actor or actress

• he seems to lack the actorly range that the role requires.

2. affected or excessively dramatic

• she eschews the actorly flourishes of her co-star.

actor-manager

noun

a person who is both manager and actor in a theatre company.

Actors' Studio

an acting workshop in New York City, founded in 1947 by Elia Kazan and others, and a leading centre of method acting.

actress /ˈaktrəs/

I. noun

a female actor

• she is one of the great actresses of her generation.

usage: See usage at actor.

actressy

adjective

(of a woman) self-consciously theatrical or emotionally volatile

• her actressy manner.

ACTU

abbreviation

short for Australian Council of Trade Unions:

• ACTU says hundreds of thousands of workers are expected to take part in the week of protest.

actual /ˈaktʃʊəl, ˈaktjʊəl/

I. adjective

1. existing in fact; real

• the estimate was much less than the actual cost.

2. used to emphasize the important aspect of something

• the book could be condensed into half the space, but what of the actual content?

3. existing now; current

• using actual income to measure expected income.

II. phrases

1. in actual fact

used to emphasize a comment that modifies or contradicts a previous statement

• people talk as if he was a monster—in actual fact he was a very kind guy.

2. your actual ——

‹informal› the real, genuine, or important thing specified

• is this a drop of your actual feminine intuition?

– origin Middle English: from Old French actuel ‘active, practical’, from late Latin actualis, from actus (see act).

actual bodily harm ABH

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] minor injury, such as bruising, inflicted on a person by the deliberate action of another, considered less serious than grievous bodily harm.

actuality /aktʃʊˈalɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of existing in reality

• the building looked as impressive in actuality as it did in magazines.

2. ( actualities) — existing conditions or facts

• the grim actualities of prison life.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘activity’): from Old French actualite or medieval Latin actualitas, from actualis ‘active, practical’, from actus (see act).

actualize /ˈaktʃʊəlʌɪz / actualise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make a reality of

• he had actualized his dream and achieved the world record.

II. derivatives

actualization /aktʃ(ʊ)əlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

actually /ˈaktʃʊəli/

adverb

1. as the truth or facts of a situation

• we must pay attention to what young people are actually doing.

2. [ sentence adverb] — used to emphasize that something someone has said or done is surprising

• he actually expected me to be pleased about it!

3. used when expressing a contradictory or unexpected opinion or correcting someone

• ‘Tom's happy anyway.’ ‘He isn't, actually, not any more.’.

4. used to introduce a new topic or to add information to a previous statement

• he had a thick Cockney accent—he sounded like my grandad actually.

actuarial /aktʃʊˈɛːrɪəl/

I. adjective

relating to actuaries or their work of compiling and analysing statistics to calculate insurance risks and premiums

• an actuarial consulting firm

• faulty actuarial assumptions.

II. derivatives

actuarially /aktʃʊˈɛːrɪəli /

adverb

actuary /ˈaktʃʊ(ə)ri/

I. noun

a person who compiles and analyses statistics and uses them to calculate insurance risks and premiums.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally denoting a clerk or registrar of a court): from Latin actuarius ‘bookkeeper’, from actus (see act). The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

actuate /ˈaktʃʊeɪt/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — make (a machine or device) operate

• the pendulum actuates an electrical switch.

2. make (someone) act in a particular way; motivate

• the defendants were actuated by malice.

II. derivatives

1. actuation /aktʃʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. actuator

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin actuat- ‘carried out, caused to operate’, from the verb actuare, from Latin actus (see act). The original sense was ‘carry out in practice’, later ‘stir into activity, enliven’; sense 1 dates from the mid 17th cent.

actus reus /ˌaktəs ˈreɪəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] action or conduct which is a constituent element of a crime, as opposed to the mental state of the accused.

• failure to prevent death may be the actus reus of manslaughter.

Compare with mens rea.

– origin Latin, literally ‘guilty act’.

acuity /əˈkjuːɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing

• intellectual acuity

• visual acuity.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French acuite or medieval Latin acuitas, from Latin acuere ‘sharpen’ (see acute).

aculeate /əˈkjuːlɪət/

I. adjective

1. [Entomology] (of an insect) having a sting.

2. [Entomology] sharply pointed; prickly.

II. noun

[Entomology] a stinging insect of a group that includes the bees, wasps, and ants.
●Section Aculeata, suborder Apocrita, order Hymenoptera.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin aculeatus, from aculeus ‘a sting’, diminutive of acus ‘needle’.

acumen /ˈakjʊmən, əˈkjuːmən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability to make good judgements and take quick decisions

• she hides a shrewd business acumen.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘sharpness, point’, from acuere ‘sharpen’ (see acute).

acuminate /əˈkjuːmɪnət/

I. adjective

[Biology] (of a plant or animal structure, e.g. a leaf) tapering to a point.

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin acuminatus ‘pointed’, from acuminare ‘sharpen to a point’, from acuere ‘sharpen’ (see acute).

acupoint /ˈakjʊpɔɪnt/

noun

any of the supposed energy points on the body where acupuncture needles are inserted or manual pressure is applied during acupressure.

acupressure /ˈakjʊˌprɛʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of alternative therapy in which manual pressure is used to stimulate specific points on the body along what are considered to be lines of energy.

– origin 1950s: blend of acupuncture and pressure.

acupuncture /ˈakjʊˌpʌŋ(k)tʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of complementary medicine in which fine needles are inserted in the skin at specific points along what are considered to be lines of energy (meridians), used in the treatment of various physical and mental conditions.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin acu ‘with a needle’ + puncture.

acupuncturist /ˈakjʊpʌŋkʃərɪst/

noun

a person who practises acupuncture

• find an acupuncturist in your area who works with addictions.

acushla /əˈkʊʃlə/

I. noun

(Irish) ‹dated› an affectionate form of address.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Irish a chuisle (moi chroi) ‘O pulse (of my heart)!’.

acutance /əˈkjuːt(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sharpness of a photographic or printed image.

acute /əˈkjuːt/

I. adjective

1. (of an unpleasant or unwelcome situation or phenomenon) present or experienced to a severe or intense degree

• an acute housing shortage

• the problem is acute and getting worse.

2. (of a disease or its symptoms) severe but of short duration

• acute appendicitis.

Often contrasted with chronic.

3. denoting or designed for patients with an acute form of a disease

• an acute ward

• acute patients.

4. having or showing a perceptive understanding or insight; shrewd

• an acute awareness of changing fashions.

5. (of a physical sense or faculty) highly developed; keen

• an acute sense of smell.

6. (of an angle) less than 90°.

7. having a sharp end; pointed.

8. (of a sound) high; shrill.

II. noun

short for acute accent.

III. derivatives

acuteness /əˈkjuːtnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (describing a disease or its symptoms): from Latin acutus, past participle of acuere ‘sharpen’, from acus ‘needle’.

acute abdomen

noun

[Medicine] a condition of severe abdominal pain, usually requiring emergency surgery, caused by acute disease of or injury to the internal organs.
[ count noun]

• acute appendicitis is the most common cause of an acute abdomen requiring surgery.

acute accent

noun

a mark (´) placed over certain letters in some languages to indicate a feature such as altered sound quality (e.g. in fiancée).

acutely /əˈkjuːtli/

adverb — [usu. as submodifier]

1. (with reference to something unpleasant or unwelcome) intensely

• the whole situation was acutely embarrassing

• Elizabeth felt Jane's distress acutely.

2. (in relation to illness) in a way that progresses rapidly but lasts for a short period

• an acutely inflamed gall bladder.

3. in a way that shows a perceptive understanding or insight

• we are all acutely aware of the fragility of our world.

acute rheumatism

noun

another term for rheumatic fever.

ACW

abbreviation

aircraftwoman.

-acy

I. suffix

forming nouns of state or quality

• celibacy

• lunacy.

– origin variant of -cy, from Latin -atia (medieval Latin -acia), or from Greek -ateia.

acyclic /eɪˈsʌɪklɪk, eɪˈsɪklɪk/

adjective

1. not displaying or forming part of a cycle.

2. (of a woman) not having a menstrual cycle.

• donor age showed no influence on chance of pregnancy in acyclic patients.

3. [Chemistry] (of a compound or molecule) containing no rings of atoms.

• simple acyclic alkenes.

acyclovir /eɪˈsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˌvɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an antiviral drug used chiefly in the treatment of herpes and AIDS.
Also called Zovirax .

– origin 1970s: from acycl(ic) + vir(al DNA).

acyl /ˈeɪsʌɪl, ˈasɪl/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] denoting a radical of general formula —C(O)R, where R is an alkyl group, derived from a carboxylic acid.

• acyl groups.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German, from Latin acidus (see acid) + -yl.

acylate /ˈeɪsʌɪleɪt, ˈasɪleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] introduce an acyl group into (a molecule or compound).
(as adj. acylated)

• an acylated glycine derivative.

II. derivatives

acylation

noun

ad /ad/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› an advertisement.

• the latest television lager ad.

2. ‹informal› [Tennis] advantage.

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation.

AD /eɪˈdiː/

I. abbreviation

Anno Domini (used to indicate that a date comes the specified number of years after the traditional date of Christ's birth).

usage: AD is normally written in small capitals and is traditionally placed before the numerals, as in AD 375 (not 375 AD). The reason for this is that AD is an abbreviation of anno domini, which means ‘in the year of our Lord’. However, when the date is spelled out, it is normal to write the third century AD ( not AD the third century). Compare with BC.

ad-

I. prefix

1. denoting motion or direction to

• advance

• adduce.

2. denoting reduction or change into

• adapt

• adulterate.

3. denoting addition, increase, or intensification

• adjunct.

– origin from Latin ad ‘to’; in the 16th cent. the use of ad- and its variants was extended to replace a- from a different origin such as Latin ab- (e.g. advance, from French avancer based on late Latin abante ‘in front’). / usage: Ad- is also found assimilated in the following forms: a- before sc, sp, st; ac- before c, k, q; af- before f; ag- before g; al- before l; an- before n; ap- before p; ar- before r; as- before s; at- before t.

A/D /ˌeitəˈdiː/

abbreviation

[Electronics] analogue to digital.

• an A/D converter.

-ad^1 /ad, əd/

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. in collective numerals

• myriad

• triad.

3. in names of females in classical mythology

• dryad

• naiad.

4. in names of poems and similar compositions

• Iliad

• jeremiad.

5. in names of members of some taxonomic groupings

• bromeliad.

– origin from the Greek ending -as, -ad-.

-ad^2 /əd/

I. suffix

forming nouns such as ballad, salad.
Compare with -ade^1.

– origin from French -ade.

Ada /ˈeɪdə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a high-level computer programming language used chiefly in real-time computerized control systems, e.g. for aircraft navigation.

– origin 1980s: named after Ada Lovelace (see Lovelace, Ada).

adage /ˈadɪdʒ/

I. noun

a proverb or short statement expressing a general truth.

• the old adage ‘out of sight out of mind’.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Latin adagium ‘saying’, based on an early form of aio ‘I say’.

adagio /əˈdɑː(d)ʒɪəʊ / ‹Music›

I. adverb, adjective

(especially as a direction) in slow time.

II. noun

a movement, passage, or composition marked to be performed adagio.

– origin Italian, from ad agio ‘at ease’.

Adam /ˈadəm/

I. (in the biblical and Koranic traditions) the name of the first man. According to the Book of Genesis, Adam was created by God as the progenitor of the human race and lived with Eve in the Garden of Eden.

II. phrases

not know someone from Adam

not know or be completely unable to recognize the person in question.

• I wouldn't know my stepbrother from Adam.

– origin from Hebrew 'āḏām ‘man’, later taken to be a name.

Adam, Robert

(1728–92), Scottish architect. He was influenced by neoclassical theory and, assisted by his brother James (1730–94), he initiated a lighter, more decorative style than the Palladianism favoured by the British architecture of the previous half-century.

adamant /ˈadəm(ə)nt/

I. adjective

refusing to be persuaded or to change one's mind

• he is adamant that he is not going to resign.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› a legendary rock or mineral to which many properties were attributed, formerly associated with diamond or lodestone.

III. derivatives

1. adamance

noun

2. adamancy

noun

– origin Old English (as a noun), from Old French adamaunt-, via Latin from Greek adamas, adamant-, ‘untameable, invincible’ (later used to denote the hardest metal or stone, hence diamond), from a- ‘not’ + daman ‘to tame’. The phrase to be adamant dates from the 1930s, although adjectival use had been implied in such collocations as ‘an adamant heart’ since the 16th cent.

adamantine /ˌadəˈmantʌɪn/

adjective

‹literary› unable to be broken

• adamantine chains

• ‹figurative› her adamantine will.

adamantly /ˈadəməntli/

adverb

in a way that suggests one will not be persuaded to change one's mind; firmly and resolutely

• the White House adamantly denied any involvement

• she shook her head adamantly.

Adams, Ansel

(1902–84), American photographer, noted for his black-and-white photographs of American landscapes; full name Ansel Easton Adams.

Adams, John

(1735–1826), American Federalist statesman, 2nd President of the US 1797–1801; father of John Quincy Adams. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence (1776).

Adams, John Couch

(1819–92), English astronomer. In 1843 he calculated the position of a supposed planet beyond Uranus; similar calculations performed by Le Verrier resulted in the discovery of Neptune three years later.

Adams, John Quincy

(1767–1848), American statesman, 6th President of the US 1825–9; eldest son of John Adams.

Adam's ale

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› ‹humorous› water.

Adam's apple

I. noun

a projection at the front of the neck formed by the thyroid cartilage of the larynx, often prominent in men.

– origin mid 18th cent.: so named from the notion that a piece of the forbidden fruit became lodged in Adam's throat.

Adam's Bridge

a line of shoals lying between NW Sri Lanka and the SE coast of Tamil Nadu in India, separating the Palk Strait from the Gulf of Mannar.

Adam's needle

noun

another term for yucca.

Adam's Peak

a mountain in south central Sri Lanka, rising to 2,243 m (7,360 ft). A rock near the top bears a depression resembling a footprint, which is the focus of religious pilgrimages.

Adana /ˈadənə/

a town in southern Turkey, capital of a province of the same name; pop. 1,366,000 (est. 2007).

adapt /əˈdapt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) suitable for a new use or purpose; modify

• hospitals have had to be adapted for modern medical practice

• [with obj. and infinitive] the policies can be adapted to suit individual needs.

2. [no obj.] — become adjusted to new conditions

• a large organization can be slow to adapt to change.

3. alter (a text) to make it suitable for filming, broadcasting, or the stage

• the film was adapted from a Turgenev short story.

– origin late Middle English: from French adapter, from Latin adaptare, from ad- ‘to’ + aptare (from aptus ‘fit’).

adaptability /ədaptəˈbɪləti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions

• adaptability is an advantage in the harshly competitive global economy

• the adaptability of cod to climate change.

2. the capacity to be modified for a new use or purpose

• this is a good example of the adaptability of listed buildings.

adaptable /əˈdaptəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able to adjust to new conditions

• rats are highly adaptable to change.

2. able to be modified for a new use or purpose

• telephone links that are adaptable for modems.

II. derivatives

adaptably

adverb

adaptation /adəpˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of adapting or being adapted

• the adaptation of teaching strategy to meet students' needs

• [ count noun] adaptations to the school curriculum.

2. [ count noun] — a film, television drama, or stage play that has been adapted from a written work

• a three-part adaptation of Hard Times.

3. [Biology] the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment.

• living in groups is an adaptation to increase the efficiency of hunting.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, from late Latin adaptatio(n-), from Latin adaptare (see adapt).

adaptationism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the axiom or assumption that each feature of an organism is the result of evolutionary adaptation for a particular function.

II. derivatives

adaptationist

noun, adjective

adapter /əˈdaptə / adaptor

noun

1. a device for connecting pieces of equipment that cannot be connected directly.

• the adapter converts the lens focal length to 5.5 mm.

• a tube fixed to the cleaner by means of an adapter.

2. a device for connecting several electric plugs to one socket.

3. a person who adapts a text to make it suitable for filming, broadcasting, or the stage.

adaption

noun

another term for adaptation.

adaptive /əˈdaptɪv/

I. adjective

‹chiefly technical› characterized by or given to adaptation

• mutation is ultimately essential for adaptive evolution in all populations.

II. derivatives

1. adaptively

adverb

2. adaptivity /adapˈtɪvɪti /

noun

adaptive expectations hypothesis

noun

[Economics] the hypothesis that expectations of future values of a variable can be based primarily on its values in the recent past.
Compare with rational expectations hypothesis.

adaptive radiation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the diversification of a group of organisms into forms filling different ecological niches.

adaptogen /aˈdaptədʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

(in herbal medicine) a natural substance considered to help the body adapt to stress.

II. derivatives

adaptogenic

adjective

– origin 1960s: from Russian (see adapt, -gen).

Adar /aˈdɑː/

I. noun

1. (in the Jewish calendar) the sixth month of the civil and twelfth of the religious year, usually coinciding with parts of February and March. It is known in leap years as Second Adar.

2. an intercalary month preceding Adar in leap years, also called First Adar.

– origin from Hebrew ’ăḏār.

ADAS /ˈeɪdas/

abbreviation

Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, set up in Britain in 1971.

adaxial /adˈaksɪəl/

adjective

[Botany] facing towards the stem of a plant (in particular denoting the upper surface of a leaf).
The opposite of abaxial.

ADC

abbreviation

1. aide-de-camp.

2. analogue to digital converter.

add /ad/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. join (something) to something else so as to increase the size, number, or amount

• a new wing was added to the building

• some box offices now add on a convenience charge

• (as adj. added) one vitamin tablet daily will give added protection.

2. [no obj.] ( add up) — increase in amount, number, or degree

• watch those air miles add up!

3. put in (an additional element, ingredient, etc.)

• chlorine is added to the water to kill bacteria

• (as adj. added) the fruit juice contains no added sugar.

4. contribute (an enhancing quality) to something

• the suite will add a touch of class to your bedroom.

5. put together (two or more numbers or amounts) to calculate their total value

• they added all the figures up

• add the two numbers together.

6. [no obj.] ( add up to) — amount to

• this adds up to a total of 400 calories

• ‹figurative› these isolated incidents don't add up to a true picture of the situation.

7. [no obj.] [usu. with negative] ( add up) — ‹informal› seem reasonable or consistent; make sense

• many things in her story didn't add up.

8. [ reporting verb] — say as a further remark
[with direct speech]

• ‘I hope we haven't been too much trouble,’ she added politely

• [with obj.] we would like to add our congratulations.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin addere, from ad- ‘to’ + the base of dare ‘put’.

ADD

abbreviation

1. analogue digital digital, indicating that a music recording was made in analogue format before being mastered and stored digitally.

2. attention deficit disorder.

adda /ˈadˌdɑː/

I. noun

1. (Indian) a place where people gather for conversation.

2. (Indian) an illicit drinking place.

• the young men spent their time at the street-corner addas and tea stalls.

3. [ mass noun] — (Indian) informal conversation among a group of people.

• ‘Go upstairs and enjoy a little adda with our neighbours.’.

4. (Indian) a junction point for public transport.

– origin from Hindi aḍḍā, originally in the sense ‘perch for tame birds’.

Addams, Jane

(1860–1935), American social reformer, feminist, and pacifist. In 1889 she founded Hull House, a centre for the care and education of the poor of Chicago. Nobel Peace Prize (1931).

addax /ˈadaks/

I. noun

a large antelope with a mainly greyish and white coat, native to the deserts of North Africa.
● Addax nasomaculatus, family Bovidae.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin, from an African word recorded by Pliny.

added value

noun, adjective

another term for value added.

addend /ˈadɛnd/

I. noun

[Mathematics] [Computing] a number which is added to another.

• as its name suggests the Accumulator ‘accumulates’ by keeping its addend in memory and incrementing by the addend it receives from another transmitting unit.

Compare with augend.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin addendus ‘to be added’, gerundive of addere (see add).

addendum /əˈdɛndəm/

I. noun

1. an item of additional material added at the end of a book or other publication.

2. [Engineering] the radial distance from the pitch circle of a cogwheel or wormwheel to the crests of the teeth or ridges.
Compare with dedendum.

– origin late 17th cent.: Latin, ‘that which is to be added’, gerundive of addere (see add).

adder^1 /ˈadə/

I. noun

1. a small venomous Eurasian snake which has a dark zigzag pattern on its back and bears live young. It is the only poisonous snake in Britain. Also called viper.
● Vipera berus, family Viperidae.

2. used in names of snakes that are similar or related to the adder, e.g. death adder, puff adder.

– origin Old English nædre ‘serpent, adder’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch adder and German Natter. The initial n was lost in Middle English by wrong division of a naddre; compare with apron, auger, and umpire.

adder^2 /ˈadə/

noun

[Electronics] a unit which adds together two input variables. A full adder can add a bit carried from another addition as well as the two inputs, whereas a half adder can only add the inputs together.

adder's tongue ‹US› adder-tongue

noun

1. a fern having a single pointed oval frond and a straight spore-bearing stem.
●Genus Ophioglossum, family Ophioglossaceae, in particular O. vulgatum.

2. North American term for dog's-tooth violet.

addict /ˈadɪkt/

I. noun

1. a person who is addicted to a particular substance, typically an illegal drug.

• a former heroin addict.

2. [with modifier] — ‹informal› an enthusiastic devotee of a specified thing or activity

• a self-confessed chocolate addict.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the obsolete verb addict, which was a back-formation from addicted.

addicted /əˈdɪktɪd/

I. adjective — (usu. addicted to)

1. physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance

• she became addicted to alcohol and diet pills.

2. ‹informal› enthusiastically devoted to a particular thing or activity

• he's addicted to computers.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from the obsolete adjective addict ‘bound or devoted (to someone’), from Latin addict- ‘assigned’, from the verb addicere, from ad- ‘to’ + dicere ‘say’.

addiction /əˈdɪkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance or activity

• he committed the offence to finance his drug addiction.

• addiction to crack cocaine is spreading.

• [ count noun] an addiction to gambling.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a person's inclination or proclivity): from Latin addictio(n-), from addicere ‘assign’ (see addicted).

addictive /əˈdɪktɪv / ‹informal› addicting

I. adjective

1. (of a substance or activity) causing or likely to cause someone to become addicted to it

• a highly addictive drug.

2. relating or susceptible to addiction

• he has an addictive personality.

II. derivatives

1. addictively

adverb

2. addictiveness

noun

add-in

noun

a device or piece of software that can be added to a computer to give extra features or functions.

• add-in boards.

• the latest add-ins.

Addington, Henry

1st Viscount Sidmouth (1757–1844), British Tory statesman, Prime Minister 1801–4 and Home Secretary (1812–22).

Addis Ababa /ˌadɪs ˈabəbə / Adis Abeba

the capital of Ethiopia, situated at an altitude of about 2,440 m (8,000 ft); pop. 3,101,000 (est. 2007).

Addison, Joseph

(1672–1719), English essayist, poet, dramatist, and Whig politician, noted for his simple, unornamented prose style. In 1711 he founded the Spectator with Sir Richard Steele.

Addisonian /ˌadɪˈsəʊnɪən/

adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of the writing of Joseph Addison.

2. [Medicine] relating to or characterized by Addison's disease.

Addisonian anaemia

noun

another term for pernicious anaemia.

Addison's disease

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease characterized by progressive anaemia, low blood pressure, great weakness, and bronze discoloration of the skin. It is caused by inadequate secretion of hormones by the adrenal cortex.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Thomas Addison (1793–1860), the English physician who described the disease.

addition /əˈdɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of adding something to something else

• the hotel has been extended with the addition of more rooms.

2. [ count noun] — a person or thing added or joined

• you will find the coat a useful addition to your wardrobe.

3. the process of calculating the total of two or more numbers or amounts.

• she began with simple arithmetic, addition and then subtraction.

4. [Mathematics] the process of combining matrices, vectors, or other quantities under specific rules to obtain their sum or resultant.
[with modifier]

• the concepts of vectors and vector addition.

II. phrases

in addition

as an extra person or thing

• members of the board were paid a small allowance in addition to their normal salary.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin additio(n-), from the verb addere (see add).

additional /əˈdɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

adjective

added, extra, or supplementary to what is already present or available

• we require additional information.

additionally /əˈdɪʃənəli/

adverb

1. as an extra factor or circumstance

• brokers finance themselves additionally by short-term borrowing.

2. [ sentence adverb] — used to introduce a new fact or argument

• additionally, 50 hours of practical experience will be necessary.

additional member system

noun

a type of proportional representation in which each elector votes separately for a party and for a representative.

addition reaction

noun

[Chemistry] a reaction in which one molecule combines with another to form a larger molecule with no other products.

• we would expect the CO linkage to undergo addition reactions.

additive /ˈadɪtɪv/

I. noun

a substance added to something in small quantities to improve or preserve it

• many foods contain chemical additives.

II. adjective

1. characterized by, relating to, or produced by addition

• the combination of these factors has an additive effect.

2. ‹technical› relating to the reproduction of colours by the superimposition of primary colours.

• the video monitor uses the additive colours red, green, and blue.

– origin late 17th cent. (as an adjective): from late Latin additivus, from Latin addit- ‘added’, from the verb addere (see add). The noun dates from the 1940s.

additive-free

adjective

(especially of food) containing no additives

• eggs are good for us, being natural, wholesome, and additive-free

• the importance of additive-free nutrition

• additive-free body care products.

addle /ˈad(ə)l/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — ‹chiefly humorous› make (someone) unable to think clearly; confuse

• being in love must have addled your brain.

2. [no obj.] — (of an egg) become rotten, producing no chick

• the extremely hot and dry weather had caused the eggs to addle.

II. adjective

1. [in combination] — not clear or cogent; muddled

• the film is addle-brained.

2. ‹archaic› (of an egg) rotten.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2 of the adjective): from Old English adela ‘liquid filth’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch aal and German Adel ‘mire, puddle’.

addled /ˈadld/

adjective

1. unable to think clearly; confused

• this might just be my addled brain playing tricks

• [in combination] a drug-addled frat boy.

2. (of an egg) rotten.

Addled Parliament

the Parliament of James I of England (James VI of Scotland), so known because it refused to accede to the king's requests and was dissolved without having passed any legislation.

add-on /ˈadɒn/

noun

1. something that has been or can be added to an existing object or arrangement
[as modifier]

• cars with add-on extras.

2. an accessory device designed to increase the capability of a computer or hi-fi system.
[as modifier]

• now you can get the incredible sound of compact disc without getting an add-on amplifier.

addorsed /əˈdɔːst/

I. adjective

[Heraldry] placed back to back.

• the family stamp of two addorsed salmon.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin ad ‘to’ + dorsum ‘back’ + -ed^2.

addra gazelle /ˈadrə/

I. noun

another term for dama gazelle.

– origin addra probably a local African word.

address /əˈdrɛs/

I. noun

1. the particulars of the place where someone lives or an organization is situated

• they exchanged addresses and agreed to keep in touch.

2. the place where someone lives or an organization is situated

• our officers called at the address.

3. a string of characters which identifies a destination for email messages or the location of a website.

4. a binary number which identifies a particular location in a data storage system or computer memory.

• a numerical value which acts as a storage address for the data.

5. a formal speech delivered to an audience

• an address to the European Parliament.

6. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› a person's manner of speaking to someone else

• his address was abrupt and unceremonious.

7. ( addresses) — ‹archaic› courteous or amorous approaches to someone

• he persecuted her with his addresses.

8. [ mass noun] — ‹dated› skill, dexterity, or readiness

• he rescued me with the most consummate address.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. write the name and address of the intended recipient on (an envelope, letter, or parcel)

• I addressed my letter to him personally

• (as adj. addressed) please enclose a stamped addressed envelope.

2. speak to (a person or an assembly)

• she addressed the open-air meeting.

3. ( address someone as) — name someone (in the specified way) when talking to them

• she addressed my father as ‘Mr Stevens’.

4. ( address something to) — say or write remarks or a protest to

• address your complaints to the Trading Standards Board.

5. think about and begin to deal with (an issue or problem)

• a fundamental problem has still to be addressed.

6. [Golf] take up one's stance and prepare to hit (the ball).

• ensure that your weight is evenly spread when you address the ball.

III. phrases

form of address

a name or title used in speaking or writing to a person of a specified rank or function.

• ‘Venerable’ was the usual form of address for a priest at that time.

IV. derivatives

addresser /əˈdrɛsə /

noun

– origin Middle English (as a verb in the senses ‘set upright’ and ‘guide, direct’, hence ‘write directions for delivery on’ and ‘direct spoken words to’): from Old French, based on Latin ad- ‘towards’ + directus (see direct). The noun is of mid 16th-cent. origin in the sense ‘act of approaching or speaking to someone’.

addressable

adjective

[Computing] relating to or denoting a memory unit in which all locations can be separately accessed by a particular program.

address bar

noun

[Computing] a text box in a web browser displaying the address of the web page that is currently being viewed.

address book

noun

1. a book for recording the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of friends, acquaintances, etc.

2. a facility on a computer or mobile phone which allows a user to store details of their personal contacts.

addressee /ˌadrɛˈsiː/

noun

the person to whom something is addressed.

• the contents of the letters were calculated to cause distress to the individual addressee.

• the need to state clearly the addressees of reports.

Addressograph /əˈdrɛsəɡrɑːf/

noun — ( in the US)

1. ‹trademark› a machine for printing addresses on envelopes.

adduce /əˈdjuːs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cite as evidence

• a number of factors are adduced to explain the situation.

II. derivatives

adducible /əˈdjuːsəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin adducere, from ad- ‘towards’ + ducere ‘to lead’.

adduct^1 /əˈdʌkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a muscle) move (a limb or other part of the body) towards the midline of the body or towards another part.

• the main function of pectorals is to adduct the arms.

The opposite of abduct.

II. derivatives

adduction /əˈdʌkʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: back-formation from late Middle English adduction, from late Latin adductio(n-) ‘bringing forward’, from the verb adducere ‘bring in’ (see adduce).

adduct^2 /ˈadʌkt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] the product of an addition reaction between two compounds.

• a stable, covalent adduct of enzyme and substrate DNA results.

– origin 1940s: from German Addukt (blend of Addition and Produkt).

adductor /əˈdʌktə / adductor muscle

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] a muscle whose contraction moves a limb or other part of the body towards the midline of the body or towards another part.
Compare with abductor.

2. [Anatomy] any of a number of specific muscles in the hand, foot, or thigh
[followed by Latin genitive]

• adductor hallucis.

– origin early 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Latin adduct- ‘brought in’, from the verb adducere (see adduce).

addy

noun

‹informal› an email address.

-ade^1

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. denoting an action that is completed

• barricade

• blockade.

3. denoting the body concerned in an action or process

• brigade

• cavalcade.

4. denoting the product or result of an action or process

• arcade

• marmalade.

– origin from French, via Portuguese, Provençal, and Spanish -ada or via Italian -ata, from Latin -atus (past participial suffix of verbs ending in -are).

-ade^2

I. suffix

forming nouns such as decade.

– origin variant of -ad^1, from French -ade, from Greek -as, -ad-.

-ade^3

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. equivalent in sense to nouns ending in -ade^1:

• brocade.

3. denoting a person

• renegade.

– origin from Spanish or Portuguese -ado, masculine form of -ada (see -ade^1).

Adelaide /ˈadəleɪd/

a city in Australia, the capital and chief port of the state of South Australia; pop. 1,172,105 (2008).

-adelic

I. suffix

forming adjectives denoting musical genres or styles that incorporate psychedelic music with another element

• sampladelic.

– origin from psychedelic.

Adélie Land /aˈdeɪli / Adélie Coast

I. a section of the Antarctic continent south of the 60th parallel, between Wilkes Land and King George V Land.

– origin named after Adélie, wife of the French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, who discovered the area in 1840.

Aden /ˈeɪd(ə)n/

a port in Yemen at the mouth of the Red Sea; pop. 588,900 (est. 2004). Aden was formerly under British rule, first as part of British India (from 1839), then from 1935 as a Crown Colony. It was capital of the former South Yemen from 1967 until 1990.

Aden, Gulf of

a part of the eastern Arabian Sea lying between the south coast of Yemen and the Horn of Africa.

Adenauer, Konrad /ˈadɪnaʊə, German ˈaːdənaʊɐ/

(1876–1967), German statesman, first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany 1949–63. As Chancellor, he presided over the political and economic transformation of his country.

adenine /ˈadɪniːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound which is one of the four constituent bases of nucleic acids. A purine derivative, it is paired with thymine in double-stranded DNA.
●Alternative name: 6-aminopurine; chem. formula: C_5H_5N_5.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from Greek adēn ‘gland’ + -ine^4.

adeno-

I. combining form

relating to a gland or glands

• adenocarcinoma.

– origin from Greek adēn ‘gland’.

adenocarcinoma /ˌadɪnəʊˌkɑːsɪˈnəʊmə/

noun

[Medicine] a malignant tumour formed from glandular structures in epithelial tissue.

adenoids /ˈadɪnɔɪdz/

I. plural noun

a mass of enlarged lymphatic tissue between the back of the nose and the throat, often hindering speaking and breathing in young children.

II. derivatives

adenoidal /adəˈnɔɪd(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: adenoid from Greek adēn ‘gland’ + -oid.

adenoma /ˌadɪˈnəʊmə/

I. noun

[Medicine] a benign tumour formed from glandular structures in epithelial tissue.

II. derivatives

adenomatous

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek adēn ‘gland’.

adenosine /əˈdɛnə(ʊ)siːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound consisting of adenine combined with ribose, present in all living tissue in combined form as nucleotides.

– origin early 20th cent.: blend of adenine and ribose.

adenosine deaminase /diːˈamɪneɪz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an enzyme which catalyses the deamination of adenosine to inosine.

adenosine monophosphate AMP

noun

another term for adenylic acid.

adenosine triphosphate ATP

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound consisting of an adenosine molecule bonded to three phosphate groups, present in all living tissue. The breakage of one phosphate linkage (to form adenosine diphosphate, ADP) provides energy for physiological processes such as muscular contraction.

adenovirus /ˈadɪnəʊˌvʌɪrəs/

I. noun

[Medicine] any of a group of DNA viruses first discovered in adenoid tissue, most of which cause respiratory diseases.

II. derivatives

adenoviral

adjective

adenylate /əˈdɛnɪleɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of adenylic acid.

adenylate cyclase /əˌdɛnɪleɪt ˈsʌɪkleɪz, ˈsɪk-/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an enzyme that catalyses the formation of cyclic adenylic acid from adenosine triphosphate.

adenylic acid /ˌadɪˈnɪlɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound consisting of an adenosine molecule bonded to one acidic phosphate group, present in most DNA and RNA. It typically exists in a cyclic form with the phosphate bonded to the nucleoside at two points.

– origin late 19th cent.: adenylic from adenine + -yl + -ic.

adept

I. adjective — adept /əˈdɛpt, ˈadɛpt /

1. very skilled or proficient at something

• she is adept at cutting through red tape

• an adept negotiator.

II. noun — adept /ˈadɛpt /

1. a person who is skilled or proficient at something

• he is an adept at imitation.

III. derivatives

1. adeptly /əˈdɛptli /

adverb

2. adeptness /ˈadɛptnəs /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin adeptus ‘achieved’, past participle of adipisci ‘obtain, attain’.

adequacy /ˈadɪkwəsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or quality of being adequate

• the adequacy of testing procedures.

adequate /ˈadɪkwət/

I. adjective

satisfactory or acceptable in quality or quantity

• this office is perfectly adequate for my needs

• adequate resources and funding.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin adaequatus ‘made equal to’, past participle of the verb adaequare, from ad- ‘to’ + aequus ‘equal’.

adequately /ˈadɪkwətli/

adverb

to a satisfactory or acceptable extent

• the resources required to prepare adequately will be extensive

• the job requirements were not adequately explained.

à deux /ɑː ˈdəː, French a dø/

I. adverb

for or involving two people

• dinner à deux.

– origin French.

ADF

abbreviation

automatic direction finder, a device used by pilots to aid navigation.

ad fin. /ad ˈfɪn/

I. adverb

at or near the end of a piece of writing.

– origin from Latin ad finem ‘at the end’.

ADH

abbreviation

[Biochemistry] antidiuretic hormone.

adhan /ədˈhɑːn/

noun

variant spelling of azan.

ADHD /eɪdiːeɪtʃˈdiː/

abbreviation

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

adhere /ədˈhɪə/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( adhere to)

1. stick fast to (a surface or substance)

• paint won't adhere well to a greasy surface.

2. believe in and follow the practices of

• I do not adhere to any organized religion.

3. closely follow, observe, or represent

• the account adhered firmly to fact.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin adhaerere, from ad- ‘to’ + haerere ‘to stick’.

adherence /ədˈhɪərəns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. attachment or commitment to a person, cause, or belief

• a strict adherence to etiquette

• he moved to Avignon and won the adherence of the French king.

2. the quality or process of sticking fast to an object or surface

• observing the adherence of the seeds to clothing prompted the development of Velcro.

adherent /ədˈhɪər(ə)nt/

I. noun

someone who supports a particular party, person, or set of ideas

• he was a strong adherent of monetarism.

II. adjective

sticking fast to an object or surface.

• the eggs have thick sticky shells to which debris is often adherent.

• any adherent sand grains are easily removed.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French adherent, from Latin adhaerent- ‘sticking to’, from the verb adhaerere (see adhere).

adhesion /ədˈhiːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of adhering to a surface or object

• the adhesion of the gum strip to the paper.

2. the frictional grip of wheels, shoes, etc. on a surface

• the sole unit provides good adhesion for walking on all surfaces.

3. [Physics] the sticking together of particles of different substances.

4. allegiance to a particular person, party, or set of ideas

• he was harshly criticized for his adhesion to Say's law.

5. [Medicine] an abnormal adhering of surfaces due to inflammation or injury.
[ count noun]

• endoscopic surgery for pelvic adhesions.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French adhésion, from Latin adhaesio(n-), from the verb adhaerere (see adhere).

adhesive /ədˈhiːsɪv, ədˈhiːzɪv/

I. adjective

able to stick fast to a surface or object; sticky

• an adhesive label.

II. noun

a substance used for sticking objects or materials together; glue.
[ mass noun]

• tile adhesive.

III. derivatives

1. adhesively

adverb

2. adhesiveness /ədˈhiːsɪvnəs, ədˈhiːzɪvnəs /

noun

– origin late 17th cent. (in the sense ‘tending to adhere or cling to’): from French adhésif, -ive, from the verb adhérer, from Latin adhaerere ‘stick to’ (see adhere).

adhibit /ədˈhɪbɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› apply or affix (something) to something else.

• signed by a partner who would either adhibit the firm's signature or his own.

II. derivatives

adhibition

noun

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘take in, include’): from Latin adhibit- ‘brought in’, from the verb adhibere, from ad- ‘to’ + habere ‘hold, have’.

ad hoc /ad ˈhɒk/

I. adjective, adverb

created or done for a particular purpose as necessary
[as adj.]

• the discussions were on an ad hoc basis

• [as adv.] the group was constituted ad hoc.

– origin Latin, literally ‘to this’.

ad hocery /ad ˈhɒk(ə)ri / ad hockery

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the use of improvised measures rather than general long-term strategies

• today's problems are too urgent and complex to rely on ad hocery.

– origin late 19th cent.: from ad hoc + -ery.

adhocracy /adˈhɒkrəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of flexible and informal organization and management in place of rigid bureaucracy.

– origin 1970s: blend of ad hoc and -cracy.

ad hominem /ad ˈhɒmɪnɛm/

I. adverb, adjective

1. (of an argument or reaction) directed against a person rather than the position they are maintaining
[as adj.]

• an ad hominem response.

2. relating to or associated with a particular person
[as adv.]

• the office was created ad hominem for Fenton.

– origin Latin, literally ‘to the person’.

adiabatic /ˌeɪdʌɪəˈbatɪk, ˌadɪəˈbatɪk / ‹Physics›

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting a process or condition in which heat does not enter or leave the system concerned.

• the adiabatic expansion of a perfect gas.

2. impassable to heat.

II. noun

a curve or formula representing adiabatic phenomena.

III. derivatives

adiabatically

adverb

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek adiabatos ‘impassable’, from a- ‘not’ + dia ‘through’ + batos ‘passable’ (from bainein ‘go’), + -ic.

adiabatic lapse rate

noun

[Meteorology] the rate at which atmospheric temperature decreases with increasing altitude in conditions of thermal equilibrium.

adiantum /ˌadɪˈantəm/

noun

technical term for maidenhair fern.

adieu /əˈdjuː / ‹chiefly literary›

I. exclamation

goodbye.

II. noun

a goodbye

• he whispered a fond adieu.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from a ‘to’ + Dieu ‘God’; compare with adios.

Adi Granth /ˌɑːdɪ ˈɡrʌnt/

I. another term for Guru Granth Sahib.

– origin from Sanskrit ādigrantha, literally ‘first book’, based on grantha ‘literary composition’, from granth ‘to tie’.

ad infinitum /ˌad ɪnfɪˈnʌɪtəm/

I. adverb

again and again in the same way; forever

• registration is for seven years and may be renewed ad infinitum.

– origin Latin, literally ‘to infinity’.

ad interim /ad ˈɪntərɪm/

I. adverb

for an intervening or temporary period of time.

II. adjective

temporary.

– origin Latin, from ad ‘to’ and interim ‘meanwhile’, used as a noun.

adios /ˌadɪˈɒs/

I. exclamation, noun

(in Spanish or Spanish-speaking contexts) goodbye.

– origin Spanish adiós, from a ‘to’ + Dios ‘God’; compare with adieu.

adipate /ˈadɪpeɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of adipic acid.

adipic acid /əˈdɪpɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a crystalline fatty acid obtained from natural fats and used especially in the manufacture of nylon.
●Alternative name: hexanedioic acid; chem. formula: HOOC(CH_2)4COOH.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin adeps, adip- ‘fat’ (because the acid was first prepared by oxidizing fats) + -ic.

adipocere /ˌadɪpə(ʊ)ˈsɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a greyish waxy substance formed by the decomposition of soft tissue in dead bodies subjected to moisture.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French adipocire, from Latin adeps, adip- ‘fat’ + French cire ‘wax’ (from Latin cera).

adipocyte /ˈadɪpə(ʊ)sʌɪt/

I. noun

[Biology] a cell specialized for the storage of fat, found in connective tissue.

– origin 1930s: from adipose + -cyte.

adipose /ˈadɪpəʊs, ˈadɪpəʊz/

I. adjective

‹technical› (especially of body tissue) used for the storage of fat.

II. derivatives

adiposity /adɪˈpɒsɪti /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin adiposus, from adeps, adip- ‘fat’.

adipose fin

noun

[Zoology] a small, rayless, fleshy dorsal fin present in certain fishes, notably in the salmon family.

Adirondack chair /ˌadɪˈrɒndak/

noun

(N. Amer.) an armchair constructed from wide wooden slats, for outdoor use.

Adirondack Mountains /ˌadɪˈrɒndak / the Adirondacks

a range of mountains in New York State, source of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers.

adit /ˈadɪt/

I. noun

a horizontal passage leading into a mine for the purposes of access or drainage.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin aditus ‘approach, entrance’, from adit- ‘approached’, from the verb adire, from ad- ‘towards’ + ire ‘go’.

Adivasi /ˌɑːdɪˈvɑːsi/

I. noun

1. a member of any of the aboriginal tribal peoples living in India before the arrival of the Aryans in the second millennium BC.

2. a descendant of any of the Adivasi peoples.

– origin from modern Sanskrit ādivāsī, from Sanskrit ādi ‘earliest’ + vāsi ‘inhabitant’.

Adj.

abbreviation

adjutant.

adjacent /əˈdʒeɪs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. next to or adjoining something else

• adjacent rooms

• the area adjacent to the station.

2. [Geometry] (of a pair of angles) formed on the same side of a straight line when intersected by another line.

II. derivatives

adjacency

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin adjacent- ‘lying near to’, from adjacere, from ad- ‘to’ + jacere ‘lie down’.

adjective /ˈadʒɪktɪv/

I. noun

[Grammar] a word naming an attribute of a noun, such as sweet, red, or technical.

II. derivatives

1. adjectival /adʒɪkˈtʌɪv(ə)l /

adjective

2. adjectivally /adʒɪkˈtʌɪv(ə)li /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French adjectif, -ive, from Latin adject- ‘added’, from the verb adicere, from ad- ‘towards’ + jacere ‘throw’. The term was originally used in the phrase noun adjective, translating Latin nomen adjectivum, a translation of Greek onoma epitheton ‘attributive name’.

adjigo /ˈadʒɪɡəʊ / adjiko /ˈadʒɪkəʊ/

I. noun

a yam with edible tubers, native to parts of SW Australia.
● Dioscorea hastifolia, family Dioscoreaceae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably from Nhanta (an Aboriginal language) ajuga ‘vegetable food’.

adjoin /əˈdʒɔɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. be next to and joined with (a building, room, or piece of land)

• the dining room adjoins a conservatory.

2. ‹archaic› ‹technical› add or join something to.

• to them were adjoined branches of trees.

– origin Middle English: from Old French ajoindre, from Latin adjungere, from ad- ‘to’ + jungere ‘to join’.

adjoining /əˈdʒɔɪnɪŋ/

adjective

(of a building, room, or piece of land) next to or joined with

• I was in an adjoining room and could hear voices

• they ended up buying the adjoining land.

adjoint ‹Mathematics›

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting a function or quantity related to a given function or quantity by a particular process of transposition.

2. denoting a matrix that is the transpose of the complex conjugates or the cofactors of a given square matrix.

II. noun

an adjoint matrix, function, or quantity.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘joined to’, from adjoindre (see adjoin).

adjourn /əˈdʒəːn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. break off (a meeting, legal case, or game) with the intention of resuming it later

• the meeting was adjourned until December 4

• [no obj.] let's adjourn and reconvene at 2 o'clock.

2. [no obj., with adverbial] — (of a group of people) go somewhere for rest or refreshment

• they adjourned to a local pub.

3. put off or postpone (a resolution or sentence)

• sentence was adjourned for a social inquiry report.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘summon someone to appear on a particular day’): from Old French ajorner, from the phrase a jorn (nome) ‘to an (appointed) day’.

adjournment /əˈdʒəːnm(ə)nt/

noun

an act or period of adjourning or being adjourned

• she sought an adjournment of the trial

• I suggest we have a short adjournment.

adjournment debate

noun

(in the UK) a debate in the House of Commons on the motion that the House be adjourned, used as an opportunity for raising various matters.

Adjt

abbreviation

adjutant.

adjudge /əˈdʒʌdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj. and complement]

1. consider or declare to be true or the case

• she was adjudged guilty.

2. ( adjudge something to) — (in legal use) award something judicially to

• the court adjudged legal damages to her.

3. [with obj. and infinitive] — (in legal use) condemn (someone) to pay a penalty

• the defaulter was adjudged to pay the whole amount.

II. derivatives

adjudgement /əˈdʒʌdʒmənt / adjudgment

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ajuger, from Latin adjudicare, from ad- ‘to’ + judicare, from judex, judic- ‘a judge’.

adjudicate /əˈdʒuːdɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a formal judgement on a disputed matter

• the Committee adjudicates on all betting disputes

• [with obj.] the case was adjudicated in the High Court.

2. act as a judge in a competition

• we asked him to adjudicate at the local flower show.

3. [with obj. and complement] — pronounce or declare judicially

• he was adjudicated bankrupt.

II. derivatives

adjudicative /əˈdʒuːdɪkeɪtɪv /

adjective

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘award judicially’): from Latin adjudicat- ‘awarded judicially’, from the verb adjudicare (see adjudge). The noun adjudication (as a Scots legal term) dates from the early 17th cent.

adjudication /əˌdʒuːdɪˈkeɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of adjudicating

• the matter may have to go to court for adjudication.

2. [ count noun] — a formal judgement on a disputed matter

• an adjudication had found a degree of unwarranted infringement of privacy.

adjudicator /əˈdʒuːdɪkeɪtə/

noun

a person who adjudicates

• the proposal to close the school will have to go before an adjudicator.

adjunct /ˈadʒʌŋ(k)t/

I. noun

1. a thing added to something else as a supplementary rather than an essential part

• computer technology is an adjunct to learning.

2. a person who is another's assistant or subordinate.

• a talented adjunct desperately grabbing at officer status.

3. [Grammar] a word or phrase that constitutes an optional element or is considered of secondary importance in a sentence, for example on the table in we left some flowers on the table.

4. (in systemic grammar) an obligatory or optional adverbial functioning as a constituent of clause structure.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. connected or added to something

• other adjunct therapies include immunotherapy.

2. (N. Amer.) (of an academic post) attached to the staff of a university in a temporary or assistant capacity

• an adjunct professor of entomology.

III. derivatives

adjunctive

adjective

– origin early 16th cent. (as an adjective meaning ‘joined on, subordinate’): from Latin adjunctus, past participle of adjungere (see adjoin).

adjunction

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Mathematics] the joining of two sets which without overlapping jointly constitute a larger set, or the relation between two such sets.

2. [Logic] the asserting in a single formula of two previously asserted formulae.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin adjunctio(n)-, from the verb adjungere (see adjoin).

adjure /əˈdʒʊə, əˈdʒɔː/

I. verb — [with obj. and infinitive]

1. ‹formal› urge or request (someone) solemnly or earnestly to do something

• I adjure you to tell me the truth.

II. derivatives

1. adjuration /adʒʊˈreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. adjuratory /adʒʊˈrət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘put a person on oath’): from Latin adjurare, from ad- ‘to’ + jurare ‘swear’ (from jus, jur- ‘oath’).

adjust /əˈdʒʌst/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — alter or move (something) slightly in order to achieve the desired fit, appearance, or result

• he smoothed his hair and adjusted his tie

• a single control adjusts the water flow.

2. [no obj.] — permit small alterations or movements so as to achieve a desired fit, appearance, or result

• a harness that adjusts to the correct fit.

3. [no obj.] — adapt or become used to a new situation

• she must be allowed to grieve and to adjust in her own way

• his eyes had adjusted to semi-darkness.

4. [with obj.] — assess (loss or damages) when settling an insurance claim.

• the insurance agent may have the responsibility of adjusting small losses.

II. phrases

do not adjust your set

used to tell someone that information is true, although it appears strange or incorrect

• yes, the candidate is from Montana. Do not adjust your set.

III. derivatives

adjuster /əˈdʒʌstə /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the senses ‘harmonize discrepancies’ and ‘assess loss or damages’): from obsolete French adjuster, from Old French ajoster ‘to approximate’, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + juxta ‘near’.

adjustable /əˈdʒʌstəbl/

I. adjective

able to be adjusted

• the car has fully adjustable seats and steering wheel.

• an adjustable spanner.

II. derivatives

adjustability /ədʒʌstəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

adjustable-rate

adjective

(US) denoting or relating to a mortgage or other loan with an interest rate that may be changed in response to economic conditions

• more borrowers had been opting for adjustable-rate mortgages.

adjustment /əˈdʒʌs(t)m(ə)nt/

noun

1. a small alteration or movement made to achieve a desired fit, appearance, or result

• I've made a few adjustments to my diet

• only slight adjustments to the boat are necessary.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of adapting or becoming used to a new situation

• for many couples there may need to be a period of adjustment.

adjutant /ˈadʒʊt(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a military officer who acts as an administrative assistant to a senior officer.

• he eventually became adjutant to the commander of the tactical air force.

2. a person's assistant or deputy

• Hoare was his adjutant in all the talks with the government.

3. (also adjutant stork or adjutant bird) — a large black-and-white stork with a massive bill and a bare head and neck, found in India and SE Asia.
●Genus Leptoptilos, family Ciconiidae: two species.

II. derivatives

adjutancy /ˈadʒʊtənsi /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘assistant, helper’): from Latin adjutant- ‘being of service to’, from adjutare, frequentative of adjuvare ‘assist’ (see adjuvant).

adjutant general

noun

1. (in the British army) a high-ranking administrative officer.

2. (in the US army) the chief administrative officer.

adjuvant /ˈadʒʊv(ə)nt / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(of therapy) applied after initial treatment for cancer, especially to suppress secondary tumour formation.

II. noun

a substance which enhances the body's immune response to an antigen.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin adjuvant- ‘helping towards’, from the verb adjuvare, from ad- ‘towards’ + juvare to ‘help’.

adland

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the business world of advertising and advertisers.

• the company lost nearly all the people whose names meant anything in adland.

Adler, Alfred /ˈadlə, German ˈaːdlɐ/

I. (1870–1937), Austrian psychologist and psychiatrist. Adler disagreed with Freud's idea that mental illness was caused by sexual conflicts in infancy, arguing that society and culture were significant factors. He introduced the concept of the inferiority complex.

II. derivatives

Adlerian /adˈlɪərɪən /

adjective, noun

ad-lib /adˈlɪb/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. speak or perform without previously preparing one's words

• Charles had to ad-lib because he'd forgotten his script.

II. adverb, adjective

1. spoken or performed without previous preparation
[as adj.]

• an ad-lib commentary

• [as adv.] I spoke ad lib.

2. [Music] (especially as a direction) with free rhythm and expression.

3. as much and as often as desired
[as adv.]

• the price includes meals and drinks ad lib.

III. noun

an ad-lib remark or speech.

• he came up with an apt ad-lib.

– origin early 19th cent. (as an adverb): abbreviation of ad libitum.

ad libitum /ad ˈlɪbɪtəm/

I. adverb, adjective

more formal term for ad-lib.

– origin Latin, literally ‘according to pleasure’.

ad litem /ad ˈlʌɪtɛm/

I. adjective

[Law] appointed to act in a lawsuit on behalf of a child or other person who is not considered capable of representing themselves.

– origin Latin, literally ‘for the lawsuit’.

Adm.

abbreviation

Admiral.

adman /ˈadman/

noun

‹informal› a person who works in advertising.

admass /ˈadmas/

noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹dated› (chiefly Brit.) the section of the community regarded as readily influenced by advertising and the mass media.

admeasurement /ədˈmɛʒəm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› the action of ascertaining and apportioning just shares in something.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Old French amesurement, from the verb amesurer, from medieval Latin admensurare, based on Latin metiri ‘to measure’.

admin /ˈadmɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) the administration of a business, organization, etc.

• day-to-day admin

• [as modifier] admin staff.

– origin 1940s: abbreviation.

adminicle /ədˈmɪnɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

[Scots Law] a document giving evidence as to the existence or contents of another, missing document.

II. derivatives

adminicular /admɪˈnɪkjʊlə /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin adminiculum ‘prop, support’.

administer /ədˈmɪnɪstə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. manage and be responsible for the running of (a business, organization, etc.)

• each school was administered separately.

2. be responsible for the implementation or use of (law or resources)

• a Health and Safety agency would administer new regulations.

3. dispense or apply (a remedy or drug)

• paramedic crews are capable of administering drugs.

4. deal out or inflict (punishment)

• retribution was administered to those found guilty.

5. (of a priest) perform the rites of (a sacrament).

• he administered the sacraments to the flock.

6. ‹archaic› [Law] direct the taking of (an oath).

• he administered the Oath of Supremacy to Thomas Percy.

II. derivatives

administrable /ədˈmɪnɪstrəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin administrare, from ad- ‘to’ + ministrare (see ministration).

administrate /ədˈmɪnɪstreɪt/

I. verb

less common term for administer (sense 1).

• the person administrating the database system has left the company.

• the cost of administrating VAT.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin administrat- ‘managed’, from the verb administrare (see administer).

administration /ədmɪnɪˈstreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the process or activity of running a business, organization, etc.

• the day-to-day administration of the company

• a career in arts administration.

2. ( the administration) — the people responsible for running a business, organization, etc.

• the university administration took their demands seriously.

3. [Law] the management and disposition of the property of a deceased person, debtor, or insolvent company, by a legally appointed administrator

• the company went into administration.

4. [ mass noun] — the management of public affairs; government

• the inhabitants of the island voted to remain under French administration.

5. [ count noun] — the government in power

• successive Conservative administrations enjoyed a comfortable majority.

6. [ count noun] — (chiefly N. Amer.) the term of office of a political leader or government

• the early years of the Reagan Administration.

7. [ count noun] — (in the US) a department or agency of the government

• the US Food and Drug Administration.

8. [ mass noun] — the action of dispensing, giving, or applying something

• the oral administration of the antibiotic

• the administration of justice.

– origin Middle English: from Latin administratio(n-), from the verb administrare (see administer).

administrative /ədˈmɪnɪstrətɪv/

I. adjective

relating to the running of a business, organization, etc.

• administrative problems

• administrative staff.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin administrativus, from administrat- ‘managed’, from the verb administrare (see administrate).

administratively /ədˈmɪnɪstrətɪvli/

adverb

in a way that relates to the running of a business, organization, etc.

• the country is divided administratively into fourteen zones.

administrator /ədˈmɪnɪstreɪtə/

noun

1. a person responsible for carrying out the administration of a business or organization.

• hospital administrators.

2. [Law] a person legally appointed to manage and dispose of the estate of a deceased person, debtor, or insolvent company.

3. a person who dispenses or administers something

• administrators of justice.

administratrix /ədˌmɪnɪˈstreɪtrɪks/

noun

[Law] a female administrator of an estate.

admirable /ˈadm(ə)rəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

arousing or deserving respect and approval

• he has one admirable quality—he is totally honest.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin admirabilis ‘to be wondered at’, from admirari (see admire).

admirably /ˈadmərəbli/

adverb

in a way that arouses or deserves respect and approval

• he behaved himself admirably

• [as submodifier] an admirably concise and clear summary.

admiral /ˈadm(ə)r(ə)l/

I. noun

1. the most senior commander of a fleet or navy.

2. ( Admiral) — a naval officer of the second most senior rank, above vice admiral and below Admiral of the Fleet or Fleet Admiral.

3. short for vice admiral or rear admiral.

4. [with modifier] — a butterfly which has dark wings with bold red or white markings.
See red admiral, white admiral.

– origin Middle English (denoting an emir or Saracen commander): from Old French amiral, admirail, via medieval Latin from Arabic 'amīr ‘commander’ (from 'amara ‘to command’). The ending -al was from Arabic -al- ‘of the’, used in titles (e.g. 'amīr-al-'umarā ‘ruler of rulers’), later assimilated to the familiar Latinate suffix -al.

Admiral of the Fleet

noun

the highest rank of admiral in the Royal Navy.

Admiral's Cup

a yacht-racing competition held every two years since 1957 between international teams of three yachts.

Admiralty /ˈadm(ə)r(ə)lti/

I. noun

1. (in the UK) the government department that administered the Royal Navy, now incorporated in the Ministry of Defence and current only in titles.

2. ( admiralty) [ mass noun] — [Law] the jurisdiction of courts of law over cases concerning ships or the sea and other navigable waters.

• it is necessary to issue a summons for directions in an admiralty case.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French admiralte, from admirail ‘emir, leader’ (see admiral).

Admiralty Islands

a group of about forty islands in the western Pacific, part of Papua New Guinea.

admiration /adməˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. respect and warm approval

• I have the greatest admiration for all those involved in the project.

2. ( the admiration of) — something regarded as impressive or worthy of respect

• her house was the admiration of everyone.

3. pleasurable contemplation

• they were lost in admiration of the scenery.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘marvelling, wonder’): from Latin admiratio(n-), from the verb admirari (see admire).

admire /ədˈmʌɪə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. regard with respect or warm approval

• I admire your courage

• (as adj. admiring) she couldn't help but notice his admiring glance.

2. look at (something impressive or attractive) with pleasure

• we were just admiring your garden.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin admirari, from ad- ‘at’ + mirari ‘wonder’.

admirer /ədˈmʌɪərə/

noun

1. someone who has a particular regard for someone or something

• he was a great admirer of Henry James.

2. a man who is attracted to a particular woman

• she's got a secret admirer.

admiringly /ədˈmʌɪərɪŋli/

adverb

in a way that shows respect or warm approval

• she referred to Eliot admiringly in many of her writings.

admissible /ədˈmɪsɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. acceptable or valid, especially as evidence in a court of law

• the tape recording was admissible as evidence.

2. having the right to be admitted to a place

• foreigners were admissible only as temporary workers.

II. derivatives

admissibility /ədmɪsəˈbɪləti /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin admissibilis, from Latin admittere (see admit).

admission /ədˈmɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a statement acknowledging the truth of something

• an admission of guilt

• a tacit admission that things had gone wrong.

2. [ mass noun] — the process or fact of entering or being allowed to enter a place or organization

• the evening before her admission to hospital

• the country's admission to the UN.

3. the fee charged for entry to a public place

• admission is £1 for adults and 50p for children.

4. ( admissions) — the number of people entering a place

• cinema admissions have been rising recently.

5. [ count noun] — a person admitted to hospital for treatment

• there was a substantial reduction in hospital admissions.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin admissio(n-), from the verb admittere (see admit).

admit /ədˈmɪt/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — confess to be true or to be the case
[with clause]

• the Home Office finally admitted that several prisoners had been injured

• [with direct speech] ‘I am feeling pretty tired,’ Jane admitted.

2. [with obj.] — confess to (a crime or fault, or one's responsibility for it)

• he was sentenced to prison after admitting 47 charges of burglary

• [no obj.] the paramilitaries admitted to the illegal possession of arms.

3. [with obj.] — acknowledge (a failure or fault)

• after searching for an hour, she finally had to admit defeat.

4. [with obj.] (usu. admit to) — allow (someone) to enter a place

• old-age pensioners are admitted free to the museum.

5. receive (a patient) into a hospital for treatment

• she was admitted to hospital suffering from a chest infection.

6. allow (a person, country, etc.) to join an organization

• Canada was admitted to the League of Nations.

7. allow (someone) to share in a privilege

• he was admitted to the freedom of the city in 1583.

8. [with obj.] — accept as valid

• the courts can refuse to admit police evidence which has been illegally obtained.

9. [no obj.] ( admit of) — allow the possibility of

• the need to inform him was too urgent to admit of further delay.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin admittere, from ad- ‘to’ + mittere ‘send’.

admittance /ədˈmɪt(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process or fact of entering or being allowed to enter a place or institution

• people were unable to gain admittance to the hall.

2. [Physics] a measure of electrical conduction, numerically equal to the reciprocal of the impedance.

admittedly /ədˈmɪtɪdli/

adverb — [ sentence adverb]

1. used to express a concession or recognition that something is the case

• admittedly, the salary was not wonderful.

admix /ˈadmɪks/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹technical› mix (something) with something else.

• digging is an efficient way of admixing organic matter.

– origin late Middle English: back-formation from the obsolete adjective ‘admixt’, from Latin admixtus ‘mixed together’, past participle of admiscere, from ad- ‘to’ + miscere ‘to mix’.

admixture /ədˈmɪkstʃə/

I. noun

1. a mixture.

• he felt that his work was an admixture of aggression and creativity.

2. something mixed with something else

• green with an admixture of black.

3. [ mass noun] — the action of adding an ingredient to something else.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘act of admixing’): from ad- (expressing addition) + mixture.

admonish /ədˈmɒnɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. reprimand firmly

• she admonished me for appearing at breakfast unshaven.

2. [with obj. and infinitive] — advise or urge (someone) earnestly

• she admonished him to drink no more than one glass of wine.

3. ‹archaic› warn (someone) of something to be avoided

• he admonished the people against the evil of such practices.

II. derivatives

admonishment /ədˈmɒnɪʃmənt /

noun

– origin Middle English amonest ‘urge, exhort’, from Old French amonester, based on Latin admonere ‘urge by warning’. Later, the final -t of amonest was taken to indicate the past tense, and the present tense changed on the pattern of verbs such as abolish; the prefix became ad- in the 16th cent. by association with the Latin form.

admonition /ˌadməˈnɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

a firm warning or reprimand

• he received numerous admonitions for his behaviour.

admonitory /ədˈmɒnɪt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

giving or conveying a warning or reprimand

• the sergeant lifted an admonitory finger.

II. derivatives

admonitor

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin admonitorius, from admonit- ‘urged’, from Latin admonere (see admonish).

ADN

I. abbreviation

Yemen (international vehicle registration).

– origin from Aden.

adnate /ˈadneɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] joined by having grown together.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin adnatus, variant of agnatus (see agnate), by association with ad-.

ad nauseam /ad ˈnɔːzɪam/

I. adverb

used to refer to the fact that something has been done or repeated so often that it has become annoying or tiresome

• the phrase he repeated ad nauseam.

– origin Latin, literally ‘to sickness’.

adnexa /adˈnɛksə/

I. plural noun

[Anatomy] the parts adjoining an organ.

II. derivatives

adnexal

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: Latin, neuter plural of adnexus ‘joined’, from adnectere ‘fasten to’.

adnominal /ədˈnɒmɪn(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Grammar] attached to or modifying a noun.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin adnomen ‘added name’ + -al.

Adnyamathanha /ˈadnjəˌmʌdənə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Aboriginal language of South Australia.

ado /əˈduː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of agitation or fuss

• this is much ado about almost nothing.

2. ‹dated› trouble or difficulty

• I hastened there without delay or ado.

II. phrases

1. what's ado

‹archaic› what's the matter?

2. without further (or more) ado

without any fuss or delay; immediately.

• without further ado he hurried down the steps.

– origin late Middle English (originally in the sense ‘action, business’): from northern Middle English at do ‘to do’, from Old Norse at (used to mark an infinitive) and do^1.

-ado /ˈɑːdəʊ, ˈeɪdəʊ/

I. suffix

forming nouns such as bravado, desperado.
Compare with -ade^3.

– origin from Spanish and Portuguese -ado, or refashioning of Italian -ata, Spanish -ada, based on Latin -atus (past participial suffix of verbs ending in -are).

adobe /əˈdəʊbi, əˈdəʊb/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of clay used as a building material.
[as modifier]

• adobe houses.

2. [ count noun] — a brick formed from adobe.

3. [ count noun] — (US) a building constructed from adobe clay or bricks.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Spanish, from adobar ‘to plaster’, from Arabic aṭ-ṭūb, from al ‘the’ + ṭūb ‘bricks’.

adobo /əˈdəʊbəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Filipino dish of chicken or pork stewed in vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, bay leaves, and peppercorns.

2. the marinade in which adobo is cooked.

3. (also adobo sauce) — a paste or marinade made from chillies, vinegar, herbs, and spices, used in Mexican cookery to flavour meat or fish.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘marinade’.

adolescence /adəˈlɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the period following the onset of puberty during which a young person develops from a child into an adult.

• Mary spent her childhood and adolescence in Europe.

• during adolescence teenagers often experience violent mood swings.

– origin late Middle English: from French, from Latin adolescentia, from adolescere ‘grow to maturity’ (see adolescent).

adolescent /adəˈlɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. (of a young person) in the process of developing from a child into an adult.

• many parents find it hard to understand their adolescent children.

2. relating to or characteristic of adolescence

• his adolescent years

• adolescent problems.

II. noun

an adolescent boy or girl.

• the books are aimed at children and adolescents.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun): via French from Latin adolescent- ‘coming to maturity’, from adolescere, from ad- ‘to’ + alescere ‘grow, grow up’, from alere ‘nourish’. The adjective dates from the late 18th cent.

Adonai /ˌadɒˈnʌɪ, ˌadɒˈneɪʌɪ/

I. noun

a Hebrew name for God.

– origin from Hebrew 'ăḏōnāy; see also Jehovah.

Adonis /əˈdəʊnɪs / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. a beautiful youth loved by both Aphrodite and Persephone. He was killed by a boar, but Zeus decreed that he should spend the winter of each year in the underworld with Persephone and the summer months with Aphrodite.

II. (as noun an Adonis) — an extremely handsome young man.

• not all of us have the body of an Adonis.

Adonis blue

noun

a small Eurasian butterfly, the male of which has vivid sky-blue wings.
● Lysandra bellargus, family Lycaenidae.

adopt /əˈdɒpt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. legally take (another's child) and bring it up as one's own

• there are many people eager to adopt a baby.

2. choose to take up or follow (an idea, method, or course of action)

• this approach has been adopted by many big banks.

3. choose and move to (a country or city) as one's permanent place of residence.

4. take on or assume (an attitude or position)

• he adopted a patronizing tone.

5. (Brit.) choose (someone) as a candidate for office

• she was recently adopted as Labour candidate for the constituency.

6. formally approve or accept (a report or suggestion)

• the committee voted 5–1 to adopt the proposal.

7. (Brit.) (of a local authority) accept responsibility for the maintenance of (a road).

II. derivatives

1. adoptable /əˈdɒptəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. adoptee /əˌdɒpˈtiː /

noun

3. adopter /əˈdɒptə /

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: via French from Latin adoptare, from ad- ‘to’ + optare ‘choose’.

adoption /əˈdɒpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of adopting or being adopted

• she gave up her children for adoption

• the widespread adoption of agricultural technology.

– origin Middle English: from Latin adoptio(n-), from ad- ‘to’ + optio(n-) ‘choosing’ (see option).

Adoptionist /əˈdɒpʃ(ə)nɪst/

noun

[Christian Theology] ‹chiefly historical› a person holding the view that Christ is the son of God by adoption only.

adoptive /əˈdɒptɪv/

I. adjective

1. (of a child or parent) in that relationship by adoption

• he is the adoptive father of his wife's three children.

2. denoting a place which a person has chosen as their permanent place of residence

• his adoptive home town of Rochdale.

II. derivatives

adoptively

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin adoptivus, from adoptare ‘select for oneself’ (see adopt).

adoptive parent

noun

a person who adopts a child and brings it up as their own

• her adoptive parents died 10 years ago.

adorable /əˈdɔːrəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

inspiring great affection or delight

• I have four adorable Siamese cats.

II. derivatives

1. adorability /əˌdɔːrəˈbɪləti /

noun

2. adorableness

noun

3. adorably /əˈdɔːrəbli /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘worthy of divine worship’): from French, from Latin adorabilis, from the verb adorare (see adore).

adoral /adˈɔːr(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Zoology] relating to or denoting the side or end where the mouth is situated.

• the adoral shields.

II. derivatives

adorally

adverb

– origin late 19th cent.: from ad- ‘at’ + oral.

adoration /adəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. deep love and respect

• he gave her a look of adoration.

• it was enough to earn him the adoration of the fans.

2. worship; veneration

• the Adoration of the Magi.

adorbs /əˈdɔːbz / adorb

I. adjective

‹informal› arousing great delight; cute or adorable

• all the pets are totally adorbs

• check out the adorbs photo

• newborn babies are so adorb.

– origin early 21st cent.: alteration of adorable.

adore /əˈdɔː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. love and respect (someone) deeply

• he adored his mother.

2. ‹informal› like very much

• she adores Mexican cuisine

• (as adj. adoring) a gift from an adoring fan.

3. worship; venerate.

• he adored the Sacred Host.

II. derivatives

1. adorer /əˈdɔːrə /

noun

2. adoringly /əˈdɔːrɪŋli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin adorare ‘to worship’, from ad- ‘to’ + orare ‘speak, pray’.

adorkable /əˈdɔːkəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹informal› unfashionable or socially awkward in a way regarded as appealing or cute

• he is so adorkable I could just hug him to death

• the most adorkable actress on the big screen

• your adorkable qualities are part of your charm.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of adorable and dork.

adorn /əˈdɔːn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make more beautiful or attractive

• pictures and prints adorned his walls.

II. derivatives

adorner

noun

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin adornare, from ad- ‘to’ + ornare ‘deck, add lustre’.

adornment /əˈdɔːnm(ə)nt/

noun

1. a thing which adorns or decorates; an ornament

• the necktie is no longer a necessary male adornment.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of adorning something

• precious stones have been used for the purposes of adornment for over 7,000 years.

Adorno, Theodor Wiesengrund /əˈdɔːnəʊ, German aˈdɔrno/

(1903–69), German philosopher, sociologist, and musicologist; born Theodor Wiesengrund. A member of the Frankfurt School, Adorno argued that philosophical authoritarianism is inevitably oppressive and that all theories should be rejected.

ADP

abbreviation

1. [Biochemistry] adenosine diphosphate.

2. automatic data processing.

ad personam /ˌad pəːˈsəʊnam/

I. adverb

‹formal› on an individual basis.

– origin Latin.

adpressed

I. adjective

[Botany] lying closely against the adjacent part, or against the ground.

• the cap is covered with fine, white, adpressed scales.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin adpress- ‘pressed near’, from adprimere, from ad ‘to, at’ + premere ‘to press’, + -ed^2.

ADR

abbreviation

1. alternative dispute resolution.

2. (in the US) American depositary receipt.

Adrar des Iforas /aˌdrɑː deɪz ɪˈfɔːrɑː/

a massif region in the central Sahara, on the border between Mali and Algeria.

ad rem /ad ˈrɛm/

I. adverb, adjective

‹formal› relevant to what is being done or discussed at the time.

– origin late 16th cent.: Latin, literally ‘to the matter’.

adrenal /əˈdriːn(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a pair of ductless glands situated above the kidneys. Each consists of a core region ( adrenal medulla) secreting adrenaline and noradrenaline, and an outer region ( adrenal cortex) secreting corticosteroids.

• adrenal function was normal in this group of patients.

II. noun — (usu. adrenals)

1. an adrenal gland.

– origin late 19th cent.: from ad- + renal.

adrenaline /əˈdrɛn(ə)lɪn / adrenalin

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that increases rates of blood circulation, breathing, and carbohydrate metabolism and prepares muscles for exertion.

• performing live really gets your adrenaline going.

Also called epinephrine.

– origin early 20th cent.: from adrenal + -ine^4.

adrenaline junkie adrenalin junkie

noun

‹informal› a person with a compulsive desire for excitement and adventure

• a bit of an adrenaline junkie, he appears to have no regard for his own safety

• there's enough nailbiting action to satisfy the most hardened of adrenaline junkies.

adrenalized /əˈdrɛnəlʌɪzd / adrenalised

adjective

1. affected with adrenaline.

2. ‹informal› excited, charged, or tense

• they possess an adrenalized vigour that distinguishes them from other bands.

adrenergic /ˌadrɪˈnəːdʒɪk/

I. adjective

[Physiology] relating to or denoting nerve cells in which adrenaline, noradrenaline, or a similar substance acts as a neurotransmitter.
Contrasted with cholinergic.

– origin 1930s: from adrenaline + Greek ergon ‘work’ + -ic.

adrenocorticotrophic hormone /əˌdriːnə(ʊ)ˌkɔːtɪkə(ʊ)ˈtrəʊfɪk, -ˈtrɒfɪk / adrenocorticotropic hormone /-ˈtrəʊpɪk, -ˈtrɒpɪk/ , ACTH

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland and stimulating the adrenal cortex.

– origin 1930s: from adreno- and cortico- (combining forms of adrenal and cortex) + -trophic or -tropic.

adrenocorticotrophin /əˌdriːnə(ʊ)ˌkɔːtɪkə(ʊ)ˈtrəʊfɪn, əˌdriːnə(ʊ)ˌkɔːtɪkə(ʊ)ˈtrɒfɪn / adrenocorticotropin /əˌdriːnə(ʊ)ˌkɔːtɪkə(ʊ)ˈtrəʊpɪn/

noun

another term for adrenocorticotrophic hormone.

adret /ˈadreɪ/

I. noun

a mountain slope which faces the sun.
Compare with ubac.

– origin from French, from dialect variants of à ‘to’ and droit ‘straight’.

Adrian IV

( c. 1100–59), pope 1154–9; born Nicholas Breakspear. He is the only Englishman to have held this office.

Adriatic /ˌeɪdrɪˈatɪk/

I. adjective

relating to the region comprising the Adriatic Sea and its coasts and islands.

• the Adriatic coast.

II. noun — ( the Adriatic)

1. the Adriatic Sea or its coasts and islands.

Adriatic, Marriage of the

see Marriage of the Adriatic.

Adriatic Sea

an arm of the Mediterranean Sea between the Balkans and the Italian peninsula.

adrift /əˈdrɪft/

I. adjective, adverb

1. (of a boat or its passengers) floating without being either moored or steered
[as adv.]

• a cargo ship went adrift

• [as predic. adj.] the seamen are adrift in lifeboats.

2. without purpose, direction, or guidance
[as adv.]

• she found herself cast adrift in a land full of strangers

• [as predic. adj.] the film industry was adrift in a sea of debt.

3. [as adv.] — ‹informal› no longer fixed in position

• one of my fillings has come adrift.

4. [as predic. adj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› failing to reach a target or winning position

• the team are three points adrift of the leaders.

– origin late 16th cent.: from a-2 ‘on, in’ + drift.

adroit /əˈdrɔɪt/

I. adjective

clever or skilful

• he was adroit at tax avoidance.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from à droit ‘according to right, properly’.

adroitly /əˈdrɔɪtli/

adverb

in a clever or skilful way

• he managed the evacuation adroitly.

adroitness /əˈdrɔɪtnɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cleverness or skill

• he lacks political adroitness.

adrowse /əˈdraʊz/

I. adjective

‹literary› ‹rare› in a drowsy state.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from a-2 ‘in’ + drowse.

adscititious /ˌadsɪˈtɪʃəs/

I. adjective

‹archaic› forming an addition or supplement; not integral.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin adscit- ‘admitted, adopted’, from adsciscere, + -itious^1, on the pattern of adventitious.

ADSL /eɪdiːɛsˈɛl/

abbreviation

asymmetric digital subscriber line, a technology for transmitting digital information over standard telephone lines which allows high-speed transmission of signals from the telephone network to an individual subscriber, but a slower rate of transmission from the subscriber to the network.

adsorb /ədˈzɔːb, ədˈsɔːb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a solid) hold (molecules of a gas or liquid or solute) as a thin film on the outside surface or on internal surfaces within the material

• the dye is adsorbed on to the fibre.

II. derivatives

1. adsorbable

adjective

2. adsorption /ədˈzɔːpʃ(ə)n, ədˈsɔːpʃ(ə)n /

noun

3. adsorptive

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: blend of ad- (expressing adherence) + absorb.

adsorbate

noun

a substance adsorbed.

adsorbent /ədˈzɔːbənt/

I. noun

a substance which adsorbs another.

II. adjective

able to adsorb substances.

adstratum /ˈadstrɑːtəm, adˈstrɑːtəm/

I. noun

[Linguistics] a language or group of elements within it that is responsible for changes in a neighbouring language.

II. derivatives

adstrate

adjective

– origin 1930s: modern Latin, from Latin ad ‘to’ + stratum ‘something laid down’.

ADT

abbreviation

Atlantic Daylight Time (see Atlantic time).

adulate /ˈadjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. praise (someone) excessively.

• he was adulated in the press.

II. derivatives

adulator /ˈadjʊˌleɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin adulat- ‘fawned on’, from the verb adulari.

adulation /adjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessive admiration or praise

• he found it difficult to cope with the adulation of the fans.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin adulatio(n)-, from adulari ‘fawn on’.

adulatory /ˌadʒʊˈleɪt(ə)ri/

adjective

excessively praising or admiring

• an adulatory review

• the tone here is adulatory and uncritical.

Adullamite /əˈdʌləmʌɪt/

I. noun

a member of a dissident political group (originally applied to a group of British MPs who seceded from the Liberal party in 1866).

– origin adopted in allusion to the cave of Adullam, where those discontented with the rule of Saul came to join David (1 Sam. 22:1-2).

adult /ˈadʌlt, əˈdʌlt/

I. noun

1. a person who is fully grown or developed.

• children should be accompanied by an adult.

2. a fully developed animal.

3. [Law] a person who has reached the age of majority.

II. adjective

1. fully grown or developed

• an adult woman.

2. of or for adult people

• adult education.

3. emotionally and mentally mature

• an effort to be adult and civilized.

4. suitable only for adults (used euphemistically to refer to a sexually explicit film, book, or magazine).

III. derivatives

adultly

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin adultus, past participle of adolescere ‘grow to maturity’ (see adolescent).

adulterant /əˈdʌlt(ə)r(ə)nt/

I. noun

a substance used to adulterate another.

II. adjective

used in adulterating something.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin adulterant- ‘corrupting’, from the verb adulterare (see adulterate).

adulterate

I. verb — [with obj.] adulterate /əˈdʌltəreɪt /

1. render (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance

• the brewer is said to adulterate his beer.

II. adjective — adulterate /əˈdʌlt(ə)rət /

1. ‹archaic› not pure or genuine

• adulterate remedies.

III. derivatives

1. adulteration /ədʌlt(ə)ˈreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. adulterator /əˈdʌltəreɪtə /

noun

– origin early 16th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin adulterat- ‘corrupted’, from the verb adulterare.

adulterer /əˈdʌlt(ə)rə/

I. noun

a person who commits adultery.

– origin early 16th cent.: from the obsolete verb adulter ‘commit adultery’, from Latin adulterare ‘debauch, corrupt’, replacing an earlier Middle English noun avouterer, from Old French avoutrer ‘commit adultery’.

adulteress /əˈdʌltərəs/

noun

a female adulterer.

adulterine /əˈdʌlt(ə)rʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. (of a child) born as the result of an adulterous relationship.

2. ‹archaic› illegal, unlicensed, or spurious

• an adulterine castle.

– origin mid 18th cent. (in the sense ‘due to adulteration’): from Latin adulterinus, from adulterare ‘debauch, corrupt’.

adulterous /əˈdʌlt(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

of or involving adultery

• an adulterous affair.

II. derivatives

adulterously

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from the obsolete noun adulter ‘adulterer’ (see adultery) + -ous.

adultery /əˈdʌlt(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not their spouse

• she was committing adultery with a much younger man.

– origin late 15th cent.: from the obsolete noun adulter, from Latin adulter ‘adulterer’, replacing an earlier form avoutrie, from Old French avouterie.

adultescent /adʌlˈtɛs(ə)nt/

I. noun

‹informal› a middle-aged person whose clothes, interests, and activities are typically associated with youth culture.

– origin 1990s: blend of adult and adolescent.

adulthood /ˈadʌlthʊd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or condition of being fully grown or mature

• the crucial years between adolescence and adulthood

• most of the larvae die, although some survive to adulthood.

adultness /ˈadʌltnəs, əˈdʌltnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the possession of adult qualities such as emotional maturity or responsibility.

adumbrate /ˈadʌmbreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› represent in outline

• Hobhouse had already adumbrated the idea of a welfare state.

2. ‹formal› indicate faintly

• the walls were only adumbrated by the meagre light.

3. ‹formal› foreshadow (a future event).

• tenors solemnly adumbrate the fate of the convicted sinner.

4. ‹formal› overshadow

• her happy reminiscences were adumbrated by consciousness of something else.

II. derivatives

1. adumbration /adʌmˈbreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. adumbrative

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin adumbrat- ‘shaded’, from the verb adumbrare, from ad- ‘to’ (as an intensifier) + umbrare ‘cast a shadow’ (from umbra ‘shade’).

adust /əˈdʌst/

I. adjective

1. ‹archaic› scorched; burnt.

2. ‹archaic› gloomy; melancholic.

– origin late Middle English: from French aduste or Latin adustus ‘burnt’, from adurere, from ad ‘to’ (as an intensifier) + urere ‘to burn’.

Advaita /ədˈvʌɪtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Hinduism] a Vedantic doctrine that identifies the individual self (atman) with the ground of reality (brahman). It is associated especially with the Indian philosopher Shankara ( c. 788–820).

– origin Sanskrit, literally ‘non-duality’.

ad valorem /ˌad vəˈlɔːrɛm/

I. adverb, adjective

(of the levying of tax or customs duties) in proportion to the estimated value of the goods or transaction concerned.
[as adj.]

• ad valorem stamp duty at the rate of 1 per cent is payable.

– origin Latin, ‘according to the value’.

advance /ədˈvɑːns/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — move forwards in a purposeful way

• he advanced towards the dispatch box

• the troops advanced on the capital.

2. move forward in time

• as the nineteenth century advanced.

3. [with obj.] — change the date of (an event) so as to occur earlier than planned

• I advanced the schedule by several weeks.

4. make or cause to make progress
[no obj.]

• our knowledge is advancing all the time

• [with obj.] it was a chance to advance his own interests.

5. [no obj.] — (of shares) increase in price.

• the food group advanced 12p to 639p.

6. [with obj.] — put forward (a theory or suggestion)

• the hypothesis I wish to advance in this article.

7. [with two objs] — lend (money) to (someone)

• the building society advanced them a loan.

8. pay (money) to (someone) before it is due

• he advanced me a month's salary.

II. noun

1. a forward movement

• the rebels' advance on Madrid was well under way

• ‹figurative› the advance of civilization.

2. a development or improvement

• advances in engineering techniques

• [ mass noun] decades of great scientific advance.

3. an increase in amount or price

• share prices showed significant advances.

4. an amount of money paid before it is due or for work only partly completed

• the author was paid a £250,000 advance.

5. a loan

• an advance from the bank.

6. (usu. advances) — an approach made to someone with the aim of initiating sexual or amorous relations

• her tutor made advances to her.

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. done, sent, or supplied beforehand

• advance notice

• advance warning.

• advance payment.

IV. phrases

1. in advance

ahead in time

• you need to book weeks in advance.

2. in advance of

ahead of; before

• we went on ahead in advance of the main group.

V. derivatives

advancer

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French avance (noun), avancer (verb), from late Latin abante ‘in front’, from ab ‘from’ + ante ‘before’. The initial a- was erroneously assimilated to ad- in the 16th cent.

Advance Australia

noun

a catchphrase used as a patriotic slogan or motto in Australia

• the coat of arms that Australian teams wear on their caps and blazers says “Advance Australia”

• the festival carried a key theme of ‘Advance Australia’.

Advance Australia Fair

the national anthem of Australia, composed c. 1878 by P. D. McCormick ( c. 1834–1916), a Scot, under the pen name ‘Amicus’. It officially replaced ‘God Save the Queen’ in 1984.

advanced /adˈvɑːnst/

adjective

1. far on or ahead in development or progress

• negotiations are at an advanced stage.

2. new and not yet generally accepted

• his advanced views made him unpopular.

advanced degree

noun

a postgraduate degree, especially a master's degree or a doctorate.

advanced gas-cooled reactor

noun

a nuclear reactor in which the coolant is carbon dioxide, with uranium oxide fuel clad in steel and using graphite as a moderator.

advance directive

noun

a living will which gives durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker, remaining in effect during the incompetency of the person making it.

advanced level

noun

fuller form of A level.

• the study of history at advanced level.

advanced subsidiary level

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the UK except Scotland) a GCE examination at a level between GCSE and advanced level.

advance guard advanced guard

noun

a body of soldiers preceding and making preparations for the main body of an army.

advance man

noun

(N. Amer.) a person who visits a location before the arrival of an important visitor to make the appropriate arrangements.

advancement /ədˈvɑːnsm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the process of promoting a cause or plan

• their lives were devoted to the advancement of science.

2. the promotion of a person in rank or status

• opportunities for career advancement.

3. [ count noun] — a development or improvement

• technological advancements.

– origin Middle English: from Old French avancement, from avancer ‘to advance’.

advantage /ədˈvɑːntɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. a condition or circumstance that puts one in a favourable or superior position

• companies with a computerized database are at an advantage

• she had an advantage over her mother's generation.

2. [ mass noun] — the opportunity to gain something; benefit or profit

• you could learn something to your advantage

• he saw some advantage in the proposal.

3. a favourable or desirable feature

• the village's proximity to the town is an advantage.

4. [Tennis] a score marking a point interim between deuce and winning the game.

• ‘Advantage, Federer.’.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put in a favourable or superior position.

III. phrases

1. have the advantage of

‹dated› be in a stronger position than.

2. take advantage of

a. exploit for one's own benefit

• people tend to take advantage of a placid nature.

b. ‹dated› (of a man) seduce (a woman).

• he used his position to take advantage of women.

c. make good use of the opportunities offered by

• take full advantage of the facilities available.

3. to advantage

in a way which displays or makes good use of the best aspects of something

• her shoes showed off her legs to advantage

• plan your space to its best advantage.

4. turn something to advantage (or to one's advantage)

handle or respond to something in such a way as to benefit from it.

• they dominated the first half of the game but failed to turn it to advantage.

– origin Middle English: from Old French avantage, from avant ‘in front’, from late Latin abante (see advance).

advantaged /ədˈvɑːntɪdʒd/

adjective

having a comparatively favourable position in terms of economic or social circumstances

• children from less advantaged homes.

advantageous /advənˈteɪdʒəs/

I. adjective

involving or creating favourable circumstances that increase the chances of success or effectiveness; beneficial

• the scheme is advantageous to your company

• we are in an advantageous position.

II. derivatives

advantageously /adv(ə)nˈteɪdʒəsli /

adverb

advection /ədˈvɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the transfer of heat or matter by the flow of a fluid, especially horizontally in the atmosphere or the sea.

II. derivatives

1. advect

verb

2. advective

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin advectio(n-), from advehere ‘bring’, from ad- ‘to’ + vehere ‘carry’.

advent /ˈadv(ə)nt, ˈadvɛnt/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. the arrival of a notable person or thing

• the advent of television.

2. ( Advent) — the first season of the Church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays.

3. ( Advent) — [Christian Theology] the coming or second coming of Christ.

– origin Old English, from Latin adventus ‘arrival’, from advenire, from ad- ‘to’ + venire ‘come’.

Advent calendar

noun

a piece of card incorporating small numbered flaps, one of which is opened on each day of Advent to reveal a picture appropriate to the season.

Adventist /ˈadv(ə)ntɪst/

I. noun

a member of any of various Christian sects emphasizing belief in the imminent second coming of Christ.
See also Seventh-Day Adventist.

II. derivatives

Adventism /ˈadvəntɪz(ə)m /

noun

adventitia /ˌadvɛnˈtɪʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the outermost layer of the wall of a blood vessel.

II. derivatives

adventitial

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: shortening of modern Latin tunica adventitia ‘additional sheath’.

adventitious /ˌadv(ə)nˈtɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. happening as a result of an external factor or chance rather than design or inherent nature

• adventitious similarities.

2. coming from outside; not native

• the adventitious population.

3. [Biology] formed accidentally or in an unusual anatomical position

• adventitious lobes may appear between the primaries.

4. [Botany] (of a root, shoot, etc.) produced in an unusual part of a plant.

II. derivatives

adventitiously

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin adventicius ‘coming to us from abroad’ (from advenire ‘arrive’) + -ous (see also -itious^2).

Advent Sunday

noun

the first Sunday in Advent, falling on or near 30 November.

adventure /ədˈvɛntʃə/

I. noun

1. an unusual and exciting or daring experience

• her recent adventures in Italy.

2. [ mass noun] — excitement associated with danger or the taking of risks

• she travelled the world in search of adventure.

3. a reckless or potentially hazardous action or enterprise

• in any military adventure, the first casualty is truth.

4. ‹archaic› a commercial venture.

• I sold my East India adventure of £250 principal for £750.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹dated› engage in daring or risky activity

• they had adventured into the forest.

2. [with obj.] — ‹dated› put (one's money or life) at risk

• he adventured £300 in the purchase of land.

– origin Middle English: from Old French aventure (noun), aventurer (verb), based on Latin adventurus ‘about to happen’, from advenire ‘arrive’.

adventure game

noun

a type of computer game in which the participant plays a fantasy role in an episodic adventure story.

adventure playground

noun

(Brit.) a playground containing objects or structures such as ropes, slides, and tunnels, for children to play on or in.

adventurer /ədˈvɛntʃ(ə)rə/

I. noun

1. a person who enjoys or seeks adventure.

• every year adventurers attempt the Canol Trail using all manner of conveyances.

2. a person willing to take risks or use dishonest methods for personal gain

• a political adventurer.

3. ‹archaic› a financial speculator.

4. ‹archaic› a mercenary soldier.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting a gambler): from French aventurier, from aventurer ‘venture upon’ (see adventure).

adventuresome

adjective

given to adventures or to running risks; adventurous

• three adventuresome, energetic boys.

adventuress /ədˈvɛntʃərɛs/

noun

a female adventurer.

adventure travel adventure tourism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of tourism involving travel to remote or exotic locations in order to take part in physically challenging outdoor activities

• the search for a brush with danger is not confined to Africa and Asia where adventure tourism is booming.

II. derivatives

adventure traveller adventure tourist

noun

adventurism /ədˈvɛntʃərɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the willingness to take risks in business or politics; actions or attitudes regarded as reckless or potentially hazardous.

II. derivatives

adventurist /ədˈvɛn(t)ʃərɪst /

noun, adjective

adventurous /ədˈvɛntʃ(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

1. willing to take risks or to try out new methods, ideas, or experiences

• an adventurous traveller.

2. involving new ideas or methods

• they wanted more adventurous meals.

3. full of excitement

• my life couldn't be more adventurous.

II. derivatives

1. adventurously /ədˈvɛn(t)ʃ(ə)rəsli /

adverb

2. adventurousness /ədˈvɛn(t)ʃ(ə)rəsnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French aventureus, from aventure (see adventure).

Advent wreath

noun

a wreath of evergreen foliage in which four red candles are set, one to be lit on each Sunday of Advent.

adverb /ˈadvəːb/

I. noun

[Grammar] a word or phrase that modifies the meaning of an adjective, verb, or other adverb, expressing manner, place, time, or degree (e.g. gently, here, now, very). Some adverbs, for example sentence adverbs, can also be used to modify whole sentences.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin adverbium, from ad- ‘to’ (expressing addition) + verbum ‘word, verb’.

adverbial /ədˈvəːbɪəl / ‹Grammar›

I. noun

a word or phrase functioning as a major clause constituent and typically expressing place ( in the garden), time ( in May), or manner ( in a strange way).

II. adjective

relating to or functioning as an adverb or adverbial.

III. derivatives

adverbially /ədˈvəːbɪəli /

adverb

adversarial /ˌadvəˈsɛːrɪəl/

I. adjective

1. involving or characterized by conflict or opposition

• the adversarial nature of the two-party system.

2. [Law] (of a trial or legal proceedings) in which the parties in a dispute have the responsibility for finding and presenting evidence.

• an adversarial system of justice.

Compare with accusatorial, inquisitorial.

II. derivatives

adversarially

adverb

adversary /ˈadvəs(ə)ri/

I. noun

one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute

• Davis beat his old adversary in the quarter-finals.

II. adjective — adversary /ˈadvəs(ə)ri, adˈvəːsəri /

1. another term for adversarial.

• the confrontations of adversary politics.

– origin Middle English: from Old French adversarie, from Latin adversarius ‘opposed, opponent’, from adversus (see adverse).

adversative /ədˈvəːsətɪv/

I. adjective

[Grammar] (of a word or phrase) expressing opposition or antithesis.

– origin late Middle English: from French adversatif, -ive or late Latin adversativus, from Latin adversari ‘oppose’, from adversus (see adverse).

adverse /ˈadvəːs/

I. adjective

preventing success or development; harmful; unfavourable

• taxes are having an adverse effect on production

• adverse weather conditions.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French advers, from Latin adversus ‘against, opposite’, past participle of advertere, from ad- ‘to’ + vertere ‘to turn’. Compare with averse. / usage: The two words adverse and averse are related in origin but they do not have the same meaning. Adverse means ‘unfavourable or harmful’ and is normally used of conditions and effects rather than people, as in adverse weather conditions. Averse, on the other hand, is used of people, nearly always with to, and means ‘having a strong dislike or opposition to something’, as in I am not averse to helping out. A common error is to use adverse instead of averse, as in he is not adverse to making a profit.

adversely /ˈadvəːsli/

adverb

in a way that prevents success or development; harmfully or unfavourably

• his self-confidence was adversely affected for years to come.

adversity /ədˈvəːsɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a difficult or unpleasant situation

• resilience in the face of adversity

• [ count noun] she overcame many adversities.

– origin Middle English: from Old French adversite, from Latin adversitas, from advertere ‘turn towards’.

advert^1 /ˈadvəːt/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› an advertisement.

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation.

advert^2 /ədˈvəːt/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( advert to)

1. ‹formal› refer to in speaking or writing

• I have already adverted to the solar revolution.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French avertire, from Latin advertere ‘turn towards’ (see adverse). The original sense was ‘turn one's attention to’, later ‘bring to someone's attention’.

advertise /ˈadvətʌɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. describe or draw attention to (a product, service, or event) in a public medium in order to promote sales or attendance

• a billboard advertising beer.

2. publicize information about (a vacancy)

• for every job we advertise we get a hundred applicants

• [no obj.] he advertised for dancers in the trade papers.

3. make (a quality or fact) known

• Meryl coughed briefly to advertise her presence.

4. ‹archaic› notify (someone) of something

• some prisoners advertised the French of this terrible danger.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French advertiss-, lengthened stem of advertir, from Latin advertere ‘turn towards’ (see advert^2).

advertisement /ədˈvəːtɪzm(ə)nt, ədˈvəːtɪsm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a notice or announcement in a public medium promoting a product, service, or event or publicizing a job vacancy

• advertisements for alcoholic drinks.

2. ( advertisement for) — ‹informal› a person or thing regarded as a means of recommending something

• unhappy clients are not a good advertisement for the firm.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a statement calling attention to something): from Old French advertissement, from the verb advertir (see advertise).

advertiser /ˈadvətʌɪzə/

noun

a person or company that advertises a product, service, or event

• kids hate it when advertisers try too hard to target them on their level.

advertising /ˈadvətʌɪzɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity or profession of producing advertisements for commercial products or services

• her father was in advertising

• [as modifier] an advertising agency.

advertising campaign

noun

an organized course of action to promote a product or service

• the launch was accompanied by a high-profile advertising campaign.

Advertising Standards Authority ASA

(in the UK) an independent regulatory body set up in 1962 to monitor standards within advertising and to ensure that advertisements comply with the requirement that they be legal, decent, honest, and truthful.

advertorial /ˌadvəːˈtɔːrɪəl/

I. noun

a newspaper or magazine advertisement giving information about a product in the style of an editorial or objective journalistic article.

– origin 1960s (originally US): blend of advertisement and editorial.

advice /ədˈvʌɪs/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent action

• my advice is to see your doctor

• he should take advice from his accountant.

2. a formal notice of a financial transaction

• remittance advices.

3. (also advices) [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› information; news.

• the want of fresh advices from Europe.

– origin Middle English: from Old French avis, based on Latin ad ‘to’ + visum, past participle of videre ‘to see’. The original sense was ‘way of looking at something, judgement’, hence later ‘an opinion given’.

advisability /ədˌvʌɪzəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being advisable or sensible; wisdom

• many questioned the advisability of this policy.

advisable /ədˈvʌɪzəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of a course of action) to be recommended; sensible

• it is advisable to carry one of the major credit cards

• early booking is advisable.

II. derivatives

advisably /ədˈvʌɪzəbli /

adverb

advise /ədˈvʌɪz/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. offer suggestions about the best course of action to someone
[with obj. and infinitive]

• I advised him to go home

• [with obj.] he advised caution

• [no obj.] we advise against sending cash by post.

2. [with obj.] — recommend

• sleeping pills are not advised.

3. [with obj.] — inform (someone) about a fact or situation in a formal or official way

• you will be advised of the requirements

• [with obj. and clause] the lawyer advised the court that his client wished to give evidence.

– origin Middle English: from Old French aviser, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + visere, frequentative of videre ‘to see’. The original senses included ‘look at’ and ‘consider’, hence ‘consult with others’.

advised /ədˈvʌɪzd/

adjective

acting in a way that would be recommended; sensible; wise

• you would be advised to check on increases to your pension.

advisedly /ədˈvʌɪzɪdli/

adverb

deliberately and after consideration

• I've used the term ‘old’ advisedly.

advisement /ədˈvʌɪzmənt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› (N. Amer.) careful consideration.

2. ‹archaic› (N. Amer.) advice or counsel.

II. phrases

take something under advisement

(N. Amer.) reserve judgement while considering something.

– origin Middle English: from Old French avisement, from aviser ‘look at’ (see advise).

adviser /ədˈvʌɪzə / advisor

I. noun

a person who gives advice in a particular field

• the military adviser to the President.

usage: The spellings adviser and advisor are both correct. Adviser is more common, but advisor is also widely used, especially in North America. Adviser may be seen as less formal, while advisor often suggests an official position.

advisory /ədˈvʌɪz(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. having or consisting in the power to make recommendations but not to take action enforcing them

• the Commission acts in an advisory capacity.

2. recommended but not compulsory

• the EC has put forward an advisory maximum figure.

II. noun

an official announcement or warning.

• a frost advisory.

advocaat /ˈadvəkɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a liqueur made with eggs, sugar, and brandy.

– origin 1930s: from Dutch, literally ‘advocate’ (being originally considered a lawyer's drink).

advocacy /ˈadvəkəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy

• his outspoken advocacy of the agreement has won no friends.

2. the profession or work of a legal advocate.

• solicitors should have a record of advocacy in the lower courts.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin advocatia, from advocare ‘summon, call to one's aid’ (see advocate).

advocate

I. noun — advocate /ˈadvəkət /

1. a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy

• he was an untiring advocate of economic reform.

2. a person who puts a case on someone else's behalf

• care managers can become advocates for their clients.

3. a professional pleader in a court of justice.

• solicitors may act as advocates in Crown Courts.

4. Scottish and South African term for barrister.

II. verb — [with obj.] advocate /ˈadvəkeɪt /

1. publicly recommend or support

• voters supported candidates who advocated an Assembly.

III. derivatives

1. advocateship

noun

2. advocation /advəˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French avocat, from Latin advocatus, past participle (used as a noun) of advocare ‘call (to one's aid)’, from ad- ‘to’ + vocare ‘to call’.

advocate depute

noun

(in Scotland) any of a number of officers who assist the Lord Advocate in prosecutions.

advocate general

noun

any of a number of officers assisting the judges in the European Court of Justice.

advowson /ədˈvaʊz(ə)n/

I. noun

(Brit.) (in ecclesiastical law) the right to recommend a member of the Anglican clergy for a vacant benefice, or to make such an appointment.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘patronage of a religious house or benefice’, with the obligation to defend it and speak for it): from Old French avoeson, from Latin advocatio(n-), from advocare ‘summon’ (see advocate).

advt

noun

‹informal› (as written abbreviation) an advertisement

• in case the advt is not accepted, the payment made by the advertiser will be refunded.

adware /ˈadwɛː/

noun — [ mass noun] ( in the US)

1. [Computing] ‹trademark› software that automatically displays or downloads advertising material such as banners or pop-ups when a user is online.

Adygea /adɪˈɡeɪə/

an autonomous republic in the NW Caucasus in SW Russia, with a largely Muslim population; pop. 408,500 (est. 2009); capital, Maikop. Full name Adygei Autonomous Republic /ˈɑːdɪɡeɪ/.

Adyghe /ˈadɪɡeɪ / Adygei

I. noun

1. a member of a mainly Sunni Muslim people of the NW Caucasus, especially Adygea.
Also called Circassian.

2. [ mass noun] — the North Caucasian language of the Adyghe, with about 100,000 speakers in the Caucasus and 100,000 elsewhere.

II. adjective

relating to the Adyghe or their language.

adytum /ˈadɪtəm/

I. noun

the innermost sanctuary of an ancient Greek temple.

– origin Latin, from Greek aduton, neuter singular of adutos ‘impenetrable’, from a- ‘not’ + duein ‘enter’.

adze /adz / ‹US› adz

I. noun

a tool similar to an axe, with an arched blade at right angles to the handle, used for cutting or shaping large pieces of wood.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut away the surface of (a piece of wood) with an adze.

• by the time it has been adzed out, you will only have a small edge to clean up.

– origin Old English adesa, of unknown origin.

adzuki /ədˈzuːki / adzuki bean, aduki

I. noun

1. a small, round dark-red edible bean.

2. the bushy Asian plant which produces the adzuki bean.
● Vigna angularis, family Leguminosae.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Japanese azuki.

AE

abbreviation

auto-exposure.

Æ æ

noun

a letter used in Old English to represent a vowel intermediate between a and e and from the 16th century onwards used in Latin or Latinized Greek words, representing an original diphthong ae or ai (see ash^2).

-ae /iː, ʌɪ/

I. suffix

1. forming plural nouns:

2. used in names of animal and plant families and other groups

• Felidae

• Gymnospermae.

3. used instead of -as in the plural of many non-naturalized or unfamiliar nouns ending in -a derived from Latin or Greek

• striae

• larvae.

– origin Latin plural suffix, or representing the Greek plural ending -ai.

AEA

abbreviation

(in the UK) Atomic Energy Authority.

AEC

abbreviation

‹historical› (in the US) Atomic Energy Commission.

AED

abbreviation

United Arab Emirates dirham(s).

aedile /ˈiːdʌɪl/

I. noun

[Roman History] either of two (later four) Roman magistrates responsible for public buildings and originally also for the public games and the supply of corn to the city.

II. derivatives

aedileship

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin aedilis ‘concerned with buildings’, from aedes ‘building’.

AEEU

abbreviation

‹historical› (in the UK) Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union.

Aegean /iːˈdʒiːən, ɪˈdʒiːən/

I. adjective

relating to the region comprising the Aegean Sea and its coasts and islands.

II. noun — ( the Aegean)

1. the Aegean Sea or its region.

– origin early 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek Aigaios + -ean.

Aegean Islands /iːˌdʒiːən ˈʌɪləndz/

a group of islands in the Aegean Sea, forming a region of Greece. The principal islands of the group are Chios, Samos, Lesbos, the Cyclades, and the Dodecanese.

Aegean Sea

a part of the Mediterranean Sea lying between Greece and Turkey, bounded to the south by Crete and Rhodes and linked to the Black Sea by the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus.

aegis /ˈiːdʒɪs/

I. noun

1. [in sing.] — the protection, backing, or support of a particular person or organization

• the negotiations were conducted under the aegis of the UN.

2. (in classical art and mythology) an attribute of Zeus and Athene (or their Roman counterparts Jupiter and Minerva) usually represented as a goatskin shield.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting armour or a shield, especially that of a god): via Latin from Greek aigis ‘shield of Zeus’.

Aegisthus /ɪˈɡɪsθəs / ‹Greek Mythology›

the son of Thyestes and lover of Agamemnon's wife Clytemnestra.

aegrotat /ˈʌɪɡrə(ʊ)tat, ˈiːɡrə(ʊ)tat/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a certificate stating that a university student is too ill to attend an examination.

2. (Brit.) an examination pass awarded to a student having an aegrotat.

– origin late 18th cent.: Latin, literally ‘he is sick’.

Aelfric /ˈalfrɪk/

( c. 955– c. 1020), Anglo-Saxon monk, writer, and grammarian; known as Grammaticus. Notable works: Lives of the Saints (993–6).

-aemia -haemia, ‹US› -emia, -hemia

I. combining form

in nouns denoting that a substance is present in the blood

• septicaemia

• leukaemia.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek -aimia, from haima ‘blood’.

Aeneas /ɪˈniːəs / ‹Greek & Roman Mythology›

a Trojan leader, son of Anchises and Aphrodite, and legendary ancestor of the Romans. When Troy fell to the Greeks he escaped and after wandering for many years eventually reached Italy. The story of his voyage is recounted in Virgil's Aeneid.

Aeneid /ɪˈniːɪd, ˈiːnɪɪd/

a Latin epic poem in twelve books by Virgil which relates the travels and experiences of Aeneas after the fall of Troy.

aeolian /iːˈəʊlɪən / ‹US› eolian

I. adjective

[chiefly Geology] relating to or arising from the action of the wind

• fluvial and eolian sediments.

– origin early 17th cent.: from the name Aeolus + -ian.

aeolian harp

noun

a stringed instrument that produces musical sounds when a current of air passes through it.

Aeolian Islands

another name for Lipari Islands.

Aeolian mode /iːˈəʊlɪən/

I. noun

[Music] the mode represented by the natural diatonic scale A–A (containing a minor 3rd, 6th, and 7th).

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin Aeolius, ‘from Aeolis’ (an ancient coastal district of Asia Minor) + -an.

Aeolus /ˈiːələs / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. the god of the winds.

– origin from Greek Aiolos, from aiolos ‘swift, changeable’.

aeon /ˈiːən / ‹US technical› eon

I. noun

1. (often aeons) — an indefinite and very long period of time

• he reached the crag aeons before I arrived.

2. [Astronomy] [Geology] a unit of time equal to a thousand million years.

3. [Geology] a major division of geological time, subdivided into eras

• the Precambrian aeon.

4. [Philosophy] (in Neoplatonism, Platonism, and Gnosticism) a power existing from eternity; an emanation or phase of the supreme deity.

– origin mid 17th cent.: via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek aiōn ‘age’.

aepyornis /ˌiːpɪˈɔːnɪs/

I. noun

another term for elephant bird.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek aipus ‘high’ + ornis ‘bird’.

AER

abbreviation

annual equivalence rate, the notional rate of interest on loans or credit payable if the interest was paid and added each year.

aerate /ˈɛːreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. introduce air into (a material)

• aerate the lawn using a garden fork.

II. derivatives

1. aeration /ɛːˈreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. aerator /ˈɛːreɪtə /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin aer ‘air’ + -ate^3, influenced by French aérer.

aerated

adjective

1. (of a liquid) made effervescent by being charged with carbon dioxide or some other gas.

• aerated spring water.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› agitated, angry, or overexcited

• don't get so aerated!

aerenchyma /ɛːˈrɛŋkɪmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] a soft plant tissue containing air spaces, found especially in many aquatic plants.

II. derivatives

aerenchymatous

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek aēr ‘air’ + enkhuma ‘infusion’.

aerial /ˈɛːrɪəl/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a rod, wire, or other structure by which signals are transmitted or received as part of a radio or television transmission or receiving system.

2. ( aerials) — a type of freestyle skiing in which the skier jumps from a ramp and carries out manoeuvres in the air.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. existing, happening, or operating in the air

• an aerial battle

• an intrepid aerial adventurer.

2. coming or carried out from the air, especially using aircraft

• aerial bombardment of civilian targets

• aerial photography.

3. (of a part of a plant) growing above ground.

• a huge banyan tree whose aerial roots hung back down to the ground.

4. (of a bird) spending much of its time in flight.

• the more aerial and terrestrial birds are less dependent on a strictly aquatic habitat.

5. of or in the atmosphere; atmospheric.

III. derivatives

1. aeriality

noun

2. aerially

adverb

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘thin as air, imaginary’): via Latin aerius from Greek aerios (from aēr ‘air’) + -al.

aerialist /ˈɛːrɪəlɪst/

noun

a person who performs acrobatics high above the ground on a tightrope or trapezes.

aerial perspective

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Art] the technique of representing more distant objects as fainter and more blue.

aerial ping-pong

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in ball games) play involving frequent exchanges of long and high kicks

• suddenly the aerial ping-pong turned into a volley of tries.

2. (Austral.) derogatory or humorous term for Australian Rules:

• I still prefer rugby to aerial ping-pong.

aero

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹informal› aeronautical

• an aero club.

2. ‹informal› aerodynamic

• we softened the lines for a more aero look.

– origin early 20th cent. (in sense 1): abbreviation.

aero- /ˈɛːrəʊ/

I. combining form

1. relating to air

• aerobe

• aerobics.

2. relating to aircraft

• aerotowing

• aerodrome.

– origin from Greek aēr ‘air’.

aerobatics /ɛːrəˈbatɪks/

I. plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. loops, rolls, and other feats of spectacular flying performed in one or more aircraft to entertain an audience on the ground.

II. derivatives

aerobatic /ɛːrəˈbatɪk /

adjective

– origin First World War: from aero- + a shortened form of acrobatics.

aerobe /ˈɛːrəʊb/

I. noun

a microorganism which grows in the presence of air or requires oxygen for growth.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in French from Greek aēr + bios ‘life’.

aerobic /ɛːˈrəʊbɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Biology] relating to, involving, or requiring free oxygen

• simple aerobic bacteria.

2. [Biology] relating to or denoting exercise taken to improve the efficiency of the body's cardiovascular system in absorbing and transporting oxygen.

• running is an aerobic activity while weightlifting is not.

II. derivatives

aerobically

adverb

– origin late 19th cent.: from aero- + Greek bios ‘life’ + -ic.

aerobicized /ɛːˈrəʊbɪsʌɪzd / aerobicised

adjective

(of a person's body) toned by aerobic exercise

• a 53-year-old aerobicized divorcee who looks more like a cheerleader than a grandmother.

aerobics /ɛːˈrəʊbɪks/

I. plural noun — [often treated as sing.]

1. vigorous exercises designed to increase cardiovascular efficiency.

II. derivatives

aerobicist

noun

aerobiology

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of airborne microorganisms, pollen, spores, and seeds, especially as agents of infection.

aerobrake /ˈɛːrəʊbreɪk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹technical› cause a spacecraft to slow down by flying through a planet's rarefied atmosphere to produce aerodynamic drag.

• they were going to be aerobraking to reduce speed.

II. noun

a mechanism for aerobraking.

aerodrome /ˈɛːrədrəʊm/

noun

(Brit.) a small airport or airfield.

aerodynamic /ɛərəʊdʌɪˈnamɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to aerodynamics

• aerodynamic forces.

2. of or having a shape which reduces the drag from air moving past

• the plane has a more aerodynamic shape.

II. derivatives

aerodynamically /ˌɛːrəʊdʌɪˈnamɪkli /

adverb

aerodynamics /ˌɛːrə(ʊ)dʌɪˈnamɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of the properties of moving air and the interaction between the air and solid bodies moving through it.

2. [treated as pl.] — the properties of a solid object regarding the manner in which air flows around it.

• the plane has the aerodynamics of a brick once the forward thrust is lost.

II. derivatives

aerodynamicist

noun

aeroelasticity

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the science of the interaction between aerodynamic forces and non-rigid structures.

II. derivatives

aeroelastic

adjective

aero engine /ˈɛːrəʊ ˌɛndʒɪn/

noun

(Brit.) an engine used to power an aircraft.

aerofoil /ˈɛːrəfɔɪl/

noun

(Brit.) a structure with curved surfaces designed to give the most favourable ratio of lift to drag in flight, used as the basic form of the wings, fins, and tailplanes of most aircraft.

aerogel

noun

a solid material of extremely low density, produced by removing the liquid component from a conventional gel.

aerogramme /ˈɛːrəɡram / ‹US› aerogram

noun

another term for air letter.

aerolite /ˈɛːrəlʌɪt/

noun

a meteorite made of stone.

aerology /ɛːˈrɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› the study of the atmosphere.

II. derivatives

aerological

adjective

aeromagnetic /ˌɛːrəʊmaɡˈnɛtɪk/

adjective

relating to or denoting the measurement of the earth's magnetic field using airborne instruments.

aeromedical /ˌɛːrəʊˈmɛdɪkl/

adjective

1. relating to the use of aircraft for medical purposes such as transporting patients to hospital.

2. relating to medical issues associated with air travel.

aeromodelling /ˈɛːrəʊˌmɒd(ə)lɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the hobby of building and flying model aircraft.

II. derivatives

aeromodeller

noun

aeronaut /ˈɛərənɔːt/

I. noun

‹dated› a traveller in a hot-air balloon, airship, or other flying craft.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French aéronaute, from Greek aēr ‘air’ + nautēs ‘sailor’.

aeronautical /ɛːrəˈnɔːtɪk(ə)l / aeronautic

adjective

relating to the science or practice of building or flying aircraft

• he went on to study aeronautical engineering at the Air Force Academy.

aeronautics /ɛːrəˈnɔːtɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the science or practice of building or flying aircraft.

II. derivatives

aeronautic /ɛːrəˈnɔːtɪk /

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from modern Latin aeronautica ‘matters relating to aeronautics’, from Greek (see aeronaut).

aeronomy /ɛːˈrɒnəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the upper atmosphere.

aerophagy /ɛːˈrɒfədʒi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the swallowing of air.

aerophone

noun

[Music] a wind instrument.

aeroplane /ˈɛːrəpleɪn/

I. noun

(Brit.) a powered flying vehicle with fixed wings and a weight greater than that of the air it displaces.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French aéroplane, from aéro- ‘air’ + Greek -planos ‘wandering’.

aeroponics /ˌɛːrə(ʊ)ˈpɒnɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a plant-cultivation technique in which the roots hang suspended in the air while nutrient solution is delivered to them in the form of a fine mist.

II. derivatives

1. aeroponic

adjective

2. aeroponically

adverb

– origin 1950s: blend of aero- and hydroponics.

aeroshell

noun

a casing which protects a spacecraft during re-entry.

aerosol /ˈɛːrəsɒl/

I. noun

1. a substance enclosed under pressure and released as a fine spray by means of a propellant gas.

2. a container holding an aerosol.

3. [Chemistry] a colloidal suspension of particles dispersed in air or gas.

• the organisms are spread in the aerosols generated by showers.

– origin 1920s: from aero- + sol^2.

aerosolize aerosolise

verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. aerosolized)

1. convert into a fine spray or colloidal suspension in air

• the drug is being tested in an aerosolized form.

aerospace /ˈɛːrəspeɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of technology and industry concerned with both aviation and space flight.

aerosphere /ˈɛːrəsfɪə/

noun

‹rare› the body of air surrounding the earth; the atmosphere

• the aerosphere influences both daily and seasonal movements of organisms.

aerostat /ˈɛːrəstat/

I. noun

an airship or hot-air balloon.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French aérostat, from Greek aēr ‘air’ + statos ‘standing’.

aerotowing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the towing of a glider by a powered aircraft to a height suitable for launching.

Aertex /ˈɛːtɛks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a cellular cotton fabric used for leisurewear and underwear.

– origin late 19th cent.: from aer- as in aerate and textile.

Aeschines /ˈiːskɪniːz/

( c. 390– c. 314 BC), Athenian orator and statesman. He opposed Demosthenes' efforts to unite the Greek city states against Macedon, with which he attempted to make peace.

Aeschylus /ˈiːskɪləs/

( c. 525– c. 456 BC), Greek dramatist. Aeschylus is best known for his trilogy the Oresteia (458 BC, consisting of the tragedies Agamemnon, Choephoroe, and Eumenides), which tells the story of Agamemnon's murder at the hands of his wife Clytemnestra and the vengeance of their son Orestes.

Aesculapian /ˌiːskjʊˈleɪpɪən/

I. adjective

‹archaic› relating to medicine or physicians.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin Aesculapius, the name of the Roman god of medicine, + -ian.

Aesculapian snake

noun

a long, slender olive-brown to greyish snake found in Europe and SW Asia. In ancient times it was protected owing to its mythical link with the god of medicine, Aesculapius.
● Elaphe longissima, family Colubridae.

Æsir /ˈiːsə / ‹Scandinavian Mythology›

the Norse gods and goddesses collectively, including Odin, Thor, and Balder.

Aesop /ˈiːsɒp/

(6th century BC), Greek storyteller. The moral animal fables associated with him were probably collected from many sources, and initially communicated orally. Aesop is said to have lived as a slave on the island of Samos.

aesthete /ˈiːsθiːt, ˈɛsθiːt / ‹US› esthete

I. noun

a person who is appreciative of and sensitive to art and beauty.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek aisthētēs ‘a person who perceives’, or from aesthetic, on the pattern of the pair athlete, athletic.

aesthetic /iːsˈθɛtɪk, ɛsˈθɛtɪk / ‹US› esthetic

I. adjective

1. concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty

• the pictures give great aesthetic pleasure.

2. giving or designed to give pleasure through beauty

• the law applies to both functional and aesthetic objects.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a set of principles underlying the work of a particular artist or artistic movement

• the Cubist aesthetic.

– origin late 18th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to perception by the senses’): from Greek aisthētikos, from aisthēta ‘perceptible things’, from aisthesthai ‘perceive’. The sense ‘concerned with beauty’ was coined in German in the mid 18th cent. and adopted into English in the early 19th cent., but its use was controversial until much later in the century.

aesthetically /iːsˈθɛtɪkli, ɛsˈθɛtɪkli/

adverb

1. in a way that gives pleasure through beauty

• the buildings and gardens of the factory have been aesthetically designed and laid out.

2. with regard to beauty

• an aesthetically pleasing landscape

• his naive use of rhyme makes his poetry sound aesthetically amateurish.

aesthetician /iːsθəˈtɪʃ(ə)n, ɛsθəˈtɪʃ(ə)n / ‹US› esthetician

noun

1. a person who is knowledgeable about aesthetics.

2. (N. Amer.) a beautician.

aestheticism /iːsˈθɛtɪsɪz(ə)m, ɛsˈθɛtɪsɪz(ə)m / ‹US› estheticism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an approach to art exemplified by the Aesthetic Movement.

aestheticize /iːsˈθɛtɪsaɪz / ‹US› estheticize

verb — [with obj.]

1. represent as beautiful or artistically pleasing.

• the director relentlessly aestheticizes the world of his fathers.

Aesthetic Movement

a literary and artistic movement which flourished in England in the 1880s, devoted to ‘art for art's sake’ and rejecting the notion that art should have a social or moral purpose. Its chief exponents included Oscar Wilde, Max Beerbohm, Aubrey Beardsley, and others associated with the journal the Yellow Book.

aesthetics /iːsˈθɛtɪks, ɛsˈθɛtɪks / ‹US› esthetics

plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty.

2. the branch of philosophy which deals with questions of beauty and artistic taste.

aestival /ˈiːstɪv(ə)l, iːˈstʌɪv(ə)l, ˈɛstɪv(ə)l, ɛˈstʌɪv(ə)l / ‹US› estival

I. adjective

‹technical› belonging to or appearing in summer.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin aestivalis, from aestivus, from aestus ‘heat’.

aestivate /ˈiːstɪveɪt, ˈɛstɪveɪt / ‹US› estivate

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [Zoology] (of an insect, fish, or amphibian) spend a hot or dry period in a prolonged state of torpor or dormancy.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘pass the summer’): from Latin aestivat-, from aestivare ‘spend the summer’, from aestus ‘heat’.

aestivation /ˌiːstɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n, ˌɛstɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n / ‹US› estivation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] prolonged torpor or dormancy of an insect, fish, or amphibian during a hot or dry period.

2. [Botany] the arrangement of petals and sepals in a flower bud before it opens.
Compare with vernation.

aet. aetat.

I. abbreviation

‹formal› of or at the age of; aged

• Mary Freemantle died 19 May 1746 aet. 77.

– origin abbreviation of Latin aetatis, genitive singular of aetas ‘age’.

a.e.t.

abbreviation

after extra time (in a soccer match).

aetiology /ˌiːtɪˈɒlədʒi / ‹US› etiology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the cause, set of causes, or manner of causation of a disease or condition.

• the importance of sunlight in the aetiology of melanoma.

• [ count noun] a group of distinct diseases with different aetiologies.

2. the causation of diseases and disorders as a subject of investigation.

3. the investigation or attribution of the cause or reason for something, often expressed in terms of historical or mythical explanation.

II. derivatives

1. aetiologic

adjective

2. aetiological /ˌiːtɪəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

3. aetiologically

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: via medieval Latin from Greek aitiologia, from aitia ‘a cause’ + -logia (see -logy).

AF

abbreviation

1. audio frequency.

2. autofocus.

af-

prefix

variant spelling of ad- assimilated before f (as in affiliate, affirm).

AFAIC

abbreviation

as far as I'm concerned

• AFAIC, you're entitled to your opinion like everyone else

• he can do no wrong, AFAIC.

AFAIK

abbreviation

as far as I know

• none of his stories have been filmed, AFAIK.

afar /əˈfɑː/

I. adverb

‹literary› at or to a distance

• for months he had loved her from afar.

– origin Middle English of feor ‘from far’.

Afar /ˈɑːfɑː/

I. noun

1. a member of a people living in Djibouti and NE Ethiopia.
Also called Danakil.

2. [ mass noun] — the Cushitic language of the Afar, with about 700,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Afar or their language.

– origin from Afar qafar.

afara /əˈfɑːrə/

I. noun

a tall West African hardwood tree with a characteristic shape resembling a pagoda. Also called limba.
● Terminalia superba, family Combretaceae.

– origin 1920s: from Yoruba.

Afars and Issas, French Territory of the /ˈɑːfɑːz, ˈiːsɑːz/

former name (1946–77) for the Republic of Djibouti.

AFC

abbreviation

1. (in the UK) Air Force Cross, awarded for bravery while flying but not in active service against an enemy.

2. (in the UK) Association Football Club.

3. automatic frequency control, a system in radios and television which keeps them tuned to an incoming signal.

AFDC

abbreviation

(in the US) Aid to Families with Dependent Children, a welfare benefit paid by the federal government.

afeared /əˈfɪəd / afeard

I. adjective

‹archaic› ‹dialect› afraid.

– origin Old English, from āfǣran ‘frighten’, from ā- (expressing intensity) + fǣran (see fear); used commonly by Shakespeare, but rarely after 1700 in written form.

afebrile /eɪˈfiːbrʌɪl/

I. adjective

[Medicine] not feverish.

– origin late 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘not’ + febrile.

affability /ˌafəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being affable; geniality

• an air of benign affability.

affable /ˈafəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to

• an affable and agreeable companion.

II. derivatives

affably /ˈafəbli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin affabilis, from the verb affari, from ad- ‘to’ + fari ‘speak’.

affair /əˈfɛː/

I. noun

1. an event or sequence of events of a specified kind or that has previously been referred to

• the board admitted responsibility for the affair

• I wanted the funeral to be a family affair.

2. a matter that is a particular person's concern or responsibility

• what you do in your spare time is your affair.

3. ( affairs) — matters of public interest and importance

• commissions were created to advise on foreign affairs.

4. ( affairs) — business and financial dealings

• his time was spent in winding up his affairs.

5. a love affair

• his wife is having an affair.

6. [with adj.] — ‹informal› an object of a particular type

• her dress was a black low-cut affair.

II. phrases

put one's affairs in order

ensure that one's financial and legal arrangements are properly organized, especially in preparation for one's death

• before he died he put his affairs in order and updated his will.

– origin Middle English: from Old French afaire, from à faire ‘to do’; compare with ado.

affaire /aˈfɛː / affaire de, du cœur /də ˈkəː, djuː ˈkəː/

I. noun

a love affair.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, literally ‘affair (of the heart)’.

affairé /aˈfɛːreɪ, French afeʀe/

I. adjective

busy; involved.

– origin French, from affaire, from à ‘to’ + faire ‘do’.

affect^1 /əˈfɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. have an effect on; make a difference to

• the dampness began to affect my health

• [with clause] your attitude will affect how successful you are.

2. touch the feelings of; move emotionally

• he was visibly affected by the tragedy.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘attack as a disease’): from French affecter or Latin affect- ‘influenced, affected’, from the verb afficere (see affect^2). / usage: Affect and effect are quite different in meaning, though frequently confused. Affect is primarily a verb meaning ‘make a difference to’, as in their gender need not affect their career. Effect, on the other hand, is used both as a noun and a verb, meaning ‘a result’ as a noun ( move the cursor until you get the effect you want) or ‘bring about a result’ as a verb ( growth in the economy can only be effected by stringent economic controls).

affect^2 /əˈfɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pretend to have or feel (something)

• as usual I affected a supreme unconcern

• [with infinitive] a book that affects to loathe the modern world.

2. use, wear, or assume (something) pretentiously or so as to make an impression on others

• an Anglophile who had affected a British accent.

– origin late Middle English: from French affecter or Latin affectare ‘aim at’, frequentative of afficere ‘work on, influence’, from ad- ‘at, to’ + facere ‘do’. The original sense was ‘like, love’, hence ‘(like to) use, assume, etc.’.

affect^3 /ˈafɛkt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychology] emotion or desire as influencing behaviour.

II. derivatives

1. affectless

adjective

2. affectlessness

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from Latin affectus ‘disposition’, from afficere ‘to influence’ (see affect^2).

affectation /afɛkˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. behaviour, speech, or writing that is pretentious and designed to impress

• the affectation of a man who measures every word for effect

• [ count noun] she called the room her boudoir, which he thought an affectation.

2. [ count noun] — a studied display of real or pretended feeling

• an affectation of calm.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin affectatio(n-), from the verb affectare (see affect^2).

affected /əˈfɛktɪd/

I. adjective

1. influenced or touched by an external factor

• affected areas.

2. pretentious and designed to impress

• the gesture appeared both affected and stagy.

3. [ predic.] — ‹archaic› disposed or inclined in a specified way

• you might become differently affected towards him.

II. derivatives

affectedly /əˈfɛktɪdli /

adverb

affectedness /əˈfɛktədnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the character or quality of being affected or pretentious

• her lack of affectedness.

affecting /əˈfɛktɪŋ/

I. adjective

touching the emotions; moving

• a highly affecting account of her experiences in prison.

II. derivatives

affectingly /əˈfɛktɪŋli /

adverb

affection /əˈfɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a gentle feeling of fondness or liking

• she felt affection for the wise old lady

• [ count noun] he won a place in her affections.

2. ‹archaic› the action or process of affecting or being affected.

3. [ count noun] — a condition or disease

• an affection of the skin.

4. [ count noun] — a mental state; an emotion.

II. derivatives

affectional /əˈfɛkʃ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin affectio(n-), from afficere ‘to influence’ (see affect^2).

affectionate /əˈfɛkʃ(ə)nət/

I. adjective

1. readily feeling or showing fondness or tenderness

• his affectionate nature.

2. expressing fondness

• an affectionate kiss.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘disposed, inclined towards’): from French affectionné ‘beloved’ or medieval Latin affectionatus ‘devoted’, from affectio(n-), from afficere ‘to influence’ (see affect^2).

affectionately /əˈfɛkʃənətli/

adverb

in a way that displays fondness or tenderness

• Tammy embraced the girl and kissed the top of her head affectionately.

affective /əˈfɛktɪv/

I. adjective

1. [Psychology] relating to moods, feelings, and attitudes.

2. [Psychology] denoting or relating to mental disorders in which disturbance of mood is the primary symptom.

II. derivatives

1. affectively

adverb

2. affectivity /afɛkˈtɪvɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English: via French from late Latin affectivus, from afficere (see affect^2).

affective disorder

noun

another term for mood disorder.

Affenpinscher /ˈafənˌpɪnʃə/

I. noun

a dog of a small breed resembling the griffon.

– origin German, from Affe ‘monkey’ + Pinscher ‘terrier’.

afferent /ˈaf(ə)r(ə)nt/

I. adjective

[Physiology] conducting or conducted inwards or towards something (for nerves, the central nervous system; for blood vessels, the organ supplied).
The opposite of efferent.

II. noun

an afferent nerve fibre or vessel.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin afferent- ‘bringing towards’, from the verb afferre, from ad- ‘to’ + ferre ‘bring’.

affiance /əˈfʌɪəns/

I. verb — ( be affianced)

1. ‹literary› be engaged to marry

• Edward was affianced to Lady Eleanor Butler

• (as adj. affianced) an affianced couple.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French afiancer, from afier ‘promise, entrust’, from medieval Latin affidare ‘declare on oath’, from ad- ‘towards’ + fides ‘trust’.

affiant /əˈfʌɪənt/

I. noun

[US Law] a person who makes an affidavit.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, present participle of afier, from medieval Latin affidare ‘declare on oath’ (see affiance).

affidavit /ˌafɪˈdeɪvɪt/

I. noun

[Law] a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, for use as evidence in court.

• a former employee swore an affidavit relating to his claim for unfair dismissal.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin, literally ‘he has stated on oath’, from affidare.

affiliate

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. be affiliated to/with) affiliate /əˈfɪlɪeɪt /

1. officially attach or connect (a subsidiary group or a person) to an organization

• they are national associations affiliated to larger organizations.

2. (of an organization) admit as a member

• the main party agreed to affiliate four Conservative associations.

3. [no obj.] — officially join or become attached to an organization

• almost all students affiliate to the Students' Union.

II. noun — affiliate /əˈfɪlɪət /

1. a person or organization officially attached to a larger body.

• the firm established links with American affiliates.

III. derivatives

affiliative

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from medieval Latin affiliat- ‘adopted as a son’, from the verb affiliare, from ad- ‘towards’ + filius ‘son’.

affiliated /əˈfɪlɪeɪtɪd/

adjective

(of a subsidiary group or a person) officially attached or connected to an organization

• affiliated union members

• Microsoft and its affiliated companies.

affiliate marketing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a marketing arrangement by which an online retailer pays commission to an external website for traffic or sales generated from its referrals

• most of my earnings are from affiliate marketing, direct ad sales, and sponsored posts.

affiliation /əfɪlɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or process of affiliating or being affiliated

• the group has no affiliation to any preservation society

• [ count noun] his political affiliations.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin affiliatio(n-), from the verb affiliare (see affiliate).

affiliation order

noun

[English Law] ‹historical› a legal order that the man judged to be the father of an illegitimate child must help to support it.

affinal /əˈfʌɪn(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Anthropology] concerning or having a family relationship by marriage.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin affinis ‘related’ (see affinity) + -al.

affine /əˈfʌɪn/

I. adjective

[Mathematics] allowing for or preserving parallel relationships.

II. noun

[Anthropology] a relative by marriage.

– origin early 16th cent. (as a noun): from Old French afin or Latin affinis ‘related’ (see affinity). The mathematical sense dates from the early 20th cent.

affined /əˈfʌɪnd/

I. adjective

‹archaic› related or connected.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin affinis ‘related’ (see affinity) + -ed^1.

affinity /əˈfɪnɪti/

I. noun

1. a natural liking for and understanding of someone or something

• he had a special affinity with horses.

2. a similarity of characteristics suggesting a relationship, especially a resemblance in structure between animals, plants, or languages

• a semantic affinity between two words.

3. [ mass noun] — relationship, especially by marriage as opposed to blood ties.

• the distinction between kinship and affinity is not always clear-cut.

4. [chiefly Biochemistry] the degree to which a substance tends to combine with another.

• the bacterial proteins bind to these molecules with high affinity.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘relationship by marriage’): via Old French from Latin affinitas, from affinis ‘related’ (literally ‘bordering on’), from ad- ‘to’ + finis ‘border’.

affinity card

noun

a cheque card or credit card for which the bank donates a portion of the money spent using the card to a specific charity or other organization.

affinity group

noun

(chiefly US) a group of people linked by a common interest or purpose.

• feminist and lesbian affinity groups.

affirm /əˈfəːm/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — state emphatically or publicly
[with obj.]

• he affirmed the country's commitment to peace

• [with clause] they affirmed that policies were to be judged by their contribution to social justice.

2. [with obj.] — declare one's support for; uphold; defend

• the referendum affirmed the republic's right to secede.

3. [with obj.] — [Law] accept or confirm the validity of (a judgement or agreement); ratify.

• the Court of Appeal affirmed a decision of the High Court.

4. [no obj.] — [Law] make a formal declaration rather than taking an oath.

• he refused to take the oath but chose simply to affirm on being admitted to the Privy Council.

5. [with obj.] — offer (someone) emotional support or encouragement

• there are five common ways parents fail to affirm their children

• good teachers know that students need to be both affirmed and challenged.

6. give (life) a heightened sense of value, typically through the experience of something emotionally or spiritually uplifting

• it is a rich and challenging motion picture that both affirms life and emphasizes its fragility.

II. derivatives

1. affirmatory /əˈfəːmət(ə)ri /

adjective

2. affirmer

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘make firm’): via Old French from Latin affirmare, from ad- ‘to’ + firmus ‘strong’.

affirmation /afəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of affirming something

• he nodded in affirmation

• [ count noun] an affirmation of basic human values.

2. [ count noun] — [Law] a formal declaration by a person who declines to take an oath.

3. emotional support or encouragement

• the lack of one or both parents' affirmation leaves some children emotionally crippled.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin affirmatio(n-), from the verb affirmare (see affirm).

affirmative /əˈfəːmətɪv/

I. adjective

1. agreeing with or consenting to a statement or request

• an affirmative answer.

2. [Grammar] [Logic] stating that a fact is so; making an assertion

• affirmative sentences.

Contrasted with negative and interrogative.

3. (of a vote) expressing approval or agreement.

4. relating to or denoting proposed legislation which must receive a parliamentary vote in its favour before it can come into force.

• regulations under the Bill would be subject to the affirmative procedure.

5. offering emotional support

• the family is usually a source of encouragement from which affirmative influences come.

II. noun

1. a statement of agreement with or consent to an assertion or request

• he accepted her reply as an affirmative.

2. [Grammar] a word used in making assertions or to express consent.

3. [Logic] a statement asserting that something is true of the subject of a proposition.

4. ( the affirmative) — a position of agreement or confirmation

• his answer veered towards the affirmative.

III. exclamation

(chiefly N. Amer.) expressing agreement with or consent to a statement or request; yes.

IV. phrases

in the affirmative

so as to accept or agree to a statement or request

• he answered the question in the affirmative.

V. derivatives

affirmatively /əˈfəːmətɪvli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘assertive, positive’): via Old French from late Latin affirmativus, from affirmare ‘assert’ (see affirm).

affirmative action

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) action favouring those who tend to suffer from discrimination; positive discrimination.

affix

I. verb — [with obj.] affix /əˈfɪks /

1. stick, attach, or fasten (something) to something else

• panels to which he affixes copies of fine old prints.

2. [no obj.] — be able to be fixed

• the strings affix to the back of the bridge.

II. noun — affix /ˈafɪks /

1. [Grammar] an addition to the base form or stem of a word in order to modify its meaning or create a new word.
Compare with prefix, suffix, infix.

III. derivatives

affixation

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French affixer or medieval Latin affixare, frequentative of Latin affigere, from ad- ‘to’ + figere ‘to fix’.

afflatus /əˈfleɪtəs/

I. noun

‹formal› a divine creative impulse or inspiration.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, from the verb afflare, from ad- ‘to’ + flare ‘to blow’.

afflict /əˈflɪkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a problem or illness) cause pain or trouble to; affect adversely

• his younger child was afflicted with a skin disease

• serious ills afflict the industry

• (as plural noun the afflicted) he comforted the afflicted.

2. [Astrology] (of a celestial body) be in a stressful aspect with (another celestial body or a point on the ecliptic)

• Jupiter is afflicted by Mars in opposition.

II. derivatives

afflictive /əˈflɪktɪv /

adjective

‹archaic›

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘deject, humiliate’): from Latin afflictare ‘knock about, harass’, or from afflict- ‘knocked down, weakened’: both from the verb affligere, from ad- ‘to’ + fligere ‘to strike, dash’.

affliction /əˈflɪkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a cause of pain or harm

• a crippling affliction of the nervous system.

2. [ mass noun] — the state of being in pain

• poor people in great affliction.

3. [Astrology] an instance of one celestial body afflicting another.

– origin Middle English (originally in the sense ‘infliction of pain or humiliation’, specifically ‘religious self-mortification’): via Old French from Latin afflictio(n-), from the verb affligere (see afflict).

affluence /ˈaflʊəns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of having a great deal of money; wealth

• a sign of our growing affluence.

affluent /ˈaflʊənt/

I. adjective

1. (especially of a group or area) having a great deal of money; wealthy

• the affluent societies of the western world.

2. ‹archaic› (of water) flowing freely or in great quantity.

II. noun

‹archaic› a tributary stream.

III. derivatives

affluently

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2 of the adjective): via Old French from Latin affluent- ‘flowing towards, flowing freely’, from the verb affluere, from ad- ‘to’ + fluere ‘to flow’.

affluential /ˌaflʊˈɛnʃ(ə)l / ‹informal›

I. adjective

rich and socially influential

• the daughter of an affluential businessman.

II. noun

a rich and socially influential person.

• the area is fast becoming a haven for the nation's young, high-flying affluentials.

– origin mid 19th cent.: blend of affluent and influential.

affluenza /ˈafluːˈɛnzə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a psychological malaise supposedly affecting young wealthy people, symptoms of which include a lack of motivation, feelings of guilt, and a sense of isolation.

– origin 1970s: blend of affluent and influenza.

afflux /ˈaflʌks/

I. noun

‹archaic› a flow of something, especially water or air.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin affluxus, from affluere ‘flow freely’ (see affluent).

affogato /afəˈɡɑːtəʊ/

I. noun

an Italian dessert consisting of vanilla ice cream topped with a shot of espresso coffee.

• the affogato was to die for, with the bitter espresso perfectly complementing the sweet ice cream.

– origin Italian, literally ‘drowned’, past participle of affogare ‘to drown’.

afforce

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› reinforce (a body of people) with new members.

• research teams were sometimes afforced by temporary staff.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘to force’): from Old French aforcier, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + force (from Latin fortis ‘strong’).

afford /əˈfɔːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ( can/could afford) — have enough money to pay for

• the best that I could afford was a first-floor room

• [with infinitive] we could never have afforded to heat the place.

2. have (a resource such as money or time) available or to spare

• it was taking up more time than he could afford.

3. [with infinitive] — be able to do something without risk of adverse consequences

• only aristocrats could afford to stoop to such practices.

4. provide or supply (an opportunity or facility)

• the rooftop terrace affords beautiful views

• [with two objs] they were afforded the luxury of bed and breakfast.

– origin late Old English geforthian, from ge- (prefix implying completeness) + forthian ‘to further’, from forth. The original sense was ‘promote, perform, accomplish’, later ‘manage, be in a position to do’.

affordability /əfɔːdəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ability to be afforded; inexpensiveness

• the rapid spread and increasing affordability of wireless communication.

2. the cost or price of something

• they arrived at their conclusion by comparing the affordability of houses with average historical levels

• the reforms under discussion would have a negligible impact on housing affordability.

affordable /əˈfɔːdəbəl/

I. adjective

inexpensive; reasonably priced

• affordable homes.

II. derivatives

affordably

adverb

[as submodifier]

• affordably priced hotel rooms

afforest /əˈfɒrɪst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (land) into forest, especially for commercial exploitation.

• a grant paid to farmers who afforest agricultural land.

2. (Brit.) ‹historical› bring (woodland) under the jurisdiction of forest law for the purpose of hunting.

• a great part of the county had been afforested by Henry I.

II. derivatives

afforestation /əfɒrɪˈsteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from medieval Latin afforestare, from ad- ‘to’ (expressing change) + foresta ‘forest’.

affranchise /əˈfran(t)ʃʌɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› release from servitude.

• every slave, after fifteen years, should be affranchised.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French afranchiss-, lengthened stem of afranchir, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + franc ‘free’.

affray /əˈfreɪ/

I. noun

[Law] ‹dated› an instance of group fighting in a public place that disturbs the peace

• Lowe was charged with causing an affray

• [ mass noun] a person guilty of affray.

– origin Middle English (in the general sense ‘disturbance, fray’): from Anglo-Norman French afrayer ‘disturb, startle’, based on an element of Germanic origin related to Old English frithu ‘peace, safety’ (compare with German Friede ‘peace’).

affricate /ˈafrɪkət/

I. noun

[Phonetics] a phoneme which combines a plosive with an immediately following fricative or spirant sharing the same place of articulation, e.g. ch as in chair and j as in jar.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin affricatus, past participle of affricare, from ad- ‘to’ + fricare ‘to rub’.

affright /əˈfrʌɪt / ‹archaic›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. frighten (someone)

• ghosts could never affright her.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. fright

• the deer gazed at us in affright.

– origin late Middle English: in early use from āfyrhted ‘frightened’ in Old English; later by vague form association with fright.

affront /əˈfrʌnt/

I. noun

an action or remark that causes outrage or offence

• he took his son's desertion as a personal affront

• the sackings were an affront to justice.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. offend the modesty or values of

• she was affronted by his familiarity.

– origin Middle English (as a verb): from Old French afronter ‘to slap in the face, insult’, based on Latin ad frontem ‘to the face’.

affronté /əˈfrʌnti / affronty

I. adjective — [ predic. or postpositive]

1. [Heraldry] (of an animal's head) facing the observer.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as affronty): French, past participle of affronter ‘to face’.

AFG

abbreviation

Afghanistan (international vehicle registration).

Afghan /ˈafɡan/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Afghanistan, or a person of Afghan descent.

2. another term for Pashto.

3. ( afghan) — a woollen blanket or shawl, typically one knitted or crocheted in strips or squares.

4. short for Afghan coat or Afghan hound.

II. adjective

relating to Afghanistan, its people, or their language.

– origin from Pashto afghānī.

Afghan coat

noun

(Brit.) a kind of sheepskin coat with the skin outside, typically having a shaggy border.

Afghan hound /afɡanˈhaʊnd/

noun

a tall hunting dog of a breed with long silky hair.

afghani /afˈɡɑːni/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Afghanistan, equal to 100 puls.

– origin from Pashto afghānī.

Afghanistan /afˈɡanɪstɑːn, afˈɡanɪstan/

I. a mountainous landlocked republic in central Asia; pop. 28,395,700 (est. 2009); official languages, Pashto and Dari (the local form of Persian); capital, Kabul.

Part of the Indian Mogul empire, Afghanistan became independent in the mid 18th century, and in the 19th and early 20th centuries was a focal point for conflicting Russian and British interests on the North-West Frontier. Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union in 1979; after Soviet forces withdrew in 1988–9 the country was thrown into turmoil with various Islamic groups struggling for power. In 1996 the Taliban gained control of Kabul and set up an Islamic state: this was overthrown in 2001 by US-led forces in conjunction with Afghan groups following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 11 September 2001. A new government was formed, but instability continued in many areas of the country.

aficionado /əˌfɪsjəˈnɑːdəʊ, əˌfɪʃ(j)əˈnɑːdəʊ/

I. noun

a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime

• a crossword aficionado.

– origin mid 19th cent. (denoting a devotee of bullfighting): from Spanish, ‘amateur’, past participle of aficioner ‘become fond of’ used as a noun, based on Latin affectio(n-) ‘(favourable) disposition towards’ (see affection).

afield /əˈfiːld/

I. adverb

1. to or at a distance

• competitors from as far afield as Aberdeen.

2. in the field (in reference to hunting)

• the satisfaction of a day afield.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from a-2 ‘on, in’ + field.

afikoman /afɪˈkəʊmən / afikomen

I. noun

[Judaism] a piece broken off from a matzo during the Seder and put aside to be eaten at the end of the meal. It is traditionally hidden to be searched for by the children present

• her little grandchildren will search the house looking for the afikoman.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Hebrew ăp̄īqōmān, probably from Byzantine Greek epikōmion ‘a revel’.

afire /əˈfʌɪə/

adverb, adjective

‹literary› on fire; burning
[as predic. adj.]

• the whole mill was afire.

AFK

abbreviation

‹informal› away from (the) keyboard

• I'll generally be AFK, though I plan on hitting an Internet cafe on Thursday.

AFL

abbreviation

Australian Football League.

aflame /əˈfleɪm/

adverb, adjective

in flames; burning
[as adv.]

• pour brandy over the steaks and then set aflame.

aflatoxin /ˌafləˈtɒksɪn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] any of a class of toxic compounds produced by certain moulds found in food, which can cause liver damage and cancer.
●These are produced by fungi of the Aspergillus flavus group, subdivision Deuteromycotina.

– origin 1960s: from elements of the modern Latin taxonomic name Aspergillus flavus + toxin.

AFL-CIO /eɪɛfɛlsiːʌɪˈəʊ/

abbreviation

American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.

afloat /əˈfləʊt/

I. adjective, adverb

1. floating in water; not sinking
[as adv.]

• they trod water to keep afloat

• [as predic. adj.] the canoes were still afloat.

2. on board a ship or boat
[as predic. adj.]

• he hopes to find a second-hand craft and be afloat by the end of the month.

3. out of debt or difficulty
[as adv.]

• professional management will be needed to keep firms afloat.

4. in general circulation; current
[as adv.]

• there are various rumours afloat connected with his disappearance.

– origin Old English on flote (see a-2, float), influenced in Middle English by Old Norse á flot(i) and Old French en flot.

aflood

adjective

flooded or submerged

• a market aflood with dumped food.

aflutter /əˈflʌtə/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. in a state of tremulous excitement

• he has the physique that could send a thousand female hearts aflutter.

AFM

abbreviation

(in the UK) Air Force Medal, awarded for bravery.

AFN

abbreviation

Afghan afghani(s).

afoot /əˈfʊt/

adverb, adjective

1. in preparation or progress; happening or beginning to happen
[as predic. adj.]

• plans are afoot for a festival.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) on foot
[as adv.]

• they were forced to go afoot.

afore /əˈfɔː/

I. preposition

‹archaic› ‹dialect› before

• he died the day afore yesterday.

– origin Old English onforan (see a-2, fore).

afore- /əˈfɔː/

prefix

before; previously.

aforementioned /əfɔːˈmɛnʃənd/

adjective

denoting a thing or person previously mentioned

• songs from the aforementioned album.

aforenamed /əˈfɔːneɪmd/

adjective

denoting a thing or person previously mentioned

• the aforenamed offences carry maximum penalties of 10 years' imprisonment.

aforesaid /əˈfɔːsɛd/

adjective

another term for aforementioned.

a fortiori /ˌeɪ fɔːtɪˈɔːrʌɪ, ˌɑː fɔːtɪˈɔːriː/

I. adverb, adjective

used to express a conclusion for which there is stronger evidence than for a previously accepted one
[as adv.]

• they reject all absolute ideas of justice, and a fortiori the natural-law position.

– origin early 17th cent.: Latin, from a fortiori argumento ‘from stronger argument’.

afoul /əˈfaʊl/

I. adverb

(N. Amer.) into conflict or difficulty with.

II. phrases

1. fall afoul of

see fall foul of.

2. run afoul of

see run foul of.

afraid /əˈfreɪd/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. feeling fear or anxiety; frightened

• I'm afraid of dogs

• she tried to think about the future without feeling afraid.

2. worried that something undesirable will occur or be done

• she was afraid that he would be angry.

3. [with infinitive] — unwilling or reluctant to do something for fear of the consequences

• I'm often afraid to go out on the streets.

4. ( afraid for) — anxious about the well-being or safety of

• William was suddenly afraid for her.

II. phrases

I'm afraid

[with clause] — used to express polite or formal apology or regret

• I'm afraid I don't understand.

– origin Middle English: past participle of the obsolete verb affray, from Anglo-Norman French afrayer (see affray).

A-frame

noun

1. a frame shaped like a capital letter A.

2. (N. Amer.) a house built around a timber A-frame.

afreet /ˈafriːt / afrit

I. noun

(in Arabian and Muslim mythology) a powerful jinn or demon.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Arabic ‘ifrīt.

afresh /əˈfrɛʃ/

adverb

in a new or different way

• she left the job to start afresh.

Africa /ˈafrɪkə/

the second-largest continent, a southward projection of the Old World land mass divided roughly in two by the equator and surrounded by sea except where the Isthmus of Suez joins it to Asia.

African /ˈafrɪk(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a person from Africa, especially a black person.

2. a person of black African descent.

II. adjective

relating to Africa or people of African descent.

– origin from Latin Africanus, from Africa (terra) ‘(land) of the Afri’, an ancient people of North Africa.

Africana /ˌafrɪˈkɑːnə/

plural noun

books, artefacts, and other collectors' items connected with Africa, especially southern Africa.

African American ‹chiefly US›

I. noun

a black American.

II. adjective

relating to black Americans.

usage: See usage at black.

African daisy

noun

a plant of the daisy family, cultivated for its bright flowers.
● Dimorphotheca and other genera, family Compositae.

African elephant

noun

the elephant native to Africa, which is larger than the Indian elephant and has larger ears and a two-lipped trunk.
● Loxodonta africana, family Elephantidae.

African horse sickness

noun

a notifiable viral disease of horses, which is usually fatal. It is transmitted by biting insects and occurs chiefly in Africa, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.

Africanism /ˈafrɪkənɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a feature of language or culture regarded as characteristically African.

2. [ mass noun] — the belief that black Africans and their culture should predominate in Africa.

• some proclaim a policy of non-racialism, others a more racially exclusive one of Africanism.

II. derivatives

Africanist /ˈafrɪkənɪst /

noun, adjective

Africanize /ˈafrɪk(ə)nʌɪz / Africanise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make African in character
(as adj. Africanized)

• an Africanized form of Cajun music.

2. (in Africa) restructure (an organization) by replacing white employees with black Africans.

• we recognize the need to Africanize the civil service in preparation for independence.

3. (usu. as adj. Africanized) — hybridize (honeybees of European stock) with bees of African stock, producing an aggressive strain.

II. derivatives

Africanization /afrɪk(ə)nʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

African lynx

noun

another term for caracal.

African National Congress ANC

a South African political party and black nationalist organization. Having been banned by the South African government 1960–90, the ANC was victorious in the country's first democratic elections in 1994 and its leader Nelson Mandela became the country's President.

African Union

an association of African states formed in 2002 from the Organization of African Unity.

African violet

noun

a small East African plant with heart-shaped velvety leaves and violet, pink, or white flowers.
●Genus Saintpaulia, family Gesneriaceae: several species, in particular S. ionantha, a popular houseplant.

Afrikaans /ˌafrɪˈkɑːns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a language of southern Africa, derived from the form of Dutch brought to the Cape by Protestant settlers in the 17th century. It is an official language of South Africa, spoken by around 6 million people as their first language.

II. adjective

relating to the Afrikaner people, their way of life, or their language.

– origin the name in Afrikaans, from Dutch, literally ‘African’.

Afrika Korps /ˈafrɪkə ˌkɔː/

a German army force sent to North Africa in 1941 under General Rommel.

Afrikander /ˌafrɪˈkɑːndə / Africander

I. noun

an animal of a South African breed of sheep or longhorn cattle.

– origin early 19th cent. (an early form of Afrikaner, having the same senses): via Afrikaans from South African Dutch.

Afrikaner /ˌafrɪˈkɑːnə/

I. noun

1. an Afrikaans-speaking white person in South Africa, especially one descended from the Dutch and Huguenot settlers of the 17th century.

2. (S. African) a gladiolus native to southern Africa.
● Gladiolus and related genera, family Iridaceae.

II. derivatives

Afrikanerdom

noun

– origin Afrikaans, from South African Dutch Africander, from Dutch Afrikaan ‘an African’ + the personal suffix -der, on the pattern of Hollander ‘Dutchman’.

Afrikanerbond /ˌafrɪˈkɑːnəbɒnd, ˌafrɪˈkɑːnəbɒnt/

a society in South Africa promoting the interests of Afrikaners.

Afrikaner Broederbond

I. former name for Afrikanerbond.

– origin Afrikaans, from broeder ‘brother’ + bond ‘league’.

Afro /ˈafrəʊ/

I. noun

a hairstyle consisting of a mass of very tight curls that stick out all round the head, like the natural hair of some black people.

– origin 1930s: independent usage of Afro-, or an abbreviation of African.

Afro- /ˈafrəʊ/

I. combining form

1. African; African and …

• Afro-Asiatic

• Afro-Belizean.

2. relating to Africa

• Afrocentric.

– origin from Latin Afer, Afr- ‘African’.

Afro-American /afrəʊəˈmɛrɪk(ə)n / ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

adjective, noun

another term for African American.

Afro-Asiatic

adjective

relating to or denoting a family of languages spoken in the Middle East and North Africa. They can be divided into five groups: Semitic, Omotic, Berber, Cushitic, and Chadic. Ancient Egyptian was also a member of this family.
Also called Hamito-Semitic.

Afrobeat

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of popular music incorporating elements of African music and jazz, soul, and funk.

Afro-Caribbean /ˌafrəʊkarɪˈbiːən, ˌafrəʊkəˈrɪbɪən/

I. noun

a person of African descent living in or coming from the Caribbean.

II. adjective

relating to Afro-Caribbeans.

Afrocentric

I. adjective

regarding African or black culture as pre-eminent.

II. derivatives

1. Afrocentrism

noun

2. Afrocentrist

noun

afrormosia /ˌafrɔːˈməʊzɪə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the valuable timber of a tropical tree, resembling teak and used for furniture.

2. the tree that yields afrormosia timber, occurring mainly in West Africa.
●Genus Pericopsis (formerly Afrormosia), family Leguminosae: several species, especially P. elata and P. laxiflora.

– origin 1920s: modern Latin, from Afro- + the related genus name Ormosia, formed irregularly from Greek hormos ‘necklace’ (because necklaces were strung with the seeds).

Afrotropical

adjective

another term for Ethiopian (sense 2 of the adjective).

aft /ɑːft/

I. adverb, adjective

at, near, or towards the stern of a ship or tail of an aircraft
[as adv.]

• Travis made his way aft

• [as adj.] the aft cargo compartment.

– origin early 17th cent.: probably from obsolete baft (see abaft), influenced by Low German and Dutch achter ‘abaft, after’.

after /ˈɑːftə/

I. preposition

1. in the time following (an event or another period of time)

• shortly after their marriage they moved to Colorado

• after a while he returned

• he'd gone out with his secretary for an after-work drink.

2. in phrases indicating something happening continuously or repeatedly

• day after day we kept studying.

3. (N. Amer.) past (used in specifying a time)

• I strolled in about ten minutes after two.

4. during the time following the departure or action of

• she cooks for him and cleans up after him.

5. behind

• she went out, shutting the door after her.

6. (with reference to looking or speaking) in the direction of someone who is moving further away

• she stared after him.

7. in pursuit or quest of

• chasing after something you can't have.

8. next to and following in order or importance

• in their order of priorities health comes after housing.

9. in allusion to (someone or something with the same or a related name)

• they named her Pauline, after Barbara's mother.

10. in imitation of

• a drawing after Millet's The Reapers.

II. conjunction, adverb

during the period of time following (an event)
[as conjunction]

• bath-time ended in a flood after the taps were left running

• [as adv.] Duke Frederick died soon after.

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹archaic› later

• he was sorry in after years.

2. nearer the stern of a ship

• the after cabin.

IV. phrases

1. after all

in spite of any indications or expectations to the contrary

• I rang and told her I couldn't come after all.

2. after hours

after normal working or licensed opening hours.
[as adv.]

• she was going in to work after hours.

• [as adj.] an after-hours jazz club.

3. after you

a polite formula used to suggest that someone goes in front of or takes a turn before oneself.

4. be after doing something

(Irish) be on the point of doing something or have just done it

• the pigs were after breaking loose.

– origin Old English æfter, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch achter.

afterbirth /ˈɑːftəbəːθ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the placenta and fetal membranes discharged from the womb after the birth of offspring.

afterburner /ˈɑːftəˌbəːnə/

noun

an auxiliary burner in which extra fuel is burned in the exhaust of a jet engine, to increase thrust.

aftercare /ˈɑːftəkɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. care of a patient after a stay in hospital or of a person on release from prison.

2. support or advice offered to a customer following the purchase of a product or service.

afterdamp /ˈɑːftədamp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. choking gas left after an explosion of firedamp in a mine, rich in carbon monoxide.

afterdeck /ˈɑːftədɛk/

noun

an open deck toward the stern of a ship.

after-effect /ˈɑːftərɪfɛkt/

noun

an effect that follows after the primary action of something

• he was suffering the after-effects of the drug.

afterglow /ˈɑːftəɡləʊ/

noun — [in sing.]

1. light or radiance remaining in the sky after the sun has set.

2. good feelings remaining after a pleasurable or successful experience

• basking in the afterglow of victory.

after-image

noun

an impression of a vivid image retained by the eye after the stimulus has ceased.

afterlife /ˈɑːftəlʌɪf/

noun — [in sing.]

1. (in some religions) life after death

• most Christians believe in an afterlife.

aftermarket /ˈɑːftəˌmɑːkɪt/

noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) the market for spare parts, accessories, and components for motor vehicles.
[as modifier]

• aftermarket security gadgets.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) [Stock Exchange] the market for shares and bonds after their original issue.

aftermath /ˈɑːftəmaθ, ˈɑːftəmɑːθ/

I. noun

1. the consequences or after-effects of a significant unpleasant event

• food prices soared in the aftermath of the drought.

2. [Farming] new grass growing after mowing or harvest.

– origin late 15th cent. (in sense 2): from after (as an adjective) + dialect math ‘mowing’, of Germanic origin; related to German Mahd.

aftermost /ˈɑːftəməʊst/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. nearest the stern of a ship or tail of an aircraft.

– origin late 18th cent.: from after (as an adjective) + -most.

afternoon /ɑːftəˈnuːn/

I. noun

the time from noon or lunchtime to evening

• I telephoned this afternoon

• I'll be back at three in the afternoon

• she worked on Tuesday afternoons.

II. adverb — ( afternoons)

1. ‹informal› in the afternoon; every afternoon.

III. exclamation

‹informal› short for good afternoon.

afterpains /ˈɑːftəpeɪnz/

plural noun

pains after childbirth caused by contraction of the womb.

after-party

noun

a party held after another event, especially a concert or another party.

• I met her at the Grammy Awards after-party.

afters /ˈɑːftəz/

plural noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› the sweet course following the main course of a meal; pudding.

• there was apple pie for afters.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› (in soccer) a confrontation between players after a foul or other incident

• they were both yellow-carded for a spot of afters before half-time.

aftersales /ˈɑːftəseɪlz/

adjective

offered or provided by a retailer or manufacturer after the sale of an item

• the only problem with this brand is the aftersales service.

after-school

adjective

taking place after normal school hours

• after-school childcare facilities.

aftershave /ˈɑːftəʃeɪv/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an astringent scented lotion for applying to the skin after shaving.

aftershock /ˈɑːftəʃɒk/

noun

a smaller earthquake following the main shock of a large earthquake.

aftersun /ˈɑːftəsʌn/

adjective

denoting a product applied to the skin after exposure to the sun.

• aftersun lotion.

aftertaste /ˈɑːftəteɪst/

noun

a taste remaining in the mouth after eating or drinking something

• the wine had a bitter aftertaste

• ‹figurative› we concluded many exchanges in uneasy fashion, leaving behind a sour aftertaste.

afterthought /ˈɑːftəθɔːt/

noun

something that is thought of or added later

• as an afterthought she said ‘Thank you’.

aftertouch

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a facility on an electronic music keyboard by which an effect is produced by depressing a key after striking it.

afterwards /ˈɑːftəwədz / ‹US› afterward /ˈɑːftəwəd/

I. adverb

at a later or future time

• the offender was arrested shortly afterwards.

– origin Old English æftewearde, from æftan ‘aft’ + -wards, influenced by after.

afterword /ˈɑːftəwəːd/

noun

a concluding section in a book.

afterworld /ˈɑːftəwəːld/

noun

a world entered after death.

afto /ˈɑːftəʊ/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› afternoon

• we might find a nice beach and park ourselves on it this afto.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation of afternoon + -o.

ag^1 /aɡ / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. adjective

short for agricultural.

• the objective was to set the stage for cooperation among ag organizations.

II. noun

short for agriculture.

ag^2 /ax, ʌx/

I. exclamation

(S. African) used to express a range of emotions from irritation or grief to pleasure

• ag man, there's nothing anyone can do.

– origin Afrikaans, from Dutch ach (see ach).

Ag^1

I. symbol

the chemical element silver.

– origin from Latin argentum.

Ag^2

abbreviation

[Biochemistry] antigen.

AG

abbreviation

1. Adjutant General.

2. Aktiengesellschaft, used in the names of German joint-stock companies.

3. Attorney General.

ag-

prefix

variant spelling of ad- assimilated before g (as in aggravate, aggression).

aga /ˈɑːɡə/

I. noun

‹chiefly historical› (in Muslim countries, especially under the Ottoman Empire) a military commander or official.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Turkish ağa ‘master, lord’, from Mongolian aqa.

Aga /ˈɑːɡə/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹trademark› a type of heavy heat-retaining stove or range used for cooking and heating.

– origin 1930s: from the Swedish name ( Svenskaa) A(ktiebolaget) Ga(sackumulator) ‘Swedish Gas Accumulator Company’, the original manufacturer.

Agadir /ˌaɡəˈdɪə/

a seaport and resort on the Atlantic coast of Morocco; pop. 487,954 (2004).

again /əˈɡɛn, əˈɡeɪn/

I. adverb

1. another time; once more

• it was great to meet old friends again.

2. returning to a previous position or condition

• he rose, tidied the bed, and sat down again.

3. in addition to what has already been mentioned

• the wages were low but they made half as much again in tips.

4. [ sentence adverb] — used to introduce a further point for consideration, supporting or contrasting with what has just been said

• I never saw any signs, but then again, maybe I wasn't looking.

5. used to ask someone to repeat something

• what was your name again?

II. phrases

again and again

repeatedly.

– origin Old English ongēan, ongægn, etc., of Germanic origin; related to German entgegen ‘opposite’.

against /əˈɡɛnst, əˈɡeɪnst/

I. preposition

1. in opposition to

• the fight against crime

• he decided against immediate publication

• swimming against the tide.

2. with reference to legal action

• the first victim gave evidence against him.

3. with reference to a sporting contest

• the championship match against Somerset.

4. in anticipation of and preparation for (a problem or difficulty)

• he gritted his teeth against the pain

• makeshift barricades against tank attacks.

5. (in betting) in anticipation of the failure of

• the odds were 5–1 against England.

6. in resistance to; as protection from

• he turned up his collar against the wind.

7. in relation to (an amount of money owed, due, or lent) so as to reduce, cancel, or secure it

• money was advanced against the value of the property.

8. in conceptual contrast to

• the benefits must be weighed against the costs.

9. in visual contrast to

• he was silhouetted against the light of the stair window.

10. in or into physical contact with (something), so as to be supported by or collide with it

• she stood with her back against the door

• frustration made him bang his head against the wall.

II. phrases

1. against one's wishes

when one is unwilling or has refused

• if any photos or information are included here against your wishes, please let me know and they will be removed immediately.

2. against the law (or rules)

illegal or unlawful

• cockfighting has been against the law in South Carolina for 120 years

• it was against the rules to have a guy in a girl's room.

3. have something against someone

dislike or bear a grudge towards someone

• I have nothing against you personally.

– origin Middle English: from again + -s (adverbial genitive) + -t probably by association with superlatives (as in amongst).

Aga Khan /ˌɑːɡə ˈkɑːn/

noun

the title of the spiritual leader of the Nizari sect of Ismaili Muslims. The first Aga Khan was given his title in 1818 by the shah of Persia. The present (fourth) Aga Khan ( Karim al-Hussain Shah, b.1936) inherited the title in 1957.

agal /aˈɡɑːl/

I. noun

a headband worn by Bedouin Arab men to keep the keffiyeh in place.

– origin mid 19th cent.: representing a Bedouin pronunciation of Arabic ‘iqāl ‘bond, hobble’.

agama /əˈɡɑːmə/

I. noun

an Old World lizard with a large head and a long tail, typically showing a marked difference in colour and form between the sexes.
●Genus Agama, family Agamidae: many species.

II. derivatives

agamid

noun, adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: perhaps from Carib (the name was originally applied to a West Indian lizard).

A game

noun

‹informal› (chiefly US) used in reference to performing to the very best of one's ability

• she'll bring her A game tonight —she understands how important it is.

Agamemnon /ˌaɡəˈmɛmnən / ‹Greek Mythology›

king of Mycenae and brother of Menelaus, commander-in-chief of the Greek expedition against Troy. On his return home from Troy he was murdered by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus; his murder was avenged by his son Orestes and daughter Electra.

agamic /əˈɡamɪk/

I. adjective

[Biology] asexual; reproducing asexually

• winged agamic females.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek agamos ‘unmarried’ + -ic.

agammaglobulinaemia /eɪˌɡaməˌɡlɒbjʊlɪˈniːmɪə / agammaglobulinemia

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] lack of gamma globulin in the blood plasma, causing immune deficiency.

agamospermy /ˈaɡəmə(ʊ)ˌspəːmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] asexual reproduction in which seeds are produced from unfertilized ovules.

II. derivatives

agamospermous

adjective

– origin 1930s: from Greek agamos ‘unmarried’ + sperma ‘seed’.

agapanthus /ˌaɡəˈpanθəs/

I. noun

a South African plant of the lily family, with blue or white flowers growing in rounded clusters.
●Genus Agapanthus, family Liliaceae (or Alliaceae).

– origin modern Latin, from Greek agapē ‘love’ + anthos ‘flower’.

agape^1 /əˈɡeɪp/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. (of a person's mouth) wide open in surprise or wonder.

• Downes listened, mouth agape with incredulity.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from a-2 ‘on’ + gape.

agape^2 /ˈaɡəpi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Theology] Christian love, as distinct from erotic love or simple affection.

2. [ count noun] — [Theology] a communal meal held in Christian fellowship.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek agapē ‘brotherly love’.

agar /ˈeɪɡɑː / agar-agar /eɪɡɑːrˈeɪɡɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a gelatinous substance obtained from certain red seaweeds and used in biological culture media and as a thickener in foods.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Malay.

agarbatti /ˈaɡəːˌbʌtiː/

I. noun

Indian term for joss stick.

– origin from Hindi agarbattī.

agaric /ˈaɡ(ə)rɪk, əˈɡɑːrɪk/

I. noun

a fungus with a fruiting body that resembles a mushroom, having a convex or flattened cap with gills on the underside.
●Order Agaricales, class Hymenomycetes, in particular the mushroom family Agaricaceae.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting various bracket fungi with medicinal or other uses): from Latin agaricum, from Greek agarikon ‘tree fungus’.

agarose /ˈaɡərəʊz, ˈaɡərəʊs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a substance which is the main constituent of agar and is used especially in gels for electrophoresis. It is a polysaccharide mainly containing galactose residues.

Agartala /ˈʌɡətəˌlɑː/

a city in the far north-east of India, capital of the state of Tripura, situated near the border with Bangladesh; pop. 218,000 (est. 2009).

Agassi, André /ˈaɡəsi/

(b.1970), American tennis player. During 1992–2003, he won the men's singles title at one Wimbledon, two US Open, one French Open, and four Australian Open tournaments.

Agassiz, Jean Louis Rodolphe /ˈaɡəsi/

(1807–73), Swiss-born American zoologist, geologist, and palaeontologist. In 1837 Agassiz was the first to propose that much of Europe had once been in the grip of an ice age.

agate /ˈaɡət/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an ornamental stone consisting of a hard variety of chalcedony (quartz), typically banded in appearance.

2. [ count noun] — a coloured toy marble resembling a banded gemstone.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French, via Latin from Greek akhatēs.

agave /əˈɡeɪvi/

I. noun

a succulent plant with rosettes of narrow spiny leaves and tall flower spikes, native to the southern US and tropical America.
●Genus Agave, family Agavaceae: numerous species, including the century plant.

– origin Latin, from Greek Agauē, the name of one of the daughters of Cadmus in Greek mythology, from agauos ‘illustrious’.

AGC

abbreviation

[Electronics] automatic gain control.

age /eɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. the length of time that a person has lived or a thing has existed

• he died from a heart attack at the age of 51

• he must be nearly 40 years of age.

2. a particular stage in someone's life

• children of primary school age.

3. [ mass noun] — the state of being old

• fine wine improves with age.

4. a distinct period of history

• an age of technological growth.

5. [Geology] a division of time that is a subdivision of an epoch, corresponding to a stage in chronostratigraphy.

6. ( ages/an age) — (Brit.) ‹informal› a very long time

• I haven't seen her for ages.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. grow old or older

• the tiredness we feel as we age.

2. [with obj.] — cause to appear old or older

• he even tried ageing the painting with a spoonful of coffee.

3. (with reference to an alcoholic drink, cheese, etc.) mature or allow to mature
[no obj.]

• the wine ages in open vats or casks

• [with obj.] a cheese that has been aged for four months.

4. [with obj.] — determine how old (something) is

• we didn't have a clue how to age these animals.

III. phrases

1. act (or be) one's age

[usu. in imperative] — behave in a manner appropriate to someone of one's age and not to someone younger.

2. come of age

a. reach adult status (in UK law at 18, formerly 21).

b. (of a movement or activity) become fully established

• space travel will then finally come of age.

3. of an age

a. old enough to be able or expected to do something

• the sons are of an age to marry.

b. (of two or more people or things) of a similar age

• the children all seemed of an age.

4. through the ages

throughout history

• the influence of Greek culture through the ages.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin aetas, aetat-, from aevum ‘age, era’.

-age

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. denoting an action

• leverage

• voyage.

3. the product of an action

• spillage

• wreckage.

4. a function; a sphere of action

• homage

• peerage.

5. denoting an aggregate or number of

• mileage

• percentage.

6. fees payable for; the cost of using

• postage

• tonnage.

7. ‹informal› denoting a large number of something (typically forming nouns whose plurals are correctly formed with -s)

• decibelage

• kissage.

8. denoting a place or abode

• vicarage

• village.

– origin from Old French, based on Latin -aticum, neuter form of the adjectival ending -aticus.

age-appropriate

adjective

suitable for a particular age or age group

• some of her outfits should be more age-appropriate

• age-appropriate games and activities include musical games, drawing, and building with bricks.

aged

adjective

1. /eɪdʒd/ [ predic. or postpositive] — having lived for a specified length of time; of a specified age

• young people aged 14 to 18

• he died aged 60.

2. (of a horse or farm animal) over a certain defined age of maturity, typically 6 to 12 years for horses, 3 or 4 years for cattle.

3. /ˈeɪdʒɪd/ — having lived or existed for a long time; very old

• aged men with white hair.

4. /eɪdʒd/ — having been subjected to ageing

• replica guitar with aged finish.

age gap

noun

a difference in age between people, especially as a potential source of misunderstanding.

age group

noun

a number of people or things classed together as being of similar age

• that attitude is widespread in my age group.

age hardening

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. spontaneous hardening of a metal which occurs if it is quenched and then stored at ambient temperature or treated with mild heat.

II. derivatives

age-hardened

adjective

ageing /ˈeɪdʒɪŋ / ‹US› aging

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of growing old

• the external signs of ageing.

2. the process of change in the properties of a material occurring over a period, either spontaneously or through deliberate action.

• the judicious use of oak ageing means the wines are capable of being confused with the great French Chardonnays.

II. adjective

1. (of a person) growing old; elderly

• an ageing population.

2. (of a thing) reaching the end of useful life

• the world's ageing fleet of oil tankers.

ageism /ˈeɪdʒɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of a person's age.

• ageism in recruitment is an increasing problem.

II. derivatives

ageist /ˈeɪdʒɪst /

adjective, noun

ageless /ˈeɪdʒləs/

I. adjective

1. not ageing or appearing to age.

2. lasting for a long time or forever

• the town retains an ageless charm.

II. derivatives

agelessness

noun

age-long

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. having existed for a very long time

• the will to change age-long habits.

agency /ˈeɪdʒ(ə)nsi/

I. noun

1. [often with adj. or noun modifier] — a business or organization providing a particular service on behalf of another business, person, or group

• an advertising agency

• aid agencies.

2. a department or body providing a specific service for a government or other organization

• the Environmental Protection Agency.

3. [ mass noun] — action or intervention producing a particular effect

• canals carved by the agency of running water.

4. [ count noun] — a thing or person that acts to produce a particular result

• the movies could be an agency moulding the values of the public.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin agentia, from agent- ‘doing’ (see agent).

agenda /əˈdʒɛndə/

I. noun

1. a list of items to be discussed at a formal meeting

• the question of nuclear weapons had been removed from the agenda.

2. a plan of things to be done or problems to be addressed

• he vowed to put jobs at the top of his agenda

• the government had its own agenda.

3. the underlying intentions or motives of a particular person or group

• Miller has his own agenda and it has nothing to do with football.

4. (N. Amer.) an appointment diary.

II. phrases

1. on the agenda

a. scheduled for discussion at a meeting.

• the rights of minorities would be high on the agenda at the conference.

b. likely or needing to be dealt with or done

• his release was not on the agenda.

2. set the agenda

influence or determine a programme of action

• he has set the agenda for future work in this field.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘things to be done’): from Latin, neuter plural of agendum, gerundive of agere ‘do’. / usage: Although agenda is the plural of agendum in Latin, in standard modern English it is normally used as a singular noun with a standard plural form ( agendas). See also usage at data and media^1.

agender /eɪˈdʒɛndə/

adjective

denoting or relating to a person who does not identify themselves as having a particular gender

• one of the mistakes is the presumption that an agender person must also be asexual

• their son is biologically male but identifies as agender and favours 'they' as a pronoun.

agent /ˈeɪdʒ(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a person who acts on behalf of another, in particular:

2. a person who manages business, financial, or contractual matters for an actor, performer, writer, etc.

3. a person or company that provides a particular service, typically one that involves organizing transactions between two other parties

• a travel agent.

4. a person who works secretly to obtain information for a government or other official body

• a trained intelligence agent.

5. a person or thing that takes an active role or produces a specified effect

• agents of environmental change

• bleaching agents.

6. [Grammar] the doer of an action, typically expressed as the subject of an active verb or in a by phrase with a passive verb.

7. [Computing] an independently operating Internet program, typically one that performs background tasks such as information retrieval or processing on behalf of a user or other program.

II. derivatives

agentive /ˈeɪdʒəntɪv /

adjective

[Grammar]

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘someone or something that produces an effect’): from Latin agent- ‘doing’, from agere.

agent general

noun

the representative of an Australian state or Canadian province in London or another major foreign city.

agent noun

noun

a noun denoting someone or something that performs the action of a verb, usually ending in -er or -or, e.g. worker, accelerator.

Agent Orange

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a defoliant chemical used by the US in the Vietnam War.

agent provocateur /ˌaʒɒ̃ prəˌvɒkəˈtəː French aʒɑ̃ pʀɔvɔkatøʀ//

I. noun

a person employed to induce others to break the law so that they can be convicted.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, literally ‘provocative agent’.

age of consent

noun

the age at which a person's consent to sexual intercourse is valid in law.

age of discretion

noun

the age at which someone is considered able to manage their own affairs or take responsibility for their actions.

age of innocence

noun — [in sing.]

1. a time when a person or society exists in a state of childlike simplicity or naivety.

age of reason

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Enlightenment.

2. (especially in the Roman Catholic Church) the age at which a child is held capable of discerning right from wrong.

age-old

adjective

having existed for a very long time

• the age-old quest for knowledge.

age range

noun

a range of ages

• pupils in the 5–16 age range.

age-restricted

adjective

limited to people above or below a certain age

• age-restricted retirement communities

• age-restricted goods or services.

agflation /aɡˈfleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Economics] rising food prices caused by increased demand for agricultural commodities.

• in 2007 agflation hit everything from cereal and baked products to meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of agriculture and inflation.

Aggadah /əˈɡɑːdə, aɡəˈdɑː/

noun

variant spelling of Haggadah.

ag-gag

I. adjective

(US) ‹informal› denoting legislation that prohibits covert documentation or investigation of conditions in the farming industry (used chiefly by opponents of such legislation)

• a handful of states have introduced ag-gag bills that make it illegal to take photographs or videos of farms without farmer consent.

– origin 1960s (originally in reference to a proposed rule restricting the release of information by the US Department of Agriculture): from ag^1 and gag^1.

agglomerate

I. verb — agglomerate /əˈɡlɒməreɪt /

1. collect or form into a mass or group
[with obj.]

• he is seeking to agglomerate the functions of the Home Office

• [no obj.] these small particles soon agglomerate together.

II. noun — agglomerate /əˈɡlɒmərət /

1. a mass or collection of things

• a multimedia agglomerate.

2. [ mass noun] — [Geology] a volcanic rock consisting of large fragments bonded together.

III. adjective — agglomerate /əˈɡlɒmərət /

1. collected or formed into a mass.

IV. derivatives

agglomerative /əˈɡlɒmərətɪv /

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin agglomerat- ‘added to’, from the verb agglomerare, from ad- ‘to’ + glomerare (from glomus ‘ball’).

agglomeration /əɡlɒməˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

a mass or collection of things; an assemblage

• the arts centre is an agglomeration of theatres, galleries, shops, restaurants and bars.

agglutinate /əˈɡluːtɪneɪt/

I. verb

1. firmly stick or be stuck together to form a mass
(as adj. agglutinated)

• rhinoceros horns are agglutinated masses of hair.

2. [Biology] (with reference to bacteria or red blood cells) clump together.
[with obj.]

• these strains agglutinate human red cells.

• [no obj.] cell fragments agglutinate and form intricate meshes.

3. [with obj.] — [Linguistics] (of a language) combine (word elements) to express compound ideas.

II. derivatives

agglutination /əˌɡluːtɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin agglutinat- ‘caused to adhere’, from the verb agglutinare, from ad- ‘to’ + glutinare (from gluten ‘glue’).

agglutinative /əˈɡluːtɪnətɪv/

adjective

[Linguistics] (of a language, e.g. Hungarian, Turkish, Korean, and Swahili) tending to express concepts in complex words consisting of many elements, rather than by inflection or by using isolated elements.
Contrasted with analytic and synthetic.

agglutinin /əˈɡluːtɪnɪn/

I. noun

[Biology] an antibody, lectin, or other substance that causes agglutination.

– origin late 19th cent.: from agglutinate + -in^1.

agglutinogen /əˈɡluːtɪnədʒ(ə)n/

noun

[Biochemistry] an antigenic substance present in blood cells, bacteria, etc., which stimulates the formation of an agglutinin in blood serum.

aggradation /ˌaɡrəˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] the deposition of material by a river, stream, or current.

– origin late 19th cent.: from ag- (expressing increase) + (de)gradation.

aggrandize /əˈɡrandʌɪz / aggrandise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. increase the power, status, or wealth of

• an action intended to aggrandize the Frankish dynasty.

2. enhance the reputation of (someone) beyond what is justified by the facts

• he hoped to aggrandize himself by dying a hero's death.

II. derivatives

1. aggrandizement /əˈɡrandɪzmənt /

noun

2. aggrandizer

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the general sense ‘increase, magnify’): from French agrandiss-, lengthened stem of agrandir, probably from Italian aggrandire, from Latin grandis ‘large’. The ending was changed by association with verbs ending in -ize.

aggravate /ˈaɡrəveɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a problem, injury, or offence) worse or more serious

• military action would only aggravate the situation.

2. ‹informal› annoy or exasperate
(as adj. aggravating)

• she found him thoroughly aggravating and unprofessional.

II. derivatives

aggravatingly

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin aggravat- ‘made heavy’, from the verb aggravare, from ad- (expressing increase) + gravis ‘heavy’. / usage: Aggravate in the sense ‘annoy or exasperate’ dates back to the 17th century and has been so used by respected writers ever since. This use is still regarded as incorrect by some traditionalists on the grounds that it is too radical a departure from the etymological meaning of ‘make heavy’. It is, however, comparable to meaning changes in hundreds of other words which have long been accepted without comment.

aggravated /ˈaɡrəveɪtɪd/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. [Law] (of an offence) made more serious by attendant circumstances

• aggravated burglary.

2. [Law] (of a penalty) made more severe in recognition of the seriousness of an offence

• aggravated damages.

aggravation /ˌaɡrəˈveɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of becoming worse or more serious; exacerbation

• the patient experienced an aggravation of symptoms.

2. ‹informal› annoyance or exasperation

• the whole business has caused me a lot of aggravation.

• I don't need this aggravation.

3. aggressive behaviour; harassment.

aggregate

I. noun — aggregate /ˈaɡrɪɡət /

1. a whole formed by combining several separate elements

• the council was an aggregate of three regional assemblies.

2. the total score of a player or team in a fixture comprising more than one game or round

• he set the pace with a one-over-par aggregate of 151

• [ mass noun] the result put the sides level on aggregate.

3. a material or structure formed from a mass of fragments or particles loosely compacted together.

• the specimen is an aggregate of rock and mineral fragments.

4. [ mass noun] — pieces of broken or crushed stone or gravel used to make concrete and in building.

• use aggregate for the first layer when filling the trench.

II. adjective — [ attrib.] aggregate /ˈaɡrɪɡət /

1. formed or calculated by the combination of several separate elements; total

• the aggregate amount of grants made.

2. [Botany] (of a group of species) comprising several very similar species formerly regarded as a single species.

3. [Economics] denoting the total supply or demand for goods and services in an economy at a particular time.

III. verb — aggregate /ˈaɡrɪɡeɪt /

1. form or group into a class or cluster
[with obj.]

• socio-occupational groups aggregate men sharing similar kinds of occupation

• [no obj.] the butterflies aggregate in dense groups.

2. [Computing] collect (related items of content) so as to display or link to them

• tools that aggregate data from all of the security devices are a good first step.

IV. phrases

in (the) aggregate

in total; as a whole

• 10,000 tonnes in aggregate.

V. derivatives

aggregative /ˈaɡrɪɡətɪv, ˈaɡrɪɡeɪtɪv /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin aggregat- ‘herded together’, from the verb aggregare, from ad- ‘towards’ + grex, greg- ‘a flock’.

aggregate demand

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Economics] the total demand for goods and services within a particular market

• it is generally assumed that increases in credit stimulate aggregate demand.

aggregate fruit

noun

[Botany] a fruit formed from several carpels derived from the same flower, e.g. a raspberry.

aggregate supply

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Economics] the total supply of goods and services available to a particular market from producers

• the aim of the tax changes is to stimulate the supply side of the economy and therefore boost aggregate supply.

aggregation /aɡrɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the formation of a number of things into a cluster

• a single dose of aspirin irreversibly inhibits the normal aggregation of platelets.

2. [ count noun] — a cluster of things that have come or been brought together

• the pelican is the other bird likely to be found in large aggregations in East Africa's wetlands.

3. (on the Internet) the collection of related items of content so that they can be displayed or linked to

• a desktop aggregation app that brings together Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

aggregator /ˈaɡrɪɡeɪtə/

noun

[Computing] a website or program that collects related items of content and displays them or links to them.

aggress /əˈɡrɛs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. attack or behave aggressively towards; initiate a conflict with

• he aggressed a flight attendant on an Air France flight

• [no obj.] victims in this situation may retaliate by aggressing against their husbands.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘approach, march forward’): from French aggresser ‘to attack’, from Latin aggress-, from aggredi ‘to attack’ (see aggression).

aggression /əˈɡrɛʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. feelings of anger or antipathy resulting in hostile or violent behaviour; readiness to attack or confront

• his chin was jutting with aggression

• territorial aggression between individuals of the same species.

2. the action of attacking without provocation

• he called for an end to foreign aggression against his country

• [ count noun] the president has been emboldened by the success of his latest aggressions.

3. forcefulness

• the sheer volume and aggression of his playing.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘an attack’): from Latin aggressio(n-), from aggredi ‘to attack’, from ad- ‘towards’ + gradi ‘proceed, walk’.

aggressive /əˈɡrɛsɪv/

I. adjective

1. ready or likely to attack or confront; characterized by or resulting from aggression

• he's very uncooperative and aggressive.

2. behaving or done in a determined and forceful way

• we needed more growth to pursue our aggressive acquisition strategy.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin aggress- ‘attacked’ (from the verb aggredi) + -ive; compare with French agressif, -ive.

aggressively /əˈɡrɛsɪvli/

adverb

1. in a manner resulting from or betraying aggression

• he resisted violently and continued to behave aggressively in the police car.

2. in a determined and forceful way

• foreign-owned banks are aggressively marketing credit cards.

aggressiveness /əˈɡrɛsɪvnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. hostile or violent behaviour

• recent research has linked violent video games to increased aggressiveness in youths.

2. determination and forcefulness

• smaller, quicker players use their speed and aggressiveness to make up for lack of bulk.

aggressor /əˈɡrɛsə/

I. noun

a person or country that attacks another first.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin, from aggredi ‘to attack’ (see aggression).

aggrieved /əˈɡriːvd/

I. adjective

feeling resentment at having been unfairly treated

• they were aggrieved at the outcome.

II. derivatives

aggrievedly

adverb

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘distressed’): past participle of aggrieve, from Old French agrever ‘make heavier’, based on Latin aggravare (see aggravate).

aggro /ˈaɡrəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› aggressive, violent behaviour.

• they do not usually become involved in aggro.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› problems and difficulties.

• he didn't have to deal with aggro from the desk clerk.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation of aggravation (see aggravate), or of aggression.

aghast /əˈɡɑːst/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. filled with horror or shock

• she winced, aghast at his cruelty.

– origin late Middle English: past participle of the obsolete verb agast, gast ‘frighten’, from Old English gǣsten. The spelling with gh (originally Scots) became general by about 1700, probably influenced by ghost; compare with ghastly.

Aghios Nikolaos /ˌaɡɪɒs ˌnɪkəˈlʌɪɒs/

a fishing port and holiday resort on the north coast of Crete, east of Heraklion; pop. 11,100 (est. 2009).
Greek name Áyios Nikólaos.

agile /ˈadʒʌɪl/

I. adjective

1. able to move quickly and easily

• Ruth was as agile as a monkey.

2. able to think and understand quickly

• his vague manner concealed an agile mind.

3. relating to or denoting a method of project management, used especially for software development, that is characterized by the division of tasks into short phases of work and frequent reassessment and adaptation of plans

• agile methods replace high-level design with frequent redesign.

Contrasted with waterfall (adjective).

II. derivatives

agilely /ˈadʒʌɪlli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via French from Latin agilis, from agere ‘do’.

agile gibbon

noun

a gibbon with colour varying from light buff to black, found in SE Asia.
● Hylobates agilis, family Hylobatidae.

agility /əˈdʒɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ability to move quickly and easily

• though he was without formal training as dancer or athlete, his physical agility was inexhaustible.

2. ability to think and understand quickly

• games teach hand–eye coordination, mental agility, and alertness.

agin /əˈɡɪn/

I. preposition

dialect form of against.

– origin early 19th cent.: variant of the obsolete preposition again, with the same meaning.

Agincourt, Battle of /ˈadʒɪnˌkɔː, ˈadʒɪnˌkɔːt/

a battle in northern France in 1415 during the Hundred Years War, in which the English under Henry V defeated a large French army. The victory, achieved largely by use of the longbow, allowed Henry to occupy Normandy.

agio /ˈadʒɪəʊ/

I. noun

the percentage charged on the exchange of one currency, or one form of money, into another that is more valuable.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Italian agio, aggio, literally ‘ease, convenience’.

agist^1 /əˈdʒɪst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take in and feed (livestock) for payment.

• the dairy farmer might wish to agist lambs after the cows are housed for the winter.

II. derivatives

1. agister

noun

2. agistment

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘use or allow the use of land for pasture’): from Old French agister, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + gister, from giste ‘lodging’.

agist^2 /ˈeɪdʒɪst/

adjective, noun

variant spelling of ageist (see ageism).

agitate /ˈadʒɪteɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) troubled or nervous

• the thought of questioning Toby agitated him extremely.

2. stir or disturb (something, especially a liquid) briskly

• agitate the water to disperse the oil.

3. [no obj.] — campaign to arouse public concern about an issue in the hope of prompting action

• they agitated for a reversal of the decision.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘drive away’): from Latin agitat- ‘agitated, driven’, from agitare, frequentative of agere ‘do, drive’.

agitated /ˈadʒɪteɪtɪd/

I. adjective

feeling or appearing troubled or nervous

• there's no point getting agitated.

• she was red and agitated with the effort of arguing.

II. derivatives

agitatedly /ˈadʒɪteɪtɪdli /

adverb

agitation /adʒɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of anxiety or nervous excitement

• she was wringing her hands in agitation.

2. brisk stirring or disturbance of a liquid.

• the techniques mostly involve agitation by stirring.

3. the arousing of public concern about an issue and pressing for action on it

• widespread agitation for social reform.

4. [ count noun] — (Indian) a public demonstration.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘action, being active’): from Latin agitatio(n-), from the verb agitare (see agitate).

agitato /ˌadʒɪˈtɑːtəʊ/

I. adverb, adjective

[Music] (especially as a direction) agitated in manner

• allegro agitato.

– origin Italian, literally ‘agitated’.

agitator /ˈadʒɪteɪtə/

noun

1. a person who urges others to protest or rebel

• a political agitator.

2. an apparatus for stirring liquid.

agitprop /ˈadʒɪtprɒp, ˈaɡɪtprɒp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. political (originally communist) propaganda, especially in art or literature.

• a woman in the sales department published neo-Nazi agitprop in her spare time.

• [as modifier] agitprop painters.

– origin 1930s: Russian, blend of agitatsiya ‘agitation’ and propaganda ‘propaganda’.

agleam /əˈɡliːm/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. gleaming

• his eyes were agleam with the intensity of his fervour.

aglet /ˈaɡlɪt/

I. noun

a metal or plastic tube fixed round each end of a shoelace.

– origin late Middle English: from French aiguillette ‘small needle’, diminutive of aiguille (see aiguille).

agley /əˈɡleɪ, əˈɡliː/

I. adverb

(Scottish) askew; awry.

– origin late 18th cent.: from a-2 ‘on’ + Scots gley ‘squint’, of unknown origin.

aglow /əˈɡləʊ/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. glowing

• she was aglow with health.

AGM /eɪdʒiːˈɛm/

abbreviation

(Brit.) annual general meeting.

agma /ˈaɡmə/

I. noun

[Phonetics] the speech sound of ‘ng’ as in thing, a velar nasal consonant represented by the symbol /ŋ/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet.

– origin 1950s: from late Greek, from Greek, literally ‘fragment’.

agnail /ˈaɡneɪl/

noun

another term for hangnail.

agnate /ˈaɡneɪt / ‹chiefly Law›

I. noun

a person descended from the same male ancestor as another specified or implied person, especially through the male line.

• the heir will be the nearest agnate.

II. adjective

descended from the same male ancestor.
Compare with cognate (sense 2 of the adjective).

III. derivatives

1. agnatic /aɡˈnatɪk /

adjective

2. agnation /aɡˈneɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (as a noun): from Latin agnatus, from ad- ‘to’ + gnatus, natus ‘born’.

Agnatha /aɡˈneɪθə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a group of primitive jawless vertebrates which includes the lampreys, hagfishes, and many fossil fishlike forms. Compare with cyclostome.
●Superclass Agnatha: the living forms are in the classes Myxini (hagfishes) and Cephalaspidomorphi (lampreys).

II. derivatives

agnathan

noun, adjective

– origin from modern Latin Agnatha, from a-1 ‘without’ + Greek gnathos ‘jaw’.

Agnes, St^1

(died c. 304), Roman martyr, said to have been a Christian virgin who refused to marry. She is the patron saint of virgins and her emblem is a lamb (Latin agnus). Feast day, 21 January.

Agnes, St^2

( c. 1211–82), patron saint of Bohemia. She was canonized in 1989. Feast day, 2 March.

Agnesi, Maria Gaetana /anˈjeɪzi/

(1718–99), Italian mathematician and philosopher, regarded as the first female mathematician of the Western world. Her major work, produced in 1748, was a comprehensive treatment of algebra and analysis.

Agni /ˈaɡni/

the Vedic god of fire, the priest of the gods and the god of the priests.

agnize /əɡˈnʌɪz / agnise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› recognize the existence of.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin agnoscere ‘acknowledge, recognize’, on the pattern of cognize, recognize.

agnolotti /ˌanjəˈlɒti/

I. plural noun

pasta squares stuffed with a variety of fillings, like small ravioli.

– origin Italian.

agnomen /aɡˈnəʊmən/

I. noun

a fourth name occasionally given as an honour to an ancient Roman citizen

• he earned the agnomen 'Coriolanus' by conspicuous bravery in battle.

Compare with nomen, cognomen, praenomen.

– origin mid 17th cent.: Latin, from ad ‘to’ + gnomen, nomen ‘name’.

agnosia /əɡˈnəʊsɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inability to interpret sensations and hence to recognize things, typically as a result of brain damage.

• visual agnosia.

– origin early 20th cent.: coined in German from Greek agnōsia ‘ignorance’.

agnostic /aɡˈnɒstɪk/

I. noun

a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God.

II. adjective

1. relating to agnostics or agnosticism.

2. (in a non-religious context) having a doubtful or non-committal attitude towards something

• until now I've been fairly agnostic about electoral reform.

3. [usu. in combination] — [Computing] denoting or relating to hardware or software that is compatible with many types of platform or operating system

• many common file formats (JPEG, MP3, etc.) are platform-agnostic

• our industry is moving towards a device-agnostic model.

III. derivatives

agnosticism /aɡˈnɒstɪsɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘not’ + gnostic.

Agnus Dei /ˌaɡnʊs ˈdeɪiː, ˌanjʊs, ˈdiːʌɪ/

I. noun

1. a figure of a lamb bearing a cross or flag, as an emblem of Christ.

2. [Christian Church] an invocation beginning with the words ‘Lamb of God’ forming a set part of the Mass.

3. a musical setting of the Agnus Dei.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, literally ‘Lamb of God’.

ago /əˈɡəʊ/

I. adverb

before the present; earlier (used with a measurement of time)

• he went five minutes ago

• two years ago his parents moved house.

– origin Middle English ago, agone, past participle of the obsolete verb ago ‘pass’, used to express passage of time. / usage: When ago is followed by a clause, the clause should be introduced by that rather than since, e.g. it was sixty years ago that I left this place (not it was sixty years ago since I left this place). The use of since is not correct in standard English.

agog /əˈɡɒɡ/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. very eager or curious to hear or see something

• I'm all agog

• Papa was agog with curiosity.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French en gogues, from en ‘in’ + the plural of gogue ‘fun’.

agogic /əˈɡɒdʒɪk / ‹Music›

I. adjective

relating to or denoting accentuation within musical phrases by slight lengthening of notes.

II. noun — ( agogics) [usu. treated as sing.]

1. the use of agogic accents.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from Greek agōgos ‘leading’, from agein ‘to lead’, + -ic.

agogo /əˈɡəʊɡəʊ/

I. noun

a small bell made of two joined metal cones, used as a percussion instrument in African and Latin music.

– origin from Yoruba.

a gogo /ə ˈɡəʊɡəʊ/

I. adjective — [ postpositive]

1. ‹informal› in abundance; galore

• Gershwin a gogo—all the hits.

– origin 1960s: from French à gogo, from Old French gogue ‘fun’.

agonic line /əˈɡɒnɪk/

I. noun

an imaginary line round the earth passing through both the north pole and the north magnetic pole, at any point on which a compass needle points to true north.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek agōnios, agōnos (from a- ‘without’ + gonia ‘angle’) + -ic.

agonist /ˈaɡənɪst/

I. noun

1. [Biochemistry] a substance which initiates a physiological response when combined with a receptor.
Compare with antagonist.

2. [Anatomy] a muscle whose contraction moves a part of the body directly.
[as modifier]

• there is a failure to select the right agonist muscles.

Compare with antagonist.

3. another term for protagonist.

II. derivatives

agonism

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek agōnistēs ‘contestant’ (a sense reflected in English in the early 17th cent.), from agōn ‘contest’.

agonistic /aɡəˈnɪstɪk/

I. adjective

1. polemical; combative

• an agonistic exchange.

2. [Zoology] (of animal behaviour) associated with conflict.

3. [Biochemistry] relating to or acting as an agonist.

II. derivatives

agonistically

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek agōnistikos, from agōnistēs ‘contestant’ (see agonist).

agonize /ˈaɡənʌɪz / agonise

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. undergo great mental anguish through worrying about something

• I didn't agonize over the problem.

2. [with obj.] — cause mental anguish to.

• a question which will agonize the technocrats.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French agoniser or late Latin agonizare, from Greek agōnizesthai ‘contend’, from agōn ‘contest’.

agonized /ˈaɡənʌɪzd / agonised

adjective

manifesting, suffering, or characterized by great physical or mental pain

• she gave an agonized cry

• months of agonized discussion.

agonizing /ˈaɡənʌɪzɪŋ / agonising

I. adjective

causing great physical or mental pain

• an agonizing death

• there is an agonizing choice to make.

II. derivatives

agonizingly /ˈaɡənʌɪzɪŋli /

adverb

[as submodifier]

• agonizingly slow steps

agony /ˈaɡəni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme physical or mental suffering

• he crashed to the ground in agony.

2. the final stages of a difficult or painful death

• his last agony.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting mental anguish alone): via Old French and late Latin from Greek agōnia, from agōn ‘contest’. The sense of physical suffering dates from the early 17th cent.

agony aunt

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a woman who answers letters in an agony column

• her secret letter to a magazine agony aunt.

agony column

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a column in a newspaper or magazine offering advice on personal problems to readers who write in.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a personal column.

agony uncle

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a man who answers letters in an agony column

• a newspaper agony uncle.

agora^1 /ˈaɡərə/

I. noun

(in ancient Greece) a public open space used for assemblies and markets.

– origin from Greek.

agora^2 /ˌaɡəˈrɑː/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Israel, equal to one hundredth of a shekel.

– origin from Hebrew 'ăg̱ōrāh ‘small coin’.

agoraphobia /ˌaɡ(ə)rəˈfəʊbɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme or irrational fear of open or public places.

II. derivatives

1. agoraphobe

noun

2. agoraphobic /aɡ(ə)rəˈfəʊbɪk /

adjective, noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek agora ‘place of assembly, marketplace’ + -phobia.

Agostini, Giacomo /ˌaɡəˈstiːni/

(b.1942), Italian racing motorcyclist. Between 1966 and 1975 he won a record fifteen world titles, and won the Isle of Man TT ten times.

agouti /əˈɡuːti/

I. noun

1. a large long-legged burrowing rodent related to the guinea pig, native to Central and South America.
●Genera Cuniculus and Dasyprocta, family Dasyproctidae: several species.

2. [ mass noun] — fur in which each hair has alternate dark and light bands, producing a grizzled appearance.

3. a rodent, especially a mouse, having agouti fur.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via French or from Spanish aguti, from Tupi akutí.

AGR

abbreviation

advanced gas-cooled (nuclear) reactor.

Agra /ˈɑːɡrə/

a city on the River Jumna in Uttar Pradesh state, northern India; pop. 1,638,200 (est. 2009). Founded in the early 16th century, Agra was the capital of the Mogul empire until 1658. It is the site of the Taj Mahal.

agrammatism /əˈɡramətɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a tendency to form sentences without the correct inflectional structure as a result of brain damage, as in Broca's aphasia.

agranulocytosis /əˌɡranjʊlə(ʊ)sʌɪˈtəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a deficiency of granulocytes in the blood, causing increased vulnerability to infection.

– origin early 20th cent.: from a-1 + granulocyte + -osis.

agraphia /əˈɡrafɪə, eɪˈɡrafɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inability to write, as a language disorder resulting from brain damage.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘without’ + Greek -graphia ‘writing’.

agrarian /əˈɡrɛːrɪən/

I. adjective

1. relating to cultivated land or the cultivation of land.

• Brazil is rapidly diversifying its agrarian economy.

2. relating to landed property

• the agrarian reforms.

II. noun

a person who advocates a redistribution of landed property.

– origin early 17th cent. (originally denoting a Roman law for the division of conquered lands): from Latin agrarius, from ager, agr- ‘field’.

Agrarian Revolution

the transformation of British agriculture during the 18th century, characterized by the enclosure of common land and the introduction of technological innovations such as the seed drill and the rotation of crops.

agree /əˈɡriː/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. have the same opinion about something; concur

• I completely agree with your recent editorial

• we both agreed on issues such as tougher penalties for criminals

• [with direct speech] ‘Yes, dreadful, isn't it,’ she agreed.

2. ( agree with) — approve of (something) with regard to its moral correctness

• I don't agree with random drugs testing in schools.

3. ( agree to or to do something) — say that one will do something which has been suggested by another person

• she had agreed to go and see a movie with him.

4. [with obj.] — reach agreement about (something) after negotiation

• if they had agreed a price the deal would have gone through

• [no obj.] the commission agreed on a proposal to limit imports.

5. ( agree with) — be consistent with

• your body language does not agree with what you are saying.

6. [Grammar] have the same number, gender, case, or person as

• the verb agrees with the final noun.

7. [usu. with negative] — be healthy or appropriate for (someone)

• she's eaten something which did not agree with her.

II. phrases

agree to differ

see differ.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French agreer, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + gratus ‘pleasing’.

agreeable /əˈɡriːəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. quite enjoyable and pleasurable; pleasant

• a cheerful and agreeable companion.

2. [ predic.] — willing to agree to something

• they were agreeable to its publication.

3. (of a course of action) acceptable

• a compromise which might be agreeable to both coal owners and unions.

II. derivatives

1. agreeableness /əˈɡriːəbəlnəs /

noun

2. agreeably /əˈɡriːəbli /

adverb

[as submodifier]

• an agreeably warm day

– origin late Middle English: from Old French agreable, from agreer ‘make agreeable to’ (see agree).

agreed /əˈɡriːd/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. discussed or negotiated and then accepted by all parties

• the agreed date.

2. (of two or more parties) holding the same view or opinion on something

• all the republics are agreed on the necessity of a common defence policy

• [with clause] we are agreed that what is needed is a catchy title.

agreement /əˈɡriːm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. harmony or accordance in opinion or feeling

• the governments failed to reach agreement

• the two officers nodded in agreement.

2. [ count noun] — a negotiated and typically legally binding arrangement between parties as to a course of action

• a trade agreement

• a verbal agreement to sell.

3. the absence of incompatibility between two things; consistency

• agreement between experimental observations and theory.

4. [Grammar] the condition of having the same number, gender, case, and/or person as another word.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from agreer ‘make agreeable to’ (see agree).

agrestal /əˈɡrɛst(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Botany] growing wild in cultivated fields.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin agrestis ‘relating to the country’ (see agrestic) + -al.

agrestic /əˈɡrɛstɪk/

I. adjective

‹chiefly literary› relating to the country; rural or rustic.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin agrestis, from ager, agr- ‘field’ + -ic.

agri-

combining form

variant form of agro-.

agribusiness /ˈaɡrɪbɪznəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. agriculture conducted on strictly commercial principles.

2. [ count noun] — an organization engaged in agribusiness.

3. the group of industries dealing with agricultural produce and services required in farming.

Agricola, Gnaeus Julius /əˈɡrɪkələ/

(AD 40–93), Roman general and governor of Britain 78–84. As governor he completed the subjugation of Wales and defeated the Scottish Highland tribes.

agricultural /aɡrɪˈkʌltʃərəl/

I. adjective

1. relating to agriculture

• agricultural land

• an agricultural worker.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› (in a sporting context) clumsy

• Keith took an agricultural swing at the ball.

II. derivatives

1. agriculturalist /aɡrɪˈkʌltʃ(ə)rəlɪst /

noun

2. agriculturally

adverb

agriculture /ˈaɡrɪkʌltʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the science or practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other products.

II. derivatives

agriculturist /aɡrɪˈkʌltʃ(ə)rɪst /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin agricultura, from ager, agr- ‘field’ + cultura ‘growing, cultivation’.

agrimony /ˈaɡrɪməni/

I. noun

a plant of the rose family which bears slender flower spikes and hooked fruits, found in north temperate regions.
●Genus Agrimonia, family Rosaceae: several species.

– origin late Middle English: directly or (in early use) via Old French from Latin agrimonia, alteration of argemonia, from Greek argemōnē ‘poppy’.

agrion /ˈaɡrɪɒn/

I. noun

a large damselfly that has a body with a metallic sheen. Also called demoiselle.
●Genus Agrion (or Calopteryx), family Calopterygidae: numerous species.

– origin Greek, neuter of agrios ‘wild’.

Agrippa, Marcus Vipsanius /əˈɡrɪpə/

(63–12 BC), Roman general. Augustus' adviser and son-in-law, he played an important part in the naval victories over Mark Antony.

agriproduct /ˈaɡrɪprɒdəkt, ˈaɡrɪprɒdʌkt/

noun

a product of agribusiness.

agriscience /aɡrɪˈsʌɪəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the application of science to agriculture.

II. derivatives

agriscientist

noun

agritourism /ˈaɡrɪtʊərɪzəm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. tourism in which tourists stay with local people in rural areas abroad.

agro- /ˈaɡrəʊ / agri-

I. combining form

1. agricultural

• agro-industry

• agrobiology.

2. agriculture and …

• agroforestry.

– origin from Greek agros ‘field’.

agrobiology /aɡrəʊbʌɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of biology that deals with soil science and plant nutrition and its application to crop production.

II. derivatives

1. agrobiological

adjective

2. agrobiologist

noun

agrochemical /aɡrəʊˈkɛmɪk(ə)l / agrichemical

I. noun

a chemical used in agriculture, such as a pesticide or a fertilizer.

• a forum for those with an interest in the safe and effective use of agrochemicals.

II. adjective

relating to agrochemicals or their use

• the dangers of agrochemical pollution.

agroecosystem /ˌaɡrəʊˈiːkəʊsɪstəm/

noun

an ecosystem on agricultural land.

agroforestry

noun — [ mass noun]

1. agriculture incorporating the cultivation of trees.

agro-industry

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. industry connected with agriculture.
[ count noun]

• joint ventures in agro-industries.

2. agriculture developed along industrial lines.

II. derivatives

agro-industrial

adjective

agrology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Canadian) the application of science to agriculture.

II. derivatives

agrologist

noun

agronomics /aɡrəˈnɒmɪks/

I. plural noun — [often treated as sing.]

1. the science of soil management and crop production.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French agronomique, from agronome ‘agriculturist’ (see agronomy) + -ics.

agronomy /əˈɡrɒnəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the science of soil management and crop production.

II. derivatives

1. agronomic /aɡrəˈnɒmɪk /

adjective

2. agronomical

adjective

3. agronomically

adverb

4. agronomist /əˈɡrɒnəmɪst /

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from French agronomie, from agronome ‘agriculturist’, from Greek agros ‘field’ + -nomos ‘arranging’ (from nemoein ‘arrange’).

Agro Pontino /ˌaɡro ponˈtino/

Italian name for Pontine Marshes.

agrostology /ˌaɡrəˈstɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of botany concerned with grasses.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek agrōstis (denoting a kind of grass) + -logy.

agroterrorism /ˈaɡrəʊˌtɛrəriz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. terrorist acts intended to disrupt or damage a country's agriculture, especially the use of a biological agent against crops or livestock.

II. derivatives

agroterrorist

noun

aground /əˈɡraʊnd/

I. adjective, adverb

(with reference to a ship) on or on to the bottom in shallow water
[as adv.]

• the ships must slow to avoid running aground

• [as predic. adj.] a cargo ship aground in the Pentland Firth.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘on the ground’): from a-2 ‘on’ + ground^1.

aguardiente /əˌɡwɑːdɪˈɛnteɪ, Spanish aɣwarˈðjente/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a distilled liquor resembling brandy, especially as made in South America from sugar cane.

– origin from Spanish, from agua ‘water’ + ardiente ‘fiery’.

Aguascalientes /ˌaɡwəskaˈljɛnteɪz/

I. a state of central Mexico.

II. the capital of Aguascalientes, a health resort noted for its hot springs; pop. 663,671 (2005).

– origin Spanish, literally ‘hot waters’.

ague /ˈeɪɡjuː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› malaria or another illness involving fever and shivering.

2. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› a fever or shivering fit.

II. derivatives

1. agued /ˈeɪɡjuːd /

adjective

2. aguish

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin acuta (febris) ‘acute (fever)’.

Agulhas, Cape /əˈɡʌləs/

the most southerly point of the continent of Africa, in the province of Western Cape, South Africa.

Agulhas Current

an ocean current flowing southward along the east coast of Africa.

AGW

abbreviation

anthropogenic global warming.

ah /ɑː/

I. exclamation

used to express a range of emotions including surprise, pleasure, sympathy, and realization

• ah, there you are!

– origin Middle English: from Old French.

AH /eɪˈeɪtʃ/

I. abbreviation

in the year of the Hegira (used in the Muslim calendar for reckoning years from Muhammad's departure from Mecca in AD 622); of the Muslim era

• a Koran dated 556 AH.

– origin from Latin anno Hegirae.

aha /əˈhɑː, ɑːˈhɑː/

I. exclamation

used to express satisfaction, triumph, or surprise.

• Aha! So that's your secret plan!

– origin Middle English: from ah + ha^1.

AHA

abbreviation

alpha-hydroxy acid.

Ahaggar Mountains /ɑːˈhɑːɡə/

another name for Hoggar Mountains.

aha moment

noun

‹informal› a moment of sudden insight or discovery

• he had an aha moment when looking at my medications past and present.

ahead /əˈhɛd/

I. adverb

1. further forward in space; in the line of one's forward motion

• the road ahead

• he was striding ahead towards the stream.

2. further forward in time; in the near future

• he contemplated the day ahead

• we have to plan ahead.

3. in the lead

• he was slightly ahead on points.

4. higher in number, amount, or value than previously

• profits were slightly ahead.

II. phrases

1. ahead of

a. in front of or before.

• she walked ahead of him along the corridor.

• in qualifying he was fastest, ahead of teammate Prost.

b. in store for; awaiting

• we have a long drive ahead of us.

c. earlier than

• elimination of trade barriers came five years ahead of schedule.

2. ahead of time

in advance

• being prepared with appropriate graphics ahead of time is a great policy.

3. ahead of one's (or its) time

innovative and radical by the standards of the time.

• written at the end of the Fifties, it was a play ahead of its time.

4. get ahead of oneself

act or plan prematurely or overconfidently

• I am getting ahead of myself; let's return to the beginning.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally in nautical use): from a-2 ‘in, at’ + head.

ahem /əˈhɛm/

I. exclamation

used to represent the noise made when clearing the throat, typically to attract attention or express disapproval or embarrassment.

• ahem, excuse me.

• well, ahem, not exactly.

– origin mid 18th cent.: lengthened form of hem^2.

Ahern, Bertie /əˈhəːn/

(b.1951), Irish Fianna Fáil statesman, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) 1997–2008; full name Patrick Bartholomew Ahern.

ahi /ˈɑːhi/

I. noun

(in Hawaii) a large tuna, especially as an item of food.

– origin Hawaiian ‘ahi.

ahimsa /əˈhɪmsɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jainist tradition) respect for all living things and avoidance of violence towards others.

– origin Sanskrit, from a ‘non-, without’ + hiṃsā ‘violence’.

ahistorical

I. adjective

lacking historical perspective or context.

II. derivatives

ahistorically

adverb

Ahmadabad /ˈɑːmədəbad / Ahmedabad

an industrial city in the state of Gujarat in western India; pop. 3,913,800 (est. 2009).

Ahmadi /ɑːˈmɑːdi/

I. noun

a follower of the Ahmadiyya movement.

– origin early 20th cent.: Urdu aḥmadī, from Ahmad (see Ahmadiyya).

Ahmadiyya /ɑːməˈdɪə/

I. noun — [often as modifier]

1. a Muslim movement whose followers believe that its founder Mīrzā Gulām Ahmad ( c. 1839–1908) was the Mahdi or promised messiah

• the Ahmadiyya community.

– origin early 20th cent.: Urdu aḥmadiyya, from the name of Mīrzā Gulām Ahmad.

aholehole /əˌhəʊlɪˈhəʊli/

I. noun

a small silvery fish occurring only in the shallow waters around the Hawaiian islands, where it is a food fish.
● Kuhlia sandvicensis, family Kuhliidae.

– origin from Hawaiian.

-aholic -oholic

I. suffix

denoting a person addicted to something

• shopaholic

• workaholic.

– origin on the pattern of (alc)oholic.

ahoy /əˈhɔɪ/

I. exclamation

[Nautical] ‹humorous› a call used to greet someone or draw attention to something from a distance

• ahoy there!

• land ahoy!

– origin mid 18th cent.: from ah + hoy^1.

Ahriman /ˈɑːrɪmən/

the evil spirit in the doctrine of Zoroastrianism, the opponent of Ahura Mazda.

Ahura Mazda /əˌhʊərə ˈmazdə/

I. the creator god of Zoroastrianism, the force for good and the opponent of Ahriman.
Also called Ormazd.

– origin Avestan, literally ‘wise deity’.

Ahvaz /ɑːˈvɑːz / Ahwaz /ɑːˈwɑːz/

a town in western Iran; pop. 985,614 (2006).

Ahvenanmaa /ˈɑːvənəmɑː/

Finnish name for Åland Islands.

ai /ˈɑːi/

I. noun

the three-toed sloth.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Tupi, imitative of its cry.

AI

abbreviation

1. Amnesty International.

2. artificial insemination.

3. artificial intelligence.

aid /eɪd/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — help, typically of a practical nature

• he saw the pilot slumped in his cockpit and went to his aid

• she walked with the aid of a Zimmer frame.

2. financial or material help given to a country or area in need

• 700,000 tons of food aid

• [as modifier] an aid agency.

3. [ count noun] — a source of help or assistance

• exercise is an important aid to recovery after heart attacks

• a teaching aid.

4. ‹historical› a grant of subsidy or tax to a king or queen.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. help or support (someone or something) in the achievement of something

• women were aided in childbirth by midwives

• [no obj.] research was conducted to aid in making decisions.

2. promote or encourage (something)

• diet and exercise aid healthy skin.

III. phrases

1. aid and abet

see abet.

2. in aid of

(chiefly Brit.) in support of; for the purpose of raising money for

• a charity show in aid of Leukaemia Research.

3. what's (all) this in aid of?

(Brit.) ‹informal› what is the purpose of this?

– origin late Middle English: from Old French aide (noun), aidier (verb), based on Latin adjuvare, from ad- ‘towards’ + juvare ‘to help’.

AID

abbreviation

artificial insemination by donor.

aida /ˈeɪdə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a material consisting of a mesh of small holes, used in cross-stitch embroidery.

Aidan, St /ˈeɪd(ə)n/

(d. AD 651), Irish missionary. While a monk in the monastery at Iona he set out to Christianize Northumbria, founding a church and monastery at Lindisfarne in 635 and becoming its first bishop.

aid climbing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. rock climbing using the assistance of objects such as pegs placed in the rock.
Compare with free climbing.

aide /eɪd/

noun

1. an assistant to an important person, especially a political leader.

• a presidential aide.

2. short for aide-de-camp.

aide-de-camp /ˌeɪddəˈkɒ̃/

I. noun

a military officer acting as a confidential assistant to a senior officer.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, ‘camp adjutant’.

aide-memoire /ˌeɪd mɛmˈwɑː French ɛd mɛmwaʀ//

I. noun

1. an aid to the memory, especially a book or note.

2. an informal diplomatic message.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French aide-mémoire, from aider ‘to help’ and mémoire ‘memory’.

AIDS /eɪdz / Aids

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease in which there is a severe loss of the body's cellular immunity, greatly lowering the resistance to infection and malignancy.

AIDS was first identified in the early 1980s and now affects millions of people. The cause is a virus (called the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV) transmitted in blood and in sexual fluids, and although the incubation period may be long and treatment can slow the course of the disease there is currently no cure or vaccine. In the developed world the disease first spread among homosexuals, intravenous drug users, and recipients of infected blood transfusions, before reaching the wider population. This has tended to overshadow a greater epidemic in parts of Africa, where transmission is mainly through heterosexual contact.

– origin 1980s: acronym from acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

AIDS-related complex

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the symptoms of a person who is affected with the AIDS virus but does not necessarily develop the disease.

• the man suffers from AIDS-related complex.

AIF

abbreviation

short for Australian Imperial Force:

• the AIF was formed entirely from volunteers.

aigrette /ˈeɪɡrɛt, eɪˈɡrɛt/

I. noun

a headdress consisting of a white egret's feather or other decoration such as a spray of gems.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, ‘egret’.

aiguille /ˈeɪɡwiːl/

I. noun

a sharp pinnacle of rock in a mountain range.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, literally ‘needle’, from medieval Latin acucula ‘little needle’, diminutive of Latin acus.

aiguillette /ˌeɪɡwɪˈlɛt/

I. noun

an ornament on some military and naval uniforms, consisting of braided loops hanging from the shoulder and on dress uniforms ending in points that resemble pencils.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, literally ‘small needle’, diminutive of aiguille.

AIH

abbreviation

artificial insemination by husband.

aikido /ʌɪˈkiːdəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Japanese form of self-defence and martial art that uses locks, holds, throws, and the opponent's own movements.

– origin 1950s: from Japanese aikidō, literally ‘way of adapting the spirit’, from ai ‘together, unify’ + ki ‘spirit’ + dō ‘way’.

ail /eɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› trouble or afflict (someone) in mind or body

• exercise is good for whatever ails one.

– origin Old English eglian, eglan, from egle ‘troublesome’, of Germanic origin; related to Gothic agls ‘disgraceful’.

ailanthus /eɪˈlanθəs/

I. noun

a tall large-leaved deciduous tree grown as an ornamental or shade tree. Native to Asia and Australasia, it has been naturalized in North America and Europe.
●Genus Ailanthus, family Simaroubaceae: several species, in particular the tree of heaven.

– origin modern Latin, from French ailante, from Ambonese ailanto, literally ‘tree of heaven’ (the ending being influenced by names ending with -anthus, from Greek anthos ‘flower’).

aileron /ˈeɪlərɒn/

I. noun

a hinged surface in the trailing edge of an aeroplane wing, used to control the roll of an aircraft about its longitudinal axis.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, literally ‘small wing’, diminutive of aile, from Latin ala ‘wing’.

ailing /ˈeɪlɪŋ/

adjective

in poor health

• I went to see my ailing mother

• ‹figurative› the ailing economy.

ailment /ˈeɪlm(ə)nt/

noun

an illness, typically a minor one.

• the doctor diagnosed a common stomach ailment.

ailurophile /ʌɪˈljʊərəˌfʌɪl/

I. noun

a cat lover.

– origin 1930s: from Greek ailuros ‘cat’ + -phile.

ailurophobia /ˌʌɪljʊərəˈfəʊbɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme or irrational fear of cats.

II. derivatives

ailurophobe

noun

aim /eɪm/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — point or direct (a weapon or camera) at a target

• aim the camcorder at some suitable object

• [no obj.] aim for the middle of the target.

2. direct (a missile or blow) at someone or something

• she had aimed the bottle at Gary's head.

3. ( aim something at) — direct information, a product, or an action towards (a particular group)

• the TV campaign is aimed at the 16–24 age group.

4. [no obj.] — have the intention of achieving

• the programme will aim at deepening understanding

• [with infinitive] we aim to give you the best possible service.

II. noun

1. a purpose or intention; a desired outcome

• our primary aim is to achieve financial discipline.

2. [in sing.] — the directing of a weapon or missile at a target

• his aim was perfect.

III. phrases

1. aim high

be ambitious.

• must women who aim high be more hard-working than the men?

2. take aim

point a weapon or camera at a target.

• Kearny took aim with his pistol.

• take aim, fire!

– origin Middle English: from Old French amer, variant of esmer (from Latin aestimare ‘assess, estimate’), reinforced by aemer, aesmer (from late Latin adaestimare, intensified form of aestimare).

AIM

abbreviation

Alternative Investment Market (a subsidiary market of the London Stock Exchange that allows small companies to be traded without the expense of a full market listing).

aimless /ˈeɪmlɪs/

I. adjective

without purpose or direction

• an aimless existence.

II. derivatives

aimlessness /ˈeɪmləsnəs /

noun

aimlessly /ˈeɪmləsli/

adverb

without purpose or direction

• we wandered aimlessly round Venice.

ainhum /ˈeɪnhəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which a band of fibrous tissue grows around the base of a toe, eventually resulting in loss of the digit. It occurs mainly in the tropics and is associated with going barefoot.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Portuguese, based on Yoruba eyun ‘saw’.

ain't /eɪnt / ‹informal›

I. contraction

1. am not; are not; is not

• if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[first representing London dialect.]

2. has not; have not

• they ain't got nothing to say.

[from dialect hain't.]

usage: The use of ain't was widespread in the 18th century, typically as a contraction for am not. It is still perfectly normal in many dialects and informal speech in both Britain and North America. Today, however, it does not form part of standard English and should never be used in formal or written contexts. See also usage at aren't.

Aintab /ˈʌɪntɑːb/

former name (until 1921) for Gaziantep.

Aintree /ˈeɪntriː/

a suburb of Liverpool, site of a racecourse over which the Grand National is run.

Ainu /ˈeɪnuː/

I. noun

1. a member of an aboriginal people of northern Japan, physically distinct (with light skin colour and round eyes) from the majority population.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Ainu people, perhaps related to Altaic. It is no longer in everyday use.

II. adjective

relating to the Ainu or their language.

– origin the name in Ainu, literally ‘man, person’.

aioli /ʌɪˈəʊli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. mayonnaise seasoned with garlic.

– origin French aïoli, from Provençal ai ‘garlic’ + oli ‘oil’.

air /ɛː/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth, a mixture mainly of oxygen and nitrogen.

2. air regarded as necessary for breathing

• the air was stale

• the doctor told me to get some fresh air.

3. the free or unconfined space above the surface of the earth

• he celebrated by tossing his hat high in the air.

4. [usu. as modifier] — referring to the use of aircraft

• air traffic

• all goods must come in by air.

5. the earth's atmosphere as a medium for transmitting radio waves

• radio stations have successfully sold products over the air.

6. one of the four elements in ancient and medieval philosophy and in astrology (considered essential to the nature of the signs of Gemini, Aquarius, and Libra)
[as modifier]

• an air sign.

7. [ count noun] — a breeze or light wind.

8. an impression of a quality or manner given by someone or something

• she answered with a faint air of boredom

• he leaned over with a confidential air.

9. ( airs) — an annoyingly affected and condescending manner

• he began to put on airs and think he could boss us around.

10. [Music] a tune or short melodious song.

• traditional Scottish airs sung in the Gaelic tongue.

11. a jump off the ground on a snowboard or skateboard.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. express (an opinion or grievance) publicly

• a meeting in which long-standing grievances were aired.

2. broadcast (a programme) on radio or television

• the programmes were aired on India's state TV network.

3. ‹archaic› parade or show (something) ostentatiously.

• he took the opportunity of airing his knowledge of antiquity.

4. (Brit.) expose (a room) to the open air in order to ventilate it

• the window sashes were lifted regularly to air the room.

5. warm (washed laundry) to remove dampness.

• I was airing the sheets.

6. ( air oneself) — ‹archaic› go out in the fresh air

• to go and air myself in my native fields.

III. phrases

1. airs and graces

(Brit.) ‹derogatory› an affectation of superiority.

• young master Tristan, with his fancy education and his airs and graces.

2. in the air

felt by a number of people to be happening or about to happen

• panic was in the air

• you can tell there's an election in the air.

3. on (or off) the air

being (or not being) broadcast on radio or television.

• the wacky series has been on the air for ten years.

4. take the air

go out of doors.

• I had a sudden feeling to get out and take the air.

5. up in the air

(of a plan or issue) still to be settled; unresolved.

• the fate of the power station is up in the air.

6. walk (or tread) on air

feel elated.

• most couples feel they are walking on air on their wedding day.

– origin Middle English (in sense 1 of the noun): from Old French air, from Latin aer, from Greek aēr, denoting the gas. Sense 2 of the noun is from French air, probably from Old French aire ‘site, disposition’, from Latin ager, agr- ‘field’ (influenced by sense 1). Sense 3 of the noun comes from Italian aria (see aria).

air ambulance

noun

a specially equipped aircraft, typically a helicopter, used to transport sick or injured people to hospital in an emergency

• the air ambulance took three minutes to transfer him to Leeds General Infirmary.

airbag /ˈɛəbaɡ/

noun

a safety device fitted inside a road vehicle, consisting of a cushion designed to inflate rapidly and protect passengers from impact in the event of a collision.

air ball

noun

[Basketball] a shot which misses the basket and backboard entirely.

airband /ˈɛːband/

noun

a range of frequencies allocated for radio communications involving aircraft.

airbase /ˈɛːbeɪs/

noun

a base for the operation of military aircraft.

air bearing

noun

a bearing in which moving surfaces are kept apart by a layer of air provided by jets.

airbed /ˈɛːbɛd/

noun

(Brit.) an inflatable mattress.

air bladder

noun

1. an air-filled bladder or sac found in certain animals and plants.

2. another term for swim bladder.

airboat /ˈɛːbəʊt/

noun

a shallow-draught boat powered by an aircraft engine, for use in swamps.

airborne /ˈɛːbɔːn/

adjective

1. transported by air

• airborne pollutants.

2. (of an aircraft) in the air after taking off.

• the shuttle was airborne.

air brake

noun

1. a brake worked by air pressure.

2. a movable flap or other device on an aircraft to reduce its speed.

airbrick /ˈɛːbrɪk/

noun

(Brit.) a brick perforated with small holes for ventilation.

air bridge

noun

(Brit.) a movable bridge placed against an aircraft door to allow passengers to embark or disembark.

airbrush /ˈɛːbrʌʃ/

I. noun

an artist's device for spraying paint by means of compressed air.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. paint with an airbrush.

• the cab was airbrushed with a mural of a sunset.

2. alter or conceal (a photograph or a detail in one) using an airbrush.

• a picture of a man with wings airbrushed on to his shoulders.

3. represent or describe as better or more beautiful than in reality

• many lived through the disasters and know that the past has been airbrushed.

airburst /ˈɛːbəːst/

noun

an explosion in the air, especially of a nuclear bomb or large meteorite.

• the 1908 Tunguska airburst had a shock wave sufficient to fell trees.

air chief marshal

noun

a high rank of officer in the RAF, above air marshal and below Marshal of the RAF.

air cleaner

noun

another term for air filter.

air commodore

noun

a rank of officer in the RAF, above group captain and below air vice-marshal.

air con

noun

short for air conditioning.

air-condition

verb — [with obj.]

1. provide (a building or vehicle) with air conditioning

• we air-condition buildings so much that you need a coat in summer.

air-conditioned /ˌɛːk(ə)nˈdɪʃ(ə)nd/

adjective

(of a building or vehicle) provided with air conditioning

• the hotel has comfortable, air-conditioned rooms.

air conditioning

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system for controlling the humidity, ventilation, and temperature in a building or vehicle, typically to maintain a cool atmosphere in warm conditions.

II. derivatives

air conditioner

noun

air-cooled

adjective

(especially of an engine) cooled by means of a current of air.

air cooler

noun

a device for reducing the temperature of air, typically inside a building.

air corridor

noun

a route to which aircraft are restricted, especially over a foreign country.

• the existing navigation system sends flights along rigidly fixed air corridors.

air cover

noun — [ mass noun]

1. protection by aircraft for land-based or naval operations in war situations.

• they provide air cover for United Nations convoys of relief supplies.

aircraft /ˈɛːkrɑːft/

noun

an aeroplane, helicopter, or other machine capable of flight.

aircraft carrier

noun

a large warship with a deck from which aircraft can take off and land.

aircraftman /ˈɛːkrɑːftmən/

noun

a man who holds the lowest rank in the RAF, below leading aircraftman.

aircraftwoman /ˈɛːkrɑːf(t)ˌwʊmən/

noun

a woman who holds the lowest rank in the RAF, below leading aircraftwoman.

aircrew /ˈɛːkruː/

noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the crew staffing an aircraft.

• they were a young and inexperienced aircrew.

2. ( pl. same) — a member of an aircrew.

• each aircraft carried three aircrew.

air cushion

noun

the layer of air supporting a hovercraft or similar vehicle.

air dam

noun

a streamlining device below the front bumper of a vehicle; a front spoiler.

air-dash

verb — [no obj.]

1. (Indian) travel to a destination by air at short notice

• he had air-dashed to Chennai from Bikaner last night.

air date

noun

the date on which a particular television or radio programme is scheduled to be broadcast.

• the scheduled air date required warp-speed production.

airdrome /ˈɛːdrəʊm/

noun

US term for aerodrome.

airdrop /ˈɛːdrɒp/

I. noun

an act of dropping supplies, troops, or equipment by parachute from an aircraft.

• British planes would not be involved in the airdrops.

• [ mass noun] supply to the front line will be by airdrop.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. drop (supplies, troops, etc.) by parachute.

• the military will airdrop relief supplies.

air-dry

I. verb

make or become dry through contact with unheated air.
[no obj.]

• we laid it flat on non-absorbent plastic to air-dry.

• [with obj.] the sheets are hung up and air-dried in the loft.

II. adjective

not giving off any moisture on exposure to air.

• even when it is air-dry a soil contains moisture.

Airedale /ˈɛːdeɪl/

I. noun

a large terrier of a rough-coated black-and-tan breed.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Airedale, a district in Yorkshire, where the dog was bred.

airer /ˈɛːrə/

noun

(Brit.) a frame or stand for airing or drying clothes.

airfare /ˈɛːfɛə/

noun

the price to be paid by an aircraft passenger for a particular journey.

airfield /ˈɛːfiːld/

noun

an area of land set aside for the take-off, landing, and maintenance of aircraft.

air filter

noun

a device for filtering particles from the air passing through it, especially one protecting the air inlet of an internal-combustion engine.

airflow /ˈɛːfləʊ/

noun

the flow of air, especially that encountered by a moving aircraft or vehicle.

airfoil /ˈɛːfɔɪl/

noun

North American term for aerofoil.

air force

noun

a branch of the armed forces concerned with fighting or defence in the air.

Air Force One

the official aircraft of the President of the United States.

airframe /ˈɛːfreɪm/

noun

the body of an aircraft as distinct from its engine.

airfreight /ˈɛːfreɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the carriage of goods by aircraft.
[as modifier]

• the airfreight business.

• [as adv.] the exhibit was flown airfreight.

2. goods in transit, or to be carried, by aircraft.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. carry or send (goods) by aircraft.

• airfreighting them out would be much more reliable, though costlier.

air freshener

noun

a substance or device for making the air in a room smell fresh.

airglow

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a glow in the night sky caused by radiation from the upper atmosphere.

air guitar

noun

‹informal› an imaginary guitar ‘played’ by someone miming to rock music

• we like our audiences to sing along and play air guitar.

airgun /ˈɛːɡʌn/

noun

1. a gun which fires pellets using compressed air.

2. (also hot-air gun) — a tool used to strip paint by means of a stream of very hot air.

airhead^1 /ˈɛːhɛd/

I. noun

[Military] a base close to the area of active operations where supplies and troops can be received and evacuated by air.

– origin Second World War: on the pattern of bridgehead.

airhead^2 /ˈɛːhɛd/

noun

‹informal› a silly or foolish person

• she looks like Barbie and acts like a dizzy airhead.

airheaded /ˈɛːhɛdɪd/

adjective

‹informal› (of a person) silly or foolish

• a dreadfully clumsy and airheaded girl.

air horn

noun

a powerful horn which produces sound by means of compressed air.

air hostess

noun

(Brit.) a woman employed to look after the passengers on an aircraft.

airily /ˈɛːrɪli/

adverb

in a way that shows that one is not treating something as serious; casually

• he was airily dismissive of the question.

airing /ˈɛːrɪŋ/

noun

1. an exposure to warm or fresh air, for the purpose of ventilating or removing dampness from something

• somebody had given the place a thorough airing

• [as modifier] an airing cupboard.

2. a walk or outing to take air or exercise

• taking the baby out for an airing.

3. a public expression of an opinion or subject

• these are ideas I feel might be worth an airing.

4. a transmission of a television or radio programme.

• I hope the BBC gives the play another airing very soon.

air-kiss

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. purse the lips as if kissing (someone), without making contact.

• the media crowd who lunch, gossip, and air-kiss one another.

II. noun

( air kiss) — a simulated kiss, without contact.

• the cheek-to-cheek air kiss.

air lane

noun

a path or course regularly used by aircraft.

air layering

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Horticulture] a form of layering in which the branch is potted or wrapped in a moist growing medium to promote root growth.

airless /ˈɛːləs/

I. adjective

1. stuffy; not ventilated

• a dusty, airless basement.

2. without wind or breeze; still

• a hot, airless night.

II. derivatives

airlessness /ˈɛːləsnəs /

noun

air letter

noun

a sheet of light paper folded and sealed to form a letter for sending by airmail.

airlift /ˈɛːlɪft/

I. noun

an act of transporting supplies by aircraft, typically in a blockade or other emergency.

• a massive airlift of food, blankets, and medical supplies.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. transport (troops or supplies) by aircraft.

• helicopters were employed to airlift the troops out of danger.

airline /ˈɛːlʌɪn/

noun

1. an organization providing a regular public service of air transport on one or more routes.
[as modifier]

• airline pilot.

2. (usu. air line) — a pipe supplying air.

• use an air line to inflate those tyres.

airliner /ˈɛːlʌɪnə/

noun

a large passenger aircraft.

airlock /ˈɛːlɒk/

noun

1. a stoppage of the flow in a pump or pipe, caused by an air bubble.

2. a compartment with controlled pressure and parallel sets of doors, to permit movement between areas at different pressures.

airmail /ˈɛːmeɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of transporting mail by aircraft, typically overseas

• instructions were sent by airmail

• [as modifier] an airmail letter.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. send (mail) by aircraft.

• I have a sheaf of letters to airmail.

airman /ˈɛːmən/

noun

1. a pilot or member of the crew of an aircraft, especially in an air force.

2. a member of the RAF below commissioned rank.

3. a member of the US air force of the lowest rank, below staff sergeant.

4. a member of the US navy whose general duties are concerned with aircraft.

airmanship /ˈɛːmənʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. skill in flying an aircraft.

air marshal

noun

a high rank of officer in the RAF, above air vice-marshal and below air chief marshal.

air mass

noun

[Meteorology] a body of air with horizontally uniform levels of temperature, humidity, and pressure.

air mattress

noun

North American term for airbed.

air mile

noun

1. a nautical mile used as a measure of distance flown by aircraft.

2. ( Air Miles) — ‹trademark› points (equivalent to miles of free air travel) accumulated by buyers of airline tickets and other products and redeemable against the cost of air travel with a particular airline.

air miss /ˈɛːmɪs/

noun

(Brit.) an instance of two or more aircraft in flight on different routes being less than a prescribed safe distance apart.

airmobile /ɛːˈməʊbʌɪl/

adjective

(of troops) moved about by air.

air officer

noun

any rank of officer in the RAF above that of group captain.

air pistol

noun

a pistol which fires pellets using compressed air.

airplane /ˈɛːpleɪn/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) an aeroplane.

air plant

noun

a tropical American plant that grows on trees as an epiphyte, with long, narrow leaves that absorb water and nutrients from the atmosphere.
●Genus Tillandsia, family Bromeliaceae: several species.

airplay /ˈɛːpleɪ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. broadcasting time devoted to a particular record, performer, or musical genre.

• they call themselves country and western just to get airplay.

air pocket

noun

1. a cavity containing air.

2. a region of low pressure causing an aircraft to lose height suddenly.

air pollution

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the presence in or introduction into the air of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects

• diesel exhaust and other forms of air pollution.

airport /ˈɛːpɔːt/

noun

1. a complex of runways and buildings for the take-off, landing, and maintenance of civil aircraft, with facilities for passengers.

2. [as modifier] — relating to or denoting light popular fiction such as is offered for sale to travellers in airports

• an airport thriller.

air power

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability to defend or attack by means of aircraft.

• military air power was used to protect relief efforts.

air pump

noun

a device for pumping air into or out of an enclosed space.

air punch

noun

an act of thrusting one's clenched fist up into the air, typically as a gesture of triumph or elation

• the verdict was greeted with cheers and air punches by her family and friends.

air quality

noun

the degree to which the air in a particular place is pollution-free.

air quotes

plural noun

‹informal› a pair of quotation marks gestured by a speaker's fingers in the air, to indicate that what is being said is ironic or mocking, or is not a turn of phrase the speaker would typically employ.

air rage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sudden violent anger or aggressive behaviour provoked in a passenger on board an aircraft by the stress associated with air travel.

air raid

noun

an attack in which bombs are dropped from aircraft on to a ground target.

• the town was destroyed in the air raid.

air-raid shelter

noun

a building or structure designed to protect people from bombs dropped during air raids.

air rank

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the rank attained by air officers.

air rifle

noun

a rifle which fires pellets using compressed air.

air sac

noun

1. a lung compartment containing air; an alveolus.

2. an extension of a bird's lung cavity into a bone or other part of the body.

airscrew /ˈɛːskruː/

noun

(Brit.) an aircraft propeller.

air-sea rescue

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a rescue of a person from the sea using aircraft.

air shaft

noun

a straight, typically vertical passage admitting air into a mine, tunnel, or building.

airship /ˈɛːʃɪp/

noun

a power-driven aircraft that is kept buoyant by a body of gas (usually helium, formerly hydrogen) which is lighter than air.

air shot

noun

‹informal› a missed attempt to hit or kick a ball.

• she ended in rough so deep that her third was an air shot.

air show

noun

a show at which aircraft perform aerial displays.

airsick /ˈɛːsɪk/

I. adjective

affected with nausea due to travel in an aircraft.

II. derivatives

airsickness /ˈɛːsɪknəs /

noun

airside /ˈɛːsʌɪd/

noun

the side of an airport terminal beyond passport and customs control.
Contrasted with landside.

airspace /ˈɛːspeɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the air available to aircraft to fly in, especially the part subject to the jurisdiction of a particular country.

• the airliner was refused permission to enter Maltese airspace.

2. room available in the atmosphere immediately above the earth

• temples and mosques fight for airspace with skyscrapers.

3. [Law] the right of a private landowner to the space above his land and any structures on it.

• the landlord is unable to extend his property without trespass to his tenant's airspace.

airspeed /ˈɛəspiːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the speed of an aircraft relative to the air through which it is moving.
Compare with ground speed.

air station

noun

an airfield operated by a navy or marine corps.

airstream /ˈɛːstriːm/

noun

a current of air.

• a warm, south to south-westerly airstream across Scotland.

air strike

noun

an attack made by aircraft.

airstrip /ˈɛːstrɪp/

noun

a strip of ground set aside for the take-off and landing of aircraft.

air support

noun — [ mass noun]

1. assistance given to ground or naval forces in an operation by their own or allied aircraft.

air terminal

noun

a building at an airport that passengers pass through before boarding or after disembarking from an aircraft

• people will be in and out of this air terminal at lightning speed.

airtight /ˈɛːtʌɪt/

adjective

1. not allowing air to escape or pass through

• an airtight box.

2. having no weaknesses; unassailable

• she had an airtight alibi.

airtime /ˈɛːtʌɪm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. time during which a broadcast is being transmitted.

• advertising takes up half the airtime on that radio station.

2. the time during which a mobile phone is in use.

3. the time a pilot or aircraft spends in flight

• the operation has seen already 15 sorties flown and more than 150 hours of airtime logged.

4. (in snowboarding, skiing, etc.) the time a person spends in the air during a jump

• a thirty-foot jump gave competitors plenty of airtime.

air-to-air /ˌɛːtuːˈɛː/

adjective

directed or operating from one aircraft to another in flight.

• an air-to-air missile.

air-to-ground

adjective

directed or operating from an aircraft in flight to the land surface.

• new long-range air-to-ground missiles.

air-to-surface

adjective

directed or operating from an aircraft in flight to the surface of the sea or other body of water.

• air-to-surface missiles.

air traffic control

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ground-based personnel and equipment concerned with controlling and monitoring air traffic within a particular area.

II. derivatives

air traffic controller

noun

air travel

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of making a journey by aircraft

• transatlantic air travel

• air travel can be stressful and exhausting.

air vent

noun

an opening that allows air to pass out of or into a confined space

• smoke was spotted billowing from an air vent.

air vice-marshal

noun

a high rank of officer in the RAF, above air commodore and below air marshal.

airwaves /ˈɛːweɪvz/

plural noun

the radio frequencies used for broadcasting

• football pervades the airwaves.

airway /ˈɛːweɪ/

noun

1. the passage by which air reaches a person's lungs.

• he kept the man's airway clear and blood circulating.

2. a tube for supplying air to a person's lungs in an emergency.

3. a recognized route followed by aircraft.

4. ( Airways) — in names of airlines

• British Airways.

5. a ventilating passage in a mine.

airwoman /ˈɛːˌwʊmən/

noun

1. a female pilot or member of the crew of an aircraft, especially in an air force.

2. a female member of the RAF below commissioned rank.

airworthy /ˈɛːwəːði/

I. adjective

(of an aircraft) safe to fly.

II. derivatives

airworthiness /ˈɛːwəːðinəs /

noun

airy /ˈɛːri/

I. adjective

1. (of a room or building) spacious, well lit, and well ventilated.

• the conservatory is light and airy.

• a large, airy room.

2. delicate, as though filled with or made of air

• airy clouds.

3. giving an impression of light gracefulness and elegance

• her airy presence filled the house.

4. not treating something as serious; casual

• her airy unconcern for economy.

II. derivatives

airiness /ˈɛːrinəs /

noun

Airy, Sir George Biddell

(1801–92), English astronomer and geophysicist, who proposed the concept of isostasy and gave an improved estimate of the earth's density.

airy-fairy /ˌɛːriˈfɛːri/

adjective

‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) impractical and foolishly idealistic

• love might seem an airy-fairy, romantic concept.

aisle /ʌɪl/

I. noun

1. a passage between rows of seats in a building such as a church or theatre, an aircraft, or train

• the musical had the audience dancing in the aisles.

2. a passage between cabinets and shelves of goods in a supermarket or other building.

• I spend much of my time at the shops, wandering through the aisles.

3. [Architecture] (in a church) a lower part parallel to the nave, choir, or transept, from which it is divided by pillars.

• the tiled roof over the south aisle.

II. phrases

lead someone up the aisle

get married to someone.

III. derivatives

aisled /ʌɪld /

adjective

– origin late Middle English ele, ile, from Old French ele, from Latin ala ‘wing’. The spelling change in the 17th cent. was due to confusion with isle and influenced by French aile ‘wing’.

ait /eɪt / eyot

I. noun — [in place names]

1. (Brit.) a small island in a river

• Raven's Ait.

– origin Old English iggath, īgeth, based on īeg ‘island’ + a diminutive suffix.

aitch /eɪtʃ/

I. noun

the letter H.

II. phrases

drop one's aitches

fail to pronounce the letter h at the beginning of words, a characteristic feature of certain dialects.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French ache.

aitchbone

I. noun

1. the buttock or rump bone of cattle.

2. a cut of beef lying over the aitchbone.

– origin late 15th cent., from dialect nache ‘rump’, from Old French, based on Latin natis ‘buttock(s)’, + bone. The initial n in a nache bone was lost by wrong division; compare with adder^1.

Aitken, William Maxwell /ˈeɪtkɪn/

see Beaverbrook, Max Aitken.

Aix-en-Provence /ˌɛksɑ̃prɒˈvɒ̃s, French ɛksɑ̃pʀɔvɑ̃s/

a city in Provence in southern France; pop. 145,721 (2006).

Aix-la-Chapelle /ˌɛksləʃəˈpɛl/

French name for Aachen.

Aizawl /ˈʌɪdʒəl/

a city in the far north-east of India, capital of the state of Mizoram; pop. 295,900 (est. 2009).

Ajaccio /əˈdʒaksɪəʊ, French aʒaksjo/

a port on the west coast of Corsica; pop. 64,432 (2007). It is the capital of the southern department of Corse-du-Sud.

Ajanta Caves /əˈdʒʌntə/

a series of caves in the state of Maharashtra, south central India, containing Buddhist frescoes and sculptures dating from the 1st century BC to the 7th century AD.

ajar^1 /əˈdʒɑː/

I. adverb, adjective

(of a door or other opening) slightly open
[as adv.]

• the home help had left the window ajar

• [as predic. adj.] the door to the sitting room was ajar.

– origin late 17th cent.: from a-2 ‘on’ + obsolete char (Old English cerr) ‘a turn, return’.

ajar^2 /əˈdʒɑː/

I. adverb

‹archaic› in a jarring state; unharmonious.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from a-2 ‘in, at’ + jar^2.

Ajax /ˈeɪdʒaks / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. a Greek hero of the Trojan war, son of Telamon, king of Salamis. He was proverbial for his size and strength.

II. a Greek hero, son of Oileus, king of Locris.

Ajman /adʒˈmɑːn/

one of the seven member states of the United Arab Emirates; pop. 387,300 (est. 2009).

Ajmer /ʌdʒˈmɪə/

a city in NW India, in Rajasthan; pop. 549,600 (est. 2009).

ajowan /ˈadʒəwɒn/

I. noun

1. an annual plant with feathery leaves and white flowers, native to India.
● Trachyspermum ammi, family Umbelliferae.

2. [ mass noun] — the aromatic seeds of the ajowan plant, used as a culinary spice.

3. [ mass noun] — the essential oil of the ajowan plant.

– origin from Hindi ajvāyn.

ajuga /əˈdʒuːɡə/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that includes bugle.
●Genus Ajuga, family Labiatae.

– origin modern Latin, from medieval Latin ajuga.

AK

abbreviation

Alaska (in official postal use).

AK-47

I. noun

a type of assault rifle originally manufactured in the Soviet Union.

– origin 1970s: abbreviation of Russian Avtomat Kalashnikov 1947, the designation of the original model designed by Mikhail T. Kalashnikov (1919–2013).

aka /eɪkeɪˈeɪ/

abbreviation

also known as

• John Merrick, aka the Elephant Man.

Akali /aˈkɑːli/

I. noun

a member of a Sikh political group.

– origin from Punjabi akālī, literally ‘follower of the Immortal One’.

Akan /ˈɑːk(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a member of a people inhabiting southern Ghana and adjacent parts of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Akan, belonging to the Kwa group and having over 4 million speakers. Its main dialects are Ashanti and Fante.
Also called Twi.

II. adjective

relating to the Akan or their language.

– origin the name in Akan.

akasha /əˈkɑːʃə/

I. noun

(in Indian religion) a supposed all-pervading field in the ether in which a record of past events is imprinted.

II. derivatives

akashic

adjective

– origin from Sanskrit ākāśa.

Akbar, Jalaludin Muhammad /ˈakbɑː/

(1542–1605), Mogul emperor of India 1556–1605; known as Akbar the Great. Akbar expanded the Mogul empire to incorporate northern India and established an efficient and enlightened administration.

akebia /əˈkiːbɪə/

I. noun

an East Asian climbing shrub with purplish flowers and deeply divided leaves.
●Genus Akebia, family Lardizabalaceae.

– origin 1837: modern Latin, coined by J. Decaisne, French botanist, from Japanese akebi.

Akela /ɑːˈkeɪlə/

I. noun

‹informal› the adult leader of a group of Cub Scouts (officially termed Cub Scout Leader).

– origin 1920s: from the name of the leader of a wolf pack in Kipling's Jungle Books (1894–5).

Akhenaten /ˌakəˈnɑːt(ə)n / Akhenaton, Ikhnaton

(14th century BC), Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, reigned 1379–1362 BC; came to the throne as Amenhotep IV. The husband of Nefertiti, he introduced the monotheistic solar cult of Aten and moved the capital from Thebes to the newly built city of Akhetaten.

Akhetaten /ˌakəˈtɑːt(ə)n/

an ancient Egyptian capital built by Akhenaten in c. 1375 BC when he established the new worship of the sun disc Aten, but abandoned after his death.
See also Tell el-Amarna.

Akhmatova, Anna /akˈmɑːtəvə/

(1889–1966), Russian poet; pseudonym of Anna Andreevna Gorenko. Akhmatova was a member of the Acmeist group of poets. Notable works: Anno Domini (1922).

Akihito /ɑkɪˈhiːtəʊ/

(b.1933), son of Emperor Hirohito, emperor of Japan since 1989; full name Tsugu Akihito.

akimbo /əˈkɪmbəʊ/

I. adverb

1. with hands on the hips and elbows turned outwards

• she stood with arms akimbo, frowning at the small boy.

2. (with reference to limbs) flung out widely or haphazardly.

• he collapsed on the bed, legs akimbo.

– origin late Middle English: from in kenebowe in Middle English, probably from Old Norse.

akin /əˈkɪn/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. of similar character

• something akin to gratitude overwhelmed her

• genius and madness are akin.

2. related by blood.

• my parents were akin, probably half cousins.

– origin mid 16th cent.: contracted form of of kin.

akinesia /ˌeɪkɪˈniːsɪə, ˌakɪˈniːsɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] loss or impairment of the power of voluntary movement.

II. derivatives

akinetic

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek akinēsia ‘quiescence’, from a- ‘without’ + kinēsis ‘motion’.

Akita /əˈkiːtə/

I. noun

a spitz (dog) of a Japanese breed.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Akita, the name of a district in northern Japan.

Akkad /ˈakad, aˈkad/

the capital city which gave its name to an ancient kingdom traditionally founded by Sargon in north central Mesopotamia. Its site is lost.

Akkadian /əˈkeɪdɪən, əˈkadɪən/

I. noun

1. an inhabitant of Akkad.

2. [ mass noun] — the extinct language of Akkad, written in cuneiform, with two dialects, Assyrian and Babylonian, widely used from about 3500 BC. It is the oldest Semitic language for which records exist.

II. adjective

relating to Akkad or its language.

Akko /ˈakəʊ/

another name for Acre (sense 1).

Ak-Mechet /ˌakməˈtʃɛt/

former name for Simferopol.

Akmola /akˈmɒla/

former name for Astana.

akrasia /əˈkreɪzɪə, əˈkrasɪə / acrasia

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [chiefly Philosophy] the state of mind in which someone acts against their better judgement through weakness of will.

II. derivatives

akratic

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek, from a- ‘without’ + kratos ‘power, strength’. The term is used especially with reference to Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics.

Akron /ˈakrən/

a city in NE Ohio; pop. 207,510 (est. 2008).

Aksai Chin /ˌaksʌɪ ˈtʃɪn/

a region of the Himalayas occupied by China since 1950, but claimed by India as part of Kashmir.

Aksum /ˈɑːksəm / Axum

I. a town in the province of Tigray in northern Ethiopia. It was a religious centre and the capital of a powerful kingdom between the 1st and 6th centuries AD.

II. derivatives

Aksumite

adjective, noun

Akubra /əˈkuːbrə/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹trademark› a type of broad-brimmed hat traditionally worn by farmers and cattlemen.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the name of the manufacturer, perhaps from an Aboriginal language.

Al

symbol

the chemical element aluminium.

AL

abbreviation

1. Alabama (in official postal use).

2. Albania (international vehicle registration).

3. American League (in baseball).

al-

prefix

variant spelling of ad- assimilated before -l (as in alleviate, allocate).

-al

I. suffix

1. (forming adjectives) relating to; of the kind of:

2. from Latin words

• annual

• infernal.

3. from Greek words

• historical

• comical.

4. from English nouns

• tidal.

5. forming nouns chiefly denoting verbal action

• arrival

• transmittal.

– origin Sense 1 from French -el or Latin -alis; sense 2 from French -aille or from Latin -alis functioning as a noun ending.

ALA

abbreviation

all letters answered (used in personal advertisements).

Ala.

abbreviation

Alabama.

à la /ɑː lɑː, a la/

I. preposition

1. (of a dish) cooked or prepared in a specified way

• fish cooked à la meunière.

2. ‹informal› in the style or manner of

• afternoon talk shows à la Oprah.

– origin French, from à la mode.

Alabama /ˌaləˈbamə/

a state in the south-eastern US, on the Gulf of Mexico; pop. 4,661,900 (est. 2008); capital, Montgomery. It became the 22nd state in 1819.

Alabaman /ˌaləˈbamən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the US state of Alabama or its inhabitants

• his deep voice was laced with a hint of an Alabaman accent.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the US state of Alabama

• an Alabaman by birth and a Texan by upbringing.

alabaster /ˈaləbɑːstə, ˈaləbastə, ˌaləˈbɑːstə, ˌaləˈbastə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a translucent form of gypsum or calcite, typically white, often carved into ornaments.

II. adjective

1. made of alabaster.

• the gilded alabaster tomb of Sir Anthony Browne.

2. ‹literary› like alabaster in whiteness and smoothness

• her alabaster cheeks flushed with warmth.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin alabaster, alabastrum, from Greek alabastos, alabastros.

à la carte /ɑː lɑː ˈkɑːt, a la French a la kaʀt//

I. adjective

(in a restaurant) referring to food that can be ordered as separate items, rather than part of a set meal

• an à la carte menu.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, literally ‘according to the (menu) card’.

alack /əˈlak / alack-a-day

I. exclamation

‹archaic› used to express regret or dismay.

– origin late Middle English: probably from ah + lack.

alacritous /əˈlakrɪtəs/

I. adjective

‹rare› brisk or lively

• she danced her solos with vigour and alacritous changes of focus.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from alacrity + -ous.

alacrity /əˈlakrɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. brisk and cheerful readiness

• she accepted the invitation with alacrity.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin alacritas, from alacer ‘brisk’.

Aladdin /əˈladɪn/

the hero of a story in the Arabian Nights, who finds an old lamp which, when rubbed, summons a genie who obeys the will of the owner.

Aladdin's cave /əˈladɪnz/

noun

a place filled with a great number and variety of strange or precious items

• the market is an Aladdin's cave of goodies.

Aladdin's lamp

I. noun

a quality or object enabling its holder to gratify any wish.

• his charm was his Aladdin's lamp.

– origin from Aladdin.

Alagoas /ˌaləˈɡəʊəs/

a state in eastern Brazil, on the Atlantic coast; capital, Maceió.

Alain-Fournier /ˌalɛ̃ˈfʊənɪeɪ, French alɛ̃fʊʀnje/

(1886–1914), French novelist; pseudonym of Henri-Alban Fournier. A literary columnist, he completed only one novel, Le Grand Meaulnes (1913), before his death in the First World War.

alameda /ˌaləˈmeɪdə/

I. noun

(in Spain and Spanish-speaking areas) a public walkway or promenade, shaded with trees.

– origin late 18th cent.: Spanish.

Alamo /ˈaləməʊ/

( the Alamo)

1. a mission in San Antonio, Texas, site of a siege in 1836 by Mexican forces, in which all 180 defenders were killed.

à la mode /ɑː lɑː ˈməʊd, a la/

I. adverb, adjective

1. in fashion; up to date
[as adj.]

• corduroy is extremely à la mode this season.

2. (of beef) braised in wine.

3. (N. Amer.) served with ice cream.

– origin late 16th cent.: French, literally ‘in the fashion’.

Åland Islands /ˈɔːlənd/

a group of islands in the Gulf of Bothnia, forming an autonomous region of Finland; capital, Mariehamn (known in Finnish as Maarianhamina).
Finnish name Ahvenanmaa.

alanine /ˈaləniːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an amino acid which is a constituent of most proteins.
●Chem. formula: CH_3CH(NH_2)COOH.

– origin mid 19th cent.: coined in German as Alanin, from aldehyde + -an (for ease of pronunciation) + -ine^4.

alannah /əˈlanə / alanna

I. noun

(Irish) my child (used as an affectionate form of address).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Irish a leanbh ‘O child’.

Al-Anon /ˌaləˈnɒn/

a mutual support organization for the families and friends of alcoholics, especially those of members of Alcoholics Anonymous.

alap /ɑːˈlɑːp / alaap

I. noun

(in Indian music) the improvised section of a raga, forming a prologue to the formal expression.

– origin from Hindi alāp.

alar /ˈeɪlə/

I. adjective

1. [Zoology] [Anatomy] relating to or resembling a wing or wings.

2. [Botany] another term for axillary.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin alaris, from ala ‘wing’.

Alar /ˈeɪlɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a growth retardant sprayed on fruit and vegetables to enhance the quality of the crop.

– origin 1960s: of unknown origin.

Alarcón, Pedro Antonio de /ˌalɑːˈkɒn/

(1833–91), Spanish novelist and short-story writer. Notable works: The Three-Cornered Hat (1874).

Alaric /ˈalərɪk/

( c. 370–410), king of the Visigoths 395–410. He invaded Italy in 408 and captured Rome in 410.

alarm /əˈlɑːm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an anxious awareness of danger

• the boat tilted and the boatmen cried out in alarm

• he views the right-wing upsurge in Europe with alarm.

2. [in sing.] — a warning of danger

• I hammered on several doors to raise the alarm

• Oliver smelled smoke and gave the alarm.

3. [ count noun] — a warning sound or device

• they disabled the alarm and used a glass cutter to get in.

4. [ count noun] — an alarm clock.

• I set my alarm for 6:30.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — make (someone) feel frightened, disturbed, or in danger

• the government was alarmed by an outbreak of unrest.

2. ( be alarmed) — be fitted or protected with an alarm

• this door is locked and alarmed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

– origin late Middle English (as an exclamation meaning ‘to arms!’): from Old French alarme, from Italian allarme, from all' arme! ‘to arms!’.

alarm bell

noun

a bell rung as a warning of danger

• the alarm bell rang out

• ‹figurative› the proposal has set alarm bells ringing.

alarm bird

noun

a name for the kookaburra and other Australian birds with loud piercing calls

• there are several alarm birds in different sections of the bush.

alarm call

noun

1. a warning cry made by a bird or other animal when startled.

• the alarm call stimulates other nearby blackbirds to take evasive action.

2. a telephone call made by prior arrangement to wake the person called.

alarm clock

noun

a clock with a device that can be made to sound at the time set in advance, used to wake someone up.

alarming /əˈlɑːmɪŋ/

adjective

worrying or disturbing

• our countryside is disappearing at an alarming rate.

alarmingly /əˈlɑːmɪŋli/

adverb

1. in a worrying or disturbing way

• all of a sudden, the bell sounds, rather alarmingly.

2. to a worrying degree

• during the early 19th century levels of crime rose alarmingly

• [as submodifier] piling up debt during your college years is alarmingly easy.

3. [ sentence adverb] — used to express concern over an event or state of affairs

• another recent attack on biography comes, alarmingly, from a biographer.

alarmist /əˈlɑːmɪst/

I. noun

someone who exaggerates a danger and so causes needless worry or panic.

• the problem is a fabrication by alarmists.

II. adjective

creating needless worry or panic

• alarmist rumours.

III. derivatives

alarmism /əˈlɑːmɪz(ə)m /

noun

alarum /əˈlɑːrəm/

I. noun

archaic term for alarm.

II. phrases

alarums and excursions

‹humorous› confused activity and uproar.

alas /əˈlas, əˈlɑːs/

I. exclamation

‹archaic› ‹humorous› used to express grief, pity, or concern

• alas, my funds have some limitations.

– origin Middle English: from Old French a las, a lasse, from a ‘ah’ + las(se) (from Latin lassus ‘weary’).

Alas.

abbreviation

Alaska.

Alaska /əˈlaskə/

the largest state of the US, in the extreme north-west of North America, with coasts on the Arctic Ocean, Bering Sea, and North Pacific; pop. 686,293 (est. 2008); capital, Juneau. The territory was purchased from Russia in 1867 and became the 49th state of the US in 1959.

Alaska, Gulf of

a part of the NE Pacific between the Alaska Peninsula and the Alexander Archipelago.

Alaskan /əˈlask(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the US state of Alaska

• he loved the unique Alaskan scenery.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the US state of Alaska

• Alaskans are incredibly proud of their state.

Alaska Peninsula

a peninsula on the south coast of Alaska. It extends south-westwards into the NE Pacific and is continued in the Aleutian Islands.

alate /ˈeɪleɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] [Entomology] (chiefly of insects or seeds) having wings or wing-like appendages.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin alatus, from ala ‘wing’.

Alawi /ˈaləwi / Alawite

I. noun

a member of a Shiite Muslim group living mainly in Syria.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting the Alawis.

– origin late 19th cent.: Arabic ‘Alawī ‘(follower or descendant) of Ali’ (see Ali).

alb /alb/

I. noun

a white vestment reaching to the feet, worn by clergy and servers in some Christian Churches.

– origin Old English albe, from ecclesiastical Latin tunica (or vestis) alba ‘white garment’, from Latin albus ‘white’.

alba /ˈalbə/

I. noun

a shrub rose of a variety with grey-green leaves and pinkish-white, sweet-scented flowers.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin alba, feminine of albus ‘white’, from the name rosa alba, an old white garden rose.

Albacete /ˌalbəˈseɪti, Spanish albaˈθete, Spanish -ˈsete/

a city in a province of the same name in SE Spain; pop. 166,090 (2008).

albacore /ˈalbəkɔː/

I. noun

a tuna of warm seas, which travels in large schools and is of commercial importance as a food fish.
●Two species in the family Scombridae.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Portuguese albacora, from Arabic al-bakūra, perhaps from al ‘the’ + bakūr ‘premature, precocious’.

Alba Iulia /ˌalbə ˈjuːlɪə/

a city in west central Romania, to the north of the Transylvanian Alps; pop. 66,747 (2006). Founded by the Romans in the 2nd century AD, it was the capital of Transylvania.

Alban, St /ˈɔːlbən/

(3rd century), the first British Christian martyr, a native of Verulamium (now St Albans). He was put to death for sheltering a fugitive priest. Feast day, 22 June.

Albania /alˈbeɪnɪə/

I. a republic in SE Europe, bordering on the Adriatic Sea; pop. 3,639,500 (est. 2009); official language, Albanian; capital, Tirana.

Previously part of the Byzantine and later the Ottoman Empire, Albania gained independence in 1912. It became a Stalinist regime under Enver Hoxha after the Second World War, remaining extremely isolationist in policy and outlook until the communists lost power in 1992. Following a period of political instability a democratically elected government was brought to power in 2001.

Albanian /alˈbeɪnɪən/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Albania, or a person of Albanian descent.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of Albania, with about 6 million speakers. It forms a separate branch of Indo-European, and has two distinct dialects, Tosk and Gheg.

II. adjective

relating to Albania or its people or their language.

Albany /ˈɔːlbəni/

the state capital of New York, on the Hudson River; pop. 93,539 (est. 2008).

Albany doctor

I. noun

(Austral.) (in south-west Western Australia) a cool onshore breeze at the end of a hot day

• every day at 3 o'clock the Albany doctor arrives and the temperature drops.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the Western Australian port town of Albany + the Australian sense of doctor ‘cool onshore breeze’.

albatross /ˈalbətrɒs/

I. noun

1. a very large, chiefly white oceanic bird with long, narrow wings, found mainly in the southern oceans.
●Family Diomedeidae: genera Diomedea and Phoebetria.

2. a source of frustration or guilt; an encumbrance (in allusion to Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)

• an albatross of a marriage.

3. [Golf] another term for double eagle.

– origin late 17th cent.: alteration (influenced by Latin albus ‘white’) of 16th-cent. alcatras, applied to various seabirds including the frigate bird and pelican, from Spanish and Portuguese alcatraz, from Arabic al-ġaṭṭās ‘the diver’.

albedo /alˈbiːdəʊ/

I. noun

[chiefly Astronomy] the proportion of the incident light or radiation that is reflected by a surface, typically that of a planet or moon.

• the lunar maria have a lower albedo than the surrounding terrain.

– origin mid 19th cent.: ecclesiastical Latin, ‘whiteness’, from Latin albus ‘white’.

Albee, Edward Franklin /ˈɔːlbiː, ˈalbiː/

(b.1928), American dramatist. He was initially associated with the Theatre of the Absurd, but Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962) marked a more naturalistic departure.

albeit /ɔːlˈbiːɪt/

I. conjunction

though

• he was making progress, albeit rather slowly.

– origin late Middle English: from the phrase all be it ‘although it be (that’).

Albena /alˈbeɪnə/

a resort town in Bulgaria, on the coast of the Black Sea.

Albers, Josef /ˈalbəz, German ˈalbɐs/

(1888–1976), German-born American artist, designer, and teacher. He taught at the Bauhaus until 1933, and his work was strongly influenced by constructivism. He later emigrated to the US, where he was instrumental in disseminating Bauhaus principles through his teaching work.

albert /ˈalbət / albert chain

I. noun

(Brit.) a watch chain with a bar at one end for attaching to a buttonhole.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Prince Albert (see Albert, Prince).

Albert, Lake

I. a lake in the Rift Valley of east central Africa, on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) and Uganda. It is linked to Lake Edward by the Semliki River and to the White Nile by the Albert Nile.
African name Mobutu Sese Seko, Lake.

– origin named after the Prince Consort by the English explorer Samuel Baker, who in 1864 was the first European to sight it.

Albert, Prince

Albert Francis Charles Augustus Emmanuel (1819–61), consort to Queen Victoria and prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

Alberta /alˈbəːtə/

I. a prairie province in western Canada, bounded on the south by the US and on the west by the Rocky Mountains; capital, Edmonton; pop. 3,290,350 (2006).

II. derivatives

Albertan

noun, adjective

Alberti, Leon Battista /alˈbɛːti, Italian alˈberti/

(1404–72), Italian architect, humanist, painter, and art critic. His book On Painting (1435) was the first account of the theory of perspective in the Renaissance.

Albert Nile

the upper part of the Nile, flowing through NW Uganda between Lake Albert and the Uganda–South Sudan border.

Albertus Magnus, St /alˌbəːtəs ˈmaɡnəs/

( c. 1200–80), Dominican theologian, philosopher, and scientist; known as Doctor Universalis. A teacher of St Thomas Aquinas, he was a pioneer in the study of Aristotle and contributed significantly to the comparison of Christian theology and pagan philosophy. Feast day, 15 November.

albescent /alˈbɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹literary› growing or shading into white

• albescent mist.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin albescere ‘become white’, from albus ‘white’.

Albi /ˈalbi/

a town in southern France; pop. 51,199 (2006). The Albigensian movement originated there.

Albigenses /ˌalbɪˈɡɛnsiːz, ˌalbɪˈdʒɛnsiːz/

I. plural noun

a heretical Catharist sect of southern France in the 12th–13th centuries, believing in a form of Manichaean dualism with an extremely strict moral and social code.

II. derivatives

Albigensian /ˌalbɪˈdʒɛnsɪən /

adjective, noun

– origin from medieval Latin, from Albiga, the Latin name of Albi in southern France.

albino /alˈbiːnəʊ/

I. noun

1. a person or animal having a congenital absence of pigment in the skin and hair (which are white) and the eyes (which are usually pink).

• these individuals have normal-coloured eyes and are thus easily distinguished from albinos.

2. ‹informal› an abnormally white animal or plant
[as modifier]

• an albino tiger.

II. derivatives

albinism /ˈalbɪnɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from Portuguese (originally denoting albinos among African black people) and Spanish, from albo (from Latin albus ‘white’) + the suffix -ino (see -ine^1).

Albinoni, Tomaso /ˌalbɪˈnəʊni/

(1671–1751), Italian composer. The Adagio in G with which he is popularly associated was in fact composed by Remo Giazotto, based on a manuscript fragment by Albinoni.

Albinus /alˈbiːnəs/

another name for Alcuin.

Albion /ˈalbɪən/

I. noun

a literary term for Britain or England, often used when referring to ancient or historical times.

• the ancient religious sites of Albion.

– origin Old English, from Latin, probably of Celtic origin and related to Latin albus ‘white’ (in allusion to the white cliffs of Dover). The phrase perfidious Albion (mid 19th cent.) translates the French la perfide Albion, alluding to alleged treachery to other nations.

albite /ˈalbʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sodium-rich mineral of the feldspar group, typically white, occurring in silicate rocks.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin albus ‘white’ + -ite^1.

albizzia /alˈbɪzɪə/

I. noun

a leguminous tree or shrub of warm climates, with feathery leaves and plume-like flowers that typically resemble bottlebrushes.
●Genus Albizia, family Leguminosae.

– origin modern Latin, named after Filippo degli Albizzi, a Tuscan nobleman who introduced the silk tree A. julibrizzen into Italy in the mid 18th cent.

album /ˈalbəm/

I. noun

1. a blank book for the insertion of photographs, stamps, or pictures

• the wedding pictures had pride of place in the family album.

2. a collection of recordings issued as a single item on CD, record, or another medium.

• his debut album was very much influenced by the jazz sound.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin, neuter of albus ‘white’ used as a noun meaning ‘a blank tablet’. Taken into English from the German use of the Latin phrase album amicorum ‘album of friends’ (a blank book in which autographs, drawings, poems, etc. were collected), it was originally used consciously as a Latin word.

albumen /ˈalbjʊmɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. egg white, or the protein contained in it.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘egg white’, from albus ‘white’.

albumin /ˈalbjʊmɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a simple form of protein that is soluble in water and coagulable by heat, such as that found in egg white, milk, and (in particular) blood serum.

• analysis showed traces of haemoglobin and serum albumin.

• [ count noun] human and baboon albumins.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French albumine, based on Latin albumen, albumin- (see albumen).

albuminoid /alˈbjuːmɪnɔɪd/

noun

another term for scleroprotein.

albuminous /alˈbjuːmɪnəs/

adjective

consisting of, resembling, or containing albumen.

albuminuria /ˌalbjʊmɪˈnjʊərɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the presence of albumin in the urine, typically as a symptom of kidney disease.

Albuquerque /ˈalbəˌkəːki/

the largest city in the state of New Mexico; pop. 521,999 (est. 2008).

Albuquerque, Alfonso de /ˈalbəˌkəːki/

(1453–1515), Portuguese colonial statesman. He conquered Goa (1510) and made it the capital of the Portuguese empire in the east.

alburnum /alˈbəːnəm/

I. noun

another term for sapwood.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, from albus ‘white’.

Alcaeus /alˈsiːəs/

( c. 620– c. 580 BC), Greek lyric poet. He invented a new form of lyric metre, the alcaic; he also wrote political odes, drinking songs, and love songs. His works were a model for Horace and the verse of the Renaissance.

alcaic /alˈkeɪɪk / ‹Prosody›

I. adjective

using or denoting a verse metre occurring in four-line stanzas.

II. plural noun — ( alcaics)

1. alcaic verse.

– origin mid 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek alkaikos, from Alkaios (see Alcaeus).

Alcalá de Henares /ˌalkaˈlɑː deɪ ɛˈnɑːrɛs/

a city in central Spain, on the River Henares, 25 km (15 miles) north-east of Madrid; pop. 203,645 (2008).

alcalde /alˈkaldeɪ/

I. noun

a magistrate or mayor in a Spanish, Portuguese, or Latin American town.

– origin mid 16th cent.: Spanish, from Arabic al-qāḍī ‘the judge’ (see cadi).

Alcatraz /ˈalkətraz/

I. a rocky island in San Francisco Bay, California. Between 1934 and 1963 it was the site of a top-security federal prison.

– origin from Spanish alcatraz ‘pelicans’, which were once common there.

alcazar /ˌalkəˈzɑː/

I. noun

a Spanish palace or fortress of Moorish origin.

• the gardens of the alcazar in Seville.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Spanish alcázar, from Arabic al-qaṣr ‘the castle’.

Alcestis /alˈsɛstɪs / ‹Greek Mythology›

wife of Admetus, king of Pherae in Thessaly. She saved her husband's life by consenting to die on his behalf.

alchemilla /ˌalkəˈmɪlə/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that includes lady's mantle and its relatives.
●Genus Alchemilla, family Rosaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from a medieval Latin diminutive of alchimia ‘alchemy’, from the belief that dew from the leaves of the plant could turn base metals into gold.

alchemist /ˈalkəmɪst/

noun

1. a person who practises alchemy

• phosphorus was discovered by German alchemist Hennig Brand in 1669.

2. a person who transforms or creates something through a seemingly magical process

• some highly imaginative tax shelters dreamed up by the accounting alchemists.

alchemy /ˈalkɪmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the medieval forerunner of chemistry, concerned with the transmutation of matter, in particular with attempts to convert base metals into gold or find a universal elixir.

• occult sciences, such as alchemy and astrology.

2. a seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination

• finding the person who's right for you requires a very subtle alchemy.

II. derivatives

1. alchemic /alˈkɛmɪk /

adjective

2. alchemical

adjective

3. alchemize /ˈalkəmʌɪz / alchemise

verb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French and medieval Latin from Arabic al-kīmiyā', from al ‘the’ + kīmiyā' (from Greek khēmia, khēmeia ‘art of transmuting metals’).

Alcheringa /ˌaltʃəˈrɪŋɡə / Alchera /ˈaltʃərə/

I. noun

(in the mythology of some Australian Aborigines) the ‘golden age’ when the first ancestors were created.
Also called Dreamtime.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Arrernte aljerre-nge ‘in the Dreamtime’.

Alcian blue /ˈalsɪən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a water-soluble copper-containing blue dye used as a histological stain for glycosaminoglycans.

– origin 1940s: Alcian perhaps from ( phth)al(o)cyan(ine) with a phonetic respelling.

Alcibiades /ˌalsɪˈbʌɪədiːz/

( c. 450–404 BC), Athenian general and statesman. He led the unsuccessful Athenian expeditions against Sparta and Sicily during the Peloponnesian War but fled to Sparta after being charged with sacrilege.

alcid /ˈalsɪd/

I. noun

[Ornithology] a bird of the auk family ( Alcidae); an auk.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Alcidae (plural), from the genus name Alca, from Old Norse álka ‘razorbill’; compare with auk.

Alclad /ˈalklad/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a composite material consisting of sheets of aluminium alloy coated with pure aluminium or a different alloy to increase corrosion resistance.

– origin 1920s: from al(uminium) + clad^2.

Alcock, Sir John William /ˈɔːlkɒk/

(1892–1919), English aviator. Together with Sir Arthur Whitten Brown he made the first non-stop transatlantic flight (16 hours 27 minutes) on 14–15 June 1919.

alcohol /ˈalkəhɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a colourless volatile flammable liquid which is produced by the natural fermentation of sugars and is the intoxicating constituent of wine, beer, spirits, and other drinks, and is also used as an industrial solvent and as fuel.

• it is an offence to drive if you have more than 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood.

• the use of petrol containing alcohol.

●Alternative names: ethanol, ethyl alcohol; chem. formula: C_2H_5OH.

2. drink containing alcohol

• he has not taken alcohol in twenty-five years.

3. [ count noun] — [Chemistry] any organic compound whose molecule contains one or more hydroxyl groups attached to a carbon atom.

• unpleasant stuff like formaldehyde is produced as alcohols burn.

• polyvinyl alcohol.

– origin mid 16th cent.: French (earlier form of alcool), or from medieval Latin, from Arabic al-kuḥl ‘the kohl’. In early use the term referred to powders, specifically kohl, and especially those obtained by sublimation; later ‘a distilled or rectified spirit’ (mid 17th cent.).

alcohol abuse

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the habitual excessive use of alcohol

• Dawn's father was put into rehab for alcohol abuse.

II. derivatives

alcohol abuser

noun

alcohol-free

adjective

1. (of a drink) not containing alcohol

• alcohol-free lager.

2. not serving or consuming alcoholic drinks.

• the hotel has an alcohol-free bar.

alcoholic /alkəˈhɒlɪk/

I. adjective

1. containing or relating to alcohol

• alcoholic liquor.

2. caused by the excessive consumption of alcohol

• alcoholic liver disease.

3. suffering from alcoholism.

• his alcoholic daughter was the cause of his anxiety.

II. noun

a person suffering from alcoholism.

Alcoholics Anonymous AA

( in the US)

1. ‹trademark› a self-help organization for people fighting alcoholism, founded in the US in 1935 and now having branches worldwide.

alcoholism /ˈalkəhɒlɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. addiction to the consumption of alcoholic drink; alcohol dependency.

• he had a long history of depression, drug abuse, and alcoholism.

alcopop /ˈalkəʊpɒp/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a ready-mixed drink that resembles a soft drink but contains alcohol.

Alcott, Louisa May /ˈɔːlkɒt/

(1832–88), American novelist. She is best known for the novel Little Women (1868–9), based on her New England childhood. Alcott was involved in diverse reform movements, including women's suffrage.

alcove /ˈalkəʊv/

I. noun

a recess in the wall of a room or garden.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French alcôve, from Spanish alcoba, from Arabic al-qubba ‘the vault’.

Alcuin /ˈalkwɪn/

( c. 735–804) English scholar, theologian, and adviser to Charlemagne; also known as Albinus. He is credited with the transformation of Charlemagne's court into a cultural centre in the period known as the Carolingian Renaissance.

Aldabra /alˈdabrə/

a coral island group in the Indian Ocean, north-west of Madagascar. Formerly part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, it became an outlying dependency of the Seychelles in 1976.

Aldebaran /alˈdɛbərən / ‹Astronomy›

I. the brightest star in the constellation Taurus. It is a binary star of which the main component is a red giant.

– origin Arabic, ‘the follower (of the Pleiades)’.

Aldeburgh /ˈɔːldbrə/

a town on the coast of Suffolk, England; pop. 2,700 (est. 2005). It is the setting for a music festival established by Benjamin Britten.

aldehyde /ˈaldɪhʌɪd/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an organic compound containing the group —CHO, formed by the oxidation of alcohols. Typical aldehydes include methanal (formaldehyde) and ethanal (acetaldehyde).

II. derivatives

aldehydic /ˌaldɪˈhɪdɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: shortened from Latin alcohol dehydrogenatum ‘alcohol deprived of hydrogen’.

al dente /al ˈdɛnteɪ, -ti/

I. adjective, adverb

(of food, typically pasta) cooked so as to be still firm when bitten.

– origin Italian, literally ‘to the tooth’.

alder /ˈɔːldə / alder tree

I. noun

a widely distributed tree of the birch family which has toothed leaves and bears male catkins and woody female cones.
●Genus Alnus, family Betulaceae: many species.

– origin Old English alor, aler, of Germanic origin; related to German Erle; forms spelled with d are recorded from the 14th cent.

alder buckthorn

noun

a deciduous Eurasian shrub which bears glossy leaves and black berries.
● Frangula alnus (or Rhamnus frangula), family Rhamnaceae.

alderfly

noun

a brownish fly-like insect that lives near water and has predatory aquatic larvae.
●Family Sialidae, order Neuroptera: several genera.

alderman /ˈɔːldəmən/

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly historical› a co-opted member of an English county or borough council, next in status to the Mayor.

2. (N. Amer.) (Austral.) an elected member of a city council.

II. derivatives

1. aldermanic

adjective

2. aldermanship /ˈɔːldəmənʃɪp /

noun

– origin Old English aldormann (originally in the general sense ‘a man of high rank’), from aldor, ealdor ‘chief, patriarch’ (from ald ‘old’) + man. Later the sense ‘warden of a guild’ arose; then, as the guilds became identified with the ruling municipal body, ‘local magistrate, municipal officer’.

Aldermaston /ˈɔːldəˌmɑːst(ə)n/

a village near Reading in southern England, site of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment.

Alderney /ˈɔːldəni/

an island in the English Channel, to the north-east of Guernsey; pop. 2,000 (est. 2009). It is the third largest of the Channel Islands.

alderperson /ˈɔːldəˌpəːs(ə)n/

noun

(N. Amer.) (Austral.) an elected member of a city council.

Aldershot /ˈɔːldəʃɒt/

a town in southern England, in Hampshire; pop. 57,500 (est. 2009).

alderwoman /ˈɔːldəwʊmən/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) (Austral.) an elected female member of a city council.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense ‘alderman's wife’): from alder- in alderman + woman.

al desko /al ˈdɛskəʊ/

I. adverb, adjective

‹humorous› while working at one's desk in an office (with reference to the consumption of food or meals)
[as adv.]

• limp sandwiches eaten al desko

• [as adj.] an al-desko lunch.

– origin 1980s: on the pattern of al fresco.

aldicarb /ˈaldɪkɑːb/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a systemic agricultural pesticide used against some mites, insects, and nematode worms.

– origin 1970s: blend of aldehyde + carbamide (from carbo- + amide).

Aldine /ˈaldʌɪn/

I. adjective

relating to the Italian printer Aldus Manutius, or to certain display typefaces.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin Aldinus, from Aldus, the printer's given name.

Aldis lamp /ˈɔːldɪs/

I. noun

a handheld lamp for signalling in Morse code.

– origin First World War: named after Arthur C. W. Aldis (1878–1953), its British inventor.

Aldiss, Brian /ˈɔːldɪs/

(b.1925), English novelist and critic, best known for his science fiction; full name Brian Wilson Aldiss. Notable works: Frankenstein Unbound (1973).

aldol /ˈaldɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a viscous liquid obtained when acetaldehyde dimerizes in dilute alkali or acid.
●Chem. formula: CH_3CH(OH)CH_2CHO.

– origin late 19th cent.: from al(dehyde) + -ol.

aldosterone /alˈdɒstərəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a corticosteroid hormone which stimulates absorption of sodium by the kidneys and so regulates water and salt balance.

– origin 1950s: blend of aldehyde and steroid, + -one.

aldosteronism /ˌaldə(ʊ)ˈstɛrənɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which there is excessive secretion of aldosterone, which disturbs the balance of sodium, potassium, and water in the blood and so leads to high blood pressure.

aldrin /ˈɔːldrɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a toxic synthetic insecticide, now generally banned.
●A chlorinated polycyclic hydrocarbon; chem. formula: C_12H_8Cl_6.

– origin 1940s: from the name of K. Alder (see Diels–Alder reaction) + -in^1.

Aldrin, Buzz /ˈɔːldrɪn/

(b.1930), American astronaut; born Edwin Eugene Aldrin. In 1969 he took part in the first moon landing, the Apollo 11 mission, becoming the second person to set foot on the moon, after Neil Armstrong.

Aldus Manutius /ˌɔːldəs məˈnjuːʃɪəs/

(1450–1515), Italian scholar, printer, and publisher; Latinized name of Teobaldo Manucci; also known as Aldo Manuzio. He printed fine first editions of many Greek and Latin classics.

ale /eɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Brit.) any beer other than lager, stout, or porter

• a draught of ale

• [ count noun] traditional cask-conditioned ales.

2. (N. Amer.) beer brewed by top fermentation.

3. ‹historical› a drink made like beer but without the addition of hops.

– origin Old English alu, ealu, of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse ǫl. Formerly the word referred especially to the paler varieties of beer.

aleatory /ˈeɪlɪət(ə)ri, ˈalɪət(ə)ri / aleatoric /ˌeɪlɪəˈtɒrɪk, ˌalɪəˈtɒrɪk/

I. adjective

1. depending on the throw of a dice or on chance; random.

2. relating to or denoting music or other forms of art involving elements of random choice (sometimes using statistical or computer techniques) during their composition, production, or performance.

• aleatory music.

• a photograph can capture the aleatory chaos of modern urban life.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin aleatorius, from aleator ‘dice player’, from alea ‘die’, + -y^1.

alec /ˈalɪk / aleck

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a stupid person

• what sort of alec do you take me for?

– origin late 20th cent.: shortening of smart alec.

alecost /ˈeɪlkɒst/

I. noun

another term for costmary.

– origin late 16th cent.: from ale + cost.

Alecto /əˈlɛktəʊ / ‹Greek Mythology› Allecto

one of the Furies.

alee /əˈliː/

I. adjective, adverb

1. [Nautical] on the side of a ship that is sheltered from the wind.

2. [Nautical] (of the helm) moved round to leeward in order to tack a vessel or to bring its bows up into the wind.

– origin late Middle English: from a-2 ‘on’ + lee.

alehouse /ˈeɪlhaʊs/

noun

‹dated› an inn or public house.

Alekhine, Alexander /ˈalɪkiːn, ˈaljəkɪn/

(1892–1946), Russian-born French chess player, world champion 1927–35 and from 1937 until his death.

Aleksandropol /ˌalɪkˈsɑːndrəpɒl / Alexandropol

former name (1840–1924) for Gyumri.

Aleksandrovsk /ˌalɪkˈsɑːndrəfsk/

former name (until 1921) for Zaporizhzhya.

alembic /əˈlɛmbɪk/

I. noun

a distilling apparatus, now obsolete, consisting of a gourd-shaped container and a cap with a long beak for conveying the products to a receiver.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin alembicus, from Arabic al-'anbīq, from al- ‘the’ + 'anbīq ‘still’ (from Greek ambix, ambik- ‘cup, cap of a still’).

alembicated /əˈlɛmbɪkeɪtəd/

I. adjective

‹archaic› (of an idea, expression, or style) excessively subtle or refined.

– origin late 18th cent.: from alembic + the adjectival suffix -ated.

Alentejo /ˌalənˈteɪʒuː/

a region and former province of east central Portugal.

aleph /ˈɑːlɛf/

I. noun

the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

– origin Middle English: from Hebrew 'ālep̱, literally ‘ox’ (the character in Phoenician and ancient Hebrew possibly being derived from a hieroglyph of an ox's head).

Aleppo /aˈlɛpəʊ/

a city in northern Syria; pop. 1,693,800 (est. 2009).
Arabic name Halab.

Aleppo gall

noun

a hard nut-like gall that forms on some varieties of oak in response to the developing larva of a gall wasp. It is used as a source of gallic acid and tannin. Also called nutgall.
●The wasp is Cynips quercusfolii, family Cynipidae.

alerce /əˈləːsi/

I. noun

a cypress tree that is valued for its timber.
●Several species in the family Cupressaceae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, ‘larch’.

alert /əˈləːt/

I. adjective

1. quick to notice any unusual and potentially dangerous or difficult circumstances; vigilant

• an alert police officer discovered a lorry full of explosive

• schools need to be constantly alert to this problem.

2. able to think clearly; intellectually active

• she remained active and alert until well into her eighties.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being watchful for possible danger

• security forces are on the alert for an upsurge in violence.

2. [ count noun] — an announcement or signal warning of danger

• a bomb alert.

3. [ count noun] — a period of vigilance following a warning of danger

• traffic was halted during the alert.

4. [ count noun] — a signal on an electronic device that prompts the user to do something or attracts their attention

• a vibrating alert is a discreet alternative to ringtones.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. warn (someone) of a danger or problem

• he alerted people to the dangers of smoking

• police were alerted after three men drove away without paying.

IV. derivatives

alertly /əˈləːtli /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent. (originally in military use): from French alerte, from Italian all' erta ‘to the watchtower’.

alertness /əˈləːtnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being alert

• Walsall were indebted to the bravery and alertness of their goalkeeper

• a lack of mental alertness.

-ales /ˈeɪliːz/

I. suffix

[Botany] forming the names of orders of plants

• Rosales.

– origin from the plural of the Latin adjectival suffix -alis (see -al).

alethic /əˈliːθɪk/

I. adjective

[Philosophy] denoting modalities of truth, such as necessity, contingency, or impossibility.

– origin 1950s: from Greek alētheia ‘truth’ + -ic.

Aletschhorn /ˈɑːlɛtʃˌhɔːn/

a mountain in Switzerland, in the Bernese Alps, rising to 4,195 m (13,763 ft). Its glaciers are among the largest in Europe.

aleurone /əˈljʊərəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] protein stored as granules in the cells of plant seeds.
[as modifier]

• aleurone grains.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek aleuron ‘flour’.

Aleut /əˈljuːt, ˈalɪuːt/

I. noun

1. a member of a people inhabiting the Aleutian Islands, other islands in the Bering Sea, and parts of western Alaska.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Aleuts, related to Eskimo but now almost extinct.

II. adjective

relating to the Aleuts or their language.

– origin of unknown origin.

Aleutian Islands /əˈl(j)uːʃ(ə)n / the Aleutians

a chain of volcanic islands in US possession, extending south-west from the Alaska Peninsula.

A level /ˈeɪlɛvl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the UK except Scotland) a qualification in a specific subject typically taken by school students aged 16–18, at a level above GCSE. The equivalent in Scotland is the Higher.
Compare with GCSE, O level.

2. [ count noun] — an A-level exam or pass.

– origin 1950s: short for advanced level.

alevin /ˈaləvɪn/

I. noun

a newly spawned salmon or trout still carrying the yolk.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, based on Latin allevare ‘raise up’.

alewife /ˈeɪlwʌɪf/

I. noun

a NW Atlantic fish of the herring family, which swims up rivers to spawn.
● Alosa pseudoharengus, family Clupeidae.

– origin mid 17th cent.: possibly from earlier alewife ‘woman who keeps an ale house’, with reference to the fish's large belly.

Alexander^1 /ˌalɪɡˈzɑːndə/

(356–323 BC), king of Macedon 336–323, son of Philip II; known as Alexander the Great. He conquered Persia, Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Bactria, and the Punjab; in Egypt he founded the city of Alexandria.

Alexander^2 /ˌalɪɡˈzɑːndə/

I. the name of three kings of Scotland:

II. Alexander I ( c. 1077–1124), son of Malcolm III, reigned 1107–24.

III. Alexander II (1198–1249), son of William I of Scotland, reigned 1214–49.

IV. Alexander III (1241–86), son of Alexander II, reigned 1249–86.

Alexander^3 /ˌalɪɡˈzɑːndə/

I. the name of three tsars of Russia:

II. Alexander I (1777–1825), reigned 1801–25.

III. Alexander II (1818–81), son of Nicholas I, reigned 1855–81; known as Alexander the Liberator. His reforms included limited emancipation of the serfs.

IV. Alexander III (1845–94), son of Alexander II, reigned 1881–94. He reversed many of his father's reforms, resulting in a dangerous situation in Russia.

Alexander, Harold

1st Earl Alexander of Tunis (1891–1969), British Field Marshal and Conservative statesman, holding commands during the Second World War; full name Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander.

Alexander Archipelago

a group of about 1,100 islands off the coast of SE Alaska.

Alexander Nevsky /ˈnjɛfski / Nevski

( c. 1220–63), prince of Novgorod 1236–63; canonized as St Alexander Nevsky. He defeated the Swedes on the banks of the River Neva in 1240. Feast day, 30 August or 23 November.

alexanders

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a European plant of the parsley family with yellowish flowers, formerly eaten as a salad vegetable.
● Smyrnium olusatrum, family Umbelliferae.

– origin Old English alexandre, from medieval Latin alexandrum.

Alexander technique /alɪɡˈzɑːndə/

I. noun

a system designed to promote well-being by retraining one's awareness and habits of posture to ensure minimum effort and strain.

– origin 1930s: named after Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869–1955), the Australian-born actor and elocutionist who developed it.

Alexandretta /ˌalɪɡzɑːnˈdrɛtə/

former name for Iskenderun.

Alexandria /ˌalɪɡˈzɑːndrɪə/

the chief port of Egypt; pop. 4,084,700 (est. 2006). Alexandria was a major centre of Hellenistic culture and was renowned for its extensive library (burned down in the 3rd century AD).

Alexandrian /ˌalɪɡˈzɑːndrɪən/

adjective

1. relating to Alexandria in Egypt.

2. belonging to the schools of literature and philosophy of ancient Alexandria.

3. (of a writer) derivative or imitative of previous writers and fond of obscure learning.

alexandrine /ˌalɪɡˈzɑːndrɪn, ˌalɪɡˈzɑːndrʌɪn / ‹Prosody›

I. adjective

(of a line of verse) having six iambic feet.

II. noun — (usu. alexandrines)

1. an alexandrine line.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French alexandrin, from Alexandre (see Alexander^1), the subject of an Old French poem in this metre.

alexandrite /ˌalɪɡˈzɑːndrʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a gem variety of chrysoberyl which appears green in daylight and red in artificial light.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of Tsar Alexander II of Russia (see Alexander^3) + -ite^1.

alexia /əˈlɛksɪə, eɪˈlɛksɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inability to recognize or read written words or letters, typically as a result of brain damage.
Compare with dyslexia.

– origin late 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘without’ + Greek lexis ‘speech’, from legein ‘speak’, which was confused with Latin legere ‘read’.

Alf /alf/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› an uneducated and unthinkingly conservative Australian man

• only an Alf could be indifferent to the destruction of yet another theatre.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation of the given name Alfred.

alfalfa /alˈfalfə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a leguminous plant with clover-like leaves and bluish flowers, native to SW Asia and widely grown for fodder. Also called lucerne.
● Medicago sativa, family Leguminosae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, from Arabic al-faṣfaṣa, a green fodder.

alfisol /ˈalfɪsɒl/

I. noun

[Soil Science] a soil of an order comprising leached basic or slightly acid soils with a clay-enriched B horizon.

– origin 1960s: from the arbitrary element Alfi- + -sol.

alfoil /ˈalfɔɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹trademark› tinfoil.

– origin from aluminium + foil^1.

Alfonso XIII /alˈfɒnsəʊ/

(1886–1941), king of Spain 1886–1931, forced into exile after elections indicating a preference for a republic.

Alfred /ˈalfrɪd/

(849–99), king of Wessex 871–99; known as Alfred the Great. Alfred's military resistance saved SW England from Viking occupation. A great reformer, he is credited with the foundation of the English navy and with a revival of learning.

Alfredo /alˈfreɪdəʊ/

I. adjective

denoting a sauce for pasta incorporating butter, cream, garlic, and Parmesan cheese
[ postpositive]

• fettuccine Alfredo.

– origin named after Alfredo di Lelio, the Italian chef and restaurateur who invented the sauce.

al fresco /al ˈfrɛskəʊ/

I. adverb, adjective

in the open air
[as adj.]

• an al fresco supper

• [as adv.] in the unlikely event of some sunshine you can even dine al fresco.

– origin mid 18th cent.: Italian, literally ‘in the fresh (air)’.

Alfvén, Hannes /ˈalvɛn/

(1908–95), Swedish theoretical physicist; full name Hannes Olof Gösta Alfvén. His work was important for controlled thermonuclear fusion. Nobel Prize for Physics (1970).

Alfvén wave

noun

[Physics] a transverse magnetohydrodynamic wave travelling in the direction of the magnetic field in a magnetized plasma. The velocity of such waves (the Alfvén velocity or speed) is characteristic for a plasma of given properties.

alga /ˈalɡə/

I. noun

a simple, non-flowering, and typically aquatic plant of a large assemblage that includes the seaweeds and many single-celled forms. Algae contain chlorophyll but lack true stems, roots, leaves, and vascular tissue.
●Divisions Chlorophyta ( green algae), Heterokontophyta ( brown algae), and Rhodophyta ( red algae); some (or all) are frequently placed in the kingdom Protista.

II. derivatives

algal /ˈalɡəl /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘seaweed’.

algal bloom /ˌalɡəlˈbluːm/

noun

a rapid growth of microscopic algae or cyanobacteria in water, often resulting in a coloured scum on the surface.

Algarve /alˈɡɑːv/

( the Algarve)

1. the southernmost province of Portugal, on the Atlantic coast; capital, Faro.

algebra /ˈaldʒɪbrə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the part of mathematics in which letters and other general symbols are used to represent numbers and quantities in formulae and equations.

• courses in algebra, geometry, and Newtonian physics.

2. a system of algebra based on given axioms.

II. derivatives

algebraist /ˌaldʒɪˈbreɪɪst /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Italian, Spanish, and medieval Latin, from Arabic al-jabr ‘the reunion of broken parts’, ‘bone-setting’, from jabara ‘reunite, restore’. The original sense, ‘the surgical treatment of fractures’, probably came via Spanish, in which it survives; the mathematical sense comes from the title of a book, ‘ilm al-jabr wa'l-muqābala ‘the science of restoring what is missing and equating like with like’, by the mathematician al-Ḵwārizmī (see algorithm).

algebraic /ˌaldʒɪˈbreɪɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to or involving algebra.

2. denoting a mathematical expression or equation in which a finite number of symbols are combined using only the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and exponentiation with constant rational exponents.
Compare with transcendental.

II. derivatives

1. algebraical

adjective

2. algebraically

adverb

Algeciras /ˌaldʒɪˈsɪərəs, Spanish alxeˈθiras, Spanish alxeˈsiras/

a ferry port and resort in southern Spain; pop. 115,333 (2008).

Algeria /alˈdʒɪərɪə/

1. a republic on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa; pop. 34,178,200 (est. 2009); official language, Arabic; capital, Algiers.

Algeria was colonized by France in the mid 19th century and was for a time closely integrated with metropolitan France, but following civil war in the 1950s the country achieved independence in 1962. A brief period of multiparty democracy was ended by a military takeover in 1992 after the fundamentalist Islamic Salvation Front had won the first round of the national elections; violent civil strife ensued until 2000, when the armed segment of the Islamic Salvation Front was dissolved.

Algerian /alˈdʒɪərɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Algeria

• a port city on the Algerian coast.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Algeria, or a person of Algerian descent

• Algerians are known for their hospitality.

-algia

I. combining form

denoting pain in a specified part of the body

• neuralgia

• myalgia.

II. derivatives

-algic

combining form

in corresponding adjectives.

– origin from Greek algos ‘pain’.

algicide /ˈaldʒɪsʌɪd, ˈalɡɪsʌɪd/

noun

a substance which is poisonous to algae.

Algiers /alˈdʒɪəz/

the capital of Algeria and one of the leading Mediterranean ports of North Africa; pop. 2,203,700 (est. 2009).

alginate

noun

[Chemistry] a salt of alginic acid.

alginic acid /alˈdʒɪnɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] an insoluble gelatinous carbohydrate found (chiefly as salts) in many brown seaweeds. The sodium salt is used as a thickener in foods and many other materials.

– origin late 19th cent.: alginic from alga + -in^1 + -ic.

algo /ˈalɡəʊ/

noun

‹informal› short for algorithm:

• the algo determines which indexed pages are most relevant to that search term.

Algol /ˈalɡɒl / ‹Astronomy›

I. a variable star in the constellation Perseus, regarded as the prototype of eclipsing binary stars.

– origin from Arabic al ġūl ‘the ghoul’.

ALGOL /ˈalɡɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an early high-level computer programming language devised to carry out scientific calculations.

– origin 1950s: from algo(rithmic) + the initial letter of language.

algolagnia /ˌalɡə(ʊ)ˈlaɡnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] desire for sexual gratification through inflicting pain on oneself or others; sadomasochism.

– origin early 20th cent.: coined in German from Greek algos ‘pain’ + lagneia ‘lust’.

algology /alˈɡɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of algae.

II. derivatives

1. algological

adjective

2. algologist

noun

Algonquian /alˈɡɒŋkwɪən, alˈɡɒŋkɪən / Algonkian /alˈɡɒŋkɪən/

I. adjective

denoting or relating to a large family of North American Indian languages formerly spoken across a vast area from the Atlantic seaboard to the Great Lakes and the Great Plains, and including Ojibwa, Cree, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, and Delaware. Many words in English have been adopted from these languages, e.g. moccasin, moose, and toboggan.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the Algonquian family of languages.

2. a speaker of any of the Algonquian languages.

– origin from Algonquin + -ian.

Algonquin /alˈɡɒŋkwɪn / Algonkin

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people living in Canada along the Ottawa River and its tributaries and westward to the north of Lake Superior.

2. [ mass noun] — the Algonquian language of the Algonquin people, with about 3,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Algonquin people or their language.

– origin French, contraction of obsolete Algoumequin, from a Micmac word meaning ‘at the place of spearing fish and eels’.

algorithm /ˈalɡərɪð(ə)m/

I. noun

a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer

• a basic algorithm for division.

II. derivatives

1. algorithmic /alɡəˈrɪðmɪk /

adjective

2. algorithmically

adverb

– origin late 17th cent. (denoting the Arabic or decimal notation of numbers): variant (influenced by Greek arithmos ‘number’) of Middle English algorism, via Old French from medieval Latin algorismus. The Arabic source, al-Ḵwārizmī ‘the man of Ḵwārizm’ (now Khiva), was a name given to the 9th-cent. mathematician Abū Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Mūsa, author of widely translated works on algebra and arithmetic.

algorithmic trading

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Stock Exchange] automated trading by computers which are programmed to take certain actions in response to varying market data

• algorithmic trading relies on computer systems to buy shares automatically when predefined market conditions are met.

II. derivatives

algorithmic trader

noun

algo trading

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Stock Exchange] short for algorithmic trading:

• the foreign exchange market has embraced algo trading.

II. derivatives

algo trader

noun

Algren, Nelson /ˈɔːlɡrən/

(1909–81), American novelist; born Nelson Abraham Algren. He drew on his childhood experiences in the slums of Chicago for his novels of social realism, for example The Man with the Golden Arm (1949) and Walk on the Wild Side (1956).

alguacil /ˌalɡwaˈθiːl, Spanish ˌalɣwaˈθil, ˌalɣwaˈsil/

I. noun

each of a pair of mounted constables acting as an official at a bullfight.

– origin Spanish, from Arabic al-wazīr ‘the helper, aide, or vizier’.

alhaji /alˈhadʒi/

I. noun

(in West Africa) a Muslim who has been to Mecca as a pilgrim (often used as a title).

– origin Hausa, from Arabic al ‘the’ + hājī ‘pilgrim’.

Alhambra /alˈhambrə/

a fortified Moorish palace, the last stronghold of the Muslim kings of Granada, built between 1248 and 1354 near Granada in Spain.

al-Hudayda /ˌalhuːˈdeɪdə/

Arabic name for Hodeida.

Ali /ˈɑːli/

( c. 600–61 AD), the fourth caliph, cousin of Muhammad and husband of the prophet's daughter Fatima. Ali is regarded by Shiites as Muhammad's first true successor.

-alia

I. suffix

(forming plural nouns) denoting items associated with a particular area of activity or interest

• kitchenalia.

– origin from Latin, neuter plural ending of adjectives ending in -alis.

alias /ˈeɪlɪəs/

I. adverb

used to indicate that a named person is also known or more familiar under another specified name

• Eric Blair, alias George Orwell.

II. noun

1. a false or assumed identity

• a spy operating under the alias Barsad.

2. [Computing] an alternative name or label that refers to a file, command, address, or other item, and can be used to locate or access it.

3. [Physics] [Telecommunications] each of a set of signal frequencies which, when sampled at a given uniform rate, would give the same set of sampled values, and thus might be incorrectly substituted for one another when reconstructing the original signal.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Physics] [Telecommunications] misidentify (a signal frequency), introducing distortion or error.

• fringes at higher spatial frequency are aliased by the sensor.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, ‘at another time, otherwise’.

aliasing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] [Telecommunications] the misidentification of a signal frequency, introducing distortion or error.

• high-frequency sounds are prone to aliasing.

2. [Computing] the use of aliases to designate files, commands, addresses, or other items.

3. [Computing] the distortion of a reproduced image so that curved or inclined lines appear inappropriately jagged, caused by the mapping of a number of points to the same pixel.

Ali Baba /ˌali ˈbɑːbə/

the hero of a story supposed to be from the Arabian Nights, who discovered the magic formula (‘Open Sesame!’) which opened a cave where forty thieves kept their treasure.

alibi /ˈalɪbʌɪ/

I. noun

1. a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place

• she has an alibi for the whole of yesterday evening.

2. ‹informal› an excuse or pretext

• a catch-all alibi for failure and inadequacy.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› provide an alibi for.

• her friend agreed to alibi her.

– origin late 17th cent. (as an adverb in the sense ‘elsewhere’): from Latin, ‘elsewhere’. The noun use dates from the late 18th cent. / usage: The word alibi, which in Latin means ‘elsewhere’, has been used since the 18th century to mean ‘an assertion by a person that he or she was elsewhere’. In the 20th century a new sense arose (originally in the US) with the meaning ‘an excuse’. This use is a fairly common and natural extension of the core meaning, but is still regarded as incorrect by some traditionalists.

Alicante /ˌalɪˈkanti, ˌalɪˈkanteɪ/

a seaport on the Mediterranean coast of SE Spain, the capital of a province of the same name; pop. 331,750 (2008).

Alice band /ˈalɪs band/

I. noun

a flexible band worn by women and girls to hold back the hair.

– origin Alice, from the name of the heroine of two books by Lewis Carroll.

Alice-in-Wonderland

I. adjective

completely bizarre, illogical, or fantastic

• this Alice-in-Wonderland economic system.

– origin See Carroll, Lewis.

Alice Springs

a railway terminus and supply centre serving the outback of Northern Territory, Australia; pop. 27,481 (2008).

alicyclic /ˌalɪˈsʌɪklɪk, ˌalɪˈsɪklɪk / ‹Chemistry›

I. adjective

relating to or denoting organic compounds which combine cyclic structure with aliphatic properties, e.g. cyclohexane and other saturated cyclic hydrocarbons.
Compare with aromatic.

II. noun

an alicyclic compound.

– origin late 19th cent.: blend of aliphatic and cyclic.

alidade /ˈalɪdeɪd/

I. noun

a sighting device or pointer for determining directions or measuring angles, used in surveying and (formerly) astronomy.

– origin late Middle English: directly or (in modern use) via French and Spanish from Arabic al-‘iḍāda ‘the revolving radius’, probably based on aḍud ‘upper arm’.

alien /ˈeɪlɪən/

I. adjective

1. belonging to a foreign country

• an alien culture.

2. (of a plant or animal species) introduced from another country and later naturalized.

• many food chains are based upon alien plants.

3. unfamiliar and disturbing or distasteful

• principles that are alien to them

• they found the world of further education a little alien.

4. supposedly from another world; extraterrestrial

• alien beings

• an alien spacecraft.

II. noun

1. a foreigner, especially one who is not a naturalized citizen of the country where he or she is living

• an enemy alien.

2. a plant or animal species originally introduced from another country and later naturalized.

3. a hypothetical or fictional being from another world.

• she discovers that the alien's spaceship has crashed.

III. derivatives

alienness

noun

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin alienus ‘belonging to another’, from alius ‘other’.

alien abduction

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the alleged abduction of a person by an extraterrestrial being

• victims of alien abduction

• [ count noun] reports of mysterious UFO sightings and alarming alien abductions.

alienable /ˈeɪlɪənəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Law] able to be transferred to new ownership.

• it was in the interest of the public and the landowners to make land freely alienable.

II. derivatives

alienability /eɪlɪənəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

alienage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [chiefly Law] the state or condition of being an alien.

alienate /ˈeɪlɪəneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) feel isolated or estranged

• an urban environment which would alienate its inhabitants

• (as adj. alienated) an alienated, angst-ridden twenty-two-year-old.

2. make (someone) become unsympathetic or hostile

• the association does not wish to alienate its members.

3. [Law] transfer ownership of (property rights) to another person or group.

• they defended the Masai against attempts to alienate their land.

II. phrases

alienate someone's affections

[US Law] induce someone to transfer their affection from a person (such as a spouse) with legal rights or claims on them.

• he sued him for alienating his wife's affections.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin alienat- ‘estranged’, from the verb alienare, from alienus ‘of another’ (see alien).

alienation /eɪlɪəˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or experience of being alienated

• a sense of alienation from our environment

• unemployment may generate a sense of political alienation.

2. (in Marxist theory) a condition of workers in a capitalist economy, resulting from a lack of identity with the products of their labour and a sense of being controlled or exploited.

3. [Psychiatry] a state of depersonalization or loss of identity in which the self seems unreal, thought to be caused by difficulties in relating to society and the resulting prolonged inhibition of emotion.

4. (also alienation effect) — [Theatre] an effect, sought by some dramatists, whereby the audience remains objective and does not identify with the actors.

5. [Law] the transfer of the ownership of property rights.

• most leases contain restrictions against alienation.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin alienatio(n-), from the verb alienare ‘estrange’, from alienus (see alien). The term alienation effect (1940s) is a translation of German Verfremdungseffekt.

alienee /ˌeɪlɪəˈniː/

noun

[Law] old-fashioned term for grantee.

alienist /ˈeɪlɪənɪst/

I. noun

1. former term for psychiatrist.

2. (chiefly US) a psychiatrist who assesses the competence of a defendant in a law court.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French aliéniste, based on Latin alienus ‘of another’ (see alien).

alienor /ˌeɪlɪəˈnɔː/

noun

[Law] old-fashioned term for grantor.

aliform /ˈeɪlɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

wing-shaped.

– origin early 18th cent.: from modern Latin aliformis, from Latin ala ‘wing’ + -formis (see -form).

Aligarh /ˌɑːlɪˈɡəː/

a city in northern India, in Uttar Pradesh; pop. 846,400 (est. 2009). The city comprises the ancient fort of Aligarh and the former city of Koil.

Alighieri, Dante /ˌalɪˈɡjɛːri/

see Dante.

alight^1 /əˈlʌɪt/

I. verb

1. [no obj., with adverbial of place] — ‹formal› descend from a train, bus, or other form of transport

• visitors should alight at the Fort Road stop.

2. (of a bird) descend from the air and settle

• one bird alighted on the arm of my chair.

II. phrasal verbs

alight on

find by chance; notice

• her eyes alighted on the item in question.

– origin Old English ālīhtan, from ā- (as an intensifier) + līhtan ‘descend’ (see light^3).

alight^2 /əˈlʌɪt/

I. adverb, adjective

1. on fire; burning
[as adj.]

• the house was alight when the firemen arrived

• [as adv.] flammable liquid was set alight.

2. shining brightly
[as adj.]

• a single lamp was alight

• ‹figurative› the boy's face was alight with excitement.

II. phrases

set the world alight

see set the world on fire at fire.

– origin late Middle English: probably from the phrase on a light (= lighted) fire.

align /əˈlʌɪn/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — place or arrange (things) in a straight line

• the desks are aligned in straight rows facing forwards.

2. put (things) into correct or appropriate relative positions

• the fan blades are carefully aligned

• ‹figurative› aligning domestic prices with prices in world markets.

3. [no obj.] — lie in a straight line, or in correct relative positions

• the pattern of the border at the joint should align perfectly.

4. ( align oneself with) — give support to (a person, organization, or cause)

• newspapers usually align themselves with certain political parties.

5. [no obj.] — come together in agreement or alliance

• all of them must now align against the foe.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French aligner, from à ligne ‘into line’.

alignment /əˈlʌɪnm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — arrangement in a straight line or in correct relative positions

• the tiles had slipped out of alignment.

2. [ count noun] — the route or course of a railway or road.

• four railways, all on different alignments.

• present-day road alignments.

3. [ count noun] — [Archaeology] a linear arrangement of stones.

• there were originally at least four massive stone alignments running from west to east.

4. a position of agreement or alliance

• the uncertain nature of political alignments.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French alignement, from aligner (see align).

alike /əˈlʌɪk/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. (of two or more people or things) similar to each other

• the brothers were very much alike

• the houses all looked alike.

II. adverb

1. in the same or a similar way

• the girls dressed alike in black trousers and jackets.

2. used to show that something applies equally to a number of specified subjects

• he talked in a friendly manner to staff and patients alike.

– origin Old English gelīc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch gelijk and German gleich, reinforced in Middle English by Old Norse álíkr (adjective) and álíka (adverb).

aliment /ˈalɪm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› food; nourishment.

2. [Scots Law] maintenance; alimony.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin alimentum, from alere ‘nourish’.

alimentary /alɪˈmɛnt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

relating to nourishment or sustenance.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin alimentarius, from alimentum ‘nourishment’ (see aliment).

alimentary canal /alɪmɛntərikəˈnal/

noun

the whole passage along which food passes through the body from mouth to anus during digestion.

alimentation /ˌalɪm(ə)nˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the provision of nourishment or other necessities of life.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘maintenance, support’): from medieval Latin alimentatio(n-), from late Latin alimentare ‘to feed’, from alimentum ‘nourishment’ (see aliment).

alimony /ˈalɪməni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a husband's (or wife's) provision for a spouse after separation or divorce; maintenance.

• he is said to have paid $300,000 alimony to his first wife.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘nourishment, means of subsistence’): from Latin alimonia ‘nutriment’, from alere ‘nourish’.

A-line

adjective

(of a garment) slightly flared from a narrow waist or shoulders

• A-line skirts.

aliphatic /ˌalɪˈfatɪk / ‹Chemistry›

I. adjective

relating to or denoting organic compounds in which carbon atoms form open chains (as in the alkanes), not aromatic rings.

II. noun

an aliphatic compound.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally used of the fatty acids): from Greek aleiphar, aleiphat- ‘fat’ + -ic.

aliquot /ˈalɪkwɒt/

I. noun

1. a portion of a larger whole, especially a sample taken for chemical analysis or other treatment.

• an aliquot was examined daily for the appearance of cholesterol monohydrate crystals.

2. (also aliquot part or portion) — [Mathematics] a quantity which can be divided into another a whole number of times.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. divide (a whole) into aliquots.

• this solution was then aliquoted for three separate mass spectrometer analyses.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French aliquote, from Latin aliquot ‘some, so many’, from alius ‘one of two’ + quot ‘how many’.

alisphenoid /ˌalɪˈsfiːnɔɪd / alisphenoid bone

I. noun

[Anatomy] [Zoology] a wing-like cartilaginous bone within a mammal's skull forming part of the socket of the eye.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin ala ‘wing’ + sphenoid.

A-list /ˈeɪlɪst / B-list

I. noun

a real or imaginary list of the most (or second most) celebrated or sought-after individuals, especially in show business
[as modifier]

• an A-list celebrity.

II. derivatives

A-lister B-lister

noun

aliterate /eɪˈlɪt(ə)rət/

I. adjective

unwilling to read, although able to do so.

• this generation is not illiterate but aliterate.

II. noun

an aliterate person.

III. derivatives

aliteracy

noun

alive /əˈlʌɪv/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. (of a person, animal, or plant) living, not dead

• hopes of finding anyone still alive were fading

• he was kept alive by a feeding tube.

2. continuing in existence or use

• keeping hope alive

• fortunately the old recipes are very much alive.

3. alert and active; animated

• Ken comes alive when he hears his music played.

4. having interest and meaning

• we hope we will make history come alive for the children.

5. ( alive to) — aware of and interested in; responsive to

• she was always alive to new ideas.

6. ( alive with) — swarming or teeming with

• in spring those cliffs are alive with auks and gulls.

II. phrases

1. alive and kicking

‹informal› prevalent and very active

• bigotry is still alive and kicking.

2. alive and well

still existing or active (often used to deny rumours or beliefs that something has disappeared or declined)

• the sports car industry is alive and well.

III. derivatives

aliveness

noun

– origin Old English on līfe, literally ‘in life’.

aliyah /ˈalɪjə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — [Judaism] immigration to Israel

• students making aliyah.

2. [Judaism] the honour of being called upon to read from the Torah

• I was called up for an aliyah.

– origin from Hebrew ‘ăliyyāh ‘ascent’.

alizarin /əˈlɪz(ə)rɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a red pigment present in madder root, used in dyeing.
●Chem. formula: C_14H_8O_4.

2. [as modifier] — [Chemistry] denoting dyes derived from or similar to alizarin

• alizarin crimson.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French alizarine, from alizari ‘madder’, from Arabic al-‘iṣāra ‘pressed juice’, from ‘aṣara ‘to press fruit’.

al-Jizah /al ˈdʒiːzə/

Arabic name for Giza.

alkahest /ˈalkəhɛst / alcahest

I. noun

‹historical› the hypothetical universal solvent sought by alchemists.

– origin mid 17th cent.: sham Arabic, probably invented by Paracelsus.

alkali /ˈalkəlʌɪ/

I. noun

1. a compound with particular chemical properties including turning litmus blue and neutralizing or effervescing with acids; typically, a caustic or corrosive substance of this kind such as lime or soda.

• flint is not subject to chemical weathering except by strong alkalis.

• [ mass noun] the reaction is followed by measuring the concentration of alkali at various times.

Often contrasted with acid and base^1.

2. [as modifier] — (chiefly N. Amer.) alkaline.

Alkalis release hydroxide ions (OH−) when dissolved in water. Any solution with a pH of more than 7 is alkaline.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a saline substance derived from the ashes of various plants, including glasswort): from medieval Latin, from Arabic al-qalī ‘calcined ashes (of the glasswort etc.)’, from qalā ‘fry, roast’.

alkalic /alˈkalɪk/

adjective

[Geology] (of a rock or mineral) richer in sodium and/or potassium than is usual for its type.

alkali feldspar

noun

[Geology] any of the group of feldspars rich in sodium and/or potassium.

alkali metal

noun

[Chemistry] any of the elements lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, and francium, occupying Group IA (1) of the periodic table. They are very reactive, electropositive, monovalent metals forming strongly alkaline hydroxides.

alkaline /ˈalkəlʌɪn/

I. adjective

having the properties of an alkali, or containing alkali; having a pH greater than 7.

• an alkaline soil.

• a slightly alkaline solution.

Often contrasted with acidic and basic.

II. derivatives

alkalinity /alkəˈlɪnɪti /

noun

alkaline earth alkaline earth metal

noun

any of the elements beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium, occupying Group IIA (2) of the periodic table. They are reactive, electropositive, divalent metals, and form basic oxides which react with water to form comparatively insoluble hydroxides.

alkalize /ˈalkəlʌɪz / alkalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat with alkali.

• some food or beverage applications use a 'natural' cocoa powder, which has not been alkalized.

II. derivatives

alkalization

noun

alkaloid /ˈalkəlɔɪd/

I. noun

[Chemistry] any of a class of nitrogenous organic compounds of plant origin which have pronounced physiological actions on humans. They include many drugs (morphine, quinine) and poisons (atropine, strychnine).

– origin early 19th cent.: coined in German from alkali.

alkalosis /ˌalkəˈləʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an excessively alkaline condition of the body fluids or tissues, which may cause weakness or cramp.

alkane /ˈalkeɪn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] any of the series of saturated hydrocarbons including methane, ethane, propane, and higher members.
●Alkanes have the general formula: C n H_2 n +2.

– origin late 19th cent.: from alkyl + -ane^2.

alkanet /ˈalkənɛt/

I. noun

a Eurasian plant of the borage family, typically having a hairy stem and blue flowers.
● Anchusa and other genera, family Boraginaceae: several species, including the European A. officinalis.

– origin Middle English: from colloquial Arabic al-ḥannat (classical Arabic al-ḥinnā') ‘the henna shrub’.

alkene /ˈalkiːn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] any of the series of unsaturated hydrocarbons containing a double bond, including ethylene and propene.
●Alkenes have the general formula: C n H_2 n.

– origin late 19th cent.: from alkyl + -ene.

alky /ˈalki / alkie

noun

‹informal› an alcoholic.

alkyd /ˈalkɪd/

I. noun

[Chemistry] any of a group of synthetic polyester resins derived from various alcohols and acids.
[as modifier]

• alkyd paints.

– origin 1920s: blend of alkyl and acid.

alkyl /ˈalkʌɪl, ˈalkɪl/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting a hydrocarbon radical derived from an alkane by removal of a hydrogen atom.

• alkyl halides.

– origin late 19th cent.: German, from Alkohol ‘alcohol’ + -yl.

alkylate /ˈalkɪleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. alkylating or alkylated)

1. [Chemistry] introduce an alkyl radical into (a compound)

• alkylating agents.

II. derivatives

alkylation /alkəˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

alkyne /ˈalkʌɪn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] any of the series of unsaturated hydrocarbons containing a triple bond, including acetylene.
●Alkynes have the general formula: C n H_2 n -2.

– origin early 20th cent.: from alkyl + -yne.

all /ɔːl/

I. predeterminer, determiner, pronoun

1. used to refer to the whole quantity or extent of a particular group or thing
[as predeterminer]

• all the people I met

• she left all her money to him

• [as determiner] 10 per cent of all cars sold

• he slept all day

• [as pronoun] carry all of the blame

• we all have different needs.

2. [ determiner] — any whatever

• he denied all knowledge of it.

3. [ determiner] — used to emphasize the greatest possible amount of a quality

• they were in all probability completely unaware

• with all due respect.

4. [ pronoun] [with clause] — the only thing (used for emphasis)

• all I want is to be left alone.

5. [ pronoun] — (used to refer to surroundings or a situation in general) everything

• all was well

• all is not lost yet.

II. adverb

1. completely

• dressed all in black

• she's been all round the world

• all by himself.

2. ‹informal› used to emphasize a temporary quality

• my ankle's gone all wobbly

• he was all of a dither.

3. (in games) used after a number to indicate an equal score

• after extra time it was still two all.

III. phrases

1. all along

all the time; from the beginning

• she'd known all along.

2. all and sundry

everyone

• he has borne a lot of unfair criticism from all and sundry.

3. all but

a. very nearly

• the subject was all but forgotten.

b. all except

• we have support from all but one of the networks.

4. all comers

‹chiefly informal› anyone who chooses to take part in an activity, typically a competition

• the champion took on all comers.

5. all for

‹informal› strongly in favour of

• I was all for tolerance.

6. all get-out

see —— as all get out at get.

7. all in

‹informal› exhausted

• he was all in by half-time.

See also all-in.

8. all in all

on the whole

• all in all it's been a good year.

9. all kinds (or sorts) of

many different kinds of

• he gets into all kinds of trouble.

10. all manner of

see manner.

11. all of

as much as (often used ironically of an amount or quantity considered small by the speaker)

• the show lasted all of six weeks.

12. all of a sudden

see sudden.

13. all-or-none

a. another way of saying all-or-nothing.

• all-or-none judgements and positions.

b. [Physiology] (of a response) having a strength independent of the strength of the stimulus that caused it.

• the calcium mobilization has an all-or-none property manifested as a sudden release of calcium.

14. all-or-nothing /ˌɔːlɔːˈnʌθɪŋ /

having no middle position or compromise available

• an all-or-nothing decision.

15. all out /ˈɔːlaʊt /

using all one's strength or resources

• going all out to win

• [as adj.] an all-out effort.

16. all over /ˌɔːl ˈəʊvə /

a. completely finished

• it's all over between us.

b. ‹informal› everywhere

• there were bodies all over.

c. with reference to all parts of the body

• I was shaking all over.

d. ‹informal› typical of the person mentioned

• that's our management all over!

e. ‹informal› effusively attentive to

• James was all over her.

17. all over the place ( also ‹or N. Amer.› map, also ‹Brit.› shop) ‹informal›

a. everywhere

• we've been all over the place looking for you.

b. in a state of disorder

• my hair was all over the place.

18. all round ‹US› all around

a. in all respects

• it was a bad day all round.

b. for or by each person

• drinks all round.

19. all sorts of

see all kinds of.

20. all's well that ends well

‹proverb› if the outcome of a situation is happy, this compensates for any previous difficulty or unpleasantness.

21. all that ——

see that.

22. all the same

see same.

23. all the ——

see the (sense 6).

24. all there

[usu. with negative] — ‹informal› in full possession of one's mental faculties

• he's not quite all there.

25. all the time

see time.

26. all together

all in one place or in a group; all at once

• they arrived all together.

Compare with altogether.

27. all told

in total

• they tried a dozen times all told.

28. all the way

‹informal› without limit or reservation

• I'm with you all the way.

29. —— and all

a. used to emphasize something additional that is being referred to

• she threw her coffee over him, mug and all.

b. ‹informal› as well

• get one for me and all.

30. at all

a. [with negative or in questions] — (used for emphasis) in any way; to any extent

• I don't like him at all.

b. (Irish) added at the end of an utterance for emphasis

• what is the matter with you at all?

31. be all about ——

‹informal› be focused on or interested in (a particular thing)

• school has become my refuge and I'm all about being the perfect student.

32. be all one to

make no difference to

• simple cases or hard cases, it's all one to me.

33. be all that

(US) ‹informal› be very attractive or good

• He thinks he's all that—Yeah, God's gift.

34. be all up with

see up.

35. be all very well

‹informal› used to criticize or reject a favourable or consoling remark

• your proposal is all very well in theory, but in practice it will not pay.

36. for all ——

in spite of ——

• for all its clarity and style, the book is not easy reading.

37. in all

in total number; altogether

• there were about 5,000 people in all.

38. on (or on to) all fours

on (or on to) hands and knees or (of an animal) on all four legs rather than just the hind ones.

• Frankie scuttled away on all fours.

39. one's all

one's whole strength or resources

• I want to give my all to what I am doing now.

– origin Old English all, eall, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch al and German all.

ALL

abbreviation

Albanian lek(s).

alla breve /ˌalə ˈbreɪvi, ˈbrɛveɪ/

I. noun

[Music] a time signature indicating two or four minim beats in a bar.

– origin Italian, literally ‘according to the breve’.

all-absorbing

adjective

taking up all one's attention

• an all-absorbing interest in one subject

• an all-absorbing cause.

alla cappella /kəˈpɛlə/

adjective, adverb

another term for a cappella.

Allah /ˈalə, əlˈlɑː/

I. the name of God among Muslims (and Arab Christians).

– origin from Arabic 'allāh, contraction of al-'il‘h ‘the god’.

Allahabad /ˈaləhəˌbad/

a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, north central India; pop. 1,125,000 (est. 2009). Situated at the confluence of the sacred Jumna and Ganges Rivers, it is a place of Hindu pilgrimage.

allamanda /ˌaləˈmandə/

I. noun

any of a number of tropical shrubs or climbers which bear showy yellow or purple flowers.
●Several species, particularly in the genus Allamanda (family Apocynaceae).

– origin modern Latin, named after Jean-Nicholas-Sébastien Allamand (1713–87), Swiss naturalist.

all-American /ˌɔːləˈmɛrɪk(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. possessing qualities characteristic of US ideals, such as honesty, industriousness, and health

• his all-American wholesomeness.

2. drawn only from America or the US

• an all-American anthology.

3. involving or representing the whole of America or the US

• an all-American final.

4. (also all-America) — (US) (of a sports player) honoured as one of the best amateur competitors in the US.

• an all-American wrestler.

II. noun

(also all-America) — (US) a sports player honoured as one of the best amateurs in the US.

allanite /ˈalənʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a brownish-black mineral of the epidote group, consisting of a silicate of rare earth metals, aluminium, and iron.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after Thomas Allan (1777–1833), Scottish mineralogist, + -ite^1.

allantoin /əˈlantəʊɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a crystalline compound formed in the nitrogen metabolism of many mammals (excluding primates).
●A cyclic compound related to hydantoin; chem. formula: C_4H_6N_4O_3.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from allantois (because it was discovered in the allantoic fluid of cows) + -in^1.

allantois /əˈlantəʊɪs/

I. noun

the fetal membrane lying below the chorion in many vertebrates, formed as an outgrowth of the embryo's gut. In birds and reptiles it grows to surround the embryo; in eutherian mammals it forms part of the placenta.

II. derivatives

1. allantoic

adjective

2. allantoid

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: modern Latin, based on Greek allantoeidēs ‘sausage-shaped’.

allargando /ˌalɑːˈɡandəʊ / ‹Music›

I. adverb, adjective

(especially as a direction) getting slower and broader.

II. noun

an allargando passage.

– origin Italian, ‘broadening’.

all-around /ɔːləˈraʊnd/

adjective

US term for all-round.

all-Australian

I. adjective

1. involving or representing the whole of Australia, as distinct from a single region

• their fullback is playing himself into all-Australian contention

• an all-Australian Trade Union Congress.

2. distinctively Australian in character

• the standard all-Australian hotel whose primary function has been to serve beer

• three all-Australian backpacking teens take a trip into the outback.

II. noun

[Australian Rules] a player voted to the annual all-star team of Australian Rules footballers

• this was the All-Australian's most productive goalkicking season.

allay /əˈleɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion, or worry)

• the report attempted to educate the public and allay fears.

2. relieve or alleviate (pain or hunger)

• some stale figs partly allayed our hunger.

– origin Old English ālecgan ‘lay down or aside’.

All Blacks

the New Zealand international rugby union team, so called because of their black strip.

all-clear /ɔːlˈklɪə/

noun

a signal that danger or difficulty is over

• she was given the all-clear to travel home.

all-consuming

adjective

completely filling one's mind and attention; obsessive

• the period was one of fiery, all-consuming work for Van Gogh

• an intimate, all-consuming relationship.

all-day

adjective

lasting or available throughout the day

• an all-day excursion to Blackpool.

all-devouring

adjective

1. devouring everything

• a plague of locusts, biblical in its all-devouring horror.

2. completely filling one's mind and attention; all-consuming

• an all-devouring ambition for leadership.

allée /ˈaleɪ/

I. noun

an alley in a formal garden or park, bordered by trees or bushes.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French.

allegation /alɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a claim or assertion that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically one made without proof

• he made allegations of corruption against the administration

• allegations that the army was operating a shoot-to-kill policy.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin allegatio(n-), from allegare ‘allege’.

allege /əˈlɛdʒ/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. claim or assert that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically without proof
[with clause]

• he alleged that he had been assaulted

• [with obj. and infinitive] he is alleged to have assaulted five men.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘declare on oath’): from Old French esligier, based on Latin lis, lit- ‘lawsuit’; confused in sense with Latin allegare ‘allege’.

alleged /əˈlɛdʒd/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. said, without proof, to have taken place or to have a specified illegal or undesirable quality

• the alleged conspirators.

allegedly /əˈlɛdʒɪdli/

adverb — [ sentence adverb]

1. used to convey that something is claimed to be the case or have taken place, although there is no proof

• he was allegedly a leading participant in the coup attempt

• [as submodifier] allegedly obscene material.

Allegheny Mountains /ˌaləˈɡeɪni / the Alleghenies

a mountain range of the Appalachian system in the eastern US.

allegiance /əˈliːdʒ(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. loyalty or commitment to a superior or to a group or cause

• those wishing to receive citizenship must swear allegiance to the republic

• [ count noun] a complex pattern of cross-party allegiances.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, variant of Old French ligeance, from lige, liege (see liege), perhaps by association with Anglo-Latin alligantia ‘alliance’.

allegorical /ˌalɪˈɡɒrɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

constituting or containing allegory

• an allegorical painting.

II. derivatives

1. allegoric /ˌalɪˈɡɒrɪk /

adjective

2. allegorically /ˌalɪˈɡɒrɪkli /

adverb

allegorize /ˈalɪɡ(ə)rʌɪz / allegorise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. interpret or represent symbolically

• the picture is interpreted as allegorizing an alienated society.

II. derivatives

allegorization

noun

allegory /ˈalɪɡ(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a story, poem, or picture which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one

• Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the spiritual journey.

2. a symbol.

II. derivatives

allegorist /ˈalɪɡərɪst /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French allegorie, via Latin from Greek allēgoria, from allos ‘other’ + -agoria ‘speaking’.

allegretto /ˌalɪˈɡrɛtəʊ / ‹Music›

I. adverb, adjective

(especially as a direction) at a fairly brisk speed.

II. noun

a movement or passage marked to be performed allegretto.

– origin Italian, diminutive of allegro.

Allegri, Gregorio /aˈlɛɡri, aˈleɪɡri/

(1582–1652), Italian priest and composer, noted especially for his Miserere, written for performance in the Sistine Chapel.

allegro /əˈlɛɡrəʊ, əˈleɪɡrəʊ / ‹Music›

I. adverb, adjective

(especially as a direction) at a brisk speed.

II. noun

a movement, passage, or composition marked to be performed allegro.

– origin Italian, literally ‘lively, gay’.

allele /ˈaliːl/

I. noun

[Genetics] each of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place on a chromosome.
Also called allelomorph.

II. derivatives

allelic

adjective

– origin 1930s: from German Allel, abbreviation of allelomorph.

allelochemical /əˌliːləʊˈkɛmɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

a chemical produced by a living organism that exerts a detrimental physiological effect on individuals of another species when released into the environment.

– origin 1970s: from Greek allēl- ‘one another’ + chemical.

allelomorph /əˈliːləʊmɔːf/

I. noun

another term for allele.

II. derivatives

allelomorphic

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek allēl- ‘one another’ + morphē ‘form’.

allelopathy /ˌaliːˈlɒpəθi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Ecology] the chemical inhibition of one plant (or other organism) by another, due to the release into the environment of substances acting as germination or growth inhibitors.

II. derivatives

allelopathic /əˌliːlə(ʊ)ˈpaθɪk /

adjective

– origin 1950s: from Greek allēl- ‘one another’ + -pathy.

allemande /ˈalmɑːnd/

I. noun

1. any of a number of German dances, in particular an elaborate court dance popular in the 16th century.

2. the music for an allemande, especially as a movement of a suite.

• the deep and moving Allemande which opens Suite No. 20.

3. a figure in country dancing in which adjacent dancers link arms or join hands and make a full or partial turn.

• ‘Pass through, ends crossfold, left allemande.’.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, ‘German (dance)’.

all-embracing

adjective

including or covering everything or everyone; comprehensive

• the all-embracing term ‘folk art’ appears to be increasingly inadequate.

Allen, Ethan

(1738–89), American soldier. He fought the British in the War of Independence and led the irregular force the Green Mountain Boys in their campaign to gain independence for the state of Vermont.

Allen, Woody

(b.1935), American film director, writer, and actor; born Allen Stewart Konigsberg. Allen stars in most of his own films, many of which have won Oscars and which humorously explore themes of neurosis and sexual inadequacy. Notable works: Play it Again, Sam (1972) and Annie Hall (1977).

Allenby, Edmund Henry Hynman /ˈalənbi/

1st Viscount (1861–1936), British soldier. Commander of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force against the Turks, he captured Jerusalem in 1917 and defeated the Turkish forces at Megiddo in 1918.

all-encompassing

adjective

including or covering everything or everyone; comprehensive

• an all-encompassing package to combat global warming.

Allende, Salvador /aˈjɛndeɪ/

(1908–73), Chilean statesman, President 1970–3. The first avowed Marxist to win a presidency in a free election, Allende was overthrown and killed in a military coup led by General Pinochet.

Allen key /ˈalənkiː / ‹US› Allen wrench

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹trademark› a spanner designed to fit into and turn an Allen screw.

– origin 1960s: from the name of the manufacturer, the Allen Manufacturing Company, of Hartford, Connecticut.

Allen screw

I. noun

‹trademark› a screw with a hexagonal socket in the head.

– origin 1930s: from the name of the manufacturer (see Allen key).

Allenstein /ˈalənˌʃtaɪn/

German name for Olsztyn.

allergen /ˈalədʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

a substance that causes an allergic reaction.

II. derivatives

1. allergenic /aləˈdʒɛnɪk /

adjective

2. allergenicity

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: blend of allergy and -gen.

allergic /əˈləːdʒɪk/

adjective

1. caused by or relating to an allergy

• an allergic reaction to penicillin.

2. [ predic.] — having an allergy to a substance

• one and a half per cent of the population is allergic to bee venom.

3. ( allergic to) — ‹informal› having a strong dislike for

• I'm allergic to the hype.

allergist /ˈalədʒɪst/

noun

a medical practitioner specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies.

allergy /ˈalədʒi/

I. noun

1. a damaging immune response by the body to a substance, especially a particular food, pollen, fur, or dust, to which it has become hypersensitive.

2. ‹informal› a strong dislike

• their allergy to free enterprise.

– origin early 20th cent.: from German Allergie, from Greek allos ‘other’, on the pattern of Energie ‘energy’.

Allerød /ˈalərəːd/

I. noun — ( the Allerød)

1. [Geology] the second climatic stage of the late-glacial period in northern Europe, between the two Dryas stages (about 12,000 to 10,800 years ago). It was an interlude of warmer weather marked by the spread of birch.

– origin 1920s: place name near Copenhagen in Denmark.

alleviate /əˈliːvɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe

• he couldn't prevent her pain, only alleviate it

• measures to alleviate unemployment.

II. derivatives

1. alleviative /əˈliːvɪətɪv /

adjective

2. alleviator /əˈliːvɪeɪtə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin alleviat- ‘lightened’, from the verb alleviare, from Latin allevare, from ad- ‘to’ + levare ‘raise’, influenced by levis ‘light’.

alleviation /əliːviˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of making suffering, deficiency, or a problem less severe

• peace, security, and the alleviation of poverty were high on the agenda.

alley^1 /ˈali/

I. noun

1. a narrow passageway between or behind buildings.

• he took a short cut along an alley.

• there were a few muggings in the backstreets and alleys.

2. a path lined with trees, bushes, or stones.

• alleys of standing stones.

3. [with modifier] — a long, narrow area in which games such as skittles and bowling are played

• a skittle alley.

4. [Tennis] (N. Amer.) either of the two side strips between the singles sideline and the sidelines which count as part of the court in a doubles match.

5. [Baseball] the area between the outfielders in left-centre or right-centre field.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French alee ‘walking or passage’, from aler ‘go’, from Latin ambulare ‘to walk’.

alley^2 /ˈali / ally

I. noun

a toy marble made of marble, alabaster, or glass.

II. phrases

make one's alley good

(Austral.) ‹informal› exploit a situation or opportunity in order to improve one's position

• he is trying to square them off to make his alley good with supporters.

– origin early 18th cent.: perhaps a diminutive of alabaster.

alley cat

noun

a cat that lives wild in a town.

alley-oop

I. exclamation

used to encourage or draw attention to the performance of an acrobatic feat.

• alley-oop, straight into the lake.

II. noun

(also alley-oop pass) — [Basketball] a high pass caught by a leaping teammate who tries to dunk the ball before landing.

• she could catch alley-oops all day.

• he took an alley-oop pass from Vaughn.

– origin early 20th cent.: perhaps from French allez! ‘go on!’ + a supposedly French pronunciation of up.

alleyway /ˈaliweɪ/

noun

another term for alley^1.

all-female

adjective

consisting of or intended for women only

• an all-female cast.

All Fools' Day

noun

another term for April Fool's Day.

All Hallows

noun

another term for All Saints' Day.

allheal /ˈɔːlˌhiːl/

noun

any of a number of plants used in herbal medicine and traditionally considered to be effective in treating a variety of conditions, in particular common valerian.

alliaceous /ˌalɪˈeɪʃəs/

I. adjective

[Botany] relating to or denoting plants of a group that comprises the onions and other alliums.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin allium ‘garlic’ + -aceous; compare with the modern Latin taxonomic family name Alliaceae.

alliance /əˈlʌɪəns/

I. noun

1. a union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations

• a defensive alliance between Australia and New Zealand

• divisions within the alliance.

2. a relationship based on similarity of interests, nature, or qualities

• an alliance between medicine and morality.

3. [ mass noun] — the state of being joined or associated

• his party is in alliance with the Greens.

4. [Ecology] a group of closely related plant associations.

– origin Middle English: from Old French aliance, from alier ‘to ally’ (see ally^1).

allicin /ˈalɪsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a pungent oily liquid with antibacterial properties, present in garlic.
●Chem. formula: (C_3H_5S)2O.

– origin 1940s: from Latin allium ‘garlic’ + -in^1.

allied /ˈalʌɪd, əˈlʌɪd/

adjective

1. joined by or relating to members of an alliance

• allied territories

• the allied fleet.

2. (usu. Allied) — relating to Britain and her allies in the First and Second World Wars and after

• the liberation of Paris by Allied troops.

3. ( allied to/with) — in combination or working together with

• skilled craftsmanship allied to advanced technology.

4. connected; related

• members of the medical and allied professions.

Allier /ˈalɪeɪ, French alje/

a river of central France which rises in the Cévennes and flows 410 km (258 miles) north-west to meet the Loire.

alligator /ˈalɪɡeɪtə/

I. noun

1. a large semiaquatic reptile similar to a crocodile but with a broader and shorter head, native to the Americas and China.
●Genus Alligator, family Alligatoridae, order Crocodylia: the American alligator ( A. mississippiensis) and the Chinese alligator ( A. sinensis).

2. [ mass noun] — the skin of the alligator or material resembling it.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish el lagarto ‘the lizard’, probably based on Latin lacerta.

alligator clip

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for crocodile clip.

alligator fish

noun

a small, slender bottom-dwelling fish of the NW Atlantic, with an armour of bony plates and two curved spines on the snout.
● Aspidophoroides monopterygius, family Agonidae.

alligator lizard

noun

a heavily built slow-moving lizard native to North America and Mexico.
●Genus Gerrhonotus, family Anguidae: several species.

alligator pear

noun

North American term for avocado.

alligator snapper alligator snapping turtle

noun

a large snapping turtle occurring in fresh water around the Gulf of Mexico.
● Macroclemys temminckii, family Chelydridae.

all-important /ɔːlɪmˈpɔːt(ə)nt/

adjective

vitally important; crucial

• the town's all-important tourist industry.

all-in

adjective

(Brit.) inclusive of everything

• an all-in fee.

all-inclusive /ɔːlɪnˈkluːsɪv/

adjective

1. including everything or everyone.

• an all-inclusive holiday.

• the book doesn't claim to be all-inclusive.

2. denoting or relating to a holiday in which all or most meals, drinks, and activities are included in the overall price.

all-in-one /ɔːlɪnˈwʌn/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. combining two or more items or functions in a single unit

• an all-in-one shampoo/conditioner.

II. noun

a garment that takes the place of two or more other garments.

all-in wrestling /ˌɔːlɪn ˈrɛslɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) wrestling with few or no restrictions.

allis shad /ˈalɪs/

I. noun

a European shad (fish) with a deep blue back and silvery sides. Also called king of the herrings.
● Alosa alosa, family Clupeidae.

– origin late 16th cent.: allis from Old French alose, from late Latin alausa.

alliterate /əˈlɪtəreɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a phrase or line of verse) contain words which begin with the same sound or letter

• his first and last names alliterated.

2. use words beginning with the same sound or letter.

– origin late 18th cent.: back-formation from alliteration.

alliteration /əlɪtəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

• the alliteration of ‘sweet birds sang’.

• [ count noun] alliterations are clustered in the last few lines.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin alliteratio(n-), from Latin ad- (expressing addition) + littera ‘letter’.

alliterative /əˈlɪt(ə)rətɪv/

I. adjective

relating to or marked by alliteration.

• alliterative assonance such as ‘sails of silver’.

• alliterative poetry.

II. derivatives

alliteratively

adverb

allium /ˈalɪəm/

I. noun

a bulbous plant of a genus that includes the onion and its relatives (e.g. garlic, leek, and chives).
●Genus Allium, family Liliaceae (or Alliaceae).

– origin Latin, ‘garlic’.

all-knowing

adjective

knowing everything

• a conniving, all-knowing mastermind.

all-male

adjective

consisting of or intended for men only

• an all-male audience

• an all-male event.

all-night /ɔːlˈnʌɪt/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. lasting, open, or operating throughout the night

• an all-night party.

all-nighter

noun

‹informal› an event or activity that continues throughout the night.

allo- /ˈaləʊ/

I. combining form

other; different

• allopatric

• allotrope.

– origin from Greek allos ‘other’.

allocate /ˈaləkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. distribute (resources or duties) for a particular purpose

• in past years we didn't allocate enough funds to infrastructure maintenance

• [with two objs] students are allocated accommodation on a yearly basis.

II. derivatives

1. allocable /ˈaləkəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. allocator

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin allocat- ‘allotted’, from the verb allocare, from ad- ‘to’ + locare (see locate).

allocation /aləˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of allocating or sharing out something

• more efficient allocation of resources

• ticket allocation.

2. [ count noun] — an amount of a resource assigned to a particular recipient.

• unclaimed allocations would be held for three years.

II. derivatives

allocative /ˈaləkeɪtɪv /

adjective

[chiefly Economics]

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin allocatio(n-), from the verb allocare (see allocate).

allochthonous /əˈlɒkθənəs/

I. adjective

[Geology] denoting a deposit or formation that originated at a distance from its present position.
Often contrasted with autochthonous.

– origin early 20th cent.: from allo- ‘other’ + Greek khthōn ‘earth’ + -ous.

allocution /ˌaləˈkjuːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a formal speech giving advice or a warning.

• the daily allocutions of the Pontificate.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin allocutio(n-), from alloqui ‘speak to’, from ad- ‘to’ + loqui ‘speak’.

allodium /əˈləʊdɪəm / allod

I. noun

‹historical› an estate held in absolute ownership, without acknowledgement to a superior.

II. derivatives

allodial /əˈləʊdɪəl /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin al(l)odium, used frequently in the Domesday Book, from a Germanic cognate of all + ōd ‘estate’.

allogamy /əˈlɒɡəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] the fertilization of a flower by pollen from another flower, especially one on a different plant.
Compare with autogamy.

II. derivatives

allogamous

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from allo- ‘other, different’ + Greek -gamia (from gamos ‘marriage’).

allogeneic /ˌalə(ʊ)dʒɪˈniːɪk, ˌalə(ʊ)dʒɪˈneɪɪk/

I. adjective

[Medicine] relating to or denoting tissues or cells which are genetically dissimilar and hence immunologically incompatible, although from individuals of the same species.
Compare with xenogeneic.

– origin 1960s: from allo- ‘different’ + Greek genea ‘race, stock’ + -ic.

allogenic /ˌaləˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

1. [Geology] (of a mineral or sediment) transported to its present position from elsewhere.
Often contrasted with authigenic.

2. [Ecology] (of a successional change) caused by non-living factors in the environment.

allograft /ˈaləɡrɑːft/

noun

a tissue graft from a donor of the same species as the recipient but not genetically identical.
Compare with homograft.

allograph /ˈaləɡrɑːf/

I. noun

1. [Linguistics] each of two or more alternative forms of a letter of an alphabet or other grapheme, for example the capital, lower case, italic, and various handwritten forms of a letter.

2. [Phonetics] each of two or more letters or letter combinations representing a single phoneme in different words. Allographs of the phoneme /f/ include the (f) of ‘fake’ and the (ph) of ‘phase’.

II. derivatives

allographic

adjective

– origin 1950s: from allo- ‘other, different’ + grapheme.

allometry /əˈlɒmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the growth of body parts at different rates, resulting in a change of body proportions.

2. [Biology] the study of allometry.

II. derivatives

allometric

adjective

allomorph /ˈaləmɔːf/

I. noun

[Linguistics] any of two or more actual representations of a morpheme, such as the plural endings /s/ (as in bats), /z/ (as in bugs), and /ɪz/ (as in buses).

II. derivatives

allomorphic

adjective

– origin 1940s: from allo- ‘other, different’ + morpheme.

allonge /əˈlɒndʒ/

I. noun

‹rare› a slip of paper attached to the end of a document to give room for further endorsements.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, ‘lengthening, drawing out’.

allopath /ˈaləpaθ/

noun

a person who practises allopathy.

allopathy /əˈlɒpəθi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the treatment of disease by conventional means, i.e. with drugs having effects opposite to the symptoms.
Often contrasted with homeopathy.

II. derivatives

1. allopathic /aləˈpaθɪk /

adjective

2. allopathist

noun

allopatric /ˌaləˈpatrɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Biology] (of animals or plants, especially of related species or populations) occurring in separate non-overlapping geographical areas.
Compare with sympatric.

2. [Biology] (of speciation) taking place as a result of allopatric separation.

II. derivatives

allopatry

noun

– origin 1940s: from allo- ‘other’ + Greek patra ‘fatherland’ + -ic.

allophone^1 /ˈaləfəʊn/

I. noun

[Phonetics] any of the various phonetic realizations of a phoneme in a language, which do not contribute to distinctions of meaning. For example, in English an aspirated p (as in pin) and unaspirated p (as in spin) are allophones of /p/, whereas in ancient Greek the distinction was phonemic.

II. derivatives

allophonic

adjective

– origin 1930s: from allo- ‘other, different’ + phoneme.

allophone^2 /ˈaləfəʊn/

I. noun

(Canadian) (especially in Quebec) an immigrant whose first language is neither French nor English.

– origin 1970s: from allo-, on the pattern of francophone.

allopurinol /ˌalə(ʊ)ˈpjʊərɪnɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic drug which inhibits uric acid formation, used to treat gout and related conditions.

– origin 1960s: from allo- ‘other’ + purine + -ol.

All Ordinaries index

(on the Australian stock exchanges) an index based on the weighted average of selected ordinary share prices.

allosaurus /ˌaləˈsɔːrəs/

I. noun

a large bipedal carnivorous dinosaur of the late Jurassic period.
●Genus Allosaurus, suborder Theropoda, order Saurischia.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek allos ‘other’ + sauros ‘lizard’.

allosteric /ˌaləˈstɛrɪk, ˌaləˈstɪərɪk/

adjective

[Biochemistry] relating to or denoting the alteration of the activity of an enzyme by means of a conformational change induced by a different molecule.

allot /əˈlɒt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give or apportion (something) to someone

• equal time was allotted to each

• [with two objs] I was allotted a little room in the servant's block.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French aloter, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to’) + loter ‘divide into lots’.

allotment /əˈlɒtm(ə)nt/

noun

1. (Brit.) a plot of land rented by an individual for growing vegetables or flowers.

2. (US) ‹chiefly historical› a piece of land made over by the government to an American Indian.

3. [ mass noun] — the action of allotting something.

• the allotment of equity securities.

4. [ count noun] — an amount allotted to a person.

allotrope /ˈalətrəʊp/

I. noun

[Chemistry] each of two or more different physical forms in which an element can exist. Graphite, charcoal, and diamond are all allotropes of carbon.

– origin late 19th cent.: back-formation from allotropy.

allotropy /əˈlɒtrəpi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the existence of two or more different physical forms of a chemical element.

II. derivatives

allotropic /aləˈtrɒpɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek allotropos ‘of another form’, from allo- ‘other’ + tropos ‘manner’ (from trepein ‘to turn’).

allottee /əlɒˈtiː/

noun

a person to whom something is allotted, especially land or shares.

all-over

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. covering the whole of something

• she returned with an all-over tan.

allow /əˈlaʊ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. let (someone) have or do something
[with obj. and infinitive]

• the dissident was allowed to leave the country

• [with two objs] she was allowed a higher profile.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — let (someone) enter a place or go in a particular direction

• the river was patrolled and few people were allowed across.

3. declare or decide that (an event or activity) is legal or acceptable

• political advertising on television is not allowed.

4. give the necessary time or opportunity for

• they agreed to a ceasefire to allow talks with the government

• [with obj. and infinitive] he stopped to allow his eyes to adjust.

5. [no obj.] ( allow for) — make provision or provide scope for

• the house was demolished to allow for road widening.

6. [no obj.] ( allow for) — take (something) into consideration when making plans or calculations

• income rose by 11 per cent allowing for inflation.

7. provide or set aside for a particular purpose

• allow an hour or so for driving.

8. [ reporting verb] — admit the truth of; concede
[with clause]

• he allowed that the penalty appeared too harsh for the crime

• [with direct speech] ‘Could happen,’ she allowed indifferently.

9. [with clause] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹dialect› be of the opinion; assert

• Lincoln allowed that he himself could never support the man.

II. phrases

allow me

said when making a polite request or offering help

• please allow me to introduce myself

• 'Here, allow me,' came a woman's voice from behind him.

III. derivatives

allowedly

adverb

[ sentence adverb]

• English is allowedly one of the most complete of the European languages

– origin Middle English (originally in the senses ‘commend, sanction’ and ‘assign as a right’): from Old French alouer, from Latin allaudare ‘to praise’, reinforced by medieval Latin allocare ‘to place’ (see allocate).

allowable /əˈlaʊəbl/

I. adjective

1. allowed, especially within a set of regulations; permissible

• the loan deal has been extended to the maximum allowable three months.

2. (Brit.) (of an amount of money) able to be earned or received free of tax

• tax is payable after deduction of allowable expenses.

II. derivatives

allowably

adverb

allowance /əˈlaʊəns/

I. noun

1. the amount of something that is permitted, especially within a set of regulations or for a specified purpose

• your baggage allowance.

2. (Brit.) an amount of money that can be earned or received free of tax

• a personal allowance.

3. [Horse Racing] a deduction in the weight that a horse is required to carry in a race.

4. a sum of money paid regularly to a person to meet needs or expenses

• the elderly receive a heating allowance every winter.

5. (chiefly N. Amer.) a small amount of money given regularly to a child by its parents.

6. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› tolerance

• the allowance of slavery in the South.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› give (someone) a sum of money as an allowance.

• I have made up my mind to allowance him.

III. phrases

make allowance(s) for

a. take into consideration when planning something.

• the council has made no allowances for inflation.

b. treat leniently on account of mitigating circumstances.

• she liked them and made allowances for their faults.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French alouance, from alouer (see allow).

alloxan /aˈlɒks(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] an acidic compound obtained by the oxidation of uric acid and isolated as an efflorescent crystalline hydrate.
●Chem. formula: C_4H_2N_2O_4.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from all(antoin) + ox(alic) + -an.

alloy

I. noun — alloy /ˈalɔɪ /

1. a metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion

• an alloy of nickel, bronze, and zinc

• [as modifier] alloy wheels.

2. an inferior metal mixed with a precious one.

II. verb — [with obj.] alloy /əˈlɔɪ, ˈalɔɪ /

1. mix (metals) to make an alloy

• alloying tin with copper to make bronze.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Old French aloi (noun) and French aloyer (verb), both from Old French aloier, aleier ‘combine’, from Latin alligare ‘bind’. In early use the term denoted the comparative purity of gold or silver; the sense ‘mixture of metals’ arose in the mid 17th cent.

all-party

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) involving all political parties

• the measure received all-party support.

all-pervading all-pervasive

adjective

occurring or having an effect through or into every part of something

• the all-pervading excitement.

all-points bulletin APB

noun

(in the US) a radio message sent to every officer in a police force giving details of a suspected criminal or stolen vehicle.

• an all-points bulletin for two men was issued.

all-powerful /ˌɔːlˈpaʊəfʊl/

adjective

having complete power

• an all-powerful dictator.

all-present

adjective

existing or occurring everywhere

• the all-present Spirit.

all-purpose

adjective

having a great many uses

• an all-purpose kitchen knife.

all right alright

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. of a satisfactory or acceptable quality

• the tea was all right.

2. in a satisfactory mental or physical state

• do you feel all right to walk home?

3. permissible; allowable

• it's all right for you to go now.

II. adverb

1. in a satisfactory manner or to a satisfactory extent; fairly well

• we get on all right.

2. used to emphasize how certain one is about something

• ‘Are you sure it's him?’ ‘It's him all right.’.

III. exclamation

expressing or asking for assent, agreement, or acceptance

• all right, I'll tell you.

IV. phrases

1. it's all right for——

used to suggest that someone is luckier than you

• it was all right for them! They didn't have to put up with the brat trailing after them

• “It's all right for some,” Grandad huffed.

2. it'll be all right on the night

used to say that a performance or event will be successful even if the preparations have not gone well

• the organizers assure everyone that it will all be all right on the night.

usage: There is no logical reason for insisting that all right should be written as two words rather than as alright, when other single-word forms such as altogether have long been accepted. Nevertheless, alright is still regarded as being unacceptable in formal writing.

all-roader

noun

another term for all-terrain vehicle.

all-round /ˌɔːlˈraʊnd/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) having a great many abilities or uses; versatile

• an all-round artist.

2. (Brit.) in many or all respects

• his all-round excellence.

3. (Brit.) on or from every side or in every direction

• the car's large glass area provides excellent all-round vision.

all-rounder /ˌɔːlˈraʊndə/

noun

(Brit.) a versatile person or thing, especially a cricketer who can both bat and bowl well.

All Saints' Day

noun

a Christian festival in honour of all the saints in heaven, held (in the Western Church) on 1 November.

all-seater

adjective

(Brit.) (of a sports stadium) having a seat for every spectator and no standing places.

allseed

noun

any of a number of plants producing a large number of seeds for their size.
●Species in several families, in particular the small Radiola linoides (family Linaceae) of Europe.

all-seeing

adjective

seeing everything

• an all-seeing eye casting its gaze out over the globe.

All Souls' Day

noun

a Catholic commemoration with prayers for the souls of the dead, held on 2 November.

allspice /ˈɔːlspʌɪs/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the dried aromatic fruit of a Caribbean tree, used whole or ground as a culinary spice and in the production of certain liqueurs such as Benedictine.

2. a tree of the myrtle family from which allspice is obtained. Also called pimento or Jamaica pepper.
● Pimenta dioica, family Myrtaceae.

3. an aromatic North American tree or shrub.
●Genus Calycanthus, family Calycanthaceae.

all-star

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. composed wholly of outstanding performers or players

• an all-star cast.

II. noun

(N. Amer.) a member of an all-star group or team.

Allston, Washington /ˈɔːlst(ə)n/

(1779–1843), American landscape painter, the first major artist of the American romantic movement.

all-terrain vehicle /ɔːltəˌreɪn ˈviɪk(ə)l/

noun

a small open motor vehicle with one seat and three or more wheels fitted with large tyres, designed for use on rough ground.

all-ticket

adjective

denoting an event, especially a sports match, for which spectators must buy tickets in advance.

all-time /ɔːlˈtʌɪm/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. unsurpassed

• her all-time favourite

• interest rates hit an all-time high.

allude /əˈl(j)uːd/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( allude to)

1. suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at

• she had a way of alluding to Jean but never saying her name.

2. mention without discussing at length

• we will allude briefly to the main points.

3. (of an artist or a work of art) recall (an earlier work or style) in such a way as to suggest a relationship with it.

• the photographs allude to Italian Baroque painting.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘hint at, suggest’): from Latin allus-, alludere, from ad- ‘towards’ + ludere ‘to play’.

all-up weight

noun

(chiefly Brit.) the total weight of an aircraft with passengers, cargo, and fuel.

allure /əˈljʊə, əˈljɔː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating

• people for whom gold holds no allure.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. powerfully attract or charm; tempt

• will sponsors really be allured by such opportunities?

III. derivatives

allurement /əˈl(j)ʊəmənt /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘tempt, entice’): from Old French aleurier ‘attract’, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to’) + luere ‘a lure’ (originally a falconry term).

alluring /əˈl(j)ʊərɪŋ/

I. adjective

powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating; seductive

• the town offers alluring shops and restaurants.

II. derivatives

alluringly /əˈl(j)ʊərɪŋli /

adverb

allus /ˈɔːləz, ˈaləz/

I. adverb

non-standard spelling of always.

• ‘Why is she allus right and me allus wrong?’.

– origin mid 19th cent.: representing a regional pronunciation.

allusion /əˈluːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference

• an allusion to Shakespeare

• a classical allusion.

2. [ mass noun] — the practice of making allusions.

• the use of allusion.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a pun, metaphor, or parable): from French, or from late Latin allusio(n-), from the verb alludere (see allude).

allusive /əˈluːsɪv/

I. adjective

using or containing suggestion rather than explicit mention

• allusive references to the body

• a highly allusive poet.

II. derivatives

1. allusively /əˈluːsɪvli /

adverb

2. allusiveness /əˈluːsɪvnəs /

noun

alluvial /əˈl(j)uːvɪəl/

adjective

relating to or derived from alluvium

• rich alluvial soils.

alluvion /əˈl(j)uːvɪən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [chiefly Law] the action of the sea or a river in adding to the area of land by deposition.
Compare with avulsion.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally denoting a flood, especially one carrying suspended material which is then deposited): from French, from Latin alluvio(n-), from ad- ‘towards’ + luere ‘to wash’.

alluvium /əˈl(j)uːvɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a deposit of clay, silt, and sand left by flowing floodwater in a river valley or delta, typically producing fertile soil.

– origin mid 17th cent.: Latin, neuter of alluvius ‘washed against’, from ad- ‘towards’ + luere ‘to wash’.

all-weather

adjective

in or suitable for all types of weather

• an all-weather soccer pitch.

all-wheel drive

noun

North American term for four-wheel drive.

all-wise

adjective

knowing everything

• an all-wise, omnipotent creator.

ally^1 /ˈalʌɪ/

I. noun

1. a state formally cooperating with another for a military or other purpose.

• debate continued among NATO allies.

2. a person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity

• he was forced to dismiss his closest political ally.

3. ( the Allies) — the countries that fought with Britain in the First and Second World Wars.

• they were caught between the German army of occupation and the advancing Allies.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( ally something to/with) ally /ˈalʌɪ, əˈlʌɪ /

1. combine or unite a resource or commodity with (another) for mutual benefit

• he allied his racing experience with his father's business acumen.

2. ( ally oneself with) — side with or support

• he allied himself with the forces of change.

– origin Middle English (as a verb): from Old French alier, from Latin alligare ‘bind together’, from ad- ‘to’ + ligare ‘to bind’; the noun is partly via Old French alie ‘allied’. Compare with alloy.

ally^2

noun

variant spelling of alley^2.

-ally

suffix

forming adverbs from adjectives ending in -al (such as radically from radical).
Compare with -al, -ly^2, -ically.

allyl /ˈalʌɪl, ˈalɪl/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting the unsaturated hydrocarbon radical —CH_2CH=CH_2

• allyl alcohol.

II. derivatives

allylic

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin allium ‘garlic’ + -yl.

al-Madinah /ˌalmaˈdiːnə/

Arabic name for Medina.

Almagest /ˈalmədʒɛst/

I. noun — ( the Almagest)

1. an influential treatise on astronomy written by the Greek astronomer and geographer Ptolemy in the second century AD.

2. (in the Middle Ages) any celebrated textbook on astrology and alchemy.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French almageste, based on Arabic, from al ‘the’ + Greek megistē ‘greatest (composition)’.

alma mater /ˌalmə ˈmɑːtə, ˈmeɪt-/

I. noun — ( one's Alma Mater)

1. the university, school, or college that one formerly attended.

• he started teaching at his alma mater.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the general sense ‘someone or something providing nourishment’): Latin, literally ‘generous mother’.

almanac /ˈɔːlmənak, ˈɒlmənak / almanack

I. noun

1. an annual calendar containing important dates and statistical information such as astronomical data and tide tables.

2. a handbook, typically published annually, containing information of general interest or on a sport or pastime.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French and medieval Latin from Spanish Arabic al-manāḵ ‘the calendar’.

Almanach de Gotha /ˌɔːlmənak də ˈɡəʊtə, ˌɒl-/

an annual publication giving information about European royalty, nobility, and diplomats, published in Gotha 1763–1944 and revived in 1968.

almandine /ˈalməndiːn, ˈalməndʌɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of garnet with a violet tint.

– origin late Middle English: from obsolete French, alteration of alabandine, from medieval Latin alabandina (gemma), ‘jewel from Alabanda’, an ancient city in Asia Minor where these stones were cut.

Alma-Tadema, Sir Lawrence /ˌalməˈtadəmə/

(1836–1912), Dutch-born British painter. He is best known for lush genre scenes set in the ancient world.

Almaty /ˈalmɑːti / Alma-Ata

the former capital of the central Asian republic of Kazakhstan; pop. 1,247,900 (est. 2006).
Former name (until 1921) Verny.

Almería /ˌalməˈrɪə/

a town in a province of the same name in Andalusia, Spain; pop. 187,521 (2008).

almighty /ɔːlˈmʌɪti/

I. adjective

1. having complete power; omnipotent

• I swear by almighty God.

2. ‹informal› very great; enormous

• the silence was broken by an almighty roar.

II. noun

( the Almighty) — a name or title for God.

• I wanted to beg the Almighty for mercy.

– origin Old English ælmihtig (see all, mighty).

almirah /alˈmʌɪrə/

I. noun

(Indian) a free-standing cupboard or wardrobe.

– origin from Hindi almārī, via Portuguese from Latin armarium ‘closet, chest’.

Almirante Brown /ˌalmɪˈranti/

a city in eastern Argentina, forming part of the conurbation of Buenos Aires; pop. 568,500 (est. 2008).

Almodóvar, Pedro /ˌalməˈdəʊvɑː, Spanish almoˈðoβar/

(b.1951), Spanish film director. His films, such as Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), are highly inventive and deal outrageously with sexual matters.

Almohad /ˈalməhad / Almohade /ˈalməheɪd/

I. noun

a member of a Berber Muslim movement and dynasty that conquered the Spanish and North African empire of the Almoravids in the 12th century.

– origin Spanish, ultimately from Arabic al-muwaḥḥidun ‘believers in one God’.

almond /ˈɑːmənd/

I. noun

1. the oval edible nut-like seed (kernel) of the almond tree, growing in a woody shell, widely used as food.

2. (also almond tree) — the tree that produces almonds, related to the peach and plum. Native to western Asia, it is widely cultivated in warm climates.
● Prunus dulcis or P. amygdalus, family Rosaceae.

– origin Middle English: from Old French alemande, from medieval Latin amandula, from Greek amugdalē.

almond eyes

plural noun

eyes that are narrow and oval with pointed ends.

almond oil

noun — [ mass noun]

1. oil expressed from bitter almonds, used for cosmetic preparations, flavouring, and medicinal purposes.

almond paste

noun — [ mass noun]

1. marzipan.

almoner /ˈɑːmənə, ˈalmənə/

I. noun

‹historical› an official distributor of alms.

– origin Middle English: from Old French aumonier, based on medieval Latin eleemosynarius, from eleemosyna ‘alms’ (see alms).

almonry /ˈɑːmənri, ˈalmənri/

I. noun

a building or place where alms were formerly distributed.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French au(l)mosnerie, from medieval Latin eleemosynarius (see almoner).

Almoravid /alˈmɔːrəvɪd / Almoravide /alˈmɔːrəvʌɪd/

I. noun

a member of a federation of Muslim Berber peoples that established an empire in Morocco, Algeria, and Spain in the 11th century, but were in turn driven out by the Almohads.

– origin Spanish, from Arabic al-murābit, literally ‘one who is bound’.

almost /ˈɔːlməʊst/

I. adverb

not quite; very nearly

• he almost knocked Georgina over

• the place was almost empty

• blues, jazz—he can play almost anything.

– origin Old English æl mǣst ‘for the most part’ (see all, most).

alms /ɑːmz/

I. plural noun

(in historical contexts) money or food given to poor people.

• the riders stopped to distribute alms.

– origin Old English ælmysse, ælmesse, from Christian Latin eleemosyna, from Greek eleēmosunē ‘compassion’, from eleēmōn ‘compassionate’, from eleos ‘mercy’.

almsgiving /ˈɑːmzɡɪvɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in historical or religious contexts) the practice of giving money or food to poor people

• benevolence in the form of almsgiving was encouraged.

II. derivatives

almsgiver

noun

almshouse /ˈɑːmzhaʊs/

noun

a house founded by charity, offering accommodation for poor people.

almucantar /ˌalməˈkantə/

I. noun

1. [Astronomy] a circle on the celestial sphere parallel to the horizon; a parallel of altitude.

2. a telescope mounted on a float resting on mercury, used to determine stellar altitude and azimuth.

– origin Middle English: from medieval Latin almucantarath or obsolete French almucantara, from Arabic al-muqanṭarāt ‘lines of celestial latitude’, based on al ‘the’ + qanṭara ‘arch’.

al-Nakba /alˈnakbə/

I. noun

the Palestinian term for the events of 1948, when many Palestinians were displaced by the creation of the new state of Israel.

– origin Arabic, literally ‘the disaster’.

aloe /ˈaləʊ/

I. noun

1. a succulent plant with a rosette of thick tapering leaves and bell-shaped or tubular flowers on long stems, native to the Old World.
●Genus Aloe, family Liliaceae (or Aloaceae).

2. ( aloes or bitter aloes) [ mass noun] — a strong laxative obtained from the bitter juice of various kinds of aloe.

3. (also American aloe) — another term for century plant.

4. (also aloes wood) [ mass noun] — the fragrant heartwood of a tropical Asian tree.
●The tree belongs to the genus Aquilaria, family Thymelaeaceae, in particular A. agallocha.

5. the resin obtained from aloes wood, used in perfume, incense, and medicine.

– origin Old English alewe, alwe (denoting the fragrant resin or heartwood of certain oriental trees), via Latin from Greek aloē; reinforced in late Middle English by Old French aloes ‘aloe’, hence frequently used in the plural.

aloe vera /ˈvɪərə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a gelatinous substance obtained from a kind of aloe, used especially in cosmetics as an emollient.

2. the plant that yields aloe vera, grown chiefly in the Caribbean area and the southern US.
● Aloe vera, family Liliaceae (or Aloaceae).

– origin early 20th cent.: modern Latin, literally ‘true aloe’, probably in contrast to the American agave, which closely resembles aloe vera: both plants were formerly classified together in the lily family.

aloft /əˈlɒft/

I. adjective, adverb

1. up in or into the air; overhead
[as predic. adj.]

• the congregation sways, hands aloft

• [as adv.] she held her glass aloft.

2. up the mast or into the rigging of a ship.

• Tom went aloft with the bosun.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse á lopt, á lopti, from á ‘in, on, to’ + lopt ‘air’.

alogical

adjective

opposed to or lacking in logic.

aloha /əˈləʊhə/

I. exclamation, noun

a Hawaiian word used when greeting or parting from someone.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Maori aroha ‘love, affection, pity’.

aloha shirt

noun

a loose, brightly patterned Hawaiian shirt.

Aloha State

informal name for Hawaii.

alone /əˈləʊn/

I. adjective, adverb

1. having no one else present; on one's own
[as predic. adj.]

• she was alone that evening

• [as adv.] he lives alone.

2. without others' help or participation; single-handed
[as adv.]

• team members are more effective than individuals working alone

• [as predic. adj.] they were not alone in dissenting from the advice.

3. [as adj.] — isolated and lonely

• she was terribly alone and exposed.

4. [as adv.] — indicating that something is confined to the specified subject or recipient

• he is answerable to Parliament alone

• it was a smile for him alone.

5. used to emphasize that only one factor out of several is being considered and that the whole is greater or more extreme

• there were fifteen churches in the town centre alone.

II. phrases

1. go it alone

‹informal› act by oneself without assistance.

• they lack the knowledge and confidence to go it alone.

2. leave someone/thing alone

a. abandon or desert someone or something

• she was frightened because he had left her alone.

b. (also let someone/thing alone or leave/let well alone) — stop disturbing, interfering with, or trying to improve someone or something

• if you see him on his way to school, just leave him alone

• she wished he would let her alone

• take my advice and leave well alone.

III. derivatives

aloneness

noun

– origin Middle English: from all + one.

along /əˈlɒŋ/

I. preposition, adverb

1. moving in a constant direction on (a more or less horizontal surface)
[as prep.]

• soon we were driving along a narrow road

• he saw Gray run along the top of the wall

• [as adv.] we continued to plod along.

2. used to refer to the passage of time or the making of progress
[as prep.]

• you'll pick up some valuable tips along the way

• [as adv.] they asked how the construction was coming along.

3. [ prep.] — extending in a more or less horizontal line on

• cars were parked along the grass verge

• the path along the cliff.

4. [ adverb] — in or into company with others

• he had brought along a friend of his.

II. phrases

1. along with

in company with or at the same time as

• I was chosen, along with twelve other artists.

2. be (or come) along

arrive

• she'll be along soon.

– origin Old English andlang, of West Germanic origin; related to long^1.

alongshore /əlɒŋˈʃɔː/

adverb

along or by the shore

• currents flowing alongshore.

alongside /əlɒŋˈsʌɪd/

preposition

1. ( also alongside of) — (N. Amer.) close to the side of; next to

• she was sitting alongside him

• [as adv.] the boat came alongside.

2. together and in cooperation with

• a care assistant was working alongside him.

3. at the same time as or in coexistence with

• they aim to encourage coverage of disabled sport alongside able-bodied achievement.

aloo /ˈɑːluː, ˈaluː / alu

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Indian) potato

• aloo jeera.

– origin from Hindi, Urdu, and Sanskrit ālū.

aloof /əˈluːf/

I. adjective

1. not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant

• they were courteous but faintly aloof

• an aloof and somewhat austere figure.

2. conspicuously uninvolved

• he stayed aloof from the bickering.

II. derivatives

1. aloofly

adverb

2. aloofness /əˈluːfnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from a-2 (expressing direction) + luff. The term was originally an adverb in nautical use, meaning ‘away and to windward!’, i.e. with the ship's head kept close to the wind away from a lee shore etc. towards which it might drift. From this arose the sense ‘at a distance’.

alopecia /ˌaləˈpiːʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the partial or complete absence of hair from areas of the body where it normally grows; baldness.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek alōpekia, literally ‘fox mange’, from alōpēx ‘fox’.

Alor Setar /ˌɑːlɔː səˈtɑː/

the capital of the state of Kedah in Malaysia, near the west coast of the central Malay Peninsula; pop. 223,200 (est. 2009).

aloud /əˈlaʊd/

I. adverb

1. audibly; not silently or in a whisper

• he read the letter aloud.

2. ‹archaic› loudly

• he wept aloud.

– origin Middle English: from a-2 (expressing manner) + loud.

alow /əˈləʊ/

I. adverb

1. ‹archaic› ‹dialect› below; downwards.

• cries came from alow and aloft.

2. [Nautical] ‹archaic› on or near the deck of a ship.

– origin late Middle English: from a-2 ‘on’ + low^1.

alp /alp/

I. noun

1. a high mountain, especially a snow-capped one.

2. (in Switzerland) an area of green pasture on a mountainside.

– origin late Middle English: singular of Alps.

ALP

abbreviation

Australian Labor Party.

alpaca /alˈpakə/

I. noun

1. a long-haired domesticated South American mammal related to the llama, valued for its wool.
● Lama pacos, family Camelidae, probably descended from the wild guanaco.

2. [ mass noun] — the wool of the alpaca.

• a mixture of wool, alpaca, and silk.

3. [ mass noun] — fabric made from alpaca wool
[as modifier]

• an alpaca jersey.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Spanish, from Aymara allpaca.

alpargata /ˌalpɑːˈɡɑːtə/

I. noun

a light canvas shoe with a plaited fibre sole; an espadrille.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Spanish.

alpenglow /ˈalpənɡləʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the rosy light of the setting or rising sun seen on high mountains.

• the red granite flickered warmly in the evening alpenglow.

– origin late 19th cent.: a partial translation of German Alpenglühen, literally ‘Alp glow’.

alpenhorn /ˈalpənhɔːn / alphorn

I. noun

a very long valveless wooden wind instrument played like a horn and used for signalling in the Alps.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German, literally ‘Alp horn’.

alpenstock /ˈalpənstɒk/

I. noun

an iron-tipped stick used by hillwalkers and formerly by mountaineers.

– origin early 19th cent.: from German, literally ‘Alp stick’.

alpha /ˈalfə/

I. noun

1. the first letter of the Greek alphabet ( Α, α), transliterated as ‘a’.

2. [as modifier] — denoting the first of a series of items or categories, e.g. forms of a chemical compound

• the α and β chains of haemoglobin.

3. (Brit.) a first-class mark given for an examination paper or piece of school or college work

• he had been awarded alpha double plus.

4. [as modifier] — [Zoology] [Sociology] denoting the dominant animal or human in a particular group

• the pack is a tightly knit, highly organized group, led by an alpha wolf.

See also alpha male.

5. [as modifier] — ‹informal› denoting a person who has a dominant role or position within a particular sphere

• take turns cooking for each other if one of you is too much of an alpha chef.

6. short for alpha test.

7. ( Alpha) [followed by Latin genitive] — [Astronomy] the first (typically the brightest) star in a constellation

• Alpha Orionis.

8. [as modifier] — relating to alpha decay or alpha particles

• an alpha emitter.

9. a code word representing the letter A, used in radio communication.

II. symbol

1. ( α) — a plane angle.

2. ( α) — angular acceleration.

3. ( α) — [Astronomy] right ascension.

III. phrases

alpha and omega

a. the beginning and the end (used by Christians as a title for Jesus).

b. the essence or most important features.

• collective bargaining is seen as the alpha and omega of trade unionism.

– origin via Latin from Greek.

alphabet /ˈalfəbɛt/

I. noun

1. a set of letters or symbols in a fixed order used to represent the basic set of speech sounds of a language, especially the set of letters from A to Z.

• the first letter of the alphabet.

• a phonetic alphabet.

2. the basic elements in a system which combine to form complex entities

• DNA's 4-letter alphabet.

The origin of the alphabet goes back to the Phoenician system of the 2nd millennium BC, from which the modern Hebrew and Arabic systems are ultimately derived. The Greek alphabet, which emerged in 1000–900 BC, developed two branches, Cyrillic (which became the script of Russian) and Etruscan (from which derives the Roman alphabet used in the West).

– origin early 16th cent.: from late Latin alphabetum, from Greek alpha, bēta, the first two letters of the Greek alphabet.

alphabetical /alfəˈbɛtɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to an alphabet

• alphabetical characters.

2. in the order of the letters of the alphabet

• an alphabetical index

• in alphabetical order.

II. derivatives

alphabetic /alfəˈbɛtɪk /

adjective

alphabetically /ˌalfəˈbɛtɪkli/

adverb

in the order of the letters of the alphabet

• books are now arranged alphabetically by author.

alphabetize /ˈalfəbətʌɪz / alphabetise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. arrange in alphabetical order

• the listings are arranged by state and alphabetized by city.

II. derivatives

alphabetization

noun

alphabet soup

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› a confusing or confused mixture of things

• the alphabet soup of European security institutions.

– origin early 20th cent.: alluding to a kind of clear soup containing pasta in the shapes of letters.

alpha blocker

noun

[Medicine] any of a class of drugs which prevent the stimulation of the adrenergic receptors responsible for increased blood pressure.

Alpha Centauri /ˌalfə sɛnˈtɔːrʌɪ / ‹Astronomy›

the third-brightest star in the sky, in the constellation Centaurus, visible only to observers in the southern hemisphere. It is the nearest bright star to the solar system (distance 4.34 light years), and is a visual binary.
Also called Rigil Kentaurus.

alphafetoprotein /ˌalfəˌfiːtəʊˈprəʊtiːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a protein produced by a fetus which is present in amniotic fluid and the bloodstream of the mother. Levels of the protein can be measured to detect certain congenital defects such as spina bifida and Down's syndrome.

alpha geek

noun

‹informal› a person who has great expertise in computing and related technology

• the alpha geeks are often a few years ahead of their time.

alpha-hydroxy acid

noun

[Chemistry] an organic acid containing a hydroxyl group bonded to the carbon atom adjacent to the carboxylic acid group. A number of such compounds are used in skincare preparations for their exfoliating properties.

alpha male

noun

1. the dominant male animal in a particular group

• two of them trotted over to greet the alpha male, a black wolf with a greying muzzle.

2. a man tending to assume a dominant or domineering role in social or professional situations

• most alpha males need to control the women in their lives.

alphanumeric /ˌalfənjuːˈmɛrɪk/

I. adjective

consisting of or using both letters and numerals

• alphanumeric data.

II. noun

a character that is either a letter or a number.

III. derivatives

alphanumerical

adjective

alpha particle

noun

[Physics] a helium nucleus emitted by some radioactive substances, originally regarded as a ray.

alpha radiation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ionizing radiation consisting of alpha particles, emitted by some substances undergoing radioactive decay.

alpha rhythm

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the normal electrical activity of the brain when conscious and relaxed, consisting of oscillations ( alpha waves) with a frequency of 8 to 13 hertz.

alpha test

I. noun

a trial of machinery, software, or other products carried out by a developer before a product is made available for beta testing.

II. verb

( alpha-test) [with obj.] — subject (a product) to an alpha test.

• each model was then alpha-tested with specific test patterns.

alpha version

noun

[Computing] a version of a piece of software that is made available for testing, typically by employees of the company that is developing it, before its general release

• at this time we are close to finishing the alpha version.

Compare with beta version.

alphorn /ˈalphɔːn/

noun

another term for alpenhorn.

alpine /ˈalpʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. relating to high mountains

• alpine and subalpine habitats.

2. ( Alpine) — relating to the Alps

• Alpine guides.

3. [Skiing] relating to or denoting skiing downhill

• an alpine ski team.

Often contrasted with Nordic.

II. noun

1. a plant native to mountain districts, often suitable for growing in rock gardens.

• a collection of alpines and dwarf bulbs.

2. a North American butterfly which has brownish-black wings with orange-red markings.
●Genus Erebia, subfamily Satyrinae, family Nymphalidae.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin Alpinus, from Alpes ‘Alps’ (see alp).

alpine house

noun

an unheated greenhouse used to grow alpine plants.

alpine touring

noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for randonnée:

• the guide provides information on essential equipment needed for alpine touring, telemarking, and snowboarding.

alpinist /ˈalpɪnɪst/

noun

a climber of high mountains, especially in the Alps.

alprazolam /alˈpreɪzə(ʊ)lam/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a drug of the benzodiazepine group, used in the treatment of anxiety.

– origin 1970s: from al- of unknown origin + p(henyl) + ( t)r(i)azol(e) + ( -azep)am.

Alps /alps/

I. a mountain system in Europe extending in a curve from the coast of SE France through NW Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, southern Germany, and Austria into Slovenia. The highest peak of the Alps, Mont Blanc, rises to a height of 4,807 m (15,771 ft).

– origin late Middle English: via French from Latin Alpes, from Greek Alpeis, of unknown origin.

al-Qaeda /alˈkʌɪdə, ˌalkɑːˈiːdə / al-Qaida

I. a militant Islamic fundamentalist group.

– origin Arabic al-qā‘ida, literally ‘the base’.

al-Qahira /alˈkɑːhiːrɑː / el-Qahira

Arabic name for Cairo.

already /ɔːlˈrɛdi/

I. adverb

1. before or by now or the time in question

• Anna has suffered a great deal already.

2. as surprisingly soon or early as this

• it was already past four o' clock.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› used after a word or phrase to express impatience

• enough already with these crazy kids and their wacky dances!

– origin Middle English: from all (as an adverb) + ready; sense 2 is influenced by Yiddish use.

ALS

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of motor neurone disease

• the rock guitarist was stricken by ALS more than 20 years ago.

Also called Lou Gehrig's disease.

– origin abbreviation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Alsace /alˈsas French alzas//

a region of NE France, on the borders with Germany and Switzerland. Alsace was annexed by Prussia, along with part of Lorraine (forming Alsace-Lorraine), after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1, and restored to France after the First World War.

Alsatian /alˈseɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a large dog of a breed typically used as guard dogs or for police work.
Also called German shepherd.

2. a native or inhabitant of Alsace.

II. adjective

relating to Alsace or its inhabitants.

– origin from medieval Latin Alsatia ‘Alsace’ + -an.

alsike /ˈalsɪk / alsike clover

I. noun

a tall clover which is widely grown for fodder, native to Europe and naturalized in North America.
● Trifolium hybridum, family Leguminosae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Alsike in Sweden; Linnaeus mentions the plant growing there.

also /ˈɔːlsəʊ/

I. adverb

in addition; too

• a brilliant linguist, he was also interested in botany

• dyslexia, also known as word blindness

• [ sentence adverb] also, a car's very expensive to run.

– origin Old English alswā ‘quite so, in that manner, similarly’ (see all, so^1).

also-ran

I. noun

1. a loser in a race or other contest, especially by a large margin.

• the line between champions and also-rans.

2. ‹informal› an undistinguished or unsuccessful person or thing.

– origin late 19th cent.: originally applied to racehorses that did not finish in the first three.

alstroemeria /ˌalstrəˈmɪərɪə/

I. noun

a South American plant with showy lily-like flowers, cultivated as an ornamental.
●Genus Alstroemeria, family Liliaceae: several species.

– origin late 18th cent.: modern Latin, named after Klas von Alstroemer (1736–96), Swedish naturalist.

Alt

noun

short for Alt key.

alt- alt.

I. combining form

denoting a version of something, especially popular music, that is intended as a challenge to the traditional version

• an alt-classical quartet.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation of alternative, influenced by the alt. prefix of some Internet newsgroups.

Alta

abbreviation

Alberta.

Altai /ˈaltʌɪ / Altay

a krai (administrative territory) of Russia in SW Siberia, on the border with Kazakhstan; capital, Barnaul.

Altaic /alˈteɪɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the Altai Mountains.

2. denoting or belonging to a phylum or superfamily of languages which includes the Turkic, Mongolian, Tungusic, and Manchu languages. They are characterized by agglutination and vowel harmony.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Altaic family of languages.

Altai Mountains

a mountain system of central Asia extending about 1,600 km (1,000 miles) eastwards from Kazakhstan into western Mongolia and northern China.

Altair /ˈaltɛː / ‹Astronomy›

I. the brightest star in the constellation Aquila.

– origin Arabic, literally ‘flying eagle’.

Altamira /ˌaltəˈmɪərə/

the site of a cave with Palaeolithic rock paintings, south of Santander in northern Spain, discovered in 1879.

altar /ˈɔːltə, ˈɒltə/

I. noun

1. the table in a Christian church at which the bread and wine are consecrated in communion services.

2. a table or flat-topped block used as the focus for a religious ritual, especially for making sacrifices or offerings to a deity.

II. phrases

1. lead someone to the altar

marry a woman.

2. sacrifice someone/thing on/at the altar of

make someone or something suffer in the interests of

• no businessman is going to sacrifice his company on the altar of such altruism.

– origin Old English altar, alter, based on late Latin altar, altarium, from Latin altus ‘high’.

altar boy

noun

a boy who acts as a priest's assistant during a service, especially in the Roman Catholic Church.

altarpiece /ˈɔːltəpiːs, ˈɒltəpiːs/

noun

a painting or other work of art designed to be set above and behind an altar.

altazimuth /alˈtazɪməθ/

I. noun

1. (also altazimuth mount or mounting) — [Astronomy] a telescope mounting that moves in azimuth (about a vertical axis) and in altitude (about a horizontal axis).
Compare with equatorial mount.

2. (also altazimuth telescope) — a telescope on an altazimuth mounting.

3. a surveying instrument for measuring vertical and horizontal angles, resembling a theodolite but larger and more precise.

– origin mid 19th cent.: blend of altitude and azimuth.

alt-country /ˈɒltˌkʌntri / alt.country

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of country music that is influenced by alternative rock.

Altdorfer, Albrecht /ˈaltdɔːfə, German ˈaltdɔrfɐ/

( c. 1485–1538), German painter and engraver. He was one of the first modern European landscape painters and was principal artist of the Danube School.

alter /ˈɔːltə, ˈɒltə/

I. verb

1. change in character or composition, typically in a comparatively small but significant way
[with obj.]

• Eliot was persuaded to alter the passage

• [no obj.] our outward appearance alters as we get older

• (as adj. altered) an altered state.

2. [with obj.] — make structural changes to (a building)

• plans to alter the dining hall.

3. [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) (Austral.) castrate or spay (a domestic animal).

II. derivatives

alterable /ˈɔːltərəb(ə)l, ˈɒltərəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French alterer, from late Latin alterare, from Latin alter ‘other’.

alteration /ɔːltəˈreɪʃ(ə)n, ˈɒltəreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of altering or being altered

• careful alteration of old buildings

• [ count noun] alterations had to be made.

II. derivatives

alterative /ˈɔːltərətɪv, ˈɒltərətɪv /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from late Latin alteratio(n-), from the verb alterare (see alter).

altercate /ˈɔːltəkeɪt, ˈɒltəkeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹archaic› dispute or argue noisily and publicly.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin altercat- ‘wrangled’, from altercari.

altercation /ɒltəˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a noisy argument or disagreement, especially in public

• I had an altercation with the ticket collector.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin altercatio(n-), from the verb altercari (see altercate).

altered state

noun

a state of mind that differs from the normal state of consciousness, typically one induced by drugs, hypnosis, or mental disorder.

• he probably came up with this tune while he was in an altered state.

alter ego /ˌɒltər ˈiːɡəʊ/

I. noun

1. a person's secondary or alternative personality.

• in the flesh she is a million miles from her photographic alter ego.

2. an intimate and trusted friend.

– origin mid 16th cent.: Latin, ‘other self’.

alterity /alˈtɛrɪti, ɒlˈtɛrɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the state of being other or different; otherness.

• the problem of alterity occurs also in homogeneous societies.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin alteritas, from alter ‘other’.

alternant /ɔːlˈtəːnənt, ɒlˈtəːnənt/

I. noun

an alternative form of a word or other linguistic unit; a variant.

• one form occurs more than its alternants.

II. adjective

changing from one to the other; alternating.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin alternant- ‘doing things by turns’, from the verb alternare (see alternate).

alternate

I. verb — [no obj.] alternate /ˈɔːltəneɪt, ˈɒltəneɪt /

1. occur in turn repeatedly

• bouts of depression alternate with periods of elation

• (as adj. alternating) a season of alternating hot days and cool nights.

2. [with obj.] — do or perform in turn repeatedly

• some adults who wish to alternate work with education.

3. change repeatedly between two contrasting conditions

• the government alternated between the Labour and Conservative parties.

II. adjective — [ attrib.] alternate /ɔːlˈtəːnət, ɒlˈtəːnət /

1. every other; every second

• she was asked to attend on alternate days.

2. (of two things) each following and succeeded by the other in a regular pattern

• alternate bouts of intense labour and of idleness.

3. [Botany] (of leaves or shoots) placed alternately on the two sides of the stem.

4. (chiefly N. Amer.) another term for alternative:

• a novel set in an alternate universe.

III. noun — alternate /ɔːlˈtəːnət, ɒlˈtəːnət /

1. (N. Amer.) a person who acts as a deputy or substitute.

• he shall be entitled to exercise the vote of the director for whom he is an alternate.

– origin early 16th cent. (earlier (late Middle English) as alternation): from Latin alternat- ‘done by turns’, from alternare, from alternus ‘every other’, from alter ‘other’. / usage: In both British and American English the adjective alternate means ‘every other or every second’, as in they meet on alternate Sundays, or ‘(of two things) each following and succeeded by the other in a regular pattern’, as in alternate layers of potato and sauce. Alternative means ‘available as another possibility or choice’ ( an alternative route; some European countries follow an alternative approach). In American usage, however, alternate can also be used to mean ‘available as another choice’: an alternate plan called for construction to begin immediately rather than waiting for spring. This American use of alternate is still regarded as incorrect by many people in Britain.

alternate angles

plural noun

[Mathematics] two angles, formed when a line crosses two other lines, that lie on opposite sides of the transversal line and on opposite relative sides of the other lines. If the two lines crossed are parallel, the alternate angles are equal.

alternately /ɔːlˈtəːnətli/

adverb

1. with two things continually following and succeeded by each other; one after the other

• she sounds alternately confused and confident.

2. [ sentence adverb] — (chiefly N. Amer.) as another option or possibility; alternatively

• alternately, slice the cake in two when completely cooled and spread raspberry jam between the two halves.

alternating current AC, ac

noun

an electric current that reverses its direction many times a second at regular intervals, typically used in power supplies.
Compare with direct current.

alternation /ɔːltəˈneɪʃ(ə)n, ɒltəˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the repeated occurrence of two things in turn

• the regular alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables

• [ count noun] Ghana's climate is warm and humid, with distinct alternations between rainy summer and dry winters.

alternation of generations

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] a pattern of reproduction occurring in the life cycles of many lower plants and some invertebrates, involving a regular alternation between two distinct forms. The generations are alternately sexual and asexual (as in ferns) or dioecious and parthenogenetic (as in some jellyfishes).

alternative /ɔːlˈtəːnətɪv, ɒlˈtəːnətɪv/

I. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — (of one or more things) available as another possibility or choice

• the various alternative methods for resolving disputes.

2. (of two things) mutually exclusive

• the facts fit two alternative scenarios.

3. of or relating to activities that depart from or challenge traditional norms

• an alternative lifestyle.

II. noun

one of two or more available possibilities

• audio cassettes are an interesting alternative to reading

• she had no alternative but to break the law.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘alternating, alternate’): from French alternatif, -ive or medieval Latin alternativus, from Latin alternare ‘interchange’ (see alternate). / usage: Some traditionalists maintain that you can only have a maximum of two alternatives, because the word alternative comes from Latin alter ‘other (of two)’) and that uses where there are more than two alternatives are wrong. Such uses are, however, normal in modern standard English. See also usage at alternate.

alternative comedy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of comedy rejecting established (especially racist or sexist) stereotypes and sometimes having a political component.

alternative dispute resolution

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) the use of methods such as mediation or arbitration to resolve a dispute without resort to litigation.

alternative energy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. energy fuelled in ways that do not use up the earth's natural resources or otherwise harm the environment, especially by avoiding the use of fossil fuels or nuclear power.

alternative fuel

noun

a fuel other than petrol or diesel for powering motor vehicles, such as natural gas, methanol, or electricity.

• alternative fuels have gained ground.

• [ mass noun] vehicles running on alternative fuel.

alternatively /ɔːlˈtəːnətɪvli/

adverb — [ sentence adverb]

1. as another option or possibility

• alternatively, you may telephone us direct if you wish.

alternative medicine

noun — [ mass noun]

1. any of a range of medical therapies that are not regarded as orthodox by the medical profession, such as herbalism, naturopathy, and crystal healing.
See also complementary medicine.

alternative rock

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of rock music characterized as unconventional or outside the mainstream

• the disaffection of grunge and alternative rock resonated powerfully with a generation weathering an economic recession.

Alternative Service Book

noun

a book containing the public liturgy of the Church of England published in 1980 for use as the alternative to the Book of Common Prayer.

alternative vote

noun

an electoral system whereby voters rank candidates in order of preference. In the event that one candidate fails to achieve a sufficient majority, the candidate with the fewest number of first-preference rankings is eliminated and these votes redistributed, the process being repeated until one candidate achieves the required majority.

• support for the alternative vote is now very strong.

• [as modifier] the alternative vote system.

alternator /ˈɔːltəneɪtə, ˈɒltəneɪtə/

noun

a dynamo that generates an alternating current.

Althing /ˈɔːlθɪŋ, ˈɒlθɪŋ/

I. the bicameral legislative assembly of Iceland.

– origin Icelandic, from Old Norse.

althorn /ˈalthɔːn/

I. noun

a musical instrument of the saxhorn family, especially the alto or tenor saxhorn in E flat.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German, from alt ‘high’ (from Latin altus) + Horn ‘horn’.

although /ɔːlˈðəʊ, ɒlˈðəʊ/

I. conjunction

1. in spite of the fact that; even though

• although the sun was shining it wasn't that warm

• although small, the room has a spacious feel.

2. however; but

• he says he has the team shirt, although I've never seen him wear it.

– origin Middle English: from all (as an adverb) + though. / usage: The form although can be replaced by though, the only difference being that although tends to be more formal than though. Some uses of though are not interchangeable with although, however: for example, adverbial uses ( it was nice of him to phone, though) and uses in phrases with ‘as’ or ‘even’ ( she doesn't look as though she's listening).

Althusser, Louis /ˈaltʊsɛː, French altysɛʀ/

(1918–90), French philosopher. In giving a reinterpretation of traditional Marxism in the light of structuralist theories his work had a significant influence on literary and cultural theory.

altimeter /ˈaltɪmiːtə/

I. noun

an instrument for determining altitude attained, especially a barometric or radar device fitted in an aircraft.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin altus ‘high’ + -meter.

altimetry /alˈtɪmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the measurement of height or altitude.

• we can use altimetry to monitor the surface ocean currents.

• satellite altimetry.

II. derivatives

altimetric /altɪˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin altimetria.

altiplano /ˌaltɪˈplɑːnəʊ/

I. noun

the high tableland of central South America.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Spanish.

altissimo /alˈtɪsɪməʊ/

I. adjective

[Music] very high in pitch

• the extreme altissimo range of his horn.

– origin Italian, superlative of alto ‘high’.

altitude /ˈaltɪtjuːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the height of an object or point in relation to sea level or ground level

• flight data including airspeed and altitude

• [ count noun] flying at altitudes over 15,000 feet.

2. great height

• the mechanism can freeze at altitude.

3. [Astronomy] the apparent height of a celestial object above the horizon, measured in angular distance.

4. [Geometry] the length of the perpendicular line from a vertex to the opposite side of a figure.

II. derivatives

altitudinal /altɪˈtjuːdɪn(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin altitudo, from altus ‘high’.

altitude sickness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. illness caused by ascent to high altitude, characterized by hyperventilation, nausea, and exhaustion resulting from shortage of oxygen.

Alt key /ˈɔːltkiː/

I. noun

[Computing] a key on a keyboard which, when pressed simultaneously with another key, gives the latter an alternative function.

– origin late 20th cent.: abbreviation of alt(ernative) key.

Altman, Robert /ˈɔːltm(ə)n, ˈɒltm(ə)n/

(1925–2006), American film director. He made his name with MASH (1970), a black comedy set in the Korean war. Other notable films include The Player (1992).

alto /ˈaltəʊ/

I. noun

1. (especially in church music) the highest adult male singing voice (sometimes distinguished from the countertenor voice as using falsetto).

2. the lowest female singing voice; contralto.

3. a person with an alto voice.

4. a part written for an alto voice.

5. [as modifier] — denoting the member of a family of instruments pitched second or third highest

• alto flute.

6. an alto saxophone.

II. derivatives

altoist

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian alto (canto) ‘high (song)’.

alto clef

noun

a clef placing middle C on the middle line of the stave, used chiefly for viola music.

altocumulus /ˌaltəʊˈkjuːmjʊləs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cloud forming a layer of rounded masses with a level base, occurring at medium altitude (typically 2 to 7 km, 6,500 to 23,000 ft).

• a layer of altocumulus.

• [ count noun] altocumuli moved across the sky.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin alto- (from Latin altus ‘high’) + cumulus.

altogether /ɔːltəˈɡɛðə/

I. adverb

1. completely; totally

• I stopped seeing her altogether

• [as submodifier] I'm not altogether sure that I'd trust him.

2. including everything or everyone; in total

• he had married several times and had forty-six children altogether.

3. [ sentence adverb] — taking everything into consideration; on the whole

• altogether it was a great evening.

II. phrases

in the altogether

‹informal› without any clothes on; naked.

• she's agreed to pose in the altogether.

– origin Old English (see all, together). / usage: Note that altogether and all together do not mean the same thing. Altogether means ‘in total’, as in there are six bedrooms altogether, whereas all together means ‘all in one place’ or ‘all at once’, as in it was good to have a group of friends all together; they came in all together.

alto-relievo /ˌaltəʊrɪˈliːvəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for high relief at relief (sense 4).

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Italian alto-rilievo.

altostratus /ˌaltəʊˈstrɑːtəs, ˌaltəʊˈstreɪtəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cloud forming a continuous uniform layer which resembles stratus but occurs at medium altitude (typically 2 to 7 km, 6,500 to 23,000 ft).

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin alto- (from Latin altus ‘high’) + stratus.

altricial /əlˈtrɪʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [Zoology] (of a young bird or other animal) hatched or born in an undeveloped state and requiring care and feeding by the parents.

2. [Zoology] (of a particular species) having altricial young.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin altrix, altric-, feminine of altor ‘nourisher’, from alere ‘nourish’.

alt-rock

noun — [ mass noun]

1. short for alternative rock:

• the soundtrack throbs with alt-rock and techno

• [as modifier] alt-rock radio.

altruism /ˈaltruɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others.

• some may choose to work with vulnerable elderly people out of altruism.

2. [Zoology] behaviour of an animal that benefits another at its own expense.

• reciprocal altruism.

II. derivatives

altruist /ˈaltruːɪst /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French altruisme, from Italian altrui ‘somebody else’, from Latin alteri huic ‘to this other’.

altruistic /altruˈɪstɪk/

I. adjective

showing a disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others; unselfish

• it was an entirely altruistic act.

• I question how altruistic his motives were.

II. derivatives

altruistically /altruˈɪstɪk(ə)li /

adverb

ALU

abbreviation

[Computing] arithmetic logic unit.

aludel /ˈaljʊdɛl/

I. noun

a pear-shaped earthenware or glass pot, open at both ends to enable a series to be fitted one above another, formerly used in sublimation and other chemical processes.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French alutel, via Spanish from Arabic al-'uṯāl ‘the sublimation vessel’.

alula /ˈaljʊlə/

I. noun

technical term for bastard wing.

– origin late 18th cent.: modern Latin, literally ‘small wing’, diminutive of ala.

alum /ˈaləm / potash alum

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless astringent compound which is a hydrated double sulphate of aluminium and potassium, used in solution in dyeing and tanning.
●Chem. formula: AlK(SO_4)2.12H_2O.

2. [ count noun] — [Chemistry] any of a number of analogous crystalline double sulphates of a monovalent metal (or group) and a trivalent metal.

• artificially grown crystals of one of the alums.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin alumen, alumin- related to aluta ‘tawed leather’.

alumina /əˈluːmɪnə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white solid that is a major constituent of many rocks, especially clays, and is found crystallized as corundum, sapphire, and other minerals.
●Alternative name: aluminium oxide; chem. formula: Al_2O_3.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin alumen (see alum), on the pattern of words such as magnesia.

aluminium /al(j)ʊˈmɪnɪəm / ‹US› aluminum

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Al) — the chemical element of atomic number 13, a light silvery-grey metal.

Aluminium is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust and is obtained mainly from bauxite. Its resistance to corrosion, lightness, and strength (especially in alloys) have led to widespread use in domestic utensils, engineering parts, and aircraft construction.

– origin early 19th cent.: from alumina + -ium.

aluminium bronze

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alloy of copper and aluminium.

aluminize /əˈluːmɪnʌɪz / aluminise

verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. aluminized)

1. coat with aluminium.

• an aluminized reflector.

aluminosilicate /əˌluːmɪnə(ʊ)ˈsɪlɪkeɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a silicate in which aluminium replaces some of the silicon, especially a rock-forming mineral such as a feldspar or a clay mineral.

aluminous /əˈluːmɪnəs/

I. adjective

(chiefly of minerals and rocks) containing alumina or aluminium.

• aluminous pelites.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin aluminosus, from alumen, alumin- (see alum).

alumna /əˈlʌmnə/

I. noun

a female former pupil or student of a particular school, college, or university.

• the University of Ottawa alumna was in Japan.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin, feminine of alumnus (see alumnus).

alumnus /əˈlʌmnəs/

I. noun

a male former pupil or student of a particular school, college, or university

• a Harvard alumnus.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘nursling, pupil’, from alere ‘nourish’. / usage: In the singular, alumnus nearly always means a male, but the plural alumni can be used to refer to pupils or students of either sex.

alum root

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for heuchera.

al-Uqsur /al ˈʊksʊə/

variant spelling of el-Uqsur.

Alvarez, Luis Walter /alˈvɑːrɛz/

(1911–88), American physicist. In 1980 Alvarez and his son identified iridium in sediment from the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary and proposed that this resulted from a catastrophic meteorite impact that may have resulted in the extinction of the dinosaurs.

alveolar /alˈvɪələ, ˌalvɪˈəʊlə/

I. adjective

1. [Anatomy] relating to an alveolus.

2. [Phonetics] (of a consonant) pronounced with the tip of the tongue on or near this ridge (e.g. n, s, d, t).

• voiced and voiceless alveolar stops.

II. noun

[Phonetics] an alveolar consonant.

• boundaries between alveolars and palatals.

alveolitis /ˌalvɪə(ʊ)ˈlʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the air sacs of the lungs.

alveolus /ˌalvɪˈəʊləs, alˈvɪələs/

I. noun

1. [chiefly Anatomy] a small cavity, pit, or hollow, in particular:

2. [chiefly Anatomy] any of the many tiny air sacs of the lungs which allow for rapid gaseous exchange.

3. [chiefly Anatomy] the bony socket for the root of a tooth.

4. [chiefly Anatomy] an acinus (sac-like cavity) in a gland.

II. derivatives

alveolate /alvɪˈəʊlət, alˈvɪələt /

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘small cavity’, diminutive of alveus.

alway /ɔːlˈweɪ/

adverb

archaic form of always.

always /ˈɔːlweɪz, ˈɔːlweɪz/

I. adverb

1. at all times; on all occasions

• the sun always rises in the east.

2. throughout a long period of the past

• Isabel had always been in rude health.

3. for all future time; forever

• she will always be missed.

4. repeatedly and annoyingly

• she is always making derogatory remarks.

5. as a last resort; failing all else

• if the marriage doesn't work out, we can always get divorced.

II. phrases

as always

as usual; as always happens

• opinions, as always, were divided

• as always, I think that consumers are looking for a product that tastes good.

– origin Middle English: genitive case of all way, the inflection probably giving the sense ‘at every time’ as opposed to ‘at one uninterrupted time’: the difference between the two is no longer distinct.

always-on

adjective

denoting or relating to an Internet connection that is continuously accessible

• high-speed cable lines provide the Internet user with an always-on connection

• aircraft used to be one of the last refuges from our always-on world.

alyssum /ˈalɪs(ə)m, əˈlɪs(ə)m/

I. noun

a herbaceous Eurasian plant which typically bears small white or yellow flowers. Some kinds are cultivated in gardens.
●Genera Alyssum and Lobularia, family Cruciferae: many species.

– origin mid 16th cent. (used loosely to denote various medicinal herbs): modern Latin, from Latin alysson, from Greek alusson, from a- ‘without’ + lussa ‘rabies’ (referring to early herbalist use).

Alzheimer's /ˈaltshʌɪməz / Alzheimer's disease

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. progressive mental deterioration that can occur in middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain. It is the commonest cause of premature senility.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Alois Alzheimer (1864–1915), the German neurologist who first identified it.

Am

symbol

the chemical element americium.

AM

I. abbreviation

1. amplitude modulation.

2. ( A.M.) — Hymns Ancient and Modern.

3. (US) Master of Arts.
[Latin artium magister.]

4. Member of the Order of Australia.

II. noun

an Assembly Member (i.e. a Member of the Welsh Assembly).

a.m. /eɪˈɛm/

I. abbreviation

before noon (used after times of day between midnight and noon not expressed using the twenty-four-hour clock)

• at 7.45 a.m.

– origin from Latin ante meridiem.

amacrine cell /ˈaməkrʌɪn, -krɪn/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a small nerve cell within the retina which has dendrites but no axon.

– origin early 20th cent.: from a-1 ‘not’ + Greek makros ‘large’ + is, in- ‘sinew or strip’.

amadou /ˈaməduː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› a spongy substance made by drying certain bracket fungi and formerly used as an absorbent in medicine, as tinder, and for drying fishing flies.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Latin amator ‘lover’ (because it easily ignites).

amah /ˈɑːmə/

I. noun

a nursemaid or maid in East Asia or India.

– origin from Portuguese ama ‘nurse’.

amakhosi /ˌamaˈkɒsi/

I. plural noun

(S. African) tribal leaders regarded collectively.

– origin Zulu and Xhosa, plural of inkosi ‘ruler, chief’.

Amal /əˈmɑːl/

I. a Lebanese Shiite Muslim organization founded in 1975 and having political and paramilitary wings.

– origin from Arabic amal ‘hope’.

Amalfi /əˈmalfi/

a port and resort on the west coast of Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno; pop. 5,391 (2008).

amalgam /əˈmalɡəm/

I. noun

1. a mixture or blend

• a curious amalgam of the traditional and the modern.

2. [Chemistry] an alloy of mercury with another metal, especially one used for dental fillings.
[as modifier]

• amalgam fillings.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French amalgame or medieval Latin amalgama, from Greek malagma ‘an emollient’.

amalgamate /əˈmalɡəmeɪt/

I. verb

1. combine or unite to form one organization or structure
[with obj.]

• he amalgamated his company with another

• [no obj.] numerous small British railway companies amalgamated.

2. [with obj.] — [Chemistry] alloy (a metal) with mercury.
(as adj. amalgamated)

• amalgamated zinc.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin amalgamat- ‘formed into a soft mass’, from the verb amalgamare, from amalgama (see amalgam).

amalgamation /əmalɡəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action, process, or result of combining or uniting

• the threat of amalgamation with another college

• [ count noun] an amalgamation of two separate companies.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin amalgamare (see amalgamate).

Amalthea /əˈmalθɪə / ‹Astronomy›

I. a satellite of Jupiter, the third closest to the planet, being reddish in colour and heavily cratered (262 km long and 146 km across).

– origin from the name of a goat in Greek Mythology, which suckled the infant Zeus.

amanuensis /əˌmanjʊˈɛnsɪs/

I. noun

a literary or artistic assistant, in particular one who takes dictation or copies manuscripts.

– origin early 17th cent.: Latin, from (servus) a manu ‘(slave) at hand(writing), secretary’ + -ensis ‘belonging to’.

Amapá /ˌaməˈpɑː/

a state of northern Brazil, on the Atlantic coast, lying between the Amazon delta and the border with French Guiana; capital, Macapá. It is a region of dense rainforest.

amaranth /ˈaməranθ/

I. noun

1. a plant of a chiefly tropical family that includes love-lies-bleeding.
●Family Amaranthaceae: several genera, especially Amaranthus.

2. a purple colour.

II. derivatives

amaranthine /ˌaməˈranθʌɪn /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French amarante or modern Latin amaranthus, alteration (on the pattern of plant names ending in -anthus, from Greek anthos ‘flower’) of Latin amarantus, from Greek amarantos ‘not fading’.

amaretti /ˌaməˈrɛti/

I. plural noun

Italian almond-flavoured biscuits.

– origin Italian, based on amaro ‘bitter’; compare with amaretto.

amaretto /ˌaməˈrɛtəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a brown almond-flavoured liqueur produced in Italy.

– origin Italian, diminutive of amaro ‘bitter’ (with reference to bitter almonds).

Amarna, Tell el- /ˌtɛl ɛl əˈmɑːnə/

see Tell el-Amarna.

amaryllis /ˌaməˈrɪlɪs/

I. noun

a bulbous plant with showy trumpet-shaped flowers and strap-shaped leaves.
●Two plants of the family Liliaceae (or Amaryllidaceae): the South African Amaryllis belladonna (also called belladonna lily), and (popularly) a tropical South American plant of the genus Hippeastrum, grown as a houseplant.

– origin modern Latin, from Latin Amaryllis (from Greek Amarullis), a name for a country girl in pastoral poetry.

amass /əˈmas/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. gather together or accumulate (a large amount or number of material or things) over a period of time

• he amassed a fortune estimated at close to a million pounds.

2. [no obj.] — ‹archaic› gather together in a crowd or group

• the soldiers were amassing from all parts of Spain.

II. derivatives

amasser

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from French amasser or medieval Latin amassare, based on Latin massa ‘lump’ (see mass).

amassment /əˈmasmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the accumulation of wealth or other resources

• capitalism encourages the amassment of money.

2. [ count noun] — a mass or quantity of something that has gradually gathered or been acquired

• the sheer amassment of evidence seems convincing

• amassments of words.

Amaterasu /əˌmɑːtəˈrɑːsuː/

the principal deity of the Japanese Shinto religion, the sun goddess and ancestor of Jimmu, founder of the imperial dynasty.

amateur /ˈamətə, ˈamətʃə, ˈamətʃʊə, ˌaməˈtəː/

I. noun

1. a person who engages in a pursuit, especially a sport, on an unpaid basis.

• it takes five years for a top amateur to become a real Tour de France rider.

• his last fight as an amateur.

2. a person who is contemptibly inept at a particular activity

• that bunch of stumbling amateurs.

II. adjective

1. engaging or engaged in without payment; non-professional

• an amateur archaeologist

• amateur athletics.

2. done in an inept or unskilful way

• it's all so amateur!

III. derivatives

amateurism /ˈamətərɪz(ə)m, ˈamətʃərɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Italian amatore, from Latin amator ‘lover’, from amare ‘to love’.

amateur dramatics

plural noun

1. (Brit.) the production of theatrical performances by non-professionals

• my father was always heavily involved in amateur dramatics

• [as modifier] an amateur dramatics group.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› theatrically exaggerated or overemotional behaviour

• the amateur dramatics from the striker seemed to sway the referee.

amateurish /ˈamətərɪʃ/

I. adjective

done in an unskilful or inept way

• her amateurish interviewing technique.

II. derivatives

1. amateurishly /ˈamətərɪʃli /

adverb

2. amateurishness /ˈamətərɪʃnəs /

noun

Amati /əˈmɑːti/

a family of Italian violin-makers from Cremona. In the 16th and 17th centuries three generations of the Amatis developed the basic proportions of the violin, viola, and cello.

amatol /ˈamətɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a high explosive consisting of a mixture of TNT and ammonium nitrate.

– origin early 20th cent.: formed irregularly from am(monium) + tol(uene).

amatory /ˈamət(ə)ri/

I. adjective

relating to or induced by sexual love or desire

• his amatory exploits.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin amatorius, from amator (see amateur).

amatriciana /ˌamətrɪʃiˈɑːnə/

I. adjective

denoting a spicy pasta sauce made with tomatoes, pancetta or bacon, and basil.

– origin from Italian all' Amatriciana ‘in the style of Amatrice’, from Amatrice, a town in central Italy, + the suffix -ana.

amaurosis /ˌamɔːˈrəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] partial or total blindness without visible change in the eye, typically due to disease of the optic nerve, spinal cord, or brain.

II. derivatives

amaurotic /ˌamɔːˈrɒtɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek amaurōsis, from amauroun ‘darken’, from amauros ‘dim’.

amaze /əˈmeɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. surprise (someone) greatly; fill with astonishment

• he was amazed at how modern everything was

• [with obj. and clause] she was amazed that Paul should notice her.

– origin Old English āmasian, of unknown origin.

amazeballs /əˈmeɪzbɔːlz/

I. adjective

‹informal› extremely good or impressive; amazing

• the atmosphere was nothing special but the food was amazeballs

• she looks amazeballs

• thanks for hosting another amazeballs party.

– origin early 21st cent.: humorous alteration of amazing.

amazement /əˈmeɪzm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of great surprise or wonder

• she shook her head in amazement

• to her amazement, Bill was keen.

amazing /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/

adjective

1. causing great surprise or wonder; astonishing

• an amazing number of people registered

• it is amazing how short memories are.

2. ‹informal› very impressive; excellent

• she makes the most amazing cakes.

amazingly /əˈmeɪzɪŋli/

adverb

1. [as sentence adverb] — in a way that causes great surprise or wonder

• amazingly, 66 passengers and crew members survived.

2. ‹informal› very impressively or well

• I genuinely thought Rachel sang amazingly.

3. [as submodifier] — ‹informal› very; extremely (usually expressing approval)

• there's an amazingly diverse range of work under one roof

• there are so many amazingly good clarets.

Amazon^1 /ˈaməz(ə)n/

I. a river in South America, flowing over 6,683 km (4,150 miles) through Peru, Colombia, and Brazil into the Atlantic Ocean. It drains two fifths of the continent and in terms of water flow it is the largest river in the world.

– origin the river bore various names after it was first encountered by Europeans in 1500 and was finally called Amazon after a legendary race of female warriors believed to live on its banks.

Amazon^2 /ˈaməz(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a member of a legendary race of female warriors believed by the ancient Greeks to exist in Scythia or elsewhere on the edge of the known world.

2. a very tall and strong or athletic woman.

3. ( amazon) — a parrot, typically green, found in Central and South America.
●Genus Amazona, family Psittacidae: numerous species.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek Amazōn, explained by the Greeks as ‘without a breast’ (as if from a- ‘without’ + mazos ‘breast’), referring to the fable that the Amazons cut off the right breast so as not to interfere with the use of a bow, but probably a folk etymology of an unknown foreign word.

amazon ant

noun

a small reddish ant which captures the pupae of other ant colonies to raise as slaves.
●Genus Polyergus, family Formicidae.

Amazonas /ˌaməˈzəʊnəs/

a state of NW Brazil; capital, Manaus. It is crossed by the Amazon and its numerous tributaries.

Amazon dolphin

noun

another term for boto.

Amazonia /ˌaməˈzəʊnɪə/

I. the area around the River Amazon in South America, principally in Brazil, but also extending into Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia. The region comprises approximately one third of the world's remaining tropical rainforest.

II. a national park protecting 10,000 sq. km (3,850 sq. miles) of tropical rainforest in the state of Pará, northern Brazil.

Amazonian^1 /aməˈzəʊnɪən/

relating to or denoting the River Amazon or its surrounding region

• the Amazonian rainforest.

Amazonian^2 /aməˈzəʊnɪən/

I. (of a woman) tall and strong or athletic

• Amazonian supermodels

• an Amazonian physique.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Amazon^2 (sense 1).

ambassador /amˈbasədə/

I. noun

1. an accredited diplomat sent by a state as its permanent representative in a foreign country

• the French ambassador to Portugal.

2. a representative or promoter of a specified activity

• he is a good ambassador for the industry.

II. derivatives

1. ambassadorial /ambasəˈdɔːriəl /

adjective

2. ambassadorship /amˈbasədəʃɪp /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from French ambassadeur, from Italian ambasciator, based on Latin ambactus ‘servant’.

ambassador-at-large /amˈbasədərətˌlɑːdʒ/

noun

(N. Amer.) an ambassador with special duties not appointed to a particular country.

ambassador extraordinary

noun

a diplomat sent by one state or monarch on a diplomatic mission to another.

ambassador plenipotentiary

noun

an ambassador with full powers to sign treaties or otherwise act for the state or monarch.

ambassadress /amˈbasədrəs/

noun

1. a female ambassador.

2. ‹archaic› an ambassador's wife.

ambatch /ˈambatʃ/

I. noun

a tropical African tree of the pea family, with light spongy timber that is used for rafts and floats.
● Aeschynomene elaphroxylon, family Leguminosae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of Ethiopic origin.

Ambato /amˈbɑːtəʊ/

a market town in the Andes of central Ecuador; pop. 209,000 (est. 2008).

amber /ˈambə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. hard translucent fossilized resin originating from extinct coniferous trees of the Tertiary period, typically yellowish in colour. It has been used in jewellery since antiquity.

2. a honey-yellow colour typical of amber
[as modifier]

• amber eyes.

3. a yellow light used as a cautionary signal between green for ‘go’ and red for ‘stop’

• the lights were at amber.

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘ambergris’): from Old French ambre, from Arabic ‘anbar ‘ambergris’, later ‘amber’.

amber fluid amber liquid

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› beer.

ambergris /ˈambəɡrɪs, ˈambəɡriːs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a wax-like substance that originates as a secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale, found floating in tropical seas and used in perfume manufacture.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ambre gris ‘grey amber’, as distinct from amber jaune ‘yellow amber’ (the resin).

amberjack

I. noun

a large marine game fish which occurs in inshore tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic and South Pacific.
●Genus Seriola, family Carangidae: several species.

– origin late 19th cent.: from amber (because of its yellowish tail) + jack^1.

ambidextrous /ˌambɪˈdɛkstrəs/

I. adjective

1. able to use the right and left hands equally well.

• few of us are naturally ambidextrous.

2. (of an implement) designed to be used by left-handed and right-handed people with equal ease.

• an ambidextrous tile gauge.

II. derivatives

1. ambidexterity /ˌambɪdɛkˈstɛrɪti /

noun

2. ambidextrously /ambɪˈdɛkstrəsli /

adverb

3. ambidextrousness /ambɪˈdɛkstrəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin ambidexter (from Latin ambi- ‘on both sides’ + dexter ‘right-handed’) + -ous.

ambience /ˈambɪəns / ambiance

I. noun

1. the character and atmosphere of a place

• the relaxed ambience of the cocktail lounge is popular with guests.

2. quality or character given to a sound recording by the space in which the sound occurs.

– origin late 19th cent.: from ambient + -ence, or from French ambiance, from ambiant ‘surrounding’.

ambient /ˈambɪənt/

I. adjective

1. relating to the immediate surroundings of something

• the liquid is stored at below ambient temperature.

2. relating to ambient music.

3. relating to or denoting advertising that makes use of sites or objects other than the established media (e.g. by placing slogans on the back of bus tickets).

– origin late 16th cent.: from French ambiant or Latin ambient- ‘going round’, from ambire.

ambient music

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of gentle, largely electronic instrumental music with no persistent beat, used to create or enhance a mood or atmosphere.

ambiguity /ambɪˈɡjuːɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness

• we can detect no ambiguity in this section of the Act

• [ count noun] ambiguities in such questions are potentially very dangerous.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ambiguite or Latin ambiguitas, from ambiguus ‘doubtful’ (see ambiguous).

ambiguous /amˈbɪɡjʊəs/

I. adjective

1. open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning

• ambiguous phrases.

2. not clear or decided

• the election result was ambiguous.

II. derivatives

ambiguousness /amˈbɪɡjʊəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘indistinct, obscure’): from Latin ambiguus ‘doubtful’ (from ambigere ‘waver, go around’, from ambi- ‘both ways’ + agere ‘to drive’) + -ous.

ambiguously /amˈbɪɡjʊəsli/

adverb

1. so as to be open to more than one interpretation

• the new clause is ambiguously worded.

2. so as to be open to doubt or uncertainty

• a developing adolescent of ambiguously defined sexuality.

ambisexual /ˌambɪˈsɛkʃʊəl/

I. adjective

bisexual or androgynous.

II. noun

an ambisexual person.

III. derivatives

ambisexually

adverb

– origin 1930s: from Latin ambi- ‘on both sides’ + sexual.

ambisonic

I. adjective

denoting or relating to a high-fidelity audio system that reproduces the directional and acoustic properties of recorded sound using two or more channels.

• an ambisonic process.

II. noun

( ambisonics) [treated as sing.] — ambisonic reproduction or systems.

• ambisonics can be used with multi-mikes.

– origin 1970s: from Latin ambi- ‘on both sides’ + sonic.

ambit /ˈambɪt/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. the scope, extent, or bounds of something

• a full discussion of this complex issue was beyond the ambit of one book.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘precincts, environs’): from Latin ambitus ‘circuit’, from ambire ‘go round’.

ambition /amˈbɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a strong desire to do or achieve something

• her ambition was to become a pilot

• he achieved his ambition of making a fortune.

2. [ mass noun] — desire and determination to achieve success

• young men and women with ambition.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin ambitio(n-), from ambire ‘go around (canvassing for votes)’.

ambitious /amˈbɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed

• a ruthlessly ambitious woman.

2. (of a plan or piece of work) intended to satisfy high aspirations and therefore difficult to achieve

• an ambitious enterprise.

II. derivatives

1. ambitiously /amˈbɪʃəsli /

adverb

2. ambitiousness /amˈbɪʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ambitieux or Latin ambitiosus, from ambitio (see ambition).

ambivalence /amˈbɪv(ə)l(ə)ns, amˈbɪvəl(ə)ns, amˈbɪvələns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

• the law's ambivalence about the importance of a victim's identity

• government ambivalence towards the arts.

ambivalent /amˈbɪv(ə)l(ə)nt/

I. adjective

having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

• some loved her, some hated her, few were ambivalent about her

• an ambivalent attitude to Europe.

II. derivatives

ambivalently

adverb

– origin early 20th cent.: from ambivalence (from German Ambivalenz), on the pattern of equivalent.

ambivert /ˈambɪvəːt/

I. noun

[Psychology] a person who has a balance of extrovert and introvert features in their personality.

II. derivatives

ambiversion

noun

– origin 1920s: from Latin ambi- ‘on both sides’, on the pattern of extrovert and introvert.

amble /ˈamb(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. walk or move at a slow, relaxed pace

• they ambled along the riverbank.

II. noun

a walk at a slow, relaxed pace, especially for pleasure

• a peaceful riverside amble.

III. derivatives

ambler /ˈamblə /

noun

– origin Middle English (originally denoting a horse's gait): from Old French ambler, from Latin ambulare ‘to walk’.

amblyopia /ˌamblɪˈəʊpɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] impaired or dim vision without obvious defect or change in the eye.

II. derivatives

amblyopic

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from Greek ambluōpia ‘short-sightedness’, from ambluōpos (adjective), from amblus ‘dull’ + ōps, ōp- ‘eye’.

ambo^1 /ˈambəʊ/

I. noun

(in an early Christian church) an oblong pulpit with steps at each end.

– origin mid 17th cent.: via medieval Latin from Greek ambōn ‘rim’ (in medieval Greek ‘pulpit’).

ambo^2 /ˈambəʊ/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› an ambulance.

• he saw two ambos and a firetruck parked on the terminal.

2. ‹informal› (Austral.) a member of an ambulance crew; a paramedic

• ambos will not tolerate any situation where patient safety is compromised.

– origin 1970s: abbreviation of ambulance.

Ambon /amˈbɒn / Amboina /amˈbɔɪnə/

I. a mountainous island in eastern Indonesia, one of the Molucca Islands.

II. a port on the island of Ambon, the capital of the Molucca Islands; pop. 204,200 (est. 2005).

III. derivatives

Ambonese Amboinese

noun, adjective

amboyna /amˈbɔɪnə / amboyna wood

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the decorative timber of a rapidly growing SE Asian tree, used for cabinetmaking.
●The tree is Pterocarpus indicus, family Leguminosae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Amboina Island (see Ambon).

Ambrose, St /ˈambrəʊz/

( c. 339–97), Doctor of the Church, bishop of Milan. A champion of orthodoxy, he also encouraged developments in church music. Feast day, 7 December.

ambrosia /amˈbrəʊzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Greek & Roman Mythology] the food of the gods.

2. something very pleasing to taste or smell

• the tea was ambrosia after the slop I'd been suffering.

3. a fungal product used as food by ambrosia beetles.

4. another term for bee bread.

II. derivatives

ambrosial /amˈbrəʊzɪəl /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek, ‘elixir of life’, from ambrotos ‘immortal’.

ambrosia beetle

noun

a small wood-boring beetle whose adults and larvae (called pinhole borers) feed on ambrosia produced by fungus in the wood.
●Genus Platypus (family Platypodidae), and Xyleborus and other genera (family Scolytidae).

Ambrosian /amˈbrəʊzɪən/

adjective

relating to St Ambrose, especially in relation to his developments in church music

• two important manuscript sources of Ambrosian chant.

ambulacrum /ˌambjʊˈleɪkrəm, ˌambjʊˈlakrəm/

I. noun

[Zoology] (in an echinoderm) each of the radially arranged bands, together with their underlying structures, through which the double rows of tube feet protrude.

II. derivatives

ambulacral

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: Latin, ‘avenue’, from ambulare ‘to walk’.

ambulance /ˈambjʊl(ə)ns/

I. noun

a vehicle equipped for taking sick or injured people to and from hospital, especially in emergencies.

• we called an ambulance.

• he taken by ambulance to the district hospital.

• [as modifier] the ambulance service.

II. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of direction]

1. convey in an ambulance

• he was ambulanced to accident and emergency.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, from hôpital ambulant ‘mobile (horse-drawn) field hospital’, from Latin ambulant- ‘walking’ (see ambulant).

ambulance chaser

I. noun

‹derogatory› (chiefly N. Amer.) a lawyer who specializes in bringing cases seeking damages for personal injury.

– origin late 19th cent.: from the reputation gained by certain lawyers for attending accidents and encouraging victims to sue.

ambulant /ˈambjʊl(ə)nt/

I. adjective

[Medicine] (of a patient) able to walk about; not confined to bed.

• it is registered to cater for 28 ambulant confused elderly residents.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin ambulant- ‘walking’, from ambulare.

ambulate /ˈambjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹formal› ‹technical› walk; move about.

• people who make use of crutches to ambulate.

• tortoises are diurnally active, ambulating mainly over the course of the day.

II. derivatives

ambulation

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin ambulat- ‘walked’, from the verb ambulare.

ambulatory /ˈambjʊlət(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. relating to or adapted for walking.

• continuous ambulatory dialysis.

• five similar pairs of ambulatory legs.

2. another term for ambulant.

3. movable; mobile

• an ambulatory ophthalmic service.

II. noun

a place for walking, especially an aisle or cloister in a church or monastery.

• the front arch of the old ambulatory.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a noun): from Latin ambulatorius, from ambulare ‘to walk’.

ambulette /ˈambjʊlɛt/

I. noun

(US) a specially equipped van for transporting disabled or convalescent passengers in non-emergency circumstances

• a week later, Eli would be taken by ambulette to the doctor.

– origin 1940s: from ambulance + -ette.

Ambulocetus /ˌambjʊlə(ʊ)ˈsiːtəs/

I. noun

a cetacean of the Eocene epoch that had fore and hind limbs and could walk on land.

– origin modern Latin, from Latin ambulare ‘to walk’ + cetus ‘whale’.

ambuscade /ˌambəˈskeɪd/

I. noun

‹dated› an ambush.

• our sensibilities are being battered with reports of killings and ambuscades.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› ambush (someone).

• French and his companions were ambuscaded by the Indians.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French embuscade, from Italian imboscata, Spanish emboscada, or Portuguese embuscada, based on a late Latin word meaning ‘to place in a wood’; related to bush^1.

ambush /ˈambʊʃ/

I. noun

a surprise attack by people lying in wait in a concealed position

• seven members of a patrol were killed in an ambush

• [ mass noun] there might be terrorists waiting in ambush.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make a surprise attack on (someone) from a concealed position

• they were ambushed and taken prisoner by the enemy.

2. confront (someone) suddenly and unexpectedly with unwelcome questions

• Tory representatives were ambushed by camera crews.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘place troops in hiding in order to surprise an enemy’): from Old French embusche (noun), embuschier (verb), based on a late Latin word meaning ‘to place in a wood’; related to bush^1.

ambush marketing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice by which a rival company attempts to associate its products with an event that already has official sponsors.

AMD

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] age-related macular degeneration (see macular degeneration)

• the results provide physicians and patients with new information about preventing vision loss from AMD.

II. abbreviation

Armenian dram(s).

am-dram

noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. ‹informal› amateur dramatics.

amelanchier /ˌaməˈlaŋkɪə/

I. noun

a shrub of a genus that includes juneberry and snowy mespilus, typically bearing white flowers.
●Genus Amelanchier, family Rosaceae.

– origin from French dialect amelancier ‘medlar’.

ameliorate /əˈmiːlɪəreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better

• the reform did much to ameliorate living standards.

II. derivatives

ameliorative /əˈmiːlɪərətɪv /

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: alteration of meliorate, influenced by French améliorer, from meilleur ‘better’.

amelioration /əˌmiːlɪəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the act of making something better; improvement

• progress brings with it the amelioration of the human condition.

amen /ɑːˈmɛn, eɪˈmɛn/

I. exclamation

1. uttered at the end of a prayer or hymn, meaning ‘so be it’.

2. used to express agreement or assent

• amen to that!

II. noun

an utterance of ‘amen’.

– origin Old English, from ecclesiastical Latin, from Greek amēn, from Hebrew 'āmēn ‘truth, certainty’, used adverbially as expression of agreement, and adopted in the Septuagint as a solemn expression of belief or affirmation.

amenable /əˈmiːnəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled

• parents who have amenable children.

2. ( amenable to) — capable of being acted upon in a particular way; susceptible

• cardiac failure not amenable to medical treatment.

II. derivatives

1. amenability /əmiːnəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. amenably

adverb

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘liable to answer to a law or tribunal’): an Anglo-Norman French legal term, from Old French amener ‘bring to’ from a- (from Latin ad) ‘to’ + mener ‘bring’ (from late Latin minare ‘drive animals’, from Latin minari ‘threaten’).

amen corner

noun

(US) the part of a Methodist meeting house formerly occupied by worshippers who responded to the preacher's utterances with occasional shouts of ‘Amen!’.

amend /əˈmɛnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make minor changes to (a text, piece of legislation, etc.) in order to make it fairer or more accurate, or to reflect changing circumstances

• the rule was amended to apply only to non-members.

2. improve the texture or fertility of (soil).

• amend your soil with peat moss or compost.

3. ‹archaic› put right

• a few things had gone wrong, but these had been amended.

II. derivatives

1. amendable /əˈmɛndəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. amender

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French amender, based on Latin emendare (see emend).

amende honorable /əˌmɒ̃d ɒnɔːˈrɑːbl(ə), French amɑ̃d ɔnɔʀabl/

I. noun

‹literary› a public or open apology, typically with some form of reparation.

– origin French, literally ‘honourable reparation’.

amendment /əˈmɛn(d)m(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a minor change or addition designed to improve a text, piece of legislation, etc.

• an amendment to existing bail laws.

2. ( Amendment) — an article added to the US Constitution

• the First Amendment.

3. something which is added to soil in order to improve its texture or fertility.

• you can add some soil-texturizing amendments to improve soil drainage.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘improvement, correction’): from Old French amendement, from amender (see amend).

amends /əˈmɛn(d)z/

I. plural noun — (in phrase make amends)

1. compensate or make up for a wrongdoing

• try to make amends for the rude way you spoke to Lucy.

II. phrases

offer of amends

[Law] an offer to publish a correction and an apology for an act of libel.

• the plaintiff cannot succeed if the defendant proves that an offer of amends was made in good time.

– origin Middle English: from Old French amendes ‘penalties, fine’, plural of amende ‘reparation’, from amender (see amend).

Amenhotep /ˌɑːmɛnˈhəʊtɛp/

I. the name of four Egyptian pharaohs of the 18th dynasty; Greek name Amenophis.

II. Amenhotep I (16th century BC), son of Ahmose I (founder of the 18th dynasty), reigned 1546–1526.

III. Amenhotep II (15th century BC), son of Tuthmosis III, reigned 1450–1425.

IV. Amenhotep III (15th–14th centuries BC), son of Tuthmosis IV, reigned 1417–1379. He embarked on an extensive building programme centred on his capital, Thebes, including the colossi of Memnon and the Luxor temple.

V. Amenhotep IV see Akhenaten.

amenity /əˈmiːnɪti, əˈmɛnɪti/

I. noun

1. a desirable or useful feature or facility of a building or place

• the property is situated in a convenient location, close to all local amenities.

2. [ mass noun] — the pleasantness or attractiveness of a place

• developments which would clash with amenity.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French amenite or Latin amoenitas, from amoenus ‘pleasant’.

amenorrhoea /əˌmɛnəˈriːə / ‹US› amenorrhea

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an abnormal absence of menstruation.

– origin early 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘without’ + menorrhoea.

ament /ˈeɪmɛnt, əˈmɛnt/

I. noun

[Botany] a catkin.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin amentum ‘thong’.

amentia /eɪˈmɛnʃə, əˈmɛnʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] ‹dated› severe congenital mental disability.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, literally ‘madness’, from amens, ament- ‘mad’, from a- ‘without’ + mens ‘the mind’.

Amerasian /ˌaməˈreɪʃ(ə)n, ˌaməˈreɪʒ(ə)n/

I. adjective

having one American and one Asian parent.

II. noun

a person with one American and one Asian parent.

amercement /əˈməːsmənt/

I. noun

[English Law] ‹historical› a fine.

• courts continued to impose small amercements.

• [ mass noun] default resulted in heavy amercement.

II. derivatives

amerce /əˈməːs /

verb

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French amerciment, based on estre amercie ‘be at the mercy of another’ (with respect to the amount of a fine), from a merci ‘at (the) mercy’.

America /əˈmerɪkə / the Americas

I. a land mass of the western hemisphere consisting of the continents of North and South America joined by the Isthmus of Panama.

II. used as a name for the United States.

America was originally inhabited by American Indians and Inuit peoples. The NE coastline of North America was visited by Norse seamen in the early 11th century, but for the modern world America was first reached by Christopher Columbus, who arrived in the Caribbean in 1492 and the South American mainland in 1498. / – origin the name America dates from the early 16th cent. and is believed to derive from the Latin form ( Americus) of the name of Amerigo Vespucci, who sailed along the west coast of South America in 1501.

American /əˈmɛrɪk(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of the United States or its inhabitants

• the election of a new American president.

2. relating to the continents of America

• the American continent south of the tropic of Cancer.

II. noun

1. a native or citizen of the United States.

2. a native or inhabitant of any of the countries of North, South, or Central America.

3. [ mass noun] — the English language as it is used in the United States; American English.

III. phrases

the American dream

the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved.

• the scapegoating of today's immigrants makes a mockery of the American dream.

IV. derivatives

Americanness

noun

Americana /əˌmɛrɪˈkɑːnə/

plural noun

things associated with America, especially the United States.

• several important pieces of Americana.

American aloe

noun

another term for century plant.

American Civil War

I. the war between the northern US states (usually known as the Union) and the Confederate States of America, 1861–5.

The war was fought over the issues of slavery and states' rights. The pro-slavery Southern states seceded from the Federal Union following the election of Abraham Lincoln on an anti-slavery platform, but were defeated by the North after failing to gain foreign recognition.

American depositary receipt American depositary share

noun

(in the US) a negotiable certificate of title to a number of shares in a non-US company which are deposited in an overseas bank.

American English

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the English language as spoken and written in the US.

As well as differences from British English in spelling, pronunciation, and grammar, there are specifically American uses of words and meanings, principally: adoptions from languages with which the early settlers came in contact ( moccasin, prairie), changes in meaning ( corn, vest), survivals of 17th- and 18th-century English ( gotten), and different words for the same referent ( elevator for lift).

American Federation of Labor

a federation of North American trade unions, merged in 1955 with the Congress of Industrial Organizations to form the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO).

American football

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of football played with an oval ball on a field marked out as a gridiron. Points are scored mainly through touchdowns and field goals. Each side has eleven players on the field at any time.
In the US called simply football.

American Independence, War of

I. the war of 1775–83 in which the American colonists won independence from British rule.
Called in the US and Canada the American Revolution.

The war was triggered by resentment of the economic policies of Britain, particularly the right of Parliament to tax the colonies, and by the exclusion of the colonists from participation in political decisions affecting their interests. Following disturbances such as the Boston Tea Party of 1773, fighting broke out in 1775; a year later the Declaration of Independence was signed. The Americans gained the support of France and Spain, and French sea power eventually played a crucial role in the decisive surrender of a British army at Yorktown in 1781.

American Indian

I. noun

a member of any of the groups of indigenous peoples of North, Central, and South America, especially those of North America.

II. adjective

relating to American Indians.

usage: The term American Indian has been steadily replaced in the US, especially in official contexts, by Native American (first recorded in the 1950s and becoming prominent in the 1970s). The latter is preferred by some as being a more accurate and respectful description (the word Indian recalling Columbus' assumption that, on reaching America, he had reached the east coast of India), as well as avoiding the stereotype of cowboys and Indians in the stories of the Wild West. American Indian is still widespread in general use even in the US, however, partly because it is not normally regarded as offensive by American Indians themselves. Nevertheless, since the category American Indian is very broad, it is preferable, where possible, to name the specific people, such as Apache, Comanche, or Sioux.

Americanism /əˈmɛrɪkənɪz(ə)m/

noun

1. a word, expression, or other feature that is characteristic of American English

• the term is an Americanism dating back to the late nineteenth century.

2. a custom, quality, or institution characteristic of the United States

• Americanisms such as the barbecue and the swimming pool.

3. [ mass noun] — attachment or allegiance to the traditions, institutions, and ideals of the United States

• Americans in Europe have almost all preserved their Americanism.

Americanization /əmɛrɪk(ə)nʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of making a person or thing American in character or nationality

• the Americanization of popular culture continues apace.

Americanize /əˈmɛrɪk(ə)nʌɪz / Americanise

verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. Americanized)

1. make American in character or nationality.

• an Americanized accent.

• school administrators tried to Americanize the immigrant children.

American Legion

(in the US) an association of ex-servicemen formed in 1919.

Americano /əmɛriˈkɑːnəʊ / café Americano

I. noun

a drink of espresso coffee diluted with hot water.

– origin 1970s: American Spanish, literally ‘American (coffee)’.

American organ

noun

a type of reed organ resembling the harmonium but in which air is sucked (not blown) through reeds.

American plan

noun

North American term for full board. Often contrasted with European plan.

American Revolution

US and Canadian term for American Independence, War of.

American Saddle Horse

noun

a light, strong horse of a breed developed in America to be comfortable to ride over long distances.

American Samoa

an unincorporated overseas territory of the US comprising a group of islands in the southern Pacific Ocean, to the east of Samoa and south of the Kiribati group; pop. 65,600 (est. 2009); capital, Fagatogo. In 1899 the US acquired rights to the islands by agreement with Germany and Britain, and in April 1900 the two main islands were ceded to the US by their chiefs. Further islands were handed over in succeeding years.

American Sign Language

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of sign language developed in the US and used also in English-speaking parts of Canada.

American Standard Version

noun

an English translation of the Bible published in the US in 1901, based on the Revised Version of 1881–95 with additional work by American scholars.

America's Cup

an international yachting race held every three to four years.

americium /ˌaməˈrɪsjəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Am) — the chemical element of atomic number 95, a radioactive metal of the actinide series. Americium does not occur naturally and was first made by bombarding plutonium with neutrons.

– origin 1940s: from America (where it was first made) + -ium.

Amerindian /ˌaməˈrɪndɪən / Amerind /ˈamərɪnd/

I. adjective, noun

another term for American Indian, used chiefly in anthropological and linguistic contexts.

– origin late 19th cent.: blend of American and Indian.

Ameslan /ˈamɪslan/

I. noun

another term for American Sign Language.

– origin 1970s: acronym.

Ames test /eɪmz/

I. noun

[Medicine] a test to determine the mutagenic activity of chemicals by observing whether they cause mutations in sample bacteria.

– origin 1970s: named after Bruce N. Ames (born 1928), the American biochemist who devised it.

amethyst /ˈaməθɪst/

I. noun

1. a precious stone consisting of a violet or purple variety of quartz.

• a delicate necklace of amethysts and pearls.

• [as modifier] amethyst earrings.

2. a violet or purple colour
[as modifier]

• an amethyst dress.

II. derivatives

amethystine /aməˈθɪstiːn /

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin amethystus, from Greek amethustos ‘not drunken’ (because the stone was believed to prevent intoxication).

amethyst deceiver

noun

an edible woodland mushroom with a lilac cap and stem, found in both Eurasia and North America.
● Laccaria amethystea, family Tricholomataceae, class Hymenomycetes.

Amex /ˈamɛks/

abbreviation

1. ‹trademark› American Express.

2. American Stock Exchange.

Amhara /amˈhɑːrə/

I. noun

a member of a Semitic people of central Ethiopia.

– origin from Amhara, the name of a region of central Ethiopia.

Amharic /amˈharɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the official language of Ethiopia, a Semitic language descended from Ge'ez and spoken by about 9 million people.

II. adjective

relating to Amharic.

amiability /eɪmɪəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of having a friendly and pleasant manner; geniality

• his good-natured amiability.

amiable /ˈeɪmɪəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner

• the amiable young man greeted me enthusiastically.

II. derivatives

amiableness

noun

– origin late Middle English (originally in the senses ‘kind’, and ‘lovely, lovable’): via Old French from late Latin amicabilis ‘amicable’. The current sense, influenced by modern French aimable ‘trying to please’, dates from the mid 18th cent.

amiably /ˈeɪmɪəbli/

adverb

in a friendly and pleasant manner

• soon everyone was chatting amiably.

amianthus /ˌamɪˈanθəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of asbestos with fine silky fibres which can be woven.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin amiantus, from Greek amiantos ‘undefiled’ (i.e. purified of stains by fire, it being incombustible), from a- ‘not’ + miainein ‘defile’. The spelling was changed from the Latin on the pattern of plant names ending in -anthus, from Greek anthos ‘flower’.

amicable /ˈamɪkəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

characterized by friendliness and absence of discord

• an amicable settlement of the dispute

• the meeting was relatively amicable.

II. derivatives

1. amicability /amɪkəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. amicableness

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘pleasant, benign’, applied to things): from late Latin amicabilis, from Latin amicus ‘friend’.

amicable numbers

plural noun

[Mathematics] a pair of numbers, each of which is the sum of the factors of the other (e.g. 220 and 284).

amicably /ˈamɪkəbli/

adverb

in a friendly and peaceable manner

• they have amicably resolved their outstanding dispute.

amice /ˈamɪs/

I. noun

1. a white linen cloth worn on the neck and shoulders, under the alb, by a priest celebrating the Eucharist.

2. a cap, hood, or cape worn by members of certain religious orders.

– origin late Middle English: sense 1 from medieval Latin amicia, amisia, of unknown origin; sense 2 from Old French aumusse, from medieval Latin almucia, of unknown origin.

amicus /aˈmʌɪkəs / amicus curiae /ˈkjʊərɪiː/

I. noun

an impartial adviser to a court of law in a particular case.
[as modifier]

• the Federal Republic of Germany filed an amicus brief arguing that the Convention was exclusive.

– origin early 17th cent.: modern Latin, literally ‘friend’, (in full) ‘friend of the court’.

amid /əˈmɪd/

I. preposition

1. surrounded by; in the middle of

• our dream home, set amid magnificent rolling countryside.

2. in an atmosphere or against a background of

• talks broke down amid accusations of a hostile takeover bid.

– origin Middle English amidde(s) (see a^2, mid^1).

Amidah /əˈmiːdə/

I. noun

[Judaism] a prayer consisting of a varying number of blessings recited while the worshippers stand.

– origin late 19th cent.: Hebrew, literally ‘standing’.

amide /ˈeɪmʌɪd, ˈamʌɪd/

I. noun

1. [Chemistry] an organic compound containing the group —C(O)NH_2, derived from ammonia by replacement of a hydrogen atom by an acyl group.

2. [Chemistry] a compound derived from ammonia by replacement of a hydrogen atom by a metal, containing the anion NH_2−.
[with modifier]

• sodium amide.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from ammonia + -ide.

amidships /əˈmɪdʃɪps / amidship

I. adverb, adjective

in the middle of a ship, either longitudinally or laterally
[as adv.]

• the destroyer rammed her amidships

• [as adj.] an amidships engine room.

– origin late 17th cent.: from a-2 (expressing position or direction) + midship, influenced by amid.

amidst /əˈmɪdst/

preposition

‹chiefly literary› variant of amid.

Amiens /ˈamɪənz, French amjɛ̃/

the capital of the Picardy region of northern France; pop. 139,271 (2006).

amigo /əˈmiːɡəʊ/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› used to address or refer to a friend, chiefly in Spanish-speaking areas.

• I'll do my best. Adios, amigo.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Spanish.

Amin, Idi /aˈmiːn/

(1925–2003), Ugandan soldier and head of state 1971–9; full name Idi Amin Dada. Amin overthrew President Obote in a coup, and was deposed after a period of rule characterized by the murder of political opponents and the expulsion of non-Africans.

Amindivi Islands /ˌamɪnˈdiːvi/

the northernmost group of islands in the Indian territory of Lakshadweep in the Indian Ocean.

amine /ˈeɪmiːn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an organic compound derived from ammonia by replacement of one or more hydrogen atoms by organic groups.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from ammonia + -ine^4.

amino /əˈmiːnəʊ, əˈmʌɪnəʊ/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] the group —NH_2, present in amino acids, amides, and many amines.

• isocyanic acid reacts with amino groups.

• amino compounds.

– origin late 19th cent.: from amine.

amino acid /əmiːnəʊˈasɪd/

noun

1. [Biochemistry] a simple organic compound containing both a carboxyl (—COOH) and an amino (—NH_2) group.
[as modifier]

• the amino-acid sequence of a protein.

Amino acids occur naturally in plant and animal tissues and form the basic constituents of proteins. There are about twenty common amino acids, of which the simplest is glycine (H_2NCH_2COOH).

amir /əˈmiːə/

I. noun

variant spelling of emir.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Persian and Urdu, from Arabic 'amīr ‘commander’, from 'amara ‘to command’; compare with emir.

Amirante Islands /ˈamɪrant, ˌamɪˈranti/

a group of coral islands in the Indian Ocean, forming part of the Seychelles.

Amis, Martin /ˈeɪmɪs/

(b.1949), English novelist, son of Kingsley Amis; full name Martin Louis Amis. Notable works: The Rachel Papers (1973), Money (1984), and Time's Arrow (1991).

Amis, Sir Kingsley /ˈeɪmɪs/

(1922–95), English novelist. He achieved popular success with his first novel Lucky Jim (1954); his later novels include The Old Devils (Booker Prize, 1986) and The Folks that Live on the Hill (1990).

Amish /ˈamɪʃ, ˈɑːmɪʃ, ˈeɪmɪʃ/

I. plural noun

the members of a strict Mennonite sect founded by the Swiss preacher Jakob Amman (or Amen) ( c. 1645– c. 1730). Now living mainly in Pennsylvania and Ohio, the Amish migrated to North America from c. 1720.

II. adjective

relating to the Amish.

– origin mid 19th cent.: apparently from German amisch, from the name Jakob Amman.

amiss /əˈmɪs/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. not quite right; inappropriate or out of place

• there was something amiss about his calculations.

II. adverb

wrongly or inappropriately

• the prime minister may have constructed his cabinet a little amiss.

III. phrases

1. take something amiss

(Brit.) be offended by something that is said, especially through misinterpreting the intentions behind it.

• don't take this amiss, it's all good-humoured teasing.

2. something would not go (or come) amiss

(Brit.) the specified thing would be welcome and useful

• you look as if a good meal wouldn't go amiss.

– origin Middle English: probably from Old Norse á mis ‘so as to miss’, from á ‘on’ + mis (related to miss^1).

amitotic /ˌeɪmʌɪˈtɒtɪk, ˌamʌɪˈtɒtɪk/

I. adjective

[Biology] relating to or denoting the division of a cell nucleus without mitosis.

II. derivatives

1. amitosis

noun

2. amitotically

adverb

amitriptyline /ˌamɪˈtrɪptɪliːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an antidepressant drug of the tricyclic group, with a mild tranquillizing action.

– origin 1960s: from ami(ne) + tri- + ( he)ptyl + -ine^4.

amity /ˈamɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› friendly relations.

• the presence of French troops in Scotland had produced hostility rather than amity.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French amitie, based on Latin amicus ‘friend’.

amma /ˈʌmɑː/

I. noun

(Indian) ‹informal› one's mother (often used as a familiar form of address).

– origin probably derived from a child's word, perhaps influenced by amah.

Amman /əˈmɑːn/

the capital of Jordan; pop. 1,307,017 (2004).

ammeter /ˈamɪtə/

I. noun

an instrument for measuring electric current in amperes.

– origin late 19th cent.: from ampere + -meter.

ammo /ˈaməʊ/

noun

informal term for ammunition.

Ammon

Greek and Roman form of Amun.

ammonia /əˈməʊnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent smell, which dissolves in water to give a strongly alkaline solution.
●Chem. formula: NH_3.

2. a solution of ammonia, used as a cleaning fluid.

– origin late 18th cent.: modern Latin, from sal ammoniacus (see sal ammoniac).

ammoniacal /ˌamə(ʊ)ˈnʌɪək(ə)l/

I. adjective

of or containing ammonia.

• ammoniacal liquor from the coke ovens.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Middle English ammoniac, via Old French from Latin ammoniacus. This represented the Greek word ammōniakos ‘of Ammon’, used as a name for the salt and gum obtained near the temple of Jupiter Ammon at Siwa in Egypt. Compare with sal ammoniac.

ammoniated /əˈməʊnɪeɪtɪd/

adjective

combined or treated with ammonia.

ammonite /ˈamənʌɪt/

I. noun

an ammonoid fossil, especially one of a later type found chiefly in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, typically with intricately frilled suture lines. Compare with ceratite and goniatite.
●Typified by ammonoids of the order Ammonitida.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin ammonites, from medieval Latin cornu Ammonis ‘horn of Ammon’, from the fossil's resemblance to the ram's horn associated with Jupiter Ammon (see ammoniacal).

ammonium /əˈməʊnɪəm/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] the cation NH_4+, present in solutions of ammonia and in salts derived from ammonia.

• ammonium compounds.

• ammonium sulphate.

– origin early 19th cent.: from ammonia + -ium.

ammonium carbonate

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a white crystalline solid which slowly decomposes, giving off ammonia, and is an ingredient of sal volatile.
●Chem. formula: (NH_4)2CO_3. Commercial forms often contain other, related salts.

ammonium chloride

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a white crystalline salt used chiefly in dry cells, as a mordant, and as soldering flux. Also called sal ammoniac.
●Chem. formula: NH_4Cl.

ammonium nitrate

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a white crystalline solid used as a fertilizer and as a component of some explosives.
●Chem. formula: NH_4NO_3.

ammonoid /ˈamənɔɪd / ‹Palaeontology›

I. noun

an extinct cephalopod mollusc with a flat-coiled spiral shell, found commonly as a fossil in marine deposits from the Devonian to the Cretaceous periods.
●Subclass Ammonoidea, class Cephalopoda: numerous families. See ammonite, ceratite, and goniatite.

II. adjective

relating to the ammonoids.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Ammonoidea, based on Ammon (see ammonite).

ammunition /amjʊˈnɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a supply or quantity of bullets and shells.

• guns, ammunition, and explosives.

• [as modifier] an ammunition dump.

2. considerations that can be used to support one's case in debate

• these figures provide ammunition to the argument for more resources.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete French amunition, alteration (by wrong division) of la munition ‘the munition’ (see munition).

amnesia /amˈniːzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a partial or total loss of memory.

• they were suffering from amnesia.

II. derivatives

amnesic

adjective, noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek amnēsia ‘forgetfulness’.

amnesiac /amˈniːziak / amnesic /amˈniːziak/

I. noun

a person experiencing a partial or total loss of memory

• amnesiacs commonly retain many of their old skills after the onset of amnesia.

II. adjective

experiencing or relating to a partial or total loss of memory

• the police last night launched a public appeal to help identify an amnesiac woman

• she stumbles back into town in an amnesiac daze.

amnesty /ˈamnɪsti/

I. noun

1. an official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offences

• an amnesty for political prisoners.

2. an undertaking by the authorities to take no action against specified offences during a fixed period

• a month-long weapons amnesty.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. grant an official pardon to.

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

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek amnēstia ‘forgetfulness’.

Amnesty International

an independent international organization in support of human rights, especially for prisoners of conscience. The organization was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.

amnio /ˈamnɪəʊ/

noun

informal term for amniocentesis.

amniocentesis /ˌamnɪəʊsɛnˈtiːsɪs/

I. noun

a process in which amniotic fluid is sampled using a hollow needle inserted into the uterus, to screen for abnormalities in the developing fetus.

– origin 1950s: from amnion + Greek kentēsis ‘pricking’ (from kentein ‘to prick’).

amnion /ˈamnɪən/

I. noun

the innermost membrane that encloses the embryo of a mammal, bird, or reptile.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek, ‘caul’, diminutive of amnos ‘lamb’.

amniote /ˈamnɪəʊt/

I. noun

[Zoology] an animal whose embryo develops in an amnion and chorion and has an allantois; a mammal, bird, or reptile.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Amniota, back-formation from amniotic.

amniotic /amnɪˈɒtɪk/

I. adjective

relating to the amnion.

– origin early 19th cent.: formed irregularly from obsolete amnios ‘amnion’ + -otic, perhaps via French amniotique.

amniotic fluid /amniɒtɪkˈfluːɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fluid surrounding a fetus within the amnion.

amniotic sac

noun

the fluid-filled sac that contains and protects a fetus in the womb.

amn't /ˈam(ə)nt / ‹chiefly Scottish Irish›

contraction

am not.

amoeba /əˈmiːbə / ‹US› ameba

I. noun

a single-celled animal which catches food and moves about by extending finger-like projections of protoplasm. Amoebas are either free-living in damp environments or parasitic.
●Many families and genera in the phylum Rhizopoda, kingdom Protista, including the aquatic Amoeba proteus.

II. derivatives

1. amoebic /əˈmiːbɪk /

adjective

2. amoeboid /əˈmiːbɔɪd /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek amoibē ‘change, alternation’.

amoebiasis /ˌamiːˈbʌɪəsɪs / ‹US› amebiasis

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] infection with amoebas, especially as causing dysentery.

– origin early 20th cent.: from amoeba + -asis.

amok /əˈmɒk / amuck

I. adverb — (in phrase run amok)

1. behave uncontrollably and disruptively

• stone-throwing anarchists were running amok.

– origin mid 17th cent.: via Portuguese amouco, from Malay amok ‘rushing in a frenzy’. Early use was as a noun denoting a Malay in a homicidal frenzy.

amole /əˈməʊli/

I. noun

a plant of a group native to Mexico and the southern US whose roots are used as detergent, especially the soap-plant, Chlorogalum pomeridianum, or the lechuguilla, Agave lecheguilla.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Mexican Spanish.

among /əˈmʌŋ / ‹chiefly Brit.› amongst

I. preposition

1. situated more or less centrally in relation to (several other things)

• flowers hidden among the roots of the trees

• you're among friends.

2. being a member or members of (a larger set)

• a British woman was among the 54 victims of the disaster

• snakes are among the animals most feared by man.

3. occurring in or shared by (some members of a group or community)

• a drop in tooth decay among children

• members of the government bickered among themselves.

4. indicating a division, choice, or differentiation involving three or more participants

• the old king called the three princesses to divide his kingdom among them

• the State Council would elect a temporary president from among its members.

– origin Old English ongemang (from on ‘in’ + gemang ‘assemblage, mingling’). The -st of amongst represents -s (adverbial genitive) + -t probably by association with superlatives (as in against).

amontillado /əˌmɒntɪˈlɑːdəʊ, əˌmɒntɪˈjɑːdəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a medium dry sherry.

– origin Spanish, from Montilla, the name of a town in southern Spain where the original wine was produced.

amoral /eɪˈmɒr(ə)l/

I. adjective

lacking a moral sense; unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of something

• an amoral attitude to sex.

II. derivatives

1. amoralism

noun

2. amoralist

noun

3. amorality /eɪməˈraləti /

noun

4. amorally

adverb

usage: Amoral is distinct in meaning from immoral: while immoral means ‘not conforming to accepted standards of morality’, amoral implies ‘not concerned with morality’. The difference is illustrated in the following two examples: the client pays for the amoral expertise of the lawyer; the council judged the film to be immoral and obscene.

amoretto /ˌaməˈrɛtəʊ/

I. noun

a representation of Cupid in a work of art.

– origin Italian, diminutive of amore ‘love’, from Latin amor.

amorist /ˈamərɪst/

I. noun

a person who is in love or who writes about love.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin amor or French amour ‘love’ + -ist.

Amorite /ˈamərʌɪt/

I. noun

a member of a semi-nomadic people living in Mesopotamia, Palestine, and Syria in the 3rd millennium BC, founders of the ancient city of Mari on the Euphrates and the first dynasty of Babylon.

II. adjective

relating to the Amorites.

– origin from Hebrew 'ĕmōrī + -ite^1.

amoroso^1 /ˌaməˈrəʊzəʊ, ˌaməˈrəʊsəʊ/

I. adverb, adjective

[Music] (especially as a direction) in a loving or tender manner.

– origin Italian, from medieval Latin amorosus (see amorous).

amoroso^2 /ˌaməˈrəʊzəʊ, ˌaməˈrəʊsəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark, sweet sherry.

– origin from Spanish, literally ‘amorous’, from medieval Latin amorosus (see amorous).

amorous /ˈam(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

showing, feeling, or relating to sexual desire

• she rejected his amorous advances.

II. derivatives

1. amorously /ˈamərəsli /

adverb

2. amorousness /ˈamərəsnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin amorosus, from Latin amor ‘love’.

amorphous /əˈmɔːfəs/

I. adjective

1. without a clearly defined shape or form

• an amorphous, characterless conurbation.

2. lacking a clear structure or focus

• an amorphous and leaderless legislature.

3. [Mineralogy] [Chemistry] (of a solid) not crystalline, or not apparently crystalline.

• an amorphous polymer.

II. derivatives

1. amorphously

adverb

2. amorphousness

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin amorphus, from Greek amorphos ‘shapeless’ (from a- ‘without’ + morphē ‘form’) + -ous.

amortize /əˈmɔːtʌɪz / amortise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. gradually write off the initial cost of (an asset) over a period.

• the vessel's owners could not amortize her high capital costs.

2. reduce or pay off (a debt) with regular payments.

• eighty per cent of the proceeds has been used to amortize the public debt.

3. ‹historical› transfer (land) to a corporation in mortmain.

• lands amortized without licence.

II. derivatives

amortization /əmɔːtʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘deaden’ and ‘transfer (land) to a corporation in mortmain’): from Old French amortiss-, lengthened stem of amortir, based on Latin ad ‘to, at’ + mors, mort- ‘death’.

Amos /ˈeɪmɒs/

I. a Hebrew minor prophet ( c. 760 BC), a shepherd of Tekoa, near Jerusalem.

II. a book of the Bible containing the prophecies of Amos.

amosite /ˈeɪməsʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an iron-rich amphibole asbestos, mined in South Africa.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the initial letters of A sbestos M ines o f S outh A frica + -ite^1.

amount /əˈmaʊnt/

I. noun

1. a quantity of something, especially the total of a thing or things in number, size, value, or extent

• sport gives an enormous amount of pleasure to many people

• the substance is harmless if taken in small amounts.

2. a sum of money

• they have spent a colossal amount rebuilding the stadium.

II. verb — [no obj.] ( amount to)

1. come to be (the total) when added together

• losses amounted to over 10 million pounds.

2. be regarded or classified as; be the equivalent of

• their actions amounted to a conspiracy

• what this guy was doing clearly did amount to persecution.

3. develop into; become

• you'll never amount to anything.

III. phrases

1. any amount of

a great deal or number of

• the second half produced any amount of action.

2. no amount of

not even the greatest possible amount of

• no amount of talk is going to change anything.

– origin Middle English (as a verb): from Old French amunter, from amont ‘upward’, literally ‘uphill’, from Latin ad montem. The noun use dates from the early 18th cent.

amour /əˈmʊə/

I. noun

a love affair or lover, especially one that is secret

• he is enraged at this revelation of his past amours.

– origin Middle English (originally in the sense ‘love, affection’): via Old French from Latin amor ‘love’. The current sense dates from the late 16th cent.

amour courtois /əˌmʊə kɔːˈtwʌ, French amuʀ kuʀtwa/

I. noun

another term for courtly love.

– origin French.

amour fou /əˌmʊə ˈfuː, French amuʀ fu/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. uncontrollable or obsessive passion.

• he invests this tale of amour fou with a sense of doom.

– origin 1970s: French, ‘insane love’.

amour propre /aˌmʊə ˈprɒpr(ə) French amuʀ pʀɔpʀ//

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sense of one's own worth; self-respect

• Pablo's amour propre must have been tested by his short stature.

– origin French.

amoxycillin /əˌmɒksɪˈsɪlɪn / amoxicillin

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a semi-synthetic penicillin closely related to ampicillin and with similar properties, but more readily absorbed when taken orally.

– origin 1970s: from amino + oxy-2 + penicillin.

Amoy /əˈmɔɪ/

another name for Xiamen.

amp^1 /amp/

noun

short for ampere.

amp^2 /amp / ‹informal›

I. noun

short for amplifier.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often amp something up) — play (music) through electric amplification

• their willingness to amp up traditional songs virtually began the folk-rock genre.

2. (as adj. amped or amped up) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› full of nervous energy, especially through taking amphetamines or similar drugs.

• I've got all this manic energy. I feel amped.

AMP

abbreviation

[Biochemistry] adenosine monophosphate.

Ampakine /ˈampəkʌɪn/

I. noun — ( in the US)

1. ‹trademark› any of a class of synthetic compounds which facilitate transmission of nerve impulses in the brain and appear to improve memory and learning capacity.

– origin 1990s: from AMPA (an acronym denoting certain receptors in the brain) + Greek kinein ‘to move’.

ampelographer /ˌampəˈlɒɡrəfə/

I. noun

an expert in the study and classification of cultivated varieties of grape.

II. derivatives

ampelography

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: via French from Greek ampelos ‘vine’ + -grapher.

ampelopsis /ˌampɪˈlɒpsɪs/

I. noun

a bushy climbing plant of the vine family.
●Genus Ampelopsis, family Vitaceae: two species.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek ampelos ‘vine’ + opsis ‘appearance’.

amperage /ˈamp(ə)rɪdʒ/

noun

the strength of an electric current in amperes.

ampere /ˈampɛː / A

I. noun

a unit of electric current equal to a flow of one coulomb per second.
●The SI base unit of electric current, 1 ampere is precisely defined as that constant current which, if maintained in two straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular cross section, and placed 1 metre apart in a vacuum, would produce between these conductors a force of 2 × 10−7 newton per metre.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after A-M Ampere (see Ampère, André-Marie).

Ampère, André-Marie /ˈampɛː, French ɑ̃pɛʀ/

(1775–1836), French physicist, mathematician, and philosopher, who analysed the relationship between magnetic force and electric current.

ampersand /ˈampəsand/

I. noun

the sign & (standing for and, as in Smith & Co., or the Latin et, as in &c.).

– origin late 18th cent.: alteration of and per se and ‘ & by itself is and’, formerly chanted as an aid to learning the sign.

amphetamine /amˈfɛtəmiːn, amˈfɛtəmɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic, addictive, mood-altering drug, used illegally as a stimulant

• the amphetamine put him on a high for an hour

• [ count noun] he was jailed for three months for possessing amphetamines.

●Chem. formula: C_6H_5CH_2CH(CH_3)NH_2.

– origin 1930s: abbreviation of its chemical name, a(lpha-)m(ethyl) phe(ne)t(hyl)amine.

amphi- /ˈamfi/

I. combining form

1. both

• amphibian.

2. of both kinds

• amphipod.

3. on both sides

• amphiprostyle.

4. around

• amphitheatre.

– origin from Greek.

amphibian /amˈfɪbɪən/

I. noun

1. a cold-blooded vertebrate animal of a class that comprises the frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and caecilians. They are distinguished by having an aquatic gill-breathing larval stage followed (typically) by a terrestrial lung-breathing adult stage.
●Class Amphibia: orders Urodela (newts and salamanders), Anura (frogs and toads), and Gymnophiona (caecilians).

2. a seaplane, tank, or other vehicle that can operate on land and on water.

II. adjective

relating to amphibians.

• amphibian eggs.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘having two modes of existence or of doubtful nature’): from modern Latin amphibium ‘an amphibian’, from Greek amphibion (noun use of amphibios ‘living both in water and on land’, from amphi ‘both’ + bios ‘life’).

amphibious /amˈfɪbɪəs/

I. adjective

1. relating to, living in, or suited for both land and water

• an amphibious vehicle.

2. (of a military operation) involving forces landed from the sea

• an amphibious assault.

II. derivatives

amphibiously

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin amphibium, from Greek amphibion (see amphibian) + -ous.

amphibole /ˈamfɪbəʊl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. any of a class of rock-forming silicate or aluminosilicate minerals typically occurring as fibrous or columnar crystals.

• acid rocks consist mostly of quartz and feldspars, with a little mica or amphibole.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from Latin amphibolus ‘ambiguous’ (because of the varied structure of these minerals), from Greek amphibolos, from amphi- ‘both, on both sides’ + ballein ‘to throw’.

amphibolite /amˈfɪbəlʌɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a granular metamorphic rock consisting mainly of hornblende and plagioclase.

amphibology /ˌamfɪˈbɒlədʒi/

I. noun

a phrase or sentence that is grammatically ambiguous, such as She sees more of her children than her husband.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French amphibologie, from late Latin amphibologia, from Latin amphibolia, from Greek amphibolos ‘ambiguous’ (see amphibole).

amphiboly /amˈfɪbəli/

noun

another term for amphibology.

amphibrach /ˈamfɪbrak/

I. noun

[Prosody] a metrical foot consisting of a stressed syllable between two unstressed syllables or (in Greek and Latin) a long syllable between two short syllables.

– origin late 16th cent. (originally in the Latin forms amphibrachus, amphibrachys): via Latin from Greek amphibrakhus ‘short at both ends’.

amphimixis /ˌamfɪˈmɪksɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] sexual reproduction involving the fusion of two different gametes to form a zygote.
Often contrasted with apomixis.

II. derivatives

amphimictic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from amphi- + Greek mixis ‘mingling’.

amphioxus /ˌamfɪˈɒksəs/

I. noun

a small lancelet which is caught for food in parts of Asia.
●Genus Branchiostoma (formerly Amphioxus), family Branchiostomidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from amphi- + Greek oxus ‘sharp’.

amphipathic /ˌamfɪˈpaθɪk / amphiphilic /ˌamfɪˈfɪlɪk/

I. adjective

[Biochemistry] (of a molecule, especially a protein) having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts.

– origin 1930s: from amphi- + Greek pathikos (from pathos ‘experience’).

amphipod /ˈamfɪpɒd/

noun

[Zoology] a crustacean of the chiefly marine order Amphipoda.

Amphipoda /ˌamfɪˈpəʊdə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] an order of chiefly marine crustaceans with a laterally compressed body and a large number of leg-like appendages.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from amphi- ‘of both kinds’ (because some legs are specialized for swimming and some for feeding) + Greek pous, pod- ‘foot’.

amphiprostyle /amˈfɪprəstʌɪl/

I. adjective

(of a classical building) having a portico at each end but not at the sides.

– origin early 18th cent.: via Latin from Greek amphiprostulos, from amphi- ‘both, on both sides’ + prostulos ‘having pillars in front’ (see prostyle).

amphisbaena /ˌamfɪsˈbiːnə/

I. noun

a mythical serpent with a head at each end.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek amphisbaina, from amphis ‘both ways’ + bainein ‘go’.

Amphisbaenia /ˌamfɪsˈbiːnɪə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a group of reptiles which comprises the worm lizards.
●Suborder Amphisbaenia, order Squamata.

II. derivatives

amphisbaenian

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin, from Greek amphisbaina, from amphis ‘both’ + bainein ‘go, walk’.

amphitheatre /ˈamfɪθiːətə / ‹US› amphitheater

I. noun

1. (especially in Greek and Roman architecture) an open, circular or oval building with a central space for the presentation of dramatic or sporting events surrounded by tiers of seats for spectators.

• the opera was performed in the Roman amphitheatre.

2. a semicircular seating gallery in a theatre.

• vouchers to reduce the price of tickets in the amphitheatre.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek amphitheatron, from amphi ‘on both sides’ + theatron (see theatre).

Amphitrite /ˌamfɪˈtrʌɪti / ‹Greek Mythology›

a sea goddess, wife of Poseidon and mother of Triton.

amphiuma /ˌamfɪˈjuːmə/

I. noun

a fully aquatic eel-like amphibian with very small limbs, occurring in stagnant water and swamps in the south-eastern US.
●Family Amphiumidae and genus Amphiuma: three species.

– origin modern Latin, probably formed irregularly from amphi- ‘both’ + Greek pneuma ‘breath’.

amphometer /amˈfɒmɪtə/

I. noun

(Austral.) a device for measuring the speed of a vehicle over a fixed distance, widely used by traffic police

• this stretch of road became a favourite location for the traffic police's amphometer.

– origin 1960s: probably from the arbitrary element a + mph + -o- + -meter.

amphora /ˈamf(ə)rə/

I. noun

a tall ancient Greek or Roman jar or jug with two handles and a narrow neck.

– origin Latin, from Greek amphoreus, or from French amphore.

amphoteric /ˌamfəˈtɛrɪk/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] (of a compound, especially a metal oxide or hydroxide) able to react both as a base and as an acid.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek amphoteros, comparative of amphō ‘both’, + -ic.

ampicillin /ˌampɪˈsɪlɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a semi-synthetic form of penicillin used to treat infections of the urinary and respiratory tracts.

– origin 1960s: blend of amino and a contraction of penicillin.

ample /ˈamp(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. enough or more than enough; plentiful

• there is ample time for discussion

• an ample supply of consumer goods.

2. large and accommodating

• he leaned back in his ample chair.

3. (of a person's figure) full or broad

• she stood with her hands on her ample hips.

II. derivatives

ampleness /ˈampəlnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: via French from Latin amplus ‘large, capacious, abundant’.

amplexus /amˈplɛksəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] the mating position of frogs and toads, in which the male clasps the female about the back.

• pairs of toads in amplexus are easily caught.

– origin 1930s: from Latin, ‘an embrace’.

amplification /ˌamplɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of increasing the volume of sound, especially using an amplifier

• even without amplification, her voice carries to the farthest corners.

2. the action of increasing the amplitude of an electrical signal or other oscillation

• the amplification of radio signals is possible.

3. the action of making something more marked or intense

• you're an actor in that you are using emotion and amplification of ideas to make your point.

4. the action of enlarging upon or adding detail to a story or statement

• the words 'no real prospect of succeeding' do not need any amplification

• [ count noun] thanks to all who wrote in with corrections and amplifications.

5. [Genetics] the action of making multiple copies of a gene or DNA sequence

• a technique known as random amplification of polymorphic DNA

• [ count noun] sequences were obtained from multiple amplifications from individual samples.

amplifier /ˈamplɪfʌɪə/

noun

1. an electronic device for increasing the amplitude of electrical signals, used chiefly in sound reproduction.

2. a device consisting of an amplifier combined with a loudspeaker and used to increase the volume of the sound produced by electric guitars and other musical instruments.

amplify /ˈamplɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. increase the volume of (sound), especially using an amplifier
(as adj. amplified)

• amplified pop music.

2. increase the amplitude of (an electrical signal or other oscillation).

• the manufacturers have developed a system of amplifying the radio signal.

3. make (something) more marked or intense

• urban policy initiatives amplified social polarization.

4. enlarge upon or add detail to (a story or statement)

• the notes amplify information contained in the statement.

5. [Genetics] make multiple copies of (a gene or DNA sequence).

• genomic DNA was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘increase, augment’): from Old French amplifier, from Latin amplificare, from amplus ‘large, abundant’.

amplitude /ˈamplɪtjuːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the maximum extent of a vibration or oscillation, measured from the position of equilibrium.

• the amplitude of alpha rhythms.

• [ count noun] waves with amplitudes greater than or equal to 20 mm.

2. the maximum difference of an alternating electric current or potential from the average value.

• the detection of signals only a few microvolts in amplitude.

3. [Astronomy] the angular distance of a celestial object from the true east or west point of the horizon at rising or setting.

4. breadth, range, or magnitude

• the amplitude of the crime of manslaughter lies beneath murder.

5. [Mathematics] the angle between the real axis of an Argand diagram and a vector representing a complex number.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the senses ‘physical extent’ and ‘grandeur’): from Latin amplitudo, from amplus ‘large, abundant’.

amplitude modulation AM

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the modulation of a wave by varying its amplitude, used especially as a means of broadcasting an audio signal by combining it with a radio carrier wave.
Often contrasted with frequency modulation.

amply /ˈampli/

adverb

enough or more than enough; plentifully

• the persistent reader is amply rewarded.

ampoule /ˈampuːl / ‹US› ampul, ampule /ˈampjuːl/

I. noun

a small sealed glass capsule containing a liquid, especially a measured quantity ready for injecting.

• an ampoule of adrenaline.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, from Latin ampulla (see ampulla).

ampulla /amˈpʊlə/

I. noun

1. a roughly spherical Roman flask with two handles.

2. a flask for sacred uses such as holding the oil for anointing the sovereign at a coronation.

3. [Anatomy] [Zoology] a cavity, or the dilated end of a vessel, shaped like a Roman ampulla.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, diminutive of ampora, variant of amphora (see amphora).

amputate /ˈampjʊteɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut off (a limb) by surgical operation

• surgeons had to amputate her left hand.

II. derivatives

amputator

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin amputat- ‘lopped off’, from amputare, from am- (for amb- ‘about’) + putare ‘to prune’.

amputation /ampjʊˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of surgically cutting off a limb

• gangrene may appear and make amputation necessary

• [ count noun] in the United Kingdom there are about 5,000 major amputations a year.

amputee /ampjʊˈtiː/

noun

a person who has had a limb amputated.

AMRAAM /ˈamram/

abbreviation

advanced medium range air-to-air missile.

amrit /ˈʌmrɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a syrup considered by Sikhs to be divine, and which they drink at religious observances including baptism.

– origin from Sanskrit amṛta ‘immortal’.

Amritsar /ʌmˈrɪtsə/

a city in the state of Punjab in NW India; pop. 1,194,700 (est. 2009). It became the centre of the Sikh faith and the site of its holiest temple, the Golden Temple. It was the scene of a riot in 1919, in which 400 people were killed by British troops.

Amsterdam /ˌamstəˈdam, ˈamstədam/

the capital and largest city of the Netherlands; pop. 747,093 (2008). It is built on some ninety islands separated by canals. Although Amsterdam is the capital, the country's seat of government and administrative centre is at The Hague.

AMT

abbreviation

(in the US) alternative minimum tax, introduced to prevent companies and individuals using deductions and credits to pay no tax.

amtrac /ˈamtrak / amtrak

I. noun

(US) an amphibious tracked vehicle used for landing assault troops on a shore.

– origin Second World War: blend of amphibious and tractor.

Amtrak /ˈamtrak / ‹trademark›

a federal passenger railway service in the US, operated by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

amu

abbreviation

atomic mass unit.

Amu Darya /ˌɑːmuː ˈdɑːrɪə/

a river of central Asia, rising in the Pamirs and flowing 2,400 km (1,500 miles) into the Aral Sea. In classical times it was known as the Oxus.

amulet /ˈamjʊlɪt/

I. noun

an ornament or small piece of jewellery thought to give protection against evil, danger, or disease.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin amuletum, of unknown origin.

Amun /ˈamən / ‹Egyptian Mythology› Amon

a supreme god of the ancient Egyptians, identified with the sun god Ra, and in Greek and Roman times with Zeus and Jupiter (under the name Ammon).

Amundsen, Roald /ˈɑːmʊnds(ə)n/

(1872–1928), Norwegian explorer. Amundsen was the first to navigate the North-West Passage (1903–6), during which expedition he located the site of the magnetic north pole. In 1911 he became the first to reach the South Pole.

Amur /əˈmʊə/

a river of NE Asia, forming for the greater part of its length the boundary between Russia and China. Its length is about 4,350 km (2,737 miles).
Chinese name Heilong.

amuse /əˈmjuːz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to find something funny

• he made faces to amuse her

• (as adj. amused) people looked on with amused curiosity.

2. provide interesting and enjoyable occupation for (someone); entertain

• they amused themselves digging through an old encyclopedia.

II. derivatives

amusedly

adverb

amuse (sense 1)

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘delude, deceive’): from Old French amuser ‘entertain, deceive’, from a- (expressing causal effect) + muser ‘stare stupidly’. Current senses date from the mid 17th cent.

amuse-bouche /əˌmjuːzˈbuːʃ, əˌmuːzˈbuːʃ/

I. noun

another term for amuse-gueule.

– origin French, literally ‘amuse mouth’.

amuse-gueule /əˌmjuːzˈɡəːl/

I. noun

a small savoury item of food served as an appetizer before a meal.

– origin French, literally ‘amuse mouth’.

amusement /əˈmjuːzm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or experience of finding something funny

• we looked with amusement at our horoscopes.

2. the provision or enjoyment of entertainment

• an evening's amusement.

3. [ count noun] — something that causes laughter or provides entertainment

• she was like an adult planning amusements for a child.

4. [ count noun] — (Brit.) a roundabout, game machine, etc. for providing entertainment at a fairground or resort.

• on the promenade the amusements were still open.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘musing, diversion of the attention’): from French, from the verb amuser (see amuse).

amusement arcade

noun

(Brit.) an indoor area containing coin-operated game machines.

amusement park

noun

a large outdoor area with fairground rides, shows, and other entertainments.

amusing /əˈmjuːzɪŋ/

adjective

causing laughter and providing entertainment

• such a likeable, amusing man!

amusingly /əˈmjuːzɪŋli/

adverb

1. in a way that causes laughter and provides entertainment

• his exquisite manners contrasted amusingly with our rude ways

• [as submodifier] he could always be relied upon to be amusingly pompous.

2. [ sentence adverb] — used to express amusement at an event or situation

• amusingly, all the people near me seemed also to come from Wollongong.

amygdala /əˈmɪɡdələ/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a roughly almond-shaped mass of grey matter inside each cerebral hemisphere, involved with the experiencing of emotions.

– origin Late Middle English: via Latin from Greek amugdalē ‘almond’.

amygdale /əˈmɪɡdeɪl/

I. noun

[Geology] a vesicle in an igneous rock, containing secondary minerals.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from Latin amygdala (see amygdala).

amygdalin /əˈmɪɡd(ə)lɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a bitter crystalline compound found in bitter almonds and the stones of peaches, apricots, and other fruit.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin amygdala ‘almond’ + -in^1.

amygdaloid /əˈmɪɡdəlɔɪd/

I. adjective

‹technical› shaped like an almond.

II. noun

(also amygdaloid nucleus) — [Anatomy] another term for amygdala.

amygdaloidal

adjective

[Geology] relating to or containing amygdales.

amyl /ˈeɪmʌɪl, ˈamɪl/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting the straight-chain pentyl radical —C_5H_11.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› short for amyl nitrite.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin amylum ‘starch’ + -yl.

amylase /ˈamɪleɪz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an enzyme, found chiefly in saliva and pancreatic fluid, that converts starch and glycogen into simple sugars.

amyl nitrate

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless synthetic liquid used as an additive in diesel fuel to improve its ignition properties.
●Chem. formula: C_5H_11NO_3.

usage: Amyl nitrate and amyl nitrite are distinct substances. The street drug is amyl nitrite, but is often incorrectly called amyl nitrate.

amyl nitrite

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a yellowish volatile synthetic liquid used medicinally as a vasodilator. It is rapidly absorbed by the body on inhalation, and is sometimes used for its stimulatory effects.
●Chem. formula: C_5H_11NO_2.

amyloid /ˈamɪlɔɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a starch-like protein which is deposited in the liver, kidneys, spleen, or other tissues in certain diseases.

2. [Medicine] another term for amyloidosis.

• a bewildering illness eventually diagnosed as amyloid of the kidneys.

amyloidosis /ˌamɪlɔɪˈdəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] deposition of amyloid in the body.

amylopectin /ˌamɪləʊˈpɛktɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] the non-crystallizable form of starch, consisting of branched polysaccharide chains.

amylose /ˈamɪləʊs, ˈamɪləʊz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] the crystallizable form of starch, consisting of long unbranched polysaccharide chains.

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of motor neurone disease.
Also called ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease.

– origin late 19th cent.: amyotrophic from amyotrophy.

amyotrophy /ˌamɪˈɒtrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] muscular atrophy.

II. derivatives

amyotrophic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘not’ + Greek mus, muo- ‘muscle’ + Greek trophē ‘nourishment’.

Amytal /ˈamɪt(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a barbiturate drug used as a sedative and a hypnotic.
●Chem. formula: C_11H_18N_2O_3.

– origin 1920s: from amyl + -t- (for ease of pronunciation) + -al.

an /an, ən/

I. determiner

the form of the indefinite article (see a^1) used before words beginning with a vowel sound.

usage: Is it ’ a historical document’ or ’ an historical document’? ‘ A hotel’ or ‘ an hotel’? There is still some divergence of opinion over which form of the indefinite article should be used before words that begin with h- and have an unstressed first syllable. In the 18th and 19th centuries people often did not pronounce the initial h for these words, and so an was commonly used. Today the h is pronounced, and so it is logical to use a rather than an. However, the indefinite article an is still encountered before the h in both British and American English, particularly with historical: in the Oxford English Corpus around a quarter of examples of historical are preceded with an rather than a.

an-1

prefix

variant spelling of a-1 before a vowel (as in anaemia).

an-2

prefix

variant spelling of ad- assimilated before n (as in annihilate, annotate).

an-3

prefix

variant spelling of ana- shortened before a vowel (as in aneurysm).

-an

I. suffix

1. forming adjectives and nouns, especially from:

2. names of places

• Cuban.

3. names of systems

• Anglican.

4. names of zoological classes or orders

• crustacean.

5. names of founders

• Lutheran.

6. [Chemistry] forming names of organic compounds, chiefly polysaccharides

• dextran.

– origin from Latin -anus, -ana, -anum.

ana /ˈɑːnə/

I. noun

1. [treated as pl.] — ‹archaic› anecdotes or literary gossip about a person.

2. [treated as sing.] — ‹archaic› a collection of a person's memorable sayings.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from -ana.

ana- an-

I. prefix

1. up

• anabatic.

2. back

• anamnesis.

3. again

• anabiosis.

– origin from Greek ana ‘up’.

-ana

I. suffix

(forming plural nouns) denoting things associated with a person, place, or field of interest

• Americana

• Victoriana.

– origin from Latin, neuter plural of -anus, adjectival ending.

Anabaptism /ˌanəˈbaptɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the doctrine that baptism should only be administered to believing adults, held by a radical Protestant sect of the 16th century.

II. derivatives

Anabaptist /anəˈbaptɪst /

noun, adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek anabaptismos, from ana- ‘over again’ + baptismos ‘baptism’.

anabasis /aˈnabəsɪs/

I. noun

‹rare› a military advance into the interior of a country (with reference to that of Cyrus the Younger into Asia in 401 BC, as narrated by Xenophon in his work Anabasis).

– origin from Greek, ‘ascent’, from anabainein ‘walk up’, from ana- ‘up’ + bainein ‘go’.

anabatic /ˌanəˈbatɪk/

I. adjective

[Meteorology] (of a wind) caused by local upward motion of warm air.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek anabatikos, from anabatēs ‘a person who ascends’, from anabainein ‘walk up’.

anabiosis /ˌanəbʌɪˈəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] a temporary state of suspended animation or greatly reduced metabolism.

II. derivatives

anabiotic /ˌanəbʌɪˈɒtɪk /

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek anabiōsis, from anabioein ‘return to life’.

anabolic /ˌanəˈbɒlɪk/

adjective

[Biochemistry] relating to or promoting anabolism.

anabolic steroid /ˌanəˌbɒlɪk ˈstɪərɔɪd, ˌanəˌbɒlɪk ˈstɛrɔɪd/

noun

a synthetic steroid hormone which resembles testosterone in promoting the growth of muscle. Such hormones are used medicinally to treat some forms of weight loss and (illegally) by some athletes and sports players to enhance physical performance.

anabolism /əˈnabəlɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] the synthesis of complex molecules in living organisms from simpler ones together with the storage of energy; constructive metabolism.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek anabolē ‘ascent’, from ana- ‘up’ + ballein ‘to throw’.

anabranch /ˈanəbrɑːn(t)ʃ/

I. noun

(chiefly Austral.) a stream that leaves a river and re-enters it further along its course.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from ana(stomosing) (present participle of anastomose) + branch.

anachronic /ˌanəˈkrɒnɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or involving anachronism.

• an anachronic atmosphere in which time seems to have stood still.

– origin early 19th cent.: from anachronism, on the pattern of pairs such as synchronism, synchronic.

anachronism /əˈnakrəˌnɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned

• the town is a throwback to medieval times, an anachronism that has survived the passing years.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of attributing something to a period to which it does not belong.

• it is anachronism to suppose that the official morality of the age was mere window dressing.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek anakhronismos, from ana- ‘backwards’ + khronos ‘time’.

anachronistic /ənakrəˈnɪstɪk/

I. adjective

1. belonging to a period other than that being portrayed

• 'Titus' benefits from the effective use of anachronistic elements like cars and loudspeakers.

2. belonging or appropriate to an earlier period, especially so as to seem conspicuously old-fashioned

• she is rebelling against the anachronistic morality of her parents.

II. derivatives

anachronistically /ənakrəˈnɪstɪk(ə)li /

adverb

anaclitic /ˌanəˈklɪtɪk/

I. adjective

[Psychoanalysis] relating to or characterized by a strong emotional dependence on another or others

• anaclitic depression.

– origin 1920s: from Greek anaklitos ‘for reclining’, from anaklinein ‘recline’.

anacoluthon /ˌanəkəˈluːθɒn, ˌanəkəˈluːθ(ə)n/

I. noun

a sentence or construction in which the expected grammatical sequence is absent, for example while in the garden, the door banged shut.

II. derivatives

anacoluthic

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: via late Latin from Greek anakolouthon, from an- ‘not’ + akolouthos ‘following’.

anaconda /ˌanəˈkɒndə/

I. noun

a semiaquatic snake of the boa family which may grow to a great size, native to tropical South America.
●Genus Eunectes, family Boidae: several species.

– origin mid 18th cent. (originally denoting a kind of Sri Lankan snake): unexplained alteration of Latin anacandaia ‘python’, from Sinhalese henakaňdayā ‘whip snake’, from hena ‘lightning’ + kaňda ‘stem’.

Anacreon /əˈnakrɪən/

( c. 570–478 BC), Greek lyric poet, best known for his celebrations of love and wine.

anacreontic /əˌnakrɪˈɒntɪk/

I. adjective

(of a poem) written in the style of the ancient Greek poet Anacreon, known for his celebrations of love and wine

• I find anacreontic poetry to be darkly beautiful.

II. noun

a poem written in the style of the ancient Greek poet Anacreon, especially one celebrating love and wine

• I began by reading aloud an anacreontic.

– origin early 17th cent. (as an adjective): from late Latin anacreonticus, from Greek Anakreōn (see Anacreon).

anacronym /ənˈakrənɪm/

I. noun

an acronym of which the constituent letters are taken from words that are unfamiliar to most people (e.g. Nicam, scuba).

– origin 1980s: from Greek an- ‘without’ + acronym.

anacrusis /ˌanəˈkruːsɪs/

I. noun

1. [Prosody] one or more unstressed syllables at the beginning of a verse.

2. [Music] one or more unstressed notes before the first bar line of a piece or passage.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek anakrousis ‘prelude’, from ana- ‘up’ + krousis, from krouein ‘to strike’.

anadromous /əˈnadrəməs/

I. adjective

[Zoology] (of a fish such as the salmon) migrating up rivers from the sea to spawn.
The opposite of catadromous.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Greek anadromos (from ana- ‘up’ + dromos ‘running’) + -ous.

anaemia /əˈniːmɪə / ‹US› anemia

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a condition in which there is a deficiency of red cells or of haemoglobin in the blood, resulting in pallor and weariness.

– origin early 19th cent.: via modern Latin from Greek anaimia, from an- ‘without’ + haima ‘blood’.

anaemic /əˈniːmɪk / ‹US› anemic

adjective

1. suffering from anaemia.

• the doctor said you were a bit anaemic.

• an anaemic patient.

2. lacking in colour, spirit, or vitality.

• an anaemic aspidistra stood in the grate.

• Boro gave a thoroughly anaemic performance.

anaerobe /ˈanərəʊb, əˈnɛːrəʊb/

I. noun

[Biology] a microorganism that is able to, or can only, live in the absence of oxygen.

– origin late 19th cent.: from an-1 + aerobe.

anaerobic /ˌanɛːˈrəʊbɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Biology] relating to or requiring an absence of free oxygen

• anaerobic bacteria.

2. [Biology] relating to or denoting exercise which does not improve the efficiency of the body's cardiovascular system in absorbing and transporting oxygen.

• anaerobic exercise requires short sudden bursts of energy.

II. derivatives

anaerobically

adverb

anaesthesia /ˌanɪsˈθiːzɪə / ‹US› anesthesia

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. insensitivity to pain, especially as artificially induced by the administration of gases or the injection of drugs before surgical operations.

• during anaesthesia body temperature falls due to the effect of drugs.

• modern clinical anaesthesia uses low concentrations of volatile anaesthetics.

– origin early 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek anaisthēsia, from an- ‘without’ + aisthēsis ‘sensation’.

anaesthesiology /ˌanɪsˌθiːzɪˈɒlədʒi / ‹US› anesthesiology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of medicine concerned with anaesthesia and anaesthetics.

II. derivatives

anaesthesiologist /ˌanɪsθiːziːˈɒləɡɪst /

noun

anaesthetic /ˌanɪsˈθɛtɪk / ‹US› anesthetic

I. noun

1. a substance that induces insensitivity to pain.

2. [treated as sing.] ( anaesthetics) — the study or practice of anaesthesia.

• he trained as a medical technical officer, working in anaesthetics.

II. adjective

inducing or relating to insensitivity to pain.

• anaesthetic drugs and gases.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek anaisthētos ‘insensible’, related to anaisthēsia (see anaesthesia), + -ic.

anaesthetist /əˈniːsθətɪst / ‹US› anesthetist

noun

a medical specialist who administers anaesthetics.

anaesthetize /əˈniːsθətʌɪz / anaesthetise, ‹US› anesthetize

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. administer an anaesthetic to (a person or animal), especially so as to induce a loss of consciousness.

• I was called to Casualty to anaesthetize a patient.

2. deprive of feeling or awareness

• the feeling of numb unreality persisted and anaesthetized me.

II. derivatives

anaesthetization /əˌniːsθətʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

anagen /ˈanədʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the growing phase of a hair follicle.
Often contrasted with telogen.

– origin 1920s: from ana- + -gen.

anagenesis /ˌanəˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] species formation without branching of the evolutionary line of descent.

II. derivatives

anagenetic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from ana- and genesis.

anaglyph /ˈanəɡlɪf/

I. noun

1. [Photography] a stereoscopic photograph with the two images superimposed and printed in different colours, usually red and green, producing a stereo effect when viewed with appropriate filters over each eye.

2. an object, such as a cameo, embossed or carved in low relief.

II. derivatives

anaglyphic

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Greek anagluphē, from ana- ‘up’ + gluphē (from gluphein ‘carve’). Sense 1 dates from the late 19th cent.

Anaglypta /ˌanəˈɡlɪptə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a type of thick embossed wallpaper, designed to be painted over.

• being a natural material, Anaglypta expands on pasting.

• [ count noun] unlike the other Anaglyptas, they have a flat paper backing.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin anaglypta ‘work in low relief’.

anagram /ˈanəɡram/

I. noun

a word, phrase, or name formed by rearranging the letters of another, such as spar, formed from rasp.

II. derivatives

1. anagrammatic /anəɡrəˈmatɪk /

adjective

2. anagrammatical

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from French anagramme or modern Latin anagramma, from Greek ana- ‘back, anew’ + gramma ‘letter’.

anagrammatize /ˌanəˈɡramətʌɪz / anagrammatise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make an anagram of (a word, phrase, or name).

II. derivatives

anagrammatization

noun

Anaheim /ˈanəhʌɪm/

a city in California, on the SE side of the Los Angeles conurbation; pop. 335,288 (est. 2008). It is the site of the amusement park Disneyland.

anal /ˈeɪn(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to or situated near the anus.

• the anal sphincter.

2. [Psychoanalysis] (in Freudian theory) relating to or denoting a stage of infantile psychosexual development in which defecation is the major source of sensuous pleasure and the anus forms the centre of self-awareness.

3. ‹informal› anal-retentive

• he's anal about things like that.

II. derivatives

anally

adverb

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin analis, from Latin anus (see anus).

analects /ˈanəlɛkts / analecta /ˌanəˈlɛktə/

I. plural noun

a collection of short literary or philosophical extracts.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek analekta ‘things gathered up’, from analegein ‘pick up’, from ana- ‘up’ + legein ‘gather’.

analeptic /ˌanəˈlɛptɪk / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) tending to restore a person's health or strength; restorative.

II. noun

1. a restorative drug.

2. a drug that stimulates the central nervous system.

– origin late 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek analēptikos ‘restorative’.

anal fin

noun

[Zoology] an unpaired fin located on the underside of a fish posterior to the anus.

analgesia /ˌan(ə)lˈdʒiːzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the inability to feel pain.

2. [Medicine] medication that acts to relieve pain.

• she was able to take analgesia orally.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Greek analgēsia ‘painlessness’, from an- ‘not’ + algein ‘feel pain’.

analgesic /ˌan(ə)lˈdʒiːzɪk, ˌan(ə)lˈdʒiːsɪk / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(of a drug) acting to relieve pain.

II. noun

an analgesic drug.

analogize /əˈnalədʒʌɪz / analogise

verb — [with obj.]

1. make a comparison of (something) with something else to assist understanding.

• he could analogize birth to the coming into being of a poem.

• analogizing gyroplanes with helicopters is a little surprising.

analogous /əˈnaləɡəs/

I. adjective

1. comparable in certain respects, typically in a way which makes clearer the nature of the things compared

• they saw the relationship between a ruler and his subjects as analogous to that of father and children.

2. [Biology] (of organs) performing a similar function but having a different evolutionary origin, such as the wings of insects and birds.
Often contrasted with homologous.

II. derivatives

analogously /əˈnaləɡəsli /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek analogos ‘proportionate’ + -ous.

analogue /ˈanəlɒɡ / ‹US› analog

I. noun

1. a person or thing seen as comparable to another

• an interior analogue of the exterior world.

2. [Chemistry] a compound with a molecular structure closely similar to that of another.

• thioacids are sulphur analogues of oxyacids.

II. adjective

1. relating to or using signals or information represented by a continuously variable physical quantity such as spatial position, voltage, etc.

• analogue signals.

• the information on a gramophone record is analogue.

Often contrasted with digital (sense 1).

2. (of a clock or watch) showing the time by means of hands or a pointer rather than displayed digits.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from Greek analogon, neuter of analogos ‘proportionate’.

analogue to digital converter

noun

a device for converting analogue signals to digital form.

analogy /əˈnalədʒi/

I. noun

1. a comparison between one thing and another, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification

• an analogy between the workings of nature and those of human societies

• [ mass noun] he interprets logical functions by analogy with machines.

2. a correspondence or partial similarity.

• the syndrome is called deep dysgraphia because of its analogy to deep dyslexia.

3. a thing which is comparable to something else in significant respects.

• works of art were seen as an analogy for works of nature.

4. [ mass noun] — [Logic] a process of arguing from similarity in known respects to similarity in other respects.

• argument from analogy.

5. [ mass noun] — [Linguistics] a process by which new words and inflections are created on the basis of regularities in the form of existing ones.

6. [ mass noun] — [Biology] the resemblance of function between organs that have a different evolutionary origin.

II. derivatives

1. analogic /anəˈlɒdʒɪk /

adjective

2. analogical /anəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

3. analogically

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘appropriateness, correspondence’): from French analogie, Latin analogia ‘proportion’, from Greek, from analogos ‘proportionate’.

analphabetic /ˌanalfəˈbɛtɪk/

adjective

1. representing sounds by composite signs rather than by single letters or symbols.

• Chinese has an analphabetic writing system.

2. completely illiterate.

• at least one of my grandmothers was unlettered, analphabetic.

anal-retentive /eɪnəlrəˈtɛntɪv / ‹Psychoanalysis›

I. adjective

excessively orderly and fussy (supposedly owing to conflict over toilet-training in infancy).

II. noun

a person who is excessively orderly and fussy.

III. derivatives

1. anal retention

noun

2. anal retentiveness

noun

anal-sadistic

adjective

[Psychoanalysis] displaying abnormal aggressive and destructive tendencies supposedly caused by fixation at the anal stage of development.

anal sex

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sexual activity involving penetration of the anus.

analysand /əˈnalɪzand/

noun

a person undergoing psychoanalysis.

analyse /ˈan(ə)lʌɪz / ‹US› analyze

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. examine (something) methodically and in detail, typically in order to explain and interpret it

• we need to analyse our results more clearly.

2. discover or reveal (something) through close examination
[with clause]

• he tried to analyse exactly what was going on.

3. identify and measure the chemical constituents of (a substance or specimen).

• this DNA can be analysed by various methods, including full base sequencing.

4. [Grammar] resolve (a sentence) into its grammatical elements; parse.

5. psychoanalyse (someone).

II. derivatives

1. analysable /ˈanəˌlʌɪzəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. analyser /ˈanəlʌɪzə /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: influenced by French analyser, from medieval Latin analysis (see analysis).

analysis /əˈnalɪsɪs/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — detailed examination of the elements or structure of something

• statistical analysis

• [ count noun] an analysis of popular culture.

2. the process of separating something into its constituent elements.

• the procedure is often more accurately described as one of synthesis rather than analysis.

Often contrasted with synthesis.

3. the identification and measurement of the chemical constituents of a substance or specimen.

• samples are sent to the laboratory for analysis.

• [ count noun] analyses of the rocks are consistent with a basaltic composition.

4. [Mathematics] the part of mathematics concerned with the theory of functions and the use of limits, continuity, and the operations of calculus.

5. short for psychoanalysis.

• other schools of analysis have evolved out of the original disciplines established by Freud.

II. phrases

in the final (or last) analysis

when everything has been considered (used to suggest that a statement expresses the basic truth about a complex situation)

• in the final analysis it is a question of political history.

– origin late 16th cent.: via medieval Latin from Greek analusis, from analuein ‘unloose’, from ana- ‘up’ + luein ‘loosen’.

analyst /ˈan(ə)lɪst/

I. noun

1. a person who conducts analysis.

2. a psychoanalyst.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French analyste, from the verb analyser (see analyse).

analyte /ˈanəlʌɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a substance whose chemical constituents are being identified and measured.

analytic /anəˈlɪtɪk/

I. adjective

1. another term for analytical.

2. [Logic] true by virtue of the meaning of the words or concepts used to express it, so that its denial would be a self-contradiction.
Compare with synthetic.

3. [Linguistics] (of a language, e.g. Chinese and English) tending not to alter the form of its words but to use word order to express grammatical structure.
Contrasted with synthetic and agglutinative.

– origin early 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek analutikos, from analuein ‘unloose’.

analytical /anəˈlɪtɪk(ə)l/

adjective

relating to or using analysis or logical reasoning.

analytical geometry

noun — [ mass noun]

1. geometry using coordinates.

analytically /anəˈlɪtɪk(ə)li/

adverb

using analysis or logical reasoning

• the probabilities can be derived analytically.

analytical philosophy analytic philosophy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of approaching philosophical problems through analysis of the terms in which they are expressed, associated with Anglo-American philosophy of the early 20th century.

analytical psychology

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the psychoanalytical system of psychology developed and practised by Carl Gustav Jung.

analytics /anəˈlɪtɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the systematic computational analysis of data or statistics

• content analytics is relevant in many industries.

2. information resulting from the systematic analysis of data or statistics

• these analytics can help you decide if it's time to deliver content in different ways.

anamnesis /ˌanəmˈniːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. recollection, especially of a supposed previous existence.

2. [ count noun] — [Medicine] a patient's account of their medical history.

3. [Christian Church] the part of the Eucharist in which the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ are recalled.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek anamnēsis ‘remembrance’.

anamnestic /ˌanəmˈnɛstɪk/

adjective

[Medicine] denoting an enhanced reaction of the body's immune system to an antigen which is related to one previously encountered.

anamorphosis /ˌanəˈmɔːfəsɪs/

I. noun

1. a distorted projection or drawing which appears normal when viewed from a particular point or with a suitable mirror or lens.

2. [ mass noun] — the process by which anamorphic images are produced.

II. derivatives

anamorphic

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from Greek anamorphōsis ‘transformation’, from ana- ‘back, again’ + morphosis ‘a shaping’ (from morphoun ‘to shape’, from morphē ‘shape, form’).

ananda /ɑːˈnʌndə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism) extreme happiness, one of the highest states of being.

• the ananda of divine love.

– origin from Sanskrit ānanda ‘blessedness, bliss’.

Anangu /ˈɑːnɑːŋuː/

I. noun

(Austral.) an Aborigine, especially one from central Australia.

– origin from Western Desert (an Aboriginal language), literally ‘person’.

Ananias /ˌanəˈnʌɪəs/

two figures in the New Testament, the husband of Sapphira, struck dead because he lied (Acts 5), and the Jewish high priest before whom St Paul was brought (Acts 23).

anapaest /ˈanəpiːst, ˈanəpɛst / ‹US› anapest

I. noun

[Prosody] a metrical foot consisting of two short or unstressed syllables followed by one long or stressed syllable.

II. derivatives

anapaestic /anəˈpiːstɪk, anəˈpɛstɪk /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek anapaistos ‘reversed’, from ana- ‘back’ + paiein ‘strike’ (because it is the reverse of a dactyl).

anaphase /ˈanəfeɪz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Genetics] the third stage of cell division, between metaphase and telophase, during which the chromosomes move away from one another to opposite poles of the spindle.

anaphor /ˈanəfɔː, ˈanəfə/

I. noun

[Grammar] a word or phrase that refers back to an earlier word or phrase (e.g. in my cousin said she was coming, she is used as an anaphor for my cousin).

– origin 1970s: back-formation from anaphora.

anaphora /əˈnaf(ə)rə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Grammar] the use of a word referring back to a word used earlier in a text or conversation, to avoid repetition, for example the pronouns he, she, it, and they and the verb do in I like it and so do they.
Compare with cataphora.

2. [Rhetoric] the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.

3. [Christian Church] the part of the Eucharist which contains the consecration, anamnesis, and communion.

II. derivatives

1. anaphoric /anəˈfɒrɪk /

adjective

2. anaphorically /ˌanəˈfɒrɪk(ə)lɪ /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: sense 1, sense 2 via Latin from Greek, ‘repetition’, from ana- ‘back’ + pherein ‘to bear’; sense 3 from late Greek.

anaphrodisiac /əˌnafrəˈdɪzɪak / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) tending to reduce sexual desire.

II. noun

an anaphrodisiac drug.

anaphylactic /ˌanəfɪˈlaktɪk/

adjective

[Medicine] relating to or caused by anaphylaxis.

anaphylactic shock

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an extreme, often life-threatening allergic reaction to an antigen to which the body has become hypersensitive.

anaphylaxis /ˌanəfɪˈlaksɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an acute allergic reaction to an antigen (e.g. a bee sting) to which the body has become hypersensitive.

– origin early 20th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek ana- ‘again’ + phulaxis ‘guarding’.

anapsid /əˈnapsɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a reptile of a group characterized by a lack of temporal openings in the skull, including the turtles and their relatives and many early fossil forms.
●Sometimes placed in a subclass Anapsida, though this taxon is now often not recognized.

– origin 1930s: from modern Latin Anapsida, from Greek an- ‘without’ + apsis, apsid- ‘arch’.

anaptyxis /ˌanəpˈtɪksɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Phonetics] the insertion of a vowel between two consonants to aid pronunciation, as in he went thataway.

II. derivatives

anaptyctic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek anaptuxis ‘unfolding’, from ana- ‘back, again’ + ptuxis ‘folding’.

anarch /ˈanɑːk / ‹archaic›

I. noun

an anarchist.

• she triumphed as a carnivalesque anarch, transforming defeat into publicity.

II. adjective

anarchic.

• a beauty so anarch, so ungelded.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek anarkhos ‘without a chief’ (see anarchy).

anarchic /əˈnɑːkɪk/

I. adjective

1. with no controlling rules or principles to give order

• an anarchic and bitter civil war.

2. (of comedy or humour) uncontrolled by convention

• his anarchic wit.

II. derivatives

1. anarchical

adjective

2. anarchically

adverb

anarchism /ˈanəkɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. belief in the abolition of all government and the organization of society on a voluntary, cooperative basis without recourse to force or compulsion.

2. a political force or movement based on belief in anarchism.

• socialism and anarchism emerged to offer organized protest against the injustices of Spanish society.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek anarkhos ‘without a chief’ (see anarchy) + -ism; later influenced by French anarchisme.

anarchist /ˈanəkɪst/

I. noun

a person who believes in or tries to bring about anarchy.

II. adjective

relating to or supporting anarchy or anarchists

• an anarchist newspaper.

III. derivatives

anarchistic /anəˈkɪstɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek anarkhos ‘without a chief’ (see anarchy) + -ist; later influenced by French anarchiste.

anarchy /ˈanəki/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority or other controlling systems

• he must ensure public order in a country threatened with anarchy.

2. absence of government and absolute freedom of the individual, regarded as a political ideal.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via medieval Latin from Greek anarkhia, from anarkhos, from an- ‘without’ + arkhos ‘chief, ruler’.

Anasazi /ˌanəˈsɑːzi/

I. noun

a member of an ancient American Indian people of the south-western US, who flourished between c. 200 BC and AD 1500. The earliest phase of their culture is known as the Basket Maker period; the present-day Pueblo culture developed from a later stage.

– origin from Navajo, ‘ancient one’ or ‘enemy ancestor’.

anastigmat /əˈnastɪɡmat/

noun

an anastigmatic lens system.

anastigmatic /ˌanəstɪɡˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

(of a lens system) constructed so that the astigmatism of each element is cancelled out.

– origin late 19th cent.: from an-1 ‘not’ + astigmatic (see astigmatism).

anastomose /əˈnastəməʊz/

I. verb

[Medicine] link or be linked by anastomosis.
[no obj.]

• adjacent veins may anastomose.

• these anastomose with branches of the carotid artery.

• [with obj.] the graft is anastomosed to the vein of the recipient.

– origin late 17th cent.: coined in French from Greek anastomōsis (see anastomosis).

anastomosis /əˌnastəˈməʊsɪs/

I. noun

1. ‹technical› a cross-connection between adjacent channels, tubes, fibres, or other parts of a network.

2. ‹technical› [Medicine] a connection made surgically between adjacent blood vessels, parts of the intestine, or other channels of the body.

• collateral veins are likely to develop across the anastomosis within a few months.

• [ mass noun] a new technique of intestinal anastomosis was devised.

II. derivatives

anastomotic

adjective, noun

– origin late 16th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek anastomōsis, from anastomoun ‘provide with a mouth’.

anastrophe /əˈnastrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Rhetoric] the inversion of the usual order of words or clauses.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Greek anastrophē ‘turning back’, from ana- ‘back’ + strephein ‘to turn’.

anathema /əˈnaθəmə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — something or someone that one vehemently dislikes

• racial hatred was anathema to her.

2. a formal curse by a pope or a council of the Church, excommunicating a person or denouncing a doctrine.

• the pope laid special emphasis on the second of these anathemas.

3. ‹literary› a strong curse.

• the sergeant clutched the ruined communicator, muttering anathemas.

– origin early 16th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin, ‘excommunicated person, excommunication’, from Greek anathema ‘thing dedicated’, (later) ‘thing devoted to evil, accursed thing’, from anatithenai ‘to set up’.

anathematize /əˈnaθəmətʌɪz / anathematise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. curse; condemn

• he anathematized them as ‘bloody scroungers’.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French anathématiser, from Latin anathematizare, from Greek anathematizein, from anathema (see anathema).

Anatolia /ˌanəˈtəʊlɪə/

the western peninsula of Asia, bounded by the Black Sea, the Aegean, and the Mediterranean, that forms the greater part of Turkey.

Anatolian /anəˈtəʊlɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Anatolia, its inhabitants, or their ancient languages.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Anatolia.

2. [ mass noun] — an extinct group of ancient languages constituting a branch of the Indo-European language family and including Hittite, Luwian, Lydian, and Lycian.

anatomical /anəˈtɒmɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to bodily structure

• anatomical abnormalities.

2. relating to the study of anatomy

• anatomical lectures.

II. derivatives

anatomic

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin anatomicus, from anatomia (see anatomy), + -al.

anatomically /anəˈtɒmɪkli/

adverb

as regards bodily structure

• an anatomically correct replica of the human brain.

anatomist /əˈnatəmɪst/

I. noun

an expert in anatomy.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French anatomiste, from a medieval Latin derivative of anatomizare (see anatomize).

anatomization /əˌnatəmʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / anatomisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. very detailed analysis of something

• the report's anatomization of social disadvantage.

anatomize /əˈnatəmʌɪz / anatomise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. dissect (a body).

• he was sentenced to be hanged and then anatomized.

2. examine and analyse in detail

• successful comedy is notoriously difficult to anatomize.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin anatomizare, from anatomia (see anatomy).

anatomy /əˈnatəmi/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the branch of science concerned with the bodily structure of humans, animals, and other living organisms, especially as revealed by dissection and the separation of parts.

• he studied physiology and anatomy.

• human anatomy.

2. [ count noun] — the bodily structure of an organism

• descriptions of the cat's anatomy and behaviour.

3. [ count noun] — ‹informal› a person's body.

• every part of his anatomy hurt.

• she was unable to reach for the bag in case she revealed more of her anatomy than she already had.

4. a study of the structure or internal workings of something

• a detailed anatomy of a society and its institutions.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French anatomie or late Latin anatomia, from Greek, from ana- ‘up’ + tomia ‘cutting’ (from temnein ‘to cut’).

Anaxagoras /ˌanakˈsaɡərəs/

( c. 500– c. 428 BC), Greek philosopher, teaching in Athens. He believed that all matter was infinitely divisible and motionless until animated by mind ( nous).

Anaximander /aˌnaksɪˈmandə/

( c. 610– c. 545 BC), Greek scientist, who lived at Miletus. He believed the earth to be cylindrical and poised in space, and is reputed to have taught that life began in water and that humans originated from fish.

Anaximenes /ˌanakˈsɪmɪniːz/

( fl. 6th century), Greek philosopher and scientist, who lived at Miletus. Anaximenes believed the earth to be flat and shallow, a view of astronomy that was a retrograde step from that of Anaximander.

ANC

abbreviation

African National Congress.

-ance

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. denoting a quality or state or an instance of one

• allegiance

• extravagance

• perseverance.

3. denoting an action

• appearance

• utterance.

– origin from French -ance, from Latin -antia, -entia (from present participial stems -ant-, -ent-).

ancestor /ˈansɛstə/

I. noun

1. a person, typically one more remote than a grandparent, from whom one is descended

• he could trace his ancestors back to James the First.

2. an early type of animal or plant from which others have evolved.

• the ancestor of most dolphins is not clear.

• both species of elephant have a common ancestor.

3. an early version of a machine, system, etc.

• this instrument is an ancestor of the lute.

– origin Middle English: from Old French ancestre, from Latin antecessor, from antecedere, from ante ‘before’ + cedere ‘go’.

ancestor being ancestor spirit

noun

(in Aboriginal culture) any of the beings associated with the creation of the earth in the Dreamtime

• one of the ancestor beings walked this country.

ancestral /anˈsɛstr(ə)l/

I. adjective

of, belonging to, or inherited from an ancestor or ancestors

• the family's ancestral home.

II. derivatives

ancestrally

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ancestrel, from ancestre (see ancestor).

ancestress /ˈansəstrəs/

noun

a female ancestor.

ancestry /ˈansɛstri/

I. noun

1. one's family or ethnic descent

• he was proud of his Irish ancestry.

2. the evolutionary or genetic line of descent of an animal or plant

• the ancestry of the rose is extremely complicated.

3. the origin or background of something

• the book traces the ancestry of women's poetry.

– origin Middle English: alteration of Old French ancesserie, from ancestre (see ancestor).

Anchises /anˈkʌɪsiːz / ‹Greek & Roman Mythology›

the father of the Trojan hero Aeneas.

ancho /ˈantʃəʊ / ancho chilli

I. noun

a large aromatic variety of chilli, used (usually dried) in dishes of Mexican origin or style.

– origin from Mexican Spanish (chile) ancho, ‘wide (chilli)’.

anchor /ˈaŋkə/

I. noun

1. a heavy object attached to a cable or chain and used to moor a ship to the sea bottom, typically having a metal shank with a pair of curved, barbed flukes at one end.

• the boat, no longer held fast by its anchor, swung wildly.

• [as modifier] an anchor chain.

2. ( anchors) — (Brit.) ‹informal› the brakes of a car.

• this idiot in front slammed on his anchors at a crossing.

3. a person or thing which provides stability or confidence in an otherwise uncertain situation

• the European Community is the economic anchor of the New Europe.

4. (also anchor tenant or anchor store) — a large and prestigious department store prominently sited in a new shopping centre.

5. (chiefly N. Amer.) an anchorman or anchorwoman.

• he signed off after nineteen years as CBS news anchor.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. moor (a ship) to the sea bottom with an anchor

• the ship was anchored in the lee of the island

• [no obj., with adverbial of place] we anchored in the harbour.

2. secure firmly in position

• the tail is used as a hook with which the fish anchors itself to coral.

3. provide with a firm basis or foundation

• it is important that policy be anchored to some acceptable theoretical basis.

4. (chiefly N. Amer.) present and coordinate (a television or radio programme).

• she anchored a television documentary series in the early 1980s.

III. phrases

1. at anchor

(of a ship) moored by means of an anchor.

• thirty ships lay at anchor here the day before.

2. drop anchor

(of a ship) let down the anchor and moor.

• I found a sheltered cove and dropped anchor for the night.

3. weigh (or raise) anchor

(of a ship) take up the anchor when ready to start sailing.

– origin Old English ancor, ancra, via Latin from Greek ankura; reinforced in Middle English by Old French ancre. The current form is from anchora, an erroneous Latin spelling. The verb (from Old French ancrer) dates from Middle English.

anchorage /ˈaŋk(ə)rɪdʒ/

noun

1. an area off the coast which is suitable for a ship to anchor.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of securing something to a base or the state of being secured

• the plant needs firm anchorage.

3. ‹historical› an anchorite's dwelling place.

Anchorage /ˈaŋk(ə)rɪdʒ/

the largest city in Alaska, a seaport on an inlet of the Pacific Ocean; pop. 279,243 (est. 2008).

anchor escapement

noun

a form of escapement in clocks and watches in which the teeth of the crown wheel or balance wheel act on the pallets by recoil.

anchoress /ˈaŋkərəs/

noun

‹historical› a female anchorite.

anchorism /ˈaŋkərɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the state of living as a religious recluse

• as he longed for anchorism he went to Scetis, following a Cherub.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Old English anchor ‘recluse, hermit’ (from medieval Latin anchoritaanchorite) + -ism.

anchorite /ˈaŋkərʌɪt/

I. noun

‹historical› a religious recluse.

II. derivatives

anchoritic /aŋkəˈrɪtɪk /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin anchorita (ecclesiastical Latin anchoreta), from ecclesiastical Greek anakhōrētēs, from anakhōrein ‘retire’, from ana- ‘back’ + khōra, khōr- ‘a place’.

anchorman /ˈaŋkəmən/

noun

1. a person who presents and coordinates a live television or radio programme involving other contributors.

2. the central or most dependable contributor to something

• the anchorman of the Hampshire batting.

3. the member of a relay team who runs the last leg.

anchorperson /ˈaŋkəpəːs(ə)n/

noun

an anchorman or anchorwoman.

anchorwoman /ˈaŋkəˌwʊmən/

noun

1. a woman who presents and coordinates a live television or radio programme involving other contributors

• a veteran television anchorwoman.

2. a female member of a relay team who runs the last leg

• the team's anchorwoman was the primary reason why they won April's crown.

anchoveta /ˌantʃə(ʊ)ˈvɛtə/

I. noun

an anchovy found off the Pacific coasts of South America, of great commercial importance to Peru.
● Engraulis ringens, family Engraulidae.

– origin 1940s: from Spanish, diminutive of anchova (see anchovy).

anchovy /ˈantʃəvi, anˈtʃəʊvi/

I. noun

a small shoaling fish of commercial importance as a food fish and as bait. It is strongly flavoured and is usually preserved in salt and oil.
●Genus Engraulis, family Engraulidae: several species.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish and Portuguese anchova, of unknown origin.

anchusa /əŋˈkjuːzə, anˈtʃuːzə/

I. noun

an Old World plant of the borage family, which is widely cultivated for its bright, typically blue, flowers.
●Genus Anchusa, family Boraginaceae.

– origin via Latin from Greek ankhousa.

ancien régime /ˌɒ̃sɪã reɪˈʒiːm French ɑ̃sjɛ̃ ʀeʒim//

I. noun

1. a political or social system that has been displaced by another.

• the feudal institutions of the ancien régime began to be dismantled.

2. ( Ancien Régime) — the political and social system in France before the Revolution of 1789.

– origin French, literally ‘old rule’.

ancient^1 /ˈeɪnʃ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence

• the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean.

2. having been in existence for a very long time

• ancient forests.

3. ‹humorous› showing or feeling signs of age or wear

• an ancient pair of jeans

• you make me feel ancient.

II. noun

‹archaic› ‹humorous› an old man

• a solitary ancient in a tweed jacket.

III. phrases

1. the Ancient of Days

a biblical title for God.

2. the ancients

a. the people of ancient times, especially the Greeks and Romans of classical antiquity.

b. the classical Greek and Roman authors.

• a thorough knowledge of the ancients is a prerequisite of criticism.

IV. derivatives

ancientness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ancien, based on Latin ante ‘before’.

ancient^2 /ˈeɪnʃ(ə)nt/

I. noun

‹archaic› a standard, flag, or ensign.

– origin mid 16th cent.: alteration of ensign by association with ancien, an early form of ancient^1.

ancient demesne

noun — [ mass noun]

1. land recorded in Domesday Book as belonging to the Crown.

ancient history

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the history of the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean area and the Near East up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476.

2. ‹informal› something that is already long familiar and no longer new, interesting, or relevant

• the New Wave is ancient history now.

II. derivatives

ancient historian

noun

ancient lights

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. [English Law] the right of access to light of a property, established by custom and used to prevent the construction of buildings on adjacent property which would obstruct such access.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from lights meaning ‘light from the sky’. In England the sign ‘Ancient Lights’ was often placed on a house, adjacent to a site where a high building might be erected.

anciently /ˈeɪnʃ(ə)ntli/

adverb

long ago

• the area was anciently called Dalriada.

ancient monument

noun

(Brit.) an old building or site that is preserved by an official agency.

ancient world

noun

the region around the Mediterranean and the Near East before the fall of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476.

• cuneiform was used throughout much of the ancient world.

ancillary /anˈsɪləri/

I. adjective

1. providing necessary support to the primary activities or operation of an organization, system, etc.

• ancillary staff.

2. in addition to something else, but not as important

• paragraph 19 was merely ancillary to paragraph 16.

II. noun

1. a person whose work provides necessary support to the primary activities of an organization, system, etc.

• the employment of specialist teachers and ancillaries.

2. something which functions in a supplementary or supporting role.

• undergraduate courses of three main subjects with related ancillaries.

• the system measures engine power at the flywheel with all ancillaries (fan, standard exhaust, etc.) connected.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin ancillaris, from ancilla ‘maidservant’.

ancon /ˈaŋkɒn, ˈaŋk(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [Architecture] a console, typically consisting of two volutes, that supports or appears to support a cornice.

2. [Architecture] each of a pair of projections on either side of a block of stone or other material, used for lifting it.

– origin early 18th cent. (denoting the corner or quoin of a wall or rafter): via Latin from Greek ankōn ‘bend, elbow’.

Ancona^1 /aŋˈkəʊnə/

a port on the Adriatic coast of central Italy, capital of Marche region; pop. 102,047 (2008).

Ancona^2 /ənˈkəʊnə/

noun

a chicken of a breed with black-and-white mottled plumage.

-ancy

I. suffix

(forming nouns) denoting a quality or state

• buoyancy

• expectancy.

Compare with -ance.

– origin from Latin -antia (see also -ency).

ancylostomiasis /ˌaŋkɪlə(ʊ)stə(ʊ)ˈmʌɪəsɪs, ˌansɪlə(ʊ)stə(ʊ)ˈmʌɪəsɪs / ankylostomiasis

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] hookworm infection of the small intestine, often leading to anaemia.
●The worm is typically Ancylostoma duodenale, class Phasmida.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Ancylostoma (from Greek ankulos ‘crooked’ + stoma ‘mouth’) + -iasis.

Ancyra /anˈsʌɪrə/

ancient Roman name for Ankara.

and /ənd, (ə)n, and/

I. conjunction

1. used to connect words of the same part of speech, clauses, or sentences, that are to be taken jointly

• bread and butter

• they can read and write

• a hundred and fifty.

2. used to connect two clauses when the second refers to something that happens after the first

• he turned round and walked out.

3. used to connect two clauses, the second of which refers to something that results from the first

• there was a flash flood and by the next morning the town was under water.

4. connecting two identical comparatives, to emphasize a progressive change

• getting better and better.

5. connecting two identical words, implying great duration or great extent

• I cried and cried.

6. used to connect two identical words to indicate that things of the same name or class have different qualities

• all human conduct is determined or caused—but there are causes and causes.

7. used to connect two numbers to indicate that they are being added together

• six and four makes ten.

8. ‹archaic› used to connect two numbers, implying succession

• a line of men marching two and two.

9. used to introduce an additional comment or interjection

• if it came to a choice—and this was the worst thing—she would turn her back on her parents.

10. used to introduce a question in connection with what someone else has just said

• ‘I found the letter in her bag.’ ‘And did you steam it open?’.

11. used to introduce a statement about a new topic

• and now to the dessert.

12. ‹informal› used after some verbs and before another verb to indicate intention, instead of ‘to’

• I would try and do what he said.

II. noun

1. ( AND) — [Electronics] a Boolean operator which gives the value one if and only if all the operands are one, and otherwise has a value of zero.

2. (also AND gate) — a circuit which produces an output signal only when signals are received simultaneously through all input connections.

III. phrases

and/or

either or both of two stated possibilities

• audio and/or video components.

– origin Old English and, ond, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch en and German und. / usage: 1 It is still widely taught and believed that conjunctions such as and (and also but and because) should not be used to start a sentence, the argument being that a sentence starting with and expresses an incomplete thought and is therefore incorrect. Writers down the centuries have readily ignored this advice, however, using and to start a sentence, typically for rhetorical effect, as in the following example: What are the government's chances of winning in court? And what are the consequences? 2 A small number of verbs, notably try, come, and go can be followed by and with another verb, as in sentences like we're going to try and explain it to them or why don't you come and see the film? The structures in these verbs correspond to the use of the infinitive to, as in we're going to try to explain it to them or why don't you come to see the film? Since these structures are grammatically odd—for example, the use is normally only idiomatic with the infinitive of the verb and not with other forms (i.e. it is not possible to say I tried and explained it to them)—they are regarded as wrong by some traditionalists. However, these uses are extremely common and can certainly be regarded as part of standard English. 3 For information about whether it is more correct to say both the boys and the girls or both the boys and girls, see usage at both 4 Where items in a list are separated by and, the following verb needs to be in the plural: see usage at or^1.

AND

abbreviation

Andorra (international vehicle registration).

-and

I. suffix

(forming nouns) denoting a person or thing to be treated in a specified way

• analysand.

– origin from Latin gerundive ending -andus.

Andalusia /ˌandəˈluːsɪə/

the southernmost region of Spain, bordering on the Atlantic and the Mediterranean; capital, Seville. The region was under Moorish rule from 711 to 1492. Spanish name Andalucía /Spanish andaluˈθia, Spanish andaluˈsia/.

Andalusian /ˌandəˈluːsɪən, ˌandəˈluːzɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Andalusia or its people or their dialect.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Andalusia.

2. [ mass noun] — the dialect of Spanish spoken in Andalusia.

3. a light horse of a strong breed from Andalusia.

andalusite /ˌandəˈluːsʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a grey, green, brown, or pink aluminosilicate mineral occurring mainly in metamorphic rocks as elongated rhombic prisms, sometimes of gem quality.

– origin early 19th cent.: from the name of the Spanish region of Andalusia + -ite^1.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands /ˈandəmən, ˈnɪkəbɑː/

two groups of islands in the Bay of Bengal, constituting a Union Territory in India; pop. 423,700 (est. 2009); capital, Port Blair.

andante /anˈdanteɪ / ‹Music›

I. adverb, adjective

(especially as a direction) in a moderately slow tempo.

II. noun

a movement, passage, or composition marked to be performed andante.

– origin Italian, literally ‘going’, present participle of andare.

andantino /ˌandanˈtiːnəʊ / ‹Music›

I. adverb, adjective

(especially as a direction) lighter than andante, and usually quicker.

II. noun

a movement or passage marked to be performed andantino.

– origin Italian, diminutive of andante.

Andean /anˈdiːən, ˈandɪən/

I. adjective

relating to the Andes.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the Andes.

Andersen, Hans Christian

(1805–75), Danish author. He is famous for his fairy tales, published from 1835, such as ‘The Snow Queen’, ‘The Ugly Duckling’, and ‘The Little Match Girl’. Although rooted in Danish folklore, the stories were also shaped by Andersen's own psychological alienation.

Anderson, Carl David

(1905–91), American physicist. In 1932 he discovered the positron—the first antiparticle known. Nobel Prize for Physics (1936, shared with Victor Francis Hess).

Anderson, Elizabeth Garrett

(1836–1917), English physician. She established a dispensary for women and children in London (renamed the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital) and was the first woman elected to the BMA (1873).

Anderson, Lindsay

(1923–94), English film director, best known for This Sporting Life (1963), If … (1968), and O Lucky Man (1973); full name Lindsay Gordon Anderson.

Anderson, Marian

(1897–1993), American operatic contralto. In 1955 she became the first black singer to perform at the New York Metropolitan Opera.

Anderson, Philip Warren

(b.1923), American physicist. He made contributions to the study of solid-state physics, investigating magnetism and superconductivity. Research on molecular interactions has also been facilitated by his work on the spectroscopy of gases. Nobel Prize for Physics (1977).

Anderson shelter

I. noun

‹historical› a small prefabricated air-raid shelter of a type built in the UK during the Second World War.

– origin 1930s: named after Sir John Anderson, the Home Secretary in 1939–40 when the shelter was adopted.

Andes /ˈandiːz/

a major mountain system running the length of the Pacific coast of South America. Its highest peak is Aconcagua, which rises to a height of 6,960 m (22,834 ft).

andesite /ˈandɪzʌɪt, ˈandɪsʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a dark, fine-grained, brown or greyish intermediate volcanic rock which is a common constituent of lavas in some areas.

II. derivatives

andesitic

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after the Andes mountains, where it is found + -ite^1.

Andhra Pradesh /ˌɑːndrə prəˈdɛʃ/

a state in SE India, on the Bay of Bengal; capital, Hyderabad.

andiron /ˈandʌɪən/

I. noun

a metal stand, typically one of a pair, for supporting wood burning in a fireplace.

– origin Middle English: from Old French andier, of unknown origin. The ending was altered by association with iron.

Andorra /anˈdɔːrə/

a small autonomous principality in the southern Pyrenees, between France and Spain; pop. 83,900 (est. 2009); official languages, Catalan and French; capital, Andorra la Vella. Its independence dates from the late 8th century, when Charlemagne is said to have granted the Andorrans self-government for their help in defeating the Moors.

Andorran /anˈdɔːrən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Andorra or its people

• the oldest known church in the Andorran valleys.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Andorra

• many Andorrans live in traditional, slate-roofed, stone farmhouses.

andosol /ˈandəsɒl / andisol

noun

[Soil Science] a black or dark brown soil formed from volcanic material, with an A horizon rich in organic material.

andouille /ɒ̃ˈduːj/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a type of pork sausage, served typically as an hors d'oeuvre.

– origin French.

andradite /ˈandrədʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral of the garnet group, containing calcium and iron. It occurs as yellow, green, brown, or black crystals, sometimes of gem quality.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after J. B. de Andrada e Silva ( c. 1763–1838), Brazilian geologist, + -ite^1.

andragogy /ˈandrəɡɒdʒi, ˈandrəɡɒɡi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the method and practice of teaching adult learners; adult education.

• much has been written about andragogy in general education circles over the past fifty years.

II. derivatives

andragogical

adjective

– origin 1920s: blend of andro- and pedagogy.

Andre, Carl /ˈɑːndreɪ/

(b.1935), American minimalist sculptor. His most famous works consist of ready-made units such as bricks, stacked according to a mathematical system and without adhesives or joints.

Andretti, Mario /anˈdrɛti/

(b.1940), Italian-born American motor-racing driver; full name Mario Gabriele Andretti. He won the Formula One world championship in 1978, and also won the IndyCar championship four times.

Andrew, Prince

Andrew Albert Christian Edward, Duke of York (b.1960), second son of Elizabeth II. He married Sarah Ferguson in 1986 but the couple divorced in 1996; they have two children, Princess Beatrice (b.1988) and Princess Eugenie (b.1990).

Andrew, St

an Apostle, the brother of St Peter. The X-shaped cross became associated with his name during the Middle Ages because he is said to have died by crucifixion on such a cross. St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and Russia. Feast day, 30 November.

Andrews, Dame Julie

(b.1935), English actress and singer; born Julia Elizabeth Wells. She is best known for the films Mary Poppins (1964), for which she won an Oscar, and The Sound of Music (1965).

Andrews, Thomas

(1813–85), Irish physical chemist. He discovered the critical temperature of carbon dioxide, and showed that ozone is an allotrope of oxygen.

Andrewsarchus /ˌandruːˈsɑːkəs/

I. noun

a very large carnivorous mammal of the Eocene epoch.

– origin modern Latin: from the name of the US palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews (1884-1960), who led the expedition on which the animal's fossils were found, + Greek arkhos ‘ruler’.

andro-

I. combining form

of men; male

• androcentric.

– origin from Greek anēr, andr- ‘man’.

androcentric /ˌandrə(ʊ)ˈsɛntrɪk/

I. adjective

focused or centred on men

• in the radical feminist view science is sexist and androcentric.

II. derivatives

androcentrism /ˌandrə(ʊ)ˈsɛntrɪz(ə)m /

noun

Androcles /ˈandrəkliːz/

a runaway slave in a story by Aulus Gellius (2nd century AD) who extracted a thorn from the paw of a lion, which later recognized him and refrained from attacking him when he faced it in the arena.

androcracy /anˈdrɒkrəsi/

I. noun

a social system ruled or dominated by men.

II. derivatives

androcratic

adjective

androecium /anˈdriːsɪəm/

I. noun

[Botany] the stamens of a flower collectively.

II. derivatives

androecial

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from andro- + Greek oikion ‘house’.

androgen /ˈandrədʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] a male sex hormone, such as testosterone.

II. derivatives

androgenic

adjective

– origin 1930s: from andro- + -gen.

androgenize /anˈdrɒdʒənʌɪz / androgenise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. androgenized)

1. treat with or expose to male hormones, typically with the result that male sexual characteristics are produced.

• androgenized animals.

II. derivatives

androgenization

noun

androgyne /ˈandrədʒʌɪn/

I. noun

1. an androgynous individual.

2. a hermaphrodite.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek androgunos, from anēr, andr- ‘man’ + gunē ‘woman’.

androgynous /anˈdrɒdʒɪnəs/

I. adjective

1. partly male and partly female in appearance; of indeterminate sex.

• a stunningly androgynous dancer.

• he used surgery and cosmetics to make his face look pasty and bizarrely androgynous.

2. ‹dated› having the physical characteristics of both sexes; hermaphrodite.

II. derivatives

1. androgynously

adverb

2. androgyny /anˈdrɒdʒɪni /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin androgynus (see androgyne) + -ous.

android /ˈandrɔɪd/

I. noun

1. (in science fiction) a robot with a human appearance.
[as modifier]

• there were no android security guards to stop him.

2. ( Android) ( [ mass noun] — ‹trademark› an open-source operating system used for smartphones and tablet computers
[as modifier]

• I have an Android phone and I like it a lot.

– origin early 18th cent.: from modern Latin androides, from andro- + -oid.

andrology /anˈdrɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of physiology and medicine which deals with diseases and conditions specific to men.

II. derivatives

andrologist

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from andro- + -logy.

Andromache /anˈdrɒməki / ‹Greek Mythology›

the wife of Hector. She became the slave of Neoptolemus (son of Achilles) after the fall of Troy.

andromeda /anˈdrɒmɪdə/

noun

a bog rosemary, especially ( marsh andromeda) the common bog rosemary.

Andromeda /anˈdrɒmɪdə/

I. [Greek Mythology] an Ethiopian princess whose mother Cassiopeia boasted that she herself (or, in some stories, her daughter) was more beautiful than the Nereids. In revenge Poseidon sent a sea monster to ravage the country; to placate him Andromeda was fastened to a rock and exposed to the monster, from which she was rescued by Perseus.

II. [Astronomy] a large northern constellation between Perseus and Pegasus, with few bright stars. It is chiefly notable for the Andromeda Galaxy (or Great Nebula of Andromeda), a conspicuous spiral galaxy probably twice as massive as our own and located two million light years away.

III. (as genitive Andromedae) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Gamma Andromedae.

andropause /ˈandrəpɔːz/

I. noun

a collection of symptoms, including fatigue and a decrease in libido, experienced by some older men and attributed to a gradual decline in testosterone levels.

II. derivatives

andropausal

adjective

– origin 1960s: from andro-, on the pattern of menopause.

Andropov /anˈdrɒpɒf/

former name (1984–9) for Rybinsk.

Andropov, Yuri /anˈdrɒpɒf/

(1914–84), Soviet statesman, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the USSR 1982–4 and President 1983–4; full name Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov. As President he initiated the reform process carried through by Mikhail Gorbachev, his chosen successor.

androstenedione /ˌandrɒstiːnˈdaɪəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an androgenic steroid from which testosterone and certain oestrogens are derived in humans.

– origin 1930s: from androsterone + -ene + di-1 + -one.

androsterone /ˌandrə(ʊ)ˈstɪərəʊn, anˈdrɒstərəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a relatively inactive male sex hormone produced by metabolism of testosterone.

– origin 1930s: from andro- + sterol + -one.

-androus

I. combining form

[Botany] having male organs or stamens of a specified number

• polyandrous.

– origin from modern Latin -andrus (from Greek -andros, from anēr, andr- ‘man’) + -ous.

-ane^1

suffix

variant spelling of -an, usually with a distinction of sense (such as humane compared with human) but sometimes with no corresponding form in -an (such as mundane).

-ane^2

I. suffix

[Chemistry] forming names of saturated hydrocarbons

• methane

• propane.

– origin on the pattern of words such as -ene, -ine.

anecdotage /ˈanɪkdəʊtɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. anecdotes collectively

• a number of reports cannot be dismissed as anecdotage.

2. ‹humorous› old age, especially in someone who is inclined to be garrulous.

• it is not within many of us to emulate such a feat in our anecdotage.

[from a blend of anecdote and dotage.]

anecdotal /ˌanɪkˈdəʊtl/

I. adjective

1. (of an account) not necessarily true or reliable, because based on personal accounts rather than facts or research

• while there was much anecdotal evidence there was little hard fact.

2. characterized by or fond of telling anecdotes

• her book is anecdotal and chatty.

3. (of a painting) depicting small narrative incidents.

• nineteenth century French anecdotal paintings.

II. derivatives

1. anecdotalist

noun

2. anecdotally

adverb

anecdote /ˈanɪkdəʊt/

I. noun

1. a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

• he told anecdotes about his job.

2. an account regarded as unreliable or hearsay
[ mass noun]

• his wife's death has long been the subject of rumour and anecdote.

3. [ mass noun] — the depiction of a minor narrative incident in a painting.

• the use of inversions of hierarchy, anecdote, and paradox by Magritte, Dali, and others.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, or via modern Latin from Greek anekdota ‘things unpublished’, from an- ‘not’ + ekdotos, from ekdidōnai ‘publish’.

anechoic /ˌanɪˈkəʊɪk/

adjective

1. ‹technical› free from echo

• an anechoic chamber.

2. ‹technical› (of a coating or material) tending to deaden sound.

• the Russians treat their submarines with anechoic coatings to reduce sonar returns.

anele /əˈniːl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› anoint (someone), especially as part of the Christian rite of giving extreme unction to the dying.

• a priest would anele those whose sickness threatened them with a speedy death.

– origin Middle English: from an- ‘on’ + archaic elien ‘to oil’ (from Old English ele, from Latin oleum ‘oil’).

anemograph /əˈnɛməɡrɑːf/

I. noun

an anemometer which records the speed, duration, and sometimes also the direction of the wind.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek anemos ‘wind’ + -graph.

anemometer /ˌanɪˈmɒmɪtə/

I. noun

an instrument for measuring the speed of the wind, or of any current of gas.

II. derivatives

1. anemometric

adjective

2. anemometry /anɪˈmɒmɪtri /

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from Greek anemos ‘wind’ + -meter.

anemone /əˈnɛməni/

I. noun

1. a plant of the buttercup family which typically has brightly coloured flowers and deeply divided leaves.
●Genus Anemone, family Ranunculaceae: numerous species, including the common Eurasian wood anemone ( A. nemorosa).

2. short for sea anemone.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, said to be from Greek anemōnē ‘windflower’, literally ‘daughter of the wind’, from anemos ‘wind’, thought to be so named because the flowers open only when the wind blows.

anemone fish

noun

another term for clownfish.

anemophilous /ˌanɪˈmɒfɪləs/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a plant) wind-pollinated.

II. derivatives

anemophily /ˌanəˈmɒfɪli /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek anemos ‘wind’ + -philous (see -philia).

anencephalic /ˌanɛnsɪˈfalɪk, ˌanɛnkɛˈfalɪk / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

having part or all of the cerebral hemispheres and the rear of the skull congenitally absent.

II. noun

an anencephalic fetus or infant.

III. derivatives

anencephaly

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek anenkephalos ‘without brain’ + -ic.

anent /əˈnɛnt/

I. preposition

‹chiefly archaic› (Scottish) concerning; about

• I'll say a few words anent the letter.

– origin Old English on efen ‘in line with, in company with’.

-aneous

I. suffix

forming adjectives from Latin words

• cutaneous

• spontaneous.

– origin from the Latin suffix -aneus.

anergia /aˈnəːdʒɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] abnormal lack of energy.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek an- ‘without’ + ergon ‘work’.

anergy /ˈanədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] absence of the normal immune response to a particular antigen or allergen.

II. derivatives

anergic /əˈnəːdʒik /

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from German Anergie, from Greek an- ‘not’, on the pattern of Allergie ‘allergy’.

aneroid /ˈanərɔɪd/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a barometer that measures air pressure by the action of the air in deforming the elastic lid of an evacuated box.

II. noun

an aneroid barometer.

– origin mid 19th cent.: coined in French from Greek a- ‘without’ + nēros ‘water’.

aneuploid /ˈanjʊplɔɪd/

I. adjective

[Genetics] not euploid.

II. derivatives

aneuploidy

noun

aneurysm /ˈanjʊrɪz(ə)m / aneurism

I. noun

[Medicine] an excessive localized swelling of the wall of an artery.

II. derivatives

aneurysmal /anjʊˈrɪzm(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Greek aneurusma ‘dilatation’, from aneurunein ‘widen out’.

anew /əˈnjuː/

adverb

1. ‹chiefly literary› in a new or different and typically more positive way

• her career had begun anew, with a lucrative Japanese modelling contract.

2. ‹chiefly literary› once more; again

• tears filled her eyes anew.

anfractuous /ənˈfraktjʊəs/

I. adjective

‹rare› sinuous or circuitous.

• the line of gold extends and becomes anfractuous.

II. derivatives

anfractuosity

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin anfractuosus, from Latin anfractus ‘a bending’.

ANG

abbreviation

Netherlands Antillean guilder.

angary /ˈaŋɡəri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the right of a country at war to seize or destroy neutral property out of military necessity, provided that compensation is paid.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French angarie ‘chore, imposition’, from Italian or Latin angaria ‘forced service’, from Greek angareia, from angaros ‘courier’ (being liable to serve as the King's messenger), from Persian.

angekok /ˈaŋɡəkɒk/

I. noun

(among the Inuit of Greenland) a person believed to have magical powers of healing.

– origin Inuit angakkoq.

angel /ˈeɪndʒ(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a spiritual being believed to act as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God, conventionally represented in human form with wings and a long robe

• God sent an angel to talk to Gideon

• the Angel of Death.

2. an attendant spirit, especially a benevolent one

• there was an angel watching over me.

See also guardian angel.

3. (in traditional Christian angelology) a being of the lowest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy.

4. ( Angel) — short for Hell's Angel.

5. a person of exemplary conduct or virtue

• women were then seen as angels or whores

• I know I'm no angel.

6. used in similes or comparisons to refer to a person's outstanding beauty, qualities, or abilities

• you sang like an angel.

7. used in approval to a person who is kind or helpful

• be an angel and let us come in.

8. used as a term of endearment

• I miss you too, angel.

9. (also angel investor or business angel) — a person who supports a business financially, typically one who invests private capital in a small or newly established enterprise

• the longer it takes you to get your product into the marketplace, the longer it will be until the angels get their money back.

10. a financial backer of a theatrical production

• every year we raise the money for the next season and we are always looking for an angel.

11. a former English coin minted between the reigns of Edward IV and Charles I and bearing the figure of the archangel Michael killing a dragon.

12. ( angels) — ‹informal› an aircraft's altitude (often used with a numeral indicating thousands of feet)

• we rendezvous at angels nine.

13. ‹informal› an unexplained radar echo.

II. phrases

1. the angel in the house

‹chiefly ironic› a woman who is completely devoted to her husband and family.

• it's a bit late to be coming on like the angel in the house now.

[phrase from a poem by Coventry Patmore.]

2. on the side of the angels

on the side of what is right

• we're not in the business of polluting the environment, we're on the side of the angels.

– origin Old English engel, ultimately via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek angelos ‘messenger’; superseded in Middle English by forms from Old French angele.

angel cake ‹N. Amer.› angel food cake

noun

a very light, pale sponge cake made of flour, egg whites, and no fat, typically baked in a ring shape and covered with soft icing.

angel dust

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the hallucinogenic drug phencyclidine hydrochloride.

2. ‹informal› another term for clenbuterol.

Angeleno /ˌandʒəˈliːnəʊ / Los Angeleno, Angelino

I. noun

a native or inhabitant of Los Angeles
[as modifier]

• Angeleno sports fans.

– origin late 19th cent.: from American Spanish.

Angel Falls

a waterfall in the Guiana Highlands of SE Venezuela. It is the highest waterfall in the world, with an uninterrupted descent of 978 m (3,210 ft). The falls were discovered in 1935 by the American aviator and prospector James Angel ( c. 1899–1956).

angelfish /ˈeɪndʒ(ə)lfɪʃ/

noun

any of a number of laterally compressed deep-bodied fishes with extended dorsal and anal fins, typically brightly coloured or boldly striped:
● a freshwater fish native to the Amazon basin (genus Pterophyllum, family Cichlidae), in particular P. scalare. ● a marine or reef-dwelling fish (several genera in the family Chaetodontidae). ● another term for batfish (sense 2).

angel hair angel's hair

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of pasta consisting of very fine long strands.

angelic /anˈdʒɛlɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to angels

• the angelic hosts.

2. (of a person) exceptionally beautiful, innocent, or kind

• she looks remarkably young and angelic.

II. derivatives

1. angelical /anˈdʒɛlɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. angelically /anˈdʒɛlɪkli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from French angélique, via late Latin from Greek angelikos, from angelos (see angel).

angelica /anˈdʒɛlɪkə/

I. noun

1. a tall aromatic plant of the parsley family, with large leaves and yellowish-green flowers. It is used in cooking and herbal medicine.
●Genus Angelica, family Umbelliferae: many species, especially the cultivated A. archangelica.

2. [ mass noun] — the candied stalk of angelica, used in confectionery and cake decoration.

– origin early 16th cent.: from medieval Latin (herba) angelica ‘angelic (herb)’, so named because it was believed to be efficacious against poisoning and disease.

angelica tree

noun

a tree of the ginseng family, with large leaves and black berries.
●Genus Aralia, family Araliaceae.

Angelic Doctor

the nickname of St Thomas Aquinas.

Angelico, Fra /anˈdʒɛlɪkəʊ/

( c. 1400–55), Italian painter and Dominican friar; born Guido di Pietro; monastic name Fra Giovanni da Fiesole. Notable works: the frescoes in the convent of San Marco, Florence ( c. 1438–47).

Angelman syndrome

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rare congenital disorder characterized by mental disability and a tendency to jerky movement, caused by the absence of certain genes normally present on the copy of chromosome 15 inherited from the mother.

– origin 1970s: named after Harold Angelman (1915–96), the British doctor who described the condition.

angelology

noun — [ mass noun]

1. theological doctrine concerning angels.

Angelou, Maya /ˈandʒəluː/

(1928–2014), American novelist and poet, acclaimed for the first volume of her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1970), which recounts her harrowing experiences as a black child in the American South.

angel shark

noun

a large, active bottom-dwelling cartilaginous fish with broad wing-like pectoral fins.
●Family Squatinidae and genus Squatina: several species, in particular S. squatina (also called monkfish).

angels on horseback

plural noun

(Brit.) an appetizer consisting of oysters individually wrapped in bacon and served on toast.

angel's trumpet

noun

a South American shrub or small tree with large pendulous trumpet-shaped flowers, cultivated as an ornamental and in some regions consumed for its narcotic properties.
●Genus Brugmansia, family Solanaceae; often placed in the genus Datura.

Angelus /ˈandʒ(ə)ləs/

I. noun

1. a Roman Catholic devotion commemorating the Incarnation of Jesus and including the Hail Mary, said at morning, noon, and sunset.

2. a ringing of church bells announcing the Angelus.

• the bells in the tower above tolled the first Angelus.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from the Latin phrase Angelus domini ‘the angel of the Lord’, the opening words of the devotion.

angel wings

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a large white edible piddock (mollusc) which occurs in the Caribbean and on the east coast of North America.
● Barnea costata, family Pholadidae.

anger /ˈaŋɡə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility

• the colonel's anger at his daughter's disobedience.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. fill (someone) with anger; provoke anger in

• she was angered by his terse answer

• [with obj. and clause] he was angered that he had not been told.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse angr ‘grief’, angra ‘vex’. The original use was in the Old Norse senses; current senses date from late Middle English.

Angers /ˈɑ̃ʒeɪ, French ɑ̃ʒe/

a town in western France, capital of the former province of Anjou; pop. 156,965 (2006).

Angevin /ˈandʒəvɪn/

I. noun

1. a native, inhabitant, or ruler of Anjou.

2. any of the Plantagenet kings of England, especially those who were also counts of Anjou (Henry II, Richard I, and John).

II. adjective

1. relating to Anjou.

2. relating to or denoting the Plantagenets.

• the Angevin kings.

– origin from French, from medieval Latin Andegavinus, from Andegavum ‘Angers’ (see Angers).

angina /anˈdʒʌɪnə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also angina pectoris) — a condition marked by severe pain in the chest, often also spreading to the shoulders, arms, and neck, owing to an inadequate blood supply to the heart.

• he had high blood pressure and he suffered from angina.

[Latin pectoris ‘of the chest’.]

2. [with modifier] — any of a number of disorders in which there is an intense localized pain

• Ludwig's angina.

II. derivatives

anginal

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘quinsy’, from Greek ankhonē ‘strangling’.

angio- /ˈandʒɪəʊ/

I. combining form

1. relating to blood vessels

• angiography.

2. relating to seed vessels

• angiosperm.

– origin from Greek angeion ‘vessel’.

angiogenesis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the development of new blood vessels.

angiogram /ˈandʒɪə(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

an X-ray photograph of blood or lymph vessels, made by angiography.

angiography /ˌandʒɪˈɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. radiography of blood or lymph vessels, carried out after introduction of a radiopaque substance.

II. derivatives

1. angiographer

noun

2. angiographic

adjective

3. angiographically

adverb

angioma /ˌandʒɪˈəʊmə/

I. noun

[Medicine] an abnormal growth produced by the dilatation or new formation of blood vessels.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek angeion ‘vessel’ + -oma.

angioneurotic

adjective

[Medicine] (of oedema) marked by swelling and itching of areas of skin, usually allergic in origin.

angioplasty /ˈandʒɪə(ʊ)ˌplasti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] surgical repair or unblocking of a blood vessel, especially a coronary artery.

• one of the commonest operations performed in the US is angioplasty.

• [ count noun] an emergency angioplasty.

angiosperm

I. noun

[Botany] a plant of a large group that comprises those that have flowers and produce seeds enclosed within a carpel, including herbaceous plants, shrubs, grasses, and most trees. Compare with gymnosperm.
●Subdivision Angiospermae, division Spermatophyta.

II. derivatives

angiospermous /andʒɪə(ʊ)ˈspəːməs /

adjective

angiotensin /ˌandʒɪə(ʊ)ˈtɛnsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a protein whose presence in the blood promotes aldosterone secretion and tends to raise blood pressure.

– origin 1950s: from angio- + ( hyper)tens(ion) + -in^1.

Angkor /ˈaŋkɔː/

the capital of the ancient kingdom of Khmer in NW Cambodia, noted for its temples, especially the Angkor Wat (mid 12th century); the site was rediscovered in 1860.

angle^1 /ˈaŋɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

1. the space (usually measured in degrees) between two intersecting lines or surfaces at or close to the point where they meet.

• in any triangle, the longest side is opposite the largest angle.

• spring-loaded hinges open the doors to any angle up to 90°.

2. a corner, especially an external projection or an internal recess of a part of a building or other structure

• a skylight in the angle of the roof.

3. a measure of the inclination of one line or surface with respect to another

• sloping at an angle of 33° to the horizontal.

4. a position from which something is viewed or along which it travels or acts, typically as measured by its inclination from an implicit horizontal or vertical baseline

• from this angle Maggie could not see Naomi's face.

5. a particular way of approaching or considering an issue or problem

• discussing the problems from every conceivable angle

• he always had a fresh angle on life.

6. [often with modifier] — [Astrology] each of the four cardinal points of a chart, from which the first, fourth, seventh, and tenth houses extend anticlockwise respectively.

7. [ mass noun] — angle iron or a similar constructional material made of another metal.

• the supporting frame is usually of aluminium angle bolted together.

II. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of direction]

1. direct or incline at an angle

• he angled his chair so that he could watch her.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move or be inclined at an angle

• still the rain angles down.

3. [with obj.] — present (information) to reflect a particular view or have a particular focus

• angle your answer so that it is relevant to the job for which you are applying.

III. phrases

1. at an angle

in a direction or at an inclination markedly different from parallel, vertical, or horizontal with respect to an implicit baseline

• she wore her beret at an angle

• an armchair was drawn up at an angle to his desk.

2. from all angles

from every direction or point of view

• they come shooting at us from all angles.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin angulus ‘corner’.

angle^2 /ˈaŋɡ(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. fish with a rod and line.

• there are no big fish left to angle for.

2. seek something desired by indirectly prompting someone to offer it

• Ralph had begun to angle for an invitation.

II. noun

‹archaic› a fish hook.

• you will be pleased too, if you find a Trout at one of our Angles.

– origin Old English angul (noun); the verb dates from late Middle English.

Angle /ˈaŋɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

a member of a Germanic people, originally inhabitants of what is now Schleswig-Holstein, who came to England in the 5th century AD. The Angles founded kingdoms in Mercia, Northumbria, and East Anglia and gave their name to England and the English.

– origin from Latin Anglus, (plural) Angli ‘the people of Angul’, a district of Schleswig (now in northern Germany), so named because of its shape; of Germanic origin, related to Old English angul (see angle^2). Compare with English.

angle bead

noun

a strip of metal or wood fixed to a corner before it is plastered to reinforce and protect it.

angle bracket

noun

1. either of a pair of marks in the form used to enclose words or figures so as to separate them from their context.

2. another term for bracket (sense 3 of the noun).

angled /ˈaŋɡ(ə)ld/

adjective

1. placed or inclined at an angle to something else

• he sent an angled shot into the net.

2. (of information) presented so as to reflect a particular view or to have a particular focus.

• angled views on dancing.

3. [in combination] — having an angle or angles of a specified type or number

• a right-angled bend.

angle grinder

noun

a device with a rotating abrasive disc, used to grind, polish, or cut metal and other materials.

angle iron

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a constructional material consisting of pieces of iron or steel with an L-shaped cross section, able to be bolted together.

2. [ count noun] — a piece of angle iron.

angle of attack

noun

[Aeronautics] the angle between the line of the chord of an aerofoil and the relative airflow.

• move forwards on the stick to reduce the angle of attack.

angle of incidence

noun

[Physics] the angle which an incident line or ray makes with a perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence.

angle of reflection

noun

[Physics] the angle made by a reflected ray with a perpendicular to the reflecting surface.

angle of refraction

noun

[Physics] the angle made by a refracted ray with a perpendicular to the refracting surface.

angle of repose

noun

the steepest angle at which a sloping surface formed of loose material is stable.

• the angle of repose will vary locally according to the mechanics of shape and strength.

anglepoise /ˈaŋɡ(ə)lpɔɪz/

noun

‹trademark› a type of desk lamp with a jointed arm and counterbalancing springs that hold it in any position to which it is adjusted
[as modifier]

• an anglepoise lamp.

angler /ˈaŋɡlə/

noun

1. a person who fishes with a rod and line.

• a carp angler.

2. short for anglerfish.

anglerfish /ˈaŋɡləfɪʃ/

noun

a fish that lures prey with a fleshy lobe on a filament arising from the snout, typically with a very large head and wide mouth, and a small body and tail.
●Order Lophiiformes: several families. Some rest motionless on the seabed, in particular those of the family Lophiidae; many others are deep-sea fish.

Anglesey /ˈaŋɡ(ə)lsi/

an island and (since 1996) county of NW Wales, separated from the mainland by the Menai Strait; pop. 70,000 (est. 2009).
Welsh name Ynys Môn.

angle shades

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a European moth with wings patterned in muted green, red, and pink.
● Phlogophora meticulosa, family Noctuidae.

angle wings

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a North American butterfly that is related to and resembles the comma.
●Genus Polygonia, subfamily Nymphalinae, family Nymphalidae: several species.

Anglian /ˈaŋɡlɪən/

I. adjective

1. relating to the ancient Angles.

2. [Geology] relating to or denoting a Pleistocene glaciation in Britain, identified with the Elsterian of northern Europe (and perhaps the Mindel of the Alps).

3. (as noun the Anglian) — the Anglian glaciation or the system of deposits laid down during it.

– origin from Latin Angli (see Angle) + -ian.

Anglican /ˈaŋɡlɪk(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting the Church of England or any Church in communion with it.

II. noun

a member of any of the Anglican Churches.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin Anglicanus (its adoption suggested by Anglicana ecclesia ‘the English church’ in the Magna Carta), from Latin Anglicus, from Angli (see Angle).

Anglican chant

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of singing unmetrical psalms and canticles to short harmonized melodies, the first note being extended to accommodate as many syllables as necessary.

Anglican Communion

the group of Christian Churches derived from or related to the Church of England, including the Episcopal Church in the US and other national, provincial, and independent Churches. The body's senior bishop is the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Anglicanism /ˈaŋɡlɪkənɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the faith and practices of the Anglican Christian Churches.

anglice /ˈaŋɡlɪsi/

I. adverb

‹formal› in English.

– origin from medieval Latin, from Latin Anglus (see Angle).

Anglicism /ˈaŋɡlɪsɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a word or phrase that is peculiar to British English

• this new autobiography is studded with Anglicisms like lorries, plimsolls, and doing a bunk.

2. [ mass noun] — the quality of being typically English or of favouring English things.

3. a word or phrase borrowed from English into a foreign language

• the French have as an irritating Anglicism: un toast.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin Anglicus, from Angli (see Angle) + -ism.

anglicize /ˈaŋɡlɪsʌɪz / anglicise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make English in form or character

• he anglicized his name to Goodman

• (as adj. anglicized) an anglicized form of a Navajo word.

II. derivatives

anglicization

noun

angling /ˈaŋɡlɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the sport or pastime of fishing with a rod and line.

• recreation such as walking, boating, and angling.

• [as modifier] an angling club.

• an angling licence.

Anglo /ˈanɡləʊ/

I. noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a white English-speaking person of British or northern European origin, in particular (in the US) as distinct from a Hispanic American or (in Canada) as distinct from a French-speaker.

• they brought in Mexican workers to replace the Anglos on war duty.

• there is a feeling among Anglos in Quebec that things will never be the same.

• [as modifier] Anglo neighbourhoods.

2. (Indian) ‹offensive› an Anglo-Indian.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person selected for a Scottish, Irish, or Welsh national sports team who plays for an English club.

• the Scottish Grand Slam side had four or five Anglos.

– origin early 19th cent.: independent usage of Anglo-.

Anglo- /ˈaŋɡləʊ/

I. combining form

1. English

• anglophone.

2. of English origin

• Anglo-Saxon.

3. English and …

• Anglo-Latin.

4. British and …

• Anglo-Indian.

– origin modern Latin, from Latin Anglus ‘English’.

Anglo-Boer War ‹S. African›

either of the Boer Wars, but typically the second.
See Boer Wars.

Anglo-Catholic

I. adjective

relating to Anglo-Catholicism.

II. noun

a member of an Anglo-Catholic Church.

Anglo-Catholicism /aŋɡləʊkəˈθɒlɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tradition within the Anglican Church which is close to Catholicism in its doctrine and worship and is broadly identified with High Church Anglicanism. As a movement, Anglo-Catholicism grew out of the Oxford Movement of the 1830s and 1840s.

Anglo-Celt

I. noun

a person of British or Irish descent (used chiefly outside Britain and Ireland).

• Trudeau put multicultural affairs in the hands of a sympathetic Anglo-Celt.

II. derivatives

Anglo-Celtic

adjective

Anglocentric

adjective

centred on or considered in terms of England or Britain

• an Anglocentric, white view of Australian history.

Anglo-French /aŋɡləʊˈfrɛn(t)ʃ/

adjective

1. relating to both England (or Britain) and France

• the possible signing of an Anglo-French treaty

• Anglo-French relations.

2. of mixed English (or British) and French parentage or origin

• wealthy Anglo-French families in the wine trade

• the Anglo-French firm is now the UK's biggest producer of electricity.

Anglo-Indian /aŋɡləʊˈɪndɪən/

I. adjective

1. relating to both Britain and India

• Anglo-Indian business cooperation.

2. of Indian descent but born or living in Britain.

3. of mixed British and Indian parentage.

• the middling positions were all held by Anglo-Indian people of mixed race.

4. ‹chiefly historical› of British descent or birth but living or having lived long in India.

• the late Colonel Knelle had been both Anglo-Irish and Anglo-Indian.

II. noun

an Anglo-Indian person.

• British, Anglo-Indians, and Indians did a splendid job.

Anglo-Irish /aŋɡləʊˈʌɪrɪʃ/

adjective

1. relating to both Britain and Ireland (or specifically the Republic of Ireland).

2. of English descent but born or resident in Ireland.

• an impoverished though aristocratic Anglo-Irish family.

3. of mixed English and Irish parentage.

Anglo-Irish Agreement

an agreement made between Britain and the Republic of Ireland in 1985, admitting the Republic to discussions on Northern Irish affairs and providing for greater cooperation between the security forces in border areas.

Anglo-Irish Treaty

an agreement signed in 1921 by representatives of the British government and the provisional Irish Republican government, which gave southern Ireland dominion status as the Irish Free State in 1922.

Anglo-Latin

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the form of Latin used in medieval England.

II. adjective

relating to Anglo-Latin.

Anglomania /aŋɡləʊˈmeɪnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessive admiration of English customs.

II. derivatives

Anglomaniac /aŋɡləʊˈmeɪniak /

noun

Anglo-Norman French Anglo-Norman

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the variety of Norman French used in England after the Norman Conquest. It remained the language of the English nobility for several centuries.

II. adjective

relating to Anglo-Norman French.

Anglo-Nubian

noun

a goat of a coloured breed with a short glossy coat and lop ears, kept for its rich milk.

Anglophile /ˈaŋɡlə(ʊ)fʌɪl/

I. noun

a person who is fond of or greatly admires England or Britain.

II. adjective

fond or greatly admiring England or Britain.

• the Anglophile General Marshall.

• Holland certainly lives up to its reputation of being Anglophile.

III. derivatives

Anglophilia /ˌaŋɡlə(ʊ)ˈfɪlɪə /

noun

Anglophobe /ˈaŋɡlə(ʊ)fəʊb/

I. noun

a person having a strong dislike of England or Britain.

II. derivatives

Anglophobia /ˌaŋɡlə(ʊ)ˈfəʊbiə /

noun

anglophone /ˈaŋɡlə(ʊ)fəʊn/

I. adjective

English-speaking

• the population is largely anglophone.

II. noun

an English-speaking person.

– origin early 20th cent. (as a noun; rare before the 1960s): from Anglo- + -phone, on the pattern of francophone.

Anglo-Saxon /aŋɡləʊˈsaks(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting the Germanic inhabitants of England from their arrival in the 5th century up to the Norman Conquest.

2. of English descent.

3. of, in, or relating to the Old English language.

4. ‹informal› (of an English word or expression) plain, in particular vulgar

• using a lot of good old Anglo-Saxon expletives.

II. noun

1. a Germanic inhabitant of England between the 5th century and the Norman Conquest.

2. a person of English descent.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) any white, English-speaking person.

4. [ mass noun] — the Old English language.

5. ‹informal› plain English, in particular vulgar slang.

– origin from modern Latin Anglo-Saxones (plural), medieval Latin Angli Saxones.

Anglosphere /ˈaŋɡlə(ʊ)sfɪə/

noun — ( the Anglosphere)

1. the countries where English is the main native language, considered collectively.

Angola /aŋˈɡəʊlə/

1. a republic on the west coast of southern Africa; pop. 12,799,300 (est. 2009); languages, Portuguese (official), Bantu languages; capital, Luanda.

Angola was a Portuguese possession from the end of the 16th century until it achieved independence in 1975. Independence was followed by years of civil war between the ruling Marxist MPLA and the UNITA movement; this was halted by the signing of a ceasefire in 2002.

Angolan /aŋˈɡəʊlən/

I. adjective

relating to Angola or its people

• Angolan agriculture is dominated by small-scale subsistence farmers.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Angola, or a person of Angolan descent

• many Angolans are bilingual.

angora /aŋˈɡɔːrə/

I. noun — [often as modifier]

1. a cat, goat, or rabbit of a long-haired breed

• angora rabbits.

2. [ mass noun] — a yarn or fabric made from the hair of the angora goat or rabbit

• an angora cardigan.

– origin early 19th cent. (denoting a long-haired breed): from the place name Angora.

Angora /aŋˈɡɔːrə/

former name (until 1930) for Ankara.

angora wool

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mixture of sheep's wool and angora rabbit hair.

angostura /ˌaŋɡəˈstjʊərə / angostura bark

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an aromatic bitter bark from certain South American trees, used as a flavouring, and formerly as a tonic and to reduce fever.
●The trees are Angostura febrifuga and Galipea officinalis, family Rutaceae.

2. short for Angostura bitters.

– origin late 18th cent.: from the place name Angostura.

Angostura /ˌaŋɡəˈstjʊərə/

former name (until 1846) for Ciudad Bolívar.

Angostura bitters

plural noun

‹trademark› a kind of tonic first made in Angostura.

angrez /ʌŋˈreɪz / ‹Indian informal›

I. noun

an English person.

II. adjective

English.

• the pukka angrez sahib.

– origin Hindi, ‘Englishman’.

Angrezi /ʌŋˈreɪzi / ‹Indian informal›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the English language.

II. adjective

English.

angrily /ˈaŋɡrɪli/

adverb

1. in a manner resulting from or betraying anger

• workers reacted angrily to the announcement.

2. stormily or threateningly

• the sky was black and thundered angrily.

angry /ˈaŋɡri/

adjective

1. feeling or showing strong annoyance, displeasure, or hostility; full of anger

• why are you angry with me?

• I'm angry that she didn't call me.

2. (of the sea or sky) stormy, turbulent, or threatening

• the wild, angry sea.

3. (of a wound or sore) red and inflamed.

• the bruise below his eye looked angry and sore.

angry-looking

adjective

(of a sore) red and inflamed

• to soothe red, angry-looking breakouts.

angry white male

noun

‹derogatory› (chiefly US) a right-wing or anti-liberal white man, especially a working-class one.

• the angry white males make up the leadership of the anti-abortion movement.

angry young man

noun

1. a young man dissatisfied with and outspoken against existing social and political structures.

• he looked too intense, a tad too much the angry young man.

2. ( Angry Young Men) — a number of British playwrights and novelists of the early 1950s whose work was marked by irreverence towards the Establishment and disgust at the survival of class distinctions and privilege. Notable members of the group were John Osborne and Kingsley Amis.

angst /aŋst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused one about the human condition or the state of the world in general

• the existential angst of the middle classes.

• rock and pop have a tradition of celebrating adolescent angst.

2. ‹informal› a feeling of persistent worry about something trivial

• my hair causes me angst.

II. derivatives

angsty

adjective

– origin 1920s: from German, ‘fear’.

angst-ridden

adjective

filled with deep anxiety, especially about oneself or about the nature of existence

• frustrated, angst-ridden teenagers.

Ångström, Anders Jonas /ˈɒŋstrəːm/

(1814–74), Swedish physicist. He proposed a relationship between the emission and absorption spectra of chemical elements, and measured optical wavelengths in the unit later named in his honour.

angstrom /ˈaŋstrəm / ångström /ˈɒŋstrəːm/ , angstrom unit, Å

I. noun

a unit of length equal to one hundred-millionth of a centimetre, 10−10 metre, used mainly to express wavelengths and interatomic distances.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after A. J. Ångström (see Ångström, Anders Jonas).

Anguilla /aŋˈɡwɪlə/

I. the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean; pop. 14,400 (est. 2009); languages, English (official), English Creole; capital, The Valley. Formerly a British colony, and briefly united with St Kitts and Nevis (1967), the island is now a self-governing British overseas territory.

II. derivatives

Anguillan

adjective, noun

anguilliform /aŋˈɡwɪlɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

1. ‹rare› shaped like or resembling an eel.

• a suitably anguilliform entrance.

2. [Zoology] relating to a large order of fishes ( Anguilliformes) that comprises the eels.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin anguilla ‘eel’ + -iform.

anguine /ˈaŋɡwɪn/

I. adjective

‹rare› of or resembling a snake.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin anguinus, from anguis ‘snake’.

anguish /ˈaŋɡwɪʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. severe mental or physical pain or suffering

• she shut her eyes in anguish

• Philip gave a cry of anguish.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. be extremely distressed about something

• I spent the next two weeks anguishing about whether I'd made the right decision.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin angustia ‘tightness’, (plural) ‘straits, distress’, from angustus ‘narrow’.

anguished /ˈaŋɡwɪʃt/

I. adjective

experiencing or expressing severe mental or physical pain or suffering

• he gave an anguished cry.

– origin early 17th cent.: past participle of anguish (verb) in the rare sense ‘distress with severe mental or physical pain’, from Old French anguissier, from ecclesiastical Latin angustiare ‘to distress’, from Latin angustia.

angular /ˈaŋɡjʊlə/

I. adjective

1. having angles or sharp corners

• angular chairs

• Adam's angular black handwriting.

2. (of a person or part of their body) lean and having a prominent bone structure

• her angular face.

3. [Physics] denoting physical properties or quantities measured with reference to or by means of an angle, especially those associated with rotation

• angular acceleration.

4. [Astrology] relating to or denoting any of the houses that begin at the four cardinal points of a chart.

II. derivatives

1. angularity /ˌaŋɡjʊˈlarəti /

noun

2. angularly

adverb

– origin late Middle English (as an astrological term): from Latin angularis, from angulus (see angle^1).

angular diameter

noun

[Astronomy] the apparent diameter of a planet or other celestial object measured by the angle which it subtends at the point of observation.

angular frequency

noun

(Symbol: ω) — [Physics] the frequency of a steadily recurring phenomenon expressed in radians per second. A frequency in hertz can be converted to an angular frequency by multiplying it by 2π.

angular momentum

noun

[Physics] the quantity of rotation of a body, which is the product of its moment of inertia and its angular velocity.

angular velocity

noun

[Physics] the rate of change of angular position of a rotating body.

angulate /ˈaŋɡjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹technical› hold, bend, or distort (a part of the body) so as to form an angle or angles.
(as adj. angulated)

• the hindquarters are more strongly angulated than the forequarters.

2. [Skiing] incline (the upper body) sideways and outwards during a turn.

• one of the hardest principles for a beginning skier to grasp is the necessity to angulate the upper half of the body.

• [no obj.] you need to angulate slightly with the knees.

II. derivatives

angulation /ˌaŋɡjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (as angulated, used chiefly as a botanical or zoological term): from Latin angulatus, past participle of angulare, from angulus ‘angle’. The skiing term dates from the 1970s.

Angus^1 /ˈaŋɡəs/

a council area of NE Scotland; administrative centre, Forfar. It was known from the 16th century until 1928 as Forfarshire, and between 1975 and 1996 was part of Tayside region.

Angus^2 /ˈaŋɡəs/

noun

short for Aberdeen Angus.

angwantibo /əŋˈɡwɒntɪbəʊ/

I. noun

a small rare nocturnal primate of west central Africa, related to the potto.
● Arctocebus calabarensis, family Lorisidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Efik.

anharmonic /anhɑːˈmɒnɪk/

I. adjective

[Physics] relating to or denoting motion that is not simple harmonic.

II. derivatives

anharmonicity

noun

anhedonia /ˌanhɪˈdəʊnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] inability to feel pleasure in normally pleasurable activities.

II. derivatives

anhedonic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from French anhédonie, from Greek an- ‘without’ + hēdonē ‘pleasure’.

anhedral /anˈhiːdr(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Crystallography] (of a crystal) having no plane faces.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Aeronautics] downward inclination of an aircraft's wing.
Compare with dihedral.

– origin late 19th cent. (as an adjective): from an-1 ‘not’ + -hedral (see -hedron).

anhinga /anˈhɪŋɡə/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for darter (sense 1).

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Portuguese, from Tupi áyinga.

Anhui /anˈhweɪ / Anhwei

a province in eastern China; capital, Hefei.

anhydride /anˈhʌɪdrʌɪd/

I. noun

1. [Chemistry] the compound obtained by removing the elements of water from a particular acid.

• sulphur trioxide is the anhydride of sulphuric acid.

2. [usu. with modifier] — [Chemistry] an organic compound containing the group —C(O)OC(O)—, derived from a carboxylic acid.

• maleic anhydride.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek anudros (see anhydrous) + -ide.

anhydrite /anˈhʌɪdrʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white mineral consisting of anhydrous calcium sulphate. It typically occurs in evaporite deposits.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek anudros (see anhydrous) + -ite^1.

anhydrous /anˈhʌɪdrəs/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] (of a substance, especially a crystalline compound) containing no water.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek anudros (from an- ‘without’ + hudōr ‘water’) + -ous.

ani /ˈɑːni/

I. noun

a glossy black long-tailed bird of the cuckoo family, with a large deep bill, found in Central and South America.
●Genus Crotophaga, family Cuculidae: three species.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Spanish ani, Portuguese anum, from Tupi anũ.

aniline /ˈanɪliːn, ˈanɪlɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless oily liquid present in coal tar. It is used in the manufacture of dyes, drugs, and plastics, and was the basis of the earliest synthetic dyes.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_5NH_2.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from anil ‘indigo’ (from which it was originally obtained), via French and Portuguese from Arabic an-nīl (from Sanskrit nīlī, from nīla ‘dark blue’).

aniline dye

noun

‹chiefly historical› a synthetic dye, especially one made from aniline.

anilingus /ˌeɪnɪˈlɪŋɡəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. sexual stimulation of the anus by the tongue or mouth.

– origin 1960s: from Latin anus ‘anus’ on the pattern of cunnilingus.

anima /ˈanɪmə/

I. noun

1. [Psychoanalysis] (in Jungian psychology) the feminine part of a man's personality.
Often contrasted with animus (sense 3).

2. [Psychoanalysis] the part of the psyche which is directed inwards, in touch with the subconscious.

• persona and anima switch roles and merge in slow, smooth ways.

Often contrasted with persona.

– origin 1920s: from Latin, ‘mind, soul’.

animadversion /ˌanɪmədˈvəːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› criticism or censure

• her animadversion against science.

2. [ count noun] — ‹formal› a comment or remark, especially a critical one.

• animadversions that the poet receives quite humbly.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, or from Latin animadversio(n-), from the verb animadvertere (see animadvert).

animadvert /ˌanɪmədˈvəːt/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( animadvert on/upon/against)

1. ‹formal› pass criticism or censure on; speak out against

• we shall be obliged to animadvert most severely upon you in our report.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘pay attention to’): from Latin animadvertere, from animus ‘mind’ + advertere (from ad- ‘towards’ + vertere ‘to turn’).

animal /ˈanɪm(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a living organism which feeds on organic matter, typically having specialized sense organs and nervous system and able to respond rapidly to stimuli.

• wild animals adapt badly to a caged life.

• humans are the only animals who weep.

2. any such living organism other than a human being

• are humans superior to animals, or just different?

3. a mammal, as opposed to a bird, reptile, fish, or insect

• the snowfall seemed to have chased all birds, animals, and men indoors.

4. a person without human attributes or civilizing influences, especially someone who is very cruel, violent, or repulsive

• those men have to be animals—what they did to that boy was savage.

5. [with adj. or noun modifier] — a particular type of person or thing

• I am a political animal

• property development was a different animal altogether.

Animals are generally distinguished from plants by being unable to synthesize organic molecules from inorganic ones, so that they have to feed on plants or on other animals. They are typically able to move about, though this ability is sometimes restricted to a particular stage in the life cycle. The great majority of animals are invertebrates, of which there are some thirty phyla; the vertebrates constitute but a single subphylum. .

II. adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of animals

• the evolution of animal life

• animal welfare.

2. of animals as distinct from plants

• tissues of animal and vegetable protein.

3. characteristic of the physical and instinctive needs of animals; of the flesh rather than the spirit or intellect

• a crude surrender to animal lust.

4. [Biology] relating to or denoting the pole or extremity of an embryo that contains the more active cytoplasm in the early stages of development.
The opposite of vegetal.

– origin Middle English: the noun from Latin animal, based on Latin animalis ‘having breath’ from anima ‘breath’; the adjective via Old French from Latin animalis.

animalcule /ˌanɪˈmalkjuːl/

I. noun

‹archaic› a microscopic animal.

II. derivatives

animalcular

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from modern Latin animalculum, from animal ‘an animal’ + -cule.

animal husbandry

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the science of breeding and caring for farm animals.

animalism /ˈanɪm(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. behaviour that is characteristic of animals, particularly in being physical and instinctive.

2. religious worship of animals.

animalist

noun

an animal liberationist.

animalistic /anɪməˈlɪstɪk/

adjective

1. characteristic of animals, particularly in being physical and instinctive

• these dogs are an extension of their owners' animalistic tendencies.

2. relating to or practising the religious worship of animals

• images of animalistic ritual costumes spring to mind.

animality /anɪˈmalɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. animal nature or character

• a pre-human condition of animality.

2. physical, instinctive behaviour or qualities

• what attracted me to her was her animality.

animalize /ˈanɪm(ə)lʌɪz / animalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make into or like an animal.

II. derivatives

animalization /anɪm(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

animal liberation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the freeing of animals from exploitation and cruel treatment by humans.

• animal liberation is the goal for which the philosophy of animal rights is the philosophy.

• [as modifier] one of the animal liberation groups.

II. derivatives

animal liberationist

noun

animal life

noun — [ mass noun]

1. animals collectively, especially those native to a particular region, habitat, or geological period

• early animal life in the oceans

• an impressive diversity of animal life.

animal magnetism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a quality of sexual attractiveness

• he had an animal magnetism that women found irresistible.

2. ‹historical› a supposed emanation to which the action of mesmerism was ascribed.

animal rightist

noun

a person who campaigns for the rights of animals to live free from human exploitation and abuse

• animal rightists hurled themselves between the harpoons and the whale.

animal rights

plural noun

the rights of animals to live free from human exploitation and abuse
[as modifier]

• animal rights activists.

animal spirits

plural noun

natural exuberance.

• the over-elaborate system of import licensing has had a dampening effect on the animal spirits of entrepreneurs.

animate

I. verb — [with obj.] animate /ˈanɪmeɪt /

1. bring to life

• Prometheus stole fire from heaven to animate his clay men.

2. give inspiration, encouragement, or renewed vigour to

• she has animated the government with a sense of political direction.

3. give (a film or character) the appearance of movement using animation techniques.

• much-loved characters have been animated in this Franco-Canadian co-production.

II. adjective — animate /ˈanɪmət /

1. alive or having life

• gods in a wide variety of forms, both animate and inanimate.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin animat- ‘instilled with life’, from the verb animare, from anima ‘life, soul’.

animated /ˈanɪmeɪtɪd/

I. adjective

1. full of life or excitement; lively

• an animated conversation.

2. (of a film or image) made using animation techniques

• an animated version of the classic fairy tale.

II. derivatives

animatedly /ˈanɪmeɪtɪdli /

adverb

animated stick

noun

a stick insect of the eastern Australian coast, which is one of the world's longest insects at up to 25 cm.
● Acrophylla titan, family Phasmatidae, order Phasmida.

animateur /ˌanɪməˈtəː/

I. noun

a person who enlivens or encourages something, especially a promoter of artistic projects.

– origin 1950s: French, from medieval Latin animator.

animatic /ˌanɪˈmatɪk/

I. noun

a preliminary version of a film, produced by shooting successive sections of a storyboard and adding a soundtrack.

– origin 1970s: from animat(ed) + -ic, or a blend of animated and schematic.

animation /anɪˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being full of life or vigour; liveliness

• they started talking with animation.

2. ‹chiefly archaic› the state of being alive.

• the body began to show tiny signs of animation.

3. the technique of photographing successive drawings or positions of puppets or models to create an illusion of movement when the film is shown as a sequence.

• a combination of live action with 3-D animation.

• [ count noun] animations as backdrops for live action.

4. (also computer animation) — the manipulation of electronic images by means of a computer in order to create moving images.

animato /ˌanɪˈmɑːtəʊ / ‹Music›

I. adverb, adjective

(especially as a direction) in an animated manner.

II. noun

a passage marked to be performed animato.

– origin Italian.

animator /ˈanɪmeɪtə/

noun

a person who makes animated films

• usually animators make a series of drawings on paper or on the computer.

animatronics /ˌanɪməˈtrɒnɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the technique of making and operating lifelike robots, typically for use in film or other entertainment.

• ask them if they can find out who's doing the animatronics.

II. derivatives

animatronic /anɪməˈtrɒnɪk /

adjective

– origin 1970s: blend of animated and electronics.

anime /ˈanɪmeɪ, ˈanɪmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of Japanese film and television animation, typically aimed at adults as well as children.
Compare with manga.

– origin 1980s: Japanese, shortened from animēshon, based on English animation.

animism /ˈanɪmɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the attribution of a living soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.

2. the belief in a supernatural power that organizes and animates the material universe.

• beneath the veneer of Hindu religion, ancient animism runs strong.

II. derivatives

1. animist /ˈanɪmɪst /

noun

2. animistic

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin anima ‘life, soul’ + -ism.

animosity /ˌanɪˈmɒsɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. strong hostility

• he no longer felt any animosity towards her.

– origin late Middle English (originally in the sense ‘spirit, courage’): from Old French animosite or late Latin animositas, from animosus ‘spirited’, from Latin animus ‘spirit, mind’. The current sense dates from the early 17th cent.

animus /ˈanɪməs/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — hostility or ill feeling

• the author's animus towards her.

2. [ mass noun] — motivation to do something

• the reformist animus came from within the Party.

3. [Psychoanalysis] (in Jungian psychology) the masculine part of a woman's personality.
Often contrasted with anima.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘spirit, mind’.

anion /ˈanʌɪən/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a negatively charged ion, i.e. one that would be attracted to the anode in electrolysis.
The opposite of cation.

II. derivatives

anionic

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from anode or ana-, + ion.

anise /ˈanɪs/

I. noun

1. a Mediterranean plant of the parsley family, cultivated for its aromatic seeds which are used in cooking and herbal medicine.
● Pimpinella anisum, family Umbelliferae. See also aniseed.

2. an Asian or American tree or shrub which bears fruit with an aniseed-like odour.
●Genus Illicium, family Illiciaceae: many species, especially star anise ( I. verum), used in Chinese cooking.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin anisum, from Greek anison ‘anise, dill’.

anise cap

noun

a pale greenish mushroom which has a funnel-shaped cap and smells strongly of aniseed.
● Clitocybe odora, family Tricholomataceae, class Hymenomycetes.

aniseed /ˈanɪsiːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the seed of the anise, used in cooking and herbal medicine.

• almond cakes which were sweetened with aniseed.

• [as modifier] aniseed balls.

– origin late Middle English: from anise + seed.

anisette /ˌanɪˈzɛt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a liqueur flavoured with aniseed.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, diminutive of anis ‘anise’.

anisogamy /ˌanʌɪˈsɒɡəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] sexual reproduction by the fusion of dissimilar gametes.
Compare with isogamy.

II. derivatives

anisogamous

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek anisos ‘unequal’ + -gamy (from gamos ‘marriage’).

Anisoptera /ˌanʌɪˈzɒptərə/

I. plural noun

[Entomology] a group of insects which comprises the dragonflies. Compare with Zygoptera.
●Suborder Anisoptera, order Odonata.

II. derivatives

anisopteran

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek anisos ‘unequal’ + pteron ‘wing’.

anisotropic /ˌanʌɪsə(ʊ)ˈtrɒpɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Physics] (of an object or substance) having a physical property which has a different value when measured in different directions. An example is wood, which is stronger along the grain than across it.
Often contrasted with isotropic.

2. [Physics] (of a property or phenomenon) varying in magnitude according to the direction of measurement.

• electron scattering is anisotropic.

II. derivatives

1. anisotropically

adverb

2. anisotropy /ˌanʌɪˈsɒtrəpi /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek anisos ‘unequal’ + tropos ‘turn’ + -ic.

Anjou /ˈɑ̃ʒuː French ɑ̃ʒu//

a former province of western France, on the Loire. It was an English possession from 1154 until 1204.

Ankara /ˈaŋkərə/

the capital of Turkey since 1923; pop. 3,763,600 (est. 2007). Prominent in Roman times as Ancyra, it later declined in importance until chosen by Kemal Atatürk in 1923 as his seat of government.
Former name (until 1930) Angora.

ankh /aŋk/

I. noun

an object or design resembling a cross but having a loop instead of the top arm, used in ancient Egypt as a symbol of life.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Egyptian, literally ‘life, soul’.

ankle /ˈaŋk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. the joint connecting the foot with the leg.

• Jennie fell downstairs, breaking her ankle.

• [as modifier] an ankle injury.

2. the narrow part of the leg between the ankle joint and the calf

• her slim ankles.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. [with adverbial of direction] — (US) ‹informal› walk

• we can ankle off to a new locale.

2. [with obj.] — leave

• he ankled the series to do a movie.

3. (usu. as noun ankling) — flex the ankles while cycling in order to increase pedalling efficiency.

• changing my pedalling style from toeing to ankling.

III. derivatives

ankled

adjective

– origin Old English ancleow, of Germanic origin; superseded in Middle English by forms from Old Norse; related to Dutch enkel and German Enkel, from an Indo-European root shared by angle^1.

ankle-biter

noun

‹humorous› (chiefly N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) a child.

• travelling overseas with an ankle-biter has its advantages.

ankle bone

noun

the chief bone of the ankle joint; the talus.

ankle boot

noun

a boot that reaches to or just above the ankle

• she wore grey skinny jeans and high-heeled ankle boots.

ankle-deep

adjective, adverb

of or at a depth or height to reach the ankles
[as adj.]

• the cool ankle-deep water of the pool

• [as adv.] she stood ankle-deep in the water.

ankle-length

adjective

(of footwear or an item of clothing) reaching the ankles

• ankle-length boots

• an ankle-length skirt.

ankle sock

noun

a sock that reaches just above the ankle.

anklet /ˈaŋklɪt/

I. noun

1. an ornament worn round an ankle.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) an ankle sock.

– origin early 19th cent.: from ankle + -let, on the pattern of bracelet.

ankus /ˈaŋkəs/

I. noun

(Indian) a goad for elephants.

– origin via Hindi from Sanskrit aṅkuśa.

ankylosaur /ˈaŋkɪləsɔː/

I. noun

a heavily built quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaur of the Cretaceous period, armoured with bony plates.
●Infraorder Ankylosauria, order Ornithischia: several genera, in particular Ankylosaurus.

– origin early 20th cent.: from modern Latin Ankylosaurus, from Greek ankulos (see ankylosis) + sauros ‘lizard’.

ankylose /ˈaŋkɪləʊz/

I. verb — ( be/become ankylosed)

1. [Medicine] (of bones or a joint) be or become stiffened or united by ankylosis.

– origin late 18th cent.: back-formation from ankylosis, on the pattern of words such as anastomose.

ankylosing spondylitis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a form of spinal arthritis, chiefly affecting young males, that eventually causes ankylosis of vertebral and sacroiliac joints.

ankylosis /ˌaŋkɪˈləʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormal stiffening and immobility of a joint due to fusion of the bones.

II. derivatives

ankylotic

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from Greek ankulōsis, from ankuloun ‘to crook’, from ankulos ‘crooked’.

anlage /ˈanlɑːɡə/

I. noun

[Biology] the rudimentary basis of a particular organ or other part, especially in an embryo.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German, ‘foundation, basis’.

anna /ˈanə/

I. noun

a former monetary unit of India and Pakistan, equal to one sixteenth of a rupee.

– origin from Hindi ānā.

Annaba /ˈanəbə/

a port of NE Algeria; pop. 205,600 (est. 2009). The modern town is adjacent to the site of Hippo Regius, a prominent city in Roman Africa and the home and bishopric of St Augustine of Hippo from 396 to 430.
Former name Bône.

an-Najaf /an ˈnadʒaf/

another name for Najaf.

annal /ˈan(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a record of the events of one year

• the annal for 1032.

2. a record of one item in a chronicle.

• an annal recording Nothhelm's assistance to Ine in his war with Geraint.

– origin late 17th cent.: back-formation from annals.

annalist /ˈan(ə)lɪst/

I. noun

a person who writes annals.

II. derivatives

1. annalistic /an(ə)ˈlɪstɪk /

adjective

2. annalistically

adverb

annals /ˈan(ə)lz/

I. plural noun

1. a record of events year by year

• eighth-century Northumberland annals.

2. historical records

• the annals of the police courts

• ‹figurative› the deed will live forever in the annals of infamy.

3. ( Annals) — used in titles of learned journals

• Annals of Neurobiology.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin annales (libri) ‘yearly (books)’, from annus ‘year’.

Annan, Kofi /aˈnan, ˈan(ə)n/

(b.1938), Ghanaian diplomat, Secretary General of the United Nations 1997–2006; full name Kofi Atta Annan.

Annapolis /əˈnapəlɪs/

the state capital of Maryland, on Chesapeake Bay; pop. 36,524 (est. 2008). It is the home of the US Naval Academy.

Annapurna /ˌanəˈpəːnə/

a ridge of the Himalayas, in north central Nepal. Its highest peak rises to 8,078 m (26,503 ft).

Anna's hummingbird

I. noun

a North American hummingbird which lives chiefly in California. The male has an iridescent rose-red head and throat.
● Calypte anna, family Trochilidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Anna, the wife of Prince François Massena ( c. 1795–1863), Duc de Ravoli, who obtained the original specimen.

annates /ˈaneɪts/

I. plural noun

‹chiefly historical› a year's revenue of a Roman Catholic see or benefice, paid to the Pope by a bishop or other cleric on his appointment.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin annata ‘year's proceeds’, from annus ‘year’.

annatto /əˈnatəʊ / anatto

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — an orange-red dye obtained from the seed coat of a tropical fruit, used for colouring foods.

2. the tropical American tree that yields the fruit from which annatto is obtained.
● Bixa orellana, family Bixaceae.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Carib.

Anne /an/

(1665–1714), queen of England and Scotland (known as Great Britain from 1707) and Ireland 1702–14. The last of the Stuart monarchs, daughter of the Catholic James II (but herself a Protestant), she succeeded her brother-in-law William III to the throne. None of her children survived into adulthood, and by the Act of Settlement (1701) the throne passed to the House of Hanover on her death.

Anne, Princess

Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise, the Princess Royal (b.1950), daughter of Elizabeth II. She is a skilled horsewoman (riding for Great Britain in the 1976 Olympics) and is president of Save the Children Fund. Her two children are Peter (b.1977) and Zara Philips (b.1981), by her former husband Captain Mark Philips.

Anne, St

traditionally the mother of the Virgin Mary, first mentioned by name in the apocryphal gospel of James (2nd century). She is the patron saint of Brittany and the province of Quebec in Canada. Feast day, 26 July.

anneal /əˈniːl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. heat (metal or glass) and allow it to cool slowly, in order to remove internal stresses and toughen it.

• copper tubes must be annealed after bending or they will be brittle.

• (as adj. annealing) the chimneys of annealing furnaces.

• ‹figurative› Dr Lowenstein, annealed to hostility, looked at me coolly.

2. [Biochemistry] recombine (DNA) in the double-stranded form.

II. derivatives

annealer

noun

– origin Old English onǣlan, from on + ǣlan ‘burn, bake’ from āl ‘fire, burning’. The original sense was ‘set on fire’, hence (in late Middle English) ‘subject to fire, alter by heating’.

annelid /ˈan(ə)lɪd / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a segmented worm of the phylum Annelida, such as an earthworm or leech.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting annelids.

III. derivatives

annelidan

noun, adjective

Annelida /əˈnɛlɪdə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a large phylum that comprises the segmented worms, which include earthworms, lugworms, ragworms, and leeches.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from French (animaux) annelés ‘ringed (animals)’, from Old French anel ‘a ring’, from Latin anellus, diminutive of anulus ‘a ring’.

Anne of Cleves /kliːvz/

(1515–57), fourth wife of Henry VIII. Arranged for political purposes, the marriage was dissolved after only six months; Henry, initially deceived by a flattering portrait of Anne by Holbein, took an instant dislike to her.

annex

I. verb — [with obj.] annex /əˈnɛks /

1. add as an extra or subordinate part, especially to a document

• the first ten amendments were annexed to the Constitution in 1791.

2. ‹archaic› add or attach as a condition or consequence.

• extreme anointing hath neither ordinance of God to be grounded on, nor promise of grace annexed.

3. add (territory) to one's own territory by appropriation

• the left bank of the Rhine was annexed by France in 1797.

II. noun — annex /ˈanɛks /

1. a building joined to or associated with a main building, providing additional space or accommodation.

• the school's one-storey wooden annex.

2. an addition to a document

• an annex to the report.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French annexer, from Latin annectere ‘connect’, from ad- ‘to’ + nectere ‘tie, fasten’.

annexation /ˌanəkˈseɪʃn, ˌanɛkˈseɪʃn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of annexing something, especially territory

• the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938.

II. derivatives

annexationist /ˌanɛkˈseɪʃ(ə)nɪst /

noun, adjective

Annigoni, Pietro /ˌanɪˈɡəʊni/

(1910–88), Italian painter. He is famous for his portraits of Queen Elizabeth II (1955, 1970) and President Kennedy (1961).

annihilate /əˈnʌɪɪleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. destroy utterly; obliterate

• a simple bomb of this type could annihilate them all

• a crusade to annihilate evil.

2. defeat utterly

• the stronger force annihilated its opponent virtually without loss.

3. [Physics] convert (a subatomic particle) into radiant energy.

• a fraction of the mass of atomic nuclei is annihilated.

• mesons are unstable because the quark and antiquark can annihilate each other.

II. derivatives

annihilator /əˈnʌɪəleɪtə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (originally as an adjective meaning ‘destroyed, annulled’): from late Latin annihilatus ‘reduced to nothing’, from the verb annihilare, from ad- ‘to’ + nihil ‘nothing’. The sense ‘destroy utterly’ dates from the mid 16th cent.

annihilation /ənʌɪɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. complete destruction or obliteration

• the threat of global annihilation.

2. total defeat

• a show of independence is its only hope of avoiding annihilation in next year's elections.

3. [Physics] the conversion of matter into energy, especially the mutual conversion of a particle and an antiparticle into electromagnetic radiation.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin annihilatio(n-), from the verb annihilare (see annihilate).

anniversary /anɪˈvəːs(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year

• the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain

• the 75th anniversary of the RAF.

2. the date on which a couple were married in a previous year

• he even forgot our tenth anniversary!

– origin Middle English: from Latin anniversarius ‘returning yearly’, from annus ‘year’ + versus ‘turning’.

Annobón /ˈanəbɒn/

an island of Equatorial Guinea, in the Gulf of Guinea.
Former name (1973–9) Pagalu.

Anno Domini /ˌanəʊ ˈdɒmɪnʌɪ/

I. adverb

full form of AD.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› advancing age

• since retirement Anno Domini has restricted my activities.

– origin Latin, ‘in the year of the Lord’.

annotate /ˈanəteɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. add notes to (a text or diagram) giving explanation or comment
(as adj. annotated)

• an annotated bibliography.

II. derivatives

1. annotatable

adjective

2. annotative

adjective

3. annotator /ˈanəteɪtə /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin annotat- ‘marked’, from the verb annotare, from ad- ‘to’ + nota ‘a mark’.

annotation /anəˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a note by way of explanation or comment added to a text or diagram

• marginal annotations.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of annotating a text or diagram

• annotation of prescribed texts.

– origin late Middle English: from French, or from Latin annotatio(n-), from the verb annotare (see annotate).

announce /əˈnaʊns/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. make a formal public statement about a fact, occurrence, or intention
[with clause]

• the President's office announced that the siege would be lifted

• [with obj.] he announced his retirement from international football

• [with direct speech] ‘I have a confession to make,’ she announced.

2. make known the arrival of (a guest) at a formal social occasion.

3. give information about (transport) in a station or airport via a public address system

• they were announcing her train.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French annoncer, from Latin annuntiare, from ad- ‘to’ + nuntiare ‘declare, announce’ (from nuntius ‘messenger’).

announcement /əˈnaʊnsm(ə)nt/

noun

1. a formal public statement about a fact, occurrence, or intention

• the minister was about to make an announcement.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of making an announcement

• the announcement of the decision of the European Parliament.

3. a notice appearing in a newspaper or public place and announcing something such as a birth, death, or marriage.

• an announcement is appearing in the Morning Post tomorrow.

4. a piece of information given over a public address system.

• a loudspeaker announcement echoed across the field.

announcer /əˈnaʊnsə/

noun

a person who announces something, in particular someone who introduces or gives information about programmes on radio or television.

annoy /əˈnɔɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) a little angry; irritate

• the decision really annoyed him.

• your damned cheerfulness has always annoyed me.

2. ‹archaic› harm or attack repeatedly

• a gallant Saxon, who annoyed this Coast.

II. derivatives

annoyer /əˈnɔɪə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘be hateful to’): from Old French anoier (verb), anoi (noun), based on Latin in odio in the phrase mihi in odio est ‘it is hateful to me’.

annoyance /əˈnɔɪəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the feeling or state of being annoyed; irritation

• there was annoyance at government interference

• he turned his charm on Tara, much to Hegarty's annoyance.

2. [ count noun] — a thing that annoys someone; a nuisance.

• the Council found him an annoyance.

• some people like to irritate us with trivial annoyances.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French anoiance, from anoier (see annoy).

annoyed /əˈnɔɪd/

I. adjective

slightly angry; irritated

• Kelly was annoyed with him

• he was annoyed at being woken up so early.

• I got very annoyed watching the film.

II. derivatives

annoyedly

adverb

annoying /əˈnɔɪɪŋ/

I. adjective

causing irritation or annoyance

• annoying habits

• unsolicited calls are annoying.

II. derivatives

annoyingness

noun

annoyingly /əˈnɔɪɪŋli/

adverb

in a way that causes irritation or annoyance

• the alarm clock rang annoyingly in her ear

• [as submodifier] I was being annoyingly facetious earlier

• [ sentence adverb] even more annoyingly, I couldn't find my mobile phone.

annual /ˈanjʊəl/

I. adjective

1. occurring once every year

• the sponsored walk became an annual event

• an annual report.

2. calculated over or covering a period of a year

• an annual rate of increase

• his basic annual income.

3. (of a plant) living only for a year or less, perpetuating itself by seed.

• annual weeds.

Compare with biennial, perennial.

II. noun

1. a book or magazine that is published once a year under the same title but with different contents.

• a Christmas annual.

• trade journals, annuals, and directories.

2. an annual plant.

• sow annuals in spring.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French annuel, from late Latin annualis, based on Latin annus ‘year’.

annual general meeting

noun

(Brit.) a yearly meeting of the members or shareholders of a club, company, or other organization, especially for holding elections and reporting on the year's events.

annualized annualised

adjective

(of a rate of interest, inflation, or return on an investment) recalculated as an annual rate.

• an annualized yield of about 11.5%.

• the economy exploded at a rate of over 7% annualized.

annually /ˈanjʊəli, ˈanjʊli/

adverb

once a year; every year

• the prize is awarded annually

• sales are increasing by about 17% annually.

annual ring

noun

a ring in the cross section of the stem or root of a temperate woody plant, produced by one year's growth.

annuitant /əˈnjuːɪt(ə)nt/

I. noun

‹formal› a person who receives an annuity.

– origin early 18th cent.: from annuity, on the pattern of accountant.

annuity /əˈnjuːɪti/

I. noun

1. a fixed sum of money paid to someone each year, typically for the rest of their life.

• he left her an annuity of £1,000 in his will:

2. a form of insurance or investment entitling the investor to a series of annual sums.

• loans secured on an older person's home which are used to purchase a life annuity.

• [as modifier] an annuity scheme.

II. derivatives

annuitize annuitise

verb

– origin late Middle English: from French annuité, from medieval Latin annuitas, from Latin annuus ‘yearly’, from annus ‘year’.

annul /əˈnʌl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. declare invalid (an official agreement, decision, or result)

• the elections were annulled by the general amid renewed protests.

2. declare (a marriage) to have had no legal existence.

• her first marriage was finally annulled by His Holiness.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French anuller, from late Latin annullare, from ad- ‘to’ + nullum ‘nothing’.

annular /ˈanjʊlə/

I. adjective

‹technical› ring-shaped.

• complex craters have uplifted central structures surrounded by an annular trough and a fractured rim.

II. derivatives

annularly

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from French annulaire or Latin annularis, from anulus, annulus ‘a ring’.

annular eclipse

noun

an eclipse of the sun in which the edge of the sun remains visible as a bright ring around the moon.

annulate /ˈanjʊlət/

I. adjective

[chiefly Zoology] having rings; marked with or formed of rings.

• an annulate worm.

II. derivatives

1. annulated

adjective

2. annulation

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin annulatus, from anulus, annulus ‘a ring’.

annulet /ˈanjʊlɪt/

I. noun

1. [Architecture] a small fillet or band encircling a column.

2. [Heraldry] a charge in the form of a small ring.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘small ring’): from Old French anelet, from Latin anulus, annulus ‘ring’ + -et^1. The spelling change in the 16th cent. was due to association with the Latin.

annulment /əˈnʌlm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the act of annulling something

• the applicant sought the annulment of the decision

• [ count noun] grounds for an annulment.

annulus /ˈanjʊləs/

I. noun

1. ‹technical› a ring-shaped object, structure, or region.

2. ‹technical› [Mathematics] a plane figure consisting of the area between a pair of concentric circles.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin anulus, annulus.

annunciate /əˈnʌnsɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› announce (something).

– origin late Middle English (originally as a past participle): from medieval Latin annunciat-, variant spelling of Latin annuntiat- ‘announced’, from the verb annuntiare.

annunciation /ənʌnsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (usu. the Annunciation) — the announcement of the Incarnation by the angel Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26–38).

2. a Church festival commemorating the Annunciation, held on 25 March (Lady Day).

3. [ mass noun] — ‹formal› ‹archaic› the announcement of something

• the annunciation of a set of rules applying to the relationships between states.

– origin Middle English: from Old French annonciation, from late Latin annuntiatio(n-), from the verb annuntiare (see annunciate).

annunciator /əˈnʌnsɪeɪtə/

noun

a bell, light, or other device that provides information on the state or condition of something by indicating which of several electric circuits has been activated.
[as modifier]

• the annunciator panel and warning lights.

annus horribilis /ˌanəs hɒˈriːbɪlɪs/

I. noun

a year of disaster or misfortune.

– origin modern Latin, suggested by annus mirabilis.

annus mirabilis /ˌanəs mɪˈrɑːbɪlɪs/

I. noun

a remarkable or auspicious year.

– origin modern Latin, ‘wonderful year’.

anoa /əˈnəʊə/

I. noun

a small deer-like water buffalo, native to Sulawesi.
●Genus Bubalus, family Bovidae: two species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: a local word.

anode /ˈanəʊd/

I. noun

1. the positively charged electrode by which the electrons leave an electrical device.
The opposite of cathode.

2. the negatively charged electrode of an electrical device, such as a primary cell, that supplies current.

II. derivatives

1. anodal

adjective

2. anodic /aˈnɒdɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek anodos ‘way up’, from ana ‘up’ + hodos ‘way’.

anodize /ˈanədʌɪz / anodise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. anodized)

1. coat (a metal, especially aluminium) with a protective oxide layer by an electrolytic process in which the metal forms the anode.

• the anodized frames.

II. derivatives

anodizer

noun

anodyne /ˈanədʌɪn/

I. adjective

not likely to cause offence or disagreement and somewhat dull

• anodyne music.

II. noun

a painkilling drug or medicine.

• she had even refused anodynes.

• ‹figurative› an anodyne to the misery she had put him through.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek anōdunos ‘painless’, from an- ‘without’ + odunē ‘pain’.

anogenital /ˌeɪnəʊˈdʒɛnɪt(ə)l/

adjective

[Medicine] [Anatomy] relating to the anus and genitals.

anoint /əˈnɔɪnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. smear or rub with oil, typically as part of a religious ceremony

• high priests were anointed with oil

• bodies were anointed after death for burial.

2. ( anoint something with) — smear or rub something with (any other substance)

• Kuna Indians anoint the tips of their arrows with poison.

3. ceremonially confer divine or holy office upon (a priest or monarch) by smearing or rubbing with oil
[with obj. and complement]

• Samuel anointed him king.

4. nominate or choose (someone) as successor to or leading candidate for a position
(as adj. anointed)

• his officially anointed heir.

II. phrases

1. Anointing of the Sick

(in the Roman Catholic Church) the sacramental anointing of the ill or infirm with blessed oil; unction.

2. God's (or the Lord's) anointed

a monarch ruling by divine right.

• the ceremonial reminded the king's subjects that he was God's anointed.

III. derivatives

1. anointer

noun

2. anointment /əˈnɔɪntmənt /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French enoint ‘anointed’, past participle of enoindre, from Latin inungere, from in- ‘upon’ + ungere ‘anoint, smear with oil’.

anole /əˈnəʊli/

I. noun

a small, mainly arboreal American lizard with a throat fan that (in the male) is typically brightly coloured. Anoles have some ability to change colour.
●Genus Anolis, family Iguanidae: numerous species.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Carib.

anomalistic /əˌnɒməˈlɪstɪk/

adjective

1. of the nature of an anomaly; anomalous

• the production is stylistically anomalistic.

2. [Astronomy] relating to the anomaly of a planet.

anomalistic month

noun

[Astronomy] a month measured between successive perigees of the moon (approximately 27½ days).

anomalistic year

noun

[Astronomy] a year measured between successive perihelia of the earth (approximately 365¼ days).

anomalous /əˈnɒm(ə)ləs/

I. adjective

deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected

• an anomalous situation

• sentences which are grammatically anomalous.

II. derivatives

1. anomalously /əˈnɒm(ə)ləsli /

adverb

2. anomalousness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek anōmalos (from an- ‘not’ + homalos ‘even’) + -ous.

anomaly /əˈnɒm(ə)li/

I. noun

1. something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected

• there are a number of anomalies in the present system

• [with clause] the apparent anomaly that those who produced the wealth were the poorest

• [ mass noun] the position abounds in anomaly.

2. [Astronomy] the angular distance of a planet or satellite from its last perihelion or perigee.

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek anōmalia, from anōmalos (see anomalous).

anomia /əˈnəʊmɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a form of aphasia in which the patient is unable to recall the names of everyday objects.

II. derivatives

anomic

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: formed irregularly from a-1 ‘without, not’ + Latin nomen ‘name’ + -ia^1.

anomie /ˈanəmi / anomy

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of the usual social or ethical standards in an individual or group

• the theory that high-rise architecture leads to anomie in the residents.

II. derivatives

anomic /əˈnɒmɪk /

adjective

– origin 1930s: from French, from Greek anomia, from anomos ‘lawless’.

anon /əˈnɒn/

I. adverb

‹archaic› ‹informal› soon; shortly

• I'll see you anon.

– origin Old English on ān ‘into one’, on āne ‘in one’. The original sense was ‘in or into one state, course, etc.’, which developed into the temporal sense ‘at once’.

anon. /əˈnɒn/

abbreviation

anonymous.

anonym /ˈanənɪm/

I. noun

1. an anonymous person or publication.

2. a pseudonym.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French anonyme, from Greek anōnumos (see anonymous).

anonymity /anəˈnɪmɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the condition of being anonymous

• the official spoke on condition of anonymity.

2. lack of outstanding, individual, or unusual features; impersonality

• the anonymity of big city life definitely has its advantages.

anonymize /əˈnɒnɪmʌɪz / anonymise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. anonymized)

1. remove identifying particulars or details from (something, especially medical test results) for statistical or other purposes

• anonymized testing of routine blood samples.

II. derivatives

anonymization

noun

– origin 1970s: from anonymous + -ize.

anonymous /əˈnɒnɪməs/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) not identified by name; of unknown name

• the donor's wish to remain anonymous

• an anonymous phone call.

2. having no outstanding, individual, or unusual features; unremarkable or impersonal

• his impeccable, slightly anonymous Chelsea flat.

– origin late 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek anōnumos ‘nameless’ (from an- ‘without’ + onoma ‘name’) + -ous.

anonymous FTP

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] an implementation of an FTP server that allows anyone who can use FTP to log on to the server, using a general username and without a password check.

• altruistic people make these lists of lists available by anonymous FTP.

anonymously /əˈnɒnɪməsli/

adverb

1. in a way that prevents a person from being identified by name

• Newman published two novels, both anonymously.

2. in a way that produces no outstanding, individual, or unusual features; unremarkably or impersonally

• the anonymously furnished parlour.

anopheles /əˈnɒfɪliːz / anopheles mosquito

I. noun

a mosquito of a genus which is particularly common in warmer countries and includes the mosquitoes that transmit the malarial parasite to humans. Compare with culex.
●Genus Anopheles, subfamily Anophelinae, family Culicidae.

II. derivatives

anopheline /əˈnɒfɪlʌɪn, əˈnɒfɪliːn /

adjective, noun

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek anōphelēs ‘unprofitable, useless’.

Anoplura /ˌanə(ʊ)ˈplʊərə/

I. plural noun

[Entomology] an order of insects that comprises the sucking lice.

II. derivatives

anopluran

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from anoplos ‘unarmed’ + oura ‘tail’.

anorak /ˈanərak/

I. noun

1. a waterproof jacket, typically with a hood, of a kind originally used in polar regions.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a studious or obsessive person with unfashionable and largely solitary interests.

• with his thick specs, shabby shoes, and grey suit, he looks a bit of an anorak.

II. derivatives

1. anoraked

adjective

2. anorakish

adjective

3. anoraky

adjective

– origin 1920s: from Greenlandic anoraq. The British English informal sense dates from the 1980s and derives from the anoraks worn by trainspotters, regarded as typifying this kind of person.

anorectal /ˌeɪnəʊˈrɛkt(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Medicine] [Anatomy] relating to the anus and rectum.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French ano-rectal, from Latin ano- (combining form of anus) + rectal (see rectal).

anorexia /ˌanəˈrɛksɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack or loss of appetite for food (as a medical condition).

2. (also anorexia nervosa) — an emotional disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat.

– origin late 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek, from an- ‘without’ + orexis ‘appetite’.

anorexic /anəˈrɛksɪk / anorectic

I. adjective

1. relating to, characterized by, or suffering from anorexia.

2. ‹informal› extremely thin.

• the body is positively anorexic, helping to keep the guitar's weight within reasonable limits.

II. noun

1. a person suffering from anorexia.

2. ( anorectic) — a medicine which produces a loss of appetite.

III. derivatives

anorexically

adverb

anorgasmia /ˌanɔːˈɡazmɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] persistent inability to achieve orgasm despite responding to sexual stimulation.

II. derivatives

anorgasmic

adjective

– origin 1970s: from an-1 + orgasm + -ia^1.

anorthite /əˈnɔːθʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a calcium-rich mineral of the feldspar group, typically white, occurring in many basic igneous rocks.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from an-1 + Greek orthos ‘straight’ + -ite^1.

anorthosite /əˈnɔːθəsʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or another plagioclase.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French anorthose ‘plagioclase’ + -ite^1.

anosmia /əˈnɒzmɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the loss of the sense of smell, either total or partial. It may be caused by head injury, infection, or blockage of the nose.

II. derivatives

anosmic

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from an-2 + Greek osmē ‘smell’.

another /əˈnʌðə/

I. determiner, pronoun

1. used to refer to an additional person or thing of the same type as one already mentioned or known about; one more; a further
[as determiner]

• have another drink

• I didn't say another word

• [as pronoun] she was to become another of his stars.

2. [as determiner] — used with a proper name to indicate someone or something's similarity to the person or event specified

• this will not be another Vietnam.

3. used to refer to a different person or thing from one already mentioned or known about
[as determiner]

• come back another day

• his wife left him for another man

• [as pronoun] moving from one place to another.

4. [as determiner] — used to refer to someone sharing an attribute in common with the person already mentioned

• his kiss with another man caused a tabloid rumpus.

– origin Middle English: as an other until the 16th cent.

A. N. Other /eɪ ɛn ˈʌðə/

pronoun

(Brit.) used when listing a group or team to refer to a person who is not named or whose selection has not been confirmed.

another place

noun

(Brit.) the other House of Parliament (used in the Commons to refer to the Lords, and vice versa).

anothery anotherie

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› another one

• I'll have anothery.

Anouilh, Jean /ˈɒnwiː, French anuj/

(1910–87), French dramatist. He wrote many plays but is best known for his reworking of the Greek myth of Antigone in Antigone (1944).

ANOVA /aˈnəʊvə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. analysis of variance, a statistical method in which the variation in a set of observations is divided into distinct components.

– origin 1960s: acronym.

anovulant /aˈnɒvjʊl(ə)nt / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) preventing ovulation.

II. noun

an anovulant drug.

– origin 1960s: from an-1 + ovul(ation) + -ant.

anovulatory /ˌanɒvjʊˈleɪt(ə)ri/

adjective

[Medicine] (of a menstrual cycle) in which ovulation does not occur.

anoxia /aˈnɒksɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› an absence of oxygen.

2. ‹technical› [Medicine] an absence or deficiency of oxygen reaching the tissues; severe hypoxia.

• death due to anoxia resulting from strangulation.

II. derivatives

anoxic /əˈnɒksɪk /

adjective

– origin 1930s: from an-1 + ox(ygen) + -ia^1.

ANS

abbreviation

autonomic nervous system.

ansatz /ˈansats/

I. noun

[Mathematics] an assumption about the form of an unknown function which is made in order to facilitate solution of an equation or other problem.

– origin 1940s: from German Ansatz ‘approach, attempt’.

Anschluss /ˈanʃlʊs/

I. the annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938. Hitler had forced the resignation of the Austrian Chancellor by demanding that he admit Nazis into his cabinet. The new Chancellor, a pro-Nazi, invited German troops to enter the country on the pretext of restoring law and order.

– origin German, from anschliessen ‘to join’.

Anselm, St /ˈansɛlm/

( c. 1033–1109), Italian-born philosopher and theologian, Archbishop of Canterbury 1093–1109. He worked to free the Church from secular control and believed that the best way to defend the faith was by intellectual reasoning. His writings include Cur Deus Homo?, a mystical study on the Atonement. Feast day, 21 April.

anserine /ˈansərʌɪn/

I. adjective

of or like a goose.

• rooms at the Skein of Geese were given infuriatingly anserine names.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin anserinus, from anser ‘goose’.

Anshan /anˈʃan/

a city in Liaoning, China; pop. 1,293,000 (est. 2006). Anshan is situated close to major iron-ore deposits and China's largest iron and steel complex is nearby.

ANSI

abbreviation

American National Standards Institute.

answer /ˈɑːnsə/

I. noun

1. a thing that is said, written, or done as a reaction to a question, statement, or situation

• he knocked and entered without waiting for an answer

• I hurried along the passage in answer to the doorbell's ring.

2. a thing written or said in reaction to a question in a test or quiz

• write your answers on a postcard.

3. the correct solution to a question in a test or quiz

• the answer is 280°.

4. a solution to a problem or dilemma

• the answer to poverty and unemployment is a properly funded range of services.

5. [in sing.] ( answer to) — a person or thing regarded as the equivalent to a better-known one from another place

• the press called her Britain's answer to Marilyn Monroe.

II. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — say or write something as a reaction to someone or something
[with direct speech]

• ‘Of course I can,’ she answered

• [with clause] she answered that she would take nothing but the ring

• [with obj.] she tried to answer his questions truthfully

• [no obj.] Steve was about to answer, but Hazel spoke first.

2. [with obj.] — provide the required response to (a question in a test or quiz)

• answer the questions below for a chance to win a holiday.

3. [no obj.] ( answer back) — respond impudently or disrespectfully to someone, especially when being criticized or told to do something.

• I'd usually talk him round, but never answer back.

• [with obj.] Mary resisted the temptation to answer her mother back.

4. [with obj.] — act in reaction to (a sound such as a telephone ringing or a knock or ring on a door)

• Digby answered the door

• [no obj.] she rang Edward's house, hoping the housekeeper would answer.

5. [no obj.] ( answer to) — be responsible or report to (someone)

• I answer to the Assistant Commissioner of Specialist Operations.

6. [with obj.] — defend oneself against (a charge, accusation, or criticism)

• he said he would return to Spain to answer all charges.

7. [no obj.] ( answer to) — be required to explain or justify oneself to (someone)

• you will have the police to answer to.

8. [no obj.] ( answer for) — be responsible or to blame for

• the dust mite has a lot to answer for, especially if you are asthmatic.

9. [with obj.] — be suitable for fulfilling (a need); satisfy

• entrepreneurship is necessary to answer the needs of national and international markets.

III. phrases

1. answer the description of

correspond to a description, especially one of a suspect issued by the police.

• people reported seeing a man who answers the suspect's description behaving suspiciously.

2. the answer to someone's prayers

the thing that someone really wants

• the opportunity for a commission in the army seemed an answer to their prayers.

3. answer to (the name of)

‹often humorous› be called

• an attractive woman answering to the name of Suzanne.

4. have (or know) all the answers

‹informal› be overconfident about one's knowledge of something.

• it was his air of knowing all the answers which riled Mrs Farrar.

IV. derivatives

answerer /ˈɑːns(ə)rə /

noun

– origin Old English andswaru (noun), andswarian (verb), of Germanic origin; from a base shared by swear.

answerability /ˌɑːns(ə)rəˈbɪlɪti, ˌans(ə)rəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. responsibility for explaining or justifying one's actions

• the answerability of governments to the citizenry.

answerable /ˈɑːns(ə)rəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. ( answerable to) — required to explain or justify one's actions to; responsible or having to report to

• the Attorney General is answerable only to Parliament for his decisions.

2. ( answerable for) — responsible for

• an employer is answerable for the negligence of his employees.

3. (of a question) able to be answered

• straightforward and answerable questions.

answering machine /ˈɑːnsərɪŋməʃiːn/

noun

a tape recorder or digital device which supplies a recorded answer to a telephone call and can record a message from the caller.

• she could leave a message on the answering machine.

answering service

noun

a business that receives and answers telephone calls for its clients.

answerphone /ˈɑːnsəfəʊn/

noun

(Brit.) a telephone answering machine.

ant /ant/

I. noun

a small insect typically having a sting and living in a complex social colony with one or more breeding queens. It is wingless except for fertile adults, which form large mating swarms, and is proverbial for its industriousness.
●Family Formicidae, order Hymenoptera: several subfamilies.

II. phrases

1. have ants in one's pants

‹informal› be fidgety or restless.

• what's the matter with you, always fidgeting—you got ants in your pants?

2. the ant's pants

(Austral.) ‹informal› an outstandingly good person or thing

• we had a great party that night thinking we were the ant's pants.

– origin Old English ǣmete of West Germanic origin; related to German Ameise. Compare with emmet.

ant-

prefix

variant spelling of anti-. shortened before a vowel or h (as in Antarctic).

-ant

I. suffix

1. (forming adjectives) denoting attribution of an action or state

• arrogant

• pendant.

2. (forming nouns) denoting an agent

• deodorant

• propellant.

– origin from French or Latin present participial verb stems (see also -ent).

Antabuse /ˈantəbjuːs/

I. noun

trademark for disulfiram.

– origin 1940s: from anti- + abuse.

antacid /anˈtasɪd/

I. adjective

(chiefly of a medicine) preventing or correcting acidity, especially in the stomach.

• I prescribed a kaolin antacid mixture.

• these drugs have an antacid and analgesic effect.

II. noun

an antacid medicine.

Antaeus /anˈtiːəs / ‹Greek Mythology›

a giant, the son of Poseidon and Earth, who compelled all comers to wrestle with him, overcoming and killing them all until he was defeated by Hercules.

antagonism /anˈtaɡ(ə)nɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. active hostility or opposition

• the antagonism between them

• his antagonism towards the local people

• [ count noun] petty antagonisms and jealousies.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French antagonisme, from Greek antagōnizesthai ‘struggle against’ (see antagonist).

antagonist /anˈtaɡ(ə)nɪst/

I. noun

1. a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary.

• the woman was forcing her antagonist's face into the mud.

2. [Biochemistry] a substance which interferes with or inhibits the physiological action of another.

• LSD is a serotonin antagonist.

Compare with agonist.

3. [Anatomy] a muscle whose action counteracts that of another specified muscle.
Compare with agonist.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French antagoniste or late Latin antagonista, from Greek antagōnistēs, from antagōnizesthai ‘struggle against’ (see antagonize).

antagonistic /anˌtaɡ(ə)ˈnɪstɪk/

I. adjective

1. showing or feeling active opposition or hostility towards someone or something

• he was antagonistic to the government's reforms

• an antagonistic group of bystanders.

2. [Biochemistry] [Physiology] relating to an antagonist or its action.

II. derivatives

antagonistically /antaɡəˈnɪstɪkli /

adverb

antagonize /anˈtaɡ(ə)nʌɪz / antagonise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to become hostile

• the aim was to antagonize visiting supporters.

2. [Biochemistry] (of a substance) act as an antagonist of (a substance or its action).

• two other drugs antagonized the antidepressant-like effect.

– origin mid 18th cent. (in the sense ‘struggle against’): from Greek antagōnizesthai, from ant- ‘against’ + agōnizesthai ‘struggle’ (from agōn ‘contest’).

Antakya /ʌnˈtʌkjʌ/

Turkish name for Antioch.

Antalya /anˈtaljə/

a port in southern Turkey; pop. 775,200 (est. 2007).

Antananarivo /ˌantəˌnanəˈriːvəʊ/

the capital of Madagascar, situated in the central plateau; pop. 1,697,000 (est. 2007).
Former name (until 1975) Tananarive.

Antarctic /anˈtɑːktɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the south polar region or Antarctica.

2. [Botany] relating to or denoting a phytogeographical kingdom comprising New Zealand, southern parts of Chile and Argentina, and islands in the South Atlantic and southern Indian Ocean.

II. noun — ( the Antarctic)

1. the Antarctic region.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French antartique or Latin antarcticus, from Greek antarktikos ‘opposite to the north’, from ant- ‘against’ + arktikos (see Arctic).

Antarctica /antˈɑːktɪkə/

a continent round the South Pole, situated mainly within the Antarctic Circle and almost entirely covered by ice sheets.

Antarctic Circle

the parallel of latitude 66° 33ʹ south of the equator. It marks the southernmost point at which the sun is visible on the southern winter solstice and the northernmost point at which the midnight sun can be seen on the southern summer solstice.

Antarctic Convergence

the zone of the Antarctic Ocean where the cold, nutrient-laden Antarctic surface water sinks beneath the warmer waters to the north.

Antarctic Ocean

the sea surrounding Antarctica, consisting of parts of the South Atlantic, the South Pacific, and the southern Indian Ocean.
Also called Southern Ocean.

Antarctic Peninsula

a mountainous peninsula of Antarctica between the Bellingshausen Sea and the Weddell Sea, extending northwards towards Cape Horn and the Falkland Islands.

Antares /anˈtɑːriːz / ‹Astronomy›

I. the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius. It is a binary star of which the main component is a red supergiant.

– origin Greek, literally ‘simulating Mars (in colour)’.

antbear /ˈantbɛː/

noun

another term for aardvark.

antbird

noun

an insectivorous, long-legged, short-tailed bird which typically has dark grey plumage in the male, found mainly in the tropical forests of South America.
●Family Formicariidae: several genera.

ant cap

noun

(Austral.) a shield fitted on top of a building's supports to prevent termites from entering the building from the foundations

• the property is supported on concrete pillars with steel ant caps to guard against infestation.

ante /ˈanti/

I. noun

a stake put up by a player in poker or brag before receiving cards.

• the antes were at the $10,000–$20,000 level.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( ante something up)

1. put up an amount as an ante in poker or brag and similar games.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› pay an amount of money in advance

• he anted up $925,000 of his own money

• [no obj.] the owners have to ante up if they want to attract the best talent.

III. phrases

up (or raise) the ante

increase what is at stake or under discussion, especially in a conflict or dispute

• he decided to up the ante in the trade war.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘before’.

ante- /ˈanti/

I. prefix

before; preceding

• antechapel

• antecedent.

– origin from Latin ante ‘before’.

anteater /ˈantiːtə/

noun

a mammal that feeds on ants and termites, with a long snout and sticky tongue.
●Most anteaters are edentates of the Central and South American family Myrmecophagidae, which includes the giant anteater and the tamanduas. The echidna, numbat, and pangolin are alternatively known as spiny, banded, and scaly anteater respectively.

antebellum /ˌantɪˈbɛləm/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. occurring or existing before a particular war, especially the US Civil War

• the conventions of the antebellum South.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, from ante ‘before’ and bellum ‘war’.

antecede /antɪˈsiːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. come before (something) in time, order, or position; precede

• investigative reporting long antecedes the invention of miniature cameras.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin antecedere, from ante ‘before’ + cedere ‘go’.

antecedent /ˌantɪˈsiːd(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a thing that existed before or logically precedes another

• some antecedents to the African novel might exist in Africa's oral traditions.

2. ( antecedents) — a person's ancestors or family and social background

• her early life and antecedents have been traced.

3. [Grammar] an earlier word, phrase, or clause to which another word (especially a following relative pronoun) refers back.

4. [Logic] the statement contained in the ‘if’ clause of a conditional proposition.

II. adjective

1. preceding in time or order; previous or pre-existing

• antecedent events.

2. [Grammar] denoting or counting as an antecedent.

III. derivatives

1. antecedence /ˌantɪˈsiːdəns /

noun

2. antecedently

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French or from Latin antecedent- ‘going before’, from antecedere, from ante ‘before’ + cedere ‘go’.

antechamber /ˈantɪtʃeɪmbə/

I. noun

a small room leading to a main one.

• the antechamber to an interview room.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as antichamber): from French antichambre, from Italian anticamera, from anti- ‘preceding’ + camera (see chamber).

antechapel

noun

(especially in Oxford and Cambridge colleges) a distinct part of a chapel between the entrance and the nave or choir.

antechinus /ˌantɪˈkʌɪnəs/

I. noun

a marsupial mouse of shrew-like habits and appearance, found in Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania.
●Genera Antechinus and Parantechinus, family Dasyuridae: several species.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek anti- ‘simulating’ + ekhinos ‘sea urchin, hedgehog’ (from its bristly fur).

antedate /antɪˈdeɪt, ˈantɪdeɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. precede in time; come before (something) in date

• a civilization that antedated the Roman Empire.

2. indicate or discover that (a document, event, or word) should be assigned to an earlier date

• there are no references to him that would antedate his birth.

antediluvian /ˌantɪdɪˈluːvɪən/

I. adjective

1. of or belonging to the time before the biblical Flood

• gigantic bones of antediluvian animals.

2. ‹chiefly humorous› ridiculously old-fashioned

• they maintain antediluvian sex-role stereotypes.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from ante- + Latin diluvium ‘deluge’ + -an.

antelope /ˈantɪləʊp/

I. noun

1. a swift-running deer-like ruminant with smooth hair and upward-pointing horns, of a group native to Africa and Asia that includes the gazelles, impala, gnus, and elands.
●Many genera and species, in the family Bovidae.

2. (N. Amer.) another term for pronghorn.

– origin late Middle English (originally the name of a fierce mythical creature with long serrated horns, said to live on the banks of the Euphrates): via Old French and medieval Latin from late Greek antholops, of unknown origin and meaning.

ante-mortem

I. adjective, adverb

before death
[as adj.]

• the ante-mortem instructions of the dead leader.

– origin Latin ‘before death’.

antenatal /antɪˈneɪt(ə)l / ‹Brit.›

I. adjective

before birth; during or relating to pregnancy

• antenatal care.

II. noun

‹informal› a medical examination during pregnancy.

III. derivatives

antenatally

adverb

antenna /anˈtɛnə/

I. noun

1. [Zoology] either of a pair of long, thin sensory appendages on the heads of insects, crustaceans, and some other arthropods.

• bugs use their antennae to detect blood heat.

2. ( antennae) — the faculty of instinctively detecting and interpreting subtle signs

• he has the political antennae of a party whip.

3. ( pl. also antennas) — (chiefly N. Amer.) ‹technical› another term for aerial:

• a TV antenna.

II. derivatives

antennal

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, alteration of antemna ‘yard’ (of a ship), used in the plural to translate Greek keraioi ‘horns (of insects)’, used by Aristotle.

antennule /anˈtɛnjuːl/

I. noun

[Zoology] a small antenna, especially either of the first pair of antennae in a crustacean.

– origin mid 19th cent.: diminutive of antenna.

antenuptial /antɪˈnʌpʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

(chiefly Brit.) another term for prenuptial.

– origin early 19th cent.: from late Latin antenuptialis (see ante-, nuptial).

antepartum /antɪˈpɑːtəm/

I. adjective

[Medicine] occurring not long before childbirth.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘before birth’.

antepenult /ˌantɪpɪˈnʌlt/

noun

[Linguistics] the last syllable but two in a word, e.g. -ul- in antepenultimate.

antepenultimate /ˌantɪpɪˈnʌltɪmət/

adjective

last but two in a series; third last

• the antepenultimate item on the agenda.

ante-post /antɪˈpəʊst/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) (of a bet on a horse race) placed at odds fixed at the time, and before the runners are known, on a horse thought likely to be entered.

• it might be worth having an ante-post bet.

• the ante-post favourite.

– origin early 20th cent.: from ante- + post^1.

anterior /anˈtɪərɪə/

I. adjective

1. ‹technical› nearer the front, especially in the front of the body, or nearer to the head or forepart

• the veins anterior to the heart.

The opposite of posterior.

2. [Botany] (of a part of a flower or leaf) situated further away from the main stem.

3. [Phonetics] pronounced with an obstruction located in front of the palato-alveolar region of the mouth, e.g. b, p, d, t.

4. ‹formal› coming before in time; earlier

• an incident anterior to her troubles.

II. derivatives

1. anteriority /antɪərɪˈɒrɪti /

noun

2. anteriorly

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French antérieur or Latin anterior, comparative of ante ‘before’.

antero- /ˈantərəʊ/

combining form

[chiefly Anatomy] representing anterior:

• anteroposterior.

anterograde

I. adjective

1. directed forwards in time.

2. of or denoting a form of amnesia which involves inability to remember information encountered after its onset.

– origin late 19th cent.: from anterior, on the pattern of retrograde.

anterolateral

adjective

[chiefly Anatomy] both anterior and lateral.

anteroom /ˈantiruːm/

noun

1. an antechamber, typically serving as a waiting room.

2. [Military] a large room in an officers' mess, typically adjacent to the dining room.

anteroposterior

adjective

[chiefly Anatomy] relating to or directed towards both front and back.

• an anteroposterior axis.

anteverted /ˈantɪvəːtɪd/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] [Medicine] (of an organ of the body, especially the womb) inclined forward.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin antevertere, from ante ‘before’ + vertere ‘to turn’ + -ed^2.

ant heap /ˈanthiːp/

noun

another term for anthill.

anthelion /antˈhiːlɪən, anˈθiːlɪən/

I. noun

1. a luminous halo round a shadow projected by the sun on to a cloud or fog bank.

2. a parhelion seen opposite the sun in the sky.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Greek anthēlion, neuter of anthēlios ‘opposite to the sun’, from anth- (variant of anti- ‘against’) + hēlios ‘sun’.

anthelmintic /ˌanθ(ə)lˈmɪntɪk / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(chiefly of medicines) used to destroy parasitic worms.

II. noun

an anthelmintic medicine.

– origin late 17th cent. (as an adjective): from anth- (variant of anti ‘against’) + Greek helmins, helminth- ‘worm’ + -ic.

anthem /ˈanθəm/

I. noun

1. a rousing or uplifting song identified with a particular group, body, or cause

• the song became the anthem for hippy activists.

2. (also national anthem) — a solemn patriotic song officially adopted by a country as an expression of national identity.

• the crowd stood and sang the national anthem.

• we decided that the match would not have the anthems of either country as a prelude.

3. a musical setting of a religious text to be sung by a choir during a church service, especially in Anglican or Protestant Churches.

– origin Old English antefn, antifne (denoting a composition sung antiphonally), from late Latin antiphona (see antiphon). The spelling with th, which began in the 16th cent., was on the pattern of similar words such as Antony, Anthony.

anthemic /anˈθiːmɪk/

adjective

(of a song) like an anthem in being rousing or uplifting.

• a set of anthemic folk songs.

anthemion /anˈθiːmɪən/

I. noun

an ornamental design of alternating motifs resembling clusters of narrow leaves or honeysuckle petals.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek, literally ‘flower’.

Anthemius /anˈθiːmɪəs/

(6th century AD), Greek mathematician, engineer, and artist; known as Anthemius of Tralles.

anther /ˈanθə/

I. noun

[Botany] the part of a stamen that contains the pollen.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French anthère or modern Latin anthera, from Greek anthēra ‘flowery’, from anthos ‘flower’.

antheridium /ˌanθəˈrɪdɪəm/

I. noun

[Botany] the male sex organ of algae, mosses, ferns, fungi, and other non-flowering plants.

II. derivatives

antheridial

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from anthera (see anther) + -idium (from the Greek diminutive suffix -idion).

antherozoid /ˌanθ(ə)rə(ʊ)ˈzəʊɪd/

I. noun

[Botany] another term for spermatozoid.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from anther + zooid.

anthesis /anˈθiːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] the flowering period of a plant, from the opening of the flower bud.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek anthēsis ‘flowering’, from anthein ‘to blossom’.

anthill /ˈanthɪl/

noun

a nest in the form of a mound built by ants or termites.

antho- /ˈanθəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to flowers

• anthophilous.

– origin from Greek anthos ‘flower’.

anthocyanin /ˌanθə(ʊ)ˈsʌɪənɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a blue, violet, or red flavonoid pigment found in plants.

• the earliest carrots were purple, because they contained anthocyanin.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German Anthocyan, from Greek anthos ‘flower’ + kuanos ‘blue’ + -in^1.

anthologize /anˈθɒlədʒʌɪz / anthologise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. anthologized)

1. include (an author or work) in an anthology

• the most anthologized of today's poets.

II. derivatives

anthologization

noun

anthology /anˈθɒlədʒi/

I. noun

1. a published collection of poems or other pieces of writing.

• an anthology of European poetry.

2. a collection of songs or musical compositions issued in one album.

• a double-CD anthology of Moby Grape, the legendary Sixties San Francisco band.

II. derivatives

anthologist /anˈθɒlədʒɪst /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: via French or medieval Latin from Greek anthologia, from anthos ‘flower’ + -logia ‘collection’ (from legein ‘gather’). In Greek, the word originally denoted a collection of the ‘flowers’ of verse, i.e. small choice poems or epigrams, by various authors.

Anthony, St /ˈantəni, ˈanθəni / Antony

( c. 251–356), Egyptian hermit, the founder of monasticism. Feast day, 17 January.

Anthony of Padua, St Antony

(1195–1231), Portuguese Franciscan friar. His devotion to the poor is commemorated by alms known as St Anthony's bread; he is invoked to find lost articles. Feast day, 13 June.

anthophilous /anˈθɒfɪləs/

adjective

[Zoology] (of insects or other animals) frequenting flowers.

Anthozoa /ˌanθəˈzəʊə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a large class of sedentary marine coelenterates that includes the sea anemones and corals. They are either solitary or colonial, and have a central mouth surrounded by tentacles.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek anthos ‘flower’ + zōia ‘animals’.

anthozoan /ˌanθəˈzəʊən / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a member of a large class of marine coelenterates (the Anthozoa), such as a sea anemone or coral.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting anthozoans.

anthracene /ˈanθrəsiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless crystalline aromatic hydrocarbon obtained by the distillation of crude oils and used in chemical manufacture.
●A tricyclic compound; chem. formula: C_14H_10.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek anthrax, anthrak- ‘coal’ + -ene.

anthracite /ˈanθrəsʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. coal of a hard variety that contains relatively pure carbon and burns with little flame and smoke.

2. a dark grey colour.

• a wide range of colours from anthracite to blush pink.

• [as modifier] the anthracite finish on these cupboard doors.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a gem described by Pliny and said to resemble coals, supposedly hydrophane (a type of opal)): from Greek anthrakitēs, from anthrax, anthrak- ‘coal’.

anthracnose /anˈθraknəʊs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mainly fungal disease of plants, causing dark lesions.
●This is usually caused by fungi of the subdivision Deuteromycotina.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in French from Greek anthrax, anthrak- ‘coal’ + nosos ‘disease’.

anthranilate /ˌanθrəˈnʌɪleɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of anthranilic acid.

anthranilic acid /ˌanθrəˈnɪlɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless or yellow crystalline compound first obtained by alkaline hydrolysis of indigo.
●Chem. formula: NH_2C_6H_4COOH.

– origin mid 19th cent.: anthranilic from Greek anthrax ‘coal’ + anil (being any imine derived from aniline) + -ic.

anthraquinone /ˌanθrəˈkwɪnəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a yellow crystalline compound obtained by oxidation of anthracene. It is the basis of many natural and synthetic dyes.
●Chem. formula: C_14H_8O_2.

– origin late 19th cent.: from anthra(cene) + quinone.

anthrax /ˈanθraks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a serious bacterial disease of sheep and cattle, typically affecting the skin and lungs. It can be transmitted to humans, causing severe skin ulceration (see malignant pustule) or a form of pneumonia ( wool-sorters' disease).

– origin late Middle English: Latin, ‘carbuncle’ (the earliest sense in English), from Greek anthrax, anthrak- ‘coal, carbuncle’, with reference to the skin ulceration in humans.

anthropic principle /anˈθrɒpɪk/

I. noun

the cosmological principle that theories of the universe are constrained by the necessity to allow human existence.

– origin 1970s: anthropic from Greek anthrōpikos, from anthrōpos ‘human being’.

anthropo- /ˈanθrəpəʊ/

I. combining form

1. human; of a human being

• anthropometry.

2. relating to humankind

• anthropology.

– origin from Greek anthrōpos ‘human being’.

Anthropocene /ˈanθrəpəˌsiːn/

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting the current geological age, viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment.

2. (as noun the Anthropocene) — the Anthropocene period.

– origin early 21st cent.: from anthropo-, on the pattern of Holocene, Pleistocene, etc.

anthropocentric /anθrəpə(ʊ)ˈsɛntrɪk/

I. adjective

regarding humankind as the central or most important element of existence, especially as opposed to God or animals.

• when we assess animal intelligence we tend to take a very anthropocentric view.

II. derivatives

1. anthropocentrically

adverb

2. anthropocentrism /ˌanθrəpə(ʊ)ˈsɛntrɪz(ə)m /

noun

anthropogenic /ˌanθrəpəˈdʒɛnɪk/

I. adjective

(chiefly of environmental pollution and pollutants) originating in human activity.

• anthropogenic emissions of sulphur dioxide.

II. derivatives

anthropogenically

adverb

anthropogeny

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the study of the origin of humankind.

anthropoid /ˈanθrəpɔɪd/

I. adjective

1. resembling a human being in form

• anthropoid gods.

2. [Zoology] relating to the group of higher primates, which includes monkeys, apes, and humans.

3. [Zoology] (of an ape) belonging to the groups that include the great apes and gibbons.

II. noun

[Zoology] a higher primate, especially an ape or apeman.
●Suborder Anthropoidea, order Primates.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek anthrōpoeidēs, from anthrōpos ‘human being’ + -oid.

anthropological /ˌanθrəpəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to the study of humankind

• an anthropological expedition to Borneo.

II. derivatives

anthropologically

adverb

anthropologist /ˌanθrəˈpɒlədʒɪst/

noun

an expert in or student of anthropology

• some anthropologists think that members of hunting and gathering societies tend to have more leisure.

anthropology /ˌanθrəˈpɒlədʒi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of humankind, in particular:

2. (also cultural or social anthropology) — the comparative study of human societies and cultures and their development.

3. (also physical anthropology) — the science of human zoology, evolution, and ecology.

anthropometrics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. anthropometry, especially as it relates to the design of furniture and machinery.

anthropometry /ˌanθrəˈpɒmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the scientific study of the measurements and proportions of the human body.

II. derivatives

anthropometric

adjective

anthropomorphic /anθrəpəˈmɔːfɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to or characterized by anthropomorphism.

• explanations of animal behaviour in anthropomorphic terms.

2. having human characteristics

• anthropomorphic bears and monkeys.

II. derivatives

anthropomorphically

adverb

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek anthrōpomorphos (see anthropomorphous) + -ic.

anthropomorphism /ˌanθrəpəˈmɔːfɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the attribution of human characteristics or behaviour to a god, animal, or object.

II. derivatives

anthropomorphize /ˌanθrəpəˈmɔːfʌɪz / anthropomorphise

verb

anthropomorphous /anθrəpəˈmɔːfəs/

I. adjective

(of a god, animal, or object) human in form or nature.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Greek anthrōpomorphos (from anthrōpos ‘human being’ + morphē ‘form’) + -ous.

anthropopathy /ˌanθrəˈpɒpəθi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the attribution of human emotions to a god.

anthropophagist /ˌanθrəˈpɒfədʒɪst / anthropophagite /ˌanθrəˈpɒfədʒʌɪt/

I. noun

‹rare› a person who eats the flesh of other human beings; a cannibal

• they had been living among anthropophagists, and had joined in their feasts.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek anthrōpos ‘human being’ + phago- ‘eating’ (from phagein ‘to eat’) + -ist.

anthropophagus /ˌanθrəˈpɒfəɡəs/

I. noun

(especially in legends or fables) a cannibal.

– origin mid 16th cent.: Latin, from Greek anthrōpophagos ‘man-eating’, from anthrōpos ‘human being’ + -phagos (see -phagous).

anthropophagy /ˌanθrəˈpɒfədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the eating of human flesh by human beings.

II. derivatives

anthropophagous /ˌanθrəˈpɒfəɡəs /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek anthrōpophagia, from anthrōpophagos (see anthropophagus).

anthroposophy /ˌanθrəˈpɒsəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a formal educational, therapeutic, and creative system established by Rudolf Steiner, seeking to use mainly natural means to optimize physical and mental health and well-being.

II. derivatives

anthroposophical

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from anthropo- + Greek sophia ‘wisdom’.

anthurium /anˈθ(j)ʊərɪəm/

I. noun

a tropical American plant which is widely grown for its ornamental foliage or brightly coloured flowering spathes.
●Genus Anthurium, family Araceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek anthos ‘flower’ + oura ‘tail’.

anti /ˈanti / ‹informal›

I. preposition

opposed to; against

• I'm anti the abuse of drink and the hassle that it causes.

II. adjective — [ predic.]

1. opposed

• the local councils are anti.

III. noun

a person opposed to a particular policy, activity, or idea

• the threat to field sports from the antis is a serious one.

– origin late 18th cent. (as a noun): independent usage of anti-.

anti- /ˈanti / ant-

I. prefix

1. opposed to; against

• anti-aircraft.

2. preventing

• antibacterial.

3. relieving

• antipruritic.

4. the opposite of

• anticlimax.

5. acting as a rival

• antipope.

6. unlike the conventional form

• anti-hero.

7. [Physics] the antiparticle of a specified particle

• antiproton.

– origin from Greek anti ‘against’.

anti-abortion /antɪəˈbɔːʃ(ə)n/

I. adjective

opposing or legislating against medically induced abortion.

II. derivatives

anti-abortionist /ˌantɪəˈbɔːʃənɪst /

noun, adjective

anti-ageing ‹US› anti-aging

adjective

(of a product or technique) designed to prevent the appearance of getting older

• an anti-ageing cream.

anti-aircraft /ˌantiˈɛːkrɑːft/

I. adjective

(especially of a gun or missile) used to attack enemy aircraft.

• anti-aircraft fire.

– origin First World War: from anti- + aircraft.

anti-American

adjective

hostile to the interests of the United States.

anti-Americanism /ˌantɪəˈmɛrɪkənɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. hostility to the interests of the United States

• the film was attacked by some critics for its allegedly virulent anti-Americanism

• he encountered widespread anti-Americanism among intellectuals.

anti-apartheid /antɪəˈpɑːteɪt/

adjective

opposed to a policy or system of apartheid.

antibacterial /ˌantɪbakˈtɪərɪəl/

adjective

active against bacteria.

Antibes /ɒ̃ˈtiːb, French ɑ̃tib/

a fishing port and resort in SE France; pop. 76,925 (2006).

antibiosis /ˌantɪbʌɪˈəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] an antagonistic association between two organisms (especially microorganisms), in which one is adversely affected.
Compare with symbiosis.

– origin late 19th cent.: from anti- + a shortened form of symbiosis.

antibiotic /ˌantɪbʌɪˈɒtɪk/

I. noun

a medicine (such as penicillin or its derivatives) that inhibits the growth of or destroys microorganisms.

• course of antibiotics.

• [ mass noun] an injection of antibiotic.

II. adjective

relating to antibiotics.

• a prolonged course of antibiotic therapy.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in the sense ‘doubting the possibility of life in a particular environment’): from anti- + Greek biōtikos ‘fit for life’ (from bios ‘life’).

antibody /ˈantɪbɒdi/

I. noun

a blood protein produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen. Antibodies combine chemically with substances which the body recognizes as alien, such as bacteria, viruses, and foreign substances in the blood.

– origin early 20th cent.: from anti- + body, translating German Antikörper, from anti- ‘against’ + Körper ‘body’.

anti-British

adjective

hostile to the interests of Britain or the United Kingdom.

antic /ˈantɪk/

I. adjective

‹archaic› grotesque or bizarre.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Italian antico ‘antique’, used to mean ‘grotesque’.

anticancer /antɪˈkansə/

adjective

used in the treatment of cancer

• anticancer drugs

• new anticancer therapies.

anti-capitalist

I. adjective

opposed to capitalism.

II. noun

a person who is opposed to capitalism.

III. derivatives

anti-capitalism

noun

anticathode /antɪˈkaθəʊd/

noun

[Physics] the target (or anode) of an X-ray tube which is struck by electrons from the cathode and from which X-rays are emitted.

anti-choice

adjective

(chiefly N. Amer.) opposed to granting choice, especially the right to choose abortion.

anticholinergic /ˌantɪˌkəʊlɪˈnəːdʒɪk / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) inhibiting the physiological action of acetylcholine, especially as a neurotransmitter.

II. noun

an anticholinergic drug.

Antichrist /ˈantɪkrʌɪst/

I. noun — (usu. the Antichrist)

1. (in some Christian teachings) a personal opponent of Christ expected to appear before the end of the world

• the battle between Christ and the Antichrist.

2. a person or force seen as opposing Christ or the Christian Church

• St Paul really did have to fear for his life at the hands of an Antichrist named Nero.

3. a person or thing regarded as supremely evil or as a fundamental enemy or opponent

• they regard feminists like me as the Antichrist.

– origin Old English, via Old French or ecclesiastical Latin from Greek antikhristos, from anti ‘against’ + Khristos (see Christ).

anti-Christian

adjective

1. opposed to Christianity or Christian values.

2. relating to the Antichrist.

anticipate /anˈtɪsɪpeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. regard as probable; expect or predict

• she anticipated scorn on her return to the theatre

• [with clause] it was anticipated that the rains would slow the military campaign.

2. guess or be aware of (what will happen) and take action in order to be prepared

• they failed to anticipate a full-scale invasion.

3. look forward to

• Stephen was eagerly anticipating the break from the routine of business.

4. act as a forerunner or precursor of

• he anticipated Bates's theories on mimicry and protective coloration.

5. come or take place before (an event or process expected or scheduled for a later time).

• this is to anticipate the argument.

II. derivatives

1. anticipative /ˌanˈtɪsɪpeɪtɪv /

adjective

2. anticipator /ˌanˈtɪsɪpeɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the senses ‘to take something into consideration’, ‘mention something before the proper time’): from Latin anticipat- ‘acted in advance’, from anticipare, based on ante- ‘before’ + capere ‘take’.

anticipation /antɪsɪˈpeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of anticipating something; expectation or prediction

• her eyes sparkled with anticipation

• they manned the telephones in anticipation of a flood of calls.

2. [Music] the introduction in a composition of part of a chord which is about to follow in full.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin anticipatio(n-), from the verb anticipare (see anticipate).

anticipatory /anˈtɪsɪpəˌt(ə)ri/

adjective

1. happening, performed, or felt in anticipation of something

• an anticipatory flash of excitement.

2. [Law] (of a breach of contract) taking the form of an announcement or indication that a contract will not be honoured.

anticlerical /antɪˈklɛrɪk(ə)l / ‹chiefly historical›

I. adjective

opposed to the power or influence of the clergy, especially in politics.

II. noun

a person holding anticlerical views.

III. derivatives

anticlericalism /ˌantɪˈklɛrɪk(ə)lɪz(ə)m /

noun

anticlimactic /antɪklʌɪˈmaktɪk/

I. adjective

causing disappointment at the end of an exciting or impressive series of events

• it was an anticlimactic finish to the match.

II. derivatives

anticlimactically /antɪklʌɪˈmaktɪk(ə)li /

adverb

anticlimax /antɪˈklʌɪmaks/

noun

a disappointing end to an exciting or impressive series of events

• the rest of the journey was an anticlimax by comparison

• [ mass noun] a sense of anticlimax and incipient boredom.

anticline /ˈantɪklʌɪn/

I. noun

[Geology] a ridge or fold of stratified rock in which the strata slope downwards from the crest.
Compare with syncline.

II. derivatives

anticlinal /antɪˈklʌɪn(ə)l /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from anti- + Greek klinein ‘lean’, on the pattern of incline.

anticlockwise /antɪˈklɒkwʌɪz/

adverb, adjective

(Brit.) in the opposite direction to the way in which the hands of a clock move round
[as adv.]

• stopcocks are opened by turning them anticlockwise

• [as adj.] an anticlockwise direction.

anticoagulant /ˌantɪkəʊˈaɡjʊl(ə)nt/

I. adjective

having the effect of retarding or inhibiting the coagulation of the blood.

II. noun

an anticoagulant substance.

anticodon /ˌantɪˈkəʊdɒn/

noun

[Biochemistry] a sequence of three nucleotides forming a unit of genetic code in a transfer RNA molecule, corresponding to a complementary codon in messenger RNA.

anti-communist /antɪˈkɒmjʊnɪst/

I. adjective

opposed to communism.

• anti-communist demonstrators.

II. noun

a person who is opposed to communism.

anticompetitive /ˌantikəmˈpɛtətɪv/

adjective

(of regulations, practices, etc.) tending to suppress economic competition

• several industries are already under investigation after complaints of anticompetitive behaviour.

anti-constitutional

adjective

violating a political constitution

• anti-constitutional activity.

anticonvulsant /ˌantɪkənˈvʌls(ə)nt/

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) used to prevent or reduce the severity of epileptic fits or other convulsions.

II. noun

an anticonvulsant drug.

Anti-Corn-Law League

a pressure group formed in Britain in 1838 to campaign for the repeal of the Corn Laws, under the leadership of Richard Cobden and John Bright.

anti-corruption

adjective

designed to eradicate or prevent dishonest or fraudulent conduct, especially in a political context

• an anti-corruption campaign.

antics /ˈantɪks/

I. plural noun

foolish, outrageous, or amusing behaviour

• the antics of our political parties.

– origin early 16th cent.: from antic.

anticyclone /antɪˈsʌɪkləʊn/

I. noun

a weather system with high barometric pressure at its centre, around which air slowly circulates in a clockwise (northern hemisphere) or anticlockwise (southern hemisphere) direction. Anticyclones are associated with calm, fine weather.

II. derivatives

anticyclonic /antɪsʌɪˈklɒnɪk /

adjective

anti-democratic

adjective

in conflict with the principles of democracy

• these anti-democratic measures have severely curtailed political freedom.

antidepressant /ˌantɪdɪˈprɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) used to alleviate depression.

II. noun

an antidepressant drug.

antidiarrhoeal

I. adjective

(of a drug) used to alleviate diarrhoea.

II. noun

an antidiarrhoeal drug.

anti-discrimination

adjective

opposed to the unjust and prejudicial treatment of different categories of people

• Belgium has tough anti-discrimination laws.

antidisestablishmentarianism /ˌantɪdɪsɪˌstablɪʃm(ə)nˈtɛːrɪənɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› opposition to the disestablishment of the Church of England.

II. derivatives

antidisestablishmentarian

noun, adjective

usage: Antidisestablishmentarianism is very occasionally found in genuine use, but it is most often cited as an example of a very long word. Other similar curiosities are floccinaucinihilipilification and pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (the longest word in this dictionary). The longest word to be encountered in Britain is the Welsh place name Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, which is generally abbreviated to Llanfair PG; this name was created in the 19th century.

antidiuretic hormone

noun

another term for vasopressin.

antidote /ˈantɪdəʊt/

I. noun

1. a medicine taken or given to counteract a particular poison.

• there is no known antidote to the poison of the pufferfish.

2. something that counteracts an unpleasant feeling or situation

• laughter is a good antidote to stress.

II. derivatives

antidotal

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via Latin, from Greek antidoton, neuter of antidotos ‘given against’, from anti- ‘against’ + didonai ‘give’.

antidromic /ˌantɪˈdrəʊmɪk/

I. adjective

[Physiology] (of an impulse) travelling in the opposite direction to that normal in a nerve fibre.
The opposite of orthodromic.

– origin early 20th cent.: from anti- + Greek dromos ‘running’ + -ic.

anti-emetic /antɪɪˈmɛtɪk/

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) preventing vomiting.

II. noun

an anti-emetic drug.

anti-establishment /antɪɪˈstablɪʃm(ə)nt/

adjective

against the establishment or established authority.

• they are anti-establishment and eccentric, with a wilful disregard for convention.

antifeedant

I. noun

a naturally occurring substance in certain plants which adversely affects insects or other animals which eat them.

– origin 1960s: from anti- + feed + -ant.

anti-feminist

I. adjective

opposed to feminism

• the anti-feminist depiction of women as weak and unstable

• a conservative group that is anti-feminist, anti-choice, anti-gay.

II. noun

a person opposed to feminism

• he emerged as a racist and an anti-feminist.

III. derivatives

anti-feminism

noun

antiferromagnetic

adjective

[Physics] denoting or exhibiting a form of magnetism characterized by an antiparallel alignment of adjacent electron spins in a crystal lattice.
Compare with ferrimagnetic.

antifouling

noun — [ mass noun]

1. treatment of a boat's hull with a paint or similar substance designed to prevent fouling.
[as modifier]

• antifouling bottom paint.

anti-fraud

adjective

designed to prevent fraudulent practices

• new anti-fraud measures will save the taxpayer millions in lost revenue.

antifreeze /ˈantɪfriːz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a liquid, typically one based on ethylene glycol, which can be added to water to lower the freezing point, chiefly used in the radiator of a motor vehicle.

• most breakdowns were due to people forgetting to put antifreeze in their radiators.

• [ count noun] formulating antifreezes and de-icers for railways is no easy job.

antifungal /antɪˈfʌŋɡ(ə)l/

I. adjective

used to prevent fungal growth; active against fungi

• ringworm can be treated with antifungal cream

• coconut oil has antifungal and antibacterial properties.

II. noun

an antifungal drug or other substance

• the patient responded well to systemic antifungals.

anti-g /antɪˈdʒiː/

I. adjective

short for antigravity.

– origin 1940s: from anti- + g, the symbol for acceleration due to gravity.

anti-gay

adjective

prejudiced against or opposed to homosexuality or homosexuals.

antigen /ˈantɪdʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

a toxin or other foreign substance which induces an immune response in the body, especially the production of antibodies.

II. derivatives

antigenic

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: via German from French antigène (see anti-, -gen).

antigenic determinant

noun

[Biochemistry] another term for epitope.

antiglobalization /antiˌɡləʊbəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / antiglobalisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. opposition to the increase in the global power and influence of businesses, especially multinational corporations.

Antigone /anˈtɪɡəni / ‹Greek Mythology›

daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, the subject of a tragedy by Sophocles. She was sentenced to death for defying her uncle Creon, king of Thebes, but she took her own life before the sentence could be carried out, and Creon's son Haemon, who was engaged to her, killed himself over her body.

antigorite /anˈtɪɡərʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral of the serpentine group, occurring typically as thin green plates.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Antigorio, a valley in Piedmont, Italy, + -ite^1.

anti-government /antɪˈɡʌv(ə)nm(ə)nt/

adjective

against a government or the administration in office

• anti-government demonstrations.

antigravity /antɪˈɡravɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] a hypothetical force opposing gravity.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (chiefly of clothing for a pilot or astronaut) designed to counteract the effects of high acceleration.

Antigua /anˈtiːɡwə/

I. one of the islands that make up the country of Antigua and Barbuda.

II. (also Antigua Guatemala) — a town in the central highlands of Guatemala; pop. 54,100 (est. 2009).

Antigua and Barbuda /bɑːˈbuːdə/

I. a country consisting of three islands (Antigua, Barbuda, and Redonda) in the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean; pop. 85,600 (est. 2009); languages, English (official), Creole; capital, St John's (on Antigua). Discovered in 1493 by Columbus and settled by the English in 1632, Antigua became a British colony with Barbuda as its dependency; the islands gained independence within the Commonwealth in 1981.

II. derivatives

Antiguan

adjective, noun

anti-hero /ˈantihiːrəʊ/

noun

a central character in a story, film, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes.

• with the age of the anti-hero, baddies and goodies became less distinguishable from one another.

anti-heroine

noun

a female anti-hero.

antihistamine /antɪˈhɪstəmɪn, antɪˈhɪstəmiːn/

noun

a drug or other compound that inhibits the physiological effects of histamine, used especially in the treatment of allergies.
[as modifier]

• an antihistamine injection.

antihypertensive /antɪhʌɪpəˈtɛnsɪv/

I. adjective

(of a drug) used to lower high blood pressure

• increasing dosages of antihypertensive drug treatments.

II. noun

an antihypertensive drug

• the ability to act as an antihypertensive.

anti-infective

I. adjective

(of a drug) used to prevent infection.

II. noun

an anti-infective drug.

anti-inflammatory

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) used to reduce inflammation.

II. noun

an anti-inflammatory drug.

anti-intellectual

I. adjective

hostile or indifferent to culture and intellectual reasoning

• many activists have adopted a profoundly anti-intellectual stance.

II. noun

a person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and intellectual reasoning

• funny, satirical plots that even anti-intellectuals will chuckle over.

anti-knock

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a substance (such as tetraethyl lead) added to petrol to inhibit pre-ignition.
[as modifier]

• anti-knock additives.

Anti-Lebanon Mountains

a range of mountains running north to south along the border between Lebanon and Syria, east of the Lebanon range.

anti-life

adjective

opposed to or restricting the full development of natural life.

• the new industrial age was anti-life.

Antilles /anˈtɪliːz/

a group of islands, forming the greater part of the West Indies. The Greater Antilles, extending roughly east to west, comprise Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and Puerto Rico; the Lesser Antilles, to the south-east, include the Virgin Islands, Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, Barbados, and various small islands to the north of Venezuela.
See also Netherlands Antilles.

anti-lock

adjective

(of brakes) designed so as to prevent the wheels locking and the vehicle skidding if applied suddenly.

antilog /ˈantɪlɒɡ/

noun

short for antilogarithm.

antilogarithm /antɪˈlɒɡərɪð(ə)m/

noun

the number of which a given number is the logarithm.

antilogy /anˈtɪlədʒi/

I. noun

‹archaic› a contradiction in terms or ideas.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French antilogie, from Greek antilogia, from anti- ‘against’ + -logia (see -logy).

antimacassar /ˌantɪməˈkasə/

I. noun

a piece of cloth put over the back of a chair to protect it from grease and dirt or as an ornament.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from anti- + Macassar.

anti-magnetic

adjective

(especially of watches) resistant to magnetization.

antimalarial /antɪməˈlɛːrɪəl/

I. adjective

(of a drug) used to prevent malaria.

II. noun

an antimalarial drug.

antimatter /ˈantɪˌmatə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] matter consisting of elementary particles which are the antiparticles of those making up normal matter.

antimetabolite

noun

[Physiology] a substance that interferes with the normal metabolic processes within cells, typically by combining with enzymes.

antimicrobial

I. adjective

active against microbes.

II. noun

an antimicrobial substance.

anti-monarchist

noun

an opponent of monarchy.
[as modifier]

• an anti-monarchist stance.

antimony /ˈantɪməni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Sb) — the chemical element of atomic number 51, a brittle silvery-white semimetal.

Antimony was known from ancient times; the naturally occurring black sulphide was used as the cosmetic kohl. The element is used in alloys, usually with lead, such as pewter, type metal, and Britannia metal.

II. derivatives

1. antimonial /antɪˈməʊnɪəl /

adjective

2. antimonic /antɪˈmɒnɪk /

adjective

3. antimonious /antɪˈməʊnɪəs /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (denoting stibnite, the most common ore of the metal): from medieval Latin antimonium, of unknown origin. The current sense dates from the early 19th cent.

anti-national

adjective

opposed to national interests or nationalism.

• an anti-national political agenda.

anting /ˈantɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Ornithology] behaviour seen in some birds, in which the bird either picks up ants and rubs them on the feathers or stands with the wings spread and allows the ants to crawl over it. It is probable that the ants' secretions help to keep the feathers in good condition.

antinode

noun

[Physics] the position of maximum displacement in a standing wave system.

anti-noise

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. promoting the suppression or reduction of noise

• anti-noise regulations.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. sound generated for the purpose of reducing noise by interference.

antinomian /antɪˈnəʊmɪən/

I. noun

a person who believes that Christians are released by grace from the obligation of observing the moral law.

II. adjective

denoting or relating to antinomians or their beliefs.

III. derivatives

antinomianism

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin Antinomi, the name of a 16th-cent. sect in Germany alleged to hold this view, from Greek anti- ‘opposite, against’ + nomos ‘law’.

antinomy /anˈtɪnəmi/

I. noun

a contradiction between two beliefs or conclusions that are in themselves reasonable; a paradox.

• there are not many short novels capable of accommodating bewildering antinomies.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘a conflict between two laws’): from Latin antinomia, from Greek, from anti ‘against’ + nomos ‘law’.

antinovel /ˈantɪˌnɒv(ə)l/

noun

a novel in which the conventions and traditions of the genre are studiously avoided.

anti-nuclear /antɪˈnjuːklɪə/

adjective

opposed to the development of nuclear weapons or nuclear power.

• anti-nuclear campaigners.

Antioch /ˈantɪɒk/

I. a city in southern Turkey, near the Syrian border; pop. 186,200 (est. 2007). Antioch was the ancient capital of Syria under the Seleucid kings, who founded it c. 300 BC.
Turkish name Antakya.

II. a city in ancient Phrygia.

Antiochus /anˈtʌɪəkəs/

I. the name of eight Seleucid kings, notably:

II. Antiochus III ( c. 242–187 BC), reigned 223–187 BC; known as Antiochus the Great. He restored and expanded the Seleucid empire.

III. Antiochus IV ( c. 215–163 BC), son of Antiochus III, reigned 175–163 BC; known as Antiochus Epiphanes. His firm control of Judaea and his attempt to Hellenize the Jews resulted in the revival of Jewish nationalism and the Maccabean revolt.

antioxidant /antɪˈɒksɪd(ə)nt/

noun

1. a substance that inhibits oxidation, especially one used to counteract the deterioration of stored food products.

2. a substance such as vitamin C or E that removes potentially damaging oxidizing agents in a living organism.

antiparallel

adjective

[Physics] parallel but moving or oriented in opposite directions.

antiparticle /ˈantɪˌpɑːtɪk(ə)l/

noun

[Physics] a subatomic particle having the same mass as a given particle but opposite electric or magnetic properties. Every kind of subatomic particle has a corresponding antiparticle, e.g. the positron has the same mass as the electron but an equal and opposite charge.

antipasto /ˌantɪˈpastəʊ/

I. noun

(in Italian cookery) an hors d'oeuvre.

– origin Italian, from anti- ‘before’ + pasto (from Latin pastus ‘food’).

antipathetic /ˌantɪpəˈθɛtɪk/

I. adjective

showing or feeling a strong aversion

• it is human nature to be antipathetic to change.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from antipathy, on the pattern of pathetic.

antipathy /anˈtɪpəθi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a deep-seated feeling of aversion

• his fundamental antipathy to capitalism.

II. derivatives

antipathic /ˌantɪˈpaθɪk /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘opposition of feeling, nature, or disposition’): from French antipathie, or via Latin from Greek antipatheia, from antipathēs ‘opposed in feeling’, from anti ‘against’ + pathos ‘feeling’.

anti-personnel /antipəːsəˈnɛl/

adjective

(of weapons, especially bombs) designed to kill or injure people rather than to damage buildings or equipment.

antiperspirant /antɪˈpəːspɪrənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a substance that is applied to the skin, especially under the arms, to prevent or reduce perspiration.

antiphon /ˈantɪf(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (in traditional Western Christian liturgy) a short sentence sung or recited before or after a psalm or canticle.

2. a musical setting of an antiphon.

– origin late Middle English: via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek antiphōna ‘harmonies’, neuter plural of antiphōnos ‘responsive’, from anti ‘in return’ + phōnē ‘sound’.

antiphonal /anˈtɪfən(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of music, especially church music, or a section of a church liturgy) sung, recited, or played alternately by two groups.

II. noun

another term for antiphonary.

III. derivatives

antiphonally

adverb

antiphonary /anˈtɪf(ə)nəri/

I. noun

(in the Western Christian Church) a book of plainsong for the Divine Office.

– origin early 17th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin antiphonarium, from antiphōna (see antiphon).

antiphony /anˈtɪf(ə)ni/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. antiphonal singing, playing, or chanting.

anti-piracy

adjective

1. designed to prevent the unauthorized use or reproduction of copyright material

• the music industry's anti-piracy campaign.

2. designed to prevent or thwart piracy at sea

• anti-piracy patrols.

antipodal /anˈtɪpəd(ə)l/

adjective

1. relating to or situated on the opposite side of the earth.

2. ( antipodal to) — diametrically opposed to.

3. [Botany] relating to or denoting cells formed at the chalazal end of the embryo sac.

antipode /ˈantɪpəʊd/

I. noun

the direct opposite of something

• the pole and its antipode.

– origin early 17th cent.: back-formation from antipodes.

Antipodean /anˌtɪpəˈdiːən/

I. adjective

relating to Australia or New Zealand (used by inhabitants of the northern hemisphere)

• Antipodean wines.

II. noun

a person from Australia or New Zealand (used by inhabitants of the northern hemisphere).

• a brisk Antipodean, she moved with speed and efficiency.

– origin mid 17th cent.: formed irregularly from antipodes + -an.

antipodes /anˈtɪpədiːz/

I. plural noun

1. ( the Antipodes) — Australia and New Zealand (used by inhabitants of the northern hemisphere).

• there were plants from the Antipodes, including eucalyptuses and acacias.

2. the direct opposite of something

• voting and violence are antipodes.

– origin late Middle English: via French or late Latin from Greek antipodes ‘having the feet opposite’, from anti ‘against, opposite’ + pous, pod- ‘foot’. The term originally denoted the inhabitants of opposite sides of the earth.

antipope /ˈantɪpəʊp/

I. noun

a person established as pope in opposition to one held by others to be canonically chosen.

– origin late Middle English antipape, via French from medieval Latin antipapa (on the pattern of Antichrist). The change in the ending in the 17th cent. was due to association with pope^1.

antiproton /antɪˈprəʊtɒn/

noun

[Physics] the negatively charged antiparticle of a proton.

antipruritic /ˌantɪprʊˈrɪtɪk/

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) used to relieve itching.

II. noun

an antipruritic drug.

– origin late 19th cent.: from anti- + pruritic (see pruritus).

antipsychotic

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) used to treat psychotic disorders.

II. noun

an antipsychotic drug.

antipyretic /ˌantɪpʌɪˈrɛtɪk, ˌantɪpɪˈrɛtɪk/

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) used to prevent or reduce fever.

II. noun

an antipyretic drug.

antiquarian /ˌantɪˈkwɛːrɪən/

I. adjective

1. relating to or dealing in antiques or rare books.

• antiquarian booksellers.

2. relating to the study of antiquities.

II. noun

a person who studies or collects antiques or antiquities.

III. derivatives

antiquarianism /ˌantɪˈkwɛːrɪənɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin antiquarius (see antiquary).

antiquark /ˈantɪkwɑːk/

noun

[Physics] the antiparticle of a quark.

antiquary /ˈantɪkwəri/

I. noun

another term for antiquarian.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin antiquarius, from antiquus (see antique).

antiquated /ˈantɪkweɪtɪd/

I. adjective

old-fashioned or outdated

• this antiquated central heating system.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘old, of long standing’): from ecclesiastical Latin antiquare ‘make old’, from antiquus (see antique).

antique /anˈtiːk/

I. noun

a collectable object such as a piece of furniture or work of art that has a high value because of its age and quality.

• Pauline loves collecting antiques.

• [as modifier] an antique dealer.

II. adjective

1. having a high value because of age and quality

• an antique clock.

2. intended to resemble the appearance of high-quality old furniture

• bookshelves with an antique finish.

3. belonging to ancient times

• statues of antique gods.

4. old-fashioned or outdated

• antique work practices.

5. ‹humorous› showing signs of great age or wear

• the kitchen had an antique cooker.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) resemble an antique by artificial means.

• sanding will change the lustre of the sanded spot, especially if the finish has been antiqued.

– origin late 15th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin antiquus, anticus ‘former, ancient’, from ante ‘before’.

antiquity /anˈtɪkwɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ancient past, especially the period of classical and other human civilizations before the Middle Ages

• the great civilizations of antiquity.

2. [ count noun] (usu. antiquities) — an object, building, or work of art from the ancient past

• a collection of Islamic antiquities.

3. great age

• a church of great antiquity.

– origin Middle English: from Old French antiquite, from Latin antiquitas, from antiquus ‘old, former’ (see antique).

anti-racism /antɪˈreɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the policy or practice of opposing racism and promoting racial tolerance.

anti-racist /ˌantiˈreɪsɪst/

I. noun

a person who opposes racism and promotes racial tolerance

• residents joined with trade union members and anti-racists from across Britain.

II. adjective

opposing racism and promoting racial tolerance

• he was active in the anti-racist movement in the USA.

antiretroviral /ˌantɪˈrɛtrəʊˌvʌɪrəl/

I. adjective

denoting or relating to a class of drugs which inhibit the activity of retroviruses such as HIV.

II. noun

an antiretroviral drug.

anti-roll bar /antiˈrəʊl bɑː/

noun

a rubber-mounted bar fitted in the suspension of a vehicle to increase its stability, especially when cornering.

antirrhinum /ˌantɪˈrʌɪnəm/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that includes the snapdragon.
●Genus Antirrhinum, family Scrophulariaceae.

– origin from Latin, from Greek antirrhinon, from anti- ‘counterfeiting’ + rhis, rhin- ‘nose’, from the resemblance of the flower to an animal's snout.

antiscorbutic /ˌantɪskɔːˈbjuːtɪk / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) having the effect of preventing or curing scurvy.

II. noun

an antiscorbutic food or drug.

anti-Semite /ˌantɪˈsiːmʌɪt, ˌantɪˈsɛmʌɪt/

noun

a person who is hostile to or prejudiced against Jews

• he was not just a bigot, but also an anti-Semite.

anti-Semitic /ˌantɪsɪˈmɪtɪk/

adjective

hostile to or prejudiced against Jews

• anti-Semitic remarks were posted on the site

• a steep rise in anti-Semitic incidents worldwide.

anti-Semitism /antiˈsɛmətɪzəm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. hostility to or prejudice against Jews.

antisense

adjective

[Genetics] having a sequence of nucleotides complementary to (and hence capable of binding to) a coding (or sense) sequence, which may be either that of the strand of a DNA double helix which undergoes transcription, or that of a messenger RNA molecule.

antisepsis /antɪˈsɛpsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of using antiseptics to eliminate the microorganisms that cause disease.
Compare with asepsis.

antiseptic /antɪˈsɛptɪk/

I. adjective

1. preventing the growth of disease-causing microorganisms.

• garlic has powerful antiseptic properties.

• his breath smelt of antiseptic mouthwash.

2. scrupulously clean or pure, especially so as to be bland or characterless

• their squeaky-clean home epitomizes this antiseptic respectability.

II. noun

an antiseptic compound or preparation.

• the inappropriate use of antiseptics.

• [ mass noun] come into the house and have some antiseptic put on that wound.

III. derivatives

antiseptically

adverb

antiserum /ˈantɪˌsɪərəm/

noun

a blood serum containing antibodies against specific antigens, injected to treat or protect against specific diseases.

anti-slavery

adjective

opposed to the practice or system of slavery

• the anti-slavery movement.

antisocial /antɪˈsəʊʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. contrary to the laws and customs of society, in a way that causes annoyance and disapproval in others

• children's antisocial behaviour.

2. [Psychiatry] sociopathic.

3. not sociable or wanting the company of others.

II. derivatives

antisocially

adverb

usage: On the difference in use between antisocial, unsocial, and unsociable, see usage at unsociable.

antispasmodic /ˌantɪspazˈmɒdɪk/

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) used to relieve spasm of involuntary muscle.

II. noun

an antispasmodic drug.

anti-static

adjective

preventing the build-up of static electricity or reducing its effects.

Antisthenes /anˈtɪsθəniːz/

( c. 445– c. 360 BC), Greek philosopher and teacher, regarded as the founder of the school of Cynics. A pupil and friend of Socrates, he believed that happiness is based on virtuous action rather than ease and pleasure, and that virtue, once acquired, cannot be lost.

antistrophe /anˈtɪstrəfi/

I. noun

the second section of an ancient Greek choral ode or of one division of it.
Compare with strophe.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a term in rhetoric denoting the repetition of words in reverse order): via late Latin from Greek antistrophē, from antistrephein ‘turn against’, from anti ‘against’ + strephein ‘to turn’.

antisymmetric

adjective

[Mathematics] [Physics] unaltered in magnitude but changed in sign by exchange of two variables or by a particular symmetry operation.

anti-tank /antɪˈtaŋk/

adjective

for use against enemy tanks.

• new anti-tank missiles.

antiterror

adjective

denoting political activities or measures designed to prevent or thwart terrorism

• the government introduced tough new antiterror laws.

antiterrorism /ˌantiˈtɛrərɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. political activities or measures designed to prevent or thwart terrorism.

II. derivatives

antiterrorist /ˌantiˈtɛrərɪst /

adjective

anti-tetanus

adjective

preventing or effective against tetanus

• an anti-tetanus injection.

antithesis /anˈtɪθəsɪs/

I. noun

1. a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else

• love is the antithesis of selfishness.

2. a contrast or opposition between two things

• the antithesis between occult and rational mentalities.

3. [ mass noun] — a rhetorical or literary device in which an opposition or contrast of ideas is expressed.

• figures of speech such as antithesis.

• [ count noun] his sermons were full of startling antitheses.

4. [ mass noun] — (in Hegelian philosophy) the negation of the thesis as the second stage in the process of dialectical reasoning.
Compare with synthesis.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting the substitution of one grammatical case for another): from late Latin, from Greek antitithenai ‘set against’, from anti ‘against’ + tithenai ‘to place’. The earliest current sense, denoting a rhetorical or literary device, dates from the early 16th cent.

antithetical /ˌantɪˈθɛtɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. directly opposed or contrasted; mutually incompatible

• people whose religious beliefs are antithetical to mine.

2. connected with, containing, or using the rhetorical device of antithesis.

• when praising the government, Pyrocles invokes the familiar oxymoronic and antithetical mode.

II. derivatives

1. antithetic /antɪˈθɛtɪk /

adjective

2. antithetically /ˌantɪˈθɛtɪkli /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Greek antithetikos, from antithetos ‘placed in opposition’, from antitithenai ‘set against’.

antitoxin /antɪˈtɒksɪn/

I. noun

[Physiology] an antibody that counteracts a toxin.

II. derivatives

antitoxic /ˌantɪˈtɒksɪk /

adjective

antitrades /antɪˈtreɪdz, ˈantɪtreɪdz / antitrade winds

plural noun

steady winds that blow in the opposite direction to and overlie the trade winds.

antitrust /antɪˈtrʌst/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of legislation, chiefly in the US) preventing or controlling trusts or other monopolies, and so promoting fair competition in business.

antitumour /antɪˈtjuːmə / ‹US› antitumor

adjective

inhibiting the growth of a tumour or tumours

• in laboratory tests, this genetically altered adenovirus produced encouraging antitumour effects.

antitussive

I. adjective

(especially of a drug) used to prevent or relieve a cough.

II. noun

an antitussive drug.

antitype

I. noun

1. a person or thing that represents the opposite of someone or something else

• the antitype of female virtue.

2. something that is represented by a symbol.

II. derivatives

antitypical

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin antitypus, from Greek antitupos ‘corresponding as an impression to the die’, from anti ‘against, opposite’ + tupos ‘type, a stamp’.

anti-vax /antɪˈvaks/

I. adjective

(US) ‹informal› opposed to vaccination

• anti-vax parents.

– origin 1990s: from anti- + vax.

anti-vaxxer /antɪˈvaksə / anti-vaxer

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a person who is opposed to vaccination, typically a parent who does not wish to vaccinate their child

• experts say several diseases that are avoidable are making a comeback due to anti-vaxxers who refuse to vaccinate their kids.

– origin early 21st cent.: from anti-vax.

antivenin /ˌantɪˈvɛnɪn / antivenene /ˌantɪvɪˈniːn/

I. noun

an antiserum containing antibodies against specific poisons, especially those in the venom of snakes, spiders, and scorpions.

II. derivatives

antivenom

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from anti- + ven(om) + -in^1.

antiviral /antɪˈvʌɪr(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [Medicine] (chiefly of a drug or treatment) effective against viruses.

2. [Computing] (of software) designed to detect, remove, or offer protection against computer viruses.

II. noun

[Medicine] an antiviral drug or medicine.

antivirus /ˈantivʌɪrəs/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. [Computing] (of software) designed to detect and destroy computer viruses.

antivivisection /ˌantɪˌvɪvɪˈsɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. opposed to the use of live animals for scientific research.

• antivivisection campaigners.

II. derivatives

1. antivivisectionism /ˌantivɪvɪˈsɛkʃənɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. antivivisectionist /antivɪvɪˈsɛkʃənɪst /

noun, adjective

anti-war

adjective

opposed to war in general or to the conduct of a specific war

• his speech was interrupted by anti-war protesters.

anti-Western

adjective

hostile to the interests of Europe and North America, especially the United States.

antler /ˈantlə/

I. noun

1. each of the branched horns on the head of an adult deer (typically a male one), which are made of bone and are grown and cast annually.

• a stag's antlers.

• [ mass noun] combs made of antler.

2. each of the branches on an antler.

II. derivatives

antlered /ˈantləd /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting the lowest (forward-directed) branch of the antler): from Anglo-Norman French, variant of Old French antoillier, of unknown origin.

Antlia /ˈantlɪə / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small and faint southern constellation (the Air Pump), between Hydra and Vela.

II. (as genitive Antliae) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Alpha Antliae.

– origin Latin, from Greek.

ant lion

noun

an insect that resembles a dragonfly, with predatory larvae that construct conical pits into which insect prey, especially ants, fall.
●Family Myrmeleontidae, order Neuroptera.

Antofagasta /ˌantəfəˈɡastə/

a port in northern Chile, capital of a region of the same name; pop. 341,900 (est. 2006).

Antonine /ˈantənʌɪn/

I. adjective

relating to the Roman emperors Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius or their rules (AD 138–80).

II. plural noun — ( the Antonines)

1. the Antonine emperors.

Antonine Wall

a defensive fortification about 59 km (37 miles) long, built ( c. 140 AD) across the narrowest part of southern Scotland between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. It was intended to mark the frontier of the Roman province of Britain.

Antoninus Pius /ˌantəˈnʌɪnəs ˈpʌɪəs/

(86–161), Roman emperor 138–61. The adopted son and successor of Hadrian, he had a generally peaceful and harmonious reign.

Antonioni, Michelangelo /anˌtəʊnɪˈəʊni/

(1912–2007), Italian film director. Notable films: L'avventura (1960), Blow-Up (1966), and Zabriskie Point (1970).

antonomasia /ˌantənəˈmeɪzɪə, anˌtɒnəˈmeɪzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] the substitution of an epithet or title for a proper name (e.g. the Maid of Orleans for Joan of Arc).

2. the use of a proper name to express a general idea (e.g. a Scrooge for a miser).

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek, from antonomazein ‘name instead’, from anti- ‘against, instead’ + onoma ‘a name’.

Anton Piller order

I. noun

[English Law] a court order which requires the defendant in proceedings to permit the plaintiff or his or her legal representatives to enter the defendant's premises in order to obtain evidence essential to the plaintiff's case.

– origin 1970s: named after Anton Piller, German manufacturers of electric motors, who were involved in legal proceedings (1975) in which such an order was granted.

Antony, Mark /ˈantəni/

( c. 83–30 BC), Roman general and triumvir; Latin name Marcus Antonius. A supporter of Julius Caesar, he was appointed one of the triumvirate after Caesar's murder. Following the battle of Philippi he took charge of the Eastern Empire, where he established his association with Cleopatra. Quarrels with Octavian led finally to his defeat at the battle of Actium and to his suicide.

Antony, St

see Anthony, St.

antonym /ˈantənɪm/

I. noun

a word opposite in meaning to another (e.g. bad and good).

II. derivatives

1. antonymous /anˈtɒnɪməs /

adjective

2. antonymy /anˈtɒnəmi /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French antonyme, from ant- (from Greek anti- ‘against’) + Greek onuma ‘a name’.

Antony of Padua, St

see Anthony of Padua, St.

antrectomy /anˈtrɛktəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. surgical removal of the walls of an antrum, especially the antrum of the stomach.

Antrim /ˈantrɪm/

I. one of the Six Counties of Northern Ireland, since 1973 an administrative district.

II. a town in the district of Antrim, on the NE shore of Lough Neagh; pop. 22,000 (est. 2009).

Antron /ˈantrɒn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a type of strong, light nylon fibre used chiefly in making carpets and upholstery.

– origin 1960s: an invented name.

antrum /ˈantrəm/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] a natural chamber or cavity in a bone or other anatomical structure.

2. [Anatomy] the pyloric end of the stomach.

II. derivatives

antral

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin, from Greek antron ‘cave’.

ants' eggs

plural noun

the pupae of ants, especially when used as food for pet fish.

antsy /ˈantsi/

I. adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› agitated, impatient, or restless

• Dick got antsy the day he put to sea.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably from the phrase have ants in one's pants (see ant).

ant-thrush

noun

any of a number of thrush-sized ant-eating birds:
● a large antbird (three genera in the family Formicariidae). ● an African thrush (genus Neocossyphus). ● another term for pitta^1.

Antung /anˈtʊŋ/

former name for Dandong.

Antwerp /ˈantwəːp/

I. a port in northern Belgium, on the Scheldt; pop. 472,071 (2008). By the 16th century it had become a leading European commercial and financial centre. Flemish name Antwerpen, French name Anvers.

II. a province of Belgium of which Antwerp is the capital.

Anubis /əˈnjuːbɪs / ‹Egyptian Mythology›

the god of mummification, protector of tombs, typically represented as having a dog's head.

Anura /əˈnjʊərə/

I. plural noun

1. [Zoology] an order of tailless amphibians that comprises the frogs and toads.
Also called Salientia or Batrachia.

2. ( anura) — [Zoology] amphibians of the order Anura; frogs and toads.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from an-1 ‘without’ + Greek oura ‘tail’.

Anuradhapura /ənʊˈrɑːdəˌpʊərə/

a city in north central Sri Lanka, capital of a district of the same name; pop. 81,500 (est. 2007). The ancient capital of Sri Lanka, it is a centre of Buddhist pilgrimage.

anuran /əˈnjʊər(ə)n / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a tailless amphibian of the order Anura; a frog or toad.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting anurans.

anuria /əˈnjʊərɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] failure of the kidneys to produce urine.

II. derivatives

anuric

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from an-1 + -uria.

anus /ˈeɪnəs/

I. noun

[Anatomy] [Zoology] the opening at the end of the alimentary canal through which solid waste matter leaves the body.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, originally ‘a ring’.

Anvers /ɑ̃vɛʀ/

French name of Antwerp.

anvil /ˈanvɪl/

I. noun

1. a heavy iron block with a flat top and concave sides, on which metal can be hammered and shaped.

2. the horizontally extended upper part of a cumulonimbus cloud.
[as modifier]

• anvil clouds.

3. [Anatomy] another term for incus.

– origin Old English anfilte, from the Germanic base of on + a verbal stem meaning ‘beat’.

anxiety /aŋˈzʌɪəti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome

• he felt a surge of anxiety

• [ count noun] anxieties about the moral decline of today's youth.

2. [Psychiatry] a nervous disorder marked by excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behaviour or panic attacks.
[as modifier]

• she suffered from anxiety attacks.

3. [with infinitive] — strong desire or concern to do something or for something to happen

• the housekeeper's eager anxiety to please.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French anxiété or Latin anxietas, from anxius (see anxious).

anxiety-free

adjective

free from worry or concerns

• a bright, confident, anxiety-free life.

anxiety-ridden

adjective

filled with worry or concerns

• a self-help book for anxiety-ridden students.

anxiolytic /ˌaŋzɪəˈlɪtɪk / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) used to reduce anxiety.

II. noun

a drug used to relieve anxiety.

– origin 1960s: from anxiety + -lytic.

anxious /ˈaŋ(k)ʃəs/

I. adjective

1. feeling or showing worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome

• she was extremely anxious about her exams

• an anxious look.

2. [ attrib.] — (of a situation or period of time) causing or characterized by worry or nervousness

• there were some anxious moments.

3. very eager or concerned to do something or for something to happen

• the company was anxious to avoid any trouble

• [with clause] my parents were anxious that I get an education.

II. derivatives

anxiousness /ˈaŋkʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin anxius (from angere ‘to choke’) + -ous.

anxiously /ˈaŋkʃəsli/

adverb

in a manner resulting from or revealing anxiety

• we are all waiting anxiously for any news.

any /ˈɛni/

I. determiner, pronoun

1. [usu. with negative or in questions] — used to refer to one or some of a thing or number of things, no matter how much or how many
[as determiner]

• I don't have any choice

• do you have any tips to pass on?

• [as pronoun] someone asked him for a match, but Joe didn't have any

• you don't know any of my friends.

2. anyone

• the city council ceased payments to any but the aged.

3. whichever of a specified class might be chosen
[as determiner]

• these constellations are visible at any hour of the night

• [as pronoun] the illness may be due to any of several causes.

II. adverb — [usu. with negative or in questions] [as submodifier]

1. at all; in some degree (used for emphasis)

• he wasn't any good at basketball

• why look any further?

• no one would be any the wiser.

2. (US) ‹informal› at all (used alone, not qualifying another word)

• I didn't hurt you any.

III. phrases

1. any amount of

see amount.

2. any more (also anymore)

[usu. with negative or in questions] — to any further extent; any longer

• she refused to listen any more.

3. any old

see old.

4. any road (up)

(chiefly N. English) informal term for anyway:

• any road, I'm sure you'll make a go of it.

5. any time (also anytime)

at whatever time

• she can come any time.

6. any time (or day or minute etc.) now

‹informal› very soon

• we'll get them back any day now.

7. be not having any (of it)

‹informal› be uninterested or disagree

• I tried to make polite conversation, but he wasn't having any.

8. not just any ——

a particular or special thing of its type rather than any ordinary one of that type.

• he had an acting job at last, and not just any part, but the lead in a new film.

– origin Old English ǣnig (see one, -y^1), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch eenig and German einig. / usage: When used as a pronoun any can be used with either a singular or a plural verb, depending on the context: we needed more sugar but there wasn't any left ( singular verb) or are any of the new videos available? ( plural verb).

anybody /ˈɛnɪbɒdi/

I. pronoun

anyone

• there wasn't anybody around.

II. phrases

anybody's guess

see guess.

anyhoo /ˈɛnɪhuː/

I. adverb

‹informal› anyhow; anyway (used to indicate a change of subject or a return to a previous subject after a digression or interruption)

• anyhoo, I think we're all taking ourselves far too seriously today

• anyhoo, to get to the point.

– origin mid 19th cent.: representing a regional or informal pronunciation of anyhow.

anyhow /ˈɛnɪhaʊ/

adverb

1. another term for anyway.

2. in a careless or haphazard way

• two suitcases flung anyhow.

anymore

adverb

(chiefly N. Amer.) variant of any more at any.

anyone /ˈɛnɪwʌn/

I. pronoun

1. [usu. with negative or in questions] — any person or people

• there wasn't anyone there

• does anyone remember him?

• I was afraid to tell anyone.

2. [without negative] — used for emphasis

• anyone could do it.

3. a person of importance or authority

• they are read by anyone who's anyone.

II. phrases

1. be anyone's

‹informal› be open to sexual advances from anyone

• three shandies and he's anyone's.

2. anyone's game

an evenly balanced contest

• it was still anyone's game at half-time.

usage: The two-word form any one is not the same as the one-word form anyone and the two forms cannot be used interchangeably. Any one means ‘any single (person or thing)’, as in: not more than twelve new members are admitted in any one year.

anyplace /ˈɛnɪpleɪs/

adverb

(N. Amer.) informal term for anywhere:

• Miami is hotter than anyplace else.

anything /ˈɛnɪθɪŋ/

I. pronoun — [usu. with negative or in questions]

1. used to refer to a thing, no matter what

• nobody was saying anything

• have you found anything?

• he inquired whether there was anything he could do.

2. [without negative] — used for emphasis

• I was ready for anything.

3. used to indicate a range

• he trains anything from seven to eight hours a day.

II. phrases

1. anything but

not at all (used for emphasis)

• he is anything but racist.

2. anything like ——

[with negative] — at all like —— (used for emphasis)

• it doesn't taste anything like wine.

3. (as) —— as anything

‹informal› extremely ——

• she said it out loud, clear as anything.

4. or anything

[usu. with negative or in questions] — ‹informal› added as a general reference to other things similar to the thing mentioned

• no strings attached, you don't have to join up or anything.

anytime /ˈɛnɪtʌɪm/

adverb

variant of any time at any.

Anytown

noun

a real or fictional place regarded as being typical of a small US town

• a basketball arena straight out of a high school in Anytown, USA.

anyway /ˈɛnɪweɪ/

adverb

1. used to confirm or support a point or idea just mentioned

• I told you, it's all right, and anyway, it was my fault

• it's too late now anyway.

2. used in questions to emphasize the speaker's wish to obtain the truth

• ‘What are you doing here, anyway?’.

3. used to end a conversation, to change the subject, or to resume a subject after interruption

• ‘Anyway, Dot, I must dash.’.

4. used to pass over less significant aspects of an account in order to focus on what is important

• ‘Poor John always enjoyed a drink. Anyway, he died last year.’.

5. used to indicate that something happened or will happen in spite of something else

• nobody invited Miss Honey to sit down but she sat down anyway.

anyways /ˈɛnɪweɪz/

adverb

(N. Amer.) informal or dialect form of anyway:

• you wouldn't understand all them long words anyways.

anywhere /ˈɛnɪwɛː/

I. adverb — [usu. with negative or in questions]

1. in or to any place

• he couldn't be found anywhere.

2. [without negative] — used for emphasis

• I could go anywhere in the world.

3. used to indicate a range

• he could get anywhere from three to seven years.

II. pronoun

any place

• he doesn't have anywhere to live.

III. phrases

anywhere near

a. at all near (used for emphasis)

• I wouldn't dream of letting a surgeon anywhere near my eyes.

b. remotely close to in extent, level, or scope

• imitations rarely look anywhere near as good as the real thing.

anywheres

adverb, pronoun

(chiefly N. Amer.) informal or dialect form of anywhere:
[as adv.]

• I'll see if I can see your clothes anywheres.

anywise /ˈɛnɪwʌɪz/

I. adverb

‹archaic› in any manner or way.

– origin Old English on ǣnige wīsan ‘in any wise’.

Anzac /ˈanzak/

I. noun

1. a soldier in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (1914–18).

2. ‹informal› a person from Australia or New Zealand, especially a member of the armed services.

– origin acronym.

Anzac biscuit

noun

(Austral./NZ) a sweet biscuit containing rolled oats and golden syrup

• she picked up a tin of Anzac biscuits from the supermarket.

Anzac Day

noun

(in Australia and New Zealand) the day on which the Anzac landing at Gallipoli in 1915 is annually commemorated, 25 April.

Anzus /ˈanzəs/

an alliance between Australia, New Zealand, and the US, established in 1951 and designed to protect those countries in the Pacific area from armed attack.
Also called Pacific Security Treaty.

AO

abbreviation

Officer of the Order of Australia.

AOA

abbreviation

Angolan kwanza.

AOB

abbreviation

any other business (at the end of an agenda for a meeting).

AOC

abbreviation

appellation d'origine contrôlée (see appellation contrôlée).

ao dai /ˈaʊ ˌdʌɪ/

I. noun

a Vietnamese woman's long-sleeved tunic with ankle-length panels at front and back, worn over trousers.

– origin 1960s: Vietnamese.

A-OK ‹N. Amer. informal› A-okay

I. adjective

in good order or condition; all right.

• everything will be A-OK.

• an A-OK sign.

II. adverb

in a good manner or way; all right.

• we hit it off A-OK.

– origin 1960s (originally an astronauts' term): from a ll systems OK.

AOR

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of popular music in which a hard rock background is combined with softer or more melodic elements.
[as modifier]

• an album of AOR tracks.

– origin 1970s (originally US): from album-oriented rock or adult-oriented rock.

Aoraki/Mount Cook /aʊˈraki/

official name for Mount Cook (see Cook, Mount).

aorist /ˈeɪərɪst, ˈɛːrɪst / ‹Grammar›

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a past tense of a verb (especially in Greek), which does not contain any reference to duration or completion of the action.

II. noun

the aorist tense.

III. derivatives

aoristic

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek aoristos ‘indefinite’, from a- ‘not’ + horizein ‘define, limit’.

aorta /eɪˈɔːtə/

I. noun

the main artery of the body, supplying oxygenated blood to the circulatory system. In humans it passes over the heart from the left ventricle and runs down in front of the backbone.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Greek aortē (used in the plural by Hippocrates for the branches of the windpipe, and by Aristotle for the great artery), from aeirein ‘raise’.

aortic /eɪˈɔːtɪk/

adjective

relating to the aorta, the main artery of the body

• the aortic valve.

Aosta /ɑːˈɒstə/

a city in NW Italy, capital of Valle d'Aosta region; pop. 34,979 (2008).

Aotearoa /aʊˌteɪəˈrəʊə/

I. Maori name for New Zealand.

– origin Maori, literally ‘land of the long white cloud’.

aoudad /ˈɑːʊdad/

I. noun

another term for Barbary sheep.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from Berber udād.

à outrance /ɑː ˈuːtrɒ̃s, French a utʀɑ̃s/

I. adverb

‹literary› to the death or the very end

• a duel à outrance.

– origin French, literally ‘to the utmost’.

Aozou Strip /aʊˈzuː / Aouzou Strip

a narrow corridor of disputed desert land in northern Chad, stretching the full length of the border between Chad and Libya.

AP

abbreviation

Associated Press.

ap-1

prefix

variant spelling of ad- assimilated before p (as in apposite, apprehend).

ap-2

prefix

variant spelling of apo- shortened before a vowel or h (as in aphelion).

apace /əˈpeɪs/

I. adverb

‹literary› swiftly; quickly

• work continues apace.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French a pas ‘at (a considerable) pace’.

apache /əˈpaʃ, French apaʃ/

I. noun

a violent street ruffian, originally in Paris.

– origin early 20th cent.: French, from Apache, by association with the reputed ferocity of the American Indian people.

Apache /əˈpatʃi/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people living chiefly in New Mexico and Arizona. Under the leadership of Geronimo, the Apache were the last American Indian people to be conquered by the European settlers.

2. [ mass noun] — any of the Athabaskan languages of the Apache, which have about 14,000 speakers altogether, though some are virtually extinct.

II. adjective

relating to the Apache or their language.

– origin from Mexican Spanish, probably from Zuni Apachu, literally ‘enemy’.

apart /əˈpɑːt/

I. adverb

1. (of two or more people or things) separated by a specified distance in time or space

• two stone gateposts some thirty feet apart

• studies from as far apart as America and Iceland

• ‹figurative› the two sides remained far apart on the issue of cruise missiles.

2. no longer living together or close emotionally

• alcoholism had driven us apart.

3. to or on one side; at a distance from the main body

• Isabel stepped away from Joanna and stood apart.

4. used after a noun to indicate that someone or something has qualities which mark them out from other people or things

• wrestlers were a breed apart.

5. used to indicate that one is dismissing something from consideration or moving from one tone or topic to another

• Alaska apart, much of America's energy business concentrates on producing gas

• joking apart, they do a really remarkable job.

6. so as to be shattered; into pieces

• he leapt out of the car just before it was blown apart.

II. phrases

apart from

a. except for

• the whole world seemed to be sleeping, apart from Barbara.

b. in addition to; as well as

• quite apart from all the work, he had such financial problems.

III. derivatives

apartness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin a parte ‘at the side’.

apartheid /əˈpɑːtheɪt, əˈpɑːtʌɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› (in South Africa) a policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race.

2. ‹historical› segregation on grounds other than race

• sexual apartheid.

Adopted as a slogan in the 1948 election by the successful Afrikaner National Party, apartheid extended and institutionalized existing racial segregation. Despite rioting and terrorism at home and isolation abroad from the 1960s onwards, the white regime maintained the apartheid system with only minor relaxation until February 1991.

– origin 1940s: from Afrikaans, literally ‘separateness’, from Dutch apart ‘separate’ + -heid (equivalent of -hood).

aparthotel apartotel

I. noun

a type of hotel providing self-catering apartments as well as ordinary hotel facilities.

– origin 1960s: from Spanish Apartotel, the name of a company specializing in this type of accommodation, from a blend of apartamento ‘apartment’ and hotel.

apartment /əˈpɑːtm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a flat, typically one that is well appointed or used for holidays

• self-catering holiday apartments.

2. (N. Amer.) any flat

• the family lived in a rented apartment.

3. (N. Amer.) a block of apartments.

• a district of six-storey apartments arranged along narrow streets.

4. ( apartments) — a set of private rooms in a very large house

• the Imperial apartments.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting a private suite of rooms): from French appartement, from Italian appartamento, from appartare ‘to separate’, from a parte ‘apart’.

apartment building apartment block, ‹or chiefly US› apartment house

noun

a block of apartments.

apartment hotel

noun

a hotel with furnished suites of rooms including kitchen facilities, available for long-term or short-term rental.

apathetic /apəˈθɛtɪk/

I. adjective

showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern

• an apathetic electorate.

II. derivatives

apathetically /apəˈθɛtɪkli /

adverb

– origin mid 18th cent.: from apathy, on the pattern of pathetic.

apathy /ˈapəθi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern

• widespread apathy among students.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French apathie, via Latin from Greek apatheia, from apathēs ‘without feeling’, from a- ‘without’ + pathos ‘suffering’.

apatite /ˈapətʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a widely occurring pale green to purple mineral, consisting of calcium phosphate with some fluorine, chlorine, and other elements. It is used in the manufacture of fertilizers.

– origin early 19th cent.: coined in German from Greek apatē ‘deceit’ (from the mineral's diverse forms and colours).

apatosaurus /əˌpatəˈsɔːrəs/

I. noun

a huge herbivorous dinosaur of the late Jurassic period, with a long neck and tail. Formerly called brontosaurus.
●Genus Apatosaurus (formerly Brontosaurus), infraorder Sauropoda, order Saurischia.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek apatē ‘deceit’ + sauros ‘lizard’.

APB

abbreviation

(US) all-points bulletin.

APC

abbreviation

armoured personnel carrier.

ape /eɪp/

I. noun

1. a large primate that lacks a tail, including the gorilla, chimpanzees, orangutan, and gibbons.
●Families Pongidae and Hylobatidae.

2. used in names of macaque monkeys with short tails, e.g. Barbary ape.

3. (in general use) any monkey.

4. an unintelligent or clumsy person.

5. ‹archaic› an inferior imitator or mimic

• cunning is but the ape of wisdom.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. imitate (someone or something), especially in an absurd or unthinking way

• new architecture can respect the old without aping its style.

III. phrases

go ape ( ‹or vulgar slang chiefly N. Amer.› apeshit)

‹informal› become very angry or excited.

• your kids will go ape over these frozen pops!

• Ricky would go apeshit if anything happened to Wayne.

IV. derivatives

apelike /ˈeɪplʌɪk /

adjective

– origin Old English apa, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch aap and German Affe.

APEC

abbreviation

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, a regional economic forum established in 1989, including the US, Japan, China, Australia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Apeldoorn /ˈap(ə)ldɔːn/

a town in the east central Netherlands; pop. 155,108 (2008). It is the site of the summer residence of the Dutch royal family.

Apelles /əˈpɛliːz/

(4th century BC), Greek painter. He is now known only from written sources, but was highly acclaimed throughout the ancient world.

apeman /ˈeɪpmən/

noun

an extinct apelike primate believed to be related or ancestral to present-day humans.

Apennines /ˈapɪnʌɪnz/

a mountain range running 1,400 km (880 miles) down the length of Italy, from the north-west to the southern tip of the peninsula.

aperçu /ˌapɛːˈsjuː/

I. noun

a comment or brief reference which makes an illuminating or entertaining point.

• the narrative is enlivened by aperçus of Butler, Kennedy, and other contemporaries.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, past participle of apercevoir ‘perceive’.

aperient /əˈpɪərɪənt / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) used to relieve constipation.

II. noun

a drug used to relieve constipation.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin aperient- ‘opening’, from aperire.

aperiodic

I. adjective

1. ‹technical› not periodic; irregular.

• aperiodic fluctuations.

2. ‹technical› [Physics] denoting a potentially oscillating or vibrating system (such as an instrument with a pointer) that is damped to prevent oscillation or vibration.

II. derivatives

aperiodicity

noun

aperitif /əˈpɛrɪtiːf, əˌpɛrɪˈtiːf/

I. noun

an alcoholic drink taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French apéritif, from medieval Latin aperitivus, based on Latin aperire ‘to open’.

aperture /ˈapətʃə, ˈapətj(ʊ)ə/

I. noun

1. an opening, hole, or gap.

• the bell ropes passed through apertures in the ceiling.

• the genital aperture of an insect.

2. a space through which light passes in an optical or photographic instrument, especially the variable opening by which light enters a camera.

• a refracting telescope with an aperture of 3 inches.

II. derivatives

apertural

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin apertura, from apert- ‘opened’, from aperire ‘to open’.

aperture priority

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Photography] a system used in some automatic cameras in which the aperture is selected by the user and the appropriate shutter speed is controlled automatically.
Compare with shutter priority.

apery /ˈeɪpəri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› the action of imitating the behaviour or manner of someone, especially in an absurd or unthinking way.

apetalous /eɪˈpɛt(ə)ləs/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a flower) having no petals.

– origin early 18th cent.: from modern Latin apetalus, from Greek apetalos ‘leafless’ (from a- ‘without’ + petalon ‘leaf’) + -ous.

apex /ˈeɪpɛks/

I. noun

1. the top or highest part of something, especially one forming a point

• the apex of the roof

• ‹figurative› the central bank is at the apex of the financial system.

2. [Geometry] the highest point in a plane or solid figure, relative to a base line or plane.

3. [Botany] the growing point of a shoot.

4. the highest point of achievement; a climax

• the apex of his career was in 1966 when he hoisted aloft the World Cup for England.

5. [Motor Racing] the point in turning a corner when the vehicle is closest to the edge of the track.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — reach a high point or climax.

• melodic lines build up to the chorus and it apexes at the solo.

2. [with obj.] — [Motor Racing] turn (a corner) very close to the edge of the track.

• he understands when to apex a corner.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘peak, tip’.

Apex /ˈeɪpɛks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of reduced fares for scheduled airline flights and railway journeys which must be booked and paid for before a certain period in advance of departure.

• Apex fares.

– origin 1970s: from A dvance P urchase Ex cursion.

Apgar score /ˈapɡə/

I. noun

[Medicine] a measure of the physical condition of a newborn infant. It is obtained by adding points (2, 1, or 0) for heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, response to stimulation, and skin coloration; a score of ten represents the best possible condition.

– origin 1960s: named after Virginia Apgar (1909–74), the American anaesthesiologist who devised this method of assessment in 1953.

aphasia /əˈfeɪzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inability (or impaired ability) to understand or produce speech, as a result of brain damage.
Compare with aphonia.

II. derivatives

aphasic /əˈfeɪzɪk /

adjective, noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek, from aphatos ‘speechless’, from a- ‘not’ + phanai ‘speak’.

aphelion /apˈhiːlɪən/

I. noun

[Astronomy] the point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet at which it is furthest from the sun

• Mars is at aphelion.

The opposite of perihelion.

– origin mid 17th cent.: alteration of modern Latin aphelium (by substitution of the Greek inflection -on), from Greek aph' hēlion ‘from the sun’.

apheresis /ɛɪfəˈriːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] omission of the initial sound of a word, as when he is is pronounced he's.

2. [Medicine] a technique by which a particular substance or component is removed from the blood, the main volume being returned to the body.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek aphairesis, from aphairein ‘take away’, from apo ‘from’ + hairein ‘take’.

aphesis /ˈafɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] the gradual loss of an unstressed vowel at the beginning of a word (e.g. of e from esquire to form squire).

II. derivatives

1. aphetic /əˈfɛtɪk /

adjective

2. aphetically

adverb

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek, literally ‘letting go’, from apo ‘from’ + hienai ‘let go, send’.

aphicide /ˈeɪfɪsʌɪd/

noun

an insecticide used against aphids.

aphid /ˈeɪfɪd/

I. noun

a small bug which feeds by sucking sap from plants; a blackfly or greenfly. Aphids reproduce rapidly, sometimes producing live young without mating, and large numbers can cause extensive damage to plants.
●Superfamily Aphidoidea, suborder Homoptera.

– origin late 19th cent.: back-formation from aphides, plural of aphis.

aphis /ˈeɪfɪs/

I. noun

an aphid, especially one of the genus Aphis (which includes the common greenfly and blackfly).

– origin late 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek, perhaps a misreading of koris ‘bug’ (interpreting the characters κορ ‘kor’ as αφ ‘aph’).

aphonia /eɪˈfəʊnɪə / aphony /ˈaf(ə)ni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inability to speak through disease of or damage to the larynx or mouth.
Compare with aphasia.

– origin late 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek aphōnia, from aphōnos ‘voiceless’, from a- ‘without’ + phōnē ‘voice’.

aphonic /eɪˈfɒnɪk/

adjective

‹rare› having no voice or sound; mute

• the patient was aphonic on examination.

aphorism /ˈafərɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a pithy observation which contains a general truth.

• the old aphorism ‘the child is father to the man’.

• [ mass noun] the debate begins and ends at the level of aphorism, with commentators saying that something must be done.

2. a concise statement of a scientific principle, typically by a classical author.

• the opening sentence of the first aphorism of Hippocrates.

II. derivatives

1. aphorist

noun

2. aphoristic /afəˈrɪstɪk /

adjective

3. aphoristically /afəˈrɪstɪk(ə)li /

adverb

4. aphorize aphorise

verb

– origin early 16th cent.: from French aphorisme or late Latin aphorismus, from Greek aphorismos ‘definition’, from aphorizein ‘define’.

aphrodisiac /ˌafrəˈdɪzɪak/

I. noun

a food, drink, or other thing that stimulates sexual desire

• power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

II. adjective

of the nature of an aphrodisiac; stimulating sexual desire

• the aphrodisiac effects of ylang-ylang oil.

III. derivatives

aphrodisiacal

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from Greek aphrodisiakos, from aphrodisios, from Aphroditē (see Aphrodite).

Aphrodisias /ˌafrəˈdɪsɪəs/

an ancient city of western Asia Minor, site of a temple dedicated to Aphrodite. Now in ruins, it is situated 80 km (50 miles) west of Aydin, in modern Turkey.

Aphrodite /ˌafrəˈdʌɪti / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. the goddess of beauty, fertility, and sexual love. She is variously described as the daughter of Zeus and Dione, or as being born from the sea.
Roman equivalent Venus.

– origin Greek, literally ‘foam-born’, from aphros ‘foam’.

aphtha /ˈafθə/

I. noun

1. [Medicine] a small ulcer occurring in groups in the mouth or on the tongue.

2. [ mass noun] — [Medicine] a condition in which aphthae occur.

II. derivatives

aphthous

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek, connected with haptein ‘set on fire’.

API

I. noun

[Computing] a set of functions and procedures that allow the creation of applications which access the features or data of an operating system, application, or other service.

– origin early 21st cent.: abbreviation of application programming interface.

Apia /ˈapɪə/

the capital of Samoa; pop. 43,000 (est. 2007).

apian /ˈeɪpɪən/

I. adjective

relating to bees.

• purple flowers are the most attractive to the apian mind.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin apianus, from apis ‘bee’.

apiary /ˈeɪpɪəri/

I. noun

a place where bees are kept; a collection of beehives.

II. derivatives

1. apiarian

adjective

2. apiarist /ˈeɪpiərɪst /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin apiarium, from apis ‘bee’.

apical /ˈeɪpɪk(ə)l, ˈapɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. ‹technical› relating to or denoting an apex.

2. [Phonetics] (of a consonant) formed with the tip of the tongue at or near the front teeth or the alveolar ridge, for example th or trilled r.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin apex, apic- (see apex) + -al.

apices /ˈeɪpɪsiːz/

plural form of apex.

Apicomplexa /ˌeɪpɪkɒmˈplɛksə/

another term for Sporozoa.

apiculture /ˈeɪpɪˌkʌltʃə/

I. noun

technical term for beekeeping.

II. derivatives

1. apicultural

adjective

2. apiculturist

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin apis ‘bee’ + culture, on the pattern of words such as agriculture.

apiece /əˈpiːs/

I. adverb

to, for, or by each one of a group (used after a noun or an amount)

• we sold 385 prints at £10 apiece.

– origin late Middle English: from a^1 + piece.

Apis /ˈɑːpɪs, ˈapɪs / ‹Egyptian Mythology›

a god depicted as a bull, symbolizing fertility and strength in war.

apish /ˈeɪpɪʃ/

I. adjective

1. resembling or likened to an ape.

• Australopithecus had an apish cranium.

2. foolish or silly.

II. derivatives

1. apishly

adverb

2. apishness

noun

aplanat /ˈaplənat/

I. noun

[Physics] a reflecting or refracting surface which is free from spherical aberration.

II. derivatives

aplanatic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from Greek aplanētos, from a- ‘not’ + planan ‘wander’.

aplasia /əˈpleɪzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the failure of an organ or tissue to develop or to function normally.

II. derivatives

aplastic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘without’ + Greek plasis ‘formation’.

aplastic anaemia /eɪˈplastɪk əˌniːmɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] deficiency of all types of blood cell caused by failure of bone marrow development.

aplenty /əˈplɛnti/

adjective — [ postpositive]

1. in abundance

• there is passion aplenty in the events described.

aplomb /əˈplɒm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation

• Diana passed the test with aplomb.

– origin late 18th cent. (in the sense ‘perpendicularity, steadiness’): from French, from à plomb ‘according to a plumb line’.

apnoea /apˈniːə / ‹US› apnea

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] temporary cessation of breathing, especially during sleep

• thousands suffer from sleep apnoea.

II. derivatives

apnoeic /apˈniːɪk /

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek apnoia, from apnous ‘breathless’.

apo- /ˈapəʊ/

I. prefix

1. away from

• apocrine.

2. separate

• apocarpous.

3. [Astronomy] denoting the furthest point in the orbit of a body in relation to the primary

• apolune.

Compare with peri-.

– origin from Greek apo ‘from, away, quite, un-’.

Apoc.

abbreviation

1. Apocalypse.

2. Apocrypha.

apocalypse /əˈpɒkəlɪps/

I. noun

1. (often the Apocalypse) — the complete final destruction of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation.

• the bell's ringing is supposed to usher in the Apocalypse.

2. ( the Apocalypse) — (especially in the Vulgate Bible) the book of Revelation.

3. an event involving destruction or damage on a catastrophic scale

• the apocalypse of World War II.

II. phrases

the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

a. four allegorical mounted figures, commonly identified as Pestilence (or Conquest), War, Famine, and Death, whose arrival heralds the end of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation.

b. used to refer to people or phenomena seen as agents of imminent catastrophe

• in 2003, the airline industry survived the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

– origin Old English, via Old French and ecclesiastical Latin from Greek apokalupsis, from apokaluptein ‘uncover, reveal’, from apo- ‘un-’ + kaluptein ‘to cover’.

apocalyptic /əpɒkəˈlɪptɪk/

I. adjective

1. describing or prophesying the complete destruction of the world

• the apocalyptic visions of ecologists.

2. momentous or catastrophic

• the struggle between the two countries is assuming apocalyptic proportions.

3. of or resembling the biblical Apocalypse

• apocalyptic imagery.

II. derivatives

apocalyptically /əˌpɒkəˈlɪptɪkli /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent. (as a noun denoting the writer of the Apocalypse, St John): from Greek apokaluptikos, from apokaluptein ‘uncover’ (see apocalypse).

apocarpous /ˌapəˈkɑːpəs/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a flower, fruit, or ovary) having distinct carpels that are not joined together.
Often contrasted with syncarpous.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from apo- + Greek karpos ‘fruit’ + -ous.

apochromat /ˌapəˈkrəʊmat, ˈapəkrəmat/

I. noun

[Physics] a lens or lens system that reduces spherical and chromatic aberration.

II. derivatives

apochromatic /apəkrəˈmatɪk /

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from apo- + chromatic.

apocope /əˈpɒkəpi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] omission of the final sound of a word, as when cup of tea is pronounced as cuppa tea.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin, from Greek apokoptein ‘cut off’, from apo- ‘from’ + koptein ‘to cut’.

Apocr.

abbreviation

Apocrypha.

apocrine /ˈapəkrʌɪn, ˈapəkrɪn/

I. adjective

[Physiology] relating to or denoting multicellular glands which release some of their cytoplasm in their secretions, especially the sweat glands associated with hair follicles in the armpits and pubic regions.
Compare with eccrine.

– origin early 20th cent.: from apo- + Greek krinein ‘to separate’.

Apocrypha /əˈpɒkrɪfə/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of Scripture.

2. ( apocrypha) — writings or reports not considered genuine.

– origin late Middle English: from ecclesiastical Latin apocrypha (scripta) ‘hidden (writings)’, from Greek apokruphos, from apokruptein ‘hide away’.

apocryphal /əˈpɒkrɪf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.

• an apocryphal story about a former president.

• his alleged description of opera as ‘fat gits singing’ is probably apocryphal.

2. of or belonging to the Apocrypha.

• the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas.

II. derivatives

apocryphally

adverb

apodictic /ˌapəˈdɪktɪk / apodeictic /ˌapəˈdʌɪktɪk/

I. adjective

‹formal› clearly established or beyond dispute.

– origin mid 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek apodeiktikos, from apodeiknunai ‘show off, demonstrate’.

apodosis /əˈpɒdəsɪs/

I. noun

[Grammar] the main clause of a conditional sentence (e.g. I would agree in if you asked me I would agree).
Often contrasted with protasis.

– origin early 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek, from apodidonai ‘give back’.

apodous /ˈapədəs/

I. adjective

[Zoology] without feet or having only rudimentary feet.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek apous, apod- ‘footless’ (from a- ‘without’ + pous, pod- ‘foot’) + -ous.

apogee /ˈapədʒiː/

I. noun

1. the highest point in the development of something; a climax or culmination

• a film which was the apogee of German expressionist cinema.

2. [Astronomy] the point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is furthest from the earth.
The opposite of perigee.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French apogée or modern Latin apogaeum, from Greek apogaion (diastēma), ‘(distance) away from earth’, from apo ‘from’ + gaia, gē ‘earth’.

apolar

adjective

[chiefly Biochemistry] having no electrical polarity.

apolitical /eɪpəˈlɪtɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

not interested or involved in politics

• he took an apolitical stance.

II. derivatives

apolitically

adverb

Apollinaire, Guillaume /əˌpɒlɪˈnɛː, French apɔlinɛʀ/

(1880–1918), French poet; pseudonym of Wilhelm Apollinaris de Kostrowitzki. He coined the term surrealist and was acknowledged by the surrealist poets as their precursor. Notable works: Les Alcools (1913) and Calligrammes (1918).

Apollinaris /əˌpɒlɪˈnɛːrɪs/

I. ( c. 310– c. 390), bishop of Laodicea in Asia Minor. He upheld the heretical doctrine that Christ had a human body and soul but no human spirit, this being replaced by the divine Logos.

II. derivatives

Apollinarian

adjective, noun

apollo

I. noun

a large butterfly which has creamy-white wings marked with black and red spots, found chiefly on the mountains of mainland Europe.
● Parnassius apollo, family Papilionidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Apollo.

Apollo /əˈpɒləʊ/

I. [Greek Mythology] a god, son of Zeus and Leto and brother of Artemis. He is associated with music, poetic inspiration, archery, prophecy, medicine, pastoral life, and the sun.

II. the American space programme for landing astronauts on the moon. Apollo 8 was the first mission to orbit the moon (1968), Apollo 11 was the first to land astronauts (1969), and five further landings took place up to 1972.

Apollonian /ˌapəˈləʊnɪən/

adjective

1. [Greek Mythology] relating to the god Apollo.

2. relating to the rational, ordered, and self-disciplined aspects of human nature.

• the struggle between cold Apollonian categorization and Dionysiac lust and chaos.

Compare with Dionysiac.

Apollonius^1 /ˌapəˈləʊnɪəs/

( c. 260–190 BC), Greek mathematician; known as Apollonius of Perga. He examined and redefined conic sections and was the first to use the terms ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola for these classes of curve.

Apollonius^2 /ˌapəˈləʊnɪəs/

(3rd century BC), Greek poet and grammarian; known as Apollonius of Rhodes. He is known for his Argonautica, an epic poem in Homeric style dealing with the expedition of the Argonauts.

Apollyon /əˈpɒljən/

I. a name for the Devil (Rev. 9:11).

– origin from late Latin (Vulgate), from Greek Apolluōn (translating Abaddon), from apollunai, from apo- ‘quite’ + ollunai ‘destroy’.

apologetic /əpɒləˈdʒɛtɪk/

I. adjective

1. expressing or showing regretful acknowledgement of an offence or failure

• she was very apologetic about the whole incident

• an apologetic smile.

2. constituting a formal defence or justification of a theory or doctrine.

• the apologetic proposition that production for profit is the same thing as production for need.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun denoting a formal justification): from French apologétique or late Latin apologeticus, from Greek apologētikos, from apologeisthei ‘speak in one's own defence’, from apologia (see apology). The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

apologetically /əpɒləˈdʒɛtɪkli/

adverb

in a manner that expresses or shows regretful acknowledgement of an offence or failure

• he smiles apologetically and slips away.

apologetics /əpɒləˈdʒɛtɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. reasoned arguments or writings in justification of something, typically a theory or religious doctrine

• apologetics for the slave trade are quite out of order.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from apologetic.

apologia /ˌapəˈləʊdʒɪə/

I. noun

a formal written defence of one's opinions or conduct

• an apologia for book-banning.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin (see apology).

apologist /əˈpɒlədʒɪst/

I. noun

a person who offers an argument in defence of something controversial

• an enthusiastic apologist for fascism in the 1920s.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French apologiste, from Greek apologizesthai ‘give an account’ (see apologize).

apologize /əˈpɒlədʒʌɪz / apologise

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. express regret for something that one has done wrong

• I must apologize for disturbing you like this

• we apologize to him for our error.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘make a defensive argument’): from Greek apologizesthai ‘give an account’, from apologos (see apologue). In English the verb has always been used as if it were a direct derivative of apology.

apologue /ˈapəlɒɡ/

I. noun

a moral fable, especially one with animals as characters.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, via Latin from Greek apologos ‘story’.

apology /əˈpɒlədʒi/

I. noun

1. a regretful acknowledgement of an offence or failure

• we owe you an apology

• my apologies for the delay.

2. ( apologies) — a formal expression of regret at being unable to attend a meeting or social function

• Robert can't come and sends his apologies.

3. ( an apology for) — a very poor or inadequate example of

• we were shown into an apology for a bedroom.

4. another term for apologia.

II. phrases

with apologies to

used to introduce a parody or adaptation of a particular person's work

• here, with apologies to Rudyard Kipling, is a more apt version of ‘If’.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a formal defence against an accusation): from French apologie, or via late Latin from Greek apologia ‘a speech in one's own defence’, from apo ‘away’ + -logia (see -logy).

apols /əˈpɒlz/

I. plural noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› apologies

• apols to those who have read this before.

– origin 1980s: abbreviation.

apolune /ˈapə(ʊ)luːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the point at which a spacecraft in lunar orbit is furthest from the moon.
The opposite of perilune.

– origin 1960s: from apo- + Latin luna ‘moon’, on the pattern of apogee.

apomict /ˈapəmɪkt/

noun

[Botany] a plant which reproduces by apomixis.

apomixis /ˌapəˈmɪksɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] asexual reproduction in plants, in particular agamospermy.
Often contrasted with amphimixis.

II. derivatives

apomictic

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from apo- + Greek mixis ‘mingling’.

apomorphine /ˌapəˈmɔːfiːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a white crystalline compound used as an emetic and in the treatment of parkinsonism.
●A morphine derivative; chem. formula: C_17H_17NO_2.

aponeurosis /ˌapənjʊˈrəʊsɪs/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a sheet of pearly white fibrous tissue which takes the place of a tendon in sheet-like muscles having a wide area of attachment.

II. derivatives

aponeurotic

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek aponeurōsis, from apo ‘off, away’ + neuron ‘sinew’ + -osis.

apophatic /ˌapəˈfatɪk/

I. adjective

[Theology] (of knowledge of God) obtained through negating concepts that might be applied to him.
The opposite of cataphatic.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek apophatikos ‘negative’, from apophasis ‘denial’, from apo- ‘other than’ + phanai ‘speak’.

apophthegm /ˈapəθɛm / ‹US› apothegm

I. noun

a concise saying or maxim; an aphorism.

• the apophthegm ‘tomorrow is another day’.

II. derivatives

apophthegmatic /apəθɛɡˈmatɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French apophthegme or modern Latin apothegma, from Greek, from apophthengesthai ‘speak out’.

apophyllite /əˈpɒfɪlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral occurring typically as white glassy prisms, usually as a secondary mineral in volcanic rocks. It is a hydrated silicate and fluoride of calcium and potassium.

– origin early 19th cent.: from apo- + Greek phullon ‘leaf’ + -ite^1.

apophysis /əˈpɒfɪsɪs/

I. noun

1. [Zoology] [Anatomy] a natural protuberance from a bone, or inside the shell or exoskeleton of a sea urchin or insect, for the attachment of muscles.

2. [Botany] a swelling at the base of the sporangium in some mosses.

3. [Geology] a small offshoot extending from an igneous intrusion into the surrounding rock.

II. derivatives

apophyseal /ˌapəˈfɪsɪəl /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek apophusis ‘offshoot’, from apo- ‘from, away’ + phusis ‘growth’.

apoplectic /ˌapəˈplɛktɪk/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› overcome with anger; furious

• Mark was apoplectic with rage at the decision.

2. ‹dated› relating to or denoting apoplexy (stroke)

• an apoplectic attack.

II. derivatives

apoplectically

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from French apoplectique or late Latin apoplecticus, from Greek apoplēktikos, from apoplēssein ‘disable by a stroke’.

apoplexy /ˈapəplɛksi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› unconsciousness or incapacity resulting from a cerebral haemorrhage or stroke.

• Browne died of apoplexy.

2. ‹informal› extreme anger

• the decision has aroused apoplexy among environmentalists.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French apoplexie, from late Latin apoplexia, from Greek apoplēxia, from apoplēssein ‘disable by a stroke’.

apoprotein /ˌapəˈprəʊtiːn/

noun

[Biochemistry] a protein which together with a prosthetic group forms a particular biochemical molecule such as a hormone or enzyme.

apoptosis /ˌapə(p)ˈtəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the death of cells which occurs as a normal and controlled part of an organism's growth or development.
Also called programmed cell death.

II. derivatives

apoptotic /ˌapə(p)ˈtɒtɪk /

adjective

– origin 1970s: from Greek apoptōsis ‘falling off’, from apo ‘from’ + ptōsis ‘falling, a fall’.

aporia /əˈpɔːrɪə, əˈpɒrɪə/

I. noun

1. an irresolvable internal contradiction or logical disjunction in a text, argument, or theory.

• the celebrated aporia whereby a Cretan declares all Cretans to be liars.

2. [ mass noun] — [Rhetoric] the expression of doubt.

II. derivatives

aporetic

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek, from aporos ‘impassable’, from a- ‘without’ + poros ‘passage’.

aposematic /ˌapə(ʊ)sɪˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Zoology] denoting coloration or markings serving to warn or repel predators.

2. [Zoology] (of an animal) having aposematic coloration or markings.

II. derivatives

aposematism

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from apo- ‘away from’ + Greek sēma ‘sign’ + -atic.

aposiopesis /ˌapə(ʊ)ˌsʌɪəˈpiːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Rhetoric] the device of suddenly breaking off in speech.

• in coping with the unsaid and unsayable, oral history is impelled towards aposiopesis.

II. derivatives

aposiopetic

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek aposiōpēsis, from aposiōpan ‘be silent’.

apostasy /əˈpɒstəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief or principle.

• the execution of their leader for apostasy brought widespread criticism.

– origin Middle English: from ecclesiastical Latin apostasia, from a late Greek alteration of Greek apostasis ‘defection’.

apostate /ˈapəsteɪt/

I. noun

a person who renounces a religious or political belief or principle.

• after fifty years as an apostate he returned to the faith.

II. adjective

abandoning a religious or political belief or principle

• an apostate Roman Catholic.

III. derivatives

apostatical

adjective

– origin Middle English: from ecclesiastical Latin apostata, from Greek apostatēs ‘apostate, runaway slave’.

apostatize /əˈpɒstətʌɪz / apostatise

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. renounce a religious or political belief or principle.

• the property of wealthy Christians was liable to confiscation unless they apostatized.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin apostatizare, from apostata (see apostate).

a posteriori /eɪ pɒˌstɛrɪˈɔːrʌɪ, ɑː pɒˌstɛrɪˈɔːriː/

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting reasoning or knowledge which proceeds from observations or experiences to the deduction of probable causes.

2. (in general use) of the nature of an afterthought or subsequent rationalization.

II. adverb

1. in a way based on reasoning from known facts or past events rather than by making assumptions or predictions.

2. [ sentence adverb] — with hindsight; as an afterthought.

– origin early 17th cent.: Latin, ‘from what comes after’.

apostle /əˈpɒs(ə)l/

I. noun

1. ( Apostle) — each of the twelve chief disciples of Jesus Christ.

2. an important early Christian teacher or pioneering missionary.

• Kiril and Metodije, the apostles of the Slavs.

3. a vigorous and pioneering advocate or supporter of a particular policy, idea, or cause

• a man once known as the apostle of free-market economics.

The twelve Apostles were Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (the Less), Judas (or Thaddaeus), Simon, and Judas Iscariot. After the suicide of Judas Iscariot his place was taken by Matthias.

II. derivatives

apostleship

noun

– origin Old English apostol, via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek apostolos ‘messenger’, from apostellein ‘send forth’.

apostlebird

I. noun

1. a gregarious Australian bird of the mud-nester family, with grey, brown, and black plumage and a robust black bill.
● Struthidea cinerea, family Corcoracidae (or Grallinidae).

2. (Austral.) any of a number of other gregarious birds, especially babblers.

– origin early 20th cent.: named from the supposed habit of these birds of going about in flocks of twelve.

Apostles' Creed

a statement of Christian belief used in the Western Church, dating from the 4th century and traditionally ascribed to the twelve Apostles.

Apostle spoon

noun

a teaspoon with the figure of an Apostle or saint on the handle.

apostolate /əˈpɒstəleɪt/

I. noun

1. (chiefly in Roman Catholic contexts) the position or authority of an apostle or a religious leader.

2. a group of apostles or religious leaders.

• the male-only apostolate.

3. a form of evangelistic activity or work.

• their main apostolates lie in the areas of education or nursing services.

– origin late Middle English: from ecclesiastical Latin apostolatus, from apostulus (see apostle).

apostolic /ˌapəˈstɒlɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the Apostles

• apostolic writings.

2. relating to the Pope, especially when he is regarded as the successor to St Peter

• an apostolic nuncio.

– origin Middle English: from French apostolique or ecclesiastical Latin apostolicus, from Greek apostolikos, from apostolos (see apostle).

Apostolic Fathers

plural noun

the Christian leaders immediately succeeding the Apostles.

apostolic succession

noun

(in Christian thought) the uninterrupted transmission of spiritual authority from the Apostles through successive popes and bishops, taught by the Roman Catholic Church but denied by most Protestants.

apostrophe^1 /əˈpɒstrəfi/

I. noun

a punctuation mark (') used to indicate either possession (e.g. Harry ' s book; boys ' coats) or the omission of letters or numbers (e.g. can ' t; he ' s; 1 Jan. ' 99).

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting the omission of one or more letters): via late Latin, from Greek apostrophos ‘accent of elision’, from apostrephein ‘turn away’, from apo ‘from’ + strephein ‘to turn’. / usage: Many people are uncertain when to use an apostrophe, and this confusion is probably increased by the fact that it is often omitted in company names (e.g. Barclays Bank). The apostrophe should be used when indicating possession ( Sue's cat) or the omission of letters or numbers ( he's gone, 1 Jan. ' 09). It should not be used in forming the plural of ordinary words, as in apple's and pear's or I saw two dog's, or in possessive pronouns such as hers, yours, or theirs. See also usage at its.

apostrophe^2 /əˈpɒstrəfi/

I. noun

[Rhetoric] an exclamatory passage in a speech or poem addressed to a person (typically one who is dead or absent) or thing (typically one that is personified).

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek apostrophē ‘turning away’, from apostrephein ‘turn away’ (see apostrophe^1).

apostrophize /əˈpɒstrəfʌɪz / apostrophise

verb — [with obj.]

1. [Rhetoric] address an exclamatory passage in a speech or poem to (someone or something).

• it isn't just any poet who could apostrophize his clapped-out van.

2. punctuate (a word) with an apostrophe.

• pupils claimed that had been taught to apostrophize plurals.

apothecaries' measure apothecaries' weight

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› systems of units formerly used in pharmacy for liquid volume (or weight). They were based respectively on the fluid ounce (= 8 drachms or 480 minims) and the ounce troy (= 8 drachms or 24 scruples or 480 grains).

apothecary /əˈpɒθɪk(ə)ri/

I. noun

‹archaic› a person who prepared and sold medicines and drugs.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin apothecarius, from Latin apotheca, from Greek apothēkē ‘storehouse’.

apothem /ˈapəθɛm/

I. noun

[Geometry] a line from the centre of a regular polygon at right angles to any of its sides.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek apotithenai ‘put aside, deposit’, from apo ‘away’ + tithenai ‘to place’.

apotheosis /əˌpɒθɪˈəʊsɪs/

I. noun

1. the highest point in the development of something; a culmination or climax

• his appearance as Hamlet was the apotheosis of his career.

2. the elevation of someone to divine status.

• death spared Pompey the task of having to account for the apotheosis of Caesar.

– origin late 16th cent.: via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek apotheōsis, from apotheoun ‘make a god of’, from apo ‘from’ + theos ‘god’.

apotheosize /əˈpɒθɪəsʌɪz / apotheosise

verb — [with obj.]

1. elevate to, or as if to, the rank of a god; idolize.

• we had the feeling that Roosevelt had not so much died as been apotheosized.

apotropaic /ˌapətrəˈpeɪɪk/

I. adjective

supposedly having the power to avert evil influences or bad luck

• apotropaic statues.

II. derivatives

apotropaically

adverb

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek apotropaios ‘averting evil’, from apotrepein ‘turn away or from’ + -ic.

apozem /ˈapəzəm/

I. noun

‹archaic› a concentrated liquor resulting from heating or infusing a substance, used for medicinal purposes.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French or late Latin from Greek apozema, from apozein ‘to boil off’, from apo ‘completely’ + zein ‘to boil’.

app /ap/

noun

[Computing] an application, especially as downloaded by a user to a mobile device.

• apparently there are these new apps that will actually read your emails to you.

appal /əˈpɔːl / ‹US› appall

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. greatly dismay or horrify

• bankers are appalled at the economic incompetence of some ministers

• (as adj. appalled) Alison looked at me, appalled.

– origin Middle English: from Old French apalir ‘grow pale’, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + palir ‘to pale’. The original sense was ‘grow pale’, later ‘make pale’, hence ‘horrify’ (late Middle English).

Appalachian Mountains /ˌapəˈleɪ(t)ʃ(ə)n / the Appalachians

a mountain system of eastern North America, stretching from Quebec and Maine in the North to Georgia and Alabama in the South. Its highest peak is Mount Mitchell in North Carolina, which rises to 2,037 m (6,684 ft).

Appalachian Trail

a 3,200-km (about 2,000-mile) footpath through the Appalachian Mountains from Mount Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia.

appalling /əˈpɔːlɪŋ/

adjective

1. horrifying; shocking

• the cat suffered appalling injuries during the attack.

2. ‹informal› shockingly bad; awful

• his conduct was appalling.

appallingly /əˈpɔːlɪŋli/

adverb

to a horrifying or shocking degree

• there are people who suffer appallingly all the time

• [as submodiifier] the public waiting list is appallingly long.

Appaloosa /ˌapəˈluːsə/

I. noun

a horse of a North American breed having dark spots on a light background.

– origin 1920s: from Opelousas in Louisiana, or Palouse, a river in Idaho.

appanage /ˈap(ə)nɪdʒ / apanage

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a provision made for the maintenance of the younger children of kings and princes, consisting of a gift of land, an official position, or money.

2. ‹archaic› a benefit or right belonging to someone; a perquisite

• the appanages of her rank.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, based on medieval Latin appanare ‘provide with the means of subsistence’, from ad- ‘to’ + panis ‘bread’.

apparat /ˌapəˈrɑːt/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹chiefly historical› the administrative system of a communist party, especially in a communist country.

• ‹figurative› the ecclesiastical apparat.

– origin Russian, from German, literally ‘apparatus’.

apparatchik /ˌapəˈratʃɪk/

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly historical› a member of a Communist Party apparat.

• old apparatchiks have given way to the Russian government's young reformers.

2. ‹derogatory› ‹humorous› an official in a large political organization

• Tory apparatchiks.

– origin 1940s: Russian, from apparat (see apparat).

apparatus /ˌapəˈreɪtəs/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the technical equipment or machinery needed for a particular activity or purpose

• firemen wearing breathing apparatus.

2. the complex structure of a particular organization or system

• the apparatus of government.

3. (also critical apparatus) — a collection of notes, variant readings, and other matter accompanying a printed text.

• one thing about the book's apparatus does irritate: the absence of an index of titles.

– origin early 17th cent.: Latin, from apparare ‘make ready for’, from ad- ‘towards’ + parare ‘make ready’.

apparatus criticus /ˈkrɪtɪkəs/

noun

another term for apparatus (sense 3).

apparel /əˈpar(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› (US) clothing.

• they were dressed in bright apparel.

2. ( apparels) — ‹formal› (US) embroidered ornamentation on ecclesiastical vestments.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› clothe (someone)

• all the vestments in which they used to apparel their Deities.

– origin Middle English (as a verb in the sense ‘make ready or fit’; as a noun ‘furnishings, equipment’): from Old French apareillier, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ (expressing change) + par ‘equal’.

apparent /əˈpar(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. clearly visible or understood; obvious

• for no apparent reason she laughed

• [with clause] it became apparent that he was talented.

2. seeming real or true, but not necessarily so

• his apparent lack of concern.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French aparant, from Latin apparent- ‘appearing’, from the verb apparere (see appear).

apparently /əˈparəntli/

adverb — [ sentence adverb]

1. as far as one knows or can see

• the child nodded, apparently content with the promise.

apparent magnitude

noun

[Astronomy] the magnitude of a celestial object as it is actually measured from the earth.
Compare with absolute magnitude.

apparent time

noun

another term for mean solar time.

apparent wind

noun

the wind as it is experienced on board a moving sailing vessel, as a result of the combined effects of the true wind and the boat's speed.

apparition /apəˈrɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a ghost or ghostlike image of a person.

• a headless apparition.

2. a remarkable or unexpected appearance of someone or something

• an apparition of the Virgin Mary.

II. derivatives

apparitional

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘the action of appearing’): from Latin apparitio(n-) ‘attendance’, from the verb apparere (see appear).

appeal /əˈpiːl/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a serious, urgent, or heartfelt request

• police are appealing for information about the incident

• she appealed to Germany for political asylum.

2. ( appeal to) — try to persuade someone to do something by calling on (a particular principle or quality)

• I appealed to his sense of justice.

3. [Cricket] (of the bowler or fielders) call on the umpire to declare a batsman out, traditionally with a shout of ‘How's that?’.

4. [Law] apply to a higher court for a reversal of the decision of a lower court

• he said he would appeal against the conviction.

5. [with obj.] — (chiefly N. Amer.) apply to a higher court for a reversal of (the decision of a lower court)

• they have 48 hours to appeal the decision.

6. be attractive or interesting

• the range of topics will appeal to youngsters.

II. noun

1. a serious, urgent, or heartfelt request

• his mother made an appeal for the return of the ring.

2. [Cricket] a shout of ‘How's that?’ or a similar call by a bowler or fielder to an umpire to declare a batsman out.

3. [ mass noun] — entreaty

• a look of appeal on his face.

4. an attempt to persuade someone do to something by calling on a particular principle or quality

• an appeal to their common cultural values.

5. [Law] an application to a higher court for a decision to be reversed

• he has 28 days in which to lodge an appeal

• [ mass noun] the right of appeal.

6. a request for donations to support a charity or cause

• a public appeal to raise £120,000.

7. [ mass noun] — the quality of being attractive or interesting

• the popular appeal of football.

III. derivatives

appealer /əˈpiːlə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in legal contexts): from Old French apel (noun), apeler (verb), from Latin appellare ‘to address’, based on ad- ‘to’ + pellere ‘to drive’.

appealable /əˈpiːləb(ə)l/

adjective

[Law] (of a case or ruling) able to be referred to a higher court for review.

• the decisions of the tribunal are not appealable.

appeal court

noun

a court that hears appeals, especially ( the Appeal Court) the Court of Appeal.

appealing /əˈpiːlɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. attractive or interesting

• village life is somehow more appealing.

2. showing or expressing a desire for help or sympathy

• an appealing look.

II. derivatives

appealingly /əˈpiːlɪŋli /

adverb

appear /əˈpɪə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. come into sight; become visible or noticeable, especially without apparent cause

• smoke appeared on the horizon.

2. come into existence or use

• the major life forms appeared on earth.

3. be published or offered for sale

• the paperback edition didn't appear for another two years.

4. feature or be shown

• the symbol appears in many paintings of the period.

5. ‹informal› arrive at a place

• by ten o'clock Bill still hadn't appeared.

6. present oneself formally in a court or tribunal

• he appeared on six charges of theft.

7. perform publicly in a film, play, etc.

• he appeared on Broadway.

8. seem; give the impression of being
[with infinitive]

• she appeared not to know what was happening

• [with clause] it appears unlikely that interest rates will fall.

– origin Middle English: from Old French apareir, from Latin apparere, from ad- ‘towards’ + parere ‘come into view’.

appearance /əˈpɪər(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. the way that someone or something looks

• she checked her appearance in the mirror.

2. an impression given by someone or something

• she read it with every appearance of interest.

3. an act of performing or participating in a public event

• he is well known for his television appearances.

4. an act of arriving or becoming visible

• the sudden appearance of her daughter startled her.

5. a process of coming into existence or use

• the appearance of the railway.

II. phrases

1. keep up appearances

maintain an impression of wealth or well-being.

2. make (or put in) an appearance

attend an event briefly, especially as a matter of courtesy.

3. to (or by) all appearances

as far as can be seen

• to all appearances, it had been a normal day.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French aparance, aparence, from late Latin apparentia, from Latin apparere (see appear).

appearance money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. money paid to secure the appearance of a celebrity, especially a sports player, at a particular event.

• the sponsors were said to be paying $50,000 in appearance money to one of the leading golfers.

appease /əˈpiːz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pacify or placate (someone) by acceding to their demands

• amendments have been added to appease local pressure groups.

2. assuage or satisfy (a demand or a feeling)

• we give to charity because it appeases our guilt.

II. derivatives

appeaser /əˈpiːzə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French apaisier, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + pais ‘peace’.

appeasement /əˈpiːzm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of appeasing

• a policy of appeasement.

Appel, Karel /ˈɑːp(ə)l/

(1921–2006), Dutch painter, sculptor, and graphic artist. An exponent of abstract expressionism, he is best known for his brightly coloured swirling images.

appellant /əˈpɛl(ə)nt/

I. noun

[Law] a person who applies to a higher court for a reversal of the decision of a lower court.

– origin late Middle English: from French apelant, literally ‘appealing’, from the verb apeler (see appeal).

appellate /əˈpɛlət/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. [Law] (especially of a court) concerned with or dealing with applications for decisions to be reversed.

• courts of appellate jurisdiction.

– origin late Middle English (originally in the sense ‘appealed against, accused’): from Latin appellatus ‘appealed against’, from the verb appellare (see appeal). The current sense dates from the mid 18th cent.

appellation^1 /ˌapəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› a name or title.

• the city fully justifies its appellation ‘the Pearl of the Orient’.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹formal› the action of giving a name to someone or something.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin appellatio(n-), from the verb appellare (see appeal).

appellation^2 /ˌapəˈleɪʃ(ə)n French apɛlasjɔ̃//

I. noun

1. an appellation contrôlée.

• about 20 per cent of French wines with an appellation come from Alsace.

2. a wine bearing an appellation contrôlée.

• the top appellations Saint-Émilion and Pomerol.

3. the district in which a wine bearing an appellation contrôlée is produced.

• the north-east corner of the appellation.

– origin abbreviation of appellation (d'origine) contrôlée.

appellation contrôlée /apəˌlasjɒ̃ kənˈtrɒleɪ, French apɛlasjɔ̃ kɔ̃tʀole / appellation d'origine /ˌdɒrɪˈʒiːn, French dɔʀiʒin/ , contrôlée

I. noun

a description awarded to French wine guaranteeing that it was produced in the region specified, using vines and production methods which satisfy the regulating body.

– origin French, literally ‘controlled appellation’.

appellative /əˈpɛlətɪv/

I. adjective

‹formal› relating to or denoting the giving of a name.

II. noun

a common noun, such as ‘doctor’, ‘mother’, or ‘sir’, used as a vocative.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin appellativus, from appellat- ‘addressed’, from the verb appellare (see appeal).

appellee /ˌapəˈliː, əˌpɛˈliː/

I. noun

[Law] (chiefly US) the defending party in a case taken to a higher court.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French appelé, past participle of appeler ‘call’. from Latin appellare ‘to address’ (see appeal).

append /əˈpɛnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. add (something) to the end of a written document

• the results of the survey are appended to this chapter.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin appendere ‘hang on’, from ad- ‘to’ + pendere ‘hang’.

appendage /əˈpɛndɪdʒ/

noun

1. a thing that is added or attached to something larger or more important

• they treat Scotland as a mere appendage of England.

2. [Biology] a projecting part of an invertebrate or other living organism, with a distinct appearance or function

• a pair of feathery appendages through which oxygen is absorbed.

appendant /əˈpɛnd(ə)nt / ‹formal›

I. adjective

attached or added, especially in a subordinate capacity.

II. noun

a subordinate person or thing.

– origin late Middle English (in legal contexts): from Old French apendant, from apendre ‘depend on, belong to’, from Latin appendere (see append).

appendectomy /ˌap(ə)nˈdɛktəmi / ‹Brit.› appendicectomy /əˌpɛndɪˈsɛktəmi/

noun

a surgical operation to remove the appendix.

• she had been rushed into hospital for an emergency appendectomy.

• [ mass noun] no history of abdominal surgery other than appendectomy.

appendicitis /əˌpɛndɪˈsʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a serious medical condition in which the appendix becomes inflamed and painful.

appendicular /ˌap(ə)nˈdɪkjʊlə/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] relating to a limb or limbs.

• the appendicular skeleton.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin appendicula ‘small appendage’, diminutive of appendix, + -ar^1.

appendix /əˈpɛndɪks/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] a tube-shaped sac attached to and opening into the lower end of the large intestine in humans and some other mammals. In humans the appendix is small and has no known function, but in rabbits, hares, and some other herbivores it is involved in the digestion of cellulose.

• I'm merely standing in while Stella is having her appendix out.

Also called vermiform appendix.

2. a section or table of subsidiary matter at the end of a book or document.

• a list of such activities was published as an appendix to the report.

• outline answers may be found in Appendix 2.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin, from appendere ‘hang upon’ (see append). Sense 1 dates from the early 17th cent. / usage: Appendix typically has the plural appendixes in the anatomical sense, and appendices when referring to a part of a book or document.

apperception /apəˈsɛpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychology] ‹dated› the mental process by which a person makes sense of an idea by assimilating it to the body of ideas he or she already possesses.

II. derivatives

apperceptive

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French aperception or modern Latin aperceptio(n-), from Latin ad- ‘to’ + percipere ‘perceive’.

appertain /ˌapəˈteɪn/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ( appertain to) — relate to; concern

• the answers generally appertain to improvements in standard of service.

2. be appropriate or applicable

• the institutional arrangements which appertain under the system.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French apertenir, from late Latin appertinere, from ad- ‘to’ + Latin pertinere ‘to pertain’.

appestat /ˈapɪstat/

I. noun

[Physiology] the region of the hypothalamus of the brain which is believed to control a person's appetite for food.

– origin 1950s: from appetite, probably on the pattern of thermostat.

appetency /ˈapɪt(ə)nsi / appetence

I. noun

1. ‹rare› a longing or desire.

2. ‹rare› a natural tendency or affinity.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin appetentia, from appetere ‘seek after’ (see appetite).

appetite /ˈapɪtʌɪt/

I. noun

1. a natural desire to satisfy a bodily need, especially for food

• he has a healthy appetite

• [ mass noun] they suffered from loss of appetite.

2. a strong desire or liking for something

• her appetite for life.

– origin Middle English: from Old French apetit (modern appétit), from Latin appetitus ‘desire for’, from appetere ‘seek after’, from ad- ‘to’ + petere ‘seek’.

appetitive /əˈpɛtɪtɪv/

I. adjective

characterized by a natural desire to satisfy bodily needs

• the appetitive behaviour of animals.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French appétitif or medieval Latin appetitivus, from appetire ‘seek after’ (see appetite).

appetizer /ˈapɪtʌɪzə / appetiser

noun

a small dish of food or a drink taken before a meal or the main course of a meal to stimulate one's appetite.

• ‹figurative› as an appetizer to the spectacle approaching, the rocks took on an unusually geometric shape.

appetizing /ˈapɪtʌɪzɪŋ / appetising

I. adjective

stimulating one's appetite

• the appetizing aroma of sizzling bacon.

II. derivatives

appetizingly /ˈapɪtʌɪzɪŋli /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French appétissant, irregular formation from appétit (see appetite).

Appian Way /ˈapɪən/

the principal road southward from Rome in classical times, named after the censor Appius Claudius Caecus, who in 312 BC built the section to Capua; it was later extended to Brindisi.
Latin name Via Appia.

applaud /əˈplɔːd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. show approval or praise by clapping

• the crowd whistled and applauded

• [with obj.] his speech was loudly applauded.

2. [with obj.] — show strong approval of (a person or action); praise

• Jill applauded the decision.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin applaudere, from ad- ‘to’ + plaudere ‘to clap’, reinforced by French applaudir.

applaudable /əˈplɔːdəb(ə)l/

adjective

(of an action, idea, or aim) deserving praise and commendation

• the efforts by the students were applaudable

• applaudable moral values.

applause /əˈplɔːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. approval or praise expressed by clapping

• they gave him a round of applause.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin applausus, from the verb applaudere (see applaud).

applause line

noun

(US) a statement in a political speech calculated to win a favourable response from an audience

• an urgent plea for health-care reform is still a reliable applause line.

apple /ˈap(ə)l/

I. noun

1. the round fruit of a tree of the rose family, which typically has thin green or red skin and crisp flesh.

2. used in names of unrelated fruits or other plant growths that resemble apples in some way, e.g. custard apple, oak apple.

3. (also apple tree) — the tree bearing apples, with hard pale timber that is used in carpentry and to smoke food.
●Genus Malus, family Rosaceae: numerous hybrids and cultivars.

II. phrases

1. the apple never falls far from the tree

‹proverb› important family characteristics are usually inherited.

• he's a fool, Mary, as his father was—the apple never falls far from the tree.

2. the apple of one's eye

a person of whom one is extremely fond and proud.

• a daughter who had ceased to be the apple of her father's eye.

[originally denoting the pupil of the eye, considered to be a globular solid body, extended as a symbol of something cherished.]

3. apples and oranges apples to oranges

(N. Amer.) used with reference to two things that are fundamentally different and therefore not suited to comparison

• unless you also drove a Corolla on the same roads as the A8, you're comparing apples and oranges.

4. apples and pears

(Brit.) ‹rhyming slang› stairs.

• he hasn't made it up those apples and pears in ten years.

5. apples to apples

[often with negative] — (N. Amer.) used with reference to a comparison regarded as valid because it concerns two things that are fundamentally the same

• there is no apples-to-apples comparison when comparing a foreign currency to USD

• you want to compare us to Australia or Great Britain, like it’s apples to apples.

6. a rotten (or bad) apple

‹informal› a bad or corrupt person in a group, especially one whose behaviour is likely to have a detrimental influence on the others.

• chartered accountants have no time for rotten apples in their professional barrel.

• looks like we hired ourselves a bad apple.

[with reference to the effect that a rotten apple has on fruit with which it is in contact.]

7. she's apples

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› used to indicate that everything is in good order and there is nothing to worry about

• ‘Is the fire safe?’ ‘Yeah, she's apples.’.

[from apples and spice or apples and rice, rhyming slang for ‘nice’.]

8. upset the apple cart

spoil a plan or disturb the status quo.

– origin Old English æppel, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch appel and German Apfel.

apple butter

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a paste of spiced stewed apple used as a spread or condiment, typically made with cider.

apple-cheeked

adjective

(of a person) having round rosy cheeks.

apple core

noun

the tough central part of an apple, containing the seeds

• he tossed his apple core into someone's garden.

• empty lager cans and rotting apple cores.

apple green

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bright green.

Apple Isle ‹Austral.› Apple Island

I. informal name for Tasmania.

II. derivatives

Apple Islander

noun

– origin so named because it is a region popularly associated with apple-growing.

applejack /ˈap(ə)ldʒak/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) an alcoholic drink distilled from fermented cider.

– origin early 19th cent.: from apple + jack^1.

apple-knocker

noun

1. (US) ‹informal› a person who picks or sells apples.

2. (US) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› an ignorant or unsophisticated person.

• maybe a hundred men, apple-knockers mostly.

apple pie

I. noun

1. a pie made with apples.

2. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) used to represent a cherished ideal of homeliness

• to say I'm fed up with the Olympics is like being against motherhood and apple pie.

II. phrases

1. apple-pie bed

a bed which, as a practical joke, has been made with one of the sheets folded back on itself so that a person's legs cannot be stretched out.

2. apple-pie order

perfect order or neatness

• everything was in apple-pie order.

3. as American as apple pie

(N. Amer.) typically American in character.

• they have made violence as American as apple pie.

apple-polisher

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a toady.

II. derivatives

apple-polishing

noun

apple sauce

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a puree of stewed apples, typically sweetened.

2. ( applesauce) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› nonsense

• Oh, applesauce! I will be glad when it's all over.

applet /ˈaplɪt/

I. noun

[Computing] a very small application, especially a utility program performing one or a few simple functions.

• there's a useful control applet which can be used to centre the picture.

– origin 1990s: blend of application and -let.

appletini /ap(ə)lˈtiːni/

I. noun

a cocktail consisting of vodka mixed with apple juice, apple liqueur, or cider

• in the absence of margaritas the drink of choice was appletinis.

– origin 1990s: blend of apple and Martini.

Appleton, Sir Edward Victor

(1892–1965), English physicist. He discovered a region of ionized gases (the Appleton layer) in the atmosphere above the Heaviside or E layer, and won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1947.

applewood

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the timber of the apple tree.

appley /ˈap(ə)li/

adjective

(especially of white wine) smelling or tasting of apples.

• a fresh, appley vinho verde.

appliance /əˈplʌɪəns/

noun

1. a device or piece of equipment designed to perform a specific task

• electrical and gas appliances.

2. (also fire appliance) — (Brit.) a fire engine

• three fire appliances were rushed to the scene

• one appliance attended the fire.

3. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) the action or process of bringing something into operation

• the appliance of science could increase crop yields.

applianced /əˈplʌɪənst/

adjective

(US) (of a kitchen) having or fitted with appliances.

• a fully applianced kitchen.

applicability /əplɪkəˈbɪləti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being relevant or appropriate

• the case has raised questions about the applicability of local laws to acts committed by foreigners outside the country.

applicable /əˈplɪkəb(ə)l, ˈaplɪkəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

relevant or appropriate

• the same considerations are equally applicable to accident claims.

II. derivatives

applicably

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘compliant’): from Old French, or from medieval Latin applicabilis, from the verb applicare (see apply).

applicant /ˈaplɪk(ə)nt/

I. noun

a person who makes a formal application for something, especially a job.

• applicants for the degree course.

• a job applicant.

– origin early 19th cent.: from application + -ant.

application /aplɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a formal request to an authority

• an application for leave

• [ mass noun] licences are available on application

• [as modifier] an application form.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of putting something into operation

• the application of general rules to particular cases

• [ count noun] massage has far-reaching medical applications.

3. practical use or relevance

• this principle has no application to the present case.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of applying something to a surface

• paints suitable for application on fabric

• [ count noun] a fresh application of make-up.

5. a medicinal substance applied to the skin.

• an application to relieve muscle pain.

6. [ mass noun] — sustained effort; hard work

• the job takes a great deal of patience and application.

7. (also application program) — [Computing] a program or piece of software designed to fulfil a particular purpose

• a database application.

II. derivatives

applicational

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin applicatio(n-), from the verb applicare (see apply).

application programming interface

noun

[Computing] fuller form of API.

applicative /ˈaplɪkeɪtɪv, əˈplɪkətɪv/

I. adjective

relating to or involving the application of a subject or idea; practical or applied

• applicative algebra.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin applicat- ‘set close or in contact, fastened to’, from the verb applicare (see apply).

applicator /ˈaplɪkeɪtə/

I. noun

a device used for inserting something or for applying a substance to a surface.

• an eyeshadow applicator.

• fertilizer and herbicide applicators.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin applicat- ‘fastened to’ (from the verb applicare) + -or^1.

applied /əˈplʌɪd/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of a subject of study) put to practical use as opposed to being theoretical

• applied chemistry.

Compare with pure.

applied linguistics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of linguistics concerned with practical applications of language studies, for example language teaching, translation, and speech therapy.

appliqué /əˈpliːkeɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ornamental needlework in which pieces of fabric are sewn or stuck on to a larger piece to form a picture or pattern.
[as modifier]

• appliqué table linen.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. be appliquéd with)

1. sew or stick pieces of fabric on to (a garment or larger piece of fabric) to form pictures or patterns

• the coat is appliquéd with exotic-looking cloth

• (as adj. appliquéd) 19th-century appliquéd silks.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, past participle of appliquer ‘apply’, from Latin applicare (see apply).

apply /əˈplʌɪ/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — make a formal application or request

• you need to apply to the local authority for a grant

• [with infinitive] a number of people have applied to vote by proxy.

2. put oneself forward formally as a candidate for a job

• she had applied for a number of positions.

3. [no obj.] — be applicable or relevant

• prices do not apply to public holiday periods

• normal rules apply.

4. [with obj.] — bring or put into operation or use

• the oil industry has failed to apply appropriate standards of care.

5. [with obj.] — put or spread (a substance) on a surface

• the sealer can be applied to new wood.

6. use; exert

• smooth over with a cloth, applying even pressure.

7. ( apply oneself) — give one's full attention to a task; work hard.

• for two years, she applied herself to her studies with dedication.

II. derivatives

applier /əˈplʌɪə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French aplier, from Latin applicare ‘fold, fasten to’, from ad- ‘to’ + plicare ‘to fold’.

appoggiatura /əˌpɒdʒəˈtjʊərə/

I. noun

[Music] a grace note which delays the next note of the melody, taking half or more of its written time value.

– origin Italian, from appoggiare ‘lean upon, rest’.

appoint /əˈpɔɪnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. assign a job or role to (someone)

• she has been appointed to the board

• they appointed her as personnel manager.

2. determine or decide on (a time or a place)

• they appointed a day in May for the meeting.

3. ‹archaic› decree

• such laws are appointed by God.

4. [Law] decide the disposition of (property of which one is not the owner) under powers granted by the owner

• trustees appoint the capital to the beneficiaries.

II. derivatives

appointer

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French apointer, from a point ‘to a point’.

appointed /əˈpɔɪntɪd/

adjective

1. (of a time or place) decided on beforehand; designated

• she arrived at the appointed time.

2. (of a building or room) equipped or furnished in a specified way

• a luxuriously appointed lounge.

appointee /əpɔɪnˈtiː/

noun

1. a person to whom a job or role is assigned

• an appointee to to the federal judiciary

• the Commission calls for a reduction in the number of political appointees.

2. [Law] a person empowered by the owner of property to decide the disposition of that property

• an appointee will arrange to receive your state benefits and pay your bills.

appointive /əˈpɔɪntɪv/

adjective

(N. Amer.) (of a job) relating to or filled by appointment rather than election.

• Harris was never initially considered for high appointive office.

appointment /əˈpɔɪntm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. an arrangement to meet someone at a particular time and place

• she made an appointment with my receptionist.

2. an act of assigning a job or position to someone

• his appointment as President.

3. a job or position

• she took up an appointment as head of communications.

4. a person appointed to a job or position.

• government ministers and other political appointments are frequently replaced.

5. ( appointments) — furniture or fittings

• the room was spartan in its appointments.

II. phrases

1. by appointment

having previously made an arrangement to do something

• visits are by appointment only.

2. by appointment to the Queen

(in the UK) used by manufacturers to indicate that their products are sold to the queen and are therefore of guaranteed quality.

3. power of appointment

a. power to select the holder of a particular job or position.

b. [Law] power to decide the disposal of property, in exercise of a right conferred by the owner.

– origin Middle English: from Old French apointement, from apointer (see appoint).

apport /əˈpɔːt/

I. noun

a material object produced supposedly by occult means, especially at a seance.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French apport ‘something brought’, from apporter ‘bring to’.

apportion /əˈpɔːʃ(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. divide up and share out

• voting power will be apportioned according to contribution.

2. assign

• they did not apportion blame or liability to any one individual.

II. derivatives

apportionable /əˈpɔːʃ(ə)nəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Old French apportionner or medieval Latin apportionare, from ad- ‘to’ + portionare ‘divide into portions’.

apportionment /əˈpɔːʃ(ə)nm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or result of apportioning something

• the apportionment of blame.

2. the determination of the proportional number of members each US state sends to the House of Representatives, based on population figures.

appose /əˈpəʊz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹technical› place (something) side by side with or close to something else

• the specimen was apposed to X-ray film.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin apponere, on the pattern of words such as compose, expose.

apposite /ˈapəzɪt/

I. adjective

apt in the circumstances or in relation to something

• an apposite quotation

• the observations are apposite to the discussion.

II. derivatives

1. appositely /ˈapəzɪtli /

adverb

2. appositeness /ˈapəzɪtnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin appositus, past participle of apponere ‘apply’, from ad- ‘towards’ + ponere ‘put’.

apposition /apəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹chiefly technical› the positioning of things side by side or close together.

2. [Grammar] a relationship between two or more words or phrases in which the two units are grammatically parallel and have the same referent (e.g. my friend Sue; the first US president, George Washington).

II. derivatives

appositional

adjective, noun

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin appositio(n-), from apponere ‘to apply’ (see apposite).

appositive

I. adjective, noun

[Grammar] another term for appositional (see apposition).

– origin late 17th cent.: from late Latin appositivus ‘subsidiary’.

appraisal /əˈpreɪz(ə)l/

noun

1. an act of assessing something or someone

• she carried out a thorough appraisal

• [ mass noun] the report has been subject to appraisal.

2. a formal assessment, typically in an interview, of the performance of an employee over a particular period.

• all appraisals will be held in the next couple of weeks.

• [as modifier] an appraisal system.

appraisal drilling

noun — [ mass noun]

1. drilling undertaken to establish the quality, quantity, and other characteristics of oil or gas in a newly discovered field.

appraise /əˈpreɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. assess the value or quality of

• there is a need to appraise existing techniques

• (as adj. appraising) she cast an appraising eye over the notes.

2. assess the performance of (an employee) formally.

• some companies are considering team appraisals instead of appraising individuals.

3. (of an official valuer) set a price on; value

• they appraised the painting at £200,000.

II. derivatives

1. appraisable /əˈpreɪzəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. appraisee

noun

3. appraisement /əˈpreɪzmənt /

noun

4. appraiser /əˈpreɪzə /

noun

5. appraisingly

adverb

6. appraisive

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘set a price on’): alteration of apprize, by association with praise. The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent. / usage: The verb appraise is frequently confused with apprise. Appraise means ‘assess (someone or something)’, as in a need to appraise existing techniques, or ‘value’, as in have the gold watch appraised by an expert, while apprise means ‘inform (someone)’ and is often used in the structure apprise someone of something, as in psychiatrists were apprised of his condition. People often incorrectly use appraise rather than apprise, as in once appraised of the real facts, there was only one person who showed any opposition.

appreciable /əˈpriːʃəb(ə)l, əˈpriːʃɪəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

large or important enough to be noticed

• pupils may have to travel appreciable distances.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French appréciable, from apprécier (see appreciate).

appreciably /əˈpriːʃ(ɪ)əbli/

adverb

to an appreciable extent; considerably

• profits have grown appreciably over the last four years

• [as submodifier] an appreciably higher risk.

appreciate /əˈpriːʃɪeɪt, əˈpriːsɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. recognize the full worth of

• she feels that he does not appreciate her.

2. be grateful for (something)

• I'd appreciate any information you could give me.

3. understand (a situation) fully; grasp the full implications of

• they failed to appreciate the pressure he was under

• [with clause] I appreciate that you cannot be held totally responsible.

4. [no obj.] — rise in value or price

• the dollar appreciated against the euro by 15 per cent.

II. derivatives

1. appreciator

noun

2. appreciatory /əˈpriːʃ(ɪ)ət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin appretiat- ‘set at a price, appraised’, from the verb appretiare, from ad- ‘to’ + pretium ‘price’.

appreciation /əpriːʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, əpriːsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something

• I smiled in appreciation

• [ count noun] he had a fine appreciation of drawing.

2. gratitude

• they would be the first to show their appreciation.

3. [ count noun] — a written assessment of an artist or piece of work, typically a favourable one.

• a full appreciation of the professor's life and work will be published in the Scotsman tomorrow.

4. a full understanding of a situation

• the bank's lack of appreciation of their problems.

5. [ mass noun] — increase in monetary value

• the appreciation of the dollar against the pound.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French appréciation, from late Latin appretiatio(n-), from the verb appretiare ‘set at a price, appraise’ (see appreciate).

appreciative /əˈpriːʃ(ɪ)ətɪv/

I. adjective

feeling or showing gratitude or pleasure

• an appreciative audience

• the team are very appreciative of your support.

II. derivatives

1. appreciatively /əˈpriːʃ(ɪ)ətɪvli /

adverb

2. appreciativeness

noun

apprehend /aprɪˈhɛnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. arrest (someone) for a crime

• a warrant was issued but he has not been apprehended.

2. understand or perceive

• we enter a field of vision we could not otherwise apprehend.

3. ‹archaic› anticipate (something) with uneasiness or fear.

• he is a man that apprehends death no more dreadfully but as a drunken sleep.

– origin late Middle English (originally in the sense ‘grasp, get hold of (physically or mentally’)): from French appréhender or Latin apprehendere, from ad- ‘towards’ + prehendere ‘lay hold of’.

apprehended violence order

noun

(Austral.) a court order issued to protect an individual who has a reasonable fear of violence or harrassment from a specified person

• after he threatened her with a knife, an apprehended violence order was granted against him.

apprehensible /aprɪˈhɛnsɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹archaic› ‹literary› capable of being understood or perceived

• a bat whirred, apprehensible only from the displacement of air.

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin apprehensibilis, from Latin apprehendere (see apprehend).

apprehension /aprɪˈhɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen

• he felt sick with apprehension

• [ count noun] she had some apprehensions about the filming.

2. understanding; grasp

• his first apprehension of such large issues.

3. the action of arresting someone

• they acted with intent to prevent lawful apprehension.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘learning, acquisition of knowledge’): from late Latin apprehensio(n-), from apprehendere ‘seize, grasp’ (see apprehend).

apprehensive /aprɪˈhɛnsɪv/

I. adjective

1. anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen

• he felt apprehensive about going home.

2. ‹rare› relating to perception or understanding.

II. derivatives

1. apprehensively /aprɪˈhɛnsɪvli /

adverb

2. apprehensiveness /aprɪˈhɛnsɪvnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from French appréhensif or medieval Latin apprehensivus, from Latin apprehendere ‘seize, grasp’ (see apprehend).

apprentice /əˈprɛntɪs/

I. noun

1. a person who is learning a trade from a skilled employer, having agreed to work for a fixed period at low wages
[as modifier]

• an apprentice electrician.

2. [usu. as modifier] — a beginner

• an apprentice barman.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. be apprenticed to)

1. employ (someone) as an apprentice

• Edward was apprenticed to a printer.

2. [no obj.] — (N. Amer.) serve as an apprentice

• she apprenticed with midwives in San Francisco.

– origin Middle English: from Old French aprentis (from apprendre ‘learn’, from Latin apprehendere ‘apprehend’), on the pattern of words ending in -tis, -tif, from Latin -tivus (see -ive).

apprenticeship /əˈprɛntɪ(s)ʃɪp/

noun

the position of an apprentice

• he served his apprenticeship as a fitter.

• the company once offered apprenticeships.

• six young chefs have completed their apprenticeships.

• he's in the second year of his apprenticeship.

appress /əˈprɛs/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. be appressed to)

1. ‹technical› press (something) close to something else

• the two cords can be closely appressed to one another.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin appress- ‘pressed close’, from the verb apprimere, from ad- ‘to’ + premere ‘to press’.

apprise /əˈprʌɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. inform or tell (someone)

• I thought it right to apprise Chris of what had happened.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French appris, apprise, past participle of apprendre ‘learn, teach’, from Latin apprehendere (see apprehend). / usage: The verb apprise is frequently confused with appraise. See usage at appraise.

apprize /əˈprʌɪz / ‹archaic› apprise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. put a price on; appraise

• the sheriff was to apprize the value of the lands.

2. value highly; esteem

• how highly your Highness apprizeth peace.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French aprisier, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + prisier ‘to price, prize’, from pris (see price). The change in the ending in the 17th cent. was due to association with prize^1.

appro /ˈaprəʊ/

noun — (in phrase on appro)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› on approval.

approach /əˈprəʊtʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. come near or nearer to (someone or something) in distance or time

• the train approached the main line

• [no obj.] winter was approaching

• (as adj. approaching) an approaching car.

2. come close to (a number, level, or standard) in quality or quantity

• the population will approach 12 million by the end of the decade.

3. ‹archaic› bring nearer

• all those changes shall serve to approach him the faster to the blest mansion.

4. speak to (someone) for the first time about a proposal or request

• the department had been approached about funding.

5. start to deal with (a situation or problem) in a certain way

• one must approach the matter with caution.

II. noun

1. a way of dealing with a situation or problem

• we need a whole new approach to the job.

2. an initial proposal or request made to someone

• the landowner made an approach to the developer.

3. ( approaches) — ‹dated› behaviour intended to propose personal or sexual relations with someone

• feminine resistance to his approaches.

4. [in sing.] — the action of coming near or nearer to someone or something in distance or time

• the approach of winter.

5. ( approach to) — an approximation to something

• the past is impossible to recall with any approach to accuracy.

6. the part of an aircraft's flight in which it descends gradually towards an airfield or runway for landing.

• the aircraft completed the approach and touched down.

• I used to trim the plane back to about 50 mph for the final approach.

7. (usu. approaches) — a road, sea passage, or other way leading to a place

• the northern approaches to London.

– origin Middle English: from Old French aprochier, aprocher, from ecclesiastical Latin appropiare ‘draw near’, from ad- ‘to’ + propius (comparative of prope ‘near’).

approachable /əˈprəʊtʃəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. friendly and easy to talk to

• managers should be approachable.

2. (of a place) able to be reached from a particular direction or by a particular means

• the site is approachable from the roundabout.

II. derivatives

1. approachability /əprəʊtʃəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. approachableness

noun

approach path

noun

the path taken by an aircraft coming in to land.

approach road

noun

(Brit.) a road leading up to a particular place or feature.

• a key approach road to Middlesbrough town centre.

approach shot

noun

[Golf] a stroke which sends the ball from the fairway on to or nearer the green.

approbate /ˈaprəbeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (US) ‹rare› approve formally; sanction

• a letter approbating the affair.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin approbat- ‘approved’, from the verb approbare, from ad- ‘to’ + probare ‘try, test’ (from probus ‘good’).

approbation /ˌaprəˈbeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› approval or praise

• a term of approbation.

II. derivatives

1. approbative

adjective

2. approbatory /ˈaprəˌbeɪtəri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin approbatio(n-), from the verb approbare (see approbate).

appropriacy /əˈprəʊprɪəsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the extent to which something is suitable or proper in the circumstances

• the appropriacy of the methodology employed.

2. [Linguistics] the extent to which a word, phrase, or grammatical pattern is correct or suitable for a particular context or social situation

• don't concentrate on grammar at the expense of organization and appropriacy.

appropriate

I. adjective — appropriate /əˈprəʊprɪət /

1. suitable or proper in the circumstances

• this isn't the appropriate time or place

• a measure appropriate to a wartime economy.

II. verb — [with obj.] appropriate /əˈprəʊprɪeɪt /

1. take (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission

• the accused had appropriated the property.

2. devote (money or assets) to a special purpose

• there can be problems in appropriating funds for legal expenses.

III. derivatives

appropriator /əˈprəʊprɪeɪtə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin appropriatus, past participle of appropriare ‘make one's own’, from ad- ‘to’ + proprius ‘own, proper’.

appropriately /əˈprəʊprɪətli/

adverb

in a manner that is suitable or proper in the circumstances

• volunteers need to be approachable, calm, and able to respond appropriately

• [as submodifier] walls of raw concrete form a neutral yet appropriately rugged backdrop for the various objects.

appropriateness /əˈprəʊpriətnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being suitable or proper in the circumstances

• some staff members question the appropriateness of this practice

• activities are selected for their appropriateness to the day's weather.

appropriation /əˌprəʊprɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of appropriating something

• dishonest appropriation of property.

2. the deliberate reworking of images and styles from earlier, well-known works of art.

• the hallmark of postmodernism has turned out to be appropriation.

3. a sum of money allocated officially for a particular use.

• success in obtaining appropriations for projects.

• [as modifier] the appropriation accounts.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin appropriatio(n-), from appropriare ‘make one's own’ (see appropriate).

appropriationist /əˈprəʊprɪˈeɪʃ(ə)nɪst/

noun

‹often derogatory› an artist whose work contains reworkings of well-known images by other artists
[as modifier]

• appropriationist art.

approval /əˈpruːv(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of approving something

• the road schemes have been given approval

• [ count noun] they have delayed the launch to await project approvals.

2. the belief that someone or something is good or acceptable

• step-parents need to win a child's approval.

II. phrases

1. on approval

(of goods) supplied on condition that they may be returned if not satisfactory.

• we would be happy to send you a selection on approval.

2. seal (or stamp) of approval

an official statement or indication that something is accepted or regarded favourably.

• the minister gave his seal of approval to the project.

approve /əˈpruːv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. officially agree to or accept as satisfactory

• the budget was approved by parliament

• (as adj. approved) places on approved courses.

2. [no obj.] — believe that someone or something is good or acceptable

• I don't approve of romance

• they would not approve.

3. ‹archaic› prove; show

• he approved himself ripe for military command.

– origin Middle English: from Old French aprover, from Latin approbare (see approbate). The original sense was ‘prove, demonstrate’, later ‘corroborate, confirm’, hence ‘pronounce to be satisfactory’ (late Middle English).

approved school

noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› a residential institution for young offenders.

approving /əˈpruːvɪŋ/

adjective

showing or feeling approval of someone or something

• the wine drew approving comments from across the table.

approvingly /əˈpruːvɪŋli/

adverb

in a manner resulting from or revealing approval

• several heads nodded approvingly at this concept.

approx.

abbreviation

approximate(ly).

approximant

noun

1. [Mathematics] a function, series, or other expression which is an approximation to the solution of a problem.

2. [Phonetics] a consonant produced by bringing one articulator (the tongue or lips) close to another without actually touching it, as in English r and w.

approximate

I. adjective — approximate /əˈprɒksɪmət /

1. close to the actual, but not completely accurate or exact

• the approximate time of death.

II. verb — [no obj.] approximate /əˈprɒksɪmeɪt /

1. come close or be similar to something in quality, nature, or quantity

• a leasing agreement approximating to ownership

• [with obj.] reality can be approximated by computational techniques.

2. [with obj.] — estimate or calculate (a quantity) fairly accurately

• I had to approximate the weight of my horse.

III. derivatives

approximative /əˈprɒksɪmətɪv /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the adjectival sense ‘close, similar’): from late Latin approximatus, past participle of approximare, from ad- ‘to’ + proximus ‘very near’. The verb (originally meaning ‘bring close’) arose in the mid 17th cent.; the current adjectival sense dates from the early 19th cent.

approximately /əˈprɒksɪmətli/

adverb

used to show that something is almost, but not completely, accurate or exact; roughly

• a journey of approximately two hours.

approximation /əˌprɒksɪˈmeɪʃn/

noun

1. a value or quantity that is nearly but not exactly correct

• these figures are only approximations.

2. a thing that is similar to something else, but is not exactly the same

• the band smashed up their equipment in an approximation of rock star behaviour.

appt

noun

‹informal› (as written abbreviation) an appointment

• I have an appt with my accountant on Monday morning

• one of the children has medical problems requiring lots of doctor's appts.

appurtenance /əˈpəːt(ɪ)nəns/

I. noun — (usu. appurtenances)

1. an accessory or other item associated with a particular activity or style of living

• the appurtenances of consumer culture.

– origin Middle English: from Old French apertenance, based on late Latin appertinere ‘belong to’ (see appertain).

appurtenant /əˈpəːt(ɪ)nənt/

I. adjective

belonging; pertinent

• properties appurtenant to the main building.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French apartenant ‘appertaining’, from the verb apartenir (see appertain).

APR

abbreviation

annual or annualized percentage rate (used typically of interest on loans or credit).

Apr.

abbreviation

April.

APRA /ˈaprə/

abbreviation

short for Australian Prudential Regulation Authority:

• the banks are required to tell APRA in advance of proposed board changes.

apraxia /əˈpraksɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inability to perform particular purposive actions, as a result of brain damage.
[with modifier]

• dressing apraxia.

II. derivatives

apraxic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from German Apraxie, from Greek apraxia ‘inaction’.

après- /ˈapreɪ/

I. prefix

‹informal› ‹humorous› coming after in time, typically specifying a period following an activity

• après-shopping.

– origin French, ‘after’, used in combinations on the pattern of après-ski.

après-ski /apreɪˈskiː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the social activities and entertainment following a day's skiing.
[as modifier]

• the après-ski disco.

• après-ski activities.

II. derivatives

après-skiing

noun

– origin 1950s: from French, literally ‘after skiing’.

apricot /ˈeɪprɪkɒt/

I. noun

1. a juicy, soft fruit of an orange-yellow colour resembling a small peach.
[as modifier]

• apricot jam.

2. [ mass noun] — an orange-yellow colour like the skin of a ripe apricot.

3. (also apricot tree) — the tree bearing apricots.
● Prunus armeniaca, family Rosaceae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Portuguese albricoque or Spanish albaricoque, from Spanish Arabic al ‘the’ + barqūq (via late Greek from Latin praecoquum, variant of praecox ‘early-ripe’); influenced by Latin apricus ‘ripe’ and French abricot.

April /ˈeɪpr(ɪ)l/

I. noun

the fourth month of the year, in the northern hemisphere usually considered the second month of spring

• the prison was to close in April

• the show opens next April.

– origin Old English, from Latin Aprilis.

April Fool

noun

1. a person who is the victim of a trick or hoax on April Fool's Day.

2. a trick or hoax on April Fool's Day.

• they were taken in by our April Fool.

April Fool's Day April Fools' Day

noun

1 April, in many Western countries traditionally an occasion for playing tricks. This custom has been observed for hundreds of years, but its origin is unknown.
Also called All Fools' Day.

a priori /ˌeɪ prʌɪˈɔːrʌɪ, ˌɑː prɪˈɔːri/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting reasoning or knowledge which proceeds from theoretical deduction rather than from observation or experience

• a priori assumptions about human nature.

II. adverb

in a way based on theoretical deduction rather than empirical observation

• sexuality may be a factor but it cannot be assumed a priori.

III. derivatives

apriorism /eɪˈprʌɪəˌrɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: Latin, ‘from what is before’.

apron /ˈeɪpr(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a protective garment worn over the front of one's clothes and tied at the back.

• a striped butcher's apron.

• [as modifier] I reached into my apron pocket.

2. a garment similar to an apron that is worn as part of official dress, as by a bishop or Freemason.

3. a sheet of lead worn to shield the body during an X-ray examination.

4. a small area adjacent to another larger area or structure

• a tiny apron of garden.

5. a hard-surfaced area on an airfield used for manoeuvring or parking aircraft.

• the pilot was instructed to park on the main apron.

6. (also apron stage) — a projecting strip of stage for playing scenes in front of the curtain.

7. (US) an area of asphalt where the drive of a house meets the road.

8. the narrow strip of a boxing ring lying outside the ropes.

9. [Geology] an extensive outspread deposit of sediment, typically at the foot of a glacier or mountain.

10. [often as modifier] — an endless conveyor made of overlapping plates

• apron feeders bring coarse ore to a grinding mill.

II. phrases

tied to someone's apron strings

too much under someone's influence and control.

• we have all met sturdy adults who are tied to mother's apron strings.

– origin Middle English naperon, from Old French, diminutive of nape, nappe ‘tablecloth’, from Latin mappa ‘napkin’. The n was lost by wrong division of a napron; compare with adder^1.

aproned /ˈeɪprənd/

adjective

wearing an apron

• aproned waiters in white caps.

apropos /ˌaprəˈpəʊ, ˈaprəpəʊ/

I. preposition

with reference to; concerning

• she remarked apropos of the initiative, ‘It's not going to stop the abuse’.

II. adjective — [ predic.]

1. very appropriate to a particular situation

• the song feels apropos to a midnight jaunt.

III. phrases

apropos of nothing

having no relevance to any previous discussion or situation.

• Isabel kept smiling apropos of nothing.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French à propos ‘(with regard) to (this) purpose’.

apsara /ˈʌpsərɑː / apsaras /ˈʌpsərɑːs/

I. noun

(in Hindu mythology) a celestial nymph, typically the wife of a heavenly musician.

– origin from Hindi apsarā, from Sanskrit apsarās.

apse /aps/

I. noun

1. a large semicircular or polygonal recess in a church, arched or with a domed roof and typically at the church's eastern end.

2. another term for apsis.

– origin early 19th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin apsis (see apsis).

apsidal /ˈapsɪd(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [Architecture] in the form of or resembling an apse.

2. [Astronomy] relating to an apsis.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin apsis (see apsis) + -al.

apsis /ˈapsɪs/

I. noun

[Astronomy] either of two points on the orbit of a planet or satellite that are nearest to or furthest from the body round which it moves.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting the orbit of a planet): via Latin from Greek apsis, hapsis ‘arch, vault’, perhaps from haptein ‘fasten, join’. Compare with apse.

apt /apt/

I. adjective

1. appropriate or suitable in the circumstances

• the theme could not be more apt.

2. [ predic., with infinitive] — having a tendency to do something

• he is apt to be swayed by irrational considerations.

3. quick to learn

• she proved an apt pupil.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘suited, appropriate’): from Latin aptus ‘fitted’, past participle of apere ‘fasten’.

apt.

noun

(N. Amer.) (as written abbreviation) an apartment

• a minimalist one-bedroom apt. on the Upper West Side

• apt. 18, 2330 Bedford St.

apterous /ˈapt(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

[Entomology] (of an insect) having no wings.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek apteros (from a- ‘without’ + pteron ‘wing’) + -ous.

Apterygota /apˈtɛrɪˌɡəʊtə/

I. plural noun

[Entomology] a group of insects which includes the bristletails and springtails, having a primitive body form without wings and no distinct larval stage. Compare with Pterygota.
●Subclass Apterygota, class Insecta (or Hexapoda): several orders, some of which are sometimes excluded from the Insecta.

– origin modern Latin Apterygota, from Greek a- ‘not’ + pterugōtos ‘winged’.

apterygote

noun

[Entomology] a primitive wingless insect of the group Apterygota, which includes the bristletails and springtails.

aptitude /ˈaptɪtjuːd/

I. noun

1. a natural ability to do something

• children with an aptitude for painting and drawing.

2. a natural tendency

• his aptitude for deceit.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin aptitudo, from aptus (see apt).

aptitude test

noun

a test designed to determine a person's ability in a particular skill or field of knowledge.

aptly /ˈaptli/

adverb

in a manner that is appropriate or suitable in the circumstances

• America's aptly named Sunshine State.

aptness /ˈap(t)nəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being appropriate or suitable

• the aptness of the punishment.

aptronym /ˈaptrənɪm / aptonym /ˈaptənɪm/

I. noun

a person's name that is regarded as amusingly appropriate to their occupation

• he began collecting aptronyms when he saw an ad for a flower shop operated by Flora Gardner.

• while Maryland lacks a ‘Judge Judge’, there are many attorneys here with aptonyms.

II. derivatives

aptronymic aptonymic

adjective

– origin 1920s: from apt + -onym, probably on the pattern of patronym.

APU

abbreviation

auxiliary power unit, a device used on aircraft to provide power while on the ground and to start the main engines.

Apuleius /ˌapjʊˈliːəs/

(born c. 123 AD), Roman writer, born in Africa. His writings are characterized by an exuberant and bizarre use of language. Notable works: Metamorphoses ( The Golden Ass).

Apulia /əˈpjuːlɪə/

a region of SE Italy, extending into the ‘heel’ of the peninsula; capital, Bari.
Italian name Puglia.

Apulian /əˈpjuːlɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Italian region of Apulia or its inhabitants

• a coastguard ship on the Apulian coast.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the Italian region of Apulia

• the young Apulian overcame the difficulties he had in his first two seasons.

Apus /ˈeɪpəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a faint southern constellation (the Bird of Paradise), close to the south celestial pole.

II. (as genitive Apodis) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Beta Apodis.

– origin Latin, denoting a kind of bird, from Greek apous.

Aqaba /ˈakəbə/

Jordan's only port, at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba; pop. 79,839 (2004).

Aqaba, Gulf of

a part of the Red Sea extending northwards between the Sinai and Arabian peninsulas.

aqua^1 /ˈakwə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a light bluish-green colour; aquamarine.

• houses of yellow and aqua.

• [as modifier] aqua blue.

– origin 1930s: abbreviation of aquamarine.

aqua^2 /ˈakwə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (especially in pharmaceutical and commercial use) water.

– origin Latin.

aqua- /ˈakwə/

I. combining form

1. relating to water

• aquaculture.

2. relating to water sports or aquatic entertainment

• aquarobics.

– origin from Latin aqua ‘water’.

aqua aura

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. quartz or other mineral to which a thin film of gold has been applied, giving it a blue iridescent colour.

– origin 1990s: from Latin aqua ‘water’ + aura, representing Latin aurum ‘gold’.

aquacade /ˌakwəˈkeɪd/

noun

(US) a spectacle involving swimming and diving, usually with musical accompaniment.

aquaculture /ˈakwəkʌltʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] the rearing of aquatic animals or the cultivation of aquatic plants for food.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin aqua ‘water’ + culture, on the pattern of words such as agriculture.

aqua fortis /ˈfɔːtɪs/

I. noun

archaic term for nitric acid.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘strong water’.

aqualung /ˈakwəlʌŋ / ‹US trademark› Aqua-Lung

I. noun

a portable breathing apparatus for divers, consisting of cylinders of compressed air strapped on the diver's back, feeding air automatically through a mask or mouthpiece.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹dated› swim under water using an aqualung

• you oughtn't to aqualung by yourself.

– origin 1950s (originally a proprietary name in the US): from Latin aqua ‘water’ + lung.

aquamanile /ˌakwəməˈnʌɪli, ˌakwəməˈniːli/

I. noun

a water container or ewer, typically in the form of a mammal or bird, used in medieval times.

– origin late 19th cent.: from late Latin, from Latin aquaemanalis, literally ‘ewer of water’.

aquamarine /ˌakwəməˈriːn/

I. noun

1. a precious stone consisting of a light bluish-green variety of beryl.

• a small boy with eyes the colour of aquamarines.

• [as modifier] a square-cut aquamarine pendant.

2. a light bluish-green colour
[as modifier]

• the aquamarine water.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin aqua marina ‘seawater’.

aquanaut /ˈakwənɔːt/

I. noun

a person who swims under water using an aqualung.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin aqua ‘water’ + Greek nautēs ‘sailor’.

aquaplane /ˈakwəpleɪn/

I. noun

a board for riding on water, pulled by a speedboat.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a vehicle) slide uncontrollably on a wet surface

• the plane is believed to have aquaplaned on the runway.

– origin early 20th cent. (originally US): from Latin aqua ‘water’ + plane^1.

aquaplaning /ˈakwəpleɪnɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport of riding on an aquaplane.

• their first days here were spent in active sports—swimming, sailing, and aquaplaning.

aquaponics

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a system of aquaculture in which the waste produced by farmed fish or other aquatic creatures supplies the nutrients for plants grown hydroponically, which in turn purify the water.

• thanks to its automatic recirculating system, aquaponics does not require much monitoring or measuring.

II. derivatives

aquaponic

adjective

– origin 1930s (in the sense ‘hydroponics’): blend of aqua- and hydroponics.

aqua regia /ˈriːdʒə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a mixture of concentrated nitric and hydrochloric acids. It is a highly corrosive liquid able to attack gold and other resistant substances.

– origin early 17th cent.: Latin, literally ‘royal water’.

aquarelle /ˌakwəˈrɛl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the technique of painting with thin, transparent watercolours (as distinct from gouache).

• a cover illustrated in aquarelle.

2. [ count noun] — a painting made using the technique of aquarelle.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Italian acquarella ‘watercolour’, diminutive of acqua, from Latin aqua ‘water’.

Aquarian /əˈkwɛːrɪən / ‹Astrology›

I. noun

a person born under the sign of Aquarius.

II. adjective

1. relating to the sign of Aquarius.

2. relating to the Age of Aquarius.

• Aquarian debates on ancient wisdom.

aquarist /ˈakwərɪst/

noun

a person who keeps an aquarium.

aquarium /əˈkwɛːrɪəm/

I. noun

1. a transparent tank of water in which live fish and other water creatures and plants are kept.

2. a building containing tanks of live fish of different species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, neuter of aquarius ‘of water’, on the pattern of vivarium.

Aquarius /əˈkwɛːrɪəs/

I. [Astronomy] a large constellation (the Water Carrier or Water Bearer), said to represent a man pouring water from a jar. It contains no bright stars but has several planetary nebulae.

II. (as genitive Aquarii) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Alpha Aquarii.

III. [Astrology] the eleventh sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about 21 January.

IV. ( an Aquarius) — a person born when the sun is in the sign of Aquarius.

V. phrases

Age of Aquarius

an astrological age which is about to begin, marked by the precession of the vernal equinox into Aquarius, believed by some to herald worldwide peace and harmony.

– origin Latin aquarius ‘of water’, used as a noun to mean ‘water carrier’.

aquarobics /ˌakwəˈrəʊbɪks/

I. plural noun — [often treated as sing.]

1. aerobic exercises performed in water.

– origin 1980s: blend of aqua- and aerobics.

aquatic /əˈkwatɪk, əˈkwɒtɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to water.

• animals have eyes adapted to the hues of their aquatic home.

• those who favour cycling or various aquatic sports.

2. (of a plant or animal) growing or living in or near water.

• aquatic plants.

• the bay could support aquatic life.

II. noun

1. an aquatic plant or animal, especially one suitable for a pond or aquarium.

• water lilies and other deep-water aquatics.

• specialist aquatics suppliers.

2. ( aquatics) — sports played in or on water.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘watery, rainy’): from Old French aquatique or Latin aquaticus, from aqua ‘water’.

aquatint /ˈakwətɪnt/

I. noun

1. a print resembling a watercolour, made by etching a copper plate with nitric acid and using resin and varnish to produce areas of tonal shading.

• twelve coloured aquatints of British battle scenes.

2. [ mass noun] — the technique or process of producing aquatints.

• a directness and freshness in the use of aquatint.

• [as modifier] aquatint plates of the Lake District.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. produce (a print) using the aquatint technique or process.

• she studied methods of etching and aquatinting.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French aquatinte, from Italian acqua tinta ‘coloured water’.

aquavit /ˌakwəˈviːt / akvavit

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alcoholic spirit made from potatoes or other starchy plants.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish akvavit (see aqua vitae).

aqua vitae /ˌakwə ˈviːtʌɪ, ˌakwə ˈvʌɪtiː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. strong alcoholic spirit, especially brandy.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, literally ‘water of life’; compare with aquavit, eau de vie, usquebaugh, and whisky.

aqueduct /ˈakwɪdʌkt/

I. noun

1. a bridge or viaduct carrying a waterway over a valley or other gap.

2. an artificial channel for conveying water.

3. [Anatomy] a small duct in the body containing fluid.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from obsolete French (now aqueduc), from Latin aquae ductus ‘conduit’, from aqua ‘water’ + ducere ‘to lead’.

aqueduct of Sylvius /ˈsɪlvɪəs/

noun

[Anatomy] a fluid-filled canal which runs through the midbrain connecting the third and fourth ventricles.
Also called cerebral aqueduct.

aqueous /ˈeɪkwɪəs/

I. adjective

1. of or containing water

• an aqueous solution of potassium permanganate.

2. like water; watery

• an eerie, aqueous light.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin aqueus, from Latin aqua ‘water’.

aqueous humour

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the clear fluid filling the space in the front of the eyeball between the lens and the cornea.
Compare with vitreous humour.

aquifer /ˈakwɪfə/

I. noun

a body of permeable rock which can contain or transmit groundwater.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin aqui- (from aqua ‘water’) + -fer ‘bearing’.

Aquila^1 /ˈakwɪlə, əˈkwɪlə / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small northern constellation (the Eagle), said to represent the eagle that carried Ganymede to Olympus. It contains the bright star Altair, and some rich star fields of the Milky Way.

II. (as genitive Aquilae) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Beta Aquilae.

– origin Latin.

Aquila^2 /ˈakwɪlə/

a city in east central Italy, capital of Abruzzi region; pop. 72,988 (2008).
Italian name L'Aquila.

aquilegia /ˌakwɪˈliːdʒə/

I. noun

a plant of the buttercup family, which bears showy flowers with backward-pointing spurs. Native to temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, it is widely grown in gardens.
●Genus Aquilegia, family Ranunculaceae. See also columbine.

– origin from medieval Latin, probably from Latin aquilegus ‘water-collecting’.

aquiline /ˈakwɪlʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. like an eagle.

2. (of a person's nose) hooked or curved like an eagle's beak.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin aquilinus, from aquila ‘eagle’.

Aquinas, St Thomas /əˈkwʌɪnəs/

I. (1225–74), Italian philosopher, theologian, and Dominican friar; known as the Angelic Doctor.

He is regarded as the greatest figure of scholasticism; one of his most important achievements was the introduction of the work of Aristotle to Christian western Europe. His works include commentaries on Aristotle as well as the Summa Contra Gentiles, intended as a manual for missionaries, and Summa Theologiae, the greatest achievement of medieval systematic theology. He also devised the official Roman Catholic tenets. Feast day, 28 January.

Aquitaine /ˌakwɪˈteɪn French akitɛn//

a region and former province of SW France, on the Bay of Biscay, centred on Bordeaux. It became an English possession by the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry II, and remained so until 1453.

Aquitaine, Eleanor of

see Eleanor of Aquitaine.

aquiver /əˈkwɪvə/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. quivering; trembling

• her face was aquiver with pleasure.

Ar

symbol

the chemical element argon.

AR

abbreviation

1. (US) Arkansas (in official postal use).

2. Autonomous Republic.

ar-

prefix

variant spelling of ad- assimilated before r (as in arrive, arrogate).

-ar^1

I. suffix

1. (forming adjectives) of the kind specified; relating to

• lunar

• molecular.

2. forming nouns such as scholar.

– origin from Old French -aire, -ier, or from Latin -aris.

-ar^2

I. suffix

forming nouns such as pillar.

– origin via Old French from Latin -are (neuter of -aris).

-ar^3

I. suffix

forming nouns such as bursar, exemplar, vicar.

– origin from Old French -aire, -ier, or from Latin -arius, -arium.

-ar^4

suffix

alteration of -er^1, -or^1 (as in liar, pedlar).

Ara /ˈɑːrə / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small and faint southern constellation (the Altar), in the Milky Way near Scorpius.

II. (as genitive Arae) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Delta Arae.

– origin Latin.

ARA

abbreviation

Associate of the Royal Academy.

Arab /ˈarəb/

I. noun

1. a member of a Semitic people, originally from the Arabian peninsula and neighbouring territories, inhabiting much of the Middle East and North Africa.

2. a horse of a breed originating in Arabia, with a distinctive high-set tail.

II. adjective

relating to Arabian people

• Arab countries.

– origin via Latin and Greek from Arabic ‘arab.

arabesque /ˌarəˈbɛsk/

I. noun

1. [Ballet] a posture in which one leg is extended backwards at right angles, the torso bent forwards, and the arms outstretched, one forwards and one backwards.

2. an ornamental design consisting of intertwined flowing lines, originally found in ancient Islamic art
[as modifier]

• arabesque scrolls.

3. [Music] a passage or composition with fanciful ornamentation of the melody.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian arabesco ‘in the Arabic style’, from arabo ‘Arab’.

Arabia /əˈreɪbɪə / Arabian peninsula

a peninsula of SW Asia, largely desert, lying between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf and bounded on the north by Jordan and Iraq. The original homeland of the Arabs and the historic centre of Islam, it comprises the states of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Arabian /əˈreɪbɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Arabia or its inhabitants.

• I stepped out of the plane and into the Arabian summer heat.

II. noun

1. ‹historical› a native or inhabitant of Arabia.

2. ‹historical› an Arab horse.

Arabian camel

noun

the domesticated one-humped camel, probably native to the deserts of North Africa and SW Asia. See also dromedary.
● Camelus dromedarius, family Camelidae.

Arabian Desert

the desert in eastern Egypt, between the Nile and the Red Sea.
Also called the Eastern Desert.

Arabian Gulf

another name for Persian Gulf.

Arabian Nights

a collection of stories and romances written in Arabic, called in full The Arabian Nights' Entertainment. The king of Samarkand has killed all his wives after one night's marriage until he marries Scheherazade, who saves her life by entertaining him with stories. The stories include the tales of Aladdin and Sinbad the Sailor.
Also called Thousand and One Nights.

Arabian peninsula

another name for Arabia.

Arabian Sea

the north-western part of the Indian Ocean, between Arabia and India.

Arabic /ˈarəbɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Semitic language of the Arabs, spoken by some 150 million people throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

II. adjective

1. relating to the literature or language of Arab people.

• Arabic literature.

• a fluent Arabic-speaker.

Arabic is written from right to left in a cursive script of twenty-eight consonants, the vowels being indicated by additional signs. The classical or literary language is based largely on that of the Koran; colloquial Arabic has many dialects. The script has been adapted for various languages, including Persian, Urdu, Malay, and (formerly) Turkish.

III. derivatives

1. Arabicization Arabicisation

noun

2. Arabicize Arabicise

verb

– origin Middle English: via Latin arabicus from Greek arabikos, from Araps, Arab- ‘Arab’, from the Arabic (see Arab).

arabica /əˈrabɪkə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — coffee or coffee beans from the most widely grown coffee plant.

2. the bush that produces arabica coffee beans, native to the Old World tropics.
● Coffea arabica, family Rubiaceae. See also robusta.

– origin 1920s: from Latin, feminine of arabicus (see Arabic).

Arabic numeral

noun

any of the numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Arabic numerals reached western Europe (replacing Roman numerals) through Arabia by about AD 1200 but probably originated in India.

arabinose /ˈarəbɪnəʊz, ˈarəbɪnəʊs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a sugar of the pentose class which is a constituent of many plant gums.

– origin late 19th cent.: from arabica + -in^1 + -ose^2.

arabis /ˈarəbɪs/

I. noun

a low-growing herbaceous plant which typically bears white or pink flowers, frequently grown in rock gardens. Also called rock cress or wall cress.
●Genus Arabis, family Cruciferae.

– origin via medieval Latin from Greek, feminine of Araps, Arab- (see Arabic).

Arabism

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — Arab culture or identity.

2. support for Arab nationalism or political interests.

3. an Arabic linguistic usage, word, or phrase.

II. derivatives

Arabist /ˈarəbɪst /

noun, adjective

Arabize /ˈarəbʌɪz / Arabise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. Arabized)

1. give (someone or something) an Arab or Arabic character

• an Arabized script.

II. derivatives

Arabization /ˌarəbʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

arable /ˈarəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of land) used or suitable for growing crops.

• acres of arable land.

• open arable fields.

2. (of crops) able to be grown on arable land.

• arable crops.

3. concerned with growing arable crops

• arable farming.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. arable land or crops.

• vast areas of arable and pasture.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin arabilis, from arare ‘to plough’.

Arab League

another name for League of Arab States.

Arab Spring

a series of anti-government uprisings in various countries in North Africa and the Middle East, beginning in Tunisia in December 2010.

Araby /ˈarəbi/

I. archaic term for Arabia.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French Arabie, from Latin Arabia, from Greek.

Aracajú /ˌarəkəˈʒuː/

a port in eastern Brazil, on the Atlantic coast, capital of the state of Sergipe; pop. 520,303 (2007).

aracari /ˌarəˈsɑːri, ˌarəˈkɑːri / araçari /ˌarəˈsɑːri/

I. noun

a small toucan with a serrated bill, and typically with a green back and wings, yellow underside, and red rump.
●Genus Pteroglossus, family Ramphastidae: several species.

– origin early 19th cent.: via Portuguese from Tupi arasa'ri.

arachidonic acid /əˌrakɪˈdɒnɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a polyunsaturated fatty acid present in animal fats. It is important in metabolism, especially in the synthesis of prostaglandins and leukotrienes, and is an essential constituent of the diet.
●Alternative name: eicosa-5,8,11,14-enoic acid; chem. formula: C_19H_31COOH.

– origin early 20th cent.: arachidonic formed irregularly from arachidic (a saturated fatty acid) from Latin arachis, see arachis oil, + -one + -ic.

arachis oil /ˈarəkɪs/

I. noun

another term for peanut oil.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin arachis, from Greek arak(h)os, -kis, a leguminous plant.

Arachne /əˈrakni / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. a woman of Colophon in Lydia, a skilful weaver who challenged Athene to a contest. Athene destroyed Arachne's work and Arachne tried to hang herself, but Athene changed her into a spider.

– origin from Greek arakhnē ‘spider’.

arachnid /əˈraknɪd / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

an arthropod of the class Arachnida, such as a spider or scorpion.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting arachnids.

Arachnida /əˈraknɪdə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a class of chelicerate arthropods that includes spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks. They have become adapted for a terrestrial life and possess both lungs and tracheae, and many have silk or poison glands.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek arakhnē ‘spider’.

arachnoid /əˈraknɔɪd/

I. adjective

like a spider or arachnid.

• intelligent arachnoid killing machines.

II. noun

(also arachnoid membrane) — [Anatomy] a fine, delicate membrane, the middle one of the three membranes or meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord, situated between the dura mater and the pia mater.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin arachnoides, from Greek arakhnoeidēs ‘like a cobweb’, from arakhnē ‘spider’.

arachnophobia /əˌraknəˈfəʊbɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme or irrational fear of spiders.

II. derivatives

1. arachnophobe

noun

2. arachnophobic

adjective

– origin 1920s: modern Latin, from Greek arakhnē ‘spider’ + -phobia.

Arafat, Yasser /ˈarəfat/

(1929–2004), Palestinian statesman, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization 1968–2004 and Palestinian President 1996–2004. He became leader of the new Palestine National Authority in 1994, following the signing of a PLO–Israeli peace accord for which he shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres.

Arafura Sea /ˌarəˈfʊərə/

a sea lying between northern Australia, the islands of east Indonesia, and New Guinea.

Aragon /ˈarəɡ(ə)n/

an autonomous region of NE Spain, bounded on the north by the Pyrenees and on the east by Catalonia and Valencia; capital, Saragossa. Formerly an independent kingdom, it was united with Catalonia in 1137 and with Castile in 1479. Spanish name Aragón.

Aragon, Catherine of

see Catherine of Aragon.

aragonite /ˈarəɡ(ə)nʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral consisting of calcium carbonate and typically occurring as colourless prisms in deposits from hot springs.

– origin early 19th cent.: from the place name Aragon + -ite^1.

aralia /əˈreɪlɪə/

I. noun

a plant of a very diverse group of trees and shrubs native to America and Asia. Several kinds are cultivated for their foliage and tiny flowers, and some are used in herbal medicine.
●Genus Aralia, family Araliaceae: several species, including the Japanese angelica tree ( A. elata).

– origin modern Latin, of unknown origin.

Aral Sea /ˈarəl/

an inland sea in central Asia, on the border between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Its area was reduced to two thirds of its original size between 1960 and 1990, after water was diverted for irrigation, with serious consequences for the environment of the area.

Aramaean /ˌarəˈmiːən / Aramean

I. noun

a member of an ancient Aramaic-speaking people inhabiting Aram (modern Syria) and most of Mesopotamia in the 11th–8th centuries BC.

II. adjective

relating to Aram or the Aramaeans.

– origin from Latin Aramaeus (from Greek Aramaios: see Aramaic) + -an.

Aramaic /ˌarəˈmeɪɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a branch of the Semitic family of languages, especially the language of Syria used as a lingua franca in the Near East from the 6th century BC. It replaced Hebrew locally as the language of the Jews, and though displaced by Arabic in the 7th century AD, it still has about 200,000 speakers in scattered communities.

II. adjective

relating to Aramaic.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek Aramaios ‘of Aram’ (the biblical name of Syria) + -ic.

arame /ˈarəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an edible Pacific seaweed with broad brown leaves which is used in Japanese cookery.
● Ecklonia bicyclis, class Phaeophyceae.

aramid /ˈaramɪd/

I. noun

any of a class of synthetic polyamides that are formed from aromatic monomers, and yield fibres of exceptional strength and thermal stability.

– origin 1970s: from aromatic + polyamide.

Aran /ˈar(ə)n/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. denoting a type of knitwear or garment with traditional patterns, typically involving raised cable stitch and large diamond designs.

– origin 1960s: from the Aran Islands.

arancini /arənˈtʃiːni/

I. plural noun

an Italian dish consisting of small balls of rice stuffed with a savoury filling, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried

• sun-dried tomato and mozzarella arancini served with salad.

– origin Italian, plural of arancino, from arancia ‘orange’ + the diminutive suffix -ino.

Aranda /əˈrʌntə, aˈruːndə/

noun, adjective

variant form of Arrernte.

araneid /əˈreɪnɪɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] an invertebrate of an order that comprises the spiders.
●Order Araneae, in particular the family Araneidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Araneida (former order name), from aranea ‘spider’.

Aran Islands

a group of three islands, Inishmore, Inishmaan, and Inisheer, off the west coast of the Republic of Ireland.

Aranyaka /ˌarəˈnjakə/

noun

each of a set of Hindu sacred treatises based on the Brahmanas, composed in Sanskrit c. 700 BC. Intended only for initiates, the Aranyakas contain mystical and philosophical material and explications of esoteric rites.

Arapaho /əˈrapəhəʊ/

I. noun

1. a member of a North American Indian people living chiefly on the Great Plains, especially in Wyoming.

2. [ mass noun] — the Algonquian language of the Arapaho, now almost extinct.

II. adjective

relating to the Arapaho or their language.

– origin from Crow alappahó, literally ‘many tattoo marks’.

arapaima /ˌarəˈpʌɪmə/

I. noun

a very large edible freshwater fish native to tropical South America.
● Arapaima gigas, family Osteoglossidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Tupi.

Ararat, Mount /ˈarərat/

a pair of volcanic peaks in eastern Turkey, near the borders with Armenia and Iran. The higher peak, which rises to 5,165 m (16,946 ft), is the traditional site of the resting place of Noah's ark after the Flood (Gen. 8:4).

arational

adjective

not based on or governed by logical reasoning.

Araucanian /ˌarɔːˈkeɪnɪən/

I. noun

1. a member of a group of American Indian peoples of Chile and adjacent parts of Argentina, including the Mapuche.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Araucanians, constituting a distinct language family sometimes linked to Penutian.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting the Araucanians or their language.
See also Mapuche.

– origin from Spanish Araucania, a region in Chile, + -an.

araucaria /ˌarɔːˈkɛːrɪə/

I. noun

an evergreen conifer of a genus that includes the monkey puzzle, having stiff sharp leaves.
●Genus Araucaria, family Araucariaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Spanish Arauco, the name of a province of Araucania, Chile.

Arawak /ˈarəwak/

I. noun

1. a member of a group of indigenous peoples of the Greater Antilles and northern and western South America. They were forced out of the Antilles by the Caribs shortly before Spanish expansion in the Caribbean.

2. [ mass noun] — any of the languages of the Arawak.

II. adjective

relating to the Arawak or their languages.

– origin from Carib aruac.

Arawakan /ˌarəˈwak(ə)n/

I. adjective

denoting or belonging to a widely scattered family of South American Indian languages, most of which are now extinct or nearly so.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Arawakan family of languages.

arb /ɑːb/

noun

‹informal› short for arbitrageur.

arbalest /ˈɑːbəlɛst / arblast

I. noun

‹historical› a crossbow with a special mechanism for drawing back and releasing the string.

– origin Old English arblast, from Old French arbaleste, from late Latin arcubalista, from Latin arcus ‘bow’ + ballista (see ballista).

arbiter /ˈɑːbɪtə/

I. noun

1. a person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a matter

• the Secretary of State is the final arbiter.

2. a person whose views or actions have influence in a particular sphere

• an arbiter of taste.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, ‘judge, supreme ruler’.

arbiter elegantiarum /ˌɛlɪɡantɪˈɑːrəm / arbiter elegantiae /ˌɛlɪˈɡantɪʌɪ/

I. noun

a judge of artistic taste and etiquette.

– origin Latin, ‘judge of elegance’, used by Tacitus to describe Petronius, Gaius, arbiter of taste at Nero's court.

arbitrage /ˈɑːbɪtrɪdʒ, ˌɑːbɪˈtrɑːʒ / ‹Economics›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the simultaneous buying and selling of securities, currency, or commodities in different markets or in derivative forms in order to take advantage of differing prices for the same asset.
[as modifier]

• profitable arbitrage opportunities.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. buy and sell assets using arbitrage.

• much of the short selling was being done by people who were arbitraging between the bond and the equity market.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting the exercise of individual judgement): from French, from arbitrer ‘give judgement’, from Latin arbitrari (see arbitrate). The current sense dates from the late 19th cent.

arbitrageur /ˌɑːbɪtraˈʒəː / arbitrager /ˈɑːbɪtrɪdʒə/

I. noun

a person who engages in arbitrage.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from arbitrer ‘give judgement’, from Latin arbitrari (see arbitrate).

arbitral /ˈɑːbɪtr(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to or resulting from the use of an arbitrator to settle a dispute.

– origin late 15th cent.: from late Latin arbitralis, from arbiter ‘judge, supreme ruler’.

arbitrament /ɑːˈbɪtrəm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the settling of a dispute by an arbitrator.

2. [ count noun] — an authoritative decision made by an arbitrator.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French arbitrement, from medieval Latin arbitramentum, from arbitrari (see arbitrate).

arbitrarily /ɑːbɪˈtrɛrəli, ˈɑːbɪtrəli/

adverb

1. on the basis of random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system

• recurrent infection is arbitrarily defined as three or more infections a year.

2. without restraint in the use of authority; autocratically

• everyone has the right not to be arbitrarily detained.

arbitrariness /ˈɑːbətrərinəs, ɑːbɪˈtrɛrinəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system

• disparate peoples were forced together by the arbitrariness of a colonial map-maker's pen.

2. a lack of restraint in the use of authority; autocracy

• the law protects the people against the arbitrariness of those in office.

arbitrary /ˈɑːbɪt(rə)ri/

I. adjective

1. based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system

• an arbitrary decision.

2. (of power or a ruling body) unrestrained and autocratic in the use of authority

• a country under arbitrary government.

3. [Mathematics] (of a constant or other quantity) of unspecified value.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘dependent on one's will or pleasure, discretionary’): from Latin arbitrarius, from arbiter ‘judge, supreme ruler’, perhaps influenced by French arbitraire.

arbitrate /ˈɑːbɪtreɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of an independent person or body) reach an authoritative judgement or settlement

• the board has the power to arbitrate in disputes

• [with obj.] the insurance ombudsman arbitrates insurance matters.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin arbitrat- ‘judged’, from arbitrari, from arbiter ‘judge, supreme ruler’.

arbitration /ɑːbɪˈtreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of an arbitrator to settle a dispute.

• Tayside Regional Council called for arbitration to settle the dispute.

• binding arbitration.

II. phrases

go to arbitration

use an arbitrator to settle a dispute.

• the trust and consortium are likely to go to arbitration.

arbitrator /ˈɑːbɪtreɪtə/

noun

an independent person or body officially appointed to settle a dispute.

• the facts of the case are put to an independent arbitrator.

arbitress

noun

‹archaic› a female arbiter.

arbor^1 /ˈɑːbə/

I. noun

1. an axle or spindle on which something revolves.

2. a device holding a tool in a lathe.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French arbre ‘tree, axis’. The spelling change was due to association with Latin arbor ‘tree’.

arbor^2

noun

US spelling of arbour.

Arbor Day /ˈɑːbədeɪ/

I. noun

a day dedicated annually to public tree planting in the US, Australia, and other countries.

– origin from Latin arbor ‘tree’.

arboreal /ɑːˈbɔːrɪəl/

I. adjective

1. living in trees

• arboreal rodents.

2. relating to trees.

II. derivatives

arboreality

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin arboreus, from arbor ‘tree’, + -al.

arborescent /ˌɑːbəˈrɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

[chiefly Botany] tree-like in growth or appearance.

• arborescent succulents.

II. derivatives

arborescence /ɑːbəˈrɛs(ə)ns /

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin arborescent- ‘growing into a tree’, from arborescere, from arbor ‘tree’.

arboretum /ˌɑːbəˈriːtəm/

I. noun

a botanical garden devoted to trees.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘a place with trees’, from arbor ‘tree’.

arboriculture /ˈɑːb(ə)rɪˌkʌltʃə, ɑːˈbɔːrɪˌkʌltʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the cultivation of trees and shrubs.

II. derivatives

1. arboricultural

adjective

2. arboriculturist /ɑːb(ə)rɪˌˈkʌltʃ(ə)rɪst, ɑːˌbɔːrɪˈkʌltʃ(ə)rɪst /

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin arbor ‘tree’ + culture, on the pattern of words such as agriculture.

Arborio /ɑːˈbɔːrɪəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of round-grained rice produced in Italy and used in making risotto.

– origin Italian.

arborist /ˈɑːbərɪst/

noun

a tree surgeon.

arborization /ˌɑːb(ə)rʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / aborisation

noun

[Anatomy] a fine branching structure at the end of a nerve fibre.

arbor vitae /ˌɑːbə ˈvʌɪtiː, ˈviːtʌɪ/

I. noun

another term for thuja.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘tree of life’, probably with reference to its medicinal use.

arbour /ˈɑːbə / ‹US› arbor

I. noun

a shady garden alcove with the sides and roof formed by trees or climbing plants trained over a framework.

II. derivatives

arboured /ˈɑːbəd /

adjective

– origin Middle English (also denoting a lawn or flower bed): from Old French erbier, from erbe ‘grass, herb’, from Latin herba. The phonetic change to ar- (common in words having er- before a consonant) was assisted by association with Latin arbor ‘tree’.

arbovirus /ˈɑːbə(ʊ)ˌvʌɪrəs/

I. noun

[Medicine] any of a group of viruses which are transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, or other arthropods. They include the virus of yellow fever.

– origin 1950s: from ar(thropod)-bo(rne) + virus.

Arbus, Diane /ˈɑːbəs/

(1923–71), American photographer. She is best known for her disturbing images of people on the streets of US cities.

Arbuthnot, John /ɑːˈbʌθnət/

(1667–1735), Scottish physician and writer. His satirical History of John Bull (1712) was the origin of John Bull as the personification of the typical Englishman.

arbutus /ɑːˈbjuːtəs, ˈɑːbjʊtəs/

I. noun

an evergreen tree or shrub of a genus that includes the strawberry tree. See also trailing arbutus.
●Genus Arbutus, family Ericaceae.

– origin from Latin.

arc /ɑːk/

I. noun

1. a part of a curve, especially a part of the circumference of a circle.

• the point where a tangential line touches the arc of a circle.

2. a shape or structure resembling an arc

• the huge arc of the sky.

3. a curving trajectory

• he swung his torch in a wide arc.

4. [as modifier] — [Mathematics] indicating the inverse of a trigonometrical function.
[from the former method of defining trigonometrical functions by arcs.]

5. a luminous electrical discharge between two electrodes or other points.

• modern welding generators are designed so that there is a high voltage for striking the arc.

6. (in a novel, play, or film) the development or resolution of the narrative or principal theme

• his transformation provides the emotional arc of the story.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. [with adverbial of direction] — move with a curving trajectory

• the ball arced across the room.

2. (usu. as noun arcing) — form an electric arc

• check that switches operate properly with no sign of arcing.

III. phrases

1. minute of arc

see minute^1 (sense 2).

2. second of arc

see second^2 (sense 2).

– origin late Middle English (denoting the path of a celestial object, especially the sun, from horizon to horizon): via Old French from Latin arcus ‘bow, curve’.

ARC

abbreviation

1. ‹historical› (in the UK) Agricultural Research Council.

2. [Medicine] AIDS-related complex.

arcade /ɑːˈkeɪd/

I. noun

1. a covered passage with arches along one or both sides.

2. a covered walk with shops along one or both sides.

• a shopping arcade.

• Burlington Arcade.

3. [Architecture] a series of arches supporting a wall, or set along it.

4. short for amusement arcade.

II. derivatives

1. arcaded /ɑːˈkeɪdɪd /

adjective

2. arcading

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from Provençal arcada or Italian arcata, based on Latin arcus ‘bow’.

Arcadia /ɑːˈkeɪdɪə/

a mountainous district in the Peloponnese of southern Greece. In poetic fantasy it represents a pastoral paradise and in Greek mythology it is the home of Pan.

Arcadian /ɑːˈkeɪdɪən/

I. noun

1. a native of Arcadia.

2. ‹literary› an idealized country dweller.

II. adjective

1. relating to Arcadia.

2. ‹literary› relating to an ideal pastoral paradise.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin Arcadius, from Greek Arkadia (see Arcadia).

Arcady /ˈɑːkədi/

I. noun

‹literary› an ideal rustic paradise.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek Arkadia (see Arcadia).

arcana /ɑːˈkeɪnə/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. secrets or mysteries

• the arcana of his profession.

2. either of the two groups of cards in a tarot pack: the twenty-two trumps (the major arcana) and the fifty-six suit cards (the minor arcana).

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, neuter plural of arcanus (see arcane).

arcane /ɑːˈkeɪn/

I. adjective

understood by few; mysterious or secret

• arcane procedures for electing people.

II. derivatives

arcanely

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin arcanus, from arcere ‘to shut up’, from arca ‘chest’.

arc cosine /ˌɑːk ˈkəʊsʌɪn / arcos

noun

a mathematical function that is the inverse of the cosine function.

Arc de Triomphe /ˌɑːk də ˈtriːɒmf, French aʀk də tʀijɔ̃f/

a ceremonial arch standing at the top of the Champs-Élysées in Paris, commissioned by Napoleon to commemorate his victories in 1805–6. Inspired by the Arch of Constantine in Rome, it was completed in 1836.

arc eye

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a painful eye condition caused by damage to the cornea from ultraviolet radiation during arc welding.

arc furnace

noun

another term for electric-arc furnace.

arch^1 /ɑːtʃ/

I. noun

1. a curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it.

2. an arch forming a monument or ornamental feature

• a triumphal arch.

3. a shape resembling an arch

• the delicate arch of his eyebrows.

4. the inner side of the foot.

• the muscles in the arch of my right foot suddenly seized up.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of place]

1. have the curved shape of an arch

• a beautiful bridge that arched over a canal.

2. form or cause to form the curved shape of an arch
[no obj.]

• her eyebrows arched in surprise

• [with obj.] she arched her back.

– origin Middle English: from Old French arche, based on Latin arcus ‘bow’.

arch^2 /ɑːtʃ/

I. adjective

deliberately or affectedly playful and teasing

• a somewhat arch tone of voice.

II. derivatives

1. archly /ˈɑːtʃli /

adverb

2. archness /ˈɑːtʃnəs /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from arch-, by association with the sense ‘rogue’ in combinations such as arch-scoundrel.

arch- /ɑːtʃ/

I. combining form

1. chief; principal

• archbishop

• archdiocese.

2. pre-eminent of its kind; out-and-out

• arch-enemy.

– origin via Latin from Greek arkhi-, from arkhos ‘chief’.

-arch /ɑːk/

I. combining form

(forming nouns) denoting a ruler or leader

• monarch.

– origin Greek arkhos ‘ruling’, from arkhein ‘to rule’.

archaea /ɑːˈkiːə/

I. plural noun

[Biology] microorganisms which are similar to bacteria in size and simplicity of structure but radically different in molecular organization. They are now believed to constitute an ancient group which is intermediate between the bacteria and eukaryotes.
Also called archaebacteria.

II. derivatives

archaean archaeal

adjective, noun

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek arkhaios ‘primitive’.

Archaean /ɑːˈkiːən / ‹US› Archean

I. adjective

1. [Geology] relating to or denoting the aeon that constitutes the earlier (or middle) part of the Precambrian, in which there was no life on the earth. It precedes the Proterozoic aeon and (in some schemes) is preceded by the Priscoan aeon.
Also called the Azoic.

2. (as noun the Archaean) — [Geology] the Archaean aeon or the system of rocks deposited during it.

The Archaean extended from the origin of the earth (see Precambrian) to about 2,500 million years ago. In schemes which include the Priscoan aeon, the Archaean began about 4,000 million years ago.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek arkhaios ‘ancient’ + -an.

archaebacteria /ˌɑːkɪbakˈtɪərɪə/

I. plural noun

another term for archaea.

II. derivatives

archaebacterial

adjective

archaeo- /ˈɑːkɪəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to archaeology or prehistoric times

• archaeoastronomy.

– origin from Greek arkhaios ‘ancient’.

archaeoastronomy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the investigation of the astronomical knowledge of prehistoric cultures.
Also called astro-archaeology.

archaeological /ˌɑːkɪəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l / ‹US› archeological

I. adjective

relating to archaeology

• uprooting trees will disturb any archaeological remains below ground level

• the archaeological sites of Mesopotamia.

II. derivatives

1. archaeologic /ˌɑːkɪəˈlɒdʒɪk /

adjective

2. archaeologically /ˌɑːkɪəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)li /

adverb

archaeologist /ˌɑːkɪˈɒlədʒɪst / ‹US› archeologist

noun

a person who studies human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artefacts and other physical remains

• Chinese archaeologists uncovered life-sized terracotta statues.

archaeology /ˌɑːkɪˈɒlədʒi / ‹US› archeology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artefacts and other physical remains.

II. derivatives

archaeologize archaeologise

verb

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘ancient history’): from modern Latin archaeologia, from Greek arkhaiologia ‘ancient history’, from arkhaios ‘ancient’. The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

archaeomagnetism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. magnetism possessed by components of clay and rocks which have in the past been heated above a certain temperature. The orientation and intensity of this remanent magnetism was fixed by the earth's magnetic field when the material cooled, and can be used to study the earth's magnetism and as a method of geological and archaeological dating.

II. derivatives

archaeomagnetic

adjective

archaeometry /ˌɑːkɪˈɒmətri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the application of scientific techniques to the dating of archaeological remains.

II. derivatives

archaeometric

adjective

archaeopteryx /ˌɑːkɪˈɒptərɪks/

I. noun

the oldest known fossil bird, of the late Jurassic period. It had feathers, wings, and hollow bones like a bird, but teeth, a bony tail, and legs like a small coelurosaur dinosaur.
● Archaeopteryx lithographica, subclass Archaeornithes.

– origin from archaeo- ‘ancient’ + Greek pterux ‘wing’.

archaic /ɑːˈkeɪɪk/

I. adjective

1. very old or old-fashioned

• prisons are run on archaic methods.

2. (of a word or a style of language) no longer in everyday use but sometimes used to impart an old-fashioned flavour.

• a term with a rather archaic ring to it.

3. of an early period of art or culture, especially the 7th–6th centuries BC in Greece

• the archaic temple at Corinth.

II. derivatives

archaically /ɑːˈkeɪɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French archaïque, from Greek arkhaikos, from arkhaios, from arkhē ‘beginning’.

archaism /ˈɑːkeɪɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a thing that is very old or old-fashioned, especially an archaic word or style of language or art

• conscious archaisms inspired by French harpsichord music.

2. [ mass noun] — the use or conscious imitation of archaic styles or features in language or art.

• Mozart's use of archaism.

II. derivatives

archaistic /ɑːkeɪˈɪstɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin archaismus, from Greek arkhaismos, from arkhaizein ‘imitate archaic styles’, from arkhaios ‘ancient’, from arkhē ‘beginning’.

archaize /ˈɑːkeɪʌɪz / archaise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (an artistic work) an old-fashioned flavour by using archaic words or styles.

2. [no obj.] — use archaic words or styles in an artistic work.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek arkhaizein, from arkhaios ‘ancient’ (see Archaean).

archaizing archaising

adjective

consciously imitating a word or a style of language or art that is very old or old-fashioned.

• archaizing poetry.

archangel /ˈɑːkeɪndʒ(ə)l, ɑːkˈeɪndʒ(ə)l/

I. noun

1. an angel of greater than ordinary rank.

2. (in traditional Christian angelology) a being of the eighth-highest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy.

3. (also yellow archangel) — a yellow-flowered Eurasian dead-nettle found in woodland.
● Lamiastrum galeobdolon (or Galeobdolon luteum), family Labiatae.

II. derivatives

archangelic

adjective

– origin Middle English, from Anglo-Norman French archangele, via ecclesiastical Latin from ecclesiastical Greek arkhangelos, from arkhi- ‘chief’ + angelos ‘messenger, angel’.

Archangel /ˈɑːkeɪndʒ(ə)l/

a port of NW Russia, on the White Sea; pop. 348,700 (est. 2008). It is named after the monastery of the Archangel Michael situated there.
Russian name Arkhangelsk.

archbishop /ɑːtʃˈbɪʃəp, ˈɑːtʃbɪʃəp/

I. noun

the chief bishop responsible for a large district.

• the Archbishop of York.

– origin Old English, from arch- ‘chief’ + biscop (see bishop), replacing earlier heah-biscop ‘high-bishop’.

archbishopric /ɑːtʃˈbɪʃəprɪk/

I. noun

1. the office of an archbishop.

2. an archdiocese.

– origin Old English arcebiscoprice (see arch-, bishopric).

archboard /ˈɑːtʃbɔːd/

noun

a block of shaped wood at the aft end of the counter at the stern of a ship.

arch-conservative /ɑːtʃkənˈsəːvətɪv/

I. adjective

extremely averse to change and strongly adhering to traditional values

• his social philosophy is arch-conservative.

II. noun

a person who is extremely averse to change and strongly adheres to traditional values

• her father was an arch-conservative in the colonial era tradition.

archdeacon /ɑːtʃˈdiːk(ə)n, ˈɑːtʃdiːk(ə)n/

I. noun

a senior Christian cleric (in the early Church a deacon, in the modern Anglican Church a priest) to whom a bishop delegates certain responsibilities.

– origin Old English arce-, ercediacon, from ecclesiastical Latin archidiaconus, from ecclesiastical Greek arkhidiakonos, from arkhi- ‘chief’ + diakonos (see deacon).

archdeaconry /ɑːtʃˈdiːk(ə)nri/

noun

1. the district for which an archdeacon is responsible.

2. the residence of an archdeacon.

3. the office of an archdeacon.

archdiocese /ɑːtʃˈdʌɪəsɪs/

I. noun

the district for which an archbishop is responsible.

II. derivatives

archdiocesan

adjective

archduchess /ˌɑːtʃˈdʌtʃəs/

noun

1. ‹historical› the wife or widow of an archduke.

2. ‹historical› a daughter of the Emperor of Austria.

archduke /ˈɑːtʃdjuːk/

I. noun

a chief duke, in particular (formerly) the son of the Emperor of Austria.

II. derivatives

1. archducal /ˌɑːtʃˈdjuːk(ə)l /

adjective

2. archduchy /ɑːtʃˈdʌtʃi /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from Old French archeduc, from Merovingian Latin archidux, archiduc-, from archi- ‘chief’ + dux, duc- (see duke).

arched /ɑːtʃt/

adjective

constructed with or in the form of an arch or arches

• high arched windows.

archegonium /ˌɑːkɪˈɡəʊnɪəm/

I. noun

[Botany] the female sex organ in mosses, liverworts, ferns, and most conifers.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek arkhegonos, from arkhe- ‘chief’ + gonos ‘race’.

arch-enemy /ˌɑːtʃˈɛnəmi/

noun

1. a person who is extremely opposed or hostile to someone or something

• the twins were arch-enemies.

2. ( the Arch-enemy) — the Devil.

archenteron /ɑːˈkɛntərɒn/

I. noun

[Embryology] the rudimentary alimentary cavity of an embryo at the gastrula stage.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek arkhē ‘beginning’ + enteron ‘intestine’.

archer /ˈɑːtʃə/

I. noun

1. a person who shoots with a bow and arrows, especially at a target as a sport.

2. ( the Archer) — the zodiacal sign or constellation Sagittarius.

– origin Middle English: from Old French archier, based on Latin arcus ‘bow’.

Archer, Jeffrey

(Howard), Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare (b.1940), British writer and Conservative politician. He resigned as an MP after being declared bankrupt, and embarked on a career as a bestselling novelist. He was deputy chairman of the Conservative Party 1985–6, but resigned after a libel case; in 2001 he was found to have committed perjury in that case and was jailed for four years.

archerfish

noun

a freshwater fish that knocks insect prey off overhanging vegetation by shooting water at it from its mouth. It is native to Asia, Australia, and the Philippines.
●Genus Toxotes, family Toxotidae: several species, in particular T. jaculator.

archery /ˈɑːtʃəri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. shooting with a bow and arrows, especially at a target as a sport.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French archerie, from archier (see archer).

arches

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. used in names of moths with curving arch-like patterns on the wings, such as dark arches.
●Several genera in the families Noctuidae and Notodontidae.

archetypal /ˌɑːkɪˈtʌɪp(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. very typical of a certain kind of person or thing

• the archetypal country doctor.

2. relating to or denoting an original which has been imitated

• archetypal myths.

3. relating to or denoting Jungian archetypes.

4. recurrent as a symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology

• an archetypal journey representing the quest for identity.

II. derivatives

archetypally

adverb

archetype /ˈɑːkɪtʌɪp/

I. noun

1. a very typical example of a certain person or thing

• he was the archetype of the old-style football club chairman.

2. an original which has been imitated; a prototype

• an instrument which was the archetype of the early flute.

3. [Psychoanalysis] (in Jungian theory) a primitive mental image inherited from the earliest human ancestors, and supposed to be present in the collective unconscious.

4. a recurrent symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology

• mythological archetypes of good and evil.

II. derivatives

1. archetypical /ɑːkɪˈtɪpɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. archetypically

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek arkhetupon ‘something moulded first as a model’, from arkhe- ‘primitive’ + tupos ‘a model’.

arch-fiend

noun

‹literary› the Devil.

archidiaconal /ˌɑːkɪdʌɪˈak(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to an archdeacon.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin archidiaconalis, from archi- ‘chief’ + diaconalis (see diaconal).

archiepiscopal /ˌɑːkɪɪˈpɪskəp(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to an archbishop.

II. derivatives

1. archiepiscopacy

noun

2. archiepiscopate /ˌɑːkɪɪˈpɪskəpət, ˌɑːkɪɪˈpɪskəpeɪt /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek arkhiepiskopos ‘archbishop’ (from arkhi- ‘chief’ + episkopos ‘bishop’) + -al.

archil /ˈɑːtʃɪl/

noun

archaic spelling of orchil.

Archilochus /ɑːˈkɪləkəs/

(8th or 7th century BC), Greek poet. Acclaimed in his day as equal in stature to Homer and Pindar, he wrote satirical verse and fables and is credited with the invention of iambic metre.

archimandrite /ˌɑːkɪˈmandrʌɪt/

I. noun

1. the superior of a large monastery or group of monasteries in the Orthodox Church.

2. an honorary title given to a monastic priest.

– origin mid 17th cent.: via ecclesiastical Latin, from ecclesiastical Greek arkhimandritēs, from arkhi- ‘chief’ + mandra ‘monastery’.

Archimedean /ˌɑːkɪˈmiːdiən/

adjective

relating to or invented by Archimedes

• an Archimedean globe.

Archimedean screw /ˌɑːkɪˈmiːdɪən/

noun

a device invented by Archimedes for raising water by means of a helix rotating within a tube.

Archimedes /ˌɑːkɪˈmiːdiːz/

( c. 287–212 BC), Greek mathematician and inventor, of Syracuse. He is famous for his discovery of Archimedes' principle (legend has it that he made this discovery while taking a bath, and ran through the streets shouting ‘Eureka!’); among his mathematical discoveries are the ratio of the radius of a circle to its circumference, and formulas for the surface area and volume of a sphere and of a cylinder.

Archimedes' principle

noun

[Physics] a law stating that a body totally or partially immersed in a fluid is subject to an upward force equal in magnitude to the weight of fluid it displaces.

archipelago /ˌɑːkɪˈpɛləɡəʊ/

I. noun

1. an extensive group of islands.

• the Indonesian archipelago.

2. a sea or stretch of water having many islands.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Italian arcipelago, from Greek arkhi- ‘chief’ + pelagos ‘sea’. The word was originally used as a proper name ( the Archipelago ‘the Aegean Sea’): the general sense arose because the Aegean Sea is notable for its large numbers of islands.

Archipenko, Alexander /ˌɑːkɪˈpjɛŋkəʊ/

(1887–1964), Russian-born American sculptor; full name Alexander Porfirevich Archipenko. He adapted cubist techniques to sculpture. Notable works: Walking Woman (1912).

Archipiélago de Colón /arkiˈpjelaɣo ðe koˈlon/

official Spanish name for Galapagos Islands.

architect /ˈɑːkɪtɛkt/

I. noun

1. a person who designs buildings and in many cases also supervises their construction.

• the great Norman architect of Durham Cathedral.

2. a person who is responsible for inventing or realizing a particular idea or project

• the architects of the reform programme.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Computing] design and configure (a program or system).
(as adj. architected)

• an architected information interface.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French architecte, from Italian architetto, via Latin from Greek arkhitektōn, from arkhi- ‘chief’ + tektōn ‘builder’.

architectonic /ˌɑːkɪtɛkˈtɒnɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to architecture or architects.

2. (of an artistic composition) having a clearly defined structure, especially one that is artistically pleasing

• the painting's architectonic harmony.

II. noun — ( architectonics) [usu. treated as sing.]

1. the scientific study of architecture.

2. musical, literary, or artistic structure.

• his later novels display more concern with architectonics.

III. derivatives

architectonically

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek arkhitektonikos, from arkhitektōn (see architect).

architectural /ɑːkɪˈtɛktʃ(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings

• an architectural firm.

2. relating to or constituting buildings

• Wootton Bassett has retained much of its architectural heritage.

3. bearing a resemblance to buildings

• he liked architectural plants, particularly large spiky palms.

II. derivatives

architecturally /ɑːkɪˈtɛktʃ(ə)r(ə)li /

adverb

architecture /ˈɑːkɪtɛktʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings.

• schools of architecture and design.

2. the style in which a building is designed and constructed, especially with regard to a specific period, place, or culture

• Georgian architecture.

3. the complex or carefully designed structure of something

• the chemical architecture of the human brain.

4. the conceptual structure and logical organization of a computer or computer-based system.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin architectura, from architectus (see architect).

architrave /ˈɑːkɪtreɪv/

I. noun

1. (in classical architecture) a main beam resting across the tops of columns.

2. the moulded frame around a doorway or window.

3. a moulding round the exterior of an arch.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Italian, from archi- ‘chief’ + -trave from Latin trabs, trab- ‘a beam’.

archival /ɑːˈkʌɪv(ə)l/

adjective

1. relating to or constituting archives

• the club maintains an archival research library.

2. (of a material such as paper) of suitable quality to be used in archives.

• the illustrations are printed with archival inks that will last about 70 years.

archive /ˈɑːkʌɪv/

I. noun — (usu. archives)

1. a collection of historical documents or records providing information about a place, institution, or group of people
[as modifier]

• a section of archive film.

2. the place where historical documents or records are kept.

• they were allowed to study in the archives.

3. a complete record of the data in part or all of a computer system, stored on an infrequently used medium.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. place or store (something) in an archive.

2. [Computing] transfer (data) to a less frequently used storage medium such as magnetic tape.

• the entire directory will be archived.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘place where records are kept’): from French archives (plural), from Latin archiva, archia, from Greek arkheia ‘public records’, from arkhē ‘government’. The verb dates from the late 19th cent.

archivist /ˈɑːkɪvɪst/

noun

a person who maintains and is in charge of archives.

archivolt /ˈɑːkɪvəʊlt/

I. noun

1. a band of mouldings round the lower curve of an arch.

2. the lower curve of an arch from impost to impost of the columns.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French archivolte or Italian archivolto, based on Latin arcus ‘bow, arch’ + volvere ‘to roll’.

archlute

I. noun

a bass lute with an extended neck which supports unstopped bass strings.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French archiluth, from archi- ‘chief’ + luth ‘lute’.

archon /ˈɑːkən/

I. noun

each of the nine chief magistrates in ancient Athens.

II. derivatives

archonship

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek arkhōn ‘ruler’, noun use of the present participle of arkhein ‘to rule’.

archosaur /ˈɑːkəsɔː/

I. noun

[Zoology] [Palaeontology] a reptile of a large group that includes the dinosaurs and pterosaurs and is represented today only by the crocodilians.
●Subdivision Archosauria, subclass Diapsida.

– origin 1930s: from modern Latin Archosauria, from Greek arkhos ‘chief’ or arkhōn ‘ruler’ + -saur.

archpriest /ˈɑːtʃpriːst/

noun

a chief priest.

arch-rival /ˌɑːtʃˈrʌɪv(ə)l/

noun

the chief rival of a person, team, or organization.

archway /ˈɑːtʃweɪ/

noun

a curved structure forming a passage or entrance.

-archy /ˈɑːki/

I. combining form

(forming nouns) denoting a type of rule or government, corresponding to nouns ending in -arch

• monarchy.

– origin representing Greek arkh(e)ia ‘government, leadership’, formed as -arch: see -y^3.

arc lamp arc light

noun

a light source using an electric arc.

arco /ˈɑːkəʊ/

adverb, adjective

[Music] (especially as a direction) played on a violin or other stringed instrument using the bow.
Often contrasted with pizzicato.

arcology /ɑːˈkɒlədʒi/

I. noun

an ideal integrated city contained within a massive vertical structure, allowing maximum conservation of the surrounding environment.

– origin 1969: blend of architecture and ecology.

arcos

abbreviation

arc cosine.

arc sine arcsin

noun

a mathematical function that is the inverse of the sine function.

arc tangent arctan

noun

a mathematical function that is the inverse of the tangent function.

Arctic /ˈɑːktɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the regions around the North Pole

• an Arctic explorer.

2. (of animals or plants) living or growing in the region around the North Pole.

• Arctic plants.

3. ( arctic) — ‹informal› (of weather conditions) very cold.

• February brought arctic conditions.

• the arctic weather of 1981.

II. noun

1. ( the Arctic) — the regions around the North Pole.

2. (N. Amer.) a thick waterproof overshoe extending to the ankle or above.

3. ( arctic) — a drab-coloured hairy butterfly of the arctic and subarctic regions of the New World.
●Genus Oenis, subfamily Satyrinae, family Nymphalidae.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin arcticus, articus, from Greek arktikos, from arktos ‘bear, Ursa Major, pole star’.

Arctic Circle

the parallel of latitude 66° 33ʹ north of the equator. It marks the northernmost point at which the sun is visible at the northern winter solstice and the southernmost point at which the midnight sun can be seen at the northern summer solstice.

Arctic fox

noun

a small fox with a thick coat that turns white in winter, found on the tundra of North America and Eurasia.
● Alopex lagopus, family Canidae.

Arctic hare

noun

a hare whose coat turns white in winter, found in the arctic areas of North America.
● Lepus arcticus, family Leporidae; sometimes treated as the same species as the mountain hare of Eurasia.

Arctic Ocean /ɑːktɪkˈəʊʃn/

the sea that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. Much of the sea is covered with pack ice throughout the year.

Arctic tern

noun

a red-billed tern which breeds in the Arctic and adjacent areas, migrating to Antarctic regions to overwinter.
● Sterna paradisaea, family Sternidae.

Arctic willow

noun

a shrub, Salix arctica, found in the Canadian tundra.

Arctogaea /ˌɑːktəˈdʒiːə / ‹Zoology› ‹US› Arctogea

I. a major zoogeographical area comprising the Palaearctic, Nearctic, Ethiopian, and Oriental regions.

II. derivatives

Arctogaean

adjective

– origin modern Latin, from Greek arktos ‘northern’ + gaia ‘earth’.

arctophile /ˈɑːktəfʌɪl/

I. noun

a person who collects or is very fond of teddy bears.

II. derivatives

1. arctophilia

noun

2. arctophilist /ɑːkˈtɒfɪlɪst /

noun

3. arctophily /ɑːkˈtɒfɪli /

noun

– origin 1970s: from Greek arctos ‘bear’ + -phile.

Arcturus /ɑːkˈtjʊərəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. the fourth-brightest star in the sky, and the brightest in the constellation Boötes. It is an orange giant.

– origin from Greek arktos ‘bear’ + ouros ‘guardian’ (because of its position in line with the tail of Ursa Major).

arcuate /ˈɑːkjʊət/

I. adjective

‹technical› shaped like a bow; curved.

• the arcuate sweep of the chain of islands.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin arcuatus, past participle of arcuare ‘to curve’, from arcus ‘bow, curve’.

arcus senilis /ˌɑːkəs sɪˈnʌɪlɪs/

I. noun

[Medicine] a narrow opaque band encircling the cornea, common in old age.

– origin Latin, literally ‘senile bow’.

arc welding

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a technique in which metals are welded using the heat generated by an electric arc.

-ard

I. suffix

1. forming nouns such as bollard, wizard.

2. forming nouns having a depreciatory sense

• drunkard

• dullard.

– origin from Old French, from German -hard ‘hard, hardy’.

Arden, Elizabeth /ˈɑːd(ə)n/

( c. 1880–1966), Canadian-born American businesswoman; born Florence Nightingale Graham. She built up an international chain of beauty salons and an extensive range of cosmetics.

Ardennes /ɑːˈdɛn/

a forested upland region extending over parts of SE Belgium, NE France, and Luxembourg. It was the scene of fierce fighting in both world wars.

ardent /ˈɑːd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. very enthusiastic or passionate

• an ardent supporter of the conservative cause.

2. ‹archaic› ‹literary› burning; glowing

• the ardent flames.

II. derivatives

ardency /ˈɑːdənsi /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French ardant from Latin ardens, ardent-, from ardere ‘to burn’.

ardently /ˈɑːdəntli/

adverb

very enthusiastically or passionately

• both men ardently supported the war.

Ard Fheis /ɑːd ˈɛʃ, Irish ɑːrd ˈeʃ/

I. noun

an Irish party political conference.

– origin Irish, from ard ‘chief’ + feis ‘convention’.

Ardizzone, Edward /ˌɑːdɪˈzəʊni/

(1900–79), British artist, best known as an illustrator and writer of children's books; full name Edward Jeffrey Irving Ardizzone. He was appointed an official war artist in the Second World War.

Ardnamurchan /ˌɑːdnəˈməːk(ə)n/

a peninsula on the coast of Highland region in western Scotland.

ardour /ˈɑːdə / ‹US› ardor

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. great enthusiasm or passion

• the rebuff did little to dampen his ardour.

• he kissed her with an ardour that left her breathless.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin ardor, from ardere ‘to burn’.

arduous /ˈɑːdjʊəs/

I. adjective

involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring

• an arduous journey.

II. derivatives

1. arduously /ˈɑːdjʊəsli, ˈɑːdʒuəsli /

adverb

2. arduousness /ˈɑːdjʊəsnəs, ˈɑːdʒʊəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin arduus ‘steep, difficult’ + -ous.

are^1 /ɑː, ə/

second person singular present and first, second, third person plural present of be.

are^2 /ɑː, ə/

I. noun

‹historical› a metric unit of measurement, equal to 100 square metres.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Latin area (see area).

area /ˈɛːrɪə/

I. noun

1. a region or part of a town, a country, or the world

• rural areas of Britain

• people living in the area are at risk.

2. [with modifier] — a space allocated for a specific use

• the dining area.

3. a part of an object or surface

• areas of the body.

4. ( the area) — [Soccer] short for penalty area.

5. the extent or measurement of a surface or piece of land

• the area of a triangle

• [ mass noun] the room is twelve square feet in area.

6. a subject or range of activity or interest

• the key areas of science.

7. [usu. as modifier] — a sunken enclosure giving access to the basement of a building

• the area steps.

II. derivatives

areal

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘space allocated for a specific purpose’): from Latin, literally ‘vacant piece of level ground’.

area code

noun

another term for dialling code.

area dean

noun

see dean^1 (sense 1).

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty /eɪəʊɛnˈbiː / AONB

noun

(in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) an area of countryside designated by a government agency as having natural features of exceptional beauty and therefore given a protected status

• Cannock Chase is a beautiful area of woodland and heath that's deservedly been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

areaway /ˈɛːrɪəweɪ/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a sunken enclosure giving access to the basement of a building.

2. (N. Amer.) a passageway between buildings.

areca /ˈarɪkə, əˈriːkə / areca palm

I. noun

a tropical Asian palm.
●Genus Areca, family Palmae: several species, in particular A. catechu.

– origin via Portuguese from Malayalam áḍekka.

areca nut

noun

the astringent seed of an areca palm ( Areca catechu), which is often chewed with betel leaves.
Also called betel nut.

areg

plural form of erg^2.

areligious /eɪrɪˈlɪdʒəs/

adjective

not influenced by or practising religion

• areligious rationalism was the prevalent trend.

arena /əˈriːnə/

I. noun

1. a level area surrounded by seating, in which sports, entertainments, and other public events are held.

2. a place or scene of activity, debate, or conflict

• he has re-entered the political arena.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin harena, arena ‘sand, sand-strewn place of combat’.

arenaceous /ˌarɪˈneɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. [Geology] consisting of sand or sand-like particles.

2. [Biology] (of animals or plants) living or growing in sand.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin arenaceus, from arena, harena ‘sand’.

arenavirus /əˈriːnəˌvʌɪrəs/

I. noun

[Medicine] any of a group of RNA viruses (including that causing Lassa fever) which appear under an electron microscope to contain sand-like granules.

– origin 1970s: from Latin arenosus ‘sandy’ (from arena ‘sand’) + virus.

Arendt, Hannah /ˈɑːrənt/

(1906–75), German-born American philosopher and political theorist. A pupil of Heidegger, she established her reputation as a political thinker with one of the first works to propose that Nazism and Stalinism had common roots. Notable works: The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951), Eichmann in Jerusalem (1963).

arenosol /əˈriːnəsɒl/

I. noun

[Soil Science] a soil of a type consisting mainly of sand, with little humus or clay, found typically in deserts and arid tropical regions.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from Latin arena ‘sand’ + -sol.

aren't /ɑːnt/

I. contraction

1. are not

• they aren't here.

2. am not (only used in questions)

• I'm right, aren't I?

• why aren't I being given a pay rise?

usage: The contraction aren't is used in standard English to mean ‘am not’ in questions, as in I'm right, aren't I? The more logical form amn't is now non-standard and restricted to Scottish, Irish, and dialect use. Outside questions, it is incorrect to use aren't to mean ‘am not’ (for example, I aren't going is clearly wrong).

areola /əˈriːələ/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] a small circular area, in particular the ring of pigmented skin surrounding a nipple.

2. [Biology] any of the small spaces between lines or cracks on a leaf or an insect's wing.

3. [Medicine] a reddened patch around a spot or papule.

II. derivatives

1. areolar

adjective

2. areolate

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘small space or interstice’): from Latin, literally ‘small open space’, diminutive of area (see area).

areole /ˈɛːrɪəʊl/

I. noun

[Biology] an areola, especially a small area bearing spines or hairs on a cactus.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French aréole, from Latin (see areola).

areology /ˌɛːrɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the planet Mars.

II. derivatives

1. areological

adjective

2. areologist

noun, adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Ares + -ology.

Areopagus /ˌarɪˈɒpəɡəs/

I. (in ancient Athens) a hill on which was sited the highest governmental council and later a judicial court.

– origin from Greek Areios pagos ‘hill of Ares’; the name for the site came to denote the court itself.

Arequipa /ˌarɛˈkiːpə/

a city in the Andes of southern Peru; pop. 784,700 (est. 2007).

Ares /ˈɛːriːz / ‹Greek Mythology›

the Greek war god, son of Zeus and Hera.
Roman equivalent Mars.

arête /əˈrɛt, əˈreɪt/

I. noun

a sharp mountain ridge.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from Latin arista ‘ear of corn, fish bone, spine’.

arf arf arf

exclamation

used to imitate or represent laughter or a dog's bark.

• that got you going, didn't it, arf arf!

'arf

noun, predeterminer, pronoun, adjective, adverb

non-standard spelling of half, used to represent southern English (especially Cockney) speech.

• ‘If I caught them, I wouldn't 'arf box their ears’.

argali /ˈɑːɡ(ə)li/

I. noun

the largest wild sheep, which has massive horns and is found in mountainous areas of Asia.
● Ovis ammon, family Bovidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Mongolian.

argan /ˈɑːɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

an evergreen Moroccan tree or shrub which has hard, heavy wood and yields seeds whose oil is used in cosmetics and cooking.
● Argania spinosa, family Sapotaceae.

– origin Moroccan Arabic, from Berber argān.

Argand diagram /ˈɑːɡənd/

I. noun

[Mathematics] a diagram on which complex numbers are represented geometrically using Cartesian axes, the horizontal coordinate representing the real part of the number and the vertical coordinate the complex part.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after J. R. Argand (1768–1822), French mathematician.

Argand lamp

I. noun

‹historical› an oil or gas lamp fitted with a cylindrical burner which allowed air to pass both inner and outer surfaces of the flame.

– origin late 18th cent.: named after Aimé Argand (1755–1803), French physicist.

argent /ˈɑːdʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹literary› [Heraldry] silver; silvery white

• the argent moon.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Heraldry] silver as a heraldic tincture.

– origin late Middle English (denoting silver coins): via Old French from Latin argentum ‘silver’.

argentiferous /ˌɑːdʒ(ə)nˈtɪf(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

(of rocks or minerals) containing silver.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin argentum ‘silver’ + -ferous.

Argentina /ˌɑːdʒənˈtiːnə/

1. a republic occupying much of the southern part of South America; pop. 40,913,600 (est. 2009); official language, Spanish; capital, Buenos Aires. Also called the Argentine /ˈɑːdʒənˌtʌɪn, ˈɑːdʒənˌtiːn/.

Colonized by the Spanish in the 16th century, Argentina declared its independence in 1816. It emerged as a democratic republic in the mid 19th century, but has periodically fallen under military rule. Having long claimed the Falkland Islands, Argentina invaded them in 1982 but was defeated and expelled by British forces.

argentine /ˈɑːdʒ(ə)ntʌɪn/

I. adjective

‹archaic› of or resembling silver.

• the argentine domes of our main course arrived.

II. noun

a small marine fish with a silvery sheen.
●Family Argentinidae: two genera and several species, in particular Argentina silus of the North Atlantic.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French argentin, argentine, from argent ‘silver’, from Latin argentum.

Argentine /ˈɑːdʒ(ə)ntʌɪn/

I. adjective

of or relating to Argentina or its people.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Argentina, or a person of Argentine descent.

2. ( the Argentine) — another name for Argentina.

Argentine ant

noun

a small South American ant that has become established in parts of Europe and Africa.
● Iridomyrmex humilis, family Formicidae.

Argentinian /ˌɑːdʒ(ə)nˈtɪnɪən/

I. adjective

of or relating to Argentina or its people.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Argentina, or a person of Argentine descent.

argil /ˈɑːdʒɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› clay, especially potter's clay.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Old French argille, from Latin argilla ‘clay’.

argillaceous /ˌɑːdʒɪˈleɪʃəs/

I. adjective

[Geology] (of rocks or sediment) consisting of or containing clay.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin argillaceus (from argilla ‘clay’) + -ous.

argillite /ˈɑːdʒɪlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a sedimentary rock that does not split easily, formed from consolidated clay.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin argilla ‘clay’ + -ite^1.

arginine /ˈɑːdʒɪniːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a basic amino acid which is a constituent of most proteins. It is an essential nutrient in the diet of vertebrates.
●Chem. formula: HNC(NH_2)NH(CH_2)3CH(NH_2)COOH.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German Arginin, perhaps from Greek arginoeis ‘bright-shining, white’.

Argive /ˈɑːɡʌɪv, ˈɑːdʒʌɪv/

I. adjective

1. relating to the ancient city of Argos.

2. (especially in Homer) Greek.

II. noun

1. a citizen of Argos.

2. (especially in Homer) a Greek person.

– origin from Latin Argivus, from Greek Argeios ‘relating to Argos’.

argle-bargle /ˈɑːɡ(ə)lˌbɑːɡ(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. copious but meaningless talk or writing; waffle

• bureaucratic argle-bargle.

2. another term for argy-bargy.

– origin early 19th cent.: reduplication of dialect argle, a late 16th-cent. alteration of argue.

Argo /ˈɑːɡəʊ / ‹Astronomy historical› Argo Navis

I. a large southern constellation (the ship Argo), which is now divided into the constellations Carina, Puppis, and Vela.

– origin Latin.

argol /ˈɑːɡ(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. tartar obtained from wine fermentation.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French argoile, of unknown origin.

argon /ˈɑːɡɒn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Ar) — the chemical element of atomic number 18, an inert gaseous element of the noble gas group. Argon is the commonest noble gas, making up nearly one per cent of the earth's atmosphere.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek, neuter of argos ‘idle’, from a- ‘without’ + ergon ‘work’.

argonaut /ˈɑːɡ(ə)nɔːt/

noun

a small floating octopus, the female of which has webbed sail-like arms and secretes a thin coiled papery shell in which the eggs are laid. Also called paper nautilus.
●Genus Argonauta, order Octopoda.

Argonauts /ˈɑːɡənɔːts / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. a group of heroes who accompanied Jason on board the ship Argo in the quest for the Golden Fleece.

– origin argonaut from Greek argonautēs ‘sailor in the ship Argo’.

Argos /ˈɑːɡɒs/

a city in the NE Peloponnese of Greece; pop. 23,600 (est. 2009). One of the oldest cities of ancient Greece, it dominated the Peloponnese and the western Aegean in the 7th century BC.

argosy /ˈɑːɡəsi/

I. noun

‹literary› a large merchant ship, originally one from Ragusa (now Dubrovnik) or Venice.

– origin late 16th cent.: apparently from Italian Ragusea (nave) ‘(vessel) of Ragusa’.

argot /ˈɑːɡəʊ/

I. noun

the jargon or slang of a particular group or class

• teenage argot.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally denoting the jargon or slang of criminals): from French, of unknown origin.

arguable /ˈɑːɡjʊəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. able to be argued or asserted
[with clause]

• it was arguable that the bank had no authority to honour the cheques.

2. open to disagreement; not obviously correct

• a highly arguable assumption.

arguably /ˈɑːɡjuəbli/

adverb — [ sentence adverb]

1. it may be argued (used to qualify the statement of an opinion or belief)

• she is arguably the greatest woman tennis player of all time.

argue /ˈɑːɡjuː/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — give reasons or cite evidence in support of an idea, action, or theory, typically with the aim of persuading others to share one's view
[with clause]

• sociologists argue that inequalities in industrial societies are being reduced

• [no obj.] he argued for extra resources

• [with direct speech] ‘It stands to reason,’ she argued.

2. [with obj.] ( argue someone into/out of) — persuade someone to do or not to do (something) by giving reasons

• I tried to argue him out of it.

3. [no obj.] — exchange or express diverging or opposite views, typically in a heated or angry way

• the two men started arguing in a local pub

• ‹figurative› I wasn't going to argue with a gun

• [with obj.] she was too tired to argue the point.

II. phrases

argue the toss

‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) dispute a decision or choice already made.

• one person argued the toss for four hours before he agreed to pay.

III. derivatives

arguer

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French arguer, from Latin argutari ‘prattle’, frequentative of arguere ‘make clear, prove, accuse’.

argufy /ˈɑːɡjʊfʌɪ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹humorous› ‹dialect› argue or quarrel, typically about something trivial

• It won't do to argufy, I tell you.

– origin late 17th cent.: fanciful formation from argue; compare with speechify.

argument /ˈɑːɡjʊm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. an exchange of diverging or opposite views, typically a heated or angry one

• I've had an argument with my father

• heated arguments over public spending

• [ mass noun] there was some argument about the decision.

2. a reason or set of reasons given in support of an idea, action or theory

• there is a strong argument for submitting a formal appeal

• [with clause] he rejected the argument that keeping the facility would be costly.

3. [Mathematics] [Logic] an independent variable associated with a function or proposition and determining its value. For example, in the expression y = F ( x_1, x_2), the arguments of the function F are x 1 and x 2, and the value is y.

4. another term for amplitude (sense 4).

5. [Linguistics] any of the noun phrases in a clause that are related directly to the verb, typically the subject, direct object, and indirect object.

6. ‹archaic› a summary of the subject matter of a book.

II. phrases

for the sake of argument

as a basis for discussion or reasoning.

• suppose, for the sake of argument, that this is the legal position.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘process of reasoning’): via Old French from Latin argumentum, from arguere ‘make clear, prove, accuse’.

argumentation /ˌɑːɡjʊmɛnˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of reasoning systematically in support of an idea, action, or theory

• lines of argumentation used to support his thesis.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin argumentatio(n-), from argumentat- ‘conducted as an argument’, from argumentari.

argumentative /ɑːɡjʊˈmɛntətɪv/

I. adjective

1. given to arguing

• an argumentative child.

2. using or characterized by systematic reasoning

• the highest standards of argumentative rigour.

II. derivatives

1. argumentatively

adverb

2. argumentativeness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French argumentatif, -ive or late Latin argumentativus, from argumentari ‘conduct an argument’.

argument from design

noun

[Christian Theology] the argument that God's existence is demonstrable from the evidence of design in the universe.

argus /ˈɑːɡəs/

I. noun

1. (also argus pheasant) — a large long-tailed pheasant with generally brown plumage, found in SE Asia and Indonesia.
●Two species in the family Phasianidae: the great argus ( Argusianus argus) and the crested argus ( Rheinartia ocellata), which has the longest tail feathers of any bird.

2. a small brown or bluish Eurasian butterfly which has eye-like markings near the wing margins.
● Aricia and other genera, family Lycaenidae.

3. (also argus fish) — a silvery deep-bodied fish with round spots, found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific region in both fresh and salt water.
● Scatophagus argus, family Scatophagidae.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, from Greek Argos, the name of a mythical watchman with a hundred eyes.

Argus-eyed

adjective

‹literary› vigilant.

argute /ɑːˈɡjuːt/

I. adjective

‹rare› shrewd.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin argutus ‘made clear, proved, accused’, from arguere.

argy-bargy /ˌɑːdʒɪˈbɑːdʒi, ˌɑːɡɪˈbɑːɡi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) noisy quarrelling or wrangling

• a bit of argy-bargy between actor and director

• [ count noun] an argy-bargy over the price.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally Scots): rhyming jingle based on argue.

argyle /ɑːˈɡʌɪl/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a pattern composed of diamonds of various colours on a plain background, used in knitted garments such as sweaters and socks.
[as modifier]

• the traditional argyle design associated with golf.

– origin 1940s: from Argyll, a family name and a former county of Scotland. The pattern is based on the tartan of the Argyll branch of the Campbell clan.

Argyll and Bute /ɑːˈɡʌɪl, bjuːt/

a council area in the west of Scotland, created in 1996; administrative centre, Lochgilphead.

Argyllshire

a former county on the west coast of Scotland. It was divided between Strathclyde and Highland regions in 1975 and in 1996 became part of Argyll and Bute.

argyrophilic /ˌɑːdʒɪrə(ʊ)ˈfɪlɪk/

I. adjective

[Biology] (of cells or their contents) readily stained black by silver salts.

II. derivatives

1. argyrophil

adjective

2. argyrophilia

noun

– origin 1930s: from Greek arguro- (from arguros ‘silver’) + -philic (see -philia).

arhat /ˈɑːhat/

I. noun

(in Buddhism and Jainism) a saint of one of the highest ranks.

– origin from Sanskrit, literally ‘meritorious’.

aria /ˈɑːrɪə/

I. noun

[Music] a long accompanied song for a solo voice, typically one in an opera or oratorio.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Italian, from Latin aer ‘air’.

Ariadne /ˌarɪˈadni / ‹Greek Mythology›

the daughter of King Minos of Crete and Pasiphaë. She helped Theseus to escape from the Minotaur's labyrinth by giving him a ball of thread, which he unravelled as he went in and used to trace his way out again after killing the Minotaur.

Arian^1 /ˈɛːrɪən/

I. noun

a person born under the sign of Aries.

II. adjective

relating to a person born under the sign of Aries.

Arian^2 /ˈɛːrɪən/

I. noun

an adherent of the doctrine of Arianism.

II. adjective

of or concerning Arianism.

-arian

I. suffix

(forming adjectives and corresponding nouns) having a concern or belief in a specified thing

• humanitarian

• vegetarian.

– origin from the Latin suffix -arius.

Arianism /ˈɛːrɪəˌnɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Christian Theology] the main heresy denying the divinity of Christ, originating with the Alexandrian priest Arius ( c. 250– c. 336). Arianism maintained that the son of God was created by the Father and was therefore neither coeternal nor consubstantial with the Father.

ariary /ɑːrɪˈɑːri/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Madagascar, equal to five iraimbilanja.

– origin Malagasy.

arid /ˈarɪd/

I. adjective

1. (of land or a climate) having little or no rain; too dry or barren to support vegetation

• the arid plains north of Cape Town.

2. lacking in interest, excitement, or meaning

• his arid years in suburbia.

II. derivatives

1. aridity /əˈrɪdəti /

noun

2. aridly

adverb

3. aridness /ˈarɪdnəs /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French aride or Latin aridus, from arere ‘be dry or parched’.

aridisol /əˈrɪdɪsɒl/

noun

[Soil Science] a soil of an order comprising typically saline or alkaline soils with very little organic matter, characteristic of arid regions.

ariel /ˈɛːrɪəl/

I. noun

a gazelle found in the Middle East and North Africa.
●Genus Gazella, family Bovidae: possibly the mountain gazelle ( G. gazella) or the dorcas gazelle ( G. dorcas).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Arabic ‘aryal.

Ariel /ˈɛːrɪəl/

I. [Astronomy] a satellite of Uranus discovered in 1851, the twelfth closest to the planet and the fourth largest (diameter 1,160 km).

II. a series of six American and British satellites devoted to studies of the ionosphere and X-ray astronomy (1962-79).

– origin the name of a fairy in Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Aries /ˈɛːriːz/

I. [Astronomy] a small constellation (the Ram), said to represent the ram whose Golden Fleece was sought by Jason and the Argonauts.

II. (as genitive Arietis) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Beta Arietis.

III. [Astrology] the first sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters at the vernal equinox (about 20 March).

IV. ( pl. same) ( an Aries) — a person born when the sun is in the sign of Aries.

V. phrases

First Point of Aries

[Astronomy] the point on the celestial sphere where the path of the sun crosses the celestial equator from south to north in March, marking the zero point of right ascension. Owing to precession of the equinoxes it has moved from Aries into Pisces, and is now approaching Aquarius .
Also called vernal equinox.

– origin Latin.

aright /əˈrʌɪt/

I. adverb

‹dialect› correctly; properly

• I wondered if I'd heard aright.

– origin Old English on riht, ariht (see a-2 ‘in’, right).

aril /ˈarɪl/

I. noun

[Botany] an extra seed covering, typically coloured and hairy or fleshy, e.g. the red fleshy cup around a yew seed.

II. derivatives

arillate

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin arillus, of unknown origin; perhaps related to medieval Latin arilli ‘dried grape stones’.

arioso /ˌarɪˈəʊzəʊ, ˌarɪˈəʊsəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Music] (especially in opera and oratorio) vocal music that is more melodic than recitative but less formal than an aria.

• short passages of arioso.

• [ count noun] his final arioso was more assured.

• [as modifier] these anthems contain arioso writing.

– origin Italian, from aria.

Ariosto, Ludovico /ˌarɪˈɒstəʊ/

(1474–1533), Italian poet noted for his romantic epic Orlando Furioso (final version 1532).

-arious

I. suffix

forming adjectives such as gregarious, vicarious.

– origin from the Latin suffix -arius + -ous.

arise /əˈrʌɪz/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a problem, opportunity, or situation) emerge; become apparent

• new difficulties had arisen.

2. come into being; originate

• the practice arose in the nineteenth century.

3. ( arise from/out of) — occur as a result of

• motorists are liable for damages arising out of accidents.

4. ‹formal› ‹literary› get or stand up

• he arose at 9.30.

– origin Old English ārīsan, from ā- ‘away’ (as an intensifier) + the verb rise.

arisings

plural noun

materials forming the secondary or waste products of industrial operations.

Aristarchus^1 /ˌarɪˈstɑːkəs/

(3rd century BC), Greek astronomer; known as Aristarchus of Samos. Founder of an important school of Hellenic astronomy, he was aware of the rotation of the earth around the sun and so was able to account for the seasons.

Aristarchus^2 /ˌarɪˈstɑːkəs/

( c. 217–145 BC), Greek scholar; known as Aristarchus of Samothrace. The librarian at Alexandria, he is noted for his editions of the writings of Homer and other Greek authors.

Aristides /ˌarɪˈstʌɪdiːz/

(5th century BC), Athenian statesman and general; known as Aristides the Just. He commanded the Athenian army at the battle of Plataea.

Aristippus /aˈrɪstɪpəs, ˌarɪˈstɪpəs/

(late 5th century BC), Greek philosopher; known as Aristippus the Elder. He was a pupil of Socrates and is generally considered the founder of the Cyrenaic school.

aristo /əˈrɪstəʊ/

noun

informal term for aristocrat.

• the stinkingly rich aristos.

aristocracy /ˌarɪˈstɒkrəsi/

I. noun — (usu. the aristocracy) [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the highest class in certain societies, typically comprising people of noble birth holding hereditary titles and offices

• members of the aristocracy.

2. a form of government in which power is held by the nobility.

3. a state in which governing power is held by the nobility.

4. a group regarded as privileged or superior in a particular sphere

• Britain's pop aristocracy

• a new aristocracy of talented young people.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French aristocratie, from Greek aristokratia, from aristos ‘best’ + -kratia ‘power’. The term originally denoted the government of a state by its best citizens, later by the rich and well born, hence the sense ‘nobility’, regardless of the form of government (mid 17th cent.).

aristocrat /ˈarɪstəkrat, əˈrɪstəkrat/

I. noun

a member of the aristocracy.

• a decadent old blue-blooded aristocrat.

• ‹figurative› the trout is the aristocrat of freshwater fish.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French aristocrate (a word of the French Revolution), from aristocratie (see aristocracy).

aristocratic /ˌarɪstəˈkratɪk/

I. adjective

of, belonging to, or typical of the aristocracy

• an aristocratic family.

II. derivatives

aristocratically /arɪstəˈkratɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from French aristocratique, from Greek aristokratikos, from aristokratia (see aristocracy).

Aristophanes /ˌarɪˈstɒfəniːz/

( c. 450– c. 385 BC), Greek comic dramatist. His surviving plays are characterized by exuberant language and the satirization of leading contemporary figures. Notable works: Lysistrata, the Birds, the Frogs.

Aristotelian /ˌarɪstəˈtiːlɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Aristotle or his philosophy.

II. noun

a student of Aristotle or an adherent of his philosophy.

Aristotelian logic

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the traditional system of logic expounded by Aristotle and developed in the Middle Ages, concerned chiefly with deductive reasoning as expressed in syllogisms.

aristotle /ˈarɪstɒt(ə)l/

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹rhyming slang› a bottle

• it was his fourth for the morning by the look of the three empty aristotles rolling around on the car floor.

Aristotle /ˈarɪstɒt(ə)l/

I. (384–322 BC), Greek philosopher and scientist.

A pupil of Plato and tutor to Alexander the Great, he founded a school (the Lyceum) outside Athens. He is one of the most influential thinkers in the history of Western thought and his work was central to Islamic and Christian medieval philosophy. His surviving works cover a vast range of subjects, including logic, ethics, metaphysics, politics, natural science, and physics.

Aristotle's lantern

noun

[Zoology] a conical structure of calcareous plates and muscles supporting the rasping teeth of a sea urchin.

Arita /əˈriːtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of Japanese porcelain characterized by asymmetric decoration.
[as modifier]

• a rare Arita dish.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Arita, a town in Japan, where it is made.

arithmetic

I. noun — [ mass noun] arithmetic /əˈrɪθmətɪk /

1. the branch of mathematics dealing with the properties and manipulation of numbers

• the laws of arithmetic.

2. the use of numbers in counting and calculation

• arithmetic had never been her strong point.

II. adjective — [ attrib.] arithmetic /ˌarɪθˈmɛtɪk /

1. relating to arithmetic

• arithmetic calculations.

III. derivatives

1. arithmetical /ˌarɪθˈmɛtɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. arithmetically /ˌarɪθˈmɛtɪkli /

adverb

3. arithmetician /əˌrɪθməˈtɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French arismetique, based on Latin arithmetica, from Greek arithmētikē (tekhnē) ‘(art) of counting’, from arithmos ‘number’.

arithmetic logic unit

noun

a unit in a computer which carries out arithmetic and logical operations.

arithmetic mean

noun

the average of a set of numerical values, as calculated by adding them together and dividing by the number of terms in the set.

arithmetic progression arithmetic series

noun

1. a sequence of numbers in which each differs from the preceding one by a constant quantity (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.; 9, 7, 5, 3, etc.).

2. [ mass noun] — the relation between numbers in an arithmetic progression

• the numbers are in arithmetic progression.

arithmetic unit

noun

another term for arithmetic logic unit.

arithmetize /əˈrɪθmətʌɪz / arithmetise

verb — [with obj.]

1. express arithmetically; reduce to arithmetical form.

• both Newton and Leibniz also arithmetized the calculus.

-arium /ˈɛːrɪəm/

I. suffix

forming nouns usually denoting a place

• planetarium

• vivarium.

– origin from Latin, neuter of -arius, adjectival ending.

Ariz.

abbreviation

Arizona.

Arizona /ˌarɪˈzəʊnə/

a state of the south-western US, on the border with Mexico; pop. 6,500,180 (est. 2008); capital, Phoenix. It became the 48th state of the US in 1912.

Arizonan /ˌarɪˈzəʊnən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the US state of Arizona or its inhabitants

• an Arizonan summer.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the US state of Arizona

• he became the 92nd Arizonan to play in the major leagues.

Arjuna /ˈɑːdʒʊnə / ‹Hinduism›

a Kshatriya prince in the Mahabharata, one of the two main characters in the Bhagavadgita.

ark /ɑːk/

I. noun

1. ( the ark) — (in the Bible) the ship built by Noah to save his family and two of every kind of animal from the Flood; Noah's ark.

2. ‹archaic› a ship or boat.

3. short for Ark of the Covenant.

4. (also Holy Ark) — a chest or cupboard housing the Torah scrolls in a synagogue.

5. (also ark shell) — a small bivalve mollusc which attaches itself to rocks with byssus threads.
●Order Arcoidea: Arca and other genera.

6. a low hut used to house livestock, often incorporating a covered run.

• we reassembled the pig ark in preparation for our spring arrivals.

• poultry arks make useful supervised runs for guinea pigs.

II. phrases

be out of (or have gone out with) the ark

(Brit.) ‹informal› be very old-fashioned.

• the lessons were boring and taught by somebody out of the ark.

• this kind of variety entertainment went out with the ark.

– origin Old English ærc, from Latin arca ‘chest’.

Ark.

abbreviation

Arkansas.

Arkansas /ˈɑːkənsɔː/

I. a state of the south central US; pop. 2,855,390 (est. 2008); capital, Little Rock. It became the 25th state of the US in 1836.

II. derivatives

Arkansan

noun, adjective

Arkhangelsk /arˈxanɡʲilʲsk/

Russian name for Archangel.

Ark of the Covenant Ark of the Testimony

the wooden chest which contained the tablets of the laws of the ancient Israelites. Carried by the Israelites on their wanderings in the wilderness, it was later placed by Solomon in the Temple at Jerusalem.

arkose /ˈɑːkəʊs, ˈɑːkəʊz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a coarse-grained sandstone which is at least 25 per cent feldspar.

II. derivatives

arkosic

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, probably from Greek arkhaios ‘ancient’.

Arkwright, Sir Richard

(1732–92), English inventor and industrialist. In 1767 he patented a water-powered spinning machine capable of producing yarn strong enough to be used as warp.

Arles /ɑːl, French aʀl/

a city in SE France; pop. 53,058 (2006). It was the capital of the medieval kingdom of Arles, formed in the 10th century by the union of Provence and Burgundy.

Arlington /ˈɑːlɪŋtən/

I. a county in northern Virginia, forming a suburb of Washington. It is the site of the Pentagon.

II. an industrial city in northern Texas, between Dallas and Fort Worth; pop. 374,417 (est. 2008).

Arlon /ɑːˈlɒ̃, French aʀlɒ̃/

a town in SE Belgium, capital of the province of Luxembourg; pop. 26,929 (2008).

arm^1 /ɑːm/

I. noun

1. each of the two upper limbs of the human body from the shoulder to the hand

• she held the baby in her arms.

2. a flexible limb of an invertebrate animal, e.g. an octopus.

3. a sleeve of a garment.

4. an ability to bowl, pitch, or throw a ball skilfully

• he has a good arm.

5. used to refer to the holding of a person's arm in support or companionship

• as they walked he offered her his arm

• he arrived with a pretty girl on his arm.

6. used to refer to something powerful or protective

• they have extended the arm of friendship to developing countries.

7. a thing resembling an arm in form or function, in particular:

8. a side part of a chair or other seat on which a sitter can rest their arm.

• his right elbow was leaning on the arm of the chair.

9. a narrow strip of water or land projecting from a larger body.

• a lake which was really an arm of the sea.

10. a branch or division of a company or organization

• the political arm of the separatist group.

11. each of the types of troops of which an army is composed, such as infantry or artillery.
[also understood as a figurative use of arm^2.]

12. [Mathematics] each of the lines enclosing an angle.

II. phrases

1. arm in arm

(of two or more people) with arms linked.

• they walked arm in arm.

2. as long as one's (or someone's) arm

‹informal› very long

• I have a list of vices as long as your arm.

3. at arm's length

a. away from the body, with one's arm fully extended

• I held the telephone at arm's length.

b. avoiding intimacy or close contact

• he has long fought to keep the government at arm's length from big business.

4. cost an arm and a leg

‹informal› be extremely expensive.

• the coat had cost him an arm and a leg.

5. give one's right arm

‹informal› used to convey how much one would like to have or do something

• I'd give my right arm to go with them.

6. the long (or strong) arm of the law

the far-reaching power of the law.

• the long arm of the law caught up with him.

7. put the arm on

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› attempt to force or coerce (someone) to do something

• she started putting the arm on them for donations.

8. under one's arm

between one's arm and one's body

• Meryl tucked the papers under her arm.

9. with open arms

with great affection or enthusiasm

• schools have welcomed such arrangements with open arms.

10. within (or beyond) arm's reach

near (or not near) enough to reach by extending one's arm

• he came closer, almost within arm's reach

• the bookshelf is within arm's reach of my computer.

III. derivatives

1. armless /ˈɑːmləs /

adjective

2. armload

noun

– origin Old English arm, earm, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch arm and German Arm.

arm^2 /ɑːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. supply or provide with weapons

• the security forces are armed with automatic rifles.

2. supply or provide with equipment, tools, or other items in preparation or readiness for something

• she armed them with brushes and mops.

3. activate the fuse of (a bomb, missile, or other explosive device) so that it is ready to explode.

• the bomb would be quite safe until it was armed.

– origin Middle English: from Old French armer (verb), from Latin armare, from arma ‘armour, arms’.

armada /ɑːˈmɑːdə/

I. noun

1. a fleet of warships.

2. ( the Armada or the Spanish Armada) — a Spanish naval invasion force sent against England in 1588 by Philip II of Spain. It was defeated by the English fleet and almost completely destroyed by storms off the Hebrides.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Spanish, from armata, feminine past participle of Latin armare ‘to arm’.

armadillo /ˌɑːməˈdɪləʊ/

I. noun

a nocturnal insectivorous mammal that has large claws for digging and a body covered in bony plates. Armadillos are native to Central and South America and one kind is spreading into the southern US.
●Family Dasypodidae, order Xenarthra (or Edentata): several genera.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish, diminutive of armado ‘armed man’, from Latin armatus, past participle of armare ‘to arm’.

Armageddon /ˌɑːməˈɡɛd(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (in the New Testament) the last battle between good and evil before the Day of Judgement.

2. the place where the Armageddon will be fought.

3. a dramatic and catastrophic conflict, especially one seen as likely to destroy the world or the human race

• nuclear Armageddon.

– origin Greek, from Hebrew har mĕgiddōn ‘hill of Megiddo’ (Rev. 16:16).

Armagh /ɑːˈmɑː/

I. one of the Six Counties of Northern Ireland, since 1973 an administrative district.

II. the chief town of Armagh; pop. 15,100 (est. 2009).

Armagnac /ˈɑːmənjak/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of brandy traditionally made in Aquitaine in SW France.

– origin from the former name of a district in Aquitaine.

Armalite /ˈɑːməlʌɪt/

noun

‹trademark› a type of light automatic rifle.

armament /ˈɑːməm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun] (also armaments)

1. military weapons and equipment.

• national armaments could be kept to a minimum.

• [ mass noun] they brought up more reinforcements and more armament.

• [as modifier] armaments factories.

2. the process of equipping military forces for war.

• instruments of disarmament rather than of armament.

3. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› a military force equipped for war.

– origin late 17th cent. (in the sense ‘force equipped for war’): from Latin armamentum, from armare ‘to arm’ (see arm^2).

armamentarium /ˌɑːməmɛnˈtɛːrɪəm/

I. noun

1. the medicines, equipment, and techniques available to a medical practitioner.

• the leeches of the medieval armamentarium are making a comeback in modern medicine.

2. a collection of resources available for a certain purpose

• the technological armamentarium.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘arsenal, armoury’.

Armani, Giorgio /ɑːˈmɑːni, Italian arˈmani/

(b.1935), Italian fashion designer.

armature /ˈɑːmətʃə, ˈɑːmətj(ʊ)ə/

I. noun

1. the rotating coil or coils of a dynamo or electric motor.

2. any moving part of an electrical machine in which a voltage is induced by a magnetic field.

3. a piece of iron or other object acting as a keeper for a magnet.

4. an open framework on which a sculpture is moulded with clay or similar material.

5. a framework or formal structure, especially of a literary work

• Shakespeare's plots have served as the armature for many novels.

6. [Biology] the protective covering of an animal or plant.

7. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› armour.

– origin late Middle English: from French, from Latin armatura ‘armour’, from armare ‘to arm’ (see arm^2). The original sense was ‘armour’, hence ‘protective covering’ (sense 3, early 18th cent.), later ‘keeper of a magnet’, source of sense 1 (mid 19th cent.).

armband /ˈɑːmband/

noun

1. a band worn around a person's upper arm to hold up a shirtsleeve or as a form of identification.

2. an inflatable plastic band worn around a person's upper arm as a swimming aid.

arm candy

noun

‹informal› a sexually attractive companion accompanying a person, especially a celebrity, at social events.

armchair

noun — armchair /ɑːmˈtʃɛː, ˈɑːmtʃɛː /

1. a large, comfortable chair with side supports for a person's arms.

2. [as modifier] — lacking or not involving practical or direct experience of a particular subject or activity

• an armchair traveller.

Armco /ˈɑːmkəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a very pure soft iron, used in particular for roadside crash barriers.

– origin early 20th cent.: acronym from American Rolling Mill Company.

armed /ɑːmd/

I. adjective

1. equipped with or carrying a firearm or firearms

• heavily armed troops.

2. involving the use of firearms

• armed robbery.

3. [Heraldry] having claws, a beak, etc. of a specified tincture.

• a lion rampant argent, armed and langued azure.

II. phrases

armed to the teeth

formidably armed.

armed camp

noun

a town, territory, or group of people fully armed for war.

• the city is split into armed camps.

armed forces armed services

plural noun

a country's army, navy, and air force.

armed neutrality

noun — [ mass noun]

1. neutrality maintained while weapons are kept available.

Armenia /ɑːˈmiːnɪə/

I. a landlocked country in the Caucasus of SW Asia; pop. 2,967,000 (est. 2009); official language, Armenian; capital, Yerevan.

The Armenian homeland fell under Turkish rule from the 16th century, and with the decline of the Ottomans was divided between Turkey, Iran, and Russia. In 1915 the Turks forcibly deported 1,750,000 Armenians to the deserts of Syria and Mesopotamia; more than 600,000 were killed or died on forced marches. Russian Armenia was absorbed into the Soviet Union in 1922, gaining independence as a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States in 1991.

Armenian /ɑːˈmiːnɪən/

I. noun

1. a native of Armenia, or a person of Armenian descent.

2. [ mass noun] — the Indo-European language of Armenia, spoken by around 4 million people and written in a distinctive alphabet of thirty-eight letters.

II. adjective

relating to Armenia or to the Armenian Church.

Armenian Church Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church

an independent Christian Church established in Armenia since c. 300 and influenced by Roman and Byzantine as well as Syrian traditions. A small Armenian Catholic Church also exists (see Uniate).

armful /ˈɑːmfʊl/

noun

1. as much as a person can hold in both arms

• a shop assistant scuttled into the changing rooms with an armful of clothes.

2. (often armfuls) — a large quantity

• most of us will end up with armfuls of stuff we do not need.

armhole /ˈɑːmhəʊl/

noun

each of two openings in a garment through which the wearer puts their arms.

armiger /ˈɑːmɪdʒə/

I. noun

a person entitled to heraldic arms.

II. derivatives

armigerous

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: Latin, literally ‘bearing arms’, from arma ‘arms’ + gerere ‘to bear’.

armillaria /ˌɑːmɪˈlɛːrɪə/

I. noun

a fungus of a genus that includes the honey fungus, found chiefly in woodland. Its mycelia can grow for a considerable distance, enabling individuals of parasitic species to invade more than one tree.
●Genus Armillaria, family Tricholomataceae, class Hymenomycetes: many species, including A. bulbosa, a single individual of which may span several hectares.

– origin modern Latin: from Latin armilla ‘bracelet’ (because of the bracelet-like frill on the fruiting bodies).

armillary sphere

I. noun

a model of the celestial globe constructed from rings and hoops representing the equator, the tropics, and other celestial circles, and able to revolve on its axis.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin armillaris ‘relating to an armilla’, an astronomical instrument consisting of a hoop fixed in the plane of the equator (sometimes crossed by one in the plane of the meridian), used by the ancient astronomers to show the recurrence of equinoxes and solstices; from Latin armilla ‘bracelet’.

Arminian /ɑːˈmɪnɪən/

I. adjective

relating to the doctrines of Jacobus Arminius (Latinized name of Jakob Hermandszoon, 1560–1609), a Dutch Protestant theologian who rejected the Calvinist doctrine of predestination. His teachings had a considerable influence on Methodism.

II. noun

an adherent of Arminian doctrines.

III. derivatives

Arminianism

noun

armistice /ˈɑːmɪstɪs/

I. noun

an agreement made by opposing sides in a war to stop fighting for a certain time; a truce.

• the Italian government signed an armistice with the Allies.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, or from modern Latin armistitium, from arma ‘arms’ (see arm^2) + -stitium ‘stoppage’.

Armistice Day /ˈɑːmɪstɪsdeɪ/

noun

the anniversary of the armistice of 11 November 1918, now replaced by Remembrance Sunday in the UK and Veterans Day in the US.

armlet /ˈɑːmlɪt/

noun

a band or bracelet worn round the upper part of a person's arm.

armlock /ˈɑːmlɒk/

noun

a method of restraining someone by holding their arm tightly behind their back.

• one of the cops put an armlock on me.

• ‹figurative› the prime minister has begun inching out of the pro-European armlock in which he is held.

armoire /ɑːˈmwɑː/

I. noun

a cupboard or wardrobe, typically one that is ornate or antique.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from Old French armarie (see aumbry).

armorial /ɑːˈmɔːrɪəl/

I. adjective

relating to heraldry or heraldic devices

• armorial bearings.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French armoierie (see armoury).

Armorica /ɑːˈmɒrɪkə/

an ancient region of NW France between the Seine and the Loire.

Armorican

adjective

1. relating to Armorica.

2. [Geology] another term for Hercynian.

armory^1

noun

US spelling of armoury.

armory^2 /ˈɑːməri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. heraldry.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French armoierie (see armoury).

armour /ˈɑːmə / ‹US› armor

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the metal coverings formerly worn to protect the body in battle

• knights in armour

• a suit of armour.

2. (also armour plate) — the tough metal layer covering a military vehicle or ship to defend it from attack.

3. military vehicles collectively

• infantry, armour, and logistic units.

4. the protective layer or shell of some animals and plants.

5. a person's emotional, social, or other defences

• his armour of self-confidence.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide (someone) with emotional, social, or other defences

• the knowledge armoured him against her.

III. derivatives

armour-plated /ˌɑːməˈpleɪtɪd /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French armure, from Latin armatura, from armare ‘to arm’ (see arm^2).

armoured /ˈɑːməd / ‹US› armored

adjective

1. covered with or protected by armour

• armoured vehicles.

2. (of some animals and plants) having a protective layer or shell

• armoured fish.

armoured car ‹US› armored car

noun

1. a light military vehicle covered with armour plate

• we were taken in an armoured car to a temporary army camp.

2. a civilian car or truck reinforced with armour plate and bulletproof glass

• he shunned the armoured cars favoured by diplomats and CIA agents.

armoured personnel carrier

noun

an armoured military vehicle used to transport troops.

armourer /ˈɑːmərə / ‹US› armorer

I. noun

1. a maker, supplier, or repairer of weapons or armour.

2. an official in charge of the arms of a warship or regiment.

– origin Middle English: from Old French armurier, from armure (see armour).

armoury /ˈɑːməri / ‹US› armory

I. noun

1. a place where arms are kept.

2. a supply of arms

• Britain's nuclear armoury expanded.

3. (US) a place where arms are manufactured.

4. an array of resources available for a particular purpose

• his armoury of comic routines.

5. (N. Amer.) a place where militia units drill and train.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘armour’): from Old French armoirie, armoierie, from armoier ‘to blazon’, from arme ‘weapon’ (see arms). The change in the second syllable in the 17th cent. was due to association with armour.

armpit /ˈɑːmpɪt/

I. noun

1. a hollow under the arm at the shoulder.
Also called axilla.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a place regarded as extremely unpleasant

• they call the region the armpit of America.

II. phrases

up to one's armpits

(chiefly US) deeply involved in a particular unpleasant situation or enterprise

• the country is up to its armpits in drug trafficking.

armrest /ˈɑːmrɛst/

noun

a padded or upholstered arm of a chair or other seat on which a sitter can comfortably rest their arm.

arms /ɑːmz/

I. plural noun

1. weapons; armaments

• arms and ammunition

• [as modifier] arms exports.

2. distinctive emblems or devices originally borne on shields in battle and now forming the heraldic insignia of families, corporations, or countries.

II. phrases

1. a call to arms

a call to defend or make ready for confrontation.

• it is understood as a call to arms to defend against a takeover.

2. in arms

armed; prepared to fight.

3. lay down (one's) arms

see lay^1.

4. take up arms

begin fighting.

• local people took up arms to fight a dam proposed by the government.

5. under arms

equipped and ready for war or battle.

• the country had up to one million men under arms.

6. up in arms

protesting vigorously about something

• teachers are up in arms about new school tests.

– origin Middle English: from Old French armes, from Latin arma.

arms control

noun — [ mass noun]

1. international disarmament or arms limitation, especially by mutual consent.

• the United Nations Security Council is to sign a declaration on arms control.

• [as modifier] arms-control talks.

arm's-length

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. avoiding intimacy or close contact

• they maintained an arm's-length relationship.

arms race

noun

a competition between nations for superiority in the development and accumulation of weapons.

• an escalation of the arms race between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.

Armstrong, Edwin Howard

(1890–1954), American electrical engineer, inventor of the superheterodyne radio receiver and the frequency modulation (FM) system.

Armstrong, Lance

(1971–), US cyclist. He won the Tour de France in 1999 after successfully battling testicular cancer, and repeated the win for the next six years (2000–05). In 2012 he was stripped of these titles for using performance-enhancing drugs.

Armstrong, Louis

(1900–71), American jazz musician; known as Satchmo; full name Daniel Louis Armstrong. A major influence on Dixieland jazz, he was a trumpet and cornet player as well as a bandleader and a distinctive singer.

Armstrong, Neil

(1930–2012), American astronaut; full name Neil Alden Armstrong. He commanded the Apollo 11 mission, during which he became the first man to set foot on the moon (20 July 1969).

arm-twisting

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the action of pressurizing someone into doing something they are unwilling do do

• a day of arm-twisting by government whips.

II. derivatives

arm-twist

verb

arm-wrestling /ˈɑːmˌrɛs(ə)lɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a trial of strength in which two people sit opposite each other with one elbow resting on a table, clasp each other's hands, and try to force each other's arm down on to the table.

• I beat him at arm-wrestling.

• [as modifier] the British arm-wrestling championships.

II. derivatives

arm-wrestle

verb

army /ˈɑːmi/

I. noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.] — an organized military force equipped for fighting on land

• the two armies were in position

• [as modifier] army officers.

2. ( the army) — the part of a country's military force trained to fight on land

• he joined the army at 16.

3. ( an army of/armies of) — a large number of people or things

• an army of photographers.

II. phrases

you and whose army?

‹informal› used as an expression of disbelief in someone's ability to carry out a threat

• ‘One word to him and I'll have you.’ ‘You and whose army?’.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French armee, from armata, feminine past participle of Latin armare ‘to arm’.

army ant

noun

a blind nomadic tropical ant that forages in large columns, preying chiefly on insects and spiders. Also called driver ant.
●Subfamily Dorylinae, family Formicidae.

army disposal

noun

Australian term for army surplus.

army disposals store disposals store

noun

(Austral.) a shop which sells military-style clothing and equipment; an army surplus store

• I bought myself a flick knife at an army disposals store.

army issue

noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. equipment or clothing supplied by the army.

Army List

noun

(in the UK) an official list of commissioned officers.

army-navy

adjective

(US) denoting the type of shop which specializes in military surplus equipment, or the goods sold there.

Army Reserve

noun

1. a volunteer force that provides a reserve of trained and disciplined military personnel for use in an emergency

• some members of the National Guard and the Army Reserve have been called up for duty

• [as modifier] forty-two Army Reserve units answered the call.

2. (in the UK) the name since 2013 of the Territorial Army.

army surplus

noun — [ mass noun]

1. goods and equipment which are surplus to the army's requirements
[as modifier]

• an army surplus store.

army worm

noun

any of a number of insect larvae which occur in destructive swarms, in particular:
● the caterpillars of some moths, which feed on cereals and other crops and move en masse when the food is exhausted ( Spodoptera and other genera, family Noctuidae). ● the small maggots of certain fungus gnats, which move in large numbers within secreted slime (genus Sciara, family Mycetophilidae).

Arne, Thomas /ɑːn/

(1710–78), English composer noted for ‘Rule, Britannia’ (whose words are attributed to James Thomson) and for his settings of Shakespearean songs.

Arnel /ˈɑːnɛl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a synthetic fibre or fabric made from cellulose triacetate.

Arnhem /ˈɑːnəm/

a town in the eastern Netherlands, situated on the River Rhine, capital of the province of Gelderland; pop. 143,582 (2008). During the Second World War, in September 1944, Allied airborne troops made a landing nearby but were overwhelmed by German forces.

Arnhem Land

a peninsula in Northern Territory, Australia, whose chief town is Nhulunbuy. In 1976 Arnhem Land was declared an Aboriginal reservation.

arnica /ˈɑːnɪkə/

I. noun

1. a plant of the daisy family which bears yellow, daisy-like flowers, found in cooler regions of the northern hemisphere.
●Genus Arnica, family Compositae: many species, especially mountain tobacco ( A. montana) of central Europe.

2. [ mass noun] — a preparation of the arnica plant used medicinally, especially for the treatment of bruises.

– origin mid 18th cent.: modern Latin, of unknown origin.

Arno /ˈɑːnəʊ/

a river which rises in the Apennines of northern Italy and flows westwards 240 km (150 miles) through Florence and Pisa to the Ligurian Sea.

Arnold, Matthew

(1822–88), English poet, essayist, and social critic. In works such as Culture and Anarchy (1869) he criticized the Victorian age in terms of its materialism, philistinism, and complacency. Notable poems: ‘The Scholar Gipsy’ (1853), ‘Dover Beach’ (1867).

Arnold, Sir Malcolm

(1921–2006), English composer and trumpeter, noted especially for his orchestral works and film scores; full name Sir Malcolm Henry Arnold.

aroha /ˈɑːrɒhə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (NZ) love; affection.

2. (NZ) sympathy.

– origin Maori.

aroid /ˈɛːrɔɪd / aroid lily

I. noun

[Botany] a plant of the arum family ( Araceae).

– origin late 19th cent.: from arum + -oid.

arolla /əˈrɒlə / arolla pine

I. noun

a tall pine tree of the Alps and Carpathian Mountains, frequently planted in dense clumps as an avalanche break.
● Pinus cembra, family Pinaceae. Alternative name: Swiss stone pine.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Swiss French arol(l)e.

aroma /əˈrəʊmə/

I. noun

1. a distinctive, typically pleasant smell

• the tantalizing aroma of fresh coffee.

2. a subtle, pervasive quality or atmosphere

• the aroma of officialdom.

– origin Middle English (usually in the plural denoting fragrant plants or spices): via Latin from Greek arōma ‘spice’.

aromatherapy /ərəʊməˈθɛrəpi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of aromatic plant extracts and essential oils for healing and cosmetic purposes.

II. derivatives

1. aromatherapeutic

adjective

2. aromatherapist /əˌrəʊməˈθɛrəpɪst /

noun

aromatic /arəˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

1. having a pleasant and distinctive smell

• a massage with aromatic oils.

2. [Chemistry] relating to or denoting organic compounds containing a planar unsaturated ring of atoms which is stabilized by an interaction of the bonds forming the ring, e.g. benzene and its derivatives.
Compare with alicyclic.

II. noun

1. a substance or plant emitting a pleasant and distinctive smell.

2. [Chemistry] an aromatic compound.

III. derivatives

1. aromatically

adverb

2. aromaticity

noun

[Chemistry]

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin aromaticus, from Greek arōmatikos, from arōma (see aroma).

aromatize /əˈrəʊmətʌɪz / aromatise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] convert (a compound) into an aromatic structure.

• in primate brains, testosterone is aromatized to oestrogen.

2. give (something) a pleasant and distinctive smell.

• the vinegar has been aromatized with plant juices and honey.

II. derivatives

aromatization

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French aromatiser, from late Latin aromatizare, from Greek arōmatizein ‘to spice’.

aronia /əˈrəʊnɪə/

I. noun

a plant of the genus Aronia in the rose family, especially (in gardening) a chokeberry.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek arōnia ‘medlar’.

arose /əˈrəʊz/

past of arise.

around /əˈraʊnd/

I. adverb

1. located or situated on every side

• the mountains towering all around.

2. so as to face in the opposite direction

• Guy seized her by the shoulders and turned her around.

3. in or to many places throughout a locality

• word got around that he was on the verge of retirement.

4. aimlessly or unsystematically; here and there

• one of them was glancing nervously around.

5. present, living, in the vicinity, or in active use

• there was no one around

• maize has been around for a long time.

6. (used with a number or quantity) approximately

• software costs would be around £1,500

• I returned to my hotel around 3 a.m.

II. preposition

1. on every side of

• the palazzo is built around a courtyard

• the hills around the city.

2. (of something abstract) having (the thing mentioned) as a focal point

• our entire culture is built around those loyalties.

3. in or to many places throughout (a community or locality)

• cycling around the village

• a number of large depots around the country.

4. following an approximately circular route

• he walked around the airfield

• it can drill around corners.

5. so as to encircle or embrace (someone or something)

• he put his arm around her.

III. phrases

have been around

‹informal› have a lot of varied experience and understanding of the world.

• look, I've been around, I know what happens with kids like you.

– origin Middle English: from a-2 ‘in, on’ + round. / usage: On the difference in use between round and around, see usage at round.

arousal /əˈraʊzl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of arousing or being aroused

• sexual arousal in dreams is common.

arouse /əˈraʊz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. evoke or awaken (a feeling, emotion, or response)

• something about the man aroused the guard's suspicions

• the letter aroused in him a sense of urgency.

2. excite or provoke (someone) to anger or strong emotions

• an ability to influence the audience and to arouse the masses.

3. excite (someone) sexually

• his touch, which had so aroused her moments before, unnerved her now

• (as adj. aroused) she told him how aroused she was.

4. awaken (someone) from sleep

• she had been aroused from deep slumber.

II. derivatives

arousable

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from rouse, on the pattern of the pair of rise, arise.

ARP

abbreviation

(Brit.) ‹historical› air-raid precautions.

Arp, Jean /ɑːp, French aʀp/

(1887–1966), French painter, sculptor, and poet; also known as Hans Arp. He was a co-founder of the Dada movement and is noted for his three-dimensional abstract curvilinear sculptures in marble and bronze.

arpeggiate /ɑːˈpɛdʒɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Music] play (a chord) as a series of ascending or descending notes.

• he perceptibly arpeggiates the Sonata's first chord.

• (as adj. arpeggiated) an arpeggiated fanfare.

II. derivatives

1. arpeggiation

noun

2. arpeggiator

noun

arpeggio /ɑːˈpɛdʒɪəʊ/

I. noun

[Music] the notes of a chord played in rapid succession, either ascending or descending.

– origin Italian, from arpeggiare ‘play the harp’, from arpa ‘harp’.

arpeggione /ɑːˌpɛdʒɪˈəʊneɪ, ɑːˌpɛdʒɪˈəʊni/

I. noun

an early 19th-century stringed instrument resembling a guitar in shape and having six strings and frets, but played with a bow like a cello.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German, from arpeggio.

arquebus /ˈɑːkwɪbəs / harquebus

I. noun

‹historical› an early type of portable gun supported on a tripod or a forked rest.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French harquebuse, based on Middle Low German hakebusse, from hake ‘hook’ + busse ‘gun’.

arr.

abbreviation

1. (of a piece of music) arranged by

• Variations on a theme of Corelli (arr. Wild).

2. (with reference to the arrival time of a bus, train, or aircraft) arrives.

arrabbiata /ˌarəˈbjɑːtə/

I. adjective

denoting a spicy pasta sauce made with tomatoes and chilli peppers.

– origin Italian, literally ‘angry’, feminine past participle of arrabbiare ‘make angry’.

arrack /ˈarək, əˈrak / arak

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alcoholic spirit made in Eastern countries from the sap of the coco palm or from rice.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Arabic ‘araq ‘sweat’, from the phrase ‘arak al-tamr, denoting an alcoholic spirit made from dates.

arrah /ˈarə/

I. exclamation

(Irish) expressing excitement or strong emotion

• ‘Arrah, don't be talking nonsense,’ Elmer exclaimed.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Irish ara, arú.

arraign /əˈreɪn/

I. verb

1. call or bring (someone) before a court to answer a criminal charge

• her sister was arraigned on charges of attempted murder.

2. find fault with; censure

• social workers were relieved it was not they who were arraigned in the tabloids.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French araisnier, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + ratio(n-) ‘reason, account’.

arraignment /əˈreɪnm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of arraigning someone in court

• he's scheduled for arraignment in New York on Thursday

• [ count noun] she pleaded not guilty at her arraignment.

Arran /ˈarən/

an island in the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland.

arrange /əˈreɪn(d)ʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. put (things) in a neat, attractive, or required order

• she had just finished arranging the flowers

• the columns are arranged in 12 rows.

2. organize or make plans for (a future event)

• they hoped to arrange a meeting

• [no obj.] my aunt arranged for the furniture to be stored.

3. [no obj.] — reach agreement about an action or event in advance

• I arranged with my boss to have the time off

• [with infinitive] they arranged to meet at eleven o'clock.

4. ensure that (something) is done or provided by organizing it in advance

• accommodation can be arranged if required.

5. adapt (a musical composition) for performance with instruments or voices other than those originally specified

• songs arranged for viola and piano.

6. ‹archaic› settle (a dispute or claim).

• the quarrel, partly by the interference of the Crown Prince, was arranged.

II. derivatives

arrangeable

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French arangier, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + rangier ‘put in order’ (see range).

arranged marriage

noun

a marriage planned and agreed by the families or guardians of the couple concerned.

arrangement /əˈreɪn(d)ʒm(ə)nt/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action, process, or result of arranging or being arranged

• the arrangement of the furniture in the room.

2. [ count noun] — a thing that has been arranged in a neat or attractive way

• an intricate arrangement of gravel paths.

3. (usu. arrangements) — a plan or preparation for a future event

• all the arrangements for the wedding were made.

4. an agreement with someone to do something

• the travel agents have an arrangement with the hotel

• [ mass noun] by special arrangement, students can take a course in other degree programmes.

5. a musical composition arranged for performance with instruments or voices differing from those originally specified

• Mozart's symphonies in arrangements for cello and piano.

6. ‹archaic› a settlement of a dispute or claim.

arranger /əˈreɪndʒə/

noun

1. a person who adapts a musical composition for performance

• he was among the finest arrangers and orchestrators of ballet scores.

2. a person who arranges flowers in a display

• a group of enthusiastic flower arrangers.

3. a person who organizes or makes plans for an event or deal

• the arrangers of the bond sale started to test market demand.

arrant /ˈar(ə)nt/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹dated› complete, utter

• what arrant nonsense!

II. derivatives

arrantly

adverb

– origin Middle English: variant of errant, originally in phrases such as arrant thief (‘outlawed, roving thief’).

arras /ˈarəs/

I. noun

a wall hanging made of a rich tapestry fabric, typically used to conceal an alcove.

• he pulled back the arras on the far wall and went into his secret chamber.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting the fabric itself): named after the French town of Arras.

Arras /ˈarəs, French aʀas/

a town in NE France; pop. 43,663 (2006). In medieval times it was a centre for the manufacture of tapestries.

array /əˈreɪ/

I. noun

1. an impressive display or range of a particular type of thing

• there is a vast array of literature on the topic

• a bewildering array of choices.

2. an ordered arrangement, in particular:

3. an arrangement of troops.

4. [Mathematics] an arrangement of quantities or symbols in rows and columns; a matrix.

5. [Computing] an indexed set of related elements.

6. [ mass noun] — ‹literary› elaborate or beautiful clothing

• he was clothed in fine array.

7. [Law] a list of jurors impanelled.

II. verb

1. [with obj. and adverbial of place] — display or arrange (things) in a particular way

• the manifesto immediately divided the forces arrayed against him.

2. [with obj.] (usu. be arrayed in) — dress someone in (the clothes specified)

• they were arrayed in Hungarian national dress.

3. [with obj.] — [Law] impanel (a jury).

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘preparedness’ and ‘place in readiness’): from Old French arei (noun), areer (verb), based on Latin ad- ‘towards’ + a Germanic base meaning ‘prepare’.

arré /ˈəreɪ/

I. exclamation

(Indian) used to express annoyance, surprise, or interest, or to attract someone's attention.

• ‘Arré, those rascals won't give a glass of water to a thirsty man.’.

– origin via Hindi from Sanskrit are, an interjection for calling to a person of inferior rank.

arrears /əˈrɪəz/

I. plural noun

money that is owed and should have been paid earlier.

• he was suing the lessee for the arrears of rent.

• mortgage arrears.

II. phrases

in arrears ‹chiefly Law› in arrear

a. behind with paying money that is owed

• two out of three tenants are in arrears.

b. (of payments made or due for wages, rent, etc.) at the end of each period in which work is done or a tenancy is occupied

• you will be paid monthly in arrears.

c. (of a competitor in a sports race or match) having a lower score or weaker performance than other competitors

• she finished ten metres in arrears.

III. derivatives

arrearage /əˈrɪərɪdʒ /

noun

– origin Middle English (first used in the phrase in arrear): from arrear (adverb) ‘behind, overdue’, from Old French arere, from medieval Latin adretro, from ad- ‘towards’ + retro ‘backwards’.

Arrernte /əˈrʌntə, aˈruːndə/

I. noun

1. a member of an Aboriginal people of central Australia.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Arrernte, now with fewer than 2,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Arrernte or their language.

– origin the name in Arrernte.

arrest /əˈrɛst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. seize (someone) by legal authority and take them into custody

• the police arrested him for possession of marijuana

• two youths aged 16 were arrested

• they got arrested during a police raid.

2. seize and detain (a ship) by legal authority.

• they arrested a vessel with a ton of salmon on board.

3. stop or check (progress or a process)

• the spread of the disease can be arrested.

4. [no obj.] — suffer a heart attack

• they were trying to resuscitate a patient who had arrested.

5. attract the attention of (someone)

• the church's stillness arrested her.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of seizing someone and taking them into custody

• I have a warrant for your arrest

• they placed her under arrest

• [ count noun] at least 69 arrests were made.

2. a stoppage or sudden cessation of motion

• a respiratory arrest.

III. phrases

arrest of judgement

[Law] the suspension of proceedings in a criminal trial between the verdict and the sentence on the grounds of a material irregularity in the course of the trial.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French arester, based on Latin ad- ‘at, to’ + restare ‘remain, stop’.

arrestable offence

noun

[Law] (Brit.) an offence for which there is a fixed mandatory penalty or which carries a sentence of at least five years' imprisonment (e.g. theft).

arrestee /əˌrɛstˈiː/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a person who has been or is being legally arrested.

arrester /əˈrɛstə / arrestor

noun

1. a device which prevents or stops a specified thing

• a spark arrester.

2. a device on an aircraft carrier that slows down aircraft after landing by means of a hook and cable.

arresting /əˈrɛstɪŋ/

I. adjective

striking; eye-catching

• at 6 ft 6 in he was an arresting figure.

II. derivatives

arrestingly

adverb

arrestment /əˈrɛs(t)m(ə)nt/

noun

[Scots Law] an attachment of property for the satisfaction of a debt.

• the Scottish clearing banks are unable to handle the volume of arrestments.

Arretine /ˈarətʌɪn/

I. adjective

denoting Samian ware (Roman pottery), especially that made at Arretium (modern Arezzo) in central Italy.

– origin late 18th cent.: from the name of the city + -ine^1.

Arrhenius, Svante August /əˈreɪnɪəs, əˈriːnɪəs/

(1859–1927), Swedish chemist, noted for his work on electrolytes. Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1903).

arrhythmia /eɪˈrɪðmɪə / arhythmia

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which the heart beats with an irregular or abnormal rhythm.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek arruthmia ‘lack of rhythm’, from a- ‘without’ + rhuthmos (see rhythm).

arrhythmic /əˈrɪðmɪk / arhythmic

I. adjective

1. not rhythmic; without rhythm or regularity

• the arrhythmic phrasing of the music.

2. [Medicine] relating to or suffering from cardiac arrhythmia.

II. derivatives

1. arrhythmical

adjective

2. arrhythmically

adverb

arrière-pensée /ˌarɪɛː ˈpɒ̃seɪ French aʀjɛʀ pɑ̃se//

I. noun

a concealed thought or intention; an ulterior motive.

– origin French, literally ‘behind thought’.

arris /ˈarɪs/

I. noun

[Architecture] a sharp edge formed by the meeting of two flat or curved surfaces.

– origin late 17th cent.: alteration of early modern French areste ‘sharp ridge’, earlier form of arête.

arris rail

noun

a fence rail with a triangular cross section.

arrival /əˈrʌɪv(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of arriving

• Ruth's arrival in New York

• he was dead on arrival at hospital.

2. [ count noun] — a person who has arrived somewhere

• hotel staff greeted the late arrivals.

3. the emergence or appearance of a new development or product

• the arrival of democracy.

4. [ count noun] — a newly emerged development or product

• sociology is a relatively new arrival on the academic scene.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French arrivaille, from Old French arriver (see arrive).

arrive /əˈrʌɪv/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. reach a place at the end of a journey or a stage in a journey

• we arrived at his house and knocked at the door

• the team arrived in New Delhi on July 30

• they had recently arrived from Turkey.

2. (of a thing) be brought or delivered

• the invitation arrived a few days later.

3. (of an event or a particular moment) happen or come

• we will be in touch with them when the time arrives.

4. (of a new development or product) come into existence or use

• microcomputers arrived at the start of the 1970s.

5. ( arrive at) — reach (a conclusion or decision)

• they arrived at the same conclusion.

6. (of a baby) be born

• he will feel jealous when a new baby arrives.

7. ‹informal› achieve success or recognition.

• he still has to pinch himself to be sure he really has arrived.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘reach the shore after a voyage’): from Old French ariver, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + ripa ‘shore’.

arrivederci /əriːvəˈdɛːtʃi, arivɛˈdɛrtʃi/

I. exclamation

goodbye until we meet again.

– origin Italian, ‘until we see each other again’.

arriviste /ˌariːˈviːst/

I. noun

an ambitious or ruthlessly self-seeking person.

II. derivatives

arrivisme /ˌariːˈviːzm(ə) /

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, from arriver (see arrive).

arrogance /ˈarəɡ(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being arrogant

• the arrogance of this man is astounding.

arrogant /ˈarəɡ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities

• he's arrogant and opinionated

• a typically arrogant assumption.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin arrogant- ‘claiming for oneself’, from the verb arrogare (see arrogate).

arrogantly /ˈarəɡəntli/

adverb

in a manner resulting from or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities

• the prime minister arrogantly dismissed such concerns.

arrogate /ˈarəɡeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take or claim (something) without justification

• they arrogate to themselves the ability to divine the nation's true interests.

II. derivatives

arrogation /arəˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin arrogat- ‘claimed for oneself’, from the verb arrogare, from ad- ‘to’ + rogare ‘ask’.

arrondissement /aˈrɒndiːsmɑ̃, ˌarɒnˈdiːsmɑ̃, French aʀɔ̃dismɑ̃/

I. noun

1. a subdivision of a French department, for local government administration.

2. an administrative district of certain large French cities, in particular Paris.

– origin French, from arrondir ‘make round’.

arrow /ˈarəʊ/

I. noun

1. a weapon consisting of a thin, straight stick with a sharp point, designed to be shot from a bow.

• I've never used a bow and arrow.

• the road continues straight as an arrow.

2. a mark or sign resembling an arrow, used to show direction or position

• we followed a series of arrows.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. move or appear to move swiftly and directly

• lights arrowed down into the airport.

III. phrases

arrow of time (or time's arrow)

the direction of travel from past to future in time considered as a physical dimension.

IV. derivatives

1. arrowed

adjective

2. arrowy

adjective

– origin Old English arewe, arwe, from Old Norse.

Arrow, Kenneth Joseph

(b.1921), American economist, noted chiefly for his work on general economic equilibrium and social choice. Nobel Prize for Economics (1972).

arrowgrass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a grass-like marsh plant with a slender spike of tiny flowers.
●Genus Triglochin, family Juncaginaceae.

arrowhead /ˈarəʊhɛd/

noun

1. the pointed end of an arrow.

2. [Geometry] a quadrilateral in which one internal angle is more than 180°.

3. a Eurasian water plant with arrow-shaped leaves above the water surface.
●Genus Sagittaria, family Alismataceae: several species.

arrowroot /ˈarə(ʊ)ruːt/

I. noun

1. a herbaceous Caribbean plant from which a starch is prepared.
● Maranta arundinacea, family Marantaceae.

2. [ mass noun] — the fine-grained starch obtained from arrowroot, used in cookery and medicine.

– origin late 17th cent.: alteration of Arawak aru-aru (literally ‘meal of meals’) by association with arrow and root^1, the tubers being used to absorb poison from arrow wounds.

arrow slit

noun

(especially in a medieval fortified building) a narrow vertical slit in a wall for shooting or looking through or to admit light and air.
[as modifier]

• we could see the old arrow-slit windows.

arrow-straight

adjective, adverb

completely straight
[as adj.]

• the roads are empty and arrow-straight

• [as adv.] an index leads you arrow-straight to documents of interest.

arrow worm

noun

a slender transparent worm-like animal with fins, having spines on the head for grasping prey. It is common in marine plankton. Also called chaetognath.
●Phylum Chaetognatha.

arroyo /əˈrɔɪəʊ/

I. noun

a steep-sided gully formed by the action of fast-flowing water in an arid or semi-arid region, found chiefly in the south-western US.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish.

arroz /aˈrɒs, Spanish aˈroθ, aˈros/

noun

Spanish word for rice, used in the names of various dishes.

ARS

abbreviation

Argentine peso(s).

arse /ɑːs / ‹Brit. vulgar slang›

I. noun

1. a person's buttocks or anus.

2. a stupid, irritating, or contemptible person.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] ( arse about/around) — behave in a stupid way; waste time.

2. [with obj.] ( arse something up) — make a botched attempt at something.

3. ( can't be arsed) — not want to do something because one has no interest in or enthusiasm for it.

III. phrases

1. arse about face

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› contrary to what is usual, expected, or logical

• he felt disoriented: everything seemed to be arse about face.

2. arse over tit

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› so as to fall over in a sudden or dramatic way.

3. get off one's arse

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› stop being lazy.

4. my arse!

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› used to convey that one does not believe something that has just been said.

5. not know one's arse from one's elbow

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› be totally ignorant or incompetent.

6. talk out of one's arse

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› talk rubbish.

7. up your arse!

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› used to express contempt for someone or something.

– origin Old English ærs, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch aars and German Arsch.

arse bandit

noun

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› a male homosexual.

arsehole /ˈɑːshəʊl/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› a person's anus.

2. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› a stupid, irritating, or contemptible person.

• he's a total arsehole.

• leave me alone, you arseholes.

– origin late Middle English: from arse + hole.

arseholed /ˈɑːshəʊld/

adjective

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› very drunk

• they spent the afternoon getting completely and utterly arseholed.

arse-kissing

noun

another term for arse-licking.

arse-licking

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹vulgar slang› the action or practice of behaving obsequiously in order to gain favour.

• that minister got his job from arse-licking.

II. derivatives

arse-licker /ˈɑːslɪkə /

noun

arsenal /ˈɑːs(ə)n(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a collection of weapons and military equipment

• Britain's nuclear arsenal.

2. a place where weapons and military equipment are stored or made.

3. an array of resources available for a certain purpose

• we have an arsenal of computers at our disposal.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting a dock for the construction and repair of ships): from French, or from obsolete Italian arzanale, based on Arabic dār-aṣ-ṣinā‘a, from dār ‘house’ + al- ‘(of) the’ + sinā‘a ‘art, industry’.

arsenate /ˈɑːs(ə)neɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of any oxyacid of arsenic.

arsenic

I. noun — [ mass noun] arsenic /ˈɑːs(ə)nɪk /

1. (Symbol: As) — the chemical element of atomic number 33, a brittle steel-grey semimetal.

Arsenic compounds (and their poisonous properties) have been known since ancient times, and the metallic form was isolated in the Middle Ages. Arsenic occurs naturally in orpiment, realgar, and other minerals, and rarely as the free element. Arsenic is used in semiconductors and some specialized alloys; its toxic compounds are widely used as herbicides and pesticides.

II. adjective — arsenic /ɑːˈsɛnɪk /

1. relating to arsenic.

2. [Chemistry] of arsenic with a valency of five; of arsenic(V).
Compare with arsenious.

– origin late Middle English (denoting yellow orpiment, arsenic sulphide): via Old French from Latin arsenicum, from Greek arsenikon ‘yellow orpiment’, identified with arsenikos ‘male’, but in fact from Arabic al-zarnīḵ ‘the orpiment’, based on Persian zar ‘gold’.

arsenic acid

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a weakly acidic crystalline solid with oxidizing properties, formed when arsenic reacts with nitric acid.
●Chem. formula: H_3AsO_4.

arsenical /ɑːˈsɛnɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

of or containing arsenic.

• arsenical compounds.

II. noun

an arsenical drug or other compound.

• penicillin and certain other antibiotics have much lower toxicity than arsenicals.

arsenide /ˈɑːs(ə)nʌɪd/

noun

[Chemistry] a binary compound of arsenic with a metallic element.

arsenious /ɑːˈsiːnɪəs/

adjective

[Chemistry] of arsenic with a valency of three; of arsenic(III).
Compare with arsenic.

arsenopyrite /ˌɑːs(ə)nəʊˈpʌɪrʌɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a silvery-grey mineral consisting of an arsenide and sulphide of iron and cobalt.

arsey

adjective

1. ‹informal› (Brit.) bad-tempered or uncooperative.

• I was half an hour late phoning her and she didn't get all arsey about it.

2. ‹informal› (Austral.) very lucky.
[alteration of tin arse.]

arsine /ˈɑːsiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a poisonous gas smelling slightly of garlic, made by the reaction of some arsenides with acids.
●Alternative name: arsenic trihydride; chem. formula: AsH_3.

– origin late 19th cent.: from arsenic, on the pattern of amine.

arsis /ˈɑːsɪs/

I. noun

[Prosody] a stressed syllable or part of a metrical foot in Greek or Latin verse.
Often contrasted with thesis (sense 3).

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek, literally ‘lifting’, from airein ‘raise’.

arson /ˈɑːs(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the criminal act of deliberately setting fire to property

• police are treating the fire as arson

• [as modifier] an arson attack.

– origin late 17th cent.: an Anglo-Norman French legal term, from medieval Latin arsio(n-), from Latin ardere ‘to burn’.

arsonist /ˈɑːs(ə)nɪst/

noun

a person who commits arson

• police believe arsonists were responsible for both fires.

arsphenamine /ɑːsˈfɛnəmiːn, ɑːsˈfɛnəmɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic organic arsenic compound formerly used to treat syphilis and other diseases.
See also Ehrlich, Paul.

– origin early 20th cent.: blend of arsenic, phenyl, and amine.

arsy-versy

I. adjective, adverb

‹informal› in a confused, disordered, or perversely contrary state or manner
[as adj.]

• they got things all arsy-versy.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from arse + Latin versus ‘turned’, the addition of -y^1 to both elements forming a jingle.

art^1 /ɑːt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power

• the art of the Renaissance

• great art is concerned with moral imperfections

• she studied art in Paris.

2. works produced by human creative skill and imagination

• his collection of modern art

• [as modifier] an art critic.

3. creative activity resulting in the production of paintings, drawings, or sculpture

• she's good at art.

4. ( the arts) — the various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance

• the visual arts

• [in sing.] the art of photography.

5. ( arts) — subjects of study primarily concerned with human creativity and social life, such as languages, literature, and history (as contrasted with scientific or technical subjects)

• the belief that the arts and sciences were incompatible

• the Faculty of Arts.

6. a skill at doing a specified thing, typically one acquired through practice

• the art of conversation.

II. phrases

1. art for art's sake

used to convey the idea that the chief or only aim of a work of art is the self-expression of the individual artist who creates it.

2. art is long, life is short

‹proverb› there is so much knowledge to acquire that a lifetime is not sufficient.

3. the art of war

the strategy, tactics, and techniques of combat.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin ars, art-.

art^2 /ɑːt/

archaic or dialect second person singular present of be.

• I am a Gentleman as thou art.

art.

abbreviation

article.

Artaud, Antonin /ɑːˈtəʊ, French aʀto/

(1896–1948), French actor, director, and poet. He developed the concept of the non-verbal Theatre of Cruelty, which concentrated on the use of sound, mime, and lighting, expounding his theory in a series of essays Le Théâtre et son double (1938).

Artaxerxes /ˌɑːtəˈzəːksiːz/

I. the name of three kings of ancient Persia:

II. Artaxerxes I son of Xerxes I, reigned 464–424 BC.

III. Artaxerxes II son of Darius II, reigned 404–358 BC.

IV. Artaxerxes III son of Artaxerxes II, reigned 358–338 BC.

art deco /ˈdɛkəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the predominant decorative art style of the 1920s and 1930s, characterized by precise and boldly delineated geometric shapes and strong colours and used most notably in household objects and in architecture.

– origin 1960s: shortened from French art décoratif ‘decorative art’, from the 1925 Exposition des Arts décoratifs in Paris.

artefact /ˈɑːtɪfakt / ‹US› artifact

I. noun

1. an object made by a human being, typically one of cultural or historical interest

• gold and silver artefacts.

2. something observed in a scientific investigation or experiment that is not naturally present but occurs as a result of the preparative or investigative procedure.

• the curvature of the surface is an artefact of the wide-angle view.

II. derivatives

artefactual

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin arte ‘by or using art’ + factum ‘something made’ (neuter past participle of facere ‘make’).

artel /ɑːˈtɛl/

I. noun

‹historical› (in pre-revolutionary Russia) a cooperative association of craftsmen living and working together.

– origin from Russian artelʹ.

Artemis /ˈɑːtɪmɪs / ‹Greek Mythology›

a goddess, daughter of Zeus and sister of Apollo. She was a huntress and is typically depicted with a bow and arrows.
Roman equivalent Diana.

artemisia /ˌɑːtɪˈmɪzɪə/

I. noun

an aromatic or bitter-tasting plant of a genus that includes wormwood, mugwort, and sagebrush. Several kinds are used in herbal medicine and many are cultivated for their feathery grey foliage.
●Genus Artemisia, family Compositae.

– origin Middle English: via Latin from Greek, ‘wormwood’, named after the goddess Artemis, to whom it was sacred.

artemisinin /ˌɑːtɪˈmiːsɪnɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a terpene-based antimalarial substance used in Chinese medicine.
●The drug is obtained from Artemisia annua, family Compositae.

– origin 1970s: blend of artemisia and quinine.

Arte Povera /ˌɑːteɪ ˈpɒvərə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an artistic movement that originated in Italy in the 1960s, combining aspects of conceptual, minimalist, and performance art, and making use of worthless or common materials such as earth or newspaper, in the hope of subverting the commercialization of art.

– origin 1960s: Italian, literally ‘impoverished art’, from arte ‘art’ + povera (feminine of povero ‘needy’).

arterial /ɑːˈtɪərɪəl/

I. adjective

1. relating to an artery or arteries.

2. denoting an important route in a system of roads, railway lines, or rivers

• one of the main arterial routes from York.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin arterialis, from Latin arteria (see artery).

arterialize arterialise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. arterialized)

1. convert venous into arterial (blood) by oxygenation, especially in the lungs.

• arterialized blood gas analyses.

II. derivatives

arterialization /ɑːtɪərɪəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

arterio-

I. combining form

relating to the arteries

• arteriosclerosis.

– origin from Greek artēria (see artery).

arteriography /ɑːˌtɪərɪˈɒɡrəfi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] radiography of an artery, carried out after injection of a radiopaque substance.

• coronary arteriography.

arteriole /ɑːˈtɪərɪəʊl/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a small branch of an artery leading into capillaries.

II. derivatives

arteriolar

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French artériole, diminutive of artère (see artery).

arteriosclerosis /ɑːˌtɪərɪəʊsklɪəˈrəʊsɪs, ɑːˌtɪərɪəʊskləˈrəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries, occurring typically in old age.

II. derivatives

arteriosclerotic /ɑːˌtɪərɪəʊsklɪəˈrɒtɪk /

adjective

arteriovenous /ɑːˌtɪərɪəʊˈviːnəs/

adjective

[Anatomy] relating to or affecting an artery and a vein.

arteritis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the walls of an artery.

artery /ˈɑːtəri/

I. noun

1. any of the muscular-walled tubes forming part of the circulation system by which blood (mainly that which has been oxygenated) is conveyed from the heart to all parts of the body.
Compare with vein (sense 1).

2. an important route in a system of roads, rivers, or railway lines

• George Street, main artery of Edinburgh's Golden Mile.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin arteria, from Greek artēria, probably from airein ‘raise’.

artesian /ɑːˈtiːzɪən, ɑːˈtiːʒ(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a well bored perpendicularly into water-bearing strata lying at an angle, so that natural pressure produces a constant supply of water with little or no pumping.

• the availability of water from artesian wells makes agriculture possible.

• water from the island's artesian supply.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French artésien ‘from Artois’ (see Artois), where such wells were first made.

artesian basin

noun

(chiefly Austral.) a geological structure in which water is confined under pressure

• cattlemen were drawing water from an artesian basin underneath the parched inland plains.

artesian bore

noun

(chiefly Austral.) a deep, narrow hole bored perpendicularly into water-bearing strata lying at an angle, so that natural pressure produces a constant supply of water with little or no pumping

• the groundwater is released under pressure to the surface through natural springs and artesian bores.

artesian water

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Austral./NZ) water contained within an artesian basin

• artesian water reaches the surface through fault lines in the overlying rock.

Artex /ˈɑːtɛks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a kind of plaster applied to walls and ceilings to give a textured finish.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover (a wall or ceiling) with Artex.

– origin 1950s: blend of art^1 and texture.

art form

noun

1. a conventionally established form of artistic composition, such as the novel, sonata, or sonnet.

• the novel became the greatest art form of the nineteenth century.

• people who view pop music as an art form.

2. any activity regarded as a medium of imaginative or creative self-expression

• he elevates stage managing to an art form.

artful /ˈɑːtfʊl, ˈɑːtf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. clever or skilful, especially in a crafty or cunning way

• her artful wiles.

2. showing creative skill or taste

• an artful photograph of a striking woman.

II. derivatives

artfulness /ˈɑːtf(ə)lnəs /

noun

artfully /ˈɑːtfəli/

adverb

1. in a way that is clever or skilful and also cunning

• body scanners are turning up artfully concealed items.

2. in a manner that shows creative skill or taste

• a dish of artfully arranged fruit.

art gallery

noun

a room or building for the display or sale of works of art

• her father runs an art gallery in New York City.

art history

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the academic study of the history and development of painting, sculpture, and the other visual arts.

• a degree in art history.

• [as modifier] the art history department.

II. derivatives

art historian

noun

art house /ˈɑːthaʊs/

noun

a cinema which specializes in showing films that are artistic or experimental rather than merely entertaining.

• his earlier films have played at festivals and in art houses.

• [as modifier] an art-house film that aims to provoke.

arthralgia /ɑːˈθraldʒə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] pain in a joint.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek arthron ‘joint’ + -algia.

arthritic /ɑːˈθrɪtɪk/

I. adjective

affected by or associated with arthritis.

II. noun

a person suffering from arthritis.

arthritis /ɑːˈθrʌɪtɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease causing painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek, from arthron ‘joint’. Arthritic was already used in late Middle English.

arthro-

I. combining form

of a joint; relating to joints

• arthroscope.

– origin from Greek arthron ‘joint’.

arthrodesis /ɑːˈθrɒdɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. surgical immobilization of a joint by fusion of the bones.

– origin early 20th cent.: from arthro- + Greek desis ‘binding together’.

arthroplasty /ˈɑːθrə(ʊ)plasti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the surgical reconstruction or replacement of a joint

• the ageing of the world's population has been the primary driver for hip replacement, or arthroplasty.

– origin late 19th cent.: from arthro- + -plasty.

arthropod /ˈɑːθrəpɒd/

noun

[Zoology] an invertebrate animal of the large phylum Arthropoda, such as an insect, spider, or crustacean.

Arthropoda /ˌɑːθrəˈpəʊdə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a large phylum of invertebrate animals that includes insects, spiders, crustaceans, and their relatives. They have a segmented body, an external skeleton, and jointed limbs, and are sometimes placed in different phyla.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek arthron ‘joint’ + pous, pod- ‘foot’.

arthroscope /ˈɑːθrəskəʊp/

I. noun

[Medicine] an instrument through which the interior of a joint may be inspected or operated on.

II. derivatives

1. arthroscopic

adjective

2. arthroscopy

noun

Arthur /ˈɑːθə/

a legendary king of Britain, historically perhaps a 5th- or 6th-century Romano-British chieftain or general. Stories of his life, the exploits of his knights, and the Round Table of his court at Camelot were developed by Malory, Chrétien de Troyes, and other medieval writers and became the subject of many legends.

Arthur, Chester Alan

(1830–86), American Republican statesman, 21st President of the US 1881–5.

Arthurian /ɑ͜ˈθʊəriən, ɑːˈθjʊəriən/

adjective

relating to or characteristic of the legendary King Arthur of Britain, or any of the stories of his life

• the Arthurian literary tradition.

artic /ˈɑːtɪk/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› an articulated lorry.

– origin 1950s: abbreviation.

artichoke /ˈɑːtɪtʃəʊk/

I. noun

1. (also globe artichoke) — a European plant cultivated for its large thistle-like flower heads.
● Cynara scolymus, family Compositae.

2. the unopened flower head of the artichoke, of which the heart and the fleshy bases of the bracts are edible.

3. (Brit.) short for Jerusalem artichoke.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from northern Italian articiocco, from Spanish alcarchofa, from Arabic al-ḵaršūfa.

artichoke gall

noun

a hard egg-shaped gall which forms inside an artichoke bud in response to the developing larva of a gall wasp.
●The wasp is Andricus fecundator, family Cynipidae.

article /ˈɑːtɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a particular item or object

• small household articles

• articles of clothing.

2. a piece of writing included with others in a newspaper, magazine, or other publication

• an article about middle-aged executives.

3. a separate clause or paragraph of a legal document or agreement, typically one outlining a single rule or regulation.

• it is an offence under Article 7 of the Treaty.

4. ( articles) — (Brit.) a period of training with a firm as a solicitor, architect, surveyor, or accountant

• he is already in articles

• it may be worth taking articles in a specialized firm.

5. the terms on which crew members take service on a ship.

6. [Grammar] the definite or indefinite article.
See also determiner (sense 2).

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) bind (a trainee solicitor, architect, surveyor, or accountant) to undergo a period of training with a firm in order to become qualified

• he was articled to a firm of solicitors in York.

III. phrases

1. an article of faith

a firmly held belief.

• it was an article of faith with this circle that women must free themselves.

2. article of virtu

see virtu.

3. the finished article

something that is complete and ready for use.

• the ground is beginning to look like the finished article.

4. the genuine article

a person or thing considered to be an authentic and excellent example of their kind.

• he recognized the genuine article when he saw it.

– origin Middle English (denoting a separate clause of the Apostles' Creed): from Old French, from Latin articulus ‘small connecting part’, diminutive of artus ‘joint’.

articled clerk

noun

(Brit.) a trainee solicitor.

articular /ɑːˈtɪkjʊlə/

I. adjective

relating to a joint or the joints

• articular cartilage.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin articularis, from articulus ‘small connecting part’ (see article).

articulate

I. adjective — articulate /ɑːˈtɪkjʊlət /

1. having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently

• she was not very articulate.

2. ‹technical› having joints or jointed segments.

• delicate articulate plants with a slender central stem.

3. [Zoology] denoting a brachiopod which has projections and sockets that form a hinge joining the two halves of the shell.

II. verb — [with obj.] articulate /ɑːˈtɪkjʊleɪt /

1. pronounce (something) clearly and distinctly

• he articulated each word with precision.

2. express (an idea or feeling) fluently and coherently

• they were unable to articulate their emotions.

3. [no obj.] — form a joint

• the mandible is a solid piece articulating with the head.

4. ( be articulated) — be connected by joints.

• the wing is articulated to the thorax.

III. derivatives

1. articulable

adjective

2. articulacy /ɑːˈtɪkjʊləsi /

noun

3. articulately /ɑːˈtɪkjʊlətli /

adverb

4. articulateness /ɑːˈtɪkjʊlətnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin articulatus, past participle of articulare ‘divide into joints, utter distinctly’, from articulus ‘small connecting part’ (see article).

articulated

adjective

(Brit.) having two or more sections connected by a flexible joint

• an articulated lorry

• the trilobite's thorax has a number of articulated segments.

articulation /ɑːˌtɪkjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the formation of clear and distinct sounds in speech

• the articulation of vowels and consonants.

2. the action of putting into words an idea or feeling

• it would involve the articulation of a theory of the just war.

3. [Phonetics] the formation of a speech sound by constriction of the air flow in the vocal organs at a particular place (e.g. the tongue, teeth, or palate) and in a particular way (as a plosive, affricate, etc.).

4. [Music] clarity in the production of successive notes.

• beautifully polished articulation from the violins.

5. the state of being jointed

• the area of articulation of the lower jaw.

6. [ count noun] — a specified joint

• the leg articulation.

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘joint’, ‘joining’): from Latin articulatio(n-), from the verb articulare (see articulate).

articulator

noun

1. a person who puts forward or expresses an idea.

• he is as good an articulator of his party's message as they've had in a long time.

2. any of the vocal organs above the larynx, including the tongue, lips, teeth, and hard palate.

articulatory /ɑːˈtɪkjʊlət(ə)ri, ɑːˌtɪkjʊˈleɪt(ə)ri/

adjective

relating to the formation of speech sounds.

artifice /ˈɑːtɪfɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially as used to trick or deceive others

• an industry dominated by artifice

• [ count noun] the style is not free from the artifices of the period.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘workmanship’): from Old French, from Latin artificium, based on ars, art- ‘art’ + facere ‘make’.

artificer /ɑːˈtɪfɪsə/

I. noun

1. a skilled mechanic in the armed forces.

2. ‹archaic› a skilled craftsman or inventor.

• ‹figurative› the artificers of their pleasure.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, probably an alteration of Old French artificien, from artifice (see artifice).

artificial /ɑːtɪˈfɪʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, especially as a copy of something natural

• her skin glowed in the artificial light

• an artificial limb

• artificial flowers.

2. (of a situation or concept) not existing naturally; contrived or false

• the artificial division of people into age groups.

3. (of a person or their behaviour) insincere or affected

• she gave an artificial smile.

4. [Bridge] (of a bid) conventional as opposed to natural.

• the Italian team began with an artificial club.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French artificiel or Latin artificialis, from artificium ‘handicraft’ (see artifice).

artificial horizon

noun

a gyroscopic instrument or a fluid surface, typically one of mercury, used to provide the pilot of an aircraft with a horizontal reference plane for navigational measurement when the natural horizon is obscured.

artificial insemination AI

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the medical or veterinary procedure of injecting semen into the vagina or uterus.

artificial intelligence AI

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.

artificiality /ɑːtɪfɪʃiˈaləti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally

• vigorous debates about the authenticity of the original and the artificiality of the copy.

2. the quality of being contrived or false

• users complain about the artificiality of war games.

3. insincerity or affectedness

• he claimed to have been horrified by the artificiality of his actors during the making of his first feature film.

artificial kidney

noun

a machine or other mechanical device which performs the functions of the human kidney.

artificial life

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the simulation by computer programs or computerized systems of the behaviour, population dynamics, or other characteristics of living organisms.

artificially /ˌɑːtɪˈfɪʃ(ə)li/

adverb

1. by means of human intervention rather than naturally

• she never wanted to be kept artificially alive with life support.

2. in a contrived or false way

• the presenter tried to artificially create an argument between the two

• [as submodifier] artificially low prices.

3. in an insincere or affected way

• I'm next to him, smiling artificially through my misery.

artificial respiration

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the restoration or initiation of someone's breathing by manual, mechanical, or mouth-to-mouth methods.

• I've been giving him artificial respiration, and I think he's going to be all right.

artificial silk

noun

old-fashioned term for viscose.

artillery /ɑːˈtɪləri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. large-calibre guns used in warfare on land

• tanks and heavy artillery.

2. a military detachment or branch of the armed forces that uses large-calibre guns.

• each corps included two regiments of field artillery.

• [in names] he served in the Royal Artillery.

II. derivatives

artillerist

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French artillerie, from artiller, alteration of atillier ‘equip, arm’, probably a variant of atirier, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + tire ‘rank, order’.

artilleryman /ɑːˈtɪlərɪmən/

noun

a member of a regiment of artillery.

artiodactyl /ɑːtɪə(ʊ)ˈdaktʌɪl, ɑːtɪə(ʊ)ˈdaktɪl / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a mammal of the order Artiodactyla, such as a cow, sheep, camel, or pig.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting artiodactyls.

Artiodactyla /ˌɑːtɪə(ʊ)ˈdaktɪlə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] an order of mammals that comprises the even-toed ungulates.
Compare with Perissodactyla.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek artios ‘even’ + daktulos ‘finger, toe’.

artisan /ˈɑːtɪzan, ɑːtɪˈzan/

I. noun

1. a worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand.

• street markets where local artisans display handwoven textiles, painted ceramics, and leather goods.

2. [as modifier] — (of food or drink) made in a traditional or non-mechanized way using high-quality ingredients

• Britain's artisan cheeses

• the growing appreciation of artisan foods.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Italian artigiano, based on Latin artitus, past participle of artire ‘instruct in the arts’, from ars, art- ‘art’.

artisanal /ɑːˈtɪzən(ə)l/

adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of an artisan

• artisanal skills

• artisanal workshops.

2. (of a product, especially food or drink) made in a traditional or non-mechanized way

• artisanal cheeses.

artisanship /ˈɑːtɪzənʃɪp, ɑːtɪˈzanʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. skill in a particular craft

• pieces of jewellery which testify to the high artisanship of these ancient people

• a heritage of exquisite artisanship.

artist /ˈɑːtɪst/

I. noun

1. a person who creates paintings or drawings as a profession or hobby.

2. a person who practises or performs any of the creative arts, such as a sculptor, film-maker, actor, or dancer.

3. a person skilled at a particular task or occupation

• a surgeon who is an artist with the scalpel.

4. [with modifier] — ‹informal› a person who habitually practises a specified reprehensible activity

• rip-off artists.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting a master of the liberal arts): from French artiste, from Italian artista, from arte ‘art’, from Latin ars, art-.

artiste /ɑːˈtiːst/

I. noun

a professional entertainer, especially a singer or dancer

• cabaret artistes.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French (see artist).

artistic /ɑːˈtɪstɪk/

adjective

1. having or revealing natural creative skill

• my lack of artistic ability.

2. relating to or characteristic of art or artists

• a denial of artistic freedom.

3. aesthetically pleasing

• computer programs which produce artistic designs.

artistically /ɑːˈtɪstɪkli/

adverb

1. as regards art or artists; from an artistic point of view

• the Soviet film industry was artistically limited by outside pressures

• her home was cosy and so artistically decorated for Christmas.

2. in an aesthetically pleasing way

• the buildings are artistically lit.

artistic director

noun

the person with overall responsibility for the selection and interpretation of the works performed by a theatre, ballet, or opera company.

artistry /ˈɑːtɪstri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. creative skill or ability

• the artistry of the pianist.

artist's fungus

noun

a bracket fungus with a reddish-brown upper surface and a pale lower surface on which scratches remain visible as dark marks, found in both Eurasia and North America.
● Ganoderma applanatum, family Ganodermataceae, class Hymenomycetes.

artist's impression

noun

a sketch or drawing of someone or something, produced when no photograph is available.

artless /ˈɑːtləs/

I. adjective

1. without guile or deception

• an artless, naive girl

• artless sincerity.

2. without effort or pretentiousness; natural and simple

• an artless literary masterpiece.

3. without skill or finesse

• her awkward, artless prose.

II. derivatives

artlessly /ˈɑːtləsli /

adverb

art nouveau /ˌɑː(t) nuːˈvəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of decorative art, architecture, and design prominent in western Europe and the USA from about 1890 until the First World War and characterized by intricate linear designs and flowing curves based on natural forms.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, literally ‘new art’.

Artois /ɑːˈtwʌ, French aʀtwa/

a region and former province of NE France.

art paper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) high-quality paper coated with china clay or a similar substance to give it a smooth surface.

arts and crafts

plural noun

decorative design and handicraft.

Arts and Crafts Movement

an English decorative arts movement of the second half of the 19th century which sought to revive the ideal of craftsmanship in an age of increasing mechanization and mass production. William Morris was its most prominent member.

art school

noun

a college which provides training in art

• she studied at various art schools in New York.

art student

noun

a person who is studying to be an artist at a university or other place of higher education

• he was an art student in Paris in the 1950s.

art therapy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of psychotherapy involving the encouragement of free self-expression through painting, drawing, or modelling, used as a remedial or diagnostic activity.

art union

noun

1. (Austral./NZ) a large-scale lottery organized to raise funds for a charity or public cause, originally with a work of art as the prize

• the party's executive president has defended the decision to run an art union.

2. ‹historical› a group established for the purpose of promoting art by purchasing the works of artists and distributing them among members, usually by lottery

• his work was acquired by art unions in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

artwork /ˈɑːtwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. illustrations, photographs, or other non-textual material prepared for inclusion in a publication.

• the technology can produce finished artwork for anything from press ads to corporate brochures.

• the artwork on the dust jacket is repeated on the cover.

2. paintings, drawings, or other artistic works

• a collection of artwork from tribal cultures

• [ count noun] each artwork is reproduced in colour on a full page.

arty /ˈɑːti / ‹chiefly N. Amer.› artsy

I. adjective

‹informal› making a strong, affected, or pretentious display of being artistic or interested in the arts

• television people and arty types

• a very arty film.

II. derivatives

1. artily

adverb

2. artiness /ˈɑːtɪnəs /

noun

arty-crafty ‹chiefly N. Amer.› artsy-craftsy

adjective

‹informal› interested or involved in making decorative artistic objects, especially ones perceived as quaint or homespun

• he mixed with the arty-crafty set.

arty-farty /ɑːtiˈfɑːti / ‹chiefly N. Amer.› artsy-fartsy

adjective

‹informal› ‹derogatory› associated with or showing an interest in the arts

• you'll have to forget that arty-farty nonsense here.

Aruba /əˈruːbə/

an island in the Caribbean Sea, close to the Venezuelan coast; pop. 103,100 (est. 2009); capital, Oranjestad. Formerly part of the Netherlands Antilles, it separated from that group in 1986 to become a self-governing territory of the Netherlands.

arugula /əˈruːɡjʊlə / rucola, rugola

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the rocket plant, used in cookery.

– origin 1970s: from Italian dialect, ultimately a diminutive of Latin eruca ‘down-stemmed plant’.

arum /ˈɛːrəm/

I. noun

a European plant which has arrow-shaped leaves and a broad leafy spathe enclosing a club-shaped spadix. Pollination is by small flies which are temporarily trapped by the plant.
●Genus Arum, family Araceae (the arum family): several species, in particular the common wild arum or cuckoo pint.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, from Greek aron.

arum lily /ˈɛərəmlɪli/

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a tall lily-like African plant which bears a large showy spathe. Also called calla lily, especially in North America.
●Genus Zantedeschia, family Araceae: several species, in particular Z. aethiopica.

Arunachal Pradesh /ɑːrəˌnɑːtʃəl prəˈdɛʃ/

a mountainous state in the far north-east of India, lying on the borders of Tibet to the north and Burma (Myanmar) to the east; capital, Itanagar. It became a state of India in 1986.

Arunta /əˈrʌntə, aˈruːndə/

noun, adjective

variant form of Arrernte.

ARV

abbreviation

antiretroviral (drug).

arvo /ˈɑːvəʊ/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› afternoon

• on Monday arvo.

– origin 1930s: abbreviation of afternoon (with voicing of the f) + -o.

-ary^1

I. suffix

1. forming adjectives such as budgetary, primary.

2. forming nouns such as dictionary, granary.

– origin from French -aire or Latin -arius ‘connected with’.

-ary^2

I. suffix

forming adjectives such as capillary, military.

– origin from French -aire or Latin -aris ‘relating to’.

Aryabhata I /ˌarɪəˈbɑːtə/

(476– c. 550), Indian astronomer and mathematician. His surviving work, the Aryabhatiya (499), has sections dealing with mathematics, the measurement of time, planetary models, the sphere, and eclipses.

Aryan /ˈɛːrɪən/

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting a people speaking an Indo-European language who invaded northern India in the 2nd millennium BC, displacing the Dravidian and other aboriginal peoples.

2. old-fashioned term for Proto-Indo-European or Indo-Iranian.

3. (in Nazi ideology) relating to or denoting people of Caucasian race not of Jewish descent.

The idea that there was an ‘Aryan’ race corresponding to the parent Indo-European language was proposed by certain 19th-century writers, and was taken up by Hitler and other proponents of racist ideology, but it has been generally rejected by scholars.

II. noun

1. a member of the ancient Aryan people.

• the Aryans brought Hindu religious thought to India.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Aryan people.

3. (in Nazi ideology) a person of Caucasian race not of Jewish descent.

• he looked the image of the ideal Aryan: tall, with Nordic blonde hair.

– origin from Sanskrit ārya ‘noble’ + -an.

aryl /ˈarʌɪl, ˈarɪl/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting a radical derived from an aromatic hydrocarbon by removal of a hydrogen atom

• aryl groups.

– origin early 20th cent.: from aromatic + -yl.

arytenoid /ˌarɪˈtiːnɔɪd / arytenoid cartilage

I. noun

[Anatomy] either of a pair of cartilages at the back of the larynx, used in the production of different kinds of voice quality (for example, creaky voice).

– origin early 18th cent.: from modern Latin arytaenoides, from Greek arutainoeidēs, from arutaina ‘funnel’.

as^1 /az, əz/

I. adverb

1. used in comparisons to refer to the extent or degree of something

• go as fast as you can

• it tasted like grape juice but not as sweet.

2. used to emphasize an amount

• as many as twenty-two rare species may be at risk.

II. conjunction

1. used to indicate that something happens during the time when something else is taking place

• Frank watched him as he ambled through the crowd

• as she grew older, she kept more to herself.

2. used to indicate by comparison the way that something happens or is done

• they can do as they wish

• she kissed him goodbye, as usual.

3. used to add or interject a comment relating to the statement of a fact

• as you can see, I didn't go after all.

4. because; since

• I must stop now as I have to go out.

5. even though

• sweet as he is, he doesn't pay his bills

• try as he might, he failed to pull it off.

III. preposition

1. used to refer to the function or character that someone or something has

• it came as a shock

• she got a job as a cook.

2. during the time of being (the thing specified)

• he had often been ill as a child.

IV. phrases

1. as against

compared or contrasted with

• the adult literacy rate for women is 44.5 percent, as against 67.8 percent for men.

2. as and when

at the time when (used to refer to an uncertain future event)

• they deal with an issue as and when it rears its head.

3. as for

with regard to

• as for you, you'd better be quick.

4. as from (or of)

(chiefly Brit.) used to indicate the time or date from which something starts

• as from 1 January, a free market will be created

• I'm on the dole as of now.

5. as if (or though)

as would be the case if

• she behaved as if he wasn't there.

6. as if!

‹informal› I very much doubt it

• You know how pools winners always say it won't change their lives? Yeah, as if!

7. as (it) is

in the existing circumstances

• I've got enough on my plate as it is.

8. as it were

in a way (used to be less precise)

• areas which have been, as it were, pushed aside.

9. as long as

see long^1.

10. as much

see much.

11. as per /ˌaz ˈpəː /

see per.

12. as such

see such.

13. as to

with respect to; concerning

• decisions as to which patients receive treatment.

14. as was

formerly

• Guangzhou (Canton as was) is 2000 km from Beijing.

15. as well

see well^1.

16. as yet

[usu. with negative] — until now or a particular time in the past

• the damage is as yet undetermined.

17. as you do

(Brit.) ‹informal› used as an ironic comment on a somewhat unexpected statement

• on the way home I fell asleep in John's car, as you do.

– origin Middle English: reduced form of Old English alswā ‘similarly’ (see also). / usage: For a discussion of whether it is correct to say he's not as shy as I rather than he's not as shy as me or I live in the same street as she rather than I live in the same street as her see usage at personal pronoun.

as^2 /as/

I. noun

an ancient Roman copper coin.

– origin Latin, ‘a unit’.

As

symbol

the chemical element arsenic.

AS

abbreviation

Anglo-Saxon.

as-

prefix

variant spelling of ad- assimilated before s (as in assemble, assess).

ASA

abbreviation

1. Advertising Standards Authority.

2. Amateur Swimming Association.

3. American Standards Association (especially in film-speed specification)

• a 400 ASA film.

asafoetida /ˌasəˈfiːtɪdə, ˌasəˈfɛtɪdə / ‹US› asafetida

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a fetid resinous gum obtained from the roots of a herbaceous plant, used in herbal medicine and Indian cooking.

2. a Eurasian plant of the parsley family, from which asafoetida gum is obtained.
● Ferula assa-foetida, family Umbelliferae.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin, from asa (from Persian azā ‘mastic’) + foetida (see fetid).

asana /ˈɑːsənə/

I. noun

a posture adopted in performing hatha yoga.

– origin from Sanskrit āsana ‘seat, manner of sitting’.

Asansol /ˌasənˈsəʊl/

an industrial city in NE India, in West Bengal, north-west of Kolkata (Calcutta); pop. 499,300 (est. 2009).

ASAP

abbreviation

as soon as possible.

• fill in your form and send it to us ASAP.

asarabacca /ˈasərəˌbakə/

I. noun

a low-growing European evergreen plant of the birthwort family, formerly used in medicine and as an ingredient in snuff.
● Asarum europaeum, family Aristolochiaceae.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin asarum (from Greek asaron), probably compounded with a shortened form of another name for the plant in Greek.

ASB

abbreviation

Alternative Service Book.

asbestos /azˈbɛstɒs, asˈbɛstɒs, azˈbɛstɒs, azˈbɛstəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a highly heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics, and is used in brake linings and in fire-resistant and insulating materials.

2. fabric containing asbestos.

The asbestos minerals include chrysotile ( white asbestos) and several kinds of amphibole, notably amosite ( brown asbestos) and crocidolite ( blue asbestos). The danger to health caused by breathing in highly carcinogenic asbestos particles has led to more stringent control of its use.

– origin early 17th cent., via Latin from Greek asbestos ‘unquenchable’ (applied by Dioscurides to quicklime), from a- ‘not’ + sbestos (from sbennumi ‘quench’).

asbestosis /ˌazbɛˈstəʊsɪs, ˌasbɛˈstəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a lung disease resulting from the inhalation of asbestos particles, marked by severe fibrosis and a high risk of mesothelioma (cancer of the pleura).

ASBO /ˈazbəʊ/

I. noun

(Brit.) a court order which can be obtained by local authorities in order to restrict the behaviour of a person likely to cause harm or distress to the public.

– origin abbreviation of antisocial behaviour order.

Ascalon /ˈaskələn/

ancient Greek name for Ashqelon.

ascariasis /ˌaskəˈrʌɪəsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] infection of the intestine with ascarids (parasitic nematode worms).

ascarid /ˈaskərɪd / ascaris /ˈaskərɪs/

I. noun

[Zoology] a parasitic nematode worm of a family ( Ascaridae) whose members typically live in the intestines of vertebrates.

– origin late 17th cent.: from modern Latin Ascaridae (plural), from Greek askarides, plural of askaris ‘intestinal worm’.

ascend /əˈsɛnd/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — go up or climb

• she ascended the stairs

• [no obj.] we had ascended 3,000 ft.

2. climb to the summit of (a mountain or hill)

• the first traveller to ascend the mountain.

3. (of a fish or boat) move upstream along (a river).

• salmon ascend rivers from the sea to spawn.

4. [no obj.] — rise or move up through the air

• the lift ascended from his sight.

5. (of a road or flight of steps) slope or lead up

• the road ascends to the loch

• (as adj. ascending) a gently ascending forest track.

6. move up to a higher social or professional rank

• some executives ascend to top-level positions.

7. ( ascend to/into heaven) — (of a spiritual being or soul) go to heaven

• the Prophet ascended to heaven

• (as adj. ascended) the risen and ascended Christ.

8. (of a voice or sound) rise in pitch

• Carolyn's voice had ascended into high-pitched giggles.

II. phrases

ascend the throne

become king or queen.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin ascendere, from ad- ‘to’ + scandere ‘to climb’.

ascendancy /əˈsɛnd(ə)nsi / ascendency

noun — [ mass noun]

1. occupation of a position of dominant power or influence

• the ascendancy of good over evil

• [in sing.] the poor have a moral ascendancy over the rich.

2. short for Protestant ascendancy.

ascendant /əˈsɛnd(ə)nt / ascendent

I. adjective

1. rising in power or influence

• the newly ascendant liberal party.

2. [Astrology] (of a planet, zodiacal degree, or sign) on or close to the intersection of the ecliptic with the eastern horizon.

II. noun

[Astrology] the point on the ecliptic at which it intersects the eastern horizon at a particular time, typically that of a person's birth.

III. phrases

in the ascendant

rising in power or influence

• the reformers are in the ascendant.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin ascendent- ‘climbing up’, from the verb ascendere (see ascend).

ascender

noun

1. a part of a letter that extends above the level of the top of an x (as in b and f).

2. a letter having an ascender.

3. [Climbing] a device which can be clipped to a rope to act as a foothold or handhold, or to keep something in position.

ascending colon

noun

[Anatomy] the first main part of the large intestine, which passes upwards from the caecum on the right side of the abdomen.

ascension /əˈsɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. the action of rising to an important position or a higher level

• his ascension to the presidency.

2. ( Ascension) — the ascent of Christ into heaven on the fortieth day after the Resurrection.

II. derivatives

ascensional /əˈsɛnʃ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English (referring to the ascent of Christ): via Old French from Latin ascensio(n-), from the verb ascendere (see ascend).

Ascension Day

noun

the Thursday forty days after Easter, on which Christ's Ascension is celebrated in the Christian Church.

Ascension Island

a small island in the South Atlantic, incorporated with St Helena, with which it is a dependency of the UK; pop. 1,100 (est. 2009).

Ascensiontide

noun

the period of ten days from Ascension Day to Whitsun Eve.

ascent /əˈsɛnt/

I. noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. a climb or walk to the summit of a mountain or hill

• the first ascent of the Matterhorn.

2. an upward slope or path that one may walk or climb

• the ascent grew steeper.

3. an instance of rising or moving up through the air

• the first balloon ascent was in 1783.

4. a rise to a higher social or professional rank

• his ascent to power.

– origin late 16th cent.: from ascend, on the pattern of the pair of descend, descent.

ascertain /ˌasəˈteɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. find (something) out for certain; make sure of

• an attempt to ascertain the cause of the accident

• [with clause] management should ascertain whether adequate funding can be provided.

II. derivatives

1. ascertainable /asəˈteɪnəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. ascertainably

adverb

3. ascertainment /asəˈteɪnmənt /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘assure, convince’): from Old French acertener, based on Latin certus ‘settled, sure’.

ascesis /əˈsiːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of severe self-discipline, typically for religious reasons.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek askēsis ‘training’, from askein ‘to exercise’.

ascetic /əˈsɛtɪk/

I. adjective

characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons

• an ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and manual labour.

II. noun

a person who follows an ascetic life.

III. derivatives

ascetically /əˈsɛtɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin asceticus or Greek askētikos, from askētēs ‘monk’, from askein ‘to exercise’.

asceticism /əˈsɛtɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. severe self-discipline and avoiding of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons

• acts of physical asceticism.

Ascham, Roger /ˈaskəm/

( c. 1515–68), English humanist scholar and writer, noted for his treatise on archery, Toxophilus (1545), and The Scholemaster (1570), a practical and influential tract on education.

aschelminth /ˈaʃhɛlmɪnθ, ˈaskhɛlmɪnθ/

I. noun

[Zoology] an invertebrate animal belonging to a group of phyla that are distinguished by the lack of a well-developed coelom and blood vessels. Most are minute worm-like animals, including the nematodes, rotifers, and water bears.
●Phylum Nematoda and about seven minor phyla, formerly placed in a phylum Aschelminthes.

– origin from modern Latin Aschelminthes (former phylum name), from Greek askos ‘sac’ + helminth ‘worm’ (from the former belief that animals of this group had a fluid-filled internal sac).

asci /ˈaskʌɪ/

plural form of ascus.

ascidian /əˈsɪdɪən/

I. noun

[Zoology] a sea squirt.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin plural Ascidia (genus name), from Greek askidion, diminutive of askos ‘wineskin’.

ASCII /ˈaski/

abbreviation

[Computing] American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a set of digital codes representing letters, numerals, and other symbols, widely used as a standard format in the transfer of text between computers.
[as modifier]

• ASCII codes.

• ASCII format.

ascites /əˈsʌɪtiːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, causing abdominal swelling.

II. derivatives

ascitic

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek askitēs, from askos ‘wineskin’.

Asclepius /əˈskliːpɪəs / ‹Greek Mythology›

a hero and god of healing, son of Apollo.

ascomycete /ˌaskəˈmʌɪsiːt/

I. noun

[Botany] a fungus whose spores develop within asci (cylindrical sacs). They include most moulds, mildews, and yeasts, the fungal component of most lichens, and a few large forms such as morels and truffles. Compare with basidiomycete.
●Subdivision Ascomycotina (formerly class Ascomycetes): several classes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Ascomycetes (former class name), from Greek askos ‘sac’ + mukētes ‘fungi’.

ascon /ˈaskɒn/

I. noun

[Zoology] a sponge of a grade of structure of the simplest type, in the form of a tube or bag lined with choanocytes.
Compare with leucon and sycon.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin (genus name), from Greek askos ‘bag’.

ascorbate

noun

[Chemistry] a salt, ester, or the anion of ascorbic acid.

ascorbic acid /əˈskɔːbɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a vitamin found particularly in citrus fruits and green vegetables. It is essential in maintaining healthy connective tissue, and is also thought to act as an antioxidant. Severe deficiency causes scurvy. Also called vitamin C.
●A lactone; chem. formula: C_6H_8O_6.

– origin 1930s: from a-1 ‘without’ + medieval Latin scorbutus ‘scurvy’ + -ic.

ascot ascot tie

I. noun

a man's broad silk necktie.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the place name Ascot, by association with formal dress at race meetings held there.

Ascot /ˈaskət/

a town in southern England, south-west of Windsor. Its racecourse is the site of an annual race meeting.

ascribe /əˈskrʌɪb/

I. verb — [with obj.] ( ascribe something to)

1. regard something as being due to (a cause)

• he ascribed Jane's short temper to her upset stomach.

2. regard a text, quotation, or work of art as being produced by or belonging to (a particular person or period)

• a quotation ascribed to Thomas Cooper.

3. regard a quality as belonging to

• tough-mindedness is a quality commonly ascribed to top bosses.

II. derivatives

ascribable /əˈskrʌɪbəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Latin ascribere, from ad- ‘to’ + scribere ‘write’.

ascription /əˈskrɪpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the attribution of something to a cause

• the ascription of effect to cause.

2. the attribution of a text, quotation, or work of art to a particular person or period

• her ascription of the text to Boccaccio

• questions of authorial ascription.

3. the action of regarding a quality as belonging to someone or something

• the ascription of special personal qualities to political leaders.

4. [ count noun] — a preacher's words ascribing praise to God at the end of a sermon.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin ascriptio(n-), from the verb ascribere (see ascribe).

ascus /ˈaskəs/

I. noun

[Botany] a sac, typically cylindrical in shape, in which the spores of ascomycete fungi develop.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek askos ‘bag’.

ASD

noun — [ mass noun]

1. short for autistic spectrum disorder.

ASDIC /ˈazdɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Brit.) an early form of sonar used to detect submarines.

– origin First World War: said to be an acronym from Allied Submarine Detection Investigation Committee.

-ase

I. suffix

[Biochemistry] forming names of enzymes

• amylase.

– origin from (diast)ase.

ASEAN /ˈasɪən/

abbreviation

Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

aseismic /eɪˈsʌɪzmɪk/

adjective

[Geology] not characterized by earthquake activity.

asepsis /eɪˈsɛpsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the absence of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms.

2. the exclusion of bacteria and other microorganisms, typically during surgery.
Compare with antisepsis.

aseptic /eɪˈsɛptɪk/

I. adjective

1. free from contamination caused by harmful bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms; surgically sterile or sterilized.

2. (of surgical practice) aiming at the complete exclusion of harmful micro-organisms.

II. derivatives

aseptically

adverb

asexual /eɪˈsɛkʃʊəl/

I. adjective

1. without sexual feelings or associations

• she wore a grey frock, discreet and asexual.

2. [Biology] (of reproduction) not involving the fusion of gametes.

3. without sex or sexual organs

• asexual parasites.

II. noun

a person who has no sexual feelings or desires.

III. derivatives

1. asexuality /eɪsɛksʃʊˈalɪtiː /

noun

2. asexually /eɪˈsɛkʃ(ʊ)əli /

adverb

asexualize /eɪˈsɛkʃʊəlʌɪz / asexualise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› deprive of sexual qualities; make asexual

• they asexualize him by treating him like a brother

• (as adj. asexualized) the asexualized image of an idealized mother.

II. derivatives

asexualization

noun

Asgard /ˈazɡɑːd / ‹Scandinavian Mythology›

a region in the centre of the universe, inhabited by the gods.

ash^1 /aʃ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] (also ashes) — the powdery residue left after the burning of a substance

• cigarette ash

• I turned over the ashes.

2. ( ashes) — the remains of a human body after cremation or burning.

• his ashes were scattered on the waters of the Ganges River.

3. the mineral component of an organic substance, as assessed from the residue left after burning

• coal contains higher levels of ash than premium fuels.

4. ( the Ashes) — a trophy for the winner of a series of Test matches in a cricket season between England and Australia.
[from a mock obituary notice published in the Sporting Times (2 September 1882), with reference to the symbolical remains of English cricket being taken to Australia after a sensational victory by the Australians at the Oval.]

II. phrases

1. turn to ashes in one's mouth

become bitterly disappointing or worthless.

• take care your dreams don't turn to ashes in your mouth.

2. rise (or emerge) from the ashes

be renewed after destruction.

• the new Europe that has emerged from the ashes of the Second World War.

[see rise like a phoenix from the ashes (at phoenix).]

III. derivatives

ashy /ˈaʃi /

adjective

– origin Old English æsce, aexe, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch as and German Asche.

ash^2 /aʃ/

I. noun

1. (also ash tree) — a tree with compound leaves, winged fruits, and hard pale timber, widely distributed throughout north temperate regions.
●Genus Fraxinus, family Oleaceae: many species, especially the common ash ( F. excelsior).

2. [ mass noun] — the hard pale wood of the ash tree.

3. used in names of trees unrelated to the ash but with similar leaves, e.g. mountain ash.

4. an Old English runic letter, ᚫ, a vowel intermediate between a and e. It is represented in the Roman alphabet by the symbol æ or Æ (see also Æ).
[so named from the word of which it was the first letter.]

– origin Old English æsc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch es and German Esche.

ASH /aʃ/

abbreviation

(in the UK) Action on Smoking and Health.

ashamed /əˈʃeɪmd/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. embarrassed or guilty because of one's actions, characteristics, or associations

• you should be ashamed of yourself

• his clothes and manners made me ashamed of him

• [with clause] she felt ashamed that she had hit him.

2. [with infinitive] — reluctant to do something through fear of embarrassment or humiliation

• I'm ashamed to say I followed him home

• I am not ashamed to be seen with them.

II. derivatives

ashamedly /əˈʃeɪmɪdli /

adverb

– origin Old English āscamod, past participle of āscamian ‘feel shame’, from ā- (as an intensifier) + the verb shame.

Ashanti^1 /əˈʃanti / Asante

a region of central Ghana. It was annexed by Britain in 1902, becoming part of the former British colony of the Gold Coast.

Ashanti^2 /əˈʃanti / Asante

I. noun

1. a member of a people of south central Ghana.

2. [ mass noun] — the dialect of Akan spoken by the Ashanti.

II. adjective

relating to the Ashanti or their language.

– origin the name in Akan.

ash blonde ash blond

I. adjective

(of a person's hair) very pale blonde.

• she had straight, ash-blonde hair.

II. noun

a woman with very pale blonde hair.

ashcan /ˈaʃkan/

noun

(US) a dustbin.

Ashcan School

a group of American realist painters active from c. 1908 until the First World War, who painted scenes from the slums of New York. The school grew out of the group called ‘the Eight’.

Ashcroft, Dame Peggy

(1907–91), English actress; born Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft. She made her name on the stage with a number of Shakespearean roles, and won an Oscar for best supporting actress in the film A Passage to India (1984).

ash dieback

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a serious fungal disease of the European ash, characterized by the progressive death of the tree's branches

• the number of woodland sites where ash dieback has been detected has doubled.

●The disease is caused by Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus (also called Chalara fraxinea), subdivision Ascomycotina.

Ashdod /ˈaʃdɒd/

a seaport on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, situated to the south of Tel Aviv; pop. 209,200 (est. 2008).

Ashdown, Sir Paddy

(b.1941), British Liberal Democrat politician, born in India; full name Jeremy John Durham Ashdown. He was the first leader of the Liberal Democrats 1988–99.

Ashe, Arthur

(1943–93), American tennis player; full name Arthur Robert Ashe. He won the US Open singles championship in 1968 and Wimbledon in 1975, and was the first black male player to achieve world rankings.

ashen^1 /ˈaʃ(ə)n/

adjective

1. (of a person's face) very pale with shock, fear, or illness

• Eleanor's ashen face.

2. ‹literary› of or resembling ashes.

• the ashen colour of the landscape.

• the ashen morning sky.

ashen^2 /ˈaʃ(ə)n/

adjective

‹archaic› made of timber from the ash tree.

ashen-faced

adjective

very pale with shock, fear, or illness.

• it was several minutes before he emerged, ashen-faced.

Asher /ˈaʃə/

I. (in the Bible) a Hebrew patriarch, son of Jacob and Zilpah (Gen. 30:12, 13).

II. the tribe of Israel traditionally descended from the Hebrew patriarch Asher.

ashet /ˈaʃɪt/

I. noun

(Scottish) (N. English) a large plate or dish.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French assiette.

Ashgabat /ˈaʃɡəbat / Ashkhabad

the capital of the central Asian republic of Turkmenistan; pop. 744,000 (est. 2007).
Former name (1919–27) Poltoratsk.

ashine /əˈʃʌɪn/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹literary› shining

• eyes ashine in the darkness.

Ashkenazi /ˌaʃkəˈnɑːzi/

I. noun

a Jew of central or eastern European descent. More than 80 per cent of Jews today are Ashkenazim; they preserve Palestinian rather than Babylonian Jewish traditions and some still use Yiddish.
Compare with Sephardi.

II. derivatives

Ashkenazic /ˌaʃkəˈnɑːzɪk /

adjective

– origin from modern Hebrew, from Ashkenaz, grandson of Japheth, one of the sons of Noah (Gen. 10:3).

Ashkenazy, Vladimir /ˌaʃkəˈnɑːzi/

(b.1937), Russian-born pianist; full name Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy. A child prodigy, he left the Soviet Union in 1963, finally settling in Iceland in 1973.

ash key

noun

(Brit.) the winged fruit of an ash tree, growing in clusters resembling bunches of keys.

ashlar /ˈaʃlə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. masonry made of large square-cut stones, used as a facing on walls of brick or stone rubble.

• seven windows are set in ashlar along the upper floor.

• [as modifier] ashlar blocks.

2. [ count noun] — a stone used in ashlar.

– origin Middle English: from Old French aisselier from Latin axilla, diminutive of axis ‘plank’.

ashlaring

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ashlar masonry.

2. upright boarding fixed from the joists to the rafters of an attic to cut off the acute angle between the roof and the floor.

Ashley, Laura

(1925–85), Welsh fashion and textile designer, known for her use of floral patterns and romantic Victorian and Edwardian styles.

Ashmole, Elias

(1617–92), English antiquary. His collection of rarities, presented to Oxford University in 1677, formed the nucleus of the Ashmolean Museum.

Ashmolean Museum /aʃˈməʊlɪən/

a museum of art and antiquities in Oxford. It opened in 1683 and was the first public institution of its kind in England.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands /ˈaʃmɔː, ˈkɑːtɪeɪ/

an external territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean, comprising the uninhabited Ashmore Reef and Cartier Islands.

ashore /əˈʃɔː/

adverb

1. to or on the shore or land from the direction of the sea

• the seals come ashore to breed.

2. on land as opposed to at sea

• we spent the day ashore.

ash pan

noun

a tray fitted beneath a grate in which ashes can be collected and removed.

ashplant

noun

a sapling from an ash tree, typically used as a walking stick.

Ashqelon /ˈaʃkələn / Ashkelon

an ancient Mediterranean city, situated to the south of modern Tel Aviv, in Israel.
Greek name Ascalon.

ashram /ˈaʃrəm/

I. noun

(especially in South Asia) a hermitage, monastic community, or other place of religious retreat.

– origin from Sanskrit āśrama ‘hermitage’.

ashrama /ˈaʃrəmə/

I. noun

[Hinduism] any of the four stages of an ideal life, ascending from the status of pupil to the total renunciation of the world.

– origin from Sanskrit āśrama.

Ash Shariqah /ˌaʃ ʃɑːˈriːkə/

Arabic name for Sharjah.

ashtanga /aʃˈtɑːŋə / ashtanga yoga, astanga /asˈtɑːŋə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of yoga based on eight principles and consisting of a series of poses executed in swift succession, combined with deep, controlled breathing.

– origin from Hindi aṣṭaṇ or its source, Sanskrit ashṭaṅga ‘having eight parts’, from ashtán ‘eight’.

Ashton, Sir Frederick

(1904–88), British ballet dancer, choreographer, and director; full name Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton. As a choreographer he created new works as well as popular adaptations of classical ballets.

ashtray /ˈaʃtreɪ/

noun

a small receptacle for tobacco ash and cigarette ends.

Ashurbanipal /ˌaʃʊəˈbanɪpal, ˌaʃʊəˈbanɪpɑːl/

king of Assyria c. 668–627 BC, grandson of Sennacherib. A patron of the arts, he established a library of more than 20,000 clay tablets at Nineveh.

Ash Wednesday

I. noun

the first day of Lent in the Western Christian Church, marked by services of penitence.

– origin from the custom of marking the foreheads of penitents with ashes on that day.

ASI

abbreviation

airspeed indicator.

Asia /ˈeɪʒə, ˈeɪʃə/

the largest of the world's continents, constituting nearly one third of the land mass, lying entirely north of the equator except for some SE Asian islands. It is connected to Africa by the Isthmus of Suez, and borders Europe (part of the same land mass) along the Ural Mountains and across the Caspian Sea.

asiago /asɪˈɑːɡəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a strong-flavoured cow's milk cheese made in northern Italy.

– origin named after Asiago, the plateau and town in northern Italy where the cheese was first made.

Asia Minor /eɪʃəˈ mʌɪnə/

the western peninsula of Asia, which now constitutes the bulk of modern Turkey.

Asian /ˈeɪʒ(ə)n, eɪʃ(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to Asia or its people, customs, or languages.

II. noun

a native of Asia or a person of Asian descent.

III. derivatives

Asianness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin Asianus, from Greek Asianos, from Asia (see Asia). / usage: In Britain Asian is generally used to refer to people who come from (or whose parents came from) India, Pakistan, or elsewhere in South Asia, while in North America it refers to people from China, Japan, and other countries of East Asia.

Asian American

I. noun

an American who is of Asian (chiefly East Asian) descent.

II. adjective

relating to Asian Americans.

Asian Development Bank

a bank with forty-seven member countries (thirty-two are from the Asia–Pacific region) located in Manila. Its aim is to promote the economic and social progress of its developing member countries.

Asian elephant

noun

another term for Indian elephant.

Asian pear

noun

another term for nashi.

Asia-Pacific Asia-Pacific region

noun

a business region consisting of the whole of Asia as well as the countries of the Pacific Rim.

Asiatic /ˌeɪʒɪˈatɪk, ˌeɪʃɪˈatɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or deriving from Asia

• Asiatic coastal regions.

II. noun

‹offensive› an Asian person.

– origin via Latin Asiaticus from Greek Asiatikos, from Asia (see Asia). / usage: The standard and accepted term when referring to individual people is Asian rather than Asiatic, which can be offensive. However, Asiatic is standard in scientific and technical use, for example in biological and anthropological classifications.

ASIC

abbreviation

[Electronics] application specific integrated circuit.

aside /əˈsʌɪd/

I. adverb

1. to one side; out of the way

• he pushed his plate aside

• they stood aside to let a car pass

• she must put aside all her antagonistic feelings.

2. in reserve; for future use

• she set aside some money for rent.

3. used to indicate that one is dismissing a topic or changing to a new subject

• joking aside, I've certainly had my fill.

II. noun

1. a remark or passage in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but is supposed to be unheard by the other characters in the play.

• Shakespeare's use of asides and soliloquies.

2. an incidental remark, or one not intended to be heard by everyone present

• ‘Does that make him a murderer?’ whispered Alice in an aside to Fred.

III. phrases

1. aside from

(chiefly N. Amer.) apart from.

• aside from gain the commoner motives for murder are anger and jealousy.

2. take (or draw) someone aside

move someone away from a group of people in order to talk to them privately

• he took him aside and urged him to quit wasting his time and talent.

– origin Middle English (originally on side): see a^2, side.

A-side

noun

the side of a pop single regarded as the main one.

Asimov, Isaac /ˈazɪmɒf/

(1920–92), Russian-born American writer and scientist, particularly known for his works of science fiction and books on science for non-scientists. Notable science fiction works: I, Robot (1950) and Foundation (trilogy, 1951–3).

asinine /ˈasɪnʌɪn/

I. adjective

extremely stupid or foolish

• Lydia ignored his asinine remark.

II. derivatives

asininity /asɪˈnɪnɪti /

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin asininus, from asinus ‘ass’.

ASIO /ˈeɪzɪəʊ/

abbreviation

short for Australian Security Intelligence Organisation:

• the application for a warrant can only be made by the head of ASIO.

Asir Mountains /əˈsɪə/

a range of mountains in SW Saudi Arabia, running parallel to the Red Sea.

-asis -iasis

I. suffix

forming the names of diseases

• onchocerciasis

• psoriasis.

– origin via Latin from Greek.

asity /ˈasɪti/

I. noun

a stocky perching bird related to the pittas, found only in Madagascar.
●Family Philepittidae: two genera, in particular Philepitta (two species).

– origin probably a local word.

ask /ɑːsk/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — say something in order to obtain an answer or some information
[with obj. and clause]

• I asked her what she meant

• [with obj.] people are always asking questions

• [with direct speech] ‘How much further?’ I asked

• [no obj.] the old man asked about her job.

2. [no obj.] ( ask around) — talk to different people in order to find out something

• there are fine meals to be had if you ask around.

3. [no obj.] ( ask after for) — (Brit.) enquire about the health or well-being of

• if I see him I'll tell him you were asking after him.

4. [with obj.] — say to (someone) that one wants them to do or give something

• Mary asked her father for money

• [with obj. and infinitive] I asked him to call the manager

• [no obj.] don't be afraid to ask for advice.

5. [with clause] — say that one wants permission to do something

• she asked if she could move in

• [with infinitive] he asked to see the officer involved

• [with obj.] you should have asked my permission first.

6. [no obj.] ( ask for) — say that one wants to speak to

• when I arrived I asked for Katrina.

7. say that one wants (a specified amount) as a price for selling something

• he was asking £250 for the guitar.

8. expect or demand (something) of someone

• it's asking a lot, but could you look through Billy's things?

9. [with obj.] — invite (someone) to one's home or a function

• it's about time we asked Pam to dinner

• she asked him round for a drink.

10. ( ask someone along) — invite someone to join one on a group outing.

• do you want to ask him along?

11. ( ask someone out) — invite someone out on a date.

• a few boys asked her out but never the right ones.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. (US) the price at which an item, especially a financial security, is offered for sale
[as modifier]

• ask prices for bonds.

2. [with adj.] — ‹informal› a demand or situation that requires a specified degree of effort or commitment

• it is a big ask for him to go and play 90 minutes

• it was a tough ask, but they delivered.

III. phrases

1. ask me another

‹informal› used to indicate that one does not know the answer to a question

• ‘What do they quarrel about?’ queried Ruth. ‘Ask me another!’.

2. be asking for trouble (or it)

‹informal› behave in a way that is likely to result in difficulty for oneself.

• it would simply be asking for trouble for me to spend the night here.

3. don't ask me!

‹informal› used to indicate that one has no idea of the answer to a question.

• ‘Is he her boyfriend then?’ ‘Don't ask me!’.

4. for the asking

used to indicate that someone can easily have something if they want it

• the job was his for the asking.

5. I ask you!

‹informal› an exclamation of shock or disapproval intended to elicit agreement from one's listener

• ringing me up on Christmas Day, I ask you!

6. if you ask me

‹informal› used to emphasize that a statement is one's personal opinion

• if you ask me, it's just an excuse for laziness.

IV. derivatives

asker /ˈɑːskə /

noun

– origin Old English āscian, āhsian, āxian, of West Germanic origin.

askance /əˈskans, əˈskɑːns / askant /əˈskant, əˈskɑːnt/

I. adverb

with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval

• the reformers looked askance at the mystical tradition

• a waiter looked askance at his jeans.

– origin late 15th cent.: of unknown origin.

askari /əˈskɑːri/

I. noun

1. (in East Africa) a soldier or police officer.

2. ( Askari) — (S. African) ‹historical› a member of the ANC who changed sides and joined the apartheid government's police force.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Arabic ‘askarī ‘soldier’.

askew /əˈskjuː/

I. adverb, adjective

1. not in a straight or level position
[as predic. adj.]

• her hat was slightly askew.

2. wrong; awry
[as adv.]

• the plan went sadly askew.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from a-2 ‘on’ + skew.

Askey, Arthur /ˈaski/

(1900–82), English comedian and actor; full name Arthur Bowden Askey. He was particularly famous for his radio show, Band Waggon (1938–9), and also appeared in a number of films.

asking price /ˈɑːskɪŋ prʌɪs/

noun

the price at which something is offered for sale.

• the asking price is £130,000.

ASL /ˌeɪɛsˈɛl/

abbreviation

American Sign Language.

aslant /əˈslɑːnt/

I. adverb

at an angle or in a sloping direction

• some of the paintings hung aslant.

II. preposition

across (something) at an angle.

• rays of light fell aslant a door.

asleep /əˈsliːp/

I. adjective, adverb

1. in or into a state of sleep
[as adj.]

• she had been asleep for over three hours

• [as adv.] he soon fell asleep.

2. not attentive or alert; inactive
[as adj.]

• the competition was not asleep.

3. (of a limb) having no feeling; numb
[as adj.]

• his legs were asleep.

4. ‹literary› used euphemistically to indicate that someone is dead.

II. phrases

asleep at the wheel (or ‹N. Amer.› switch)

‹informal› not attentive or alert.

• our industry is asleep at the switch.

ASLEF /ˈazlɛf/

abbreviation

(in the UK) Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen.

AS level /eɪˈɛslɛvl/

noun

(in the UK except Scotland) an examination or pass at advanced subsidiary level, representing the first component of an A level qualification.
[as modifier]

• two AS level passes.

aslope /əˈsləʊp/

I. adjective, adverb

‹archaic› ‹literary› in a sloping position
[as adj.]

• the steps are aslope and broken

• [as adv.] against the mast he leans aslope.

– origin late Middle English: origin uncertain; this form appears earlier than slope.

ASM

abbreviation

1. air-to-surface missile.

2. assistant stage manager.

• I worked as an ASM at the Cambridge Arts Theatre.

Asmara /asˈmɑːrə / Asmera /asˈmɛːrə/

the capital of Eritrea; pop. 601,000 (est. 2007).

asocial /eɪˈsəʊʃ(ə)l/

adjective

avoiding social interaction; inconsiderate of or hostile to others

• a tendency to asocial behaviour.

Asoka /əˈsəʊkə / Ashoka /əˈʃəʊkə/

(died c. 232 BC), emperor of India c. 269–232 BC. He converted to Buddhism and established it as the state religion.

Asoka Chakra /ˈtʃʌkrə/

the wheel on the Indian flag, designed after a wheel on a column set up by the Emperor Asoka.

Asoka pillar /əˈsoʊkə ˌpɪlə/

a pillar with four lions on the capital, built by the Emperor Asoka at Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh to mark the spot where the Buddha publicly preached his first sermon, and adopted as a symbol by the government of India.

asp /asp/

I. noun

1. (also asp viper) — a small southern European viper with an upturned snout.
● Vipera aspis, family Viperidae.

2. another term for Egyptian cobra.

3. a large predatory Eurasian freshwater fish of the carp family.
● Aspius aspius, family Cyprinidae.

– origin Middle English: from Latin aspis, from Greek.

ASP

abbreviation

application service provider, a company providing Internet access to software applications that would otherwise have to be installed on individual computers.

asparagine /əˈsparədʒiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a hydrophilic amino acid which is a constituent of most proteins.
●An amide of aspartic acid; chem. formula: CONH_2CH_2CH(NH_2)COOH.

– origin early 19th cent.: from asparagus (which contains it) + -ine^4.

asparagus /əˈsparəɡəs/

I. noun

1. a tall plant of the lily family with fine feathery foliage, cultivated for its edible shoots.
● Asparagus officinalis, family Liliaceae.

2. [ mass noun] — the tender young shoots of the asparagus plant, eaten as a vegetable.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek asparagos.

asparagus beetle

noun

a small boldly marked leaf beetle whose adults and larvae both feed on the leaves of asparagus.
● Crioceris asparagi, family Chrysomelidae.

asparagus fern

noun

a decorative indoor or greenhouse plant with feathery foliage, which is related to the edible asparagus.
●Genus Asparagus, family Liliaceae: several species.

asparagus pea

noun

a pea plant which has edible cylindrical pods with four longitudinal wavy flanges.
● Tetragonolobus purpurea, family Leguminosae.

aspartame /əˈspɑːteɪm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a very sweet substance used as an artificial sweetener, chiefly in low-calorie products. It is a derivative of aspartic acid and phenylalanine.

aspartate /əˈspɑːteɪt/

noun

a salt or ester of aspartic acid.

aspartic acid /əˈspɑːtɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an acidic amino acid which is a constituent of most proteins, and also occurs in sugar cane. It is important in the metabolism of nitrogen in animals, and also acts as a neurotransmitter.
●Chem. formula: COOHCH_2CH(NH_2)COOH.

– origin mid 19th cent.: aspartic from French aspartique, formed arbitrarily from Latin asparagus (see asparagus).

aspect /ˈaspɛkt/

I. noun

1. a particular part or feature of something

• personal effectiveness in all aspects of life

• the financial aspect can be overstressed.

2. a particular way in which something may be considered

• from every aspect theirs was a changing world.

3. a particular appearance or quality

• the air of desertion lent the place a sinister aspect

• [ mass noun] a man of decidedly foreign aspect.

4. [usu. in sing.] — the positioning of a building or other structure in a particular direction

• a greenhouse with a southern aspect.

5. the side of a building facing a particular direction

• the front aspect of the hotel was unremarkable.

6.
a. [ mass noun] — [Grammar] a category or form which expresses the way in which time is denoted by a verb.

• the semantics of tense and aspect.

• [ count noun] four verbal aspects.

There are three aspects in English, the progressive or continuous aspect (expressing duration, typically using the auxiliary verb be with a form in -ing, as in I was reading a book), the perfect or perfective (expressing completed action, typically using the auxiliary verb have with a past participle, as in I have read the book), and unmarked aspect (as in he reads books).

7. [Astrology] any of a number of particular angular relationships between one celestial body or point on the ecliptic and another

• the sun in Aries formed an adverse aspect with Uranus in Capricorn.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Astrology] (of a planet) form an aspect with (another celestial body).

• the sun is superbly aspected by your ruler Mars on the 19th.

III. derivatives

aspectual /aˈspɛktʃʊəl /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (denoting the action or a way of looking): from Latin aspectus, from aspicere ‘look at’, from ad- ‘to, at’ + specere ‘to look’.

aspect ratio

noun

1. the ratio of the width to the height of an image or screen.

2. [Aeronautics] the ratio of the span to the mean chord of an aerofoil.

aspen /ˈasp(ə)n/

I. noun

a poplar tree with small rounded long-stalked leaves that tremble in the breeze.
●Genus Populus, family Salicaceae: several species, in particular the European P. tremula and the North American quaking aspen ( P. tremuloides).

– origin late Middle English: from dialect asp (in the same sense) + -en^2, forming an adjective later used as a noun (late 16th cent.).

Aspen

a ski resort in south central Colorado; pop. 5,902 (est. 2008).

Asperger's syndrome /ˈaspəːɡəz ˌsɪndrəʊm, ˈaspəːdʒəz ˌsɪndrəʊm / Asperger syndrome

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a developmental disorder related to autism and characterized by awkwardness in social interaction, pedantry in speech, and preoccupation with very narrow interests.

– origin named after Hans Asperger (1906–80), the Austrian psychiatrist who described the condition in 1944.

asperges /əˈspəːdʒiːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Christian Church] the rite of sprinkling holy water at the beginning of the Mass, still used occasionally in Catholic churches.

2. [ count noun] — [Christian Church] another term for aspergillum.

– origin late 16th cent.: the first word of the Latin text of Psalms 50(51):7 (literally ‘thou shalt purge’, but translated in the Authorized Version as ‘purge me’), recited before mass during the sprinkling of holy water.

aspergillosis /ˌaspədʒɪˈləʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a condition in which certain fungi infect the tissues, most commonly the lungs.
●The fungi are blackish moulds of the genus Aspergillus, subdivision Deuteromycotina.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Aspergillus, from aspergillum, + -osis.

aspergillum /ˌaspəˈdʒɪləm/

I. noun

an implement for sprinkling holy water.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin.

asperity /əˈspɛrɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. harshness of tone or manner

• he pointed this out with some asperity.

2. ( asperities) — harsh qualities or conditions

• the asperities of a harsh and divided society.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘hardship, rigour’): from Old French asperite, or Latin asperitas, from asper ‘rough’.

aspermia /eɪˈspəːmɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] failure to produce semen, or absence of sperms from the semen.

asperse /əˈspəːs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› attack or criticize the reputation or integrity of

• he aspersed the place and its inhabitants.

II. derivatives

asperser /əˈspəːsə /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘spatter with liquid’): from Latin aspers- ‘sprinkled’, from the verb aspergere, from ad- ‘to’ + spargere ‘sprinkle’.

aspersion /əˈspəːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — (usu. aspersions)

1. an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something

• I don't think anyone is casting aspersions on you.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the sprinkling of water, especially at baptism): from Latin aspersio(n-), from aspergere (see asperse).

asphalt /ˈasfalt, ˈasfəlt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mixture of dark bituminous pitch with sand or gravel, used for surfacing roads, flooring, roofing, etc.

2. the pitch used in asphalt, sometimes found in natural deposits but usually made by the distillation of crude oil.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. surface with asphalt.

III. derivatives

asphaltic /asˈfaltɪk /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from French asphalte, based on late Latin asphalton, asphaltum, from Greek asphalton.

aspherical

I. adjective

(especially of an optical lens) not spherical.

II. derivatives

1. aspheric

adjective

2. aspherically

adverb

asphodel /ˈasfədɛl/

I. noun

1. a Eurasian plant of the lily family, typically having long slender leaves and flowers borne on a spike.
●Genera Asphodelus and Asphodeline, family Liliaceae. See also bog asphodel.

2. ‹literary› an everlasting flower said to grow in the Elysian fields.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek asphodelos; compare with daffodil.

asphyxia /əsˈfɪksɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death; suffocation.

II. derivatives

1. asphyxial /əsˈfɪksɪəl /

adjective

2. asphyxiant /əsˈfɪksiənt /

adjective, noun

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘stopping of the pulse’): modern Latin, from Greek asphuxia, from a- ‘without’ + sphuxis ‘pulse’.

asphyxiate /əsˈfɪksɪeɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. kill (someone) by depriving them of air

• they were asphyxiated by the carbon monoxide fumes.

2. [no obj.] — die by being deprived of air

• they slowly asphyxiated.

asphyxiation /əsfɪksɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or process of being deprived of oxygen, which can result in unconsciousness or death; suffocation

• the cause of death was asphyxiation.

aspic /ˈaspɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a savoury jelly made with meat stock, set in a mould and used to contain pieces of meat, seafood, or eggs

• chicken in aspic

• ‹figurative› a world preserved in aspic, far removed from mass unemployment.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, literally ‘asp’, from the colours of the jelly as compared with those of the snake.

aspidistra /ˌaspɪˈdɪstrə/

I. noun

a bulbous plant of the lily family with broad tapering leaves, native to eastern Asia and widely grown as a houseplant.
●Genus Aspidistra, family Liliaceae.

– origin early 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek aspis, aspid- ‘shield’ (because of the shape of the stigma), on the pattern of Tupistra, a related genus.

Aspie /ˈaspi / ‹informal›

I. noun

a person with Asperger's syndrome

• an author and self-described Aspie.

II. adjective

having or displaying characteristics of Asperger's syndrome

• my home-educated Aspie daughter has read quite a few of these books

• I'm quite Aspie.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation of Asperger's syndrome.

aspirant /əˈspʌɪər(ə)nt, ˈasp(ɪ)r(ə)nt/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. having ambitions to achieve something, typically to follow a particular career

• an aspirant politician.

II. noun

a person who has ambitions to achieve something

• an aspirant to the throne.

– origin mid 18th cent. (as a noun): from Latin aspirant- ‘aspiring’, from the verb aspirare (see aspire).

aspirate

I. verb — [with obj.] aspirate /ˈaspəreɪt /

1. (often as adj. aspirated) — [Phonetics] pronounce (a sound) with an exhalation of breath

• the aspirated allophone of p occurs in ‘pie’.

2. [no obj.] — pronounce the sound of h at the beginning of a word.

• Londoners are always aspirating where they should not, and never aspirating where they should.

3. [Medicine] breathe (something) in; inhale

• some drowning victims don't aspirate any water.

4. draw (fluid) by suction from a vessel or cavity.

• bile was aspirated through a catheter.

5. (usu. as adj. aspirated) — provide (an internal-combustion engine) with air

• the superchargers produce twice the power of standard aspirated engines.

See also normally aspirated.

II. noun — aspirate /ˈasp(ə)rət /

1. [Phonetics] an aspirated consonant.

2. a sound of h.

3. [ mass noun] — [Medicine] matter that has been drawn from the body by suction.

• gastric aspirate.

• [ count noun] oesophageal aspirates.

III. adjective — aspirate /ˈasp(ə)rət /

1. [Phonetics] (of a sound) pronounced with an exhalation of breath; aspirated.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin aspiratus ‘breathed’, past participle of aspirare (see aspire).

aspiration /aspəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (usu. aspirations) — a hope or ambition of achieving something

• the needs and aspirations of the people

• [ mass noun] the yawning gulf between aspiration and reality.

2. [ mass noun] — [Medicine] the action or process of drawing breath.

3. the action of drawing fluid by suction from a vessel or cavity.

• bathing solutions were changed by careful aspiration.

4. [ mass noun] — [Phonetics] the action of pronouncing a sound with an exhalation of breath.

• there is no aspiration if the syllable begins with s.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 3): from Latin aspiratio(n-), from the verb aspirare (see aspire).

aspirational /ˌaspɪˈreɪʃən(ə)l/

I. adjective

having or characterized by aspirations to achieve social prestige and material success

• young, aspirational, and independent women.

II. derivatives

aspirationally

adverb

aspirational voter

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a voter whose primary concern is the achievement of personal success and material gain

• the party will need the support of young aspirational voters in critical marginal seats.

aspirator /ˈaspɪreɪtə/

noun

[Medicine] an instrument or apparatus for aspirating fluid from a vessel or cavity.

aspire /əˈspʌɪə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. direct one's hopes or ambitions towards achieving something

• we never thought that we might aspire to those heights

• [with infinitive] other people will aspire to be like you.

2. ‹literary› rise high; tower.

• above the domes of loftiest mosques these pinnacles aspire.

– origin late Middle English: from French aspirer or Latin aspirare, from ad- ‘to’ + spirare ‘breathe’.

aspirin /ˈasp(ə)rɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic compound used medicinally to relieve mild or chronic pain and to reduce fever and inflammation, usually taken in tablet form.

• she made herself some tea and took some aspirin.

●Alternative name: acetylsalicylic acid; chem. formula: C_6H_4(OCOCH_3)COOH.

2. (in general use) a tablet of any mild painkilling drug.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German, from acetylierte Spirsäure ‘acetylated salicylic acid’ (the element Spir- being from the plant genus name Spiraea).

aspiring /əˈspʌɪərɪŋ/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. directing one's hopes or ambitions towards becoming a specified type of person

• an aspiring artist.

asportation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [English Law] ‹rare› the detachment, movement, or carrying away of property, formerly an essential component of the crime of larceny.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin asportatio(n-), from asportare ‘carry away’.

asprawl

adverb, adjective

sprawling
[as predic. adj.]

• she lay, legs and arms asprawl.

asquint

I. adverb, adjective

with a glance to one side or from the corner of the eyes
[as adv.]

• a woman looked asquint at me.

– origin Middle English: perhaps from a-2 ‘on’ + a Low German or Dutch word related to modern Dutch schuinte ‘slant’.

Asquith, Herbert Henry /ˈaskwɪθ/

1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1852–1928), British Liberal statesman, Prime Minister 1908–16.

ass^1 /as/

I. noun

1. a hoofed mammal of the horse family, which is typically smaller than a horse and has longer ears and a braying call.
●Genus Equus, family Equidae: E. africanus of Africa, which is the ancestor of the domestic ass or donkey, and E. hemionus of Asia.

2. (in general use) a donkey.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› a foolish or stupid person

• that ass of a young man.

II. phrases

make an ass of oneself

‹informal› behave in a way that makes one look foolish or stupid.

• I made an awful ass of myself.

– origin Old English assa, from a Celtic word related to Welsh asyn, Breton azen, based on Latin asinus.

ass^2 /ɑːs, as/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› a person's buttocks or anus.

2. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› women regarded as a source of sexual gratification.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› oneself (used in phrases for emphasis).

II. phrases

1. bust one's ass

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› try very hard to do something.

2. chew (someone's) ass

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› reprimand (someone) severely.

3. drag (or tear or haul) ass

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› hurry or move fast.

4. get your ass in (or into) gear

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› hurry.

5. not give (or care) a rat's ass

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› not care at all about something.

6. put (or have) someone's ass in a sling

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› get someone in trouble.

7. whip (or bust) someone's ass

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› beat someone in a fight or contest.

III. derivatives

assed

adjective

[in combination]

• fat-assed guys

– origin mid 19th cent.: variant of arse.

-ass

combining form

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› used in derogatory terms as an intensifier

• smart-ass.

Assad, Hafiz al- /ˈasad/

(1930–2000), Syrian Baath statesman, President 1971–2000. He strengthened Syria's oil-based economy and suppressed political opposition such as the uprising of Muslim extremists (1979–82).

assai /aˈsʌɪ/

I. adverb — [usu. postpositive] [as submodifier]

1. [Music] (in directions) very

• allegro assai.

– origin Italian, ‘very much’.

assail /əˈseɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make a concerted or violent attack on

• the Scots army assailed Edward's army from the rear.

2. (of an unpleasant feeling or physical sensation) come upon (someone) suddenly and strongly

• she was assailed by doubts and regrets.

3. criticize strongly.

• he assailed a group of editors for their alleged excesses.

II. derivatives

assailable /əˈseɪləb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French asaill-, stressed stem of asalir, from medieval Latin assalire, from Latin assilire, from ad- ‘to’ + salire ‘to leap’; compare with assault.

assailant /əˈseɪl(ə)nt/

noun

a person who physically attacks another.

• the police have no firm leads about the identity of his assailant.

Assam /aˈsam/

a state in NE India; capital, Dispur. Most of the state lies in the valley of the Brahmaputra River; it is noted for the production of tea.

Assamese /ˌasəˈmiːz/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Assam.

2. [ mass noun] — the Indic language which is the official language of Assam, related to Bengali and spoken by around 23 million people, roughly half in Assam and half in Bangladesh.

II. adjective

relating to Assam, its people, or their language.

assart /əˈsɑːt / ‹Brit. historical›

I. noun

1. a piece of land converted from forest to arable use.

• an assart cut from the woods a few years back.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of converting forest to arable use.

• heavy penalties were imposed for waste and assart.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (forest) to arable use.

• the Earl of Salisbury was convicted of having assarted 2,300 acres of the parks in 1604.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun): from Old French essarter, from medieval Latin ex(s)artare, based on ex ‘out’ + sar(r)ire ‘to weed’. The verb dates from the early 16th cent.

assassin /əˈsasɪn/

I. noun

1. a person who murders an important person for political or religious reasons.

2. ( Assassin) — a member of the Nizari branch of Ismaili Muslims at the time of the Crusades, when the newly established sect ruled part of northern Persia (1094–1256). They were renowned as militant fanatics, and were popularly reputed to use hashish before going on murder missions.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, or from medieval Latin assassinus, from Arabic ḥašīšī ‘hashish-eater’.

assassinate /əˈsasɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. murder (an important person) for political or religious reasons.

• the organization's leader had been assassinated four months before the coup.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin assassinat- ‘killed’, from the verb assassinare, from assassinus (see assassin).

assassination /əˌsasɪˈneɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of assassinating someone

• the assassination of President Kennedy

• [as modifier] a failed assassination attempt.

• [ count noun] a wave of bombings and assassinations.

assassin bug

noun

a long-legged predatory or bloodsucking bug which occurs chiefly in the tropics and feeds mainly on other arthropods. Some of those that bite humans can transmit microorganisms such as that causing Chagas' disease.
●Family Reduviidae, suborder Heteroptera: numerous species.

assault /əˈsɔːlt, əˈsɒlt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make a physical attack on

• he pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer

• she was sexually assaulted as a child.

2. carry out a military attack or raid on (an enemy position).

• they left their strong position to assault the hill.

3. bombard with something undesirable or unpleasant

• thunder assaulted the ears.

II. noun

1. a physical attack

• his imprisonment for an assault on the film director

• a sexual assault.

2. [Law] an act that threatens physical harm to a person, whether or not actual harm is done

• he admitted an assault and two thefts

• [ mass noun] he appeared in court charged with assault.

3. a military attack or raid on an enemy position

• troops began an assault on the city.

4. a strong verbal attack

• an articulate assault on all forms of prejudice.

5. a concerted attempt to do something demanding

• a winter assault on Mt Everest.

III. derivatives

assaulter

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French asaut (noun), assauter (verb), based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + saltare, frequentative of salire ‘to leap’. Compare with assail.

assault and battery

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the action of threatening a person together with the action of making physical contact with them.

• officers investigated 531 cases of assault and battery.

assault course

noun

(Brit.) a course through which the participants must run, negotiating obstacles to be climbed, crawled under, crossed on suspended ropes, etc., as used for training soldiers.

assaultive /əˈsɔːltɪv/

adjective

1. tending or likely to commit an assault

• they found that assaultive men had abusive parents.

2. aggressive or forcefully assertive.

• his loud, assaultive playing style can leave you cowering.

assault rifle

noun

a lightweight rifle developed from the sub-machine gun, which may be set to fire automatically or semi-automatically.

assay /əˈseɪ, ˈaseɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the testing of a metal or ore to determine its ingredients and quality

• submission of plate for assay.

2. [ count noun] — a procedure for measuring the biochemical or immunological activity of a sample.

• each assay was performed in duplicate.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. determine the content or quality of (a metal or ore).

• the man who assayed gold was more than a technician.

2. determine the biochemical or immunological activity of (a sample).

• cell contents were assayed for enzyme activity.

3. examine (something) in order to assess its nature

• stepping inside, I quickly assayed the clientele.

4. ‹archaic› attempt

• I assayed a little joke of mine on him.

III. derivatives

assayer /əˈseɪə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the general sense ‘testing, or a test of, the merit of someone or something’): from Old French assai (noun), assaier (verb), variant of essai ‘trial’, essayer ‘to try’ (see essay).

assay office

noun

1. an establishment for the assaying of ores and metals.

2. (Brit.) an institution authorized to award hallmarks to articles made from precious metals. There are currently four in Britain, at London, Birmingham, Sheffield, and Edinburgh.

ass-backwards /asˈbakwədz / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. adverb

in a manner contrary to what is usual, expected, or logical

• I never did like to do anything simple when I could do it ass-backwards.

II. adjective

contrary to what is usual, expected, or logical.

assclown /ˈasˌklaʊn/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› a stupid or contemptible person.

assegai /ˈasəɡʌɪ / assagai

I. noun

1. a slender, iron-tipped, hardwood spear used chiefly by southern African peoples.

2. (also assegai wood) — a South African tree of the dogwood family, which yields hard timber.
● Curtisia dentata, family Cornaceae.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. wound or kill with an assegai.

• he was a very brave man but he was eventually assegaied.

– origin early 17th cent.: from obsolete French azagaie or Portuguese azagaia, from Arabic az-zaġāyah, from az, al ‘the’ + Berber zaġāyah ‘spear’.

assemblage /əˈsɛmblɪdʒ/

noun

1. a collection or gathering of things or people

• a loose assemblage of diverse groups.

2. a machine or object made of pieces fitted together

• some vast assemblage of gears and cogs.

3. a work of art made by grouping together found or unrelated objects.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of gathering or fitting things together.

• the assemblage of electronic image and text databases.

assemble /əˈsɛmb(ə)l/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of people) gather together in one place for a common purpose

• a crowd had assembled outside the gates.

2. [with obj.] — cause (people or things) to gather together for a common purpose

• he assembled the surviving members of the group for a tour.

3. (usu. as noun assembling) — [Entomology] (of male moths) gather for mating in response to a pheromone released by a female.

4. [with obj.] — fit together the separate component parts of (a machine or other object)

• my new machine is being assembled and my old one dismantled.

5. [with obj.] — [Computing] translate (a program) from a symbolic language into machine code.

• assemble the program and produce a file suitable to input to the simulator.

– origin Middle English: from Old French asembler, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + simul ‘together’.

assemblé /ˌasɒ̃ˈbleɪ/

noun

[Ballet] a leap in which the feet are brought together before landing.

assembler /əˈsɛmblə/

noun

1. a person who assembles a machine or its parts.

2. [Computing] a program for converting instructions written in low-level symbolic code into machine code.

3. another term for assembly language.

assembly /əˈsɛmbli/

I. noun

1. a group of people gathered together in one place for a common purpose

• an assembly of dockers and labourers.

2. a group of people elected to make laws or decisions for a particular country or region.

• the 577-seat National Assembly.

• the UN General Assembly.

3. [ mass noun] — the action of gathering together as a group for a common purpose

• a decree guaranteeing freedom of assembly.

4. the regular gathering of the teachers and pupils of a school at the start or end of the day

• he was told off for talking in assembly.

5. (usu. the assembly) — ‹chiefly historical› a signal for troops to assemble, given by drum or bugle.

6. [ mass noun] [often as modifier] — the action of fitting together the component parts of a machine or other object

• a car assembly plant.

7. [ count noun] — a unit consisting of components that have been fitted together

• the tail assembly of the aircraft.

8. [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier] — [Computing] the conversion of instructions in low-level code to machine code.

– origin Middle English: from Old French asemblee, feminine past participle of asembler (see assemble).

assembly language

noun

[Computing] a low-level symbolic code converted by an assembler.

assembly line

noun

a series of workers and machines in a factory by which a succession of identical items is progressively assembled.

assemblyman /əˈsɛmblimən/

noun

(chiefly US) a person who is a member of a legislative assembly.

assembly point

noun

a location designated as the place for a group to meet or for people to gather in an emergency

• there were three different assembly points for the demonstration

• after calling the fire service the manager should proceed to the assembly point.

assembly room

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a public room or hall in which meetings or social functions are held.
[in names]

• the Derby Assembly Rooms.

assembly shop

noun

a place where a machine or its components are assembled.

• this photo is of the assembly shop for rocket carriers.

assemblywoman /əˈsɛmblɪˌwʊmən/

noun

(chiefly US) a female member of a legislative assembly

• a state assemblywoman and lead sponsor of the bill.

assent /əˈsɛnt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the expression of approval or agreement

• a loud murmur of assent

• he nodded assent.

2. official agreement or sanction

• the act was given the Royal Assent.

II. verb — [no obj.] (often assent to)

1. express approval or agreement

• the Prime Minister assented to the change

• [with direct speech] ‘Guest house, then,’ Frank assented cheerfully.

III. derivatives

assenter assentor

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French as(s)enter (verb), as(s)ente (noun), based on Latin assentire, from ad- ‘towards’ + sentire ‘feel, think’.

assert /əˈsəːt/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully
[with clause]

• the company asserts that the cuts will not affect development

• [with obj.] he asserted his innocence.

2. [with obj.] — cause others to recognize (one's authority or a right) by confident and forceful behaviour

• the good librarian is able to assert authority when required.

3. ( assert oneself) — behave or speak in a confident and forceful manner

• it was time to assert himself.

II. derivatives

1. assertable /əˈsəːtəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. asserter /əˈsəːtə / assertor

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin asserere ‘claim, affirm’, from ad- ‘to’ + serere ‘to join’.

assertion /əˈsəːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a confident and forceful statement of fact or belief
[with clause]

• his assertion that his father had deserted the family.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of asserting something

• the assertion of his legal rights.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin assertio(n-), from the verb asserere (see assert).

assertive /əˈsəːtɪv/

I. adjective

having or showing a confident and forceful personality

• the job may call for assertive behaviour.

II. derivatives

assertively /əˈsəːtɪvli /

adverb

assertiveness /əˈsəːtɪvnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. confident and forceful behaviour

• she has difficulty standing up for herself, even when assertiveness may be warranted.

asses /ˈasɪz/

plural form of as^2, ass^1, ass^2.

asses' bridge

noun

English term for pons asinorum.

assess /əˈsɛs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality of

• the committee must assess the relative importance of the issues

• [with clause] it is difficult to assess whether this is a new trend.

2. calculate or estimate the price or value of

• the damage was assessed at £5 billion.

3. set the value of a tax, fine, etc., for (a person or property) at a specified level

• all empty properties will be assessed at 50 per cent.

II. derivatives

assessable /əˈsɛsəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French assesser, based on Latin assidere ‘sit by’ (in medieval Latin ‘levy tax’), from ad- ‘to, at’ + sedere ‘sit’. Compare with assize.

assessment /əˈsɛsmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of assessing someone or something

• the assessment of educational needs

• assessments of market value.

assessor /əˈsɛsə/

noun

1. a person who evaluates the quality of a person or thing

• the assessor interviews the candidates and observes them actually using the language.

2. a person who calculates or estimates the price or value of something

• loss assessors were beginning to get an idea of the extent of the damage

• the county tax assessor had reported separate valuations for the buildings and the land.

3. a person who is knowledgeable in a particular field and is called upon for advice, typically by a judge or committee of inquiry

• the expert assessor recommended that the applicant have sole custody.

asset /ˈasɛt/

I. noun

1. a useful or valuable thing or person

• quick reflexes were his chief assets

• the school is an asset to the community.

2. (usu. assets) — an item of property owned by a person or company, regarded as having value and available to meet debts, commitments, or legacies

• growth in net assets.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the plural in the sense ‘sufficient estate to allow discharge of a will’): from an Anglo-Norman French legal term, from Old French asez ‘enough’, based on Latin ad ‘to’ + satis ‘enough’.

asset-backed

adjective

denoting securities having as collateral the return on a series of mortgages, credit agreements, or other forms of lending.

asset stripping

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of taking over a company in financial difficulties and selling each of its assets separately at a profit without regard for the company's future.

II. derivatives

asset stripper

noun

asseveration /əˌsɛvəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the solemn or emphatic declaration or statement of something

• I fear that you offer only unsupported asseveration

• [ count noun] the dogmatic outlook marks many of his asseverations.

II. derivatives

asseverate /əˈsɛvəreɪt /

verb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin asseveratio(n-), from the verb asseverare, from ad- ‘to’ + severus ‘serious’.

asshat /ˈashat/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› a stupid or contemptible person.

asshole

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› a person's anus.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› a stupid, irritating, or contemptible person.

– origin 1930s: variant of arsehole.

assibilate /əˈsɪbɪleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Phonetics] pronounce (a sound) as a sibilant or affricate ending in a sibilant (e.g. sound t as ts).

II. derivatives

assibilation /əsɪbɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin assibilat- ‘hissed at’, from the verb assibilare, from ad- ‘to’ + sibilare ‘to hiss’.

assiduity /ˌasɪˈdjuːɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. constant or close attention to what one is doing

• the assiduity with which he could wear down his opponents.

2. ( assiduities) — ‹archaic› ‹literary› constant attentions to someone.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin assiduitas, from assiduus ‘occupied with’ (see assiduous).

assiduous /əˈsɪdjʊəs/

I. adjective

showing great care and perseverance

• she was assiduous in pointing out every feature.

II. derivatives

assiduousness /əˈsɪdjʊəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin assiduus, from assidere ‘be engaged in doing’ (see assess), + -ous.

assiduously /əˈsɪdjʊəsli/

adverb

with great care and perseverance

• leaders worked assiduously to hammer out an action plan.

assign /əˈsʌɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. allocate (a job or duty)

• Congress had assigned the task to the agency

• [with two objs] his leader assigned him this mission.

2. appoint (someone) to a job, task, or organization

• she has been assigned to a new job.

3. designate or set (something) aside for a specific purpose

• managers happily assign large sums of money to travel budgets.

4. ( assign something to) — attribute something as belonging to

• it is difficult to decide whether to assign the victory to Godwin.

5. transfer (legal rights or liabilities).

• they will ask you to assign your rights against the airline.

II. noun

[Law] another term for assignee (sense 1).

• this agreement shall be binding upon the parties and their successors and assigns.

III. derivatives

1. assignable /əˈsʌɪnəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. assigner assignor

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French asigner, assiner, from Latin assignare, from ad- ‘to’ + signare ‘to sign’.

assignation /asɪɡˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an appointment to meet someone in secret, typically one made by lovers

• his assignation with an older woman.

2. [ mass noun] — the allocation or attribution of someone or something as belonging to something.

• this document explains the principles governing the assignation of lexical units to lexemes.

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘command, appointment to office, or allotment of revenue’): via Old French from Latin assignatio(n-), from the verb assignare (see assign).

assignee /asɪˈniː, asʌɪˈniː/

I. noun

1. [chiefly Law] a person to whom a right or liability is legally transferred.

2. [chiefly Law] a person appointed to act for another.

– origin Middle English: from Old French assigne, past participle of assigner ‘allot’ (see assign).

assignment /əˈsʌɪnm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a task or piece of work allocated to someone as part of a job or course of study

• a homework assignment.

2. [ mass noun] — the allocation of a job or task to someone

• the effective assignment of tasks.

3. [ mass noun] — the allocation of someone or something as belonging to a particular group or category

• the assignment of individuals to particular social positions.

4. an act of making a legal transfer of a right or liability

• an assignment of leasehold property.

5. a document effecting a legal transfer of a right or liability.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French assignement, from medieval Latin assignamentum, from Latin assignare ‘allot’ (see assign).

assimilate /əˈsɪmɪleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take in and understand fully (information or ideas)

• Marie tried to assimilate the week's events.

2. absorb and integrate (people, ideas, or culture) into a wider society or culture

• pop trends are assimilated into the mainstream with alarming speed.

3. (of the body or any biological system) absorb and digest (food or nutrients).

• the sugars in the fruit are readily assimilated by the body.

4. regard as similar; liken

• philosophers had assimilated thought to perception.

5. [no obj.] — become similar

• the Churches assimilated to a certain cultural norm.

6. [Phonetics] make (a sound) more like another in the same or next word.

• the ‘v’ in ‘fivepence’ may be assimilated to a voiceless ‘f’ (because of the ‘p’).

II. derivatives

1. assimilable /əˈsɪmɪləb(ə)l /

adjective

2. assimilative /əˌsɪmɪˈleɪtɪv /

adjective

3. assimilator

noun

4. assimilatory

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin assimilat- ‘absorbed, incorporated’, from the verb assimilare, from ad- ‘to’ + similis ‘like’.

assimilation /əsɪmɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of taking in and fully understanding information or ideas

• the assimilation of the knowledge of the Greeks.

2. the absorption and integration of people, ideas, or culture into a wider society or culture

• the assimilation of Italians into American society.

3. the absorption and digestion of food or nutrients by the body or any biological system

• nitrate assimilation usually takes place in leaves.

4. the process of becoming similar to something

• Watson was ready to work for the assimilation of Scots law to English law where he thought it was justified.

5. [Phonetics] the fact of a sound being made more like another in the same or next word

• when p is preceded by some Latin prefixes, it is doubled because of the assimilation of a consonant, as in 'apparent' (ad-parent)

• [as count noun] there are many assimilations and elisions of consonants and vowels.

assimilationist

noun

a person who advocates or participates in racial or cultural integration.
[as modifier]

• the assimilationist policies of the right.

Assisi^1 /əˈsiːsi/

a town in the region of Umbria in central Italy; pop. 27,507 (2008). It is famous as the birthplace of St Francis, whose tomb is located there.

Assisi^2 /əˈsiːsi/

see Clare of Assisi, St.

Assisi^3 /əˈsiːsi/

see Francis of Assisi, St.

assist /əˈsɪst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. help (someone), typically by doing a share of the work

• a senior academic would assist him in his work

• [no obj.] their presence would assist in keeping the peace.

2. help by providing money or information

• they were assisting police with their inquiries

• [no obj.] funds to assist with capital investment.

3. [no obj.] — be present as a helper

• two midwives who assisted at a water birth.

II. noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) an act of giving help, typically by providing money

• the budget must have an assist from tax policies.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) (in sport) an act of touching the ball in a play in which a teammate scores or an opposing batter is put out

• Elliot had 10 points and five assists.

III. derivatives

1. assister

noun

2. assistive

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French assister, from Latin assistere ‘take one's stand by’, from ad- ‘to, at’ + sistere ‘take one's stand’.

assistance /əˈsɪst(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of helping someone by sharing work

• the work was completed with the assistance of carpenters.

2. the provision of money, resources, or information to help someone

• schemes offering financial assistance to employers

• she will be glad to give advice and assistance.

II. phrases

1. be of assistance

be of practical use or help

• the guide will be of assistance to development groups.

2. come to someone's assistance

act to help someone.

• the speaker was hoping for someone to come to his assistance.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from medieval Latin assistentia, from Latin assistere (see assist).

assistant /əˈsɪst(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a person who ranks below a senior person

• the managing director and his assistant

• [as modifier] an assistant manager.

2. [with adj. or noun modifier] — a person who helps in particular work

• a care assistant.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from medieval Latin assistent- ‘taking one's stand beside’, from the verb assistere (see assist).

assistant professor

noun

(N. Amer.) a university teacher ranking immediately below an associate professor.

assistant referee

noun

another term for referee's assistant.

assistantship /əˈsɪstəntʃɪp/

noun

(N. Amer.) a paid academic appointment made to a graduate student that involves part-time teaching or research.

assisted area

noun

(in the UK) a region receiving government grants or loans for industrial development.

assisted dying

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice whereby a person suffering from a terminal illness or incurable condition is helped to take their own life, especially by means of lethal drugs provided by a doctor for the purpose

• assisted dying is lawful in Switzerland and the Netherlands.

assisted immigrant

noun

(chiefly Austral.) ‹historical› an immigrant who received financial assistance, usually in the form of a paid passage

• the majority of assisted immigrants were British.

assisted place

noun

(in the UK) a place in an independent school for a pupil whose fees are wholly or partially subsidized by the state.

assisted suicide

noun — [ mass noun]

1. suicide effected with the assistance of another person, especially the taking of lethal drugs provided by a doctor for the purpose by a patient suffering from a terminal illness or incurable condition

• lawyers sought clarification regarding the position of health care professionals in cases of assisted suicide

• [ count noun] rather than endure the slow, unrelenting progress of the illness, she has chosen an assisted suicide in Zurich.

assize /əˈsʌɪz/

I. noun — (usu. assizes)

1. ‹historical› a court which formerly sat at intervals in each county of England and Wales to administer the civil and criminal law. In 1972 the civil jurisdiction of assizes was transferred to the High Court, and the criminal jurisdiction to the Crown Court.

– origin Middle English: from Old French assise, feminine past participle of asseeir ‘sit, settle, assess’, from Latin assidere (see assess).

ass-kicking

adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› forceful or aggressive.

ass-kissing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› obsequious behaviour in order to gain favour.

• a master of ass-kissing and flattery.

• [as modifier] liberals have let academe be taken over by ass-kissing opportunists.

II. derivatives

ass-kisser /ˈaskɪsə /

noun

assload

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› a large number or amount of something.

Assoc.

abbreviation

(as part of a title) Association.

associate

I. verb — [with obj.] (often associate someone/thing with) associate /əˈsəʊʃɪeɪt, əˈsəʊsɪeɪt /

1. connect (someone or something) with something else in one's mind

• I associated wealth with freedom.

2. connect (something) with something else because they occur together or one produces the other

• the environmental problems associated with nuclear waste.

3. ( be associated with) — be involved with.

• she has been associated with the project from the first.

4. ( associate oneself with) — allow oneself to be connected with or seen to be supportive of

• I cannot associate myself with some of the language used.

5. [no obj.] — meet or have dealings with someone regarded with disapproval

• he began to associate with the Mafia.

II. noun — associate /əˈsəʊʃɪət, əˈsəʊsɪət /

1. a partner or companion in business or at work

• a close associate of the Minister.

2. a person with limited or subordinate membership of an organization.

• an Associate of the Linnaean Society.

3. [chiefly Psychology] a concept connected with another.

• the patient was asked to commit to memory a list of five paired associates.

III. adjective — [ attrib.] associate /əˈsəʊʃɪət, əˈsəʊsɪət /

1. connected with an organization or business

• an associate company.

2. having shared function or membership but with a lesser status

• the associate director of the academy.

IV. derivatives

1. associability /əˌsəʊʃəˈbɪləti /

noun

2. associable /əˈsəʊʃ(ɪ)əb(ə)l /

adjective

3. associateship /əˈsəʊsɪətʃɪp, əˈsəʊʃɪətʃɪp /

noun

4. associator

noun

– origin late Middle English (as a verb in the sense ‘join with in a common purpose’; as an adjective in the sense ‘allied’): from Latin associat- ‘joined’, from the verb associare, from ad- ‘to’ + socius ‘sharing, allied’.

associated /əˈsəʊʃieɪtɪd/

adjective

1. (of a person or thing) connected with something else

• two associated events.

2. (of a company) connected or amalgamated with another company or companies.

3. [Chemistry] (of liquids) in which the molecules are held together by hydrogen bonding or other weak interaction.

Associated Press AP

an international news agency based in New York City.

associate professor

noun

(N. Amer.) an academic ranking immediately below full professor.

• he is associate professor of dermatology at the university.

association /əsəʊʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, əsəʊsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (often in names) a group of people organized for a joint purpose

• the National Association of Probation Officers.

2. [Ecology] a stable plant community including a characteristic group of dominant plant species.

• a bog association containing ericaceous plants.

3. a connection or cooperative link between people or organizations

• he developed a close association with the university

• [ mass noun] the programme was promoted in association with the Department of Music.

4. [ mass noun] — the process or state of becoming a subordinate member of an organization
[as modifier]

• an association agreement between Bulgaria and the EU.

5. [Chemistry] the linking of molecules through hydrogen bonding or other interaction short of full bond formation.

6. (usu. associations) — a mental connection between things

• the word bureaucracy has unpleasant associations.

7. [ mass noun] — the action of making a mental connection

• there's nothing new in the association of fasting with spirituality.

8. [ mass noun] — the state of occurring with something else; co-occurrence

• cases of cancer found in association with colitis.

II. derivatives

associational

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘uniting in a common purpose’): from medieval Latin associatio(n-), from Latin associare ‘to unite, ally’ (see associate).

association area

noun

[Anatomy] a region of the cortex of the brain which connects sensory and motor areas, and which is thought to be concerned with higher mental activities.

Association football

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) more formal term for soccer.

associationism /əsəʊsiˈeɪʃnɪzəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a theory in philosophy or psychology which regards the simple association or co-occurrence of ideas or sensations as the primary basis of meaning, thought, or learning.

II. derivatives

associationist

noun, adjective

Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN

a regional organization intended to promote economic cooperation and now comprising the countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Brunei.

associative /əˈsəʊʃ(ɪ)ətɪv, əˈsəʊsɪətɪv/

adjective

1. of or involving the association of things

• making associative links.

2. [Computing] of or denoting computer storage in which items are identified by content rather than by address.

3. [Mathematics] involving the condition that a group of quantities connected by operators gives the same result whatever their grouping, i.e. in whichever order the operations are performed, as long as the order of the quantities remains the same, e.g. ( a × b) × c = a × ( b × c).

assonance /ˈas(ə)nəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. resemblance of sound between syllables of nearby words, arising particularly from the rhyming of two or more stressed vowels, but not consonants (e.g. sonnet, porridge), but also from the use of identical consonants with different vowels (e.g. killed, cold, culled).

• the use of assonance throughout the poem creates the sound of despair.

• [ count noun] alliterative assonances such as ‘fail’ and ‘fall’ are very common in Old English poetry.

II. derivatives

1. assonant /ˈasənənt /

adjective

2. assonate /ˈas(ə)neɪt /

verb

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from Latin assonare ‘respond to’, from ad- ‘to’ + sonare (from sonus ‘sound’).

assort /əˈsɔːt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — [Genetics] (of genes or characteristics) become distributed among cells or progeny.

• banding on the shell assorts independently of colour.

• the chromosomes of the father and the mother assort into 23 pairs.

2. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› place in a group; classify

• he would assort it with the fabulous dogs as a monstrous invention.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French assorter, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + sorte ‘sort, kind’.

assortative

adjective

denoting or involving the preferential mating of animals or marriage between people with similar characteristics.

• assortative mating.

assorted /əˈsɔːtɪd/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. of various sorts put together; miscellaneous

• bowls in assorted colours.

assortment /əˈsɔːtm(ə)nt/

noun

a miscellaneous collection of things or people

• the room was filled with an assortment of clothes.

ASSR

abbreviation

‹historical› Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.

Asst

abbreviation

Assistant.

assuage /əˈsweɪdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense

• the letter assuaged the fears of most members.

2. satisfy (an appetite or desire)

• an opportunity occurred to assuage her desire for knowledge.

II. derivatives

assuagement

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French assouagier, asouagier, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ (expressing change) + suavis ‘sweet’.

assuasive /əˈsweɪsɪv/

I. adjective

‹rare› soothing or calming

• trombone and piano combine in a tone at once astringent and oddly assuasive.

– origin early 18th cent.: formed after the pattern of assuage and persuasive.

As Sulaymaniyah /as/

full name of Sulaymaniyah.

assume /əˈsjuːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. suppose to be the case, without proof

• topics which assume detailed knowledge of local events

• [with clause] it is reasonable to assume that such changes have significant social effects

• [with obj. and infinitive] they were assumed to be foreign.

2. take or begin to have (power or responsibility)

• he assumed full responsibility for all organizational work.

3. seize (power or control).

• the rebels assumed control of the capital.

4. begin to have (a specified quality, appearance, or extent)

• militant activity had assumed epidemic proportions.

5. take on or adopt (a manner or identity), sometimes falsely

• Oliver assumed an expression of penitence

• she puts on a disguise, assumes a different persona, and cruises the squalid bars on the bad side of town

• (as adj. assumed) a man living under an assumed name.

II. derivatives

1. assumable

adjective

2. assumedly

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Latin assumere, from ad- ‘towards’ + sumere ‘take’.

assuming /əˈsjuːmɪŋ/

I. conjunction

used for the purpose of argument to indicate a premise on which a statement can be based

• assuming that the treaty is ratified, what is its relevance?

II. adjective

‹archaic› arrogant or presumptuous.

assumption /əˈsʌm(p)ʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof

• they made certain assumptions about the market

• [with clause] we're working on the assumption that the time of death was after midnight.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of taking on power or responsibility.

• the assumption of an active role in regional settlements.

3. ( Assumption) — the reception of the Virgin Mary bodily into heaven. This was formally declared a doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church in 1950.

4. the feast in honour of the Assumption, celebrated on 15 August.

5. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› arrogance or presumption.

– origin Middle English (in sense 3): from Old French asompsion or Latin assumptio(n-), from the verb assumere (see assume).

assumptive

I. adjective

1. ‹rare› of the nature of an assumption.

2. ‹archaic› arrogant or presumptuous.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘taken, adopted’): from Latin assumptivus, from the verb assumere (see assume).

Assur /ˈaʃʊə / Asur, Ashur

an ancient city state of Mesopotamia, situated on the River Tigris to the south of modern Mosul. It was the traditional capital of the Assyrian empires.

assurance /əˈʃʊər(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. a positive declaration intended to give confidence; a promise
[with clause]

• he gave an assurance that work would begin on Monday.

2. [ mass noun] — confidence or certainty in one's own abilities

• she drove with assurance.

3. certainty about something

• assurance of faith depends on our trust in God.

4. [ mass noun] — (chiefly Brit.) insurance, specifically life insurance.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French, from assurer ‘assure’. / usage: In the context of life insurance, a technical distinction is made between assurance and insurance. Assurance is used of policies under whose terms a payment is guaranteed, either after a fixed term or on the death of the insured person; insurance is the general term, and is used in particular of policies under whose terms a payment would be made only in certain circumstances (e.g. accident or death within a limited period).

assure /əˈʃʊə, əˈʃɔː/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — tell someone something positively to dispel any doubts
[with obj. and clause]

• Tony assured me that there was a supermarket in the village

• [with obj. and direct speech] ‘I quite understand,’ Mrs Lewis assured her

• [with obj.] they assured him of their full confidence.

2. ( assure oneself) — make sure of something

• she assured herself that he was asleep.

3. [with obj.] — make (something) certain to happen

• victory was now assured

• [with clause] their influence assured that the report would be tough.

4. ( be assured of) — be certain to get

• you would be assured of a welcome.

5. (chiefly Brit.) cover (a life) by assurance.

• we guarantee to assure your life.

6. secure the future payment of (an amount) with insurance.

• the sum assured can be paid as a lump sum.

II. derivatives

assurer /əˈʃʊərə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French assurer, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ (expressing change) + securus (see secure).

assured /əˈʃʊəd/

I. adjective

1. confident

• an extremely assured performance.

2. [ attrib.] — protected against discontinuance or change

• an assured tenancy.

II. derivatives

assuredness

noun

assuredly /əˈʃʊərədli, əˈʃɔːrədli/

adverb

1. confidently

• the lad kept his cool and assuredly slipped the ball between the posts.

2. [as sentence adverb]

a. used to express the speaker's certainty that something is true

• potted roses will most assuredly not survive winter without protection.

Assyria /əˈsɪrɪə/

an ancient country in what is now northern Iraq. From the early part of the 2nd millennium BC Assyria was the centre of a succession of empires; it was at its peak in the 8th and late 7th centuries BC, when its rule stretched from the Persian Gulf to Egypt. It fell in 612 BC to a coalition of Medes and Babylonians.

Assyrian /əˈsɪrɪən/

I. noun

1. an inhabitant of ancient Assyria.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of ancient Assyria, a dialect of Akkadian.

3. [ mass noun] — a dialect of Aramaic still spoken by a group of people of mainly Christian faith living in the mountains of Syria, northern Iraq, and surrounding regions.

II. adjective

1. relating to ancient Assyria or its language.

2. relating to or denoting modern Assyrian or its speakers.

Assyriology /əˌsɪrɪˈɒlədʒɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the language, history, and antiquities of ancient Assyria.

II. derivatives

1. Assyriological

adjective

2. Assyriologist /əˌsɪrɪˈɒlədʒɪst /

noun

AST

abbreviation

Atlantic Standard Time (see Atlantic time).

astable /eɪˈsteɪb(ə)l/

adjective

[chiefly Electronics] relating to a system or electric circuit which oscillates spontaneously between unstable states.

Astaire, Fred /əˈstɛː/

(1899–1987), American dancer, singer, and actor; born Frederick Austerlitz. He is famous for starring in a number of film musicals, including Top Hat (1935), in a successful partnership with Ginger Rogers.

Astana /əˈstɑːnə/

a city in Kazakhstan, the capital since 1997; pop. 550,400 (est. 2006).
Former name Akmola.

Astarte /əˈstɑːti/

a Phoenician goddess of fertility and sexual love who corresponds to the Babylonian and Assyrian goddess Ishtar and who became identified with the Egyptian Isis, the Greek Aphrodite, and others.

astatic /əˈstatɪk/

I. adjective

[Physics] (of a system or instrument) consisting of or employing a combination of magnets suspended in a uniform magnetic field on a single wire or thread in such a way that no torque is present.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek astatos ‘unstable’ + -ic.

astatine /ˈastətiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: At) — the chemical element of atomic number 85, a radioactive member of the halogen group. Astatine was first produced by bombarding bismuth with alpha particles, and it occurs in traces in nature as a decay product.

– origin 1940s: from Greek astatos ‘unstable’ + -ine^4.

aster /ˈastə/

I. noun

a plant of a large genus that includes the Michaelmas daisy, typically having purple or pink rayed flowers.
●Genus Aster, family Compositae: numerous species. See also China aster.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘a star’): via Latin from Greek astēr ‘star’.

-aster

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. denoting poor quality

• criticaster

• poetaster.

3. [Botany] denoting incomplete resemblance

• oleaster.

– origin from Latin.

asterisk /ˈastərɪsk/

I. noun

a symbol (*) used in text as a pointer to an annotation or footnote.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark (a word or piece of text) with an asterisk
(as adj. asterisked)

• asterisked entries.

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek asteriskos ‘small star’, diminutive of astēr. / usage: Asterisk is pronounced with an -isk sound at the end, to match the spelling, and not as though it were spelled -ix. Asterix is a character in a cartoon strip.

asterism /ˈastərɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. [Astronomy] a prominent pattern or group of stars that is smaller than a constellation.

2. a group of three asterisks (⁂) drawing attention to a piece of text.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek asterismos, from astēr ‘star’.

astern /əˈstəːn/

I. adverb

behind or towards the rear of a ship or aircraft

• the engine rooms lay astern.

– origin late Middle English: from a-2 (expressing position or direction) + stern^2.

asteroid /ˈastərɔɪd/

I. noun

1. a small rocky body orbiting the sun. Large numbers of these, ranging enormously in size, are found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, though some have more eccentric orbits.

2. [Zoology] an echinoderm of the class Asteroidea, which comprises the starfishes.

II. adjective

[Zoology] relating to or denoting echinoderms of the class Asteroidea.

III. derivatives

asteroidal /astəˈrɔɪd(ə)l /

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek asteroeidēs ‘starlike’, from astēr ‘star’.

Asteroidea /ˌastəˈrɔɪdɪə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a class of echinoderms that comprises the starfishes.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek asteroeidēs ‘starlike’, from astēr ‘star’.

asthenia /əsˈθiːnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormal physical weakness or lack of energy.

• the asthenia of chronic respiratory disease.

II. derivatives

asthenic /asˈθɛnɪk /

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek astheneia, from asthenēs ‘weak’.

asthenosphere /əsˈθɛnəsfɪə/

I. noun

[Geology] the upper layer of the earth's mantle, below the lithosphere, in which there is relatively low resistance to plastic flow and convection is thought to occur.

II. derivatives

asthenospheric

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek asthenēs ‘weak’ + sphere.

asthma /ˈasmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a respiratory condition marked by attacks of spasm in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing. It is usually connected to allergic reaction or other forms of hypersensitivity.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin asma, from Greek asthma, from azein ‘breathe hard’.

asthmatic /asˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or suffering from asthma.

II. noun

a person who suffers from asthma.

III. derivatives

asthmatically

adverb

– origin early 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek asthmatikos, from asthma (see asthma).

Asti /ˈasti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white wine from the Italian province of Asti and neighbouring parts of Piedmont.

2. a light sparkling wine from the Asti region.

astigmatism /əˈstɪɡmətɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a defect in the eye or in a lens caused by a deviation from spherical curvature, which results in distorted images, as light rays are prevented from meeting at a common focus.

II. derivatives

astigmatic /astɪɡˈmatɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘without’ + Greek stigma ‘point’ + -ism.

astilbe /əˈstɪlbi/

I. noun

an Old World plant of the saxifrage family, with plumes of tiny white, pink, or red flowers.
●Genus Astilbe, family Saxifragaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek a- ‘not’ + stilbē, feminine of stilbos ‘glittering’ (because the individual flowers are small and inconspicuous).

astir /əˈstəː/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. in a state of excited movement

• the streets are all astir.

2. awake and out of bed

• he woke before anyone was astir.

– origin late 18th cent.: from a-2 ‘on’ + the noun stir^1.

Asti Spumante /ˌasti sp(j)uːˈmanteɪ, -ti/

noun

another term for Asti (sense 2).

Aston, Francis William

(1877–1945), English physicist. He invented the mass spectrograph (with J. J. Thomson) and eventually discovered many of the 287 naturally occurring isotopes of non-radioactive elements. Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1922).

astonish /əˈstɒnɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. surprise or impress (someone) greatly

• you never fail to astonish me

• [with obj. and clause] it astonished her that he was so anxious.

– origin early 16th cent. (as astonished, in the sense ‘stunned, bewildered, dismayed’): from obsolete astone ‘stun, stupefy’, from Old French estoner, based on Latin ex- ‘out’ + tonare ‘to thunder’.

astonished /əˈstɒnɪʃt/

adjective

greatly surprised or impressed; amazed

• he was astonished at the change in him

• we were astonished to hear of this decision.

astonishing /əˈstɒnɪʃɪŋ/

adjective

extremely surprising or impressive; amazing

• an astonishing achievement

• I find it astonishing that they ever thought it could work.

astonishingly /əˈstɒnɪʃɪŋli/

adverb

1. extremely surprisingly or impressively

• this recording is, if anything, even more astonishingly played

• [as submodifier] some of the best food is astonishingly cheap.

2. [ sentence adverb] — used to express surprise at an event or situation

• astonishingly, the novel is still selling 7,600 copies a year.

astonishment /əˈstɒnɪʃmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. great surprise

• she looked at him in astonishment.

Astor, Nancy /ˈastə/

Viscountess (1879–1964), American-born British Conservative politician; born Nancy Witcher Langhorne. She became the first woman to sit in the House of Commons when she succeeded her husband as MP for Plymouth in 1919.

astound /əˈstaʊnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. shock or greatly surprise

• her bluntness astounded him.

– origin Middle English (as an adjective in the sense ‘stunned’): from astoned, past participle of obsolete astone (see astonish).

astounding /əˈstaʊndɪŋ/

adjective

surprisingly impressive or notable

• the summit offers astounding views.

astoundingly /əˈstaʊndɪŋli/

adverb

1. surprisingly impressively or notably

• both cars handle competently and precisely, if not astoundingly

• [as submodifier] an astoundingly good performance.

2. [ sentence adverb] — used to express surprise at a situation or event

• astoundingly, even after all these centuries something of his effort survives.

astraddle /əˈstrad(ə)l/

I. preposition

with the legs stretched widely on each side of

• policemen sitting astraddle motorcycles.

II. adjective, adverb

with the legs stretched widely on each side
[as predic. adj.]

• with her legs astraddle

• [as adv.] the guys got me astraddle of the wheel.

Astraea /aˈstriːə / ‹Astronomy›

I. asteroid 5, discovered in 1845 (diameter 125 km).

– origin from the name of a Roman goddess associated with justice.

astragal /ˈastrəɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a moulding or wooden strip of semicircular cross section.

2. [Architecture] a narrow semicircular moulding round the top or bottom of a column.

3. a bar separating panes of glass in cabinetmaking.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from astragalus, partly via French astragale.

astragalus /əˈstraɡ(ə)ləs/

I. noun

1. [chiefly Zoology] another term for talus^1 (ankle bone).

2. ( astragali) — ‹historical› small bones used as dice.

3. a plant of a genus that includes milk vetch.
●Genus Astragalus, family Leguminosae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek astragalos ‘ankle bone, moulding’, also the name of a plant.

astrakhan /ˌastrəˈkan/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the dark curly fleece of young karakul lambs from central Asia.
[as modifier]

• an astrakhan collar.

2. a fabric imitating astrakhan.

– origin mid 18th cent.: named after the city of Astrakhan, from which the fleeces were exported.

Astrakhan /ˌastrəˈkɑːn/

a city in southern Russia, on the delta of the River Volga; pop. 503,100 (est. 2008).

astral /ˈastr(ə)l/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. relating to or resembling the stars

• astral navigation.

2. relating to a supposed non-physical realm of existence to which various psychic and paranormal phenomena are ascribed, and in which the physical human body is said to have a counterpart

• spiritual beings from the astral plane.

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin astralis, from astrum ‘star’.

astrantia /əˈstrantɪə/

I. noun

a plant of the parsley family with small compact starlike heads of tiny flowers surrounded by prominent bracts, native to Europe and western Asia.
●Genus Astrantia, family Umbelliferae: several species, in particular A. major, which is often grown in gardens.

– origin modern Latin, perhaps from Greek astēr ‘star’.

astray /əˈstreɪ/

I. adverb

1. away from the correct path or direction

• we went astray but a man redirected us.

2. into error or morally questionable behaviour

• he was led astray by boozy colleagues.

II. phrases

go astray

(of an object) become lost or mislaid

• the money had gone astray.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘distant from the correct path’): from an Anglo-Norman French variant of Old French estraie, past participle of estraier, based on Latin extra ‘out of bounds’ + vagari ‘wander’.

astride /əˈstrʌɪd/

preposition, adverb

1. with a leg on each side of
[as prep.]

• he was sitting astride the bike

• [as adv.] he sat on the chair astride.

2. [as adv.] — (of a person's legs) apart

• he stood, legs astride.

3. [as prep.] — extending across

• the port stands astride an international route.

astringent /əˈstrɪn(d)ʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. causing the contraction of skin cells and other body tissues

• an astringent skin lotion.

2. sharp or severe in manner or style

• her astringent words had their effect.

3. (of taste or smell) sharp or bitter.

• an astringent smell of rotting apples.

II. noun

an astringent lotion applied to the skin to reduce bleeding from minor abrasions or as a cosmetic to make the skin less oily.

III. derivatives

1. astringency /əˈstrɪndʒ(ə)nsi /

noun

2. astringently

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Latin astringent- ‘pulling tight’, from the verb astringere, from ad- ‘towards’ + stringere ‘bind, pull tight’.

astro- /ˈastrəʊ/

I. combining form

1. relating to the stars or celestial objects

• astrodome

• astrophotography.

2. relating to outer space

• astrochemistry.

– origin from Greek astron ‘star’.

astro-archaeology

noun

another term for archaeoastronomy.

astrobiology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of biology concerned with the study of life on earth and in space.

II. derivatives

1. astrobiological

adjective

2. astrobiologist

noun

astrobleme /ˈastrəʊbliːm/

I. noun

[Geology] an eroded remnant of a large crater made by the impact of a meteorite or comet.

– origin 1960s: from Greek astron ‘star’ + blēma ‘wound’.

astrochemistry

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of molecules and ions occurring in stars and interstellar space.

II. derivatives

1. astrochemical

adjective

2. astrochemist

noun

astrocompass

noun

an instrument designed to indicate direction with respect to the stars.

astrocyte /ˈastrə(ʊ)sʌɪt/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a star-shaped glial cell of the central nervous system.

II. derivatives

astrocytic

adjective

astrodome /ˈastrədəʊm/

noun

1. (chiefly US) an enclosed stadium with a domed roof.

• the Houston Astrodome.

2. a domed window in an aircraft for astronomical observations.

astrogation /ˌastrə(ʊ)ˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in science fiction) navigation in outer space.

II. derivatives

astrogator

noun

– origin 1930s: blend of astro- and navigation.

astroid /ˈastrɔɪd/

noun

[Mathematics] a hypocycloid with four cusps (like a square with concave sides).

astrolabe /ˈastrəleɪb/

I. noun

‹chiefly historical› an instrument used to make astronomical measurements, typically of the altitudes of celestial bodies, and in navigation for calculating latitude, before the development of the sextant.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French astrelabe, from medieval Latin astrolabium, from Greek astrolabon, neuter of astrolabos ‘star-taking’.

astrologer /əˈstrɒlədʒə / astrologist /əˈstrɒlədʒə/

noun

a person who uses astrology to tell others about their character or to predict their future

• he was advised by astrologers to delay his departure.

astrological /astrəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

of or relating to astrology

• the astrological sign of Taurus.

II. derivatives

astrologically

adverb

astrology /əˈstrɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world.

Ancient observers of the heavens developed elaborate systems of explanation based on the movements of the sun, moon, and planets through the constellations of the zodiac, for predicting events and for casting horoscopes. By 1700 astrology had lost intellectual credibility in the West, but continued to have popular appeal. Modern astrology is based on that of the Greeks, but other systems are extant, e.g. that of China.

II. derivatives

astrologist /əˈstrɒlədʒɪst /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French astrologie, from Latin astrologia, from Greek, from astron ‘star’.

astromancy /ˈastrəʊmansi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› divination by the stars; astrology

• the religious community was, generally, antagonistic to astromancy.

astrometric binary

noun

[Astronomy] a binary star system in which one companion is invisible, but is known to be present from its effect on measurements relating to the other.

astrometry /əˈstrɒmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the measurement of the positions, motions, and magnitudes of stars.

II. derivatives

astrometric

adjective

astronaut /ˈastrənɔːt/

I. noun

a person who is trained to travel in a spacecraft.

II. derivatives

astronautical /astrəˈnɔːtɪk(ə)l /

adjective

– origin 1920s: from astro-, on the pattern of aeronaut and aquanaut.

astronautics /astrəˈnɔːtɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the science and technology of space travel and exploration.

astronomer /əˈstrɒnəmə/

noun

an expert in or student of astronomy.

astronomical /astrəˈnɒmɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to astronomy.

• astronomical observations.

2. ‹informal› (of an amount) extremely large

• he wanted an astronomical fee.

II. derivatives

1. astronomic /ˌastrəˈnɒmɪk /

adjective

astronomical (sense 2)

2. astronomically /astrəˈnɒmɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek astronomikos, from astronomia (see astronomy).

astronomical unit AU

noun

[Astronomy] a unit of measurement equal to 149.6 million kilometres, the mean distance from the centre of the earth to the centre of the sun.

astronomy /əˈstrɒnəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of science which deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole.

In ancient times, observation of the sun, moon, stars, and planets formed the basis of timekeeping and navigation. Astronomy was greatly furthered by the invention of the telescope, but modern observations are made in all parts of the spectrum, including X-ray and radio frequencies, using terrestrial and orbiting instruments and space probes.

– origin Middle English (also denoting astrology): from Old French astronomie, from Latin astronomia, from Greek, from astronomos (adjective) ‘star-arranging’.

astrophotography

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of photography in astronomy.

II. derivatives

1. astrophotographer

noun

2. astrophotographic

adjective

astrophysicist /ˌastrəʊˈfɪzɪsɪst/

noun

an expert in or student of astrophysics.

astrophysics /astrə(ʊ)ˈfɪzɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of astronomy concerned with the physical nature of stars and other celestial bodies, and the application of the laws and theories of physics to the interpretation of astronomical observations.

II. derivatives

astrophysical /astrə(ʊ)ˈfɪzɪk(ə)l /

adjective

AstroTurf /ˈastrətəːf/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› an artificial grass surface used for sports fields.

– origin 1960s: from astrodome (sense 1) (where it was first used) + turf.

astroturfing /ˈastrəʊtəːfɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the deceptive practice of presenting an orchestrated marketing or public relations campaign in the guise of unsolicited comments from members of the public.

– origin 1990s: from AstroTurf, the idea being that such a campaign is an artificial version of a grass-roots campaign (see grass roots).

Asturian /aˈstʊəriən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Spanish region of Asturias, its inhabitants, or the language spoken there

• I did a wonderful walk along the Asturian coast.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the language of the Spanish region of Asturias

• slogans translated into Spanish and Asturian.

2. a native or inhabitant of the Spanish region of Asturias

• the Asturian had already shown his ability against Barcelona.

Asturias /aˈstʊərɪəs/

an autonomous region and former principality of NW Spain; capital, Oviedo.

astute /əˈstjuːt/

I. adjective

having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage

• an astute businessman.

II. derivatives

astuteness /əˈstjuːtnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from obsolete French astut or Latin astutus, from astus ‘craft’.

astutely /əˈstjuːtli/

adverb

accurately assessing situations or people; perceptively

• she astutely pointed out that usually you have to be dead to be a legend.

astylar /əˈstʌɪlə/

I. adjective

[Architecture] (of a classical building) lacking columns or pilasters.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘without’ + Greek stulos ‘column’ + -ar^1.

Asunción /əˌsʊnsɪˈɒn, asunˈθjon Spanish asunˈsjon//

the capital and chief port of Paraguay; pop. 519,100 (est. 2007).

asunder /əˈsʌndə/

I. adverb

‹archaic› ‹literary› apart

• those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.

– origin Old English on sundran ‘in or into a separate place’; compare with sunder.

asura /ˈʌsʊrə/

noun

a member of a class of divine beings in the Vedic period, which in Indian mythology tend to be evil and in Zoroastrianism are benevolent.
Compare with deva.

ASV

abbreviation

American Standard Version (of the Bible).

Aswan /asˈwɑːn/

a city on the Nile in southern Egypt, 16 km (10 miles) north of Lake Nasser; pop. 266,000 (est. 2006). Two dams across the Nile have been built nearby. The controlled release of water from Lake Nasser behind the High Dam produces the greater part of Egypt's electricity.

aswarm /əˈswɑːm/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. crowded or full

• the streets were aswarm with vendors.

aswim /əˈswɪm/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. swimming

• sardines aswim in oil.

aswirl

adjective, adverb

covered or surrounded with something swirling; swirling
[as adv.]

• she shook her head, sending the streamers aswirl.

ASX

noun

the Australian Stock Exchange

• the ASX requires that shareholders be given the opportunity to vote on the disposal of their investment.

asylee /əsʌɪˈliː/

noun

a person who is seeking or has been granted political asylum.

asylum /əˈsʌɪləm/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] (also political asylum) — the protection granted by a state to someone who has left their home country as a political refugee

• she applied for asylum and was granted refugee status

• [as modifier] his asylum application was refused.

2. shelter or protection from danger.

• we provide asylum for those too ill to care for themselves.

3. ‹dated› an institution for the care of people who are mentally ill.

• he'd been committed to an asylum.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘place of refuge’, especially for criminals): via Latin from Greek asulon ‘refuge’, from asulos ‘inviolable’, from a- ‘without’ + sulon ‘right of seizure’. Current senses date from the 18th cent.

asylum seeker

noun

a person who has left their home country as a political refugee and is seeking asylum in another

• only asylum seekers who are granted refugee status are allowed to work in the country.

asymmetrical /eɪsɪˈmɛtrɪkl/

I. adjective

1. having parts which fail to correspond to one another in shape, size, or arrangement; lacking symmetry

• the church has an asymmetrical plan with an aisle only on one side.

2. having parts or aspects which are not equal or equivalent

• the asymmetrical relationship between a landlord and a tenant.

II. derivatives

1. asymmetric /eɪsɪˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

2. asymmetrically

adverb

asymmetrical warfare

noun — [ mass noun]

1. warfare involving surprise attacks by small, simply armed groups on a nation armed with modern high-tech weaponry.

asymmetric bars

plural noun

a pair of bars of different heights used in women's gymnastics.

asymmetry /eɪˈsɪmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of equality or equivalence between parts or aspects of something; lack of symmetry.

• there was an asymmetry between the right and left ears.

• the global system is marked by great asymmetry: the most important goods are controlled by groups in a relatively small number of countries.

• [ count noun] gravitational asymmetries had pulled the sphere out of shape.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek asummetria, from a- ‘without’ + summetria (see symmetry).

asymptomatic /eɪˌsɪmptəˈmatɪk/

adjective

[Medicine] (of a condition or a person) producing or showing no symptoms.

• infection is usually asymptomatic.

• the disease was transmitted by the asymptomatic mother.

asymptote /ˈasɪm(p)təʊt/

I. noun

a straight line that continually approaches a given curve but does not meet it at any finite distance.

II. derivatives

1. asymptotic /ˌasɪm(p)ˈtɒtɪk /

adjective

2. asymptotically

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin asymptota (linea) ‘(line) not meeting’, from Greek asumptōtos ‘not falling together’, from a- ‘not’ + sun ‘together’ + ptōtos ‘apt to fall’ (from piptein ‘to fall’).

asynchronous /eɪˈsɪŋkrənəs/

I. adjective

1. not existing or occurring at the same time.

2. [Computing] [Telecommunications] controlling the timing of operations by the use of pulses sent when the previous operation is completed rather than at regular intervals.

3. (of a machine or motor) not working in time with the alternations of current.

4. [Astronomy] (of a satellite) revolving round the parent planet at a different rate from that at which the planet rotates.

II. derivatives

1. asynchronously

adverb

2. asynchrony

noun

asyndeton /əˈsɪndɪt(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the omission or absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentence, as in I came, I saw, I conquered.
[ count noun]

• syntactically unmarked but semantically connected asyndeta.

II. derivatives

asyndetic /asɪnˈdɛtɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek asundeton, neuter of asundetos ‘unconnected’, from a- ‘not’ + sundetos ‘bound together’.

asystole /eɪˈsɪstəli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which the heart ceases to beat.

II. derivatives

asystolic /eɪsɪsˈtɒlɪk /

adjective

at^1 /at, ət/

I. preposition

1. expressing location or arrival in a particular place or position

• they live at Conway House

• they stopped at a small trattoria.

2. used in speech to indicate the sign @ in email addresses, separating the address holder's name from their location.

3. expressing the time when an event takes place

• the children go to bed at nine o'clock

• his death came at a time when the movement was split.

4. (followed by a noun without a determiner) denoting a particular period of time

• the sea is cooler at night.

5. (followed by a noun without a determiner) denoting the time spent by someone attending an educational institution or workplace

• it was at university that he first began to perform.

6. denoting a particular point or level on a scale

• prices start at £18,500

• driving at 50 mph.

7. referring to someone's age

• at fourteen he began to work as a postman.

8. expressing a particular state or condition

• his ready smile put her at ease

• they were at a disadvantage.

9. expressing a relationship between an individual and a skill

• boxing was the only sport I was any good at

• she was getting much better at hiding her reactions.

10. expressing the object of a look, thought, action, or plan

• I looked at my watch

• Leslie pointed at him

• policies aimed at reducing taxation.

11. expressing the target of a shot from a weapon

• they tore down the main street, firing at anyone in sight.

12. expressing an incomplete or attempted action, typically involving repeated movements

• she clutched at the thin gown

• he hit at her face with the gun.

13. expressing the means by which something is done

• holding a prison officer at knifepoint

• ‹figurative› her pride had taken a beating at his hands.

II. phrases

1. at all

see all.

2. at first

see first.

3. at it

engaged in some activity, typically a reprehensible one

• the council is at it again, wanting to turn another green patch into a carpark.

4. at last

see last^1.

5. at least

see least.

6. at most

see most.

7. at once

see once.

8. at that

in addition; furthermore

• it was not fog but smoke, and very thick at that.

9. where it's at

‹informal› the focus of fashion or style

• building your own palace is where it's at.

10. where someone is at

‹informal› someone's true or fundamental nature or character

• I think we've got enough information to have an idea of where he's at.

– origin Old English æt, of Germanic origin; related to Old Frisian et and Old Norse at, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin ad ‘to’.

at^2 /ɑːt, at/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Laos, equal to one hundredth of a kip.

– origin Thai.

At

symbol

the chemical element astatine.

at-

prefix

variant spelling of ad- assimilated before t (as in attend, attenuate).

Atacama Desert /ˌatəˈkɑːmə/

an arid region of western Chile, extending roughly 965 km (600 miles) southwards from the Peruvian border.

atactic /əˈtaktɪk/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] (of a polymer or polymer structure) in which the repeating units have no regular stereochemical configuration.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek ataktos, from a- ‘not’ + taktos ‘arranged’ + -ic.

Atalanta /ˌatəˈlantə / ‹Greek Mythology›

a huntress who would marry only someone who could beat her in a foot race. She was beaten when a suitor threw down three golden apples which she stopped to pick up.

ataman /ˈatəman/

I. noun

a Cossack leader.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Russian.

ataraxy /ˈatəraksi / ataraxia /ˌatəˈraksɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› a state of serene calmness.

II. derivatives

1. ataractic

adjective

2. ataraxic

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from French ataraxie, from Greek ataraxia ‘impassiveness’, from a- ‘not’ + tarassein ‘disturb’.

Atatürk, Kemal /ˈatətəːk/

(1881–1938), Turkish general and statesman, President 1923–38; also called Kemal Pasha. He was elected the first President of the Turkish republic, taking the name of Atatürk (‘father of the Turks’) in 1934. He abolished the caliphate and introduced other policies designed to make Turkey a modern secular state.

atavistic /ˌatəˈvɪstɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral

• atavistic fears and instincts.

II. derivatives

1. atavism /ˈatəvɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. atavistically

adverb

– origin late 19th cent.: based on Latin atavus ‘forefather’ + the adjectival suffix -istic.

ataxia /əˈtaksɪə / ataxy /əˈtaksi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the loss of full control of bodily movements.

II. derivatives

ataxic /əˈtaksɪk /

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek, from a- ‘without’ + taxis ‘order’. The original sense was ‘irregularity, disorder’, later (in medical use) denoting irregularity of function or symptoms.

ATB

abbreviation

all-terrain bike.

at-bat ‹Baseball›

I. noun

a player's turn at batting, as officially recorded

• he had three singles in four at-bats.

II. adverb

batting.

• an infielder hit safely in seven consecutive times at bat.

ATC

abbreviation

1. air traffic control or air traffic controller.

2. (in Britain) Air Training Corps.

ate /ɛt, eɪt/

past of eat.

ATE

abbreviation

automated test equipment.

-ate^1

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. denoting status or office

• doctorate

• episcopate.

3. denoting a state or function

• curate

• mandate.

4. denoting a group

• electorate.

5. [Chemistry] denoting a salt or ester, especially of an acid with a corresponding name ending in -ic

• chlorate

• nitrate.

6. denoting a product of a chemical process

• condensate

• filtrate.

– origin from Old French -at or Latin -atus, -ata, -atum.

-ate^2

I. suffix

1. forming adjectives and nouns such as associate, duplicate, separate.

2. forming adjectives from Latin

• caudate.

– origin from Latin -atus, -ata, -atum.

-ate^3

I. suffix

forming verbs such as fascinate, hyphenate.

– origin from -ate^2; originally forms were based on existing past participial adjectives ending in -atus, but were later extended to any Latin verb ending in -are and to French verbs ending in -er.

A-team

I. noun

a group of elite soldiers or the top advisers or other staff in an organization.

– origin 1970s: from sports terminology in which an organization's A-team is its best team.

Atebrin /ˈatɪbrɪn / ‹US› Atabrine

I. noun

trademark for quinacrine.

– origin 1930s: of unknown origin.

atelectasis /ˌatɪˈlɛktəsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] partial collapse or incomplete inflation of the lung.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek atelēs ‘imperfect’ + ektasis ‘extension’.

atelier /əˈtɛlɪeɪ/

I. noun

a workshop or studio, especially one used by an artist or designer.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from Old French astelle ‘splinter of wood’, from Latin astula.

a tempo /ɑː ˈtɛmpəʊ/

I. adverb, adjective

[Music] (especially as a direction) in the previous tempo.

– origin Italian, literally ‘in time’.

atemporal /eɪˈtɛmp(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

existing or considered without relation to time.

II. derivatives

atemporality

noun

Aten /ˈɑːt(ə)n / ‹Egyptian Mythology› Aton

the sun or solar disc, the deity of a strong monotheistic cult, particularly during the reign of Akhenaten.

atenolol /əˈtɛnəlɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a beta blocker used mainly to treat angina and high blood pressure.

– origin 1970s: perhaps from a(ngina) + ten(sion) + (propran)olol, a related compound.

ATF

abbreviation

(in the US) (Federal Bureau of) Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

Athabaskan /ˌaθəˈbask(ə)n / Athapaskan

I. adjective

denoting or relating to a family of North American Indian languages, including a southern group of which the most important are Navajo and Apache, and a northern group in Alaska and the Canadian North-West, many of which are now rare or extinct.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the Athabaskan family of languages, sometimes classified in the Na-Dene phylum.

2. a speaker of any of the Athabaskan languages.

– origin from Athabasca, the name of a lake in western Canada, from Cree Athap-askaw ‘grass and reeds here and there’, + -an.

athame /əˈθeɪmi, əˈθɑːmeɪ/

I. noun

a black-handled, double-edged ritual knife used in modern witchcraft.

– origin 1930s: of unknown origin.

Athanasian Creed /ˌaθəˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

a summary of Christian doctrine formerly attributed to St Athanasius, but probably dating from the 5th century.

Athanasius, St /ˌaθəˈneɪʃəs/

( c. 296–373), Greek theologian and upholder of Christian orthodoxy against Arianism. Feast day, 2 May.

athanor /ˈaθənɔː/

I. noun

‹historical› a type of furnace used by alchemists, able to maintain a steady heat for long periods.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Arabic at-tannūr, from al- ‘the’ + tannūr ‘baker's oven’.

Atharva Veda /əˌtəːvə ˈveɪdə, ˈviːdə / ‹Hinduism›

I. a collection of hymns and ritual utterances in early Sanskrit, added at a later stage to the existing Veda material.

– origin from Sanskrit Atharvan (the name of Brahma's eldest son, said to be the author of the collection) + veda ‘(sacred) knowledge’.

atheism /ˈeɪθɪɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French athéisme, from Greek atheos, from a- ‘without’ + theos ‘god’.

atheist /ˈeɪθɪɪst/

I. noun

a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods

• he is a committed atheist.

II. derivatives

atheistical

adjective

atheistic /eɪθiˈɪstɪk / atheistical /eɪθiˈɪstɪk/

adjective

disbelieving or lacking belief in the existence of God

• the leaders of scientific thought are overwhelmingly atheistic in their beliefs.

atheling /ˈaθ(ə)lɪŋ/

I. noun

‹historical› a prince or lord in Anglo-Saxon England.

– origin Old English ætheling, of West Germanic origin, from a base meaning ‘race, family’.

Athelstan /ˈaθəlstən/

(893/4–939), king of England 925–39. Athelstan came to the thrones of Wessex and Mercia in 924 before effectively becoming the first king of all England.

athematic /ˌaθɪˈmatɪk, eɪˈθɪmatɪk/

adjective

1. [Music] (of a composition) not based on the use of themes.

2. [Grammar] (of a verb form) having a suffix attached to the stem without a connecting (thematic) vowel.

Athenaeum /ˌaθɪˈniːəm / ‹US› Atheneum

I. noun

1. used in the names of libraries or institutions for literary or scientific study

• the Boston Athenaeum.

2. used in the titles of periodicals concerned with literature, science, and art.

3. ( the Athenaeum) — a London club founded in 1824, originally for men of distinction in literature, art, and learning.

– origin mid 18th cent.: via Latin from Greek Athēnaion, denoting the temple of the goddess Athene in ancient Athens (which was used for teaching).

Athene /əˈθiːni / ‹Greek Mythology› Athena

the patron goddess of Athens, typically allegorized into a personification of wisdom.

Athenian /əˈθiːnɪən/

I. adjective

relating to ancient or modern Athens or its people.

II. noun

a native or citizen of Athens.

Athenian empire

see Delian League.

Athens /ˈaθɪnz/

1. the capital of Greece; pop. 745,500 (est. 2009).
Greek name Athínai.

A flourishing city state of ancient Greece, Athens was an important cultural centre in the 5th century BC. It came under Roman rule in 146 BC and fell to the Goths in AD 267. After its capture by the Turks in 1456 Athens declined to the status of a village, until chosen as the capital of a newly independent Greece in 1834.

atherogenic /ˌaθərə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

I. adjective

[Physiology] tending to promote the formation of fatty deposits in the arteries.

II. derivatives

atherogenesis

noun

– origin 1950s: from atheroma + -genic.

atheroma /ˌaθəˈrəʊmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] degeneration of the walls of the arteries caused by accumulated fatty deposits and scar tissue, and leading to restriction of the circulation and a risk of thrombosis.
See also atherosclerosis.

2. [Medicine] the fatty material which forms deposits in the arteries.

II. derivatives

atheromatous

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek athērōma, from athērē, atharē ‘groats’.

atherosclerosis /ˌaθərəʊsklɪəˈrəʊsɪs, ˌaθərəʊskləˈrəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a disease of the arteries characterized by the deposition of fatty material on their inner walls.
See also atheroma.

II. derivatives

atherosclerotic

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: coined in German from Greek athērē ‘groats’ + sklērōsis ‘hardening’ (see sclerosis).

Atherton Tableland /ˈaθət(ə)n ˈteɪb(ə)l(l)and/

a plateau in the Great Dividing Range in NE Queensland, Australia

• a two-day tour of Cairns and the Atherton Tableland.

athetize /ˈaθɪtʌɪz / athetise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› reject (a passage in a text) as spurious
(as adj. athetized)

• groups of athetized lines.

II. derivatives

athetesis

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek athetos ‘without position’ + -ize, rendering the Greek verb athetein.

athetosis /ˌaθɪˈtəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which abnormal muscle contraction causes involuntary writhing movements. It affects some people with cerebral palsy, impairing speech and use of the hands.

II. derivatives

1. athetoid

adjective

2. athetotic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek athetos ‘without position’ + -osis.

Athínai /aˈθine/

Greek name for Athens.

athirst /əˈθəːst/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹archaic› thirsty.

2. ‹archaic› very eager to get something

• she was athirst for news.

– origin Old English ofthyrst, shortened from ofthyrsted, past participle of ofthyrstan ‘be thirsty’.

athlete /ˈaθliːt/

I. noun

1. a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise.

• he had the broad-shouldered build of a natural athlete.

2. (Brit.) a person who takes part in competitive track and field events (athletics).

– origin late Middle English: from Latin athleta, from Greek athlētēs, from athlein ‘compete for a prize’, from athlon ‘prize’.

athlete's foot

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fungal infection affecting mainly the skin between the toes. It is a form of ringworm.

athletic /aθˈlɛtɪk/

I. adjective

1. physically strong, fit, and active

• big, muscular, athletic boys.

2. [ attrib.] — (Brit.) relating to athletes or athletics

• athletic events

• an athletic club.

II. derivatives

athletically /aθˈlɛtɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French athlétique or Latin athleticus, from Greek athlētikos, from athlētēs (see athlete).

athleticism /aθˈlɛtɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the physical qualities that are characteristic of athletes, such as strength, fitness, and agility

• what he lacks in stature, he more than makes up for with speed and athleticism.

athletics /aθˈlɛtɪks/

plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. (Brit.) the sport of competing in track and field events, including running races and various competitions in jumping and throwing.

2. (N. Amer.) physical sports and games of any kind.

athletic support athletic supporter

noun

another term for jockstrap.

at-home

noun

1. a party in a person's home.

2. ‹dated› a period when a person has announced that they will receive visitors in their home.

-athon

I. suffix

forming nouns denoting an action or activity which is carried on for a very long time or on a very large scale, typically to raise funds for charity

• talkathon

• walkathon.

– origin on the pattern of (mar)athon.

Athos, Mount /ˈaθɒs, ˈeɪθɒs/

I. a narrow, mountainous peninsula in NE Greece, projecting into the Aegean Sea. It is inhabited by monks of the Orthodox Church, who forbid women and even female animals to set foot on the peninsula.

II. derivatives

Athonite /ˈaθəˌnʌɪt /

adjective, noun

athwart /əˈθwɔːt/

I. preposition

1. from side to side of; across

• a counter was placed athwart the entrance.

2. in opposition to; counter to

• these statistics run sharply athwart conventional presumptions.

II. adverb

1. across from side to side; transversely

• one table running athwart was all the room would hold.

2. so as to be perverse or contradictory

• our words ran athwart and we ended up at cross purposes.

– origin late Middle English: from a-2 ‘on’ + thwart.

-atic

I. suffix

forming adjectives and nouns such as aquatic, idiomatic.

– origin from French -atique or Latin -aticus, sometimes based on Greek -atikos.

atilt

I. adverb

tilted and nearly falling.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from a-2 + tilt.

-ation

I. suffix

1. (forming nouns) denoting an action or an instance of it

• exploration

• hesitation.

2. denoting a result or product of action

• plantation.

– origin from French -ation or Latin -ation-.

Ativan /ˈatɪvan/

noun

trademark for lorazepam.

-ative

I. suffix

(forming adjectives) denoting a characteristic or propensity

• pejorative

• talkative.

– origin from French -atif, -ative or Latin -ativus (from past participial stems ending in -at).

Atkins diet

I. noun — ( in the US)

1. ‹trademark› a high-protein, high-fat diet in which carbohydrates are severely restricted.

– origin 1970s: named after the American cardiologist Robert C. Atkins (1930–2003).

Atkinson, Sir Harry

(1831–92), British-born New Zealand statesman, Prime Minister 1876–7, 1883–4, and 1887–91; full name Sir Harry Albert Atkinson.

ATL

adjective

short for above the line.

Atlanta /ətˈlantə/

I. the state capital of Georgia in the US; pop. 537,958 (est. 2008).

II. derivatives

Atlantan

noun, adjective

Atlantean^1 /ətˈlantɪən / ‹Mythology›

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the legendary island of Atlantis

• she lives in an Atlantean castle.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the legendary island of Atlantis

• when the explorers reach the city they meet the Atlanteans.

Atlantean^2 /ətˈlantɪən / ‹Greek Mythology›

adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of Atlas, one of the Titans, who was punished for his part in their revolt against Zeus by being made to support the heavens

• Atlantean shoulders fit to bear the weight of mightiest monarchies.

2. referring to a great weight or burden of responsibility

• I'm terrified you're going to buckle under the Atlantean burden.

atlantes

plural form of atlas (sense 3).

Atlantic /atˈlantɪk/

I. adjective

1. of or adjoining the Atlantic Ocean

• the Atlantic coast of Europe.

2. [Geology] relating to or denoting the third climatic stage of the postglacial period in northern Europe, between the Boreal and Sub-Boreal stages (about 7,500 to 5,000 years ago), marked by a moist oceanic climate.

II. noun

1. short for Atlantic Ocean.

2. [Geology] the Atlantic climatic stage.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek Atlantikos, from Atlas, Atlant- (see atlas). The term originally referred to the Atlas Mountains in North Africa, hence to the sea near the west African coast, later extended to the whole ocean.

Atlantic, Battle of the

a succession of sea operations during the Second World War in which Axis naval and air forces attempted to destroy ships carrying supplies from North America to the UK.

Atlantic Charter

a declaration of eight common principles in international relations drawn up by Churchill and Roosevelt in August 1941, which provided the ideological basis for the United Nations organization.

Atlanticism /atˈlantɪˌsɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. belief in or support for a close relationship between western Europe and the US, or particularly for NATO.

II. derivatives

Atlanticist

noun, adjective

Atlantic Ocean /ətlantɪkˈəʊʃn/

the ocean lying between Europe and Africa to the east and North and South America to the west. It is divided by the equator into the North Atlantic and the South Atlantic oceans.

Atlantic Provinces

the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Maritime Provinces.

Atlantic seal

noun

another term for grey seal.

Atlantic time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the standard time in a zone including the easternmost parts of mainland Canada, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, specifically:
● standard time based on the mean solar time at longitude 60° W, four hours behind GMT. ● Atlantic time during daylight saving, three hours behind GMT.

Atlantis /ətˈlantɪs/

a legendary island, beautiful and prosperous, which was overwhelmed by the sea.

atlas /ˈatləs/

I. noun

1. a book of maps or charts

• I looked in the atlas to see where Naples was

• a road atlas.

2. (also atlas vertebra) — [Anatomy] the topmost vertebra of the backbone, articulating with the occipital bone of the skull.

3. ( pl. atlantes) — [Architecture] a stone carving of a male figure, used as a column to support the entablature of a Greek or Greek-style building.

– origin late 16th cent. (originally denoting a person who supported a great burden): via Latin from Greek Atlas, the Titan of Greek mythology who supported the heavens and whose picture appeared at the front of early atlases.

Atlas /ˈatləs / ‹Greek Mythology›

one of the Titans, who was punished for his part in their revolt against Zeus by being made to support the heavens. He became identified with the Atlas Mountains.

atlas moth

noun

a very large boldly marked silk moth which occurs in both the Old and New World tropics.
●Genus Attacus, family Saturniidae: several species, in particular A. atlas of Asia, which is the largest moth in the world.

Atlas Mountains

a range of mountains in North Africa extending from Morocco to Tunisia in a series of chains.

ATM /eɪtiːˈɛm/

abbreviation

1. [Telecommunications] asynchronous transfer mode.

2. automated teller machine.

atman /ˈɑːtmən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Hinduism] the spiritual life principle of the universe, especially when regarded as immanent in the individual's real self.

2. [ count noun] — [Hinduism] a person's soul.

– origin from Sanskrit ātman, literally ‘essence, breath’.

atmosphere /ˈatməsfɪə/

I. noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet

• part of the sun's energy is absorbed by the earth's atmosphere.

2. the air in any particular place

• these beetles breed best in a damp atmosphere.

3. (abbrev.: atm) — [Physics] a unit of pressure equal to mean atmospheric pressure at sea level, 101,325 pascals.

4. the pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or creative work

• the hotel has won commendations for its friendly, welcoming atmosphere.

5. [ mass noun] — a pleasurable and interesting mood

• a superb restaurant, full of atmosphere.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin atmosphaera, from Greek atmos ‘vapour’ + sphaira ‘ball, globe’.

atmospheric /atməsˈfɛrɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the atmosphere of the earth

• atmospheric pollution.

2. creating a distinctive mood, typically of romance or nostalgia

• atmospheric lighting.

II. derivatives

1. atmospherical

adjective

‹archaic›

2. atmospherically

adverb

atmospheric pressure

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere, which at sea level has a mean value of 101,325 pascals (roughly 14.6959 pounds per square inch).

atmospherics /atməsˈfɛrɪks/

plural noun

1. electrical disturbances in the atmosphere due to lightning and other phenomena, especially as they interfere with telecommunications.

2. effects intended to create a particular atmosphere or mood, especially in music

• a smoky jazz sound with spooky atmospherics.

ATOL /ˈatɒl/

abbreviation

(in the UK) Air Travel Organizer's Licence.

atoll /ˈatɒl, əˈtɒl/

I. noun

a ring-shaped reef, island, or chain of islands formed of coral.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Maldivian atoḷu.

atom /ˈatəm/

I. noun

1.
a. the smallest particle of a chemical element that can exist.

b. (usu. the atom) — atomic particles as a source of nuclear energy

• the power of the atom.

c. [usu. with negative] — an extremely small amount of something

• I shall not have one atom of strength left.

Atoms consist of a tiny, dense, positively charged nucleus made of neutrons and protons, surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons, roughly 10−8 cm in diameter. Each chemical element consists of atoms with a characteristic number of protons. Atoms are held together in molecules by the sharing of electrons.

2. [usu. as modifier] — (Canadian) a level of amateur sport, typically involving children aged between nine and eleven

• eight atom hockey teams.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French atome, via Latin from Greek atomos ‘indivisible’, based on a- ‘not’ + temnein ‘to cut’.

atom bomb atomic bomb

noun

1. a bomb which derives its destructive power from the rapid release of nuclear energy by fission of heavy atomic nuclei, causing damage through heat, blast, and radioactivity.

Such a bomb contains a critical mass of a material such as uranium-235 or plutonium-239, which when detonated by a conventional explosive charge is capable of maintaining a nuclear chain reaction, releasing large amounts of energy almost instantaneously.

atomic /əˈtɒmɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to an atom or atoms.

• the nature of matter at the atomic level.

• the atomic nucleus.

2. [Chemistry] (of a substance) consisting of uncombined atoms rather than molecules.

• atomic hydrogen.

3. of or forming a single irreducible unit or component in a larger system

• a society made up of atomic individuals pursuing private interests.

4. relating to or using the energy released in nuclear fission or fusion

• the atomic age required a new way of political thinking

• atomic weapons.

II. derivatives

atomically

adverb

– origin late 17th cent.: from modern Latin atomicus, from atomus ‘indivisible’ (see atom).

atomic clock

noun

an extremely accurate type of clock which is regulated by the vibrations of an atomic or molecular system such as caesium or ammonia.

atomic energy

noun

another term for nuclear energy.

atomicity /ˌatəˈmɪsɪti/

noun

1. [Chemistry] the number of atoms in the molecules of an element.

2. [ mass noun] — the state or fact of being composed of indivisible units.

atomic mass

noun

the mass of an atom of a chemical element expressed in atomic mass units. It is approximately equivalent to the number of protons and neutrons in the atom (the mass number) or to the average number allowing for the relative abundances of different isotopes.

atomic mass unit amu

noun

a unit of mass used to express atomic and molecular weights, equal to one twelfth of the mass of an atom of carbon-12.

atomic number

noun

(Symbol: Z) — [Chemistry] the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which is characteristic of a chemical element and determines its place in the periodic table.

atomic physics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of physics concerned with the structure of the atom and the characteristics of subatomic particles.

atomic power

noun

another term for nuclear power.

atomic spectrum

noun

the spectrum of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed during transitions of electrons between energy levels within an atom. Each element has a characteristic spectrum by which it can be recognized.

atomic theory /əˌtɒmɪk ˈθɪəri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the theory that all matter is made up of tiny indivisible particles (atoms). According to modern interpretations of the theory, the atoms of each element are effectively identical, but differ from those of other elements, and unite to form compounds in fixed proportions.

2. [ count noun] — a theory in any field which proposes the existence of distinct, separable, independent components

• an atomic theory of heredity.

atomic volume

noun

[Chemistry] the volume occupied by one gram-atom of an element under standard conditions.

atomic war

noun — [ mass noun]

1. warfare in which atom bombs are used.

atomic weight

noun

[Chemistry] another term for relative atomic mass.

atomism /ˈatəmɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [chiefly Philosophy] a theoretical approach that regards something as interpretable through analysis into distinct, separable, and independent elementary components.
The opposite of holism.

II. derivatives

1. atomist /ˈatəmɪst /

noun

2. atomistic /atəˈmɪstɪk /

adjective

atomize /ˈatəmʌɪz / atomise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (a substance) into very fine particles or droplets.
(as adj. atomized)

• finely atomized fuel.

2. reduce to atoms.

3. break up into small units

• by disrupting our ties with our neighbours, crime atomizes society.

II. derivatives

atomization /atəmʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

atomizer /ˈatəmʌɪzə / atomiser

noun

a device for emitting water, perfume, or other liquids as a fine spray.

• spray the bouquet with water from an atomizer to keep it fresh.

atom smasher

noun

informal term for particle accelerator.

atomy /ˈatəmi/

I. noun

‹archaic› a skeleton or emaciated body.

– origin late 16th cent.: from anatomy, taken as an atomy.

atonal /eɪˈtəʊn(ə)l, əˈtəʊn(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Music] not written in any key or mode.

• atonal music may be written by obscuring tonal structures or by ignoring conventional harmonies altogether.

II. derivatives

1. atonalism

noun

2. atonalist

noun

3. atonality /eɪtəʊˈnalɪti /

noun

atone /əˈtəʊn/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make amends or reparation

• a human sacrifice to atone for the sin.

– origin Middle English (originally in the sense ‘make or become united or reconciled’, rare before the 16th cent.): from at one in early use; later by back-formation from atonement.

atonement /əˈtəʊnm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of making amends for a wrong or injury

• he submitted his resignation as an act of atonement.

2. (in religious contexts) reparation or expiation for sin

• an annual ceremony of confession and atonement for sin.

3. ( the Atonement) — [Christian Theology] the reconciliation of God and mankind through Jesus Christ.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting unity or reconciliation, especially between God and man): from at one + -ment, influenced by medieval Latin adunamentum ‘unity’, and earlier onement from an obsolete verb one ‘to unite’.

atonic /əˈtɒnɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Linguistics] (of a syllable) without accent or stress.

2. [Physiology] lacking muscular tone.

II. derivatives

atony /ˈatəni /

noun

atop /əˈtɒp / ‹literary›

I. preposition

on the top of

• the weathervane is perched atop the Great Tower.

II. adverb

on the top

• the air-raid siren atop of the County Courthouse.

atopic /eɪˈtɒpɪk/

I. adjective

denoting a form of allergy in which a hypersensitivity reaction such as eczema or asthma may occur in a part of the body not in contact with the allergen.

II. derivatives

atopy

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek atopia ‘unusualness’, from atopos ‘unusual’, from a- ‘without’ + topos ‘place’.

-ator

I. suffix

1. forming agent nouns such as agitator.

2. used in names of implements, machines, etc.

• escalator.

– origin from Latin, or sometimes representing French -ateur.

-atory

I. suffix

(forming adjectives) relating to or involving an action

• explanatory

• predatory.

– origin from Latin -atorius.

A to Z A–Z

noun

1. an alphabetically arranged handbook; a complete guide to a subject

• an A to Z of tools

• [as modifier] an A–Z guide.

2. a book containing lists and maps of city streets

• having consulted the A–Z of Greater London, I knew how to get there.

ATP

abbreviation

1. [Biochemistry] adenosine triphosphate.

2. (Brit.) automatic train protection, a system for automatically stopping a train if its driver does not observe signal warnings or speed restrictions.

atrabilious /ˌatrəˈbɪlɪəs/

I. adjective

‹literary› melancholy or irritable

• an atrabilious old man.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘affected by black bile’, one of the four supposed cardinal humours of the body, believed to cause melancholy): from Latin atra bilis ‘black bile’, translation of Greek melankholia ‘melancholy’, + -ious.

atraumatic

adjective

(of a medical or surgical procedure) causing minimal tissue injury.

atrazine /ˈatrəziːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic compound derived from triazine, used as an agricultural herbicide.

– origin 1960s: blend of amino and triazine.

atremble /əˈtrɛmb(ə)l/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹literary› trembling.

• the breeze failed to set a single leaf atremble.

atresia /əˈtriːʃə, əˈtriːziə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] absence or abnormal narrowing of an opening or passage in the body.

2. [Physiology] the degeneration of those ovarian follicles which do not ovulate during the menstrual cycle.

– origin early 19th cent.: from a-1 ‘without’ + Greek trēsis ‘perforation’ + -ia^1.

Atreus /ˈeɪtrɪəs / ‹Greek Mythology›

the son of Pelops and father of Agamemnon and Menelaus. He quarrelled with his brother Thyestes and invited him to a banquet at which he served up the flesh of Thyestes' own children.

atrioventricular /ˌeɪtrɪə(ʊ)vɛnˈtrɪkjʊlə/

adjective

[Anatomy] [Physiology] relating to the atrial and ventricular chambers of the heart, or the connection or coordination between them.

atrium /ˈeɪtrɪəm/

I. noun

1. [Architecture] an open-roofed entrance hall or central court in an ancient Roman house.

2. a central hall in a modern building, typically rising through several stories and having a glazed roof.

3. the forecourt of a large church built on the basilican plan.

4. [Anatomy] each of the two upper cavities of the heart from which blood is passed to the ventricles. The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the veins of the body, the left atrium oxygenated blood from the pulmonary vein.
Also called auricle.

II. derivatives

atrial /ˈeɪtrɪəl /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin.

atrocious /əˈtrəʊʃəs/

I. adjective

1. horrifyingly wicked

• atrocious cruelties.

2. of a very poor quality; extremely bad or unpleasant

• he attempted an atrocious imitation of my English accent

• atrocious weather.

II. derivatives

1. atrociously /əˈtrəʊʃəsli /

adverb

2. atrociousness /əˈtrəʊʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin atrox, atroc- ‘cruel’ + -ious.

atrocity /əˈtrɒsɪti/

I. noun

1. an extremely wicked or cruel act, typically one involving physical violence or injury

• a textbook which detailed war atrocities.

2. ‹humorous› a highly unpleasant or distasteful object

• atrocities in cheap red nylon.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘cruelty’): from French atrocité or Latin atrocitas, from atrox, atroc- ‘cruel’.

atrophy /ˈatrəfi/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of body tissue or an organ) waste away, especially as a result of the degeneration of cells, or become vestigial during evolution

• the calf muscles will atrophy

• (as adj. atrophied) in some beetles, the hindwings are atrophied.

2. gradually decline in effectiveness or vigour due to underuse or neglect

• the imagination can atrophy from lack of use.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of atrophying or state of having atrophied

• gastric atrophy

• extensive TV viewing may lead to atrophy of children's imaginations.

III. derivatives

atrophic /aˈtrɒfɪk /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from French atrophier (verb), atrophie (noun), from late Latin atrophia, from Greek, ‘lack of food’, from a- ‘without’ + trophē ‘food’.

atropine /ˈatrəpiːn, ˈatrəpɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a poisonous compound found in deadly nightshade and related plants. It is used in medicine as a muscle relaxant, e.g. in dilating the pupil of the eye.
●An alkaloid; chem. formula: C_17N_23NO_3.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin Atropa belladonna ‘deadly nightshade’, from Atropos + -ine^4.

Atropos /ˈatrəpɒs / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. one of the three Fates.

– origin Greek, literally ‘inflexible’.

ATSIC /ˈatsɪk/

abbreviation

short for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission:

• the Army provided support to the indigenous communities selected by ATSIC.

at sign

noun

the symbol @.

attaboy /ˈatəbɔɪ/

I. exclamation

an informal expression of encouragement or admiration to a man or boy.

– origin early 20th cent.: probably representing a casual pronunciation of that's the boy.

attacca /əˈtakə/

I. verb — [in imperative]

1. a musical instruction used to indicate that the next section should follow without a pause.

– origin Italian, literally ‘attack’.

attach /əˈtatʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. join or fasten (something) to something else

• attach your safety line to the bridge.

2. add or fasten (a related document) to another, or to an email

• I attach a copy of the memo for your information.

3. include (a condition) as part of an agreement

• the Commission can attach appropriate conditions to the operation of the agreement.

4. ( attach oneself to) — accompany (a person or group) without being invited.

• they were all too ready to attach themselves to you for the whole day.

5. appoint (someone) for special or temporary duties

• I was attached to another working group.

6. ( attach something to) — attribute importance or value to

• he doesn't attach too much importance to fixed ideas.

7. [no obj.] ( attach to) — (of importance or value) be attributed to

• a good deal of prominence attaches to the central union federations.

8. [Law] ‹archaic› seize (a person or property) by legal authority

• the Earl Marshal attached Gloucester for high treason.

II. derivatives

attachable /əˈtatʃəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘seize by legal authority’): from Old French atachier or estachier ‘fasten, fix’, based on an element of Germanic origin related to stake^1; compare with attack.

attaché /əˈtaʃeɪ/

I. noun

1. a person on the staff of an ambassador having a specialized area of responsibility

• naval and air attachés.

2. (N. Amer.) short for attaché case.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘attached’, past participle of attacher.

attaché case

noun

a small, flat, rigid, rectangular case used for carrying documents.

attached /əˈtatʃt/

adjective

1. joined, fastened, or connected to something

• please complete the attached form

• a ground floor bedroom with a toilet attached.

2. full of affection or fondness

• during the journey Mark became increasingly attached to Tara.

3. ( attached to) — appointed to (an organization) for special or temporary duties

• he was attached to Military Intelligence.

4. (of an organization) affiliated to (a larger organization)

• a science policy agency attached to the Council of Ministers.

attachment /əˈtatʃm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. an extra part or extension that is or may be attached to something to perform a particular function

• the processor comes complete with a blender attachment.

2. a computer file appended to an email.

3. [ mass noun] — affection, fondness, or sympathy for someone or something

• she felt a sentimental attachment to the place creep over her.

4. [ count noun] — an affectionate relationship

• he formed an attachment with a young widow.

5. (Brit.) temporary secondment to an organization

• the students are placed on attachment to schools for one day a week.

6. [ mass noun] — the action of attaching something

• the case has a loop for attachment to your waist belt.

7. legal seizure of property.

II. phrases

attachment of earnings

[English Law] payment of debts by direct deduction from the debtor's earnings, under a court order.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘arrest for contempt of court’): from Old French attachement, from atachier ‘fasten, fix’ (see attach).

attachment parenting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an approach to raising infants that aims to promote a close relationship between the baby and its parents by methods such as feeding on demand and letting the baby sleep with its parents.

attack /əˈtak/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take aggressive military action against (a place or enemy forces) with weapons or armed force

• in February the Germans attacked Verdun

• [no obj.] the terrorists did not attack again until March.

2. act against (someone or something) aggressively in an attempt to injure or kill

• a doctor was attacked by two youths.

3. (of a disease, chemical, or insect) act harmfully on

• HIV is thought to attack certain cells in the brain.

4. criticize or oppose fiercely and publicly

• he attacked the government's defence policy.

5. begin to deal with (a problem or task) in a determined and vigorous way

• a plan of action to attack unemployment.

6. [no obj.] — (in sport) make a forceful attempt to score a goal or point or otherwise gain an advantage against an opposing team or player

• Crystal Palace attacked swiftly down the left

• (as adj. attacking) Leeds showed some good attacking play.

7. [with obj.] — [Chess] move into or be in a position to capture (an opponent's piece or pawn).

• the white queen attacks the black rook.

II. noun

1. an aggressive and violent act against a person or place

• he was killed in an attack on a checkpoint

• three classrooms were gutted in the arson attack

• the north-western suburbs came under attack in the latest fighting.

2. [ mass noun] — destructive action by a disease, chemical, or insect

• the tissue is open to attack by fungus.

3. a determined attempt to tackle a problem or task

• an attack on inflation.

4. [ mass noun] — forceful and decisive style in performing music or another art

• the sheer attack of Hendrix's playing.

5. an instance of fierce public criticism or opposition

• he launched a stinging attack on the Prime Minister.

6. a sudden short bout of an illness or stress

• an attack of nausea

• an asthma attack.

7. (in sport) an aggressive attempt to score a goal or point or otherwise gain an advantage.

• a Cardiff attack broke down inside Llanelli's 22.

• [ mass noun] United hardly did a thing in attack.

8. (Brit.) the players in a team who are in the position of trying to score a goal or win points

• Baxter was recalled to the attack.

9. [Chess] a threat to capture an opponent's piece or pawn.

• the move opens up an attack from the black bishop against White's knight.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French attaque (noun), attaquer (verb), from Italian attacco ‘an attack’, attaccare ‘join battle’, based on an element of Germanic origin (see attach).

attack dog

noun

1. a dog trained to attack on command and kept for this purpose.

2. a person who is very aggressive in their defence or support of someone or something

• he was accused of being an all-purpose attack dog for the government.

attacker /əˈtakə/

noun

1. a person or animal that attacks someone or something.

• her attacker then ran off.

2. (in sport) a player whose task is to attack the other side's goal in the attempt to score; a forward.

• the team gave the visiting attackers and midfield men a hard time.

attagirl /ˈatəɡəːl/

I. exclamation

an informal expression of encouragement or admiration to a woman or girl.

– origin 1920s: on the pattern of attaboy.

attain /əˈteɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. succeed in achieving (something that one has worked for)

• clarify your objectives and ways of attaining them

• he attained the rank of Brigadier.

2. reach (a specified age, size, or amount)

• dolphins can attain speeds in water which man cannot yet emulate.

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘bring to justice’ and ‘reach a state’): from Old French ateindre, from Latin attingere, from ad- ‘at, to’ + tangere ‘to touch’.

attainable /əˈteɪnəbl/

I. adjective

able to be attained; achievable

• yields in excess of 6 % are easily attainable

• an attainable target.

II. derivatives

attainability /əteɪnəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

attainder /əˈteɪndə/

I. noun

‹historical› the forfeiture of land and civil rights suffered as a consequence of a sentence of death for treason or felony.

• the attainder of the fourth Duke of Norfolk.

• [ mass noun] Robert's loyalty to Margaret of Anjou led to attainder and forfeiture.

II. phrases

act (or bill) of attainder

‹historical› an item of legislation inflicting attainder without judicial process.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, variant (used as a noun) of Old French ateindre in the sense ‘convict, bring to justice’ (see attain).

attainment /əˈteɪnm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of achieving a goal towards which one has worked

• the attainment of corporate aims.

2. [ count noun] (often attainments) — a thing achieved, especially a skill or educational achievement

• he spoke of the low educational attainments of his workforce.

attaint /əˈteɪnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹historical› subject (someone) to attainder.

• to his lands Henry added the property of several landowners attainted in the course of his reign.

2. ‹archaic› affect or infect with disease or corruption.

• even to have kicked an outsider might have been held to attaint the foot.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘touch, reach, attain’): from obsolete attaint (adjective), from Old French ataint, ateint, past participle of ateindre ‘bring to justice’ (see attain); influenced in meaning by taint.

Attalid /ˈatəlɪd/

I. adjective

relating to the Hellenistic dynasty named after Attalus I (reigned 241–197 BC), which flourished in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC.

II. noun

a member of the Attalid dynasty.

attap /ˈatəp / atap

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. thatch made in SE Asia from palm fronds.
[as modifier]

• attap huts.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Malay atap ‘roof, thatch’.

attar /ˈatə / otto

I. noun

a fragrant essential oil, typically made from rose petals.

• attar of roses.

– origin late 17th cent.: via Persian from Arabic ‘iṭr ‘perfume, essence’.

attempt /əˈtɛm(p)t/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make an effort to achieve or complete (something difficult)

• she attempted a comeback in 2001

• [with infinitive] troops shot civilians who attempted to flee.

2. try to climb to the top of (a mountain)

• the expedition was the first to attempt Everest.

3. ‹archaic› try to take (a life)

• he would not have attempted the life of a friend.

II. noun

1. an effort to achieve or complete a difficult task or action
[with infinitive]

• an attempt to halt the bombings.

2. an effort to surpass a record or conquer a mountain

• an attempt on the unclimbed north-east ridge.

3. a bid to kill someone

• Karakozov made an attempt on the Tsar's life.

4. a thing produced as a result of trying to make or achieve something

• she picked her first attempt at a letter out of the wastebasket.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French attempter, from Latin attemptare, from ad- ‘to’ + temptare ‘to tempt’.

Attenborough, Richard /ˈat(ə)nb(ə)rə/

Baron Attenborough of Richmond-upon-Thames (1923–2014), English film actor, producer, and director; brother of David Attenborough; full name Richard Samuel Attenborough. Notable films directed: Oh! What a Lovely War (1969), Gandhi (1982), and Shadowlands (1993).

Attenborough, Sir David /ˈat(ə)nb(ə)rə/

(b.1926), English naturalist and broadcaster, brother of Richard Attenborough; full name Sir David Frederick Attenborough. He is known for films of animals in their natural habitats, including Life on Earth (1979), The Trials of Life (1990), and The Life of Mammals (2002).

attend /əˈtɛnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. be present at (an event, meeting, or function)

• the whole sales force attended the conference

• [no obj.] her family were not invited to attend.

2. go regularly to (a school, church, or clinic)

• all children are required to attend school.

3. [no obj.] ( attend to) — deal with

• he muttered that he had business to attend to.

4. give practical help and care to; look after

• the severely wounded had two medics to attend to their wounds

• [with obj.] each of the beds in the intensive-care unit is attended by a nurse.

5. pay attention to

• Alice hadn't attended to a word of his sermon.

6. escort and wait on (a member of royalty or other important person)

• Her Royal Highness was attended by Mrs Jane Stevens.

7. occur with or as a result of

• people feared that the switch to a peacetime economy would be attended by a severe slump.

II. derivatives

attender /əˈtɛndə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘apply one's mind or energies to’): from Old French atendre, from Latin attendere, from ad- ‘to’ + tendere ‘stretch’.

attendance /əˈtɛnd(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or state of going regularly to or being present at a place or event

• my attendance at church was very patchy.

2. [ count noun] — the number of people present at a particular place or event

• she is being blamed for the museum's low attendances.

II. phrases

in attendance

a. present at a function or a place

• some 200 were in attendance at the fourteenth reunion.

b. accompanying a member of royalty or other important person as an assistant or servant.

• Her Royal Highness travelled in an aircraft of The Queen's Flight, with Viscountess Campden in attendance.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from atendre ‘give one's attention to’ (see attend).

attendance allowance

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the UK) a state benefit paid to disabled people who need constant care at home.

• if they are very ill they can claim other benefits, such as attendance allowance.

attendance centre

noun

(in the UK) a place to which young offenders are ordered by a court to report regularly for a set period, as a minor penalty.

attendant /əˈtɛnd(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a person employed to provide a service to the public in a particular place

• a cloakroom attendant.

2. an assistant to an important person; a servant or courtier.

• a mosaic of the Empress Theodora with her attendants.

3. a person who is present on a particular occasion

• he had become a regular attendant at chapel.

II. adjective

1. occurring with or as a result of

• the sea and its attendant attractions.

2. (of a person) accompanying another as a companion or assistant

• a child in a pram with attendant nursemaid.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): from Old French, from atendre ‘give one's attention to’ (see attend).

attendee /atɛnˈdiː/

noun

a person who attends a conference or other gathering.

• seminar attendees.

attention /əˈtɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. notice taken of someone or something; the regarding of someone or something as interesting or important

• he drew attention to three spelling mistakes.

2. the mental faculty of considering or taking notice of someone or something

• he turned his attention to the educational system.

3. the action of dealing with or taking special care of someone or something

• her business needed her attention

• he was found guilty of failing to give a patient adequate medical attention.

4. ( attentions) — things done to express interest in or please someone

• she felt flattered by his attentions.

5. [Military] a position assumed by a soldier, standing very straight with the feet together and the arms straight down the sides of the body

• Saunders stood stolidly to attention.

6. [as exclamation] — an order to assume a straight standing position.

II. phrases

pay attention

take notice of someone or something

• students used to know how to pay attention, even when the lecture was boring

• if you pay attention to one thing, you have to ignore something else.

• you've never paid that much attention to her opinions.

III. derivatives

attentional

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin attentio(n-), from the verb attendere (see attend).

attention deficit disorder ‹N. Amer.› attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

noun

any of a range of behavioural disorders occurring primarily in children, including such symptoms as poor concentration, hyperactivity, and learning difficulties.

attention-grabbing

adjective

attracting people's notice; striking

• the buildings were sufficiently attention-grabbing to find their place in international magazines.

attention-seeking

I. adjective

attempting to attract the attention of other people, typically by disruptive or excessively extrovert behaviour

• children who are homesick may engage in attention-seeking behaviour.

II. derivatives

attention-seeker

noun

attention span

noun

the length of time for which a person is able to concentrate on a particular activity or subject.

• used effectively, humour can prolong the attention span of the students.

• the youths have low boredom thresholds and short attention spans.

attentive /əˈtɛntɪv/

I. adjective

1. paying close attention to something

• never before had she had such an attentive audience

• ministers should be more attentive to the interests of taxpayers.

2. assiduously attending to the comfort or wishes of others; very polite or courteous

• the hotel has a pleasant atmosphere and attentive service.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French attentif, -ive, from atendre ‘give one's attention to’ (see attend).

attentively /əˈtɛntɪvli/

adverb

1. while paying close attention

• throughout our discussion the president listened attentively.

2. while assiduously attending to the comfort or wishes of others; very politely or courteously

• though many of these places see few visitors, they are all attentively staffed by local people who are eager to help.

attentiveness /əˈtɛntɪvnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of paying close attention to something

• half the children who ate the cereal showed no improvement in attentiveness

• the past scenes are beautifully handled, with a clear attentiveness to detail.

2. the action of assiduously attending to the comfort or wishes of others; politeness or courtesy

• this sight has maintained its top grading due to the attentiveness of the staff

• Mary was particularly touched by Georgina's attentiveness to her during her recovery.

attenuate

I. verb — [with obj.] attenuate /əˈtɛnjʊeɪt /

1. reduce the force, effect, or value of

• her intolerance was attenuated by an unexpected liberalism.

2. reduce the amplitude of (a signal, electric current, or other oscillation).

• the filter must severely attenuate frequencies above 10 Hz.

3. reduce the virulence of (a pathogenic organism or vaccine)

• researchers hoped that the substance would attenuate the course of the disease.

4. reduce in thickness; make thin.

II. adjective — attenuate /əˈtɛnjʊət /

1. ‹rare› reduced in force, effect, or physical thickness.

• the doctrines of Christianity became very attenuate and distorted.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin attenuat- ‘made slender’, from the verb attenuare, from ad- ‘to’ + tenuare ‘make thin’ (from tenuis ‘thin’).

attenuated /əˈtɛnjʊeɪtɪd/

adjective

1. (especially of a person) extremely thin

• she was a drooping, attenuated figure.

2. (of a pathogenic organism or vaccine) reduced in virulence

• attenuated strains of rabies virus.

attenuation /ətɛnjʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the reduction of the force, effect, or value of something

• human security required the attenuation of a wide range of threats to people.

2. the reduction of the amplitude of a signal, electric current, or other oscillation

• the products are used mostly by aircraft manufacturers for noise attenuation in engine housings

• [as count noun] attenuations of the order of 50 to 200 dB are required.

attenuator

noun

a device consisting of an arrangement of resistors which reduces the strength of a radio or audio signal.

attest /əˈtɛst/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — provide or serve as clear evidence of

• his status is attested by his becoming an alderman

• [no obj.] his numerous drawings of babies attest to his fascination with them.

2. [no obj.] — declare that something exists or is the case

• I can attest to his tremendous energy

• [with clause] the deceased's solicitor attested that he had been about to institute divorce proceedings.

3. witness or certify formally.

• the witnesses must attest and sign the will in the testator's presence.

4. [no obj.] — ‹historical› enrol as ready for military service.

• unfortunately for him, he attested.

5. [with obj.] — recruit (someone) for military service by putting them on oath to serve if called upon.

• 2,000,000 men were attested under this system.

II. derivatives

1. attestable

adjective

2. attestation /ˌatɛˈsteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

3. attestor /əˈtɛstə /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from French attester, from Latin attestari, from ad- ‘to’ + testari ‘to witness’ (from testis ‘a witness’).

attic /ˈatɪk/

I. noun

a space or room inside or partly inside the roof of a building.

• I discovered a dozen rolls of the original wallpaper in a tin trunk in the attic.

• [as modifier] there are five attic bedrooms.

– origin late 17th cent. (as an architectural term designating a small order (column and entablature) above a taller one): from French attique, from Latin Atticus ‘relating to Athens or Attica’.

Attic /ˈatɪk/

I. adjective

relating to ancient Athens or Attica, or the dialect of Greek spoken there.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the dialect of Greek used by the ancient Athenians. It was the chief literary form of classical Greek.

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek Attikos.

Attica /ˈatɪkə/

a triangular promontory of eastern Greece. With the islands in the Saronic Gulf it forms a department of Greece, of which Athens is the capital.

Atticism /ˈatɪsɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

a word or form characteristic of Attic Greek, regarded as having particular literary elegance.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek Attikismos, from Attikos (see Attic).

Attila /əˈtɪlə/

(406–53), king of the Huns 434–53. He ravaged vast areas between the Rhine and the Caspian Sea before being defeated by the joint forces of the Roman army and the Visigoths at Châlons in 451.

Attila Line

the boundary separating Greek and Turkish-occupied Cyprus, named after the Attila Plan, a secret Turkish plan of 1964 to partition the country.
Also called Sahin Line.

attire /əˈtʌɪə / ‹formal literary›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. clothes, especially fine or formal ones

• the usually sober attire of British security service personnel.

II. verb — ( be attired)

1. be dressed in clothes of a specified kind

• Lady Agatha was attired in an elaborate evening gown

• (as adj., with submodifier attired) stylishly attired teenagers in stonewashed jeans.

– origin Middle English: from Old French atirier, atirer ‘equip’, from a tire ‘in order’, of unknown origin.

Attis /ˈatɪs/

(in Anatolian mythology) the youthful consort of Cybele, whose death and resurrection were associated with the spring festival.

attitude /ˈatɪtjuːd/

I. noun

1. a settled way of thinking or feeling about something

• he was questioned on his attitude to South Africa

• being competitive is an attitude of mind.

2. a position of the body indicating a particular mental state

• the boy was standing in an attitude of despair.

3. [Ballet] a position in which one leg is lifted behind with the knee bent at right angles and turned out, and the corresponding arm is raised above the head, the other extended to the side.

4. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) truculent or uncooperative behaviour

• I asked the waiter for a clean fork and all I got was attitude.

5. individuality and self-confidence

• she snapped her fingers with attitude.

6. the orientation of an aircraft or spacecraft, relative to the direction of travel.

– origin late 17th cent. (denoting the placing or posture of a figure in art): from French, from Italian attitudine ‘fitness, posture’, from late Latin aptitudo, from aptus ‘fit’.

attitudinal /atɪˈtjuːdɪn(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to attitudes

• unless there are certain attitudinal changes, women will continue to get a raw deal.

II. derivatives

attitudinally

adverb

attitudinize /ˌatɪˈtjuːdɪnʌɪz / attitudinise

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. adopt or express a particular attitude or attitudes, typically just for effect.

• her column is an exercise in smug attitudinizing.

II. derivatives

attitudinizer

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian attitudine (see attitude) + -ize.

Attlee, Clement /ˈatli/

1st Earl Attlee (1883–1967), British Labour statesman, Prime Minister 1945–51; full name Clement Richard Attlee. His term saw the creation of the modern welfare state and the nationalization of major industries.

attn

abbreviation

(on an envelope or at the top of a letter or fax) attention (i.e. for the attention of)

• attn: Harold Carter.

atto- /ˈatəʊ/

I. combining form

(used in units of measurement) denoting a factor of 10−18

• attowatt.

– origin from Danish or Norwegian atten ‘eighteen’.

attorn /əˈtəːn/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [Law] formally make or acknowledge a transfer of something.

2. [with obj.] — [Law] ‹archaic› transfer (something) to someone else.

• a lord might attorn his vassals service to some other.

II. phrases

attorn tenant

[Law] formally make or acknowledge a transfer of tenancy.

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘turn, change, transform’): from Old French atorner ‘appoint, assign’, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + torner ‘to turn’. The spelling with o rather than u or ou, as might have been expected in English, is due to the late Anglo-Norman French form attorner, adopted in legal use.

attorney /əˈtəːni/

I. noun

1. a person, typically a lawyer, appointed to act for another in business or legal matters.
Compare with barrister, solicitor.

2. (chiefly US) a qualified lawyer.

3. South African term for solicitor.

– origin Middle English: from Old French atorne, past participle of atorner ‘assign’, from a ‘towards’ + torner ‘to turn’ (see attorn).

attorney general /əˌtəːni ˈdʒɛnrəl/

noun

1. the principal legal officer who represents the Crown or a state in legal proceedings and gives legal advice to the government.

2. ( Attorney General) — the head of the US Department of Justice.

attornment /əˈtəːnm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the formal transference of something to someone else.

attract /əˈtrakt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause to come to a place or participate in a venture by offering something of interest or advantage

• a campaign to attract more visitors to Shetland

• he hoped this strategy would attract foreign investment by multinationals.

2. evoke (a specified reaction)

• I did not want to attract attention

• his criticism of the government attracted widespread support.

3. cause (someone) to have a liking for or interest in something

• I was attracted to the idea of working for a ballet company.

4. ( be attracted to) — have a sexual or romantic interest in

• despite all her denials, she was still violently attracted to him.

5. exert a force on (an object) which is directed towards the source of the force

• the negatively charged ions attract particles of dust.

II. derivatives

attractor

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin attract- ‘drawn near’, from the verb attrahere, from ad- ‘to’ + trahere ‘draw’.

attractant /əˈtrakt(ə)nt/

noun

a substance which attracts

• a sex attractant given off by female moths to attract a mate.

attraction /əˈtrakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or power of evoking interest in or liking for someone or something

• the timeless attraction of a good tune

• she has very romantic ideas about sexual attraction.

2. [ count noun] — a quality or feature that evokes interest, liking, or desire

• this reform has many attractions for those on the left.

3. [ count noun] — a place which draws visitors by providing something of interest or pleasure

• the church is the town's main tourist attraction.

4. [Physics] a force under the influence of which objects tend to move towards each other.

• gravitational attraction.

5. [Grammar] the influence exerted by one word on another which causes it to change to an incorrect form, e.g. the wages of sin is (for are) death.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the action of a poultice in drawing matter from the tissues): from Latin attractio(n-), from the verb attrahere (see attract).

attractive /əˈtraktɪv/

I. adjective

1. pleasing or appealing to the senses

• an attractive village

• foliage can be as attractive as flowers.

2. (of a person) appealing to look at; sexually alluring

• a stunningly attractive, charismatic man.

3. having qualities or features which arouse interest

• the site is close to other prestige schemes which should make it attractive to developers.

4. relating to attraction between physical objects.

• the attractive force between the magnets and the metal plate.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘absorbent’): from French attractif, -ive, from late Latin attractivus, from the verb attrahere (see attract).

attractively /əˈtraktɪvli/

adverb

1. in a way that is pleasing or appealing to the senses

• desserts were attractively presented.

2. (with reference to a person) in such a way as to be appealing or sexually alluring to look at

• fashion-conscious women should be entitled to dress attractively.

3. in a way that arouses interest

• the properties are attractively priced.

attractiveness /əˈtraktɪvnəs/

noun

1. the quality of being pleasing or appealing to the senses

• this scheme could enhance the attractiveness of the area.

2. (in a person) the quality of being appealing or sexually alluring to look at

• my aunt did not marry until late in life in spite of her attractiveness

• she was aware of her husband's magnetic attractiveness to women.

3. the possession of qualities or features that arouse interest

• the new agreements will enhance the city 's attractiveness to overseas investors.

attributable /əˈtrɪbjʊtəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. ( attributable to) — regarded as being caused by

• 43 percent of all deaths in Ireland were attributable to cardiovascular disease.

2. (often attributable to) — (of a work or remark) able to be ascribed to a particular author, artist, or speaker

• some 50 liturgical works by or attributable to him have survived

• this may be Leonardo 's earliest securely attributable painting.

attribute

I. verb — [with obj.] ( attribute something to) attribute /əˈtrɪbjuːt /

1. regard something as being caused by

• he attributed the firm's success to the efforts of the managing director

• his resignation was attributed to stress.

2. ascribe a work or remark to (a particular author, artist, or speaker)

• the building was attributed to Inigo Jones.

3. regard a quality or feature as characteristic of or possessed by

• ancient peoples attributed magic properties to certain stones.

II. noun — attribute /ˈatrɪbjuːt /

1. a quality or feature regarded as a characteristic or inherent part of someone or something

• flexibility and mobility are the key attributes of Britain's army.

2. a material object recognized as symbolic of a person, especially a conventional object used in art to identify a saint or mythical figure.

• it was not until the end of the fifteenth century that the sandglass was depicted as the attribute of Father Time.

3. [Computing] a piece of information which determines the properties of a field or tag in a database or a string of characters in a display.

4. [Grammar] an attributive adjective or noun.

5. [Statistics] a real property which a statistical analysis is attempting to describe.

– origin late 15th cent.: the noun from Old French attribut; the verb from Latin attribut- ‘allotted’: both from the verb attribuere, from ad- ‘to’ + tribuere ‘assign’.

attribution /atrɪˈbjuːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun] (often attribution to)

1. the action of regarding something as being caused by a person or thing

• the electorate was disillusioned with his immediate attribution of the bombings to a separatist group.

2. the action of ascribing a work or remark to a particular author, artist, or person

• the study of Constable is fraught with problems of attribution

• the attribution to Mozart on the title page is correct

• [ count noun] none of the texts in the collection contained author attributions.

3. the action of regarding a quality or feature as characteristic of or possessed by a person or thing

• the main unreality of this novel is her attribution of complicated emotions to her male characters

• [ count noun] attributions of false motives, especially of greed, are commonplace.

II. derivatives

attributional

adjective

attribution theory

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychology] a theory which supposes that people attempt to understand the behaviour of others by attributing feelings, beliefs, and intentions to them.

attributive /əˈtrɪbjʊtɪv/

I. adjective

[Grammar] (of an adjective or other modifier) preceding the word that it modifies and expressing an attribute, as old in the old dog (but not in the dog is old) and expiry in expiry date.
Contrasted with predicative.

II. derivatives

attributively /əˈtrɪbjʊtɪvli /

adverb

– origin mid 18th cent. (as a noun in the sense ‘a word expressing an attribute’): from French attributif, -ive, from attribut ‘an attribute’, from Latin attribuere ‘add to’ (see attribute).

attrit /əˈtrɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (US) ‹informal› wear down (an opponent or enemy) by sustained action

• his defense was designed to attrit us.

– origin First World War: back-formation from attrition.

attrition /əˈtrɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of reducing something's strength or effectiveness through sustained attack or pressure

• the council is trying to wear down the opposition by attrition

• the squadron suffered severe attrition of its bombers.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) the gradual reduction of a workforce by employees leaving and not being replaced rather than by redundancy.

• the company said that it will reduce its worldwide employment by about 10% through attrition.

3. wearing away by friction; abrasion

• the skull shows attrition of the edges of the teeth.

4. (in scholastic theology) sorrow for sin, falling short of contrition.

II. derivatives

attritional

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from late Latin attritio(n-), from atterere ‘to rub’.

attune /əˈtjuːn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make receptive or aware

• a society more attuned to consumerism than ideology

• (as adj. attuned) the Department is very attuned politically.

2. accustom or acclimatize

• students are not attuned to making decisions.

3. make harmonious

• the interests of East and West are now closely attuned.

II. derivatives

attunement

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from at- + tune.

Atty

abbreviation

Attorney.

ATV

abbreviation

1. (N. Amer.) all-terrain vehicle.

• four-wheel ATVs.

2. ‹historical› (in the UK) Associated Television, an independent television company founded in 1956 and replaced in 1981 by Central Television.

Atwood, Margaret

(b.1939), Canadian novelist, poet, critic, and short-story writer; full name Margaret Eleanor Atwood. Notable novels: The Edible Woman (1969), Cat's Eye (1989), The Blind Assassin (Booker Prize, 2000).

atypical /eɪˈtɪpɪk(ə)l, aˈtɪpɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

not representative of a type, group, or class

• a sample of people who are rather atypical of the target audience

• there were somewhat atypical results in May and November.

II. derivatives

atypically /ˌeɪˈtɪpɪk(ə)li /

adverb

atypicality /ˌeɪtɪpɪˈkalɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of not being representative of a type, group, or class

• we would stress the atypicality of the presentation.

Au

I. symbol

the chemical element gold.

– origin from Latin aurum.

AU

abbreviation

1. African Union.

2. angstrom unit(s).

3. (also a.u.) — astronomical unit(s).

aubade /əʊˈbɑːd/

I. noun

a poem or piece of music appropriate to the dawn or early morning.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from Spanish albada, from alba ‘dawn’.

auberge /əʊˈbɛːʒ, French obɛʀʒ/

I. noun

an inn in a French-speaking country.

– origin French, from Provençal alberga ‘lodging’.

aubergine /ˈəʊbəʒiːn/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) the purple egg-shaped fruit of a tropical Old World plant, which is eaten as a vegetable.
[ mass noun]

• a puree of aubergine.

Also called eggplant.

2. [ mass noun] — (chiefly Brit.) a dark purple colour like the skin of an aubergine.

3. (chiefly Brit.) the large plant of the nightshade family which bears aubergines.
● Solanum melongena, family Solanaceae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Catalan alberginia, from Arabic al-bāḏinjān (based on Persian bādingān, from Sanskrit vātiṃgaṇa).

aubretia /ɔːˈbriːʃə / aubrietia

I. noun

a dwarf evergreen Eurasian trailing plant with dense masses of foliage and purple, pink, or white flowers, widely cultivated in rock gardens.
● Aubrieta deltoidea, family Cruciferae.

– origin early 19th cent.: modern Latin, named after Claude Aubriet (1668–1743), French botanist. / usage: Aubretia is named after a French botanist called Claude Aubriet, and the original spelling was aubrieta, which is the plant's genus name. In non-technical use, however, the forms aubretia and aubrietia are now more usual.

Aubrey, John /ˈɔːbri/

(1626–97), English antiquarian and author. He is chiefly remembered for Brief Lives, a collection of biographies of eminent people.

auburn /ˈɔːbən, ˈɔːbəːn/

I. adjective

(of hair) of a reddish-brown colour.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a reddish-brown colour.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French auborne, alborne, from Latin alburnus ‘whitish’, from albus ‘white’. The original sense was ‘yellowish white’, but the word became associated with brown because in the 16th and 17th centuries it was often written abrune or abroun.

Aubusson /ˈəʊbjʊsɒn, ˈəʊbjʊsɒ̃/

noun

a fine tapestry or carpet made at Aubusson, a town in central France, especially one from the late 18th century.

AUC

I. abbreviation

used to indicate a date reckoned from 753 BC, the year of the foundation of Rome

• 765 AUC.

– origin from Latin ab urbe condita ‘from the foundation of the city’, also anno urbis conditae ‘in the year of the foundation of the city’.

Auckland /ˈɔːklənd/

the largest city and chief seaport of New Zealand, in the North Island; pop. 404,658 (2006). It was the site of the first Parliament of New Zealand in 1854, remaining the capital until 1865.

au courant /ˌəʊ kʊˈrɒ̃/

I. adjective

1. aware of what is going on; well informed

• they were au courant with the literary scene.

2. fashionable

• frocks with au courant details like ruching and asymmetrical hemlines.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, literally ‘in the (regular) course’.

auction /ˈɔːkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a public sale in which goods or property are sold to the highest bidder

• the books are expected to fetch a six-figure sum at tomorrow's auction.

2. [ mass noun] — the action or process of selling something to the highest bidder

• the Ferrari sold at auction for £10 million.

3. [Bridge] the part of the play in which players bid to decide the contract in which the hand shall be played.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. sell or offer for sale at an auction

• the painting was auctioned at Christie's.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin auctio(n-) ‘increase, auction’, from the verb augere ‘to increase’.

auction bridge

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an obsolete form of the card game bridge, in which all tricks won counted towards the game whether bid or not.

auctioneer /ɔːkʃəˈnɪə/

I. noun

a person who conducts auctions by accepting bids and declaring goods sold.

II. derivatives

auctioneering

noun

auction house /ˈɔːkʃ(ə)n ˌhaʊs/

noun

a company that runs auctions.

auction room auction rooms

noun

a building in which auctions are held.

aucuba /ˈɔːkjʊbə/

I. noun

a hardy East Asian evergreen shrub of the dogwood family, resembling a laurel.
●Genus Aucuba, family Cornaceae: several species, in particular the Japanese laurel ( A. japonica).

– origin modern Latin, from Japanese aokiba.

AUD

abbreviation

Australian dollar(s).

audacious /ɔːˈdeɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks

• a series of audacious takeovers.

2. showing an impudent lack of respect

• he made an audacious remark.

II. derivatives

1. audaciously /ɔːˈdeɪʃəsli /

adverb

2. audaciousness

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin audax, audac- ‘bold’ (from audere ‘dare’) + -ious.

audacity /ɔːˈdasɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a willingness to take bold risks

• he whistled at the sheer audacity of the plan.

2. rude or disrespectful behaviour; impudence

• she had the audacity to suggest I'd been carrying on with him.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin audacitas, from audax, audac- ‘bold’ (see audacious).

audax /ˈɔːdaks/

I. noun

a type of long-distance road cycling event in which participants must navigate a route within a specified period of time

• the Essex Lanes 106 km audax.

– origin via French from Italian (apparently originally with reference to a ride from Rome to Naples first held in 1897), from Latin audax, audac- ‘bold, daring’ (see audacious).

Auden, W. H. /ˈɔːd(ə)n/

(1907–73), British-born poet, resident in America from 1939; full name Wystan Hugh Auden. Look, Stranger! (1936) and Spain (1937, on the Civil War) secured his position as a leading left-wing poet. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for The Age of Anxiety (1947).

audial /ˈɔːdɪəl/

I. adjective

relating to or perceived through the sense of hearing.

– origin late 20th cent.: formed irregularly from Latin audire ‘hear’ (compare with audile), on the pattern of visual.

audible /ˈɔːdɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be heard

• some ultrasound is audible to dogs.

II. noun

[American Football] a change of playing tactics called by the quarterback at the line of scrimmage.

• he saw two safeties sneaking up and called an audible.

III. derivatives

audibility /ɔːdəˈbɪləti /

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from late Latin audibilis, from audire ‘hear’.

audibly /ˈɔːdəbli/

adverb

in a way that can be heard

• the view of the snow-capped Alps caused everyone in the carriage to gasp audibly.

audience /ˈɔːdɪəns/

I. noun

1. the assembled spectators or listeners at a public event such as a play, film, concert, or meeting

• he asked for questions from members of the audience.

2. the people who watch or listen to a television or radio programme

• the programme attracted an audience of almost twenty million.

3. the readership of a newspaper, magazine, or book

• the newspaper has a sophisticated audience.

4. the people giving attention to something

• the report deserves consideration by a much wider audience.

5. a formal interview with a person in authority

• he demanded an audience with the Pope.

6. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› formal hearing.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin audientia, from audire ‘hear’.

audile /ˈɔːdʌɪl/

I. adjective

another term for auditory.

– origin late 19th cent.: formed irregularly from Latin audire ‘hear’, on the pattern of tactile.

audio /ˈɔːdɪəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. sound, especially when recorded, transmitted, or reproduced

• audio equipment

• the machine can retrieve and play audio from a CD-ROM.

– origin 1930s: independent usage of audio-.

audio- /ˈɔːdɪəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to hearing or sound

• audiometer

• audiovisual.

– origin from Latin audire ‘hear’.

Audio-Animatronics

I. plural noun

trademark for animatronics.

II. derivatives

Audio-Animatronic

adjective

audiobook /ˈɔːdiəʊbʊk/

noun

a recording on CD or cassette of a reading of a book, typically a novel.

audio cassette /ˈɔːdɪəʊ kəˌsɛt/

noun

a cassette of audio tape.

audio frequency

noun

a frequency of oscillation capable of being perceived by the human ear, generally between 20 and 20,000 Hz.

audiogram /ˈɔːdɪəʊɡram/

noun

a graphic record produced by audiometry.

audio guide

noun

a handheld device which provides recorded information for visitors touring a museum, gallery, or other place of interest.

audiology /ˌɔːdɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of science and medicine concerned with the sense of hearing.

II. derivatives

1. audiological

adjective

2. audiologist /ɔːdiˈɒlədʒɪst /

noun

audiometry /ˌɔːdɪˈɒmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. measurement of the range and sensitivity of a person's sense of hearing.

II. derivatives

1. audiometer /ˌɔːdiˈɒmɪtə /

noun

2. audiometric

adjective

audiophile /ˈɔːdɪə(ʊ)fʌɪl/

noun

‹informal› a hi-fi enthusiast.

• it puts professional studio sound within the reach of the audiophile.

audio tape /ˈɔːdɪə(ʊ) teɪp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. magnetic tape on which sound can be recorded.

• artists are free to experiment with new forms such as film and audiotape.

2. [ count noun] — a length of this, typically in the form of a cassette.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. record (sound) on tape

• each interview was audiotaped and transcribed.

audio typist

noun

a typist who transcribes letters or other documents from recorded dictation.

audiovisual /ˌɔːdɪəʊˈvɪʒʊəl/

adjective

using both sight and sound, typically in the form of images and recorded speech or music

• learners can be encouraged to use audiovisual aids.

audit /ˈɔːdɪt/

I. noun

1. an official inspection of an organization's accounts, typically by an independent body.

• audits can't be expected to detect every fraud.

2. a systematic review or assessment of something

• a complete audit of flora and fauna at the site.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. conduct an official financial inspection of (a company or its accounts)

• unlimited companies must also have their accounts audited.

2. conduct a systematic review of

• a method of auditing obstetric and neonatal care.

3. (N. Amer.) attend (a class) informally, without working for credit.

• he made use of the knowledge gleaned from economics classes he audited.

III. derivatives

1. auditability

noun

2. auditable

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin auditus ‘hearing’, from audire ‘hear’, in medieval Latin auditus (compoti) ‘audit (of an account)’, an audit originally being presented orally.

Audit Commission

(in the UK) an independent body that monitors public spending, especially that by local government, on behalf of the government.

audition /ɔːˈdɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an interview for a role or job as a singer, actor, dancer, or musician, consisting of a practical demonstration of the candidate's suitability and skill.

• the Royal Ballet gave Nicola an audition.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› the power of hearing or listening.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. perform an audition

• I auditioned and was lucky enough to get the part.

2. [with obj.] — assess the suitability of (someone) for a role by means of an audition

• she was auditioning people for her new series.

III. derivatives

1. auditionee

noun

2. auditioner

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘power of hearing or listening’): from Latin auditio(n-), from audire ‘hear’. Sense 1 of the noun dates from the late 19th cent.

auditive /ˈɔːdɪtɪv/

adjective

another term for auditory.

auditor /ˈɔːdɪtə/

I. noun

1. a person who conducts an audit.

• the company is required to appoint auditors at each general meeting.

• external auditors report on the financial statements.

2. a listener

• so low was Deems's voice that his auditors had to give it close attention.

3. (N. Amer.) a person who attends a class informally without working for credit.

II. derivatives

auditorial /ɔːdɪˈtɔːrɪəl /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French auditeur, from Latin auditor, from audire ‘to hear’.

auditorium /ɔːdɪˈtɔːrɪəm/

I. noun

1. the part of a theatre, concert hall, or other public building in which the audience sits.

• the stage was small and the auditorium had only 366 seats.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a large building or hall used for public gatherings, typically speeches or stage performances.

• the National Indoor Arena is a magnificent auditorium and one of Britain's premier indoor venues.

– origin early 17th cent. (originally in the general sense ‘a place for hearing’): from Latin, neuter of auditorius ‘relating to hearing’ (see auditory).

auditory /ˈɔːdɪt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

relating to the sense of hearing

• the auditory nerves

• teaching methods use both visual and auditory stimulation.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin auditorius, from audire ‘hear’.

audit trail

noun

1. a system that traces the detailed transactions relating to any item in an accounting record

• with no satisfactory audit trail, not all overpayments had been identified.

2. [Computing] a record of the changes that have been made to a database or file

• you must be able to provide a complete audit trail of user activity across all these systems.

Audubon, John James /ˈɔːdəb(ə)n/

(1785–1851), American naturalist and artist. He is noted for The Birds of America (1827–38).

Auer, Carl /ˈaʊə, German ˈaʊɐ/

Baron von Welsbach (1858–1929), Austrian chemist. He separated the supposed rare earth element didymium into neodymium and praseodymium.

Auerbach, Frank /ˈɔːbak, German ˈaʊɐbax/

(b.1931), German-born British painter.

AUEW

abbreviation

‹historical› (in the UK) Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers.

au fait /əʊ ˈfeɪ French o ˈfɛ(t)//

I. adjective — ( au fait with)

1. having a good or detailed knowledge of

• you should be au fait with the company and its products.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, literally ‘to the fact, to the point’.

au fond /əʊ ˈfɒ̃, French o fɔ̃/

I. adverb

in essence.

• she might be, au fond, quite a pleasant woman.

– origin French.

Aug.

abbreviation

August.

Augean /ɔːˈdʒiːən/

adjective

1. relating to Augeas

• the Augean stables.

2. (of a task or problem) requiring so much effort to complete or solve as to seem impossible

• there are Augean amounts of debris to clear.

Augeas /ɔːˈdʒiːəs / ‹Greek Mythology›

a legendary king whose vast stables had never been cleaned. Hercules cleaned them in a day by diverting the River Alpheus to flow through them.

augend /ˈɔːdʒɛnd/

I. noun

[Mathematics] [Computing] the number to which another is added.

• we can begin with the combination in which both the addend and the augend are 0's but the carry bit from the previous column is a 1.

Compare with addend.

– origin late 19th cent.: via German from Latin augendus, gerundive of augere ‘to increase’.

auger /ˈɔːɡə/

I. noun

1. a tool resembling a large corkscrew, for boring holes in wood.

2. a large tool similar to an auger, used for boring holes in the ground.

3. (also auger shell) — a marine mollusc of warm seas with a slender tapering spiral shell.
● Terebra and other genera, family Terebridae, class Gastropoda.

– origin Old English nafogār, from nafu (see nave^2) + gār ‘piercer’. The n was lost by wrong division of a nauger; compare with adder^1 and apron. / usage: See usage at augur.

Auger effect /ˈəʊʒeɪ/

I. noun

[Physics] an effect whereby an atom which has been ionized by removal of an electron from an inner shell loses energy by emitting an electron from an outer shell.

– origin 1930s: named after Pierre V. Auger (1899–1993), French physicist.

aught^1 /ɔːt / ought

I. pronoun

‹archaic› anything at all

• know you aught of this fellow, young sir?

– origin Old English āwiht (see aye^2, wight).

aught^2

noun

variant spelling of ought^2.

augite /ˈɔːdʒʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark green or black aluminosilicate mineral of the pyroxene group. It occurs in many igneous rocks, including basalt, gabbro, and dolerite.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin augites, denoting a precious stone (probably turquoise), from Greek augitēs, from augē ‘lustre’.

augment

I. verb — [with obj.] augment /ɔːɡˈmɛnt /

1. make (something) greater by adding to it; increase

• her secretarial work helped to augment her husband's income.

II. noun — augment /ˈɔːɡm(ə)nt /

1. [Linguistics] a vowel prefixed to past tenses of verbs in Greek and certain other Indo-European languages.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French augmenter (verb), augment (noun), or late Latin augmentare, from Latin augere ‘to increase’.

augmentation /ɔːɡmɛnˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of making or becoming greater in size or amount.

• the augmentation of the curriculum with new subjects.

2. [Music] the lengthening of the time values of notes in a melodic part.

3. [ count noun] — [Heraldry] an addition to a coat of arms granted as a mark of special honour.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin augmentatio(n-), from the verb augmentare (see augment).

augmentative /ɔːɡˈmɛntətɪv/

I. adjective

[Linguistics] (of an affix or derived word) reinforcing the idea of the original word, especially by meaning ‘a large one of its kind’, as with the Italian suffix -one in borrone ‘ravine’, compared with borro ‘ditch’.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘having a tendency to increase’): from Old French augmentatif, -ive or medieval Latin augmentativus, from the verb augmentare (see augment).

augmented

adjective

1. having been made greater in size or value

• augmented pensions for those retiring at 65.

2. [Music] denoting or containing an interval which is one semitone greater than the corresponding major or perfect interval

• augmented fourths.

augmented reality

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, thus providing a composite view.

augmented transition network

noun

[Linguistics] a type of grammar that represents a sentence as a series of states and possible continuations, augmented with rules for such matters as word agreement.

Augrabies Falls /əˈɡrɑːbiːz/

a series of waterfalls on the Orange River in the province of Northern Cape, South Africa.

au gratin /əʊ ˈɡratã French o ɡʀatɛ̃//

I. adjective — [ postpositive]

1. sprinkled with breadcrumbs or grated cheese and browned

• lentil and mushroom au gratin.

– origin French, literally ‘by grating’, from the verb gratter ‘to grate’.

Augsburg /ˈaʊɡzbəːɡ, German ˈaʊksbʊrk/

a city in southern Germany, in Bavaria; pop. 262,500 (est. 2006).

Augsburg Confession

a statement of the Lutheran position, drawn up mainly by Melanchthon and approved by Luther before being presented to the Emperor Charles V at Augsburg on 25 June 1530.

augur /ˈɔːɡə/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( augur well/badly/ill)

1. (of an event or circumstance) portend a good or bad outcome

• the end of the cold war seemed to augur well.

2. [with obj.] — portend or bode (a specified outcome)

• they feared that these happenings augured a neo-Nazi revival.

3. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› foresee or predict.

II. noun

(in ancient Rome) a religious official who observed natural signs, especially the behaviour of birds, interpreting these as an indication of divine approval or disapproval of a proposed action.

III. derivatives

augural /ˈɔːɡjʊ(ə)r(ə)l /

adjective

‹archaic›

– origin late Middle English (as a noun): from Latin, ‘diviner’. / usage: The spellings augur (a verb meaning ‘portend a good or bad outcome’, as in this augurs well) and auger (a type of tool used for boring) are sometimes confused, but the two words are quite different in both their present meaning and their origins.

augury /ˈɔːɡjʊri/

I. noun

1. a sign of what will happen in the future; an omen

• they heard the sound as an augury of death.

2. [ mass noun] — the interpretation of omens.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘divination’): from Old French augurie or Latin augurium ‘interpretation of omens’, from augur (see augur).

august /ɔːˈɡʌst/

I. adjective

respected and impressive

• she was in august company.

II. derivatives

1. augustly

adverb

2. augustness /ɔːˈɡʌstnəs /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French auguste or Latin augustus ‘consecrated, venerable’.

August /ˈɔːɡəst/

I. noun

the eighth month of the year, in the northern hemisphere usually considered the last month of summer

• the sultry haze of late August

• the wettest August in six years.

– origin Old English, from Latin augustus ‘consecrated, venerable’; named after Augustus, the first Roman emperor.

Augusta /ɔːˈɡʌstə/

I. a resort in eastern Georgia in the US; pop. (with Richmond) 199,486 (est. 2008).

II. the state capital of Maine; pop. 18,282 (est. 2008).

Augustan /ɔːˈɡʌst(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. connected with or occurring during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus.

• a Roman villa of the Augustan period.

2. relating to or denoting Latin literature of the reign of Augustus, including the works of Virgil, Horace, Ovid, and Livy.

3. relating to or denoting 17th- and 18th-century English literature of a style considered refined and classical, including the works of Pope, Addison, and Swift.

• poets of the Augustan age.

II. noun

a writer of the (Latin or English) Augustan period or style.

– origin from Latin Augustanus ‘relating to Augustus’ (see Augustus).

Augustine /ɔːˈɡʌstɪn/

I. noun

an Augustinian friar.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French augustin, from Latin Augustinus ‘Augustine’ (see Augustinian).

Augustine, St^1 /ɔːˈɡʌstɪn/

(died c. 604), Italian churchman; known as St Augustine of Canterbury. Sent from Rome by Pope Gregory the Great to refound the Church in England in 597, he founded a monastery at Canterbury and became its first archbishop. Feast day, 26 May.

Augustine, St^2 /ɔːˈɡʌstɪn/

(354–430), Doctor of the Church; known as St Augustine of Hippo. He became bishop of Hippo in North Africa in 396. His writings, such as Confessions and the City of God, dominated subsequent Western theology. Feast day, 28 August.

Augustinian /ˌɔːɡəˈstɪnɪən/

I. adjective

1. relating to St Augustine of Hippo or his doctrines.

2. relating to a religious order observing a rule derived from St Augustine's writings.

II. noun

1. a member of an Augustinian order.

2. an adherent of the doctrines of St Augustine.

Augustus /ɔːˈɡʌstəs/

(63 BC–AD 14), the first Roman emperor; born Gaius Octavius; also called (until 27 BC) Octavian. He was adopted by the will of his great-uncle Julius Caesar and gained supreme power by his defeat of Antony in 31 BC. In 27 BC he was given the title Augustus (‘venerable’) and became in effect the first Roman emperor.

auk /ɔːk/

I. noun

a short-winged diving seabird found in northern oceans, typically with a black head and black and white underparts.
●Family Alcidae (the auk family), which comprises the guillemots, razorbills, puffins, and their relatives.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Old Norse álka ‘razorbill’.

auklet /ˈɔːklɪt/

noun

a small, stubby auk (seabird) found in the North Pacific, typically with grey underparts.
● Aethia and three other genera, family Alcidae: several species.

auld /ɔːld, ɑːld/

I. adjective

Scottish form of old.

• that's what my auld da used to say.

II. phrases

auld Reekie

‹informal› a name for Edinburgh.
[literally ‘old Smoky’, from reek (sense 2 of the noun).]

– origin Old English ald, Anglian form of old.

auld lang syne /ˌɔːld laŋ ˈsʌɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. times long past.

II. phrases

for auld lang syne

for old times' sake.

• how about a bock, for auld lang syne, before we start our argument?

– origin late 18th cent.: Scots (see auld, lang syne). The phrase was popularized as the title and refrain of a song by Robert Burns (1788).

aumbry /ˈɔːmbri / ambry

I. noun

1. a small recess or cupboard in the wall of a church.

2. ‹historical› a small cupboard.

– origin Middle English: from Old French armarie, from Latin armarium ‘closet, chest’, from arma ‘utensils’.

au naturel /ˌəʊ natjʊˈrɛl French o natyʀɛl//

I. adjective, adverb

1. with no elaborate treatment, dressing, or preparation
[as adj.]

• the cheese is delicious whether au naturel or seasoned.

2. ‹humorous› naked
[as adv.]

• the remote beach where we'd been camping au naturel.

– origin French, literally ‘in the natural (state)’.

Aung San /ˌaʊŋ ˈsan/

(1914–47), Burmese nationalist leader. As leader of the Council of Ministers he negotiated a promise of self-government from the British shortly before his assassination.

Aung San Suu Kyi /aʊŋ ˌsan suː ˈtʃiː/

(b.1945), Burmese political leader, daughter of Aung San and leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) since 1988. She was held under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, and the ruling military government refused to recognize her party's victory in the 1990 elections. From 2000 she was frequently detained again before being released in 2010. In 2012 she won a seat in the lower house of the Burmese parliament. Nobel Peace Prize (1991).

aunt /ɑːnt/

I. noun

1. the sister of one's father or mother or the wife of one's uncle.

• she was brought up by her aunt and uncle.

2. ‹informal› an unrelated adult female friend, especially of a child.

– origin Middle English: from Old French ante, from Latin amita.

auntie /ˈɑːnti / aunty

noun

1. informal term for aunt.

2. ( Auntie) — (Brit.) ‹informal› the BBC.

Aunt Sally /ɑːntˈsali/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game played in some parts of Britain in which players throw sticks or balls at a wooden dummy.

2. [ count noun] — a dummy used in the game of Aunt Sally.

3. [ count noun] — a person or thing set up as an easy target for criticism.

• today's landowner is everyone's Aunt Sally.

au pair /əʊ ˈpɛː/

I. noun

a young foreign person, typically a woman, who helps with housework or childcare in exchange for food, a room, and some pocket money.
[as modifier]

• an au pair girl.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘on equal terms’. The phrase was originally adjectival, describing an arrangement between two parties paid for by the exchange of mutual services; the noun usage dates from the 1960s.

aura /ˈɔːrə/

I. noun

1. the distinctive atmosphere or quality that seems to surround and be generated by a person, thing, or place

• the ceremony retains an aura of mystery.

2. (in spiritualism and some forms of alternative medicine) a supposed emanation surrounding the body of a living creature and regarded as an essential part of the individual.

• emotional, mental, and spiritual levels form an energy field around the body known as the aura.

• muddy colours in the aura indicate negative emotions.

3. any invisible emanation, especially an odour.

• there was a faint aura of disinfectant.

4. [Medicine] a warning sensation experienced before an attack of epilepsy or migraine.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting a gentle breeze): via Latin from Greek, ‘breeze, breath’. Current senses date from the 18th cent.

aural /ˈɔːr(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to the ear or the sense of hearing

• information held in written, aural, or visual form

• aural anatomy.

II. derivatives

aurally

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin auris ‘ear’ + -al. / usage: The words aural and oral have the same pronunciation in standard English, which is sometimes a source of confusion. A distinctive pronunciation for aural has been proposed, with the first syllable rhyming with cow, but it has not become standard.

Aurangzeb /ˈɔːrəŋzɛb, ˈaʊərəŋzɛb/

(1618–1707), Mogul emperor of Hindustan 1658–1707, who increased the Mogul empire to its greatest extent.

aurar

plural form of eyrir.

aureate /ˈɔːrɪət/

I. adjective

1. made of or having the colour of gold.

• the aureate dollar.

2. (of language) highly ornamented or elaborate.

• the aureate diction frequently conceals the tritest sentiments.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin aureatus, from Latin aureus ‘golden’, from aurum ‘gold’.

Aurelian /ɔːˈriːlɪən/

( c. 215–75), Roman emperor 270–5; Latin name Lucius Domitius Aurelianus. Originally a common soldier, he rose through the ranks and was elected emperor by the army.

Aurelius, Marcus /ɔːˈriːlɪəs/

(121–80), Roman emperor 161–80; full name Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus. He was occupied for much of his reign with wars against invading Germanic tribes. His Meditations, a collection of aphorisms and reflections, are evidence of his philosophical nature.

aureole /ˈɔːrɪəʊl / aureola /ɔːˈrɪələ/

I. noun

1. a circle of light or brightness surrounding something, especially as depicted in art around the head or body of a person represented as holy.

• her hair framed her face in a golden aureole.

2. a corona around the sun or moon.

3. another term for areola.

4. [Geology] the zone of metamorphosed rock surrounding an igneous intrusion.

– origin Middle English: from Old French aureole, from Latin aureola (corona) ‘golden (crown)’, feminine of aureolus (diminutive of aureus, from aurum ‘gold’).

aureus /ˈɔːrɪəs/

I. noun

a Roman coin of the late republic and empire, worth 25 silver denarii.

– origin Latin, noun use of aureus ‘golden’, from aurum ‘gold’.

au revoir /ˌəʊ rəˈvwɑː French o ʀəvwaʀ//

I. exclamation

goodbye until we meet again.

• here's hoping it is au revoir and not goodbye.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, literally ‘to the seeing again’.

auric^1 /ˈɔːrɪk/

adjective

relating to the aura supposedly surrounding a living creature.

• it is this auric vibration which herbalists feel when deciding which herbs are appropriate.

auric^2 /ˈɔːrɪk/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] of gold with a valency of three; of gold(III).

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin aurum ‘gold’ + -ic.

Auric, Georges /ˈɔːrɪk, French ɔʀik/

(1899–1983), French composer. Auric was a member of the anti-romantic group Les Six. He is probably best known for film music such as the scores for The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) and Moulin Rouge (1952).

auricle /ˈɔːrɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] [Biology] a structure resembling an ear or ear lobe.

• grass leaves often have two auricles at the junction between the leaf sheath and the blade.

2. [Anatomy] [Biology] the external part or pinna of the ear.

3. [Anatomy] [Biology] another term for atrium (of the heart).

• blood passes downward from the auricle to the ventricle.

4. [Anatomy] [Biology] a small muscular flap on the surface of each atrium of the heart.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin auricula ‘external part of the ear’, diminutive of auris ‘ear’.

auricula /ɔːˈrɪkjʊlə/

I. noun

an Alpine primula from which a wide range of flowering cultivars have been developed. It has leaves that supposedly resemble bears' ears. Also called bear's ear.
● Primula auricula, family Primulaceae.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, diminutive of auris ‘ear’.

auricular /ɔːˈrɪkjʊlə/

I. adjective

1. relating to the ear or hearing.

• the Catholic doctrine of the necessity of private auricular confession.

2. relating to or shaped like an auricle.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin auricularis, from auricula, diminutive of auris ‘ear’.

auriculate /ɔːˈrɪkjʊlət/

I. adjective

[chiefly Botany] [Zoology] having one or more structures shaped like an ear or ear lobe.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin auricula ‘external part of the ear’ (diminutive of auris ‘ear’) + -ate^2.

auriculotherapy /ɔːˌrɪkjələʊˈθɛrəpi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of acupuncture applied to points on the ear in order to treat other parts of the body.

– origin 1970s: from Latin auricula ‘external part of the ear’ + -o- + therapy.

auriferous /ɔːˈrɪf(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

(of rocks or minerals) containing gold.

• not all the quartz veins are auriferous.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin aurifer ‘gold-bearing’ (from aurum ‘gold’) + -ous.

Auriga /ɔːˈrʌɪɡə / ‹Astronomy›

I. a large northern constellation (the Charioteer), said to represent a man holding a whip.

II. (as genitive Aurigae) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Theta Aurigae.

– origin Latin.

Aurignacian /ˌɔːrɪˈnjeɪʃ(ə)n, ˌɔːrɪɡˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. [Archaeology] relating to or denoting the early stages of the Upper Palaeolithic culture in Europe and the Near East. It is dated in most places to about 34,000–29,000 years ago, and is associated with Cro-Magnon Man.

2. (as noun the Aurignacian) — [Archaeology] the Aurignacian culture or period.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French Aurignacien, from Aurignac in SW France, where objects from this culture were found.

auriscope /ˈɔːrɪskəʊp / auroscope /ˈɔːrəskəʊp/

I. noun

another term for otoscope.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin auris ‘ear’ + -scope.

aurochs /ˈɔːrɒks, ˈaʊrɒks/

I. noun

a large wild Eurasian ox that was the ancestor of domestic cattle. It was probably exterminated in Britain in the Bronze Age, and the last one was killed in Poland in 1627. Also called urus.
● Bos primigenius, family Bovidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from German, early variant of Auerochs, from Old High German ūrohso, from ūr (form also found in Old English, of unknown origin) + ohso ‘ox’.

aurora /ɔːˈrɔːrə/

I. noun

1. a natural electrical phenomenon characterized by the appearance of streamers of reddish or greenish light in the sky, especially near the northern or southern magnetic pole. The effect is caused by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with atoms in the upper atmosphere. In northern and southern regions it is respectively called aurora borealis or Northern Lights and aurora australis or Southern Lights.
[ borealis from Latin, ‘northern’, based on Greek Boreas, the god of the north wind; australis from Latin, ‘southern’, from Auster ‘the south, the south wind’.]

2. ‹literary› the dawn.

II. derivatives

auroral /ɔːˈrɔːrəl /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (originally in sense 2): from Latin, ‘dawn, goddess of the dawn’. Sense 1 dates from the early 18th cent.

Aurora /ɔːˈrɔːrə / ‹Roman Mythology›

goddess of the dawn.
Greek equivalent Eos.

AUS

abbreviation

Australia (international vehicle registration).

Auschwitz /ˈaʊʃvɪts/

a Nazi concentration camp in the Second World War, near the town of Oświęcim (Auschwitz) in Poland.

auscultation /ˌɔːsk(ə)lˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of listening to sounds from the heart, lungs, or other organs, typically with a stethoscope, as a part of medical diagnosis.

II. derivatives

1. auscultate /ˈɔːskəlteɪt /

verb

2. auscultatory /ɔːˈskʌltət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin auscultatio(n-), from auscultare ‘listen to’.

Auslese /ˈaʊsleɪzə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white wine of German origin or style made from selected bunches of grapes picked later than the general harvest.

– origin from German, from aus ‘out’ + Lese ‘picking, vintage’.

auspice /ˈɔːspɪs/

I. noun

‹archaic› a divine or prophetic token.

II. phrases

under the auspices of

with the help, support, or protection of

• the course is run under the auspices of the Anglican Church.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally denoting the observation of bird flight in divination): from French, or from Latin auspicium, from auspex ‘observer of birds’, from avis ‘bird’ + specere ‘to look’.

auspicious /ɔːˈspɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. conducive to success; favourable

• it was not the most auspicious moment to hold an election.

2. giving or being a sign of future success

• they said it was an auspicious moon—it was rising.

3. ‹archaic› characterized by success; prosperous.

• he was respectful to his auspicious customers.

II. derivatives

1. auspiciously /ɔːˈspɪʃəsli /

adverb

2. auspiciousness

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from auspice + -ous.

Aussie /ˈɒzi, ˈɒsi / ‹informal› Ozzie

I. noun

1. a person from Australia

• he's an Aussie and so he probably played cricket as a kid

• this is Australia and we are Ozzies.

2. Australia

• I was in Auckland for the last few years, but now I live in Aussie.

II. adjective

Australian

• he married an Aussie girl and moved to Australia in 1948

• an Aussie accent

• the Ozzie government.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation.

Aussie Rules

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› another term for Australian Rules:

• she's encouraging more women in the Air Force to have a go at Aussie Rules.

Austen, Jane /ˈɒstɪn, ˈɔːstɪn/

(1775–1817), English novelist. Her major novels are Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), Emma (1815), Northanger Abbey (1818), and Persuasion (1818). They are notable for skilful characterization, dry wit, and penetrating social observation.

austenite /ˈɒstɪnʌɪt, ˈɔːstɪnʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Metallurgy] a solid solution of carbon in a non-magnetic form of iron stable at high temperatures. It is a constituent of some forms of steel.

II. derivatives

austenitic

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from the name of Sir William Roberts- Austen (1843–1902), English metallurgist, + -ite^1.

austere /ɒˈstɪə, ɔːˈstɪə/

I. adjective

1. severe or strict in manner or attitude

• he was an austere man, with a rigidly puritanical outlook.

2. (of living conditions or a way of life) having no comforts or luxuries

• conditions in the prison could hardly be more austere.

3. having a plain and unadorned appearance

• the cathedral is impressive in its austere simplicity.

II. derivatives

austerely /ɒˈstɪəli, ɔːˈstɪəli /

adverb

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin austerus, from Greek austēros ‘severe’.

austerity /ɒˈstɛrɪti, ɔːˈstɛrɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. sternness or severity of manner or attitude

• he was noted for his austerity and his authoritarianism.

2. plainness and simplicity in appearance

• the room was decorated with a restraint bordering on austerity.

3. [ count noun] (usu. austerities) — a feature of an austere way of life

• his uncle's austerities had undermined his health.

4. difficult economic conditions created by government measures to reduce public expenditure

• the country was subjected to acute economic austerity

• ( austerities) the austerities of post-war London.

– origin late Middle English: from French austérité, from Latin austeritas, from austerus ‘severe’ (see austere).

Austerlitz, Battle of /ˈaʊstəlɪts, ˈɔːstəlɪts/

a battle in 1805 near the town of Austerlitz (now in the Czech Republic), in which Napoleon defeated the Austrians and Russians.

Austin /ˈɒstɪn/

the state capital of Texas; pop. 757,688 (est. 2008). First settled in 1835, it was named in 1839 after Stephen F. Austin, son of Moses Austin, leader of the first Texas colony.

Austin, Herbert /ˈɒstɪn/

1st Baron Austin of Longbridge (1866–1941), British motor manufacturer. Among the cars produced by his factory the Austin Seven (‘Baby Austin’) was particularly popular. His company merged with Morris Motors in 1952 to form the British Motor Corporation.

Austin, J. L. /ˈɒstɪn/

(1911–60), English philosopher; full name John Langshaw Austin. A careful exponent of linguistic philosophy, he pioneered the theory of speech acts, pointing out that utterances can be used to perform actions as well as to convey information.

Austin, John /ˈɒstɪn/

(1790–1859), English jurist. His work is significant for its strict delimitation of the sphere of law and its distinction from that of morality.

Austin Friars

plural noun

another name for Augustinian Friars.

austral /ˈɒstr(ə)l, ˈɔːstr(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. ‹technical› relating to the southern hemisphere.

• the austral spring.

2. ( Austral) — ‹technical› of Australia or Australasia.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin australis, from Auster ‘the south, the south wind’.

Australasia /ˌɒstrəˈleɪʒə, ˌɒstrəˈleɪʃə/

the region consisting of Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and the neighbouring islands of the Pacific.

Australasian /ɒstrəˈleɪʒ(ə)n, ɒstrəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Australasia.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Australasia.

Australia /ɒˈstreɪlɪə/

I. an island country and continent of the southern hemisphere, in the SW Pacific, a member state of the Commonwealth; pop. 21,262,600 (est. 2009); official language, English; capital, Canberra.

Inhabited by Aboriginal peoples since prehistoric times, Australia was explored by the Dutch from 1606; British colonization began in 1788, as did the transportation of convicts (discontinued in 1868). Australia was declared a Commonwealth in 1901, when the six colonies (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and the offshore island of Tasmania) federated as sovereign states; Northern Territory achieved similar status in 1978.

Australia Day

noun

a national public holiday in Australia, commemorating the founding on 26 January 1788 of the colony of New South Wales.

Australian /ɒˈstreɪlɪən, ɔːˈstreɪlɪən/

I. noun

a native or inhabitant of Australia, or a person of Australian descent.

II. adjective

1. relating to Australia.

2. [Zoology] relating to or denoting a zoogeographical region comprising Australasia together with Indonesia east of Wallace's line, in which monotremes and marsupials dominate the fauna.
Compare with Notogaea.

3. [Botany] relating to or denoting a phytogeographical kingdom comprising only Australia and Tasmania.

III. phrases

the Australian dream the great Australian dream

the desire to own a comfortable and spacious home

• when families with good jobs can't afford a home, the great Australian dream is lost.

IV. derivatives

Australianism

noun

– origin from French australien, from Latin australis in the phrase Terra Australis ‘the southern land’, the name of the supposed southern continent.

Australiana

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. items relating to or characteristic of Australia

• from a young age he had a fascination for Australiana.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Australia + -ana.

Australian Aboriginal language

noun

any of the numerous Aboriginal languages spoken in Australia

• the film's title is a word in Aranda, an Australian Aboriginal language.

Australian adjective great Australian adjective

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› used as a euphemism for the word ‘bloody’, with reference to its common use in Australian speech

• the song humorously exploits the great Australian adjective.

Australian Antarctic Territory

an area of Antarctica administered by Australia, lying between longitudes 142° east and 136° east.

Australian ballot

I. noun

a form of secret ballot, in which votes are cast in private on uniform ballot papers

• New York became the first American state to adopt the Australian ballot.

– origin late 19th cent.: from the elections in Victoria and South Australia in 1856, which were the first in which voters indicated a choice in private.

Australian Capital Territory /ɒstreɪliənkapɪtlˈtɛrətri/

a federal territory in New South Wales, Australia, consisting of two enclaves ceded by New South Wales, one in 1911 to contain Canberra, the other in 1915 containing Jervis Bay; the latter became the Jervis Bay Territory in 1988.

Australian cattle dog

noun

(Austral./NZ) a dog bred and trained to work cattle

• the Australian cattle dog is a highly intelligent, independent thinker.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

noun

an independent body that protects consumer rights and ensures compliance with laws relating to competition, on behalf of the Australian government

• both companies have been charged by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for alleged breaches of the Trade Practices Act.

Australian Council of Social Service

noun

a body that represents the interests of organizations and people involved in social welfare in Australia

• the Australian Council of Social Service estimates that the cost of childcare has risen by 25% in the last 18 months.

Australian Council of Trade Unions

noun

the coordinating body of Australia's trade unions

• research commissioned by the Australian Council of Trade Unions shows these jobs paid a very low wage indeed.

Australian crawl

noun

(chiefly Austral.) another term for crawl (sense 2 of the noun).

Australian encephalitis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a severe form of encephalitis that occurs primarily in Australia

• a tourist died just last year from Australian encephalitis.

See also Murray Valley encephalitis.

Australian flatworm

noun

an orange or yellow terrestrial flatworm up to 8 cm in length, accidentally introduced from Australia to Britain where it is destroying earthworm populations.
● Coenoplana alba, order Tricladida, class Turbellaria.

Australian Imperial Force

noun

the main Australian military force that served overseas during the First World War

• he remained in administrative command of the Australian Imperial Force until the Armistice.

Australianize Australianise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make Australian in character

• the two companies got together to Australianize the product

• (as adj. Australianized) the agency boss is an Australianized Brit living a two-hour commute from Sydney.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Australian + -ize.

Australian Labor Party ALP

Australia's oldest political party, founded in 1891. The party is moderate left-of-centre; it has provided three recent Australian Prime Ministers, Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke, and Paul Keating.

Australian language

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ( the Australian language) — (Austral./NZ) the variety of English spoken in Australia; Australian English

• there are some similar examples to be found in the Australian language.

2. [ count noun] — (Austral./NZ) an Aboriginal language

• Australian languages are important for understanding the continent's human past.

Australianness

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a quality or character distinctive of Australia or of Australians

• bands were toning down their Australianness to appeal to a wider market.

– origin late 19th century: from Australian + -ness.

Australian pidgin

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of English used between indigenous peoples and settlers in Australia, particularly in the nineteenth century

• Melanesian Pidgin and Australian Pidgin shared a number of features.

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority

noun

a regulatory body that oversees the financial services industry on behalf of the Australian government

• the bank has been in discussions with the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

Australian Rules Australian Rules football

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of football played on an oval ground with an oval ball by teams of eighteen players.

The game dates from 1858. Players may run with the ball if they touch it to the ground every fifteen metres, and may pass it in any direction by punching. There are both inner and outer goalposts: a behind (between the outer posts) scores one point and a goal (between the inner posts) scores six.

Australian salute

noun

(Austral.) ‹humorous› a wave of the hand to brush flies off the face.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

noun

the Australian governmental agency responsible for dealing with internal security

• the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation will have the power to detain people for up to 48 hours.

Australian terrier

noun

a wire-haired terrier of a breed originating in Australia.

Australian Workers' Union AWU

noun

( the Australian Workers' Union) — a large Australian trade union, formed in 1894 by a merger of the Amalgamated Shearers' Union and the General Labourers' Union

• the Australian Workers Union is calling for the aluminium industry to be exempt from these targets.

Austral Islands

another name for Tubuai Islands.

australite /ˈɒstrəlʌɪt/

noun

[Geology] a tektite from the strewn field in Australia.

Australoid /ˈɒstrəlɔɪd / ‹dated offensive›

I. adjective

relating to or denoting the broad division of humankind represented by Australian Aboriginal peoples.

II. noun

a person belonging to the Australoid division of humankind.

usage: The term Australoid belongs to a set of terms introduced by 19th-century anthropologists attempting to categorize human races. Such terms are associated with outdated notions of racial types, and so are now potentially offensive and best avoided. See usage at Mongoloid.

Australopithecus /ˌɒstrələʊˈpɪθɪkəs/

I. noun

a fossil bipedal primate with both apelike and human characteristics, found in Pliocene and Lower Pleistocene deposits ( c. 4 million to 1 million years old) in Africa.
●Genus Australopithecus, family Hominidae: several species, including the lightly built A. africanus, which is thought to be the immediate ancestor of the human genus Homo.

II. derivatives

australopithecine /ˌɒstrələʊˈpɪθɪsiːn /

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin, from Latin australis ‘southern’ (see austral) + Greek pithēkos ‘ape’.

Australorp /ˈɒstrəlɔːp/

I. noun

a black Orpington chicken of an Australian breed.

– origin early 20th cent.: blend of Australian and Orpington.

Austria /ˈɒstrɪə/

1. a republic in central Europe; pop. 8,210,300 (est. 2009); official language, German; capital, Vienna.
German name Österreich.

Austria was dominated from the early Middle Ages by the Habsburg family, and became the centre of a massive central European empire which lasted until 1918. The country was incorporated within the Nazi Reich in 1938 and after the Second World War was occupied by the Allies, regaining its sovereignty in 1955. A referendum in 1994 approved Austria's entry into the European Union.

Austria–Hungary Austro-Hungarian Empire

the dual monarchy established in 1867 by the Austrian emperor Franz Josef, according to which Austria and Hungary became autonomous states under a common sovereign.

Austrian /ˈɒstrɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Austria or its people.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Austria, or a person of Austrian descent.

Austrian blind

noun

a blind made from ruched fabric, which extends about a third of the way down a window.

Austrian Succession, War of the

a group of several related conflicts (1740–8), involving most of the states of Europe, that were triggered by the death of the Emperor Charles VI and the accession of his daughter Maria Theresa in 1740 to the Austrian throne.
See also Pragmatic Sanction.

Austro-1 /ˈɒstrəʊ/

combining form

Austrian; Austrian and …

• Austro-Hungarian.

Austro-2 /ˈɒstrəʊ/

combining form

1. Australian; Australian and …

• Austro-Malayan.

2. southern

• Austro-Asiatic.

Austro-Asiatic

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a phylum or superfamily of languages spoken in SE Asia, consisting of the Mon-Khmer family, the Munda family, and one or two other isolated languages.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Austro-Asiatic family of languages.

Austronesian /ˌɒstrə(ʊ)ˈniːʒən, ˌɒstrə(ʊ)ˈniːzɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a family of languages spoken in an area extending from Madagascar in the west to the Pacific islands in the east.
Also called Malayo-Polynesian.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Austronesian family of languages.

Austronesian languages are spoken by about 140 million people, of whom all but 1 million speak a language of the Indonesian group, which includes Indonesian, Javanese, Tagalog, and Malagasy. The other groups are Micronesian, Melanesian, and Polynesian, scattered across the islands of the South Pacific. / – origin from German austronesisch, based on Latin australis ‘southern’ (see austral) + Greek nēsos ‘island’.

AUT

abbreviation

(in the UK) Association of University Teachers.

aut-

prefix

variant spelling of auto-1 shortened before a vowel (as in autoxidation).

autarch /ˈɔːtɑːk/

I. noun

a ruler who has absolute power.

• he is one of those pitiable petty autarchs who habitually lord it over children and helpless underlings.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek autarkhos, from autos ‘self’ + arkhos ‘leader’.

autarchy /ˈɔːtɑːki/

I. noun

1. another term for autocracy.

2. variant spelling of autarky.

II. derivatives

1. autarchic /ɔːˈtɑːkɪk /

adjective

2. autarchical /ɔːˈtɑːkɪk(ə)l /

adjective

autarky /ˈɔːtɑːki / autarchy

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. economic independence or self-sufficiency.

• rural community autarchy is a Utopian dream.

2. [ count noun] — a country, state, or society which is economically independent.

II. derivatives

autarkic

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek autarkeia, from autarkēs ‘self-sufficiency’, from autos ‘self’ + arkein ‘suffice’.

autecology /ˌɔːtɪˈkɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the ecological study of a particular species.
Contrasted with synecology.

II. derivatives

autecological

adjective

auteur /əʊˈtəː, ɔːˈtəː/

I. noun

a film director who influences their films so much that they rank as their author.

II. derivatives

1. auteurism

noun

2. auteurist

adjective

– origin 1960s: from French, literally ‘author’.

authentic /ɔːˈθɛntɪk/

I. adjective

1. of undisputed origin and not a copy; genuine

• the letter is now accepted as an authentic document.

2. made or done in the traditional or original way, or in a way that faithfully resembles an original

• the restaurant serves authentic Italian meals

• every detail of the film was totally authentic.

3. based on facts; accurate or reliable

• an authentic depiction of the situation.

4. (in existentialist philosophy) relating to or denoting an emotionally appropriate, significant, purposive, and responsible mode of human life.

5. [Music] (of a church mode) containing notes between the final (the principal note) and the note an octave higher.
Compare with plagal.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin authenticus, from Greek authentikos ‘principal, genuine’.

authentically /ɔːˈθɛntɪkli/

adverb

1. undisputedly; genuinely

• her dances are as authentically Brazilian as their creator.

2. in the traditional or original way, or in a way that faithfully resembles an original

• finding someone to cook curry authentically can be a real challenge

• the film authentically recreates 17th-century Delft.

3. (in existentialist philosophy) in accordance with an emotionally appropriate, significant, purposive, and responsible mode of human life

• am I living authentically, in a way that embodies my personal values?

authenticate /ɔːˈθɛntɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. prove or show (something) to be true, genuine, or valid

• they were invited to authenticate artefacts from the Italian Renaissance.

2. [no obj.] — [Computing] (of a user or process) have one's identity verified.

• it only accepts commands from users who have authenticated as ‘clients’.

II. derivatives

authenticator

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin authenticat- ‘established as valid’, from the verb authenticare, from late Latin authenticus ‘genuine’ (see authentic).

authentication /ɔːθɛntɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process or action of proving or showing something to be true, genuine, or valid

• the prints will be stamped with his seal and accompanied by a letter of authentication

• [as count noun] the authentications were both carried out by the Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice.

2. [Computing] the process or action of verifying the identity of a user or process

• user authentication for each device ensures that the individual using the device is recognized by the company

• [as count noun] passwords and authentications are necessary parts of system security.

authenticity /ɔːθɛnˈtɪsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being authentic

• the paper should have established the authenticity of the documents before publishing them.

authigenic /ˌɔːθɪˈdʒɛnɪk/

I. adjective

[Geology] (of minerals and other materials) formed in their present position.
Often contrasted with allogenic.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek authigenēs ‘born on the spot’ + -ic.

author /ˈɔːθə/

I. noun

1. a writer of a book, article, or document

• he is the author of several books on the subject.

2. someone who writes books as a profession.

3. the writings produced by a particular author

• I had to read authors I disliked.

4. an originator of a plan or idea

• the authors of the peace plan.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. be the author of (a book or piece of writing)

• she has authored several articles on wildlife.

2. be the originator of

• the concept has been authored largely by insurance companies.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘a person who invents or causes something’): from Old French autor, from Latin auctor, from augere ‘increase, originate, promote’. The spelling with th arose in the 15th cent., and perhaps became established under the influence of authentic. / usage: In the sense ‘be the author of’ the verb author is objected to by some traditionalists. It is well established, though, especially in North America, and has been in use since the end of the 16th century.

authoress /ˈɔːθərɛs/

noun

a female author.

authorial /ɔːˈθɔːriəl/

adjective

belonging or relating to the writer of a book, article, or document

• no authorial voice interferes to colour the scene for us.

authoring /ˈɔːθərɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] the creation of programs and databases for computer applications such as computer-assisted learning or multimedia products
[as modifier]

• an authoring system.

authoritarian /ɔːˌθɒrɪˈtɛːrɪən/

I. adjective

1. favouring or enforcing strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom

• the transition from an authoritarian to a democratic regime.

2. showing a lack of concern for the wishes or opinions of others; dictatorial

• he had an authoritarian and at times belligerent manner.

II. noun

an authoritarian person.

authoritarianism /ɔːˌθɒrɪˈtɛːriənɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.

2. lack of concern for the wishes or opinions of others.

authoritative /ɔːˈθɒrɪtətɪv, ɔːˈθɒrɪˌteɪtɪv/

I. adjective

1. able to be trusted as being accurate or true; reliable

• clear, authoritative information and advice

• an authoritative source.

2. (of a text) considered to be the best of its kind and unlikely to be improved upon

• this is likely to become the authoritative study of the subject.

3. commanding and self-confident; likely to be respected and obeyed

• his voice was calm and authoritative.

4. proceeding from an official source and requiring compliance or obedience

• authoritative directives.

II. derivatives

authoritativeness /ɔːˈθɒrɪtətɪvnəs /

noun

authoritatively /ɔːˈθɒrətətɪvli/

adverb

1. in a way that is trusted as being accurate or true; with authority

• he could speak authoritatively on art, philosophy, literature, history, current affairs.

2. in a commanding and self-confident manner that induces respect and obedience

• she shouted authoritatively, 'Hey you! Drop your weapon, now!'.

3. in an official capacity or with official sanction, and therefore requiring compliance or obedience

• the correct interpretation of the Convention can be authoritatively expounded only by the Strasbourg court.

authority /ɔːˈθɒrɪti/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience

• he had absolute authority over his subordinates

• a rebellion against those in authority.

2. [often with infinitive] — the right to act in a specified way, delegated from one person or organization to another

• military forces have the legal authority to arrest drug traffickers.

3. official permission; sanction

• the money was spent without parliamentary authority.

4. (often authorities) — a person or organization having political or administrative power and control

• health authorities issued a worldwide alert.

5. [ mass noun] — the power to influence others, especially because of one's commanding manner or one's recognized knowledge about something

• he has the natural authority of one who is used to being obeyed.

6. the confidence resulting from personal expertise

• he hit the ball with authority.

7. [ count noun] — a person with extensive or specialized knowledge about a subject; an expert

• he was an authority on the stock market.

8. [ count noun] — a book or other source able to supply reliable information or evidence.

• the court cited a series of authorities supporting their decision.

II. phrases

have something on good authority

have ascertained something from a reliable source.

• I have it on good authority that there is a waiting list of up to five weeks.

– origin Middle English: from Old French autorite, from Latin auctoritas, from auctor ‘originator, promoter’ (see author).

authority figure

noun

a person who has or represents authority

• these techniques can help parents re-establish their role as authority figures.

authorization /ɔːθərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / authorisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of authorizing

• the raising of revenue and the authorization of spending.

2. [ count noun] — a document giving official permission.

• Horowitz handed him the authorization signed by Evans.

authorize /ˈɔːθərʌɪz / authorise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give official permission for or approval to (an undertaking or agent)

• the government authorized further aircraft production

• [with obj. and infinitive] the troops were authorized to use force.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French autoriser, from medieval Latin auctorizare, from auctor ‘originator, promoter’ (see author).

authorized /ˈɔːθərʌɪzd/

adjective

having official permission or approval

• an authorized dealer

• authorized access to the computer.

Authorized Version

noun

(chiefly Brit.) an English translation of the Bible made in 1611 at the order of James I and still widely used, though never formally ‘authorized’.
Also called King James Bible.

authorship /ˈɔːθəʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or fact of being the writer of a book, article, or document or the creator of a work of art

• the single authorship of the book gives it a uniformity of style and a proper balance between chapters

• a number of paintings have been attributed to him on stylistic grounds, though his authorship is not certain.

2. the occupation of writing

• he took to authorship.

autism /ˈɔːtɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts.

II. derivatives

autist

noun

– origin early 20th cent. (originally with reference to a condition in which fantasy dominates over reality, regarded as a symptom of schizophrenia and other disorders): from Greek autos ‘self’ + -ism.

autistic /ɔːˈtɪstɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or affected by autism.

II. noun

an autistic person.

autistic spectrum

noun

a range of conditions (from autism to Asperger’s syndrome) characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication and by restricted or repetitive patterns of thought and behaviour

• kids on the autistic spectrum

• there are many different manifestations of the autistic spectrum.

autistic spectrum disorder autism spectrum disorder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication and by restricted or repetitive patterns of thought and behaviour

• pupils with autistic spectrum disorder

• [ count noun] Joshua, aged six, has an autistic spectrum disorder.

auto^1 /ˈɔːtəʊ/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a car

• the auto industry.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation of automobile.

auto^2 /ˈɔːtəʊ/

adjective, noun

short for automatic.

auto-1 /ˈɔːtəʊ / aut-

I. combining form

1. self

• auto-analysis.

2. one's own

• autograph.

3. by oneself or spontaneous

• autoxidation.

4. by itself or automatic

• autofocusing.

– origin from Greek autos ‘self’.

auto-2 /ˈɔːtəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to cars

• autocross.

– origin abbreviation of automobile.

autoantibody

noun

[Physiology] an antibody produced by an organism in response to a constituent of its own tissues.

autobahn /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)bɑːn German ˈaʊtobaːn//

I. noun

a German, Austrian, or Swiss motorway.

– origin 1930s: from German, from Auto ‘motor car’ + Bahn ‘path, road’.

autobiographical /ɔːtəbʌɪəˈɡrafɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of a written work) dealing with the writer's own life

• an autobiographical account

• the book is partly autobiographical.

II. derivatives

1. autobiographic /ɔːtəbʌɪəˈɡrafɪk /

adjective

2. autobiographically

adverb

autobiography /ɔːtəbʌɪˈɒɡrəfi/

I. noun

1. an account of a person's life written by that person.

• he gives a vivid description of his childhood in his autobiography.

2. [ mass noun] — autobiographies considered as a literary genre.

• the book is a curious mixture of autobiography and fantasy.

II. derivatives

autobiographer /ˌɔːtəbʌɪˈɒɡrəfə /

noun

autocar /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)kɑː/

noun

‹archaic› a motor vehicle.

autocatalysis /ˌɔːtəʊkəˈtalɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] catalysis of a reaction by one of its products.

II. derivatives

1. autocatalyst

noun

2. autocatalytic

adjective

autocephalous /ˌɔːtə(ʊ)ˈsɛf(ə)ləs, ˌɔːtə(ʊ)ˈkɛf(ə)ləs/

I. adjective

(of an Eastern Christian Church) appointing its own head, not subject to the authority of an external patriarch or archbishop.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek autokephalos (from autos ‘self’ + kephalē ‘head’) + -ous.

autochanger autochange

noun

a mechanism for the automatic substitution of one CD or record for another during use.

autochrome

noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. an early form of colour photography using plates coated with dyed starch grains, patented by the Lumière brothers in 1904.

• the autochrome process.

2. [ count noun] — a colour photograph made using the autochrome process.

autochthon /ɔːˈtɒkθ(ə)n, ɔːˈtɒkθəʊn/

I. noun

an original or indigenous inhabitant of a place; an aborigine.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek, literally ‘sprung from the earth’, from autos ‘self’ + khthōn ‘earth, soil’.

autochthonous /ɔːˈtɒkθənəs/

adjective

1. (of an inhabitant of a place) indigenous rather than descended from migrants or colonists.

2. [Geology] (of a deposit or formation) formed in its present position.
Often contrasted with allochthonous.

autoclave /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)kleɪv/

I. noun

a strong heated container used for chemical reactions and other processes using high pressures and temperatures, e.g. steam sterilization.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. heat (something) in an autoclave.

• this follows recent advice that dental equipment be autoclaved after consultations.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from auto- ‘self’ + Latin clavus ‘nail’ or clavis ‘key’ (so named because it is self-fastening).

autocomplete

noun

[Computing] a software function that completes words or strings without the user needing to type them in full.

autocorrect

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a software function that automatically makes or suggests corrections for mistakes in spelling or grammar made while typing

• disable autocorrect so you can see your mistakes and find your weak spots.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a software function) automatically correct (mistakes in spelling or grammar)

• people rely on machines and phones to autocorrect spellings.

autocorrelation /ɔːtə(ʊ)kɒrɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Mathematics] [Statistics] correlation between the elements of a series and others from the same series separated from them by a given interval.

2. [ count noun] — [Mathematics] [Statistics] a calculation of autocorrelation.

autocracy /ɔːˈtɒkrəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of government by one person with absolute power.

2. [ count noun] — a state or society governed by one person with absolute power.

• the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was an autocracy.

3. domineering rule or control

• a boss who shifts between autocracy and consultation.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘autonomy’): from Greek autokrateia, from autokratēs (see autocrat).

autocrat /ˈɔːtəkrat/

I. noun

1. a ruler who has absolute power.

• like many autocrats, Franco found the exercise of absolute power addictive.

2. an imperious person who insists on complete obedience from others.

• Eva was an autocrat—people didn't argue unless they had a lot of courage.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French autocrate, from Greek autokratēs, from autos ‘self’ + kratos ‘power’.

autocratic /ɔːtəˈkratɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to a ruler who has absolute power

• the constitutional reforms threatened his autocratic power.

2. taking no account of other people's wishes or opinions; domineering

• a man with a reputation for an autocratic management style.

II. derivatives

autocratically

adverb

autocrine /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)krʌɪn/

I. adjective

[Biochemistry] denoting or relating to a cell-produced substance that has an effect on the cell by which it is secreted.

– origin 1980s: from auto-1 + Greek krinein ‘to separate’.

autocross /ˈɔːtəʊkrɒs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a form of motor racing in which cars are driven singly or in heats over a course including rough terrain or unmade roads.
Compare with rallycross.

2. (N. Amer.) a form of competition in which cars are driven around an obstacle course, typically marked out by cones on an empty car park.

– origin 1960s: blend of automobile and cross-country.

autocue /ˈɔːtəʊkjuː/

noun

‹trademark› (Brit.) a device which projects an enlarged image of a script on to a clear glass screen in front of a person speaking on television or in public, so enabling the speaker to read their speech while appearing to be looking at the viewers or audience.

auto-da-fé /ˌɔːtəʊdɑːˈfeɪ/

I. noun

1. the burning of a heretic by the Spanish Inquisition.

2. a sentence condemning a person to an auto-da-fé.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Portuguese, literally ‘act of the faith’.

autodial /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)dʌɪəl/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [Computing] (of a modem) automatically dial a telephone number or establish a connection with a computer.

II. derivatives

autodialler

noun

autodidact /ˈɔːtəʊdɪdakt/

I. noun

a self-taught person.

II. derivatives

autodidactic

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Greek autodidaktos ‘self-taught’, from autos ‘self’ + didaskein ‘teach’.

auto-enrol /ˈɔːtəʊɪnˌrəʊl, ˈɔːtəʊɛnˌrəʊl / ‹US› autoenroll

verb — [with obj.]

1. automatically register (someone) as a member of a scheme, especially a company pension scheme, without that person's active authorization

• the bank was the first UK company to auto-enrol its workforce under the government's requirement.

auto-enrolment ‹US› autoenrollment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or practice of automatically enrolling someone as a member of a scheme, especially a company pension scheme, without that person's active authorization

• companies with more than 120,000 employees were required to start auto-enrolment in the second half of last year

• [as modifier] the introduction of the new government-backed auto-enrolment scheme.

auto-erotic

I. adjective

relating to sexual excitement generated by stimulating or fantasizing about one's own body.

II. derivatives

auto-eroticism /ˌɔːtəʊɪˈrɒtɪˌsɪz(ə)m /

noun

auto-exposure

noun

1. a device which sets the exposure automatically on a camera.

2. [ mass noun] — the facility to set exposure automatically.

• a camcorder with auto-exposure.

autofill

noun

[Computing] a software function that completes data in browser forms without the user needing to type it in full.

autofocus /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)ˌfəʊkəs/

I. noun

1. a device focusing a camera or other piece of equipment automatically.

2. [ mass noun] — the facility for automatic focusing.

• these pictures were shot with the help of autofocus.

II. derivatives

autofocusing

noun

autogamy /ɔːˈtɒɡəmi/

I. noun

[Biology] self-fertilization, especially the self pollination of a flower.
Compare with allogamy.

II. derivatives

autogamous

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from auto-1 ‘self’ + Greek -gamia (from gamos ‘marriage’).

autogenic /ˌɔːtə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

‹technical› self-generated

• autogenic succession.

autogenic training

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of relaxation therapy involving auto-suggestion.

autogenous /ɔːˈtɒdʒɪnəs/

adjective

1. arising from within or from a thing itself.

2. (of welding) done either without a filler or with a filler of the same metal as the pieces being welded.

autogiro /ɔːtəʊˈdʒʌɪrəʊ / autogyro

I. noun

a form of aircraft with freely rotating horizontal blades and a propeller. It differs from a helicopter in that the blades are not powered but rotate in the slipstream, propulsion being by a conventional mounted engine.

– origin 1920s: from Spanish, from auto- ‘self’ + giro ‘gyration’.

autograft /ˈɔːtəɡrɑːft/

noun

a graft of tissue from one point to another of the same individual's body.

autograph /ˈɔːtəɡrɑːf/

I. noun

1. a signature, especially that of a celebrity written as a memento for an admirer

• fans surged around the car asking for autographs.

2. a manuscript or musical score in an author's or musician's own handwriting.

• the earliest version of the work is possibly an autograph.

3. [ mass noun] — a person's handwriting.

• a songbook in Purcell's autograph.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. write one's signature on (something); sign

• the whole team autographed a shirt for him

• (as adj. autographed) an autographed photo.

III. adjective

1. written in the author's own handwriting

• an autograph manuscript.

2. (of a painting or sculpture) done by the artist, not by a copier.

• five of the drawings are accepted as autograph.

IV. derivatives

autographic /ɔːtəˈɡrafɪk /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from French autographe or late Latin autographum, from Greek autographon, neuter of autographos ‘written with one's own hand’, from autos ‘self’ + graphos ‘written’.

autography /ɔːˈtɒɡrəfi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. writing done with one's own hand.

2. the facsimile reproduction of writing or illustration.

3. [ count noun] — an autobiography.

autoharp /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)hɑːp/

noun

a kind of zither fitted with a series of sprung and padded bars which allow the playing of chords by damping selected strings.

autohypnosis /ɔːtəʊhɪpˈnəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. induction of a hypnotic state in oneself; self-hypnosis.

II. derivatives

autohypnotic

adjective

autoimmune /ˌɔːtəʊɪˈmjuːn/

I. adjective

[Medicine] relating to disease caused by antibodies or lymphocytes produced against substances naturally present in the body

• the infection triggers an autoimmune response.

II. derivatives

autoimmunity /ˌɔːtəʊɪˈmjuːnəti /

noun

autointoxication /ˌɔːtəʊɪntɒksɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] poisoning by a toxin formed within the body itself.

autologous /ɔːˈtɒləɡəs/

adjective

(of cells or tissues) obtained from the same individual.

• autologous bone marrow transplants.

autolysis /ɔːˈtɒlɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the destruction of cells or tissues by their own enzymes, especially those released by lysosomes.

II. derivatives

autolytic

adjective

automagically /ɔːtəˈmadʒɪkli/

I. adverb

‹informal› (especially in relation to the operation of a computer process) automatically and in a way that seems ingenious, inexplicable, or magical

• just type in the name of what you want to listen to, and it automagically appears on your computer.

– origin 1940s: blend of automatically and magically.

automaker /ˈɔːtəʊmeɪkə/

noun

(N. Amer.) a company which manufactures cars.

automat /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)mat/

I. noun

(US) ‹historical› a cafeteria in which food and drink were obtained from slot machines.

– origin late 17th cent. (denoting an automaton): from German, from French automate, from Latin automaton (see automaton). The current sense dates from the early 20th cent.

automate /ˈɔːtəmeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (a process or facility) to be operated by largely automatic equipment

• industry is investing in automating production

• (as adj. automated) a fully automated process.

– origin 1950s: back-formation from automation.

automated teller machine

noun

a machine that automatically provides cash and performs other banking services on insertion of a special card by the account holder.

automatic /ɔːtəˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

1. (of a device or process) working by itself with little or no direct human control

• an automatic kettle that switches itself off when it boils

• calibration is fully automatic.

2. (of a firearm) self-loading and able to fire continuously until the ammunition is exhausted or the pressure on the trigger is released.

• automatic weapons.

3. (of a motor vehicle or its transmission) using gears that change by themselves according to speed and acceleration.

• a four-speed automatic gearbox.

4. done or occurring spontaneously, without conscious thought or attention

• automatic physical functions such as breathing

• ‘Nice to meet you,’ he said, with automatic politeness.

5. done or occurring as a matter of course and without debate

• he is the automatic choice for the senior team.

6. (especially of a legal sanction) given or imposed as a necessary and inevitable result of a fixed rule or particular set of circumstances

• he received an automatic one-match suspension.

II. noun

1. a gun that continues firing until the ammunition is exhausted or the pressure on the trigger is released.

• the rapid fire of automatics.

2. a vehicle with automatic transmission.

• a Mercedes 300SL five-speed automatic.

III. derivatives

automaticity

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Greek automatos ‘acting of itself’ (see automaton) + -ic.

automatically /ˌɔːtəˈmatɪkli/

adverb

1. (with reference to a device or process) by itself with little or no direct human control

• the kettle automatically switched off when it boiled.

2. (with reference to a firearm) continuously until the ammunition is exhausted or the pressure on the trigger is released

• the recovered weapons had been illegally modified to fire fully automatically.

3. without conscious thought or attention; spontaneously

• although I used my best Italian, the receptionists automatically replied in English.

4. as a necessary and inevitable result of a fixed rule or particular set of circumstances

• his passport was automatically revoked

• the winners of the Division 2 final are not automatically promoted.

automatic gain control

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Electronics] a feature of certain amplifier circuits which gives a constant output over a wide range of input levels.

automatic pilot

I. noun

a device for keeping an aircraft on a set course without the intervention of the pilot.

II. phrases

on automatic pilot

out of routine or habit, without concentration or conscious thought

• I leapt out of bed and dressed on automatic pilot.

automatic writing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. writing said to be produced by a spiritual, occult, or subconscious agency rather than by the conscious intention of the writer.

automation /ɔːtəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use or introduction of automatic equipment in a manufacturing or other process or facility.

• unemployment due to the spread of automation.

• the automation of office tasks.

– origin 1940s (originally US): irregular formation from automatic + -ation.

automatism /ɔːˈtɒmətɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] the performance of actions without conscious thought or intention.

• diabetic patients who commit crimes while hypoglycaemic may be able to plead automatism.

2. [ count noun] — [Psychiatry] an action performed unconsciously or involuntarily.

• automatisms occurred in all four epileptic syndromes.

3. [Psychiatry] [Art] the avoidance of conscious intention in producing works of art, especially by using mechanical techniques or subconscious associations.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French automatisme, from automate ‘automaton’, from Greek automatos ‘acting of itself’ (see automaton).

automatize /ɔːˈtɒmətʌɪz / automatise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. automatized)

1. make automatic or habitual

• the need to refresh automatized forms of literature.

II. derivatives

automatization

noun

automaton /ɔːˈtɒmət(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a moving mechanical device made in imitation of a human being.

• a collection of 19th century French automata: acrobats, clowns, and musicians.

2. a machine which performs a range of functions according to a predetermined set of coded instructions.

• sophisticated automatons continue to run factory assembly lines.

3. used in similes and comparisons to refer to a person who seems to act in a mechanical or unemotional way

• like an automaton, she walked to the door.

– origin early 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek, neuter of automatos ‘acting of itself’, from autos ‘self’.

automize /ˈɔːtəmʌɪz / automise

verb

1. another term for automate.

2. another term for automatize.

automobile /ˈɔːtəməbiːl/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a car.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from auto- ‘self’ + mobile ‘mobile’.

automotive /ˌɔːtəˈməʊtɪv/

adjective

relating to or concerned with motor vehicles.

• automotive parts.

• the automotive industry.

autonomic /ˌɔːtəˈnɒmɪk/

I. adjective

[chiefly Physiology] involuntary or unconscious; relating to the autonomic nervous system.

• the symptoms included gastrointestinal and autonomic disturbance.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in the sense ‘self-governing’): from autonomy + -ic.

autonomic nervous system /ɔːtənɒmɪkˈnɜːvəssɪstəm/

noun

the part of the nervous system responsible for control of the bodily functions not consciously directed, such as breathing, the heartbeat, and digestive processes.

autonomous /ɔːˈtɒnəməs/

I. adjective

1. (of a country or region) having the freedom to govern itself or control its own affairs

• the federation included sixteen autonomous republics.

2. having the freedom to act independently

• school governors are legally autonomous.

3. (in Kantian moral philosophy) acting in accordance with one's moral duty rather than one's desires.
Compare with heteronomous.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek autonomos ‘having its own laws’ + -ous.

autonomously /ɔːˈtɒnəməsli/

adverb

with the freedom to act independently

• each canton in Switzerland operates almost autonomously.

autonomy /ɔːˈtɒnəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the right or condition of self-government

• between the First and Second World Wars, Canada gained greater autonomy from Britain.

2. [ count noun] — a self-governing country or region.

• the national autonomies of the Russian Republic.

3. freedom from external control or influence; independence.

• the courts enjoy a considerable degree of autonomy.

• economic autonomy is still a long way off for many women.

4. (in Kantian moral philosophy) the capacity of an agent to act in accordance with objective morality rather than under the influence of desires.

II. derivatives

autonomist

noun, adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek autonomia, from autonomos ‘having its own laws’, from autos ‘self’ + nomos ‘law’.

autopen

noun

a mechanical device that automatically reproduces a person's signature, used typically in situations where someone is required to sign a large volume of documents.

• a lot of celebrities use autopens but there are ways to spot this because you often get squiggles and ink dots.

autophagy /ɔːˈtɒfədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] consumption of the body’s own tissue as a metabolic process occurring in starvation and certain diseases

• the process of starvation-induced autophagy was recently the focus of extensive research.

2. [Biology] destruction of damaged or redundant cellular components occurring in vacuoles within the cell.

II. derivatives

autophagous /ɔːˈtɒfəɡəs /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from auto-1 + -phagy.

autopilot /ˈɔːtəʊˌpʌɪlət/

noun

short for automatic pilot.

autopista /ˌɔːtə(ʊ)ˈpiːstə, Spanish autoˈpista/

I. noun

a motorway in a Spanish-speaking country.

– origin 1950s: from Spanish, from auto ‘automobile’ + pista ‘track’.

autopsy /ˈɔːtɒpsi, ɔːˈtɒpsi/

I. noun

a post-mortem examination to discover the cause of death or the extent of disease.

• a Home Office pathologist carried out the autopsy.

• [ mass noun] on autopsy it was established that he had suffered from a rare brain condition.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. perform an autopsy on (a body or organ).

• the animal must be autopsied as soon as possible.

• (as adj. autopsied) an autopsied brain.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘personal observation’): from French autopsie or modern Latin autopsia, from Greek, from autoptēs ‘eyewitness’, from autos ‘self’ + optos ‘seen’.

autoradiogram /ˌɔːtəʊˈreɪdɪə(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

another term for autoradiograph.

autoradiograph

I. noun

a photograph of an object produced by radiation from radioactive material in the object.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make an autoradiograph of.

• the gel was dried and autoradiographed.

III. derivatives

1. autoradiographic

adjective

2. autoradiography

noun

autoresponder

noun

[Computing] a program that automatically generates a set response to all messages sent to a particular email address.

• I got a reply almost right away, which I assume was from an autoresponder.

autorickshaw

noun

(in South Asia) a motorized, three-wheeled rickshaw for public hire.

autorotation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. rotation of an object caused by the flow of moving air or water around the shape of the object (e.g. a winged seed).

2. autorotation in the rotor blades of a helicopter that is descending without engine power.

II. derivatives

autorotate

verb

autoroute

I. noun

a French motorway.

– origin 1960s: from French, from auto(mobile) ‘car’ + route ‘route’.

autosave /ˈɔːtəʊseɪv / ‹Computing›

I. noun

a software facility which automatically saves a user's work at regular intervals.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. save (work) automatically using the autosave facility.

autoshaping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychology] conditioning in which the conditioned response has not been reinforced by reward or punishment, but is a modified instinctive response to certain stimuli.

autosome /ˈɔːtəʃəʊm/

I. noun

[Biology] any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome.

II. derivatives

autosomal

adjective

autostereoscopic /ˌɔːtə(ʊ)stɛrɪə(ʊ)ˈskɒpɪk, ˌɔːtə(ʊ)stɪərɪə(ʊ)ˈskɒpɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting two-dimensional images that may be perceived as three-dimensional without the need for special optical equipment

• the ultimate solution will be autostereoscopic screens that don't require glasses.

II. derivatives

autostereoscopy /ˌɔːtə(ʊ)stɛrɪˈɒskəpi /

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from auto-1 + stereoscopic.

autostrada /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)ˌstrɑːdə, Italian autoˈstrada/

I. noun

an Italian motorway.

– origin 1920s: from Italian, from auto ‘automobile’ + strada ‘road’.

autosuggestion /ɔtəʊsəˈdʒɛstʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the hypnotic or subconscious adoption of an idea which one has originated oneself.

autotelic /ˌɔːtə(ʊ)ˈtɛlɪk/

I. adjective

‹formal› (of an activity or a creative work) having an end or purpose in itself.

– origin early 20th cent.: from auto-1 ‘self’ + Greek telos ‘end’ + -ic.

autotomy /ɔːˈtɒtəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] the casting off of a part of the body (e.g. the tail of a lizard) by an animal under threat.

autotoxin

I. noun

a substance produced by an organism which is toxic to itself.

II. derivatives

autotoxic

adjective

autotransformer

noun

an electrical transformer which has a single winding of which part is common to both primary and secondary circuits.

autotransplantation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. transplantation of tissue from one site to another in the same individual.

II. derivatives

1. autotransplant /ˈɔːtəʊˌtransplɑːnt /

noun

2. autotransplanted

adjective

autotray /ˈɔːtəʊtreɪ/

noun

(Austral.) a small table on wheels used for conveying food and drink

• an autotray rolled up and our breakfasts were placed in front of us.

autotroph /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)trəʊf, ˈɔːtə(ʊ)trɒf/

I. noun

[Biology] an organism that is able to form nutritional organic substances from simple inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide.
Compare with heterotroph.

II. derivatives

1. autotrophic /ˌɔːtəˈtrɒfɪk, ˌɔːtəˈtrəʊfɪk /

adjective

2. autotrophy

noun

autotune

I. noun

a device or facility for tuning something automatically, especially a computer program which enables the correction of an out-of-tune vocal performance.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. tune (something) automatically

• there's also an FM radio which can autotune stations and has a ‘record’ option.

2. alter the pitch of (a voice recording) by means of a computer program

• vocals are often autotuned to fake perfection

• (as adj. autotuned) Cher is the woman that many credit for bringing autotuned vocals into mainstream music.

autotype

noun

1. a facsimile.

2. [ mass noun] — a photographic printing process for monochrome reproduction.

autowinder /ˈɔːtəʊwʌɪndə/

I. noun

a device which automatically winds on the film in a camera after a picture has been taken.

II. derivatives

autowind /ˈɔːtəʊwʌɪnd /

noun, verb

autoworker

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a worker in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry.

autoxidation /ˌɔːtɒksɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] spontaneous oxidation of a substance at ambient temperatures in the presence of oxygen.

II. derivatives

autoxidize autoxidise

verb

autumn /ˈɔːtəm/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) the season after summer and before winter, in the northern hemisphere from September to November and in the southern hemisphere from March to May

• the countryside is ablaze with colour in autumn

• ‹figurative› he was in the autumn of his life.

2. [Astronomy] the period from the autumn equinox to the winter solstice.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French autompne, or later directly from Latin autumnus.

autumnal /ɔːˈtʌmn(ə)l/

I. adjective

of, characteristic of, or occurring in autumn

• rich autumnal colours.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin autumnalis, from autumnus ‘autumn’.

autumn crocus

noun

a crocus-like Eurasian plant of the lily family, cultivated for its autumn-blooming flowers.
●Genus Colchicum, family Liliaceae: several species, in particular meadow saffron.

autumn equinox autumnal equinox

noun

1. the equinox in autumn, on about 22 September in the northern hemisphere and 20 March in the southern hemisphere.

2. [Astronomy] the equinox in September.

autunite /ˈɔːtʌnʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a yellow mineral occurring as square crystals which fluoresce in ultraviolet light. It is a hydrated phosphate of calcium and uranium.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Autun, the name of a town in eastern France, + -ite^1.

Auvergne /əʊˈvɛːn French ovɛʀɲ//

I. a region of south central France and a province of the Roman Empire. The region is mountainous and contains the extinct volcanic cones known as the Puys.

– origin from Latin Arverni, the name of a Celtic tribe who lived there in Roman times.

auxiliary /ɔːɡˈzɪlɪəri, ɒɡˈzɪlɪəri/

I. adjective

1. providing supplementary or additional help and support

• auxiliary airport staff

• the ship has an auxiliary power source.

2. (of troops) engaged in the service of a nation at war but not part of the regular army.

3. (of a sailing vessel) equipped with a supplementary engine

• an auxiliary schooner.

II. noun

1. an auxiliary person or thing

• a nursing auxiliary

• there are two main fuel tanks and two auxiliaries.

2. (N. Amer.) a group of volunteers giving supplementary support to an organization or institution

• members of the Volunteer Fire Department's women's auxiliary.

3. [Grammar] an auxiliary verb.

4. a naval vessel with a supporting role, not armed for combat.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin auxiliarius, from auxilium ‘help’.

auxiliary verb

noun

[Grammar] a verb used in forming the tenses, moods, and voices of other verbs. The primary auxiliary verbs in English are be, do, and have; the modal auxiliaries are can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, and would.

auxin /ˈɔːksɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a plant hormone which causes the elongation of cells in shoots and is involved in regulating plant growth. See also indoleacetic acid.

• the apex of a growing stem produces auxin.

• [ count noun] gibberellin interacts with cytokinins and auxins.

– origin 1930s: coined in German from Greek auxein ‘to increase’ + -in^1.

auxotroph /ˈɔːksətrəʊf, ˈɔːksətrɒf/

I. noun

[Biology] a mutant organism (especially a bacterium or fungus) that requires a particular additional nutrient which the normal strain does not.

II. derivatives

auxotrophic

adjective

– origin 1950s: from Latin auxilium ‘help’ + Greek trophos ‘feeder’.

AV

abbreviation

1. alternative vote (or voting).

2. audiovisual (teaching aids).

3. Authorized Version.

avadavat /ˈavədəvat / amadavat

I. noun

a small South Asian waxbill that is widely kept as a cage bird. The male has red or green plumage and a red bill. Also called munia.
●Genus Amandava, family Estrildidae: the red avadavat ( A. amandava) and the green avadavat ( A. formosa).

– origin late 17th cent.: named after the city of Ahmadabad in India, where the birds were sold.

avail /əˈveɪl/

I. verb

1. ( avail oneself of) — ‹formal› use or take advantage of (an opportunity or available resource)

• my daughter did not avail herself of my advice.

2. [with obj.] — ‹literary› help or benefit

• no amount of struggle availed Charles.

II. noun — (usu. in phrase of/to no avail)

1. use or benefit

• he begged her to reconsider, but to no avail.

III. phrases

avail someone nothing

‹archaic› (of an action) be of no help at all to someone.

• this protest availed her nothing.

– origin Middle English: from obsolete vail ‘be of use or value’ (apparently on the pattern of pairs such as amount, mount), from Old French valoir, from Latin valere ‘be strong, be of value’.

availability /əveɪləˈbɪlɪti/

noun

1. the quality of being able to be used or obtained

• turkey producers had been losing sales because of the all-year-round availability of beef

• the availability of social housing varies widely in rural areas.

2. the state of being otherwise unoccupied; freedom to do something

• they enquired as to my availability for a game the following evening.

3. ‹informal› the state of not being currently involved in a sexual or romantic relationship

• if you call yourself 'Miss' you're advertising your availability to any man who takes a fancy.

available /əˈveɪləb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able to be used or obtained; at someone's disposal

• refreshments will be available all afternoon

• community health services available to Londoners.

2. (of a person) not otherwise occupied; free to do something

• the nurse is only available at certain times

• the minister was not available for comment.

3. ‹informal› not currently involved in a sexual or romantic relationship

• there's no available women here.

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘effectual, serviceable’ and ‘legally valid’): from avail + -able. The sense ‘at someone's disposal’ dates from the early 19th cent.

avalanche /ˈavəlɑːnʃ/

I. noun

1. a mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside.

• he was swept to his death by an avalanche in 1988.

2. a large mass of mud or other material moving rapidly downhill

• an avalanche of mud.

3. a sudden arrival or occurrence of something in overwhelming quantities

• we have had an avalanche of applications for the post.

4. [Physics] a cumulative process in which a fast-moving ion or electron generates further ions and electrons by collision.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a mass of snow, ice, etc.) descend rapidly down a mountainside.

2. [with obj.] — engulf or carry off by an avalanche

• the climbers were avalanched down the south face of the mountain.

3. [Physics] undergo a rapid increase in conductivity due to an avalanche process.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, alteration of the Alpine dialect word lavanche (of unknown origin), influenced by avaler ‘descend’; compare with Italian valanga.

Avalon /ˈavəlɒn/

(in Arthurian legend) the place to which Arthur was conveyed after death.

avant- /ˈavɒ̃/

combining form

(especially with reference to popular music) original or innovative; avant-garde

• even in avant-rock, a song's words are usually its focus.

avant-courier /avɒ̃ːˈkʊrɪə/

I. noun

‹historical› a person running ahead, especially a member of the advance guard of an army.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French avant ‘forward, before’ + courier.

avant-garde /ˌavɒ̃ˈɡɑːd/

I. noun — (usu. the avant-garde)

1. new and experimental ideas and methods in art, music, or literature

• he has been called a promoter of the avant-garde.

2. a group of artists, musicians, or writers working with new and experimental ideas and methods

• works by artists of the Russian avant-garde.

II. adjective

favouring or introducing new and experimental ideas and methods

• a controversial avant-garde composer.

III. derivatives

1. avant-gardism

noun

2. avant-gardist

noun

– origin late Middle English (denoting the vanguard of an army): from French, literally ‘vanguard’. Current senses date from the early 20th cent.

Avar /əˈvɑː/

I. noun

1. a member of a nomadic equestrian people from central Asia who built up a large kingdom in SE Europe from the 6th century but were conquered by Charlemagne (791–9).

2. a member of a pastoral people of Dagestan in Russia, of uncertain relationship to the ancient Avars.

3. [ mass noun] — the North Caucasian language of the modern Avars.

II. adjective

relating to the Avars or their language.

– origin the name in Avar.

avarice /ˈav(ə)rɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

• he was rich beyond the dreams of avarice.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin avaritia, from avarus ‘greedy’.

avaricious /avəˈrɪʃəs/

I. adjective

having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain

• an avaricious, manipulative woman.

II. derivatives

1. avariciously

adverb

2. avariciousness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French avaricieux, based on Latin avarus ‘greedy’.

avascular /əˈvaskjʊlə, eɪˈvaskjʊlə/

adjective

[Medicine] characterized by or associated with a lack of blood vessels.

• avascular necrosis.

• the cornea is avascular.

avast /əˈvɑːst/

I. exclamation

[Nautical] stop; cease

• a sailor is expected to keep hauling until the mate hollers ‘Avast!’.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Dutch hou'vast, houd vast ‘hold fast!’.

avatar /ˈavətɑː/

I. noun

1. [chiefly Hinduism] a manifestation of a deity or released soul in bodily form on earth; an incarnate divine teacher.

2. an incarnation, embodiment, or manifestation of a person or idea

• he chose John Stuart Mill as the avatar of the liberal view.

3. an icon or figure representing a particular person in a computer game, Internet forum, etc.

• conversation is depicted in a balloon over the avatar's head.

– origin from Sanskrit avatāra ‘descent’, from ava ‘down’ + tar- ‘to cross’.

avaunt /əˈvɔːnt/

I. exclamation

‹archaic› go away

• avaunt, you worm-faced fellows of the night!

– origin late Middle English: from an Anglo-Norman French variant of Old French avant, from Latin ab ‘from’ + ante ‘before’.

ave /ˈɑːveɪ/

I. exclamation

‹literary› used to express good wishes on meeting or parting.

II. noun

1. ( Ave) — short for Ave Maria.

2. ‹literary› a shout of welcome or farewell.

– origin Middle English: from Latin, ‘fare well!’, singular imperative of avere.

Ave.

abbreviation

Avenue.

Avebury /ˈeɪvb(ə)ri/

a village in Wiltshire, site of one of Britain's major henge monuments of the late Neolithic period. The monument consists of a bank and ditch containing the largest known stone circle, with two smaller circles within it.

Ave Maria /ˌɑːveɪ məˈriːə/

I. noun

a prayer to the Virgin Mary used in Catholic worship. The first line is adapted from Luke 1:28.
Also called Hail Mary.

– origin the opening words in Latin, literally ‘hail, Mary!’.

avenge /əˈvɛn(d)ʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. inflict harm in return for (an injury or wrong done to oneself or another)

• he vowed in silent fervour to avenge their murders.

2. inflict harm in return for an injury or wrong on behalf of (oneself or another)

• we must avenge our dead

• they avenged themselves on the interlopers.

II. derivatives

avenger /əˈvɛndʒə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French avengier, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to’) + vengier, from Latin vindicare ‘vindicate’.

avens /ˈeɪv(ə)nz/

I. noun

a plant of the rose family, typically having serrated, divided leaves and seeds bearing small hooks.
●Genus Geum, family Rosaceae: several species, including the widespread water avens ( G. rivale), with drooping pinkish flowers, and wood avens or herb bennet.

– origin Middle English: from Old French avence (medieval Latin avencia), of unknown origin.

aventurine /əˈvɛntʃərɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. brownish glass containing sparkling particles of copper or gold
[as modifier]

• aventurine glass.

2. a translucent mineral containing small reflective particles, especially quartz containing mica or iron compounds, or feldspar containing haematite.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from Italian avventurino, from avventura ‘chance’ (because of its accidental discovery).

avenue /ˈav(ə)njuː/

I. noun

1. a broad road in a town or city, typically having trees at regular intervals along its sides

• tree-lined avenues surround the hotel

• [in names] Shaftesbury Avenue.

2. [in names] — (N. Amer.) a thoroughfare running at right angles to the streets in a city laid out on a grid pattern

• 7th Avenue.

3. (Brit.) a tree-lined approach to a country house or similar building

• an avenue of limes.

4. a way of approaching a problem or making progress towards something

• three possible avenues of research suggested themselves.

– origin early 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French, feminine past participle of avenir ‘arrive, approach’, from Latin advenire, from ad- ‘towards’ + venire ‘come’.

aver /əˈvəː/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. ‹formal› state or assert to be the case
[with clause]

• he averred that he was innocent of the allegations

• [with direct speech] ‘I don't have to do anything—it's his problem,’ Rory averred.

2. [with obj.] — ‹formal› [Law] allege as a fact in support of a plea.

• the defendant does not aver any performance by himself.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘declare or confirm to be true’): from Old French averer, based on Latin ad ‘to’ (implying ‘cause to be’) + verus ‘true’.

average /ˈav(ə)rɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. a number expressing the central or typical value in a set of data, in particular the mode, median, or (most commonly) the mean, which is calculated by dividing the sum of the values in the set by their number

• the proportion of over-60s is above the EU average of 19 per cent.

2. an amount, standard, level, or rate regarded as usual or ordinary

• underground water reserves are below average

• they take about thirty minutes on average.

3. [ mass noun] — the apportionment of financial liability resulting from loss of or damage to a ship or its cargo.

4. reduction in the amount payable under an insurance policy, e.g. in respect of partial loss.

II. adjective

1. constituting the result obtained by adding together several amounts and then dividing this total by the number of amounts

• the average temperature in May was 4°C below normal.

2. of the usual or ordinary amount, standard, level, or rate

• a woman of average height.

3. having qualities that are seen as typical of a particular person, group, or thing

• the average lad likes a good night out.

4. mediocre; not very good

• a very average director making very average movies.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. amount to or achieve as an average rate or amount over a period of time; mean

• annual inflation averaged 2.4 per cent.

2. calculate or estimate the average of

• the women earned only £35 weekly when their seasonal earnings were averaged out.

3. [no obj.] ( average out) — result in an even distribution; even out

• it is reasonable to hope that the results will average out.

4. [no obj.] ( average out at/to) — result in an average figure of

• the cost should average out at about £6 per page.

IV. derivatives

1. averagely /ˈavərɪdʒli /

adverb

2. averageness

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from French avarie ‘damage to ship or cargo’, earlier ‘customs duty’, from Italian avaria, from Arabic ‘awār ‘damage to goods’; the suffix -age is on the pattern of damage. Originally denoting a duty payable by the owner of goods to be shipped, the term later denoted the financial liability from goods lost or damaged at sea, and specifically the equitable apportionment of this between the owners of the vessel and of the cargo (late 16th cent.); this gave rise to the general sense of calculating the mean (mid 18th cent.).

avermectin /ˌeɪvəˈmɛktɪn/

I. noun

any of a group of compounds with strong anthelmintic properties, isolated from a strain of bacteria. Chemically, they are macrocyclic lactones with a disaccharide ring attached.

– origin 1970s: from modern Latin ( Streptomyces) averm(itilis), the name of the source actinomycete, + ect- (of unknown origin) + -in^1.

averment /əˈvəːm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› an affirmation or allegation.

2. ‹formal› [Law] a formal statement by a party in a case of a fact or circumstance which the party offers to prove or substantiate.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French averrement, averement, from averer ‘declare true’ (see aver).

Avernus /əˈvəːnəs/

a lake near Naples in Italy, which fills the crater of an extinct volcano. It was described by Virgil and other Latin writers as the entrance to the underworld.

Averroës /əˈvɛrəʊiːz/

( c. 1126–98), Spanish-born Islamic philosopher, judge, and physician; Arabic name ibn-Rushd. His highly influential commentaries on Aristotle sought to reconcile Aristotle with Plato and the Greek philosophical tradition with the Arabic.

averse /əˈvəːs/

I. adjective — [ predic.] [usu. with negative]

1. having a strong dislike of or opposition to something

• as a former CIA director, he is not averse to secrecy

• [in combination] the bank's approach has been risk-averse.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin aversus ‘turned away from’, past participle of avertere (see avert). / usage: 1 On the confusion of averse and adverse, see usage at adverse 2 Traditionally, and according to Dr Johnson, averse from is preferred to averse to. The latter is condemned on etymological grounds (the Latin root translates as ‘turn from’). However, averse to is entirely consistent with ordinary usage in modern English (on the analogy of hostile to, disinclined to, etc.) and is part of normal standard English, while averse from is now very uncommon.

aversion /əˈvəːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a strong dislike or disinclination

• they made plain their aversion to the use of force.

2. someone or something that arouses a strong dislike or disinclination.

• my dog's pet aversion is visitors, particularly males.

II. derivatives

aversive

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (originally denoting the action of turning away or averting one's eyes): from Latin aversio(n-), from avertere ‘turn away from’ (see avert).

aversion therapy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of behaviour therapy designed to make patients give up an undesirable habit by causing them to associate it with an unpleasant effect.

avert /əˈvəːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. turn away (one's eyes or thoughts)

• she averted her eyes while we made stilted conversation.

2. prevent or ward off (an undesirable occurrence)

• talks failed to avert a rail strike.

II. derivatives

avertable /əˈvəːtəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘divert or deter someone from a place or a course of action’): from Latin avertere, from ab- ‘from’ + vertere ‘to turn’; reinforced by Old French avertir.

Aves /ˈeɪviːz, ˈɑːveɪz/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a class of vertebrates which comprises the birds.

– origin Latin, plural of avis ‘bird’.

Avesta /əˈvɛstə/

I. noun

the sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, compiled in the 4th century.

– origin Persian.

Avestan /əˈvɛst(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to the Avesta or to the ancient Iranian language in which it is written, closely related to Vedic Sanskrit.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Avestan language.

avgas /ˈavɡas/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. aircraft fuel.

– origin 1940s: from av(iation) + gas.

avian /ˈeɪvɪən/

I. adjective

relating to birds

• avian tuberculosis.

II. noun

a bird.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin avis ‘bird’ + -an.

avian influenza avian flu

noun

formal term for bird flu.

aviary /ˈeɪvɪəri/

I. noun

a large cage, building, or enclosure for keeping birds in.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin aviarium, from avis ‘bird’.

aviate /ˈeɪvɪeɪt/

I. verb

pilot or fly in an aircraft
[with obj.]

• an aircraft that can be aviated without effort

• [no obj.] there are fewer opportunities to aviate in winter.

– origin late 19th cent.: back-formation from aviation.

aviation /eɪvɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the flying or operating of aircraft
[as modifier]

• the aviation industry.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, formed irregularly from Latin avis ‘bird’.

aviator /ˈeɪvɪeɪtə/

noun

1. ‹chiefly dated› a pilot.

2. ( in the UK) [as modifier] — ‹trademark› denoting a style of sunglasses having a thin wire frame and large lenses

• he has a short grey beard and wears a flannel shirt, jeans, and aviator glasses.

3. ( aviators) — a pair of aviator sunglasses.

• I wear aviators, but it's purely because they are practical sunglasses as opposed to being fashion accessories.

aviator jacket

noun

another term for flying jacket.

aviatrix /ˌeɪvɪˈeɪtrɪks/

noun

‹dated› a female pilot.

Avicenna /ˌavɪˈsɛnə/

(980–1037), Persian-born Islamic philosopher and physician; Arabic name ibn-Sina. His philosophical system, drawing on Aristotle but in many ways closer to Neoplatonism, was the major influence on the development of scholasticism. His Canon of Medicine was a standard medieval medical text.

avicularium /əˌvɪkjʊˈlɛːrɪəm/

I. noun

[Zoology] (in some bryozoans) any of a number of modified zooids that take the form of a pair of snapping jaws resembling a bird's head, serving to prevent other organisms from settling on the colony.
Compare with vibraculum.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from avicula, diminutive of avis ‘bird’.

aviculture /ˈeɪvɪˌkʌltʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the breeding and rearing of birds.

II. derivatives

1. avicultural

adjective

2. aviculturalist

noun

3. aviculturist /ˌeɪvɪˈkʌltʃərɪst /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin avis ‘bird’ + culture.

avid /ˈavɪd/

I. adjective

1. having or showing a keen interest in or enthusiasm for something

• an avid reader of science fiction.

2. ( avid for) — having an eager desire for

• she was avid for information about the murder inquiry.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French avide or Latin avidus, from avere ‘crave’.

avidin /ˈavɪdɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a protein found in raw egg white, which combines with biotin and hinders its absorption.

– origin 1940s: from avid + -in^1.

avidity /əˈvɪdɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. keen interest or enthusiasm.

• he read detective stories with avidity.

2. [Biochemistry] the overall strength of binding between an antibody and an antigen.

– origin late Middle English: from French avidité or Latin aviditas, from avidus ‘eager, greedy’.

avidly /ˈavɪdli/

adverb

with great interest or enthusiasm

• I came across her avidly reading a magazine.

avifauna /ˈeɪvɪfɔːnə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] the birds of a particular region, habitat, or geological period.

• I am not familiar with the highland avifauna.

II. derivatives

avifaunal

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin avis ‘bird’ + fauna.

Avignon /ˈavɪnjɒ̃, French aviɲɔ̃/

a city on the Rhône in SE France; pop. 94,787 (2006). From 1309 until 1377 it was the residence of the popes during their exile from Rome, and was papal property until the French Revolution.

Ávila, Teresa of

see Teresa of Ávila, St.

avionics /ˌeɪvɪˈɒnɪks/

I. plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. electronics as applied to aviation.

2. [usu. treated as pl.] — electronic equipment fitted in an aircraft.

• ground training focuses on how to use the avionics.

– origin 1940s: blend of aviation and electronics.

avirulent /eɪˈvɪrjʊl(ə)nt, aˈvɪrjʊl(ə)nt/

adjective

(of a microorganism) not virulent.

avitaminosis /eɪˌvɪtəmɪˈnəʊsɪs, eɪˌvʌɪtəmɪˈnəʊsɪs/

noun

[Medicine] a condition resulting from a deficiency of a particular vitamin.

avizandum /ˌavɪˈzandəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Scots Law] time taken for further consideration of a judgement.

• the court is to take the case to avizandum.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin, literally ‘consideration’, gerund of avizare ‘consider, advise’, from ad- ‘to’ + visere, frequentative of videre ‘to see’.

avo /ˈɑːvəʊ/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Macao, equal to one hundredth of a pataca.

– origin Portuguese.

AVO

noun

(Austral.) short for apprehended violence order:

• a high rate of AVOs being issued indicates high levels of domestic violence.

avocado /ˌavəˈkɑːdəʊ/

I. noun

1. ( also avocado pear) — (Brit.) a pear-shaped fruit with a rough leathery skin and smooth, oily edible flesh.

• a salad of avocados and oranges.

• [ mass noun] serve with slices of avocado.

Also called alligator pear.

2. [ mass noun] — a light green colour like that of the flesh of avocados.

3. the tropical evergreen tree which bears the avocado fruit, native to Central America and widely cultivated elsewhere.
● Persea americana, family Lauraceae.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Spanish, alteration (influenced by avocado ‘advocate’) of aguacate, from Nahuatl ahuacatl.

avocation /ˌavəˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

‹formal› a hobby or minor occupation.

• they are basically doctors, and negotiators by avocation.

II. derivatives

avocational

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin avocatio(n-), from avocare ‘call away’, from ab- ‘from’ + vocare ‘to call’.

avocet /ˈavəsɛt/

I. noun

a long-legged wading bird with a slender upturned bill and strikingly patterned plumage.
●Genus Recurvirostra, family Recurvirostridae: four species, in particular R. avosetta of Eurasia, which has black-and-white plumage.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French avocette, from Italian avosetta.

Avogadro, Amedeo /ˌavəˈɡɑːdrəʊ/

(1776–1856), Italian chemist and physicist. His law, formulated in 1811, was used to derive both molecular weights and a system of atomic weights.

Avogadro's constant Avogadro's number

noun

[Chemistry] the number of atoms or molecules in one mole of a substance, equal to 6.023 × 10^23.

Avogadro's law Avogadro's hypothesis

noun

[Chemistry] a law stating that equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure contain equal numbers of molecules.

avoid /əˈvɔɪd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. keep away from or stop oneself from doing (something)

• avoid excessive exposure to the sun

• Gerard avoided meeting his eye.

2. contrive not to meet (someone)

• boys queued up to take Gloria out, but avoided Deirdre.

3. not go to or through (a place)

• this route avoids downtown Boston.

4. prevent from happening

• book early to avoid disappointment.

5. [Law] repudiate, nullify, or render void (a decree or contract).

• if the original owner had avoided his contract with the rogue, ownership of the goods would have reverted to him.

II. phrases

avoid someone/thing like the plague

try hard to avoid someone or something

• a place that Robyn normally avoided like the plague.

• I avoid business lunches like the plague.

III. derivatives

avoider

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French evuider ‘clear out, get rid of’, from vuide ‘empty’ (see void).

avoidable /əˈvɔɪdəbl/

I. adjective

able to be avoided or prevented

• the accident was entirely avoidable

• avoidable costs.

II. derivatives

avoidably

adverb

avoidance /əˈvɔɪd(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of keeping away from or not doing something

• one third of cancer deaths could be prevented by avoidance of smoking.

2. the action of preventing something from happening

• a pilotless passenger aircraft would rely on computers and automatic collision avoidance.

3. [Law] the action of repudiating, nullifying, or rendering void a decree or contract

• insurance underwriters could not rely on non-disclosure to justify avoidance of the contract.

avoidance relationship

noun

a familial relationship that is forbidden according to rules operating in some traditional societies. In Australian Aboriginal society, for example, mothers-in-law and sons-in-law may not meet face to face or speak directly with one another.

avoidant

adjective

[Psychology] relating to or denoting a type of personality or behaviour characterized by the avoidance of intimacy or social interaction.

• he was also anxious, avoidant, and unable to manage conflict.

avoirdupois /ˌavwɑːdjʊˈpwɑː, ˌavədəˈpɔɪz/

I. noun

1. a system of weights based on a pound of 16 ounces or 7,000 grains, widely used in English-speaking countries
[as modifier]

• avoirdupois weights

• [ postpositive] a pound avoirdupois.

Compare with troy.

2. ‹humorous› weight; heaviness

• she was putting on the avoirdupois like nobody's business.

– origin Middle English (denoting merchandise sold by weight): from Old French aveir de peis ‘goods of weight’, from aveir ‘to have’ (infinitive used as a noun, from Latin habere) + peis ‘weight’ (see poise^1).

avoision /əˈvoɪʒ(ə)n / tax avoision

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the arrangement of one's financial affairs so as to avoid or minimize tax liability in such a way that it is not clear whether this constitutes lawful avoidance of tax or illegal tax evasion.

• tax avoision is a consequence of the web of tax rules that has undermined compliance.

• [as modifier] the higher the tax rate, the more popular the avoision schemes.

– origin 1970s: blend of avoidance (see avoid) and evasion.

Avon /ˈeɪv(ə)n/

I. a river of central England which rises near the Leicestershire–Northamptonshire border and flows 154 km (96 miles) south-west through Stratford to the River Severn.

II. a river of SW England which rises near the Gloucestershire–Wiltshire border and flows 121 km (75 miles) through Bath and Bristol to the River Severn.

III. a former county of SW England, formed in 1974 from parts of north Somerset and Gloucestershire and replaced in 1996 by unitary councils of North Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and NE Somerset.

avouch /əˈvaʊtʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› affirm or assert.

• the locket contains ringlets which he avouches to be relics of a Spanish girl.

II. derivatives

avouchment /əˈvaʊtʃmənt /

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French avochier, from Latin advocare ‘summon in defence’, from ad- ‘to’ + vocare ‘to call’.

avow /əˈvaʊ/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. assert or confess openly
[with clause]

• he avowed that he had voted Labour in every election

• [with obj.] he avowed his change of faith.

II. derivatives

avowal /əˈvaʊəl /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘acknowledge, approve’ and ‘vouch for’): from Old French avouer ‘acknowledge’, from Latin advocare ‘summon in defence’ (see avouch).

avowed /əˈvaʊd/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. that has been asserted, admitted, or stated publicly

• an avowed atheist

• they came to power with the avowed aim of promoting religious toleration.

avowedly /əˈvaʊɪdli/

adverb

as has been asserted, admitted, or stated publicly; openly

• the article is avowedly a historical analysis

• the country's first avowedly left-wing president.

avulsion /əˈvʌlʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [chiefly Medicine] the action of pulling or tearing away.

2. [Law] the sudden separation of land from one property and its attachment to another, especially by flooding or a change in the course of a river.
Compare with alluvion.

II. derivatives

avulse

verb

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin avulsio(n-), from the verb avellere, from ab- ‘from’ + vallere ‘pluck’.

avuncular /əˈvʌŋkjʊlə/

I. adjective

1. kind and friendly towards a younger or less experienced person

• he was avuncular, reassuring, and trustworthy.

2. [Anthropology] relating to the relationship between men and the children of their siblings.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin avunculus ‘maternal uncle’, diminutive of avus ‘grandfather’.

avunculate /əˈvʌŋkjʊlət/

I. noun — ( the avunculate)

1. [Anthropology] the special relationship in some societies between a man and his sister's son.

• kinship relations such as the avunculate.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin avunculus ‘maternal uncle’ + -ate^2.

aw /ɔː / aww

I. exclamation

1. used to express mild protest, entreaty, or sympathy

• aw, come on, Andy

• aww, you poor thing.

2. used to express mild disappointment or self-deprecation

• aw, it's a shame I can't make it

• aww, thanks for the nice comments.

3. used to express pleasure, delight, or affection, especially in response to something regarded as sweet or endearing

• aww, the kitten is too cute!

• aww, are you guys an item?

– origin natural exclamation: first recorded in American English in the mid 19th cent.

A/W

abbreviation

(Brit.) autumn/winter (denoting or relating to fashion designed for the autumn and winter seasons of a particular year)

• his A/W 2013 womenswear collection was hailed a resounding success

• make sure you're on board with the A/W must-have—a trouser suit.

AWACS /ˈeɪwaks/

abbreviation

airborne warning and control system, an airborne radar system for detecting enemy aircraft and directing friendly forces.

await /əˈweɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. wait for (an event)

• we await the proposals with impatience

• remand prisoners awaiting trial

• (as adj., with submodifier awaited) an eagerly awaited debut.

2. (of an event or circumstance) be in store for (someone)

• many dangers await them.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French awaitier, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + waitier ‘to wait’.

awake /əˈweɪk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. stop sleeping; wake from sleep

• she awoke to find the streets covered in snow.

2. [with obj.] — cause (someone) to wake from sleep

• my screams awoke my parents.

3. regain consciousness

• I awoke none the worse for the operation.

4. ( awake to) — become aware of; come to a realization of

• the authorities finally awoke to the extent of the problem.

5. make or become active again
[with obj.]

• there were echoes and scents which awoke some memory in me.

II. adjective — [ predic.]

1. not asleep

• the noise might keep you awake at night.

2. ( awake to) — aware of

• too few are awake to the dangers.

– origin Old English āwæcnan, āwacian, both used in the sense ‘come out of sleep’ (see a-2, wake^1).

awaken /əˈweɪk(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. rouse from sleep; cause to stop sleeping

• Anna was awakened by the telephone.

2. [no obj.] — stop sleeping

• he sighed but did not awaken.

3. rouse (a feeling)

• different images can awaken new emotions within us.

4. ( awaken someone to) — make someone aware of (something) for the first time

• the film helped to awaken many to the horrors of apartheid.

– origin Old English onwæcnan, from on ‘on’ + waken.

awakening /əˈweɪkənɪŋ/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› an act of waking from sleep.

• since my awakening I had realized it was a very special day.

2. an act or moment of becoming suddenly aware of something

• the war came as a rude awakening to the hardships of life.

3. the beginning or rousing of something

• her sexual awakening

• the awakening of vigorous political debate.

II. adjective

coming into existence or awareness

• his awakening desire

• an awakening conscience.

award /əˈwɔːd/

I. verb — [with two objs]

1. give or order the giving of (something) as an official payment, compensation, or prize to (someone)

• he was awarded the Military Cross

• a 3.5 per cent pay rise was awarded to staff.

2. grant or assign (a contract or commission) to (a person or organization).

• the company was awarded a contract to refurbish the timber mill.

II. noun

1. a prize or other mark of recognition given in honour of an achievement

• the company's annual award for high-quality service.

2. an amount of money given as an official payment, compensation, or grant

• a 1.5 per cent pay award.

3. [ mass noun] — the action of giving a payment, compensation, or prize

• the award of an honorary doctorate

• [ count noun] an award of damages.

III. derivatives

1. awardee

noun

2. awarder

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘issue a judicial decision’, also denoting the decision itself): from Anglo-Norman French awarder, variant of Old French esguarder ‘consider, ordain’, from es- (from Latin ex ‘thoroughly’) + guarder ‘watch (over)’, based on a word of Germanic origin related to ward; compare with guard.

awards ceremony award ceremony

noun

a formal occasion at which prizes are given to honour achievement in a particular field

• winners will be selected and brought together at a special awards ceremony

• a star-studded awards ceremony at the BFI.

award wage

noun

(Austral./NZ) a wage fixed by an industrial tribunal or other body, payable to workers in a specified occupation, enterprise, or industry

• participants are being paid the award wage for a normal 35-hour week

• industrial courts ordered farmers to pay award wages to Aborigines.

award-winning /əˈwɔːdwɪnɪŋ/

adjective

having won a prize in recognition of quality

• award-winning food.

aware /əˈwɛː/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact

• most people are aware of the dangers of sunbathing

• [with clause] he was aware that a problem existed.

2. [with adv. or in combination] — concerned and well informed about a particular situation or development

• everyone needs to become more environmentally aware.

– origin Old English gewær, of West Germanic origin; related to German gewahr, also to ware^2.

awareness /əˈwɛːnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. knowledge or perception of a situation or fact

• we need to raise public awareness of the issue.

• there is a lack of awareness of the risks.

2. concern about and well-informed interest in a particular situation or development

• a growing environmental awareness.

• his political awareness developed.

awareness bracelet

noun

a coloured bracelet worn to raise awareness of a particular cause.

• why have so many footballers taken to wearing awareness bracelets?

awash /əˈwɒʃ/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. covered or flooded with water, especially seawater or rain

• the boat rolled violently, her decks awash.

2. containing large numbers or amounts of someone or something

• the city was awash with journalists.

3. level with the surface of water so that it just washes over

• a rock awash outside the reef entrance.

away /əˈweɪ/

I. adverb

1. to or at a distance from a particular place or person

• she landed badly, and crawled away

• they walked away from the vicarage in silence

• we'll only be away for four nights.

2. at a specified distance

• when he was ten or twelve feet away he stopped

• we have had patients from as far away as Wales.

3. at a specified future distance in time

• the wedding is only weeks away.

4. towards a lower level; downwards

• in front of them the land fell away to the river.

5. conceptually to one side, so as no longer to be the focus of attention

• the Museum has shifted its emphasis away from research towards exhibitions.

6. (with reference to a sports fixture) at the opponents' ground

• Oh what fun it is to see the Mariners win away

• we are away to Morecambe on Saturday.

7. into an appropriate place for storage or safekeeping

• he put away the pistol.

8. into non-existence

• Marie felt her distress ebbing away.

9. constantly, persistently, or continuously

• there was Morrissey crooning away.

II. adjective

1. (of a sports fixture) played at the opponents' ground

• tomorrow night's away game at Leicester

• an away victory.

2. relating to or denoting a sports team that is playing at the opponents' ground

• the away side scored first

• away fans chanted and cheered.

III. noun

an away match or win.

IV. phrases

away with

see with.

– origin Old English onweg, aweg ‘on one's way’ (see a-2, way).

awayday

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a day's leave or a day trip.

2. (Brit.) a day on which employees meet at a venue away from the workplace to plan strategy or to discuss a particular issue.

• a worthwhile awayday on scenario planning.

– origin 1970s: first denoting a type of money-saving return rail ticket.

Awdry, Reverend W. /ˈɔːdri/

(1911–97), English author; full name Wilbert Vere Awdry. He was the creator of the Thomas the Tank Engine series of children's books.

awe /ɔː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder

• they gazed in awe at the small mountain of diamonds

• the sight filled me with awe.

2. ‹archaic› capacity to inspire awe

• is it any wonder that Christmas Eve has lost its awe?

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. inspire with awe

• they were both awed by the vastness of the forest.

III. phrases

be (or stand) in awe of

feel awe for

• his staff members are in awe of him.

– origin Old English ege ‘terror, dread, awe’, replaced in Middle English by forms related to Old Norse agi.

aweary

adjective

literary form of weary:

• I am well aweary of it now.

awed /ɔːd/

adjective

filled with awe or wonder

• he spoke in a hushed, awed whisper

• I watched her in awed silence.

aweigh /əˈweɪ/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. [Nautical] (of an anchor) raised just clear of the seabed.

– origin early 17th cent.: from a-2 ‘on’ + weigh^1.

awe-inspiring /ˈɔːɪnspʌɪərɪŋ/

I. adjective

arousing awe through being impressive or formidable

• Michelangelo's awe-inspiring masterpiece.

II. derivatives

awe-inspiringly

adverb

awesome /ˈɔːs(ə)m/

I. adjective

1. extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring awe

• the awesome power of the atomic bomb.

2. ‹informal› extremely good; excellent

• the band is truly awesome!

II. derivatives

1. awesomely

adverb

2. awesomeness

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘filled with awe’): from awe + -some^1.

awesomesauce /ˈɔːs(ə)msɔːs/

I. adjective

(US) ‹informal› extremely good; excellent

• the ladies' awesomesauce weekend in Vegas ended prematurely

• seeing them perform live was awesomesauce!

• [as exclamation] awesomesauce, looking forward to it.

– origin early 21st cent.: humorous alteration of awesome, on the pattern of weak sauce.

awestruck /ˈɔːstrʌk / awestricken

adjective

filled with or revealing awe

• people were awestruck by the pictures sent back to earth.

awful /ˈɔːf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. very bad or unpleasant

• the place smelled awful

• I look awful in a swimsuit

• an awful speech.

2. extremely shocking; horrific

• awful, bloody images.

3. (of a person) very unwell or troubled

• I felt awful for being so angry with him

• you look awful—you should go and lie down.

4. [ attrib.] — used to emphasize the extent of something, especially something unpleasant or negative

• I've made an awful fool of myself.

5. ‹archaic› inspiring reverential wonder or fear.

II. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) awfully; very

• we're an awful long way from the motorway.

III. phrases

an awful lot

a very large amount; a great deal

• we've had an awful lot of letters.

– origin Old English (see awe, -ful).

awful-looking

adjective

unpleasant or shocking in appearance

• a rather awful-looking shopping plaza.

awfully /ˈɔːfʊli/

adverb

1. [as submodifier] — ‹informal› very

• I'm awfully sorry to bother you so late

• an awfully nice man.

2. very much

• thanks awfully for the tea, Mr Oakley.

3. very badly or unpleasantly

• we played awfully.

awfulness /ˈɔːfəlnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being very bad or unpleasant

• the chilli and pineapple relish did manage to mask the awfulness of the deep-fried brie.

2. the shocking or horrific nature of something

• the awfulness of his crime.

AWG

abbreviation

Aruban guilder.

awhile /əˈwʌɪl/

I. adverb

for a short time

• stand here awhile.

– origin Old English āne hwīle ‘(for) a while’. / usage: The single word awhile is an adverb meaning ‘for a short time’, and should not be confused with the noun use of a while, ‘a period of time’: stand here awhile, but we stood there for a while.

awhirl

adjective — [ predic.]

1. in a whirl; whirling

• her mind was awhirl with images.

awk /ɔːk / awks /ɔːks/

I. adjective

‹informal› (of a situation) causing uneasy embarrassment; awkward or uncomfortable

• next Sunday's dinner is going to be a little awk

• I sent that text complaining about work to my boss instead of my boyfriend—awks

• the awks encounter with her ex.

– origin early 21st cent.: abbreviation of awkward.

awkward /ˈɔːkwəd/

I. adjective

1. causing difficulty; hard to do or deal with

• some awkward questions

• the wheelbarrow can be awkward to manoeuvre.

2. deliberately unreasonable or uncooperative

• you're being damned awkward!

3. causing or feeling uneasy embarrassment or inconvenience

• he had put her in a very awkward position

• she felt awkward alone with him.

4. not smooth or graceful; ungainly

• Luther's awkward movements impeded his progress.

5. uncomfortable or abnormal

• make sure the baby isn't sleeping in an awkward position.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘the wrong way round, upside down’): from dialect awk ‘backwards, perverse, clumsy’ (from Old Norse afugr ‘turned the wrong way’) + -ward.

awkwardly /ˈɔːkwədli/

adverb

1. in an ungainly manner; not smoothly or gracefully

• she waddled up the stairs awkwardly

• he landed awkwardly after both of his vaults

• the conclusion seems awkwardly grafted on to the main text.

2. in a way that shows uneasy embarrassment

• Seth responded awkwardly, allowing the silence once again to settle between them

• I cleared my throat awkwardly.

3. in a way that causes difficulty

• the cruise control is placed awkwardly on the control column

• the ball bounced awkwardly, but Auguste controlled it with his chest.

awkwardness /ˈɔːkwədnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being awkward

• there was a moment of awkwardness

• the awkwardness of youth.

awkward squad

I. noun

(Brit.) a set of people within an organization or team who tend to behave in an obstructive way or express opposition or dissent

• he revels just a little too much in his membership of the awkward squad.

– origin late 18th cent.: apparently with reference to military recruits.

awl /ɔːl/

I. noun

a small pointed tool used for piercing holes, especially in leather.

– origin Old English æl, of Germanic origin; related to German Ahle.

awn /ɔːn/

I. noun

[Botany] a stiff bristle, especially one of those growing from the ear or flower of barley, rye, and many grasses.

II. derivatives

awned

adjective

– origin Old English, from Old Norse ǫgn; related to Swedish agn, Danish avn.

awning /ˈɔːnɪŋ/

I. noun

a sheet of canvas or other material stretched on a frame and used to keep the sun or rain off a shop window, doorway, or ship's deck.

– origin early 17th cent. (originally in nautical use): of unknown origin.

awoke /əˈwəʊk/

past of awake.

awoken /əˈwəʊkən/

past participle of awake.

AWOL /ˈeɪwɒl/

I. adjective — [usu. predic.]

1. [Military] absent from where one should be but without intent to desert

• the men have gone AWOL

• ‹humorous› now the parrot has gone AWOL.

– origin 1920s: acronym from absent without (official) leave.

awry /əˈrʌɪ/

I. adverb, adjective

1. away from the usual or expected course; amiss
[as adv.]

• many youthful romances go awry

• [as predic. adj.] I got the impression that something was awry.

2. out of the normal or correct position; askew
[as predic. adj.]

• he was hatless, his silver hair awry.

– origin late Middle English: from a-2 ‘on’ + wry.

AWS

abbreviation

(Brit.) automatic warning system, a system of providing train drivers with audible indications regarding signals and where necessary applying brakes automatically.

aw-shucks

I. adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› self-deprecating and shy

• he's filled with aw-shucks niceness.

– origin late 20th cent.: from aw + shucks (see shuck).

AWU

abbreviation

short for Australian Workers' Union.

ax /aks / aks

verb

dialect and West Indian form of ask:

• I'm axing plenty question.

• I axed her once if she would want pipes and t'ings put into her body.

axe /aks / ‹US› ax

I. noun

1. a tool used for chopping wood, typically of iron with a steel edge and wooden handle.

• I started swinging the axe at the lumps of driftwood.

• [as modifier] an axe blade.

2. a measure intended to reduce costs drastically, especially one involving redundancies

• thirty staff are facing the axe at the Royal Infirmary.

3. ‹informal› a musical instrument used in popular music or jazz, especially a guitar or (originally) a saxophone.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. end, cancel, or dismiss suddenly and ruthlessly

• the company is axing 125 jobs

• 2,500 staff were axed as part of a rationalization programme.

2. reduce (costs or services) drastically

• the Chancellor warned the cabinet to axe public spending.

3. cut or strike with an axe, especially violently or destructively.

• the mahogany panelling had been axed.

III. phrases

have an axe to grind

have a private reason for doing or being involved in something.

• he has no political axe to grind.

– origin Old English æx, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch aaks and German Axt.

axe kick

noun

a type of kick used in tae kwon do and other martial arts, in which the opponent's head is struck with the heel of the foot.

axel /ˈaks(ə)l/

I. noun

a jump in skating from the forward outside edge of one skate to the backward outside edge of the other, with one (or more) and a half turns in the air.

– origin 1930s: named after Axel R. Paulsen (1885–1938), Norwegian skater.

axeman ‹US› axman

noun

1. a man who works, fights, or commits violent attacks with an axe

• a mad axeman.

2. ‹informal› a man who cuts costs drastically or ruthlessly.

3. ‹informal› a male rock or jazz guitarist.

axeman's carnival

noun

(Austral./NZ) a programme of competitive woodchopping and sawing events

• celebrations included a race meeting, illuminations, and an axeman's carnival.

axe murderer

noun

a person who commits murder with an axe (frequently used to evoke an image of a violent psychopathic criminal)

• a convicted axe murderer

• you could be an axe murderer for all I know!

axenic /eɪˈzɛnɪk/

I. adjective

[chiefly Botany] relating to or denoting a culture that is free from living organisms other than the species required.

II. derivatives

axenically

adverb

– origin 1940s: from a- ‘not’ + Greek xenikos ‘alien, strange’ + -ic.

axes /ˈaksiːz/

plural form of axis^1.

axial /ˈaksɪəl/

I. adjective

1. relating to or forming an axis

• the main axial road.

2. around an axis

• the axial rotation rate of the Earth.

II. derivatives

axially

adverb

axil /ˈaksɪl/

I. noun

[Botany] the upper angle between a leaf stalk or branch and the stem or trunk from which it is growing.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin axilla ‘armpit’ (see axilla).

axilla /akˈsɪlə/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] an armpit, or the corresponding part in a bird or other animal.

2. [Botany] an axil.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin, diminutive of ala ‘wing’.

axillary /akˈsɪləri/

I. adjective

1. [Anatomy] relating to the armpit or a corresponding part

• enlargement of the axillary lymph nodes.

2. [Botany] in or growing from an axil

• axillary buds.

Often contrasted with terminal.

II. noun

(also axillary feather) — [Ornithology] feathers growing from the axilla.

axiology /ˌaksɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] the study of the nature of value and valuation, and of the kinds of things that are valuable

• one of the central questions in axiology is this: what elements can contribute to the intrinsic value of a state of affairs?

2. [ count noun] — [Philosophy] a particular theory of axiology

• all consequentialists start with an axiology which tells us what things are valuable or fitting to desire.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French axiologie, from Greek axia ‘worth, value’.

axiom /ˈaksɪəm/

I. noun

1. a statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true

• the axiom that sport builds character.

2. [chiefly Mathematics] a statement or proposition on which an abstractly defined structure is based.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French axiome or Latin axioma, from Greek axiōma ‘what is thought fitting’, from axios ‘worthy’.

axiomatic /ˌaksɪəˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

1. self-evident or unquestionable

• it is axiomatic that dividends have to be financed.

2. [chiefly Mathematics] relating to or containing axioms.

• 1914 saw the first axiomatic declaration of exactly what constitutes a ring.

II. derivatives

axiomatically

adverb

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek axiōmatikos, from axiōma ‘what is thought fitting’ (see axiom).

axiomatize /ˌaksɪˈɒmətʌɪz / axiomatise

verb — [with obj.]

1. express (a theory) as a set of axioms

• the attempts that are made to axiomatize linguistics.

axion /ˈaksɪɒn/

I. noun

[Physics] a hypothetical subatomic particle postulated to account for the rarity of processes which break charge–parity symmetry.

– origin 1970s: from axial + -on.

axis^1 /ˈaksɪs/

I. noun

1. an imaginary line about which a body rotates

• the Earth revolves on its axis once every 24 hours.

2. [Geometry] an imaginary straight line passing through the centre of a symmetrical solid, about which a plane figure can be conceived as rotating to generate the solid.

3. an imaginary line which divides something into equal or roughly equal halves, especially in the direction of its greatest length.

4. [Mathematics] a fixed reference line for the measurement of coordinates.

• the variable that is thought of as a cause is placed on the horizontal axis, and the variable that is thought of as an effect on the vertical axis.

5. a straight central part in a structure to which other parts are connected.

6. [Botany] the central column of an inflorescence or other growth.

• the leaflets are arranged in rows on a slender axis.

7. [Zoology] the skull and backbone of a vertebrate animal.

8. [Anatomy] the second cervical vertebra, below the atlas at the top of the backbone.

9. an agreement or alliance between two or more countries that forms a centre for an eventual larger grouping of nations

• the Anglo-American axis.

10. ( the Axis) — the alliance of Germany and Italy formed before and during the Second World War, later extended to include Japan and other countries
[as modifier]

• the Axis Powers.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, ‘axle, pivot’.

axis^2 /ˈaksɪs / axis deer

I. noun

another term for chital.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin, the name of an Indian animal mentioned by Pliny.

axisymmetric /ˌaksɪsɪˈmɛtrɪk/

adjective

[Geometry] symmetrical about an axis.

axle /ˈaks(ə)l/

I. noun

a rod or spindle (either fixed or rotating) passing through the centre of a wheel or group of wheels.

• the exhaust pipe corrodes around the bend which goes over the rear axle on motor cars.

• [as modifier] axle grease.

• North American railways operate cars at much higher axle loads.

– origin Middle English (originally axle-tree): from Old Norse ǫxultré.

axle box

noun

(on a railway vehicle) a metal enclosure within which the end of an axle revolves.

Axminster /ˈaksmɪnstə / Axminster carpet

I. noun

a kind of machine-woven patterned carpet with a cut pile.
[as modifier]

• an Axminster loom.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after the town of Axminster in southern England, noted since the 18th cent. for the production of carpets.

axolemma /ˈaksə(ʊ)lɛmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the plasma membrane of an axon.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek axōn ‘axis’ + lemma ‘husk’.

axolotl /ˈaksəlɒt(ə)l/

I. noun

a Mexican salamander which in natural conditions retains its aquatic newt-like larval form throughout life but is able to breed.
● Ambystoma mexicanum, family Ambystomatidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Nahuatl, from atl ‘water’ + xolotl ‘servant’.

axon /ˈaksɒn/

I. noun

the long thread-like part of a nerve cell along which impulses are conducted from the cell body to other cells.
Compare with dendrite.

II. derivatives

axonal

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent. (denoting the body axis): from Greek axōn ‘axis’.

axoneme /ˈaksə(ʊ)niːm/

I. noun

[Biology] the central strand of a cilium or flagellum. It is composed of an array of microtubules, typically in nine pairs around two single central ones.

II. derivatives

axonemal

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek axōn ‘axis’ + nēma ‘thread’.

axonometric /ˌaks(ə)nə(ʊ)ˈmɛtrɪk/

adjective

using or denoting an orthographic projection of an object, such as a building, on a plane inclined to each of the three principal axes of the object; three-dimensional but without perspective.

axoplasm /ˈaksə(ʊ)plaz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the cytoplasm of a nerve axon.

II. derivatives

axoplasmic

adjective

Ayacucho /ˌʌɪəˈkuːtʃəʊ/

a city in the Andes of south central Peru; pop. 151,000 (est. 2009).

ayah /ˈʌɪə/

I. noun

a nursemaid or nanny employed by Europeans in India or another former British territory.

– origin Anglo-Indian, from Portuguese aia ‘nurse’, feminine of aio ‘tutor’.

ayahuasca /ˌʌɪəˈwaskə/

I. noun

1. a tropical vine of the Amazon region, noted for its hallucinogenic properties.
●Genus Banisteriopsis, family Malpighiaceae: several species.

2. [ mass noun] — a hallucinogenic drink prepared from the bark of ayahuasca.

• he took ayahuasca with a shaman in the Amazon.

– origin from South American Spanish, from Quechua ayawáskha, from aya ‘corpse’ + waskha ‘rope’.

ayatollah /ˌʌɪəˈtɒlə/

I. noun

a high-ranking religious leader among Shiite Muslims, especially in Iran.

– origin 1950s: from Persian, from Arabic 'āyatu-llāh, literally ‘token of God’.

Ayckbourn, Sir Alan /ˈeɪkbɔːn/

(b.1939), English dramatist. He is known chiefly for comedies dealing with suburban and middle-class life, such as Relatively Speaking (1967) and Absurd Person Singular (1973).

aye^1 /ʌɪ / ay

I. exclamation

1. ‹archaic› ‹dialect› said to express assent; yes

• aye, you're right there.

2. ( aye aye) — [Nautical] a response accepting an order

• aye aye, captain.

3. (in voting) I assent

• all in favour say aye.

II. noun

an affirmative answer, especially in voting.

• the House divided: Ayes 211, Noes 271.

III. phrases

the ayes have it

the affirmative votes are in the majority.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably from I, first person personal pronoun, expressing assent.

aye^2 /eɪ, ʌɪ/

I. adverb

‹archaic› (Scottish) always or still

• I've aye fancied seeing Edinburgh.

II. phrases

for aye

‹archaic› (Scottish) forever.

• I shall treasure the memory for aye.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse ei, ey; related to Latin aevum ‘age’ and Greek aie(i) ‘ever’, aiōn ‘aeon’.

aye-aye /ˈʌɪʌɪ/

I. noun

a rare nocturnal Madagascan primate related to the lemurs. It has rodent-like incisor teeth and an elongated twig-like finger on each hand with which it prises insects from bark.
● Daubentonia madagascariensis, the only member of the family Daubentoniidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Malagasy aiay.

Ayer, Sir A. J. /ɛː/

(1910–89), English philosopher; full name Alfred Jules Ayer. Involved with the Vienna Circle in the 1930s, he was an important proponent of logical positivism. Notable work: Language, Truth, and Logic (1936).

Ayers Rock /ɛːz/

I. a red rock mass in Northern Territory, Australia, south-west of Alice Springs. The largest monolith in the world, it is 348 m (1,143 ft) high and about 9 km (6 miles) in circumference.
Official name Uluru.

– origin named after Sir Henry Ayers, Premier of South Australia in 1872–3.

Ayesha /ɑːˈ(j)iːʃə/

the youngest wife of Muhammad.

Áyios Nikólaos /ˌajiɔs niˈkɔlaɔs/

Greek name for Aghios Nikolaos.

Aylesbury^1 /ˈeɪlzb(ə)ri/

a town in south central England, the county town of Buckinghamshire; pop. 69,300 (est. 2008).

Aylesbury^2 /ˈeɪlzb(ə)ri / Aylesbury duck

noun

a domestic duck of a breed with white plumage.

Aymara /ˈʌɪmərɑː/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people inhabiting the high plateau region of Bolivia and Peru near Lake Titicaca.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Aymara, with over 2 million speakers. It may be related to Quechua.

II. adjective

relating to the Aymara or their language.

– origin Bolivian Spanish.

Ayr /ɛː/

a port in SW Scotland, on the Firth of Clyde, the administrative centre of South Ayrshire council area; pop. 45,900 (est. 2009).

Ayrshire^1 /ˈɛːʃ(ɪ)ə/

a former county of SW Scotland, on the Firth of Clyde, now divided into the council areas of North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, and South Ayrshire.

Ayrshire^2 /ˈɛːʃə/

noun

an animal of a mainly white breed of dairy cattle.

Ayub Khan, Muhammad /ˌʌɪjʊb ˈkɑːn/

(1907–74), Pakistani soldier and statesman, President 1958–69.

Ayurveda /ˌɑːjʊəˈveɪdə, ˌɑːjʊəˈviːdə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the traditional Hindu system of medicine (incorporated in Atharva Veda, the last of the four Vedas), which is based on the idea of balance in bodily systems and uses diet, herbal treatment, and yogic breathing.

II. derivatives

Ayurvedic /ˌɑːjʊəˈveɪdɪk /

adjective

– origin from Sanskrit āyus ‘life’ + veda ‘(sacred) knowledge’.

AZ

abbreviation

Arizona (in official postal use).

Azad Kashmir /ˌɑːzad kaʃˈmɪə/

I. an autonomous state in NE Pakistan, formerly part of Kashmir; administrative centre, Muzzafarabad. It was established in 1949 after Kashmir was split as a result of the partition of India.

– origin from Urdu, literally ‘Free Kashmir’.

azalea /əˈzeɪlɪə/

I. noun

a deciduous flowering shrub with clusters of brightly coloured, sometimes fragrant flowers. Azaleas are typically smaller than other rhododendrons and there are numerous cultivars.
●Genus Rhododendron, family Ericaceae.

– origin mid 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek, feminine of azaleos ‘dry’, because the shrub flourishes in dry soil.

azan /əˈzɑːn / adhan

I. noun

the Muslim call to ritual prayer made by a muezzin from the minaret of a mosque (or now often played from a recording).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Arabic 'aḏān ‘announcement’.

Azania /əˈzeɪnɪə/

I. an alternative name for South Africa, proposed in the time of apartheid by some supporters of majority rule for the country.

II. derivatives

Azanian

noun, adjective

– origin Greek (taken from classical geography), probably based on Arabic Zanj, denoting a black African.

azarole /ˈazərəʊl/

I. noun

1. an edible Mediterranean fruit which resembles a tiny apple and is used for making preserves.

2. the small hawthorn-like tree bearing azaroles.
● Crataegus azarolus, family Rosaceae.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French azerole, from Spanish azarolla.

azeotrope /ˈeɪzɪətrəʊp, əˈziːətrəʊp/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a mixture of two liquids which has a constant boiling point and composition throughout distillation.

II. derivatives

azeotropic /eɪzɪəˈtrəʊpɪk, əˈziːətrəʊpɪk /

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from a-1 ‘without’ + Greek zein ‘to boil’ + tropos ‘turning’.

Azerbaijan /ˌazəbʌɪˈdʒɑːn/

I. a country in the Caucasus of SW Asia, on the western shore of the Caspian Sea; pop. 8,238,700 (est. 2009); languages, Azerbaijani (official), Russian; capital, Baku.

Historically, the name Azerbaijan referred to a larger region which formed part of Persia. The northern part of this was ceded to Russia in the early 19th century, the southern part remaining a region of NW Iran. Russian Azerbaijan was absorbed into the Soviet Union in 1922, gaining independence on the break-up of the USSR in 1991.

Azerbaijani /ˌazəbʌɪˈdʒɑːni/

I. adjective

relating to Azerbaijan or its people or their language.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Azerbaijan, or a person of Azerbaijani descent.

2. [ mass noun] — the Turkic language spoken by over 14 million people in Azerbaijan and adjacent regions.

Azeri /əˈzɛːri/

I. noun

1. a member of a Turkic people forming the majority population of Azerbaijan, and also living in Armenia and northern Iran.

2. [ mass noun] — the Azerbaijani language.

II. adjective

relating to the Azeris or their language.

– origin from Turkish azerî.

azide /ˈeɪzʌɪd/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a compound containing the anion N_3− or the group —N_3.

– origin early 20th cent.: from azo- + -ide.

azidothymidine /ˌeɪzɪdəʊˈθʌɪmɪdiːn, eɪˌzʌɪdəʊˈθʌɪmɪdiːn/

noun

former name for the drug zidovudine.

Azikiwe, Nnamdi /ˌɑːzɪˈkiːweɪ/

(1904–96), Nigerian statesman, the first Governor General of an independent Nigeria 1960–3 and its first President 1963–6; full name Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Azilian /əˈzɪlɪən/

I. adjective

1. [Archaeology] relating to or denoting an early Mesolithic culture in Europe, succeeding the Magdalenian and dated to about 11,500–9,500 years ago. It is characterized by flat bone harpoons, painted pebbles, and microliths.

2. (as noun the Azilian) — [Archaeology] the Azilian culture or period.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Mas d'Azil in the French Pyrenees, where objects from this culture were found.

azimuth /ˈazɪməθ/

I. noun

1. the direction of a celestial object from the observer, expressed as the angular distance from the north or south point of the horizon to the point at which a vertical circle passing through the object intersects the horizon.

2. the horizontal angle or direction of a compass bearing.

II. derivatives

azimuthal /azɪˈmjuːθ(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (denoting the arc of a celestial circle from the zenith to the horizon): from Old French azimut, from Arabic as-samt, from al ‘the’ + samt ‘way, direction’.

azimuthal projection /ˌazɪˈmjuːθ(ə)l/

noun

a map projection in which a region of the earth is projected on to a plane tangential to the surface, usually at a pole or the equator.

azine /ˈeɪziːn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a cyclic organic compound having a ring including one or (usually) more nitrogen atoms.

– origin late 19th cent.: from azo- + -ine^4.

AZN

abbreviation

Azerbaijani manat.

azo- /ˈeɪzəʊ/

I. prefix

[Chemistry] containing two adjacent nitrogen atoms between carbon atoms

• azobenzene.

– origin from obsolete azote ‘nitrogen’, from French, from Greek a- ‘without’ + zōē ‘life’.

azobenzene /ˌeɪzəʊˈbɛnziːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a synthetic crystalline organic compound used chiefly in dye manufacture.
●Chem. formula: (C_6H_5)NN(C_6H_5).

azo dye

noun

[Chemistry] any of a large class of synthetic dyes whose molecules contain two adjacent nitrogen atoms between carbon atoms.

azoic /eɪˈzəʊɪk/

I. adjective

1. having no trace of life or organic remains.

2. ( the Azoic) — [Geology] another term for Archaean.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek azōos ‘without life’ + -ic.

azonal /eɪˈzəʊn(ə)l/

adjective

(especially of soils) having no zonal organization or structure.

azoospermia /ˌeɪzəʊəˈspəːmɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] absence of motile (and hence viable) sperm in the semen.

II. derivatives

azoospermic

adjective

Azores /əˈzɔːz/

a group of volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Portugal, in Portuguese possession but partially autonomous; pop. 244,780 (2007); capital, Ponta Delgada.

azoturia /ˌazə(ʊ)ˈtjʊərɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormal excess of nitrogen compounds in the urine.

2. [Veterinary Medicine] a condition that can affect horses exercised after a period of stabling, causing painful stiffness in the hindquarters and back, and dark urine containing products of muscle cell destruction.
Also called tying-up.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from obsolete azote ‘nitrogen’ + -uria.

Azov, Sea of /ˈazɒf/

an inland sea of southern Russia and Ukraine, separated from the Black Sea by the Crimea and linked to it by a narrow strait.

Azrael /ˈazreɪl/

(in Jewish and Islamic Mythology) the angel who severs the soul from the body at death.

AZT

abbreviation

‹trademark› azidothymidine.

Aztec /ˈaztɛk/

I. noun

1. a member of the American Indian people dominant in Mexico before the Spanish conquest of the 16th century.

2. [ mass noun] — the extinct language of the Aztecs, a Uto-Aztecan language from which modern Nahuatl is descended.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting the Aztecs or their language.

– origin from French Aztèque or Spanish Azteca, from Nahuatl aztecatl ‘person of Aztlan’, their legendary place of origin.

azulejo /ˌazjʊˈleɪhəʊ/

I. noun

a kind of glazed coloured tile traditionally used in Spanish and Portuguese buildings.

– origin from Spanish, from azul ‘blue’.

azure /ˈaʒə, ˈazjʊə/

I. adjective

1. bright blue in colour like a cloudless sky.

• thin streaks of cloud trailed across an azure sky.

• white beaches surrounded by azure seas.

• the adult male's back and flanks are azure blue.

2. [Heraldry] blue
[ postpositive]

• a saltire azure.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a bright blue colour.

• a flash of azure drew my eye to a kingfisher.

• the azure of the sky.

2. ‹literary› the clear sky.

3. a small butterfly which is typically blue or purplish.
● Celastrina and other genera, family Lycaenidae.

– origin Middle English (denoting a blue dye): from Old French asur, azur, from medieval Latin azzurum, azolum, from Arabic al ‘the’ + lāzaward (from Persian lāžward ‘lapis lazuli’).

azurite /ˈaʒʊrʌɪt, ˈaʒj(ʊ)ərʌɪt, ˈeɪʒj(ʊ)ərʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a blue mineral consisting of basic copper carbonate. It occurs as blue prisms or crystal masses, typically with malachite.

– origin early 19th cent.: from azure + -ite^1.

azygos vein /ˈazɪɡəs/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a large vein on the right side at the back of the thorax, draining into the superior vena cava.

– origin mid 17th cent.: azygos from Greek azugos, from a- ‘without’ + zugon ‘yoke’, the vein not being one of a pair.

azygous /ˈazɪɡəs/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] [Biology] (of an organic structure) single; not existing in pairs.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek azugos ‘unyoked’ (compare with azygos vein) + -ous.

az-Zarqa

variant form of Zarqa.

b /biː/

abbreviation

1. [Physics] barn(s).

2. ( b.) — born (used to indicate a date of birth)

• George Lloyd (b.1913).

3. [Cricket] (on scorecards) bowled by

• AC Hudson b Prasad 146.

4. [Cricket] (on scorecards) bye(s).

• extras (b 6, lb 24, nb 9) 39.

B^1 /biː / b

I. noun

1. the second letter of the alphabet.

2. denoting the second in a set of items, categories, sizes, etc.

3. the second highest class of academic mark.

• my grade on that first paper was a B.

4. (in the UK) denoting a secondary road

• the B4248

• B-roads.

5. denoting the second-highest-earning socio-economic category for marketing purposes, including intermediate management and professional personnel.

6. ( b) — [Chess] denoting the second file from the left, as viewed from White's side of the board.

7. (usu. b) — the second fixed constant to appear in an algebraic equation.

8. [Geology] denoting a soil horizon of intermediate depth, typically the subsoil.

9. the human blood type (in the ABO system) containing the B antigen and lacking the A.

10. (with numeral) denoting a series of international standard paper sizes each twice the area of the next, as B0, B1, B2, B3, B4, etc., B4 being 250 × 353 mm.

11. (usu. B) — [Music] the seventh note of the diatonic scale of C major.

12. a key based on a scale with B as its keynote.

II. phrases

plan B

an alternative strategy.

• it's time I put plan B into action.

B^2 /biː/

I. abbreviation

1. Belgium (international vehicle registration).

2. bishop (used in recording moves in chess)

• Be5.

3. black (used in describing grades of pencil lead)

• 2B pencils.

4. bomber (in designations of US aircraft types)

• a B-52.

II. symbol

1. the chemical element boron.

2. [Physics] magnetic flux density.

B & S

I. noun

(Austral.) a dance held for single people, typically in a rural area

• it's kind of like a B & S without the alcohol

• [as modifier] they sniff out new leads like single girls at a B & S ball.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the initials of Bachelors' & Spinsters'.

ba /bɑː/

noun

in ancient Egypt, the supposed soul of a person or god, which survived after death but had to be sustained with offerings of food. It was typically represented as a human-headed bird.
See also ka.

Ba

symbol

the chemical element barium.

BA /biːˈeɪ/

abbreviation

1. Bachelor of Arts

• David Brown, BA.

2. British Airways.

3. British Association (for the Advancement of Science).

4. Buenos Aires.

baa /bɑː/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a sheep or lamb) bleat.

II. noun

the cry of a sheep or lamb.

• loud baas fill the air in the springtime.

– origin early 16th cent.: imitative.

Baade, Walter /ˈbɑːdə/

(1893–1960), German-born American astronomer; full name Wilhelm Heinrich Walter Baade. He proved that the Andromeda galaxy was much further away than had been thought, which implied that the universe was much older and more extensive than had been supposed.

Baader–Meinhof Group /ˌbɑːdəˈmʌɪnhɒf/

I. an extreme left-wing terrorist organization operating in former West Germany between 1970 and 1998.
Also called Red Army Faction.

– origin from the names of Andreas Baader (1943–77) and Ulrike Meinhof (1934–76), two of the organization's founders.

Baal /bɑːl, ˈbeɪəl / Bel

I. a male fertility god whose cult was widespread in ancient Phoenician and Canaanite lands.

– origin from Hebrew ba‘al ‘lord’.

baa-lamb

noun

a child's name for a lamb.

Baalbek /ˈbɑːlbɛk/

a town in eastern Lebanon, site of the ancient city of Heliopolis.

baap /bɑːp/

I. noun

(Indian) a father.

• she was muttering something about a baap who didn't have time for his own son.

– origin from Hindi bāp.

baas /bɑːs/

I. noun

(S. African) ‹often offensive› a supervisor or employer, especially a white man in charge of coloured or black people.
[as title]

• Baas O'Brien.

– origin Dutch, ‘master’; compare with boss^1.

baasie /ˈbɑːsi/

I. noun

(S. African) ‹often offensive› a form of address to a young white male.

• please, my baasie, I get into very big trouble.

– origin Afrikaans (from earlier Dutch baasje), literally ‘little master’.

Baathist /ˈbɑːθɪst / Ba'athist

I. noun

a member or follower of the Baath Party, a pan-Arab political party

• high-ranking Baathists.

II. adjective

relating to the Baath Party

• a Baathist stronghold.

III. derivatives

Baathism

noun

Baath Party /ˈbɑːθ ˌpaːti / Ba'ath Party

I. a pan-Arab political party founded in Syria in 1943. Different factions of the Baath Party hold power in Syria and formerly held power in Iraq.

– origin Baath, from Arabic ba‘ṯ ‘resurrection, renaissance’.

baba^1 /ˈbɑːbɑː / rum baba

I. noun

a small, rich sponge cake, typically soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.

• the cooked babas are hollowed out and filled with confectioners' custard.

– origin via French from Polish, literally ‘married peasant woman’.

baba^2 /ˈbɑːbɑː/

I. noun

1. (Indian) ‹informal› father (often as a proper name or as a familiar form of address).

• ‘Baba and I have squabbled.’.

2. (Indian) ‹informal› a respectful form of address for an older man.

• ‘Sit down, baba, you like tea?’.

3. (often Baba) — (Indian) ‹informal› a holy man.

• Balyogi Baba was reputed to have been standing on one leg for eight years.

4. (Indian) ‹informal› a child, especially a male one.

• ‘Remove the paper whenever you are ready, baba.’.

– origin from Hindi bābā.

baba ganoush /ˌbɑːbə ɡaˈnuːʃ / baba ghanouj /ɡaˈnuːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a thick sauce or spread made from pureed aubergines and sesame seeds, typical of eastern Mediterranean cuisine.

– origin from Egyptian Arabic, from Arabic bābā, literally ‘father’ + ghannūj, perhaps a personal name.

babalaas /ˈbabəlas, ˈbabəlɑːs / ‹S. African›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the after-effects of drinking an excess of alcohol.

• in the morning the atmosphere is fuzzy with babalaas.

II. adjective

hung-over.

– origin Afrikaans, from Zulu ibhabhalazi.

babassu /ˌbabəˈsuː / babaçu

I. noun

a Brazilian palm that yields an edible oil which is sometimes used in cosmetics.
●Genus Orbignya, family Palmae.

– origin 1920s: from Brazilian Portuguese babaçu, from Tupi ybá ‘fruit’ + guasu ‘large’.

Babbage, Charles /ˈbabɪdʒ/

(1791–1871), English mathematician, inventor, and pioneer of machine computing. He designed a mechanical computer with Ada Lovelace but was unable to complete it in his lifetime.

Babbitt /ˈbabɪt/

I. noun

‹dated› (chiefly N. Amer.) a materialistic, complacent, and conformist businessman.

II. derivatives

Babbittry

noun

– origin from the name George Babbitt, the protagonist of the novel Babbitt (1922) by Sinclair Lewis.

Babbitt, Milton /ˈbabɪt/

(1916–2011), American composer and mathematician; full name Milton Byron Babbitt. His compositions developed from the twelve-note system of Schoenberg and Webern.

babbitt metal /ˈbabɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft alloy of tin, antimony, copper, and usually lead, used to line bearings.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Isaac Babbitt (1799–1862), the American inventor of the lining.

babble /ˈbab(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way

• they babbled on about their holiday.

2. [ reporting verb] — utter something rapidly and incoherently
[with direct speech]

• ‘Thank goodness you're all right,’ she babbled.

3. reveal something secret or confidential by talking carelessly

• he babbled to another convict while he was in jail.

4. (usu. as adj. babbling) — (of a stream) make the continuous murmuring sound of water flowing over stones

• a gently babbling brook.

II. noun

1. [in sing.] — the confused sound of a group of people talking simultaneously

• a babble of protest.

2. foolish, excited, or confused talk

• her soft voice stopped his babble.

3. [ mass noun] — background disturbance caused by interference from conversations on other telephone lines.

4. the continuous murmuring sound of water flowing over stones in a stream

• the babble of a brook.

III. derivatives

babblement

noun

– origin Middle English: from Middle Low German babbelen, or an independent English formation, as a frequentative based on the repeated syllable ba, typical of a child's early speech.

-babble

combining form — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› forming nouns denoting confusing or pretentious jargon, especially that characteristic of a particular field or group

• psychobabble

• technobabble.

babbler /ˈbablə/

noun

1. a thrush-like Old World songbird with a long tail, short rounded wings, and a loud, discordant or musical voice.
●Family Timaliidae (the babbler family): numerous genera.

2. a person who babbles.

• no one could accuse him of being a quiet man—in fact he's a babbler.

babby

noun

dialect form of baby.

babe /beɪb/

I. noun

1. ‹literary› a baby

• you have a babe, who will surely be treated as a king when he grows.

2. (also babes) — ‹informal› an affectionate form of address, typically for someone with whom one has a sexual or romantic relationship.

• it was the best day of my life—except for meeting you, babe.

• hey babes, I know it is unscrupulous and underhand, but don't blame me!

3. ‹informal› a sexually attractive young woman.

• he's been pumping up his pecs to impress the babes.

II. phrases

1. babe in arms

a baby that is too young to walk

• her first child is still only a babe in arms.

2. babe in the woods

an innocent or naive person, especially one in a difficult or dangerous environment

• she was no babe in the woods and knew exactly what she was doing.

• he knows how to handle himself in NY, unlike we mere babes in the wood who live here in Seattle.

[with reference to the traditional tale Babes in the Wood, in which two children are abandoned in a wood.]

– origin late Middle English: probably imitative of an infant's first attempts at speech. Compare with baby.

babel /ˈbeɪb(ə)l/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a confused noise made by a number of voices

• the babel of voices on the road.

2. a confused situation.

• the potential for confusion in this babel of textual formats is enormous.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Babel (see Tower of Babel), where, according to the biblical story, God made the builders all speak different languages.

babelicious /ˌbeɪbˈlɪʃəs/

I. adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› (of a woman) very sexually attractive.

– origin 1992: coined in the film Wayne's World.

babe magnet

noun

1. ‹informal› a man who is very attractive to women

• when it comes to women, he's a veritable babe magnet.

2. ‹informal› a thing perceived as contributing to a man's attractiveness to women

• someone told my wife that Ferraris were real babe magnets.

babesiosis /bəˌbiːzɪˈəʊsɪs / babesiasis /ˌbɑːbɪˈzʌɪəsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease of cattle and other livestock, transmitted by the bite of ticks. It affects the red blood cells and causes the passing of red or blackish urine. Also called piroplasmosis, redwater, or murrain.
●The disease is caused by protozoans of the genus Babesia, phylum Sporozoa.

– origin early 20th cent.: from modern Latin Babesia, from the name Victor Babès (1854–1926), Romanian bacteriologist.

Babi /ˈbɑːbi/

noun

an adherent of Babism.

babiche /bəˈbiːʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. raw hide, typically formed into strips, as used by North American Indians for making fastenings and animal snares.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Canadian French, from Micmac a:papi:č.

babirusa /ˌbɑːbɪˈruːsə/

I. noun

a forest-dwelling wild pig with several upturned horn-like tusks, native to Malaysia.
● Babyrousa babyrussa, family Suidae.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Malay, from babi ‘hog’ + rusa ‘deer’.

Babism /ˈbɑːbɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a religion founded in 1844 by the Persian Mirza Ali Muhammad of Shiraz (1819–50) (popularly known as ‘the Bab’), who taught that a new prophet would follow Muhammad.
See also Baha'i.

– origin mid 19th cent.: via Persian from Arabic bāb ‘intermediary’, literally ‘gate’ (taken as a name by the founder) + -ism.

baboon /bəˈbuːn/

I. noun

1. a large Old World ground-dwelling monkey with a long doglike snout and large teeth.
●Genera Papio and Mandrillus, family Cercopithecidae: several species, including the drill and mandrill. .

2. an ugly or uncouth person.

– origin Middle English (denoting a grotesque figure used in architecture): from Old French babuin or medieval Latin babewynus, perhaps from Old French baboue ‘muzzle, grimace’.

baboon spider

noun

a large, hairy burrowing spider found in Africa.
● Ceratogyrus, Harpactira, and other genera, family Theraphosidae, suborder Mygalomorphae.

babouche /bəˈbuːʃ/

I. noun

a heelless slipper, typically in oriental style.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from Arabic bābūj, Persian pāpūš, literally ‘foot covering’.

Babruisk /bəˈbruːɪsk / Babruysk

a river port in central Belarus, on the Byarezina River south-east of Minsk; pop. 219,000 (est. 2009).
Russian name Bobruisk or Bobruysk.

babu /ˈbɑːbuː/

I. noun

1. (Indian) a respectful title or form of address for a man, especially an educated one.

• I could see Kana-babu's shop.

2. (Indian) an office worker.

• he was a typical babu, polite and faintly scornful.

– origin from Hindi bābū, literally ‘father’.

babul /bəˈbuːl/

I. noun

(in South Asia) a tropical acacia introduced from Africa, used as a source of fuel, gum arabic, and (formerly) tannin.
● Acacia nilotica, family Leguminosae.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Hindi babūl.

Babur /ˈbɑːbʊə/

(1483–1530), first Mogul emperor of India 1526–30, descendant of Tamerlane; born Zahir ad-Din Muhammad. He invaded India c. 1525 and conquered the territory from the Oxus to Patna.

babushka /bəˈbʊʃkə, ˈbabʊʃˌkə/

I. noun

1. (in Russia) an old woman or grandmother.

2. (N. Amer.) a headscarf tied under the chin, typical of those traditionally worn by Russian women.

– origin Russian, ‘grandmother’.

Babuyan Islands /ˌbɑːbʊˈjɑːn/

a group of twenty-four volcanic islands lying to the north of the island of Luzon in the northern Philippines.

baby /ˈbeɪbi/

I. noun

1. a very young child

• his wife's just had a baby

• [as modifier] a baby girl.

2. a very young animal.

• bats only have one baby a year.

• [as modifier] baby rabbits.

3. the youngest member of a family or group.

• Clara was the baby of the family.

4. a timid or childish person

• ‘Don't be such a baby!’ she said witheringly.

5. ( one's baby) — ‹informal› one's particular responsibility or concern.

• ‘This is your baby, Gerry,’ she said, handing him the brief.

6. ‹informal› a lover or spouse (often as a form of address)

• my baby left me for another guy.

7. a thing regarded with affection or familiarity

• this baby can reach speeds of 120 mph.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. comparatively small or immature of its kind

• a baby version of the Oxford Movement.

2. (of vegetables) picked before reaching their usual size

• baby carrots.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat (someone) as a baby; pamper or be overprotective towards.

• her aunt babied her and fussed over her clothes.

IV. phrases

throw the baby out with the bathwater

discard something valuable along with other things that are undesirable.

V. derivatives

babyhood /ˈbeɪbihʊd /

noun

– origin late Middle English: probably imitative of an infant's first attempts at speech.

baby blue

noun

1. [ mass noun] — a pale shade of blue.

• she always wore baby blue to match her eyes.

• [as modifier] baby-blue and pink streamers.

2. ( baby blues) — ‹informal› blue eyes.

• O'Toole's famous baby blues are sparkling with mischief.

3. ( baby blues) — ‹informal› postnatal depression.

baby boom

noun

‹informal› a temporary marked increase in the birth rate, especially the one following the Second World War

• the number of college graduates mushroomed in the early- to mid-1970s, thanks to the baby boom

• [as modifier] the baby boom generation.

baby boomer

noun

‹informal› a person born in the years following the Second World War, when there was a temporary marked increase in the birth rate

• America's health care costs are expected to soar as baby boomers become senior citizens

• [as modifier] these are the children of baby boomer parents.

baby bouncer

noun

(Brit.) a harness suspended by elastic or a spring, into which a baby is put, with its feet within reach of the floor, to exercise its legs.

baby buggy

noun

(Brit.) ‹trademark› a light pushchair with a soft seat that allows the chair to be collapsed inwards.

baby bump

noun

‹informal› the protrusion of a pregnant woman's abdomen, typically when it is first noticeable to other people.

baby bust

I. noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a temporary marked decrease in the birth rate.

II. derivatives

baby buster

noun

baby carriage

noun

(N. Amer.) a pram.

babycino /beɪbɪˈtʃiːnəʊ / babyccino

I. noun

a drink of hot milk that has been frothed up with pressurized steam, intended for children.

• naturally, all the kids enjoyed their babycinos.

– origin 1990s: blend of baby and cappuccino.

baby corn

noun — [ mass noun]

1. individual cobs of maize which have been harvested when very small and immature, eaten as a vegetable.

baby daddy

noun

‹informal› the father of one or more of a woman's children, especially one who is not her husband or current partner

• he is just a baby daddy.

baby-doll

adjective

denoting a style of women's clothing resembling that traditionally worn by a doll or young child, especially short, high-waisted, short-sleeved dresses.

baby face

noun

a smooth round face like a baby's.

baby-faced

adjective

having a youthful or innocent face

• baby-faced tough guys.

baby fat

noun — [ mass noun]

1. fat on the body of a baby or child that disappears as it grows up.

2. the extra body fat that a woman may develop during pregnancy.

babyfather

I. noun

the father of one or more of a woman's children, who is not her husband or current partner

• she is finding it hard to deal with her separation from her babyfather.

– origin 1930s: from baby + father, originally in Caribbean English.

baby grand

noun

the smallest size of grand piano, about 1.5 metres long.

Babygro /ˈbeɪbɪɡrəʊ/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹trademark› an all-in-one stretch garment for babies.

– origin 1950s (originally US): from baby + grow.

babyish /ˈbeɪbɪɪʃ/

I. adjective

‹derogatory› typical of or suitable for a baby; childish

• he pursed his mouth into a babyish pout.

II. derivatives

1. babyishly

adverb

2. babyishness

noun

Babylon^1 /ˈbabɪlɒn/

I. an ancient city in Mesopotamia, the capital of Babylonia in the 2nd millennium BC. The city (of which only ruins now remain) lay on the Euphrates and was noted by classical writers for its luxury, its fortifications, and its legendary Hanging Gardens.

– origin Greek Babulōn (from Hebrew bāḇel), also the name of the mystical city of the Apocalypse. Compare with babel.

Babylon^2 /ˈbabɪlɒn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly among Rastafarians) a contemptuous or dismissive term for aspects of white culture seen as degenerate or oppressive, especially the police.

• praise them for bringing a new rectitude to Babylon.

– origin 1940s: by association with Babylon^1.

Babylonia /ˌbabɪˈləʊnɪə/

an ancient region of Mesopotamia, formed when the kingdoms of Akkad in the north and Sumer in the south combined in the first half of the 2nd millennium BC.

Babylonian /ˌbabɪˈləʊnɪən/

I. noun

1. an inhabitant of Babylon or Babylonia.

2. [ mass noun] — the dialect of Akkadian spoken in ancient Babylon.

II. adjective

relating to Babylon or Babylonia.

Babylonian Captivity

the captivity of the Israelites in Babylon, lasting from their deportation by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC until their release by Cyrus the Great in 539 BC.

baby mama baby mamma, ‹N. Amer.› baby momma

noun

‹informal› the mother of one or more of a man’s children, especially one who is not his wife or current partner

• he and his baby mama have been broken up for years.

babymoon

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a relaxing or romantic holiday taken by parents-to-be before their baby is born

• on the eve of my third trimester, we boarded a plane for a week-long babymoon among the quiet canals of Amsterdam.

2. ‹informal› a period of time following the birth of a baby during which the new parents can focus on establishing a bond with their child

• a babymoon is regarded as a crucial time for a family to establish itself.

– origin 1970s: blend of baby and honeymoon.

babymother

I. noun

the mother of one or more of a man’s children, who is not his wife or current partner.

– origin 1960s: from baby + mother, after babyfather; originally in Caribbean English.

baby oil

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral oil used to soften the skin.

baby pink

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a pale shade of pink.

• turquoise and baby pink are the new black this season.

• [as modifier] a baby pink turtleneck sweater.

baby's breath

noun

a herbaceous plant of delicate appearance which bears tiny scented pink or white flowers.
● Gypsophila paniculata, family Caryophyllaceae.

babysit /ˈbeɪbisɪt/

verb — [no obj.]

1. look after a child or children while the parents are out

• I babysit for my neighbour sometimes

• [with obj.] she was babysitting Sophie.

babysitter /ˈbeɪbisɪtə/

I. noun

a person who looks after a child or children while the parents are out

• he couldn't find a babysitter

• Natalie had worked for her as a babysitter.

II. derivatives

babysitting /ˈbeɪbisɪtɪŋ /

noun

baby stay

noun

[Sailing] an additional forestay sometimes used on offshore racing yachts.

baby step

noun

a tentative act or measure which is the first stage in a long or challenging process

• the country is just taking its first baby steps towards the future.

baby talk

noun — [ mass noun]

1. childish talk used by or to young children.

baby tooth

noun

another term for milk tooth.

baby walker

noun

(Brit.) a wheeled frame in which a baby is suspended in a harness and can move itself about a room with its feet.

babywearing /ˈbeɪbɪwɛːrɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or practice of carrying a baby close against one's body in a sling or similar carrier

• babywearing remains the norm in many developing countries

• [as modifier] the two mums bonded through their local babywearing group.

baby weight

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the extra weight gained by a woman during the course of pregnancy, in particular that remaining after the birth

• she thinks stars who lose their baby weight too quickly are setting an impossible standard for normal mothers.

baby wipe

noun

a disposable cloth treated with a cleansing agent, intended for cleaning babies and young children

• wipe the baby's bottom with a baby wipe.

bacalao /ˌbakəˈlaʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. codfish, typically dried or salted, as used in Spanish and Latin American cookery.

– origin Spanish.

Bacall, Lauren /bəˈkɔːl/

(1924–2014), American actress. She co-starred with her husband, Humphrey Bogart, in a number of successful thrillers, including The Big Sleep (1946) and Key Largo (1948).

Bacardi /bəˈkɑːdi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a West Indian rum produced originally in Cuba.

– origin named after the manufacturer.

baccalaureate /ˌbakəˈlɔːrɪət/

I. noun

1. an examination intended to qualify successful candidates for higher education.
See also International Baccalaureate.

2. a university bachelor's degree.
[as modifier]

• baccalaureate degrees.

3. (US) a religious service held at some educational institutions before commencement, including a farewell sermon to the graduating students.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French baccalauréat or medieval Latin baccalaureatus, from baccalaureus ‘bachelor’. The earlier form baccalarius was altered by wordplay to conform with bacca lauri ‘laurel berry’, because of the laurels awarded to scholars. Sense 1 dates from 1970.

baccarat /ˈbakərɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a gambling card game in which players hold two- or three-card hands, the winning hand being that giving the highest remainder when its face value is divided by ten.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French baccara, of unknown origin.

Bacchae /ˈbakiː/

the priestesses or female devotees of the Greek god Bacchus.

bacchanal /ˈbakən(ə)l, ˈbakənal / ‹chiefly literary›

I. noun

1. a wild and drunken celebration.

• the debauched and alcoholic president was said to be organizing unceasing bacchanals.

2. a priest, worshipper, or follower of Bacchus.

II. adjective

another term for bacchanalian.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin bacchanalis, from the name of the god Bacchus.

Bacchanalia /ˌbakəˈneɪlɪə/

I. plural noun — [also treated as sing.]

1. the Roman festival of Bacchus.

2. ( bacchanalia) — drunken celebrations.

• the bacchanalia that marked the night.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin bacchanalia, neuter plural of the adjective bacchanalis (see bacchanal).

bacchanalian /ˌbakəˈneɪlɪən/

adjective

characterized by or given to drunken revelry

• a bacchanalian orgy.

bacchant /ˈbakənt/

I. noun

a priest, priestess, or follower of Bacchus.

• the painting shows a bacchante carrying a child.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French bacchante, from Latin bacchari ‘celebrate the feast of Bacchus’.

Bacchic /ˈbakɪk/

adjective

1. relating to Bacchus or the worship of Bacchus

• I adopted its religion and celebrated the Bacchic rites.

2. drunken and debauched

• in the evening, this bar becomes positively Bacchic.

Bacchus /ˈbakəs / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. another name for Dionysus.

– origin Latin, from Greek Bakkhos.

baccy /ˈbaki/

noun

(Brit.) informal term for tobacco.

bach^1 /bax/

I. noun

(Welsh) used as a term of endearment, often after a personal name

• Thomas bach, you are looking tired.

– origin Welsh, literally ‘little’.

bach^2 /batʃ / ‹informal›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) (especially of a man) live alone and do one's own cooking and housekeeping

• Baldy bached in a hut down the road a bit.

II. noun

(NZ) a small holiday house.

– origin late 19th cent. (as a verb): abbreviation of bachelor.

Bach, Johann Sebastian /bɑːx/

I. (1685–1750), German composer.

An exceptional and prolific baroque composer, he produced works ranging from violin concertos, suites, and the six Brandenburg Concertos (1720–1) to clavier works and sacred cantatas. Large-scale choral works include The Passion according to St John (1723), The Passion according to St Matthew (1729), and the Mass in B minor (1733–8). He had twenty children: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–88) wrote church music, keyboard sonatas, and a celebrated treatise on clavier playing, and Johann Christian Bach (1735–82) became music master to the British royal family and composed thirteen operas.

Bacharach, Burt /ˈbakərak/

(b.1928), American writer of popular songs. His songs, many of which were written with lyricist Hal David (1921–2012), include ‘Walk On By’ (1961), ‘Alfie’ (1966), and ‘Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head’ (1969).

bachata /baˈtʃata/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of romantic music originating in the Dominican Republic.

2. [ count noun] — a bachata song.

– origin Caribbean Spanish, literally ‘a party, good time’.

bachcha /ˈbʌtʃəː/

I. noun

(Indian) ‹informal› a young person.

– origin from Hindi baccā ‘child’.

bachelor /ˈbatʃələ/

I. noun

1. a man who is not and has never been married

• one of the country's most eligible bachelors.

2. [Zoology] a male bird or mammal prevented from breeding by a dominant male.

3. a person who holds a first degree from a university or other academic institution (only in titles or set expressions)

• a Bachelor of Arts.

4. (Canadian) a bachelor apartment.

• it's just one room, a bachelor.

5. ‹historical› a young knight serving under another's banner. See also knight bachelor.
[said to be from French bas chevalier, literally ‘low knight’ (i.e. knight of a low order).]

II. derivatives

bachelorhood /ˈbatʃələhʊd /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French bacheler; of uncertain origin.

bachelor apartment

noun

(N. Amer.) an apartment consisting of a single large main room; a studio flat.

bachelorette /batʃələˈrɛt/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a young unmarried woman.

• a photo of each bachelorette accompanies her profile.

2. (N. Amer.) a very small bachelor apartment.

• a bachelorette in a high-rise complex.

bachelor girl

noun

an independent, unmarried young woman.
[as modifier]

• a bachelor-girl apartment.

bachelor party bachelorette party

noun

(N. Amer.) a party given for a man (or woman) about to get married, typically attended by men (or women) only.

bachelor's buttons

plural noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. any of a number of ornamental plants which bear small, button-like, double flowers, in particular:
● a white flower of the daisy family ( Achillea ptarmica, family Compositae). ● a yellow buttercup ( Ranunculus acris, family Ranunculaceae).

Bach flower remedies /batʃ / Bach remedies

I. plural noun

preparations of the flowers of various plants used in a system of complementary medicine intended to relieve ill health by influencing underlying emotional states.

– origin 1970s: named after Edward Bach (1886–1936), British physician.

bacilliform /bəˈsɪlɪfɔːm/

adjective

[chiefly Biology] rod-shaped.

bacillus /bəˈsɪləs/

I. noun

1. a rod-shaped bacterium.

2. a disease-causing bacterium.

• the bacillus was thought to have proliferated in water polluted by sewage.

• tubercle bacilli.

II. derivatives

bacillary /bəˈsɪləri /

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from late Latin, diminutive of Latin baculus ‘stick’. / usage: All bacteria belonging to the genus Bacillus are called bacilli. However, there are some bacteria, also called bacilli, which do not belong to the genus Bacillus.

back /bak/

I. noun

1. the rear surface of the human body from the shoulders to the hips

• he lay on his back

• [as modifier] back pain.

2. the upper surface of an animal's body that corresponds to a person's back.

• the adults have white bodies with grey backs.

3. the spine of a person or animal.

4. the main structure of a ship's hull or an aircraft's fuselage.

• Demetrius broke its back on the rocks in a force 11 gale.

5. the part of a garment that covers a person's back.

• a top with a scooped neckline and a low back.

6. a person's back regarded as carrying a load or bearing an imposition

• the Press are on my back.

7. the side or part of something that is away from the spectator or from the direction in which it moves or faces; the rear

• at the back of the hotel is a secluded garden

• a rubber dinghy with an engine at the back.

8. the position directly behind someone or something

• she unbuttoned her dress from the back.

9. the side or part of an object that is not normally seen or used

• the back of a postcard.

10. the part of a chair against which the sitter's back rests.

11. a player in a team game who plays in a defensive position behind the forwards.

• their backs showed some impressive running and passing.

12. ( the Backs) — the grounds of Cambridge colleges which back on to the River Cam.

II. adverb

1. in the opposite direction from the one that one is facing or travelling towards

• he moved back a pace

• she walked away without looking back.

2. expressing movement of the body into a reclining position

• he leaned back in his chair

• sit back and relax.

3. at a distance away

• keep back from the roadside.

4. ( back of) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› behind

• he knew that other people were back of him.

5. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› losing by a specified margin

• the team was five points back.

6. so as to return to an earlier or normal position or condition

• she put the book back on the shelf

• he drove to Glasgow and back in a day

• things were back to normal.

7. at a place previously left or mentioned

• the folks back home are counting on him.

8. fashionable again

• sideburns are back.

9. in or into the past

• he made his fortune back in 1955.

10. in return

• they wrote back to me.

III. verb

1. [with obj.] — give financial, material, or moral support to

• he had a newspaper empire backing him

• his mother backed him up on everything.

2. supplement in order to strengthen

• firefighters, backed up by helicopters and planes, fought to bring the flames under control.

3. bet money on (a person or animal) winning a race or contest

• he backed the horse at 33–1.

4. [with obj.] — cover the back of (an article) in order to support, protect, or decorate it

• a mirror backed with tortoiseshell.

5. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — walk or drive backwards

• she tried to back away

• ‹figurative› the government backed away from the plan

• [with obj.] he backed the Mercedes into the yard.

6. [no obj.] — (of the wind) change direction anticlockwise around the points of the compass

• the wind had backed to the north-west.

The opposite of veer^1.

7. [with obj.] — [Sailing] put (a sail) aback in order to slow the vessel down or assist in turning through the wind.

8. [no obj.] ( back on / on to) — (of a building or other structure) have its back facing or adjacent to

• his garage wall backs on to the neighbouring property.

9. [with obj.] — lie behind or at the back of

• the promenade is backed by lots of cafes.

10. put a piece of music on the less important side of (a vinyl recording)

• the new single is backed with a track from the LP.

11. (in popular music) provide musical accompaniment to (a singer or musician)

• on his new album he is backed by an American group.

IV. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. of or at the back of something

• the back garden

• the back pocket of his jeans.

2. in a remote or subsidiary position

• back roads.

3. from or relating to the past

• she was owed back pay.

4. directed towards the rear or in a reversed course

• a back header.

5. [Phonetics] (of a sound) articulated at the back of the mouth.

• a long back vowel, as in 'dance' or 'bath'.

V. phrases

1. at someone's back

in pursuit or support of someone.

2. back and forth

to and fro.

3. back in the day

in the past; some time ago

• back in the day, he'd had one of the greatest minds I'd ever come across.

4. one's back is turned

one's attention is elsewhere

• he kissed her quickly, when the landlady's back was turned.

5. the back of beyond

a very remote or inaccessible place.

6. back o'Bourke

(Austral.) ‹informal› the outback.
[from the name of a town in north-west New South Wales.]

7. the back of one's mind

used to express that something is in one's mind but is not consciously thought of or remembered

• she had a little nagging worry at the back of her mind.

8. back someone into a corner

force someone into a difficult situation

• I was backed into a corner – there was no way out.

9. back to front /ˌbak tə ˈfrʌnt /

(Brit.) with the back at the front and the front at the back

• the exhausts had been fitted back to front.

10. back water

reverse the action of a boat's oars to slow down or stop.

• the exhausted crews backed water and the fleet fell apart.

11. back the wrong horse

make a wrong or inappropriate choice.

12. behind someone's back

without a person's knowledge and in an unfair way

• Carla made fun of him behind his back.

13. get (or put) someone's back up

make someone annoyed or angry.

14. in back

(N. Amer.) at the back of something, especially a building

• my dad demolished a shed in back of his barn.

15. know something like the back of one's hand

be entirely familiar with a place or route.

16. on one's back

in bed recovering from an injury or illness.

17. put one's back into

approach (a task) with vigour.

18. turn one's back on

a. ignore (someone) by turning away from them.

b. reject or abandon (a person or thing that one was previously involved with).

• she turned her back on her career to devote her life to animals.

19. with one's back to (or up against) the wall

in a desperate situation.

VI. phrasal verbs

1. back down

withdraw a claim or assertion in the face of opposition

• party leaders backed down and rescinded the resolution.

2. back off

a. draw back from action or confrontation

• they backed off from fundamental reform of the system.

b. (N. Amer.) back down.

3. back out

withdraw from a commitment

• if he backs out of the deal they'll sue him.

4. back up

a. (of vehicles) form into a queue due to congestion.

• the traffic began to back up.

b. (of running water) accumulate behind an obstruction.

5. back something up

a. [Computing] make a spare copy of data or a disk.

b. cause vehicles to form into a queue due to congestion

• the traffic was backed up a mile in each direction.

VII. derivatives

backmost /ˈbakməʊst /

adjective

– origin Old English bæc, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch and Old Norse bak. The adverb use dates from late Middle English and is a shortening of aback.

backache /ˈbakeɪk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. prolonged pain in one's back

• a cure for backache.

back alley

noun

1. a narrow passage behind or between buildings.

• we exited into a back alley via the fire door.

2. [as modifier] — secret and illegal

• a back-alley abortion.

back-arc

adjective

[Geology] relating to or denoting the area behind an island arc.

• back-arc basin.

back bacon

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) lean bacon from the back or loin of a pig.

• breakfast includes porridge, black pudding, smoked Scottish salmon, and best back bacon from the local butcher.

backbar

noun

(chiefly US) a structure behind a bar counter, with shelves for holding bottles, other supplies, and equipment.

backbeat

noun

[Music] a strong accent on one of the normally unaccented beats of the bar, used especially in jazz and popular music.

• the song incorporates an exhilarating backbeat.

backbench /ˌbakˈbɛn(t)ʃ/

adjective

(in the UK) denoting or relating to a Member of Parliament who does not hold office in the government or opposition and who sits behind the front benches in the House of Commons

• a revolt by backbench MPs.

backbencher /bakˈbɛntʃə/

noun

(in the UK) a Member of Parliament who does not hold office in the government or opposition and who sits behind the front benches in the House of Commons.

• he was cheered by Tory backbenchers.

backbend

noun

a movement in gymnastics, dance, or yoga in which the body is arched backwards and downwards from an upright position until the hands touch the floor or arched upwards from a supine position, using the hands and feet for support

• a lot of girls liked to practise gym skills—handstands, backbends, cartwheels, and so on.

backbiting /ˈbakbʌɪtɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. malicious talk about someone who is not present.

• members have grown tired of the backbiting in the group.

• [as modifier] there were backbiting accusations among some sections of the press.

II. derivatives

1. backbite /ˈbakbʌɪt /

verb

2. backbiter /ˈbakbʌɪtə /

noun

backblocker /ˈbakblɒkə/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹dated› a person from the remote and sparsely inhabited interior

• you could tell he was a backblocker from his deep suntan and the looseness in his stance.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from backblocks + -er^1.

backblocks /ˈbakblɒks/

plural noun — ( the backblocks)

1. (Austral./NZ) land in the remote and sparsely inhabited interior
[as modifier]

• backblocks roads.

backboard /ˈbakbɔːd/

noun

1. a board placed at or forming the back of something, such as a piece of electronic equipment.

2. a board used to support or straighten a person's back, especially after an accident.

3. [Basketball] an upright board behind the basket, off which the ball may rebound.

back boiler

noun

(Brit.) a boiler supplying hot water or heating that is built in behind a fireplace or is an integral part of a gas fire.

backbone /ˈbakbəʊn/

noun

1. the series of vertebrae extending from the skull to the pelvis; the spine.

• prickles of sweat broke out along her backbone.

• ‹figurative› the great Pennine range is the backbone of England.

2. (US) the spine of a book.

3. [Biochemistry] the main chain of a polymeric molecule.

4. the chief support of a system or organization

• these firms are the backbone of our industrial sector.

5. [ mass noun] — strength of character

• he has enough backbone to see us through this difficulty.

6. [Computing] [Telecommunications] a high-speed, high-capacity digital connection which forms the axis of a local or wide area network.

back-breaking

adjective

(of manual labour) physically demanding

• a day's back-breaking work.

back-burner

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (US) postpone consideration of or action on

• a planned test of the new ale has been back-burnered.

II. phrases

on the back burner

see burner.

back button

noun

[Computing] (in a graphical user interface) an icon, typically displaying an arrow pointing to the left, that may be selected in order to return to the previous page or screen

• click the back button on your browser to return to this page.

backcast

I. noun

a backward swing of a fishing line preparatory to casting.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a backcast.

back catalogue

noun

all the works previously produced by a recording artist or record company

• the owner of the Elvis Presley back catalogue.

backchannel

noun

1. a secondary or covert route for the passage of information

• we used him as a diplomatic backchannel.

2. [Psychology] a sound or gesture made to give continuity to a conversation by a person who is listening to another.
[as modifier]

• supportive backchannel cues.

backchat /ˈbaktʃat/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› rude or cheeky remarks made in reply to someone in authority.

• don't interrupt! I'm not used to backchat or defiance!

backcloth /ˈbakklɒθ/

noun

(Brit.) another term for backdrop.

backcomb /ˈbakkəʊm/

verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly Brit.) comb (the hair) from the ends of the strands towards the scalp to make it look thicker.

• you can achieve a sixties feel by gently backcombing hair at the crown.

backcountry /ˈbakkʌntri/

noun — ( the backcountry)

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) sparsely inhabited rural areas.

• she loves exploring the backcountry on horseback.

• [as modifier] backcountry skiing.

backcourt /ˈbakkɔːt/

noun

1. (in tennis, basketball, and other games) the part of each side of the court nearest the back wall or back boundary line.

2. the defensive players in a basketball team.

3. (especially in Glasgow) a courtyard behind a house or tenement.

backcrawl

noun

another term for backstroke.

backcross /ˈbakkrɒs / ‹Genetics›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cross (a hybrid) with one of its parents or an organism with the same genetic characteristics as one of the parents.
(as adj. backcrossed)

• after five generations the backcrossed dogs were indistinguishable from pure-bred Dalmatians.

II. noun

an instance or result of backcrossing.

backdate /bakˈdeɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) make (something, especially a pay increase) retrospectively valid

• the 4 per cent increase was backdated to June.

2. (Brit.) put an earlier date to (a document) than the actual one.

• they backdated the sale documents to evade a court order.

back door

I. noun

1. the rear door of a building.

2. [as modifier] — achieved by using indirect or dishonest means

• a back-door tax increase.

3. a feature or defect of a computer system that allows surreptitious unauthorized access to data.

II. phrases

by (or through) the back door

using indirect or dishonest means to achieve an objective.

• this form of franchising will be seen as privatization by the back door.

backdown /ˈbakdaʊn/

noun

an act of backing down.

• ministers have avoided sounding triumphal about the association's backdown.

backdraught /ˈbakdrɑːft / ‹US› backdraft

I. noun

1. a current of air or water that flows backwards down a chimney, pipe, etc.

• when she opened the window she created a backdraught that sucked the fire right through the bedroom.

2. a phenomenon in which a fire that has consumed all available oxygen suddenly explodes when more oxygen is made available, typically because a door or window has been opened.

II. derivatives

backdraughting

noun

backdrop /ˈbakdrɒp/

I. noun

1. a painted cloth hung at the back of a theatre stage as part of the scenery.

2. the setting or background for a scene, event, or situation

• the conference took place against a backdrop of increasing diplomatic activity.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. lie behind or beyond; serve as a background to

• the rolling hills that backdropped our camp.

back end

I. noun

1. the end of something which is furthest from the front or the working end

• the back end of the car swung round.

2. ‹informal› the rump or buttocks.

• a face like the back end of a sheep.

3. the latter part of a period of time

• the book takes us up to the back end of last year.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. relating to the end of a project, process, or investment

• many annuities have back-end surrender charges.

2. [Computing] denoting a subordinate processor or program, not directly accessed by the user, which performs a specialized function on behalf of a main processor or software system.

• a back-end database server.

backer /ˈbakə/

noun

1. a person, institution, or country that supports someone or something, especially financially

• he was the principal backer of the company.

2. a person that bets on a horse.

back-fanged

adjective

[Zoology] (of a snake such as a boomslang) having the rear one or two pairs of teeth modified as fangs, with grooves to conduct the venom.
Compare with front-fanged.

back fat

noun — [ mass noun]

1. fat on the back of a meat-producing animal.

backfield /ˈbakfiːld/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [American Football] the area of play behind the line of scrimmage.

2. [American Football] the players (quarterback and running backs) positioned in this area.

backfill /ˈbakfɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. refill (an excavated hole) with the material dug out of it.

• they backfill the hole to street level.

• [no obj.] you'll need to backfill with excavated material.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. material used for backfilling.

• archaeologists are attempting to understand the origin of the backfill found there.

backfire

I. verb — [no obj.] backfire /bakˈfʌɪə /

1. (of a vehicle or its engine) undergo a mistimed explosion in the cylinder or exhaust.

• a car backfired in the road and shoppers ducked instinctively.

2. (of a plan or action) have an opposite and undesirable effect to what was intended

• overzealous publicity backfired on her.

II. noun — backfire /ˈbakfʌɪə /

1. a mistimed explosion in the cylinder or exhaust of a vehicle or engine.

• once the engine is running smoothly, a backfire can be dramatic.

2. (N. Amer.) a fire started deliberately to stop the progress of an approaching fire by creating a burned area in its path.

backfist /ˈbakfɪst/

noun

(in martial arts) a punch made with the back of the fist.

backflip /ˈbakflɪp/

noun

a backward somersault done in the air with the arms and legs stretched out straight.

backflow /ˈbakfləʊ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the movement of liquid or air back in the direction it was flowing from

• when filling the tank, use an anti-siphon device to prevent backflow

• the valves prevent backflow of blood into the veins.

back focus

noun

[Photography] the distance between the back of a lens and the image of an object at infinity.

back-formation

noun

1. a word that is formed from an existing word which looks as though it is a derivative, typically by removal of a suffix (e.g. edit from editor).

2. [ mass noun] — the linguistic process by which back-formations develop.

back four

noun

[Soccer] the defensive players in a formation that employs four defenders, typically two centre backs and two full backs

• Darwen's attacks were dealt with excellently by the back four

• the back four were very solid.

backgammon /ˈbakɡamən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a board game in which two players move their pieces around twenty-four triangular points according to the throw of dice, the winner being the first to remove all their pieces from the board.

2. [ count noun] — the most complete form of win in the game of backgammon.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from back + gammon^2.

background /ˈbakɡraʊnd/

I. noun

1. the part of a picture, scene, or design that forms a setting for the main figures or objects, or appears furthest from the viewer

• the house stands against a background of sheltering trees

• the word is written in white on a red background.

2. a less important or conspicuous position or function

• after that evening, she remained in the background.

3. [Computing] used in reference to tasks or processes that do not need input from the user

• programs can be left running in the background.

4. [Physics] low-intensity radiation from radioisotopes present in the natural environment.

5. unwanted signals, such as noise in the reception or recording of sound.

6. the circumstances or situation prevailing at a particular time or underlying a particular event

• the political and economic background

• [as modifier] background information.

7. a person's education, experience, and social circumstances

• she has a background in nursing

• her voice suggested a tenacious, working-class background.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. form a background to

• windswept land backgrounded by the Rockies.

2. provide with background

• the embassy backgrounded American reporters.

backgrounder /ˈbakɡraʊndə/

noun

(N. Amer.) an official briefing or handout giving background information.

background music

noun — [ mass noun]

1. music intended as an unobtrusive accompaniment to an activity or to provide atmosphere in a film.

background noise

noun — [ mass noun]

1. extraneous sound which can be heard while listening to or monitoring other sounds

• the background noise overwhelms any dialogue.

2. a person or thing considered to be irrelevant or incidental to the main issue or situation

• she is nothing but background noise in the story

• it's the basics that make our lives meaningful, the rest is just background noise.

background radiation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Astronomy] the uniform microwave radiation remaining from the Big Bang.

backhand /ˈbakhand/

I. noun

1. (in tennis and other racket sports) a stroke played with the back of the hand facing in the direction of the stroke, with the arm across the body
[as modifier]

• a backhand volley.

2. a blow or stroke delivered in a similar way to a backhand in tennis and other racket sports
[as modifier]

• a backhand blow hammered into his wrist.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. strike with a backhanded blow or stroke

• in a flash, he backhanded Ace across the jaw.

backhanded /bakˈhandɪd/

I. adjective

1. made with the back of the hand facing in the direction of movement

• a backhanded pass.

2. having a meaning that is expressed indirectly or ambiguously

• coming from me, teasing is a backhanded compliment.

II. adverb

with the back of the hand or with the hand turned backwards

• Ellwood hit him backhanded.

backhander /ˈbakhandə/

noun

1. a blow made with the back of the hand

• shut up, or I'll give you a backhander.

2. a backhand stroke or shot in a game.

• Hunter flipped in a backhander.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› a secret and illegal payment; a bribe

• a fortune had been paid in backhanders to local officials.

back-heel

verb — [with obj.]

1. kick (something) backwards with the heel

• Johnson back-heeled the ball.

backhoe /ˈbakhəʊ / ‹Brit.› backhoe loader

noun

a mechanical excavator which draws towards itself a bucket attached to a hinged boom.

backing /ˈbakɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. help or support

• the foreign secretary won the backing of opposition parties.

2. a layer of material that forms, protects, or strengthens the back of something.

• the flooring has a cork base with jute backing.

• [ count noun] the fabric has a special backing for durability.

3. (especially in popular music) the musical or vocal accompaniment to the main singer or soloist

• the trio provided backing

• [as modifier] a backing group.

4. [Phonetics] the movement of the place of formation of a sound towards the back of the mouth.

backing dog

noun

(Austral./NZ) a sheepdog trained to run over the backs of sheep while driving them in confined spaces

• a backing dog is worth a lot to the station which owns him.

backing store

noun

[Computing] a device for secondary storage of data that typically has greater capacity than the primary store but is slower to access.

backing track

noun

a recorded musical accompaniment, especially one for a soloist to play or sing along with.

back issue

noun

a past issue of a journal or magazine.

backland

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also backlands) — another term for backcountry.

2. land behind an area which is built on or otherwise developed.
[as modifier]

• backland development which would adversely affect the neighbouring properties.

backlash /ˈbaklaʃ/

noun

1. [in sing.] — a strong negative reaction by a large number of people, especially to a social or political development

• a public backlash against racism.

2. [ mass noun] — recoil arising between parts of a mechanism.

3. degree of play between parts of a mechanism.

• typical gearbox backlash in these systems is 2°.

backless /ˈbakləs/

adjective

(of a woman's garment) cut low at the back

• a backless lycra dress.

backlift

noun

(in sport) a backward movement of the bat or leg before playing a stroke or kicking the ball.

backlight /ˈbaklʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. illumination from behind.
[as modifier]

• the camera offers useful features such as backlight compensation.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. illuminate from behind.
(as adj. backlit)

• a backlit LCD screen.

III. derivatives

backlighting /ˈbaklʌɪtɪŋ /

noun

backline /ˈbaklʌɪn/

noun

1. a line marking the back of something, especially the area of play in a game.

2. [Rugby] the players lined out across the field behind a scrum or line-out.

3. the amplifiers used by a popular music group for guitars and other instruments, typically placed across the back of the stage.

backlink

noun

[Computing] an incoming hyperlink from one web page to another website.

• the more backlinks you have pointing back to your site, the more popular it will be.

• one single article can result in hundreds of quality backlinks.

backlist /ˈbaklɪst/

noun

a publisher's list of books published before the current season and still in print.
[as modifier]

• backlist titles.

backload /ˈbakləʊd/

I. noun

a load transported on the return journey of a delivery truck.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — transport a load on a return journey.

• I get paid for the round trip, even if I don't backload.

2. [with obj.] — place more charges at the later stages of (a financial agreement) than at the earlier stages.

• the agreement was backloaded.

• (as adj. backloaded) backloaded rentals.

backlog /ˈbaklɒɡ/

noun

an accumulation of uncompleted work or matters needing to be dealt with

• the company took on extra staff to clear the backlog of work.

backlot /ˈbaklɒt/

noun

an outdoor area in a film studio where large exterior sets are made and some outside scenes are filmed.

backmarker /ˈbakmɑːkə/

noun

(Brit.) a competitor who is among the last in a race.

• he had a tendency to make mistakes when he was lapping backmarkers.

back nine

noun

[Golf] the final nine holes on an eighteen-hole course

• he had a double bogey and a triple bogey on the back nine.

back number

noun

1. (Brit.) an issue of a periodical earlier than the current one.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person or thing seen as outdated or past their prime.

back office

noun

an office or centre in which the administrative work of a business is carried out, as opposed to its dealings with customers.

back order

I. noun

a retailer's order for a product which is temporarily out of stock with the supplier

• the phone I wanted was on back order.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. place an order for (a product) which is temporarily out of stock.

• the taps can be back-ordered and take up to three months for delivery.

backpack /ˈbakpak/

I. noun

1. a rucksack.

2. a piece of equipment carried on a person's back.

• he went to the trunk and pulled out a two-tank scuba backpack.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun backpacking)

1. travel or hike carrying one's belongings in a rucksack

• a week's backpacking in the Pyrenees.

backpacker /ˈbakpakə/

noun

a person who travels or hikes carrying their belongings in a rucksack

• backpackers who braved the country's interior

• [as modifier] a backpacker hotel in Melbourne.

back paddock

noun

(Austral./NZ) (on a cattle or sheep station) a paddock that is distant from the station homestead

• my first job was to fix the sheep fence in the back paddock.

back pass

noun

[Soccer] a deliberate pass to one's own goalkeeper (who is not allowed to pick up the ball if the pass was kicked).

back passage

noun

(Brit.) ‹euphemistic› the rectum.

back-pedal /ˌbakˈpɛd(ə)l/

verb — [no obj.]

1. reverse one's previous action or opinion

• Boyd quickly back-pedalled when asked to explain her suggestion.

2. move hastily backwards

• Cook forced the goalkeeper to back-pedal and push a shot over the bar.

3. move the pedals of a bicycle backwards (formerly to brake).

backplane

noun

a board to which the main circuit boards of a computer may be connected, and which provides connections between them.

backplate /ˈbakpleɪt/

noun

a plate placed at or forming the back of something.

back-projection

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the projection of a picture on to the back of a translucent screen for viewing or for use as a background in filming.

2. [ count noun] — an image created using the technique of back-projection.

• the slide was used as one of the back-projections.

II. derivatives

back-project

verb

backrest /ˈbakrɛst/

noun

a support for a person's back when they are seated.

backronym /ˈbakrənɪm / bacronym

I. noun

an acronym deliberately formed from a phrase whose initial letters spell out a particular word or words, either to create a memorable name or as a fanciful explanation of a word's origin

• Biodiversity Serving Our Nation, or BISON (a backronym if ever there was one).

– origin 1980s: blend of back and acronym.

back room

noun

a place where secret, administrative, or supporting work is done

• this would lead to weak government, and deals in back rooms

• [as modifier] the back-room staff.

back row

I. noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. [Rugby] the forwards who are in the third row in a scrum.

II. derivatives

back-rower

noun

back rub

noun

a brief massage of a person's back and shoulders

• Bill popped into the kitchen to give me an impromptu back rub.

backscatter

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] deflection of radiation or particles through an angle of 180°.

2. [Physics] radiation or particles that have been deflected in this way.

3. [Physics] [Photography] light from a flashgun or other light source that is deflected directly into a lens.

• backscatter causes an underexposed picture with a blizzard effect.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Physics] deflect (radiation or particles) through an angle of 180°.

• the temperature of an optical fibre subtly affects how much light is backscattered.

• (as adj. backscattered) backscattered sound reaches the sonar receiver.

backscratcher /ˈbakskratʃə/

noun

an implement for scratching one's back.

backscratching /ˈbakskratʃɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the reciprocal provision of help or support, typically in an underhand or illicit manner.

• the friendship thrives on little more than mutual backscratching.

• [as modifier] backscratching politics.

back seat

I. noun

a seat at the back of a vehicle.

II. phrases

take a back seat

take or be given a less important position or role

• in future he would take a back seat in politics.

back-seat driver

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a passenger in a car who gives the driver unwanted advice.

2. ‹informal› a person who is eager to give advice about something for which they are not responsible.

II. derivatives

back-seat driving

noun

backshift /ˈbakʃɪft/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Grammar] the changing of a present tense in direct speech to a past tense in reported speech (or a past tense to pluperfect).

backside /bakˈsʌɪd, ˈbaksʌɪd/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a person's buttocks.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) the reverse or rear side of something

• the backside of the hill.

II. adjective

(of a manoeuvre in surfing and other board sports) done clockwise for a regular rider and anticlockwise for a goofy rider.

backsight /ˈbaksʌɪt/

noun

1. the sight of a rifle or other weapon that is nearer the eye of the person aiming.

2. [Surveying] a sight or reading taken backwards or towards the point of starting.

back slang

noun — [ mass noun]

1. slang in which words are spoken as though they were spelled backwards (e.g. redraw for warder).

backslapping /ˈbakslapɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of slapping a person's back in congratulation or encouragement.

2. the action of congratulating someone in a hearty or effusive way

• the awards are about industry politics and backslapping.

II. adjective

vigorously hearty

• those cheerful, backslapping journalists.

III. derivatives

backslapper /ˈbakˌslapə /

noun

backslash /ˈbakslaʃ/

noun

a backward-sloping diagonal line (\), used in some computer commands.

backslide /ˈbakslʌɪd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. relapse into bad ways or error

• there are many things that can cause slimmers to backslide

• (as noun backsliding) there would be no backsliding from the government's sound policies.

II. derivatives

backslider /ˈbakslʌɪdə /

noun

backspace /ˈbakspeɪs/

I. noun

1. a key on a typewriter or computer keyboard used to cause the carriage or cursor to move backwards.

2. a device on a video recorder or camcorder which produces a slight backward run between shots to eliminate disturbance caused by the interruption of the scanning process.
[as modifier]

• begin with a few seconds of static shot, remembering to allow for backspace time.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. move a typewriter carriage or computer cursor backwards.

backspin /ˈbakspɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a backward spin given to a moving ball, causing it to stop more quickly or rebound at a steeper angle on hitting a surface.

backsplash

noun

North American term for splashback.

back-stabbing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of criticizing someone in a treacherous manner despite pretending friendship with them

• the media world of back-stabbing, scheming, and downright malice.

II. adjective

(of a person) engaging in back-stabbing; critical of other people despite pretending friendship with them

• back-stabbing officials protecting their patch with petty politics.

III. derivatives

back-stabber

noun

backstage /bakˈsteɪdʒ/

adverb

1. in or to the area behind the stage in a theatre, especially the wings or dressing rooms

• I went backstage after the show

• [as modifier] a backstage tour of the opera house.

2. in secret

• we planned our strategies backstage.

backstairs /ˈbakstɛːz/

plural noun

1. stairs at the back or side of a building.

2. [as modifier] — underhand; clandestine

• I won't make backstairs deals with politicians.

backstamp /ˈbakstamp/

noun

a mark stamped on the back of a plate or a letter.

back station

noun

(Austral./NZ) a part of a farming estate that is separate from the main estate

• the photograph shows two young settlers riding out to a far back station.

backstay /ˈbaksteɪ/

noun

a stay on a sailing ship leading downwards and aft from the top or upper part of a mast.

backstitch /ˈbakstɪtʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of sewing with overlapping stitches.

• proceed as for backstitch, but take needle in halfway along previous stitch.

• [ count noun] a series of small backstitches.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. sew using backstitch.

• you can simply backstitch the edges.

• [no obj.] this method avoids having to backstitch through open loops.

backstop /ˈbakstɒp/

I. noun

1. a thing placed at the rear of something as a barrier or support.

• pull back harder until you reach the backstop on the stick.

2. [Baseball] a high fence or similar structure behind the home plate area.

3. [Baseball] a catcher.

4. an emergency precaution or last resort

• the human operator has to act as the ultimate backstop when things go badly wrong.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Baseball] act as backstop for.

2. [Ice Hockey] act as goaltender for.

• the man who backstopped the Edmonton Oilers.

3. support or reinforce

• the founding banks were backstopping the loans.

backstory /ˈbakstɔːri/

noun

a history or background created for a fictional character in a film or television programme

• a brief prologue detailing our hero's backstory.

back straight

noun

(Brit.) the part of a racecourse that is furthest from the grandstand and parallel to the home straight.

backstreet /ˈbakstriːt/

noun

1. a minor street away from the main roads.

• we took a short cut through the backstreets of Kings Cross.

• [as modifier] a backstreet garage.

2. [as modifier] — acting or done secretly and typically illegally

• backstreet abortions.

backstretch /ˈbakstrɛtʃ/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) another term for back straight.

2. (N. Amer.) the area adjacent to a racecourse where the horses are stabled and stable employees have temporary living accommodation.

backstroke /ˈbakstrəʊk/

I. noun

1. a swimming stroke performed on the back with the arms lifted alternately out of the water in a backward circular motion and the legs extended and kicking.

• I concentrated on the backstroke most of the time.

• [as adv.] he's getting ready to swim the channel backstroke.

2. ( the backstroke) — a race, usually of a specified length, in which backstroke is used

• he was fifth in the 200 m backstroke.

3. [Bell-ringing] a pull of the tail end of the rope from its highest position so as to swing the bell through a full circle.
Compare with handstroke.

II. derivatives

backstroker

noun

backstroke (sense 1)

backswept /ˈbakswɛpt/

adjective

swept, slanted, or sloped backwards

• his backswept hair.

backswimmer /ˈbakswɪmə/

noun

another term for water boatman (sense 1).

backswing /ˈbakswɪŋ/

noun

a backward swing, especially of an arm or of a golf club when about to hit a ball.

• rotate the left forearm at the start of the backswing.

backsword

noun

a sword with only one cutting edge.

back talk

noun

North American term for backchat.

back-to-back /ˌbaktəˈbak/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) (of houses) built in a continuous terrace backing on to another terrace, with a party wall or a narrow alley between.

• rows of back-to-back houses.

2. consecutive

• his back-to-back victories in the Hungarian and Belgian Grands Prix.

II. noun

(Brit.) a house in a back-to-back terrace.

• a street of Victorian back-to-backs.

III. adverb — ( back to back)

1. (of two people) facing in opposite directions with their backs touching.

• they sat on the ground, leaning back to back.

2. consecutively; in succession

• the games were played back to back.

back-to-nature

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. advocating or relating to reversion to a simpler way of life

• a back-to-nature lifestyle.

backtrack /ˈbaktrak/

verb

1. [no obj.] — retrace one's steps

• Marilyn backtracked and went down into the basement.

2. reverse one's previous position or opinion

• the unions have had to backtrack on their demands.

3. [with obj.] — (US) pursue, trace, or monitor

• he was able to backtrack the buck to a ridge nearby.

backup /ˈbakʌp/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — help or support

• no police backup could be expected.

2. someone or something that can be called on if necessary; a reserve

• I've got a security force as backup

• [as modifier] a backup generator.

3. [Computing] a copy of a file or other item of data made in case the original is lost or damaged.

• make a backup of any important files.

• [as modifier] a backup copy.

4. [ mass noun] — the procedure for making backup copies of files or other items of data.

• automatic online backup.

5. (N. Amer.) an accumulation of something caused by a blockage, as in traffic or water.

• there are long backups on all routes.

backup light /ˈbakʌp/

noun

North American term for reversing light.

backveld /ˈbakfɛlt/

I. noun — ( the backveld)

1. (S. African) remote country districts, especially when considered to be unsophisticated or conservative.

II. derivatives

backvelder

noun

– origin partial translation of Afrikaans agterveld, literally ‘back countryside’.

backward /ˈbakwəd/

I. adjective

1. directed behind or to the rear

• she left the room without a backward glance.

2. reverting to an inferior state; retrograde

• the decision was a backward step.

3. having made less progress than is normal or expected

• a backward agricultural country.

4. ‹dated› ‹offensive› (of a person) having learning difficulties.

• a lively child but a bit backward.

5. [with negative] ( backward in) — lacking the confidence to do (something)

• he was not backward in displaying his talents.

6. [Cricket] (of a fielding position) behind an imaginary line passing through the stumps at the batsman's end at right angles to the wicket.

• backward square leg.

II. adverb

another word for backwards.

III. derivatives

backwardly /ˈbakwədli /

adverb

– origin Middle English: from earlier abackward, from aback. / usage: In most adverbial uses backward and backwards are interchangeable: the car rolled slowly backward and the car rolled slowly backwards are both equally acceptable. In North American English backward tends to be preferred to backwards, while in British English it is the other way round. As an adjective, on the other hand, the standard form is backward rather than backwards: uses such as a backwards glance (as opposed to a backward glance) are unusual.

backwardation /bakwəˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Stock Exchange] (Brit.) a situation in which the spot or cash price of a commodity is higher than the forward price.

• the development of a backwardation is associated with supply shortage.

Often contrasted with contango.

2. [Stock Exchange] (Brit.) a situation in which the offer price for stock is lower than the bid.

3. [Stock Exchange] (Brit.) ‹historical› a percentage paid by a person selling stock for the right of delaying its delivery.

backward classes

plural noun

(Indian) the members of a caste or community who are recommended for special help in education and employment.

backward-looking

adjective

opposing progress and innovation; reactionary.

• archaic social institutions with their backward-looking attitudes and beliefs.

backwardness /ˈbakwədnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of having made less progress than is normal or expected

• unification failed to remedy the economic backwardness of the south

• technological backwardness.

backward roll

noun

a gymnastic exercise in which a person tucks their head down and rolls their body in a backward circle on the floor

• he impresses his partner with a backward roll during practice.

backwards /ˈbakwədz / backward

I. adverb

1. (of a movement) in the direction of one's back

• Penny glanced backwards

• he took a step backwards.

2. (of an object's motion) back towards the starting point

• the tape rolled backwards.

3. in reverse of the usual direction or order

• count backwards from twenty to ten.

4. towards the past

• the songs look backwards to long-ago battles.

5. towards or into a worse state

• a step backwards for the economy.

II. phrases

1. backwards and forwards

in both directions alternately; to and fro.

• he paced backwards and forwards nervously.

2. bend (or fall or lean) over backwards

‹informal› make every effort to achieve something, especially to be fair or helpful

• we have bent over backwards to ensure a fair trial for the defendants.

3. know something backwards

be entirely familiar with something.

• Luke knew the play backwards.

backwards-compatible backward-compatible

I. adjective

(of computer hardware or software) able to be used with an older piece of hardware or software without special adaptation or modification.

II. derivatives

backwards compatibility

noun

backwash /ˈbakwɒʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the motion of receding waves.

• the backwash is reduced in energy by the percolation of water into the shingle.

2. a backward current created by an object moving through water or air.

• the backwash of a truck on the autobahn.

3. the unpleasant after-effects of an event

• the backwash of the Cuban missile crisis.

4. (US) ‹informal› the liquid that flows back into a bottle, glass, etc. after someone has taken a drink, assumed to contain that person's saliva

• Can you please stop drinking straight from the milk carton? I don't want your backwash!

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. clean (a filter) by reversing the flow of fluid through it.

• the very fine mesh is backwashed to remove solids.

backwater /ˈbakwɔːtə/

noun

1. a part of a river not reached by the current, where the water is stagnant.

• the eels inhabit backwaters.

2. an isolated or peaceful place.

• nothing spoils the tranquillity of this quiet backwater.

3. a place or situation in which no development or progress is taking place

• the country remained an economic backwater.

backwind /ˌbakˈwɪnd / ‹Sailing›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a sail or vessel) deflect a flow of air into the back of (another sail or vessel).

II. noun

a flow of air deflected into the back of a sail.

backwoods /ˈbakwʊdz/

plural noun — [often as modifier]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) remote uncleared forest land

• backwoods homesteads.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a remote or sparsely inhabited region, especially one considered backward.

• he drawls and stutters with a backwoods twang.

backwoodsman /ˈbakwʊdzmən/

noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) an inhabitant of backwoods, especially one regarded as uncouth or backward.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a peer who very rarely attends the House of Lords.

backyard /bakˈjɑːd/

noun

1. (Brit.) a yard at the back of a house or other building.

2. (N. Amer.) a back garden.

3. ‹informal› the area close to where one lives, regarded with proprietorial concern

• children must be made aware of environmental issues in their own backyard.

bacne /ˈbakni / backne

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› acne on the skin of a person's back

• if you have a severe case of bacne, it's worth consulting a dermatologist.

– origin 1990s: blend of back and acne.

Bacolod /bɑːˈkəʊlɒd/

a city on the NW coast of the island of Negros in the central Philippines; pop. 499,500 (est. 2007). It is the chief city of the island and a major port.

bacon /ˈbeɪk(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cured meat from the back or sides of a pig

• crisp rashers of bacon

• [as modifier] a bacon sandwich.

II. phrases

1. bring home the bacon ‹informal›

a. supply material support

• I have to go to work because it brings home the bacon.

b. achieve success.

• you don't have to be in a high-tech industry to bring home the bacon.

2. save someone's bacon

rescue someone from danger or difficulty

• only hard braking and a quick turn on to the hard shoulder saved our bacon.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from a Germanic word meaning ‘ham, flitch’; related to back.

Bacon, Francis^1

Baron Verulam and Viscount St Albans (1561–1626), English statesman and philosopher. As a scientist he advocated the inductive method; his views were instrumental in the founding of the Royal Society in 1660. Notable works: The Advancement of Learning (1605) and Novum Organum (1620).

Bacon, Francis^2

(1909–92), British painter, born in Ireland. His work chiefly depicts human figures in grotesquely distorted postures, set in confined interior spaces.

Bacon, Roger

( c. 1214–94), English philosopher, scientist, and Franciscan friar. Most notable for his work in the field of optics, he emphasized the need for an empirical approach to scientific study.

bacon and eggs

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dish of grilled or fried bacon served with fried eggs

• the smell of bacon and eggs wafted into the room.

2. ( bacon-and-eggs) — (Austral.) another term for eggs and bacon.

baconer

noun

a pig fit for being made into bacon and ham, typically heavier than both a porker and a cutter.

Baconian /beɪˈkəʊnɪən/

I. adjective

1. relating to Sir Francis Bacon or his inductive method of reasoning and philosophy.

2. relating to or denoting the theory that Bacon wrote the plays attributed to Shakespeare.

II. noun

1. an adherent of Bacon's philosophical system.

2. a supporter of the theory that Bacon wrote the plays attributed to Shakespeare.

bacteraemia /ˌbaktəˈriːmɪə / ‹US› bacteremia

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the presence of bacteria in the blood.

II. derivatives

bacteraemic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from bacterium + -aemia.

bacterial /bakˈtɪərɪəl/

I. adjective

relating to or caused by bacteria

• a bacterial infection.

II. derivatives

bacterially

adverb

bactericide /bakˈtɪərɪsʌɪd/

I. noun

a substance which kills bacteria.

II. derivatives

bactericidal /baktɪərɪˈsʌɪd(ə)l /

adjective

bacterio- /bakˈtɪərɪəʊ/

combining form

representing bacterium.

bacteriocin /bakˈtɪərɪə(ʊ)sɪn/

I. noun

[Biology] a protein produced by bacteria of one strain and active against those of a closely related strain.

– origin 1950s: from French bactériocine, from Greek baktērion ‘small cane’ + a shortened form of colicin.

bacteriological /bakˌtɪərɪəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to bacteriology or bacteria.

• bacteriological analysis.

2. relating to or denoting germ warfare.

• bacteriological weapons.

II. derivatives

1. bacteriologic

adjective

2. bacteriologically

adverb

bacteriology /bakˌtɪərɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of bacteria.

II. derivatives

bacteriologist /baktɪərɪˈɒlədʒɪst /

noun

bacteriolysis /bakˌtɪərɪˈɒlɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the rupture of bacterial cells, especially by an antibody.

II. derivatives

bacteriolytic

adjective

bacteriophage /bakˈtɪərɪə(ʊ)feɪdʒ/

I. noun

[Biology] a virus which parasitizes a bacterium by infecting it and reproducing inside it. Bacteriophages are much used in genetic research.

– origin 1920s: from bacterium + Greek phagein ‘eat’.

bacteriostat /bakˈtɪərɪə(ʊ)stat/

I. noun

a substance that prevents the multiplying of bacteria without destroying them.

II. derivatives

1. bacteriostasis

noun

2. bacteriostatic

adjective

3. bacteriostatically

adverb

– origin early 20th cent.: from bacterium + Greek statos ‘standing’.

bacterium /bakˈtɪərɪəm/

I. noun

1. a member of a large group of unicellular microorganisms which have cell walls but lack organelles and an organized nucleus, including some which can cause disease.

Bacteria are widely distributed in soil, water, and air, and on or in the tissues of plants and animals. Formerly included in the plant kingdom, they are now classified separately (as prokaryotes). They play a vital role in global ecology, as the chemical changes they bring about include those of organic decay and nitrogen fixation. Much modern biochemical knowledge has been gained from the study of bacteria, as they grow easily and reproduce rapidly in laboratory cultures.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek baktērion, diminutive of baktēria ‘staff, cane’ (because the first ones to be discovered were rod-shaped). Compare with bacillus. / usage: Bacteria is the plural form (derived from Latin) of bacterium. Like any other plural it should be used with the plural form of the verb: the bacteria causing salmonella are killed by thorough cooking, not the bacteria causing salmonella is killed by thorough cooking. However, the unfamiliarity of the form means that bacteria is sometimes mistakenly treated as a singular form, as in the example above.

bacteriuria /bakˌtɪərɪˈjʊərɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the presence of bacteria in the urine.

Bactria /ˈbaktrɪə/

I. an ancient country in central Asia, corresponding to the northern part of modern Afghanistan. It was the seat of a powerful Indo-Greek kingdom in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC.

II. derivatives

Bactrian

adjective, noun

Bactrian camel

noun

the two-humped camel, which has been domesticated but is still found wild in central Asia.
● Camelus ferus (including the domesticated C. bactrianus), family Camelidae.

baculovirus /ˈbakjʊlə(ʊ)ˌvʌɪrəs/

I. noun

[Biology] a member of a family of DNA viruses infecting only invertebrate animals. Some have a very specific insect host, and may be used in biological pest control.

– origin 1980s: from Latin baculum ‘rod, stick’ + virus.

baculum /ˈbakjʊləm/

I. noun

another term for os penis.

– origin 1930s: modern Latin.

bad /bad/

I. adjective

1. of poor quality or a low standard

• a bad diet

• bad eyesight.

2. not able to do a particular thing well

• I'm so bad at names

• a bad listener.

3. [ attrib.] — not appropriate in a particular situation

• morning was a bad time to ask Andy about anything.

4. not such as to be hoped for or desired; unpleasant or unwelcome

• bad news

• it was the worst day of his life

• bad luck.

5. (of something causing pain, danger, or other unwelcome consequences) severe or serious

• bad headaches

• a bad crash.

6. unfavourable; adverse

• bad reviews.

7. ( bad for) — having a harmful effect on

• soap was bad for his face.

8. lacking or failing to conform to moral virtue

• the bad guys

• bad behaviour.

9. (of language) using words generally considered offensive.

10. (of a part of the body) injured, diseased, or painful

• a bad back.

11. [as complement] — (of a person) unwell

• I feel bad.

12. (of food) decayed; putrid

• everything in the fridge went bad.

13. (of the atmosphere) polluted; unhealthy

• bad air.

14. [as complement] — regretful, guilty, or ashamed about something

• working mothers who feel bad about leaving their child.

15. worthless; not valid

• he ran up 87 bad cheques.

16. (badder, baddest) — ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) good; excellent

• they want the baddest, best-looking Corvette there is.

II. adverb

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› badly

• he beat her up real bad.

III. phrases

1. a bad penny always turns up

see penny.

2. a bad workman always blames his tools

see workman.

3. come to a bad end

see end.

4. from bad to worse

into an even worse state.

• the country's going from bad to worse.

5. in a bad way

ill or in trouble.

6. my bad

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› used to acknowledge responsibility for a mistake

• Sorry I lost your CD. It's my bad.

7. not (or not so) bad

‹informal› fairly good

• she discovered he wasn't so bad after all.

8. to the bad

a. to ruin.

• I hate to see you going to the bad.

b. in deficit

• he was £80 to the bad.

9. too bad

‹informal› used to indicate that something is regrettable but is now beyond retrieval

• too bad, but that's the way it is.

IV. derivatives

baddish /ˈbadɪʃ /

adjective

– origin Middle English: perhaps from Old English bǣddel ‘hermaphrodite, womanish man’.

bada bing /ˌbɑːdə ˈbɪŋ/

I. exclamation

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› used to emphasize that something will happen effortlessly and predictably

• follow the appropriate twelve-step program and—bada bing—you're rolling in it.

– origin probably imitating the sound of a drum roll; popularized by the US television series The Sopranos.

badam /bʌˈdɑːm/

I. noun

(Indian) an almond.

– origin from Hindi badām.

badass /ˈbadas / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. noun

1. a tough, uncompromising, or intimidating person

• one of them is a real badass, the other's pretty friendly.

2. a formidably impressive person

• she is so wonderful, so sweet, so rad, so amazing; she's a badass.

II. adjective

1. tough, uncompromising, or intimidating

• a badass demeanour.

2. impressive; excellent

• this was one badass camera.

badassery /ˈbadasəri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› behaviour, characteristics, or actions regarded as formidably impressive

• few of us can attain her level of badassery.

bad blood

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ill feeling

• there has always been bad blood between these families.

bad boy

noun

1. ‹informal› a man who does not conform to approved standards of behaviour, especially in a particular sphere of activity

• the bad boy of British fashion.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly US) something extremely impressive or effective

• we went 142 mph in that bad boy.

bad break

noun

‹informal› a piece of bad luck.

• the first bad break of his broadcasting career.

bad breath

noun — [ mass noun]

1. unpleasant-smelling breath; halitosis.

bad debt

noun

a debt that cannot be recovered.

baddeleyite /ˈbad(ə)lɪʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral consisting largely of zirconium dioxide, ranging from colourless to yellow, brown, or black.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Joseph Baddeley, English traveller, + -ite^1.

badderlocks /ˈbadəlɒks / dabberlocks

I. plural noun

(chiefly Scottish) an edible seaweed with a long greenish frond and prominent midrib, occurring in northern Europe.
● Alaria esculenta, class Phaeophyceae.

– origin late 18th cent.: perhaps from Balderlocks, based on the name of the god Balder.

baddie /ˈbadi / baddy

noun

‹informal› a villain or criminal in a book, film, etc.

bade /beɪd, bad/

past of bid^2.

Baden /ˈbɑːd(ə)n/

a spa town in Austria, south of Vienna; pop. 25,255 (2006). It was a royal summer retreat and fashionable resort in the 19th century.

Baden-Baden /ˌbɑːd(ə)nˈbɑːd(ə)n/

a spa town in the Black Forest; pop. 54,900 (est. 2007). It was a fashionable resort in the 19th century.

Baden-Powell, Robert /ˌbeɪd(ə)nˈpəʊəl/

1st Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell (1857–1941), English soldier and founder of the Boy Scout movement; full name Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell. He became a national hero after his successful defence of Mafeking (1899–1900) in the Boer War.

Baden-Württemberg /ˌbɑːd(ə)nˈvʊətəmˌbəːɡ, German ˌbaːdnˈvYrtəmbɛrk/

a state of western Germany; capital, Stuttgart.

Bader, Sir Douglas /ˈbɑːdə/

(1910–82), British airman; full name Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader. Despite having lost both legs in a flying accident in 1931, he saw action as a fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain (1940–1). After the war he was noted for his work on behalf of disabled people.

bad faith

noun — [ mass noun]

1. intent to deceive

• the Republicans accused the Democrats of negotiating in bad faith.

2. (in existentialist philosophy) refusal to confront facts or choices.

bad form

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an offence against current social conventions

• it was considered bad form to talk about money.

badge /badʒ/

I. noun

1. a small piece of metal, plastic, or cloth bearing a design or words, typically worn to identify a person or to indicate membership of an organization or support for a cause.

• the badge of the Cheshire Regiment.

• they wore plastic name badges.

2. a distinguishing object or emblem

• the car's front badge is much loved by thieves.

3. a feature or sign which reveals a particular quality

• philanthropy was regarded as a badge of social esteem.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark with a badge or other distinguishing emblem.
[with obj. and complement]

• vendors can badge their products ‘certified’.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

badge engineering

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of marketing a motor vehicle under two or more brand names or badges.

badger /ˈbadʒə/

I. noun

a heavily built omnivorous nocturnal mammal of the weasel family, typically having a grey and black coat.
●Several genera and species in the family Mustelidae, in particular the Eurasian Meles meles, which has a white head with two black stripes, and the North American Taxidea taxus, with a white stripe on the head.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. repeatedly and annoyingly ask (someone) to do something

• journalists badgered him about the deals

• Tom had finally badgered her into going.

– origin early 16th cent.: perhaps from badge, with reference to its distinctive head markings. The verb sense (late 18th cent.) originates from the sport of badger-baiting.

badger-baiting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sport in which dogs draw a badger from its sett and kill it, illegal in the UK since 1830.

Badger State

informal name for Wisconsin^1.

bad hair day

noun

‹informal› a day on which everything seems to go wrong, characterized as a day on which one's hair is particularly unmanageable.

badinage /ˈbadɪnɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. humorous or witty conversation

• he developed a nice line in badinage with the Labour leader.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from badiner ‘to joke’, from badin ‘fool’, based on Provençal badar ‘gape’.

badlands /ˈbadlandz/

I. plural noun

1. extensive tracts of heavily eroded, uncultivable land with little vegetation.

2. ( Badlands) — a barren plateau region of the western US, mainly in North and South Dakota and Nebraska.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US): translation of French mauvaises terres.

badly /ˈbadli/

I. adverb

1. in an unsatisfactory, inadequate, or unsuccessful way

• England have played badly this year

• the war was going badly.

2. in a critical or unfavourable way

• try not to think badly of me.

3. in an unacceptable or unpleasant way

• she realized she was behaving rather badly.

4. used to emphasize the seriousness of an unpleasant event or action

• the building was badly damaged by fire.

5. very much or intensely

• I wanted a baby so badly.

6. in a guilty or regretful way

• I felt badly about my unfriendliness.

II. phrases

badly off /ˌbadli ˈɒf /

at a disadvantage, especially by being poor.

• they are not as badly off as they try to make out.

• I'm not badly off—I have some money from my mother.

bad manners

I. plural noun

lack of polite or well-bred social behaviour

• it's bad manners to talk with your mouth full.

• I have never experienced such bad manners and ignorance.

II. derivatives

bad-mannered /ˌbadˈmanəd /

adjective

badmash /bʌdˈmɑːʃ/

I. noun

(Indian) a dishonest or unprincipled man.

– origin from Urdu, from Persian bad ‘evil’ + Arabic ma‘āš ‘means of livelihood’.

bad-minded

adjective

(W. Indian) malicious, unsympathetic, or cynical.

badminton /ˈbadmɪnt(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game with rackets in which a shuttlecock is hit back and forth across a net.

– origin named after Badminton in SW England, country seat of the Duke of Beaufort.

bad mood

noun

an angry or irritable state of mind

• the cold put him in a bad mood

• I smiled, my bad mood forgotten for the moment.

bad-mouth

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› criticize (someone) behind their back

• no one wants to hire an individual who bad-mouths a prior employer.

badness /ˈbadnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. poor quality or low standard

• none of you are doing justice to the badness of this film

• the badness of the writing is astonishing.

2. lack of or failure to conform to moral virtue; wickedness; evil

• she is not doing this out of badness

• the concepts of goodness and badness.

Badon Hill, Battle of /ˈbeɪd(ə)n/

an ancient British battle in which, according to one theory, the forces of King Arthur successfully defended themselves against the Saxons in AD 516. Another source implies that the battle was fought c. 500 but does not connect it with King Arthur.

bad seed

noun

‹informal› (chiefly US) a person regarded as bad or corrupt by nature and liable to have a harmful influence on other people

• school officials became exasperated and wrote her off as a bad seed.

bad-tempered /ˌbadˈtɛmpəd/

I. adjective

1. easily annoyed or made angry

• seldom has there been a more naughty and bad-tempered child.

2. characterized by anger

• a bad-tempered match.

II. derivatives

bad-temperedly

adverb

badware

noun — [ mass noun]

1. software that has been installed on a computer without a user's knowledge or control.

bae /beɪ/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a person's boyfriend or girlfriend (often as a form of address)

• I'm going to see my bae

• [as name] Bae just made me tacos

• what's wrong, bae?

– origin early 21st cent.: abbreviation of baby or babe.

BAe

abbreviation

‹historical› British Aerospace (now BAE Systems).

Baedeker, Karl /ˈbeɪdɪkə, German ˈbɛːdəkɐ/

(1801–59), German publisher. He is remembered chiefly for the series of guidebooks to which he gave his name and which are still published today.

Baer, Karl Ernest von /bɛː, German bɛːɐ/

(1792–1876), German biologist. He discovered that ova were particles within the ovarian follicles, and formulated the principle that in the developing embryo general characteristics appear before special ones. His studies were used by Darwin in the theory of evolution.

Baeyer, Adolph von /ˈbʌɪə, German ˈbaɪɐ/

(1835–1917), German organic chemist; full name Adolph Johann Friedrich Wilhelm von Baeyer. He prepared the first barbiturates and investigated dyes, synthesizing indigo and determining its structural formula. Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1905).

Baez, Joan /ˈbʌɪɛz/

(b.1941), American folk singer. She is best known for her performances at civil rights demonstrations in the early 1960s.

Baffin, William

( c. 1584–1622), English navigator and explorer, the pilot of several expeditions in search of the North-West Passage 1612–16.

Baffin Bay

an extension of the North Atlantic between Baffin Island and Greenland, linked to the Arctic Ocean by three passages. It is largely ice-bound in winter.

Baffin Island

a large island in the Canadian Arctic, situated at the mouth of Hudson Bay. It is separated from Greenland by Baffin Bay.

baffle /ˈbaf(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. totally bewilder or perplex

• an unexplained occurrence that baffled everyone.

2. restrain or regulate (a fluid, sound, etc.).

• to baffle the noise further, I pad the gunwales.

II. noun

a device used to restrain the flow of a fluid, gas, etc. or to prevent the spreading of sound or light in a particular direction.

• you can cut out glare from a strip light by concealing it behind a baffle.

• [as modifier] a baffle plate.

III. derivatives

bafflement /ˈbaf(ə)lmənt /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘cheat, deceive’): perhaps related to French bafouer ‘ridicule’ or obsolete French beffer ‘mock, deceive’.

bafflegab /ˈbaf(ə)lɡab/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› incomprehensible or pretentious verbiage, especially bureaucratic jargon.

baffler

noun

another term for baffle.

baffling /ˈbaf(ə)lɪŋ/

I. adjective

impossible to understand; perplexing

• the crime is a baffling mystery for the police.

II. derivatives

bafflingly

adverb

[as submodifier]

• his team selection has been bafflingly erratic

bafta /ˈbɑːftə / baft

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. coarse fabric, typically of cotton.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Urdu, from Persian bāft ‘textile’, bāfta ‘woven’.

BAFTA /ˈbaftə/

I. the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

II. [as noun] — an award given each year by BAFTA for outstanding achievement in British film and television.

• three of the cast won Baftas.

bag /baɡ/

I. noun

1. a flexible container with an opening at the top, used for carrying things

• he arrived at the children's ward carrying a bag full of toys for the young patients.

2. the amount contained in a bag

• a bag of sugar.

3. a woman's handbag.

• a velvet evening bag.

4. a piece of luggage

• she began to unpack her bags.

5. ( bags) — loose folds of skin under a person's eyes.

• there were dark bags under her eyes.

6. ( bags) — (Brit.) ‹dated› loose-fitting trousers.

• a pair of flannel bags.

7. ( bags of) — ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) plenty of

• I had bags of energy.

8. ‹informal› a woman, especially an older one, perceived as unpleasant or unattractive

• an interfering old bag.

9. ( one's bag) — ‹informal› one's particular interest or taste

• ask the manager about mild curries, if that's your bag.

10. the amount of game shot by a hunter.

• an estimated bag of 3,000 ducks.

11. (in southern Africa) a unit of measurement, used especially of grain, equal to 70 kg (formerly 200 lb).

12. [Baseball] a base.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put (something) in a bag

• customers bagged their own groceries.

2. succeed in killing or catching (an animal)

• Mike bagged nineteen cod.

3. succeed in securing (something)

• we've bagged three awards for excellence

• get there early to bag a seat in the front row.

4. [no obj.] — (of clothes, especially trousers) form loose bulges due to wear

• these trousers never bag at the knee.

5. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› abandon or give up on

• she ought to just bag this marriage and get on with her life.

6. ‹informal› (chiefly Austral./NZ) criticize

• the fans should be backing him not bagging him

• (as noun bagging) it's a pretty suspect outfit, deserving of the consistent bagging it gets from customers.

7. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› fit (a patient) with an oxygen mask or other respiratory aid.

III. phrases

1. bag and baggage

with all one's belongings

• he threw her out bag and baggage.

2. a bag of bones

‹informal› an emaciated person or animal.

• the pony is just a bag of bones.

3. a bag (or bundle) of nerves

see nerve.

4. a bag of tricks

‹informal› a set of ingenious plans, techniques, or resources.

• documentary, magic realism, and surrealist techniques are all included in his bag of tricks.

5. bags (or bags I)

(Brit.) ‹informal› a child's expression used to make a claim to something

• bags I his jacket.

6. in the bag ‹informal›

a. (of something desirable) as good as secured

• the election is in the bag.

b. (N. Amer.) drunk.

• after a long night in the pubs, he was in the bag.

IV. phrasal verbs

bag on

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› criticize

• I don't know why everyone is bagging on Palmer.

V. derivatives

1. bagful /ˈbaɡfʊl /

noun

2. bagger /ˈbaɡə /

noun

– origin Middle English: perhaps from Old Norse baggi.

Baganda /bəˈɡandə/

I. plural noun

an African people of the kingdom of Buganda, now forming part of Uganda.

II. adjective

relating to the Baganda or their language.

– origin a local name; compare with Kiswahili Waganda, Ganda, Luganda, Muganda.

bagarre /baˈɡɑː/

I. noun

‹rare› a noisy disturbance or brawl.

– origin late 19th cent.: French.

bagasse /bəˈɡas/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the dry pulpy residue left after the extraction of juice from sugar cane.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from Spanish bagazo ‘pulp’.

bagatelle /ˌbaɡəˈtɛl/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a game in which small balls are hit and then allowed to roll down a sloping board on which there are holes, each numbered with the score achieved if a ball goes into it, with pins acting as obstructions.

2. a thing regarded as too unimportant or easy to be worth much consideration

• dealing with these boats was a mere bagatelle for the world's oldest yacht club.

3. a short, light piece of music, especially one for the piano.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French, from Italian bagatella, perhaps from baga ‘baggage’ or from a diminutive of Latin baca ‘berry’. Sense 1 dates from the early 19th cent.

Bagehot, Walter /ˈbadʒət/

(1826–77), English economist and journalist. He became editor of the Economist in 1860, a post which he held until his death. Notable works: The English Constitution (1867), Lombard Street (1873).

bagel /ˈbeɪɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

a dense bread roll in the shape of a ring, characteristic of Jewish baking.

– origin early 20th cent. (as beigel): from Yiddish beygel.

baggage /ˈbaɡɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. suitcases and bags containing personal belongings packed for travelling; luggage.

• we collected our baggage before clearing customs.

• [as modifier] a baggage allowance.

2. the portable equipment of an army.

• the artillery and baggage rumbled along the road.

3. past experiences or long-held attitudes perceived as burdensome encumbrances

• the emotional baggage I'm hauling around.

4. [ count noun] — ‹dated› a cheeky or disagreeable girl or woman.

• she was a mercenary little baggage.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bagage (from baguer ‘tie up’), or bagues ‘bundles’; perhaps related to bag.

baggage handler

noun

a person who loads and unloads items of luggage at an airport

• a planned strike by baggage handlers threatened disruption for thousands of travellers.

baggage reclaim ‹US› baggage claim

noun

the area in an airport where arriving passengers collect luggage that has been transported in the hold of the aircraft.

Baggie /ˈbaɡi/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹trademark› a plastic bag typically used for storing food.

baggy /ˈbaɡi/

I. adjective

1. (of clothing) loose and hanging in folds

• baggy trousers.

2. (of eyes) with folds of puffy skin below them.

• his eyes were baggy with the fatigue of overwork.

II. noun — ( baggies)

1. ‹informal› loose, wide-legged trousers or shorts.

III. derivatives

1. baggily

adverb

2. bagginess /ˈbaɡɪnəs /

noun

Baggy Green

noun

1. ‹trademark› a green cap worn by Australian Test cricketers, traditionally awarded to mark a player's first appearance for the team

• he first donned the Baggy Green in the 1984 Boxing Day Test against the West Indies.

• Australians do not like losers, especially when they are wearing the treasured Baggy Green.

2. ‹trademark› ‹informal› an Australian Test cricketer

• with his talent, there's no reason why he won't join other Baggy Greens who have become household names over the years.

baggywrinkle /ˈbaɡɪrɪnk(ə)l/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. rope yarns wound around parts of a ship's rigging to prevent chafe.

bagh /bɑːɡ/

I. noun — [usu. in place names]

1. (Indian) a large garden or orchard

• Roshanara Bagh.

– origin via Hindi from Persian bāg̣.

Baghdad /baɡˈdad/

the capital of Iraq, on the River Tigris; pop. 6,194,800 (est. 2009). A thriving city under the Abbasid caliphs in the 8th and 9th centuries, it was taken by the Ottoman sultan Suleiman in 1534 and remained under Ottoman rule until the First World War. In 1920 it became the capital of the newly created state of Iraq.

bag lady

noun

‹informal› a homeless woman who carries her possessions around in shopping bags.

bagless

adjective

(of a vacuum cleaner) designed to operate without a replaceable bag.

bag lunch

noun

variant of brown-bag lunch.

bagman /ˈbaɡmən/

noun

1. (US) (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› an agent who collects or distributes the proceeds of illicit activities.

2. (Canadian) a political fundraiser.

• for a brief time he was chief bagman for both the provincial Liberal and Conservative parties.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a travelling salesman.

bagnio /ˈbɑːnjəʊ, ˈbanjəʊ/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› a brothel.

2. ‹historical› (in East Asia) a prison.

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Italian bagno, from Latin balneum ‘bath’.

Bagot /ˈbaɡət/

noun

a goat of a horned white breed with a black head, neck, and shoulders.

bagpipe

I. noun — (also bagpipes)

1. a musical instrument with reed pipes that are sounded by the pressure of wind emitted from a bag squeezed by the player's arm. Bagpipes are associated especially with Scotland, but are also used in folk music in Ireland, Northumberland, and France, and in varying forms across Europe and western Asia.

II. derivatives

bagpiper /ˈbaɡpʌɪpə /

noun

bag snatcher

noun

(Brit.) a thief who steals a handbag from the person carrying it.

bagsy /ˈbaɡzi/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› succeed in securing (something) for oneself

• I'd managed to bagsy the front seat.

– origin 1950s: representing a pronunciation of bags I.

ba gua /bɑː ˈɡwɑː / pa kua

I. noun

1. a Chinese religious motif incorporating the eight trigrams of the I Ching, arranged octagonally around a symbol denoting the balance of yin and yang, or around a mirror.

2. (in feng shui) the ba gua motif regarded as a pattern determining the significance and auspicious qualities of spatial relationships.

3. [ mass noun] — a Chinese martial art in which movements are focused on a circle and the defence of eight points around it.

– origin from Chinese bā ‘eight’ + guà ‘divinatory symbols’.

baguette /baˈɡɛt/

I. noun

1. a long, narrow French loaf.

2. [often as modifier] — a gem, especially a diamond, cut in a long rectangular shape

• a baguette diamond.

3. [Architecture] a small moulding, semicircular in section.

4. a slim, rectangular handbag with a short strap.

– origin early 18th cent. (in sense 3): from French, from Italian bacchetto, diminutive of bacchio, from Latin baculum ‘staff’. Sense 1 and sense 2 date from the 20th cent.

bagwash /ˈbaɡwɒʃ/

noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› a laundry at which clothes are washed but not pressed.

bagworm

noun

a drab moth, the caterpillar and flightless female of which live in a portable protective case constructed out of plant debris.
●Family Psychidae: many genera.

bah /bɑː/

I. exclamation

an expression of contempt or disagreement

• You think it was an accident? Bah!

– origin early 19th cent.: probably from French.

bahadur /ˌbɑːhəˈdʊə/

I. noun

1. (Indian) a great man.

2. (Indian) an honorific title, originally given to officers in British India

• Bahadur Shah.

– origin from Urdu and Persian bahādur, from Mongolian.

Baha'i /bɑːˈhɑːi / Bahai

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a monotheistic religion founded in the 19th century as a development of Babism, emphasizing the essential oneness of humankind and of all religions and seeking world peace. The Baha'i faith was founded by the Persian Baha'ullah (1817–92) and his son Abdul Baha (1844–1921).

2. [ count noun] — an adherent of the Baha'i faith.

II. derivatives

Baha'ism /bɑːˈhɑːɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin Persian, from Arabic bahā' ‘splendour’.

Bahamas /bəˈhɑːməz/

1. a country consisting of an archipelago off the SE coast of Florida, part of the West Indies; pop. 307,600 (est. 2009); languages, English (official), Creole; capital, Nassau.

It was there that Columbus made his first landfall in the New World (12 October 1492). The islands were a British colony from the 18th century until they gained independence within the Commonwealth in 1973.

Bahamian /bəˈheɪmiən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Bahamas or their people

• a television programme that showcases Bahamian history.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the Bahamas

• water sports are popular with Bahamians and tourists.

Bahasa Indonesia /bəˈhɑːsə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the official language of Indonesia.
See Indonesian.

– origin from Malay bahasa ‘language’.

Bahasa Malaysia /bəˈhɑːsə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the official language of Malaysia.
See Malay.

Bahawalpur /bəˈhɑːwəlˌpʊə/

a city of central Pakistan, in Punjab province; pop. 530,400 (est. 2009). It was formerly the capital of a princely state established by the nawabs of Bahawalpur.

Bahia /bɑːˈiːə/

I. a state of eastern Brazil, on the Atlantic coast; capital, Salvador.

II. former name for Salvador.

Bahía Blanca /bɑːˌiːə ˈblaŋkə/

a port in Argentina serving the southern part of the country; pop. 315,700 (est. 2008).

bahookie /bəˈhʊki/

I. noun

(Scottish) ‹informal› a person's buttocks.

– origin 1930s: probably a blend of behind and hough, + -ie.

Bahrain /bɑːˈreɪn/

1. a sheikhdom consisting of a group of islands in the Persian Gulf; pop. 728,700 (est. 2009); official language, Arabic; capital, Manama.

Ruled by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Persians in the 17th century, the islands became a British protectorate in 1861 and gained independence in 1971. Bahrain's economy is dependent on the refining and export of oil.

Bahraini /bɑːˈreɪni/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Bahrain or its people

• he is a member of the Bahraini royal family.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Bahrain

• an opportunity for young Bahrainis to spend a postgraduate year in another country.

baht /bɑːt/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Thailand, equal to 100 satangs.

– origin from Thai bāt.

bahu /ˈbɑːhuː/

I. noun

(Indian) a daughter-in-law.

– origin Hindi bahū ‘daughter-in-law, wife’, from Sanskrit vadhū, vadhukā.

Bahutu

plural form of Hutu.

bai /bʌɪ/

I. noun

1. [often as name] — (Indian) a polite form of address for a woman.

2. (Indian) a maid.

– origin Marathi, ‘lady’, possibly from Turkish baaji.

Baikal, Lake /bʌɪˈkɑːl / Baykal

a large lake in southern Siberia, the largest freshwater lake in Europe and Asia and, with a depth of 1,743 m (5,714 ft), the deepest lake in the world.

Baikonur /ˌbʌɪkəˈnʊə / Baykonur

a mining town in central Kazakhstan. The world's first satellite (1957) and the first manned space flight (1961) were launched from the former Soviet space centre nearby.

bail^1 /beɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, sometimes on condition that a sum of money is lodged to guarantee their appearance in court

• he has been released on bail.

2. money paid by or for someone in order to secure their release on bail.

• they feared the financier would be tempted to forfeit the £10 million bail and flee.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. release or secure the release of (a prisoner) on payment of bail

• nine were bailed on drugs charges

• [with obj. and infinitive] he was bailed to appear at Durham Crown Court.

III. phrases

1. go bail (or stand bail)

act as surety for an accused person.

• offering to stand bail for a guy who had been involved in a vicious attack.

2. jump bail

‹informal› fail to appear for trial after being released on bail.

• he jumped bail and was on the run until his arrest.

3. post bail

pay a sum of money as bail.

• if a defendant can post bail and presents no threat, he should be allowed to await trial at home.

IV. derivatives

bailable /ˈbeɪləb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French, literally ‘custody, jurisdiction’, from bailler ‘take charge of’, from Latin bajulare ‘bear a burden’.

bail^2 /beɪl/

I. noun

1. (usu. bails) — [Cricket] either of the two crosspieces bridging the stumps, which the bowler and fielders try to dislodge with the ball to get the batsman out.

• the Lancashire captain was at full stretch as the wicketkeeper took off the bails.

2. a bar which holds something in place, in particular:

3. a bar on a typewriter or computer printer which holds the paper steady.

4. [Climbing] a bar on a crampon which fits into a groove in the sole of a boot.

5. a bar separating horses in an open stable.

6. (Austral./NZ) a movable framework for securing the head of a cow during milking.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (usu. bail someone up) — (Austral./NZ) confront (someone) with the intention of robbing them

• they bailed up Mr Dyason and demanded his money.

2. (Austral./NZ) detain (someone) in conversation, especially against their will.

• students will bail up Canberrans on Friday for donations for the Royal Blind Society.

3. (Austral./NZ) secure (a cow) during milking.

– origin Middle English (denoting the outer wall of a castle): from Old French baile ‘palisade, enclosure’, baillier ‘enclose’, perhaps from Latin baculum ‘rod, stick’.

bail^3 /beɪl / ‹Brit.› bale

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — scoop water out of (a ship or boat)

• the first priority is to bail out the boat with buckets.

2. scoop (water) out of a ship or boat.

• I started to use my hands to bail out the water.

3. [no obj.] ( bail on) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› let (someone) down

• he looks a little like the other guy that bailed on me.

II. phrasal verbs

1. bail out

a. make an emergency parachute descent from an aircraft.

b. withdraw from an obligation or commitment

• she felt ready to bail out of the corporate rat race.

2. bail someone/thing out

rescue someone or something from a difficulty

• the state will not bail out loss-making enterprises.

III. derivatives

bailer /ˈbeɪlə /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from obsolete bail ‘bucket’, from French baille, based on Latin bajulus ‘carrier’.

baile /ˈbʌɪleɪ/

I. noun

(in the south-western US and parts of Central and South America) a gathering for dancing.

– origin Spanish, ‘dance, dancing’.

Baile Átha Cliath /ˌblʲaː ˈkʲlʲiə/

Irish name for Dublin.

bailee /beɪˈliː/

noun

[Law] a person or party to whom goods are delivered for a purpose, such as custody or repair, without transfer of ownership.

• the hirer is a bailee.

bailey /ˈbeɪli/

I. noun

1. the outer wall of a castle.

2. a court enclosed by a bailey.

– origin Middle English: probably from Old French baile ‘palisade, enclosure’ (see bail^2).

Bailey

a shipping forecast area in the NE Atlantic north of Rockall and south-west of the Faroes.

Bailey, David

(b.1938), English photographer. He was a prominent figure of 1960s pop culture.

Bailey bridge /ˈbeɪli/

I. noun

a temporary bridge of lattice steel designed for rapid assembly from prefabricated standard parts, used especially in military operations.

– origin Second World War: named after Sir D. Bailey (1901–85), the English engineer who designed it.

bailie /ˈbeɪli/

I. noun

‹chiefly historical› a municipal officer and magistrate in Scotland.

– origin Middle English (originally used interchangeably with bailiff): from Old French bailli.

bailiff /ˈbeɪlɪf/

I. noun

1. a sheriff's officer who executes writs and processes and carries out distraints and arrests.

2. the agent of a landlord.

3. (N. Amer.) an official in a court of law who keeps order, looks after prisoners, etc.

4. (Brit.) ‹historical› the sovereign's representative in a district, especially the chief officer of a hundred.

5. the first civil officer in the Channel Islands.

– origin Middle English: from Old French baillif, inflected form of bailli (see bailie), based on Latin bajulus ‘carrier, manager’.

bailiwick /ˈbeɪlɪwɪk/

I. noun

1. ( one's bailiwick) — one's sphere of operations or area of interest

• after the war, the Middle East remained his bailiwick.

2. [Law] the district or jurisdiction of a bailie or bailiff.

• the warden had the right to arrest all poachers found within his bailiwick.

– origin late Middle English: from bailie + wick^2.

bailment /ˈbeɪlm(ə)nt/

noun

[Law] an act of delivering goods to a bailee for a particular purpose, without transfer of ownership.

• a contract of hire is a species of bailment.

bailor /beɪˈlɔː/

noun

[Law] a person or party that entrusts goods to a bailee.

• the bailor warrants that he has the right to transfer possession.

bailout /ˈbeɪlaʊt/

noun

‹informal› an act of giving financial assistance to a failing business or economy to save it from collapse.

Baily's beads ‹Astronomy›

I. a string of bright points seen at the edge of the darkened moon at the beginning or end of totality in an eclipse of the sun, caused by the unevenness of the lunar topography.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Francis Baily (1774–1844), English astronomer.

Bainbridge, Dame Beryl /ˈbeɪnbrɪdʒ/

(1934–2010), English novelist; full name Dame Beryl Margaret Bainbridge. Her works include The Bottle Factory Outing (1974) and An Awfully Big Adventure (1989).

bain-marie /ˌbanməˈriː/

I. noun

a pan of hot water in which a cooking container is placed for slow cooking.

• cook in a bain-marie until the custard thickens slightly.

– origin early 18th cent.: French, translation of medieval Latin balneum Mariae ‘bath of Maria’, translating Greek kaminos Marias ‘furnace of Maria’, said to be a Jewish alchemist.

Bairam /bʌɪˈrɑːm/

I. noun

either of two annual Muslim festivals, Greater Bairam and Lesser Bairam (see Eid).

– origin from Turkish baïram (earlier form of bayram), from Persian baẕrām.

Baird, John Logie /bɛːd/

(1888–1946), Scottish pioneer of television. He made the first transatlantic transmission and demonstration of colour television in 1928 using a mechanical system which was soon superseded by an electronic system.

bairn /bɛːn/

I. noun

(chiefly Scottish) (N. English) a child.

– origin Old English bearn, of Germanic origin; related to the verb bear^1.

Baisakhi /bʌɪˈsɑːkhi/

I. noun

a Sikh festival held annually to commemorate the founding of the khalsa by Gobind Singh in 1699.

– origin from Sanskrit Vaiśākha, denoting a month of the Hindu lunar year corresponding to April–May, regarded in some areas as the start of the new year.

bait /beɪt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — food placed on a hook or in a net, trap, or fishing area to entice fish or other animals as prey.

• herrings make excellent bait for pike.

• [ count noun] fishing with live baits.

2. something intended to entice someone to do something

• many potential buyers are reluctant to take the bait.

3. variant spelling of bate^1.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. deliberately annoy or taunt (someone)

• the other boys revelled in baiting him about his love of literature.

2. cause dogs to attack (a trapped or restrained animal).

• people who bait badgers.

3. put bait on (a hook) or in (a trap, net, or fishing area) to entice fish or animals

• I used a hook baited with fat.

III. phrases

1. fish or cut bait

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› stop vacillating and decide to act on or disengage from something.

• when it comes to flagging brands, companies are being forced to fish or cut bait.

2. rise to the bait

react to a provocation or temptation exactly as intended.

• Jenny was being provocatively rude, but he never rose to the bait.

IV. derivatives

baiter

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse beit ‘pasture, food’, beita ‘to hunt or chase’.

bait-and-switch

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action (generally illegal) of advertising goods which are an apparent bargain, with the intention of substituting inferior or more expensive goods.
[as modifier]

• a bait-and-switch scheme.

baitcasting

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. fishing by throwing a bait or lure into the water on the end of a line using a rod and reel.

II. derivatives

baitcaster

noun

bait layer

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a cook, typically one catering for shearers or other agricultural workers

• the bait layer's eyes were like onions in a field of grey stubble.

baiza /ˈbʌɪzɑː/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Oman, equal to one thousandth of a rial.

– origin Arabic.

baize /beɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a coarse felt-like woollen material that is typically green, used for covering billiard and card tables and for aprons.
[as modifier]

• a baize apron.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French baies, feminine plural of bai ‘chestnut-coloured’ (see bay^4), treated as a singular noun. The name is presumably from the original colour of the cloth, although several colours are recorded.

Baja California /ˈbɑːhɑː/

a mountainous peninsula in NW Mexico, which extends southwards from the border with California and separates the Gulf of California from the Pacific Ocean. It consists of two states of Mexico: Baja California (capital, Mexicali) and Baja California Sur (capital, La Paz).
Also called Lower California.

bajada /bəˈhɑːdə/

I. noun

a broad slope of alluvial material at the foot of an escarpment.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, ‘descent, slope’.

Bajan /ˈbeɪdʒ(ə)n/

adjective, noun

informal term for Barbadian.

bajillion /bəˈdʒɪljən/

I. cardinal number

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) an extremely large number (used for emphasis)

• I've still got a bajillion things to do.

– origin 1990s: fanciful formation on the pattern of billion and million.

bajra /ˈbɑːdʒrɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in South Asia) pearl millet or similar grain.

– origin from Hindi bājrā, bājrī.

baju /ˈbɑːdʒuː/

I. noun

a short, loose jacket worn in Malaysia.

– origin Malay.

Baka /ˈbaka/

I. noun

1. a member of a nomadic Pygmy people inhabiting the rainforests of south-eastern Cameroon and northern Gabon.

2. [ mass noun] — the Bantu language of the Baka.

– origin perhaps from Lingala Ba-aka ‘Pygmies’.

bake /beɪk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cook (food) by dry heat without direct exposure to a flame, typically in an oven

• they bake their own bread and cakes.

2. [no obj.] — (of food) be cooked by baking

• the bread was baking on hot stones.

3. (of the sun or other agency) subject (something) to dry heat, especially so as to harden it.

• the soil in the desert is baked dry by the fierce heat of the sun.

4. [no obj.] — ‹informal› be or become extremely hot in prolonged sun or hot weather

• the city was baking in a heatwave.

II. noun — [with modifier]

1. a dish consisting of a mixture of ingredients cooked in an oven

• a vegetable bake.

2. [with modifier] — (N. Amer.) a social gathering at which baked food of a specified kind is eaten

• lobster bakes.

III. phrases

baked in the cake

(US) ‹informal› inevitable or unchangeable as a result of previous actions or events

• look out for the next big tax—it is pretty much baked in the cake now.

IV. phrasal verbs

bake something in

incorporate something as an integral part of a product, service, or system

• we have baked in XML web services as part of the core of our platform

• (as adj. baked-in) the company continues to place a heavy emphasis on baked-in security.

– origin Old English bacan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bakken and German backen.

bakeapple

noun

(Canadian) the fruit of the cloudberry.

baked /ˈbeɪkt/

adjective

1. (of food) cooked by dry heat in an oven

• baked apples.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› intoxicated by drink or drugs, especially cannabis

• I just want to get baked and watch a movie.

baked Alaska /beɪkt əˈlaskə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dessert of sponge cake and ice cream in a meringue covering, cooked in a hot oven for a very short time.

• we ate lobster and baked Alaska.

• [ count noun] she was carrying a baked Alaska.

baked beans

plural noun

baked haricot beans, typically cooked in tomato sauce and tinned.

baked dinner

noun

(chiefly Austral.) a meal of meat and vegetables baked in an oven

• they share stories over her baked dinners.

baked goods

plural noun

bread, cakes, pastries, and similar items of food that are cooked in an oven

• the moment you open the door at Billy's Bakery the aroma of baked goods overwhelms you

• bran can impart a hearty flavour to breads and other baked goods.

baked potato

noun

a potato baked in its skin.

bakehouse /ˈbeɪkhaʊs/

noun

‹dated› a building or area in which bread is made.

Bakelite /ˈbeɪk(ə)lʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› an early form of brittle plastic, typically dark brown, made from formaldehyde and phenol, used chiefly for electrical equipment.
[as modifier]

• an old Bakelite telephone.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Leo H. Baekeland (1863–1944), the Belgian-born American chemist who invented it, + -ite^1.

bake-off

noun

1. a contest in which cooks prepare baked goods such as bread and cakes for judging.

2. ‹informal› a contest between companies to win a contract.

baker /ˈbeɪkə/

I. noun

1. a person whose trade is making and selling bread and cakes.

2. [often with modifier] — an oven for a particular purpose

• a waffle baker.

II. phrases

baker's dozen /ˌbeɪkəːz ˈdʌzn /

a group of thirteen.

• an anthology comprising a baker's dozen stimulating stories.

[from the former bakers' custom of adding an extra loaf to a dozen sold to a retailer, this constituting the latter's profit.]

Baker, Dame Janet

(b.1933), English operatic mezzo-soprano; full name Dame Janet Abbott Baker.

Baker, Josephine

(1906–75), American dancer. She was a star of the Folies-Bergère in the 1930s, famed for her exotic dancing and risqué clothing.

bakery /ˈbeɪk(ə)ri/

noun

1. a place where bread and cakes are made or sold.
[as modifier]

• bakery items.

2. [ mass noun] — baked goods such as bread and cakes.

• a table overflowing with home-made bakery and wine.

bakeshop

noun

North American term for bakery.

bakeware /ˈbeɪkwɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. tins, trays, and other items used during baking.

Bakewell, Robert

(1725–95), English pioneer in scientific methods of livestock breeding and husbandry. He produced pedigree herds of sheep and cattle and increased the meat production from his animals through selective breeding.

Bakewell tart /beɪkwɛlˈtɑːt/

I. noun

(Brit.) a baked open pie consisting of a pastry case lined with jam and filled with almond sponge cake.
[ mass noun]

• the recipe for Bakewell tart.

– origin named after the town of Bakewell in Derbyshire.

baking powder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and cream of tartar, used instead of yeast in baking.

baking sheet ‹Brit.› baking tray

noun

a metal tray on which food may be cooked in an oven

• lay the peppers on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.

baking soda

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sodium bicarbonate used in cooking, for cleaning, or in toothpaste.

Bakker, Robert T.

(b.1945), American palaeontologist. He proposed the controversial idea that dinosaurs were active and warm-blooded.

bakkie /ˈbaki, ˈbʌki/

I. noun

1. (S. African) a light truck or pickup truck.

2. (S. African) a small basin or other container.

– origin Afrikaans, from bak ‘container’ + the diminutive suffix -ie.

baklava /ˈbakləvə, bəˈklɑːvə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dessert originating in the Middle East made of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and soaked in honey.

– origin Turkish.

baksheesh /bakˈʃiːʃ / backsheesh

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in parts of Asia) a small sum of money given as alms, a tip, or a bribe.

• the children smiled back and asked for baksheesh.

– origin based on Persian baḵšīš, from baḵšīdan ‘give’.

Bakst, Léon /bakst/

(1866–1924), Russian painter and designer; born Lev Samuilovich Rozenberg. He was a member of the Diaghilev circle and the Ballets Russes, for which he designed exotic, richly coloured sets and costumes.

Baku /baˈkuː/

the capital of Azerbaijan, on the Caspian Sea; pop. 1,917,000 (est. 2008). It is an industrial port and a centre of the oil industry.

Bakunin, Mikhail /baˈkuːnɪn/

(1814–76), Russian anarchist; full name Mikhail Aleksandrovich Bakunin. He took part in the revolutions of 1848, and participated in the First International until his expulsion in 1872.

balaclava /ˌbaləˈklɑːvə / balaclava helmet

I. noun

(chiefly Brit.) a close-fitting garment covering the whole head and neck except for parts of the face, typically made of wool.

– origin late 19th cent. (worn originally by soldiers on active service in the Crimean War): named after the port of Balaclava in the Crimea (see Balaclava, Battle of).

Balaclava, Battle of /ˌbaləˈklɑːvə/

a battle of the Crimean War, fought between Russia and an alliance of British, French, and Turkish forces in and around the small port of Balaclava (now Balaklava) in the southern Crimea in 1854. The battle ended inconclusively; it is chiefly remembered as the scene of the Charge of the Light Brigade.

balafon /ˈbaləfɒn/

I. noun

a large xylophone with hollow gourds as resonators, used in West African music.

– origin via French from Manding bala ‘xylophone’ + fo ‘to play’.

balalaika /ˌbaləˈlʌɪkə/

I. noun

a Russian musical instrument like a guitar with a triangular body and typically three strings.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Russian, of Tatar origin.

balance /ˈbal(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady

• she lost her balance and fell.

2. [Sailing] the ability of a boat to stay on course without adjustment of the rudder.

3. [ mass noun] — a situation in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions

• the obligations of political balance in broadcasting

• [in sing.] try to keep a balance between work and relaxation.

4. mental or emotional stability

• the way to some kind of peace and personal balance.

5. the relative volume of various sources of sound

• the balance of the voices is good.

6. [Art] harmony of design and proportion.

7. an apparatus for weighing, especially one with a central pivot, beam, and two scales.

8. ( the Balance) — the zodiacal sign or constellation Libra.

9. a counteracting weight or force.

10. (also balance wheel) — the regulating device in a clock or watch.

11. [ mass noun] — a predominating amount; a preponderance

• the balance of opinion was that work was more important than leisure.

12. a figure representing the difference between credits and debits in an account; the amount of money held in an account

• he accumulated a healthy balance with the savings bank.

13. the difference between an amount due and an amount paid

• the holiday balance must be paid by 8 weeks before departure.

14. [in sing.] — an amount left over.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put (something) in a steady position so that it does not fall

• a mug that she balanced on her knee.

2. [no obj.] — remain in a steady position without falling

• Richard balanced on the ball of one foot.

3. offset or compare the value of (one thing) with another

• the cost of obtaining such information needs to be balanced against its benefits.

4. counteract or equal the effect or importance of

• he balanced his radical remarks with more familiar declarations.

5. establish equal or appropriate proportions of elements in

• policies that help women balance work and family life.

6. compare debits and credits in (an account) so as to ensure that they are equal

• the law requires the council to balance its books each year.

7. [no obj.] — (of an account) have credits and debits equal.

• a surplus on the capital account to make the account balance.

III. phrases

1. balance of payments /ˌbaləns əv ˈpeɪmənts /

the difference in total value between payments into and out of a country over a period.
[as modifier]

• a balance-of-payments deficit.

2. balance of power /ˌbaləns əv ˈpaʊə /

a. a situation in which states of the world have roughly equal power.

b. the power held by a small group when larger groups are of equal strength.

3. balance of trade /ˌbaləns əv ˈtreɪd /

the difference in value between a country's imports and exports.

• a country with a worsening balance of trade in manufactured products.

4. in the balance

in an uncertain or critical state

• his survival hung in the balance for days.

5. on balance

when all factors are taken into consideration

• on balance, he was pleased with how things had gone.

6. strike a balance

choose a moderate course.

• she's decided to strike a balance between fashionable and accessible.

IV. derivatives

balancer /ˈbalənsə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in sense 3 of the noun): from Old French balance (noun), balancer (verb), based on late Latin (libra) bilanx ‘(balance) having two scale pans’, from bi- ‘twice, having two’ + lanx ‘scale pan’.

balanced /ˈbalənst/

adjective

1. keeping or showing a balance; in good proportions

• she assembled a balanced team.

2. taking everything into account; fairly judged or presented

• accurate and balanced information.

3. (especially of food) having different elements in the correct proportions

• a healthy, balanced diet.

4. (of a person or state of mind) having no emotion too strong or too weak; stable

• a balanced personality.

5. (of an electric circuit or signal) being symmetrical with respect to a reference point, usually earth.

balanced diet

noun

a diet consisting of a variety of different types of food and providing adequate amounts of the nutrients necessary for good health

• one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your baby is eat a balanced diet.

balance sheet

noun

a statement of the assets, liabilities, and capital of a business or other organization at a particular point in time, detailing the balance of income and expenditure over the preceding period.

balance tab

noun

a tab on a control surface of an aircraft which reduces the amount of force needed to move the control surface by moving in the opposite direction.

balance wheel

noun

the regulating device in a watch or clock.

Balanchine, George /ˈbalən(t)ʃiːn/

(1904–83), Russian-born American ballet dancer and choreographer; born Georgi Melitonovich Balanchivadze. He was chief choreographer of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes during the 1920s, and in 1934 he co-founded the company which later became the New York City Ballet.

balancing act

noun

an action or activity that requires a delicate balance between different situations or requirements.

• he performed a political balancing act, making gestures towards the left as well as the right.

balander /bəˈlandə / balanda

I. noun

‹derogatory› (in Australian Aboriginal English) a white man.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Makasarese balanda, from Malay belanda (alteration of Hollander in the sense ‘Dutchman’).

balanitis /ˌbaləˈnʌɪtɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the glans penis.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek balanos ‘glans penis’ (literally ‘acorn’) + -itis.

balas ruby /ˈbaləs/

I. noun

a ruby of a delicate rose-red variety.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French balais, from Arabic balaḵš, from Persian Badaḵšān, a district of Afghanistan where it is found.

balata /ˈbalətə, bəˈlɑːtə/

I. noun

1. a tropical American tree which bears edible fruit and produces latex.
●Several species in the family Sapotaceae, in particular Manilkara bidentata.

2. [ mass noun] — the dried sap of the balata tree, used as a substitute for rubber.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Carib balatá.

Balaton, Lake /ˌbɒləˈtɒn/

a large, shallow lake in west central Hungary, situated in a resort and wine-producing region to the south of the Bakony mountains.

balayage /ˈbalɪjɑːʒ / baliage, balliage

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a technique for highlighting hair in which the dye is painted on in such a way as to create a graduated, natural-looking effect

• she specializes in balayage, colour corrections, restyles, and extensions.

– origin 1970s: French, literally ‘sweeping’, from balayer ‘to sweep’.

balboa /balˈbəʊə/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Panama, equal to 100 centésimos.

– origin named after Vasco Núñez de Balboa (see Balboa, Vasco Núñez de).

Balboa, Vasco Núñez de /balˈbəʊə/

(1475–1519), Spanish explorer. In 1513 he reached the western coast of the isthmus of Darien (Panama), thereby becoming the first European to see the eastern shores of the Pacific Ocean.

balbriggan /balˈbrɪɡ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a knitted cotton fabric, used for stockings and underwear.
[as modifier]

• balbriggan stockings.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after the town of Balbriggan in Ireland, where it was originally made.

Balcon, Sir Michael /ˈbɔːlk(ə)n/

(1896–1977), English film producer associated chiefly with Ealing Studios. He produced such famous comedies as Kind Hearts and Coronets and Whisky Galore (both 1949).

balcony /ˈbalkəni/

I. noun

1. a platform enclosed by a wall or balustrade on the outside of a building, with access from an upper-floor window or door.

• the glass doors opened on to a balcony with a view of the park.

2. ( the balcony) — the highest tier of seats in a theatre, above the dress or upper circle.

3. the upstairs seats in a cinema.

4. (N. Amer.) the dress circle in a theatre.

II. derivatives

balconied /ˈbalkəniːd /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Italian balcone, probably ultimately of Germanic origin.

bald /bɔːld/

I. adjective

1. having a scalp wholly or partly lacking hair

• he was starting to go bald.

2. (of an animal) not covered by the usual fur, hair, or feathers

• hedgehogs are born bald.

3. (of a plant or an area of land) not covered by the usual leaves, bark, or vegetation.

• the bald trunks with their empty branches.

4. (of a tyre) having the tread worn away.

• the Nissan had two bald tyres.

5. not having any extra detail or explanation; plain or blunt

• the bald statement in the preceding paragraph requires amplification.

II. phrases

(as) bald as a coot

completely bald.

III. derivatives

baldish

adjective

– origin Middle English: probably from a base meaning ‘white patch’, whence the archaic sense ‘marked or streaked with white’. Compare with Welsh ceffyl bal, denoting a horse with a white mark on its face.

baldachin /ˈbaldəkɪn, ˈbɔːldəkɪn / baldaquin /ˈbɔːldəkɪn/ , baldacchino /ˌbaldəˈkiːnəʊ/

I. noun

a ceremonial canopy of stone, metal, or fabric over an altar, throne, or doorway.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a rich brocade of silk and gold thread): from Italian baldacchino, from Baldacco ‘Baghdad’, place of origin of the brocade.

bald crow

noun

the rockfowl.

bald cypress

noun

another term for swamp cypress.

bald eagle

noun

a white-headed North American eagle that includes fish among its prey. It is the national bird of the US but is now common only in Alaska.
● Haliaetus leucocephalus, family Accipitridae.

Balder /ˈbɔːldə / ‹Scandinavian Mythology›

a son of Odin and god of the summer sun. He was invulnerable to all things except mistletoe, with which the god Loki, by a trick, induced the blind god Hödur to kill him.

balderdash /ˈbɔːldədaʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. senseless talk or writing; nonsense.

• she dismissed talk of plots as 'balderdash'.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a frothy liquid; later, an unappetizing mixture of drinks): of unknown origin.

bald-faced

adjective

(N. Amer.) another term for barefaced.

baldhead /ˈbɔːldhɛd/

noun

(among Rastafarians) a person who is not a Rastafarian.

bald-headed

adjective

having a scalp wholly or partly lacking hair; bald

• a big, bald-headed man.

balding /ˈbɔːldɪŋ/

adjective

in the process of losing one's hair; going bald

• a balding middle-aged man stepped into the room.

baldly /ˈbɔːldli/

adverb

without any extra detail or explanation; plainly; bluntly

• 'I really needed the cash,' she says baldly

• it seems enough to state the facts baldly.

baldmoney /ˈbɔːldmʌni/

I. noun

another term for spignel.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the gentian; now only Scots): of unknown origin.

baldness /ˈbɔːldnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the condition of having a scalp wholly or partly lacking hair

• we cannot cure baldness, nor restore hair to denuded scalps

• baldness ran in his family.

2. speech without any extra detail or explanation; plainness; bluntness

• the baldness of his comments on this subject.

baldpate /ˈbɔːldpeɪt/

noun

the American wigeon (in allusion to its white-crowned head).

baldric /ˈbɔːldrɪk/

I. noun

‹historical› a belt for a sword or other piece of equipment, worn over one shoulder and reaching down to the opposite hip.

– origin Middle English baudry, from Old French baudre, of unknown ultimate origin.

Baldwin, James /ˈbɔːldwɪn/

(1924–87), American novelist and black civil rights activist; full name James Arthur Baldwin. Notable works: Go Tell it on the Mountain (1953) and Giovanni's Room (1956).

Baldwin, Stanley /ˈbɔːldwɪn/

1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1867–1947), British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1923–4, 1924–9, and 1935–7. Despite the German occupation of the Rhineland and the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War (both 1936), Baldwin opposed demands for rearmament, believing that the public would not support it.

baldy /ˈbɔːldi / baldie

I. noun

‹informal› ‹derogatory› a bald-headed person.

II. adjective

(chiefly Scottish) (Irish) bald.

• a baldy head.

bale^1 /beɪl/

I. noun

1. a large wrapped or bound bundle of paper, hay, or cotton.

• the fire destroyed 500 bales of hay.

2. the quantity in a bale as a measure, specifically (in the US) 500 lb of cotton.

• world cotton consumption was a record 86 m bales.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make up into bales

• the straw is left on the field to be baled later.

– origin Middle English: probably from Middle Dutch, from Old French; ultimately of Germanic origin and related to ball^1.

bale^2 /beɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› evil considered as a destructive force.

2. ‹archaic› evil suffered; physical or mental torment.

– origin Old English balu, bealu, of Germanic origin.

bale^3

verb

(Brit.) variant spelling of bail^3.

Bâle /bal/

French name for Basle.

Balearic /ˌbalɪˈarɪk, bəˈlɪərɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the Balearic Islands

• the Balearic government.

2. relating to or denoting a style of synthesized dance music that developed in Ibiza

• the Balearic beat.

– origin from Latin Balearis + -ic.

Balearic Islands /ˌbalɪˈarɪk, bəˈlɪərɪk / the Balearics

a group of Mediterranean islands off the east coast of Spain, forming an autonomous region of that country, with four large islands (Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza, Formentera) and seven smaller ones; capital, Palma (on Majorca).

baleen /bəˈliːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. whalebone.
[as modifier]

• the baleen plates of a Greenland right whale.

– origin Middle English (also denoting a whale): from Old French baleine, from Latin balaena ‘whale’.

baleen whale

noun

a whale that has plates of whalebone in the mouth for straining plankton from the water. Baleen whales include the rorqual, humpback, right whale, and grey whale. Also called whalebone whale.
●Suborder Mysticeti, order Cetacea: three families and ten species.

balefire /ˈbeɪlfʌɪə/

I. noun

(US) a large open-air fire.

– origin Old English (recorded in poetry), from obsolete bale ‘great fire’ + fire.

baleful /ˈbeɪlfʊl, ˈbeɪlf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. threatening harm; menacing

• Bill shot a baleful glance in her direction.

2. having a harmful or destructive effect

• the baleful influence of Rasputin.

II. derivatives

1. balefully /ˈbeɪlfəli /

adverb

2. balefulness

noun

Balenciaga, Cristóbal /baˌlɛnsɪˈɑːɡə, Spanish balenˈθjaɣa, Spanish balenˈsjaɣa/

(1895–1972), Spanish couturier. In the 1950s he contributed to the move away from the tight-waisted New Look originated by Christian Dior to a looser, semi-fitted style.

baler /ˈbeɪlə/

noun

a machine for making up material such as paper, hay, or cotton into bales.
[as modifier]

• baler twine.

Balfour, Arthur James /ˈbalfə/

1st Earl of Balfour (1848–1930), British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1902–5. In 1917, in his capacity as Foreign Secretary, Balfour issued the declaration in favour of a Jewish national home in Palestine that came to be known as the Balfour Declaration.

Bali /ˈbɑːli/

a mountainous island of Indonesia, to the east of Java; chief city, Denpasar; pop. 3,470,700 (est. 2009).

balibuntal /ˌbalɪˈbʌnt(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fine close-woven straw, used for making hats.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Baliuag in the Philippines, where it originated, + buntal.

Balinese /ˌbɑːlɪˈniːz/

I. adjective

relating to Bali or its people or language.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Bali.

2. [ mass noun] — the Indonesian language of Bali, with around 4 million speakers.

balk /bɔːlk, bɔːk / ‹chiefly Brit.› baulk

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking

• he balked at such a drastic solution.

2. [with obj.] — thwart or hinder (a plan or person)

• he raised every objection he could to balk this plan.

3. [with obj.] ( balk someone of) — prevent a person or animal from having (something)

• a tiger balked of its prey.

4. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› miss or refuse (a chance or invitation).

• it's got to be done, so why balk it?

5. (with reference to a horse) refuse or cause to refuse to go on.
[no obj.]

• he balked, both forefeet thrust stiffly in front of him.

• [with obj.] most of the horses were balked and refused.

II. noun

1. a roughly squared timber beam.

• a balk of timber.

2. the area on a billiard table between the balk line and the bottom cushion, within which in some circumstances a ball is protected from a direct stroke.

3. [Baseball] an unlawful action made by a pitcher that may deceive a base runner.

4. a ridge left unploughed between furrows.

– origin late Old English balc, from Old Norse bálkr ‘partition’. The original use was ‘unploughed ridge’, later ‘land left unploughed by mistake’, hence ‘blunder, omission’, giving rise to the verb use ‘miss (a chance)’. A late Middle English sense ‘obstacle’ gave rise to the verb senses ‘hesitate’ and ‘hinder’.

Balkan /ˈbɔːlk(ə)n/

adjective

relating to the Balkan Mountains or to the countries occupying the part of SE Europe lying south of the Danube and Sava Rivers

• films from the Balkan countries

• a Balkan state.

Balkanize /ˈbɔːlkənʌɪz, ˈbɒlkənʌɪz / Balkanise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. divide (a region or body) into smaller mutually hostile states or groups.

• ambitious neighbours would snatch pieces of territory, Balkanizing the country.

• (as adj. Balkanized) the balkanized world of the Senate Banking Committee.

II. derivatives

Balkanization /ˌbɔːlkənʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n, ˌbɒlkənʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin 1920s: from Balkan Peninsula (where this was done in the late 19th and early 20th cent.) + -ize.

Balkans /ˈbɔːlkənz/

I. (also Balkan Mountains) — a range of mountains stretching eastwards across Bulgaria from the Serbian frontier to the Black Sea. The highest peak is Botev Peak (2,375 m; 7,793 ft).

II. the countries occupying the part of SE Europe lying south of the Danube and Sava Rivers, forming a peninsula bounded by the Adriatic and Ionian Seas in the west, the Aegean and Black Seas in the east, and the Mediterranean in the south.

Balkan Wars

I. two wars of 1912–13 that were fought over the last European territories of the Ottoman Empire.

In 1912 Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, and Montenegro forced Turkey to give up Albania and Macedonia, leaving the area around Constantinople (Istanbul) as the only Ottoman territory in Europe. The following year Bulgaria disputed with Serbia, Greece, and Romania for possession of Macedonia, which was partitioned between Greece and Serbia.

Balkhash, Lake

variant spelling of Balqash, Lake.

Balkis /ˈbɔːlkɪs, ˈbɒlkɪs/

the name of the queen of Sheba in Arabic literature.

balk line

noun

a transverse line marked on a billiard table, extending the diameter of the D to the sides of the table.

balky /ˈbɔːlki, ˈbɔːki / ‹Brit.› baulky

adjective

(chiefly US) awkward; uncooperative.

• he was trying to get his balky horse to move.

ball^1 /bɔːl/

I. noun

1. a solid or hollow spherical or egg-shaped object that is kicked, thrown, or hit in a game

• a cricket ball.

2. a spherical object or mass of material

• a ball of wool

• he crushed the card into a ball.

3. ‹historical› a solid spherical non-explosive projectile for a cannon.

• the ship fired again—this time the ball made a hit.

4. [ mass noun] — a game played with a ball

• he comes across a group of kids playing ball.

5. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) baseball

• young men would graduate from college and enter pro ball.

6. a single throw, kick, or hit of the ball in a game, in particular:

7. [Cricket] a delivery of the ball by the bowler to the batsman.

• his half century came off only forty balls.

8. [Baseball] a pitch delivered outside the strike zone which the batter does not attempt to hit.

• he ignored it completely, and the umpire called it a ball.

9. [Soccer] a pass of the ball in a specified direction or manner

• Whelan sent a long ball to Goddard.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. squeeze or form (something) into a rounded shape

• Robert balled up his napkin and threw it on to his plate.

2. clench (one's fist) tightly.

• she balled her fist so that the nails dug into her palms.

3. [no obj.] — form a round shape

• the fishing nets eventually ball up and sink.

4. wrap the root ball of (a tree or shrub) in hessian to protect it during transportation.

5. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› have sexual intercourse with (someone).

6. [no obj.] — (Brit.) (of a flower) fail to open properly, decaying in the half-open bud.

III. phrases

1. the ball is in your court

it is up to you to make the next move.

• the ball is firmly in the court of the EC Commission.

2. a ball of fire

a person who is full of energy and enthusiasm.

3. the ball of the foot

the rounded protuberant part of the foot at the base of the big toe.

4. the ball of the thumb

the rounded protuberant part of the hand at the base of the thumb.

5. have a lot (or not much) on the ball

(US) have a lot of (or not much) ability.

6. keep the ball rolling

maintain the momentum of an activity.

7. keep one's eye on (or take one's eye off) the ball

keep (or fail to keep) one's attention focused on the matter in hand.

• opinion pollsters led everyone to take their eyes off the ball.

8. on the ball

aware of and quick to respond to new ideas and methods.

• maintaining contact with customers keeps me on the ball.

9. play ball

‹informal› work willingly with others; cooperate

• if his solicitors won't play ball, there's nothing we can do.

10. start (or get or set) the ball rolling

cause something to start happening.

• to start the ball rolling, the government was asked to contribute a million pounds to the fund.

11. the whole ball of wax

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› everything.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse bǫllr, of Germanic origin.

ball^2 /bɔːl/

I. noun

a formal social gathering for dancing.

• Anne danced with the captain at a fancy-dress ball.

• [as modifier] a ball gown.

II. phrases

have a ball

‹informal› enjoy oneself greatly.

• I was miserable but he was having a ball.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French bal ‘a dance’, from late Latin ballare ‘to dance’; related to Greek ballizein ‘to dance’ (also ballein ‘to throw’).

-ball

combining form

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› used in various derogatory terms as an intensifier

• sleazeball

• goofball.

Ball, John

(d.1381), English rebel. Ball was a priest who preached an egalitarian social message. He was excommunicated and imprisoned for heresy, and following the Peasants' Revolt was hanged as a traitor.

Ball, Lucille

(1911–89), American comedienne, known in particular for the popular television series I Love Lucy (1951–5).

ballad /ˈbaləd/

I. noun

1. a poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas. Traditional ballads are typically of unknown authorship, having been passed on orally from one generation to the next.

2. a slow sentimental or romantic song.

II. derivatives

balladist /ˈbalədɪst /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting a light, simple song): from Old French balade, from Provençal balada ‘dance, song to dance to’, from balar ‘to dance’, from late Latin ballare (see ball^2). The sense ‘narrative poem’ dates from the mid 18th cent.

ballade /baˈlɑːd/

I. noun

1. a poem consisting of one or more triplets of stanzas with a repeated refrain and an envoi.

2. a piece of music in romantic style with dramatic elements, typically for piano.

– origin late Middle English: earlier spelling and pronunciation of ballad.

balladeer /ˌbaləˈdɪə/

noun

a singer or composer of ballads.

ballad metre

noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for common metre.

ballad-monger

noun

‹archaic› ‹chiefly derogatory› a composer or seller of ballads

• ballad-mongers who plied their pens to eke out a living.

ballad opera

noun

a theatrical entertainment popular in early 18th-century England, taking the form of a satirical play interspersed with traditional or operatic songs. The best-known example is John Gay's The Beggar's Opera (1728).

balladry /ˈbalədri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ballads collectively.

• a send-up of movie love balladry.

2. the art of writing or performing ballads.

• a tendency to backslide into maudlin balladry.

ball and chain

noun

1. a heavy metal ball secured by a chain to the leg of a prisoner to prevent escape.

2. used to convey the idea that someone or something is a crippling encumbrance

• the ball and chain of debt.

ball-and-socket joint /ˌbɔːləndˈsɒkɪt ˌdʒɔɪnt/

noun

a natural or manufactured joint or coupling, such as the hip joint, in which a partially spherical end lies in a socket, allowing multidirectional movement and rotation.

Ballantyne, R. M. /ˈbaləntʌɪn/

(1825–94), Scottish author; full name Robert Michael Ballantyne. He wrote acclaimed adventure stories, such as The Coral Island (1857).

ballan wrasse /ˈbalən/

I. noun

a large European wrasse (fish) of rocky shores and reefs, popular as an angling fish.
● Labrus bergylta, family Labridae.

– origin mid 18th cent.: ballan from Irish ballán, from ball ‘spot’.

Ballarat /ˈbalərat/

a mining and sheep-farming centre in Victoria, Australia; pop. 91,787 (2008). It is the site of the discovery in 1851 of the largest gold reserves in Australia.

Ballard, J. G.

(1930–2009), British novelist and short-story writer; full name James Graham Ballard. He is known for dystopian science fiction such as his first novel, The Drowned World (1962), and Crash (1973).

ballast /ˈbaləst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. heavy material, such as gravel, sand, or iron, placed in the bilge of a ship to ensure its stability.

• the hull had insufficient ballast.

2. a heavy substance carried in an airship or on a hot-air balloon to stabilize it and jettisoned when greater altitude is required.

• a forty kilo sandbag was used as ballast.

3. something providing stability or substance

• the film is an entertaining comedy with some serious ideas thrown in for ballast.

4. gravel or coarse stone used to form the bed of a railway track or the substratum of a road.

• a thick layer of railway ballast.

5. a mixture of coarse and fine aggregate for making concrete.

6. [ count noun] — a passive component used in an electric circuit to moderate changes in current.

• ballasts are permanently wired into existing fixtures.

• [as modifier] ballast resistors.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. give stability to (a ship) by putting a heavy substance in its bilge.

• the vessel has been ballasted to give the necessary floating stability.

• ‹figurative› people insufficiently ballasted with factual information.

2. form (the bed of a railway line or the substratum of a road) with gravel or coarse stone.

• the track was laid with rails and ballasted with earth.

III. phrases

in ballast

(of a ship) laden only with ballast.

– origin mid 16th cent.: probably of Low German or Scandinavian origin.

ball bearing

noun

1. a bearing in which the parts are separated by a ring of small freely rotating metal balls which reduce friction.

2. a metal ball used in a ball bearing.

ballboy /ˈbɔːlbɔɪ/

noun

a boy who retrieves balls that go out of play during a game such as tennis or soccer.

ball-breaker ball-buster

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a tough disciplinarian or taskmaster

• to be one of the world's best chefs, you have to be a ball-breaker.

2. ‹informal› a dominating or threatening woman who destroys a man's self-confidence.

3. ‹informal› a demanding and punishing task or situation

• the early stretch of the race is the ball-breaker.

II. derivatives

ball-breaking

adjective

ball carrier

noun

[American Football] a player in possession of the ball and attempting to advance it.

ball clay

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fine-textured clay used in the manufacture of ceramics.

ballcock /ˈbɔːlkɒk/

noun

a valve which is linked by a hinged arm to a ball floating on top of a liquid and opens or closes a tap automatically according to the height of the ball, especially in the cistern of a flushing toilet.

baller

I. noun

1. a person or device that makes or forms something into balls

• a melon baller.

2. (US) ‹informal› a player of a ball game, especially a talented basketball player

• he's a baller who will take an open shot or create one.

3. a successful person, typically one who has a lavish or self-indulgent lifestyle

• who doesn't feel like a baller sipping whiskey out of a personalized glass?

II. adjective

(US) ‹informal› extremely good or impressive; excellent

• it was a pretty baller time, overall

• this place is baller!

ballerina /baləˈriːnə/

I. noun

1. a female ballet dancer.

2. [usu. as modifier] — a ballet shoe

• wear ballerina pumps with a pretty day dress for a perfect spring/summer look.

• New Yorkers walk a lot, so ballerinas make sense.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Italian, feminine of ballerino ‘dancing master’, from ballare ‘to dance’, from late Latin.

Ballesteros, Severiano /ˌbaləˈstɛːrɒs, Spanish bajesˈteros/

(1957–2011), Spanish golfer; full name Severiano Ballesteros Sota; known as Seve Ballesteros. In 1979 he became the youngest player in the 20th century to win the British Open; the following year he was the youngest-ever winner of the US Masters.

ballet /ˈbaleɪ, ˈbali/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an artistic dance form performed to music, using precise and highly formalized set steps and gestures. Classical ballet, which originated in Renaissance Italy and established its present form during the 19th century, is characterized by light, graceful movements and the use of pointe shoes with reinforced toes.

2. [ count noun] — a creative work or performance of ballet, or the music written for it.

3. [treated as sing. or pl.] — a group of dancers who regularly perform ballets

• the Bolshoi Ballet.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian balletto, diminutive of ballo ‘a dance’, from late Latin ballare ‘to dance’ (see ball^2).

ballet dancer /ˈbaleɪ dɑːnsə/

noun

a person who dances in ballets.

balletic /bəˈlɛtɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of ballet

• a graceful, balletic movement.

II. derivatives

balletically

adverb

ballet master

noun

a person employed by a ballet company to teach and rehearse dancers.

balletomane /ˈbalɪtəʊˌmeɪn/

I. noun

a ballet enthusiast.

II. derivatives

balletomania

noun

– origin 1920s: from ballet + Greek manēs ‘mad’.

ballet shoe ballet pump, ballet flat

noun

a light, round-toed shoe with very flat heels for women or girls, resembling the type worn by ballet dancers.

• ballet shoes are perfect with everything from leggings and long sweaters to short skirts and jackets.

Ballets Russes /ˌbaleɪ ˈruːs, French bale ʀus/

I. a ballet company formed in Paris in 1909 by Sergei Diaghilev.

The company commissioned music from the composers Stravinsky, Satie, and Rimsky-Korsakov, while Picasso and Jean Cocteau designed sets. The company's choreographers and dancers included Michel Fokine, Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, and George Balanchine. It was responsible for reviving ballet as an art form in western Europe.

ball float

noun

the spherical float attached to a hinged arm in the ballcock of a water cistern.

ball game

I. noun

1. a game played with a ball.

2. (N. Amer.) a baseball match.

• I took the afternoon off and went to a ball game.

II. phrases

a different (or whole new) ball game

‹informal› a situation that is completely different from a previous one

• making the film was a whole new ball game for her.

ballgirl /ˈbɔːlɡɜːl/

noun

a girl who retrieves balls that go out of play during a game such as tennis or soccer.

ballgown /ˈbɔːlɡaʊn/

noun

a woman's elaborate full-length dress suitable for wearing to balls and similar social gatherings.

ballhawk /ˈbɔːlhɔːk/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a player who is good at getting possession of or catching the ball.

II. derivatives

ballhawking

noun

ballista /bəˈlɪstə/

I. noun

1. a catapult used in ancient warfare for hurling large stones.

2. a large crossbow used in ancient warfare for firing a spear.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin, based on Greek ballein ‘to throw’.

ballistic /bəˈlɪstɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to projectiles or their flight.

2. moving under the force of gravity only.

II. phrases

go ballistic

‹informal› fly into a rage.

• he will go ballistic if bureaucrats attempt to meddle in his decisions.

III. derivatives

ballistically

adverb

– origin late 18th cent.: from ballista + -ic.

ballistic missile

noun

a missile with a high, arching trajectory, which is initially powered and guided but falls under gravity on to its target.

Ballistic Missile Defense Organization

name given to Strategic Defense Initiative after 1993.

ballistics /bəˈlɪstɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the science of projectiles and firearms.

2. the scientific study of the effects of being fired on a bullet, cartridge, or gun.

ball lightning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rare and little known kind of lightning having the form of a moving globe of light several centimetres across which persists for periods of up to a minute.

ballon /ˈbalɒ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in dancing) the ability to appear effortlessly suspended while performing movements during a jump.

2. variant spelling of balloon (sense 4 of the noun).

– origin French, from Italian ballone, from balla ‘ball’.

balloon /bəˈluːn/

I. noun

1. a small coloured rubber bag which is inflated with air and then sealed at the neck, used as a child's toy or a decoration.

• the room was festooned with balloons and streamers.

• ‹figurative› his derision pricked the fragile balloon of her vanity.

2. (also hot-air balloon) — a large bag filled with hot air or gas to make it rise in the air, typically one carrying a basket for passengers

• he set his sights on crossing the Pacific by balloon.

3. a rounded outline in which the words or thoughts of characters in a comic strip or cartoon are written.

• a balloon reading ‘Ka-Pow!’.

4. (also balloon glass) — a large rounded drinking glass, used especially for brandy.

• a balloon of armagnac.

5. (Scottish) ‹informal› a stupid person.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. swell out in a spherical shape

• the trousers ballooned out below his waist.

2. (of an amount of money spent or owed) increase rapidly

• the company's debt has ballooned in the last five years.

3. (of a person) increase rapidly in weight

• I ate out of boredom and I just ballooned up.

4. (Brit.) (with reference to a ball) lob or be lobbed high in the air

• the ball ballooned into the air.

5. travel by hot-air balloon

• he is famous for ballooning across oceans.

III. phrases

when the balloon goes up

(Brit.) ‹informal› when the action or trouble starts.

• we've got to get our man out of there before the balloon goes up.

[probably with allusion to the release of a balloon to mark the start of an event.]

– origin late 16th cent. (originally denoting a game played with a large inflated leather ball): from French ballon or Italian ballone ‘large ball’.

balloon angioplasty

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] surgical widening of a blocked or narrowed blood vessel, especially a coronary artery, by means of a balloon catheter.

balloon catheter

noun

[Medicine] a type of catheter incorporating a small balloon which may be introduced into a canal, duct, or blood vessel and then inflated in order to clear an obstruction or dilate a narrowed region.

balloonfish

noun

a tropical porcupine fish which lives in shallow water and can inflate itself when threatened.
● Diodon holocanthus, family Diodontidae.

ballooning /bəˈluːnɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport or pastime of flying in a balloon.

• he took up ballooning in 1907.

• [as modifier] a ballooning accident.

II. derivatives

1. ballooner

noun

2. balloonist /bəˈluːnɪst /

noun

balloon-like

adjective

having a bulbous, rounded shape, tapering at one end

• millions of microscopic balloon-like sacs called alveoli.

balloon payment

noun

a repayment of the outstanding principal sum made at the end of a loan period, interest only having been paid hitherto.

balloon-shaped

adjective

having a bulbous, rounded shape, tapering at one end

• a huge balloon-shaped brandy glass.

balloon tyre

I. noun

a large tyre containing air at low pressure for travel on soft or uneven surfaces.

II. derivatives

balloon-tyred

adjective

balloon vine

noun

a tropical American vine with inflated balloon-like pods.
● Cardiospermum halicacabum, family Sapiondaceae.

balloon whisk

noun

a hand whisk made of loops of wire.

ballot /ˈbalət/

I. noun

1. a system of voting secretly and in writing on a particular issue

• a strike ballot

• [ mass noun] the commissioners were elected by ballot.

2. ( the ballot) — the total number of votes cast in a ballot

• he won 54 per cent of the ballot.

3. the piece of paper used to record a person's vote.

• there were fifty-three abstentions and twenty-eight spoilt ballots.

4. a lottery held to decide the allocation of tickets, shares, or other things among a number of applicants.

• a ballot decides which investors will be successful in buying the stock.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of an organization) ask (members) to vote secretly on an issue

• the union is preparing to ballot its members on industrial action.

2. [no obj.] — cast one's vote on an issue
[with infinitive]

• ambulance crews balloted unanimously to reject the deal.

3. decide the allocation of (something) to applicants by drawing lots.

• if the offer is oversubscribed acceptances will be balloted.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally denoting a small coloured ball placed in a container to register a vote): from Italian ballotta, diminutive of balla (see ball^1).

ballot box

noun

1. a sealed box into which voters put completed ballot papers.

2. ( the ballot box) — democratic principles and methods

• the proper remedy was the ballot box and not the court.

ballotin /ˈbalətɪn/

I. noun

a deep decorative cardboard box, slightly larger at the top and with broad flaps, in which chocolates are sold.

– origin French, from ballot ‘a small package of goods’.

ballotine /ˈbalətiːn/

I. noun

a piece of roasted meat which has first been boned, stuffed, and folded or rolled into an egg-like shape.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, ultimately from balle ‘a package of goods’.

ballot paper

noun

(Brit.) a slip of paper used to register a vote.

ballpark /ˈbɔːlpɑːk/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a baseball ground.

2. ‹informal› an area or range within which an amount or estimate is likely to be correct

• we can make a pretty good guess that this figure's in the ballpark.

3. [as modifier] — ‹informal› (of a price or cost) approximate

• the ballpark figure is $400–500.

ballplayer /ˈbɔːlpleɪə/

noun

(N. Amer.) a baseball player.

ballpoint /ˈbɔːlpɔɪnt / ballpoint pen

noun

a pen with a tiny ball as its writing point, especially one using stiffer ink than a rollerball.

ballroom /ˈbɔːlruːm, ˈbɔːlrʊm/

noun

1. a large room for formal dancing.

2. [ mass noun] — ballroom dancing

• the number of people learning ballroom has doubled in the last two years.

ballroom dancing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. formal social dancing in couples, popular as a recreation and also as a competitive activity. The ballroom dance repertoire includes dances developed from old European folk dances such as the waltz and minuet, Latin American dances such as the tango, rumba, and cha-cha, and dances of 20th-century origin such as the foxtrot and quickstep.

II. derivatives

1. ballroom dance

noun

2. ballroom dancer

noun

balls ‹vulgar slang›

I. plural noun

1. testicles.

2. [ mass noun] — courage or nerve.

3. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) nonsense; rubbish (often said to express strong disagreement).

II. verb — [with obj.] ( balls something up)

1. (Brit.) bungle something.

III. phrases

have someone/thing by the balls

‹vulgar slang› have complete control over someone or something

• they've got us by the balls, and they know it.

balls-aching

I. adjective

‹vulgar slang› causing annoyance, revulsion, or boredom.

II. derivatives

1. balls-ache

noun

2. balls-achingly

adverb

ball-shaped

adjective

spherical like a ball

• a wheelbarrow with a ball-shaped wheel for added stability.

balls-out

adjective, adverb

‹vulgar slang› without moderation or restraint.

balls-up /ˈbɔːlzʌp/

noun

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› a bungled or badly carried out task or action; a mess.

ballsy /ˈbɔːlzi/

I. adjective

‹informal› determined and courageous

• she was a cool, ballsy woman.

II. derivatives

ballsiness

noun

ball-tampering

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Cricket] unlawful alteration of the surface or seam of a ball on the field, to affect its motion when bowled.

ball-tearer

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› something outstanding of its kind.

ball valve

noun

1. a one-way valve that is opened and closed by pressure on a ball which fits into a cup-shaped opening.

2. (Brit.) another term for ballcock.

bally /ˈbali/

adjective, adverb

(Brit.) old-fashioned euphemism for bloody^2.

ballyhoo /balɪˈhuː / ‹informal›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extravagant publicity or fuss

• after all the ballyhoo, the film was a flop.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) praise or publicize extravagantly.

• each company ballyhoos its product as though it were the most outstanding in all creation.

• (as adj. ballyhooed) a much-ballyhooed musical extravaganza.

– origin late 19th cent.: American coinage of unknown origin.

Ballymena /ˌbalɪˈmiːnə/

a town in Northern Ireland, to the north of Lough Neagh, capital of a district of the same name; pop. 29,400 (est. 2009).

balm /bɑːm/

I. noun

1. a fragrant cream or liquid used to heal or soothe the skin.

• a skin balm for use after shaving.

2. something that has a soothing or restorative effect

• the murmur of the water can provide balm for troubled spirits.

3. a tree which yields a fragrant resinous substance, especially one used in medicine.
●Species in several families, in particular those of the genus Commiphora (family Burseraceae). .

4. [ mass noun] — the resinous substance yielded by a balm.

5. (also lemon or sweet balm) [ mass noun] — a bushy herb of the mint family, with leaves smelling and tasting of lemon.
● Melissa officinalis, family Labiatae.

6. used in names of other aromatic herbs of the mint family, e.g. bee balm.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘preparation for embalming, fragrant resinous substance’): from Old French basme, from Latin balsamum (see balsam).

balmacaan /balməˈkaːn/

I. noun

a loose-fitting overcoat with a small rounded collar, typically having raglan sleeves.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Balmacaan, an estate near Inverness in Scotland.

Balmain /balˈmeɪn/

I. a harbourside suburb of Sydney, close to the city centre.

II. phrases

Balmain boys don't cry

(Austral.) ‹informal› used to emphasize the reputed toughness of men from Balmain

• Balmain boys don't cry mate, they only bruise a little.

[coined by New South Wales Premier Neville Wran in 1983.]

– origin named after William Balmain, landowner 1762–1803.

bal masqué /ˌbal maˈskeɪ, French bal maske/

I. noun

a masked ball.

– origin French.

Balmer series /ˈbɑːmə/

I. noun

[Physics] a series of lines in the visible and ultraviolet spectrum of atomic hydrogen, between 656 and 365 nanometres.

– origin from the name of the Swiss physicist J. J. Balmer (1825–98).

balm of Gilead /ˈɡɪlɪad/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a fragrant medicinal resin obtained from certain trees.

2. a tree that yields balm of Gilead, in particular:
● an Arabian tree traditionally of importance in medicine and perfumery ( Commiphora gileadensis, family Burseraceae). ● either of two poplars with sticky aromatic buds ( Populus × gileadensis ) and the balsam poplar, family Salicaceae). ● the balsam fir.

– origin early 16th cent.: balm from a translation in Coverdale's Bible (Gen. 37:25), rendered ‘resin’ in the Vulgate; Gilead from the assumption that this resin is the substance mentioned in the Bible as coming from Gilead.

balmoral /balˈmɒr(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a round brimless hat with a cockade or ribbons attached, worn by certain Scottish regiments.

2. a heavy laced leather walking boot.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in sense 2): named after Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Balmoral Castle

a holiday residence of the British royal family, on the River Dee in Scotland.

bal musette /ˌbal mjuːˈzɛt, French bal myzɛt/

I. noun

(in France) a dance hall with an accordion band.

– origin French, originally denoting dancing outdoors to bagpipe accompaniment.

balmy /ˈbɑːmi/

I. adjective

1. characterized by pleasantly warm weather

• the balmy days of late summer.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹dated› variant spelling of barmy.

II. derivatives

1. balmily

adverb

2. balminess /ˈbɑːmɪnəs /

noun

balmyard

I. noun

(in the West Indies) a place where the rituals of Pocomania or obeah are practised.

– origin from balm in the sense ‘healing influence’, possibly influenced by an African word.

balneology /ˌbalnɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of medicinal springs and the therapeutic effects of bathing in them.

2. another term for balneotherapy.

II. derivatives

1. balneological

adjective

2. balneologist

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin balneum ‘bath’ + -logy.

balneotherapy /ˌbalnɪə(ʊ)ˈθɛrəpi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the treatment of disease by bathing in mineral springs.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin balneum ‘bath’ + therapy.

baloney /bəˈləʊni/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› foolish or deceptive talk; nonsense

• I don't buy it—it's all a load of baloney.

2. ‹informal› North American term for bologna.

– origin 1920s: sense 1 said to be a corruption of bologna.

Balqash, Lake /balˈkɑːʃ / Balkhash

a shallow salt lake in Kazakhstan.

balsa /ˈbɔːlsə, ˈbɒlsə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also balsa wood) — very lightweight timber used chiefly for making models and rafts.

2. the fast-growing tropical American tree from which this timber is obtained.
● Ochroma lagopus , family Bombacaceae.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a kind of South American raft or fishing boat): from Spanish, ‘raft’.

balsam /ˈbɔːlsəm, ˈbɒlsəm/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — an aromatic resinous substance, such as balm, exuded by various trees and shrubs and used as a base for certain fragrances and medical preparations.

• a mixture of olive oil and balsam.

• [ count noun] a hair conditioner with protein and balsams.

2. [ count noun] — a tree or shrub which yields balsam.

3. a herbaceous plant cultivated for its helmeted pink or purple flowers.
●Genus Impatiens, family Balsaminaceae: several species.

– origin Old English, via Latin from Greek balsamon.

balsam fir

noun

a North American fir tree which yields Canada balsam.
● Abies balsamea, family Pinaceae.

balsamic /bɔːlˈsamɪk, bɒlˈsamɪk/

I. adjective

1. of the nature of or yielding balsam

• balsamic resins.

2. relating to balsamic vinegar

• a balsamic dressing on the side.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. short for balsamic vinegar:

• grilled vegetables with balsamic.

balsamic vinegar /bɔːlsamɪk ˈvɪnɪɡə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. dark, sweet Italian vinegar that has been matured in wooden barrels.

balsam poplar

noun

a North American poplar tree which yields balsam.
● Populus balsamifera, family Salicaceae.

Balt /bɔːlt, bɒlt/

I. noun

1. a speaker of a Baltic language; a Lithuanian or Latvian.

2. a native or inhabitant of one of the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

3. ‹historical› a German-speaking inhabitant of any of the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

– origin late 19th cent.: from late Latin Balthae ‘dwellers near the Baltic Sea’.

Balthasar /ˈbalθəzɑː/

the name of one of the three Magi.

balthazar /balˈθazə/

I. noun

a very large wine bottle, equivalent in capacity to sixteen regular bottles.

– origin 1930s: from Balthazar, the name of the king of Babylon, who ‘made a great feast … and drank wine before a thousand’ (Dan. 5:1).

balti /ˈbɔːlti, ˈbalti/

I. noun

(in Pakistani cooking) a spicy dish cooked in a small two-handled pan known as a karahi.
[as modifier]

• balti restaurants.

– origin 1980s: of uncertain origin: perhaps from Balti.

Balti /ˈbalti/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Baltistan.

2. [ mass noun] — the Tibetan language of the Baltis, with around 400,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Baltis or their language.

– origin the name in Ladakhi dialect.

Baltic /ˈbɔːltɪk, ˈbɒltɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the Baltic Sea or the region surrounding it.

2. denoting or relating to a branch of the Indo-European family of languages consisting of Lithuanian, Latvian, and Old Prussian.

II. noun

1. ( the Baltic) — the Baltic Sea or the Baltic States.

2. [ mass noun] — the Baltic languages collectively.

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin Balticus, from late Latin Balthae ‘dwellers near the Baltic Sea’.

Baltic Exchange

I. an association of companies, based in London, whose members are engaged in numerous international trading activities, especially the chartering of vessels to carry cargo.

– origin from the name Virginia and Baltic, one of many coffee houses where shipowners and merchants met in London in the 18th cent., the coffee house being so named by association with areas of much of the trade.

Baltic Sea

an almost landlocked sea of northern Europe, between Sweden, Finland, Russia, Poland, Germany, and Denmark. It is linked with the North Sea by the Kattegat strait and the Øresund channel.

Baltic States

I. the independent republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

II. the ten members of the Council of Baltic States established in 1992: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, and Sweden.

Baltimore /ˈbɔːltɪmɔː, ˈbɒltɪmɔː/

I. a seaport in north Maryland; pop. 636,919 (est. 2008).

II. derivatives

Baltimorean /bɔːltɪˈmɔːrɪən, bɒltɪˈmɔːrɪən /

noun, adjective

– origin named after George Calvert, the first Baron Baltimore ( c. 1580–1632), who in 1632 obtained a grant of land for the colony later to become Maryland.

Baltistan /ˌbɔːltɪˈstɑːn, ˌbɒltɪˈstɑːn, ˌbɔːltɪˈstan, ˌbɒltɪˈstan/

a region of the Karakoram range of the Himalayas, to the south of K2.
Also called Little Tibet.

Baluchi /bəˈluːtʃi/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Baluchistan.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Iranian group spoken by over 5 million people in and around Baluchistan.

II. adjective

relating to the Baluchi or their language.

– origin from Persian Balūč(ī).

Baluchistan /bəˌluːtʃɪˈstɑːn, bəˌluːtʃɪˈstan/

I. a mountainous region of western Asia, which includes part of SE Iran, SW Afghanistan, and western Pakistan.

II. a province of western Pakistan; capital, Quetta.

balun /ˈbalʌn/

I. noun

a type of electrical transformer used to connect an unbalanced circuit to a balanced one.

– origin from bal(ance to) un(balance transformer).

baluster /ˈbaləstə/

I. noun

1. a short decorative pillar forming part of a series supporting a rail or coping.

2. [as modifier] — (of a furniture leg or other decorative item) having the form of a baluster

• baluster legs in English oak.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French balustre, from Italian balaustro, from balaust(r)a ‘wild pomegranate flower’ (via Latin from Greek balaustion), so named because part of the pillar resembles the curving calyx tube of the flower.

balustrade /ˌbaləˈstreɪd/

I. noun

a railing supported by balusters, especially one forming an ornamental parapet to a balcony, bridge, or terrace.

II. derivatives

balustraded /ˌbaləˈstreɪdɪd /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from balustre (see baluster).

Balzac, Honoré de /ˈbalzak/

I. (1799–1850), French novelist. He is chiefly remembered for his series of ninety-one interconnected novels and stories known collectively as La Comédie humaine, which includes Eugénie Grandet (1833) and Le Père Goriot (1835).

II. derivatives

Balzacian /balˈzakɪən /

adjective

bam

I. exclamation

used to imitate the sound of a hard blow or to convey something happening abruptly

• he'll have to make a dash for it, and when he does, bam, he's dead.

– origin 1920s: imitative.

BAM

abbreviation

Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible marka.

bama /ˈbamə / pama

noun

(Austral.) an Aborigine, especially one from northern Queensland.

Bamako /ˈbaməkəʊ/

the capital of Mali, in the south of the country, on the River Niger; pop. 1,728,400 (est. 2009).

Bambara /bamˈbɑːrə/

I. noun

1. a member of a West African people living chiefly in Mali.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Bambara, belonging to the Mande group. It has about 1.5 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Bambara or their language.

bambino /bamˈbiːnəʊ/

I. noun

1. a baby or young child.

• she admits that she is expecting a summer bambino.

2. an image of the infant Jesus.

• you may want to make stars for your Christmas tree or a radiant bambino.

– origin early 18th cent.: Italian, diminutive of bambo ‘silly’.

bamboo /bamˈbuː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a giant woody grass which is grown chiefly in the tropics.
● Bambusa and other genera, family Gramineae.

2. the hollow jointed stem of the bamboo plant, used as a cane or to make furniture and implements.

• a section of bamboo about four feet long.

• [as modifier] a bamboo bench.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Dutch bamboes, based on Malay mambu.

bamboo rat

noun

a large nocturnal burrowing rat that feeds chiefly on the roots of bamboo and other plants, found in the forests of SE Asia.
●Genus Rhyzomys, family Muridae: several species.

bamboo shoot

noun

a young shoot of bamboo, eaten as a vegetable.

bamboozle /bamˈbuːz(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› cheat or fool

• he bamboozled Canada's largest banks in a massive counterfeit scam.

II. derivatives

bamboozler /bamˈbuːzlə /

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

bamboozlement /bamˈbuːz(ə)lm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› a state of deception or mystification

• wave after wave of bamboozlement is in store as these stories unfold.

BAME

abbreviation

(Brit.) black, Asian, and minority ethnic (used to refer to members of non-white communities in the UK).

Bamian /ˌbamɪˈɑːn/

a city in central Afghanistan; pop. 10,400 (est. 2006). Nearby are the remains of two colossal statues of Buddha, destroyed by the Taliban in 2001, and the ruins of the city of Ghulghuleh, which was destroyed by Genghis Khan c. 1221.

bammy bammie

I. noun

(in the West Indies) a flat roll or pancake made from cassava flour.

– origin probably from a West African language.

ban^1 /ban/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. officially or legally prohibit (something)

• parking is banned around the harbour in summer.

2. officially prevent (someone) from doing something

• her son was banned for life from the Centre.

II. noun

1. an official or legal prohibition

• a proposed ban on cigarette advertising

• a three-year driving ban.

2. an official exclusion of a person from an organization, country, or activity

• a ban on dangerous jet-ski riders.

3. ‹historical› a sentence of outlawry.

• the Presbyterians were under the ban of the law.

4. ‹archaic› a curse.

• the land might be smitten by the ban which once fell upon the Canaanites.

III. derivatives

bannable

adjective

– origin Old English bannan ‘summon by a public proclamation’, of Germanic origin, reinforced by Old Norse banna ‘curse, prohibit’; the noun is partly from Old French ban ‘proclamation, summons, banishment’.

ban^2 /bɑːn/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Romania, equal to one hundredth of a leu.

– origin Romanian.

Banaba /bəˈnabə/

an island in the western Pacific, just south of the equator to the west of the Gilbert Islands. Formerly within the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, the island has been part of Kiribati since 1979.
Also called Ocean Island.

banal /bəˈnɑːl, bəˈnal/

I. adjective

so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring

• songs with banal, repeated words.

II. derivatives

banally

adverb

– origin mid 18th cent. (originally relating to feudal service in the sense ‘compulsory’, hence ‘common to all’): from French, from ban ‘a proclamation or call to arms’; ultimately of Germanic origin and related to ban^1.

banality /bəˈnalɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or condition of being banal; unoriginality

• there is an essential banality to the story he tells

• [ count noun] the banalities of contemporary celebrity culture.

banana /bəˈnɑːnə/

I. noun

1. a long curved fruit which grows in clusters and has soft pulpy flesh and yellow skin when ripe.

• a bunch of bananas.

2. (also banana plant or banana tree) — the tropical and subtropical palm-like plant which bears bananas, having very large leaves but lacking a woody trunk.
●Genus Musa, family Musaceae: several species, in particular M. sapientum.

II. phrases

1. go (or be) bananas ‹informal›

a. become (or be) mad or extremely silly.

• everyone's beginning to think I'm bananas.

b. become extremely angry or excited

• she went bananas when I said I was going to leave the job.

2. top (or second) banana

‹informal› the most (or second most) important person in an organization.

• a top banana of the Mafia.

– origin late 16th cent.: via Portuguese or Spanish from Mande.

banana belt

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a region with a comparatively warm climate.

Banana bender

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a person from Queensland.

banana kick

noun

(Brit.) (in soccer or rugby) a kick to the side of the ball causing it to follow a curved line in the air, typically in order to avoid interception by an opponent

• he bent a banana kick through the goals.

Bananaland

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› Queensland.

II. derivatives

Bananalander

noun

banana lounge banana chair

noun

(Austral./NZ) an adjustable outdoor reclining chair incorporating a leg rest

• he'll be reclining on a banana lounge somewhere in the Swedish alps.

banana plug

noun

[Electronics] ‹informal› a single-pole connector with a curved strip of metal forming a spring along its tip.

bananaquit /bəˈnɑːnəkwɪt/

I. noun

a small songbird with a curved bill, typically with a white stripe over the eye, a sooty grey back, and yellow underparts. It is common in the Caribbean and Central and South America.
● Coereba flaveola, the only member of the family Coerebidae; sometimes placed in the family Parulidae.

– origin see quit^2.

banana republic

noun

‹derogatory› a small state that is politically unstable as a result of the domination of its economy by a single export controlled by foreign capital.

banana skin

noun

1. the skin of a banana, especially when peeled off and discarded

• you can compost banana skins, peelings, teabags, and eggshells.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› used to refer to a cause of difficulty or embarrassment

• the minister was appointed to spot political banana skins

• this game remains a potential banana skin for Burnley

• the world's two major economic powers seem unable to avoid slipping on a banana skin.

[from the slapstick convention of falling over as a result of slipping on a discarded banana skin.]

banana split

noun

a sweet dish made with bananas cut down the middle and filled with ice cream, sauce, and nuts.

banausic /bəˈnɔːsɪk/

I. adjective

1. ‹formal› not operating on an elevated level; mundane.

• serious discussion of scientific problems was regarded as banausic.

2. ‹formal› relating to technical work.

• his contribution may have been administrative or banausic.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek banausikos ‘of or for artisans’.

Banbury cake

I. noun

(Brit.) a flat pastry with a spicy currant filling.

– origin late 16th cent.: named after the town of Banbury in central England, where it was originally made.

bancassurance /ˈbaŋkəˌʃɔːrəns / bankassurance

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the selling of life assurance and other insurance products and services by banking institutions.

II. derivatives

bancassurer

noun

banco /ˈbaŋkəʊ/

I. exclamation

(in baccarat, chemin de fer, and similar games) an indication of a player's willingness to meet the banker's whole stake single-handed.

– origin late 18th cent.: via French from Italian.

band^1 /band/

I. noun

1. a flat, thin strip or loop of material, used as a fastener, for reinforcement, or as decoration.

• wads of banknotes fastened with gummed paper bands.

• Victoria settled the velvet band on her hair.

2. a plain ring for the finger, especially a gold wedding ring.

• a narrow band of gold was her only jewellery.

3. [Ornithology] (N. Amer.) a ring of metal placed round a bird's leg to identify it.

• look for a leg band on the osprey.

4. a belt or strap transmitting motion between two wheels or pulleys.

5. ( bands) — a collar with two hanging strips, worn by certain lawyers, clerics, and academics as part of their formal dress.

• I'm wearing clerical bands, which are a sign of my office.

6. a stripe, line, or elongated area of a different colour, texture, or composition from its surroundings

• a long, narrow band of cloud.

7. a narrow stratum of rock or coal.

• the band of limestone continues north on the same contour.

8. a range of values or a specified category within a series (used especially in financial contexts)

• your home was placed in one of eight valuation bands.

9. a range of frequencies or wavelengths in a spectrum

• channels in the UHF band.

10. any of several groups into which school pupils of the same age are divided on the basis of broadly similar ability

• the top band of pupils.

11. ‹archaic› a thing that restrains, binds, or unites

• must I fall, and die in bands?

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide or fit (an object) with something in the form of a strip or ring, for reinforcement or decoration

• doors are banded with iron to make them stronger.

2. [Ornithology] (N. Amer.) put a band on (a bird) for identification.

• the map shows where starlings banded in Holland were later recovered.

3. mark (something) with a stripe or stripes of a different colour

• the bird's bill is banded across the middle with black

• (as adj. banded) banded agate.

4. (Brit.) allocate to a range or category (used especially in financial contexts)

• single adults in a property banded above D will pay more.

5. group (school pupils) into classes or sets for teaching purposes.

• the infants are banded in terms of their ability.

– origin late Old English (in sense 4 of the noun), from Old Norse, reinforced in late Middle English by Old French bande, of Germanic origin; related to bind.

band^2 /band/

I. noun

1. a group of people who have a common interest or purpose or who share a common feature

• a band of eminent British researchers.

2. [Anthropology] a subgroup of a tribe.

• Philip was born a Shushwap Indian, part of the Little Shushwap band.

3. a small group of musicians and vocalists who play pop, jazz, or rock music

• the band's last two albums

• a local band.

4. a group of musicians who play brass, wind, or percussion instruments

• a military band.

5. (N. Amer.) a herd or flock

• moving bands of caribou.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of people or organizations) form a group to achieve a mutual objective

• local people banded together to fight the company.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bande, of Germanic origin; related to banner.

Banda, Hastings Kamuzu /ˈbandə/

(1906–97), Malawian statesman, Prime Minister 1964–94 and the first President of the Republic of Malawi 1966–94. Banda was defeated in Malawi's first multiparty elections in 1994; the following year he was acquitted on charges of murdering four political opponents.

bandage /ˈbandɪdʒ/

I. noun

a strip of woven material used to bind up a wound or to protect an injured part of the body

• her leg was swathed in bandages

• [ mass noun] a strip of bandage.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. bind (a wound or a part of the body) with a protective strip of material

• bandage the foot so that the ankle is supported.

III. derivatives

bandaging /ˈbandɪdʒɪŋ /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from bande (see band^1).

bandage dress

noun

a tight-fitting dress made of a stretchy fabric that appears to be wrapped around the body in layers.

• she wore a figure-hugging gold Herve Leger bandage dress and peep-toe platform shoes.

Band-Aid /ˈbandeɪd/

noun

1. ‹trademark› (chiefly N. Amer.) a piece of sticking plaster of a type having a gauze pad.

• she put a Band-Aid on Belinda's arm.

2. (also band-aid) [often as modifier] — ‹trademark› (chiefly N. Amer.) a temporary solution, especially an unsatisfactory one

• a band-aid solution to a much deeper problem.

bandana /banˈdanə / bandanna

I. noun

a large coloured handkerchief, typically with white spots, worn tied around the head or neck.

– origin mid 18th cent.: probably via Portuguese from Hindi.

Bandaranaike, Sirimavo /ˌbandərəˈnʌɪkə/

(1916–2000), Sinhalese stateswoman, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka 1960–5, 1970–7, and 1994–2000; full name Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike. The world's first woman Prime Minister, she succeeded her husband, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, after his assassination.

Bandar Lampung /ˌbandə ˈlampʊŋ/

a city at the southern tip of Sumatra, in Indonesia; pop. 916,600 (est. 2009). It was created in the 1980s as a result of the amalgamation of the city of Tanjungkarang and the nearby port of Telukbetung.

Bandar Seri Begawan /ˌbandə ˌsɛrɪ bəˈɡɑːwən/

the capital of Brunei; pop. 32,300 (est. 2008).

Banda Sea /ˈbandə/

a sea in eastern Indonesia, between the central and south Molucca Islands.

B & B

abbreviation

bed and breakfast.

bandbox /ˈban(d)bɒks/

I. noun

1. a circular cardboard box for carrying hats.

2. ‹dated› used in comparisons to convey the smartness and neatness of someone's appearance

• I'd go out looking fresh out of a bandbox.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from band^1 + box^1, the box being used originally for neckbands.

bandeau /ˈbandəʊ/

I. noun

1. a narrow band worn round the head to hold the hair in position.

2. [usu. as modifier] — a woman's strapless top formed from a band of fabric fitting around the bust

• a bandeau bikini top.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from Old French bandel, diminutive of bande (see band^1).

banded anteater

noun

another term for numbat.

banderilla /ˌbandəˈriːjə/

I. noun

a decorated dart thrust into a bull's neck or shoulders during a bullfight.

– origin Spanish, diminutive of bandera ‘banner’.

banderillero /ˌbandərɪˈljɛːrəʊ, ˌbandərɪˈlɛːrəʊ/

I. noun

a bullfighter who uses banderillas.

– origin Spanish.

banderole /ˈbandərəʊl / banderol

I. noun

1. a long, narrow flag with a cleft end, flown at a masthead.

2. ‹historical› an ornamental streamer on a knight's lance.

3. a ribbon-like stone scroll bearing an inscription.

4. a rectangular banner carried at the funerals of public figures and placed over the tomb.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Italian banderuola, diminutive of bandiera ‘banner’.

bandersnatch /ˈbandəsnatʃ/

I. noun

a fierce mythical creature immune to bribery and capable of moving very fast.

– origin 1871: coined by Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking Glass; probably a portmanteau word.

bandfish

noun

1. an elongated marine fish with dorsal and often anal fins that extend the length of the body.
●Family Cepolidae: several genera and species.

2. a large edible freshwater fish that has a long trunk-like snout and lacks dorsal, pelvic, and tail fins, native to tropical South America.
● Rhamphichthys rostratus, family Rhamphichthyidae.

bandh /bʌnd/

I. noun

(Indian) a general strike.

• the impact of the bandh would be fatal to the cloth trade.

– origin via Hindi from Sanskrit bandh ‘to stop’.

bandicoot /ˈbandɪkuːt/

I. noun

1. a mainly insectivorous marsupial native to Australia and New Guinea.
●Family Peramelidae: several genera and species. .

2. (Indian) a bandicoot rat.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Telugu pandikokku, literally ‘pig-rat’.

bandicoot rat

noun

an Asian rat that is a destructive pest in many places.
●Genera Bandicota and Nesokia, family Muridae: four species, in particular the large B. indica.

banding /ˈbandɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the presence or formation of stripes of contrasting colour

• the yellow and black banding of bees and wasps.

2. [Biochemistry] the pattern of regions on a chromosome made visible by staining.

bandit /ˈbandɪt/

I. noun

1. a robber or outlaw belonging to a gang and typically operating in an isolated or lawless area.

• the bandit produced a weapon and demanded money.

2. ‹military slang› an enemy aircraft.

II. derivatives

banditry /ˈbandɪtri /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian bandito, ‘banned’, past participle of bandire ‘to ban’.

bandito /banˈdiːtəʊ / bandido

noun

(N. Amer.) a Mexican bandit, especially as represented in films and popular culture.

bandleader /ˈbandliːdə/

noun

a player at the head of a musical band.

bandmaster /ˈban(d)mɑːstə/

noun

the conductor of a musical band, especially a brass or military one.

bandmate

noun

a fellow musician or singer in a band.

Band of Hope

a British organization promoting total abstinence from alcohol.

bandog

I. noun

a fighting dog bred for its strength and ferocity by crossing aggressive breeds.

– origin Middle English (originally denoting a dog kept on a chain or ‘band’): from band^1 + dog.

bandolero /bandəˈlɛːrəʊ/

I. noun

a Spanish bandit.

– origin Spanish.

bandolier /ˌbandəˈlɪə / bandoleer

I. noun

a shoulder belt with loops or pockets for cartridges.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French bandoulière; perhaps from Spanish bandolera (from banda ‘sash’), or from Catalan bandolera (from bandoler ‘bandit’).

bandoneon /banˈdəʊnɪən/

I. noun

a type of square concertina, especially popular in Argentina.

– origin via Spanish from German Bandonion, named after Heinrich Band, the 19th-cent. German musician who invented it, + -on- (as in Harmonika ‘harmonica’) + -ion (as in Akkordion ‘accordion’).

bandora /banˈdɔːrə / bandore /banˈdɔː/

I. noun

a kind of bass lute with a scallop-shaped body and metal strings, typical of English consorts of the late 16th and 17th centuries.

– origin mid 16th cent.: origin uncertain; compare with Dutch bandoor, Spanish bandurria, also with banjo; probably based on Greek pandoura ‘three-stringed lute’.

bandpass

I. adjective

(of a filter) transmitting only a set range of frequencies.

• a 1–40 Hz bandpass filter.

II. noun

the range of frequencies which are transmitted through a bandpass filter.

• a bandpass of 0.8–50 Hz.

bandsaw /ˈban(d)sɔː/

noun

a saw consisting of an endless moving steel belt with a serrated edge.

bandshell /ˈbandʃɛl/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a bandstand in the form of a large concave shell with special acoustic properties.

bandsman /ˈban(d)zmən/

noun

a player in a musical band, especially a military or brass one.

bandstand /ˈban(d)stand/

noun

a covered outdoor platform for a band to play on, typically in a park.

bandulu /banˈduːluː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (W. Indian) crime or fraudulent dealings
[as modifier]

• bandulu business.

Bandung /ˈbandʊŋ/

a city in Indonesia; pop. 1,601,800 (est. 2009). Founded by the Dutch in 1810, it was the capital of the former Dutch East Indies.

bandura /banˈduːrə/

I. noun

a Ukrainian stringed instrument resembling a large asymmetrical lute with many strings, held vertically and plucked like a zither.

– origin Ukrainian; compare with bandora.

bandwagon /ˈbandwaɡən/

noun

1. (especially formerly) a wagon used for carrying a band in a parade or procession.

• the colourful bandwagon was later purchased for use in circus parades.

2. an activity or cause that has suddenly become fashionable or popular

• companies sought to strengthen their share prices by jumping on the dot-com bandwagon

• they would not climb aboard the bandwagon of every fashionable social issue.

bandwidth /ˈbandwɪtθ, ˈbandwɪdθ/

noun

1. [Electronics] a range of frequencies within a given band, in particular that used for transmitting a signal.

2. the transmission capacity of a computer network or other telecommunication system.

• posting separately wastes bandwidth and disk space.

3. the energy or mental capacity required to deal with a situation

• he lives alone, and says he doesn't have the bandwidth to handle a steady relationship.

bandy^1 /ˈbandi/

I. adjective

1. (of a person's legs) curved outwards so that the knees are wide apart.

• she had bent, slightly bandy legs.

2. (of a person) having bandy legs.

• he was short, bandy, and obese.

– origin late 17th cent.: perhaps from obsolete bandy ‘curved stick used in hockey’.

bandy^2 /ˈbandi/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. be bandied about/around)

1. pass on or discuss (an idea or rumour) in a casual or uninformed way

• £40,000 is the figure that has been bandied about.

II. phrases

bandy words

argue pointlessly or rudely

• I'm not going to bandy words with you.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘pass a ball to and fro’): perhaps from French bander ‘take sides at tennis’, from bande ‘band, crowd’ (see band^2).

bandy^3 /ˈbandi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game similar to field hockey or ice hockey, played with a ball and large curved sticks.

2. ( pl. bandies) [ count noun] — the curved stick used in the game of bandy.

– origin late 17th cent.: perhaps from bandy^2.

bandy-bandy

I. noun

a small mildly venomous nocturnal snake marked with distinctive black-and-white bands, native to Australia.
● Vermicella annulata, family Elapidae.

– origin 1920s: from Kattah (an Aboriginal language) bandi bandi.

Bandywallop /ˌbandɪˈwɒləp/

I. noun

(Austral.) an imaginary place perceived as remote and backward

• Government House is welcoming the usual delegations of charity workers from Bandywallop.

– origin 1930s: a jocular coinage.

bane /beɪn/

I. noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. a cause of great distress or annoyance

• the telephone was the bane of my life.

2. ‹archaic› something, especially poison, which causes death.

II. derivatives

baneful /ˈbeɪnfəl /

adjective

‹archaic›

– origin Old English bana ‘thing causing death, poison’, of Germanic origin.

baneberry /ˈbeɪnb(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a plant of the buttercup family, which bears fluffy spikes of creamy-white flowers followed by shiny berries, found in north temperate regions.
●Genus Actaea, family Ranunculaceae, especially the common Eurasian A. spicata (also called herb Christopher), with black berries.

2. the bitter, often poisonous, berry of the baneberry.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from bane in the sense ‘poison’ + berry.

Banffshire /ˈbamfʃ(ɪ)ə/

a former county of NE Scotland which became a part of Grampian region in 1975 and Aberdeenshire in 1996.

bang^1 /baŋ/

I. noun

1. a sudden loud, sharp noise

• the door slammed with a bang.

2. a sharp blow causing a sudden, loud noise

• I went to answer a bang on the front door.

3. a sudden painful blow

• a nasty bang on the head.

4. ( bangs) — (N. Amer.) a fringe of hair cut straight across the forehead.

• she brushed back her wispy bangs.

[from a use of the adverb bang to mean ‘abruptly’.]

5. ‹vulgar slang› an act of sexual intercourse.

6. [Computing] (chiefly N. Amer.) the character ‘!’.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. strike or put down (something) forcefully and noisily

• he began to bang the table with his fist

• Sarah banged the phone down

• [no obj.] someone was banging on the door.

2. [with obj. and adverbial] — cause (something) to strike something else unexpectedly and sharply

• I banged my head on the low beams

• [no obj.] she banged into some shelves in the darkness.

3. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — (of a sports player) hit (a ball or a shot) forcefully and successfully

• he banged home four penalties in the opening twenty minutes.

4. [no obj.] — make a sudden loud noise, typically repeatedly

• the shutter was banging in the wind.

5. (with reference to something such as a door) open or close noisily
[with obj. and complement]

• he banged the kitchen door shut behind him.

6. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (of a person) move around or do something noisily

• she was banging around the kitchen.

7. (N. Amer.) cut (hair) in a fringe.

8. ‹vulgar slang› (of a man) have sexual intercourse with (a woman).

III. adverb

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) exactly

• the train arrived bang on time.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) completely

• bring your wardrobe bang up to date.

IV. exclamation

1. used to convey the sound of a sudden loud noise

• party poppers went bang.

2. used to convey the suddenness of an action

• the minute something becomes obsolete, bang, it's gone.

V. phrases

1. bang for one's (or the) buck

(US) ‹informal› value for money.

• classy sports cars with huge bang for your buck.

2. bang goes ——

(Brit.) used to express the sudden collapse of a plan or hope

• my first thought when I heard the news was ‘Bang goes my knighthood!’.

3. bang on

(Brit.) ‹informal› exactly right

• the programme is bang on about the fashion world.

4. bang (or knock) people's heads together

see head.

5. get a bang out of

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› derive excitement or pleasure from

• some people get a bang out of reading that stuff.

6. with a bang

a. abruptly

• the remark brought me down to earth with a bang.

b. successfully or impressively

• the occasion went with a bang.

VI. phrasal verbs

1. bang away at

‹informal› do something in a persistent or dogged way

• he was banging away at his novel.

2. bang on about

(Brit.) ‹informal› talk at tedious length about (something)

• the government banged on about competition and the free market.

3. bang something out ‹informal›

a. play music noisily, enthusiastically, and unskilfully.

• Dad was annihilating a Beethoven sonata, banging out notes.

b. produce something hurriedly or in great quantities

• they weren't banging out ads in my day the way they are now.

4. bang someone/thing up

a. (Brit.) ‹informal› imprison someone

• they've been banged up for something they didn't do.

b. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› damage or injure someone or something.

• he banged up his knee.

– origin mid 16th cent.: imitative, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare with Old Norse bang ‘hammering’.

bang^2 /baŋ/

noun

variant spelling of bhang.

Bangalore /ˌbaŋɡəˈlɔː/

a city in south central India, capital of the state of Karnataka; pop. 5,310,300 (est. 2009).

Bangalore torpedo

noun

a tube containing explosive used by infantry for blowing up wire entanglements or other barriers.

bangarang /ˈbaŋəraŋ/

I. noun

(W. Indian) an uproar or disturbance.

– origin probably imitative, but perhaps influenced by Portuguese banguelê ‘riot, disorder’.

banger /ˈbaŋə/

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a sausage.

• bangers and mash.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› an old car in poor condition

• they've only got an old banger.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› a loud explosive firework.

• these fireworks are no longer bangers but more like explosives.

banging /ˈbaŋɪŋ/

adjective

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› (of dance music) having a loud relentless beat.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› excellent

• a bangin' night out.

Bangkok /baŋˈkɒk/

the capital and chief port of Thailand, on the Chao Phraya waterway, 40 km (25 miles) upstream from its outlet into the Gulf of Thailand; pop. 5,705,100 (est. 2007).
Thai name Krung Thep.

Bangla /ˈbʌŋləː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Bengali language.

II. adjective

1. Bangladeshi.

2. Bengali.

– origin from Bengali bāṅglā.

Bangladesh /ˌbaŋɡləˈdɛʃ/

1. a country of South Asia, in the Ganges delta; pop. 156,050,900 (est. 2009); official language, Bengali; capital, Dhaka.

Formerly part of British India, the region became (as East Pakistan) one of the two geographical units of Pakistan. After civil war the independent republic of Bangladesh was proclaimed in 1971; it became a Commonwealth state in 1972.

Bangladeshi /ˌbaŋɡləˈdɛʃi/

I. adjective

relating to Bangladesh

• though my parents are both Bangladeshi, I was born and raised in London

• the Bangladeshi garment industry.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Bangladesh, or a person of Bangladeshi descent

• the majority of Bangladeshis in urban areas have mobile phones.

bangle /ˈbaŋɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

a rigid ornamental band worn round the arm or occasionally the ankle.

• she rubbed the ivory bangle on her wrist.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Hindi baṅglī ‘glass bracelet’.

bangtail

noun

a horse's tail that has been cut straight across just below the level of the hocks.

bangtail muster

I. noun

(Austral.) a count of cattle on a station, involving cutting across the tufts at the tail ends as each is counted.

– origin late 19th cent.: bang in the sense ‘cut (the tail of an animal) straight across’; compare with bang^1 (sense 2 of the verb).

Bangui /ˈbaŋɡiː/

the capital of the Central African Republic; pop. 672,000 (est. 2007).

bang-up

adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› excellent

• for a novice, he has done a bang-up job.

banh mi /ˈbɑːn miː/

I. noun

(in Vietnamese cuisine) a sandwich consisting of a baguette (traditionally baked with both rice and wheat flour) filled with a variety of ingredients, typically including meat, pickled vegetables, and chilli.

• along with classic banh mi, there are refreshing cold noodles and exceptional bowls of soup.

– origin from Vietnamese bánh mi ‘bread’.

bani

plural form of ban^2.

bania /ˈbʌnɪə/

I. noun

(in India) a trader or merchant.

– origin from Hindi baniyā, from Sanskrit vāṇija.

banish /ˈbanɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. send (someone) away from a country or place as an official punishment

• a number of people were banished to Siberia for political crimes.

2. get rid of (something unwanted)

• all thoughts of romance were banished from her head.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French baniss-, lengthened stem of banir; ultimately of Germanic origin and related to ban^1.

banishment /ˈbanɪʃmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the punishment of being sent away from a country or other place

• Adam and Eve's banishment from the Garden of Eden

• the total banishment of his daughter from the country

• ‹figurative› his banishment to the political wilderness.

2. the action of getting rid of something unwanted

• the banishment of world hunger.

banister /ˈbanɪstə / bannister

I. noun — (also banisters)

1. the structure formed by the uprights and handrail at the side of a staircase.

• he vaulted the banister.

• she peered over the banisters.

2. a single upright at the side of a staircase

• I stuck my head between the banisters.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from earlier barrister, alteration of baluster.

Banja Luka /ˌbanjə ˈluːkə/

a town in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina; pop. 164,200 (est. 2008).

Banjarmasin /ˌbandʒəˈmɑːsɪn / Bandjarmasin

a deep-water port and capital of the province of Kalimantan in Indonesia, on the island of Borneo; pop. 576,400 (est. 2009).

banjax /ˈbandʒaks/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. banjaxed)

1. ‹informal› ruin, incapacitate, or break

• the kettle's banjaxed.

– origin 1930s: originally Anglo-Irish, of unknown origin.

banjo /ˈbandʒəʊ/

I. noun

1. a stringed instrument of the guitar family, with a round open-backed soundbox of parchment stretched over a metal hoop.

2. an object resembling a banjo in shape
[as modifier]

• a banjo clock.

3. (Austral./NZ) ‹dated› a shovel.

II. phrases

swing the banjo

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› use a shovel, especially in a vigorous way

• I hope to be swinging the banjo around some of those stony ridges.

III. derivatives

banjoist /ˈbandʒəʊɪst /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: originally a black American alteration of bandore (see bandora).

Banjul /banˈdʒuːl/

the capital of Gambia; pop. 34,828 (2003).
Former name (until 1973) Bathurst.

bank^1 /baŋk/

I. noun

1. the land alongside or sloping down to a river or lake

• willows lined the bank of the stream.

2. a long, high mass or mound of a particular substance

• a grassy bank

• a bank of snow.

3. an elevation in the seabed or a riverbed; a mudbank or sandbank.

4. a transverse slope given to a road, railway, or sports track to enable vehicles or runners to maintain speed round a curve.

5. [ mass noun] — the sideways tilt of an aircraft when turning in flight

• a rather steep angle of bank.

6. a set of similar things, especially electrical or electronic devices, grouped together in rows

• the DJ had big banks of lights and speakers on either side of his console.

7. a tier of oars.

• the early ships had only twenty-five oars in each bank.

8. the cushion of a pool table.
[as modifier]

• a bank shot.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. heap (a substance) into a mass or mound

• the rain banked the soil up behind the gate

• snow was banked in humps at the roadside.

2. [no obj.] — form into a mass or mound

• purple clouds banked up over the hills.

3. heap up (a fire) with tightly packed fuel so that it burns slowly

• she banked up the fire.

4. edge or surround with a ridge or row of something

• steps banked with pots of chrysanthemums.

5. (with reference to an aircraft or vehicle) tilt or cause to tilt sideways in making a turn
[no obj.]

• the plane banked as if to return to the airport

• [with obj.] I banked the aircraft steeply and turned.

6. build (a road, railway, or sports track) higher at the outer edge of a bend to facilitate fast cornering.

• the track was banked to allow a train to take curves faster while maintaining passenger comfort.

7. (often as noun banking) — (Brit.) (of a locomotive) provide additional power for (a train) in ascending an incline.

8. (of an angler) succeed in landing (a fish)

• it was the biggest rainbow trout that had ever been banked.

9. (N. Amer.) (in pool) play (a ball) so that it rebounds off a surface such as a cushion.

• I banked the eight ball off two cushions.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse bakki, of Germanic origin; related to bench. The senses ‘set of things in rows’ and ‘tier of oars’ are from French banc, of the same ultimate origin.

bank^2 /baŋk/

I. noun

1. a financial establishment that uses money deposited by customers for investment, pays it out when required, makes loans at interest, and exchanges currency
[as modifier]

• a bank account.

2. a stock of something available for use when required

• a blood bank

• ‹figurative› Britain has a bank of highly exportable skills.

3. a site or receptacle where something may be deposited for recycling

• a paper bank.

4. ( the bank) — the store of money or tokens held by the banker in some gambling or board games.

5. the person holding the bank in some gambling or board games; the banker.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — deposit (money or valuables) in a bank.

• she may have banked a cheque in the wrong account.

2. [no obj.] — have an account at a particular bank

• the family has banked with Coutts for generations.

3. ‹informal› win or earn (a sum of money)

• he banked £100,000 for a hole-in-one.

4. store (something, especially blood, tissue, or sperm) for future use.

• the sperm is banked or held in storage for the following spring.

III. phrases

1. the Bank of Mum and Dad

(Brit.) ‹informal› (especially in the context of property purchase) a person's parents regarded as a source of financial assistance or support

• they face a lifetime of renting unless the Bank of Mum and Dad is willing to help out.

2. break the bank

a. (in gambling) win more money than is held by the bank.

• winning the pools was the equivalent of breaking the bank at Monte Carlo.

b. [usu. with negative] — ‹informal› cost more than one can afford

• at £30, the shirts won't break the bank.

IV. phrasal verbs

bank on

rely on confidently

• the prime minister cannot bank on their support.

– origin late 15th cent. (originally denoting a money dealer's table): from French banque or Italian banca, from medieval Latin banca, bancus, of Germanic origin; related to bank^1 and bench.

bankable /ˈbaŋkəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (especially in the entertainment industry) certain to bring profit and success

• he needed some bankable names to star in the film.

2. reliable

• a bankable assurance.

II. derivatives

bankability /baŋkəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

bank account

noun

an arrangement made with a bank whereby one may deposit and withdraw money and in some cases be paid interest.

bank balance

noun

the amount of money held in a bank account at a given moment.

• he had a bank balance that a senior merchant banker would not be ashamed of.

bank barn

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a barn built on a slope.

bank bill

noun

1. (Brit.) a bill of exchange drawn by one bank on another.

2. (US) another term for banknote.

bank book

noun

another term for passbook.

bank card

noun

a debit card or cash card.

bank clerk

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a person employed in a bank to deal with customers' transactions and undertake administrative duties

• the police were tipped off by a suspicious bank clerk.

bank draft

noun

a cheque drawn by a bank on its own funds.

banker^1 /ˈbaŋkə/

noun

1. a person who manages or owns a bank or group of banks.

2. the person running the table, controlling play, or acting as dealer in some gambling or board games.

3. (Brit.) a supposedly certain bet

• the horse should be a banker for him in the Members' race.

4. a result forecast identically (while other forecasts differ) in several football-pool entries on one coupon.

banker^2 /ˈbaŋkə/

I. noun

1. a boat employed in cod fishing off Newfoundland.

2. a Newfoundland fisherman.

3. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a river flooded to the top of its banks.

4. an additional locomotive used to assist a train in ascending an incline.

5. a bench at which a stonemason works.

II. phrases

run (or come down) a banker

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› (of a river) flood to the top of, or over, its banks

• the creek is running a banker.

banker's card

noun

(Brit.) another term for cheque card.

banker's draft

noun

another term for bank draft.

banker's hours

plural noun

(N. Amer.) short working hours (in reference to the typical opening hours of a bank).

banker's order

noun

(Brit.) a standing order to a bank to make specified payments from one's account to a particular recipient.

Bank for International Settlements

a bank founded in 1930 to promote the cooperation of central banks and to provide facilities for international financial operations. It is located at Basle in Switzerland.

Bankhead, Tallulah

(1902–68), American actress, noted for her uninhibited public persona. Her most successful film appearance was in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat (1944).

bank holiday

noun

(Brit.) a day on which banks are officially closed, kept as a public holiday.

Ban Ki-moon /ˌban kiːˈmuːn/

(b.1944), South Korean diplomat, Secretary General of the United Nations since 2007.

banking^1 /ˈbaŋkɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the business conducted or services offered by a bank

• with this account, you are entitled to free banking.

banking^2 /ˈbaŋkɪŋ/

noun

an embankment or artificial bank.

• I climbed down the banking and took a photograph.

bank machine

noun

another term for cash dispenser.

bank manager

noun

a person in charge of a local branch of a bank.

banknote /ˈbaŋknəʊt/

noun

a piece of paper money, constituting a central bank's promissory note to pay a stated sum to the bearer on demand.

• a £100 banknote.

Bank of England

the central bank of England and Wales, which issues legal tender, manages the national debt, administers exchange rate policy, and since 1997 sets interest rates. Founded in 1694, it was nationalized in 1946.

bank rate

noun

another term for base rate or discount rate.

bank robber

noun

a person who commits a bank robbery

• the hunt for an armed bank robber has been stepped up.

bank robbery

noun

an act or instance of robbing a bank

• he had participated in a bank robbery netting $4 million

• [ mass noun] she is awaiting trial on charges of bank robbery.

bankroll /ˈbaŋkrəʊl/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a roll of banknotes.

2. (N. Amer.) financial resources.

• his bankroll allowed him to run campaigns all over the US.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› support (a person, organization, or project) financially

• the project is bankrolled by wealthy expatriates.

bankrupt /ˈbaŋkrʌpt/

I. adjective

1. (of a person or organization) declared in law as unable to pay their debts

• his father went bankrupt and the family had to sell their home.

2. impoverished or depleted

• a bankrupt country with no natural resources.

3. completely lacking in a particular good quality

• their cause is morally bankrupt.

II. noun

a person judged by a court to be insolvent, whose property is taken and disposed of for the benefit of their creditors.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce (a person or organization) to bankruptcy

• the strike nearly bankrupted the union.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Italian banca rotta ‘broken bench’, from banca (see bank^2) and rompere ‘to break’. The change in the ending was due to association with Latin rupt- ‘broken’.

bankruptcy /ˈbaŋkrʌptsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being bankrupt

• many companies were facing bankruptcy

• [ count noun] a 7% increase in bankruptcies.

2. the state of being completely lacking in a particular good quality

• the intellectual bankruptcy of the corporate media.

bankruptcy order

noun

[English Law] an order of the court declaring a person bankrupt and placing their affairs under the control of a receiver or trustee.
Compare with receiving order.

Banks, Gordon

(b.1937), English footballer. An outstanding goalkeeper, he played in the 1966 and 1970 World Cups. In 1972 a serious eye injury sustained in a car crash effectively ended his playing career.

Banks, Sir Joseph

(1743–1820), English botanist. He accompanied Captain James Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific, and helped to establish the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

banksia /ˈbaŋksɪə/

I. noun

an evergreen Australian shrub which typically has narrow leathery leaves and spikes of bottlebrush-like flowers.
●Genus Banksia, family Proteaceae.

– origin modern Latin, named after Sir Joseph Banks (see Banks, Sir Joseph).

banksia man

I. noun

(Austral.) a nickname for the large woody cone produced by several species of banskia shrub

• take thongs for walking over the lumpy banksia men.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the name of the characters in the children's story The Complete Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (1918) by May Gibbs.

banksia rose

noun

a small-flowered climbing rose native to China.
● Rosa banksiae, family Rosaceae.

bank statement

noun

a printed record of the balance in a bank account and the amounts that have been paid into it and withdrawn from it, issued periodically to the holder of the account.

bankster

I. noun

‹derogatory› (chiefly US) a member of the banking industry seen as profiteering or dishonest

• nothing ever seems to happen to any of the banksters who caused all the problems in the first place.

– origin late 19th cent. (as non-derogatory nickname): blend of banker^1 and gangster.

bank vole

noun

a common reddish-brown Eurasian vole that lives in woodland and scrub.
● Clethrionomys glareolus, family Muridae.

banlieue /bɒnˈluː, bɒnˈljuː/

I. noun

a suburb of a French city, especially Paris

• the youth culture of French banlieues is rooted in poverty.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from ban ‘jurisdiction’ + lieue ‘league’.

banner /ˈbanə/

I. noun

1. a long strip of cloth bearing a slogan or design, carried in a demonstration or procession or hung in a public place.

• a nuclear disarmament banner was carried round the war memorial.

• students waved banners and chanted slogans.

2. ‹historical› a flag on a pole used as the standard of a monarch, knight, or army.

• the standard bearers followed, banners of bright red and yellow depicting dragons and stags.

3. used in reference to support for a belief or principle

• the government is flying the free trade banner.

4. a heading or advertisement appearing on a web page in the form of a bar, column, or box
[as modifier]

• a banner ad.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (N. Amer.) excellent; outstanding

• the company was having a banner year.

III. phrases

under the banner of

a. as part of a specified group

• the party is running under the banner of the Left-Wing Alliance.

b. claiming to support a specified cause or principle

• campaigns fought under the banner of multiculturalism.

IV. derivatives

bannered /ˈbanəd /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French baniere, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to band^2.

banneret /ˈbanərɪt/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a knight who commanded his own troops in battle under his own banner.

2. ‹historical› a knighthood given on the battlefield for courage.

– origin Middle English: from Old French baneret, literally ‘bannered’, from baniere ‘banner’.

banner headline

noun

a large newspaper headline, especially one across the top of the front page.

Bannister, Sir Roger

(b.1929), British middle-distance runner and neurologist; full name Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister. In May 1954 he became the first man to run a mile in under 4 minutes, with a time of 3 minutes 59.4 seconds.

bannock /ˈbanək/

I. noun

a round, flat loaf, typically unleavened, associated with Scotland and northern England.

– origin Old English bannuc, of Celtic origin; related to Welsh ban, Breton bannac'h, banne, and Cornish banna ‘a drop’.

Bannockburn, Battle of /ˈbanəkbəːn/

a battle which took place near Stirling in central Scotland in 1314, in which the English army of Edward II, advancing to break the siege of Stirling Castle, was defeated by the Scots under Robert the Bruce.

banns /banz/

I. plural noun

a notice read out on three successive Sundays in a parish church, announcing an intended marriage and giving the opportunity for objections.

II. phrases

forbid the banns

‹archaic› raise an objection to an intended marriage.

– origin Middle English: plural of ban^1.

banoffi pie /bəˈnɒfi / banoffee pie

I. noun

a pie or tart made with toffee, bananas, and cream.

– origin 1970s: banoffi from a blend of banana and toffee.

banquet /ˈbaŋkwɪt/

I. noun

1. an elaborate and formal evening meal for many people

• a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.

2. an elaborate meal with several courses; a feast

• a lavish five-course banquet

• ‹figurative› a veritable banquet of seasonal events.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as noun banqueting)

1. entertain with a banquet
[as modifier]

• a banqueting hall.

III. derivatives

banqueter /ˈbaŋkwɪtə /

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from French, diminutive of banc ‘bench’ (see bank^1).

banquette /baŋˈkɛt/

I. noun

1. an upholstered bench along a wall, especially in a restaurant or bar.

2. a raised step behind a rampart.

– origin early 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French, from Italian banchetta, diminutive of banca ‘bench’ (see bank^2). Sense 1 dates from the mid 19th cent.

banshee /banˈʃiː, ˈbanʃiː/

I. noun

(in Irish legend) a female spirit whose wailing warns of a death in a house

• the little girl dropped her ice cream and began to howl like a banshee

• [as modifier] a horrible banshee wail.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Irish bean sídhe, from Old Irish ben síde ‘woman of the fairies’.

bansuri /banˈsʊəri/

noun

a bamboo transverse flute of northern India.

bantam /ˈbantəm/

I. noun

1. a chicken of a small breed, the cock of which is noted for its aggression.

2. [usu. as modifier] — (Canadian) a level of amateur sport typically involving children aged between 13 and 15

• bantam hockey.

3. short for bantamweight.

– origin mid 18th cent.: apparently named after the province of Bantam in Java, although the fowl is not native there.

bantamweight /ˈbantəmweɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a weight in boxing and other sports intermediate between flyweight and featherweight. In the amateur boxing scale it ranges from 51 to 54 kg.

2. [ count noun] — a bantamweight boxer or other competitor.

banteng /ˈbantɛŋ/

I. noun

a SE Asian forest ox that resembles the domestic cow. It has been domesticated in Bali.
● Bos javanicus, family Bovidae.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Malay.

banter /ˈbantə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks

• there was much good-natured banter.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. exchange remarks in a good-humoured teasing way

• the men bantered with the waitresses

• (as adj. bantering) a bantering tone.

III. derivatives

1. banterer /ˈbantərə /

noun

2. banteringly

adverb

– origin late 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

Banting, Sir Frederick Grant

(1891–1941), Canadian physiologist and surgeon. With the assistance of C. H. Best, Banting discovered insulin in 1921–2, using it to treat the previously incurable and fatal disease diabetes. Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1923, shared with J. J. R. Macleod).

bantling /ˈbantlɪŋ/

I. noun

‹archaic› a young child.

– origin late 16th cent.: from band^1 + -ling, or a corruption of German bänkling ‘bastard’.

bants /bants / bantz

I. plural noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› playfully teasing or mocking remarks exchanged with another person or group; banter

• it's going to be a top night with plenty of bants

• the bantz were better before social media and even better before text messaging.

– origin early 21st cent.: from banter.

Bantu /banˈtuː, ˈbantuː/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a group of Niger–Congo languages spoken in central and southern Africa, including Swahili, Xhosa, and Zulu.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a group of Niger–Congo languages spoken in central and southern Africa, including Swahili, Xhosa, and Zulu.

2. ‹offensive› a member of an indigenous people of central and southern Africa that speaks a Bantu language.

– origin mid 19th cent.: plural (in certain Bantu languages) of -ntu ‘person’. / usage: The word Bantu became a strongly offensive term under the old apartheid regime in South Africa, especially when used to refer to a single individual. In standard current use in South Africa the term black or African is used as a collective or non-specific term for African peoples. The term Bantu has, however, continued to be accepted as a neutral ‘scientific’ term outside South Africa used to refer to the group of languages and their speakers collectively.

Bantu education

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› ‹derogatory› (in South Africa under apartheid) the official system of education for black South Africans.

• the protest was against the inequalities of Bantu education.

Bantustan /ˌbantuːˈstɑːn, ˌbantuːˈstan/

I. noun

(S. African) ‹historical› ‹derogatory› a partially self-governing area set aside during the period of apartheid for a particular indigenous African people; a so-called homeland.

– origin from Bantu + -stan, on the pattern of words such as Hindustan.

banyan /ˈbanjən / banian

I. noun

1. (also banyan tree) — an Indian fig tree, the branches of which produce wide-ranging aerial roots which later become accessory trunks.
● Ficus benghalensis, family Moraceae.

2. a loose flannel undergarment worn in India.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Portuguese, from Gujarati vāṇiyo ‘man of the trading caste’, from Sanskrit. Originally denoting a Hindu merchant, the term was applied, by Europeans in the mid 17th cent., to a tree under which such traders had built a pagoda.

banzai /banˈzʌɪ/

I. exclamation

1. a Japanese battle cry.

• the courtyard echoed to shouts of ‘Bombs away!’ and ‘Banzai!’.

2. a form of greeting used to the Japanese emperor.

II. adjective

1. (especially of troops) attacking fiercely and recklessly

• a banzai charge.

2. ‹informal› behaving wildly; berserk.

• the computers went banzai.

– origin Japanese, literally ‘ten thousand years (of life to you)’.

bao /baʊ / baozi /baʊˈziː/

I. noun

a Chinese steamed bread roll with a filling of meat or vegetables

• the server returned with a plate of bao, some fried rice, and a big bowl of soup

• in Chinatown, you can get a bao that is triple the size for less than half the price.

– origin Chinese bāo ‘bun’.

baobab /ˈbeɪə(ʊ)bab/

I. noun

a short tree with a very thick trunk and large edible fruit, living to a great age.
●Genus Adansonia, family Bombacaceae: several species, in particular the African A. digitata and the Australian A. gregorii.

– origin mid 17th cent.: probably from an African language; first recorded in Latin (1592), in a treatise on the plants of Egypt by the Italian botanist Prosper Alpinus.

BAOR

abbreviation

British Army of the Rhine.

Baotou /baʊˈtəʊ/

an industrial city in Inner Mongolia, northern China, on the Yellow River; pop. 1,194,600 (est. 2006).

bap /bap/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a large, round, flattish bread roll, typically with a spongy texture and floury top.

2. ( baps) — (Brit.) ‹informal› a woman's breasts.

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

baptism /ˈbaptɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Christian religious rite of sprinkling water on to a person's forehead or of immersing them in water, symbolizing purification or regeneration and admission to the Christian Church. In many denominations, baptism is performed on young children and is accompanied by name-giving.

• the sacrament of baptism.

2. [ count noun] — a ceremony or occasion at which baptism takes place.

• weddings, funerals, and baptisms are carried out in the parish church.

3. a person's initiation into a particular activity or role, typically one perceived as difficult

• this event constituted his baptism as a politician.

II. phrases

baptism of fire

a difficult introduction to a new job or activity.

• the summer tour to Australia was truly a baptism of fire.

[from the original sense of ‘a soldier's first battle’.]

– origin Middle English: from Old French baptesme, via ecclesiastical Latin from ecclesiastical Greek baptismos ‘ceremonial washing’, from baptizein ‘immerse, baptize’.

baptismal /bapˈtɪzməl/

adjective

relating to the Christian rite of baptism

• we will renew our baptismal vows

• baptismal rites.

baptismal name

noun

a personal name given at baptism.

baptist /ˈbaptɪst/

I. noun

1. ( Baptist) — a member of a Protestant Christian denomination advocating baptism only of adult believers by total immersion. Baptists form one of the largest Protestant bodies and are found throughout the world and especially in the US.

2. a person who baptizes someone.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French baptiste, via ecclesiastical Latin from ecclesiastical Greek baptistēs, from baptizein ‘immerse, baptize’.

baptistery /ˈbaptɪst(ə)ri / baptistry

I. noun

1. the part of a church used for baptism.

2. ‹historical› a building next to a church, used for baptism.

3. (in a Baptist chapel) a sunken receptacle used for baptism by total immersion.

– origin Middle English: from Old French baptistere, via ecclesiastical Latin from ecclesiastical Greek baptistērion, from baptizein ‘immerse, baptize’.

baptize /bapˈtʌɪz / baptise

I. verb — [with obj. and often with complement]

1. administer baptism to (someone); christen

• he was baptized Joshua.

2. admit (someone) into a specified Church by baptism

• Mark had been baptized a Catholic.

3. give a name or nickname to

• the media have baptized the murderer ‘The Babysitter’.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from ecclesiastical Latin baptizare, from Greek baptizein ‘immerse, baptize’.

bapu /ˈbʌpuː / bappu

I. noun

(Indian) a father (often as a form of address).

– origin from Gujarati.

bar^1 /bɑː/

I. noun

1. a long rigid piece of wood, metal, or similar material, typically used as an obstruction, fastening, or weapon.

• an iron bar.

• bars on the windows.

2. an amount of food or another substance formed into a narrow block

• a bar of chocolate.

• gold bars.

3. a band of colour or light

• bars of sunlight shafting through the windows.

4. (Brit.) the heating element of an electric fire.

5. ( the bar) — the crossbar of a goal.

• Clark's shot hit the bar.

6. (Brit.) a metal strip below the clasp of a medal, awarded as an additional distinction.

• he was awarded a second bar to his DSO.

7. a sandbank or shoal at the mouth of a harbour or an estuary.

• the bar to the estuary of the River Eske.

8. [Heraldry] a charge in the form of a narrow horizontal stripe across the shield.

9. a counter in a pub, restaurant, or cafe across which drinks or refreshments are served.

• standing at the bar.

10. a room in a pub, restaurant, or hotel in which alcohol is served.

• the oak-panelled bar of the Lion.

• [as modifier] bar stools.

11. an establishment where alcohol and sometimes other refreshments are served.

• a small friendly bar open all day.

12. [with modifier] — a small shop, stall, or area in a department store that serves refreshments or provides a specified service

• a sandwich bar.

13. a barrier or restriction to an action or advance

• political differences are not necessarily a bar to a good relationship.

14. [Law] a plea suspending an action or claim in a lawsuit.

15. [Music] any of the short sections or measures, typically of equal time value, into which a piece of music is divided, shown on a score by vertical lines across the stave.

• the opening bars of the first hymn.

16. ( the bar) — a partition in a court room, now usually notional, beyond which most people may not pass and at which an accused person stands

• the prisoner at the bar.

17. (Brit.) a rail marking the end of each chamber in the Houses of Parliament.

• he had to appear at the Bar of the House for a reprimand by the Speaker.

18. ( the Bar) — the profession of barrister.

• his dismissal from the Singapore Bar.

19. (Brit.) barristers collectively.

20. (N. Amer.) lawyers collectively.

21. a particular court of law.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. fasten (something, especially a door or window) with a bar or bars

• she bolted and barred the door.

2. prevent or prohibit (someone) from doing something or from going somewhere

• journalists had been barred from covering the elections.

3. forbid someone from undertaking (an activity)

• the job she loved had been barred to her.

4. exclude (something) from consideration

• nothing is barred in the crime novel.

5. [Law] prevent or delay (an action) by objection.

6. mark (something) with bars or stripes

• his face was barred with light.

III. preposition

1. (chiefly Brit.) except for

• his kids were all gone now, bar one.

2. (chiefly Brit.) [Horse Racing] (Brit.) except the horses indicated (used when stating the odds).

IV. phrases

1. bar none

with no exceptions

• the greatest living American poet bar none.

2. be called (or go) to the Bar

(Brit.) be admitted as a barrister.

3. be called within the Bar

(Brit.) be appointed a Queen's Counsel.

4. behind bars

in prison.

• he had already spent four months behind bars on remand.

5. lower (or raise) the bar

lower (or raise) the standards which need to be met in order to qualify for something

• the restaurant raised the bar for contemporary Scottish cuisine in the capital.

6. not have a bar of

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› not tolerate someone or something any longer

• the referee's not having a bar of it.

– origin Middle English: from Old French barre (noun), barrer (verb), of unknown origin.

bar^2 /bɑː/

I. noun

a unit of pressure equivalent to a hundred thousand newtons per square metre or approximately one atmosphere.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek baros ‘weight’.

Bar.

abbreviation

Baruch (Apocrypha) (in biblical references).

bara brith /ˌbarə ˈbrɪθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a traditional Welsh tea bread, typically made with raisins, currants, and candied peel.

– origin Welsh, literally ‘speckled bread’.

Barak, Ehud /baˈrak/

(b.1942), Israeli Labour statesman, Prime Minister 1999–2001.

barasingha /ˌbarəˈsɪŋɡə/

I. noun

another term for swamp deer.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Hindi bārahsiṅghā, literally ‘twelve-tined’.

barathea /ˌbarəˈθɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fine woollen cloth, sometimes mixed with silk or cotton, used chiefly for coats and suits.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

baraza /bəˈrɑːzə/

I. noun

(in East Africa) a public meeting place.

– origin Kiswahili.

barb^1 /bɑːb/

I. noun

1. a sharp projection near the end of an arrow, fish hook, or similar object, which is angled away from the main point so as to make extraction difficult.

2. a cluster of spikes on barbed wire.

3. a deliberately hurtful remark

• his barb hurt more than she cared to admit.

4. a beard-like filament at the mouth of some fish, such as barbel and catfish.

5. each of the fine hair-like filaments growing from the shaft of a feather, forming the vane.

6. a freshwater fish with barbels around the mouth, popular in aquaria.
● Barbus and other genera, family Cyprinidae: numerous species.

II. derivatives

barbless

adjective

– origin Middle English (denoting a piece of linen worn over or under the chin by nuns): from Old French barbe, from Latin barba ‘beard’.

barb^2 /bɑːb/

I. noun

a small horse of a hardy breed originally from North Africa.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French barbe, from Italian barbero ‘of Barbary’.

barbacoa /ˈbɑːbəkəʊə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Mexican cooking) beef, lamb, or other meat that has been slowly cooked with seasonings, typically shredded as a filling in tacos, burritos, etc.

• a fried tortilla filled with your choice of marinated chicken, barbacoa, or carnitas.

– origin Mexican Spanish use of Spanish barbacoa ‘barbecue’ (see barbecue); in Mexican Spanish barbacoa can also refer to an underground oven in which meat is cooked slowly.

Barbadian /bɑːˈbeɪdiən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Barbados or its inhabitants

• a senior Barbadian player.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Barbados

• written literature by Barbadians received its first real debut in the 1940s and 1950s.

Barbados /bɑːˈbeɪdɒs/

an island country in the Caribbean, the most easterly of the Caribbean islands; pop. 284,600 (est. 2009); official language, English; capital, Bridgetown. Barbados became a British colony in the 1630s and remained British until 1966, when it gained independence as a Commonwealth state.

barbarian /bɑːˈbɛːrɪən/

I. noun

1. (in ancient times) a member of a people not belonging to one of the great civilizations (Greek, Roman, Christian).

• the city was besieged by the barbarians.

2. an uncultured or brutish person.

• you arrogant barbarian!

II. adjective

1. relating to ancient barbarians

• barbarian invasions.

2. uncultured; brutish.

III. derivatives

barbarianism

noun

– origin Middle English (as an adjective used in a derogatory way to denote a person with different speech and customs): from Old French barbarien, from barbare, or from Latin barbarus (see barbarous).

barbaric /bɑːˈbarɪk/

I. adjective

1. savagely cruel

• he carried out barbaric acts in the name of war.

2. primitive; unsophisticated

• the barbaric splendour he found in civilizations since destroyed.

3. uncivilized and uncultured.

• drinking undiluted wine was considered barbaric.

II. derivatives

barbarically /bɑːˈbarɪkli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (as a noun in the sense ‘a barbarian’): from Old French barbarique, or via Latin from Greek barbarikos, from barbaros ‘foreign’ (especially with reference to speech).

barbarism /ˈbɑːbərɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. absence of culture and civilization

• the collapse of civilization and the return to barbarism.

2. [ count noun] — a word or expression which is badly formed according to traditional philological rules, e.g. a word formed from elements of different languages, such as breathalyser (English and Greek) or television (Greek and Latin).

3. extreme cruelty or brutality

• she called the execution an act of barbarism.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French barbarisme, via Latin from Greek barbarismos, from barbarizein ‘speak like a foreigner’, from barbaros ‘foreign’.

barbarity /bɑːˈbarɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme cruelty or brutality

• the barbarity displayed by the terrorists

• [ count noun] the barbarities of war.

2. absence of culture and civilization

• beyond the Empire lay barbarity.

barbarize /ˈbɑːbərʌɪz / barbarise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. barbarizing)

1. cause to become savage or uncultured

• the barbarizing effect of four decades of rock 'n' roll.

II. derivatives

barbarization

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘speak using barbarisms’): from late Latin barbarizare, from Greek barbarizein ‘speak like a foreigner’.

Barbarossa^1 /ˌbɑːbəˈrɒsə/

see Frederick I.

Barbarossa^2 /ˌbɑːbəˈrɒsə/

( c. 1483–1546), Barbary pirate; born Khair ad-Din. He was notorious for his successes against Christian vessels in the eastern Mediterranean.

barbarous /ˈbɑːb(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

1. extremely brutal

• many early child-rearing practices were barbarous by modern standards.

2. primitive and uncivilized

• a remote and barbarous country.

3. (of language) coarse and unrefined.

• avoiding barbarous sentences or ambiguities.

II. derivatives

1. barbarously /ˈbɑːb(ə)rəsli /

adverb

2. barbarousness /ˈbɑːb(ə)rəsnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): via Latin from Greek barbaros ‘foreign’ + -ous.

Barbary /ˈbɑːbəri / Barbary States

I. a former name for the Saracen countries of North and NW Africa, together with Moorish Spain.
Compare with Maghreb.

– origin based on Arabic barbar (see Berber).

Barbary ape /ˈbɑːb(ə)ri/

noun

a tailless macaque monkey that is native to NW Africa and also found on the Rock of Gibraltar.
● Macaca sylvana, family Cercopithecidae.

Barbary Coast

a former name for the Mediterranean coast of North Africa from Morocco to Egypt.

Barbary sheep

noun

a short-coated sheep with a long neck ruff, found in the high deserts of northern Africa. Also called aoudad.
● Ammotragus lervia, family Bovidae.

Barbary States

another name for Barbary.

barbastelle /ˌbɑːbəˈstɛl, ˈbɑːbəstɛl/

I. noun

an Old World bat with broad ears that meet over the head.
●Genus Barbastella, family Vespertilionidae: two species.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Italian barbastello.

barbecue /ˈbɑːbɪkjuː / barbeque

I. noun

1. a meal or gathering at which meat, fish, or other food is cooked out of doors on a rack over an open fire or on a special appliance.

• in the evening there was a barbecue.

• [as modifier] a barbecue area.

2. a rack or appliance used for the preparation of food at a barbecue.

• food was placed to sizzle on the barbecue.

3. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) food cooked on a barbecue.

• all the barbecue he could eat.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cook (food) on a barbecue.

• fish barbecued with herbs.

• (as adj. barbecued) barbecued chicken.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Spanish barbacoa, perhaps from Arawak barbacoa ‘wooden frame on posts’. The original sense was ‘wooden framework for sleeping on, or for storing meat or fish to be dried’.

barbecue sauce

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a highly seasoned sauce containing vinegar, spices, and usually chillies.

barbecue stopper

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a topic of conversation that is very interesting or controversial

• sibling rivalry is the new barbecue stopper—at least in my circles.

barbecue summer

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a summer characterized by long spells of warm, dry weather

• the Met Office admitted that their prediction of a 'barbecue summer' had been hopelessly wrong

• Britain's barbecue summer helped retail sales race ahead last month.

barbed /bɑːbd/

adjective

1. having a barb or barbs

• barbed arrows.

2. (of a remark or joke) deliberately hurtful

• a fair degree of barbed wit.

barbed wire /ˌbɑːbd ˈwʌɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. wire with clusters of short, sharp spikes set at short intervals along it, used to make fences or in warfare as an obstruction.

barbel /ˈbɑːb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a fleshy filament growing from the mouth or snout of a fish.

2. a large European freshwater fish of the carp family, which has barbels hanging from the mouth.
● Barbus barbus, family Cyprinidae.

3. [with modifier] — an African marine or freshwater fish with barbels round the mouth.
●Species in several families, including Tachysurus feliceps (family Aniidae), of southern African coasts and estuaries.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): via Old French from late Latin barbellus, diminutive of barbus ‘barbel’, from barba ‘beard’.

barbell /ˈbɑːbɛl/

I. noun

a long metal bar to which discs of varying weights are attached at each end, used for weightlifting.

– origin late 19th cent.: from bar^1 + bell^1.

barber /ˈbɑːbə/

I. noun

a person who cuts men's hair and shaves or trims beards as an occupation.

• he had his hair cut at the local barber's.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut or trim (a man's hair).

• his hair was neatly barbered.

– origin Middle English: via Anglo-Norman French from Old French barbe (see barb^1).

Barber, Samuel

(1910–81), American composer. He developed a style based on romanticism allied to classical forms; his music includes operas and orchestral and chamber music.

barberry /ˈbɑːb(ə)ri/

I. noun

a spiny shrub which typically has yellow flowers and red berries, frequently grown for ornamental hedging.
●Genus Berberis, family Berberidaceae: many species.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French berberis (see berberis). The change in the ending was due to association with berry.

barbershop /ˈbɑːbəʃɒp/

noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a shop where a barber works.

2. [ mass noun] [often as modifier] — a popular style of close harmony singing, typically for four male voices.

• a barbershop quartet.

[from the custom in the 16th and 17th centuries of passing time in a barber's shop by harmonizing to a lute or guitar provided to entertain customers waiting their turn.]

barber's itch barber's rash

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ringworm of the face or neck communicated by unsterilized shaving apparatus.

barber's pole

noun

a pole painted with spiralling red and white stripes and hung outside barbers' shops as a business sign.

Barberton daisy /ˈbɑːbət(ə)n/

I. noun

South African term for Transvaal daisy.

– origin from the name of a town in the Transvaal.

barbet /ˈbɑːbɪt/

I. noun

a large-headed, brightly coloured fruit-eating bird that has a stout bill with tufts of bristles at the base. Barbets are found on all continents, especially in the tropics.
●Family Capitonidae: numerous genera and species.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a poodle): from French, from barbe ‘beard’ (see barb^1). The current sense dates from the early 19th cent.

barbette /bɑːˈbɛt/

I. noun

1. a fixed armoured housing at the base of a gun turret on a warship or armoured vehicle.

2. ‹historical› a platform on which a gun was placed to fire over a parapet.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, diminutive of barbe ‘beard’ (see barb^1).

barbican /ˈbɑːbɪk(ə)n/

I. noun

the outer defence of a castle or walled city, especially a double tower above a gate or drawbridge.

– origin Middle English: from Old French barbacane; probably based on Arabic.

barbie /ˈbɑːbi/

I. noun

‹informal› (chiefly Austral./NZ) a barbecue.

– origin 1970s: abbreviation.

Barbie /ˈbɑːbi / Barbie doll

I. noun

1. ‹trademark› a doll representing a conventionally attractive young woman.

2. ‹trademark› ‹informal› a young woman who is glossily attractive but apparently characterless or unintelligent.

• he was arm in arm with a red-headed Barbie doll in a fur coat.

• Barbie doll wives.

– origin 1950s: diminutive of the given name Barbara.

bar billiards

noun

(Brit.) a form of billiards played on a small table, typically in a public bar, in which balls are struck into holes guarded by pegs.

Barbirolli, Sir John /ˌbɑːbɪˈrɒli/

(1899–1970), English conductor, of Franco-Italian descent, conductor of the Hallé Orchestra from 1943; full name Sir John Giovanni Battista Barbirolli.

barbital /ˈbɑːbɪt(ə)l/

I. noun

North American term for barbitone.

– origin early 20th cent.: from barbituric acid, on the pattern of veronal (an alternative name).

barbitone /ˈbɑːbɪtəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a long-acting sedative and sleep-inducing drug of the barbiturate type.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_12O_3N_2.

– origin early 20th cent.: from barbituric acid + -one.

barbiturate /bɑːˈbɪtjʊrət, bɑːˈbɪtjʊreɪt/

noun

1. any of a class of sedative and sleep-inducing drugs derived from barbituric acid.

2. [Chemistry] a salt or ester of barbituric acid.

barbituric acid /ˌbɑːbɪˈtjʊərɪk, -ˈtʃʊərɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a synthetic organic acid from which the barbiturates are derived.
●A cyclic derivative of urea and malonic acid; chem. formula: C_4H_4O_3N_2.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French barbiturique, from German Barbitursäure, from the given name Barbara + Säure ‘acid’.

Barbizon School

I. a mid 19th-century school of French landscape painters who reacted against classical conventions and based their art on direct study of nature. Led by Théodore Rousseau, the group included Charles Daubigny and Jean-François Millet.

– origin named after Barbizon, a small village in the forest of Fontainebleau, near Paris, where Rousseau and others worked.

barbola /bɑːˈbəʊlə / barbola work

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the craft of making small models of fruit or flowers from a plastic paste.

– origin 1920s: an arbitrary formation from barbotine.

barbotine /ˈbɑːbətɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. slip (liquid clay) used to decorate pottery.
[as modifier]

• barbotine decoration.

• the barbotine method.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French.

Barbour /ˈbɑːbə / Barbour jacket

I. noun

‹trademark› a type of green waxed outdoor jacket.

– origin named after John Barbour (died 1918), a draper in NE England who sold waterproof clothing.

Barbour, John /ˈbɑːbə/

( c. 1320–95), Scottish poet and prelate. The only poem ascribed to him with certainty is The Bruce, a verse chronicle relating the deeds of Robert the Bruce.

Barbuda

I. see Antigua and Barbuda.

II. derivatives

Barbudan

adjective, noun

barbule /ˈbɑːbjuːl/

I. noun

a minute filament projecting from the barb of a feather.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin barbula, diminutive of barba ‘beard’.

barbwire /bɑːbˈwʌɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) barbed wire.

BarcaLounger /ˈbɑːkəˌlaʊndʒə/

I. noun

(US) ‹trademark› a type of deeply padded reclining chair.

– origin 1970s: from the name of Edward J. Barcolo, who acquired the original licence to manufacture the chairs, and lounger.

barcarole /ˈbɑːkərəʊl, ˌbɑːkəˈrəʊl / barcarolle /ˈbɑːkərɒl, ˌbɑːkəˈrɒl/

I. noun

1. a song traditionally sung by Venetian gondoliers.

2. a musical composition in the style of a barcarole.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French barcarolle, from Venetian Italian barcarola ‘boatman's song’, from barca ‘boat’.

Barcelona /ˌbɑːsəˈləʊnə Spanish barθeˈlona, Spanish barseˈlona//

a city on the coast of NE Spain, capital of Catalonia; pop. 1,615,908 (est. 2008).

barchan /ˈbɑːk(ə)n/

I. noun

a crescent-shaped shifting sand dune, as found in the deserts of Turkestan.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Turkic barkhan.

bar chart ‹chiefly N. Amer.› bar graph

noun

a diagram in which the numerical values of variables are represented by the height or length of lines or rectangles of equal width.

• the bar chart shows sales on the left and cost of sales on the right.

Bar-Cochba /bɑːˈkɒkbə/

Jewish rebel leader; known as Simeon in Jewish sources. He led the rebellion against the Romans in AD 132, and was accepted by some of his Jewish contemporaries as the Messiah.

barcode /bɑːˈkəʊd/

I. noun

a machine-readable code in the form of numbers and a pattern of parallel lines of varying widths, printed on a commodity and used especially for stock control.

• the scanner at the checkout would pick up the different bar codes on the packets and charge the correct amount.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark with a barcode

• all the merchandise is barcoded and scanned.

Barcoo /bɑːˈkuː/

I. adjective

(Austral.) ‹informal› relating to the remote inland area of Australia

• Barcoo sickness.

– origin late 19th cent.: from the name of a river (and the surrounding country) in western Queensland.

Barcoo dog

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› an improvised noise-making device used to drive sheep in the absence of a sheepdog

• Barcoo dogs were rattled to keep the herd on the winding path.

Barcoo rot

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› scurvy.

Barcoo sandwich

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› an item of food that suggests the hardship and deprivation of outback life

• the blokes they were feeding had lived most of their lives on Barcoo sandwiches.

Barcoo sickness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› illness marked by attacks of vomiting

• he hasn't been long enough in the outback to have contracted the Barcoo sickness.

Barcoo sore

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› an ulcer characteristic of Barcoo rot

• I had one hard Barcoo sore on my right hand to begin with.

bard^1 /bɑːd/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› ‹literary› a poet, traditionally one reciting epics and associated with a particular oral tradition.

• our national bard, Robert Burns.

2. ( the Bard or the Bard of Avon) — ‹archaic› ‹literary› Shakespeare.

3. ( Bard) — ‹archaic› ‹literary› the winner of a prize for Welsh verse at an Eisteddfod.

• he was admitted as a Bard at the National Eisteddfod.

II. derivatives

bardic /ˈbɑːdɪk /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Scottish Gaelic bàrd, Irish bard, Welsh bardd, of Celtic origin. In Scotland in the 16th cent. it was a derogatory term for an itinerant musician, but was later romanticized by Sir Walter Scott.

bard^2 /bɑːd/

I. noun

a rasher of fat bacon placed on meat or game before roasting.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover (meat or game) with rashers of fat bacon.

• the venison was barded and marinated.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French barde, a transferred sense of barde ‘armour for the breast and flanks of a warhorse’, based on Arabic barḏa'a ‘saddlecloth, padded saddle’.

bardie /ˈbɑːdi / bardee, bardy

I. noun

(Austral.) the edible larva or pupa of certain insects, in particular:
● a longhorn beetle that bores within stems ( Bardistus cibarius, family Cerambycidae). ● a moth that develops underground on roots (family Hepialidae, especially Trictena argentata).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Nyungar (and other Aboriginal languages) bardi.

bardo /ˈbɑːdəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Tibetan Buddhism) a state of existence between death and rebirth, varying in length according to a person's conduct in life and manner of, or age at, death.

– origin Tibetan bár-do, from bar ‘interval’ + do ‘two’.

bardolatry /bɑːˈdɒlətri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹humorous› excessive admiration of Shakespeare.

II. derivatives

bardolater bardolator

noun

Bardolino /ˌbɑːdəˈliːnəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a red wine from the Veneto region of Italy.

– origin Italian.

Bardot, Brigitte /bɑːˈdəʊ, French baʀdo/

(b.1934), French actress. The film And God Created Woman (1956) established her reputation as an international sex symbol.

bare /bɛː/

I. adjective

1. (of a person or part of the body) not clothed or covered

• he was bare from the waist up

• she padded in bare feet towards the door.

2. without the appropriate, usual, or natural covering

• leaf fall had left the trees bare

• bare floorboards.

3. without the appropriate or usual contents

• a bare cell with just a mattress.

4. ( bare of) — devoid of; without.

• the interior was bare of plaster.

5. without addition; basic and simple

• he outlined the bare essentials of the story.

6. [ attrib.] — only just sufficient

• the bare minimum of furniture.

7. [ attrib.] — surprisingly small in number or amount

• all you need to get started with this program is a bare 10K bytes of memory.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. uncover (a part of the body or other thing) and expose it to view

• he bared his chest to show his scar.

III. determiner

(Brit.) ‹informal› a large amount or number of

• my birthday's on the 22nd—I'm gonna get bare cash

• I've got bare work to do

• you can't promote your party all over Twitter and then get mad when bare people show up.

IV. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› very; really (used as an intensifier)

• that girl is bare lazy

• I'm in a bare good mood for once.

V. phrases

1. bare all

take off all of one's clothes and display oneself to others.

• she bared all for Playboy in 2005.

2. the bare bones

a. the basic facts about something, without any detail

• the bare bones of the plot.

b. the very lowest level of resources necessary

• his squad is already down to the bare bones and has now been hit by a flu bug.

3. bare one's fangs

(of an animal) bare its teeth aggressively

• the snake reared up before her, baring its fangs.

4. bare one's soul

reveal one's innermost secrets and feelings to someone.

• one feels vulnerable in baring one's soul to another.

5. bare one's teeth

show one's teeth, typically when angry.

• he bared his teeth in a grimace.

6. with one's bare hands

without using tools or weapons.

• he was capable of killing a man with his bare hands.

VI. derivatives

bareness /ˈbɛːnəs /

noun

– origin Old English bær (noun), barian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch baar.

bare-assed

adjective, adverb

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› naked, in particular from the waist down

• children squatting bare-assed in the dirt.

bareback /ˈbɛːbak/

adjective, adverb

on an unsaddled horse or donkey
[as adj.]

• a bareback circus rider

• [as adv.] she's riding bareback.

barebacking

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹vulgar slang› the practice of having anal intercourse without a condom.

bareboat

adjective

relating to or denoting a boat or ship hired without a crew

• bareboat charters.

bare-bones

adjective

reduced to or comprising only the basic or essential elements of something

• a bare-bones version of the story.

Barebones Parliament

the nickname of Cromwell's Parliament of 1653, from one of its members, Praise-God Barbon, an Anabaptist leather seller of Fleet Street. It replaced the Rump Parliament, but was itself dissolved within a few months.

barefaced /bɛːˈfeɪst/

adjective

1. shameless and undisguised

• a barefaced lie.

2. having an uncovered face.

• his years of working barefaced, breathing down dust.

barefoot /ˈbɛəfʊt / barefooted

adjective, adverb

wearing nothing on the feet
[as adv.]

• I won't walk barefoot.

barefoot doctor

noun

a paramedical worker with basic medical training working in a rural district in China.

barège /bəˈreɪʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a light, silky dress fabric resembling gauze, typically made from wool.

– origin French, named after the village of Barèges in SW France, where it was originally made.

barehanded /bɛːˈhandɪd/

adjective, adverb

1. with nothing in or covering one's hands.

2. carrying no weapons.

bareheaded /bɛːˈhɛdɪd/

adjective, adverb

without a covering for one's head.
[as adv.]

• he walked bareheaded in the beating rain.

Bareilly /bəˈreɪli/

an industrial city in northern India, in Uttar Pradesh; pop. 825,100 (est. 2009).

bare-knuckle bare-knuckled

adjective

1. (of a boxer or boxing match) without gloves.

2. ‹informal› with no scruples or reservations

• an apostle of bare-knuckle capitalism.

barely /ˈbɛːli/

adverb

1. only just; almost not

• she nodded, barely able to speak

• [as submodifier] a barely perceptible pause.

2. only a very short time before

• they had barely sat down before forty policemen swarmed in.

3. in a simple and sparse way

• their barely furnished house.

4. ‹archaic› openly; explicitly.

Barenboim, Daniel /ˈbarənbɔɪm/

(b.1942), Israeli pianist and conductor, musical director of the Orchestre de Paris 1975–88 and of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra 1991–2006. In 1967 he married the cellist Jacqueline du Pré.

Barents, Willem /ˈbarənts/

(d.1597), Dutch explorer. The leader of several expeditions in search of the North-East Passage to Asia, Barents discovered Spitsbergen and reached Novaya Zemlya, off the coast of which he died.

Barents Sea

a part of the Arctic Ocean to the north of Norway and Russia, bounded to the west by Svalbard, to the north by Franz Josef Land, and to the east by Novaya Zemlya.

barf /bɑːf / ‹informal chiefly N. Amer.›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. vomit.

II. noun

1. an attack of vomiting.

2. [ mass noun] — vomited food.

– origin 1960s (originally US): of unknown origin.

barfly /ˈbɑːflʌɪ/

noun

‹informal› a person who spends much of their time drinking in bars.

• a beer-swilling barfly.

barfly jumping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport of jumping at and sticking to a Velcro-covered wall while wearing a Velcro suit.

barfy /ˈbɑːfi/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) nauseous or inclined to vomit

• I started feeling really barfy on the train into town.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) causing a feeling of nausea or disgust; nauseating

• barfy sweetheart music.

– origin 1950s: from barf + -y^1.

bargain /ˈbɑːɡɪn/

I. noun

1. an agreement between two or more people or groups as to what each will do for the other

• bargains between political parties supporting the government.

2. a thing bought or offered for sale much more cheaply than is usual or expected

• the table was a real bargain

• [as modifier] a bargain price of 99p.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. negotiate the terms and conditions of a transaction

• he bargained with the local council to rent the stadium.

2. [with obj.] ( bargain something away) — part with something after negotiation but get little or nothing in return.

• his determination not to bargain away any of the province's economic powers.

3. ( bargain for/on) — be prepared for; expect

• I got more information than I'd bargained for

• he didn't bargain on this storm.

III. phrases

1. drive a hard bargain

be uncompromising in making a deal.

• the company's prowess in driving a hard bargain has placed severe pressure on suppliers.

2. into ( ‹N. Amer.› in) the bargain

in addition to what has already been mentioned or was expected

• I am now tired and extremely hungry—with a headache into the bargain.

3. keep one's side of the bargain

carry out the promises one has made as part of an agreement.

• they handed over hostages as a guarantee that they would keep their side of the bargain.

IV. derivatives

bargainer /ˈbɑːɡɪnə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French bargaine (noun), bargaignier (verb); probably of Germanic origin and related to German borgen ‘borrow’.

bargain basement

noun

a store or part of a store where goods are sold cheaply
[as modifier]

• bargain-basement prices.

bargaining chip ‹Brit.› bargaining counter

noun

a potential concession or other factor which can be used to advantage in negotiations.

bargainous /ˈbɑːɡɪnəs/

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› costing less than is usual or than might be expected; cheap or relatively cheap

• the best and most bargainous sunglasses around.

barge /bɑːdʒ/

I. noun

1. a long flat-bottomed boat for carrying freight on canals and rivers, either under its own power or towed by another.

2. a long ornamental boat used for pleasure or ceremony.

3. a boat used by the chief officers of a warship.

II. verb

1. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move forcefully or roughly

• we can't just barge into a private garden.

2. ( barge in) — intrude or interrupt rudely or awkwardly

• sorry to barge in on your cosy evening.

3. [with obj.] — (chiefly in a sporting context) run into and collide with (someone), typically intentionally.

• you can use this method to barge an opponent.

• just barge the other skater off the ball.

4. [with obj.] — convey (freight) by barge.

– origin Middle English (denoting a small seagoing vessel): from Old French, perhaps based on Greek baris ‘Egyptian boat’.

bargeboard

I. noun

a board, typically an ornamental one, fixed to the gable end of a roof to hide the ends of the roof timbers.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from mid 16th-cent. barge- (used in architectural terms relating to the gable of a building), perhaps from medieval Latin bargus ‘gallows’.

bargee /bɑːˈdʒiː/

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a person in charge of or working on a barge.

Bargello /bɑːˈdʒɛləʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of embroidery worked on canvas in stitch patterns suggestive of flames.

– origin named after Bargello Palace, in Florence, Italy.

bargeman /ˈbɑːdʒman/

noun

a person who works on a barge.

bargemaster /ˈbɑːdʒmɑːstə/

noun

the master or owner of a barge.

bargepole /ˈbɑːdʒpəʊl/

I. noun

(Brit.) a long pole used to propel a barge and fend off obstacles.

II. phrases

would not touch someone/thing with a bargepole

‹informal› used to express a refusal to have anything to do with someone or something.

• relax, I wouldn't touch you with a bargepole!

• snow rafting is potentially so dangerous that no American resort will touch it with a bargepole.

bar girl

noun

a woman or girl who works in a bar, especially an attractive woman employed to encourage customers to buy drinks.

bar graph

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for bar chart.

bar-hop

I. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun bar-hopping)

1. visit several bars in succession, having a drink in each.

II. derivatives

bar-hopper

noun

Bari /ˈbɑːri/

an industrial seaport on the Adriatic coast of SE Italy, capital of Apulia region; pop. 320,677 (2008).

bariatrics /barɪˈatrɪks/

I. plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. the branch of medicine that deals with the study and treatment of obesity.

II. derivatives

bariatric /ˌbarɪˈatrɪk /

adjective

– origin 1960s: from baro- + Greek iatros ‘physician’ + -ics.

barilla /bəˈrɪlə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an impure alkali formerly made from the ashes of burnt plants, especially saltworts.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Spanish barrilla, diminutive of barra ‘bar’.

Barisal /ˈbʌrɪsʌl/

a river port in southern Bangladesh, on the Ganges delta; pop. 210,374 (est. 2008).

barista /bəˈrɪstə/

I. noun

a person who serves in a coffee bar.

– origin 1980s: Italian, ‘barman’.

baritone /ˈbarɪtəʊn/

I. noun

1. an adult male singing voice between tenor and bass.

• he sang in a rich baritone.

2. a singer with a baritone voice.

• he starred as a baritone.

3. a part written for a baritone voice.

4. [usu. as modifier] — an instrument that is second lowest in pitch in its family

• a baritone sax.

5. a brass instrument similar to a euphonium, sounding in B flat and used in brass bands.

II. derivatives

1. baritonal /bariˈtəʊn(ə)l /

adjective

2. baritonist

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Italian baritono, from Greek barutonos, from barus ‘heavy’ + tonos (see tone).

barium /ˈbɛːrɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Ba) — the chemical element of atomic number 56, a soft white reactive metal of the alkaline earth group.

2. a mixture of barium sulphate and water, opaque to X-rays, which is swallowed to permit radiological examination of the stomach or intestines
[as modifier]

• a barium meal.

Barium compounds are used in water purification, the glass industry, and pigments, and as an ingredient of signal flares and fireworks, to which they give a bright yellowish-green colour. Barium oxide is a component of high-temperature superconductors.

– origin early 19th cent.: from baryta + -ium.

bark^1 /bɑːk/

I. noun

1. the sharp explosive cry of a dog, fox, or seal.

2. a sound resembling a bark, typically one made by someone laughing or coughing

• a short bark of laughter.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a dog, fox, or seal) give a bark.

• a dog barked at her.

2. (of a person) make a sound resembling a bark

• she barked with laughter.

3. [with obj.] — utter (a command or question) abruptly or aggressively

• he began barking out his orders

• [with direct speech] ‘Nobody is allowed up here,’ he barked.

4. [no obj.] — (US) call out in order to sell or advertise something.

• doormen bark at passers-by, promising hot girls and cold beer.

III. phrases

1. someone's bark is worse than their bite

someone's fierce and intimidating manner does not reflect their true nature.

• don't worry, her bark is worse than her bite.

2. be barking up the wrong tree

‹informal› be pursuing a mistaken or misguided line of thought or course of action.

• his wife thinks he's under suspicion, but I'm sure she's barking up the wrong tree.

– origin Old English beorc (noun), beorcan (verb), of Germanic origin; possibly related to break^1.

bark^2 /bɑːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the tough protective outer sheath of the trunk, branches, and twigs of a tree or woody shrub.

• beavers feed on leaves and the living bark of trees.

2. bark used for tanning leather, making dyestuffs, or as a mulch in gardening

• top-dress lime-hating shrubs with bark.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly Brit.) strip the bark from (a tree or piece of wood).

• they had to be barked by hand, you couldn't peel them the way you can newly cut wood.

2. scrape the skin off (one's shin) by accidentally hitting it against something hard.

• it's pitch black—I barked my shin and took a tumble in a nettle bed.

3. ‹technical› tan or dye (leather or other materials) using the tannins found in bark.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse bǫrkr; perhaps related to birch.

bark^3 /bɑːk/

I. noun

‹archaic› ‹literary› a ship or boat.

– origin late Middle English: variant of barque.

bark beetle

noun

a small wood-boring beetle that tunnels under the bark of trees, which may die if heavily infested.
●Family Scolytidae: many genera and species, including the elm bark beetle ( Scolytus scolytus), which is responsible for the spread of the fungus which causes Dutch elm disease.

barkcloth

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cloth made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry or similar tree.

barked /bɑːkt/

adjective — [in combination]

1. (of a tree or woody shrub) having bark of a specified kind

• thick-barked trees that could resist fire.

barkeeper /ˈbɑːkiːpə / ‹US› barkeep

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a person who owns or serves drinks in a bar.

barker /ˈbɑːkə/

I. noun

‹informal› a tout at an auction, sideshow, etc., who calls out to passers-by to attract custom.

– origin late Middle English: from bark^1 + -er^1. The original sense was ‘a person or animal that barks; a noisy protestor’, hence the current sense (late 17th cent.).

bark hut

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹historical› a simple dwelling or shelter in the bush constructed from bark

• they found evidence of habitation by the indigenous people, in the form of bark huts, canoes, and squirrel traps.

barking /ˈbɑːkɪŋ/

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› completely mad or demented

• we are all a bit barking

• [as submodifier] has she gone completely barking mad?

barking deer

noun

another term for muntjac.

Barkly Tableland

I. a plateau region lying to the north-east of Tennant Creek in Northern Territory, Australia.

– origin named after Sir Henry Barkly, governor of Victoria 1856–63.

bark painting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Aboriginal art form that consists of pictures painted on bark

• he has almost singlehandedly revolutionised the style of bark painting

• [ count noun] his collection of bark paintings was left behind in Paris.

barley /ˈbɑːli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hardy cereal with coarse bristles extending from the ears, cultivated especially for use in brewing and stockfeed.
●Genus Hordeum, family Gramineae.

2. the grain of barley.

– origin Old English bærlic (adjective), from bære, bere ‘barley’ + -lic (see -ly^1).

barleycorn /ˈbɑːlɪkɔːn/

noun

1. a grain of barley.

2. a former unit of measurement (about a third of an inch) based on the length of a grain of barley.

barleymow

noun

‹archaic› a stack of barley.

barley sugar

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an amber-coloured sweet made of boiled sugar, traditionally shaped as a twisted stick.

• have a stick of barley sugar.

• [ count noun] he offered me a barley sugar.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. shaped like twisted barley-sugar sticks

• a staircase with barley-sugar banisters.

barley water

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a drink made from water and a boiled barley mixture, usually flavoured with orange or lemon.

barley wine

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a strong English ale.

bar line

noun

[Music] a vertical line used in a musical score to mark a division between bars.

barm /bɑːm/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the froth on fermenting malt liquor.

2. ‹archaic› ‹dialect› yeast or leaven.

3. short for barm cake.

– origin Old English beorma, of West Germanic origin.

Barmah Forest virus /ˌbɑːmə ˈfɒrɪst ˌvʌɪrəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mosquito-borne viral disease characterized by a rash, and joint and muscle pain

• twelve people have been struck down with Barmah Forest virus so far this year.

– origin 1980s: from Barmah Forest in northern Victoria, where the virus was first isolated.

barmaid /ˈbɑːmeɪd/

noun

1. (Brit.) a woman serving behind the bar of a pub or hotel.

2. (N. Amer.) a waitress who serves drinks in a bar.

barmaid's blush

noun

(chiefly Austral.) ‹informal› an alcoholic drink of various kinds, typically red wine mixed with lemonade or beer mixed with raspberry cordial

• there'd be no more barmaid's blushes or gin cocktails

• [ mass noun] a glass of barmaid's blush for me.

barman /ˈbɑːmən/

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a man serving behind the bar of a pub or hotel.

barmbrack barnbrack

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of soft, spicy bread containing dried fruit, originating in Ireland where it is traditionally eaten at Halloween.

– origin from Irish bairin breac ‘speckled cake’.

barm cake

noun

(N. English) a soft, flattish bread roll.

Barmecide /ˈbɑːmɪsʌɪd/

I. adjective

‹rare› illusory or imaginary and therefore disappointing.

II. noun

a person who offers benefits that are illusory or disappointing.

– origin early 18th cent. (as a noun): from Arabic Barmakī, the name of a prince in the Arabian Nights' Entertainments, who gave a beggar a feast consisting of ornate but empty dishes.

bar mitzvah /bɑː ˈmɪtsvə/

I. noun

1. the initiation ceremony of a Jewish boy who has reached the age of 13 and is regarded as ready to observe religious precepts and eligible to take part in public worship.

2. a boy undergoing the bar mitzvah ceremony.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. administer the bar mitzvah ceremony to (a boy).

– origin from Hebrew bar miṣwāh, literally ‘son of the commandment’.

barmy /ˈbɑːmi/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› mad; crazy

• I thought I was going barmy at first.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› extremely foolish

• this is a barmy decision.

II. derivatives

1. barmily

adverb

2. barminess

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘frothy’): from barm + -y^1.

barmy army

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› supporters of a particular sports team who are known for their vociferous support during matches, especially a group of fans who follow the England cricket team

• the barmy army added their voice to a very memorable occasion.

barn^1 /bɑːn/

I. noun

1. a large farm building used for storing grain, hay, or straw or for housing livestock.

2. (N. Amer.) a large shed used for storing road or railway vehicles.

3. a large and uninviting building

• a great barn of a pub.

– origin Old English bern, berern, from bere ‘barley’ + ern, ærn ‘house’.

barn^2 /bɑːn / b

I. noun

[Physics] a unit of area, 10−28 square metres, used especially in particle physics.

– origin 1940s: apparently from the phrase as big as a barn door.

Barnabas, St /ˈbɑːnəbəs/

(died c. 61), a Cypriot Levite and Apostle. He accompanied St Paul on the first missionary journey to Cyprus and Asia Minor. The traditional founder of the Cypriot Church, he is said to have been martyred in Cyprus. Feast day, 11 June.

barnacle /ˈbɑːnək(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a marine crustacean with an external shell, which attaches itself permanently to a surface and feeds by filtering particles from the water using its modified feathery legs.
●Class Cirripedia. See acorn barnacle, goose barnacle.

2. used in similes to describe a tenacious person or thing

• buses careered along with men hanging from their doors like barnacles.

II. derivatives

barnacled

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin bernaca, of unknown origin. In Middle English the term denoted the barnacle goose, whose breeding grounds were long unknown and which was believed to hatch from the shell of the crustacean to which it gave its name.

barnacle goose

I. noun

a goose with a white face and black neck, breeding in the arctic tundra of Greenland, Spitsbergen, and Novaya Zemlya.
● Branta leucopsis, family Anatidae.

– origin mid 18th cent.: see barnacle.

Barnard, Christiaan /ˈbɑːnɑːd/

(1922–2001), South African surgeon; full name Christiaan Neethling Barnard. He pioneered human heart transplantation, performing the first operation of this kind in December 1967.

Barnardo, Thomas John /bəˈnɑːdəʊ/

(1845–1905), Irish-born doctor and philanthropist. He founded the East End Mission for destitute children in 1867, the first of many such homes. Now known as Dr Barnardo's Homes, they cater chiefly for those with physical and mental disabilities.

Barnard's star /ˈbɑːnɑːdz ˌstɑː / ‹Astronomy›

I. a red dwarf in the constellation Ophiuchus. It has a large proper motion and is one of the closest stars to the sun.

– origin named after Edward E. Barnard (1857–1923), the American astronomer who discovered it in 1916.

Barnaul /ˌbɑːnəˈuːl/

the capital of Altai territory in Russia on the River Ob; pop. 597,200 (est. 2008).

barn burner

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a very exciting or dramatic event, especially a sports contest.

• she won a barn burner of a debate against the party leader.

barn dance

noun

1. an informal social gathering for country dancing.

2. a dance for a number of couples moving round a circle, typically involving changes of partner.

barn door

noun

1. the large door of a barn.

2. used to refer to a large and easy target

• on the shooting range he could not hit a barn door.

3. a hinged metal flap fitted to a spotlight to control the direction and intensity of its beam.

barnet /ˈbɑːnɪt/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person's hair.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from rhyming slang barnet fair, the name of a famous horse fair held at Barnet, Herts.

barney /ˈbɑːni/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a quarrel, especially a noisy one.

• we had a barney about his being drunk.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

barn owl

noun

an owl with a heart-shaped face, black eyes, and relatively long, slender legs, typically nesting in farm buildings or in holes in trees. Also called screech owl.
●Genus Tyto, family Tytonidae: three species, especially T. alba, which is found throughout the world and (in western Europe) has a white face and underparts.

Barnsley

a town in South Yorkshire, northern England; pop. 70,100 (est. 2009).

barnstorm /ˈbɑːnstɔːm/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) tour rural districts giving theatrical performances, originally often in barns.

• he barnstormed up and down both coasts and eventually played New York.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) make a rapid tour of an area as part of a political campaign.

• he was barnstorming down in Georgia.

• [with obj.] the speech he gives as he barnstorms the country.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) travel around giving exhibitions of flying and performing aeronautical stunts.
(as noun barnstorming)

• barnstorming had become a popular occupation among many trained pilots.

II. derivatives

barnstormer /ˈbɑːnstɔːmə /

noun

barnstorming /ˈbɑːnstɔːmɪŋ/

adjective

(of a performance or performer) flamboyantly energetic and successful

• his barnstorming oratory has been sorely missed.

Barnum, P. T. /ˈbɑːnəm/

(1810–91), American showman; full name Phineas Taylor Barnum. He billed his circus, opened in 1871, as ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’; ten years later he founded the Barnum and Bailey circus with his former rival Anthony Bailey (1847–1906).

Barnum effect

I. noun

[Psychology] the tendency to accept as true types of information such as character assessments or horoscopes, even when the information is so vague as to be worthless.

– origin named after P. T. Barnum (see Barnum, P. T.); the word Barnum was in use from the mid 19th cent. as a noun in the sense ‘nonsense, humbug’.

barnyard /ˈbɑːnjɑːd/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) the area of open ground around a barn; a farmyard.
[as modifier]

• a barnyard fowl.

baro- /ˈbarəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to pressure

• barotrauma

• barotitis.

– origin from Greek baros ‘weight’.

Baroda /bəˈrəʊdə/

I. a former princely state of western India, now part of Gujarat.

II. former name (until 1976) for Vadodara.

barograph /ˈbarəɡrɑːf/

I. noun

a barometer that records its readings on a moving chart.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek baros ‘weight’ + -graph.

Barolo /bəˈrəʊləʊ, Italian baˈrolo/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a full-bodied red Italian wine from Barolo, a region of Piedmont.

barometer /bəˈrɒmɪtə/

I. noun

1. an instrument measuring atmospheric pressure, used especially in forecasting the weather and determining altitude.

2. something which reflects changes in circumstances or opinions

• furniture is a barometer of changing tastes.

II. derivatives

1. barometric /barəˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

2. barometrical

adjective

3. barometry /bəˈrɒmɪtri /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek baros ‘weight’ + -meter.

baron /ˈbar(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a member of the lowest order of the British nobility. Baron is not used as a form of address, barons usually being referred to as ‘Lord’.

2. a member of a foreign nobility having a rank similar to that of a British baron.

3. ‹historical› a person who held lands or property from the sovereign or a powerful overlord.

4. [with modifier] — an important or powerful person in a specified business or industry

• a press baron.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from medieval Latin baro, baron- ‘man, warrior’, probably of Germanic origin.

baronage /ˈbar(ə)nɪdʒ/

noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.] — barons or nobles collectively.

• he owed his position to his popularity with the baronage.

2. an annotated list of barons or peers.

baroness /ˈbarənɛs/

noun

1. the wife or widow of a baron. Baroness is not used as a form of address, baronesses usually being referred to as ‘Lady’.

2. a woman holding the rank of baron either as a life peerage or as a hereditary rank.

baronet /ˈbar(ə)nɪt/

I. noun

a member of the lowest hereditary titled British order, with the status of a commoner but able to use the prefix ‘Sir’.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Latin baronettus, from Latin baro, baron- ‘man, warrior’. The term originally denoted a gentleman, not a nobleman, summoned by the king to attend parliament; the current order was instituted in the early 17th cent.

baronetage

noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.] — baronets collectively.

• he was elevated to the baronetage.

2. an annotated list of baronets.

baronetcy /ˈbar(ə)nɪtsi/

noun

the rank of a baronet.

• he received a baronetcy for loyalty to the Crown.

baronial /bəˈrəʊnɪəl/

adjective

1. relating to a baron or barons.

• a great baronial family.

2. in the turreted style characteristic of Scottish country houses.

• the stations were built in the distinctive Scottish baronial style.

baron of beef

noun

(Brit.) a joint of beef consisting of two sirloins joined at the backbone.

barony /ˈbar(ə)ni/

noun

1. the rank and estates of a baron.

2. ‹historical› (in Ireland) a division of a county.

3. ‹historical› (in Scotland) a large manor or estate.

baroque /bəˈrɒk, bəˈrəʊk/

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting a style of European architecture, music, and art of the 17th and 18th centuries that followed Mannerism and is characterized by ornate detail. In architecture the period is exemplified by the palace of Versailles and by the work of Wren in England. Major composers include Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel; Caravaggio and Rubens are important baroque artists.

2. highly ornate and extravagant in style.

• the candles were positively baroque.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the baroque style or period.

• the interior of the church is in lavish baroque.

• the sculptural group in Rome is a key work of the baroque.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French (originally designating a pearl of irregular shape), from Portuguese barroco, Spanish barrueco, or Italian barocco; of unknown ultimate origin.

baroreceptor

noun

[Zoology] a receptor sensitive to changes in pressure.

barotitis /ˌbarə(ʊ)ˈtʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] discomfort and inflammation in the ear caused by the changes of pressure occurring during air travel.

barotrauma

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] injury caused by a change in air pressure, affecting typically the ear or the lung.

barouche /bəˈruːʃ/

I. noun

‹historical› a four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with a collapsible hood over the rear half, a seat in front for the driver, and seats facing each other for the passengers.

– origin early 19th cent.: from German dialect Barutsche, from Italian baroccio, based on Latin birotus ‘two-wheeled’, from bi- ‘having two’ + rota ‘wheel’.

bar person

noun

(Brit.) a person who works in a bar.

barque /bɑːk/

I. noun

1. a sailing ship, typically with three masts, in which the foremast and mainmast are square-rigged and the mizzenmast is rigged fore and aft.

2. ‹literary› a boat.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, probably from Provençal barca, from late Latin barca ‘ship's boat’.

barquentine /ˈbɑːk(ə)ntiːn / ‹US› barkentine

I. noun

a sailing ship similar to a barque but with only the foremast square-rigged and the remaining masts rigged fore and aft.

– origin late 17th cent.: from barque, on the pattern of brigantine.

Barquisimeto /ˌbɑːkɪsɪˈmeɪtəʊ/

a city in NW Venezuela; pop. 1,018,900 (est. 2009).

Barra /ˈbarə/

a small island towards the southern end of the Outer Hebrides, to the south of South Uist, from which it is separated by the Sound of Barra.

barrack^1 /ˈbarək/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide (soldiers) with accommodation in a building or set of buildings.

• the granary in which the platoons were barracked.

– origin early 18th cent.: from barracks.

barrack^2 /ˈbarək/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — (Brit.) jeer loudly at (someone performing or speaking in public) in order to express disapproval or to distract them

• opponents barracked him when he addressed the opening parliamentary session.

2. [no obj.] ( barrack for) — (Austral./NZ) give support and encouragement to

• I take it you'll be barracking for Labour tonight?

– origin late 19th cent.: probably from Northern Irish dialect.

barrack-room lawyer

noun

(Brit.) a person who likes to give authoritative-sounding opinions on subjects in which they are not qualified, especially legal matters.

barracks /ˈbarəks / barrack

I. plural noun — [often treated as sing.]

1. a large building or group of buildings used to house soldiers

• the troops were ordered back to barracks.

– origin late 17th cent.: barrack from French baraque, from Italian baracca or Spanish barraca ‘soldier's tent’, of unknown origin.

barrack square

noun

(Brit.) a drill ground near a barracks.

barracoon /ˌbarəˈkuːn/

I. noun

‹historical› an enclosure in which black slaves were confined for a limited period.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish barracón, from barraca ‘soldier's tent’ (see barracks).

barracouta /ˌbarəˈkuːtə/

I. noun

a long, slender fish of southern oceans, highly valued as food. Also called snoek in South Africa.
● Thyrsites atun, family Gempylidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: alteration of barracuda.

barracuda /ˌbarəˈkuːdə/

I. noun

a large predatory tropical marine fish with a slender body and large jaws and teeth.
●Family Sphyraenidae and genus Sphyraena: several species, in particular S. barracuda.

– origin late 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

barracudina /ˌbarəkuːˈdiːnə/

I. noun

a slender-bodied predatory fish with a long head, found in open oceans.
●Family Paralepididae: numerous species, including Paralepis atlantica.

– origin from American Spanish, diminutive of barracuda (see barracuda), which it resembles.

barrage /ˈbarɑːʒ/

I. noun

1. a concentrated artillery bombardment over a wide area.

• his forces launched an artillery barrage on the city.

2. an overwhelming number of questions, criticisms, or complaints delivered simultaneously or in rapid succession

• a barrage of questions.

3. an artificial barrier across a river or estuary to prevent flooding, aid irrigation or navigation, or to generate electricity by tidal power.

• they are considering a tidal barrage built across the Severn estuary.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. bombard (someone) with questions, criticisms, or complaints

• his doctor was barraged with unsolicited advice.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in sense 2 of the noun): from French, from barrer ‘to bar’, of unknown origin.

barrage balloon

noun

a large balloon anchored to the ground by cables and typically with netting suspended from it, serving as an obstacle to low-flying enemy aircraft.

barramundi /ˌbarəˈmʌndi/

I. noun

any of a number of large, chiefly freshwater fishes of Australia and SE Asia:
● a fish that migrates between the sea and rivers and is valued as a food fish ( Lates calcarifer, family Centropomidae). ● a mouthbrooder (genus Scleropages, family Osteoglossidae), in particular S. leichardti.

– origin late 19th cent.: probably from an Aboriginal language of Queensland.

barranca /bəˈraŋkə / barranco

I. noun

(chiefly US) a narrow, winding river gorge.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Spanish.

Barranquilla /ˌbarəŋˈkiːjə/

the chief port of Colombia; pop. 1,112,889 (2005). Founded in 1629, the city lies at the mouth of the Magdalena River, near the Caribbean Sea.

barratry /ˈbarətri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› fraud or gross negligence of a ship's master or crew at the expense of its owners or users.

2. [Law] vexatious litigation or incitement to it (abolished as an offence in Britain in 1967).

3. ‹historical› trade in the sale of Church or state appointments.

II. derivatives

1. barrator /ˈbarətə /

noun

2. barratrous

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in sense 3): from Old French baraterie, from barater ‘deceive’, based on Greek prattein ‘do, perform, manage’ (sometimes dishonestly); perhaps influenced by Old Norse barátta ‘contest’.

Barrault, Jean-Louis /baˈrəʊ, French baʀo/

(1910–94), French actor and director. He directed a number of films, and appeared in Les Enfants du Paradis (1945).

Barr body

I. noun

[Physiology] a small, densely staining structure in the cell nuclei of females, consisting of a condensed, inactive X chromosome. It is regarded as diagnostic of genetic femaleness.

– origin 1960s: named after the Canadian anatomist M. L. Barr (1908–95).

barre /bɑː/

I. noun

1. a horizontal bar at waist level on which ballet dancers rest a hand for support during certain exercises.

2. [as modifier] — denoting a chord played using the barré method.

– origin French.

barré /ˈbareɪ/

I. noun

[Music] a method of playing a chord on the guitar or a similar instrument in which one finger is laid across all the strings at a particular fret.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, literally ‘barred’, past participle of barrer.

barred /bɑːd/

adjective

1. closed or secured with a long rigid piece of wood, metal, or similar material

• he sits by a barred window

• a barred gate.

2. marked with bands of colour or light

• he spotted a barred owl.

barrel /ˈbar(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a cylindrical container bulging out in the middle, traditionally made of wooden staves with metal hoops round them.

• the wine is then matured in old barrels.

2. a barrel together with its contents

• a barrel of beer.

3. a measure of capacity used for oil and beer, usually equal to 36 imperial gallons for beer and 35 imperial gallons or 42 US gallons (roughly 159 litres) for oil.

• the well was producing 10,000 barrels a day.

4. a cylindrical tube forming part of an object such as a gun or a pen

• a gun barrel.

5. the belly and loins of a four-legged animal such as a horse.

• a Welsh mountain pony with a barrel like a butt of wine.

II. verb

1. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) drive or move in a way that is so fast as to almost be out of control

• they shot him and then barreled away in the truck.

2. [with obj.] — put into a barrel or barrels.

• when the young spirit is barrelled, it absorbs some of this flavour.

III. phrases

1. a barrel of laughs

[with negative] — ‹informal› a source of amusement or pleasure

• life is not exactly a barrel of laughs at the moment.

2. over a barrel

‹informal› in a helpless position; at someone's mercy.

• I like doing business with a man who knows he's over a barrel.

3. with both barrels

‹informal› with unrestrained force or emotion.

• cut to the quick, he let go with both barrels.

– origin Middle English: from Old French baril, from medieval Latin barriclus ‘small cask’.

barrel bomb

I. noun

a crude bomb consisting of an oil drum or similar container filled with explosives, typically dropped from an aircraft

• he estimated that dozens of barrel bombs had been dropped on the province in the last nine days.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. drop a barrel bomb or bombs on

• another of the makeshift medical centres was barrel-bombed on June 23rd

• (as noun barrel-bombing) the latest barrel-bombing reportedly killed 17 civilians.

barrel-chested

adjective

having a large rounded chest.

• he was a big man, barrel-chested and black-bearded.

barrel distortion

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of defect in optical or electronic images in which vertical or horizontal straight lines appear as convex curves.

barrelfish

noun

a fish which lives in the deep waters of the Atlantic when adult, and on the surface, typically among flotsam, when young.
● Schedophilus medusophagus and Hyperoglyphe perciforma, family Centrolophidae.

barrelhead /ˈbar(ə)lhɛd/

I. noun

the flat top of a barrel.

II. phrases

on the barrelhead

North American term for on the nail (see nail).

barrelhouse /ˈbar(ə)lhaʊs/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a cheap or disreputable bar.

2. [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier] — an unrestrained and unsophisticated style of jazz music

• neither took formal music lessons—they developed their barrelhouse style through playing by ear.

– origin late 19th cent.: so named because of the rows of barrels along the walls of such a bar.

barrel organ

noun

a small pipe organ played by turning a handle, which rotates a cylinder studded with pegs that open the valves to produce a preset tune, formerly much used by street musicians.

barrel roll

noun

an aerobatic manoeuvre in which an aircraft follows a single turn of a spiral while rolling once about its longitudinal axis.

barrel vault

I. noun

[Architecture] a vault forming a half cylinder.

II. derivatives

barrel-vaulted

adjective

barren /ˈbar(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. (of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation.

• the plains of Kyrenia were barren.

• the barren, burnt-up countryside.

2. (of a tree or plant) not producing fruit or seed.

• the barren fig tree.

3. ‹archaic› (of a woman) infertile.

4. (of a female animal) not pregnant or unable to become so.

5. showing no results or achievements; unproductive

• he scored yesterday to end his barren spell.

6. (of a place or building) bleak and lifeless.

• the sports hall turned out to be a rather barren concrete building.

• the flat feels too tidy, almost barren.

7. empty of meaning or value.

• your life will be barren.

8. ( barren of) — devoid of

• the room was barren of furniture.

II. noun

1. (usu. barrens) — (chiefly N. Amer.) a barren tract or tracts of land

• the Newfoundland barrens.

2. ‹rare› a group or drove of mules

• the Greeks were seen to drive a barren of mules.

III. derivatives

1. barrenly /ˈbarənli /

adverb

2. barrenness /ˈbar(ə)nnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French barhaine, of unknown origin.

barrenwort

noun

an Old World plant with cup-shaped spurred flowers, cultivated for its colourful foliage. It was formerly thought to cause infertility.
●Genus Epimedium, family Berberidaceae.

Barrett, Elizabeth

see Browning, Elizabeth Barrett.

barrette /baˈrɛt/

I. noun

(US) a typically bar-shaped clip or ornament for the hair; a hairslide.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, diminutive of barre ‘bar’.

barricade /ˌbarɪˈkeɪd/

I. noun

an improvised barrier erected across a street or other thoroughfare to prevent or delay the movement of opposing forces.

• the police action led to riots, with hundreds of demonstrators building barricades and burning vehicles.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. block or defend with a barricade

• they barricaded the building and occupied it all night.

2. shut (someone) into a place by blocking all the entrances

• detainees who barricaded themselves into their dormitory.

III. phrases

man (or go to) the barricades

strongly protest against or defend something.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from barrique ‘cask’, from Spanish barrica; related to barrel (barrels often being used to build barricades).

Barrie, Sir J. M.

(1860–1937), Scottish dramatist and novelist; full name James Matthew Barrie. Barrie's most famous play is Peter Pan (1904), a fantasy for children about a boy who did not grow up.

barrier /ˈbarɪə/

I. noun

1. a fence or other obstacle that prevents movement or access.

• the mountain barrier between Norway and Sweden.

2. (Brit.) a gate at a car park or railway station that controls access by being raised or lowered.

3. a circumstance or obstacle that keeps people or things apart or prevents communication or progress

• a language barrier

• the cultural barriers to economic growth.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a palisade or fortification defending an entrance): from Old French barriere, of unknown origin; related to barre.

barrier cream

noun

(Brit.) a cream used to protect the skin from damage or infection.

• apply a barrier cream for dirty, wet jobs.

barrier method

noun

a method of contraception using a device or preparation which prevents live sperm from reaching an ovum.

barrier reef

noun

a coral reef close and running parallel to the shore but separated from it by a channel of deep water.

barrier rise

noun

(Austral./NZ) the opening of the starting gate that begins a horse race

• the race was won and lost at barrier rise

• the horse was attacked from the barrier rise.

barrier rogue

noun

(Austral.) a racehorse that regularly misbehaves when being placed into a starting gate

• a docile animal at home, he was a barrier rogue on the racetrack.

barrier trial

noun

(Austral.) a practice race for young or inexperienced horses, particularly in order to familiarize them with the starting gate

• the two-year-old impressed in a recent barrier trial.

barring /ˈbɑːrɪŋ/

I. preposition

except for; if not for

• barring accidents, we should win.

– origin late 15th cent.: from the verb bar^1 + -ing^2.

barrio /ˈbarɪəʊ/

I. noun

1. a district of a town in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries.

2. (in the US) the Spanish-speaking quarter of a town or city, especially one with a high poverty level.

– origin Spanish, perhaps from Arabic.

barrique /bəˈriːk, French baʀik/

I. noun

a wine barrel, especially a small one made of new oak in which Bordeaux and other wines are aged.

– origin late 18th cent.: French.

barrister /ˈbarɪstə / barrister-at-law

I. noun

(chiefly Brit.) a person called to the bar and entitled to practise as an advocate, particularly in the higher courts.
Compare with attorney, solicitor.

– origin late Middle English: from the noun bar^1, perhaps on the pattern of minister.

barroom /ˈbɑːruːm/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a room where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter.

barrow^1 /ˈbarəʊ/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a two-wheeled handcart used especially by street vendors.

• they sell fruit from market barrows.

2. (Brit.) a wheelbarrow.

– origin Old English bearwe ‘stretcher, bier’, of Germanic origin; related to bear^1.

barrow^2 /ˈbarəʊ/

I. noun

[Archaeology] an ancient burial mound.

– origin Old English beorg, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch berg, German Berg ‘hill, mountain’.

barrow boy

noun

(Brit.) a boy or man who sells wares from a barrow in the street.

barry /ˈbɑːri/

I. adjective

[Heraldry] divided into typically four, six, or eight equal horizontal bars of alternating tinctures.

• barry of six, argent and azure.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French barré ‘barred, striped’, past participle of barrer.

Barry, Sir Charles

(1795–1860), English architect, designer of the Houses of Parliament.

Barrymore

an American family of film and stage actors, notably Lionel (1878–1954), his sister Ethel (1879–1959), and their brother John (1882–1942).

Barsac /ˈbɑːsak, French baʀsak/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sweet white wine from the district of Barsac, a department of the Gironde in France.

bar sinister

noun

popular and erroneous term for bend sinister.

bar stool

noun

a tall stool for customers at a bar to sit on.

Bart /bɑːt/

abbreviation

Baronet.

Bart, Lionel

(1930–99), English composer and lyricist. His musicals include Oliver! (1960).

bar tack

I. noun

a stitch made to strengthen a potential weak spot in a garment or other sewn item.

II. derivatives

bar-tacked

adjective

bartender /ˈbɑːtɛndə/

I. noun

a person serving drinks at a bar.

II. derivatives

1. bartend /ˈbɑːtɛnd /

verb

2. bartending

noun

barter /ˈbɑːtə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. exchange (goods or services) for other goods or services without using money

• he often bartered a meal for drawings

• [no obj.] they were able to buy or barter for most of what they needed.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or system of bartering.

• paper money ceases to have any value and people resort to barter.

2. goods or services used in bartering

• I took a supply of coffee and cigarettes to use as barter.

III. derivatives

barterer /ˈbɑːtərə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: probably from Old French barater ‘deceive’ (see barratry).

Barth, John /bɑːθ/

(b.1930), American novelist and short-story writer noted for complex experimental novels such as The Sot-Weed Factor (1960); full name John Simmons Barth.

Barth, Karl /bɑːt, bɑːθ/

I. (1886–1968), Swiss Protestant theologian. His seminal work Epistle to the Romans (1919) established a neo-orthodox or theocentric approach to contemporary religious thought which remains influential on Protestant theology.

II. derivatives

Barthian /ˈbɑːtɪən /

adjective

Barthes, Roland /bɑːt, French baʀt/

(1915–80), French writer and critic. Barthes was a leading exponent of structuralism and semiology in literary criticism, while later works were influential in the development of deconstruction and post-structuralism.

Bartholdi, Auguste /bɑːˈtɒldi, bɑːˈθɒldi, French baʀtɔldi/

(1834–1904), French sculptor, known especially for the Statue of Liberty, which was presented to the US in 1886; full name Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi.

bartholinitis /ˌbɑːtəlɪˈnʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of Bartholin's gland, typically accompanied by cysts or abscesses.

Bartholin's gland /ˈbɑːtəlɪnz/

I. noun

[Anatomy] either of a pair of glands lying near the entrance of the vagina, which secrete a fluid that lubricates the vulva.

– origin early 18th cent.: named by Caspar Bartholin (1655–1738), Danish anatomist, as a tribute to his father.

Bartholomew, St /bɑːˈθɒləˌmjuː/

an Apostle. He is said to have been flayed alive in Armenia, and is hence regarded as the patron saint of tanners. Feast day, 24 August.

bartizan /ˌbɑːtɪˈzan/

I. noun

[Architecture] a battlemented parapet or an overhanging corner turret at the top of a castle or church tower.

– origin early 19th cent.: from 17th-cent. bertisene, Scots variant of bratticing ‘temporary breastwork or parapet’, from brattice; revived and reinterpreted by Sir Walter Scott.

Bartlett pear /ˈbɑːtlɪt/

I. noun

a dessert pear of a juicy early-ripening variety.

– origin from the name of Enoch Bartlett (1779–1860), a US merchant who first distributed the pear.

Bartók, Béla /ˈbɑːtɒk/

(1881–1945), Hungarian composer. His work owes much to Hungarian folk music and includes six string quartets, three piano concertos, and the Concerto for Orchestra (1943).

Bartolommeo, Fra /ˌbɑːtɒləˈmeɪəʊ, Italian ˌbartolomˈmɛo/

( c. 1472–1517), Italian painter; born Baccio della Porta. He was a Dominican friar and worked chiefly in Florence, where he was impressed and influenced by the work of Raphael.

barton /ˈbɑːt(ə)n/

I. noun

‹archaic› a farmyard.

– origin Old English bere-tūn, from bere ‘barley’ + tūn ‘enclosed piece of land, homestead, village’.

Barton, Sir Edmund

(1849–1920), Australian statesman and jurist, first Prime Minister of Australia 1901–3.

bar towel ‹US› bar mop

noun

a small piece of thick absorbent cloth of a type used in a pub or bar for wiping tables and cleaning glasses

• she threw the bar towel in the sink.

bar tracery

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Architecture] tracery with strips of stone across an aperture.

bartsia /ˈbɑːtsɪə/

I. noun

a herbaceous plant of the figwort family, some kinds being partly parasitic on the roots of other plants, especially grasses.
● Bartsia and related genera, family Scrophulariaceae: several species.

– origin modern Latin, named after Johann Bartsch (1709–38), Prussian botanist.

Baruch /ˈbɑːrʊk/

a book of the Apocrypha, attributed in the text to Baruch, the scribe of Jeremiah (Jer. 36).

bar useful

noun

(Austral.) an employee who does general work in a hotel or bar

• a bar useful had occasion to go over and require them to make less noise.

barwing

noun

an Asian bird of the babbler family, with barred feathers on the wings and tail.
●Genus Actinodura, family Timaliidae: several species.

barycentric /ˌbarɪˈsɛntrɪk/

I. adjective

relating to the centre of gravity.

II. derivatives

barycentre /ˈbarɪsɛntə /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek barus ‘heavy’ + -centric.

baryon /ˈbarɪɒn/

I. noun

[Physics] a subatomic particle, such as a nucleon or hyperon, that has a mass equal to or greater than that of a proton.

II. derivatives

baryonic

adjective

– origin 1950s: from Greek barus ‘heavy’ + -on.

Baryshnikov, Mikhail /bəˈriːʃnɪˌkɒf/

(b.1948), American ballet dancer, born in Latvia of Russian parents; full name Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov. In 1974 he defected to the West while touring with the Kirov Ballet.

baryta /bəˈrʌɪtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] barium hydroxide.
●Chem. formula: Ba(OH)2.

– origin early 19th cent.: from baryte, on the pattern of words such as soda.

baryte /ˈbarʌɪt, ˈbɛːrʌɪt / barytes /bəˈrʌɪtiːz/ , barite

I. noun

a mineral consisting of barium sulphate, typically occurring as colourless prismatic crystals or thin white flakes.

– origin late 18th cent. (as barytes): from Greek barus ‘heavy’ + endings based on Greek -ites.

baryton /ˈbarɪtɒn/

I. noun

an obsolete stringed instrument similar to a bass viol, with additional sympathetic strings, used mainly in 18th-century Germany and Austria.

– origin variant of baritone.

bas /bʌs/

I. exclamation

(Indian) stop; enough

• Bas! Stop pestering me!

– origin from Hindi, from Persian.

basal /ˈbeɪs(ə)l/

adjective

‹chiefly technical› forming or belonging to a bottom layer or base.

• basal epidermal cells.

• the plant grows huge basal leaves.

basal cell carcinoma

noun

technical term for rodent ulcer.

basal ganglia

plural noun

[Anatomy] a group of structures linked to the thalamus in the base of the brain and involved in coordination of movement.

basal metabolic rate

I. noun

the rate at which the body uses energy while at rest to maintain vital functions such as breathing and keeping warm.

II. derivatives

basal metabolism

noun

basalt /ˈbasɔːlt, ˈbas(ə)lt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark fine-grained volcanic rock that sometimes displays a columnar structure, typically composed largely of plagioclase with pyroxene and olivine.

2. a kind of black stoneware developed by Josiah Wedgwood.

II. derivatives

basaltic /bəˈsɔːltɪk /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent. (in the Latin form): from Latin basaltes (variant of basanites), from Greek basanitēs, from basanos ‘touchstone’.

basanite /ˈbasənʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark grey or black basaltic rock consisting of plagioclase, augite, olivine, and a feldspathoid.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin basanites (see basalt) + -ite^1.

bascule /ˈbaskjuːl / bascule bridge

I. noun

1. a type of bridge with a section which can be raised and lowered using counterweights.

2. a movable section of road forming part of a bascule bridge.

– origin late 19th cent.: earlier denoting a lever apparatus of which one end is raised while the other is lowered, from French (earlier bacule), ‘see-saw’, from battre ‘to bump’ + cul ‘buttocks’.

base^1 /beɪs/

I. noun

1. the lowest part or edge of something, especially the part on which it rests or is supported

• she sat down at the base of a tree.

2. [Architecture] the part of a column between the shaft and pedestal or pavement.

3. [Botany] [Zoology] the end at which a part or organ is attached to the trunk or main part.

• a shoot is produced at the base of the stem.

4. [Geometry] a line or surface on which a figure is regarded as standing

• the base of the triangle.

5. [Surveying] a known line used as a geometrical base for trigonometry.

6. [Heraldry] the lowest part of a shield.

7. a conceptual structure or entity on which something draws or depends

• the town's economic base collapsed.

8. a foundation or starting point for further work

• she uses existing data as the base for the study.

9. [with modifier] — a group of people regarded as supporting an organization, for example by buying its products

• a customer base.

10. a place used as a centre of operations by the armed forces or others; a headquarters

• he headed back to base.

11. the main place where a person works or stays

• she makes the studio her base

• your hotel is a good base from which to explore.

12. a main or important element or ingredient to which other things are added

• soaps with a vegetable oil base.

13. [ mass noun] — a substance into which a pigment is mixed to form paint, such as water, oil, or powdered aluminium hydroxide.

14. [ mass noun] — a substance used as a foundation for make-up

• her make-up artist works with base, eye make-up, and lipstick.

15. [Chemistry] a substance capable of reacting with an acid to form a salt and water, or (more broadly) of accepting or neutralizing hydrogen ions.
Compare with acid and alkali.

16. [Biochemistry] a purine or pyrimidine group in a nucleotide or nucleic acid.

17. [Electronics] the middle part of a bipolar transistor, separating the emitter from the collector.

18. [Linguistics] the root or stem of a word or a derivative.

19. the uninflected form of a verb.

20. [Mathematics] a number used as the basis of a numeration scale.

21. a number in terms of which other numbers are expressed as logarithms.

22. [Baseball] each of the four stations that must be reached in turn to score a run.
See also first base.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ( base something on) — use (something specified) as the foundation or starting point for something

• the film is based on a novel by Pat Conroy

• entitlement will be based on income.

2. situate at a specified place as the centre of operations

• the Science Policy Review Unit is based at the University of Sussex

• (as adj., in combination -based) a London-based band.

III. phrases

1. off base

‹informal› mistaken.

• the boy is way off base.

2. touch base

‹informal› briefly make or renew contact with someone.

• they are travelling back to Star City, where they plan to touch base with relatives.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin basis ‘base, pedestal’, from Greek.

base^2 /beɪs/

I. adjective

1. without moral principles; ignoble

• the electorate's baser instincts of greed and selfishness.

2. ‹archaic› denoting or befitting a person of low social class.

3. (of coins or other articles) not made of precious metal.

• the basest coins in the purse were made in the 620s AD.

II. derivatives

basely /ˈbeɪsli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bas, from medieval Latin bassus ‘short’ (found in classical Latin as a cognomen). Early senses included ‘low, short’ and ‘of inferior quality’; from the latter arose a sense ‘low in the social scale’, and hence (mid 16th cent.) ‘reprehensibly cowardly, selfish, or mean’.

baseball /ˈbeɪsbɔːl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a ball game played between two teams of nine on a diamond-shaped circuit of four bases. It is played chiefly as a warm-weather sport in the US and Canada.

• a game of baseball.

• [as modifier] a baseball player.

2. [ count noun] — the hard ball used in baseball.

baseball cap /ˈbeɪsbɔːl kap/

noun

a cotton cap of a kind originally worn by baseball players, with a large peak and an adjustable strap at the back.

baseboard /ˈbeɪsbɔːd/

noun

North American term for skirting.

baseborn /ˈbeɪsbɔːn/

adjective

1. ‹archaic› of low birth or origin.

• he was a baseborn prince.

2. ‹archaic› illegitimate.

• his baseborn son.

base camp

noun

a camp from which mountaineering expeditions set out or from which a particular activity can be carried out.

base dressing

noun

1. an application of manure or fertilizer to the earth, which is then ploughed or dug in.

2. the manure or fertilizer applied in a base dressing.

basehead

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a habitual user of freebase or crack.

– origin 1980s: from a shortened form of freebase + -head^2.

base hit

noun

[Baseball] a fair ball hit such that the batter can advance safely to a base without an error by the team in the field.

base hospital

noun

1. a military hospital situated at some distance from the area of active operations during a war.

2. (Austral./NZ) a hospital serving a large rural area.

base jump BASE jump

I. noun

a parachute jump from a fixed point, typically a high building or promontory, rather than an aircraft.

II. verb

( base-jump) [no obj.] — perform a base jump.

• he base jumped from the top on to the glacier below.

III. derivatives

1. base jumper

noun

2. base jumping

noun

– origin 1980s: base from b uilding, a ntenna-tower, s pan, e arth (denoting the types of structure used).

Basel /ˈbaːzl/

German name for Basle.

baseless /ˈbeɪsləs/

I. adjective

1. without foundation in fact

• baseless allegations.

2. [Architecture] (of a column) not having a base between the shaft and pedestal.

II. derivatives

1. baselessly /ˈbeɪsləsli /

adverb

2. baselessness /ˈbeɪsləsnəs /

noun

baseline /ˈbeɪslʌɪn/

noun

1. a minimum or starting point used for comparisons.

2. (in tennis, volleyball, and other games) the line marking each end of a court.

3. [Baseball] the line between bases which a runner must stay close to when running.

4. [Printing] the imaginary straight line through the feet of most letters in a line of type.

baseload /ˈbeɪsləʊd/

noun

the permanent minimum load that a power supply system is required to deliver.

baseman /ˈbeɪsmən/

noun

[Baseball] a fielder designated to cover either first, second, or third base.

basement /ˈbeɪsm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. the floor of a building which is partly or entirely below ground level.

• they went down the stairs into the basement.

• [as modifier] a basement flat.

2. [Geology] the oldest formation of rocks underlying a particular area.
[as modifier]

• basement rocks.

– origin mid 18th cent.: probably from archaic Dutch basement ‘foundation’, perhaps from Italian basamento ‘column base’.

basement membrane

noun

[Anatomy] a thin, delicate membrane of protein fibres and mucopolysaccharides separating an epithelium from underlying tissue.

base metal

noun

a common metal that is not considered precious, such as copper, tin, or zinc.

• cutlery was available in silver or base metals.

• [ mass noun] most are made of base metal.

baseness /ˈbeɪsnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of moral principles; bad character

• the baseness of human nature.

basenji /bəˈsɛndʒi/

I. noun

a smallish hunting dog of a central African breed, which growls and yelps but does not bark.

– origin 1930s: a local word.

base pair

noun

[Biochemistry] a pair of complementary bases in a double-stranded nucleic acid molecule, consisting of a purine in one strand linked by hydrogen bonds to a pyrimidine in the other. Cytosine always pairs with guanine, and adenine with thymine (in DNA) or uracil (in RNA).

baseplate /ˈbeɪspleɪt/

noun

a sheet of metal forming the bottom of an object.

base rate

noun

(in the UK) the interest rate set by the Bank of England for lending to other banks, used as the benchmark for interest rates generally.

bases

plural form of base^1 and basis.

base station

noun

1. a relay located at the centre of any of the cells of a cellular telephone system.

2. a short-range transceiver which connects a cordless phone, computer, or other wireless device to a central hub and allows connection to a network.

base unit

noun

a fundamental unit that is defined arbitrarily and not by combinations of other units. The base units of the SI system are the metre, kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin, mole, and candela.

bash /baʃ / ‹informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. strike hard and violently

• she bashed him with the book

• [no obj.] people bashed on the doors.

2. ( bash something in) — damage or break something by striking it violently.

• the car's rear window had been bashed in.

3. [no obj.] ( bash into) — collide with

• the other vehicle bashed into the back of them.

4. fiercely criticize or oppose

• the dispute will be used as an excuse to bash the unions.

II. noun

1. a heavy blow

• a bash on the head.

2. a party or social event

• a birthday bash.

3. [in sing.] — (Brit.) an attempt

• have a bash at this quiz.

III. phrasal verbs

1. bash something out

‹informal› produce something rapidly without preparation or attention to detail

• I didn't just want to bash out songs.

2. bash on (or away)

(Brit.) ‹informal› continue despite difficulties

• nothing much we can do, except bash on.

IV. derivatives

basher /ˈbaʃə /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a verb): imitative, perhaps a blend of bang^1 and smash, dash, etc.

basha /ˈbaʃə/

I. noun

an improvised shelter for one or a few soldiers.

– origin 1920s (originally denoting a bamboo hut with a thatched roof): Assamese.

bashert /baˈʃəːt/

I. noun

(in Jewish use) a person's soulmate, especially when considered as an ideal or predestined marriage partner.

• come and find your bashert at our Jewish singles events!

• she hasn't met her bashert yet.

– origin Yiddish, ‘fate, destiny’.

bashful /ˈbaʃfʊl, ˈbaʃf(ə)l/

I. adjective

reluctant to draw attention to oneself; shy.

• everything you need to know but have been too bashful to ask.

• suddenly bashful, she could think of nothing to say.

• don't be bashful about telling folk how you feel.

II. derivatives

1. bashfully /ˈbaʃfəli, ˈbaʃfʊli /

adverb

2. bashfulness /ˈbaʃfəlnəs /

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from obsolete bash ‘make or become abashed’ (from abash) + -ful.

bashing /ˈbaʃɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun] [usu. in combination]

1. ‹informal› violent physical assault

• nine incidents of gay-bashing were reported to the police.

2. ‹informal› fierce criticism or opposition

• union-bashing.

Bashkir /baʃˈkɪə/

I. noun

1. a member of a Muslim people living in the southern Urals.

2. [ mass noun] — the Turkic language of the Bashkirs, with about 1 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Bashkirs or their language.

– origin via Russian from Turkic Başkurt.

Bashkiria /baʃˈkɪərɪə/

an autonomous republic in central Russia, west of the Urals; pop. 4,042,900 (est. 2009); capital, Ufa. Also called Bashkir Autonomous Republic.

bashment /ˈbaʃmənt/

noun

1. (W. Indian) a large party or dance.

2. an uptempo style of popular music derived from dancehall and ragga.

basho /ˈbaʃəʊ/

I. noun

a sumo wrestling tournament.

– origin Japanese, from ba ‘place, occasion’ + shō ‘place, locality’.

basic /ˈbeɪsɪk/

I. adjective

1. forming an essential foundation or starting point; fundamental

• certain basic rules must be obeyed

• the laying down of arms is basic to the agreement.

2. offering or constituting the minimum required without elaboration or luxury

• the food was good, if a bit basic.

3. common to or required by everyone; primary and ineradicable or inalienable

• basic human rights.

4. [Chemistry] having the properties of a base, or containing a base; having a pH above 7.

• these salts yield basic solutions comparable in strength with the mineral alkalis.

Often contrasted with acidic and alkaline.

5. [Geology] (of rock, especially lava) relatively poor in silica.

• a coarse-grained, basic, plutonic rock.

6. [Metallurgy] relating to or denoting steel-making processes involving lime-rich refractories and slags.

II. noun — ( basics)

1. ‹informal› the essential facts or principles of a subject or skill

• I learnt the basics of programming on a course

• teachers are going back to basics to encourage pupils to learn English.

2. ‹informal› essential food and other supplies

• people are facing a shortage of basics like flour.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from base^1 + -ic.

BASIC /ˈbeɪsɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a simple high-level computer programming language that uses familiar English words, designed for beginners and formerly used widely.

– origin 1960s: acronym from Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code.

basically /ˈbeɪsɪkli/

adverb — [often as submodifier]

1. in the most essential respects; fundamentally

• we started from a basically simple idea.

2. [ sentence adverb] — used to indicate that a statement summarizes the most important aspects, or gives a roughly accurate account, of a more complex situation

• I basically played the same thing every night.

Basic English

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a simplified form of English limited to 850 selected words, intended for international communication.

basicity /beɪˈsɪsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the number of hydrogen atoms replaceable by a base in a particular acid.

basic oxygen process

noun

a steel-making process in which a jet of oxygen is delivered by a lance on to a molten mixture of pig iron and scrap steel in a retort lined with a basic refractory. Excess carbon is burnt away, producing enough heat to keep the iron molten, and the oxidized impurities are removed as gases or slag.

basic pay

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a standard rate of pay before additional payments such as allowances and bonuses.

basic slag

noun — [ mass noun]

1. slag formed as a by-product of basic steel-making processes. It is generally rich in lime and sometimes also in phosphates, and can be used as fertilizer.

basic wage

noun

1. the amount a person earns before additional payments such as overtime.

2. (Austral./NZ) another term for minimum wage.

basidiomycete /bəˌsɪdɪəˈmʌɪsiːt/

I. noun

[Botany] a fungus whose spores develop in basidia. They include the majority of familiar mushrooms and toadstools. Compare with ascomycete.
●Subdivision Basidiomycotina (formerly class Basidiomycetes): several classes.

– origin late 19th cent.: anglicized singular of modern Latin Basidiomycetes, from basidium (see basidium) + Greek mukētes ‘fungi’.

basidium /bəˈsɪdɪəm/

I. noun

a microscopic club-shaped spore-bearing structure produced by certain fungi.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek basidion, diminutive of basis (see basis).

Basie, Count /ˈbeɪsi/

(1904–84), American jazz pianist, organist, and bandleader; born William Basie. In 1935 he formed a big band, known as the Count Basie Orchestra, which became one of the most successful bands of the swing era.

basil /ˈbaz(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an aromatic plant of the mint family, native to tropical Asia. The leaves are used as a culinary herb, especially in Mediterranean dishes.

• garnish the baked pizza with fresh basil.

• [as modifier] basil sauce.

●Genus Ocimum, family Labiatae: several species, in particular the annual sweet basil ( O. basilicum).

2. (also wild basil) — a European plant which grows in hedges and scrub.
● Clinopodium vulgare, family Labiatae.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French basile, via medieval Latin from Greek basilikon, neuter of basilikos ‘royal’ (see basilica).

Basil, St

( c. 330–79), Doctor of the Church, bishop of Caesarea; known as St Basil the Great. Brother of St Gregory of Nyssa, he staunchly opposed Arianism and put forward a monastic rule which is still the basis of monasticism in the Eastern Church. Feast day, 14 June.

basilar /ˈbasɪlə/

I. adjective

of or situated at the base of something, especially of the skull, or of the organ of Corti in the ear.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from modern Latin basilaris, formed irregularly from Latin basis (see basis).

Basildon /ˈbazɪldən/

a town in Essex, SE England; pop. 100,600 (est. 2009). It was developed as a new town from 1949.

basilect /ˈbasɪlɛkt, ˈbeɪsɪlɛkt/

I. noun

[Linguistics] a less prestigious dialect or variety of a particular language.
Often contrasted with acrolect.

II. derivatives

basilectal /basɪˈlɛkt(ə)l, beɪsɪˈlɛkt(ə)l /

adjective

– origin 1960s: from basis + -lect as in dialect.

Basilian /bəˈzɪlɪən/

I. adjective

relating to St Basil the Great, or the order of monks and nuns following his monastic rule.

• a Basilian school in France.

II. noun

a Basilian monk or nun.

• the principles he had absorbed from the Basilians.

basilica /bəˈsɪlɪkə, bəˈzɪlɪkə/

I. noun

1. a large oblong hall or building with double colonnades and a semicircular apse, used in ancient Rome as a law court or for public assemblies.

2. a building similar to a Roman basilica, used as a Christian church.

3. the name given to certain churches granted special privileges by the Pope.

II. derivatives

basilican /bəˈsɪlɪkən, bəˈzɪlɪkən /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘royal palace’, from Greek basilikē, feminine of basilikos ‘royal’, from basileus ‘king’.

Basilicata /bəˌsɪlɪˈkɑːtə/

a region of southern Italy, lying between the ‘heel’ of Apulia and the ‘toe’ of Calabria; capital, Potenza.

basilisk /ˈbazɪlɪsk/

I. noun

1. a mythical reptile with a lethal gaze or breath, hatched by a serpent from a cock's egg.

2. [Heraldry] another term for cockatrice.

3. a long, slender, and mainly bright green lizard found in Central America, the male of which has a crest running from the head to the tail. It can swim well, and is able to run on its hind legs across the surface of water.
● Basiliscus plumifrons, family Iguanidae.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek basiliskos ‘little king, serpent’, from basileus ‘king’.

basilosaurus /ˌbasɪlə(ʊ)ˈsɔːrəs/

I. noun

a large marine cetacean of the Eocene epoch, having rudimentary fore and hind limbs.
●Genus Basilosaurus, suborder Archaeoceti, order Cetacea.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek basileus ‘king’ + sauros ‘lizard’.

basin /ˈbeɪs(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) a bowl for washing, typically attached to a wall and having taps connected to a water supply; a washbasin.

2. a wide open container used for preparing food or for holding liquid.

• she poured water from the jug into the basin.

3. a circular or oval valley or natural depression on the earth's surface, especially one containing water

• the loch is cupped in a shallow basin among low hills.

4. the tract of country drained by a river and its tributaries, or which drains into a lake or sea

• the Amazon basin.

5. an enclosed area of water where boats can be moored.

• the gravel pit is to be used as a yacht basin.

6. [Geology] a circumscribed rock formation where the strata dip towards the centre.

II. derivatives

basinful /ˈbeɪs(ə)nfʊl /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French bacin, from medieval Latin bacinus, from bacca ‘water container’, perhaps of Gaulish origin.

basinet /ˈbasɪnɪt / bascinet

I. noun

‹historical› a light, close-fitting steel helmet, typically having a visor.

– origin Middle English: from Old French bacinet ‘little basin’.

basipetal /beɪˈsɪpɪt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [Botany] (of growth or development) downwards towards the base or point of attachment.
The opposite of acropetal.

2. [Botany] (of the movement of dissolved substances) inwards from the shoot and root apices.

II. derivatives

basipetally

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from basis + Latin petere ‘seek’ + -al.

basis /ˈbeɪsɪs/

I. noun

1. the underlying support or foundation for an idea, argument, or process

• trust is the only basis for a good working relationship.

2. [with adj.] — the system or principles according to which an activity or process is carried on

• she needed coaching on a regular basis.

3. the justification for or reasoning behind something

• on the basis of these statistics important decisions are made.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a base or pedestal): via Latin from Greek, ‘stepping’. Compare with base^1.

basis point

noun

[Finance] one hundredth of one percentage point (used chiefly in expressing differences of interest rates).

• the Treasury will be paying an overall rate just 75–100 basis points above bill rates.

bask /bɑːsk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. lie exposed to warmth and light, typically from the sun, for relaxation and pleasure.

• sprawled figures basking in the afternoon sun.

• the seals came ashore to breed and to bask.

2. ( bask in) — revel in and make the most of (something pleasing)

• he went on basking in the glory of his first book.

– origin late Middle English (originally in the sense ‘bathe’): perhaps related to Old Norse batha ‘bathe’.

Baskerville /ˈbaskəvɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a typeface much used in books.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after John Baskerville (1706–75), English printer, designer of the typeface.

basket /ˈbɑːskɪt/

I. noun

1. a container used to hold or carry things, typically made from interwoven strips of cane or wire.

• a shopping basket.

• she dropped the letter into the waste-paper basket.

• a laundry basket.

2. (also shopping basket) — a facility on a website that records items selected by a customer for purchase until the transaction is completed

• click on the order button to add a title to your basket.

3. a structure suspended from a hot-air balloon for carrying the crew, equipment, and ballast.

4. [Finance] a group or range of currencies or investments

• a basket of ten currencies.

5. [Basketball] a net fixed on a hoop used as the goal.

6. a goal scored.

7. (Brit.) ‹informal› euphemism for bastard (sense 2 of the noun).

• you silly basket.

II. derivatives

basketful /ˈbɑːskɪtfʊl /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French basket, of unknown ultimate origin.

basketball /ˈbɑːskɪtbɔːl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game played between two teams of five players in which goals are scored by throwing a ball through a netted hoop fixed at each end of the court.

2. [ count noun] — the inflated ball used in basketball.

basket case

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a person or thing regarded as useless or unable to cope.

• do that for a couple of days and you become a blithering basket case.

2. ‹informal› a country or organization that is in severe financial or economic difficulties, especially one that is unable to pay its debts.

• sudden meltdowns—such as the financial crisis—can turn flourishing countries into basket cases overnight.

– origin First World War: originally US slang denoting a soldier who had lost all four limbs, thus unable to move independently.

basket hilt

noun

a sword hilt with a guard resembling basketwork.

basketmaker /ˈbɑːskɪtˌmeɪkə, ˈbaskɪtˌmeɪkə/

I. noun

a person who makes baskets.

II. derivatives

basketmaking /ˈbɑːskɪtmeɪkɪŋ /

noun

Basket Maker

noun

a member of a culture of the south-western US, forming the early stages of the Anasazi culture, from the 1st century BC until c. 700 AD. The name comes from the basketry and other woven fragments found in early cave sites.

basketry /ˈbɑːskɪtri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the craft of basket-making.

2. baskets collectively.

basket weave

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of weave or a pattern resembling basketwork.

basketwork /ˈbɑːskɪtwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. material woven in the style of a basket.

2. the craft of making basketwork.

basking shark

noun

a large shark which feeds exclusively on plankton and typically swims slowly close to the surface, found chiefly in the open ocean.
● Cetorhinus maximus, the only member of the family Cetorhinidae.

Basle /bɑːl, ˈbɑːz(ə)l/

a commercial and industrial city on the Rhine in NW Switzerland; pop. 163,521 (2007). French name Bâle, German name Basel.

basmati /basˈmɑːti, bazˈmɑːti / basmati rice

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of long-grain Indian rice with a delicate fragrance.

– origin from Hindi bāsmatī, literally ‘fragrant’.

basophil /ˈbeɪsə(ʊ)fɪl/

noun

[Physiology] a basophilic white blood cell.

basophilic /ˌbeɪsə(ʊ)ˈfɪlɪk/

adjective

[Physiology] (of a cell or its contents) readily stained with basic dyes.

Basotho /bəˈsuːtuː/

I. plural noun

the South Sotho people collectively, living chiefly in Lesotho.

– origin the name in Sesotho.

basque /bask, bɑːsk/

I. noun

a close-fitting bodice extending from the shoulders to the waist and typically with a short continuation below waist level.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Basque, referring to Basque dress.

Basque /bask, bɑːsk/

I. noun

1. a member of a people living in the Basque Country of France and Spain. Culturally one of the most distinct groups in Europe, the Basques were largely independent until the 19th century. The Basque separatist movement ETA is carrying on an armed struggle against the Spanish government.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Basques, which is not known to be related to any other language. It has about 1 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Basques or their language.

– origin from French, from Latin Vasco; compare with Gascon.

Basque Country

a region of the western Pyrenees in both France and Spain, the homeland of the Basque people.
French name Pays Basque.

Basque Provinces

an autonomous region of northern Spain, on the Bay of Biscay; capital, Vitoria.

Basra /ˈbazrə/

an oil port of Iraq, on the Shatt al-Arab waterway; pop. 870,000 (est. 2007).

bas-relief /ˈbasrɪˌliːf, ˈbɑː(s)rɪˌliːf/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for low relief (see relief (sense 4)).

– origin early 17th cent. (as basse relieve): from Italian basso-rilievo ‘low relief’, later altered to the French form.

bass^1 /beɪs/

I. noun

1. the lowest adult male singing voice.

2. a singer with a bass voice.

3. a part written for a bass voice.

4. [as modifier] — denoting the member of a family of instruments that is the lowest in pitch

• a bass clarinet.

5. a bass guitar or double bass.

6. [ mass noun] — the low-frequency output of a radio or audio system, corresponding to the bass in music.

II. derivatives

bassy

adjective

– origin late Middle English: alteration of base^2, influenced by basso.

bass^2 /bas/

I. noun

1. the common European freshwater perch (see perch^2).

2. any of a number of fish similar to or related to the perch, in particular:
● a mainly marine fish found in temperate waters (family Moronidae, including the European bass Dicentrarchus labrax of European waters (also called sea bass) and genus Morone of North America); see also striped bass, white bass. ● an American freshwater fish of the sunfish family, popular with anglers (genera Ambloplites and Micropterus, family Centrarchidae); see also black bass, rock bass.

– origin late Middle English: alteration of dialect barse, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch baars and German Barsch.

bass^3 /bas/

I. noun

another term for bast.

– origin late 17th cent.: alteration.

bass-ackwards

adverb, adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› another way of saying ass-backwards.

bass clef

noun

[Music] a clef placing F below middle C on the second-highest line of the stave.

bass drum

noun

a large drum of indefinite low pitch.

Bassein /baˈseɪn/

a port on the Irrawaddy delta in SW Burma (Myanmar); pop. 215,600 (est. 2004).

Basse-Normandie /basˈnɔːməndi, French basnɔʀmɑ̃di/

a region of NW France, on the coast of the English Channel, including the Cherbourg peninsula and the city of Caen.

basset /ˈbasɪt / basset hound

I. noun

a sturdy hunting dog of a breed with a long body, short legs, and long drooping ears.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, diminutive of bas ‘low’, from medieval Latin bassus ‘short’.

Basseterre /basˈtɛː/

the capital of St Kitts and Nevis in the Leeward Islands, on the island of St Kitts; pop. 13,000 (est. 2007).

Basse-Terre /basˈtɛː/

the main island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean.

basset horn /ˈbasɪthɔːn/

I. noun

an alto clarinet in F, typically with a bent mouthpiece and upturned bell.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German, translation of French cor de bassette, from Italian corno di bassetto, from corno ‘horn’ + di ‘of’ + bassetto (diminutive of basso ‘low’, from Latin bassus ‘short’).

bassinet /ˌbasɪˈnɛt/

I. noun

a child's wicker cradle.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, diminutive of bassin ‘basin’; compare with basinet.

bassist /ˈbeɪsɪst/

noun

a person who plays a double bass or bass guitar.

basslet /ˈbaslɪt/

noun

a small, brightly coloured fish related to the sea basses.
●Genera Gramma and Lipogramma, family Grammidae: several species.

bassline /ˈbeɪslʌɪn/

noun

the lowest part or sequence of notes in a piece of music.

basso /ˈbasəʊ/

I. noun

a bass voice or vocal part.

– origin early 18th cent.: Italian, ‘low’, from Latin bassus ‘short, low’.

bassoon /bəˈsuːn/

I. noun

a bass woodwind instrument of the oboe family, with a doubled-back tube over four feet long, played with a double reed.

II. derivatives

bassoonist /bəˈsuːnɪst /

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from French basson, from Italian bassone, from basso ‘low’, from Latin bassus ‘short, low’.

basso profundo /prəˈfʌndəʊ/

I. noun

a bass singer with an exceptionally low range.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Italian, from basso ‘low’ + profondo ‘deep’.

basso-relievo /ˌbasəʊrɪˈliːvəʊ/

I. noun

another term for low relief (see relief (sense 4)).

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Italian basso-rilievo.

Bass Strait /bas/

I. a channel separating Tasmania from the mainland of Australia.

– origin named after the English explorer George Bass (1771–1803), who discovered the strait.

bass viol

noun

1. a bass instrument of the viol family; a viola da gamba.

2. (N. Amer.) a double bass.

basswood /ˈbaswʊd/

I. noun

a North American lime tree with large leaves, commonly planted as a street tree in the US.
● Tilia americana, family Tiliaceae.

– origin late 17th cent.: from bass^3 + wood.

bast /bast/

I. noun

1. (also bast fibre) [ mass noun] — fibrous material from a plant, in particular the inner bark of a tree such as the lime, used as fibre in matting, cord, etc.

2. [Botany] the phloem or vascular tissue of a plant.

– origin Old English bæst; related to Dutch bast, German Bast; of unknown origin.

bastard /ˈbɑːstəd, ˈbastəd/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› ‹derogatory› a person born of parents not married to each other.

2. ‹informal› an unpleasant or despicable person.

• he lied to me, the bastard!

3. [with adj.] — (Brit.) a person of a specified kind

• he was a lucky bastard.

4. (Brit.) a difficult or awkward undertaking, situation, or device

• it's been a bastard of a week.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹archaic› ‹derogatory› born of parents not married to each other; illegitimate.

• a bastard child.

2. (of a thing) no longer in its pure or original form; debased

• a bastard Darwinism.

3. (of a handwriting script or typeface) showing a mixture of different styles.

III. phrases

1. (as) happy (or lucky, miserable, etc.) as a bastard on Father's Day

(Austral.) ‹informal› very unhappy (or unlucky, miserable, etc.)

• he looked as happy as a bastard on Father's Day.

2. keep the bastards honest

(Austral.) ensure that politicians behave fairly and openly

• we're going to need someone to keep the bastards honest.

[1980s: from a slogan of the Australian Democrats, formulated by its founder Don Chipp (1925–2006), alluding to the party's role in holding the balance of power in the Senate.]

IV. derivatives

bastardy /ˈbɑːstədi /

noun

bastard (sense 1 of the noun)

– origin Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin bastardus, probably from bastum ‘packsaddle’; compare with Old French fils de bast, ‘packsaddle son’ (i.e. the son of a mule driver who uses a packsaddle for a pillow and is gone by morning). / usage: In the past the word bastard was the standard term in both legal and non-legal use for ‘an illegitimate child’. Today, however, it has little importance as a legal term and is retained in this older sense only as a term of abuse.

bastardize /ˈbɑːstədʌɪz, ˈbastədʌɪz / bastardise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often as adj. bastardized) — corrupt or debase (a language, art form, etc.), typically by adding new elements

• a strange, bastardized form of French.

2. ‹archaic› declare (someone) illegitimate.

• he hopes to annul the marriage and bastardize the issue.

II. derivatives

bastardization

noun

bastardry /ˈbɑːstədri, ˈbastədri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Austral.) cruel, despicable, or otherwise unpleasant behaviour

• blocking the debate was an act of political bastardry.

– origin 1940s: from bastard + -ry.

bastard-trench

verb — [with obj.]

1. [Horticulture] dig (ground) by digging over the lower soil with the topsoil temporarily removed.

bastard wing

noun

a group of small quill feathers on the first digit of a bird's wing.

baste^1 /beɪst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pour fat or juices over (meat) during cooking in order to keep it moist.

• slip herbs under the skin and baste the chicken constantly.

• (as noun basting) keep any remaining sauce ready for basting.

II. derivatives

baster /ˈbeɪstə /

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: of unknown origin.

baste^2 /beɪst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Needlework] tack with long, loose stitches in preparation for sewing.

• baste the zip under the edges so that it is concealed.

• (as noun basting) stitch in place over the basting.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bastir ‘sew lightly’, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to bast.

baste^3 /beɪst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› ‹dated› beat (someone) soundly; thrash.

• go baste him one!

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps a figurative use of baste^1.

Bastet /ˈbastɛt / ‹Egyptian Mythology›

a goddess usually shown as a woman with the head of a cat, wearing one gold earring.
See also Sekhmet.

Bastia /ˈbastjə/

the chief port of Corsica; pop. 43,315 (2007).

bastide /baˈstiːd/

I. noun

1. (in southern France) a country house.

2. ‹historical› a fortified village or town in France.

– origin early 16th cent.: via Old French from Provençal bastida.

Bastille /baˈstiːl/

I. a fortress in Paris built in the 14th century and used in the 17th–18th centuries as a state prison. Its storming by the mob on 14 July 1789 marked the start of the French Revolution.

– origin via Old French from Provençal bastida, from bastir ‘build’.

bastinado /ˌbastɪˈneɪdəʊ, ˌbastɪˈnɑːdəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of punishment or torture that involved caning the soles of someone's feet.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. punish or torture (someone) by caning the soles of their feet.

• if she had been hurt he would have had the slave bastinadoed.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a blow with a stick): from Spanish bastonada, from bastón ‘stick, cudgel’, from late Latin bastum ‘stick’.

bastion /ˈbastɪən/

I. noun

1. a projecting part of a fortification built at an angle to the line of a wall, so as to allow defensive fire in several directions.

2. a natural rock formation resembling a man-made bastion.

3. an institution, place, or person strongly maintaining particular principles, attitudes, or activities

• cricket's last bastion of discrimination.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Italian bastione, from bastire ‘build’.

bastnaesite /ˈbastneɪˌsʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a yellow to brown mineral consisting of a fluoride and carbonate of cerium and other rare earth metals.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Bastnäs, the name of a district in Västmanland, Sweden, + -ite^1.

basuco /bəˈsuːkəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. impure or low-grade cocaine, especially when mixed with coca paste and tobacco and cannabis.

– origin 1980s: from Colombian Spanish; perhaps related to Spanish bazucar ‘shake violently’.

Basutoland /bəˈsuːtəʊland/

former name (until 1966) for Lesotho.

bat^1 /bat/

I. noun

1. an implement with a handle and a solid surface, typically of wood, used for hitting the ball in games such as cricket, baseball, and table tennis

• a cricket bat.

2. a turn at playing with a bat.

3. a person batting, especially in cricket; a batsman.

• the team's opening bat.

4. each of a pair of objects resembling table tennis bats, used by a person on the ground to guide a taxiing aircraft.

5. a slab on which pottery is formed, dried, or fired.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a sports team or player) take the role of hitting rather than throwing the ball.

• Australia reached 263 for 4 after choosing to bat.

2. ( bat for (or go to bat for)) — ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) defend the interests of; support

• she turned out to have the law batting for her.

3. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — hit at (someone or something) with the flat of one's hand

• he batted the flies away.

III. phrases

1. bat a thousand ‹US informal›

be very successful; achieve perfection

• with tortellini in brodo, I batted a thousand—both kids had seconds.

2. off one's own bat

(Brit.) at one's own instigation; spontaneously.

• when he didn't chase the dog she came back off her own bat.

3. right off the bat

(N. Amer.) at the very beginning; straight away.

• I managed to have a disagreement with him right off the bat.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. bat around (or about)

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) travel widely, frequently, or casually

• I'm always batting around between England and America.

2. bat something around (or about)

‹informal› discuss an idea or proposal casually or idly

• we bat around a wide variety of issues.

– origin late Old English batt ‘club, stick, staff’, perhaps partly from Old French batte, from battre ‘to strike’.

bat^2 /bat/

I. noun

1. a mainly nocturnal mammal capable of sustained flight, with membranous wings that extend between the fingers and limbs.
●Order Chiroptera: many families and numerous species. The large tropical fruit bats (suborder Megachiroptera) generally have good eyesight and feed mainly on fruit; the numerous smaller bats (suborder Microchiroptera) are mouse-like in appearance, mainly insectivorous, and use ultrasonic echolocation.

2. (usu. old bat) — ‹informal› a woman regarded as unattractive or unpleasant.

• some deranged old bat.

[from bat, a slang term for ‘prostitute’, or from battleaxe.]

II. phrases

1. have bats in the (or one's) belfry

‹informal› be eccentric or mad.

• I'm goofy, I'm daft, there's bats in my belfry.

2. like a bat out of hell

‹informal› very fast and wildly.

• he was driving like a bat out of hell.

• like a bat out of hell he flung himself at the man.

– origin late 16th cent.: alteration, perhaps by association with medieval Latin batta, blacta, of Middle English bakke, of Scandinavian origin.

bat^3 /bat/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. flutter (one's eyelashes), typically in a flirtatious manner

• she batted her long dark eyelashes at him.

II. phrases

not bat (or without batting) an eyelid ( ‹or N. Amer.› eye or eyelash)

‹informal› show (or showing) no surprise or concern

• she paid the bill without batting an eyelid.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally US): from dialect and US bat ‘to wink, blink’, variant of obsolete bate ‘to flutter’.

Bata /ˈbɑːtə/

a seaport in Equatorial Guinea; pop. 70,000 (est. 2009).

Batak /ˈbatək/

I. noun

1. a member of a people of the northern part of Sumatra.

2. [ mass noun] — the Indonesian language of the Batak, with about 6 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Batak or their language.

– origin the name in Batak.

Batan Islands /bəˈtɑːn/

the most northerly islands of the Philippines.

batata /bəˈtɑːtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the southern Caribbean) sweet potato.

– origin via Spanish from Taino.

Batavia /bəˈteɪvɪə/

former name (until 1949) for Jakarta.

Batavian /bəˈteɪvɪən/

I. noun

a member of the ancient Germanic people who inhabited the island of Betuwe between the Rhine and the Waal (now part of the Netherlands).

II. adjective

1. relating to the Batavians.

2. ‹historical› ‹archaic› relating to the people of the Netherlands.

3. relating to Jakarta in Indonesia (formerly the Dutch East Indies).

– origin from Latin Batavia (from Batavi ‘the people of Betuwe’) + -an.

Batavian lettuce

noun

another term for Batavian endive (see endive).

batch /batʃ/

I. noun

1. a quantity or consignment of goods produced at one time.

• a batch of bread.

• the company undertakes thirty-six separate quality control checks on every batch.

• [as modifier] batch production.

2. ‹informal› a number of things or people regarded as a group or set

• a batch of loyalists and sceptics.

3. [Computing] a group of records processed as a single unit, usually without input from a user.
[as modifier]

• this should be run as a batch program from the process directory.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. arrange (things) in sets or groups.

• I had nothing to do but batch the reports.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the senses ‘process of baking’, ‘quantity produced at one baking’): based on an Old English word related to bacan (see bake). Current senses date from the early 18th cent.

batch file

noun

a computer file containing a list of instructions to be carried out in turn.

batchmate

noun

(Indian) a classmate.

batch processing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the performing of an industrial process on material in batches of a limited quantity or number.

2. [Computing] the processing of previously collected jobs in a single batch.

bate^1 /beɪt / bait

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› an angry mood

• he got into a stinking bate.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the verb bait ‘torment’, expressing the notion ‘state of a baited person’.

bate^2 /beɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [Falconry] (of a hawk) beat the wings in agitation and flutter off the perch.

• the hawks bated and immediately the breeze got in their feathers.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French batre ‘to beat’ (see also batter^1).

bat-eared fox

noun

a small fox found in southern and East Africa, with very large ears that are used to locate insect prey.
● Otocyon megalotis, family Canidae.

bateau /ˈbatəʊ/

I. noun

a light flat-bottomed riverboat used in Canada.

– origin early 18th cent.: French, ‘boat’.

bateau-mouche /ˌbatəʊˈmuːʃ, French batomuʃ/

I. noun

a pleasure boat that takes sightseers on the Seine in Paris.

– origin French, literally ‘fly boat’, because of the boat's mobility.

bated /ˈbeɪtɪd/

I. adjective — (in phrase with bated breath)

1. in great suspense; very anxiously or excitedly

• he waited for a reply to his offer with bated breath.

– origin late 16th cent.: from the past participle of obsolete bate ‘restrain’, from abate. / usage: The spelling baited breath instead of bated breath is a common mistake. Almost a third of citations for this idiom in the Oxford English Corpus are for the incorrect spelling.

bateleur /ˈbat(ə)ləː / bateleur eagle

I. noun

a short-tailed African eagle with mainly black plumage and a bare red face.
● Terathopius ecaudatus, family Accipitridae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘acrobat, juggler’ (with reference to the side-to-side tilting motion of the bird in flight).

Bateman, H. M.

(1887–1970), Australian-born British cartoonist; full name Henry Mayo Bateman. He is known for the series of cartoons entitled ‘The Man Who …’, which illustrated social gaffes based on snobbery.

Bates, H. E.

(1905–74), English novelist and short-story writer; full name Herbert Ernest Bates. He is noted for novels such as The Darling Buds of May (1958).

Batesian mimicry /ˈbeɪtsɪən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] mimicry in which an edible animal is protected by its resemblance to one avoided by predators.
Compare with Müllerian mimicry.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Henry W. Bates (1825–92), the English naturalist who first described it.

Bates method

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a technique intended to improve eyesight using eye exercises rather than lenses or surgery.

– origin 1920s: named after William H. Bates (1860–1931), American ophthalmologist.

Bateson, William

(1861–1926), English geneticist. He coined the term genetics in its current sense and publicized the work of Mendel.

batfish

noun

1. a fish of tropical and temperate seas with a flattened body that is round or almost triangular when viewed from above.
●Family Ogcocephalidae: several genera and species.

2. a deep-bodied, laterally compressed marine fish of the Indo-Pacific region, resembling an angelfish.
●Genus Platax, family Ephippidae: several species.

bat fly

noun

a bloodsucking fly of spider-like appearance, parasitic on bats and bearing live young.
●Family Nycteribiidae: Nycteribia and other genera.

bath^1 /bɑːθ/

I. noun

1. a large container for water, used for immersing and washing the body.

• the bedrooms have their own bath and shower.

• he lay in the bath.

2. an act or process of immersing and washing one's body in the water held by a bath

• she took a long, hot bath.

3. (usu. baths) — (Brit.) a building containing a public swimming pool or washing facilities.

• he told them to meet him at the baths.

• they expected me to use the public baths.

4. (chiefly N. Amer.) a bathroom.

• people are spending more money on their kitchen and bath.

5. [with modifier] — a container holding a liquid in which something is immersed, typically when undergoing a process such as film developing.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) wash (someone) while immersing them in a bath

• how to bath a baby.

2. [no obj.] — (Brit.) wash oneself while immersed in a bath

• there was no hot water to bath in.

III. phrases

1. an early bath

(Brit.) ‹informal› used in reference to the sending off of a sports player during a match

• the referee awarded a penalty and ordered an early bath for Thomas.

2. take a bath

‹informal› suffer a heavy financial loss.

• even though we got stuck in a rotten gold market, our readers didn't take a bath.

– origin Old English bæth, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bad and German Bad.

bath^2 /baθ/

I. noun

an ancient Hebrew liquid measure equivalent to about 40 litres or 9 gallons.

– origin from Hebrew baṯ.

Bath /bɑːθ/

I. a spa town in SW England; pop. 81,600 (est. 2009). The town was founded by the Romans, who called it Aquae Sulis, and was a fashionable spa in the 18th and early 19th centuries.

II. derivatives

Bathonian

adjective, noun

Bath, Order of the

see Order of the Bath.

Bath bun /ˌbɑːθ ˈbʌn/

I. noun

(Brit.) a round yeast bun containing currants and topped with icing or sugar.

– origin named after the city of Bath, where it was originally made.

bath chair /ˈbɑːθ ˌtʃɛː/

I. noun

‹dated› a kind of wheelchair for invalids, typically with a hood.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after the city of Bath, which attracted many invalids because of the supposed curative powers of its hot springs.

bath cube

noun

(Brit.) a cube of perfumed bath salts which is dissolved in bathwater.

bathe /beɪð/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. wash by immersing one's body in water.

• she was advised to bathe or shower daily.

2. [with obj.] — soak or wipe gently with liquid to clean or soothe

• she bathed and bandaged my knee.

3. [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) wash (someone) in a bath

• they bathed the baby.

4. (chiefly Brit.) swim or spend time in the sea or a lake, river, or pool for pleasure.

• occasionally I bathed in the lido swimming pool.

5. [with obj.] — suffuse or envelop in something

• the park lay bathed in sunshine.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. (Brit.) an act or spell of swimming or spending time in the water

• a bathe in the cold North Sea.

– origin Old English bathian, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German baden.

bather /ˈbeɪðə/

noun

1. (Brit.) a person swimming or spending time in the water.

2. ( bathers) — (Austral.) ‹informal› a swimming costume.

bathetic /bəˈθɛtɪk/

adjective

producing an unintentional effect of anticlimax

• the movie manages to be poignant without becoming bathetic.

bathhouse /ˈbɑːθhaʊs/

noun

a building containing baths for communal use.

bathing machine

noun

‹historical› a wheeled hut drawn to the edge of the sea, used for changing in and bathing from.

bathing suit ‹Brit.› bathing costume

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a swimming costume.

bath mat /ˈbɑːθ ˌmat/

noun

1. a mat for a person to stand on after getting out of a bath.

2. a rubber mat placed in the bottom of a bath to prevent someone slipping while getting in or out.

bathochromic /ˌbaθə(ʊ)ˈkrəʊmɪk/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] relating to or denoting a shift of the absorption spectrum of a compound towards longer wavelengths.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek bathos ‘depth’ + khrōma ‘colour’ + -ic.

batholith /ˈbaθəlɪθ/

I. noun

[Geology] a very large igneous intrusion extending to an unknown depth in the earth's crust.

– origin early 20th cent.: coined in German from Greek bathos ‘depth’ + -lith.

bathos /ˈbeɪθɒs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (especially in a literary work) an effect of anticlimax created by an unintentional lapse in mood from the sublime to the trivial or ridiculous.

• his epic poem has passages of almost embarrassing bathos.

• a nice balance between the colloquial, which might have led to bathos, and an over-polished style.

– origin mid 17th cent. (first recorded in the Greek sense): from Greek, literally ‘depth’. The current sense was introduced by Alexander Pope in the early 18th cent.

bathrobe /ˈbɑːθrəʊb/

noun

a dressing gown, especially one made of towelling.

bathroom /ˈbɑːθruːm, ˈbɑːθrʊm/

noun

1. a room containing a bath or shower and typically also a washbasin and a toilet.

2. a set of matching units to be fitted in a bathroom, especially as sold together

• we're doing the whole place out and I've just bought a new bathroom and kitchen.

3. (N. Amer.) a room containing a toilet and washbasin and typically also a bath or shower

• I have to go to the bathroom.

bathroom break

noun

‹informal› a break in a meeting or other organized gathering to allow those in attendance to go to the toilet.

bathroom suite

noun

(Brit.) a set of coordinating fittings for a bathroom, typically comprising a bath, washbasin, and toilet

• the bathroom suite is white and includes a bath with shower attachment.

bath salts

plural noun

1. a crystalline substance that is dissolved in bathwater to soften or perfume it

• a jar of vanilla-scented bath salts.

2. ‹informal› a kind of synthetic drug with mood-altering and stimulant properties, typically in the form of crystals and containing MDPV or mephedrone

• he was allegedly high on bath salts.

Bathsheba /baθˈʃiːbə, ˈbaθʃɪbə/

(in the Bible) the mother of Solomon. She was originally wife of Uriah the Hittite, and later one of the wives of David.

bath sponge

noun

a marine sponge of warm waters, the fibrous skeleton of which is used as a sponge for washing.
●Genera Spongia and Hippospongia, family Spongiidae.

Bath stone

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of oolitic limestone found especially near Bath in SW England, grey to yellowish in colour and used in building and sculpture.

bath time

noun

the usual time at which a baby or child is washed in a bath.

bathtub /ˈbɑːθtʌb/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a bath.

Bathurst /ˈbaθəːst/

former name (until 1973) for Banjul.

bathwater /ˈbɑːθwɔːtə/

noun

the water in a bath.

bathy- /ˈbaθi/

I. combining form

relating to depth

• bathymetry

• bathysphere.

– origin from Greek bathus ‘deep’.

bathyal /ˈbaθɪəl/

adjective

relating to the zone of the sea between the continental shelf and the abyssal zone.

bathymeter /bəˈθɪmɪtə/

I. noun

an instrument used to measure the depth of water in seas or lakes.

II. derivatives

1. bathymetric /ˌbaθɪˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

2. bathymetry /ˌbəˈθɪmətri /

noun

bathypelagic /ˌbaθɪpɪˈladʒɪk/

adjective

[Biology] (of fish and other organisms) inhabiting the deep sea where the environment is dark and cold, between about 1000 and 3000 metres (approximately 3300 and 9800 ft) down.

bathyscaphe /ˈbaθɪskaf/

I. noun

‹chiefly historical› a manned submersible vessel of a kind used by the French deep-sea explorer Auguste Piccard (1884–1962).

– origin 1940s: coined in French by its inventor, Auguste Piccard, from Greek bathus ‘deep’ + skaphos ‘ship’.

bathysphere /ˈbaθɪsfɪə/

noun

a manned spherical chamber for deep-sea observation, lowered by cable from a ship.

batik /ˈbatɪk, bəˈtiːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method (originally used in Java) of producing coloured designs on textiles by dyeing them, having first applied wax to the parts to be left undyed.

• a visual artist specializing in batik.

• [as modifier] batik scarves.

2. cloth that has been dyed using the batik method.

• fine art batiks.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Javanese, literally ‘painted’.

Batista, Fulgencio /baˈtiːstə/

(1901–73), Cuban soldier and statesman, President 1940–4 and 1952–9; full name Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar. Despite support from the US his second government was overthrown by Fidel Castro.

batiste /bəˈtiːst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fine, light linen or cotton fabric resembling cambric.
[as modifier]

• batiste handkerchiefs.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French (earlier batiche); probably related to battre ‘to beat’.

batman /ˈbatmən/

I. noun

‹dated› (in the British armed forces) an officer's personal servant.

– origin mid 18th cent. (originally denoting an orderly in charge of the bat horse ‘packhorse’ which carried the officer's baggage): from Old French bat (from medieval Latin bastum ‘packsaddle’) + man.

Batman

a US cartoon, TV, and film character, by day the millionaire socialite Bruce Wayne but at night a cloaked and masked figure fighting crime in Gotham City.

bat mitzvah /bɑːt ˈmɪtsvə/

I. noun

1. a religious initiation ceremony for a Jewish girl aged twelve years and one day, regarded as the age of religious maturity.

2. a girl undergoing the bat mitzvah ceremony.

– origin from Hebrew baṯ miṣwāh ‘daughter of commandment’, suggested by bar mitzvah.

baton /ˈbat(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a short stick or something resembling one, in particular:

2. a thin stick used by a conductor to direct an orchestra or choir.

3. [Athletics] a short stick or tube passed from runner to runner in a relay race.

4. a long stick carried and twirled by a drum major.

5. a police officer's truncheon.

6. a staff of office or authority, especially one carried by a field marshal.

7. [Heraldry] a narrow bend truncated at each end.

8. a short bar replacing some figures on the dial of a clock or watch.

9. ( batons) — one of the suits in some tarot packs, corresponding to wands in others.

II. phrases

1. pass (on) the baton

hand over a particular duty or responsibility.

• the technique allows us to pass the baton to the next generation.

2. take up (or pick up) the baton

accept a particular duty or responsibility.

• it was left to the capital's campuses to take up the baton.

3. under the baton of

(of an orchestra or choir) conducted by

• the contract also allows for the orchestra to record under the baton of Sir Edward Downes.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting a staff or cudgel): from French bâton, earlier baston, from late Latin bastum ‘stick’.

baton charge

I. noun

a headlong rush made by police officers with drawn truncheons, typically used in riot control to force crowds to disperse

• riot police fired tear gas and launched baton charges at protesters.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. charge at (a group of people) with drawn truncheons

• police baton-charged the crowd.

Baton Rouge /ˌbat(ə)n ˈruːʒ/

I. the state capital of Louisiana; pop. 223,689 (est. 2008).

– origin French, literally ‘red stick’, with reference to a post placed as a boundary marker for the settlement.

baton round

noun

(Brit.) a large rubber or plastic projectile shot from a special gun and used especially in riot control.

Batrachia /bəˈtreɪkɪə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] another term for Anura.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek batrakhos ‘frog’.

batrachian /bəˈtreɪkɪən/

noun, adjective

[Zoology] another term for anuran.

bats /bats/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹informal› ‹dated› (of a person) mad.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the phrase have bats in the belfry (see bat^2).

batshit

adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› completely mad or crazy.

batsman /ˈbatsmən/

I. noun

a player, especially in cricket, who is batting or whose chief skill is in batting.

II. derivatives

batsmanship

noun

batt /bat/

I. noun

1. a piece of felted material used for lining or insulating items such as quilts and sleeping bags.

2. a piece of fibreglass used to insulate buildings.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘lump, piece’): of unknown origin.

battalion /bəˈtalɪən/

I. noun

1. a large body of troops ready for battle, especially an infantry unit forming part of a brigade.

2. a large organized group of people pursuing a common aim.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French bataillon, from Italian battaglione, from battaglia ‘battle’, from Latin (see battle).

Battambang /ˈbatəmbaŋ / Batdambang

the capital of a province of the same name in western Cambodia; pop. 182,600 (est. 2009).

battels /ˈbat(ə)lz/

I. plural noun

(at Oxford University) a college account for food and accommodation expenses.

– origin late 16th cent.: perhaps from dialect battle ‘nourish’, from the earlier adjective battle ‘nutritious’; probably related to batten^2.

battement /ˈbat(ə)mɒ̃/

I. noun — [with modifier]

1. [Ballet] a movement in which one leg is moved outward from the body and in again.

• performing battements tendus.

• petits battements.

See also grand battement, petit battement.

– origin French, literally ‘beating’.

batten^1 /ˈbat(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a long flat strip of squared timber or metal used to hold something in place or as a fastening against a wall.

2. a strip of wood or metal for securing a tarpaulin over a ship's hatchway.

3. a strip of wood or plastic used to stiffen and hold the leech of a sail out from the mast.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. strengthen or fasten (something) with battens

• Stephen was battening down the shutters.

III. phrases

batten down the hatches

a. [Nautical] secure a ship's tarpaulins.

b. prepare for a difficulty or crisis.

• a natural tendency in times of recession is to batten down the hatches.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French batant, present participle (used as a noun) of batre ‘to beat’, from Latin battuere.

batten^2 /ˈbat(ə)n/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( batten on)

1. thrive or prosper at the expense of

• multinational monopolies batten on the working classes.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘improve in condition, grow fat’): from Old Norse batna ‘get better’, related to better^1.

Batten, Jean

(1909–82), New Zealand aviator. She was the first woman to fly from England to Australia and back (1934–5), and in 1936 she made the first direct solo flight from England to New Zealand.

Battenberg Battenberg cake

I. noun

(chiefly Brit.) an oblong sponge cake covered with marzipan, with a square cross section quartered with two colours of sponge.
[ mass noun]

• nurtured on tinned soup and Battenberg cake.

– origin named after the town of Battenberg in Germany.

battening

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a structure formed with battens.

batter^1 /ˈbatə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. strike repeatedly with hard blows

• a prisoner was battered to death with a table leg.

2. (often as noun battering) — subject (one's spouse, partner, or child) to repeated violence and assault

• outrage at wife-battering and child abuse.

3. censure, criticize, or defeat severely or thoroughly.
(as noun battering)

• the film took a battering from critics.

II. derivatives

batterer

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French batre ‘to beat’ (from Latin battuere) + -er^3.

batter^2 /ˈbatə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a semi-liquid mixture of flour, egg, and milk or water, used for making pancakes or for coating food before frying.

• pancake batter.

• [ count noun] a batter thin enough to be poured.

2. (N. Amer.) a mixture of ingredients for a cake.

3. [Printing] a damaged area of metal type or a printing block.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bateure ‘the action of beating’, from batre ‘to beat’.

batter^3 /ˈbatə/

noun

(in various sports, especially baseball) a player who is batting.

batter^4 /ˈbatə/

I. noun

a gradual backwards slope in a wall or similar structure.

• the batter is an inch in for every foot of height.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a wall) have a receding slope.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a verb): of unknown origin.

battered^1 /ˈbatəd/

adjective

1. injured by repeated blows or punishment

• he finished the day battered and bruised.

2. having suffered repeated violence from a spouse, partner, or parent

• battered babies.

3. (of a thing) damaged by age and repeated use

• a pair of battered black boots.

battered^2 /ˈbatəd/

adjective

(of food) coated in batter and deep-fried until crisp.

battered sav /ˌbatəd ˈsav/

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a saveloy sausage coated in batter and deep-fried

• they sell hamburgers and battered savs to people on their way home from work.

batterie /ˌbat(ə)ˈriː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Ballet] the action of beating the feet or calves together during a leap.

• the men execute dazzling batterie and tours en l'air.

– origin French, literally ‘beating’.

batterie de cuisine /batəˌriː də kwɪˈziːn/

I. noun

the apparatus or set of utensils for serving or preparing a meal.

• the last word in attractive batterie de cuisine.

• [ count noun] a batterie de cuisine worthy of a good-size restaurant.

– origin French, ‘set of equipment for the kitchen’. The sense of ‘set’ developed from the original meaning of ‘collection of artillery equipment (for ‘beating’ the enemy)’; see also battery.

battering ram /ˈbatərɪŋ ˌram/

noun

1. a heavy beam, originally with an end in the form of a carved ram's head, formerly used in breaching fortifications.

2. a heavy object swung or rammed against a door to break it down.

• ‹figurative› a battering ram to crush opposing views.

battery /ˈbat(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a container consisting of one or more cells, in which chemical energy is converted into electricity and used as a source of power

• a camera battery

• [as modifier] battery power.

2. a fortified emplacement for heavy guns.

• anti-aircraft missile batteries.

• a mobile battery of 105 mm guns.

3. an artillery subunit of guns, men, and vehicles.

4. a set of similar units of equipment, typically when connected together.

• a battery of equipment to monitor blood pressure.

5. an extensive series, sequence, or range of things

• children are given a battery of tests.

6. [usu. as modifier] — (chiefly Brit.) a series of small cages for the intensive rearing of farm animals, especially calves and poultry

• battery farming

• battery hens.

7. [ mass noun] — [Law] the infliction of unlawful personal violence on another person, even where the contact does no physical harm.

• any act which puts a person in immediate and reasonable fear of battery.

• [ count noun] most batteries involve an assault.

See also assault and battery.

8. ( the battery) — [Baseball] the pitcher and the catcher.

– origin Middle English: from Old French baterie, from battre ‘to strike’, from Latin battuere. The original sense was ‘metal articles wrought by hammering’, later ‘a number of pieces of artillery used together’, whence ‘a number of Leyden jars connected up so as to discharge simultaneously’ (mid 18th cent.), giving rise to sense 1.

battery-operated battery-powered

adjective

powered by means of a battery

• emergency equipment such as battery-operated radios.

Batticaloa /ˌbatɪkəˈləʊə/

a city on the east coast of Sri Lanka; pop. 88,459 (2007).

batting^1 /ˈbatɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of hitting with or using a bat, especially in cricket or baseball.

• 50 minutes' batting before lunch.

2. a cricket team's batsmen collectively.

• Australia made inroads into our batting.

batting^2 /ˈbatɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cotton wadding prepared in sheets for use in quilts.

• the quilt is basted together with the batting and backing.

batting average

noun

the average score of a batsman or batter, in cricket a batsman's runs scored per completed innings, and in baseball a batter's safe hits per official times at bat.

batting order

noun

the order in which batsmen or batters in cricket or baseball take their turn to bat.

• I want you to come in lower down the batting order.

• the timing and the batting order can achieve the results they intend.

battle /ˈbat(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a sustained fight between large organized armed forces

• the battle lasted for several hours

• [in names] the Battle of Waterloo

• [ mass noun] he died in battle.

2. a lengthy and difficult conflict or struggle

• the battle against ageing.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. struggle tenaciously to achieve or resist something

• he has been battling against the illness.

2. [with obj.] — engage in a fight or struggle against

• firefighters battled a 9,800-acre brush fire.

III. phrases

1. battle it out

fight or compete to a definite conclusion.

• bike riders from all over the country battled it out.

2. battle royal /ˌbatl ˈrɔɪəl /

a fiercely contested fight or dispute.

• there promises to be a battle royal between the two companies.

3. battle stations

(chiefly US) the positions taken by military personnel in preparation for battle (often used as a command or signal to prepare for battle).

4. half the battle

an important step towards achieving something

• he never gives in, and that's half the battle.

– origin Middle English: from Old French bataille (noun), bataillier (verb), based on late Latin battualia ‘military or gladiatorial exercises’, from Latin battuere ‘to beat’.

battleaxe /ˈbat(ə)laks / ‹US› battleax

noun

1. a large broad-bladed axe used in ancient warfare.

2. ‹informal› a formidably aggressive older woman.

• a battleaxe with inflexible house rules.

Battleborn State

informal name for Nevada.

battlebus

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a bus or coach used as a mobile operational centre during an election campaign.

battlecruiser /ˈbat(ə)lkruːzə/

noun

‹historical› a large warship of a type built in the early 20th century, carrying similar armament to a battleship but faster and more lightly armoured.

battle cry

noun

1. a word or phrase shouted by soldiers going into battle to express solidarity and intimidate the enemy.

2. a slogan expressing the ideals of people engaged in a campaign.

• ‘Equal pay for equal work’ was a battle cry of the feminist movement.

battledore /ˈbat(ə)ldɔː/

I. noun

1. (also battledore and shuttlecock) [ mass noun] — ‹historical› a game played with a shuttlecock and rackets, a forerunner of badminton.

2. [ count noun] — ‹historical› the small racket used in the game of battledore.

3. ‹historical› a wooden paddle-shaped implement formerly used in washing clothes for beating and stirring.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): perhaps from Provençal batedor ‘beater’, from batre ‘to beat’.

battledress /ˈbat(ə)ldrɛs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. combat dress, particularly as worn by British soldiers during the Second World War.

battle fatigue

noun

another term for combat fatigue.

battlefield /ˈbat(ə)lfiːld / battleground

noun

1. the piece of ground on which a battle is or was fought.

• the battlefields of the Great War.

• death on the battlefield.

• [as modifier] battlefield conditions.

• battlefield nuclear weapons.

2. a place or situation of strife or conflict

• an ideological battlefield.

battlefront /ˈbat(ə)lfrʌnt/

noun

the place where opposing armies engage in combat.

battleground state

noun

another term for swing state.

• some of the steepest increases in joblessness have occurred in battleground states.

battle group

noun

a military force created to fight together, typically consisting of several different types of troops.

battlement /ˈbat(ə)lm(ə)nt/

I. noun — (usu. battlements)

1. a parapet at the top of a wall, especially of a fort or castle, that has regularly spaced squared openings for shooting through.

2. a section of roof enclosed by battlements.

• I want to go up on the battlements.

II. derivatives

battlemented /ˈbatlməntɪd /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bataillier ‘fortify with movable defence turrets’, possibly related to battle.

battler /ˈbat(ə)lə/

noun

1. a person who battles or fights.

2. (chiefly Austral./NZ) a person who refuses to admit defeat in the face of difficulty.

battle-scarred

adjective

damaged or affected by fighting

• a group of battle-scarred veterans

• ‹figurative› the battle-scarred executives of the technology boom.

battleship /ˈbat(ə)lʃɪp/

I. noun

a heavy warship of a type built chiefly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with extensive armour protection and large-calibre guns.

– origin late 18th cent.: shortening of line-of-battle ship, originally with reference to the largest wooden warships.

battleship grey

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dull bluish grey colour as used for warships

• RMS Lancastria was commandeered for war and her sleek Cunard lines were lost under a coat of battleship grey.

battue /bəˈt(j)uː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the driving of game towards hunters by beaters.

2. [ count noun] — a shooting party arranged so that beaters can drive the game towards the hunters.

• they were shot down like pheasants in a battue.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, feminine past participle of battre ‘to beat’, from Latin battuere.

batty^1 /ˈbati/

I. adjective

‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) mad; insane

• you'll drive me batty!

II. derivatives

1. battily

adverb

2. battiness

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from bat^2 + -y^1. Compare with bats.

batty^2 /ˈbati/

I. noun

(W. Indian) ‹informal› a person's bottom.

– origin 1930s: representing a pronunciation of botty.

batty boy /ˈbati bɔɪ / batty man

noun

(W. Indian) ‹offensive› a homosexual man.

Batwa

noun

plural form of Twa.

batwing

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of a sleeve) having a deep armhole and a tight cuff.

2. (of a garment) having sleeves with deep armholes and tight cuffs.

• a batwing sweater.

batwoman

I. noun

a female attendant or cleaner serving an officer in the British services.

– origin Second World War: from bat (see batman) + woman.

bauble /ˈbɔːb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a small, showy trinket or decoration

• clutch bags embellished with glittering baubles.

2. (Brit.) a light, brightly coloured glass ball or other decoration hung on a Christmas tree

• once stripped of their tinsel and baubles, most Christmas trees end up in landfill.

3. something that is superficially attractive but useless or worthless

• people in quest of honours are wasting time and effort to secure baubles.

4. ‹historical› a baton formerly used as an emblem by jesters.

– origin Middle English: from Old French baubel ‘child's toy’, of unknown origin.

Baucis /ˈbɔːsɪs, ˈbaʊkɪs / ‹Greek Mythology›

the wife of Philemon.

baud /bɔːd/

I. noun

[Computing] [Telecommunications] a unit of transmission speed equal to the number of times a signal changes state per second. For signals with only two possible states one baud is equivalent to one bit per second.

– origin 1930s: coined in French from the name of Jean M. E. Baudot (1845–1903), French engineer who invented a telegraph printing system.

Baudelaire, Charles /ˈbəʊd(ə)lɛː, French bodlɛʀ/

I. (1821–67), French poet and critic; full name Charles Pierre Baudelaire. He is largely known for Les Fleurs du mal (1857), a series of 101 lyrics that explore his isolation and melancholy and the attraction of evil and the macabre.

II. derivatives

Baudelairean /ˌbəʊd(ə)ˈlɛːrɪən /

adjective, noun

Baudrillard, Jean /ˈbəʊdrɪjɑː, French bodʀijaʀ/

(1929–2007), French sociologist and cultural critic, associated with postmodernism.

bauera /ˈbaʊərə/

I. noun

a small evergreen shrub with pink or purple flowers, native to temperate regions of Australia.
●Genus Bauera, family Cunoniaceae.

– origin modern Latin, named after the brothers Franz (1758–1840) and Ferdinand (1760–1826) Bauer, Austrian botanical draughtsmen.

Bauhaus /ˈbaʊhaʊs/

I. a school of applied arts established by Walter Gropius in Weimar in 1919 and noted for its refined functionalist approach to architecture and industrial design.

– origin German, ‘house of architecture’, from Bau ‘building’ + Haus ‘house’.

bauxite /ˈbɔːksʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an amorphous clayey rock that is the chief commercial ore of aluminium. It consists largely of hydrated alumina with variable proportions of iron oxides.

II. derivatives

bauxitic

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Les Baux (the name of a village near Arles in SE France, near which it was first found) + -ite^1.

bavardage /ˌbavɑːˈdɑːʒ, French bavaʀdaʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. idle gossip.

• a bore whose bavardage could easily unsettle one's reason.

– origin French, from bavarder ‘to chatter’, from bavard ‘talkative’, from bave ‘drivel’.

Bavaria /bəˈvɛːrɪə/

a state of southern Germany, formerly an independent kingdom; capital, Munich.
German name Bayern.

Bavarian /bəˈvɛːriən/

I. adjective

relating to the southern German state of Bavaria, its people, or their language

• cheerful Bavarian folk music

• the scenic Bavarian foothills.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Bavaria

• a fellow Bavarian.

2. [ mass noun] — the dialect of German spoken in Bavaria, Austria, and surrounding areas

• she was yelling at him loudly in Bavarian.

bavarois /ˌbavəˈwɑː / bavaroise /ˌbavəˈwɑːz/

I. noun

a dessert containing gelatin and whipped cream, served cold.

• a bitter coffee bavarois with vanilla crème anglaise.

– origin French, literally ‘Bavarian’.

bawbee /ˈbɔːbiː/

I. noun

1. (Scottish) a coin of low value.

2. (Scottish) a former silver coin worth three (later six) Scottish pennies.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from the name of the laird of Sille bawby, mint master under James V.

bawd /bɔːd/

I. noun

‹archaic› a woman in charge of a brothel.

– origin late Middle English: shortened from obsolete bawdstrot, from Old French baudestroyt ‘procuress’, from baude ‘shameless’.

bawdry /ˈbɔːdri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. obscenity in speech or writing.

• a tale of unedifying bawdry.

bawdy /ˈbɔːdi/

I. adjective

dealing with sexual matters in a comical way; humorously indecent.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. humorously indecent talk or writing.

III. derivatives

1. bawdily /ˈbɔːdɪli /

adverb

2. bawdiness /ˈbɔːdɪnəs /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from bawd + -y^1.

bawdy house

noun

‹archaic› a brothel.

bawl /bɔːl/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — shout or call out noisily and unrestrainedly
[with direct speech]

• ‘Move!’ bawled the drill corporal

• [with obj.] we began to bawl out the words of the carol.

2. [no obj.] — weep or cry noisily
(as adj. bawling)

• bawling babies.

II. noun

a loud, unrestrained shout.

• he addressed every class in a terrifying bawl.

III. phrasal verbs

bawl someone out

‹informal› reprimand someone angrily

• tales of how she bawled out employees.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘(of an animal) howl, bark’): imitative; possibly related to medieval Latin baulare ‘to bark’ or Icelandic baula ‘to low’.

bawley /ˈbɔːli/

I. noun

a fishing smack of a kind formerly used on the coasts of Essex and Kent.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

bawn /bɔːn/

I. noun

1. (Irish) ‹historical› a fortified enclosure around a castle.

2. (Irish) (Canadian) a meadow.
[as modifier]

• a field of bawn hay.

3. (Canadian) a flat expanse of rocks on a beach, on which fish are spread to dry.

• fishermen spread the fish on the bawn.

– origin from Irish.

Bax, Sir Arnold

(1883–1953), English composer, noted for tone poems such as Tintagel (1917); full name Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax.

bay^1 /beɪ/

I. noun

1. a broad inlet of the sea where the land curves inwards

• a boat trip round the bay

• [in place names] Sandy Bay

• the Bay of Biscay.

2. an indentation or recess in a range of hills or mountains.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French baie, from Old Spanish bahia, of unknown origin.

bay^2 /beɪ / bay tree, bay laurel, sweet bay

I. noun

an evergreen Mediterranean shrub with deep green leaves and purple berries. Its aromatic leaves are used in cookery and were formerly used to make triumphal crowns for victors.
● Laurus nobilis, family Lauraceae.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the laurel berry): from Old French baie, from Latin baca ‘berry’.

bay^3 /beɪ/

I. noun

1. a space created by a window line projecting outwards from a wall.

2. a section of wall between two buttresses or columns, especially in the nave of a church.

3. [with modifier] — a compartment with a specified function in a vehicle, aircraft, or ship

• a bomb bay.

4. an area specially allocated or marked off

• a loading bay.

5. (also bay platform) — (Brit.) a short terminal platform at a railway station also having through lines.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French baie, from baer ‘to gape’, from medieval Latin batare, of unknown origin.

bay^4 /beɪ/

I. adjective

(of a horse) brown with black points.

II. noun

a bay horse.

– origin Middle English: from Old French bai, from Latin badius.

bay^5 /beɪ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a dog, especially a large one) bark or howl loudly.

• the dogs bayed.

• a jackal baying at the moon.

2. (of a group of people) shout loudly, typically to demand something

• the crowd bayed for an encore.

3. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› bay at

• a pack of wolves baying the moon.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. the sound of baying.

• the bloodhounds' heavy bay.

III. phrases

1. at bay

forced to face or confront one's attackers or pursuers; cornered.

• he felt at bay, like a very dim minister facing a hostile House.

2. bay for blood

demand punishment or retribution.

• the press is baying for blood.

3. bring someone/thing to bay

trap or corner a person or animal being hunted or chased

• the Athenians were brought to bay between the streams.

4. hold (or keep) someone/thing at bay

prevent someone or something from approaching or having an effect.

• drugs were keeping severe pain at bay.

5. stand at bay

turn to face one's pursuers

• she will be doomed to stand at bay.

– origin Middle English (as a noun): from Old French ( a)bai (noun), ( a)baiier (verb) ‘to bark’, of imitative origin.

baya /ˈbʌɪə / baya weaver

I. noun

a weaver bird that typically has a brown back, yellow cap, and black face, common throughout the Indian subcontinent and in SE Asia.
● Ploceus philippinus, family Ploceidae.

– origin from Hindi.

bayadère /ˌbʌɪəˈdɛː/

I. noun

a Hindu dancing girl, especially one at a southern Indian temple.

• the bayadère emerged from a Hindu temple to perform her ritual dance.

– origin from French, from Portuguese bailadeira, from bailar ‘to dance’ (related to medieval Latin ballare ‘to dance’).

Bayard, Pierre du Terrail /ˈbeɪɑːd, French bajaʀ/

Chevalier de (1473–1524), French soldier. He became known as the knight ‘sans peur et sans reproche’ (fearless and above reproach).

bayberry /ˈbeɪbɛri/

I. noun

a North American shrub with aromatic leathery leaves and waxy berries. Also called wax myrtle.
●Genus Myrica, family Myricaceae: several species.

– origin late 17th cent.: from bay^2 + berry.

Bayern /ˈbaɪɐn/

German name for Bavaria.

Bayes' theorem

I. noun

[Statistics] a theorem describing how the conditional probability of each of a set of possible causes for a given observed outcome can be computed from knowledge of the probability of each cause and the conditional probability of the outcome of each cause.

II. derivatives

Bayesian

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Thomas Bayes (1702–61), English mathematician.

Bayeux Tapestry /bʌɪˈjəː/

an embroidered cloth, about 70 metres (230 feet) long, illustrating events leading up to the Norman Conquest and made between 1066 and 1077 for the bishop of Bayeux in Normandy.

Baykal, Lake

variant spelling of Baikal, Lake.

bay leaf

noun

the aromatic dried leaf of the bay tree, used in cooking.

Baylis, Lilian Mary

(1874–1937), English theatre manager, noted for her management of the Old Vic and for her initiative in reopening the old Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1931.

bayonet /ˈbeɪənɪt/

I. noun

1. a sword-like stabbing blade which may be fixed to the muzzle of a rifle for use in hand-to-hand fighting.

2. [as modifier] — denoting a fitting for a light bulb, camera lens, etc. which is engaged by being pushed into a socket and then twisted to lock it in place.

• a bayonet fitting.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. stab (someone) with a bayonet.

• stragglers were bayoneted where they fell.

– origin late 17th cent. (denoting a kind of short dagger): from French baïonnette, from Bayonne, the name of a town in SW France, where they were first made.

bayou /ˈbʌɪuː/

I. noun

(in the southern US) a marshy outlet of a lake or river.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Louisiana French, from Choctaw bayuk.

Bayreuth /bʌɪˈrɔɪt/

a town in Bavaria where Wagner is buried and where festivals of his operas are held regularly.

bay rum

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a perfume, chiefly for the hair, distilled originally from rum and bayberry leaves.

bayside

noun

the land alongside the shore of a bay
[as modifier]

• a bayside hotel.

Bay State

informal name for Massachusetts.

bay whaler

noun

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹historical› a person who hunted whales from a station on the shore

• the harbours of southwestern Australia were being used by sealers and bay whalers.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹historical› a boat used for hunting whales from a station on the shore

• it had been outfitted as a bay whaler before being wrecked in 1837.

bay whaling

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹historical› the practice or industry of hunting whales from a station on the shore

• they were involved in bay whaling around the southern coasts.

bay window

noun

a window built to project outwards from an outside wall.

• he was sitting at his desk in the alcove of a bay window.

baza /ˈbɑːzə/

I. noun

an Asian or Australasian hawk with a crest.
●Genus Aviceda, family Accipitridae: three species.

– origin modern Latin, via Hindi from Arabic bāz, denoting a goshawk.

bazaar /bəˈzɑː/

I. noun

1. a market in a Middle Eastern country.

2. a fundraising sale of goods.

3. ‹dated› a large shop selling miscellaneous goods.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian bazarro, from Turkish, from Persian bāzār ‘market’.

bazillion /bəˈzɪljən/

I. cardinal number

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a very large number

• you were going a bazillion miles per hour!

– origin 1980s: probably a blend of billion and gazillion.

bazoo /bəˈzuː/

I. noun

1. (US) ‹informal› a person's mouth.

• he couldn't keep his big bazoo shut.

2. (US) ‹informal› a person's bottom.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin; compare with Dutch bazuin ‘trombone, trumpet’.

bazooka /bəˈzuːkə/

I. noun

1. a short-range tubular rocket launcher used against tanks.

2. a kazoo shaped like a trumpet.

– origin 1930s (in sense 2; originally US): apparently from US slang bazoo in the original sense ‘kazoo’.

bazoom /bəˈzuːm/

I. noun — (usu. bazooms)

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a woman's breast.

• all that sold was the big bazooms.

– origin 1950s: probably an alteration of bosom.

BB

symbol

1. (Brit.) double-black (used in describing grades of pencil lead).

2. (N. Amer.) a standard size of lead pellet used in air rifles.

b-ball

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› basketball.

– origin 1980s: contraction.

BBC /biːbiːˈsiː/

abbreviation

short for British Broadcasting Corporation.

BBC English

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of standard spoken English associated with BBC announcers.

• they have chosen not to abandon the speech patterns of their region for the blander cadences of BBC English.

BBD

abbreviation

Barbadian dollar(s).

bbl.

abbreviation

barrels (especially of oil).

BBM

I. abbreviation

‹trademark› BlackBerry Messenger, an instant messaging application installed on BlackBerry mobile devices.

II. noun

an instant message that is sent or received using BlackBerry Messenger

• he just sent me a BBM to remind me.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. send (someone) an instant message using BlackBerry Messenger

• I BBM him every once in a while.

– origin early 21st cent.: from the initial letters of BlackBerry Messenger, from BlackBerry, the proprietary name of the mobile devices on which the messaging application is installed (see BlackBerry).

b-boy

I. noun

‹informal› (chiefly US) a young man involved with hip-hop culture.

– origin 1980s: b- probably from the noun beat or from breakdancing.

BBQ

abbreviation

‹informal› barbecue.

• guests meet up for BBQs or for one of our many party nights.

BBS

abbreviation

[Computing] bulletin board system.

BC /biːˈsiː/

I. abbreviation

1. before Christ (used to indicate that a date is before the Christian era).

2. British Columbia (in official postal use).

usage: BC is normally written in small capitals and placed after the numerals, as in 72 BC ( not BC 72). Compare with AD.

bcc b.c.c.

abbreviation

blind carbon copy (used as an indication that a duplicate has been or should be sent to another person without the knowledge of the main recipient).
Compare with cc.

BCD

abbreviation

binary coded decimal.

BCE /biːsiːˈiː/

abbreviation

before the Common Era (used of dates before the Christian era, especially by non-Christians).

B-cell

noun

[Physiology] another term for B-lymphocyte.

BCF

abbreviation

1. bromochlorodifluoromethane, a substance formerly used in fire extinguishers.

2. British Cycling Federation.

BCG

abbreviation

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, an anti-tuberculosis vaccine developed by the French bacteriologists Albert Calmette (1863–1933) and Camille Guérin (1872–1961).

BD

abbreviation

1. Bachelor of Divinity.

2. Bangladesh (international vehicle registration).

b'day b-day

noun

‹informal› short for birthday.

• it's my sister's b'day next week.

BDD

abbreviation

body dysmorphic disorder.

Bde

abbreviation

Brigade.

bdellium /ˈdɛlɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fragrant resin produced by a number of trees related to myrrh, used in perfumes.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek bdellion, of Semitic origin.

B-double

noun

(chiefly Austral.) a medium-sized articulated truck consisting of a towing vehicle and two semi-trailers

• the vehicle in question was a B-double with a length of over 25m.

Bdr

abbreviation

(Brit.) Bombardier.

BDS

abbreviation

Bachelor of Dental Surgery.

BDSM

abbreviation

bondage, discipline (or domination), sadism, and masochism (as a type of sexual practice).

BDT

abbreviation

Bangladeshi taka.

be /biː/

I. verb

1. (usu. there is/are) — exist

• there are no easy answers

• there once was a man

• there must be something wrong

• I think, therefore I am.

2. be present

• there were no curtains around the showers

• are there any castles in this area?

3. [with adverbial] — occur; take place

• the exhibition will be in November

• the opening event is on October 16

• that was before the war.

4. occupy a position in space

• Salvation Street was on his left

• she was not at the window.

5. stay in the same place or condition

• he's a tough customer— let him be.

6. attend

• I'm at school doing A levels.

7. come; go; visit

• he's from Missouri

• I have just been to Thailand

• the doctor's been twice today.

8. [as copular verb] — having the state, quality, identity, nature, role, etc., specified

• Amy was 91

• the floor was uneven

• I want to be a teacher

• father was not well

• it will be Christmas soon

• ‘Be careful,’ Mr Carter said.

9. cost

• the tickets were £25.

10. amount to

• one and one is two.

11. represent

• let A be a square matrix of order n.

12. signify

• we were everything to each other.

13. consist of; constitute

• the monastery was several three-storey buildings.

14. ‹informal› say

• last time I saw her she was all ‘You need to quit smoking!’.

II. auxiliary verb

1. used with a present participle to form continuous tenses

• they are coming

• he had been reading

• she will be waiting.

2. used with a past participle to form the passive voice

• it was done

• it is said

• his book will be published.

3. [with infinitive] — used to indicate something that is due or destined to happen

• construction is to begin next summer

• his mum was never to see him win.

4. used to express obligation or necessity

• you are to follow these orders

• they said I was to remain on board.

5. used to express possibility

• these snakes are to be found in North America

• she was nowhere to be seen.

6. used to hypothesize about something that might happen

• if I were to lose

• if I was to tell you, you'd think I was mad.

7. ‹archaic› used with the past participle of intransitive verbs to form perfect tenses

• I am returned.

III. phrases

1. as/that was

as someone or something was previously called

• former Sex Pistol John Lydon (Rotten, as was).

2. the be-all and end-all

‹informal› a feature of an activity or a way of life that is of greater importance than any other.

• is food and comfort the be-all and end-all?

3. be at

‹informal› be doing or trying to do

• what are you at there?

4. be away

‹dialect› leave or set out at once

• I'm away to my work.

5. be off

[often in imperative] — go away; leave

• be off with you!

6. be oneself

act naturally, according to one's character and instincts.

• I want him to have the confidence to be himself.

7. been (or been and gone) and——

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to express surprise or annoyance at someone's actions

• they've been and carted Mum off to hospital.

8. been there, done that

see there.

9. be that as it may

see may^1.

10. not be oneself

not feel in one's usual physical or mental state.

• I'm not myself this morning.

11. -to-be

[in combination] — of the future

• my bride-to-be.

– origin Old English bēon, an irregular and defective verb, whose full conjugation derives from several originally distinct verbs. The forms am and is are from an Indo-European root shared by Latin sum and est. The forms was and were are from an Indo-European root meaning ‘remain’. The forms be and been are from an Indo-European root shared by Latin fui ‘I was’, fio ‘I become’, and Greek phuein ‘bring forth, cause to grow’. The origin of are is uncertain. / usage: For a discussion of whether it is correct to say that must be he at the door and it is I rather than that must be him at the door and it is me, see usage at personal pronoun.

Be

symbol

the chemical element beryllium.

BE

abbreviation

1. Bachelor of Education.

2. Bachelor of Engineering.

3. bill of exchange.

be-

I. prefix

1. forming verbs:

2. all over; all round

• bespatter.

3. thoroughly; excessively

• bewilder.

4. (added to intransitive verbs) expressing transitive action

• bemoan.

5. (added to adjectives and nouns) expressing transitive action

• befool

• befriend.

6. (added to nouns) affect with

• befog.

7. (added to adjectives) cause to be

• befoul.

8. (forming adjectives ending in -ed) having; covered with

• bejewelled.

– origin Old English, weak form of bī ‘by’.

BEA

abbreviation

‹historical› British European Airways.

beach /biːtʃ/

I. noun

a pebbly or sandy shore, especially by the sea between high- and low-water marks

• fabulous sandy beaches.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. run or haul up (a boat or ship) on to a beach

• at the water's edge a rowing boat was beached.

2. (of an angler) land (a fish) on a beach.

• he managed to beach a fine trout.

3. [no obj.] (also be beached) — (of a whale or similar animal) become stranded out of the water

• we don't know what causes whales to beach.

4. leave (someone) at a loss

• competitive procurement seems to have beached several firms.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting shingle on the seashore): perhaps related to Old English bæce, bece ‘brook’ (an element that survives in place names such as Wis bech and Sand bach), assuming an intermediate sense ‘pebbly river valley’.

beach ball

noun

a large inflatable ball used for playing games on the beach.

Beach Boys

a US pop group known for their vocal harmonies and for songs like ‘Surfin' USA’ (1963) and the album Pet Sounds (1966).

beach buggy

noun

a low wide-wheeled motor vehicle for recreational driving on sand.

beach bum

noun

‹informal› a person who spends time idly on or around a beach.

• a gang of drunken beach bums in dune buggies.

beachcomber /ˈbiːtʃkəʊmə/

noun

1. a vagrant who makes a living by searching beaches for articles of value and selling them.

2. a long wave rolling in from the sea.

beached /biːtʃt/

adjective

hauled up or stranded on a beach

• a beached whale

• beached fishing boats.

beachfront /ˈbiːtʃfrʌnt/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for seafront.

beachgoer /ˈbiːtʃɡəʊə/

noun

a person who goes to the beach

• a red flag was flying, warning beachgoers not to swim

• the bikini may be standard for most young beachgoers, but over the last few seasons the swimsuit has enjoyed a renaissance.

beachhead /ˈbiːtʃhɛd/

I. noun

a defended position on a beach taken from the enemy by landing forces, from which an attack can be launched.

– origin Second World War (originally US): formed on the pattern of bridgehead.

beach hut

noun

a simple single-storey structure on or next to a beach, especially one used for privacy or shelter while visiting the beach during the day

• along Southwold's seafront are the famous brightly coloured beach huts.

beach inspector

noun

(chiefly Austral.) a local government employee whose job is keeping order on a beach

• the top deck was where we beach inspectors exercised our tirelessly vigilant search for sharks or drowning swimmers.

beach plum

noun

1. a maritime shrub related to the plum, found on the east coast of North America.
● Prunus maritima, family Rosaceae.

2. the edible fruit of the beach plum.

beach resort

noun

a seaside holiday resort with a beach.

beachside

noun

the area adjacent to a beach
[as modifier]

• fine beachside hotels.

beach volleyball

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of volleyball played on sand by teams of two players.

beachwear /ˈbiːtʃwɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. clothing suitable for wearing on the beach, though not necessarily for swimming in.

• there's no water in sight, although beachwear is the fashion of the day.

beachy /ˈbiːtʃi/

I. adjective

‹informal› relating to, suggestive of, or appropriate for a beach or a holiday spent at the beach

• a beachy part of town

• beachy clothes and accessories.

II. derivatives

beachiness

noun

beacon /ˈbiːk(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a fire or light set up in a high or prominent position as a warning, signal, or celebration.

• a chain of beacons carried the news.

• her red hair was like a beacon in the night.

• ‹figurative› the prospect of a new government was a beacon of hope for millions.

2. [often in place names] — (Brit.) a hill suitable for a beacon

• Ivinghoe Beacon.

3. a light or other visible object serving as a signal, warning, or guide at sea, on an airfield, etc.

4. a radio transmitter whose signal helps to fix the position of a ship, aircraft, or spacecraft.

– origin Old English bēacn ‘sign, portent, ensign’, of West Germanic origin; related to beckon.

beaconfish

noun

a popular aquarium characin from tropical South America, with a red and gold spot near the base of the tail fin and another near the eye.
● Hemigrammus ocellifer, family Characidae.

bead /biːd/

I. noun

1. a small piece of glass, stone, or similar material that is threaded with others to make a necklace or rosary or sewn on to fabric.

• long strings of beads.

• rosary beads.

• she fastened the beads round my neck.

• [as modifier] a bead bracelet.

2. a drop of a liquid on a surface

• beads of sweat.

3. a small knob forming the foresight of a gun.

4. the reinforced inner edge of a pneumatic tyre that grips the rim of the wheel.

5. an ornamental plaster moulding resembling a string of beads or having a semicircular cross section.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often as adj. beaded) — decorate or cover with beads

• a beaded evening bag.

2. string (beads) together

• seashells beaded into belts.

3. cover (a surface) with drops of moisture

• his face was beaded with perspiration.

III. phrases

1. draw (or get) a bead on

a. (chiefly N. Amer.) take aim at with a gun.

• I drew a bead on the nape of his neck.

b. fully understand or make sense of

• it's hard to draw a bead on the stock market these days.

2. tell one's beads

use the beads of a rosary in counting prayers.

– origin Old English gebed ‘prayer’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bede and German Gebet, also to bid^2. Current senses derive from the use of a rosary, each bead representing a prayer.

bead curtain beaded curtain

noun

a screen formed of a set of long strings threaded with beads, typically hung in a doorway

• the hot wind from the dusty street stirred the bead curtains.

beaded lizard

noun

a venomous lizard with a stout body, short limbs, a large blunt head, and bead-like scales, occurring from the south-western US to Guatemala.
●Family Helodermatidae and genus Heloderma: the Mexican beaded lizard ( H. horridum) and the Gila monster.

beading /ˈbiːdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. decoration or ornamental moulding resembling a string of beads or having a semicircular cross section.

• a cardigan with gold beading.

2. the bead of a tyre.

beadle /ˈbiːd(ə)l/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a ceremonial officer of a church, college, or similar institution.

2. (Scottish) a church officer attending on the minister.

3. ‹historical› a minor parish officer dealing with petty offenders.

– origin Old English bydel ‘a person who makes a proclamation’, gradually superseded in Middle English by forms from Old French bedel, ultimately of Germanic origin; related to German Büttel, also to bid^1. Compare with bedel.

beadlet anemone

noun

a common European coastal sea anemone which is typically rust-red with several rings of tentacles around the mouth.
● Actinia equina, order Actiniaria.

beadsman /ˈbiːdzmən/

noun

‹historical› a pensioner provided for by a benefactor in return for prayers, especially one living in an almshouse.

beadwork /ˈbiːdwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. decorative work made of beads.

• skins decorated with paint and beadwork.

beady /ˈbiːdi/

I. adjective

1. (of a person's eyes) small, round, and gleaming.

• she blinks her blue beady eyes.

2. bright and keenly observant

• I shall certainly keep a beady eye on this development

• a beady-eyed observer.

II. derivatives

1. beadily /ˈbiːdɪli /

adverb

2. beadiness

noun

beady-eyed

adjective

1. having small, round, gleaming eyes

• a beady-eyed chicken.

2. keenly observant, typically in a sinister or hostile way

• beady-eyed security guards

• uniformed guards view you with beady-eyed suspicion.

beagle /ˈbiːɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

a small hound of a breed with a short coat, used for hunting hares.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun beagling)

1. hunt with beagles.

• he used to go beagling.

III. derivatives

beagler

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: perhaps from Old French beegueule ‘open-mouthed’, from beer ‘open wide’ + gueule ‘throat’.

Beagle Channel

I. a channel through the islands of Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America.

– origin named after HMS Beagle, the ship of Charles Darwin's voyage of 1831–6.

beak^1 /biːk/

I. noun

1. a bird's horny projecting jaws; a bill.

• a parent bird with a caterpillar in its beak.

2. the horny projecting jaw of animals other than birds, for example a turtle or squid.

3. ‹informal› a person's nose

• she can't wait to stick her beak in.

4. a projection at the prow of an ancient warship, typically shaped to resemble the head of a bird or other animal, used to pierce the hulls of enemy ships.

II. derivatives

1. beaked /biːkt /

adjective

[in combination]

• a yellow-beaked alpine chough

2. beak-like

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French bec, from Latin beccus, of Celtic origin.

beak^2 /biːk/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a magistrate or a schoolmaster.

– origin late 18th cent.: probably from criminals' slang.

beaked whale

noun

a medium-sized whale with elongated jaws that form a beak, typically showing marked differences in size and body form between the sexes.
●Family Ziphiidae: four genera and several species, including the bottlenose whales.

beaker /ˈbiːkə/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a tall drinking container, typically made of plastic, with straight sides and no handle.

2. (Brit.) a lipped cylindrical glass container for laboratory use.

3. (Brit.) ‹archaic› ‹literary› a large drinking container with a wide mouth.

4. (Brit.) [Archaeology] a waisted pot characteristic of graves of the Beaker folk.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘large drinking container’): from Old Norse bikarr, perhaps based on Greek bikos ‘drinking bowl’.

Beaker folk

plural noun

[Archaeology] a late Neolithic and early Bronze Age European people ( c. 2700–1700 BC), named after distinctive waisted pots ( Beaker ware) that were associated with their burials and appear to have been used for alcoholic drinks. It is now thought that the Beaker folk were not a separate race, but that the use of such pots spread as a result of migration, trade, and fashion.

beakhead /ˈbiːkhɛd/

noun

a projection at the prow of an ancient warship, typically shaped to resemble the head of a bird or other animal.

beaky

adjective

1. ‹informal› (of a person's nose) resembling a bird's beak; hooked.

• her long beaky nose seemed to quiver.

2. ‹informal› (of a person) having a beaky nose

• a small, determined, beaky man.

bealach /ˈbɛlax/

I. noun

(Scottish) a narrow mountain pass.

– origin late 18th cent.: Gaelic, from Middle Irish belach ‘a pass, road’.

Beale, Dorothea

(1831–1906), English educationist. She was principal of Cheltenham Ladies' College 1858–1906 and a campaigner for women's suffrage and higher education.

beam /biːm/

I. noun

1. a long, sturdy piece of squared timber or metal used to support the roof or floor of a building.

• there are very fine oak beams in the oldest part of the house.

• the cottage boasts a wealth of exposed beams.

2. a narrow, raised horizontal piece of squared timber on which a gymnast balances while performing exercises.

• a compulsory set of exercises on floor, vault, bars, and beam.

3. a horizontal piece of squared timber or metal supporting the deck and joining the sides of a ship.

• the watertight skin and deck were put on over this framework of ribs and beams.

4. [Nautical] the direction of an object visible from the port or starboard side of a ship when it is perpendicular to the centre line of the vessel

• there was land in sight on the port beam.

5. a ship's breadth at its widest point

• a cutter with a beam of 16 feet.

6. ‹informal› the width of a person's hips

• notice how broad in the beam she's getting?

7. the main stem of a stag's antler.

• the wide beams sprouted ten main tines.

8. the crossbar of a balance.

9. an oscillating shaft which transmits the vertical piston movement of a beam engine to the crank or pump.

10. the shank of an anchor.

11. ‹historical› the main timber of a horse-drawn plough.

12. a ray or shaft of light

• a beam of light flashed in front of her

• the torch beam dimmed perceptibly.

13. a directional flow of particles or radiation

• beams of electrons.

14. a series of radio or radar signals emitted as a navigational guide for ships or aircraft.

• the detector simply pinpoints the radar beams that other ships transmit.

15. a radiant or good-natured look or smile

• a beam of satisfaction.

II. verb

1. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — transmit (a radio signal or broadcast) in a specified direction

• the satellite beamed back radio signals to scientists on Earth.

2. [with obj.] ( beam someone up/down) — (in science fiction) transport someone instantaneously to or from a spaceship.

• mission controller, beam me up!

[phrase from the American television series Star Trek.]

3. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (of a light or light source) shine brightly

• the sun's rays beamed down.

4. [no obj.] — smile radiantly

• she beamed with pleasure.

5. [with obj.] — express (an emotion) with a radiant smile

• the instructress beamed her approval.

III. phrases

1. a beam in one's eye

a fault that is greater in oneself than in the person one is finding fault with.

• economic forecasters should consider the beam in their own eye before criticizing the government's figures.

[with biblical allusion to Matt. 7:3.]

2. off (or way off) beam

‹informal› on the wrong track; mistaken.

• you're way off beam on this one.

3. on the beam

‹informal› on the right track.

• I've had a couple of stormy sessions with the old rascal trying to keep him on the beam.

4. on her (or its) beam ends

(of a ship) heeled over on its side; almost capsized.

5. on one's beam ends

near the end of one's resources; desperate.

• if they were on their beam ends they might brave an audience with Fisher.

– origin Old English bēam ‘tree, beam’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch boom and German Baum.

beam compass beam compasses

noun

a drawing compass consisting of a horizontal rod or beam connected by sliding sockets to two vertical legs, used for drawing large circles.

beam engine

noun

a stationary steam engine with a large oscillating beam that transmits the vertical movement of the pistons to a crank or pump.

beamer

noun

[Cricket] a ball bowled directly at a batsman's head or upper body without bouncing (regarded as unsporting).

beaming /ˈbiːmɪŋ/

adjective

smiling broadly; grinning

• his beaming face told its own story

• a beaming smile.

Beamon, Bob /ˈbiːmən/

(b.1946), American long jumper; full name Robert Beamon. At the 1968 Olympic Games he set a world record that stood until 1991.

beam sea

noun

[Nautical] a sea which is rolling against a ship's side approximately at right angles.

beam splitter

noun

a device for dividing a beam of light or other electromagnetic radiation into two or more separate beams.

beamy /ˈbiːmi/

adjective

(of a ship) broad-beamed.

bean /biːn/

I. noun

1. an edible seed, typically kidney-shaped, growing in long pods on certain leguminous plants.

• a tin of beans.

• beans on toast.

• [as modifier] a bean casserole.

2. the hard seed of coffee, cocoa, and certain other plants.

3. a leguminous plant that bears beans in pods.
● Phaseolus and other genera, family Leguminosae: numerous species, including the runner bean ( P. coccineus), French bean ( P. vulgaris), and broad bean ( Vicia faba).

4. ( also beans) [with negative] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a very small amount or nothing at all of something (used emphatically)

• there is not a single bean of substance in the report.

5. used in reference to money

• he didn't have a bean.

6. ‹informal› ‹dated› a person's head, especially when regarded as a source of common sense.

• this morning the old bean seems to be functioning in a slow way.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) hit (someone) on the head

• she picked up a rock and beaned him on the forehead.

III. phrases

1. full of beans

‹informal› lively; in high spirits.

• she was laughing and shouting and generally full of beans.

2. know how many beans make five

(Brit.) ‹informal› be sensible and intelligent.

• Emily certainly knew how many beans made five.

3. old bean

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a friendly form of address to a man.

• great to see you, old bean!

– origin Old English bēan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boon and German Bohne.

beanbag /ˈbiːnbaɡ/

noun

1. a small bag filled with dried beans and used in children's games.

2. a large cushion filled with polystyrene beads and used as a seat.

beanburger /ˈbiːnbəːɡə/

noun

a savoury cake resembling a hamburger but made from kidney beans and other vegetables, rather than meat.

bean counter

noun

‹informal› a person, typically an accountant or bureaucrat, perceived as placing excessive emphasis on controlling expenditure and budgets.

• their bean counters will switch to a new way of calculating GDP.

bean curd

noun

another term for tofu.

beaner

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹offensive› a Mexican or person of Mexican descent.

beanery /ˈbiːnəri/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a cheap restaurant.

beanfeast /ˈbiːnfiːst/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a celebratory party with plentiful food and drink.

• cheerful music for beanfeasts.

• ‹figurative› a beanfeast of seminars and workshops.

– origin early 19th cent.: from bean + feast. The term originally denoted an annual dinner given to employees by their employers, where beans and bacon were regarded as an indispensable dish.

bean goose

noun

a grey goose with orange-yellow bill and legs, breeding in the arctic tundra of Lapland and Siberia and overwintering in parts of Europe and Asia.
● Anser fabalis, family Anatidae.

beanie /ˈbiːni/

I. noun

a small close-fitting hat worn on the back of the head.

– origin 1940s (originally US): perhaps from bean (in the sense ‘head’) + -ie.

beano /ˈbiːnəʊ/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a party.

• a traditional Bank Holiday beano.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation of beanfeast.

beanpole /ˈbiːnpəʊl/

noun

1. a stick for supporting bean plants.

2. ‹informal› a tall, thin person.

bean sprouts

plural noun

the sprouting seeds of certain beans, especially mung beans, used chiefly in oriental cookery.

beanstalk /ˈbiːnstɔːk/

noun

the stem of a bean plant, proverbially fast-growing and tall.

bear^1 /bɛː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a person) carry

• he was bearing a tray of brimming glasses

• the warriors bore lances tipped with iron.

2. (of a vehicle or boat) convey (passengers or cargo)

• steamboats bear the traveller out of Kerrerra Sound.

3. have or display as a visible mark or feature

• many of the papers bore his flamboyant signature.

4. be called by (a name or title)

• he bore the surname Tiller.

5. ( bear oneself) — carry or conduct oneself in a specified manner

• she bore herself with dignity.

6. support; carry the weight of

• walls which cannot bear a stone vault.

7. take responsibility for

• no one likes to bear the responsibility for such decisions

• the expert's fee shall be borne by the tenant.

8. be able to accept or stand up to

• it is doubtful whether either of these distinctions would bear scrutiny.

9. endure (an ordeal or difficulty)

• she bore the pain stoically.

10. [with modal and negative] — manage to tolerate (a situation or experience)

• she could hardly bear his sarcasm

• [with infinitive] I cannot bear to see you hurt.

11. ( cannot bear someone/thing) — strongly dislike

• I can't bear caviar.

12. give birth to (a child)

• she bore sixteen daughters

• [with two objs] his wife had borne him a son.

13. (of a tree or plant) produce (fruit or flowers).

• a squash that bears fruit shaped like cucumbers.

14. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — turn and proceed in a specified direction

• bear left and follow the old drove road.

II. phrases

1. bear the brunt of

see brunt.

2. bear the burden of

suffer the consequences of.

• taxpayers bear the burden of government's mistakes.

3. bear fruit

yield positive results.

• plans for power-sharing may be about to bear fruit.

4. bear a hand

‹archaic› help in a task or enterprise.

5. bear something in mind

see mind.

6. bear someone malice (or ill will)

[with negative] — wish someone harm.

• he was only doing his job and I bore him no malice.

7. bear a relation (or relationship) to

[with negative] — be logically consistent with

• the map didn't seem to bear any relation to the roads.

8. bear a resemblance (or similarity) to

resemble.

• the campus bore a faint resemblance to a military camp.

9. bear witness (or testimony) to

a. testify to

• little is left to bear witness to the past greatness of the city.

b. state or show one's belief in

• people bearing witness to Jesus.

10. be borne in on (or upon)

come to be realized by

• the folly of her action was borne in on her.

11. not bear thinking about

be too terrible to contemplate.

• what had happened to her before dying did not bear thinking about.

III. phrasal verbs

1. bear away

another way of saying bear off.

2. bear down

(of a woman in labour) exert downwards pressure in order to push the baby out.

3. bear down on

a. move directly towards someone or something in a purposeful or intimidating manner.

• at a canter they bore down on the mass of men ahead.

b. take strict measures to deal with

• a commitment to bear down on inflation.

4. bear off

[Sailing] change course away from the wind.

5. bear on

a. be relevant to (something)

• two kinds of theories which bear on literary studies.

b. [with adverbial] — be a burden on

• the extension of VAT to domestic fuel will bear hard on the low-paid.

6. bear something out

support or confirm something

• this assumption is not borne out by any evidence.

7. bear up

remain cheerful in the face of adversity

• she's bearing up remarkably well.

8. bear with

be patient or tolerant with.

• bear with me a moment while I make a phone call.

– origin Old English beran, of Germanic origin; from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit bharati, Greek pherein, and Latin ferre. / usage: Until the 18th century borne and born were simply variant forms of the past participle of bear, used interchangeably with no distinction in meaning. By around 1775, however, the present distinction in use had become established. At that time borne became the standard past participle used in all the senses listed in this dictionary entry, e.g. she has borne you another son, the findings have been borne out, and so on. Born became restricted to just one very common use, which remains the case today: in the passive, without by, as the standard, neutral way to refer to birth: she was born in 1965, he was born lucky, or I was born and bred in Gloucester.

bear^2 /bɛː/

I. noun

1. a large, heavy mammal which walks on the soles of its feet, having thick fur and a very short tail. Bears are related to the dog family but have an omnivorous diet.
●Family Ursidae: several genera and species.

2. a teddy bear.

3. ‹informal› a rough, bad-mannered, or uncouth person.

• if I make a mistake he goes mad with rage—he's a bear.

4. a large, heavy, cumbersome man.

• a lumbering bear of a man.

5. ( the Bear) — ‹informal› a nickname for Russia.

6. [Stock Exchange] a person who sells shares hoping to buy them back later at a lower price. Often contrasted with bull^1.
[said to be from a proverb warning against ‘selling the bear's skin before one has caught the bear’.]

II. phrases

1. like a bear with a sore head

(Brit.) ‹informal› (of a person) very irritable.

• he'll be like a bear with a sore head when he gets up.

2. loaded for bear

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› fully prepared for any eventuality, especially a confrontation or challenge.

• as my ancestors were wont to say, watch out, John Bull, I'm loaded for bear!

– origin Old English bera, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch beer and German Bär.

bearable /ˈbɛːrəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be endured.

• things to make life in the tropics more bearable.

II. derivatives

1. bearability

noun

2. bearably

adverb

bear-baiting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› a form of entertainment which involved setting dogs to attack a captive bear.

bearberry /ˈbɛːb(ə)ri/

noun

a creeping dwarf shrub of the heather family, with pinkish flowers and bright red berries.
●Genus Arctostaphylos, family Ericaceae: several species.

bearcat

noun

a bear-like climbing mammal, especially the red panda.

beard /bɪəd/

I. noun

1. a growth of hair on the chin and lower cheeks of a man's face.

• he had a black beard.

• [ mass noun] three days' growth of beard.

2. a tuft of hair on the chin of certain mammals, for example a lion or goat.

3. an animal's growth or marking that is likened to a beard, for example the gills of an oyster, or the beak bristles of certain birds.

4. a tuft of hairs or bristles on certain plants, especially the awn of a grass.

5. (US) ‹informal› a person who carries out a transaction, typically a bet, for someone else in order to conceal the other's identity.

• the beard permitted the manipulator to protect the odds.

6. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a woman who accompanies a homosexual man as an escort to a social occasion, in order to help conceal his homosexuality.

• the closeted male and his female ‘beard’.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. boldly confront or challenge (someone formidable).

• he was afraid to beard the sultan himself.

III. phrases

beard the lion in his den (or lair)

confront or challenge someone on their own ground.

IV. derivatives

beardless /ˈbɪədləs /

adjective

– origin Old English, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch baard and German Bart.

bearded /ˈbɪədɪd/

adjective

1. having a growth of hair on one's cheeks and chin

• beside me sat a pair of bearded men

• [in combination] a grey-bearded man.

2. (of an animal) having a tuft of hair on its chin

• a bearded seal.

3. (of a plant) having a tuft of hair or bristles

• bearded irises.

bearded collie

noun

a dog of a shaggy breed of collie with long hair on the face.

bearded dragon bearded lizard

noun

a semi-arboreal Australian lizard with spiny scales and a large throat pouch bearing sharp spines.
●Genus Pogona (or Amphibolurus), family Agamidae; several species.

bearded tit

noun

a small long-tailed Eurasian songbird of the parrotbill family, the male of which has dark markings resembling a moustache, frequenting reed beds. Also called reedling.
● Panurus biarmicus, family Panuridae (or Paradoxornithidae); formerly placed in the tit family.

bearded vulture

noun

another term for lammergeier.

beardfish

noun

a small bottom-dwelling marine fish of deep water, with a long pair of fleshy barbels beneath the chin.
●Family Polymixiidae and genus Polymixia: several species, in particular P. lowei.

Beardmore Glacier

I. a glacier in Antarctica, flowing from the Queen Maud Mountains to the Ross Ice Shelf, at the southern edge of the Ross Sea.

– origin named after William Beardmore (1856–1936), an English shipbuilder who supported Antarctic exploration.

Beardsley, Aubrey

(1872–98), English artist and illustrator, associated with art nouveau and the Aesthetic movement; full name Aubrey Vincent Beardsley. He is known for original and controversial illustrations, such as those for Oscar Wilde's Salome (1894).

beardy /ˈbɪədi / ‹informal›

I. adjective

(of a man) having a beard

• in the year of beardy hipsters, he looks nearly a decade out of fashion.

II. noun

1. (Brit.) a bearded man, especially one regarded as lacking in style

• the cartoons show him as a mad beardie.

2. (Brit.) a bearded collie

• expect to be greeted with a bounce when you meet a beardie.

bearer /ˈbɛːrə/

noun

1. a person or thing that carries or holds something
[in combination]

• a flag-bearer

• ‹figurative› I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings.

2. a carrier of equipment on an expedition.

3. (Indian) a domestic servant or other menial worker.

4. (Indian) a waiter.

5. a person who carries the coffin at a funeral.

6. a person who presents a cheque or other order to pay money

• promissory notes payable to the bearer.

7. [as modifier] — payable to the possessor

• bearer bonds.

bear garden /ˈbɛːɡɑːd(ə)n / bear pit

I. noun

a scene of uproar and confusion.

• he appeared at the bear garden of a conference.

– origin late 16th cent.: bear from bear^2. The original sense was ‘a place set apart for bear-baiting’; bear gardens were often used for other rough sports, hence the figurative meaning.

beargrass /ˈbɛːɡrɑːs/

noun

a North American plant with long, coarse, grass-like leaves, in particular:
● a wild yucca (genus Yucca, family Agavaceae). ● a cultivated ornamental plant, the leaves of which were formerly used by American Indians to make watertight baskets ( Xerophyllum tenax, family Liliaceae).

bear hug

noun

a rough, tight embrace.

bearing /ˈbɛːrɪŋ/

noun

1. a person's way of standing or moving

• a man of precise military bearing.

2. the way a person behaves or conducts themselves

• she has the bearing of a First Lady.

3. [ mass noun] — relation; relevance

• the case has no direct bearing on the issues being considered.

4. [ mass noun] — the ability to tolerate something bad or to be tolerated

• school was bad enough, but now it's past bearing.

5. (often bearings) — a part of a machine that allows one part to rotate or move in contact with another part with as little friction as possible.

6. the direction or position of something, or the direction of movement, relative to a fixed point. It is usually measured in degrees, typically with magnetic north as zero.

• the Point is on a bearing of 015°.

• there were no steeples or bridges from which to take a bearing.

7. ( one's bearings) — awareness of one's position relative to one's surroundings

• he flashed the torch around, trying to get his bearings.

8. [Heraldry] a device or charge

• armorial bearings.

bearing rein

noun

a fixed rein which causes the horse to raise its head and arch its neck.

bearish /ˈbɛːrɪʃ/

I. adjective

1. resembling or likened to a bear, typically in being rough, surly, or clumsy.

• a bearish figure with mutton chop whiskers.

2. [Stock Exchange] characterized by or associated with falling share prices.

II. derivatives

1. bearishly

adverb

2. bearishness

noun

bear market

noun

[Stock Exchange] a market in which share prices are falling, encouraging selling.

• the Tokyo bear market has wiped £1,000 billion off shares.

Béarnaise sauce /ˌbeɪəˈneɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rich sauce thickened with egg yolks and flavoured with tarragon.

– origin Béarnaise, feminine of French béarnais ‘of Béarn’, a region of SW France.

bear pit /ˈbɛːpɪt/

noun

another term for bear garden.

bear's breech

noun

a Mediterranean plant with large deep-cut leaves and tall spikes of purple-veined white flowers.
● Acanthus mollis, family Acanthaceae.

bear's ear

noun

another term for auricula.

bear's foot

noun

a hellebore, which has leaves that are said to resemble a bear's foot.

bearskin /ˈbɛːskɪn/

noun

1. the pelt of a bear, especially when used as a rug or wrap.
[as modifier]

• a white bearskin rug.

2. a tall cap of black fur worn ceremonially by certain troops, such as the Guards in the British army.

Beas /beɪˈɑːs, biːˈɑːs/

a river of northern India which rises in the Himalayas and flows through Himachal Pradesh to join the Sutlej River in Punjab. It is one of the five rivers that gave Punjab its name.

beast /biːst/

I. noun

1. an animal, especially a large or dangerous four-footed one

• a wild beast.

2. (usu. beasts) — a domestic animal, especially a bovine farm animal.

• mucking out and feeding the beasts is a big job.

3. ‹archaic› ‹humorous› an animal as opposed to a human.

• the gift of reason differentiates humanity from the beasts.

4. an inhumanly cruel, violent, or depraved person.

• he is a filthy drunken beast.

• sex beasts who are assaulting victims.

5. ‹informal› an objectionable or unpleasant person or thing

• a scheming, manipulative little beast.

6. ( the beast) — a person's brutish or untamed characteristics

• the beast in you is rearing its ugly head.

7. [with adj.] — ‹informal› a thing possessing a specified quality

• that much-maligned beast, the rave record.

II. derivatives

beast-like /ˈbiːstlʌɪk /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French beste, based on Latin bestia.

beastie /ˈbiːsti/

noun

1. (Scottish) ‹humorous› an insect or other small animal.

• our immune systems are killing millions of wee beasties.

2. [with adj.] — (Scottish) ‹humorous› ‹informal› a vehicle or device of a specified kind

• these little beasties only have three wheels.

beasting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› (especially in the armed forces) the process of subjecting a new recruit to harsh treatment in order to instil discipline.

beastly /ˈbiːstli/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› very unpleasant

• this beastly war.

2. unkind; malicious

• don't be beastly to him.

3. ‹archaic› cruel and unrestrained

• beastly immorality.

II. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› to an extreme and unpleasant degree

• a beastly dull wedding party.

III. derivatives

beastliness /ˈbiːstlinəs /

noun

beast of burden

noun

an animal, such as a mule or donkey, that is used for carrying loads.

beast of prey

noun

an animal, especially a mammal, that kills and eats other animals.

beat /biːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. strike (a person or an animal) repeatedly and violently so as to hurt or injure them, typically with an implement such as a club or whip

• aristocratic women were often beaten by their husbands

• the victims were beaten to death with baseball bats.

2. strike (an object) repeatedly so as to make a noise

• he beat the table with his hand.

3. [no obj.] — (of an instrument) make a rhythmical sound through being struck

• drums were beating in the distance.

4. strike (a carpet, blanket, etc.) repeatedly in order to remove dust.

• upright cleaners have a motorized head which beats the carpet to loosen the dirt.

5. flatten or shape (metal) by striking it repeatedly with a hammer

• pure gold can be beaten out to form very thin sheets.

6. ( beat something against/on) — strike something against (something)

• she beat her fists against the wood.

7. [no obj.] — strike repeatedly at or on something

• Sidney beat on the door with the flat of his hand

• Emmie began to beat at the flames.

8. move across (an area of land) repeatedly striking at the ground cover in order to raise game birds for shooting.

• they hire boys to beat the Yorkshire moors for game birds.

9. defeat (someone) in a game or other competitive situation

• she beat him easily at chess

• Juventus were beaten 2–1.

10. overcome (a problem or disease)

• the battle to beat car crime

• he beat heroin addiction in 1992.

11. do or be better than (a record or score)

• he beat his own world record.

12. ‹informal› be better than

• you can't beat the taste of fresh raspberries.

13. ‹informal› baffle

• it beats me how you manage to work in this heat.

14. succeed in getting somewhere ahead of (someone)

• the defender beat him to the ball.

15. take action to avoid (difficulty or inconvenience)

• they set off early to beat the traffic.

16. [no obj.] — (of the heart) pulsate

• her heart beat faster with panic.

17. (of a bird) move (the wings) up and down.

• doves wheel around the rooftops, beating their wings.

18. [no obj.] — (of a bird) fly making rhythmic wing movements

• an owl beat low over the salt marsh.

19. stir (cooking ingredients) vigorously to make a smooth or frothy mixture.

• beat the butter until light and fluffy.

• beat the cream into the mixture.

20. ( beat it) — ‹informal› leave
[in imperative]

• now beat it, will you!

21. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — [Sailing] sail into the wind, following a zigzag course with repeated tacking

• we beat southwards all that first day.

II. noun

1. a main accent or rhythmic unit in music or poetry

• the glissando begins on the second beat.

2. a strong rhythm in popular music

• the music changed to a funky disco beat.

3. [in sing.] — a regular, rhythmic sound or movement

• the beat of the wipers became almost hypnotic.

4. the sound made when something, especially a musical instrument, is struck

• he heard a regular drum beat.

5. a pulsation of the heart.

6. a periodic variation of sound or amplitude due to the combination of two sounds, electrical signals, or other vibrations having similar but not identical frequencies.

7. the movement of a bird's wings.

• the beat of the swallow's wings as they dive after midges.

8. an area allocated to a police officer and patrolled on foot

• his beat was in North London

• public clamour for more policemen on the beat.

9. a spell of duty allocated to a police officer

• his beat ended at 6 a.m.

10. an area regularly frequented by someone.

• a few, new to their beat, looked at him with interest.

11. ‹informal› a person's area of interest

• his beat is construction, property, and hotels.

12. a stretch of water fished by an angler.

• you don't necessarily have to fish on the priciest beats to find good sport.

13. a brief pause or moment of hesitation

• she waited for a beat of three seconds.

[from the use of a stage direction referring to such a pause.]

14. ‹informal› short for beatnik.

III. adjective

1. [ predic.] — ‹informal› completely exhausted

• I'm beat—I need an hour or so to rest.

2. [ attrib.] — relating to the beat generation or its philosophy

• beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

IV. phrases

1. beat about the bush

discuss a matter without coming to the point.

• he never beat about the bush when something was annoying him.

2. beat someone at their own game

see game^1.

3. beat the bounds

‹historical› mark parish boundaries by walking round them and striking certain points with rods.

• a large procession, headed by the clergyman, would beat the bounds over a period of two days.

4. beat one's breast

see breast.

5. beat the bushes

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› search thoroughly

• I was out beating the bushes for investors to split the risk.

6. beat the clock

perform a task quickly or within a fixed time limit.

• frozen mixed vegetables help you beat the clock with this soup.

7. beat the drum for

see drum^1.

8. be beaten at the post

be defeated at the last moment.

9. beat one's (or the) meat

‹vulgar slang› (of a man) masturbate.

10. beat the pants off

‹informal› prove to be vastly superior to.

• it's an ugly lump of plastic, but it sure beats the pants off the UK model.

11. beat a path to someone's door

(of a large number of people) hasten to make contact with someone regarded as interesting or inspiring.

• the students and their professors beat a path to his door.

12. beat a (hasty) retreat

withdraw quickly in order to avoid something unpleasant.

• as the bombs started to go off, they beat a hasty retreat across the field.

13. beat the system

succeed in finding a means of getting round rules, regulations, or other means of control.

• it may be that we secretly admire those who try to beat the system.

14. beat time

indicate or follow a musical tempo with a baton or other means.

15. beat someone to it

succeed in doing something or getting somewhere before someone else.

• you'd better get a move on or they'll beat you to it.

16. if you can't beat them, join them

‹humorous› if you are unable to outdo rivals in some endeavour, you might as well cooperate with them and thereby possibly gain an advantage.

17. to beat all ——s

infinitely better than all the things of the specified type

• a PC screen saver to beat all screen savers.

18. to beat the band

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› in such a way as to surpass all competition

• they were talking to beat the band.

V. phrasal verbs

1. beat someone back

force (someone trying to do something) to retreat

• I was beaten back by the flames.

2. beat down

a. (of the sun) radiate intense heat and brightness.

• the sun beat down on them with fiery intensity.

b. (of rain) fall hard and continuously.

• the rain continued to beat down on him.

3. beat something down

a. quell defence or resistance.

• the senator had beaten down my last defence.

b. fight to suppress a feeling or emotion.

• she beat down a gush of self-pity.

4. beat someone down

force someone to reduce the price of something.

• I had at least attempted to beat him down on the charter price.

5. beat off

‹vulgar slang› (of a man) masturbate.

6. beat someone/thing off

a. succeed in resisting an attacker or an attack.

• we beat off the raiders with sticks and broom handles.

b. win against a challenge or rival.

• the firm had beaten off competition from 260 other submissions.

7. beat something out

a. produce a loud, rhythmic sound by striking something

• he beat out a rhythm on the drums.

b. extinguish flames by striking at them with a suitable object.

• he made a frantic dash to grab an armful of branches and beat out the flames.

8. beat someone up

a. assault and injure someone by hitting, kicking, or punching them repeatedly.

• they threatened to beat him up if he didn't hand over the money.

b. ( beat oneself up) — ‹informal› reproach or criticize oneself excessively.

9. beat up on someone

North American way of saying beat someone up.

VI. derivatives

beatable

adjective

– origin Old English bēatan, of Germanic origin.

beatbox

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a drum machine.

2. ‹informal› a radio or radio cassette player used to play loud music, especially rap.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. imitate the sounds of a drum machine with the voice.

III. derivatives

1. beatboxer

noun

2. beatboxing

noun

beaten /ˈbiːt(ə)n/

I. past participle of beat.

II. adjective

1. having been defeated

• last year's beaten finalist.

2. exhausted and dejected

• he sat feeling old and beaten.

3. having been beaten or struck

• he trudged home like a beaten cur.

4. (of food) stirred vigorously to a uniform consistency

• beaten egg.

5. (of metal) shaped by hammering, typically so as to give the surface a dimpled texture.

• beaten copper coffee tables.

6. (of precious metal) hammered to form thin foil for ornamental use.

• magnificent howdahs covered with beaten gold and silver.

7. (of a path) well trodden; much used.

III. phrases

off the beaten track (or path)

in or into an isolated place.

• we tried to find locations slightly off the beaten track.

beater /ˈbiːtə/

noun

1. a person who hits someone or something, in particular:

2. a person employed to raise game birds for shooting by striking at the ground cover.

• whisky was always taken for the beaters, keepers, and loaders.

3. a person who beats metal in manufacturing.

4. [in combination] — a person who habitually hits someone

• a wife-beater.

5. an implement or machine used for beating.

6. [in combination] — ‹informal› a means of defeating or preventing something

• a recession-beater.

7. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› an old or dilapidated vehicle.

beat frequency

noun

[Physics] the number of beats per second, equal to the difference in the frequencies of two interacting tones or oscillations.

• amplitude modulated beat frequency.

• [as modifier] a beat frequency oscillator.

beat generation

noun

a movement of young people in the 1950s and early 1960s who rejected conventional society, valuing free self-expression and favouring modern jazz. Among writers associated with the movement were Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg.

beatific /biːəˈtɪfɪk/

I. adjective

1. feeling or expressing blissful happiness

• a beatific smile.

2. [Christian Theology] imparting holy bliss.

II. derivatives

beatifically /ˌbiːəˈtɪfɪkli /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French béatifique or Latin beatificus, from beatus ‘blessed’.

beatification /bɪˌatɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the Roman Catholic Church) declaration by the Pope that a dead person is in a state of bliss, constituting a first step towards canonization and permitting public veneration.

• a ceremony of beatification in St Peter's Square.

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘action of making blessed’): from Old French, or from ecclesiastical Latin beatificatio(n-), from beatificare ‘make blessed’, from Latin beatus ‘blessed’.

beatify /bɪˈatɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (in the Roman Catholic Church) announce the beatification of.

• he beatified Juan Diego, an Indian believed to have had a vision of the Virgin Mary in 1531.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘make blessed or supremely happy’): from Old French beatifier or ecclesiastical Latin beatificare, from Latin beatus ‘blessed’.

beating /ˈbiːtɪŋ/

I. noun

1. a punishment or assault in which the victim is hit repeatedly

• if he got dirt on his clothes he'd get a beating

• [ mass noun] torture methods included beating.

2. [ mass noun] — pulsation or throbbing, typically of the heart.

3. a defeat in a competitive situation.

II. phrases

1. take a beating

‹informal› suffer damage or hurt

• her pride had taken a beating at his hands.

2. take some (or a lot of) beating

‹informal› be difficult to surpass or defeat.

• last year's £2.3 million record will take some beating.

beating-up

noun

‹informal› a violent assault in which the victim is hit repeatedly

• he suffered substantial bruising and severe headaches as a result of the beating-up.

beatitude /bɪˈatɪtjuːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. supreme blessedness.

• the expression of beatitude the religious sometimes adopt.

2. ( the Beatitudes) — the blessings listed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:3–11).

3. ( His/Your Beatitude) — a title given to patriarchs in the Orthodox Church.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French beatitude or Latin beatitudo, from beatus ‘blessed’.

Beatlemania

noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme enthusiasm for the Beatles pop group, as manifested in the frenzied behaviour of their fans in the 1960s.

• the band took to spending weeks on end in the studio as a way of escaping from the mayhem of Beatlemania.

Beatlemaniac

noun

a very enthusiastic fan of the Beatles pop group

• every Beatlemaniac knows Paul McCartney is left-handed.

Beatles

I. a pop and rock group from Liverpool consisting of George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr. Remembered for the quality and stylistic diversity of their songs (mostly written by Lennon and McCartney), they achieved success with their first single ‘Love Me Do’ (1962) and went on to produce albums such as Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967).

II. (as modifier Beatle) — characteristic of the Beatles

• a Beatle jacket.

beat-match

verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a DJ) synchronize the tempos of (two recordings) to enable a smooth transition between them in a set of uninterrupted music

• if you want to play in a club where the DJ's expected to beat-match records, you'd better develop the skill.

• [no obj.] we know how to mix and we know how to beat-match.

beat-matching

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or technique of synchronizing the tempos of two recordings to enable a smooth transition between them in a set of uninterrupted music

• if your music is badly chosen, the best beat-matching in the world won't save you.

beatnik /ˈbiːtnɪk/

I. noun

a young person in the 1950s and early 1960s belonging to a subculture associated with the beat generation.

• her long black hair and comfortable clothes are the badge of the artist and beatnik.

• [as modifier] my beatnik costume of sandals and black sweater.

– origin 1950s: from beat + -nik on the pattern of sputnik, perhaps influenced by US use of Yiddish -nik, denoting someone or something who acts in a particular way.

Beaton, Sir Cecil

(1904–80), English photographer famous for his fashion features and portraits of celebrities, particularly the British royal family; full name Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton. He later diversified into costume and set design, winning two Oscars for the film My Fair Lady (1964).

Beatty, David /ˈbiːti/

1st Earl Beatty of the North Sea and of Brooksby (1871–1936), British admiral. During the First World War he played a major role in the Battle of Jutland and was Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet from 1916.

Beatty, Warren /ˈbeɪti, ˈbiːti/

(b.1937), American actor, film director, and screenwriter; born Henry Warren Beaty. He starred in and produced Bonnie and Clyde (1967), and was producer, co-writer, star, and Oscar-winning director of Reds (1981).

beat-up

adjective

‹informal› worn out by overuse; in a state of disrepair.

beau /bəʊ/

I. noun

1. ‹dated› a boyfriend or male admirer.

2. ‹dated› a rich, fashionable young man; a dandy.

– origin late 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French, literally ‘handsome’, from Latin bellus.

Beaubourg Centre /ˈbəʊbɔːɡ, French bobuʀ/

another name for Pompidou Centre.

beaucoup /ˈbəʊkuː / beaucoup de /ˈbəʊkuː də/

I. adjective

‹informal› (chiefly US) many or much

• beaucoup profits are at stake

• I've never met anyone with beaucoup de bucks that didn't work their butt off.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, ‘a large quantity, a lot’.

Beaufort scale /ˈbəʊfət/

I. noun

a scale of wind speed based on a visual estimation of the wind's effects, ranging from force 0 (less than 1 knot or 1 km/h, ‘calm’) to force 12 (64 knots or 118 km/h and above, ‘hurricane’).

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Sir Francis Beaufort (1774–1857), the English admiral and naval hydrographer who devised it.

Beaufort Sea

I. a part of the Arctic Ocean lying to the north of Alaska and Canada.

– origin named after the English admiral Sir Francis Beaufort (see Beaufort scale).

beau geste /bəʊ ˈʒɛst, French bo ʒɛst/

I. noun

a noble and generous act.

• in a beau geste of argument, he thanked his opponent for characterizing the dilemma so well.

– origin French, literally ‘splendid gesture’.

beau idéal /ˌbəʊ iːdeɪˈal, French bo ideal/

I. noun

a person or thing representing the highest possible standard of excellence in a particular respect.

• as a war hero and budget-cutter, he strikes many observers as the beau idéal of electability.

– origin French, literally ‘ideal beauty’.

Beaujolais /ˈbəʊʒəleɪ French boʒolɛ//

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a light red or (less commonly) white burgundy wine produced in the Beaujolais district of SE France.

Beaujolais Nouveau /ˌbəʊʒəleɪ nuːˈvəʊ, French boʒolɛ nuvo/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Beaujolais wine sold in the first year of a vintage.

– origin from Beaujolais + French nouveau ‘new’.

Beaumarchais, Pierre de /ˈbəʊmɑːˌʃeɪ, French bomaʀʃɛ/

(1732–99), French dramatist; full name Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais. He is chiefly remembered for his comedies The Barber of Seville (1775) and The Marriage of Figaro (1784), which inspired operas by Rossini and Mozart.

beau monde /bəʊ ˈmɒnd French bo mɔ̃d//

I. noun — ( the beau monde)

1. fashionable society.

• London was the centre of this jet-hopping beau monde.

– origin French, literally ‘fine world’.

Beaumont, Francis /ˈbəʊmɒnt/

(1584–1616), English dramatist. He collaborated with John Fletcher on Philaster (1609), The Maid's Tragedy (1610–11), and many other plays. The Knight of the Burning Pestle ( c. 1607) is attributed to Beaumont alone.

Beaune /bəʊn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a red burgundy wine from the region around Beaune in eastern France.

beau sabreur /ˌbəʊ saˈbrəː, French bo sɑbʀœʀ/

I. noun

a dashing adventurer.

– origin French, ‘handsome swordsman’, originally a sobriquet of Joachim Murat (1767–1815), French cavalry officer and brother-in-law of Napoleon.

beaut /bjuːt / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. a particularly fine example of something

• the idea was a beaut.

2. a beautiful person.

II. adjective

(Austral./NZ) very good or beautiful

• a beaut view.

beauteous /ˈbjuːtɪəs/

I. adjective

‹literary› beautiful.

• his beauteous bride.

– origin late Middle English: from beauty, on the pattern of bounteous and plenteous.

beautician /bjuːˈtɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

a person whose job is to give people beauty treatment.

beautiful /ˈbjuːtɪfʊl, ˈbjuːtɪf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically

• beautiful poetry

• a beautiful young woman.

2. of a very high standard; excellent

• she spoke in beautiful English.

II. phrases

1. the beautiful game ‹Brit.›

soccer.

2. the beautiful people

a. fashionable, glamorous, and privileged people.

b. (in the 1960s) hippies.

3. the body beautiful

an ideal of physical beauty

• there is an array of products for producing the body beautiful.

beautifully /ˈbjuːtɪf(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a way that pleases the senses or mind aesthetically

• she does sing beautifully

• [as submodifier] a beautifully illustrated book.

2. very well; excellently

• all the elements combine beautifully.

beautify /ˈbjuːtɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. improve the appearance of.

• another initiative to beautify the environment.

II. derivatives

1. beautification /bjuːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. beautifier

noun

beauty /ˈbjuːti/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a combination of qualities, such as shape, colour, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight

• I was struck by her beauty

• an area of outstanding natural beauty.

2. a combination of qualities that pleases the intellect.

• the artistry and beauty of football.

3. [as modifier] — denoting something intended to make someone more attractive

• beauty treatment.

4. a beautiful or pleasing thing or person, in particular:

5. a beautiful woman

• a blonde beauty.

6. an excellent example of something

• the fish was a beauty, around 14 pounds.

7. ( the beauties of) — the pleasing or attractive features of (something)

• the beauties of the English countryside.

8. [in sing.] — the best aspect or advantage of something

• the beauty of keeping cats is that they don't tie you down.

II. adjective

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› good; excellent (used as a general term of approval).

III. phrases

1. beauty is in the eye of the beholder

‹proverb› that which one person finds beautiful or admirable may not appeal to another.

2. beauty is only skin-deep

‹proverb› a pleasing appearance is not a guide to character.

– origin Middle English: from Old French beaute, based on Latin bellus ‘beautiful, fine’.

beauty contest

noun

1. a contest in which the winner is the woman judged the most beautiful.

2. ‹informal› a contest between rival institutions which depends heavily on presentation.

beauty mark

noun

North American term for beauty spot (sense 2).

beauty queen

noun

a woman judged most beautiful in a beauty contest.

beauty salon beauty parlour

noun

an establishment in which hairdressing, make-up, and similar cosmetic treatments are carried out professionally.

beauty sleep

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹humorous› sleep considered to be sufficient to keep one looking young and beautiful.

beauty spot

noun

1. (Brit.) a place known for its beautiful scenery.

2. a small natural or artificial mark such as a mole on a woman's face, considered to enhance her attractiveness.

Beauvoir, Simone de

see de Beauvoir, Simone.

beaux /bəʊz/

plural form of beau.

beaux arts /bəʊz ˈɑː, French boz aʀ/

I. plural noun

1. fine arts.

2. (usu. Beaux Arts) [as modifier] — relating to the classical decorative style maintained by the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in the 19th century.

– origin French.

beaux yeux /bəʊz ˈjəː, French boz jœ/

I. plural noun

1. ‹literary› beautiful eyes.

• people will flock around you for the sake of your beaux yeux.

2. ‹literary› favourable regard.

• she'd give up an evening for the pleasure of obliging Canon Wheeler for his beaux yeux.

– origin French.

beaver^1 /ˈbiːvə/

I. noun

1. a large semiaquatic broad-tailed rodent native to North America and northern Eurasia. It is noted for its habit of gnawing through trees to fell them in order to make dams.
●Family Castoridae and genus Castor: the North American C. canadensis and the Eurasian C. fiber.

2. [ mass noun] — the soft light brown fur of the beaver.

• long coats trimmed with light beaver.

3. (also beaver hat) — ‹chiefly historical› a hat made of felted beaver fur.

4. (also beaver cloth) [ mass noun] — a heavy woollen cloth resembling felted beaver fur.

5. a very hard-working person.

• Hopkins was a regular beaver where gardening was concerned.

6. ( Beaver) — a boy aged about 6 or 7 who is an affiliated member of the Scout Association.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. beaver away)

1. ‹informal› work hard

• Bridget beavered away to keep things running smoothly.

– origin Old English beofor, befor, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bever and German Biber, from an Indo-European root meaning ‘brown’.

beaver^2 /ˈbiːvə/

I. noun

the lower part of the face guard of a helmet in a suit of armour. The term is also used to refer to the upper part or visor, or to a single movable guard.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French baviere ‘bib’, from baver ‘slaver’.

beaver^3 /ˈbiːvə/

I. noun

1. ‹vulgar slang› (chiefly N. Amer.) a woman's genitals or pubic area.

2. a woman regarded in sexual terms.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a bearded man.

– origin early 20th cent.: of unknown origin.

beaverboard

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a kind of fibreboard used in building.

Beaverbrook, Max Aitken

1st Baron (1879–1964), Canadian-born British Conservative politician and newspaper proprietor; full name William Maxwell Aitken. He bought the Daily Express in 1916 and increased its circulation to record levels. Beaverbrook was also Minister of Aircraft Production in Churchill's cabinet (1940).

beaver lamb

noun — [ mass noun]

1. lambskin made to look like beaver fur.
[as modifier]

• a beaver lamb coat.

Beaver State

informal name for Oregon.

bebop /ˈbiːbɒp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of jazz originating in the 1940s and characterized by complex harmony and rhythms. It is associated particularly with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Dizzy Gillespie.

II. derivatives

bebopper

noun

– origin 1940s (originally US): imitative of the typical rhythm of this music.

becalm /bɪˈkɑːm/

verb — [with obj.]

1. leave (a sailing ship) unable to move through lack of wind

• both boats hung on before the whole fleet was becalmed south of Rampholme.

becalmed /bɪˈkɑːmd/

adjective

(of a sailing ship) unable to move through lack of wind

• his ship was becalmed for nine days

• ‹figurative› a place becalmed in its past.

became /bɪˈkeɪm/

past of become.

becard /ˈbɛkəd, bəˈkɑːd/

I. noun

a small bird of the tyrant flycatcher family with a large head and strong bill, found mainly in Central and South America.
●Genus Pachyramphus, family Tyrannidae: several species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French bécarde, from bec ‘beak’.

because /bɪˈkɒz/

I. conjunction

1. for the reason that; since

• we did it because we felt it our duty

• just because I'm inexperienced doesn't mean that I lack perception.

2. ‹informal› used to introduce a word or phrase that stands for a clause expressing an explanation or reason

• there's probably somebody out there who would argue the point because Internet

• making a bag of popcorn with hot sauce for lunch because hungry.

II. phrases

because of

on account of; by reason of

• they moved here because of the baby.

– origin Middle English: from the phrase by cause, influenced by Old French par cause de ‘by reason of’. / usage: 1 When because follows a negative construction the meaning can be ambiguous. In the sentence he did not go because he was ill, for example, it is not clear whether it means either ‘the reason he did not go was that he was ill’ or ‘being ill wasn't the reason for him going; there was another reason’. Some usage guides recommend using a comma when the first interpretation is intended ( he did not go, because he was ill) and no comma where the second interpretation is intended, but it is probably wiser to avoid using because after a negative altogether. 2 As with other conjunctions such as but and and, it is still widely held that it is incorrect to begin a sentence with because. It has, however, long been used in this way in both written and spoken English (typically for rhetorical effect), and is quite acceptable. 3 On the construction the reason … is because, see usage at reason.

béchamel /ˈbeɪʃəmɛl / béchamel sauce

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rich white sauce made with milk infused with herbs and other flavourings.

– origin named after the Marquis Louis de Béchamel (died 1703), steward to Louis XIV of France, who is said to have invented a similar sauce.

bechance /bɪˈtʃɑːns/

verb

‹literary› happen or find by chance

• the most extraordinary person I ever have bechanced upon

• [with obj.] the occasion to be in London finally bechanced him.

bêche-de-mer /ˌbɛʃdəˈmɛː/

I. noun

1. a large sea cucumber which is eaten as a delicacy in China and Japan.
Also called trepang.

2. ( Bêche-de-mer) [ mass noun] — another term for Bislama.

– origin late 18th cent.: pseudo-French, alteration of Portuguese bicho do mar, literally ‘sea worm’.

Bechstein /ˈbɛkstʌɪn, ˈbɛxstʌɪn/

noun

a piano made by the German piano-builder Friedrich Wilhelm Carl Bechstein (1826–1900) or by the firm which he founded in 1856.

Bechuanaland /ˌbɛtʃʊˈɑːnəland/

former name (until 1966) for Botswana.

beck^1 /bɛk/

I. noun

(N. English) a stream.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse bekkr, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch beek and German Bach. Used as the common term for a brook in northern areas, beck often refers, in literature, to a brook with a stony bed or following a rugged course, typical of such areas.

beck^2 /bɛk/

I. noun

‹literary› a gesture requesting attention, such as a nod or wave.

II. phrases

at someone's beck and call

always having to be ready to obey someone's orders immediately.

• enjoy having servants at your beck and call.

• she was at her mother's beck and call.

– origin Middle English: from archaic beck, abbreviated form of beckon.

Beckenbauer, Franz /ˈbɛk(ə)nˌbaʊə, German ˈbɛknˌbaʊɐ/

(b.1945), German footballer. A defender, he captained Germany when they won the World Cup in 1974. He was manager of the national team that won the World Cup again in 1990.

Becker, Boris /ˈbɛkə, German ˈbɛkɐ/

(b.1967), German tennis player. In 1985 he became the youngest man and first unseeded player to win the men's singles championship at Wimbledon. He won it again in 1986 and 1989.

becket /ˈbɛkɪt/

I. noun

a loop of rope or similar device for securing loose items on a ship.

– origin early 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

Becket, St Thomas à /ˈbɛkɪt/

( c. 1118–70), English prelate and statesman, Archbishop of Canterbury 1162–70. He began openly to oppose Henry II, who uttered words in anger which led four knights to assassinate Becket in his cathedral. Henry was obliged to do public penance at Becket's tomb, which became a major centre of pilgrimage until its destruction under Henry VIII (1538). Feast day, 29 December.

Beckett, Samuel /ˈbɛkɪt/

I. (1906–89), Irish dramatist, novelist, and poet; full name Samuel Barclay Beckett. He is best known for his plays, especially Waiting for Godot (1952), a seminal work in the Theatre of the Absurd. Nobel Prize for Literature (1969).

II. derivatives

Beckettian

adjective

Beckford, William

(1759–1844), English writer and collector. As an author he is remembered for the oriental romance Vathek (1786, originally written in French).

Beckham, David

(b.1975), English footballer; full name David Robert Joseph Beckham. A midfielder for Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, and Milan, he was England captain from 2001 to 2006.

Beckmann, Ernst Otto /ˈbɛkmən, German ˈbɛkman/

(1853–1923), German chemist. He devised a method of determining a compound's molecular weight by measuring the rise in boiling point of a solvent containing the compound.

Beckmann, Max /ˈbɛkmən, German ˈbɛkman/

(1884–1950), German painter and graphic artist. Beckmann's paintings reflect his first-hand experience of human evil during the First World War.

beckon /ˈbɛk(ə)n/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a gesture with the hand, arm, or head to encourage or instruct someone to approach or follow

• Miranda beckoned to Adam.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — summon (someone) by beckoning to them

• he beckoned Cameron over

• [with obj. and infinitive] he beckoned Duncan to follow.

3. appear attractive or inviting

• the going is tough and soft options beckon.

– origin Old English bīecnan, bēcnan, of West Germanic origin; related to beacon.

becloud /bɪˈklaʊd/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› make obscure or muddled

• confusion beclouds the issue.

become /bɪˈkʌm/

I. verb

1. [no obj., with complement] — begin to be

• she became angry and sulked all day

• it is becoming clear that we are in a new situation.

2. grow to be; develop into

• the child will become an adult.

3. (of a person) qualify or be accepted as

• she wanted to become a doctor.

4. ( become of) — (in questions) happen to

• what would become of her now?

5. [with obj.] — (of clothing) look good on or suit (someone)

• mourning regalia became her.

6. be appropriate to (someone)

• minor celebrity status did not become Potter.

– origin Old English becuman ‘come to a place, come (to be or do something)’ (see be-, come), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bekomen and German bekommen ‘get, receive’.

becoming /bɪˈkʌmɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (of clothing) looking good on someone

• what a becoming dress!

2. suitable or appropriate

• do not talk too much to your cousins, it's not becoming.

II. derivatives

1. becomingly /bɪˈkʌmɪŋli /

adverb

2. becomingness /bɪˈkʌmɪŋnəs /

noun

becquerel /ˈbɛkərɛl / Bq

I. noun

[Physics] the SI unit of radioactivity, corresponding to one disintegration per second.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after A.-H. Becquerel (see Becquerel, Antoine-Henri).

Becquerel, Antoine-Henri /ˈbɛkərɛl, French bɛkʀel/

(1852–1908), French physicist. With Marie and Pierre Curie he discovered the natural radioactivity in uranium salts. Nobel Prize for Physics (1903, shared with the Curies).

bed /bɛd/

I. noun

1. a piece of furniture for sleep or rest, typically a framework with a mattress

• a large double bed

• she was in bed by nine.

2. a bed and associated facilities comprising a place for a patient in a hospital

• the unit has 20 geriatric beds.

3. a bedroom
[in combination]

• a three-bed detached house.

4. a place or article used by a person or animal for sleep or rest

• a bed of straw.

5. ‹informal› used with reference to a bed as the typical place for sexual activity

• he's incredibly good in bed.

6. an area of ground, typically in a garden, where flowers and plants are grown

• a bed of tulips.

7. a flat base or foundation on which something rests or is supported, in particular:

8. the foundation of a road or railway.

• the pavement consists of granite blocks set on a bed of cobblestones and cement.

9. (chiefly N. Amer.) the open part of a truck, wagon, or cart, where goods are carried.

• the spare tyre in the forward bed of the truck.

10. the flat surface beneath the baize of a billiard table.

11. a stratum or layer of rock

• a bed of clay.

12. a layer of food on which other foods are served

• the salad is served on a bed of raw spinach.

13. the bottom of the sea or a lake or river.

• the gravelly bed of the stream.

14. [with modifier] — a place on the seabed where shellfish, especially oysters or mussels, breed or are bred

• an oyster bed.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide with sleeping accommodation

• the children were bedded in the attic.

2. [no obj.] ( bed down) — settle down to sleep or rest for the night in an improvised place

• you can bed down in the shed.

3. ( bed someone/thing down) — settle a person or animal down to sleep or rest for the night.

• she is grooming the horses and bedding them down for the night.

4. ‹informal› have sexual intercourse with.

• he should bed a woman of his own age and leave this girl alone.

5. transfer (a plant) from a pot or seed tray to a garden plot

• I bedded out some houseplants.

6. fix firmly; embed

• the posts should be firmly bedded in concrete.

7. lay or arrange (something, especially stone) in a layer.

• crazy paving has to be bedded on a solid base of hard core.

8. [no obj.] ( bed in) — settle down and become established

• a period of calm will allow the changes to bed in.

III. phrases

1. bed and board /ˌbɛd ən ˈbɔːd /

(Brit.) lodging and food, typically forming part of someone's wages.

• she had bed and board and two shillings a day pay.

2. bed of nails

a. a board with nails pointing out of it, as lain on by fakirs and ascetics.

b. a problematic or uncomfortable situation.

• he took over the Liberal leadership after that bed of nails had been vacated by Lord Rosebery.

3. a bed of roses

[usu. with negative] — used in reference to a situation or activity that is comfortable or easy

• farming is no bed of roses.

4. be brought to bed

‹archaic› give birth to a child

• she was brought to bed of a daughter.

5. get out of bed on the wrong side ( ‹or US› get up on the wrong side of the bed)

start the day in a bad mood, which continues all day long.

• did you get out of bed on the wrong side this morning?

6. in bed with ‹informal›

a. having sexual intercourse with.

• he found the missus in bed with one of the neighbours.

b. in undesirably close association with

• he was in bed with the Mob.

7. keep one's bed

‹archaic› stay in bed because of illness.

8. one has made one's bed and must lie in (or on) it

one must accept the consequences of one's actions.

9. put someone to bed

prepare someone, typically a child, for rest in bed

• Clare put her to bed and gave her a mug of cocoa.

10. put something to bed

a. ‹informal› make a newspaper or book ready for press.

• the newspaper will often be put to bed the day before the publication date.

b. deal with conclusively

• I hope that puts to bed all the nonsense

• the university debate needs putting to bed.

• one theatre season has been put to bed and another is just springing to life.

11. take to one's bed

stay in bed because of illness.

• he took to his bed for a week with a chill.

– origin Old English bed, bedd (noun), beddian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bed and German Bett.

BEd /biːˈɛd/

abbreviation

Bachelor of Education.

bedabble /bɪˈdab(ə)l/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› stain or splash with dirty liquid or blood.

• idols of gold bedabbled all with blood.

bedad /bɪˈdad/

I. exclamation

(Irish) used to express surprise or for emphasis.

– origin early 18th cent.: alteration of by God; compare with begad and gad^2.

bed and breakfast

I. noun

1. sleeping accommodation for a night and a meal in the morning, provided in guest houses and hotels.

2. a guest house.

• we spent the night at a cheap bed and breakfast nearby.

II. verb — ( bed-and-breakfast) [with obj.]

1. [Stock Exchange] (Brit.) sell (shares) and buy them back by agreement the next day.

bedaub /bɪˈdɔːb/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› smear or daub with a sticky substance.

• a dozen maidens, all bedaubed with paint.

bedazzle /bɪˈdaz(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. greatly impress (someone) with outstanding ability

• bedazzled by him, they offered him a post in Paris.

2. make (someone) unable to think clearly.

• vast amounts of time and money are expended to ensure that the documents bedazzle rather than disclose.

II. derivatives

bedazzlement

noun

bed-blocking

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the long-term occupation of hospital beds, chiefly by elderly people, due to a shortage of suitable care elsewhere.

II. derivatives

bed-blocker

noun

bedbug /ˈbɛdbʌɡ/

noun

a bloodsucking bug which is a parasite of birds and mammals.
●Family Cimicidae, suborder Heteroptera: Cimex and other genera, and many species, in particular C. lectularius, which comes out to feed on humans at night.

bedchamber /ˈbɛdtʃeɪmbə/

noun

‹archaic› a bedroom.

bedclothes /ˈbɛdkləʊðz/

plural noun

coverings for a bed, such as sheets and blankets.

bedcover /ˈbɛdkʌvə/

noun

1. (Brit.) a bedspread.

2. ( bedcovers) — (Brit.) bedclothes.

beddable /ˈbɛdəb(ə)l/

adjective

‹informal› sexually attractive or available.

bedded /ˈbɛdɪd/

adjective

1. [in combination] — (of a place) having a specified number or type of beds

• a twin-bedded room.

2. [Geology] (of rock) deposited in layers of strata

• thinly bedded carbonate mudstones.

bedder /ˈbɛdə/

noun

1. a plant suitable for use as a bedding plant.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a servant employed to clean rooms in Cambridge colleges.

3. [in combination] — (Brit.) ‹informal› a house or flat with a specified number of bedrooms

• a studio or one-bedder.

bedding /ˈbɛdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. bedclothes.

2. straw or similar material for animals to sleep on.

3. a base or bottom layer
[as modifier]

• a bedding course of sand.

4. a display of bedding plants.

• summer bedding is usually associated with flowers rather than foliage.

5. [Geology] the stratification or layering of rocks
[as modifier]

• bedding planes.

bedding plant

noun

a plant set into a garden bed or container when it is about to bloom, typically an annual used for display and discarded at the end of the season.

beddy-byes /ˈbɛdibʌɪz/

I. noun

a child's word for bed.

• beddy-byes for both of us—I'm worn out.

– origin early 20th cent.: from bed + -y^2 and bye-byes.

Bede, St /biːd/

( c. 673–735), English monk, theologian, and historian; known as the Venerable Bede. Bede wrote The Ecclesiastical History of the English People (completed in 731), a primary source for early English history. Feast day, 27 May.

bedeck /bɪˈdɛk/

verb — [with obj.]

1. decorate

• he led us into a room bedecked with tinsel.

bedeguar /ˈbɛdɪɡɑː / bedeguar gall

I. noun

a reddish moss-like growth on rose bushes, forming in response to the developing larvae of a gall wasp. Also called robin's pincushion.
●The wasp is Diplolepis rosae, family Cynipidae.

– origin late Middle English: from French bédégar, from Persian bād-āwar, literally ‘wind-brought’.

bedel /ˈbiːd(ə)l, bɪˈdɛl / bedell

I. noun

(Brit.) (in some British universities) an official with largely ceremonial duties.

– origin late Middle English: archaic spelling of beadle.

bedevil /bɪˈdɛv(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of something bad) cause great and continual trouble to

• projects like this are bedevilled by a shortage of cash.

2. (of a person) torment or harass

• he bedevilled them with petty practical jokes.

II. derivatives

bedevilment /bɪˈdɛv(ə)lmənt /

noun

bedew /bɪˈdjuː/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› cover or sprinkle with drops of water or other liquid.

bedfellow /ˈbɛdfɛləʊ/

noun

1. a person who shares a bed with another.

2. a person or thing allied or closely connected with another

• big business and politics were inseparable bedfellows.

Bedford /ˈbɛdfəd/

a town in south central England, on the River Ouse, the county town of Bedfordshire; pop. 83,400 (est. 2009).

Bedford cord

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tough woven fabric with prominent ridges, similar to corduroy.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after the town of Bedford.

Bedfordshire /ˈbɛdfədʃ(ɪ)ə/

a county of south central England; county town, Bedford.

bedhead /ˈbɛdhɛd/

noun

(Brit.) an upright board or panel fixed at the head of a bed.

bed-hop

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› engage in successive casual sexual affairs.
(as noun bed-hopping)

• a life of bed-hopping.

II. derivatives

bed-hopper

noun

bedight /bɪˈdʌɪt/

I. adjective

‹archaic› adorned

• a Christmas pudding bedight with holly.

– origin late Middle English: past participle of archaic bedight ‘equip, array’ (see be-, dight).

bedim /bɪˈdɪm/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› cause to become dim.

• a slight cloud would bedim the sky.

bedizen /bɪˈdʌɪz(ə)n, bɪˈdɪz(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› dress up or decorate gaudily

• a uniform bedizened with resplendent medals.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from be- (as an intensifier) + obsolete dizen ‘deck out’, probably of Dutch origin.

bedjacket /ˈbɛddʒakɪt/

noun

a jacket worn for extra warmth when sitting up in bed.

bed joint

noun

a horizontal layer of mortar underneath a layer of masonry.

bedlam /ˈbɛdləm/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a scene of uproar and confusion

• there was bedlam in the courtroom.

2. ‹archaic› an institution for the care of mentally ill people.

– origin late Middle English: early form of Bethlehem, referring to the hospital of St Mary of Bethlehem in London, used as an institution for the insane.

bed linen /ˈbɛd lɪnɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sheets, pillowcases, and duvet covers.

Bedlington terrier /ˈbɛdlɪŋt(ə)n/

I. noun

a terrier of a breed with a narrow head, long legs, and curly grey hair.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after the village of Bedlington in northern England, where the breed originated.

bedload /ˈbɛdləʊd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] the sediment transported by a river in the form of particles too heavy to be in suspension.

bedmaker

noun

(Brit.) a person employed to clean and tidy students' rooms in a college, especially at Cambridge.

bedmate

noun

a person, especially a sexual partner, with whom one shares a bed.

Bedouin /ˈbɛdʊɪn / Beduin

I. noun

a nomadic Arab of the desert.

• an encampment of Bedouin on the edge of the desert.

II. adjective

relating to the Bedouin.

• a Bedouin song about a desert journey.

– origin from Old French beduin, based on Arabic badawī, (plural) badawīn ‘dwellers in the desert’, from badw ‘desert’.

bedourie /bəˈdʊəri/

I. noun

(Austral.) a dust storm

• to the west, a bedourie was gathering.

– origin 1930s: from Bedourie, a town in south-west Queensland.

bedpan /ˈbɛdpan/

noun

a receptacle used by a bedridden patient for urine and faeces.

bedplate /ˈbɛdpleɪt/

noun

a metal plate forming the base of a machine.

bedpost /ˈbɛdpəʊst/

I. noun

any of the four upright supports of a bedstead.

• the best solution in the nineteenth-century home was to drape mosquito netting over the bedposts.

II. phrases

1. between you and me and the bedpost (or the gatepost or the wall)

‹informal› in strict confidence.

2. a notch on someone's bedpost

‹informal› a sexual conquest, typically one of many

• I didn't want to be another notch on his bedpost.

bedraggled /bɪˈdraɡ(ə)ld/

I. adjective

dishevelled

• we got there, tired and bedraggled.

– origin early 18th cent.: from be- ‘thoroughly’ + draggle + -ed^2.

bed rest

noun — [ mass noun]

1. confinement of an invalid to bed as part of treatment.

• she's on complete bed rest and antibiotics.

bedridden /ˈbɛdrɪd(ə)n/

I. adjective

confined to bed by sickness or old age.

– origin Middle English: formed irregularly from archaic bedrid ‘bedridden person’, from the base of the verb ride.

bedrock /ˈbɛdrɒk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. solid rock underlying loose deposits such as soil or alluvium.

2. the fundamental principles on which something is based

• honesty is the bedrock of a good relationship.

bedroll /ˈbɛdrəʊl/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a sleeping bag or other bedding rolled into a bundle.

bedroom /ˈbɛdruːm, ˈbɛdrʊm/

I. noun

1. a room for sleeping in

• all parents dream of children who tidy their bedrooms without being asked

• a hotel with nearly 200 bedrooms

• [in combination] a two-bedroom flat.

2. [as modifier] — relating to sexual relations

• she revealed the couple's bedroom secrets.

3. [as modifier] — (N. Amer.) denoting a small town or suburb whose residents commute to a nearby city

• a bedroom community.

II. derivatives

bedroomed

adjective

[in combination]

• a three-bedroomed house

bedroom suite

noun

1. a set of coordinating furniture for a bedroom

• a four-piece satinwood bedroom suite.

2. a bedroom with one or more adjoining rooms, typically including a bathroom

• two bedroom suites with dressing and shower rooms.

bedroom tax

noun

(in the UK) an informal name for a measure introduced in the Welfare Reform Act 2012, by which the amount of housing benefit paid to a claimant is reduced if the property they are renting is judged to have more bedrooms than necessary

• more than 800 households in the area have had their housing benefit cut through the so-called bedroom tax.

Beds.

abbreviation

Bedfordshire.

bed sheet

noun

a sheet for a bed

• bed sheets and pillowcases are supplied.

bedside /ˈbɛdsʌɪd/

I. noun

the space beside a bed (used especially with reference to an invalid's bed)

• he was summoned to the bedside of a dying man

• [as modifier] a bedside lamp.

II. phrases

bedside manner /ˌbɛdsʌɪd ˈmanə /

a doctor's approach or attitude to a patient.

• my reputation for a sympathetic bedside manner.

• he was brisk and elderly with very little bedside manner.

bedsit /ˈbɛdsɪt / bedsitter, bed-sitting room

noun

(Brit.) a one-roomed unit of accommodation typically consisting of combined bedroom and sitting room with cooking facilities.

bedskirt

noun

(N. Amer.) a valance for a bed.

bedsock /ˈbɛdsɒk/

noun

(chiefly Brit.) each of a pair of thick socks worn for extra warmth in bed.

bedsore /ˈbɛdsɔː/

noun

a sore developed by an invalid because of pressure caused by lying in bed in one position.
Also called decubitus ulcer.

bedspread /ˈbɛdsprɛd/

noun

a decorative cloth used to cover a bed when it is not in use.

bedstead /ˈbɛdstɛd/

noun

the framework of a bed on which the mattress and bedclothes are placed.

bedstraw /ˈbɛdstrɔː/

noun

a herbaceous plant with small white or yellow flowers and whorls of slender leaves, formerly used for stuffing mattresses.
●Genus Galium, family Rubiaceae: several species.

bedtime /ˈbɛdtʌɪm/

noun

the usual time when someone goes to bed

• it was well past her bedtime

• a bedtime story.

Bedu /ˈbɛduː/

noun, adjective

another term for Bedouin.

bed-warmer

noun

a device for warming a bed, typically a metal pan filled with warm coals.

bed-wetting

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. involuntary urination during the night.

II. derivatives

bed-wetter

noun

bee /biː/

I. noun

1. (also honeybee or hive bee) — a stinging winged insect which collects nectar and pollen, produces wax and honey, and lives in large communities.
●Four species in the genus Apis, family Apidae, in particular the widespread A. mellifera.

2. an insect of a large group to which the honeybee belongs, including many solitary as well as social kinds.
●Superfamily Apoidea, order Hymenoptera: several families, often now placed in the single family Apidae.

3. [with modifier] — a meeting for communal work or amusement

• a sewing bee.

II. phrases

1. the bee's knees

‹informal› an outstandingly good person or thing.
[first used to denote something small and insignificant, transferred to the opposite sense in US slang.]

2. have a bee in one's bonnet

‹informal› be preoccupied or obsessed with something.

• the country gets a bee in its bonnet about some failing in schools.

– origin Old English bēo, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bij and German dialect Beie.

Beeb /biːb / ‹Brit. informal›

a name for the BBC.

bee balm

noun

another term for sweet bergamot (see bergamot^1).

bee beetle

noun

a hairy yellowish chafer with broad black stripes, which flies by day and is typically seen on flowers.
●Genus Trichius, family Scarabaeidae: several species, in particular T. fasciatus.

bee bread

noun — [ mass noun]

1. honey or pollen used as food by bees.

beech /biːtʃ/

I. noun

1. (also beech tree) — a large tree with smooth grey bark, glossy leaves, and hard, pale fine-grained timber.
●Genera Fagus (of the northern temperate zone) and Notofagus (the southern beeches, of Australasia and South America), family Fagaceae: many species.

2. (also beechwood) [ mass noun] — the hard, pale fine-grained timber of the beech.

• a worktop in solid beech.

– origin Old English bēce, of Germanic origin; related to Latin fagus ‘beech’, Greek phagos ‘edible oak’.

Beecham, Sir Thomas

(1879–1961), English conductor and impresario, founder of the London Philharmonic (1932) and the Royal Philharmonic (1947). He did much to stimulate interest in new or neglected composers such as Sibelius, Delius, and Richard Strauss.

Beecher, Henry Ward

(1813–87), American Congregationalist clergyman, orator, and writer. He became famous as an orator attacking political corruption and slavery.

beech fern

noun

a fern with triangular, deeply lobed fronds, found in moist woodland habitats and beside streams in Eurasia and North America.
●Genus Phegopteris, family Thelypteridaceae.

Beeching, Richard

Baron (1913–85), English businessman and engineer. As Chairman of the British Railways Board (1963–5) he was responsible for the closure of a substantial proportion of the British rail network.

beech marten

noun

another term for stone marten.

beechmast /ˈbiːtʃmɑːst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the angular brown nuts of the beech tree, pairs of which are enclosed in a prickly case.

– origin late 16th cent.: from beech + mast^2.

beechnut /ˈbiːtʃnʌt/

noun

the small angular brown fruit of the beech tree, pairs of which are enclosed in a prickly case.

bee dance

noun

another term for waggle dance.

bee-eater

noun

a brightly coloured insectivorous bird with a large head and a long downcurved bill, typically having long central tail feathers.
●Family Meropidae: three genera, in particular Merops, and including the European bee-eater ( M. apiaster).

beef /biːf/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the flesh of a cow, bull, or ox, used as food.

• there was the smell of roast beef.

• [as modifier] beef cattle.

2. ( pl. beeves also beefs) [ count noun] — [Farming] a cow, bull, or ox fattened for its meat.

• a beef sent to the abattoir.

3. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› flesh with well-developed muscle

• he needs a little more beef on his bones.

4. strength or power

• he was brought in to give the team more beef.

5. the substance of a matter

• it's more a sketch than a policy— where's the beef?

6. ( pl. beefs) — ‹informal› a complaint or grievance

• he has a beef with education: it doesn't teach the basics of investing.

7. (US) ‹informal› a criminal charge

• getting caught with pot in the sixties was a narco beef.

II. verb

[no obj.] — ‹informal› complain

• he was beefing about how the recession was killing the business.

III. phrasal verbs

beef something up

give more substance or strength to something

• cost-cutting measures are planned to beef up performance.

– origin Middle English: from Old French boef, from Latin bos, bov- ‘ox’.

beefalo

I. noun

a hybrid animal of a cross between cattle and buffalo.

– origin 1970s: blend of beef and buffalo.

beef bourguignon /ˌbiːf ˈbɔːɡɪnjɒ̃/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for boeuf bourguignon.

• the seared venison loin and beef bourguignon were delicious.

beefburger /ˈbiːfbəːɡə/

noun

(Brit.) a flat round cake of minced beef, fried or grilled and typically eaten in a bun.

beefcake /ˈbiːfkeɪk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› attractive men with well-developed muscles.

• pictures of tanned beefcake.

• [as modifier] he tried to lose his beefcake image.

• [ count noun] the film includes a trio of hunky beefcakes.

beefeater /ˈbiːfiːtə/

I. noun

a Yeoman Warder or Yeoman of the Guard in the Tower of London.

– origin early 17th cent. (originally a derogatory term for a well-fed servant): the current sense dates from the late 17th cent.

bee fly

noun

a squat, hairy bee-like fly that hovers to feed from flowers using its long tongue. Its larvae typically parasitize other insects, especially bees and wasps.
●Family Bombyllidae: many genera.

beef road

noun

(Austral.) (in Northern Australia) an all-weather road used for transporting beef cattle to market from remote areas

• nearly one hour up the beef road and it was already a hot morning.

beefsteak /ˈbiːfsteɪk/

noun

a thick slice of lean beef, typically from the rump and eaten grilled or fried.

• beefsteaks so large that one slice makes a sandwich.

• [ mass noun] high-quality beefsteak.

beefsteak fungus

noun

a reddish-brown bracket fungus which resembles raw beef and is sometimes considered edible, found in Eurasia and North America.
● Fistulina hepatica, family Fistulinaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

beef tea

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a drink made from stewed extract of beef, used as nourishment for invalids.

beef tomato ‹chiefly N. Amer.› beefsteak tomato

noun

a tomato of an exceptionally large and firm variety.

beef Wellington

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dish consisting of beef coated in pâté and wrapped in puff pastry.

beefwood /ˈbiːfwʊd/

noun

a tropical hardwood tree with close-grained red timber.
●Species in several families, in particular Casuarina equisetifolia (family Casuarinaceae), of Australia and SE Asia.

beefy /ˈbiːfi/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› muscular or robust

• he shrugged his beefy shoulders.

2. large and impressively powerful.

• the beefy 1960s British amplifier.

3. tasting like beef.

II. derivatives

1. beefily

adverb

2. beefiness

noun

bee hawkmoth

noun

a small day-flying hawkmoth with partly transparent wings, resembling a bumblebee and hovering at flowers to feed.
●Genus Hemaris, family Sphingidae: several species.

beehive /ˈbiːhʌɪv/

I. noun

1. a box-like or dome-shaped structure in which bees are kept.

2. [usu. as modifier] — something having the domed shape of a traditional beehive

• a beehive hut.

3. ( the Beehive) — another term for Praesepe.

4. a woman's domed and lacquered hairstyle popular in the 1960s.

II. derivatives

beehived

adjective

beehive (sense 2)

Beehive State

informal name for Utah.

beekeeping /ˈbiːˌkiːpɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the occupation of owning and breeding bees for their honey.

II. derivatives

beekeeper /ˈbiːkiːpə /

noun

beeline /ˈbiːlʌɪn/

I. noun

a straight line between two places.

II. phrases

make a beeline for

hurry directly to.

• the city commuters made a beeline for the bar.

– origin early 19th cent.: with reference to the straight line supposedly taken instinctively by a bee when returning to the hive.

bee louse

noun

a minute fly which is a parasite of honeybees, the larvae feeding on wax and stored pollen.
● Braula coeca, family Braulidae.

Beelzebub /bɪˈɛlzɪbʌb/

I. a name for the Devil.

– origin from late Latin Beëlzebub, translating Hebrew ba‘al zĕḇūḇ ‘lord of flies’, the name of a Philistine god (2 Kings 1:2), and Greek Beelzeboul ‘the Devil’ (Matt. 12:24).

Beemer /ˈbiːmə / Beamer

I. noun

‹informal› a car or motorcycle manufactured by the company BMW.

– origin 1980s (originally US): representing a pronunciation of the first two letters of BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG) + -er^1.

been /biːn/

past participle of be.

bee orchid

noun

a European orchid with a flower that resembles a bee.
● Ophrys apifera and related species, family Orchidaceae.

beep /biːp/

I. noun

a short, high-pitched sound emitted by electronic equipment or a vehicle horn.

• leave a message after the beep.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a horn or electronic device) produce a beep.

• the machines were beeping and the tills humming.

2. [with obj.] — (chiefly N. Amer.) summon (someone) by means of a pager.

• they have themselves beeped in restaurants.

– origin 1920s: imitative.

beeper /ˈbiːpə/

noun

1. a device that emits short, high-pitched sounds as a signal.

2. North American term for pager.

beer /bɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alcoholic drink made from yeast-fermented malt flavoured with hops

• a pint of beer

• [as modifier] a beer bottle

• [ count noun] he ordered a beer.

II. phrases

beer and skittles

[often with negative] — (Brit.) amusement or enjoyment

• life isn't all beer and skittles.

– origin Old English bēor, of West Germanic origin, based on monastic Latin biber ‘a drink’, from Latin bibere ‘to drink’; related to Dutch bier and German Bier.

beer belly beer gut

I. noun

‹informal› a man's fat stomach caused by excessive consumption of beer.

II. derivatives

beer-bellied

adjective

Beerbohm, Max /ˈbɪəbəʊm/

(1872–1956), English caricaturist, essayist, and critic; full name Sir Henry Maximilian Beerbohm. A central figure of the Aesthetic Movement, he is remembered chiefly for his novel, Zuleika Dobson (1911).

beer cellar

noun

1. an underground room for storing beer.

2. a basement bar where beer is served.

Beerenauslese /ˈbɛːrənˌaʊslɛːzə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white wine of German origin or style made from selected individual grapes picked later than the general harvest.

– origin German, from Beeren ‘berries’ + aus ‘out’ + lese ‘picking’.

beer engine

noun

(Brit.) a machine that draws up beer from a barrel in a cellar.

beer garden

noun

a garden, typically one attached to a pub, where beer is served.

beer goggles

plural noun

‹informal› used to refer to the supposed influence of alcohol on one's visual perception, whereby one is sexually attracted to people who would not otherwise be appealing.

beer hall

noun

1. a large room or building where beer is served.

2. (in black townships in South Africa) a state-run establishment selling beer.

beerhouse /ˈbɪəhaʊs/

noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› a public house licensed to sell beer but not spirits.

beer mat

noun

(Brit.) a small cardboard table mat for resting glasses on in a bar or pub.

beer money

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› a small amount of money allowed or earned.

– origin early 19th cent.: from an allowance of money formerly made to servants instead of beer.

beer o'clock

noun

‹humorous› an appropriate time of day for starting to drink beer

• we went to find a bar as it was almost beer o'clock.

beer parlour

noun

(Canadian) a room in a hotel or tavern where beer is served.

beer pong

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) a drinking game in which players attempt to throw or hit table tennis balls into cups of beer, and their opponents are required to drink the contents of any cup in which a ball lands

• the bar was fairly empty but we had a great time playing beer pong.

– origin 1970s: from beer and ping-pong.

beer pump

noun

another term for beer engine.

Beersheba /ˌbɪəˈʃiːbə/

a town in southern Israel on the northern edge of the Negev desert; pop. 187,200 (est. 2008).

beer-swilling

adjective

1. drinking a large quantity of beer.

2. boorish or rowdy

• some beer-swilling yobs went on the rampage in Cranfield.

beery /ˈbɪəri/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› influenced by the drinking of beer in large amounts

• many beery pledges were made.

2. ‹informal› smelling or tasting of beer

• stale beery breath.

II. derivatives

1. beerily

adverb

2. beeriness

noun

beestings /ˈbiːstɪŋz/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the first milk produced by a cow or goat after giving birth.

– origin Old English bȳsting, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch biest and German Biest(milch).

bee-stung

adjective

‹informal› (of a woman's lips) full, red, and pouting.

beeswax /ˈbiːzwaks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the wax secreted by bees to make honeycombs and used to make wood polishes and candles.

• she rubbed her furniture with beeswax.

• [as modifier] beeswax candles.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person's concern or business

• that's none of your beeswax.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. beeswaxed)

1. polish (furniture) with beeswax.

• beeswaxed pews.

beeswing /ˈbiːzwɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a filmy crust on old port.

beet /biːt/

I. noun

1. a herbaceous plant widely cultivated as a source of food for humans and livestock, and for processing into sugar. Some varieties are grown for their leaves and some for their swollen nutritious root.
● Beta vulgaris, family Chenopodiaceae: several subspecies.

2. North American term for beetroot.

– origin Old English bēte, of West Germanic origin, from Latin beta, perhaps of Celtic origin; related to Dutch beet and German Bete.

Beethoven, Ludwig van /ˈbeɪtˌ(h)əʊv(ə)n/

I.
1. (1770–1827), German composer.

Despite increasing deafness Beethoven was responsible for a prodigious output: nine symphonies, thirty-two piano sonatas, sixteen string quartets, the opera Fidelio (1814), and the Mass in D (the Missa Solemnis, 1823). In his Ninth Symphony (1824) he broke with precedent in the finale by introducing voices to sing Schiller's Ode to Joy. He is often seen as bridging the classical and romantic movements.

II. derivatives

Beethovenian /ˌbeɪt(h)əʊˈviːniən /

adjective

beetle^1 /ˈbiːt(ə)l/

I. noun

1. an insect of a large order distinguished by having forewings that are typically modified into hard wing cases (elytra), which cover and protect the hindwings and abdomen.
●Order Coleoptera: see Coleoptera.

2. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) a dice game in which a picture of a beetle is drawn or assembled.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. ‹informal› make one's way hurriedly

• the tourist beetled off.

– origin Old English bitula, bitela ‘biter’, from the base of bītan ‘to bite’.

beetle^2 /ˈbiːt(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a very heavy mallet, typically with a wooden head, used for ramming, crushing, etc.

2. a machine used for heightening the lustre of cloth by pressure from rollers.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ram or crush with a beetle.

• she stood in a shed, beetling grain for the fowl.

2. finish (cloth) with a beetle.

– origin Old English bētel, of Germanic origin; related to beat.

beetle^3 /ˈbiːt(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as adj. beetling)

1. (of a rock or a person's eyebrows) project or overhang.

• his eyebrows beetled with irritation.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of a person's eyebrows) shaggy and projecting

• thick beetle brows.

III. derivatives

beetle-browed /ˈbiːtlbraʊd /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (as an adjective): back-formation from beetle-browed, first recorded in Middle English. The verb was apparently used as a nonce word by Shakespeare and was later adopted by other writers.

beetle-crusher

noun

(Brit.) ‹humorous› a large boot, shoe, or foot.

beetling /ˈbiːtlɪŋ/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of a rock or a person's eyebrows) projecting or overhanging

• piercing eyes glittered beneath a great beetling brow.

Beeton, Mrs Isabella Mary

(1836–65), English writer on cookery, famous for her bestselling Book of Cookery and Household Management (1861).

beetroot /ˈbiːtruːt/

noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) the edible dark-red spherical root of a kind of beet, eaten as a vegetable.

2. (chiefly Brit.) the variety of beet which produces beetroots.
● Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris, family Chenopodiaceae.

beeves /biːvz/

plural form of beef (sense 1 of the noun).

beezer /ˈbiːzə/

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› excellent

• a beezer time was had by all.

– origin 1950s: from the earlier noun beezer, denoting something large or impressive, of unknown origin.

BEF

abbreviation

British Expeditionary Force.

befall /bɪˈfɔːl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› (especially of something bad) happen to (someone)

• a tragedy befell his daughter

• [no obj.] she was to blame for anything that befell.

– origin Old English befeallan ‘to fall’ (early use being chiefly figurative); related to German befallen.

befit /bɪˈfɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. be appropriate for; suit

• as befits a Quaker, he was a humane man.

befitting /bɪˈfɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

appropriate to the occasion

• a country which can run the prestigious tournament in a befitting manner.

II. derivatives

befittingly

adverb

beflowered /bɪˈflaʊəd/

adjective

‹literary› covered or decorated with flowers

• it is a sweet May morning in this beflowered city.

befog /bɪˈfɒɡ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. make confused

• her brain was befogged with lack of sleep.

befogged

adjective

incapable of clear thought; confused

• a thought swam through my befogged mind.

befool /bɪˈfuːl/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› make a fool of.

• you befooled me on your first trip.

before /bɪˈfɔː/

I. preposition, conjunction, adverb

1. during the period of time preceding (a particular event or time)
[as prep.]

• she had to rest before dinner

• the day before yesterday

• [as conjunction] they lived rough for four days before they were arrested

• [as adv.] his playing days had ended six years before

• it's never happened to me before.

2. in front of
[as prep.]

• Matilda stood before her, panting

• ‹archaic› trotting through the city with guards running before and behind.

3. [ prep.] — in front of and required to answer to (a court of law, tribunal, or other authority)

• he could be taken before a magistrate for punishment.

4. in preference to; rather than
[as prep.]

• a woman who placed duty before all else

• [as conjunction] they would die before they would cooperate with each other.

– origin Old English beforan (see by, fore), of Germanic origin; related to German bevor.

beforehand /bɪˈfɔːhand/

I. adverb

before an action or event; in advance

• rooms must be booked beforehand.

II. phrases

be beforehand with

‹archaic› anticipate or forestall.

• he discovered Ash had been beforehand with him.

– origin Middle English (originally as two words): from before + hand; probably influenced by Old French avant main.

befoul /bɪˈfaʊl/

verb — [with obj.]

1. make dirty; pollute

• the dangers of letting industry befoul the environment.

befriend /bɪˈfrɛnd/

verb — [with obj.]

1. act as or become a friend to (someone), especially when they are in need of help or support

• he makes a point of befriending newcomers to Parliament.

befuddle /bɪˈfʌd(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. befuddled)

1. cause to become unable to think clearly

• even in my befuddled state I could see that they meant trouble.

II. derivatives

befuddlement

noun

befurred

adjective

dressed in or covered with furs.

• befurred ladies.

beg /bɛɡ/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — ask someone earnestly or humbly for something
[with obj.]

• he begged his fellow passengers for help

• [with obj. and infinitive] she begged me to say nothing to her father

• [no obj.] I must beg of you not to act impulsively.

2. [with obj.] — ask for (something) earnestly or humbly

• he begged their forgiveness.

3. [with obj.] — ask formally for (permission to do something)

• I will now beg leave to make some observations

• [no obj., with infinitive] I beg to second the motion.

4. [no obj.] — ask for food or money as charity

• a young woman was begging in the street

• they had to beg for food.

5. [with obj.] — acquire (food or money) from someone by begging

• a piece of bread which I begged from a farmer.

6. (of a dog) sit up with the front paws raised expectantly in the hope of a reward.

II. phrases

1. beg one's bread

‹archaic› live by begging.

2. beg the question

a. (of a fact or action) raise a point that has not been dealt with; invite an obvious question.

• some definitions of mental illness beg the question of what constitutes normal behaviour.

b. assume the truth of an argument or proposition to be proved, without arguing it.

3. beg to differ

see differ.

4. beg yours

(Austral./NZ) I beg your pardon.

5. go begging

a. (of an article) be available because unwanted by others.

• there was a spare aircraft going begging.

b. (of an opportunity) fail to be taken.

• the home side had themselves to blame as chances went begging.

III. phrasal verbs

beg off

withdraw from an undertaking

• I'd planned to take Christy to dinner, but I was in a mood, and I begged off.

– origin Middle English: probably from Old English bedecian, of Germanic origin; related to bid^2. / usage: The original meaning of the phrase beg the question belongs to the field of logic and is a translation of Latin petitio principii, literally meaning ‘laying claim to a principle’, i.e. assuming something that ought to be proved first, as in the following sentence: by devoting such a large part of the budget for the fight against drug addiction to education, we are begging the question of its significance in the battle against drugs. To some traditionalists this is still the only correct meaning. However, over the last 100 years or so another, more general use has arisen: ‘invite an obvious question’, as in some definitions of mental illness beg the question of what constitutes normal behaviour. This is by far the commonest use today and is the usual one in modern standard English.

begad /bɪˈɡad/

I. exclamation

‹archaic› (Irish) used to express surprise or for emphasis.

– origin late 16th cent.: altered form; compare with bedad and gad^2.

began /bɪˈɡan/

past of begin.

begat

archaic past of beget.

begemmed /bɪˈdʒemd/

adjective

set or studded with gems.

• a begemmed cross.

beget /bɪˈɡɛt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› (especially of a man) bring (a child) into existence by the process of reproduction

• they hoped that the King might beget an heir by his new queen.

2. ‹literary› cause; bring about

• killings beget more killings.

II. derivatives

begetter /bɪˈɡɛtə /

noun

– origin Old English begietan ‘get, obtain by effort’ (see be-, get).

beggar /ˈbɛɡə/

I. noun

1. a person, typically a homeless one, who lives by asking for money or food.

2. [with adj.] — ‹informal› a person of a specified type, especially one to be envied or pitied

• poor little beggars.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce (someone) to poverty

• why should I beggar myself for you?

III. phrases

1. beggar belief (or description)

be too extraordinary to be believed or described.

• a disregard for common sense which beggars belief.

2. beggars can't be choosers

‹proverb› people with no other options must be content with what is offered.

3. set a beggar on horseback and he'll ride to the Devil

‹proverb› someone unaccustomed to power or luxury will abuse or be corrupted by it.

– origin Middle English: from beg + -ar^3.

beggarly /ˈbɛɡəli/

I. adjective

1. pitifully or deplorably meagre or bad

• the stipend in 1522 was a beggarly 26 shillings.

2. poverty-stricken; very poor.

• his circumstances were beggarly.

II. derivatives

beggarliness

noun

beggarman /ˈbɛɡəmən/

noun

‹dated› a man, typically a homeless one, who lives by asking for money or food.

beggar-my-neighbour /ˌbɛɡəmʌɪˈneɪbə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a card game for two players in which the object is to acquire one's opponent's cards. Players alternately turn cards up and if an honour is revealed, the other player must find an honour within a specified number of turns or else forfeit the cards already played.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (especially of national policy) self-aggrandizing at the expense of competitors.

• the economic recession had been intensified by the adoption of beggar-my-neighbour policies.

beggar's purse

noun

(N. Amer.) an appetizer consisting of a crêpe stuffed with a savoury filling, typically caviar and crème fraiche.

beggarticks /ˈbɛɡətiks/

I. plural noun — [often treated as sing.]

1. another term for bur-marigold.

– origin mid 19th cent. (also as beggar's ticks): apparently from the resemblance of the seed pods to ticks.

beggarwoman /ˈbɛɡəˌwʊmən/

noun

‹dated› a woman, typically a homeless one, who lives by asking for money or food

• the local beggarwoman accosts every passer-by for small change.

beggary /ˈbɛɡəri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of extreme poverty.

• they have no benefits to stand between them and beggary.

begging bowl

noun

1. a bowl held out by a beggar for food or donations.

2. used in reference to an earnest appeal for financial help

• they went to the government with a begging bowl to seek cash to finance the scheme.

begging letter

noun

a letter asking for a gift or a charitable donation.

• he was being dunned for the rent and reduced to writing begging letters.

begin /bɪˈɡɪn/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — perform or undergo the first part of (an action or activity)

• Peter had just begun a life sentence for murder

• [with infinitive or present participle] it was beginning to snow

• [no obj.] she began by rewriting the syllabus.

2. [no obj.] — come into being or have its starting point at a certain time or place

• a new era had begun

• the cycleway begins at Livingston village.

3. [no obj.] — (of a person) hold a specified role before holding any other

• he began as a drummer.

4. [no obj.] ( begin with) — have as a first element

• words beginning with a vowel.

5. [no obj.] ( begin on/upon) — set to work at

• Picasso began on a great canvas.

6. [with direct speech] — start speaking by saying

• ‘Mr Smith,’ he began.

7. [no obj.] ( begin at) — (of an article) cost at least (a specified amount)

• rooms begin at £139.

8. [no obj., with infinitive] [with negative] — ‹informal› not have any chance or likelihood of doing a specified thing

• I can't begin to tell you how much I hate that commercial.

II. phrases

to begin with

a. at first.

b. used to introduce the first of several points.

• such a fate is unlikely to befall him: to begin with, his is a genuine talent.

– origin Old English beginnan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German beginnen.

Begin, Menachem /ˈbeɪɡɪn, ˈbɛɡɪn/

(1913–92), Israeli statesman, Prime Minister 1977–83. His hard line on Arab–Israeli relations softened in a series of meetings with President Sadat of Egypt, which led to a peace treaty between the countries. Nobel Peace Prize (1978, shared with Sadat).

beginner /bɪˈɡɪnə/

I. noun

a person just starting to learn a skill or take part in an activity.

• a beginner's guide.

• language courses for beginners.

• an absolute beginner.

II. phrases

beginner's luck

good luck supposedly experienced by a beginner at a particular activity.

beginning /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/

I. noun

1. the point in time or space at which something begins

• he left at the beginning of February

• they had reached the beginning of the wood.

2. the first part or earliest stage of something

• the ending of one relationship and the beginning of another

• she had the beginnings of a headache.

3. ( beginnings) — the background or origins of a person or organization

• he had risen from humble beginnings to great wealth.

II. phrases

the beginning of the end

the first sign of the failure or end of something.

begob /bɪˈɡɒb/

I. exclamation

(Irish) expressing amazement or emphasis.

– origin late 19th cent.: alteration of by God!; compare with begad.

begone /bɪˈɡɒn/

exclamation

‹literary› go away (as an expression of annoyance)

• begone from my sight!

begonia /bɪˈɡəʊnɪə/

I. noun

a herbaceous plant of warm climates, the flowers of which have brightly coloured sepals but no petals. Numerous cultivars are grown for their flowers or striking foliage.
●Genus Begonia, family Begoniaceae.

– origin modern Latin, named after Michel Bégon (1638–1710), the French amateur botanist who discovered the plant on the island of Santo Domingo and introduced it to Europe.

begorra /bɪˈɡɒrə/

I. exclamation

an exclamation of surprise traditionally attributed to the Irish.

– origin mid 19th cent.: alteration of by God.

begot /bɪˈɡɒt/

past of beget.

begotten /biˈɡɒt(ə)n/

past participle of beget.

beg-pardon

noun

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› an apology.

2. (usu. in phrase no beg-pardons) — (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a concern for politeness or restraint

• there were no beg-pardons and matches were fought out fiercely.

begrime /bɪˈɡrʌɪm/

verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. begrimed)

1. blacken with ingrained dirt.

• begrimed deckhands.

begrudge /bɪˈɡrʌdʒ/

I. verb

1. [with two objs] — envy (someone) the possession or enjoyment of (something)

• she begrudged Martin his affluence.

2. [with obj.] — give reluctantly or resentfully

• nobody begrudges a single penny spent on health

• (as adj. begrudging) begrudging admiration from a rival.

II. derivatives

1. begrudger

noun

(chiefly Irish)

2. begrudgingly

adverb

begrudgery

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Irish) a bedgrudging attitude; envy

• their success should not be a matter of begrudgery.

beguile /bɪˈɡʌɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. charm or enchant (someone), often in a deceptive way

• he beguiled the voters with his good looks.

2. trick (someone) into doing something

• they were beguiled into signing a peace treaty.

3. ‹literary› help (time) pass pleasantly

• to beguile some of the time they went to the cinema.

II. derivatives

1. beguilement /bɪˈɡʌɪlmənt /

noun

2. beguiler /bɪˈɡʌɪlə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘deceive, deprive of by fraud’): from be- ‘thoroughly’ + obsolete guile ‘to deceive’ (see guile).

beguiling /bɪˈɡʌɪlɪŋ/

I. adjective

charming or enchanting, often in a deceptive way

• a beguiling mixture of English, French and Italian.

II. derivatives

beguilingly /bɪˈɡʌɪlɪŋli /

adverb

[as submodifier]

• the idea is beguilingly simple

beguinage /ˈbeɪɡɪnədʒ, beɪɡɪˈnɑːʒ/

I. noun

a house for members of a lay sisterhood in the Low Countries.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French béguine (see beguine^2) + -age.

beguine^1 /beɪˈɡiːn/

I. noun

a popular dance of Caribbean origin, similar to the foxtrot.

– origin 1930s: from West Indian French, from French béguin ‘infatuation’.

beguine^2 /beɪˈɡiːn/

I. noun

(in the Roman Catholic Church) a member of a lay sisterhood in the Low Countries, not bound by vows.

– origin late 15th cent.: Old French béguine, from the name of Lambert Bègue or le Bègue (‘the Stammerer’), a 12th-cent. priest who founded the order.

begum /ˈbeɪɡəm/

I. noun

1. (Indian) a Muslim woman of high rank.

2. ( Begum) — (Indian) the title of a married Muslim woman, equivalent to Mrs.

– origin from Urdu begam, from eastern Turkish bigim ‘princess’, feminine of big ‘prince’.

begun /bɪˈɡʌn/

past participle of begin.

behalf /bɪˈhɑːf/

I. noun — (in phrase on ( also in) behalf of or on someone's/something's behalf)

1. in the interests of a person, group, or principle

• he campaigned on behalf of the wrongly convicted four.

2. as a representative of

• he had to attend the funeral on Mama's behalf.

3. on the part of; done by

• this wasn't simply a philanthropic gesture on his behalf.

– origin Middle English: from a mixture of the earlier phrases on his halve and bihalve him, both meaning ‘on his side’ (see by, half).

Behan, Brendan /ˈbiːən/

(1923–64), Irish dramatist and poet; full name Brendan Francis Behan. A committed supporter of Irish nationalism, he is noted for the novel Borstal Boy (1958), which describes his punishment for involvement in terrorist activities, and the play The Quare Fellow (1956).

behave /bɪˈheɪv/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [with adverbial] — act or conduct oneself in a specified way, especially towards others

• he always behaved like a gentleman

• it is not acceptable for a student to behave like that towards a teacher.

2. (of a machine or natural phenomenon) work or function in a specified way

• each car behaves differently.

3. [often in imperative] (also behave oneself) — conduct oneself in accordance with the accepted norms of a society or group

• ‘Just behave, Tom,’ he said

• they were expected to behave themselves.

– origin late Middle English: from be- ‘thoroughly’ + have in the sense ‘have or bear (oneself) in a particular way’.

behaved

adjective — [in combination or with submodifier]

1. conducting oneself in a specified way

• a well-behaved child

• some of the boys had been badly behaved.

behaviour /bɪˈheɪvjə / ‹US› behavior

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially towards others

• he will vouch for her good behaviour

• his insulting behaviour towards me.

• [as modifier] behaviour patterns.

• [ count noun] management is a set of techniques and behaviours for getting things done.

2. the way in which an animal or person behaves in response to a particular situation or stimulus

• the feeding behaviour of predators.

3. the way in which a machine or natural phenomenon works or functions

• the erratic behaviour of the old car.

II. phrases

be on one's best behaviour

behave well in a social situation or when being observed.

• warn them to be on their best behaviour.

– origin late Middle English: from behave, on the pattern of demeanour, and influenced by obsolete haviour from have.

behavioural /bɪˈheɪvjər(ə)l / ‹US› behavioral

I. adjective

involving, relating to, or emphasizing behaviour

• closely related species have similar behavioural patterns

• a behavioural approach to children's language.

II. derivatives

behaviourally

adverb

behavioural economics

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a method of economic analysis that applies psychological insights into human behaviour to explain economic decision-making.

• behavioural economics helps explain why people under-save for retirement.

II. derivatives

behavioural economist

noun

behaviouralism ‹US› behavioralism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the methods and principles of the scientific study of animal (and human) behaviour.

2. advocacy of or adherence to a behavioural approach to social phenomena.

II. derivatives

behaviouralist

noun, adjective

behavioural science

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the scientific study of human and animal behaviour.

behaviourism /bɪˈheɪvjərɪz(ə)m / ‹US› behaviorism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychology] the theory that human and animal behaviour can be explained in terms of conditioning, without appeal to thoughts or feelings, and that psychological disorders are best treated by altering behaviour patterns.

2. [Psychology] treatment involving the practical application of the theory of behaviourism.

II. derivatives

1. behaviourist /bɪˈheɪvjərɪst /

noun, adjective

2. behaviouristic

adjective

behaviour therapy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the treatment of neurotic symptoms by training the patient's reactions to stimuli.

behead /bɪˈhɛd/

I. verb

cut off the head of (someone), especially as a form of execution.

• Mary was beheaded at Fotheringhay.

– origin Old English behēafdian; from be- ‘off’ (expressing removal) + hēafod (see head).

beheading /bɪˈhɛdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of cutting off a person's head, especially as a form of execution

• the beheading of the aristocracy during the French Revolution

• [ count noun] a public beheading.

beheld /bɪˈhɛld/

past and past participle of behold.

behemoth /bɪˈhiːmɒθ, ˈbiːhɪˌməʊθ/

I. noun

1. a huge or monstrous creature.

• behemoths like the brontosaurus.

2. something enormous, especially a large and powerful organization.

• shoppers are now more loyal to their local shops than to faceless behemoths.

– origin late Middle English: from Hebrew bĕhēmōṯ, intensive plural of bĕhēmāh ‘beast’.

behest /bɪˈhɛst/

I. noun

‹literary› a person's orders or command

• they had assembled at his behest.

– origin Old English behǣs ‘a vow’, from a Germanic base meaning ‘bid’; related to hight.

behind /bɪˈhʌɪnd/

I. preposition

1. at or to the far side of (something), typically so as to be hidden by it

• the recording machinery was kept behind screens

• the sun came out from behind a cloud.

2. underlying (something) but not apparent to the observer

• the agony behind his decision to retire.

3. following or further back than (another member of a moving group)

• we were stuck behind a slow-moving tractor.

4. at the back of (someone), after they have passed through a door

• she ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

5. in support of or giving guidance to (someone else)

• whatever you decide to do, I'll be behind you

• the power behind the throne.

6. controlling or responsible for (an event or plan)

• the chances were that he was behind the death of the girl

• the meticulous organization behind the coup.

7. after the departure or death of (someone)

• he left behind him a manuscript which was subsequently published.

8. less advanced than (someone or something) in achievement or development

• the government admitted it is ten years behind the West in PC technology.

9. having a lower score than (another competitor)

• Woosnam moved to ten under par, five shots behind Fred Couples.

II. adverb

1. at or to the far side of something

• Campbell grabbed him from behind.

2. in a particular place after leaving or after others have moved on

• don't leave me behind.

3. further back than other members of a moving group

• Ben led the way, with Joe a short distance behind.

4. (in a contest or match) having a score lower than that of the opposing team

• England were still 382 runs behind.

5. late in accomplishing a task

• I'm getting behind with my work.

6. in arrears

• she was behind with her rent.

III. noun

1. ‹informal› a person's buttocks

• she slid inelegantly down a few steps on her behind.

2. [Australian Rules] a kick that sends the ball over a behind line, or a touch that sends it between the inner posts, scoring one point.

– origin Old English behindan, bihindan, from bi ‘by’ + hindan ‘from behind’.

behindhand /bɪˈhʌɪndhand/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. late or slow in doing something

• the Yoruba have not been behindhand in economic activity.

2. ‹archaic› unaware of recent events

• you are miserably behindhand—Mr Cole gave me a hint of it six weeks ago.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from behind + hand, on the pattern of beforehand.

behind line

noun

[Australian Rules] the line between an inner and outer goalpost.

behind post

noun

[Australian Rules] each of the shorter posts that flank the main goalposts

• they had peppered three consecutive points through the behind posts.

Behn, Aphra /beɪn, bɛn/

(1640–89), English novelist and dramatist, regarded as the first professional woman writer in England. Notable works: The Rover (comic play, 1678) and Oroonoko, or the History of the Royal Slave (novel, 1688).

behold /bɪˈhəʊld/

I. verb — [with obj.] [often in imperative]

1. ‹archaic› ‹literary› see or observe (someone or something, especially of remarkable or impressive nature)

• behold your lord and prince!

• the botanical gardens were a wonder to behold.

– origin Old English bihaldan, from bi- ‘thoroughly’ + haldan ‘to hold’. Parallel Germanic words have the sense ‘maintain, retain’; the notion of ‘looking’ is found only in English.

beholden /bɪˈhəʊld(ə)n/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. owing thanks or having a duty to someone in return for help or a service

• I don't like to be beholden to anybody.

– origin late Middle English: archaic past participle of behold, in the otherwise unrecorded sense ‘bound’.

beholder /bɪˈhəʊldə/

noun

‹archaic› ‹literary› a person who sees or observes someone or something

• the building and landscape can elicit imaginative responses from the beholder.

behoof /bɪˈhuːf/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› benefit or advantage

• to make laws for the behoof of the colony.

– origin Old English behōf, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch behoef and German Behuf, also to heave.

behove /bɪˈhəʊv / ‹US› behoove /bɪˈhuːv/

I. verb — [with obj.] ( it behoves someone to do something)

1. ‹formal› it is a duty or responsibility for someone to do something

• it behoves the House to assure itself that there is no conceivable alternative.

2. [with negative] — ‹formal› it is appropriate or suitable; it befits

• it ill behoves Opposition Members to decry the sale of arms to friendly countries.

– origin Old English behōfian, from behōf (see behoof).

Behrens, Peter /ˈbɛːr(ə)nz/

(1868–1940), German architect and designer. He trained Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier.

Behring, Emil Adolf von /ˈbɛːrɪŋ/

(1854–1917), German bacteriologist and one of the founders of immunology. Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1901).

Beiderbecke, Bix /ˈbʌɪdəbɛk/

(1903–31), American jazz musician and composer; born Leon Bismarck Beiderbecke. A self-taught cornetist and pianist, he was one of a handful of white musicians who profoundly influenced the development of jazz.

beige /beɪʒ, beɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a pale sandy fawn colour

• tones of beige and green

• [as modifier] a beige raincoat.

– origin mid 19th cent. (denoting a usually undyed and unbleached woollen fabric of this colour): from French, of unknown ultimate origin.

beignet /ˈbɛnjeɪ/

I. noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a fritter.

• a cheese beignet.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a square of fried dough eaten hot sprinkled with icing sugar.

– origin French, from archaic buyne ‘hump, bump’.

Beijing /beɪˈdʒɪŋ / Peking

the capital of China, in the north-east of the country; pop. 8,580,400 (est. 2006). Beijing became the country's capital in 1421, at the start of the Ming period, and survived as the capital of the Republic of China after the revolution of 1912.

being /ˈbiːɪŋ/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — existence

• the railway brought many towns into being

• the single market came into being in 1993.

2. being alive; living

• holism promotes a unified way of being.

3. [in sing.] — the nature or essence of a person

• sometimes one aspect of our being has been developed at the expense of the others.

4. a real or imaginary living creature or entity, especially an intelligent one

• alien beings

• a rational being.

beira /ˈbeɪrə / beira antelope

I. noun

a rare antelope found in Somalia and Ethiopia.
● Dorcatragus megalotis, family Bovidae.

– origin a local name.

Beira /ˈbʌɪrə/

a port on the coast of Mozambique, capital of Sofala province; pop. 436,240 (2007).

Beirut /beɪˈruːt/

the capital and chief port of Lebanon; pop. 2,006,500 (est. 2009). The city was badly damaged during the Lebanese civil war of 1975–89.

beisa /ˈbeɪzə / beisa oryx

I. noun

a gemsbok of a race that is native to the Horn of Africa.
● Oryx gazella beisa, family Bovidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Amharic.

Beja /ˈbɛdʒə/

I. noun

1. a member of a nomadic people living between the Nile and the Red Sea.

2. [ mass noun] — the Cushitic language of the Beja, with about 1 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Beja or their language.

bejabers /bɪˈdʒeɪbəz / bejabbers /bɪˈdʒabəz/

I. exclamation

another way of saying bejesus.

– origin early 19th cent.: alteration of by Jesus.

Béjart, Maurice /beɪˈʒɑː, French beʒaʀ/

(1927–2007), French choreographer; born Maurice Jean Berger. He is chiefly identified with The Ballet of the 20th Century, the company which he founded in Brussels in 1959. His choreography is noted for its fusion of classic and modern dance.

bejesus /bɪˈdʒiːzəs / bejeezus

I. exclamation

(Irish) ‹informal› used to express surprise or for emphasis.

II. phrases

1. beat the bejesus out of

(Irish) ‹informal› hit (someone) very hard or for a long time.

• they caught the two and started beating the bejesus out of them.

2. scare the bejesus out of

(Irish) ‹informal› frighten (someone) very much.

• I look at what she does and it scares the bejesus out of me.

bejewel /bɪˈdʒuːəl/

verb — [with obj.]

1. cover or adorn with jewels

• in the days of royalty, they bejewelled the rulers with their fine creations.

bejewelled /bɪˈdʒuːəld / ‹US› bejeweled

adjective

adorned with jewels.

• a wave of his bejewelled hand.

Bekaa /bɪˈkɑː / el-Beqa'a

a fertile valley in central Lebanon between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains.

bel

I. noun

a unit used in the comparison of power levels in electrical communication or of intensities of sound, corresponding to an intensity ratio of 10 to 1.
See also decibel.

– origin 1920s: from the name of A. G. Bell (see Bell, Alexander Graham).

Bel /bɛl/

another name for Baal.

belabour /bɪˈleɪbə / ‹US› belabor

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. attack (someone) physically or verbally

• Bernard was belabouring Jed with his fists.

2. argue or discuss (a subject) in excessive detail

• there is no need to belabour the point.

– origin late Middle English: from be- + the verb labour.

Bel and the Dragon

a book of the Apocrypha containing additional stories of Daniel, concerned mainly with his refusal to worship Bel and his slaying of a dragon.

Belarus /ˌbɛləˈruːs/

I. a country in eastern Europe; pop. 9,648,500 (est. 2009); official language, Belorussian; capital, Minsk.
Formerly called Belorussia, White Russia.

Successively part of the grand duchy of Lithuania, Poland, and the Russian empire, the country became a republic of the Soviet Union in 1921. Belarus gained independence as a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States in 1991 but in 1996 signed a treaty with Russia that established a Community of Sovereign Republics.

Belarusian /ˌbɛləˈruːsɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Belarus, its people, or its language

• Belarusian villages

• a Belarusian journalist.

II. noun

1. a native of Belarus, or a person of Belarusian descent

• a Belarusian from Minsk.

2. [ mass noun] — the Eastern Slavic language of Belarus, with about 9 million speakers

• the book is currently available only in Belarusian.

belated /bɪˈleɪtɪd/

I. adjective

coming or happening later than should have been the case

• a belated apology.

II. derivatives

belatedness

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘overtaken by darkness’): past participle of obsolete belate ‘delay’ (see be-, late).

belatedly /bɪˈleɪtɪdli/

adverb

later than should have been the case

• the High Command had belatedly altered its tactics.

belay /ˈbiːleɪ, bɪˈleɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. fix (a running rope) round a cleat, rock, pin, or other object, to secure it.

2. secure (a climber) with a belayed rope

• he belayed his partner across the ice.

3. [usu. in imperative] — ‹nautical slang› stop; desist from

• ‘Belay that, mister. Man your post.’.

II. noun

1. an act of belaying.

• the leader may require belays to tackle more difficult sections.

2. a spike of rock or other object used for belaying.

• the trees along the top are used as belays.

III. derivatives

belayer

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally in nautical use): from be- + lay^1, on the pattern of Dutch beleggen.

belaying pin

noun

a fixed pin used on board ship and in rock climbing to secure a rope which is fastened around it.

bel canto /bɛl ˈkantəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a lyrical style of operatic singing using a full, rich, broad tone and smooth phrasing.

• a superb piece of bel canto.

• [as modifier] the bel canto arias of Bellini.

– origin late 19th cent.: Italian, literally ‘fine song’.

belch /bɛltʃ/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — emit wind noisily from the stomach through the mouth.

• pardon me for belching.

2. [with obj.] — (especially of a chimney) send out large amounts of (smoke or flames)

• a factory chimney belches out smoke.

3. [no obj.] ( belch from) — (of smoke or flames) pour out from (a chimney or other opening)

• flames belch from the wreckage.

II. noun

an act of belching.

• he gave a loud belch.

• ‹figurative› with a triumphant belch the train came to a stop.

– origin Old English belcettan, probably imitative.

beldam /ˈbɛldəm / beldame

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› an old woman.

2. ‹archaic› a malicious or loathsome old woman.

– origin late Middle English (originally in the sense ‘grandmother’): from Old French bel ‘beautiful’ + dam^2.

beleaguer /bɪˈliːɡə/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. beleaguered)

1. lay siege to

• he led a relief force to the aid of the beleaguered city.

2. put in a very difficult situation

• the board is supporting the beleaguered director.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Dutch belegeren ‘camp round’, from be- ‘(all) about’ + leger ‘a camp’.

beleaguerment /bɪˈliːɡəmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. aggressive pressure or intimidation

• an atmosphere of fear and beleaguerment.

Belém /bɛˈlɛm/

a city and port of northern Brazil, at the mouth of the Amazon, capital of the state of Pará; pop. 1,408,847 (2007). It is the country's chief commercial centre.

belemnite /ˈbɛləmnʌɪt/

I. noun

an extinct cephalopod mollusc with a bullet-shaped internal shell that is typically found as a fossil in marine deposits of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
●Order Belemnoidea, class Cephalopoda: many genera.

– origin early 17th cent.: from modern Latin belemnites, based on Greek belemnon ‘dart’.

bel esprit /ˌbɛl ɛˈspriː, French bɛl ɛspʀi/

I. noun

‹archaic› a witty person.

– origin French, literally ‘fine mind’.

Belfast /ˈbɛlfɑːst/

the capital and chief port of Northern Ireland; pop. 260,700 (est. 2009). The city suffered damage and population decline from the early 1970s as a result of sectarian violence by the IRA and Loyalist paramilitary groups.

Belfast sink

noun

a type of deep rectangular kitchen sink, traditionally made of glazed white porcelain.

belfry /ˈbɛlfri/

I. noun

1. the part of a bell tower or steeple in which bells are housed.

2. a bell tower or steeple housing bells.

– origin Middle English berfrey, from Old French berfrei, later belfrei, of West Germanic origin. The change in the first syllable was due to association with bell^1.

Belgae /ˈbɛldʒiː, ˈbɛlɡʌɪ/

I. plural noun

an ancient Celtic people inhabiting Gaul north of the Seine and Marne Rivers.

– origin from Latin.

Belgaum /ˈbɛlɡaʊm/

an industrial city in western India, in the state of Karnataka; pop. 458,200 (est. 2009).

Belgian /ˈbɛldʒ(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to Belgium.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Belgium, or a person of Belgian descent.

Belgian Blue

noun

a heavily muscled animal of a breed of cattle kept for its meat.

Belgian Congo

former name (1908–60) for the Democratic Republic of Congo (see Congo, Democratic Republic of).

Belgian hare

noun

a rabbit of a dark red long-eared domestic breed.

Belgian sheepdog

noun

a dog of a medium-sized breed, similar in appearance to an Alsatian.

Belgian waffle

noun

(N. Amer.) a waffle with large, deep indentations.

Belgic /ˈbɛldʒɪk/

adjective

relating to the Belgae.

Belgium /ˈbɛldʒəm/

I. a low-lying country in western Europe on the south shore of the North Sea and English Channel; pop. 10,414,300 (est. 2009); official languages, Flemish and French; capital, Brussels. Flemish name België /ˈbɛlxiːə/, French name Belgique /bɛlʒik/.

Belgium became independent from the Netherlands after a nationalist revolt in 1830. Occupied and devastated during both world wars, Belgium formed the Benelux Customs Union with the Netherlands and Luxembourg in 1948 and became a founder member of the EEC. Flemish is spoken mainly in the north of the country, and French and Walloon in the south. / – origin Latin, from Belgae.

Belgium sausage

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a thick, unspiced sausage usually sold sliced and eaten cold

• it was the largest-sized Belgium sausage

• this doesn't taste anything like Belgium sausage.

– origin early 20th cent.: the term became a popular replacement for German sausage as a reaction to the German invasion of Belgium in 1914.

Belgorod /ˈbɛlɡərɒd/

an industrial city in southern Russia, on the Donets River close to the border with Ukraine; pop. 353,000 (est. 2008).

Belgrade /bɛlˈɡreɪd/

the capital of Serbia and formerly of Yugoslavia, situated on the River Danube; pop. 1,119,000 (est. 2008).
Serbian name Beograd.

Belgravia /bɛlˈɡreɪvɪə/

I. a wealthy residential district of central London, south of Knightsbridge.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Belgrave Square + -ia^1.

Belial /ˈbiːlɪəl/

I. a name for the Devil.

– origin from Hebrew bĕliyya‘al ‘worthlessness’.

belie /bɪˈlʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of an appearance) fail to give a true impression of (something)

• his lively, alert manner belied his years.

2. fail to fulfil or justify (a claim or expectation)

• the quality of the music seems to belie the criticism.

– origin Old English belēogan ‘deceive by lying’, from be- ‘about’ + lēogan ‘to lie’. Current senses date from the 17th cent.

belief /bɪˈliːf/

I. noun

1. an acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof

• his belief in extraterrestrial life

• [with clause] a belief that climate can be modified beneficially.

2. something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion

• we're prepared to fight for our beliefs

• [ mass noun] contrary to popular belief existing safety regulations were adequate.

3. a religious conviction

• Christian beliefs

• [ mass noun] the medieval system of fervent religious belief.

4. ( belief in) — trust, faith, or confidence in (someone or something)

• a belief in democratic politics.

II. phrases

1. be of the belief that

hold the opinion that; think

• I am firmly of the belief that we need to improve our product.

2. beyond belief

astonishingly great, good, or bad; incredible

• riches beyond belief.

3. in the belief that

thinking or believing that

• he took the property in the belief that he had consent.

4. to the best of my belief

in my genuine opinion; as far as I know.

• to the best of my belief Francis never made a will.

– origin Middle English: alteration of Old English gelēafa; compare with believe.

believable /bɪˈliːvəbl/

I. adjective

1. able to be believed; credible

• she felt that Dawn's story was not quite believable.

2. (of a fictional character or situation) convincing or realistic.

• a drama that lacks believable characters.

II. derivatives

1. believability

noun

2. believably

adverb

believe /bɪˈliːv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. accept that (something) is true, especially without proof

• the superintendent believed Lancaster's story

• [with clause] some 23 per cent believe that smoking keeps down weight.

2. accept the statement of (someone) as true

• he didn't believe her.

3. [no obj.] — have religious faith.

• there are those on the fringes of the Church who do not really believe.

4. ( believe something of) — feel sure that (someone) is capable of doing something

• I wouldn't have believed it of Lavinia—what an extraordinary woman!

5. [with clause] — hold (something) as an opinion; think

• I believe we've already met

• ( believe someone/thing to be) four men were believed to be trapped.

II. phrases

1. believe it or not

used to concede that a statement is surprising

• believe it or not, I was considered quite bright in those days.

2. believe me (or believe you me)

used to emphasize the truth of a statement

• believe me, it is well worth the effort.

3. be unable to (or be hardly able to) believe one's luck

be amazed by how lucky one is on a particular occasion.

• Clarke could hardly believe his luck as he put the ball into the empty net.

4. be unable to believe one's eyes (or ears)

be amazed by what one sees or hears.

• I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened the box.

5. don't you believe it!

used to express disbelief in the truth of a statement.

• he says he is left of centre, but don't you believe it.

6. would you believe (it)?

used to express amazement about something

• they're still arguing, would you believe it?

III. phrasal verbs

believe in

a. have faith in the truth or existence of

• those who believe in God.

b. be of the opinion that (something) is right or acceptable

• I don't believe in censorship of the arts.

c. have confidence in (a person or a course of action)

• he had finally begun to believe in her.

– origin late Old English belȳfan, belēfan, alteration of gelēfan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch geloven and German glauben, also to lief.

believer /bɪˈliːvə/

noun

1. a person who believes in the truth or existence of something
[with clause]

• a firm believer that party politics has no place in local government.

2. a person who believes that a specified thing is right, effective, or acceptable

• I'm a great believer in community policing.

3. an adherent of a particular religion; someone with religious faith.

• the relationship into which God invites believers.

belike /bɪˈlʌɪk/

I. adverb — [ sentence adverb]

1. ‹archaic› in all likelihood; probably

• some earnest business is afoot belike.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from by + like^1.

Belisha beacon /bəˈliːʃə/

I. noun

(in the UK) an orange ball containing a flashing light, mounted on a striped post on the pavement at each end of a zebra crossing.

– origin 1930s: named after Leslie Hore- Belisha (1893–1957), British politician, Minister of Transport when the beacons were introduced.

belittle /bɪˈlɪt(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. dismiss (someone or something) as unimportant

• she belittled Amy's riding skills whenever she could

• (as adj. belittling) his cruel, belittling remarks.

II. derivatives

1. belittlement /bɪˈlɪtlmənt /

noun

2. belittler

noun

3. belittlingly

adverb

Belitung /bɪˈliːtʊŋ/

an Indonesian island in the Java Sea, between Borneo and Sumatra.
Former name Billiton.

Belize /bɛˈliːz/

I.
1. a country on the Caribbean coast of Central America; pop. 307,900 (est. 2009); languages, English (official), Creole, Spanish; capital, Belmopan.
Former name (until 1973) British Honduras.

Proclaimed as a British Crown Colony in 1862, Belize became an independent Commonwealth state in 1981. Guatemala, which bounds it on the west and south, has always claimed the territory on the basis of old Spanish treaties, although in 1992 it agreed to recognize the existence of Belize.

– origin named after a river with a Mayan name meaning ‘muddy water’.

Belizean /bəˈliːziən / Belizian

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Belize or its people

• local Belizean music.

II. noun

a native of inhabitant of Belize

• the terminal was full of Belizeans wrapped in coats as they waited for their ride.

Belize City

the principal seaport and former capital (until 1970) of Belize; pop. 65,200 (est. 2008).

bell^1 /bɛl/

I. noun

1. a hollow metal object, typically in the shape of a deep inverted cup widening at the lip, that sounds a clear musical note when struck, especially by means of a clapper inside.

• the church bells tolled.

• a bell tinkled as he went in the shop.

• [as modifier] the bell chamber of the church spire.

2. a device that includes or sounds like a bell, used to give a signal or warning

• a bicycle bell.

3. ( the bell) — (in boxing and other sports) a bell rung to mark the start or end of a round

• they were dragged off each other at the final bell.

4. a bell-shaped object or part, in particular:

5. the end of a trumpet.

6. the corolla of a bell-shaped flower.

• a flower with small pale blue bells.

7. ( bells) — a musical instrument consisting of a set of metal tubes of different lengths, suspended in a frame and played by being struck with a hammer.
Also called tubular bells.

8. [Nautical] (preceded by a numeral) the time as indicated every half hour of a watch by the striking of the ship's bell one to eight times

• at five bells in the forenoon of June 11.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — provide with a bell or bells
(as adj. belled)

• animals in gaudy belled harnesses.

2. [no obj.] — make a ringing sound likened to that of a bell

• the organ was belling away.

3. [with obj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› telephone (someone).

• no problem, I'll bell her tomorrow.

4. [no obj.] — spread outwards like the lip of a bell

• her shirt belled out behind.

III. phrases

1. bell the cat

take the danger of a shared enterprise upon oneself.
[an allusion to a fable in which the mice (or rats) suggest hanging a bell around the cat's neck to have warning of its approach.]

2. bells and whistles

‹informal› attractive additional features or trimmings.

• the company is putting bells and whistles on its notebook computer.

[an allusion to the various bells and whistles of old fairground organs.]

3. be saved by the bell

a. (in boxing and other sports) be saved from being counted out by the ringing of the bell at the end of a round.

b. escape from a difficult situation narrowly or by an unexpected intervention.

4. (as) clear (or sound) as a bell

perfectly clear (or sound).

• Aunt Nora's words came clear as a bell.

5. give someone a bell

(Brit.) ‹informal› telephone someone.

• tell him to give me a bell at the garage.

6. ring a bell

‹informal› sound vaguely familiar

• the name rings a bell.

7. with bells on

‹informal› enthusiastically

• everybody's waiting for you with bells on.

– origin Old English belle, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bel, and perhaps to bell^2.

bell^2 /bɛl/

I. noun

the characteristic cry of a stag or buck at rutting time.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a stag or buck) make a cry at rutting time.

– origin Old English bellan ‘to bellow’, of Germanic origin; related to German bellen ‘to bark, bray’, and perhaps also to bell^1.

Bell^2

Currer, Ellis, and Acton, the pseudonyms used by Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë.

Bell, Alexander Graham

(1847–1922), Scottish-born American scientist. He invented a method for transmitting speech electrically and gave the first public demonstration of the telephone in 1876; he founded the Bell Telephone Company the following year.

Bell, Gertrude

(1868–1926), English archaeologist, traveller, and supporter of Arab independence; full name Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell.

Bell, Vanessa

(1879–1961), English painter and designer; born Vanessa Stephen. Together with her sister Virginia Woolf she was a prominent member of the Bloomsbury Group.

belladonna /ˌbɛləˈdɒnə/

I. noun

1. deadly nightshade.

2. [ mass noun] — a drug prepared from the leaves and root of deadly nightshade, containing atropine.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin, from Italian bella donna ‘fair lady’, perhaps from the use of its juice to add brilliance to the eyes by dilating the pupils.

belladonna lily

noun

a South African amaryllis.

bellbird

noun

1. a tropical American bird of the cotinga family, with a loud explosive call.
●Genus Procnias, family Cotingidae: four species.

2. any of a number of Australasian songbirds with a ringing call.
● a New Zealand honeyeater ( Anthornis melanura, family Meliphagidae). ● an Australian whistler ( Oreoica gutturalis, family Pachycephalidae). ● the bell miner. See miner^2.

bell-bottoms

I. plural noun

trousers with a marked flare below the knee
(as modifier bell-bottom)

• bell-bottom trousers.

II. derivatives

bell-bottomed

adjective

bellboy /ˈbɛlbɔɪ/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) an attendant in a hotel who performs services such as carrying guests' luggage.

bell buoy

noun

a buoy equipped with a bell rung by the motion of the sea, warning shipping of shallow waters.

bell captain

noun

(N. Amer.) the supervisor of a group of bellboys.

bell crank bell-crank lever

noun

a lever with two arms which have a common fulcrum at their junction.

bell curve

noun

[Mathematics] a graph of a normal (Gaussian) distribution, with a large rounded peak tapering away at each end.

belle /bɛl/

I. noun

a beautiful girl or woman, especially the most beautiful at a particular event

• the belle of the ball.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, feminine of beau, from Latin bella, feminine of bellus ‘beautiful’.

belle époque /ˌbɛl eɪˈpɒk, French bɛl epɔk/

I. noun

the period of settled and comfortable life preceding the First World War
[as modifier]

• a romantic, belle-époque replica of a Paris bistro.

– origin French, ‘fine period’.

bellend /ˈbɛlɛnd/

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› the glans of the penis.

2. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› an annoying or contemptible man

• he is a total bellend and should step down as soon as possible.

Bellerophon /bɪˈlɛrəf(ə)n / ‹Greek Mythology›

a hero who slew the monster Chimera with the help of the winged horse Pegasus.

belles-lettres /bɛlˈlɛtr(ə) French bɛllɛtʀ//

I. plural noun — [also treated as sing.]

1. essays, particularly on literary and artistic criticism, written and read primarily for their aesthetic effect.

• he inspired me with the desire to restore writing on art to nineteenth century belles-lettres.

• ‹derogatory› elegant dabbling in belles-lettres.

II. derivatives

1. belletrism /bɛlˈlɛtrɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. belletrist

noun

3. belletristic /ˌbɛləˈtrɪstɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, literally ‘fine letters’.

bellflower /ˈbɛlflaʊə/

noun

a plant with bell-shaped flowers that are typically blue, purple, or white, many kinds being cultivated as ornamentals.
●Genus Campanula, family Campanulaceae (the bellflower family): many species, including the Eurasian clustered bellflower ( C. glomerata) and the harebell.

bell glass

noun

a bell-shaped glass cover used, especially formerly, as a cloche.

bell heather

noun

a common European heather with relatively large purplish-red flowers.
● Erica cinerea, family Ericaceae.

bellhop /ˈbɛlhɒp/

noun

(N. Amer.) another term for bellboy.

bellicose /ˈbɛlɪkəʊs/

I. adjective

demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight

• a mood of bellicose jingoism.

II. derivatives

bellicosity /bɛlɪˈkɒsəti /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin bellicosus, from bellicus ‘warlike’, from bellum ‘war’.

belligerence /bəˈlɪdʒ(ə)r(ə)ns / belligerency

noun — [ mass noun]

1. aggressive or warlike behaviour.

• Mortimer was eyeing Guy with belligerence.

• a blatant act of belligerence.

belligerent /bəˈlɪdʒ(ə)r(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. hostile and aggressive

• the mood at the meeting was belligerent.

2. engaged in a war or conflict, as recognized by international law.

• a conference of socialists from all belligerent countries.

II. noun

a nation or person engaged in war or conflict, as recognized by international law.

• ships and goods captured at sea by a belligerent.

III. derivatives

belligerently /bəˈlɪdʒərəntli /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin belligerant- ‘waging war’, from the verb belligerare, from bellum ‘war’.

Bellingshausen Sea /ˈbɛlɪŋzˌhaʊz(ə)n/

I. a part of the SE Pacific off the coast of Antarctica, bounded to the east and south by the Antarctic Peninsula and Ellsworth Land.

– origin named after the Russian explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen (1778–1852), who in 1819–21 became the first to circumnavigate Antarctica.

Bellini^1 /bɛˈliːni/

a family of Italian painters in Venice, Jacopo ( c. 1400–70) and his sons Gentile ( c. 1429–1507) and Giovanni ( c. 1430–1516).

Bellini^2 /bəˈliːni/

I. noun

a cocktail consisting of peach juice mixed with champagne.

– origin from the name of the Venetian painter Giovanni Bellini^1: the cocktail is said to have been invented in Venice during a major exhibition of the artist's work in 1948.

Bellini, Vincenzo /bɛˈliːni/

(1801–35), Italian composer. Notable operas: La Sonnambula (1831), Norma (1831), and I Puritani (1835).

bell jar

noun

a bell-shaped glass cover used in a laboratory, typically for enclosing samples.

bell-like

adjective

1. producing a clear musical sound like that of a bell

• her clear bell-like voice.

2. shaped like a bell

• bell-like flowers.

bell magpie

noun

see currawong and magpie (sense 2).

bellman /ˈbɛlmən/

noun

‹historical› a town crier.

bell metal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alloy of copper and tin for making bells, with a higher tin content than in bronze.

Belloc, Hilaire /ˈbɛlɒk/

(1870–1953), French-born British writer, historian, and poet remembered chiefly for Cautionary Tales (1907); full name Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc.

bellow /ˈbɛləʊ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a person or animal) emit a deep loud roar, typically in pain or anger

• he bellowed in agony.

2. [ reporting verb] — shout something with a deep loud roar
[with obj.]

• he bellowed out the order

• [with direct speech] ‘Not sausage and mash again!’ he bellowed.

3. [with obj.] — sing (a song) loudly and tunelessly

• a dozen large men were bellowing ‘Jerusalem’.

II. noun

a deep roaring shout or sound

• a bellow of rage.

– origin Middle English: perhaps from late Old English bylgan.

Bellow, Saul

(1915–2005), Canadian-born American novelist, of Russian-Jewish descent. Notable works: The Adventures of Augie March (1953) and Herzog (1964). Nobel Prize for Literature (1976).

bellows /ˈbɛləʊz/

I. plural noun — [also treated as sing.]

1. (also a pair of bellows) — a device with an air bag that emits a stream of air when squeezed together with two handles, used for blowing air into a fire.

• stoking up the fire with the bellows.

2. a device similar to a pair of bellows used in a harmonium or small organ.

3. an object or device with concertinaed sides to allow it to expand and contract, such as a tube joining a lens to a camera body.

– origin Middle English: probably from Old English belga, plural of belig (see belly), used as a shortened form of earlier blǣstbelig ‘blowing bag’.

bell pepper

noun

North American term for sweet pepper.

bell pull

noun

a cord or handle which rings a bell when pulled, typically used to summon someone from another room.

bell push

noun

(Brit.) a button that operates an electric bell when pushed.

bell-ringing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity or pastime of ringing church bells or handbells.

II. derivatives

bell-ringer /ˈbɛlˌrɪŋə /

noun

bell-shaped

adjective

having a shape that resembles that of a bell

• a small wild flower with purple bell-shaped blossoms.

bell sheep

noun

(Austral./NZ) a sheep caught by a shearer just before the bell rings to signal the end of a period of work, which they are allowed to shear

• they worked as only shearers work when they're cutting for a bell sheep.

Bell's palsy /ˈbɛlz ˌpɔːlzi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. paralysis of the facial nerve causing muscular weakness in one side of the face.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Sir Charles Bell (1774–1842), the Scottish anatomist who first described it.

bell tent

noun

a cone-shaped tent supported by a central pole.

bell tower

noun

a tall narrow structure designed to house a bell or bells, typically forming part of a church

• four chimes from a church bell tower mark the hour

• medieval bell towers.

bellwether /ˈbɛlwɛðə/

noun

1. the leading sheep of a flock, with a bell on its neck.

2. something that leads or indicates a trend

• Basildon is now the bellwether of Britain's voting behaviour.

belly /ˈbɛli/

I. noun

1. the front part of the human trunk below the ribs, containing the stomach and bowels.

• his fat belly stuck out over his trousers.

2. the stomach, especially as representing the body's need for food

• they'll fight all the better on empty bellies.

3. the underside of a bird or other animal.

• grasses were said to have been tall enough to brush the bellies of horses.

4. (also belly pork) [ mass noun] — a cut of pork from the underside between the legs.

5. a pig's belly as food, especially as a traded commodity.

6. the rounded underside of a ship or aircraft.

7. the top surface of an instrument of the violin family, over which the strings are placed.

II. verb

1. swell or cause to swell
[no obj.]

• as she leaned forward her pullover bellied out

• [with obj.] the wind bellied the sail out.

2. [no obj.] ( belly up to) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› move or sit close to (a bar or table).

• regulars who first bellied up to the bar years before.

III. phrases

go belly up

‹informal› go bankrupt.

• the company was about to go belly up.

IV. derivatives

bellied /ˈbɛlid /

adjective

[in combination]

• fat-bellied men

– origin Old English belig ‘bag’, of Germanic origin, from a base meaning ‘swell, be inflated’.

bellyache /ˈbɛlɪeɪk / ‹informal›

I. noun

a stomach pain.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. complain noisily or persistently

• Heads of Department bellyaching about lack of resources.

III. derivatives

bellyacher /ˈbɛlieɪkə /

noun

bellyband /ˈbɛlɪband/

noun

a band placed round a horse's belly to harness it to the shafts of a cart.

bellyboard

I. noun

a small surfboard ridden in a prone position

• the kids were up early to hit the surf, decked out with buckets, spades, and bellyboards.

II. derivatives

1. bellyboarder

noun

2. bellyboarding

noun

belly button

noun

‹informal› a person's navel.

belly dance

I. noun

a dance originating in the Middle East, typically performed by a woman and involving undulating movements of the belly and rapid gyration of the hips.

II. derivatives

1. belly dancer

noun

2. belly dancing

noun

bellyflop /ˈbɛlɪflɒp / ‹informal›

I. noun

a dive into water, landing flat on one's front.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. perform a bellyflop.

• he bellyflopped into the water.

2. (of an aircraft) perform an emergency landing without lowering the undercarriage.

• the plane bellyflopped in a cornfield.

bellyful /ˈbɛlɪfʊl/

I. noun

a quantity of food sufficient to fill one's stomach; a sustaining meal.

II. phrases

have a (or one's) bellyful

‹informal› become intolerant of someone or something after lengthy or repeated contact

• he had had his bellyful of hospitals.

belly landing

noun

a crash-landing of an aircraft on the underside of the fuselage, without lowering the undercarriage.

belly laugh

noun

a loud unrestrained laugh.

• her mutter of amusement blossomed into an enormous belly laugh.

belly wool

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) short, inferior-grade wool from a sheep's belly, shorn separately from the main fleece

• this bucket will also contain the belly wool that the shearer will toss to the side.

Belmopan /ˌbɛlməʊˈpan/

the capital of Belize; pop. 18,100 (est. 2008).

Belo Horizonte /ˌbɛl ɒrɪˈzɒnteɪ, -ti/

a city in eastern Brazil, capital of the state of Minas Gerais; pop. 2,412,937 (2007).

belong /bɪˈlɒŋ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ( belong to) — be the property of

• the vehicle did not belong to him.

2. be due to

• most of the credit belongs to Paul.

3. (of a contest or period of time) be dominated by

• the race belonged completely to Fogarty.

4. ( belong to) — be a member of (a particular group or organization)

• he belonged to the local cricket club.

5. [usu. with adverbial of place] — (of a person) have an affinity for a specified place or situation

• she is a stranger, and doesn't belong here

• you and me, we belong together

• (as noun belonging) we feel a real sense of belonging.

6. have the right personal or social qualities to be a member of a particular group

• young people are generally very anxious to belong.

7. [with adverbial of place] — (of a thing) be rightly placed in a specified position

• he put the rifle back in the locker where it belonged

• such statements do not belong in a modern student textbook.

8. be rightly assigned to a specified category

• these compounds belong to a class of chemical mediators called kairomones.

II. derivatives

belongingness

noun

– origin Middle English: from be- (as an intensifier) + the archaic verb long ‘belong’, based on Old English gelang ‘at hand, together with’.

belongings /bɪˈlɒŋɪŋz/

plural noun

a person's movable possessions.

• she didn't have much baggage with her as most of her belongings had been sent ahead by sea.

Belorussia /ˌbɛlə(ʊ)ˈrʌʃə / Byelorussia

I. former name for Belarus.

– origin Russian Belorossiya, from belyĭ ‘white’ + Rossiya ‘Russia’.

Belorussian /ˌbɛlə(ʊ)ˈrʌʃ(ə)n / Byelorussian

adjective, noun

former term for Belarusian.

Belostok /bʲilaˈstok/

Russian name for Białystok.

beloved /bɪˈlʌvɪd, bɪˈlʌvd/

I. adjective

1. dearly loved

• his beloved son.

2. ( beloved by/of) — very popular with (a specified set of people)

• the stark council estates beloved of town planners in the 1960s.

II. noun

a much loved person

• he watched his beloved from afar.

– origin late Middle English: past participle of obsolete belove ‘be pleasing’, later ‘love’.

below /bɪˈləʊ/

I. preposition

1. at a lower level or layer than

• just below the pocket was a stain

• the blistered skin below his collar.

2. lower in grade or rank than

• the aristocracy rank below the monarchy

• they rated the company's financial soundness below its competitor's.

3. lower than (a specified amount or standard)

• pupils of below average ability

• below freezing

• below 50 mph.

4. extending underneath

• the tunnel below the crags

• cables running below the floorboards.

II. adverb

1. at a lower level or layer

• he jumped from the window into the moat below.

2. (in printed text) mentioned further down on the same page, or further on in the text

• our nutritionist is pictured below right.

3. [Nautical] below deck

• I'll go below and fix us a drink.

III. phrases

1. below (the) ground

beneath the surface of the ground.

• 60 feet below ground.

2. below stairs /bɪˈləʊstɛːz /

(Brit.) ‹dated› in the basement of a house as occupied by servants.

– origin late Middle English (as an adverb): from be- ‘by’ + the adjective low^1. Not common until the 16th cent., the word developed a prepositional use and was frequent in Shakespeare.

below decks /bɪˌləʊ ˈdɛks / below deck

I. adjective, adverb

in or into the space below the main deck of a ship.
[as adj.]

• the sleeping quarters were below decks.

• [as adv.] nuclear weapons stored below decks.

II. plural noun

( belowdecks) — the space below the main deck of a ship.

• her belowdecks were crammed with electronics.

Bel Paese /ˌbɛl pɑːˈeɪzeɪ, -zi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a rich, white, mild, creamy cheese of a kind originally made in Italy.

– origin Italian, literally ‘fair country’.

Belsen /ˈbɛls(ə)n/

a Nazi concentration camp in the Second World War, near the village of Belsen in NW Germany.

Belshazzar /bɛlˈʃazə/

(6th century BC), viceroy and son of the last king of Babylon. The Bible (Daniel 5) tells how his death in the sack of the city was foretold by a mysterious hand which wrote on the palace wall at a banquet.

belt /bɛlt/

I. noun

1. a strip of leather or other material worn, typically round the waist, to support or hold in clothes or to carry weapons.

• he tightened his leather belt an extra notch.

• a sword belt.

• [as modifier] a belt buckle.

2. short for seat belt.

3. a belt worn as a sign of rank or achievement

• he was awarded the victor's belt.

4. a belt of a specified colour, marking the attainment of a particular level in judo, karate, or similar sports.
[as modifier]

• brown-belt level.

5. a person who is qualified to wear a belt of a specified colour in judo, karate, etc.

• Shaun became a brown belt in judo.

6. ( the belt) — the punishment of being struck with a belt.

• be quiet, or it's the belt.

7. a strip of material used in various technical applications, in particular:

8. a continuous band of material used in machinery for transferring motion from one wheel to another.

• a great wheel driven by a leather belt.

9. a conveyor belt.

10. a flexible strip carrying machine-gun cartridges.

11. a strip or encircling area that is different in nature or composition from its surroundings

• the asteroid belt

• a belt of trees.

12. ‹informal› a heavy blow

• she administered a good belt with her stick.

II. verb

1. [with obj. and adverbial] — fasten with a belt

• she belted her raincoat firmly.

2. [no obj., with adverbial] — be fastened with a belt

• the jacket belts at the waist.

3. [with obj.] — secure or attach with a belt

• he was securely belted into the passenger seat.

4. [with obj.] — beat or strike (someone), especially with a belt as a punishment

• I was belted and sent to my room.

5. hit (something) hard

• he belted the ball downfield.

6. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — ‹informal› rush or dash in a specified direction

• he belted out of the side door.

7. (of rain) fall hard

• the rain belted down on the tin roof.

III. phrases

1. below the belt

disregarding the rules; unfair.

• she said one of them had to work; Eddie thought that was below the belt.

[from the notion of an unfair and illegal blow in boxing.]

2. belt and braces

(Brit.) (of a policy or action) providing double security, by using two means to the same end.

• the envelope was sealed with tape and staples, a real belt and braces job.

[from the literal belt and braces for holding up a pair of loose trousers.]

3. tighten one's belt

cut one's expenditure; live more frugally.

• she said the poor must tighten their belts.

4. under one's belt

a. safely or satisfactorily achieved, experienced, or acquired

• he now has almost a year as minister under his belt.

b. (of food or drink) consumed

• Gus already had a large brandy under his belt.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. belt something out

sing or play a song loudly and forcefully.

• she belted out classics for half an hour.

2. belt up ‹Brit. informal›

a. [usu. in imperative] — be quiet.

• for God's sake, belt up.

b. put on a seat belt.

• all youngsters will have to belt up in cars, vans, and lorries.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin, from Latin balteus ‘girdle’.

Beltane /ˈbɛlteɪn/

I. noun

an ancient Celtic festival celebrated on May Day.

– origin late Middle English: from Scottish Gaelic bealltainn.

belt drive

noun

a mechanism in which power is transmitted by the movement of a continuous flexible belt.

belted /ˈbɛltɪd/

adjective

1. (of a garment) secured or drawn in by a strip of leather or other material worn around the waist

• a belted black and gold dress.

2. marked with a strip or encircling area that is different in nature or composition from its surroundings

• a belted kingfisher.

3. wearing or distinguished by a belt as a sign of rank or achievement

• a belted earl.

belted galloway

noun

an animal belonging to a variety of the galloway breed of cattle.
See galloway.

belter /ˈbɛltə/

noun

1. ‹informal› an exceptional or outstanding example of something

• Owen made the goal with a belter of a pass.

2. ‹informal› a loud, forceful singer or song.

• a real bawdy belter called ‘Ready For Love’.

• crooners and belters and chanteuses.

belting /ˈbɛltɪŋ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — belts collectively, or material for belts.

• a small piece of plastic belting.

2. a beating, especially with a belt as a punishment.

• we were dead lucky to get to bed without a belting.

II. adjective

‹informal› outstanding

• they've come up with some belting songs.

belt loop

noun

1. a strip of material sewn on to the waistband of a garment to hold a belt in place

• she had her thumbs hooked in the belt loops of her dark denims.

2. a loop used to attach an object to a belt

• screws on the belt loop lock the holster securely to the belt.

beltman

noun

(Austral./NZ) the member of a surf life-saving team who swims out, wearing a belt with a line attached for safety, to give assistance to bathers or surfers in difficulties.

belt sander

noun

a sander that uses a moving abrasive belt to smooth surfaces.

beltway /ˈbɛltweɪ/

noun

1. (US) a ring road.

2. ( Beltway) [often as modifier] — (US) Washington DC, especially as representing the perceived insularity of the US government

• conventional Beltway wisdom.

[transferred use by association with the ring road encircling Washington.]

beluga /bəˈluːɡə/

I. noun

1. a small white toothed whale related to the narwhal, living in herds mainly in Arctic coastal waters. Also called white whale.
● Delphinapterus leucas, family Monodontidae.

2. a very large sturgeon occurring in the inland seas and associated rivers of central Eurasia.
● Huso huso, family Acipenseridae.

3. (also beluga caviar) [ mass noun] — caviar obtained from the beluga sturgeon.

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Russian belukha (sense 1), beluga (sense 2), both from belyĭ ‘white’.

belvedere /ˈbɛlvɪdɪə/

I. noun

a summer house or open-sided gallery, typically at rooftop level, commanding a fine view.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian, literally ‘fair sight’, from bel ‘beautiful’ + vedere ‘to see’.

Belyando spew /bɛlˌjandəʊ ˈspjuː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› any illness marked by bouts of vomiting

• there I got the dreadful rot, and Belyando spew.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after the Belyando River in central Queensland.

belying /bɪˈlʌɪɪŋ/

present participle of belie.

BEM

abbreviation

British Empire Medal, an award for public service (discontinued in 1993).

bema /ˈbiːmə/

I. noun

1. the altar part or sanctuary in ancient and Orthodox churches.

2. (usu. bimah) — the podium or platform in a synagogue from which the Torah and Prophets are read.

3. ‹historical› the platform from which orators spoke in ancient Athens.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Greek bēma ‘step, raised place’.

Bemba /ˈbɛmbə/

I. noun

1. a member of an African people of Zambia.

2. [ mass noun] — the Bantu language of the Bemba, with nearly 2 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Bemba or their language.

– origin Bemba.

bemire /bɪˈmʌɪə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› cover or stain with mud.

• his shoes were bemired from travelling on foot.

2. ( be bemired) — ‹archaic› be stuck in mud.

• better that than have men and horses and wagons all bemired.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from be- (expressing transitivity) + mire.

bemoan /bɪˈməʊn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. express discontent or sorrow over (something)

• it was no use bemoaning her lot.

– origin Old English bemǣnan ‘complain, lament’. The change in the second syllable (16th cent.) was due to association with moan, to which it is related.

bemuse /bɪˈmjuːz/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. bemused)

1. puzzle, confuse, or bewilder

• her bemused expression

• he was bemused by what was happening.

II. derivatives

bemusedly

adverb

– origin mid 18th cent.: from be- (as an intensifier) + muse^2.

bemusement /bɪˈmjuːzm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or condition of being bemused; puzzlement

• we turned to each other in utter bemusement.

ben^1 /bɛn/

I. noun

(Scottish) (especially in place names) a high mountain or mountain peak

• Ben Nevis.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic and Irish beann.

ben^2 /bɛn/

I. noun

(Scottish) the inner room in a two-roomed cottage.
See also but^2.

– origin late 18th cent.: dialect variant of Middle English binne ‘within’ (adverb), from Old English binnan (related to Dutch and German binnen).

Benares /bɪˈnɑːrɪz/

former name for Varanasi.

Benbecula /bɛnˈbɛkjʊlə/

a small island in the Outer Hebrides, situated between North and South Uist and linked to them by causeways.

Ben Bella, Ahmed /bɛn ˈbɛlə/

(1918–2012), Algerian statesman, Prime Minister 1962–3 and President 1963–5; full name Muhammad Ahmed Ben Bella. The first President of an independent Algeria, he was overthrown in a military coup.

bench /bɛn(t)ʃ/

I. noun

1. a long seat for several people, typically made of wood or stone.

• a park bench.

2. a long work table in a workshop or laboratory.

• a 19th-century wheelwright's bench.

3. a judge's seat in a law court.

4. ( the bench) — the office of judge or magistrate

• his appointment to the civil bench.

5. a judge or magistrate presiding over a particular case.

6. (Brit.) a long seat in Parliament for politicians of a specified party

• the Conservative benches.

7. the politicians occupying a specified bench in Parliament

• the pledge that was given by the Opposition benches yesterday.

8. ( the bench) — a seat at the side of a sports field for coaches, substitutes, and players not taking part in a game.

• he must settle for a place on the substitute's bench.

9. a flat ledge in masonry or on sloping ground.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. exhibit (a dog) at a show

• Affenpinschers and Afghans were benched side by side.

[from the practice of exhibiting dogs on benches.]

2. (N. Amer.) withdraw (a sports player) from play

• the coach benched quarterback Cunningham in favour of McMahon.

3. short for bench-press.

• he benched almost 500 pounds.

III. phrases

on the bench

a. appointed as or in the capacity of a judge or magistrate

• he retired after twenty-five years on the bench.

b. acting as one of the possible substitutes in a sports match.

• Robson will again be on the bench.

– origin Old English benc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bank and German Bank, also to bank^1.

bencher /ˈbɛn(t)ʃə/

noun

[Law] (in the UK) a senior member of any of the Inns of Court.

benchmark /ˈbɛn(t)ʃmɑːk/

I. noun

1. a standard or point of reference against which things may be compared

• the pay settlement will set a benchmark for other employers and workers.

2. a problem designed to evaluate the performance of a computer system.

• Xstones is a graphics benchmark.

3. a surveyor's mark cut in a wall, pillar, or building and used as a reference point in measuring altitudes.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. evaluate (something) by comparison with a standard

• we are benchmarking our performance against external criteria.

2. [no obj., with adverbial] — give particular results during a benchmark test

• the device should benchmark at between 100 and 150 MHz.

benchmark test

noun

a test using a benchmark to evaluate a computer system's performance.

bench press

I. noun

a bodybuilding and weightlifting exercise in which a lifter lies on a bench with the feet on the floor and raises a weight with both arms.

II. verb

( bench-press) [with obj.] — raise (a weight) in a bench press.

• Josh can bench-press more than 400 pounds.

• [no obj.] my elbow hurts when I bench-press.

bench run

noun, verb

another term for bench test.

bench seat

noun

a seat across the whole width of a car.

bench table

noun

a low stone seat on the inside of a wall or round the base of a pillar in a church, cloister, or other religious building.

bench test ‹chiefly Computing›

I. noun

a test carried out on a machine, a component, or software before it is released for use, to ensure that it works properly.

II. verb

1. ( bench-test) [with obj.] — run a bench test on.

• they are offering you the chance to bench-test their applications.

2. [no obj., with adverbial] — give particular results during a bench test

• it bench-tests two times faster than the previous version.

benchwarmer /ˈbɛntʃwɔːmə/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a sports player who does not get selected to play; a substitute.

benchwork /ˈbɛntʃwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. work carried out at a bench in a laboratory or workshop.

bend^1 /bɛnd/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — shape or force (something straight) into a curve or angle

• the wire has to be bent back tightly.

2. [no obj.] — (of something straight) be shaped or forced into a curve or angle

• poppies bending in the wind.

3. [no obj., usu. with adverbial of direction] — (of a road, river, or path) deviate from a straight line in a specified direction

• the road bent left and then right.

4. [no obj.] — (of a person) incline the body downwards from the vertical

• she bent down and yanked out the flex

• I bent over my plate.

5. [with obj.] — move (a jointed part of the body) to an angled position

• extend your left leg and bend your right.

6. force or be forced to submit
[with obj.]

• they want to bend me to their will

• [no obj.] a refusal to bend to mob rule.

7. [with obj.] — interpret or modify (a rule) to suit someone

• we cannot bend the rules, even for Darren.

8. [with obj.] — direct (one's attention or energies) to a task

• Eric bent all his efforts to persuading them to donate some blankets

• [no obj.] she bent once more to the task of diverting her guests.

9. [with obj.] — [Nautical] attach (a sail or cable) by means of a knot

• sailors were bending sails to the spars.

II. noun

1. a curve in a road, river, path, or racing circuit.

• the van screeched round a bend.

• a bend in the river.

2. a curved or angled part of something

• make a bend in the wire.

3. a kind of knot used to join two ropes together, or to tie a rope to another object, e.g. a carrick bend.

4. ( the bends) — decompression sickness, especially in divers.

III. phrases

1. bend someone's ear

‹informal› talk to someone, especially at length or to ask a favour.

• she regularly bent his ear with her problems.

2. bend one's elbow

(N. Amer.) drink alcohol.

• not many wives or girlfriends were too interested in watching us bend our elbows.

3. bend over backwards

see backwards.

4. on bended knee(s)

see knee.

5. round ( ‹or US› around) the bend

‹informal› mad

• I'd go round the bend looking after kids all day.

IV. derivatives

bendable /ˈbɛndəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Old English bendan ‘put in bonds, tension a bow by means of a string’, of Germanic origin; related to band^1.

bend^2 /bɛnd/

I. noun

[Heraldry] an ordinary in the form of a broad diagonal stripe from top left (dexter chief) to bottom right (sinister base) of a shield or part of one.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French bande, Old French bende ‘flat strip’.

bendability /bɛndəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being easily bent; flexibility.

bender /ˈbɛndə/

I. noun

1. an object or person that bends something

• a metal bender.

2. ‹informal› a wild drinking spree.

• he went off on a self-destructive bender.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹offensive› a male homosexual.

4. (Brit.) a shelter made by covering a framework of bent branches with canvas or tarpaulin.

• we lived underneath this bender we built in the woods.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting instruments such as pliers, for bending things): from bend^1 + -er^1.

Bendigo /ˈbɛndɪɡəʊ/

a former gold-mining town in the state of Victoria, Australia; pop. 100,054 (2008).

bendlet

I. noun

[Heraldry] a bend of half the normal width, usually borne in groups of two or three.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably from the earlier heraldic term bendel ‘little bend’ (Old French diminutive of bende ‘band’) + -et^1.

bend sinister

noun

[Heraldry] a broad diagonal stripe from top right to bottom left of a shield (a supposed sign of bastardy).

bendy /ˈbɛndi/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) capable of bending; soft and flexible.

• a bendy toy.

2. (especially of a road) having many bends.

• bendy country roads.

II. derivatives

bendiness

noun

bendy bus

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a single-decker bus consisting of two rigid vehicles linked together by a flexible section.

beneath /bɪˈniːθ/

I. preposition

1. extending or directly underneath

• a 2.5-mile tunnel beneath the Alps.

2. underneath so as to be hidden, covered, or protected

• the ancient city has lain hidden beneath the sea for 2,000 years.

3. at a lower level or layer than

• beneath this floor there's a cellar

• her eyes had dark shadows beneath them.

4. lower in grade or rank than

• he was relegated to the rank beneath theirs.

5. considered of lower status or worth than

• she's in love with a man who is rather beneath her.

6. behind (a physical surface)

• they found another layer beneath the stucco.

7. hidden behind (an appearance)

• beneath the gloss of success was a tragic private life.

II. adverb

1. extending or directly underneath something

• a house built on stilts to allow air to circulate beneath.

2. at a lower level or layer

• upper layers can be removed to reveal internal parts beneath.

3. hidden behind an appearance

• the smile revealed the evil beneath.

– origin Old English binithan, bineothan, from bi (see by) + nithan, neothan ‘below’, of Germanic origin; related to nether.

benedicite /ˌbɛnɪˈdʌɪsɪti/

I. noun

1. a blessing, especially a grace said at table in religious communities.

2. ( the Benedicite) — the canticle used in the Anglican service of matins beginning ‘O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord’, the text being taken from the Apocrypha.

– origin Latin, ‘bless ye!’, plural imperative from benedicere ‘wish well’; the first word of the canticle in Latin.

Benedict, St /ˈbɛnɪdɪkt/

( c. 480– c. 550), Italian hermit. He established a monastery at Monte Cassino and his Regula Monachorum (known as the Rule of St Benedict) formed the basis of Western monasticism. Feast day, 11 July (formerly 21 March).

Benedict XVI /ˈbɛnɪdɪkt/

(b.1927), German cleric, pope 2005–13; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger. He was the first pope to resign from office since Gregory XII in 1415.

Benedictine /ˌbɛnɪˈdɪktɪn/

I. noun

1. a monk or nun of a Christian religious order following the rule of St Benedict and established c. 540.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹trademark› a liqueur based on brandy, originally made by Benedictine monks in France.

II. adjective

relating to St Benedict or the Benedictines.

– origin from French bénédictine or modern Latin benedictinus, from the name Benedictus (see Benedict, St).

benediction /ˌbɛnɪˈdɪkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the utterance of a blessing, especially at the end of a religious service.

• he said the benediction.

2. ( Benediction) — (in the Roman Catholic Church) a service in which the congregation is blessed with the sacrament.

• she went with Maureen to Benediction.

3. [ count noun] — a prayer asking for divine blessing.

4. the state of being blessed.

• he eventually wins benediction.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin benedictio(n-), from benedicere ‘wish well, bless’, from bene ‘well’ + dicere ‘say’.

benedictory /ˌbɛnɪˈdɪkt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

‹archaic› relating to the giving of a blessing.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin benedictorius, from benedicere ‘wish well’ (see benediction).

Benedict's solution Benedict's reagent

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a chemical solution that changes colour in the presence of glucose and other reducing sugars, used in clinical urine tests for diabetes. It is a mixture of sodium or potassium citrate, sodium carbonate, and copper sulphate.

– origin named after Stanley R. Benedict (1884–1936), American chemist.

Benedictus /ˌbɛnɪˈdɪktəs/

I. noun

1. [Christian Church] an invocation beginning Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini (Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord) forming a set part of the Mass.

2. [Christian Church] a canticle beginning Benedictus Dominus Deus (Blessed be the Lord God) from Luke 1:68–79.

– origin Latin, ‘blessed’, past participle of benedicere ‘wish well’.

benefaction /ˌbɛnɪˈfakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

‹formal› a donation or gift.

• an exceptional benefaction.

• [ mass noun] take official receipt of such benefaction.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin benefactio(n-), from bene facere ‘do good (to)’, from bene ‘well’ + facere ‘do’.

benefactive /ˌbɛnɪˈfaktɪv / ‹Grammar›

I. adjective

denoting a semantic case or construction that expresses the person or thing that benefits from the action of the verb, for example for you in I bought this for you.

II. noun

the benefactive case, or a word or expression in it.

– origin 1940s: from Latin benefactus ‘capable of giving’ + -ive.

benefactor /ˈbɛnɪfaktə/

I. noun

a person who gives money or other help to a person or cause.

• a low-interest loan from a benefactor allowed them to build a floor for the exhibition hall.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, from bene facere ‘do good (to)’ (see benefaction).

benefactress /ˈbɛnɪfaktrəs/

noun

a female benefactor.

benefic /bɪˈnɛfɪk/

I. adjective

1. ‹archaic› beneficent or kindly.

2. [Astrology] relating to or denoting the planets Jupiter and Venus, traditionally considered to have a favourable influence.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin beneficus, from bene facere ‘do good (to)’.

benefice /ˈbɛnɪfɪs/

I. noun

a permanent Church appointment, typically that of a rector or vicar, for which property and income are provided in respect of pastoral duties.

II. derivatives

beneficed /ˈbɛnɪfɪst /

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin beneficium ‘favour, support’, from bene ‘well’ + facere ‘do’.

beneficent /bɪˈnɛfɪs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) generous or doing good.

• a beneficent landowner.

2. resulting in good

• a beneficent democracy.

II. derivatives

1. beneficence /bɪˈnɛfɪs(ə)ns /

noun

2. beneficently

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin beneficent- (stem of beneficentior, comparative of beneficus ‘favourable, generous’), from bene facere ‘do good (to)’.

beneficial /bɛnɪˈfɪʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. resulting in good; favourable or advantageous

• the beneficial effect on the economy

• the process was beneficial to both supplier and customer.

2. [Law] relating to rights to the use or benefit of property, other than legal title.

• the beneficiary will be taxed on the value of his beneficial use of the property.

II. derivatives

beneficially /ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin beneficialis, from beneficium (see benefice).

beneficiary /bɛnɪˈfɪʃ(ə)ri/

I. noun

a person who derives advantage from something, especially a trust, will, or life insurance policy.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin beneficiarius, from beneficium (see benefice).

beneficiate /ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat (a raw material) to improve its properties.

• the development of techniques for beneficiating minerals.

II. derivatives

beneficiation /ˌbɛnɪfɪʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Spanish beneficiar (from beneficio ‘benefit’) + -ate^3.

benefit /ˈbɛnɪfɪt/

I. noun

1. an advantage or profit gained from something

• enjoy the benefits of being a member

• [ mass noun] the changes are of benefit to commerce.

2. a payment made by the state or an insurance scheme to someone entitled to receive it

• part-time jobs supplemented by means-tested benefits

• [ mass noun] families on benefit.

3. an event such as a concert or game, intended to raise money for a particular player or charity.

• the social season was highlighted by debutante balls and charity benefits.

• [as modifier] a benefit gig.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. receive an advantage; profit

• areas that would benefit from regeneration.

2. [with obj.] — bring advantage to

• the bill will benefit Britain.

III. phrases

1. benefit of clergy

a. ‹historical› exemption of the English clergy and nuns from the jurisdiction of the ordinary civil courts, granted in the Middle Ages but abolished in 1827.

b. ecclesiastical sanction

• they lived together without benefit of clergy.

2. the benefit of the doubt

a concession that a person or fact must be regarded as correct or justified, if the contrary has not been proven

• I'll give you the benefit of the doubt as to whether it was deliberate or not.

3. for the benefit of

a. in order to help or be useful to

• a venue run for the benefit of the community.

b. in order to interest or impress (someone)

• it was all an act put on for his benefit.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting a kind deed or something well done): from Old French bienfet, from Latin benefactum ‘good deed’, from bene facere ‘do good (to)’.

benefit society

noun

another term for friendly society.

benefit tourist

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person who travels to or within Britain in order to live off social security payments while untruthfully claiming to be seeking work.

II. derivatives

benefit tourism

noun

Benelux /ˈbɛnɪlʌks/

I. a collective name for Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, especially with reference to their economic union.

– origin 1947: acronym from Be lgium, Ne therlands, and Lux embourg.

Beneš, Edvard /ˈbɛnɛʃ/

(1884–1948), Czechoslovak statesman, Prime Minister 1921–2, President 1935–8 and 1945–8. During the Second World War he served in London as head of the Czechoslovakian government in exile. In 1945 he regained the presidency but resigned after the 1948 communist coup.

benevolence /bɪˈnɛv(ə)l(ə)ns, bɪˈnɛvəl(ə)ns, bɪˈnɛvələns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being well meaning; kindness.

benevolent /bɪˈnɛv(ə)l(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. well meaning and kindly.

• he was something of a benevolent despot.

• a benevolent smile.

2. [ attrib.] — (of an organization) serving a charitable rather than a profit-making purpose

• a benevolent fund.

II. derivatives

benevolently /bɪˈnɛvələntli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French benivolent, from Latin bene volent- ‘well wishing’, from bene ‘well’ + velle ‘to wish’.

BEng

abbreviation

Bachelor of Engineering.

benga /ˈbɛŋɡə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of African popular music originating in Kenya, characterized by a fusion of traditional Kenyan music and a lively arrangement of guitars, bass, and vocals.

– origin 1980s: from Luo.

Bengal /bɛŋˈɡɔːl/

a region in South Asia, containing the Ganges and Brahmaputra River deltas. In 1947 the province was divided into West Bengal, which has remained a state of India, and East Bengal, now Bangladesh.

Bengal, Bay of

a part of the Indian Ocean lying between India to the west and Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand to the east.

Bengali /bɛŋˈɡɔːli/

I. noun

1. a native of Bengal.

2. [ mass noun] — the Indic language of Bangladesh and West Bengal, spoken by some 200 million people. It is written in a script similar to the Devanagari script.

II. adjective

relating to Bengal, its people, or their language.

– origin from Hindi baṅgālī.

bengaline /ˈbɛŋɡəliːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a strong ribbed fabric made of a mixture of silk and either cotton or wool.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, so named because of a similarity with archaic Bengals denoting fabrics, usually silks, imported from Bengal.

Bengal light /bɛŋˈɡɔːl/

noun

a kind of firework giving off a blue flame and used for lighting or signalling.

Benghazi /bɛŋˈɡɑːzi/

a Mediterranean port in NE Libya; pop. 670,800 (est. 2006). It was the joint capital (with Tripoli) from 1951 to 1972.

Benguela /bɛŋˈɡwɛlə, bɛŋˈɡɛlə/

a port and railway terminal in Angola, on the Atlantic coast; pop. 115,900 (est. 2004). Copper is brought here from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire).

Benguela Current

a cold ocean current which flows from Antarctica northwards along the west coast of southern Africa as far as Angola.

Ben-Gurion, David /bɛnˈɡʊərɪən/

(1886–1973), Israeli statesman, Prime Minister 1948–53 and 1955–63, Israel's first Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.

benighted /bɪˈnʌɪtɪd/

I. adjective

1. in a state of pitiful or contemptible intellectual or moral ignorance

• they saw themselves as bringers of culture to poor benighted peoples.

2. overtaken by darkness

• a storm developed and we were forced to wait benighted near the summit.

II. derivatives

benightedness

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2): past participle of archaic benight ‘cover in the darkness of night, obscure’ (see be-, night).

benign /bɪˈnʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. gentle and kind

• his benign but firm manner.

2. (of a climate or environment) mild and favourable.

• the climate becomes more benign as we move nearer to the Black Sea.

3. not harmful to the environment

• the cycle as a benign form of transport

• [in combination] an ozone-benign refrigerant.

4. [Medicine] (of a disease) not harmful in effect.

• a benign condition.

5. (of a tumour) not malignant.

• benign growths.

II. derivatives

1. benignity /bɪˈnɪɡnɪti /

noun

2. benignly /bɪˈnʌɪnli /

adverb

– origin Middle English: from Old French benigne, from Latin benignus, probably from bene ‘well’ + -genus ‘-born’. Compare with gentle^1.

benignant /bɪˈnɪɡnənt/

I. adjective

1. kindly and benevolent

• an old man with a benignant expression.

2. [Medicine] a less common term for benign.

3. ‹archaic› having a good effect; beneficial

• the benignant touch of love and beauty.

II. derivatives

1. benignancy /bɪˈnɪɡnənsi /

noun

2. benignantly

adverb

– origin late 18th cent.: from benign, or Latin benignus, on the pattern of malignant.

benign neglect

noun — [ mass noun]

1. non-interference that is intended to benefit someone or something more than continual attention would.

• a shrub that grows well in shade and thrives under benign neglect.

Benin /bɛˈniːn/

I. a country of West Africa, immediately west of Nigeria; pop. 8,791,800 (est. 2009); languages, French (official), West African languages; capital, Porto Novo. The country was conquered by the French in 1893 and became part of French West Africa. In 1960 it became fully independent.
Former name (until 1975) Dahomey.

– origin name adopted in 1975, formerly used of an African kingdom powerful in the 14th–17th cents.

Benin, Bight of

a wide bay on the coast of Africa north of the Gulf of Guinea, bordered by Togo, Benin, and SW Nigeria. Lagos is its chief port.

Beninese /bɛnɪˈniːz/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Benin or its people

• this bustling port is the lifeblood of the Beninese economy.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Benin

• this is a very steep price for the average Beninese

• the Beninese legally import the vehicles from Europe.

Benioff zone /ˈbɛnɪɒf/

I. noun

[Geology] an inclined zone in which many deep earthquakes occur, situated beneath a destructive plate boundary where oceanic crust is being subducted.

– origin 1960s: named after Victor H. Benioff (1899–1968), American seismologist.

benison /ˈbɛnɪz(ə)n, ˈbɛnɪs(ə)n/

I. noun

‹literary› a blessing

• the rewards and benisons of marriage.

– origin Middle English: from Old French beneiçun, from Latin benedictio (see benediction).

Benjamin /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/

I. (in the Bible) a Hebrew patriarch, the youngest son of Jacob (Gen. 35:18, 42, etc.).

II. the smallest tribe of Israel, traditionally descended from Benjamin.

Benn, Tony

(1925–2014), British Labour politician; full name Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn. A Labour MP from 1950, he was debarred from the House of Commons on succeeding to the title of Viscount Stansgate in 1960. He renounced his title in 1963 and was re-elected. He held several cabinet posts and gained a reputation as an orator on the left of the party.

benne /ˈbɛni/

I. noun

US term for sesame.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Malay bene.

Bennett, Alan

(b.1934), English dramatist and actor. Notable works: Beyond the Fringe (1960), Forty Years On (1969), and Talking Heads (1987).

Bennett, Arnold

(1867–1931), English novelist, dramatist, and critic; full name Enoch Arnold Bennett. His fame rests on the novels and stories set in the Potteries (‘the Five Towns’) of his youth, notably Anna of the Five Towns (1902), The Old Wives' Tale (1908), and the Clayhanger series (1902–8).

Bennett, Sir Richard Rodney

(1936–2012), English composer, whose works include film scores, operas, concertos, and chamber pieces.

Ben Nevis /bɛn ˈnɛvɪs/

a mountain in western Scotland. Rising to 1,343 m (4,406 ft), it is the highest mountain in the British Isles.

benny^1 /ˈbɛni/

noun

‹informal› (chiefly US) a tablet of Benzedrine.

benny^2 /ˈbɛni/

noun

(US) ‹informal› a benefit attached to employment; a perk.

• we can be flexible on pay and bennies.

Benny, Jack

(1894–1974), American comedian and actor; born Benjamin Kubelsky. Working notably on radio and then television, he was renowned for his timing, delivery, and mordant, self-effacing humour.

benomyl /ˈbɛnəmɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a systemic fungicide used on fruit and vegetable crops, derived from imidazole.

– origin 1960s: from ben(z)o- + m(eth)yl.

Benoni /bəˈnəʊni/

a city in South Africa, in the province of Gauteng, east of Johannesburg; pop. 654,500 (est. 2009). It is a gold-mining centre.

bent^1 /bɛnt/

I. past and past participle of bend^1.

II. adjective

1. sharply curved or having an angle

• a piece of bent wire.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› dishonest; corrupt

• a bent cop.

3. stolen.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹offensive› (of a man) homosexual.

5. ( bent on) — determined to do or have

• a missionary bent on saving souls

• a mob bent on violence.

III. noun

a natural talent or inclination

• a man of a religious bent

• she had no natural bent for literature.

IV. phrases

bent out of shape

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› angry or agitated.

• he'd changed a few things around, and Glen was a little bent out of shape about it.

bent^2 /bɛnt/

I. noun

1. (also bent grass) — a stiff grass which is used for lawns and is a component of pasture and hay grasses.
● Agrostis and other genera, family Gramineae: several species, including common bent ( A. capillaris ).

2. the stiff flowering stalk of a grass.

• those nasty bents of ryegrass that are very efficient at ducking the mower.

3. ‹archaic› any stiff or rushlike grass or sedge.

4. ‹archaic› ‹dialect› a heath or unenclosed pasture.

– origin Middle English: from Old English beonet (recorded in place names), of West Germanic origin; related to German Binse.

Bentham, Jeremy /ˈbɛnθəm/

I. (1748–1832), English philosopher and jurist, the first major proponent of utilitarianism. Notable works: Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1789).

II. derivatives

1. Benthamism

noun

2. Benthamite

noun, adjective

benthos /ˈbɛnθɒs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Ecology] the flora and fauna found on the bottom, or in the bottom sediments, of a sea or lake.

II. derivatives

benthic /ˈbɛnθɪk /

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek, ‘depth of the sea’.

Bentley, Edmund Clerihew

(1875–1956), English journalist and novelist, inventor of the comic verse form, the clerihew.

bento /ˈbɛntəʊ/

I. noun

1. a lacquered or decorated wooden Japanese lunch box.

2. a Japanese-style packed lunch, consisting of such items as rice, vegetables, and sashimi.

– origin Japanese.

bentonite /ˈbɛntənʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of absorbent clay formed by breakdown of volcanic ash, used especially as a filler.

– origin late 19th cent.: from the name of Fort Benton in Montana, US, where it is found, + -ite^1.

ben trovato /ˌbɛn trə(ʊ)ˈvɑːtəʊ/

I. adjective

(of an anecdote) invented but plausible.

• the saying attributed to him is probably apocryphal, but ben trovato.

– origin Italian, literally ‘well found’.

bentwood /ˈbɛntwʊd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. wood that is artificially shaped for use in making furniture.
[as modifier]

• bentwood chairs.

Benue-Congo /ˈbɛnweɪ/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a major branch of the Niger–Congo family of languages, spoken mainly in Nigeria and including Efik and Fula.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Benue-Congo group of languages.

– origin from the names of rivers.

benumb /bɪˈnʌm/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. benumbed)

1. deprive of physical or emotional feeling

• a hoarse shout cut through his benumbed senses.

– origin late 15th cent.: from obsolete benome, past participle of benim ‘deprive’, from be- (expressing removal) + Old English niman ‘take’.

Benxi /bɛnˈʃiː/

a city in NE China, in the province of Liaoning; pop. 846,700 (est. 2006).

Benz, Karl Friedrich /bɛnz, German bɛnts/

(1844–1929), German engineer and motor manufacturer. In 1885 he built the first vehicle to be driven by an internal-combustion engine.

benzaldehyde /bɛnˈzaldɪhʌɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless liquid aldehyde with the odour of bitter almonds, used in the manufacture of dyes and perfumes.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_5CHO.

Benzedrine /ˈbɛnzɪdriːn/

I. noun

trademark for amphetamine.

– origin 1930s: from benzoic acid and ephedrine.

benzene /ˈbɛnziːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a colourless volatile liquid hydrocarbon present in coal tar and petroleum, and used in chemical synthesis. Its use as a solvent has been reduced because of its carcinogenic properties.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_6.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from benzoic acid + -ene.

benzene ring

noun

[Chemistry] the hexagonal unsaturated ring of six carbon atoms present in benzene and many other aromatic molecules.

benzenoid /ˈbɛnzɪnɔɪd/

adjective

[Chemistry] having the six-membered ring structure or aromatic properties of benzene.

benzine /ˈbɛnziːn / benzin /ˈbɛnzɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum.

– origin mid 19th cent. (denoting benzene): from benzoin + -ine^4.

benzoate /ˈbɛnzəʊeɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of benzoic acid.

benzocaine /ˈbɛnzə(ʊ)keɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic crystalline compound which is used as a local anaesthetic.
●Alternative name: ethyl para-aminobenzoate; chem. formula NH_2C_6H_4COOC_2H_5.

– origin 1920s: from benzoic acid + -caine (from cocaine).

benzodiazepine /ˌbɛnzəʊdʌɪˈeɪzɪpiːn, ˌbɛnzəʊdʌɪˈazɪpiːn/

I. noun

[Medicine] any of a class of heterocyclic organic compounds used as tranquillizers, such as Librium and Valium.

– origin 1930s: from benzene + di-1 + azo- + epi- + -ine^4.

benzoic acid /bɛnˈzəʊɪk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a white crystalline substance present in benzoin and other plant resins, used as a food preservative.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_5COOH.

benzoin /ˈbɛnzəʊɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also gum benzoin) — a fragrant gum resin obtained from a tropical East Asian tree, used in medicines, perfumes, and incense. Also called gum benjamin.
●This is obtained from several species of the genus Styrax (family Styracaceae), in particular S. benzoin.

2. [Chemistry] a white crystalline aromatic ketone present in benzoin resin.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_5CHOHCOC_6H_5.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French benjoin, based on Arabic lubānjāwī ‘incense of Java’.

benzol /ˈbɛnzɒl / benzole /ˈbɛnzəʊl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. crude benzene used as a fuel.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from benzoic acid + -ol.

benzopyrene /ˌbɛnzə(ʊ)ˈpʌɪriːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a compound which is the major carcinogen present in cigarette smoke, and also occurs in coal tar.
●A polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; chem. formula: C_20H_12.

benzoquinone /ˌbɛnzə(ʊ)ˈkwɪnəʊn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a yellow crystalline compound related to benzene but having two hydrogen atoms replaced by oxygen.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_4O_2; there are two isomers, with the oxygen atoms on opposite ( 1,4-benzoquinone) or adjacent ( 1,2-benzoquinone) carbon atoms.

benzoyl /ˈbɛnzəʊʌɪl, ˈbɛnzəʊɪl/

noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting the acyl radical —C(O)C_6H_5, derived from benzoic acid

• benzoyl peroxide.

benzyl /ˈbɛnzʌɪl, ˈbɛnzɪl/

noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting the radical —CH_2C_6H_5, derived from toluene

• benzyl benzoate.

Beograd /bɛˈɔɡrad/

Serbian name for Belgrade.

Beothuk /bɪˈɒθək/

I. noun

1. a member of an extinct American Indian people of Newfoundland.

2. [ mass noun] — the extinct language of the Beothuk.

II. adjective

relating to the Beothuk or their language.

– origin probably the name in Beothuk.

Beowulf /ˈbeɪəwʊlf/

I. an Old English epic poem celebrating the legendary Scandinavian hero Beowulf.

Generally dated to the 8th century, the poem was the first major poem in a European vernacular language and is the only complete Germanic epic that survives. It describes Beowulf's killing of the water monster Grendel and its mother and his death in combat with a dragon, and includes both pagan and Christian elements.

bequeath /bɪˈkwiːð/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. leave (property) to a person or other beneficiary by a will

• he bequeathed his art collection to the town.

2. pass (something) on or leave (something) to someone else

• he ditched the unpopular policies bequeathed to him.

II. derivatives

1. bequeathal

noun

2. bequeather /bɪˈkwiːðə /

noun

– origin Old English becwethan, from be- ‘about’ (expressing transitivity) + cwethan ‘say’ (see quoth).

bequest /bɪˈkwɛst/

I. noun

1. a legacy

• a bequest of over £300,000.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of bequeathing something

• a painting acquired by bequest.

– origin Middle English: from be- ‘about’ + Old English cwis ‘speech’, influenced by bequeath.

BER

abbreviation

bit error rate.

berate /bɪˈreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. scold or criticize (someone) angrily

• she berated herself for being fickle.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from be- ‘thoroughly’ + rate^2.

Berber /ˈbəːbə/

I. noun

1. a member of the indigenous people of North Africa, among whom are the nomadic Tuareg.

2. [ mass noun] — the Afro-Asiatic language of the Berber peoples, spoken by about 11 million people. There are several different dialects; some of them, e.g. Tamashek, are regarded by some scholars as separate languages.

II. adjective

relating to the Berber peoples or their language.

– origin from Arabic barbar, from Greek barbaros ‘foreigner’ (see barbarian).

Berbera /ˈbəːbərə/

a port on the north coast of Somalia; pop. 72,300 (est. 2009).

berberine /ˈbəːbəriːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a bitter yellow compound of the alkaloid class, obtained from barberry and other plants.

– origin early 19th cent.: from berberis + -ine^4.

berberis /ˈbəːbərɪs/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that comprises the barberries.
●Genus Berberis, family Berberidaceae.

– origin modern Latin and Old French, from medieval Latin barbaris.

berceuse /bɛːˈsəːz/

I. noun

a lullaby.

– origin French, from bercer ‘to rock’.

Berchtesgaden /ˈbɛːxtəsˌɡɑːd(ə)n, German ˈbɛrçtəsˌɡaːdn/

a town in southern Germany, in the Bavarian Alps close to the border with Austria; pop. 8,200 (est. 2006). Hitler had a fortified retreat there.

bereave /bɪˈriːv/

I. verb — ( be bereaved)

1. be deprived of a close relation or friend through their death

• she had recently been bereaved

• (as adj. bereaved) bereaved families

• (as noun the bereaved) those who counsel the bereaved.

– origin Old English berēafian (see be-, reave). The original sense was ‘deprive of’ in general.

bereavement /bɪˈriːvm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or condition of being bereaved

• there is no right way to experience bereavement

• [ count noun] the family suffered a sad bereavement.

bereavement counselling

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for grief counselling.

II. derivatives

bereavement counsellor

noun

bereft /bɪˈrɛft/

I. adjective

1. ( bereft of) — deprived of or lacking (something)

• her room was stark and bereft of colour.

2. (of a person) sad and lonely, especially through someone's death or departure

• his death in 1990 left her bereft.

– origin late 16th cent.: archaic past participle of bereave.

Berenice /ˌbɛrɪˈnʌɪsi/

(3rd century BC), Egyptian queen, wife of Ptolemy III.

beret /ˈbɛreɪ, ˈbɛri/

I. noun

a round flattish cap of felt or cloth.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French béret ‘Basque cap’, from Old Provençal berret, based on late Latin birrus ‘hooded cape’. Compare with biretta.

berg^1 /bəːɡ/

noun

short for iceberg.

berg^2 /bəːɡ/

I. noun

1. (S. African) a mountain or hill.

2. ( the Berg) — (S. African) the Drakensberg mountain range.

– origin Dutch.

Berg, Alban /bɛːɡ/

(1885–1935), Austrian composer, a leading exponent of twelve-note composition; full name Alban Maria Johannes Berg. Notable works: the operas Wozzeck (1914–21) and Lulu (1928–35) and his violin concerto (1935).

bergamot^1 /ˈbəːɡəmɒt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — an oily substance extracted from the rind of a dwarf variety of Seville orange, used in cosmetics and as flavouring in Earl Grey tea.

2. (also bergamot orange) — the tree which bears a variety of Seville orange from which bergamot is extracted.
● Citrus aurantium subsp. bergamia, family Rutaceae.

3. an aromatic North American herb of the mint family.
●Genus Monarda, family Labiatae: several species, in particular sweet bergamot ( M. didyma) (also called bee balm, oswego tea), grown for its bright flowers.

– origin late 17th cent. (in sense 2): named after the city and province of Bergamo in northern Italy.

bergamot^2 /ˈbəːɡəmɒt/

I. noun

a dessert pear of a rich and sweet variety.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French bergamotte, from Italian bergamotta, from Turkish begarmudu ‘prince's pear’, from beg ‘prince’ + armud ‘pear’ + the possessive suffix -u.

bergen /ˈbəːɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

(Brit.) a type of rucksack supported by a frame, used by the military.

– origin 1920s: manufacturer's name.

Bergen

I. /ˈbɛːɡ(ə)n / — a seaport in SW Norway; pop. 220,418 (2007). It is a centre of the fishing and North Sea oil industries.

II. /ˈbɛrxə(n) / — Flemish name for Mons.

bergenia /bəˈɡiːnɪə/

I. noun

an evergreen Asian plant with large, thick leaves and typically pink, red, or purple flowers.
●Genus Bergenia, family Saxifragaceae.

– origin modern Latin, named after Karl A. von Bergen (1704–60), German botanist and physician.

Berger, Hans /ˈbəːɡə, German ˈbɛrɡɐ/

(1873–1941), German psychiatrist who detected electric currents in the cerebral cortex and developed encephalography.

Bergerac^1 /ˈbɛːʒərak/

I. a wine-producing region in the Dordogne valley in SW France.

II. a town on the Dordogne River; pop. 28,760 (2006).

Bergerac^2

see Cyrano de Bergerac, Savinien.

bergère /bɛːˈʒɛː/

I. noun

a long-seated upholstered armchair fashionable in the 18th century.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, literally ‘shepherdess’.

bergie /ˈbəːɡi/

I. noun

(S. African) ‹informal› a vagrant.

– origin from Dutch berg ‘mountain’ + the informal suffix -ie.

Bergius, Friedrich Karl Rudolf /ˈbəːɡɪəs, German ˈbɛrɡɪʊs/

(1884–1949), German industrial chemist. Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1931).

Bergman, Ingmar /ˈbəːɡmən/

(1918–2007), Swedish film and theatre director; full name Ernst Ingmar Bergman. He used haunting imagery and symbolism often derived from Jungian dream analysis. Notable films: Smiles of a Summer Night (1955), The Seventh Seal (1957), and Hour of the Wolf (1968).

Bergman, Ingrid /ˈbəːɡmən/

(1915–82), Swedish actress. Although her film career was long, she is probably best known for her romantic role opposite Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942). Other notable films: Notorious (1946) and Anastasia (1956).

bergschrund /ˈbəːɡʃrʊnd/

I. noun

a crevasse at the junction of a glacier or snowfield with a steep upper slope.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German, from Berg ‘mountain’ + Schrund ‘crevice’.

Bergson, Henri /ˈbəːɡs(ə)n, French bɛʀksɔn/

I. (1859–1941), French philosopher; full name Henri Louis Bergson. Dividing the world into life (or consciousness) and matter, he rejected Darwinian evolution and argued that life possesses an inherent creative impulse ( élan vital) which creates new forms as life seeks to impose itself on matter. Nobel Prize for Literature (1927).

II. derivatives

Bergsonian

adjective

berg wind

noun

(S. African) a hot dry northerly wind blowing from the interior to coastal districts.

Beria, Lavrenti /ˈbɛrɪə/

(1899–1953), Soviet politician and head of the secret police 1938–53; full name Lavrenti Pavlovich Beria. He was involved in the elimination or deportation of Stalin's opponents, but after Stalin's death he was arrested and executed.

beribboned

adjective

decorated with many ribbons.

• beribboned straw hats.

beriberi /ˌbɛrɪˈbɛri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease causing inflammation of the nerves and heart failure, ascribed to a deficiency of vitamin B_1.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Sinhalese, from beri ‘weakness’.

Bering, Vitus /ˈbɛːrɪŋ/

(1681–1741), Danish navigator and explorer; full name Vitus Jonassen Bering. He led several Russian expeditions aimed at discovering whether Asia and North America were connected by land.

Beringia /bɛˈrɪndʒɪə/

I. the area comprising the Bering Strait and adjacent parts of Siberia and Alaska (used especially in connection with the migration of animals across the former Bering land bridge).

II. derivatives

Beringian

adjective

Bering Sea

an arm of the North Pacific lying between NE Siberia and Alaska, bounded to the south by the Aleutian Islands. It is linked to the Arctic Ocean by the Bering Strait. Both the sea and the strait are named after Vitus Bering.

Bering Strait

a narrow sea passage which separates the eastern tip of Siberia from Alaska and links the Arctic Ocean with the Bering Sea, about 85 km (53 miles) wide at its narrowest point. During the Ice Age, as a result of a drop in sea levels, the Bering land bridge formed between the two continents, allowing the migration of animals and dispersal of plants in both directions.

Berio, Luciano /ˈbɛrɪəʊ/

(1925–2003), Italian composer, an experimentalist who adopted serial, aleatory, and electronic techniques. Notable works: Circles (1960), Sequenza series (1958–75), and Un Re in Ascolto (opera, 1984).

berk /bəːk / burk, burke

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a stupid person.

– origin 1930s: abbreviation of Berkeley or Berkshire Hunt, rhyming slang for ‘cunt’.

Berkeley /ˈbəːkli/

a city in western California, on San Francisco Bay, site of a campus of the University of California; pop. 101,371 (est. 2008).

Berkeley, Busby /ˈbəːkli/

(1895–1976), American choreographer and film director; born William Berkeley Enos. He is remembered for spectacular and dazzling sequences in which huge casts of rhythmically moving dancers formed kaleidoscopic patterns on the screen. Notable films: the Gold Diggers series (1933–37) and Babes in Arms (1939).

Berkeley, George /ˈbɑːkli/

(1685–1753), Irish philosopher and bishop. He argued that material objects exist solely by being perceived, so there are only minds and mental events. Since God perceives everything all the time, objects have a continuous existence in the mind of God. Notable works: A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge (1710).

Berkeley, Sir Lennox /ˈbɑːkli/

(1903–89), English composer of four operas, four symphonies, music for ballet and film, and sacred choral music; full name Sir Lennox Randall Francis Berkeley.

berkelium /bəːˈkiːlɪəm, ˈbəːklɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Bk) — the chemical element of atomic number 97, a radioactive metal of the actinide series. Berkelium does not occur naturally and was first made by bombarding americium with helium ions.

– origin 1949: from Berkeley (where it was first made) + -ium.

berko /ˈbəːkəʊ/

I. adjective

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› out of control with anger or excitement; berserk

• some motorists go berko when stuck behind a pootling cyclist.

– origin 1960s: an alteration of berserk + -o.

Berkoff, Steven /ˈbəːkɒf/

(b.1937), English dramatist, director, and actor. Much of his work is politically radical in content and shocking and aggressive in style.

Berks.

abbreviation

Berkshire.

Berkshire^1 /ˈbɑːkʃ(ɪ)ə/

a county of southern England, west of London, divided in 1998 into six unitary authorities.

Berkshire^2 /ˈbɑːkʃ(ɪ)ə/

noun

a pig of a black breed, now rarely kept commercially.

berley /ˈbəːli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) fish bait scattered on the water

• berley is an essential element to the success of your fishing here.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

Berlin /bəːˈlɪn/

I. the capital of Germany; pop. 3,404,000 (est. 2006).

At the end of the Second World War the city was occupied by the Allies and divided into two parts: West Berlin, comprising the American, British, and French sectors, later a state of the Federal Republic of Germany despite forming an enclave within the German Democratic Republic; and East Berlin, the sector of the city occupied by the Soviet Union and later capital of the German Democratic Republic. Between 1961 and 1989 the Berlin Wall separated the two parts, which were reunited in 1990; occupation formally ended in 1994.

Berlin, Irving /bəːˈlɪn/

(1888–1989), Russian-born American songwriter; born Israel Baline. Notable works: the songs ‘God Bless America’ (1918) and ‘White Christmas’ (1942) and the score for Annie Get Your Gun (stage, 1946; film, 1950).

Berlin, Sir Isaiah /bəːˈlɪn/

(1909–97), Latvian-born British philosopher who concerned himself with the history of ideas. Notable works: Karl Marx (1939), Four Essays on Liberty (1959), and Vico and Herder (1976).

Berlin airlift

an operation by British and American aircraft to airlift food and supplies to Berlin in 1948–9, while Russian forces blockaded the city to isolate it from the West and terminate the joint Allied military government of the city. After the blockade was lifted the city was formally divided into East and West Berlin.

Berliner /bəːˈlɪnə/

I. noun

1. a native or citizen of Berlin.

2. a doughnut with jam filling and vanilla icing.

– origin German.

Berlin Wall

a fortified and heavily guarded wall built in 1961 by the communist authorities on the boundary between East and West Berlin, chiefly to curb the flow of East Germans to the West. It was opened in November 1989 after the collapse of the communist regime in East Germany and subsequently dismantled.

Berlin work

noun — [ mass noun]

1. worsted embroidery on canvas.

Berlioz, Hector /ˈbɛːlɪəʊz, French bɛʀljɔz/

(1803–69), French composer; full name Louis-Hector Berlioz. He wrote for large orchestras and choirs and employed dramatic, descriptive orchestral effects. Notable works: Les Troyens (opera, 1856–9), Symphonie fantastique (1830), and La Damnation de Faust (cantata, 1846).

Berlusconi, Silvio /ˌbɛːlʊˈskəʊni/

(b.1936), Italian media entrepreneur and politician, Prime Minister of Italy briefly in 1994, from 2001–06, and from 2008–2011.

berm /bəːm/

I. noun

1. a flat strip of land, raised bank, or terrace bordering a river or canal.

2. a path or grass strip beside a road.

3. an artificial ridge or embankment, such as one built as a defence against tanks.

• berms of shovelled earth.

4. a narrow space between a ditch and the base of a parapet.

– origin early 18th cent. (denoting a narrow space): from French berme, from Dutch berm.

Bermuda /bəˈmjuːdə / the Bermudas

I. a group of about 150 small islands off the coast of North Carolina; pop. 67,800 (est. 2009); official language, English; capital, Hamilton. It is a British overseas territory with full internal self-government.

II. derivatives

1. Bermudan /bəˈmjuːd(ə)n /

adjective, noun

2. Bermudian

adjective, noun

– origin named after a Spanish sailor, Juan Bermúdez, who sighted the islands early in the 16th cent.

Bermuda grass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a creeping grass common in warmer parts of the world, used for lawns and pasture.
● Cynodon dactylon, family Gramineae.

Bermuda rig

noun

[Sailing] a fore-and-aft yachting rig with a tall tapering mainsail.

Bermuda shorts /bəmjuːdəˈʃɔːts / Bermudas

plural noun

casual knee-length shorts.

Bermuda Triangle

an area of the western Atlantic Ocean where a large number of ships and aircraft are said to have mysteriously disappeared.

Bernadette, St /ˌbəːnəˈdɛt/

(1844–79), French peasant girl; born Marie Bernarde Soubirous. Her visions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes in 1858 led to the town's establishment as a centre of pilgrimage. Bernadette later became a nun and was canonized in 1933. Feast day, 18 February.

Bernadotte, Folke /ˌbəːnəˈdɒt/

Count (1895–1948), Swedish statesman. As vice president of the Swedish Red Cross he arranged the exchange of prisoners of war and in 1945 conveyed a German offer of capitulation to the Allies.

Bernadotte, Jean Baptiste Jules /ˌbəːnəˈdɒt, French bɛʀnadɔt/

(1763–1844), French soldier, king of Sweden (as Charles XIV) 1818–44. One of Napoleon's marshals, he was adopted by Charles XIII of Sweden in 1810 and later became king, thus founding Sweden's present royal house.

Bernard, Claude /bɛːˈnɑː, French bɛʀnaʀ/

(1813–78), French physiologist. Bernard showed the role of the pancreas in digestion, the method of regulation of body temperature, and the function of nerves supplying the internal organs.

Bernard, St /ˈbəːnəd/

( c. 996– c. 1081), French monk who founded two hospices for travellers in the Alps. The St Bernard passes, where the hospices were situated, and St Bernard dogs are named after him. Feast day, 28 May.

Bernard of Clairvaux, St /klɛːˈvəʊ, French klɛʀvo/

(1090–1153), French theologian and abbot. He was the first abbot of Clairvaux and his monastery became one of the chief centres of the Cistercian order. Feast day, 20 August.

Berne /bəːn, bɛːn German bɛrn/ / Bern

I. the capital of Switzerland since 1848; pop. 122,658 (2007).

II. a canton of Switzerland.

Berne Convention

an international copyright agreement originally drawn up in 1886.

Berners-Lee, Sir Tim /ˌbəːnəzˈliː/

(b.1955), English computer engineer. He proposed the World Wide Web in 1989 and designed its first software.

Bernese /ˈbəːniːz/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Swiss capital or canton of Berne or its inhabitants

• a large series of portraits from the Bernese region.

II. noun

1. (as plural noun the Bernese) — the people of the Swiss capital or canton of Berne

• the Bernese were proud of their victory over a distinguished mercenary captain.

2. short for Bernese mountain dog:

• the Bernese's beautiful coat needs only daily brushing to keep it in good condition.

Bernese mountain dog

noun

a large dog with a black, white, and tan coat, of a breed originating in Switzerland

• our Bernese mountain dog cooled off with a swim.

Bernhardt, Sarah /ˈbəːnhɑːt, French bɛʀnaʀ/

(1844–1923), French actress; born Henriette Rosine Bernard. She was best known for her portrayal of Marguerite in La Dame aux Camélias and Cordelia in King Lear.

Bernini, Gian Lorenzo /bɛːˈniːni, Italian berˈnini/

(1598–1680), Italian baroque sculptor, painter, and architect. His work includes the great canopy over the altar and the colonnade round the piazza at St Peter's, Rome.

Bernoulli /bəːˈnuːi/

I. the name of a Swiss family that produced many eminent mathematicians and scientists:

II. Jakob (1654–1705); also known as Jacques or James Bernoulli. He made discoveries in calculus and contributed to geometry and the theory of probabilities.

III. Johann (1667–1748), the brother of Jakob, who contributed to differential and integral calculus; also known as Jean or John Bernoulli.

IV. Daniel (1700–82), son of Johann. His greatest contributions were to hydrodynamics and mathematical physics.

Bernstein, Leonard /ˈbəːnstʌɪn/

(1918–90), American composer, conductor, and pianist. Notable works: Candide (operetta, 1954–6), West Side Story (musical, 1957), Chichester Psalms (1965), and film music for On the Waterfront (1954).

Berra, Yogi /ˈbɛrə/

(b.1925), American baseball player; born Lawrence Peter Berra. He was especially famous as a catcher with the New York Yankees.

berry /ˈbɛri/

I. noun

1. a small roundish juicy fruit without a stone

• juniper berries.

2. [Botany] any fruit that has its seeds enclosed in a fleshy pulp, for example a banana or tomato.

3. any of various kernels or seeds, such as the coffee bean.

4. a fish egg or roe of a lobster or similar creature.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun berrying)

1. gather berries.

III. derivatives

berried /ˈbɛrid /

adjective

[often in combination]

• red-berried elder trees

– origin Old English berie, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bes and German Beere.

Berry

a former province of central France; chief town, Bourges.

Berry, Chuck

(b.1926), American rock-and-roll singer, guitarist, and songwriter; born Charles Edward Berry. One of the first great rock-and-roll stars, he is known for songs such as ‘Johnny B Goode’ and ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’ (both 1958).

bersagliere /ˌbɛːsəlɪˈɛːri/

I. noun

a rifleman or sharpshooter in the Italian army.

– origin Italian, from bersaglio ‘target’.

berserk /bəˈzəːk, bəˈsəːk/

I. adjective

out of control with anger or excitement; wild or frenzied

• a man went berserk with an arsenal of guns.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally as a noun denoting an ancient Norse warrior who fought with wild or uncontrolled ferocity): from Old Norse berserkr (noun), probably from birn-, bjorn (see bear^2) + serkr ‘coat’, but also possibly from berr ‘bare’ (i.e. without armour).

berserker

noun

an ancient Norse warrior who fought with wild or uncontrolled ferocity.

berth /bəːθ/

I. noun

1. a ship's allotted place at a wharf or dock.

• the vessel had left its berth.

2. a fixed bunk on a ship, train, or other means of transport.

• I'll sleep in the upper berth.

• [in combination] a four-berth caravan.

3. ‹informal› (often in a sporting context) a position in an organization or event

• he looked at home in an unfamiliar right-back berth.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. moor (a ship) in its allotted place.

• they planned to berth HMS Impregnable at Portsmouth.

2. [no obj.] — (of a ship) dock.

• the ship berthed at Plymouth.

3. (of a passenger ship) provide a sleeping place for (someone).

III. phrases

give someone/thing a wide berth

a. steer a ship well clear of something while passing it.

• ships are advised to give the islands a wide berth.

b. stay away from someone or something.

• I'd sworn to give women a wide berth.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘adequate sea room’): probably from a nautical use of bear^1 + -th^2.

bertha /ˈbəːθə/

I. noun

‹chiefly historical› a deep collar, typically made of lace, attached to the top of a dress that has a low neckline.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the given name Bertha.

berthing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. accommodation for ships in berths

• there were more than 12 miles of berthing.

Bertillon, Alphonse /ˈbɛːtiːjɒ̃, French bɛʀtijɔ̃/

(1853–1914), French criminologist. He devised a system of body measurements for the identification of criminals, which was widely used until superseded by fingerprinting at the beginning of the 20th century.

Bertolucci, Bernardo /ˌbɛːtəˈluːtʃi, Italian bertoˈluttʃi/

(b.1940), Italian film director. Notable works: The Spider's Stratagem (1970), Last Tango in Paris (1972), and The Last Emperor (1987).

Berwickshire /ˈbɛrɪkʃ(ɪ)ə/

a former county of SE Scotland, on the border with England. It became a part of Borders region (now Scottish Borders) in 1975.

Berwick-upon-Tweed /ˌbɛrɪkəpɒnˈtwiːd/

a town at the mouth of the River Tweed in NE England, close to the Scottish border; pop. 13,000 (est. 2009). Having been held alternately by England and Scotland, it was ceded by Scotland to England in 1482.

beryl /ˈbɛrɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a transparent pale green, blue, or yellow mineral consisting of a silicate of beryllium and aluminium, sometimes used as a gemstone.

– origin Middle English: from Old French beril, via Latin from Greek bērullos.

berylliosis /bəˌrɪlɪˈəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] poisoning by beryllium or beryllium compounds, especially by inhalation causing fibrosis of the lungs.

beryllium /bəˈrɪlɪəm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Be) — the chemical element of atomic number 4, a hard grey metal.

Beryllium is the lightest of the alkaline earth metals, and its chief source is the mineral beryl. It is used in the manufacture of light corrosion-resistant alloys and in windows in X-ray equipment.

Berzelius, Jöns Jakob /bəːˈziːlɪəs/

(1779–1848), Swedish analytical chemist. He determined the atomic weights of many elements and discovered cerium, selenium, and thorium.

Bes /bɛs / ‹Egyptian Mythology›

a grotesque god depicted as having short legs, an obese body, and an almost bestial face, who dispelled evil spirits.

Besançon /ˈbɛz(ə)nsɒn, French bəzɑ̃sɔ̃/

the capital of Franche-Comté in NE France; pop. 121,012 (2006).

Besant, Annie /ˈbɛz(ə)nt, bɪˈzant/

(1847–1933), English theosophist, writer, and politician, president of the Theosophical Society. She settled in Madras (Chennai), where she worked for Indian self-government.

beseech /bɪˈsiːtʃ/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. ‹literary› ask someone urgently and fervently to do or give something
[with obj. and infinitive]

• they beseeched him to stay

• [with obj. and direct speech] ‘You have got to believe me,’ Violet beseeched him

• [with obj.] they earnestly beseeched his forgiveness.

II. derivatives

beseechingly /bɪˈsiːtʃɪŋli /

adverb

– origin Middle English: from be- (as an intensifier) + Old English sēcan (see seek).

beseecher /bɪˈsiːtʃə/

noun

a person who asks someone urgently and fervently to do or give something.

beset /bɪˈsɛt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a problem or difficulty) trouble (someone or something) persistently

• the social problems that beset the UK

• she was beset with self-doubt.

2. surround and harass

• I was beset by clouds of flies.

3. hem in

• the ship was beset by ice and finally sank.

4. ( be beset with) — ‹archaic› be covered or studded with

• springy grass all beset with tiny jewel-like flowers.

II. phrases

besetting sin

a fault to which a person or institution is especially prone.

• there was a danger of the country reverting to its besetting sin of complacency.

– origin Old English besettan, from be- ‘about’ + settan (see set^1).

beside /bɪˈsʌɪd/

I. preposition

1. at the side of; next to

• he sat beside me in the front seat

• the table beside the bed.

2. compared with

• beside Paula she always felt clumsy.

3. in addition to; apart from

• he commissioned work from other artists beside Minton.

II. phrases

1. beside oneself

overcome with worry, grief, or anger; distraught

• she was beside herself with rage.

2. beside the point

see point.

– origin Old English be sīdan (adverb) ‘by the side’ (see by, side). / usage: Some people say that beside should not be used to mean ‘apart from’ and that besides should be used instead ( he commissioned work from other artists besides Minton rather than he commissioned work from other artists beside Minton). Although there is little logical basis for such a view, and in standard English both beside and besides are used for this sense, it is worth being aware of the potential ambiguity in the use of beside: beside the cold meat, there are platters of trout and salmon means either ‘the cold meat is next to the trout and salmon’ or ‘apart from the cold meat, there are also trout and salmon’.

besides /bɪˈsʌɪdz/

I. preposition

in addition to; apart from

• I have no other family besides my parents

• besides being a player, he was my friend.

II. adverb

1. in addition; as well

• I'm capable of doing the work, and a lot more besides.

2. [ sentence adverb] — used to introduce an additional idea or explanation

• I had no time to warn you. Besides, I wasn't sure.

besiege /bɪˈsiːdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. surround (a place) with armed forces in order to capture it or force its surrender

• the king marched north to besiege Berwick

• (as adj. besieged) the besieged city.

2. surround and harass

• she spent the whole day besieged by newsmen.

3. ( be besieged) — be inundated by large numbers of requests or complaints

• the television station was besieged with calls.

II. derivatives

besieger /bɪˈsiːdʒə /

noun

– origin Middle English: alteration (by change of prefix) of assiege, from Old French asegier.

besiegement /bɪˈsiːdʒmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. aggressive pressure or intimidation

• the policy of political besiegement.

besmear /bɪˈsmɪə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› smear or cover with a greasy or sticky substance.

• a shirt hideously besmeared with the blood of the victim.

– origin Old English bismierwan (see be-, smear).

besmirch /bɪˈsməːtʃ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. damage (someone's reputation)

• he had besmirched the good name of his family.

2. ‹literary› make (something) dirty or discoloured

• the ground was besmirched with blood.

besom /ˈbiːz(ə)m, ˈbɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a broom made of twigs tied round a stick.

2. (Scottish) (N. English) ‹derogatory› a woman or girl.

– origin Old English besema, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch bezem and German Besen.

besotted /bɪˈsɒtɪd/

I. adjective

1. strongly infatuated

• he became besotted with a local barmaid.

2. ‹archaic› intoxicated; drunk.

– origin late 16th cent.: past participle of besot ‘make foolishly affectionate’, from be- ‘cause to be’ + sot.

besought /bɪˈsɔːt/

past and past participle of beseech.

bespangle /bɪˈspaŋɡ(ə)l/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› cover or adorn with something that glitters or sparkles.

• a small cell all bejewelled and bespangled with flashy ornamentation.

bespatter /bɪˈspatə/

verb — [with obj.]

1. splash drops of a liquid substance all over (an object)

• his elegant shoes and trousers were bespattered with mud.

bespeak /bɪˈspiːk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. be evidence of; indicate

• the attractive tree-lined road bespoke money.

2. order or reserve (something) in advance

• the defendant's insurers took steps to bespeak his medical records.

3. ‹archaic› speak to.

– origin Old English bisprecan ‘speak up, speak out’ (see be-, speak), later ‘discuss, decide on’, hence ‘order’ (sense 2, late 16th cent.).

bespeckle /bəˈspɛk(ə)l/

verb — [with obj.]

1. mark or cover with a large number of small spots or patches of colour

• the designer whose trademark is to bespeckle his dresses with diamonds.

bespectacled /bɪˈspɛktək(ə)ld/

adjective

wearing glasses.

• a bespectacled, studious youth.

• she was thin and bespectacled.

bespoke /bɪˈspəʊk/

adjective

1. (Brit.) (of goods, especially clothing) made to order

• a bespoke suit.

2. (Brit.) (of a trader) making bespoke items of clothing

• the bespoke tailors of Savile Row.

3. (Brit.) (of a computer program) written or adapted for a specific user or purpose.

• completely bespoke software systems.

bespoken /bɪˈspəʊkən/

past participle of bespeak.

besprinkle /bɪˈsprɪŋk(ə)l/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› sprinkle all over with small drops or amounts of a substance.

• he saw his master besprinkled with blood.

Bessarabia /ˌbɛsəˈreɪbɪə/

I. a region in eastern Europe between the Dniester and Prut Rivers, from 1918 to 1940 part of Romania. The major part of the region now falls in Moldova, the remainder in Ukraine.

II. derivatives

Bessarabian

adjective, noun

Bessel, Friedrich Wilhelm /ˈbɛs(ə)l/

(1784–1846), German astronomer and mathematician. He determined the positions of some 75,000 stars, obtained accurate measurements of stellar distances, and following a study of the orbit of Uranus, predicted the existence of an eighth planet.

Bessemer, Sir Henry /ˈbɛsəmə/

(1813–98), English engineer and inventor. By 1860 he had developed the Bessemer process, the first successful method of making steel in quantity at low cost.

Bessemer process

noun

a steel-making process, now largely superseded, in which carbon, silicon, and other impurities are removed from molten pig iron by oxidation in a blast of air in a special tilting retort (a Bessemer converter).

best /bɛst/

I. adjective

1. of the most excellent or desirable type or quality

• the best midfielder in the country

• how to obtain the best results from your machine

• her best black suit.

2. most enjoyable

• some of the best times of my life.

3. most appropriate, advantageous, or well advised

• do whatever you think best

• it's best if we both go.

II. adverb

1. to the highest degree; most (used with verbs suggesting a desirable action or state or a successful outcome)

• they named the pictures they liked best

• you knew him best

• well-drained soil suits this plant best.

2. to the highest standard

• the best-dressed man in Britain

• the things we do best.

3. most appropriately or usefully

• pruning is best done in spring

• jokes are best avoided in essays.

III. noun — ( the best)

1. that which is the most excellent, outstanding, or desirable

• buy the best you can afford

• Sarah always had to be the best at everything

• this film represents the best of mainstream popular cinema.

2. the finest aspect of a person or thing

• he brought out the best in people.

3. ( one's best) — the highest standard or level that someone or something can reach

• this is jazz at its best

• try to look your best.

4. ( one's best) — one's smartest or most formal clothes

• she dressed in her best.

5. (in sport) a record performance

• a lifetime best of 12.0 seconds.

See also personal best.

6. written at the end of a letter to wish a person well

• See you soon, best, Michael.

IV. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› outwit or get the better of (someone)

• she refused to allow herself to be bested.

V. phrases

1. all the best

said or written to wish a person well on ending a letter or parting.

2. as best one can (or may)

as effectively as possible under the circumstances

• I went about my job as best I could.

3. at best

taking the most optimistic view

• what signs there are of recovery are patchy at best.

4. at the best of times

even in the most favourable circumstances

• his memory is poor at the best of times.

5. best of breed

a. the animal in a show judged to be the best representative of its breed.

b. any item or product considered to be the best of its kind

• their technology is still considered best of breed and demand for their products is still growing.

6. the best-laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley

‹proverb› even the most careful planning doesn't necessarily ensure success.

• in the tradition of all best-laid plans, subsequent events overturned the scheme.

[see gang^2.]

7. be the best of friends

be very close friends

• she's really nice and we're the best of friends.

8. the best of three (or five etc.)

victory achieved by winning the majority of a specified odd number of games.

9. the best part of

most of

• the tedious ceremony took the best part of a day.

10. best wishes

an expression of hope for someone's future happiness or welfare, often written at the end of a letter.

• best wishes, Celia.

• we sent our best wishes for a speedy recovery.

11. one's best years

the most vigorous and productive period of one's life; one's prime.

• my best years are ahead of me.

12. do (or try) one's best

do all one can

• Ruth did her best to reassure her.

13. be for (or all for) the best

be desirable in the end, although not at first seeming so.

• what was done was done, and maybe it was for the best.

14. get the best of

overcome (someone)

• his drinking got the best of him and he was fired.

15. give someone/thing best

(Brit.) ‹dated› admit the superiority of someone or something.

• he finally decided to give us best and took himself off.

16. had best do something

find it most sensible or well advised to do the thing mentioned

• I'd best be going.

17. make the best of

a. derive what limited advantage one can from (something unsatisfactory)

• you'll just have to make the best of the situation.

b. use (resources) as well as possible

• he tried to make the best of his talents.

18. make the best of a bad job

(Brit.) do something as well as one can under difficult circumstances.

19. six of the best

(Brit.) ‹chiefly historical› ‹humorous› a caning as a punishment, traditionally with six strokes of the cane.

• one prefect would hold you down and the other would give you six of the best.

20. to the best of one's ability

see ability.

21. to the best of one's knowledge

see knowledge.

22. with the best of them

as well or as much as anyone

• he'll be out there dancing with the best of them.

– origin Old English betest (adjective), betost, betst (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German best, also to better^1.

Best, Charles Herbert

(1899–1978), American-born Canadian physiologist who assisted F. G. Banting in research leading to the discovery of insulin in 1922.

Best, George

(1946–2005), Northern Irish footballer. A winger for Manchester United, he was named European Footballer of the Year in 1968.

best ball

noun

[Golf] the better score at a hole of two or more players competing as a team
[as modifier]

• a best-ball match.

best boy

noun

the assistant to the chief electrician of a film crew.

best buy

noun

an item or product which gives the best value for money out of all its competitors.

best end

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the rib end of a neck of lamb or other meat.

bestest

adjective

‹informal› (in children's use) the very best

• you're the bestest friend I've ever had.

best friend

noun

a person's closest friend

• Michael was Frank's best friend

• he's best friends with Eddie

• within a month we were best friends.

bestial /ˈbɛstɪəl/

I. adjective

1. of or like an animal or animals

• Darwin's revelations about our bestial beginnings.

2. savagely cruel and depraved

• bestial and barbaric acts.

II. derivatives

1. bestialize /ˈbɛstɪəlʌɪz / bestialise

verb

2. bestially

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin bestialis, from Latin bestia ‘beast’.

bestiality /bɛstɪˈalɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. savagely cruel or depraved behaviour.

• there seems no end to the bestiality of men.

2. sexual intercourse between a person and an animal.

bestiary /ˈbɛstɪəri/

I. noun

a descriptive or anecdotal treatise on various kinds of animal, especially a medieval work with a moralizing tone.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from medieval Latin bestiarium, from Latin bestia ‘beast’.

bestie

noun

‹informal› a person's best friend.

bestir /bɪˈstəː/

verb — ( bestir oneself)

1. make a physical or mental effort; exert or rouse oneself

• they rarely bestir themselves except in the most pressing of circumstances.

best known

adjective

most famous

• Lennon was best known for his music.

best-loved

adjective

most popular or favoured

• he is one of Britain's best-loved actors.

best man

noun

a male friend or relative chosen by a bridegroom to assist him at his wedding.

best-of

noun

‹informal› a list or collection comprising the best examples of something, especially songs by a particular band or artist

• yet another Frank Sinatra best-of

• [as modifier] a best-of CD.

bestow /bɪˈstəʊ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. confer or present (an honour, right, or gift)

• the office was bestowed on him by the monarch of this realm.

2. ‹archaic› put (something) in a specified place

• stooping to bestow the presents into eager hands.

II. derivatives

bestowal /bɪˈstəʊəl /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘use for, devote to’): from be- (as an intensifier) + Old English stōw ‘place’.

best practice

noun — [ mass noun]

1. commercial or professional procedures that are accepted or prescribed as being correct or most effective.

• the proprietors are keen to ensure best practice in food preparation, storage, and serving.

bestrew /bɪˈstruː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› cover or partly cover (a surface) with scattered objects

• the court was all bestrewn with herbs.

2. ‹literary› (of objects) lie scattered over (a surface)

• to sweep away the sand and rubbish which bestrewed the floor.

– origin Old English bestrēowian (see be-, strew).

bestride /bɪˈstrʌɪd/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — stand astride over; straddle

• he bestrode me, defending my prone body

• ‹figurative› creatures that bestride the dividing line between amphibians and reptiles.

2. sit astride on

• he bestrode his horse with the easy grace of a born horseman.

3. dominate

• he bestrides Alberta politics today.

II. phrases

bestride something like a colossus

see colossus.

– origin Old English bestrīdan (see be-, stride).

bestseller /bɛstˈsɛlə/

noun

a book or other product that sells in very large numbers.

• her autobiography is an international bestseller.

• [as modifier] the bestseller list.

bestselling /ˌbɛs(t)ˈsɛlɪŋ/

adjective

selling in greater quantities than others of same same kind

• a bestselling novel

• he is also a bestselling author.

besuited

adjective

(of a man) wearing a suit

• a quiet, besuited bank manager.

bet /bɛt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — risk a sum of money or valued item against someone else's on the basis of the outcome of an unpredictable event such as a race or game

• he bet on baseball games

• [with clause] I would be prepared to bet that he wanted to leave

• [with obj.] most people would bet their life savings on the prospect.

2. [with obj. and clause] — risk a sum of money against (someone) on the outcome or likelihood of a future event
[with two objs]

• I bet you £15 you won't chat her up.

3. [with clause] — ‹informal› used to express certainty

• I bet this place is really spooky late at night

• he'll be surprised to see me, I'll bet.

II. noun

1. an act of betting a sum of money

• she had a bet on the Derby

• for a bet he once rode 200 miles in nine hours.

2. a sum of money staked

• the bookies are taking bets on his possible successor.

3. [with adj.] — ‹informal› a candidate or option offering a specified likelihood of success

• City looked a good bet for victory

• your best bet is to call the official liquidators.

4. ( one's bet) — ‹informal› one's opinion about a future event

• my bet is that Arsenal won't win anything.

III. phrases

1. all bets are off

‹informal› the outcome of a situation is unpredictable.

• when they get lonely all bets are off.

2. bet the farm

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› risk everything that one owns on a bet, investment, or enterprise

• this isn't a great time to bet the farm on the Internet.

3. don't (or I wouldn't) bet on it

‹informal› used to express doubt about something

• he may be a suitable companion—but don't bet on it.

4. want to bet?

‹informal› used to express strong disagreement with a confident assertion

• ‘You can't be with me every moment.’ ‘Want to bet?’.

5. you bet

‹informal› you may be sure; certainly

• ‘Would you like this piece of pie?’ ‘You bet!’.

– origin late 16th cent.: perhaps a shortening of the obsolete noun abet ‘abetment’.

beta /ˈbiːtə/

I. noun

1. the second letter of the Greek alphabet ( Β, β), transliterated as ‘b’.

2. [as modifier] — denoting the second of a series of items, categories, forms of a chemical compound, etc.

• beta carotene

• beta blocker.

3. (Brit.) a second-class mark given for a piece of work or an examination paper.

4. ‹informal› short for beta test.

5. ( Beta) [followed by Latin genitive] — [Astronomy] the second (typically second-brightest) star in a constellation

• Beta Virginis.

6. [as modifier] — relating to beta decay or beta particles

• beta emitters.

7. (also beta coefficient) — a measure of the movement in price of a security relative to the stock market as a whole, used to indicate possible risk.

• a fund with a beta of 0.58 is less volatile.

– origin via Latin from Greek.

beta blocker

noun

any of a class of drugs which prevent the stimulation of the adrenergic receptors responsible for increased cardiac action, used to control heart rhythm, treat angina, and reduce high blood pressure.

Betacam /ˈbiːtəkam/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a high-quality format for video cameras and recorders.
[as modifier]

• Betacam recorders.

2. [ count noun] — ‹trademark› a camera using the Betacam format.

• the weight of the Betacam on his shoulder.

beta decay

noun — [ mass noun]

1. radioactive decay in which an electron is emitted.

betaine /ˈbiːtəiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a crystalline compound with basic properties found in many plant juices.
●Chem. formula: (CH_3)3N+—CH_2CO_2−.

2. [ count noun] — [Chemistry] any zwitterionic compound of the type represented by betaine.

– origin mid 19th cent.: formed irregularly from Latin beta ‘beet’ (because originally isolated from sugar beet) + -ine^4.

betake /bɪˈteɪk/

verb — [with obj.] ( betake oneself to)

1. ‹literary› go to

• I shall betake myself to my lodgings.

Betamax /ˈbiːtəmaks/

I. noun — [ mass noun] ( in the US)

1. ‹trademark› a format for video recorders, now largely obsolete.

– origin 1970s: from Japanese beta ‘all over’ + -max from maximum.

beta particle beta ray

noun

[Physics] a fast-moving electron emitted by radioactive decay of substances (originally regarded as rays).

beta rhythm

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the normal electrical activity of the brain when conscious and alert, consisting of oscillations ( beta waves) with a frequency of 18 to 25 hertz.

beta test

I. noun

a trial of machinery, software or other products in the final stages of development, carried out by a party unconnected with the development process.

II. verb

( beta-test) [with obj.] — subject (a product) to a beta test.

• the system was still being beta-tested for practical music applications.

betatron /ˈbiːtətrɒn/

I. noun

[Physics] an apparatus for accelerating electrons in a circular path by magnetic induction.

– origin 1940s: from beta + -tron.

beta version

noun

[Computing] a version of a piece of software that is made available for testing, typically by a limited number of users outside the company that is developing it, before its general release

• having fooled around with a beta version, I have to say that it's a technical marvel.

Compare with alpha version.

betcha /ˈbɛtʃə/

I. contraction

‹informal› bet you (used to express confidence or certainty that something is the case or will happen)

• betcha can't leave without at least one home-made goody from the bakery counter

• I betcha 98% of Americans wouldn't know who he is.

II. phrases

you betcha

‹informal› used to express certainty or as a strongly positive response

• Had she pictured herself in a Broadway role? You betcha

• ‘You have everything under control?’ ‘You betcha!’.

betel /ˈbiːt(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the leaf of an Asian evergreen climbing plant, which in the East is chewed as a mild stimulant.

2. the plant, related to pepper, from which betel leaves are taken.
● Piper betle, family Piperaceae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Portuguese from Malayalam veṟṟila.

Betelgeuse /ˈbiːt(ə)lˌdʒəːz / ‹Astronomy› Betelgeux

I. the tenth-brightest star in the sky, in the constellation Orion. It is a red supergiant, and variations in its brightness are associated with pulsations in its outer envelope.

– origin French, alteration of Arabic yad al-jauzā ‘hand of the giant’ (the giant being Orion).

betel nut

I. noun

another term for areca nut.

– origin Portuguese betel.

bête noire /beɪt ˈnwɑː, bɛt French bɛt nwaʀ//

I. noun

a person or thing that one particularly dislikes.

• great-uncle Edward was my father's bête noire.

– origin French, literally ‘black beast’.

Beth Din /beɪt ˈdiːn / Beit Din

I. noun

a Jewish court of law composed of three rabbinic judges, responsible for matters of Jewish religious law and the settlement of civil disputes between Jews.

– origin from Hebrew bēṯ dīn, literally ‘house of judgement’.

bethink /bɪˈθɪŋk/

I. verb — ( bethink oneself)

1. ‹formal› ‹archaic› come to think

• he bethought himself of the verse from the Book of Proverbs.

– origin Old English bithencan (see be-, think).

Bethlehem /ˈbɛθlɪhɛm/

a small town 8 km (5 miles) south of Jerusalem, in the West Bank; pop. 43,100 (est. 2009). It was the native city of King David and is the reputed birthplace of Jesus.

Bethune, Henry Norman /bɛˈθjuːn/

(1890–1939), Canadian surgeon. He joined the Communist Party in 1935 and served in the Spanish Civil War against the Fascists, organizing the first mobile blood-transfusion service. Bethune then joined the Chinese army in their war against Japan as a surgeon, becoming a hero in the People's Republic; he died while in China.

betide /bɪˈtʌɪd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹literary› happen

• I waited with beating heart, not knowing what would betide.

2. [with obj.] — ‹literary› happen to (someone)

• she was trembling with fear lest worse might betide her.

II. phrases

woe betide

see woe.

– origin Middle English: from be- (as an intensifier) + obsolete tide ‘befall’, from Old English tīdan ‘happen’, from tīd (see tide).

betimes /bɪˈtʌɪmz/

I. adverb

1. ‹archaic› before the usual or expected time; early

• next morning I was up betimes.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) sometimes; on occasion.

– origin Middle English: from obsolete betime (see by, time).

bêtise /beɪˈtiːz, bɛˈtiːz, French betiz/

I. noun

a foolish or ill-timed remark or action.

• in spite of her bêtise about striped suits he saw her point of view.

– origin French, ‘stupidity’, from bête ‘foolish’.

Betjeman, Sir John /ˈbɛtʃəmən/

(1906–84), English poet, noted for his self-deprecating, witty, and gently satirical poems. He was appointed Poet Laureate in 1972.

betoken /bɪˈtəʊk(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› be a sign of

• she wondered if his cold, level gaze betokened indifference or anger.

2. ‹literary› be a warning or indication of (a future event)

• the falling comet betokened the true end of Merlin's powers.

– origin Old English betācnian, from be- (as an intensifier) + tācnian ‘signify’, of Germanic origin; related to token.

betony /ˈbɛtəni/

I. noun

1. a Eurasian plant of the mint family, which bears spikes of showy purple flowers.
● Stachys officinalis, family Labiatae.

2. used in names of plants that resemble the betony, e.g. water betony.

– origin Middle English: from Old French betoine, based on Latin betonica, perhaps from the name of an Iberian tribe.

betook /bɪˈtʊk/

past of betake.

betray /bɪˈtreɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. expose (one's country, a group, or a person) to danger by treacherously giving information to an enemy

• a double agent who betrayed some 400 British and French agents to the Germans.

2. treacherously reveal (information)

• many of those employed by diplomats betrayed secrets.

3. be gravely disloyal to

• the men who have betrayed British people's trust.

4. unintentionally reveal; be evidence of

• she drew a deep breath that betrayed her indignation.

II. derivatives

betrayer /bɪˈtreɪə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from be- ‘thoroughly’ + obsolete tray ‘betray’, from Old French trair, based on Latin tradere ‘hand over’.

betrayal /bɪˈtreɪəl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of betraying one's country, a group, or a person; treachery

• the betrayal by the French of their own refugees

• [ count noun] these developments represented a betrayal of democracy.

betroth /bɪˈtrəʊð, bɪˈtrəʊθ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹dated› formally engage (someone) to be married

• in no time I shall be betrothed to Isabel.

II. derivatives

betrothment

noun

‹rare›

– origin Middle English betreuthe: from be- (expressing transitivity) + truth. The change in the second syllable was due to association with troth.

betrothal /bɪˈtrəʊð(ə)l/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› formal engagement to be married; engagement.

betrothed /bɪˈtrəʊðd/

noun — ( one's betrothed)

1. the person to whom one is engaged

• how long have you known your betrothed?

better^1 /ˈbɛtə/

I. adjective

1. more desirable, satisfactory, or effective

• we're hoping for better weather tomorrow

• the new facilities were far better

• I'm better at doing sums than Alice.

[comparative of good.]

2. more appropriate, advantageous, or well advised

• there couldn't be a better time to take up this job

• it might be better to borrow the money.

3. [ predic. or as complement] — partly or fully recovered from illness, injury, or mental stress

• his leg was getting better.

[comparative of well^1.]

II. adverb

1. more excellently or effectively

• Jonathon could do better if he tried

• sound travels better in water than in air

• instruments are generally better made these days.

2. to a greater degree; more (used in connection with success or with desirable actions or conditions)

• I liked it better when we lived in the country

• well-fed people are better able to fight off infection.

3. more suitably, appropriately, or usefully

• the money could be better spent on more urgent cases.

III. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the better one; that which is better

• the Natural History Museum book is by far the better of the two

• you've a right to expect better than that

• a change for the better.

2. ( one's betters) — ‹chiefly dated› ‹humorous› one's superiors in social class or ability

• educating the young to respect their elders and betters.

IV. verb — [with obj.]

1. improve on or surpass (an existing or previous level or achievement)

• his account can hardly be bettered

• bettering his previous time by ten minutes.

2. make (something) better; improve

• his ideas for bettering the lot of the millhands.

3. ( better oneself) — achieve a higher social position or status

• the residents are mostly Londoners who have bettered themselves.

4. overcome or defeat (someone)

• she had almost bettered him at archery.

V. phrases

1. the —— the better

used to emphasize the importance or desirability of the thing specified

• the sooner we're off the better.

2. better the devil you know than the devil you don't know

‹proverb› it's wiser to deal with an undesirable but familiar situation than to risk a change that might lead to an even worse situation.

• any other man might be as unpleasant to live with—better the devil you know.

3. better off /ˌbɛtər ˈɒf /

in a more desirable or advantageous position, especially in financial terms

• the proposals would make her about £400 a year better off.

4. the better part of

almost all of; most of

• it is the better part of a mile.

5. better safe than sorry

‹proverb› it's wiser to be cautious and careful than to be hasty or rash and so do something you may later regret.

6. better than

(N. Amer.) more than

• he'd lived there for better than twenty years.

7. the better to ——

so as to —— better

• he leaned closer the better to hear her.

8. for better or (for) worse

whether the outcome is good or bad.

• ours, for better or for worse, is the century of youth.

9. get the better of

a. gain an advantage over or defeat (someone) by superior strength or ability

• no one has ever got the better of her yet.

b. (of a feeling or urge) be too strong to conceal or resist

• curiosity got the better of her.

10. go one better

a. narrowly surpass a previous effort or achievement

• I want to go one better this time and score.

b. narrowly outdo (another person).

• he went one better than Black by reaching the final.

11. had better do something

would find it wiser to do something; ought to do something

• you had better be careful.

12. have the better of

be more successful in (a contest)

• Attlee had the better of these exchanges.

13. no (or little) better than

just (or almost) the same as (something bad); merely

• viceroys who were often no better than bandits.

14. no better than one should (or ought to) be

regarded as sexually promiscuous or of doubtful moral character.

– origin Old English betera (adjective), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch beter and German besser, also to best. / usage: In the verb phrase had better do something the word had acts like an auxiliary verb, and in informal spoken contexts it is often dropped, as in you better not come tonight. In writing, the had may be contracted to 'd but should not be dropped altogether.

better^2 /ˈbɛtə/

noun

variant spelling of bettor.

better half

noun

‹informal› a person's wife, husband, or partner.

• my better half doesn't care much for restaurants.

betterment /ˈbɛtəm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the improvement of something

• they believed that what they were doing was vital for the betterment of society.

2. [Law] the enhanced value of real property arising from local improvements.

Betterton, Thomas

(1635–1710), English actor. A leading actor of the Restoration period, he also adapted the plays of John Webster, Molière, and Beaumont and Fletcher for his own productions.

Betti, Ugo /ˈbɛti/

(1892–1953), Italian dramatist, poet, and short-story writer. Notable plays: Corruption in the Palace of Justice (1949) and Crime on Goat Island (1950).

betting /ˈbɛtɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of gambling money on the outcome of a race, game, or other unpredictable event.

• football pools and other forms of betting.

2. the odds offered by bookmakers on the outcome of races, games, etc.

• Atlantic Way headed the betting at 2-1.

II. phrases

1. the betting is

‹informal› it is likely

• the betting is that the company will slash the dividend.

2. in (or out of) the betting

likely (or unlikely) to be among the winners of a horse race and given appropriate odds.

• a formidable Irish challenge, with the first seven horses in the betting all being trained across the water.

3. what's the betting?

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to express a belief that something is likely

• what's the betting he's up to no good?

betting shop betting office

noun

(Brit.) an establishment licensed to handle bets on races and other events.

betting slip

noun

a slip of paper on which a bet is entered.

bettong /ˈbɛtɒŋ/

I. noun

a short-nosed rat-kangaroo found in Australia.
●Family Potoroidae: two genera, in particular Bettongia, and several species. See also boodie, woylie.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Dharuk.

bettor /ˈbɛtə / better

noun

(chiefly US) a person who bets, especially on a regular basis.

• she described herself as a moderate bettor.

between /bɪˈtwiːn/

I. preposition

1. at, into, or across the space separating (two objects or regions)

• the border between Mexico and the United States

• the dog crawled between us and lay down at our feet

• those who travel by train between London and Paris.

2. in the period separating (two points in time)

• they snack between meals

• the long, cold nights between autumn and spring.

3. in the interval separating (two points on a scale)

• a man aged between 18 and 30

• between 25 and 40 per cent off children's clothes.

4. indicating a connection or relationship involving two or more parties

• links between science and industry

• negotiations between the two companies are continuing.

5. with reference to a collision or conflict

• a collision in mid-air between two light aircraft

• the 14th- and 15th-century wars between England and France.

6. with reference to a contrast or failure to correspond

• the difference between income and expenditure.

7. with reference to a choice or differentiation involving two or more things being considered together

• you have to choose between two or three different options.

8. by combining the resources or actions of (two or more people or other entities)

• we have created something between us

• oxygen and nitrogen between them account for 99 per cent of air.

9. shared by (two or more people or things)

• they had drunk between them a bottle of Chianti.

II. adverb

1. in or along the space separating two objects or regions

• layers of paper with tar in between

• from Leipzig to Dresden, with the gentle Elbe flowing between.

2. in the period separating two points in time

• sets of exercises with no rest in between.

III. phrases

1. between ourselves (or you and me)

in confidence

• just between you and me, he's a bit boring.

2. (in) between times (or whiles)

in the intervals between other actions.

• I have seen to the needs of my child, and in between times I have cooked the meals.

– origin Old English betwēonum, from be ‘by’ + a Germanic word related to two. / usage: In standard English it is correct to say between you and me and wrong to say between you and I. Why is this? A preposition such as between should be followed by object pronouns such as me, him, her, and us rather than subject pronouns such as I, he, she, and we. Thus it is right to say between us or between him and her and it is clearly wrong to say between we or between he and she. The mistake between you and I arises from a confusion between what follows a preposition and what ordinarily comes at the beginning of a sentence. Many people know that it is wrong to say John and me went to the shops and that the right wording is John and I went to the shops – after all, no adult would say me went to the shops. Some people assume that ‘and me’ should in all cases be replaced by ‘and I’, and so in trying to avoid one kind of error create another one.

betwixt /bɪˈtwɪkst/

I. preposition, adverb

archaic term for between.

II. phrases

betwixt and between /bɪˌtwɪkst (ə)n bɪˈtwiːn /

‹informal› not fully or properly either of two things.

• the book seems betwixt and between—neither tall tale nor American history.

– origin Old English betwēox, from be ‘by’ + a Germanic word related to two.

beurré /ˈbjʊəri/

I. noun

a class of pear of a mellow variety.

– origin early 18th cent.: French, literally ‘buttered, buttery’.

beurre blanc /bəː ˈblɒ̃, French bœʀ blɑ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a creamy sauce made with butter, onions, and vinegar or lemon juice, usually served with seafood dishes.

– origin French, literally ‘white butter’.

beurre manié /bəː ˈmanjeɪ, French bœʀ manje/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mixture of flour and butter used for thickening sauces or soups.

– origin French, literally ‘worked butter’.

beurre noir /bəː ˈnwɑː, French bœʀ nwaʀ/

noun

French term for black butter.

Beuthen /ˈbɔytn/

German name for Bytom.

Beuys, Joseph /bɔɪs/

(1921–86), German artist. One of the most influential figures of the avant-garde movement in Europe in the 1970s and 1980s, his work consisted of ‘assemblages’ of various articles of rubbish. In 1979 he co-founded the German Green Party.

BeV

I. abbreviation

another term for GeV.

– origin 1940s: from b illion (10^9) e lectron v olts.

bevan /ˈbɛvən/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› (in Queensland) an uncouth or unsophisticated person, regarded as being of low social status

• I instantly think someone is a bevan if I see them spitting.

– origin 1980s: of unknown origin.

Bevan, Nye /ˈbɛv(ə)n/

(1897–1960), British Labour politician; full name Aneurin Bevan. MP for Ebbw Vale 1929–60, his most notable contribution was the creation of the National Health Service (1948) during his time as Minister of Health 1945–51.

bevatron /ˈbɛvətrɒn/

I. noun

a synchrotron used to accelerate protons to energies in the billion electronvolt range.

– origin 1940s: from BeV + -tron.

bevel /ˈbɛv(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a slope from the horizontal or vertical in carpentry and stonework; a sloping surface or edge.

• a very small 45° bevel is ground on the top surface.

2. (also bevel square) — a tool for marking angles in carpentry and stonework.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. bevelled)

1. reduce (a square edge on an object) to a sloping edge

• a bevelled mirror.

– origin late 16th cent. (as an adjective in the sense ‘oblique’): from an Old French diminutive of baif ‘open-mouthed’, from baer ‘to gape’ (see bay^3).

bevel gear

noun

a gear working another gear at an angle to it by means of bevel wheels.

bevel wheel

noun

a toothed wheel whose working face is oblique to the axis.

beverage /ˈbɛv(ə)rɪdʒ/

I. noun

(chiefly in commercial use) a drink other than water.

– origin Middle English: from Old French bevrage, based on Latin bibere ‘to drink’.

Beveridge, William Henry /ˈbɛvərɪdʒ/

1st Baron (1879–1963), British economist and social reformer, born in India. He was chairman of the committee which prepared the Beveridge Report, which formed the basis of much of the social legislation on which the welfare state in the UK is founded.

Beverly Hills

a largely residential city in California, on the NW side of the Los Angeles conurbation; pop. 34,445 (est. 2008). It is famous as the home of many film stars.

Bevin, Ernest /ˈbɛvɪn/

(1881–1951), British Labour statesman and trade unionist. He was one of the founders of the Transport and General Workers' Union and a leading organizer of the General Strike (1926).

Bevin boy

I. noun

(during the Second World War), a young man of age for National Service selected by lot to work as a miner.

– origin named after Ernest Bevin (see Bevin, Ernest).

bevvied /ˈbɛvɪd/

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› having consumed a lot of alcohol; drunk.

• what worries me is what they'll get up when we arrive—they're a bit bevvied.

bevvy /ˈbɛvi/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› an alcoholic drink.

• we popped into the Prince of Wales for a few bevvies.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation of beverage.

bevy /ˈbɛvi/

I. noun

1. a large group of people or things of a particular kind

• he was surrounded by a bevy of beautiful girls.

2. ‹rare› a group of roe deer, quails, or larks

• a bevy of larks trill their carefree songs.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

bewail /bɪˈweɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. express great regret, sadness, or disappointment about (something)

• men will bewail the loss of earlier freedoms.

II. derivatives

bewailer

noun

beware /bɪˈwɛː/

I. verb — [no obj.] [in imperative or infinitive]

1. be cautious and alert to risks or dangers

• shoppers were warned to beware of cut-price fakes

• Beware! Dangerous submerged rocks ahead

• [with obj.] we should beware the incompetence of legislators.

– origin Middle English: from the phrase be ware (see be-, ware^2).

bewdy

noun, adjective

non-standard Australian spelling of beauty.

bewhiskered

adjective

having hair or whiskers growing on the face.

• a bewhiskered old man.

Bewick, Thomas /ˈbjuːɪk/

(1753–1828), English artist and wood engraver, noted especially for the animal studies in such books as A History of British Birds (1797, 1804).

Bewick's swan

noun

a bird of the Eurasian race of the tundra swan, breeding in Arctic regions of Russia and overwintering in northern Europe and central Asia.
● Cygnus columbianus bewickii, family Anatidae.

bewigged /bɪˈwɪɡd/

adjective

wearing a wig.

bewilder /bɪˈwɪldə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to become perplexed and confused

• she was bewildered by his sudden change of mood.

– origin late 17th cent.: from be- ‘thoroughly’ + obsolete wilder ‘lead or go astray’, of unknown origin.

bewildered /bɪˈwɪldəd/

I. adjective

confused and indecisive; puzzled

• he saw the bewildered look on my face.

II. derivatives

bewilderedly

adverb

bewildering /bɪˈwɪld(ə)rɪŋ/

I. adjective

confusing or perplexing

• there is a bewildering array of holidays to choose from.

II. derivatives

bewilderingly /bɪˈwɪldərɪŋli /

adverb

[as submodifier]

• the regulations are bewilderingly complex

bewilderment /bɪˈwɪldəmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of being perplexed and confused

• there was bewilderment at the shift of government policy

• the three of them looked at him in bewilderment.

bewitch /bɪˈwɪtʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cast a spell over (someone)

• a handsome prince who had been bewitched by a sorceress.

2. enchant and delight (someone)

• they both were bewitched by the golden luminosity of Italy

• (as adj. bewitching) she was certainly a bewitching woman.

II. derivatives

1. bewitcher

noun

2. bewitchingly /bɪˈwɪtʃɪŋli /

adverb

3. bewitchment /bɪˈwɪtʃmənt /

noun

– origin Middle English: from be- ‘thoroughly’ + witch.

bey /beɪ/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› the governor of a district or province in the Ottoman Empire.

2. ‹historical› formerly used in Turkey and Egypt as a courtesy title.

– origin Turkish, modern form of beg ‘prince, governor’.

beyond /bɪˈjɒnd/

I. preposition, adverb

1. at or to the further side of
[as prep.]

• he pointed to a spot beyond the concealing trees

• [as adv.] from south of Dortmund as far as Essen and beyond.

2. [ prep.] — outside the physical limits or range of

• the hook which held the chandelier was beyond her reach.

3. more extensive or extreme than; further-reaching than
[as prep.]

• what these children go through is far beyond what most adults endure in a lifetime

• the authority of the inspectors goes beyond ordinary police powers

• [as adv.] pushing the laws to their limits and beyond.

4. happening or continuing after (a specified time, stage, or event)
[as prep.]

• training beyond the age of 14

• [as adv.] music going on into the night and beyond.

5. having progressed or achieved more than (a specified stage or level)
[as prep.]

• we need to get beyond square one

• his failure to rise beyond the rank of Undersecretary.

6. above or greater than (a specified amount)
[as prep.]

• raising its stake beyond 15%

• [as adv.] he could count up to a hundred thousand million now, and beyond.

7. [ prep.] — to or in a degree or condition where a specified action is impossible

• the landscape has changed beyond recognition

• their integrity is beyond question.

8. too much for (someone) to achieve or understand

• the questions were well beyond the average adult.

9. [ prep.] [with negative] — apart from; except

• beyond telling us that she was well educated, he has nothing to say about her

• there was little vegetation beyond brush-growth.

II. noun — ( the beyond)

1. the unknown, especially in references to life after death

• messages from the beyond.

III. phrases

the back of beyond

see back.

– origin Old English begeondan, from be ‘by’ + geondan of Germanic origin (related to yon and yonder).

bezant /ˈbɛz(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a gold or silver coin originally minted at Byzantium.

2. [Heraldry] a roundel or (i.e. a solid gold circle).

– origin Middle English: from Old French besant, from Latin Byzantius ‘Byzantine’. Sense 2 dates from the late 15th cent.

bezel /ˈbɛz(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a grooved ring holding the cover of a watch face or other instrument in position.

2. a groove holding the crystal of a watch or the stone of a gem in its setting.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Old French, of unknown origin.

bezique /bɪˈziːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a trick-taking card game for two, played with a double pack of 64 cards, including the seven to ace only in each suit.

2. the holding of the queen of spades and the jack of diamonds in bezique.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French bésigue, perhaps from Persian bāzīgar ‘juggler’ or bāzī ‘game’.

bezoar /ˈbiːzɔː, ˈbɛzəʊɑː/

I. noun

1. a small stony concretion which may form in the stomachs of certain animals, especially ruminants, and which was once used as an antidote for various ailments.

2. a wild goat with flat scimitar-shaped horns, found from Greece to Pakistan. The ancestor of the domestic goat, it was the best-known source of bezoars.
● Capra aegagrus, family Bovidae.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the general sense ‘stone or concretion’): from French bezoard, based on Arabic bāzahr, bādizahr, from Persian pādzahr ‘antidote’.

bezzie /ˈbɛzi / ‹Brit. informal› bessie, bezzy

I. adjective

denoting a person's best or closest friend

• we're practically bezzie mates

• Fiona's my bezzy pal.

II. noun

a person's best or closest friend

• she and Nadine used to be bezzies and even shared a flat

• find out how well you know your bessie.

– origin mid 19th cent. (isolated US use, apparently in representation of vernacular speech): colloquial alteration of best.

BF bf

noun

1. ‹informal› a person's boyfriend

• I've been dating my BF since January.

2. ‹informal› a person's best friend

• Lottie is my absolute BF.

b.f.

abbreviation

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› bloody fool.

2. [Printing] boldface.

3. (in bookkeeping) brought forward.

BFF

I. noun

‹informal› a person's best friend

• my BFF's boyfriend is cheating on her.

– origin 1996: from the initial letters of best friend forever.

BFI

abbreviation

British Film Institute.

B-film

noun

another term for B-movie.

BFN

abbreviation

‹informal› bye for now

• will post more when I have some more time, BFN.

BFPO

abbreviation

British Forces Post Office (or British Field Post Office, when in a combat zone).

BG

abbreviation

Bulgaria (international vehicle registration).

BGH

abbreviation

bovine growth hormone.

BGN

abbreviation

Bulgarian lev(s).

Bh

symbol

the chemical element bohrium.

BH

I. abbreviation

Belize (international vehicle registration).

– origin from British Honduras.

bhadralok /ˈbʌdrəlɒk / bhadralog

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Indian) prosperous, well-educated people, typically Bengalis, regarded as members of a social class
[as modifier]

• Kolkata's bhadralok circles.

2. [ count noun] — (Indian) a member of the bhadralok social class.

• he knew I wasn't a real bhadralok because bhadraloks won't talk to a vendor like that.

– origin from Hindi bhadralog, Bengali bhadralok, from Sanskrit bhadrá ‘worthy, respectable’ + loká ‘folk, people’.

Bhagavadgita /ˌbʌɡəvədˈɡiːtə / ‹Hinduism›

a poem composed between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century AD and incorporated into the Mahabharata. Presented as a dialogue between the Kshatriya prince Arjuna and his divine charioteer Krishna, it stresses the importance of doing one's duty and of faith in God.
Also called Gita.

Bhagwan /bʌɡˈwɑːn/

I. noun

1. (Indian) God.

2. (Indian) a guru or revered person (often used as a proper name or form of address).

– origin from Hindi bhagwān, from Sanskrit bhagavān, from the root bhaj ‘to honour, adore’.

bhai /bʌɪ/

I. noun

1. (Indian) a brother.

2. (Indian) a friendly form of address for a man.

3. (as suffix -bhai) — (Indian) added to proper names to form an affectionate form of address to an older person

• Abdulbhai.

– origin from Hindi bhāi, based on Sanskrit bhrātṛ ‘brother’.

bhajan /ˈbʌdʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

[Hinduism] a devotional song.

– origin from Sanskrit bhajana, from bhaj ‘to honour, adore’.

bhaji /ˈbɑːdʒi/

I. noun

1. (in Indian cuisine) a small flat cake or ball of vegetables, fried in batter.

2. an Indian dish of fried vegetables.

– origin from Hindi bhājī ‘fried vegetables’.

bhakta /ˈbʌktə/

I. noun

[Hinduism] a religious devotee

• the glory of the bhaktas is known only to themselves.

– origin Sanskrit.

bhakti /ˈbʌkti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Hinduism] devotional worship directed to one supreme deity, usually Vishnu (especially in his incarnations as Rama and Krishna) or Shiva, by whose grace salvation may be attained by all regardless of sex, caste, or class. It is followed by the majority of Hindus today.

– origin Sanskrit.

bhang /baŋ / bang

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the leaves and flower tops of cannabis, used as a narcotic.

– origin from Hindi bhāṅg.

bhangra /ˈbɑːŋɡrə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of popular music combining Punjabi folk traditions with Western pop music.
[as modifier]

• a popular bhangra group.

– origin 1960s (denoting a traditional folk dance): from Punjabi bhāngrā.

bharal /ˈbʌr(ə)l/

I. noun

a Himalayan wild sheep with a bluish coat and backward-curving horns. Also called blue sheep.
● Pseudois nayaur, family Bovidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Hindi.

Bharat /ˈbʌrət/

Hindi name for India.

Bharatanatyam /ˌbʌrʌtəˈnɑːtjʌm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a classical dance form of southern India.

• refinement is the essence of Bharatanatyam.

– origin from Sanskrit bharatanāṭya, literally ‘the dance of Bharata’, from Bharata, reputed to be the author of the Nāṭyaśāstra, a manual of dramatic art.

bhasha /ˈbɑːʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Indian) language.
[as modifier]

• English translations of bhasha texts.

• [ count noun] the bhashas of the common people.

– origin from Hindi bhāṣā.

bhava /ˈbɑːvə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Indian dance and other performing arts) the emotion or mood conveyed by a performer.

– origin Hindi bhāv ‘emotion, feeling’, from Sanskrit bhāvā ‘manner of acting, behaviour’.

bhavan /ˈbɑːvʌn/

I. noun — [often in place names]

1. (Indian) a building used for a special purpose, such as meetings or concerts.

• they will demonstrate before Paryavaran Bhavan tomorrow.

– origin Hindi.

Bhavnagar /bʌvˈnʌɡə/

an industrial port in NW India, in Gujarat, on the Gulf of Cambay; pop. 600,600 (est. 2009). It was the capital of a former Rajput princely state of the same name.

BHC

abbreviation

benzene hexachloride.

BHD

abbreviation

Bahraini dinar(s).

bhelpuri /ˈbeɪlˌpuːri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Indian dish of puffed rice, onions, spices, and hot chutney.

– origin from Hindi bhel ‘mixture’ + pūrī ‘deep-fried bread’.

bhikkhu /ˈbɪkuː / bhikku

I. noun

a Buddhist monk or devotee.

– origin Pali, from Sanskrit bhikṣú ‘beg’.

Bhil /biːl / Bheel

I. noun

a member of an indigenous people of central India.

II. adjective

relating to the Bhils.

– origin from Hindi Bhīl, from Sanskrit Bhilla.

Bhili /ˈbiːliː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Indic language of the Bhils.

bhindi /ˈbɪndiː/

I. noun

Indian term for okra.
[as modifier]

• bhindi bhaji.

– origin from Hindi bhiṇḍī.

Bhisho /ˈbiːʃəʊ/

a town in southern South Africa, the capital of the province of Eastern Cape, situated near the coast to the north-east of Port Elizabeth; pop. 147,600 (est. 2009).
Former name Bisho.

Bhojpuri /ˌbəʊdʒˈpʊəri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. one of the Bihari group of languages, spoken by some 20 million people in western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Bhopal /bəʊˈpɑːl/

a city in central India, the capital of the state of Madhya Pradesh; pop. 1,752,200 (est. 2009). In December 1984 leakage of poisonous gas from an American-owned pesticide factory in the city caused the death of about 2,500 people.

bhp

abbreviation

brake horsepower.

Bhubaneswar /ˌbʊbəˈneɪʃwə/

a city in eastern India, capital of the state of Orissa; pop. 904,200 (est. 2009).

bhuna /ˈbuːnə / bhoona

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a medium-hot dry curry originating in Bengal, prepared typically by frying meat with spices at a high temperature

• lamb bhuna.

– origin from Bengali, Urdu bhunnā ‘to be fried’, ultimately from Sanskrit bhrajj ‘fry, parch, roast’.

Bhutan /buːˈtɑːn/

a small independent kingdom on the south-eastern slopes of the Himalayas; pop. 691,100 (est. 2009); languages, Dzongkha (official), Nepali; capital, Thimphu.

Bhutanese /buːtəˈniːz/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Bhutan, its inhabitants, or their language

• a remote Bhutanese village.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Bhutan

• the average Bhutanese speaks at least three to four languages

• the Bhutanese are well known for their archery skills.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of Bhutan

• one man who had been living there for some time could speak Bhutanese.

Bhutto, Benazir /ˈbuːtəʊ/

(1953–2007), Pakistani stateswoman, Prime Minister 1988–90 and 1993–6, daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She was the first woman Prime Minister of a Muslim country. Defeated in elections in 1997, she was later charged with corruption offences and banned from public office; the conviction was subsequently overturned. She was assassinated after returning to Pakistan to campaign for re-election.

Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali /ˈbuːtəʊ/

(1928–79), Pakistani statesman, President 1971–3 and Prime Minister 1973–7. He was ousted by a military coup and executed for conspiring to murder a political rival.

bi /bʌɪ/

I. adjective

‹informal› bisexual

• are you both bi?

• I am a bi woman who has been in a relationship with a man.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation.

Bi

symbol

the chemical element bismuth.

bi- /bʌɪ/

I. combining form

1. two; having two

• bicoloured

• biathlon.

See also bin-.

2. occurring twice in every one or once in every two

• bicentennial.

3. lasting for two

• biennial.

4. doubly; in two ways

• biconcave.

5. [Chemistry] (in names of compounds) containing two atoms or groups of a specified kind

• biphenyl.

6. [Chemistry] denoting an acid salt

• bicarbonate.

7. [Botany] [Zoology] (of division and subdivision) twice over

• bipinnate.

– origin from Latin, ‘doubly, having two’; related to Greek di- ‘two’. / usage: The meaning of bimonthly (and other similar words such as biweekly and biyearly) is ambiguous. Such words can either mean ‘occurring or produced twice a month’ or ‘occurring or produced every two months’. The only way to avoid this ambiguity is to use alternative expressions like every two months and twice a month. Biannual and biennial are also confusing: biannual means ‘occurring twice a year’ and biennial means ‘occurring every two years’.

Biafra /bɪˈafrə/

a state that was proclaimed in 1967 when part of south-eastern Nigeria, inhabited chiefly by the Igbo people, sought independence from the rest of the country. In the ensuing civil war the new state's troops were overwhelmed by numerically superior forces, and by 1970 it had ceased to exist.

Biafran /bɪˈafrən/

I. adjective

relating to the former state of Biafra, which reunited with Nigeria in 1970

• an unofficial envoy for the Biafran government.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the former state of Biafra

• I lived with the Biafrans for nine months.

bialy /bɪˈɑːli/

I. noun

(US) a flat bread roll topped with chopped onions.

– origin Yiddish, from Białystok, where such bread was originally made.

Białystok /biːˈalɪstɒk/

an industrial city in NE Poland, close to the border with Belarus; pop. 294,817 (2007).
Russian name Belostok.

bi-amping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the use of two amplifiers for high- and low-frequency ranges in an audio circuit.

biannual /bʌɪˈanjʊəl/

I. adjective

occurring twice a year

• the biannual meeting of the planning committee.

Compare with biennial.

II. derivatives

biannually /bʌɪˈanjʊəli /

adverb

usage: See usage at biennial and bi-.

Biarritz /ˌbɪəˈrɪts, French bjaʀits/

a seaside resort in SW France, on the Bay of Biscay; pop. 27,398 (2006).

bias /ˈbʌɪəs/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair

• there was evidence of bias against black applicants

• the bias towards younger people in recruitment.

2. a concentration on or interest in one particular area or subject

• his work showed a discernible bias towards philosophy.

3. a systematic distortion of a statistical result due to a factor not allowed for in its derivation.

4. a direction diagonal to the weave of a fabric

• a turquoise silk dress cut on the bias.

5. [Bowls] the irregular shape given to one side of a bowl.

6. the oblique course taken by a bowl as a result of its irregular shape.

7. [Electronics] a steady voltage, magnetic field, or other factor applied to a system or device to cause it to operate over a predetermined range.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause to feel or show inclination or prejudice for or against someone or something

• readers said the paper was biased towards the Conservatives

• editors were biased against authors from provincial universities.

2. [Electronics] give a bias to.

• bias the valve so that the anode current is normally zero or small.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘oblique line’; also as an adjective meaning ‘oblique’): from French biais, from Provençal, perhaps based on Greek epikarsios ‘oblique’.

bias binding

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a narrow strip of fabric cut obliquely and used to bind edges or for decoration.

bias-cut

adjective

(of a garment or fabric) cut obliquely or diagonally across the grain.

• bias-cut satin palazzo pants.

biased /ˈbʌɪəst/

adjective

unfairly prejudiced for or against someone or something

• we will not tolerate this biased media coverage.

bias-ply

adjective

North American term for cross-ply.

biathlon /bʌɪˈaθlɒn, bʌɪˈaθlən/

I. noun

a Nordic skiing event in which the competitors combine cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.

II. derivatives

biathlete /bʌɪˈaθliːt /

noun

– origin 1950s: from bi- ‘two’ + Greek athlon ‘contest’, on the pattern of pentathlon. Compare with duathlon.

biaxial /bʌɪˈaksɪəl/

I. adjective

1. having or relating to two axes.

2. (of crystals) having two optic axes, as in the orthorhombic, monoclinic, and triclinic systems.

II. derivatives

biaxially

adverb

bib^1 /bɪb/

I. noun

1. a piece of cloth or plastic fastened round a child's neck to keep its clothes clean while eating.

2. a loose-fitting sleeveless garment worn on the upper body for identification, especially by competitors and officials at sporting events.

• the sponsor's name printed on our bibs.

3. the part above the waist of the front of an apron or pair of dungarees.

4. a patch of colour on the throat of a bird or other animal.

• a black bird with a white bib.

5. a common European inshore fish of the cod family. Also called pout^2 or pouting.
● Trisopterus luscus, family Gadidae.

II. phrases

1. one's best bib and tucker

‹informal› one's smartest clothes.

2. stick (or poke) one's bib in

(Austral.) ‹informal› interfere.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably from bib^2.

bib^2 /bɪb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› drink (something alcoholic).
(as noun bibbing)

• after a considerable amount of wine-bibbing, I settled down.

– origin late Middle English: probably from Latin bibere ‘to drink’.

bibber /ˈbɪbə/

noun — [in combination]

1. a person who regularly drinks a specified drink

• a winebibber.

bibb lettuce

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a butterhead lettuce of a variety that has crisp dark green leaves.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Jack Bibb (1789–1884), the American horticulturalist who developed it.

bibcock /bɪbˈkɒk/

I. noun

a tap with a bent nozzle fixed at the end of a pipe.

– origin late 18th cent.: perhaps from bib^1 and cock^1.

bibelot /ˈbɪbələʊ/

I. noun

a small, decorative ornament or trinket.

• bibelots like snuffboxes and jewelled ostrich feather fans.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, fanciful formation based on bel ‘beautiful’.

bibi /ˈbiːbiː/

I. noun

1. (Indian) a man's wife.

2. (Indian) ‹dated› a man's non-European girlfriend.

• ‘Good morning—you are sleeping well, eh? Breakfast soon, Bibi.’.

– origin from Urdu bībī, from Persian.

bibimbap /ˈbiːbɪmbap/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Korean dish consisting of rice topped with sautéed vegetables, chilli paste, and beef or other meat, sometimes with the addition of a raw or fried egg.

– origin Korean, literally ‘mixed rice’.

Bible /ˈbʌɪb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. ( the Bible) — the Christian scriptures, consisting of the Old and New Testaments.
[as modifier]

• Bible stories.

• Bible study.

2. ( the Bible) — the Jewish scriptures, consisting of the Torah or Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa or Writings.

3. (also bible) — a copy of the Christian or Jewish scriptures.

4. a particular edition or translation of the Bible

• the New English Bible.

5. ( bible) — ‹informal› a book regarded as authoritative in a particular sphere

• a brand-new edition of this filmgoers' bible.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from ecclesiastical Latin biblia, from Greek (ta) biblia ‘(the) books’, from biblion ‘book’, originally a diminutive of biblos ‘papyrus, scroll’, of Semitic origin.

Bible-basher Bible-thumper

I. noun

‹informal› a person who expounds or follows the teachings of the Bible in an aggressively evangelical way.

II. derivatives

Bible-bashing Bible-thumping

adjective, noun

Bible-believing

I. adjective

having faith in the absolute authority of the Bible, especially in a fundamentalist or conservative way

• a Bible-believing creationist.

II. derivatives

Bible believer

noun

Bible Belt

noun — ( the Bible Belt)

1. those areas of the southern and middle western United States and western Canada where Protestant fundamentalism is widely practised.

Bible paper

noun

another term for India paper.

biblical /ˈbɪblɪk(ə)l/

adjective

1. relating to or contained in the Bible

• the biblical account of creation

• biblical times.

2. resembling the language or style of the Bible

• there is a biblical cadence in the last words he utters.

3. very great; on a very large scale

• we need rainfall of biblical proportions to bring us back to normal.

biblically /ˈbɪblɪkli/

adverb

1. in a way that accords with or relates to the Bible

• a biblically grounded objection

• teach them to think biblically.

2. [as submodifier] — to a great extent

• a biblically idiotic haircut.

biblicist /ˈbɪblɪsɪst/

I. noun

a person who interprets the Bible literally.
[as modifier]

• biblicist attitudes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from biblical + -ist.

biblio- /ˈbɪblɪəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to a book or books

• bibliomania

• bibliophile.

– origin from Greek biblion ‘book’.

bibliographic /ˌbɪblɪəˈɡrafɪk / bibliographical

I. adjective

relating to bibliography

• researchers can now search the bibliographic records

• detailed bibliographical references.

II. derivatives

bibliographically /ˌbɪblɪəˈɡrafɪk(ə)li /

adverb

bibliography /ˌbɪblɪˈɒɡrəfi/

I. noun

1. a list of the books referred to in a scholarly work, typically printed as an appendix.

2. a list of the books of a specific author or publisher, or on a specific subject.

• a bibliography of his publications.

3. [ mass noun] — the history or systematic description of books, their authorship, printing, publication, editions, etc.

II. derivatives

1. bibliographer /bɪbliˈɒɡrəfə /

noun

2. bibliographical /ˌbɪblɪəˈɡrafɪk(ə)l /

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from French bibliographie or modern Latin bibliographia, from Greek biblion ‘book’ + -graphia ‘writing’.

bibliolater /bɪblɪˈɒlətə/

I. noun

1. a person who is passionately enthusiastic about books

• maybe literature doesn't really have the power that bibliolaters like to claim.

2. a person who interprets the Bible on an extremely literal level

• bibliolaters would point to this passage as an amazing example of prophecy.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from biblio- + -later.

bibliomancy /ˈbɪblɪə(ʊ)mansi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of foretelling the future by interpreting a randomly chosen passage from a book, especially the Bible.

bibliomane /ˈbɪblɪəˌmeɪn/

I. noun

a person with a passionate enthusiasm for collecting and possessing books

• aren't bibliomanes supposed to collect books indiscriminately and wantonly?

– origin early 19th cent.: from biblio- + Greek manēs ‘mad’.

bibliomania /ˌbɪblɪə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. passionate enthusiasm for collecting and possessing books.

II. derivatives

bibliomaniac /ˌbɪblɪə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪak /

noun, adjective

bibliometrics

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. statistical analysis of books, articles, or other publications.

II. derivatives

bibliometric

adjective

bibliophile /ˈbɪblɪə(ʊ)fʌɪl/

I. noun

a person who collects or has a great love of books.

II. derivatives

1. bibliophilic

adjective

2. bibliophily /bɪblɪˈɒfɪli /

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from Greek biblion ‘book’ + philos ‘loving’.

bibliopole /ˈbɪblɪə(ʊ)pəʊl/

I. noun

‹archaic› a person who buys and sells books, especially rare ones.

– origin late 18th cent.: via Latin from Greek bibliopōlēs, from biblion ‘book’ + pōlēs ‘seller’.

Bibliothèque nationale /ˌbɪblɪəʊˌtɛk ˌnasjəˈnɑːl, French bibljotɛk nasjɔnal/

the French national library in Paris, which receives a copy of every book and periodical etc. published in France.

bibliotherapy /ˈbɪblɪə(ʊ)ˌθɛrəpi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of books as therapy in the treatment of mental or psychological disorders.

bib overalls

plural noun

(N. Amer.) dungarees.

bib tap

noun

another term for bibcock.

bibulous /ˈbɪbjʊləs/

I. adjective

‹formal› excessively fond of drinking alcohol.

II. derivatives

1. bibulously

adverb

2. bibulousness

noun

– origin late 17th cent. (in the sense ‘absorbent’): from Latin bibulus ‘freely or readily drinking’ (from bibere ‘to drink’) + -ous.

bicameral /bʌɪˈkam(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of a legislative body) having two chambers.

• a bicameral Parliament consisting of an appointed Senate and a popularly elected House of Assembly.

II. derivatives

bicameralism

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from bi- ‘two’ + Latin camera ‘chamber’ + -al.

bicarb /bʌɪˈkɑːb/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› sodium bicarbonate.

bicarbonate /bʌɪˈkɑːbəneɪt, bʌɪˈkɑːbənət/

noun

1. [Chemistry] a salt containing the anion HCO_3−.

2. (also bicarbonate of soda) [ mass noun] — sodium bicarbonate.

bice /bʌɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a medium blue or blue-green pigment made from basic copper carbonate.

– origin Middle English (originally in the sense ‘dark or brownish grey’): from Old French bis ‘dark grey’, of unknown ultimate origin.

bicentenary /ˌbʌɪsɛnˈtiːnəri, ˌbʌɪsɛnˈtɛnəri/

I. noun

the two-hundredth anniversary of a significant event.

• last year's commemoration of the bicentenary of Mozart's birth.

II. adjective

relating to a two-hundredth anniversary

• the huge bicentenary celebrations.

bicentennial /bʌɪsɛnˈtɛnɪəl/

noun, adjective

another term for bicentenary.

bicephalous /bʌɪˈsɛf(ə)ləs, bʌɪˈkɛf(ə)ləs/

I. adjective

having two heads.

– origin early 19th cent.: from bi- ‘two’ + Greek kephalē ‘head’ + -ous.

biceps /ˈbʌɪsɛps/

I. noun

1. any of several muscles having two points of attachment at one end, in particular:

2. (also biceps brachii) — a large muscle in the upper arm which turns the hand to face palm uppermost and flexes the arm and forearm.

• he clenched his fist and exhibited his bulging biceps.

3. (also biceps femoris or leg biceps) — [Anatomy] a muscle in the back of the thigh which helps to flex the leg.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘two-headed’, from bi- ‘two’ + -ceps (from caput ‘head’).

bichir /ˈbɪʃɪə/

I. noun

an elongated African freshwater fish with an armour of hard shiny scales and a series of separate fins along its back.
●Genus Polypterus, family Polypteridae: several species, including P. senegalus.

– origin 1960s: via French from dialect Arabic abu shīr.

bichon frise /biːʃ(ə)n ˈfriːz/

I. noun

a small dog of a breed with a fine, curly white coat.

– origin from French barbichon ‘little water spaniel’ + frisé ‘curly-haired’.

bicker /ˈbɪkə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. argue about petty and trivial matters

• couples who bicker over who gets what from the divorce.

2. ‹literary› (of water) flow or fall with a gentle repetitive noise; patter.

• against the glass the rain did beat and bicker.

3. (of a flame or light) flash, gleam, or flicker.

• the restless wheels whose flashing spokes bicker and burn.

II. derivatives

bickerer

noun

– origin Middle English: of unknown origin.

bicky /ˈbɪki / bikky

I. noun

‹informal› a biscuit.

II. phrases

big bickies

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a large sum of money

• just showing up is worth big bickies.

– origin 1930s: diminutive of biscuit.

bicoastal /baɪˈkəʊst(ə)l/

adjective

(US) living on, taking place in, or involving both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the US

• a bicoastal businessman.

bicolour

I. adjective

having two colours

• a male bicolour damselfish.

II. noun

a bicolour flower or breed.

III. derivatives

bicoloured

adjective, noun

biconcave /bʌɪˈkɒnkeɪv/

adjective

concave on both sides.

biconvex /bʌɪˈkɒnvɛks/

adjective

convex on both sides.

bicultural

I. adjective

having or combining the cultural attitudes and customs of two nations, peoples, or ethnic groups.

• there is too little recognition of the children's bilingual and bicultural status.

II. derivatives

biculturalism

noun

bi-curious /ˌbʌɪˈkjʊərɪəs/

I. adjective

(of a heterosexual person) interested in having a sexual experience with a person of the same sex

• the small ads feature an increasing number of bi-curious people seeking fun without strings.

• two of the women voiced their positions as bi-curious, but were still very much interested in men.

– origin 1990s: blend of bisexual and curious.

bicuspid /bʌɪˈkʌspɪd/

I. adjective

having two cusps or points.

II. noun

a tooth with two cusps, especially a human premolar tooth.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from bi- ‘two’ + Latin cuspis, cuspid- ‘sharp point’.

bicuspid valve

noun

[Anatomy] another term for mitral valve.

bicycle /ˈbʌɪsɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

a vehicle consisting of two wheels held in a frame one behind the other, propelled by pedals and steered with handlebars attached to the front wheel.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. ride a bicycle

• they spent the holidays bicycling around the beautiful Devonshire countryside.

III. derivatives

bicyclist /ˈbʌɪsɪklɪst /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from bi- ‘two’ + Greek kuklos ‘wheel’.

bicycle chain

noun

a chain that transmits the driving power from the pedals of a bicycle to its rear wheel.

bicycle clip

noun

each of a pair of metal clips worn by a cyclist round their ankles to prevent their trouser legs from becoming entangled with the bicycle chain.

bicycle pump

noun

a portable pump for inflating bicycle tyres.

bicyclic /bʌɪˈsʌɪklɪk, bʌɪˈsɪklɪk/

adjective

[Chemistry] having two fused rings of atoms in its molecule.

bid^1 /bɪd/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — offer (a certain price) for something, especially at an auction

• a consortium of dealers bid a world record price for a snuff box

• [no obj.] guests will bid for pieces of fine jewellery.

2. [no obj.] ( bid for) — (of a contractor) offer to do (work) for a stated price; tender for

• nineteen companies have indicated their intention to bid for the contract.

3. [Bridge] make a statement during the auction undertaking to make (a certain number of tricks with a stated suit as trumps) if the bid is successful and one becomes the declarer

• North bids four hearts.

4. [no obj.] — make an effort or attempt to achieve
[with infinitive]

• she's now bidding to become a top female model

• the two forwards are bidding for places in the England side.

II. noun

1. an offer of a price, especially at an auction

• at the fur tables, several buyers make bids for the pelts.

2. an offer to buy the shares of a company in order to gain control of it

• a takeover bid.

3. an offer to do work or supply goods at a stated price; a tender.

• a number of businessmen were keen to make a bid for the £75 million contract.

4. [Bridge] an undertaking by a player in the auction to make a stated number of tricks with a stated suit as trumps.

• a bid of three spades.

5. an attempt or effort to achieve something

• he made a bid for power in 1984

• [with infinitive] an investigation would be carried out in a bid to establish what had happened.

– origin Old English bēodan ‘to offer, command’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bieden and German bieten.

bid^2 /bɪd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. utter (a greeting or farewell) to

• James bade a tearful farewell to his parents.

2. ‹archaic› ‹literary› command or order (someone) to do something

• I did as he bade me.

3. invite (someone) to do something

• he bade his companions enter.

II. phrases

bid fair to

‹archaic› ‹literary› seem likely to

• the girl bade fair to be pretty.

– origin Old English biddan ‘ask’, of Germanic origin; related to German bitten.

bidarka /bʌɪˈdɑːkə/

I. noun

a canoe covered with animal skins, used by the Inuit of Alaska and adjacent regions.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Russian baĭdarka, diminutive of baĭdara ‘an umiak’.

biddable /ˈbɪdəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. meekly ready to accept and follow instructions.

• a biddable, sweet-natured child.

2. [Bridge] strong enough to justify a bid.

II. derivatives

biddability /bɪdəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

bidden /ˈbɪdn/

archaic or literary past participle of bid^2.

bidder /ˈbɪdə/

noun

a person or organization making a formal offer for something, especially at an auction

• she was the highest bidder for this rare portrait

• his government's preferred bidder for the contract.

bidding /ˈbɪdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the offering of particular prices for something, especially at an auction.

• other companies in the bidding include General Electric.

2. the prices offered during the course of bidding for something

• the bidding rose to £280,000.

3. (in bridge and whist) the action of stating before play how many tricks one intends to make.

4. the ordering or requesting of someone to do something

• women came running at his bidding

• Balfour refused to do their bidding.

bidding paddle

noun

a paddle-shaped baton, typically marked with an identifying number, used to signal bids at auctions.

bidding prayer

noun

(in church use) a prayer in the form of an invitation by a minister or leader to the congregation to pray about something.

biddy /ˈbɪdi/

I. noun

‹informal› a woman, especially an elderly one, regarded as annoying or interfering

• the old biddies were muttering in his direction.

– origin early 17th cent. (originally denoting a chicken): of unknown origin; probably influenced by the use of biddy denoting an Irish maidservant, from Biddy, pet form of the given name Bridget.

bide /bʌɪd/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of place]

1. ‹archaic› ‹dialect› remain or stay somewhere

• how long must I bide here to wait for the answer?

II. phrases

bide one's time

wait quietly for a good opportunity to do something

• she patiently bided her time before making an escape bid.

– origin Old English bīdan, of Germanic origin.

bidet /ˈbiːdeɪ/

I. noun

a low oval basin used for washing one's genital and anal area.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘horse’): from French, literally ‘pony’, from bider ‘to trot’, of unknown origin.

bidi /ˈbiːdiː / beedi, biri

I. noun

(in South Asia) a type of cheap cigarette made of unprocessed tobacco wrapped in leaves.

– origin from Hindi bīḍi ‘betel plug, cigar’, from Sanskrit vīṭikā.

bidirectional /bʌɪdɪˈrɛkʃ(ə)n(ə)l, bʌɪdʌɪˈrɛkʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

adjective

functioning in two directions.

bidon /ˈbiːdɒ̃̃/

I. noun

a container for water or other liquids, particularly as used by cyclists

• never ride with an empty bidon or a full bladder.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French.

bidonville /ˈbɪd(ə)nvɪl/

I. noun

a shanty town built of oil drums or other metal containers, especially on the outskirts of a North African city.

– origin 1950s: from French, from bidon ‘container for liquids’ + ville ‘town’.

bid price

noun

the price at which a market-maker or dealer is prepared to buy securities or other assets.
Compare with offer price.

bidri /ˈbɪdri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alloy of copper, lead, tin, and zinc, used as a ground for inlaying with gold and silver.
[in combination]

• bidri-ware.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Urdu bidrī, from Bidar, the name of a town in India.

Biedermeier /ˈbiːdəˌmʌɪə/

I. adjective

denoting or relating to a style of furniture and interior decoration current in Germany in the period 1815–48, characterized by restraint, conventionality, and utilitarianism.

– origin from the name of Gottlieb Biedermaier, a fictitious German provincial schoolmaster and poet created by L. Eichrodt (1854).

Bielefeld /ˈbiːləˌfɛlt/

an industrial city in North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany; pop. 325,800 (est. 2006).

biennale /ˌbiːɛˈnɑːleɪ, ˌbiːɛˈnɑːli/

I. noun

a large art exhibition or music festival, especially one held biennially.

– origin 1930s (used originally as the name of an international art exhibition held in Venice): from Italian, literally ‘biennial’.

biennial /bʌɪˈɛnɪəl/

I. adjective

1. taking place every other year

• the first of a series of biennial exhibitions.

Compare with biannual.

2. (of a plant) taking two years to grow from seed to fruition and die.
Compare with annual, perennial.

II. noun

1. a biennial plant.

2. an event celebrated or taking place every two years.

• the top antiques fairs are the Milan and Florence biennials.

III. derivatives

biennially /bʌɪˈɛniəli /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin biennis (from bi- ‘twice’ + annus ‘year’) + -al. / usage: Biennial and biannual are often confused. Biennial means 'occurring every two years' ( the biennial Ryder Cup tournament), while biannual means 'twice a year' ( the solstice is a biannual event). See also usage at bi-.

biennium /bʌɪˈɛnɪəm/

I. noun — (usu. the biennium)

1. a specified period of two years

• the budget for the next biennium.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin, from bi- ‘twice’ + annus ‘year’.

bien pensant /ˌbjã pɒ̃ˈsɒ̃, French bjɛ̃ pɑ̃sɑ̃/

I. adjective

conventional or orthodox in attitude.

II. noun — ( bien-pensant)

1. a conventional or orthodox person.

– origin French, from bien ‘well’ + pensant, present participle of penser ‘think’.

bier /bɪə/

I. noun

a movable frame on which a coffin or a corpse is placed before burial or cremation or on which they are carried to the grave.

– origin Old English bēr, of Germanic origin; related to German Bahre, also to bear^1.

Bierce, Ambrose /bɪəs/

(1842– c. 1914), American writer, best known for his sardonic short stories and The Devil's Dictionary (1911); full name Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce. In 1913 he travelled to Mexico and mysteriously disappeared.

bierkeller /ˈbɪəkɛlə/

I. noun

a bar or pub in Austria or Germany, especially one in a basement

• Munich's bierkellers were quite the splendid place to spend a day.

– origin German Bierkeller ‘beer cellar’.

BIF

abbreviation

Burundian franc(s).

biface /ˈbʌɪfeɪs/

noun

[Archaeology] a type of prehistoric stone implement flaked on both faces.

bifacial

adjective

1. having two faces, in particular:

2. [Botany] (of a leaf) having upper and lower surfaces that are structurally different.

3. [Archaeology] (of a flint or other artefact) worked on both faces.

biff /bɪf / ‹informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. strike (someone) roughly or sharply with the fist

• he biffed me on the nose.

II. noun

a sharp blow with the fist.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US): symbolic of a short sharp movement.

biffin

I. noun

an English cooking apple of a dark red variety.

– origin late 18th cent.: representing a dialect pronunciation of beefing, from beef + -ing^1, with reference to the colour.

biffo

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› physical or verbal conflict

• he got a red card for a bit of biffo in the box with the keeper.

bifid /ˈbʌɪfɪd/

I. adjective

[Botany] [Zoology] (of a part of a plant or animal) divided by a deep cleft or notch into two parts

• a bifid leaf

• the gut is bifid.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin bifidus, from bi- ‘doubly’ + fidus (from findere ‘to split’).

bifilar /bʌɪˈfʌɪlə/

I. adjective

consisting of or involving two threads or wires.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from bi- ‘two’ + filum ‘thread’ + -ar^1.

bifocal /bʌɪˈfəʊk(ə)l/

I. adjective

denoting a lens having two parts each with a different focal length, one for distant vision and one for near vision.

II. noun — ( bifocals)

1. a pair of glasses with bifocal lenses.

bifold

adjective

double or twofold.

bifter

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a cigarette or a cannabis cigarette.

– origin 1980s: of unknown origin.

BIFU

abbreviation

(in the UK) Banking, Insurance, and Finance Union.

bifurcate

I. verb — bifurcate /ˈbʌɪfəkeɪt /

1. divide into two branches or forks
[no obj.]

• just below Cairo the river bifurcates

• [with obj.] the trail was bifurcated by a mountain stream.

II. adjective — bifurcate /bʌɪˈfəːkət /

1. divided into two branches or forks

• a bifurcate tree.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin bifurcat- ‘divided into two forks’, from the verb bifurcare, from Latin bifurcus ‘two-forked’, from bi- ‘having two’ + furca ‘a fork’.

bifurcation /bʌɪfəˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the division of something into two branches or parts.

• the bifurcation of the profession.

2. [ count noun] — either of two branches into which something divides.

big /bɪɡ/

I. adjective

1. of considerable size or extent

• her big hazel eyes

• big buildings

• big staff cuts.

2. [ attrib.] — larger than other items of the same kind

• my big toe.

3. grown-up

• I'm a big girl now.

4. [ attrib.] — elder

• my big sister.

5. ‹informal› on an ambitiously large scale

• a small company with big plans.

6. [ attrib.] — ‹informal› doing a specified action very often or on a very large scale

• a big eater

• a big gambler.

7. [ attrib.] — ‹informal› showing great enthusiasm

• a big tennis fan.

8. of considerable importance or seriousness

• it's a big decision

• his biggest problem is money

• he made a big mistake.

9. ‹informal› very popular or successful

• African bands which are big in Britain.

10. ‹informal› holding an important position or playing an influential role

• as a senior in college, he was a big man on campus.

11. [ predic.] — ‹informal› ‹often ironic› generous

• ‘I'm inclined to take pity on you.’ ‘That's big of you!’.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( big something up)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› praise or recommend something highly

• the record's been on the streets a while now, but it's certainly still worth bigging up.

III. noun — ( the bigs)

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› the major league in a professional sport.

IV. phrases

1. big with child

‹archaic› in a late stage of pregnancy.

2. the Big Board

(US) ‹informal› the New York Stock Exchange.

3. big cheese

see cheese^2.

4. Big Chief Big Daddy

‹informal› a person in authority; the head of an organization or enterprise.

5. the big five

a name given by hunters to the five largest and most dangerous African mammals: rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo, lion, and leopard.

6. the big idea

‹chiefly ironic› a clever or important intention or scheme

• the government's big idea was to make public services competitive.

7. the big lie

a gross distortion or misrepresentation of the facts, especially when used as a propaganda device by a politician or official body.

8. big money ‹chiefly N. Amer.› big bucks

‹informal› large amounts of money.

• Emily earns big bucks on Wall Street.

9. big name /bɪɡ ˈneɪm / big noise

‹informal› a person who is famous in a particular sphere

• he's a big name in athletics.

10. the big screen

‹informal› the cinema.

11. big shot

‹informal› an important or influential person.

12. the big stick

‹informal› the use or threat of force or power

• the authorities used quiet persuasion instead of the big stick.

13. the Big Three (or Four etc.)

‹informal› the three, four, etc., most important or powerful figures in a particular field

• increased competition between the Big Three cider-makers.

14. come (or go) over big

‹informal› have a great effect; be a success

• the story went over big with the children.

15. give someone the big E

(Brit.) ‹informal› reject someone.
[ E from elbow.]

16. in a big way

‹informal› to a great extent or high degree

• he contributed to the film in a big way.

17. make it big

‹informal› become very successful or famous.

18. talk big

‹informal› talk boastfully or overconfidently.

• Henry was new to the job but he was already talking big.

19. think big

‹informal› be ambitious.

20. too big for one's boots ( ‹or dated› breeches)

‹informal› conceited.

V. derivatives

1. biggish

adjective

2. bigness /ˈbɪɡnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘strong, mighty’): of unknown origin.

big air

noun

a high jump in sports such as skateboarding, snowboarding, and BMX.

bigamy /ˈbɪɡəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the offence of marrying someone while already married to another person.

II. derivatives

1. bigamist /ˈbɪɡəmɪst /

noun

2. bigamous /ˈbɪɡəməs /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French bigamie, from bigame ‘bigamous’, from late Latin bigamus, from bi- ‘twice’ + Greek -gamos ‘married’.

Big Apple ‹informal›

( the Big Apple)

1. a name for New York (sense 2):

• she flew into the Big Apple on Thursday.

big band

noun

a large group of musicians playing jazz or dance music
[as modifier]

• the big-band sound.

Big Bang /bɪɡ ˈbaŋ/

noun

1.
a. [Astronomy] the rapid expansion of matter from a state of extremely high density and temperature which according to current cosmological theories marked the origin of the universe.

A fireball of radiation at extremely high temperature and density, but occupying a tiny volume, is believed to have formed around 13.7 billion years ago. This expanded and cooled, extremely fast at first, but more slowly as subatomic particles condensed into matter which later accumulated to form galaxies and stars. The galaxies are currently still retreating from one another. What was left of the original radiation continued to cool and has been detected as a uniform background of weak microwave radiation.

2. (in the UK) the introduction in 1986 of major changes in trading on the Stock Exchange, principally involving widening of membership, relaxation of rules for brokers, and computerization.

Big Ben /bɪɡˈbɛn/

the great clock tower of the Houses of Parliament in London and its bell.

Big Bend National Park

a US national park in a bend of the Rio Grande, in the desert lands of southern Texas on the border with Mexico, in which were discovered, in 1975, fossil remains of the pterosaur.

big-boned

adjective

(of a person or animal) of larger than average build

• a physically imposing man, tall and big-boned.

big box

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a very large store which sells goods at discount prices, especially one specializing in a particular type of merchandise.

big break

noun

‹informal› an opportunity or chance that leads to professional success, especially in sport or show business

• she is an out-of-work actress waiting tables until she gets her big break.

big-breasted big-bosomed

adjective

(of a woman) having large breasts

• big-breasted fantasy women.

Big Brother

noun

1. a person or organization exercising total control over people's lives.

• Big Brother will be watching you from this week when spy cameras start to operate in Essex.

• [as modifier] for executives who want the Big Brother touch, there are monitoring systems to keep track of employees.

[1950s: from the name of the head of state in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949).]

2. (Austral.) ‹historical› a member of a voluntary organization founded in 1925 which provided foster care for young British immigrants to Australia

• he had the honour to be a Big Brother to one of them.

big bud

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease of blackcurrant bushes in which the buds become swollen due to the presence of gall mites.
●The mite is Cecidophyopsis ribis, family Eriophyidae.

big-budget

adjective

involving the expenditure of a large amount of money

• the book was made into a big-budget Hollywood film.

big business

noun — [ mass noun]

1. large-scale or important financial or commercial activity

• the children's toy market is big business now.

big cat

noun

any of the large members of the cat family, including the lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, snow leopard, clouded leopard, cheetah, and puma.
● Panthera and other genera, family Felidae.

big crunch

noun

[Astronomy] a contraction of the universe to a state of extremely high density and temperature (a hypothetical opposite of the big bang).

big data

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] extremely large data sets that may be analysed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations, especially relating to human behaviour and interactions

• much IT investment is going towards managing and maintaining big data.

big day

noun

1. a very important or significant day

• it was a big day for country music

• the children enjoyed themselves preparing for their big day.

2. a person's wedding day

• wedding shops serve happy couples as they prepare for their big day.

big dipper

noun

1. (Brit.) a roller coaster.

2. ( the Big Dipper) — North American term for plough (sense 2 of the noun).

big dry

noun

( the big dry) — (Austral.) the dry season in any part of Australia

• a tour of his property revealed the full impact of the big dry.

Big Easy ‹informal›

( the Big Easy)

1. a name for New Orleans:

• parking is never easy in the Big Easy but during the Mardi Gras season it becomes nearly impossible.

big end

noun

(in a piston engine) the larger end of the connecting rod, encircling the crankpin.

bi-gender bi-gendered

adjective

denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity encompasses two genders

• she realized that she missed the feminine side of herself and gradually realized that she was bi-gender.

bigener /ˈbʌɪdʒɪnə/

I. noun

[Botany] a hybrid produced by crossing plants of two different genera.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Latin, from bi- + genus, gener-genus.

bigeneric /ˌbʌɪdʒɪˈnɛrɪk/

adjective

[Botany] relating to or denoting a hybrid between two genera.

bigeye

noun

1. (also bigeye tuna) — a large migratory tuna which is found in warm seas and is very important to the fishing industry.
● Thunnus obesus, family Scombridae.

2. a reddish fish with large eyes which lives in moderately deep waters of the tropical Atlantic and the western Indian Ocean. Also called catalufa.
● Priacanthus arenatus, family Priacanthidae.

Bigfoot

I. noun

a large, hairy apelike creature resembling a yeti, supposedly found in NW America.
See also Sasquatch.

– origin from the size of its footprints.

big game

noun — [ mass noun]

1. large animals hunted for sport.
[as modifier]

• a big-game hunter.

biggie /ˈbɪɡi/

I. noun

‹informal› a big, important, or successful person or thing

• composers including most of the biggies like Brahms, Wagner, or Mendelssohn.

II. phrases

no biggie

‹informal› used to indicate that something is of little consequence

• no biggie, I'm not in a hurry.

– origin 1920s: from big + -ie.

big government

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) government perceived as excessively interventionist and intruding into all aspects of the lives of its citizens.

bigha /ˈbiːɡə/

I. noun

(in South Asia) a measure of land area varying locally from ⅓ to 1 acre (1/8 to 2/5 hectare).

– origin from Hindi bīghā.

big hair

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› a bouffant hairstyle, especially one that has been teased, permed, or sprayed to create volume.

big-head

noun

‹informal› a conceited or arrogant person.

big-headed /bɪɡˈhɛdɪd/

I. adjective

‹informal› conceited or arrogant

• I'm trying not to get too big-headed.

II. derivatives

big-headedness /ˈbɪɡhɛdɪdnəs /

noun

big-hearted

adjective

(of a person or action) kind and generous.

• the big-hearted bunch have decided to donate their winnings to a local charity.

bighorn bighorn sheep

noun

a stocky brown wild sheep with large horns, found in North America and NE Asia.
●Genus Ovis, family Bovidae: two species, in particular the American bighorn O. canadensis (also called mountain sheep), found chiefly in the Rocky Mountains.

big house

noun — (usu. the big house)

1. the largest house in a village or area, typically inhabited by a family of high social standing.

2. (US) ‹informal› a prison.

bight /bʌɪt/

I. noun

1. a curve or recess in a coastline, river, or other geographical feature.

2. a loop of rope.

– origin Old English byht ‘a bend or angle’, of Germanic origin; related to bow^2.

big league

I. noun

1. a group of teams in a professional sport, especially baseball, competing for a championship at the highest level.

2. ( the big league) — ‹informal› a very successful or important group

• the film brought him into the movie world's big league.

II. derivatives

big leaguer

noun

big media

noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the main means of mass communication, i.e. television, radio, and the press, as opposed to blogs or other personal websites.

big mob

noun

(chiefly Austral./NZ) a large number or quantity

• a busy barrister was likely to have earned big mobs of money over the years.

big mouth /ˈbɪɡ maʊθ/

I. noun

‹informal› an indiscreet or boastful person.

II. derivatives

big-mouthed /ˈbɪɡmaʊðd /

adjective

big-note

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (Austral./NZ) display one's wealth ostentatiously

• I don't want them to think I'm big-noting.

2. [with obj.] ( big-note oneself) — (Austral./NZ) exaggerate one's importance or achievements

• it was an attempt by a local businessman to big-note himself with the local MP.

– origin 1940s: a reference to large-denomination banknotes which, in pre-decimal currency, were also larger in size than the smaller denominations.

big noter

noun

(Austral./NZ) a person who exaggerates their importance or achievements

• he was the worst kind of egomaniac, big-noter, and attention seeker.

bigot /ˈbɪɡət/

I. noun

a person who is intolerant towards those holding different opinions

• don't let a few small-minded bigots destroy the good image of the city.

• he was a fanatical bigot.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a superstitious religious hypocrite): from French, of unknown origin.

bigoted /ˈbɪɡətɪd/

I. adjective

obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, or faction, and intolerant towards other people's beliefs and practices

• a bigoted group of reactionaries

• a bigoted article.

II. derivatives

bigotedly

adverb

bigotry /ˈbɪɡətri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself

• the difficulties of combating prejudice and bigotry.

– origin late 17th cent.: from bigot, reinforced by French bigoterie.

bigram /ˈbʌɪɡram/

noun

[Linguistics] a pair of consecutive written units such as letters, syllables, or words.

• the method of encipherment required the message to be written in bigrams.

big science

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› scientific research that is expensive and involves large teams of scientists.

big society

noun — (usu. the big society)

1. (Brit.) a concept whereby a significant amount of responsibility for the running of a society is devolved to local communities and volunteers.

big spit

noun

( the big spit) — (Austral./NZ) an act of vomiting

• her hubby was over the rails going for the big spit

• suddenly he was clutching his stomach and doing the big spit again.

big sticks

plural noun

[Australian Rules] ‹informal› the main goalposts, as distinct from the behind posts

• they were sloppy in front of the big sticks.

Big Stoush

noun

( the Big Stoush) — (Austral.) ‹informal› the First World War

• I was one of those individuals deemed unfit for active service during the Big Stoush.

Big Sunday

noun

(Austral.) (in traditional Aboriginal culture) a major religious ceremony

• he was heavily involved in organising Big Sunday.

big tent

noun

used in reference to a political party's policy of permitting or encouraging a broad spectrum of views among its members
[as modifier]

• we're running a big-tent campaign.

big-ticket

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› constituting a major expense

• big-ticket items such as cars, houses, and expensive vacations.

big time ‹informal›

I. noun — ( the big time)

1. the highest or most successful level in a career, especially in entertainment

• a bit-part actor who finally made the big time in Hollywood.

II. adverb

on a large scale; to a great extent

• this time they've messed up big time.

III. derivatives

big-timer

noun

big top

noun

the main tent in a circus.

big tree

noun

North American term for giant redwood (see redwood).

biguanide /bʌɪˈɡwɑːnʌɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a crystalline compound with basic properties, made by condensation of two guanidine molecules.
●Chem. formula: NH(C(NH)(NH_2))2.

big wet

noun

( the big wet) — (Austral./NZ) the rainy season in any part of Australia

• we carried out more maintenance in preparation for the big wet.

big wheel

noun

1. (Brit.) a Ferris wheel.

2. North American term for bigwig.

bigwig /ˈbɪɡwɪɡ/

I. noun

‹informal› an important person, especially in a particular sphere

• government bigwigs.

– origin early 18th cent.: so named from the large wigs formerly worn by distinguished men.

BIH

I. abbreviation

Bosnia and Herzegovina.

– origin from Bosnian Bosna i Hercegovina.

Bihar /bɪˈhɑː/

a state in NE India; capital, Patna.

Bihari /bɪˈhɑːri/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Bihar.

2. [ mass noun] — a group of three closely related Indic languages (Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Magahi) spoken principally in Bihar.

II. adjective

relating to Bihar, its peoples, or their languages.

– origin from Hindi Bihārī.

bijection /bʌɪˈdʒɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

[Mathematics] a mapping that is both one-to-one (an injection) and onto (a surjection), i.e. a function which relates each member of a set S (the domain) to a separate and distinct member of another set T (the range), where each member in T also has a corresponding member in S.

II. derivatives

bijective

adjective

bijou /ˈbiːʒuː/

I. adjective

(chiefly Brit.) (especially of a house or flat) small and elegant.

• a bijou residence.

II. noun

‹archaic› a jewel or trinket.

– origin French, from Breton bizou ‘finger ring’, from biz ‘finger’.

bijouterie /biːˈʒuːt(ə)ri French bijutʀi//

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. jewellery or trinkets.

– origin French, from bijou.

bike^1 /bʌɪk/

I. noun

a bicycle or motorcycle.

• I'm going by bike.

• [as modifier] a bike ride.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. ‹informal› ride a bicycle or motorcycle

• Danny bikes to the park and back every day.

2. [with obj.] — ‹informal› (Brit.) cause (a letter or package) to be delivered by bicycle or motorcycle

• I'll get them to bike the scripts over.

III. phrases

1. get off one's bike

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› become annoyed.

2. on your bike!

(Brit.) ‹informal› go away (used as an expression of annoyance).

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation.

bikeable /ˈbʌɪkəb(ə)l / bikable

adjective

(of an environment) suitable or safe for cyclists

• a bikeable city

• the priority is to make neighbourhoods more bikeable.

biker /ˈbʌɪkə/

noun

1. ‹informal› a motorcyclist, especially one who is a member of a gang or group.

• a biker was involved in a collision with a car.

2. ‹informal› a cyclist.

• a mountain biker.

bikeway /ˈbʌɪkweɪ/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a path or lane for the use of bicycles.

bikie

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a member of a gang of motorcyclists.

bikini /bɪˈkiːni/

I. noun

a two-piece swimming costume for women.

• Karen put on a yellow sun dress over her bikini.

• [as modifier] a bikini top.

– origin 1940s: named after Bikini, where an atom bomb was exploded in 1946 (because of the supposed ‘explosive’ effect created by the garment).

Bikini /bɪˈkiːni/

an atoll in the Marshall Islands, in the western Pacific, used by the US between 1946 and 1958 as a site for testing nuclear weapons.

bikini briefs

plural noun

scanty briefs worn by women as underwear.

bikini line

noun

the area of skin around the edge of the bottom half of a bikini (used especially with reference to the cosmetic removal of the pubic hair in this area).

bikini wax

noun

a cosmetic treatment in which unwanted pubic hair is removed from the bikini line by applying hot wax and then peeling off the wax and hair together.

Biko, Steve /ˈbiːkəʊ/

(1946–77), South African radical leader; full name Stephen Bantu Biko. He was banned from political activity in 1973; after his death in police custody he became a symbol of heroic resistance to apartheid.

Bikol /bɪˈkɒl / Bicol

I. noun

1. a member of an indigenous people of SE Luzon in the Philippines.

2. [ mass noun] — the Austronesian language of the Bikol, with over 3 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Bikol or their language.

Bikram yoga /ˈbɪkram/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a type of hatha yoga characterized by a set series of postures and breathing exercises, performed in a room heated to a very high temperature.

– origin 1980s: named after the Indian yoga teacher Bikram Choudhury (b. 1946), who developed it.

BIL

I. noun

‹informal› a person's brother-in-law

• my Gran's sister married her BIL.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation.

bilabial /bʌɪˈleɪbɪəl/

I. adjective

[Phonetics] (of a speech sound) formed by closure or near closure of the lips, e.g. p, b, m, w.

II. noun

a bilabial consonant sound.

bilal /bɪˈlɑːl/

I. noun

(in Malaysia) a muezzin.

– origin Malay, from Arabic Bilal, the first name of an Abyssinian slave appointed as the first muezzin following Muhammad's pilgrimage to Mecca in 629.

bilateral /bʌɪˈlat(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. having or relating to two sides; affecting both sides

• bilateral hearing.

2. involving two parties, especially countries

• the bilateral agreements with Japan.

II. derivatives

bilaterally /bʌɪˈlat(ə)rəli /

adverb

bilateral symmetry

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the property of being divisible into symmetrical halves on either side of a unique plane.

bilayer

noun

[Biochemistry] a film two molecules thick (formed e.g. by lipids), in which each molecule is arranged with its hydrophobic end directed inwards towards the opposite side of the film and its hydrophilic end directed outwards.

Bilbao /bɪlˈbaʊ, Spanish bilˈβao/

a seaport and industrial city in northern Spain; pop. 353,340 (2008).

bilberry /ˈbɪlb(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a small dark blue edible berry.

2. the hardy dwarf shrub that produces bilberries, growing on heathland and mountains in northern Eurasia.
●Genus Vaccinium, family Ericaceae: several species, in particular V. myrtillus.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare with Danish bøllebær.

bilbo

I. noun

a sword used in former times, noted for the temper and elasticity of its blade.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Bilboa, an earlier English form of the name Bilbao, noted for the manufacture of fine blades.

bilboes

I. plural noun

an iron bar with sliding shackles, formerly used for confining a prisoner's ankles.

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

bilby /ˈbɪlbi/

I. noun

another term for rabbit-eared bandicoot.

– origin late 19th cent.: probably from an Aboriginal language.

Bildungsroman /ˈbɪldʊŋzrəʊˌmɑːn/

I. noun

a novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education.

• the book is a bildungsroman of sorts, as Tull overcomes his abused childhood and learns about love.

– origin German, from Bildung ‘education’ + Roman ‘a novel’.

bile /bʌɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bitter greenish-brown alkaline fluid which aids digestion and is secreted by the liver and stored in the gall bladder.

2. anger, bitterness, or irritability

• his response was full of bile and hatred.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Latin bilis.

bile duct

noun

the duct which conveys bile from the liver and the gall bladder to the duodenum.

bi-level /ˈbʌɪlɛv(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. having or functioning on two levels; arranged on two planes

• a bi-level ventilation system.

2. (N. Amer.) denoting a style of two-storey house in which the lower storey is partially sunk below ground level, and the main entrance is between the two storeys.

3. denoting a railway carriage with seats on two levels.

II. noun

(N. Amer.) a bi-level house.

bilge /bɪldʒ/

I. noun

1. the area on the outer surface of a ship's hull where the bottom curves to meet the vertical sides.

2. ( bilges) — the lowest internal portion of the hull.

3. (also bilge water) [ mass noun] — dirty water that collects inside the bilges.

4. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› nonsense; rubbish

• romantic bilge dreamed up by journalists.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› break a hole in the bilge of (a ship).

– origin late 15th cent.: probably a variant of bulge.

bilge artist

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a person who habitually exaggerates or tells lies

• he's spent a lot of time listening to bilge artists bend the truth.

bilge keel

noun

each of a pair of plates or timbers fastened under the sides of the hull of a ship to provide lateral resistance to the water, prevent rolling, and support its weight in dry dock.

bilharzia /bɪlˈhɑːtsɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a chronic disease, endemic in parts of Africa and South America, caused by infestation with blood flukes (schistosomes).
Also called bilharziasis or schistosomiasis.

2. a blood fluke (schistosome).

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, former name of the genus Schistosoma, named after T. Bilharz (1825–62), the German physician who discovered the parasite.

bilharziasis /ˌbɪlhɑːˈtsʌɪəsɪs/

noun

[Medicine] another term for bilharzia (the disease).

biliary /ˈbɪlɪəri/

I. adjective

[Medicine] relating to bile or the bile duct.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French biliaire, from bile ‘bile’.

bilinear /bʌɪˈlɪnɪə/

adjective

1. [Mathematics] ‹rare› relating to or contained by two straight lines.

2. [Mathematics] relating to or denoting a function of two variables that is linear and homogeneous in both independently.

bilingual /bʌɪˈlɪŋɡw(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. speaking two languages fluently

• a bilingual secretary.

2. (of a text or an activity) written or conducted in two languages

• bilingual dictionaries

• bilingual education.

3. (of a country, city, or other community) using two languages, especially officially.

II. noun

a person fluent in two languages.

III. derivatives

bilingually

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin bilinguis, from bi- ‘having two’ + lingua ‘tongue’ + -al.

bilingualism /bʌɪˈlɪŋɡwəlɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. fluency in or use of two languages

• his proficient bilingualism

• earlier ads' playful bilingualism.

bilious /ˈbɪlɪəs/

I. adjective

1. affected by or associated with nausea or vomiting

• a bilious attack.

2. (of a colour) lurid or sickly

• a bilious yellow hue.

3. spiteful; bad-tempered

• his bilious temperament.

4. [Physiology] relating to bile.

II. derivatives

1. biliously

adverb

2. biliousness /ˈbɪlɪəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘biliary’): from Latin biliosus, from bilis ‘bile’.

bilirubin /ˌbɪlɪˈruːbɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an orange-yellow pigment formed in the liver by the breakdown of haemoglobin and excreted in bile.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from Latin bilis ‘bile’ + ruber ‘red’ + -in^1.

biliverdin /ˌbɪlɪˈvəːdɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a green pigment excreted in bile. It is an oxidized derivative of bilirubin.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin bilis ‘bile’ + French vert ‘green’ + -in^1.

bilk /bɪlk / ‹informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. obtain or withhold money from (someone) unfairly or by deceit; cheat or defraud

• government waste has bilked the taxpayer of billions of dollars.

2. obtain (money) fraudulently

• some businesses bilk thousands of dollars from unsuspecting elderly consumers.

3. ‹archaic› evade; elude.

II. derivatives

bilker

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally used in cribbage meaning ‘spoil one's opponent's score’): perhaps a variant of balk.

bill^1 /bɪl/

I. noun

1. a printed or written statement of the money owed for goods or services

• the bill for their meal came to £17.

2. a draft of a proposed law presented to parliament for discussion

• a debate over the civil rights bill.

3. a programme of entertainment at a theatre or cinema

• she was top of the bill at America's leading vaudeville house.

4. (N. Amer.) a banknote

• a ten-dollar bill.

5. a poster or handbill.
[as modifier]

• he has been hard at work bill posting in a poster and sticker campaign.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. list (a person or event) in a programme

• they were billed to appear but did not show up.

2. ( bill someone/thing as) — describe or advertise someone or something in a particular way

• he was billed as ‘the new Sean Connery’.

3. send a bill to (someone)

• we shall be billing them for the damage caused

• [with two objs] he had been billed £3,000 for his licence.

4. charge (a sum of money)

• we billed £400,000.

III. phrases

fit (or fill) the bill

be suitable for a particular purpose.

IV. derivatives

billable

adjective

– origin Middle English (denoting a written list or catalogue): from Anglo-Norman French bille, probably based on medieval Latin bulla ‘seal, sealed document’ (see also bull^2).

bill^2 /bɪl/

I. noun

1. the beak of a bird, especially when it is slender, flattened, or weak, or belongs to a web-footed bird or a bird of the pigeon family.

2. the muzzle of a platypus.

3. (N. Amer.) the peak of a cap.

4. the point of an anchor fluke.

5. [in place names] — a narrow promontory

• Portland Bill.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of birds, especially doves) stroke bill with bill during courtship.

III. phrases

bill and coo

‹informal› behave or talk in a very loving or sentimental way.

– origin Old English bile, of unknown origin.

bill^3 /bɪl/

I. noun

a medieval weapon like a halberd with a hook instead of a blade.

– origin Old English bil, of West Germanic origin; related to German Bille ‘axe’.

Bill /bɪl/

I. noun — ( the Bill or the Old Bill) [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› the police.

– origin 1960s: pet form of the given name William.

billabong /ˈbɪləbɒŋ/

I. noun

(Austral.) a branch of a river forming a backwater or stagnant pool, made by water flowing from the main stream during a flood.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Wiradhuri bilabang ‘channel that is dry except after rain’.

billboard /ˈbɪlbɔːd/

noun

a large outdoor board for displaying advertisements; a hoarding.

• the display of suggestive advertisements on billboards.

• [as modifier] a billboard advertising campaign.

billed /bɪld/

adjective — [in combination]

1. having a beak or bill of a specified kind

• black-billed and yellow-billed cuckoos.

billet^1 /ˈbɪlɪt/

I. noun

1. a place, especially a civilian's house, where soldiers are lodged temporarily.

• the sergeant gave them leave to rest while officers went in search of billets.

2. ‹informal› a place to stop or stay

• the young people's stay at each of their billets was short.

II. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of place]

1. lodge (soldiers) in a particular place, especially a civilian's house

• most of the army was billeted within the town.

2. assign temporary accommodation to

• the American team was billeted at Uxbridge.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting a short written document): from Anglo-Norman French billette, diminutive of bille (see bill^1). The verb is recorded in the late 16th cent., and the noun sense, ‘a written order requiring a householder to lodge the bearer, usually a soldier’, from the mid 17th cent.; hence the current meaning.

billet^2 /ˈbɪlɪt/

I. noun

1. a thick piece of wood.

2. a small bar of metal for further processing.

3. [Architecture] each of a series of short cylindrical pieces inserted at intervals in Norman decorative mouldings.

4. [Heraldry] a rectangle placed vertically as a charge.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French billette and billot, diminutives of bille ‘tree trunk’, from medieval Latin billa, billus ‘branch, trunk’, probably of Celtic origin.

billet-doux /ˌbɪleɪˈduː/

I. noun

‹dated› ‹humorous› a love letter.

• she was a constant recipient of billets-doux from the boys of the neighbouring school.

– origin late 17th cent.: French, literally ‘sweet note’.

billfish

noun

a large, fast-swimming fish of open seas, with a streamlined body and a long pointed spear-like snout. It occurs on the surface in warmer waters and is a popular sporting fish.
●Family Istiophoridae: three genera and several species, including the marlins, sailfish, and spearfish.

billfold /ˈbɪlfəʊld/

noun

(N. Amer.) a wallet.

billhook /ˈbɪlhʊk/

noun

a tool having a sickle-shaped blade with a sharp inner edge, used for pruning or lopping branches or other vegetation.

billiards /ˈbɪljədz/

I. plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. a game for two people, played on a billiard table, in which three balls are struck with cues into pockets round the edge of the table
(as modifier billiard)

• a billiard ball.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French billard, denoting both the game and the cue, diminutive of bille (see billet^2).

billiard table

noun

a smooth rectangular cloth-covered table used for billiards, snooker, and some forms of pool, with six pockets at the corners and sides into which the balls can be struck.

billing /ˈbɪlɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact of being advertised or described in a particular way

• they can justify their billing as Premier League favourites

• he shared top billing with his wife.

2. the process of preparing or sending invoices

• faster, more accurate order fulfilment and billing.

3. (usu. billings) — the total amount of business conducted in a given time, especially that of an advertising agency

• the account was worth about $2 million a year in billings.

Billingsgate

a London fish market dating from the 16th century. In 1982 the market moved to the Isle of Dogs in the East End.

Billings method

I. noun

a system for finding the time of ovulation by examining cervical mucus. It can be used as a form of birth control by avoiding sexual intercourse at that time.

– origin 1960s: named after Drs John and Evelyn Billings, who devised the method.

billion /ˈbɪljən/

I. cardinal number

1. the number equivalent to the product of a thousand and a million; 1,000,000,000 or 10^9

• a world population of nearly 5 billion

• half a billion dollars.

2. ( billions) — ‹informal› a very large number or amount of something

• our immune systems are killing billions of germs right now.

3. a billion pounds or dollars

• the problem persists despite the billions spent on it.

4. ‹dated› (Brit.) a million million (1,000,000,000,000 or 10^12).

II. derivatives

billionth /ˈbɪlɪənθ /

ordinal number

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from million, by substitution of the prefix bi- ‘two’ for the initial letters.

billionaire /bɪljəˈnɛː/

I. noun

a person possessing assets worth at least a billion pounds or dollars.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from billion, on the pattern of millionaire.

Billiton /bɪˈliːtɒn/

former name of Belitung.

bill of costs

noun

(Brit.) a solicitor's account of charges and expenses incurred while carrying out a client's business.

bill of exchange

noun

a written order to a person requiring them to make a specified payment to the signatory or to a named payee; a promissory note.

bill of fare

noun

1. ‹dated› a menu.

2. ‹dated› a programme for a theatrical event.

bill of goods

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a consignment of merchandise.

II. phrases

sell someone a bill of goods

(N. Amer.) deceive someone, especially by persuading them to accept something untrue or undesirable.

• she was sold a bill of goods about her low value in society.

bill of health

I. noun

a certificate relating to the incidence of infectious disease on a ship or in the port from which it has sailed.

II. phrases

a clean bill of health

a declaration or confirmation that someone is healthy or that something is in good condition.

• a survey gave the property a clean bill of health.

bill of indictment

noun

‹historical› (N. Amer.) a written accusation as presented to a grand jury.

bill of lading

noun

a detailed list of a ship's cargo in the form of a receipt given by the master of the ship to the person consigning the goods.

bill of quantities

noun

a detailed statement of work, prices, dimensions, and other details, for the erection of a building by contract.

Bill of Rights

noun

1. [Law] the English constitutional settlement of 1689, confirming the deposition of James II and the accession of William and Mary, guaranteeing the Protestant succession, and laying down the principles of parliamentary supremacy.

2. [Law] the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the US, ratified in 1791.

3. [Law] a formal declaration of the legal and civil rights of the citizens of any state, country, federation, etc.

• international law and the New Zealand Bill of Rights say that everyone has the right to seek asylum if they are found to be persecuted.

4. [Law] a document or piece of legislation setting out the rights or entitlements of a particular group or class of people

• a record label that offers a Bill of Rights for recording artists

• an airline passengers' Bill of Rights.

bill of sale

noun

a certificate of transfer of personal property, used especially where something is transferred as security for a debt.

billon /ˈbɪlən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alloy formerly used for coinage, containing gold or silver with a predominating amount of copper or other base metal.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, literally ‘bronze or copper money’, in Old French ‘ingot’, from bille (see billet^2).

billow /ˈbɪləʊ/

I. noun

1. a large undulating mass of something, typically cloud, smoke, or steam.

2. ‹archaic› a large sea wave.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (of fabric) fill with air and swell outwards

• her dress billowed out around her.

• (as adj. billowing) a billowing skirt and shirt.

2. (of smoke, cloud, or steam) move or flow outward with an undulating motion

• smoke was billowing from the chimney-mouth

• (as adj. billowing) all I could see was thick, billowing smoke.

III. derivatives

billowy /ˈbɪləʊi /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old Norse bylgja.

billposter /ˈbɪlpəʊstə / billsticker

I. noun

a person who pastes up advertisements on hoardings.

II. derivatives

billposting /ˈbɪlpəʊstɪŋ /

noun

billy^1 /ˈbɪli / billycan

I. noun

(chiefly Austral./NZ) a tin or enamel cooking pot with a lid and a wire handle, for use when camping

• Roger had our fire going and the billy boiling.

II. phrases

1. boil the billy

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› make tea

• they boil the billy for a morning cup of tea.

2. swing (or sling) the billy

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› prepare to make tea, especially as an act of hospitality.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably from Scots dialect billy-pot, possibly reinforced by bouilli tin or bully tin, an empty tin that had contained ‘bully beef’ (see bully^3), used as a cooking utensil.

billy^2 /ˈbɪli/

I. noun

1. short for billy goat.

2. (also billy club) — (N. Amer.) a truncheon.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Billy, pet form of the given name William.

billy boy

noun

(Austral./NZ) a boy who makes tea and does other jobs for a group of workers

• pity help any billy boy who didn't have the water ready on time.

billy bread

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) a type of bread, originally cooked in a billy over an open fire

• buttered billy bread.

billycart

I. noun

(Austral.) a go-kart.

– origin 1920s (in the sense ‘a small handcart’): perhaps from billy^2: formerly such carts were sometimes pulled by a goat.

billycock /ˈbɪlɪkɒk/

I. noun

‹historical› a kind of bowler hat.

– origin mid 19th cent.: said to be from the name of William Coke, nephew of Thomas William Coke, Earl of Leicester (1752–1842).

billyful /ˈbɪlɪfʊl/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) as much as can be held or carried in a billy

• he'd gone down to the creek for a billyful of water.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from billy^1 + -ful.

billy goat

noun

a male goat.

billy-o /ˈbɪlɪəʊ/

I. noun — (in phrase like billy-o)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› very much, hard, or strongly

• I had to run like billy-o.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

billy tea

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) tea brewed in a billy

• he joined the rest of the drovers for more billy tea.

bilobed /bʌɪˈləʊbd / bilobate

adjective

having or consisting of two lobes.

bilocation /ˌbʌɪlə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the supposed phenomenon of being in two places simultaneously.

biltong /ˈbɪltɒŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly S. African) lean meat which is salted and dried in strips.

– origin Afrikaans, from Dutch bil ‘buttock’ + tong ‘tongue’.

Bim /bɪm/

I. noun

‹informal› a native or inhabitant of Barbados.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

BIM

abbreviation

British Institute of Management.

bimanual

I. adjective

performed with both hands.

II. derivatives

bimanually

adverb

bimble /ˈbɪmb(ə)l / ‹Brit. informal›

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. walk or travel at a leisurely pace

• on Sunday we bimbled around Spitalfields and Brick Lane.

II. noun

a leisurely walk or journey

• we were enjoying a pleasant bimble over the rocks.

– origin 1980s: probably an alteration of bumble.

bimbo /ˈbɪmbəʊ/

I. noun

‹informal› ‹derogatory› an attractive but unintelligent or frivolous young woman.

II. derivatives

bimbette

noun

– origin early 20th cent. (originally in the sense ‘fellow, chap’): from Italian, literally ‘little child’.

bi-media

adjective

involving or working in two of the mass communication media, especially radio and television

• a bi-media journalist.

bimetallic /bʌɪmɪˈtalɪk/

I. adjective

1. made of two metals.

2. ‹historical› relating to bimetallism.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French bimétallique, from bi- ‘two’ + métallique ‘metallic’.

bimetallic strip /bʌɪmətalɪkˈstrɪp/

noun

a temperature-sensitive electrical contact used in some thermostats, consisting of two bands of different metals joined lengthwise. When heated, the metals expand at different rates, causing the strip to bend.

bimetallism /bʌɪˈmɛt(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› a system of allowing the unrestricted currency of two metals (e.g. gold and silver) as legal tender at a fixed ratio to each other.

II. derivatives

bimetallist /ˌbʌɪˈmɛtəlɪst /

noun

bimillenary /ˌbʌɪmɪˈlɛnəri, ˌbʌɪmɪˈliːnəri, bʌɪˈmɪlənəri/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. relating to a period of two thousand years or a two-thousandth anniversary.

II. noun

a period of two thousand years or a two-thousandth anniversary.

bimodal

adjective

having or involving two modes, in particular (of a statistical distribution) having two maxima.

bimolecular

adjective

[Chemistry] consisting of or involving two molecules.

bimonthly /bʌɪˈmʌnθli/

I. adjective

occurring or produced twice a month or every two months

• a bimonthly newsletter.

II. adverb

twice a month or every two months.

• the magazine appears bimonthly.

III. noun

a periodical produced twice a month or every two months.

bin /bɪn / ‹Brit.›

I. noun

1. a receptacle in which to deposit rubbish.

2. [with modifier] — a capacious receptacle for storing a specified substance

• a compost bin.

3. a partitioned stand for storing bottles of wine.

4. [Statistics] each of a series of ranges of numerical value into which data are sorted in statistical analysis.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› throw (something) away by putting it in a bin

• piles of junk that should have been binned years ago.

2. discard or reject

• the whole idea had to be binned.

3. ( bin someone off) — (Brit.) ‹informal› end a relationship with someone

• she was a bit weird so I binned her off.

4. store (something, especially wine) in a bin.

• paint on the bottles indicated which way up they should be binned.

5. [Statistics] group together (data) in bins.

– origin Old English bin(n), binne, of Celtic origin; related to Welsh ben ‘cart’. The original meaning was ‘receptacle’ in a general sense; also ‘a receptacle for provender in a stable’ and ‘container for grain, bread, or other foodstuffs’. The sense ‘receptacle for rubbish’ dates from the mid 19th cent.

bin-

prefix

variant form of bi- before a vowel (as in binaural).

binary /ˈbʌɪnəri/

I. adjective

1. relating to, composed of, or involving two things.

2. relating to, using, or denoting a system of numerical notation that has 2 rather than 10 as a base.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the binary system of notation.

• the device is counting in binary.

2. something having two parts.

3. a binary star.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘duality, a pair’): from late Latin binarius, from bini ‘two together’.

binary code

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Electronics] a coding system using the binary digits 0 and 1 to represent a letter, digit, or other character in a computer or other electronic device.

binary coded decimal BCD

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Electronics] a system for coding a number in which each digit of a decimal number is represented individually by its binary equivalent.

2. [ count noun] — [Electronics] a number represented using the binary coded decimal system.

binary digit

noun

one of two digits (0 or 1) in a binary system of notation.

binary star

noun

[Astronomy] a system of two stars in which one star revolves round the other or both revolve round a common centre.

binary system

noun

1. a system in which information can be expressed by combinations of the digits 0 and 1.

2. a system consisting of two parts

• the binary system of state and public schools.

3. [Astronomy] a star system containing two stars orbiting around each other.

binary tree

noun

[Computing] a data structure in which a record is linked to two successor records, usually referred to as the left branch when greater and the right when less than the previous record.

binate /ˈbʌɪneɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] composed of two equal parts.

– origin early 19th cent.: from modern Latin binatus, from Latin bini ‘two together’ + -ate^2.

binational

adjective

concerning or consisting of two nations.

binaural /bɪˈnɔːr(ə)l, bʌɪˈnɔːr(ə)l/

adjective

1. relating to or involving both ears

• human hearing is binaural.

2. relating to sound recorded using two microphones and usually transmitted separately to the two ears of the listener.

bin bag

noun

(Brit.) a large, strong plastic bag used as a container for household rubbish.

bind /bʌɪnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. tie or fasten (something) tightly together

• logs bound together with ropes

• they bound her hands and feet.

2. restrain (someone) by tying their hands and feet

• the raider then bound and gagged Mr Glenn.

3. wrap (something) tightly

• her hair was bound up in a towel.

4. bandage (a wound)

• Shelley cleaned the wound and bound it up with a clean dressing.

5. ( be bound with) — (of an object) be encircled by something, typically metal bands, so as to have greater strength

• an ancient oak chest bound with brass braces.

6. stick together or cause to stick together in a single mass
[with obj.]

• mix the flour with the coconut and enough egg white to bind them.

7. cause (painting pigments) to form a smooth medium by mixing them with oil.

8. hold by chemical bonding.

• a protein in a form that can bind DNA.

9. [no obj.] ( bind to) — combine with (a substance) through chemical bonding.

• these proteins have been reported to bind to calmodulin.

10. cause (people) to feel united

• the comradeship that had bound such a disparate bunch of lads together.

11. ( bind someone to) — cause someone to feel strongly attached to (a person or place)

• touches like that had bound men to him for life.

12. impose a legal or contractual obligation on

• a party who signs a document will normally be bound by its terms.

13. indenture (someone) as an apprentice.

• he was bound apprentice at the age of sixteen.

14. ( bind oneself) — ‹formal› make a contractual or enforceable undertaking

• the government cannot bind itself as to the form of subsequent legislation.

15. (of a court of law) require (someone) to fulfil an obligation, typically by paying a sum of money as surety

• he was bound over to keep the peace by magistrates.

16. ( be bound by) — be hampered or constrained by

• Sarah did not want to be bound by a rigid timetable.

17. fix together and enclose (the pages of a book) in a cover

• a small, fat volume, bound in red morocco.

18. trim (the edge of a piece of material) with a decorative strip

• a frill with the edges bound in a contrasting colour.

19. [Logic] (of a quantifier) be applied to (a given variable) so that the variable falls within its scope. For example, in an expression of the form ‘For every x, if x is a dog, x is an animal’, the universal quantifier is binding the variable x.

20. [Linguistics] (of a rule or set of grammatical conditions) determine the relationship between (coreferential noun phrases).

21. (of a food or medicine) make (someone) constipated.

II. noun

1. ‹informal› a nuisance

• I know being disturbed on Christmas Day is a bind.

2. a problematical situation

• he is in a political bind over the abortion issue.

3. ‹formal› a statutory constraint

• the moral bind of the law.

4. [Music] another term for tie.

5. another term for bine.

III. phrases

bind someone hand and foot

see hand.

IV. phrasal verbs

bind off

(N. Amer.) cast off in knitting.

– origin Old English bindan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German binden, from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit bandh.

bindaas /ˈbɪndɑːs/

I. adjective

(Indian) ‹informal› carefree, fashionable, and independent-minded

• Bollywood's most bindaas babe.

– origin Gujarati bin-dās, literally ‘without servitude’, from Sanskrit vinā + dāsya.

binder /ˈbʌɪndə/

noun

1. a cover for holding magazines or loose sheets of paper together.

2. a substance used to make other substances or materials stick or mix together.

3. a reaping machine that binds grain into sheaves.

4. a bookbinder.

binder twine

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in farming) strong cord made from plastic or natural fibre, used in a baling machine to tie hay and straw bales.

bindery /ˈbʌɪnd(ə)ri/

noun

a workshop or factory in which books are bound.

bindi /ˈbɪndiː/

I. noun

a decorative mark worn in the middle of the forehead by Indian women, especially Hindus.

– origin from Hindi bindī.

bindi-eye /ˈbɪndɪʌɪ/

I. noun

a small perennial Australian plant of the daisy family, with a bur-like fruit.
● Calotis cuneifolia, family Compositae.

– origin early 20th cent.: perhaps from an Aboriginal language.

binding /ˈbʌɪndɪŋ/

I. noun

1. a strong covering holding the pages of a book together.

2. [ mass noun] — fabric cut or woven in a strip, used for binding the edges of a piece of material.

3. (also ski binding) — [Skiing] a mechanical device fixed to a ski to grip a ski boot, especially either of a pair used for downhill skiing which hold the toe and heel of the boot and release it automatically in a fall.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of fastening or holding together, or of being linked by chemical bonds

• the binding of antibodies to cell surfaces.

5. (in Chomskyan linguistics) the relationship between a referentially dependent noun (such as a reflexive) and the independent noun phrase which determines its reference.

II. adjective

(of an agreement or promise) involving an obligation that cannot be broken

• business agreements are intended to be legally binding.

binding energy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the energy that holds a nucleus together. This is equal to the mass defect of the nucleus.

binding post

noun

[Electronics] a connector consisting of a threaded screw to which bare wires are attached and held in place by a nut.

binding site

noun

[Biochemistry] a location on a macromolecule or cellular structure at which chemical interaction with a specific active substance takes place.

bindlestiff /ˈbɪnd(ə)lstɪf/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a tramp.

– origin early 20th cent.: probably from an alteration of bundle + stiff (in the sense ‘useless person’).

bindweed /ˈbʌɪndwiːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a twining plant with trumpet-shaped flowers, several kinds of which are invasive weeds.
●Genera Convolvulus and Calystegia, family Convolvulaceae: several species, in particular the hedge bindweed ( Calystegia sepium).

2. used in names of twining plants similar to bindweed, e.g. black bindweed.

bine /bʌɪn/

I. noun

a long, flexible stem of a climbing plant, especially the hop.

– origin early 19th cent.: originally a dialect form of bind.

bin-end

noun

(Brit.) one of the last bottles from a bin of wine, usually sold at a reduced price.

Binet, Alfred /ˈbiːneɪ/

(1857–1911), French psychologist. He devised a mental age scale which described performance in relation to the average performance of students of the same physical age, and with the psychiatrist Théodore Simon (1873–1961) pioneered a system of intelligence tests.

Binet–Simon test /ˈbiːneɪˌsiːmɒ̃ / Binet test

I. noun

[Psychology] a test used to measure intelligence, especially that of children.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Alfred Binet and Théodore Simon (see Binet, Alfred).

bing^1

I. noun

(chiefly Scottish) a heap, especially of metallic ore or of waste from a mine.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Old Norse bingr ‘heap’.

bing^2

I. exclamation

indicating a sudden action or event

• then, bing, the lights went on.

– origin late 19th cent.: (originally dialect in the sense ‘sudden bang’): imitative.

binge /bɪn(d)ʒ / ‹informal›

I. noun

a period of excessive indulgence in an activity, especially drinking alcohol or eating

• he went on a binge and was in no shape to drive.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. indulge in an activity, especially eating, to excess

• she binged on ice cream.

III. derivatives

binger

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from English dialect binge ‘to soak a wooden vessel’.

binge-drink

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. consume an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time

• if you don't allow alcohol to be served at a stadium, fans will just go out and binge-drink before the game.

II. derivatives

binge drinker

noun

binge drinking

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time

• teenagers as young as 16 admit to binge drinking.

binge-eat

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. consume large quantities of food in a short period of time, typically as part of an eating disorder

• I started to binge-eat and feast on junk foods

• [with obj.] I'd diet for five days, then binge-eat a week's worth of food in one day.

II. derivatives

binge eater

noun

binge eating

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the consumption of large quantities of food in a short period of time, typically as part of an eating disorder

• CBT is one of the most effective treatments for problems like depression, anxiety disorders, and binge eating.

binge-watch binge-view

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› watch multiple episodes of (a television programme) in rapid succession, typically by means of DVDs or digital streaming

• you can binge-watch the entire season with this set.

II. derivatives

binge watcher binge viewer

noun

– origin 1990s: on the pattern of binge-drink, binge-eat.

binge watching binge viewing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of watching multiple episodes of a television programme in rapid succession, typically by means of DVDs or digital streaming

• people who watch television online say they regularly indulge in binge watching.

binghi /ˈbɪŋʌɪ/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› ‹offensive› an Aboriginal.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Awabakal (an Aboriginal language) and neighbouring languages, literally ‘elder brother’.

bingle /ˈbɪŋɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a collision.

– origin 1940s: diminutive of dialect bing ‘thump, blow’ (compare bing^2).

bingo /ˈbɪŋɡəʊ/

I. noun

a game in which players mark off numbers on cards as the numbers are drawn randomly by a caller, the winner being the first person to mark off all their numbers.
[as modifier]

• a bingo hall.

II. exclamation

1. a call by someone who wins a game of bingo.

2. used to express satisfaction at a sudden positive event or outcome

• Just swipe the pen over a bar code and bingo! The recorder's programmed itself.

– origin 1920s (as exclamation): of unknown origin.

bingo wings

I. plural noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› folds of loose flesh or skin hanging from the undersides of a woman's upper arms.

– origin 1990s: from an association with the game of bingo, in which the loose flesh may be visible when a winner calls out and raises their card.

bingy /ˈbɪn(d)ʒi/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› the stomach.

– origin from Dharuk bindi.

binky /ˈbɪŋki / binkie

noun — ( in the US)

1. ‹trademark› a baby's dummy

• Daniel lay in his carriage, happily sucking a binky.

bin Laden, Osama /bɪn ˈlɑːd(ə)n/

(1957–2011), Islamic militant, born in Saudi Arabia. He was regarded as the founder of al-Qaeda and the mastermind behind the September 11 terrorist attacks. Following the attacks he went into hiding, but was tracked down and killed by US special forces in Pakistan.

bin liner

noun

(Brit.) a plastic bag used for lining a rubbish bin.

binman /ˈbɪnman/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a dustman.

binnacle /ˈbɪnək(ə)l/

I. noun

a built-in housing for a ship's compass.

– origin late 15th cent. (as bittacle): from Spanish bitácula, bitácora or Portuguese bitacola, from Latin habitaculum ‘dwelling place’, from habitare ‘inhabit’. The change to binnacle occurred in the mid 18th cent.

binocs /ˈbɪnɒks/

plural noun

‹informal› short for binoculars.

binocular /bɪˈnɒkjʊlə/

I. adjective

adapted for or using both eyes

• a binocular microscope.

II. derivatives

binocularly

adverb

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘having two eyes’): from Latin bini ‘two together’ + oculus ‘eye’, on the pattern of ocular.

binoculars /bɪˈnɒkjʊləz / a pair of binoculars

I. plural noun

an optical instrument with a lens for each eye, used for viewing distant objects.

– origin late 19th cent.: plural of binocular.

binocular vision

noun — [ mass noun]

1. vision using two eyes with overlapping fields of view, allowing good perception of depth.

binomial /bʌɪˈnəʊmɪəl/

I. noun

1. [Mathematics] an algebraic expression of the sum or the difference of two terms.

2. a two-part name, especially the Latin name of a species of living organism (consisting of the genus followed by the specific epithet).

3. [Grammar] a noun phrase with two heads joined by a conjunction, in which the order is relatively fixed (as in knife and fork).

II. adjective

1. [Mathematics] consisting of two terms.

2. relating to a binomial or to the binomial theorem.

3. having or using two names (used especially of the Latin name of a species of living organism).

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French binôme or modern Latin binomium (from bi- ‘having two’ + Greek nomos ‘part, portion’) + -al.

binomial distribution

noun

[Statistics] a frequency distribution of the possible number of successful outcomes in a given number of trials in each of which there is the same probability of success.

binomial nomenclature

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the system of nomenclature in which two terms are used to denote a species of living organism, the first one indicating the genus and the second the specific epithet.

binomial theorem

noun

a formula for finding any power of a binomial without multiplying at length.

binominal

I. adjective

another term for binomial (sense 2 of the adjective).

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin binominis, from bi- ‘having two’ + nomen, nomin- ‘name’ + -al.

bins

plural noun

‹informal› short for binoculars.

bint /bɪnt/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a girl or woman.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Arabic, literally ‘daughter, girl’.

binturong /ˈbɪntjʊrɒŋ/

I. noun

a tree-dwelling Asian civet with a coarse blackish coat and a muscular prehensile tail.
● Arctictis binturong, family Viverridae.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Malay.

binucleate /bʌɪˈnjuːklɪət/

adjective

[Biology] (of a cell) having two nuclei.

bio^1 /ˈbʌɪəʊ / ‹informal›

I. noun

a biography or short biographical profile of someone

• an unauthorized bio

• reading the photographers' bios is fascinating.

II. adjective

biographical

• you can find bio information and photos on her website.

– origin 1920s: abbreviation.

bio^2 /ˈbʌɪəʊ / ‹informal›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) biology

• I majored in bio and I'm waiting to see about med school.

II. adjective

biological

• dogs are used at the airport to sniff out plant and other bio materials

• he's never met his bio dad.

– origin 1940s: abbreviation.

bio- /ˈbʌɪəʊ/

I. combining form

1. relating to life

• biosynthesis.

2. biological; relating to biology

• biohazard.

3. of living beings

• biogenesis.

4. relating to or involving the use of toxic biological or biochemical substances as weapons of war

• bioterrorism.

– origin from Greek bios ‘(course of) human life’. The sense is extended in modern scientific usage to mean ‘organic life’.

bioaccumulate

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a substance) become concentrated inside the bodies of living things.

• mercury has bioaccumulated in the fish.

II. derivatives

bioaccumulation

noun

bioacoustics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of acoustics concerned with sounds produced by or affecting living organisms, especially as relating to communication.

bioactive /bʌɪəʊˈaktɪv/

I. adjective

(of a substance) having a biological effect.

II. derivatives

bioactivity

noun

bioadhesive

I. noun

an adhesive substance produced by or obtained from living organisms, or used on living tissue.

• there is a significant need for a suitable bioadhesive for use in medical procedures.

II. adjective

having the properties of a bioadhesive.

• bioadhesive polymers.

bioarchaeology ‹US› bioarcheology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of bones and other biological materials found in archaeological remains in order to provide information about human life or the environment in the past

• he recommended that the skeletons be reinterred after being studied by experts in bioarchaeology.

II. derivatives

1. bioarchaeological

adjective

2. bioarchaeologist

noun

bioassay /ˌbʌɪəʊəˈseɪ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. measurement of the concentration or potency of a substance by its effect on living cells or tissues.

• it was determined by bioassay.

• [ count noun] the use of bioassays and toxicity tests.

bioavailability

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the proportion of a drug or other substance which enters the circulation when introduced into the body and so is able to have an active effect.

II. derivatives

bioavailable

adjective

biobank

noun

a large collection of biological or medical data and tissue samples, amassed for research purposes.

• biobanks are a powerful tool in the study of complex diseases.

biocentrism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the view or belief that the rights and needs of humans are not more important than those of other living things.

II. derivatives

1. biocentric

adjective

2. biocentrist

noun

biochar /ˈbʌɪəʊtʃɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. charcoal produced from plant matter and stored in the soil as a means of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

– origin 1990s: blend of biomass and charcoal.

biochemical /ˌbʌɪəʊˈkɛmɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to the chemical processes and substances which occur within living organisms.

II. noun

a biochemical substance.

III. derivatives

biochemically

adverb

biochemist /ˌbʌɪəʊˈkɛmɪst/

noun

an expert in or student of the branch of science concerning the chemical processes occuring within living organisms

• a new study by biochemists at Iowa State University.

biochemistry /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈkɛmɪstri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of science concerned with the chemical and physico-chemical processes and substances which occur within living organisms.

2. the processes and substances with which the science of biochemistry is concerned

• abnormal brain biochemistry.

biochip

noun

1. a microchip designed or intended to function in a biological environment, especially inside a living organism.

2. a logical device analogous to the silicon chip, whose components are formed from biological molecules or structures.

biocide /ˈbʌɪəsʌɪd/

I. noun

1. a poisonous substance, especially a pesticide.

2. [ mass noun] — the destruction of life.

• our whims have brought us to the brink of biocide.

II. derivatives

biocidal /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈsʌɪdl /

adjective

biocircuit

noun

an integrated circuit incorporating biological molecules or structures.

bioclast /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)klast/

I. noun

[Geology] a fragment of a shell or fossil forming part of a sedimentary rock.

II. derivatives

bioclastic /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈklastɪk /

adjective

bioclimatic

adjective

[Ecology] relating to the interrelation of climate and the activities and distribution of living organisms.

biocoenosis /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)sɪˈnəʊsɪs / ‹US› biocenosis

I. noun

[Ecology] an association of different organisms forming a closely integrated community.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from bio- ‘life’ + Greek koinōsis ‘sharing’ (from koinos ‘common’).

biocompatible /ˌbʌɪəʊkəmˈpatɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

(especially of material used in surgical implants) not harmful or toxic to living tissue.

II. derivatives

biocompatibility

noun

biocomputer /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)kəmpjuːtə/

I. noun

1. a (hypothetical) computer based on circuits and components formed from biological molecules or structures.

2. the brain regarded as a computer.

II. derivatives

biocomputing /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)kəmpjuːtɪŋ /

noun

biocontrol /bʌɪəʊkənˈtrəʊl/

noun

short for biological control.

bioconversion

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the conversion of one chemical compound, or one form of energy, into another by living organisms.

biodata

noun — [ mass noun]

1. biographical details.

2. [treated as sing.] — (Indian) a curriculum vitae.

biodefence

noun — [ mass noun]

1. defensive measures taken to protect against an attack using biological weapons.

• senators say that the government should spend $1.6 billion next year to bolster public health and biodefence.

biodegradable /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)dɪˈɡreɪdəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of a substance or object) capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms and thereby avoiding pollution.

• consumers have forced a shift to more biodegradable products.

II. derivatives

biodegradability /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)dɪˌɡreɪdəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

biodegrade /bʌɪəʊdɪˈɡreɪd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a substance or object) be decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.

• most plastics will not biodegrade in landfill sites.

II. derivatives

biodegradation /ˌbʌɪəʊdɛɡrəˈdeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

biodiesel /ˈbʌɪəʊdiːzl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a biofuel intended as a substitute for diesel.

biodiverse

adjective

(of a habitat or region) having a high level of biodiversity

• Australia is one of the most biodiverse regions on earth.

biodiversity /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)dʌɪˈvəːsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat, a high level of which is usually considered to be important and desirable.

biodynamics /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)dʌɪˈnamɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of physical motion or dynamics in living systems.

2. a method of organic farming that incorporates certain astrological and spiritual principles and practices.

II. derivatives

biodynamic /ˌbʌɪəʊdʌɪˈnamɪk /

adjective

bioelectric

I. adjective

relating to electricity or electrical phenomena produced within living organisms.

II. derivatives

bioelectrical

adjective

bioelectronics /bʌɪəʊɪlɛkˈtrɔnɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of science concerned with the application of biological materials and processes in electronics, and the use of electronic devices in living systems.

bioenergetics

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of the transformation of energy in living organisms.

2. a system of holistic therapy in which massage and other physical therapies are used in conjunction with psychotherapy.

II. derivatives

bioenergetic

adjective

bioenergy /ˌbʌɪəʊˈɛnədʒi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. renewable energy produced by living organisms.

bioengineering /ˌbʌɪəʊɛndʒɪˈnɪərɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for genetic engineering.

2. the use of artificial tissues, organs, or organ components to replace damaged or absent body parts.

3. the use in engineering or industry of organisms or biological processes.

II. derivatives

bioengineer

noun, verb

bioethanol /ˌbʌɪəʊˈɛθənɒl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ethanol produced from plants such as sugar cane or maize, used as an alternative to petrol.

bioethics /bʌɪəʊˈɛθɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the ethics of medical and biological research.

II. derivatives

1. bioethical

adjective

2. bioethicist

noun

biofeedback /bʌɪəʊˈfiːdbak/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of electronic monitoring of a normally automatic bodily function in order to train someone to acquire voluntary control of that function.

biofilm /ˈbʌɪəʊfɪlm/

noun

a thin but robust layer of mucilage adhering to a solid surface and containing a community of bacteria and other microorganisms.

bioflavonoid

noun

any of a group of compounds occurring mainly in citrus fruits and blackcurrants, formerly regarded as vitamins.

biofouling /ˈbʌɪəʊfaʊlɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fouling of underwater pipes and other surfaces by organisms such as barnacles and algae.

biofuel /ˈbaɪəʊfjuː(ə)l/

noun

a fuel derived immediately from living matter.

biog /ˈbʌɪɒɡ/

noun

‹informal› a biography.

biogas /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)ɡas/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. gaseous fuel, especially methane, produced by the fermentation of organic matter.

biogeneric /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)dʒəˈnɛrɪk/

I. noun, adjective

another term for biosimilar:

• the advent of biogenerics could cause biotech companies to withhold more information about their products

• biogeneric versions of off-patent medicines.

– origin 1990s: from bio- + generic.

biogenesis /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the synthesis of substances by living organisms.

2. ‹historical› the hypothesis that living matter arises only from other living matter.

II. derivatives

biogenetic /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)dʒəˈnɛtɪk /

adjective

biogenic /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

produced or brought about by living organisms.

• biogenic sediments.

biogeochemical

I. adjective

relating to or denoting the cycle in which chemical elements and simple substances are transferred between living systems and the environment.

II. derivatives

1. biogeochemist

noun

2. biogeochemistry

noun

biogeography

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of biology that deals with the geographical distribution of plants and animals.

II. derivatives

1. biogeographer

noun

2. biogeographic

adjective

3. biogeographical

adjective

4. biogeographically /ˌbʌɪəʊdʒɪəˈɡrafɪkli /

adverb

biographee

noun

a person who is the subject of a biography.

biographer /bʌɪˈɒɡrəfə/

noun

a person who writes an account of someone's life

• an important biographer of contemporary artists.

biographical /bʌɪəˈɡrafɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of data or a written work) dealing with a particular person's life

• biographical information

• biographical books on the Beatles.

II. derivatives

1. biographic /bʌɪəˈɡrafɪk /

adjective

2. biographically

adverb

biography /bʌɪˈɒɡrəfi/

I. noun

1. an account of someone's life written by someone else.

2. [ mass noun] — biographies considered as a literary genre.

• the basic difference of approach to autobiography and biography.

3. the course of a person's life

• although their individual biographies are different, both are motivated by a similar ambition.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French biographie or modern Latin biographia, from medieval Greek, from bios ‘life’ + -graphia ‘writing’.

biohazard /ˈbʌɪəʊˌhazəd/

noun

a risk to human health or the environment arising from biological work, especially with microorganisms.

bioindicator /bʌɪəʊˈɪndɪkeɪtə/

noun

an organism used as an indicator of the quality of an ecosystem, especially in terms of pollution.

bioinformatics /ˌbʌɪəʊˌɪnfəˈmatɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the science of collecting and analysing complex biological data such as genetic codes.

II. derivatives

bioinformatic

adjective

Bioko /bɪˈəʊkəʊ/

an island of Equatorial Guinea, in the eastern part of the Gulf of Guinea. Its chief town is Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea.
Former names Fernando Póo and Macias Nguema.

biolistics

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a technique in genetic engineering in which tiny metal pellets coated with DNA are propelled into living cells at high velocities.

II. derivatives

biolistic

adjective

– origin late 20th cent.: apparently from bio- and ballistics.

biologic

I. adjective

relating to biology; biological.

• there is growing interest in the biologic activities of plant extracts in the treatment of disease.

II. noun — (usu. biologics)

1. another term for biological (noun).

• these natural biologics can be as potent as manufactured drugs.

biological /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to biology or living organisms.

2. (of a detergent or other cleaning product) containing enzymes to assist the process of cleaning.

3. relating to or involving the use of microorganisms or toxins of biological origin as weapons of war.

4. (of a member of a person's family) genetically related; related by blood

• his biological mother.

II. noun — (usu. biologicals)

1. a substance of biological origin used as a drug, vaccine, pesticide, etc.

• a wide spectrum of biologicals are produced from animal cells in culture.

biological clock

noun

an innate mechanism that controls the physiological activities of an organism which change on a daily, seasonal, yearly, or other regular cycle.

biological control

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the control of a pest by the introduction of a natural enemy or predator.

biologically /bʌɪəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a way that concerns biology or living organisms

• the world's most biologically diverse ecosystems.

2. in an inherited or innate way

• biologically rooted instincts.

biologism /bʌɪˈɒlədʒɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the interpretation of human life from a strictly biological point of view.

II. derivatives

biologistic

adjective

biologist /bʌɪˈɒlədʒɪst/

noun

an expert in or student of the branch of science concerning living organisms

• a team of marine biologists.

biology /bʌɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of living organisms, divided into many specialized fields that cover their morphology, physiology, anatomy, behaviour, origin, and distribution.

2. the plants and animals of a particular area

• the biology of the Chesapeake Bay.

3. the physiology, behaviour, and other qualities of a particular organism or class of organisms

• human biology.

– origin early 19th cent.: coined in German, via French from Greek bios ‘life’ + -logy.

bioluminescence /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)luːmɪˈnɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the biochemical emission of light by living organisms such as glow-worms and deep-sea fish.

2. the light emitted by organisms such as glow-worms and deep-sea fish.

II. derivatives

bioluminescent

adjective

biomagnetism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the interaction of living organisms with magnetic fields.

biomarker /ˈbʌɪəʊmɑːkə/

noun

a naturally occurring molecule, gene, or characteristic by which a particular pathological or physiological process, disease, etc. can be identified.

biomass /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)mas/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the total quantity or weight of organisms in a given area or volume.

2. organic matter used as a fuel, especially in a power station for the generation of electricity.

biomaterial

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a biological or synthetic substance which can be introduced into body tissue as part of an implanted medical device or used to replace an organ, bodily function, etc.

biomathematics /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)maθ(ə)ˈmatɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the science of the application of mathematics to biology.

biome /ˈbʌɪəʊm/

I. noun

[Ecology] a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat, e.g. forest or tundra.

– origin early 20th cent.: from bio- ‘life’ + -ome.

biomechanical /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)mɪˈkanɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to the mechanical laws concerning the movement or structure of living organisms

• a biomechanical advantage

• we do a lot of biomechanical analysis of my running.

II. derivatives

biomechanically

adverb

biomechanics /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)mɪˈkanɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of the mechanical laws relating to the movement or structure of living organisms.

II. derivatives

biomechanist

noun

biomedical /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈmɛdɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to both biology and medicine.

II. derivatives

biomedicine /ˌbʌɪəʊˈmɛdsɪn /

noun

biometeorology

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the relationship between living organisms and weather.

biomethane /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈmiːθeɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. methane produced by the fermentation of organic matter

• renewable gas in the form of biomethane could be a key contributor to a stable and reliable energy supply.

biometric /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈmɛtrɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or involving the application of statistical analysis to biological data

• a biometric passport.

II. derivatives

1. biometrical /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈmɛtrɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. biometrician /bʌɪə(ʊ)məˈtrɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

biometric signature

noun

the unique pattern of a bodily feature such as the retina, iris, or voice, encoded on an identity card and used for recognition and identification purposes.

biometry /bʌɪˈɒmɪtri / biometrics /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈmɛtrɪks/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the application of statistical analysis to biological data.

biomimetic

adjective

[Biochemistry] relating to or denoting synthetic methods which mimic biochemical processes.

biomimicry

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modelled on biological entities and processes.

biomolecule

noun

a molecule that is involved in the maintenance and metabolic processes of living organisms.

biomorph /ˈbʌɪəʊmɔːf/

I. noun

1. a decorative form or object based on or resembling a living organism.

2. a graphical representation of an organism generated on a computer, used to model evolution.

II. derivatives

biomorphic

adjective

bionic /bʌɪˈɒnɪk/

I. adjective

1. having or denoting an artificial, typically electromechanical, body part or parts

• there's no doubt that Aird's bionic arm has transformed his life.

2. ‹informal› having exceptional strength, endurance, or ability

• working out in gyms in an attempt to become bionic men.

3. relating to bionics.

II. derivatives

bionically

adverb

– origin 1960s: from bio- ‘human’, on the pattern of electronic.

bionics /bʌɪˈɒnɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of mechanical systems that function like living organisms or parts of living organisms.

bionomics /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)ˈnɒmɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of the mode of life of organisms in their natural habitat and their adaptations to their surroundings; ecology.

II. derivatives

bionomic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from bio- ‘life’, on the pattern of economics.

biopharma /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)fɑːmə/

noun

1. [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier] — biopharmaceutical companies collectively as a sector of industry

• biopharma firms specializing in the development of new cancer drugs.

• Asia-Pacific countries may eventually be the centre for global biopharma.

2. [ count noun] — a biopharmaceutical company

• large West Coast biopharmas.

biopharmaceutical /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)ˌfɑːməˈs(j)uːtɪk(ə)l/

I. noun — (usu. biopharmaceuticals)

1. a biological macromolecule or cellular component, such as a blood product, used as a pharmaceutical.

II. adjective

relating to biopharmaceuticals, or their preparation, use, or sale

• biopharmaceutical proteins

• the biopharmaceutical industry.

biopharmaceutics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of the chemical and physical properties of drugs and the biological effects they produce.

biopharming /ˈbʌɪəʊfɑːmɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for pharming (sense 1).

• biopharming is a potential new industry at the boundary between medicine and food.

biophilia

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (according to a theory of the biologist E. O. Wilson) an innate and genetically determined affinity of human beings with the natural world.

biophysics /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈfɪzɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the science of the application of the laws of physics to biological phenomena.

II. derivatives

1. biophysical /bʌɪəʊˈfɪzɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. biophysicist /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈfɪzɪsɪst /

noun

biopic /ˈbʌɪəʊpɪk/

noun

‹informal› a biographical film.

biopiracy /ˌbʌɪəʊˈpʌɪrəsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of commercially exploiting naturally occurring biochemical or genetic material, especially by obtaining patents that restrict its future use, while failing to pay fair compensation to the community from which it originates.

bioplastic /ˈbʌɪəʊˌplastɪk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of biodegradable plastic derived from biological substances rather than petroleum.

biopolymer

noun

a polymeric substance occurring in living organisms, e.g. a protein, cellulose, or DNA.

bioprinter /ˈbʌɪəʊprɪntə/

noun

a 3D printer used for bioprinting

• he has designed a prototype bioprinter that makes living cartilage.

bioprinting /ˈbʌɪəʊprɪntɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of 3D printing technology with materials that incorporate viable living cells, e.g. to produce tissue for reconstructive surgery

• welcome to the age of bioprinting, where the machines we've built are building bits and pieces of us.

bioprospecting

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the search for plant and animal species from which medicinal drugs and other commercially valuable compounds can be obtained.

II. derivatives

bioprospector

noun

– origin 1990s: from bio(diversity) prospecting.

biopsy /ˈbʌɪɒpsi/

I. noun

an examination of tissue removed from a living body to discover the presence, cause, or extent of a disease.

• a bone marrow biopsy.

• [ mass noun] cirrhosis was confirmed by biopsy.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. conduct a biopsy on (tissue removed from a living body)

• the lesions may be malignant and should be biopsied.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in French from Greek bios ‘life’ + opsis ‘sight’, on the pattern of necropsy.

biopsychology /ˌbʌɪəʊsʌɪˈkɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of psychology concerned with its biological and physiological aspects.

II. derivatives

biopsychological

adjective

bioreactor

noun

an apparatus in which a biological reaction or process is carried out, especially on an industrial scale.

bioregion /ˈbʌɪəʊriːdʒən/

I. noun

a region defined by characteristics of the natural environment rather than by man-made divisions.

II. derivatives

bioregional /ˌbʌɪəʊˈriːdʒ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

bioregionalism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. advocacy of the belief that human activity should be largely constrained by ecological or geographical boundaries rather than political ones.

II. derivatives

bioregionalist

noun

bioremediation /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)rɪˌmiːdiˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of either naturally occurring or deliberately introduced microorganisms to consume and break down environmental pollutants, in order to clean a polluted site.

biorhythm /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)rɪð(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a recurring cycle in the physiology or functioning of an organism, such as the daily cycle of sleeping and waking.

2. a cyclic pattern of physical, emotional, or mental activity believed to occur in a person's life

• I found that the music suited my biorhythms.

II. derivatives

biorhythmic

adjective

BIOS /ˈbʌɪɒs/

I. noun

[Computing] a set of computer instructions in firmware which control input and output operations.

– origin acronym from Basic Input-Output System.

biosafety /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)seɪfti/

noun

another term for biosecurity.

bioscience /bʌɪəʊˈsʌɪəns/

I. noun

any of the life sciences.

II. derivatives

bioscientist

noun

bioscope /ˈbʌɪəskəʊp/

noun

‹dated› (chiefly S. African) a cinema or film.

biosecurity /ˈbʌɪəʊsəˌkjʊərɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. procedures or measures designed to protect the population against harmful biological or biochemical substances.

biosensor /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)sɛnsə/

noun

a device which uses a living organism or biological molecules, especially enzymes or antibodies, to detect the presence of chemicals.

biosignature

noun

another term for biomarker.

biosimilar /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈsɪmɪlə/

I. noun

a biopharmaceutical drug designed to have active properties similar to one that has previously been licensed

• copycat drug makers use an innovator's research data to make biosimilars.

– origin early 21st cent.: from bio- + similar.

biosocial /ˌbʌɪəʊˈsəʊʃ(ə)l/

adjective

relating to the interaction of biological and social factors.

biosolids

plural noun

organic matter recycled from sewage, especially for use in agriculture.

biosphere /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)sfɪə/

I. noun

1. the regions of the surface and atmosphere of the earth or another planet occupied by living organisms.

2. an artificial structure enclosing a self-contained ecosystem or ecosystems.

• the elliptical domed biosphere is the largest single-span glasshouse in the world.

II. derivatives

biospheric

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from Greek bios ‘life’ + sphaira (see sphere).

biostatistics /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)stəˈtɪstɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of statistics that deals with data relating to living organisms.

II. derivatives

1. biostatistical

adjective

2. biostatistician

noun

biostratigraphy /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)strəˈtɪɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of stratigraphy concerned with fossils and their use in dating rock formations.

II. derivatives

1. biostratigrapher

noun

2. biostratigraphic

adjective

3. biostratigraphical

adjective

4. biostratigraphically

adverb

biosurgery /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)səːdʒəri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the medical use of maggots to clean infected wounds, especially in cases where an infection is resistant to conventional antibiotic treatment.

biosynthesis /bʌɪə(ʊ)ˈsɪnθɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the production of complex molecules within living organisms or cells.

II. derivatives

biosynthetic /bʌɪə(ʊ)sɪnˈθɛtɪk /

adjective

biosystematics

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. taxonomy based on the study of the genetic evolution of plant and animal populations.

II. derivatives

biosystematist

noun

biota /bʌɪˈəʊtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Ecology] the animal and plant life of a particular region, habitat, or geological period

• the biota of the river.

– origin early 20th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek biotē ‘life’.

biotech /ˈbʌɪəʊtɛk/

noun

short for biotechnology.

biotechnology /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)tɛkˈnɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the exploitation of biological processes for industrial and other purposes, especially the genetic manipulation of microorganisms for the production of antibiotics, hormones, etc.

II. derivatives

1. biotechnological /ˌbʌɪəʊtɛknəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. biotechnologist /ˌbʌɪəʊtɛkˈnɒlədʒɪst /

noun

biotecture /ˈbʌɪəʊˌtɛktʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of living plants as an integral part of the design of buildings.

– origin 1980s: from bio- ‘of living organisms’ + a shortened form of architecture.

bioterrorism /ˌbʌɪəʊˈtɛrərɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of infectious agents or other harmful biological or biochemical substances as weapons of terrorism.

II. derivatives

bioterrorist /ˌbʌɪəʊˈtɛrərɪst /

noun

biotherapy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of living organisms in the treatment of disease.

biotic /bʌɪˈɒtɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or resulting from living organisms

• biotic interactions.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French biotique, or via late Latin from Greek biōtikos, from bios ‘life’.

biotin /ˈbʌɪətɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a vitamin of the B complex, found in egg yolk, liver, and yeast. It is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids and glucose.
Also called vitamin H, especially in North America.

– origin 1930s: coined in German from Greek bios ‘life’ + -in^1.

biotite /ˈbʌɪətʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a black, dark brown, or greenish black micaceous mineral, occurring as a constituent of many igneous and metamorphic rocks.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after J.-B. Biot (1774–1862), French mineralogist.

biotope /ˈbʌɪətəʊp/

I. noun

[Ecology] the region of a habitat associated with a particular ecological community.

– origin 1920s: from German Biotop, based on Greek topos ‘place’.

biotransformation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the alteration of a substance, typically a drug, within the body.

bioturbation /ˌbʌɪəʊtəːˈbeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] the disturbance of sedimentary deposits by living organisms.

II. derivatives

bioturbated

adjective

– origin 1960s: from bio- + Latin turbatio(n-), from turbare ‘disturb’.

biotype /ˈbʌɪəʊtʌɪp/

noun

a group of organisms having an identical genetic constitution.

biowarfare /ˌbʌɪəˈwɔːfɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. biological warfare.

bioweapon /ˈbʌɪəʊˌwɛpən/

noun

a harmful biological agent used as a weapon of war.

bipartisan /ˌbʌɪpɑːtɪˈzan/

adjective

of or involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other's policies

• the reforms received considerable bipartisan approval.

bipartisanship /ˌbʌɪpɑːtɪˈzanʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. agreement or cooperation between two political parties that usually oppose each other's policies

• a renewed spirit of political bipartisanship.

bipartite /bʌɪˈpɑːtʌɪt/

I. adjective

1. involving or made by two separate parties

• a bipartite agreement.

2. consisting of two parts

• a bipartite uterus.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘divided into two parts’): from Latin bipartitus, past participle of bipartire, from bi- ‘two’ + partire ‘to part’.

biped /ˈbʌɪpɛd/

I. noun

an animal that uses two legs for walking.

II. adjective

using two legs for walking.

– origin mid 17th cent. (earlier (early 17th cent.) as bipedal): from Latin bipes, biped- (from bi- ‘having two’ + pes, ped- ‘foot’).

bipedal /bʌɪˈpiːd(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Zoology] (of an animal) using only two legs for walking.

II. derivatives

1. bipedalism

noun

2. bipedality /ˌbʌɪpiːˈdalɪti /

noun

biphasic /bʌɪˈfeɪzɪk/

adjective

‹technical› having two phases.

biphenyl /bʌɪˈfiːnʌɪl, bʌɪˈfɛnɪl/

noun

[Chemistry] an organic compound containing two phenyl groups bonded together, e.g. the PCBs.

bipinnate /bʌɪˈpɪneɪt/

adjective

[Botany] (of a pinnate leaf) having leaflets that are further subdivided in a pinnate arrangement.

biplane /ˈbʌɪpleɪn/

noun

an early type of aircraft with two pairs of wings, one above the other.

bipod /ˈbʌɪpɒd/

noun

a two-legged stand or support.

bipolar /bʌɪˈpəʊlə/

I. adjective

1. having or relating to two poles or extremities

• a sharply bipolar division of affluent and underclass.

2. relating to or occurring in both North and South polar regions

• bipolar species.

3. (of psychiatric illness) characterized by both manic and depressive episodes, or manic ones only.

4. (of a person) suffering from bipolar disorder.

5. (of a nerve cell) having two axons, one either side of the cell body.

6. [Electronics] (of a transistor or other device) using both positive and negative charge carriers.

II. derivatives

bipolarity /bʌɪpəʊˈlarɪti /

noun

bipolar disorder bipolar affective disorder

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mental condition marked by alternating periods of elation and depression.

usage: The terms bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder are increasingly being used in place of manic depression. See usage at manic depression.

bippy /ˈbɪpi/

I. noun

‹informal› a person's buttocks.

– origin 1960s: popularized by the US television programme Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, where it was used as a nonsense word with an air of innuendo but intentionally vague meaning: of unknown origin.

biracial

adjective

concerning or containing members of two racial groups.

biramous /bʌɪˈreɪməs/

I. adjective

[Zoology] (especially of crustacean limbs and antennae) dividing to form two branches.

– origin late 19th cent.: from bi- ‘two’ + ramus + -ous.

birch /bəːtʃ/

I. noun

1. (also birch tree) — a slender hardy tree which has thin peeling bark and bears catkins. Birch trees grow chiefly in northern temperate regions and yield hard, pale, fine-grained timber.
●Genus Betula, family Betulaceae: many species, including the silver birch ( B. pendula) of Europe.

2. (also birchwood) [ mass noun] — the hard fine-grained pale wood of birch trees.

3. ( the birch) — ‹chiefly historical› a formal punishment in which a person is flogged with a bundle of birch twigs.

• there were calls to bring back the birch.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹chiefly historical› beat (someone) with a bundle of birch twigs as a formal punishment.

• the school would attempt to birch them into submission.

III. derivatives

birchen /ˈbəːtʃ(ə)n /

adjective

‹archaic›

– origin Old English bierce, birce, of Germanic origin; related to German Birke.

birchbark

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the impervious bark of the North American paper birch, formerly used by American Indians to make canoes and other items.

Bircher /ˈbəːtʃə/

I. noun

a member or supporter of the John Birch Society, an extreme right-wing and anti-communist American organization founded in 1958.

– origin from the name of John Birch, a USAF officer and ‘first casualty of the Cold War’, killed by Chinese communists in 1945.

bird /bəːd/

I. noun

1. a warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate animal distinguished by the possession of feathers, wings, a beak, and typically by being able to fly.
[as modifier]

• the valley is teeming with bird life.

●Class Aves; birds probably evolved in the Jurassic period from small dinosaurs that may already have been warm-blooded.

2. a bird that is hunted for sport or used for food

• carve the bird and arrange on a warmed serving plate.

3. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) an aircraft, spacecraft, or satellite.

4. ‹informal› a person of a specified kind or character

• she's a sharp old bird.

5. (Brit.) ‹informal› a young woman or a man's girlfriend.

II. phrases

1. the bird has flown

the person one is looking for has escaped or left.

2. a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

‹proverb› it's better to be content with what you have than to risk losing everything by seeking to get more.

3. the birds and the bees

‹informal› basic facts about sex and reproduction, as told to a child.

4. birds of a feather flock together

‹proverb› people of the same sort or with the same tastes and interests will be found together.

• these health professionals sure were birds of a feather.

5. do (one's) bird

(Brit.) ‹informal› serve a prison sentence.
[ bird from rhyming slang birdlime ‘time’.]

6. flip someone the bird (or flip the bird)

(US) ‹informal› stick one's middle finger up at someone as a sign of contempt or anger.

7. (strictly) for the birds

‹informal› not worthy of consideration.

8. get the bird

(Brit.) ‹informal› be booed or jeered at.

9. give someone the bird

a. (Brit.) ‹informal› boo or jeer at someone.

b. (N. Amer.) another way of saying flip someone the bird .

10. have a bird

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› be very shocked or agitated.

11. a little bird told me

‹humorous› used to indicate that the speaker knows something but chooses to keep the identity of their informant secret

• a little bird told me it was your birthday.

– origin Old English brid ‘chick, fledgling’, of unknown origin.

bird banding

I. noun

North American term for bird ringing.

II. derivatives

bird bander

noun

birdbath /ˈbəːdbɑθ/

noun

a small basin placed in a garden and filled with water for birds to bathe in.

birdbrain /ˈbəːdbreɪn/

I. noun

‹informal› a silly or stupid person.

II. derivatives

birdbrained /ˈbəːdbreɪnd /

adjective

birdcage /ˈbəːdkeɪdʒ/

noun

a cage for pet birds, typically made of wire or cane.

bird call

noun

1. the characteristic cry of a bird.

2. an instrument imitating a bird's characteristic cry, used especially by hunters.

bird cherry

noun

a small wild cherry tree or shrub, with bitter black fruit that is eaten by birds.
● Prunus padus, family Rosaceae.

bird dog ‹N. Amer.›

I. noun

1. a gun dog trained to retrieve birds.

2. ‹informal› a talent scout.

II. verb

( bird-dog) [with obj.] — ‹informal› search out or pursue with dogged determination

• reporters bird-dogged the candidates for several weeks.

bird-eating spider bird spider

noun

another term for tarantula (sense 1).

birder /ˈbəːdə/

noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a birdwatcher.

bird fancier

noun

a person who keeps or breeds birds.

bird fancier's lung

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a respiratory disease caused by inhaling dust consisting of feathers, droppings, and other organic matter from birds.

bird flu

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a severe, often fatal, type of influenza that affects birds, especially poultry, and that can also be transmitted to humans.

birdhouse /ˈbəːdhaʊs/

noun

North American term for nest box.

birdie /ˈbəːdi/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a child's term for a bird.

2. [Golf] a score of one stroke under par at a hole.
[as modifier]

• he finished with a birdie two on the 18th.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Golf] play (a hole) with a score of one stroke under par

• Drummond birdied the 16th and 17th for a 73.

– origin late 18th cent.: diminutive of bird; the golf term from US slang bird, denoting any first-rate thing.

birding /ˈbəːdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) the observation of birds in their natural habitats as a hobby.

bird-like /ˈbəːdlʌɪk/

adjective

resembling a bird in appearance or behaviour

• a meticulous, bird-like woman

• a bird-like dinosaur.

birdlime /ˈbəːdlʌɪm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sticky substance spread on to twigs to trap small birds.

birdling /ˈbəːdlɪŋ/

noun

‹rare› a young bird; a nestling

• the birdlings flew away in the autumn.

birdo /ˈbəːdəʊ/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a birdwatcher

• there has been one confirmed sighting by a respected birdo.

– origin 1950s: abbreviation of birdwatcher + -o.

bird observatory

noun

a place or building where research on birds, especially ringing, is carried out.

bird of paradise

noun

1. ( pl. birds of paradise) — a tropical Australasian bird, the male of which is noted for the beauty and brilliance of its plumage and its spectacular courtship display. Most kinds are found in New Guinea.
●Family Paradisaeidae: numerous genera.

2. (also bird of paradise flower) — a southern African plant related to the banana, which bears a showy irregular flower with a long projecting tongue.
●Genus Strelitzia, family Strelitziaceae: several species, in particular S. regina, with orange and dark blue flowers.

bird of passage

noun

1. a person who passes through a place without staying for long.

2. ‹dated› a migratory bird.

bird of prey

noun

a bird that feeds on animal flesh, distinguished by a hooked bill and sharp talons; a raptor.
●Orders Falconiformes (the diurnal birds of prey) and Strigiformes (the owls).

bird pepper

noun

1. a tropical American capsicum pepper which is thought to be the ancestor of both sweet and chilli peppers.
● Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum (or C. frutescens var. typicum), family Solanaceae.

2. the small, red, very hot fruit of the bird pepper plant.

3. a variety of small hot pepper grown in Asia or Africa.

bird ringing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of catching birds, marking them with an identifying band around the leg, and then releasing them.

II. derivatives

bird ringer

noun

birdseed /ˈbəːdsiːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a blend of different seeds for feeding to birds.

bird's-eye

noun

1. [usu. as modifier] — any of a number of plants with small flowers that have contrasting petals and centres, in particular:
● a primrose with yellow-centred purple flowers ( Primula farinosa, family Primulaceae). ● North American term for germander speedwell.

2. (also bird's-eye chilli or bird's-eye pepper) — a small very hot chilli pepper.

3. a small geometric pattern woven with a dot in the centre, typically used in suiting and lining fabrics.

Birdseye, Clarence

(1886–1956), American businessman and inventor. He developed a process of rapid freezing of foods in small packages suitable for retail, creating a revolution in eating habits.

bird's-eye maple

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the timber of an American maple which contains eye-like markings, used in decorative woodwork.

bird's-eye view

noun

a general view from above.

• at this vantage point it's possible to have a bird's-eye view.

bird's-foot

noun

a European plant of the pea family, which bears pods shaped like the foot of a bird.
● Ornithopus perpusillus, family Leguminosae.

bird's-foot trefoil

noun

a small plant of the pea family which has three-lobed leaves, yellow flowers streaked with red, and triple pods that resemble the feet of a bird. Also called eggs and bacon or Tom Thumb.
● Lotus corniculatus, family Leguminosae.

birdshot /ˈbəːdʃɒt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the smallest size of shot for sporting rifles or other guns.

bird's-nest

noun

1. a brownish or yellowish saprophytic flowering plant of the wintergreen family, with scale-like leaves.
●Two species in the family Monotropaceae (or Pyrolaceae): the yellow bird's-nest ( Monotropa hypopitys) of north temperate regions, and the giant bird's-nest ( Pterospora andromeda) of North America.

2. (also bird's-nest fungus) — a Eurasian and North American fungus with a small bowl-shaped fruiting body that opens to reveal egg-shaped organs containing the spores.
●Family Nidulariaceae, class Gasteromycetes, including the common bird's-nest ( Crucibulum laeve).

bird's-nesting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or practice of hunting for birds' nests in order to take the eggs.

bird's-nest orchid

noun

a European woodland orchid which lacks chlorophyll, the whole plant being yellowish brown. Its nest-like mass of thick roots absorbs nutrients from a soil-dwelling fungus.
● Neottia nidus-avis, family Orchidaceae.

bird's nest soup

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soup made in Chinese cookery from the dried gelatinous coating of the nests of swifts and other birds.

birdsong /ˈbəːdsɒŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the musical vocalizations of a bird or birds, typically uttered by a male songbird in characteristic bursts or phrases for territorial purposes.

bird strike

noun

a collision between a bird and an aircraft.

• 40 per cent of bird strikes involve gulls.

• [ mass noun] for a small aircraft, bird strike is a problem.

bird table

noun

(Brit.) a small platform or table in a garden on which food for birds is placed.

birdwatching /ˈbəːdwɒtʃɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of observing birds in their natural environment as a hobby.

II. derivatives

birdwatcher /ˈbəːdwɒtʃə /

noun

birdwing bird-winged butterfly

noun

a very large boldly marked butterfly occurring in the tropical parts of Australasia.
●Genus Ornithoptera, family Papilionidae: several species, including Queen Alexandra's birdwing ( O. alexandrae), which is the world's largest butterfly.

birefringent /ˌbʌɪrɪˈfrɪn(d)ʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

[Physics] having two different refractive indices.

II. derivatives

birefringence /bʌɪrɪˈfrɪndʒ(ə)ns /

noun

bireme /ˈbʌɪriːm/

I. noun

an ancient warship with two files of oarsmen on each side.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin biremis, from bi- ‘having two’ + remus ‘oar’.

biretta /bɪˈrɛtə/

I. noun

a square cap with three flat projections on top, worn by Roman Catholic clergymen.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian berretta or Spanish birreta, based on late Latin birrus ‘hooded cape’. Compare with beret.

Birgitta, St /ˌbɪəˈɡɪtə/

variant spelling of Bridget, St^2.

Birkenhead /ˌbəːkənˈhɛd/

a town in NW England on the Wirral Peninsula, across the River Mersey from Liverpool; pop. 79,700 (est. 2009).

Birkenstock

I. noun

1. ‹trademark› a type of shoe or sandal with a contoured cork-filled sole and a thick leather upper.

2. [as modifier] — ‹trademark› denoting people concerned with political correctness or Green issues

• homebuilders are no longer content to leave environmentalism to the Birkenstock crowd.

– origin 1970s: from the name of the manufacturer.

birl /bəːl / ‹Scottish›

I. verb

spin; whirl
[no obj.]

• my dad would have birled in his grave at the very idea.

II. noun

a spin or whirl.

– origin early 18th cent.: imitative.

birlinn /ˈbəːlɪn, ˈbɪəːlɪn/

I. noun

a large rowing boat or barge of a kind formerly used in the Western Islands of Scotland.

– origin late 16th cent.: Scottish Gaelic.

Birman /ˈbəːmən/

I. noun

a cat of a long-haired breed, typically with a cream body, dark head, tail, and legs, and white paws.

– origin variant of Burman.

Birmingham

I. /ˈbəːmɪŋəm/ — an industrial city in west central England; pop. 945,700 (est. 2009).

II. /ˈbəːmɪŋˌham/ — an industrial city in north central Alabama; pop. 228,798 (est. 2008).

biro /ˈbʌɪrəʊ/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹trademark› a kind of ballpoint pen.

– origin 1940s: named after László József Bíró (1899–1985), Hungarian inventor of the ballpoint.

birr /bəː/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Ethiopia, equal to 100 cents.

– origin from Amharic.

birth /bəːθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the emergence of a baby or other young from the body of its mother; the start of life as a physically separate being

• he was blind from birth

• [ count noun] despite a difficult birth he's fit and healthy.

2. the beginning or coming into existence of something

• the birth of Socialist Realism.

3. a person's origin, descent, or ancestry

• the mother is English by birth

• he is of noble birth.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) give birth to (a baby or other young)

• she birthed five children within ten years.

III. phrases

give birth

bear a child or young

• she gave birth to a son.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse byrth; related to bear^1.

birth certificate

noun

an official document issued to record a person's birth and identify them by name, place, date of birth, and parentage.

birth control

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of preventing unwanted pregnancies, especially by use of contraception.

birthdate /ˈbəːθdeɪt/

noun

the date on which a person was born.

birthday /ˈbəːθdeɪ/

I. noun

1. the anniversary of the day on which a person was born, typically treated as an occasion for celebration and the giving of gifts.

• his twenty-ninth birthday.

• [as modifier] a birthday cake.

2. the day of a person's birth

• he shares a birthday with Rod Stewart.

3. the anniversary of something's origin or foundation

• the seventy-fifth birthday of the Institute.

II. phrases

in one's birthday suit

‹humorous› naked.

birthday book

noun

a book in diary form for recording birthdays.

birthday boy

noun

‹informal› a boy or man whose birthday is being marked.

birthday girl

noun

‹informal› a girl or woman whose birthday is being marked.

Birthday Honours

plural noun

(in the UK) the awards and titles conferred by the sovereign on his or her official birthday

• he was appointed a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, for political and charitable services.

birthing /ˈbəːθɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of giving birth.

• a midwife allows mothers to feel more comfortable and calm during birthing.

• [as modifier] a birthing chair.

birthing pool

noun

a large bath in which a woman may give birth.

birthmark /ˈbəːθmɑːk/

noun

an unusual, typically permanent, mark on someone's body which is there from birth.

birth mother

noun

a woman who has given birth to a child, as opposed to an adoptive mother.

birth parent

noun

a biological as opposed to an adoptive parent.

birth partner

noun

a person chosen by a pregnant woman to give her support during the process of childbirth.

• make sure your birth partner knows your wishes so they can be assertive for you if you're not in a position to do it yourself.

birth pill

noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› a contraceptive pill.

birthplace /ˈbəːθpleɪs/

noun

1. the place where a person was born.

2. the place where something started or originated

• Florence was the birthplace of the Renaissance.

birth rate

noun

the number of live births per thousand of population per year.

• a rising birth rate.

birthright /ˈbəːθrʌɪt/

noun

1. a particular right of possession or privilege a person has from birth, especially as an eldest son.

2. a natural or moral right, possessed by everyone

• she saw a liberal education as the birthright of every child.

birth sign

noun

[Astrology] the zodiacal sign through which the sun is passing when a person is born.

birthstain /ˈbəːθsteɪn/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a perceived stigma attached to convict ancestry

• a more confident Australian nationalism converted the birthstain into a hallmark.

– origin late 19th cent.: from birth + stain.

birthstone /ˈbəːθstəʊn/

noun

a gemstone popularly associated with the month or astrological sign of a person's birth.

birthweight /ˈbəːθweɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the weight of a baby at birth.

• the risk of low birthweight.

• [as modifier] the high mortality of low birthweight children.

birth weight

noun

the weight of a baby or young animal at birth

• he weighed in a healthy 4.25 kilograms, a gain of 450 grams on his birth weight.

birthwort /ˈbəːθwəːt/

noun

a climbing or herbaceous plant which typically has heart-shaped leaves and deep-throated, pipe-shaped flowers. It was formerly used as an aid to childbirth and to induce abortion.
●Genus Aristolochia, family Aristolochiaceae.

Birtwistle, Sir Harrison /ˈbəːtˌwɪs(ə)l/

(b.1934), English composer and clarinettist; full name Sir Harrison Paul Birtwistle. His early work was influenced by Stravinsky; later compositions are more experimental.

biryani /ˌbɪrɪˈɑːni / biriyani, biriani

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Indian dish made with highly seasoned rice and meat, fish, or vegetables.

• prawn biryani.

– origin Urdu, from Persian biryāni, from biriyān ‘fried, grilled’.

bis /bis/

I. adverb

[Music] (as a direction) again.

– origin via French and Italian from Latin, literally ‘twice’.

BIS

abbreviation

Bank for International Settlements.

bis- /bɪs/

combining form

[Chemistry] used to form the names of compounds containing two groups identically substituted or coordinated

• bis(2-aminoethyl) ether.

Biscay, Bay of /ˈbɪskeɪ/

a part of the North Atlantic between the north coast of Spain and the west coast of France, noted for its strong currents and storms. The shipping forecast area Biscay extends approximately as far west as the longitude of Gijón in Spain.

biscotti /bɪˈskɒti/

I. plural noun

small rectangular biscuits containing nuts, made originally in Italy.

– origin Italian.

biscuit /ˈbɪskɪt/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a small baked unleavened cake, typically crisp, flat, and sweet

• a chocolate biscuit.

2. (N. Amer.) a small, soft round cake like a scone.

3. [ mass noun] — porcelain or other pottery which has been fired but not glazed.
[as modifier]

• biscuit ware.

4. [ mass noun] — a light brown colour.

5. [Carpentry] a small flat piece of wood used to join two larger pieces of wood together, fitting into slots in each.

II. phrases

take the biscuit ( ‹or chiefly N. Amer.› take the cake) ‹informal›

be the most remarkable or foolish of its kind.

III. derivatives

biscuity

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French bescuit, based on Latin bis ‘twice’ + coctus, past participle of coquere ‘to cook’ (so named because originally biscuits were cooked in a twofold process: first baked and then dried out in a slow oven so that they would keep).

biscuit barrel

noun

(Brit.) a small barrel-shaped container for biscuits.

biscuit beetle

noun

a small beetle related to the furniture beetle, with larvae that feed on dried foodstuffs and stored products such as biscuits, pasta, and seeds. Also called drugstore beetle.
● Stegobium paniceum, family Anobiidae.

biscuit firing biscuit fire

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the first firing of pottery, which permanently hardens the clay.

biscuit jointer

noun

a tool used to cut slots into pieces of wood so that they can be joined using a biscuit (see biscuit (sense 4)).

biscuit tin

noun

(Brit.) an airtight metal container used for storing biscuits

• he raided the biscuit tin in the kitchen.

bisect /bʌɪˈsɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. divide into two parts

• a landscape of ploughland bisected by long straight roads.

2. [Geometry] divide (a line, angle, or shape) into two exactly equal parts.

II. derivatives

1. bisection /bʌɪˈsɛkʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. bisector /bʌɪˈsɛktə /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from bi- ‘two’ + Latin sect- (from secare ‘to cut’).

biserial

adjective

[Botany] [Zoology] arranged in or consisting of two series or rows.

bisexual /bʌɪˈsɛkʃʊəl/

I. adjective

1. sexually attracted to both men and women.

2. [Biology] having characteristics of both sexes.

II. noun

a person who is sexually attracted to both men and women.

bisexuality /ˌbʌɪsɛkʃʊˈalɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sexual attraction to both men and women

• an honest portrayal of bisexuality in a mainstream film.

bish /bɪʃ/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a mistake or blunder.

– origin 1930s: of unknown origin.

Bishkek /bɪʃˈkɛk/

the capital of Kyrgyzstan; pop. 837,000 (est. 2007).
Former names Pishpek, Frunze.

Bisho

former name for Bhisho.

bishop /ˈbɪʃəp/

I. noun

1. a senior member of the Christian clergy, usually in charge of a diocese and empowered to confer holy orders.

2. (also bishop bird) — an African weaver bird, the male of which has red, orange, yellow, or black plumage.
●Genus Euplectes, family Ploceidae: several species, including the red bishop ( E. orix), which has scarlet plumage with a black face and underparts.

3. a chess piece, typically with its top shaped like a mitre, that can move in any direction along a diagonal on which it stands. Each player starts the game with two bishops, one moving on white squares and the other on black.

4. [ mass noun] — mulled and spiced wine.

– origin Old English biscop, bisceop, based on Greek episkopos ‘overseer’, from epi ‘above’ + -skopos ‘-looking’.

Bishop, Elizabeth

(1911–79), American poet. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her first two collections, North and South (1946) and A Cold Spring (1955).

bishopric /ˈbɪʃəprɪk/

I. noun

1. the office or rank of a bishop.

2. a district under a bishop's control; a diocese.

– origin Old English bisceoprīce, from bisceop (see bishop) + rīce ‘realm’.

Bislama /ˈbɪʃləˌmɑː / Beach-la-mar, Bêche-de-mer

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an English-based pidgin language used as the national language of Vanuatu, where it shares official status with English and French.

– origin alteration of Portuguese bicho do mar ‘sea cucumber’ (traded as a commodity, the word later being applied to the language of trade).

Bismarck /ˈbɪzmɑːk/

the state capital of North Dakota; pop. 60,389 (est. 2008). A terminus of the Northern Pacific Railway, it took the name of the German Chancellor in order to attract German capital for railroad-building.

Bismarck, Otto von /ˈbɪzmɑːk, German ˈbɪsmark/

I. Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg (1815–98), Prussian minister and German statesman, Chancellor of the German Empire 1871–90; known as the Iron Chancellor; full name Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck. He was the driving force behind the unification of Germany, orchestrating wars with Denmark (1864), Austria (1866), and France (1870–1) in order to achieve this end.

II. derivatives

Bismarckian

adjective

Bismarck Sea

an arm of the Pacific Ocean north-east of New Guinea and north of New Britain.

bismillah /bɪsˈmɪlə/

I. exclamation

in the name of God (an invocation used by Muslims at the beginning of an undertaking).

– origin from Arabic bi-smi-llāh, the first words of the Koran.

bismuth /ˈbɪzməθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Bi) — the chemical element of atomic number 83, a brittle reddish-tinged grey metal.

2. a compound of bismuth used medicinally.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin bisemutum, Latinization of German Wismut, of unknown origin.

bison /ˈbʌɪs(ə)n/

I. noun

a humpbacked shaggy-haired wild ox native to North America and Europe.
●Genus Bison, family Bovidae: B. bison of North American prairies (also called buffalo), and B. bonasus of European forests (also called wisent), now found only in Poland. These are sometimes regarded as a single species.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to wisent.

bisphenol A /ˈbɪsfiːnɒl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a synthetic organic compound used in the manufacture of epoxy resins and other polymers.
●A bicyclic phenol; chem. formula: C(CH_3)2(C_6H_4OH)2.

bisque^1 /bɪsk, biːsk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rich shellfish soup, typically made from lobster.

– origin French, ‘crayfish soup’.

bisque^2 /bɪsk/

I. noun

an extra turn or stroke allowed to a weaker player in croquet.

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally a term in real tennis): from French, of unknown ultimate origin.

bisque^3 /bɪsk/

noun

another term for biscuit (sense 2).

Bissagos Islands /bɪˈsɑːɡəs/

a group of islands off the coast of Guinea-Bissau, West Africa.

Bissau /bɪˈsaʊ/

the capital of Guinea-Bissau; pop. 330,000 (est. 2007).

bistable /bʌɪˈsteɪb(ə)l/

I. noun

an electronic circuit which has two stable states.

II. adjective

(of a system) having two stable states.

Bisto /ˈbɪstəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a powder used to thicken, flavour, and brown gravy.

– origin early 20th cent.: apparently named by its makers from initial letters of the advertising slogan Browns, Seasons, and Thickens in One.

bistort /ˈbɪstɔːt/

I. noun

a Eurasian herbaceous plant with a spike of flesh-coloured flowers and a twisted root.
●Genus Polygonum, family Polygonaceae: several species, in particular P. bistorta.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French bistorte or medieval Latin bistorta, from bis ‘twice’ + torta (feminine past participle of torquere ‘to twist’).

bistoury /ˈbɪstʊri/

I. noun

a surgical knife with a long, narrow, straight or curved blade.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French bistouri, originally bistorie ‘dagger’, of unknown origin.

bistre /ˈbɪstə / ‹US› bister

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a brownish-yellow pigment made from the soot of burnt wood.

2. a brownish-yellow colour.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, of unknown origin.

bistro /ˈbiːstrəʊ, ˈbɪs-/

I. noun

a small, inexpensive restaurant.

– origin 1920s: French; perhaps related to bistouille, a northern colloquial term meaning ‘bad alcohol’, perhaps from Russian bystro ‘rapidly’.

bisulphate /bʌɪˈsʌlfeɪt / bisulfate

noun

[Chemistry] a salt of the anion HSO_4−.

bit^1 /bɪt/

I. noun

1. a small piece, part, or quantity of something

• give the duck a bit of bread

• he read bits of his work to me.

2. ( a bit) — a short time or distance

• I fell asleep for a bit

• can you move over a bit?

3. ( a bit) — a fairly large amount

• working in a foreign country took quite a bit of getting used to.

4. [with adj.] — ‹informal› a set of actions or ideas associated with a specific group or activity

• Miranda could go off and do her theatrical bit.

5. ‹informal› a girl or young woman

• he went and married some young bit half his age.

6. ( bits) — (Brit.) ‹informal› a person's genitals.

• You could see everything! All her bits!

7. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a unit of 12½ cents (used only in even multiples).

II. phrases

1. a bit

somewhat; to some extent

• he came back looking a bit annoyed.

2. bit by bit

gradually

• bit by bit the truth started to emerge.

3. a bit of a ——

a. used to suggest that something is not severe or extreme, or is the case only to a limited extent

• I have had a bit of an accident

• he's a bit of a womanizer.

b. used to denote a young person or one of slight build

• you're just a bit of a girl yourself.

4. a bit of all right

(Brit.) ‹informal› a pleasing person or thing, especially a woman regarded in sexual terms.

• that blonde's a bit of all right.

5. bit of fluff (or skirt or stuff)

(Brit.) ‹informal› a woman regarded in sexual terms.

6. bit of rough

see rough.

7. bit on the side ‹Brit. informal›

a. a person with whom one is unfaithful to one's partner.

b. money earned outside one's normal job.

• I'd like to make a bit on the side.

8. bits and pieces ( ‹or Brit.› bobs)

an assortment of small items.

9. do one's bit

‹informal› make a useful contribution to an effort or cause

• I was persuaded to do my bit for the environment.

10. in bits

(Brit.) ‹informal› very upset or emotionally affected.

• she found out he was two-timing her—she's in bits, really she is.

11. not a bit

not at all

• I'm not a bit tired.

12. not a bit of it

(Brit.) not at all

• Am I being unduly cynical? Not a bit of it.

13. to bits

a. into pieces

• both cars were smashed to bits.

b. ‹informal› very much; to a great degree

• Vicky was thrilled to bits

• I just love him to bits.

– origin Old English bita ‘bite, mouthful’, of Germanic origin; related to German Bissen, also to bite.

bit^2 /bɪt/

past of bite.

bit^3 /bɪt/

I. noun

1. a mouthpiece, typically made of metal, which is attached to a bridle and used to control a horse.

2. a tool or piece for boring or drilling

• a drill bit.

3. the cutting or gripping part of a plane, pincers, or other tool.

4. the part of a key that engages with the lock lever.

5. the copper head of a soldering iron.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put a bit into the mouth of (a horse).

III. phrases

1. above the bit

(of a horse) carrying its head too high so that it evades correct contact with the bit.

2. behind the bit

(of a horse) carrying its head with the chin tucked in so that it evades contact with the bit.

3. get (or take or have) the bit between ( ‹or N. Amer.› in) one's teeth

begin to tackle a problem or task in a determined or independent way.

4. off the bit (or bridle)

(of a horse) ridden on a loose rein to allow it to gallop freely.

5. on the bit (or bridle)

(of a horse) ridden with a light but firm contact on the mouth.

IV. derivatives

bitted

adjective

[in combination]

• a double-bitted axe

– origin Old English bite ‘biting, a bite’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch beet and German Biss, also to bite.

bit^4 /bɪt/

I. noun

[Computing] a unit of information expressed as either a 0 or 1 in binary notation.

– origin 1940s: blend of binary and digit.

bitch /bɪtʃ/

I. noun

1. a female dog, wolf, fox, or otter.

2. ‹informal› a spiteful or unpleasant woman.

3. ‹offensive› a woman.

4. ‹informal› a person who is completely subservient to another.

5. ( a bitch) — ‹informal› a difficult or unpleasant situation or thing

• working the night shift is a bitch.

6. ‹informal› a complaint

• my big bitch is that there's nothing new here.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› make spitefully critical comments

• everybody was bitching about their colleagues.

– origin Old English bicce, of Germanic origin.

bitchery

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› malicious or spiteful behaviour.

bitch face

noun

‹informal› (typically with reference to a woman) a scowling facial expression, especially as the natural cast of a person's features

• I have a bitch face too! That's why people talk to my friends first instead of me!

• there's no reason to be rude and put on a bitch face when someone's just being friendly.

bitching ‹US informal› bitchen

I. adjective

excellent

• a bitching new album.

II. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. extremely

• it's bitchin' hot, ain't it?

bitch-slap /ˈbɪtʃslap/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (US) ‹informal› deliver a stinging blow to (someone), typically in order to humiliate them

• I would have bitch-slapped him for talking that way.

– origin 1990s: originally black English, referring to a woman hitting or haranguing her male partner.

bitchy /ˈbɪtʃi/

I. adjective

‹informal› malicious or spitefully critical

• bitchy remarks.

II. derivatives

1. bitchily

adverb

2. bitchiness /ˈbɪtʃinəs /

noun

bitcoin /ˈbɪtkɔɪn / BTC

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of digital currency in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of units of currency and verify the transfer of funds, operating independently of a central bank

• bitcoin has become a hot commodity among speculators

• If you want to buy something using bitcoin you need to make sure the seller accepts the cryptocurrency.

2. [ count noun] — a unit of bitcoin

• bitcoins can be used for online transactions between individuals.

– origin early 21st cent.: from bit^4 + coin.

bite /bʌɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. use the teeth to cut into (something)

• the woman's arm was bitten off by an alligator

• [no obj.] Rosa bit into a cream cake.

2. use the teeth in order to inflict injury on

• she had bitten, scratched, and kicked her assailant.

3. (of a snake, insect, or spider) wound with fangs, pincers, or a sting

• while on holiday she was bitten by an adder.

4. [no obj.] — (of an acid) corrode a surface

• chemicals have bitten deep into the stone.

5. [no obj.] — (of a fish) take the bait or lure on the end of a fishing line into the mouth.

• I marvel at how easily and eagerly a chub will bite.

6. [no obj.] — ‹informal› be persuaded to accept a deal or offer

• a hundred or so retailers should bite.

7. ‹informal› annoy or worry

• what's biting you today?

8. [no obj.] — (of a tool, tyre, boot, etc.) grip or take hold on a surface

• once on the slab, my boots failed to bite.

9. (of an object) press into a part of the body, causing pain

• the handcuffs bit into his wrists.

10. cause emotional pain

• Cheryl's betrayal had bitten deep.

11. (of a policy or situation) take effect, with unpleasant consequences

• the cuts in art education were starting to bite.

12. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› be very bad, unpleasant, or unfortunate.

• it bites that your mom won't let you go.

II. noun

1. an act of biting something in order to eat it

• Stephen ate a hot dog in three big bites.

2. a wound inflicted by an animal's or a person's teeth

• Percy's dog had given her a nasty bite.

3. a wound inflicted by a snake, insect, or spider

• my legs were covered in mosquito bites.

4. an instance of bait being taken by a fish

• by four o'clock he still hadn't had a single bite.

5. [Dentistry] the bringing together of the teeth so that the jaws are closed.

6. [Dentistry] an imprint of the position of the teeth when the jaws are closed, made in a plastic material.

7. a piece cut off by biting

• Robyn took a large bite out of her sandwich.

8. ‹informal› a quick snack

• I plan to stop off in the village and have a bite to eat.

9. a small morsel of prepared food, intended to constitute one mouthful

• bacon bites with cheese.

10. a short piece of information.

11. a sharp or pungent flavour

• a fresh, lemony bite.

12. [ mass noun] — incisiveness or cogency of style

• the tale has added bite if its characters appear to be real.

13. a feeling of cold in the air or wind

• by early October there's a bite in the air.

III. phrases

1. someone's bark is worse than their bite

see bark^1.

2. be bitten by the —— bug

develop a passionate interest in a specified activity

• Joe was badly bitten by the showbiz bug at the age of four.

3. bite the big one

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› die.

• the Premier bit the big one, supposedly an automobile accident.

4. bite the bullet

decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating over.

• decisions have to be taken and as director you have got to bite the bullet.

[from the old custom of giving wounded soldiers a bullet to bite on when undergoing surgery without anaesthetic.]

5. bite the dust ‹informal›

a. be killed.

• the baddies bite the dust with lead in their bellies.

b. fail or come to an end

• she hoped the new course would not bite the dust for lack of funding.

6. bite the hand that feeds one

deliberately hurt or offend a benefactor.

7. bite someone's head off

see head.

8. bite one's lip

repress an emotion; stifle laughter or repress a retort.

• she bit her lip to stop the rush of bitter words.

9. bite one's nails

chew at one's nails as a nervous habit.

• I used to bite my nails.

10. bite off more than one can chew

take on a commitment one cannot fulfil.

• serves him right for biting off more than he could chew.

11. the biter bitten (or bit)

used to indicate that someone is being treated in the same way that they have treated others, typically badly.

• now the cruel biter was being cruelly bitten.

12. bite one's tongue

make a desperate effort to avoid saying something

• I had to bite my tongue and accept his explanation.

13. one could have bitten one's tongue off

used to convey that one profoundly and immediately regrets having said something

• as soon as he had spoken, Grant could have bitten his tongue off.

14. once bitten, twice shy

‹proverb› an unpleasant experience induces caution.

15. put the bite on

(N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› borrow or extort money from.

• a deadbeat diner tried to put the bite on a restaurant.

[1930s (originally US): bite, from the slang sense ‘deception’.]

16. take a bite out of

‹informal› reduce by a significant amount

• commissions that can take a bite out of your retirement funds.

IV. phrasal verbs

bite something back

refrain with difficulty from saying something, making a sound, or expressing an emotion

• Melissa bit back a scathing comment.

V. derivatives

biter /ˈbʌɪtə /

noun

– origin Old English bītan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bijten and German beissen.

biternate /bʌɪˈtəːneɪt/

adjective

[Botany] (especially of a ternate leaf) having leaflets or other parts that are further subdivided in a ternate arrangement.

bit error rate

noun

[Electronics] the rate at which errors occur in the transmission of digital data.

bite-sized bite-size

adjective

1. (of a piece of food) small enough to be eaten in one mouthful

• cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.

2. ‹informal› very small or short

• a series of bite-sized essays.

Bithynia /bɪˈθɪnɪə/

the ancient name for the region of NW Asia Minor west of ancient Paphlagonia, bordering the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara.

biting /ˈbʌɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (of insects and certain other animals) able to wound the skin with a sting or fangs.

• a cream to ward off biting insects.

2. (of wind or cold) so cold as to be painful

• he leant forward to protect himself against the biting wind.

3. (of wit or criticism) harsh or cruel

• his biting satire on corruption and power.

II. derivatives

bitingly /ˈbʌɪtɪŋli /

adverb

biting midge

noun

a minute fly which typically occurs in large swarms. The female has piercing mouthparts and feeds on the blood of a variety of animals, including humans.
●Family Ceratopogonidae: numerous genera and species, including the common European Culicoides obsoletus.

bitmap /ˈbɪtmap / ‹Computing›

I. noun

a representation in which each item corresponds to one or more bits of information, especially the information used to control the display of a computer screen.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. represent (an item) as a bitmap.
(as adj. bitmapped)

• a bitmapped background.

BITNET ‹trademark› Bitnet

a data transmission network founded in 1981 to link North American academic institutions and to interconnect with other information networks.

bitonal /bʌɪˈtəʊn(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of music) having parts in two different keys sounding together.

II. derivatives

bitonality

noun

bit part

noun

a small acting role in a play or a film.

bit rate

noun

[Electronics] the number of bits per second that can be transmitted along a digital network.

Bitrex /ˈbɪtrɛks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a bitter-tasting synthetic organic compound added to cleaning fluids or other products to make them unpalatable.

– origin 1960s: an invented name.

bitstream /ˈbɪtstriːm/

noun

1. [Electronics] a stream of data in binary form.

2. ( in the US) ( Bitstream) — [Electronics] ‹trademark› a system of digital-to-analogue signal conversion used in some audio CD players, in which the signal from the CD is digitally processed to give a signal at a higher frequency before being converted to an analogue signal.
[as modifier]

• a Bitstream CD player.

bitten /ˈbɪtn/

past participle of bite.

bitter /ˈbɪtə/

I. adjective

1. having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; not sweet

• raw berries have an intensely bitter flavour.

2. (of chocolate) dark and unsweetened.

3. feeling or showing anger, hurt, or resentment because of bad experiences or a sense of unjust treatment

• I don't feel jealous or bitter

• she wept bitter tears of self-reproach.

4. (of a conflict, argument, or opponent) full of anger and acrimony

• a bitter five-year legal battle.

5. painful or unpleasant to accept or contemplate

• today's decision has come as a bitter blow

• she knew from bitter experience how treacherous such feelings could be.

6. (of wind or weather) intensely cold

• a bitter February night.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) beer that is strongly flavoured with hops and has a bitter taste.

• a pint of bitter.

• [ count noun] the company brews a range of bitters.

2. [treated as sing.] ( bitters) — alcohol flavoured with bitter plant extracts, used as an additive in cocktails or as a medicinal substance to promote appetite or digestion.

• a dash of bitters.

III. phrases

to the bitter end

used to indicate that one will continue doing something until it is finished, no matter what

• the workers would fight to the bitter end.

[perhaps associated with a nautical word bitter denoting the last part of a cable inboard of the bitts, perhaps influenced by the biblical phrase ‘her end is bitter as wormwood’ (Prov. 5:4).]

– origin Old English biter, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German bitter, and probably to bite.

bitter almond

noun

an inedible, bitter form of almond, used to produce almond oil.

bitter apple

noun

another term for colocynth.

bittercress

noun

a plant with small white flowers, which grows widely as a temperate weed, especially in damp soils.
●Genus Cardamine, family Cruciferae: several species.

bitter-ender

noun

1. ‹informal› a person who holds out until the end, no matter what.

• bitter-enders who speak their mind no matter what the cost.

2. ‹informal› (in southern African history) a Boer who refused to surrender towards the end of the Second Boer War.

bitter greens

plural noun

(N. Amer.) mixed green leaves of a variety of salad vegetables with a bitter taste, such as endives, chicory, or spinach.

bittering agent

noun

a substance added to a toxic product, e.g. antifreeze, to make it taste or smell extremely bitter and thus discourage inhalation or ingestion.

bitter lemon

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a carbonated semi-sweet soft drink flavoured with lemons.

bitterling /ˈbɪtəlɪŋ/

I. noun

a small brightly coloured freshwater fish of central Europe. The eggs are deposited inside a mussel, in which they are fertilized and the young eventually hatch.
● Rhodeus amarus, family Cyprinidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German Bitterling, from bitter ‘bitter’ (translating Latin amarus) + -ling.

bitterly /ˈbɪtəli/

adverb

1. in an angry, hurt, or resentful way

• passengers complained bitterly about grand promises made by the company

• the two governments quarrelled bitterly over the terms of the loan.

2. [as submodifier] — to an extreme, forceful, or particularly harsh degree

• he was bitterly opposed by the majority shareholder

• its humour is cutting and bitterly sarcastic.

3. (relating to wind or weather) to an intensely cold degree

• a bitterly cold day.

bittern^1 /ˈbɪtən/

I. noun

a large marshbird of the heron family, which is typically smaller than a heron, with brown streaked plumage. The larger kinds are noted for the deep booming call of the male in the breeding season.
●Genera Botaurus and Ixobrychus, family Ardeidae: several species, especially the Eurasian bittern ( B. stellaris) and the American bittern ( B. lentiginosus).

– origin late Middle English bitore, from Old French butor, based on Latin butio ‘bittern’ + taurus ‘bull’ (because of its call). The - n was added in the 16th cent., perhaps by association with hern, obsolete variant of heron.

bittern^2 /ˈbɪtən / bitterns

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a concentrated solution of various salts remaining after the crystallization of salt from seawater.

– origin late 17th cent.: probably from the adjective bitter.

bitterness /ˈbɪtənəs/

noun

1. sharpness of taste; lack of sweetness

• the lime juice imparts a slight bitterness.

2. anger and disappointment at being treated unfairly; resentment

• he expressed bitterness over his dismissal without notice.

bitter orange

noun

another term for Seville orange.

bitter pit

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease of apples caused by calcium deficiency, characterized by sunken brown spots.

bittersweet /ˌbɪtəˈswiːt/

I. adjective

1. (of food or drink) sweet with a bitter aftertaste.

• she sipped the bittersweet drink.

• the ale has a fine bittersweet nutty taste.

2. arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain

• bittersweet memories of his time in London.

II. noun

1. another term for woody nightshade (see nightshade).

2. a vine-like American climbing plant which bears clusters of bright orange pods.
●Genus Celastrus, family Celastraceae: several species.

3. (also bittersweet shell) — a widely distributed bivalve mollusc which has a pale rounded shell that is typically marked with wavy lines.
●Genus Glycymeris, family Glycymeridae.

bittersweet chocolate

noun

North American term for plain chocolate.

BitTorrent

I. noun

[Computing] ‹trademark› a peer-to-peer file transfer protocol for sharing large amounts of data over the Internet, in which each part of a file downloaded by a user is transferred to other users.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of bit^4 and torrent.

bitts

I. plural noun

a pair of posts on the deck of a ship for fastening mooring lines or cables.

– origin Middle English: probably of Low German origin.

bitty /ˈbɪti / ‹informal›

I. adjective

1. (chiefly Brit.) made up of small parts that seem unrelated

• the text is rather bitty.

2. [usu. in combination] — (N. Amer.) tiny

• a little-bitty girl.

II. derivatives

1. bittily

adverb

2. bittiness /ˈbɪtinəs /

noun

Bitumastic /ˌbɪtjʊˈmastɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun] ( in the US)

1. ‹trademark› an asphaltic composition used as a protective coating.
[as modifier]

• bitumastic paint.

– origin late 19th cent.: from bitumen and mastic.

bitumen /ˈbɪtjʊmən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a black viscous mixture of hydrocarbons obtained naturally or as a residue from petroleum distillation. It is used for road surfacing and roofing.

2. (Austral.) ‹informal› a tarred road surface

• a kilometre and a half of bitumen.

– origin late Middle English (denoting naturally occurring asphalt used as mortar): from Latin.

bituminize /bɪˈtjuːmɪnʌɪz / bituminise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert into, impregnate with, or cover with bitumen.
(as adj. bituminized)

• a bituminized pipe resists corrosion.

II. derivatives

bituminization

noun

bituminous /bɪˈtjuːmɪnəs/

I. adjective

of, containing, or of the nature of bitumen.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French bitumineux, from Latin bituminosus.

bituminous coal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. black coal having a relatively high volatile content and burning with a characteristically bright smoky flame.

bitwise

adjective

[Computing] denoting an operator in a programming language which manipulates the individual bits in a byte or word.

bitzer /ˈbɪtsə / bitser

I. noun

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a contraption made from previously unrelated parts.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a mongrel dog.

– origin 1920s: abbreviation of the phrase bits and pieces.

bivalence /bʌɪˈveɪl(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Logic] the existence of only two states or truth values (e.g. true and false).

• principle of bivalence.

bivalent /bʌɪˈveɪl(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. [Biology] (of homologous chromosomes) associated in pairs.

2. [Chemistry] another term for divalent.

II. noun

[Biology] a pair of homologous chromosomes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from bi- ‘two’ + Latin valent- ‘being strong’ (from the verb valere).

bivalve /ˈbʌɪvalv/

I. noun

an aquatic mollusc which has a compressed body enclosed within a hinged shell, such as oysters, mussels, and scallops. Also called pelecypod or lamellibranch.
●Class Bivalvia (formerly Pelecypoda or Lamellibranchia).

II. adjective

1. (of a mollusc or other aquatic invertebrate) having a hinged double shell.

2. [Botany] having two valves.

bivariate /bʌɪˈvɛːrɪət/

adjective

[Statistics] involving or depending on two variates.

bivouac /ˈbɪvʊak, ˈbɪvwak/

I. noun

a temporary camp without tents or cover, used especially by soldiers or mountaineers.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. stay in a bivouac

• we bivouacked on the north side of the town.

– origin early 18th cent. (denoting a night watch by the whole army): from French, probably from Swiss German Bîwacht ‘additional guard at night’, apparently denoting a citizens' patrol supporting the ordinary town watch.

bivvy ‹informal›

I. noun

a small tent or temporary shelter.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. stay in a small tent or temporary shelter.

• he opted to bivvy up for two days.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation of bivouac.

biweekly /bʌɪˈwiːkli/

I. adjective, adverb

appearing or taking place every two weeks or twice a week
[as adj.]

• a biweekly bulletin.

II. noun

a periodical that appears every two weeks or twice a week.

• an English-language biweekly.

bi-wiring

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of two wires between an amplifier and a loudspeaker to operate the low- and high-frequency speaker circuits separately.

biyearly

adjective, adverb

appearing or taking place every two years or twice a year.
[as adj.]

• the biyearly match.

biz /bɪz/

I. noun

‹informal› a business, especially one connected with entertainment

• the music biz.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US): abbreviation.

bizarre /bɪˈzɑː/

I. adjective

very strange or unusual

• a bizarre situation

• his behaviour became more and more bizarre.

II. derivatives

bizarreness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian bizzarro ‘angry’, of unknown origin.

bizarrely /bɪˈzɑːli/

adverb

1. in a very strange or unusual manner

• he often dressed bizarrely

• a small part of me is bizarrely fascinated.

2. [ sentence adverb] — used to express the opinion that something is very strange or unusual

• bizarrely enough, everyone loved it.

bizarrerie /bɪˈzɑːrəri/

I. noun

a thing considered extremely strange and unusual, especially in an amusing way.
[ mass noun]

• they were connoisseurs of bizarrerie.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, from bizarre.

bizarro /bɪˈzɑːrəʊ/

adjective

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) bizarre.

• the bizarro world of computer game fanatics.

Bizerta /bɪˈzəːtə / Bizerte

a seaport on the northern coast of Tunisia; pop. 114,400 (est. 2004).

Bizet, Georges /ˈbiːzeɪ/

(1838–75), French composer; born Alexandre César Léopold Bizet. He is best known for the opera Carmen (1875).

bizzo /ˈbɪzəʊ/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› used to refer to something one does not wish to name specifically

• we don't want this to turn into one of those pie-in-the-sky bizzos

• there's a lot of environmentally friendly bizzo afoot around here.

– origin 1960s: contraction of business + -o.

Bjerknes, Vilhelm /ˈbjəːknəs/

(1862–1951), Norwegian geophysicist and meteorologist; full name Vilhelm Frimann Koren Bjerknes. He developed a theory of physical hydrodynamics for atmospheric and oceanic circulation, and mathematical models for weather prediction. His son Jacob (1897–1975) built on his father's work and became a major contributor to theoretical meteorology and practical weather forecasting.

bk

abbreviation

book.

Bk

symbol

the chemical element berkelium.

bl

abbreviation

barrel.

BL

abbreviation

1. (in Scotland and Ireland) Bachelor of Law.

2. bill of lading.

3. ‹historical› British Leyland.

4. British Library.

blab /blab/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› reveal secrets by indiscreet talk

• she blabbed to the press

• [with obj.] there's no need to blab the whole story.

2. ‹informal› talk foolishly or mindlessly

• they blab on about responsibility.

II. noun

a person who blabs

• Sam should not have gone soft on a blab who squealed.

– origin Middle English (as a noun): probably of Germanic origin; ultimately imitative.

blabber /ˈblabə / ‹informal›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. talk foolishly, indiscreetly, or excessively

• she blabbered on and on.

II. noun

1. a person who blabbers.

• the blabber wastes his own time, and the listener's time.

2. [ mass noun] — foolish, indiscreet, or excessive talk

• the obsequious blabber of her servants.

blabbermouth /ˈblabəmaʊθ/

noun

‹informal› a person who talks excessively or indiscreetly.

black /blak/

I. adjective

1. of the very darkest colour owing to the absence of or complete absorption of light; the opposite of white

• black smoke

• her long black hair.

2. (of the sky or night) completely dark owing to the sun, moon, or stars not being visible

• the sky was moonless and black.

3. deeply stained with dirt

• the walls were black with age and dirt.

4. (of a plant or animal) dark in colour as distinguished from a lighter variety

• Japanese black pine.

5. (of coffee or tea) served without milk.

• a mug of black coffee.

• Doyle took his coffee black.

6. of or denoting the suits spades and clubs in a pack of cards.

7. (of a ski run) of the highest level of difficulty, as indicated by black markers positioned along it.

8. (also Black) — belonging to or denoting any human group having dark-coloured skin, especially of African or Australian Aboriginal ancestry.

• black adolescents of Jamaican descent.

9. relating to black people

• black culture.

10. characterized by tragic or disastrous events; causing despair or pessimism

• five thousand men were killed on the blackest day of the war

• the future looks black.

11. (of a person's state of mind) full of gloom or misery; very depressed

• Jean had disappeared and Mary was in a black mood.

12. (of humour) presenting tragic or harrowing situations in comic terms.

• ‘Good place to bury the bodies,’ she joked with black humour.

13. full of anger or hatred

• Rory shot her a black look.

14. ‹archaic› very evil or wicked

• my soul is steeped in the blackest sin.

15. denoting a covert military procedure

• clearance for black operations came from the highest political level.

16. (Brit.) ‹dated› (of goods or work) not to be handled or undertaken by trade union members, especially so as to express support for an industrial dispute elsewhere

• the union declared the ship black.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — black colour or pigment

• a tray decorated in black and green.

2. black clothes or material, typically worn as a sign of mourning

• only one or two of the mourners were in black.

3. darkness, especially of night or an overcast sky

• the only thing visible in the black was the light of the torch.

4. ( Black) — the player of the black pieces in chess or draughts.

• Black's king's defences are somewhat weakened.

5. [ count noun] — a black thing, in particular the black ball in snooker.

6. (also Black) — a member of a dark-skinned people, especially one of African or Australian Aboriginal ancestry.

• they tend to identify strongly with other blacks.

7. ( the black) — the situation of not owing money to a bank or of making a profit in a business operation

• it is hoped the club will be back in the black by the end of the season

• I managed to break even in the first six months—quite a short time for a small business to get into the black.

• an insurance company operating in the black will be able to pay for further growth.

8. (Brit.) ‹informal› blackcurrant cordial

• a rum and black.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) black, especially with polish

• the steps of the house were neatly blacked.

2. make (one's face and other visible parts) black with polish or make-up so as not to be seen at night or to play the role of a black person in a play or film

• white extras blacking up their faces to play Ethiopians.

3. (Brit.) ‹dated› refuse to handle (goods), undertake (work), or have dealings with (a person or business) as a way of taking industrial action

• the printers blacked firms trying to employ women.

IV. phrases

1. black someone's eye

hit someone in the eye so as to cause bruising.

• a woman capable of blacking the eye of any guest who wanted to slip out before the end.

2. black-on-black

denoting harmful actions in which both the perpetrator and the victim are black

• the American media was saturated with stories of black-on-black violence.

3. in someone's black books

‹informal› in disfavour with someone.

4. look on the black side

‹informal› view a situation from a pessimistic angle.

• I was looking on the black side and thought I would get a sentence of five years.

5. men in black /ˌmɛn ɪn ˈblak /

‹informal› anonymous dark-clothed men who supposedly visit people who have reported an encounter with a UFO or an alien in order to prevent them publicizing it.

• men in black suddenly appear on a UFO witness's doorstep.

6. the new black

a. a colour that is currently so popular that it rivals the traditional status of black as the most reliably fashionable colour

• brown is the new black this season.

b. something which is suddenly extremely popular or fashionable

• retro sci-fi is the new black.

7. not as black as one is painted

‹informal› not as bad as one is said to be.

• Robert's character could surely not be as black as Dawn had painted.

V. phrasal verbs

1. black out

undergo a sudden and temporary loss of consciousness.

• they knocked me around and I blacked out.

2. black something out

a. extinguish all lights or completely cover windows, especially for protection against an air attack.

• the bombers began to come nightly and the city was blacked out.

• (as adj. blacked out) a stretch limo with blacked-out windows.

b. subject a place to an electricity failure

• Chicago was blacked out yesterday after a freak flood.

c. obscure something completely so that it cannot be read or seen

• the number plate had been blacked out with masking tape.

d. (of a television company) decide not to broadcast a disputed or controversial programme.

• they blacked out the women's final.

VI. derivatives

1. blackish /ˈblakɪʃ /

adjective

2. blackly /ˈblakli /

adverb

– origin Old English blæc, of Germanic origin. / usage: Black has been used to refer to African peoples and their descendants since at least the late 14th century. Although the word has been in continuous use ever since, other terms have enjoyed prominence too: in the US coloured was the term adopted in preference by emancipated slaves following the American Civil War, and coloured was itself superseded in the US in the early 20th century by Negro as the term preferred by prominent black American campaigners such as Booker T. Washington. In Britain, on the other hand, coloured was the most widely used and accepted term in the 1950s and early 1960s. With the civil rights and Black Power movements of the 1960s, black was adopted by Americans of African origin to signify a sense of racial pride, and it remains the most widely used and generally accepted term in Britain today. In the US African American replaced black in many contexts during the 1980s, but both are now generally acceptable.

Black, Joseph

(1728–99), Scottish chemist. He was important in developing accurate techniques for following chemical reactions by weighing reactants and products, and formulated the concepts of latent heat and thermal capacity.

black Africa

the area of Africa, generally south of the Sahara, where black people predominate.

blackamoor /ˈblakəmɔː, ˈblakəmʊə/

I. noun

‹archaic› a black African or a very dark-skinned person.

– origin early 16th cent.: from black + Moor.

black and blue

adjective

covered in livid bruises.

• he earnt good money being beaten black and blue as a prize fighter.

black and tan

noun

1. a terrier of a breed with a black back and tan markings on face, flanks, and legs.

2. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) a drink composed of stout and bitter.

Black and Tans

I. an armed force recruited by the British government to fight Sinn Fein in Ireland in 1920–1. Their harsh methods caused an outcry in Britain and America.

– origin so named because of the mixture of military khaki and black constabulary colours of their uniform.

black and white

I. adjective

1. (of a photograph, film, television programme, etc.) in black, white, shades of grey, and no other colour

• old black-and-white movies.

2. (of a situation or debate) involving clearly defined opposing principles or issues

• it was all grey areas; no black-and-white certainties.

II. noun

(US) ‹informal› a police car.

• a couple of black and whites zipped up and cops jumped out.

III. phrases

in black and white

a. in writing or print

• she had abandoned all hope of getting her contract down in black and white.

b. in terms of clearly defined opposing principles or issues

• children think in black and white, good and bad.

black ant

noun

a small ant which is black in colour and is typically found in and around houses.
●Several species in the family Formicidae.

black armband

noun

1. a strip of black material worn round the upper arm as a mark of respect for someone who has recently died

• many staff members wore black armbands to commemorate the tragedy.

2. (usu. in phrase black armband view of history) — (Austral./NZ) ‹derogatory› a view that emphasizes the negative aspects of Australian history, especially by focusing on the dispossession and ill treatment of the indigenous people

• he denounced the black armband view of history.

[coined by Geoffrey Blainey in 1993.] Compare with white blindfold.

black art

noun — (often the black arts)

1. another term for black magic.

2. ‹humorous› a technique or practice considered mysterious and sinister

• the black art of political news management.

blackball /ˈblakbɔːl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. reject (a candidate applying to become a member of a private club), typically by means of a secret ballot.

• her husband was blackballed when he tried to join the Country Club.

– origin late 18th cent.: from the practice of registering an adverse vote by placing a black ball in a ballot box.

black ban

noun

(Austral.) a mass refusal to supply or purchase goods or services in an attempt to force a particular decision or action.

black bass

noun

a North American freshwater fish of the sunfish family, which is a popular sporting and food fish.
●Genus Micropterus, family Centrarchidae: several species, in particular the largemouth bass ( M. salmoides) and the smallmouth bass ( M. dolomieui).

black bean

noun

1. either of two cultivated varieties of bean plant having small black seeds:
● a variety of soy bean, used fermented in oriental cooking. ● a Mexican variety of the French bean.

2. the dried seed of the black bean plants, used as a vegetable.
[as modifier]

• black bean sauce.

3. either of two Australian plants of the pea family:
● a liana with blackish flowers ( Kennedia nigricans, family Leguminosae). ● another term for Moreton Bay chestnut.

black bear

noun

a medium-sized forest-dwelling bear with blackish fur and a paler face, found in North America and eastern Asia.
●Two species, family Ursidae: the American black bear ( Ursus americanus), with a wide range of coat colour, and the smaller Asian black bear ( Selenarctos thibetanus).

black beetle

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› the common cockroach.

black belt

noun

1. a black belt worn by an expert in judo, karate, and other martial arts.

2. a person qualified to wear a black belt.

blackberry /ˈblakb(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. an edible soft fruit consisting of a cluster of soft purple-black drupelets.

2. the prickly climbing shrub of the rose family which bears blackberries. Also called bramble.
● Rubus fruticosus, family Rosaceae (sometimes treated as an aggregate of many species).

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun blackberrying)

1. gather blackberries in the wild.

• she asked me to go blackberrying with her.

BlackBerry

I. noun

‹trademark› a handheld mobile device that provides Internet access and email, telephone, and text-messaging facilities.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. communicate with (someone) using a BlackBerry device

• I was BlackBerrying them while the speech was going on.

• [no obj.] they blogged, BlackBerried, and texted—sometimes contacting someone only a few feet away.

black bile

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in medieval science and medicine) one of the four bodily humours, believed to be associated with a melancholy temperament.
Also called melancholy.

– origin late 18th cent.: translation of Greek melankholia (see melancholy). Compare with atrabilious.

black bindweed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a twining European weed related to the docks, with heart-shaped leaves and small white flowers.
● Fallopia convolvulus, family Polygonaceae.

blackbird /ˈblakbəːd/

noun

1. an Old World thrush with mainly black plumage.
●Genus Turdus, family Turdidae: four species, in particular T. merula, the male of which has all-black plumage and a yellow bill.

2. (also American blackbird) — a New World songbird with a strong pointed bill. The male has black plumage that is iridescent or has patches of red or yellow.
●Family Icteridae (the American blackbird family): several genera and species, including the abundant red-winged blackbird ( Agelaius phoeniceus).

3. ‹historical› a black or Polynesian captive on a slave ship.

blackbirding /ˈblakbəːdɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹historical› the practice of kidnapping Pacific Islanders and using them as forced labour, in particular on sugar and cotton plantations in Australia

• the island's population was severely depleted by blackbirding.

– origin late 19th cent.: from blackbird in the sense ‘a Polynesian person on a slave ship’.

blackboard /ˈblakbɔːd/

noun

a large board with a smooth dark surface attached to a wall or supported on an easel and used by teachers in schools for writing on with chalk.

black body

noun

[Physics] a hypothetical perfect absorber and radiator of energy, with no reflecting power.

black book

noun

a book containing a list of secret contacts, or of the names of people liable to be punished

• he lists his sexual conquests in his little black book.

black bottom

noun

a popular American dance of the 1920s.

black box

noun

1. a flight recorder in an aircraft.

2. ‹informal› a complex system or device whose internal workings are hidden or not readily understood.

blackboy

noun

an Australian tree or erect shrub with long, stiff grass-like leaves. Flowering in some species is stimulated by fire. Also called grass tree.
●Genus Xanthorrhoea, family Xanthorrhoeaceae: several species, including a tree ( X. preissii) with a thick dark trunk and a palm-like crown of leaves, and a shrub ( X. australis) with a short buried trunk and leaves on the surface of the ground.

black bread

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a coarse dark-coloured type of rye bread.

black bryony

noun

a climbing European hedgerow plant with broad glossy leaves, poisonous red berries, and black tubers.
● Tamus communis, the only European member of the yam family ( Dioscoreaceae).

blackbuck

noun

a small Indian gazelle, the horned male of which has a black back and white underbelly, the female being hornless. Also called sasin.
● Antilope cervicapra, family Bovidae.

black bulgar

noun

a cup-shaped stemless black fungus which grows on the fallen trunks and branches of broadleaved trees in Europe.
● Bulgaria inquinans, family Helotiaceae, subdivision Ascomycotina.

black bun

noun — [ mass noun]

1. rich fruit cake in a pastry case, traditionally eaten in Scotland at New Year.

Blackburn

an industrial town in Lancashire, NW England; pop. 104,100 (est. 2009).

blackbutt

I. noun

a tall straight-trunked Australian eucalyptus tree, typically with fire-charred fibrous bark on the lower trunk and with pale brown timber.
● Eucalyptus pilularis, family Myrtaceae.

– origin early 19th cent.: from black + butt^3 in the sense ‘tree trunk’.

black butter

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sauce made by heating butter until it is brown and, typically, adding vinegar.

blackcap /ˈblakkap/

noun

1. a mainly European warbler with a black cap in the male and a reddish-brown one in the female.
● Sylvia atricapilla, family Sylviidae.

2. (N. Amer.) the black-capped chickadee.
● Parus atricapillus, family Paridae.

Black Carib

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a language derived from Island Carib with borrowings from Spanish, English, and French, spoken in isolated parts of Central America by descendants of people transported from the Lesser Antilles.

black caucus

noun

(US) a political caucus composed of black people interested in advancing the concerns of blacks.

blackcock /ˈblakkɒk/

noun

the male of the black grouse.

black consciousness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. awareness of one's identity as a black person.

Black Country

a district of the English Midlands with much heavy industry.

blackcurrant /blakˈkʌr(ə)nt/

noun

1. a small round edible black berry which grows in loose hanging clusters.

2. the widely cultivated shrub which bears blackcurrants.
● Ribes nigrum, family Grossulariaceae.

Black Death

I. the great epidemic of a disease thought to be bubonic plague, which killed a large proportion of the population of Europe in the mid 14th century. It originated in central Asia and China and spread rapidly through Europe, carried by the fleas of black rats, reaching England in 1348 and killing between one third and one half of the population in a matter of months.

– origin a modern term (compare with earlier the (great) pestilence, great death, the plague), said to have been introduced into English history by Mrs Markham (pseudonym of Mrs Penrose) in 1823, and into medical literature by a translation of German der Schwarze Tod (1833).

black diamond

noun

1. ‹informal› a lump of coal.

2. a dark, opaque form of diamond.
Also called carbonado.

3. [usu. as modifier] — (N. Amer.) a difficult ski slope

• a steep, black-diamond run.

black dog

I. noun

a metaphorical representation of melancholy or depression.

• I may still have a black dog in me, but I manage to keep him corralled.

• I'm happy but the black dogs are there, lurking round the corner.

– origin late 18th cent. (earlier as a name used during Queen Anne's reign for a bad shilling). Winston Churchill used the expression when alluding to his periodic bouts of depression.

black durgon /ˈdəːɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

a black triggerfish that occurs worldwide in tropical seas.
● Melichthys niger, family Balistidae.

– origin mid 20th cent.: durgon perhaps from English dialect durgan or durgen ‘undersized person or animal’.

black economy

noun

(Brit.) the part of a country's economic activity which is unrecorded and untaxed by its government.

• a lot of childcare is in the black economy.

blacken /ˈblak(ə)n/

verb

1. make or become black or dark, especially as a result of burning, decay, or bruising
[with obj.]

• stone blackened by the soot of ages

• (as adj. blackened) she smiled at Mary, revealing blackened teeth

• [no obj.] he set light to the paper, watching the end blacken as it burned.

2. [with obj.] — dye or colour (the face or hair) black for camouflage or cosmetic effect.

• paras in full combat gear with blackened faces.

3. [with obj.] — damage or destroy (someone's reputation) by speaking badly of them

• she won't thank you for blackening her husband's name.

black English

noun — [ mass noun]

1. any of various forms of English spoken by black people, especially as an urban dialect in the US.

Blackett, Patrick /ˈblakɪt/

Baron (1897–1974), English physicist; full name Patrick Maynard Stuart Blackett. Blackett was a member of the Maud Committee, which dealt with the development of the atom bomb. He also modified the cloud chamber for the study of cosmic rays. Nobel Prize for Physics (1948).

black eye

noun

an area of bruised skin around the eye resulting from a blow.

• he had fouled three players, giving one of them a black eye.

black-eyed bean black-eye bean, ‹US› black-eyed pea

noun

a creamy-white edible bean which has a black mark at the point where it was attached to the pod.
●This bean is obtained from Vigna sinensis, family Leguminosae.

black-eyed Susan

noun

any of a number of plants having flowers with yellowish petals and a dark centre:
● a slender tropical climber popular as an indoor or greenhouse plant ( Thunbergia alata, family Acanthaceae). ● a rudbeckia grown in gardens ( Rudbeckia hirta and its hybrids, family Compositae).

blackface

noun

1. a sheep of a breed with a black face.

2. [ mass noun] — make-up used by a non-black performer playing a black role.

blackfella blackfellow

noun

(Austral.) (especially in Aboriginal use) an Aborigine.

blackfellow law

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) (in Aboriginal society) the body of religious belief and the social customs arising from it

• according to blackfellow law, the two 'murderers' were merely executioners.

black-figure

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a type of ancient Greek pottery, originating in Corinth in the 7th century BC, in which figures are painted in black, details being added by incising through to the red clay background

• a black-figure amphora.

Compare with red-figure.

blackfish

noun

1. any of a number of dark-coloured fish:
● an open-ocean fish related to the perches (genera Centrolophus and Schedophilus, family Centrolophidae), in particular the large and widespread C. niger. ● a small fish occurring along the Arctic coasts of Alaska and Siberia, noted for its ability to withstand freezing ( Dallia pectoralis, family Umbridae). ● a large fish of Australian rivers ( Gadopsis marmoratus, family Gadopsidae). ● another term for luderick ● another term for galjoen ● a salmon just after spawning.

2. another term for pilot whale.

black flag

noun

1. ‹historical› a pirate's ensign, typically thought to feature a white skull and crossbones on a black background.

2. ‹historical› a black flag hoisted outside a prison to announce an execution.

3. [Motor Racing] a black flag used to signal to a driver that he must stop at the pits as a punishment for a misdemeanour.

blackfly /ˈblakflʌɪ/

noun

1. a black or dark green aphid which is a common pest of crops and gardens.
●Several species in the family Aphididae, in particular Aphis fabae.

2. (also black fly) — a small black fly, the female of which sucks blood and can transmit a number of serious human and animal diseases.
●Family Simuliidae: Simulium and other genera.

Blackfoot

I. noun

1. a member of a confederacy of North American Indian peoples of the north-western plains. The Blackfoot confederacy was made up of three closely related tribes: the Blackfoot proper or Siksika, the Bloods, and the Peigan.

2. [ mass noun] — the Algonquian language of the Blackfoot, with about 6,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Blackfoot or their language.

Black Forest

a hilly wooded region of SW Germany, lying to the east of the Rhine valley.
German name Schwarzwald.

Black Forest gateau ‹N. Amer.› Black Forest cake

noun

a chocolate sponge having layers of morello cherries or cherry jam and whipped cream and topped with chocolate icing.

Black Friar

I. noun

a Dominican friar.

– origin early 16th cent.: so named because of the colour of the order's habit.

Black Friday

I. noun

the day after the US holiday of Thanksgiving, regarded as the first day of the Christmas shopping season, on which retailers make many special offers

• shoppers were snapping up deals on Black Friday.

– origin early 17th cent. (as school slang, in the sense ‘Friday on which an examination is held’). The shopping sense dates from the 1960s and was originally used with reference to congestion created by shoppers; it was later explained as a day when retailers’ accounts went from being ‘in the red’ to ‘in the black’.

black frost

noun — [ mass noun]

1. frost which does not have a white surface.

black gold

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› oil.

black grouse

noun

a large Eurasian grouse, the male of which has glossy blue-black plumage and a lyre-shaped tail. The males display in communal leks.
● Tetrao tetrix, family Tetraonidae (or Phasianidae); the male is called a blackcock and the female a greyhen.

blackguard /ˈblaɡɑːd, ˈblaɡəd / ‹dated›

I. noun

a man who behaves in a dishonourable or contemptible way.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. abuse or disparage (someone) scurrilously.

• you know what sort she is, yet you blackguard me when I tell the truth about her.

III. derivatives

blackguardly /ˈblaɡɑːdli, ˈblaɡədli /

adjective

– origin early 16th cent. (originally as two words): from black + guard. The term originally denoted a body of attendants or servants, especially the menials who had charge of kitchen utensils, but the exact significance of the epithet ‘black’ is uncertain. The sense ‘scoundrel, villain’ dates from the mid 18th cent., and was formerly considered highly offensive.

black guillemot

noun

a seabird of the auk family with black summer plumage and large white wing patches, breeding on the coasts of the Arctic and North Atlantic.
● Cepphus grylle, family Alcidae.

black hat

I. noun

1. used in reference to a bad person, especially a villain or criminal in a film, novel, or play

• we are the good guys—the black hats lost.

2. [Computing] ‹informal› a person who hacks into a computer network with malicious or criminal intent

• black hats have a history of disassembling source code and looking for lapses.

– origin 1950s: from the colour of the hat traditionally worn by the bad character in westerns. Compare with white hat.

blackhead /ˈblakhɛd/

noun

1. a plug of sebum in a hair follicle, darkened by oxidation.

2. [ mass noun] — an infectious disease of turkeys producing discoloration of the head, caused by a protozoon.

black-hearted

I. adjective

‹literary› cruel and wicked; evil

• a black-hearted villain.

II. derivatives

black-heartedness

noun

Black Hills

a range of mountains in east Wyoming and west South Dakota. The highest point is Harney Peak (2,207 m, 7,242 ft); the range also includes the sculptured granite face of Mount Rushmore.

black hole

noun

1. [Astronomy] a region of space having a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape.

2. ‹informal› a place where money or lost items apparently disappear without trace.

Black holes are probably formed when a massive star exhausts its nuclear fuel and collapses under its own gravity. If the star is massive enough no known force can counteract the increasing gravity, and it will collapse to a point of infinite density. Before this stage is reached, within a certain radius (the event horizon) light itself becomes trapped and the object becomes invisible.

Black Hole of Calcutta

a dungeon 6 metres (20 feet) square in Fort William, Calcutta (now Kolkata), where perhaps as many as 146 English prisoners were confined overnight following the capture of the city by the nawab of Bengal in 1756. Only twenty-three of them were still alive the next morning.

black house

noun

a traditional single-storeyed Scottish house built of turf or mortarless stone, typically lacking a chimney and roofed with turf or thatch.

black ice

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a transparent coating of ice, especially on a road surface.

black information

noun — [ mass noun]

1. information held by banks, credit agencies, or other financial institutions about people who are considered bad credit risks.

blacking /ˈblakɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. black paste or polish, especially that used on shoes.

blackjack /ˈblakdʒak/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — (chiefly N. Amer.) a gambling card game in which players try to acquire cards with a face value totalling 21 and no more.
Also called pontoon^2, vingt-et-un.

2. a widely distributed weed related to the bur-marigold, with barbed black seeds.
[perhaps from sense 3, drawing a comparison between the shape of the seeds and a bludgeon.] ● Bidens pilosa, family Compositae.

3. (N. Amer.) a flexible lead-filled truncheon.

4. ‹historical› a pirates' black ensign.

5. ‹historical› a tar-coated leather container used to hold beer.

Black Jew

noun

another term for Falasha.

black kite

noun

a bird of prey with dark plumage and a slightly forked tail, feeding mainly by scavenging and found throughout much of the Old World.
● Milvus migrans, family Accipitridae.

black knight

I. noun

[Stock Exchange] a person or company making an unwelcome takeover bid for another company.

– origin by association with white knight.

blacklead /ˈblaklɛd/

I. noun

another term for graphite.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. polish (metal, especially cast iron) with graphite.

• the kitchen range hadn't been blackleaded for ages.

blackleg /ˈblaklɛɡ/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹derogatory› a person who continues working when fellow workers are on strike.
[as modifier]

• blackleg labour.

2. [ mass noun] — an acute infectious bacterial disease of cattle and sheep, causing necrosis in one or more legs.
●The bacterium is Clostridium chauvoei.

3. [ mass noun] — any of a number of plant diseases in which part of the stem blackens and decays, in particular:
● a fungal disease of cabbages and related plants (caused by Leptosphaeria, Pleospora, and other genera). ● a bacterial disease of potatoes (caused by Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica).

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹derogatory› continue working when one's fellow workers are on strike.

black letter

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an early ornate, bold style of type.

black light

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ultraviolet or infrared radiation, invisible to the eye.

blacklist /ˈblaklɪst/

I. noun

a list of people or groups regarded as unacceptable or untrustworthy and often marked down for punishment or exclusion.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put (a person or group) on a blacklist.

• workers were blacklisted after being quoted in the newspaper.

• (as adj. blacklisted) blacklisted books.

black lung

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) pneumoconiosis caused by inhalation of coal dust.

black magic

noun — [ mass noun]

1. magic involving the supposed invocation of evil spirits for evil purposes.

blackmail /ˈblakmeɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action, treated as a criminal offence, of demanding money from someone in return for not revealing compromising information which one has about them.

• they were acquitted of charges of blackmail.

• [as modifier] she recounted the blackmail threats.

2. money demanded by a person or group engaged in blackmail

• we do not pay blackmail.

3. the use of threats or the manipulation of someone's feelings to force them to do something

• some people use emotional blackmail.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. demand money from (someone) in return for not revealing compromising information about them.

• they use this fact to blackmail him, trying to force him to vote for their candidate.

2. force (someone) to do something by using threats or manipulating their feelings

• he had blackmailed her into sailing with him.

III. derivatives

blackmailer /ˈblakmeɪlə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting protection money levied by Scottish chiefs): from black + obsolete mail ‘tribute, rent’, from Old Norse mál ‘speech, agreement’.

black mamba

noun

a highly venomous slender olive-brown to dark grey snake that moves with great speed and agility. Native to eastern and southern Africa, it is the largest poisonous snake on the continent.
● Dendroaspis polylepis, family Elapidae.

Black Maria /blak məˈrʌɪə/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a police vehicle for transporting prisoners.

2. [ mass noun] — a card game in which players try to avoid winning tricks containing the queen of spades or any hearts.

3. a name for the queen of spades in the game of Black Maria.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US): said to be named after a black woman, Maria Lee, who kept a boarding house in Boston and helped police in escorting drunk and disorderly customers to jail.

black mark

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a note or record of a person's misdemeanour or discreditable action

• a black mark went down against his name for turning down the job.

black market

I. noun

an illegal traffic or trade in officially controlled or scarce commodities

• the men planned to sell the meat on the black market

• [as modifier] black market currency trading.

II. derivatives

1. black marketeer

noun

2. black-marketeering

noun

black mass

noun

a travesty of the Roman Catholic Mass in worship of the Devil.

black metal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of heavy metal music having lyrics which deal with the Devil and the supernatural.

Black Monday

noun

1. Monday 19 October 1987, when massive falls in the value of stocks on Wall Street triggered similar falls in markets around the world.

2. ‹archaic› Easter Monday.

black money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. income illegally obtained or not declared for tax purposes.

Black Monk

I. noun

a Benedictine monk.

– origin Middle English: so named because of the typical colour of the order's habit.

Blackmore, R. D.

(1825–1900), English novelist and poet; full name Richard Doddridge Blackmore. He is known for his romantic novel Lorna Doone (1869), set on 17th-century Exmoor.

black Muslim

noun

a member of the Nation of Islam.

black nationalism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the advocacy of the national civil rights of black people, especially in the US.

blackness /ˈblaknəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the property or quality of being black in colour

• it restores grey hair to blackness.

2. complete darkness; the absence of any light

• the entire house was plunged into pitch blackness.

3. the fact or state of belonging to any human group having dark-coloured skin

• my experiences have made me far more aware of my blackness than ever before

• she holds that position not because of her blackness, but her effectiveness.

4. the quality or character associated with black people

• the blackness of his poetry is an inextricable aspect of his subject matter.

5. a state characterized by despair or depression

• there is a little hope amid the blackness of his life

• the absolute depths of blackness and morbidity.

6. ‹archaic› a state or condition of being evil or wicked

• the blackness of the human heart through the atrocities of war.

blackout /ˈblakaʊt/

noun

1. a period when all lights must be turned out or covered to prevent them being seen by the enemy during an air raid.

• people found it difficult to travel in the blackout.

• [as modifier] she peered out through the blackout curtains.

2. (usu. blackouts) — (Brit.) dark curtains put up in windows to cover lights during an air raid.

3. a failure of an electrical power supply

• due to a power blackout their hotel was in total darkness.

4. a moment in the theatre when the lights on stage are suddenly dimmed.

5. a suppression of information, especially one imposed on the media by government

• there is a total information blackout on minority interests.

6. a temporary loss of consciousness.

• she was suffering from blackouts.

black panther

noun

a leopard that has black fur rather than the typical spotted coat.

Black Panther

noun

a member of a militant political organization set up in the US in 1966 to fight for black rights.

black pepper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the dried black berries of the pepper, harvested while still unripe and used either whole or ground as a spice and condiment.

blackpoll /ˈblakpəʊl / blackpoll warbler

noun

a North American warbler with a black cap, white cheeks, and white underparts streaked with black.
● Dendroica striata, family Parulidae.

Blackpool

a seaside resort in Lancashire, NW England; pop. 142,600 (est. 2009).

black poplar

noun

a Eurasian poplar with a blackish-brown trunk and arching lower branches.
● Populus nigra, family Salicaceae.

black powder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. gunpowder.

Black Power

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a movement in support of rights and political power for black people, especially prominent in the US in the 1960s and 1970s.
[as modifier]

• the Black Power movement.

Black Prince

(1330–76), eldest son of Edward III of England; name given to Edward, Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall. He was responsible for the English victory at Poitiers in 1356. He predeceased his father, but his son became king as Richard II.

black pudding

noun

(Brit.) a black sausage containing pork, dried pig's blood, and suet.
[ mass noun]

• two bits of black pudding.

black rat

noun

a rat with dark fur, large ears, and a long tail. It is found throughout the world, being particularly common in the tropics, and is the chief host of the plague-transmitting flea. Also called ship rat, house rat, or roof rat.
● Rattus rattus, family Muridae.

black rhinoceros

noun

a two-horned rhinoceros with a prehensile upper lip, found in Africa south of the Sahara.
● Diceros bicornis, family Rhinocerotidae.

Black Rod Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod

I. noun

(in the UK) the chief usher of the Lord Chamberlain's department of the royal household, who is also usher to the House of Lords.

– origin mid 17th cent.: so named because of the black wand carried as a symbol of office.

black rot

noun — [ mass noun]

1. any of a number of fungal or bacterial diseases of plants, fruits, and vegetables, producing blackening, rotting, and shrivelling.

black salsify

noun

another term for scorzonera.

Black Sea

a tideless almost landlocked sea bounded by Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania, connected to the Mediterranean through the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara.

black sheep

I. noun

‹informal› a member of a family or group who is regarded as a disgrace to it.

– origin late 18th cent.: from the proverb there is a black sheep in every flock.

blackshirt /ˈblakʃəːt/

I. noun

1. a member of a Fascist organization, in particular:

2. (in Italy) a member of a paramilitary group founded by Mussolini.

3. (in Nazi Germany) a member of the SS.

4. (in the UK) a supporter of Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists.

– origin 1920s: so named because of the colour of the Italian Fascist uniform.

blacksmith /ˈblaksmɪθ/

noun

1. a person who makes and repairs things in iron by hand.

2. a farrier.

black smoker

noun

[Geology] a geothermal vent on the seabed which ejects superheated water containing much suspended matter, typically black sulphide minerals.

black spot

noun

1. (Brit.) a place or area marked by a particular trouble or concern

• an unemployment black spot

• an accident black spot.

2. [ mass noun] — a fungal or bacterial disease of plants, especially roses, producing black blotches on the leaves.
● Rose black spot is caused by the fungus Diplocarpon rosae, subdivision Ascomycotina.

Black Stone

the sacred reddish-black stone built into the outside wall of the Kaaba and ritually touched by Muslim pilgrims.

Blackstone, Sir William

(1723–80), English jurist. His major work was the Commentaries on the Laws of England (1765–9), an exposition of English law.

black stump

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a notional marker in the outback imagined as being the last outpost of civilization

• the true stories of those who go out past the black stump only to never return.

II. phrases

1. beyond the black stump

(Austral.) ‹informal› in the remote outback

• he was born not in the capital city, but somewhere out beyond the black stump.

2. this side of the black stump

(Austral.) ‹informal› in the world known to the speaker

• he turned out to be one of the best blokes this side of the black stump.

– origin early 20th cent.: black in the sense ‘fire-blackened’.

black swan

noun

1. a mainly black swan with white flight feathers which is common in Australia and Tasmania and has been introduced elsewhere.
● Cygnus atratus, family Anatidae.

2. an unpredictable or unforeseen event, typically one with extreme consequences
[as modifier]

• geopolitical black swan events, such as the Arab Spring and the Japanese earthquake, have further complicated the market dynamics.

3. ‹archaic› something extremely rare

• husbands without faults, if such black swans there be.

[proverbial, from Juvenal's Satires.]

black-tailed deer

noun

another term for mule deer.

black tea

noun — [ mass noun]

1. tea served without milk.

2. tea of the most usual type, that is fully fermented before drying.
Compare with green tea.

blackthorn /ˈblakθɔːn/

noun

1. a thorny Eurasian shrub which bears white flowers before the leaves appear, followed by astringent blue-black fruits (sloes). Also called sloe.
● Prunus spinosa, family Rosaceae.

2. a walking stick or cudgel made from a stem of the blackthorn shrub.

blackthorn winter

noun

(Brit.) a spell of cold weather at the time in early spring when the blackthorn flowers.

black tie

noun

1. a black bow tie worn with a dinner jacket.

2. [ mass noun] — formal evening dress

• the audience wears black tie

• [as modifier] evening meals were black-tie affairs.

blacktop /ˈblaktɒp / ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. asphalt, tarmacadam, or other black material used for surfacing roads.

• the shiny blacktop of the drive.

• [as modifier] blacktop roads.

2. [ count noun] — a road or area surfaced with blacktop.

• I turned on to the two-lane blacktop.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. surface (a road or area) with blacktop

• 41 km had been blacktopped to date.

black tracker

noun

(Austral.) an Aborigine employed to help find people lost or hiding in the bush.

black velvet

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a drink consisting of a mixture of stout and champagne.

black vulture

noun

1. a very large Old World vulture with blackish-brown plumage, now rare in Europe. Also called cinereous vulture.
● Aygypius monachus, family Accipitridae.

2. a New World vulture with black plumage and a bare black head.
● Coragyps atratus, family Cathartidae.

blackwall tyre

noun

a tyre with black side walls.

Black Watch

I. the Royal Highland Regiment.

– origin in the early 18th cent. the term Watch was given to certain companies of irregular troops in the Highlands; Black Watch referred to some of these companies raised c. 1729–30, distinguished by their dark-coloured tartan.

black water

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› waste water and sewage from toilets.
Compare with grey water.

blackwater fever /ˈblakwɔːtə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a severe form of malaria in which blood cells are rapidly destroyed, resulting in dark urine.

black widow black widow spider

noun

a highly venomous American spider which has a black body with red markings.
● Latrodectus mactans, family Theridiidae; subspecies also occur on other continents (see katipo, redback, button spider).

blackwood

noun

a tropical hardwood tree of the pea family, which produces high-quality dark timber.
● Dalbergia and other genera, family Leguminosae: several species.

blackwork

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of embroidery done in black thread on white cloth, popular especially in Tudor times.

bladder /ˈbladə/

I. noun

1. a muscular membranous sac in the abdomen which receives urine from the kidneys and stores it for excretion.

• patients were asked to empty their bladders before going to bed.

2. an inflated or hollow flexible bag or chamber.

• a dried bladder of seaweed.

• an air bladder in the arch of the shoe.

– origin Old English blǣdre, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch blaar and German Blatter, also to blow^1.

bladder campion

noun

a white-flowered Eurasian campion with a swollen bladder-like calyx behind the deeply cut petals.
● Silene vulgaris, family Caryophyllaceae.

bladdered

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› extremely drunk.

bladder fern

noun

a small, delicate fern with rounded spore cases, growing on rocks and walls in both Eurasia and North America.
●Genus Cystopteris, family Woodsiaceae: several species.

bladdernut

noun

a shrub or small tree of northern temperate regions, which bears white flowers and inflated seed capsules.
●Genus Staphylea, family Staphyleaceae: several species.

bladder senna

noun

a Mediterranean shrub of the pea family, which bears yellow flowers followed by inflated reddish pods.
● Colutea arborescens, family Leguminosae.

bladder worm

noun

an immature form of a tapeworm, which lives in the flesh of the secondary host. Further development is suspended until it is eaten by the primary host.

bladderwort /ˈbladəwəːt/

noun

an aquatic plant of north temperate regions, with small air-filled bladders which keep the plant afloat and trap tiny animals that provide additional nutrients.
●Genus Utricularia, family Lentibulariaceae.

bladderwrack /ˈbladərak/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a common brown shoreline seaweed which has tough strap-like fronds containing air bladders that give buoyancy.
● Fucus vesiculosus, class Phaeophyceae.

blade /bleɪd/

I. noun

1. the flat cutting edge of a knife, saw, or other tool or weapon.

• cut cleanly using a sharp blade.

2. ‹literary› a sword.

3. ( blades) — (Austral./NZ) hand shears used in sheep shearing.

4. [Archaeology] a long, narrow flake.

5. the flat, wide section of an implement or device such as an oar or a propeller.

6. a thin, flat metal runner on an ice skate.

7. (also running blade) — a prosthetic lower limb designed for athletes, consisting of a flattened length of carbon fibre with a long, curved section at the base

• Lydia is being taught to run on blades

• the Paralympics brought prosthetics such as running blades into the limelight.

8. (also blade bone) — a shoulder bone in a joint of meat, or the joint itself.

9. the flat part of the tongue behind the tip.

10. a long, narrow leaf of grass or another similar plant

• a blade of grass.

11. [Botany] the broad, thin part of a leaf apart from the stalk.

12. ‹informal› ‹dated› a dashing or energetic young man.

• the director, a young blade in an oversized suit.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (US) ‹informal› skate using Rollerblades.

• she loves to run, bike, blade, and explore the city.

• (as noun blading) blading with the wind in your face…that's really nice.

III. derivatives

1. bladed /ˈbleɪdɪd /

adjective

[in combination]

• double-bladed paddles

2. blader

noun

– origin Old English blæd ‘leaf of a plant’ (also in sense 2 of the noun), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch blad and German Blatt.

blade-shear

verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly Austral./NZ) shear a sheep using hand shears, rather than a shearing machine

• the show sheep were to be blade-shorn in the middle of August

• [no obj.] his teenage son was blade-shearing on the back of a wagon.

blade shearer

noun

(Austral./NZ) a sheep shearer who uses hand shears, rather than a shearing machine

• we were able to hire experienced blade shearers.

blade shearing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) the practice of shearing sheep using hand shears, rather than a shearing machine

• blade shearing was demonstrated by the Australian champion.

blaeberry /ˈbleɪb(ə)ri, ˈbleɪbɛri/

I. noun

Scottish and northern English term for bilberry.

– origin Middle English: from Scots and northern English dialect blae ‘blackish-blue’ (from Old Norse blár, related to blue^1) + berry.

blag /blaɡ / ‹Brit. informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. manage to obtain (something) by using persuasion or guile

• they blagged two free tickets to France.

2. manage to obtain (private or confidential information) by impersonation or another method of deception

• they were often able to hack phones because they had blagged phone numbers and passwords

• (as noun blagging) blagging is an offence under the Data Protection Act.

3. steal (something) in a violent robbery or raid

• I could lie in wait and blag her fur coat.

II. noun

1. an act of using persuasion or guile to obtain something

• raising the £6.5 million had been either a heroic achievement by selfless, dedicated humanitarians or the blag of the century.

2. a violent robbery or raid.

III. derivatives

blagger /ˈblaɡə /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps from French blaguer ‘tell lies’.

blague /blɑːɡ/

I. noun

‹rare› a joke or piece of nonsense.

– origin French.

blagueur /blaˈɡəː, French blaɡøʀ/

I. noun

‹rare› a person who talks nonsense.

– origin French, from blague.

blah /blɑː / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. (also blah-blah) [ mass noun] — used to refer to something which is boring or without meaningful content

• talking all kinds of blah to him.

2. used to substitute for actual words in contexts where these are felt to be too tedious or lengthy to give in full

• he said nations great and small could come together to blah blah blah.

3. ( the blahs) — (N. Amer.) depression

• a case of the blahs.

II. adjective

(N. Amer.) dull or unexciting.

– origin early 20th cent. (originally US): imitative.

blain /bleɪn/

I. noun

‹rare› an inflamed swelling or sore on the skin.

– origin Old English blegen, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch blein.

Blair, Tony

I. (b.1953), British Labour statesman, Prime Minister 1997–2007; full name Anthony Charles Lynton Blair. He was elected leader of the Labour Party in 1994. His landslide victory in the election of 1997 gave his party its biggest-ever majority and made him the youngest Prime Minister since Lord Liverpool in 1812.

II. derivatives

Blairism

noun

Blairite /ˈblɛːrʌɪt/

I. noun

a supporter of the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair or his policies

• she is a loyal Blairite.

II. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair or his policies

• figures from a Blairite think tank.

Blake, Sir Peter

(b.1932), English painter, prominent in the pop art movement in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He is best known for the cover design for the Beatles album Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967).

Blake, William

I. (1757–1827), English artist and poet. Blake's poems mark the beginning of romanticism and a rejection of the Age of Enlightenment. His watercolours and engravings, like his writings, were only fully appreciated after his death. Notable collections of poems: Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794).

II. derivatives

Blakeian

adjective

Blakey

I. noun

(Brit.) a protective metal plate fitted to the sole of a shoe or boot.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after the manufacturers, E. Blakey and Sons, of Leeds.

Blakey, Art

(1919–90), American jazz drummer, a pioneer of the bebop movement known for his group the Jazz Messengers; full name Arthur Blakey.

blame /bleɪm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. feel or declare that (someone or something) is responsible for a fault or wrong

• the inquiry blamed the train driver for the accident.

2. ( blame something on) — assign the responsibility for a bad or unfortunate situation or phenomenon to (someone or something)

• they blame youth crime on unemployment.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. responsibility for a fault or wrong

• his players had to take the blame for the defeat

• they are trying to put the blame on us.

III. phrases

1. be to blame

be responsible for a fault or wrong

• he was to blame for their deaths.

2. I don't (or can't) blame you (or her etc.)

used to indicate that one agrees that the action or attitude taken was reasonable

• he was becoming impatient and I couldn't blame him.

3. have only oneself to blame

be solely responsible for a bad or unwelcome state of affairs.

• he really had only himself to blame.

IV. derivatives

1. blameable /ˈbleɪməb(ə)l / ‹US› blamable

adjective

2. blameful /ˈbleɪmf(ə)l, ˈbleɪmfʊl /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French blamer, blasmer (verb), from a popular Latin variant of ecclesiastical Latin blasphemare ‘reproach, revile, blaspheme’, from Greek blasphēmein (see blaspheme).

blame game

I. noun

‹informal› a situation in which one party blames others for something bad or unfortunate rather than attempting to seek a solution.

• he elects to play the blame game but that isn't very constructive.

II. derivatives

blame-gaming

noun

blameless /ˈbleɪmləs/

I. adjective

innocent of wrongdoing

• he led a blameless life.

II. derivatives

1. blamelessly /ˈbleɪmləsli /

adverb

2. blamelessness

noun

blamestorming

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. group discussion regarding the assigning of responsibility for a failure or mistake.
[as modifier]

• each Friday, our days were filled with blamestorming sessions.

– origin 1990s: on the pattern of brainstorming.

blameworthy /ˈbleɪmwəːði/

I. adjective

responsible for wrongdoing and deserving of censure or blame.

II. derivatives

blameworthiness

noun

blanc /blɒ̃/

I. adjective

(of wine) white.

– origin French.

blanch /blɑːn(t)ʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make white or pale by extracting colour

• the cold light blanched her face.

2. whiten (a plant) by depriving it of light.

• blanch endive by covering plants with large flowerpots.

3. [no obj.] — flinch or grow pale from shock, fear, or a similar emotion

• he visibly blanched at this reminder of mortality.

4. prepare (vegetables) for freezing or further cooking by immersing briefly in boiling water.

• blanch corn in boiling water for one minute.

5. (often as adj. blanched) — peel (almonds) by scalding them.

• blanched almonds.

– origin Middle English: from Old French blanchir, from blanc ‘white’, ultimately of Germanic origin.

Blanchard, Jean Pierre /ˈblãʃɑː, French blɑ̃ʃaʀ/

(1753–1809), French balloonist; full name Jean-Pierre François Blanchard. He made the first crossing of the English Channel by air, flying by balloon, on 7 January 1785.

blancmange /bləˈmɒnʒ, bləˈmɑːnʒ/

I. noun

(Brit.) a sweet opaque gelatinous dessert made with flavoured cornflour and milk.

• a good old-fashioned blancmange.

• [ mass noun] a double helping of pink blancmange.

– origin late Middle English blancmanger: from Old French blanc mangier, from blanc ‘white’ + mangier ‘eat’ (used as a noun to mean ‘food’). The shortened form without -er arose in the 18th cent.

blanco /ˈblaŋkəʊ / ‹Brit.›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white substance used for whitening belts and other items of military equipment.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. whiten (equipment) with blanco.
(as adj. blancoed)

• white blancoed webbing.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French blanc ‘white’, ultimately of Germanic origin.

bland /bland/

I. adjective

1. lacking strong features or characteristics and therefore uninteresting

• bland, mass-produced pop music.

2. (of food or drink) unseasoned, mild-tasting, or insipid.

• a bland and unadventurous vegetarian dish.

• standardized bland beers of mediocre quality.

3. showing no strong emotion

• his expression was bland and unreadable.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘gentle in manner’): from Latin blandus ‘soft, smooth’.

blandish /ˈblandɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› coax (someone) with kind words or flattery.

• I was blandishing her with imprudences to get her off the subject.

– origin Middle English: from Old French blandiss-, lengthened stem of blandir, from Latin blandiri, from blandus ‘soft, smooth’.

blandishment /ˈblandɪʃm(ə)nt/

noun — (often blandishments)

1. a flattering or pleasing statement or action used as a means of gently persuading someone to do something.

• the blandishments of the travel brochure.

blandly /ˈblandli/

adverb

in an uninteresting manner that lacks strong emotion, features, or characteristics

• he smiled blandly at me

• he proved to be a blandly handsome man.

blandness /ˈblandnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of strong emotions, features, or characteristics

• the overall blandness of his performance.

2. (with reference to food or drink) the quality of being unseasoned, mild-tasting, or insipid

• the boneless chops were underseasoned to the point of blandness.

blank /blaŋk/

I. adjective

1. (of a surface or background) unrelieved by decorative or other features; bare, empty, or plain

• a blank wall

• the screen went blank.

2. not written or printed on

• a blank sheet of paper.

3. (of a document) with spaces left for a signature or details

• blank tax-return forms.

4. (of a tape) with nothing recorded on it

• blank cassettes.

5. showing a lack of comprehension or reaction

• we were met by blank looks.

6. temporarily having no knowledge or understanding

• her mind went blank.

7. lacking incident or result

• those blank moments aboard airplanes.

8. [ attrib.] — complete; absolute (used emphatically with negative force)

• he was met with a blank refusal to discuss the issue.

9. used euphemistically in place of an adjective regarded as obscene, profane, or abusive

• show the miserable blank-blank Englishman how to fight this war.

II. noun

1. a space left to be filled in a document

• leave blanks to type in the appropriate names.

2. a document with blank spaces to be filled.

3. (also blank cartridge) — a cartridge containing gunpowder but no bullet, used for training or as a signal.

4. an empty space or period of time, especially in terms of a lack of knowledge or understanding

• my mind was a total blank.

5. an object which has no mark or design on it, in particular:

6. a roughly cut metal or wooden block intended for further shaping or finishing.

7. a domino with one or both halves blank.

8. a plain metal disc from which a coin is made by stamping a design on it.

9. a dash written instead of a word or letter, especially instead of an obscenity or profanity.

10. used euphemistically in place of a noun regarded as obscene, profane, or abusive.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) blank or empty

• electronic countermeasures blanked out the radar signals.

2. [no obj.] — become blank or empty

• the picture blanked out.

3. cut (a metal blank).

• the complete core disc can be blanked out in one piece.

4. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› defeat (a sports team) without allowing them to score

• Baltimore blanked Toronto in a 7–0 victory.

5. (Brit.) ‹informal› deliberately ignore (someone)

• I just blanked them and walked out.

IV. phrases

1. be firing blanks

‹humorous› (of a man) be infertile.

2. draw a blank

elicit no successful response; fail

• the search drew a blank.

V. derivatives

blankness /ˈblaŋknəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘white, colourless’): from Old French blanc ‘white’, ultimately of Germanic origin.

blank call

noun

(Indian) an anonymous telephone call, or one that is made to threaten, annoy, or harass its recipient.

blank cheque

noun

1. a signed cheque with the amount left for the payee to fill in.

2. an unlimited freedom of action

• the elections did not hand the president a blank cheque to carry on as before.

blanket /ˈblaŋkɪt/

I. noun

1. a large piece of woollen or similar material used as a covering on a bed or elsewhere for warmth.

• I slept on the ground covered by my blanket.

2. a thick covering mass or layer

• a dense grey blanket of cloud.

3. [Printing] a rubber surface used for transferring the image in ink from the plate to the paper in offset printing.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. covering all cases or instances; total and inclusive

• a blanket ban on tobacco advertising.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover completely with a thick layer of something

• the countryside was blanketed in snow.

2. stifle or keep quiet (sound)

• the double glazing blankets the noise a bit.

3. [Sailing] take wind from the sails of (another craft) by passing to windward.

IV. phrases

born on the wrong side of the blanket

‹dated› illegitimate.

– origin Middle English (denoting undyed woollen cloth): via Old Northern French from Old French blanc ‘white’, ultimately of Germanic origin.

blanket bath

noun

(Brit.) an all-over wash given to a person confined to bed.

blanket bog

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an extensive flat peat bog formed in cool regions of high rainfall or humidity.

blanket coat

noun

a coat made from a blanket or from blanket-like material.

blanket finish

noun

a very close finish in a race.

• he finished third in a blanket finish in the 200 m.

blanketing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. material used for making blankets.

• they blindfolded the animals with strips of blanketing tied over their eyes.

blanket roll

noun

(N. Amer.) a soldier's blanket and kit made into a roll for use on active service.

blanket stitch

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a buttonhole stitch used on the edges of a blanket or other material too thick to be hemmed.

blanket weed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a common green freshwater alga which forms long unbranched filaments, sometimes becoming a problem in over-enriched water and garden ponds.
●Genus Spirogyra, division Chlorophyta (or phylum Chlorophyta, kingdom Protista).

blankety /ˈblaŋkəti / blankety-blank

adjective, noun

‹informal› used euphemistically to replace a word considered obscene or taboo
[as adj.]

• it's time to ditch the blankety-blank tax code.

blanking plate

noun

a plate that covers an opening in a device or a wall to protect it from moisture or dust.

blankly /ˈblaŋkli/

adverb

1. in a way that is plain and characterized by a lack of decorative or other features

• the suburbs that stretch blankly along the routes out from the city

• his clothes are blankly white.

2. in a way that shows a lack of interest or engagement

• the class looked back blankly

• my home life consists of staring blankly at the television.

3. in a way that temporarily shows no emotion or understanding, especially as a result of shock

• he stared blankly at the freshly dug grave and new tombstone

• the policeman's jaw had dropped in bewilderment and he was eyeing him blankly.

4. in an absolute or blunt manner

• the hospital has blankly refused to carry out tests

• officials have stated blankly that they will never extradite the operatives.

blank verse

noun — [ mass noun]

1. verse without rhyme, especially that which uses iambic pentameters.

blanquette /blɒ̃ˈkɛt/

I. noun

a dish consisting of white meat in a white sauce.

• a chicken blanquette.

– origin French, based on blanc ‘white’.

Blantyre /blanˈtʌɪə/

the chief commercial and industrial city of Malawi; pop. 661,444 (2008).

blare /blɛː/

I. verb

make or cause to make a loud, harsh sound
[no obj.]

• the ambulance arrived outside, siren blaring

• [with obj.] the wireless was blaring out organ music.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a loud, harsh sound

• a blare of trumpets.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘roar, bellow’): from Middle Dutch blaren, bleren, or Low German blaren, of imitative origin. Current senses date from the late 18th cent.

blarney /ˈblɑːni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. talk which aims to charm, flatter, or persuade (often considered typical of Irish people)

• it took all my Irish blarney to keep us out of court.

2. amusing and harmless nonsense

• this story is perhaps just a bit of blarney.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. influence or persuade (someone) using charm and pleasant flattery

• he went overboard in blarneying him into thinking that Joe considered him a nice guy.

– origin late 18th cent.: named after Blarney, a castle near Cork in Ireland, where there is a stone said to give the gift of persuasive speech to anyone who kisses it.

blasé /ˈblɑːzeɪ/

I. adjective

unimpressed with or indifferent to something because one has experienced or seen it so often before

• she was becoming quite blasé about the dangers.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, past participle of blaser ‘cloy’, probably ultimately of Germanic origin.

blaspheme /blasˈfiːm/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. speak irreverently about God or sacred things

• he has blasphemed against the Holy Spirit.

II. derivatives

blasphemer /blasˈfiːmə /

noun

– origin Middle English: via Old French from ecclesiastical Latin blasphemare ‘reproach, revile, blaspheme’, from Greek blasphēmein, from blasphēmos ‘evil-speaking’. Compare with blame.

blasphemous /ˈblasfəməs/

I. adjective

sacrilegious against God or sacred things; profane

• blasphemous and heretical talk.

II. derivatives

blasphemously /ˈblasfəməsli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek blasphēmos ‘evil-speaking’ + -ous.

blasphemy /ˈblasfəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or offence of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk

• he was detained on charges of blasphemy

• [ count noun] he was screaming incomprehensible blasphemies.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek blasphēmia ‘slander, blasphemy’.

blast /blɑːst/

I. noun

1. a destructive wave of highly compressed air spreading outwards from an explosion

• they were thrown backwards by the blast.

2. an explosion or explosive firing

• a bomb blast

• a shotgun blast.

3. a forceful attack or assault

• United's four-goal blast.

4. a strong gust of wind or air

• the icy blast hit them.

5. a strong current of air used in smelting.

6. a single loud note of a horn, whistle, or similar

• a blast of the ship's siren.

7. ‹informal› a severe reprimand

• I braced myself for the inevitable blast.

8. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› an enjoyable experience or lively party

• it could turn out to be a real blast.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. blow up or break apart (something solid) with explosives

• the school was blasted by an explosion.

2. produce (damage) by means of an explosion

• the force of the collision blasted out a tremendous crater.

3. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — force or throw (something) in a specified direction by impact or explosion

• the car was blasted thirty feet into the sky.

4. shoot with a gun

• Fowler was blasted with an air rifle.

5. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move very quickly and loudly in a specified direction

• four low-flying jets blasted down the glen.

6. produce or cause to produce loud continuous music or other noise
[no obj.]

• music blasted out at full volume

• [with obj.] an impatient motorist blasted his horn.

7. kick or strike (a ball) hard

• the striker blasted the free kick into the net.

8. ‹informal› criticize fiercely

• the school was blasted by government inspectors.

9. ‹literary› (of a wind or other natural force) wither, shrivel, or blight (a plant)

• corn blasted before it be grown up.

10. strike with divine anger (used to express annoyance or dislike)

• damn and blast this awful place!

11. destroy or ruin

• your reputation is blasted already in the village.

III. exclamation

‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) expressing annoyance

• ‘Blast! The car won't start!’.

IV. phrases

1. a blast from the past

‹informal› something powerfully nostalgic

• the soundtrack is a real blast from the past.

2. (at) full blast

at maximum power or intensity

• the heat is on full blast.

V. phrasal verbs

blast off

(of a rocket or spacecraft) take off from a launching site.

• space shuttles generally blast off with a minimum of fuss.

– origin Old English blǣst, of Germanic origin; related to blaze^3.

-blast

I. combining form

1. [Biology] denoting an embryonic cell

• erythroblast.

Compare with -cyte.

2. [Biology] denoting a germ layer of an embryo

• epiblast.

– origin from Greek blastos ‘germ, sprout’.

blast chiller

noun

a machine used in commercial kitchens to cool food rapidly by circulating very cold air over it.

blasted /ˈblɑːstɪd/

adjective

1. [ attrib.] — ‹informal› used to express annoyance

• make your own blasted coffee!

2. [ attrib.] — ‹literary› withered or blighted; laid waste

• a blasted heath

• an area of blasted trees.

3. [ predic.] — ‹informal› drunk

• I got really blasted.

blaster /ˈblɑːstə/

noun

1. a person or thing that emits or uses blasts

• blasters were paid according to how much rock they broke.

2. (in science fiction) a gunlike weapon that can destroy something solid, typically using light or sound energy

• don't try to stand in the way of laser blasters

• where was a super sonic death ray blaster gun when you needed one?

3. a move in which a ball is kicked or struck forcefully

• he let fly with a 35-yard blaster.

4. a type of physical exercise intended to strengthen specific muscle groups

• the glute blaster

• squats represent a total blaster for quads.

blast freezing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the freezing of something, especially food, by means of a rapid current of chilled air.

blast furnace

noun

a smelting furnace in the form of a tower into which a blast of hot compressed air can be introduced from below. Such furnaces are used chiefly to make iron from a mixture of iron ore, coke, and limestone.

blasto- /ˈblastəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to germination

• blastoderm.

– origin from Greek blastos ‘germ, sprout’.

blastocyst

noun

[Embryology] a mammalian blastula in which some differentiation of cells has occurred.

blastoderm /ˈblastə(ʊ)dəːm/

noun

[Embryology] a blastula having the form of a disc of cells on top of the yolk.

blast-off /ˈblɑːstɒf/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the launching of a rocket or spacecraft.
[as modifier]

• a blast-off thrust of 78,000 lb.

• ‹figurative› the policy was now in place for blast-off.

blastomere /ˈblastə(ʊ)mɪə/

noun

[Embryology] a cell formed by cleavage of a fertilized ovum.

blastomycosis /ˌblastə(ʊ)mʌɪˈkəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a disease caused by infection with parasitic fungi affecting the skin or the internal organs.
●The fungi belong to the genus Blastomyces, subdivision Deuteromycotina.

blastula /ˈblastjʊlə/

I. noun

[Embryology] an animal embryo at the early stage of development when it is a hollow ball of cells.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek blastos ‘sprout’.

blat /blat / ‹informal chiefly N. Amer.›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a bleating sound.

• horsemen on ugly steeds, grunting and blatting and howling.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — travel quickly

• blatting down the motorway.

II. noun

a bleat or similar noise

• the blat of Jack's horn.

– origin mid 19th cent.: imitative.

blatant /ˈbleɪt(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. (of bad behaviour) done openly and unashamedly

• blatant lies.

2. completely lacking in subtlety; very obvious

• she forced herself to resist his blatant charm.

II. derivatives

blatancy /ˈbleɪt(ə)nsi /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: perhaps an alteration of Scots blatand ‘bleating’. It was first used by Spenser as an epithet for a thousand-tongued monster produced by Cerberus and Chimaera, a symbol of calumny, which he called the blatant beast. It was subsequently used to mean ‘clamorous, offensive to the ear’, first of people (mid 17th cent.), later of things (late 18th cent.); the sense ‘unashamedly conspicuous’ arose in the late 19th cent.

blatantly /ˈbleɪt(ə)ntli/

adverb

1. in an open and unashamed manner

• yet another space show that blatantly disregarded scientific fact

• [as submodifier] he found her remarks blatantly racist.

2. in a completely obvious and unsubtle way

• it's blatently her first kiss.

blatantness /ˈbleɪt(ə)ntnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the condition of being completely obvious

• the blatantness of the injustices

• the arrival points of the plot have the blatantness of parody.

blather /ˈblaðə / blither, ‹or chiefly Scottish› blether

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. talk long-windedly without making very much sense

• she began blathering on about spirituality and life after death

• (as noun blathering) now stop your blathering and get back to work.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. long-winded talk with no real substance.

• all the blather coming out of Washington about crime.

III. derivatives

blatherer

noun

– origin late Middle English (as a verb; originally Scots and northern English dialect): from Old Norse blathra ‘talk nonsense’, from blathr ‘nonsense’.

blatherskite /ˈblaðəskʌɪt / bletherskate

I. noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a person who talks at great length without making much sense.

2. [ mass noun] — (chiefly N. Amer.) foolish talk; nonsense.

• politicians get away all the time with obscurantist blatherskite.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from blather + skite, a Scots derogatory term adopted into American colloquial speech during the War of Independence from the Scottish song Maggie Lauder, by F. Semphill, which was popular with American troops.

blatter

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial]

1. ‹informal› move with a clatter

• the pickup blattered down the road.

2. ‹informal› strike repeatedly and noisily

• I blattered away at the old typewriter.

– origin early 18th cent.: originally Scots, of imitative origin.

Blaue Reiter /ˌblaʊə ˈrʌɪtə/

I. a group of German expressionist painters formed in 1911, based in Munich. The group included Wassily Kandinsky, Jean Arp, and Paul Klee.

– origin German, literally ‘blue rider’, the title of a painting by Kandinsky.

Blavatsky, Helena /blaˈvatski/

(1831–91), Russian spiritualist, born in Ukraine; born Helena Petrovna Hahn; known as Madame Blavatsky; full name Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. In 1875 she co-founded the Theosophical Society in New York.

blaxploitation /ˌblaksplɔɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the exploitation of black people, especially with regard to stereotyped roles in films.
[as modifier]

• a blaxploitation movie.

– origin 1970s: blend of blacks (see black) and exploitation.

blaze^1 /bleɪz/

I. noun

1. a very large or fiercely burning fire

• twenty firemen fought the blaze.

2. [in sing.] — a very bright display of light or colour

• the gardens in summer are a blaze of colour.

3. [in sing.] — a conspicuous display or outburst of something

• their relationship broke up in a blaze of publicity.

4. ( blazes) — ‹informal› used in various expressions of anger, bewilderment, or surprise as a euphemism for ‘hell’

• ‘Go to blazes!’ he shouted

• what the blazes are you all talking about?

[with reference to the flames associated with hell.]

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. burn fiercely or brightly

• the fire blazed merrily.

2. ( blaze up) — burst into flame.

• he attacked the fire with poker and tongs until it blazed up.

3. shine brightly or powerfully

• the sun blazed down

• ‹figurative› Barbara's eyes were blazing with anger.

4. fire a gun repeatedly or indiscriminately

• they stormed with main entrance with guns blazing.

5. ‹informal› achieve something in an impressive manner

• she blazed to a gold medal in the 200-metre sprint.

6. [with obj.] — hit (a ball) with impressive strength

• he blazed a drive into the rough.

7. ‹informal› smoke cannabis.

III. phrases

1. like blazes

‹informal› very fast or forcefully

• I ran like blazes homewards.

[see blaze^1 (sense 2 of the noun).]

2. with all guns blazing

‹informal› with great but reckless determination and energy.

• they went for him with all guns blazing.

– origin Old English blæse ‘torch, bright fire’, of Germanic origin; related ultimately to blaze^2.

blaze^2 /bleɪz/

I. noun

1. a white spot or stripe on the face of a mammal or bird.

2. a broad white stripe running the length of a horse's face.

3. a mark made on a tree by cutting the bark so as to mark a route.

II. verb — ( blaze a trail)

1. set an example by being the first to do something; pioneer

• small firms would set the pace, blazing a trail for others to follow.

2. mark out a path or route.

• tourists haven't blazed a trail to the top of this hill.

– origin mid 17th cent.: ultimately of Germanic origin; related to German Blässe ‘blaze’ and blass ‘pale’, also to blaze^1, and probably to blemish.

blaze^3 /bleɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. present or proclaim (news) in a prominent, typically sensational, manner.

• ‘Pop stars and drugs’ blazed the headline.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘blow out on a trumpet’): from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch blāzen ‘to blow’; related to blow^1.

blazer /ˈbleɪzə/

I. noun

1. a coloured jacket worn by schoolchildren or sports players as part of a uniform.

2. a plain jacket not forming part of a suit but considered appropriate for formal wear.

– origin late 19th cent.: from blaze^1 + -er^1. The original general sense was ‘a thing that blazes or shines’ (mid 17th cent.), giving rise to the term for a brightly coloured sporting jacket.

blazing /ˈbleɪzɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. very hot

• the delicious cool of marble corridors after the blazing heat outside.

2. (of an argument) very heated

• she had a blazing row with Eddie and stormed out.

II. derivatives

blazingly

adverb

blazing star

noun

any of a number of North American plants, some of which are cultivated for their flowers, in particular:
● a plant of the daisy family with tall spikes of purple or white flowers (genus Liatris, family Compositae). ● a plant of the lily family bearing spikes of white flowers ( Chamaelirium luteum, family Liliaceae). Also called devil's bit, unicorn root.

blazon /ˈbleɪz(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [with adverbial of place] — display prominently or vividly

• they saw their company name blazoned all over the media.

2. report (news), especially in a sensational manner

• accounts of their ordeal were blazoned to the entire nation.

3. [Heraldry] describe or depict (armorial bearings) in a correct heraldic manner.

4. inscribe or paint (an object) with arms or a name.

II. noun

1. [Heraldry] a correct description of armorial bearings.

• the book contains tens of thousands of blazons of arms held by English families.

• [ mass noun] his knowledge of medieval blazon was unrivalled.

2. [Heraldry] ‹archaic› a coat of arms.

– origin Middle English (denoting a shield, later one bearing a heraldic device): from Old French blason ‘shield’, of unknown origin. The sense of the verb has been influenced by blaze^3.

blazonry /ˈbleɪz(ə)nri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Heraldry] the art of describing or painting heraldic devices or armorial bearings.

2. [treated as pl.] — [Heraldry] heraldic devices or armorial bearings.

bleach /bliːtʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (a material such as cloth, paper, or hair) to become white or much lighter by a chemical process or by exposure to sunlight

• a new formula to bleach and brighten clothing

• (as adj. bleached) permed and bleached hair.

2. deprive of vitality or substance

• his contributions to the album are bleached of personality.

3. clean or sterilize (a drain, sink, etc.) with bleach.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a chemical (typically a solution of sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide) used to make materials whiter or for sterilizing drains, sinks, etc.

• how can I get all those stains out of my wash without bleach?

– origin Old English blǣcan (verb), blǣce (noun), from blǣc ‘pale’, of Germanic origin; related to bleak^1.

bleacher

noun

1. a person or thing that bleaches.

2. (usu. bleachers) — (N. Amer.) a cheap bench seat at a sports ground, typically in an outdoor uncovered stand.

• there's a pudgy man in the bleachers pacing the aisles.

bleacherite

noun

(N. Amer.) a person sitting in the bleachers.

bleaching powder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a powder containing calcium hypochlorite, used chiefly to remove colour from materials.

bleah /blɛː/

I. exclamation

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› used to express disgust

• bleah, my hands are all gross from bathtub cleaning

• Beans on toast? Bleah!

– origin 1960s: probably imitative of the sound of gagging or retching.

bleak^1 /bliːk/

I. adjective

1. (of an area of land) lacking vegetation and exposed to the elements

• a bleak and barren moor.

2. (of a building or room) charmless and inhospitable; dreary

• he looked round the bleak little room in despair.

3. (of the weather) cold and miserable

• a bleak midwinter's day.

4. (of a situation) not hopeful or encouraging; unlikely to have a favourable outcome

• he paints a bleak picture of a company that has lost its way

• the future looks bleak.

5. (of a person's expression) cold and forbidding

• his mouth was set and his eyes were bleak.

II. derivatives

bleakly /ˈbliːkli /

adverb

– origin Old English blāc ‘shining, white’, or in later use from synonymous Old Norse bleikr; ultimately of Germanic origin and related to bleach.

bleak^2 /bliːk/

I. noun

a small silvery shoaling fish of the carp family, found in Eurasian rivers.
●Genera Alburnus and Chalcalburnus, family Cyprinidae: several species, in particular A. alburnus.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old Norse bleikja.

bleakness /ˈbliːknəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality or state of being bare and inhospitable

• the bleakness of that destroyed landscape

• the grim concrete bleakness.

2. the quality or state of cold and miserable weather

• the bleakness of winter

• the evening's rainy bleakness.

3. the quality or state of being hopeless, discouraging, or unlikely to have a favourable outcome

• this story is marked by unrelenting bleakness

• the atrocities and bleakness of war.

blear /blɪə / ‹archaic›

I. adjective

dim, dull, or filmy

• a medicine to lay to sore and blear eyes.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make dim; blur

• he bleared his eyes with books.

– origin Middle English (as a verb): probably related to Middle High German blerre ‘blurred vision’ and Low German blarroged ‘bleary-eyed’.

bleary /ˈblɪəri/

I. adjective

(of the eyes) looking or feeling dull and unfocused from sleep or tiredness

• Boris opened a bleary eye

• bleary-eyed business travellers.

II. derivatives

1. blearily /ˈblɪərəli /

adverb

2. bleariness

noun

bleat /bliːt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a sheep, goat, or calf) make a characteristic weak, wavering cry

• the lamb was bleating weakly

• (as noun bleating) the plaintive bleating of sheep.

2. [ reporting verb] — speak or complain in a weak, querulous, or foolish way

• it's no good just bleating on about the rising tide of crime.

II. noun

1. the weak, wavering cry made by a sheep, goat, or calf

• the distant bleat of sheep.

2. a person's weak or plaintive cry

• his despairing bleat touched her heart.

3. ‹informal› a complaint

• they're hoping that I'll bow to their idiotic arrangements without a bleat.

III. derivatives

bleater

noun

– origin Old English blǣtan, of imitative origin.

bleb /blɛb/

I. noun

1. a small blister on the skin.

2. a small bubble in glass or in a fluid.

3. [Biology] a rounded outgrowth on the surface of a cell.

– origin early 17th cent.: variant of blob.

blech /blɛx/

I. exclamation

‹informal› used to express disgust

• the milk had the consistency of over-beaten egg whites—blech

• I'm at home with a cold—nothing too serious, just an overabundance of mucus (blech) and a cough.

– origin 1960s: probably imitative of the sound of gagging or retching.

bleed /bliːd/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — lose blood from the body as a result of injury or illness

• the cut was bleeding steadily

• some casualties were left to bleed to death

• (as noun bleeding) the bleeding has stopped now.

2. [with obj.] — draw blood from (someone), especially as a former method of treatment in medicine.

• he didn't bleed his patients with leeches.

3. ‹informal› drain (someone) of money or resources

• his policy of attempting to bleed British unions of funds.

4. [with obj.] — allow (fluid or gas) to escape from a closed system through a valve.

• open the isolating valves and bleed air from the pump chamber.

5. release fluid or gas from (a closed system) by allowing air to escape through a valve

• air can be got rid of by bleeding the radiator at the vent.

6. [no obj.] — (of a liquid substance such as dye or colour) seep into an adjacent colour or area

• I worked loosely with the oils, allowing colours to bleed into one another.

7. [Printing] (with reference to an illustration or design) print or be printed so that it runs off the page after trimming

• the picture bleeds on three sides.

II. noun

1. an instance of bleeding

• a lot of blood was lost from the placental bleed.

2. [ mass noun] — the escape of fluid or gas from a closed system through a valve.

• check the amount of air bleed from the compressor.

• [as modifier] open the bleed valve.

3. [Printing] an instance of printing an illustration or design so as to leave no margin after the page has been trimmed

• the picture has an unfortunate bleed.

4. [ mass noun] — the seeping of a dye or colour into an adjacent colour or area

• colour bleed is apparent on brighter hues.

III. phrases

1. bleed someone/something dry (or white)

drain someone or something of wealth or resources.

• if she hadn't bled me dry over the divorce we could afford a better place.

2. my heart bleeds (for you)

used ironically to imply that the person referred to does not deserve the sympathetic response they are seeking

• ‘I flew out here feeling tired and overworked.’ ‘My heart bleeds for you!’ she replied.

– origin Old English blēdan, of Germanic origin; related to blood.

bleeder /ˈbliːdə/

noun

1. [with adj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› a person regarded with contempt or pity

• the poor bleeder split his head open.

2. ‹informal› a person who bleeds easily, especially a haemophiliac.

3. [Baseball] a ground ball hit that barely passes between two infielders.

bleeding /ˈbliːdɪŋ/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› used for emphasis, or to express annoyance

• the watch was a bleeding copy

• [as submodifier] she looks so bleeding bored all day.

bleeding edge

I. noun

the very forefront of technological development.

– origin 1980s: on the pattern of leading edge, cutting edge.

bleeding heart

noun

1. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a person considered to be excessively soft-hearted or liberal
[as modifier]

• bleeding-heart environmentalists.

2. any of a number of plants which have red, or partly red, heart-shaped flowers, in particular:
● a popular herbaceous garden plant related to Dutchman's breeches (genus Dicentra, family Fumariaceae, in particular D. cucullaria). ● a tropical twining shrub with cream and red flowers, widely cultivated under glass ( Clerodendrum thomsoniae, family Verbenaceae).

3. (also bleeding heart dove) — a dove with an oval red patch on the breast, found on islands around the Philippines.
●Genus Gallicolumba, family Columbidae: several species.

bleep /bliːp/

I. noun

1. a short high-pitched sound made by an electronic device as a signal or to attract attention.

• when your food was ready for eating, the microwave told you so with five bleeps.

2. a short high-pitched electronic sound used in broadcasting as a substitute for a censored word or phrase.

3. (Brit.) another term for bleeper.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of an electronic device) make a short high-pitched sound or sounds as a signal or to attract attention

• the screen flickered for a few moments and bleeped.

2. [with obj.] — (Brit.) summon (someone) with a bleeper

• I'll get Jan to bleep you if I need transport.

3. [with obj.] — substitute a bleep or bleeps for (a censored word or phrase)

• I may have to bleep a few words in his testimony.

– origin 1950s: imitative.

bleeper /ˈbliːpə/

noun

(Brit.) a small portable electronic device which emits a series of high-pitched sounds when someone wants to contact the wearer.

blemish /ˈblɛmɪʃ/

I. noun

1. a small mark or flaw which spoils the appearance of something

• the girl's hands were without a blemish.

2. a moral defect or fault

• the offences were an uncharacteristic blemish on an otherwise clean record

• [ mass noun] local government is not without blemish.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. blemished)

1. spoil the appearance or quality of (something)

• my main problem was a blemished skin

• his reign as world champion has been blemished by controversy.

– origin late Middle English (as a verb): from Old French ble(s)miss-, lengthened stem of ble(s)mir ‘make pale, injure’; probably of Germanic origin.

blench^1 /blɛn(t)ʃ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a sudden flinching movement out of fear or pain

• he blenched and struggled to regain his composure.

– origin Old English blencan ‘deceive’, of Germanic origin; later influenced by blink.

blench^2 /blɛn(t)ʃ/

verb

‹chiefly dialect› variant spelling of blanch.

blend /blɛnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. mix (a substance) with another substance so that they combine together

• blend the cornflour with a tablespoon of water

• add the grated cheese and blend well.

2. (often as adj. blended) — mix (different types of the same substance, such as tea, coffee, spirits, etc.) together so as to make a product of the desired quality

• a blended whisky.

3. put or combine (abstract things) together

• I blend basic information for the novice with some scientific gardening for the more experienced

• (as noun blending) a blending of romanticism with a more detached modernism.

4. merge (a colour) with another so that one is not clearly distinguishable from the other

• blend and smudge the darker colours under the bottom lashes.

5. [no obj.] — form a harmonious combination

• costumes, music, and lighting all blend together beautifully.

6. ( blend in/into) — be an unobtrusive or harmonious part of a greater whole by being similar in appearance or behaviour

• she would have to employ a permanent bodyguard in the house, someone who would blend in.

II. noun

1. a mixture of different substances or other things

• the chutney is a blend of bananas, raisins, and ginger

• Ontario offers a cultural blend you'll find nowhere else on earth.

2. a mixture of different types of the same substance.

• nearly all Scotch whiskies are blends.

3. a word made up of parts of two other words and combining their meanings, for example motel from motor and hotel.

– origin Middle English: probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Old Norse blanda ‘to mix’.

blende /blɛnd/

I. noun

another term for sphalerite.

– origin late 17th cent.: from German, from blenden ‘deceive’ (so named because it often resembles galena, but is deceptive in that it yields no lead).

blended family

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a family consisting of a couple, the children they have had together, and their children from previous relationships.

blender /ˈblɛndə/

noun

a person or thing that mixes things together, in particular an electric mixing machine used in food preparation for liquidizing, chopping, or pureeing.

Blenheim^1 /ˈblɛnɪm/

I. a battle in 1704 in Bavaria, near the village of Blindheim, in which the English, under the Duke of Marlborough, defeated the French and the Bavarians.

II. (also Blenheim Palace) — the Duke of Marlborough's seat at Woodstock near Oxford, a stately home designed by Vanbrugh (1705). The house and its estate were given to the first Duke of Marlborough in honour of his victory at Blenheim.

Blenheim^2 /ˈblɛnɪm/

I. noun

a dog of a small red and white breed of spaniel.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of Blenheim palace (see Blenheim^1).

Blenheim Orange

I. noun

an English dessert apple of a golden or orange-red variety which ripens late in the season.

– origin so named because it was discovered growing by the boundary wall of the Blenheim estate (see Blenheim^1) in the 18th cent.

blenny /ˈblɛni/

I. noun

1. a small spiny-finned marine fish with scaleless skin and a blunt head, typically living in shallow inshore or intertidal waters.
●Family Blenniidae: several genera, in particular Blennius.

2. used in names of other small fishes that resemble or are related to the true blennies, e.g. eel blenny.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin blennius, from Greek blennos ‘mucus’ (because of its mucous coating).

blent /blɛnt / ‹literary›

past and past participle of blend.

bleomycin /ˌbliːəʊˈmʌɪsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an antibiotic used to treat Hodgkin's disease and other cancers.
●The drug is obtained from the bacterium Streptomyces verticillus.

– origin 1960s: an arbitrary alteration of earlier phleomycin, the name of a related antibiotic.

blepharitis /ˌblɛfəˈrʌɪtɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the eyelid.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek blepharon ‘eyelid’ + -itis.

blepharoplasty /ˈblɛf(ə)rə(ʊ)ˌplasti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] surgical repair or reconstruction of an eyelid.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek blepharon ‘eyelid’ + -plasty.

blepharospasm /ˈblɛf(ə)rəʊˌspaz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. involuntary tight closure of the eyelids.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek blepharon ‘eyelid’ + spasm.

Blériot, Louis /ˈblɛrɪəʊ, French bleʀjo/

(1872–1936), French aviation pioneer. On 25 July 1909 he became the first to fly the English Channel (Calais to Dover), in a monoplane of his own design.

blesbok /ˈblɛsbɒk/

I. noun

an antelope with a mainly reddish-brown coat and white face, found in south-western South Africa. It belongs to the same species as the bontebok.
● Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi, family Bovidae.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Afrikaans, from Dutch bles ‘blaze’ (because of the white mark on its forehead) + bok ‘buck’.

bless /blɛs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pronounce words in a religious rite in order to confer or invoke divine favour upon; ask God to look favourably on

• he blessed the dying man and anointed him.

2. (especially in Christian church services) call (God) holy; praise (God).

3. ( bless someone with) — (of God or some notional higher power) endow someone with (a particular cherished thing or attribute)

• we have been blessed with a beautiful baby boy

• a beautiful city blessed with huge sandy beaches.

4. express or feel gratitude to; thank

• she silently blessed the premonition which had made her pack her best dress.

5. ( bless oneself) — make the sign of the cross.

• the poor parson, blessing himself, brought up the rear.

6. used in expressions of surprise, endearment, gratitude, etc.

• bless my soul, Alan, what are you doing?

• Nurse Jones, bless her, had made a pot of tea

• she even bought me a little present—bless!

II. phrases

1. bless you!

said to a person who has just sneezed.
[from the phrase (may) God bless you.]

2. not have a penny to bless oneself with

‹dated› be completely impoverished.
[alluding to the cross on an old silver penny or to the practice of crossing a person's palm with silver for luck.]

– origin Old English blēdsian, blētsian, based on blōd ‘blood’ (i.e. originally perhaps ‘mark or consecrate with blood’). The meaning was influenced by its being used to translate Latin benedicere ‘to praise, worship’, and later by association with bliss.

blessed /ˈblɛsɪd, blɛst/

I. adjective

1. made holy; consecrated

• the Blessed Sacrament.

2. a title preceding the name of a dead person considered to have led a holy life, especially a person formally beatified by the Roman Catholic Church

• the Convent of the Blessed Agnes.

3. endowed with divine favour and protection

• blessed are the meek.

4. (the Blessed) [as plural noun] — those who live with God in heaven.

5. ‹informal› used in mild expressions of annoyance or exasperation

• he'll want to go and see his blessed allotment.

II. derivatives

blessedly /ˈblɛsɪdli /

adverb

blessedness /ˈblɛsɪdnəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being blessed with divine favour.

II. phrases

single blessedness

‹humorous› the state of being unmarried.
[from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream I. i. 78.]

Blessed Virgin Mary

a title given to Mary, the mother of Jesus (see Mary^1).

blessing /ˈblɛsɪŋ/

I. noun

1. God's favour and protection

• may God continue to give us his blessing.

2. a prayer asking for divine favour and protection

• a priest gave a blessing as the ship was launched.

3. grace said before or after a meal.

4. a beneficial thing for which one is grateful

• great intelligence can be a curse as well as a blessing

• it's a blessing we're alive.

5. a person's sanction or support

• he gave the plan his blessing even before it was announced.

II. phrases

a blessing in disguise

an apparent misfortune that eventually has good results.

• being omitted from the World Cup squad was a blessing in disguise.

blest /blɛst/

adjective

archaic or literary term for blessed.

bleurgh /bləː / bleugh

I. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to express disgust

• bleurgh—just opened the fridge and it smells of gone-off chicken

• I can handle gore and everything but show me warts? Bleurgh!

– origin 1960s: probably imitative of the sound of gagging or retching.

blew /bluː/

past of blow^1 and blow^3.

blewit /ˈbluːɪt / blewits

I. noun

an edible European mushroom with a pale buff or lilac cap and a lilac stem.
●Genus Lepista, family Tricholomataceae, class Hymenomycetes: several species, including common blewit ( L. saeva) and wood blewit ( L. nuda).

– origin early 19th cent.: probably from blue^1.

Bligh, William /blʌɪ/

(1754–1817), British naval officer, captain of HMS Bounty. In 1789 part of his crew, led by the first mate Fletcher Christian, mutinied and Bligh was set adrift in an open boat, arriving safely at Timor, nearly 6,400 km (4,000 miles) away, a few weeks later.

blight /blʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a plant disease, typically one caused by fungi such as mildews, rusts, and smuts

• the vines suffered blight and disease

• potato blight.

2. [in sing.] — a thing that spoils or damages something

• her remorse could be a blight on that happiness.

3. the degeneration of a landscape or urban area as a result of neglect

• the city's high-rise social housing had become synonymous with urban blight.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — infect (plants) with blight.

• a peach tree blighted by leaf curl.

2. spoil, harm, or destroy

• the scandal blighted the careers of several leading politicians.

3. (usu. as adj. blighted) — subject (an urban area) to neglect

• plans to establish enterprise zones in blighted areas.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting inflammation of the skin): of unknown origin.

blighter /ˈblʌɪtə/

I. noun — [with adj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person who is regarded with contempt, irritation, or pity

• you little blighter!

– origin early 19th cent.: from blight + -er^1.

Blighty /ˈblʌɪti/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) an informal term for Britain or England, used by soldiers of the First and Second World Wars.

2. (Brit.) ‹military slang› a wound suffered by a soldier in the First World War which was sufficiently serious to merit being shipped home to Britain

• he had copped a Blighty and was on his way home.

– origin first used by soldiers in the Indian army; Anglo-Indian alteration of Urdu bilāyatī, wilāyatī ‘foreign, European’, from Arabic wilāyat, wilāya ‘dominion, district’.

blimey /ˈblʌɪmi / cor blimey

I. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to express surprise, excitement, or alarm.

– origin late 19th cent.: altered form of ( God) blind (or blame) me!

blimming /ˈblɪmɪŋ/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› used to express annoyance or for emphasis

• the blimming website is down tonight

• [as submodifier] it's blimming hot.

– origin early 20th cent.: alteration of blooming.

blimp /blɪmp/

I. noun

1. (also Colonel Blimp) — ‹informal› (Brit.) a pompous, reactionary type of person

• you'll still find Colonel Blimps at local party level.

2. ‹informal› a small airship or barrage balloon.

3. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) a fat person

• I could work out four hours a day and still end up a blimp.

4. ‹informal› a soundproof cover for a cine camera.

II. derivatives

blimpish /ˈblɪmpɪʃ /

adjective

– origin First World War (in sense 2): of uncertain origin. Sense 1 derives from the character invented by cartoonist David Low, used in anti-German or anti-government drawings before and during the Second World War.

blin /blɪn/

singular form of blini.

blind /blʌɪnd/

I. adjective

1. unable to see because of injury, disease, or a congenital condition

• a blind man with a stick

• he was blind in one eye

• (as plural noun the blind) guide dogs for the blind.

2. (of an action, especially a test or experiment) done without being able to see or without having relevant information

• a blind tasting of eight wines.

3. [Aeronautics] (of flying) using instruments only

• blind landings during foggy conditions.

4. lacking perception, awareness, or judgement

• a blind acceptance of the status quo

• she was blind to the realities of her position.

5. not controlled by reason

• they left in blind panic.

6. not governed by purpose

• a world of blind chance.

7. concealed or closed, in particular:

8. (of a corner or bend in a road) impossible to see round

• two trucks collided on a blind curve in the road.

9. (of a door or window) walled up.

• fresco paintings on the blind windows.

10. closed at one end

• a blind pipe.

11. [with negative] — (Brit.) ‹informal› not the slightest (used in emphatic expressions)

• this declaration is not a blind bit of good to the workers.

12. (of a plant) without buds, eyes, or terminal flowers.

• planting too shallowly is the most common cause of bulbs coming up blind.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to be unable to see, permanently or temporarily

• the injury temporarily blinded him

• her eyes were blinded with scalding tears.

2. deprive (someone) of understanding, judgement, or perception

• he was blinded by his faith

• somehow Clare and I were blinded to the truth.

3. ( blind someone with) — confuse or overawe someone with (something they do not understand)

• they try to blind you with science.

4. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› move very fast and dangerously

• I could see the bombs blinding along above the roof tops.

III. noun

1. a screen for a window, especially one on a roller or made of slats

• she pulled down the blinds.

2. (Brit.) an awning over a shop window.

3. [in sing.] — something designed to conceal one's real intentions

• he phoned again from his own home: that was just a blind for his wife.

4. (N. Amer.) a camouflaged shelter used for observing or hunting wildlife

• a duck blind.

5. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a heavy drinking bout

• he's off on a blind again.

IV. adverb

1. without being able to see clearly

• he was the first pilot in history to fly blind

• wines were tasted blind.

2. without having all the relevant information; unprepared

• he was going into the interview blind.

3. (of a stake in poker or brag) put up by a player before the cards dealt are seen.

V. phrases

1. bake something blind

bake a pastry or flan case without a filling.

2. (as) blind as a bat

‹informal› having very bad eyesight.

• she's blind as a bat without glasses.

3. blind drunk /ˌblʌɪnd ˈdrʌŋk /

‹informal› extremely drunk.

4. there's none so blind as those who will not see

‹proverb› there's no point trying to reason with someone who does not want to listen to reason.

5. turn a blind eye

pretend not to notice.

• please, don't turn a blind eye to what is happening.

[said to be in allusion to Nelson, who lifted a telescope to his blind eye at the Battle of Copenhagen (1801), thus not seeing the signal to ‘discontinue the action’.]

6. when the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a ditch

‹proverb› those people without knowledge or experience should not try to guide or advise others in a similar position

• I didn't know anything about fighting and neither did my students—it was the blind leading the blind.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German blind.

blind alley

noun

1. an alley or road that is closed at one end; a cul-de-sac.

2. a course of action leading nowhere

• many technologies that show early promise lead up blind alleys.

blind coal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Scottish) anthracite.

blind date

noun

a social engagement with a person one has not previously met, arranged with a view to the development of a romantic or sexual relationship.

• she met her husband on a blind date.

blinder /ˈblʌɪndə/

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› an excellent performance in a game or race

• Marinello played a blinder in his first game.

2. ( blinders) — (N. Amer.) blinkers on a horse's bridle.

blindfold /ˈblʌɪn(d)fəʊld/

I. noun

a piece of cloth tied round the head to cover someone's eyes.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive (someone) of sight by tying a blindfold round their head.

• he was blindfolded and trussed up in a cupboard.

III. adverb, adjective

1. (Brit.) with a blindfold covering the eyes
[as adv.]

• the reporter was driven blindfold to meet the gangster.

2. (Brit.) (of a game of chess) conducted without sight of board and pieces.

3. [as adv.] — (Brit.) used to convey that something is done with great ease and confidence

• he missed putts that he would normally hole blindfold.

– origin mid 16th cent.: alteration, by association with fold^1, of blindfeld, past participle of obsolete blindfell ‘strike blind, blindfold’, from Old English geblindfellan (see blind, fell^2).

Blind Freddie Blind Freddy

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› an imaginary person supposed to have little or no perception.

• it was obvious to Blind Freddie that there was no real impediment to air safety.

– origin 1940s: said to be from the name of a Sydney hawker.

blind gut

noun

the caecum.

blinding /ˈblʌɪndɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (of light) very bright and likely to dazzle or cause temporary blindness

• the sunlight outside was blinding

• ‹figurative› a blinding flash of inspiration.

2. temporarily obstructing the vision

• blinding rain.

3. (especially of pain) very intense

• I've got a blinding headache.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› (of an action) remarkably skilful and exciting

• he denied Norwich victory with two blinding saves.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of covering a newly made road with grit to fill cracks.

2. grit used to cover a newly made road.

3. a thin bed of concrete laid down over an area before the main mass of concrete is put in place.

blindingly /ˈblʌɪndɪŋli/

adverb

1. [usu. as submodifier] — in a very bright and dazzling way that is likely to cause temporary loss of vision

• blindingly white beams of light

• it started out blindingly sunny on Sunday morning.

2. [as submodifier] — very intensely; extremely

• the reason is blindingly obvious.

blindly /ˈblʌɪndli/

adverb

1. without being able to see; unseeingly

• she began groping blindly in the dark.

2. without understanding or using one's judgement; unthinkingly

• don't blindly accept dogma as justification.

blind man's buff /blʌɪndmanzˈbʌf / ‹US› blindman's bluff

I. noun

a game in which a blindfold player tries to catch others while being pushed about by them.

– origin early 17th cent.: from buff ‘a blow’, from Old French bufe (see buffet^2).

blindness /ˈblʌɪndnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or condition of being unable to see because of injury, disease, or a congenital condition

• a leading cause of blindness in the elderly

• the field of vision gradually narrows and blindness can result.

2. lack of perception, awareness, or judgement; ignorance

• this policy is based on willful blindness to economic reality.

blind side

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a direction in which a person has a poor view of approaching traffic or danger.

• a punch delivered on the referee's blind side.

2. [Rugby] the side of the scrum opposite that on which the main line of the opponents' backs is ranged.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) hit or attack (someone) on their blind side.

• Graber blindsided Kelly, knocking him to the pavement.

2. (N. Amer.) make (someone) unable to perceive the truth of a situation.

• we got blindsided by our own government.

blindsight

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the ability to respond to visual stimuli without consciously perceiving them, a condition which can occur after certain types of brain damage.

blind snake

noun

a small burrowing insectivorous snake which lacks a distinct head and has very small inefficient eyes. Also called worm snake.
●Infraorder Scolecophidia: three families, in particular Typhlopidae, and several genera.

blind spot

noun

1. [Anatomy] the point of entry of the optic nerve on the retina, insensitive to light.

2. an area where a person's view is obstructed.

• the rear-view mirror eliminates blind spots on both sides of the car.

3. an area in which a person lacks understanding or impartiality

• Ed had a blind spot where these ethical issues were concerned.

4. [Telecommunications] a point within the normal range of a transmitter where there is unusually weak reception.

blind stamping blind tooling

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the impressing of text or a design on a book cover without the use of colour or gold leaf.

blind stitch

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sewing stitch producing stitches visible on one side only.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. sew (something) using blind stitches.

blind tiger blind pig

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› an illegal bar.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably so named to evade prohibition laws, the bars being disguised as exhibition halls for the display of natural curiosities.

blind trust

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a trust independently administering the private business interests of a person in public office to prevent conflict of interest.

blindworm /ˈblʌɪndwəːm/

noun

another term for slow-worm.

bling /blɪŋ / ‹informal› bling-bling

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. expensive, ostentatious clothing and jewellery

• look at the bling he's already wearing on his left arm.

II. adjective

denoting expensive, ostentatious clothing or jewellery, or the style or materialistic attitudes associated with them

• the bling lifestyle of diamond rings, flashy cars, and champagne.

III. derivatives

blingy

adjective

– origin 1990s: perhaps imitative of light reflecting off jewellery, or of jewellery clashing together.

blini /ˈblɪni, ˈbliːni / bliny, blinis

I. plural noun

pancakes made from buckwheat flour and served with sour cream.

– origin Russian (plural).

blink /blɪŋk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. shut and open the eyes quickly

• I blinked in astonishment

• [with obj.] he blinked his eyes nervously

• she blinked away her tears.

2. [with obj.] ( blink something back) — try to control or prevent tears by blinking.

• Elizabeth blinked back tears.

3. [usu. with negative] ( blink at) — react to (something) with surprise or disapproval

• he doesn't blink at the unsavoury aspects of his subject.

4. back down from a confrontation

• the government blinked only after losing 46 of the first 48 hearings.

5. (of a light) flash on and off in a regular or intermittent way

• the car's right-hand indicator was blinking.

II. noun

1. an act of shutting and opening the eyes very quickly

• he was observing her every blink.

2. a moment's hesitation

• Feargal would have given her all this without a blink.

3. a momentary gleam of light.

• out on the marshes there was a blink of light.

III. phrases

1. in the blink of an eye (or in a blink)

very quickly.

• software that would do lots of boring calculations in the blink of an eye.

2. not blink an eye

show no reaction.

3. on the blink

‹informal› (of a machine) not working properly; out of order

• the computer's on the blink.

– origin Middle English: from blenk, Scots variant of blench^1, reinforced by Middle Dutch blinken ‘to shine’. Early senses included ‘deceive’, ‘flinch’ (compare with blench^1), and also ‘open the eyes after sleep’: hence sense 1 of the verb (mid 16th cent.).

blinker /ˈblɪŋkə/

I. noun

1. ( blinkers) — (chiefly Brit.) a pair of small leather screens attached to a horse's bridle to prevent it seeing sideways and behind and being startled.

2. something which prevents someone from gaining a full understanding of a situation

• we are having a fresh look at ourselves without blinkers.

3. (usu. blinkers) — a vehicle indicator or other device that gives out an intermittent light.

• the cars queued up with blinkers flashing.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put blinkers on (a horse).

• Brown Boy will be blinkered for the first time at York.

2. cause (someone) to have a narrow or limited outlook on a situation.

• university education blinkers researchers so that they see poverty in terms of their own specialization.

blinkered /ˈblɪŋkəd/

adjective

1. (of a horse) wearing blinkers.

• Aboyeur's blinkered head showed in front soon after the start.

2. having or showing a narrow or limited outlook

• a blinkered attitude.

blinking /ˈblɪŋkɪŋ/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› used to express annoyance

• computers can be a blinking nuisance to operators

• [as submodifier] I'll sign off however I blinking well like.

blinks water blinks

I. plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. a small fleshy plant with tiny white flowers, which grows in damp and wet habitats in temperate regions. The leaves are sometimes eaten in salads.
● Montia fontana, family Portulacaceae.

– origin late 17th cent.: from blink in the sense ‘momentary gleam of light’ (referring to the small flowers).

blintze /blɪn(t)s/

I. noun

a thin rolled pancake filled with cheese or fruit and then fried or baked.

– origin from Yiddish blintse, from Russian blinets ‘little pancake’; compare with blini.

blip /blɪp/

I. noun

1. an unexpected, minor, and typically temporary deviation from a general trend

• the Chancellor dismissed rising inflation as a blip.

2. a very short high-pitched sound made by an electronic device.

• computer games can drive you crazy with their blips and bleeps.

3. a small flashing point of light on a radar screen representing an object.

• air traffic controllers watching the blips on their radars.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of an electronic device) make a very short high-pitched sound or succession of sounds.

• big boxes of esoteric electronics hummed and blipped.

2. [with obj.] — open (the throttle of a motor vehicle) momentarily.

• he straddled the bike and blipped the throttle.

– origin late 19th cent. (denoting a sudden rap or tap): imitative; the noun sense ‘unexpected deviation’ dates from the 1970s.

blipvert

noun

a television advert of a few seconds' duration.

bliss /blɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. perfect happiness; great joy

• she gave a sigh of bliss.

2. a state of spiritual blessedness, typically that reached after death.

• the bliss of heaven.

II. verb — [no obj.] ( bliss out or be blissed out)

1. ‹informal› reach a state of perfect happiness, oblivious of everything else

• Josh is just blissed out, always smiling

• [as adj.] blissed-out hippies.

– origin Old English blīths, bliss, of Germanic origin; related to blithe.

Bliss, Sir Arthur

(1891–1975), English composer; full name Sir Arthur Edward Drummond Bliss. He moved from the influence of Stravinsky, in works such as A Colour Symphony (1922), to a rich style closer to Elgar, as in his choral symphony Morning Heroes (1930).

blissful /ˈblɪsfʊl, ˈblɪsf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. extremely happy; full of joy

• a blissful couple holding a baby.

2. providing perfect happiness or great joy

• the blissful caress of cool cotton sheets.

II. phrases

blissful ignorance

complete unawareness of something important or unpleasant.

• her blissful ignorance of the politicized academic climate.

III. derivatives

blissfulness

noun

blissfully /ˈblɪsf(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a manner characterized by extreme happiness or joy

• they are blissfully in love

• tucked up in bed, blissfully asleep.

2. in a way that provides perfect happiness or great joy

• the inn was blissfully peaceful.

3. in a way that shows a lack of knowledge or understanding of something bad

• I was blissfully unaware of the financial consequences

• there's something to be said for being blissfully ignorant.

blister /ˈblɪstə/

I. noun

1. a small bubble on the skin filled with serum and caused by friction, burning, or other damage.

• his heels were covered in blisters.

2. a swelling filled with air or fluid on the surface of a plant, heated metal, painted wood, etc.

• check for cracks and blisters in sheet roofing felt.

3. [Medicine] ‹chiefly historical› a preparation applied to the skin to form a blister.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› an annoying person

• the child is a disgusting little blister.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. form blisters on the skin or other surface

• the surface of the door began to blister

• (as adj. blistered) he had blistered feet.

2. [with obj.] — cause blisters to form on the surface of

• a caustic liquid which blisters the skin.

– origin Middle English: perhaps from Old French blestre ‘swelling, pimple’.

blister beetle

noun

a beetle that, when alarmed, secretes a substance that causes blisters. The larvae are typically parasites of other insects.
● Lytta and other genera, family Meloidae: several species. .

blister copper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. partly purified copper with a blistered surface formed during smelting.

blister gas

noun — [ mass noun]

1. poison gas which causes blisters on and intense irritation to the skin.

blistering /ˈblɪstərɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (of heat) intense

• the blistering heat of the desert.

2. (of criticism) expressed with great vehemence

• a blistering attack on the government's transport policy.

3. extremely fast, forceful, or impressive

• Burke set a blistering pace.

II. derivatives

blisteringly /ˈblɪstərɪŋli /

adverb

blister pack

noun

another term for bubble pack.

blithe /blʌɪð/

I. adjective

1. showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper

• a blithe disregard for the rules of the road.

2. ‹literary› happy or carefree

• a blithe seaside comedy.

II. derivatives

1. blitheness

noun

2. blithesome /ˈblʌɪðs(ə)m /

adjective

‹literary›

– origin Old English blīthe, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch blijde, also to bliss.

blithely /ˈblʌɪðli/

adverb

1. in a way that shows a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper

• her arrest order was blithely ignored by the police chief.

2. ‹literary› in a happy or carefree manner

• the prince was wandering blithely out into the courtyard.

blithering /ˈblɪð(ə)rɪŋ/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹informal› complete; utter (used to express annoyance or contempt)

• a blithering idiot.

– origin late 19th cent.: from blither + -ing^2.

BLitt

I. abbreviation

Bachelor of Letters.

– origin from Latin Baccalaureus Litterarum.

blitz /blɪts/

I. noun

1. an intensive or sudden military attack.

• a heavy artillery blitz.

2. ( the Blitz) — the German air raids on Britain in 1940–1.

3. ‹informal› a sudden concerted effort to deal with something

• Katrina and I had a blitz on the cleaning.

4. [American Football] a play in which one or more defensive backs charge the quarterback of the opposing team.

5. another term for lightning chess.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. attack or seriously damage (a place) in a blitz

• news came that Rotterdam had been blitzed

• ‹figurative› she blitzed her own world record in the 400m freestyle.

2. process (food) in an electric mixing machine

• add the eggs and blitz the mixture until it becomes granular.

3. [American Football] charge (the opposing team's quarterback) in a blitz.

III. phrases

Blitz spirit the spirit of the Blitz

(Brit.) stoicism and determination in a difficult or dangerous situation, especially as displayed by a group of people

• he urged the British public to show their Blitz spirit in the face of the recession.

– origin 1930s: abbreviation of blitzkrieg.

blitzed /blɪtst/

adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› intoxicated by drink or drugs.

• we're all hanging out getting blitzed as usual.

blitzkrieg /ˈblɪtskriːɡ/

I. noun

an intense military campaign intended to bring about a swift victory.

– origin Second World War: from German, literally ‘lightning war’.

Blixen, Karen

Baroness Blixen-Finecke (1885–1962), Danish novelist and short-story writer; born Karen Dinesen; also known by the pseudonym of Isak Dinesen. She is best known for Seven Gothic Tales (1934) and her autobiography Out of Africa (1937), which she wrote after living in Kenya from 1914 to 1931.

blizzard /ˈblɪzəd/

I. noun

1. a severe snowstorm with high winds.

2. a large or overwhelming number of things arriving suddenly

• a blizzard of forms.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally US, denoting a violent blow): of unknown origin.

BL Lac object

I. noun

[Astronomy] a type of remote elliptical galaxy with a very compact starlike nucleus, remarkable for its considerable short-term variations in brightness and radio emissions.

– origin BL Lac, short for BL Lacertae, the designation of the first such object discovered (originally thought to be a variable star).

bln

abbreviation

short for billion:

• pre-tax profits came in at just over US $2 bln

• the government will pump more than 450 bln litres of water into the ailing river.

bloat^1 /bləʊt/

I. verb

make or become swollen with fluid or gas
[with obj.]

• the fungus has bloated their abdomens

• (as noun bloating) she suffered from abdominal bloating.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease of livestock characterized by an accumulation of gas in the stomach.

– origin late 17th cent.: from obsolete bloat ‘swollen, soft’, perhaps from Old Norse blautr ‘soft, flabby’.

bloat^2 /bləʊt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cure (a herring) by salting and smoking it lightly.

– origin late 16th cent.: related to the adjective bloat used in the compound bloat herring ‘bloater’ from the late 16th to mid 17th cent.; of obscure origin.

bloated /ˈbləʊtɪd/

adjective

1. swollen with fluid or gas

• he had a bloated, unshaven face.

2. excessive in size or amount

• the company trimmed its bloated labour force.

3. (of a person) excessively wealthy and pampered

• the bloated captains of industry.

bloater /ˈbləʊtə/

noun

a herring cured by salting and light smoking.

bloatware

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] ‹informal› software whose usefulness is reduced because of the excessive disk space and memory it requires

• a nasty piece of cross-platform bloatware that's in serious need of a total overhaul.

2. [Computing] ‹informal› unwanted software included on a new computer or mobile device by the manufacturer

• users must initially contend with the usual bevy of bloatware (unnecessary toolbars, games of questionable value).

blob /blɒb/

I. noun

1. a drop of a thick liquid or viscous substance

• blobs of paint.

2. a spot of colour

• the town is much more than a brown blob on the map.

3. an indeterminate roundish mass or shape

• a big pink blob of a face was at the window.

4. ‹informal› a score of 0 in a game.

• he made a string of blobs then hit a hundred.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put small drops of thick liquid or spots of colour on

• her nose was blobbed with paint.

III. derivatives

blobby /ˈblɒbi /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (denoting a bubble): perhaps symbolic of a drop of liquid; compare with blotch, blubber^1, and plop.

blobfish

noun

a bottom-dwelling deep-sea fish with a large head

• the blobfish is at risk of extinction from fishing trawlers that drag the ocean floors.

●Family Psychrolutidae (the fathead sculpins): several species, in particular Psychrolutes marcidus of Australian and New Zealand waters, having gelatinous flesh and (once brought to the surface) a distinctive sagging face.

bloc /blɒk/

I. noun

a group of countries or political parties with common interests who have formed an alliance

• the Soviet bloc

• a parliamentary bloc.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, literally ‘block’.

Bloch, Ernest /blɒx/

(1880–1959), Swiss-born American composer, of Jewish descent. His work reflects the influence of the late 19th-century romanticism of Liszt and Richard Strauss and Jewish musical forms. Notable works: the Israel Symphony (1912–16) and Solomon (1916).

block /blɒk/

I. noun

1. a large solid piece of hard material, especially rock, stone, or wood, typically with flat surfaces on each side

• a block of marble.

2. a sturdy flat-topped piece of wood used as a work surface

• a chopping block.

3. a packaged rectangular portion of butter, ice cream, chocolate, etc.

• a family block of ice cream.

4. (chiefly Brit.) a set of sheets of paper glued along one edge, used for drawing or writing on

• a sketching block.

5. (usu. blocks) — a starting block

• Jackson jetted out of his blocks.

6. [Printing] a piece of wood or metal engraved for printing on paper or fabric.

• the art of colour printing from woodblocks.

7. (also cylinder block or engine block) — a large metal moulding containing the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine.

8. a head-shaped mould for shaping hats or wigs.

9. (Brit.) a large single building subdivided into separate rooms, flats, or offices

• a block of flats.

10. a building or part of a complex used for a particular purpose

• a shower block.

11. a group of buildings bounded by four streets

• she went for a run round the block.

12. (N. Amer.) any urban or suburban area bounded by four streets

• ours was the ugliest house on the block.

13. (N. Amer.) the length of one side of a block, especially as a measure of distance

• he lives a few blocks away from the museum.

14. a large quantity or allocation of things regarded as a unit

• a block of shares

• final examinations will be taken in a block at the end of the course.

15. [Computing] a large piece of text processed as a unit.

16. an obstacle to the normal progress or functioning of something

• substantial demands for time off may constitute a block to career advancement

• an emotional block.

17. an act of blocking someone or something

• Marshall's shot drew a fine block from the goalkeeper.

18. a chock for stopping the motion of a wheel.

19. (also blockhole) — [Cricket] the spot on which a batsman rests the end of the bat while waiting to receive a ball.

20. a flat area of something, especially a solid area of colour

• cover the eyelid with a neutral block of colour.

21. (Austral./NZ) ‹historical› an area of land, in particular a tract offered to an individual settler by a government.

22. (Austral.) an urban or suburban building plot.

23. a pulley or system of pulleys mounted in a case.

• a simple pulley block.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make the movement or flow in (a passage, pipe, road, etc.) difficult or impossible

• block up the holes with sticky tape

• the narrow roads were blocked by cars

• (as adj. blocked) a blocked nose.

2. put an obstacle in the way of (something proposed or attempted)

• he stood up, blocking her escape

• the government tried to block an agreement on farm subsidies.

3. prevent access to or the use of (email or a website or mobile phone)

• some companies use these IMEI numbers to block stolen phones.

4. restrict the use or conversion of (currency or any other asset).

5. [American Football] impede the progress of (a tackler) with one's body.

6. (in sport) stop (a ball or blow) from finding its mark

• Knight did well to block Soloman's shot.

7. [Cricket] stop (a ball) with the bat defensively.

8. [Bridge] play in such a way that opponents are prevented from establishing (a long suit).

9. impress text or a design on (a book cover).

10. shape or reshape (a hat) on a mould.

• nobody cleans and blocks old felt hats any more.

III. phrases

1. have been around the block (a few times)

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› (of a person) have a lot of experience.

2. the new kid on the block

‹informal› a newcomer to a particular place or sphere of activity.

• what can the new kid on the block learn from the earlier Democrat's mistakes?

3. on the (auction) block

for sale at auction

• the original first manuscript for Ravel's Bolero goes on the block today.

4. put (or lay) one's head (or neck) on the block

‹informal› put one's standing or reputation at risk by proceeding with a particular course of action.

• it's not in your nature to put your head on the block.

[with reference to an executioner's block.]

IV. phrasal verbs

1. block something in

a. paint something with solid areas of colour.

• the sunflowers are blocked in with yellow.

b. add something in a unit

• it's a good idea to block in regular periods of exercise.

c. mark something out roughly.

• I often start with no preliminary line but go straight in, blocking in the face and body.

d. park one's car in such a way as to prevent another car from moving away

• he blocked in Vera's Mini.

2. block something out

a. stop something such as light or noise from reaching somewhere

• you're blocking out my sun.

b. exclude something unpleasant from one's thoughts or memory.

• they had managed to block out incidents from long ago.

c. mark or sketch something out roughly.

• I would block out an area and sketch in the detail.

V. derivatives

blocky

adjective

– origin Middle English (denoting a log or tree stump): from Old French bloc (noun), bloquer (verb), from Middle Dutch blok, of unknown ultimate origin.

blockade /blɒˈkeɪd/

I. noun

1. an act or means of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving

• they voted to lift the blockade of major railway junctions.

2. an obstruction of a physiological or mental function, especially of a biochemical receptor.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. seal off (a place) to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving.

• the authorities blockaded roads in and out of the capital.

III. phrases

run a blockade

(of a ship) manage to enter or leave a blockaded port.

• vessels suspected of running the UN blockade.

IV. derivatives

blockader /blɒˈkeɪdə /

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from block + -ade^1, probably influenced by ambuscade.

blockade runner

noun

1. a ship which manages to enter or leave a blockaded port.

2. the owner, master, or one of the crew of a blockade runner.

blockage /ˈblɒkɪdʒ/

noun

an obstruction which makes movement or flow difficult or impossible

• a blockage in the pipes

• [ mass noun] the pumps are prone to blockage.

block and tackle

noun

a lifting mechanism consisting of ropes, a pulley block, and a hook.

blockboard /ˈblɒkbɔːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a building material consisting of a core of wooden strips between two layers of plywood.

block-book

verb — [with obj.]

1. book (a large quantity of tickets, seats, hotel rooms, etc.) at the same time

• all 18 rooms have been block-booked by the bride and groom.

block booking

noun

an act or instance of reserving a large number of tickets, seats, hotel rooms, etc. at the same time

• concession rates for students or block bookings are also available.

blockbuster /ˈblɒkbʌstə/

I. noun

‹informal› a thing of great power or size, in particular a film, book, or other product that is a great commercial success
[as modifier]

• a blockbuster film.

– origin 1940s (denoting a huge aerial bomb capable of destroying a whole block of streets): from block + buster.

blockbusting ‹informal›

I. adjective

very successful commercially

• his blockbusting novel.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the practice of persuading owners to sell property cheaply because of the fear of people of another race or class moving into the neighbourhood, and then profiting by reselling at a higher price.

block capitals

plural noun

plain capital letters.

blockchain /ˈblɒktʃeɪn/

I. noun

a digital ledger in which transactions made in bitcoin or another cryptocurrency are recorded chronologically and publicly

• we can actually have a look at the blockchain and see evidence of what's going on.

– origin early 21st cent.: from block and chain.

block diagram

noun

a diagram showing in schematic form the general arrangement of the parts or components of a complex system or process, such as an industrial apparatus or an electronic circuit.

blocker

noun

1. a substance which prevents or inhibits a given physiological function.

• the nicotinic receptor blocker significantly influenced fluid transport in the inflamed intestines.

2. [Cricket] a habitually defensive batsman.

3. [American Football] a player whose task it is to block for the ball carrier.

block grant

noun

a grant from central government which a local authority can allocate to a wide range of services.

blockhead /ˈblɒkhɛd/

I. noun

‹informal› a very stupid person.

II. derivatives

blockheaded

adjective

block heater

noun

1. (Brit.) a storage heater.

2. (N. Amer.) a device for heating the engine block of a vehicle.

blockhouse /ˈblɒkhaʊs/

noun

1. a reinforced concrete shelter used as an observation point.

2. ‹historical› a one-storeyed timber building with loopholes, used as a fort.

3. (US) a house made of squared logs.

blockie /ˈblɒki/

I. noun

(Austral.) the owner of a small agricultural enterprise, especially an orchard; a smallholder

• he picked grapes for a blockie and cut wood for the pumping station.

– origin 1940s: from block in the sense ‘a small parcel of land’ + -ie.

blocking

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of blocking or obstructing someone or something, in particular:

2. the impeding of an opponent in a game, especially (in ball sports) one who does not have control of the ball.

3. [Psychiatry] the sudden halting of the flow of thought or speech, as a symptom of schizophrenia or other mental disorder.

4. failure to recall or consider an unpleasant memory or train of thought.

5. the grouping or treatment of things (e.g. shades of colour) in blocks.

6. the physical arrangement of actors on a stage or film set.

blockish /ˈblɒkɪʃ/

adjective

1. big, bulky, or crude in form or appearance

• his blockish architecture is ugly if functional.

2. unintelligent.

• the blockish Ajax will meet the challenge of Hector.

block letters

plural noun

plain capital letters; block capitals.

block mountain

noun

[Geology] a mountain formed by natural faults in the earth's crust.

block party

noun

(N. Amer.) a party for all the residents of a block or neighbourhood, usually held outdoors.

block plane

noun

a carpenter's plane with a blade set at an acute angle, used especially for planing across the end grain of wood.

block release

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a system of allowing employees the whole of a stated period off work in order to undertake an educational course.

blockship

noun

a ship which is moored or grounded in a channel in order to block it, for purposes of war or to provide shelter.

block system

noun

a system of railway signalling which divides the track into sections and allows no train to enter a section that is not completely clear.

block vote

noun

(Brit.) a vote proportional in power to the number of people a delegate represents, used particularly at a trade-union conference.

blockwork /ˈblɒkwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. blocks of concrete, cement, or similar material in a wall or other structure.

Bloemfontein /ˈbluːmfɒnˌteɪn, ˈblʊmfɒnˌteɪn/

the capital of Free State province and judicial capital of South Africa; pop. 583,300 (est. 2009).

blog /blɒɡ/

I. noun

a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. add new material to or regularly update a blog

• it's about a week since I last blogged.

2. [with obj.] — write about (an event, situation, topic, etc.) in a blog

• he blogged the Democratic and Republican national conventions as an independent.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation of weblog.

bloggable /ˈblɒɡəb(ə)l/

adjective

suitable or sufficiently interesting as a topic for a blog

• I started subscribing to the journal in the hope of finding bloggable material in there.

blogger /ˈblɒɡə/

noun

a person who regularly writes material for a blog

• food bloggers post a recipe on a particular theme

• the official festival blogger.

bloggy

adjective

‹informal› characteristic of a blog or blogs

• a lot of the journalism is quite bloggy, with opinions rather than facts.

blogosphere /ˈblɒɡəsfɪə/

noun — ( the blogosphere)

1. blogs considered collectively with their writers and readers as a distinct online network.

blog post

noun

a piece of writing or other item of content published on a blog

• I've read your previous blog post on this topic.

blogroll /ˈblɒɡrəʊl/

noun

(on a blog) a list of hyperlinks to other blogs or websites.

bloke /bləʊk/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a man

• he's a nice bloke.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Shelta.

blokeish /ˈbləʊkɪʃ / blokish

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› indulging in or relating to stereotypically male behaviour and interests.

• it is not very blokeish of me, I admit, but I have a passion for shopping.

II. derivatives

blokeishness

noun

blokey

adjective

another term for blokeish.

blonde /blɒnd/

I. adjective

1. (also blond) — (chiefly of hair) fair or pale yellow

• her long blonde hair

• I had my hair dyed blonde.

2. having hair of a fair or pale yellow colour

• a tall blonde woman.

3. having fair hair and a light complexion (especially when regarded as a racial characteristic).

• she was blonde and blue-eyed, but she wore her hair in the same kind of weave as the black women.

II. noun

1. a woman with blonde hair.

2. [ mass noun] — the colour of blonde hair.

• her hair was yellow—not any shade of blonde, but yellow.

III. derivatives

1. blondish

adjective

2. blondness

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from French blond, blonde, from medieval Latin blundus ‘yellow’, perhaps from Germanic. / usage: The alternative spellings blonde and blond correspond to the feminine and masculine forms in French, but in English the distinction is not always made, as English does not have such distinctions of grammatical gender. Thus, blond woman or blonde woman, blond man or blonde man are all used. The word is more commonly used of women, though, and in the noun the spelling is typically blonde. In American usage the usual spelling is blond for both adjective and noun.

blonde moment

I. noun

‹humorous› an instance of being silly or scatterbrained.

• we all have our blonde moments.

– origin 1990s: from the stereotypical perception of blonde-haired women as unintelligent.

blondie

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a blonde-haired person, typically a woman or girl (usually as a form of address)

• you have a great imagination, blondie

• we never did manage to bag any major roles in the nativity play—it was always the blue-eyed blondies who played the angels.

2. a small square of dense, pale-coloured cake, typically of a butterscotch or vanilla flavour

• cut brownies, blondies, or other sweet squares into very small pieces.

– origin late 19th cent. (in sense 1): from blonde + -ie; sense 2 after brownie (sense 1).

Blondin, Charles /ˈblɒndɪn, French blɔ̃dɛ̃/

(1824–97), French acrobat; born Jean-François Gravelet. He is famous for walking across a tightrope suspended over Niagara Falls on several occasions.

blood /blʌd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1.
a. the red liquid that circulates in the arteries and veins of humans and other vertebrate animals, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues of the body

• drops of blood.

b. an internal bodily fluid in invertebates which performs a similar function to blood in humans and other vertebrates.

c. ( bloods) — blood samples or tests

• his bloods were normal.

• a nurse was out on the corridor taking bloods from the patients.

Blood consists of a mildly alkaline aqueous fluid (plasma) containing red cells (erythrocytes), white cells (leucocytes), and platelets; it is red when oxygenated and purple when deoxygenated. Red blood cells carry the protein haemoglobin, which gives blood its colour and can combine with oxygen, thus enabling the blood to carry oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. White blood cells protect the body against the invasion of foreign agents (e.g. bacteria). Platelets and other factors present in plasma are concerned in the clotting of blood, preventing haemorrhage. In medieval science and medicine, blood was regarded as one of the four bodily humours, believed to be associated with a confident and optimistic temperament.

2. violence involving bloodshed

• a commando operation full of blood and danger.

3. fiery or passionate temperament

• a ritual that fires up his blood.

4. [with modifier] — family background; descent or lineage

• she must have Irish blood in her.

5. [ count noun] — a person of specified descent

• a mixed blood.

6. [ count noun] — (US) ‹informal› a fellow black person.

• any blood who opted out was ostracized.

7. [ count noun] — ‹dated› a fashionable and dashing young man

• a group of young bloods.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly Brit.) initiate (someone) in a particular activity

• clubs are too slow to blood young players.

2. (chiefly Brit.) [Hunting] smear the face of (a novice) with the blood of the kill.

3. (chiefly Brit.) give (a hound) a first taste of blood.

III. phrases

1. be like getting blood out of (or from) a stone ( also ‹N. Amer.› turnip)

be extremely difficult (said in reference to obtaining something from someone)

• getting a story out of her is like getting blood out of a stone!

2. blood and guts

‹informal› violence and bloodshed, especially in fiction.

• I like blood and guts, adventure, that kind of thing.

3. blood and thunder

‹informal› unrestrained and violent action or behaviour.
[as modifier]

• a typical blood-and-thunder cup tie.

4. blood is thicker than water

‹proverb› family relationships and loyalties are the strongest and most important ones.

5. one's blood is up

one is in a fighting mood.

6. blood, sweat, and tears

extremely hard work; unstinting effort.

• he's going through all the blood, sweat, and tears involved in getting a PhD.

7. blood will tell

‹proverb› family characteristics cannot be concealed.

8. first blood

a. the first shedding of blood, especially in a boxing match or formerly in duelling with swords.

b. the first point or advantage gained in a contest

• King drew first blood when he took the opening set.

9. give blood

allow blood to be removed medically from one's body in order to be stored for use in transfusions.

• the willingness of thousands of donors to give blood.

10. have blood on one's hands

be responsible for someone's death.

• he has my son's blood on his hands.

11. in one's blood

ingrained in or fundamental to one's character

• racing is in his blood.

12. make someone's blood boil

‹informal› infuriate someone.

• it made her blood boil every time he came near.

13. make someone's blood run cold

horrify someone.

• their howl will make your blood run cold.

14. new (or fresh) blood

new members admitted to a group, especially as an invigorating force.

• the need to bring in new blood and fresh ideas.

15. of the blood (royal)

‹literary› royal.

16. out for (someone's) blood

set on getting revenge.

• make no mistake about it, we shall be out for blood.

17. someone's blood is worth bottling

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› someone is extremely valuable and worth preserving

• your blood must be worth bottling.

18. taste blood

achieve an early success that stimulates further efforts

• the speculators have tasted blood and could force a devaluation of the currency.

19. young blood /ˌjʌŋ ˈblʌd /

a younger member or members of a group, especially as an invigorating force.

• farming lacks young blood.

– origin Old English blōd, of Germanic origin; related to German Blut and Dutch bloed.

Blood /blʌd/

noun

a member of a North American Indian people belonging to the Blackfoot Confederacy.

blood bank

noun

a place where supplies of blood or plasma for transfusion are stored.

bloodbath /ˈblʌdbɑːθ/

noun

an event or situation in which many people are killed in an extremely violent way.

• he allowed the protest to go ahead despite warnings that it would spark a bloodbath.

blood boosting

noun

another term for blood doping.

blood-borne

adjective

(of a disease, bacterium, virus, etc.) carried by the blood.

blood–brain barrier

noun

[Anatomy] a semipermeable membrane separating the blood from the cerebrospinal fluid, and constituting a barrier to the passage of cells, particles, and large molecules.

blood brother

noun

a man who has sworn to treat another man as a brother, typically by a ceremonial mingling of blood.

blood cell

noun

any of the kinds of cell normally found circulating in the blood.

blood count

noun

1. a determination of the number of corpuscles in a specific volume of blood.

2. the number of corpuscles found during a blood count

• a low blood count.

blood-curdling /ˈblʌdkəːdlɪŋ/

adjective

causing or expressing terror or horror

• a blood-curdling scream.

blood diamond

noun

another term for conflict diamond.

blood donor

noun

a person who gives blood for transfusion.

blood doping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the injection of oxygenated blood into an athlete before an event in an (illegal) attempt to enhance athletic performance.

blooded

adjective

1. [usu. in combination] — having blood or a temperament of a specified kind

• thin-blooded.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) (of horses or cattle) of good pedigree

• a blooded stallion.

blood feud

noun

a lengthy conflict between families involving a cycle of retaliatory killings.

bloodfin

noun

a small South American freshwater fish that is silvery yellow with bright red fins, popular in aquaria.
● Aphyocharax rubripinnis, family Characidae.

blood fluke

noun

another term for schistosome.

blood group

noun

any of the various types of human blood whose antigen characteristics determine compatibility in transfusion. The best-known blood groups are those of the ABO system.

blood heat

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the normal body temperature of a healthy human being, about 37 °C or 98.4 °F.

blood horse

noun

‹dated› a thoroughbred horse.

bloodhound /ˈblʌdhaʊnd/

noun

a large hound of a breed with a very keen sense of smell, used in tracking.

bloodhouse /ˈblʌdhɑʊs/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a bar or hotel noted for violence and disorder

• the original hotel was a bloodhouse of the traditional kind.

– origin early 20th cent.: from blood + house.

blood knot

noun

a type of knot used by anglers to join two fishing lines.

bloodless /ˈblʌdləs/

I. adjective

1. (of a revolution or conflict) without violence or killing

• a bloodless coup.

2. (of the skin) drained of colour

• his bloodless lips.

3. (of a person) cold or ruthless.

• a shrewd and bloodless Hollywood mogul.

4. lacking in vitality; feeble

• a bloodless chorus.

II. derivatives

1. bloodlessly /ˈblʌdləsli /

adverb

2. bloodlessness /ˈblʌdləsnəs /

noun

bloodletting /ˈblʌdlɛtɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹chiefly historical› the surgical removal of some of a patient's blood for therapeutic purposes.

2. the violent killing and wounding of people during a war or conflict

• gang members have halted their internecine bloodletting.

3. bitter division and quarrelling within an organization.

• the consequences for the party of new bloodletting.

blood libel

noun

an accusation that Jewish people used the blood of Christians in religious rituals, especially in the preparation of Passover bread, that was perpetrated throughout the Middle Ages and (sporadically) until the early 20th century.

bloodline /ˈblʌdlʌɪn/

noun

1. an animal's set of ancestors or pedigree, especially with reference to the desirable characteristics bred into it.

• the herd has British bloodlines going back 200 years.

2. a set of ancestors or line of descent of an important person.

• the survival of a legitimate royal bloodline.

bloodlust /ˈblʌdlʌst/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. uncontrollable desire to kill or maim others.

• the victims of an insane killer's bloodlust.

blood meal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. dried blood used for feeding animals and as a fertilizer.

blood money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. money paid in compensation to the family of someone who has been killed.

2. money paid to a hired killer.

3. money paid for information about a killer or killing.

blood orange

noun

an orange of a variety with red or red-streaked flesh.

blood poisoning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the presence of microorganisms or their toxins in the blood, causing a diseased state; septicaemia.

blood pressure

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the pressure of the blood in the circulatory system, often measured for diagnosis since it is closely related to the force and rate of the heartbeat and the diameter and elasticity of the arterial walls.

• heart failure is common in patients with high blood pressure.

blood pudding ‹chiefly N. Amer.› blood sausage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. black pudding.

• a stew of veal, blood pudding, and vegetables.

• [ count noun] blood puddings.

blood red

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a deep red
[as modifier]

• a blood-red lipstick.

blood relation blood relative

noun

a person who is related to another by birth rather than by marriage.

bloodroot /ˈblʌdruːt/

noun

1. a North American plant of the poppy family, which has white flowers and fleshy underground rhizomes which exude red sap when cut.
● Sanguinaria canadensis, family Papaveraceae.

2. a lily-like Australian plant with a red rhizome which is roasted and eaten by some Aborigines.
● Haemodorum coccineum, family Haemodoraceae.

blood sausage

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for blood pudding.

bloodshed /ˈblʌdʃɛd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the killing or wounding of people, typically on a large scale during a conflict.

• the president feared bloodshed and disorder if the demands for reform were not met.

bloodshot /ˈblʌdʃɒt/

adjective

(of the eyes) inflamed or tinged with blood, typically as a result of tiredness.

blood-soaked

adjective

1. covered or saturated with blood

• his blood-soaked body was found with multiple stab wounds.

2. involving or characterized by bloodshed or cruelty

• the blood-soaked history of the Crusades.

blood-spattered

adjective

covered with drops or spots of blood

• his body was found in a blood-spattered bathroom.

blood sport

noun

a sport involving the hunting, wounding, or killing of animals

• blood sports such as dogfighting and cockfighting

• ‹figurative› politics has turned into a blood sport.

bloodstain /ˈblʌdsteɪn/

noun

a mark or discoloration on fabric or a surface caused by blood.

bloodstained /ˈblʌdsteɪnd/

adjective

marked or covered with blood.

• the police are hoping to turn up a piece of bloodstained clothing or a weapon.

bloodstock /ˈblʌdstɒk/

noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. thoroughbred horses considered collectively.

• his huge investment in bloodstock.

• [as modifier] the bloodstock industry.

bloodstone /ˈblʌdstəʊn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a green gemstone that is spotted or streaked with red, consisting of a variety of chalcedony.

bloodstream /ˈblʌdstriːm/

noun — [in sing.]

1. the blood circulating through the body of a person or animal.

bloodsucker /ˈblʌdsʌkə/

I. noun

1. an insect or other animal that sucks blood, especially a leech or a mosquito.

2. a long-tailed arboreal Asian lizard which carries its head in a raised position. The head and shoulders of the male become bright red when it is excited.
● Calotes versicolor, family Agamidae.

3. ‹informal› a person who extorts money or otherwise lives off other people.

II. derivatives

bloodsucking

adjective

blood sugar

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the concentration of glucose in the blood.

blood test

noun

a scientific examination of a sample of blood, typically for the diagnosis of illness or for the detection and measurement of drugs or other substances.

bloodthirsty /ˈblʌdθəːsti/

I. adjective

1. having or showing a desire to kill and maim

• a bloodthirsty dictator.

2. (of a story or film) containing or depicting much violence.

• a bloodthirsty occult movie.

II. derivatives

1. bloodthirstily

adverb

2. bloodthirstiness /ˈblʌdˌθəːstinəs /

noun

blood transfusion

noun

an injection of a volume of blood, previously taken from a healthy person, into a patient.

• surgeons gave the boy a blood transfusion.

• [ mass noun] the patient did not require blood transfusion.

blood vessel

noun

a tubular structure carrying blood through the tissues and organs; a vein, artery, or capillary.

blood-warm

adjective

(of liquid) at body temperature; moderately warm

• most days started and ended with a dip in the blood-warm sea.

bloodwood

noun

any of a number of hardwood trees with deep red timber, in particular:
● an Australian gum tree (genus Eucalyptus, family Myrtaceae, in particular E. gummifera). ● a tree of the Old World tropics (genus Pterocarpus, family Leguminosae), including kiaat.

bloodworm /ˈblʌdwəːm/

noun

1. the bright red aquatic larva of a non-biting midge, the blood of which contains haemoglobin that allows it to live in poorly oxygenated water.
●Genus Chironomus, family Chironomidae.

2. another term for tubifex.

bloodwort

noun

any of various plants having red roots or leaves.

bloody^1 /ˈblʌdi/

I. adjective

1. covered, smeared, or running with blood

• his bloody hands.

2. composed of or resembling blood

• a bloody discharge.

3. involving or characterized by bloodshed or cruelty

• a bloody coup

• the bloody tyrannies of Europe.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover or stain with blood.

• he ended the fight with his face bloodied and battered.

III. phrases

bloody (or bloodied) but unbowed

proud of what one has achieved despite having suffered great difficulties or losses.

IV. derivatives

1. bloodily /ˈblʌdɪli /

adverb

2. bloodiness /ˈblʌdinəs /

noun

– origin Old English blōdig (see blood, -y^1).

bloody^2 /ˈblʌdi/

I. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) used to express anger, annoyance, or shock, or simply for emphasis

• you took your bloody time

• [as exclamation] bloody Hell!—what was that?

• [as submodifier] it's bloody cold outside.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) ‹dated› unpleasant or perverse

• don't be too bloody to poor Nigel.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from bloody^1. The use of bloody to add emphasis to an expression is of uncertain origin, but is thought to have a connection with the ‘bloods’ (aristocratic rowdies) of the late 17th and early 18th centuries; hence the phrase bloody drunk (= as drunk as a blood) meant ‘very drunk indeed’. After the mid 18th cent. until quite recently bloody used as a swear word was regarded as unprintable, probably from the mistaken belief that it implied a blasphemous reference to the blood of Christ, or that the word was an alteration of ‘by Our Lady’; hence a widespread caution in using the term even in phrases, such as bloody battle, merely referring to bloodshed.

Bloody Assizes

the trials of the supporters of the Duke of Monmouth after their defeat at the Battle of Sedgemoor, held in SW England in 1685. The government's representative, Judge Jeffreys, sentenced several hundred rebels to death and about 1,000 others to transportation to America as plantation slaves.

bloody hand

noun

[Heraldry] another term for red hand.

Bloody Mary^1 /blʌdiˈmɛəri/

the nickname of Mary I of England (see Mary^2).

Bloody Mary^2 /blʌdiˈmɛəri/

noun

a drink consisting of vodka and tomato juice.

bloody-minded

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› deliberately uncooperative.

• a bloody-minded landlord.

• his father had been so bloody-minded.

II. derivatives

1. bloody-mindedly

adverb

2. bloody-mindedness /ˌblʌdiˈmʌɪndɪdnəs /

noun

bloody-nosed beetle

noun

a large black leaf beetle which exudes a red liquid from its mouth and leg joints when disturbed.
●Genus Timarcha, family Chrysomelidae.

Bloody Sunday

I. (in Northern Ireland) 30 January 1972, when British troops shot dead thirteen marchers in Londonderry who were protesting against the government's policy of internment.

II. (in Britain) 13 November 1887, when police violently broke up a socialist demonstration in Trafalgar Square, London, against the British government's Irish policy.

III. (in Russia) 9 January 1905 (22 January in the New Style calendar), when troops attacked and killed hundreds of unarmed workers who had gathered in St Petersburg to present a petition to the tsar.

blooey /ˈbluːi / ‹US informal› blooie

I. adverb, adjective

awry; amiss
[as adv.]

• the ignition switch went blooey.

II. exclamation

used to convey that something has happened in an abrupt way

• Blooey! He shot himself dead.

– origin 1920s: of unknown origin.

bloom^1 /bluːm/

I. noun

1. a flower, especially one cultivated for its beauty

• an exotic bloom.

2. [ mass noun] — the state or period of flowering

• the apple trees were in bloom.

3. [ mass noun] — the state or period of greatest beauty, freshness, or vigour

• a young girl, still in the bloom of youth.

4. [in sing.] — a youthful or healthy glow in a person's complexion

• her face had lost its usual bloom.

5. [ mass noun] — a full, bright sound in a recording

• the remastering has lost some of the bloom of the strings.

6. a delicate powdery surface deposit on certain fresh fruits, leaves, or stems.

• the bloom on a plum.

7. [ mass noun] — a greyish-white appearance on chocolate caused by cocoa butter rising to the surface.

8. short for algal bloom.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — produce flowers; be in flower

• a chalk pit where cowslips bloomed.

2. come into or be in full beauty or health; flourish

• the children had bloomed in the soft Devonshire air.

3. (of fire, colour, or light) become radiant and glowing

• colour bloomed in her cheeks.

4. [with obj.] — ‹technical› coat (a lens) with a special surface layer so as to reduce reflection from its surface.

III. phrases

the bloom is off the rose

(N. Amer.) the thing in question is no longer new, fresh, or exciting.

• I think the bloom is off the rose now with kiss-and-tell books.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse blóm ‘flower, blossom’, blómi ‘prosperity’, blómar ‘flowers’.

bloom^2 /bluːm/

I. noun

1. a mass of iron, steel, or other metal hammered or rolled into a thick bar for further working.

• an 18-foot-long steel bloom emerges red-hot from a new reheat furnace.

2. ‹historical› an unworked mass of puddled iron.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as noun blooming)

1. make (iron, steel, etc.) into a bloom.

– origin Old English blōma, of unknown origin.

bloomer^1 /ˈbluːmə/

noun — [usu. in combination]

1. a plant that produces flowers at a specified time

• fragrant night-bloomers such as nicotiana.

2. [with adj.] — a person who matures or flourishes at a specified time

• he was a late bloomer.

bloomer^2 /ˈbluːmə/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a serious or stupid mistake.

• he never committed a bloomer.

– origin late 19th cent.: equivalent to blooming error.

bloomer^3 /ˈbluːmə/

I. noun

(Brit.) a large loaf with diagonal slashes on a rounded top.

– origin 1930s: of unknown origin.

bloomers /ˈbluːməz/

I. plural noun

1. women's loose-fitting knee-length knickers, considered old-fashioned.

2. ‹historical› women's and girls' loose-fitting trousers, gathered at the knee or, originally, the ankle.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Mrs Amelia J. Bloomer (1818–94), an American social reformer who advocated a similar garment.

bloomery /ˈbluːməri/

noun

‹historical› a forge or mill producing blooms of wrought iron.

Bloomfield, Leonard

I. (1887–1949), American linguist, one of the founders of American structural linguistics.

II. derivatives

Bloomfieldian

adjective

blooming /ˈbluːmɪŋ/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› used to express annoyance or for emphasis

• of all the blooming cheek!

• [as submodifier] a blooming good read.

Bloomsbury

I. an area of central London noted for its large squares and gardens and for its associations with the Bloomsbury Group. The British Museum is located there.

II. [as modifier] — associated with or similar to the Bloomsbury Group

• a Bloomsbury artist.

Bloomsbury Group

a group of writers, artists, and philosophers living in or associated with Bloomsbury in the early 20th century. Members of the group, which included Virginia Woolf, Lytton Strachey, Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, and Roger Fry, were known for their unconventional lifestyles and attitudes and were a powerful force in the growth of modernism.

bloop /bluːp / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of an electronic device) emit a short low-pitched noise

• a fruit machine blooping in the corner.

2. [no obj.] — make a mistake

• the company admitted it had blooped.

3. [with obj.] — [Baseball] hit (a ball) weakly or make (a hit) that lands just beyond the reach of the infielders.

• he blooped a single over the fielder in the third inning.

II. noun

1. a short low-pitched noise emitted by an electronic device.

• a few bleeps and bloops.

2. a mistake

• a typical beginner's bloop.

3. [Baseball] another term for blooper (sense 2).

• seven hits which were bloops for the most part.

• [as modifier] a bloop single.

III. derivatives

bloopy

adjective

– origin 1920s: imitative.

blooper /ˈbluːpə/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) an embarrassing error.

• he poked fun at his own tendency to utter bloopers.

• [as modifier] blooper shows consisting of out-takes from films.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) [Baseball] a weakly hit fly ball landing just beyond the reach of the infielders.

• Hunter's the only guy to get a hit, a blooper over the shortstop's head.

– origin 1926 (originally US, denoting a radio which caused others to bloop, i.e. emit a loud howling noise): from imitative bloop + -er^1.

blooter /ˈbluːtə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Scottish) ‹informal› hit or kick (something) hard and wildly

• he blootered the ball over the bar.

– origin 1980s: earlier senses include ‘blunder’ and ‘talk foolishly’, but ultimately of unknown origin.

blootered /ˈbluːtəd/

I. adjective

(Scottish) ‹informal› very drunk

• I was thinking of going to the pub and getting well and truly blootered.

– origin 1980s: from blooter + -ed^2.

blossom /ˈblɒs(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a flower or a mass of flowers, especially on a tree or bush

• tiny white blossoms

• [ mass noun] the slopes were ablaze with almond blossom.

2. [ mass noun] — the state or period of flowering

• fruit trees in blossom.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a tree or bush) produce flowers or masses of flowers

• a garden in which roses blossom

• (as adj. blossoming) blossoming magnolia.

2. mature or develop in a promising or healthy way

• their friendship blossomed into romance

• (as noun blossoming) the blossoming of experimental theatre.

III. derivatives

blossomy

adjective

– origin Old English blōstm, blōstma (noun), blōstmian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bloesem, also to bloom^1.

blot /blɒt/

I. noun

1. a dark mark or stain made by ink, paint, dirt, etc.

• a blot of ink.

2. a shameful act or quality that damages an otherwise good character or reputation

• the only blot on an otherwise clean campaign.

3. a thing that mars the appearance of something

• wind power turbines are a blot on the landscape.

4. [Biochemistry] a procedure in which proteins or nucleic acids separated on a gel are transferred directly to an immobilizing medium for identification.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. dry (a wet surface or substance) using an absorbent material

• Henry blotted the page.

2. mark or stain (something)
(as adj. blotted)

• the writing was messy and blotted.

3. damage the good character or reputation of

• the turmoil blotted his memory of the school.

4. ( blot something out) — cover writing or pictures with ink or paint so that they cannot be seen.

• Mary dug her brush into black paint and blotted out her picture.

5. obscure a view

• a dust shield blotting out the sun.

6. obliterate or disregard something painful in one's memory or existence

• the concentration necessary to her job blotted out all the feelings.

7. [Biochemistry] transfer by means of a blot.

III. phrases

blot one's copybook

(Brit.) tarnish one's good reputation.

• she saw her sister blot her copybook by being quoted in the press.

– origin late Middle English: probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Old Norse blettr.

blotch /blɒtʃ/

I. noun

a large irregular patch or unsightly mark on the skin or another surface

• red blotches on her face.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover with blotches.

• her face was blotched and swollen with crying.

III. derivatives

blotchiness /ˈblɒtʃɪnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (as a verb): partly an alteration of obsolete plotch in the same sense (of unknown origin), influenced by blot; partly a blend of blot and botch.

blotchy /ˈblɒtʃi/

adjective

covered with blotches; patchy

• discoloration or blotchy skin on the legs.

blotter /ˈblɒtə/

noun

1. a sheet or pad of blotting paper in a frame, kept on a desk.

2. (N. Amer.) a temporary recording book, especially a police charge sheet.

• the boys ended up on police blotters for property crimes.

blotting paper /ˈblɒtɪŋ ˌpeɪpə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. absorbent paper used for soaking up excess ink when writing.

blotto /ˈblɒtəʊ/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹informal› extremely drunk.

• we got blotto.

– origin early 20th cent.: from blot + -o.

blouse /ˈblaʊz/

I. noun

1. a woman's upper garment resembling a shirt, typically with a collar, buttons, and sleeves.

2. a loose linen or cotton garment formerly worn by peasants and manual workers, typically belted at the waist.

3. a type of jacket worn as part of military uniform.

II. verb — [with obj. and adverbial]

1. make (a garment) hang in loose folds

• I bloused my trousers over my boots.

III. phrases

big girl's blouse

(Brit.) ‹informal› a weak, cowardly, or oversensitive man.

• no matter how a lad feels, it's just not the done thing to display his emotions—he might be accused of being a big girl's blouse.

– origin early 19th cent. (denoting a belted loose garment worn by peasants): from French, of unknown origin.

blouson /ˈbluːzɒn/

I. noun

a short loose-fitting jacket, typically bloused and finishing at the waist.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, diminutive of blouse.

bloviate /ˈbləʊvɪeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (US) ‹informal› talk at length, especially in an inflated or empty way.

II. derivatives

1. bloviation

noun

2. bloviator

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: perhaps from blow^1.

blow^1 /bləʊ/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of wind) move creating an air current

• a cold breeze was blowing in off the sea.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — (of wind) cause (something) to move; propel

• a gust of wind blew a cloud of smoke into his face

• the spire was blown down during a gale.

3. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — be carried, driven, or moved by the wind or an air current

• it was so windy that the tent nearly blew away

• cotton curtains blowing in the breeze.

4. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› leave

• I'd better blow.

5. [no obj.] — (of a person) expel air through pursed lips

• Willie took a deep breath, and blew

• he blew on his tea to cool it.

6. [with obj.] — use one's breath to propel (something)

• he blew cigar smoke in her face.

7. breathe hard; pant

• Uncle Albert was soon puffing and blowing.

8. (as adj. blown) — out of breath; panting

• an exhausted, blown horse.

9. [with obj.] — force air through the mouth into (an instrument) in order to make a sound

• the umpire blew his whistle.

10. (of an instrument) make a sound when air is forced into it

• police whistles blew.

11. [with obj.] — sound (the horn of a vehicle).

• angry motorists blew their horns.

12. ‹informal› play jazz or rock music in an unrestrained style.

• it took him maybe five choruses to warm up, but then he could really blow.

13. [with obj.] — force air through a tube into (molten glass) in order to create an artefact.

• factory showrooms where you can see glass being blown and painted.

14. [with obj.] — remove the contents of (an egg) by forcing air through it.

• teaching children to blow an egg by placing holes in either end with a pin.

15. (of a whale) eject air and vapour through the blowhole.

16. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — (of an explosion or explosive device) displace violently or send flying

• the blast had blown the windows out of the van.

17. [no obj.] — (of a vehicle tyre) burst suddenly while the vehicle is in motion.

• a rear tyre had blown.

18. burst or cause to burst due to pressure or overheating
[no obj.]

• the engines sounded as if their exhausts had blown.

19. (with reference to an electric circuit) burn out through overloading
[no obj.]

• the fuse had blown

• [with obj.] the floodlights blew a fuse.

20. [with obj.] — ‹informal› spend recklessly

• they blew £100,000 in just eighteen months.

21. [with obj.] — ‹informal› completely bungle (an opportunity)

• he'd been given a second chance and he'd blown it

• they blew a 4–2 lead.

22. expose (a stratagem)

• a man whose cover was blown.

23. ( past participle blowed) [with obj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› damn
[as imperative]

• ‘Well, blow me’, he said, ‘I never knew that.’

• [with clause] I'm blowed if I want to see him again.

24. [with obj.] — ‹vulgar slang› perform fellatio on (a man).

25. [no obj.] — (US) ‹informal› be extremely bad or unwelcome

• ‘This blows,’ she sighs, ‘I want it to be next week already’.

26. [with obj.] — (of flies) lay eggs in or on (something).

II. noun

1. [in sing.] — a strong wind

• we're in for a bit of a blow.

2. an act of getting some fresh air

• I'll go down to the sea and get a blow before supper.

3. an act of blowing an instrument

• a number of blows on the whistle.

4. ‹informal› a spell of playing jazz or rock music.

5. an act of blowing one's nose

• give your nose a good blow.

6. (in steel-making) an act of sending an air or oxygen blast through molten metal in a converter.

7. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› cannabis or cocaine.

III. phrases

1. be blown off course

(of a project) be disrupted by some circumstance.

• short-term prospects can be blown off course by inflation.

2. be blown out of the water

be shown to lack all credibility.

• the idea that inflation would not affect jobs was naive and has now been blown out of the water.

3. blow someone's brains out

‹informal› kill someone with a shot in the head.

• her third husband had blown his brains out.

4. blow chunks

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› vomit.

5. blow cold on

regard unfavourably

• however, they are now blowing cold on the issue.

6. blow the doors off

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› be considerably better or more successful than

• a package that blows the doors off anything on the market.

7. blow a fuse (or gasket)

‹informal› lose one's temper.

• it was only a suggestion—there's no need to blow a fuse.

8. blow hot and cold

alternate inconsistently between two moods, attitudes, or courses of action.

• he had behaved badly, stringing her along, blowing hot and cold.

9. blow someone a kiss

kiss the tips of one's fingers then blow across them towards someone as a gesture of affection.

• she plunged into a waiting cab and blew Graham a kiss.

10. blow someone's mind

‹informal› impress or otherwise affect someone very strongly

• the sound of a twelve-string guitar just blew my mind.

11. blow one's nose

clear one's nose of mucus by blowing through it into a handkerchief.

• he's wiping his eyes and blowing his nose into a huge silk handkerchief.

12. blow off steam

see let off steam at steam.

13. blow something to bits (or pieces or smithereens)

use bombs or other explosives to destroy something, typically a building, completely

• the commandos blew the base to smithereens.

14. blow one's top ( ‹or chiefly N. Amer.› lid or stack)

‹informal› lose one's temper.

• he is volatile and likely to blow his top if his demands aren't met.

15. blow up in one's face

(of an action, project, or situation) go drastically wrong with damaging effects to oneself.

• he never knew when a casual remark to a stranger might blow up in his face.

16. blow with the wind

be incapable of maintaining a consistent course of action.

• ‘You lack consistency’, said Bunny. ‘You blow with the wind.’.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. blow someone away ‹informal›

a. kill someone using a firearm.

• the heroine straps on a gun and blows away the bad guys.

b. impress someone greatly

• I'm blown away by his new poem.

2. blow in

‹informal› arrive casually and unannounced.

• sometimes he would blow in unexpectedly and say hello.

3. blow off

‹informal› break wind noisily.

4. blow someone off ‹N. Amer. informal›

a. fail to keep an appointment with someone.

• I just made this date before I met you—I didn't want to blow her off.

b. end a romantic or sexual relationship with someone.

5. blow something off ‹N. Amer. informal›

a. ignore or make light of something.

• he tries to blow it off and pretend it doesn't matter.

b. fail to attend something

• Ivy blew off class.

6. blow out

a. be extinguished by an air current

• the candles blew out.

b. (of a tyre) puncture while the vehicle is in motion.

• the car went into a rubber-shredding skid when the front nearside tyre blew out.

c. (of an oil or gas well) emit gas suddenly and forcefully.

d. ( blow itself out) — (of a storm) finally lose its force.

• ‹figurative› the recession may finally have blown itself out.

7. blow someone out

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› defeat someone convincingly.

• they were blown out by Florida 58–3 at home.

8. blow something out

a. use one's breath to extinguish a flame

• he blew out the candle.

b. puff out one's cheeks.

• he blew out his cheeks and sat down heavily on the couch.

c. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› render a part of the body useless

• he blew out his knee playing basketball.

9. blow over

(of trouble) fade away without serious consequences.

• if he would simply cool off, the whole matter would soon blow over.

10. blow up

a. explode.

• the car blew up as soon as it hit the wall.

b. lose one's temper

• Mum had blown up at Dad with more than her usual vehemence.

c. (of a wind or storm) begin to develop.

• outside the sky was overcast and a wind had blown up.

d. (of a scandal or dispute) emerge or become public.

• a crisis blew up between the two countries in 1967.

e. inflate

• my stomach had started to blow up.

11. blow someone up

‹informal› ‹dated› reprimand someone severely

• she got blown up by her boss for being late.

12. blow something up

a. cause something to explode.

• they blew the plane up on the ground with dynamite.

b. inflate something

• a small pump for blowing up balloons.

c. exaggerate the importance of something

• it was a domestic tiff which had been blown up out of all proportion.

d. enlarge a photograph or text.

• I blew the picture up on a colour photocopier.

– origin Old English blāwan, of Germanic origin; related to German blähen ‘blow up, swell’, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin flare ‘blow’.

blow^2 /bləʊ/

I. noun

1. a powerful stroke with a hand, weapon, or hard object

• he received a blow to the skull.

2. a sudden shock or disappointment

• the news came as a crushing blow to the cast.

II. phrases

1. at one blow

by a single stroke; in one operation

• the letter had destroyed his certainty at one blow.

2. blow-by-blow /bləʊbʌɪˈbləʊ /

(of a description of an event) giving all the details in the order in which they occurred

• a blow-by-blow account of how England lost to Portugal.

3. come to blows

start fighting after a disagreement.

• the two actors reputedly almost came to blows.

4. soften (or cushion) the blow

make it easier to cope with a difficult change or upsetting news

• monetary compensation was offered to soften the blow.

5. strike a blow for (or against)

act in support of (or opposition to)

• a chance to strike a blow for freedom.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

blow^3 /bləʊ / ‹archaic literary›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. produce flowers or be in flower

• I know a bank where the wild thyme blows.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or period of flowering

• stocks in fragrant blow.

– origin Old English blōwan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bloeien and German blühen, also to bloom^1 and blossom.

Blow, John

( c. 1649–1708), English composer and organist. The organist of Westminster Abbey 1668–79 and 1695–1708, he wrote much church music and taught Henry Purcell. His masque Venus and Adonis ( c. 1682) was a forerunner of English opera.

blowback

noun

1. a process in which gases expand or travel in a direction opposite to the usual one, especially through escape of pressure or delayed combustion.

2. (chiefly US) the unintended adverse results of a political action or situation

• this is the blowback from all those aggressive public health campaigns.

blowdown /ˈbləʊdaʊn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) trees that have been blown down by the wind.
[ count noun]

• he tramped miles through blowdowns after the hurricane.

2. the blowing down of a tree or trees.

• blowdown occurs when soil and root balls can't resist wind pressure.

3. the removal of solids or liquids from a container or pipe using pressure.
[as modifier]

• designs had to withstand blowdown conditions.

blow-dry /ˈbləʊdrʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. dry and style (hair) with a handheld dryer.

• always blow-dry your hair in one direction.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. an act of blow-drying the hair.

III. derivatives

blow-dryer blow-drier

noun

blower /ˈbləʊə/

noun

1. a person or thing that blows, especially a mechanical device for creating a current of air used to dry or heat something.

• the shower will stop automatically and warm air blowers will dry you off.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a telephone.

• I've been trying to get hold of you on the blower.

blowfish

noun

any of a number of fishes that are able to inflate their bodies when alarmed, such as a globefish.

blowfly /ˈbləʊflʌɪ/

noun

a large and typically metallic blue or green fly which lays its eggs on meat and carcasses.
●Family Calliphoridae: numerous species, including the bluebottle.

blowgun /ˈbləʊɡʌn/

noun

another term for blowpipe.

blowhard /ˈbləʊhɑːd/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a boastful or pompous person.

• the segregationist blowhards who would dominate the politics of my state for a generation.

• [as modifier] blowhard politicians.

blowhole /ˈbləʊhəʊl/

noun

1. the nostril of a whale or dolphin on the top of its head.

2. a hole in ice through which a sea mammal breathes or a person fishes.

3. a vent for air or smoke in a tunnel or other structure.

blowie

noun

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a blowfly.

2. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› an act of oral sex performed on a man.

blow-in

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a newcomer or recent arrival.

blowing-up

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the violent shattering or exploding of something

• the blowing-up of several apartment blocks.

2. [ count noun] — ‹informal› ‹dated› a severe reprimand

• I received a good blowing up from Mr Brandon for my pains.

blow job

noun

‹vulgar slang› an act of oral sex performed on a man.

blowlamp /ˈbləʊlamp/

noun

British term for blowtorch.

blown^1 /bləʊn/

I. past participle of blow^1.

II. adjective

‹informal› (of a vehicle or its engine) provided with a turbocharger.

blown^2 /bləʊn/

past participle of blow^3.

blown-up

adjective

1. destroyed or severely damaged by an explosion

• blown-up buildings.

2. enlarged

• a blown-up photograph.

3. inflated; swollen

• a blown-up balloon.

blow-off

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of emitting a gas, typically to reduce pressure to a safe level.
[as modifier]

• steam blow-off piping.

blowout /ˈbləʊaʊt/

noun

1. an occasion when a tyre on a vehicle bursts or an electric fuse melts.

2. an uprush of oil or gas from a well.
[as modifier]

• a blowout preventer.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› an outburst of anger or an argument.

• that exchange led to a big blowout five years ago.

4. ‹informal› a large or lavish meal or social gathering.

• it is difficult to imagine the slim person going for a real blowout.

5. (N. Amer.) an event at which goods are sold at heavily discounted prices

• the purpose of the blowout is to motivate new customers to visit

• [as modifier] the local store is having a big blowout sale—everything 65 per cent off.

6. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› an easy victory in a sporting contest or election.

• the game had been a blowout.

7. (N. Amer.) an act or instance of blow-drying hair.

• you can't do a blowout with super wet hair.

8. a hollow eroded by the wind.

blowpipe /ˈbləʊpʌɪp/

noun

1. a primitive weapon consisting of a long tube through which an arrow or dart is propelled by force of the breath.

2. a long tube by means of which molten glass is blown into the required shape.

3. a tube used to intensify the heat of a flame by blowing air or other gas through it at high pressure.

blowsy /ˈblaʊzi / blowzy

I. adjective

(of a woman) coarse, untidy, and red-faced.

• the cheap perfume worn by the blowsy woman.

• ‹figurative› blowsy, old-fashioned roses.

II. derivatives

1. blowsily

adverb

2. blowsiness

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from obsolete blowze ‘beggar's female companion’, of unknown origin.

blowtorch /ˈbləʊtɔːtʃ/

noun

a portable device producing a hot flame which can be directed on to a surface, typically to burn off paint.

blow-up

I. noun

1. an enlargement of a photograph.

• the walls are covered with grainy blow-ups.

2. ‹informal› an outburst of anger.

• the occasional blow-ups he has at Lennie are understandable.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. inflatable

• a blow-up pillow.

blowy /ˈbləʊi/

adjective

windy or windswept

• a blowy day.

BLT

noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a sandwich filled with bacon, lettuce, and tomato.

blub /blʌb/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› cry noisily and uncontrollably; sob.

• their mummies blub when they kiss them goodbye.

• she had the urge to blub her eyes out.

– origin early 19th cent.: abbreviation of blubber^2.

blubber^1 /ˈblʌbə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fat of sea mammals, especially whales and seals.

2. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› excessive human fat.

• he preferred a girl with a bit of blubber on her.

II. adjective

‹archaic› (of a person's lips) swollen or protruding.
[alteration of obsolete blabber ‘swollen’.]

III. derivatives

blubbery /ˈblʌbəri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (denoting the foaming of the sea, also a bubble on water): perhaps symbolic; compare with blob and blotch.

blubber^2 /ˈblʌbə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› cry noisily and uncontrollably; sob

• he was blubbering like a child

• [with direct speech] ‘I don't like him,’ blubbered Jonathan.

– origin late Middle English: probably symbolic; compare with blob and blubber^1.

bluchers /ˈbluːkəz/

I. plural noun

‹historical› strong leather half-boots or high shoes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after G. L. von Blücher (1742–1819), Prussian general.

bludge /blʌdʒ / ‹Austral./NZ informal›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. shirk responsibility and live off the efforts of others

• they were sick of bludging on the public.

2. [with obj.] — seek to obtain (something) at the expense or through the generosity of others

• the girls bludged smokes.

II. noun

an easy job or assignment.

• that night shift must be the biggest bludge on earth.

III. phrases

on the bludge

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› shirking responsibility and living off the efforts of others

• they are on the bludge looking for good times at the taxpayers' expense.

– origin late 19th cent.: back-formation from bludger.

bludgeon /ˈblʌdʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

a thick stick with a heavy end, used as a weapon.

• maces and spiked bludgeons.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. beat (someone) repeatedly with a bludgeon or other heavy object.

• she was found bludgeoned to death in the basement.

2. force or bully (someone) to do something

• she was determined not to be bludgeoned into submission.

3. ( bludgeon one's way) — make one's way by brute force.

• he bludgeoned his way through the crowd.

– origin mid 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

bludger /ˈblʌdʒə/

I. noun

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a scrounger.

• just look at that bludger, can't get his thieving hands on the cash fast enough.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› an idle or lazy person.

• I suspect there are far more bludgers in jobs than on the dole.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally British slang denoting a pimp, specifically one who robbed his prostitute's clients): abbreviation of bludgeoner, from bludgeon.

blue^1 /bluː/

I. adjective

1. of a colour intermediate between green and violet, as of the sky or sea on a sunny day

• the clear blue sky

• a blue silk shirt

• deep blue eyes.

2. (of a person's skin) having turned blue as a result of cold or breathing difficulties

• Ashley went blue and I panicked.

3. (of a bird or other animal) having blue markings

• a blue jay.

4. (of a cat, fox, or rabbit) having fur of a smoky grey colour

• the blue fox.

5. (of a ski run) of the second-lowest level of difficulty, as indicated by blue markers positioned along it.

6. [Physics] denoting one of three colours of quark.

7. ‹informal› (of a person or mood) melancholy, sad, or depressed

• he's feeling blue.

8. ‹informal› (of a film, joke, or story) having sexual or pornographic content

• a blue movie.

9. (Brit.) ‹informal› politically conservative

• the successful blue candidate.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — blue colour or pigment

• she was dressed in blue

• the dark blue of his eyes

• [ count noun] armchairs in pastel blues and greens.

2. blue clothes or material

• Susan wore blue.

3. a blue thing, in particular:

4. the blue ball in snooker.

5. ( the blue) — ‹literary› the sky or sea, or the unknown

• far out upon the blue were many sails.

6. another term for bluing.

7. [usu. with modifier] — a small butterfly, the male of which is predominantly blue while the female is typically brown.
●Numerous genera in the family Lycaenidae.

8. (Brit.) a person who has represented Cambridge University (a Cambridge blue) or Oxford University (an Oxford blue) at a particular sport in a match between the two universities

• a flyweight boxing blue.

9. a distinction awarded to a Cambridge blue or an Oxford blue

• Adrian's brother won a rugby blue in December.

10. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› an argument or fight.

• did you have a blue or what?

[1940s: perhaps by association with phrases such as make the air blue, alluding to swearing.]

11. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a mistake.

• his tactical blue in saying the opposition wasn't ready to govern.

12. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a nickname for a red-headed person.

• only an Aussie could make a red-headed man ‘Blue.’.

[1930s: of unknown origin.]

13. (Brit.) ‹informal› a supporter of the Conservative Party.

III. verb

1. make or become blue.
[with obj.]

• the light dims, bluing the retina.

• (as adj. blued) blued paper.

• [no obj.] the day would haze, the air bluing with afternoon.

2. [with obj.] — heat (metal) so as to give it a greyish-blue finish.
(as adj. blued)

• nickel-plated or blued hooks.

3. [with obj.] — ‹chiefly historical› wash (white clothes) with bluing.

• they blued the shirts and starched the uniforms.

IV. phrases

1. blue on blue

[Military] denoting or relating to an attack made by one's own side that accidentally harms one's own forces

• blue-on-blue incidents.

[from the use of blue to indicate friendly forces in military exercises.]

2. bung (or stack) on a blue

(Austral.) ‹informal› make a fuss or create a disturbance

• we're only reported if we bung on a blue.

3. do something until (or till) one is blue in the face

‹informal› put all one's efforts into doing something to no avail

• she could talk to him until she was blue in the face, but he was just not hearing.

4. once in a blue moon

‹informal› very rarely.

• he comes round once in a blue moon.

[because a ‘blue moon’ is a phenomenon that occurs only very rarely.]

5. out of the blue out of a clear blue sky

without warning; unexpectedly

• she phoned me out of the blue.

[with reference to a ‘blue’ (i.e. clear) sky, from which nothing unusual is expected.]

6. talk a blue streak

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› speak continuously and at great length.

V. derivatives

blueness /ˈbluːnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French bleu, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to Old English blǣwen ‘blue’ and Old Norse blár ‘dark blue’ (see also blaeberry).

blue^2 /bluː/

I. verb

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› squander or recklessly spend (money).

– origin mid 19th cent.: perhaps a variant of blow^1.

blue baby

noun

a baby with a blue complexion from lack of oxygen in the blood due to a congenital defect of the heart or major blood vessels.
[as modifier]

• blue baby syndrome.

blueback /ˈbluːbak/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a bird or fish, especially a trout or a sockeye salmon, having a bluish back.

Bluebeard /ˈbluːbɪəd/

I. a character in a tale by Charles Perrault, who killed several wives in turn for disobeying his order to avoid a locked room, which contained the bodies of his previous wives. Local tradition in Brittany identifies him with Gilles de Rais ( c. 1400–40), a perpetrator of atrocities, although he had only one wife (who left him).

II. (as noun a Bluebeard) — a man who murders his wives.

• you seem to imply I'm some sort of Bluebeard who keeps her incarcerated.

blue beat

noun

another term for ska.

bluebell /ˈbluːbɛl/

noun

1. a European woodland plant of the lily family, which produces clusters of blue bell-shaped flowers in spring.
● Hyacinthoides nonscripta, family Liliaceae.

2. any of a number of other plants with blue bell-shaped flowers, in particular:
● Scottish term for harebell. ● a North American plant of the borage family (genus Mertensia, family Boraginaceae). ● an Australian and South African plant of the bellflower family (genus Wahlenbergia, family Campanulaceae).

blueberry /ˈbluːb(ə)ri/

noun

1. a small sweet blue-black edible berry which grows in clusters on North American shrubs related to the bilberry.

2. one of the dwarf shrubs that produces blueberries, some kinds being cultivated for their fruit or as ornamentals.
●Genus Vaccinium, family Ericaceae: several species.

bluebill

noun

1. a large African waxbill with a stout metallic blue bill and red and black plumage.
●Genus Spermophaga, Estrildidae: three species.

2. any of a number of ducks with blue bills:
● (N. Amer.) the scaup duck. ● (Austral.) the blue-billed duck ( Oxyura australis).

bluebird /ˈbluːbəːd/

I. noun

an American songbird of the thrush family, the male of which has a blue head, back, and wings.
●Genus Sialia, family Turdidae: three species, including the eastern bluebird ( S. sialis).

II. adjective

denoting or relating to a period of time characterized by sunny, cloudless weather, typically after a night of snowfall

• on beautiful bluebird days the girls rode snowmobiles

• a week of bluebird skies

• the clouds broke, the sun shone down, and the day was bluebird.

blue-black

adjective

black with a tinge of blue.

• the perfect dome of blue-black sky.

blue blood

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. noble birth.

• blue blood is no guarantee of any particular merit, competence, or expertise.

2. [ count noun] — a person of noble birth.

• the City blue bloods didn't like him.

II. derivatives

blue-blooded /ˌbluːˈblʌdɪd /

adjective

blue bonnet

noun

a pale grey-brown Australian parrot with a deep blue face and variously coloured wings, tail, and belly.
● Psephotus haematogaster, family Psittacidae.

Blue Book

noun

1. (in the UK) a report bound in a blue cover and issued by Parliament or the Privy Council.

2. (in the US) an official book listing government officials.

3. (usu. blue book) — an authoritative handbook.

bluebottle /ˈbluːbɒt(ə)l/

noun

1. a common blowfly with a metallic blue body, the female of which often comes into houses searching for a suitable food source on which to lay her eggs.
● Calliphora vomitoria, family Calliphoridae.

2. (Austral.) (S. African) the Portuguese man-of-war.
[so named because of its blue balloon-like float.]

3. (Brit.) the wild cornflower.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a police officer.

blue box

noun

1. (chiefly US) an electronic device used to access long-distance telephone lines illegally.

2. (Canadian) a blue plastic box for the collection of recyclable household materials.

blue cattle dog

noun

(Austral.) a cattle dog with a dark speckled body. Also called blue heeler:

• the old blue cattle dog rushed to his master's aid.

blue channel

noun

(at a customs area in an airport or port) the passage which should be taken by arriving passengers who have only travelled within the European Union.

blue cheese

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cheese containing veins of blue mould, such as Stilton and Danish Blue.

blue-chip /ˈbluːtʃɪp/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. denoting companies or their shares considered to be a reliable investment, though less secure than gilt-edged stock.

2. of the highest quality

• blue-chip art.

– origin early 20th cent. (originally US): from the blue chip used in gambling games, which usually has a high value.

blue chipper

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a highly valued person, especially a sports player.

blue coat

noun

1. ‹historical› a soldier in a blue uniform.

2. ( Blue Coat) — (Brit.) a student at a charity school with a blue uniform.

blue-collar /ˌbluːˈkɒlə/

adjective

(chiefly N. Amer.) relating to manual work or workers, particularly in industry

• a blue-collar neighbourhood.

blue corn

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a variety of maize with bluish grains.

• a rucksack full of blue corn.

• [as modifier] blue corn chips.

blue crab

noun

a large edible swimming crab of the Atlantic coast of North America.
● Callinectes sapidus, family Portunidae.

blue crane

noun

a large South African crane with blue-grey plumage, the national bird of South Africa. Also called Stanley crane.
● Anthropoides paradisea, family Gruidae.

blue ensign

noun

a blue flag with the Union Jack in the top corner next to the flagstaff, flown chiefly by British naval auxiliary vessels.

blue-eyed boy

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹chiefly derogatory› a person highly regarded by someone and treated with special favour.

• the problem that managers may favour their blue-eyed boys.

blue-eyed grass

noun

a North American plant of the iris family, cultivated for its blue flowers.
●Genus Sisyrinchium, family Iridaceae: several species.

blue-eyed Mary

noun

a low-growing southern European plant of the borage family, which bears bright blue flowers and spreads by means of runners.
● Omphalodes verna, family Boraginaceae.

Bluefields

a port on the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua, situated on an inlet of the Caribbean Sea; pop. 45,547 (2006).

bluefin bluefin tuna

noun

the commonest large tuna, which occurs worldwide in warm seas. It is probably the largest bony fish, and is very important as a food and game fish. Also called tunny.
● Thunnus thynnus, family Scombridae.

bluefish /ˈbluːfɪʃ/

noun

a predatory blue-coloured marine fish, which inhabits tropical and temperate waters and is popular as a game fish.
● Pomatomus saltatrix, the only member of the family Pomatomidae.

blue flag

noun

1. a European award for beaches, based on cleanliness and safety.

2. [Motor Racing] a blue flag used to indicate to a driver that there is another driver trying to lap him.

blue flyer

I. noun

(Austral.) a female red kangaroo.

– origin mid 19th cent.: blue, because the female has blue-grey fur.

bluegill /ˈbluːɡɪl/

noun

an edible North American freshwater fish of the sunfish family, with a deep body and bluish cheeks and gill covers.
● Lepomis macrochirus, family Centrarchidae.

bluegrass /ˈbluːɡrɑːs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also Kentucky bluegrass) — a bluish-green grass which was introduced into North America from northern Europe, widely grown (especially in Kentucky and Virginia) for fodder.
●Genus Poa, family Gramineae: several species, in particular the common Eurasian meadow grass.

2. a kind of country music characterized by virtuoso playing of banjos and guitars and high-pitched, close-harmony vocals.

Bluegrass State

informal name for Kentucky.

blue-green algae

plural noun

another term for cyanobacteria (see Cyanobacteria).

blue ground

noun

another term for kimberlite.

bluegum

noun

a eucalyptus tree with blue-green aromatic leaves and smooth bark.
●Genus Eucalyptus, family Myrtaceae: several species, in particular E. regnans.

blue hare

noun

another term for mountain hare.

bluehead

noun

a small wrasse (fish) of the tropical East Atlantic, the large males of which have a blue head and green body with vertical stripes, and the females and smaller males are predominantly yellowish.
● Thalassoma bifasciatum, family Labridae.

blue heeler

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a cattle dog with a dark speckled body.

– origin early 20th cent.: blue from the characteristic blue (or red) flecked coat of the breed.

blue helmet

noun

a member of a UN peacekeeping force.

blue ice

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ice of a vivid blue colour, formed when a large body of water freezes suddenly.

bluejacket /ˈbluːdʒakɪt/

noun

‹informal› a sailor in the navy.

blue jay

noun

1. a common North American jay with a blue crest, back, wings, and tail.
● Cyanocitta cristata, family Corvidae.

2. another term for roller^1 (sense 4).

blue jeans

noun

jeans made of blue denim

• he dressed casually in a pair of blue jeans and a black jacket.

blue jet

noun

a very faint short-lived cone of deep blue light sometimes observed in the upper atmosphere above an intense thunderstorm.

Blue John

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a blue or purple banded variety of fluorite found in Derbyshire.

blue law

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a law prohibiting certain activities, such as shopping, on a Sunday.

2. (N. Amer.) (in colonial New England) a strict puritanical law, particularly one preventing entertainment or leisure activities on a Sunday.

blue light disco

I. noun

(Austral.) an alcohol-free dance for young people, organized as a community project by police

• you picked up your moves to use at the blue light disco.

– origin 1980s: from the blue light on the roof of a police car.

blue line

noun

[Ice Hockey] either of the two blue-coloured lines running across the ice between the centre line and the goal lines.

blueliner /ˈbluːlʌɪnə/

I. noun

[Ice Hockey] a defenceman

• the blueliner has played in a total of 110 games.

– origin 1930s: from blue line, with reference to the usual position of defensive players in the area behind this line on their team's side of the rink.

blue metal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) broken blue stone used for road-making.

blue mould

noun

a bluish fungus which grows on food, some kinds of which are used to produce blue cheeses or antibiotics such as penicillin.
● Penicillium and other genera, subdivision Deuteromycotina.

Blue Mountains

I. a section of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales, Australia.

II. a range of mountains in eastern Jamaica.

III. a range of mountains running from central Oregon to SE Washington State in the US.

Blue Nile

one of the two principal headwaters of the Nile. Rising from Lake Tana in NW Ethiopia, it flows some 1,600 km (1,000 miles) southwards then north-westwards into Sudan, where it meets the White Nile at Khartoum.

bluenose /ˈbluːnəʊz/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› (US) a priggish or puritanical person.

2. ( Bluenose) — ‹informal› (Canadian) a person from Nova Scotia.

II. derivatives

bluenosed

adjective

bluenose (sense 1)

blue note

noun

[Music] a minor interval where a major would be expected, used especially in jazz.

Blue Orchid

I. noun

(Austral.) a member of the Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War

• I was so impressed with the Blue Orchids that I put my age up and joined.

– origin 1940s: from the colour of the uniform and with reference to its supposed smartness.

blue-pencil

verb — [with obj.]

1. censor or make cuts in (a manuscript, film, or other work).
(as noun blue-pencilling)

• holding up each paragraph for preliminary blue-pencilling.

Blue Peter

noun

a blue flag with a white square in the centre, raised by a ship about to leave port.

blue plaque

noun

(in the UK) a round blue sign attached to the facade of a building to commemorate its historical significance, typically giving the name of a famous or eminent person who once lived in or near the building

• Robinson moved to Pinner in 1908 and his house now displays a blue plaque in his honour.

blue plate

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (N. Amer.) (of a restaurant meal) consisting of a full main course ordered as a single menu item.

– origin with reference to the original blue plates divided into compartments, on which fixed-price restaurant meals were served.

blue pointer

noun

another term for mako^1.

blueprint /ˈbluːprɪnt/

I. noun

1. a design plan or other technical drawing.

• they are redrawing office blueprints to include large shared spaces.

2. something which acts as a plan, model, or template for others

• the scheme was a blueprint for future development programmes.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) draw up (a plan or model)
(as adj. blueprinted)

• a neatly blueprinted scheme.

– origin late 19th cent.: from the original process in which prints were composed of white lines on a blue ground or of blue lines on a white ground.

blue riband /bluːˈrɪbənd/

I. noun

1. ( blue ribbon) — (N. Amer.) a ribbon of blue silk given to the winner of a competition or as a mark of great distinction.

2. a badge worn by members of the Order of the Garter.

3. ( Blue Riband or Ribbon) — a trophy for the ship making the fastest eastward sea crossing of the Atlantic Ocean on a regular commercial voyage.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (N. Amer.) of the highest quality; first-class.

• blue-ribbon service.

2. (N. Amer.) (of a jury or committee) specially selected.

Blue Ridge Mountains

a range of the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern US, stretching from southern Pennsylvania to northern Georgia. Mount Mitchell is the highest peak, rising to a height of 2,037 m (6,684 ft).

blue rinse

noun

1. a preparation used as a rinse on grey or white hair so as to give it a temporary blue tint.

2. (also blue-rinsed) [as modifier] — ‹informal› ‹derogatory› relating to conservative elderly women

• the blue-rinse brigade.

blue roan

I. adjective

denoting an animal having a coat that consists of evenly mixed black and white hairs, giving the coat a blue-grey colour.

II. noun

a blue roan animal.

blue rock

noun

(in pigeon-fancying) a pigeon showing the coloration of the wild rock dove.

blues /bluːz/

I. plural noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.] (often the blues) — melancholic music of black American folk origin, typically in a twelve-bar sequence. It developed in the rural southern US towards the end of the 19th century, finding a wider audience in the 1940s, as blacks migrated to the cities. This urban blues gave rise to rhythm and blues and rock and roll.

• blues has always had a strong following in Australia.

• [as modifier] a blues singer.

2. [treated as sing.] — a piece of blues music

• a blues in C.

3. ( the blues) — ‹informal› feelings of melancholy, sadness, or depression

• she's got the blues.

– origin mid 18th cent. (in sense 2): elliptically from blue devils ‘depression or delirium tremens’.

Blues and Royals

I. plural noun

(Brit.) a regiment of the Household Cavalry.

– origin formed from the amalgamation (1969) of the Royal Horse Guards (also known as the Blues) and the Royal Dragoons.

blueschist /ˈbluːʃist/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a metamorphic rock with a blue colour, formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature.

blue screen green screen

noun — [often as modifier]

1. (in film and video techniques such as chromakey) a blue (or green) background in front of which moving subjects are filmed and which allows a separately filmed background to be added to the final image

• a blue-screen effect.

blue shark

noun

a long, slender shark with an indigo-blue back and white underparts, found typically in the open sea.
● Prionace glauca, family Carcharhinidae.

blue sheep

noun

another term for bharal.

blue shift

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Astronomy] the displacement of the spectrum to shorter wavelengths in the light coming from distant celestial objects moving towards the observer.
Compare with red shift.

blue-sky blue-skies

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹informal› creative or visionary and unconstrained by practicalities

• blue-sky thinking.

bluesman

noun

a male performer of blues music

• archive footage of legendary bluesmen like Howlin' Wolf.

blue star

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (US) denoting a relative of a person serving in the armed forces during wartime

• I'm a blue star mother

• blue star families.

– origin First World War: with reference to the blue stars displayed on flags to commemorate those serving in the armed forces.

blue state

I. noun

a US state that predominantly votes for or supports the Democratic Party.
Compare with red state.

– origin from the typical colour used to represent the Democratic Party on maps during elections.

bluestocking /ˈbluːstɒkɪŋ/

I. noun

‹often derogatory› an intellectual or literary woman

• an uptight bluestocking who likes to dress as a man and write feminist philosophy

• I got an A-plus. I was a bluestocking

• [as modifier] bluestocking women.

– origin late 17th cent.: originally used to describe a man wearing blue worsted (instead of formal black silk) stockings; extended to mean ‘in informal dress’. Later the term denoted a person who attended the literary assemblies held ( c. 1750) by three London society ladies, where some of the men favoured less formal dress. The women who attended became known as blue-stocking ladies or blue-stockingers.

bluestone /ˈbluːstəʊn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. any of various bluish or grey building stones.

2. [ count noun] — any of the smaller stones made of dolerite found in the inner part of Stonehenge.

bluesy /ˈbluːzi/

adjective

of, resembling, or in the style of blues music

• bluesy guitar riffs

• the music has got warmer and bluesier.

bluet /ˈbluːɪt/

I. noun

a low-growing evergreen North American plant with milky-blue flowers.
● Hedyotis caerulea, family Rubiaceae.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, diminutive of bleu ‘blue’.

bluethroat

noun

a songbird resembling the robin, found in northern Eurasia and Alaska. The male has a blue throat with a red or white spot in the centre.
● Luscinia svecicus, family Turdidae.

blue tit

noun

a small tit (songbird) with a blue cap, greenish-blue back, and yellow underparts, widespread in Eurasia and NW Africa.
● Parus caeruleus, family Paridae.

bluetongue /ˌbluːˈtʌŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an insect-borne viral disease of sheep (transmissible with less serious effects to cattle and goats), characterized by fever, lameness, and a blue, swollen mouth and tongue.

blue-tongued skink

noun

a heavily built Australian skink with a large head, short limbs, and a blue tongue which is displayed in defence.
●Genus Tiliqua, family Scincidae: several species, in particular T. scincoides, which is occasionally kept as a pet.

Bluetooth /ˈbluːtuːθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a standard for the short-range wireless interconnection of mobile phones, computers, and other electronic devices.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. send (a photograph or other piece of data) from one electronic device to another via Bluetooth

• I took a quick picture with my mobile and Bluetoothed it across to my laptop.

– origin 1990s: said to be named after King Harald Bluetooth (910–85), credited with uniting Denmark and Norway, as Bluetooth technology unifies the telecommunications and computing industries.

blue vinny /ˈvɪni / blue vinney

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a blue-mould skimmed-milk cheese from Dorset.

– origin mid 16th cent.: vinny from Old English fyniġ ‘mouldy, musty’.

blue vitriol

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› crystalline copper sulphate.

blue water

noun

open sea
[as modifier]

• blue-water navigation.

blue whale

noun

a mottled bluish-grey rorqual which is the largest living animal and reaches lengths of up to 27 m (90 ft).
● Balaenoptera musculus, family Balaenopteridae.

bluey

I. adjective — [often in combination]

1. almost or partly blue

• bluey-green foliage.

II. noun

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› a bundle of possessions carried by a bushman.
[because the outer covering was generally a blue blanket.]

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› a nickname for a red-headed person.

bluff^1 /blʌf/

I. noun

an attempt to deceive someone into believing that one can or is going to do something

• the offer was denounced as a bluff

• [ mass noun] his game of bluff.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. try to deceive someone as to one's abilities or intentions

• he's been bluffing all along

• they bluffed their way past the sentries

• [with obj.] the object is to bluff your opponent into submission.

2. ( bluff it out) — survive a difficult situation by maintaining a pretence.

• there's no point in trying to bluff it out.

III. phrases

call someone's bluff

a. challenge someone to carry out a stated intention, in the expectation of being able to expose it as a pretence.

• she was tempted to call his bluff, hardly believing he'd carry out his threat.

b. (in poker or brag) make an opponent show their hand in order to reveal that its value is weaker than their heavy betting suggests.

IV. derivatives

bluffer /ˈblʌfə /

noun

– origin late 17th cent. (originally in the sense ‘blindfold, hoodwink’): from Dutch bluffen ‘brag’, or bluf ‘bragging’. The current sense (originally US, mid 19th cent.) originally referred to bluffing in the game of poker.

bluff^2 /blʌf/

I. adjective

direct in speech or behaviour but in a good-natured way

• a big, bluff, hearty man.

II. derivatives

1. bluffly

adverb

2. bluffness /ˈblʌfnəs /

noun

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘surly, abrupt in manner’): figurative use of bluff^3. The current positive connotation dates from the early 19th cent.

bluff^3 /blʌf/

I. noun

1. a steep cliff, bank, or promontory.

2. (Canadian) a grove or clump of trees.

II. adjective

(of a cliff or a ship's bows) having a vertical or steep broad front.

– origin early 17th cent. (as an adjective, originally in nautical use): of unknown origin.

bluing /ˈbluːɪŋ / blueing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹chiefly historical› blue powder used to preserve the whiteness of laundry.

2. a greyish-blue finish on metal produced by heating.

bluish /ˈbluːɪʃ / blueish

adjective

having a blue tinge; slightly blue.

Blum, Léon /bluːm/

(1872–1950), French statesman, Prime Minister 1936–7, 1938, 1946–7. As France's first socialist and Jewish Prime Minister, Blum introduced significant labour reforms.

Blumenbach, Johann Friedrich /ˈbluːmənbɑːx/

(1752–1840), German physiologist and anatomist. He is regarded as the founder of physical anthropology, though his approach has since been much modified. He classified modern humans into five broad categories (Caucasian, Mongoloid, Malayan, Ethiopian, and American) based mainly on cranial measurements.

Blunden, Edmund

(1896–1974), English poet and critic; full name Edmund Charles Blunden. His poetry reveals his love of the English countryside, while his prose work Undertones of War (1928) deals with his experiences in the First World War.

blunder /ˈblʌndə/

I. noun

a stupid or careless mistake.

• she stopped, finally aware of the terrible blunder she had made.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a stupid or careless mistake; act or speak clumsily

• he knew he'd blundered

• (as adj. blundering) one's first blundering attempts.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move clumsily or as if unable to see

• we were blundering around in the darkness.

III. derivatives

1. blunderer /ˈblʌndərə /

noun

2. blunderingly

adverb

– origin Middle English: probably of Scandinavian origin and related to blind.

blunderbuss /ˈblʌndəbʌs/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a short large-bored gun firing balls or slugs.

2. an action or way of doing something regarded as lacking in subtlety and precision

• economists resort too quickly to the blunderbuss of regulation.

– origin mid 17th cent.: alteration (by association with blunder) of Dutch donderbus, literally ‘thunder gun’.

blunge /blʌn(d)ʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. mix (clay or other materials) with water in a revolving apparatus, for use in ceramics.

• china clays and ball clays are blunged separately.

II. derivatives

blunger

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: blend of blend and plunge.

blunnies /ˈblʌnɪz/

I. plural noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› stout leather boots with elasticated panels at the ankles

• tradespeople across the country love their blunnies

• my attire was black leggings, black blunnies, and a soft black turtleneck sweater.

– origin 1980s: from the brand name Blundstone.

blunt /blʌnt/

I. adjective

1. (of a cutting implement) not having a sharp edge or point

• a blunt knife.

2. having a flat or rounded end

• the blunt tip of the leaf.

3. (of a person or remark) uncompromisingly forthright

• a blunt statement of fact.

II. verb

1. make or become less sharp
[with obj.]

• wood can blunt your axe

• [no obj.] the edge may blunt very rapidly.

2. [with obj.] — weaken or reduce the force of (something)

• their determination had been blunted.

III. noun

‹informal› a hollowed-out cigar filled with cannabis.

IV. derivatives

bluntness /ˈblʌntnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘dull, insensitive’): perhaps of Scandinavian origin and related to Old Norse blunda ‘shut the eyes’.

Blunt, Anthony

(1907–83), British art historian, Foreign Office official, and Soviet spy; full name Anthony Frederick Blunt. He confessed in 1965 that he had been a Soviet agent since the 1930s and had facilitated the escape of Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean. When these facts were made public in 1979 he was stripped of his knighthood.

blunt instrument

noun

1. a heavy object without a sharp edge or point, used as a weapon.

• death was due to a blow on the head with a blunt instrument.

2. an imprecise or heavy-handed way of doing something

• as a promotional method direct mail is a blunt instrument.

bluntly /ˈblʌntli/

adverb

in an uncompromisingly forthright way

• a colleague bluntly told him that he had no business asking for the status report

• to put it bluntly, investors are suffering from a crisis.

blur /bləː/

I. verb

make or become unclear or less distinct
[with obj.]

• tears blurred her vision

• his novels blur the boundaries between criticism and fiction

• [no obj.] in front of him the page blurred.

II. noun

1. a thing that cannot be seen or heard clearly

• the pale blur of her face

• the words were a blur.

2. something remembered or perceived indistinctly, typically because it happened very fast

• the day before was a blur.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘smear that partially obscures something’): perhaps related to blear.

Blu-ray

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a format of DVD designed for the storage of high-definition video and data.

– origin early 21st cent.: from blu, a respelling of blue^1 (from the colour of the laser used to read and write this type of DVD), + ray^1.

blurb /bləːb/

I. noun

a short description of a book, film, or other product written for promotional purposes.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) write or contribute a blurb for (a book, film, or other product).

• this is the first time I have blurbed a whole line of books.

– origin early 20th cent.: coined by Gelett Burgess (died 1951), American humorist.

blurred /bləːd/

adjective

1. unable to see or be seen clearly

• blurred vision

• the camera caught only two blurred images.

2. not clear or distinct; hazy

• the blurred distinctions between childhood and adulthood.

blurriness /ˈbləːrɪnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being unclear or indistinct

• my apologies for the blurriness of the photo

• he was suffering slight blurriness of vision.

blurry /ˈbləːri/

adjective

1. not clearly or distinctly visible or audible

• video projectors provided extremely blurry images.

2. unable to perceive clear or sharp images

• vision may be hazy or blurry for a few days after surgery

• their eyes were blurry with tears.

3. perceived or remembered indistinctly

• there's a very blurry line between art and advertising

• my memories of him are blurry at best.

blurt /bləːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. say (something) suddenly and without careful consideration

• she blurted out the truth

• [with direct speech] ‘It wasn't my idea,’ Gordon blurted.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably imitative.

blush /blʌʃ/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — show shyness, embarrassment, or shame by becoming red in the face

• she blushed at the unexpected compliment

• [with complement] Kate felt herself blushing scarlet.

2. feel embarrassed or ashamed
[with infinitive]

• he blushed to think of how he'd paraded himself.

3. (often as adj. blushing) — ‹literary› be or become pink or pale red

• the trees are loaded with blushing blossoms.

II. noun

1. a reddening of the face as a sign of shyness, embarrassment, or shame

• he had brought a faint blush to her cheeks.

2. a pink or pale red tinge

• the roses were white with a lovely pink blush.

3. [ mass noun] [often as modifier] — a wine with a slight pink tint made in the manner of white wine but from red grape varieties

• blush Zinfandel.

4. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) another term for blusher (sense 1).

III. phrases

1. at first blush

at the first glimpse or impression.

• his next decision was at first blush disconcerting.

2. spare (or save) someone's blushes

refrain from causing someone embarrassment.

• we will spare the blushes of those forecasters who notched up the biggest errors.

IV. derivatives

blushingly /ˈblʌʃɪŋli /

adverb

– origin Old English blyscan; related to modern Dutch blozen.

blusher /ˈblʌʃə/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — (chiefly Brit.) a cosmetic of a powder or cream consistency used to give a warm colour to the cheeks.

2. a toadstool with a buff cap bearing fluffy white spots and with white flesh that turns pink when bruised or cut, found in woodland in Eurasia and North America.
● Amanita rubescens, family Amanitaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

blushing bride

noun

used humorously to refer to a woman on her wedding day

• on the big day the blushing bride looked absolutely stunning.

blush-making

adjective

causing embarrassment; embarrassing

• he has written a blush-making appreciation of me.

bluster /ˈblʌstə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. talk in a loud, aggressive, or indignant way with little effect

• you threaten and bluster, but won't carry it through

• [with direct speech] ‘I don't care what he says,’ I blustered.

2. (of a storm, wind, or rain) blow or beat fiercely and noisily

• a winter gale blustered against the sides of the house

• (as adj. blustering) the blustering wind.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. loud, aggressive, or indignant talk with little effect

• their threats contained a measure of bluster.

III. derivatives

blusterer /ˈblʌstərə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: ultimately imitative.

blusterous /ˈblʌstərəs/

adjective

1. characterized by strong winds; stormy

• the weather turned wintry and blusterous.

2. loud and aggressive

• a blusterous speech.

blustery /ˈblʌstəri/

adjective

1. (of weather) characterized by strong winds

• a gusty, blustery day.

2. (of a wind) blowing in strong gusts.

• a blustery wind was sending flurries of rain against the window.

Blu-Tack /ˈbluːtak / ‹Brit.›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a pale blue adhesive substance typically used to attach paper to walls or other hard surfaces

• you needn't invest in permanent notices: slips of paper and Blu-Tack will do.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. attach (something) to a wall or other hard surface using Blu-Tack

• he's Blu-Tacked a large map of the British Isles to his wall.

B-lymphocyte

I. noun

[Physiology] a lymphocyte not processed by the thymus gland, and responsible for producing antibodies.

– origin B for bursa, referring to the organ in birds where it was first identified.

Blyton, Enid

(1897–1968), English writer of children's fiction. Her best-known creation for young children is the character Noddy, who first appeared in 1949; her books for older children include the series of Famous Five and Secret Seven adventure stories.

BM

abbreviation

1. Bachelor of Medicine.

2. British Museum.

BMA

abbreviation

British Medical Association.

BMD

abbreviation

Bermudian dollar(s).

BME

abbreviation

(Brit.) black and minority ethnic (used to refer to members of non-white communities in the UK)

• the research was based on focus groups of BME mothers of children under five.

BMI /ˌbiːɛmˈʌɪ/

abbreviation

body mass index.

B-movie /ˈbiːmuːvi/

noun

a low-budget film of inferior quality made for use as a supporting feature in a cinema programme
[as modifier]

• a B-movie actress.

BMR

abbreviation

basal metabolic rate.

BMus

abbreviation

Bachelor of Music.

BMX /biːɛmˈɛks/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. the organized racing of robust bicycles on a dirt-track or cross-country course

• BMX riders.

– origin 1970s: from the initial letters of bicycle motocross, with X standing for cross.

bn

noun

short for billion.

Bn

abbreviation

1. Baron.

2. Battalion.

B'nai B'rith /bəˌneɪ bəˈriːθ, ˈbrɪθ/

I. a Jewish organization founded in New York in 1843, which pursues educational, humanitarian, and cultural activities and attempts to safeguard the rights and interests of Jews around the world.

– origin Hebrew, literally ‘sons of the covenant’.

BND

abbreviation

Brunei dollar(s).

BNP

abbreviation

British National Party.

bo^1 /bəʊ/

I. exclamation

another term for boo^1.

– origin late Middle English: imitative.

bo^2 /bəʊ/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› used as a friendly form of address.

– origin early 19th cent.: perhaps an abbreviated form of boy.

BO /biːˈəʊ/

abbreviation

‹informal› body odour.

boa /ˈbəʊə/

I. noun

1. a constrictor snake which bears live young and may reach great size, native to America, Africa, Asia, and some Pacific islands.
●Family Boidae, several genera and numerous species. .

2. (in general use) any snake which is a constrictor.

3. (also feather boa) — a long, thin decorative scarf made of feathers or a similar material, worn by women at parties or as part of fancy dress

• a sequinned ballgown and feather boa.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin (mentioned in the writings of Pliny), of unknown ultimate origin.

boab /ˈbəʊab/

noun

(Austral.) another term for baobab.

BOAC

abbreviation

‹historical› British Overseas Airways Corporation.

boa constrictor /ˈbəʊə kənstrɪktə/

noun

a large snake, typically with bold markings, that kills by coiling around its prey and asphyxiating it, native to tropical America.
● Boa constrictor, family Boidae.

Boadicea /ˌbəʊdɪˈsiːə/

another name for Boudicca.

boar /bɔː/

I. noun

1. (also wild boar) — a tusked Eurasian wild pig from which domestic pigs are descended, exterminated in Britain in the 17th century.
● Sus scrofa, family Suidae.

2. [ mass noun] — the flesh of the wild boar as food.

3. an uncastrated domestic male pig.

4. the full-grown male of certain other animals, especially a badger, guinea pig, or hedgehog.

– origin Old English bār, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch beer and German Bär.

board /bɔːd/

I. noun

1. a long, thin, flat piece of wood or other hard material, used for floors or other building purposes

• loose boards creaked as I walked on them

• [ mass noun] sections of board.

2. ( the boards) — ‹informal› the stage of a theatre.

• he will be on the boards at Stratford tonight.

3. ( the board) — (Austral./NZ) the part of the floor of a shearing shed where the shearers work.
[late 19th cent.: originally boards running alongside the pens.]

4. a thin, flat piece of wood or other stiff material used for various purposes, in particular:

5. a vertical surface on which to write or pin notices.

• teachers talk and write on the board.

6. a horizontal surface on which to cut things, play games, or perform other activities.

• Pete set the pieces out on the board.

7. a flat insulating sheet used as a mounting for an electronic circuit

• a graphics board.

8. the piece of equipment on which a person stands in surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and certain other sports.

• you kick-turn with both feet on the board.

9. ( boards) — pieces of thick stiff card used for book covers.

10. ( boards) — the structure, typically of wood surmounted with panels of glass, surrounding an ice-hockey rink.

11. ( boards) — [Basketball] informal term for backboard.

12. [treated as sing. or pl.] — a group of people constituted as the decision-making body of an organization

• he sits on the board of directors

• [as modifier] a board meeting.

13. [ mass noun] — the provision of regular meals when one stays somewhere, in return for payment or services

• board and lodging.

14. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› a table set for a meal.

• he looked at the banquet which was spread upon his board.

15. [Sailing] a distance covered by a vessel in a single tack.

• we were tacking up to the anchor, shortening cable at each board.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — get on or into (a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle)

• we boarded the plane for Oslo

• [no obj.] they would not be able to board without a ticket.

2. ( be boarding) — (of an aircraft) be ready for passengers to get on

• Flight 172 to Istanbul is now boarding.

3. [no obj.] — live and receive regular meals in a house in return for payment or services

• the cousins boarded for a while with Ruby.

4. (of a pupil) live in school during term time.

• parents had to cope with their child boarding at a special school.

5. [with obj.] — provide (a person or animal) with regular meals and somewhere to live in return for payment

• dogs may have to be boarded at kennels.

6. [with obj.] ( board something up/over) — cover or seal a window or building with pieces of wood

• the shop was still boarded up.

7. [no obj.] — ride on a snowboard.

• when we're not boarding, we're skiing.

III. phrases

1. go by the board

(of something planned or previously upheld) be abandoned, rejected, or ignored

• my education just went by the board.

[earlier in nautical use meaning ‘fall overboard’, used of a mast falling past the board, i.e. the side of the ship.]

2. on board

a. on or in a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle.

• a plane crashed with three people on board.

b. ‹informal› on to a team as a member

• the need to bring on board a young manager.

c. ‹informal› (of a jockey) riding.

• the rider of the winner last time is on board today.

3. take something on board

‹informal› fully consider or assimilate a new idea or situation

• we've got to take accusations of sexism on board.

4. tread (or walk) the boards

‹informal› appear on stage as an actor.

• the 1,500-seat theatre where generations of actors trod the boards.

– origin Old English bord, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boord and German Bort; reinforced in Middle English by Old French bort ‘edge, ship's side’ and Old Norse borth ‘board, table’.

boarded

adjective

1. (of a floor, roof, or other structure) built with pieces of wood.

• joisted and boarded floors.

2. (of a window or building) covered or sealed with pieces of wood.

• boarded windows.

boarder /ˈbɔːdə/

noun

1. a person who receives regular meals when staying somewhere, in return for payment or services.

2. a pupil who lives in school during term time.

3. a person who forces their way on to a ship in an attack.

4. a person who takes part in a sport using a board, such as surfing or snowboarding.

• skiing purists say the boarders tear up the snow.

boardercross /ˈbɔːdəkrɒs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a snowboarding contest for four to six competitors on a winding, undulating course that includes jumps. Also called snowboard cross:

• the big appeal of boardercross for many is racing against others.

– origin 1990s: from boarder (sense 3) + -cross (as in motocross).

board foot

noun

a unit of volume for timber equal to 144 cu. inches.

board game

noun

a game that involves the movement of counters or other objects round a board.

boardies /ˈbɔːdɪz/

I. plural noun

‹informal› (chiefly Austral.) long shorts of a kind originally worn by surfers

• I stripped off down to my boardies and began catching some rays.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation of board shorts.

boarding /ˈbɔːdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. long, flat, thin pieces of wood used to build or cover something.

2. the arrangement according to which pupils live in school during term time.

• the advantages of boarding.

• [as modifier] students all had to pay boarding fees.

3. the action of getting on or into a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle.

• remember to buy your tickets before boarding.

4. [Ice Hockey] the illegal action of body-checking an opponent violently into the boards from behind.

boarding house

noun

a private house providing food and lodging for paying guests.

boarding kennel

noun

(Brit.) a place in which dogs are kept and looked after, especially while their owners are on holiday.

boarding pass boarding card

noun

a pass for boarding an aircraft, given to passengers when checking in.

boarding school

noun

a school which provides accommodation and meals for the pupils during term time.

Board of Trade

noun

1. North American term for Chamber of Commerce.

2. (in full Chicago Board of Trade) — the Chicago futures exchange.

3. a now nominal British government department within the Department of Trade and Industry concerned with commerce and industry.

boardroom /ˈbɔːdruːm, ˈbɔːdrʊm/

noun

1. a room in which a board of directors of a company or other organization meets regularly.
[as modifier]

• he resigned after boardroom differences.

2. the directors of a company or organization considered collectively.

• conservative American boardrooms.

boardsailing /ˈbɔːdseɪlɪŋ/

I. noun

another term for windsurfing.

II. derivatives

boardsailor

noun

board school

noun

‹historical› an elementary school under the management of a School Board, established in Britain by the Education Act of 1870.

board shorts

plural noun

long shorts of a kind originally worn by surfers.

boardslide

noun

(in skateboarding and snowboarding) a manoeuvre in which the board slides along a rail, ledge, edge of a ramp, etc. on the flat part of its underside between the trucks.

boardwalk /ˈbɔːdwɔːk/

noun

1. a wooden walkway across sand or marshy ground.

2. (N. Amer.) a promenade along a beach or waterfront, typically made of wood.

boarfish

noun

any of a number of deep-bodied fishes with a protruding snout, a small mouth, small toothed scales, and a spiny dorsal fin:
● a temperate marine fish occurring around southern Africa, the North Pacific, and Australasia ( Pentaceros richardsoni and others in the family Pentacerotidae). ● a marine fish of the NE Atlantic (family Caproidae, in particular Capros aper).

Boas, Franz /ˈbəʊaz/

(1858–1942), German-born American anthropologist. A pioneer of modern anthropology, he developed the linguistic and cultural components of ethnology. He did much to overturn the theory that Nordic peoples constitute an essentially superior race; his writings were burnt by the Nazis.

boast^1 /bəʊst/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities
[no obj.]

• she boasted about her many conquests

• [with clause] he boasted that he had taken part in the crime

• [with direct speech] Ted used to boast ‘I manage ten people.’.

2. [with obj.] — (of a person, place, or thing) possess (a feature that is a source of pride)

• the hotel boasts high standards of comfort.

II. noun

an act of talking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction

• I said I would win and it wasn't an idle boast.

III. derivatives

1. boaster /ˈbəʊstə /

noun

2. boastingly

adverb

– origin Middle English (as a noun): of unknown origin.

boast^2 /bəʊst/

I. noun

(in squash) a stroke in which the ball is made to hit one of the side walls before hitting the front wall.

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps from French bosse denoting a rounded projection in the wall of a court for real tennis.

boastful /ˈbəʊstfʊl, ˈbəʊstf(ə)l/

I. adjective

showing excessive pride and self-satisfaction in one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.

• he always seemed to be rather boastful and above himself.

• a boastful letter.

II. derivatives

1. boastfully /ˈbəʊstf(ə)li /

adverb

2. boastfulness /ˈbəʊstfəlnəs /

noun

boat /bəʊt/

I. noun

1. a small vessel for travelling over water, propelled by oars, sails, or an engine

• a fishing boat

• [as modifier] a boat trip.

2. a vessel of any size, especially a large one.

• those newly arriving here by boat or plane.

3. a serving dish in the shape of a boat

• a gravy boat.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. travel in a boat for pleasure

• they boated through fjords.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — transport (someone or something) in a boat

• they boated the timber down the lake.

3. [with obj.] — (of an angler) draw (a hooked fish) into a boat.

• he boated a 2 lb 14oz Dover sole.

III. phrases

1. be in the same boat

‹informal› be in the same difficult circumstances as others.

• do not despair: you are one of millions in the same boat.

2. off the boat

‹offensive› recently arrived from a foreign country, and by implication naive or an outsider

• what are you, fresh off the boat?

3. push the boat out

(Brit.) ‹informal› be lavish in one's spending or celebrations.

• from fine wines to the delights of the theatre, this is your chance to push the boat out.

4. rock the boat

‹informal› say or do something to disturb an existing situation and upset people.

• I don't want to rock the boat.

IV. derivatives

boatful /ˈbəʊtfʊl /

noun

– origin Old English bāt, of Germanic origin.

boatbill

noun

1. (also boat-billed heron) — a small Central and South American heron with a broad flattened bill and a prominent black crest.
● Cochlearius cochlearius, family Ardeidae.

2. a flycatcher that has a very broad flattened bill with a hooked tip, found mainly in New Guinea. Also called flatbill flycatcher.
●Genus Machaerirhynchus, family Monarchidae: two species.

boatbuilding /ˈbəʊtˌbɪldɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the occupation or industry of building boats.

II. derivatives

boatbuilder /ˈbəʊtˌbɪldə /

noun

boat deck

noun

the deck from which a ship's lifeboats are launched.

boatel /bəʊˈtɛl / botel

I. noun

1. a waterside hotel with facilities for mooring boats.

2. a ship moored at a wharf and used as a hotel.

– origin 1950s (originally US): blend of boat and hotel.

boater /ˈbəʊtə/

noun

1. a flat-topped hardened straw hat with a brim.
[so named because originally worn while boating.]

2. a person who uses or travels in a boat for pleasure.

boathook /ˈbəʊthʊk/

noun

a long pole with a hook and a spike at one end, used for fending off or pulling a boat.

boathouse /ˈbəʊthaʊs/

noun

a shed at the edge of a river or lake used for housing boats.

boatie

noun

‹informal› (chiefly Austral./NZ) a boating enthusiast.

boating /ˈbəʊtɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. rowing or sailing in boats as a sport or form of recreation.

boatload /ˈbəʊtləʊd/

noun

1. an amount of cargo or number of passengers which will fill a ship or boat

• a boatload of coal.

2. ‹informal› a large amount

• the Telecommunications Reform Act created a boatload of new regulations.

boatman /ˈbəʊtmən/

noun

a person who hires out boats or provides transport by boat.

boat neck /ˈbəʊt ˌnɛk/

noun

a type of wide neckline on a garment that sits just below the collarbone.

• she had on a turquoise sweater with a boat neck that exposed her perfect collarbones.

boat people

plural noun

refugees who have left a country by sea, in particular the Vietnamese people who fled in small boats to Hong Kong, Australia, and elsewhere after the conquest of South Vietnam by North Vietnam in 1975.

boat race

noun

1. a race between rowing crews.

2. ( the Boat Race) — the annual boat race between Oxford and Cambridge. First rowed at Henley in 1829, it has been held over its present course, from Putney to Mortlake (6.8 km, 4.25 miles), since 1845.

3. (Brit.) ‹rhyming slang› a person's face.

boat shell

noun

North American term for slipper limpet.

boatswain /ˈbəʊs(ə)n / bo'sun, bosun

I. noun

a ship's officer in charge of equipment and the crew.

– origin late Old English bātswegen (see boat, swain).

boatswain's chair

noun

a seat suspended from ropes, used for work on the body or masts of a ship or the face of a building.

boat train

noun

a train scheduled to connect with the arrival or departure of a boat.

boat trip

noun

a journey or excursion in a boat, especially for pleasure

• we took a boat trip around the lake.

boatyard /ˈbəʊtjɑːd/

noun

an enclosed area of land where boats are built or stored.

Boa Vista /ˌbəʊə ˈvɪstə/

a town in northern Brazil, capital of the state of Roraima; pop. 249,853 (2007).

bob^1 /bɒb/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. make a quick, short movement up and down

• I could see his head bobbing about

• the boat bobbed up and down.

2. [with obj.] — cause (something) to make a bobbing movement

• she bobbed her head.

3. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — make a sudden move so as to appear or disappear

• a lady bobbed up from beneath the counter.

4. [no obj.] — make a brief curtsy.

• she bobbed and turned away.

II. noun

1. a quick, short movement up and down

• she could only manage a slight bob of her head.

2. a brief curtsy.

• the maid scurried away with a bob.

III. phrases

1. bob and weave

make rapid bodily movements up and down and from side to side, for example as an evasive tactic by a boxer.

• Freddie bobbed and weaved, jabbing the air.

2. bob for apples

try to catch floating or hanging apples with one's mouth alone, as a game.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

bob^2 /bɒb/

I. noun

1. a style in which the hair is cut short and evenly all round so that it hangs above the shoulders.

• she wore her hair in a fashionable bob.

2. a weight on a pendulum, plumb line, or kite-tail.

3. a bobsleigh.

4. a short line at or towards the end of a stanza.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] (usu. as adj. bobbed) — cut (someone's hair) in a bob.

• she tied a headscarf over her bobbed brown hair.

2. [no obj.] — ride on a bobsleigh.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a bunch or cluster): of unknown origin.

bob^3 /bɒb/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a shilling.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› used with reference to a moderately large but unspecified amount of money

• those vases are worth a few bob.

II. phrases

silly (or mad or crazy) as a two-bob watch

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› unpredictable; foolish and absurd

• even as a nipper he was silly as a two-bob watch.

– origin late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

bob^4 /bɒb/

I. noun

1. a change of order in bell-ringing.

2. used in names of change-ringing methods

• plain bob.

– origin late 17th cent.: perhaps connected with bob^1 in the sense ‘sudden movement up and down’.

Bob /bɒb/

I. noun — (in phrase Bob's your uncle)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› used to express the ease with which a task can be achieved

• fill in the form, and Bob's your uncle.

– origin 1930s: pet form of the given name Robert.

BOB

abbreviation

Bolivian boliviano(s).

boba /ˈbəʊbə/

I. noun

another term for bubble tea.

– origin early 21st cent.: origin unknown.

bobber

noun

1. a person who rides on a bobsleigh.

2. a float used in angling.

bobbin /ˈbɒbɪn/

I. noun

1. a cylinder or cone holding thread, yarn, or wire, used especially in weaving and machine sewing.

2. a spool or reel.

3. a small bar attached to a string used for raising a door latch.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French bobine, of unknown origin.

bobbinet /ˈbɒbɪnɛt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. machine-made cotton net (imitating bobbin lace).

bobbin lace

noun — [ mass noun]

1. lace made by hand with thread wound on bobbins.

bobble^1 /ˈbɒb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a small ball made of strands of wool used as a decoration on a hat or on furnishings.

• a woollen ski hat with a bobble on top.

• (Brit.) a bobble hat.

2. ( bobbles) — small plastic balls attached to a circular piece of elastic, used for fastening girls' hair.

II. derivatives

bobbly

adjective

– origin 1920s: diminutive of bob^2.

bobble^2 /ˈbɒb(ə)l / ‹informal›

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — move with a feeble or irregular bouncing motion

• some of those goals have bobbled in off the post.

2. [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) mishandle (a ball)

• Andy bobbled the ball, so his throw home was too late.

II. noun

1. a feeble or irregular bouncing motion.

2. (N. Amer.) a mishandling of a ball.

• a once-a-season bobble en route to a breakaway jam.

– origin early 19th cent.: frequentative of bob^1.

bobble hat

noun

(Brit.) a close-fitting knitted hat with a pom-pom at the top

• he was never without his striped top, bobble hat, walking stick, and glasses.

bobby /ˈbɒbi/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a police officer.

– origin mid 19th cent.: pet form of Robert, given name of Sir Robert Peel, Sir Robert.

bobby calf

I. noun

an unweaned calf slaughtered for veal.

– origin 1920s: perhaps from bob^2, bobby calf being one of a number of collocations where bobby has the sense ‘small, short’. Compare with the dialect term staggering bob for a very young calf or its meat, recorded from the late 18th cent., perhaps from the pet form of Robert.

bobby-dazzler

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a person or thing considered remarkable or excellent.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally northern English dialect): related to dazzle; the origin of the first element is unknown.

bobby pin /ˈbɒbi pɪn/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) a kind of sprung hairpin or small clip.

II. verb

( bobby-pin) [with obj.] — fix (hair) in place with a bobby pin.

• her hair was bobby-pinned up.

– origin 1930s: from bob^2 (because bobby pins were originally used with bobbed hair) + -y^2.

bobby socks /ˈbɒbi sɒks / bobby sox

I. plural noun

(N. Amer.) ‹dated› short socks reaching just above the ankle, as worn by teenage girls in the 1940s and 1950s.

– origin compare with bob^2 in the sense ‘cut short’.

bobby-soxer

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a teenage girl.

bobcat /ˈbɒbkat/

I. noun

a small North American lynx with a barred and spotted coat and a short tail.
● Felis rufus, family Felidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from bob^2 (with reference to its short tail) + cat^1.

Bobo /ˈbəʊbəʊ/

I. noun

‹informal› a person having both the values of the counterculture of the 1960s and the materialism of the 1980s; a bourgeois Bohemian.
[as modifier]

• Bobo culture.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation.

bobol /ˈbɒbɒl / ‹W. Indian›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. fraudulent activity, typically involving the misuse of public funds.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. commit fraud.

– origin of unknown origin.

bobolink /ˈbɒbəlɪŋk/

I. noun

a North American songbird of the American blackbird family, with a finch-like bill. The male has black, buff, and white plumage.
● Dolichonyx oryzivorus, family Icteridae.

– origin late 18th cent. (originally Bob o'Lincoln, Bob Lincoln): imitative of its call.

bobotie /bəˈbuːti, bəˈbʊəti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a South African dish of curried minced meat baked with a rich savoury custard.

– origin Afrikaans, probably of Malay or Javanese origin.

Bobruisk /baˈbrujsk / Bobruysk

Russian name for Babruisk.

bobskate /ˈbɒbskeɪt/

noun

(Canadian) an adjustable skate for a child, consisting of two sections of double runners.

bobsled /ˈbɒbslɛd/

I. noun

North American term for bobsleigh.

II. derivatives

bobsledding

noun

bobsleigh /ˈbɒbsleɪ/

I. noun

(Brit.) a mechanically steered and braked sledge, typically for two or four people, used for racing down an ice-covered run.

II. derivatives

bobsleighing /ˈbɒbsleɪɪŋ /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US, denoting a sleigh made of two short sleighs coupled together and used for hauling logs): from bob^2 in the sense ‘short’ + sleigh.

bobstay /ˈbɒbsteɪ/

I. noun

a rope used to hold down the bowsprit of a ship and keep it steady.

– origin mid 18th cent.: probably from bob^1 + stay^2.

bobsy-die /ˌbɒbzɪˈdʌɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dialect› (NZ) a great deal of fuss or trouble

• she'll kick up bobsy-die later.

– origin early 19th cent.: contraction of earlier Bob's-a-dying.

bobtail /ˈbɒbteɪl/

I. noun

a docked tail of a horse or dog.

– origin mid 16th cent.: probably from bob^2 + tail^1. It was originally recorded as a humorous term for a kind of broad-headed arrow, probably because it looked as though it had been cut short.

bob weight

noun

a component used as a counterweight to a moving part in a machine.

bobwhite /ˈbɒbwʌɪt / bobwhite quail

I. noun

a New World quail with mottled reddish-brown plumage, and typically a pale throat and eyestripe.
●Genus Colinus, family Phasianidae: two species, in particular the northern bobwhite ( C. virginianus).

– origin early 19th cent.: imitative of its call.

bocage /bəˈkɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in France) pastureland divided into small hedged fields interspersed with groves of trees.

2. the modelling of leaves, flowers, and plants in clay, especially for porcelain figurines.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from Old French boscage (see boscage).

Boccaccio, Giovanni /bəˈkatʃɪəʊ/

(1313–75), Italian writer, poet, and humanist. He is most famous for the Decameron (1348–58), a collection of a hundred tales told by ten young people who have moved to the country to escape the Black Death.

bocce /ˈbɒtʃeɪ, ˈbɒtʃi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Italian game similar to bowls but played on a shorter, narrower green.

– origin Italian, ‘bowls’, plural of boccia ‘ball’.

Boccherini, Luigi /ˌbɒkəˈriːni/

(1743–1805), Italian composer and cellist, known chiefly for his cello concertos and sonatas.

boccia /ˈbɒtʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game similar to bocce, played by competitors who have a physical disability that requires the use of a wheelchair

• youngsters from special schools in the area will also take part in boccia.

2. variant spelling of bocce:
[as modifier]

• there are tennis courts, bowling alleys, boccia lanes, and a golf course.

– origin Italian, literally ‘ball’.

bocconcini /ˌbɒkɒnˈtʃiːni/

I. plural noun

small balls of mozzarella cheese.

– origin Italian.

Boche /bɒʃ / ‹informal, dated›

I. noun

1. a German, especially a soldier.

2. ( the Boche) — Germans, especially German soldiers, considered collectively.

II. adjective

German.

– origin French soldiers' slang, originally in the sense ‘rascal’, later used in the First World War meaning ‘German’.

Bochum /ˈbəʊxʊm, German ˈboːxʊm/

an industrial city in the Ruhr valley, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; pop. 383,700 (est. 2006).

bock /bɒk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a strong, dark German beer.

– origin mid 19th cent.: via French from an abbreviation of German Eimbockbier ‘beer from Einbeck’, a town in Lower Saxony, Germany.

bockety /ˈbɒkɪti/

I. adjective

(Irish) unsteady; wobbly

• the bockety wheelchair trundled off down the street.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Irish bacach ‘lame’.

bod /bɒd/

noun

1. ‹informal› a body

• a line-up of stunning bods.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) a person

• some clever bod wrote a song about them.

BOD

abbreviation

biochemical oxygen demand.

bodach /ˈbəʊdɑːx/

I. noun

1. (Scottish) (Irish) a man, especially a peasant or an old man.

2. (Scottish) (Irish) a ghost; a spectre.

– origin early 19th cent. (earlier as buddough): from Scottish Gaelic.

bodacious /bəʊˈdeɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› excellent, admirable, or attractive

• bodacious babes.

2. (US) audacious in a way considered admirable.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in sense ‘complete, thorough’): perhaps a variant of SW dialect boldacious, blend of bold and audacious.

bode /bəʊd/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( bode well/ill)

1. be a portent of a particular outcome

• their argument did not bode well for the future

• [with obj.] the 12 per cent interest rate bodes dark days ahead for retailers.

– origin Old English bodian ‘proclaim, foretell’, from boda ‘messenger’, of Germanic origin; related to German Bote, also to bid^1.

bodega /bəˈdeɪɡə/

I. noun

a cellar or shop selling wine and food, especially in a Spanish-speaking country or area.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, via Latin from Greek apothēkē ‘storehouse’. Compare with boutique.

Bodensee /ˈboːdnˌzeː/

German name for Lake Constance (see Constance, Lake).

Bode's law /ˈbəʊdz, ˈbəʊdəz/

I. noun

[Astronomy] a formula by which the distances of the first seven planets from the sun are roughly derived in terms of powers of two.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Johann E. Bode (1747–1826), the German astronomer who drew attention to the law, which was discovered earlier by his countryman, Johann D. Titius (1729–96).

bodge /bɒdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› make or repair (something) badly or clumsily

• the door was bodged together from old planks.

– origin mid 16th cent.: alteration of botch.

bodger ‹informal›

I. noun

(Brit.) a person who makes or repairs something badly or clumsily.

II. adjective

(Austral.) another term for bodgie.

bodgie ‹Austral./NZ informal›

I. noun

a youth, especially of the 1950s, analogous to the British Teddy boy.

II. adjective

worthless or inferior; false

• a bodgie second-hand car with bodgie number plates.

• the handing out of bodgy licenses is a serious health and safety problem.

– origin probably from bodger, a term said to have arisen as a result of the post-war black market trade in cloth in Sydney: when inferior cloth was passed off as American-made, it was called bodgie, extended to denote any young man who adopted an American accent and manner.

Bodhgaya /ˌbɒdɡəˈjɑː, ˌbəʊdɡəˈjɑː / Bodh Gaya, Buddh Gaya

a village in the state of Bihar, NE India, where the Buddha attained enlightenment.

bodhisattva /ˌbɒdɪˈsɑːtvə/

I. noun

(in Mahayana Buddhism) a person who is able to reach nirvana but delays doing so through compassion for suffering beings.

– origin Sanskrit, ‘a person whose essence is perfect knowledge’, from bodhi ‘perfect knowledge’ (from budh- ‘know perfectly’) + sattva ‘being, essence’.

bodhrán /ˈbaʊrɑːn, baʊˈrɑːn/

I. noun

a shallow one-sided Irish drum typically played using a short stick with knobbed ends.

– origin Irish.

bodice /ˈbɒdɪs/

I. noun

1. the part of a woman's dress (excluding the sleeves) which is above the waist.

2. a woman's sleeveless undergarment, often laced at the front.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally bodies): plural of body, retaining the original pronunciation. The term probably first denoted an undergarment, then known as a pair of bodice, although this sense is not recorded until the early 17th cent.

bodice-ripper

I. noun

‹informal› ‹humorous› a sexually explicit romantic novel or film with a historical setting.

II. derivatives

bodice-ripping

adjective

bodied /ˈbɒdiːd/

adjective

1. having a body or trunk, typically of a specified kind

• we are bodied beings

• [in combination] crayfish are heavy bodied crustaceans

• [in combination] the narrow bodied hangar.

2. of wine, having the specified quality of flavour

• a medium bodied Cabernet.

bodiless /ˈbɒdɪləs/

adjective

1. lacking a body

• a bodiless head.

2. having no material form or being; incorporeal

• a sinister, bodiless voice.

bodily /ˈbɒdɪli/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. of or concerning the body

• children learn to control their bodily functions.

2. material or actual as opposed to spiritual or incorporeal

• God is not present in bodily form.

II. adverb

1. by moving a person's or one's own body with force

• he hauled her bodily from the van.

2. in one mass; as a whole.

• he built ships on the Atlantic shore, transporting them bodily over the hills and sailing them off into the Pacific.

bodkin /ˈbɒdkɪn/

I. noun

1. a thick, blunt needle with a large eye, used for drawing tape or cord through a hem.

2. ‹historical› a long pin used for fastening up the hair.

3. [Printing] a pointed tool used for removing pieces of metal type for correction.

4. ‹archaic› a dagger.

– origin Middle English: perhaps of Celtic origin and related to Irish bod, Welsh bidog, Scottish Gaelic biodag ‘dagger’.

Bodleian Library /ˈbɒdlɪən/

the library of Oxford University, one of six copyright libraries in the UK.

Bodley, Sir Thomas

I. (1545–1613), English scholar and diplomat. He refounded and greatly enlarged the Oxford University library, which was renamed the Bodleian in 1602.

II. an informal name for the Bodleian Library.

Bodoni, Giambattista /bəˈdəʊni/

(1740–1813), Italian printer. He designed a typeface characterized by extreme contrast between uprights and diagonals, which is named after him.

Bodrum /ˈbɒdrəm/

a resort town on the Aegean coast of western Turkey, site of the ancient city of Halicarnassus.

body /ˈbɒdi/

I. noun

1. the physical structure, including the bones, flesh, and organs, of a person or an animal

• it's important to keep your body in good condition.

2. the trunk apart from the head and the limbs

• the blow almost severed his head from his body.

3. a corpse

• they found his body washed up on the beach.

4. [ mass noun] — the physical and mortal aspect of a person as opposed to the soul or spirit

• we're together in body and spirit.

5. ‹informal› a person's body regarded as an object of sexual desire

• he was just after her body.

6. ‹informal› ‹dated› a person of a specified type

• a motherly body.

7. the main section of a motor vehicle or aircraft

• the factory had produced more car bodies than needed

• the body of the aircraft was filled with smoke.

8. the main or central part of something, especially a building or text

• the main body of the house was built in 1625.

9. the part of an email containing the message, as opposed to information such as the subject and sender. Compare with header (sense 4):

• put your name, address, and daytime phone number in the email's body.

10. a large amount or collection of something

• a rich body of Canadian folklore

• large bodies of seawater.

11. an organized group of people with a common purpose or function

• a regulatory body

• international bodies of experts.

12. [often with adj.] — ‹technical› a material object

• the path taken by the falling body.

13. [ mass noun] — a full or substantial quality of flavour in wine.

• best of all, this wine has body and finish.

14. fullness or thickness of a person's hair

• restructuring formulations help to add body.

15. (Brit.) a woman's close-fitting stretch garment for the upper body, fastening at the crotch.

16. (in pottery) a clay used for making the main part of ceramic ware, as distinct from a glaze.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ( body something forth) — ‹formal› give material form to something abstract

• he bodied forth the traditional Prussian remedy for all ills.

2. build the bodywork of (a motor vehicle).

• an era when automobiles were bodied over wooden frames.

III. phrases

1. body and soul

involving every aspect of a person; completely

• the company owned them body and soul.

2. in a body

all together; as a group

• they departed in a body.

3. keep body and soul together

stay alive, especially in difficult circumstances.

• do you think a man can keep body and soul together by selling coconuts?

4. over my dead body

‹informal› used to emphasize that one completely opposes something

• she moves into our home over my dead body.

– origin Old English bodig, of unknown origin.

body armour

noun — [ mass noun]

1. clothing worn by army and police personnel to protect against gunfire.

body art

noun — [ mass noun]

1. tattoos or jewellery ornamenting the body and regarded as art.

2. the practice of decorating the body by means of tattooing, piercing, etc.

3. an artistic genre, originating in the 1970s, in which the actual body of the artist or model is integral to the work.

body bag

noun

a bag used for carrying a corpse from a battlefield or the scene of an accident or crime.

body blow

noun

1. a heavy punch to the body.

2. something that causes problems or severe disappointment; a setback

• a tax on books would be a body blow for education.

bodyboard /ˈbɒdibɔːd/

I. noun

a short, light type of surfboard ridden in a prone position.

II. derivatives

1. bodyboarder /ˈbɒdɪbɔːdə /

noun

2. bodyboarding /ˈbɒdɪbɔːdɪŋ /

noun

bodybuilder /ˈbɒdɪbɪldə/

noun

1. a person who strengthens and enlarges the muscles of their body through strenuous exercise.

2. a person or company that builds the bodies of vehicles.
[with modifier]

• he trained as a car bodybuilder.

bodybuilding /ˈbɒdibɪldɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sport involving strenuous physical exercise in order to strengthen and enlarge the muscles of the body

• he developed a keen interest in bodybuilding

• [as modifier] a bodybuilding contest.

body burden

noun

the total amount of a particular chemical present in a human's or animal's body, typically a radioactive element or other toxic substance.

• even people with typical exposures to the chemicals in the survey could face health risks from their body burden.

body-centred

adjective

denoting a crystal structure in which there is an atom at each vertex and at the centre of the unit cell.

body check

I. noun

(especially in ice hockey) an act of deliberately obstructing a player by bumping into them.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. obstruct (a player) with a body check.
(as noun body-checking)

• no body-checking is allowed so the pitched battles which often feature in ice hockey are rare.

body clock

noun

a person's or animal's biological clock.

• jet lag is the consequence of a mismatch between our body clock and the external timing.

body colour

noun — [ mass noun]

1. opaque pigment used in painting, especially gouache.

body-con

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a very tight-fitting style of clothing

• fab though the body-con trend is, I can't give up on smocks just yet.

– origin 1990s: shortening of body-conscious.

body corporate

noun

formal term for corporation.

body double

noun

a stand-in for a film actor used during stunt or nude scenes.

body dysmorphic disorder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a psychological disorder in which a person becomes obsessed with imaginary defects in their appearance.

body English

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) follow-through movement after throwing or hitting a ball.

• when Fisk hit that dramatic home run, it was moving to see him using body English to try to keep it from going foul.

2. (N. Amer.) another term for body language.

• the President used voice tonality and body English to imply indirectly that he was concerned about racism.

body fascism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. prejudice or discrimination based on a person's weight and appearance

• there have also been complaints about gender discrimination and body fascism in elite sport.

II. derivatives

body fascist

noun, adjective

bodyguard /ˈbɒdɪɡɑːd/

noun

a person or group of people employed to escort and protect an important or famous person.

body language

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the conscious and unconscious movements and postures by which attitudes and feelings are communicated

• his intent was clearly expressed in his body language.

body lift

noun

a cosmetic surgical operation to remove or improve the appearance of loose skin or sagging flesh on various areas of the body.

• the body lift is a more radical procedure than a traditional tummy tuck.

bodyline

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Cricket] ‹historical› persistent short-pitched fast bowling on the leg side, threatening the batsman's body, especially as employed by England in the Ashes series in Australia in 1932–3.
[as modifier]

• bodyline bowling.

body lotion

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a moisturizing lotion for the body

• I smothered myself in scented body lotion.

body louse

noun

a louse which infests the human body and is especially prevalent where hygiene is poor. It is able to transmit several diseases through its bite, including typhus.
● Pediculus humanus humanus, family Pediculidae, order Anoplura. See also head louse.

body man

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a political leader's personal aide or assistant.

body mass index BMI

noun

an approximate measure of whether someone is over- or underweight, calculated by dividing their weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres.

body odour

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the unpleasant smell of a person's unwashed body.

body piercing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the piercing of holes in parts of the body other than the ear lobes in order to insert rings or other decorative objects.

body politic

noun — (usu. the body politic)

1. the people of a nation, state, or society considered collectively as an organized group of citizens.

• individual dissent was considered necessary to the health of the body politic.

body-popping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of street dancing characterized by jerky robotic movements of the joints.

body press

noun

[Wrestling] a move in which a wrestler uses their body weight to pin an opponent to the floor.

body scanner

noun

a scanner using radiation, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging in order to examine the entire body.

body scrub

noun

1. an exfoliating cosmetic preparation applied to the body to cleanse the skin.

2. a type of beauty treatment in which the skin is cleansed and exfoliated.

body search

noun

a search of a person's body and clothing for illicit weapons, drugs, or other articles, conducted typically by customs officials or the police.

bodyshell /ˈbɒdɪʃɛl/

noun

the metal frame of a motor or railway vehicle, to which the metal panels are attached.

body shop

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a garage where repairs to the bodywork of vehicles are carried out.

bodyside /ˈbɒdɪsʌɪd/

noun

the side of the body of a vehicle.
[as modifier]

• bodyside panels.

body slam

noun

[Wrestling] a move (illegal in some codes) in which the opponent's body is lifted and then thrown hard on to the floor.

bodysnatcher /ˈbɒdɪˌsnatʃə/

I. noun

‹historical› a person who illicitly disinterred corpses for dissection, for which there was no legal provision until 1832.

II. derivatives

bodysnatching /ˈbɒdɪˌsnatʃɪŋ /

noun

body stocking

noun

a woman's one-piece undergarment which covers the torso and legs.

bodysuit /ˈbɒdɪsuːt/

noun

a close-fitting one-piece stretch garment for women, worn typically for sporting activities.

bodysurf

I. verb — [no obj.] (often as noun bodysurfing)

1. float on the crest of incoming waves without using a board.

• at the age of 65, he now prefers snorkelling and bodysurfing.

II. derivatives

bodysurfer

noun

body swerve

noun

an abrupt swerving movement of the whole body, used as a tactic to avoid contact or collision.

• ‹figurative› she decided to give the meat pies as wide a body swerve as possible.

body text

noun — (usu. the body text)

1. the main part of a printed text, excluding items such as headings and footnotes.

body warmer

noun

a sleeveless quilted or padded jacket worn as an outdoor garment.

body wave

noun

a soft, light permanent wave designed to give the hair fullness.

body weight

noun

the amount that a person or animal weighs

• women with a healthy body weight are more likely to survive the disease long term

• the dog shed a third of her body weight under a strict six-month diet and exercise regime.

bodywork /ˈbɒdɪwəːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the metal outer shell of a vehicle.

2. therapies and techniques in complementary medicine which involve touching or manipulating the body.

II. derivatives

bodyworker

noun

bodywork (sense 2)

body wrap

noun

a type of beauty treatment intended to result in a reduction in body measurements, involving the application of skin-cleansing ingredients to the body, which is then wrapped in hot bandages.

Boeing, William Edward /ˈbəʊɪŋ/

(1881–1956), US industrialist. In 1927 he founded United Aircraft and Transport, which in 1934 was divided into Boeing Aircraft, United Aircraft, and United Airlines.

Boeotia /bɪˈəʊʃə/

a department of central Greece, to the north of the Gulf of Corinth, and a region of ancient Greece of which the chief city was Thebes.

Boeotian /bɪˈəʊʃ(ə)n, bɪˈəʊʃɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Greek region of Boeotia or its inhabitants

• he was called upon to rescue the Boeotian army when it got into difficulties in Thessaly.

II. noun

an inhabitant of the Greek region of Boeotia

• he seems to have been a Boeotian by descent.

Boer /bɔː, ˈbəʊə, bʊə / ‹chiefly historical›

I. noun

1. a member of the Dutch and Huguenot population which settled in southern Africa in the late 17th century. The Boers' present-day descendants are the Afrikaners.

2. ( boer) — (S. African) an Afrikaner farmer.

3. ( boer) — (S. African) ‹informal› (under apartheid) a member of the police, prison service, or security forces.

II. adjective

relating to the Boers.

– origin from Dutch boer ‘farmer’.

boerboel /ˈbʊəbʊl / boerbull

I. noun

(S. African) a large cross-breed dog bred from the mastiff and indigenous African dogs.

– origin 1960s: Afrikaans, from boer (commonly applied to indigenous plants and animals) + boel, from Dutch bul (as in bulhond ‘mastiff’).

boeremusiek /ˈbʊərəˌmjuːsɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (S. African) traditional Afrikaner music, often for dancing.

– origin Afrikaans, from boere ‘Afrikaner’ + musiek ‘music’.

boerewors /ˈbuːrəˌvɔːs, ˈbʊrəˌvɔːs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (S. African) a type of traditional sausage, typically containing coarsely ground beef and pork seasoned with spices.

– origin Afrikaans, from boere ‘Afrikaner or farmer's’ + wors ‘sausage’.

boer goat

I. noun

a goat of a hardy breed, originally from South Africa.

– origin from Afrikaans boer ‘farmer’ + goat.

boerie /ˈbʊri/

noun

(S. African) ‹informal› another term for boerewors.

Boer Wars

I. two wars fought by Great Britain in southern Africa between 1880 and 1902.

The first war (1880–1) began with the revolt of the Boer settlers in Transvaal against British rule and ended with the establishment of an independent Boer Republic under British suzerainty. The second (1899–1902) was caused by the Boer refusal to grant equal rights to recent British immigrants and by the imperialist ambitions of Cecil Rhodes. The British eventually won through superior numbers and the employment of concentration camps to control the countryside.

Boethius /bəʊˈiːθɪəs/

( c. 480–524), Roman statesman and philosopher; full name Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius. He is best known for The Consolation of Philosophy, which he wrote while in prison on a charge of treason.

boeuf /bəːf/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. French word for beef, used in the names of various beef dishes.

boeuf bourguignon /ˌbəːf ˈbɔːɡɪnjɒ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dish consisting of beef braised or stewed in a red wine sauce, to which mushrooms and onions are typically added.

– origin French, literally ‘Burgundy beef’.

boff^1 ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. have sexual intercourse with (someone).

2. hit (someone).

II. noun

1. an act of sexual intercourse.

2. a blow or punch.

– origin 1920s (in the sense ‘a blow or punch’): imitative.

boff^2

noun

short for boffin.

boffin /ˈbɒfɪn/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person engaged in scientific or technical research

• the boffins at the Telecommunications Research Establishment.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person with knowledge or a skill considered to be complex or arcane

• a computer boffin.

II. derivatives

boffiny

adjective

– origin Second World War: of unknown origin.

boffo /ˈbɒfəʊ / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. adjective

1. (of a theatrical production or film, or a review of one) very successful or wholeheartedly commendatory

• a boffo box office certainty.

2. (of a laugh) deep and unrestrained.

• I'm not going for the big boffo laughs.

3. boisterously funny.

II. noun

a success.

• the finale is a genuine boffo.

– origin 1940s: from US boff ‘roaring success’ + -o.

boffola /bɒˈfəʊlə / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. noun

a joke or a line in a script intended to get a laugh.

II. adjective

(of a laugh) hearty and unrestrained.

– origin 1940s: extension of slang boff ‘hearty laugh’.

Bofors gun /ˈbəʊfəz/

I. noun

a type of light anti-aircraft gun.

– origin 1930s: named after Bofors in Sweden, where it was first manufactured.

bog /bɒɡ/

I. noun

1. an area of wet muddy ground that is too soft to support a heavy body

• a peat bog

• ‹figurative› a bog of legal complications

• [ mass noun] the island is a wilderness of bog and loch.

2. [Ecology] wetland with acid peaty soil, typically dominated by peat moss.
Compare with fen^1.

3. ( the bog) — (Brit.) ‹informal› the toilet.

II. verb

1. ( be/get bogged down) — be or become stuck in mud or wet ground

• the family Rover became bogged down on the beach road.

2. be prevented from making progress in a task or activity

• you must not get bogged down in detail.

3. [no obj.] ( bog off) — (Brit.) ‹informal› go away.

• I told him to bog off.

4. [no obj.] ( bog in) — (Austral./NZ) start a task enthusiastically

• if he saw a trucker in difficulty, he would just bog in and give a hand.

[early 20th cent.: bog probably in the sense ‘sink, immerse (oneself)’.]

– origin Middle English: from Irish or Scottish Gaelic bogach, from bog ‘soft’.

bogan^1 /ˈbəʊɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› an uncouth or unsophisticated person regarded as being of low social status

• some bogans yelled at us from their cars

• my family are culinary bogans.

– origin 1980s: perhaps from the surname Bogan.

bogan^2 /ˈbəʊɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

(Canadian) a side stream.

– origin Algonquian.

Bogan shower

I. noun

(Austral.) a dust storm

• we come from saltbush country, where Bogan showers count as rainfall.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after the Bogan river in New South Wales and the semi-arid environment around it.

Bogarde, Sir Dirk /ˈbəʊɡɑːd/

(1921–99), British actor and writer, of Dutch descent; born Derek Niven van den Bogaerde. He became famous in the ‘Doctor’ series of comedy films, and played more serious roles in films such as The Servant (1963) and Death in Venice (1971).

bogart /ˈbəʊɡɑːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly US) selfishly appropriate or keep (something, especially a cannabis cigarette)

• don't bogart that joint, my friend.

– origin 1960s: from Bogart, Humphrey, who often smoked in films.

Bogart, Humphrey /ˈbəʊɡɑːt/

(1899–1957), American actor; full name Humphrey DeForest Bogart. His many films include Casablanca (1942), The Big Sleep (1946, in which he played opposite his fourth wife Lauren Bacall), and The African Queen (1951, for which he won an Oscar).

bog arum

noun

a plant of the arum family, with heart-shaped leaves, a white spathe, and a green spadix. It grows in swamps and boggy ground in north temperate regions. Also called calla or water calla.
● Calla palustris, family Araceae.

bog asphodel

noun

a yellow-flowered European marsh plant of the lily family.
● Narthecium ossifragum, family Liliaceae.

bogbean

noun

a plant of bogs and shallow water which has creeping rhizomes, bean-like three-lobed leaves, and hairy white or pinkish flowers. Also called buckbean.
● Menyanthes trifoliata, family Menyanthaceae.

bog cotton

noun

another term for cotton grass.

bogey^1 /ˈbəʊɡi / ‹Golf›

I. noun

1. a score of one stroke over par at a hole.
[as modifier]

• he walked off the green with a bogey four.

2. old-fashioned term for par^1 (sense 1 of the noun).

• with a handicap of 17, Jones receives an allowance against bogey of 13 strokes.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. play (a hole) in one stroke over par.

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps from Bogey, denoting the Devil (see bogey^2), regarded as an imaginary player.

bogey^2 /ˈbəʊɡi / bogy

I. noun

1. an evil or mischievous spirit.

• bogeys and other unpleasant denizens of the night.

2. a person or thing that causes fear or alarm

• the bogey of recession.

3. (US) ‹military slang› an unidentified aircraft.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› a piece of nasal mucus.

– origin mid 19th cent. (as a proper name applied to the Devil): of unknown origin; probably related to bogle.

bogey^3 /ˈbəʊɡi/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› an act of swimming or bathing.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Dharuk bu-gi ‘to swim’.

bogeyman /ˈbəʊɡɪman / bogyman

noun

1. an imaginary evil spirit, used to frighten children.

2. a person or thing that is widely regarded as an object of fear

• nuclear power is the environmentalists' bogeyman.

bog garden

noun

a piece of land laid out and irrigated to grow plants which prefer a damp habitat.

boggart /ˈbɒɡət/

I. noun

(Scottish) (N. English) an evil or mischievous spirit.

– origin late 16th cent.: related to obsolete bog ‘bugbear’, boggle, and bogle.

boggle /ˈbɒɡ(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› (of a person or their mind) be astonished or baffled when trying to imagine something

• the mind boggles at the spectacle.

2. [with obj.] — ‹informal› cause (a person or their mind) to be astonished

• the inflated salary of a star boggles the mind.

3. ( boggle at) — ‹informal› (of a person) hesitate to do or accept

• you never boggle at plain speaking.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably of dialect origin and related to bogle and bogey^2.

boggy /ˈbɒɡi/

I. adjective

too wet and muddy to be easily walked on; marshy

• the shrub grows naturally in boggy ground.

II. derivatives

bogginess /ˈbɒɡɪnəs /

noun

bogie /ˈbəʊɡi/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) an undercarriage with four or six wheels pivoted beneath the end of a railway vehicle.

2. (Indian) a railway carriage.

• almost all long-distance trains have seventeen to twenty bogies.

3. (chiefly N. English) a low truck on four small wheels; a trolley.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally in northern English dialect use): of unknown origin.

bog iron bog iron ore

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an impure porous form of limonite deposited in bogs.

bogland

noun — [ mass noun]

1. marshy land.

bogle /ˈbəʊɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a phantom or goblin.

2. (Scottish) (N. English) a scarecrow.

– origin early 16th cent.: of unknown origin; probably related to bogey^2.

bogman

noun

(Irish) ‹derogatory› a person from a rural area.

• a bogman from the hills.

bog moss

noun

another term for peat moss (sense 1).

bog myrtle

noun

a deciduous shrub of boggy places, with short upright catkins and aromatic grey-green leaves with insecticidal properties. Also called sweet gale.
● Myrica gale, family Myricaceae.

bog oak

noun

an ancient oak tree which has been preserved in peat, with hard black wood.

BOGOF /ˈbɒɡɒf/

abbreviation

buy one, get one free.

Bogomil /ˈbəʊɡəmɪl, ˈbɒɡəmɪl/

I. noun

‹historical› a member of a heretical medieval Balkan sect professing a modified form of Manichaeism.

II. derivatives

Bogomilism

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from medieval Greek Bogomilos, from Bogomil, literally ‘beloved of God’, the name of the person who first disseminated the heresy, from Old Church Slavonic.

bogong /ˈbəʊɡɒŋ / bogong moth

I. noun

a large brown moth of southern Australia, formerly eaten by Aborigines.
● Agrotis infusa, family Noctuidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Ngayawung (an Aboriginal language).

Bogotá /ˌbɒɡəˈtɑː/

the capital of Colombia, situated in the eastern Andes at about 2,610 m (8,560 ft); pop. 6,778,691 (2005). It was founded by the Spanish in 1538 on the site of a pre-Columbian centre of the Chibcha culture.
Official name Santa Fé de Bogotá.

bog roll

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a roll of toilet paper

• a jumbo pack of bog rolls

• [ mass noun] my flat is so expensive I can't afford bog roll.

bog rosemary

noun

a pink-flowered evergreen dwarf shrub, which grows in boggy soils in north temperate regions. Also called andromeda.
●Genus Andromeda, family Ericaceae: two species, in particular the common A. polifolia.

bog spavin

noun

a soft swelling of the joint capsule of the hock of horses, which most commonly occurs in young, fast-growing horses.

bog-standard /bɒɡˈstandəd/

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› ordinary or basic

• a bog-standard PC.

bogtrotter /ˈbɒɡtrɒtə/

noun

‹informal› ‹offensive› an Irish person.

bogus /ˈbəʊɡəs/

I. adjective

not genuine or true (used in a disapproving manner when deception has been attempted)

• a bogus insurance claim.

II. derivatives

1. bogusly

adverb

2. bogusness

noun

– origin late 18th cent. (originally US, denoting a machine for making counterfeit money): of unknown origin.

bogus caller

noun

a person who visits or telephones someone under false pretences, typically for the purpose of theft or fraud

• a bogus caller preyed on an elderly deaf woman by claiming to be a carer.

Bo Hai /bəʊ ˈhʌɪ / Po Hai /pəʊ ˈhʌɪ/

a large inlet of the Yellow Sea, on the coast of eastern China.
Also called Chihli, Gulf of.

bohea /bəʊˈhiː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a black China tea that comes from the last crop of the season and is usually regarded as of low quality.

– origin early 18th cent.: named after the Bu-yi ( Wuyi) hills in China, from where black tea first came to Britain.

Bohemia /bəʊˈhiːmɪə/

a region forming the western part of the Czech Republic. Formerly a Slavic kingdom, it became a province of the newly formed Czechoslovakia by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.

Bohemian /bəʊˈhiːmɪən/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Bohemia.

2. (also bohemian) — a socially unconventional person, especially one who is involved in the arts.
[mid 19th cent.: from French bohémien ‘Gypsy’ (because Gypsies were thought to come from Bohemia, or because they perhaps entered the West through Bohemia).]

II. adjective

1. relating to Bohemia or its people.

• the tombs of Bohemian kings.

• engraved Bohemian glass.

2. (also bohemian) — socially unconventional

• she revelled in the Bohemian life of Montparnasse.

III. derivatives

Bohemianism /bəʊˈhiːmɪənˌɪz(ə)m /

noun

Bohemian (sense 2 of the noun)

boho /ˈbəʊhəʊ/

I. noun

informal term for Bohemian (sense 2 of the noun).

II. adjective

informal term for Bohemian (sense 2 of the adjective).

Bohol /bəʊˈhɒl/

an island lying to the north of Mindanao in the central Philippines; pop. 1,384,800 (est. 2009); chief town, Tagbilaran.

Bohr, Niels /bɔː/

(1885–1962), Danish physicist and pioneer in quantum physics; full name Niels Hendrik David Bohr. Bohr's theory of the structure of the atom incorporated quantum theory for the first time, and is the basis for present-day quantum-mechanical models. Bohr helped to develop the atom bomb in Britain and then in the US. Nobel Prize for Physics (1922). His son, Aage Niels Bohr (1922–2009), shared the 1975 prize for his studies of the physics of the atomic nucleus.

bohrium /ˈbɔːrɪəm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Bh) — the chemical element of atomic number 107, a very unstable element made by high-energy atomic collisions.

bohunk /ˈbəʊhʌŋk/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹offensive› an immigrant from central or SE Europe.

– origin early 20th cent.: apparently from Bohemian + -hunk, alteration of Hungarian.

boil^1 /bɔɪl/

I. verb

1. (with reference to a liquid) reach or cause to reach the temperature at which it bubbles and turns to vapour
[with obj.]

• we asked people to boil their drinking water

• [no obj.] he waited for the water to boil.

2. (with reference to a kettle, pan, or other container) heat or be heated until the liquid inside starts to boil
[with obj.]

• she boiled the kettle and took down a couple of mugs

• [no obj.] the kettle boiled and he filled the teapot.

3. [with obj.] — subject (something) to the heat of boiling liquid, in particular:

4. (with reference to food) cook or be cooked by immersing in boiling water or stock
[with obj.]

• boil the potatoes until well done

• (as adj. boiled) two boiled eggs

• [no obj.] make the sauce while the lobsters are boiling.

5. wash or sterilize (clothes) in water of a very high temperature.

• boil bedclothes and towels.

6. ‹historical› execute (someone) by subjecting them to the heat of boiling liquid

• one valet was ordered to be boiled alive.

7. [no obj.] — (of the sea or clouds) be turbulent and stormy

• a huge cliff with the black sea boiling below.

8. (of a person or strong emotion) be stirred up

• he was boiling with rage.

II. noun

1. [in sing.] — the temperature at which a liquid bubbles and turns to vapour

• bring the sauce to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. the process of heating a liquid to the temperature at which it bubbles and turns to vapour

• the kettle's on the boil.

3. (Brit.) a state of great activity or excitement

• he has gone off the boil since opening the campaign.

4. [Fishing] a sudden rise of a fish at a fly.

• a boil from a fish in a pool.

III. phrases

keep the pot boiling

maintain the brisk momentum of something

• a home win over Sheffield kept the pot boiling.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. boil down to

amount to; be essentially a matter of

• everything boiled down to cash in the end.

2. boil something down

reduce the volume of a liquid by boiling.

• they boil down the syrup until it is very thick.

3. boil over

a. (of a liquid) flow over the sides of the container in boiling.

• the milk's boiled over.

b. (of a situation or strong emotion) reach a state of such intensity that it can no longer be controlled or contained

• one woman's anger boiled over.

– origin Middle English: from Old French boillir, from Latin bullire ‘to bubble’, from bulla ‘bubble’.

boil^2 /bɔɪl/

I. noun

an inflamed pus-filled swelling on the skin, caused typically by the infection of a hair follicle.

– origin Old English bȳle, bȳl, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch buil and German Beule.

Boileau, Nicholas /ˈbwʌləʊ, French bwalo/

(1636–1711), French critic and poet; full name Nicholas Boileau-Despréaux. Boileau is considered particularly important as one of the founders of French literary criticism. His didactic poem Art poétique (1674) defined principles of composition and criticism.

boiled shirt

noun

‹dated› a dress shirt with a starched front.

boiled sweet

noun

(Brit.) a hard sweet made of boiled sugar.

boiler /ˈbɔɪlə/

noun

1. a fuel-burning apparatus or container for heating water, in particular:

2. a household device providing a hot-water supply or serving a central heating system.

3. a tank for generating steam under pressure in a steam engine.

4. ‹dated› a metal tub for washing or sterilizing clothes at a very high temperature.

5. (Brit.) ‹informal› a chicken suitable for cooking only by boiling.

6. (Brit.) ‹informal› an unattractive or unpleasant woman.

boiler house

noun

1. a building containing a device for heating water

• an old boiler house at the end of the garden.

2. [Rugby] the second row in a scrum formation

• the sheer power and bulk in the Castleknock boiler house

• he is set to partner Ian Evans in the boiler house for Wales.

boilermaker /ˈbɔɪləmeɪkə/

noun

1. a worker who makes metal boilers for generating steam.

2. a metalworker in heavy industry.

3. (N. Amer.) a shot of whisky followed immediately by a glass of beer as a chaser.

boilerplate /ˈbɔɪləpleɪt/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — rolled steel plates for making boilers.

2. ( boilerplates) — [Climbing] smooth, overlapping, and undercut slabs of rock.

• the ice-worn boilerplates.

3. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) clichéd or predictable ideas or writing

• they exposed the truth behind the patriotic boilerplate.

4. standardized pieces of text for use as clauses in contracts or as part of a computer program.

• some sections have been written as boilerplate for use in all proposals.

boiler room

noun

1. a room in a building or a compartment in a ship containing a boiler and related heating equipment.

2. a room or office in which many operators engage in high-pressure telephone sales, especially of risky or worthless investments
[as modifier]

• a boiler-room operation.

boiler suit

noun

(Brit.) a one-piece suit worn as overalls for heavy manual work.

boilie /ˈbɔɪli/

noun

a type of flavoured fishing bait, spherical in shape with a hard outer layer, used chiefly to catch carp.

boiling /ˈbɔɪlɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. at or near boiling point

• boiling water.

2. ‹informal› extremely hot

• Saturday is forecast to be boiling and sunny

• [as submodifier] I felt boiling hot.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. boiling point

• reheat the sauce to just below boiling.

2. the action of bringing a liquid to the temperature at which it bubbles and turns to vapour.

boiling point

noun

1. the temperature at which a liquid boils and turns to vapour.

• pour in the water (not at boiling point but just below).

• [in sing.] a liquid with a high boiling point.

2. the point at which anger or excitement breaks out into violent expression

• emotions had reached boiling point and could spill over into violence.

• racial tension surged to boiling point.

boiling-water reactor BWR

noun

a nuclear reactor in which the fuel is uranium oxide clad in zircaloy and the coolant and moderator is water, which is boiled to produce steam for driving turbines.

boilover /ˈbɔɪləʊvə/

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a surprise result, especially the defeat of a favourite in a sporting event.

boing /bɔɪŋ/

I. exclamation

representing a reverberating sound, especially the noise made by the release of a compressed spring.

• an idea struck him. Boing!

II. noun

a reverberating sound.

• there was a loud boing.

III. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a reverberating sound.

• this music boings and burbles.

– origin 1950s: imitative.

Boise /ˈbɔɪsi/

the state capital of Idaho; pop. 205,314 (est. 2008).

boiserie /ˈbwaz(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. wooden panelling.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French.

boisterous /ˈbɔɪst(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

1. noisy, energetic, and cheerful

• a group of boisterous lads.

2. (of weather or water) wild or stormy

• the boisterous wind was lulled.

II. derivatives

1. boisterously /ˈbɔɪst(ə)rəsli /

adverb

2. boisterousness /ˈbɔɪst(ə)rəsnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘rough, stiff’): variant of earlier boistuous ‘rustic, coarse, boisterous’, of unknown origin.

boîte /bwʌt/

I. noun

a small restaurant or nightclub.

– origin French, literally ‘box’.

Bokassa, Jean Bédel /bəˈkasə/

(1921–96), African statesman and military leader, President 1972–6 of the Central African Republic, self-styled emperor 1976–9.

boke /bəʊk / boak

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Scottish) vomit.

• he's just boked all over me!

II. noun

a vomiting fit.

– origin Middle English bolke; related to belch. Compare with bolk.

bokeh /ˈbəʊkeɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Photography] the visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, especially as rendered by a particular lens.

– origin Japanese.

bokken /ˈbɒk(ə)n/

I. noun

a wooden sword used as a practice weapon in kendo.

– origin Japanese.

bokmakierie /ˌbɒkməˈkɪəri / bokmakierie shrike

I. noun

a bush shrike with conspicuous yellow underparts and a black band across the breast, common in southern Africa.
● Telophorus zeylonus, family Laniidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Afrikaans, imitative of its call.

Bokmål /ˈbuːkmɔːl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. one of two standard forms of the Norwegian language, a modified form of Danish.
See Norwegian.

– origin from Norwegian bok ‘book’ + mål ‘language’.

bolar /ˈbəʊlə/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a cut of beef adjacent to the blade

• roasting is better for less tender cuts such as topside or bolar.

– origin 1930s: origin unknown, but perhaps, because of its cylindrical shape, influenced by bole^1.

bolas /ˈbəʊləs/

I. noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. (especially in South America) a missile consisting of a number of balls connected by strong cord, which when thrown entangles the limbs of the quarry.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Spanish and Portuguese, plural of bola ‘ball’.

bold /bəʊld/

I. adjective

1. (of a person, action, or idea) showing a willingness to take risks; confident and courageous

• a bold attempt to solve the crisis

• no journalist was bold enough to take on the Prime Minister.

2. ‹dated› (of a person or their manner) so confident as to be impudent or presumptuous

• she tossed him a bold look.

3. (Irish) (especially of a child) naughty; badly behaved

• I slapped him when he was bold.

4. (of a colour, design, or shape) having a strong, vivid, or clear appearance

• a coat with bold polka dots.

5. of a kind of typeface having dark, heavy strokes, used especially for emphasis.

• cross references are printed in bold type.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bold typeface or letter

• Shadow cabinet members listed in bold.

III. phrases

1. be (or make) so bold (as to do something)

‹formal› dare to do something that might be considered audacious (used when politely asking a question or making a suggestion)

• what would he be calling for, if I might make so bold as to ask?

2. (as) bold as brass

confident to the point of impudence.

• she marched into the library as bold as brass.

3. bold stroke

a daring action or initiative

• the budget was full of bold strokes.

– origin Old English bald, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boud and to German bald ‘soon’.

boldface /ˈbəʊldfeɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of typeface with dark, heavy strokes.

• the phrase is given in boldface.

II. adjective

printed in boldface type.

• boldface letters.

boldfaced

adjective

1. printed in boldface type.

2. flagrant or audacious

• boldfaced lies.

boldly /ˈbəʊldli/

adverb

1. in a confident and courageous way; showing a willingness to take risks

• you will have our support as long as you fight boldly against corruption

• we urge the educational community to act boldly.

2. ‹dated› in a manner that is so confident as to be impudent or presumptuous

• thieves who boldly robbed the wounded and helpless passengers.

3. in a way that is characterized by having a strong, vivid, or clear appearance

• I grabbed a couple of boldly patterned fabric samples.

boldness /ˈbəʊldnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. willingness to take risks and act innovatively; confidence or courage

• the boldness and independence that characterized his leadership

• a president who is showing incredible boldness in going after the cartels.

2. ‹dated› confidence to an impudent or presumptuous degree

• they had the boldness to mock a man who had served his country

• you will overlook my boldness, I hope.

3. the quality of having a strong, vivid, or clear appearance

• the boldness of the hues are very startling

• these works display a great boldness of forms.

boldo /ˈbɒldəʊ/

I. noun

1. an evergreen Chilean tree from which are obtained an edible fruit, a dye, and a medicinal leaf infusion.
● Peumus boldus, family Monimiaceae.

2. [ mass noun] — a medicinal preparation of the leaves of the boldo tree, used as a tonic and digestive aid.

– origin early 18th cent.: via American Spanish from Araucanian voldo.

bole^1 /bəʊl/

I. noun

the trunk of a tree.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse bolr; perhaps related to balk.

bole^2 /bəʊl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fine, smooth, reddish clay containing iron oxide, used especially as a ground for oil painting and gilding.

– origin Middle English: from late Latin bolus ‘rounded mass’ (see bolus).

bolection /bəˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Architecture] a decorative moulding above or around a panel or other architectural feature.
[as modifier]

• bolection moulding.

– origin mid 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

bolero /bəˈlɛːrəʊ/

I. noun

1. a Spanish dance in simple triple time.

2. a piece of music for or in the time of a bolero.

3. (also bolero jacket) — a woman's short open jacket.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Spanish.

boletus /bəˈliːtəs / bolete

I. noun

a toadstool with pores rather than gills on the underside of the cap, typically having a thick stem.
●Genus Boletus, family Boletaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

– origin from Latin, from Greek bōlitēs, perhaps from bōlos ‘lump’.

Boleyn, Anne /bəˈlɪn/

(1507–36), second wife of Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I. Henry divorced Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne (1533), but she fell from favour when she failed to provide him with a male heir and was eventually executed on the grounds of alleged infidelities.

Bolger, James /ˈbɒldʒə/

(b.1935), New Zealand National Party statesman, Prime Minister 1990–7; full name James Brendan Bolger.

bolide /ˈbəʊlʌɪd/

I. noun

a large meteor which explodes in the atmosphere.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from Latin bolis, bolid-, from Greek bolis ‘missile’.

Bolingbroke /ˈbɒlɪŋbrʊk/

the surname of Henry IV of England (see Henry^1).

bolivar /ˌbɒlɪˈvɑː, bɒˈliːvɑː, Spanish boˈliβar/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Venezuela, equal to 100 centimos.

– origin named after Simón Bolívar (see Bolívar, Simón).

Bolívar, Simón /bɒˈliːvɑː, Spanish boˈliβar/

(1783–1830), Venezuelan patriot and statesman; known as the Liberator. He succeeded in driving the Spanish from Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. Upper Peru was named Bolivia in his honour.

Bolivia /bəˈlɪvɪə Spanish boˈliβja//

I.
1. a landlocked country in South America; pop. 9,775,200 (est. 2009); languages, Spanish (official), Aymara, and Quechua; capital, La Paz; legal capital and seat of the judiciary, Sucre.

Bolivia's chief topographical feature is the altiplano, the high central plateau between the eastern and western chains of the Andes. Following Pizarro's defeat of the Incas the country became part of Spain's American empire. It was freed from Spanish rule in 1825, but has suffered continually from political instability.

– origin named after Simón Bolívar (see Bolívar, Simón).

Bolivian /bəˈlɪvɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Bolivia, its people, or their culture

• a major Bolivian city.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Bolivia, or a person of Bolivian descent

• a Bolivian who revolutionized salsa

• many Bolivians marry in church.

boliviano /bəˌlɪvɪˈɑːnəʊ, Spanish boliˈβjano/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Bolivia (1863–1962 and since 1987), equal to 100 centavos or cents.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘Bolivian’, from Bolivia.

bolk /bəʊk / ‹archaic dialect›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. belch.

2. vomit.

II. noun

1. a belch.

2. an attack of vomiting.

– origin Middle English bolke; related to German bolken ‘roar, bawl’ and Dutch bulken ‘bellow’. Compare with belch and boke.

boll /bəʊl/

I. noun

the rounded seed capsule of plants such as cotton or flax.

– origin Middle English (originally denoting a bubble): from Middle Dutch bolle ‘rounded object’; related to bowl^1.

Böll, Heinrich /bəːl, German bœl/

(1917–85), German novelist and short-story writer; full name Heinrich Theodor Böll. His years in the German army (1938–44) provided the material for his earliest novel, Adam, Where Art Thou? (1951). His later work, such as The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum (1974), is frequently critical of post-war German society. Nobel Prize for Literature (1972).

bollard /ˈbɒlɑːd, ˈbɒləd/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a short post used to prevent traffic from entering an area.

2. a short, thick post on the deck of a ship or a quayside, to which a ship's rope may be secured.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): perhaps from Old Norse bolr (see bole^1) + -ard.

bollito misto /bɒˌliːtəʊ ˈmɪstəʊ/

I. noun

an Italian dish of mixed meats, such as chicken, veal, and sausage, boiled with vegetables in broth.

– origin Italian, literally ‘boiled mixed (meat)’.

bollix /ˈbɒlɪks / ‹vulgar slang›

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. bollix something up)

1. bungle (a task).

II. noun

1. [treated as pl.] — variant spelling of bollocks.

2. [treated as sing.] — (Irish) a foolish or contemptible man.

bollock /ˈbɒlək / ballock

verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› reprimand (someone) severely.

bollocking /ˈbɒləkɪŋ / ballocking

noun

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› a severe reprimand.

bollock-naked

adjective

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› completely naked.

bollocks /ˈbɒləks / ballocks

I. plural noun

1. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› the testicles.

2. [treated as sing.] — (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› nonsense; rubbish (used to express contempt or disagreement, or as an exclamation of annoyance).

– origin mid 18th cent.: plural of bollock, variant of earlier ballock, of Germanic origin; related to ball^1.

bollocky

adjective

(Austral.) ‹informal› naked.

boll weevil

noun

a small weevil which feeds on the fibres of the cotton boll and is a major pest of the American cotton crop.
● Anthonomus grandis, family Curculionidae.

bollworm

noun

a moth caterpillar which attacks the cotton boll, in particular:
● a small moth caterpillar which is a serious pest of the North American cotton crop ( Pectinophora gossypiella, family Gelechiidae). ● another term for corn earworm.

Bollywood /ˈbɒlɪwʊd/

I. noun

a name for the Indian popular film industry, based in Mumbai (Bombay).

• the greatest sensation ever to come out of Bollywood.

• [as modifier] a Bollywood potboiler.

– origin 1970s: blend of Bombay and Hollywood.

bolo /ˈbəʊləʊ/

I. noun

a large single-edged knife used in the Philippines.

– origin Spanish.

bologna /bəˈlɒnjə, bəˈləʊnjə / bologna sausage

noun

(N. Amer.) a large smoked sausage made of bacon, veal, pork suet, and other meats.

Bologna /bəˈlɒnjə, bəˈləʊnjə/

a city in northern Italy, capital of Emilia-Romagna region; pop. 374,944 (2008). Its university, which dates from the 11th century, is the oldest in Europe.

Bolognese /bɒləˈneɪz, bɒləˈnjeɪz/

I. adjective

1. relating to Bologna or its people

• the Bolognese painters of the 17th century.

2. ( bolognese or also bolognaise) — (Brit.) denoting a sauce of minced beef, tomato, onion, and herbs, typically served with pasta

• ravioli with bolognese sauce

• [ postpositive] tagliatelle bolognaise.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Bologna

• the Bolognese invented tagliatelle, tortellini, and lasagne.

2. ( bolognese or also bolognaise) — (Brit.) a pasta dish made with bolognese sauce, in particular spaghetti bolognese, or the sauce itself

• I offered to cook a bolognese for lunch

• the bolognaise was delicious.

– origin Italian; the form bolognaise is via French.

bolometer /bəˈlɒmɪtə/

I. noun

a sensitive electrical instrument for measuring radiant energy.

II. derivatives

bolometric

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek bolē ‘ray of light’ + -meter.

bolo tie

noun

(N. Amer.) a type of tie consisting of a cord worn around the neck with a large ornamental fastening at the throat.

Bolshevik /ˈbɒlʃɪvɪk/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a member of the majority faction of the Russian Social Democratic Party, which seized power in the October Revolution of 1917.

2. ‹chiefly derogatory› (in general use) a person with politically subversive or radical views; a revolutionary.

II. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Bolsheviks or Bolshevism.

• the Bolshevik revolution.

III. derivatives

Bolshevist /ˈbɒlʃəvɪst /

noun

– origin Russian, from bolʹshe ‘greater’ (with reference to the greater faction).

Bolshevism /ˈbɒlʃəˌvɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the communist form of government adopted in Russia following the Bolshevik revolution of 1917

• enthusiastic supporters of Bolshevism.

– origin Russian bol′shevizm, from bolʹshe ‘greater’ (see Bolshevik).

bolshie /ˈbɒlʃi / ‹Brit. informal› bolshy

I. adjective

(of a person or attitude) deliberately combative or uncooperative

• policemen with bolshie attitudes.

II. noun

( Bolshie) ( pl. Bolshies) — ‹dated› a Bolshevik or socialist.

III. derivatives

bolshiness

noun

Bolshoi Ballet /ˈbɒlʃɔɪ/

a Moscow ballet company. Since 1825 it has been based at the Bolshoi Theatre, where it staged the first production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake (1877).

bolster^1 /ˈbəʊlstə/

I. noun

1. a long, thick pillow that is placed under other pillows for support.

2. a part on a vehicle or tool providing structural support or reducing friction.

3. [Building] a short timber cap over a post designed to increase the bearing of the beams it supports.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. support or strengthen

• the fall in interest rates is starting to bolster confidence.

2. provide (a seat) with padded support
(as adj. bolstered)

• I snuggled down into the heavily bolstered seat.

III. derivatives

bolsterer

noun

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bolster and German Polster.

bolster^2 /ˈbəʊlstə/

I. noun

a heavy chisel used for cutting bricks.

– origin early 20th cent.: of unknown origin.

bolt^1 /bəʊlt/

I. noun

1. a large metal pin, in particular:

2. a bar that slides into a socket to fasten a door or window.

3. a long pin with a head that screws into a nut, used to fasten things together.

4. the sliding piece of the breech mechanism of a rifle.

5. [Climbing] a long pin that is driven into a rock face so that a rope can be attached to it.

6. a short, heavy arrow shot from a crossbow.

7. a jagged white flash of lightning.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. fasten with a bolt, in particular:

2. fasten (a door or window) with a bar that slides into a socket.

• all the doors were locked and bolted.

3. [with obj. and adverbial of place] — fasten (something) to something else with a long pin that screws into a nut

• the lid was bolted down

• ‹figurative› new benefits have been bolted on to the social security system.

III. phrases

1. a bolt from (or out of) the blue

a sudden and unexpected event

• the job came like a bolt from the blue.

[with reference to the unlikelihood of a thunderbolt coming from a clear blue sky.]

2. bolt upright

with the back very straight.

• she sat bolt upright in bed.

3. have shot one's bolt

‹informal› have done all that is in one's power.

• Jean had shot her bolt as far as her Italian was concerned.

– origin Old English, ‘arrow’, of unknown origin; related to Dutch bout and German Bolzen ‘arrow, bolt for a door’.

bolt^2 /bəʊlt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a horse or other animal) run away suddenly, typically from fear

• the horses shied and bolted.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (of a person) move or run away suddenly in an attempt to escape

• they bolted down the stairs.

3. [with obj.] — (in hunting) cause (a rabbit or fox) to run from its burrow or hole.

• a ferret progresses through the holes bolting rabbits.

• the rabbits can be bolted out.

4. (of a plant) grow quickly upwards and stop flowering as seeds develop

• the lettuces have bolted.

5. [with obj.] — eat (food) quickly

• there's no need to bolt your food.

II. phrases

make a bolt for

try to escape by moving suddenly towards (something)

• Ellie made a bolt for the door.

– origin Middle English: from bolt^1, expressing the sense ‘fly like an arrow’.

bolt^3 /bəʊlt/

I. noun

1. a roll of fabric, originally as a measure

• the room was stacked with bolts of cloth.

2. a folded edge of a piece of paper that is trimmed off to allow it to be opened, as on a section of a book.

– origin Middle English: transferred use of bolt^1.

bolt^4 /bəʊlt / boult

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› pass (flour, powder, or other material) through a sieve.

• ‹figurative› the fanned snow that's bolted by the northern blasts.

– origin Middle English: from Old French bulter, of unknown ultimate origin. The change in the first syllable was due to association with bolt^1.

Bolt, Robert

(1924–95), English writer best known for the play A Man for All Seasons (1960) and the screenplays for Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Dr Zhivago (1965); full name Robert Oxton Bolt.

Bolt, Usain

(b.1986), Jamaican athlete; full name Usain St Leo Bolt. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing he won gold medals in the 100 metre and 200 metre races, setting a new world record time for each. He defended his Olympic titles in 2012, winning gold in the 100 metre and 200 metre races.

bolt-action

adjective

(of a gun) having a breech which is opened by turning a bolt and sliding it back.

bolter /ˈbəʊltə/

noun

1. a person or animal that bolts or runs away.

2. (Austral./NZ) an outsider in a sporting event or other competition.

3. (Austral.) ‹historical› an escaped convict or absconder.

bolthole /ˈbəʊlthəʊl/

noun

1. a place where a person can escape and hide

• he thought of Antwerp as a possible bolthole.

2. (chiefly Brit.) a hole or burrow by which a rabbit or other wild animal can escape.

bolting /ˈbəʊltɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Climbing] the action of driving long metal pins into a rock face so that ropes can be attached to them.

Bolton

a town in NW England, near Manchester; pop. 135,200 (est. 2009).

bolt-on

I. adjective

1. (of an extra part of a machine) able to be fastened on with a bolt or catch.

• a bolt-on accessory available for most 35 mm SLRs.

2. denoting a feature, service, etc. that has been or can be added to an existing arrangement

• there's no obligation to buy any type of bolt-on insurance product with a personal loan.

II. noun

1. a bolt-on part of a machine.

• the bike's bolt-ons were worth more than the asking price.

2. a bolt-on feature, service, etc.

• some network operators offer bolt-ons to help cut the cost of data usage abroad.

bolt rope

noun

a rope sewn round the edge of a vessel's sail to prevent tearing.

Boltzmann, Ludwig /ˈbɒltsman/

(1844–1906), Austrian physicist, who made contributions to the kinetic theory of gases, statistical mechanics, and thermodynamics.

Boltzmann's constant

noun

(Symbol: k) — [Chemistry] the ratio of the gas constant to Avogadro's constant, equal to 1.381 × 10−23 joules per kelvin in the case where the number of molecules is equal to Avogadro's number.

bolus /ˈbəʊləs/

I. noun

1. a small rounded mass of a substance, especially of chewed food at the moment of swallowing.

• mucin holds the particles of food together in a ball or bolus.

2. a type of large pill used in veterinary medicine.

3. [Medicine] a single dose of a drug or other medicinal preparation given all at once.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a large pill): via late Latin from Greek bōlos ‘clod’.

Bolzano /bɒlˈtsɑːnəʊ/

a city in NE Italy, capital of the Bolzano-Bozen province; pop. 99,200 (est. 2009).

boma /ˈbəʊmə/

I. noun

(in eastern and southern Africa) an enclosure, especially for animals.

– origin Kiswahili.

bomb /bɒm/

I. noun

1. a container filled with explosive or incendiary material, designed to explode on impact or when detonated by a timing, proximity, or remote-control device.
[as modifier]

• a bomb attack.

2. [with modifier] — an explosive device fitted into a specified object

• a 100 lb van bomb.

3. ( the bomb) — nuclear weapons considered collectively as agents of mass destruction

• she joined the fight against the bomb.

4. a thing resembling a bomb in shape, in particular:

5. (also volcanic bomb) — a lump of lava thrown out by a volcano.

6. a pear-shaped weight used to anchor a fishing line to the bottom.

7. ( a bomb) — (Brit.) ‹informal› a large sum of money

• that silk must have cost a bomb.

8. ‹informal› a film, play, or other event that fails badly

• that bomb of an old movie.

9. ( the (or da) bomb) — (US) ‹informal› an outstandingly good person or thing

• the site would really be da bomb if its content were updated more frequently.

10. a long forward pass or hit in a ball game

• a two-run bomb.

11. ‹informal› a cannabis cigarette.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — attack (a place or object) with a bomb or bombs

• they bombed the city at dawn.

2. ( bomb someone out) — make someone homeless by destroying their home with bombs.

• my family were bombed out while I was fighting.

3. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (Brit.) ‹informal› move very quickly

• we were bombing down the motorway at breakneck speed.

4. [no obj.] — ‹informal› (of a film, play, or other event) fail badly

• it just became another big-budget film that bombed.

III. phrases

1. go down a bomb

(Brit.) ‹informal› be very well received

• those gigs we did went down a bomb.

2. go like a bomb ‹Brit. informal›

a. be very successful

• the party went like a bomb.

b. (of a vehicle or person) move very fast.

3. look like a bomb's hit it

‹informal› (of a place) be extremely messy or untidy in appearance

• the room looked like a bomb had hit it.

IV. derivatives

bomblet /ˈbɒmlət /

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from French bombe, from Italian bomba, probably from Latin bombus ‘booming, humming’, from Greek bombos, of imitative origin.

bombard

I. verb — [with obj.] bombard /bɒmˈbɑːd /

1. attack (a place or person) continuously with bombs, shells, or other missiles

• the city was bombarded by federal forces.

2. subject (someone) to a continuous flow of questions, criticisms, or information

• they will be bombarded with complaints.

3. [Physics] direct a stream of high-speed particles at (a substance).

II. noun — bombard /ˈbɒmbɑːd /

1. ‹historical› a cannon of the earliest type, which fired a stone ball or large shot.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun denoting an early form of cannon, also a shawm) from Old French bombarde, probably based on Latin bombus ‘booming, humming’ (see bomb). The verb (late 16th cent.) is from French bombarder.

bombarde /ˈbɒmbɑːd/

I. noun

1. a shawm (wind instrument) of alto pitch, used in medieval bands and in Breton folk music.

2. a powerful bass reed organ stop.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, denoting a shawm (see bombard).

bombardier /ˌbɒmbəˈdɪə/

I. noun

1. a rank of non-commissioned officer in certain artillery regiments, equivalent to corporal.

2. a member of a bomber crew in the US air force responsible for aiming and releasing bombs.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a soldier in charge of a bombard, an early form of cannon): from French, from Old French bombarde ‘cannon’ (see bombard).

bombardier beetle

noun

a ground beetle that discharges a puff of irritant vapour from its anus with an audible pop when alarmed.
●Several species in the family Carabidae, in particular the European Brachinus crepitans.

bombardment /bɒmˈbɑːdm(ə)nt/

noun

1. a continuous attack with bombs, shells, or other missiles

• an aerial bombardment will precede the attack.

2. a continuous flow of questions, criticisms, or information

• a steady bombardment of emails and phone calls.

bombardon /ˈbɒmbɑːd(ə)n/

I. noun

a bass tuba.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Italian bombardone, from bombardo ‘cannon’. Compare with bombarde.

bombast /ˈbɒmbast/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. high-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people.

• the bombast of gung-ho militarism.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting raw cotton or cotton wool used as padding, later used figuratively): from Old French bombace, from medieval Latin bombax, bombac-, alteration of bombyx ‘silkworm’ (see bombazine).

bombastic /bɒmˈbastɪk/

I. adjective

high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated

• bombastic rhetoric

• bombastic music that drowned out what anyone was saying.

II. derivatives

bombastically /bɒmˈbastɪk(ə)li /

adverb

Bombay /bɒmˈbeɪ/

former name (until 1995) for Mumbai.

Bombay bloomers

I. plural noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› men's long, loose-fitting shorts

• even for swimming, he wore his ubiquitous Bombay bloomers.

– origin 1940s: from their resemblance to British military-issue shorts worn in tropical postings.

Bombay duck /bɒmbeɪˈdʌk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the bummalo (fish), especially when dried and eaten as an accompaniment to curries.

– origin mid 19th cent.: alteration of bummalo by association with Bombay (Mumbai) in India, from which bummalo were exported; the reason for the use of the term duck is unknown.

Bombay mix

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Indian-style spiced snack consisting of lentils, peanuts, and deep-fried strands of gram flour (sev).

bombazine /ˈbɒmbəziːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a twilled dress fabric of worsted and silk or cotton, especially a black kind formerly used for mourning clothes.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting raw cotton): from French bombasin, from medieval Latin bombacinum, from bombycinum, neuter of bombycinus ‘silken’, based on Greek bombux ‘silkworm’.

bomb bay

noun

a compartment in the fuselage of an aircraft in which bombs are held and from which they may be dropped.

bomb calorimeter

noun

a thick-walled steel container used to determine the energy contained in a substance by measuring the heat generated during its combustion.

bomb disposal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the defusing or removal and detonation of unexploded and delayed-action bombs.
[as modifier]

• bomb-disposal experts.

bombe /bɒmb/

I. noun

1. a frozen dome-shaped dessert.

2. a dome-shaped mould in which a bombe is made.

– origin French, literally ‘bomb’.

bombé /ˈbɒ̃beɪ, French bɔ̃be/

I. adjective

(of furniture) rounded.

– origin early 20th cent.: French, literally ‘swollen out’.

bombed /bɒmd/

adjective

1. (of an area or building) subjected to bombing.

• the rubble of a bombed house.

2. ‹informal› intoxicated by drink or drugs.

• ‘We might as well get bombed out of our minds’, he said, downing another bottle.

bombed-out

adjective

1. (of a building or city) destroyed by bombing

• a bombed-out factory.

2. (of a person) driven out of a place by bombing

• bombed-out families.

bomber /ˈbɒmə/

noun

1. an aircraft designed to carry and drop bombs.

2. a person who plants, detonates, or throws bombs, especially as a terrorist.

3. ‹informal› a large cigarette containing cannabis.

• Manny hand rolled a couple of bombers.

4. a bomber jacket.

bomber jacket

noun

a short jacket tightly gathered at the waist and cuffs by elasticated bands and typically having a zip front.

bombilate /ˈbɒmbɪleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹rare› buzz; hum.

II. derivatives

bombilation

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from medieval Latin bombilare ‘to buzz’, from Latin bombus ‘humming’ (see bomb).

bombinate /ˈbɒmbɪneɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹literary› buzz; hum.
(as adj. bombinating)

• her head had become a bombinating vacuum.

II. derivatives

bombination

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from medieval Latin bombinare, bombinat- ‘buzz’, from Latin bombus ‘humming’ (see bomb).

bombing /ˈbɒmɪŋ/

noun

an act or instance of dropping or detonating a bomb somewhere

• a series of terrorist bombings.

bombing run

noun

the part of the flight path of a bomber which brings it into position to release its weapons.

bombora /bɒmˈbɔːrə/

I. noun

1. (Austral.) a wave which forms over a submerged offshore reef or rock, sometimes breaking heavily and producing a dangerous stretch of broken water.

2. (Austral.) a submerged offshore reef or rock.

– origin 1930s: from an Aboriginal word, perhaps Dharuk bumbora.

bombproof /ˈbɒmpruːf/

adjective

1. strong enough to resist the effects of blast from a bomb.

• bombproof windows.

2. (of a tame animal, typically a horse) not easily alarmed by unusual circumstances.

• piebald cob, seven years old, good to box, shoe, and clip, bombproof in traffic.

bomb scare

noun

an alert prompted by the suspicion that a bomb has been planted in a public place

• the court building was temporarily evacuated following a bomb scare.

bombshell /ˈbɒmʃɛl/

noun

1. an unexpected and surprising event, especially an unpleasant one

• the news came as a bombshell.

2. ‹informal› a very attractive woman

• a twenty-year-old blonde bombshell.

3. ‹dated› an artillery shell.

bombsight /ˈbɒmsʌɪt/

noun

a mechanical or electronic device used in an aircraft for aiming bombs.

bomb site

noun

an area in a town or city where the buildings have been destroyed by bombs.

bomb squad

noun

a division of a police force appointed to investigate the planting and detonation of terrorist bombs.

bommie /ˈbɒmi/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a submerged offshore reef

• it's an isolated bommie that rises 30m from the sandy seabed.

– origin 1940s: abbreviation of bombora.

Bon /bɒn / O-Bon

I. noun

a Japanese Buddhist festival held annually in August to honour the dead.
Also called Festival of the Dead and Lantern Festival.

– origin from Japanese.

Bon, Cape

a peninsula of NE Tunisia, extending into the Mediterranean Sea.

bona fide /ˌbəʊnə ˈfʌɪdi/

I. adjective

genuine; real

• she was a bona fide expert.

II. adverb

[chiefly Law] without intention to deceive

• the court will assume that they have acted bona fide.

– origin Latin, literally ‘with good faith’, ablative singular of bona fides.

bona fides /ˌbəʊnə ˈfʌɪdiːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a person's honesty and sincerity of intention

• he went to great lengths to establish his liberal bona fides.

2. [treated as pl.] — ‹informal› documentary evidence showing that a person is what they claim to be; credentials.

• he set about checking Loretta's bona fides.

– origin Latin, literally ‘good faith’.

Bonaire /bɒˈnɛː/

a self-governing territory of the Netherlands, formerly one of the two principal islands of the Netherlands Antilles (the other was Curaçao); chief town, Kralendijk; pop. 12,877 (2009).

bonanza /bəˈnanzə/

I. noun

1. a situation which creates a sudden increase in wealth, good fortune, or profits

• a natural gas bonanza for Britain

• [as modifier] a bonanza year for the computer industry.

2. a large amount of something desirable

• the festive feature-film bonanza.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally US, especially with reference to success when mining): from Spanish, literally ‘fair weather, prosperity’, from Latin bonus ‘good’.

Bonaparte /ˈbəʊnəpɑːt, French bɔnapaʀt / Buonaparte

I. a Corsican family including the three French rulers named Napoleon.

II. derivatives

1. Bonapartism

noun

2. Bonapartist

noun, adjective

bon appétit /ˌbɒn apɛˈtiː, French bɔn apeti/

I. exclamation

used as a salutation to a person about to eat.

– origin French, literally ‘good appetite’.

bona vacantia /ˌbəʊnə vəˈkantɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] (in the UK) goods without an apparent owner, such as treasure trove or the estate of a person dying intestate and without heirs, to which the Crown may have right.

– origin Latin, ‘ownerless goods’.

Bonaventura, St /ˌbɒnəvɛnˈtjʊərə/

(1221–74), Franciscan theologian; born Giovanni di Fidanza; known as the Seraphic Doctor. He wrote the official biography of St Francis and had a lasting influence as a spiritual writer. Feast day, 15 (formerly 14) July.

bonbon /ˈbɒnbɒn/

I. noun

a piece of confectionery; a sweet.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, reduplication of bon ‘good’, from Latin bonus.

bonbonnière /ˌbɒnbɒnˈjɛː/

I. noun

a small ornamental box or lidded jar for confectionery.

– origin French.

bonce /bɒns/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person's head.

– origin mid 19th cent. (denoting a large marble): of unknown origin.

bond /bɒnd/

I. noun

1. a thing used to tie something or to fasten things together

• she brushed back a curl which had strayed from its bonds.

2. ( bonds) — ropes, chains, or other restraints used to hold someone prisoner.

• he stooped over the trussed man and tested his bonds.

3. a force or feeling that unites people; a shared emotion or interest

• there was a bond of understanding between them.

4. an agreement with legal force, in particular:

5. [Law] a deed by which a person is committed to make payment to another.

6. South African term for mortgage.

7. a certificate issued by a government or a public company promising to repay borrowed money at a fixed rate of interest at a specified time.

8. an insurance policy held by a company, which protects against losses resulting from circumstances such as bankruptcy.

9. (US) a sum of money paid as bail.

10. (also chemical bond) — a strong force of attraction holding atoms together in a molecule or crystal, resulting from the sharing or transfer of electrons.

• each carbon atom uses three electrons to form bonds with the adjacent atoms.

11. [with modifier] — [Building] a pattern in which bricks are laid in order to ensure the strength of the resulting structure.

• stretcher bond.

II. verb

1. join or be joined securely to something else, especially by means of an adhesive substance, heat, or pressure
[with obj.]

• press the material to bond the layers together

• [no obj.] this material will bond well to stainless steel rods

• (as adj. bonding) a bonding agent.

2. [no obj.] — establish a relationship or link with someone based on shared feelings, interests, or experiences

• the failure to properly bond with their children

• (as noun modifier bonding) the film has some great male bonding scenes.

3. join or be joined by a chemical bond.
[no obj.]

• neutral molecules bond to the central atom.

4. [with obj.] (usu. as adj. bonding) — lay (bricks) in an overlapping pattern so as to form a strong structure

• a bonding course.

5. (usu. as noun bonding) — place (dutiable goods) in bond.

• they want the introduction of bonding to guarantee that consignments will be properly handled.

III. phrases

in bond

(of dutiable goods) stored in a bonded warehouse until the importer pays the duty owing.

– origin Middle English: variant of band^1.

Bond, Edward

(b.1934), English dramatist. Many of his plays are marked by scenes of violence and cruelty. Notable works: Saved (1965) and Lear (1971).

Bond, James

a British secret agent in the spy novels of Ian Fleming, known also by his code name 007.

bondage /ˈbɒndɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being a slave

• the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt's bondage

• ‹figurative› the bondage of drug addiction.

2. sexual practice that involves the tying up or restraining of one partner.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Latin bondagium, from Middle English bond ‘serf’ (earlier ‘peasant, householder’), from Old Norse bóndi ‘tiller of the soil’, based on búa ‘dwell’; influenced in sense by bond.

bondager

noun

1. ‹historical› a person who performed services as a condition of feudal tenure.

2. ‹historical› (in southern Scotland and NE England) a female outworker supplied to a proprietor by a tenant.

bonded /ˈbɒndɪd/

adjective

1. (of a thing or things) joined securely to another or each other, especially by an adhesive, heat process, or pressure.

• a bonded carpet.

2. emotionally or psychologically linked

• a strongly bonded group of females.

3. held by a chemical bond

• bonded atoms.

4. (of a person or company) bound by a legal agreement, in particular:

5. (of a travel agent or tour operator) holding an insurance policy which protects travellers' holidays and money should the company go bankrupt.

• a fully bonded member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators.

6. (of a worker or workforce) obliged to work for a particular employer, typically in a condition close to slavery.

• it is estimated that there are now some 50 million bonded labourers.

7. (of dutiable goods) placed in bond.

bonded warehouse /ˌbɒndɪd ˈwɛːhaʊs/

noun

a customs-controlled warehouse for the retention of imported goods until the duty owed is paid.

bondholder /ˈbɒndhəʊldə/

noun

a person owning a bond or bonds issued by a government or a public company.

Bondi /ˈbɒndʌɪ/

I. a coastal resort in New South Wales, Australia, a suburb of Sydney. It is noted for its popular beach.

II. phrases

1. give someone Bondi

(Austral.) ‹informal› ‹dated› attack someone savagely

• Snowy got Maxie in a corner and began to give him Bondi.

[possibly from bondi ‘a heavy Aboriginal club’, though influenced by the form and pronunciation of the place name. Early evidence links the phrase to a violent riot at Bondi Beach in 1884.]

2. shoot through like a Bondi tram

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› depart or pass by hastily

• one man shot through like a Bondi tram and then a couple of others quickly followed suit.

bondieuserie /bɒnˈdjəːz(ə)ri, French bɔ̃djøzʀi/

I. noun

1. a church ornament or devotional object, especially one of little artistic merit.

2. [ mass noun] — bondieuseries considered collectively.

– origin 1940s: from French, from bon ‘good’ + Dieu ‘God’.

bond paper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. high-quality writing paper.

bondslave /ˈbɒndsleɪv/

noun

‹archaic› a slave or serf.

bondsman /ˈbɒn(d)zmən/

I. noun

1. a person who stands surety for a bond.

2. ‹archaic› a slave.

– origin early 18th cent.: sense 1 from bond + man; sense 2 is a variant of Middle English bondman, from obsolete bond ‘serf’ (see also bondage).

bondstone /ˈbɒndˌstəʊn/

noun

a stone or brick running through a wall to bind or strengthen it.

bone /bəʊn/

I. noun

1.
a. any of the pieces of hard whitish tissue making up the skeleton in humans and other vertebrates

• his injuries included many broken bones

• a shoulder bone.

b. ( one's bones) — one's body

• he hauled his tired bones upright.

c. ( bones) — a corpse or skeleton.

• the diggers turned up the bones of a fifteen-year-old girl.

d. a bone of an animal with meat on it fed to a dog.

• dogs yelping over a bone.

The substance of bones is formed by specialized cells (osteoblasts) which secrete around themselves a material containing calcium salts (which provide hardness and strength in compression) and collagen fibres (which provide tensile strength).

2. [ mass noun] — the calcified material of which bones consist

• an earring of bone.

3. a substance similar to bone, such as ivory or whalebone.

4. (often bones) — a thing made or formerly made of bone, such as a strip of stiffening for a foundation garment.

5. (usu. bones) — (in southern Africa) one of a set of carved dice or bones used by traditional healers in divination.

6. ( bones) — the basic or essential framework of something

• you need to put some flesh on the bones of your idea.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — remove the bones from (meat or fish) before cooking, serving, or selling.

• ask your butcher to bone the turkey for you.

2. [no obj.] ( bone up on) — ‹informal› study (a subject) intensively, typically in preparation for something

• she boned up on languages she had learned long ago.

3. [with obj.] — (US) ‹vulgar slang› (of a man) have sexual intercourse with (someone).

III. phrases

1. bone of contention

a subject or issue over which there is continuing disagreement

• the examination system has long been a serious bone of contention.

2. close to (or near) the bone

a. (of a remark) penetrating and accurate to the point of causing discomfort.

• the headmaster was getting a little too close to the bone for my liking.

b. (of a joke or story) likely to cause offence because near the limit of decency.

3. cut (or pare) something to the bone

reduce something to the bare minimum

• costs will have to be cut to the bone.

4. have a bone to pick with someone

‹informal› have reason to disagree or be annoyed with someone.

• she has a bone to pick with the council.

5. in one's bones

felt, understood, or believed very deeply or instinctively.

• something good was bound to happen; he could feel it in his bones.

6. make no bones about

have no hesitation in stating or dealing with (something), however unpleasant or awkward it is

• he makes no bones about his feelings towards the militants.

7. make old bones

[with negative] — reach an advanced age

• he knew he would never make old bones.

8. not have a —— bone in one's body

have not the slightest trace of the specified quality

• she hasn't got a sympathetic bone in her body.

9. off (or on) the bone

(of meat or fish) having had the bone or bones removed (or left in) before being cooked, served, or sold.

• they supply hams in the traditional way, on the bone.

10. point the bone at ‹Austral.›

a. (of an Aborigine) cast a spell on (someone) so as to cause their sickness or death.

b. openly accuse or blame someone.
[from an Australian Aboriginal ritual, in which a bone is pointed at a victim.]

11. throw someone a bone

‹informal› do something to appease someone, typically by making a minor concession or helping them in a small way

• the finance minister also threw first-time buyers a bone.

12. to the bone

a. (of a wound) so deep as to expose a person's bone

• his thigh had been axed open to the bone

• ‹figurative› his contempt cut her to the bone.

b. (especially of cold) affecting a person in a penetrating way

• he was cold to the bone.

13. to one's bones (or to the bone)

used to emphasize the essential nature of a specified quality

• he's a cop to the bone.

14. what's bred in the bone will come out in the flesh (or blood)

‹proverb› a person's behaviour or characteristics are determined by their heredity.

15. work one's fingers to the bone

work very hard.

• Auntie can work her fingers to the bone, but it's Miss Green that gets the thanks.

– origin Old English bān, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch been and German Bein.

Bône /bəʊn/

former name for Annaba.

bone ash

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the mineral residue of calcined bones.

bone-breaking

adjective

1. (also bone-shaking) — (of a surface or journey) bumpy, rough, or involving many sudden jolts

• what passed for roads were now simply bone-breaking tracks

• a bone-shaking two-hour drive.

2. involving great physical force or violence

• a bone-breaking blow.

bone china

noun — [ mass noun]

1. white porcelain containing bone ash, made in Britain since about 1800.

boned /ˈbəʊnd/

adjective

1. (of meat or fish) having had the bones removed before being sold, cooked, or served.

• boned turkey with cranberry stuffing.

2. [in combination] — (of a person) having bones of the specified type

• she was fine-boned and boyishly slim.

3. (of a garment) stiffened with strips of plastic or whalebone to give shape to the wearer's figure or the garment.

• the dress has a boned bodice.

bone dry

adjective

completely or extremely dry.

• the springs failed this year, leaving the riverbed bone dry.

bonefish

noun

a silvery game fish of warm coastal waters. Also called ladyfish.
●Family Albulidae and genus Albula: several species, in particular A. vulpes.

bonehead /ˈbəʊnhɛd/

I. noun

‹informal› a stupid person.

II. derivatives

boneheaded /ˈbəʊnhɛdɪd /

adjective

bone idle bone lazy

I. adjective

(Brit.) extremely idle or lazy.

– origin early 19th cent.: expressing idle through to the bone.

boneless /ˈbəʊnlɪs/

I. adjective

1. (of meat or fish) having had the bones removed before being sold, cooked, or served.

• boneless chicken breasts.

2. lacking physical or mental strength

• I think her Harry's a boneless little drip.

II. derivatives

bonelessly

adverb

bonemeal /ˈbəʊnmiːl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. crushed or ground bones used as a fertilizer.

boner /ˈbəʊnə/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a stupid mistake.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› an erection of the penis.

3. (NZ) a low-grade farm animal, with meat only suitable for use in sausages or other processed products.

II. phrases

pull a boner

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› make a stupid mistake.

– origin early 20th cent.: from bone or (in sense 1) from bonehead, + -er^1.

boneset

noun

1. a North American plant of the daisy family, which bears clusters of small white flowers and is used in herbal medicine.
● Eupatorium perfoliatum, family Compositae.

2. (Brit.) the common comfrey, the ground-up root of which was formerly used as a ‘plaster’ to set broken bones.

bonesetter /ˈbəʊnˌsɛtə/

noun

‹historical› a person, usually not formally qualified, who set broken or dislocated bones.

boneshaker /ˈbəʊnʃeɪkə/

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› an old vehicle with poor suspension

• a boneshaker of a van.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› an early type of bicycle without rubber tyres.

bone spavin

noun

osteoarthritis of the hock in horses, which may cause swelling and lameness.

bone-tired bone-weary

adjective

extremely tired.

boneyard /ˈbəʊnjɑːd/

noun

‹informal› a cemetery.

• it was a seventeenth-century boneyard, the oldest in the city.

• ‹figurative› his plate was a boneyard of sandwich crusts.

bonfire /ˈbɒnfʌɪə/

I. noun

a large open-air fire used for burning rubbish or as part of a celebration.

• the smell of burning leaves from a garden bonfire.

• ‹figurative› yet again, events had made a bonfire of her plans.

– origin late Middle English: from bone + fire. The term originally denoted a large open-air fire on which bones were burnt (sometimes as part of a celebration), also one for burning heretics or proscribed literature. Dr Johnson accepted the mistaken idea that the word came from French bon ‘good’.

Bonfire Night

noun

(in the UK) 5 November, on which bonfires and fireworks are lit in memory of the Gunpowder Plot, traditionally including the burning of an effigy of Guy Fawkes.

bong^1 /bɒŋ/

I. noun

a low-pitched, resonant sound of the kind made by a large bell.

• the clock had struck the hour and it was only three bongs.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (especially of a bell) emit a low-pitched, resonant sound.

– origin 1920s (originally US): imitative.

bong^2 /bɒŋ/

I. noun

a water pipe used for smoking cannabis or other drugs.

– origin 1970s: from Thai baung, literally ‘cylindrical wooden tube’.

bong^3 /bɒŋ/

I. noun

[Climbing] a large piton.

– origin 1960s: probably imitative.

bongo^1 /ˈbɒŋɡəʊ/

I. noun

each of a joined pair of small deep-bodied drums, typically held between the knees and played with the fingers.

– origin 1920s: from Latin American Spanish bongó.

bongo^2 /ˈbɒŋɡəʊ/

I. noun

a forest antelope that has a chestnut coat with narrow white vertical stripes, native to central Africa.
● Tragelaphus euryceros, family Bovidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Kikongo.

bonham /ˈbɒnəm/

I. noun

(Irish) a piglet.

– origin late 19th cent.: dialect variant of Irish banbh ‘pig’.

bonheur du jour /bɒˌnəː d(j)uː ˈʒʊə/

I. noun

a small writing table, usually fitted to hold toiletries, popular in 18th-century France.

– origin French, literally ‘happiness of the day’.

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich /ˈbɒnhəːfə, German ˈbɔnhøfɐ/

(1906–45), German Lutheran theologian and pastor. He was an active opponent of Nazism and was involved in the German resistance movement. Arrested in 1943, he was sent to Buchenwald concentration camp and later executed.

bonhomie /ˈbɒnəmiː, ˌbɒnəˈmiː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cheerful friendliness; geniality

• he exuded good humour and bonhomie.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from bonhomme ‘good fellow’.

bonhomous /ˈbɒnəməs/

I. adjective

friendly and cheerful

• a delightful evening full of bonhomous wit and lively political debate.

– origin early 20th cent.: from bonhomie and -ous.

boniato /ˌbɒnɪˈɑːtəʊ/

I. noun

a variety of sweet potato with white flesh.

– origin Spanish.

Boniface, St /ˈbɒnɪfeɪs/

(680–754), Anglo-Saxon missionary; born Wynfrith; known as the Apostle of Germany. He was sent to Frisia and Germany to spread the Christian faith and was appointed Primate of Germany in 732; he was martyred in Frisia. Feast day, 5 June.

Bonington, Chris /ˈbɒnɪŋtən/

(b.1934), English mountaineer; full name Christian John Storey Bonington. He made the first British ascent of the north face of the Eiger in 1962 and led expeditions to Mount Everest in 1975 and 1985 (when he reached the summit).

bonito /bəˈniːtəʊ/

I. noun

1. a small tuna with dark oblique stripes on the back, important as a food and game fish.
● Sarda and related genera, family Scombridae: several species.

2. another term for skipjack (sense 1).

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish.

bonk /bɒŋk / ‹informal› ‹N. Amer.› boink

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — hit (someone or something)

• he bonked his head on the plane's low bulkhead.

2. [no obj.] — (Brit.) have sexual intercourse.

• the young couple bonking upstairs.

• [with obj.] Juan was forcibly ejected for bonking his host's wife at a party.

3. [no obj.] — (of a cyclist or runner) reach a point of exhaustion that makes it impossible to go further.

• I bonked and couldn't pedal another stroke.

II. noun

1. an act or the sound of hitting someone or something

• give it a bonk with a hammer.

2. (Brit.) an act of sexual intercourse.

3. ( the bonk) — a level of exhaustion that makes a cyclist or runner unable to go further.

• we had the bonk when we were saddle sore.

– origin 1930s: imitative.

bonkbuster /ˈbɒŋkbʌstə/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a type of popular novel characterized by frequent explicit sexual encounters.

– origin 1980s: from bonk, on the pattern of blockbuster.

bonkers /ˈbɒŋkəz/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) mad; crazy

• you're stark raving bonkers!

– origin 1940s: of unknown origin.

bon mot /bɒn ˈməʊ/

I. noun

a witty remark.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, literally ‘good word’.

Bonn

a city in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany; pop. 314,300 (est. 2006). From 1949 until the reunification of Germany in 1990 Bonn was the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Bonnard, Pierre /ˈbɒnɑː, French bɔnaʀ/

(1867–1947), French painter and graphic artist, a member of the Nabi Group. Notable for their rich, glowing colours, his works continue and develop the impressionist tradition; they mostly depict domestic interior scenes, nudes, and landscapes.

bonne /bɒn/

I. noun

‹dated› a nursemaid or housemaid, typically a French one.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, feminine of bon ‘good’.

bonne bouche /bɒn ˈbuːʃ, French bɔn buʃ/

I. noun

an appetizing item of food, especially something sweet eaten at the end of a meal.

• bonnes bouches such as Italian almond biscuits and chocolate-covered figs.

– origin French, literally ‘a good taste in the mouth’, from bonne, feminine of bon ‘good’, and bouche ‘mouth’.

bonne femme /bɒn ˈfam/

I. adjective — [ postpositive]

1. (of fish dishes, stews, and soups) cooked in a simple way

• sole bonne femme.

– origin French, from the phrase à la bonne femme ‘in the manner of a good housewife’.

bonnet /ˈbɒnɪt/

I. noun

1. a woman's or child's hat tied under the chin and with a brim framing the face.

2. a soft, round brimless hat like a beret, as worn by men and boys in Scotland.

3. [Heraldry] the velvet cap within a coronet.

4. (also war bonnet) — the ceremonial feathered headdress of an American Indian.

5. (Brit.) the hinged metal canopy covering the engine of a motor vehicle.

6. a cowl on a chimney.

7. [Sailing] ‹historical› an additional canvas laced to the foot of a sail to catch more wind.

II. derivatives

bonneted

adjective

– origin late Middle English (denoting a soft brimless hat for men): from Old French bonet, from medieval Latin abonnis ‘headgear’. Sense 1 dates from the late 15th cent.

bonnethead bonnethead shark

noun

a small hammerhead shark with a relatively narrow rounded head, found in American waters. Also called shovelhead.
● Sphyrna tiburo, family Sphyrnidae.

bonnet macaque bonnet monkey

noun

a South Indian macaque with a bonnet-like tuft of hair on the head.
● Macaca radiata, family Cercopithecidae.

bonnetmouth

noun

a small, slender shoaling fish with an extensible mouth and a long spiny dorsal fin, occurring in the tropical western Atlantic.
● Inermia vittata, family Emmelichthyidae.

Bonney, William H.

(1859–81), American outlaw; born Henry McCarty; known as Billy the Kid. A notorious robber and murderer, he was captured by Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1880, and was shot by Garrett after he escaped.

bonny /ˈbɒni / bonnie

I. adjective

1. (chiefly Scottish) (N. English) attractive or beautiful

• a bonny lass.

2. (chiefly Scottish) (N. English) (of a baby) plump and healthy-looking.

3. (chiefly Scottish) (N. English) sizeable (usually expressing approval)

• it's worth a thousand pounds, a bonny sum.

II. noun — ( my bonny)

1. ‹literary› used as a form of address for one's beloved or baby.

III. derivatives

1. bonnily

adverb

2. bonniness

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: perhaps related to Old French bon ‘good’.

bonny clabber

I. noun

another term for clabber.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Irish bainne clabair, denoting thick milk for churning.

bonobo /ˈbɒnəbəʊ/

I. noun

a chimpanzee with a black face and black hair, found in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire). It is believed to be the closest living relative of humans. Also called pygmy chimpanzee.
● Pan paniscus, family Pongidae.

– origin 1950s: a local word.

bonsai /ˈbɒnsʌɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art of growing ornamental, artificially dwarfed varieties of trees and shrubs in pots.

2. (also bonsai tree) ( pl. same) [ count noun] — an ornamental tree or shrub grown using the art of bonsai.

– origin 1950s: from Japanese, from bon ‘tray’ + sai ‘planting’.

bonsella /bɒnˈsɛlə / bonsela

I. noun

(S. African) a tip or bonus.

– origin from Zulu bansela ‘express thanks with a gift’, or from umbanselo ‘small gift’.

bonspiel /ˈbɒnspiːl/

I. noun

a curling tournament.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally Scots): probably of Low German origin.

bontebok /ˈbɒntəbɒk/

I. noun

an antelope with a mainly reddish-brown coat and white face, found in eastern South Africa. It belongs to the same species as the blesbok.
● Damaliscus dorcas dorcas, family Bovidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Afrikaans, from Dutch bont ‘pied’ + bok ‘buck’.

bonus /ˈbəʊnəs/

I. noun

1. a sum of money added to a person's wages as a reward for good performance

• big Christmas bonuses.

2. (Brit.) an extra dividend or issue paid to the shareholders of a company.

3. (Brit.) a distribution of profits to holders of an insurance policy.

4. an extra and unexpected advantage

• good weather is an added bonus but the real appeal is the landscape.

– origin late 18th cent. (probably originally Stock Exchange slang): from Latin bonus (masculine) ‘good’, used in place of bonum (neuter) ‘good, good thing’.

bonus issue

noun

(Brit.) an issue of additional shares to shareholders instead of a dividend, in proportion to the shares already held.

bon vivant /bɒ̃ viːˈvɒ̃ French bɔ̃ vivɑ̃//

I. noun

a person who devotes themselves to a sociable and luxurious lifestyle.

• he was a diplomat, bon vivant, and womanizer par excellence.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, literally ‘person living well’, from bon ‘good’ and vivre ‘to live’.

bon viveur /bɒ̃ viːˈvəː/

I. noun

another term for bon vivant.

– origin mid 19th cent.: pseudo-French, from French bon ‘good’ and viveur ‘a living person’, on the pattern of bon vivant.

bon voyage /ˌbɒn vɔɪˈjɑːʒ French bɔn vwajaʒ//

I. exclamation

used to express good wishes to someone about to set off on a journey.

• good luck and bon voyage!

• they had come to wish her bon voyage.

– origin late 17th cent.: French, literally ‘good journey’.

bonxie /ˈbɒŋksi/

I. noun

(Scottish) the great skua (seabird).

– origin late 18th cent.: from Norwegian bunksi, from bunke ‘dumpy body’.

bony /ˈbəʊni/

I. adjective

1. of or like bone

• the bony plates that protect turtles and tortoises.

2. (of a fish eaten as food) having many bones.

3. (of a person or part of the body) so thin that the bones can be seen

• he held up his bony fingers.

II. derivatives

boniness

noun

bony fish

noun

a fish of a large class distinguished by a skeleton of bone, and comprising the majority of modern fishes. Compare with cartilaginous fish.
●Class Osteichthyes: two or three subclasses.

bonze /bɒnz/

I. noun

a Japanese or Chinese Buddhist religious teacher.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably from Japanese bonzō, bonsō ‘priest’.

bonzer /ˈbɒnzə / bonza

I. adjective

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› excellent; first-rate.

– origin early 20th cent.: perhaps an alteration of bonanza.

boo^1 /buː/

I. exclamation

1. said suddenly to surprise someone who is unaware of one's presence.

• ‘Boo!’ she cried, jumping up to frighten him.

[probably an alteration of earlier bo, used in the same way since late Middle English.]

2. said to show disapproval or contempt

• ‘There's only one bar.’ ‘Boo!’.

II. noun

an utterance of ‘boo’ to show disapproval of a speaker or performer

• the audience greeted this comment with boos and hisses.

III. verb

say ‘boo’ to show disapproval of a speaker or performer
[no obj.]

• they booed and hissed when he stepped on stage

• [with obj.] the team were booed off the pitch.

IV. phrases

wouldn't say boo to a goose

used to emphasize that someone is very timid.

• he seemed the kind of chap who wouldn't say boo to a goose.

– origin early 19th cent. (in sense 2 of the exclamation): imitative of the lowing of oxen.

boo^2 /buː/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a person's boyfriend or girlfriend.

– origin 1980s: origin uncertain; probably an alteration of French beau ‘boyfriend, male admirer’.

booay /ˈbuːʌɪ / booai, boohai

I. noun — ( the booay)

1. (NZ) remote rural districts.

II. phrases

up the booay

completely wrong or astray.

– origin perhaps from the place name Puhoi in North Auckland, New Zealand.

boob^1 /buːb / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. (Brit.) an embarrassing mistake.

• the boob was spotted by a security expert at the show.

2. (N. Amer.) a foolish or stupid person.

• why was that boob given a key investigation?

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) make an embarrassing mistake.

• police realized they had boobed.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation of booby^1.

boob^2 /buːb/

I. noun — (usu. boobs)

1. ‹informal› a woman's breast.

– origin 1950s (originally US): abbreviation of booby^2, from dialect bubby, of uncertain origin; perhaps related to German dialect Bübbi ‘teat’.

boobhead /ˈbuːbhɛd/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a prisoner, especially one who has served many terms

• this boobhead had notched up a few receiving charges.

– origin 1940s: from boob^1 + -head^2.

booboisie /ˌbuːbwɑːˈziː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) ‹informal› stupid people regarded as a social class.

– origin 1920s: from boob^1, humorous formation on the pattern of bourgeoisie.

boo-boo /ˈbuːbuː/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a mistake.

• I get the impression I just made a boo-boo.

2. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) a minor injury.

– origin 1950s (originally US): reduplication of boob^1.

boobook /ˈbuːbʊk/

I. noun

a small Australasian owl which has a characteristic double hoot reminiscent of the call of the European cuckoo. Also called mopoke or morepork.
●Genus Ninox, family Strigidae: two species, especially the common N. novaeseelandiae.

– origin early 19th cent.: imitative of its call.

boob tube

noun

1. ‹informal› (Brit.) a woman's tight-fitting strapless top made of stretchy material.

2. (usu. the boob tube) — ‹informal› (N. Amer.) television or a television set

• librarians are scrambling for ways to compete with the boob tube.

booby^1 /ˈbuːbi/

I. noun

1. a stupid person.

2. a large tropical seabird of the gannet family, with brown, black, or white plumage and brightly coloured feet.
●Genus Sula, family Sulidae: several species.

– origin early 17th cent.: probably from Spanish bobo (in both senses), from Latin balbus ‘stammering’.

booby^2 /ˈbuːbi/

I. noun

‹informal› a woman's breast.

– origin 1930s: alteration of dialect bubby (see boob^2).

booby hatch

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a psychiatric hospital.

booby prize

noun

a prize given as a joke to the person who is last in a race or competition.

booby trap /ˈbuːbi trap/

I. noun

1. an apparently harmless object containing a concealed explosive device designed to detonate when someone touches it.

2. a trap intended as a practical joke, especially one involving an object placed on top of a door ajar ready to fall on a person passing through.

II. verb

( booby-trap) [with obj.] — place a booby trap in or on (an object or area)
(as adj. booby-trapped)

• a booby-trapped parcel.

boodie /ˈbuːdi/

I. noun

a burrowing rat-kangaroo found only on islands off Western Australia.
● Bettongia lesueur, family Potoroidae. Also called burrowing bettong.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Nyungar burdi.

boodle /ˈbuːd(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› money, especially that gained or spent illegally or improperly.

• he spent $30 million of his own boodle trying to buy a Senate seat.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a pack or crowd): from Dutch boedel, boel ‘possessions, disorderly mass’. Compare with caboodle.

boofhead

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a fool.

– origin 1940s: probably from bufflehead ‘simpleton’, based on obsolete buffle ‘buffalo’.

boofy^1

I. adjective

(Austral.) ‹informal› (of a man) unreflective and physically well built or strong, in a way perceived as typically male

• he was just a big, boofy bloke with a wide, cocksure grin.

– origin 1970s: from boofhead + -y^1.

boofy^2

adjective

Australian spelling of bouffy.

boogaloo /ˌbuːɡəˈluː / ‹US›

I. noun

a dance to rock-and-roll music performed with swivelling and shuffling movements of the body, originally popular in the 1960s.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. perform the boogaloo

• nearly 2,000 people pressed in behind them to boogaloo along Pennsylvania Avenue.

– origin 1960s: perhaps an alteration of boogie-woogie.

booger /ˈbʊɡə, ˈbuːɡə/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a piece of nasal mucus.

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps an alteration of bugger or bogey^2.

boogie /ˈbuːɡi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of blues played on the piano with a strong, fast beat.

• the strident boogie of the title track.

• [ count noun] the pianist cruises through old-fashioned boogies.

2. [ count noun] — ‹informal› a dance to pop or rock music.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› dance to pop or rock music

• Pat went off to boogie to a steel band.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — ‹informal› (N. Amer.) move or leave somewhere fast

• I think we'd better boogie on out of here.

– origin early 20th cent. (originally US in the sense ‘party’): of unknown origin.

boogie board

I. noun

a short, light type of surfboard ridden in a prone position.

II. derivatives

boogie-boarder

noun

boohoo /buːˈhuː/

I. exclamation

used to represent the sound of someone crying noisily.

• ‘boohoo, nobody loves me!’.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. cry noisily.

• I managed not to boohoo, even when they crowded around my chair.

– origin mid 19th cent.: imitative.

boojum /ˈbuːdʒəm/

I. noun

an imaginary dangerous animal.

– origin 1876: nonsense word coined by Lewis Carroll in The Hunting of the Snark.

book /bʊk/

I. noun

1. a written or printed work consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers

• a book of selected poems.

2. a literary composition that is published or intended for publication as a book

• he's writing a book about his experiences.

3. a main division of a literary work or of the Bible

• the Book of Genesis.

4. (also book of words) — the libretto of a musical or opera, or the script of a play.

5. ( one's books) — used to refer to studying

• he was so deep in his books he would forget to eat.

6. ( the book) — the telephone directory for the area in which someone lives

• is your name in the book?

7. ‹informal› a magazine.
[with modifier]

• comic books.

8. an imaginary record or list (often used to emphasize the comprehensiveness of someone's actions or experience)

• she felt every emotion in the book of love.

9. [with modifier] — a bound set of blank sheets for writing in

• an accounts book.

10. ( books) — a set of records or accounts

• a bid to balance the books.

11. a bookmaker's record of bets accepted and money paid out.

12. [Soccer] the notebook in which a referee writes the names of players who are cautioned for foul play.

• his name went into the book for a foul on Smyth.

13. a set of tickets, stamps, matches, samples of cloth, etc., bound together

• a pattern book.

14. ( the book) — the first six tricks taken by the declarer in a hand of bridge, after which further tricks count towards fulfilling the contract.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. reserve (accommodation, a place, etc.); buy (a ticket) in advance

• I have booked a table at the Swan

• [no obj.] book early to avoid disappointment.

2. reserve accommodation for (someone)

• his secretary had booked him into the Howard Hotel

• [with two objs] book me a single room at my usual hotel.

3. [no obj.] ( book in/into) — register one's arrival at a hotel.

• he booked in at a hotel.

4. engage (a performer or guest) for an event.

• the promoter booked him for another appearance.

5. ( be booked up) — have all places reserved; be full.

• at weekends we're usually booked up.

6. make an official note of the personal details of (a person who has broken a law or rule)

• the cop booked me and took me down to the station.

7. [Soccer] (of a referee) note down the name of (a player) who is cautioned for foul play.

• McMahon was booked for a foul.

8. [no obj.] — (US) ‹informal› leave suddenly

• they just ate your pizza and drank your soda and booked.

9. move quickly; hurry

• my sister and I booked to the playground

• I didn't hear the verdict because I had to book it to work.

III. phrases

1. bring someone to book

(chiefly Brit.) officially punish someone or call them to account for their behaviour.

• the murderer will be found and brought to book.

2. by the book

strictly according to the rules

• a cop who doesn't exactly play it by the book.

3. close the books

make no further entries at the end of an accounting period; cease trading.

• branches will be asked to close their books at the end of December.

4. in someone's bad (or good) books

in disfavour (or favour) with someone.

• you could say he is in my bad books.

5. in my book

in my opinion

• that counts as a lie in my book.

6. make (or open) a book ‹US› make book

take bets and pay out winnings on the outcome of a race or other contest or event.

• the bookies opened a book on his successor.

7. on the books

contained in a list of members, employees, or clients.

• the club have six top foreign players on their books.

8. People of the Book

Jews and Christians as regarded by Muslims.

9. suit someone's book

(Brit.) be convenient for someone.

• it didn't suit her book at all to be moved.

10. take a leaf out of someone's book

imitate or emulate someone in a particular way.

• worm-watchers should take a leaf out of Darwin's fieldcraft book and sit still to observe the action.

11. throw the book at

‹informal› charge or punish (someone) as severely as possible.

• get this lot down to the station and throw the book at them.

12. write the book

used in reference to particular expertise or proficiency in a subject, area of activity, etc.

• they actually care about the product they are making and they wrote the book on customer service

• he pretty much writes the book on how to be perfect in the media.

13. you can't judge a book by its cover

‹proverb› outward appearances are not a reliable indication of the true character of someone or something.

– origin Old English bōc (originally also ‘a document or charter’), bōcian ‘to grant by charter’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boek and German Buch, and probably to beech (on which runes were carved).

bookable /ˈbʊkəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. able to be reserved

• tickets are bookable in advance.

2. [Soccer] (of an offence) serious enough for the offending player to be cautioned by the referee.

• he was sent off for a second bookable offence.

book bag

noun

a bag of a type used to carry books

• more than 350 children were given free school supplies and book bags.

bookbinder /ˈbʊkbʌɪndə/

I. noun

a person who binds books as a profession.

II. derivatives

bookbinding /ˈbʊkˌbʌɪndɪŋ /

noun

bookcase /ˈbʊkkeɪs/

noun

an open cabinet containing shelves on which to keep books.

book club

noun

1. another term for book group.

• I chose this novel for our book club but was a little disappointed in it.

2. an organization which sells selected books to members or subscribers, typically at reduced prices.

bookend /ˈbʊkɛnd/

I. noun

a support placed at the end of a row of books to keep them upright, typically forming one of a pair.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› be positioned at the end or on either side of (something)

• the narrative is bookended by a pair of incisive essays.

booker /ˈbʊkə/

noun

a person employed to engage performers for a theatre or similar.

• the club's talent bookers.

Booker Prize /ˈbʊkə/

a literary prize awarded annually for a novel published by a British, Irish, or Commonwealth citizen during the previous year, formerly sponsored by Booker plc and since 2002 by Man Group plc. Full name Man Booker Prize.

book group

noun

a group of people who meet regularly to discuss books that all members of the group have read.

book hand

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a formal style of handwriting as used by professional copiers of books before the invention of printing.

bookie /ˈbʊki/

noun

‹informal› a bookmaker.

booking /ˈbʊkɪŋ/

noun

1. an act of reserving accommodation, a ticket, etc. in advance

• the hotel does not handle group bookings

• [ mass noun] early booking is essential.

2. [Soccer] an instance of a player being cautioned by the referee for foul play.

• it was a rough match with five bookings.

booking clerk

noun

(Brit.) an official selling tickets, especially at a railway station.

booking hall

noun

(Brit.) a room or area at a railway station in which tickets are sold.

booking office

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a place where tickets are sold, especially at a railway station or theatre.

bookish /ˈbʊkɪʃ/

I. adjective

1. (of a person or way of life) devoted to reading and studying.

• a bookish, untidy boy.

• the war proved the deepest trauma of a largely bookish life.

2. (of language or writing) literary in style or allusion.

• his Welsh was rather bookish.

II. derivatives

1. bookishly

adverb

2. bookishness /ˈbʊkɪʃnəs /

noun

bookkeeper /ˈbʊkkiːpə/

noun

a person whose job is to keep records of the financial affairs of a business

• the business had grown enough to justify hiring a bookkeeper.

bookkeeping /ˈbʊkkiːpɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity or occupation of keeping records of the financial affairs of a business.

• I got in a financial muddle because I didn't keep my bookkeeping up to date.

bookland

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹historical› an area of common land granted by charter to a private owner before the Norman conquest.

– origin Old English, from bóc ‘charter’ + land. The term was applied eventually to all land that was not folcland, i.e. land subject to traditional communal obligations.

book learning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. knowledge gained from books or study rather than personal experience.

• he is short on book learning but long on integrity and know-how.

booklet /ˈbʊklɪt/

noun

a small, thin book with paper covers, typically giving information on a particular subject.

booklouse /ˈbʊklaʊs/

noun

a minute insect that typically has reduced or absent wings, frequently found in buildings where it may cause damage to books and paper.
● Liposcelidae and related families in the order Psocoptera: many species, in particular the common Liposcelis bostrychophilus.

book-loving

adjective

fond of reading books

• a book-loving boy who hoped to become a lawyer.

book lung

noun

[Zoology] (in a spider or other arachnid) each of a pair of respiratory organs composed of many fine lamellae. They are situated in the abdomen and have openings on the underside.

bookmaker /ˈbʊkmeɪkə/

I. noun

a person whose job is to take bets (especially on horse races), calculate odds, and pay out winnings; the manager of a betting shop.

II. derivatives

bookmaking /ˈbʊkˌmeɪkɪŋ /

noun

bookman /ˈbʊkmən/

noun

‹archaic› a literary man.

bookmark /ˈbʊkmɑːk/

I. noun

1. a strip of leather, card, or other material, used to mark one's place in a book.

2. a record of the address of a website, file, or other data made to enable quick access in future.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. record the address of (a website, file, etc.) to enable quick access in future

• fans will want to bookmark this site.

bookmarklet

noun

[Computing] a small software application stored as a bookmark in a web browser, which typically allows a user to interact with the currently loaded web page in some way.

• a JavaScript bookmarklet designed to help uncover clickjacking sites.

bookmobile /ˈbʊkməˌbiːl/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a mobile library.

– origin 1930s: from book, on the pattern of automobile.

Book of Changes

noun

English name for I Ching.

Book of Common Prayer

noun

the official service book of the Church of England, compiled by Thomas Cranmer and others, first issued in 1549, and largely unchanged since the revision of 1662.
See also Alternative Service Book.

book of hours

noun

a book of prayers appointed for particular canonical hours or times of day, used by Roman Catholics for private devotions and popular especially in the Middle Ages, when they were often richly illuminated.

Book of the Dead

noun

1. a collection of ancient Egyptian religious and magical texts, selections from which were often written on or placed in tombs.

2. (in full Tibetan Book of the Dead) — a Tibetan Buddhist text recited during funerary rites, describing the passage from death to rebirth.

bookplate /ˈbʊkpleɪt/

noun

a decorative label stuck in the front of a book, bearing the name of the book's owner.

bookrest /ˈbʊkrɛst/

noun

(Brit.) an adjustable support for an open book on a table.

bookseller /ˈbʊksɛlə/

I. noun

a person who sells books, especially as the owner or manager of a bookshop.

II. derivatives

bookselling /ˈbʊkˌsɛlɪŋ /

noun

bookshelf /ˈbʊkʃɛlf/

noun

a shelf on which books can be stored.

bookshop /ˈbʊkʃɒp / ‹US› bookstore

noun

a shop where books are sold.

bookstall /ˈbʊkstɔːl/

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a stand where books and sometimes newspapers are sold, especially out of doors or at a railway station.

booksy /ˈbʊksi/

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› having literary or bookish pretensions.

• our weekly journals are filled with book reviews or booksy gossip.

book-to-bill ratio

noun

[Economics] the ratio of new orders to completed sales in the semiconductor industry, regarded as an economic indicator for overall trends in the technology sector

• the company's book-to-bill ratio was below 1 in the quarter, indicating that it is seeing weak order patterns.

book token

noun

(Brit.) a voucher which can be exchanged for books costing up to a specified amount.

book value

noun

the value of a security or asset as entered in a firm's books.
Often contrasted with market value.

bookwork /ˈbʊkwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of keeping records of accounts.

• the bookwork has a tendency to pile up if I don't keep on top of it.

2. the studying of textbooks, as opposed to practical work.

• he concentrates mainly on the flying, but the heavy bookwork is in there too.

bookworm /ˈbʊkwəːm/

noun

1. ‹informal› a person who enjoys reading.

2. (especially formerly) the larva of a wood-boring beetle which feeds on the paper and glue in books.

Boole, George

(1815–64), English mathematician responsible for Boolean algebra. The study of mathematical or symbolic logic developed mainly from his ideas.

Boolean /ˈbuːlɪən/

I. adjective

denoting a system of algebraic notation used to represent logical propositions by means of the binary digits 0 (false) and 1 (true), especially in computing and electronics.

II. noun

[Computing] a binary variable that can have one of two possible values, 0 (false) or 1 (true).

boom^1 /buːm/

I. noun

1. a loud, deep, resonant sound

• the deep boom of the bass drum.

2. the characteristic resonant cry of the bittern.

• the boom of the bittern may be enjoyed in the country.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a loud, deep, resonant sound

• thunder boomed in the sky.

2. [with direct speech] — say in a loud, deep, resonant voice

• ‘Stop right there,’ boomed the Headmaster.

3. (of a bittern) utter its characteristic resonant cry.

• a dozen bitterns boom mysteriously from the reeds.

III. phrases

boom boom

(Brit.) ‹informal› an exclamation made after delivering the punchline of a joke.
[popularized by the fox puppet Basil Brush, a character in a British television comedy show.]

IV. derivatives

1. boominess

noun

2. boomy

adjective

– origin late Middle English (as a verb): ultimately imitative; perhaps from Dutch bommen ‘to hum, buzz’.

boom^2 /buːm/

I. noun

a period of great prosperity or rapid economic growth

• the London property boom.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. experience a period of great prosperity or rapid economic growth

• business is booming.

III. derivatives

1. boomlet

noun

2. boomy

adjective

– origin late 19th cent. (originally US): probably from boom^1.

boom^3 /buːm/

I. noun

1. a pivoted spar to which the foot of a vessel's sail is attached, allowing the angle of the sail to be changed.

2. [often as modifier] — a movable arm over a television or film set, carrying a microphone or camera

• a boom mike.

3. a floating beam used to contain oil spills or to form a barrier across the mouth of a harbour or river.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the general sense ‘beam, pole’): from Dutch, ‘beam, tree, pole’; related to beam.

boom and bust boom or bust

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a situation in which a period of great prosperity or rapid economic growth is abruptly followed by one of economic decline

• he has warned it is a return to boom and bust

• [as modifier] the boom and bust business cycle.

boom box

noun

‹informal› a large portable radio and cassette player capable of powerful sound.

boomburb

I. noun

(US) an outlying residential district of a city that is expanding rapidly

• a sprawling boomburb of nearly 800,000 people.

– origin early 21st cent.: from boom^2 + suburb.

boomer /ˈbuːmə/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› something large or notable of its kind, in particular:

2. ‹informal› (Austral.) a large male kangaroo.

3. ‹informal› a large wave.

4. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) short for baby boomer.

5. ‹informal› (US) a nuclear submarine with ballistic missiles.

– origin early 19th cent.: probably from the verb boom^1 + -er^1.

boomerang /ˈbuːməraŋ/

I. noun

a curved flat piece of wood that can be thrown so that it will return to the thrower, traditionally used by Australian Aborigines as a hunting weapon.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a plan or action) recoil on the originator

• misleading consumers about quality will eventually boomerang on a car-maker.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Dharuk.

booming /ˈbuːmɪŋ/

adjective

1. having a period of great prosperity or rapid economic growth

• the booming economy of the 1920s.

2. (of a sound or voice) loud, deep, and resonant.

• his booming voice.

• a booming laugh.

3. struck with great force

• a booming kick from the touchline.

boomslang

I. noun

a large, highly venomous southern African tree snake, the male of which is bright green and the female dull olive brown.
● Dispholidus typus, family Colubridae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Afrikaans, from Dutch boom ‘tree’ + slang ‘snake’.

boon /buːn/

I. noun

1. [usu. in sing.] — a thing that is helpful or beneficial

• the route will be a boon to many travellers.

2. ‹archaic› a favour or request.

– origin Middle English (originally in the sense ‘request for a favour’): from Old Norse bón.

boon companion /ˌbuːn kəmˈpanjən/

I. noun

a close friend with whom one enjoys spending time.

• Sid was a boon companion to women.

– origin mid 16th cent.: boon from Old French bon, from Latin bonus ‘good’. The early literal sense was ‘good fellow’, originally denoting a drinking companion.

boondie /ˈbuːndi/

I. noun

(Austral.) a stone

• loose boondies shifted under the wide-tyred wheels.

– origin 1930s: origin unknown; perhaps from a Western Australian Aboriginal language.

boondocks /ˈbuːndɒks/

I. plural noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› rough or isolated country

• this place is out in the boondocks, you'll never get here by bus.

– origin 1940s: boondock from Tagalog bundok ‘mountain’.

boondoggle /ˈbuːndɒɡ(ə)l / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. noun

an unnecessary, wasteful, or fraudulent project.

• he characterized the defense program as an unworkable boondoggle.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. spend money or time on unnecessary, wasteful, or fraudulent projects.

• the only guarantees are higher taxes and bureaucratic boondoggling.

– origin 1930s: of unknown origin.

Boone, Daniel

( c. 1734–1820), American pioneer. Boone made trips west from Pennsylvania into the unexplored area of Kentucky, organizing settlements and successfully defending them against hostile American Indians.

booner /ˈbuːnə/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› an uncouth or unsophisticated person, regarded as being of low social status

• the place is a magnet for sleazebags and booners of every description.

– origin 1980s: perhaps derived from boondocks.

boong /bʊŋ/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹offensive› an Aborigine.

– origin 1920s: origin uncertain.

boonies /ˈbuːnɪz/

plural noun

short for boondocks.

• one site is so far in the boonies we call it Nowhere.

boor /bɔː, bʊə/

I. noun

a rough and bad-mannered person.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘peasant’): from Low German būr or Dutch boer ‘farmer’.

boorish /ˈbɔːrɪʃ, ˈbʊərɪʃ/

I. adjective

rough and bad-mannered; coarse

• boorish behaviour.

II. derivatives

1. boorishly /ˈbɔːrɪʃli, ˈbʊərɪʃli /

adverb

2. boorishness /ˈbɔːrɪʃnəs, ˈbʊərɪʃnəs /

noun

boost /buːst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. help or encourage (something) to increase or improve

• a range of measures to boost tourism.

2. amplify (an electrical signal).

• the specially designed circuit boosts signal strength.

3. (N. Amer.) push from below.

• Andy boosted him up high enough to reach the keys.

4. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› steal (something)

• he'd had his wallet boosted in a bar.

II. noun

1. a source of help or encouragement leading to increase or improvement

• the cut in interest rates will give a further boost to the economy.

2. an increase or improvement

• a boost in exports.

3. (N. Amer.) a push from below.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally US, in sense 2 of the verb): of unknown origin.

booster /ˈbuːstə/

noun

1. a device for increasing electrical voltage or signal strength.

2. the first stage of a rocket or spacecraft, used to give initial acceleration and then jettisoned.

3. [Medicine] a dose of a vaccine that increases or renews the effect of an earlier one.

• boosters at five-year intervals are recommended.

• [as modifier] a booster injection.

4. [in combination] — a source of help or encouragement

• job fairs are a great morale booster.

5. (N. Amer.) a keen promoter of a person, organization, or cause.

6. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a shoplifter.

boosterism /ˈbuːstəˌrɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) the keen promotion of a person, organization, or cause.

• it would be easy to dismiss such hyperbole as blatant boosterism.

II. derivatives

boosterish

adjective

booster seat booster cushion

noun

an extra seat or cushion placed on an existing seat for a small child to sit on.

boot^1 /buːt/

I. noun

1. a sturdy item of footwear covering the foot and ankle, and sometimes also the lower leg

• a pair of walking boots.

2. a covering to protect the lower part of a horse's leg.

3. ‹historical› an instrument of torture encasing and crushing the foot.

4. (US) short for Denver boot.

5. ‹informal› a hard kick

• he got a boot in the stomach.

6. (Brit.) an enclosed space at the back of a car for carrying luggage or other goods.

7. (also boot-up) [usu. as modifier] — the process of starting a computer and putting it into a state of readiness for operation

• a boot disk.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — kick (something) hard in a specified direction

• he ended up booting the ball into the stand.

2. ( boot someone off) — ‹informal› force someone to leave a vehicle unceremoniously

• a guard booted two children off a train.

3. ( boot someone out) — ‹informal› force someone to leave a place or job unceremoniously

• she had been booted out of school.

4. start (a computer) and put it into a state of readiness for operation

• the menu will be ready as soon as you boot up your computer

• [no obj.] the system won't boot from the original drive.

[from bootstrap (sense 2 of the noun).]

5. (US) place a wheel clamp on (an illegally parked car).

• once a car is booted, the owner must pay all fines plus a fee to have the boot removed.

III. phrases

1. the boot ( ‹or N. Amer.› shoe) is on the other foot

the situation, in particular the holding of advantage, has reversed.

• the reorganization means the boot is now on the other foot.

2. boots and all

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› with no holds barred; wholeheartedly

• Canberra's cabbies go in boots and all for a fair deal.

3. boots on the ground

‹informal› ground troops who are on active service in a military operation

• they could have gone to their allies and got more boots on the ground

• while he backs high-tech warfare, he also sees boots on the ground as essential.

4. die with one's boots on

die in battle or while actively occupied.

• Bill had died with his boots on, caught by suction in a waste pipe.

5. get the boot

‹informal› be dismissed from one's job.

6. give someone the boot

‹informal› dismiss someone from their job.

• the chairman denied he had been given the boot.

7. old boot

‹informal› an ugly or disliked old woman.

8. put the boot in (or into someone) ‹Brit. informal›

a. kick someone hard when they are on the ground.

• they crash his bulk to the floor and put the boot in.

b. treat someone vulnerable in a cruel way.

• the move was just another way of putting the boot in.

9. with one's heart in one's boots

in a state of great depression or trepidation.

• I had to follow her with my heart in my boots.

10. you (can) bet your boots

‹informal› used to express absolute certainty

• you can bet your boots that the patrol has raised the alarm.

IV. derivatives

booted /ˈbuːtɪd /

adjective

boot 1 (sense 1 of the noun, sense 3 of the noun)

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse bóti or its source, Old French bote, of unknown ultimate origin.

boot^2 /buːt/

I. noun — (in phrase to boot)

1. as well; in addition

• she was a woman of uninspiring appearance and a dreadful bore to boot.

– origin Old English bōt ‘advantage, remedy’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boete and German Busse ‘penance, fine’, also to better^1 and best.

bootable /ˈbuːtəb(ə)l/

adjective

(of a disk) containing the software required to boot a computer.

bootblack /ˈbuːtblak/

noun

‹chiefly historical› a person employed to polish boots and shoes.

bootboy

noun

1. ‹informal› a rowdy or violent youth typically having close-cropped hair and wearing heavy boots.

• not all skinheads are fascist bootboys.

2. ‹historical› a boy employed to clean boots and shoes.

boot camp

noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a military training camp for new recruits, with very harsh discipline.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a prison for young offenders, run on military lines.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) a short, intensive, and rigorous course of training

• a gruelling, late-summer boot camp for would-be football players.

boot-cut

adjective

(of jeans or other trousers) flared very slightly below the knee, so as to be worn comfortably over boots.

bootee /buːˈtiː / bootie

I. noun

1. a baby's soft woollen shoe.

2. a woman's short boot.

3. a protective shoe or lining for a shoe.

– origin late 18th cent.: from boot^1 + -ee.

Boötes /bəʊˈəʊtiːz / ‹Astronomy›

I. a northern constellation (the Herdsman), said to represent a man holding the leash of two dogs (Canes Venatici) while driving a bear (Ursa Major). It contains the bright star Arcturus.

II. (as genitive Boötis) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Gamma Boötis.

– origin Greek.

boot-faced

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› having a grim or scowling expression

• a boot-faced police sergeant.

booth /buːð, buːθ/

I. noun

1. a small temporary tent or structure at a market, fair, or exhibition, used for selling goods, providing information, or staging shows.

2. an enclosed compartment that allows privacy, for example when telephoning, voting, or sitting in a restaurant.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘temporary dwelling or shelter’): from Old Norse buth, based on búa ‘dwell’.

Booth, William

(1829–1912), English religious leader, founder and first general of the Salvation Army. A Methodist revivalist preacher, in 1865 he established a mission in the East End of London which later became the Salvation Army.

booth capturing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Indian) a method of fraudulently interfering with the process of an election whereby members of a party occupy a polling booth, excluding and voting in place of those people who are registered to vote there.

Boothia, Gulf of /ˈbuːθɪə/

I. a gulf in the Canadian Arctic, between the Boothia Peninsula and Baffin Island, in the Northwest Territories.

– origin named in honour of Sir Felix Booth (1775–1850), patron of the expedition to the Arctic (1829–33) led by Sir John Ross.

Boothia Peninsula

a peninsula of northern Canada, in the Northwest Territories, situated between Victoria Island and Baffin Island.

bootjack /ˈbuːtdʒak/

noun

a device for holding a boot by the heel to ease the withdrawal of one's foot.

bootlace /ˈbuːtleɪs/

noun

a cord or leather strip for lacing boots.

bootlace fungus

noun

another term for honey fungus.

bootlace tie

noun

(Brit.) a narrow necktie, popular in the 1950s.

bootleg /ˈbuːtlɛɡ/

I. adjective

(of alcoholic drink or a recording) made, distributed, or sold illegally

• bootleg cassettes.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make, distribute, or sell (alcoholic drink or a recording) illegally
(as noun bootlegging)

• bootlegging is rife in America.

III. noun

an illegal musical recording, especially one made at a concert.

IV. derivatives

bootlegger /ˈbuːtlɛɡə /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from the smugglers' practice of concealing bottles in their boots.

bootless /ˈbuːtləs/

I. adjective

‹archaic› (of a task or undertaking) ineffectual; useless

• remonstrating with him seems ever to have been a bootless task.

– origin Old English bōtlēas ‘not able to be compensated for by payment’ (see boot^2, -less).

bootlick /ˈbuːtlɪk/

verb — [no obj.] (usu. as adj. bootlicking)

1. behave obsequiously towards someone in order to gain favour

• a mindless herd of bootlicking sycophants.

bootlicker /ˈbuːtlɪkə/

I. noun

‹informal› an obsequious or servile person.

• he's got bootlickers telling him what a big star he's going to be.

II. derivatives

bootlicking

noun, adjective

bootloader /ˈbuːtləʊdə/

I. noun

[Computing] a program that loads an operating system when a computer is turned on

• Linux's GRUB bootloader can be used to select which operating system you'd like to boot into.

– origin 1970s: from boot^1 (sense 4 of the noun) + loader.

bootmaker /ˈbuːtmeɪkə/

noun

a maker of boots and shoes.

boots /buːts/

noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› a person employed in a hotel to clean boots and shoes, carry luggage, and perform other menial tasks.

boot sale

noun

short for car boot sale.

boot-scooting

noun

informal term for line dancing.

bootstrap /ˈbuːtstrap/

I. noun

1. a loop at the back of a boot, used to pull it on.

2. [Computing] a technique of loading a program into a computer by means of a few initial instructions which enable the introduction of the rest of the program from an input device.

3. [usu. as modifier] — the technique of starting with existing resources to create something more complex and effective

• we see the creative act as a bootstrap process.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Computing] fuller form of boot^1 (sense 2 of the verb).

2. start up (an Internet-based business or other enterprise) with minimal financial resources.

3. get (oneself or something) into or out of a situation using existing resources

• the company is bootstrapping itself out of a marred financial past.

III. phrases

pull (or drag) oneself up by one's (own) bootstraps

improve one's position by one's own efforts.

IV. derivatives

bootstrapping

noun

boot top

noun

the part of the hull of a ship just above the waterline, typically marked by a line of contrasting colour.

booty^1 /ˈbuːti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. valuable stolen goods, especially those seized in war.

2. ‹informal› something gained or won.

• the company has still got warehousefuls of money in the bank, thanks to the booty from earlier capital-raising exercises.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting plunder acquired in common): from Middle Low German būte, buite ‘exchange, distribution’, of uncertain origin.

booty^2 /ˈbuːti/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person's bottom.

• you're picky about the music you firm your booty to.

II. phrases

shake one's booty

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› dance energetically.

• I was shaking my booty to a groove by the Larks.

– origin 1920s: probably an alteration of body or botty.

booty call

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a sexual invitation or rendezvous.

• guys don't have to make the booty calls these days.

– origin 1990s: from booty^2 and call.

bootylicious /ˌbuːtɪˈlɪʃəs/

I. adjective

(US) ‹informal› (of a woman) sexually attractive.

• this bootylicious Texan knows what it takes to be a pop diva.

– origin 1990s: from booty^2, on the pattern of delicious.

boo word

noun

‹informal› a word or expression denoting something that is regarded with disapproval or dislike

• positivism has become something of a boo word among many social scientists.

booze /buːz / ‹informal›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. alcoholic drink

• I wonder where he's hidden his booze.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. drink alcohol, especially in large quantities.

• I expect he's boozing.

• (as noun boozing) Michael is trying to quit boozing.

– origin Middle English bouse, from Middle Dutch būsen ‘drink to excess’. The spelling booze dates from the 18th cent.

booze bus

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a police vehicle containing equipment for the random breath testing of motorists

• he then accompanied the officer to a booze bus for a more formal breath test.

booze cruise

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› an excursion to Europe by ferry, the aim of which is to bring back cheap or tax-free alcohol.

boozer /ˈbuːzə/

noun

1. ‹informal› a person who drinks large quantities of alcohol.

2. ‹informal› (Brit.) a pub or bar.

boozeroo /ˌbuːzəˈruː/

I. noun

(NZ) ‹dated› ‹informal› a heavy drinking session

• he drifted into Christchurch this week for a wild boozeroo.

– origin early 20th cent.: from booze + -eroo, suffix in the sense ‘large’.

booze-up

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a heavy drinking session.

• the men had sometimes had Saturday-night booze-ups together.

boozy /ˈbuːzi/

I. adjective

‹informal› characterized by drinking large quantities of alcohol

• a boozy lunch.

II. derivatives

1. boozily

adverb

2. booziness

noun

bop^1 /bɒp / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a dance to pop music.

• nightlife is good, whether you're looking for a drink or a bop in the disco.

2. an organized social occasion with dancing to pop music.

• colleges extend a welcoming hand through buffets and bops.

3. short for bebop.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. dance to pop music

• everyone was bopping until the small hours.

2. move or travel energetically

• entrepreneurial types bopping around Italy.

III. derivatives

bopper /ˈbɒpə /

noun

– origin 1940s: shortening of bebop.

bop^2 /bɒp / ‹informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. hit or punch quickly

• Rex bopped him on the head.

II. noun

a quick blow or punch.

– origin 1930s (originally US): imitative.

bo-peep /bəʊˈpiːp/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a quick look.

– origin early 16th cent. (originally denoting a game of hiding and reappearing): from bo, an exclamation intended to startle someone (compare with boo^1) + the verb peep^1. The current sense dates from the 1940s.

Bophuthatswana /ˌbə(ʊ)puːtətˈswɑːnə/

a former homeland established in South Africa for the Tswana people, now part of North West and Mpumalanga.

bopple nut /ˈbɒp(ə)l nʌt/ bopple

I. noun

(Austral.) a macadamia nut

• the place had a rambling garden of ancient blackbeans and bopple nuts.

– origin early 20th cent.: an alteration of Bauple, the name of an Australian mountain in an area with a rainforest microclimate in which the macadamia thrives.

boppy /ˈbɒpi/

adjective

‹informal› (of pop music) suitable or good for dancing to

• a boppy, lively tune.

bora^1 /ˈbɔːrə/

I. noun

a strong, cold, dry NE wind blowing in the upper Adriatic.

– origin mid 19th cent.: dialect variant of Italian borea, from Latin boreas ‘north wind’ (see boreal).

bora^2 /ˈbɔːrə/

I. noun

an Australian Aboriginal rite in which boys are initiated into manhood.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Kamilaroi buuru.

Bora-Bora /ˌbɔːrəˈbɔːrə/

an island of the Society Islands group in French Polynesia.

boracic /bəˈrasɪk/

I. adjective

1. consisting of or containing boric acid, especially as an antiseptic.

• I tipped some boracic crystals into a box.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› having no money.
[from boracic lint, rhyming slang for ‘skint’.]

– origin late 18th cent.: from medieval Latin borax, borac- (see borax^1) + -ic.

borage /ˈbɒrɪdʒ/

I. noun

a European herbaceous plant with bright blue flowers and hairy leaves, which is attractive to bees.
● Borago officinalis, family Boraginaceae (the borage family). This family includes many plants that typically have blue or purple flowers, including forget-me-not, comfrey, bugloss, and alkanet.

– origin Middle English: from Old French bourrache, from medieval Latin borrago, perhaps from Arabic 'abū ḥurāš ‘father of roughness’ (referring to the leaves).

boraginaceous /ˌbɒrɪdʒɪˈneɪʃəs/

adjective

[Botany] relating to or denoting plants of the borage family ( Boraginaceae).

borane /ˈbɔːreɪn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] any of a series of unstable binary compounds of boron and hydrogen, analogous to the alkanes. The simplest example is diborane, B_2H_6.

– origin early 20th cent.: from boron + -ane^2.

Borås /bʊˈrɔːs/

an industrial city in SW Sweden; pop. 101,487 (2008).

borate /ˈbɔːreɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt in which the anion contains both boron and oxygen, as in borax.

borax^1 /ˈbɔːraks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white compound which occurs as a mineral in some alkaline salt deposits and is used in making glass and ceramics, as a metallurgical flux, and as an antiseptic.
●A hydrated sodium borate; chem. formula: Na_2B_4O_710H_2O.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin, from Arabic būraq, from Pahlavi būrak.

borax^2 /ˈbɔːraks / borak /ˈbɔːrak/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› good-natured teasing or ridicule; banter

• they take a bit of borax, but that is part of the job.

II. phrases

poke borax at ‹Austral./NZ informal›

deride or make fun of

• a feature that poked borax at the sillier side of the Net.

– origin early 19th cent. (as borak): Australian pidgin, based on Aboriginal burag ‘no, not’, later influenced by borax^1 in spelling and pronunciation.

Borazon /ˈbɔːrəzɒn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› an industrial abrasive consisting of boron nitride.

– origin 1950s: from boron, with the insertion of azo-.

borborygmus /ˌbɔːbəˈrɪɡməs/

I. noun

‹technical› a rumbling or gurgling noise made by the movement of fluid and gas in the intestines.

II. derivatives

borborygmic

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek borborugmos.

Bordeaux^1 /bɔːˈdəʊ French bɔʀdo//

a port of SW France on the River Garonne, capital of Aquitaine; pop. 235,878 (2006). It is a centre of the wine trade.

Bordeaux^2 /bɔːˈdəʊ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a red, white, or rosé wine from the district of Bordeaux.

Bordeaux mixture

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fungicide for vines, fruit trees, and other plants, composed of equal quantities of copper sulphate and calcium oxide in water.

– origin late 19th cent.: first used in the vineyards of the Bordeaux region.

bordelaise /ˌbɔːdəˈleɪz/

I. adjective

denoting or served with a sauce of red wine and onions

• bordelaise sauce

• [ postpositive] lobster bordelaise.

– origin French, from ( à la) bordelaise ‘Bordeaux-style’.

bordello /bɔːˈdɛləʊ/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a brothel.

– origin late 16th cent. (gradually replacing Middle English bordel): from Italian, probably from Old French bordel, diminutive of borde ‘small farm, cottage’, ultimately of Germanic origin.

border /ˈbɔːdə/

I. noun

1. a line separating two countries, administrative divisions, or other areas

• Panama's western border with Costa Rica

• [as modifier] border controls.

2. a district near the border between two areas

• a refugee camp on the border.

3. ( the Border) — the boundary and adjoining districts between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

4. ( the Border or the Borders) — the boundary and adjoining districts between Scotland and England.

5. the edge or boundary of something, or the part near it

• the northern border of their distribution area

• ‹figurative› the unknown regions at the borders of physics and electronics.

6. a decorative strip around the edge of something.

• she stitched a border on to one of the plain white saris.

7. a strip of ground along the edge of a lawn or path for planting flowers or shrubs.
[as modifier]

• geraniums are among the best of border perennials.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — form an edge along or beside (something)

• a pool bordered by palm trees.

2. provide (something) with a decorative edge

• the walls were bordered with carved scrolls and cornices.

3. (of a country or area) be adjacent to (another country or area)

• regions bordering Azerbaijan

• [no obj.] the states bordering on the Black Sea.

4. [no obj.] ( border on) — come close to or be developing into (an extreme condition)

• Sam arrived in a state of excitement bordering on hysteria.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bordeure; ultimately of Germanic origin and related to board.

Border, Allan

(b.1955), Australian cricketer; full name Allan Robert Border. A batsman and occasional spin bowler, he made 156 Test match appearances (93 as captain) and scored 11,174 runs (all three figures being world records).

Border collie

noun

a common working sheepdog, typically with a black-and-white coat, of a medium-sized breed originating near the border between England and Scotland.

borderer /ˈbɔːd(ə)rə/

noun

(chiefly in historical contexts) a person living near the border between two countries, especially that between Scotland and England.

borderland /ˈbɔːdəland/

noun — (usu. borderlands)

1. a district near the line separating two countries or areas.

• the eastern borderlands.

2. an area of overlap between two things

• the murky borderland between history and myth.

borderless /ˈbɔːdələs/

adjective

1. without boundaries between countries, administrative divisions, or other areas

• we want to share our space and live in a borderless region

• naval forces will continue operating from an essentially borderless domain.

2. without restrictions caused by movement between or actions across boundaries of countries, administrative divisions, or other areas

• the borderless EU

• the era of unlimited competition and borderless economy.

3. lacking edges, limits, or boundaries

• an open, borderless digital society

• the uniform spread of blue light creates a borderless space.

4. lacking the plain or decorated strip typically included around the edge

• the printer can produce a 4x6 inch borderless photo in 36 seconds.

borderline /ˈbɔːdəlʌɪn/

I. noun

1. a boundary separating two countries or areas.

2. a division between two distinct or opposite things

• the borderline between ritual and custom.

II. adjective

only just acceptable in quality or as belonging to a category

• references may be requested in borderline cases.

Border terrier

noun

a small terrier of a breed with rough hair, originating in the Cheviot Hills.

Bordet, Jules /ˈbɔːdeɪ, French bɔʀde/

(1870–1961), Belgian bacteriologist and immunologist. He discovered the complement system of blood serum, and developed a vaccine for whooping cough. Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1919).

bordure /ˈbɔːdjʊə/

I. noun

[Heraldry] a broad border used as a charge in a coat of arms, often as a mark of difference.

– origin late Middle English: variant of border.

bore^1 /bɔː/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — make (a hole) in something with a tool or by digging

• bore a hole in the wall to pass the cable through

• [no obj.] the drill can bore through rock

• ‹figurative› his eyes bored into hers.

2. hollow out (a gun barrel or other tube)

• an 1100 cc road bike bored out to 1168 cc.

3. [no obj.] — (of an athlete or racehorse) push another competitor out of the way.

II. noun

1. the hollow part inside a gun barrel or other tube.

2. [often in combination] — the diameter of a bore; the calibre

• a small-bore rifle.

3. [in combination] — a gun of a specified bore

• he shot a guard in the leg with a twelve-bore.

4. short for borehole.

– origin Old English borian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to German bohren.

bore^2 /bɔː/

I. noun

1. a person whose talk or behaviour is dull and uninteresting

• he can be a crashing bore.

2. [in sing.] — a tedious or annoying situation or activity

• it's such a bore cooking when one's alone.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to feel weary and uninterested by dull talk or behaviour

• she is too polite to bore us with anecdotes

• [with obj. and complement] timid women quickly bore her silly.

III. phrases

bore someone to death (or to tears)

make someone feel extremely bored

• he would bore everyone to death with tales about his wonderful daughter.

– origin mid 18th cent. (as a verb): of unknown origin.

bore^3 /bɔː/

I. noun

a steep-fronted wave caused by the meeting of two tides or by the constriction of a tide rushing up a narrow estuary.

– origin early 17th cent.: perhaps from Old Norse bára ‘wave’; the term was used in the general sense ‘billow, wave’ in Middle English.

bore^4 /bɔː/

past of bear^1.

boreal /ˈbɔːrɪəl/

I. adjective

1. [Ecology] relating to or characteristic of the climatic zone south of the Arctic, especially the cold temperate region dominated by taiga and forests of birch, poplar, and conifers

• northern boreal forest.

2. ( Boreal) — [Botany] relating to or denoting a phytogeographical kingdom comprising the arctic and temperate regions of Eurasia and North America.

3. ( Boreal) — [Geology] relating to or denoting the second climatic stage of the postglacial period in northern Europe, between the Preboreal and Atlantic stages (about 9,000 to 7,500 years ago), marked by a warm, dry climate.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin borealis, from Latin Boreas, denoting the god of the north wind, from Greek.

bored^1 /bɔːd/

I. adjective

feeling weary and impatient because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one's current activity

• she got bored with staring out of the window

• they hung around all day, bored stiff

• bored teenagers.

• John was soon bored to tears with the work.

• she's bored out of her mind.

II. derivatives

boredly /ˈbɔːdli /

adverb

usage: The traditional constructions for bored are bored by or bored with. The construction bored of emerged more recently, and is extremely common, especially in informal language. Although it is perfectly logical by analogy with constructions such as tired of, it is not fully accepted in standard English.

bored^2 /bɔːd/

adjective — [in combination]

1. (of a gun) having a specified bore

• large-bored guns.

bore da /ˈbɒrɛ ˌdɑː/

I. exclamation

(Welsh) good morning!

– origin Welsh, from bore ‘morning’ + da ‘good’.

boredom /ˈbɔːdəm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of feeling bored

• I'll die of boredom if I live that long.

boreen /bɔːˈriːn/

I. noun

(Irish) a narrow country road.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Irish bóithrín, diminutive of bóthar ‘road’.

borehole /ˈbɔːhəʊl/

noun

a deep, narrow hole made in the ground, especially to locate water or oil.

borek /bʊˈrɛk/

I. noun

(in Turkish and Middle Eastern cookery) a pie of filo pastry filled with cheese, spinach, or minced meat.

– origin Turkish börek.

borer /ˈbɔːrə/

noun

1. a worm, mollusc, insect, or insect larva which bores into wood, other plant material, or rock.

2. a tool for boring.

borescope /ˈbɔːskəʊp/

noun

an instrument used to inspect the inside of a structure through a small hole.

Borg, Björn

(b.1956), Swedish tennis player; full name Björn Rune Borg. He won five consecutive men's singles titles at Wimbledon (1976–80), beating the record of three consecutive wins held by Fred Perry.

borgata /bɔːˈɡɑːtə/

I. noun

(US) an organized branch of the Mafia.

– origin 1960s: Italian, ‘district, village’.

Borges, Jorge Luis /ˈbɔːxɛs/

I. (1899–1986), Argentinian poet, short-story writer, and essayist. The volume of short stories A Universal History of Infamy (1935, revised 1954) is regarded as a founding work of magic realism.

II. derivatives

Borgesian

adjective

Borgia, Cesare /ˈbɔːʒə, Italian ˈbɔrdʒa/

( c. 1476–1507), Italian statesman, cardinal, and general. The illegitimate son of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia (later Pope Alexander VI) and brother of Lucrezia Borgia, he was captain general of the papal army from 1499, and became master of a large portion of central Italy.

Borgia, Lucrezia /ˈbɔːʒə, Italian ˈbɔrdʒa/

(1480–1519), Italian noblewoman, sister of Cesare Borgia. She married three times, according to the political alliances useful to her family; after her third marriage in 1501 she established herself as a patron of the arts.

boric /ˈbɔːrɪk/

adjective

[Chemistry] of boron

• boric oxide.

boric acid /bɔːrɪkˈasɪd/

noun

[Chemistry] a weakly acid crystalline compound derived from borax, used as a mild antiseptic and in the manufacture of heat-resistant glass and enamels. See also boracic.
●Chem. formula: B(OH)3.

boride /ˈbɔːrʌɪd/

noun

a binary compound of boron with a metallic element.

boring /ˈbɔːrɪŋ/

I. adjective

not interesting; tedious

• I've got a boring job in an office.

II. derivatives

1. boringly /ˈbɔːrɪŋli /

adverb

[as submodifier]

• my boringly respectable uncle

2. boringness

noun

bork

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (US) ‹informal› obstruct (someone, especially a candidate for public office) by systematically defaming or vilifying them.

• ‘We're going to bork him’, warned a feminist.

• (as noun borking) is fear of borking scaring people from public office?

– origin 1980s: from the name of Robert Bork (1927–2012), an American judge whose nomination to the Supreme Court (1987) was rejected following unfavourable publicity for his allegedly extreme views.

Borlaug, Norman Ernest /ˈbɔːlɔːɡ/

(1914–2009), American scientist, a central figure in the green revolution. He worked for many years on the improvement of wheat crops and the adaptation of new strains of wheat to parts of the world where it had not previously been grown. Nobel Peace Prize (1970).

borlotti bean /bɔːˈlɒti/

I. noun

a type of kidney bean with a pink speckled skin that turns brown when cooked.

– origin Italian borlotti, plural of borlotto ‘kidney bean’.

Bormann, Martin /ˈbɔːmən, German ˈboːɐman/

(1900– c. 1945), German Nazi politician. Considered to be Hitler's closest collaborator, he disappeared at the end of the Second World War; his skeleton, exhumed in Berlin, was identified in 1973.

born /bɔːn/

I. adjective

1. existing as a result of birth

• she was born in Aberdeen

• I was born with a sense of curiosity

• a newly born baby.

2. [in combination] — having a specific nationality

• a German-born philosopher.

3. [ attrib.] — having a natural ability to do a particular job

• he's a born engineer.

4. [ predic., with infinitive] — perfectly suited or trained to do a particular job

• men born to rule.

5. (of an organization, movement, or idea) brought into existence

• on 1 January 1992, the new company was born.

6. ( born of) — existing as a result of (a particular situation or feeling)

• his work is born of despair.

II. phrases

1. born and bred

by birth and upbringing, especially with reference to someone considered a typical product of a place

• he was a Cambridge man born and bred.

2. born on the wrong side of the blanket

see blanket.

3. be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth

be born into a wealthy family of high social standing.

• it's obvious that he wasn't raised with a silver spoon.

4. in all one's born days

used to express surprise at something one has not encountered before

• in all my born days I've never seen the like of it.

5. not know one is born

(Brit.) used to convey that someone has an easy life without realizing how easy it is.

• you lot without families don't know you're born.

6. there's one (or a sucker) born every minute

‹informal› there are many gullible people.

7. I (or he, she, etc.) wasn't born yesterday

used to indicate that one (or another person) is not foolish or gullible.

– origin Old English boren, past participle of beran ‘to bear’ (see bear^1). / usage: On the difference between born and borne, see usage at bear^1.

Born, Max /bɔːn, German bɔrn/

(1882–1970), German theoretical physicist, a founder of quantum mechanics. Nobel Prize for Physics (1954).

Borna disease

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an infectious neurological disease affecting horses and other mammal and bird species, caused by an RNA virus ( Borna disease virus).

– origin 1920s: from Borna, the name of a town and district near Leipzig in Germany where an outbreak occurred.

born-again /ˌbɔːnəˈɡeɪn/

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting a person who has converted to a personal faith in Christ (with reference to John 3:3)

• a born-again Christian.

2. newly converted to and very enthusiastic about an idea or cause

• born-again environmentalists.

II. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a born-again Christian.

born digital

adjective

denoting texts or recordings produced in digital form, rather than having been converted from print or analogue equivalents.

• as research libraries are discovering, born-digital materials are more complicated and costly to preserve than anticipated.

borne /bɔːn/

I. past participle of bear^1.

II. adjective — [in combination]

1. carried or transported by the thing specified

• waterborne bacteria.

Borneo /ˈbɔːnɪəʊ/

I. a large island of the Malay Archipelago, comprising Kalimantan (a region of Indonesia), Sabah and Sarawak (states of Malaysia), and Brunei.

II. derivatives

Bornean

adjective, noun

born-free

noun

(in Africa) a member of a generation born in a country after its transition to democracy (in particular post-apartheid South Africa or post-independence Zimbabwe)

• the born-frees will make up about a third of voters by 2019.

Bornholm /ˈbɔːnhəʊm/

a Danish island in the Baltic Sea, south-east of Sweden.

Bornholm disease

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a viral infection with fever and pain in the muscles of the ribs.

– origin 1930s: named after the island of Bornholm, where it was first described.

bornite /ˈbɔːnʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a brittle reddish-brown crystalline mineral with an iridescent purple tarnish, consisting of a sulphide of copper and iron.

– origin early 19th cent.: from the name of Ignatius von Born (1742–91), Austrian mineralogist, + -ite^1.

boro- /ˈbɔːrəʊ/

combining form

[Chemistry] representing boron.

Borobudur /ˌbɒrəʊbʊˈdʊə/

a Buddhist monument in central Java, built c. 800.

Borodin, Aleksandr /ˈbɒrədɪn/

(1833–87), Russian composer; full name Aleksandr Porfirevich Borodin. He is best known for the epic opera Prince Igor (completed after his death by Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov).

Borodino, Battle of /ˌbɒrəˈdiːnəʊ/

a battle in 1812 at Borodino, a village about 110 km (70 miles) west of Moscow, at which Napoleon's forces defeated the Russian army.

boron /ˈbɔːrɒn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: B) — the chemical element of atomic number 5, a non-metallic solid.

Boron is usually prepared as an amorphous brown powder, but when very pure it forms hard, shiny, black crystals with semiconducting properties. The element has some specialized uses, such as in alloy steels and in nuclear control rods.

– origin early 19th cent.: from borax^1, on the pattern of carbon (which it resembles in some respects).

boronia /bəˈrəʊnɪə/

I. noun

a sweet-scented Australian shrub which is cultivated for its perfume and for the cut-flower trade.
●Genus Boronia, family Rutaceae.

– origin modern Latin, named after Francesco Borone (1769–94), Italian botanist.

borosilicate /ˌbɔːrəʊˈsɪlɪkeɪt/

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a low-melting glass made from a mixture of silica and boric oxide (B_2O_3).

borough /ˈbʌrə/

I. noun

1. a town or district which is an administrative unit, in particular:

2. (Brit.) a town (as distinct from a city) with a corporation and privileges granted by a royal charter.

3. (Brit.) ‹historical› a town sending representatives to Parliament.

4. an administrative division of London.

5. a municipal corporation in certain US states.

6. each of five divisions of New York City.

7. (in Alaska) a district corresponding to a county elsewhere in the US.

– origin Old English burg, burh ‘fortress, citadel’, later ‘fortified town’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch burg and German Burg. Compare with burgh.

Borromini, Francesco /ˌbɒrəˈmiːni/

(1599–1667), Italian architect, a leading figure of the Italian baroque.

borrow /ˈbɒrəʊ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take and use (something belonging to someone else) with the intention of returning it

• he had borrowed a car from one of his colleagues.

2. take and use (money) from a person or bank under an agreement to pay it back later.

• to meet this deficit the government has to borrow money.

• [no obj.] lower interest rates will make it cheaper for individuals to borrow.

3. take and use (a book) from a library for a fixed period of time.

• you could easily have borrowed a book from your local library.

4. take (a word or idea) from another language, person, or source and use it in one's own language or work

• the term is borrowed from Greek.

5. [Golf] allow (a certain distance) when playing a shot to compensate for sideways motion of the ball due to a slope or other irregularity.

II. noun

[Golf] a slope or other irregularity on a golf course which must be compensated for when playing a shot.

III. phrases

1. be (living) on borrowed time

used to convey that someone has survived against expectations, with the implication that they will not do so for much longer.

• the government is living on borrowed time.

2. borrow trouble

(N. Amer.) take needless action that may have detrimental effects.

– origin Old English borgian ‘borrow against security’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German borgen. / usage: Some people confuse the two words lend and borrow, which have reciprocal but different meanings: see usage at lend.

Borrow, George

(1803–81), English writer; full name George Henry Borrow. His travels with Gypsies provided material for the picaresque narrative Lavengro (1851) and its sequel The Romany Rye (1857).

borrower /ˈbɒrəʊə/

noun

1. a person or organization that takes and uses something belonging to someone else with the intention of returning it

• my last pair of secateurs were ruined by a careless borrower

• hundreds of thousands of borrowers of aircraft fly without any insurance.

2. a person or organization that takes out a loan from a bank under an agreement to pay it back later, typically with interest

• most mortgage borrowers pay far too much interest

• companies that provided credit cards to high-risk borrowers.

3. a person who is registered to take books from a library for a fixed period of time

• her books continue to be popular among library borrowers into the twenty-first century.

borrowing /ˈbɒrəʊɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of borrowing something

• a curb on government borrowing

• [ count noun] the group had total borrowings of $570 million.

2. [ count noun] — a word or idea taken from another language, person, or source and used in one's own language or work

• the majority of designs were borrowings from the continent.

borrow pit

noun

a pit resulting from the excavation of material for use in embankments.

Borsalino /ˌbɔːsəˈliːnəʊ/

I. noun

‹trademark› a man's wide-brimmed felt hat.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the name of the manufacturer.

borscht /bɔːʃt / borsch /bɔːʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soup made with beetroot and usually served with sour cream, associated with the cuisine of eastern and central Europe, especially Russia, Poland, and Ukraine.

– origin Russian borshch.

Borscht Belt /bɔːʃt/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹humorous› a resort area in the Catskill Mountains frequented particularly by Jewish people of eastern European origin.
[as modifier]

• Borscht Belt comedians.

borstal /ˈbɔːst(ə)l/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› a custodial institution for young offenders.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after the village of Borstal in southern England, where the first of these was established.

bort /bɔːt / boart

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. small, granular, opaque diamonds, used as an abrasive in cutting tools.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Dutch boort.

borzoi /ˈbɔːzɔɪ/

I. noun

a large Russian wolfhound of a breed with a narrow head and silky, typically white, coat.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Russian borzoĭ (adjective), borzaya (noun), from borzyĭ ‘swift’.

boscage /ˈbɒskɪdʒ / boskage

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mass of trees or shrubs.

• the view from the house is obscured by boscage.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French; ultimately of Germanic origin and related to bush^1. Compare with bocage.

Bosch, Hieronymus /bɒʃ/

( c. 1450–1516), Dutch painter. Bosch's highly detailed works are typically crowded with half-human, half-animal creatures and grotesque demons in settings symbolic of sin and folly. His individual style prefigures that of the surrealists.

Bose, Satyendra Nath /bəʊs/

(1894–1974), Indian physicist. With Einstein he described fundamental particles which later came to be known as bosons.

bosh /bɒʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› nonsense; rubbish

• that's a load of bosh.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Turkish boş ‘empty, worthless’.

bosie /ˈbəʊzi / bosey

I. noun

[Cricket] Australian term for googly.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the name of Bernard J. T. Bosanquet (1877–1936), English all-round cricketer, + -ie.

bosker /ˈbɒskə/

I. adjective

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› excellent; first-rate

• the horse is in bosker shape.

– origin early 20th cent.: perhaps an alteration of bonzer.

bosky /ˈbɒski/

I. adjective

‹literary› covered by trees or bushes; wooded

• a slow-moving river meandering between bosky banks.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Middle English bosk, variant of bush^1.

Bosman /ˈbɒzmən/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. used with reference to a European Court ruling which obliges professional football or other sports clubs to allow players over the age of 25 to move freely between clubs once their contracts have expired

• he's out of contract in the summer, meaning Rangers could sign him under the Bosman ruling.

• the team is made up entirely of Bosman signings.

– origin 1990s: named after Jean-Marc Bosman, a Belgian footballer who brought a legal case which resulted in the ruling.

Bosnia /ˈbɒznɪə/

I. short for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

II. a region in the Balkans forming the larger, northern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia-Herzegovina

I. a country in the Balkans, formerly a constituent republic of Yugoslavia; pop. 4,613,400 (est. 2009); capital, Sarajevo.

Bosnia and Herzegovina were conquered by the Turks in 1463. The province of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed by Austria in 1908, an event which contributed towards the outbreak of the First World War. In 1918 it became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which changed its name to Yugoslavia in 1929. In 1992 Bosnia and Herzegovina followed Slovenia and Croatia in declaring independence, but ethnic conflict among Muslims, Serbs, and Croats quickly reduced the republic to a state of civil war. An accord signed in December 1995 formally brought the conflict to an end.

Bosniak /ˈbɒznɪak / Bosniac

I. noun

a native or inhabitant of the Balkan country Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially one who is a Muslim

• the country's three largest nationalities: Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats.

II. adjective

relating to Bosnia and Herzegovina or its inhabitants, especially those who are Muslims

• the Albanian and Bosniak communities.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Bosnian Bošnjak.

Bosnian /ˈbɒznɪən/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of the Balkan country Bosnia and Herzegovina.

2. [ mass noun] — the Slavic language of the Bosnians.

II. adjective

relating to Bosnia and Herzegovina, its people, or their language.

bosom /ˈbʊz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a woman's chest or breasts

• her ample bosom

• [ mass noun] the dress offered a fair display of bosom.

2. a part of a dress covering the chest.

• she had plucked the brooch from her bosom.

3. ‹literary› the space between a person's clothing and their chest used for carrying things

• he carried a letter in his bosom.

4. ‹literary› a person's loving care and protection

• Bruno went home each night to the bosom of his family.

5. used to refer to the chest as the seat of emotions

• quivering dread was settling in her bosom.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of a friend) very close or intimate

• the two girls had become bosom friends.

III. derivatives

bosomed

adjective

[in combination]

• her small-bosomed physique

– origin Old English bōsm, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch boezem and German Busen.

bosom buddy

noun

‹informal› a very close or intimate friend

• it's clear that Jeff and Tom are bosom buddies from way back.

bosom friend

noun

‹informal› a very close or intimate friend

• we have been bosom friends for years.

bosom pal

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a very close or intimate friend

• from that moment on we were bosom pals.

bosomy /ˈbʊz(ə)mi/

adjective

having large breasts.

boson /ˈbəʊzɒn/

I. noun

[Physics] a subatomic particle, such as a photon, which has zero or integral spin and follows the statistical description given by S. N. Bose and Einstein.
Compare with fermion.

– origin 1940s: named after S. N. Bose (see Bose, Satyendra Nath) + -on.

Bosporus /ˈbɒspərəs / Bosphorus /ˈbɒsfərəs/

a strait connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, and separating Europe from the Anatolian peninsula of western Asia. Istanbul is located at its south end.

boss^1 /bɒs / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. a person who is in charge of a worker or organization

• her boss offered her promotion

• union bosses.

2. a person in control of a group or situation

• does he see you as a partner, or is he already the boss?

3. [often as modifier] — (in computer gaming) a particularly tough enemy, usually appearing at the end of a section or level

• the boss characters provide more than enough challenge.

• you may be required to kill a boss monster.

• you'll come up against a giant tank, a floating airship and a returning boss from the first game.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (someone) orders in a domineering manner

• you're always bossing us about.

III. adjective

(N. Amer.) excellent; outstanding

• she's a real boss chick.

IV. phrases

1. be one's own boss

‹informal› be self-employed.

• since I'm my own boss, my hours are flexible.

2. show someone who's boss

‹informal› make it clear that it is oneself who is in charge

• now it's time to show her who's boss.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally US): from Dutch baas ‘master’.

boss^2 /bɒs/

I. noun

1. a stud on the centre of a shield.

2. [Architecture] an ornamental carving covering the point where the ribs in a vault or ceiling cross.

3. the central part of a propeller.

4. [Geology] a large mass of igneous rock protruding through other strata.

– origin Middle English: from Old French boce, of unknown origin.

boss^3 /bɒs/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a cow.

– origin early 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

BOSS

abbreviation

Bureau of State Security.

bossa nova /ˌbɒsə ˈnəʊvə/

I. noun

1. a style of Brazilian music derived from samba but placing more emphasis on melody and less on percussion.

2. a dance to this music.

– origin 1960s: from Portuguese, from bossa ‘tendency’ and nova (feminine of novo) ‘new’.

boss-cocky

noun

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a farmer who employs labour.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person in authority.

boss-eyed /ˈbɒsʌɪd/

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› cross-eyed or squinting.

• a boss-eyed sidekick.

• I was boss-eyed looking for you on TV.

– origin mid 19th cent.: compare with dialect boss ‘miss, bungle’, of unknown origin.

bossism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) a situation whereby a political party is controlled by party managers.

boss key

noun

‹informal› a computer game facility which enables users to avoid detection when playing at work by displaying a spreadsheet or other fake display when a certain key is pressed.

bossman /ˈbɒsman/

noun

‹informal› a man in charge of a worker or organization

• the bossman won't let her go until she hires a perfect replacement.

bossy^1 /ˈbɒsi/

I. adjective

‹informal› fond of giving people orders; domineering

• don't be so bossy!

• a bossy, meddling woman.

II. derivatives

1. bossily /ˈbɒsɪli /

adverb

2. bossiness /ˈbɒsɪnəs /

noun

bossy^2 /ˈbɒsi/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a cow or calf.

– origin mid 19th cent. of unknown origin.

bossyboots

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a domineering person.

bosthoon /ˈbɒstuːn / bostoon

I. noun

(Irish) an uncouth or ignorant man or boy.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Irish bastún.

bosting /ˈbɒstiŋ / bostin /ˈbɒstin/

I. adjective

‹dialect› very good; excellent

• we had a bosting time.

– origin 1970s: probably a dialect pronunciation of bursting or busting.

Boston^1 /ˈbɒstən/

the state capital of Massachusetts; pop. 609,023 (est. 2008). It was founded c. 1630 and named after Boston in Lincolnshire.

Boston^2 /ˈbɒstən/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a card game resembling solo whist.

2. a variation of the waltz or of the two-step.

Boston baked beans

plural noun

an American dish of baked beans with salt pork and molasses.

Boston crab

noun

[Wrestling] a hold in which a wrestler sits astride a prone opponent and pulls upwards on the opponent's legs.

Bostonian /bɒsˈtəʊnɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the city of Boston, the capital of the US state of Massachusetts, or its inhabitants

• she had a tinge of a Bostonian accent.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the city of Boston, capital of the US state of Massachusetts

• a Bostonian arrived last week to give out presents and to entertain local youngsters.

Boston ivy

noun

a Virginia creeper with three-lobed leaves, which is cultivated for its foliage.
● Parthenocissus tricuspidata, family Vitaceae.

Boston Tea Party

a violent demonstration in 1773 by American colonists prior to the War of American Independence. Colonists boarded vessels in Boston harbour and threw the cargoes of tea into the water in protest at the imposition of a tax on tea by the British Parliament, in which the colonists had no representation.

Boston terrier

noun

a small smooth-coated terrier of a breed originating in Massachusetts from a crossing of a bulldog and terrier.

Boswell, James

I. (1740–95), Scottish author, companion and biographer of Samuel Johnson. He is known for Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides (1785) and The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791).

II. derivatives

Boswellian

adjective

Bosworth Field /ˈbɒzwəθ / Battle of Bosworth

a battle of the Wars of the Roses fought in 1485 near Market Bosworth in Leicestershire. Henry Tudor defeated and killed the Yorkist king Richard III, enabling him to take the throne as Henry VII.

bot^1 /bɒt/

I. noun

1. the larva of the botfly, which is an internal parasite of horses.

2. ( sheep bot) — the sheep nostril fly.
See nostril fly.

3. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person who persistently borrows or cadges from others.

– origin early 16th cent.: probably of Low German origin.

bot^2 /bɒt/

I. noun

1. (chiefly in science fiction) a robot.

• we have maintenance bots in there.

2. [Computing] an autonomous program on a network (especially the Internet) which can interact with systems or users, especially one designed to behave like a player in some computer games.
[in combination]

• a mailbot.

– origin 1960s: shortening of robot.

bot.

abbreviation

1. (with reference to journal titles) botanic; botanical; botany.

2. bottle.

3. bought.

botanical /bəˈtanɪkl/

I. adjective

relating to botany

• botanical specimens.

II. noun — (usu. botanicals)

1. a substance obtained from a plant and used typically in medicinal or cosmetic products.

III. derivatives

1. botanic /bəˈtanɪk /

adjective

2. botanically

adverb

botanic garden botanical garden

noun

an establishment where plants are grown for scientific study and display to the public.

botanist /ˈbɒt(ə)nɪst/

noun

an expert in or student of the scientific study of plants

• a botanist announced he'd bred a new and beautiful variety of orchid.

botanize /ˈbɒtənʌɪz / botanise

I. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun botanizing)

1. study plants, especially in their natural habitat.

• I'd always be scheming to go off birdwatching or botanizing.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin botanizare, from Greek botanizein ‘gather plants’, from botanē ‘plant’.

botany /ˈbɒt(ə)ni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the scientific study of the physiology, structure, genetics, ecology, distribution, classification, and economic importance of plants.

2. the plant life of a particular region, habitat, or geological period

• the botany of North America.

– origin late 17th cent.: from earlier botanic (from French botanique, based on Greek botanikos, from botanē ‘plant’) + -y^3.

Botany /ˈbɒt(ə)ni / Botany wool

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. merino wool, especially from Australia.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Botany Bay, from where the wool originally came.

Botany Bay

I. an inlet of the Tasman Sea in New South Wales, Australia, just south of Sydney. It was the site of Captain James Cook's landing in 1770 and of an early British penal settlement.

– origin named by Cook after the large variety of plants collected there by his companion, Sir Joseph Banks.

botch /bɒtʃ / ‹informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. carry out (a task) badly or carelessly

• he was accused of botching the job

• (as adj. botched) a botched attempt to kill them.

II. noun

(also botch-up) — a bungled task

• I've probably made a botch of things.

III. derivatives

botcher /ˈbɒtʃə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘repair’ but originally not implying clumsiness): of unknown origin.

botfly /ˈbɒtflʌɪ/

noun

a stout hairy-bodied fly whose larvae are internal parasites of mammals, in particular:
● a fly whose larvae (bots) develop within the guts of horses ( Gasterophilus and other genera, family Gasterophilidae). ● a fly of the warble fly family ( Oestridae).

both /bəʊθ/

I. predeterminer, determiner, pronoun

used for emphasis to refer to two people or things, regarded and identified together
[as predeterminer]

• both his parents indulged him

• [as determiner] she held on with both hands

• cars parked on both sides of the road

• [as pronoun] a picture of both of us together

• he looked at them both.

II. adverb

used before the first of two alternatives to emphasize that the statement being made applies to each (the other alternative being introduced by ‘and’)

• the film has won favour with both young and old

• studies of zebra finches, both in the wild and in captivity.

III. phrases

have it both ways

benefit from two incompatible ways of thinking or behaving

• countries cannot have it both ways: the cost of a cleaner environment may sometimes be fewer jobs.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse báthir. / usage: When both is used in constructions with and, the structures following ‘both’ and ‘and’ should be symmetrical. Thus, studies of zebra finches, both in the wild and in captivity is better than, for example, studies of zebra finches, both in the wild and captivity. In the second example, the symmetry of ‘in the wild’ and ‘in captivity’ has been lost. Other examples: her article is detrimental both to understanding and to peace ( not her article is detrimental to both understanding and to peace).

Botha, Louis /ˈbəʊtə/

(1862–1919), South African soldier and statesman, first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa 1910–19.

Botha, P. W. /ˈbəʊtə/

(1916–2006), South African statesman, Prime Minister 1978–84, State President 1984–9; full name Pieter Willem Botha. An authoritarian leader, he continued to enforce apartheid but in response to pressure introduced limited reforms; his resistance to more radical change ultimately led to his fall from power.

Botham, Sir Ian /ˈbəʊθəm/

(b.1955), English all-round cricketer; full name Sir Ian Terence Botham. In 1978 he became the first player to score 100 runs and take eight wickets in a single Test match; in 1982 he also achieved the record of 3,000 runs and 250 wickets in Test matches overall.

bother /ˈbɒðə/

I. verb

1. [no obj., with negative] — take the trouble to do something

• scientists rarely bother with such niceties

• [with infinitive] the driver didn't bother to ask why.

2. [with obj.] — (of a circumstance or event) worry, disturb, or upset (someone)

• secrecy is an issue which bothers journalists

• [with obj. and clause] it bothered me that I hadn't done anything.

3. [no obj.] [usu. with negative] — feel concern about or interest in

• don't bother about me—I'll find my own way home

• he wasn't to bother himself with day-to-day things

• (as adj. bothered) I'm not particularly bothered about how I look.

4. cause trouble or annoyance to (someone) by interrupting or otherwise inconveniencing them

• I'm sorry to bother you at this time of night.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. effort, trouble, or difficulty

• he saved me the bother of having to come up with a speech

• it may seem like too much bother to cook just for yourself.

2. ( a bother) — a person or thing that causes annoyance or difficulty

• I hope she hasn't been a bother.

III. exclamation

(Brit.) used to express mild irritation or impatience

• ‘Bother!’ she muttered.

IV. phrases

1. can't be bothered (to do something)

be unwilling to make the effort needed to do something.

• they couldn't be bothered to look it up.

2. hot and bothered

in a state of anxiety or physical discomfort, especially as a result of being pressured

• others struggle with bags and briefcases, looking hot and bothered.

– origin late 17th cent. (as a noun in the dialect sense ‘noise, chatter’): of Anglo-Irish origin; probably related to Irish bodhaire ‘noise’, bodhraim ‘deafen, annoy’. The verb (originally dialect) meant ‘confuse with noise’ in the early 18th cent.

botheration /bɒðəˈreɪʃ(ə)n / ‹informal›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. effort, worry, or difficulty; bother.

• he has caused us a deal of unnecessary botheration.

II. exclamation

‹dated› used to express mild irritation or annoyance.

bothersome /ˈbɒðəs(ə)m/

adjective

annoying; troublesome

• most childhood stomach aches, though bothersome, aren't serious.

Bothnia, Gulf of /ˈbɒθnɪə/

a northern arm of the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Finland.

both ways

adverb, adjective

another term for each-way:
[as adv.]

• put me down for a fiver both ways.

Bothwell, James Hepburn /ˈbɒθwɛl/

4th Earl of ( c. 1536–78), Scottish nobleman and third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. He was implicated in the murder of Mary's previous husband, Lord Darnley (1567), a crime for which he was tried but acquitted; he married Mary later the same year.

bothy /ˈbɒθi / bothie

I. noun

(in Scotland) a small hut or cottage, especially one for housing farm labourers or for use as a mountain refuge.

– origin late 18th cent.: obscurely related to Irish and Scottish Gaelic both, bothan, and perhaps to booth.

botnet /ˈbɒtnɛt/

I. noun

a network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners' knowledge, e.g. to send spam.

– origin 1990s: blend of bot^2 and network.

boto /ˈbəʊtəʊ / boutu

noun

a pink and grey river dolphin found in the Amazon and Orinoco River systems. Also called Amazon dolphin.
● Inia geoffrensis, family Platanistidae.

Botox /ˈbəʊtɒks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a drug prepared from botulin, used medically to treat certain muscular conditions and cosmetically to remove wrinkles by temporarily paralysing facial muscles.

II. derivatives

Botoxed

adjective

– origin 1990s: from botulinum toxin.

bo tree /bəʊ / bodhi tree

I. noun

a fig tree native to India and SE Asia, regarded as sacred by Buddhists. Also called peepul or pipal.
● Ficus religiosa, family Moraceae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: representing Sinhalese bōgaha ‘tree of knowledge’ (Buddha's enlightenment having occurred beneath such a tree), from bō (from Sanskrit budh ‘understand thoroughly’) + gaha ‘tree’.

botryoidal /ˌbɒtrɪˈɔɪd(ə)l/

I. adjective

(chiefly of minerals) having a shape reminiscent of a cluster of grapes.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek botruoeidēs (from botrus ‘bunch of grapes’) + -al.

botrytis /bəˈtrʌɪtɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a greyish powdery mould which causes a number of plant diseases and is deliberately cultivated (as noble rot) on the grapes used for certain wines.
●Genus Botrytis, subdivision Deuteromycotina (or Ascomycotina), in particular the grey mould B. cinerea.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek botrus ‘cluster of grapes’.

Botswana /bɒˈtswɑːnə/

I.
1. a landlocked country in southern Africa; pop. 1,990,900 (est. 2009); official languages, Setswana and English; capital, Gaborone.

Inhabited by Sotho people and, in the Kalahari Desert, San (Bushmen), the area was made the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland in 1885. It became an independent republic within the Commonwealth in 1966, adopting the name Botswana.

II. derivatives

Botswanan

adjective, noun

bott

abbreviation

bottle.

bottarga /bəˈtɑːɡə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. salted and dried tuna or grey mullet roe.

– origin Italian, from Arabic buṭarkhah, from Coptic outarakhon.

botte /bɒt/

I. noun

[Fencing] an attack or thrust.

– origin French.

Botticelli, Sandro /ˌbɒtɪˈtʃɛli/

(1445–1510), Italian painter; born Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi. He worked in Renaissance Florence under the patronage of the Medicis. Botticelli is best known for his mythological works such as Primavera ( c. 1478) and The Birth of Venus ( c. 1480).

bottle /ˈbɒt(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a glass or plastic container with a narrow neck, used for storing drinks or other liquids.

• he opened the bottle of beer.

2. the contents of a bottle

• she managed to get through a bottle of wine.

3. ( the bottle) — ‹informal› used in reference to the heavy drinking of alcohol

• more women are taking to the bottle.

4. a bottle fitted with a teat for giving milk or other drinks to babies and very young children.

5. a large metal cylinder holding liquefied gas.

6. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) ‹informal› the courage or confidence needed to do something difficult or dangerous

• I lost my bottle completely and ran.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — place (drinks or other liquid) in bottles for storage

• the wine was bottled in 1997.

2. (Brit.) place (fruit or vegetables) in glass jars with other ingredients in order to preserve them.

• Angela bottled fruit and jam and chutneys.

3. (usu. as adj. bottled) — store (gas) in a container in liquefied form.

• she set about connecting the bottled gas to the stove.

4. [with obj.] — ‹informal› throw a glass bottle at (someone)

• he was bottled offstage at a club.

III. phrases

1. bottle and glass

(Brit.) ‹rhyming slang› arse.

2. hit the bottle

‹informal› start to drink alcohol heavily.

• his marriage broke up and he hit the bottle.

3. in bottle

(of wine) having been aged for a specified number of years in its bottle

• the wine can be drunk after eight years in bottle.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. bottle out

(Brit.) ‹informal› lose one's nerve and decide not to do something

• the Minister has bottled out of real reforms.

2. bottle something up

repress or conceal feelings over time

• his anger and frustration had been bottled up for years.

3. bottle someone/thing up

keep someone or something trapped or contained

• he had to stay bottled up in New York.

4. full bottle on

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› very knowledgeable about

• they are full bottle on the tricks the industry gets up to.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French boteille, from medieval Latin butticula, diminutive of late Latin buttis ‘cask, wineskin’ (see butt^4).

bottle age

noun — [ mass noun]

1. time spent by a wine maturing in its bottle.

bottle bank

noun

(Brit.) a place where used glass bottles may be deposited for recycling.

bottle blonde ‹derogatory› bottle blond

I. adjective

(of a woman's hair) of a shade of blonde that looks as if it has been artificially lightened or bleached.

II. noun

a woman with dyed or bleached blonde hair.

• a bottle blonde who winks at the camera.

bottlebrush /ˈbɒtlbrʌʃ/

noun

1. a cylindrical brush for cleaning inside bottles.

2. an Australian shrub or small tree with spikes of scarlet or yellow flowers which resemble bottlebrushes.
●Genus Callistemon, family Myrtaceae.

3. any of a number of plants bearing flowers similar to those of the bottlebrush.

bottle-feed /ˈbɒt(ə)lˌfiːd/

verb — [with obj.]

1. feed (a baby) with milk from a feeding bottle.
(as adj. bottle-fed)

• a bottle-fed baby.

• (as noun bottle-feeding) 80% of dads help with the bottle-feeding.

bottle green

noun — [ mass noun]

1. dark green

• a classic autumnal palette of bottle green, burgundy, black, and grey

• [as modifier] a bottle green uniform.

bottle jack

noun

a large jack used for lifting heavy objects.

bottleneck /ˈbɒt(ə)lnɛk/

noun

1. the neck or mouth of a bottle.

2. a narrow section of road or a junction that impedes traffic flow.

• the bottleneck on Talbot Road.

3. a situation that causes delay in a process or system.

• animated films are still stymied by a technological bottleneck.

4. a device shaped like the neck of a bottle that is worn on a guitarist's finger and used to produce sliding effects on the strings.
[ mass noun]

• I started using bottleneck on the guitar.

5. (also bottleneck guitar) [ mass noun] — the style of playing that uses a bottleneck.

• it is the perfect instrument for playing bottleneck.

bottlenose dolphin bottle-nosed dolphin

noun

a stout-bodied dolphin with a distinct short beak, found in tropical and temperate coastal waters.
● Tursiops truncatus, family Delphinidae.

bottlenose whale bottle-nosed whale

noun

a beaked whale of variable colour, with a bulbous forehead.
●Genus Hyperoodon, family Ziphiidae: two species.

bottle-o bottle-oh

noun

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a shop selling alcoholic drink for consumption elsewhere

• I went to the bottle-o to buy him a six pack.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a dealer in used bottles

• the bottle-o brought around his truck, counted them, and handed over the dosh.

bottle party

noun

(Brit.) a party to which guests bring bottles of drink.

bottler

noun

1. a person or company that bottles drinks.

• he had been a student, a shrimper and a beer bottler.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person with little mental strength or resilience

• he turned out to be one of the biggest bottlers in boxing.

3. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› an admirable person or thing

• he's getting married to a real little bottler.

bottlescrew /ˈbɒt(ə)lˌskruː/

noun

British term for turnbuckle.

bottle store bottle shop

noun

(chiefly Austral./NZ) (S. African) another term for off-licence.

bottle tree

noun

either of two Australian trees with swollen bottle-shaped trunks containing water:
● the Australian baobab of the Kimberley region ( Adansonia gregorii, family Bombacaceae). ● a relative of the flame tree occurring in Queensland ( Brachychiton rupestre, family Sterculiaceae).

bottom /ˈbɒtəm/

I. noun — (usu. the bottom)

1. the lowest point or part of something

• the bottom of the page

• she paused at the bottom of the stairs.

2. the ground under a sea, river, or lake

• the liner plunged to the bottom of the sea.

3. the lowest surface on the inside of a container

• place the fruit on the bottom of the dish.

4. the seat of a chair.

5. (chiefly Brit.) the furthest part or point of something

• the shed at the bottom of the garden.

6. the lowest position in a competition or ranking

• he started at the bottom and now has his own business.

7. (also bottoms) — the lower half of a specified two-piece garment

• a pair of pyjama bottoms.

8. ( bottoms) — another term for bottomland.

• river bottoms.

9. the keel or hull of a ship.

• the double bottoms of the ship.

10. (chiefly Brit.) a person's buttocks

• Toby pinched her bottom.

11. [ mass noun] — [Physics] one of six flavours of quark.

12. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› stamina or strength of character.

• whatever his faults, he possesses that old-fashioned quality—bottom.

13. ‹archaic› a ship, especially a cargo carrier.

• the Americans placed an embargo on shipping in American bottoms to British areas.

II. adjective

1. in the lowest position

• the books on the bottom shelf.

2. (of a place) in the furthest position away in a downhill direction

• the bottom field.

3. in the lowest or last position in a competition or ranking

• I was put in the bottom class

• they came bottom with 17 points.

III. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a ship) reach or touch the ground under the sea

• nuclear submarines cannot bottom.

2. [with obj.] — (Austral./NZ) excavate (a hole or mine) to the level of a mineral-bearing stratum.

• scores of abandoned claims have never been properly bottomed, according to the old prospectors.

3. [no obj.] — (Austral./NZ) find gold or other minerals while mining

• he's bottomed on opal there.

4. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› find the extent or real nature of.

• he had bottomed the whole inquiry.

5. [no obj.] (usu. bottom out) — (of a situation) reach the lowest point before stabilizing or improving

• encouraging signs suggested the recession was bottoming out.

IV. phrases

1. at bottom

fundamentally

• at bottom, science is exploration.

2. be at the bottom of

be the basic cause or origin of (something).

• he knew what was at the bottom of it—Jane wanted them to live together.

3. the bottom falls (or drops) out

used to refer to the sudden collapse or failure of something

• the bottom fell out of the market for classic cars.

4. bottom of the harbour

(Austral.) ‹historical› used to refer to a tax evasion scheme involving asset stripping and the apparent loss of company records

• in many cases, the company is just wound up, and it all goes to the bottom of the harbour

• the bottom of the harbour schemes will continue unchecked.

5. bottoms up!

‹informal› used to express friendly feelings towards one's companions before drinking.

6. from the bottom of one's heart

see heart.

7. from the bottom up

starting at the lower end or beginning of a hierarchy or process and proceeding to the top

• we began to study history from the bottom up.

8. get to the bottom of

find an explanation for (a mystery).

• the health authority was determined to get to the bottom of what went wrong.

9. knock the bottom out of

cause (something) to collapse or fail suddenly.

• a shortfall in supplies would knock the bottom out of the engineering industry.

10. you (can) bet your bottom dollar

‹informal› used to state one's conviction that a particular thing is going to happen

• you can bet your bottom dollar it'll end in tears.

V. derivatives

bottommost /ˈbɒtəmˌməʊst /

adjective

– origin Old English botm, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bodem ‘bottom, ground’ and German Boden ‘ground, earth’.

bottom dog

noun

another term for underdog.

bottom drawer

noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› household linen stored by a woman in preparation for her marriage.

bottom-dwelling

I. adjective

(of an aquatic organism) living on or near the bed of the sea, a lake, or other body of water.

II. derivatives

bottom-dweller

noun

bottomed /ˈbɒtəmd/

adjective — [in combination]

1. having a base or lowest point of the specified kind

• a heavy-bottomed copper pan

• a clear, sandy-bottomed lake

• a rather unique glass-bottomed boat.

2. having buttocks of the specified kind

• a large-bottomed woman

• she was sitting on a chair bare-bottomed.

bottom feeder

noun

1. any marine creature that lives on the seabed and feeds by scavenging.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a member of a group of very low social status who survives by any means possible.

bottom fermentation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process by which lager-type beers are fermented, proceeding for a relatively long period at low temperature with the yeast falling to the bottom.

bottomland /ˈbɒtəmland/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) low-lying land, typically by a river.
[ count noun]

• on a fine bottomland.

bottomless /ˈbɒtəmlɪs/

adjective

1. without a bottom.

• plant mint in a bottomless bucket sunk into the ground.

2. very deep

• the cold dark sea in whose bottomless depths monsters swam.

3. (of a supply of money or other resources) inexhaustible

• I don't have a bottomless pit of money.

bottom line

noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. ‹informal› the final total of an account or balance sheet

• the rise in turnover failed to add to the company's bottom line.

2. ‹informal› the fundamental and most important factor

• the bottom line is I'm still married to Denny.

bottomry /ˈbɒtəmri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› a system of merchant insurance in which a ship is used as security against a loan to finance a voyage, the lender losing their money if the ship sinks.

– origin late 16th cent.: from bottom (in the sense ‘ship’) + -ry, influenced by Dutch bodemerij.

bottom-up

adjective

proceeding from the bottom or beginning of a hierarchy or process upwards; non-hierarchical

• bottom-up decisions.

botty

noun

(Brit.) a child's word for a person's bottom.

botulin /ˈbɒtjʊlɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the bacterial toxin involved in botulism.

botulinum toxin /ˌbɒtjʊˈlʌɪnəm / botulinus toxin

noun

another term for botulin.

botulism /ˈbɒtjʊlɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. food poisoning caused by a bacterium growing on improperly sterilized tinned meats and other preserved foods.
●The bacterium is Clostridium botulinum.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German Botulismus, originally ‘sausage poisoning’, from Latin botulus ‘sausage’.

boubou /ˈbuːbuː / boubou shrike

noun

1. an African bush shrike (songbird) with the upper parts mainly blackish in colour. It is noted for the duet of bell-like calls produced by the male and female together. Compare with brubru.
●Genus Laniarius, family Laniidae: several species.

2. a long, colourful, loose-fitting garment worn by both sexes in parts of Africa.
[French, from Malinke bubu.]

bouchée /ˈbuːʃeɪ/

I. noun

a small pastry with a sweet or savoury filling.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, literally ‘mouthful’, from bouche ‘mouth’.

Boucher, François /ˈbuːʃeɪ, French buʃe/

(1703–70), French painter and decorative artist, one of the foremost artists of the rococo style in France. Notable paintings: The Rising of the Sun (1753) and Summer Pastoral (1749).

Boucher de Perthes, Jacques /ˌbuːʃeɪ də ˈpɛːt/

(1788–1868), French archaeologist. In 1837 he discovered some of the first evidence of man-made stone tools near the bones of extinct (Pleistocene) animals in the valley of the River Somme. He argued that these tools (and their makers) belonged to a pre-Celtic ‘antediluvian’ age, but his findings were not accepted until the 1850s.

bouclé /ˈbuːkleɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [often as modifier]

1. yarn with a looped or curled ply, or fabric woven from this yarn

• a bouclé sweater.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, literally ‘buckled, curled’.

Boudicca /ˈbuːdɪkə, bəʊˈdɪkə/

(d. AD 62), a queen of the Britons, ruler of the Iceni tribe in eastern England; also known as Boadicea. Boudicca led her forces in revolt against the Romans and sacked Colchester, St Albans, and London before being defeated by the Roman governor Suetonius Paulinus.

boudin /ˈbuːdã/

I. noun

1. ( pl. pronunc. same) — a French type of black pudding.

2. ( boudins) — [Geology] a series of elongated parallel sections formed by the fracturing of a sedimentary rock stratum during folding.

– origin French.

boudoir /ˈbuːdwɑː/

I. noun

‹chiefly historical› ‹humorous› a woman's bedroom or small private room.

– origin late 18th cent.: French, literally ‘sulking-place’, from bouder ‘pout, sulk’.

bouffant /ˈbuːfɒ̃/

I. adjective

(of a person's hair) styled so as to stand out from the head in a rounded shape.

• a blonde lady with bouffant hair.

II. noun

a bouffant hairstyle.

• we backcombed her hair into a bob-shaped bouffant.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘swelling’, present participle of bouffer.

bouffy /ˈbuːfi / ‹Austral.› boofy

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› (of a person’s hair) standing out from the head in a rounded shape

• a middle-aged woman with a slightly bouffy bob

• nowadays teenage surfer boys are all sporting boofy hair-dos.

2. ‹informal› (of clothing) puffed out

• she wore big boofy skirts and big hair and big accessories.

– origin 1960s: from bouffant + -y^1.

Bougainville /ˈbuːɡənvɪl/

I. a volcanic island in the South Pacific, forming a province of Papua New Guinea. It is the largest of the islands in the Solomon Islands archipelago.

– origin named after Louis de Bougainville (see Bougainville, Louis Antoine de), who visited it in 1768.

Bougainville, Louis Antoine de /ˈbuːɡənvɪl, French buɡɛ̃vil/

(1729–1811), French explorer. Bougainville led the first French circumnavigation of the globe 1766–9, visiting many of the islands of the South Pacific and compiling an invaluable scientific record of his findings.

bougainvillea /ˌbuːɡ(ə)nˈvɪlɪə / bougainvillaea

I. noun

an ornamental shrubby climbing plant that is widely cultivated in the tropics. The insignificant flowers are surrounded by large, brightly coloured papery bracts which persist on the plant for a long time.
●Genus Bougainvillea, family Nyctaginaceae.

– origin named after Louis de Bougainville (see Bougainville, Louis Antoine de).

bough /baʊ/

I. noun

a main branch of a tree

• apple boughs laden with blossom.

– origin Old English bōg, bōh ‘bough or shoulder’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boeg ‘shoulders or ship's bow’, German Bug ‘ship's bow’ and ‘horse's hock or shoulder’, also to bow^3.

bought /bɔːt/

past and past participle of buy.

boughten /ˈbɔːt(ə)n/

I. adjective

‹dialect› (chiefly N. Amer.) bought rather than home-made

• her first store-boughten doll.

– origin late 18th cent.: dialect variant of bought.

bougie /ˈbuːʒi/

I. noun

[Medicine] a thin, flexible surgical instrument for exploring or dilating a passage of the body.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, literally ‘wax candle’, from Arabic Bijāya, an Algerian town which traded in wax.

bouillabaisse /ˈbuːjəˌbeɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rich, spicy stew or soup made with various kinds of fish, originally from Provence.

– origin French, from modern Provençal bouiabaisso.

bouilli /ˈbuːji/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. stewed or boiled meat.

– origin French, ‘boiled’.

bouillon /ˈbuːjɒ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. thin soup or stock made by stewing meat, fish, or vegetables in water.

– origin French, literally ‘liquid in which something has boiled’, from bouillir ‘to boil’.

boulder /ˈbəʊldə/

I. noun

a large rock, typically one that has been worn smooth by erosion.

II. derivatives

bouldery

adjective

– origin late Middle English: shortened from earlier boulderstone.

boulder clay

noun — [ mass noun]

1. clay containing many large stones and boulders, formed by deposition from melting glaciers and ice sheets.

bouldering

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Climbing] climbing on large boulders, either for practice or as a sport in its own right.

boulderstone /ˈbəʊldəstəʊn/

I. noun

a large rock, typically one that has been worn smooth by erosion.

– origin Middle English: of Scandinavian origin.

boule^1 /buːl/

I. noun

a metal ball used in the French game of boules, a form of bowls played on rough ground.

• in the central square a game of boules was in progress.

– origin 1920s (originally denoting a form of roulette): French, literally ‘bowl’.

boule^2 /ˈbuːli/

I. noun

a legislative body of ancient or modern Greece.

– origin from Greek boulē ‘senate’.

boulevard /ˈbuːləvɑːd/

I. noun

a wide street in a town or city, typically one lined with trees
[in names]

• Sunset Boulevard.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, ‘a rampart’ (later ‘a promenade on the site of one’), from German Bollwerk (see bulwark).

boulevardier /ˌbuːləvɑːˈdjeɪ/

I. noun

a wealthy, fashionable socialite.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, originally in the sense ‘person who frequents boulevards’.

Boulez, Pierre /ˈbuːlɛz/

(b.1925), French composer and conductor. His works explore and develop serialism and aleatory music, making use of both traditional and electronic instruments.

boulle /buːl / buhl

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. brass, tortoiseshell, or other material cut to make a pattern and used for inlaying furniture
[as modifier]

• boulle cabinets.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French boule, from the name of André Charles Boulle (1642–1732), French cabinetmaker. The variant buhl is apparently a modern Germanized spelling.

Boulogne /bʊˈlɔɪn, French bulɔɲ/

a ferry port and fishing town in northern France; pop. 45,036 (2006). Full name Boulogne-sur-Mer /bʊˈlɔɪnsjʊəˈmɛː, French bulɔɲsyʀˈmɛʀ/.

Boult, Sir Adrian /bəʊlt/

(1889–1983), English conductor; full name Sir Adrian Cedric Boult. Noted especially for his championship of English composers, he was music director of the BBC 1930–49 and principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra 1950–7.

Boulting /ˈbəʊltɪŋ/

John (1913–85) and Roy (1913–2001), English film producers and directors. Twin brothers, they shared responsibilities as producer and director on films such as Brighton Rock (1947) and I'm All Right Jack (1959).

Boulton, Matthew /ˈbəʊlt(ə)n/

(1728–1809), English engineer and manufacturer. With his partner James Watt he pioneered the manufacture of steam engines, which they began to produce in 1774.

bounce /baʊns/

I. verb

1. [no obj., usu. with adverbial of direction] — (with reference to an object, especially a ball) move quickly up, back, or away from a surface after hitting it

• the ball bounced away and he chased it

• [with obj.] he was bouncing the ball against the wall.

2. (of light, sound, or an electronic signal) come into contact with an object or surface and be reflected back

• short sound waves bounce off even small objects.

3. (also bounce back) — (of an email) be returned to its sender after failing to reach its destination

• I tried to email him, but the message bounced.

4. ( bounce back) — recover well after a setback or problem

• the savings rate has already started to bounce back and is sure to rise further.

5. [with obj.] — (W. Indian) come into sudden forceful contact with; collide with

• people cross the road as slowly as possible, as if daring the cars to bounce them.

6. [no obj., usu. with adverbial of direction] — jump repeatedly up and down, typically on something springy

• Emma was happily bouncing up and down on the mattress.

7. move up and down repeatedly

• the gangplank bounced under his confident step.

8. [with obj.] — cause (a child) to move lightly up and down on one's knee as a game.

• I remember how you used to bounce me on your knee.

9. [with adverbial of direction] — (of a vehicle) move jerkily along a bumpy surface

• the car bounced down the narrow track.

10. [with adverbial of direction] — move in a particular direction in an energetic, happy, or enthusiastic manner

• Linda bounced in through the open front door.

11. [no obj.] — ‹informal› (of a cheque) be returned by a bank to the payee when there are not enough funds in the drawer's account to meet it

• a further two cheques of £160 also bounced.

12. [with obj.] — (of a bank) return a cheque to the payee when there are not enough funds in the drawer's account to meet it.

• the bank bounced the cheque.

13. [with obj.] — ‹informal› eject (a troublemaker) forcibly from a nightclub or similar establishment.

14. (chiefly N. Amer.) dismiss (someone) from a job

• those who put in a dismal performance will be bounced from the tour.

15. [with obj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› pressurize (someone) into doing something, typically by presenting them with a fait accompli

• the government should beware being bounced into any ill-considered foreign gamble.

II. noun

1. a rebound of a ball or other object

• the wicket was causing the occasional erratic bounce.

2. [ mass noun] — the ability of a surface to make a ball rebound in a specified way

• a pitch of low bounce.

3. (W. Indian) a collision.

4. an act of jumping or of moving up and down jerkily

• every bounce of the truck brought them into fresh contact.

5. a sudden rise in the level of something

• economists agree that there could be a bounce in prices next year.

6. [ mass noun] — exuberant self-confidence

• the bounce was now back in Jenny's step.

7. [ mass noun] — health and body in a person's hair

• use conditioner to help hair regain its bounce.

III. phrases

1. be bouncing off the walls

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› be full of nervous excitement or agitation.

• the skiers were bouncing off the walls, they were so tired.

2. bounce an idea off

‹informal› share an idea with (someone) in order to refine it.

• he thrives on bouncing ideas off other people.

3. on the bounce

a. as something rebounds

• he caught the ball on the bounce.

b. ‹informal› in quick succession

• it's nice to get four victories on the bounce.

– origin Middle English bunsen ‘beat, thump’, perhaps imitative, or from Low German bunsen ‘beat’, Dutch bons ‘a thump’.

bouncebackability /ˌbaʊnsbakəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› (especially in sport) the capacity to recover quickly from a setback

• promotion-chasing sides need to show the requisite bouncebackability after defeat.

bounce flash

noun

1. a device for giving reflected photographic flashlight.

2. [ mass noun] — flashlight reflected using a bounce flash.

bouncer /ˈbaʊnsə/

noun

1. a person employed by a nightclub or similar establishment to prevent troublemakers and other unwanted people entering or to eject them from the premises.

2. [Cricket] a ball bowled fast and short so as to rise high after pitching.

bounce rate

noun

the percentage of visitors to a particular website who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page.

• a rising bounce rate is a sure sign that your homepage is boring or off-putting.

bouncinette /ˌbaʊnsɪˈnɛt/

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹trademark› a seat for a baby, consisting of a fabric harness on a sprung metal frame that allows for a gentle rocking motion

• the baby was gurgling and kicking in his bouncinette.

bouncing /ˈbaʊnsɪŋ/

adjective

1. (of a baby) vigorous and healthy

• Lisa gave birth to a bouncing baby boy.

2. lively and confident

• by the next day she was her usual bouncing, energetic self.

bouncing Bet

noun

another term for soapwort.

bouncy /ˈbaʊnsi/

I. adjective

1. bouncing or causing things to bounce

• bouncy floorboards

• a bouncy ball.

2. (of a person) confident and lively

• she was still the girl he remembered, bouncy and full of life.

3. (of music) having a pleasingly jaunty rhythm

• bouncy 1960s tunes.

II. derivatives

1. bouncily

adverb

2. bounciness

noun

bouncy castle

noun

(Brit.) a large inflatable structure, typically in the form of a stylized castle or other building, on which children can jump and play.

bound^1 /baʊnd/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. walk or run with leaping strides

• Louis came bounding down the stairs

• ‹figurative› shares bounded ahead in early dealing.

2. (of an object) rebound from a surface

• bullets bounded off the veranda.

II. noun

a leaping movement towards or over something

• I went up the steps in two effortless bounds.

– origin early 16th cent. (as a noun): from French bond (noun), bondir (verb) ‘resound’, later ‘rebound’, from late Latin bombitare, from Latin bombus ‘humming’.

bound^2 /baʊnd/

I. noun — (often bounds)

1. a territorial limit; a boundary

• the ancient bounds of the forest.

2. a limitation or restriction on feeling or action

• it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the issue could arise again

• enthusiasm to join the union knew no bounds.

3. ‹technical› a limiting value.

• an upper bound on each modulus.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. form the boundary of; enclose

• the ground was bounded by a main road on one side and a meadow on the other.

2. place within certain limits; restrict

• freedom of action is bounded by law.

III. phrases

1. in bounds

inside the part of a sports field or court in which play is conducted.

2. out of bounds /ˌaʊt əv ˈbaʊndz /

a. outside the part of a sports field or court in which play is conducted.

• he hit his third shot out of bounds at the 17th.

b. outside the limits of where one is permitted to be

• his kitchen was out of bounds to me at mealtimes.

c. beyond what is acceptable

• Paul felt that this conversation was getting out of bounds.

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘landmark’ and ‘borderland’): from Old French bodne, from medieval Latin bodina, earlier butina, of unknown ultimate origin.

bound^3 /baʊnd/

I. adjective

1. going or ready to go towards a specified place

• an express train bound for Edinburgh

• [in combination] the three moon-bound astronauts.

2. destined or very likely to have a specified experience

• they were bound for disaster.

– origin Middle English boun (in the sense ‘ready, dressed’), from Old Norse búinn, past participle of búa ‘get ready’; the final -d is euphonic, or influenced by bound^4.

bound^4 /baʊnd/

I. verb

past and past participle of bind.

II. adjective

1. [in combination] — restricted or confined to a specified place

• his job kept him city-bound.

2. prevented from operating normally by the specified conditions

• blizzard-bound Boston.

3. [with infinitive] — certain to be or to do or have something

• there is bound to be a change of plan.

4. obliged by law, circumstances, or duty to do something

• I'm bound to do what I can to help Sam

• I'm bound to say that I have some doubts.

5. [in combination] — (of a book) having a specified binding

• fine leather-bound books.

6. (of a grammatical element) occurring only in combination with another form.

7. in Chomskyan linguistics, (of a reflexive, reciprocal, or other linguistic unit) dependent for its reference on another noun phrase in the same sentence.

III. phrases

1. bound up in

focusing on to the exclusion of all else

• she was too bound up in her own misery to care that other people were hurt.

2. bound up with (or in)

closely connected with or related to

• democracy is bound up with a measure of economic and social equality.

3. I'll be bound

(Brit.) used to emphasize that one is sure of something

• she's hatching more little plots, I'll be bound!

boundary /ˈbaʊnd(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a line which marks the limits of an area; a dividing line

• a county boundary

• the river marks the boundary between the two regions

• [as modifier] a boundary wall.

2. (often boundaries) — a limit of something abstract, especially a subject or sphere of activity

• a community without class or political boundaries.

3. [Cricket] a hit crossing the limits of the field, scoring four or six runs.

– origin early 17th cent.: variant of dialect bounder, from bound^2 + -er^1, perhaps on the pattern of limitary.

boundary condition

noun

[Mathematics] a condition that is required to be satisfied at all or part of the boundary of a region in which a set of differential conditions is to be solved.

boundary layer

noun

a layer of more or less stationary fluid (such as water or air) immediately surrounding an immersed moving object.

boundary rider

noun

(Austral./NZ) a person employed to maintain the outer fences of a cattle or sheep station.

boundary umpire

noun

[Australian Rules] an umpire on the boundary line who signals when the ball is out and throws it back in to restart play.

boundary value

noun

[Mathematics] a value specified by a boundary condition.

bounden /ˈbaʊnd(ə)n/

I. archaic past participle of bind.

II. phrases

a (or one's) bounden duty

a responsibility regarded by oneself or others as obligatory

• his bounden duty to respond to the call for help.

bounder /ˈbaʊndə/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a dishonourable man

• he is nothing but a fortune-seeking bounder.

boundless /ˈbaʊndləs/

I. adjective

unlimited or immense

• enthusiasts who devote boundless energy to their hobby.

II. derivatives

1. boundlessly

adverb

[as submodifier]

• the land was boundlessly fertile

2. boundlessness /ˈbaʊndləsnəs /

noun

bounteous /ˈbaʊntɪəs/

I. adjective

‹archaic› generously given or giving; bountiful

• the earth yields a bounteous harvest.

II. derivatives

1. bounteously

adverb

2. bounteousness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bontif, -ive ‘benevolent’ (from bonte ‘bounty’), on the pattern of plenteous.

bountiful /ˈbaʊntɪfʊl, ˈbaʊntɪf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. large in quantity; abundant

• the ocean provided a bountiful supply of fresh food.

2. giving generously

• this bountiful God has thought of everything.

II. derivatives

bountifully /ˈbaʊntɪf(ə)li /

adverb

– origin early 16th cent.: from bounty + -ful.

bounty /ˈbaʊnti/

I. noun

1. a sum paid for killing or capturing a person or animal

• there was an increased bounty on his head.

2. ‹historical› a sum paid by the state to encourage trade.

• bounties were paid to colonial producers of indigo dye.

3. a sum paid by the state to army or navy recruits on enlistment.

• they do not qualify for their bounty because they have spent insufficient time at summer camp.

4. ‹literary› something given or occurring in generous amounts

• the bounties of nature.

5. [ mass noun] — generosity

• for millennia the people along the Nile have depended entirely on its bounty.

– origin Middle English (denoting goodness or generosity): from Old French bonte ‘goodness’, from Latin bonitas, from bonus ‘good’. The sense ‘monetary reward’ dates from the early 18th cent.

Bounty

a ship of the British navy on which in 1789 part of the crew, led by Fletcher Christian, mutinied against their commander, William Bligh, and set him adrift in an open boat with eighteen companions.

bounty hunter

noun

a person who pursues a criminal for whom a reward is offered.

bouquet /bʊˈkeɪ, bəʊˈkeɪ, ˈbʊkeɪ/

I. noun

1. an attractively arranged bunch of flowers, especially one presented as a gift or carried at a ceremony.

2. an expression of approval; a compliment

• we will happily publish the bouquets and brickbats.

3. the characteristic scent of a wine or perfume

• the aperitif has a faint bouquet of almonds.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French (earlier ‘clump of trees’), from a dialect variant of Old French bos ‘wood’. Sense 2 dates from the mid 19th cent.

bouquet garni /bʊˌkeɪ ɡɑːˈni, bəʊˈkeɪ ˈɡɑːni/

I. noun

a bunch of herbs, typically encased in a muslin bag, used for flavouring a stew or soup.

– origin French, literally ‘garnished bouquet’.

Bourbaki, Nicolas /ˌbʊəˈbɑːki/

I. a pseudonym of a group of mathematicians, mainly French, attempting to give a complete account of the foundations of pure mathematics. Their first publication was in 1939.

– origin the group was named, humorously, after a defeated French general of the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1).

bourbon /ˈbəːb(ə)n, ˈbʊəːb(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of American whisky distilled from maize and rye.
[ count noun]

• he moved to the sideboard to pour himself a bourbon.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Bourbon County, Kentucky, where it was first made.

Bourbon^1 /ˈbʊəb(ə)n, ˈbɔːbɒn/

the surname of a branch of the royal family of France. The Bourbons ruled France from 1589, when Henry IV succeeded to the throne, until the monarchy was overthrown in 1848, and reached the peak of their power under Louis XIV in the late 17th century. Members of this family have also been kings of Spain (1700–1931 and since 1975).

Bourbon^2 /ˈbʊəb(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a chocolate-flavoured biscuit with a chocolate-cream filling.

2. (US) a reactionary.

3. (also Bourbon rose) — a rose of a variety which flowers over a long period and has a rich scent. It arose as a natural hybrid on the island of Réunion (formerly Île de Bourbon) and was introduced into Europe in the early 19th century.
● Rosa × borboniana, a hybrid of Rosa chinensis and R. damascena, family Rosaceae.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in sense 2): from Bourbon^1. Sense 1 dates from the 1930s.

Bourbonnais /ˌbʊəbɒˈneɪ/

a former duchy and province of central France; chief town, Moulins. It forms part of the Auvergne and Centre regions.

bourdon /ˈbʊəd(ə)n/

I. noun

a low-pitched stop in an organ or harmonium, typically a stopped diapason of 16-foot pitch.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘drone of a bagpipe’): from Old French, ‘drone’, of imitative origin.

Bourdon gauge /ˈbʊədɒn/

I. noun

a pressure gauge employing a coiled metallic tube which tends to straighten out when pressure is exerted within it.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Eugène Bourdon (1808–84), French hydraulic engineer.

bourgeois /ˈbʊəʒwɑː/

I. adjective

1. belonging to or characteristic of the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes

• a rich, bored, bourgeois family

• these views will shock the bourgeois critics.

2. (in Marxist contexts) upholding the interests of capitalism; not communist

• bourgeois society took for granted the sanctity of property.

II. noun

a bourgeois person.

• a self-confessed and proud bourgeois.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from late Latin burgus ‘castle’ (in medieval Latin ‘fortified town’), ultimately of Germanic origin and related to borough. Compare with burgess.

bourgeoise /ˈbʊəʒwɑːz/

I. adjective

belonging to or characteristic of female members of the bourgeoisie.

• a cosy, bourgeoise, widowed ex-mayoress in a provincial town.

II. noun

a female member of the bourgeoisie.

– origin late 18th cent.: French, feminine of bourgeois ‘citizen’ (see bourgeois).

bourgeoisie /ˌbʊəʒwɑːˈziː/

I. noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes.

• the rise of the bourgeoisie at the end of the eighteenth century.

• the landed gentry were replaced by a local bourgeoisie.

2. (in Marxist contexts) the capitalist class who own most of society's wealth and means of production.

• the conflict of interest between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.

– origin early 18th cent.: French, from bourgeois.

Bourgogne /buʀɡɔɲ/

French name for Burgundy.

Bourguiba, Habib ibn Ali /ˌbʊəˈɡiːbə/

(1903–2000), Tunisian nationalist and statesman, the first President of independent Tunisia 1957–87.

Bourke /bə:k/

I. a town in the north-west of New South Wales, situated on the Darling River, about 800 km from Sydney.

II. phrases

back of Bourke

(Austral.) ‹informal› the remote and sparsely populated inland of Australia

• we don't have the same roads in the back of Bourke as we have in Sydney.

– origin named after Sir Richard Bourke (1777–1855), soldier and governor of New South Wales (1831–37).

Bourke-White, Margaret /bəːk/

(1906–71), American photojournalist. During the Second World War she was the first female photographer to be attached to the US armed forces, at the end of the war accompanying the Allied forces when they entered the concentration camps.

bourn^1 /bɔːn, bʊən/

I. noun

‹dialect› a small stream, especially one that flows intermittently or seasonally.

– origin Middle English: southern English variant of burn^2.

bourn^2 /bɔːn, bʊən / bourne

I. noun

1. ‹literary› a limit or boundary.

2. ‹literary› a goal or destination.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting a boundary of a field): from French borne, from Old French bodne (see bound^2).

Bournemouth /ˈbɔːnməθ/

a resort town on the south coast of England, in Dorset; pop. 159,500 (est. 2009).

bourrée /ˈbʊəreɪ/

I. noun

1. a lively French dance like a gavotte.

2. [Ballet] a series of very fast little steps, with the feet close together, usually performed on the tips of the toes and giving the impression that the dancer is gliding over the floor.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. perform a bourrée.

– origin late 17th cent.: French, literally ‘faggot of twigs’ (the dance being performed around a fire made with such twigs).

bourse /bʊəs/

I. noun

1. a stock market in a non-English-speaking country, especially France.
Compare with burse.

2. ( the Bourse) — the Paris stock exchange.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as burse, the usual form until the mid 19th cent.): from French, literally ‘purse’, via medieval Latin from Greek bursa ‘leather’.

Boursin /ˈbʊəsã, French buʀsɛ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a kind of soft cheese from France.

– origin French.

boustrophedon /ˌbaʊstrəˈfiːd(ə)n, ˌbuːstrəˈfiːd(ə)n/

I. adjective, adverb

(of written words) from right to left and from left to right in alternate lines.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek, literally ‘as an ox turns in ploughing’, from bous ‘ox’ + -strophos ‘turning’.

bout /baʊt/

I. noun

1. a short period of intense activity of a specified kind

• occasional bouts of strenuous exercise

• a drinking bout.

2. an attack of illness or strong emotion

• a severe bout of flu.

3. a wrestling or boxing match.

• he fought 350 bouts, losing only nine times.

4. a curve in the side of a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a curve or circuit, hence later a ‘turn’ of activity): from dialect bought ‘bend, loop’; probably of Low German origin.

boutade /buːˈtɑːd/

I. noun

‹formal› a sudden outburst or outbreak.

– origin early 17th cent.: French, from bouter ‘to thrust’.

boutique /buːˈtiːk/

I. noun

1. a small shop selling fashionable clothes or accessories.

2. a business serving a sophisticated or specialized clientele
[as modifier]

• California's boutique wineries.

II. derivatives

boutiquey

adjective

‹informal›

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, ‘small shop’, via Latin from Greek apothēkē ‘storehouse’. Compare with bodega.

boutique hotel

noun

a stylish small hotel, typically one situated in a fashionable urban location.

bouton /ˈbuːtɒn/

I. noun

[Anatomy] an enlarged part of a nerve fibre or cell, especially an axon, where it forms a synapse with another nerve.

– origin 1930s: from French, literally ‘button’.

boutonnière /ˌbuːtɒnˈjɛː/

I. noun

a spray of flowers worn in a buttonhole.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, ‘buttonhole’, from bouton ‘button’.

Boutros-Ghali, Boutros /ˌbuːtrɒsˈɡɑːli/

(b.1922), Egyptian diplomat and politician, Secretary General of the United Nations 1992–7.

Bouvet Island /ˈbuːveɪ/

I. an uninhabited Norwegian island in the South Atlantic.

– origin named after the French navigator François Lozier- Bouvet (1705–86), who visited it in 1739.

bouvier /ˈbuːvɪeɪ/

I. noun

a large, powerful dog of a rough-coated breed originating in Belgium.

– origin French, literally ‘cowherd’.

bouzouki /bʊˈzuːki/

I. noun

a long-necked Greek form of mandolin.

– origin 1950s: from modern Greek mpouzouki, possibly related to Turkish bozuk ‘spoilt’ (with reference to roughly made instruments).

bovid /ˈbəʊvɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a mammal of the cattle family ( Bovidae).

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Bovidae (plural), from bos, bov- ‘ox’.

bovine /ˈbəʊvʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. relating to or affecting cattle

• bovine tuberculosis

• bovine tissue.

2. (of a person or their manner) sluggish or stupid

• a look of bovine contentment came into her face.

II. noun

an animal of the cattle group, which also includes buffaloes and bison.

III. derivatives

bovinely

adverb

– origin early 19th cent.: from late Latin bovinus, from Latin bos, bov- ‘ox’.

bovine somatotrophin /ˌsəʊmətə(ʊ)ˈtrəʊfɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a growth hormone occurring naturally in cows that is added to cattle feed to increase milk production.

Bovril /ˈbɒvrɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a concentrated essence of beef diluted with hot water to make a drink.
[as count noun]

• could she bring her Bovril up and drink it while having a chat?

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin bos, bov- ‘ox’, the second element perhaps from vril, an imaginary form of energy described in E. Bulwer-Lytton's novel The Coming Race (1871).

bovver /ˈbɒvə/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› hooliganism or violent disorder, especially as caused by gangs of skinheads

• a bovver boy.

– origin 1960s: representing a cockney pronunciation of bother.

bovver boots

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› heavy laced boots extending to the mid-calf, typically worn by skinheads.

bow^1 /bəʊ/

I. noun

1. a knot tied with two loops and two loose ends, used especially for tying shoelaces and decorative ribbons

• a girl with long hair tied back in a bow.

2. a decorative ribbon tied in a bow.

3. a weapon for shooting arrows, typically made of a curved piece of wood joined at both ends by a taut string.

4. a long, partially curved rod with horsehair stretched along its length, used for playing the violin and other stringed instruments.

5. a single passage of a bow over the strings of an instrument.

6. a curved stroke forming part of a letter (e.g. b, p).

7. a metal ring forming the handle of a key or pair of scissors.

8. (N. Amer.) a side piece or lens frame of a pair of glasses.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. play (a stringed instrument or music) using a bow.

• the techniques by which the pieces were bowed.

• (as noun bowing) the mind can concentrate on finger action without worrying about bowing.

III. phrases

1. have (or add) another string to one's bow

(Brit.) have a further resource that one can make use of.

• he decided to go for the degree so he would have another string to his bow.

2. have many strings to one's bow

(Brit.) have a wide range of resources that one can make use of.

– origin Old English boga ‘bend, bow, arch’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boog and German Bogen, also to bow^2.

bow^2 /baʊ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect, greeting, or shame

• he turned and bowed to his father

• [with obj.] she knelt and bowed her head

• councillors stood with heads bowed.

2. [with obj.] — express (thanks, agreement, or other sentiments) by bending one's head respectfully

• he looked at Hector before bowing grave thanks.

3. bend with age or under pressure

• the roof trusses bowed as the wind fought to rip the roof free

• [with obj.] the creepers were bowed down with flowers.

4. submit to pressure or demands

• the government has bowed to pressure from farmers to increase compensation.

5. (chiefly N. Amer.) (of a new film or product) be premiered or launched

• the trailer bowed in theaters nationwide on December 23.

• the Pentium III bowed in early 1999.

II. noun

an act of bending the head or upper body as a sign of respect or greeting

• the man gave a little bow.

III. phrases

1. bow and scrape

behave in an obsequious way to someone in authority.

• a jailer led them in, the fellow bowing and scraping as he recognized Sir John.

2. make one's bow

make one's first formal appearance in a particular role

• the midfielder only made his England bow nine months ago.

3. take a bow

acknowledge applause after a performance by bowing.

• the music ended and the girl took a bow.

• ‹figurative› for shrewd transfers the team's manager must take a well-deserved bow.

IV. phrasal verbs

bow out

withdraw or retire from an activity or role

• many artists are forced to bow out of the profession at a relatively early age.

– origin Old English būgan ‘bend, stoop’, of Germanic origin; related to German biegen, also to bow^1.

bow^3 /baʊ / bows

I. noun

the front end of a ship

• water sprayed high over her bows.

II. phrases

1. on the bow

[Nautical] within 45° of the point directly ahead.

2. a (warning) shot across the bows

a statement or gesture intended to frighten someone into changing their course of action

• supporters are firing a warning shot across the President's bows.

– origin late Middle English: from Low German boog, Dutch boeg, ‘shoulder or ship's bow’; related to bough.

Bow, Clara /bəʊ/

(1905–65), American actress. One of the most popular stars and sex symbols of the 1920s, she was known as the ‘It Girl’.

bow compass bow compasses

noun

a compass with jointed legs.

bowdlerize /ˈbaʊdlərʌɪz / bowdlerise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove material that is considered improper or offensive from (a text or account), especially with the result that the text becomes weaker or less effective
(as adj. bowdlerized)

• a bowdlerized version of the story.

II. derivatives

1. bowdlerism

noun

2. bowdlerization /baʊdlərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of Dr Thomas Bowdler (1754–1825), who published an expurgated edition of Shakespeare in 1818, + -ize.

bowel /ˈbaʊəl/

I. noun

1. (often bowels) — the part of the alimentary canal below the stomach; the intestine.

• he felt his bowels loosen.

• the lining of the bowel.

• [as modifier] bowel cancer.

2. ( the bowels of) — the deepest inner parts or areas of (something)

• the mineshaft descended deep into the bowels of the earth.

– origin Middle English: from Old French bouel, from Latin botellus, diminutive of botulus ‘sausage’.

bowel movement

noun

1. an act of defecation.

2. the faeces discharged in an act of defecation.

Bowen, Elizabeth /ˈbəʊɪn/

(1899–1973), British novelist and short-story writer, born in Ireland; full name Elizabeth Dorothea Cole Bowen. Notable novels: The Death of the Heart (1938) and The Heat of the Day (1949).

bower^1 /ˈbaʊə/

I. noun

1. a pleasant shady place under trees or climbing plants in a garden or wood.

2. ‹literary› a summer house or country cottage.

3. ‹literary› a woman's private room or bedroom.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› shade or enclose (a place or person)
(as adj. bowered)

• the bowered pathways into the tangle of vines.

– origin Old English būr ‘dwelling, inner room’, of Germanic origin; related to German Bauer ‘birdcage’.

bower^2 /ˈbaʊə / bower anchor

I. noun

each of two anchors carried at a ship's bow, formerly distinguished as the best bower (starboard) or small bower (port).

– origin late 15th cent.: from bow^3 + -er^1.

bowerbird

noun

a strong-billed Australasian bird, noted for the male's habit of constructing an elaborate run or bower adorned with feathers, shells, and other objects to attract the female for courtship.
●Family Ptilonorhynchidae: several genera and species.

Bowery /ˈbaʊəri/

I. a street and district in New York City associated with drunks and vagrants.

– origin mid 17th cent.: built on the site of governor Peter Stuyvesant's bowery ‘farm’, from Dutch bouwerij; the district became noted for its cheap lodging houses and saloons.

bowfin /ˈbəʊfɪn/

I. noun

a predatory American freshwater fish with a large blunt head and a long dorsal fin. It is able to survive for long periods out of water.
● Amia calva, the only living member of the family Amiidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from bow^1 + fin.

bow-fronted

I. adjective

(of furniture) having a convexly curved front.

II. derivatives

bow front

noun, adjective

bowhead /ˈbəʊhɛd / bowhead whale

I. noun

an Arctic right whale with black skin, feeding by skimming the surface for plankton. Also called Greenland right whale.
● Balaena mysticetus, family Balaenidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from bow^1 + head.

bowhunting

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the practice of hunting animals with a bow rather than a gun.

II. derivatives

bowhunter

noun

bowie /ˈbəʊi / bowie knife

I. noun

a long knife with a blade that is double-edged at the point.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after J. Bowie (see Bowie, Jim).

Bowie, David /ˈbəʊi/

(b.1947), English rock singer, songwriter, and actor; born David Robert Jones. He is known for his theatrical performances and for his adoption of a number of different stage personae. Notable albums: Ziggy Stardust (1972) and Heroes (1977).

Bowie, Jim /ˈbəʊi/

(1799–1836), American frontiersman; full name James Bowie. He shared command of the garrison that resisted the Mexican attack on the Alamo, where he died.

bowknot

noun

a double-looped ornamental knot in a ribbon, tie, or other fastening.

bowl^1 /bəʊl/

I. noun

1. a round, deep dish or basin used for food or liquid

• a mixing bowl

• a sugar bowl.

2. the contents of a bowl

• they ate huge bowls of steaming spaghetti.

3. [usu. in names] — a decorative round dish awarded as a prize in a competition

• the McGeorge Rose Bowl.

4. a rounded, concave part of an object

• a toilet bowl

• the bowl of a spoon.

5. [Geography] a natural basin.

6. [in names] — (chiefly US) a stadium for sporting or musical events

• the Hollywood Bowl.

7. an American football game played after the regular season between leading teams.

• Pro Bowl.

• [as modifier] their last four bowl games.

II. derivatives

bowlful /ˈbəʊlfʊl /

noun

– origin Old English bolle, bolla, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bol ‘round object’, also to boll.

bowl^2 /bəʊl/

I. noun

1. a wooden or hard rubber ball, slightly asymmetrical so that it runs on a curved course, used in the game of bowls.

2. a large ball with indentations for gripping, used in tenpin bowling.

3. a wooden ball or disc used in playing skittles.

4. a spell or turn of bowling in cricket.

II. verb

1. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — roll (a ball or other round object) along the ground

• she snatched her hat off and bowled it ahead of her.

2. [with obj.] — [Cricket] (of a bowler) propel (the ball) with a straight arm towards the batsman, typically in such a way that the ball bounces once

• Lillee bowled another bouncer

• [no obj.] Sobers bowled to Willis.

3. (also bowl someone out) — dismiss (a batsman) by knocking down the wicket with the ball which one has bowled

• Stewart was bowled for 33.

4. ( bowl a side out) — get an entire team out

• they bowled Lancashire out for 143.

5. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (Brit.) move rapidly and smoothly in a specified direction

• they bowled along the country roads.

III. phrasal verbs

bowl someone over

a. knock someone down.

• he was almost bowling people over in his haste.

b. ‹informal› greatly impress someone by one's good qualities, looks, or achievements

• when he met Angela he was just bowled over by her.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘ball’): from Old French boule, from Latin bulla ‘bubble’.

bow legs /bəʊˈlɛɡz/

I. plural noun

legs that curve outwards at the knee; bandy legs.

II. derivatives

bow-legged /ˌbəʊˈlɛɡɪd /

adjective

bowler^1 /ˈbəʊlə/

noun

1. [Cricket] a member of the fielding side who bowls or is bowling.

2. a player at bowls, tenpin bowling, or skittles.

bowler^2 /ˈbəʊlə / bowler hat

I. noun

(chiefly Brit.) a man's hard felt hat with a round dome-shaped crown.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after William Bowler, the English hatter who designed it in 1850.

Bowles, Paul /bəʊlz/

(1910–99), American writer and composer; full name Paul Frederick Bowles. His novels, which include The Sheltering Sky (1949) and The Spider's House (1966), typically concern westerners in the Arab world.

bowline /ˈbəʊlɪn/

I. noun

1. a rope attaching the weather side of a square sail to a ship's bow.

2. a simple knot for forming a non-slipping loop at the end of a rope.

– origin Middle English: from Middle Low German bōlīne, Middle Dutch boechlijne, from boeg ‘ship's bow’ + lijne ‘line’.

bowling /ˈbəʊlɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the game of bowls as a sport or recreation.

2. the game of tenpin bowling.

3. the game of skittles.

4. [Cricket] the action of a bowler in sending down balls towards the batsman's wicket

• fast bowling.

5. the bowlers in a team

• on paper their bowling looks weak.

bowling alley

noun

1. a long, narrow track along which balls are rolled in the games of skittles or tenpin bowling.

2. a building in which skittles or tenpin bowling are played.

bowling average

noun

[Cricket] the number of runs conceded by a bowler per wicket taken.

bowling crease

noun

[Cricket] the line from behind which a bowler delivers the ball.

bowling green

noun

an area of closely mown grass on which the game of bowls is played.

bowls /bəʊlz/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a game played with heavy bowls, the object of which is to propel one's bowl so that it comes to rest as close as possible to a previously bowled small ball (the jack). Bowls is played chiefly out of doors (though indoor bowls is also popular) on a closely trimmed lawn called a green.

2. (Brit.) tenpin bowling or skittles.

bowman^1 /ˈbəʊmən/

noun

an archer.

bowman^2 /ˈbaʊmən/

noun

the rower who sits nearest the bow of a boat, especially a racing boat.

bow saw /ˈbəʊsɔː/

noun

a saw with a narrow blade stretched like a bowstring on a light frame.

bowser /ˈbaʊzə/

I. noun

1. ‹trademark› a tanker used for fuelling aircraft and other vehicles or for supplying water.

2. ‹trademark› (Austral./NZ) a petrol pump.

– origin 1920s: from the name of a company of oil storage engineers.

bowshot /ˈbəʊʃɒt/

noun — [in sing.]

1. the distance to which a bow can send an arrow

• the two armies camped almost within bowshot of each other.

bowsie /ˈbaʊziː/

I. noun

(Irish) a low-class or unruly person.

– origin of unknown origin.

bowsprit /ˈbəʊsprɪt/

I. noun

a spar running out from a ship's bow, to which the forestays are fastened.

– origin Middle English: from Middle Low German bōgsprēt, Middle Dutch boechspriet, from boech ‘bow’ + spriet ‘sprit’.

Bow Street Runner /ˈbəʊ/

I. noun

the popular name for a London policeman during the first half of the 19th century.

– origin named after Bow Street in London, site of the chief metropolitan magistrates' court.

bowstring /ˈbəʊstrɪŋ/

I. noun

the string of an archer's bow, traditionally made of three strands of hemp.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹historical› strangle with a bowstring (a former Turkish method of execution).

bow tie /bəʊˈtʌɪ/

noun

1. a necktie in the form of a bow or a knot with two loops.

2. a pattern used for patchwork quilts, resembling a bow tie
[as modifier]

• a bow-tie quilt.

bow wave

noun

a wave or system of waves set up at the bows of a moving ship.

bow window

noun

a curved bay window.

bow-wow

I. exclamation — bow-wow /baʊˈwaʊ /

1. an imitation of a dog's bark.

II. noun — bow-wow /ˈbaʊwaʊ /

1. a child's word for a dog.

bowyang /ˈbəʊjaŋ/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹dated› a band or strap worn round the trouser leg below the knee.

– origin late 19th cent.: from British dialect bow-yanks, bow-yankees ‘leather leggings’, of unknown origin.

bowyer /ˈbəʊjə/

noun

a person who makes or sells archers' bows.

box^1 /bɒks/

I. noun

1. a container with a flat base and sides, typically square or rectangular and having a lid

• a cigarette box

• a hat box.

2. the contents of a box

• she ate a whole box of chocolates that night.

3. ( the box) — ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) television or a television set

• we sat around watching the box.

4. ‹informal› a casing containing a computer

• the new model is half the cost of an equivalent IBM box.

5. ‹informal› a coffin

• I always thought I'd be in a box when I finally left here.

6. ‹vulgar slang› (chiefly N. Amer.) a woman's vagina.

7. an area or space enclosed within straight lines, in particular:

8. an area on a page that is to be filled in or that contains separate printed matter

• tick the box on the coupon.

9. an area on a computer screen for user input or displaying information.

• a new box appears containing the names of all the programs which are opened.

10. (Brit.) a box junction.

• do not enter the box until your exit is clear.

11. ( the box) — [Soccer] the penalty area.

• he curled in a brilliant second from the edge of the box.

12. ( the box) — [Baseball] the area occupied by the batter.

• ten thousand people booed him when he stepped into the box.

13. a separate section or enclosed area reserved for a group of people in a theatre or sports ground, or for witnesses or the jury in a law court

• the royal box.

14. ‹historical› a coachman's seat.

15. (Brit.) a small country house for use when shooting or fishing.

16. a protective casing for a piece of a mechanism.

• in the second variation, a switch loop, only one cable enters the box.

17. ‹informal› short for gearbox.

18. (Brit.) a light shield for protecting a man's genitals in sport, especially in cricket.

19. a facility at a newspaper office for receiving replies to an advertisement

• write to me care of Box 112.

20. a facility at a post office whereby letters are kept until called for by the addressee.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often as adj. boxed) — put in or provide with a box

• the books are sold as a boxed set

• Muriel boxed up all Christopher's clothes.

2. enclose (a piece of text) within printed lines

• boxed sections in magazines.

3. ( box someone in) — restrict the ability of (a person or vehicle) to move freely

• a van had double-parked alongside her car and totally boxed her in.

4. ( box sheep up) — (Austral./NZ) mix up different flocks.

III. phrases

1. be a box of birds

(NZ) ‹informal› be fine or happy.

2. box of tricks

‹informal› an ingenious gadget

• all those magical effects were produced by this little box of tricks here.

3. out of one's box

(Brit.) ‹informal› intoxicated with alcohol or drugs.

• I was out of my box on sulphate.

4. out of the box ‹informal›

a. (also right out of the box) — used to refer to the immediate usability or functionality of a newly purchased product, typically an electronic device or a piece of software

• most laptops come with wireless capability out of the box

• console games need to be good to go right out of the box.

• the product is designed as an out-of-the-box portal for the medium to large enterprise.

b. (chiefly US) from the very beginning; immediately

• his family memoir was a ratings smash right out of the box.

c. (Austral./NZ) unusually good

• the novel is nothing out of the box

• I've studied plenty of sportspeople and he is one out of the box.

[by association with the phrase look fresh out of a bandbox ‘look very smart’ (see bandbox).]

5. think outside (or out of) the box

‹informal› think in an original or creative way.

IV. derivatives

1. boxful /ˈbɒksfʊl /

noun

2. box-like

adjective

– origin late Old English, probably from late Latin buxis, from Latin pyxis ‘boxwood box’, from Greek puxos (see box^3).

box^2 /bɒks/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. fight an opponent using one's fists; compete in the sport of boxing

• he boxed for England

• [with obj.] he had to box Benn for the title.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a slap with the hand on the side of a person's head

• she gave him a box on the ear.

III. phrases

1. box clever

(Brit.) ‹informal› act so as to outwit someone

• she had to box clever, let Adam think she had accepted what he said.

2. box someone's ears

slap someone on the side of the head, especially as a punishment.

• stop hanging back or I'll box your ears.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘a blow’): of unknown origin.

box^3 /bɒks/

I. noun

1. (also box tree) — a slow-growing European evergreen shrub or small tree with small glossy dark green leaves. It is widely used in hedging and for topiary, and yields hard, heavy timber.
● Buxus sempervirens, family Buxaceae.

2. (also boxwood) — the hard, heavy wood of the box tree, formerly used for engraving and for musical instruments.

3. any of a number of trees which have timber or foliage similar to that of the box tree, in particular:
● several Australian eucalyptus trees (genus Eucalyptus, family Myrtaceae). ● the tropical American Venezuelan box ( Casearia praecox, family Flacourtiaceae), the timber of which has now largely replaced that of the European box.

– origin Old English, via Latin from Greek puxos.

box^4 /bɒks/

I. verb — (in phrase box the compass)

1. [chiefly Nautical] recite the compass points in correct order.

2. [chiefly Nautical] make a complete change of direction.

– origin mid 18th cent.: perhaps from Spanish bojar ‘sail round’, from Middle Low German bōgen ‘bend’, from the base of bow^1.

Box and Cox /bɒks(ə)ndˈkɒks/

I. noun — [often as modifier]

1. (Brit.) used to refer to an arrangement whereby people make use of the same accommodation or facilities at different times, according to a strict arrangement

• a Box and Cox arrangement.

– origin the title of a play (1847) by J. M. Morton, in which two characters, John Box and James Cox, unknowingly become tenants of the same room.

box beam

noun

another term for box girder.

boxboard /ˈbɒksbɔːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of stiff cardboard used to make boxes.

box camera

noun

a simple box-shaped hand camera.

box canyon

noun

(N. Amer.) a narrow canyon with a flat bottom and vertical walls.

boxcar /ˈbɒkskɑː/

noun

(N. Amer.) an enclosed railway freight wagon, typically with sliding doors on the sides.

box elder

noun

an American maple with leaves that resemble those of the elder and green or purplish twigs.
● Acer negundo, family Aceraceae.

boxer /ˈbɒksə/

noun

1. a person who takes part in boxing, especially for sport.

2. a medium-sized dog of a breed with a smooth brown coat and pug-like face.

Boxer

I. noun

a member of a fiercely nationalistic Chinese secret society which flourished in the 19th century. In 1899 the society led a Chinese uprising against Western domination which was eventually crushed by a combined European force, aided by Japan and the US.

– origin from boxer, translating Chinese yì hé quán, literally ‘righteous harmony fists’.

boxercise

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a form of exercise based on boxing training and using boxing equipment.

– origin 1980s: blend of boxer and exercise.

boxer shorts boxers

plural noun

men's loose underpants similar in shape to the shorts worn by boxers.

boxfish

noun

a tropical marine fish that has a shell of bony plates enclosing the body, from which spines project. Also called trunkfish.
●Family Ostraciontidae: numerous species.

box girder

noun

a hollow girder square in cross section.

Boxgrove man

noun

a fossil hominid of the Middle Pleistocene period, whose fragmentary remains were found at Boxgrove near Chichester, SE England, in 1993 and 1995. Dated (controversially) to about 500,000 years ago, it is one of the earliest known humans in Europe.
● Homo heidelbergensis (or H. erectus), family Hominidae.

boxing /ˈbɒksɪŋ/

noun

the sport or practice of fighting with the fists, especially with padded gloves in a roped square ring according to prescribed rules (the Queensberry Rules).

Boxing Day

I. noun

(Brit.) a public holiday celebrated on the first day (strictly, the first weekday) after Christmas Day.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the custom of giving tradespeople a Christmas box on this day.

boxing glove

noun

a heavily padded mitten worn in boxing.

boxing weight

noun

each of a series of fixed weight ranges at which boxers are matched.

box jelly

noun

a jellyfish with a box-shaped swimming bell, living in warm seas. See also sea wasp.
●Class Cubozoa (formerly order Cubomedusae).

box junction

noun

(Brit.) a road area at a junction marked with a yellow grid, which a vehicle should enter only if its exit from it is clear.

box kite

noun

a tailless kite in the form of a long box open at each end.

box number

noun

a number identifying a private advertisement in a newspaper and functioning as an address for replies.

box office

noun

1. a place at a theatre, cinema, etc. where tickets are bought or reserved.

2. used to refer to the commercial success of a film, play, or actor in terms of the audience size or takings that they command
[as modifier]

• the movie was a huge box office hit.

boxout

noun

a piece of text written to accompany a larger text and printed in a separate area of the page.

box pew

noun

an old-fashioned church pew enclosed by wooden partitions.

box pleat

noun

a pleat consisting of two parallel creases facing opposite directions and forming a raised band.

box plot box-and-whisker plot

noun

[Statistics] a simple way of representing statistical data on a plot in which a rectangle is drawn to represent the second and third quartiles, usually with a vertical line inside to indicate the median value. The lower and upper quartiles are shown as horizontal lines either side of the rectangle.

box room /ˈbɒksruːm, ˈbɒksrʊm/

noun

(Brit.) a very small room used for storage or as a bedroom.

• the small box room with a single bed was already prepared.

box score

noun

(N. Amer.) the tabulated results of a baseball game or other sporting event, with statistics given for each player's performance.

box seat

I. noun

1. a seat in a box in a theatre or sports stadium.

2. ‹historical› a coachman's seat.

II. phrases

in the box seat

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› in an advantageous position.

box set boxed set

noun

a set of related items, typically books or recordings, packaged together in a box and sold as a unit.

box-shifter

noun

‹informal› a retail company which aims to maximize sales with little regard for quality or customer care.

box spanner

noun

(Brit.) a cylindrical spanner with a hexagonal end fitting over the head of a nut.

box spring

noun

each of a set of vertical springs housed in a frame in a mattress or upholstered chair base.

boxthorn

noun

a thorny shrub of warm-temperate regions, which bears red berries. Some kinds are used for hedging.
●Genus Lycium, family Solanaceae: several species (see also tea tree (sense 2)).

box turtle

noun

a land-living turtle which has a lower shell with hinged lobes that can be drawn up tightly to enclose the animal. It is native to North America and Mexico and is commonly kept as a pet in the US.
●Genus Terrapene, family Emydidae: several species.

boxty /ˈbɒksti / boxty bread

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of bread made using grated raw potatoes and flour, originally in Ireland.

– origin from Irish bacstaí.

box van

noun

a van with rigid sides.

boxy

adjective

1. squarish in shape

• a boxy jacket.

2. (of a room or space) cramped.

• the diagonal floor pattern makes the room seem less boxy.

3. (of recorded sound) restricted in tone.

• speakers when poorly designed can sound boxy and boomy.

boy /bɔɪ/

I. noun

1. a male child or youth.

• a four-year-old boy.

• the survey showed that both boys and girls smoked regularly.

2. a person's son

• she put her little boy to bed.

3. [with modifier] — a male child or young man who does a specified job

• a delivery boy.

4. [usu. with adj.] — a man, especially a young or relatively young one

• I was the new boy at the office.

5. ( boys) — ‹informal› men who mix socially or who belong to a particular group, team, or profession

• he wants to stay one of the boys

• our boys have finished bombing.

6. ‹dated› a friendly form of address from one man to another, especially from an older man to a young man

• my dear boy, don't say another word!

7. ‹dated› ‹offensive› a black male servant or worker (often used as a form of address).

8. a form of address to a male dog

• down boy!

II. exclamation

‹informal› used to express strong feelings, especially of excitement or admiration

• oh boy, that's wonderful!

III. phrases

1. boys in blue

‹informal› policemen; the police.

• two dozen boys in blue arrive in full riot gear.

2. boys will be boys

used to express the view that mischievous or childish behaviour is typical of boys or young men and should not cause surprise when it occurs.

3. the big boys

the most powerful and successful men or organizations.

• smaller supermarket chains are ganging together to beat the big boys at their own game.

4. that's my boy (or girl)!

used as an expression of encouragement or admiration

• Papa beamed, "That's my boy!".

• Thorn gave me an approving look. "That's my girl!".

– origin Middle English (denoting a male servant): of unknown origin.

boyar /ˈbɔɪɑː, bəʊˈjɑː/

I. noun

‹historical› a member of the old aristocracy in Russia, next in rank to a prince.
[as modifier]

• the rise of the boyar class.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Russian boyarin ‘grandee’.

boy band

noun

a pop group composed of attractive young men, whose music and image are designed to appeal primarily to a young teenage audience.

Boyce, William

(1711–79), English composer and organist. His compositions include songs, overtures, and eight symphonies; one of his most famous songs is ‘Hearts of Oak’. He is also noted for his Cathedral Music (1760–73).

boycott /ˈbɔɪkɒt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. withdraw from commercial or social relations with (a country, organization, or person) as a punishment or protest.

• we will boycott all banks which take part in the loans scheme.

2. refuse to buy or handle (goods) as a punishment or protest.

• an advert urges consumers to boycott the firm's coffee.

3. refuse to cooperate with or participate in (a policy or event).

• most parties indicated that they would boycott the election.

II. noun

a punitive ban on relations with other bodies, cooperation with a policy, or the handling of goods.

• a boycott of the negotiations.

– origin from the name of Captain Charles C. Boycott (1832–97), an Irish land agent so treated in 1880, in an attempt instigated by the Irish Land League to get rents reduced.

Boycott, Geoffrey

(b.1940), English cricketer. He was an opening batsman for England, and was captain of Yorkshire 1971–5.

Boyd, Arthur

(1920–99), Australian painter, potter, etcher, and ceramic artist; full name Arthur Merric Bloomfield Boyd. He was famous for large ceramic sculptures and for pictures inspired by his travels among Aborigines.

Boyer, Charles /ˈbɔɪeɪ/

(1897–1978), French-born American actor. Before going to Hollywood in the 1930s he enjoyed a successful stage career in France. Notable films: Mayerling (1936), Gaslight (1944), and Barefoot in the Park (1968).

boyf

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person's boyfriend

• she's just been dumped by her boyf.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation.

boyfriend /ˈbɔɪfrɛnd/

noun

1. a person's regular male companion with whom they have a romantic or sexual relationship.

2. [as modifier] — denoting an item of clothing for a woman or girl that is designed to be loose-fitting or slightly oversized

• a boyfriend cardigan.

boyhood /ˈbɔɪhʊd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or time of being a boy

• he has been passionate about cars since boyhood

• John spent his boyhood in Maysville

• [as modifier] a boyhood friend.

boyish /ˈbɔɪɪʃ/

I. adjective

of, like, or characteristic of a male child or young man

• his boyish charm

• she looked boyish and defiant.

II. derivatives

1. boyishly

adverb

2. boyishness /ˈbɔɪɪʃnəs /

noun

Boyle, Robert

(1627–91), Irish-born scientist. Boyle put forward a view of matter based on particles which was a precursor of the modern theory of chemical elements and a cornerstone of his mechanical philosophy, which became very influential. He is best known for his experiments with the air pump, which led to the law named after him.

Boyle's law /ˈbɔɪlz/

noun

[Chemistry] a law stating that the pressure of a given mass of an ideal gas is inversely proportional to its volume at a constant temperature.

boylya /ˈbɔɪljə/

I. noun

(Austral.) an Aborigine thought to have spiritual and magical powers.

– origin from Nyungar bolya.

Boyne, Battle of the /bɔɪn/

a battle fought near the River Boyne in Ireland in 1690, in which the Protestant army of William of Orange, the newly crowned William III, defeated the Catholic army (including troops from both France and Ireland) led by the recently deposed James II. The battle is celebrated annually (on 12 July) in Northern Ireland as a victory for the Protestant cause.

boyo /ˈbɔɪəʊ/

noun

(Welsh) (Irish) ‹informal› a boy or man (used chiefly as a form of address).

• how's it going, boyo?

boy racer

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a youth or young man fond of driving very fast and aggressively in high-powered cars.

• the car is the dream of every boy racer.

• [as modifier] the company's series of ‘boy-racer’ machines has proved highly successful.

Boys' Brigade

the oldest of the national organizations for boys in Britain, founded in 1883 with the aim of promoting ‘Christian manliness’, discipline, and self-respect. Companies are now also found in the US and in Commonwealth countries; each is connected with a church.

Boy Scout

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) (dated) a male member of the Scout Association or a similar organization.

boysenberry /ˈbɔɪz(ə)nˌb(ə)ri, ˈbɔɪz(ə)nˌbɛri/

I. noun

1. a large red edible blackberry-like fruit.

2. the shrubby plant that bears the boysenberry, which is a hybrid of several kinds of bramble.
● Rubus loganobaccus, family Rosaceae.

– origin 1930s: named after Robert Boysen (died 1950), the American horticulturalist who developed it.

boy shorts

plural noun

women's knickers or bikini bottoms that have a low waistline and are cut straight across the upper thigh.

• a halter top and matching boy shorts.

boy toy

I. noun

‹informal› a young woman considered sexually attractive to men.

– origin 1980s: inversion of toy boy.

boy wonder

noun

‹informal› an exceptionally talented young man or boy.

Boz /bɒz/

the pseudonym used by Charles Dickens in his Pickwick Papers and contributions to the Morning Chronicle.

bozo /ˈbəʊzəʊ/

I. noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a stupid or insignificant man.

• they're really a bunch of bozos.

– origin 1920s: of unknown origin.

bp

abbreviation

1. [Biochemistry] base pair(s), as a unit of length in nucleic acid chains.

2. [Finance] basis point(s).

3. ( b.p.) — boiling point.

Bp

abbreviation

Bishop.

BP

abbreviation

1. before the present (era)

• 18,000 years BP.

2. blood pressure.

3. British Petroleum, a large multinational oil company.

4. (indicating listing in the) British Pharmacopoeia.

BPC

abbreviation

British Pharmaceutical Codex.

BPD

abbreviation

barrels (of oil) per day

• the crude oil output of the four OPEC members rose to 16.3 million BPD in August

• the pipeline is capable of carrying 125,000 BPD.

BPH

abbreviation

[Medicine] benign prostatic hyperplasia (or hypertrophy), an enlargement of the prostate gland common in elderly men.

BPhil

abbreviation

Bachelor of Philosophy.

• a BPhil in Politics.

bpi

abbreviation

[Computing] bits per inch, used to indicate the density of data that can be stored on magnetic tape or similar media.

B-picture

noun

another term for B-movie.

bpm

abbreviation

beats per minute

• a pulse rate of 40 bpm.

BPO

abbreviation

business process outsourcing.

BPR

abbreviation

business process re-engineering.

bps /biːpiːˈɛs/

abbreviation

[Computing] bits per second.

Bq

abbreviation

becquerel.

Br

symbol

the chemical element bromine.

BR

abbreviation

1. (N. Amer.) bedroom or bedrooms.

2. Brazil (international vehicle registration).

3. (in the UK) British Rail or (formerly) British Railways.

Br.

abbreviation

1. (with reference to journal titles) British.

2. (with reference to religious orders) Brother.

bra /brɑː/

I. noun

1. an undergarment worn by women to support the breasts.

2. (also auto bra, car bra) — (N. Amer.) a carbon-based cover that fits over the front bumper of a car.

II. derivatives

braless

adjective

– origin 1930s: abbreviation of brassiere.

braai /ˈbrʌɪ / ‹S. African›

I. noun

1. short for braaivleis.

2. a structure on which a fire can be made for the outdoor grilling of meat.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. grill (meat) over an open fire.

– origin Afrikaans.

braaivleis /ˈbrʌɪˌfleɪs/

I. noun

1. (S. African) a picnic or barbecue where meat is grilled over an open fire.

2. [ mass noun] — (S. African) meat grilled over an open fire.

– origin Afrikaans, ‘grilled meat’, from braai ‘to grill’ + vleis ‘meat’.

braata /ˈbrɑːtə/

I. noun

(W. Indian) a small amount added to a purchase in a market to encourage the customer to return.

– origin probably from Spanish barata ‘bargain’.

Brabant /brəˈbant/

a former duchy in western Europe, lying between the Meuse and Scheldt Rivers. Its capital was Brussels. It is now divided into two provinces in two countries: North Brabant in the Netherlands, of which the capital is 's-Hertogenbosch; and Brabant in Belgium, of which the capital remains Brussels.

Brabham, Sir Jack /ˈbrabəm/

(1926–2014), Australian motor-racing driver; full name John Arthur Brabham. He won the Formula One world championship three times (1959, 1960, 1966).

brace /breɪs/

I. noun

1. a device fitted to something, in particular a weak or injured part of the body, to give support

• a neck brace.

2. a strengthening piece of iron or timber used in building or carpentry.

3. (also braces) — a wire device fitted in the mouth to straighten the teeth.

4. (also brace and bit) — a drilling tool with a crank handle and a socket to hold a bit.

5. a rope attached to the yard of a ship for trimming the sail.

6. ( braces) — (Brit.) a pair of straps that pass over the shoulders and fasten to the top of trousers at the front and back to hold them up.

7. ( pl. same) — a pair of something, typically of birds or mammals killed in hunting

• thirty brace of grouse.

8. [Printing] either of the two marks { and }, used either to indicate that two or more items on one side have the same relationship as each other to the single item to which the other side points, or in pairs to show that words between them are connected.

9. [Music] a similar mark connecting staves to be performed at the same time.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — make (a structure) stronger or firmer with wood, iron, or other forms of support

• the posts were braced by lengths of timber.

2. press (one's body or part of one's body) firmly against something in order to stay balanced

• she braced her feet against a projecting shelf

• he stood with legs braced.

3. prepare (someone) for something difficult or unpleasant

• both stations are bracing themselves for job losses.

III. phrasal verbs

brace up

be strong or courageous

• she was about to tell him to brace up.

– origin Middle English (as a verb meaning ‘clasp, fasten tightly’): from Old French bracier ‘embrace’, from brace ‘two arms’, from Latin bracchia, plural of bracchium ‘arm’, from Greek brakhiōn.

bracelet /ˈbreɪslɪt/

I. noun

1. an ornamental band, hoop, or chain worn on the wrist or arm.

2. ( bracelets) — ‹informal› handcuffs.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from bras ‘arm’, from Latin bracchium.

bracelet sleeve

noun

a sleeve on a woman's garment that reaches to just above the wrist.

bracer^1 /ˈbreɪsə/

noun

‹informal› an alcoholic drink intended to prepare one for something difficult or unpleasant.

bracer^2 /ˈbreɪsə/

I. noun

1. a type of wrist guard used in archery and other sports.

2. ‹historical› a portion of a suit of armour covering the arm.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French braciere, from bras ‘arm’ (see bracelet).

bracero /brəˈsɪərəʊ, brəˈsɛːrəʊ/

I. noun

a Mexican labourer allowed into the United States for a limited time as a seasonal agricultural worker.

– origin 1970s: Spanish, literally ‘labourer’, from brazo ‘arm’.

brachial /ˈbreɪkɪəl/

I. adjective

1. [Anatomy] relating to the arm or an arm-like structure

• the brachial artery.

2. [Zoology] denoting the upper valve of a brachiopod's shell.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin brachialis, from brac(c)hium ‘arm’.

brachiate

I. verb — /ˈbrakɪeɪt / [no obj.]

1. (of certain apes) move by using the arms to swing from branch to branch.

• the gibbons brachiate energetically across their enclosure.

• (as adj. brachiating) a brachiating mode of locomotion.

II. adjective — /ˈbrakɪət, ˈbreɪkɪət /

1. [Biology] branched, especially having widely spread paired branches on alternate sides.

2. [Biology] having arms.

III. derivatives

1. brachiation

noun

2. brachiator

noun

– origin mid 18th cent. (originally in the sense ‘having paired branches’): from Latin brachium ‘arm’ + -ate^2.

brachiopod /ˈbrakɪə(ʊ)pɒd/

noun

[Zoology] a marine invertebrate of the phylum Brachiopoda, which comprises the lamp shells.

Brachiopoda /ˌbrakɪəˈpəʊdə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a phylum of marine invertebrates that comprises the lamp shells.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek brakhiōn ‘arm’ + pous, pod- ‘foot’.

brachiosaurus /ˌbrakɪə(ʊ)ˈsɔːrəs/

I. noun

a huge herbivorous dinosaur of the late Jurassic to mid Cretaceous periods, with forelegs much longer than the hind legs.
●Genus Brachiosaurus, infraorder Sauropoda, order Saurischia.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek brakhiōn ‘arm’ + sauros ‘lizard’.

brachistochrone /brəˈkɪstəkrəʊn/

I. noun

[Mathematics] a curve between two points along which a body can move under gravity in a shorter time than for any other curve.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek brakhistos ‘shortest’ + khronos ‘time’.

brachy- /ˈbraki/

I. combining form

short

• brachycephalic.

– origin from Greek brakhus ‘short’.

brachycephalic /ˌbrakɪsɪˈfalɪk, ˌbrakɪkɛˈfalɪk/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] having a relatively broad, short skull (typically with the breadth at least 80 per cent of the length).
Often contrasted with dolichocephalic.

II. derivatives

brachycephaly /ˌbrakɪˈsɛfəli, ˌbrakɪˈkɛfəli /

noun

brachylogy /brəˈkɪlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› excessive briefness in speech or writing.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin brachylogia, from Greek brakhulogia (see brachy-, -logy).

brachytherapy /ˌbrakɪˈθɛrəpi/

noun

the treatment of cancer, especially prostate cancer, by the insertion of radioactive implants directly into the tissue.

bracing /ˈbreɪsɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. fresh and invigorating

• the bracing sea air.

2. (of a support) serving to brace a structure

• bracing struts.

II. derivatives

bracingly

adverb

bracing (sense 1)

brack

I. noun

(Irish) a cake or bun containing dried fruit.

– origin shortening of barmbrack.

bracken /ˈbrak(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tall fern with coarse lobed fronds, which occurs worldwide and can cover large areas.
● Pteridium aquilinum, family Dennstaedtiaceae (or Hypolepidaceae).

2. ‹informal› any large coarse fern resembling bracken.

– origin Middle English: of Scandinavian origin; related to Danish bregne, Swedish bräken.

bracket /ˈbrakɪt/

I. noun

1. each of a pair of marks () [ ] { } 〈 〉 used to enclose words or figures so as to separate them from the context

• symbols are given in brackets.

2. [with adj. or noun modifier] — a category of people or things that are similar or fall between specified limits

• those in a high income bracket.

3. a right-angled support attached to a wall for holding a shelf, lamp, or other object.

4. [Military] the distance between two artillery shots fired either side of the target to establish range.

5. (US) a diagram representing the sequence of matches in a sports tournament, especially as used for making predictions about its outcome

• with the March Madness tournament half the fun is filling out your bracket.

6. ( the bracket) — (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a person's nose or jaw.

• a quick punch up the bracket.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. enclose (words or figures) in brackets
(as adj. bracketed)

• the relevant data is included as bracketed points.

2. [Mathematics] enclose (a complex expression) in brackets to denote that the whole of the expression rather than just a part of it has a particular relation, such as multiplication or division, to another expression.

3. put (a belief or matter) aside temporarily

• he bracketed off the question of God himself.

4. place (one or more people or things) in the same category or group

• he is sometimes bracketed with the ‘new wave’ of film directors.

5. hold or attach (something) by means of a right-angled support

• pipes should be bracketed.

6. [Military] establish the range of (a target) by firing two preliminary shots, one short of the target and the other beyond it.

7. [Photography] establish (the correct exposure) by taking several pictures with slightly more or less exposure.

• it's always best to bracket your exposures.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French braguette or Spanish bragueta ‘codpiece, bracket, corbel’, from Provençal braga, from Latin braca, (plural) bracae ‘breeches’.

bracket clock

noun

a clock designed to stand on a wall bracket.

bracket creep

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Austral./NZ) increased tax liability that results from a rise in income or incomes

• inflation may just lower our real wages, rather than contributing to bracket creep.

bracket fungus

noun

a fungus which forms shelf-like projections on the trunks of living or dead trees, sending hyphae into the wood and sometimes causing the death of the tree or decay of the timber.
●Several families in the order Aphyllophorales, class Hymenomycetes.

brackish /ˈbrakɪʃ/

I. adjective

1. (of water) slightly salty, as in river estuaries.

• a cup of brackish water.

2. (of fish or other organisms) living in or requiring brackish water.

II. derivatives

brackishness

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from obsolete brack ‘salty’, from Middle Low German, Middle Dutch brac.

braconid /ˈbrakənɪd/

I. noun

[Entomology] a small parasitic wasp of a family ( Braconidae) which is related to the ichneumons. Unlike the latter, braconids lay numerous eggs in a single host.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Braconidae (plural), formed irregularly from Greek brakhus ‘short’.

bract /brakt/

I. noun

[Botany] a modified leaf or scale, typically small, with a flower or flower cluster in its axil. Bracts are sometimes larger and more brightly coloured than the true flower, as in poinsettia.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin bractea ‘thin plate of metal’.

bracteate /ˈbraktɪət, ˈbraktɪeɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] having or bearing bracts.

II. noun

[Archaeology] an ornament or plate of thinly beaten precious metal, typically a thin gold disc.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin bracteatus, from bractea (see bract).

brad /brad/

I. noun

a nail of rectangular cross section with a flat tip and a small, typically asymmetrical head.

– origin late Middle English: from Old Norse broddr ‘spike’.

bradawl /ˈbradɔːl/

I. noun

a tool for boring holes, resembling a small, sharpened screwdriver.

– origin early 19th cent.: from brad + awl.

Bradbury, Ray

(1920–2012), American writer of science fiction; full name Raymond Douglas Bradbury. Notable works: The Martian Chronicles (short story collection, 1950) and Fahrenheit 451 (novel, 1951).

Bradbury, Sir Malcolm

(1932–2000), English novelist, critic, and academic; full name Sir Malcolm Stanley Bradbury. As a novelist he was known for satires of university life such as The History Man (1975) and Rates of Exchange (1983).

Bradenham ham /ˈbrad(ə)nəm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a dark sweet-cured ham.

Bradford /ˈbradfəd/

an industrial city in West Yorkshire, northern England; pop. 280,400 (est. 2009).

Bradley, James

(1693–1762), English astronomer. Bradley was appointed Astronomer Royal in 1742. He discovered the aberration of light and also observed the oscillation of the earth's axis ( nutation). His star catalogue was published posthumously.

Bradman, Sir Don

(1908–2001), Australian cricketer; full name Sir Donald George Bradman. Bradman holds the record for the highest Australian Test score against England (334 in 1930), and his Test match batting average of 99.94 is well above that of any other cricketer of any era.

Bradshaw /ˈbradʃɔː/

I. noun

a timetable of all passenger trains in Britain, issued 1839–1961.

– origin named after its first publisher, George Bradshaw (1801–53), printer and engraver.

bradycardia /ˌbradɪˈkɑːdɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormally slow heart action.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek bradus ‘slow’ + kardia ‘heart’.

bradykinin /ˌbradɪˈkʌɪnɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound released in the blood in some circumstances which causes contraction of smooth muscle and dilation of blood vessels. It is a peptide with nine amino-acid residues.

– origin 1940s: from Greek bradus ‘slow’ + kinēsis ‘motion’ + -in^1.

brae /breɪ/

I. noun

(Scottish) a steep bank or hillside.

• a figure was spied struggling up the brae.

• [in place names] Skara Brae.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse brá ‘eyelash’. Compare with brow^1, in which a similar sense development occurred.

Braeburn /ˈbreɪbəːn/

I. noun

a dessert apple of a variety with crisp flesh, first grown in New Zealand.

– origin 1950s: from Braeburn Orchards, where it was first grown commercially.

brag /braɡ/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. say something in a boastful manner
[with clause]

• he bragged that he was sure of victory

• [no obj.] they were bragging about how easy it had been.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a gambling card game which is a simplified form of poker.

• games of pontoon, brag, and poker.

2. a boastful statement.

• he was not the kind of man to make a brag.

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (US) ‹informal› excellent; first-rate.

• that was my brag heifer.

IV. derivatives

bragger

noun

– origin Middle English (as an adjective in the sense ‘boastful’): of unknown origin (French braguer is recorded only later).

Braga /ˈbrɑːɡə/

a city in northern Portugal, capital of a mountainous district of the same name; pop. 175,063 (2007).

Braganza^1 /brəˈɡanzə/

a city in NE Portugal, capital of a mountainous district of the same name; pop. 34,489 (2007). It was the original seat of the Braganza dynasty. Portuguese name Bragança /brəˈɣə̃sə/.

Braganza^2 /brəˈɡanzə/

the dynasty that ruled Portugal from 1640 until the end of the monarchy in 1910 and Brazil (on its independence from Portugal) from 1822 until the formation of the republic in 1889.

Bragg, Sir William

(1862–1942), English physicist, a founder of solid-state physics; full name William Henry Bragg. He collaborated with his son, Sir (William) Lawrence Bragg (1890–1971), in developing the technique of X-ray diffraction for determining the atomic structure of crystals; for this they shared the 1915 Nobel Prize for Physics.

braggadocio /ˌbraɡəˈdəʊtʃɪəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. boastful or arrogant behaviour.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a boaster): from Braggadocchio, the name of a braggart in Spenser's The Faerie Queene, from brag or braggart + the Italian suffix -occio, denoting something large of its kind.

braggadocious /ˌbraɡəˈdəʊʃəs/

I. adjective

‹informal› (chiefly US) boastful or arrogant

• it sounds braggadocious, but I don't think I ever dropped a pass in a game

• I've never been a braggadocious kind of guy.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from braggadocio + -ous.

braggart /ˈbraɡət, ˈbraɡɑːt/

I. noun

a person who boasts about their achievements or possessions.
[as modifier]

• braggart men.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French bragard, from braguer ‘to brag’.

bragging /ˈbraɡɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessively proud and boastful talk about one's achievements or possessions

• she interrupted their endless bragging

• a little honest bragging doesn't hurt anyone.

II. adjective

exhibiting or characterized by excessive pride or boastfulness

• a competitive, bragging culture

• we became involved in a lively bragging session.

III. derivatives

braggingly

adverb

bragging rights

plural noun

‹informal› a temporary position of ascendancy in a closely contested rivalry

• he walked off with a guaranteed $25,000 and bragging rights for at least a year.

brah /brɑː / bra

I. noun

1. ‹informal› (chiefly US) (S. African) a male friend or associate

• his brahs are giving him major props.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly US) (S. African) used as a familiar form of address for a man

• hey, brah!

3. ( Bra) — ‹informal› (chiefly US) (S. African) used as an informal title before a man's name

• Bra Rufus.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally West Indian): perhaps originally representing a colloquial pronunciation of brother. Compare bro, brer.

Brahe, Tycho /ˈbrɑːhi, ˈbrɑːə/

(1546–1601), Danish astronomer. He built an observatory equipped with precision instruments, but despite demonstrating that comets follow sun-centred paths he adhered to a geocentric view of the planets.

brahma /ˈbrɑːmə/

noun

short for brahmaputra.

Brahma /ˈbrɑːmə/

I. the creator god in Hinduism, who forms a triad with Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma was an important god of late Vedic religion, but has been little worshipped since the 5th century AD.

II. another term for Brahman (sense 2).

– origin from Sanskrit brahman.

Brahman /ˈbrɑːmən/

I. noun

1. (also Brahmin) — a member of the highest Hindu caste, originally that of the priesthood.
[as modifier]

• a Brahman family.

2. [ mass noun] — the ultimate reality underlying all phenomena in the Hindu scriptures.

• Brahman is formless but is the birthplace of all forms in visible reality.

3. US spelling of Brahmin (sense 3).

II. derivatives

1. Brahmanic /brɑːˈmanɪk /

adjective

2. Brahmanical /brɑːˈmanɪk(ə)l /

adjective

– origin from Sanskrit brāhmaṇa (sense 1), brahman (sense 2).

Brahmana /ˈbrɑːmənə/

noun

(in Hinduism) any of the lengthy commentaries on the Vedas, composed in Sanskrit c. 900–700 BC and containing expository material relating to Vedic sacrificial ritual.

Brahmanism /ˈbrɑːməˌnɪz(ə)m / Brahminism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the complex sacrificial religion that emerged in post-Vedic India ( c. 900 BC) under the influence of the dominant priesthood (Brahmans), an early stage in the development of Hinduism.

brahmaputra /ˌbrɑːməˈpuːtrə/

I. noun

a chicken of a large Asian breed.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after the Brahmaputra, where it originated.

Brahmaputra /ˌbrɑːməˈpuːtrə/

a river of southern Asia, rising in the Himalayas and flowing 2,900 km (1,800 miles) through Tibet, NE India, and Bangladesh, to join the Ganges at its delta on the Bay of Bengal.

Brahmin /ˈbrɑːmɪn/

I. noun

1. variant spelling of Brahman (sense 1).

2. (US) a socially or culturally superior person, especially one from New England.

• he did not talk like the son of a New England Brahmin.

• [as modifier] a verbal style filched from one of her Brahmin bosses.

3. (also Brahminy bull Brahman) — (US) an ox of a humped breed originally domesticated in India, which is tolerant of heat and drought and is now kept widely in tropical and warm-temperate countries. Also called zebu.
● Bos indicus, family Bovidae; now usually included under the name B. taurus with other domestic cattle.

II. derivatives

Brahminical /brɑːˈmɪnɪk(ə)l /

adjective

Brahmin (sense 1, sense 2)

Brahms, Johannes /brɑːmz/

I. (1833–97), German composer and pianist. He eschewed programme music and opera and concentrated on traditional forms. He composed four symphonies, four concertos, chamber and piano music, choral works including the German Requiem (1857–68), and nearly 200 songs.

II. derivatives

Brahmsian

adjective

Brahms and Liszt

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› drunk.

– origin 1930s: rhyming slang for ‘pissed’.

Brahui /brəˈhuːi/

I. noun

1. a member of a pastoral people of western Pakistan.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Brahui, a Dravidian language isolated for several thousand years from other members of the family. It has nearly 2 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Brahui or their language.

– origin from Brahui.

braid /breɪd/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — threads of silk, cotton, or other material woven into a decorative band for edging or trimming garments

• a coat trimmed with gold braid

• [ count noun] fancy braids.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a length of hair made up of three or more interlaced strands

• her hair curled neatly in blonde braids.

3. a length made up of three or more interlaced strands of any flexible material

• a flexible copper braid.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. interlace three or more strands of (hair or other flexible material) to form a length

• their long hair was tightly braided.

2. (often as adj. braided) — edge or trim (a garment) with braid

• braided red trousers.

3. (usu. as adj. braided) — (of a river or stream) flow into shallow interconnected channels divided by deposited earth or alluvium.

• a braided river carries an enormous burden of sand and gravel.

– origin Old English bregdan ‘make a sudden movement’, also ‘interweave’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch breien (verb).

braiding /ˈbreɪdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. decorative braid or braided work

• curtains heavy with gold braiding.

brail ‹Sailing›

I. noun — ( brails)

1. small ropes that are led from the leech of a fore-and-aft sail to pulleys on the mast for temporarily furling it.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( brail a sail up)

1. furl a sail by hauling on brails.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French braiel, from medieval Latin bracale ‘girdle’, from braca ‘breeches’.

Brăila /brəˈiːlə/

an industrial city and port on the Danube, in eastern Romania; pop. 216,814 (2006).

Braille /breɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of written language for blind people, in which characters are represented by patterns of raised dots that are felt with the fingertips.

• she taught herself Braille.

• all the plants are labelled in Braille.

• [as modifier] Braille medicine labels.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. print or transcribe in Braille.

• a select list of new books have been Brailled and added to stock.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of Louis Braille (see Braille, Louis).

Braille, Louis /breɪl, French bʀaj/

(1809–52), French educationist. Blind from the age of 3, by the age of 15 he had developed his own system of raised-point reading and writing, which was officially adopted two years after his death.

brain /breɪn/

I. noun

1.
a. an organ of soft nervous tissue contained in the skull of vertebrates, functioning as the coordinating centre of sensation and intellectual and nervous activity.
[as modifier]

• a brain tumour.

b. ( brains) — the substance of an animal's brain used as food.

c. ‹informal› an electronic device with functions comparable to those of the human brain.

• an electronic brain.

The human brain consists of three main parts. (i) The forebrain, greatly developed into the cerebrum, consists of two hemispheres joined by a bridge of nerve fibres, and is responsible for the exercise of thought and control of speech. (ii) The midbrain, the upper part of the tapering brainstem, contains cells concerned in eye movements. (iii) The hindbrain, the lower part of the brainstem, contains cells responsible for breathing and for regulating heart action, the flow of digestive juices, and other unconscious actions and processes. The cerebellum, which lies behind the brain stem, plays an important role in the execution of highly skilled movements.

2. intellectual capacity

• I didn't have enough brains for the sciences

• [ mass noun] success requires brain as well as brawn.

3. ( the brains) — ‹informal› a clever person who supplies the ideas and plans for a group of people

• Tom was the brains of the outfit.

4. a person's mind

• a tiny alarm bell began to ring in her brain.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› hit (someone) hard on the head with an object

• she brained me with a rolling pin.

III. phrases

have (got) something on the brain

‹informal› be obsessed with something

• John has cars on the brain.

– origin Old English brægen, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch brein.

Brain, Dennis

(1921–57), English French-horn player. His mastery of the instrument's entire range inspired many composers, including Benjamin Britten and Paul Hindemith, to write works for him.

brainbox /ˈbreɪnbɒks/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a very clever person.

brain candy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› popular entertainment that is not intellectually stimulating.

• it's blockbuster brain candy which will will only be remembered for its box office returns.

braincase

noun

the cranium.

brain cell

noun

1. a cell in the tissue of the brain.

2. ‹informal› used to refer to someone's intellectual capabilities

• I couldn't get my brain cells around the questions never mind the answers.

brainchild /ˈbreɪntʃʌɪld/

noun

‹informal› an idea or invention which is considered to be a particular person's creation

• the statue is the brainchild of a local landscape artist.

brain coral

noun

a compact coral with a convoluted surface resembling that of the brain.
● Diploria and other genera, order Scleractinia.

brain cramp

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a moment in which one fails to think clearly or act sensibly

• he had a brain cramp early in the game and really botched the ball.

brain damage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. injury to the brain that impairs its functions, especially permanently.

brain-damaged /ˈbreɪnˌdamɪdʒd/

adjective

1. suffering from an injury to the brain that impairs its functions, especially on a permanent basis

• she was irreversibly brain-damaged

• a neurologist who studies brain-damaged patients.

2. ‹informal› ‹offensive› extremely foolish or stupid

• he's a treacherous brain-damaged old vulture.

brain-dead /ˈbreɪndɛd/

adjective

1. having suffered brain death

• brain-dead patients.

2. ‹informal› extremely stupid

• the brain-dead politics of the past.

brain death

noun — [ mass noun]

1. irreversible brain damage causing the end of independent respiration, regarded as indicative of death.

brain drain

noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹informal› the emigration of highly trained or qualified people from a particular country.

• a leading British team of chemists has joined the brain drain to the United States.

Braine, John

(1922–86), English novelist, famous for his first novel, Room at the Top (1957), whose opportunistic hero was hailed as a representative example of an ‘angry young man’; full name John Gerard Braine.

brained /breɪnd/

adjective — [in combination]

1. having a brain of a certain size or kind

• large-brained mammals.

2. ‹derogatory› having an intellectual capacity of a certain quality or kind

• half-brained twits.

brain fade

noun

‹informal› a temporary inability to concentrate or think clearly

• it was a poor decision—the big fella had a brain fade

• [ mass noun] a serious case of brain fade on the 17th hole saw his dreams vanish.

brain fart

noun

‹informal› a temporary mental lapse or failure to reason correctly

• I'm having a brain fart and can't spell his name correctly.

brain fever

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› inflammation of the brain.

• she seems overcome with the vapours or brain fever.

• [ count noun] concussion was succeeded by a brain fever of sorts.

brainfever bird

noun

the common hawk cuckoo of India and Sri Lanka, which has a monotonous and maddeningly persistent call.
● Cuculus varius, family Cuculidae.

brain food

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› food believed to be beneficial to the brain, especially in increasing intellectual capabilities.

brain fungus

noun

1. (also yellow brain fungus) — a soft yellow gelatinous fungus with a lobed and folded surface, living on dead wood in both Eurasia and North America.
● Tremella mesenterica, family Tremellaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

2. another term for cauliflower fungus.

brainiac /ˈbreɪnɪak/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› an exceptionally intelligent person.

• she's the original brainiac, a kid who completed high school at 14.

– origin 1950s: from the name of a supremely intelligent alien character in the Superman comic strip, from a blend of brain and maniac.

brainless /ˈbreɪnləs/

I. adjective

stupid; very foolish

• a brainless bimbo.

II. derivatives

1. brainlessly

adverb

2. brainlessness /ˈbreɪnləsnəs /

noun

brainpan /ˈbreɪnpan/

noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a person's skull.

brainpower

noun — [ mass noun]

1. mental ability; intelligence.

• most humans use only a small fraction of their total useful brainpower.

brainstem

noun

[Anatomy] the central trunk of the mammalian brain, consisting of the medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain, and continuing downwards to form the spinal cord.

brainstorm /ˈbreɪnstɔːm/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a moment in which one is suddenly unable to think clearly or act sensibly.

• we can only assume that someone simply had a brainstorm and left the important bits out.

2. a spontaneous group discussion to produce ideas and ways of solving problems.

• the participants held a brainstorm.

• [as modifier] brainstorm exercises.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a sudden clever idea.

• these three brainstorms may flop like other well-intentioned innovations.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. hold a group discussion to produce ideas
(as noun modifier brainstorming)

• a brainstorming session.

brains trust

noun

1. (Brit.) a group of experts who give impromptu answers to questions in front of an audience or on the radio.

2. (usu. brain trust) — (N. Amer.) a group of experts appointed to advise a government or politician.

brain surgeon

noun

1. a medical practitioner qualified to perform surgical operations on the brain and other parts of the nervous system

• a leading brain surgeon in Oxford.

2. [usu. with negative] — ‹informal› an exceptionally intelligent person

• I'm hardly the staff brain surgeon

• it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what is actually happening.

brain surgery

noun — [ mass noun]

1. surgery performed on the brain or other parts of the nervous system

• he is in a critical condition after undergoing brain surgery.

2. [usu. with negative] — ‹informal› an exceptionally difficult or complicated task

• obviously this is not brain surgery

• breadmaking is hardly brain surgery.

brain-teaser /ˈbreɪntiːzə / brain-twister

I. noun

‹informal› a problem or puzzle, typically one designed to be solved for amusement.

II. derivatives

brain-teasing

adjective

brainwash /ˈbreɪnwɒʃ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. pressurize (someone) into adopting radically different beliefs by using systematic and often forcible means

• people are brainwashed into believing family life is the best

• (as noun brainwashing) victims of brainwashing.

brainwave /ˈbreɪnweɪv/

noun

1. (usu. brainwaves) — an electrical impulse in the brain.

• there were systematic changes in brainwaves with sleep.

• [as modifier] the machine records brainwave patterns.

2. [usu. in sing.] — ‹informal› a sudden clever idea.

• then he had a brainwave.

brainwork /ˈbreɪnwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. mental activity; thought.

brainy /ˈbreɪni/

I. adjective

having or showing intelligence

• a brainy discussion

• she was brainy, except for maths.

II. derivatives

1. brainily

adverb

2. braininess

noun

braise /breɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. fry (food) lightly and then stew it slowly in a closed container
(as adj. braised)

• braised veal.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French braiser, from braise ‘live coals’ (in which the container was formerly placed).

brak /brak/

I. adjective

(S. African) (of water or soil) brackish or alkaline.

– origin Afrikaans, from Dutch.

brake^1 /breɪk/

I. noun

1. a device for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, typically by applying pressure to the wheels

• he slammed on his brakes

• [as modifier] a brake pedal.

2. a thing that slows or hinders a process

• constrained resources will act as a brake on research.

3. another term for brake van.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a moving vehicle slow down or stop by using a brake

• she had to brake hard to avoid a milk float

• (as noun modifier braking) an anti-lock braking system.

– origin late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

brake^2 /breɪk/

I. noun

‹historical› an open horse-drawn carriage with four wheels.

– origin mid 19th cent.: variant of break^2.

brake^3 /breɪk/

I. noun

1. a toothed instrument used for crushing flax and hemp.

2. (also brake harrow) — a heavy machine formerly used in agriculture for breaking up large lumps of earth.

– origin late Middle English: possibly related to Middle Low German brake and Dutch braak, and perhaps also to break^1.

brake^4 /breɪk/

I. noun

‹archaic› ‹literary› a thicket.
See also fernbrake.

– origin Old English bracu (first recorded in the plural in fearnbraca ‘thickets of fern’), related to Middle Low German brake ‘branch, stump’.

brake^5 /breɪk / brake fern

I. noun

1. a coarse fern of warm and tropical countries, frequently having the fronds divided into long linear segments.
●Genus Pteris, family Pteridaceae.

2. archaic term for bracken.

– origin Middle English: perhaps an abbreviation of bracken (interpreted as plural).

brake^6 /breɪk/

archaic past of break^1.

brake block

noun

a block of hard material pressed against the rim of a wheel to slow it down by friction, especially on a bicycle.

brake disc

noun

the disc attached to the wheel in a disc brake.

brake drum

noun

a broad, very short cylinder attached to a wheel, against which the brake shoes press in a drum brake.

brake fluid

noun — [ mass noun]

1. fluid used in a hydraulic brake system.

brake horsepower b.h.p.

noun

1. an imperial unit of power, equal to one horsepower but used only as a measure of the power available at the shaft of an engine.

• the engine develops 98 brake horsepower.

2. the available power of an engine, assessed by measuring the force needed to brake it.

• the net brake horsepower is only up by six.

brake light

noun

a red light at the back of a vehicle that is automatically illuminated when the brakes are applied.

brake lining

noun

a layer of hard material attached to a brake shoe or brake pad to increase friction against the drum or disc.

brakeman /ˈbreɪkmən/

noun

1. ( also brakesman) — (Brit.) (chiefly N. Amer.) a railway worker responsible for a train's brakes or for other duties such as those of a guard.

2. a person in charge of brakes, especially in a bobsleigh.

brake pad

noun

a thin block, typically one of a pair, which presses on to the disc in a disc brake.

brake shoe

noun

a long curved block, typically one of a pair, which presses on to the drum in a drum brake.

brake van

noun

(Brit.) a railway carriage or wagon from which the train's brakes can be controlled by the guard.

Bramah, Joseph /ˈbramə/

(1748–1814), English inventor. One of the most influential engineers of the Industrial Revolution, Bramah is best known for his hydraulic press, used for heavy forging.

Bramante, Donato /braˈmanteɪ/

(1444–1514), Italian architect; full name Donato di Angelo Bramante. As architect to Pope Julius II he drew up the first plan for the new St Peter's (begun in 1506), instigating the concept of a huge central dome.

bramble /ˈbramb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a prickly scrambling shrub of the rose family, especially a blackberry.

2. (Brit.) the fruit of the blackberry.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun brambling)

1. (Brit.) gather blackberries.

• why don't we go brambling some day?

III. derivatives

brambly /ˈbrambli /

adjective

– origin Old English bræmbel, brǣmel, of Germanic origin; related to broom.

bramble shark

noun

a heavy-bodied, dull-coloured shark of the tropical Atlantic, with numerous thornlike spines on the back.
● Echinorhinus brucus, family Echinorhinidae.

brambling /ˈbramblɪŋ/

I. noun

a northern Eurasian finch with a white rump, related to the chaffinch. The male has a black head and orange breast in summer.
● Fringilla montifringilla, family Fringillidae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps from or related to the obsolete German synonym Brämling, related to bramble, or a variant of brandling (because both are streaked).

Bramley /ˈbramli / Bramley's seedling

I. noun

an English cooking apple of a large green variety with firm flesh.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Matthew Bramley, the English butcher in whose garden it is said to have first grown c. 1850.

bran /bran/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. pieces of grain husk separated from flour after milling.
[with modifier]

• oat bran.

• [as modifier] our regular morning bran cereal.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, of unknown origin.

Branagh, Kenneth /ˈbranə/

(b.1960), English actor, producer, and director; full name Kenneth Charles Branagh. With the Royal Shakespeare Company he attracted critical acclaim for roles such as Henry V. He has also directed and starred in films such as Hamlet (1996).

branch /brɑːn(t)ʃ/

I. noun

1. a part of a tree which grows out from the trunk or from a bough.

• Sophie was in the branches of a tree eating an apple.

2. a lateral extension or subdivision extending from the main part of a river, road, railway, etc.

• a branch of the Clinton River.

3. a division or office of a large business or organization, operating locally or having a particular function

• he went to work at our Birmingham branch.

4. a conceptual subdivision of a family, subject, group of languages, etc.

• a branch of mathematics called graph theory.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a road or path) divide into one or more subdivisions

• follow this track south until it branches into two.

2. ( branch off) — diverge from the main route or part

• the road branched off at the market town.

3. ( branch out) — extend or expand one's activities or interests in a new direction

• the company is branching out into Europe.

4. (of a tree or plant) bear or send out branches.

• this rose has a tendency to branch and spread at the top.

• (as adj. branching) the branching heads of large yellow daisies.

III. derivatives

1. branchlet /ˈbrɑn(t)ʃlət /

noun

2. branch-like

adjective

3. branchy /ˈbrɑːn(t)ʃi /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French branche, from late Latin branca ‘paw’.

branched /brɑːn(t)ʃt/

adjective

1. (of a tree or plant) having parts that grow out from the trunk or from a bough

• a tall, branched plant with flowers

• [in combination] many trees are bare-branched already.

2. having lateral extensions or subdivisions extending from the main part

• the elaborate branched antlers of the stag

• a branched network.

branchia /ˈbraŋkɪə/

I. noun

the gills of fish and some invertebrate animals.

II. derivatives

branchial /ˈbraŋkɪəl /

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin branchia, (plural) branchiae, from Greek brankhia (plural).

branchiopod /ˈbraŋkɪə(ʊ)pɒd/

noun

[Zoology] a small aquatic crustacean of the class Branchiopoda, such as a water flea or fairy shrimp.

Branchiopoda /ˌbraŋkɪəˈpəʊdə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a class of small aquatic crustaceans that includes water fleas and fairy shrimps, which are distinguished by having gills upon the feet.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek brankhia ‘gills’ + pous, pod- ‘foot’.

branch line

noun

a secondary railway line running from a main line to a terminus.

branch stacking

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) the process of improperly increasing the membership of a local branch of a political party in order to ensure the preselection of a particular candidate

• the party is using a private investigator to probe allegations of branch stacking.

branch water

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) ordinary water, especially when added to alcoholic drinks.

2. (US) water from a stream.

Brancusi, Constantin /braŋˈkuːzi/

(1876–1957), Romanian sculptor, who spent much of his working life in France. His sculpture represents an attempt to move away from a representational art and to capture the essence of forms by reducing them to their ultimate, almost abstract, simplicity.

brand /brand/

I. noun

1. a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name

• a new brand of soap powder.

2. a brand name

• the firm will market computer software under its own brand

• it takes a long time to build a brand.

3. a particular identity or image regarded as an asset

• you can still invent your own career, be your own brand.

4. a particular type or kind of something

• they entertained millions with their inimitable brand of comedy.

5. an identifying mark burned on livestock or (especially in former times) criminals or slaves with a branding iron.

• the brand on a sheep identifies it as mine.

6. ‹archaic› a branding iron.

7. a habit or quality that causes someone public shame or disgrace

• the brand of Paula's dipsomania.

8. a piece of burning or smouldering wood

• he took two burning brands from the fire.

9. ‹literary› a sword.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark with a branding iron.

• the seller had branded the animal with his grandfather's name.

• (as noun branding) regulations concerning the branding, movement, and sale of cattle.

2. mark indelibly

• an ointment that branded her with unsightly violet-coloured splotches

• ‹figurative› he had a look of unabashed power that only years of experience could brand on to a man's face.

3. mark out as having a particular bad or shameful quality

• anyone who says anything bad about the country is branded as a traitor

• [with obj. and complement] she was branded a liar.

4. assign a brand name to
(as adj. branded)

• cut-price branded goods.

5. (as noun branding) — the promotion of a particular product or company by means of advertising and distinctive design.

• what is missing in travel and tourism marketing is the heavy and effective branding used in other consumer industries.

III. derivatives

brander

noun

– origin Old English brand ‘burning’ (also in sense 3 of the noun), of Germanic origin; related to German Brand, also to burn^1. The verb sense ‘mark with a hot iron’ dates from late Middle English, giving rise to the noun sense ‘a mark of ownership made by branding’ (mid 17th cent.), whence sense 1 of the noun (early 19th cent.).

brandade /brɒ̃ˈdɑːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Provençal dish consisting of salt cod mixed into a puree with olive oil and milk.

– origin French, from modern Provençal brandado, literally ‘something that has been shaken’.

brand awareness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the extent to which consumers are familiar with the qualities or image of a particular brand of goods or services.

• a campaign to increase brand awareness.

Brandenburg /ˈbrandənˌbəːɡ, German ˈbrandnˌbʊrk/

a state of NE Germany; capital, Potsdam. The modern state corresponds to the western part of the former Prussian electorate, of which the eastern part was ceded to Poland after the Second World War.

Brandenburg Gate

one of the city gates of Berlin (built 1788–91), the only one that survives. After the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 it stood in East Berlin, a conspicuous symbol of a divided city. It was reopened in December 1989.

brand equity

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the commercial value that derives from consumer perception of the brand name of a particular product or service, rather than from the product or service itself.

brand extension

noun

an instance of using an established brand name or trademark on new products, so as to increase sales.

brand image

noun

the general impression of a product held by real or potential consumers.

branding iron

noun

a metal implement which is heated and used to brand livestock (or, in former times, criminals or slaves).

brandish /ˈbrandɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. wave or flourish (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement

• a man leaped out brandishing a knife.

II. derivatives

brandisher

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French brandiss-, lengthened stem of brandir; ultimately of Germanic origin and related to brand.

brand leader

noun

the bestselling or most highly regarded product or brand of its type.

• the cigarette became the brand leader.

brandling

I. noun

a red earthworm with rings of a brighter colour, typically found in manure, and used as bait by anglers and in composting kitchen waste.
● Eisenia fetida, family Lumbricidae.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from brand + -ling.

brand loyalty

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the tendency of some consumers to continue buying the same brand of goods rather than competing brands.

brand management

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of supervising the promotion of a particular brand of goods.

II. derivatives

brand manager

noun

brand name

noun

a name given by the maker to a product or range of products, especially a trademark.
[as modifier]

• a corrupt pharmacist dispenses a generic drug rather than a brand-name drug.

brand new /brand ˈnjuː/

I. adjective

completely new

• Graham's uniform was brand new

• a brand-new Oxford dictionary.

– origin late 16th cent.: from brand + new, with the idea ‘straight from the fire’.

Brando, Marlon

(1924–2004), American actor. An exponent of method acting, he first attracted critical acclaim in the stage production of A Streetcar Named Desire (1947); he starred in the film version four years later. Other notable films: On the Waterfront (1954, for which he won an Oscar) and The Godfather (1972).

Brands Hatch

a motor-racing circuit near Farningham in Kent.

Brandt, Bill /brant/

(1904–83), German-born British photographer; full name Hermann Wilhelm Brandt. He is best known for his almost abstract treatment of the nude, as in Perspectives of Nudes (1961).

Brandt, Willy /brant/

(1913–92), German statesman, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–74; born Karl Herbert Frahm. He achieved international recognition for his policy of detente and the opening of relations with the countries of the Eastern bloc (Ostpolitik). Nobel Peace Prize (1971).

Brand X

noun

a name used for an unidentified brand contrasted unfavourably with a product of the same type which is being promoted.

brandy /ˈbrandi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a strong alcoholic spirit distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice.

• a bottle of brandy.

• apricot brandy.

• [ count noun] four large brandies.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from earlier brandwine, brandewine, from Dutch brandewijn, from branden ‘burn, distil’ + wijn ‘wine’.

brandy Alexander

I. noun

a cocktail made with brandy, chocolate liqueur, and cream

• we settled into a quiet corner, then ordered oysters and brandy Alexanders.

– origin 1940s: from the surname or male forename Alexander, with uncertain reference.

brandy-bottle

noun

the common yellow water lily, the flowers of which produce an alcoholic smell which is attractive to beetles.

brandy butter

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a stiff mixture of brandy, butter, and sugar, served with hot desserts.

brandy snap

noun

(Brit.) a crisp rolled gingerbread wafer, usually filled with cream.

brane

I. noun

[Physics] an extended object analogous to the strings of string theory but having any number of dimensions rather than one dimension.

– origin 1980s: short for membrane.

branks /braŋks/

I. plural noun

‹historical› an instrument of punishment for a scolding woman, consisting of an iron framework for the head and a sharp metal gag for restraining the tongue.

– origin mid 16th cent.: origin uncertain; compare with German Pranger ‘a pillory or bit for a horse’ and Dutch prang ‘a fetter’; also with late Middle English barnacle(s), denoting a powerful bit for restraining a horse.

branle /ˈbran(ə)l/

I. noun

a 16th-century court dance of French origin.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from branler ‘shake’.

brannigan /ˈbranɪɡ(ə)n / branigan

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a brawl or violent argument.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin; perhaps from the surname Brannigan.

Branson, Sir Richard

(b.1950), English businessman. He made his name with the company Virgin Records, which he set up in 1969. He later influenced the opening up of air routes with Virgin Atlantic Airways, established in 1984.

brant /brant/

noun

North American term for brent goose.

bran tub

noun

(Brit.) a lucky dip in which the hidden items are buried in bran.

branzino /branˈziːnəʊ/

I. noun

(chiefly US) a sea bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax), especially as an item on a menu

• the whole roasted branzino was as fresh-tasting as if it had just been pulled from the sea.

– origin Italian, ‘sea bass’.

Braque, Georges /brak, French bʀak/

(1882–1963), French painter. His collages, which introduced commercial lettering and fragmented objects into pictures to contrast the real with the ‘illusory’ painted image, were the first stage in the development of synthetic cubism.

brasco /ˈbraskəʊ/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a toilet

• he'd cleaned the brush in turps which he'd then tipped down the brasco

• there was no paper in the brasco.

– origin 1950s: of unknown origin.

brash^1 /braʃ/

I. adjective

1. self-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overbearing way

• he was brash, cocky, and arrogant.

2. having an ostentatious or tasteless appearance

• the cafe was a brash new building.

II. derivatives

1. brashly /ˈbraʃli /

adverb

2. brashness /ˈbraʃnəs /

noun

– origin early 19th cent. (originally dialect); perhaps a form of rash^1.

brash^2 /braʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. loose broken rock or ice.
[as modifier]

• brash ice.

2. clippings from hedges, shrubs, or other plants.

• cutting up the timber and burning the brash.

– origin late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

Brasil /braˈziw/

Portuguese name for Brazil^1.

Brasilia /brəˈzɪlɪə/

the capital, since 1960, of Brazil; pop. 2,455,903 (2007). Designed by Lúcio Costa in 1956, the city was located in the centre of the country with the intention of drawing people away from the crowded coastal areas.

Braşov /braˈʃɒv/

a city in Romania; pop. 281,375 (2006). It belonged to Hungary until after the First World War, and was ceded to Romania in 1920.
Hungarian name Brassó; German name Kronstadt.

brass /brɑːs/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a yellow alloy of copper and zinc
[as modifier]

• a brass plate on the door.

2. [ count noun] — a decorative object made of brass

• shining brasses stood on the mantelpiece.

3. (also horse brass) [ count noun] — (Brit.) a round flat brass ornament for the harness of a draught horse.

4. [ count noun] — a memorial, typically a medieval one, consisting of a flat piece of inscribed brass, laid in the floor or set into the wall of a church.

• children do not appear on memorial brasses until the 1420s.

5. [ count noun] — a brass block or die used for stamping a design on a book binding.

6. [Music] brass wind instruments (including trumpet, horn, and trombone) forming a band or a section of an orchestra

• the brass were consistently too loud.

7. (also top brass) — ‹informal› people in authority or of high military rank.

• the top brass of the Jockey Club.

8. (Brit.) ‹informal› money

• they wanted to spend their newly acquired brass.

II. phrases

1. brassed off

(Brit.) ‹informal› exasperated.

• I'm absolutely brassed off with all this talk about economic recovery.

2. a brass farthing

[with negative] — ‹informal› any money or assets at all

• she hasn't got two brass farthings to rub together.

3. brass monkey /ˌbrɑːs ˈmʌŋki /

(Brit.) ‹informal› used in phrases to refer to extremely cold weather

• it's brass monkey weather tonight

• it was cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.

[often said to be from a type of brass rack or ‘monkey’ once used to stack cannonballs on ships, and from which the balls might be ejected as a result of the metal contracting in very cold weather; this explanation has not been proved.]

4. brass neck

‹informal› cheek or effrontery

• I didn't think that his mother would have the brass neck to come round here.

5. the brass ring

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› success or reward.

• Willa went for the brass ring, joining the firm's San Francisco office at a whopping salary.

[with reference to the reward of a free ride given on a merry-go-round to the person hooking a brass ring suspended over the horses.]

6. get down to brass tacks

‹informal› start to consider the basic facts or practical details.

• we've had a meeting as to the general terms, and now we're going to get down to brass tacks.

– origin Old English bræs, of unknown origin.

brassard /ˈbrasɑːd/

I. noun

1. a band worn on the sleeve, typically with a uniform.

2. ‹historical› a piece of armour for the upper arm.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from bras ‘arm’.

brass band

noun

a group of musicians playing brass instruments and sometimes also percussion.
[as modifier]

• brass band music.

brasserie /ˈbrasəri/

I. noun

a restaurant in France or in a French style.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, originally ‘brewery’, from brasser ‘to brew’.

Brassey, Thomas /ˈbrasi/

(1805–70), English engineer and railway contractor. He built more than 10,000 km (6,500 miles) of railways in Europe, India, South America, and Australia.

brass hat

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a high-ranking officer in the armed forces.

• military brass hats proudly handed out scores of prizes.

– origin late 19th cent.: so named because of the gilt insignia on the caps of such officers.

brassica /ˈbrasɪkə/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that includes cabbage, swede, rape, and mustard.

• brassicas are often plagued by whitefly.

●Genus Brassica, family Cruciferae.

– origin modern Latin, from Latin, literally ‘cabbage’.

brassie /ˈbrasi, ˈbrɑːsi / brassy

I. noun

[Golf] ‹informal› a number two wood.

– origin late 19th cent.: so named because the wood was originally shod with brass.

brassiere /ˈbrazɪə, ˈbrazɪɛː/

I. noun

full form of bra.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French brassière, literally ‘bodice, child's vest’.

brass-necked

adjective

acting without shame or embarrassment

• they are being brass-necked in applying to continue the licence

• the brass-necked fraudster.

Brassó /ˈbrɔʃʃoː/

Hungarian name for Braşov.

brass rubbing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of rubbing heelball or chalk over paper laid on an engraved brass to reproduce its design.

2. [ count noun] — an image created by brass rubbing.

brassware /ˈbrɑːswɛː, ˈbraswɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. utensils or other objects made of brass.

brassy^1 /ˈbrɑːsi/

I. adjective

1. resembling brass in colour.

• the last rays of the sun were brassy and chill.

2. sounding like a brass musical instrument; harsh and loud.

• audience members are tapping their feet to the brassy music of the band.

3. (of a person, typically a woman) tastelessly showy or loud in appearance or manner

• her brassy, audacious exterior.

II. derivatives

1. brassily

adverb

2. brassiness

noun

brassy^2

noun

variant spelling of brassie.

brat^1 /brat/

I. noun

‹derogatory› ‹humorous› a child, typically one that is badly behaved.

• she's been acting like a spoiled brat all evening.

• presumably this is where people dump their brats so they can shop in relative peace.

II. derivatives

1. brattish /ˈbratɪʃ /

adjective

2. brattishness

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps an abbreviation of synonymous Scots bratchet, from Old French brachet ‘hound, bitch’; or perhaps from dialect brat ‘rough garment, rag’, based on Old Irish bratt ‘cloak’.

brat^2 /brat/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a bratwurst sausage

• burgers, fries, ribs, brats, potato salad, pies—you name it this spread had it.

– origin 1940s: abbreviation.

Bratislava /ˌbratɪˈslɑːvə/

the capital of Slovakia, a port on the Danube; pop. 426,927 (2007). From 1526 to 1784 it was the capital of Hungary.
German name Pressburg; Hungarian name Pozsony.

brat pack

I. noun

‹informal› a rowdy and ostentatious group of young celebrities, especially film stars.

II. derivatives

brat packer

noun

– origin 1980s: after rat pack^1.

brattice /ˈbratɪs/

I. noun

a partition or shaft lining in a coal mine, typically made of wood or heavy cloth.

II. derivatives

bratticed

adjective

– origin Middle English (denoting a temporary wooden gallery for use in a siege): from Old French bretesche, from medieval Latin britisca, from Old English brittisc ‘British’. The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

brattle ‹dialect›

I. noun

a sharp rattling sound

• a distant brattle of thunder.

II. verb

make or cause to make a rattling sound.

• we banged and brattled the cupboards.

– origin early 16th cent.: probably imitative, from a blend of break^1 and rattle.

bratty /ˈbrati/

adjective

‹derogatory› ‹humorous› spoilt, self-centered, and badly behaved

• a bratty little boy who threw his ice cream on the floor

• they have the brattiest children.

bratwurst /ˈbratvəːst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of fine German pork sausage that is generally fried or grilled.

– origin German, from Brat ‘a spit’ + Wurst ‘sausage’.

Braun, Eva /braʊn/

(1910–45), German mistress of Adolf Hitler. Braun and Hitler are thought to have married during the fall of Berlin, shortly before committing suicide together in the air-raid shelter of his Berlin headquarters.

Braun, Karl Ferdinand /braʊn/

(1850–1918), German physicist. Braun invented the coupled system of radio transmission and the Braun tube (forerunner of the cathode ray tube), in which a beam of electrons could be deflected. Nobel Prize for Physics (1909).

Braun, Wernher von /braʊn/

(1912–77), German-born American rocket engineer; full name Wernher Magnus Maximilian von Braun. Braun led development on the V-2 rockets used by Germany in the Second World War. After the war he moved to the US, where he pioneered the work which resulted in the US space programme.

Braunschweig /ˈbraʊnˌʃvaɪk/

German name for Brunswick.

bravado /brəˈvɑːdəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate.

• he possesses none of the classic wheeler-dealer's casual bravado.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish bravada, from bravo ‘bold’ (see brave, -ado).

brave /breɪv/

I. adjective

1. ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage

• she was very brave about the whole thing

• (as plural noun the brave) it was a time to remember the brave.

2. ‹literary› fine or splendid in appearance

• his medals made a brave show.

II. noun

1. ‹dated› an American Indian warrior.

2. ‹dated› a young man who shows courage or fighting spirit.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. endure or face (unpleasant conditions or behaviour) without showing fear

• he pulled on his coat ready to brave the elements.

IV. phrases

1. brave new world

used to refer, often ironically, to a new and hopeful period in history resulting from major changes in society

• the brave new world of the health care market.

[title of a satirical novel by Aldous Huxley (1932), after Shakespeare's The Tempest (V. i. 183).]

2. put a brave face on something

see face.

V. derivatives

braveness

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from French, from Italian bravo ‘bold’ or Spanish bravo ‘courageous, untamed, savage’, based on Latin barbarus (see barbarous).

bravely /ˈbreɪvli/

adverb

in a way that shows a willingness to face and endure danger or pain; courageously

• he has been hailed a hero after he bravely tackled a thief at a hotel

• she bravely had a go at paragliding.

bravery /ˈbreɪv(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. courageous behaviour or character.

• perhaps I'll get a medal for bravery.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘bravado’): from French braverie or Italian braveria ‘boldness’, based on Latin barbarus (see barbarous).

bravo^1 /brɑːˈvəʊ, ˈbrɑːvəʊ/

I. exclamation

used to express approval when a performer or other person has done something well

• bravo, you're improving!

II. noun

1. a cry of bravo

• bravos rang out.

2. a code word representing the letter B, used in radio communication.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, from Italian, literally ‘bold’ (see brave).

bravo^2 /ˈbrɑːvəʊ/

I. noun

a thug or hired assassin.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian, from bravo ‘bold (one)’ (see brave).

bravura /brəˈv(j)ʊərə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. great technical skill and brilliance shown in a performance or activity

• the recital ended with a blazing display of bravura

• [as modifier] a bravura performance.

2. the display of great daring

• the show of bravura hid a guilty timidity.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Italian, from bravo ‘bold’.

braw /brɔː/

I. adjective

(Scottish) fine, good, or pleasing

• it was a braw day.

II. derivatives

brawly

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: variant of brave.

brawl /brɔːl/

I. noun

a rough or noisy fight or quarrel.

• he'd got into a drunken brawl in a bar.

• a street brawl.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. fight or quarrel in a rough or noisy way

• he ended up brawling with a lout outside his house.

2. ‹literary› (of a stream) flow noisily.

III. derivatives

brawler /ˈbrɔːlə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: perhaps ultimately imitative and related to bray^1.

brawn /brɔːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. physical strength in contrast to intelligence

• commando work required as much brain as brawn.

2. (Brit.) meat from a pig's or calf's head that is cooked and pressed in a pot with jelly.

• a slice of brawn.

• pork brawn.

– origin Middle English: from Old French braon ‘fleshy part of the leg’, of Germanic origin; related to German Braten ‘roast meat’.

brawny /ˈbrɔːni/

I. adjective

physically strong; muscular.

• a great brawny brute.

• Gordon had brawny tattooed arms.

II. derivatives

brawniness /ˈbrɔːnɪnəs /

noun

Braxton Hicks contractions /ˌbrakstən ˈhɪks/

I. plural noun

[Medicine] intermittent weak contractions of the uterus occurring during pregnancy.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after John Braxton Hicks (1823–97), English gynaecologist.

braxy /ˈbraksi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fatal bacterial infection of young sheep, occurring chiefly in upland areas in winter.
●The bacterium is Clostridium septicum.

– origin late 18th cent.: perhaps from obsolete brack ‘break, flaw’, from Germanic base of break^1.

bray^1 /breɪ/

I. noun

1. the loud, harsh cry of a donkey or mule.

• the mule uttered its insane bray.

2. a sound, voice, or laugh resembling a bray.

• he recognized the loud bray of the doctor.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a donkey or mule) utter a bray.

• the donkey brayed and kicked.

2. (of a person) speak or laugh loudly and harshly

• he brayed with laughter

• [with direct speech] ‘Leave!’ brayed a voice behind her.

– origin Middle English: from Old French brait ‘a shriek’, braire ‘to cry’ (the original senses in English), perhaps ultimately of Celtic origin.

bray^2 /breɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› pound or crush (something) to small pieces, typically with a pestle and mortar.

• the kernels of this fruit the Arabs bray in a mortar.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French breier, of Germanic origin; related to break^1.

Bray, Vicar of

the protagonist of an 18th-century song who kept his benefice from Charles II's reign to George I's by changing his beliefs to suit the times. The song is apparently based on an anecdote about an unidentified vicar of Bray, Berkshire, in Thomas Fuller's Worthies of England (1662).

braze /breɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. brazed)

1. form, fix, or join by soldering with an alloy of copper and zinc at high temperature.

• a brazed joint.

• a disc is brazed to the cut-off end of the drill shank.

II. noun

a brazed joint.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French braser ‘solder’, ultimately of Germanic origin.

brazen /ˈbreɪz(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. bold and without shame

• he went about his illegal business with a brazen assurance

• a brazen hussy.

2. ‹literary› ‹archaic› made of brass.

• brazen fire irons.

3. harsh in sound

• the music's brazen chords.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( brazen something out)

1. endure an embarrassing or difficult situation by behaving with apparent confidence and lack of shame

• there was nothing to do but brazen it out.

III. derivatives

brazenness /ˈbreɪz(ə)nnəs /

noun

– origin Old English bræsen ‘made of brass’, from bræs ‘brass’, of unknown ultimate origin.

brazen-faced

adjective

bold and without shame

• impudent, brazen-faced rogues.

brazenly /ˈbreɪz(ə)nli/

adverb

in a bold and shameless way

• they are brazenly defying the law

• [as submodifier] brazenly bad performances on instruments they can't play.

brazier^1 /ˈbreɪzɪə, ˈbreɪʒə/

I. noun

1. a portable heater consisting of a pan or stand for holding lighted coals.

2. (N. Amer.) a barbecue.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French brasier, from braise ‘hot coals’.

brazier^2 /ˈbreɪzɪə, ˈbreɪʒə/

I. noun

a worker in brass.

II. derivatives

braziery

noun

– origin Middle English: probably from brass + -ier, on the pattern of glass and glazier.

Brazil^1 /brəˈzɪl/

I. the largest country in South America; pop. 198,739,300 (est. 2009); official language, Portuguese; capital, Brasilia.
Portuguese name Brasil .

Brazil is the fifth-largest country in the world. Previously inhabited largely by Tupi and Guarani peoples, Brazil was colonized by the Portuguese, who imported large numbers of slaves from West Africa to work on sugar plantations. The country was proclaimed an independent empire in 1822, becoming a republic after the overthrow of the monarchy in 1889.

Brazil^2 /brəˈzɪl/

I. noun

1. (also Brazil nut) — a large three-sided nut with an edible kernel, several of which develop inside a large woody capsule borne by a South American forest tree.
●The tree is Bertholletia excelsa, family Lecythidaceae.

2. (also Brazil wood) [ mass noun] — hard red timber from which dye may be obtained.
●The timber is obtained from several tropical trees of the genus Caesalpinia, family Leguminosae.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from medieval Latin brasilium. The South American country Brazil (see Brazil^1) takes its name from the wood.

Brazilian /brəˈzɪlɪən/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Brazil.

2. a style of waxing a woman's pubic hair in which almost all the hair is removed, with only a very small central strip remaining.

II. adjective

relating to Brazil.

Brazzaville /ˈbrazəvɪl/

the capital of Congo, a major port; pop. 1,357,392 (est. 2009). It was founded in 1880 by the French explorer Savorgnan de Brazza (1852–1905) and was capital of French Equatorial Africa from 1910 to 1958.

BRB

abbreviation

‹informal› be right back

• I'm takin' a juice break, BRB.

breach /briːtʃ/

I. noun

1. an act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct

• a breach of confidence

• [ mass noun] I sued for breach of contract.

2. a break in relations

• a widening breach between government and Church.

3. a gap in a wall, barrier, or defence, especially one made by an attacking army.

• a breach in the mountain wall.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make a gap in and break through (a wall, barrier, or defence)

• the river breached its bank.

2. break or fail to observe (a law, agreement, or code of conduct).

• these outside bodies are bootlegging albums and breaching copyright.

3. [no obj.] — (of a whale) rise and break through the surface of the water.

• we saw whales breaching in the distance.

III. phrases

1. breach of the peace

(Brit.) public disturbance, or an act considered likely to cause one.

• a man was convicted of causing a breach of the peace during the demonstration.

2. breach of promise

the action of breaking a sworn assurance to do something, formerly especially to marry someone.

• Anastasia cherishes the recollection of having won an action for breach of promise.

3. step into the breach

replace someone who is suddenly unable to do a job or task.

• I can't think of anyone who could step into the breach should I become ill.

– origin Middle English: from Old French breche, ultimately of Germanic origin; related to break^1.

bread /brɛd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. food made of flour, water, and yeast mixed together and baked

• a loaf of bread

• [as modifier] a bread roll

• [ count noun] Italian breads.

2. the bread or wafer used in the Eucharist

• altar bread.

3. the food that one needs in order to live

• his day job puts bread on the table.

4. ‹informal› money

• I hate doing this, but I need the bread.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. coat (food) with breadcrumbs before cooking

• bread the chicken and fry it in oil.

III. phrases

1. be the best (or greatest) thing since sliced bread

‹informal› be very good

• they think that she is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

2. bread and circuses

entertainment or political policies used to keep the mass of people happy and docile.

• with football and politics as the bread and circuses of our decadent empire, whither religion?

[translating Latin panem et circenses (Juvenal's Satires, x.80).]

3. bread and water

a frugal diet that is eaten in poverty, chosen in abstinence, or given as a punishment.

• he could be put on bread and water for forty-eight hours.

4. bread and wine

the consecrated elements used in the celebration of the Eucharist; the sacrament of the Eucharist.

• he rejected the idea of any physical presence of Christ in the bread and wine.

5. the bread of life

a source of spiritual nourishment.

• the Roman Catholic Church and faith were the bread of life to the subordinate classes.

6. break bread

a. celebrate the Eucharist.

• as we gathered to break bread, a sense of thanksgiving ran through us.

b. ‹dated› share a meal with someone.

• Donald's staying to break bread with us.

7. one cannot live by bread alone

people have spiritual as well as physical needs.

• we cannot live by bread alone, but it helps.

[with biblical allusion to Deut. 8:3, Matt. 4:4.]

8. cast one's bread upon the waters

do good without expecting gratitude or reward.

• if you don't cast your bread upon the waters, it won't come back to you when you need it most.

[with biblical allusion to Eccles. 11:1.]

9. one's daily bread

the money or food that one needs in order to live

• she earned her daily bread by working long hours.

10. know which side one's bread is buttered (on)

‹informal› know where one's advantage lies.

• middle-class people who know which side their bread is buttered.

11. take the bread out of (or from) people's mouths

deprive people of their livings by competition or unfair working practices.

• he declared it would be better to get fair wages than see the bread taken out of our mouths.

12. want one's bread buttered on both sides

‹informal› want more than is practicable or than is reasonable to expect.

• the play wants its bread buttered on both sides.

– origin Old English brēad, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch brood and German Brot.

bread and butter /brɛd ənd ˈbʌtə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a person's livelihood or main source of income

• their bread and butter is reporting local events

• [as modifier] bread-and-butter occupations.

2. used in reference to something everyday or ordinary

• the bread and butter of non-League soccer.

bread-and-butter letter

noun

a letter expressing thanks for hospitality.

bread-and-butter pudding

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dessert consisting of slices of bread and butter layered with dried fruit and sugar and baked with a mixture of milk and egg.

breadbasket /ˈbrɛdbɑːskɪt/

noun

1. a part of a region that produces cereals for the rest of it.

• the province has functioned as the country's breadbasket.

2. ‹informal› a person's stomach, considered as the target for a blow.

• there's one in the breadbasket for you.

bread bin

noun

(Brit.) a container for keeping bread in.

breadboard /ˈbrɛdbɔːd/

I. noun

1. a board for cutting bread on.

2. a board for making an experimental model of an electric circuit.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (an experimental electric circuit).

• a modem I breadboarded myself.

• (as noun breadboarding) an article describes the technique of breadboarding.

breadcrumb /ˈbrɛdkrʌm/

I. noun

1. a small fragment of bread.

2. ( breadcrumbs or breadcrumb trail) — a series of connected pieces of information or evidence

• federal agents stood by in the hope that the trail of breadcrumbs would lead to a Mexican drug cartel

• you have to be careful about the digital breadcrumbs that you are leaving behind.

[from the traditional story of Hansel and Gretel, who leave a trail of breadcrumbs behind them as they walk through a forest, intending to use them in order to retrace their steps.]

3. a hierarchical series of hyperlinks displayed at the top of a web page, indicating the page's position in the overall structure of the website

• check to make sure that your site has good internal linking and consider adding breadcrumbs

• for breadcrumb trails, a smaller pixel size of 9 to 11 is good.

II. derivatives

breadcrumbed

adjective

breaded

adjective

(of food) coated with breadcrumbs and then fried

• breaded scampi.

breadfruit /ˈbrɛdfruːt/

noun

1. the large round starchy fruit of a tropical tree, which is used as a vegetable and sometimes to make a substitute for flour.

2. (also breadfruit tree) — the large evergreen tree which bears breadfruit, which is widely cultivated on the islands of the Pacific and the Caribbean.
● Artocarpus altilis, family Moraceae.

3. South African term for bread tree.

breadhead

noun

‹informal› a person who is motivated by, or obsessed with, making money.

breading /ˈbrɛdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a coating of breadcrumbs, typically on fried food

• onion rings with light, crispy breading.

bread-kind

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (W. Indian) food with a consistency resembling bread, such as yams or sweet potatoes.

bread knife

noun

a long knife with a serrated edge, for slicing bread.

breadline /ˈbrɛdlʌɪn/

noun

1. ( the breadline) — (Brit.) the poorest condition in which it is acceptable to live

• they are not well off, but they are not on the breadline.

2. (N. Amer.) a queue of people waiting to receive free food.

bread pudding

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rich, heavy cake or pudding made from pieces of bread soaked in milk and baked with eggs, sugar, dried fruit, and spices, eaten hot or cold.

bread sauce

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sauce made with milk and breadcrumbs, typically eaten with roast chicken or turkey.

breadstick /ˈbrɛdstɪk/

noun

a long, thin, crisp piece of baked dough.

breadth /brɛdθ, brɛtθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the distance or measurement from side to side of something; width

• the boat measured 27 feet in breadth

• [in sing.] the bank reaches a maximum breadth of about 100 km.

2. wide range or extent

• she has the advantage of breadth of experience

• the minister is not noted for his breadth of vision.

3. [ count noun] — ‹dated› a piece of cloth of standard or full width.

– origin early 16th cent.: from obsolete brede in the same (related to broad) + -th^2, on the pattern of length.

breadthways /ˈbrɛdθweɪz / breadthwise

adverb

in a direction parallel with a thing's width.

• she worked squaring the stacks so that they alternated, first lengthwise, then breadthwise.

bread tree bread palm

noun

a cycad native to tropical and southern Africa, which yields an edible sago-like starch.
●Genus Encephalartos, family Zamiaceae.

breadwinner /ˈbrɛdwɪnə/

I. noun

a person who earns money to support their family, typically the sole one.

• when Roland's grant ran out, Val became the breadwinner.

II. derivatives

breadwinning

noun, adjective

break^1 /breɪk/

I. verb

1. separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain
[no obj.]

• the rope broke with a loud snap

• [with obj.] windows in the street were broken by the blast.

2. sustain an injury involving the fracture of a bone or bones in a part of the body
[with obj.]

• she had broken her leg in two places

• [no obj.] what if his leg had broken?

3. [with obj.] — cause a cut or graze in (the skin)

• the bite had scarcely broken the skin.

4. make or become inoperative
[no obj.]

• the machine has broken and they can't fix it until next week

• [with obj.] he's broken the video.

5. [no obj.] — (of the amniotic fluid surrounding a fetus) be discharged when the sac is ruptured in the first stages of labour

• she realized her waters had broken.

6. [with obj.] — ‹informal› open (a safe) forcibly.

7. [with obj.] — use (a banknote) to pay for something and receive change out of the transaction

• she had to break a tenner.

8. [no obj.] — (of two boxers or wrestlers) come out of a clinch, especially at the referee's command.

• I was acting as referee and telling them to break.

9. [no obj.] — make the first stroke at the beginning of a game of billiards, pool, or snooker.

10. [with obj.] — unfurl (a flag or sail).

11. [with obj.] — succeed in deciphering (a code).

• ciphers are easily broken by the new wonder machines.

12. [with obj.] — disprove (an alibi).

13. [with obj.] — interrupt (a continuity, sequence, or course)

• the new government broke the pattern of growth

• his concentration was broken by a sound.

14. put an end to (a silence) by speaking or making contact.

• it was some time before he broke the silence.

15. (chiefly Brit.) make a pause in (a journey).

• we will break our journey in Venice.

16. [no obj.] — stop proceedings in order to have a pause or vacation

• at mid-morning they broke for coffee.

17. lessen the impact of (a fall).

• she put out an arm to break her fall.

18. disconnect or interrupt (an electric circuit).

• a multimeter able to measure current without having to break the circuit under test.

19. stop oneself being subject to (a habit)

• try to break the habit of adding salt at the table.

20. surpass (a record)

• the film broke box office records in the US.

21. [with obj.] — fail to observe (a law, regulation, or agreement)

• the council says it will prosecute traders who break the law

• a legally binding contract which can only be broken by mutual consent.

22. fail to continue with (a self-imposed discipline)

• diets started without preparation are broken all the time.

23. [with obj.] — crush the emotional strength, spirit, or resistance of

• the idea was to better the prisoners, not to break them.

24. [no obj.] — (of a person's emotional strength or control) give way

• her self-control finally broke.

25. destroy the power of (a movement or organization).

• strategies used to break the union.

26. destroy the effectiveness of (a strike), typically by moving in other people to replace the striking workers.

• a government threat to use the army to break the strike.

27. [no obj.] — undergo a change or enter a new state, in particular:

28. (of the weather) change suddenly, especially after a fine spell

• the weather broke and thunder rumbled through a leaden sky.

29. (of a storm) begin violently.

• when all were aboard, the storm broke.

30. (of dawn or a day) begin as the sun rises

• dawn was just breaking.

31. (of clouds) move apart and begin to disperse.

• on the seventh of September the clouds broke for the first time.

32. (of waves) curl over and dissolve into foam

• the Caribbean sea was breaking gently on the shore.

33. (of a person's voice) falter and change tone, due to emotion

• her voice broke as she relived the experience.

34. (of a boy's voice) change in tone and register at puberty.

• after his voice broke, he left the choir.

35. [Phonetics] (of a vowel) develop into a diphthong, under the influence of an adjacent sound.

36. (of prices on the stock exchange) fall sharply.

37. [no obj.] — (of news or a scandal) suddenly become public

• since the news broke I've received thousands of wonderful letters.

38. [with obj.] ( break something to) — make bad news known to (someone).

• he was trying to break the terrible news gently to his father.

39. [no obj., with adverbial] — (chiefly of an attacking player or team, or of a military force) make a rush or dash in a particular direction

• Mitchell won possession and broke quickly, allowing Hughes to score.

40. (of a bowled cricket ball) change direction on bouncing, due to spin.

41. [Sport] (of the ball) rebound unpredictably

• the ball broke to Craig but his shot rebounded from the post.

II. noun

1. an interruption of continuity or uniformity

• the magazine has been published without a break since 1950.

2. an act of separating oneself from a pre-existing state of affairs

• a break with the past.

3. a change in the weather.

• a week or so may pass without a break in the weather.

4. [with modifier] — a change of line, paragraph, or page

• dotted lines on the screen show page breaks.

5. a change of tone in a person's voice due to emotion.

• there was a break in her voice now.

6. an interruption in an electric circuit.

7. (also break of serve or service break) — [Tennis] the winning of a game against an opponent's serve.

8. a pause in work or during an activity or event

• I need a break from mental activity

• those returning to work after a career break

• a coffee break.

9. (Brit.) an interval during the school day

• the bell went for break.

10. a short holiday

• a weekend break in the Cotswolds.

11. a short solo or instrumental passage in jazz or popular music.

12. ( breaks) — dance music featuring breakbeats.

13. a gap or opening

• the track bends left through a break in the hedge

• he stopped to wait for a break in the traffic.

14. an instance of breaking something, or the point where something is broken

• he was stretchered off with a break to the leg.

15. a rush or dash in a particular direction, especially by an attacking player or team

• Norwich scored on a rare break with 11 minutes left.

16. ‹informal› an escape, typically from prison.

17. [Cricket] a change in the direction of a bowled ball on bouncing.

18. ‹informal› an opportunity or chance, especially one leading to professional success

• he got his break as an entertainer on a TV music hall show.

19. [Snooker] [Billiards] a consecutive series of successful shots, scoring a specified number of points

• a break of 83 put him in front for the first time.

20. a player's turn to make the opening shot of a game.

• whose break is it?

21. a bud or shoot sprouting from a stem.

III. phrases

1. break one's back

put great effort into achieving something.

• as soon as we finished I'd break my back to get home to her.

2. break the back of

a. accomplish the main or hardest part of (a task)

• we've broken the back of the problem.

b. overwhelm or defeat

• I thought we really had broken the back of inflation.

3. break the bank

see bank^2.

4. break bread

see bread.

5. break camp

see camp^1.

6. break even

reach a point in a business venture when the profits are equal to the costs.

• the firm will break even at the operating level this year.

7. break someone's heart

see heart.

8. break the ice

see ice.

9. break in two

break into two parts.

• the slate fell from my hand and broke in two on the hard floor.

10. break a leg!

‹theatrical slang› good luck!

11. break the mould

see mould^1.

12. break of day

dawn.

13. break something open

open something forcibly.

• thieves used a stolen car to break open the store's front door.

14. break rank

see rank^1.

15. break (someone's) serve (or service)

win a game in a tennis match against an opponent's service.

• he broke serve twice in the third set.

16. break ship

[Nautical] fail to rejoin one's ship after absence on leave.

17. break step

see step.

18. break wind

release gas from the anus.

19. a clean break

a complete separation from a situation or relationship

• Dan decided it was best to make a clean break with the past.

20. give someone a break

a. stop putting pressure on someone about something.

• give the poor guy a break.

b. ( give me a break) — used to express contemptuous disagreement or disbelief about what has been said

• He's seven times as quick and he's only 20 years old—give me a break!

21. make a break for

make a sudden dash in the direction of, especially in a bid to escape

• he made a break for the door.

22. that's (or them's) the breaks

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› that's the way things turn out (used to express resigned acceptance of a situation).

IV. phrasal verbs

1. break away

a. escape from someone's hold.

• Anna attempted to break away, but he held her tight.

b. escape from the control of a person, group, or practice

• an attempt to break away from the elitism that has dominated the book trade.

c. (of a competitor in a race) move into the lead.

• he broke away and opened up a 40-second lead.

2. break down

a. (of a machine or motor vehicle) suddenly cease to function

• his van broke down.

b. (of a relationship, agreement, or process) cease to continue; collapse

• pay negotiations with management broke down.

c. lose control of one's emotions when in a state of distress

• the old woman broke down in tears.

d. (of a person's health or emotional control) fail or collapse.

• his health broke down under the strain of overwork.

• Janet's normal self-control and impassiveness had broken down utterly.

e. undergo chemical decomposition

• waste products which break down into low-level toxic materials.

3. break something down

a. demolish a door or other barrier

• they had to get the police to break the door down

• ‹figurative› class barriers can be broken down by educational reform.

b. separate something into a number of parts

• each tutorial is broken down into more manageable units.

c. analyse information

• bar graphs show how the information can be broken down.

d. convert a substance into simpler compounds by chemical action

• almost every natural substance can be broken down by bacteria.

4. break forth

burst out suddenly; emerge.

• having to control the chaos that might break forth.

5. break free

another way of saying break away.

6. break in

a. force entry to a building.

• would-be thieves had smashed the door lock in an attempt to break in.

b. [with direct speech] — interject

• ‘I don't want to interfere,’ Mrs Hendry broke in

• the doctor's voice broke in on her thoughts.

7. break someone in

a. familiarize someone with a new job or situation

• there was no time to break in a new foreign minister.

b. ( break a horse in) — accustom a horse to a saddle and bridle, and to being ridden.

• I break in my dad's horses.

8. break something in

wear something, typically a pair of new shoes, until it becomes supple and comfortable.

9. break into

a. enter or open (a place, vehicle, or container) forcibly, especially for the purposes of theft

• two raiders broke into his home

• a friend of mine had his car broken into.

b. succeed in winning a share of (a market or a position in a profession)

• foreign companies have largely failed to break into the domestic-equity business.

c. interrupt (a conversation).

• Phil broke into the discussion.

d. suddenly or unexpectedly burst forth into (laughter or song).

• he broke into a fit of choking laughter.

e. (of a person's face or mouth) relax into (a smile)

• John's face broke into a grin.

f. change one's pace to (a faster one)

• Greg broke into a sprint.

10. break off

a. become severed

• the fuselage had broken off just behind the pilot's seat.

b. abruptly stop talking

• she broke off, stifling a sob.

11. break something off

a. remove something from a larger unit or whole

• Tucker broke off a piece of bread.

b. abruptly end or discontinue something

• Britain threatened to break off diplomatic relations.

12. break out

a. (of war, fighting, or similarly undesirable things) start suddenly

• forest fires have broken out across Indonesia.

b. (of a physical discomfort) suddenly manifest itself

• prickles of sweat had broken out along her backbone.

c. escape

• a prisoner broke out of his cell.

13. break out in

be suddenly affected by an unpleasant sensation or condition

• she had broken out in a rash.

14. break something out

‹informal› open and start using something

• it was time to break out the champagne.

15. break through

a. make or force a way through (a barrier)

• demonstrators attempted to break through the police lines

• the sun might break through in a few spots.

b. achieve success in a particular area

• so many talented players are struggling to break through.

16. break up

a. disintegrate or disperse

• the grey clouds had begun to break up.

b. (of a gathering or collective) disband; end.

• after about an hour, the meeting broke up.

c. (chiefly Brit.) end the school term

• we broke up for the summer.

d. (of a couple in a relationship) part company.

• I was heartbroken when we broke up.

e. (of a radio or telephone signal) be interrupted by interference.

f. (chiefly N. Amer.) start laughing uncontrollably

• the whole cast broke up.

g. (chiefly N. Amer.) become emotionally upset.

17. break someone up

(chiefly N. Amer.) cause someone to become extremely upset.

• seeing the children again nearly broke her up.

18. break something up

a. cause something to separate into several pieces, parts, or sections

• break up the chocolate and place it in a bowl

• he intends to break the company up into strategic business units.

b. cut something up for scrap metal

• she was towed to Bo'Ness and broken up.

c. disperse or put an end to a gathering

• police broke up a demonstration in the capital.

d. cause a relationship to dissolve

• I'm not going to let you break up my marriage.

e. bring a social event or meeting to an end by being the first person to leave

• Richard was sorry to break up the party.

19. break with

a. quarrel or cease relations with (someone)

• he had broken with his family long before.

b. act in a way that is not in accordance with (a custom or tradition).

• institutions which are dynamically prepared to break with tradition.

– origin Old English brecan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch breken and German brechen, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin frangere ‘to break’.

break^2 /breɪk/

I. noun

1. former term for breaking cart.

2. ‹historical› another term for brake^2.

– origin mid 19th cent.: perhaps from 16th-cent. brake ‘cage’, later ‘framework’, of unknown origin.

breakable /ˈbreɪkəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

capable of breaking or being broken easily

• breakable ornaments

• an encrypted password isn't easily breakable.

II. plural noun — ( breakables)

1. things which are fragile and easily broken.

• breakables, like china, should be padded thoroughly and placed in smaller boxes.

breakage /ˈbreɪkɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of breaking something, or the fact of being broken

• some breakage of bone has occurred

• [ count noun] there had been three breakages in the overhead wires.

breakaway /ˈbreɪkəweɪ/

noun

1. a divergence or radical change from something established or long-standing

• rock was a breakaway from pop.

2. a secession of a number of people from an organization, resulting in the establishment of a new organization
[as modifier]

• a breakaway group.

3. a sudden attack or forward movement, especially in a race or a soccer game.

• a winning breakaway.

4. [Rugby] each of the two flank forwards on the outsides of the second row of a scrum formation.

5. (Austral./NZ) a stampede of animals, typically at the sight or smell of water.

breakbeat

noun

1. a sample of a syncopated drum beat, usually repeated to form a rhythm used as a basis for dance music, hip hop, etc.

2. [ mass noun] — dance music featuring breakbeats.

breakbone fever

noun

another term for dengue.

break-bulk

adjective

denoting a system of transporting cargo as separate pieces rather than in containers.

break crop

noun

a secondary crop grown to interrupt the repeated sowing of cereals as part of crop rotation.

breakdancing /ˈbreɪkˌdɑːnsɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an energetic and acrobatic style of street dancing, developed by US black people.

II. derivatives

1. breakdance /ˈbreɪkˌdɑːns /

verb, noun

2. breakdancer /ˈbreɪkˌdɑːnsə /

noun

breakdown /ˈbreɪkdaʊn/

noun

1. a mechanical failure.

• breakdowns could totally disrupt production.

2. a failure of a relationship or system

• a breakdown in military discipline

• a communications breakdown

• [ mass noun] some of these women will have experienced marital breakdown.

3. a sudden collapse in someone's mental health.

• Heather had a breakdown following the death of her sister.

4. the chemical or physical decomposition of something

• the breakdown of ammonia to nitrites.

5. an explanatory analysis, especially of statistics

• a detailed cost breakdown.

breaker /ˈbreɪkə/

noun

1. a heavy sea wave that breaks into white foam on the shore.

2. a person or thing that breaks something
[in combination]

• a rule-breaker.

3. (chiefly Brit.) a person who breaks up disused machinery.

• those steam engines were now gone to the breaker's yard.

4. short for circuit breaker.

5. a person who interrupts a conversation on a Citizens' Band radio channel, indicating that they wish to transmit a message.

6. any CB radio user.

7. a break dancer.

break-even

noun

the point or state at which a person or company breaks even.

• the company expects to reach break-even by the end of the year.

• [as modifier] the break-even point.

break-fall

noun

(in martial arts) a controlled fall in which most of the impact is absorbed by the arms or legs.

breakfast /ˈbrɛkfəst/

I. noun

a meal eaten in the morning, the first of the day

• a breakfast of bacon and eggs

• [ mass noun] I don't eat breakfast.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. eat breakfast

• she breakfasted on fried bread and bacon.

III. phrases

have (or eat) someone for breakfast

‹informal› deal with or defeat someone with contemptuous ease.

IV. derivatives

breakfaster

noun

– origin late Middle English: from the verb break^1 + fast^2.

breakfast television /brɛkfəstˈtɛlɪvɪʒn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. television programmes broadcast early in the morning.

break feeding

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (NZ) a system of controlling the feeding of grazing animals by dividing their paddock with movable electric fences.

breakfront /ˈbreɪkfrʌnt/

noun

a piece of furniture having the line of its front broken by a curve or angle
[as modifier]

• a breakfront bookcase.

break-in /ˈbreɪkɪn/

noun

an illegal forced entry of a building or vehicle, typically to steal something.

• police are investigating a break-in at a house.

breaking and entering

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in North American, and formerly also British, legal use) the crime of entering a building by force so as to commit burglary.

• he was arrested for breaking and entering.

breaking cart

noun

a two-wheeled, low, open carriage with a skeleton body, used for breaking in young horses.

breaking news

noun — [ mass noun]

1. newly received information about an event that is currently occurring or developing

• some breaking news now of a rescue situation in California

• the announcement will likely be the lead story for the broadcast, barring other major breaking news.

breaking point

noun

the moment of greatest strain at which someone or something gives way

• the refugee crisis reached breaking point

• her nerves were stretched to breaking point.

breakneck /ˈbreɪknɛk/

adjective

dangerously or extremely fast

• he drove at breakneck speed.

break-off

noun

an instance of breaking something off or of discontinuing something

• the break-off of the talks was temporary.

breakout /ˈbreɪkaʊt/

I. noun

1. a forcible escape, especially from prison.

• a prison breakout.

2. (in soccer and other sports) a sudden attack by a team that has been defending.

• the Dutch tend to be defensive and go for the breakout.

3. an outbreak

• a breakout of hostilities.

4. [ mass noun] — the deformation or splintering of wood, stone, or other material being drilled or planed.

• avoid breakout and fluffy edges.

II. adjective

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› suddenly and extremely popular or successful

• a breakout movie.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› denoting a group which breaks away from a larger gathering for discussion.

• breakout discussion groups.

break point

noun

1. a place or time at which an interruption or change is made.

2. (usu. breakpoint) — [Computing] a place in a computer program where the sequence of instructions is interrupted, especially by another program or operator intervention.

3. [Tennis] the state of a game when the player or side receiving service needs only one more point to win the game

• he hit a winner to reach break point.

Breakspear, Nicholas

see Adrian IV.

breakthrough /ˈbreɪkθruː/

noun

1. a sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development

• a major breakthrough in the fight against AIDS.

2. an instance of achieving success in a particular sphere or activity

• his big breakthrough came in 1988 when he had two paintings accepted by the RSA

• [as modifier] the band's breakthrough album.

breakthrough bleeding

noun — [ mass noun]

1. bleeding from the uterus occurring between menstrual periods, a side effect of some oral contraceptives.

break-up /ˈbreɪkʌp/

noun

1. the separation or breaking up of something into several pieces or sections

• the break-up of the Ottoman Empire.

2. the end of a relationship

• a marriage break-up.

breakwater /ˈbreɪkwɔːtə/

noun

a barrier built out into the sea to protect a coast or harbour from the force of waves.

breakwind /ˈbreɪkwɪnd/

noun

(Austral./NZ) a windbreak.

bream^1 /briːm/

I. noun

1. a greenish-bronze deep-bodied freshwater fish native to Europe.
● Abramis brama, family Cyprinidae.

2. used in names of other fishes resembling or related to the bream, e.g. sea bream, Ray's bream.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bresme, of Germanic origin; related to German Brachsen, Brassen.

bream^2 /briːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Nautical] ‹archaic› clear (a ship or its bottom) of weeds, shells, or other accumulated matter by burning and scraping it.

• bonfires of brushwood, lighted to bream the sharp-bowed craft.

– origin late 15th cent.: probably of Low German origin and related to broom.

Bream, Julian

(b.1933), English guitarist and lute player; full name Julian Alexander Bream. He formed the Julian Bream Consort for the performance of early consort music and revived and edited much early music. Britten, Walton, and others composed works for him.

breast /brɛst/

I. noun

1. either of the two soft, protruding organs on the upper front of a woman's body which secrete milk after childbirth.

• Caroline crossed her arms over her breasts.

• [as modifier] breast cancer.

2. a person's chest, especially when regarded as the seat of the emotions

• wild feelings of frustration were rising up in his breast

• her heart was hammering in her breast.

3. the part of a bird or mammal that corresponds to a person's chest
[as modifier]

• the breast feathers of the doves.

4. a joint of meat or portion of poultry cut from the breast of a bird or mammal

• Lisa popped a breast of chicken into the microwave.

5. the part of a garment that covers the chest
[as modifier]

• a breast pocket.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. face and move forwards against or through (something)

• I watched him breast the wave.

2. reach the top of (a hill).

• a pair of riders breasted the rise ahead.

III. phrases

beat one's breast

make an exaggerated show of sorrow, despair, or regret.

IV. derivatives

breasted /ˈbrɛstɪd /

adjective

[in combination]

• a bare-breasted woman

• a crimson-breasted bird

– origin Old English brēost, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch borst and German Brust.

breastbone /ˈbrɛs(t)bəʊn/

noun

a thin, flat bone running down the centre of the chest, to which the ribs are attached.
Also called sternum.

breast collar

noun

a thick chest strap which forms part of a horse's harness, often used instead of an ordinary collar on horses pulling lightweight or show vehicles.

breast drill

noun

a drill on which pressure is brought to bear by the operator's chest.

breastfeed /ˈbrɛs(t)fiːd/

verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a woman) feed (a baby) with milk from the breast

• she breastfed her first child

• [no obj.] sometimes it is not possible to breastfeed.

2. [no obj.] — (of a baby) feed from the breast.

• the child began to breastfeed.

breasthook /ˈbrɛsthʊk/

noun

a large piece of shaped timber fitted in the bows of a ship, used to connect the sides to the stem.

breast implant

noun

a prosthesis consisting of a gel-like or fluid material in a flexible sac, implanted behind or in place of a female breast in reconstructive or cosmetic surgery.

breast milk

noun — [ mass noun]

1. milk produced by a woman's breasts after childbirth as food for her child

• a hormone called prolactin stimulates the body to produce breast milk

• [as modifier] breast milk substitutes.

breastpin

noun

‹archaic› a small brooch or badge worn on the chest, typically to fasten a garment.

breastplate /ˈbrɛs(t)pleɪt/

noun

1. a piece of armour covering the chest.

2. a set of straps attached to the front of a saddle, which pass across the horse's chest and prevent the saddle slipping backward.

3. the strap of a harness covering the chest of a horse.

breast pump

noun

a device for drawing milk from a woman's breasts by suction.

breast shell

noun

a shallow plastic receptacle that fits over the nipple of a lactating woman to catch any milk that flows.

breaststroke /ˈbrɛs(t)strəʊk/

I. noun

a swimming stroke in which the arms are pushed forwards and then swept back in a circular movement, while the legs are tucked in towards the body and then kicked out in a corresponding movement.

• the breaststroke is one of the most difficult strokes.

• I am good at breaststroke.

• [as modifier] backstroke and breaststroke events.

II. derivatives

breaststroker

noun

breastsummer /ˈbrɛs(t)sʌmə/

I. noun

[Architecture] a beam across a broad opening, sustaining a superstructure.

– origin early 17th cent.: from breast and summer^2.

breastwork /ˈbrɛs(t)wəːk/

noun

a low temporary defence or parapet.

breath /brɛθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the air taken into or expelled from the lungs

• I was gasping for breath

• his breath smelled of garlic.

2. an inhalation or exhalation of air from the lungs

• she drew in a quick breath.

3. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› the power of breathing; life.

4. [in sing.] — a slight movement of air

• the weather was balmy, not a breath of wind.

5. [in sing.] — a sign, hint, or suggestion

• he avoided the slightest breath of scandal.

II. phrases

1. before one can (or has time to) draw breath

before one can do anything.

• we were frogmarched off to meet him before we had time to draw breath.

2. a breath of fresh air

see fresh air.

3. the breath of life

a thing that someone needs or depends on

• politics has been the breath of life to her for 50 years.

4. catch one's breath

a. cease breathing momentarily in surprise or fear.

• she caught her breath, surprised by the suddenness of the question.

b. rest after exercise to restore normal breathing.

• she stood for a few moments catching her breath.

5. don't hold your breath

‹informal› used to indicate that something is unlikely to happen

• next thing you know I'll be knitting baby clothes—but don't hold your breath!

6. draw breath

breathe in.

• he stopped to draw breath.

7. get one's breath (back)

(Brit.) begin to breathe normally again after exercise or exertion.

• he noticed how pale I was, and stopped for a moment to let me get my breath back.

8. hold one's breath

a. cease breathing temporarily.

• he held his breath under the water.

b. be in a state of suspense or anticipation

• France held its breath while the Senate chose its new president.

9. in the same (or next) breath

in the same statement

• she admitted it but said in the same breath that it was of no consequence.

10. the (or one's) last breath

the last moment of one's life

• she would fight to the last breath to preserve her good name.

11. out of breath

gasping for air, typically after exercise.

• he arrived on the top floor out of breath.

12. take breath

pause to recover free and easy breathing

• she had great need of a moment of silence to take breath.

13. take someone's breath away

astonish or inspire someone with awed respect or delight.

• she took his breath away, as she did most men's.

14. under one's breath

in a very quiet voice; almost inaudibly

• he swore violently under his breath.

15. waste one's breath

talk or give advice without effect

• I've far better things to do than waste my breath arguing.

– origin Old English brǣth ‘smell, scent’, of Germanic origin; related to brood.

breathable /ˈbriːðəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of the air) fit or pleasant to breathe.

• further in the air seemed less breathable.

• a breathable atmosphere.

2. (of clothes or material) admitting air to the skin and allowing sweat to evaporate.

• the jacket is waterproof, windproof, and breathable.

• a breathable fabric.

II. derivatives

breathability

noun

breathalyse /ˈbrɛθəlʌɪz / ‹US› breathalyze

verb — [with obj.]

1. (of the police) use a breathalyser to test how much alcohol (a driver) has consumed.

• he was later breathalysed at Cirencester Police Station.

breathalyser /ˈbrɛθəlʌɪzə / ‹trademark› Breathalyzer

I. noun

a device used by police for measuring the amount of alcohol in a driver's breath.
[as modifier]

• a breathalyser test proved negative.

– origin 1960s: blend of breath and analyse, + -er^1.

breatharian /brɛθˈɛːrɪən/

noun

a person who believes that it is possible, through meditation, to reach a level of consciousness where one can obtain all the nutrients one needs from the air or sunlight.

breathe /briːð/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. take air into the lungs and then expel it, especially as a regular physiological process

• she was breathing deeply

• breathe in through your nose

• he breathed out heavily

• [with obj.] we are polluting the air we breathe.

2. be alive; remain living

• at least I'm still breathing.

3. ‹literary› (of wind) blow softly.

4. [with direct speech] — say something with quiet intensity

• ‘We're together at last,’ she breathed.

5. (of an animal or plant) respire or exchange gases

• plants breathe through their roots.

6. [with obj.] — give an impression of (something)

• the whole room breathed an air of hygienic efficiency.

7. (of wine) be exposed to fresh air

• letting a wine breathe allows oxygen to enter.

8. (of material or soil) admit or emit air or moisture

• let your lawn breathe by putting air into the soil.

9. [with obj.] — allow (a horse) to rest after exertion.

10. ( breathe upon) — ‹archaic› ‹literary› tarnish or taint

• before the queen's fair name was breathed upon.

II. phrases

1. breathe (freely) again

relax after being frightened or tense about something

• she wouldn't breathe freely again until she was airborne.

2. breathe down someone's neck

a. follow closely behind someone.

• three wins would have seen us breathing down the neck of United at the top of the table.

b. constantly check up on someone.

• she's quite capable of looking after herself without her parents breathing down her neck all the time.

3. breathe one's last

die.

• as soon as King Henry had breathed his last the barons turned on each other.

4. breathe (new) life into

fill with enthusiasm and energy; reinvigorate

• the Prime Minister would breathe new life into his party.

5. breathe a sigh of relief

exhale noisily as a sign of relief

• they breathed a great sigh of relief after the election was won.

6. not breathe a word

remain silent about something secret.

• they would never breathe a word of anything that happened on that fateful night.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘exhale, steam’): from breath.

breather /ˈbriːðə/

noun

1. a person or animal that breathes in a particular way

• a heavy breather.

2. ‹informal› a brief pause for rest

• let's take a breather.

3. a vent or valve to release pressure or to allow air to move freely around something.

• a cask breather.

• a crankcase breather.

• [as modifier] a breather pipe.

breathing /ˈbriːðɪŋ/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the process of taking air into and expelling it from the lungs

• his breathing was shallow.

2. a sign in Greek (῾ or ᾿) indicating the presence of an aspirate or the absence of an aspirate at the beginning of a word.

breathing space

noun

an opportunity to pause, relax, or decide what to do next.

• we all need a breathing space during the working week.

• [ mass noun] the delay gave him some breathing space.

breathless /ˈbrɛθləs/

I. adjective

1. gasping for breath, typically due to exertion

• the climb left me breathless.

2. feeling or causing great excitement or other strong feelings

• she was breathless with shock.

3. (of the air) not stirred by any wind or breeze; stiflingly still

• the warm breathless air.

II. derivatives

breathlessness /ˈbrɛθləsnəs /

noun

breathlessly /ˈbrɛθləsli/

adverb

1. in a way that involves gasping for breath, typically due to exertion

• breathlessly, we run faster and faster

• she laughed breathlessly.

2. in a way that is characterized by great excitement or suspense

• we breathlessly await their new release

• fan websites that are breathlessly updated.

breathtaking /ˈbrɛθteɪkɪŋ/

adjective

astonishing or awe-inspiring in quality, so as to take one's breath away

• the scene was one of breathtaking beauty.

breathtakingly /ˈbrɛθteɪkɪŋli/

adverb

1. in an astonishing or awe-inspiring way, so as to take one's breath away

• the beach is endless and breathtakingly beautiful

• the sharks will pass breathtakingly close if you stay completely still.

2. [as submodifier] — to an extreme or shocking degree; incredibly

• a breathtakingly racist, angry rant

• a breathtakingly aggressive takeover.

breath test

I. noun

a test in which a driver is made to blow into a breathalyser to check whether they have drunk more than the legally permitted amount.

• he lost his driving licence for a year for failing to give a breath test.

II. verb

( breath-test) [with obj.] — give (someone) a breath test.

• the police asked to breath-test him.

breathy /ˈbrɛθi/

I. adjective

producing or causing an audible sound of breathing, typically as a result of physical exertion or strong feelings

• a breathy laugh.

II. derivatives

1. breathily

adverb

2. breathiness

noun

breccia /ˈbrɛtʃə, ˈbrɛtʃɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] rock consisting of angular fragments of stones cemented by finer calcareous material.

• copious quantities of breccia.

II. derivatives

1. brecciate

verb

2. brecciation

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from Italian, literally ‘gravel’, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to break^1.

Brecht, Bertolt /brɛxt, German brɛçt/

(1898–1956), German dramatist, producer, and poet; full name Eugen Bertolt Friedrich Brecht. His interest in combining music and drama led to collaboration with Kurt Weill, for example in The Threepenny Opera (1928), an adaptation of John Gay's The Beggar's Opera. Brecht's later drama, written in exile after Hitler's rise to power, uses techniques of theatrical alienation and includes Mother Courage (1941) and The Caucasian Chalk Circle (1948).

Brechtian /ˈbrɛxtɪən, ˈbrɛktɪən/

adjective

relating to or characteristic of the German dramatist, producer, and poet Bertolt Brecht or his work

• a masterpiece of Brechtian alienation.

Breconshire /ˈbrɛkənʃ(ɪ)ə / Brecknockshire /ˈbrɛknɒkʃ(ɪ)ə/

a former county of south central Wales. It was divided between Powys and Gwent in 1974.

bred /brɛd/

I. past and past participle of breed.

II. adjective — [usu. in combination]

1. (of a person or animal) reared in a specified environment or way

• the bareness of the scene intimidated the city-bred Elizabeth.

Breda /ˈbreɪdə/

a manufacturing town in the SW Netherlands; pop. 170,960 (2008). It is noted for the Compromise of Breda of 1566, a protest against Spanish rule over the Netherlands; the 1660 manifesto of Charles II (who lived there in exile), stating his terms for accepting the throne of Britain; and the Treaty of Breda, which ended the Anglo-Dutch war of 1665–7.

bredie /ˈbriːdi, ˈbrɪədi/

I. noun

a traditional southern African dish consisting of a stew of meat (typically mutton) and vegetables.

– origin Afrikaans, perhaps from Portuguese bredo, denoting several species of Amaranthus, sometimes cooked as a vegetable.

breech /briːtʃ/

I. noun

1. the part of a cannon behind the bore.

2. the back part of a rifle or gun barrel.

• the 47-round ammunition drum fits over the breech.

3. ‹archaic› a person's buttocks.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› dress (a boy) in breeches after he has been in petticoats since birth.

• in those days it wasn't customary to breech a boy until he was about four.

– origin Old English brēc (plural of brōc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch broek), interpreted as a singular form. The original sense was ‘garment covering the loins and thighs’ (compare with breeches), hence ‘the buttocks’ (sense 2 of the noun, mid 16th cent.), later ‘the hind part’ of anything.

breech birth breech delivery

noun

a delivery of a baby which is so positioned in the womb that the buttocks or feet are delivered first.

breechblock /ˈbriːtʃblɒk/

noun

a metal block which closes the aperture at the back part of a rifle or gun barrel.

breechclout

noun

North American term for loincloth.

breeches /ˈbrɪtʃɪz, ˈbriːtʃɪz/

I. plural noun

1. short trousers fastened just below the knee, now chiefly worn for riding or as part of ceremonial dress.

• a pair of buckskin breeches.

2. ‹informal› trousers.

– origin Middle English: plural of breech.

Breeches Bible

noun

the Geneva Bible of 1560, so named because the word breeches is used in Gen. 3:7 for the garments made by Adam and Eve.

breeches buoy

noun

a lifebuoy with canvas breeches attached which, when suspended from a rope, can be used to hold and transfer a passenger to safety from a ship.

breeching /ˈbriːtʃɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a strong leather strap passing round the hindquarters of a horse harnessed to a vehicle and enabling the horse to push backwards.

2. ‹historical› a thick rope used to secure the carriages of cannon on a ship and to absorb the force of the recoil.

3. the hair or wool on the hindquarters of an animal.

breech-loader

I. noun

a gun designed to have ammunition inserted at the breech rather than through the muzzle.

II. derivatives

breech-loading /ˈbriːtʃ(ə)ləʊdɪŋ /

adjective

breed /briːd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of animals) mate and then produce offspring

• toads are said to return to the pond of their birth to breed.

2. [with obj.] — cause (an animal) to produce offspring, especially in a controlled and organized way

• bitches may not be bred from more than once a year.

3. [with obj.] — develop (a variety of animal or plant) for a particular purpose or quality

• these horses are bred for this sport.

4. [with obj.] — rear and train (someone) to behave in a particular way

• Theodora had been beautifully bred.

5. [with obj.] — produce or lead to (something) over a period of time

• success had bred a certain arrogance.

6. [with obj.] — [Physics] create (fissile material) by nuclear reaction.

II. noun

1. a stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberate selection.

• the big continental breeds are eagerly being imported by British farmers.

2. a sort or kind of person or thing

• a new breed of entrepreneurs was brought into being.

III. phrases

1. a breed apart

a kind of person that is very different from the norm

• health-service staff are a breed apart with their dedication to duty.

2. a dying breed

a kind of person that is slowly disappearing

• the country's dying breed of elder statesmen.

3. what's bred in the bone will come out in the flesh (or blood)

see bone.

– origin Old English brēdan ‘produce (offspring), bear (a child)’, of Germanic origin; related to German brüten, also to brood.

breeder /ˈbriːdə/

noun

1. a person who breeds animals or plants

• a dog breeder.

2. an animal that breeds at a particular time or in a particular way

• emperor penguins are winter breeders.

3. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› (among homosexuals) a heterosexual person.

breeder reactor

noun

a nuclear reactor which creates fissile material (typically plutonium-239 by irradiation of uranium-238) at a faster rate than it uses another fissile material (typically uranium-235) as fuel.

breeding /ˈbriːdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the mating and production of offspring by animals

• the flooding of the rivers is a trigger for breeding to start.

2. the good manners regarded as characteristic of the aristocracy and conferred by heredity

• a girl of good breeding.

breeding ground

noun

1. an area where birds, fish, or other animals habitually breed.

2. a place or situation that favours the development or occurrence of something

• the situation is a breeding ground for political unrest.

breeks

plural noun

(chiefly Scottish) (N. English) another term for breeches.

breeze^1 /briːz/

I. noun

1. a gentle wind.

• tantalizing cooking smells wafted on the evening breeze.

2. [with modifier] — a wind of force 2 to 6 on the Beaufort scale (4–27 knots or 7–50 km/h).

3. ‹informal› a thing that is easy to do or accomplish

• travelling through London was a breeze.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. ‹informal› come or go in a casual or light-hearted manner

• Roger breezed into her office.

2. [no obj.] ( breeze through) — ‹informal› deal with something with apparently casual ease

• Milan had breezed through their first defence of the European Cup.

– origin mid 16th cent.: probably from Old Spanish and Portuguese briza ‘NE wind’ (the original sense in English).

breeze^2 /briːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. small cinders mixed with sand and cement to make breeze blocks.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French braise, (earlier) brese ‘live coals’.

breeze block

noun

(Brit.) a lightweight building brick made from small cinders mixed with sand and cement.
[as modifier]

• breeze-block huts and cabins.

breezeway /ˈbriːzweɪ/

noun

(N. Amer.) a roofed outdoor passage, as between a house and a garage.

breezy /ˈbriːzi/

I. adjective

1. pleasantly windy

• it was a bright, breezy day.

2. appearing relaxed, informal, and cheerily brisk

• the text is written in a breezy matter-of-fact manner.

II. derivatives

1. breezily /ˈbriːzɪli /

adverb

2. breeziness /ˈbriːzɪnəs /

noun

Bregenz /ˈbreɪɡənts, German ˈbreːɡɛnts/

a city in western Austria, on the eastern shores of Lake Constance; pop. 27,035 (2006). It is the capital of the state of Vorarlberg.

brekkie /ˈbrɛki / brekky

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› breakfast.

Brel, Jacques /brɛl, French bʀɛl/

(1929–78), Belgian singer and composer. He gained a reputation in Paris as an original songwriter whose satirical wit was balanced by his idealism and hope.

Bremen /ˈbreɪmən/

I. a state of NW Germany. Divided into two parts, which centre on the city of Bremen and the port of Bremerhaven, it is surrounded by the state of Lower Saxony.

II. the capital of the state of Bremen, an industrial city linked by the River Weser to the port of Bremerhaven and the North Sea; pop. 547,900 (est. 2006).

bremsstrahlung /ˈbrɛmzˌʃtrɑːlʊŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] electromagnetic radiation produced by the acceleration or especially the deceleration of a charged particle after passing through the electric and magnetic fields of a nucleus.
[as modifier]

• bremsstrahlung radiation.

– origin 1940s: from German, from bremsen ‘to brake’ + Strahlung ‘radiation’.

Bren /brɛn / Bren gun

I. noun

a lightweight quick-firing machine gun used by the Allied forces in the Second World War.

– origin 1930s: blend of Brno (a town in the Czech Republic where it was originally made) and Enfield in England (site of the Royal Small Arms Factory where it was later made).

Brendan, St

( c. 486– c. 575), Irish abbot. The legend of the ‘Navigation of St Brendan’ ( c. 1050), describing his voyage with a band of monks to a promised land (possibly Orkney or the Hebrides), was widely popular in the Middle Ages. Feast day, 16 May.

Brenner Pass /ˈbrɛnə/

an Alpine pass at the border between Austria and Italy, on the route between Innsbruck and Bolzano, at an altitude of 1,371 m (4,450 ft).

brent goose /brɛnt/

I. noun

a small goose with a mainly black head and neck, breeding in the arctic tundra of Eurasia and Canada.
● Branta bernicla, family Anatidae.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

brer /brɛː/

I. noun

(US) ‹dialect› used as an informal title before a man's name

• Brer Jean

• Brer Rabbit.

– origin late 19th cent.: representing an African-American or southern US pronunciation of brother.

bresaola /brɛˈsaʊlə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Italian dish of raw beef cured by salting and air-drying, typically served in slices with an olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper dressing.

– origin Italian, from bresada, past participle of brasare ‘braise’.

Brescia /ˈbrɛʃə/

an industrial city in Lombardy, in northern Italy; pop. 190,844 (2008).

Breslau /ˈbrɛslaʊ/

German name for Wrocław.

Bresson, Robert /ˈbrɛsɒ̃, French bʀɛsɔ̃/

(1907–99), French film director. His most notable films, most of which feature unknown actors, include Diary of a Country Priest (1951) and The Trial of Joan of Arc (1962).

Brest /brɛst, French bʀɛst/

I. a port and naval base on the Atlantic coast of Brittany, in NW France; pop. 148,316 (2006).

II. a river port and industrial city in Belarus, situated close to the border with Poland; pop. 318,000 (est. 2009). The peace treaty between Germany and Russia was signed there in March 1918. Former name (until 1921) Brest-Litovsk.
Polish name Brześć nad Bugiem.

Bretagne /bʀəˈtaɲ/

French name for Brittany.

brethren /ˈbrɛðr(ɪ)n/

I. archaic plural of brother.

II. plural noun

1. fellow Christians or members of a male religious order.
See also brother (sense 2 of the noun).

2. ‹ironic› ‹humorous› people belonging to a particular group

• our brethren in the popular national press.

Breton /ˈbrɛt(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a native of Brittany.

2. [ mass noun] — the Celtic language of Brittany, derived from Cornish. It has around 500,000 speakers.

II. adjective

1. relating to Brittany or its people or language.

2. denoting a casual striped top, typically white with narrow horizontal blue stripes, of a type loosely associated with French or Breton sailors

• just pull on a classic Breton t-shirt.

– origin from Old French, ‘Briton’.

Breton, André /ˈbrɛt(ə)n, French bʀətɔ̃/

(1896–1966), French poet, essayist, and critic. First involved with Dadaism, Breton later launched the surrealist movement, outlining the movement's philosophy in his manifesto of 1924. His creative writing is characterized by surrealist techniques such as ‘automatic’ writing.

Breuil, Henri /ˈbrəːi, French bʀœj/

(1877–1961), French archaeologist; full name Henri Édouard Prosper Breuil. He is noted for his work on Palaeolithic cave paintings, in particular those at Altamira in Spain, which he was able to authenticate.

breve /briːv/

I. noun

1. [Music] a note, rarely used in modern music, having the time value of two semibreves, and represented as a semibreve with two short bars either side, or as a square.

2. a written or printed mark (˘) indicating a short or unstressed vowel.

3. ‹historical› an authoritative letter from a pope or monarch.

– origin Middle English: variant of brief. In the musical sense, the term was originally used in a series where a long was of greater time value than a breve.

brevet /ˈbrɛvɪt/

I. noun — [often as modifier]

1. a former type of military commission conferred especially for outstanding service, by which an officer was promoted to a higher rank without the corresponding pay

• a brevet lieutenant.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. confer a brevet rank on.

– origin late Middle English (denoting an official letter, especially a papal indulgence): from Old French brievet ‘little letter’, diminutive of bref.

breviary /ˈbriːvɪəri/

I. noun

a book containing the service for each day, to be recited by those in orders in the Roman Catholic Church.

– origin late Middle English (also denoting an abridged version of the Psalms): from Latin breviarium ‘summary, abridgement’, from breviare ‘abridge’, from brevis ‘short, brief’.

brevity /ˈbrɛvɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.

• the staff will edit manuscripts with a view to brevity and clarity.

• for brevity, it is worth using these little symbols.

2. shortness of time

• the brevity of human life.

II. phrases

brevity is the soul of wit

‹proverb› the essence of a witty statement lies in its concise wording and delivery.
[from Shakespeare's Hamlet (II. ii. 90).]

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French brievete, from Latin brevitas, from brevis ‘brief’.

brew /bruː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (beer) by soaking, boiling, and fermentation.

• within five years the company will brew as much beer in China as in Australia.

• (as adj. brewing) the brewing industry.

2. make (tea or coffee) by mixing it with hot water

• I've just brewed some coffee.

3. ( brew up) — (Brit.) ‹informal› make tea.

• he insisted on sitting us down and then went to brew up.

4. [no obj.] — (of an unwelcome event or situation) begin to develop

• there was more trouble brewing as the miners went on strike

• a storm was brewing.

II. noun

1. a kind of beer.

• small breweries which are able to offer rare brews.

2. ‹informal› a glass or can of beer.

• he dug a brew out from the cooler and flipped the ringtop.

3. a cup or mug of tea or coffee.

• she took a sip of the hot reviving brew.

4. a mixture of events, people, or things which interact to form a more potent whole

• a dangerous brew of political turmoil and violent conflict.

– origin Old English brēowan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch brouwen and German brauen.

brewer /ˈbruːə/

noun

a person or company that manufactures beer

• pubs owned by regional brewers.

brewer's goitre

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a fat stomach caused by excessive consumption of beer

• he sat back, his brewer's goitre slung over his belt.

brewer's yeast

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a yeast which is used in the brewing of top-fermenting beer and is also eaten as a source of vitamin B.
[ count noun]

• a traditional brewer's yeast.

• [as modifier] brewer's yeast tablets.

● Saccharomyces cerevisiae, subdivision Ascomycotina.

brewery /ˈbruːəri/

I. noun

a place where beer is made commercially.

• work continued on the new lager brewery in Alton.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from brew, probably on the pattern of Dutch brouwerij.

brewhouse /ˈbruːhaʊs/

noun

a brewery.

brewmaster

noun

a person who supervises the brewing process in a brewery.

brewpub /ˈbruːpʌb/

noun

(chiefly US) an establishment, typically one including a restaurant, selling beer brewed on the premises.

brewski

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a beer.

– origin 1980s: from brew + a fanciful ending, perhaps after the common Slavonic surname suffix -ski.

Brewster, Sir David

(1781–1868), Scottish physicist. He is best known for his work on the laws governing the polarization of light, and for his invention of the kaleidoscope.

brew-up

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a session of making tea.

• when the situation seemed hopeless, it was time for a brew-up.

Brexit /ˈbrɛksɪt / Brixit

I. noun

a term for the potential or hypothetical departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union

• a Brexit is considered a real possibility for the first time in four decades

• the report warned that Brexit would reduce the EU's potential GDP by up to 0.36%.

– origin 2012 (as Brixit): blend of British (or Britain) and exit, probably on the pattern of Grexit (coined earlier in the same year).

breyani /brɪˈɑːni/

noun

South African spelling of biryani.

Brezhnev, Leonid /ˈbrɛʒnɛf/

(1906–82), Soviet statesman, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the USSR 1966–82 and President 1977–82; full name Leonid Ilich Brezhnev. His period in power was marked by intensified persecution of dissidents at home and by attempted detente followed by renewed Cold War in 1968; he was largely responsible for the invasion of Czechoslovakia (1968).

briar^1 /brʌɪə / brier

I. noun

any of a number of prickly scrambling shrubs, especially a wild rose.
[as modifier]

• a briar patch.

●Genus Rosa, family Rosaceae: several species, including the Eurasian sweet briar ( R. rubiginosa).

II. derivatives

briary

adjective

– origin Old English brǣr, brēr, of unknown origin.

briar^2 /brʌɪə / brier

I. noun

1. (also briar pipe) — a tobacco pipe made from woody nodules borne at ground level by a large woody plant of the heather family.

2. the tree heath, which bears the nodules from which briar pipes are made.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French bruyère ‘heath, heather’, from medieval Latin brucus.

bribe /brʌɪb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. dishonestly persuade (someone) to act in one's favour by a gift of money or other inducement

• they attempted to bribe opponents into losing

• [with obj. and infinitive] they had bribed an official to sell them a certificate.

II. noun

a sum of money or other inducement offered or given to bribe someone.

• lawmakers were caught accepting bribes to bring in legalized gambling.

III. derivatives

1. bribable /ˈbrʌɪbəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. briber /ˈbrʌɪbə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French briber, brimber ‘beg’, of unknown origin. The original sense was ‘rob, extort’, hence (as a noun) ‘theft, stolen goods’, also ‘money extorted or demanded for favours’, later ‘offer money as an inducement’ (early 16th cent.).

bribery /ˈbrʌɪbəri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the giving or offering of a bribe

• his opponent had been guilty of bribery and corruption

• [as modifier] a bribery scandal.

BRIC

abbreviation

Brazil, Russia, India, and China (regarded in terms of their fast-growing economies).

bric-a-brac /ˈbrɪkəbrak/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. miscellaneous objects and ornaments of little value.

• then came donations of bric-a-brac.

• [as modifier] bric-a-brac stalls.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from obsolete à bric et à brac ‘at random’.

brick /brɪk/

I. noun

1. a small rectangular block typically made of fired or sun-dried clay, used in building.

2. [ mass noun] — bricks collectively as a building material

• this mill was built of brick

• [as modifier] a large brick building.

3. a small rectangular object

• a brick of ice cream.

4. (Brit.) a child's toy building block.

• the bricks and other plastic toys then need to be fitted back into their appropriate containers.

5. ‹informal› a large and relatively heavy mobile phone, typically an early model with limited functionality

• I had one of those Motorola bricks as my first cell phone.

6. a smartphone or other electronic device that has completely ceased to function

• while updating the firmware the USB cable got disconnected and the phone is now a brick.

7. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a generous, helpful, and reliable person

• ‘You are really a brick, Vi,’ Gloria said.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. block or enclose with a wall of bricks

• the doors have been bricked up.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› throw bricks at

• the pub was attacked and windows in the area were bricked.

3. ‹informal› cause (a smartphone or other electronic device) to become completely unable to function, typically on a permanent basis

• installing an unofficial OS voids the warranty and may brick the phone.

4. ( be bricking oneself) — (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› be extremely worried or nervous.

III. phrases

1. a brick short of a load

see short.

2. bricks and mortar

a. buildings, typically housing

• untold acres are being buried under bricks and mortar.

b. a house considered in terms of its value as an investment.

• a simple re-mortgage can release the value tied up in your bricks and mortar.

c. [as modifier] — used to denote a business that operates conventionally rather than (or as well as) over the Internet

• the bricks-and-mortar banks.

3. brick by brick

a little bit at a time

• he built IBM brick by brick from an agglomeration of small enterprises.

4. come up against (or hit) a brick wall

face an insuperable problem or obstacle while trying to do something.

• at this age when you come up against a brick wall, you do sometimes feel like screaming with frustration.

5. like a ton of bricks

‹informal› with crushing weight, force, or authority

• the FA came down on him like a ton of bricks.

6. London to a brick on

(Austral.) ‹informal› used to indicate that something is certain or highly probable

• I will bet you London to a brick on that this goes nowhere.

[early 20th cent.: from obsolete slang brick ‘ten pound note’, from the reddish-brown colour of the note.]

7. you can't make bricks without straw

‹proverb› nothing can be made or accomplished without proper or adequate material or information.
[with biblical allusion to Exod. 5; ‘without straw’ meant ‘without having straw provided’ (i.e. the Israelites were required to gather the straw for themselves). A misinterpretation has led to the current sense.]

– origin late Middle English: from Middle Low German, Middle Dutch bricke, brike; probably reinforced by Old French brique; of unknown ultimate origin.

brickbat /ˈbrɪkbat/

noun

1. a piece of brick used as a missile.

• traditionally in Calcutta you fight the police with brickbats.

2. a critical remark or comment

• the plaudits were beginning to outnumber the brickbats.

brick-built

adjective

(of a building or structure) made of bricks.

• a brick-built chimney.

brickfield /ˈbrɪkfiːld/

noun

an area of ground where bricks are made.

brickfielder /ˈbrɪkfiːldə/

I. noun

(Austral.) a hot, dry north wind, typically accompanied by dust

• there'll be a brickfielder in from the north in four or five hours.

– origin early 19th cent.: from the name of Brickfield Hill, the site (now part of central Sydney) of a former brickworks, associated with dust.

brickie /ˈbrɪki/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a bricklayer.

bricklayer /ˈbrɪkleɪə/

I. noun

a person whose job is to build walls, houses, and other structures with bricks.

II. derivatives

bricklaying /ˈbrɪkˌleɪɪŋ /

noun

brick red

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a deep brownish red

• various shades from blushing pink to brick red

• [as modifier] he had a brick-red face.

brick veneer

noun

1. a covering of brick applied to a timber frame.

2. (Austral.) a house built with brick veneer walls.

brick venereal ‹Austral. informal, derogatory›

I. adjective

(of a house) of timber-frame or concrete-block construction with a facing of brick, in the style of modern suburban developments

• thousands of dinners were being whipped up in white ovens in brick venereal homes.

II. noun

a suburban house of timber-frame or concrete-block construction with a facing of brick

• we drove along avenues of sprawling brick venereals.

– origin 1970s: a pun on veneer and venereal.

brickwork /ˈbrɪkwəːk/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the bricks in a wall, house, or other structure in terms of their type or layout

• the patterned brickwork of the gables.

2. the craft or occupation of building structures with bricks

• in certain trades, such as brickwork, square metres would be expressed in thousands of bricks.

3. [treated as sing.] ( brickworks) — (Brit.) a factory where bricks are made.

• we head over towards the old brickworks.

brickyard /ˈbrɪkjɑːd/

noun

a place where bricks are made.

bricolage /ˌbrɪkəˈlɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in art or literature) construction or creation from a diverse range of available things.

• the chaotic bricolage of the novel is brought together in a unifying gesture.

2. [ count noun] — something constructed or created from a diverse range of things.

• bricolages of painted junk.

– origin French.

bricoleur /ˌbrɪkəˈləː/

I. noun

a person who engages in bricolage.

– origin French, literally ‘handyman’.

bridal /ˈbrʌɪd(ə)l/

I. adjective

of or concerning a bride or a newly married couple

• her white bridal gown

• the bridal party came out into the church porch.

– origin late Middle English: from Old English brȳd-ealu ‘wedding feast’, from brȳd ‘bride’ + ealu ‘ale-drinking’. Since the late 16th cent., the word has been associated with adjectives ending in -al.

bridal gown

noun

a dress worn by a bride at her wedding, typically long and white

• a stunning white bridal gown.

bridal registry

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a service offered by a shop in which a bridal couple's gift preferences are recorded so as to be available to family and friends when shopping at the store.

bridal suite

noun

a suite of rooms in a hotel for the use of a newly married couple.

bride /brʌɪd/

I. noun

a woman on her wedding day or just before and after the event.

• the bride and groom left early last night.

II. phrases

like a bride's nightie

(Austral.) ‹informal› very quickly

• first sign of a better offer and they are off like a bride's nightie.

– origin Old English brȳd, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bruid and German Braut.

Bride, St /ˈbriːdə, brʌɪd/

see Bridget, St^1.

bridegroom /ˈbrʌɪdɡruːm/

I. noun

a man on his wedding day or just before and after the event.

– origin Old English brȳdguma, from brȳd ‘bride’ + guma ‘man’. The change in the second syllable was due to association with groom.

bride price

noun

a sum of money or quantity of goods given to a bride's family by that of the groom in some tribal societies.

• the larger bride price given for a virgin.

• [ mass noun] payments of bride price from the husband's kin.

bridesmaid /ˈbrʌɪdzmeɪd/

I. noun

1. a girl or woman, usually one of several, who accompanies a bride on her wedding day.

• her sister asked her to be chief bridesmaid.

2. ‹informal› a person who never attains a desire or goal.
[from the saying ‘always the bridesmaid and never the bride’.]

– origin late 18th cent.: alteration of earlier bridemaid.

bride-to-be

noun

a woman who is soon to be married; a fiancée

• both brides-to-be will be walking down the aisle shortly.

bridewell /ˈbrʌɪdw(ə)l/

I. noun

‹archaic› a prison or reform school for petty offenders.

– origin mid 16th cent.: named after St Bride's Well in the City of London, near which such a building stood.

bridezilla /brʌɪdˈzɪlə/

I. noun

‹informal› a woman whose behaviour in planning the details of her wedding is regarded as obsessive or intolerably demanding.

• I don't want to be a bridezilla, but so far my attempts at getting people to respect my wishes aren't working.

– origin 1990s: blend of bride and Godzilla.

bridge^1 /brɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. a structure carrying a road, path, railway, etc. across a river, road, or other obstacle

• a bridge across the River Thames

• a railway bridge.

2. something intended to reconcile or connect two seemingly incompatible things

• a committee which was formed to create a bridge between rival party groups.

3. short for land bridge.

4. the elevated, enclosed platform on a ship from which the captain and officers direct operations.

• Talbot stepped across the two gunwales and made his way up to the bridge.

5. the upper bony part of a person's nose

• he pushed his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose.

6. the central part of a pair of glasses, fitting over the bridge of the nose.

• these sunglasses have a special nose bridge for comfort.

7. a partial denture supported by natural teeth on either side.

8. [Music] the part of a stringed instrument over which the strings are stretched.

• ebony bridges and fingerboards.

9. [Music] a bridge passage or middle eight.

10. the support for the tip of a billiard cue formed by the hand.

11. a long stick with a frame at the end which is used to support a cue for a difficult shot.

12. an electric circuit with two branches across which a detector or load is connected, used to measure resistance or other property by equalizing the potential across the two ends of a detector, or to rectify an alternating voltage or current.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. be or make a bridge over (something)

• a covered walkway bridged the gardens

• earlier attempts to bridge St George's Channel had failed.

2. make (a difference between two groups) smaller or less significant

• new initiatives were needed to bridge the great abyss of class.

III. phrases

1. a bridge too far

a. a step or act that is regarded as being too drastic to take

• having Botox would be a bridge too far.

b. something that is very difficult to achieve

• that second goal proved a bridge too far.

2. build bridges

promote friendly relations between groups

• the challenge for all politicians now is to build bridges between communities.

3. cross that bridge when one comes to it

deal with a problem when and if it arises.

IV. derivatives

bridgeable /ˈbrɪdʒəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Old English brycg (noun), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch brug and German Brücke.

bridge^2 /brɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a card game related to whist, played by two partnerships of two players who at the beginning of each hand bid for the right to name the trump suit, the highest bid also representing a contract to make a specified number of tricks with a specified suit as trumps.

In bridge, the members of each pair sit opposite one another; and in each hand one player (declarer) plays both his or her own hand and the exposed cards of their partner (dummy). The modern form of bridge is called contract bridge; its principal features are a complex bidding system and a scoring system for the card play in which only tricks that were bid as well as won count towards game. The main form of competitive bridge for tournaments is duplicate bridge, in which the same prearranged hands are played independently by several pairs or teams.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

Bridge, Frank

(1879–1941), English composer, conductor, and violist. His compositions include chamber music, songs, and orchestral works, among them The Sea (1910–11) and Oration (for cello and orchestra, 1930).

bridge-and-tunnel

I. adjective

(US) ‹informal› (of a person) living in the suburbs and perceived as unsophisticated

• a bridge-and-tunnel guy from Queens.

– origin 1980s: with reference to the routes used for commuting into New York.

bridge-building

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the promotion of friendly relations between groups.

• the teaching force has been less willing in recent years to devote unpaid hours to community bridge-building.

II. derivatives

bridge-builder /ˈbrɪdʒˌbɪldə /

noun

bridgehead /ˈbrɪdʒhɛd/

noun

a strong position secured by an army inside enemy territory from which to advance or attack.

• ‹figurative› in the 1970s, academic literary theory established bridgeheads in Britain.

bridge loan

noun

North American term for bridging loan.

bridge of asses

noun

another term for pons asinorum.

bridge of boats

noun

a bridge formed by mooring boats side by side across a river.

Bridge of Sighs

a 16th-century enclosed bridge in Venice between the Doges' Palace and the state prison, originally crossed by prisoners on their way to torture or execution.

bridge passage

noun

a transitional section in a musical composition leading to a new section or theme.

• a bridge passage between two choruses.

bridge roll

noun

(Brit.) a small, soft bread roll with a long, thin shape.

Bridges, Robert

(1844–1930), English poet and literary critic; full name Robert Seymour Bridges. His long philosophical poem The Testament of Beauty (1929), written in the Victorian tradition, was instantly popular. He was Poet Laureate 1913–30.

Bridget, St^1 Bride, Brigid

(6th century), Irish abbess; also known as St Bridget of Ireland. She was venerated in Ireland as a virgin saint and noted in miracle stories for her compassion; her cult soon spread over most of western Europe. Feast day, 1 February.

Bridget, St^2 Birgitta

( c. 1303–73), Swedish nun and visionary; also known as St Bridget of Sweden. She experienced her first vision of the Virgin Mary at the age of 7. Feast day, 23 July.

Bridgetown /ˈbrɪdʒtaʊn/

the capital of Barbados, a port on the south coast; pop. 116,000 (est. 2007).

bridgework /ˈbrɪdʒwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. dental bridges collectively.

2. [Building] the component parts of a bridge.

3. the construction of bridges.

bridging /ˈbrɪdʒɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Climbing] a method of climbing a wide chimney by using the left hand and foot on one side wall and the right hand and foot on the other.

bridging loan /ˈbrɪdʒɪŋ ˌləʊn/

noun

(Brit.) a sum of money lent by a bank to cover an interval between two transactions, typically the buying of one house and the selling of another.

Bridgman, Percy Williams

(1882–1961), American physicist. He worked with liquids and solids under very high pressures and his techniques were later used in making artificial minerals (including diamonds). Nobel Prize for Physics (1946).

bridie

I. noun

(Scottish) a meat pasty.

– origin perhaps from obsolete bride's pie.

bridle /ˈbrʌɪd(ə)l/

I. noun

1. the headgear used to control a horse, consisting of buckled straps to which a bit and reins are attached.

• grooms came at once to take the bridles.

2. a line, rope, or device that is used to restrain or control the action or movement of something.

3. [Nautical] a mooring cable.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — put a bridle on (a horse).
(as adj. bridled)

• five horses, saddled and bridled, were tied by the reins to branches of trees.

2. bring (something) under control; curb

• the fact that he was their servant bridled his tongue.

3. [no obj.] — show one's resentment or anger, especially by throwing up one's head and drawing in one's chin

• she bridled at his tone.

III. phrases

off (or on) the bridle

see bit^3.

– origin Old English brīdel (noun), brīdlian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch breidel (noun). Sense 2 of the verb use is from the action of a horse when reined in.

bridleway bridle path

noun

(Brit.) a path or track along which horse riders have right of way.

bridoon /brɪˈduːn / bradoon

I. noun

a snaffle bit which is frequently used in conjunction with a curb bit in a double bridle.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French bridon, from bride ‘bridle’, of Germanic origin.

Brie /briː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of soft, mild, creamy cheese with a firm white skin.

– origin named after Brie in northern France, where it was originally made.

brief /briːf/

I. adjective

1. of short duration; not lasting for long

• the president made a brief working visit to Moscow.

2. concise in expression; using few words

• introductions were brief and polite

• be brief and don't talk for longer than is necessary.

3. (of a piece of clothing) not covering much of the body; scanty

• Alison sported a pair of extremely brief black shorts.

II. noun

1. (Brit.) a set of instructions given to a person about a job or task

• his brief is to turn round the county's fortunes.

2. [Law] (Brit.) a summary of the facts and legal points in a case given to a barrister to argue in court.

3. a piece of work for a barrister.

• he cannot be too highly recommended, if he is free and will take the brief.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› a solicitor or barrister

• it was only his brief's eloquence that had saved him from prison.

5. (US) a written statement of the facts and legal points supporting one side of a case, for presentation to a court.

6. a letter from the Pope to a person or community on a matter of discipline.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. instruct or inform (someone) thoroughly, especially in preparation for a task

• she briefed him on last week's decisions.

2. (Brit.) instruct (a barrister) by brief.

IV. phrases

1. hold a brief for

(Brit.) be retained as counsel for.

2. hold no brief for

(Brit.) not support or argue in favour of

• I hold no brief for dishonest policemen.

3. in brief

in a few words; in short

• he is, in brief, the embodiment of evil

• the news in brief.

V. derivatives

briefness /ˈbriːfnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French brief, from Latin brevis ‘short’. The noun is via late Latin breve ‘note, dispatch’, hence ‘an official letter’.

briefcase /ˈbriːfkeɪs/

noun

a leather or plastic rectangular container with a handle for carrying books and documents.

briefer /ˈbriːfə/

noun

a person who presents detailed information and offers instruction to someone, especially in preparation for a task

• military briefers prepare for war

• we have a briefer who will be able to go into this in greater detail.

briefing /ˈbriːfɪŋ/

noun

1. a meeting for giving information or instructions

• a media briefing in the House of Commons.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of informing or instructing someone

• today's briefing of Nato allies.

briefless /ˈbriːfləs/

adjective

[Law] (Brit.) (of a barrister) having no clients.

briefly /ˈbriːfli/

adverb

1. for a short time; fleetingly

• he worked briefly as a lawyer.

2. using few words; concisely

• as I briefly mentioned earlier

• [ sentence adverb] briefly, the plot is as follows ….

briefs /briːfs/

plural noun

short, close-fitting underpants or knickers.

• a pair of blue briefs.

brier^2

noun

variant spelling of briar^2.

brig^1 /brɪɡ/

I. noun

1. a two-masted square-rigged ship, typically having an additional lower fore-and-aft sail on the gaff and a boom to the mainmast.

2. ‹informal› a prison, especially on a warship.

– origin early 18th cent.: abbreviation of brigantine (the original sense).

brig^2 /brɪɡ/

I. noun

(Scottish) (N. English) a bridge.

– origin from Old Norse bryggja.

Brig.

abbreviation

Brigadier.

brigade /brɪˈɡeɪd/

I. noun

1. a subdivision of an army, typically consisting of a small number of infantry battalions and/or other units and forming part of a division

• he commanded a brigade of 3,000 men.

2. an organization with a military or quasi-military structure

• a volunteer ambulance brigade.

3. ‹informal› ‹often derogatory› a group of people with a characteristic in common

• the anti-smoking brigade.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› form into a brigade.

• the militia, which was brigaded with regular formations to improve its training.

2. ‹rare› associate with (someone or something)

• they thought the speech too closely brigaded with illegal action.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian brigata ‘company’, from brigare ‘contend’, from briga ‘strife’.

brigade major

noun

[Military] the principal staff officer to the brigadier in command at the headquarters of a brigade.

brigadier /brɪɡəˈdɪə/

I. noun

a rank of officer in the British army, above colonel and below major general.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French (see brigade, -ier).

brigadier general

noun

a rank of officer in the US army, air force, and marine corps, above colonel and below major general.

brigalow /ˈbrɪɡələʊ/

I. noun

an Australian acacia tree.
●Genus Acacia, family Leguminosae: several species, in particular A. harpophylla, with silver leaves and dark furrowed bark.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from an Aboriginal word, perhaps Kamilaroi burigal.

brigand /ˈbrɪɡ(ə)nd/

I. noun

a member of a gang that ambushes and robs people in forests and mountains.

II. derivatives

1. brigandage /ˈbrɪɡəndɪdʒ /

noun

2. brigandry

noun

– origin late Middle English (also denoting an irregular foot soldier): from Old French, from Italian brigante, literally ‘(person) contending’, from brigare ‘contend’ (see brigade).

brigandine /ˈbrɪɡ(ə)ndiːn/

I. noun

‹historical› a coat of mail, typically one made of iron rings or plates attached to canvas or other fabric.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from brigand (see brigand).

brigantine /ˈbrɪɡ(ə)ntiːn/

I. noun

a two-masted sailing ship with a square-rigged foremast and a mainmast rigged fore and aft.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting a small vessel used by pirates): from Old French, from Italian brigantino, from brigante (see brigand).

Briggs, Henry

(1561–1630), English mathematician. He was renowned for his work on logarithms, in which he introduced the decimal base, made the thousands of calculations necessary for the tables, and popularized their use. Briggs also devised a standard method used for long division.

Briggs, Raymond

(b.1934), English writer and illustrator of children's books; full name Raymond Redvers Briggs. His works include Father Christmas (1973) and The Snowman (1979).

bright /brʌɪt/

I. adjective

1. giving out or reflecting much light; shining

• the sun was dazzlingly bright

• her bright, dark eyes.

2. full of light

• the rooms are bright and spacious.

3. (of a period of time) having sunny, cloudless weather

• the long, bright days of June.

4. (of colour) vivid and bold

• the bright green leaves.

5. having a vivid colour

• a bright tie.

6. intelligent and quick-witted

• she was amiable, but not very bright

• a bright idea.

7. cheerful and lively

• at breakfast she would be persistently bright and chirpy

• she gave a bright smile.

8. (of someone's future) likely to be successful and happy

• these young people have a bright future ahead of them.

9. (of sound) clear, vibrant, and typically high-pitched

• her voice is fresh and bright.

II. adverb

‹chiefly literary› brightly

• a full moon shining bright.

III. noun — ( brights)

1. bold and vivid colours

• a choice of colours from pastels through to brights.

2. (N. Amer.) headlights switched to full beam

• he turned the brights on and we drove along the dirt road.

IV. phrases

1. bright and early

very early in the morning.

• if you are up bright and early we will be able to set off in good time.

2. (as) bright as a button

(Brit.) ‹informal› intelligently alert and lively.

• some of them are frail physically but are as bright as a button in their minds.

3. bright lights

the glamour and excitement of city life

• they hankered for the bright lights of the capital.

4. look on the bright side

be optimistic or cheerful in spite of difficulties.

• ‘I expect I shall manage,’ she said, determined to look on the bright side.

V. derivatives

brightish

adjective

– origin Old English beorht, of Germanic origin.

Bright, John

(1811–89), English Liberal politician and reformer. A noted orator, Bright was the leader, along with Richard Cobden, of the campaign to repeal the Corn Laws. He was also a vociferous opponent of the Crimean War (1854) and was closely identified with the 1867 Reform Act.

bright-coloured ‹US› bright-colored

adjective

of a bold and vivid colour or shade

• gowns of bright-coloured silk.

brighten /ˈbrʌɪt(ə)n/

I. verb

1. make or become more light
[no obj.]

• most of the country should brighten up later

• [with obj.] the fire began to blaze fiercely, brightening the room.

2. [with obj.] — make (something) more attractively colourful

• daffodils brighten up many gardens and parks.

3. make or become happier and more cheerful
[no obj.]

• Sarah brightened up considerably as she thought of Emily's words

• [with obj.] she seems to brighten his life.

– origin Old English (ge)beorhtnian.

bright-eyed

I. adjective

1. having shining eyes.

• creatures of the night—owls, bats and bright-eyed cats.

2. alert and lively

• bright-eyed young lawyers.

II. phrases

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

‹informal› alert and lively.

• he arrived bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the studio.

[from the conventional description of a squirrel.]

brightly /ˈbrʌɪtli/

adverb

1. in a way that gives out or reflects much light

• diamond stud earrings shone brightly in his ears

• lanterns glow brightly in the dark hall.

2. in a way that is characterized by having vivid colours

• a very brightly patterned floral jumper

• brightly painted fingernails.

3. in an intelligent and quick-witted way

• a wry, brightly written essay.

4. in a cheerful and lively way

• chattering brightly

• those on stage smiled brightly at the crowd.

brightness /ˈbrʌɪtnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality or state of giving out or reflecting light

• we can change the brightness of the bulb

• the comet's brightness had dimmed.

2. the quality or state of being well lit

• his mother called to him from the brightness of the kitchen.

3. sunny, cloudless weather

• the brightness will linger through Wednesday

• the brightness of a winter's day.

4. the quality of being vividly and boldly coloured

• he adds brightness to the dishes by tossing in fresh herbs.

5. the quality of being intelligent and quick-witted

• he reminded me of my first son with his brightness and inquisitiveness.

6. the quality of being cheerful or lively

• there's so much light and brightness in their faces.

7. success and happiness

• there had been some brightness in her life.

8. the quality in sound of being clear, vibrant, and typically high-pitched

• tone alters the brightness of the sound.

Brighton /ˈbrʌɪt(ə)n/

a resort on the south coast of England, in East Sussex; pop. 127,700 (est. 2009). It was patronized by the Prince of Wales (later George IV) from c. 1780 to 1827, and is noted for its Regency architecture. It became a city (with Hove) in 2000.

Bright's disease /ˈbrʌɪtsdɪziːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease involving chronic inflammation of the kidneys.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Richard Bright, (1789–1858), the English physician who established its nature.

bright spark

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹often ironic› a clever or witty person.

• some bright spark in the agency came up with the idea of rippling silk with a cut in it.

– origin from spark^2.

brightwork

noun — [ mass noun]

1. polished metalwork on ships or other vehicles.

bright young thing

noun

an enthusiastic, ambitious, and self-consciously fashionable young person, a term originally applied in the 1920s to a member of a young fashionable set noted for exuberant and outrageous behaviour.

• his mansion in Los Angeles was a magnet for the bright young things of Hollywood.

Brigid, St /ˈbrɪdʒɪd/

see Bridget, St^1.

brill^1 /brɪl/

I. noun

a European flatfish that resembles a turbot.
● Scophthalmus rhombus, family Scophthalmidae (or Bothidae).

– origin late 15th cent.: of unknown origin.

brill^2 /brɪl/

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› excellent; marvellous

• a brill new series

• [as exclamation] ‘She says I can spend half-term with you.’ ‘Hey, brill!’.

– origin 1980s: abbreviation of brilliant.

brilliance /ˈbrɪlj(ə)ns / brilliancy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. intense brightness of light

• the nights were dark, lit only by the brilliance of Aegean stars.

2. vividness of colour.

• lapis lazuli was highly regarded for the brilliance of its colour.

3. exceptional talent or intelligence

• he's played the stock market with great brilliance.

brilliant /ˈbrɪlj(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. (of light or colour) very bright

• brilliant sunshine illuminated the scene.

2. exceptionally clever or talented

• he was quite brilliant and was promoted almost at once

• the germ of a brilliant idea hit her.

3. outstanding; impressive

• his brilliant career at Harvard.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› excellent; marvellous

• we had a brilliant time

• [as exclamation] ‘Brilliant!’ he declared excitedly.

II. noun

a diamond of brilliant cut.

• an elegant necklace with four rows of brilliants.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French brillant ‘shining’, present participle of briller, from Italian brillare, probably from Latin beryllus (see beryl).

brilliant cut

noun

a circular cut for diamonds and other gemstones in the form of two many-faceted pyramids joined at their bases, the upper one truncated near its apex.
[as modifier]

• brilliant-cut diamond ear studs.

brilliantine /ˈbrɪlj(ə)ntiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› scented oil used on men's hair to make it look glossy.

2. (US) shiny dress fabric made from cotton and mohair or cotton and worsted.

II. derivatives

brilliantined

adjective

brilliantine (sense 1)

– origin late 19th cent.: from French brillantine, from brillant ‘shining’ (see brilliant).

brilliantly /ˈbrɪlɪəntli/

adverb

1. in a very bright or dazzling way

• the brilliantly hued orchid

• at night the town was brilliantly lit.

2. in an exceptionally clever or talented way

• this fight was brilliantly choreographed.

3. in an impressive or outstanding way; very well

• she succeeded brilliantly

• he seems to be coping brilliantly.

Brillo pad /ˈbrɪləʊ/

noun

1. ‹trademark› a pad made of steel wool impregnated with soap, used for scouring pans.

2. [as modifier] — ‹trademark› ‹informal› denoting wiry or tightly curled hair

• teachers hated my Brillo-pad hairstyle.

brim /brɪm/

I. noun

1. the projecting edge around the bottom of a hat

• a soft hat with a turned-up brim.

2. the upper edge or lip of a cup, bowl, or other container

• he filled her glass to the brim.

II. verb — [no obj.] (often as adj. brimming)

1. be full to the point of overflowing

• a brimming cup.

2. fill something so completely that it almost overflows

• large tears brimmed in her eyes.

3. be full of a particular quality, feeling, etc.

• he is brimming with ideas.

III. derivatives

1. brimless /ˈbrɪmləs /

adjective

2. brimmed /ˈbrɪmd /

adjective

[in combination]

• a wide-brimmed hat

– origin Middle English (denoting the edge of the sea or other body of water): perhaps related to German Bräme ‘trimming’.

brimful /ˈbrɪmf(ə)l/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. filled with something to the point of overflowing

• a jug brimful of custard.

brimstone /ˈbrɪmst(ə)n, ˈbrɪmstəʊn/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› sulphur.

2. a bright yellow butterfly or moth:
● a European butterfly of the white family, the male of which is yellow and the female greenish-white ( Gonepteryx rhamni, family Pieridae). ● a small yellow European moth ( Opisthograptis luteolata, family Geometridae).

– origin late Old English brynstān, probably from bryne ‘burning’ + stān ‘stone’.

brindle /ˈbrɪnd(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a brownish or tawny colour of animal fur, with streaks of other colour.

• coat colours included red, brindle, and yellowish cream.

2. [ count noun] — an animal with a brindle coat.

• he is hoping the speedy brindle can retain the cup.

II. adjective

(also brindled) — (especially of a domestic animal) brownish or tawny with streaks of other colour

• a brindle pup.

– origin late 17th cent.: back-formation from brindled, alteration of Middle English brinded, probably of Scandinavian origin.

Brindley, James /ˈbrɪndli/

(1716–72), pioneering English canal-builder. He designed some 600 km (375 miles) of waterway with a minimum of locks, cuttings, or tunnels, connecting most of the major rivers of England.

brine /brʌɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. water strongly impregnated with salt

• the olives have been stored in brine.

2. seawater.

• dolphins and whales can't help taking in the odd gulp of brine as they swallow a fish.

3. a solution of salt and water in which food is preserved

• the classic dirty martini includes a few drops of olive brine.

4. ‹technical› a strong solution of a salt or salts.

• these brines percolated downwards.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. brined)

1. soak or preserve in salty water

• brined anchovies.

– origin Old English brīne, of unknown origin.

brine shrimp

noun

a small fairy shrimp which lives in brine pools and salt lakes and is used as food for aquarium fish.
● Artemia salina, class Branchiopoda.

bring /brɪŋ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take or go with (someone or something) to a place

• she brought Luke home from hospital

• [with two objs] Liz brought her a glass of water.

2. cause (someone or something) to come to a place

• what brings you here?

• a felony case brought before a jury

• ‹figurative› his inner confidence has brought him through his ordeal.

3. ( bring someone in) — involve (someone) in a particular activity

• he has brought in a consultancy company.

4. cause someone to receive (an amount of money) as income or profit

• two important Chippendale lots brought £10,000 each

• [with two objs] five more novels brought him £150,000.

5. cause (someone or something) to move in a particular direction

• he brought his hands out of his pockets

• heavy rain brought down the ceiling.

6. cause (something)

• the bad weather brought famine.

7. cause (someone or something) to be in a particular state or condition

• an economic policy that would have brought the country to bankruptcy

• I'll give you an aspirin to bring down your temperature.

8. initiate (legal action) against someone

• riot and conspiracy charges should be brought against them.

9. [usu. with negative] ( bring oneself to do something) — force oneself to do something unpleasant

• she could not bring herself to mention it.

II. phrases

1. bring home the bacon

see bacon.

2. bring something home to

see home.

3. bring the house down

make an audience laugh or applaud very enthusiastically.

• he could bring the house down with his dry humour.

4. bring it on

‹informal› used to express confidence in meeting a challenge.

5. bring something to bear

a. exert influence or pressure so as to achieve a particular result

• they brought pressure to bear on him to resign.

• she had reservations about how much influence she could bring to bear.

b. aim a weapon

• he brought his rifle to bear on a distant target.

6. bring someone to book

see book.

7. bring something to light

see light^1.

8. bring someone/thing to mind

cause one to remember or think of someone or something

• all that marble brought to mind a mausoleum.

9. bring something to pass

‹chiefly literary› cause something to happen.

• any man must at some point question whether it is chance or fate that brings things to pass.

10. bring something to the table (or party)

contribute something of value to a discussion, project, etc.

• consultants who can bring strategic thinking to the table.

11. what brings you here?

for what reason have you come here?

• so what brings you here at this time of night?

III. phrasal verbs

1. bring something about

a. cause something to happen.

• she brought about a revolution in psychoanalysis.

b. cause a ship to head in a different direction.

• he brought the ship about in a stylish tack.

2. bring something back

a. reintroduce something

• bringing back capital punishment would solve nothing.

b. cause something to return

• the smell of the tiny church brought back every memory of my childhood.

3. bring someone down

a. cause someone to lose power

• the vote will not bring down the government.

b. cause someone to fall over, especially by tackling them during a football or rugby match.

• Harris was brought down by Palmer on the edge of the box.

c. make someone unhappy.

• she was in such a good mood I couldn't bear to bring her down.

4. bring someone/thing down

cause someone or something to fall over by shooting them.

• too bad he couldn't bring the bear down with a clean shot.

5. bring something forth

‹archaic› give birth to something.

• why does Elsbeth not bring forth a child?

6. bring something forward

a. move a meeting or event to an earlier date or time.

• the congress has been brought forward by a year.

b. (often as adj. brought forward) — (in bookkeeping) transfer a total sum from the bottom of one page to the top of the next.

• a profit and loss balance brought forward of £5,000,000.

c. propose a plan or idea for consideration.

• I realize that when I bring forward proposals they will have to be judged on their merits.

7. bring something in

a. introduce a new law or product

• Congress brought in reforms to prevent abuse of presidential power.

b. (of a jury) give a decision in court

• the jury brought in a unanimous verdict.

8. bring someone off

a. rescue someone from a ship in difficulties.

• ‘Any men been brought off yet?’ Joe asked one of the fishermen on the beach.

b. ‹vulgar slang› give someone or oneself an orgasm.

9. bring something off

achieve something successfully

• a good omelette is very hard to bring off.

10. bring someone on

encourage someone who is learning something to develop or improve.

• Mr Edom thought well of him, and was bringing him on.

11. bring something on

a. cause something, typically something unpleasant, to occur

• ulcers are not brought on by a rich diet.

b. ( bring something on/upon) — be responsible for something unpleasant that happens to (oneself or someone else)

• he's brought it upon himself—he's not a victim.

c. (of the weather) promote the growth of crops.

12. bring someone out

a. encourage someone to feel more confident

• she needs friends to bring her out of herself.

b. (Brit.) cause someone to go on strike.

• protest aimed at bringing out the miners who were still at work.

13. bring something out

a. produce and launch a new product or publication

• the band are bringing out a video.

b. make something more evident; emphasize something

• the shawl brings out the colour of your eyes.

14. bring someone round ( ‹or US› around)

a. (also bring someone to) — restore someone to consciousness.

• she administered artificial respiration and brought him round.

b. persuade someone to agree to something.

• she's not keen, but I think I can bring her round.

15. bring something to

cause a boat to stop, especially by turning into the wind.

16. bring up

(chiefly of a ship) come to a stop.

17. bring someone up

a. look after a child until it is an adult.

• she was partly brought up by her maternal grandparents.

b. ( be brought up) — be taught as a child to adopt particular behaviour or attitudes

• he had been brought up to believe that marriage was forever.

18. bring something up

a. vomit something.

• fortunately I brought up the poison.

b. raise a matter for discussion or consideration

• she tried repeatedly to bring up the subject of money.

IV. derivatives

bringer

noun

– origin Old English bringan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch brengen and German bringen.

bring and buy bring-and-buy sale

noun

(Brit.) a charity sale at which people bring items for sale and buy those brought by others.

• we are holding a bring and buy on Tuesday.

• [as modifier] Jill organized bring-and-buy sales to raise cash.

brinicle /ˈbrʌɪnɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

a long, tapering vertical tube of ice formed in the sea around a plume of very cold seawater produced by a developing ice sheet

• an unprecedented time-lapse shot underwater records the growth of a brinicle—an ice stalactite progressing downward toward the seabed.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of brine and icicle.

brinjal /ˈbrɪndʒɔːl, ˈbrɪndʒɒl/

I. noun

(Indian) (S. African) an aubergine.

– origin based on Portuguese berinjela, from Arabic al-bāḏinjān (see aubergine).

brink /brɪŋk/

I. noun

1. the extreme edge of land before a steep slope or a body or water

• the brink of the cliffs.

• at the brink of the pond I hesitated.

2. a point at which something, typically something unwelcome, is about to happen; the verge

• the country was on the brink of a constitutional crisis.

• the club has come close to the brink, surviving winding-up orders.

– origin Middle English: of Scandinavian origin.

Brink, André

(1935–2015), South African novelist, short-story writer, and dramatist. He gained international recognition with his novel Looking on Darkness (1973), which became the first novel in Afrikaans to be banned by the South African government. Other notable novels: A Dry White Season (1979) and A Chain of Voices (1982).

brinkmanship /ˈbrɪŋkmənʃɪp / brinksmanship

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art or practice of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping, especially in politics.

• in any game of brinkmanship, it is possible that one side will collapse suddenly.

brinny

I. noun

(Austral.) a stone, typically one thrown as a missile.

– origin 1940s: probably from an Aboriginal language.

briny /ˈbrʌɪni/

I. adjective

of salty water or the sea; salty

• the briny tang of the scallops.

II. noun — ( the briny)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› the sea.

• the vortices that suck ships to the bottom of the briny.

brio /ˈbriːəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. vigour or vivacity of style or performance

• she told her story with some brio.

See also con brio.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Italian.

brioche /briːˈɒʃ, ˈbriːɒʃ/

I. noun

a light sweet yeast bread typically in the form of a small round roll.

• she ate a brioche and drank milky coffee.

• [ mass noun] scallops crumbed in brioche.

– origin French, from Norman French brier, synonym of broyer, literally ‘split up into very small pieces by pressure’.

briquette /brɪˈkɛt / briquet

I. noun

a block of compressed coal dust or peat used as fuel.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, diminutive of brique ‘brick’.

bris /bris/

I. noun

the ceremony in which a Jewish baby boy is circumcised.

– origin Hebrew bĕrīṯ, short for bĕrīṯ milah ‘covenant of circumcision’.

Brisbane /ˈbrɪzbən/

I. the capital of Queensland, Australia; pop. 1,945,639 (est. 2008). It was founded in 1824 as a penal colony.

– origin named after Sir Thomas Brisbane (see Brisbane, Sir Thomas).

Brisbane, Sir Thomas /ˈbrɪzbən/

(1773–1860), Scottish soldier and astronomer; full name Thomas Makdougall Brisbane. In 1790 he joined the army, becoming major general in 1813. He was governor of New South Wales (1821–5) and became an acclaimed astronomer.

brisé /ˈbriːzeɪ/

I. noun

[Ballet] a jump in which the dancer sweeps one leg into the air to the side while jumping off the other, brings both legs together in the air and beats them before landing.

II. adjective

(of a fan) consisting entirely of pierced sticks of ivory, horn, or tortoiseshell.

– origin French, literally ‘broken’.

brisk /brɪsk/

I. adjective

1. active and energetic

• a good brisk walk

• business appeared to be brisk.

2. showing a wish to deal with things quickly; slightly brusque

• she adopted a brisk, businesslike tone.

3. (of wind or the weather) cold but pleasantly invigorating.

• the sea was shimmering and heaving beneath the brisk breeze.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( brisk something up)

1. quicken something

• Mary brisked up her pace.

III. derivatives

1. brisken

verb

2. briskness /ˈbrɪsknəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: probably from French brusque (see brusque).

brisket /ˈbrɪskɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. meat cut from the breast of an animal, typically a cow.

– origin Middle English: perhaps from Old Norse brjósk ‘cartilage, gristle’.

briskly /ˈbrɪskli/

adverb

1. in an active, quick, or energetic way

• she walked briskly into the building

• tickets have been selling briskly.

2. in an impatient or brusque way

• he replied briskly that no one at his school had ever gone truant.

3. in a cold but pleasantly invigorating way

• the wind blew fairly briskly

• we spent our day swimming in the briskly cold water.

brisling /ˈbrɪslɪŋ, ˈbrɪzlɪŋ/

I. noun

a sprat, typically one seasoned and smoked in Norway and sold in a can.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Norwegian and Danish.

bristle /ˈbrɪs(ə)l/

I. noun — (usu. bristles)

1. a short, stiff hair on an animal's skin or a man's face.

2. a stiff animal hair, or a man-made substitute, used to make a brush

• a toothbrush with nylon bristles

• [ mass noun] the heads are made with natural bristle.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of hair or fur) stand upright away from the skin, typically as a sign of anger or fear

• the hair on the back of his neck bristled.

2. (of an animal) react in such a way that its hair or fur stands on end

• the cat bristled in annoyance.

3. (of a person) react angrily or defensively

• she bristled at his rudeness.

4. ( bristle with) — be covered with or abundant in

• the roof bristled with antennae.

– origin Middle English: from Old English byrst (of Germanic origin, related to German Borste) + -le^1.

bristlebird

noun

an Australian songbird with mainly brown plumage, a long cocked tail, a fringe of bristles around the bill, and secretive habits.
●Genus Dasyornis, family Acanthizidae (or Maluridae): two or three species.

bristlecone pine /ˈbrɪs(ə)lkəʊn/

noun

a very long-lived shrubby pine of western North America. It has been used in dendrochronology to check radiocarbon dating.
● Pinus longaeva, family Pinaceae.

bristle fern

noun

a mainly tropical filmy fern with hair-like bristles protruding from the spore-containing bodies.
●Genus Trichomanes, family Hymenophyllaceae.

bristletail

noun

a small primitive wingless insect which has bristles at the end of the abdomen.
●Orders Thysanura (the true bristletails, with three bristles, including the silverfish) and Diplura (the two-pronged bristletails), subclass Apterygota.

bristle worm

noun

a marine annelid worm which has a segmented body with numerous bristles on the fleshy lobes of each segment. Also called polychaete.
●Class Polychaeta: numerous species, including ragworms, lugworms, fan worms, and their relatives.

bristling

adjective

1. (especially of hair) short, stiff, and spiky.

• a bristling beard.

2. aggressively brisk or tense

• he fills the screen with a restless, bristling energy.

bristly /ˈbrɪsli/

I. adjective

1. (of hair or foliage) having a stiff and prickly texture.

• he washed his bristly black hair.

• the dunes were dotted with bristly little bushes.

2. covered with short, stiff hairs

• he rubbed his bristly chin.

II. derivatives

bristliness

noun

Bristol /ˈbrɪst(ə)l/

a city in SW England; pop. 374,000 (est. 2009). Situated on the River Avon about 10 km (6 miles) from the Bristol Channel, it has been a leading port since the 12th century.

Bristol board /ˈbrɪst(ə)l/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of stiff, smooth cardboard used as a drawing surface or for cutting and shaping.

Bristol Channel

a wide inlet of the Atlantic between South Wales and the south-western peninsula of England, narrowing into the estuary of the River Severn.

Bristol fashion

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› in good order; neat and clean

• it gave him pleasure to keep things shipshape and Bristol fashion.

– origin mid 19th cent.: originally in nautical use, referring to the commercial prosperity brought to Bristol by its shipping.

bristols /ˈbrɪst(ə)lz/

I. plural noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a woman's breasts.

– origin 1960s: from rhyming slang Bristol Cities ‘titties’.

Brit /brɪt / ‹informal›

I. noun

a British person.

II. adjective

British.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation.

Britain /ˈbrɪt(ə)n/

I. the island containing England, Wales, and Scotland. The name is broadly synonymous with Great Britain, but the longer form is more usual for the political unit.
See also Great Britain, United Kingdom.

– origin Old English Breoton, from Latin Brittones ‘Britons’, superseded in Middle English by forms from Old French Bretaigne (from Latin Brit(t)annia). It became a largely historical term until revived in the mid 16th cent., as the possible union of England and Scotland became a subject of political concern.

Britain, Battle of

a series of air battles fought over Britain during August–October 1940, in which the RAF successfully resisted raids by the numerically superior German air force. This led Hitler to abandon plans to invade Britain, although the Germans continued to bomb British cities by night for several months afterwards.

Britannia /brɪˈtanjə/

I. the personification of Britain, usually depicted as a helmeted woman with shield and trident. The figure appeared on Roman coins and was revived with the name Britannia on the coinage of Charles II.

– origin the Latin name for Britain.

Britannia metal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a silvery alloy consisting of tin with about 5–15 per cent antimony and usually some copper, lead, or zinc.

Britannia silver

noun — [ mass noun]

1. hallmarked silver that is at least 95.8 per cent pure.

Britannic /brɪˈtanɪk/

I. adjective

‹dated› (chiefly in names or titles) of Britain or the British Empire

• he answered His Britannic Majesty's call to arms.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin Britannicus, from Britannia (see Britannia).

britches /ˈbrɪtʃɪz/

plural noun

another form of breeches, representing a pronunciation.

Briticism /ˈbrɪtɪsɪz(ə)m / Britishism /ˈbrɪtɪʃɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

an idiom used in Britain but not in other English-speaking countries.

• ‘Toy boy’ is a Briticism for a ‘gigolo.’.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from British, on the pattern of words such as Gallicism.

British /ˈbrɪtɪʃ/

I. adjective

1. relating to Great Britain or the United Kingdom, or to its people or language.

2. of the British Commonwealth or (formerly) the British Empire.

II. noun — (as plural noun the British)

1. the British people.

– origin Old English Brettisc ‘relating to the ancient Britons’, from Bret ‘Briton’, from Latin Britto, or its Celtic equivalent.

British Academy

an institution founded in 1901 for the promotion of historical, philosophical, and philological studies.

British Antarctic Territory

that part of Antarctica claimed by Britain. Designated in 1962 from territory that was formerly part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies, it includes some 388,500 sq. km (150,058 sq. miles) of the continent of Antarctica as well as the South Orkney Islands and South Shetland Islands in the South Atlantic.

British Broadcasting Corporation BBC

I. a public corporation for radio and television broadcasting in Britain.

The BBC was established in 1927 by royal charter and held a monopoly until the introduction of the first commercial TV station in 1954. It is financed by the sale of television viewing licences rather than by revenue from advertising and has an obligation to remain impartial in its reporting.

British Columbia /brɪtɪʃkəˈlʌmbiə/

I. a province on the west coast of Canada; pop. 4,113,487 (2006); capital, Victoria. Formed in 1866 by the union of Vancouver Island (a former British colony) and the mainland area, then called New Caledonia, the province includes the Queen Charlotte Islands.

II. derivatives

British Columbian

adjective, noun

British Commonwealth

see commonwealth (sense 2).

British Council

an organization established in 1934 with the aims of promoting a wider knowledge of Britain and the English language abroad, and of developing closer cultural relations with other countries.

British Empire

I. a former empire consisting of Great Britain and its possessions, dominions, and dependencies.

Colonization of North America and domination of India began in the 17th century. A series of small colonies, mostly in the West Indies, were gained during the late 17th–early 19th centuries, and Australia, New Zealand, various parts of the Far East, and large areas of Africa were added in the 19th century. Self-government was granted to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa in the mid 19th century, and most of the remaining colonies have gained independence since the end of the Second World War.

British Empire, Order of the

see Order of the British Empire.

British English

noun — [ mass noun]

1. English as used in Great Britain, as distinct from that used elsewhere.

Britisher /ˈbrɪtɪʃə/

noun

‹informal› (in North America and old-fashioned British English) a native or inhabitant of Britain.

British Expeditionary Force

a British force made available by the army reform of 1908 for service overseas. Such forces were sent to France in 1914 and 1939.

British Guiana

see Guyana.

British Honduras

former name (until 1973) for Belize.

British India

that part of the Indian subcontinent administered by the British from 1765, when the East India Company acquired control over Bengal, until 1947, when India became independent and Pakistan was created. By 1850 British India was coterminous with India's boundaries in the west and north and by 1885 it included Burma in the east. The period of British rule was known as the Raj.

British Indian Ocean Territory

a British overseas territory in the Indian Ocean, comprising the Chagos Archipelago and (until 1976) parts of the Seychelles. Ceded to Britain by France in 1814, the islands became a dependency in 1965. There are no permanent inhabitants, but British and US naval personnel occupy the island of Diego Garcia.

British Isles

a group of islands lying off the coast of NW Europe, from which they are separated by the North Sea and the English Channel. They include Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Hebrides, the Orkney Islands, the Shetland Islands, the Scilly Isles, and the Channel Islands.

British Legion

short for Royal British Legion.

British Library

the national library of Britain, containing the former library departments of the British Museum. The principal copyright library, it was established separately from the British Museum in 1972, and moved to a new headquarters in 1998.

British Museum

a national museum of antiquities in London. Established with public funds in 1753, it includes among its holdings the Magna Carta, the Elgin Marbles, and the Rosetta Stone.

British National Party BNP

an extreme right-wing political party in Britain supporting racial discrimination and strongly opposing immigration. The party arose in the 1980s as a breakaway group from the National Front.

Britishness /ˈbrɪtɪʃnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being British or of having characteristics regarded as typically British

• a brand that used to boast its Britishness on its carrier bags

• my Britishness comes out in my writing.

British overseas territory

noun

a territory that is under the sovereignty of the UK but does not form part of the UK itself, such as Bermuda, Gibraltar, and the Falkland Islands.
Compare with Crown dependency.

British Sign Language

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of sign language developed in the UK and fundamentally different from American Sign Language.

British Somaliland /səˈmɑːlɪˌland/

a former British protectorate established on the Somali coast of East Africa in 1884. In 1960 it united with former Italian territory to form the independent republic of Somalia.

British Standard

noun

the specification of recommended procedure, quality of output, terminology, and other details, in a particular field, drawn up and published by the British Standards Institution.

British Summer Time BST

noun — [ mass noun]

1. time as advanced one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time for daylight saving in the UK between March and October.

British thermal unit

noun

the amount of heat needed to raise 1 lb of water at maximum density through one degree Fahrenheit, equivalent to 1.055 × 10^3 joules.

British Union of Fascists

an extreme right-wing British political party founded by Sir Oswald Mosley in 1932. It promoted strongly anti-Semitic views and its supporters were known as blackshirts. The party was effectively destroyed by the Public Order Act of 1936.

British warm

noun

a short, thick military overcoat or duffel coat.

Briton /ˈbrɪt(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Great Britain, or a person of British descent.

2. a Celtic inhabitant of southern Britain before and during Roman times.

– origin from Old French Breton, from Latin Britto, Britton-, or its Celtic equivalent.

Britpop /ˈbrɪtpɒp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. British pop music of the mid 1990s that was typically influenced by the Beatles and other British groups of the 1960s and perceived as a reaction against American grunge music.
[as modifier]

• Britpop bands.

Brittany /ˈbrɪtəni/

a region and former duchy of NW France, forming a peninsula between the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel. It was occupied in the 5th and 6th centuries by Britons fleeing the Saxons, and was incorporated into France in 1532.
French name Bretagne.

Britten, Benjamin /ˈbrɪt(ə)n/

Lord Britten of Aldeburgh (1913–76), English composer, pianist, and conductor; full name Edward Benjamin Britten. He founded the Aldeburgh festival with Peter Pears in 1948, and in 1976 became the first composer to be made a life peer. Notable operas: Peter Grimes (1945), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1960), and Death in Venice (1973).

brittle /ˈbrɪt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. hard but liable to break easily

• her bones became fragile and brittle.

2. (of a person's voice) unpleasantly hard and sharp and showing signs of instability or nervousness

• a brittle laugh.

3. appearing decisive or cheerful but unstable or nervous within.

• her manner was artificially bright and brittle.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a brittle sweet made from nuts and set melted sugar

• peanut brittle.

III. derivatives

1. brittlely brittly

adverb

2. brittleness /ˈbrɪt(ə)lnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to Old English brēotan ‘break up’.

brittle bone disease

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] another term for osteogenesis imperfecta or osteoporosis.

brittle fracture

noun — [ mass noun]

1. fracture of a metal or other material occurring without appreciable prior plastic deformation.

brittlestar /ˈbrɪtlstɑː/

noun

a marine animal related to starfishes, with long, thin, flexible arms radiating from a small central disk.
●Class Ophiuroidea: Ophiura and other genera.

Brittonic /brɪˈtɒnɪk/

I. adjective, noun

variant of Brythonic.

– origin from Latin Britto, Britton- ‘Briton’ + -ic.

britzka /ˈbrɪtskə / britzska

I. noun

‹historical› an open carriage with a folding hood and space for people to recline.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Polish bryczka.

BRL

abbreviation

Brazilian real(s).

BRN

abbreviation

Bahrain (international vehicle registration).

Brno /ˈbəːnəʊ/

an industrial city in the Czech Republic; pop. 366,812 (est. 2007). It is the capital of Moravia.

bro /brəʊ/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› short for brother:

• his baby bro.

2. ( Bro.) — ‹informal› Brother (used before a first name when referring in writing to a member of a religious order of men)

• Bro. Felix.

3. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a male friend (often used as a form of address)

• they'd never choose a girl over their bros

• not cool, bro.

4. ‹informal› a young man, especially one who socializes primarily with his male peers and enjoys lively, unintellectual pursuits

• shirtless bros with plaid shorts throwing frisbees.

– origin mid 17th cent.: written or colloquial abbreviation of brother. Compare with Bros.

broach^1 /brəʊtʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. raise (a difficult subject) for discussion

• he broached the subject he had been avoiding all evening.

2. pierce (a cask) to draw out liquid.

• he watched a pot boy broach a new cask.

3. open and start using the contents of (a bottle or other container).

• boxed wines will remain in good condition for up to four months once broached.

4. [no obj.] — (of a fish or sea mammal) rise through the water and break the surface

• the salmon broach, then fall to slap the water.

– origin Middle English: from Old French brochier, based on Latin brocchus, broccus ‘projecting’. The earliest recorded sense was ‘prick with spurs’, generally ‘pierce’, which gave rise (late Middle English) to sense 2. Sense 1, a figurative use of this, dates from the late 16th cent.

broach^2 /brəʊtʃ / ‹Nautical›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a ship) veer and pitch forward, presenting a side to the wind and waves and losing steerage control.

• we had broached badly, side on to the wind and sea.

II. noun

a sudden and unwelcome veering of a ship that causes it to broach.

• the helmsman was forced to use the engines in conjunction with the wheel to prevent a broach.

– origin early 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

broach spire

noun

an octagonal church spire rising from a square tower without a parapet.

broad /brɔːd/

I. adjective

1. having a distance larger than usual from side to side; wide

• a broad staircase.

2. (after a measurement) giving the distance from side to side

• the valley is three miles long and half a mile broad.

3. large in area

• a broad expanse of paddy fields.

4. covering a large number and wide scope of subjects

• the company has a broad range of experience.

5. having a wide range of meanings or applications; loosely defined

• our range of programmes comprises three broad categories.

6. including many people of many kinds

• the polls registered broad support for Labour.

7. general; without detail

• a broad outline of the legal framework for pension schemes.

8. (of a hint) clear and unambiguous; not subtle.

• a broad hint.

9. (of a phonetic transcription) showing only meaningful distinctions in sound and ignoring minor details.

10. somewhat coarse and indecent

• the broad humour has been toned down.

11. (of a regional accent) very noticeable and strong

• the words had a distinct tang of broad Lancashire.

II. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a woman.

• I get drunk, follow the pretty broads, and make a fool of myself.

III. phrases

1. broad in the beam ‹informal›

(of a person) fat around the hips.

2. in broad daylight

during daylight hours, and surprising for this reason

• the kidnap took place in broad daylight.

IV. derivatives

broadness /ˈbrɔːdnəs /

noun

– origin Old English brād, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch breed and German breit.

broadacre /ˈbrɔːdeɪkə/

adjective

(Austral.) (of farming practices or equipment) used in or suitable for large-scale production.

broad arrow

noun

a mark resembling a broad arrowhead, formerly used on British prison clothing and other government property.

broadband /ˈbrɔːdband/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a high-capacity transmission technique using a wide range of frequencies, which enables a large number of messages to be communicated simultaneously

• it's important to have a firewall if you have broadband

• [as modifier] broadband networks.

broad-based

adjective

wide-ranging; general

• we expect to see broad-based support

• broad-based knowledge

• an introductory broad-based course.

broad bean

noun

1. a large flat edible green bean which is usually eaten without the pod.
Also called fava bean in North America.

2. the plant which yields broad beans.
● Vicia faba, family Leguminosae.

broadbill

noun

1. a small, colourful bird of the Old World tropics, with a stocky body, a large head, and a flattened bill with a wide gape.
●Family Eurylaimidae: several genera.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a bird with a broad bill, especially a duck such as the shoveler or the scaup.

broad-brush

adjective

lacking in detail and finesse

• a broad-brush measure of inflation.

broadcast /ˈbrɔːdkɑːst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. transmit (a programme or some information) by radio or television

• the announcement was broadcast live

• (as noun broadcasting) the state monopoly on broadcasting.

2. [no obj.] — take part in a radio or television transmission

• they regularly broadcast on Radio 2.

3. tell (something) to many people

• we don't want to broadcast our unhappiness to the world.

4. scatter (seeds) by hand or machine rather than placing in drills or rows.

• the second method is to broadcast the seeds together with not more than 1 kg to the acre of rapeseed.

II. noun

a radio or television programme or transmission.

• the Queen's annual Christmas TV broadcast.

III. adjective

relating to radio or television programmes

• a broadcast journalist.

IV. adverb

by scattering

• green manures can be sown broadcast or in rows.

– origin mid 18th cent. (in the sense ‘sown by scattering’): from broad + the past participle of cast^1. Senses relating to radio and television date from the early 20th cent.

broadcaster /ˈbrɔːdkɑːstə/

noun

1. an organization that transmits a programme or information by radio or television

• the broadcaster aired the news item on Tuesday

• radio and television broadcasters must accept some limits on their programming.

2. a person who presents a radio or television transmission

• the veteran broadcaster put everyone at their ease

• he became a successful broadcaster, both on television and the wireless.

Broad Church

noun

1. a tradition or group within the Anglican Church favouring a liberal interpretation of doctrine.

2. a group or doctrine which allows for and caters to a wide range of opinions and people.

• this is about whether the party will be a broad church or a narrow clique.

broadcloth /ˈbrɔːdklɒθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. clothing fabric of fine twilled wool or worsted, or plain-woven cotton.
[as modifier]

• his green broadcloth jacket.

• [ count noun] the manufacture of broadcloths.

– origin late Middle English: originally denoting cloth made 72 inches wide, as opposed to ‘strait’ cloth, 36 inches wide. The term now implies quality rather than width.

broaden /ˈbrɔːd(ə)n/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. become larger in distance from side to side; widen

• her smile broadened

• the river slowed and broadened out slightly.

2. expand to encompass more people or things

• her interests broadened as she grew up

• [with obj.] he has to broaden Labour's appeal to the whole community.

II. phrases

broaden one's horizons

expand one's range of interests, activities, and knowledge

• they want to broaden their horizons with a change of scenery and culture.

broad gauge

noun

a railway gauge which is wider than the standard gauge of 4 ft 8½ in (1.435 m).

broad jump

noun

North American term for long jump.

broadleaf /ˈbrɔːdliːf/

I. adjective

another term for broadleaved.

II. noun

a tree or plant with wide flat leaves.

broadleaved /brɔːdˈliːvd/

adjective

1. (of a tree or plant) having relatively wide flat leaves rather than needles; non-coniferous.

2. (of a wood or woodland) consisting of broadleaved trees.

• ancient broadleaved woodlands.

broadloom /ˈbrɔːdluːm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. carpet woven in wide widths

• wall-to-wall broadloom.

II. derivatives

broadloomed

adjective

broadly /ˈbrɔːdli/

adverb

1. [ sentence adverb] — in general and without considering minor details

• the climate is broadly similar in the two regions

• broadly speaking, the risks are as follows.

2. widely and openly

• he was grinning broadly.

broad-minded /brɔːdˈmʌɪndɪd/

I. adjective

tolerant or liberal in one's views and reactions; not easily offended

• a broad-minded approach to religion.

II. derivatives

1. broad-mindedly

adverb

2. broad-mindedness /ˌbrɔːdˈmʌɪndɪdnəs /

noun

broad money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Economics] money in any form including bank or other deposits as well as notes and coins.

Broadmoor /ˈbrɔːdmɔː, ˈbrɔːdmʊə/

a special hospital near Reading in southern England for the secure holding of patients regarded as both mentally ill and potentially dangerous. It was established in 1863.

broad pennant broad pendant

noun

a short swallow-tailed pennant distinguishing the commodore's ship in a squadron.

broad-ranging

adjective

covering an extensive range

• the questions were broad-ranging.

broad reach ‹Sailing›

I. noun

a point of sailing in which the wind blows over a boat's quarter, between the beam and the stern

• on a broad reach they are magnificent craft.

II. verb

( broad-reach) [no obj.] — sail on a broad reach.

Broads

(often the Norfolk Broads)

1. a network of shallow freshwater lakes, traversed by slow-moving rivers, in Norfolk and Suffolk. They were formed by the gradual natural flooding of medieval peat diggings.

broadscale

adjective

on a broad scale; extensive.

broadsheet /ˈbrɔːdʃiːt/

noun

1. a large piece of paper printed with information on one side only.

• I have sent you a broadsheet which surveys our campaigns.

2. (also broadsheet newspaper) — a newspaper with a large format, regarded as more serious and less sensationalist than tabloids.

• the tabloidization of the broadsheets.

broad-shouldered

adjective

(of a person) having broad shoulders that do not slope

• tall and broad-shouldered, he suddenly seemed very appealing.

broadside /ˈbrɔːdsʌɪd/

I. noun

1. a fierce verbal attack

• he launched a broadside against the economic reforms.

2. ‹historical› a firing of all the guns from one side of a warship.

3. the set of guns which can fire on each side of a warship.

4. the side of a ship above the water between the bow and quarter.

5. a sheet of paper printed on one side only, forming one large page

• a broadside of Lee's farewell address.

II. adverb

1. with the side turned in a particular direction

• the yacht was drifting broadside to the wind.

2. on the side

• her car was hit broadside by another vehicle.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) collide with the side of (a vehicle)

• I had to skid my bike sideways to avoid broadsiding her.

IV. phrases

broadside on

sideways on.

• the ship swung broadside on to the current of the river.

broad-spectrum

adjective

denoting antibiotics, pesticides, etc. effective against a large variety of organisms.

• pretreatment with broad spectrum antibiotics.

broadsword /ˈbrɔːdsɔːd/

noun

a sword with a wide blade, used for cutting rather than thrusting.

broadtail /ˈbrɔːdteɪl/

noun

1. a karakul sheep.

2. [ mass noun] — the fleece or wool from a karakul lamb.

broadway

noun — [usu. in names]

1. a large open or main road

• Fulham Broadway.

Broadway /ˈbrɔːdweɪ/

a street traversing the length of Manhattan, New York. It is famous for its theatres, and its name has become synonymous with show business.

broast

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) cook (food) by a combination of broiling and roasting
[as adjective] ( broasted)

• broasted chicken.

– origin 1980s: blend of broil^1 and roast.

Brobdingnagian /ˌbrɒbdɪŋˈnaɡɪən/

I. adjective

huge; gigantic

• a beam engine of Brobdingnagian proportions.

II. noun

a giant.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Brobdingnag, the name given by Swift (in Gulliver's Travels) to a land where everything is of huge size, + -ian.

brocade /brəˈkeɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rich fabric woven with a raised pattern, typically with gold or silver thread
[as modifier]

• a heavy brocade curtain.

II. derivatives

1. brocaded

adjective

2. brocading

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish and Portuguese brocado (influenced by French brocart), from Italian broccato, from brocco ‘twisted thread’.

Broca's area /ˈbrəʊkəz/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a region of the brain concerned with the production of speech, located in the cortex of the dominant frontal lobe. Damage in this area causes Broca's aphasia, characterized by hesitant and fragmented speech with little grammatical structure.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Paul Broca (1824–80), French surgeon.

broccoli /ˈbrɒkəli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a cultivated variety of cabbage which bears heads of green or purplish flower buds that are eaten as a vegetable.
●There are several kinds of broccoli, in particular those in the ‘Italica’ group, including sprouting broccoli, which bears small loose clusters of heads on several shoots, and the bright green dense-headed variety which is also called calabrese.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Italian, plural of broccolo ‘cabbage sprout, head’, diminutive of brocco ‘shoot’, based on Latin brocchus, broccus ‘projecting’.

broch /brɒk, brɒx/

I. noun

a prehistoric circular stone tower in north Scotland and adjacent islands.

– origin late 15th cent.: alteration of burgh (the original sense). The current sense dates from the mid 17th cent.

brochette /brɒˈʃɛt/

I. noun

1. a skewer or spit on which chunks of meat or fish are barbecued, grilled, or roasted

• beef and lamb en brochette.

2. a dish consisting of chunks of meat or fish cooked on a brochette.

• healthy dishes like brochettes of seafood.

– origin French, diminutive of broche ‘skewer’.

brochure /ˈbrəʊʃə, brɒˈʃʊə/

I. noun

a small book or magazine containing pictures and information about a product or service

• a holiday brochure.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, literally ‘something stitched’, from brocher ‘to stitch’ (see broach^1).

brochureware

noun — [ mass noun]

1. websites or web pages produced by converting a company's printed marketing or advertising material into an Internet format.

brock /brɒk/

I. noun

(Brit.) a name for a badger.

– origin Old English brocc, broc, of Celtic origin; related to Welsh and Cornish broch, Irish and Scottish Gaelic broc, and Breton broc'h.

Brocken /ˈbrɒk(ə)n/

the highest of the Harz Mountains in north central Germany, rising to 1,143 m (3,747 ft). It is noted for the phenomenon of the Brocken spectre and for witches' revels which reputedly took place there on Walpurgis night.

Brocken spectre

I. noun

a magnified shadow of an observer, typically surrounded by rainbow-like bands, thrown on to a bank of cloud in high mountain areas when the sun is low.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after Brocken, where the phenomenon was first reported.

brocket /ˈbrɒkɪt / brocket deer

I. noun

a small deer with short straight antlers, found in Central and South America.
●Genus Mazama, family Cervidae: four species.

– origin late Middle English (denoting any red deer stag in its second year, with straight antlers): from Anglo-Norman French broquet, diminutive of broque, variant of broche (see brooch). The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

broderie anglaise /ˌbrəʊd(ə)rɪ ˈɒ̃ɡleɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. open embroidery, typically in floral patterns, on fine white cotton or linen.
[as modifier]

• a nightgown with broderie anglaise trim.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, literally ‘English embroidery’.

Brodsky, Joseph /ˈbrɒdski/

(1940–96), Russian-born American poet; born Iosif Aleksandrovich Brodsky. He wrote both in Russian and in English, and was most famous for his collection The End of a Beautiful Era (1977). Nobel Prize for Literature (1987).

brogan /ˈbrəʊɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

a coarse stout leather shoe reaching to the ankle.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Irish brógán, Scottish Gaelic brógan, literally ‘small brogue’.

brogue^1 /brəʊɡ/

I. noun

1. a strong outdoor shoe with ornamental perforated patterns in the leather.

2. a rough shoe of untanned leather, formerly worn in parts of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic and Irish bróg, from Old Norse brók (related to breech).

brogue^2 /brəʊɡ/

I. noun

a marked accent, especially Irish or Scottish, when speaking English.

• a fine Irish brogue.

• [ mass noun] a sweet lilt of brogue in her voice.

– origin early 18th cent.: perhaps allusively from brogue^1, referring to the rough footwear of Irish peasants.

bro hug

noun

(US) ‹informal› another term for man hug:

• they had a little bro hug in front of the cameras.

broigus /ˈbrɔɪɡəs / broiges, broyges

I. noun

(chiefly in Jewish use) a bitter dispute or feud

• there was a rift between my grandfather and a cousin that translated into a big family broigus.

– origin from Yiddish broyges ‘dispute, quarrel’ (as noun), ‘angry’ (as adjective), from Hebrew bĕ-rōgez ‘in anger’.

broil^1 /brɔɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) cook (meat or fish) by exposure to direct heat.

• he lightly broiled a wedge of sea bass.

• (as adj. broiled) a broiled sirloin steak.

2. [no obj.] — (N. Amer.) become very hot, especially from the sun

• the countryside lay broiling in the sun.

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘burn, char’): from Old French bruler ‘to burn’, of unknown origin.

broil^2 /brɔɪl/

I. noun

‹archaic› a quarrel or commotion.

• the dark interior was a broil of fighting men.

– origin early 16th cent.: from obsolete broil ‘to muddle’. Compare with embroil.

broiler /ˈbrɔɪlə/

noun

1. (also broiler chicken) — a young chicken suitable for roasting, grilling, or barbecuing.

2. (N. Amer.) a gridiron, grill, or special part of a stove for cooking meat or fish by exposure to direct heat.

broiler house

noun

a building for rearing broiler chickens in close confinement.

broiling /ˈbrɔɪlɪŋ/

adjective

(N. Amer.) extremely hot; scorching

• the women toil in the broiling sun.

broke /brəʊk/

I. verb

past (and archaic past participle) of break^1.

II. adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹informal› having completely run out of money

• he went broke owing two million pounds.

III. phrases

1. go for broke

‹informal› risk everything in an all-out effort.

• I decided to go for broke and turn professional and see how I got on.

2. if it ain't broke, don't fix it

‹informal› if something is reasonably successful or effective, there is no need to change or replace it.

broken /ˈbrəʊk(ə)n/

I. verb

past participle of break^1.

II. adjective

1. having been broken

• he had a broken arm.

2. (of a relationship) ended, typically through infidelity

• a broken marriage.

3. (of a person) having given up all hope; despairing

• he went to his grave a broken man.

4. having breaks or gaps in continuity

• a broken white line across the road.

5. (of a language) spoken falteringly and with many mistakes, as by a foreigner

• a young man talking in broken Italian.

6. having an uneven and rough surface

• he pressed onwards over the broken ground.

III. derivatives

1. brokenly /ˈbrəʊk(ə)nli /

adverb

2. brokenness /ˈbrəʊk(ə)nnɪs /

noun

broken chord

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Music] a chord in which the notes are played successively.

• the second entry is a straight broken-chord figure.

broken colour

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a colour mixed or juxtaposed closely with another.

broken-down /brəʊk(ə)nˈdaʊn/

adjective

1. worn out and dilapidated by age, use, or ill-treatment

• a broken-down shack.

2. (of a machine or vehicle) not functioning, due to mechanical failure.

3. (of a horse) with serious damage to the legs, in particular the tendons, caused by excessive strain.

broken-field

adjective

1. [American Football] relating to or occurring in the area beyond the line of scrimmage where defenders are relatively scattered

• a broken-field run.

2. ‹informal› (of a movement) with starts, stops, and changes of direction, in the manner of a broken-field ball carrier

• a broken-field chase.

broken heart

noun

used in reference to a state of extreme grief or sorrow, typically caused by the death of a loved one or the ending of a romantic relationship

• he never spoke about his son's disappearance and friends said that he died of a broken heart

• she's been nursing a broken heart since splitting up with her fiancé.

broken-hearted /brəʊk(ə)nˈhɑːtɪd/

I. adjective

overwhelmed by grief or disappointment.

• the woman they left behind is broken-hearted.

II. derivatives

broken-heartedness

noun

broken heart syndrome

noun

[Medicine] a condition characterized by sudden dysfunction of the left ventricle of the heart, accompanied by symptoms resembling those of a heart attack but occurring in the absence of significant coronary artery disease. Typically attributed to stressful events, the condition is usually transient

• patients with broken-heart syndrome often complain of chest pain and shortness of breath.

Broken Hill

I. a town in New South Wales, Australia; pop. 20,001 (2008). It is a centre of lead, silver, and zinc mining.

II. former name (1904–65) for Kabwe.

broken home

noun

a family in which the parents are divorced or separated.

• he comes from a broken home.

broken-in

adjective

comfortable through habitual use or familiarity

• a pair of well broken-in shoes

• his sound is creaky, broken-in, relaxed, and familiar.

broken record ‹Brit.› stuck record

I. noun

used, especially in similes, to refer to a person's constant and annoying repetition of a particular statement or opinion

• at the risk of sounding like a broken record, let me repeat: it will be difficult to do well in the exam without attending classes regularly.

• I know I'm a broken record on this, but once again, they are lying about the deficit.

– origin 1940s: with reference to a scratched gramophone record that sticks at a particular point when played and constantly repeats the same passage.

broken wind

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for COPD in horses.

II. derivatives

broken-winded /ˌbrəʊkənˈwɪndɪd /

adjective

broker /ˈbrəʊkə/

I. noun

a person who buys and sells goods or assets for others.

• the centralized lenders operate through brokers.

Compare with broker-dealer.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. arrange or negotiate (an agreement)

• fighting continued despite attempts to broker a ceasefire.

– origin Middle English (denoting a retailer or pedlar): from Anglo-Norman French brocour, of unknown ultimate origin. / usage: The term broker was officially replaced in the UK Stock Exchange by broker-dealer in 1986, broker-dealers being entitled to act both as agents and principals in share dealings.

brokerage /ˈbrəʊk(ə)rɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the business of acting as a broker.
[as modifier]

• a brokerage firm.

2. [ mass noun] — a fee or commission charged by a broker

• a revenue of £1,400 less a sales brokerage of £12.50.

3. [ count noun] — a company that buys or sells goods or assets for clients.

broker-dealer

I. noun

(in the UK) a person combining the former functions of a broker and jobber on the Stock Exchange.

usage: Now the official term on the UK Stock Exchange, replacing broker in 1986.

broking /ˈbrəʊkɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the business or service of buying and selling goods or assets for others
[as modifier]

• a broking house.

brolga /ˈbrɒlɡə/

I. noun

a large grey Australian crane which has an elaborate courtship display that involves leaping, wing-flapping, and trumpeting.
● Grus rubicundus, family Gruidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Kamilaroi burralga (also found in other Aboriginal languages).

brolly /ˈbrɒli/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› an umbrella.

brom- /ˈbrəʊm/

combining form

variant spelling of bromo- shortened before a vowel (as in bromide).

bromance /ˈbrəʊmans/

I. noun

‹informal› a close but non-sexual relationship between two men.

II. derivatives

bromantic

adjective

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of brother and romance.

bromate /ˈbrəʊmeɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of bromic acid.

Bromberg /ˈbrɔmbɛrk/

German name for Bydgoszcz.

brome /brəʊm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an oat-like grass which is sometimes grown for fodder or ornamental purposes.
●Genus Bromus, family Gramineae.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin Bromus, from Greek bromos ‘oat’.

bromeliad /brəˈmiːlɪad/

I. noun

a plant of tropical and subtropical America, typically having short stems with rosettes of stiff, spiny leaves. Some kinds are epiphytic and many are cultivated as pot plants.
●Family Bromeliaceae: Bromelia and other genera, and numerous species, including the pineapple and Spanish moss.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Bromelia (named by Linnaeus after Olaf Bromel (1639–1705), Swedish botanist) + -ad^1.

bromic acid /ˈbrəʊmɪk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a strongly oxidizing acid known only in aqueous solutions.
●Chem. formula: HBrO_3.

bromide /ˈbrəʊmʌɪd/

I. noun

1. [Chemistry] a compound of bromine with another element or group, especially a salt containing the anion Br− or an organic compound with bromine bonded to an alkyl radical.

2. a trite statement that is intended to soothe or placate

• feel-good bromides create the illusion of problem-solving.

3. ‹dated› a sedative preparation containing potassium bromide.

4. a reproduction or piece of typesetting on bromide paper.

II. derivatives

bromidic

adjective

bromide (sense 2)

bromide paper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. photographic printing paper coated with silver bromide emulsion.

• sample pages beautifully printed on bromide paper.

bromine /ˈbrəʊmiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Br) — the chemical element of atomic number 35, a dark red fuming toxic liquid with a choking, irritating smell. It is a member of the halogen group and occurs chiefly in the form of salts in seawater and brines.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French brome, from Greek brōmos ‘a stink’, + -ine^4.

bromism /ˈbrəʊmɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› a condition of dullness and weakness due to excessive intake of bromide sedatives.

bromo- /ˈbrəʊməʊ / brom-

combining form

[Chemistry] representing bromine.

bromocriptine /ˌbrəʊməʊˈkrɪptiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a drug used in the treatment of parkinsonism, galactorrhoea, and other conditions. It is a synthetic analogue of the ergot alkaloids and stimulates the dopaminergic receptors of the brain, inhibiting the release of prolactin.

– origin 1970s: from bromo- + ergocryptine (an ergot alkaloid, from ergot + Greek kruptos ‘hidden’) + -ine^4.

Brompton cocktail /ˈbrɒmpt(ə)n/

I. noun

a powerful painkiller and sedative consisting of vodka or other spirit laced with morphine and sometimes also cocaine.

– origin late 20th cent.: said to be from the name of Brompton Hospital, London, where the mixture was invented for cancer patients.

bronc /brɒŋk/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› short for bronco.

bronchi /ˈbrɒŋkʌɪ/

plural form of bronchus.

bronchial /ˈbrɒŋkɪəl/

adjective

relating to the bronchi or bronchioles

• bronchial pneumonia.

bronchial tree

noun

the branching system of bronchi and bronchioles, conducting air from the windpipe into the lungs.

bronchiectasis /ˌbrɒŋkɪˈɛktəsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormal widening of the bronchi or their branches, causing a risk of infection.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek bronkhia (denoting the branches of the main bronchi) + ektasis ‘dilatation’.

bronchiole /ˈbrɒŋkɪəʊl/

I. noun

[Anatomy] any of the minute branches into which a bronchus divides.

II. derivatives

bronchiolar

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin bronchiolus, bronchiolum, diminutives of late Latin bronchia, denoting the branches of the main bronchi.

bronchiolitis /ˌbrɒŋkɪəˈlʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the bronchioles.

bronchitis /brɒŋˈkʌɪtɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. inflammation of the mucous membrane in the bronchial tubes. It typically causes bronchospasm and coughing.

II. derivatives

bronchitic /brɒŋˈkɪtɪk /

adjective, noun

broncho- /ˈbrɒŋkəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to the bronchi

• bronchopneumonia.

– origin from Greek bronkho-, from bronkhos ‘windpipe’.

bronchocele /ˈbrɒŋkə(ʊ)siːl/

I. noun

a goitre.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek bronkhokēlē.

bronchodilator /ˌbrɒŋkə(ʊ)dʌɪˈleɪtə/

I. noun

[Medicine] a drug that causes widening of the bronchi, for example any of those taken by inhalation for the alleviation of asthma.

II. derivatives

bronchodilation

noun

bronchogenic /ˌbrɒŋkə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

of bronchial origin.

bronchopneumonia /ˌbrɒŋkə(ʊ)njuːˈməʊnɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. inflammation of the lungs, arising in the bronchi or bronchioles.

bronchoscope /ˈbrɒŋkəskəʊp/

I. noun

a fibre-optic cable that is passed into the windpipe in order to view the bronchi.

II. derivatives

bronchoscopy /brɒŋˈkɒskəpi /

noun

bronchospasm

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] spasm of bronchial smooth muscle, producing narrowing of the bronchi.

bronchus /ˈbrɒŋkəs/

I. noun

any of the major air passages of the lungs which diverge from the windpipe.

– origin late 17th cent.: from late Latin, from Greek bronkhos ‘windpipe’.

bronco /ˈbrɒŋkəʊ/

I. noun

a wild or half-tamed horse of the western US.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, literally ‘rough, rude’.

broncobuster /ˈbrɒŋkəʊˌbʌstə/

noun

‹informal› a cowboy who breaks in wild or half-tamed horses.

Bronowski, Jacob /brəˈnɒfski/

(1908–74), Polish-born British scientist, writer, and broadcaster. He popularized science with such books as The Common Sense of Science (1951) and the 1970s television documentary series The Ascent of Man.

Brontë

I. the name of three English novelists:

II. Charlotte (1816–55), author of Jane Eyre (1847), Shirley (1849), and Villette (1853).

III. Emily (1818–48), author of Wuthering Heights (1847); also a poet.

IV. Anne (1820–49), author of Agnes Grey (1845) and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1847).

The three sisters (with their brother Branwell, 1817–48) grew up in the Yorkshire village of Haworth, and had limited experience of the outside world. Their works were published under the pseudonyms Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell.

brontosaurus /ˌbrɒntəˈsɔːrəs / brontosaur /ˈbrɒntəsɔː/

I. noun

former term for apatosaurus.

– origin modern Latin (former genus name), from Greek brontē ‘thunder’ + sauros ‘lizard’.

brontothere /ˈbrɒntəʊθɪə/

I. noun

a large ungulate mammal of the Eocene epoch with a horn-like bony growth on the nose.
●Family Brontotheriidae, order Perissodactyla.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek brontē ‘thunder’ + thērion ‘wild beast’.

Bronx /brɒŋks/

I. ( the Bronx)

1. a borough in the north-east of New York City.

– origin named after Jonas Bronck, a Dutch settler who purchased land there in 1641.

Bronx cheer /brɒŋks ˈtʃɪə/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a sound of derision or contempt made by blowing through closed lips with the tongue between them.

– origin 1920s: named after the Bronx in New York.

bronze /brɒnz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a yellowish-brown alloy of copper with up to one-third tin.

• the Minoans made large numbers of statuettes in ivory and bronze.

• [as modifier] a bronze statue.

2. [ count noun] — a sculpture or other object made of bronze.

• on the black bookcase were three exquisite bronzes.

3. [ count noun] — short for bronze medal.

4. a yellowish-brown colour

• rich, gleaming shades of bronze.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a person or part of the body) suntanned

• Alison was bronzed by outdoor life.

2. give (something) a surface of bronze or something resembling bronze

• the doors were bronzed with sculpted reliefs.

III. derivatives

bronzy

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a verb): from French bronze (noun), bronzer (verb), from Italian bronzo, probably from Persian birinj ‘brass’.

Bronze Age

I. a prehistoric period that followed the Stone Age and preceded the Iron Age, when weapons and tools were made of bronze rather than stone.
See also Copper Age.

The Bronze Age began in the Near East and SE Europe in the late 4th and early 3rd millennium BC. It is associated with the first European civilizations, the beginnings of urban life in China, and the final stages of some Meso-American civilizations, but did not appear in Africa and Australasia at all.

bronze-coloured

adjective

of a yellowish-brown colour like that of bronze

• the beach boys are young and strong with bronze-coloured bodies.

bronzed /brɒnzd/

adjective

attractively and evenly suntanned; tanned

• bronzed and powerful arms.

bronze medal

noun

a medal made of or coloured bronze, customarily awarded for third place in a race or competition.

bronzer /ˈbrɒnzə/

noun

a cosmetic liquid or powder applied to the skin to give it colour or shine, typically to give the appearance of a suntan.

bronzewing bronze-winged pigeon

noun

an Australian pigeon with a metallic bronze band on the wing.
●Genus Phaps, family Columbidae: three species.

Bronzino, Agnolo /brɒnˈziːnəʊ/

(1503–72), Italian mannerist painter; born Agnolo di Cosimo. He spent most of his career in Florence as court painter to Cosimo de' Medici. Notable works: Venus, Cupid, Folly, and Time ( c. 1546).

broo /bruː/

I. noun — (in phrase on the broo)

1. (Scottish) ‹informal› claiming unemployment benefit.

– origin 1930s: alteration of bureau.

brooch /brəʊtʃ/

I. noun

an ornament fastened to clothing with a hinged pin and catch.

– origin Middle English: variant of broach, a noun originally meaning ‘skewer, bodkin’, from Old French broche ‘spit for roasting’, based on Latin brocchus, broccus ‘projecting’. Compare with broach^1.

brood /bruːd/

I. noun

1. a family of birds or other young animals produced at one hatching or birth

• a brood of chicks.

2. ‹informal› a large family of children

• she was brought up as part of a brood of eight.

3. [ mass noun] — bee or wasp larvae.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — think deeply about something that makes one unhappy, angry, or worried

• she had brooded over the subject a thousand times.

2. [with obj.] — (of a bird) sit on (eggs) to hatch them.

• the male pheasant-tailed jacana takes over once the eggs are laid and broods them.

3. (of a fish, frog, or invertebrate) hold (developing eggs) within the body.

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of an animal) kept to be used for breeding

• a brood mare.

– origin Old English brōd, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch broed and German Brut, also to breed. The verb was originally used with an object, i.e. ‘to nurse (feelings) in the mind’ (late 16th cent.), a figurative use of the idea of a hen nursing chicks under her wings.

brooder /ˈbruːdə/

noun

1. a heated house for chicks or piglets.

• the chicks were young and had to be kept in the brooder.

2. a person who broods about something.

• he's a brooder, worrying about everything.

brooding /ˈbruːdɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. engaged in or showing deep thought about something that makes one sad, angry, or worried

• he stared with brooding eyes.

2. appearing darkly menacing

• the brooding moorland.

II. derivatives

broodingly

adverb

broodling /ˈbruːdlɪŋ/

noun

‹rare› a young bird; a nestling

• her broodlings have hatched.

brood pouch

noun

a pouch in certain fish, frogs, and invertebrates in which the eggs are protected before hatching.

broody /ˈbruːdi/

I. adjective

1. (of a hen) inclined to incubate eggs.

2. ‹informal› (of a woman) having a strong desire to have a baby.

• my sister had a baby and I suddenly realized what it is to feel broody.

3. engaging in or arising from deep thought

• his broody concern for the future.

II. derivatives

1. broodily

adverb

2. broodiness /ˈbruːdɪnəs /

noun

brook^1 /brʊk/

I. noun

a small stream.

• the Lake District boasts lovely lakes and babbling brooks.

II. derivatives

brooklet /ˈbrʊklət /

noun

– origin Old English brōc, of unknown origin; related to Dutch broek and German Bruch ‘marsh’.

brook^2 /brʊk/

I. verb — [with obj.] [with negative]

1. ‹formal› tolerate or allow (something, typically dissent or opposition)

• Jenny would brook no criticism of Matthew.

– origin Old English brūcan ‘use, possess’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bruiken and German brauchen. The current sense dates from the mid 16th cent., a figurative use of an earlier sense ‘digest, stomach’.

Brook, Peter

(b.1925), English theatre director; full name Peter Stephen Paul Brook. As co-director of the Royal Shakespeare Company he earned critical acclaim with King Lear (1963) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (1970).

Brooke, Rupert

(1887–1915), English poet; full name Rupert Chawner Brooke. He is most famous for his wartime poetry 1914 and Other Poems (1915). He died while on naval service in the Mediterranean.

Brooklands

a motor-racing circuit near Weybridge in Surrey, England, opened in 1907. During the Second World War the course was converted for aircraft manufacture.

brooklime

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Eurasian speedwell with smooth fleshy leaves and deep blue flowers on long stalks. It grows in wet areas, where the stems take root or float in the water.
● Veronica beccabunga, family Scrophulariaceae.

– origin Middle English broklemok, from brook^1 + hleomoce, the name of the plant in Old English.

Brooklyn

a borough of New York City, at the south-western corner of Long Island. The Brooklyn Bridge (1869–83) links Long Island with lower Manhattan.

Brooklynese

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an uncultivated form of New York speech associated especially with the borough of Brooklyn.

Brooklynite

noun

a native or inhabitant of the borough of Brooklyn, in New York City.

Brookner, Anita /ˈbrʊknə/

(b.1928), English novelist and art historian. She won the Booker Prize for Hotel du Lac (1984).

Brooks, Cleanth

(1906–94), American teacher and critic. A leading proponent of the New Criticism movement, he edited The Southern Review (1935–42) and taught at Yale University (1947–75). Notable works: Modern Poetry and Tradition (1939).

Brooks, Mel

(b.1926), American film director and comic actor; born Melvin Kaminsky. His debut The Producers (1968) was followed by films including the spoof western Blazing Saddles (1974).

brook trout

noun

(N. Amer.) the brook charr.
See charr.

brookweed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a small white-flowered European plant which grows in wet ground, typically near the sea.
● Samolus valerandi, family Primulaceae.

broom /bruːm/

I. noun

1. a long-handled brush of bristles or twigs, used for sweeping.

2. an implement for sweeping the ice in the game of curling.

3. a flowering shrub with long, thin green stems and small or few leaves, cultivated for its profusion of flowers.
● Cytisus, Genista, and related genera, family Leguminosae: many species and cultivars.

II. phrases

a new broom sweeps clean

‹proverb› people newly appointed to positions of responsibility tend to make far-reaching changes.

• the company seems set to make a fresh start under a new broom.

– origin Old English brōm (in sense 2), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch braam, also to bramble.

broomball

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game similar to ice hockey in which players run rather than skate and use rubber brooms or broom handles to push a ball into the goal.

broomie /ˈbruːmi/

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person who sweeps the floor in a shearing shed.

broomrape /ˈbruːmreɪp/

I. noun

a parasitic plant which bears tubular flowers on a leafless brown stem. It is attached by its tubers to the roots of the host plant.
●Genus Orobanche, family Orobanchaceae.

– origin late 16th cent.: from broom + Latin rapum ‘tuber’.

broomstick /ˈbruːmstɪk/

noun

a brush with twigs at one end and a long handle, on which, in children's literature, witches are said to fly.

Bros /brɒs/

plural noun

brothers (in names of companies)

• Moss Bros the tailors.

brose /brəʊz/

I. noun

(chiefly Scottish) a kind of porridge made with oatmeal or dried peas and boiling water or milk.

– origin mid 17th cent.: originally a Scots form of Middle English brewis ‘broth’, from Old French brouez; ultimately of Germanic origin and related to broth.

broth /brɒθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. soup consisting of meat or vegetables cooked in stock, sometimes thickened with barley or other cereals

• mutton broth.

2. meat or fish stock.

• the pig made five pots of broth.

• [ count noun] she made a broth from the bones.

3. [Microbiology] a liquid medium containing proteins and other nutrients for the culture of bacteria.

• in vitro cultures were established in MG3 broth.

• [as modifier] broth cultures of intestinal tissue.

4. a liquid mixture for the preservation of tissue.

II. phrases

a broth of a boy

(Irish) used approvingly to refer to a very lively boy or young man.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to brew.

brothel /ˈbrɒθ(ə)l/

I. noun

a house where men visit prostitutes.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally brothel-house): from late Middle English brothel ‘worthless man, prostitute’, related to Old English brēothan ‘degenerate, deteriorate’.

brothel creepers

plural noun

‹informal› soft-soled suede shoes.

brothel-keeper

noun

a person who runs a brothel

• the lowly daughter of the local brothel-keeper.

brother /ˈbrʌðə/

I. noun

1. a man or boy in relation to other sons and daughters of his parents.

• he recognized her from her strong resemblance to her brother.

2. a male associate or fellow member of an organization

• the time is coming, brothers, for us to act.

3. (also brotha or brutha) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a black man (often used as a term of address by other black people).

• there I was with one white boy and this other brother.

4. a thing which resembles or is connected to another thing

• the machine is almost identical to its larger brother.

5. ( pl. also brethren) — [Christian Church] a (male) fellow Christian.

6. a member of a religious order of men

• a Benedictine brother.

7. a member of a fundamentalist Protestant denomination

• the Plymouth Brethren.

II. exclamation

(chiefly N. Amer.) used to express annoyance or surprise.

• oh brother!

III. phrases

1. be one's brother's keeper

be responsible for the behaviour of a relative, friend, or associate

• we are, it seems, at last becoming a world in which each of us is our brother's keeper.

2. brothers in arms

soldiers fighting together on the same side.

– origin Old English brōthor, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch broeder and German Bruder, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin frater.

brother-german

noun

‹archaic› a brother sharing both parents, as opposed to a half-brother or stepbrother.

brotherhood /ˈbrʌðəhʊd/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the relationship between brothers.

• the bonds of brotherhood.

2. the feeling of kinship with and closeness to a group of people or all people

• a gesture of solidarity and brotherhood.

3. an association or community of people linked by a common interest, religion, or trade

• a religious brotherhood.

4. (N. Amer.) a trade union.

• the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

– origin Middle English: probably from obsolete brotherred (based on Old English -rǣden ‘condition, state’; compare with kindred). The change of suffix was due to association with words ending in -hood and -head^1.

brother-in-law /ˈbrʌðərɪnlɔː/

noun

1. the brother of one's wife or husband.

2. the husband of one's sister or sister-in-law.

brotherly /ˈbrʌðəli/

I. adjective

1. characteristic of or appropriate for a brother or brothers; fraternal

• he and I had such a brotherly bond.

2. showing affection and concern; affectionate

• you could feel the warmth and the brotherly kindness.

II. derivatives

brotherliness /ˈbrʌðəlɪnəs /

noun

brotherly love

noun — [ mass noun]

1. feelings of humanity and compassion towards one's fellow humans.

brougham /ˈbruː(ə)m/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a horse-drawn carriage with a roof, four wheels, and an open driver's seat in front.

2. ‹historical› a car with an open driver's seat.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Lord Brougham (1778–1868), who designed the carriage.

brought /brɔːt/

past and past participle of bring.

brouhaha /ˈbruːhɑːhɑː/

I. noun

a noisy and overexcited reaction or response to something

• the brouhaha over those infamous commercials

• [ mass noun] all that election brouhaha.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, probably imitative.

Brouwer, Adriaen /ˈbraʊə/

( c. 1605–38), Flemish painter. His most typical works represent peasant scenes in taverns.

brow^1 /braʊ/

I. noun

1. a person's forehead

• he wiped his brow.

2. (usu. brows) — an eyebrow

• his brows lifted in surprise.

3. the summit of a hill or pass

• the cottages were built on the brow of a hill.

II. derivatives

browed

adjective

[in combination]

• furrow-browed

– origin Old English brū ‘eyelash, eyebrow’, of Germanic origin. Current senses arose in Middle English; compare with brae.

brow^2 /braʊ/

I. noun

1. a gangway from a ship to the shore.

2. a hinged part of a ferry or landing craft forming a landing platform.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably from Norwegian bru, from Old Norse brú ‘bridge’.

brow band

noun

the part of a bridle which passes across the horse's forehead.

browbeat /ˈbraʊbiːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. intimidate (someone), typically into doing something, with stern or abusive words

• a witness is being browbeaten under cross-examination.

II. derivatives

browbeater

noun

brown /braʊn/

I. adjective

1. of a colour produced by mixing red, yellow, and blue, as of dark wood or rich soil

• an old brown coat

• she had warm brown eyes.

2. dark-skinned or suntanned

• his face was brown from the sun.

3. South African term for coloured (sense 2 of the adjective).

4. (of bread) light brown in colour and typically made with unbleached or unrefined wholemeal flour

• a slice of brown toast with low fat spread.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — brown colour or pigment

• the brown of his eyes

• a pair of boots in brown

• [ count noun] the print is rich with velvety browns.

2. brown clothes or material

• a woman all in brown.

3. a brown thing, in particular the brown ball in snooker.

4. [with modifier] — a satyrid butterfly, which typically has brown wings with small eyespots.
●Subfamily Satyrinae, family Nymphalidae: many genera and species.

5. South African term for coloured (sense 1 of the noun).

• compulsory education for blacks and browns.

III. verb

make or become brown, typically by cooking
[with obj.]

• a skillet in which food has been browned

• [no obj.] grill the pizza until the cheese has browned.

IV. phrases

1. (as) brown as a berry

(of a person) very suntanned.

• she'd lost her pale, city complexion and become as brown as a berry.

2. in a brown study

see study.

V. phrasal verbs

be browned off

(Brit.) ‹informal› be irritated or depressed

• they're getting browned off with the overtime.

VI. derivatives

1. brownness

noun

2. browny /ˈbraʊni /

adjective

– origin Old English brūn, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bruin and German braun.

Brown, Ford Madox

(1821–93), English painter. His early work was inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites, and in 1861 he became a founder member of William Morris's company, designing stained glass and furniture.

Brown, Gordon

I. (b.1951), British Labour statesman, Prime Minister 2007–10; full name Gordon James Brown.

II. derivatives

Brownite

noun, adjective

Brown, James

(1928–2006), American soul and funk singer and songwriter. In the 1960s he played a leading role in the development of funk with songs such as ‘Papa's Got a Brand New Bag’ (1965) and ‘Sex Machine’ (1970).

Brown, John

(1800–59), American abolitionist. In 1859 he was executed after raiding a government arsenal at Harpers Ferry in Virginia, intending to arm black slaves and start a revolt. He became a hero of the abolitionists in the Civil War.

Brown, Lancelot

(1716–83), English landscape gardener; known as Capability Brown. He evolved an English style of natural-looking landscape parks. Notable examples of his work are at Blenheim Palace, Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, and Kew Gardens.

Brown, Sir Arthur Whitten

(1886–1948), Scottish aviator. He made the first transatlantic flight in 1919 with Sir John William Alcock.

brown ale

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) dark, mild beer sold in bottles.

• the brewery remained famous for stouts and brown ales.

brown algae

plural noun

a large group of algae that are typically olive brown or greenish in colour, including many seaweeds. They contain xanthophyll in addition to chlorophyll.
●Class Phaeophyceae, division Heterokontophyta (also phylum Heterokonta, kingdom Protista); formerly division Phaeophyta.

brown-bag lunch

I. noun

(also bag lunch) — (N. Amer.) a packed lunch carried to work, school, etc.

II. verb — ( brown-bag it)

1. (N. Amer.) take a packed lunch to work, school, etc.

• no school lunch next week, I'm brown-bagging it.

III. derivatives

brown-bagger

noun

brown bear

noun

a large bear with a coat colour ranging from cream to black, occurring chiefly in forests in Eurasia and North America. It is widely persecuted, and was exterminated in Britain, probably before the 10th century. Compare with grizzly bear.
● Ursus arctos, family Ursidae.

brown belt

noun

1. a belt of a brown colour marking a level of proficiency below that of a black belt in judo, karate, or other martial arts.

2. a person qualified to wear a brown belt.

Brown Betty /ˌbraʊn ˈbɛti/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a baked pudding made with apples or other fruit and breadcrumbs.

2. (Brit.) a large brown earthenware teapot.

brown bread

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. bread that is light brown in colour, typically made using unbleached or unrefined wholemeal flour

• a plate of smoked salmon and brown bread.

• [ count noun] wheatgerm is often used as a dietary supplement and is added to some brown breads.

II. adjective

(Brit.) ‹rhyming slang› (of a person) dead

• if the bite isn't treated within a short period of time, you'll be brown bread.

brown coal

noun

another term for lignite.

brown dwarf

noun

[Astronomy] a celestial object intermediate in size between a giant planet and a small star, believed to emit mainly infrared radiation.

Browne, Sir Thomas

(1605–82), English author and physician. He achieved prominence with Religio Medici (1642), a collection of opinions on a vast number of subjects connected with religion.

brown earth

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Soil Science] a type of soil having a brown humus-rich surface layer.

browneye /ˈbrɑʊnʌɪ/

I. noun

(chiefly Austral.) ‹vulgar slang› the anus.

II. phrases

flash (or chuck) a browneye

(chiefly Austral.) ‹vulgar slang› bend over and expose one's bare buttocks as a gesture of contempt or defiance.

brown fat

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark-coloured adipose tissue with many blood vessels, involved in the rapid production of heat in hibernating animals and human babies.

brownfield

adjective

(Brit.) denoting or relating to urban sites for potential building development that have had previous development on them

• a contaminated brownfield site in the inner city.

Compare with greenfield.

brown goods

plural noun

television sets, audio equipment, and similar household appliances.
Compare with grey goods, white goods.

brown-haired

adjective

having brown-coloured hair

• a rangy, brown-haired man.

brown hare

noun

a hare found commonly in much of Eurasia, though absent from Ireland.
● Lepus europaeus , family Leporidae.

brown holland

noun — [ mass noun]

1. unbleached holland linen.

Brownian motion /ˈbraʊnɪən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the erratic random movement of microscopic particles in a fluid, as a result of continuous bombardment from molecules of the surrounding medium.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Robert Brown (1773–1858), the Scottish botanist who first observed the motion.

brownie /ˈbraʊni/

I. noun

1. a small square of rich chocolate cake, typically containing nuts.

2. (Austral./NZ) a piece of sweet currant bread.

3. ( Brownie, also Brownie Guide) — (Brit.) a member of the junior branch of the Guide Association, for girls aged between about 7 and 10, wearing a brown uniform.

• for my birthday I want to join the Brownies.

4. a benevolent elf that supposedly haunts houses and does housework secretly.

– origin early 16th cent. (in sense 3): diminutive of brown (a ‘wee brown man’ often appears in Scottish ballads and fairy tales).

Brownie Guider

noun

the adult leader of a group of Brownies.
See also brown owl (sense 2).

brownie point

noun

‹informal› ‹humorous› an imaginary award given to someone who does good deeds or attempts to please

• his policy will win brownie points with voters.

browning /ˈbraʊnɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process or result of making something brown, typically by cooking or burning.

• the browning on the plants.

2. (Brit.) darkened flour, typically with other additives, for colouring gravy.

Browning /ˈbraʊnɪŋ/

I. noun

1. (also Browning machine gun) — a type of water-cooled automatic machine gun.

2. (also Browning automatic) — a type of automatic pistol.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after John M. Browning (1855–1926), American designer of the weapons.

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett

(1806–61), English poet; born Elizabeth Barrett. She established her reputation with Poems (1844). In 1846 she eloped to Italy with Robert Browning.

Browning, Robert

(1812–89), English poet. In 1842 he established his name with Dramatic Lyrics, containing ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ and ‘My Last Duchess’.

brownish /ˈbraʊnɪʃ/

adjective

having a brown tinge; slightly brown

• a brownish coloured cat

• where I live the soil is brownish red.

brown-nose ‹informal›

I. noun

(also brown-noser) — an extremely obsequious person.

• a little brown-noser who wants to make sure I know he's working on Saturday.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. curry favour with (someone) by acting very obsequiously

• academics were brown-nosing the senior faculty

• [no obj.] if I can't learn to brown-nose, at least I can keep my mouth shut.

brownout /ˈbraʊnaʊt/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a reduction in or restriction on the availability of electrical power in a particular area.

– origin 1940s: after blackout.

brown owl

noun

1. another term for tawny owl.

2. ( Brown Owl) — (Brit.) ‹informal› the adult leader of a group of Brownies, officially termed the Brownie Guider since 1968.

brown paper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of paper made from unbleached wood pulp, used especially to make paper bags and envelopes or as wrapping for parcels

• she came out with a package wrapped in brown paper and tied with string

• [as modifier] a brown paper grocery bag.

brown rat

noun

a rat found throughout the world, typically living in association with man and regarded as a pest. It is commonly kept as a laboratory animal and as a pet, and is also bred in the albino form. Also called common rat, Norway rat.
● Rattus norvegicus, family Muridae.

brown rice

noun — [ mass noun]

1. unpolished rice with only the husk of the grain removed.

brown rot

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fungal disease causing the rotting and browning of parts of plants, in particular:
● a disease producing discoloration and shrivelling of apples, pears, plums, and other fruit (caused by fungi of the genus Sclerotinia, subdivision Ascomycotina). ● a disease resulting in the softening and cracking of timber (caused by bracket fungi of the family Polyporaceae, class Hymenomycetes).

brown sauce

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a savoury sauce made with fat and flour cooked to a brown colour.

2. a commercially prepared relish containing vinegar and spices.

Brownshirt /ˈbraʊnʃəːt/

noun

‹historical› a member of a Nazi militia founded by Hitler in Munich in 1921, with brown uniforms resembling those of Mussolini's Blackshirts. They aided Hitler's rise to power, but were eclipsed by the SS after the ‘night of the long knives’ in June 1934.
Also called Storm Troops or Sturmabteilung.

brown snake

noun

1. a fast-moving, aggressive venomous Australian snake, with a variety of colour forms.
● Pseudonaja and other genera, family Elapidae: several species, in particular P. textilis.

2. a small, secretive harmless North American snake that is typically brown in colour.
● Storeria dekayi, family Colubridae.

brownstone /ˈbraʊnstəʊn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a kind of reddish-brown sandstone used for building.

2. [ count noun] — (N. Amer.) a building faced with reddish-brown sandstone.

brown sugar

noun — [ mass noun]

1. unrefined or partially refined sugar.

brown-tail brown-tail moth

noun

a white European tussock moth with a tuft of brown hairs on the tip of the abdomen. The caterpillars have severely irritant hairs that can produce an allergic reaction, overwinter in a communal web, and can be a pest of tree foliage.
● Euproctis chrysorrhoea, family Lymantriidae.

browntop browntop bent

noun

another term for the grass common bent (see bent^2).

brown trout

noun

the common trout of Europe, especially one of a non-migratory race having dark spotted skin and occurring in small rivers and pools.
● Salmo trutta, family Salmonidae, in particular S. trutta fario.

browse /braʊz/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. survey goods for sale in a leisurely and casual way

• he stopped to browse around a second-hand bookshop.

2. scan through a text, website, or collection of data to gain an impression of the contents

• she browsed through the newspaper

• [with obj.] I decided to spend the night browsing the Internet.

3. (of an animal) feed on leaves, twigs, or other high-growing vegetation

• they reach upward to browse on bushes.

II. noun

1. [in sing.] — an act of casual looking or reading

• a browse through the sports pages

• I was just having a quick browse around the antique stalls.

• the brochure is well worth a browse.

2. a book, magazine, or website to be casually looked through

• this book is a useful browse for a new worker in the field.

3. [ mass noun] — vegetation, such as twigs and young shoots, eaten by animals.

• a moose needs to eat forty to fifty pounds of browse a day.

III. derivatives

browsable

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2 of the verb): from Old French broster, from brost ‘young shoot’, probably of Germanic origin.

browser /ˈbraʊzə/

noun

1. a person who looks casually through publications or websites or at goods for sale.

• a wonderful array of shops that will keep any browser amused for hours.

2. a computer program with a graphical user interface for displaying HTML files, used to navigate the World Wide Web

• a web browser.

3. an animal which feeds mainly on high-growing vegetation.

• roe deer are browsers, living throughout the year in dense woodland.

brrr

exclamation

used to express someone's reaction to feeling cold

• Brrr! It's a freezing cold day.

BRU

abbreviation

Brunei (international vehicle registration).

Brubeck, Dave /ˈbruːbɛk/

(1920–2012), American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader; full name David Warren Brubeck. He formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951 and won international recognition with the album Time Out, which included ‘Take Five’ (1959).

brubru /ˈbruːbruː / brubru shrike

noun

a small tropical African shrike (bird) with striking black-and-white plumage and chestnut flanks. Compare with boubou.
● Nilaus afer, family Laniidae.

Bruce, James

(1730–94), Scottish explorer. In 1770 he was the first European to discover the source of the Blue Nile, although his Travels to Discover the Sources of the Nile (1790), recounting his expedition, was dismissed by his contemporaries as fabrication.

Bruce, Lenny

(1925–66), American comedian; born Leonard Alfred Schneider. He gained notoriety for flouting the bounds of respectability with his humour, and was imprisoned for obscenity in 1961. He died following an accidental drugs overdose.

Bruce, Robert the

see Robert.

brucellosis /ˌbruːsəˈləʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bacterial disease typically affecting cattle and causing undulant fever in humans.
●This disease is caused by Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Brucella, in particular B. abortus.

– origin 1930s: from modern Latin Brucella + -osis: named after Sir David Bruce (1855–1931), the Scottish physician who identified the bacterium.

brucite /ˈbruːsʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white, grey, or greenish mineral typically occurring in the form of tabular crystals. It consists of hydrated magnesium hydroxide.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after Archibald Bruce (1777–1818), American mineralogist, + -ite^1.

Bruckner, Anton /ˈbrʊknə/

(1824–96), Austrian composer and organist. He wrote ten symphonies, four masses, and a Te Deum (1884).

Bruegel /ˈbrɔɪɡ(ə)l / Breughel, Brueghel

I. the name of a family of Flemish artists:

II. Pieter ( c. 1525–69); known as Pieter Bruegel the Elder. He produced landscapes, religious allegories, and satires of peasant life. Notable works: The Procession to Calvary (1564).

III. Pieter Bruegel the Younger (1564–1638), son of Pieter Bruegel the Elder; known as Hell Bruegel. A very able copyist of his father's work, he is also noted for his paintings of devils.

IV. Jan (1568–1623), son of Pieter Bruegel the Elder; known as Velvet Bruegel. He was a celebrated painter of flowers, landscapes, and mythological scenes.

Bruges /bruːʒ/

a city in NW Belgium, capital of the province of West Flanders; pop. 117,071 (2008). A centre of the Flemish textile trade until the 15th century, it is a well-preserved medieval city surrounded by canals. Flemish name Brugge /ˈbryxə/.

bruh /brəː/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a male friend (often used as a form of address)

• get off the Internet and get a life bruh

• where are my bruhs at?

– origin early 20th cent. (as an informal title before a man's name): perhaps originally representing an African-American pronunciation of brother; compare brer, brah.

bruin /ˈbruːɪn/

I. noun

a name for a bear, especially in children's fables.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Dutch bruin (see brown); used as a name for the bear in the 13th-cent. fable Reynard the Fox.

bruise /bruːz/

I. noun

1. an injury appearing as an area of discoloured skin on the body, caused by a blow or impact rupturing underlying blood vessels.

• his body was a mass of bruises after he had been attacked.

2. a mark indicating damage on a fruit, vegetable, or plant.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often as adj. bruised) — inflict a bruise on (someone or something)

• a bruised knee.

2. [no obj.] — be susceptible to bruising

• potatoes bruise easily, so treat them with care.

3. hurt (someone's feelings)

• she tried to bolster her bruised pride.

4. crush or pound (food)

• the mix contains bruised oats.

– origin Old English brȳsan ‘crush or injure with a blow’, reinforced in Middle English by Old French bruisier ‘break’.

bruiser /ˈbruːzə/

noun

1. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a person who is tough and aggressive and enjoys a fight or argument.

• thick-necked bruisers in shell suits.

• his reputation as a political bruiser.

2. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a professional boxer.

• a decent, gentle bruiser who almost knocked out one the greatest heavyweights of all time.

bruising /ˈbruːzɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. causing a bruise or bruises

• his legs took the bruising blows.

2. (of a competitive situation) conducted in an aggressive way and likely to be stressful

• a bruising cabinet battle over public spending.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. bruises on the skin

• her arm showed signs of bruising.

III. derivatives

bruisingly

adverb

bruit /bruːt/

I. verb — [with obj. and adverbial]

1. spread (a report or rumour) widely

• I didn't want to have our relationship bruited about the office.

II. noun

1. ‹archaic› a report or rumour.

• the wildest bruits were greedily credited.

• [ mass noun] is virtue to be established by common bruit only?

2. [Medicine] a sound, especially an abnormal one, heard through a stethoscope; a murmur.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun): from Old French bruit ‘noise’, from bruire ‘to roar’.

Brum /brʌm / ‹Brit. informal›

I. a name for Birmingham (sense 1).

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation of Brummagem.

Brumaire /bruːˈmɛː, French bʀymɛʀ/

I. noun

the second month of the French Republican calendar (1793–1805), originally running from 22 October to 20 November.

– origin French, from brume ‘mist’.

brumby /ˈbrʌmbi/

I. noun

(in Australia) a wild or unbroken horse.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

brume /bruːm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› mist or fog

• the birds rise like brume.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from Latin bruma ‘winter’.

Brummagem /ˈbrʌmədʒ(ə)m/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹informal› relating to Birmingham or the dialect of English spoken there.

2. ‹dated› cheap, showy, or counterfeit

• a vile Brummagem substitute for the genuine article.

– origin mid 17th cent.: dialect form of Birmingham, England; sense 2 is with reference to counterfeit coins and cheap plated goods once made there.

Brummell, George Bryan /ˈbrʌm(ə)l/

(1778–1840), English dandy; known as Beau Brummell. He was the arbiter of British fashion for the first decade and a half of the 19th century, owing his social position to his friendship with the Prince Regent.

Brummie /ˈbrʌmi / ‹informal› Brummy

I. noun

(Brit.) a native of the British city of Birmingham.

II. adjective

1. (Brit.) from or relating to Birmingham

• a Brummie accent.

2. ( brummy) — (Austral./NZ) counterfeit, showy, or cheaply made

• brummy jewels.

– origin 1940s: from Brum.

brumous /ˈbruːməs/

I. adjective

‹literary› foggy and wintry.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French brumeux, from late Latin brumosus (from bruma ‘winter’).

brunch /brʌn(t)ʃ/

I. noun

a late morning meal eaten instead of breakfast and lunch.

• he cobbled together a brunch of cold remains from the fridge.

• [ mass noun] breakfast was served so late as almost to constitute brunch.

– origin late 19th cent.: blend of breakfast and lunch.

Brundtland, Gro Harlem /ˈbrʊntland/

(b.1939), Norwegian Labour stateswoman, Prime Minister 1981, 1986–9, and 1990–6. She was Norway's first woman Prime Minister, and was director general of the World Health Organization 1998–2003.

Brunei /bruːˈnʌɪ/

I.
1. a small, oil-rich sultanate on the NW coast of Borneo, pop. 388,200 (est. 2009); languages, Malay (official), English (official), Chinese; capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

In the 16th century Brunei dominated Borneo and parts of the Philippines, but its power declined as that of the Portuguese and Dutch grew, and in 1888 it was placed under British protection. It became a fully independent Commonwealth state in 1984.

II. derivatives

Bruneian /bruːˈnʌɪən /

adjective, noun

Brunel, Isambard Kingdom /brʊˈnɛl/

(1806–59), English engineer, son of Sir Marc Isambard Brunel. He was chief engineer of the Great Western Railway. His achievements include designing the Clifton suspension bridge (1829–30), the first transatlantic steamship, the Great Western (1838), and the Great Eastern (1858), at the time the world's largest ship.

Brunel, Sir Marc Isambard /brʊˈnɛl/

(1769–1849), French-born English engineer, father of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. He introduced mass-production machinery to Portsmouth dockyard and designed other machines for woodworking, boot-making, knitting, and printing. He also worked to construct the first tunnel under the Thames (1825–43).

Brunelleschi, Filippo /ˌbruːnəˈlɛski/

(1377–1446), Italian architect; born Filippo di Ser Brunellesco. He is especially noted for the dome of Florence cathedral (1420–61), which he raised without the use of temporary supports. He is often credited with the Renaissance ‘discovery’ of perspective.

brunette /bruːˈnɛt, brʊˈnɛt / ‹US› brunet

I. noun

a woman or girl with dark brown hair.

• she's a gorgeous, green-eyed brunette.

II. adjective

1. (of a woman or girl) having dark brown hair

• a fresh-faced brunette woman in her thirties.

2. (of hair) dark brown

• her lustrous brunette tresses.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, feminine of brunet, diminutive of brun ‘brown’.

brung

dialect past and past participle of bring.

Brunhild /ˈbruːnhɪlt / ‹Germanic Mythology›

in the Nibelungenlied, the wife of Gunther, who instigated the murder of Siegfried. In the Norse versions she is a Valkyrie whom Sigurd (the counterpart of Siegfried) wins by penetrating the wall of fire behind which she lies in an enchanted sleep.

Bruno, Giordano /ˈbruːnəʊ/

(1548–1600), Italian philosopher. He was a follower of Hermes Trismegistus and a supporter of the heliocentric Copernican view of the solar system. Bruno was tried by the Inquisition for heresy and burned at the stake.

Bruno, St /ˈbruːnəʊ/

( c. 1032–1101), German-born French churchman. In 1084 he founded the Carthusian order at La Grande Chartreuse near Grenoble. Feast day, 6 October.

brunoise /bruːnˈwɑːz/

I. noun

a mixture of finely diced vegetables fried in butter and used to flavour soups and sauces.

– origin French, from brun ‘brown’.

Brunswick /ˈbrʌnzwɪk/

I. a former duchy and state of Germany, mostly incorporated into Lower Saxony.
German name Braunschweig.

II. an industrial city in Lower Saxony, Germany; pop. 245,500 (est. 2006).

Brunswick stew

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) a stew originally made with squirrel or rabbit, but now consisting of chicken and vegetables including onion and tomatoes.

brunt /brʌnt/

I. noun — ( the brunt)

1. the worst part or chief impact of a specified action

• education will bear the brunt of the cuts.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a blow or an attack, also the force or shock of something): of unknown origin.

bruschetta /brʊˈskɛtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. toasted Italian bread drenched in olive oil and served typically with garlic or tomatoes.

– origin Italian, from bruscare ‘to toast’. / usage: Note that bruschetta is spelled with -sche- in the middle but pronounced -ske-.

brush^1 /brʌʃ/

I. noun

1. an implement with a handle and a block of bristles, hair, or wire, used especially for cleaning, applying a liquid or powder to a surface, or arranging the hair

• a shaving brush.

2. an act of sweeping, applying, or arranging with a brush or with one's hand

• he gave the seat a brush.

3. a light and fleeting touch

• the lightest brush of his lips against her cheek.

4. a brief encounter with someone or something unpleasant or notable

• a brush with death

• my first brush with fame.

5. the bushy tail of a fox.

6. (usu. brushes) — a drumstick with long wire bristles, used to make a soft hissing sound on drums or cymbals.

7. a piece of carbon or metal serving as an electrical contact with a moving part in a motor or alternator.

8. [ mass noun] — (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› girls or women regarded sexually

• ‘Beer first, brush later.’.

[1940s: probably from brush in the sense ‘animal's tail’, by association with tail ‘buttocks’ (see tail^1).]

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [with adverbial] — remove (dust or dirt) by sweeping or scrubbing

• we'll be able to brush the mud off easily.

2. use a brush or one's hand to remove dust or dirt from (something)

• she brushed down her best coat.

3. clean (one's teeth) with a brush.

4. arrange (one's hair) by running a brush through it.

• she carefully made up her face and brushed her long auburn hair.

5. apply a liquid to (a surface) with a brush

• brush the potatoes with oil.

6. [no obj.] — touch lightly and gently

• stems of grass brush against her legs.

• their fingers brushed as she took the glass from him.

7. [with obj.] — push (something) away with a quick movement of the hand

• she brushed a wisp of hair away from her face.

III. phrasal verbs

1. brush someone/thing aside

dismiss someone or something curtly and confidently

• he brushed aside attacks on his policies.

2. brush someone/thing off

dismiss someone or something in an abrupt way

• the judge brushed off his pleas for leniency.

3. brush past

touch fleetingly and in passing

• she brushed past him to leave the room.

4. brush up on (or brush something up)

improve one's existing knowledge or skill in a particular area

• brush up on your telephone skills.

IV. derivatives

1. brushless /ˈbrʌʃləs /

adjective

• a brushless motor

2. brush-like

adjective

– origin Middle English: noun from Old French broisse; verb partly from Old French brosser ‘to sweep’.

brush^2 /brʌʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) undergrowth, small trees, and shrubs.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) land covered with undergrowth, small trees, and shrubs.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) (N. Amer.) cut brushwood.

4. (chiefly N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) (Austral./NZ) dense forest.

– origin Middle English: from Old French broce, perhaps based on Latin bruscum, denoting an excrescence on a maple.

brushback brushback pitch

noun

[Baseball] a pitch aimed close to the body so that the batter must step back to avoid it.

brush discharge

noun

a broad electrical discharge from a conductor occurring when the potential difference is high but not sufficient for a spark or arc.

brushed /brʌʃt/

adjective

1. (of fabric) having a soft raised nap

• brushed cotton.

2. (of metal) finished with a non-reflective surface

• brushed aluminium.

brush-off

noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹informal› a rejection or dismissal of someone by treating them as unimportant

• he's given her the brush-off.

brushstroke /ˈbrʌʃstrəʊk/

noun

a mark made by a paintbrush drawn across a surface.

brushtail brush-tailed possum

noun

a nocturnal and mainly tree-dwelling Australasian marsupial, which has a pointed muzzle and a furred tail with a naked tip.
●Genus Trichosurus, family Phalangeridae: three species, in particular the common brushtail ( T. vulpecula), frequently found in suburban areas.

brush-turkey

noun

a large mound-building bird of the megapode family, resembling a turkey and found mainly in New Guinea. Also called scrub-turkey.
●Family Megapodiidae: several genera and species, including Alectura lathami of eastern Australia.

brush-up

noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. (Brit.) an act of cleaning or smartening oneself or something up

• he must want a wash and brush-up after the long journey.

2. [usu. as modifier] — (Brit.) an act of improving existing knowledge or skill in a particular area

• a two-day brush-up course.

brush wolf

noun

North American term for coyote.

brushwood /ˈbrʌʃwʊd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. undergrowth, twigs, and small branches.

brushwork /ˈbrʌʃwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the way in which a painter uses their brush, as evident in their paintings

• canvases characterized by lively, flowing brushwork.

brushy /ˈbrʌʃi/

adjective

1. covered in or consisting of brushwood

• a brushy hillside.

2. [Art] displaying bold use of the brush in painting

• brushy outlining of form.

brusque /brʊsk, bruːsk, brʌsk/

I. adjective

abrupt or offhand in speech or manner

• she could be brusque and impatient.

II. derivatives

1. brusquely /ˈbrʊskli, ˈbruːskli, ˈbrʌskli /

adverb

2. brusqueness /ˈbrʊsknəs, ˈbruːsknəs, ˈbrʌsknəs /

noun

3. brusquerie /ˈbrʊsk(ə)riː, ˈbruːsk(ə)riː /

noun

‹archaic›

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, ‘lively, fierce’, from Italian brusco ‘sour’.

Brussels^1 /ˈbrʌs(ə)lz/

the capital of Belgium and of the Belgian province of Brabant; pop. 1,048,491 (2008). The headquarters of the European Commission is located there. Flemish name Brussel /ˈbrys(ə)l/. French name Bruxelles /bʀysɛl/.

Brussels^2 /ˈbrʌs(ə)lz/

plural noun

‹informal› Brussels sprouts.

Brussels carpet

noun

a carpet with a heavy woollen pile and a strong linen back.

Brussels lace

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an elaborate kind of lace, typically with a raised design, made using a needle or lace pillow.

Brussels sprout /ˈbrʌs(ə)lz / Brussel sprout

noun

1. a vegetable consisting of the small compact bud of a variety of cabbage.

2. the plant which yields Brussels sprouts, bearing many along a tall single stem.

brut /bruːt, French bʀy/

I. adjective

(of sparkling wine) unsweetened; very dry.

– origin French, literally ‘raw, rough’.

brutal /ˈbruːt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. savagely violent

• a brutal murder.

2. unpleasant or harsh

• the brutal morning light.

3. direct and without attempting to disguise unpleasantness

• the brutal honesty of his observations.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to the lower animals’): from Old French, or from medieval Latin brutalis, from brutus ‘dull, stupid’ (see brute).

brutalism /ˈbruːt(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — cruelty and savageness.

• exchanging one kind of social and economic brutalism for another is not what they had in mind.

2. a stark style of functionalist architecture, especially of the 1950s and 1960s, characterized by the use of steel and concrete in massive blocks.

• the long, low, concrete-faced buildings were remarkable solely for their brutalism.

II. derivatives

brutalist /ˈbruːt(ə)lɪst /

noun, adjective

brutality /brʊˈtalɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. savage physical violence; great cruelty

• brutality against civilians.

brutalize /ˈbruːt(ə)lʌɪz / brutalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) cruel, violent, or insensitive to the pain of others by repeated exposure to violence

• he had been brutalized in prison and become cynical

• (as adj. brutalizing) the brutalizing effects of warfare.

2. treat (someone) in a savage and violent way

• they brutalize and torture persons in their custody.

II. derivatives

brutalization /bruːt(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

brutally /ˈbruːt(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a savagely violent way

• he was imprisoned and brutally tortured

• he brutally murdered an innocent man.

2. [as submodifier] — in a direct way that does not attempt to disguise unpleasantness

• she was unapologetic and brutally honest

• a brutally candid interview.

3. [as submodifier] — to an extremely unpleasant or harsh degree

• weeks of brutally cold weather

• a brutally competitive market.

brute /bruːt/

I. noun

1. a savagely violent man or animal

• he was a cold-blooded brute.

2. ‹informal› a cruel or insensitive person

• what an unfeeling little brute you are.

3. something awkward, difficult, or unpleasant

• a great brute of a machine.

4. an animal as opposed to a human being.

• we, unlike dumb brutes, can reflect upon our impulses.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. unreasoning and animal-like

• a brute struggle for social superiority.

2. merely physical

• we achieve little by brute force.

3. fundamental, inescapable, and unpleasant

• the brute necessities of basic subsistence.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): from Old French brut(e), from Latin brutus ‘dull, stupid’.

brutish /ˈbruːtɪʃ/

I. adjective

resembling or characteristic of a brute

• he was coarse and brutish

• brutish behaviour.

II. derivatives

1. brutishly

adverb

2. brutishness /ˈbruːtɪʃnəs /

noun

Bruton, John /ˈbruːt(ə)n/

(b.1947), Irish Fine Gael statesman, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) 1994–7; full name John Gerard Bruton.

Brutus /ˈbruːtəs/

a legendary Trojan hero, great-grandson of Aeneas and supposed ancestor of the British people. In medieval legend he was said to have brought a group of Trojans to England and founded Troynovant or New Troy (London).

Brutus, Lucius Junius

legendary founder of the Roman Republic. Traditionally he led a popular uprising, after the rape of Lucretia, against the king (his uncle) and drove him from Rome. He and the father of Lucretia were elected as the first consuls of the Republic (509 BC).

Brutus, Marcus Junius

(85–42 BC), Roman senator. With Cassius he led the conspirators who assassinated Julius Caesar in 44. They were defeated by Caesar's supporters, Antony and Octavian, at the battle of Philippi in 42, after which Brutus committed suicide.

bruvver /ˈbrʌvə / bruv /brʌv/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person's brother

• he's really looking forward to having a little bruvver or sister

• me and me bruv will be there.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› used as a form of address between men

• it's been a long, hard journey, bruv, to be honest.

– origin late 19th cent.: representing a colloquial pronunciation of brother.

Bruxelles /bʀysɛl/

French name for Brussels^1.

bruxism /ˈbrʌksɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. involuntary habitual grinding of the teeth, typically during sleep.

– origin 1930s: from Greek brukhein ‘gnash the teeth’ + -ism.

Bryansk /brɪˈansk / Briansk

an industrial city in European Russia, south-west of Moscow, on the Desna River; pop. 413,900 (est. 2008).

Brylcreem /ˈbrɪlkriːm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a cream used on men's hair to give it a smooth, shiny appearance.

II. derivatives

Brylcreemed

adjective

bryology /brʌɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of mosses and liverworts.

II. derivatives

1. bryological

adjective

2. bryologist /brʌɪˈɒlədʒɪst /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek bruon ‘moss’ + -logy.

bryony /ˈbrʌɪəni / white bryony

I. noun

a climbing Eurasian hedgerow plant with lobed hairy leaves, red berries, and spring-like tendrils. See also black bryony.
● Bryonia dioica, the only British member of the gourd family ( Cucurbitaceae).

– origin Old English, via Latin from Greek bruōnia.

Bryophyta /ˌbrʌɪə(ʊ)ˈfʌɪtə/

I. plural noun

[Botany] a division of small flowerless green plants which comprises the mosses and liverworts. They lack true roots and reproduce by spores released from a stalked capsule.
●Division Bryophyta: classes Musci (mosses) and Hepaticae (liverworts).

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek bruon ‘moss’ + phuta ‘plants’.

bryophyte /ˈbrʌɪə(ʊ)fʌɪt/

noun

[Botany] a small flowerless green plant of the division Bryophyta, which comprises the mosses and liverworts.

Bryozoa /ˌbrʌɪəˈzəʊə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a phylum of sedentary aquatic invertebrates that comprises the moss animals.
Also called Ectoprocta, Polyzoa.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek bruon ‘moss’ + zōia ‘animals’.

bryozoan ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a sedentary aquatic invertebrate of the phylum Bryozoa, which comprises the moss animals.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting bryozoans.

Brythonic /brɪˈθɒnɪk / Brittonic

I. adjective

denoting or relating to the southern group of Celtic languages, consisting of Welsh, Cornish, and Breton. They were spoken in Britain before and during the Roman occupation, surviving as Welsh and Cornish after the Anglo-Saxon invasions, and being taken to Brittany by emigrants.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Brythonic languages collectively.

– origin from Welsh Brython ‘Britons’ + -ic.

Brześć nad Bugiem /ˌbʒɛʃtʃ nad ˈbuɡjɛm/

Polish name for Brest (sense 2).

BS /biːˈɛs/

abbreviation

1. (US) Bachelor of Science.

• she received her BS in biology from Aquinas College.

2. (Brit.) Bachelor of Surgery.

3. Blessed Sacrament.

4. British Standard(s).

• does your electric blanket conform to BS 3456?

5. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› bullshit.

BSc /biːɛsˈsiː/

abbreviation

Bachelor of Science, a first degree in a science subject.

• he graduated with a BSc in Mathematics.

• Sue Russell, BSc.

BSD

abbreviation

Bahamian dollar(s).

BSE /biːɛsˈiː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a disease of cattle which affects the central nervous system, causing agitation and staggering, and is usually fatal. It is believed to be caused by an agent such as a prion or a virino, and to be related to Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease in humans.
Also (popularly) called mad cow disease.

BSI

abbreviation

British Standards Institution.
[as modifier]

• the helmet must carry the BSI Kitemark.

B-side

noun

the side of a pop single regarded as the less important one.

BSL

abbreviation

British Sign Language.

BST /biːɛsˈtiː/

abbreviation

1. bovine somatotrophin.

2. ‹historical› British Standard Time, one hour ahead of GMT, in continuous use 1968–71.

3. British Summer Time.

• 18.13 BST.

Bt

abbreviation

Baronet.

BT

abbreviation

British Telecom.

• BT has also set up banks of mobile phone kiosks.

• [as modifier] people who bought BT shares.

BTL

adjective

1. (Brit.) short for buy-to-let:

• BTL landlords.

2. short for below the line.

BTN

abbreviation

Bhutanese ngultrum.

B2B /biːtəˈbiː/

abbreviation

business-to-business, denoting trade conducted via the Internet between businesses.

B2C /ˌbiːtəˈsiː/

abbreviation

business-to-consumer, denoting trade conducted via the Internet between businesses and consumers.

B-tree

noun

[Computing] an organizational structure for information storage and retrieval in the form of a tree in which all terminal nodes are the same distance from the base, and all non-terminal nodes have between n and 2 n subtrees or pointers (where n is an integer).

Btu BTU

abbreviation

British thermal unit(s).

BTW

abbreviation

‹informal› by the way.

Bual /ˈbuːal/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of wine grape grown chiefly in Madeira.

2. a Madeira wine of a medium-sweet type made from Bual grapes.

– origin from Portuguese boal.

BUAV

abbreviation

British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection.

bub /bʌb/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› an aggressive or rude way of addressing a boy or man

• hey, bub, I'm looking for someone.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from earlier bubby (perhaps a child's form of brother), or from German Bube ‘boy’.

bubal /ˈbjuːb(ə)l/

I. noun

a hartebeest, especially one of an extinct race that was formerly found in North Africa.
● Alcelaphus buselaphus buselaphus, family Bovidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French bubale, via Latin from Greek boubalos ‘wild ox, antelope’.

bubba /ˈbʌbə/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› used as an affectionate form of address to a brother.

• my sister has always called me bubba.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› an uneducated conservative white male of the southern US.

– origin late 19th cent.: alteration of brother.

bubbie

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› (in Jewish use) one's grandmother.

• as a child, I remember my bubbie singing Yiddish songs.

• [as name] on sabbath evenings, Bubbie would don a special kerchief.

– origin from Yiddish bube ‘grandmother’.

bubble /ˈbʌb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a thin sphere of liquid enclosing air or another gas.

• we'd shake up a piece of soap in a tin of warm water and blow bubbles.

2. an air- or gas-filled spherical cavity in a liquid or a solidified liquid such as glass.

• the white foamy part of a broken wave is largely made up of air bubbles.

3. used to refer to a good or fortunate situation that is isolated from reality or unlikely to last

• we both lived in a bubble, the kind provided by occupying a privileged pied-à-terre in Greenwich Village.

4. used to refer to a significant, usually rapid, increase in asset prices that is soon followed by a collapse in prices and typically arises from speculation or enthusiasm rather than intrinsic increases in value

• the US economy squandered trillions as a result of the 1990s stock market bubble

• many companies enjoyed rapid expansion before the bubble burst.

5. a transparent domed cover or enclosure

• piglets born into a sterile bubble.

6. a place or position that is protected from danger or unpleasant reality

• they are not on tour packages seeing foreign ports from a bubble.

7. (also bubble shell) — a marine mollusc that typically has a thin scroll-like shell.
● Bullidae and other families, order Cephalaspidea, class Gastropoda.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a liquid) form rising bubbles of gas or air

• a pot of coffee bubbled away on the stove.

2. make a bubbling sound

• close by, a stream bubbled along through reeds and rushes

• (as adjective bubbling) a bubbling fountain.

3. ( bubble with/over with) — be filled with an irrepressible positive feeling

• Ellen was bubbling with enthusiasm.

4. ( bubble up) — (of a feeling) become more intense and approach the point of being expressed

• the fury bubbling up inside her.

III. phrases

1. burst someone's bubble

shatter someone's illusions about something or destroy their sense of well-being.

2. on the bubble

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› (of a sports player or team) occupying the last qualifying position on a team or for a tournament, and liable to be replaced by another.

• he's never lived up to his high selection, and is on the bubble for a roster spot.

• ‹figurative› several of last year's new TV shows are on the bubble.

[from sit on the bubble, with the implication that the bubble may burst.]

– origin Middle English: partly imitative, partly an alteration of burble.

bubble and squeak

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) cooked cabbage fried with cooked potatoes and often meat.

– origin late 18th cent.: from the sounds of the mixture cooking.

bubble bath

noun — [ mass noun]

1. liquid, crystals, or powder added to bathwater to make it foam and have a fragrant smell.

• the gift baskets included bubble bath and champagne.

• [ count noun] avoid toiletries such as bath oils and bubble baths.

bubble canopy

noun

a transparent domed canopy on a fighter aircraft or bubble car.

bubble car

noun

a small car with a transparent domed canopy and typically three wheels.

bubble chamber

noun

[Physics] an apparatus designed to make the tracks of ionizing particles visible as a row of bubbles in a liquid.

bubble economy

noun

an economy undergoing an unsustainable boom, especially that of in Japan in the late 1980s.

bubblegum /ˈbʌb(ə)lɡʌm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. chewing gum that can be blown into bubbles.

2. (also bubblegum pink) [ mass noun] — the bright pink colour that is typical of bubblegum.

• oddball colours like chartreuse and bubblegum.

• [as modifier] bubblegum capri pants.

3. [usu. as modifier] — (chiefly N. Amer.) pop music that is catchy and repetitive and designed to appeal especially to teenagers

• rockers hate bubblegum pop.

bubblehead /ˈbʌblhɛd/

noun

‹informal› a foolish or empty-headed person.

bubblejet printer /ˈbʌbldʒɛt prɪntə/

noun

a form of inkjet printer in which the ink is heated, producing bubbles which force droplets of ink on to the paper.

bubble lift

noun

‹informal› a ski lift with suspended cabins.

bubble memory

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] a type of memory in which data is stored as a pattern of magnetized regions in a thin layer of magnetic material.

bubble pack

noun

1. a small package enclosing goods in transparent dome-shaped plastic on a flat cardboard backing.

2. another term for bubble wrap.

bubbler

noun

(Austral.) (US) a drinking fountain.

bubble tea

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an East Asian drink of tea containing grains of tapioca and often blended with sweetener and flavourings, shaken to a froth and usually served cold with a straw.

bubble wrap ‹US trademark› BubbleWrap

noun — [ mass noun]

1. plastic packaging material in sheets containing numerous small air cushions designed to protect fragile goods.

bubbly /ˈbʌbli/

I. adjective

1. containing bubbles

• bake until the top is crisp and bubbly.

2. (of a person) full of cheerful high spirits

• a bright and bubbly personality.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› champagne.

• I'll get us a little bottle of bubbly.

Buber, Martin /ˈbuːbə/

(1878–1965), Israeli religious philosopher, born in Austria. In his existentialist work I and Thou (1923) he argues that religious experience involves reciprocal relationships with a personal subject, rather than knowledge of some ‘thing’.

bubinga /bjuːˈbɪŋɡə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. reddish-brown timber used chiefly for inlay work and as a veneer.
●The timber is obtained from several tropical African trees of the genus Guibourtia, family Leguminosae.

– origin a local name.

bubo /ˈbjuːbəʊ/

I. noun

a swollen inflamed lymph node in the armpit or groin.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, from Greek boubōn ‘groin or swelling in the groin’.

bubonic /bjuːˈbɒnɪk/

adjective

causing or characterized by swollen inflamed lymph nodes in the armpit or groin

• three vials of inert bubonic bacteria from a laboratory

• patients suffering from the bubonic form of the plague should be placed in isolation.

bubonic plague /bjuːbɒnɪkˈpleɪɡ/

noun

1. the commonest form of plague in humans, characterized by fever, delirium, and the formation of buboes.

The plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, is transmitted by rat fleas. Epidemics occurred in Europe throughout the Middle Ages (notably as the Black Death and the Great Plague of 1665–6); the disease is still endemic in parts of Asia.

bucatini /ˌbʊkəˈtiːni/

I. plural noun

small hollow tubes of pasta.

– origin Italian.

buccal /ˈbʌk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. ‹technical› relating to the cheek

• the buccal side of the molars.

2. ‹technical› relating to the mouth

• the buccal cavity.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin bucca ‘cheek’ + -al.

buccaneer /ˌbʌkəˈnɪə/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a pirate, originally one operating in the Caribbean.

• the marauding buccaneers who used to terrorize the Mediterranean coasts.

2. ‹historical› a person who acts in a recklessly adventurous and often unscrupulous way, especially in business.

• the company might be a target for an individual buccaneer seeking power and prestige.

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally denoting European hunters in the Caribbean): from French boucanier, from boucan ‘a frame on which to cook or cure meat’, from Tupi mukem.

buccaneering /bʌkəˈnɪərɪŋ/

adjective

(especially in a business context) high-risk and adventurous

• the buccaneering nature of the oil-transport industry.

buccinator /ˈbʌksɪneɪtə/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a flat, thin muscle in the wall of the cheek.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin, from buccinare ‘blow a trumpet’, from buccina, denoting a kind of trumpet.

Bucephalus /bjuːˈsɛfələs/

the favourite horse of Alexander the Great, who tamed the horse as a boy and took it with him on his campaigns until its death, after a battle, in 326 BC.

Buchan, Alexander /ˈbʌk(ə)n/

(1829–1907), Scottish meteorologist. He wrote a textbook on meteorology and produced maps and tables of atmospheric circulation, and of ocean currents and temperatures, based largely on information gathered on the voyage of HMS Challenger in 1872–6.

Buchan, John /ˈbʌk(ə)n/

1st Baron Tweedsmuir (1875–1940), Scottish novelist. His adventure stories feature recurring heroes such as Richard Hannay. Notable works: The Thirty-Nine Steps (1915).

Buchanan, James /bjuːˈkanən/

(1791–1868), American Democratic statesman, 15th President of the US 1857–61. His leanings towards the pro-slavery side in the developing dispute over slavery made the issue more fraught and he retired from politics in 1861.

Bucharest /ˌbuːkəˈrɛst/

the capital of Romania; pop. 1,931,236 (2006). It was founded in the 14th century on the trade route between Europe and Constantinople.
Romanian name Bucureşti.

Buchenwald /ˈbuːkənˌvald, German ˈbuːxnˌvalt/

a Nazi concentration camp in the Second World War, near Weimar in eastern Germany.

Buchner, Eduard /ˈbʌknə, German ˈbuːxnɐ/

(1860–1917), German organic chemist. He studied the chemistry of alcoholic fermentation and identified several enzymes, notably zymase. Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1907).

buchu /ˈbʌkuː/

I. noun

1. a heather-like South African shrub which is cultivated for its essential oil and as an ornamental.
●Genus Agathosma (or Barosma) and Diosma, family Rutaceae.

2. [ mass noun] — a diuretic drug made from the powdered leaves of the buchu.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Khoikhoi.

buck^1 /bʌk/

I. noun

1. the male of some horned animals, especially the fallow deer, roe deer, reindeer, and antelopes.

2. a male hare, rabbit, ferret, rat, or kangaroo.

3. (S. African) an antelope of either sex.

4. another term for vaulting horse.

5. a vertical jump performed by a horse, with the head lowered, back arched, and back legs thrown out behind.

• the horse seemed to leap, making a mighty buck that shipped the rider off.

6. ‹archaic› a fashionable and spirited young man.

• the dashing young buck, driving his own equipage.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a horse) to perform a buck

• he's got to get his head down to buck

• [with obj.] she bucked them off if they tried to get on her back.

2. (of a vehicle) make sudden jerky movements.

• the boat began to buck in the water.

3. [with obj.] — oppose or resist (something oppressive or inevitable)

• the shares bucked the market trend.

4. ( buck someone up or buck up) — ‹informal› make or become more cheerful
[with obj.]

• Bella and Jim need me to buck them up

• [no obj.] buck up, kid, it's not the end of the game.

III. adjective

(US) ‹military slang› lowest of a particular rank

• a buck private.

IV. phrases

buck up one's ideas

(Brit.) ‹informal› become more serious, energetic, and hard-working.

• she wouldn't have a job, she realized, if she didn't buck up her ideas.

– origin Old English, partly from buc ‘male deer’ (of Germanic origin, related to Dutch bok and German Bock); reinforced by bucca ‘male goat’, of the same ultimate origin.

buck^2 /bʌk/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a dollar

• a run-down hotel room for five bucks a night.

2. (S. African) ‹informal› a rand.

3. (Indian) ‹informal› a rupee.

II. phrases

1. big bucks

a lot of money.

• the fast-track man who gets promoted regularly and brings home big bucks every week.

2. a fast (or quick) buck

easily and quickly earned money

• itinerant traders out to make a fast buck.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

buck^3 /bʌk/

I. noun

an article placed as a reminder in front of a player whose turn it is to deal at poker.

II. phrases

1. the buck stops here (or with someone)

‹informal› the responsibility for something cannot or should not be passed to someone else.

• in the past you could spread the blame, but now the buck stops here.

2. pass the buck

‹informal› shift the responsibility for something to someone else.

• elected political leaders cannot pass the buck for crisis decisions to any alternative source of authority.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

Buck, Pearl S.

(1892–1973), American writer; full name Pearl Sydenstricker Buck. Her upbringing and work in China inspired her earliest novels, including The Good Earth (Pulitzer Prize, 1931). Nobel Prize for Literature (1938).

buck-and-wing

noun

(US) ‹chiefly historical› a lively solo tap dance, performed typically in wooden-soled shoes.
[as modifier]

• buck-and-wing dance.

buckaroo /ˌbʌkəˈruː/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹dated› a cowboy.

– origin early 19th cent.: alteration of vaquero.

buckbean /ˈbʌkbiːn/

I. noun

another term for bogbean.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Flemish bocks boonen ‘goat's beans’.

buckboard /ˈbʌkbɔːd/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) an open horse-drawn carriage with four wheels and seating that is attached to a plank stretching between the front and rear axles.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from buck ‘body of a cart’ (perhaps a variant of obsolete bouk ‘belly, body’) + board.

buckbrush /ˈbʌkbrʌʃ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) coarse vegetation on which wild deer browse.

buckeen /bʌˈkiːn/

noun

‹historical› a poor but aspiring young man of the lower Anglo-Irish gentry.

bucket /ˈbʌkɪt/

I. noun

1. a roughly cylindrical open container with a handle, made of metal or plastic and used to hold and carry liquids.

• a bucket and spade.

• an ice bucket.

2. the contents of a bucket or the amount it can contain

• she emptied a bucket of water over them.

3. ( buckets) — ‹informal› large quantities of something, especially liquid

• I wept buckets.

4. a compartment on the outer edge of a waterwheel.

• the Laxey wheel had 168 buckets, each holding 24 gallons.

5. the scoop of a dredger or grain elevator.

• as the chain turns the buckets bite into the canal bed and scoop out the mud.

6. a scoop attached to the front of a loader, digger, or tractor.

7. [Computing] a unit of data that can be transferred from a backing store in a single operation.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ( it buckets down, it is bucketing down, etc.) — (Brit.) ‹informal› rain heavily.

• it was still bucketing down.

2. [with adverbial of direction] — ‹informal› (of a vehicle) move quickly and jerkily

• the car came bucketing out of a side road.

III. phrases

tip (or drop or turn) the bucket on

(Austral.) ‹informal› make damaging revelations about (someone or something)

• a corporate whistle-blower wanting to tip the bucket on an unscrupulous employer.

IV. derivatives

bucketful /ˈbʌkɪtfʊl /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French buquet ‘tub, pail’, perhaps from Old English būc ‘belly, pitcher’.

bucket hat

noun

a simple soft cloth hat with a brim.

bucket list

I. noun

‹informal› a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime

• making this trip is the first thing on my bucket list.

– origin early 21st cent.: from the phrase kick the bucket ‘die’ (see kick^1), popularized by the 2007 film The Bucket List.

bucketload

noun

1. as much as can be held by a bucket.

2. ‹informal› a large amount or number.

bucket seat

noun

a seat in a car or aircraft with a rounded back to fit one person.

bucket shop

noun

1. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› an unauthorized office for speculating in stocks or currency using the funds of unwitting investors.

2. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› (Brit.) a travel agency that specializes in providing cheap air tickets.

bucketwheel /ˈbʌkɪtwiːl/

noun

a machine with a series of scoops or buckets on a rotating belt, used to excavate or move material.

buckeye /ˈbʌkʌɪ/

noun

1. an American tree or shrub related to the horse chestnut, with showy red or white flowers.
●Genus Aesculus, family Hippocastanaceae: several species.

2. the nut of the buckeye.

3. (also buckeye butterfly) — an orange and brown New World butterfly with conspicuous eyespots on the wings.
● Junonia coenia, subfamily Nymphalinae, family Nymphalidae.

4. ( Buckeye) — (US) ‹informal› a native of the state of Ohio.

5. (also buckeye coupling) — a kind of automatic coupling for railway rolling stock.
[named after the Buckeye Steel Castings Company, Columbus, Ohio.]

Buckeye State

informal name for Ohio.

buck fever

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› nervousness felt by novice hunters when they first sight game.

• it wasn't a simple case of buck fever, because he had killed his first moose.

buckhorn

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the horn of a deer, used to make knife handles, small containers, and rifle sights.

• a large knife hilted with buckhorn.

buckhound

noun

a staghound of a small breed.

Buckingham Palace

the London residence of the British sovereign since 1837, adjoining St James's Park, Westminster. It was built for the Duke of Buckingham in the early 18th century and bought by George III in 1761.

Buckinghamshire /ˈbʌkɪŋəmʃ(ɪ)ə/

a county of central England; county town, Aylesbury.

buckjump ‹Austral./NZ›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a horse) jump vertically with its head lowered, back arched, and legs drawn together in an attempt to unseat its rider.

II. noun

an act of buckjumping.

III. derivatives

buckjumper

noun

buckjumping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) a rodeo event in which a rider attempts to stay in the saddle of a bucking horse for a period of eight seconds.
[as modifier]

• a buckjumping event.

Buckland, William

(1784–1856), English geologist. He helped to redefine geology, correlating deposits and associated fossils with former conditions, and developed the idea of an ice age. He was the first to describe and name a dinosaur ( Megalosaurus), in 1824.

buckle /ˈbʌk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a flat, typically rectangular frame with a hinged pin, used for joining the ends of a belt or strap.

• most rucksacks have quick release buckles.

• a belt buckle.

2. a similarly shaped ornament on a shoe.

• black shoes with ornate buckles.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — fasten or decorate with a buckle

• he buckled his belt.

2. [no obj.] ( buckle up) — fasten one's seat belt in a car or aircraft.

• it is advisable to buckle up as some of the mountain roads require skilful manoeuvring.

3. [no obj.] — bend and give way under pressure or strain

• the earth buckled under the titanic stress.

4. [with obj.] — bend (something) out of shape

• a lorry backed into the wall and buckled the gate.

5. (of a person) suffer a psychological collapse as a result of stress

• a weaker person might have buckled under the strain.

III. phrasal verbs

1. buckle down

tackle a task with determination

• they will buckle down to negotiations over the next few months.

2. buckle to

‹dated› make a determined effort.

– origin Middle English: from Old French bocle, from Latin buccula ‘cheek strap of a helmet’, from bucca ‘cheek’. Sense 2 of the verb is from French boucler ‘to bulge’.

buckler /ˈbʌklə/

I. noun

‹historical› a small round shield held by a handle or worn on the forearm.

– origin Middle English: from Old French (escu) bocler, literally ‘(shield) with a boss’, from bocle ‘buckle, boss’ (see buckle).

buckler fern

noun

a European fern with deeply divided lobes and with stalks that are typically covered with brown scales.
●Several species in the genus Dryopteris, family Dryopteridaceae.

Buckley's

I. noun — (in phrase (not) have Buckley's (or Buckley's chance))

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› have little or no chance of doing or achieving something

• the vehicle had Buckley's chance of stopping.

– origin late 19th cent.: sometimes said to be from the name of William Buckley (died 1856), who, despite dire predictions as to his chances of survival, lived with the Aborigines for many years.

buckling

I. noun

a smoked herring.
[ mass noun]

• sturgeon and buckling served with horseradish sauce.

– origin early 20th cent.: from German Bückling ‘bloater’.

buckminsterfullerene /ˌbʌkmɪnstəˈfʊləriːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a form of carbon having molecules of 60 atoms arranged in a polyhedron resembling a geodesic sphere.
See also fullerene.

– origin 1980s: named after Richard Buckminster Fuller (see Fuller, R. Buckminster).

buck naked

adjective

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) completely naked.

bucko /ˈbʌkəʊ/

I. noun

‹informal› a young man (often as a form of address)

• I know you, my bucko, you're a troublemaker.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally nautical slang): from buck^1 + -o.

buck-passing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the practice of shifting the responsibility for something to someone else.

• I have seen a lot of buck-passing in the government in my day.

• [as modifier] buck-passing comments.

buckra /ˈbʌkrə/

I. noun

(US) (W. Indian) ‹informal› ‹chiefly derogatory› a white person, especially a man.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Ibibio and Efik ( m)bakara ‘European, master’.

buckram /ˈbʌkrəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. coarse linen or other cloth stiffened with gum or paste, and used as interfacing and in bookbinding.

• our sewn bindings incorporate buckram and leather.

• [as modifier] a curtain with buckram headings.

II. phrases

men in buckram

‹archaic› non-existent people.
[with allusion to Shakespeare's 1 Henry IV II. iv. 210–50.]

– origin Middle English (denoting a kind of fine linen or cotton cloth): from Old French boquerant, perhaps from Bukhara in central Asia.

buck rarebit

noun

(Brit.) a dish of melted cheese on toast with a poached egg on top.

Bucks.

abbreviation

Buckinghamshire.

Buck's Fizz /ˌbʌks ˈfɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) champagne or sparkling white wine mixed with orange juice as a cocktail.

• there will be Buck's Fizz to get the party going.

• [ count noun] treat yourself to a Bloody Mary or Buck's Fizz.

– origin 1930s: from the name of Buck's Club, in London, and fizz.

buckshee /bʌkˈʃiː, ˈbʌkʃiː/

I. adjective

‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) free of charge

• a buckshee brandy.

– origin First World War (originally soldiers' slang): alteration of baksheesh.

buckshot /ˈbʌkʃɒt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. coarse lead shot used in shotgun shells.

buckskin /ˈbʌkskɪn/

I. noun

1. the skin of a male deer.

• she knelt on a buckskin.

2. [ mass noun] — greyish leather with a suede finish, traditionally made from buckskin but now often made from sheepskin
[as modifier]

• a pair of buckskin moccasins.

3. ( buckskins) — clothes or shoes made from buckskin leather.

• the Great Plainsman wore fringed buckskins.

4. [ mass noun] — thick, smooth cotton or woollen fabric.
[as modifier]

• buckskin cloth.

5. (N. Amer.) a horse of a greyish-yellow colour.
[as modifier]

• the buckskin mare stumbled.

II. derivatives

buckskinned

adjective

bucks' night bucks' party

noun

(Austral.) an all-male celebration, especially held in honour of a man who is about to be married

• he didnt have a bucks' night the second time around.

buckthorn /ˈbʌkθɔːn/

I. noun

a shrub or small tree which typically bears thorns and black berries. Some kinds yield dyes and others have been used medicinally.
●Genus Rhamnus, family Rhamnaceae: several species, including the common buckthorn ( R. cathartica), with berries formerly used as a cathartic. .

– origin late 16th cent.: from buck^1 in the sense ‘deer’ + thorn, translating modern Latin spina cervina.

buck tooth

I. noun

an upper tooth that projects over the lower lip.

II. derivatives

buck-toothed /ˈbʌktuːθt /

adjective

buckwheat /ˈbʌkwiːt/

I. noun

an Asian plant of the dock family, producing starchy seeds that are used for fodder and also milled into flour which is widely used in the US.
● Fagopyrum esculentum, family Polygonaceae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Middle Dutch boecweite ‘beech wheat’, its grains being shaped like beechmast.

buckyball

I. noun

[Chemistry] a hollow spherical molecule composed of a large number of carbon atoms.

• the active layer is made of buckyballs, carbon molecules that are just 1 nanometer in diameter.

– origin 1980s: from buckminsterfullerene and ball^1.

buckytube /ˈbʌkɪtjuːb/

I. noun

[Chemistry] another term for nanotube.

• buckytubes, they discovered, are stronger than steel, carbon fibres, and even diamonds.

– origin 1990s: blend of buckminsterfullerene and tube.

bucolic /bjuːˈkɒlɪk/

I. adjective

relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life

• the church is lovely for its bucolic setting.

II. noun — (usu. bucolics)

1. a pastoral poem.

III. derivatives

bucolically

adverb

– origin early 16th cent. (as a noun): via Latin from Greek boukolikos, from boukolos ‘herdsman’, from bous ‘ox’.

Bucureşti /ˌbukuˈrɛʃtj/

Romanian name for Bucharest.

bud^1 /bʌd/

I. noun

1. a compact knob-like growth on a plant which develops into a leaf, flower, or shoot.

2. [Biology] an outgrowth from an organism, e.g. a yeast cell, that separates to form a new individual without sexual reproduction taking place.

3. [with modifier] — [Zoology] a rudimentary leg or other appendage of an animal which has not yet grown, or never will grow, to full size.

• in certain limbless lizards and snakes a limb bud develops.

4. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› (chiefly US) cannabis

• I found him outside, smoking some bud.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. [Biology] (of a plant or animal) form a bud

• new blood vessels bud out from the vascular bed.

2. [with obj.] — [Biology] graft a bud of (a plant) on to another plant.

III. phrases

in bud

(of a plant) having newly formed buds.

• pale pink flowers which are of deeper colour in bud.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

bud^2 /bʌd/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a friendly form of address from one boy or man to another.

• I'll tell you what, bud.

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation of buddy.

Budapest /buːdəˈpɛst/

the capital of Hungary; pop. 1,712,210 (2009). The city was formed in 1873 by the union of the hilly city of Buda on the right bank of the River Danube with the low-lying city of Pest on the left.

Buddha /ˈbʊdə/

I. (often the Buddha)

1. a title given to the founder of Buddhism, Siddartha Gautama ( c. 563– c. 483 BC). Born a prince in what is now Nepal, he renounced wealth and family to become an ascetic, and after achieving enlightenment while meditating, taught all who came to learn from him.

2. (as noun a Buddha) — [Buddhism] a person who has attained full enlightenment.

3. (as noun a Buddha) — a statue or picture of the Buddha.

– origin Sanskrit, literally ‘enlightened’, past participle of budh ‘know’.

Buddhism /ˈbʊdɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a widespread Asian religion or philosophy, founded by Siddartha Gautama in NE India in the 5th century BC.

Buddhism has no god, and gives a central role to the doctrine of karma. The ‘four noble truths’ of Buddhism state that all existence is suffering, that the cause of suffering is desire, that freedom from suffering is nirvana, and that this is attained through the ‘eightfold path’ of ethical conduct, wisdom, and mental discipline (including meditation). There are two major traditions, Theravada and Mahayana.

Buddhist /ˈbʊdɪst/

I. noun

an adherent of the religion based on the teachings of Buddha

• she was a practicing Buddhist

• devout Buddhists participate in the ceremonies.

II. adjective

of or relating to the religion based on the teachings of Buddha

• the retiring Buddhist abbot

• a huge Buddhist altar.

III. derivatives

1. Buddhistic /bʊˈdɪstɪk /

adjective

2. Buddhistical /bʊˈdɪstɪk(ə)l /

adjective

buddhu /ˈbʊduː/

I. noun

(Indian) ‹informal› an idiot.

• ‘You buddhu! How can you take so long to add two and two!’.

– origin from Hindi buddhū.

budding /ˈbʌdɪŋ/

adjective

1. (of a plant) having or developing buds

• a budding chrysanthemum.

2. (of a body part) becoming larger as part of normal growth.

• her budding breasts.

3. (of a person) beginning and showing signs of promise in a particular sphere

• budding young actors.

4. beginning and showing promising signs of continuing

• their budding relationship.

buddle

I. noun

a shallow inclined container in which ore is washed.

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

buddleia /ˈbʌdlɪə/

I. noun

a widely cultivated shrub with clusters of fragrant lilac, white, or yellow flowers.
●Genus Buddleia (or Buddleja), family Loganiaceae: several species, especially the butterfly bush.

– origin modern Latin; named in honour of the English botanist Adam Buddle (died 1715), by Linnaeus, at the suggestion of Sir William Houston, who introduced the plant to Europe from South America.

buddy /ˈbʌdi / ‹informal chiefly N. Amer.›

I. noun

1. a close friend.

• they had become the best of buddies.

2. a working companion with whom close cooperation is required.

3. a person who befriends and helps another with an incapacitating disease, typically AIDS.

• gay male counsellors, buddies, and helpline volunteers are available upon request.

4. used as a form of address to a man whose name is not known

• I'm working on it, buddy.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. become friendly and spend time with someone

• I decided to buddy up to them.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US): perhaps an alteration of brother, or a variant of butty^2.

buddy-buddy

adjective

‹informal› ‹chiefly derogatory› very friendly

• he's buddy-buddy with the Ambassador.

buddy movie

noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a film portraying a close friendship between two people.

buddy system

noun

a cooperative arrangement whereby individuals are paired or teamed up and assume responsibility for one another's welfare or safety.

budge /bʌdʒ/

I. verb — [usu. with negative]

1. make or cause to make the slightest movement
[no obj.]

• the queue in the bank hasn't budged

• [with obj.] I couldn't budge the door.

2. [no obj.] ( budge up over) — ‹informal› make room for another person by moving

• budge up, boys, make room for your uncle.

3. [usu. with modal] — change an opinion
[no obj.]

• he wouldn't budge on his decision.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French bouger ‘to stir’, based on Latin bullire ‘to boil’.

Budge, Don

(1915–2000), American tennis player; born John Donald Budge. He was the first to win the four major singles championships—Australia, France, Britain, and the US—in one year (1938). In both 1937 and 1938 he won the Wimbledon singles, men's doubles, and mixed doubles.

budgeree /ˈbʌdʒəriː, ˈbʊdʒəriː/

I. adjective

(Austral.) good or right

• he was an altogether budgeree fellow.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Dharuk (an Aboriginal language) bujiri.

budgerigar /ˈbʌdʒ(ə)rɪɡɑː/

I. noun

a small gregarious Australian parakeet which is green with a yellow head in the wild. It is popular as a cage bird and has been bred in a variety of colours.
● Melopsittacus undulatus, family Psittacidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of Aboriginal origin, perhaps an alteration of Kamilaroi gijirrigaa (also in related languages).

budget /ˈbʌdʒɪt/

I. noun

1. an estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time

• keep within the household budget.

2. ( Budget) — an annual or other regular estimate of national revenue and expenditure put forward by a finance minister.

• the government had put forward the biggest tax increases for any Budget in history.

3. the amount of money needed or available for a purpose

• they have a limited budget.

4. ‹archaic› a quantity of written or printed material.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. allow or provide a particular amount of money in a budget

• the university is budgeting for a deficit.

2. [with obj.] — provide (a sum of money) for a particular purpose from a budget

• the council proposes to budget £100,000 to provide grants

• (as adj. budgeted) a budgeted figure of £31,000.

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. inexpensive

• a budget guitar.

IV. phrases

on a budget

with a restricted amount of money

• we're travelling on a budget.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bougette, diminutive of bouge ‘leather bag’, from Latin bulga ‘leather bag, knapsack’, of Gaulish origin. Compare with bulge. The word originally meant a pouch or wallet, and later its contents. In the mid 18th cent., the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in presenting his annual statement, was said ‘to open the budget’. In the late 19th cent. the use of the term was extended from governmental to other finances.

budget account

noun

(Brit.) an account with a bank, store, or public utility into which one makes regular payments to cover bills.

budgetary /ˈbʌdʒɪt(ə)ri/

adjective

relating to or in accordance with an estimate of income and expenditure

• tight budgetary constraints

• a coalition to prevent budgetary cuts to schools.

budgie /ˈbʌdʒi/

noun

‹informal› a budgerigar.

budgie smugglers

plural noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› men's brief, tight-fitting swimming trunks.

bud-graft

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. graft a bud from (a plant) on to another plant.

II. noun

a plant grown by grafting a bud from one plant on to another plant.

budo /ˈbuːdəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. martial arts.

2. the code on which martial arts are all based.

– origin Japanese budō, from bu ‘military’ + dō ‘way’.

budstick /ˈbʌdstɪk/

noun

a small piece of plant stem with a bud, prepared for grafting on to another plant.

budtender /ˈbʌdtɛndə/

I. noun

(US) a person who serves customers at an establishment where cannabis is sold

• I started working at the dispensary as a budtender last June.

– origin 1990s: blend of bud^1 (sense 2 of the noun) and bartender.

Budweis /ˈbʊtvaɪs/

German name for České Budějovice.

budwood

noun — [ mass noun]

1. short lengths of young branches with buds prepared for grafting on to the rootstock of another plant.

budworm

noun

a moth caterpillar that is destructive to buds.
See also spruce budworm.

Buenaventura /ˌbweɪnəvɛnˈtjʊərə, Spanish bwenaβenˈtura/

the chief Pacific port of Colombia; pop. 324,207 (est. 2005).

Buenos Aires /ˌbweɪnəs ˈʌɪriːz Spanish bwenos ˈajres//

the capital city and chief port of Argentina, on the River Plate; pop. 3,042,600 (est. 2008).

Buerger's disease /ˈbəːɡəz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. inflammation and thrombosis in small and medium-sized blood vessels, typically in the legs and leading to gangrene. It has been associated with smoking.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Leo Buerger (1879–1943), American surgeon.

buff^1 /bʌf/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a yellowish-beige colour
[as modifier]

• a buff envelope.

2. a stout dull yellow leather with a velvety surface.

3. [ count noun] — a stick, wheel, or pad used for polishing.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. polish (something)

• he buffed the glass until it gleamed.

2. give (leather) a velvety finish by removing the surface of the grain.

III. adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› (of a person or their body) in good physical shape with well-developed muscles

• the driver was a buff blond named March.

IV. phrases

in the buff

‹informal› naked.

• people generally don't go swimming in the buff in public places.

– origin mid 16th cent.: probably from French buffle, from Italian bufalo, from late Latin bufalus (see buffalo). The original sense in English was ‘buffalo’, later ‘oxhide’ or ‘colour of oxhide’.

buff^2 /bʌf/

I. noun — [with modifier]

1. ‹informal› a person who is enthusiastically interested in and very knowledgeable about a particular subject

• a computer buff.

– origin early 20th cent.: from buff^1, originally applied to enthusiastic fire-watchers, because of the buff uniforms formerly worn by New York volunteer firemen.

buffalo /ˈbʌfələʊ/

I. noun

1. a heavily built wild ox with backward-curving horns, found mainly in the Old World tropics:
● four species native to South Asia (genus Bubalus, family Bovidae). See also water buffalo, anoa ● a wild ox with large horns, native to Africa south of the Sahara ( Synceros caffer, family Bovidae, the African buffalo), sometimes considered to be two species, the Cape buffalo and the forest buffalo.

2. the North American bison.

3. (also buffalo fish) — a large greyish-olive freshwater fish with thick lips, common in North America.
●Genus Ictiobus, family Catostomidae: several species.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› overawe or intimidate (someone)

• she didn't like being buffaloed.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› baffle (someone)

• the problem has buffaloed the advertising staff.

– origin mid 16th cent.: probably from Portuguese bufalo, from late Latin bufalus, from earlier bubalus, from Greek boubalos ‘antelope, wild ox’.

Buffalo /ˈbʌfələʊ/

an industrial city in New York State; pop. 270,919 (est. 2008). Situated at the eastern end of Lake Erie, it is a major port of the St Lawrence Seaway.

Buffalo Bill

(1846–1917), American showman; born William Frederick Cody. He gained his nickname for killing 4,280 buffalo in eight months to feed the Union Pacific Railroad workers, and subsequently devoted his life to his travelling Wild West Show.

buffalo gnat

noun

North American term for blackfly (sense 2).

buffalo grass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. any of a number of grasses, in particular:
● a creeping grass of the North American plains ( Buchloe dactyloides, family Gramineae). ● a N. American grass ( Stenotaphrum secundatum, family Gramineae), naturalized in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

buffalo thorn

noun

a tropical African shrub or small tree with glossy leaves and thorns which grow in pairs, one of each pair being straight and the other curved.
● Ziziphus mucronata, family Rhamnaceae.

buffalo weaver

noun

a large thickset African weaver bird that is either all black or has a white head and red rump.
●Genera Bubalornis and Dinemellia, family Ploceidae: three species.

Buffalo wings Buffalo chicken wings

plural noun

(N. Amer.) deep-fried chicken wings coated in a spicy sauce and served with blue cheese dressing.

buffed buffed-out

adjective

another term for buff^1.

buffer^1 /ˈbʌfə/

I. noun

1. a person or thing that reduces a shock or that forms a barrier between incompatible or antagonistic people or things

• family and friends can provide a buffer against stress.

2. ( buffers) — (Brit.) a pair of shock-absorbing pistons projecting from a cross-beam at the end of a railway track or on the front and rear of a railway vehicle.

3. (also buffer solution) — [Chemistry] a solution which resists changes in pH when acid or alkali is added to it.

4. [Computing] a temporary memory area in which data is stored while it is being processed or transferred, especially one used while streaming video or downloading audio.

• print speed is boosted by pages being formatted in a buffer while another is printing.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. lessen or moderate the impact of (something)

• the massage helped to buffer the strain.

2. treat with a chemical buffer.

• add organic matter to buffer the resulting alkalinity.

3. [Computing] store (data) in a buffer while it is being processed or transferred

• try buffering as much of the video stream as you can before you hit the 'play' button.

III. phrases

hit the buffers

(Brit.) come to a sudden unsuccessful end

• his world championship campaign looked as if it had hit the buffers.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably from obsolete buff (verb), imitative of the sound of a blow to a soft body.

buffer^2 /ˈbʌfə/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› an elderly man who is considered to be foolishly old-fashioned, unworldly, or incompetent

• a distinguished old buffer.

– origin mid 18th cent.: probably from obsolete buff (see buffer^1), or from dialect buff ‘stutter, splutter’ (possibly the same word). In late Middle English buffer had the sense ‘stammerer’.

buffer state

noun

a small neutral country situated between two larger hostile countries and serving to prevent the outbreak of regional conflict.

buffer stock

noun

a reserve of a commodity that can be used to offset price fluctuations.

buffer zone

noun

1. a neutral area serving to separate hostile forces or nations.

• the soldiers quickly established a 2.5-mile-wide buffer zone between the opposing forces.

• ‹figurative› the works fit in some buffer zone between categories.

2. an area of land designated for environmental protection.

• each park will be bordered by a buffer zone where farming will be encouraged.

buffet^1 /ˈbʊfeɪ, ˈbʌfeɪ/

I. noun

1. a meal consisting of several dishes from which guests serve themselves
[as modifier]

• a cold buffet lunch.

2. a room or counter in a station, hotel, or other public building selling light meals or snacks.

3. (also buffet car) — (Brit.) a railway carriage selling light meals or snacks.

4. /ˈbʌfɪt/ — North American term for sideboard (sense 1).

– origin early 18th cent. (denoting a sideboard): from French, from Old French bufet ‘stool’, of unknown origin.

buffet^2 /ˈbʌfɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (especially of wind or waves) strike repeatedly and violently; batter

• rough seas buffeted the coast

• [no obj.] the wind was buffeting at their bodies.

2. knock (someone) off course

• he was buffeted from side to side.

3. (of difficulties) afflict (someone) over a long period

• they were buffeted by a major recession.

II. noun

1. ‹dated› a blow or punch.

2. a shock or misfortune

• the daily buffets of urban civilization.

3. [ mass noun] — [Aeronautics] another term for buffeting.

• fifteen degrees of flap induce marked buffet.

– origin Middle English: from Old French buffeter (verb), buffet (noun), diminutive of bufe ‘a blow’.

buffet^3 /ˈbʌfɪt/

I. noun

(Scottish) (N. English) a low stool or hassock.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bufet, of unknown origin.

buffeting /ˈbʌfɪtɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of buffeting someone or something

• the roofs have survived the buffeting of worse winds than this.

2. [Aeronautics] irregular oscillation of part of an aircraft, caused by turbulence.

bufflehead /ˈbʌf(ə)lhɛd/

I. noun

a small North American diving duck related to the goldeneye, with a large puffy head. The male has white plumage with a black back.
● Bucephala albeola, family Anatidae.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘simpleton’): from obsolete buffle ‘buffalo’ + head. The current sense (mid 18th cent.) may be an independent formation because of the duck's large square-shaped head.

buffo /ˈbʊfəʊ/

I. noun

a comic actor in Italian opera.

II. adjective

of or typical of Italian comic opera

• a buffo character.

– origin mid 18th cent.: Italian, ‘puff of wind, buffoon’, from buffare ‘to puff’, of imitative origin.

Buffon, Comte de /ˈbuːfɒn, French byfɔ̃/

(1707–88), French naturalist; born Georges-Louis Leclerc. A founder of palaeontology, he emphasized the unity of all living species, minimizing the apparent differences between animals and plants. He produced a compilation of the animal kingdom, the Histoire Naturelle, which had reached thirty-six volumes by the time of his death.

buffoon /bəˈfuːn/

I. noun

a ridiculous but amusing person; a clown.

II. derivatives

buffoonish

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French bouffon, from Italian buffone, from medieval Latin buffo ‘clown’. Originally recorded as a rare Scots word for a kind of pantomime dance, the term later (late 16th cent.) denoted a professional jester.

buffoonery /bəˈfuːnəri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. behaviour that is ridiculous but amusing.

• the film is full of wordplay and buffoonery.

• [ count noun] predictable jeers, buffooneries, and cheap shots.

buff-tip

noun

a European moth that has buff-coloured wing tips and thoracic hair, giving it the appearance of a twig when at rest.
● Phalera bucephala, family Notodontidae.

bug /bʌɡ/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a harmful microorganism, typically a bacterium.

• their ham was found to be contaminated with food bugs.

2. an illness caused by a microorganism

• he'd just recovered from a flu bug.

3. [with modifier] — an enthusiastic interest in something

• they caught the sailing bug.

4. (chiefly N. Amer.) a small insect.

• a thick green scum which crawls with bugs, centipedes, and worse.

5. (also true bug) — [Entomology] an insect of a large order distinguished by having mouthparts that are modified for piercing and sucking.
●Order Hemiptera: see Hemiptera.

6. a concealed miniature microphone, used for secret eavesdropping or recording.

• they cleaned out the bugs and wiretaps.

7. an error in a computer program or system.

• a custom program we used developed a bug.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. conceal a miniature microphone in (a room or telephone) in order to eavesdrop on or record someone's conversations secretly

• the telephones in the presidential palace were bugged.

2. record or eavesdrop on (a conversation) using a concealed microphone.

• she fears that her conversations were bugged.

3. ‹informal› annoy or bother (someone)

• a persistent reporter was bugging me.

III. phrasal verbs

1. bug off

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› go away.

• I assumed you'd come to tell me to bug off.

2. bug out

a. leave quickly

• if you see enemy troops, bug out.

b. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› bulge outwards

• men's eyes bug out when she walks past.

– origin early 17th cent.: of unknown origin. Current verb senses date from the early 20th cent.

bugaboo /ˈbʌɡəbuː/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) an object of fear or alarm; a bogey.

• one of the favourite bugaboos, the ticking biological clock.

– origin mid 18th cent.: probably of Celtic origin and related to Welsh bwci bo ‘bogey, the Devil’, bwci ‘hobgoblin’ and Cornish bucca.

Buganda /b(j)uːˈɡandə/

a former kingdom of East Africa, on the north shore of Lake Victoria, now part of Uganda.

bugbane

I. noun

a tall plant of the buttercup family, with spikes of cream or yellow flowers and fern-like leaves, native to north temperate regions.
●Genus Cimicifuga, family Ranunculaceae: several species, in particular C. foetida.

– origin early 19th cent.: from bug + bane, with reference to the former use of the species C. foetida to drive away bedbugs.

bugbear /ˈbʌɡbɛː/

I. noun

1. a cause of obsessive fear, anxiety, or irritation.

• the biggest villain is that adman's bugbear, saturated fat.

2. ‹archaic› an imaginary being invoked to frighten children, typically a sort of hobgoblin supposed to devour them.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably from obsolete bug ‘bogey’ (of unknown origin) + bear^2.

bug-eyed

adjective, adverb

with bulging eyes

• a bug-eyed monster.

bug fix

I. noun

a correction to a bug in a computer program or system

• software companies typically provide technical support and bug fixes for only a limited time.

II. derivatives

bug fixing

noun

bugger /ˈbʌɡə / ‹vulgar slang chiefly Brit.›

I. noun

1. [with adj.] — used as a term of abuse, especially for a man.

2. used to refer to a person, typically a man, for whom one feels pity or respect.

3. an annoyingly awkward thing.

4. ‹derogatory› a person who commits buggery.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. penetrate the anus of (someone) during sexual intercourse.

2. (often bugger someone/thing about) — cause serious harm or trouble to.

3. [no obj.] ( bugger about/around) — act in a stupid or feckless way.

4. used to express an angrily dismissive attitude to (someone or something).

III. exclamation

used to express annoyance or anger.

IV. phrases

1. bugger all /ˌbʌɡər ˈɔːl /

‹vulgar slang› (chiefly Brit.) nothing.

2. bugger me

‹vulgar slang› (chiefly Brit.) used to express surprise or amazement.

3. I'm buggered if ——

‹vulgar slang› (chiefly Brit.) used to make the following clause negative.

4. not give a bugger

‹vulgar slang› (chiefly Brit.) not care in the slightest.

5. play silly buggers

‹vulgar slang› (chiefly Brit.) act in a foolish way.

6. well, I'm (or I'll be) buggered

‹vulgar slang› (chiefly Brit.) used to express one's amazement at something.

V. phrasal verbs

bugger off

[usu. in imperative] — ‹vulgar slang› (chiefly Brit.) go away.

– origin Middle English (originally denoting a heretic, specifically an Albigensian): from Middle Dutch, from Old French bougre ‘heretic’, from medieval Latin Bulgarus ‘Bulgarian’, particularly one belonging to the Orthodox Church and therefore regarded as a heretic by the Roman Church. The sense ‘sodomite’ (16th cent.) arose from an association of heresy with forbidden sexual practices; its use as a general insult dates from the early 18th cent.

buggered /ˈbʌɡəd/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› (of a person) extremely tired.

• when I got there I was absolutely buggered.

buggerize /ˈbʌɡərʌɪz / buggerise

I. verb — [no obj.] (often buggerize around)

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹vulgar slang› engage in fruitless activity.

– origin 1950s: from bugger + -ize.

buggery /ˈbʌɡəri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. anal intercourse. In law the term also covers bestiality.

2. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› used in various expressions as an intensifier.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘heresy’): from Middle Dutch buggerie, from Old French bougrerie, from bougre (see bugger).

Buggins' turn /ˈbʌɡɪnz/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a system by which appointments or awards are made in rotation rather than by merit.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Buggins, used to represent a typical surname.

buggy^1 /ˈbʌɡi/

I. noun

1. a small motor vehicle, typically with an open top

• a golf buggy.

2. short for baby buggy.

3. ‹historical› a light horse-drawn vehicle for one or two people, with two or (in North America) four wheels.

– origin mid 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

buggy^2 /ˈbʌɡi/

adjective

1. infested with bugs.

2. (of a computer program or system) faulty in operation.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› mad; insane.

bughouse /ˈbʌɡhaʊs / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a psychiatric hospital.

2. ‹dated› a seedy, run-down cinema.

II. adjective

(N. Amer.) crazy.

bugle^1 /ˈbjuːɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

(also bugle-horn) — a brass instrument like a small trumpet, typically without valves or keys and used for military signals.

• the bugle sounded the charge.

• [as modifier] a bugle call.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. sound a bugle.

2. [with obj.] — sound (a note or call) on a bugle

• he bugled a warning.

III. derivatives

bugler /ˈbjuːɡlə /

noun

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin buculus, diminutive of bos ‘ox’. The early English sense was ‘wild ox’, hence the compound bugle-horn, denoting the horn of an ox used to give signals, originally in hunting.

bugle^2 /ˈbjuːɡ(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a creeping Eurasian plant of the mint family, with blue flowers held on upright stems.
●Genus Ajuga, family Labiatae: several species, especially the common A. reptans.

– origin Middle English: from late Latin bugula.

bugle^3 /ˈbjuːɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

an ornamental tube-shaped glass or plastic bead sewn on to clothing.

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

bugloss /ˈbjuːɡlɒs/

I. noun

a bristly plant of the borage family, with bright blue flowers.
● Anchusa and other genera, family Boraginaceae: several species, including the Eurasian A. arvensis and the widespread viper's bugloss.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French buglosse or Latin buglossus, from Greek bouglōssos ‘ox-tongued’, from bous ‘ox’ + glōssa ‘tongue’.

build /bɪld/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. construct (something) by putting parts or material together

• the ironworks were built in 1736.

2. commission, finance, and oversee the building of (something)

• the county council plans to build a bypass.

3. ( build something in/into) — incorporate something and make it a permanent part of a structure, system, or situation

• engineers want to build in extra traction.

4. [Computing] compile (a program, database, index, etc.).

• you can build database applications without writing any code.

5. make or become stronger or more intense
[with obj.]

• we built up confidence in our abilities

• [no obj.] the air of excited anticipation builds.

6. establish and develop (a business or situation) over a period of time

• he'd built up the store from nothing.

7. [no obj.] ( build on) — use as a basis for further development

• Britain should build on the talents of its workforce.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the proportions of a person's or animal's body

• she was of medium height and slim build

• [in sing.] he had an ideal build for a sprinter.

2. the style or form of construction of something, especially a vehicle.

• the car's high specification and impressive build quality.

3. [Computing] a compiled version of a program.

• a beta build of the program.

4. [ mass noun] — the process of compiling a program.

III. phrases

1. build one's hopes up

become ever more hopeful or optimistic about something

• don't build your hopes up, Julia, you'll only get hurt.

2. built on sand

without reliable foundations or any real substance.

• with the benefit of hindsight it can be seen that his argument was built on sand.

– origin Old English byldan, from bold, botl ‘dwelling’, of Germanic origin; related to bower^1.

builder /ˈbɪldə/

noun — [usu. in combination]

1. a person who constructs something by putting parts or material together

• a boatbuilder.

2. a person whose job is to construct or repair houses.

3. [usu. in combination] — a person or thing that creates or develops a particular thing

• breaking the record was a real confidence-builder.

builders' merchant

noun

a supplier of construction materials.

building /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

noun

1. a structure with a roof and walls, such as a house or factory.

2. [ mass noun] — the action or trade of constructing something

• the building of motorways

• [as modifier] building materials.

3. the creation or development of something over a period of time

• the building of democracy in Guatemala.

4. ‹rare› a flock of rooks

• a picture of her standing amongst a building of rooks.

building block

noun

1. a child's wooden or plastic toy brick.

2. a basic unit from which something is built up

• sounds are the building blocks of language.

building line

noun

a limit beyond which a house must not extend into a street.

building site

noun

an area where a structure is being constructed or repaired.

building society

noun

1. (Brit.) a financial organization which pays interest on investments by its members and lends capital for the purchase or improvement of houses.

Building societies originally developed as non-profit-making cooperative societies from friendly societies. Since 1986 changes in legislation have allowed them to offer banking and other facilities, and some have become public limited companies.

buildout

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the growth, development, or expansion of something

• the rapid buildout of digital technology.

build-up /ˈbɪldʌp/

noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. a gradual accumulation or increase, typically of something negative that leads to a problem

• the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

2. a period of excitement and preparation before a significant event

• the build-up to Christmas.

built /bɪlt/

I. verb

past and past participle of build.

II. adjective

(of a person) having a specified physical size or build

• a slightly built woman.

built-in /bɪltˈɪn/

adjective

1. forming an integral part of a structure

• a worktop with a built-in cooker.

2. (of a characteristic) inherent; innate

• the system has a built-in resistance to change.

built-up /bɪltˈʌp/

adjective

1. (of an area) densely covered by buildings.

• he steered the stricken aircraft away from the built-up area.

• although the centre of Funchal is very built-up, there is still a lot of green land around the city.

2. increased in height by the addition of parts

• shoes with built-up heels.

3. (of a feeling) increasing in intensity over a period of time

• built-up frustration.

Bujumbura /ˌbuːdʒəmˈbʊərə/

the capital of Burundi, at the north-eastern end of Lake Tanganyika; pop. 429,000 (est. 2007). It was known as Usumbura until 1962.

Bukhara /bɒˈkɑːrə / Bukhoro /buːˈkɔːrə/ , Bokhara

a city in the central Asian republic of Uzbekistan; pop. 249,000 (est. 2009). It is one of the oldest trade centres in central Asia, and is noted for the production of karakul fleeces.

Bukharin, Nikolai /bʊˈkɑːrɪn/

(1888–1938), Russian revolutionary activist and theorist; full name Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin. Editor of Pravda (1918–29) and Izvestia (1934–7), a member of the Politburo (1924–9), and chairman of Comintern from 1926, he was executed in one of Stalin's purges.

bukkake /bʊˈkakeɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of sexual activity in which several men ejaculate on another person.

– origin Japanese, literally ‘act of splashing’, also the name of a noodle dish.

Bukovina /ˌbʊkə(ʊ)ˈviːnə/

a region of SE Europe in the Carpathians, divided between Romania and Ukraine. Formerly a province of Moldavia, it was ceded to Austria by the Turks in 1775. After the First World War it was made part of Romania, the northern part being incorporated into the Ukrainian SSR in the Second World War.

Bulawayo /ˌbʊləˈweɪəʊ/

an industrial city in western Zimbabwe; pop. 740,100 (est. 2009).

bulb /bʌlb/

I. noun

1. a rounded underground storage organ present in some plants, notably those of the lily family, consisting of a short stem surrounded by fleshy scale leaves or leaf bases, lying dormant over winter.
Compare with corm, rhizome.

2. a plant grown from a bulb.

3. short for light bulb.

4. an expanded part of a glass tube such as that forming the reservoir of a thermometer.

5. a hollow flexible container with an opening through which the air can be expelled by squeezing, such as that used to fill a syringe.

6. a spheroidal dilated part at the end of an anatomical structure.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek bolbos ‘onion, bulbous root’.

bulb fly

noun

a hoverfly that resembles a bumblebee, with larvae that are pests of daffodil bulbs.
● Merodon equestris, family Syrphidae.

bulbil /ˈbʌlbɪl/

I. noun

[Botany] a small bulb-like structure, in particular one in the axil of a leaf, which may fall to form a new plant.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin bulbillus, diminutive of bulbus ‘onion, bulbous root’.

bulbous /ˈbʌlbəs/

adjective

1. fat, round, or bulging

• a bulbous nose.

2. (of a plant) growing from a bulb.

• the bulbous buttercup.

bulbul /ˈbʊlbʊl/

I. noun

a tropical African and Asian songbird, typically having a crest, drab plumage, and a melodious voice.
●Family Pycnonotidae: several genera and numerous species.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Persian, of imitative origin.

Bulganin, Nikolai /bʊlˈɡɑːnɪn/

(1895–1975), Soviet statesman, Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Premier) 1955–8; full name Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bulganin. He was Vice-Premier in the government of Georgi Malenkov in 1953, and in 1955 shared the premiership with Khrushchev.

bulgar /ˈbʌlɡə / bulgur, bulgar wheat

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a cereal food made from whole wheat partially boiled then dried, eaten especially in Turkey.
[as modifier]

• bulgar wheat.

– origin 1930s: from Turkish bulgur ‘bruised grain’.

Bulgar /ˈbʌlɡə/

I. noun

a member of a Slavic people who settled in what is now Bulgaria in the 7th century.
[as modifier]

• a Bulgar shepherd.

– origin from medieval Latin Bulgarus, from Old Church Slavonic Blŭgarinŭ.

Bulgaria /bʌlˈɡɛːrɪə/

I. a country in SE Europe on the western shores of the Black Sea; pop. 7,204,700 (est. 2009); official language, Bulgarian; capital, Sofia.

Part of the Ottoman Empire from the 14th century, Bulgaria remained under Turkish rule until the late 19th century, becoming independent in 1908. Bulgaria fought on the German side in both world wars. A communist state was set up by the Soviets after the Second World War, and a multiparty democratic system was introduced in 1989. In 2007 Bulgaria joined the EU. / – origin named after the Bulgars (see Bulgar).

Bulgarian /bʌlˈɡɛːrɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Bulgaria, its people, or their language.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Bulgaria, or a person of Bulgarian descent.

2. [ mass noun] — the Southern Slavic language spoken in Bulgaria.

bulge /bʌldʒ/

I. noun

1. a rounded swelling which distorts an otherwise flat surface.

• the telltale bulge of a concealed weapon.

2. [Military] a piece of land which projects outwards from an otherwise regular line.

• the advance created an eastward-facing bulge in the line.

3. [in sing.] — ‹informal› an unusual temporary increase in number or size

• a bulge in the birth rate.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. swell or protrude to an incongruous extent

• the veins in his neck bulged

• (as adj. bulging) he stared with bulging eyes.

2. be full of and distended with

• a briefcase bulging with documents.

III. derivatives

1. bulgingly

adverb

2. bulgy /ˈbʌldʒi /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French boulge, from Latin bulga (see budget). The original meaning was ‘wallet or bag’, later ‘a ship's bilge’ (early 17th cent.); other senses presumably derived from association with the shape of a full bag.

Bulge, Battle of the

(in the Second World War) a German counteroffensive in the Ardennes aimed at preventing an Allied invasion of Germany, in late 1944–early 1945. The Germans drove a ‘bulge’ about 60 miles (110 km) deep in the front line, but were later forced to retreat.

bulimarexia /bjʊˌlɪməˈrɛksɪə, bʊˌlɪməˈrɛksɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly US) another term for bulimia nervosa (see bulimia).

II. derivatives

bulimarexic

adjective, noun

– origin 1970s: blend of bulimia and anorexia.

bulimia /bjʊˈlɪmɪə, bʊˈlɪmɪə / bulimia nervosa

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an emotional disorder characterized by a distorted body image and an obsessive desire to lose weight, in which bouts of extreme overeating are followed by fasting or self-induced vomiting or purging.

– origin late Middle English (as bolisme, later bulimy): modern Latin, or from medieval Latin bolismos, from Greek boulimia ‘ravenous hunger’, from bous ‘ox’ + limos ‘hunger’.

bulimic /bjuːˈlɪmɪk/

I. adjective

relating to, characterized by, or suffering from an eating disorder marked by bouts of overeating, followed by fasting or vomiting

• for years she was bulimic

• the development of bulimic behaviour.

II. noun

a person suffering from an eating disorder marked by bouts of overeating, followed by fasting or vomiting

• a recovering bulimic.

bulk /bʌlk/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the mass or size of something large

• residents jump up and down on their rubbish to reduce its bulk.

2. large size or shape

• he moved quickly in spite of his bulk.

3. [ count noun] — a large mass or shape.

4. [as modifier] — large in quantity

• bulk orders of over 100 copies.

5. roughage in food

• potatoes supply energy, essential protein, and bulk.

6. cargo in an unpackaged mass such as grain or oil.
[as modifier]

• the port is specially designed for the largest dry bulk vessels.

7. [Printing] the thickness of paper or a book.

8. ( the bulk of) — the greater part of something

• the bulk of the traffic had passed.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat (a product) so that its quantity appears greater than it is

• traders were bulking up their flour with chalk.

2. [no obj.] ( bulk up) — build up flesh and muscle, typically in training for sporting events.

• he took dietary supplements to bulk up as he lifted weights.

3. combine (shares or commodities for sale)

• your shares will be bulked with others and sold at the best prices available.

III. phrases

1. bulk large

be or seem to be of great importance

• territorial questions bulked large in diplomatic relations.

2. in bulk

a. (of goods) in large quantities and generally at a reduced price

• retail multiples buy in bulk.

b. (of a cargo or commodity) not packaged; loose.

• sugar is imported in bulk and bagged on the island.

– origin Middle English: the senses ‘cargo as a whole’ and ‘heap, large quantity’ (the earliest recorded) are probably from Old Norse búlki ‘cargo’; other senses arose perhaps by alteration of obsolete bouk ‘belly, body’.

bulk bill

verb

(Austral.) (of a doctor) choose reduced fees paid directly by the government via the Medicare system, rather than bill patients fully and bear the cost of billing
[no obj.]

• some doctors are saying they currently can't afford to bulk bill

• [with obj.] more than 60 per cent of his consultations are bulk billed

• [with obj.] many GPs are still refusing to bulk bill pensioners.

bulk billing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) the practice, among doctors, of choosing to be paid reduced fees directly by the government rather than bill patients fully and bear the cost of billing

• we've seen dramatic falls in bulk billing under this government.

bulk buying

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the purchase of goods in large amounts, typically at a discount.

• private transport is essential for bulk buying at supermarkets.

II. derivatives

bulk-buy /ˌbʌlkˈbʌɪ /

verb

bulk carrier bulker

noun

a ship that carries non-liquid cargoes such as grain or ore in bulk.

bulkhead /ˈbʌlkhɛd/

I. noun

a dividing wall or barrier between separate compartments inside a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old Norse bálkr ‘partition’ + head.

bulk mail

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a category of mail for sending out large numbers of identical items at a reduced rate.

bulk modulus

noun

[Physics] the relative change in the volume of a body produced by a unit compressive or tensile stress acting uniformly over its surface.

bulky /ˈbʌlki/

I. adjective

1. taking up much space; large and unwieldy

• a bulky carrier bag.

2. (of a person) heavily built.

• a bulky, overcoat-clad figure.

II. derivatives

1. bulkily

adverb

2. bulkiness /ˈbʌlkinəs /

noun

bull^1 /bʊl/

I. noun

1. an uncastrated male bovine animal
[as modifier]

• bull calves.

2. a large male animal, especially a whale or elephant.

3. ( the Bull) — the zodiacal sign or constellation Taurus.

4. (Brit.) a bullseye.

• aim for the bull!

5. [Stock Exchange] a person who buys shares hoping to sell them at a higher price later.
Often contrasted with bear^2.

II. verb

1. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — ‹informal› push or move powerfully or violently

• he bulled the motor cycle clear of the tunnel.

2. [no obj.] ( be bulling) — (of a cow) behave in a manner characteristic of being on heat.

III. phrases

1. like a bull at a gate

taking action hastily and without thought.

• I try not to analyse anything—I just go in like a bull at a gate.

2. like a bull in a china shop

behaving recklessly and clumsily in a situation where one is likely to cause damage.

• he was rushing about like a bull in a china shop.

3. take the bull by the horns

deal decisively with a difficult or dangerous situation.

• she decided to take the bull by the horns and organize things for herself.

4. within a bull's roar (of)

[usu. with negative] — (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› extremely close or near (to)

• no one has come within a bull's roar of producing a work of such sweep and quality.

– origin late Old English bula (recorded in place names), from Old Norse boli. Compare with bullock.

bull^2 /bʊl/

I. noun

a papal edict.

• the pope issued a bull of excommunication.

– origin Middle English: from Old French bulle, from Latin bulla ‘bubble, rounded object’ (in medieval Latin ‘seal or sealed document’).

bull^3 /bʊl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› stupid or untrue talk or writing; nonsense

• much of what he says is sheer bull.

– origin early 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

bulla /ˈbʊlə/

I. noun

1. [Medicine] a large blister containing serous fluid.

2. an abnormal air-filled cavity in the lung.

3. [Anatomy] a rounded prominence.

4. a round seal attached to a papal bull, typically one made of lead.

– origin Latin, literally ‘bubble’.

bullace /ˈbʊlɪs/

I. noun

a thorny shrub or small tree with small purple-black plum-like fruits. The damson is probably a cultivated form.
● Prunus domestica subsp. insititia (or P. insititia), family Rosaceae.

– origin Middle English: from Old French buloce ‘sloe’: of unknown origin.

Bullamakanka /ˌbʊləməˈkaŋkə / Bullabakanka

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a humorous name for any remote place, especially one considered backward

• they started producing wines in the back of Bullamakanka.

– origin 1940s: a fanciful coinage, perhaps derived from the pidgin phrase bulla macow ‘cattle, bully beef’.

bull ant

noun

another term for bulldog ant.

bullate /ˈbʊleɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] covered with rounded swellings like blisters.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin bullatus, from Latin bulla ‘bubble’.

bull-baiting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› the practice of setting dogs to harass a bull, popular as an entertainment in medieval Europe.

bull bar

noun

a strong metal grille fitted to the front of a motor vehicle to protect it against impact damage.

bulldog /ˈbʊldɒɡ/

I. noun

1. a dog of a sturdy smooth-haired breed with a large head and powerful protruding lower jaw, a flat wrinkled face, and a broad chest.

2. a person noted for courageous or stubborn tenacity
[as modifier]

• the bulldog spirit.

3. ‹informal› (at Oxford and Cambridge Universities) an official who assists the proctors, especially in disciplinary matters.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) wrestle (a steer) to the ground by holding its horns and twisting its neck.

• Cal was bulldogging a mean steer.

• [no obj.] I bulldogged and rode broncos.

• (as noun bulldogging) cowboys compete in bulldogging and bareback riding.

III. derivatives

bulldogger

noun

bulldog ant

noun

a large Australian ant with large jaws and a powerful sting. Also called bull ant.
●Genus Myrmecia, family Formicidae.

bulldog bat

noun

a fish-eating bat that has long legs and very large feet with sharp claws, native to Central and South America. Also called fisherman bat, mastiff bat.
● Noctilio leporinus, family Noctilionidae.

bulldog bond

noun

a sterling bond issued on the UK market by a foreign borrower.

bulldog clip

noun

(Brit.) ‹trademark› a strong sprung metal device with two flat plates that close so as to hold papers together.

bulldoze /ˈbʊldəʊz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. clear (ground) or destroy (buildings, trees, etc.) with a bulldozer

• developers are bulldozing the site.

2. use force insensitively when dealing with (someone or something)

• she believes that to build status you need to bulldoze everyone else.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally US in the sense ‘intimidate’): from bull^1 + -doze, alteration of the noun dose.

bulldozer /ˈbʊldəʊzə/

noun

1. a powerful track-laying tractor with caterpillar tracks and a broad curved upright blade at the front for clearing ground.

2. a person or group exercising irresistible force, especially in disposing of opposition

• the new Duke was a political bulldozer.

bulldust

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) coarse dust.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹vulgar slang› nonsense; rubbish.

bulldyke bulldike

noun

‹informal› ‹offensive› a lesbian of masculine appearance or manner.

bullet /ˈbʊlɪt/

I. noun

1. a metal projectile for firing from a rifle, revolver, or other small firearm, typically cylindrical and pointed, and sometimes containing an explosive.

2. used in similes to refer to someone or something that moves very fast

• the ball sped across the grass like a bullet.

3. (US) (in sporting contexts) a very fast ball.

• all afternoon, he threw bullets at the other team's batters.

4. ( the bullet) — ‹informal› dismissal from employment

• your record's bad, but it's doubtful they'll give you the bullet.

5. [Printing] a small symbol used to introduce each item in a list, for emphasis.

II. phrases

dodge a bullet

‹informal› manage to avoid a difficult or unwelcome situation

• his side dodged a bullet as two last-gasp goals handed Rochdale a 3–2 win over Northampton.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting a cannonball): from French boulet, boulette ‘small ball’, diminutive of boule, from Latin bulla ‘bubble’.

bulleted

adjective

(of items in a list) preceded by a printed bullet or bullet point.

bullet-headed

I. adjective

‹derogatory› having a small, round head.

II. derivatives

bullet head

noun

bulletin /ˈbʊlɪtɪn/

I. noun

1. a short official statement or broadcast summary of news.

2. a regular newsletter or report issued by an organization.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting an official warrant in some European countries): from French, from Italian bullettino, diminutive of bulletta ‘passport’, diminutive of bulla ‘seal, bull’.

bulletin board

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a noticeboard.

2. (N. Amer.) an Internet site where users can post comments about a particular issue or topic and reply to other users' postings.

bullet point

I. noun

1. each of several items in a list, preceded by a bullet symbol for emphasis.

• use bullet points to remind you what to say.

2. a bullet symbol.

II. derivatives

bullet-pointed

adjective

bulletproof /ˈbʊlɪtpruːf/

adjective

designed to resist the penetration of bullets

• a bulletproof vest.

bullet train

noun

‹informal› a Japanese high-speed passenger train.

bull fiddle

noun

‹informal› (chiefly US) a double bass.

bullfight /ˈbʊlfʌɪt/

I. noun

a public spectacle, especially in Spain, at which a bull is baited and killed.

II. derivatives

bullfighter /ˈbʊlfʌɪtə /

noun

bullfighting /ˈbʊlˌfʌɪtɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport of baiting and killing a bull as a public spectacle in an outdoor arena.

Bullfighting is the national spectator sport of Spain, and is found also in Latin America. Typically, the bull is tormented by mounted picadors with lances and banderilleros who stick darts into its neck; the matador then baits it with a red cape and attempts to kill it with a sword thrust beneath the shoulder blade.

bullfinch /ˈbʊlfɪn(t)ʃ/

noun

1. a stocky Eurasian finch with a short, thick bill, typically having grey or pinkish plumage, dark wings, and a white rump.
●Genus Pyrrhula, family Fringillidae: several species, in particular the common P. pyrrhula, the male of which has a pink breast.

2. a Caribbean songbird of the bunting family, resembling the Old World bullfinch.
●Genera Loxigilla and Melopyrrha, family Emberizidae (subfamily Emberizinae): four species.

bullfrog /ˈbʊlfrɒɡ/

noun

a very large frog which has a deep booming croak and is often a predator of smaller vertebrates.
●Genera Rana and Pyxicephalus, family Ranidae: the North American bullfrog ( R. catesbiana), the Asian bullfrog ( R. tigrina), and the African bullfrog ( P. adspersus).

bullhead /ˈbʊlhɛd/

noun

1. a small mainly freshwater Eurasian fish of the sculpin family, with a broad flattened head and spiny fins.
●Genera Cottus and Taurulus, family Cottidae: three species.

2. (also bullhead catfish) — an American freshwater catfish.
●Genus Ictalurus, family Ictaluridae: several species.

bullheaded /bʊlˈhɛdɪd/

I. adjective

determined in an obstinate and unthinking way

• a bullheaded belief that she is right.

II. derivatives

1. bullheadedly

adverb

2. bullheadedness

noun

bullhorn /ˈbʌlhɔːn/

noun

(N. Amer.) a megaphone.

bull huss

noun

see huss.

bullion /ˈbʊlj(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. gold or silver in bulk before coining, or valued by weight.
[with modifier]

• gold bullion.

2. ornamental braid or fringing made with twists of gold or silver thread.
[as modifier]

• bullion cords.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, in the sense ‘a mint’, variant of Old French bouillon, based on Latin bullire ‘to boil’.

bullion knot

noun

a decorative stitch in embroidery made by winding the thread several times round the needle before sewing a backstitch.

bullish /ˈbʊlɪʃ/

I. adjective

1. aggressively confident and self-assertive.

• he has campaigned courageously despite difficulties that would have stopped many more bullish men.

2. [Stock Exchange] characterized by rising share prices

• the market was bullish.

3. (of a dealer) inclined to buy because of an anticipated rise in prices.

• high points in the stock market cycle, when investors are at their most bullish.

4. confident or optimistic about something

• we are very bullish about our prospects.

II. derivatives

1. bullishly

adverb

2. bullishness

noun

Bulli soil /ˈbʊlʌɪ sɔɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) clay-rich soil widely used for cricket pitches and tennis courts

• the pitch had been upgraded with the importation of ten tons of Bulli soil.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after the town of Bulli in New South Wales.

bull kelp

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a very large brown seaweed found in Pacific and Antarctic waters, growing up to 50 m in length off the north-western coasts of North America.
● Nereocystis and other genera, class Phaeophyceae.

bull market

noun

[Stock Exchange] a market in which share prices are rising, encouraging buying.

bull mastiff

noun

a dog that is a cross-breed of bulldog and mastiff.

bull-necked

I. adjective

(of a man) having a thick, strong neck

• a beefy, bull-necked cop.

II. derivatives

bull neck

noun

bull-nosed

I. adjective

having a rounded edge or end

• a bull-nosed chisel.

II. derivatives

bull nose

noun

bullock /ˈbʊlək/

I. noun

a male domestic bovine animal that has been castrated and is raised for beef.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› work long and hard

• people have dropped dead bullocking their guts out.

– origin late Old English bulluc, diminutive of bula (see bull^1). The verb (late 19th cent.) is by association with a bullock's use as a draught animal.

bullock driver

noun

(Austral./NZ) a person who controls a team of bullocks used as draught animals

• she sold whip-ends to bullock drivers.

bullock's heart

noun

the edible fruit of a tropical American custard apple.
●The tree is Annona reticulata, family Annonaceae.

bullocky

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹historical› a bullock driver.

bullocky's joy bullocky's delight

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) treacle or golden syrup

• we had thick slices of home-made bread spread with bullocky's joy.

– origin early 20th cent.: from bullocky + joy.

bullous /ˈbʊləs/

adjective

[Medicine] characterized by blisters or bullae on the skin.

bullpen /ˈbʊlpɛn/

noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) an enclosure for bulls.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) an exercise area for baseball pitchers.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) the relief pitchers of a baseball team.

4. (chiefly N. Amer.) an open-plan office area.

5. (chiefly N. Amer.) a large cell in which prisoners are held before a court hearing.

bullring /ˈbʊlrɪŋ/

noun

an arena where bullfights are held.

bullroarer

noun

(Austral.) a sacred object used in Aboriginal religious ceremonies, consisting of a piece of wood attached to a string, whirled round to produce a roaring noise.

Bull Run

a small river in eastern Virginia, scene of two Confederate victories, in 1861 and 1862, during the American Civil War.

bull session

I. noun

(N. Amer.) an informal group discussion.

• I heard sharper political talk in the all-night bull sessions.

– origin 1920s: bull from bull^3.

bullseye /ˈbʊlzʌɪ/

noun

1. the centre of the target in sports such as archery, shooting, and darts.

2. a shot that hits the bullseye in sports such as archery, shooting, and darts.

3. used to refer to something that achieves exactly the intended effect

• the silence told him he'd scored a bullseye.

4. a large, hard round peppermint sweet.

5. ‹dated› a thick disc of glass forming a small window in a ship or the glass of a lamp
[as modifier]

• a bullseye lantern.

6. a thick knob of glass at the centre of a blown glass sheet.

bullshit /ˈbʊlʃɪt / ‹vulgar slang›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. stupid or untrue talk or writing; nonsense.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. talk nonsense to (someone) in an attempt to deceive them.

III. derivatives

bullshitter /ˈbʊlʃɪtə /

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from bull^3 + shit.

bullshot

noun

a cocktail made with vodka, beef bouillon, and Worcester sauce.

bull snake

noun

a gopher snake of a race found on the plains and prairies of North America.
● Pituophis catenifer sayi, family Colubridae.

bull terrier

noun

a short-haired dog of a breed that is a cross between a bulldog and a terrier.

bull trout

noun

1. a North American trout that resembles the Dolly Varden, found in cold rivers and lakes.
● Salvelinus confluentus, family Salmonidae.

2. (Brit.) a sea trout.

bullwhip /ˈbʊlwɪp / ‹N. Amer.›

I. noun

a whip with a long heavy lash.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. strike or thrash with a bullwhip.

• he was suspected of bullwhipping a fellow to death.

bully^1 /ˈbʊli/

I. noun

a person who uses strength or influence to harm or intimidate those who are weaker.

• he is a ranting, domineering bully.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. use superior strength or influence to intimidate (someone), typically to force them to do something

• a local man was bullied into helping them.

– origin mid 16th cent.: probably from Middle Dutch boele ‘lover’. Original use was as a term of endearment applied to either sex; it later became a familiar form of address to a male friend. The current sense dates from the late 17th cent.

bully^2 /ˈbʊli/

I. adjective

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) very good; excellent

• the statue really looked bully.

II. phrases

bully for you! (or him etc.)

‹often ironic› used to express admiration or approval

• he got away—bully for him!

– origin late 16th cent. (originally used of a person, meaning ‘admirable, gallant, jolly’): from bully^1. The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

bully^3 /ˈbʊli / bully beef

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› corned beef.

– origin mid 18th cent.: alteration of bouilli.

bully^4 /ˈbʊli/

I. noun

(also bully off) — an act of starting play in field hockey, in which two opponents strike each other's sticks three times and then go for the ball.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (also bully off) — (in field hockey) start play with a bully.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally denoting a scrum in Eton football): of unknown origin.

bully boy

noun

a tough, aggressive man
[as modifier]

• bully-boy tactics.

bully pulpit

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an opportunity to speak out on any issue

• he could use the presidency as a bully pulpit to bring out the best in civic life.

– origin early 20th cent.: apparently originally used by President Theodore Roosevelt, explaining his personal view of the presidency.

bullyrag /ˈbʊlɪraɡ / ballyrag

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› treat (someone) in a scolding or intimidating way

• he would bullyrag them around but lick up to his superiors.

– origin late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

bulrush /ˈbʊlrʌʃ / bullrush

I. noun

1. a tall reed-like water plant with strap-like leaves and a dark brown velvety cylindrical head of numerous tiny flowers. Also called reed mace.
●Genus Typha, family Typhaceae: several species, in particular T. latifolia.

2. another term for clubrush.

3. (in biblical use) a papyrus plant.

– origin late Middle English: probably from bull^1 in the sense ‘large or coarse’, as in words such as bullfrog.

Bultmann, Rudolf /ˈbʊltmən, German ˈbʊltman/

(1884–1976), German Lutheran theologian; full name Rudolf Karl Bultmann. He emphasized the ‘existential’ rather than the historical significance of the Gospel story.

bulwark /ˈbʊlwək/

I. noun

1. a defensive wall.

2. a person or thing that acts as a defence

• the security forces are a bulwark against the breakdown of society.

3. (usu. bulwarks) — an extension of a ship's sides above the level of the deck.

• the ships met, their crews lining the bulwarks.

– origin late Middle English: from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch bolwerk; related to bole^1 and work.

bum^1 /bʌm / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a vagrant.

• bums had been known to wander up to their door and ask for a sandwich.

2. (N. Amer.) a lazy or worthless person

• you ungrateful bum!

3. [in combination] — (N. Amer.) a person who devotes a great deal of time to a specified activity

• a ski bum.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] (usu. bum around) — travel with no particular purpose

• he bummed around Florida for a few months.

2. pass one's time idly

• students bumming around at university.

3. [with obj.] — get by asking or begging

• they tried to bum quarters off us.

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. of poor quality; bad or wrong

• not one bum note was played.

IV. phrases

1. give someone (or get) the bum's rush ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

a. forcibly eject someone (or be forcibly ejected) from a place or gathering.

• the bouncer gave me the bum's rush.

b. abruptly dismiss someone (or be abruptly dismissed) for a poor idea or performance.

• the President-elect is getting the bum's rush over the economy.

2. on the bum

(N. Amer.) travelling rough and with no fixed home; vagrant.

• he continued to travel the country on the bum.

V. phrasal verbs

bum someone out

(N. Amer.) make someone feel annoyed, upset, or disappointed

• I was assigned the day shift, which bummed me out.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably from bummer.

bum^2 /bʌm/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person's buttocks or anus.

• if you sit there you'll get a cold bum.

II. phrases

bums on seats

(Brit.) ‹informal› the audience at a theatre, cinema, or other entertainment, viewed as a source of income.

• I've been offered lots of films just because the producers thought I would put bums on seats.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

bumbag /ˈbʌmbaɡ/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a small pouch on a belt, for money and other valuables, worn round the waist or hips.

bum-bailiff

I. noun

‹historical› ‹derogatory› a bailiff empowered to collect debts or arrest debtors for non-payment.

• a confounded pettifogging bum-bailiff.

– origin early 17th cent.: from bum^2, so named because of the association of an approach from behind.

bumbershoot /ˈbʌmbəʃuːt/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› an umbrella.

– origin late 19th cent.: alteration of umbrella + parachute.

bumble /ˈbʌmb(ə)l/

I. verb

1. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move or act in an awkward or confused manner

• they bumbled around the house.

2. [no obj.] — speak in a confused or indistinct way.

• the succeeding speakers bumbled.

3. [with adverbial] — (of an insect) buzz or hum.

• she watched a bee bumble among the flowers.

II. derivatives

bumbler /ˈbʌmblə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘hum, drone’): from boom^1 + -le^4.

bumblebee /ˈbʌmb(ə)lbiː/

noun

a large hairy social bee which flies with a loud hum, living in small colonies in holes underground. Also called humble-bee.
●Genus Bombus, family Apidae: many species.

bumbledom /ˈbʌmb(ə)ldəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. officious and pompous behaviour by minor officials

• a vast increase in bureaucracy, pen-pushing, and bumbledom.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of Bumble, the beadle in Dickens's Oliver Twist, + -dom.

bumbling /ˈbʌmb(ə)lɪŋ, ˈbʌmblɪŋ/

adjective

acting in a confused or ineffectual way; incompetent

• he's a bumbling fool.

bumboat /ˈbʌmbəʊt/

I. noun

a small vessel carrying provisions for sale to moored or anchored ships.

– origin late 17th cent.: from bum^2 + boat. The term originally denoted a scavenger's boat removing ships' refuse, often also bringing produce for sale.

bumboy

noun

‹vulgar slang› a young male homosexual, especially a prostitute.

bumf /bʌmf / bumph

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› useless or tedious printed material.

• most of his mail was just bumf, bills, and Christmas cards.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› toilet paper.

• I've got a bit of bumf in case of air raids.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation of slang bum-fodder, in the same sense.

bumfluff /ˈbʌmflʌf/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› the first beard growth of an adolescent.

• only the tiniest amount of bumfluff grew on his chin.

• [as modifier] this lot, all spots, bumfluff goatees, jogging pants, and T-shirts.

bumiputra /ˌbuːmɪˈpuːtrə / bumiputera

I. noun

a Malaysian of indigenous Malay origin.
[as modifier]

• bumiputra ownership.

– origin Malay, literally ‘son of the soil’.

bummalo /ˈbʌmələʊ/

I. noun

a small elongated fish of southern Asian coasts which is dried and used as food. Also called Bombay duck.
● Harpodon nehereus, family Harpadontidae.

– origin late 17th cent.: perhaps from Marathi bombīl.

bummaree /ˌbʌməˈriː/

I. noun

a self-employed licensed porter at Smithfield meat market in London.

– origin late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

bummed bummed out

adjective — [usu. predic.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› annoyed, upset, or disappointed

• she was really bummed out that she never got to meet you

• given the foot-tapping music, a lot of people were bummed about not being able to dance.

bummer /ˈbʌmə/

I. noun

1. ( a bummer) — ‹informal› a disappointing or unpleasant situation or experience

• the team's relegation is a real bummer.

2. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) a loafer or vagrant.

• baby doesn't have to be a travel bummer.

– origin mid 19th cent.: perhaps from German Bummler, from bummeln ‘stroll, loaf about’.

bump /bʌmp/

I. noun

1. a light blow or a jolting collision

• a nasty bump on the head.

2. ( the bumps) — (Brit.) ‹informal› (on a person's birthday) a custom by which the person is lifted by the arms and legs and let down on to the ground, once for each year of their age.

• the children were given the bumps.

3. [Rowing] (in races where boats make a spaced start one behind another) the point at which a boat begins to overtake or touch the boat ahead, thereby defeating it.

4. [Aeronautics] a rising air current causing an irregularity in an aircraft's motion.

5. a protuberance on a level surface

• bumps in the road.

6. a swelling on the skin, especially one caused by illness or injury.

• her mosquito bites had come up in huge red bumps.

7. ‹dated› a lump on a person's skull, formerly thought to indicate a particular mental faculty.

8. ‹informal› (chiefly US) an increase

• there was a bump in the number of outbound flights.

9. [ mass noun] — a loosely woven fleeced cotton fabric used in upholstery and as lining material.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — knock or run into someone or something with a jolt

• I almost bumped into him

• [with obj.] she bumped the girl with her hip.

2. ( bump into) — meet by chance

• we might just bump into each other.

3. [with obj.] — hurt or damage (something) by striking it on something else

• she bumped her head on the sink.

4. [with obj.] — [Rowing] (in a race) gain a bump against.

5. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move or travel with much jolting

• the car bumped along the rutted track.

6. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — push (something) jerkily in a specified direction

• she had to bump the pushchair down the steps.

7. [with obj.] — refuse (a passenger) a reserved place on a flight because of deliberate overbooking by the airline.

• if you check in on time and are bumped, you will be entitled to a full refund.

8. (N. Amer.) displace from a job, especially in favour of someone else

• she was bumped for a youthful model.

III. phrases

1. be bumping along the bottom

reach the lowest point in performance or ranking without improving or deteriorating further

• the economy was still bumping along the bottom.

2. a bump in the road

‹informal› a problem or setback

• their relationship has hit another bump in the road.

3. with a bump

suddenly and shockingly

• the scandal brought them down to earth with a bump.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. bump someone off

‹informal› murder someone.

• he would try and bump the blackmailer off.

2. bump something up

‹informal› increase something

• the hotel may well bump up the bill.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a verb): imitative, perhaps of Scandinavian origin.

bumper /ˈbʌmpə/

I. noun

1. a horizontal bar fixed across the front or back of a motor vehicle to reduce damage in a collision.

• she started the car with a jerk and hit the bumper of the car in front.

2. [Cricket] ‹dated› another term for bouncer (sense 2).

3. (also bumper race) — [Horse Racing] a flat race for inexperienced horses which are intended for future racing in hurdles or steeplechases.

4. ‹archaic› a generous glassful of an alcoholic drink, typically one drunk as a toast.

II. adjective

exceptionally large, fine, or successful

• a bumper crop

• everyone in the business predicts a bumper year.

III. phrases

bumper-to-bumper

a. very close together, as cars in a traffic jam.

b. (of an insurance policy) comprehensive; all-inclusive.

• choose our 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

– origin late 17th cent. (in sense 4 of the noun): from bump + -er^1. Sense 4 of the noun derives from the earlier form bumping, meaning ‘very large, great’, and is the source of the adjective meaning ‘exceptionally large, fine, or successful’, as in a bumper year. Sense 3 of the noun is said to be from an earlier racing term meaning ‘amateur rider’.

bumper car

noun

another term for dodgem.

bumper sticker

noun

a label carrying a slogan or advertisement fixed to a vehicle's bumper.

bumpkin /ˈbʌm(p)kɪn/

I. noun

an unsophisticated or socially awkward person from the countryside

• she thought Tom a bit of a country bumpkin.

II. derivatives

bumpkinish

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: perhaps from Dutch boomken ‘little tree’ or Middle Dutch bommekijn ‘little barrel’, used to denote a dumpy person.

bump run

noun

a ski run with many small mounds of snow, caused by skiers turning in the same places.

bump-start

noun, verb

another term for push-start.

bumptious /ˈbʌm(p)ʃəs/

I. adjective

irritatingly self-assertive

• an impossibly bumptious and opinionated ass.

II. derivatives

1. bumptiously /ˈbʌmpʃəsli /

adverb

2. bumptiousness /ˈbʌmpʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: humorously from bump, on the pattern of fractious.

bumpy /ˈbʌmpi/

I. adjective

1. (of a surface) uneven, with many patches raised above the rest

• the car jolted on the bumpy road.

2. (of a journey or other movement) involving sudden jolts and jerks

• the bumpy flight brought on a bout of airsickness

• ‹figurative› investors could be in for a bumpy ride.

II. derivatives

1. bumpily

adverb

2. bumpiness /ˈbʌmpinəs /

noun

bum rap

noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a false charge, typically one leading to imprisonment.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) an unfair judgement on someone or something

• the industry often gets a bum rap for being dishonest.

bum-rush

verb — [with obj.]

1. (US) ‹informal› suddenly force or barge one's way into

• fans bum-rushed record stores.

bum steer

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a piece of false information or unhelpful guidance.

• large numbers of kids are getting a bum steer in life.

– origin 1920s: from bum^1 + steer^1 in the sense ‘advice, guidance’.

bumsters /ˈbʌmstəːz/

plural noun

trousers that are cut very low on the hips.

bum-sucking

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› obsequious, servile behaviour.

II. derivatives

bum-sucker /ˈbʌmˌsʌkə /

noun

bun /bʌn/

I. noun

1. a small cake, typically containing dried fruit.

• a currant bun.

2. a bread roll.

3. (in Scotland and Jamaica) a rich fruit cake or currant bread.

4. a hairstyle in which the hair is drawn back into a tight coil at the back of the head.

5. ( buns) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person's buttocks.

II. phrases

have a bun in the oven

‹informal› be pregnant.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

Bunbury

a seaport and resort to the south of Perth in Western Australia; pop. 32,841 (2008).

bunce

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› money or profit gained by someone

• they can turn their hand to many jobs as long as there's a bit of bunce in it.

– origin early 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

bunch /bʌn(t)ʃ/

I. noun

1. a number of things, typically of the same kind, growing or fastened together

• a bunch of grapes.

2. ‹informal› a group of people.

3. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a large number or quantity; a lot

• the bluesy style that earned him a bunch of '70s hits.

4. ( bunches) — (Brit.) a girl's hairstyle in which the hair is tied back into two clumps at the back or on either side of the head.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. collect or fasten into a compact group

• she bunched the needles together.

2. form or cause to form tight folds
[no obj.]

• the bedclothes had bunched up around his waist.

3. [no obj.] — form into a tight group or crowd

• he halted, forcing the rest of the field to bunch up behind him.

4. [no obj.] — (of muscles) flex or bulge.

III. phrases

1. the best (or the pick) of the bunch

‹informal› the best in a particular group.

2. bunch of fives

(Brit.) ‹informal› a fist or punch.

3. thanks a bunch

‹ironic› (chiefly Brit.) thank you very much.

IV. derivatives

bunchy /ˈbʌn(t)ʃi /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

bunchberry /ˈbʌntʃbɛri/

noun

a low-growing plant of the dogwood family, which produces white flowers followed by red berries and bright red autumn foliage. It is native to North America, eastern Asia, and Greenland.
● Cornus canadensis, family Cornaceae.

bunchflower /ˈbʌntʃflaʊə/

noun

a North American plant of the lily family, with yellowish-green flowers.
● Melanthium virginicum, family Liliaceae.

bunch grass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a grass that grows in clumps.
● Schizachyrium and other genera, family Gramineae: several species, especially S. scoparium, used for grazing and in erosion control, especially on the Great Plains.

bunco /ˈbʌŋkəʊ / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a swindle or confidence trick

• a bunco artist.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹dated› swindle or cheat.

• he didn't propose to be buncoed without a fight.

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps from Spanish banca, the name of a card game.

bund

I. noun

1. an embankment or causeway.

2. a wall surrounding an industrial fuel tank.

– origin early 19th cent.: via Urdu from Persian.

Bundesbank /ˈbʊndəsˌbaŋk/

I. the central bank of Germany, established in 1875. Its headquarters are in Frankfurt.

– origin German, from Bund ‘federation’ + Bank ‘bank’.

Bundesliga /ˈbʊndəsliːɡə/

I. the top division of professional soccer in Germany, corresponding to the Premier League in England.

– origin German, from Bund ‘federation’ + Liga ‘league’.

Bundesrat /ˈbʊndəzˌrɑːt/

I. the upper house of Parliament in Germany or Austria.

– origin German, from Bund ‘federation’ + Rat ‘council’.

Bundestag /ˈbʊndəzˌtɑːɡ/

I. the lower house of Parliament in Germany.

– origin German, from Bund ‘federation’ + tagen ‘confer’.

bundle /ˈbʌnd(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a collection of things or quantity of material tied or wrapped up together

• a thick bundle of envelopes.

2. a set of nerve, muscle, or other fibres running in parallel close together.

3. a set of software or hardware sold together.

• a bundle of 15 desktop utilities.

4. ( a bundle) — ‹informal› a large amount of money

• the new printer cost a bundle.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — tie or roll up (a number of things) together as though into a parcel

• she quickly bundled up her clothes.

2. (usu. be bundled up) — dress (someone) in many warm clothes

• they were bundled up in thick sweaters.

3. sell (items of hardware and software) as a package.

4. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — ‹informal› push, carry, or send forcibly, hastily, or unceremoniously

• he was bundled into a van.

5. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (of a group of people) move in a disorganized way

• they bundled out into the corridor.

6. [no obj.] (usu. as noun bundling) — sleep fully clothed with another person, as a former local custom during courtship.

III. phrases

1. a bundle of fun (or laughs)

‹informal› ‹often ironic› an extremely amusing or entertaining person or thing

• you're a bundle of laughs this evening.

2. a bundle of joy ‹informal›

a baby

• enjoy your little bundle of joy now because he is going to grow up fast.

3. a bundle of nerves

see a bag of nerves at bag.

4. drop one's bundle

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› panic; lose one's self-control.
[from obsolete bundle ‘swag’.]

5. go a bundle on

[usu. with negative] — (Brit.) ‹informal› be very keen on

• I don't go a bundle on seeing a man and woman snogging.

IV. derivatives

bundler

noun

– origin Middle English: perhaps originally from Old English byndelle ‘a binding’, reinforced by Low German and Dutch bundel (to which byndelle is related).

bundler /ˈbʌndlə/

noun

1. a person or machine that packages something as or into a bundle

• the bundlers packaged finished yarn for shipment.

2. (US) a political fundraiser who collects contributions from donors on behalf of a campaign

• she was a bundler for Obama in 2012.

bundobust /ˈbəndəbʌst / bandobast /ˈbandəbʌst, ˈbʌndəbast/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Indian) arrangements or organization

• why all these big crowds and strict police bundobust, he wondered.

– origin Urdu, from Persian band-o-bast ‘tying and binding’.

bundu /ˈbʊnduː/

I. noun — ( the bundu)

1. (in South Africa and Zimbabwe) the wilds; a distant or wilderness region.

– origin probably from Shona bundo ‘grasslands’.

bunfight /ˈbʌnfʌɪt/

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹humorous› a tea party or other function, typically of a grand or official kind.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹humorous› a heated argument or exchange.

• a public bunfight has arisen between the authors of the report.

bun foot

noun

a foot in the shape of a flattened sphere, used for chairs, tables, or other furniture in the late 17th century.

bung^1 /bʌŋ/

I. noun

a stopper for closing a hole in a container.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. close with a stopper.

• the casks are bunged before delivery.

2. ( bung something up) — block something

• you let vegetable peelings bung the sink up.

III. phrases

bung it on

(Austral.) ‹informal› affect a style of speech or behaviour that is pretentious or ostentatious

• Georgie knew them well enough to know they were just bunging it on.

– origin late Middle English: from Middle Dutch bonghe (noun).

bung^2 /bʌŋ / ‹Brit. informal›

I. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of direction]

1. put or throw (something) somewhere in a careless or casual way

• fill out the reply-paid card and bung it in the post.

II. noun

a bribe.

– origin early 19th cent.: symbolic; the noun sense dates from the 1950s.

bung^3 /bʌŋ / ‹Austral./NZ informal›

I. adjective

1. broken down, ruined, or useless.

2. ‹dated› dead.

II. phrases

go bung ‹Austral./NZ informal›

a. break down; fail or go bankrupt.

b. die.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally Australian pidgin): from Yagara (an extinct Aboriginal language).

bungalow /ˈbʌŋɡələʊ/

I. noun

1. a low house having only one storey or, in some cases, upper rooms set in the roof, typically with dormer windows.

2. (in SE Asia) a large detached house with more than one storey.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Hindi baṅglā ‘belonging to Bengal’, from a type of cottage built for early European settlers in Bengal.

bungarotoxin /ˌbʌŋɡərə(ʊ)ˈtɒksɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound found in the venom of the krait (snake) which is a powerful neurotoxin.

– origin 1960s: from the modern Latin genus name Bungarus (perhaps from Sanskrit bhaṅgura ‘bent’) + toxin.

bungee /ˈbʌndʒi/

I. noun

(also bungee cord or bungee rope) — a long nylon-cased rubber band used for securing luggage and in the sport of bungee jumping.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. perform a bungee jump.

• he bungeed 111 metres from the bridge over the Victoria Falls.

– origin 1930s (denoting an elasticated cord for launching a glider): of unknown origin.

bungee jumping /ˈbʌndʒiː dʒʌmpɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport of leaping from a bridge, crane, or other high place while secured by a long nylon-cased rubber band around the ankles.

• the growing craze of bungee jumping.

• last week she went bungee jumping.

II. derivatives

1. bungee jump

noun

2. bungee jumper

noun

bunger /ˈbʌŋə/

I. noun

(Austral.) a firework designed to explode with a loud noise

• one of the penny bungers set off a huge bushfire.

– origin 1920s: an alteration of banger.

bunghole /ˈbʌŋhəʊl/

noun

an aperture through which a cask can be filled or emptied.

bungle /ˈbʌŋɡ(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. carry out (a task) clumsily or incompetently

• she had bungled every attempt to help

• (as adj. bungled) a bungled bank raid.

2. [no obj.] (usu. as adj. bungling) — make or be prone to making many mistakes

• the work of a bungling amateur.

II. noun

a mistake or badly carried out action

• a government bungle over state pensions.

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin; compare with bumble.

bungler /ˈbʌŋɡlə/

noun

a person who habitually bungles things; an amateur

• the government is evidently a bunch of bunglers.

Bunin, Ivan /ˈbuːnɪn/

(1870–1953), Russian poet and prose writer; full name Ivan Alekseevich Bunin. An opponent of modernism, he concentrated on the themes of peasant life and love. Nobel Prize for Literature (1933, the first Russian prizewinner).

bunion /ˈbʌnj(ə)n/

I. noun

a painful swelling on the first joint of the big toe.

– origin early 18th cent.: ultimately from Old French buignon, from buigne ‘bump on the head’.

bunk^1 /bʌŋk/

I. noun

a narrow shelf-like bed, typically one of two or more arranged one on top of the other.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) sleep in a bunk or improvised bed, typically in shared quarters

• they bunk together in the dormitory.

– origin mid 18th cent.: of unknown origin; perhaps related to bunker.

bunk^2 /bʌŋk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› nonsense

• anyone with a brain cell would never believe such bunk.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation of bunkum.

bunk^3 /bʌŋk/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( bunk off)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› abscond or play truant from school or work.

• he bunked off school all week.

II. phrases

do a bunk

‹informal› make a hurried or furtive departure or escape.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

bunk bed

noun

a piece of furniture consisting of two beds, one above the other, that form a unit.

bunker /ˈbʌŋkə/

I. noun

1. a large container or compartment for storing fuel

• a coal bunker.

2. a reinforced underground shelter, typically for use in wartime.

3. a hollow filled with sand, used as an obstacle on a golf course.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. fill the fuel containers of (a ship); refuel.

2. ( be bunkered) — [Golf] (of a player) have one's ball lodged in a bunker

• he was bunkered at the fifth hole.

3. hit (the ball) into a bunker

• he bunkered his second shot.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› cause difficulties to; hinder the progress of

• he may find his new sporting pursuits bunkered by activities he hadn't planned on.

5. [no obj.] — take refuge in a bunker or other shelter

• his family had bunkered down inside their home

• the former Governor has spent four days bunkered down at Government House.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally Scots, denoting a seat or bench): perhaps related to bunk^1.

Bunker Hill

the first pitched battle (1775) of the War of American Independence (actually fought on Breed's Hill near Boston, Massachusetts). Although the British won, the good performance of the untrained Americans gave considerable impetus to the Revolution.

bunkhouse /ˈbʌŋkhaʊs/

noun

a building offering basic sleeping accommodation for workers.

bunkum /ˈbʌŋkəm / buncombe

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› ‹dated› nonsense

• they talk a lot of bunkum about their products.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally buncombe): named after Buncombe County in North Carolina, mentioned in an inconsequential speech made by its congressman solely to please his constituents ( c. 1820).

bunk-up /ˈbʌŋkʌp/

noun

‹informal› a helping push or pull up.

bunny /ˈbʌni/

I. noun

1. (also bunny rabbit) — ‹informal› a child's term for a rabbit.

2. (also bunny girl) — ‹informal› a club hostess or waitress wearing a skimpy costume with ears and a tail suggestive of a rabbit.

3. [with adj.] — ‹informal› a person of a specified type or in a specified mood

• athletes and gym bunnies are rarely seen without a source of fluid close at hand.

4. ‹informal› (Austral.) a victim or dupe.

– origin early 17th cent. (originally used as a term of endearment to a person, later as a pet name for a rabbit): from dialect bun ‘squirrel, rabbit’, also used as a term of endearment, of unknown origin. Sense 2 dates from the early 20th cent.

bunny boiler

I. noun

‹informal› a woman who acts vengefully after having been spurned by her lover.

– origin with reference to the film Fatal Attraction (1987), in which a rejected woman boils her lover's pet rabbit.

bunny chow

I. noun

(in South Africa) a takeaway food consisting of a hollowed-out half loaf of bread filled with vegetable or meat curry.

– origin probably from Hindi banyā, from Gujarati vaniya, denoting one of a Hindu caste of merchants, + chow in the sense ‘food’.

bunny-hop

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. jump forward in a crouched position

• he bunny-hopped around the stage.

2. move a vehicle forward jerkily

• I bunny-hopped through a stop sign.

• [with obj.] he bunny-hopped the boat into the water.

3. move a bicycle forward by jumping in the air while standing on the pedals.

4. [with obj.] — clear (an obstacle) on a bicycle by bunny-hopping.

II. noun

1. a jump in a crouched position.

2. a short jump or jerky forward movement made on a bicycle or by a vehicle.

3. an obstacle on a cycling course which is generally cleared by jumping the bicycle over it.

bunny hugger

noun

‹informal› ‹derogatory› an animal lover; a conservationist.

bunny rug

noun

a small, lightweight blanket used as a cover or wrap for a baby

• don't use your baby's bunny rug for the floor.

bunny slope

noun

US term for nursery slope.

Bunsen, Robert /ˈbʌns(ə)n, German ˈbʊnzn/

(1811–99), German chemist; full name Robert Wilhelm Eberhard Bunsen. With Gustav Kirchhoff he pioneered spectroscopy, detecting new elements (caesium and rubidium) and determining the composition of many substances and of the sun and stars. He designed numerous items of chemical apparatus, notably the Bunsen burner (1855).

Bunsen burner /bʌnsn ˈbɜːnə/

noun

a small adjustable gas burner used in laboratories as a source of heat.

bunt^1 /bʌnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Baseball] (of a batter) gently tap (a pitched ball) without swinging in an attempt to make it more difficult to field

• he tried to bunt the ball down the first baseline

• [no obj.] Phil bunted and got to first.

2. (of a batter) help (a base runner) to progress to a further base by bunting a ball

• he bunted Davis to third.

3. push or butt

• Gary bunted her with his head.

II. noun

1. [Baseball] an act or result of bunting a pitched ball.

2. an act of flying an aircraft in part of an outside loop.

– origin mid 18th cent.: probably related to the noun butt^1 (the original sense).

bunt^2 /bʌnt/

I. noun

the baggy centre of a fishing net or a sail.

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

bunt^3 /bʌnt / wheat bunt

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease of wheat caused by a smut fungus, the spores of which give off a smell of rotten fish. Also called stinking smut.
●The fungus is Tilletia caries, class Teliomycetes.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting the puffball fungus): of unknown origin.

buntal /ˈbʌnt(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [often as modifier]

1. the straw from a talipot palm used for making hats

• a buntal hat.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Tagalog.

Bunter, Billy /ˈbʌntə/

a schoolboy character, noted for his fatness and gluttony, in stories by Frank Richards (pseudonym of Charles Hamilton, 1876–1961).

bunting^1 /ˈbʌntɪŋ/

I. noun

1. an Old World seed-eating songbird related to the finches, typically having brown streaked plumage and a boldly marked head.
●Family Emberizidae, subfamily Emberizinae (the bunting family and subfamily): several genera, in particular Emberiza, and numerous species.

2. a small New World songbird of the cardinal subfamily, the male of which is mainly or partly bright blue in colour.
●Family Emberizidae, subfamily Cardinalinae: genera Passerina and Cyanocompsa, and several species.

– origin Middle English: of unknown origin.

bunting^2 /ˈbʌntɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. flags and other colourful festive decorations.

2. a loosely woven fabric used to make bunting.

– origin early 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

bunting^3 /ˈbʌntɪŋ / bunting bag

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a hooded sleeping bag for babies.

– origin 1920s: origin uncertain; perhaps from bunting^2.

Bunting, Basil

(1900–85), English poet and journalist. He was influenced by modernists including Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot. He published his early work abroad, not really gaining recognition until Briggflatts (1966).

buntline /ˈbʌntlʌɪn/

noun

a line for restraining the loose centre of a sail while it is furled.

Buñuel, Luis /buːˈnwɛl, Spanish buˈɲwel/

(1900–83), Spanish film director. Influenced by surrealism, he wrote and directed his first film, Un Chien andalou (1929), jointly with Salvador Dalí. Other notable films: Belle de jour (1967) and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972).

bunya /ˈbʌnjə / bunya pine, bunya bunya /ˈbʌnjəˌbʌnjə/

I. noun

a tall coniferous Australian tree related to the monkey puzzle, bearing large cones containing edible seeds.
● Araucaria bidwillii, family Araucariaceae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Wiradhuri.

Bunyan, John /ˈbʌnjən/

(1628–88), English writer. A Nonconformist, he was imprisoned twice for unlicensed preaching, during which time he wrote his spiritual autobiography Grace Abounding (1666) and began his major work The Pilgrim's Progress (1678–84).

bunyip /ˈbʌnjɪp/

I. noun

1. (Austral.) a mythical amphibious monster said to inhabit inland waterways.

2. [usu. as modifier] — (Austral.) an impostor or pretender

• Australia's bunyip aristocracy.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Wemba-wemba banib.

bunyip aristocracy

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹derogatory› people who consider themselves to be socially superior

• they publish a list of Australia's bunyip aristocracy of notable families.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from bunyip + aristocracy. The phrase was coined in 1853 by the political orator Daniel Deniehy (1828–65), in a speech that ridiculed attempts to establish a titled aristocracy in Australia, by equating the validity of such a notion to the bunyip, a creature from Aboriginal mythology.

Buonarroti, Michelangelo /ˌbwɒnəˈrɒti/

see Michelangelo.

buoy /bɔɪ/

I. noun

an anchored float serving as a navigation mark, to show reefs or other hazards, or for mooring.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often be buoyed up) — keep (someone or something) afloat

• the creatures could swim, both buoyed up and cooled by the water.

2. make (someone) cheerful and confident

• she was buoyed up by his praise.

3. cause (a price) to rise to or remain at a high level

• shares were up 4p, buoyed by his cut-and-thrust management style.

4. (usu. as adj. buoyed) — mark with an anchored float

• a buoyed channel.

III. derivatives

buoyage /ˈbɔɪədʒ /

noun

– origin Middle English: probably from Middle Dutch boye, boeie, from a Germanic base meaning ‘signal’. The verb is from Spanish boyar ‘to float’, from boya ‘buoy’.

buoyancy /ˈbɔɪənsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability or tendency of something to float in water or other fluid.

2. the power of a liquid to keep something afloat.

• she plunged into the sea, grateful for the buoyancy of the salt water.

3. a cheerful and optimistic attitude or disposition.

4. a high level of activity in an economy or stock market

• there is renewed buoyancy in the demand for steel.

buoyancy aid

noun

a sleeveless jacket lined with buoyant material, worn for water sports.

buoyant /ˈbɔɪənt/

I. adjective

1. able or tending to keep afloat or rise to the top of a liquid or gas.

2. (of a liquid or gas) able to keep something afloat.

• buoyant water.

3. cheerful and optimistic

• the conference ended with the party in a buoyant mood.

4. (of an economy, business, or market) involving or engaged in much successful trade or activity

• car sales were buoyant.

II. derivatives

buoyantly /ˈbɔɪəntli /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from French bouyant or Spanish boyante, present participle of boyar ‘to float’ (see buoy).

BUPA /ˈbuːpə/

abbreviation

‹trademark› (in the UK) British United Provident Association, a private health insurance organization.

bupkis /ˈbʌpkɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) ‹informal› nothing at all

• you know bupkis about fundraising.

– origin from Yiddish.

buppie /ˈbʌpi/

noun

‹informal› a young urban black professional; a black yuppie.

bupropion /bjuːˈprəʊpɪən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an antidepressant drug which is also given to relieve the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Also called Zyban .
●Chem. formula: C_13H_18ClNO.

– origin 1970s: from butane + propion (see propionic acid) + -n (perhaps from -one).

BUR

abbreviation

Burma (international vehicle registration).

burb

noun — (usu. the burbs)

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› short for suburb:

• the leafy burbs of Connecticut.

Burbage, Richard /ˈbəːbɪdʒ/

( c. 1567–1619), English actor. He was the creator of most of Shakespeare's great tragic roles — Hamlet, Othello, Lear, and Richard III — and was also associated with the building of the Globe Theatre.

Burbank /ˈbəːbaŋk/

a city in southern California, on the north side of the Los Angeles conurbation; pop. 102,968 (est. 2008). It is a centre of the film and television industries.

Burberry /ˈbəːb(ə)ri/

I. noun

‹trademark› a kind of lightweight belted raincoat, typically beige in colour, with a distinctive tartan lining.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Burberrys Ltd, the name of the manufacturer.

burble /ˈbəːb(ə)l/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — make a continuous murmuring noise

• a stream burbled through the woods.

2. speak continuously and at length in an unintelligible or confused way

• he burbled on about annuities

• [with obj.] he was burbling inanities.

3. (often as noun burbling) — [Aeronautics] (of an airflow) break up into turbulence.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. continuous murmuring noise

• the steady burble of running water.

2. rambling speech

• an hour of boring burble.

III. derivatives

burbler

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘to bubble’): imitative. Current senses date from the late 19th cent.

burbot /ˈbəːbət/

I. noun

an elongated bottom-dwelling fish that is the only freshwater member of the cod family, occurring in Eurasia and North America but almost extinct in Britain.
● Lota lota, family Gadidae.

– origin Middle English: from Old French borbete, probably from borbe ‘mud, slime’.

burden /ˈbəːd(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a load, typically a heavy one.

2. a duty or misfortune that causes worry, hardship, or distress

• the tax burden on low-wage earners.

3. the main responsibility for achieving a specified aim or task

• the burden of establishing that the authority had misused its powers rests upon the prosecution.

4. a ship's carrying capacity; tonnage.

• the schooner Wyoming, of about 6,000 tons burden.

5. ( the burden) — the main theme or gist of a speech, book, or argument.

6. ‹archaic› the refrain or chorus of a song.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. load heavily.

• she walked forwards burdened with a wooden box.

2. cause (someone) worry, hardship, or distress

• they were not yet burdened with adult responsibility.

III. phrases

burden of proof

the obligation to prove one's assertion.

– origin Old English byrthen, of West Germanic origin; related to bear^1.

burdensome /ˈbəːdns(ə)m/

adjective

1. difficult to carry out or fulfil; taxing

• the burdensome responsibilities of professional life.

2. undesirably restrictive

• bureaucratically burdensome assessment procedures.

burdock /ˈbəːdɒk/

I. noun

a large herbaceous Old World plant of the daisy family. The hook-bearing flowers become woody burrs after fertilization and cling to animals' coats to aid seed dispersal.
●Genus Arctium, family Compositae: several species, including the large-leaved great burdock ( A. lappa), which has edible roots and is used in herbal medicine.

– origin late 16th cent.: from burr + dock^4.

bureau /ˈbjʊərəʊ/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a writing desk with drawers and typically an angled top opening downwards to form a writing surface.

2. (N. Amer.) a chest of drawers.

3. an office or department for transacting particular business

• a news bureau

• the London bureau of the Washington Post.

4. a government department

• the intelligence bureau.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, originally ‘baize’ (used to cover writing desks), from Old French burel, probably from bure ‘dark brown’, based on Greek purros ‘red’.

bureaucracy /ˌbjʊ(ə)ˈrɒkrəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives.

2. [ count noun] — a state or organization governed or managed as a bureaucracy.

3. [ count noun] — the officials in a bureaucracy, considered as a group or hierarchy.

4. excessively complicated administrative procedure

• the unnecessary bureaucracy in local government.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French bureaucratie, from bureau (see bureau).

bureaucrat /ˈbjʊərəkrat/

I. noun

an official in a government department, in particular one perceived as being concerned with procedural correctness at the expense of people's needs.

• the unemployed will be dealt with not by faceless bureaucrats but by individuals.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French bureaucrate, from bureaucratie (see bureaucracy).

bureaucratic /ˌbjɔːrəˈkratɪk, ˌbjʊərəˈkratɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to a system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives

• well-established bureaucratic procedures.

2. over-concerned with procedure at the expense of efficiency or common sense

• the scheme is overly bureaucratic and complex.

II. derivatives

bureaucratically /ˌbjʊərəˈkratɪk(ə)li /

adverb

bureaucratize /bjʊ(ə)ˈrɒkrətʌɪz / bureaucratise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. bureaucratized)

1. govern (a state or organization) by an excessively complicated administrative procedure

• impersonal and bureaucratized welfare systems.

II. derivatives

bureaucratization /bjʊ(ə)rɒkrətʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

bureau de change /ˌbjʊərəʊ də ˈʃɒ̃ʒ French byʀo də ʃɑ̃ʒ//

I. noun

an establishment at which customers can exchange foreign money.

– origin 1950s: French, literally ‘office of exchange’.

Bureau of State Security BOSS

the former South African intelligence and security organization under apartheid.

burette /bjʊˈrɛt / ‹US› buret

I. noun

a graduated glass tube with a tap at one end, for delivering known volumes of a liquid, especially in titrations.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from buire ‘jug’, of Germanic origin; related to German Bauch ‘stomach’.

burfi /ˈbəːfiː / barfi

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Indian sweet made from milk solids and sugar and typically flavoured with cardamom or nuts.

• cashew burfi.

– origin Hindi, from Persian barfī, literally, ‘icy, snowy’, also denoting a kind of sweet decorated with silver leaf.

burg /bəːɡ/

I. noun

1. an ancient or medieval fortress or walled town.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a town or city.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from late Latin burgus (see burgess). Sense 2 is from German Burg ‘castle, city’.

burgage /ˈbəːɡɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› (in England and Scotland) tenure by which land or property in a town was held in return for service or annual rent.

2. [ count noun] — ‹historical› a house or other property held by burgage tenure.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin burgagium, from late Latin burgus ‘fortified town’.

Burgas /bʊəˈɡas/

an industrial port and resort in Bulgaria, on the Black Sea; pop. 188,861 (est. 2008).

burgee /bəːˈdʒiː/

I. noun

a flag bearing the colours or emblem of a sailing club, typically triangular.

– origin mid 18th cent.: perhaps from French bourgeois (see burgess) in the sense ‘owner, master’.

Burgenland /ˈbʊəɡənˌland, German ˈbʊrɡnˌlant/

a state of eastern Austria; capital, Eisenstadt.

burgeon /ˈbəːdʒ(ə)n/

I. verb — [no obj.] (often as adj. burgeoning)

1. begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish

• manufacturers are keen to cash in on the burgeoning demand.

2. ‹archaic› ‹literary› put forth young shoots; bud.

– origin Middle English: from Old French bourgeonner ‘put out buds’, from borjon ‘bud’, based on late Latin burra ‘wool’.

burger /ˈbəːɡə/

I. noun

1. a flat round cake of minced beef that is fried or grilled and typically served in a bread roll; a hamburger.

2. [with modifier] — a similarly shaped food item made of a specified ingredient

• a nut burger.

– origin 1930s (originally US): abbreviation of hamburger.

burger bun

noun

a flattish soft white bread roll in which a hamburger is typically served.

burgess /ˈbəːdʒəs/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› an inhabitant of a town or borough with full rights of citizenship.

2. (Brit.) ‹historical› a Member of Parliament for a borough, corporate town, or university.

3. (in the US and also historically in the UK) a magistrate or member of the governing body of a town.

4. (US) ‹historical› a member of the assembly of colonial Maryland or Virginia.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French burgeis, from late Latin burgus ‘castle, fort’ (in medieval Latin ‘fortified town’); related to borough.

Burgess, Anthony

(1917–93), English novelist and critic; pseudonym of John Anthony Burgess Wilson. One of his best-known novels is A Clockwork Orange (1962), a disturbing, futuristic vision of juvenile delinquency and violence. Other notable works: Earthly Powers (1980).

Burgess, Guy

(1911–63), British Foreign Office official and spy; full name Guy Francis de Moncy Burgess. Acting as a Soviet agent from the 1930s, he worked for MI5 while ostensibly employed by the BBC. After the war he worked at the British Embassy in Washington, under Kim Philby; charged with espionage in 1951, he fled to the USSR with Donald Maclean.

Burgess Shale

I. a stratum of sedimentary rock exposed in the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, Canada. The bed, dated to the Cambrian period (about 540 million years ago), is rich in well-preserved fossils of early marine invertebrates, many of which represent evolutionary lineages unknown in later times.

– origin named after the Burgess Pass, British Columbia, where the shale outcrops.

burgh /ˈbʌrə/

I. noun

‹historical› (Scottish) a borough or chartered town.

II. derivatives

burghal /ˈbəːɡ(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: Scots form of borough.

burgher /ˈbəːɡə/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› ‹humorous› a citizen of a town or city, typically a member of the wealthy bourgeoisie.

• the poem is not the sort of thing the sturdy burghers of Manchester would wish to read.

2. ‹historical› (in southern Africa) an Afrikaans citizen of a Boer Republic.

3. (in southern Africa) a civilian member of a local militia unit.

4. ( Burgher) — a descendant of a Dutch or Portuguese colonist in Sri Lanka.

– origin Middle English: from burgh, reinforced by Dutch burger, from burg ‘castle’ (see borough).

Burghley, 1st Baron /ˈbəːli/

(1520–98), English statesman; born William Cecil. Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth I 1558–72 and Lord High Treasurer 1572–98, he was the queen's most trusted councillor and minister.

burghul /bəːˈɡuːl/

I. noun

another term for bulgar.

– origin Persian.

burglar /ˈbəːɡlə/

I. noun

a person who commits burglary.

II. derivatives

burglarious /bəːˈɡlɛːrɪəs /

adjective

‹archaic›

– origin mid 16th cent.: from legal French burgler or Anglo-Latin burgulator, burglator; related to Old French burgier ‘pillage’.

burglar alarm

noun

an electronic device that emits a loud noise when someone attempts to make unauthorized entry to a building or other premises

• their attempt to jemmy the shop door set off the burglar alarm.

burglarize /ˈbəːɡlərʌɪz / burglarise

verb

North American term for burgle.

burglary /ˈbəːɡləri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. illegal entry of a building with intent to commit a crime, especially theft

• a two-year sentence for burglary

• [ count noun] a series of burglaries.

In English law before 1968, burglary was a crime under statute and in common law; since 1968 it has been a statutory crime only. See also housebreaking.

– origin early 16th cent.: from legal French burglarie, from burgler (see burglar).

burgle /ˈbəːɡ(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly Brit.) enter (a building) illegally with intent to commit a crime, especially theft

• our house in London has been burgled.

– origin late 19th cent.: originally a humorous and colloquial back-formation from burglar.

burgomaster /ˈbəːɡə(ʊ)mɑːstə/

I. noun

the mayor of a Dutch, Flemish, German, Austrian, or Swiss town.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Dutch burgemeester, from burg ‘castle, citadel’ (see borough) + meester ‘master’. The change in the final element was due to association with master^1.

burgonet /ˈbəːɡənɛt/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a kind of visored helmet.

2. ‹historical› a light steel cap worn by pikemen.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French bourguignotte, perhaps a use of the feminine of bourgignot ‘Burgundian’, the ending being assimilated to -et^1.

burgoo /bəːˈɡuː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a stew or thick soup, typically one served at an outdoor meal.

2. [chiefly Nautical] a thick porridge.

– origin from Arabic burġul (see burghul).

Burgos /ˈbʊəɡɒs, Spanish ˈburɣos/

a town in northern Spain; pop. 177,879 (est. 2008). It was the capital of Castile during the 11th century, and the official seat of Franco's Nationalist government (1936–9).

Burgoyne, John /bəːˈɡɔɪn/

(1722–92), English general and dramatist; known as Gentleman Johnny. He surrendered to the Americans at Saratoga (1777) in the War of American Independence.

burgrave /ˈbəːɡreɪv/

I. noun

‹historical› the governor or hereditary ruler of a German town or castle.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from German Burggraf, from Burg ‘castle’ (see borough) + Graf ‘count, noble’.

Burgundian /bəːˈɡʌndɪən/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Burgundy.

2. ‹historical› a member of a Germanic people that invaded Gaul from the east and established the kingdom of Burgundy in the 5th century AD.

II. adjective

relating to Burgundy or the Burgundians.

burgundy /ˈbəːɡəndi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a wine from Burgundy (usually taken to be red unless otherwise specified).

• a glass of Burgundy.

• [ count noun] elegant red burgundies.

2. a deep red colour like that of burgundy wine.

• warm shades of brown and burgundy.

• [as modifier] burgundy leather.

Burgundy /ˈbəːɡəndi/

a region and former duchy of east central France, centred on Dijon. The region is noted for its wine.
French name Bourgogne.

burial /ˈbɛrɪəl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or practice of burying a dead body

• his remains were shipped home for burial.

2. [ count noun] — a ceremony at which someone's body is buried; a funeral.

• they will give him a proper burial.

• [as modifier] burial rites.

3. [ count noun] — [Archaeology] a grave or the remains found in it.
[as modifier]

• burial mounds.

– origin Old English byrgels ‘place of burial, grave’ (interpreted as plural in Middle English, hence the loss of the final -s), of Germanic origin; related to bury.

burial ground

noun

an area of ground set aside for the burying of human bodies.

burin /ˈbjʊərɪn/

I. noun

1. a handheld steel tool used for engraving in metal or wood.

2. [Archaeology] a flint tool with a chisel point.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French; perhaps related to Old High German bora ‘boring tool’.

burka /ˈbəːkə, ˈbʊrkɑː / burkha, burqa

I. noun

a long, loose garment covering the whole body from head to feet, worn in public by women in many Muslim countries.

– origin from Urdu and Persian burqa‘, from Arabic burqu‘.

Burke, Edmund

(1729–97), British man of letters and Whig politician. Burke wrote on the issues of political emancipation and moderation, notably with respect to Roman Catholics and the American colonies.

Burke, John

(1787–1848), Irish genealogical and heraldic writer. He compiled Burke's Peerage (1826), the guide to peers and baronets.

Burke, Robert O'Hara

(1820–61), Irish explorer. He led a successful expedition from south to north across Australia in the company of William Wills and two others—the first white men to make this journey. On the return journey, however, Burke, Wills, and a third companion died of starvation.

Burke, William

(1792–1829), Irish murderer. He was a bodysnatcher operating in Edinburgh with his accomplice William Hare.

Burkina Faso /bəːˌkiːnə ˈfasəʊ/

I. a landlocked country in western Africa, in the Sahel; pop. 15,746,200 (est. 2009); official language, French; capital, Ouagadougou. A French protectorate from 1898, it became an autonomous republic within the French Community in 1958 and a fully independent republic in 1960.
Former name (until 1984) Upper Volta.

II. derivatives

1. Burkinabe /bəːˌkinəˈbeɪ /

adjective, noun

2. Burkinan

adjective, noun

Burkitt's lymphoma /ˈbəːkɪts/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] cancer of the lymphatic system, caused by the Epstein–Barr virus, chiefly affecting children in central Africa.

– origin 1960s: named after Denis P. Burkitt (1911–93), the British surgeon who described it.

burl^1 /bəːl/

I. noun

1. a slub or lump in wool or cloth.

2. (N. Amer.) a rounded knotty growth on a tree, used especially in handcrafted objects and veneers.

• she used warty burls to construct her pieces.

• [ mass noun] wooden coin banks made of elm burl.

• [as modifier] a burl bowl.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bourle ‘tuft of wool’, diminutive of bourre ‘coarse wool’, from late Latin burra ‘wool’.

burl^2 /bəːl/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› an attempt

• we'll give it a burl.

– origin early 20th cent.: regional usage of birl.

burlap /ˈbəːlap/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) coarse canvas woven from jute, hemp, or a similar fibre, used especially for sacking.
[as modifier]

• a burlap sack.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) lighter material of a kind similar to burlap, used in dressmaking and furnishing.
[as modifier]

• a burlap shirt.

• [ count noun] fabrics ranging from hessians to burlaps.

– origin late 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

burlesque /bəːˈlɛsk/

I. noun

1. an absurd or comically exaggerated imitation of something, especially in a literary or dramatic work; a parody

• a novel which is a burlesque of the literary life

• [ mass noun] the argument descends into music-hall burlesque.

2. a variety show, typically including striptease
[as modifier]

• burlesque clubs.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. parody or imitate in an absurd or comically exaggerated way

• a mock-heroic farce that burlesques the affectations of Restoration heroic drama.

III. derivatives

burlesquer

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian burlesco, from burla ‘mockery’, of unknown origin.

burley /ˈbəːli / burley tobacco

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tobacco of a light-coloured variety which is grown mainly in Kentucky, USA.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

Burlington

a city in southern Canada, on Lake Ontario south-west of Toronto; pop. 164,415 (est. 2006).

burly /ˈbəːli/

I. adjective

(of a person) large and strong; heavily built.

• I saw a burly figure approaching.

• a big, burly man.

II. derivatives

burliness /ˈbəːlɪnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘dignified, imposing’): probably from an unrecorded Old English word meaning ‘stately, fit for the bower’ (see bower^1, -ly^1).

Burma /ˈbəːmə/

I. a country in SE Asia, on the Bay of Bengal; pop. 48,137,700 (est. 2009); official language, Burmese; capital, Naypyidaw.
Official name (since 1989) Union of Myanmar.

Annexed by the British during the 19th century, Burma was occupied by the Japanese from 1942 to 1945 and became an independent republic in 1948. In 1962 an army coup led by Ne Win overthrew the government and established an authoritarian state. The National League for Democracy (NLD) won the election held in May 1990, even though its leader Aung San Suu Kyi was under house arrest; however, the military regime did not relinquish power. / usage: The military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as the official name for their state since 1989; Burma is often preferred by people who oppose the current government.

Burman /ˈbəːmən/

noun, adjective

another term for Burmese (sense 1 of the noun).

bur-marigold

noun

a plant of the daisy family, with inconspicuous yellow flowers and small barbed fruit which cling to passing animals. Several kinds are widespread weeds.
●Genus Bidens, family Compositae: several species, in particular B. frondosa.

Burma Road

a route linking Lashio in Burma to Kunming in China, covering 1,154 km (717 miles). Completed in 1939, it was built by the Chinese in response to the Japanese occupation of the Chinese coast, to serve as a supply route to the interior.

Burmese /bəːˈmiːz/

I. noun

1. a member of the largest ethnic group of Burma (Myanmar) in SE Asia.

2. a native or inhabitant of Burma.

3. [ mass noun] — the official language of Burma, which is the first language of about 22 million people (75 per cent of the population). It is a tonal Sino-Tibetan language written in an alphabet derived from that of ancient Pali.

4. (also Burmese cat) — a cat of a short-coated breed originating in Asia.

II. adjective

relating to Burma, its people, or their language.

burn^1 /bəːn/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a fire) flame or glow while consuming a material such as coal or wood

• a fire burned and crackled cheerfully in the grate.

2. (of a candle or other source of light) be alight

• a light was burning in the hall.

3. be in flames

• by nightfall, the whole city was burning.

4. [with obj.] — use (a type of fuel) as a source of heat or energy

• a diesel engine converted to burn natural gas.

5. [with obj.] — (of the body of a person or animal) convert (calories) to energy

• exercise does help to burn up calories.

6. be or cause to be destroyed by fire
[no obj.]

• he watched his restaurant burn to the ground

• [with obj.] he burned all the letters.

7. be or cause to be damaged, injured, or spoiled by heat or fire
[with obj.]

• I burned myself on the stove

• [no obj.] the toast's burning.

8. [no obj.] — (of the skin) become red and painful through exposure to the sun

• my skin tans easily but sometimes burns.

9. [no obj.] — feel hot or sore, typically as a result of illness or injury

• her forehead was burning and her throat ached.

10. ( be burning with) — be entirely possessed by (a desire or an emotion)

• Martha was burning with curiosity.

11. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — ‹informal› drive very fast

• a despatch rider burning up the highways.

12. [with obj.] — produce (a CD or DVD) by copying from an original or master copy.

II. noun

1. an injury caused by exposure to heat or flame

• he was treated in hospital for burns to his hands.

2. a mark left on something as a result of being burned

• the carpet was covered in cigarette burns.

3. an injury caused by friction

• they found rope burns around her waist.

4. a hot, painful sensation in the muscles experienced as a result of sustained vigorous exercise.

5. consumption of a type of fuel as an energy source

• natural gas produces the cleanest burn of the lot.

6. a firing of a rocket engine in flight.

7. (N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) an act of clearing of vegetation by burning.

8. an area of land cleared by burning vegetation.

9. (Brit.) ‹informal› a cigarette.

III. phrases

1. be burned at the stake

‹historical› be executed by being tied to a stake and publicly burned alive, typically for alleged heresy or witchcraft.

2. burn one's bridges ( ‹or Brit.› boats)

do something which makes it impossible to return to an earlier state.

3. burn the candle at both ends

go to bed late and get up early.

4. burn a hole in someone's pocket

(of money) tempt someone to spend it quickly and extravagantly.

5. burn the midnight oil

read or work late into the night.

6. burn ( also ‹N. Amer.› lay) rubber

‹informal› drive very quickly.

7. go for the burn

‹informal› push one's body to extremes when doing physical exercise.

8. a slow burn

‹informal› a state of slowly mounting anger or annoyance.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. burn something down (or burn down)

(with reference to a building or structure) destroy or be destroyed completely by fire.

2. burn something into

brand or imprint (something) with an image by burning

• designs are burnt into the skin

• ‹figurative› a childhood incident that was burnt into her memory.

3. burn something off

remove a substance using heat

• use a blowlamp to burn off the paint.

4. burn out

a. cease to function as a result of excessive heat or friction

• the clutch had burned out.

b. ruin one's health or become completely exhausted through overwork

• social pressures that can cause career women to burn out

• (as adj. burned out) a burned-out undercover cop.

5. burn someone out

make someone homeless by destroying their home by fire

• he and his family had been burned out of their house.

6. burn something out

completely destroy a building or vehicle by fire, so that only a shell remains.

7. burn up

a. (of a fire) produce brighter and stronger flames.

b. (of an object entering the earth's atmosphere) be destroyed by heat.

8. burn someone up

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› make someone very angry.

– origin Old English birnan ‘be on fire’ and bærnan ‘consume by fire’, both from the same Germanic base; related to German brennen.

burn^2 /bəːn/

I. noun

(Scottish) (N. English) a small stream.

– origin Old English burna, burn(e), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bron and German Brunnen ‘well’.

burnable /ˈbəːnəb(ə)l/

adjective

consisting or made of material that is able to be burned or is suitable for burning

• in 2000 Switzerland closed all of its landfills to burnable waste.

Burne-Jones, Sir Edward

(1833–98), English painter and designer; full name Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones. His work, which included tapestry and stained-glass window designs, reflected his interest in medieval and literary themes and is typical of the later Pre-Raphaelite style.

burner /ˈbəːnə/

I. noun

1. a person or thing that burns
[in combination]

• uphill walking is a great calorie-burner.

2. a part of a cooker, lamp, etc. that emits a flame.
[with modifier]

• the hob has four gas burners.

3. an apparatus in which a substance is heated.
[with modifier]

• the figures carried small incense burners.

4. (N. Amer.) the heating element of an electric cooker.

5. a device for producing a CD or DVD by copying from an original or master copy.

6. (also burner phone) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› an inexpensive mobile phone for whose telecommunications services one pays in advance, used typically for the sake of anonymity since no personal details are required by the service provider

• he bought a burner to get in touch with Shapiro

• one national security reporter suggested using burner phones.

II. phrases

on the back burner

‹informal› having low priority

• he wants the matter to be put on the back burner.

burnet /ˈbəːnɪt/

I. noun

1. a herbaceous plant of the rose family, with globular pinkish flower heads and leaves composed of many small leaflets.
●Genus Sanguisorba, family Rosaceae: several species, including the edible salad burnet ( S. minor), and the spiny shrub-like thorny burnet ( S. spinosum) of the eastern Mediterranean.

2. a day-flying moth that typically has greenish-black wings with crimson markings.
● Zygaena and other genera, family Zygaenidae.

– origin Middle English (denoting a kind of dark brown woollen cloth): from Old French brunete, burnete (denoting brown cloth or a plant with brown flowers), diminutives of brun ‘brown’.

burnet rose

noun

a small wild Eurasian rose with white flowers and leaves like those of salad burnet.
● Rosa pimpinellifolia, family Rosaceae.

burnet saxifrage

noun

a slender white-flowered European plant of the parsley family.
● Pimpinella saxifraga, family Umbelliferae.

Burnett, Frances Hodgson /bəːˈnɛt/

(1849–1924), British-born American novelist; full name Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett. She is remembered chiefly for her novels for children, including Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886), A Little Princess (1905), and The Secret Garden (1911).

Burney, Fanny

(1752–1840), English novelist; born Frances Burney. Notable works: Evelina (1778), Cecilia (1782), and Letters and Diaries (1846).

burn-in

noun

1. [ mass noun] — damage to a computer or television screen which occurs when a very bright image has been displayed for too long.

2. a continuous period of operation undergone by an electronic device in order to check for defects.

burning /ˈbəːnɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. on fire

• a burning building.

2. very hot or bright

• the burning midday sun.

3. very keenly or deeply felt; intense

• he had a burning ambition to climb to the upper reaches of management.

4. of urgent interest and importance; exciting or calling for debate

• pension reform is still a burning issue

• the burning question of independence.

II. derivatives

burningly

adverb

burning bush

I. noun

1. any of a number of shrubs noted for their bright red autumn foliage, in particular the kochia or the smoke tree.

2. any of a number of shrubs or trees with bright red leaves or fruits.
●Several plants, in particular North American spindles of the genus Euonymus (family Celastraceae), e.g. the wahoo ( E. atropurpurea).

3. another term for gas plant.

– origin mid 19th cent.: with biblical allusion to Exod. 3:2.

burning glass

noun

a lens for concentrating the sun's rays on an object so as to set fire to it.

burnish /ˈbəːnɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. burnished)

1. polish (something, especially metal) by rubbing

• highly burnished armour.

2. enhance or improve

• a man who took advantage of any opportunity to burnish his image.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. the shine on a highly polished surface.

III. derivatives

burnisher /ˈbəːnɪʃə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French burniss-, lengthened stem of burnir, variant of brunir ‘make brown’, from brun ‘brown’.

burnished brass

noun

a European moth that has green to gold wing patches with a metallic lustre.
●Genus Diachrisia, family Noctuidae: several species.

burnous /bəːˈnuːs / ‹US› burnoose

I. noun

a long, loose hooded cloak worn by Arabs.

– origin late 16th cent.: French, from Arabic burnus, from Greek birros ‘cloak’.

burnout /ˈbɜːnaʊt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the reduction of a fuel or substance to nothing through use or combustion.

2. the failure of an electrical device or component through overheating.
[with modifier]

• an anti-stall mechanism prevents motor burnout.

3. physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress

• high levels of professionalism which may result in burnout.

4. [as modifier] — denoting fabric whose pattern is produced by using chemicals to burn away areas of the pile or the fabric itself

• burnout velvet

• a long-sleeved jersey burnout top.

burn rate

noun

the rate at which a new company spends its initial capital.

Burns, George

(1896–1996), American comedian; born Nathan Birnbaum. Known for his comedy partnership with his wife Gracie Allen ( c. 1902–64), he won an Oscar for the film The Sunshine Boys (1975).

Burns, Robert

(1759–96), Scottish poet, best known for poems such as ‘The Jolly Beggars’ (1786) and ‘Tam o' Shanter’ (1791), and for old Scottish songs which he collected, including ‘Auld Lang Syne’.

burnside /ˈbəːnsʌɪd/

I. noun — (usu. burnsides)

1. a moustache in combination with whiskers on the cheeks but no beard on the chin.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after General Ambrose Burnside (1824–81), American army officer.

Burns Night

noun

the evening of 25 January, the birthday of the Scottish poet Robert Burns, on which celebrations in his honour are traditionally held in Scotland and elsewhere

• I've just realized it's Burns Night tonight, and I've no haggis in the fridge.

Burns Supper

noun

a festivity held on 25 January in celebration of the birthday of the Scottish poet Robert Burns, typically incorporating the eating of haggis, the drinking of whisky, and the reciting of Burns's poetry

• haggis has been the centrepiece of Burns Suppers for 250 years.

burnt /bɜːnt/

verb

(chiefly Brit.) past and past participle of burn^1.

burnt ochre

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a deep, opaque yellow-brown pigment made by calcining ochre.

2. a deep, opaque yellow-brown colour.

burnt offering

noun

1. an offering burnt on an altar as a religious sacrifice.

2. ‹humorous› an overcooked or charred meal or item of food.

burnt sienna /bɜːntsiˈɛnə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a deep reddish-brown pigment made by calcining raw sienna.

2. a deep reddish-brown colour.

burnt umber /bɜːnt ˈʌmbə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a deep brown pigment made by calcining raw umber.

2. a deep brown colour.

bur oak

noun

a North American oak with large fringed acorn cups and timber that was formerly important in shipbuilding.
● Quercus macrocarpa, family Fagaceae.

buroo /bəˈruː/

noun

variant form of broo.

burp /bəːp / ‹informal›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. noisily release air from the stomach through the mouth; belch.

2. [with obj.] — make (a baby) belch after feeding, typically by patting its back.

II. noun

a noise made by air released from the stomach through the mouth; a belch.

– origin 1930s (originally US): imitative.

burpee /ˈbəːpiː/

I. noun

a physical exercise consisting of a squat thrust made from and ending in a standing position.

– origin 1930s: named after Royal H. Burpee, American psychologist. The original usage was Burpee test, in which a series of burpees are executed in rapid succession, designed to measure agility and coordination.

burp gun

noun

(US) ‹informal› a lightweight sub-machine gun.

burr /bəː/

I. noun

1. a whirring sound, such as a telephone ringing tone or the sound of cogs turning.

2. a rough pronunciation of the letter r, especially with a uvular trill as in a Northumberland accent.

3. (loosely) a regional accent

• a soft Scottish burr.

4. (also bur) — a rough edge or ridge left on an object (especially of metal) by the action of a tool or machine.

5. (also bur) — a small rotary cutting tool with a shaped end, used chiefly in woodworking and dentistry.

6. a small surgical drill for making holes in bone, especially in the skull.

7. [ mass noun] — a siliceous rock used for millstones.

8. [ count noun] — a whetstone.

9. (also bur) — a prickly seed case or flower head that clings to clothing and animal fur.

10. [usu. as modifier] — a plant that produces burrs, for example bur-reed.

11. (also bur) [as modifier] — denoting wood containing knots or other growths which show a pattern of dense swirls in the grain when sawn, used for veneers and other decorative woodwork

• burr walnut.

12. the coronet of a deer's antler.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — make a whirring sound.

2. speak with a regional accent, especially one in which the letter r is prominent.

3. [with obj.] — form a rough edge on (metal).

III. phrases

a burr under someone's saddle

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a persistent source of irritation.

– origin Middle English (in sense 5 of the noun): probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Danish burre ‘burr, burdock’, Swedish kard-borre ‘burdock’.

Burr, Aaron

(1756–1836), American Democratic Republican statesman. In 1804, while Vice President, he killed his rival Alexander Hamilton in a duel. He then plotted to form an independent administration in Mexico and was tried for treason but acquitted.

burra /ˈbʌrə/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Indian) big or important

• the burra sahibs.

– origin from Hindi baṛā ‘great, greatest’.

Burra, Edward /ˈbʌrə/

(1905–76), English painter, noted for his low-life subjects, as in Harlem (1934), and the bizarre and fantastic, as in Dancing Skeletons (1934).

Burra Din /ˌbʌrə ˈdɪn/

I. noun

(Indian) Christmas.

– origin from Hindi baṛā ‘great’ and din ‘day’.

burrata /bʊˈrɑːtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a semi-soft white Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream

• the menu includes burrata served with charred cherry tomatoes and toasted garlic crostini.

– origin Italian, literally ‘buttered’.

burrawang /ˈbʌrəwaŋ / burrawong

I. noun

1. an Australian cycad with palm-like leaves and a sunken underground trunk.
● Macrozamia spiralis, family Zamiaceae.

2. the poisonous nut of the burrawang, which becomes edible after prolonged soaking.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Dharuk.

bur-reed

noun

an aquatic reed-like plant with rounded flower heads. Its oily seeds are an important source of winter food for wildfowl.
●Genus Sparganium, family Sparganiaceae.

burrfish

noun

a porcupine fish with spines that are permanently erected, occurring in tropical waters of the Atlantic and Pacific.
●Genus Chilomycterus, family Diodontidae: several species, including the common C. schoepfi of the western Atlantic.

burrito /bʊˈriːtəʊ/

I. noun

a Mexican dish consisting of a tortilla rolled round a savoury filling, typically of minced beef or beans.

– origin Latin American Spanish, diminutive of Spanish burro, literally ‘donkey’ (see burro).

burro /ˈbʊrəʊ/

I. noun

(chiefly US) a small donkey used as a pack animal.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Spanish.

Burroughs, Edgar Rice /ˈbʌrəʊz/

(1875–1950), American novelist and writer of science fiction. He is chiefly remembered for his adventure stories about Tarzan, who first appeared in Tarzan of the Apes (1914).

Burroughs, William /ˈbʌrəʊz/

(1914–97), American novelist; full name William Seward Burroughs. In the 1940s he became addicted to heroin, and his best-known writing, for example Junkie (1953) and The Naked Lunch (1959), deals with life as a drug addict in a unique, surreal style.

burrow /ˈbʌrəʊ/

I. noun

a hole or tunnel dug by a small animal, especially a rabbit, as a dwelling.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of an animal) make a hole or tunnel, typically for use as a dwelling

• moles burrowing away underground

• (as adj. burrowing) burrowing earthworms.

2. [with adverbial of direction] — dig into or through something solid

• worms that burrow through dead wood.

3. [with adverbial of direction] — hide underneath or press close to something

• the child burrowed deeper into the bed.

4. make a thorough inquiry; investigate

• journalists are burrowing into the prime minister's business affairs.

III. derivatives

burrower

noun

– origin Middle English: variant of borough.

bursa /ˈbəːsə/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a fluid-filled sac or sac-like cavity, especially one countering friction at a joint.

II. derivatives

bursal

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from medieval Latin, ‘bag, purse’, from Greek bursa ‘leather’.

Bursa /ˈbəːsə/

a city in NW Turkey, capital of a province of the same name; pop. 1,431,200 (est. 2007). It was the capital of the Ottoman Empire from 1326 to 1402.

bursa of Fabricius

I. noun

[Zoology] a glandular sac opening into the cloaca of a bird, producing B-cells.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in the Latin form bursa Fabricii): from bursa and a Latinized form of the name of Girolama Fabrici (1533–1619), Italian anatomist.

bursar /ˈbəːsə/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) a person who manages the financial affairs of a college or school.

2. (chiefly Brit.) (Scottish) a student who holds a bursary.

– origin late Middle English: from French boursier or (in sense 1) medieval Latin bursarius, from bursa ‘bag, purse’ (see bursa).

bursarship /ˈbəːsəʃɪp/

noun

a grant or payment made to support a student's education.

bursary /ˈbəːsəri/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a grant, especially one awarded to someone to enable them to study at university or college.

2. (Brit.) the room of a bursar in a college or school.

II. derivatives

bursarial /bəːˈsɛːrɪəl /

adjective

– origin late 17th cent. (in sense 2): from medieval Latin bursaria, from bursa ‘bag, purse’ (see bursa).

burse /bəːs/

I. noun

1. a flat, square, fabric-covered case in which a folded corporal cloth is carried to and from an altar in church.

2. ( the Burse) — ‹historical› the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, London.
Compare with bourse.

– origin late Middle English (in sense ‘purse’): from French bourse or medieval Latin bursa (see bourse, bursa).

bursitis /bəːˈsʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of a bursa, typically one in a shoulder joint.

burst /bəːst/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. break open or apart suddenly and violently, especially as a result of an impact or internal pressure

• one of the balloons burst

• the dam burst after days of torrential rain.

2. [with obj.] — cause to burst

• he burst the balloon

• the swollen river was expected to burst its banks.

3. be so full as almost to break open

• the wardrobe was bursting with piles of clothes.

4. feel a very strong or irrepressible emotion or impulse

• he was bursting with joy and excitement

• [with infinitive] she was bursting to say something.

5. issue suddenly and uncontrollably

• the words burst from him in an angry rush.

6. open suddenly and forcibly

• a door burst open and a girl raced out.

7. [with adverbial of direction] — move suddenly and violently

• he burst into the room without knocking

• ‹figurative› she burst on to the British art scene in 1985.

8. suddenly begin doing or producing something

• Sophie burst out laughing

• she burst into tears

• the aircraft burst into flames.

9. [with obj.] — separate (continuous stationery) into single sheets.

II. noun

1. an instance of breaking or splitting as a result of internal pressure or puncturing; an explosion

• the mortar bursts were further away than before.

2. a sudden brief outbreak

• a burst of activity

• bursts of laughter.

3. a sudden issuing forth

• her breath was coming in short bursts.

4. a period of continuous and intense effort

• he sailed 474 miles in one 24-hour burst.

III. phrases

burst someone's bubble

see bubble.

– origin Old English berstan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bersten, barsten.

burster /ˈbəːstə/

noun

1. [Astronomy] a cosmic source of powerful short-lived bursts of X-rays or other radiation.

2. ‹informal› a violent gale.

3. a machine which separates continuous stationery into single sheets.

bursty

adjective

1. ‹informal› ‹technical› occurring at intervals in short, sudden episodes.

2. ‹informal› ‹technical› relating to or denoting the transmission of data in short, separate bursts of signals.

Burt, Cyril

(1883–1971), English psychologist; full name Cyril Lodowic Burt. Using studies of identical twins, he claimed that intelligence is inherited, but he was later accused of fabricating data.

burthen /ˈbəːð(ə)n/

I. noun

archaic form of burden.

II. derivatives

burthensome

adjective

burton^1 /ˈbəːt(ə)n/

I. noun — (in phrase go for a burton)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› meet with disaster; be ruined, destroyed, or killed.

• his boat would cut mine in two and I'd go for a burton.

– origin Second World War (originally RAF slang): perhaps referring to Burton ale, from Burton upon Trent.

burton^2 /ˈbəːt(ə)n / burton-tackle

I. noun

‹historical› a light two-block tackle for hoisting.

– origin early 18th cent.: alteration of Middle English Breton tackle, a nautical term in the same (see Breton).

Burton, Richard

(1925–84), Welsh actor; born Richard Jenkins. He often co-starred with Elizabeth Taylor (to whom he was twice married) in films such as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966).

Burton, Robert

(1577–1640), English churchman and scholar, author of The Anatomy of Melancholy (first published 1621).

Burton, Sir Richard

(1821–90), English explorer, anthropologist, and translator; full name Sir Richard Francis Burton. He and John Hanning Speke were the first Europeans to see Lake Tanganyika (1858). He translated the Arabian Nights (1885–8), the Kama Sutra (1883), The Perfumed Garden (1886), and other works.

Burton upon Trent

a town in west central England, in Staffordshire; pop. 45,500 (est. 2009). The town is noted for its breweries.

Burundi /bʊˈrʊndi/

I.
1. a central African country on the east side of Lake Tanganyika, to the south of Rwanda; pop. 9,511,300 (est. 2009); official languages, French and Kirundi; capital, Bujumbura.

Inhabited mainly by Hutu and Tutsi peoples, the area formed part of German East Africa from the 1890s until the First World War, after which it was administered by Belgium. The country became an independent monarchy in 1962 and a republic in 1966. Multiparty elections in 1993 resulted in the country being led for the first time by a member of the Hutu majority rather than the traditionally dominant Tutsis; this led within months to large-scale ethnic violence.

II. derivatives

Burundian

adjective, noun

bury /ˈbɛri/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — put or hide underground

• he buried the box in the back garden

• (as adj. buried) buried treasure.

2. place (a dead body) in the earth or in a tomb, usually with funeral rites

• he was buried in St John's churchyard.

3. lose (someone, especially a relative) through death

• a rich old lady who had buried two husbands.

4. cover (someone or something) completely

• the countryside has been buried under layers of concrete

• the sheep were buried beneath six-foot drifts of snow.

5. hide (something) from sight

• she buried her face in her hands.

6. hide or try to forget (a feeling or memory)

• they had buried their feelings of embarrassment and fear.

7. ( bury oneself) — involve oneself deeply in something to the exclusion of other concerns

• he buried himself in work.

8. ‹informal› (of a football player) shoot (the ball) into the goal.

• he ran through to bury a right-foot shot inside the near post.

II. phrases

bury one's head in the sand

ignore unpleasant realities.

– origin Old English byrgan, of West Germanic origin; related to the verb borrow and to borough.

Buryat /ˈbʊəjat/

I. noun

1. a member of a people living in southern Siberia, Mongolia, and northern China.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Buryat, related to Mongolian and having over 400,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Buryat or their language.

Buryatia /bʊəˈjɑːtɪə / Buryat Republic /ˌbʊəˈjɑːt/

an autonomous republic in SE Russia, between Lake Baikal and the Mongolian border; pop. 951,000 (est. 2009); capital, Ulan-Ude.

burying beetle

noun

a black beetle, typically with broad orange bands on its wing cases, which buries small animal carcasses to provide a food store for its larvae. Also called sexton beetle.
● Nicrophorus and other genera, family Silphidae.

burying ground

noun

another term for burial ground.

bus /bʌs/

I. noun

1. a large motor vehicle carrying passengers by road, typically one serving the public on a fixed route and for a fare
[as modifier]

• a bus service.

2. ‹informal› ‹dated› a car, aircraft, or other vehicle.

3. [Computing] a distinct set of conductors carrying data and control signals within a computer system, to which pieces of equipment may be connected in parallel.

II. verb

1. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — transport in a communal road vehicle

• staff were bussed in and out of the factory.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — travel by bus

• the priest bussed in from a neighbouring parish.

3. (N. Amer.) transport (a child of one ethnic group) to a school where another group is predominant, in an attempt to promote racial integration.

4. [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) remove (dirty plates and dishes) from a table in a restaurant or cafeteria.

5. remove dirty plates and dishes from (a table).

III. phrases

throw someone under the bus

‹informal› (chiefly US) cause someone else to suffer in order to save oneself or gain personal advantage

• the government is ready to throw rural voters under the bus.

IV. derivatives

busser /ˈbʌsə /

noun

bus (sense 2 of the verb)

– origin early 19th cent.: shortening of omnibus.

busbar /ˈbʌsbɑː/

noun

a system of electrical conductors in a generating or receiving station on which power is concentrated for distribution.

busboy /ˈbʌsbɔɪ/

noun

(N. Amer.) a young man who clears tables in a restaurant or cafe.

busby /ˈbʌzbi/

I. noun

1. a tall fur hat with a coloured cloth flap hanging down on the right-hand side and in some cases a plume on the top, worn by soldiers of certain regiments of hussars and artillerymen.

2. popular term for bearskin (the cap).

– origin mid 18th cent. (denoting a large bushy wig): of unknown origin.

Busby, Sir Matt

(1909–94), Scottish-born footballer and football manager. As manager of Manchester United 1945–69 he led them to win five League Championships and the European Cup in 1968.

bus conductor

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a person whose job is to collect fares and sell tickets on a bus.

• he began his career as a bus conductor for the Eastern National Omnibus Company.

bus driver

noun

a person whose job is to drive a bus.

• the police were called following reports of an argument between a passenger and the bus driver.

bush^1 /bʊʃ/

I. noun

1. a shrub or clump of shrubs with stems of moderate length

• a rose bush.

2. ‹historical› a bunch of ivy as a vintner's sign.

3. ( the bush) — (especially in Australia and Africa) wild or uncultivated country

• they have to spend a night camping in the bush.

4. [ mass noun] — vegetation growing in the bush

• the lowland country was covered in thick bush.

5. (NZ) indigenous rainforest.

6. [as modifier] — (chiefly S. African) uncivilized or primitive

• bush justice.

7. a luxuriant growth of thick hair or fur

• a childish face with a bush of bright hair.

8. ‹vulgar slang› a woman's pubic hair.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. spread out into a thick clump

• her hair bushed out like a halo.

III. phrases

1. go bush

(Austral./NZ) leave one's usual surroundings; run wild.

2. out bush

(Austral./NZ) in or into an area of back country

• men and women who worked out bush.

3. take to the bush

(Austral./NZ) (originally of a convict) run away; go to live in the wild

• the start of the war saw him take to the bush.

4. what do you think this is—bush week?

(Austral./NZ) a response to a request, implying that one is being unfairly imposed upon or taken for a fool

• I get smart alecks trying to put one over on me every minute of the day; what do you think this is—bush week?

– origin Middle English: from Old French bos, bosc, variants of bois ‘wood’, reinforced by Old Norse buski, of Germanic origin and related to Dutch bos and German Busch. The sense ‘uncultivated country’ is probably directly from Dutch bos.

bush^2 /bʊʃ/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a metal lining for a round hole, especially one in which an axle revolves.

2. (Brit.) a bearing for a revolving shaft.

3. (Brit.) a sleeve that protects an electric cable where it passes through a panel.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Middle Dutch busse.

Bush, George

(b.1924), American Republican statesman, 41st President of the US 1989–93; full name George Herbert Walker Bush. He negotiated further arms reductions with the Soviet Union and organized international action to expel the Iraqis from Kuwait in 1990.

Bush, George W.

I. (b.1946), American Republican statesman, 43rd President of the US 2001–2009; full name George Walker Bush. He is the son of George Bush. One of his first acts as President was to launch a ‘War on Terror’ against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon; he also ordered the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, maintaining that Saddam Hussein was developing chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.

II. derivatives

Bushism

noun

bushbaby /ˈbʊʃbeɪbi/

noun

a small nocturnal tree-dwelling African primate with very large eyes. Also called galago.
●Genus Galago, family Lorisidae, suborder Prosimii: several species.

bush ballad

noun

(Austral.) an Australian folk song

• we danced to the strains of ‘Waltzing Matilda’, Australia's most famous bush ballad.

bush band

noun

(Austral.) a group of musicians who play traditional Australian folk music

• the event features live sheep shearing, a bush band, and eco-friendly crafts for the kids.

bush-bash

verb — [no obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) make one's way through wild countryside where there are no formed roads or tracks

• we tried to bush-bash for a while, hoping we'd meet up with the track

• [with obj.] they bush-bashed their way back to the cabin.

bush basil

noun

a low-growing compact variety of basil.
● Ocimum minimum, family Labiatae.

bush bread

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) unleavened bread traditionally baked in a lidded pot placed in wood ashes; damper

• he was offered food in the form of goat meat and bush bread.

bush brother

noun

(Austral.) a travelling Anglican missionary providing ministry to remote areas

• many of the bush brothers became bishops.

Bush Brotherhood

noun

( the Bush Brotherhood) — (Austral.) an Anglican missionary organisation established to provide ministry in remote areas

• he came to the Church of England through the Bush Brotherhood.

bushbuck

I. noun

a small antelope with a reddish-brown coat with white markings, found in southern Africa.
● Tragelaphus scriptus, family Bovidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from bush^1 + buck^1, influenced by Dutch bosbok.

bush capital

I. noun

( the bush capital) — (Austral.) ‹often derogatory› a nickname for Canberra, the capital of Australia

• guidelines were issued to locals in the bush capital on how to steer clear of these aggressive marsupials.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Canberra's relatively rural and inland setting, compared to the coastal cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

bush cattle

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) wild cattle, as distinct from farm-bred animals

• the sale cattle had to be kept separate from the bush cattle also watering there.

bushchat

noun

an Asian songbird related to the stonechat, the males of which generally have black (or grey) and white plumage.
●Genus Saxicola, family Turdidae: several species.

bushcraft

noun — [ mass noun]

1. skill at living in the bush.

bush cricket

noun

an insect related to the grasshoppers, with very long antennae and a mainly carnivorous diet. Many kinds live among shrubby vegetation, active and singing mainly at dusk and in the night. Formerly called long-horned grasshopper.
●Family Tettigoniidae: many genera.

bush cure

noun

(Austral.) a traditional remedy, typically one of Aboriginal origin

• they regarded European medication as a poor substitute for bush cures.

bush dance

noun

(Austral.) a social occasion featuring dancing to traditional Australian folk music

• the barbecue will be followed by a bush dance.

bush dog

noun

a small stocky carnivorous mammal of the dog family, with short legs and small ears. It is native to the forests of Central and South America.
● Speothus venaticus, family Canidae.

bush doof /ˈbʊʃ duːf/

I. noun

(Austral.) a large outdoor party with dancing to electronic music, held at a remote or rural location

• I could imagine dancing to this at a bush doof back in the late 90s.

– origin 1990s: from bush^1 + doof.

bushed /bʊʃt/

adjective

1. ‹informal› tired out; exhausted.

• unless you're totally bushed, it's best to press on.

2. ‹informal› (Austral./NZ) lost in the bush.

3. ‹informal› flummoxed or bewildered.

4. ‹informal› (Canadian) psychologically disturbed on account of isolation.

• unused to solitude, he went bushed.

bushel /ˈbʊʃ(ə)l / bu.

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a measure of capacity equal to 8 gallons (equivalent to 36.4 litres), used for corn, fruit, liquids, etc.

2. (US) a measure of capacity equal to 64 US pints (equivalent to 35.2 litres), used for dry goods.

II. phrases

hide one's light under a bushel

see hide^1.

III. derivatives

bushelful /ˈbʊʃ(ə)lfʊl /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French boissel, perhaps of Gaulish origin.

bush fallow

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of farming in which bushes and trees are cleared from virgin land, which is then allowed to lie fallow for a while before cultivation begins.

bush feed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) animal feed in the form of the foliage of native wild plants

• the yield of butter was better than when cows were fed entirely on bush feed.

bush fire /ˈbʊʃ fʌɪə/

noun

a fire in scrub or a forest, especially one that spreads rapidly.

• ‹figurative› news of discontent igniting a bush fire of revolt.

bushfire blonde /ˌbʊʃfʌɪə ˈblɒnd/

noun

(Austral.) a woman with red or reddish hair

• that bushfire blonde didn't give you the first look.

bushfire brigade /ˈbʊʃfʌɪə brɪˌɡeɪd/

noun

(Austral.) a volunteer fire-fighting organization

• bushfire brigades across the state have been told to prepare for the worst.

bush food

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) food from plants and animals native to the Australian outback. Also called bush tucker:

• this week we learn about bush food and desert living

• [ count noun] there has also been a renewed interest in bush foods.

bush hay

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) hay derived from native grasses

• we took the precaution to obtain a fresh supply of bush hay to carry along with us.

bush-hen

noun

an Australasian rail (bird) with plain brown and grey plumage.
● Amaurornis olivaceus, family Rallidae. Alternative name: rufous-tailed moorhen.

bush house

noun

1. (Austral.) a large wooden garden structure that protects shade-loving plants and also serves as a living space

• all one side of the garden was taken up by a bush house full of splendid palms.

2. (Austral.) a house in a rural area, built in a rustic style

• she moved from the spacious bush house to a small bedsit in Canberra.

bushido /ˈbuːʃɪdəʊ, bʊˈʃiːdəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the code of honour and morals developed by the Japanese samurai.

– origin Japanese, from bushi ‘samurai’ + dō ‘way’.

bushing /ˈbʊʃɪŋ/

noun

another term for bush^2.

bush jacket

noun

another term for safari jacket.

bush kangaroo

noun

(Austral.) a medium-sized kangaroo

• the boys had found a bush kangaroo.

bushland

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) wild or uncultivated country.

• 166 acres of bushland.

bush lawyer

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person claiming legal or other knowledge who is unqualified to do so.

bush league ‹N. Amer.›

I. noun

a minor league of a professional sport, especially baseball.

II. adjective

( bush-league) — ‹informal› of mediocre quality; second-rate.

III. derivatives

bush-leaguer /ˈbʊʃˌliːɡə /

noun

Bushman /ˈbʊʃmən/

noun

1. a member of any of several aboriginal peoples of southern Africa, especially of the Kalahari Desert. Traditionally nomadic hunter-gatherers, many are now employed by farmers.
Also called San.

2. older term for San (the languages of these people).

3. ( bushman) — a person who lives, works, or travels in the Australian bush.

Bushman's Bible

noun

( the Bushman's Bible) — (Austral.) a nickname for The Bulletin, a Australian literary and political journal with a wide circulation, published between 1880 and 2008

• his short stories and poems were published mainly in the Bushman's Bible.

bushmaster

I. noun

a pit viper which is the largest venomous snake in the New World, found in Central and South America.
● Lachesis muta, family Viperidae.

– origin early 19th cent.: perhaps from Dutch bosmeester, from bos ‘bush’ + meester ‘master’.

bushmeat

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the meat of African wild animals as food.

• commercial hunting for bushmeat is on the increase.

bush medicine

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Austral.) (W. Indian) traditional folk medicine, typically prepared from herbs and other plants.

bush mile

noun

(Austral.) an approximate distance in the outback, usually longer than an actual mile due to the rough nature of the terrain

• before her lay a walk of three bush miles to her mother's home

• that ten minutes, like the proverbial bush mile, extended into an hour.

bush mouse

noun

(Austral.) any of many small native mammals, including marsupial mice and rodents

• a tiny bush mouse was scurrying across the ground by an ant hill.

bush name

noun

1. (Austral.) a popular name for something, such as an animal, plant, or landscape feature

• a 'lugga' is the bush name for a watercourse which drains storm water from the surrounding high land.

2. (Austral.) an Aboriginal person's traditional name

• missionaries started adapting bush names into surnames.

bush pig African bush pig

noun

a wild pig that is native to the forests and savannahs of Africa and Madagascar. Also called red river hog.
● Potamochoerus porcus, family Suidae.

bushrange /ˈbʊʃreɪndʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹historical› hold up and rob people, especially travellers

• I keep the gear close to me for fear of seeing it bushranged

• [no obj.] he fell in with other chaps and began to bushrange seriously.

– origin early 19th cent.: a back-formation from bushranger.

bushranger /ˈbʊʃreɪn(d)ʒə/

noun

1. (US) a person living far from civilization.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹historical› an outlaw living in the bush.

bush rat

noun

(Austral./NZ) any of several rat-sized native marsupials and rodents

• some kind of bush rat crept out onto the trail and started nosing around.

bush sickness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a deficiency disease of animals caused by a lack of cobalt in the soil (and hence in the diet).

bush tea

noun

a tea made from dried leaves and twigs of various shrubs, especially in tropical countries.

bush telegraph

noun

a rapid informal network by which information or gossip is spread.

• the bush telegraph is one of the few things that works efficiently in Yangton.

bushtit

noun

a small American songbird of the long-tailed tit family, with mainly pale grey plumage and sometimes a black mask.
● Psaltriparus minimus, family Aegithalidae (formerly Paridae); formerly regarded as two species.

bush track

noun

(Austral./NZ) a track or road through wild or uncultivated country

• drivers should exercise great caution on bush tracks.

bush tucker

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› food, typically uncooked, from plants and animals native to the Australian outback

• he can live on bush tucker in places where most people would starve.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› foods regarded as typical of Australia's colonial past

• the dish is a new twist on bush tucker

• [as modifier] they served a bush tucker meal of roast lamb with damper and billy tea.

bushveld /ˈbʊʃfɛlt, ˈbʊʃvɛlt/

I. noun — ( the Bushveld)

1. a region in the hot dry north-east of South Africa and adjoining countries.

2. [ mass noun] — the type of vegetation of the Bushveld, dominated by low-growing thorn trees and bush.

– origin late 19th cent.: from bush^1 + veld, influenced by Afrikaans bosveld.

bushwa /ˈbʊʃwɑː / bushwah

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› rubbish, nonsense.

– origin 1920s: apparently a euphemism for bullshit.

bushwalk /ˈbʊʃwɔːk / ‹Austral./NZ›

I. noun

1. a recreational hike into wild or uncultivated country

• the rain cleared in time for a bushwalk

• [as modifier] bushwalk trails are plentiful, as are lakeside picnic areas.

2. a path in or through the bush

• there's a neat little bushwalk with gnarled gum trees and a quaint waterfall.

3. a journey on foot made by an Aborigine living in the traditional manner; a walkabout

• it was necessary to go on a bushwalk to meet this land.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. go for a recreational hike into wild or uncultivated country

• he vanished while the pair bushwalked with his mother and cousins.

bushwalking

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Austral./NZ) hiking or backpacking.

II. derivatives

bushwalker

noun

bushwhack /ˈbʊʃwak/

verb

1. [no obj.] (often as noun bushwhacking) — (N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) live or travel in bush country.

• I have not seen a bear yet after seven days of bushwhacking.

2. [with adverbial of direction] — cut or push one's way through dense vegetation

• he'd bushwhacked down the steep slopes.

3. work clearing scrub and felling trees in bush country.

4. [no obj.] — (N. Amer.) engage in guerrilla warfare.

5. [with obj.] — surprise (someone) by attacking them from a hidden place; ambush.

bushwhacked

adjective

(chiefly N. Amer.) exhausted or worn out.

• it's been a long day and we're completely bushwhacked.

bushwhacker /ˈbʊʃwakə/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) a person who clears land in bush country.

2. a person who lives or travels in bush country.

3. (US) a guerrilla fighter (originally in the American Civil War).

bushy^1 /ˈbʊʃi/

I. adjective

1. growing thickly

• a dense, bushy plant

• his eyebrows were thick and bushy.

2. covered with bush or bushes

• bushy desert areas.

II. derivatives

1. bushily

adverb

2. bushiness /ˈbʊʃɪnəs /

noun

bushy^2 /ˈbʊʃi / bushie

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person who lives in the bush (as distinct from in a town), typically regarded as uncultured or unsophisticated.

• cultural wonders that bushies like me were despised for not having.

busily /ˈbɪzɪli/

adverb

1. in a very active way

• he was busily engaged in other activities.

2. while giving all one's attention to something

• he was busily writing away.

business /ˈbɪznəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a person's regular occupation, profession, or trade

• experts who typically conduct their business over the Internet.

2. an activity that someone is engaged in

• what is your business here?

3. a person's concern

• this is none of your business

• the neighbours make it their business to know all about you.

4. work that has to be done or matters that have to be attended to

• government business

• let's get down to business.

5. commercial activity

• firms who want to do business with Japan

• the tea business

• [as modifier] the business community.

6. trade considered in terms of its volume or profitability

• how's business?

• the banks are continuing to lose business.

7. [ count noun] — a commercial operation or company

• a catering business.

8. (Austral.) (in Aboriginal English) traditional law and ritual.

9. [in sing.] — ‹informal› a situation or series of events, typically a scandalous or discreditable one

• maybe something positive will come out of the whole awful business.

10. a difficult matter

• what a business!

11. [Theatre] actions on stage other than dialogue.

12. ( the business) — (Brit.) ‹informal› a very enjoyable or popular person or thing

• this brandy is the business.

13. (also busyness) [ count noun] — ‹rare› a group of ferrets

• his goons will go through the ship like a business of ferrets.

II. phrases

1. business as usual

an ongoing and unchanging state of affairs despite difficulties or disturbances

• apart from being under new management, it's business as usual in the department.

2. do the business ‹Brit. informal›

a. do what is required or achieve the desired result

• Rogers has got to do the business, score a hat trick or something.

b. ‹vulgar slang› have sexual intercourse.

3. have no business

have no right to do something

• he had no business tampering with social services.

4. in business

a. operating, especially in commerce

• they will have to import from overseas to remain in business.

b. ‹informal› able to begin operations

• if you'll contact the right people, I should think we're in business.

5. in the business of

engaged in or prepared to engage in

• I am not in the business of making accusations.

6. like nobody's business

‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) to an extraordinarily high degree or standard

• these weeds spread like nobody's business.

7. mind one's own business

refrain from meddling in other people's affairs.

8. send someone about their business

‹dated› tell someone to go away.

– origin Old English bisignis ‘anxiety’ (see busy, -ness); the sense ‘state of being busy’ was used from Middle English down to the 18th cent., but is now differentiated as busyness. The use ‘appointed task’ dates from late Middle English, and from it all the other current senses have developed.

business card

noun

a small card printed with one's name, occupation, business address, etc.

business case

noun

a justification for a proposed project or undertaking on the basis of its expected commercial benefit

• we have to put a business case forward to the managers as to why the training is necessary.

business casual ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

I. noun

relating to or denoting a style of clothing that is less formal than traditional business wear, but is still intended to give a professional and businesslike impression.

• I don't wear a dark suit to work, thanks to the business casual trend.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. business casual clothing

• business casual has become the standard in many work environments.

business class

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a class of seating on an aircraft that is superior to economy class but less expensive than first class, intended especially for people travelling on business

• the take-off was even smoother in business class

• [as modifier] a business class passenger

• [as adverb] Michael and Sheila will fly business class.

business cycle

noun

a cycle or series of cycles of economic expansion and contraction.
Also called trade cycle.

business day

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for working day.

business double

noun

[Bridge] a double made with the intention of increasing the penalty points scored by a partnership if they defeat their opponents' contract.
Often contrasted with take-out double.

business end

noun — ( the business end)

1. ‹informal› the functional part of a tool or device

• he found himself facing the business end of six lethal-looking weapons.

2. ‹informal› the essential or basic part of a process or operation

• the rigs are the business end of the oil industry.

business hours

plural noun

another term for office hours.

businesslike /ˈbɪznɪslʌɪk/

adjective

1. having or indicating an efficient, practical, and systematic approach to one's work or a task

• his brisk, businesslike tone.

2. (of clothing, furniture, etc.) designed or appearing to be practical rather than decorative

• a businesslike grey suit.

businessman /ˈbɪznɪsmən/

noun

a man who works in commerce, especially at executive level.

business model

noun

a plan for the successful operation of a business, identifying sources of revenue, the intended customer base, products, and details of financing.

business park

noun

an area where company offices and light industrial premises are built.

business person

noun

a businessman or businesswoman.

business process re-engineering business process redesign

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of restructuring a company's organization and methods, especially so as to exploit the capabilities of computers.

business school

noun

a high-level educational institution in which students study subjects relating to business and commerce, such as economics, finance, and management

• he graduated with a degree from one of the most prestigious business schools in America.

business studies

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of economics and management, especially as an educational topic.

business suit

noun

a plain matching jacket and trousers (or skirt), as worn by office workers.

business trip

noun

a visit made to a place for work purposes, typically one involving a journey of some distance

• a business trip offers a break from the daily office routine.

business unit

noun

1. another term for strategic business unit.

• he is responsible for a business unit with a £4 million turnover and 20 reports.

2. a building (typically one of a number of similar buildings) or a self-contained section of a building intended for use as business premises

• approximately 214,000 residential units and 30,000 business units sustained structural damage in the earthquake.

businesswoman /ˈbɪznɪsˌwʊmən/

noun

a woman who works in commerce, especially at executive level

• a successful and self-reliant businesswoman.

busk^1 /bʌsk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. play music in the street or other public place for voluntary donations

• the group began by busking on Philadelphia sidewalks

• (as noun busking) years of busking had taught him how to hold a crowd.

2. ( busk it) — ‹informal› improvise.

II. derivatives

busker /ˈbʌskə /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from obsolete French busquer ‘seek’, from Italian buscare or Spanish buscar, of Germanic origin. Originally in nautical use in the sense ‘cruise about, tack’, the term later meant ‘go about selling things’, hence ‘go about performing’ (mid 19th cent.).

busk^2 /bʌsk/

I. noun

‹historical› a stay or stiffening strip for a corset.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French busc, from Italian busco ‘splinter’ (related to French bûche ‘log’), of Germanic origin.

buskin /ˈbʌskɪn/

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly historical› a calf-high or knee-high boot of cloth or leather.

2. ‹chiefly historical› a thick-soled laced boot worn by an ancient Athenian tragic actor to gain height.

3. ( the buskin) — ‹chiefly historical› the style or spirit of tragic drama.

II. derivatives

buskined /ˈbʌskɪnd /

adjective

– origin early 16th cent. (designating a calf-length boot): probably from Old French bouzequin, variant of brousequin, from Middle Dutch broseken, of unknown ultimate origin.

bus lane

noun

a division of a road marked off with painted lines for use by buses.

busload /ˈbʌsləʊd/

noun

a group of people travelling in a bus.

busman /ˈbʌsmən/

I. noun

a driver of a bus.

II. phrases

a busman's holiday

a holiday or form of recreation that involves doing the same thing that one does at work.

• a fire crew's Christmas outing turned into a busman's holiday when their coach caught fire.

Busoni, Ferruccio /buːˈsəʊni/

(1866–1924), Italian composer, conductor, and pianist; full name Ferruccio Benvenuto Busoni. As a composer he is best known for his piano works and his unfinished opera Doktor Faust (1925).

bus pass

noun

1. a card, ticket, or permit entitling the holder to travel by bus, typically for a particular period of time or within a particular area

• I've bought a bus pass to get to work and uni—it cost me £85 for 10 weeks.

2. (in the UK) a permit enabling people receiving the retirement pension to travel by bus free of charge (sometimes used humorously to suggest that a person is getting old)

• around 11 million pensioners are able to use bus passes, which are issued on request at retirement

• he's almost ready to collect his bus pass, but he's lost none of his boyish charm.

buss /bʌs / ‹archaic N. Amer. informal›

I. noun

a kiss.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. kiss.

• he bussed her on the cheek.

– origin late 16th cent.: alteration of late Middle English bass (noun and verb), probably from French baiser, from Latin basiare.

Buss, Frances Mary

(1827–94), English educationist. She was in charge of the North London Collegiate School for Ladies (1850–94) and campaigned for higher education for women with her friend Dorothea Beale.

bus shelter

noun

a roofed structure for people to wait under at a bus stop.

bus station

noun

a place in a town where buses arrive and depart.

bus stop

noun

a place where a bus regularly stops, usually marked by a sign.

bust^1 /bʌst/

I. noun

1. a woman's chest as measured around her breasts

• a 36-inch bust.

2. a woman's breasts, especially considered in terms of their size

• a woman with big hips and a big bust.

3. a sculpture of a person's head, shoulders, and chest.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting the upper part or torso of a large sculpture): from French buste, from Italian busto, from Latin bustum ‘tomb, sepulchral monument’.

bust^2 /bʌst / ‹informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. break, split, or burst

• they bust the tunnel wide open

• ‹figurative› the film bust every box office record

• [no obj.] the colour control had bust.

2. [no obj.] ( bust up) — (of a group or couple) separate, typically after a quarrel.

• now they've bust up, she won't inherit the house.

3. violently disrupt

• men hired to bust up union rallies.

4. (N. Amer.) strike violently

• Tamara bust him in the eye.

5. [no obj.] ( bust out) — escape

• she busted out of prison.

6. [no obj.] — (in blackjack and similar card games) exceed the score of 21, so losing one's stake.

7. (chiefly N. Amer.) (of the police) raid or search (premises where illegal activity is suspected)

• my flat got busted.

8. arrest

• two roadies were busted for drugs.

9. ( be/get busted) — be caught in the act of doing something wrong

• I sneaked up on them and told them they were busted.

10. (chiefly US) reduce (a soldier) to a lower rank; demote

• he was busted to private.

II. noun

1. a period of economic difficulty or depression

• the boom was followed by the present bust.

2. a raid or arrest by the police

• a drug bust.

3. a worthless thing

• cynics remain convinced the political process is a bust.

4. (chiefly N. Amer.) a violent blow

• a bust on the snout.

III. adjective

1. (Brit.) damaged or broken

• the vacuum cleaner's bust.

2. bankrupt

• six of their sponsors have gone bust.

– origin mid 18th cent. (originally US, as a noun in the sense ‘an act of bursting or splitting’): variant of burst.

bustard /ˈbʌstəd/

I. noun

a large, heavily built, swift-running bird, found in open country in the Old World. The males of most bustards have a spectacular courtship display.
●Family Otididae: several genera and species, including the great bustard ( Otis tarda), which is the heaviest flying land bird.

– origin late 15th cent.: perhaps an Anglo-Norman French blend of Old French bistarde and oustarde, both from Latin avis tarda ‘slow bird’: the name is unexplained, as the bustards are fast runners.

bustard quail

noun

the barred button-quail.
See button-quail.

busted flush

noun

1. (in poker) a hand containing four cards of the same suit and one of a different suit.

2. ‹informal› a promising person or thing that turns out to be unsuccessful

• her leadership is already a busted flush.

bustee /ˈbʌstiː/

I. noun

(Indian) a slum area or shanty town.

– origin from Hindi bastī ‘dwelling’.

buster /ˈbʌstə/

noun

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) used as a mildly disrespectful form of address to a man or boy

• like it or lump it, buster.

2. [usu. in combination] — ‹informal› a person or thing that stops or gets rid of a specified thing

• a crime-buster

• the drug's reputation as a cold-buster.

3. ‹informal› a notable or impressive person or thing.

4. ‹informal› a violent gale.

bustier /ˈbʌstɪeɪ, ˈbʊstɪeɪ/

I. noun

a close-fitting strapless top worn by women.

– origin 1970s: from French, from buste (see bust^1).

bustle^1 /ˈbʌs(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. move in an energetic and busy manner

• people clutching clipboards bustled about.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — cause to move hurriedly in a particular direction

• she bustled us into the kitchen.

3. [no obj.] — (of a place) be full of activity

• the streets bustled with people

• (as adj. bustling) the bustling little town.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excited activity and movement

• all the noise and the traffic and the bustle.

– origin late Middle English: perhaps a variant of obsolete buskle, frequentative of busk ‘prepare’, from Old Norse.

bustle^2 /ˈbʌs(ə)l/

I. noun

‹historical› a pad or frame worn under a skirt and puffing it out behind.

– origin late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

bustline

noun

the measurement round a woman's body at the bust

• these figure-enhancing bras will immediately increase your bustline.

bust-up /ˈbʌstʌp/

noun

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) a serious quarrel

• the diplomatic bust-up with Germany.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) a fight or brawl

• a touchline bust-up.

busty /ˈbʌsti/

I. adjective

‹informal› (of a woman) having large breasts

• a busty starlet.

II. derivatives

bustiness

noun

busway /ˈbʌsweɪ/

noun

a road or section of a road set apart exclusively for buses, typically one equipped with tracks or grooves for guiding them.

busy /ˈbɪzi/

I. adjective

1. having a great deal to do

• he had been too busy to enjoy himself.

2. occupied with or concentrating on a particular activity or object of attention

• the team members are busy raising money.

3. (of a time or place) full of activity

• the busy city streets

• I've had a busy day.

4. (chiefly N. Amer.) (of a telephone line) engaged.

5. excessively detailed or decorated

• the lavish set designs are a little too busy.

II. verb — ( busy oneself)

1. keep oneself occupied

• she busied herself with her new home.

III. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a police officer.

• I was picked up by the busies for possession.

IV. phrases

get busy

a. begin work or tasks that need to be done

• this meeting is dismissed—let's get busy, people.

b. ‹informal› have sexual intercourse.

V. derivatives

busyness /ˈbɪzɪnəs /

noun

– origin Old English bisgian (verb), bisig (noun); related to Dutch bezig, of unknown origin.

busy bee

noun

‹informal› an industrious person.

busybody /ˈbɪzɪbɒdi/

noun

a meddling or prying person.

• others considered him an interfering busybody.

busy Lizzie /ˈlɪzi/

noun

(Brit.) an East African plant with abundant red, pink, or white flowers. It is widely grown as a houseplant, and its many hybrids are grown as bedding plants.
● Impatiens walleriana, family Balsaminaceae.

busy signal

noun

North American term for engaged tone.

busywork /ˈbɪziwɜːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) work that keeps a person busy but has little value in itself.

but^1 /bʌt, bət/

I. conjunction

1. used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting with what has already been mentioned

• he stumbled but didn't fall

• this is one principle, but it is not the only one

• the food is cheap but delicious

• the problem is not that they are cutting down trees, but that they are doing it in a predatory way.

2. [with negative or in questions] — used to indicate the impossibility of anything other than what is being stated

• one cannot but sympathize

• there was nothing they could do but swallow their pride

• they had no alternative but to follow.

3. used to introduce a response expressing a feeling such as surprise or anger

• but that's an incredible saving!

• but why?

4. used after an expression of apology for what one is about to say

• I'm sorry, but I can't pay you.

5. [with negative] — ‹archaic› without it being the case that

• it never rains but it pours.

II. preposition

1. except; apart from; other than

• we were never anything but poor

• supply currently exceeds demand in all but the most rural areas

• the last but one.

2. used with repetition of certain words to give emphasis

• nobody, but nobody, was going to stop her.

III. adverb

1. no more than; only

• he is but a shadow of his former self

• choose from a colourful array of mango, starfruit, and raspberries, to name but a few.

2. (Austral./NZ) (Scottish) ‹informal› (used at the end of a sentence) though; however

• he was a nice bloke but.

IV. noun

an argument against something; an objection

• no buts—just get out of here

• as with all these proposals, ifs and buts abound.

V. phrases

1. but for

a. except for

• I walked along Broadway, deserted but for the occasional cab.

b. if it were not for

• the game could be over but for you.

2. but that

‹archaic› other than that; except that

• she would have screamed, but that her cry would have called her masters.

3. but then

after all; on the other hand (introducing a contrasting comment)

• it couldn't help, but then again, it probably couldn't hurt.

• it's a very hard match, but then they all are.

– origin Old English be-ūtan, būtan, būta ‘outside, without, except’ (see by, out). / usage: For advice about using but and other conjunctions to begin a sentence, see usage at and.

but^2 /bʌt/

I. noun

(Scottish) an outer room, especially in a two-roomed cottage.

II. phrases

but and ben

(Scottish) a two-roomed cottage; a humble home.

– origin early 18th cent.: from but^1 in the early sense ‘outside’, specifically ‘into the outer part of a house’.

butadiene /ˌbjuːtəˈdʌɪiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless gaseous hydrocarbon made by catalytic dehydrogenation of butane. It is used in the manufacture of synthetic rubber.
●Chem. formula: CH_2CHCHCH_2.

– origin early 20th cent.: from butane + di-1 + -ene.

butane /ˈbjuːteɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a flammable hydrocarbon gas of the alkane series, present in petroleum and natural gas. It is used in bottled form as a fuel. See also isobutane.
●Chem. formula: CH_3CH_2CH_2CH_3.

– origin late 19th cent.: from butyl + -ane^2.

butanoic acid /ˌbjuːtəˈnəʊɪk/

noun

systematic chemical name for butyric acid.

butanol /ˈbjuːtənɒl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] each of two isomeric liquid alcohols used as solvents; butyl alcohol.
●Chem. formula: CH_3CH_2CH_2CH_2OH ( 1-butanol, butan-1-ol) and CH_3CH_2CH(OH)CH_3 ( 2-butanol, butan-2-ol).

butch /bʊtʃ / ‹informal›

I. adjective

mannish or masculine in appearance or behaviour, typically aggressively or ostentatiously so.

• a butch woman in a baseball cap.

II. noun

a mannish lesbian, typically as contrasted with a more feminine partner.
Compare with femme.

III. derivatives

butchy

adjective

– origin 1940s: perhaps an abbreviation of butcher.

butcher /ˈbʊtʃə/

I. noun

1. a person whose trade is cutting up and selling meat in a shop.

2. a person who slaughters and cuts up animals for food

• a pork butcher.

3. a person who kills people indiscriminately or brutally.

4. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person selling refreshments, newspapers, etc. on a train or in a theatre.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. slaughter or cut up (an animal) for food.

2. kill (a person or people) indiscriminately or brutally

• they rounded up and butchered 250 people.

3. ruin (something) deliberately or through incompetence

• the film was butchered by the studio that released it.

III. phrases

have (or take) a butcher's

(Brit.) ‹informal› have a look.
[ butcher's from butcher's hook, rhyming slang for a ‘look’.]

– origin Middle English: from an Anglo-Norman French variant of Old French bochier, from boc ‘he-goat’, probably of the same ultimate origin as buck^1.

butcher-bird

I. noun

1. a shrike (family Laniidae), which impales its prey on thorns.

2. a crow-like predatory Australasian songbird, with a heavy hook-tipped bill. Compare with magpie (sense 2).
●Family Cracticidae: three genera, in particular Cracticus, and several species.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from its habit of impaling its prey on thorns.

butcher's block

noun

1. a sturdy wooden kitchen table with a square top on which food may be chopped.

2. (also butcher block) [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) a material used to make kitchen worktops and tables, consisting of strips of wood glued together.

• a slab of butcher block.

• [as modifier] a butcher-block counter.

butcher's broom

noun

a low evergreen Eurasian shrub of the lily family, with flat shoots that give the appearance of stiff spine-tipped leaves.
● Ruscus aculeatus, family Liliaceae.

butcher's meat butcher meat

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) fresh uncured meat excluding game and poultry.

butchery /ˈbʊtʃəri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the work of slaughtering animals and preparing them for sale as meat.

2. [ count noun] — (Brit.) a slaughterhouse.

3. [ count noun] — (Brit.) a butcher's shop.

4. the savage killing of large numbers of people.

• the rebellions ended in butchery and defeat.

– origin Middle English (denoting a slaughterhouse or meat market): from Old French boucherie, from bouchier ‘butcher’.

bute /bjuːt/

noun

informal term for phenylbutazone.

Bute, John Stuart /bjuːt/

3rd Earl of (1713–92), Scottish courtier and Tory statesman, Prime Minister 1762–3.

buteo /ˈbjuːtɪəʊ/

I. noun

[Ornithology] (chiefly US) a bird of prey of a group distinguished by broad wings that are used for soaring.
● Buteo and related genera, family Accipitridae; many species, including the buzzards and the American red-tailed and Harris' hawks.

– origin from Latin buteo ‘buzzard, hawk’.

Buteyko /buːˈteɪkəʊ/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. of or denoting a technique of controlled breathing claimed to alleviate asthma.

• the Buteyko method claims remarkable success in treating asthma.

– origin 1990s: named after the Russian physiologist Konstantin Buteyko (born 1923), who devised the technique.

Buthelezi, Dr Mangosuthu /ˌbuːtəˈleɪzi/

(b.1928), South African politician; full name Dr Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi. He became leader of the Inkatha movement in 1975, and was Minister of Home Affairs 1994–2004.

butler /ˈbʌtlə/

I. noun

the chief manservant of a house.

– origin Middle English: from Old French bouteillier ‘cup-bearer’, from bouteille ‘bottle’.

Butler, Reg

(1913–81), English sculptor; born Reginald Cotterell. Working mainly in forged or cast metal, he won an international competition in 1953 for a monument (never built) to the Unknown Political Prisoner.

Butler, Samuel^1

(1612–80), English poet, most notable for his three-part satirical poem Hudibras (1663–78).

Butler, Samuel^2

(1835–1902), English novelist. He is noted for Erewhon (1872), Erewhon Revisited (1901), and the semi-autobiographical The Way of All Flesh (1903).

butler sink

noun

another term for Belfast sink.

butlery /ˈbʌtləri/

noun

(in a large house) a small room where crockery, cutlery, and sometimes food and drink were kept

• ale was supplied from the butlery.

butoh /ˈbuːtəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of Japanese modern dance featuring dancers covered in white body paint.

– origin Japanese, literally ‘dance’.

butt^1 /bʌt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a person or animal) hit (someone or something) with the head or horns

• she butted him in the chest.

2. strike (one's head) against something.

• he butts his head against a wall.

II. noun

a push or blow, especially one given with the head.

III. phrases

butt heads

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› engage in conflict or be in strong disagreement.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. butt in

interrupt or intrude on a conversation or activity

• sorry to butt in on you.

2. butt out

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› stop interfering

• politicians should butt out of these cases.

– origin Middle English: from Old French boter, of Germanic origin.

butt^2 /bʌt/

I. noun

1. the person or thing at which criticism or ridicule is directed

• his singing is the butt of dozens of jokes.

2. (usu. butts) — an archery or shooting target or range.

3. a mound on or in front of which a target is set up for archery or shooting.

4. a grouse-shooter's stand, screened by low turf or a stone wall.

– origin Middle English (in the archery sense): from Old French but, of unknown origin; perhaps influenced by French butte ‘rising ground’.

butt^3 /bʌt/

I. noun

1. (also butt end) — the thicker end of something, especially a tool or a weapon

• a rifle butt.

2. the square end of a plank or plate meeting the end or side of another, as in the side of a ship.
[as modifier]

• a butt joint.

3. the thicker or hind end of a hide used for leather.

4. (also butt end) — the stub of a cigar or a cigarette.

5. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a person's buttocks or anus.

• I was being paid to sit on my butt and watch television.

6. the trunk of a tree, especially the part just above the ground.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. adjoin or meet end to end

• the shop butted up against the row of houses.

2. [with obj.] — join (pieces of stone, timber, and other building materials) with the ends or sides flat against each other.

– origin late Middle English: the noun apparently related to Dutch bot ‘stumpy’, also to buttock; the verb partly from butt^2, reinforced by abut.

butt^4 /bʌt/

I. noun

1. a cask, typically used for wine, beer, or water

• a butt of malmsey.

2. (US) a liquid measure equal to 126 US gallons (equivalent to 477.5 litres).

– origin late Middle English: from Old French bot, from late Latin buttis.

butt-dial ‹US informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. inadvertently call (someone) on a mobile phone in one's rear trouser pocket, as a result of pressure being accidentally applied to a button or buttons on the phone

• I have had several people butt-dial me, from former girlfriends to my brother.

II. noun

an inadvertent call made on a mobile phone in one's rear trouser pocket, as a result of pressure being accidentally applied to a button or buttons on the phone

• who hasn't received a butt dial at some point, and listened to their friends chatting away, singing, or even talking to themselves?

butt dialling ‹US› butt dialing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) ‹informal› the action of inadvertently calling someone on a mobile phone in one's rear trouser pocket

• thanks to screen locks, butt dialling is almost a thing of the past.

butte /bjuːt/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹technical› an isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top (similar to but narrower than a mesa).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, ‘mound’, from Old French but, of unknown origin (compare with butt^2).

butter /ˈbʌtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a pale yellow edible fatty substance made by churning cream and used as a spread or in cooking.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. spread (something) with butter

• Lily buttered a slice of toast

• (as adj. buttered) lavishly buttered bread.

III. phrases

look as if butter wouldn't melt in one's mouth

‹informal› appear gentle or innocent while typically being the opposite.

IV. phrasal verbs

butter someone up

‹informal› flatter or otherwise ingratiate oneself with someone.

V. derivatives

butterless

adjective

– origin Old English butere, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch boter and German Butter, based on Latin butyrum, from Greek bouturon.

butter-and-eggs

noun

any of a number of plants having two shades of yellow in the flower, especially yellow toadflax.

butterball /ˈbʌtəbɔːl/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a plump bird, especially a turkey or bufflehead.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a fat person.

butter bean

noun

(Brit.) a lima bean, especially one of a variety with large flat white seeds.

butterbur /ˈbʌtəbəː/

noun

a Eurasian waterside plant of the daisy family, the rounded flower heads of which are produced before the leaves. The large, soft leaves were formerly used to wrap butter, and extracts are used medicinally as an anticonvulsant.
●Genus Petasites, family Compositae: several species, in particular the common P. hybridus.

butter cap

noun

a buff-coloured woodland toadstool with a greasy cap, found in both Eurasia and North America and typically growing in tufts and often in rings.
● Collybia butyracea, family Tricholomataceae, class Hymenomycetes.

buttercream

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft mixture of butter and icing sugar used as a filling or topping for a cake.

buttercup /ˈbʌtəkʌp/

noun

a herbaceous plant with bright yellow cup-shaped flowers, which is common in grassland and as a garden weed. All kinds are poisonous and generally avoided by livestock.
●Genus Ranunculus, family Ranunculaceae (the buttercup family). This large family also includes anemones, celandines, aconites, clematis, and hellebores, many of which have poisonous seeds.

buttercup squash

noun

a winter squash of a variety with dark green rind and orange flesh.

butter dish

noun

a shallow container, typically with a lid, for storing butter

• we always left our butter dish out on the counter.

butterface /ˈbʌtəfeɪs/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a woman regarded as having a desirable body but an unattractive face.

2. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› an unattractive face.

– origin early 21st cent.: alteration of the phrase but her face.

butterfat /ˈbʌtəfat/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the natural fat contained in milk and dairy products.

Butterfield, William

(1814–1900), English architect, an exponent of the Gothic revival. Notable designs: Keble College, Oxford (1867–83).

butterfingers /ˈbʌtəfɪŋɡəz/

I. noun

‹informal› a clumsy person, especially one who fails to hold a catch.

II. derivatives

butterfingered /ˈbʌtəfɪŋɡəd /

adjective

butterfish

noun

any of a number of fishes with oily flesh or slippery skin:
● a deep-bodied edible fish of temperate and tropical seas (family Stromateidae), in particular Peprilus triacanthus of eastern North America. ● another term for gunnel^1. ● an Australasian reef fish (family Odacidae), in particular the edible Odax pullus of New Zealand, which has green bones and feeds on kelp. ● a tropical freshwater or marine fish that is popular in aquaria (several families, including Scatophagidae).

butterfly /ˈbʌtəflʌɪ/

I. noun

1. a nectar-feeding insect with two pairs of large, typically brightly coloured wings that are covered with microscopic scales. Butterflies are distinguished from moths by having clubbed or dilated antennae, holding their wings erect when at rest, and being active by day.
●Superfamilies Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea, order Lepidoptera: several families. Formerly placed in a grouping known as the Rhopalocera.

2. [as modifier] — having a two-lobed shape resembling the spread wings of a butterfly

• a butterfly clip.

3. a showy or frivolous person

• a social butterfly.

4. ( butterflies) — ‹informal› a fluttering and nauseous sensation felt in the stomach when one is nervous.

5. a stroke in swimming in which both arms are raised out of the water and lifted forwards together.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. split (a piece of meat or fish) almost in two and spread it out flat
(as adj. butterflied)

• butterflied shrimp.

– origin Old English, from butter + fly^2; perhaps from the cream or yellow colour of common species, or from an old belief that the insects stole butter.

butterfly bush

noun

a Chinese buddleia that is cultivated in the West for its large spikes of fragrant purplish-lilac or white flowers, which are highly attractive to butterflies.
● Buddleia davidii, family Loganiaceae.

butterfly cake

noun

(Brit.) a small sponge cake with its top cut off and divided into two pieces, which are then fixed to the cake with buttercream at an angle to resemble a butterfly's wings.

butterfly effect

I. noun

(with reference to chaos theory) the phenomenon whereby a minute localized change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere.

– origin 1980s: from the notion in chaos theory that a butterfly fluttering in Rio de Janeiro could change the weather in Chicago.

butterfly fish

noun

1. any of a number of brightly coloured or boldly marked fish of warm waters, in particular:
● a reef-dwelling fish that is popular in marine aquaria ( Chaetodon and other genera, family Chaetodontidae). ● a predatory marine fish that bears long venomous spines (genus Pterois, family Scorpaenidae).

2. a West African freshwater fish with large pectoral fins used in leaping out of the water and long fin rays used as stilts.
● Pantodon buchholzi, the only member of the family Pantodontidae.

butterfly knife

noun

a long, broad knife used in pairs in some forms of kung fu.

butterfly net

noun

a fine-meshed bag supported on a frame at the end of a handle, used for catching butterflies.

butterfly nut

noun

another term for wing nut (sense 1).

butterfly orchid

noun

a wild orchid with a flower that somewhat resembles a butterfly in shape, found in both Eurasia and North America.
●Genus Platanthera, family Orchidaceae: many species, including two widely distributed European species with fragrant greenish-white flowers, P. chlorantha and the smaller P. bifolia.

butterfly ray

noun

a small ray of warm coastal waters with very broad triangular fins.
●Family Gymnuridae and genus Gymnura: several species, including G. natalensis.

butterfly valve

noun

a valve consisting of a rotating circular plate or a pair of hinged semicircular plates, attached to a transverse spindle and mounted inside a pipe in order to regulate or prevent flow.

butterfly weed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a North American milkweed with bright orange flowers which are attractive to butterflies.
● Asclepias tuberosa, family Asclepiadaceae.

butterhead lettuce

noun

a class of lettuce varieties having soft leaves that grow in a loose head and are said to have the flavour of butter.

butter icing

noun

another term for buttercream.

butter knife

noun

a knife whose blade has a blunt, rounded end, used for spreading butter.

buttermilk /ˈbʌtəmɪlk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the slightly sour liquid left after butter has been churned, used in baking or consumed as a drink.

2. a pale yellow colour like that of buttermilk.

butter muslin

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) loosely woven cotton cloth, formerly used for wrapping butter.

butternut /ˈbʌtənʌt/

noun

1. a North American walnut tree which is cultivated as an ornamental and also for its quality timber.
● Juglans cinerea, family Juglandaceae.

2. the edible oily nut of the butternut.

butternut squash

noun

a popular winter squash of a pear-shaped variety with light yellowish-brown rind and orange flesh.

butterscotch /ˈbʌtəskɒtʃ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a brittle yellow-brown sweet made with butter and brown sugar.

2. a sauce or syrup flavoured with butterscotch.

butter-soft

adjective

having an extremely soft, smooth texture

• butter-soft handmade leather bags and sandals.

butterwort /ˈbʌtəwəːt/

I. noun

a carnivorous bog plant which has violet flowers borne above a rosette of greasy yellowish-green leaves that trap and digest small insects, found in both Eurasia and North America.
●Genus Pinguicula, family Lentibulariaceae: several species, in particular the common butterwort ( P. vulgaris).

– origin late 16th cent.: named from the plant's supposed ability to keep cows in milk, and so maintain the supply of butter.

buttery^1 /ˈbʌt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. containing or tasting like butter

• layers of flaky buttery pastry.

2. covered with butter

• buttery fingers.

II. derivatives

butteriness

noun

buttery^2 /ˈbʌt(ə)ri/

I. noun

(Brit.) a room in a college where food is kept and sold to students.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French boterie ‘butt store’, from Old French bot (see butt^4).

butthead

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a stupid or stubborn person

• only a butthead would drive a car like that.

butthurt /ˈbʌthəːt / ‹US informal›

I. noun

overly or unjustifiably offended or resentful

• they're all butthurt that she released the album online first

• that fight the other night was started by a butthurt player from the losing team.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an excessive or unjustifiable feeling of personal offence or resentment

• it's time to get over the butthurt from last year's playoffs

• the butthurt just oozes out of this comment.

– origin 1990s: from butt^3 (sense 3 of the noun) and hurt.

buttinsky

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› an interfering person.

– origin early 20th cent.: from butt in (see butt^1) and -ski, formed in humorous imitation of the final element in many Russian names.

buttle

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹humorous› work as a butler

• there is no one today worth buttling for.

– origin mid 19th cent.: back-formation from butler.

buttload

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a large number or amount

• the company will make a buttload of money.

• a buttload of big-name actors.

butt naked

adjective

‹informal› completely naked.

buttock /ˈbʌtək/

I. noun

either of the two round fleshy parts of the human body that form the bottom.

– origin Old English buttuc, probably from the base of butt^3 + -ock.

buttock line

noun

each of a series of longitudinal lines or curves marked on a plan of a ship to show its fore-and-aft sections at various distances from the centre line.

button /ˈbʌt(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a small disc or knob sewn on to a garment, either to fasten it by being pushed through a slit made for the purpose or for decoration.

2. a small round object resembling a button

• chocolate buttons.

3. [Fencing] a knob fitted to the point of a foil to make it harmless.

4. used in reference to things of little worth

• he will never give away anything that is worth a button.

5. a small device on a piece of electrical or electronic equipment which is pressed to operate it.

6. an element of a graphical user interface which a user can select to perform a particular action

• just search for the app you want and click the 'buy' or 'install' button.

7. (chiefly N. Amer.) a badge bearing a design or slogan and pinned to clothing.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — fasten (clothing) with buttons

• he buttoned up his jacket.

2. ( button someone into) — fasten the buttons of a garment being worn by someone

• he buttoned himself into the raincoat.

3. [no obj.] — (of a garment) be fastened with buttons

• a dress which buttoned down the front.

4. (usu. in imperative button it) — ‹informal› stop talking.

III. phrases

1. button one's lip

‹informal› stop or refrain from talking.

2. on the button ‹informal chiefly US›

a. punctually

• we arrived at 5.20 on the button.

b. exactly right

• the programme is right on the button every time.

3. press the button

‹informal› initiate an action or train of events (often used to refer to the ease with which a nuclear war might be started).

4. push (or press) someone's buttons

‹informal› arouse or provoke a reaction in someone

• don't allow co-workers to push your buttons.

IV. phrasal verbs

button something up

a. ‹informal› complete or conclude something satisfactorily

• they've buttoned up the league title by opening up a seven points gap.

b. (often as adj. buttoned up) — repress or inhibit something

• it was repressive enough to keep public opinion buttoned up.

V. derivatives

buttonless /ˈbʌt(ə)nlɛs /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French bouton, of Germanic origin and related to butt^1.

Button, Jenson

(b.1980), English motor-racing driver; full name Jenson Alexander Lyons Button. He won the Formula One world championship in 2009.

button-back

noun — [as modifier]

1. denoting a chair or sofa with a quilted back, the stitching being hidden by buttons

• a button-back antique chair.

buttonball tree

noun

see buttonwood (sense 1).

buttonbush /ˈbʌt(ə)nbʊʃ/

noun

a low-growing North American shrub that grows in water, with small tubular flowers forming globular flower heads.
● Cephalanthus occidentalis, family Rubiaceae.

button chrysanthemum

noun

a variety of chrysanthemum with small spherical flowers.

button-down

I. adjective

1. (of a collar) having points which are buttoned to the garment.

2. (of a shirt) having a button-down collar.

3. (also buttoned down) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› (of a person) conservative or unimaginative.

II. noun

a shirt with a button-down collar.

buttoned /ˈbʌt(ə)nd/

adjective

1. (of clothing) fastened or decorated by buttons

• bowties and buttoned dress shirts

• [in combination] a one-buttoned jacket.

2. (of a piece of electrical or electronic equipment) operated by buttons that are pressed to activate specific functions

• a legacy from the buttoned phones

• [in combination] the app features a big-buttoned music player.

button grass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Austral.) a grass or sedge with compact rounded flowering heads.
● a large tufted sedge ( Gymnoschoenus spaerocephalus, family Cyperaceae). ● an annual grass ( Dactyloctenium radulans, family Gramineae).

buttonhole /ˈbʌt(ə)nhəʊl/

I. noun

1. a slit made in a garment to receive a button for fastening.

2. (Brit.) a flower or spray worn in a buttonhole on the lapel of a jacket.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› attract the attention of and detain (someone) in conversation, typically against their will.

• reporters buttonhole officials coming out of the press secretary's office.

2. make buttonholes in (a garment).

buttonholer /ˈbʌt(ə)nhəʊlə/

noun

an attachment for a sewing machine used to make buttonholes.

buttonhole stitch

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a looped stitch used for edging buttonholes or pieces of material.

• a row of buttonhole stitch.

buttonhook /ˈbʌt(ə)nhʊk/

noun

1. a small hook with a long handle for fastening tight buttons (often formerly on buttoned boots).

2. [American Football] a play in which a pass receiver runs straight downfield and then doubles back sharply towards the line of scrimmage.

button lift

noun

another term for poma.

button man

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a hired killer.

• the Mafiosi conferred with their button men.

button mushroom

noun

a young unopened mushroom.

button-quail

noun

a small quail-like Old World bird related to the rails, with only three toes. Also called hemipode.
●Family Turnicidae and genus Turnix: several species, including the widespread barred button-quail ( T. suscitator) of Asia (also called bustard quail).

Buttons /ˈbʌt(ə)nz/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a nickname for a liveried pageboy, now normally only in pantomimes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the rows of buttons on his jacket.

button spider

noun

a highly venomous African spider which is a close relative of the American black widow.
●A subspecies of Latrodectus mactans, family Theridiidae.

button-through ‹Brit.›

I. adjective

(of clothing) fastened with buttons from top to bottom.

• a silk button-through dress.

II. noun

a button-through dress.

buttonwood /ˈbʌt(ə)nwʊd/

noun

1. (also buttonwood tree) — (N. Amer.) an American plane tree. Also called sycamore in North America.
●Genus Platanus, family Platanaceae: several species, in particular P. occidentalis (also called buttonball tree), which is the largest deciduous tree in the US and is grown for ornament and timber.

2. either of two mangroves found mainly in tropical America, used in the production of tanbark and for charcoal.
● Conocarpus erectus (the button mangrove) and Laguncularia racemosa, family Combretaceae.

buttress /ˈbʌtrɪs/

I. noun

1. a structure of stone or brick built against a wall to strengthen or support it

• the cathedral's massive buttresses.

2. a projecting portion of a hill or mountain.

3. a source of defence or support

• the political police were the main buttress of the regime.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide (a building or structure) with buttresses
(as adj. buttressed)

• a buttressed wall.

2. increase the strength of or justification for; reinforce

• authority was buttressed by religious belief.

– origin Middle English: from Old French (ars) bouterez ‘thrusting (arch)’, from boter ‘to strike or thrust’ (see butt^1).

butt ugly

adjective

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) (chiefly of a person) extremely unattractive.

butty^1 /ˈbʌti / buttie

I. noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. English) a filled or open sandwich

• a bacon butty.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from butter + -y^2.

butty^2 /ˈbʌti/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› (among miners) a friend or workmate.

2. (Brit.) ‹historical› a middleman negotiating between miners and the mine owner.

3. (also butty boat) — (Brit.) an unpowered freight barge intended to be towed.

– origin late 18th cent.: probably from booty^1 in the phrase play booty ‘join in sharing plunder’.

butut /ˈbuːtuːt/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Gambia, equal to one hundredth of a dalasi.

– origin a local word.

butyl /ˈbjuːtʌɪl, ˈbjuːtɪl/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting an alkyl radical —C_4H_9, derived from butane

• butyl acetate.

See also isobutyl.

2. [Chemistry] short for butyl rubber.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from butyric acid + -yl.

butyl rubber

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic rubber made by polymerizing isobutylene and isoprene.

butyrate /ˈbjuːtɪreɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of butyric acid.

butyric acid /bjuːˈtɪrɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless syrupy liquid organic acid found in rancid butter and in arnica oil.
●Alternative name: butanoic acid; chem. formula: C_3H_7COOH.

– origin mid 19th cent.: butyric from Latin butyrum (see butter) + -ic.

buxom /ˈbʌks(ə)m/

I. adjective

(of a woman) plump, with a full figure and large breasts

• a buxom blonde.

II. derivatives

buxomness

noun

– origin Middle English: from the stem of Old English būgan ‘to bend’ (see bow^2) + -some^1. The original sense was ‘compliant, obliging’, later ‘lively and good-tempered’, influenced by the traditional association of plumpness and good health with an easy-going nature.

Buxtehude, Dietrich /ˈbʊkstəˌhuːdə/

( c. 1637–1707), Danish organist and composer. Working in Lübeck, he wrote mainly for the organ.

buy /bʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. obtain in exchange for payment

• she bought six first-class stamps

• he had been able to buy up hundreds of acres

• [with two objs] he bought me a new frock

• [no obj.] homeowners who buy into housing developments.

2. ( buy someone out) — pay someone to give up an ownership, interest, or share.

• when their affair ended, she bought him out.

3. ( buy oneself out) — obtain one's release from the armed services by payment.

4. ( buy something in) — withdraw something at auction because it fails to meet the reserve price.

5. procure the loyalty and support of (someone) by bribery

• here was a man who could not be bought

• I'll buy off the investigators.

6. [often with negative] — be a means of obtaining (something) through exchange or payment

• money can't buy happiness.

7. get by sacrifice or great effort

• greatness is dearly bought.

8. [no obj.] — be a buyer for a store or firm.

9. ‹informal› accept the truth of

• I am not prepared to buy the claim that the ends justify the means

• [no obj.] I hate to buy into stereotypes.

II. noun

1. ‹informal› a purchase

• wine is rarely a good buy in duty-free shops.

2. ‹informal› an act of purchasing something

• a drug buy.

III. phrases

1. buy the farm

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› die.

2. buy it

‹informal› be killed.

3. buy time

delay an event temporarily so as to have longer to improve one's own position.

– origin Old English bycgan, of Germanic origin.

buyable /ˈbʌɪəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. able to be bought; on sale

• these banned sweets are still buyable in markets.

2. susceptible to bribery

• you're saying that the leaders of other nations are buyable.

buy-back

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the buying back of goods by the original seller.

2. a form of borrowing in which shares or bonds are sold with an agreement to repurchase them at a later date.

buyer /ˈbʌɪə/

I. noun

1. a person who makes a purchase.

2. a person employed to select and purchase stock or materials for a large retail or manufacturing business.

II. phrases

buyer's (or buyers') market

an economic situation in which goods or shares are plentiful and buyers can keep prices down.

buy-in

noun

1. a purchase of shares by a broker after a seller has failed to deliver similar shares, the original seller being charged any difference in cost.

2. (also management buy-in) — a purchase of shares in a company by managers who are not employed by it.

3. [ mass noun] — the buying back by a company of its own shares.

4. agreement with, or acceptance of, a policy or suggestion

• there should be a moral buy-in from everyone in the organization.

buyout /ˈbʌɪaʊt/

noun

the purchase of a controlling share in a company.

buy-to-let

adjective

(Brit.) denoting or relating to a property bought by a person with the intention of letting it out rather than living in it

• a company specializing in buy-to-let mortgages

• he owns several buy-to-let flats in Leeds.

buzz /bʌz/

I. noun

1. a low, continuous humming or murmuring sound, made by or similar to that made by an insect

• the buzz of the bees

• a buzz of conversation.

2. the sound of a buzzer or telephone.

3. ‹informal› a telephone call

• I'll give you a buzz.

4. an atmosphere of excitement and activity

• there is a real buzz about the place.

5. ‹informal› a feeling of excitement or euphoria; a thrill

• I got such a buzz out of seeing the kids' faces.

6. ‹informal› a general sense of excitement about or interest in someone or something, as reflected in or generated by media coverage or word of mouth

• they created a huge buzz with their latest album

• [ mass noun] the film has already generated a lot of buzz in the industry.

7. ‹informal› a rumour

• there's a strong buzz that he's in Scotland.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a low, continuous humming sound

• mosquitoes were buzzing all around us.

2. (often as noun buzzing) — (of the ears) be filled with a humming sound

• I remember a buzzing in my ears.

3. signal to someone with a buzzer

• the intercom buzzed loudly

• [with obj.] he buzzed the stewardesses every five minutes.

4. [with obj.] — ‹informal› telephone (someone).

• he buzzed me on the car phone.

5. [with adverbial of direction] — move quickly or busily

• she buzzed along the M1 back into town.

6. [with obj.] — [Aeronautics] ‹informal› fly very close to (another aircraft, the ground, etc.) at high speed

• helicopter gunships were sent to buzz the villages.

7. (usu. be buzzing with) — be full of excitement or activity

• Westminster is buzzing with anticipation

• within an hour, every department was buzzing with the news.

8. (of a person) be euphoric or very stimulated

• twenty-four hours later Marcus was still buzzing.

9. [with obj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› throw (something) hard.

III. phrasal verbs

buzz off

[often in imperative] — ‹informal› go away.

– origin late Middle English: imitative.

buzzard /ˈbʌzəd/

I. noun

1. a large hawklike bird of prey with broad wings and a rounded tail, often seen soaring in wide circles.
●Family Accipitridae: several genera, in particular Buteo, and including the common ( Eurasian) buzzard ( B. buteo).

2. (N. Amer.) a vulture, especially a turkey vulture.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French busard, based on Latin buteo ‘falcon’.

buzz bomb

noun

informal term for flying bomb.

buzz cut

noun

a very short haircut in which the hair is clipped close to the head with a razor.

buzzer /ˈbʌzə/

I. noun

an electrical device that makes a buzzing noise and is used for signalling.

II. phrases

at the buzzer

(N. Amer.) at the end of a game or period of play.

buzzkill

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person or thing that has a depressing or dispiriting effect

• if you think bad weather at the zoo sounds like a buzzkill, you're right.

buzz saw

noun

North American term for circular saw.

buzzword /ˈbʌzwəːd / buzz phrase

noun

‹informal› a word or phrase, often an item of jargon, that is fashionable at a particular time or in a particular context.

• the latest buzzword in international travel is ‘ecotourism’.

buzzworthy /ˈbʌzwəːði/

I. adjective

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) likely to arouse the interest and attention of the public, either by media coverage or word of mouth

• four of this year's most buzzworthy young stars

• the year was full of buzzworthy red carpet fashion moments.

– origin 1980s: from buzz (sense 2 of the noun) and -worthy.

buzzy

adjective

‹informal› (especially of a place or atmosphere) lively and exciting

• a buzzy bar with live music.

BVDs

I. plural noun

(N. Amer.) ‹trademark› a type of boxer shorts.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation from the name of the manufacturers; the mistaken full form in folk etymology is babies' ventilated diapers.

BVI

abbreviation

British Virgin Islands.

BVM

abbreviation

Blessed Virgin Mary.

b/w

abbreviation

black and white (used especially to describe printing, film, photographs, or television pictures).

• a colour or b/w video signal.

bwana /ˈbwɑːnə/

I. noun

(in East Africa) a boss or master (often used as a title or form of address)

• he can't hear you, bwana.

– origin Kiswahili.

BWP

abbreviation

Botswana pula.

BWR

abbreviation

boiling-water reactor.

by /bʌɪ/

I. preposition

1. identifying the agent performing an action:

2. after a passive verb

• the door was opened by my cousin Annie

• damage caused by fire.

3. after a noun denoting an action

• a clear decision by the electorate

• years of hard fund-raising work by local people.

4. identifying the author of a text, idea, or work of art

• a book by Ernest Hemingway.

5. [often with verbal noun] — indicating the means of achieving something

• malaria can be controlled by attacking the parasite

• they substantiate their opinions by the use of precise textual reference

• they plan to provide further working capital by means of borrowing.

6. indicating a term to which an interpretation is to be assigned

• what is meant by ‘fair’?

7. indicating a name according to which a person is known

• she mostly calls me by my last name.

8. indicating the means of transport selected for a journey

• the cost of travelling by bus

• I travelled to Folkestone by rail.

9. indicating the other parent of someone's child or children

• Richard is his son by his third wife.

10. indicating the sire of a pedigree animal, especially a horse

• a black filly by Goldfuerst.

11. (followed by a noun without a determiner) in various phrases indicating how something happens

• I heard by chance that she has married again

• Anderson, by contrast, rejects this view

• she ate by candlelight.

12. indicating the amount or size of a margin

• the shot missed her by miles

• the raising of VAT by 2.5%.

13. indicating a quantity or amount

• billing is by the minute

• the drunken yobbos who turned up by the cartload.

14. in phrases indicating something happening repeatedly or progressively, typically with repetition of a unit of time

• colours changing minute by minute

• the risk becomes worse by the day.

15. identifying a parameter

• a breakdown of employment figures by age and occupation.

16. expressing multiplication, especially in dimensions

• a map measuring 400 by 600 mm

• she multiplied it by 89.

17. indicating a deadline or the end of a particular time period

• I've got to do this report by Monday

• by now Kelly needed extensive physiotherapy.

18. indicating location of a physical object beside a place or object

• remains were discovered by the roadside

• the pram was by the dresser.

19. past and beyond

• I drove by our house.

20. indicating the period in which something happens

• this animal always hunts by night.

21. concerning; according to

• anything you do is all right by me

• she had done her duty by him.

22. used in mild oaths

• it was the least he could do, by God

• I swear by Almighty God.

II. adverb

so as to go past

• a car flashed by on the other side of the road

• he let only a moment go by.

III. noun

variant spelling of bye^1.

IV. phrases

1. by and by

before long; eventually.

2. by the by (or bye)

incidentally

• where's Hector, by the by?

3. by and large

on the whole; everything considered

• mammals have, by and large, bigger brains than reptiles.

[originally in nautical use, describing the handling of a ship both to the wind and off it.]

4. by oneself

a. alone

• she lives in the apartment by herself.

b. unaided

• the patient often learns to undress by himself.

5. by way of

see way.

– origin Old English bī, bi, be, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bij and German bei.

by- bye-

prefix

subordinate; incidental; secondary

• by-election

• by-product.

Byatt, Dame A. S. /ˈbʌɪət/

(b.1936), English novelist and literary critic; born Antonia Susan Byatt. Notable novels: The Virgin in the Garden (1978) and Possession (1990, Booker Prize).

Byblos /ˈbɪblɒs/

an ancient Mediterranean seaport, situated on the site of modern Jebeil, to the north of Beirut in Lebanon. It became a thriving Phoenician city in the 2nd millennium BC.

by-blow /ˈbʌɪbləʊ/

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹dated› a side-blow not at the main target.

2. (Brit.) ‹dated› a man's illegitimate child.

• he was, he declared, a by-blow of the prince.

by-catch

noun

the unwanted fish and other marine creatures trapped by commercial fishing nets during fishing for a different species.

• they had been netted as a by-catch but had to be thrown back into the sea dead.

• [ mass noun] squid fishermen transfer salmon by-catch to boats that supply the black market.

Bydgoszcz /ˈbɪdɡɒʃtʃ/

an industrial river port in north central Poland; pop. 362,397 (2007). 20,000 of its citizens were massacred by Nazis in September 1939.
German name Bromberg.

bye^1 /bʌɪ/

I. noun

1. the transfer of a competitor directly to the next round of a competition in the absence of an assigned opponent.

• he has a bye into the second round.

2. [Cricket] a run scored from a ball that passes the batsman without being hit (recorded as an extra, not credited to the individual batsman).

3. [Golf] one or more holes remaining unplayed after a match has been decided.

II. phrases

by the bye

variant spelling of by the by (see by).

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a side issue or incidental matter): from by.

bye^2 /bʌɪ/

exclamation

‹informal› short for goodbye.

• Okay, James. I'll call her now. Bye.

• Bye for now, Janie!

bye-bye /bʌɪˈbʌɪ/

I. exclamation

informal way of saying goodbye.

– origin early 18th cent.: child's reduplication.

bye-byes

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a child's word for sleep.

• definitely not the book to read before bye-byes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the sound bye-bye, long used as a refrain in lullabies.

by-election /ˈbʌɪəˌlɛkʃ(ə)n / bye-election

noun

(Brit.) the election of an MP in a single constituency to fill a vacancy arising during a government's term of office.

by-form

noun

a secondary form of a word

• historically, ‘inquire’ is a by-form of ‘enquire’.

bygone /ˈbʌɪɡɒn/

I. adjective

belonging to an earlier time

• relics of a bygone age.

II. noun — (usu. bygones)

1. a thing dating from an earlier time.

• the museum consists of a fascinating collection of rural bygones.

III. phrases

let bygones be bygones

forget past offences or causes of conflict and be reconciled.

by-law /ˈbʌɪlɔː / bye-law

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a regulation made by a local authority or corporation.

2. a rule made by a company or society to control the actions of its members.

– origin Middle English: probably from obsolete byrlaw ‘local law or custom’, from Old Norse býjar, genitive singular of býr ‘town’, but associated with by.

byline /ˈbʌɪlʌɪn/

noun

1. a line in a newspaper naming the writer of an article.

• his byline appeared in the first issue.

2. (also byeline) — (chiefly in soccer) the part of the goal line to either side of the goal.

byname /ˈbʌɪneɪm/

noun

a nickname, especially one given to distinguish a person from others with the same given name.

• surnames started off as bynames to distinguish two persons in the same locality.

BYO BYOB

abbreviation

bring your own (bottle).

BYOD

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of allowing the employees of an organization to use their own computers, smartphones, or other devices for work purposes

• the increasing prevalence of BYOD is set to have a fundamental impact on IT over the next few years

• [as modifier] many companies are putting themselves and their data at risk by jumping on to the BYOD bandwagon too quickly.

– origin early 21st cent.: abbreviation of bring your own device.

BYOG

abbreviation

(Austral./NZ) bring your own grog.

bypass /ˈbʌɪpɑːs/

I. noun

1. a road passing round a town or its centre to provide an alternative route for through traffic.

2. a secondary channel, pipe, or connection to allow a flow when the main one is closed or blocked.

3. a surgical operation in which an alternative channel is created, especially to improve blood flow to the heart when a coronary artery is blocked

• I had a bypass last year so have been building up my strength

• [as modifier] he's just had a triple bypass operation.

4. an alternative channel created during a bypass operation.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. go past or round

• bypass the farm and continue to the road.

2. provide (a town) with a route diverting traffic from its centre.

• the town has been bypassed.

3. avoid or circumvent (an obstacle or problem)

• a manager might bypass formal channels of communication.

bypath /ˈbʌɪpɑːθ/

noun

an indirect route.

byplay /ˈbʌɪpleɪ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. secondary or subsidiary action or involvement in a play or film.

by-product /ˈbʌɪprɒdʌkt/

noun

1. an incidental or secondary product made in the manufacture or synthesis of something else

• zinc is a by-product of the glazing process.

2. an unintended but inevitable secondary result

• he saw poverty as the by-product of colonial prosperity.

BYR

abbreviation

Belarusian rouble(s).

Byrd, Richard

(1888–1957), American explorer, naval officer, and aviator; full name Richard Evelyn Byrd. He claimed to have made the first aircraft flight over the North Pole (1926), although his actual course has been disputed. He was the first to fly over the South Pole (1929).

Byrd, William

(1543–1623), English composer. He was joint organist of the Chapel Royal with Tallis and is famous for his Latin masses and his Anglican Great Service.

Byrds

a US pop and rock group led by Roger McGuinn (b.1942). Known for their pure vocal harmonies, they became successful with versions of Bob Dylan songs such as ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ (1965), later experimenting with elements of jazz and Eastern music before becoming one of the first rock groups to play country music.

byre /ˈbʌɪə/

I. noun

(Brit.) a cowshed.

– origin Old English bȳre; perhaps related to bower^1.

byrnie /ˈbəːni/

I. noun

‹historical› a coat of mail

• the byrnie could not withstand solid blows with the axe.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse brynja.

byroad /ˈbʌɪrəʊd/

noun

a minor road.

• today's byroads may have been old lanes or drovers' trails.

Byron, George Gordon /ˈbʌɪərən/

6th Baron (1788–1824), English poet. Byron's poetry exerted considerable influence on the romantic movement, particularly on the Continent. Having joined the fight for Greek independence, he died of malaria before seeing serious action. Notable works: Childe Harold's Pilgrimage (1812–18) and Don Juan (1819–24).

Byronic /bʌɪˈrɒnɪk/

adjective

1. characteristic of Lord Byron or his poetry.

2. (of a man) alluringly dark, mysterious, and moody.

byssinosis /ˌbɪsɪˈnəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a lung disease caused by prolonged inhalation of textile fibre dust.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin byssinus ‘made of byssus’ (from Greek bussinos) + -osis.

byssus /ˈbɪsəs/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — ‹historical› a fine textile fibre and fabric of flax.

2. [Zoology] a tuft of tough silky filaments by which mussels and some other bivalves adhere to rocks and other objects.

II. derivatives

byssal

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, from Greek bussos, of Semitic origin.

bystander /ˈbʌɪstandə/

noun

a person who is present at an event or incident but does not take part.

• water cannons were turned on marchers and innocent bystanders alike.

byte /bʌɪt/

I. noun

1. [Computing] a group of binary digits or bits (usually eight) operated on as a unit.

2. [Computing] a byte considered as a unit of memory size.

– origin 1960s: an arbitrary formation based on bit^4 and bite.

by-the-wind sailor

noun

a surface-dwelling colonial marine coelenterate of the Atlantic and Mediterranean. It has a disc-like float bearing a sail that is used to catch the wind.
● Velella velella, suborder Chondrophora, order Hydroida.

Bytom /ˈbɪtəm/

a city in southern Poland, north-west of Katowice; pop. 185,793 (2007).
German name Beuthen.

bytownite /ˈbʌɪtaʊnʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral present in many basic igneous rocks, consisting of a calcic plagioclase feldspar.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Bytown, the former name of Ottawa, Canada, + -ite^1.

byway /ˈbʌɪweɪ/

noun

1. a road or track not following a main route; a minor road or path

• the highways and byways of Dorset.

2. a little-known area of knowledge

• the arcane byways of the laws of privilege.

byword /ˈbʌɪwəːd/

noun

1. a person or thing cited as a notable and outstanding example or embodiment of something

• his name became a byword for luxury.

2. a word or expression summarizing a thing's characteristics or a person's principles

• ‘Small is beautiful’ may be the byword for most couturiers.

Byzantine /bɪˈzantʌɪn, bʌɪˈzantʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. relating to Byzantium, the Byzantine Empire, or the Eastern Orthodox Church.

2. of an ornate artistic and architectural style which developed in the Byzantine Empire and spread to Italy, Russia, and elsewhere. The art is typified by religious wall paintings and icons and the architecture by many-domed churches.

3. (also byzantine) — (of a system or situation) excessively complicated, and typically involving a great deal of administrative detail

• Byzantine insurance regulations.

4. characterized by deviousness or underhand procedure

• he has the most Byzantine mind in politics.

II. noun

a citizen of Byzantium or the Byzantine Empire.

III. derivatives

Byzantinism /bɪˈzantɪnɪz(ə)m, bʌɪˈzantɪnɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin Byzantinus, from Byzantium.

Byzantine Empire

I. the empire in SE Europe and Asia Minor formed from the eastern part of the Roman Empire.

The Roman Empire was divided in AD 395 by the Emperor Theodosius between his sons; Constantinople (Byzantium) became the capital of the Eastern Empire in 476, with the fall of Rome. In 1054 theological and political differences between Constantinople and Rome led to the breach between Eastern and Western Christianity (see Great Schism (sense 1)). After about 1100 the empire gradually declined; the loss of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 was the end of the empire, although its rulers held Trebizond (Trabzon) until 1461.

Byzantinist /bɪˈzantənɪst, bʌɪˈzantənɪst/

noun

a historian or other scholar specializing in the study of the Byzantine Empire, its history, art, and culture.

Byzantium /bɪˈzantɪəm, bʌɪˈzantɪəm/

an ancient Greek city, founded in the 7th century BC, at the southern end of the Bosporus, site of the modern city of Istanbul. It was rebuilt by Constantine the Great in AD 324–30 as Constantinople.

BZD

abbreviation

Belize dollar(s).

BZP

abbreviation

benzylpiperazine, a drug which has stimulant and euphoric properties similar to those of amphetamine.
●Chem. formula: C_11H_16N_2.

c

I. abbreviation

1. [Cricket] (on scorecards) caught by

• ME Waugh c Lara b Walsh 19.

2. cent(s).

• they cost 25c each.

3. [in combination] — (in units of measurement) centi-

• centistokes (cS).

4. ( c.) — century or centuries

• a watch case, 19th c.

5. (often c.) — (preceding a date or amount) circa; approximately

• Isabella was born c. 1759.

6. (of water) cold

• all bedrooms have h & c.

7. colt.

II. symbol

[Physics] the speed of light in a vacuum

• E = mc^2.

C^1 /siː / c

noun

1. the third letter of the alphabet.

2. denoting the third in a set of items, categories, sizes, etc.

3. denoting the third of three or more hypothetical people or things.

4. the third-highest class of academic mark.

• he scraped along with C's and D's in most subjects.

5. denoting an intermediate socio-economic category for marketing purposes, including the majority of white-collar ( C1) and skilled blue-collar personnel ( C2).

6. ( c) — [Chess] denoting the third file from the left of a chessboard, as viewed from White's side of the board.

7. (usu. c) — the third fixed constant to appear in an algebraic expression, or a known constant.

8. denoting the lowest soil horizon, comprising parent materials.

9. a shape like that of a letter C
[in combination]

• C-springs.

10. (usu. C) — [Music] the first note of the diatonic scale of C major, the major scale having no sharps or flats.

11. a key based on a scale with C as its keynote.

12. the Roman numeral for 100.
[abbreviation of Latin centum ‘hundred’.]

13. ( C) [ mass noun] — a computer programming language originally developed for implementing the Unix operating system.
[formerly known as B, abbreviation of BCPL.]

C^2 /siː/

I. abbreviation

1. ( C.) — Cape

• C. Hatteras.

2. Celsius or centigrade

• 29°C.

3. (in names of sports clubs) City

• Lincoln C.

4. ( C.) — (Brit.) Command Paper (second series, 1870–99).

5. (in Britain) Conservative.

• Sir Nicholas Fairbairn (C, Perth & Kinross).

6. ( ©) — copyright.

• © Oxford University Press.

7. [Physics] coulomb(s).

8. Cuba (international vehicle registration).

II. symbol

1. [Physics] capacitance.

2. the chemical element carbon.

III. phrases

the Big C

‹informal› cancer.

• I decided I was going to beat this monster, the Big C.

c/-

abbreviation

(Austral./NZ) care of.

C & W

abbreviation

country and western (music).

ca

abbreviation

(preceding a date or amount) circa.

• he was born ca 1400.

Ca

symbol

the chemical element calcium.

CA

abbreviation

1. California (in official postal use).

2. (Scottish) (Canadian) chartered accountant.

CAA

abbreviation

(in the UK) Civil Aviation Authority.

caatinga /ˈkɑːtɪŋɡə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Brazil) vegetation in semi-arid country consisting of thorny shrubs and stunted trees.
[as modifier]

• caatinga forest.

– origin via Portuguese from Tupi, from caá ‘natural vegetation’ + tinga ‘white’.

cab^1 /kab/

I. noun

1. (also taxi cab) — a taxi.

• she hailed a cab.

• [as modifier] cab drivers.

2. ‹historical› a horse-drawn vehicle for public hire.

3. the driver's compartment in a lorry, bus, or train.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. travel in a taxi

• Roger cabbed home.

III. phrases

(the) first cab off the rank

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› the first to seize an opportunity

• the party is the first cab off the rank in opposing this bill.

– origin early 19th cent.: abbreviation of cabriolet.

cab^2 /kab/

I. noun

‹informal› a cabinet containing a speaker or speakers for a guitar amplifier.

– origin late 20th cent.: abbreviation.

CAB

abbreviation

1. Citizens' Advice Bureau.

2. (US) Civil Aeronautics Board.

cabal /kəˈbal/

I. noun

1. a secret political clique or faction

• a cabal of dissidents.

2. ‹archaic› a secret intrigue.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting the Kabbalah): from French cabale, from medieval Latin cabala (see Kabbalah).

cabaletta /ˌkabəˈlɛtə/

I. noun

1. a simple aria with a repetitive rhythm.

2. the uniformly quick final section of an aria.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Italian, variant of coboletta ‘short stanza’, diminutive of cobola, from Old Provençal cobla, from Latin copula ‘connection’.

Caballé, Montserrat /kəˈbaljeɪ, ˌkabalˈjeɪ, Spanish kaβaˈje/

(b.1933), Spanish operatic soprano.

caballero /ˌkabəˈljɛːrəʊ/

I. noun

1. a Spanish gentleman.

2. (US) (in the south-western states) a horseman.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Spanish, ‘gentleman, horseman’, based on Latin caballus ‘horse’. Compare with cavalier, chevalier.

cabana /kəˈbɑːnə/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a hut, cabin, or shelter at a beach or swimming pool.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Spanish cabaña, from late Latin capana, cavana ‘cabin’.

cabaret /ˈkabəreɪ, ˌkabəˈreɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. entertainment held in a nightclub or restaurant while the audience eat or drink at tables

• she was seen recently in cabaret

• [as modifier] a cabaret act

• [ count noun] the cabaret drew to a close.

2. [ count noun] — a nightclub or restaurant where cabaret is performed.

• the dance halls and cabarets of Montmartre.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting a French inn): from Old French, literally ‘wooden structure’, via Middle Dutch from Old Picard camberet ‘little room’. Current senses date from the early 20th cent.

cabbage /ˈkabɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. a cultivated plant eaten as a vegetable, having thick green or purple leaves surrounding a spherical heart or head of young leaves.
● Brassica oleracea, family Cruciferae (or Brassicaceae; the cabbage family). As well as the brassicas, the members of this family (known as crucifers) include the mustards and cresses together with many ornamentals (candytuft, alyssum, stocks, nasturtiums, wallflowers).

2. [ mass noun] — the leaves of cabbage, eaten as a vegetable.

• boiled cabbage.

3. ‹informal› a person who leads a dull or inactive life.

• the image of the housewife as a cabbage is prevalent.

4. (Brit.) ‹offensive› a person whose physical or mental activity is impaired or destroyed by injury or illness.

• I said I would not become a cabbage after my stroke.

II. derivatives

cabbagey

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French (Picard) caboche ‘head’, variant of Old French caboce, of unknown origin.

cabbage lettuce

noun

a lettuce of a variety which has broad, rounded leaves forming a globular head close to the ground.

cabbage moth

noun

a brown moth whose caterpillars are pests of cabbages and related plants.
● Mamestra brassicae, family Noctuidae.

cabbage palm

noun

any of a number of palms or palm-like plants that resemble a cabbage in some way, in particular:
● a Caribbean palm with edible buds that resemble a cabbage ( Roystonea oleraceae, family Palmae). ● an evergreen plant occurring in warm regions and grown elsewhere as a greenhouse or indoor plant (genus Cordyline, family Agavaceae).

cabbage roll

noun

(N. Amer.) a boiled cabbage leaf that is formed into a roll with a stuffing of rice and minced meat and then baked.

cabbage root fly

noun

a small fly whose larvae feed on the roots and stems of cabbages and related plants and can be a serious pest.
● Delia radicum, family Anthomyiidae.

cabbage rose

noun

a kind of rose with a large, round, compact double flower.

cabbage tree

noun

any of a number of palm-like trees that resemble a cabbage in some way, in particular:
● a New Zealand tree grown for its sugary sap or for ornament ( Cordyline australis, family Agavaceae). ● a cabbage palm.

cabbage-tree hat

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹historical› a wide-brimmed, low-crowned hat woven from the leaves of the cabbage palm

• he wore the bushman's garb of moleskin trousers, flannel shirt, and cabbage-tree hat.

cabbage-tree mob cabbage-tree hat mob

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› a gang of boisterous, often badly behaved young men, particularly in an urban area

• these youth gangs can be traced back to the cabbage-tree mobs of the 1850s

• inadequate policing of the streets enabled the cabbage-tree mob to roam at night assaulting people.

– origin mid 19th. cent: from cabbage tree + mob. The gangs wore cabbage-tree hats as a badge of identity.

cabbage white

noun

a mainly white butterfly that has caterpillars which are pests of cabbages and related plants.
●Genus Pieris, family Pieridae: several species, in particular the small white ( P. rapae) and the large white ( P. brassicae).

cabbageworm

noun

(N. Amer.) any caterpillar that is a pest of cabbages, especially that of the cabbage white butterfly.

cabbalistic /kabəˈlɪstɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or associated with mystical interpretation or esoteric doctrine.
See also Kabbalah.

II. derivatives

1. cabbalism /ˈkabəlɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. cabbalist /ˈkabəlɪst /

noun

– origin earlly 17th cent.: variant of Kabbalistic: see Kabbalah.

cabby /ˈkabi / cabbie

noun

‹informal› a taxi driver.

• the cabby had some trouble finding my address.

caber /ˈkeɪbə/

I. noun

a roughly trimmed tree trunk used in the Scottish Highland sport of tossing the caber. This involves holding the caber upright and running forward to toss it so that it lands on the opposite end.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic cabar ‘pole’.

Cabernet /ˈkabəneɪ/

noun

short for Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cabernet Franc /frɒ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of black wine grape grown chiefly in parts of the Loire Valley and NE Italy.

2. a red wine made from the Cabernet Franc grape.

– origin French.

Cabernet Sauvignon /ˈsəʊvɪnjɒ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of black wine grape from the Bordeaux area of France, now grown throughout the world.

2. a red wine made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape.

– origin French.

cabezon /ˈkabɪzɒn/

I. noun

a heavy-bodied fish with a broad tentacle above each eye and a green-brown body with white patches, found on the west coast of North America.
● Scorpaenichthys marmoratus, family Cottidae.

– origin Spanish.

cab-forward

adjective

denoting a design of car or truck in which the driver's or passenger compartment is placed so as to extend further forward than the standard position.

cabildo /kəˈbɪldəʊ/

I. noun

1. (in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries) a town council or local government council.

2. a town hall.

– origin Spanish, from late Latin capitulum ‘chapter house’.

cabin /ˈkabɪn/

I. noun

1. a private room or compartment on a ship.

• she lay in her cabin on a steamer.

2. the area for passengers in an aircraft.

• animals are not allowed in the cabin of the aircraft.

3. a small wooden shelter or house in a wild or remote area.

• the cabin lay three miles into the reserve.

4. (Indian) a cubicle or individual work space within a larger office.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. cabined)

1. ‹dated› confine in a small place.

• ‹figurative› the cabined and confined lives of the poor.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cabane, from Provençal cabana, from late Latin capanna, cavanna.

cabin boy

noun

‹chiefly historical› a boy employed to wait on a ship's officers or passengers.

cabin class

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the intermediate class of accommodation on a passenger ship.

cabin crew

noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the members of an aircraft crew who attend to passengers.

• cabin crew who look after the first-class cabins go on special courses.

• the airline's cabin crews continue to strike over pay cuts.

cabin cruiser

noun

a motor boat with living accommodation.

Cabinda /kəˈbɪndə/

I. an enclave of Angola at the mouth of the River Congo, separated from the rest of Angola by a wedge of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire).

II. the capital of Cabinda; pop. 287,000 (est. 2004).

cabinet /ˈkabɪnɪt/

I. noun

1. a cupboard with drawers or shelves for storing or displaying articles

• a cocktail cabinet.

2. a wooden box or piece of furniture housing a radio, television set, or speaker.

3. (also Cabinet) — (in the UK, Canada, and other Commonwealth countries) the committee of senior ministers responsible for controlling government policy
[as modifier]

• a cabinet meeting.

4. (in the US) a body of advisers to the President, composed of the heads of the executive departments of the government.

5. ‹archaic› a small private room.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from cabin + -et^1, influenced by French cabinet.

cabinetmaker /ˈkabɪnɪtˌmeɪkə/

I. noun

a skilled joiner who makes furniture or similar high-quality woodwork.

II. derivatives

cabinetmaking /ˈkabɪnɪtˌmeɪkɪŋ /

noun

cabinet minister

noun

a member of a parliamentary cabinet.

cabinet photograph

noun

‹historical› an early type of photograph, of about 6 by 4 inches.

cabinet pudding

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a steamed suet pudding containing dried fruit.

cabinetry

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cabinets collectively.

• the cabinetry and worktops of your kitchen.

cabin fever

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) lassitude, irritability, and similar symptoms resulting from long confinement or isolation indoors during the winter.

• a great energy-burning game for exuberant Cubs with midwinter cabin fever.

cable /ˈkeɪb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a thick rope of wire or hemp used for construction, mooring ships, and towing vehicles.

• steel cables held the convoy together.

2. the chain of a ship's anchor.

3. [Nautical] a length of 200 yards (182.9 m) or (in the US) 240 yards (219.4 m).

• he caught a glimpse of the mast, a cable or two downwind.

4. short for cable stitch.

5. (also cable moulding) — [Architecture] a moulding resembling twisted rope.

6. an insulated wire or wires having a protective casing and used for transmitting electricity or telecommunication signals

• an underground cable

• [ mass noun] transatlantic phone calls went by cable.

7. a cablegram.

• this was an occasion for using the telephone, not cables, teletexes, or letters.

8. short for cable television.

• I watch polo on cable.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. send a message to (someone) by cablegram

• he cabled her to cancel all arrangements.

2. transmit (a message) by cablegram.

• the secretariat cabled a reply.

3. [no obj.] — send a cablegram.

• have you got the drugs I cabled for?

4. provide (an area) with power lines or with the equipment necessary for cable television.

• nearly all urban areas are cabled, so viewers can choose from up to 20 channels.

5. [Architecture] decorate (a structure) with rope-shaped mouldings.

– origin Middle English: from an Anglo-Norman French variant of Old French chable, from late Latin capulum ‘halter’.

cable car

noun

1. a transport system, typically one travelling up and down a mountain, in which cabins are suspended on a continuous moving cable driven by a motor at one end of the route.

2. a cabin on a cable-car system.

3. a carriage on a cable railway.

cablegram /ˈkeɪb(ə)lɡram/

noun

‹historical› a telegraph message sent by cable.

• Walter shot off a cablegram.

• [ mass noun] we heard of his death by cablegram.

cable-knit

adjective

(of a garment) knitted using cable stitch

• a white cable-knit sweater.

cable-laid

adjective

(of rope) made of three triple strands.

cable railway

noun

a railway along which carriages are drawn by a continuous cable.

cable-ready

adjective

(N. Amer.) adapted for cable television

• a cable-ready TV set.

cable release

noun

[Photography] a cable attached to the shutter release of a camera, allowing the photographer to open the shutter without touching or moving the camera.

cable-stayed bridge

noun

a bridge in which the weight of the deck is supported by a number of cables running directly to one or more towers.

cable stitch

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a combination of knitted stitches resembling twisted rope.

cable television

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system in which television programmes are transmitted to the sets of subscribers by cable rather than by a broadcast signal.

cable tier

noun

‹historical› a place in a ship for stowing a coiled cable.

cableway /ˈkeɪb(ə)lweɪ/

noun

a transport system in which goods are carried suspended from a continuous moving cable.

cabman /ˈkabmən/

noun

‹historical› the driver of a horse-drawn hackney carriage.

cabochon /ˈkabəʃɒn/

I. noun

a gem that has been polished but not faceted.

• two big ruby cabochons.

• [as modifier] a necklace of cabochon rubies.

II. phrases

en cabochon

(of a gem) polished but not faceted.

• precious stones en cabochon.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, diminutive of caboche ‘head’.

caboclo /kəˈbəʊkləʊ/

I. noun

1. (in Brazil) an American Indian.

2. a Brazilian of mixed white and Indian or Indian and black ancestry.

– origin Brazilian Portuguese, perhaps from Tupi Kaa-boc ‘person having copper-coloured skin’.

caboodle /kəˈbuːd(ə)l / kaboodle

I. noun — (in phrase the whole caboodle or the whole kit and caboodle)

1. ‹informal› the whole number or quantity of people or things in question.

• sort out your best snaps, complete the entry form, and pop the whole caboodle into an envelope addressed to us.

• once you get them talking about one case, they might as well settle the whole kit and caboodle.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US): perhaps from the phrase kit and boodle, in the same (see kit^1, boodle).

caboose /kəˈbuːs/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a railway wagon with accommodation for the train crew, typically attached to the end of the train.

2. ‹archaic› a kitchen on a ship's deck.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Dutch kabuis, kombuis, of unknown origin.

caboshed /kəˈbɒʃt / caboched, cabossed /kəˈbɒst/

I. adjective — [usu. postpositive]

1. [Heraldry] (of the head of a stag, bull, etc.) shown full face with no neck visible.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French caboché, in the same sense.

Cabot /ˈkabət/

I. the name of two Italian explorers and navigators:

II. John ( c. 1450– c. 1498); Italian name Giovanni Caboto. He sailed from Bristol in 1497 in search of Asia, but in fact landed on the mainland of North America, the first European to do so.

III. Sebastian ( c. 1475–1557), son of John. Sebastian accompanied his father on his voyage in 1497 and made further voyages after the latter's death, most notably to Brazil and the River Plate (1526).

cabotage /ˈkabətɑːʒ, ˈkabətɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the right to operate sea, air, or other transport services within a particular territory.

2. restriction of the operation of sea, air, or other transport services within or into a particular country to that country's own transport services.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in the sense ‘coastal trade’): from French, from caboter ‘sail along a coast’, perhaps from Spanish cabo ‘cape, headland’.

cabover /ˈkabəʊvə/

noun

(N. Amer.) a truck where the driver's cab is mounted directly above the engine.

cab rank

noun

(Brit.) a place where taxis park while waiting to be hired

• taxi operators have hailed the decision to reinstate a cab rank at Haymarket station's main entrance.

cabrio /ˈkabrɪəʊ/

noun

short for cabriolet (sense 1).

cabriole /ˈkabrɪəʊl/

I. noun

[Ballet] a jump in which one leg is extended into the air forwards or backwards, the other is brought up to meet it, and the dancer lands on the second foot.

– origin French, literally ‘light leap’, from cabrioler (earlier caprioler), from Italian capriolare ‘to leap in the air’ (see capriole).

cabriole leg

I. noun

a kind of curved leg characteristic of Chippendale and Queen Anne furniture.

– origin late 18th cent.: so named from the resemblance to the front leg of a leaping animal (see cabriole).

cabriolet /ˈkabrɪə(ʊ)leɪ/

I. noun

1. a car with a roof that folds down.

2. a light two-wheeled carriage with a hood, drawn by one horse.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, from cabriole ‘goat's leap’, from cabrioler ‘to leap in the air’ (see cabriole); so named because of the carriage's motion.

caca /ˈkakə, ˈkɑːkə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› excrement.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cack, or directly from Latin cacare ‘defecate’.

ca'canny /kɑːˈkani/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹dated› the policy of deliberately limiting output at work.

• decades of ca'canny and the ingrained habit of go-slow have proved the arch-enemy of socialism.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally Scots in the sense ‘proceed warily’): from ca' (variant of call (verb)) and canny.

cacao /kəˈkɑːəʊ, kəˈkeɪəʊ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — bean-like seeds from which cocoa, cocoa butter, and chocolate are made.

2. the small tropical American evergreen tree which bears cacao seeds, now cultivated mainly in West Africa.
● Theobroma cacao, family Sterculiaceae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Spanish from Nahuatl cacaua.

cacciatore /ˌkatʃəˈtɔːreɪ, ˌkatʃəˈtɔːri / cacciatora /ˌkatʃəˈtɔːrə/

I. adjective — [ postpositive]

1. prepared in a spicy tomato sauce with mushrooms and herbs

• chicken cacciatore.

– origin Italian, literally ‘hunter’ (because of the use of ingredients that a hunter might have to hand).

cachaca /kəˈʃɑːkə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Brazilian white rum made from sugar cane.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Brazilian Portuguese, from Portuguese cacaça ‘(white) rum’.

cachalot /ˈkaʃəlɒt/

I. noun

old-fashioned term for sperm whale.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, from Spanish and Portuguese cachalote, from cachola ‘big head’.

cache /kaʃ/

I. noun

1. a collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place

• an arms cache

• a cache of gold coins.

2. a hidden or inaccessible storage place for valuables, provisions, or ammunition.

• there was a good supply of meat in the caches.

3. (also cache memory) — [Computing] an auxiliary memory from which high-speed retrieval is possible.
[as modifier]

• typical cache sizes range from 64K to 256K.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. store away in hiding or for future use.

• he decided that they must cache their weapons.

2. [Computing] store (data) in a cache memory.

• the operating system tries to cache every disk operation.

3. [Computing] provide (hardware) with a cache memory.

• the device comes complete with 4MB of RAM to cache the hard drive.

• (as adj. cached) a cached host adapter.

III. derivatives

1. cacheable

adjective

2. cacheless

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from cacher ‘to hide’.

cachectic /kəˈkɛktɪk/

adjective

[Medicine] relating to or having the symptoms of cachexia.

cachepot /ˈkaʃpəʊ, ˈkaʃpɒt/

I. noun

an ornamental holder for a flowerpot.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French cache-pot, from cacher ‘to hide’ + pot ‘pot’.

cache-sexe /ˈkaʃsɛks/

I. noun

a covering for the genitals, typically worn by erotic dancers or tribal peoples.

– origin 1920s: from French, from cacher ‘to hide’ and sexe ‘genitals’.

cachet /ˈkaʃeɪ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the state of being respected or admired; prestige

• no other shipping company had quite the cachet of Cunard.

2. a distinguishing mark or seal.

• special cachets are applied to cards sold at the stands.

3. a flat capsule enclosing a dose of unpleasant-tasting medicine.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, from cacher in the sense ‘to press’, based on Latin coactare ‘constrain’.

cachexia /kəˈkɛksɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] weakness and wasting of the body due to severe chronic illness.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek kakhexia, from kakos ‘bad’ + hexis ‘habit’.

cachinnate /ˈkakɪneɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹rare› laugh loudly.

II. derivatives

cachinnation /kakɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin cachinnat- ‘laughed loudly’, from the verb cachinnare, of imitative origin.

cachou /ˈkaʃuː, kəˈʃuː/

I. noun

‹dated› a pleasant-smelling lozenge sucked to mask bad breath.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘catechu’): from French, from Portuguese cachu, from Malay kacu. The current sense dates from the early 18th cent.

cachucha /kəˈtʃuːtʃə/

I. noun

a lively Spanish solo dance in triple time, performed with castanet accompaniment.

– origin Spanish.

cacique /kəˈsiːk/

I. noun

1. (in Latin America or the Spanish-speaking Caribbean) a native chief.

2. (in Spain or Latin America) a local political boss.

3. a gregarious tropical American bird that has black plumage with patches of red or yellow.
●Genus Cacicus, family Icteridae: several species.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Spanish or French, from Taino.

cack ‹Brit. informal›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excrement; dung.

• cow cack.

2. rubbish

• they talk such a load of cack.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. defecate in (one's clothes).

– origin Old English (as cac- in cachūs ‘privy’); the verb dates from late Middle English and is related to Middle Dutch cacken; based on Latin cacare ‘defecate’.

cack-handed /kakˈhandɪd/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› inept; clumsy

• a great song ruined by cack-handed production.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› left-handed.

II. derivatives

1. cack-handedly

adverb

2. cack-handedness

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cack, in the sense ‘excrement’, + hand + -ed^2.

cackle /ˈkak(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a bird, especially a hen or goose) give a raucous clucking cry

• the hen was cackling as if demented

• (as adj. cackling) cackling, whooping cries.

2. laugh in a loud, harsh way

• she cackled with laughter.

3. ‹informal› talk at length without acting on what is said.

• corporate luminaries cackle on about the importance of quality.

II. noun

1. the raucous clucking cry of a bird such as a hen or a goose.

• ducks have a harsh growling cackle.

2. a loud, harsh laugh

• her delighted cackle.

III. phrases

cut the cackle

[usu. in imperative] — ‹informal› stop talking aimlessly and come to the point.

• cut the cackle and just get us there.

– origin Middle English: probably from Middle Low German kākelen, partly imitative, reinforced by kāke ‘jaw, cheek’.

cackle berry

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a hen's egg

• the hens would squawk as she reached under them to grab the cackle berry.

– origin early 20th cent.: from cackle + berry.

cacodemon /ˌkakə(ʊ)ˈdiːmən / cacodaemon

I. noun

‹rare› a malevolent spirit or person.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek kakodaimōn, from kakos ‘bad’ + daimōn ‘spirit’.

cacodyl /ˈkakə(ʊ)dʌɪl, ˈkakə(ʊ)dɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a malodorous, toxic, spontaneously flammable liquid compound containing arsenic.
●Chem. formula: ((CH_3)2As)2.

2. [as modifier] — [Chemistry] of or denoting the radical —As(CH_3)2, derived from cacodyl.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kakōdēs ‘stinking’ (from kakos ‘bad’) + -yl.

cacodylate /ˌkakəʊˈdʌɪleɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of cacodylic acid.

cacodylic acid /ˈkakə(ʊ)dʌɪlɪk, -dɪlɪk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a toxic crystalline acid containing arsenic, used as a herbicide.
●Chem. formula: (CH_3)2AsO(OH).

cacoethes /ˌkakəʊˈiːθiːz/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹rare› an urge to do something inadvisable.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek kakoēthes ‘ill-disposed’, from kakos ‘bad’ + ēthos ‘disposition’.

cacography /kəˈkɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› bad handwriting or spelling.

II. derivatives

cacographer

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek kakos ‘bad’, on the pattern of orthography.

cacology /kəˈkɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› bad choice of words or poor pronunciation.

– origin late 18th cent.: via late Latin from Greek kakologia ‘abusive language’, from kakos ‘bad’.

cacomistle /ˈkakə(ʊ)ˌmɪs(ə)l/

I. noun

a nocturnal raccoon-like animal with a dark-ringed tail, found in North and Central America.
●Genus Bassariscus, family Procyonidae: two species. .

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin American Spanish cacomixtle, from Nahuatl tlacomiztli.

cacophonous /kəˈkɒf(ə)nəs/

adjective

involving or producing a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds

• the cacophonous sound of slot machines.

cacophony /kəˈkɒf(ə)ni/

I. noun

a harsh discordant mixture of sounds

• a cacophony of deafening alarm bells.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French cacophonie, from Greek kakophōnia, from kakophōnos ‘ill-sounding’, from kakos ‘bad’ + phōnē ‘sound’.

cactus /ˈkaktəs/

I. noun

a succulent plant with a thick fleshy stem which typically bears spines, lacks leaves, and has brilliantly coloured flowers. Cacti are native to arid regions of the New World and are cultivated elsewhere, especially as pot plants.
●Family Cactaceae: numerous genera and species.

II. phrases

in the cactus

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› in difficulty or trouble

• he had promised to fetch Bobby by six; it was now close to midnight and he's in the cactus.

III. derivatives

cactaceous

adjective

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘cardoon’): from Latin, from Greek kaktos ‘cardoon’.

cactus dahlia

noun

a dahlia of a variety which has rolled petals, giving the flower a prickly appearance.

cacuminal /kəˈkjuːmɪn(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Phonetics] another term for retroflex.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin cacuminare ‘make pointed’ (from cacumen, cacumin- ‘top, summit’) + -al.

cad /kad/

I. noun

‹informal› ‹dated› a man who behaves dishonourably, especially towards a woman

• her adulterous cad of a husband.

II. derivatives

1. caddish /ˈkadɪʃ /

adjective

2. caddishly

adverb

3. caddishness /ˈkadɪʃnəs /

noun

– origin late 18th cent. (denoting a passenger picked up by the driver of a horse-drawn coach for personal profit): abbreviation of caddie or cadet.

CAD

abbreviation

1. computer-aided design.

2. Canadian dollar.

cadastral /kəˈdastr(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of a map or survey) showing the extent, value, and ownership of land, especially for taxation.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from cadastre ‘register of property’, from Provençal cadastro, from Italian catastro (earlier catastico), from late Greek katastikhon ‘list, register’, from kata stikhon ‘line by line’.

cadaver /kəˈdɑːvə, kəˈdeɪvə/

I. noun

[Medicine] ‹literary› a corpse.

II. derivatives

cadaveric /kəˈdav(ə)rɪk /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, from cadere ‘to fall’.

cadaverous /kəˈdav(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

very pale, thin, or bony

• he was gaunt and cadaverous.

II. derivatives

1. cadaverously

adverb

2. cadaverousness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin cadaverosus, from cadaver ‘corpse’.

Cadbury /ˈkadb(ə)ri/

George (1839–1922) and Richard (1835–99), English cocoa and chocolate manufacturers and social reformers. As committed Quakers, they were concerned with improving their employees' working and living conditions, and established a new factory and housing estate at Bournville.

CADCAM

abbreviation

computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacture.
[as modifier]

• current CADCAM technologies.

caddie /ˈkadi / caddy

I. noun

a person who carries a golfer's clubs and provides other assistance during a match.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. work as a caddie.

• I caddied for him until the end of 1979.

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally Scots): from French cadet. The original term denoted a gentleman who joined the army without a commission, intending to learn the profession and follow a military career, later coming to mean ‘odd-job man’. The current sense dates from the late 18th cent.

caddis /ˈkadɪs / caddis fly

I. noun

a small moth-like insect with an aquatic larva that typically builds a protective portable case of sticks, stones, and other particles.
●Order Trichoptera: several families.

– origin mid 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

caddis worm

noun

the soft-bodied aquatic larva of a caddis fly, used as fishing bait.

Caddoan /ˈkadəʊən/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a group of American Indian peoples formerly inhabiting the Midwest, or their languages, now all virtually extinct.

II. noun

1. a member of any of the Caddoan peoples.

2. [ mass noun] — the family of languages spoken by the Caddoan peoples, which includes Pawnee and may be related to Siouan and Iroquoian.

– origin from Caddo (a language of the Caddoan family) kaduhdacu, denoting a band belonging to this group, + -an.

caddy^1 /ˈkadi/

I. noun — [usu. with modifier]

1. a small storage container, typically one with divisions

• a tool caddy.

2. (also tea caddy) — (chiefly Brit.) a small tin in which tea is kept for daily use.

– origin late 18th cent.: from earlier catty, denoting a unit of weight of 1⅓ lb (0.61 kg), from Malay kati.

caddy^2

noun, verb

variant spelling of caddie.

caddy spoon

noun

a spoon used to dispense tea from a tea caddy, having a wide, shallow bowl and a short handle.

Cade, Jack /keɪd/

(d.1450), Irish rebel; full name John Cade. In 1450 he assumed the name of Mortimer and led the Kentish rebels against Henry VI. They occupied London for three days and executed the treasurer of England and the sheriff of Kent.

cadelle /kəˈdɛl/

I. noun

a small dark beetle that is frequently found in food stores, where it scavenges and preys on other insects.
● Tenebroides mauritanicus, family Cleridae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, based on Latin catella, catellus ‘young (of an animal), little dog’.

cadence /ˈkeɪd(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. a modulation or inflection of the voice

• the measured cadences that he employed in the Senate.

2. a rhythmical effect in written text

• the dry cadences of the essay.

3. a fall in pitch of the voice at the end of a phrase or sentence.

4. [ mass noun] — rhythm

• the thumping cadence of the engines.

5. a sequence of notes or chords comprising the close of a musical phrase

• the final cadences of the Prelude.

II. derivatives

cadenced /ˈkeɪd(ə)nst /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘rhythm or metrical beat’): via Old French from Italian cadenza, based on Latin cadere ‘to fall’.

cadency /ˈkeɪd(ə)nsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [chiefly Heraldry] the status of a younger branch of a family.

• the arms of younger sons are differenced by marks of cadency.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘rhythm or metrical beat’): based on Latin cadent- ‘falling’, from the verb cadere. The current sense is apparently by association with cadet.

cadential

I. adjective

relating to a cadenza or cadence.

• I can see little musical advantage in excessive cadential ritardandos.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cadence, on the pattern of pairs such as essence, essential.

cadenza /kəˈdɛnzə/

I. noun

a virtuoso solo passage inserted into a movement in a concerto or other musical work, typically near the end.

II. phrases

have a cadenza

(S. African) ‹informal› be extremely agitated.

• the party is having a cadenza about subliminal messages on the news.

[said to be from Danny Kaye's The Little Fiddle, a humorous recording made in the 1940s.]

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Italian (see cadence).

cadet /kəˈdɛt/

I. noun

1. a young trainee in the armed services or police force

• an air cadet.

2. a boy or girl of 13–18 who undergoes voluntary army, navy, or air force training together with adventure training.

3. (Austral.) a trainee or novice, especially a trainee journalist.

4. ‹formal› ‹archaic› a younger son or daughter.

• a cadet of the family of the Earls of Rosse.

5. [usu. as modifier] — a junior branch of a family

• a cadet branch of the family.

II. derivatives

cadetship /kəˈdɛtˌʃɪp /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French, from Gascon dialect capdet, a diminutive based on Latin caput ‘head’. The notion ‘little head’ or ‘inferior head’ gave rise to that of ‘younger, junior’.

cadge /kadʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› ask for or obtain (something to which one is not strictly entitled)

• he cadged fivers off old school friends.

II. noun

[Falconry] a padded wooden frame on which hooded hawks are carried to the field.
[apparently an alteration of cage, perhaps confused with the dialect verb cadge ‘carry about’.]

III. phrases

on the cadge

‹informal› looking for an opportunity to obtain something without paying for it.

• they're all liars and on the cadge.

IV. derivatives

cadger /ˈkadʒə /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the dialect sense ‘carry about’): back-formation from the noun cadger, which dates from the late 15th cent., denoting (in northern English and Scots) an itinerant dealer, whence the verb sense ‘hawk, peddle’, giving rise to the current verb senses from the early 19th cent.

cadi /ˈkɑːdi, ˈkeɪdi / kadi

I. noun

(in Islamic countries) a judge.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Arabic qāḍī, from qaḍā ‘to judge’.

Cadillac /ˈkadɪlak/

I. noun

1. ‹trademark› a large luxury car manufactured by the US Cadillac motor company.

2. something that is an outstanding example of its kind, especially in terms of luxury, quality, or size

• the aircraft is widely regarded as the Cadillac of commuter planes.

– origin from the name of the French explorer Antoine de La Mothe Cadillac (1658–1730), who founded the city of Detroit, where the cars are manufactured.

Cadiz /kəˈdɪz/

a city and port on the coast of SW Spain; pop. 127,200 (2008). Spanish name Cádiz /ˈkaðiθ, ˈkaðis/.

Cadmean /kadˈmiːən/

adjective

relating to Cadmus.

cadmium /ˈkadmɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Cd) — the chemical element of atomic number 48, a silvery-white metal.

Cadmium occurs naturally in zinc ores and is obtained as a by-product of zinc smelting. It is used as a component in alloys with a low melting point and as a corrosion-resistant coating on other metals.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin cadmia ‘calamine’, so named because it is found with calamine in zinc ore. Compare with calamine.

cadmium cell

noun

a primary electric cell with a cathode of cadmium amalgam and an electrolyte of saturated cadmium sulphate solution, used in laboratories as a standard of electromotive force.

cadmium yellow

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bright yellow pigment containing cadmium sulphide. Deeper versions are called cadmium orange; the addition of cadmium selenide gives cadmium red.

2. a bright yellow colour.

Cadmus /ˈkadməs / ‹Greek Mythology›

the brother of Europa and traditional founder of Thebes in Boeotia. He killed a dragon which guarded a spring, and when (on Athene's advice) he sowed the dragon's teeth a harvest of armed men came up; he disposed of the majority by setting them to fight one another, and the survivors formed the ancestors of the Theban nobility.

cadre /ˈkɑːdə, ˈkɑːdr(ə), ˈkadri/

I. noun

1. a small group of people specially trained for a particular purpose or profession

• a cadre of professional managers.

2. /ˈkeɪdə/ — a group of activists in a communist or other revolutionary organization.

• he was an activist in the cadre.

3. a member of an activist group.

• two young cadres were elected to the politburo.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Italian quadro, from Latin quadrus ‘square’.

caduceus /kəˈdjuːsɪəs/

I. noun

an ancient Greek or Roman herald's wand, typically one with two serpents twined round it, carried by the messenger god Hermes or Mercury.

– origin Latin, from Doric Greek karukeion from Greek kērux ‘herald’.

caducity /kəˈdjuːsɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› the infirmity of old age; senility.

• my father was attacked with symptoms of caducity.

2. ‹literary› frailty or transitory nature.

• read these books and reflect on their caducity.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French caducité, from caduc, from Latin caducus ‘liable to fall’, from cadere ‘to fall’.

caducous /kəˈdjuːkəs/

I. adjective

[chiefly Botany] (of an organ or part) easily detached and shed at an early stage.

• poppies have caducous sepals that are shed after the bud has opened.

– origin late 17th cent. (in the sense ‘epileptic’): from Latin caducus ‘liable to fall’ (from cadere ‘to fall’) + -ous.

CAE

abbreviation

computer-aided engineering.

caecilian /sɪˈsɪlɪən / coecilian

I. noun

[Zoology] a burrowing worm-like amphibian of a tropical order distinguished by poorly developed eyes and the lack of limbs.
●Order Gymnophiona (or Apoda): five families.

– origin from modern Latin Caecilia (genus name), from Latin caecilia ‘slow-worm’, + -an.

caecitis /sɪˈkʌɪtɪs / ‹US› cecitis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the caecum.

caecum /ˈsiːkəm / ‹US› cecum

I. noun

[Anatomy] a pouch connected to the junction of the small and large intestines.

II. derivatives

caecal /ˈsiːkəl /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin (intestinum) caecum ‘blind (gut)’, translation of Greek tuphlon enteron.

Caedmon /ˈkadmən/

(7th century), Anglo-Saxon monk and poet, said to have been an illiterate herdsman inspired in a vision to compose poetry on biblical themes. The only authentic fragment of his work is a song in praise of the Creation, quoted by Bede.

Caelum /ˈsiːləm / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small and faint southern constellation (the Chisel), next to Eridanus.

II. (as genitive Caeli) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Beta Caeli.

– origin Latin.

Caen /kɑːn, French kɑ̃/

an industrial city and river port in Normandy in northern France, on the River Orne, capital of the region of Basse-Normandie; pop. 113,249 (2006).

Caerdydd /ˈkaɪrdið/

Welsh name for Cardiff.

Caerfyrddin /kaɪrˈvɪrðin/

Welsh name for Carmarthen.

Caergybi /kaɪrˈɡʌbi/

Welsh name for Holy Island (sense 2).

Caernarfon /kəˈnɑːv(ə)n, Welsh kaɪrˈnarvɒn / Caernarvon

a town in NW Wales on the shore of the Menai Strait, the administrative centre of Gwynedd; pop. 10,000 (est. 2009).

Caernarfonshire Caernarvonshire

a former county of NW Wales, part of Gwynedd from 1974.

Caerns.

abbreviation

Caernarfonshire.

Caerphilly /kɛːˈfɪli, kɑːˈfɪli, kəˈfɪli/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of mild white cheese, originally made in Caerphilly in Wales.

Caesar /ˈsiːzə/

I. noun

1. a title of Roman emperors, especially those from Augustus to Hadrian.

2. an autocrat.

• they complained that he was behaving like a Caesar.

3. [Medicine] (Brit.) ‹informal› a caesarean section.

II. phrases

Caesar's wife

a person who is required to be above suspicion.
[with reference to Plutarch's Caesar (X. 6) ‘I thought my wife ought not even to be under suspicion’.]

– origin Middle English: from Latin Caesar, family name of the Roman statesman Julius Caesar, Gaius.

Caesarea /ˌsiːzəˈrɪə/

an ancient port on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, one of the principal cities of Roman Palestine.

Caesarea Mazaca /ˈmazəkə/

former name for Kayseri.

caesarean /sɪˈzɛːrɪən / caesarian

I. adjective

1. ( also cesarean) — (US) of or effected by caesarean section

• a caesarean delivery.

2. ( Caesarean) — of or connected with Julius Caesar or the Caesars.

• the Caesarean faction in the civil wars after 44 BC.

II. noun

a caesarean section

• I had to have a caesarean

• [ mass noun] two sons both born by caesarean.

– origin early 16th cent. (as a noun denoting a supporter of an emperor or imperial system): from Latin Caesareus ‘of Caesar’ + -an.

caesarean section

I. noun

a surgical operation for delivering a child by cutting through the wall of the mother's abdomen.

– origin early 17th cent.: Caesarian from the story that Julius Caesar was delivered by this method.

Caesarea Philippi /ˈfɪlɪpʌɪ, fɪˈlɪpʌɪ/

a city in ancient Palestine, on the site of the present-day village of Baniyas in the Golan Heights.

Caesar salad /siːzəˈsaləd/

I. noun

a salad typically consisting of cos lettuce and croutons served with a dressing containing olive oil, lemon juice, raw egg, parmesan cheese, and seasonings.

• a formal repast of prime rib, wild rice, and Caesar salad.

– origin named after Caesar Cardini, the Italian-born restaurateur who invented it in 1924.

caesium /ˈsiːzɪəm / ‹US› cesium

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Cs) — the chemical element of atomic number 55, a soft, silvery, extremely reactive metal. It belongs to the alkali metal group and occurs as a trace element in some rocks and minerals.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin caesius ‘greyish-blue’ (because it has characteristic lines in the blue part of the spectrum).

caesium clock

noun

an atomic clock that uses the vibrations of caesium atoms as a time standard.

caesura /sɪˈzjʊərə/

I. noun

1. (in Greek and Latin verse) a break between words within a metrical foot.

2. (in modern verse) a pause near the middle of a line.

II. derivatives

caesural

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, from caes- ‘cut, hewn’, from the verb caedere.

CAF

abbreviation

(N. Amer.) cost and freight.

cafard /kaˈfɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. melancholia.

• work is the only thing which will keep the cafard at bay.

– origin from French.

cafe /ˈkafeɪ, ˈkafi / café

I. noun

1. a small restaurant selling light meals and drinks.

2. (N. Amer.) a bar or nightclub.

3. (S. African) a shop selling sweets, cigarettes, newspapers, etc. and staying open after normal hours.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French café ‘coffee or coffee house’.

café au lait /ˌkafeɪ əʊ ˈleɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. coffee with milk.

2. the light brown colour of coffee with milk.
[as modifier]

• smooth cafe au lait skin.

– origin French.

cafe bar

noun

a cafe which also serves alcoholic drinks.

cafe culture

noun

a lifestyle characterized by regular socializing in pavement cafes, typically that associated with European countries such as France or Italy.

• ministers said relaxing the licensing laws would lead to a European-style cafe culture and trigger a drop in binge drinking.

cafe curtain

noun

a curtain covering the lower half of a window.

café noir /ˌkafeɪ ˈnwɑː, ˌkafɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. black coffee.

– origin French.

cafe society

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the regular patrons of fashionable restaurants and nightclubs.

• a group of painters from 1920s cafe society.

cafeteria /kafɪˈtɪərɪə/

I. noun

1. a restaurant in which customers serve themselves from a counter and pay before eating.

2. [as modifier] — (N. Amer.) denoting a system in which people may choose from a number of available options, especially one in which an employee may select a personal package of company benefits

• employers who offer cafeteria plans and other flexible programs.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US): from Latin American Spanish cafetería ‘coffee shop’.

cafetière /ˌkaf(ə)ˈtjɛː/

I. noun

a coffee pot containing a plunger made of fine mesh with which the grounds are pushed to the bottom when the coffee is ready to be poured.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from café ‘coffee’.

caff /kaf/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a cafe.

– origin 1930s: representing a pronunciation.

caffeinated /ˈkafɪneɪtɪd/

adjective

(of coffee or tea) containing the natural amount of caffeine, or with caffeine added.

• 100 male volunteers consumed various amounts of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee.

caffeine /ˈkafiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alkaloid compound which is found especially in tea and coffee plants and is a stimulant of the central nervous system.
●chem. formula: C_8H_10N_4O_2.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French caféine, from café ‘coffee’.

CAFOD /ˈkafɒd/

abbreviation

Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (formerly Catholic Fund for Overseas Development).

Cagayan Islands /ˌkɑːɡəˈjɑːn/

a group of seven small islands in the Sulu Sea in the western Philippines.

cage /keɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. a structure of bars or wires in which birds or other animals are confined

• she kept a canary in a cage

• ‹figurative› his cage of loneliness.

2. a prison cell or camp.

• inside the cage, three handcuffed prisoners were fighting.

• each cage had a commanding officer who acted on behalf of the prisoners.

3. an open framework forming the compartment in a lift.

• we passed the lift shafts, each with its rattling metal cage.

4. a structure of crossing bars or wires designed to hold or support something.

• the bottle slots into a light cage on the bike's frame.

5. [Baseball] a portable backstop situated behind the batter during batting practice.

6. a soccer or hockey goal made from a network frame.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. confine in a cage

• the parrot screamed, furious at being caged

• (as adj. caged) a caged bird.

2. ‹informal› put in prison.

• five more teenage thugs were caged yesterday.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin cavea.

Cage, John

(1912–92), American composer, pianist, and writer; full name John Milton Cage. He was notable for his experimental approach, which included the use of aleatory music and periods of silence.

cage bird

noun

a bird of a kind customarily kept in a cage.

cage diving

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of being lowered into the sea in a protective steel cage in order to view sharks or other dangerous sea creatures at close range.

• an environmental scientist has warned that cage diving is teaching the sharks to associate humans with food.

II. derivatives

cage diver

noun

cage fighting

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of mixed martial arts which takes place in a cage or similarly enclosed arena.

II. derivatives

cage fighter

noun

cage fungus

noun

a fetid-smelling fungus that forms a hollow latticed spherical structure, the inner surface of which bears the spores.
●Genus Clathrus, family Clathraceae, class Gasteromycetes.

cagey /ˈkeɪdʒi / cagy

I. adjective

‹informal› reluctant to give information owing to caution or suspicion

• a spokesman was cagey about the arrangements his company had struck.

II. derivatives

1. cagily /ˈkeɪdʒɪli /

adverb

2. caginess /ˈkeɪdʒɪnəs / cageyness

noun

– origin early 20th cent. (originally US): of unknown origin.

Cagliari /kalɪˈɑːri, ˈkaljəri/

the capital of Sardinia, a port on the south coast; pop. 157,297 (2008).

Cagney, James /ˈkaɡni/

(1899–1986), American actor. He is chiefly remembered for playing gangster roles in films such as The Public Enemy (1931), but he was also a skilled dancer and comedian who received an Oscar for his part in the musical Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942).

cagoule /kəˈɡuːl / kagoul

I. noun

(Brit.) a lightweight, hooded, thigh-length waterproof jacket.

– origin 1950s: from French, literally ‘cowl’.

cahier /ˈkʌɪjeɪ, French kaje/

I. noun

an exercise book or notebook.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French; compare with quire.

cahoots /kəˈhuːts/

I. plural noun — (in phrase in cahoots)

1. ‹informal› colluding or conspiring together secretly

• the area is dominated by guerrillas in cahoots with drug traffickers.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally US): of unknown origin.

Cahora Bassa /kəˌhɔːrə ˈbasə/

a lake on the Zambezi River in western Mozambique. Its waters are impounded by a dam and massive hydroelectric complex.

cahow /kəˈhaʊ/

I. noun

a large endangered Atlantic petrel which breeds in Bermuda.
● Pterodroma cahow, family Procellariidae.

– origin early 17th cent.: imitative of its call.

CAI

abbreviation

computer-assisted (or -aided) instruction.

caiman /ˈkeɪmən / cayman

I. noun

a semiaquatic reptile similar to the alligator but with a heavily armoured belly, native to tropical America.
● Caiman and other genera, family Alligatoridae: three species.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish caimán, Portuguese caimão, from Carib acayuman.

Cain /keɪn/

I. (in the Bible) the eldest son of Adam and Eve and murderer of his brother Abel.

II. phrases

raise Cain

‹informal› create trouble or a commotion.

• he was raising Cain with narrow-minded conservation groups.

Caine, Sir Michael

(b.1933), English film actor; born Maurice Micklewhite. He has appeared in a wide variety of films, including The Ipcress File (1965) and Hannah and Her Sisters (1986, for which he won an Oscar).

caipirinha /ˌkʌɪpɪˈriːnjə/

I. noun

a Brazilian cocktail made with cachaca, lime or lemon juice, sugar, and crushed ice.

– origin Brazilian Portuguese, from caipira ‘yokel’.

caique /kʌɪˈiːk, kɑːˈiːk/

I. noun

1. a light rowing boat used on the Bosporus.

2. a small eastern Mediterranean sailing ship.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French caïque, from Italian caicco, from Turkish kayık.

cairn /kɛːn/

I. noun

1. a mound of rough stones built as a memorial or landmark, typically on a hilltop or skyline.

2. a prehistoric burial mound made of stones.

• a chambered cairn.

3. (also cairn terrier) — a small terrier of a breed with short legs, a longish body, and a shaggy coat.
[perhaps so named from being used to hunt among cairns.]

– origin late Middle English: from Scottish Gaelic carn.

cairngorm /ˈkɛːnɡɔːm/

I. noun

another term for smoky quartz.

– origin late 18th cent.: named after the Cairngorm Mountains.

Cairngorm Mountains the Cairngorms

I. a mountain range in northern Scotland.

– origin from Scottish Gaelic carn gorm ‘blue cairn’.

Cairo /ˈkʌɪərəʊ/

I. the capital of Egypt, a port on the Nile near the head of its delta; pop. 6,758,600 (est. 2006).
Also called el-Qahira; Arabic name al-Qahira.

II. derivatives

Cairene /ˈkʌɪəriːn /

adjective, noun

caisson /ˈkeɪs(ə)n, kəˈsuːn/

I. noun

1. a large watertight chamber, open at the bottom, from which the water is kept out by air pressure and in which construction work may be carried out under water.

2. a floating vessel or watertight structure used as a gate across the entrance of a dry dock or basin.

3. ‹historical› a chest or wagon for holding or conveying ammunition.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, literally ‘large chest’, from Italian cassone, the spelling having been altered in French by association with caisse ‘case’.

caisson disease

noun

another term for decompression sickness.

Caithness /keɪθˈnɛs/

a former county in the extreme north-east of Scotland. It became part of Highland region in 1975.

caitiff /ˈkeɪtɪf/

I. noun

‹archaic› a contemptible or cowardly person
[as modifier]

• a caitiff knight.

– origin Middle English (denoting a captive or prisoner): from Old French caitif ‘captive’, based on Latin captivus ‘(person) taken captive’ (see captive).

cajole /kəˈdʒəʊl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. persuade (someone) to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery

• he hoped to cajole her into selling him her house.

II. derivatives

cajolement /kəˈdʒəʊlmənt /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French cajoler.

cajolery /kəˈdʒəʊl(ə)ri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. coaxing or flattery intended to persuade someone to do something

• she uses cajolery, deception, and manipulation to get what she wants.

Cajun /ˈkeɪdʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

a member of any of the largely self-contained communities in the bayou areas of southern Louisiana formed by descendants of French Canadians, speaking an archaic form of French.

II. adjective

relating to the Cajuns, especially with reference to their folk music or spicy cuisine.

• Cajun chicken.

– origin alteration of Acadian.

cajuput /ˈkadʒəpʌt / cajeput

I. noun

1. (also cajuput oil) [ mass noun] — an aromatic medicinal oil obtained from a tree of the myrtle family.

2. a chiefly Australasian tree related to the bottlebrushes, with papery bark. Also called paperbark.
●Genus Melaleuca, family Myrtaceae: M. cajuputi, which produces cajuput oil, and M. quinquenervia.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Malay kayu putih, literally ‘white tree’.

cake /keɪk/

I. noun

1. an item of soft sweet food made from a mixture of flour, fat, eggs, sugar, and other ingredients, baked and sometimes iced or decorated

• a fruit cake

• [as modifier] a cake shop

• [ mass noun] a mouthful of cake.

2. ( the cake) — (Brit.) the amount of money or assets available to be divided up or shared

• you have not received a fair slice of the education cake.

3. an item of savoury food formed into a flat round shape, and typically baked or fried

• a starter of goat's cheese and potato cakes.

4. a flattish compact mass of something, especially soap

• a cake of soap.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a thick or sticky substance that hardens when dry) cover and become encrusted on (the surface of an object)

• his clothes were caked in mud.

2. [no obj.] — (of a thick or sticky substance) dry or harden into a solid mass

• the blood under his nose was beginning to cake.

III. phrases

1. cakes and ale

‹dated› lively enjoyment.

• the gardener's life, as a rule, is not all ‘cakes and ale’.

[from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night II. 3. 1.]

2. a piece of cake

‹informal› something easily achieved

• I never said that training him would be a piece of cake.

3. sell like hot cakes

(Brit.) ‹informal› be sold quickly and in large quantities.

• T-shirts and posters are selling like hot cakes.

4. take the cake

see take the biscuit at biscuit.

5. you can't have your cake and eat it (too)

‹proverb› you can't enjoy both of two desirable but mutually exclusive alternatives.

• the king wanted to have his cake and eat it—to marry Mrs Simpson and to remain on the throne.

IV. derivatives

cakey

adjective

– origin Middle English (denoting a small flat bread roll): of Scandinavian origin; related to Swedish kaka and Danish kage.

cakeage /ˈkeɪkɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› a charge made by a restaurant for serving a cake that they have not supplied themselves

• they told me I was welcome to bring a birthday cake and there would be no cakeage

• [as modifier] the standard cakeage rate in Melbourne was $3.50 a head.

– origin 1990s (originally Australian): from cake + -age, on the pattern of corkage.

cake flour

noun

North American term for plain flour.

cakehole /ˈkeɪkhəʊl/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person's mouth

• you might at least have the courtesy to keep your cakehole closed.

cake pop

noun

a small round piece of cake coated with icing or chocolate and fixed on the end of a stick so as to resemble a lollipop

• the red velvet cake pops tasted as good as they looked.

cake tin

noun

1. (Brit.) a deep, flat-bottomed container used for baking cakes

• spoon the mixture into the two cake tins.

2. (Brit.) an airtight metal container for storing cakes

• these cakes will keep for 2–3 days in a cake tin.

cakewalk /ˈkeɪkwɔːk/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› an absurdly or surprisingly easy task

• winning the league won't be a cakewalk for them.

2. a strutting dance popular at the end of the 19th century, developed from an American black contest in graceful walking which had a cake as a prize.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› achieve or win something easily

• he cakewalked to a 5-1 triumph.

2. walk or dance in the manner of a cakewalk.

• a troupe of clowns cakewalked by.

cal

abbreviation

small calorie(s).

Cal

abbreviation

large calorie(s).

CAL /kal/

abbreviation

computer-assisted (or -aided) learning.

Cal.

abbreviation

California.

Calabar /ˈkaləbɑː/

a seaport in Nigeria; pop. 429,700 (est. 2005).

Calabar bean /ˈkaləbɑː/

noun

the poisonous seed of a tropical West African climbing plant, containing physostigmine and formerly used for tribal ordeals.
●The plant is Physostigma venosum, family Leguminosae.

calabash /ˈkaləbaʃ/

I. noun

1. (also calabash tree) — an evergreen tropical American tree which bears fruit in the form of large woody gourds.
● Crescentia cujete, family Bignoniaceae.

2. a gourd from the calabash tree.

3. a water container, tobacco pipe, or other object made from the dried shell of a calabash or a similar gourd.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French calebasse, from Spanish calabaza, perhaps from Persian ḵarbuz ‘melon’.

calabaza /ˌkaləˈbɑːzə/

noun

West Indian and US term for calabash.

calaboose /ˌkaləˈbuːs/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a prison.

– origin late 18th cent.: from black French calabouse, from Spanish calabozo ‘dungeon’.

calabrese /ˈkaləbriːs, ˌkaləˈbriːs, ˌkaləˈbreɪsi/

I. noun

see broccoli.

– origin 1930s: from Italian, literally ‘Calabrian’.

Calabria /kəˈlabrɪə/

a region of SW Italy, forming the ‘toe’ of the Italian peninsula; capital, Catanzaro.

Calabrian /kəˈlabrɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Italian region of Calabria

• the Calabrian coast of southern Italy.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the Italian region of Calabria

• the Calabrian was spotted by a scout while playing football with some friends.

caladium /kəˈleɪdɪəm/

I. noun

a tropical South American plant of the arum family, which is cultivated for its brilliantly coloured ornamental foliage.
●Genus Caladium, family Araceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Malay keladi.

Calah /ˈkeɪlə/

biblical name for Nimrud.

Calais /ˈkaleɪ, French kalɛ/

a ferry port in northern France; pop. 75,790 (2006). Captured by Edward III in 1347 after a long siege, it remained an English possession until it was retaken by the French in 1558.

calamanco /ˌkaləˈmaŋkəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› a glossy woollen cloth chequered on one side only.

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

calamander /ˈkaləmandə / calamander wood

I. noun

another term for coromandel.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Sinhalese kaḷu-madīriya, perhaps from Coromandel ebony (see coromandel), changed by association with Sinhalese kaḷu ‘black’.

calamari /ˌkaləˈmɑːri / calamares /ˌkaləˈmɑːreɪz/

I. plural noun

squid served as food.

– origin Italian, plural of calamaro, from medieval Latin calamarium ‘pen case’, from Greek kalamos ‘pen’ (with reference to the squid's long tapering internal shell and its ink). The variant calamares is Spanish.

calamine /ˈkaləmʌɪn/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a pink powder consisting of zinc carbonate and ferric oxide, used to make a soothing lotion or ointment.
[as modifier]

• calamine lotion.

2. ‹dated› smithsonite or a similar zinc ore.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin calamina, alteration of Latin cadmia ‘calamine’, from Greek kadmeia (gē) ‘Cadmean (earth)’, from Kadmos ‘Cadmus’ (see Cadmus).

calamint /ˈkaləmɪnt/

I. noun

an aromatic Eurasian herbaceous plant or shrub with blue or lilac flowers.
●Genus Calamintha, family Labiatae.

– origin Middle English: from Old French calament, from medieval Latin calamentum, from late Latin calaminthe, from Greek kalaminthē.

calamites /ˌkaləˈmʌɪtiːz/

I. noun

a swamp plant with jointed stems that belonged to an extinct group related to the horsetails, growing to a height of 18 m (60 ft).
● Calamites and other genera, family Calamitaceae, class Sphenopsida.

– origin modern Latin, from calamus.

calamitous /kəˈlamɪtəs/

I. adjective

involving calamity; catastrophic or disastrous

• such calamitous events as fires, hurricanes, and floods.

II. derivatives

calamitously

adverb

calamity /kəˈlamɪti/

I. noun

an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster

• emergency measures may be necessary in order to avert a calamity

• [ mass noun] the journey had led to calamity and ruin.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘disaster and distress’): from Old French calamite, from Latin calamitas.

Calamity Jane

( c. 1852–1903), American frontierswoman, noted for her skill at shooting and riding; born Martha Jane Cannary.

calamondin /ˌkaləˈmɒndɪn / calamondin orange

I. noun

a small hybrid citrus plant which bears fragrant white flowers followed by small orange-yellow fruit, native to the Philippines and grown as a houseplant.
● × Citrofortunella microcarpa (formerly Citrus mitis), family Rutaceae.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Tagalog kalamunding.

calamus /ˈkaləməs/

I. noun

1. another term for sweet flag.

2. (also calamus root) [ mass noun] — a preparation of the aromatic root of the sweet flag.

3. [Zoology] the hollow lower part of the shaft of a feather, which lacks barbs; a quill.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a reed or an aromatic plant mentioned in the Bible): from Latin, from Greek kalamos. Sense 1 dates from the mid 17th cent.

calando /kəˈlandəʊ/

I. adverb

[Music] (especially as a direction) gradually decreasing in speed and volume.

– origin Italian, literally ‘slackening’.

calandra /kəˈlandrə / calandra lark

I. noun

a large Eurasian lark with a stout bill and a black patch on each side of the neck.
●Genus Melanocorypha, family Alaudidae: two species.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Old French calandre, via medieval Latin from Greek kalandros.

calash /kəˈlaʃ/

noun

another term for caleche.

calathea /ˌkaləˈθɪə/

I. noun

a tropical American plant which typically has variegated leaves, grown as a greenhouse or indoor plant.
●Genus Calathea, family Marantaceae: many species, including the zebra plant.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek kalathos ‘basket’.

calc-

I. combining form

(used chiefly in geological terms) of lime or calcium

• calcalkaline.

– origin from German Kalk ‘lime’, with spelling influenced by Latin calx ‘lime’ (see calx).

calcalkaline /kalˈkalkəlʌɪn/

adjective

[Geology] (chiefly of rocks) relatively rich in both calcium and alkali metals.

calcaneus /kalˈkeɪnɪəs / calcaneum /kalˈkeɪnɪəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the large bone forming the heel. It articulates with the cuboid bone of the foot and the talus bone of the ankle, and the Achilles tendon is attached to it.

II. derivatives

calcaneal /kalˈkeɪnɪəl /

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin.

calcareous /kalˈkɛːrɪəs/

I. adjective

1. containing calcium carbonate; chalky.

• calcareous soils.

• the bottom mud becomes calcareous.

2. [Ecology] (of vegetation) occurring on chalk or limestone.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin calcarius (from calx, calc- ‘lime’) + -eous.

calceolaria /ˌkalsɪəˈlɛːrɪə/

I. noun

a South American plant which is cultivated for its brightly coloured slipper- or pouch-shaped flowers. Also called slipper flower.
●Genus Calceolaria, family Scrophulariaceae.

– origin late 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Latin calceolus, diminutive of calceus ‘shoe’.

calces /ˈkalsiːz/

plural form of calx.

calci-

I. combining form

relating to calcium or its compounds

• calcifuge.

– origin from Latin calx, calc- ‘lime’.

calcic /ˈkalsɪk/

adjective

(chiefly of minerals) containing or relatively rich in calcium.

• calcic plagioclase.

calcicole /ˈkalsɪkəʊl/

I. noun

[Botany] a plant that grows best in calcareous soil (occurring chiefly on chalk and limestone).
[as modifier]

• a rich calcicole flora.

II. derivatives

calcicolous /kalˈsɪkələs /

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from calci- + Latin colere ‘inhabit’.

calciferol /kalˈsɪfərɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] one of the D vitamins, a sterol which is formed when its isomer ergosterol is exposed to ultraviolet light, and which is routinely added to dairy products.
Also called ergocalciferol, vitamin D2.

– origin 1930s: from calciferous + -ol.

calciferous /kalˈsɪf(ə)rəs/

adjective

containing or producing calcium salts, especially calcium carbonate.

• nodules of calciferous clay.

calcifuge /ˈkalsɪfjuːdʒ/

noun

[Botany] a plant that is not suited to calcareous soil.
[as modifier]

• calcifuge plants such as heathers.

calcify /ˈkalsɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. calcified)

1. harden by deposition of or conversion into calcium carbonate or some other insoluble calcium compounds

• calcified cartilage.

II. derivatives

1. calcific /kalˈsɪfɪk /

adjective

2. calcification /kalsɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

calcine /ˈkalsʌɪn, ˈkalsɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. calcined)

1. reduce, oxidize, or desiccate by roasting or exposing to strong heat

• calcined bone ash.

II. derivatives

calcination /kalsɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin calcinare, from late Latin calcina ‘lime’, from Latin calx, calc- ‘lime’ (see calx).

calcite /ˈkalsʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white or colourless mineral consisting of calcium carbonate. It is a major constituent of sedimentary rocks such as limestone and is deposited in caves to form stalactites and stalagmites.

II. derivatives

calcitic

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: coined in German from Latin calx, calc- ‘lime’ (see calx).

calcitonin /ˌkalsɪˈtəʊnɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a hormone secreted by the thyroid that has the effect of lowering blood calcium.

– origin 1960s: from calci- + tonic + -in^1.

calcium /ˈkalsɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Ca) — the chemical element of atomic number 20, a soft grey metal.

Calcium is one of the alkaline earth metals. Its compounds occur naturally in limestone, fluorite, gypsum, and other minerals. Many physiological processes involve calcium ions, and calcium salts are an essential constituent of bone, teeth, and shells.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin calx, calc- ‘lime’ (see calx) + -ium.

calcium antagonist

noun

a compound of a type that reduces the influx of calcium into the cells of cardiac and smooth muscle, reducing the strength of contractions. Drugs of this kind are used to treat angina and high blood pressure.

calcium carbonate

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white insoluble solid occurring naturally as chalk, limestone, marble, and calcite, and forming mollusc shells and stony corals.
●Chem. formula: CaCO_3.

calcium chloride

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white crystalline salt used to de-ice roads and as a drying agent.
●Chem formula: CaCl_2.

calcium hydroxide

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soluble white crystalline solid commonly produced in the form of slaked lime.
●Chem. formula: Ca(OH)2.

calcium oxide

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white caustic alkaline solid, commonly produced in the form of quicklime.
●Chem. formula: CaO.

calcrete /ˈkalkriːt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a breccia or conglomerate cemented together by calcareous material, formed in soils in semi-arid conditions.
Also called caliche.

– origin early 20th cent.: from calc- + a shortened form of concrete.

calculable /ˈkalkjʊləb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be measured or assessed.

• the conversion of mass into energy affects stars in a calculable fashion.

II. derivatives

1. calculability /kalkjʊləˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. calculably

adverb

calculate /ˈkalkjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. determine (the amount or number of something) mathematically

• the program can calculate the number of words that will fit in the space available

• [with clause] local authorities have calculated that full training would cost around £5,000 per teacher.

2. determine by reasoning, experience, or common sense; reckon or judge

• I was bright enough to calculate that she had been on vacation.

3. [no obj.] ( calculate on) — include as an essential element in one's plans.

4. (usu. be calculated to do something) — intend (an action) to have a particular effect

• his last words were calculated to wound her.

5. [with clause] — (US) ‹dialect› suppose or believe

• I calculate it's pretty difficult to git edication down there.

II. derivatives

calculative

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin calculat- ‘counted’, from the verb calculare, from calculus ‘a small pebble (as used on an abacus)’.

calculated /ˈkalkjʊleɪtɪd/

I. adjective

(of an action) done with full awareness of the likely consequences

• victims of vicious and calculated assaults.

II. derivatives

calculatedly

adverb

calculating /ˈkalkjʊleɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

acting in a scheming and ruthlessly determined way

• he was a coolly calculating, ruthless man.

II. derivatives

calculatingly

adverb

calculation /kalkjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a mathematical determination of the amount or number of something

• finding ways of saving money involves complicated calculations

• [ mass noun] the calculation of depreciation.

2. an assessment of the risks, possibilities, or effects of a situation or course of action

• decisions are shaped by political calculations.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin calculatio(n-), from the verb calculare (see calculate).

calculator /ˈkalkjʊleɪtə/

noun

something used for making mathematical calculations, in particular a small electronic device with a keyboard and a visual display.

• a pocket calculator.

calculus /ˈkalkjʊləs/

I. noun

1. (also infinitesimal calculus) ( pl. calculuses) [ mass noun] — the branch of mathematics that deals with the finding and properties of derivatives and integrals of functions, by methods originally based on the summation of infinitesimal differences. The two main types are differential calculus and integral calculus.

2. ( pl. calculuses) — a particular method or system of calculation or reasoning.

3. ( pl. calculi) — [Medicine] a hard mass formed by minerals within the body, especially in the kidney or gall bladder.

• biliary calculi.

4. another term for tartar.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘small pebble (as used on an abacus)’.

Calcutta /kalˈkʌtə/

I. former name (until 2000) for Kolkata.

II. derivatives

Calcuttan

noun, adjective

caldarium /kalˈdɛːrɪəm/

I. noun

a hot room in an ancient Roman bath.

– origin Latin.

Caldecott, Randolph /ˈkɔːldɪkɒt/

(1846–86), English graphic artist and watercolour painter. He is best known for his illustrations for children's books.

Calder, Alexander /ˈkɔːldə/

(1898–1976), American sculptor and painter. He was one of the first artists to introduce movement into sculpture, making mobiles incorporating abstract forms. His static sculptures are known by contrast as ‘stabiles’.

caldera /kɒlˈdɛːrə, kɒlˈdɪərə/

I. noun

a large volcanic crater, especially one formed by a major eruption leading to the collapse of the mouth of the volcano.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Spanish, from late Latin caldaria ‘boiling pot’.

Calderón de la Barca, Pedro /ˌkaldəˌrɒn deɪ la ˈbɑːkə/

(1600–81), Spanish dramatist and poet. He wrote some 120 plays, more than seventy of them religious dramas.

Caldwell, Erskine /ˈkɔːldwɛl/

(1903–87), American novelist and short-story writer; full name Erskine Preston Caldwell. Caldwell reproduced the dialect of the poor whites in his realistic, earthy, and popular novels, such as Tobacco Road (1932).

calean /ˈkalɪɑːn/

I. noun

another term for kalian.

– origin mid 18th cent.: Persian ġilyān, qalyān, from Arabic ġalayān ‘bubbling up, boiling’.

caleche /kəˈlɛʃ / calash

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a light low-wheeled carriage with a removable folding hood.

2. ‹historical› a woman's hooped silk hood.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French calèche, via German from Polish kolasa, from kolo ‘wheel’.

Caledonian /ˌkalɪˈdəʊnɪən/

I. adjective

1. (chiefly in names or geographical terms) relating to Scotland or the Scottish Highlands

• the Caledonian Railway.

2. [Geology] relating to or denoting a mountain-forming period (orogeny) in NW Europe and Greenland during the Lower Palaeozoic era, especially the late Silurian.

II. noun

1. ‹chiefly humorous› ‹literary› a person from Scotland.

2. ( the Caledonian) — [Geology] the Caledonian orogeny.

– origin from Caledonia, the Latin name for northern Britain, + -an.

Caledonian Canal

a system of lochs and canals crossing Scotland from Inverness on the east coast to Fort William on the west.

calefacient /ˌkalɪˈfeɪʃ(ə)nt/

I. noun

‹archaic› a drug or other substance that gives a sensation of warmth.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin calefacient- ‘making warm’, from the verb calefacere, from calere ‘be warm’ + facere ‘make’.

calefaction /kalɪˈfakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the process of heating or warming.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from late Latin calefactio(n-), from calefacere ‘make warm’ (see calefacient).

calendar /ˈkalɪndə/

I. noun

1. a chart or series of pages showing the days, weeks, and months of a particular year, or giving particular seasonal information.

2. a system by which the beginning, length, and subdivisions of the year are fixed.
See also Julian calendar and Gregorian calendar.

3. a list of days or events of a specified kind

• the social calendar.

4. (N. Amer.) a book in which to note daily appointments.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. enter (something) in a calendar or timetable.

• it was at their discretion whether to index or calendar the records.

III. derivatives

1. calendric /kaˈlɛndrɪk /

adjective

2. calendrical

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French calendier, from Latin kalendarium ‘account book’, from kalendae (see calends).

calendarize /ˈkaləndərʌɪz / calendarise

verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. calendarized)

1. schedule, allocate, or record (something) on a month-by-month basis

• a calendarized budget.

calender /ˈkalɪndə/

I. noun

a machine in which cloth or paper is pressed by rollers to glaze or smooth it.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. press in a calender.

– origin late 15th cent. (as a verb): from French calendre (noun), calendrer (verb), of unknown origin.

calends /ˈkalɪndz / kalends

I. plural noun

the first day of the month in the ancient Roman calendar.

– origin Old English (denoting an appointed time): from Old French calendes, from Latin kalendae, calendae ‘first day of the month’ (when accounts were due and the order of days was proclaimed); related to Latin calare and Greek kalein ‘call, proclaim’.

calendula /kəˈlɛndjʊlə/

I. noun

a Mediterranean plant of a genus that includes the common or pot marigold.
●Genus Calendula, family Compositae.

– origin modern Latin, diminutive of calendae (see calends); perhaps because it flowers for most of the year.

calenture /ˈkal(ə)ntjʊə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. feverish delirium formerly thought of as afflicting sailors in the tropics.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from Spanish calentura ‘fever’, from calentar ‘be hot’, based on Latin calere ‘be warm’.

calf^1 /kɑːf/

I. noun

1. a young bovine animal, especially a domestic cow or bull in its first year.

• a heifer calf.

2. the young of some other large mammals, such as elephants, rhinoceroses, large deer and antelopes, and whales.

3. short for calfskin.

4. a floating piece of ice detached from an iceberg.

II. phrases

in (or with) calf

(of a cow) pregnant.

• most of the heifers are in calf.

III. derivatives

calf-like

adjective

– origin Old English cælf, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kalf and German Kalb.

calf^2 /kɑːf/

I. noun

the fleshy part at the back of a person's leg below the knee.
[as modifier]

• the calf muscles.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse kálfi, of unknown origin.

calf-length

adjective

(of footwear or an item of clothing) reaching the calves

• a calf-length skirt.

calf love

noun

another term for puppy love.

calfskin /ˈkɑːfskɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. leather made from the hide or skin of a calf, used in bookbinding and shoemaking.

Calgary /ˈkalɡəri/

a city in southern Alberta, SW Canada; pop. 988,193 (2006).

Cali /ˈkɑːli/

an industrial city in western Colombia; pop. 2,075,525 (2005).

calibrate /ˈkalɪbreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark (a gauge or instrument) with a standard scale of readings.

• the depth gauge is calibrated in centimetres.

2. correlate the readings of (an instrument) with those of a standard in order to check the instrument's accuracy.

• a separate control experiment is then carried out to calibrate the calorimeter.

3. adjust (experimental results) to take external factors into account or to allow comparison with other data.

• the radiocarbon results would need to be calibrated to convert them to calendar ages.

4. carefully assess, set, or adjust (something abstract)

• the regulators cannot properly calibrate the risks involved

• (as adj. calibrated) their carefully calibrated economic policies.

II. derivatives

calibrator

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from calibre + -ate^3.

calibration /kalɪˈbreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of calibrating something

• the measuring devices require calibration.

2. [ count noun] — each of a set of graduations on an instrument.

• he peered at the calibrations on the rule.

calibre /ˈkalɪbə / ‹US› caliber

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the quality of someone's character or the level of their ability

• they could ill afford to lose a man of his calibre.

2. the standard reached by something

• educational facilities of a very high calibre.

3. the internal diameter or bore of a gun barrel
[in combination]

• a small-calibre revolver.

4. the diameter of a bullet, shell, or rocket.

5. the diameter of a body of circular section, such as a tube, blood vessel, or fibre.

• the reduction in calibre of arterial vessels.

II. derivatives

calibred

adjective

[in combination]

• a large-calibred gun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘social standing or importance’): from French, from Italian calibro, perhaps from Arabic qālib ‘mould’, based on Greek kalapous ‘shoemaker's last’.

caliche /kəˈliːtʃi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral deposit of gravel, sand, and nitrates, found in dry areas of America.

2. another term for calcrete.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin American Spanish.

calico /ˈkalɪkəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a type of cotton cloth, typically plain white or unbleached
[as modifier]

• a calico dress.

2. (N. Amer.) printed cotton fabric.

• his trousers were of striped calico.

• [ count noun] muslins and calicoes became the fashionable fabrics.

II. adjective

(N. Amer.) (of an animal, typically a cat) multicoloured or piebald.

• Lena shooed a big calico cat off the counter.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally also calicut): alteration of Calicut, where the fabric originated.

Calicut /ˈkalɪkʌt/

former name for Kozhikode.

Calif.

abbreviation

California.

California /ˌkalɪˈfɔːnɪə/

a state of the US, on the Pacific coast; pop. 36,756,666 (est. 2008); capital, Sacramento. Formerly part of Mexico, it was ceded to the US in 1847, and became the 31st state of the US in 1850.

California, Gulf of

an arm of the Pacific Ocean separating the Baja California peninsula from mainland Mexico.

California Current

a cold ocean current of the eastern Pacific that flows south along the west coast of North America.

Californian /ˌkalɪˈfɔːnɪən/

I. adjective

relating to the US state of California or its inhabitants

• 67 per cent of Californian voters backed the measure

• a richly flavoured red wine which is quintessentially Californian.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of California

• a Californian by birth, I came to south Florida in 1997

• more than half of all Californians live in just five counties.

California poppy Californian poppy

noun

an annual poppy native to western North America, which is cultivated for its brilliant yellow or orange flowers.
● Eschscholtzia californica, family Papaveraceae.

California roll

noun

a roll of sushi with a filling containing avocado, cucumber, and crabmeat

• where does one begin when choosing a sake to match their fresh California roll?

californium /ˌkalɪˈfɔːnɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Cf) — the chemical element of atomic number 98, a radioactive metal of the actinide series, first produced by bombarding curium with helium ions.

– origin 1950s: named after California University (where it was first made) + -ium.

caliginous /kəˈlɪdʒɪnəs/

I. adjective

‹literary› dark, dim, or misty

• the caliginous sky.

– origin mid 16th-cent.: from Latin caliginosus ‘misty’, from caligo, caligin- ‘mistiness’.

Caligula /kəˈlɪɡjʊlə/

(AD 12–41), Roman emperor 37–41; born Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus. His reign was notorious for its tyrannical excesses.

caliper /ˈkalɪpə / calliper

I. noun

1. ( calipers) — an instrument for measuring external or internal dimensions, having two hinged legs resembling a pair of compasses and in-turned or out-turned points.

2. (also caliper rule) — a measuring instrument having one linear component sliding along another, with two parallel jaws and a vernier scale.

3. (also brake caliper) — a motor-vehicle or bicycle brake consisting of two or more hinged components.

4. (also caliper splint) — (Brit.) a metal support for a person's leg.

– origin late 16th cent.: apparently an alteration of calibre.

caliph /ˈkeɪlɪf, ˈkalɪf/

I. noun

‹historical› the chief Muslim civil and religious ruler, regarded as the successor of Muhammad. The caliph ruled in Baghdad until 1258 and then in Egypt until the Ottoman conquest of 1517; the title was then held by the Ottoman sultans until it was abolished in 1924 by Atatürk.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French caliphe, from Arabic ḵalīfa meaning ‘deputy (of God’) (from the title ḵalīfat Allāh), or meaning ‘successor (of Muhammad)’ (from the title ḵalīfat rasūl Allāh ‘of the Messenger of God)’, from ḵalafa ‘succeed’.

caliphate /ˈkalɪfeɪt, ˈkeɪlɪfeɪt/

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly historical› the rule or reign of a caliph or chief Muslim ruler

• the Umayyad caliphate in Damascus was overthrown by the Abbasids.

2. ‹chiefly historical› the area ruled by a caliph

• Cordoba was the thriving capital of the Caliphate of Cordoba that governed almost all of the Iberian peninsula.

– origin early 17th cent.: from caliph + -ate^1.

call /kɔːl/

I. verb

1. [with obj. and complement] — give (a baby or animal) a specified name

• they called their daughter Hannah.

2. ( be called) — have a specified name

• her companion was called Ethel

• a book called Street Life in London.

3. address or refer to (someone) by a specified name, title, etc.

• please call me Bob

• if he remains quiet she calls him a wimp.

4. refer to or consider (someone or something) as being

• he's the only person I would call a friend.

5. [with obj.] — cry out (a word or words)

• he heard an insistent voice calling his name

• Meredith was already calling out a greeting.

6. cry out to (someone) in order to summon them or attract their attention

• she heard Terry calling her

• [no obj.] I distinctly heard you call.

7. [no obj.] — (of an animal, especially a bird) make its characteristic cry

• overhead, a skylark called.

8. shout out or chant (the steps and figures) to people performing a square dance or country dance.

9. [Bridge] make (a particular bid) during the auction.

• her partner called 6♠.

10. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› claim (a specified privilege) for oneself, typically by shouting out a particular word or set phrase

• I call first dibs on the bathroom.

11. [with obj.] — contact or attempt to contact (a person or number) by phone

• could I call you back?

• he called her on Monday but her phone was switched off

• the driver called 999.

12. use a phone to summon (someone or something, especially an emergency service or a taxi)

• her husband called an ambulance.

13. [with obj.] — order or request the attendance of

• representatives of all three teams have been called to appear before the Monaco stewards

• I got a letter calling me for an interview.

14. bring (a witness) into court to give evidence

• four expert witnesses were called.

15. cause (someone) to have a strong urge to choose a particular way of life or career

• he was called to the priesthood

• [with infinitive] I think teachers, really good teachers, are called to teach.

16. [with obj.] — announce or decide that (an event, especially a meeting, election, or strike) is to happen

• there appeared to be no alternative but to call a general election

• he called an emergency meeting to discuss the matter with councillors and residents

• the Allied forces called a ceasefire.

17. [no obj.] — (chiefly Brit.) (of a person) pay a brief visit

• I've got to call at the bank to get some cash

• he had promised Celia he would call in at the clinic

• do call round if you're ever in the area.

18. ( call at) — (of a train or coach) stop at (a specified station or stations) on a particular route

• the 8.15 service to Paddington, calling at Reading.

19. [with obj. and complement] — (of an umpire or other official in a game) pronounce (a ball, stroke, etc.) to be the thing specified

• the linesman called the ball wide.

20. [with obj.] — [Cricket] (of an umpire) declare (a bowler) to have bowled a no-ball

• he was called for throwing in the match against Hampshire.

21. [with obj.] — predict the result of (a future event, especially an election or a vote)

• in the Midlands the race remains too close to call

• few pundits risked calling the election for either Bush or Kerry.

22. [with obj.] — guess (the outcome) of tossing a coin

• Burnley called heads and won the toss

• [no obj.] ‘You call,’ he said. ‘Heads or tails?’.

23. [with obj.] — [Computing] cause (a subroutine) to be executed.

• one subroutine may call another subroutine (or itself).

II. noun

1. a cry made as a summons or to attract someone's attention

• a nearby fisherman heard their calls for help

• in response to the call, a figure appeared.

2. the characteristic cry of a bird or other animal

• it is best distinguished by its call, a loud ‘pwit’.

3. [with modifier] — a series of notes sounded on a brass instrument as a signal to do something

• a bugle call to rise at 8.30.

4. a direction in a square dance given by the caller.

5. [Bridge] a bid, response, or double.

• the alternative call of 2♠ would be quite unsound.

6. an instance of speaking to someone on the phone or attempting to contact someone by phone

• I'll give you a call at around five

• he stopped returning her calls

• a ten-minute call to the emergency services.

7. a brief visit, especially one made for social reasons

• we paid a call on Ben and his family.

8. a visit or journey made by a doctor or other professional in response to a request for help, especially in an emergency situtation

• the ambulance is out on a call

• the district nurse for the local villages used to make her calls on a bicycle.

9. an appeal or demand for something to happen or be done

• the call for action was welcomed

• a call to all sides to remain calm and refrain from violence

• there are more and more calls on his time.

10. [ mass noun] [usu. with negative] ( call for) — demand, need, or reason for

• there is little call for antique furniture

• there's no call for secrecy anywhere in a free government.

11. [usu. in sing.] — an order or request for someone to be present

• he was delighted that so many former players had heeded the call to attend the conference.

12. a vocation

• feeling the call to ministry, I started looking for a Bible college.

13. a powerful force of attraction

• walkers can't resist the call of the Cairngorms.

14. (in sport) a decision or ruling made by an umpire or other official, traditionally conveyed by a shout, that the ball has gone out of play or that a rule has been breached

• he was visibly irritated with the umpire's calls.

15. a decision, judgement, or prediction

• personally, I'm all in favour, but it's your call

• that entrepreneurial instinct may account for his ability to make tough calls when profits are at stake

• the two old foes are so evenly matched that it's anyone's call.

16. [Computing] a command to execute a subroutine.

• parameter values may be changed by calls to a special purpose input specification subroutine.

17. [Finance] a demand for payment of lent or unpaid capital.

18. [Stock Exchange] short for call option.

19. [as modifier] — (US) (in a bar, club, etc.) denoting or made with relatively expensive brands of alcohol which customers request by name. Compare with well^2 (sense 4 of the noun):

• try wines by the glass for $5, beer for $3, and call drinks for $8.

III. phrases

1. at call

another way of saying on call (sense 2).

2. call attention to

cause people to notice

• he is seeking to call attention to himself by his crimes.

3. call someone's bluff

see bluff^1.

4. call collect

(N. Amer.) make a phone call reversing the charges.

5. call something into (or in) question

cast doubt on something

• these findings call into question the legitimacy of the proceedings.

6. call it a day

see day.

7. call someone names

see name.

8. call of nature

see nature.

9. call the shots (or tune)

take the initiative in deciding how something should be done.

• we believe in parents and teachers calling the shots.

10. call a spade a spade

see spade^1.

11. call someone to account

see account.

12. call someone/thing to mind

a. cause one to think of someone or something, especially through similarity

• the still lifes call to mind certain of Cézanne's works.

b. [with negative] — remember someone or something
[with clause]

• I cannot call to mind where I have seen you.

13. call someone/thing to order

ask those present at a meeting to be silent so that business may proceed.

• Randy McGill called the large gathering to order.

14. don't call us, we'll call you

‹informal› used as a dismissive way of saying that someone has not been successful in an audition or job application.

15. good call (or bad call)

‹informal› used to express approval (or criticism) of a person's decision or suggestion.

• So you asked her to leave? Good call.

[with reference to decisions made by referees or umpires.]

16. on call

a. (of a person) able to be contacted in order to provide a professional service if necessary, but not formally on duty.

• your local GP may be on call round the clock.

b. (of money lent) repayable on demand.

17. to call one's own

used to describe something that one can genuinely feel belongs to one

• I had not an item to call my own.

18. within call

near enough to be summoned by calling

• she moved into the guest room, within call of her father's room.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. call someone/thing down

a. cause or provoke someone or something to appear or occur

• nothing called down the wrath of Nemesis quicker.

b. ‹dated› reprimand someone.

• he called down Clarence Drum about being so high and mighty.

2. call for

a. make necessary

• desperate times call for desperate measures.

b. publicly ask for or demand

• the report calls for an audit of endangered species.

c. (chiefly Brit.) stop to collect (someone) at the place where they are living or working

• I'll call for you around seven.

d. (N. Amer.) predict or describe (the likely weather conditions) for a period of time in the future

• the forecast is calling for more rain.

• they're calling for temperatures in the 80s for the rest of the week.

3. call something forth

elicit a specified response

• few things call forth more compassion.

4. call someone in

enlist someone's aid or services.

• you can either do the work yourself or call in a local builder to help you.

5. call something in

require payment of a loan or promise of money.

• the bank would call in loans and foreign donations.

6. call someone/thing off

order a person or dog to stop attacking someone.

• Gunda pleaded with him to call the dog off.

7. call something off

cancel an event or agreement.

• they held a ballot on whether to call off industrial action.

8. call on

a. pay a visit to (someone)

• he's planning to call on Katherine today.

b. (also call upon) — have recourse to

• we are able to call on academic staff with a wide variety of expertise.

c. [with infinitive] — demand that (someone) do something

• he called on the government to hold a vote.

9. call someone out

a. summon someone to deal with an emergency or to do repairs.

• patients are to be told to stop calling doctors out unnecessarily at night.

b. order or advise workers to strike.

c. (also call someone out on something, call someone on something) — (N. Amer.) draw critical attention to someone's unacceptable actions or behaviour

• people were calling him out for his negative comments

• Dan had called her out on a couple of contradictions in her story

• she called him on his claim that the media were doing a bad job of covering the economy.

d. ‹archaic› challenge someone to a duel.

10. call something over

‹dated› read out a list of names to determine those present.

• a gentleman proceeded to call over the names of the jury.

11. call someone up

a. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) phone someone.

• I have a list of people to call up in the morning.

b. summon someone to serve in the army.

• they have called up more than 20,000 reservists.

c. select someone to play in a team, especially at a higher level of competition

• he was called up for the international against Turkey.

12. call something up

a. summon for use something that is stored or kept available

• icons which allow you to call up a graphic.

b. evoke something

• the imaginative intensity with which he called up the Devon landscape.

– origin late Old English ceallian, from Old Norse kalla ‘summon loudly’.

calla /ˈkalə/

I. noun

either of two plants of the arum family:
● another term for bog arum ● another term for arum lily.

– origin early 19th cent.: modern Latin.

callable /ˈkɔːləb(ə)l/

adjective

[Finance] denoting a bond that can be paid off earlier than the maturity date.

Callaghan, James /ˈkaləhan/

Baron Callaghan of Cardiff (1912–2005), British Labour statesman, Prime Minister 1976–9; full name Leonard James Callaghan.

callaloo /ˌkaləˈluː / callalou

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the spinach-like leaves of a tropical American plant, used in Caribbean cookery.

2. a soup or stew made with callaloo leaves.

• I served it with rice and callalou.

3. the plant of the arum family from which callaloo leaves are obtained.
●Genus Xanthosoma, family Araceae.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from American Spanish calalú.

Callanetics /ˌkaləˈnɛtɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing. or pl.] in the UK

1. ‹trademark› a system of physical exercises based on small repeated movements.

– origin 1980s: named after Callan Pinckney (born 1939), American deviser of the system, perhaps on the pattern of athletics.

Callao /kaˈjaʊ/

the principal seaport of Peru; pop. 415,900 (est. 2007).

Callas, Maria /ˈkaləs/

(1923–77), American-born operatic soprano, of Greek parentage; born Maria Cecilia Anna Kalageropoulos. She was a coloratura soprano whose bel canto style of singing was especially suited to 19th-century Italian opera.

callback /ˈkɔːlbak/

noun

1. an invitation to return for a second audition or interview.

• he was one of only twelve applicants to receive a callback.

2. a telephone call made to return one that someone has received.

3. [ mass noun] — a security feature used by some computer systems accessed by telephone, in which a user must log on from a previously registered phone number, to which the system then places a return call.

call box

noun

1. (Brit.) a public telephone booth.

2. (N. Amer.) a telephone for emergency use.

call boy

noun

1. a person in a theatre who summons actors when they are due on stage.

2. a male prostitute who accepts appointments by telephone.

call centre

noun

an office in which large numbers of telephone calls are handled, especially one providing the customer services functions of a large organization.

call changes

plural noun

[Bell-ringing] changes rung in response to spoken commands.

called-for

adjective

demanded or required

• a called-for prohibition of handguns.

caller /ˈkɔːlə/

noun

1. a person who pays a brief visit or makes a telephone call.

• a special advice line was swamped by hundreds of callers.

• the bailiff was a frequent caller.

2. a person who calls out numbers in a game of bingo or directions in a dance.

• a barn dance with a persuasive caller.

3. (Austral./NZ) a racing or sports commentator.

• an experienced caller from the commentary team.

caller ID

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a facility that identifies and displays the telephone numbers of incoming calls made to a particular line.

call girl

noun

a female prostitute who accepts appointments by telephone.

Callicrates /kəˈlɪkrətiːz/

(5th century BC), Greek architect. He was the leading architect in Periclean Athens, and with Ictinus designed the Parthenon (447–438 BC).

calligram /ˈkalɪɡram/

I. noun

a word or piece of text in which the design and layout of the letters creates a visual image related to the meaning of the words themselves.

• an anonymous artist has transformed Dione's image into a calligram.

– origin 1930s: blend of calligraphy and -gram^1.

calligraph /ˈkalɪɡrɑːf/

verb — [with obj.]

1. write in calligraphic style.

• the invitations were meticulously calligraphed in black ink.

calligraphy /kəˈlɪɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. decorative handwriting or handwritten lettering.

• a label written in admirable calligraphy.

2. the art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a pen or brush.

• you could watch professionals demonstrating lettering and calligraphy.

• [with modifier] Japanese calligraphy.

II. derivatives

1. calligrapher /kəˈlɪɡrəfə /

noun

2. calligraphic /ˌkalɪˈɡrafɪk /

adjective

3. calligraphist /kəˈlɪɡrəfɪst /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek kalligraphia, from kalligraphos ‘person who writes beautifully’, from kallos ‘beauty’ + graphein ‘write’.

Callimachus /kəˈlɪməkəs/

( c. 305– c. 240 BC), Greek poet and scholar. He is famed for his hymns and epigrams, and was head of the library at Alexandria.

call-in

noun

North American term for phone-in.

calling /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or sound of calling.

• the calling of a cuckoo.

2. a strong urge towards a particular way of life or career; a vocation

• those who have a special calling to minister to others' needs.

3. a profession or occupation

• he considered engineering one of the highest possible callings.

calling bell

noun

(Indian) a doorbell.

calling card

noun

1. a card bearing a person's name and address, sent or left in lieu of a formal social or business visit.

2. an action by which someone or something can be identified

• holistic, sustainable design is the calling card of the green architect.

3. (N. Amer.) a phonecard or telephone charge card.
[as modifier]

• calling card numbers.

calliope /kəˈlʌɪəpi/

I. noun

an American keyboard instrument resembling an organ but with the notes produced by steam whistles, formerly used on showboats and in travelling fairs.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the Greek name Kalliopē (see Calliope).

Calliope /kəˈlʌɪəpi / ‹Greek & Roman Mythology›

I. the Muse of epic poetry.

– origin from Greek Kalliopē, literally ‘having a beautiful voice’.

callipygian /ˌkalɪˈpɪdʒɪən / callipygean

I. adjective

‹rare› having well-shaped buttocks.

II. derivatives

callipygous /ˌkalɪˈpɪdʒəs, ˌkalɪˈpʌɪdʒəs /

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek kallipūgos (used to describe a famous statue of Venus), from kallos ‘beauty’ + pūgē ‘buttocks’, + -ian.

callistemon /ˌkalɪˈstiːmən/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that comprises the bottlebrushes.
●Genus Callistemon, family Myrtaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek kallos ‘beauty’ + stēmōn ‘thread or stamen’.

callisthenics /ˌkalɪsˈθɛnɪks / ‹US› calisthenics

I. plural noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. gymnastic exercises to achieve bodily fitness and grace of movement.

• three women swung Indian clubs while performing callisthenics in unison.

II. derivatives

callisthenic

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek kallos ‘beauty’ + sthenos ‘strength’ + -ics.

Callisto /kəˈlɪstəʊ/

I. [Greek Mythology] a nymph who was changed into a bear by Zeus.
See also Ursa Major.

II. [Astronomy] one of the Galilean moons of Jupiter, the eighth-closest satellite to the planet, icy with a dark, cratered surface (diameter 4,800 km).

callitrichid /ˌkalɪˈtrʌɪkɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a primate of a family ( Callitrichidae or Callithricidae) that comprises the marmosets and tamarins.

– origin late 18th cent.: from modern Latin Callitrichidae (plural), from Greek kallitrikhos ‘having beautiful hair’.

call letters

plural noun

(N. Amer.) a sequence of letters used by a television or radio station as an identifying code.

call money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. money loaned by a bank or other institution which is repayable on demand.

call note

noun

the characteristic call of a particular bird.

• the usual call note is a sharp ‘tchick ’.

callop /ˈkaləp/

I. noun

a deep-bodied edible gold and green freshwater fish found in Australia. Also called golden perch.
● Plectroplites ambiguus, family Serranidae.

– origin 1920s: perhaps from an Aboriginal language of southern Australia.

call option

noun

[Stock Exchange] an option to buy assets at an agreed price on or before a particular date.

callosity /kəˈlɒsɪti/

I. noun

‹technical› a thickened and hardened part of the skin; a callus.

– origin late Middle English: from French callosité, from Latin callositas, from callosus ‘hard-skinned’, from callum, callus ‘hardened skin’.

callous /ˈkaləs/

I. adjective

showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others

• his callous comments about the murder made me shiver.

II. noun

variant spelling of callus.

– origin late Middle English (in the Latin sense): from Latin callosus ‘hard-skinned’.

calloused /ˈkaləsd / callused

adjective

(of a part of the body) having an area of hardened skin

• a calloused palm.

callously /ˈkaləsli/

adverb

in a way that shows an insensitive and cruel disregard for others; unfeelingly

• they use other people callously and remorselessly for their own ends.

callousness /ˈkaləsnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. insensitive and cruel disregard for others

• the callousness of using children to send a political message.

call-out

noun

1. an instance of being summoned to deal with an emergency or do repairs
[as modifier]

• a call-out charge.

2. [Printing] a letter, word, number, or symbol identifying an illustration or a specific part of one.

3. a short piece of text set in larger type than the rest of the page and intended to attract attention.

call-over

noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› a roll-call at school.

callow /ˈkaləʊ/

I. adjective

(of a young person) inexperienced and immature

• earnest and callow undergraduates.

II. derivatives

1. callowly

adverb

2. callowness

noun

– origin Old English calu ‘bald’, of West Germanic origin, probably from Latin calvus ‘bald’. This was extended to mean ‘unfledged’, which led to the present sense ‘immature’.

Calloway, Cab /ˈkaləweɪ/

(1907–94), American jazz singer and bandleader; full name Cabell Calloway. He was famous for his style of scat singing, for his flamboyant appearance, and for songs such as ‘Minnie the Moocher’ (1931).

call sign call signal

noun

a message, code, or tune that is broadcast by radio to identify the broadcaster or transmitter.

• the brief jingle of the station's call sign sounded.

calluna /kəˈluːnə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the common heather of Europe and Asia Minor.

– origin early 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek kallunein ‘beautify, sweep clean’ (from kallos ‘beauty’). The notion of ‘sweeping’ is also seen in the noun broom, brooms being originally made of twigs of heather or broom.

call-up /ˈkɔːlʌp/

noun

an instance of being summoned to serve in the armed forces or a sports team
[as modifier]

• my call-up papers.

callus /ˈkaləs / callous

I. noun

1. a thickened and hardened part of the skin or soft tissue, especially in an area that has been subjected to friction.

2. [Medicine] the bony healing tissue which forms around the ends of broken bone.

3. [Botany] a hard formation of tissue, especially new tissue formed over a wound.
[ mass noun]

• the exposed surface will quickly form healing callus.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin callus (more commonly callum) ‘hardened skin’.

call waiting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a service whereby someone making a telephone call is notified of an incoming call on the line that they are already using, and is able to place the first call on hold while the second is answered.

calm /kɑːm/

I. adjective

1. not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other strong emotions

• she had to keep calm at all costs

• his voice was calm.

2. (of a place) peaceful after violent activity

• the city was reported to be calm, but army patrols remained.

3. (of the weather) pleasantly free from wind

• the night was clear and calm.

4. (of the sea) not disturbed by large waves.

• a dead calm sea.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the absence of strong emotions; calm feelings

• his usual calm deserted him.

2. the absence of violent activity in a place

• the elections proceeded in an atmosphere of relative calm

• [in sing.] an edgy calm reigned in the capital.

3. the absence of wind

• in the centre of the storm calm prevailed.

4. still air represented by force 0 on the Beaufort scale (less than 1 knot or 1 km/h).

5. [ count noun] (often calms) — an area of the sea without wind.

• flat calms.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) tranquil and quiet; soothe

• I took him inside and tried to calm him down.

2. [no obj.] ( calm down) — (of a person) become tranquil and quiet.

• gradually I calmed down and lost my anxiety.

IV. phrases

the calm before the storm

see storm.

– origin late Middle English: via one of the Romance languages from Greek kauma ‘heat (of the day)’.

CALM /kɑːm/

abbreviation

(Austral.) the Department of Conservation and Land Management

• the reserve contains some 500 species of plants and is managed by CALM.

calmative /ˈkɑːmətɪv, ˈkalmətɪv/

I. adjective

(of a drug) having a sedative effect.

II. noun

a calmative drug.

calmly /ˈkɑːmli/

adverb

without agitation or strong emotion

• he spoke slowly and calmly

• people living in the area reacted calmly to the incident.

calmness /ˈkɑːmnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or quality of being free from agitation or strong emotion

• those who worked with him refer time and again to his calmness under pressure

• she exuded calmness and good humour.

2. the state or condition of being free from disturbance or violent activity

• this relative calmness ended at around 7 a.m., when the wind picked up speed.

calmodulin /kalˈmɒdjʊlɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a protein which binds calcium and is involved in regulating a variety of activities in cells.

– origin 1970s: from cal(cium) + modul(ate) + -in^1.

calomel /ˈkaləmɛl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. mercurous chloride, a white powder formerly used as a purgative.
●Chem. formula: Hg_2Cl_2.

– origin late 17th cent.: modern Latin, perhaps from Greek kalos ‘beautiful’ + melas ‘black’ (perhaps because it was originally obtained from a black mixture of mercury and mercuric chloride).

Calor gas /ˈkalə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹trademark› liquefied butane stored under pressure in portable containers, used domestically as a substitute for mains gas and in camping as a portable fuel.

– origin 1930s: Calor from Latin calor ‘heat’.

caloric /kəˈlɒrɪk, ˈkalərɪk/

I. adjective

(chiefly N. Amer.) ‹technical› relating to heat; calorific

• a caloric value of 7 calories per gram.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hypothetical fluid substance formerly thought to be responsible for the phenomena of heat.

III. derivatives

calorically

adverb

– origin late 18th cent. (as a noun): from French calorique, from Latin calor ‘heat’.

calorie /ˈkaləri/

I. noun

1. either of two units of heat energy:

2. (also small calorie) (abbrev.: cal) — the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water through 1 °C (now usually defined as 4.1868 joules).

3. (also large calorie) (abbrev.: Cal) — the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water through 1 °C, equal to one thousand small calories and often used to measure the energy value of foods.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Latin calor ‘heat’ + French suffix -ie (see -y^3).

calorie-controlled

adjective

denoting or suitable for a diet in which a limit is set on the total number of calories that may be consumed

• many slimmers use stir-fry veg as part of a calorie-controlled diet

• a calorie-controlled meal plan.

calorific /kaləˈrɪfɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the amount of energy contained in food or fuel

• she knew the calorific contents of every morsel.

2. (of food or drink) containing many calories and so likely to be fattening

• there is fruit salad for those who can resist the more calorific concoctions.

II. derivatives

calorifically

adverb

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin calorificus, from calor ‘heat’.

calorific value

noun

the energy contained in a fuel or food, determined by measuring the heat produced by the complete combustion of a specified quantity of it. This is now usually expressed in joules per kilogram.

• double the calorific value of coal.

calorimeter /ˌkaləˈrɪmɪtə/

I. noun

an apparatus for measuring the amount of heat involved in a chemical reaction or other process.

II. derivatives

1. calorimetric /ˌkalərɪˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

2. calorimetry /ˌkaləˈrɪmɪtri /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin calor ‘heat’ + -meter.

calotype /ˈkalətʌɪp / calotype process

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› an early photographic process in which negatives were made using paper coated with silver iodide.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kalos ‘beautiful’ + type.

calque /kalk / ‹Linguistics›

I. noun

another term for loan translation.

II. verb — ( be calqued on)

1. originate or function as a loan translation of.

• ‘it goes without saying’ is calqued on French ‘cela va sans dire’.

– origin 1930s: from French, literally ‘copy, tracing’, from calquer ‘to trace’, via Italian from Latin calcare ‘to tread’.

caltrop /ˈkaltrəp/

I. noun

1. a spiked metal device thrown on the ground to impede wheeled vehicles or (formerly) cavalry horses.

• militant demonstrators threw a box of caltrops across the highway.

2. a creeping plant with woody carpels that typically have hard spines and resemble military caltrops.
●Genus Tribulus, family Zygophyllaceae.

3. (also water caltrop) — another term for water chestnut (sense 3).

– origin Old English calcatrippe, denoting any plant which tended to catch the feet, from medieval Latin calcatrippa, from calx ‘heel’ or calcare ‘to tread’ + a word related to trap^1. Sense 1 was probably adopted from French.

calumet /ˈkaljʊmɛt/

I. noun

a North American Indian peace pipe.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from late Latin calamellus ‘little reed’, diminutive of Latin calamus (referring to the pipe's reed stem).

calumniate /kəˈlʌmnɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› make false and defamatory statements about

• he has been calumniating the Crown and all the conservative decencies.

II. derivatives

1. calumniation /kəlʌmnɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. calumniator /kəˈlʌmnɪeɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin calumniari, from calumnia (see calumny).

calumny /ˈkaləmni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the making of false and defamatory statements about someone in order to damage their reputation; slander.

• a bitter struggle marked by calumny and litigation.

2. [ count noun] — a false and slanderous statement

• a change in the law would prevent the press from publishing calumnies.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› slander (someone).

III. derivatives

calumnious /kəˈlʌmnɪəs /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin calumnia.

calutron /kəˈluːtrɒn/

I. noun

a device that uses large electromagnets to separate uranium isotopes from uranium ore, developed in the 1940s to produce highly enriched weapons-grade uranium.

– origin from Cal(ifornia) U(niversity) (cyclo)tron.

Calvados /ˈkalvədɒs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. apple brandy, traditionally made in the Calvados region of Normandy.

• the taste of Calvados is unique.

• [ count noun] let's have a Calvados.

Calvary /ˈkalvəri/

I. the hill outside Jerusalem on which Christ was crucified.

II. (as noun a calvary) — a sculpture or picture representing the scene of the Crucifixion.

– origin from late Latin calvaria ‘skull’, translation of Greek golgotha ‘place of a skull’ (Matt. 27:33) (see Golgotha).

calve /kɑːv/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of cows and certain other large animals) give birth to a calf.

• Galloway cows have wide pelvises and calve easily.

• (as noun calving) calving takes place in the spring.

2. [with obj.] — (of a person) help (a cow) give birth to a calf.

• people often used to come for him to help calve their cows.

3. [with obj.] — (of an iceberg or glacier) split and shed (a smaller mass of ice).

• glaciers were calving icebergs directly into the sea.

4. [no obj.] — (of a mass of ice) split off from an iceberg or glacier.

• ice calved off a glacier with a loud explosive crumble.

– origin Old English calfian, from cælf ‘calf’.

calves /kɑːvz/

plural form of calf^1, calf^2.

Calvin, John

(1509–64), French Protestant theologian and reformer. On becoming a Protestant he fled to Switzerland, where he attempted to reorder society on reformed Christian principles and established the first Presbyterian government, in Geneva. His Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536) was the first systematic account of reformed Christian doctrine.

Calvin, Melvin

(1911–97), American biochemist, who investigated photosynthesis and discovered the cycle of reactions (the Calvin cycle) which constitute the dark reaction. Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1961).

Calvinism /ˈkalvɪnɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Protestant theological system of John Calvin and his successors, which develops Luther's doctrine of justification by faith alone into an emphasis on the grace of God and centres on the doctrine of predestination.

Calvinist /ˈkalvɪnɪst/

I. noun

an adherent of the Protestant theological system of John Calvin and his successors

• she was a strict Calvinist.

II. adjective

of or relating to the Protestant theological system of John Calvin and his successors

• the Dutch state was still distinctly Calvinist.

III. derivatives

1. Calvinistic /kalvɪˈnɪstɪk /

adjective

2. Calvinistical /kalvɪˈnɪstɪk(ə)l /

adjective

Calvino, Italo /kalˈviːnəʊ/

(1923–87), Italian novelist and short-story writer, born in Cuba. His later works, such as If on a Winter's Night a Traveller (1979), are associated with magic realism.

calx /kalks/

I. noun

[Chemistry] ‹archaic› a powdery metallic oxide formed when an ore or mineral has been heated.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, ‘lime’, probably from Greek khalix ‘pebble, limestone’.

calypso /kəˈlɪpsəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of West Indian (originally Trinidadian) music in syncopated African rhythm, typically with words improvised on a topical theme.

• the men sing calypso as they work.

• [as modifier] calypso music.

2. [ count noun] — a calypso song.

• a man was playing a calypso on a double bass.

II. derivatives

calypsonian

adjective, noun

– origin 1930s: of unknown origin.

Calypso /kəˈlɪpsəʊ / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. a nymph who kept Odysseus on her island, Ogygia, for seven years.

– origin Greek, literally ‘she who conceals’.

calyx /ˈkalɪks, ˈkeɪlɪks / calix

I. noun

1. [Botany] the sepals of a flower, typically forming a whorl that encloses the petals and forms a protective layer around a flower in bud.
Compare with corolla.

2. [Zoology] a cup-like cavity or structure, in particular:

3. a portion of the pelvis of a mammalian kidney.

4. the cavity in a calcareous coral skeleton that surrounds the polyp.

5. the plated body of a crinoid, excluding the stalk and arms.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin, from Greek kalux ‘case of a bud, husk’, related to kaluptein ‘to hide’.

calzone /kalˈtsəʊneɪ, kalˈtsəʊni/

I. noun

a type of pizza that is folded in half before cooking to contain a filling.

– origin Italian dialect, probably a special use of calzone ‘trouser leg’, with reference to the shape of the pizza.

cam /kam/

I. noun

1. a projection on a rotating part in machinery, designed to make sliding contact with another part while rotating and impart reciprocal or variable motion to it.

2. a camshaft.

3. ‹informal› a camera.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Dutch kam ‘comb’, as in kamrad ‘cogwheel’.

CAM

abbreviation

1. computer-aided manufacturing.

2. complementary and alternative medicine.

cama /ˈkɑːmə/

noun

a hybrid animal produced by crossing a camel with a llama.

camail /ˈkameɪl/

I. noun

‹historical› a piece of chain mail attached to the headpiece and protecting the neck and shoulders

• Turkish helmets fitted with a camail.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, from Provençal capmalh, from cap ‘head’ + malhmail^2.

camaraderie /ˌkaməˈrɑːd(ə)ri, ˌkaməˈrad(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together

• the enforced camaraderie of office life.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from camarade ‘comrade’.

Camargue /kəˈmɑːɡ, French kamaʀɡ/

( the Camargue)

1. a region of the Rhône delta in SE France, characterized by numerous shallow salt lagoons. The region is known for its white horses and as a nature reserve.

camarilla /ˌkaməˈrɪl(j)ə/

I. noun

‹derogatory› a small group of people, especially a group of advisers to a ruler or politician, with a shared purpose

• a military camarilla that has lost any sense of political reality.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, diminutive of camara ‘chamber’.

camas /kəˈmas / camass, quamash

I. noun

a North American plant of the lily family, cultivated for its starry blue or purple flowers.
●Genera Camassia and Zigadenus, family Liliaceae: several species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Chinook Jargon kamass, perhaps from Nootka.

Cambay, Gulf of /kamˈbeɪ / Gulf of Khambat

an inlet of the Arabian Sea on the Gujarat coast of western India, north of Mumbai (Bombay).

camber /ˈkambə/

I. noun

1. the slightly convex or arched shape of a road or other horizontal surface.

• a bend where the camber of the road sloped to a ditch.

• a flat roof should have a slight camber to allow water to run off.

2. (Brit.) a tilt built into a road at a bend or curve, enabling vehicles to maintain speed.

3. the slight sideways inclination of the front wheels of a motor vehicle.

• suspension changes include a wider front and rear track with increased negative camber for better cornering grip.

4. the extent of curvature of a section of an aerofoil.

II. derivatives

cambered

adjective

• a steep, badly cambered turn

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cambre, dialect variant of chambre ‘arched’, from Latin camurus ‘curved inwards’.

Camberwell beauty

I. noun

(Brit.) a migratory butterfly with deep purple yellow-bordered wings, which is a rare visitor to Britain.
● Nymphalis antiopa, subfamily Nymphalinae, family Nymphalidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Camberwell in London, then a village, where the first specimens were captured.

cambium /ˈkambɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] a cellular plant tissue from which phloem, xylem, or cork grows by division, resulting (in woody plants) in secondary thickening.

II. derivatives

cambial

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting one of the alimentary humours once supposed to nourish the body): from medieval Latin, ‘change, exchange’.

Cambodia /kamˈbəʊdɪə/

I. a country in SE Asia between Thailand and southern Vietnam; pop. 14,494,300 (est. 2009); official language, Khmer; capital, Phnom Penh.
Also officially called the Khmer Republic and Kampuchea.

The country was made a French protectorate in 1863 and remained under French influence until it became fully independent in 1953. During the Vietnam War it was bombed and invaded by US forces, and then, following a civil war (1970–5), came under the control of the Khmer Rouge; more than 2 million Cambodians died before the regime was toppled by a Vietnamese invasion in 1979.

Cambodian /kamˈbəʊdɪən/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Cambodia, or a person of Cambodian descent.

2. another term for Khmer (the language).

II. adjective

relating to Cambodia, its people, or their language.

cambozola /ˌkambəˈzəʊlə / cambazola

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a type of German blue soft cheese with a rind like Camembert, produced using Gorgonzola blue mould.

– origin 1980s: an invented name, blend of Camembert and Gorgonzola, with the insertion of -bo-.

Cambrelle /kamˈbrɛl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a synthetic fabric which absorbs perspiration, used as a lining material for climbing and walking boots.

Cambrian /ˈkambrɪən/

I. adjective

1. (chiefly in names or geographical terms) Welsh

• the Cambrian Railway.

2.
a. [Geology] relating to or denoting the first period in the Palaeozoic era, between the end of the Precambrian aeon and the beginning of the Ordovician period.

b. (as noun the Cambrian) — the Cambrian period or the system of rocks deposited during it.

The Cambrian lasted from about 570 to 510 million years ago and was a time of widespread seas. It is the earliest period in which fossils, notably trilobites, can be used in geological dating.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin Cambria ‘Wales’, variant of Cumbria, from Welsh Cymry ‘Welshman’ or Cymru ‘Wales’.

cambric /ˈkambrɪk, ˈkeɪmbrɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a lightweight, closely woven white linen or cotton fabric.

– origin late Middle English: from Kamerijk, Flemish form of Cambrai, a town in northern France, where it was originally made. Compare with chambray.

Cambridge /ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ/

I. a city in eastern England, the county town of Cambridgeshire; pop. 116,900 (est. 2009). Cambridge University is located there.

II. a city in eastern Massachusetts, forming part of the conurbation of Boston; pop. 105,596 (est. 2008). Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are located there.

Cambridge blue

noun

1. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) a pale blue colour.

2. (Brit.) a person who has represented Cambridge University at a particular sport in a match against Oxford University.

Cambridgeshire /ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒʃ(ɪ)ə/

a county of eastern England; county town, Cambridge.

Cambridge University

a university at Cambridge in England, founded in 1230. The university comprises a federation of thirty-one colleges.

Cambs.

abbreviation

Cambridgeshire.

Cambyses /kamˈbʌɪsiːz/

(d.522 BC), king of Persia 529–522 BC, son of Cyrus. He is chiefly remembered for his conquest of Egypt in 525 BC.

camcorder /ˈkamkɔːdə/

I. noun

a portable combined video camera and video recorder.

– origin 1980s: blend of camera^1 and recorder.

came^1 /keɪm/

past tense of come.

came^2 /keɪm/

I. noun

each of a number of strips forming a framework for enclosing a pane of glass, especially in a leaded window.

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

camel /ˈkam(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a large, long-necked ungulate mammal of arid country, with long slender legs, broad cushioned feet, and either one or two humps on the back. Camels can survive for long periods without food or drink, chiefly by using up the fat reserves in their humps.
●Genus Camelus, family Camelidae (the camel family): two species (see Arabian camel, Bactrian camel). The camel family also includes the llama and its relatives.

2. [ mass noun] — a fabric made from camel hair.
[as modifier]

• a camel coat.

3. [ mass noun] — a yellowish-fawn colour like that of camel hair.

• easy, belted styles in camel or charcoal are the perfect winter coat.

4. an apparatus for raising a sunken ship, consisting of one or more watertight chests to provide buoyancy.

– origin Old English, from Latin camelus, from Greek kamēlos, of Semitic origin.

camelback

noun

a back with a hump-shaped curve on a sofa or other piece of furniture
[as modifier]

• a camelback sofa.

camel case /ˈkam(ə)l keɪs / camelCase, CamelCase

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a typographical convention in which an initial capital is used for the first letter of a word forming the second element of a closed compound, e.g. PayPal, iPhone, MasterCard.

– origin 1990s: from the supposed resemblance of the visual effect to the hump or humps of a camel's back.

camel cricket

noun

a humpbacked wingless insect related to the grasshoppers, typically living in caves or holes. Also called cave cricket.
●Family Raphidophoridae: several genera.

cameleer /ˌkaməˈlɪə/

noun

a person who controls or rides a camel.

camel hair camel's hair

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fabric made from the hair of a camel
[as modifier]

• a camel-hair coat.

2. [usu. as modifier] — fine, soft hair from a squirrel's tail, used in artists' brushes.

• a camel-hair brush.

camelid /kəˈmiːlɪd, ˈkaməlɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a mammal of the camel family ( Camelidae).

– origin late 20th cent.: from modern Latin Camelidae (plural), from Latin camelus ‘camel’, from Greek kamēlos.

camellia /kəˈmiːlɪə, kəˈmɛlɪə/

I. noun

an evergreen East Asian shrub related to the tea plant, grown for its showy flowers and shiny leaves.
●Genus Camellia, family Theaceae: several species, in particular the common camellia ( C. japonica).

– origin modern Latin, named by Linnaeus after Joseph Kamel (Latinized as Camellus), Moravian botanist (1661–1706), who described the flora of Luzon.

camelopard /ˈkamɪlə(ʊ)pɑːd, kəˈmɛləpɑːd/

I. noun

‹archaic› a giraffe.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek kamēlopardalis, from kamēlos ‘camel’ + pardalis (see pard).

Camelopardalis /kəˌmɛlə(ʊ)ˈpɑːd(ə)lɪs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a large but inconspicuous northern constellation (the Giraffe), between the Pole Star and Perseus.

II. (as genitive Camelopardalis) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Alpha Camelopardalis.

– origin via Latin from Greek kamēlopardalis (see camelopard).

Camelot /ˈkamɪlɒt/

I. (in Arthurian legend) the place where King Arthur held his court.

II. (as noun a Camelot) — a place associated with glittering romance and optimism.

camel spider

noun

another term for sun spider.

camel thorn

noun

either of two spiny leguminous shrubs occurring in arid country.
● Alhagi camelorum (of the Middle East) and Acacia giraffae (of southern Africa), family Leguminosae.

camel toe

I. noun

‹informal› an effect created by a pair of trousers or shorts that fit very tightly around a woman's groin, so drawing attention to the shape of the external genitals.

– origin 1990s: from the supposed visual resemblance to the two toes of a camel's foot.

Camembert /ˈkaməmbɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of rich, soft, creamy cheese with a whitish rind, originally made near Camembert in Normandy.

cameo /ˈkamɪəʊ/

I. noun

1. a piece of jewellery, typically oval in shape, consisting of a portrait in profile carved in relief on a background of a different colour.
[as modifier]

• a cameo brooch.

2. a short descriptive literary sketch which neatly encapsulates someone or something

• cameos of street life.

3. a small character part in a play or film, played by a distinguished actor
[as modifier]

• he played numerous cameo roles.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French camahieu, cama(h)u; later influenced by Italian cam(m)eo, from medieval Latin cammaeus, related to the Old French word.

cameo glass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. decorative glass consisting of layers of different colours, the outermost being cut away to leave a design in relief.

• the Portland Vase is the most exquisite surviving example of cameo glass.

camera^1 /ˈkam(ə)rə/

I. noun

a device for recording visual images in the form of photographs, film, or video signals.

• she faced the cameras.

• a press photographer's camera flashed.

• a video camera.

II. phrases

on (or off) camera

while being filmed or televised (or not being filmed or televised).

• he had used a four-letter word off camera.

• on camera, she was error-prone and nervous.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin (see camera^2, camera obscura).

camera^2 /ˈkam(ə)rə/

I. noun — [in names]

1. a chamber or round building

• the Radcliffe Camera.

II. phrases

in camera /ɪnˈkam(ə)rə /

[chiefly Law] in private, in particular taking place in the private chambers of a judge, with the press and public excluded.

• judges assess the merits of such claims in camera.

– origin late 17th cent. (denoting a council or legislative chamber in Italy or Spain): from Latin, ‘vault, arched chamber’, from Greek kamara ‘object with an arched cover’.

camera lucida /ˌkam(ə)rə ˈluːsɪdə/

I. noun

an instrument in which rays of light are reflected by a prism to produce an image on a sheet of paper, from which a drawing can be made.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin, ‘bright chamber’, on the pattern of camera obscura.

cameraman /ˈkamrəmən/

noun

a person whose profession is operating a video, television, or film camera.

camera obscura /ɒbsˈkjʊərə/

I. noun

1. a darkened box with a convex lens or aperture for projecting the image of an external object on to a screen inside, a forerunner of the modern camera.

2. a small round building with a rotating angled mirror at the apex of the roof, projecting an image of the landscape on to a horizontal surface inside.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin, ‘dark chamber’.

camera phone

noun

a mobile phone incorporating a digital camera.

camera-ready

adjective

(of material to be printed) in the right form and of good enough quality to be reproduced photographically on to a printing plate

• camera-ready copy.

camera-shy

adjective

reluctant to be photographed or filmed

• he's a little camera-shy.

camerawoman /ˈkamrəˌwʊmən/

noun

a woman whose profession is operating a video, television, or film camera

• a local news camerawoman.

camerawork /ˈkamrəwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the way in which cameras are used in a film or television programme

• discreet camerawork and underplayed acting.

Cameron, David

(b.1966), British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister since 2010 (2010–15 in coalition with the Liberal Democrats); full name David William Donald Cameron.

Cameron, James

(b.1954), Canadian film director. His films include The Terminator (1984) and Titanic (1997).

Cameron, Julia Margaret

(1815–79), English photographer, credited with being the first to use soft-focus techniques. Her work often reflects the influence of contemporary painting, especially that of the Pre-Raphaelites.

Cameron Highlands

I. a hill resort region in Pahang, Malaysia.

– origin named after the surveyor William Cameron, who mapped the area in 1885.

Cameroon /ˌkaməˈruːn/

1. a country on the west coast of Africa between Nigeria and Gabon; pop. 18,879,300 (est. 2009); languages, French (official), English (official), many local languages, pidgin; capital, Yaoundé. French name Cameroun /kamʀun/.

The territory was a German protectorate from 1884 to 1916, after which it was administered by France and Britain, latterly under League of Nations (later United Nations) trusteeship. In 1960 the French part became an independent republic, to be joined in 1961 by part of the British Cameroon; the remainder became part of Nigeria. Cameroon became a member of the Commonwealth in 1995.

Cameroonian /ˌkaməˈruːnɪən / Camerounian

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Cameroon or its people

• a leading scholar in Cameroonian art.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Cameroon, or a person of Cameroonian descent

• a Cameroonian living in Holland.

cam follower

noun

the part of a machine in sliding or rolling contact with a rotating cam and given motion by it.

cam girl

noun

‹informal› a girl or woman who poses for a webcam.

cami

noun

‹informal› a camisole.

camiknickers /ˈkamɪnɪkəz/

plural noun

(Brit.) a woman's one-piece undergarment which combines camisole and French knickers.

Camisard /ˈkamɪsɑː, ˌkamɪˈsɑː, French kamisaʀ/

I. noun

a member of the French Protestant insurgents who rebelled against the persecution that followed the revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

– origin French, from Provençal camisa, from late Latin camisia ‘shirt’, because of the white shirts worn by the insurgents over their clothing for ease of recognition.

camisole /ˈkamɪsəʊl/

I. noun

a woman's loose-fitting undergarment for the upper body, typically held up by shoulder straps.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, either from Italian camiciola, diminutive of camicia, or from Spanish camisola, diminutive of camisa, both from late Latin camisia ‘shirt or nightgown’.

camo /kamə/

noun

‹informal› short for camouflage:
[as modifier]

• a camo jacket.

Camões, Luis de /kaˈmɔɪnʃ / Camoëns /ˈkaməʊɛns/

( c. 1524–80), Portuguese poet; full name Luis Vaz de Camões. His most famous work, The Lusiads (1572), describes Vasco da Gama's discovery of the sea route to India.

camogie /kəˈməʊɡi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Irish game resembling hurling, played by women or girls.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Irish caméog.

camomile /ˈkaməmʌɪl / ‹chiefly N. Amer.› chamomile

I. noun

an aromatic European plant of the daisy family, with white and yellow daisy-like flowers.
●The perennial sweet camomile ( Chamaemelum nobile (or Anthemis nobilis), family Compositae), traditionally used for lawns and herbal medicine, the annual German camomile ( Matricaria recutita), used medicinally, and the yellow-flowered dyer's camomile ( Anthemis tinctoria), used to produce a yellow-brown dye.

– origin Middle English: from Old French camomille, from late Latin chamomilla, from Greek khamaimēlon ‘earth-apple’ (because of the apple-like smell of its flowers).

camomile tea ‹chiefly N. Amer.› chamomile tea

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an infusion of dried flowers of sweet camomile.

Camorra /kəˈmɒrə/

I. ( the Camorra)

1. a criminal organization originating in Naples and Neapolitan emigrant communities in the 19th century. Some members later moved to the US and formed links with the Mafia.

– origin Italian, perhaps from Spanish camorra ‘dispute, quarrel’.

camouflage /ˈkaməflɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the disguising of military personnel, equipment, and installations by painting or covering them to make them blend in with their surroundings

• on the trenches were pieces of turf which served for camouflage.

2. clothing or materials used as camouflage

• figures dressed in army camouflage.

3. the natural colouring or form of an animal which enables it to blend in with its surroundings

• the whiteness of polar bears provides camouflage.

4. actions or devices intended to disguise or mislead

• much of my apparent indifference was merely protective camouflage.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. hide or disguise the presence of (a person, animal, or object) by means of camouflage

• the caravan was camouflaged with netting and branches from trees.

2. conceal the existence of (something undesirable)

• grievances should be discussed, not camouflaged.

– origin late 19th cent. (in sense ‘disguise, concealment’): French, from camoufler ‘to disguise’ (originally thieves' slang), from Italian camuffare ‘disguise, deceive’, perhaps by association with French camouflet ‘whiff of smoke in the face’. The military sense originated during the First World War.

camp^1 /kamp/

I. noun

1. a place with temporary accommodation of huts, tents, or other structures, typically used by soldiers, refugees, or travelling people.

2. a complex of buildings for holiday accommodation, with recreational facilities.

3. (also summer camp) — (N. Amer.) a summer holiday programme for children, offering a range of activities.

• he became the dramatic counselor at camp.

4. [ mass noun] — temporary overnight lodging in tents

• we pitched camp at a fine spot.

5. [Archaeology] (Brit.) an enclosed or fortified prehistoric site, especially an Iron Age hill fort.

6. the supporters of a particular party or doctrine regarded collectively

• both the liberal and conservative camps were annoyed by his high-handed manner.

7. (S. African) a fenced field or enclosed area for grazing.

8. (Austral./NZ) a place where livestock regularly congregate or where a mustered herd is assembled.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. live for a time in a tent, especially while on holiday

• holiday parks in which you can camp or stay in a chalet.

2. lodge temporarily, especially in an inappropriate or uncomfortable place

• we camped out for the night in a mission schoolroom.

3. remain persistently in one place

• the press will be camping on your doorstep once they get on to this story.

4. (Austral./NZ) (of livestock) assemble together for rest.

5. [with obj.] — (S. African) divide (land) and enclose with fences.

III. phrases

break camp

take down a tent or the tents of an encampment ready to leave.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French camp, champ, from Italian campo, from Latin campus ‘level ground’, specifically applied to the Campus Martius in Rome, used for games, athletic practice, and military drill.

camp^2 /kamp / ‹informal›

I. adjective

1. (of a man or his manner) ostentatiously and extravagantly effeminate

• a heavily made-up and highly camp actor.

2. deliberately exaggerated and theatrical in style

• the movie seems more camp than shocking or gruesome.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. deliberately exaggerated and theatrical behaviour or style

• Hollywood camp.

III. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a man) behave in an ostentatiously effeminate way

• he camped it up a bit for the cameras.

IV. derivatives

1. campery

noun

2. campness

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: of unknown origin.

campaign /kamˈpeɪn/

I. noun

1. a series of military operations intended to achieve a goal, confined to a particular area, or involving a specified type of fighting

• a desert campaign

• [ mass noun] the army set off on campaign.

2. an organized course of action to achieve a goal

• an election campaign

• the campaign for a full inquiry into the regime.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. work in an organized and active way towards a goal

• people who campaigned against child labour

• [with infinitive] the services he had campaigned to protect.

III. phrases

on the campaign trail

engaged in a political campaign

• he has studiously avoided the subject on the campaign trail.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a tract of open country): from French campagne ‘open country’, via Italian from late Latin campania, from campus ‘level ground’ (see camp^1). The change in sense arose from an army's practice of ‘taking the field’ (i.e. moving from a fortress or town to open country) at the onset of summer.

campaigner /kamˈpeɪnə/

noun

a person who works in an organized and active way towards a goal

• human rights campaigners are furious at the government's decision.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament CND

a British organization which campaigns for the abolition of nuclear weapons worldwide and calls for unilateral disarmament.

Campania /kamˈpeɪnɪə, kamˈpanjə/

a region of southern Italy; capital, Naples.

Campanian /kamˈpeɪnɪən, kamˈpanjən/

I. adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of the Italian region of Campania or its inhabitants

• the bright light and heat of Campanian high summer.

2. denoting a subdivision of the Late Cretaceous period

• both faunas are late Campanian.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of the Italian region of Campania

• Octavian settled Campanians at Knossos.

2. ( the Campanian) — the Campanian period or the system of rocks deposited during it

• increases in carnivore richness and abundance occurred before the Campanian.

campanile /ˌkampəˈniːleɪ/

I. noun

an Italian bell tower, especially a free-standing one.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Italian, from campana ‘bell’.

campanology /ˌkampəˈnɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art or practice of bell-ringing.

II. derivatives

1. campanological

adjective

2. campanologist /ˌkampəˈnɒlədʒɪst /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin campanologia, from late Latin campana ‘bell’.

campanula /kamˈpanjʊlə/

I. noun

another term for bellflower.

– origin modern Latin, diminutive of late Latin campana ‘bell’.

campanulate /kamˈpanjʊlət/

adjective

[Botany] (of a flower) bell-shaped, like a campanula.

Campari /kamˈpɑːri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a pinkish aperitif flavoured with bitters.
[ count noun]

• Kate poured herself a Campari.

– origin named after the manufacturer.

camp bed

noun

(Brit.) a folding portable bed, typically made of canvas stretched over a metal frame.

Campbell, Mrs Patrick /ˈkamb(ə)l/

(1865–1940), English actress; born Beatrice Stella Tanner. George Bernard Shaw wrote the part of Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion (1914) for her.

Campbell, Roy /ˈkamb(ə)l/

(1901–57), South African poet; full name Ignatius Royston Dunnachie Campbell. His long poem Flowering Rifle (1939) shows strong right-wing sympathies; he fought for Franco's side in the Spanish Civil War.

Campbell, Sir Malcolm /ˈkamb(ə)l/

(1885–1948), English motor-racing driver. In 1935 he became the first man to exceed a land speed of 300 mph (483 kph). He also achieved a water-speed record of 141.74 mph (228 km/h), in 1939. His son Donald (Malcolm) (1921–67) was also a motor-racing driver, and in 1964 achieved a speed of 276.33 mph (445 km/h) on water and 403 mph (649 km/h) on land. He was killed attempting to break his own water speed record.

Campbell, Thomas /ˈkamb(ə)l/

(1777–1844), Scottish poet, chiefly remembered for his patriotic lyrics such as ‘The Battle of Hohenlinden’ and ‘Ye Mariners of England’.

Campbell-Bannerman, Sir Henry

(1836–1908), British Liberal statesman, Prime Minister 1905–8. His premiership saw the grant of self-government to the defeated Boer republics of Transvaal (1906) and the Orange River Colony (1907).

campcraft /ˈkampkraːft/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. knowledge and skill required for an outdoor life lacking modern conveniences.

• scouts learned campcraft and cold-weather survival.

Camp David

the country retreat of the President of the US, in the Appalachian Mountains in Maryland. President Carter hosted talks there between the leaders of Israel and Egypt which resulted in the Camp David agreements (1978) and the Egypt–Israel peace treaty of 1979.

campdraft /ˈkampdrɑːft/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a competitive equestrian event in which a rider isolates a bullock from a group and drives it around a set course

• one of our stock horses travelled the country competing in shows and campdrafts.

– origin late 19th cent.: from camp^1 ‘the place where a mustered herd is assembled’ + draft ‘to separate cattle from a herd’.

campdrafter /ˈkampdrɑːftə/

noun

1. (Austral./NZ) a horse used in campdrafts

• the animal was an outstanding Australian-bred campdrafter.

2. (Austral./NZ) a rider who competes in campdrafts

• an expert campdrafter chooses the cow most likely to do what he wants.

campdrafting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) an equestrian sport in which each rider in turn selects a bullock from a herd and drives it round a set course.

Campeche /kamˈpɛtʃeɪ/

I. a state of SE Mexico, on the Yucatán Peninsula.

II. the capital of Campeche, a seaport on the Gulf of Mexico; pop. 238,850 (2005).

camper /ˈkampə/

noun

1. a person who spends a holiday in a tent or holiday camp.

• the site offers washing facilities for campers.

2. (also camper van) — (Brit.) a large motor vehicle with living accommodation.

3. (N. Amer.) a caravan.

campesino /ˌkampəˈsiːnəʊ/

I. noun

(in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries) a peasant farmer.

– origin Spanish.

campfire /ˈkampfʌɪə/

noun

an open-air fire in a camp, used for cooking and as a focal point for social activity.

• after cooking, we sat around a campfire swapping stories.

• [as modifier] campfire songs.

camp follower

noun

1. a civilian who works in or is attached to a military camp.

2. a person who is nominally attached to a group but does not make a substantial contribution to its activities

• cynical opportunists and camp followers.

campground /ˈkampɡrəʊnd/

noun

North American term for campsite.

camphor /ˈkamfə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white volatile crystalline substance with an aromatic smell and bitter taste, occurring in certain essential oils.
●A terpenoid ketone; chem. formula: C_10H_17O.

II. derivatives

camphoric /kamˈfɒrɪk /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French camphore or medieval Latin camphora, from Arabic kāfūr, via Malay from Sanskrit karpūra.

camphorate /ˈkamfəreɪt/

verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. camphorated)

1. impregnate or treat with camphor.

• camphorated oil.

camphor tree

noun

an East Asian tree of the laurel family, the chief natural source of camphor.
● Cinnamomum camphora, family Lauraceae.

campimetry /kamˈpɪmətri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a technique for measuring or mapping the field of vision of the eye.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin campus ‘field’ (see camp^1) + -metry.

Campinas /kamˈpiːnəs/

a city in SE Brazil, north-west of São Paulo; pop. 1,039,297 (2007).

camping /ˈkampɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of spending a holiday living in a tent

• camping attracts people of all ages

• when they were little, we went camping in California.

• [as modifier] a camping trip.

campion /ˈkampɪən/

I. noun

a plant of the pink family, typically having pink or white flowers with notched petals, found in both Eurasia and North America.
●Genera Silene and Lychnis, family Caryophyllaceae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps related to champion. The name was originally used for the rose campion, whose name in Latin ( Lychnis coronaria) and Greek ( lukhnis stephanōmatikē) means ‘campion fit for a crown’, and which was said in classical times to have been used for victors' garlands.

Campion, Jane /ˈkampɪən/

(b.1954), New Zealand film director and screenwriter. Notable works: An Angel at My Table (1990) and The Piano (1993), for which she received an Oscar for best screenplay.

Campion, St Edmund /ˈkampɪən/

(1540–81), English Jesuit priest and martyr. He was canonized in 1970. Feast day, 1 December.

camp meeting

noun

(N. Amer.) a religious meeting held in the open air or in a tent.

campo /ˈkampəʊ/

I. noun

1. (in South America, especially Brazil) a grass plain with occasional stunted trees.

• I spent months visiting our rural communities in the campo.

2. a square in an Italian or Spanish town.

– origin from Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian campo, literally ‘field’.

Campobasso /ˌkampəʊˈbasəʊ/

a city in central Italy, capital of Molise region; pop. 51,218 (2008).

Campo Grande /ˌkampuː ˈɡrandi/

a city in SW Brazil, capital of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul; pop. 724,524 (2007).

camporee /ˈkampəriː/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a local or regional camping event for Scouts.

– origin 1960s: blend of camp^1 and jamboree.

camp oven

noun

(Austral./NZ) a three-legged iron cooking pot with a recessed lid that doubles as a cooking pan

• the dough is kneaded and placed in the camp oven.

camp pie

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) a cooked meat mixture, usually sold in tins

• people won't eat camp pie if they have steak.

campsite /ˈkampsʌɪt/

noun

a place used for camping, especially one equipped for holidaymakers.

campus /ˈkampəs/

I. noun

1. the grounds and buildings of a university or college

• for the first year I had a room on campus.

2. (N. Amer.) the grounds of a school, hospital, or other institution.

– origin late 18th cent. (originally US): from Latin campus ‘field’ (see camp^1).

campy

I. adjective

‹informal› another word for camp^2.

II. derivatives

1. campily

adverb

2. campiness

noun

campylobacter /ˈkampɪləʊˌbaktə, ˌkampɪləʊˈbaktə/

I. noun

a bacterium which may cause abortion in animals and food poisoning in humans.
●Genus Campylobacter: several species; curved or spiral Gram-negative bacteria.

– origin 1970s: modern Latin, from Greek kampulos ‘bent’ + bacterium.

CAMRA /ˈkamrə/

abbreviation

(Brit.) Campaign for Real Ale.

camshaft /ˈkamʃɑːft/

noun

a shaft with one or more cams attached to it, especially one operating the valves in an internal-combustion engine.

Camulodunum /ˌkamjʊlə(ʊ)ˈd(j)uːnəm/

Roman name for Colchester.

Camus, Albert /ˈkamuː, French kamy/

(1913–60), French novelist, dramatist, and essayist, closely aligned with existentialism. Notable works: The Outsider (novel, 1942), The Plague (novel, 1947), and The Rebel (essay, 1951). Nobel Prize for Literature (1957).

camwood

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the hard red timber of an African tree.

2. either of two trees of the pea family which yield camwood timber.
● Baphia nitida and (now usually) Pterocarpus soyauxii (the African padouk), family Leguminosae.

– origin late 17th cent.: probably from Temne k'am + wood.

can^1 /kan, kən/

I. modal verb

1. be able to

• they can run fast

• I could hear footsteps

• he can't afford it.

2. be able to through acquired knowledge or skill

• I can speak Italian.

3. have the opportunity or possibility to

• there are many ways holidaymakers can take money abroad.

4. [with negative or in questions] — used to express doubt or surprise about the possibility of something's being the case

• he can't have finished

• where can she have gone?

5. used to indicate that something is typically the case

• antique clocks can seem out of place in modern homes

• he could be very moody.

6. be permitted to

• you can use the phone if you want to

• nobody could legally drink on the premises.

7. used to request someone to do something

• can you open the window?

• can't you leave me alone?

8. used to make a suggestion or offer

• we can have another drink if you like.

– origin Old English cunnan ‘know’ (in Middle English ‘know how to’), related to Dutch kunnen and German können; from an Indo-European root shared by Latin gnoscere ‘know’ and Greek gignōskein ‘know’. / usage: Is there any difference between may and can when used to request or express permission, as in may/can I ask you a few questions? Many people feel that can should be reserved for expressions denoting capability, as in can you swim?, rather than for those relating to permission. May is, generally speaking, a politer and more formal way of asking for something, and is the better choice in more formal contexts.

can^2 /kan/

I. noun

1. a cylindrical metal container

• a petrol can

• a can of paint.

2. a small steel or aluminium container in which food or drink is hermetically sealed for storage over long periods

• a beer can.

3. the quantity of food or drink held by a can

• he drank two cans of lager.

4. ( the can) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› prison.

• our friends will get a year or two in the can.

5. ( the can) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› the toilet.

• she walks in and has to use the can.

6. ( cans) — ‹informal› headphones.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. preserve (food) in a can.

• sardines and anchovies are worth the extra money if canned in olive oil.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› dismiss from a job.

• he was canned because of a tiff over promotion.

3. reject as inadequate

• they canned the project.

III. phrases

1. can it

a. stop talking; be quiet

• “Can it!” I growled.

b. stop doing something

• I told him to can it, ’cause he was getting to be annoying.

2. a can of worms

a complicated matter likely to prove awkward or embarrassing.

• to question the traditional model of education opens up too big a can of worms.

3. in the can

‹informal› on tape or film and ready to be broadcast or released.

• all went well, the film was in the can.

IV. derivatives

canner /ˈkanə /

noun

– origin Old English canne, related to Dutch kan and German Kanne; either of Germanic origin or from late Latin canna.

Can.

abbreviation

Canada or Canadian.

Cana /ˈkeɪnə/

an ancient small town in Galilee, where Christ is said to have performed his first miracle by changing water into wine during a marriage feast (John 2:1–11).

Canaan /ˈkeɪnən/

I. the biblical name for the area of ancient Palestine west of the River Jordan, the Promised Land of the Israelites, who conquered and occupied it during the latter part of the 2nd millennium BC.

– origin early 17th cent.: via ecclesiastical Latin from ecclesiastical Greek Khanaan, from Hebrew kĕna`an.

Canaanite /ˈkeɪnənʌɪt/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the biblical area of ancient Palestine west of the River Jordan

• the ancient Canaanite fertility god.

II. noun

(in the Bible) a native or inhabitant of the area of ancient Palestine west of the River Jordan

• the king of the Canaanites.

Canada /ˈkanədə/

1. the second-largest country in the world, covering the entire northern half of North America with the exception of Alaska; pop. 33,487,200 (est. 2009); official languages, English and French; capital, Ottawa.

Eastern Canada was colonized by the French in the 17th century, with the British emerging as the ruling colonial power in 1763 after the Seven Years War. Canada became a federation of provinces with dominion status in 1867, and the final step in attaining legal independence from the UK was taken with the signing of the Constitution Act of 1982; Canada remains a member of the Commonwealth. French-speakers are largely concentrated in Quebec, the focal point for the French-Canadian separatist movement.

Canada balsam

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a yellowish resin obtained from the balsam fir and used for mounting preparations on microscope slides.

Canada goose

noun

a common North American goose with a black head and neck, a white chinstrap, and a loud trumpeting call. It has been introduced widely in Britain and elsewhere.
● Branta canadensis, family Anatidae.

Canada jay

noun

another term for grey jay.

Canada thistle

noun

(N. Amer.) the European creeping or field thistle, which has become naturalized as a serious weed in North America.
● Cirsium arvense, family Compositae.

Canadian /kəˈneɪdɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Canada or its inhabitants

• the Canadian government's economic policies

• a culture that is distinctly Canadian.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Canada

• a 27-year-old Canadian from Ontario

• more than four million Canadians play hockey.

III. derivatives

Canadianness

noun

Canadian bacon

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) cured meat from the back of a pig; back bacon

• we start by opting for leaner meats that still pack tons of flavour, including Canadian bacon.

Canadian football

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of football played in Canada, resembling American football, with twelve players a side.

Canadian French

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the form of the French language written and spoken by French Canadians.

Canadianism /kəˈneɪdɪənɪz(ə)m/

noun

1. a word, expression, or other language feature that is characteristically Canadian

• I know I use more Canadianisms, and that I raise vowels more.

2. [ mass noun] — the state of being Canadian, or the character and spirit characteristic of Canadians

• he seems determined to submerge his Canadianism by becoming an expert on life in the US.

Canadian Pacific Railway

the first transcontinental railway in Canada, completed in 1885.

Canadian pondweed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an invasive aquatic American plant which has become naturalized in Europe and is grown in aquaria and ponds.
● Elodea canadensis, family Hydrocharitaceae.

Canadian Shield

a large plateau which occupies over two fifths of the land area of Canada and is drained by rivers flowing into Hudson Bay.
Also called Laurentian Plateau.

Canadian tuxedo

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹humorous› a denim jacket worn with a pair of jeans

• if you can wear denim to the office, then you can wear a Canadian tuxedo.

Canadien /ˌkanaˈdjɑ̃, French kanadjɛ̃ / ‹Canadian›

I. noun

a French Canadian.

II. adjective

French Canadian.

– origin French.

canaille /kəˈnɑːi French kanaj//

I. noun — ( the canaille)

1. ‹derogatory› the common people; the masses

• the haughty contempt of a grandee sneering at the canaille.

– origin French, from Italian canaglia ‘pack of dogs’, from cane ‘dog’.

canal /kəˈnal/

I. noun

1. an artificial waterway constructed to allow the passage of boats or ships inland or to convey water for irrigation.

• they travelled on by canal.

• the Oxford Canal.

2. a tubular duct in a plant or animal, serving to convey or contain food, liquid, or air

• the ear canal.

3. [Astronomy] any of a number of linear markings formerly reported as seen by telescope on the planet Mars.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, alteration of chanel ‘channel’, from Latin canalis ‘pipe, groove, channel’, from canna ‘cane’.

canal boat

noun

a long, narrow boat used on canals.

canal estate

noun

(chiefly Austral.) a housing development in which homes are built along the edge of a canal

• building these canal estates has led to limited public access to the foreshore.

Canaletto /ˌkanəˈlɛtəʊ/

(1697–1768), Italian painter; born Giovanni Antonio Canal. He is famous for his paintings of Venetian festivals and scenery.

canal home

noun

(chiefly Austral./NZ) a house in a development built along the edge of a canal

• this luxury canal home is currently on the market for over one million dollars.

canalize /ˈkan(ə)lʌɪz / canalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (a river) into a navigable canal.

• successive railway engineers were to divert and canalize many miles of river.

2. convey (something) through a duct or channel.

• a narrow strait can so canalize the tide that a powerful current is developed.

3. ‹figurative› give a direction or purpose to

• his strategy was to canalize the enthusiasm of the diehards into party channels.

II. derivatives

canalization /kan(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

Canal Zone

see Panama Canal.

canapé /ˈkanəpeɪ/

I. noun

1. a small piece of bread or pastry with a savoury topping, served with drinks at receptions or formal parties.

• smoked-salmon canapés.

2. a decorative French antique sofa.

– origin French, sense 1 being a figurative extension of the sense ‘sofa’ (as a ‘couch’ on which to place toppings). See also canopy.

canard /kəˈnɑːd, ˈkanɑːd/

I. noun

1. an unfounded rumour or story

• the old canard that LA is a cultural wasteland.

2. a small wing-like projection attached to an aircraft forward of the main wing to provide extra stability or control, sometimes replacing the tail.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘duck’, also ‘hoax’, from Old French caner ‘to quack’.

Canaries Current

a cold ocean current in the North Atlantic that flows south-westwards from Spain to meet equatorial waters near the Canary Islands.

canary /kəˈnɛːri/

I. noun

1. a mainly African finch with a melodious song, typically having yellowish-green plumage. One kind is popular as a cage bird and has been bred in a variety of colours, especially bright yellow.
●Genus Serinus, family Fringillidae: several species, especially the island canary ( S. canaria), which is native to the Canary Islands, the Azores, and Madeira, and from which the domestic canary was developed.

2. (also canary yellow) [ mass noun] — a bright yellow colour resembling the plumage of a canary.
[as modifier]

• villas painted in canary yellow.

• a canary waistcoat.

3. (also canary wine) [ mass noun] — ‹historical› a sweet wine from the Canary Islands, similar to Madeira.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French canari, from Spanish canario ‘canary’ or ‘person from the Canary Islands’ (see Canary Islands).

canary creeper

noun

a South American climbing plant related to the nasturtium. It has bright yellow flowers with deeply toothed petals, which give the appearance of a small bird in flight.
● Tropaeolium peregrinum, family Tropaeolaceae.

canary grass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tall grass of NW Africa and the Canary Islands, grown for its seeds which are fed to canaries and other caged finches.
●Genus Phalaris, family Gramineae: several species.

Canary Islands the Canaries

I. a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, off the NW coast of Africa, forming an autonomous region of Spain; capital, Las Palmas; pop. 2,098,593 (2009). The group includes the islands of Tenerife, Gomera, La Palma, Hierro, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote.

– origin from French Canarie, via Spanish from Latin Canaria (insula) ‘(island) of dogs’, from canis ‘dog’, one of the islands being noted in Roman times for large dogs.

canasta /kəˈnastə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a card game resembling rummy, using two packs. It is usually played by two pairs of partners, and the aim is to collect sets (or melds) of cards.

2. [ count noun] — a meld of seven cards in canasta.

– origin 1940s: from Spanish (of Uruguayan origin), literally ‘basket’, based on Latin canistrum ‘basket’ (see canister).

Canaveral, Cape /kəˈnavər(ə)l/

a cape on the east coast of Florida, known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 until 1973. It is the site of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, from which the Apollo space missions were launched.

Canberra /ˈkanbərə/

the capital of Australia and seat of the federal government, in Australian Capital Territory, an enclave of New South Wales; pop. 345,257 (2008).

Canberra bashing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› criticism of the Federal Government and its bureaucracy

• the opposition knows that Canberra bashing goes down a treat with most Australians.

cancan /ˈkankan/

I. noun

a lively, high-kicking stage dance originating in 19th-century Parisian music halls and performed by women in long skirts and petticoats.

• people were dancing the cancan.

• [as modifier] cancan dancers.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, child's word for canard ‘duck’, from Old French caner ‘to quack’.

cancel /ˈkans(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. decide or announce that (a planned event) will not take place

• he was forced to cancel his visit.

2. annul or revoke (a formal arrangement which is in effect)

• his visa had been cancelled.

3. abolish or make void (a financial obligation)

• I intend to cancel your debt to me.

4. mark, pierce, or tear (a ticket or stamp) to show that it has been used or invalidated

• cancelling stamps on registered mail.

5. (usu. cancel something out) — (of a factor or circumstance) neutralize or negate the force or effect of (another)

• the electric fields may cancel each other out.

6. [Mathematics] delete (an equal factor) from both sides of an equation or from the numerator and denominator of a fraction.

• ‘Divide by 9’ cancels out ‘multiply by 9’.

II. noun

1. a mark made on a postage stamp to show that it has been used.

• a stamp franked and with an adhesive cancel.

2. [Printing] a new page or section inserted in a book to replace the original text, typically to correct an error.
[as modifier]

• a cancel title page.

III. derivatives

canceller

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘obliterate or delete writing by drawing or stamping lines across it’): from Old French canceller, from Latin cancellare, from cancelli ‘crossbars’.

cancelbot /ˈkansəlbɒt/

I. noun

[Computing] a program that searches for and deletes specified mailings from Internet newsgroups.

– origin 1990s: from cancel + bot^2.

cancellation /ˌkansəˈleɪʃ(ə)n / ‹US› cancelation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of cancelling something

• the project was threatened with cancellation by the government

• [ count noun] the show is sold out, but check for cancellations.

2. [ count noun] — a crossing out of something written.

• all cancellations on documents must be made indelibly.

3. [ count noun] — a mark made on a postage stamp to show that it has been used.

• covers showing stamps and special cancellations.

4. [Law] the annulling of a legal document

• the debtor can procure cancellation if satisfied within one month.

cancellous /ˈkans(ə)ləs/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] denoting bone tissue with a mesh-like structure containing many pores, typical of the interior of mature bones.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin cancelli ‘crossbars’ + -ous.

cancer /ˈkansə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body

• he's got cancer

• lung cancer.

2. [ count noun] — a malignant growth or tumour resulting from an uncontrolled division of cells

• most skin cancers are curable.

3. [ count noun] — an evil or destructive practice or phenomenon that is hard to contain or eradicate

• racism is a cancer sweeping across Europe.

– origin Old English, from Latin, ‘crab or creeping ulcer’, translating Greek karkinos, said to have been applied to such tumours because the swollen veins around them resembled the limbs of a crab. canker was the usual form until the 17th cent. Compare with Cancer.

Cancer /ˈkansə/

I. [Astronomy] a constellation (the Crab), said to represent a crab crushed under the foot of Hercules. It contains the globular star cluster of Praesepe or the Beehive.

II. (as genitive Cancri) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Delta Cancri.

III. [Astrology] the fourth sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters at the northern summer solstice (about 21 June).

IV. ( a Cancer) — a person born when the sun is in the sign of Cancer.

V. phrases

tropic of Cancer

see tropic^1.

– origin Latin.

Cancerian /kanˈsɪərɪən, kanˈsɛːrɪən / ‹Astrology›

I. adjective

relating to the sign of Cancer

• my childhood best friend is Cancerian

• he has inherited his mother's Cancerian traits.

II. noun

a person born under the sign of Cancer

• a Cancerian can be highly emotional and moody.

cancerous /ˈkans(ə)rəs/

adjective

affected by or showing abnormalities characteristic of cancer

• a cancerous tumour

• if stem cells are unstable, they can become cancerous.

cancer stick

noun

‹informal› ‹humorous› a cigarette.

cancroid /ˈkaŋkrɔɪd/

adjective

1. [Zoology] like a crab.

2. [Medicine] (of a growth) resembling cancer.

Cancún /kanˈkuːn/

a resort in SE Mexico, on the NE coast of the Yucatán Peninsula; pop. 526,701 (2005).

candela /kanˈdɛlə, kanˈdiːlə, ˈkandɪlə / cd

I. noun

[Physics] the SI unit of luminous intensity. One candela is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 × 10^12 Hz and that has a radiant intensity in that direction of 1/683 watt per steradian.

– origin 1950s: from Latin, ‘candle’.

candelabra tree

noun

either of two trees with upward-curving boughs:
● a tropical African tree (genus Euphorbia, family Euphorbiaceae). ● a South American pine tree related to the monkey puzzle ( Araucaria angustifolia, family Araucariaceae).

candelabrum /ˌkandɪˈlɑːbrəm, ˌkandɪˈleɪbrəm / candelabra /ˌkandɪˈlɑːbrə, ˌkandɪˈleɪbrə/

I. noun

a large branched candlestick or holder for several candles or lamps.

• candles in iron candelabra shed some light.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin, from candela (see candle). / usage: Based on the Latin forms, the correct singular is candelabrum and the plural is candelabra. However, in practice candelabra is increasingly used as the singular form, with the plural as candelabras. In the Oxford English Corpus these forms are commoner than the traditional ones, and are coming to be regarded as part of standard English.

candescent /kanˈdɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹rare› glowing with heat; luminous.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin candescent-, from the verb candere ‘be white, glow’.

candid /ˈkandɪd/

I. adjective

1. truthful and straightforward; frank

• his responses were remarkably candid

• a candid discussion.

2. (of a photograph of a person) taken informally, especially without the subject's knowledge.

• it is better to let the photographer mingle among the guests and take candid shots.

II. derivatives

candidness /ˈkandɪdnəs /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the Latin sense): from Latin candidus ‘white’. Subsequent early senses were ‘pure, innocent’, ‘unbiased’, and ‘free from malice’, hence ‘frank’ (late 17th cent.). Compare with candour.

candida /ˈkandɪdə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a yeast-like parasitic fungus that can sometimes cause thrush.
●Genus Candida, subdivision Deuteromycotina.

– origin modern Latin, feminine of Latin candidus ‘white’.

candidacy /ˈkandɪdəsi/

I. noun

the fact or condition of standing for a position or status, especially in an election

• he's going to announce his candidacy for the US Senate.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from candidate + -acy.

candidate /ˈkandɪdeɪt, ˈkandɪdət/

I. noun

1. a person who applies for a job or is nominated for election

• candidates applying for this position should be computer-literate

• the Green Party candidate.

2. (Brit.) a person taking an examination

• an A-level candidate.

3. a person or thing regarded as suitable for or likely to receive a particular fate, treatment, or position

• she was the perfect candidate for a biography.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin candidatus ‘white-robed’, also denoting a candidate for office (who traditionally wore a white toga), from candidus ‘white’.

candidature /ˈkandɪdətʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the fact or condition of standing for a position or status; candidacy

• she is completing her PhD candidature as a part-time student

• his candidature for the Presidency has received enthusiastic public support.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from candidate + -ure, probably via French.

candidiasis /ˌkandɪˈdʌɪəsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. infection with candida, especially as causing oral or vaginal thrush.

candidly /ˈkandɪdli/

adverb

in an honest and straightforward way; frankly

• he candidly discussed his efforts to find employment.

candiru /ˌkandɪˈruː/

I. noun

a minute, slender catfish of the Amazon region, feeding by sucking blood from other fishes and sometimes entering the body orifices of mammals. It is notorious for its occasional habit of entering the urethra of human bathers.
● Vandellia cirrhosa, family Trichomycteridae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: via Portuguese from Tupi candirú.

candle /ˈkand(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a cylinder or block of wax or tallow with a central wick which is lit to produce light as it burns.

• the candle flickered in the cold night air.

• an iced cake with nine lighted candles on it.

2. (also international candle) — [Physics] a unit of luminous intensity, superseded by the candela.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a poultry breeder) test (an egg) for freshness or fertility by holding it to the light.

• the egg was candled—it was fertile.

III. phrases

1. be able to hold a candle to

[with negative] — ‹informal› be nearly as good as

• nobody in the final could hold a candle to her.

2. the game's not worth the candle

the potential advantages to be gained from doing something do not justify the cost or trouble involved.

• she may decide the game's not worth the candle and walk away from the discussions.

• they may find that aggressive expansion is not worth the candle.

IV. derivatives

candler

noun

– origin Old English candel, from Latin candela, from candere ‘be white or glisten’.

candleberry

noun

any of a number of trees or shrubs whose berries or seeds yield a wax or oil which can be used for making candles, in particular:
● a bayberry or related North American shrub. ● the candlenut.

candlefish

I. noun

a small edible marine fish with oily flesh, occurring on the west coast of North America. Also called eulachon.
● Thaleichthys pacificus, family Osmeridae.

– origin so named because the Chinook Indians formerly burnt the oily bodies of these fish as candles.

candleholder /ˈkand(ə)lˌhəʊldə/

noun

a holder or support for a candle.

candlelight /ˈkand(ə)llʌɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. dim light provided by a candle or candles

• we dined by candlelight.

candlelit /ˈkandllɪt/

adjective

lit by a candle or candles

• a romantic candlelit dinner.

Candlemas /ˈkand(ə)lmas, ˈkand(ə)lməs/

I. noun

a Christian festival held on 2 February to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary (after childbirth, according to Jewish law) and the presentation of Christ in the Temple. Candles were traditionally blessed at this festival.

– origin Old English Candelmæsse (see candle, Mass).

candlenut

noun

an evergreen tree of the spurge family, with large seeds that yield an oil used for lighting and other purposes, native to SE Asia and the South Pacific islands. Also called candleberry.
● Aleurites moluccana, family Euphorbiaceae.

candlepower /ˈkand(ə)lpaʊə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. illuminating power expressed in candelas or candles
[as modifier]

• a 16-candlepower lamp.

candlestick /ˈkand(ə)lstɪk/

noun

a support or holder for one or more candles, typically one that is tall and thin.

candlewick /ˈkand(ə)lwɪk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a thick, soft cotton fabric with a raised, tufted pattern
[as modifier]

• a candlewick dressing gown.

2. the yarn used to make candlewick.

can-do

adjective

‹informal› having or showing a determination or willingness to take action and achieve results

• I like his can-do attitude.

Candolle, Augustin Pyrame de /kanˈdɒl, French kɑ̃dɔl/

(1778–1841), Swiss botanist. He introduced a new scheme of plant classification based on morphological characteristics, which prevailed for many years.

candomblé /ˌkandɒmˈbleɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Brazilian sect of the macumba cult.

– origin Brazilian Portuguese.

candour /ˈkandə / ‹US› candor

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being open and honest; frankness

• a man of refreshing candour.

– origin late Middle English (in the Latin sense): from Latin candor ‘whiteness’. The current sense dates from the mid 18th cent.; the development of the senses paralleled that of candid.

CANDU /ˈkanduː, kanˈduː / Candu

I. noun

a nuclear reactor of a Canadian design in which the fuel is unenriched uranium oxide clad in zircaloy and the coolant and moderator is heavy water.

– origin from Can(ada) + the initial letters of deuterium and uranium.

candy /ˈkandi/

I. noun

1. (also sugar candy) [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) sweets; confectionery
[as modifier]

• a candy bar

• [ count noun] pink and yellow candies.

2. (chiefly Brit.) sugar crystallized by repeated boiling and slow evaporation.

• making candy at home is not difficult—the key is cooking the syrup to the right temperature.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. candied)

1. preserve (fruit) by coating and impregnating it with a sugar syrup

• candied fruit.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a verb): the noun use is from late Middle English sugar-candy, from French sucre candi ‘crystallized sugar’, from Arabic sukkar ‘sugar’ + qandī ‘candied’, based on Sanskrit khaṇḍa ‘fragment’.

candy apple

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a toffee apple.

2. (also candy-apple red) [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) a bright red colour.

candy-ass /ˈkandɪas/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a timid, cowardly, or despicable person.

• one candy-ass can get everybody killed.

II. derivatives

candy-assed /ˈkandiˌast /

adjective

candy cane

noun

(N. Amer.) a cylindrical stick of striped sweet rock with a curved end, resembling a walking stick.

candyfloss /ˈkandɪflɒs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a mass of pink or white fluffy spun sugar wrapped round a stick.

• a fat baby was pushing candyfloss into its chubby face.

• ‹figurative› a round pink face topped by white candyfloss hair.

2. (Brit.) something perceived as lacking in worth or substance

• their music is just aural candyfloss.

candyman /ˈkandɪˌman/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person who sells illegal drugs.

• candyman to the jet set.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from candy + man, an earlier sense denoting a ragman who gave toffee in exchange for goods.

candy-striped

I. adjective

(of material or a garment) patterned with alternating stripes of white and another colour, typically pink.

II. derivatives

candy-stripe

adjective, noun

candy-striper

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a female voluntary nurse in a hospital.

– origin so named because of the candy-striped uniforms of such nurses.

candytuft /ˈkandɪtʌft/

I. noun

a European plant with small heads of white, pink, or purple flowers, grown as a garden or rockery plant.
●Genus Iberis, family Cruciferae.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Candy (obsolete form of Candia, former name of Crete) + tuft.

cane /keɪn/

I. noun

1. the hollow jointed stem of a tall grass, especially bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem of a slender palm such as rattan.

2. any plant that produces canes.

3. [ mass noun] — stems of bamboo, rattan, or wicker used as a material for making furniture or baskets
[as modifier]

• a cane coffee table.

4. short for sugar cane.

5. a flexible woody stem of the raspberry plant or any of its relatives.

• raspberry canes.

6. a length of cane or a slender stick, especially one used as a support for plants, a walking stick, or an instrument of punishment.

• tie the shoot to a cane if vertical growth is required.

7. ( the cane) — a form of corporal punishment used in certain schools, involving beating with a cane

• wrong answers were rewarded by the cane.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. beat with a cane as a punishment.

• Matthew was caned for bullying by the headmaster.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› defeat heavily or punish severely

• they have caned Essex and Durham in the Championship.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› take (drink or drugs) in large quantities

• the others were probably out caning it in some bar.

III. derivatives

caner

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, via Latin from Greek kanna, kannē, of Semitic origin.

cane barracks

noun

(Austral.) living quarters for itinerant workers employed in cutting cane

• a cane barracks was no place to raise a young girl.

canebrake /ˈkeɪnbreɪk/

noun

(N. Amer.) a piece of ground covered with a dense growth of canes.

cane chair

noun

a chair with a seat made of woven cane strips.

cane cocky

I. noun

(Austral.) the owner of a cane plantation

• he sold small plots of land to cane cockies.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cane + cocky^3.

cane corso /ˌkɑːneɪ ˈkɔːsəʊ/

I. noun

a dog of a large, athletic breed of mastiff, developed in Italy

• Hercules is a black cane corso who tips the scale at about 150 pounds.

– origin Italian, literally ‘Corsican dog’, from cane ‘dog’ and corso ‘Corsican’.

caned /keɪnd/

adjective

1. (of furniture) made or repaired with cane

• armchairs with caned seats.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› intoxicated with drink or drugs.

cane rat

noun

a large rat-like African rodent found in wetlands south of the Sahara. It is often a pest of sugar plantations.
●Family Thryonomyidae and genus Thryonomys: two species.

cane sugar

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sugar obtained from sugar cane.

Canes Venatici /ˌkeɪniːz vɪˈnatɪsʌɪ / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small northern constellation (the Hunting Dogs), said to represent two dogs (Asterion and Chara) held on a leash by Boötes.

II. (as genitive Canum Venaticorum) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Beta Canum Venaticorum.

– origin Latin.

cane toad

noun

a large brown toad native to tropical America. It has been introduced elsewhere as a pest control agent but can become a serious pest itself, partly because animals eating it are killed by its toxins. Also called marine toad, giant toad.
● Bufo marinus, family Bufonidae.

Canetti, Elias /kəˈnɛti/

(1905–94), Bulgarian-born British writer. Notable works: Auto-da-Fé (1936) and Crowds and Power (1960). Nobel Prize for Literature (1981).

Canfield

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a form of the card game patience or solitaire.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Richard A. Canfield (1855–1914), an American gambler.

canid /ˈkanɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a mammal of the dog family ( Canidae).

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Canidae (plural), from Latin canis ‘dog’.

canine /ˈkeɪnʌɪn, ˈkanʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. relating to or resembling a dog or dogs

• canine behavioural problems.

2. [Zoology] relating to animals of the dog family.

• related canine species.

II. noun

1. a dog.

• the majority agreed with neutering stray canines.

2. [Zoology] an animal of the dog family.

3. (also canine tooth) — a pointed tooth between the incisors and premolars of a mammal, often greatly enlarged in carnivores.

• most primates use their canine teeth for fighting.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2 of the noun): from French, from Latin caninus, from canis ‘dog’.

caning /ˈkʌɪnɪŋ/

noun

1. a beating with a cane as a punishment.

• the schoolboy received £8000 damages for a caning received nine years ago.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a resounding defeat or severe reprimand

• the team suffered a caning at Blackburn.

Canis Major /ˌkeɪnɪs ˈmeɪdʒə / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small constellation (the Great Dog), said to represent one of the dogs following Orion. It is just south of the celestial equator and contains the brightest star, Sirius.

II. (as genitive Canis Majoris) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Eta Canis Majoris.

– origin Latin.

Canis Minor /ˈmʌɪnə / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small constellation (the Little Dog), said to represent one of the dogs following Orion. It is close to the celestial equator and contains the bright star Procyon.

II. (as genitive Canis Minoris) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Beta Canis Minoris.

– origin Latin.

canister /ˈkanɪstə/

I. noun

1. a round or cylindrical container used for storing such things as food, chemicals, or rolls of film.

2. a cylinder of pressurized gas, typically one that explodes when thrown or fired from a gun

• riot police fired tear-gas canisters into the crowd.

3. [ mass noun] — ‹historical› small bullets packed in cases that fit the bore of a gun

• another deadly volley of canister.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting a basket): from Latin canistrum, from Greek kanastron ‘wicker basket’, from kanna ‘cane, reed’ (see cane).

canker /ˈkaŋkə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a destructive fungal disease of apple and other trees that results in damage to the bark.

• cut out lesions on branches caused by canker.

2. [ count noun] — an open lesion in plant tissue caused by infection or injury.

• check trees for cankers.

3. fungal rot in some fruits and vegetables, e.g. parsnips and tomatoes.

• canker is this crop's arch enemy.

4. an ulcerous condition or disease of a human or animal, in particular:

5. (also canker sore) — (N. Amer.) a small ulcer of the mouth or lips.

• a remedy for canker sores.

6. another term for thrush^2 (sense 2).

7. ulceration of the throat and other orifices of birds, typically caused by a protozoal infection

• secondary infections of canker and coccidiosis.

8. inflammation of the ear of a dog, cat, or rabbit, typically caused by a mite infestation.

9. a malign and corrupting influence that is difficult to eradicate
[in sing.]

• racism remains a canker at the heart of the nation.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of woody plant tissue) become infected with canker.
(as noun cankering)

• we found some cankering of the wood.

2. (as adj. cankered) — infected with a pervasive and corrupting bitterness

• he hated her with a cankered, shameful abhorrence.

III. derivatives

cankerous /ˈkaŋkərəs /

adjective

– origin Middle English (denoting a tumour): from Old French chancre, from Latin cancer ‘crab’ (see cancer).

cankerworm

noun

the caterpillar of a North American moth that has wingless females. Cankerworms consume the buds and leaves of trees and can be a major pest.
●Several species in the family Geometridae.

cankle

I. noun

‹informal› a woman's fat or swollen ankle whose flesh merges unattractively with that of the calf.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of calf^2 and ankle.

Canmore

the nickname of Malcolm III of Scotland (see Malcolm).

canna /ˈkanə / canna lily

I. noun

a lily-like tropical American plant with bright flowers and ornamental strap-like leaves.
●Genus Canna, family Cannaceae: several species.

– origin from modern Latin, from Latin canna ‘cane, reed’ (see cane).

cannabinoid /ˈkanəbɪˌnɔɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] any of a group of closely related compounds which include cannabinol and the active constituents of cannabis.

cannabinol /ˈkanəbɪˌnɒl, kəˈnabɪˌnɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a crystalline compound whose derivatives, especially THC, are the active constituents of cannabis.
●A polycyclic phenol; chem. formula: C_21H_26O_2.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cannabis + -ol.

cannabis /ˈkanəbɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tall plant with a stiff upright stem, divided serrated leaves, and glandular hairs. It is used to produce hemp fibre and as a psychotropic drug. Also called hemp, marijuana.
● Cannabis sativa, family Cannabaceae (or Cannabidaceae): two subspecies (sometimes considered two species), C. s. sativa, which is chiefly used for hemp, and C. s. indica, from which the drug is usually obtained.

2. a dried preparation of the flowering tops or other parts of the cannabis plant, or a resinous extract of it ( cannabis resin), used (generally illegally) as a psychotropic drug, chiefly in cigarettes.

– origin from Latin, from Greek kannabis.

canned /kand/

adjective

1. (of food or drink) preserved or supplied in a sealed can

• canned beans.

2. ‹informal› ‹often derogatory› (of music, laughter, or applause) pre-recorded.

• some hotels programme their canned music in twenty-four-hour cycles.

• canned laughter.

3. ‹informal› drunk.

cannel coal /ˈkan(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hard, compact kind of bituminous coal.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally a northern English usage): of unknown origin.

cannellini bean /ˌkanəˈliːni/

I. noun

a kidney-shaped bean of a medium-sized creamy-white variety.

– origin Italian cannellini, literally ‘small tubes’.

cannelloni /ˌkanəˈləʊni/

I. plural noun

1. rolls of pasta stuffed with a meat or vegetable mixture.

2. [ mass noun] — an Italian dish consisting of cannelloni cooked in a cheese sauce.

– origin Italian, literally ‘large tubes’, from cannello ‘tube’.

cannelure /ˈkan(ə)ljʊə/

I. noun

a groove round the cylindrical part of a bullet.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, from canneler ‘provide with a channel’, from canne ‘reed, cane’.

cannery /ˈkanəri/

noun

a factory where food is canned.

Cannes /kan/

a resort on the Mediterranean coast of France; pop. 71,526 (2006). An international film festival is held there annually.

cannibal /ˈkanɪb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a person who eats the flesh of other human beings
[as modifier]

• cannibal tribes.

2. an animal that feeds on flesh of its own species.

II. derivatives

1. cannibalistic /kanɪbəˈlɪstɪk /

adjective

2. cannibalistically

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Spanish Canibales (plural), variant (recorded by Columbus) of Caribes, the name of a West Indian people reputed to eat humans (see Carib).

cannibalism /ˈkanɪbəˌlɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of eating the flesh of one's own species

• the film is quite disturbing at points with references to cannibalism

• to avoid cannibalism caterpillars were reared individually.

cannibalize /ˈkanɪb(ə)lʌɪz / cannibalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. use (a machine) as a source of spare parts for another, similar machine.

• cannibalizing two broken-down cars might provide spare parts to make one working car.

2. (of a company) reduce the sales of (one of its products) by introducing another similar product.

• the suppliers did not want to cannibalize high-margin business with low-margin sales.

3. (of an animal) eat (an animal of its own kind)

• female spiders cannibalize courting males.

II. derivatives

cannibalization /kanɪb(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

Canning, George

(1770–1827), British Tory statesman, Prime Minister 1827. After two periods as Foreign Secretary he succeeded Lord Liverpool as Prime Minister but died shortly afterwards.

Cannizzaro, Stanislao /ˌkanɪˈzɑːrəʊ/

(1826–1910), Italian chemist. He revived Avogadro's hypothesis and used it to distinguish clearly between atoms and molecules, and to introduce the unified system of atomic and molecular weights.

cannoli /kaˈnəʊli/

I. plural noun

(N. Amer.) a dessert consisting of small deep-fried pastry tubes with a creamy filling, typically of sweetened ricotta cheese.

– origin Italian, from canna ‘reed’.

cannon /ˈkanən/

I. noun

1. ( pl. usu. same) — a large, heavy piece of artillery, typically mounted on wheels, formerly used in warfare.

• they would cross at the Town ford, under cover of the defending cannon.

2. a heavy automatic gun that fires shells from an aircraft or tank.

• the gunships blasted arms depots with 105 mm cannon fire and rockets.

3. [Billiards] [Snooker] (chiefly Brit.) a stroke in which the cue ball strikes two balls successively.
[early 19th cent.: alteration of carom.]

4. [Engineering] a heavy cylinder or hollow drum that is able to rotate independently on a shaft.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (chiefly Brit.) collide with something forcefully or at an angle

• the couple behind almost cannoned into us

• his shot cannoned off the crossbar.

2. (chiefly Brit.) [Billiards] [Snooker] make a cannon shot.

– origin late Middle English: from French canon, from Italian cannone ‘large tube’, from canna ‘cane, reed’ (see cane).

cannonade /ˌkanəˈneɪd/

I. noun

a period of continuous heavy gunfire.

• the French attack began with a cannonade.

• ‹figurative› he unleashed a cannonade of invective.

II. verb — [no obj.] (often as noun cannonading)

1. discharge heavy guns continuously.

• the daily cannonading continued.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Italian cannonata, from cannone (see cannon).

cannonball /ˈkanənbɔːl/

noun

1. a round metal or stone projectile fired from a cannon.

2. (also cannonball dive) — (N. Amer.) a jump into water feet first with the knees clasped to the chest.

cannon bone

noun

a long tube-shaped bone in the lower leg of a horse or other large quadruped, between the fetlock and the knee or hock.

cannoneer /kanəˈnɪə/

noun

‹historical› an artilleryman who positioned and fired a cannon.

cannon fodder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. soldiers regarded merely as material to be expended in war.

• they ended up serving as cannon fodder in Vietnam.

cannonry /ˈkanənri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use or discharge of cannon; artillery.

cannot /ˈkanɒt, kaˈnɒt/

I. contraction

can not.

usage: Both the one-word form cannot and the two-word form can not are acceptable, but cannot is more common (in the Oxford English Corpus, three times as common). The two-word form is better only in a construction in which not is part of a set phrase, such as ‘not only … but (also)’: Paul can not only sing well, he also paints brilliantly.

cannula /ˈkanjʊlə/

I. noun

[Surgery] a thin tube inserted into a vein or body cavity to administer medication, drain off fluid, or insert a surgical instrument.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin ‘small reed’, diminutive of canna (see cane).

cannulate

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Surgery] introduce a cannula or thin tube into (a vein or body cavity).

• a jugular vein was cannulated to allow drug administration intravenously.

II. derivatives

cannulation

noun

canny /ˈkani/

I. adjective

1. having or showing shrewdness and good judgement, especially in money or business matters

• canny investors will switch banks if they think they are getting a raw deal.

2. (N. English) (Scottish) pleasant; nice

• she's a canny lass.

II. derivatives

1. cannily /ˈkanɪli /

adverb

2. canniness /ˈkanɪnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (originally Scots): from can^1 (in the obsolete sense ‘know’) + -y^1.

canoe /kəˈnuː/

I. noun

a light, narrow boat with pointed ends and no keel, propelled with a paddle or paddles.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. travel in or paddle a canoe

• he had once canoed down the Nile.

III. derivatives

1. canoeist /kəˈnuːɪst /

noun

2. canoer

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Spanish canoa, from Arawak, from Carib canaoua.

canoeing /kəˈnuːɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport or activity of paddling a light, narrow boat

• the cadets demonstrated their skills at canoeing

• [as modifier] a canoeing trip.

canola /kəˈnəʊlə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. oilseed rape of a variety developed in Canada and grown in North America, which yields a valuable culinary oil.

– origin 1970s: from Canada + -ola (based on Latin oleum ‘oil’).

canon^1 /ˈkanən/

I. noun

1. a general law, rule, principle, or criterion by which something is judged

• the appointment violated the canons of fair play and equal opportunity.

2. a Church decree or law.

• a set of ecclesiastical canons.

• [ mass noun] legislation which enables the Church of England General Synod to provide by canon for women to be ordained.

3. a collection or list of sacred books accepted as genuine

• the biblical canon.

4. the works of a particular author or artist that are recognized as genuine

• the Shakespeare canon.

5. the list of works considered to be permanently established as being of the highest quality

• Hopkins was firmly established in the canon of English poetry.

6. (also canon of the Mass) — (in the Roman Catholic Church) the part of the Mass containing the words of consecration.

7. [Music] a piece in which the same melody is begun in different parts successively, so that the imitations overlap.

• the very simple rhythmic structure of this double canon.

• [ mass noun] two quartets sing in close canon throughout.

II. phrases

in canon

[Music] with different parts successively beginning the same melody.

– origin Old English: from Latin, from Greek kanōn ‘rule’, reinforced in Middle English by Old French canon.

canon^2 /ˈkanən/

I. noun

1. a member of the clergy who is on the staff of a cathedral, especially one who is a member of the chapter.

• he was appointed canon of Christ Church, Oxford.

• [as title] a portrait of Canon Jarrat and his wife hangs in the church today.

2. (also canon regular or regular canon) — (in the Roman Catholic Church) a member of certain orders of clergy that live communally according to an ecclesiastical rule in the same way as monks.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘canon regular’): from Old French canonie, from Latin canonicus ‘according to rule’ (see canonic). The other sense dates from the mid 16th cent.

cañon /ˈkanjən/

noun

archaic spelling of canyon.

canon cancrizans /ˈkaŋkrɪˌzanz/

I. noun

[Music] a canon in which the theme or subject is repeated backwards in the second part.
Also called crab canon.

– origin late 19th cent.: from canon^1 + medieval Latin cancrizans ‘walking backwards’ (from cancer ‘crab’).

canoness /ˈkanənəs/

noun

(in the Roman Catholic Church) a member of certain religious orders of women living communally according to an ecclesiastical rule in the same way as nuns.

canonic /kəˈnɒnɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Music] in canon form.

• a remarkable four-voiced canonic Kyrie.

2. another term for canonical.

– origin Old English (as a noun): from Old French canonique or Latin canonicus ‘canonical’, from Greek kanonikos, from kanon ‘rule’ (see canon^1). The adjective dates from the late 15th cent.

canonical /kəˈnɒnɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. according to or ordered by canon law

• the canonical rites of the Roman Church.

2. included in the list of sacred books officially accepted as genuine

• the canonical Gospels of the New Testament.

3. accepted as being accurate and authoritative

• the canonical method of comparative linguistics.

4. (of a writer or work) belonging to the literary canon

• canonical writers like Jane Austen.

5. according to recognized rules or scientific laws

• canonical nucleotide sequences.

6. [Mathematics] relating to a general rule or standard formula.

7. relating to a cathedral chapter or a member of it.

• his college tutors were later his canonical colleagues.

II. plural noun — ( canonicals)

1. the prescribed official dress of the clergy

• Cardinal Bea in full canonicals.

III. derivatives

canonically

adverb

canonical hours

plural noun

1. the times of daily Christian prayer appointed in the breviary, or the offices set for them (namely matins with lauds, prime, terce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline).

2. (in the Church of England) the time during which a marriage may lawfully be celebrated (usually between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.).

canonicity /kanəˈnɪsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or status of being canonical

• established standards of canonicity.

canonist /ˈkanənɪst/

I. noun

an expert in canon law.

• the greatest canonist of his day.

II. derivatives

canonistic

adjective

canonize /ˈkanənʌɪz / canonise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (in the Roman Catholic Church) officially declare (a dead person) to be a saint

• he was the last English saint to be canonized prior to the Reformation.

2. regard as being above reproach or of great significance

• we have canonized freedom of speech as an absolute value overriding all others.

3. sanction by Church authority.

II. derivatives

canonization /kanənʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin canonizare ‘admit as authoritative’ (in medieval Latin ‘admit to the list of recognized saints’), from Latin canon (see canon^1).

canon law

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ecclesiastical law, especially (in the Roman Catholic Church) that laid down by papal pronouncements.

canonry /ˈkanənri/

noun

the office or benefice of a canon.

• he settled into a gigantic house which went with the canonry.

canoodle /kəˈnuːd(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› kiss and cuddle amorously

• she was caught canoodling with her boyfriend.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US): of unknown origin.

can opener

noun

a tin opener.

Canopic jar /kəˈnəʊpɪk / Canopic vase

I. noun

a covered urn used in ancient Egyptian burials to hold the entrails and other visceral organs from an embalmed body.

– origin late 19th cent.: Canopic from Latin Canopicus, from Canopus, the name of a town in ancient Egypt.

Canopus /kəˈnəʊpəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. the second-brightest star in the sky, and the brightest in the constellation Carina. It is a supergiant, visible only to observers in the southern hemisphere and the southern part of the northern hemisphere.

– origin Latin, from Greek Kanōpus, the name of the pilot of the fleet of King Menelaus in the Trojan War.

canopy /ˈkanəpi/

I. noun

1. an ornamental cloth covering hung or held up over something, especially a throne or bed

• a romantic four-poster bed complete with drapes and a canopy

• ‹figurative› a full moon and a canopy of stars.

2. [Architecture] a roof-like projection or shelter.

• they mounted the station steps under the concrete canopy.

3. the transparent plastic or glass cover of an aircraft's cockpit.

4. the expanding, umbrella-like part of a parachute, made of silk or nylon.

5. [in sing.] — the uppermost branches of the trees in a forest, forming a more or less continuous layer of foliage

• woolly monkeys spend hours every day sitting high in the canopy.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. canopied)

1. cover or provide with a canopy.

• a canopied bed.

• the river was canopied by overhanging trees.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin canopeum ‘ceremonial canopy’, alteration of Latin conopeum ‘mosquito net over a bed’, from Greek kōnōpeion ‘couch with mosquito curtains’, from kōnōps ‘mosquito’.

canorous /kəˈnɔːrəs/

I. adjective

‹rare› (of song or speech) melodious or resonant.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin canorus (from canere ‘sing’) + -ous.

Canova, Antonio /kəˈnəʊvə, Italian kaˈnɔva/

(1757–1822), Italian sculptor, a leading exponent of neoclassicism. Notable works: Cupid and Psyche (1792) and The Three Graces (1813–16).

canst /kanst/

archaic second person singular present of can^1.

• if thou canst love me, I'll marry thee.

cant^1 /kant/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. hypocritical and sanctimonious talk, typically of a moral, religious, or political nature

• he had no time for the cant of the priests about sin.

2. language specific to a particular group or profession and regarded with disparagement

• thieves' cant.

3. [as modifier] — denoting a phrase or catchword temporarily current or in fashion

• ‘herstories’ rather than ‘histories’ as the cant phrase goes.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹dated› talk hypocritically and sanctimoniously about something

• if they'd stop canting about ‘honest work’ they might get somewhere.

– origin early 16th cent.: probably from Latin cantare ‘to sing’ (see chant). The early meaning was ‘musical sound, singing’; in the mid 17th cent. this gave rise to the senses ‘whining manner of speaking’ and ‘form of words repeated mechanically in such a manner’ (for example a beggar's plea), hence ‘jargon’ (of beggars and other such groups).

cant^2 /kant/

I. verb

1. have or cause to have a slanting or oblique position; tilt
[with obj.]

• he canted his head to look at the screen

• [no obj.] mismatched slate roofs canted at all angles.

2. [no obj.] — (of a ship) swing round

• the ship canted to starboard.

II. noun

1. [in sing.] — a slope or tilt

• the outward cant of the curving walls.

2. a wedge-shaped block of wood, especially one remaining after the better-quality pieces have been cut off.

• a squared-off cant remains, containing the knottiest wood.

– origin Middle English (denoting an edge or brink): from Middle Low German kant, kante, Middle Dutch cant ‘point, side, edge’, based on a Romance word related to medieval Latin cantus ‘corner, side’.

Cant.

abbreviation

Canticles (the Song of Songs) (in biblical references).

can't /kɑːnt/

contraction

cannot.

Cantab /ˈkantab/

I. abbreviation

of Cambridge University

• John Smith, MA (Cantab).

– origin from Latin Cantabrigiensis, from Cantabrigia ‘Cambridge’.

cantabile /kanˈtɑːbɪleɪ/

I. adverb, adjective

[Music] in a smooth singing style.

• the beauty of the voice in the cantabile passages.

II. noun

a cantabile passage or movement

• the allegro also begins with a beautiful cantabile.

– origin Italian, literally ‘singable’.

Cantabria /kanˈtabrɪə/

I. an autonomous region of northern Spain; capital, Santander.

II. derivatives

Cantabrian

adjective, noun

Cantabrigian /ˌkantəˈbrɪdʒɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Cambridge (in England) or Cambridge University.

II. noun

a member of Cambridge University.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin Cantabrigia (see Cambridge (sense 1) + -ian).

cantal /ˈkantɑːl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hard, strong cheese made chiefly in the Auvergne.

– origin named after Cantal, a department of Auvergne, France.

cantaloupe /ˈkantəluːp / cantaloupe melon

I. noun

a small round melon of a variety with orange flesh and ribbed skin.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French cantaloup, from Cantaluppi near Rome, where it was first grown in Europe after being introduced from Armenia.

cantankerous /kanˈtaŋk(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative

• he can be a cantankerous old fossil at times.

II. derivatives

1. cantankerously /kanˈtaŋk(ə)rəsli /

adverb

2. cantankerousness /kanˈtaŋk(ə)rəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: of unknown origin; perhaps a blend of Anglo-Irish cant ‘auction’ and rancorous (see rancour).

cantata /kanˈtɑːtə/

I. noun

a medium-length narrative piece of music for voices with instrumental accompaniment, typically with solos, chorus, and orchestra.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Italian cantata (aria) ‘sung (air)’, from cantare ‘sing’.

cant dog

noun

another term for cant hook.

canteen /kanˈtiːn/

I. noun

1. a restaurant provided by an organization such as a college, factory, or company for its students or staff.

2. a small water bottle, as used by soldiers or campers.

3. (Brit.) a specially designed case or box containing a set of cutlery.

– origin mid 18th cent. (originally denoting a shop selling provisions or alcohol in a barracks or garrison town): from French cantine, from Italian cantina ‘cellar’. A French use of cantine denoting a small compartmented case for carrying bottles of wine may have given rise to sense 3.

canteen culture

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› (in the UK) a set of conservative and discriminatory attitudes said to exist within the police force.

• clumsy questioning of suspects will not improve unless so-called police canteen culture is wiped out.

canter /ˈkantə/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a pace of a horse or other quadruped between a trot and a gallop, with not less than one foot on the ground at any time

• I rode away at a canter.

2. a ride on a horse at a canter

• we came back from one of our canters.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (of a horse) move at a canter in a particular direction

• they cantered down into the village.

2. [with obj.] — make (a horse) move at a canter

• Katharine cantered Benji in a smaller and smaller circle.

III. phrases

in (or at) a canter

(Brit.) without much effort; easily

• they retained their leadership of the Second Division at a canter.

– origin early 18th cent. (as a verb): short for Canterbury pace or Canterbury gallop, from the supposed easy pace of medieval pilgrims to Canterbury.

canterbury /ˈkantəb(ə)ri/

I. noun

a low cabinet for holding music or books.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after Canterbury in Kent (from a belief that the Archbishop of Canterbury ordered such a piece to be made).

Canterbury /ˈkantəb(ə)ri/

I. a city in Kent, SE England, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury; pop. 41,900 (est. 2009). St Augustine established a church and monastery there in 597 and it became a place of medieval pilgrimage.

II. a region on the central east coast of the South Island, New Zealand.

Canterbury, Archbishop of

noun

the archbishop of the southern province of the Church of England, who is Primate of All England and first peer of the realm, and plays a leading role in the worldwide Anglican Church.

Canterbury bell /ˈkantəb(ə)ri/

I. noun

a tall, sturdy cultivated bellflower with large pale blue flowers.
● Campanula medium, family Campanulaceae.

– origin late 16th cent.: named after the bells on Canterbury pilgrims' horses (see canter).

cantharides /kanˈθarɪdiːz/

I. plural noun

see Spanish fly.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, plural of cantharis, from Greek kantharis ‘Spanish fly’.

cantharus /ˈkanθ(ə)rəs/

I. noun

(in ancient Greece and Rome) a large two-handled drinking cup.

– origin Latin, from Greek kantharos.

cant hook

noun

a hinged metal hook at the end of a long handle, used for gripping and rolling logs.

canthus /ˈkanθəs/

I. noun

the outer or inner corner of the eye, where the upper and lower lids meet.

II. derivatives

canthic

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, from Greek kanthos.

canticle /ˈkantɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a hymn or chant, typically with a biblical text, forming a regular part of a church service.

2. ( Canticles or Canticle of Canticles) — another name for Song of Songs (especially in the Vulgate Bible).

– origin Middle English: from Latin canticulum ‘little song’, diminutive of canticum, from canere ‘sing’.

cantilena /ˌkantɪˈleɪnə, ˌkantɪˈliːnə/

I. noun

[Music] the part carrying the melody in a composition.

• long string cantilenas run through works like the symphonies.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Italian, from Latin, ‘song’.

cantilever /ˈkantɪliːvə/

I. noun

1. a long projecting beam or girder fixed at only one end, used in bridge construction.

2. a long bracket or beam projecting from a wall to support a balcony, cornice, etc.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. cantilevered)

1. support by a cantilever or cantilevers

• a cantilevered deck.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — project as or like a cantilever

• a conveyor cantilevered out over the river.

– origin mid 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

cantilever bridge

noun

a bridge in which each span is constructed from cantilevers built out sideways from piers.

cantillate /ˈkantɪleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› chant or intone (a passage of religious text).

• he cantillated the verses of the ancient Avesta.

II. derivatives

cantillation

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin cantillat- ‘hummed’, from the verb cantillare, from cantare (see chant).

cantina /kanˈtiːnə/

I. noun

1. (especially in a Spanish-speaking country or the south-western US) a bar.

2. (in Italy) a wine shop.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Spanish and Italian.

canting arms

I. plural noun

[Heraldry] arms containing an allusion to the name of the bearer.

– origin early 17th cent.: canting from cant^1, in the obsolete sense ‘speak, say (in a particular way)’.

cantle /ˈkant(ə)l/

I. noun

the raised curved part at the back of a horse's saddle.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘a corner’): from Anglo-Norman French cantel, variant of Old French chantel, from medieval Latin cantellus, from cantus ‘corner, side’.

canto /ˈkantəʊ/

I. noun

one of the sections into which certain long poems are divided.

• Dante 's Divine Comedy has 100 cantos.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian, literally ‘song’, from Latin cantus.

canton

I. noun

1. /ˈkantɒn, kanˈtɒn/ — a subdivision of a country established for political or administrative purposes.

• he proposes dividing the country into ethnic cantons.

2. a state of the Swiss Confederation.

3. /ˈkant(ə)n/ — [Heraldry] a square charge smaller than a quarter and positioned in the upper (usually dexter) corner of a shield.

II. derivatives

cantonal /ˈkant(ə)n(ə)l, kanˈtɒn(ə)l /

adjective

– origin early 16th cent.: from Old French, literally ‘corner’, from Provençal, based on a Romance word related to medieval Latin cantus (see cant^2).

Canton /kanˈtɒn/

another name for Guangzhou.

Cantonese /ˌkantəˈniːz/

I. adjective

relating to Canton (Guangzhou), its inhabitants, or their dialect.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Canton.

2. [ mass noun] — a form of Chinese spoken by over 54 million people, mainly in SE China (including Hong Kong).
Also called Yue.

cantonment /kanˈtɒnm(ə)nt, kanˈtuːnm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a military garrison or camp.

2. ‹historical› a permanent military station in British India.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French cantonnement, from cantonner ‘to quarter’ (see canton).

Cantopop /ˈkantəʊpɒp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (SE Asian) a type of popular music combining Cantonese lyrics and Western disco music.

• three live bands play jazz, pop and Cantopop.

• [as modifier] Cantopop stars.

– origin 1990s: blend of Cantonese and pop^2.

cantor /ˈkantɔː, ˈkantə/

I. noun

1. an official who sings liturgical music and leads prayer in a synagogue.

2. (in formal Christian worship) a person who sings solo verses or passages to which the choir or congregation respond.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘singer’, from canere ‘sing’.

Cantor, Georg /ˈkantɔː, German ˈkantɔr/

(1845–1918), Russian-born German mathematician. His work on numbers laid the foundations for the theory of sets and stimulated 20th-century exploration of number theory.

cantorial /kanˈtɔːrɪəl/

adjective

1. relating to a cantor.

• cantorial singing.

2. relating to or denoting the north side of the choir of a church, the side on which the cantor sits.
The opposite of decanal.

cantoris /kanˈtɔːrɪs/

I. noun

the section of a church or cathedral choir conventionally placed on the north side and taking the second or lower part in antiphonal singing.
The opposite of decani.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘of the cantor’ (see cantor).

cantrail /ˈkantreɪl/

I. noun

(Brit.) a piece of metal or timber supporting the roof of a railway carriage.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cant^2 + rail^1.

cantrip /ˈkantrɪp/

I. noun

(Scottish) ‹archaic› a mischievous or playful act; a trick.

– origin late 16th cent. (also in the sense ‘witch's trick’): of unknown origin.

cantus /ˈkantəs/

I. noun

the highest voice in polyphonic choral music.

• this gives both cantus and bass above each other.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin.

cantus firmus /ˌkantəs ˈfəːməs/

I. noun

[Music] a melody used as the basis for a polyphonic composition.

• this four-part mass uses as its cantus firmus a popular French tune.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘firm song’.

Canuck /kəˈnʌk / ‹informal›

I. noun

a Canadian

• as a true Canuck, Hayden loves pizza.

II. adjective

Canadian

• an impressive line-up of Canuck screen veterans.

– origin mid 19th cent.: apparently from Canada.

Canute /kəˈnjuːt / Cnut, Knut

(d.1035), Danish king of England 1017–35, Denmark 1018–35, and Norway 1028–35, son of Sweyn I. He is remembered for demonstrating to fawning courtiers his inability to stop the rising tide; this has become distorted in folklore to suggest that Canute really expected to turn back the tide.

canvas /ˈkanvəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a strong, coarse unbleached cloth made from hemp, flax, or a similar yarn, used to make items such as sails and tents and as a surface for oil painting.

• the painting is oil on canvas.

• [as modifier] a canvas bag.

2. [ count noun] — a piece of canvas prepared for use as the surface for an oil painting.

• they found a canvas and he seated his model.

• he is used to painting large canvases.

3. [ count noun] — an oil painting

• Turner's late canvases.

4. a variety of canvas with an open weave, used as a basis for tapestry and embroidery

• she sent her needle stabbing in and out of the canvas.

5. ( the canvas) — the canvas-covered floor of a boxing or wrestling ring.

• a thunderous uppercut sent him crashing to the canvas.

6. [ count noun] — either of a racing boat's tapering ends, originally covered with canvas.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover with canvas

• the door had been canvassed over.

III. phrases

1. by a canvas

(in boat racing) by a very small margin.

2. under canvas

a. in a tent or tents

• the family will be living under canvas.

b. with sails spread.

• fishermen whose boats still travel under canvas.

– origin late Middle English: from Old Northern French canevas, based on Latin cannabis ‘hemp’, from Greek.

canvasback /ˈkanvəsbak/

I. noun

a North American diving duck with a long, sloping black bill, related to the common pochard.
● Aythya valisineria, family Anatidae.

– origin late 16th cent.: so named because of the white back of the male.

canvass /ˈkanvəs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. solicit votes from (electors or members)

• in each ward, two workers canvassed some 2,000 voters

• [no obj.] he's canvassing for the Green Party.

2. try to obtain (support)

• they're canvassing support among shareholders.

3. question (someone) in order to ascertain their opinion

• they promised to canvass all member clubs for their views.

4. propose (an idea or plan) for discussion

• early retirement was canvassed as a solution to the problem of unemployment.

5. discuss thoroughly

• the issues that were canvassed are still unresolved.

II. noun

an act of canvassing

• a house-to-house canvass.

III. derivatives

canvasser /ˈkanvəsə /

noun

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘toss in a canvas sheet’ (as a sport or punishment)): from canvas. Later extended senses include ‘criticize, discuss’ (mid 16th cent.) and ‘propose for discussion’; hence ‘seek support for’.

canyon /ˈkanjən/

I. noun

a deep gorge, typically one with a river flowing through it, as found in North America.
[in place names]

• the Grand Canyon.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish cañón ‘tube’, based on Latin canna ‘reed, cane’.

canyoning /ˈkanjənɪŋ / canyoneering

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport of jumping into a fast-flowing mountain stream and allowing oneself to be carried downstream at high speed.

• canyoning is an extremely popular summer thrill in the Alps.

canzona /kanˈtsəʊnə, kanˈzəʊnə/

I. noun

an instrumental arrangement of a French or Flemish song, typical of 16th-century Italy.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Italian, from canzone.

canzone /kanˈtsəʊneɪ, kanˈzəʊneɪ/

I. noun

1. an Italian or Provençal song or ballad.

2. a type of lyric resembling a madrigal.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian, ‘song’, from Latin cantio(n-) ‘singing’, from canere ‘sing’.

canzonetta /ˌkanzəˈnɛtə, ˌkantsəˈnɛtə/

I. noun

a short, light vocal piece, especially in the Italian style of the 17th century.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian ‘little song’, diminutive of canzone (see canzone).

caoutchouc /ˈkaʊtʃʊk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. natural rubber that has not been vulcanized.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from obsolete Spanish cauchuc, from Quechua kauchuk.

cap^1 /kap/

I. noun

1. a kind of soft, flat hat without a brim and typically with a peak.

• a man wearing a raincoat and a flat cap.

• ‹figurative› her cap of dark hair.

2. [with adj. or noun modifier] — a kind of soft, close-fitting head covering worn for a particular purpose

• a shower cap

• a bathing cap.

3. (Brit.) a cap awarded as a sign of membership of a particular sports team, especially a national team

• he has won three caps for Scotland.

4. (Brit.) a player to whom a cap is awarded

• a former naval officer and rugby cap.

5. an academic mortar board

• school-leavers in cap and gown.

6. a protective lid or cover for an object such as a bottle, the point of a pen, or a camera lens.

• a glass bottle with a screw cap.

• a lens cap from a camera.

7. an artificial protective covering for a tooth.

8. the top of a bird's head when distinctively coloured.

9. an upper limit imposed on spending or borrowing

• he raised the cap on local authority spending.

10. (also Dutch cap) — (Brit.) ‹informal› a contraceptive diaphragm.

11. the broad upper part of the fruiting body of most mushrooms and toadstools, at the top of a stem and bearing gills or pores.

12. short for percussion cap.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put a lid or cover on

• he capped his pen.

2. form a covering layer or topmost part of
(as adj., in combination -capped)

• snow-capped mountains.

3. put an artificial protective covering on (a tooth).
(as adj. capped)

• his smile revealed perfectly capped teeth.

4. provide a fitting climax or conclusion to

• he capped a memorable season by becoming champion of champions.

5. follow or reply to (a story, remark, or joke) by producing a better one.

• he prayed no wit would cap his remark with some repartee.

6. (Brit.) place a limit or restriction on (prices, expenditure, or borrowing)

• council budgets will be capped.

7. ( be capped) — (Brit.) be chosen as a member of a particular sports team, especially a national one

• he was capped ten times by England.

8. (Scottish) (NZ) confer a university degree on.

III. phrases

1. cap and bells

‹historical› the insignia of the professional jester.

2. cap in hand ( ‹N. Amer.› hat in hand)

(Brit.) humbly asking for a favour

• we have to go cap in hand begging for funds.

3. cap of liberty

a conical cap given to Roman slaves when they were freed, used as a republican symbol in more recent times.

4. cap of maintenance

(Brit.) a cap or hat worn as a symbol of official dignity or carried in front of a sovereign on ceremonial occasions.

5. if the cap fits, wear it ( ‹N. Amer.› if the shoe fits, wear it)

(Brit.) used as a way of suggesting that someone should accept a generalized remark or criticism as applying to themselves.

6. set one's cap at ( ‹or US› for)

‹dated› (of a woman) try to attract (a particular man) as a suitor.

• she should buy herself a new frock and set her cap at someone else.

7. to cap it all

as the final unfortunate incident in a long series

• she was on edge, her nerves taut, and to cap it all, she could feel the beginnings of a headache.

IV. derivatives

capful /ˈkapfʊl /

noun

– origin Old English cæppe ‘hood’, from late Latin cappa, perhaps from Latin caput ‘head’.

cap^2 /kap/

noun

[Finance] short for capitalization:
[as modifier]

• mid-cap companies

• small-cap stocks.

CAP /siːeɪˈpiː/

abbreviation

Common Agricultural Policy.

cap. /kap/

abbreviation

1. capacity.

2. capital (city).

3. capital letter.

capability /keɪpəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — (often capability of doing/to do something)

1. the power or ability to do something

• he had an intuitive capability of bringing the best out in people

• the company's capability to increase productivity.

2. (often capabilities) — the extent of someone's or something's ability

• the job is beyond my capabilities.

3. a facility on a computer for performing a specified task

• a graphics capability.

4. forces or resources giving a country the ability to undertake a particular kind of military action

• their nuclear weapons capability.

Capablanca, José Raúl /ˌkapəˈblaŋkə/

(1888–1942), Cuban chess player, world champion 1921–1927.

capable /ˈkeɪpəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. ( capable of doing something) — having the ability, fitness, or quality necessary to do or achieve a specified thing

• I'm quite capable of taking care of myself

• the aircraft is capable of flying 5,000 miles non-stop.

2. open to or admitting of something

• the strange events are capable of rational explanation.

3. able to achieve efficiently whatever one has to do; competent

• she looked enthusiastic and capable

• a highly capable man.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘able to take in’, physically or mentally): from French, from late Latin capabilis, from Latin capere ‘take or hold’.

capably /ˈkeɪpəbli/

adverb

in a way that demonstrates skill and aptitude; competently

• both actors capably portray their characters.

capacious /kəˈpeɪʃəs/

I. adjective

having a lot of space inside; roomy

• she rummaged in her capacious handbag.

II. derivatives

1. capaciously

adverb

2. capaciousness /kəˈpeɪʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin capax, capac- ‘capable’ + -ious.

capacitance /kəˈpasɪt(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the ability of a system to store an electric charge.

2. (Symbol: C) — [Physics] the ratio of the change in an electric charge in a system to the corresponding change in its electric potential.

– origin late 19th cent.: from capacity + -ance.

capacitate

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› ‹archaic› make (someone) capable of a particular action or legally competent to act in a particular way.

2. ( be capacitated) — [Physiology] (of spermatozoa) undergo changes inside the female reproductive tract enabling them to penetrate and fertilize an ovum.

II. derivatives

capacitation

noun

capacitor /kəˈpasɪtə/

noun

a device used to store an electric charge, consisting of one or more pairs of conductors separated by an insulator.

capacity /kəˈpasɪti/

I. noun

1. [in sing.] — the maximum amount that something can contain

• the capacity of the freezer is 1.1 cubic feet

• the stadium's seating capacity

• [ mass noun] the room was filled to capacity.

2. [as modifier] — fully occupying the available area or space

• they played to a capacity crowd.

3. the total cylinder volume that is swept by the pistons in an internal-combustion engine.

• the cubic capacity is 1171 cc.

4. former term for capacitance.

5. the amount that something can produce

• the company aimed to double its electricity-generating capacity

• when running at full capacity, the factory will employ 450 people.

6. the ability or power to do or understand something

• I was impressed by her capacity for hard work

• their intellectual capacities.

7. [in sing.] — a person's legal competence

• cases where a patient's testamentary capacity is in doubt.

8. [in sing.] — a specified role or position

• I was engaged in a voluntary capacity

• writing in his capacity as legal correspondent.

II. derivatives

capacitive capacitative

adjective

[chiefly Physics]

– origin late Middle English: from French capacité, from Latin capacitas, from capax, capac- ‘that can contain’, from capere ‘take or hold’.

cap and trade

noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. a system for controlling carbon emissions and other forms of atmospheric pollution by which an upper limit is set on the amount a given business or other organization may produce but which allows further capacity to be bought from other organizations that have not used their full allowance

• Congress has so far refused to adopt a carbon tax or cap-and-trade legislation

• some influential environmentalists oppose the whole idea of cap and trade.

caparison /kəˈparɪs(ə)n/

I. noun

an ornamental covering spread over a horse's saddle or harness.

II. verb — ( be caparisoned)

1. (of a horse) be decked out in rich decorative coverings.

• his horse was caparisoned with coloured ribbons.

– origin early 16th cent.: from obsolete French caparasson, from Spanish caparazón ‘saddlecloth’, from capa ‘hood’.

cape^1 /keɪp/

I. noun

1. a sleeveless cloak, typically a short one.

• he was wearing a flowing cape.

2. a part of a longer coat or cloak that falls loosely over the shoulders from the neckband.

• the robe was decorated with gold lace on the fronts, cape, and hem.

3. (N. Amer.) the pelt from the head and neck of an animal, for preparation as a hunting trophy.

• the hair on a cape for the taxidermist can spoil in warm weather.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (in bullfighting) taunt (the bull) by flourishing a cape.

• the film shows a man expertly caping a charging bull.

III. derivatives

caped

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Provençal capa, from late Latin cappa ‘covering for the head’.

cape^2 /keɪp/

I. noun

1. a headland or promontory.

• we could see the island from the cape.

2. ( the Cape) — the Cape of Good Hope.

3. ( the Cape) — the former Cape Province of South Africa.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cap, from Provençal, based on Latin caput ‘head’.

Cape Barren goose

I. noun

a pale grey Australian goose with a short black bill that is almost covered by a waxy yellow cere. Also called cereopsis goose.
● Cereopsis novaehollandiae, family Anatidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Cape Barren, an island in the Bass Strait, Australia.

Cape Breton Island /ˈbrɛt(ə)n/

an island forming the north-eastern part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Cape Cod

a sandy peninsula in SE Massachusetts, forming a wide curve enclosing Cape Cod Bay.

Cape Colony

early name (1814–1910) for the former Cape Province.

Cape coloured

I. noun

(in South Africa) a person of mixed ethnic descent resident in the province of Western Cape, speaking Afrikaans or English as their first language, and typically not a follower of Islam.
Compare with Cape Malay.

II. adjective

relating to Cape coloured people.

Cape doctor

noun

(S. African) ‹informal› the strong prevailing SE wind in the province of Western Cape.

Cape Dutch

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› the form of Dutch spoken by the early settlers at the Cape of Good Hope, which developed into Afrikaans.

II. adjective

1. ‹historical› relating to the Cape Dutch language.

2. of or denoting a style of furniture or architecture used by early settlers in South Africa.

• our vast Cape Dutch chest.

capeesh /kəˈpiːʃ/

I. exclamation

‹informal› (chiefly US) do you understand?

• Upstairs is off limits. Capeesh?

– origin 1940s: from Italian capisce third person singular present tense of capire ‘understand’.

Cape gooseberry

noun

1. a soft edible yellow berry enclosed in a husk that resembles a lantern in shape.

2. the tropical South American plant with heart-shaped leaves which bears the Cape gooseberry.
● Physalis peruviana, family Solanaceae.

Cape hen

noun

the white-chinned petrel of southern oceans, with mainly dark brown plumage.
● Procellaria aequinoctialis, family Procellariidae.

Cape jasmine

noun

a fragrant Chinese gardenia, some kinds of which have flowers that are used to perfume tea.
●Genus Gardenia, family Rubiaceae: several species.

Čapek, Karel /ˈtʃapɛk/

(1890–1938), Czech novelist and dramatist. He is known for R.U.R. ( Rossum's Universal Robots) (1920), which introduced the word robot to the English language, and The Insect Play (1921), written with his brother Josef (1887–1945).

capelin /ˈkeɪplɪn, ˈkaplɪn / caplin

I. noun

a small fish of the North Atlantic, resembling a smelt. It is abundant in coastal waters and provides a staple food for humans and many animals.
● Mallotus villosus, family Osmeridae.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, from Provençal capelan, from medieval Latin cappellanus ‘custodian’ (see chaplain).

Capella /kəˈpɛlə / ‹Astronomy›

I. the sixth-brightest star in the sky, and the brightest in the constellation Auriga. It is a yellow giant.

– origin Latin, ‘she-goat’, diminutive of caper ‘goat’.

capellini /ˌkapɛˈliːniː/

I. plural noun

pasta in the form of very thin strands.

– origin 1950s: Italian, diminutive of capello ‘hair’.

Cape Malay Cape Muslim

I. noun

(in South Africa) a member of a predominantly Afrikaans-speaking and Muslim group resident mainly in the province of Western Cape.
Compare with Cape coloured.

II. adjective

relating to the Cape Malay people.

Cape marigold

noun

another term for African daisy.

Cape pigeon Cape petrel

noun

another term for pintado petrel.

Cape primrose

noun

another term for streptocarpus.

Cape Province

a former province of South Africa, containing the Cape of Good Hope. The area became a British colony in 1814; it was known as Cape Colony from then until 1910, when it joined the Union of South Africa. In 1994 it was divided into the provinces of Northern Cape, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape.

caper^1 /ˈkeɪpə/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. skip or dance about in a lively or playful way

• children were capering about the room.

II. noun

1. a playful skipping movement

• she did a little caper or dance.

2. ‹informal› an illicit or ridiculous activity or escapade

• I'm too old for this kind of caper.

3. a light-hearted, far-fetched film, especially about crime

• a cop caper about intergalactic drug dealers.

III. phrases

cut a caper

make a playful skipping movement.

• he cut a little caper as he walked along the corridor.

IV. derivatives

caperer /ˈkeɪpərə /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: abbreviation of capriole.

caper^2 /ˈkeɪpə/

I. noun

1. (usu. capers) — the cooked and pickled flower bud of a bramble-like southern European shrub, used to flavour food.

• add capers and olives.

2. the shrub from which capers are taken.
● Capparis spinosa, family Capparidaceae.

– origin late Middle English: from French câpres or Latin capparis, from Greek kapparis; later interpreted as plural, hence the loss of the final -s in the 16th cent.

capercaillie /ˌkapəˈkeɪli / ‹Scottish› capercailzie /ˌkapəˈkeɪlzi/

I. noun

a large turkey-like Eurasian grouse of mature pine forests.
●Genus Tetrao, family Tetraonidae (or Phasianidae): two species, in particular T. urogallus, which has been re-established in the Scottish Highlands.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic capull coille, literally ‘horse of the wood’.

caper spurge

noun

an ornamental European spurge which has become naturalized in North America. It has poisonous seeds, but the buds can be used as a substitute for capers.
● Euphorbia lathyris, family Euphorbiaceae.

capeskin /ˈkeɪpskɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft leather made from South African sheepskin.

Cape sparrow

noun

a dark brown sparrow native to southern Africa.
● Passer melanurus, family Passeridae (or Ploceidae).

Capet, Hugh /ˈkapɪt, kaˈpɛt, French kapɛ/

(938–96), king of France 987–96, founder of the Capetian dynasty.

Capetian /kəˈpiːʃ(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting the dynasty ruling France 987–1328.

II. noun

a member of the Capetian dynasty.

Cape Town

I. the legislative capital of South Africa and administrative capital of the province of Western Cape; pop. 3,569,400 (est. 2009).

II. derivatives

Capetonian

noun, adjective

Cape Verdean /ˈvəːdɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Cape Verde Islands or their inhabitants

• an annual showcase of Cape Verdean music.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the Cape Verde Islands

• many local Cape Verdeans took part in renovating the space.

Cape Verde Islands /ˌkeɪp ˈvəːd ˌʌɪləndz/

a country consisting of a group of islands in the Atlantic off the coast of Senegal, named after the most westerly cape of Africa; pop. 429,500 (est. 2009); languages, Portuguese (official), Creole; capital, Praia. Previously uninhabited, the islands were settled by the Portuguese from the 15th century. They remained a Portuguese colony until 1975, when an independent republic was established.

capex /ˈkapɛks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Finance] capital expenditure

• in the current year the company's capex is expected to be in the region of $200 million.

– origin 1980s: shortened form of capital expenditure.

Cape York

a cape extending into the Torres Strait at the north-east tip of Australia, in Queensland. It is the northernmost point of the continent of Australia.

capias /ˈkeɪpɪəs, ˈkapɪəs/

I. noun

[Law] a writ ordering the arrest of a named person.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin capias (ad respondendum), literally ‘you are to seize (until reply is made)’, from capere ‘take’.

capillarity /ˌkapɪˈlarɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the tendency of a liquid in a capillary tube or absorbent material to rise or fall as a result of surface tension.
Also called capillary action.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French capillarité, from Latin capillaris ‘like a hair’ (see capillary).

capillary /kəˈpɪləri/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] any of the fine branching blood vessels that form a network between the arterioles and venules.

2. (also capillary tube) — a tube which has an internal diameter of hair-like thinness.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. relating to capillaries or capillarity.

• capillary blood.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin capillaris, from capillus ‘hair’, influenced by Old French capillaire.

capillary action

noun

another term for capillarity.

capillary joint

noun

a joint made between two pipes by putting their ends into a fitting that is only slightly larger than the pipes and filling the gap with molten solder.

capital^1 /ˈkapɪt(ə)l/

I. noun

1. (also capital city or town) — the city or town that functions as the seat of government and administrative centre of a country or region

• Warsaw is the capital of Poland.

2. [with modifier] — a place associated more than any other with a specified activity or product

• the fashion capital of the world.

3. [ mass noun] — wealth in the form of money or other assets owned by a person or organization or available for a purpose such as starting a company or investing

• rates of return on invested capital were high.

4. the excess of a company's assets over its liabilities.

5. people who possess wealth and use it to control a society's economic activity, considered collectively

• a conflict of interest between capital and labour.

6. [with modifier] — a valuable resource of a particular kind

• there is insufficient investment in human capital.

7. (also capital letter) — a letter of the size and form used to begin sentences and names

• he wrote the name in capitals.

II. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — (of an offence or charge) liable to the death penalty

• murder is the only capital crime in the state.

2. [ attrib.] — (of a letter of the alphabet) large in size and of the form used to begin sentences and names.

3. ‹informal› ‹dated› excellent

• he's a really capital fellow.

III. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› used to express approval, satisfaction, or delight

• That's splendid! Capital!

IV. phrases

1. make capital out of

use to one's own advantage

• the opposition are seeking to make political capital out of the scandal.

2. with a capital ——

used to give emphasis to the word in question

• she was ugly with a capital U.

V. derivatives

capitally /ˈkapɪt(ə)li /

adverb

– origin Middle English (as an adjective in the sense ‘relating to the head or top’, later ‘standing at the head or beginning’): via Old French from Latin capitalis, from caput ‘head’.

capital^2 /ˈkapɪt(ə)l/

I. noun

[Architecture] the distinct, typically broader section at the head of a pillar or column.

• the pillars have moulded capitals.

– origin Middle English: from Old French capitel, from late Latin capitellum ‘little head’, diminutive of Latin caput.

capital adequacy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the statutory minimum reserves of capital which a bank or other financial institution must have available.

capital budget

noun

[Finance] a budget allocating money for the acquisition or maintenance of fixed assets such as land, buildings, and equipment

• the city had sufficient leeway in its capital budget to build the bridge itself.

capital expenditure

noun — [ mass noun]

1. money spent by a business or organization on acquiring or maintaining fixed assets, such as land, buildings, and equipment

• the past twelve months have seen cutbacks in capital expenditure by all ten water companies.

capital gain

noun — (often capital gains)

1. a profit from the sale of property or an investment.

• a tax is imposed when individuals part with an asset and make capital gains on it.

capital gains tax /kapɪtlˈɡeɪnztaks / CGT

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tax levied on profit from the sale of property or an investment.

capital goods

plural noun

goods that are used in producing other goods, rather than being bought by consumers.
Often contrasted with consumer goods.

capital-intensive

adjective

(of a business or industrial process) requiring the investment of large sums of money.

• capital-intensive petrochemical plants.

capitalism /ˈkapɪt(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.

• an era of free-market capitalism.

• private ownership is a key feature of capitalism.

capitalist /ˈkapɪt(ə)lɪst/

I. noun

a person who uses their wealth to invest in trade and industry for profit in accordance with the principles of capitalism.

• the creation of the factory system by nineteenth-century capitalists.

II. adjective

supporting or based on the principles of capitalism

• capitalist countries

• the global economy is essentially capitalist.

capitalistic /kapɪt(ə)ˈlɪstɪk/

I. adjective

supporting or based on the principles of capitalism

• a completely capitalistic system.

II. derivatives

capitalistically /kapɪtəˈlɪstɪk(ə)li /

adverb

capitalization /ˌkapɪt(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / capitalisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Finance] the provision of capital for a company, or the conversion of income or assets into capital.

2. the action of writing or printing in capital letters or with an initial capital.

capitalize /ˈkapɪt(ə)lʌɪz / capitalise

verb

1. [no obj.] ( capitalize on) — take the chance to gain advantage from

• an attempt by the opposition to capitalize on the government's embarrassment.

2. [with obj.] — provide (a company) with capital
(as adj. capitalized)

• a highly capitalized industry.

3. [with obj.] — realize (the present value of an income); convert into capital.

• people should have the right to capitalize part of the value of these benefits.

4. reckon (the value of an asset) by setting future benefits against the cost of maintenance

• a trader will want to capitalize repairs expenditure.

5. [with obj.] — write or print (a word or letter) in capital letters.

• the letter M, either capitalized or in lower case, is the abbreviation for mili-.

6. begin (a word) with a capital letter.

capital levy

noun

a tax by means of which the state appropriates a fixed proportion of private wealth.

• he headed off demands for a capital levy.

capital market

noun

the part of a financial system concerned with raising capital by dealing in shares, bonds, and other long-term investments.

capital punishment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime.

• the abolition of capital punishment.

capital ratio

noun

[Finance] the extent to which a financial institution finances its operations by issuing shares and retaining profits, expressed as a percentage of its assets

• spurred by stronger regulatory requirements, banks have steadily increased their capital ratios since the financial crisis.

capital reserve

noun

[Finance] a fund or account set aside for major long-term investment projects or other anticipated expenses

• attaining the equipment required can drain the capital reserves of all but the biggest farmers

• [as modifier] to make up this year's shortfall, the society has drawn from its capital reserve fund.

capital ship

noun

a large warship such as a battleship or aircraft carrier.

capital structure

noun

[Finance] the particular distribution of debt and equity that makes up the finances of a company

• restructuring our operations and capital structure will enable the firm to emerge as a stronger company.

capital sum

noun

a lump sum of money payable to an insured person or paid as an initial fee or investment.

• an endowment policy pays a capital sum to the insured at a specified time in the future, or on death if earlier.

capital territory

noun

(in Australia, Nigeria, Pakistan, etc.) the territory containing the capital city of the country.

capital transfer tax CTT

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the UK) a tax levied on the transfer of capital by gift or bequest (replaced in 1986 by inheritance tax).

• gifts to charities were exempted from capital transfer tax.

capitano /ˌkapɪˈtɑːnəʊ/

I. noun

(in Italy or among Italian-speakers) a captain or chief.

– origin Italian.

capitate /ˈkapɪteɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] [Zoology] ending in a distinct compact head.

II. noun

(also capitate bone) — [Anatomy] the largest of the carpal bones, situated at the base of the palm of the hand and articulating with the third metacarpal.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin capitatus, from caput, capit-, ‘head’.

capitation /kapɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the payment of a fee or grant to a doctor, school, etc., the amount of which is determined by the number of patients, pupils, or customers that are served
[as modifier]

• income from capitation fees.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting the counting of heads): from late Latin capitatio ‘poll tax’, from caput ‘head’.

Capitol /ˈkapɪt(ə)l / the Capitol

I. the seat of the US Congress in Washington DC.

II. ( capitol) — (US) a building housing a legislative assembly

• the work is on display at the Utah state capitol.

III. the temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill in ancient Rome.

– origin from Old French capitolie, capitoile, later assimilated to Latin Capitolium (from caput, capit- ‘head’).

Capitol Hill

the region around the Capitol in Washington DC (often as an allusive reference to the US Congress itself).

capitular /kəˈpɪtjʊlə/

I. adjective

1. relating to a cathedral chapter.

• an eminently qualified capitular candidate.

2. [Anatomy] [Biology] relating to a capitulum.

– origin early 16th cent.: from late Latin capitularis, from Latin capitulum ‘small head’.

capitulary /kəˈpɪtjʊləri/

I. noun

‹historical› a royal command under the Merovingian dynasty.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin capitularius, from Latin capitulum in the sense ‘section of a law’.

capitulate /kəˈpɪtjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; yield

• the patriots had to capitulate to the enemy forces.

II. derivatives

capitulator

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘parley, draw up terms’): from French capituler, from medieval Latin capitulare ‘draw up under headings’, from Latin capitulum, diminutive of caput ‘head’.

capitulation /kəpɪtjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of ceasing to resist an opponent or demand

• she gave a sigh of capitulation

• [ count noun] a capitulation to wage demands.

2. ( capitulations) — ‹historical› an agreement or set of conditions.

capitulum /kəˈpɪtjʊləm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] [Biology] a compact head of a structure, in particular a dense flat cluster of small flowers or florets, as in plants of the daisy family.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin, diminutive of caput ‘head’.

caplet /ˈkaplɪt/

I. noun

‹trademark› a coated oral medicinal tablet.

– origin 1930s: blend of capsule and tablet.

cap'n /ˈkapn/

noun

informal contraction of captain, used in representing speech.

• I did it just like they taught us, Cap'n.

capo^1 /ˈkapəʊ / capo tasto

I. noun

a clamp fastened across all the strings of a fretted musical instrument to raise their tuning by a chosen amount.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Italian capo tasto, literally ‘head stop’.

capo^2 /ˈkapəʊ/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) the head of a crime syndicate, especially the Mafia, or a branch of one.

• the Sicilian capo claims he controls most of the world's heroin trade.

– origin 1950s: Italian, from Latin caput ‘head’.

Capo di Monte /ˌkapəʊ dɪ ˈmɒnteɪ, ˈmɒnti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of porcelain first produced at the Capo di Monte palace near Naples in the mid 18th century, generally white with richly coloured rococo decoration.

capoeira /ˌkapʊˈeɪrə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of physical discipline and movement originating among Brazilian slaves, treated as a martial art and dance form.

– origin Portuguese.

capon /ˈkeɪp(ə)n/

I. noun

a castrated domestic cock fattened for eating.

II. derivatives

caponize /ˈkeɪp(ə)nʌɪz / caponise

verb

– origin late Old English: from Old French, based on Latin capo, capon-.

caponata /ˌkapə(ʊ)ˈnɑːtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dish of aubergines, olives, and onions seasoned with herbs, served as an appetizer.

– origin Italian.

Capone, Al /kəˈpəʊn/

(1899–1947), American gangster, of Italian descent; full name Alphonse Capone. He dominated organized crime in Chicago in the 1920s and was indirectly responsible for many murders, including the St Valentine's Day Massacre.

caponier /ˌkapəˈnɪə/

I. noun

a covered passage across a ditch round a fort.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Spanish caponera, literally ‘capon enclosure’.

capot /kəˈpɒt/

I. noun

(in piquet) the winning of all twelve tricks in the hand by one player, for which a bonus is awarded.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. score a capot against (one's opponent).

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, perhaps from a dialect variant of chapoter ‘castrate’.

capo tasto /ˌkapəʊ ˈtastəʊ/

noun

another term for capo^1.

capote /kəˈpəʊt/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹historical› a long cloak or coat with a hood, worn especially as part of an army or company uniform.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, diminutive of cape (see cape^1).

Capote, Truman /kəˈpəʊti/

(1924–84), American writer; born Truman Streckfus Persons. Notable works: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and In Cold Blood (1966), a meticulous recreation of a brutal multiple murder.

Capp, Al

(1909–79), American cartoonist; full name Alfred Gerald Caplin. He is best known for his comic strip ‘Li'l Abner’, which appeared in the New York Mirror from 1934 to 1977.

Cappadocia /ˌkapəˈdəʊʃə/

I. an ancient region of central Asia Minor, between Lake Tuz and the Euphrates, north of Cilicia. It was an important centre of early Christianity.

II. derivatives

Cappadocian

adjective, noun

cappellacci /kapəˈlatʃi/

I. plural noun

pieces of pasta stuffed with a filling of pumpkin (or other squash) and cheese and folded so as to resemble a hat

• they've brought back the restaurant's much-loved butternut squash cappellacci with Romano cheese.

– origin Italian, plural of cappellaccio, from cappello ‘hat’ + the pejorative suffix -accio.

cappelletti /ˌkapəˈlɛti/

I. plural noun

pieces of pasta stuffed with meat, cheese, or vegetables and folded so as to resemble small peaked hats, served either in broth or with a sauce.

– origin Italian, literally ‘little hats’.

capper

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a more surprising, upsetting, or entertaining event or situation than all others that have gone before

• the capper was him accusing her of ripping off his car.

cappuccino /ˌkapʊˈtʃiːnəʊ/

I. noun

a type of coffee made with espresso and milk that has been frothed up with pressurized steam.

– origin from Italian, literally ‘Capuchin’, because its colour resembles that of a Capuchin's habit.

Capra, Frank /ˈkaprə/

(1897–1991), Italian-born American film director. He is known for comedies such as It Happened One Night (1934), Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), and It's a Wonderful Life (1946). He won six Oscars.

caprese /kəˈpreɪzi/

I. adjective

denoting a salad of mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and fresh basil.

• lunch featured a caprese salad and vegetable antipasto.

– origin Italian, literally ‘of Capri’.

Capri /kəˈpriː Italian ˈkapri//

an island off the west coast of Italy, south of Naples.

capriccio /kəˈprɪtʃɪəʊ/

I. noun

1. a lively piece of music, typically one that is short and free in form.

• its four acts contain a number of capriccios and chorales.

2. a painting or other work of art representing a fantasy or a mixture of real and imaginary features.

• two capriccios by de la Joue which fitted 18th century frames.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a sudden change of mind): from Italian, literally ‘head with the hair standing on end’, hence ‘horror’, later ‘a sudden start’ (influenced by capra ‘goat’, associated with frisky movement), from capo ‘head’ + riccio ‘hedgehog’.

capriccioso /kəˌprɪtʃɪˈəʊzəʊ, kəˌprɪtʃɪˈəʊsəʊ/

I. adverb, adjective

[Music] (especially as a direction) in a free and impulsive style.

– origin Italian, literally ‘capricious’, from capriccio.

caprice /kəˈpriːs/

I. noun

1. a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behaviour

• her caprices made his life impossible

• [ mass noun] a land where men were ruled by law and not by caprice.

2. [Music] another term for capriccio.

• the caprice was divided into a theme and eleven variations.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian (see capriccio).

capricious /kəˈprɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behaviour

• a capricious and often brutal administration.

2. changing according to no discernible rules; unpredictable

• a capricious climate.

II. derivatives

1. capriciously /kəˈprɪʃəsli /

adverb

2. capriciousness /kəˈprɪʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from French capricieux, from Italian (see capriccioso).

Capricorn /ˈkaprɪkɔːn / ‹Astrology›

I. the tenth sign of the zodiac (the Goat), which the sun enters at the northern winter solstice (about 21 December).

II. ( a Capricorn) — a person born when the sun is in the sign of Capricorn.

III. phrases

tropic of Capricorn

see tropic^1.

– origin Old English, from Latin capricornus, from caper, capr- ‘goat’ + cornu ‘horn’, on the pattern of Greek aigokēros ‘goat-horned, Capricorn’.

Capricornian /kaprɪˈkɔːnɪən / ‹Astrology›

I. adjective

relating to the sign of Capricorn

• the Capricornian belief that you alone know what's best for everyone else.

II. noun

a person born under the sign of Capricorn

• I like to travel in company with a Capricornian.

Capricornus /ˈkaprɪkɔːnəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a constellation (the Goat), said to represent a goat with a fish's tail.

II. (as genitive Capricorni) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star 41 Capricorni.

– origin Latin (see Capricorn).

caprine /ˈkaprʌɪn/

I. adjective

relating to or resembling goats.

• caprine arthritis.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin caprinus, from caper, capr- ‘goat’.

capriole /ˈkaprɪəʊl/

I. noun

1. a movement performed in classical riding, in which the horse leaps from the ground and kicks out with its hind legs.

2. a leap or caper in dancing, especially a cabriole.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete French (now cabriole), from Italian capriola ‘leap’, from capriolo ‘roebuck’, from Latin capreolus, diminutive of caper, capr- ‘goat’.

capri pants /kəˈpriː / capris

I. plural noun

close-fitting tapered trousers for women.

– origin 1950s (originally US): named after the island of Capri.

Caprivi Strip /kəˈpriːvi/

I. a narrow strip of Namibia which extends towards Zambia from the north-eastern corner of Namibia and reaches the Zambezi River.

– origin named after Leo Graf von Caprivi, German imperial Chancellor (1890–4) at the time when this region became part of the colony of German South West Africa.

caproate /ˈkaprəʊeɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of caproic acid.

cap rock

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a layer of hard impervious rock overlying and often sealing in a deposit of oil, gas, or coal.

caproic acid /kəˈprəʊɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a liquid fatty acid present in milk fat and coconut and palm oils.
●Alternative name: hexanoic acid; chem. formula: CH_3(CH_2)4COOH.

– origin mid 19th cent.: caproic from Latin caper, capr- ‘goat’ (because of its smell) + -ic.

caprolactam /ˌkaprə(ʊ)ˈlaktam/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a synthetic crystalline compound which is an intermediate in nylon manufacture.
●A lactam; chem. formula: C_6H_11NO.

– origin 1940s: from caproic acid + lactam.

caprylate /ˈkaprɪleɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of caprylic acid.

caprylic acid /kaˈprɪlɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a liquid fatty acid present in butter and other fats.
●Chem. formula: CH_3(CH_2)6COOH.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin caper, capr-, ‘goat’ + -yl + -ic.

caps /kaps/

abbreviation

capital letters.

capsaicin /kapˈseɪɪsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a compound that is responsible for the pungency of capsicums.
●A cyclic amide; chem. formula: C_18H_27NO_3.

– origin late 19th cent.: alteration of capsicine, the name of a substance formerly thought to have the same property.

Capsian /ˈkapsɪən/

I. adjective

1. [Archaeology] relating to or denoting a Palaeolithic culture of North Africa and southern Europe, noted for its microliths and dated to c. 8000–4500 BC.

2. (as noun the Capsian) — [Archaeology] the Capsian culture or period.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin Capsa (now Gafsa in Tunisia), where objects from this culture were found, + -ian.

capsicum /ˈkapsɪkəm/

I. noun

1. a tropical American plant of the nightshade family with fruits (peppers) containing many seeds. Many cultivated kinds have been developed.
●Genus Capsicum, family Solanaceae: several species and varieties, in particular C. annuum var. annuum, the cultivated forms of which include the ‘ grossum’ group (sweet peppers) and the ‘ longum’ group (chilli peppers).

2. the fruit of any of the capsicum plants, varying in size, colour, and pungency.

– origin late 16th cent.: modern Latin, perhaps from Latin capsa (see case^2).

capsid^1

I. noun

another term for mirid.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Capsidae (plural), from Capsus (genus name).

capsid^2

I. noun

[Microbiology] the protein coat or shell of a virus particle, surrounding the nucleic acid or nucleoprotein core.

– origin 1960s: coined in French from Latin capsa (see case^2).

capsize /kapˈsʌɪz/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a boat) be overturned in the water

• the craft capsized in heavy seas

• (as adj. capsized) a capsized dinghy.

2. [with obj.] — cause (a boat) to overturn.

• gale-force gusts capsized the dinghies.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. an instance of capsizing.

• do you know what to do in the event of a capsize?

– origin late 18th cent.: perhaps based on Spanish capuzar ‘sink (a ship) by the head’, from cabo ‘head’ + chapuzar ‘to dive or duck’.

cap sleeve

I. noun

a sleeve extending only a short distance from the shoulder and tapering to nothing under the arm.

II. derivatives

cap-sleeved

adjective

capstan /ˈkapst(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a broad revolving cylinder with a vertical axis used for winding a rope or cable, powered by a motor or pushed round by levers.

2. the motor-driven spindle on a tape recorder that makes the tape travel past the head at constant speed.

– origin late Middle English: from Provençal cabestan, from cabestre ‘halter’, from Latin capistrum, from capere ‘seize’.

capstan lathe

noun

a lathe with a revolving tool holder that enables several tools to be permanently mounted on it.

capstone /ˈkapstəʊn/

noun

1. a stone fixed on top of something, typically a wall.

• ‹figurative› our time might be merely the capstone to the age of humankind.

2. [Archaeology] a large flat stone forming a roof over the chamber of a megalithic tomb.

capsule /ˈkapsjuːl, ˈkapsjʊl/

I. noun

1. a small case or container, especially a round or cylindrical one.

• he showed us the cylinder of the gun filled with six plastic capsules.

2. a small soluble case of gelatin containing a dose of medicine, swallowed whole.

3. short for space capsule.

4. [Anatomy] a tough sheath or membrane that encloses an organ or other structure in the body, such as a kidney or a synovial joint.

5. [Biology] a gelatinous layer forming the outer surface of some bacterial cells.

6. the foil or plastic covering the cork of a wine bottle.

7. [Botany] a dry fruit that releases its seeds by bursting open when ripe, such as a pea pod.

8. [Botany] the spore-producing structure of mosses and liverworts, typically borne on a stalk.

9. [as modifier] — (of a piece of writing) shortened but retaining the essence of the original; condensed

• a capsule review of the movie.

10. (of a collection of clothing) consisting of a relatively small set of key items

• a capsule wardrobe.

II. derivatives

1. capsular /ˈkapsjuːlə /

adjective

2. capsulate

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘small container’): via French from Latin capsula, diminutive of capsa (see case^2).

capsulize capsulise

verb — [with obj.]

1. put (information) in condensed form; summarize.

• he was able to capsulize views on the referendum.

Capt. /ˈkaptɪn/

abbreviation

Captain.

captain /ˈkaptɪn/

I. noun

1. the person in command of a ship.

• he found a vessel whose captain was prepared to sign him on.

2. the pilot in command of a civil aircraft.

• aircraft captains are entitled to deny boarding to passengers under the influence of drugs.

3. a rank of naval officer above commander and below commodore.

4. a rank of officer in the army and in the US and Canadian air forces, above lieutenant and below major.

5. the leader of a team, especially in sports.

• the cup was presented to the winning team's captain.

6. a powerful or influential person in a particular field

• a captain of industry.

7. (Brit.) a head boy or girl in a school.

• he did very well academically, becoming school captain.

8. (N. Amer.) a supervisor of waiters or bellboys.

9. (in the US) a police officer in charge of a precinct, ranking below a chief.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. be the captain of (a ship, aircraft, or sports team).

• all the boats are captained by professional sailors.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘chief or leader’): from Old French capitain (superseding earlier chevetaigne ‘chieftain’), from late Latin capitaneus ‘chief’, from Latin caput, capit- ‘head’.

Captain Cook

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹rhyming slang› a look

• we decided to take a Captain Cook at the next hotel.

– origin 1920s: from Cook, Captain James, the English explorer who first charted Australia and New Zealand.

Captain Cooker

I. noun

(NZ) a wild boar.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Captain J. Cook (see Cook, Captain James), who brought domesticated pigs (from which the wild boar is supposedly descended) to New Zealand.

captaincy /ˈkaptənsi/

noun

the position or period of command over a team, ship, or aircraft

• she gracefully declined the captaincy

• he still had time to enjoy his brief captaincy of the team.

captain general

noun

an honorary rank of senior officer in the British army, most commonly in an artillery regiment.

captain's chair

noun

a wooden chair with a back that curves round to form armrests.

captain's table

noun

(on a ship) the dining table presided over by the captain, at which high-ranking crew or invited guests may also sit

• the couple were invited to eat at the captain's table, with the chef providing a special meal.

captan /ˈkapt(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic fungicide and insecticide derived from a mercaptan.

captcha /ˈkaptʃə / CAPTCHA

I. noun

a computer program or system intended to distinguish human from machine input, typically as a way of thwarting spam and automated extraction of data from websites.

– origin early 21st cent.: acronym from Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.

caption /ˈkapʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a title or brief explanation accompanying an illustration, cartoon, or poster.

• he designed a series of posters with the caption: ‘No One is Innocent’.

2. a piece of text appearing on a cinema or television screen as part of a film or broadcast.

• the programme has a closing caption thanking the university for its cooperation.

3. [Law] the heading of a legal document.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide (an illustration) with a title or explanation
[with two objs]

• the photograph was captioned ‘Three little maids’.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘seizing, capture’): from Latin captio(n-), from capere ‘take, seize’. Early senses ‘arrest’ and ‘warrant for arrest’ gave rise to ‘statement of where, when, and by whose authority a warrant was issued’ (late 17th cent.): this was usually appended to a legal document, hence the sense ‘heading or accompanying wording’ (late 18th cent.).

captious /ˈkapʃəs/

I. adjective

‹formal› tending to find fault or raise petty objections

• a captious teacher.

II. derivatives

1. captiously /ˈkapʃəsli /

adverb

2. captiousness /ˈkapʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘intended to deceive someone’): from Old French captieux or Latin captiosus, from captio(n-) ‘seizing’, (figuratively) ‘deceiving’ (see caption).

captivate /ˈkaptɪveɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. attract and hold the interest and attention of; charm

• he was captivated by her beauty.

II. derivatives

captivation /kaptɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from late Latin captivat- ‘taken captive’, from the verb captivare, from captivus (see captive).

captivating /ˈkaptɪveɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

capable of attracting and holding interest; charming

• a captivating smile.

II. derivatives

captivatingly

adverb

captive /ˈkaptɪv/

I. noun

a person who has been taken prisoner or an animal that has been confined.

• the policeman put a pair of handcuffs on the captive.

II. adjective

1. imprisoned or confined

• the farm was used to hold prisoners of war captive

• a captive animal.

2. [ attrib.] — having no freedom to choose alternatives or to avoid something

• advertisements at the cinema reach a captive audience.

3. (of a facility or service) controlled by, and typically for the sole use of, an organization

• a captive power plant.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin captivus, from capere ‘seize, take’.

captive balloon

noun

a lighter-than-air balloon secured by a rope to the ground, used to carry radar equipment or for parachute jumps.

captivity /kapˈtɪvɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the condition of being imprisoned or confined

• he was released after 865 days in captivity

• the third month of their captivity passed.

2. ( the Captivity) — short for Babylonian Captivity.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin captivitas, from captivus ‘taken captive’ (see captive).

captor /ˈkaptə/

I. noun

a person that catches or confines another.

• he managed to escape from his captors two nights later.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, from capt- ‘seized, taken’, from the verb capere.

capture /ˈkaptʃə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take into one's possession or control by force

• the island was captured by Australian forces in 1914.

2. (in chess and other board games) make a move that secures the removal of (an opposing piece) from the board.

• Black cannot capture the knight.

3. [Astronomy] (of a star, planet, or other celestial body) bring (a less massive body) permanently within its gravitational influence.

• Jupiter's gravity captured a small percentage of these planetesimals.

4. record accurately in words or pictures

• she did a series of sketches, trying to capture all his moods.

5. cause (data) to be stored in a computer.

• these allow users to capture, edit, and display geographic data.

6. [Physics] absorb (an atomic or subatomic particle).

• the free electrons were moving too rapidly to be captured by nuclei.

7. (of a stream) divert the upper course of (another stream) by encroaching on its catchment area.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of capturing or of being captured

• the capture of the city

• he was killed while resisting capture.

2. [ count noun] — a person or thing that has been captured.

• ‹figurative› the player was a £2,200 capture from another team.

III. phrases

capture someone's imagination (or attention)

fascinate someone

• the project has captured the imagination of the local public.

IV. derivatives

capturer

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a noun): from French, from Latin captura, from capt- ‘seized, taken’, from the verb capere.

Capuchin /ˈkapʊtʃɪn/

I. noun

1. a friar belonging to a branch of the Franciscan order that observes a strict rule drawn up in 1529.

2. a cloak and hood formerly worn by women.

3. ( capuchin or capuchin monkey) — a South American monkey with a cap of hair on the head which has the appearance of a cowl.
●Genus Cebus, family Cebidae: four species.

4. ( capuchin) — a pigeon of a breed with head and neck feathers resembling a cowl.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete French, earlier form of capucin, from Italian cappuccino, from cappuccio ‘hood, cowl’, from cappa (see cape^1), the friars being so named because of their sharp-pointed hoods.

capybara /ˌkapɪˈbɑːrə/

I. noun

a South American mammal that resembles a giant long-legged guinea pig. It lives in groups near water and is the largest living rodent.
● Hydrochaerus hydrochaeris, the only member of the family Hydrochaeridae.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Spanish capibara or Portuguese capivara, from Tupi capiuára, from capĩ ‘grass’ + uára ‘eater’.

car /kɑː/

I. noun

1. a road vehicle, typically with four wheels, powered by an internal-combustion engine and able to carry a small number of people

• we're going by car

• [as modifier] a car crash.

2. a railway carriage

• the first-class cars.

3. the passenger compartment of a lift, cableway, or balloon.

• he was in the lift when the car stuck.

4. ‹literary› a chariot.

II. derivatives

carful /ˈkɑːfʊl /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘wheeled vehicle’): from Old Northern French carre, based on Latin carrum, carrus, of Celtic origin.

carabao /ˌkarəˈbeɪəʊ/

I. noun

another term for water buffalo.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Spanish, from a local word in the Philippines.

carabid /ˈkarəbɪd/

I. noun

[Entomology] a fast-running beetle of a family ( Carabidae) that comprises the predatory ground beetles.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Carabidae (plural), from Latin carabus, denoting a kind of crab.

carabineer /ˌkarəbɪˈnɪə / carabinier

I. noun

‹historical› a cavalry soldier whose principal weapon was a carbine.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French carabinier, from carabine (see carbine).

carabinero /ˌkarabɪˈnɛːrəʊ/

I. noun

a Spanish or South American frontier guard or customs officer.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘soldier armed with a carbine’.

carabiniere /ˌkarəbɪˈnjɛːri/

I. noun

a member of the Italian paramilitary police.

– origin Italian, literally ‘carabineer’.

caracal /ˈkarəkal/

I. noun

a long-legged lynx-like cat with black tufted ears and a uniform brown coat, native to Africa and western Asia. Also called African lynx.
● Felis caracal, family Felidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French or Spanish, from Turkish karakulak, from kara ‘black’ + kulak ‘ear’ (because of its black ear tufts).

Caracalla /ˌkarəˈkalə/

(188–217), Roman emperor 211–17; born Septimius Bassanius; later called Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Augustus. In 212 he granted Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Roman Empire.

caracara /ˌkarəˈkɑːrə/

I. noun

a large New World bird of prey of the falcon family, with a bare face and a deep bill, feeding largely on carrion.
●Family Falconidae: four genera and several species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish or Portuguese caracará, from Tupi-Guarani, imitating its cry.

Caracas /kəˈrakəs/

the capital of Venezuela; pop. 2,097,400 (est. 2009).

caracole /ˈkarəkəʊl/

I. noun

a half turn to the right or left by a horse.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (of a horse) perform a caracole.

• he danced sideways and then caracoled round the corner of the stables.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French caracole, caracol ‘snail's shell, spiral’.

carafe /kəˈraf, kəˈrɑːf/

I. noun

an open-topped glass flask used for serving wine or water in a restaurant.

• wine is available by glass, bottle, or carafe.

• a carafe of retsina.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Italian caraffa, probably based on Arabic g̣arafa ‘draw water’.

caragana /ˌkarəˈɡɑːnə/

I. noun

a shrub or small tree of the pea family, which is native to central Asia and Siberia and is sometimes planted as an ornamental.
●Genus Caragana, family Leguminosae: several species.

– origin modern Latin, of Turkic origin.

Carajás /ˌkarəˈʒɑːs/

a mining region in north Brazil, the site of one of the richest deposits of iron ore in the world.

caramba /kəˈrambə/

I. exclamation

‹informal› ‹often humorous› an expression of surprise or dismay.

• Ay caramba!

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish.

carambola /ˌkar(ə)mˈbəʊlə/

I. noun

1. a golden-yellow juicy fruit with a star-shaped cross section.
Also called star fruit.

2. the small tropical tree which bears carambolas.
● Averrhoa carambola, family Oxalidaceae.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Portuguese, probably from Marathi karambal.

caramel /ˈkarəm(ə)l, ˈkarəmɛl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. sugar or syrup heated until it turns brown, used as a flavouring or colouring for food or drink

• a gateau frosted with caramel

• [as modifier] caramel ice cream.

2. the light brown colour of caramel.

• the liquid turns a pale caramel.

• [as modifier] a caramel sweater.

3. [ count noun] — a soft toffee made with sugar and butter that have been melted and further heated.

• a jar of caramels.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from Spanish caramelo.

caramelize /ˈkar(ə)məlʌɪz / caramelise

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of sugar or syrup) be converted into caramel.

• continue cooking until the mixture caramelizes.

2. [with obj.] (usu. as adj. caramelized) — cook (food) with sugar so that it becomes coated with caramel.

• tagliatelle with caramelized onions.

II. derivatives

caramelization

noun

caramelly /ˈkarəm(ə)li, ˈkarəmɛli / caramely

adjective

tasting or smelling of caramel

• a rich, caramelly flavour.

carangid /kəˈrandʒɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a marine fish of the jack family ( Carangidae), whose members typically have a sloping forehead and two dorsal fins.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Carangidae (plural), from the genus name Caranx.

carapace /ˈkarəpeɪs/

I. noun

the hard upper shell of a tortoise, crustacean, or arachnid.

• ‹figurative› under her carapace of self-confidence she was very sensitive to criticism.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Spanish carapacho, of unknown origin.

carat /ˈkarət/

I. noun

1. a unit of weight for precious stones and pearls, equivalent to 200 milligrams

• a half-carat diamond ring.

2. ( also karat) — (US) a measure of the purity of gold, pure gold being 24 carats

• 23-carat gold.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from French, from Italian carato, from Arabic qīrāṭ (a unit of weight), from Greek keration ‘fruit of the carob’ (also denoting a unit of weight), diminutive of keras ‘horn’, with reference to the elongated seed pod of the carob.

Caratacus /kəˈratəkəs / Caractacus

(1st century AD), British chieftain, son of Cymbeline. He took part in the resistance to the Roman invasion of AD 43.

Caravaggio /ˌkarəˈvadʒɪəʊ, Italian karaˈvaddʒo/

I. ( c. 1571–1610), Italian painter; full name Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. An influential figure in the transition from late Mannerism to Baroque, he made use of naturalistic realism and dramatic light and shade.

II. derivatives

Caravaggesque /ˌkarəvaˈdʒɛsk /

adjective

caravan /ˈkarəvan, karəˈvan/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a vehicle equipped for living in, typically towed by a car and used for holidays.

• they spent a fishing holiday in a caravan.

• [as modifier] a caravan holiday.

2. a covered horse-drawn wagon

• a Gypsy caravan.

3. (N. Amer.) a covered lorry.

4. ‹historical› a group of people, especially traders or pilgrims, travelling together across a desert in Asia or North Africa.

5. any large group of people, typically with vehicles or animals, travelling together in single file

• a caravan of cars and trucks.

– origin late 15th cent. (in sense 2): from French caravane, from Persian kārwān. The sense ‘covered horse-drawn wagon’ dates from the early 19th cent.

caravanette /karəvaˈnɛt/

noun

(Brit.) a motor vehicle with a rear compartment equipped for living in.

caravanning /ˈkarəvanɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the activity of spending a holiday in a caravan.

• caravanning and camping are her favourite ways of getting away from it all.

II. derivatives

caravanner /ˈkarəvanə /

noun

caravanserai /ˌkarəˈvansərʌɪ, ˌkarəˈvansəri / ‹US› caravansary

I. noun

1. ‹historical› an inn with a central courtyard for travellers in the desert regions of Asia or North Africa.

2. a group of people travelling together; a caravan.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Persian kārwānsarāy, from kārwān ‘caravan’ + sarāy ‘palace’.

caravan site caravan park

noun

(Brit.) an area where caravans may be parked and used for holidays or as permanent homes.

caravel /ˈkarəvɛl / carvel

I. noun

‹historical› a small, fast Spanish or Portuguese sailing ship of the 15th–17th centuries.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French caravelle, from Portuguese caravela, diminutive of caravo, via Latin from Greek karabos ‘horned beetle’ or ‘light ship’.

caraway /ˈkarəweɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also caraway seed) — the seeds of a plant of the parsley family, used for flavouring and as a source of oil.

2. the white-flowered Mediterranean plant which bears caraway seeds.
● Carum carvi, family Umbelliferae.

– origin Middle English: from medieval Latin carui, from Arabic al-karāwiyā, probably from Greek karon ‘cumin’.

carb^1 /kɑːb/

noun

short for carburettor.

carb^2 /kɑːb/

I. noun — ( carbs)

1.

• all of our products are naturally low in carbs

• [as modifier] consumers are really watching their carb intake.

– origin 1980s: short for carbohydrate.

carbamate /ˈkɑːbəmeɪt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester containing the anion NH_2COO− or the group —OOCNH_2, derived from the hypothetical compound carbamic acid.
[with modifier]

• ethyl carbamate.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from carbamic (from carbo- + amide + -ic) + -ate^1.

carbamazepine /ˌkɑːbəˈmeɪzɪpiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic compound of the benzodiazepine class, used as an anticonvulsant and analgesic drug.

– origin 1960s: from carbo- + amide, on the pattern of benzodiazepine.

carbanion /kɑːˈbanʌɪən/

noun

[Chemistry] an organic anion in which the negative charge is located on a carbon atom.

carbaryl /ˈkɑːbərʌɪl, ˈkɑːbərɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic insecticide used to protect crops and in the treatment of fleas and lice.
●Chem. formula: C_12H_11NO_2.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from carbamate + -yl.

carbazole /ˌkɑːbəˈzəʊl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless crystalline substance obtained from coal tar, used in dye production.
●Chem. formula: C_12H_9N.

– origin late 19th cent.: from carbo- + azo- + -ole.

carbene /ˈkɑːbiːn/

noun

[Chemistry] a highly reactive molecule containing a divalent carbon atom, examples of which occur as intermediates in some organic reactions.

carbide /ˈkɑːbʌɪd/

noun

1. [Chemistry] a binary compound of carbon with an element of lower or comparable electronegativity.

• tungsten carbide.

• a large number of carbides were noted.

2. [ mass noun] — [Chemistry] calcium carbide (CaC_2), used to generate acetylene by reaction with water and formerly used in portable lamps
[as modifier]

• a carbide lamp.

carbie /ˈkɑːbi/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a carburettor

• it's had new rear springs and a new carbie.

– origin 1930s: abbreviation.

carbine /ˈkɑːbʌɪn/

I. noun

1. a light automatic rifle.

2. ‹historical› a short rifle or musket used by cavalry.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French carabine, from carabin ‘mounted musketeer’, of unknown origin.

carbo-

combining form

representing carbon.

carbocation /ˌkɑːbə(ʊ)ˈkatʌɪən/

I. noun

[Chemistry] another term for carbonium ion.

– origin 1950s: from carbo- + cation.

carbohydrate /kɑːbəˈhʌɪdreɪt/

I. noun

1. any of a large group of organic compounds occurring in foods and living tissues and including sugars, starch, and cellulose. They contain hydrogen and oxygen in the same ratio as water (2:1) and typically can be broken down to release energy in the animal body

• water-soluble carbohydrates

• [ mass noun] dehydrated foods high in carbohydrate.

• [as modifier] carbohydrate metabolism.

2. food consisting of or containing a lot of carbohydrates

• before the event I will starve myself of carbohydrates and eat a lot of protein

• [ mass noun] make sure you feed them lots of carbohydrate.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from carbo- + hydrate.

carbolic /kɑːˈbɒlɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also carbolic acid) — phenol, especially when used as a disinfectant.

2. (also carbolic soap) — disinfectant soap containing phenol.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from carbo- + -ol + -ic.

carbo-load

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› consume a large quantity of carbohydrates, especially in order to increase stores of glycogen in the muscles before taking part in a sporting event

• I went to this place a while ago, to carbo-load for the triathlon

• it's not unusual for athletes to start carbo-loading in the week leading up to the race.

– origin 1980s: from carbohydrate + load.

car bomb

I. noun

a bomb concealed in or under a parked car, used especially by terrorists.

II. verb

( car-bomb) [with obj.] — attack with a car bomb.

• in 1983 the American Embassy was car-bombed.

III. derivatives

car bomber

noun

carbon /ˈkɑːb(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (Symbol: C)[ mass noun] — the chemical element of atomic number 6, a non-metal which has two main forms (diamond and graphite) and which also occurs in impure form in charcoal, soot, and coal.

2. [usu. as modifier] — carbon fibre

• a bike with a carbon frame.

3. [ count noun] — a rod of carbon in an arc lamp.

4. [ count noun] — a piece of carbon paper or a carbon copy.

5. carbon dioxide or other gaseous carbon compounds released into the atmosphere, associated with climate change

• the level of carbon in the atmosphere has been consistently rising

• [as modifier] fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions continued to rise.

Compounds of carbon (organic compounds) form the physical basis of all living organisms. Carbon atoms are able to link with each other and with other atoms to form chains and rings, and an infinite variety of carbon compounds exist.

II. derivatives

carbonless

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: from French carbone, from Latin carbo, carbon- ‘coal, charcoal’.

carbon-12

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the commonest natural carbon isotope, of mass 12. It is the basis for the accepted scale of atomic mass units.

carbon-14

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a long-lived naturally occurring radioactive carbon isotope of mass 14, used in carbon dating and as a tracer in biochemistry.

carbonaceous /ˌkɑːbəˈneɪʃəs/

adjective

(chiefly of rocks or sediments) consisting of or containing carbon or its compounds.

carbonado /ˌkɑːbəˈneɪdəʊ/

I. noun

a dark opaque diamond, used in abrasives and cutting tools.
Also called black diamond.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Portuguese.

carbonara /ˌkɑːbəˈnɑːrə/

I. adjective

denoting a pasta sauce made with bacon or ham, egg, and cream
[ postpositive]

• spaghetti carbonara.

– origin Italian, literally ‘charcoal kiln’, perhaps influenced by carbonata, a dish of charcoal-grilled salt pork.

carbonate /ˈkɑːbəneɪt/

I. noun

a salt of the anion CO_32−, typically formed by reaction of carbon dioxide with bases.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. dissolve carbon dioxide in (a liquid).

2. [Chemistry] convert into a carbonate, typically by reaction with carbon dioxide.

III. derivatives

carbonation /ˌkɑːbəˈneɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

carbonated /ˈkɑːbəneɪtɪd/

adjective

(of a soft drink) effervescent on account of containing dissolved carbon dioxide.

carbonatite /kɑːˈbɒnətʌɪt/

noun

[Geology] a lava or other igneous rock composed chiefly of carbonates rather than silicates.

• unusual magmas such as carbonatites.

• [ mass noun] carbonatite is rich in calcium carbonate.

carbon black

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fine carbon powder used as a pigment, made by burning hydrocarbons in insufficient air.

carbon capture and storage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of trapping carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels or other chemical or biological process and storing it in such a way that it is unable to affect the atmosphere.

carbon copy

noun

1. a copy of written or typed material made with carbon paper.

• the files were filled with carbon copies.

2. a person or thing identical or very similar to another

• the children were carbon copies of their father.

carbon credit

noun

a permit which allows a country or organization to produce a certain amount of carbon emissions and which can be traded if the full allowance is not used.

carbon cycle

noun

1. the series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment, involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels.

2. [Astronomy] the cycle of thermonuclear reactions believed to occur in stars, in which carbon nuclei are repeatedly formed and broken down in the conversion of hydrogen into helium.

carbon-date

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. determine the age or date of (organic matter) from the relative proportions of the carbon isotopes carbon-12 and carbon-14 that it contains

• it proved impossible to carbon-date the bone fragment accurately

• a rock painting from Catal Hyuk in Turkey has been carbon-dated to 6200 BC.

II. noun

the age or date of organic matter as determined by the relative proportions of the carbon isotopes carbon-12 and carbon-14 that it contains

• the carbon dates were all in the last 5,000 to 10,000 years.

carbon dating

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the determination of the age or date of organic matter from the relative proportions of the carbon isotopes carbon-12 and carbon-14 that it contains. The ratio between them changes as radioactive carbon-14 decays and is not replaced by exchange with the atmosphere.

carbon debt

noun

the imbalance between the carbon footprint of a particular country, group, person, etc. and any carbon offsetting that has been agreed or undertaken to counteract this.

• burning biomass releases carbon dioxide instantly, while repaying that carbon debt through new tree growth takes years.

carbon dioxide

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a colourless, odourless gas produced by burning carbon and organic compounds and by respiration. It is naturally present in air (about 0.03 per cent) and is absorbed by plants in photosynthesis.
●Chem. formula: CO_2.

carbon disulphide carbon disulfide

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a colourless toxic flammable liquid used as a solvent, especially for rubber and sulphur.
●Chem. formula: CS_2.

carbon fibre

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a material consisting of thin, strong crystalline filaments of carbon, used as a strengthening material, especially in resins and ceramics
[as modifier]

• a carbon-fibre brake disc.

carbon fixation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the incorporation of carbon into organic compounds by living organisms, chiefly by photosynthesis in green plants.

carbon footprint /ˌkɑːbənˈfʊtprɪnt/

noun

the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual, organization, or community.

carbonic /kɑːˈbɒnɪk/

adjective

relating to carbon or its compounds, especially carbon dioxide.

carbonic acid /kɑːbɒnɪkˈasɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a very weak acid formed in solution when carbon dioxide dissolves in water.
●Chem. formula: H_2CO_3.

carbonic acid gas

noun

archaic term for carbon dioxide.

carbonic anhydrase /anˈhʌɪdreɪz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an enzyme that catalyses the interconversion of dissolved bicarbonates and carbon dioxide.

Carboniferous /ˌkɑːbəˈnɪf(ə)rəs/

adjective

1. [Geology] relating to or denoting the fifth period of the Palaeozoic era, between the Devonian and Permian periods.

2. ( the Carboniferous) [as noun] — [Geology] the Carboniferous period or the system of rocks deposited during it.

The Carboniferous lasted from about 363 to 290 million years ago. During this time the first reptiles and seed-bearing plants appeared, and there were extensive coral reefs and coal-forming swamp forests.

carbonium ion /kɑːˈbəʊnɪəm/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an organic cation in which the positive charge is located on a carbon atom.

– origin early 20th cent.: carbonium from carbo- ‘carbon’, on the pattern of ammonium.

carbonize /ˈkɑːbənʌɪz / carbonise

I. verb

1. convert or be converted into carbon, typically by heating or burning or during fossilization
[with obj.]

• the steak was carbonized on the outside.

2. (usu. as adj. carbonized) — coat with carbon.

II. derivatives

carbonization /kɑːb(ə)nʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

carbon monoxide

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a colourless, odourless toxic flammable gas formed by incomplete combustion of carbon.
●Chem. formula: CO.

carbonnade /ˌkɑːbəˈnɑːd, ˌkɑːbəˈneɪd/

I. noun

a rich beef stew made with onions and beer.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting a piece of meat or fish cooked on hot coals): from French, from Latin carbo, -onis ‘coal, charcoal’.

carbon-neutral

adjective

making or resulting in no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, especially as a result of carbon offsetting.

carbon offsetting /ˌkɑːbənˈɒfsɛtɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the counteracting of carbon dioxide emissions with an equivalent reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

carbon paper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. thin paper coated with carbon or another pigmented substance, used for making a second impression of a document as it is being written or typed.

carbon sequestration

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a natural or artificial process by which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and held in solid or liquid form.

carbon sink

noun

[Ecology] a forest, ocean, or other natural environment viewed in terms of its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

carbon steel

noun — [ mass noun]

1. steel in which the main alloying element is carbon.

carbon tax

noun

a tax on fossil fuels, especially those used by motor vehicles, intended to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide.

carbon tetrachloride

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a colourless toxic volatile liquid used as a solvent, especially for fats and oils.
●Chem. formula: CCl_4.

carbon trading

noun

another term for emissions trading.

carbonyl /ˈkɑːbənʌɪl, ˈkɑːbənɪl/

noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting the divalent radical CO, present in such organic compounds as aldehydes, ketones, amides, and esters, and in organic acids as part of the carboxyl group

• carbonyl compounds.

2. [ count noun] — [Chemistry] a coordination compound in which one or more carbon monoxide molecules are bonded as neutral ligands to a central metal atom

• nickel carbonyl.

carbonyl chloride

noun

another term for phosgene.

car boot sale

noun

(Brit.) an outdoor sale at which people sell unwanted possessions, typically from the boots of their cars.

carborundum /ˌkɑːbəˈrʌndəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a very hard black solid consisting of silicon carbide, used as an abrasive.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally US, as a trademark): blend of carbon and corundum.

carboxyhaemoglobin /kɑːˌbɒksɪˌhiːməˈɡləʊbɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound formed in the blood by the binding of carbon monoxide to haemoglobin. It is stable and therefore cannot absorb or transport oxygen.

carboxyl /kɑːˈbɒksʌɪl, kɑːˈbɒksɪl / carboxy

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting the acid radical —COOH, present in most organic acids

• the carboxyl group.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from carbo- + ox- ‘oxygen’ + -yl.

carboxylase /kɑːˈbɒksɪleɪz/

noun

[Biochemistry] an enzyme which catalyses the addition of a carboxyl group to a specified substrate.

carboxylate /kɑːˈbɒksɪleɪt / ‹Chemistry›

I. noun

a salt or ester of a carboxylic acid.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. add a carboxyl group to (a compound)
(as adj. carboxylated)

• carboxylated polysaccharides.

III. derivatives

carboxylation

noun

carboxylic acid /ˌkɑːbɒkˈsɪlɪk/

noun

[Chemistry] an organic acid containing a carboxyl group. The simplest examples are methanoic (or formic) acid and ethanoic (or acetic) acid.

carboy /ˈkɑːbɔɪ/

I. noun

a large globular glass bottle with a narrow neck, typically protected by a frame and used for holding acids or other corrosive liquids.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Persian qarāba ‘large glass flagon’.

carbuncle /ˈkɑːbʌŋk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a severe abscess or multiple boil in the skin, typically infected with staphylococcus bacteria.

2. a bright red gem, in particular a garnet cut en cabochon.

II. derivatives

carbuncular /kɑːˈbʌŋkjʊlə /

adjective

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French charbuncle, from Latin carbunculus ‘small coal’, from carbo ‘coal, charcoal’.

carburation /ˌkɑːbjʊˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of mixing air with a fine spray of liquid hydrocarbon fuel, as in an internal-combustion engine.

– origin late 19th cent.: from archaic carburet ‘combine or charge with a hydrocarbon’ + -ation.

carburetted ‹US› carbureted

I. adjective

(of a vehicle or engine) having fuel supplied through a carburettor, rather than an injector.

– origin early 19th cent.: from archaic carburet ‘carbide’ + -ed^2.

carburettor /kɑːbjʊˈrɛtə, kɑːbeˈrɛtə / ‹US› carburetor

I. noun

a device in an internal-combustion engine for mixing air with a fine spray of liquid fuel.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from archaic carburet ‘combine or charge with a hydrocarbon’ + -or^1.

carburize /ˈkɑːbjʊrʌɪz, ˈkɑːbərʌɪz / carburise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. add carbon to (iron or steel), in particular by heating in the presence of carbon to harden the surface.

II. derivatives

carburization /kɑːbjʊrʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n, kɑːbərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French carbure ‘carbide’ + -ize.

carcade /ˈkɑːkeɪd/

I. noun

(Indian) a procession of motor vehicles, typically carrying and escorting a famous or important person

• roads to be used by the PM's carcade were cordoned off and placed in the restricted area category.

– origin 1960s: on the pattern of motorcade.

carcajou /ˈkɑːkədʒuː, ˈkɑːkəʒuː/

I. noun

North American term for wolverine.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Canadian French, apparently of Algonquian origin (compare with kinkajou).

car camping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a type of camping which involves driving rather than walking to a campsite

• backpacking gear is lighter weight than gear intended for car camping.

carcanet /ˈkɑːkənɛt/

I. noun

‹archaic› a necklace or ornamental collar, typically made of gold or set with jewels.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French carcan ‘iron collar’ + -et^1.

carcass /ˈkɑːkəs / ‹Brit.› carcase

I. noun

1. the dead body of an animal.

• she saw the mud-covered carcass of a sheep.

2. the trunk of an animal such as a cow, sheep, or pig, for cutting up as meat.

• the carcass has a high proportion of meat to bone.

3. the remains of a cooked bird after all the edible parts have been removed.

4. ‹humorous› a person's body, living or dead

• my obsession will last while there's life in this old carcass.

5. the structural framework of a building, ship, or piece of furniture.

6. the remains of something

• automotive carcasses stripped of radios, hubcaps and even body panels.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French carcois, variant of Old French charcois; in later use from French carcasse; of unknown ultimate origin.

carcass meat

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) raw meat as distinct from corned or tinned meat.

Carcassonne /ˌkɑːkəˈsɒn, French kaʀkasɔn/

a walled city in SW France; pop. 48,212 (2006).

carceral /ˈkɑːs(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹literary› relating to a prison.

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin carceralis, from carcer ‘prison’.

Carchemish /ˈkɑːkɪmɪʃ/

an ancient city on the upper Euphrates, north-east of Aleppo.

carcinogen /kɑːˈsɪnədʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

a substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from an abbreviation of carcinoma + -gen.

carcinogenesis /ˌkɑːs(ɪ)nəˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the initiation of cancer formation.

carcinogenic /ˌkɑːs(ɪ)nəˈdʒɛnɪk/

I. adjective

having the potential to cause cancer.

II. derivatives

carcinogenicity

noun

carcinoid /ˈkɑːsɪnɔɪd/

I. noun

[Medicine] a tumour of a type occurring in the glands of the intestine (especially the appendix) or in the bronchi, and sometimes secreting hormones.

– origin late 19th cent.: from an abbreviation of carcinoma + -oid.

carcinoma /ˌkɑːsɪˈnəʊmə/

I. noun

a cancer arising in the epithelial tissue of the skin or of the lining of the internal organs.

II. derivatives

carcinomatous

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: via Latin from Greek karkinōma, from karkinos ‘crab’ (compare with cancer).

carcinomatosis /ˌkɑːsɪnəʊməˈtəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the widespread dissemination of carcinoma in the body.

car club

noun

(Brit.) a group of people who have an arrangement for sharing a car or cars

• if you only need a car occasionally, why not see if there is a car club in your area?

car coat

noun

a short, square-cut style of coat designed to be worn when driving a car.

car crash

noun

1. an instance of a car colliding with another vehicle or with an object

• he was killed in a car crash.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) a chaotic or disastrous situation that holds a ghoulish fascination for observers

• her life is turning into a car crash

• [as modifier] a classic piece of car-crash television.

card^1 /kɑːd/

I. noun

1. a piece of thick, stiff paper or thin pasteboard, in particular one used for writing or printing on

• some notes jotted down on a card

• [ mass noun] a piece of card.

2. a card printed with a picture and used to send a message or greeting

• a birthday card.

3. a card with a person's name and other details printed on it for purposes of identification, for example a business card.

• a membership card entitled you to library services.

• she dug into her bag and produced her card.

4. (in soccer and some other games) a yellow or red card shown by the referee to a player who is being cautioned or sent off

• the ref will have his cards at the ready to enforce the rule of law.

5. a small rectangular piece of plastic containing personal data in a machine-readable form and used to obtain cash or credit or to pay for a telephone call, gain entry to a room or building, etc.

• your card cannot be used to withdraw more than your daily limit from cash machines.

• she paid for the goods with her card.

6. a playing card

• a pack of cards.

7. ( cards) — a game played with playing cards.

• they were playing interminable cards.

8. [Computing] short for expansion card.

9. ( cards) — (Brit.) ‹informal› documents relating to an employee, especially for tax and national insurance, held by the employer.

10. a programme of events at a race meeting.

• a nine-race card.

11. a record of scores in a sporting event; a scorecard.

12. ‹informal› ‹dated› a person regarded as odd or amusing

• He laughed: ‘You're a card, you know’.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. write (something) on a card, especially for indexing.

2. ‹informal› (in golf and other sports) score (a certain number of points on a scorecard)

• he carded 68 in the final round.

3. (of the referee in soccer and some other games) show a yellow or red card to (a player who is being cautioned or sent off)

• Reid, seconds after being carded, broke down the left wing

• a Mac flanker was carded and sent to the sin bin in the first half.

4. (N. Amer.) check the identity card of (someone), in particular as evidence of legal drinking age.

• we were carded at the entrance to the club.

5. ( be carded) — (Canadian) (of an amateur athlete) be in receipt of government funding to pursue training.

• in 1986–7 all carded athletes received a basic $450 monthly allowance.

III. phrases

1. a card up one's sleeve

a plan or asset that is kept secret until it is needed.

• the alliances have been the key card up our sleeve.

2. get one's cards

(Brit.) ‹informal› be dismissed from one's employment.

• he got his cards on his 50th birthday.

3. give someone their cards

(Brit.) ‹informal› dismiss someone from employment.

• the firm has just given 74,000 workers their cards.

4. hold all the cards

be in a very strong or advantageous position.

• he held all the cards and made all the decisions.

5. on ( ‹or N. Amer.› in) the cards

(Brit.) ‹informal› possible or likely

• our marriage has been on the cards from day one.

6. play (or use) the —— card

exploit the specified issue or idea mentioned, especially for political advantage

• he resisted the temptation to play the race card

• the government tried to play the nationalist card.

7. play one's cards right

make the best use of one's assets and opportunities.

• you have a chance of success if you play your cards right.

8. put (or lay) one's cards on the table

be completely open and honest in declaring one's resources, intentions, or attitude.

• I would have a confrontation with him and put my cards on the table.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 3 of the noun): from Old French carte, from Latin carta, charta, from Greek khartēs ‘papyrus leaf’.

card^2 /kɑːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. comb and clean (raw wool, hemp fibres, or similar material) with a sharp-toothed instrument in order to disentangle the fibres before spinning.

• the wool from the sheep was carded and spun.

II. noun

a toothed implement or machine for carding wool.

III. derivatives

carder /ˈkɑːdə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French carde, from Provençal carda, from cardar ‘tease, comb’, based on Latin carere ‘to card’.

Card.

abbreviation

Cardinal.

cardamom /ˈkɑːdəməm / cardamon

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the aromatic seeds of a plant of the ginger family, used as a spice and also medicinally.

2. the SE Asian plant which bears cardamom seeds.
● Elettaria cardamomum, family Zingiberaceae.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cardamome or Latin cardamomum, from Greek kardamōmon, from kardamon ‘cress’ + amōmon, the name of a kind of spice plant.

Cardamom Mountains

a range of mountains in western Cambodia, rising to a height of 1,813 m (5,886 ft) at its highest point.

cardan joint /ˈkɑːd(ə)n/

I. noun

(Brit.) another term for universal joint.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Gerolamo Cardano (1501–76), Italian mathematician.

cardan shaft /ˈkɑːd(ə)n/

noun

(Brit.) a shaft with a universal joint at one or both ends.

cardboard /ˈkɑːdbɔːd/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — pasteboard or stiff paper
[as modifier]

• a cardboard box.

2. [as modifier] — (of a character in a literary work) lacking depth and realism; artificial

• with its superficial, cardboard characters, the novel was typical of her work.

cardboard city

noun

an urban area where homeless people congregate under makeshift shelters made from cardboard boxes.

card-carrying

adjective

1. registered as a member of a political party or trade union.

• a card-carrying communist.

2. ‹often humorous› confirmed in or dedicated to a specified pursuit or outlook

• a card-carrying pessimist.

card game

noun

a game in which playing cards are used.

cardholder /ˈkɑːdhəʊldə/

noun

a person who has a credit card or debit card.

cardia /ˈkɑːdɪə/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the upper opening of the stomach, where the oesophagus enters.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek kardia.

cardiac /ˈkɑːdɪak/

I. adjective

1. relating to the heart.

2. relating to the part of the stomach nearest the oesophagus.

II. noun

‹informal› a heart attack.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun denoting heart disease): from French cardiaque or Latin cardiacus, from Greek kardiakos, from kardia ‘heart or upper opening of the stomach’. The adjective dates from the early 17th cent.

cardiac arrest

noun

a sudden, sometimes temporary, cessation of the heart's functioning.

cardie /ˈkɑːdi / cardi, cardy

I. noun

‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) a cardigan

• a pink cashmere cardie.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation.

Cardiff /ˈkɑːdɪf/

the capital of Wales, a seaport on the Bristol Channel; pop. 314,100 (est. 2009).
Welsh name Caerdydd.

cardigan /ˈkɑːdɪɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

a knitted jumper fastening down the front.

– origin mid 19th cent. (Crimean War): named after James Thomas Brudenel, 7th Earl of Cardigan (1797–1868), leader of the Charge of the Light Brigade, whose troops first wore such garments.

Cardiganshire

a former county of SW Wales. It became part of Dyfed in 1974; the area became a county once more in 1996, as Ceredigion.

Cardin, Pierre /ˈkɑːdã, French kaʀdɛ̃/

(b.1922), French couturier, the first designer of haute couture to show a collection of clothes for men as well as women.

cardinal /ˈkɑːd(ɪ)n(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a leading dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinals are nominated by the Pope, and form the Sacred College which elects succeeding popes (now invariably from among their own number).

• his appointment as cardinal.

• [as title] the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.

2. (also cardinal red) [ mass noun] — a deep scarlet colour like that of a cardinal's cassock.

3. a New World songbird of the bunting family, having a stout bill and typically a conspicuous crest. The male is partly or mostly red in colour.
●Family Emberizidae, subfamily Cardinalinae (the cardinal grosbeak subfamily): four genera and several species.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. of the greatest importance; fundamental

• two cardinal points must be borne in mind.

III. derivatives

1. cardinalate /ˈkɑːd(ɪ)n(ə)leɪt /

noun

2. cardinally

adverb

3. cardinalship /ˈkɑːd(ɪ)n(ə)lʃɪp /

noun

– origin Old English, from Latin cardinalis, from cardo, cardin- ‘hinge’. Sense 1 of the noun has arisen through the notion of the important function of such priests as ‘pivots’ of church life.

cardinal beetle

noun

a mainly bright red beetle with feathery or comb-like antennae, which typically lives under loose bark.
●Family Pyrochroidae: several genera.

cardinal fish

noun

a small brightly coloured fish found in shallow tropical seas around reefs. The male often broods the eggs in his mouth.
●Family Apogonidae: several genera, in particular Apogon, and numerous species.

cardinal flower

noun

a tall scarlet-flowered lobelia found in North America.
● Lobelia cardinalis, family Campanulaceae.

cardinality /kɑːdɪˈnalɪti/

noun

[Mathematics] the number of elements in a set or other grouping, as a property of that grouping.

cardinal number

noun

a number denoting quantity (one, two, three, etc.), as opposed to an ordinal number (first, second, third, etc.).

cardinal point

noun

each of the four main points of the compass (north, south, east, and west).

cardinal sin

noun

1. (in Christian tradition) any of the seven deadly sins.

2. ‹chiefly humorous› a serious error of judgement

• he committed the cardinal sin of criticizing his teammates.

cardinal virtue

noun

each of the chief moral attributes of scholastic philosophy: justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude.
Compare with theological virtues.

cardinal vowel

noun

[Phonetics] each of a series of vowel sounds used as a standard reference point to assist in the description and classification of vowel sounds in any language.

card index

I. noun

a catalogue or similar collection of information in which each item is entered on a separate card and the cards are arranged in a particular order, typically alphabetical.

II. verb

( card-index) [with obj.] — list on a card index.

carding wool

noun — [ mass noun]

1. short-stapled pieces of wool which result from the carding process, spun and woven to make standard-quality fabrics.
Compare with combing wool.

cardio /ˈkɑːdiəʊ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› cardiovascular exercise.

cardio- /ˈkɑːdɪəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to the heart

• cardiograph

• cardiopulmonary.

– origin from Greek kardia ‘heart’.

cardiogram /ˈkɑːdɪə(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

a record of muscle activity within the heart made by a cardiograph.

cardiograph /ˈkɑːdɪə(ʊ)ɡrɑːf/

I. noun

an instrument for recording heart muscle activity, such as an electrocardiograph.

II. derivatives

1. cardiographer

noun

2. cardiography /kɑːdɪˈɒɡrəfi /

noun

cardioid /ˈkɑːdɪɔɪd/

I. noun

1. [Mathematics] a heart-shaped curve traced by a point on the circumference of a circle as it rolls around another identical circle.

2. (also cardioid microphone) — [Mathematics] a directional microphone with a heart-shaped pattern of sensitivity.

II. adjective

of the shape of a cardioid.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Greek kardioeidēs ‘heart-shaped’, from kardia ‘heart’ + eidos ‘form’.

cardiologist /ˌkɑːdɪˈɒlədʒɪst/

noun

a doctor who specializes in the study or treatment of heart diseases and heart abnormalities

• if you have chest pains I suggest you see a cardiologist.

cardiology /kɑːdɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of medicine that deals with diseases and abnormalities of the heart.

II. derivatives

cardiological /ˌkɑːdɪəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

cardiomegaly /ˌkɑːdɪəʊˈmɛɡəli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormal enlargement of the heart.

– origin 1960s: from cardio- + Greek megas, megal- ‘great’.

cardiomyopathy /ˌkɑːdɪəʊmʌɪˈɒpəθi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] chronic disease of the heart muscle.

cardiopathy /kɑːdɪˈɒpəθi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. heart disease.

cardiopulmonary /ˌkɑːdɪəʊˈpʌlmən(ə)ri/

adjective

[Medicine] relating to the heart and the lungs.

• cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

cardiopulmonary resuscitation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a medical procedure involving repeated cycles of compression of the chest and artificial respiration, performed to maintain blood circulation and oxygenation in a person who has suffered cardiac arrest.

cardiorespiratory /ˌkɑːdɪəʊrɪsˈpɪrət(ə)ri/

adjective

[Medicine] relating to the action of both heart and lungs.

• cardiorespiratory problems.

cardiothoracic

adjective

[Medicine] relating to the heart and chest or lungs.

cardiovascular /ˌkɑːdɪəʊˈvaskjʊlə/

adjective

[Medicine] relating to the heart and blood vessels.

• increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

cardiovascular system

noun

another term for circulatory system.

carditis /kɑːˈdʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the heart.

cardmember /ˈkɑːdmɛmbə/

noun

a holder of a particular credit or charge card.

cardoon /kɑːˈduːn/

I. noun

a tall thistle-like southern European plant related to the globe artichoke, with leaves and roots that may be used as vegetables.
● Cynara cardunculus, family Compositae.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French cardon, from carde ‘edible part of an artichoke’, from modern Provençal cardo, based on Latin carduus, cardus ‘thistle, artichoke’.

cardphone /ˈkɑːdfəʊn/

noun

(Brit.) a public telephone operated by a phonecard rather than coins.

card playing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the playing of card games.

card reader

noun

1. an electronic sensor that reads a magnetic strip or bar code on a credit card, membership card, etc.

2. an electronic device that reads and transfers data from various portable memory storage devices.

card room

noun

1. a room for playing cards.

• a comfortable lounge with TV, card room and bar.

2. a place where gambling games are played.

• many of these gambling terms were collected in the card rooms of California.

card sharp card sharper

noun

a person who cheats at cards in order to win money.

card swipe

noun

an electronic reader through which a credit or charge card or cheque guarantee card is passed in order to record the information it bears
[as modifier]

• a card swipe system.

card table

noun

a table for playing cards on, typically having legs that fold flat for storage and a baize surface.

card vote

noun

(Brit.) another term for block vote.

cardy /ˈkɑːdi / cardie

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› short for cardigan.

care /kɛː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something

• the care of the elderly

• the child is in the care of her grandparents

• health care.

2. (Brit.) protective custody or guardianship provided by a local authority for children whose parents are dead or unable to look after them properly

• she was taken into care

• children in care.

3. serious attention or consideration applied to doing something correctly or to avoid damage or risk

• he planned his departure with great care.

4. [ count noun] — an object of concern or attention

• the cares of family life.

5. [ count noun] — a feeling of or occasion for anxiety

• she was driving along without a care in the world.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. [often with negative] — feel concern or interest; attach importance to something

• they don't care about human life

• [with clause] I don't care what she says.

2. feel affection or liking

• you care very deeply for him.

3. ( care for/to do something) — like or be willing to do or have something

• would you care for some tea?

4. ( care for) — look after and provide for the needs of

• he has numerous animals to care for.

III. phrases

1. care in the community

another term for community care.

2. care of

at the address of

• write to me care of Ann.

3. I (or he, she, etc.) couldn't ( also ‹N. Amer. informal› could) care less

‹informal› used to express complete indifference

• he couldn't care less about football

• [as adj.] I started to get irritated by this couldn't-care-less attitude.

4. for all you care (or he, she, etc. cares)

‹informal› used to indicate that someone feels no interest or concern

• I could drown for all you care.

5. have a care

[often in imperative] — ‹dated› be cautious

• ‘Have a care!’ she warned.

6. take care

a. [often in imperative] — be cautious; keep oneself safe

• take care if you're planning to go out tonight.

b. said to someone on leaving them

• take care, see you soon.

c. [with infinitive] — make sure of doing something

• he would take care to provide himself with an escape clause.

7. take care of

a. keep (someone or something) safe and provided for

• I can take care of myself.

b. deal with

• he has the equipment to take care of my problem.

– origin Old English caru (noun), carian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Old High German chara ‘grief, lament’, charon ‘grieve’, and Old Norse kǫr ‘sickbed’.

care assistant

noun

(Brit.) another term for care worker.

careen /kəˈriːn/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — turn (a ship) on its side for cleaning, caulking, or repair.

2. [no obj.] — (of a ship) tilt; lean over

• a heavy flood tide caused my vessel to careen dizzily.

3. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (chiefly N. Amer.) move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way

• an electric golf cart careened around the corner.

– origin late 16th cent. (as a noun denoting the position of a careened ship): from French carène, from Italian carena, from Latin carina ‘a keel’. Sense 2 was influenced by the verb career.

career /kəˈrɪə/

I. noun

1. an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person's life and with opportunities for progress.

• he seemed destined for a career as an engineer like his father.

2. the time spent by a person in a career

• the end of a distinguished career in the Royal Navy.

3. the progress through history of an institution, organization, etc.

• the court has had a chequered career.

4. [as modifier] — working permanently in or committed to a particular profession

• a career diplomat.

5. [as modifier] — (of a woman) interested in pursuing a profession rather than devoting all her time to childcare and housekeeping

• a career girl.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way

• the coach careered across the road and went through a hedge.

III. phrases

in full career

‹archaic› at full speed.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a road or racecourse): from French carrière, from Italian carriera, based on Latin carrus ‘wheeled vehicle’.

career break

noun

a period of time during which one chooses not to work, typically in order to bring up one's children or pursue other interests

• I had taken a three-year career break to bring up my daughter.

careerist /kəˈrɪərɪst / ‹derogatory›

I. adjective

concerned mainly with advancement in one's profession

• a careerist politician.

II. noun

a careerist person.

• none of the women considered themselves high-powered careerists.

III. derivatives

careerism /kəˈrɪərˌɪz(ə)m /

noun

career structure

noun

(Brit.) a recognized pattern of advancement within a job or profession.

carefree /ˈkɛːfriː/

I. adjective

free from anxiety or responsibility

• we were young and carefree

• the carefree days of the holidays.

II. derivatives

carefreeness

noun

careful /ˈkɛːfʊl, ˈkɛːf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. making sure of avoiding potential danger, mishap, or harm; cautious

• I begged him to be more careful

• be careful not to lose her address.

2. ( careful of/about) — anxious to protect (something) from harm or loss; solicitous

• he was very careful of his reputation.

3. prudent in the use of something, especially money

• his mother had always been careful with money.

4. done with or showing thought and attention

• a careful consideration of the facts.

II. derivatives

carefulness /ˈkɛːfəlnəs /

noun

– origin Old English carful (see care, -ful).

carefully /ˈkɛəf(ə)li/

adverb

in a way that deliberately avoids harm or errors; cautiously

• they must be carefully handled and stored

• he listened carefully to the way people spoke.

caregiver /ˈkɛːɡɪvə/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) another term for carer.

II. derivatives

caregiving

noun, adjective

care home

noun

a small institution providing accommodation and care for people who are unable to look after themselves.

• Mrs Butler is the oldest resident at the care home, where the average age is 86.

care label

noun

a label giving instructions for the washing and care of a fabric or garment.

careless /ˈkɛːləs/

I. adjective

1. not giving sufficient attention or thought to avoiding harm or errors

• she had been careless and had left the window unlocked

• a careless error.

2. (of an action or its result) showing or caused by a lack of attention

• he admitted careless driving

• a careless error.

3. ( careless of/about) — not concerned or worried about

• he was careless of his own safety.

4. showing no interest or effort; casual

• she gave a careless shrug.

– origin Old English carlēas ‘free from care’ (see care, -less).

carelessly /ˈkɛəlɪsli/

adverb

in a casual or reckless way; inattentively

• roadsides are full of litter thrown carelessly by passers-by

• he replied carelessly.

carelessness /ˈkɛːləsnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. failure to give sufficient attention to avoiding harm or errors; negligence

• most road accidents are caused by carelessness on the part of motorists.

careline

noun

(Brit.) a telephone service provided by the manufacturers of a product to deal with queries and complaints from consumers.

care package

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a parcel of food, money, or luxury items sent to a loved one who is away from home for an extended period.

– origin 1940s: from CARE, an acronym from the initial letters of Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe, a relief organization which arranged aid packages after the Second World War.

carer /ˈkɛːrə/

noun

(Brit.) a family member or paid helper who regularly looks after a child or a sick, elderly, or disabled person.

• elderly people and their carers need long-term support.

caress /kəˈrɛs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. touch or stroke gently or lovingly

• she caressed the girl's forehead

• ‹figurative› a gentle breeze caressed his skin

• (as adj. caressing) his caressing touch.

II. noun

a gentle or loving touch.

• she felt the caress of his breath on her cheek.

III. derivatives

caressingly

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French caresser (verb), caresse (noun), from Italian carezza, based on Latin carus ‘dear’.

caret /ˈkarət/

I. noun

a mark (‸, ⁁) placed below the line to indicate a proposed insertion in a text.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘is lacking’.

caretaker /ˈkɛːteɪkə/

I. noun

1. a person employed to look after a building.

• he works as a college caretaker.

2. [as modifier] — holding power temporarily

• the club's caretaker manager.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) a person employed to look after people or animals.

• two lions escaped from their cage and killed their caretaker.

II. derivatives

caretake

verb

care worker

noun

(Brit.) a person employed to support and supervise vulnerable, infirm, or disadvantaged people, or those under the care of the state.

careworn /ˈkɛːwɔːn/

adjective

tired and unhappy because of prolonged worry

• a careworn expression.

carex /ˈkɛːrɛks/

I. noun

a sedge (grass-like plant) of a large genus found chiefly in temperate and cold regions.
●Genus Carex, family Cyperaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Latin, ‘sedge’.

Carey, George /ˈkɛːri/

(b.1935), English Anglican churchman, Archbishop of Canterbury 1991–2002; full name George Leonard Carey.

Carey, Peter /ˈkɛːri/

(b.1943), Australian novelist. He has twice won the Booker Prize, for Oscar and Lucinda (1988) and True History of the Kelly Gang (2001).

carfare /ˈkɑːfɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the fare for travel on a bus, underground train, or similar public transport.

cargo /ˈkɑːɡəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. goods carried on a ship, aircraft, or motor vehicle

• transportation of bulk cargo

• [ count noun] a cargo of oil.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Spanish cargo, carga, from late Latin carricare, carcare ‘to load’, from Latin carrus ‘wheeled vehicle’.

cargo cult

noun

(in the Melanesian Islands) a system of belief based around the expected arrival of ancestral spirits in ships bringing cargoes of food and other goods.

cargo pants

plural noun

loose-fitting casual cotton trousers with large patch pockets halfway down each leg.

carhop /ˈkɑːhɒp/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a waiter or waitress at a drive-in restaurant.

Caria /ˈkɛːrɪə/

I. an ancient region of SW Asia Minor, south of the Maeander River and north-west of Lycia.

II. derivatives

Carian

adjective, noun

cariad /ˈkarɪad/

I. noun

(Welsh) darling; sweetheart

• how's it going, cariad?

– origin Welsh, ‘love’.

Carib /ˈkarɪb/

I. noun

1. a member of an indigenous South American people living mainly in coastal regions of French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, and Venezuela.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Caribs, the only member of the Cariban family of languages still spoken by a substantial number of people (around 20,000).
Also called Galibi.

3. (also Island Carib) [ mass noun] — an unrelated Arawakan language, now extinct, formerly spoken in the Lesser Antilles.
See also Black Carib.

II. adjective

1. relating to the Caribs or their language.

2. relating to Island Carib or Black Carib.

– origin from Spanish caribe, from Haitian Creole. Compare with cannibal.

Cariban /ˈkarɪb(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a family of South American languages scattered widely throughout Brazil, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Venezuela, and Colombia. With the exception of Carib, they are all extinct or have few speakers.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Cariban family of languages.

Caribbean /ˌkarɪˈbiːən, kəˈrɪbɪən/

I. noun — ( the Caribbean)

1. the region consisting of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (including the West Indies), and the surrounding coasts.

II. adjective

relating to the Caribbean.

usage: There are two possible pronunciations of the word Caribbean. The first, more common in British English, puts the stress on the -be-, while the second, found in the US and the Caribbean itself, stresses the -rib-.

Caribbean Community and Common Market CARICOM

an organization established in 1973 to promote cooperation in economic affairs and social services and to coordinate foreign policy among its members, all of which are independent states of the Caribbean region.

Caribbean Sea

the part of the Atlantic Ocean lying between the Antilles and the mainland of Central and South America.

caribou /ˈkarɪbuː/

I. noun

North American term for reindeer.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Canadian French, from Micmac γalipu, literally ‘snow-shoveller’ (because the caribou scrapes away snow to feed on the vegetation underneath).

caricature /ˈkarɪkətjʊə, ˈkarɪkətʃɔː/

I. noun

1. a picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect

• a crude caricature of the Prime Minister

• [ mass noun] there are elements of caricature in the portrayal of the hero.

2. a ludicrous or grotesque version of someone or something

• he looked a caricature of his normal self.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make or give a caricature of

• he was famous enough to be caricatured by Private Eye.

III. derivatives

1. caricatural /ˈkarɪkətʃʊərəl /

adjective

2. caricaturist /ˈkarɪkətʃʊərɪst /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, from Italian caricatura, from caricare ‘load, exaggerate’, from Latin carricare (see charge).

CARICOM /ˈkarɪkɒm/

abbreviation

Caribbean Community and Common Market.

caries /ˈkɛːriːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. decay and crumbling of a tooth or bone.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin.

carillon /ˈkarɪljən, ˈkarɪlɒn, kəˈrɪljən/

I. noun

1. a set of bells played using a keyboard or by an automatic mechanism similar to a piano roll.

2. a tune played on a carillon.

II. derivatives

carillonneur /ˌkarɪljəˈnəː, ˌkaˈrɪlənəː, ˌkərɪləˈnəː /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Old French quarregnon ‘peal of four bells’, based on Latin quattuor ‘four’.

carina /kəˈrʌɪnə, kəˈriːnə/

I. noun

1. [chiefly Biology] a keel-shaped structure, in particular:

2. [chiefly Biology] the ridge of a bird's breastbone, to which the main flight muscles are attached.

3. [chiefly Biology] a cartilage situated at the point where the trachea (windpipe) divides into the two bronchi.

II. derivatives

carinal /kəˈrʌɪnəl /

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin, ‘keel’.

Carina /kəˈrʌɪnə, kəˈriːnə / ‹Astronomy›

I. a southern constellation (the Keel) partly in the Milky Way, originally part of Argo. It contains the second-brightest star in the sky, Canopus.

II. (as genitive Carinae) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Beta Carinae.

– origin Latin.

carinate /ˈkarɪneɪt, ˈkarɪnət/

I. adjective

1. having a keel-like ridge.

2. (of a bird) having a deep ridge on the breastbone for the attachment of flight muscles.
Contrasted with ratite.

II. derivatives

1. carinated

adjective

2. carination

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin carinatus ‘having a keel’, from carina ‘keel’.

caring /ˈkɛːrɪŋ/

I. adjective

displaying kindness and concern for others

• a caring and invaluable friend.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the work or practice of looking after those unable to care for themselves, especially on account of age or illness
[as modifier]

• the caring professions.

III. derivatives

1. caringly

adverb

2. caringness

noun

caring profession

noun

a job that involves looking after other people, such as nursing, teaching, or social work.

Carinthia /kəˈrɪnθɪə/

an Alpine state of southern Austria; capital, Klagenfurt.
German name Kärnten.

Carinthian /kəˈrɪnθɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Alpine Austrian state of Carinthia or its inhabitants

• a trip to the Carinthian countryside.

II. noun

an inhabitant of the Alpine Austrian state of Carinthia

• thanks to their climate and their ancestry, the Carinthians are as a rule very good looking.

Carioca /ˌkarɪˈəʊkə/

I. noun

1. a native of Rio de Janeiro.

2. ( carioca) — a Brazilian dance resembling the samba.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Portuguese, from Tupi kari'oka ‘house of the white man’.

cariogenic /ˌkɛːrɪə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk, ˌkarɪə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

‹technical› causing tooth decay.

carious /ˈkɛːrɪəs/

I. adjective

(of bones or teeth) decayed.

II. derivatives

cariosity

noun

‹rare›

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin cariosus (see caries).

caritas /ˈkarɪtɑːs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. Christian love of humankind; charity.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Latin.

carjacking /ˈkɑːdʒakɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of violently stealing an occupied car.

• carjacking is a big worry.

• [ count noun] the victim of a carjacking.

II. derivatives

1. carjack /ˈkɑːdʒak /

verb

2. carjacker /ˈkɑːdʒakə /

noun

– origin 1990s: blend of car and hijacking.

cark kark

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› die

• he's always bragged about carking it before he hit twenty.

– origin 1970s: probably imitative of the caw of a carrion crow.

carking

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹archaic› causing distress or worry

• her carking doubts.

– origin mid 16th cent.: present participle of Middle English cark ‘worry, burden’, from Old Northern French carkier, based on late Latin carcare (see charge).

carl /kɑːl/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› a peasant or man of low birth.

2. (Scottish) a man; a fellow.

– origin Old English (denoting a peasant or villein): from Old Norse karl ‘man, freeman’, of Germanic origin; related to churl.

Carley float /ˈkɑːli/

I. noun

a large emergency raft carried on board ship, consisting of a buoyant canvas ring with a wooden grid deck.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Horace S. Carley ( fl. 1900), American inventor.

carline^1 /ˈkɑːlɪn / carline thistle

I. noun

a thistle-like European plant with flower heads that bear shiny persistent straw-coloured bracts.
●Genus Carlina, family Compositae: several species.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin carlina, perhaps an alteration of cardina (from Latin carduus ‘thistle’), by association with Carolus Magnus (see Charlemagne), to whom its medicinal properties were said to have been revealed.

carline^2 /ˈkɑːlɪn/

I. noun — (usu. carlines)

1. any of the pieces of squared timber fitted fore and aft between the deck beams of a wooden ship to support the deck planking.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘(old) woman, witch’): from Old Norse karling; the reason for nautical use of the word remains obscure.

Carlisle /kɑːˈlʌɪl/

a city in NW England, the county town of Cumbria; pop. 73,600 (est. 2009).

Carlism /ˈkɑːlɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› a Spanish conservative political movement originating in support of Don Carlos, brother of Fernando VII (died 1833), who claimed the throne in place of Fernando's daughter Isabella. The movement supported the Catholic Church and opposed centralized government; it was revived in support of the Nationalist side during the Spanish Civil War.

II. derivatives

Carlist /ˈkɑːlɪst /

adjective, noun

carload /ˈkɑːləʊd/

noun

1. the number of people that can travel in a car

• a carload of passengers.

2. (N. Amer.) the quantity of goods that can be carried in a railway freight car.

Carlovingian /ˌkɑːlə(ʊ)ˈvɪndʒɪən/

I. adjective, noun

another term for Carolingian.

– origin from French carlovingien, from Karl ‘Charles’, on the pattern of mérovingien ‘Merovingian’.

Carlow /ˈkɑːləʊ/

a county of the Republic of Ireland, in the province of Leinster.

Carlsbad plum /ˈkɑːlzbad/

I. noun

a dessert plum of a blue-black variety, that is often crystallized.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Karlsbad (now Karlovy Vary) in the Czech Republic.

Carlyle, Thomas /kɑːˈlʌɪl/

(1795–1881), Scottish historian and political philosopher. He established his reputation as a historian with his History of the French Revolution (1837). Influenced by German romanticism, many of his works, including Sartor Resartus (1833–4), celebrate the force of the ‘strong, just man’ as against the degraded masses.

carmaker /ˈkɑːmeɪkə/

noun

a company which manufactures cars.

carman /ˈkɑːmən/

noun

‹dated› a driver of a van or cart; a carrier.

Carmarthen /kəˈmɑːðən/

a town in SW Wales, the administrative centre of Carmarthenshire; pop. 16,000 (est. 2009).
Welsh name Caerfyrddin.

Carmarthenshire /kəˈmɑːðənʃ(ɪ)ə/

a county of South Wales; administrative centre, Carmarthen. It was part of Dyfed between 1974 and 1996.

Carmel, Mount /ˈkɑːm(ə)l/

a group of mountains near the Mediterranean coast in NW Israel, sheltering the port of Haifa. In the Bible it is the scene of the defeat of the priests of Baal by the prophet Elijah (I Kings 18).

Carmelite /ˈkɑːmɪlʌɪt/

I. noun

a friar or nun of a contemplative Catholic order founded at Mount Carmel during the Crusades and dedicated to Our Lady.

II. adjective

relating to the Carmelites.

Carmichael, Hoagy /kɑːˈmʌɪk(ə)l/

(1899–1981), American jazz pianist, composer, and singer; born Howard Hoagland Carmichael. His best-known songs include ‘Stardust’ (1929), ‘Two Sleepy People’ (1938), and ‘In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening’ (1951).

carminative /ˈkɑːmɪnətɪv, kɑːˈmɪnətɪv/

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) relieving flatulence.

II. noun

a drug that relieves flatulence.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French carminatif, -ive, or medieval Latin carminat- ‘healed (by incantation)’, from the verb carminare, from Latin carmen (see charm).

carmine /ˈkɑːmʌɪn, ˈkɑːmɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a vivid crimson colour
[as modifier]

• carmine roses.

2. a vivid crimson pigment made from cochineal.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French carmin, based on Arabic qirmiz (see kermes). Compare with crimson.

carn /kɑːn/ c'arn

I. exclamation

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› (at sporting events) a cry intended to urge on a team or player; come on!

• carn you mighty Lions!

– origin 1960s: contraction of the phrase come on!

Carnaby Street /ˈkɑːnəbi/

a street in the West End of London. It became famous in the 1960s as a centre of the popular fashion industry.

Carnac /ˈkɑːnak/

the site in Brittany of nearly 3,000 megalithic stones dating from the Neolithic period.

carnage /ˈkɑːnɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the killing of a large number of people.

• the bombing was timed to cause as much carnage as possible.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, from Italian carnaggio, from medieval Latin carnaticum, from Latin caro, carn- ‘flesh’.

carnal /ˈkɑːn(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to physical, especially sexual, needs and activities

• carnal desire.

II. derivatives

1. carnality /kɑːˈnalɪti /

noun

2. carnally

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Christian Latin carnalis, from caro, carn- ‘flesh’.

carnal knowledge

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› [chiefly Law] sexual intercourse.

carnallite /ˈkɑːn(ə)lʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white or reddish mineral consisting of a hydrated chloride of potassium and magnesium.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Rudolf von Carnall (1804–74), German mining engineer, + -ite^1.

Carnap, Rudolf /ˈkɑːnap/

(1891–1970), German-born American philosopher, a founding member of the Vienna Circle. Notable works: The Logical Structure of the World (1928) and The Logical Foundations of Probability (1950).

carnassial /kɑːˈnasɪəl/

I. adjective

[Zoology] denoting the large upper premolar and lower molar teeth of a carnivore, adapted for shearing flesh.

II. noun

a carnassial tooth.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French carnassier ‘carnivorous’, based on Latin caro, carn- ‘flesh’.

Carnatic /kɑːˈnatɪk/

I. adjective

of or denoting the main style of classical music in southern India, as distinct from the Hindustani music of the north.

• Carnatic music.

– origin Anglicization of Karnataka in SW India.

carnation^1 /kɑːˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a double-flowered cultivated variety of clove pink, with grey-green leaves and showy pink, white, or red flowers.
● Dianthus caryophyllus, family Caryophyllaceae: many cultivars.

– origin late 16th cent.: perhaps based on a misreading of Arabic qaranful ‘clove or clove pink’, from Greek karyophyllon. The early forms suggest confusion with carnation^2, with incarnation, and with coronation.

carnation^2 /kɑːˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a rosy pink colour
[as modifier]

• sage and carnation throw pillows.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French carnation ‘colour of one's flesh’, based on Latin carn- ‘flesh’.

carnauba /kɑːˈnɔːbə, kɑːˈnaʊbə/

I. noun

1. a NE Brazilian fan palm, the leaves of which exude a yellowish wax. Also called wax palm.
● Copernicia cerifera, family Palmae.

2. (also carnauba wax) [ mass noun] — wax from the carnauba palm, used as a polish.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Portuguese, from Tupi.

Carné, Marcel /kɑːˈneɪ, French kaʀne/

(1906–96), French film director. He gained his reputation for the films he made with the poet and scriptwriter Jacques Prévert (1900–77), notably Le Jour se lève (1939) and Les Enfants du paradis (1945).

carne asada /ˌkɑːneɪ əˈsɑːdə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Mexican cooking) beef that has been marinated and grilled, typically served sliced in thin strips as a main course or as a filling in tacos, burritos, etc.

• the carne asada was served exactly the way you'd find it in Mexico.

– origin Spanish, ‘grilled meat’.

Carnegie, Andrew /kɑːˈneɪɡi, ˈkɑːnəɡi/

(1835–1919), Scottish-born American industrialist and philanthropist. He built up a fortune in the steel industry in the US, then retired from business in 1901 and devoted his wealth to charitable purposes, in particular libraries, education, and the arts.

carnelian /kɑːˈniːlɪən / cornelian

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a semi-precious stone consisting of a dull red or reddish-white variety of chalcedony (quartz).
[as modifier]

• carnelian beads.

2. a dull red colour.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French corneline; the prefix car- being suggested by Latin caro, carn- ‘flesh’.

carnet /ˈkɑːneɪ/

I. noun

1. a book of tickets for use on public transport in some countries.

2. a customs permit allowing a motor vehicle to be taken across a frontier for a limited period.

– origin 1920s: from French, ‘notebook’.

carnitas /kɑːˈniːtəz/

I. plural noun

(in Mexican cooking) braised or roasted pork served shredded in small pieces, often as a filling in tacos, burritos, etc.

• there are plenty of street vendors selling everything from hamburgers to tacos filled with carnitas.

– origin Mexican Spanish, literally ‘little pieces of meat’.

carnival /ˈkɑːnɪv(ə)l/

I. noun

1. an annual festival, typically during the week before Lent in Roman Catholic countries, involving processions, music, dancing, and the use of masquerade

• the culmination of the week-long carnival

• [ mass noun] Mardi Gras is the last day of carnival

• [as modifier] a carnival parade.

2. a public event or celebration, typically held outdoors and involving stalls, entertainment, and processions

• children from Wroughton are getting ready for the village carnival.

3. an exciting or riotous mixture of elements

• the film is a visual and aural carnival.

4. (N. Amer.) a travelling funfair or circus.

• he worked at a carnival, climbing Ferris wheels and working 18-hour days.

II. derivatives

carnivalesque

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Italian carnevale, carnovale, from medieval Latin carnelevamen, carnelevarium ‘Shrovetide’, from Latin caro, carn- ‘flesh’ + levare ‘put away’.

Carnivora /kɑːˈnɪvərə/

plural noun

[Zoology] an order of mammals that comprises the cats, dogs, bears, hyenas, weasels, civets, raccoons, and mongooses. They are distinguished by having powerful jaws and teeth adapted for stabbing, tearing, and eating flesh.

carnivore /ˈkɑːnɪvɔː/

I. noun

1. an animal that feeds on other animals.

2. [Zoology] a mammal of the order Carnivora.

3. ‹informal› a person who is not a vegetarian.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Latin carnivorus (see carnivorous).

carnivorous /kɑːˈnɪv(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

1. (of an animal) feeding on other animals.

2. (of a plant) able to trap and digest small animals, especially insects.

II. derivatives

1. carnivorously

adverb

2. carnivorousness

noun

3. carnivory /kɑːˈnɪv(ə)ri /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin carnivorus, from caro, carn- ‘flesh’ + -vorus (see -vorous).

carnosaur /ˈkɑːnəsɔː/

I. noun

a large bipedal carnivorous dinosaur, typically one with greatly reduced forelimbs.
●Infraorder Carnosauria, suborder Theropoda, order Saurischia; includes tyrannosaurus, allosaurus, and megalosaurus.

– origin 1930s: from modern Latin, from Latin caro, carn- ‘flesh’ + Greek sauros ‘lizard’.

Carnot, Nicolas Léonard Sadi /ˈkɑːnəʊ, French kaʀno/

(1796–1832), French scientist. His work in analysing the efficiency of steam engines was posthumously recognized as being of crucial importance to the theory of thermodynamics.

carnotite /ˈkɑːnətʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a lemon-yellow radioactive mineral consisting of hydrated vanadate of uranium, potassium, and other elements.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Marie Adolphe Carnot (1839–1920), French inspector of mines, + -ite^1.

carny^1 /ˈkɑːni / carney

noun

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a carnival or funfair.

• muscular carny men were dismantling the amusement park rides.

• a carny atmosphere.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person who works in a carnival or funfair.

carny^2 /ˈkɑːni / carney

I. adjective

‹informal› ‹dialect› artful; sly.

• Finley's carny approach to baseball.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

carob /ˈkarəb/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a brown floury powder extracted from the carob bean, used as a substitute for chocolate.

2. (also carob tree) — a small evergreen Arabian tree which bears long brownish-purple edible pods. Also called locust tree.
● Ceratonia siliqua, family Leguminosae.

3. (also carob bean) — the edible pod of the carob tree.
Also called locust bean.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the carob bean): from Old French carobe, from medieval Latin carrubia, from Arabic ḵarrūba.

carol /ˈkar(ə)l/

I. noun

a religious folk song or popular hymn, particularly one associated with Christmas

• we sang carols by candlelight.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — sing or say (something) happily
[with direct speech]

• ‘Goodbye,’ he carolled.

2. (as noun carolling) — the activity of singing Christmas carols.

• Christmas carolling.

III. derivatives

caroller /ˈkarələ /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French carole (noun), caroler (verb), of unknown origin.

Carolina duck /ˌkarəˈlʌɪnə/

noun

another term for wood duck.

Carolina parakeet

noun

a small long-tailed parakeet with mainly green plumage and a yellow and orange head. It was formerly common in the eastern US but was exterminated by about 1920.
● Conuropsis carolinensis, family Psittacidae.

Caroline /ˈkarəlʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. (also Carolean) — relating to the reigns of Charles I and II of England

• a Caroline poet.

2. another term for Carolingian.

• Caroline minuscule.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin Carolus ‘Charles’.

Caroline Islands the Carolines

a group of islands in the western Pacific Ocean, north of the equator, divided between the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.

Carolingian /ˌkarəˈlɪndʒɪən / Carlovingian

I. adjective

1. relating to the Frankish dynasty, founded by Charlemagne's father (Pepin III), that ruled in western Europe from 750 to 987.

2. denoting or relating to a style of minuscule script developed in France during the time of Charlemagne, on which modern lower-case letters are largely based.

II. noun

a member of the Carolingian dynasty.

– origin alteration of earlier Carlovingian, by association with medieval Latin Carolus ‘Charles’.

Carolingian Renaissance

a period during the reign of Charlemagne and his successors that was marked by achievements in art, architecture, learning, and music.

Carolinian /ˌkarəˈlʌɪnɪən/

I. noun

a native or inhabitant of the US states of South or North Carolina.

II. adjective

1. of or relating to South or North Carolina.

2. denoting a forest region extending from South Ontario to South Carolina.

carol-singing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the singing of carols, especially by groups going from door to door at Christmas with the object of raising money.

II. derivatives

carol-singer /ˈkarəlˌsɪŋɡə /

noun

carom /ˈkarəm / ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

I. noun

1. a cannon in billiards or pool.

2. [ mass noun] (also carom billiards) — a game resembling billiards, played on a table without pockets and depending on cannons for scoring.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a carom; strike and rebound.

– origin late 18th cent.: abbreviation of carambole, from Spanish carambola, apparently from bola ‘ball’.

carotene /ˈkarətiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] an orange or red plant pigment found in carrots and many other plant structures. It is a terpenoid hydrocarbon with several isomers, of which one ( beta-carotene) is important in the diet as a precursor of vitamin A.

– origin mid 19th cent.: coined in German from Latin carota (see carrot).

carotenoid /kəˈrɒtɪnɔɪd/

noun

[Chemistry] any of a class of mainly yellow, orange, or red fat-soluble pigments, including carotene, which give colour to plant parts such as ripe tomatoes and autumn leaves.
[as modifier]

• carotenoid pigments.

Carothers, Wallace Hume /kəˈrʌðəz/

(1896–1937), American industrial chemist. He developed the first successful synthetic rubber, neoprene, and the synthetic fibre Nylon 6.6.

carotid /kəˈrɒtɪd/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting the two main arteries which carry blood to the head and neck, and their two main branches.

II. noun

each of the carotid arteries.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French carotide or modern Latin carotides, from Greek karōtides, plural of karōtis ‘drowsiness’, from karoun ‘stupefy’ (because compression of these arteries was thought to cause stupor).

carouse /kəˈraʊz/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. drink alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way

• they danced and caroused until the drink ran out

• (as noun carousing) a night of carousing.

II. noun

a noisy, lively drinking party.

• corporate carouses.

III. derivatives

1. carousal /kəˈraʊz(ə)l /

noun

2. carouser /kəˈraʊzə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: originally as an adverb meaning ‘right out, completely’ in the phrase drink carouse, from German gar aus trinken; hence ‘drink heavily, have a drinking bout’.

carousel /ˌkarəˈsɛl/

I. noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a merry-go-round at a fair.

2. a conveyor system at an airport from which arriving passengers collect their luggage.

• they were waiting for their luggage to appear on the carousel at Heathrow airport.

3. ‹historical› a tournament in which groups of knights took part in demonstrations of equestrian skills.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French carrousel, from Italian carosello.

carp^1 /kɑːp/

I. noun

a deep-bodied freshwater fish, typically with barbels around the mouth. Carp are farmed for food in some parts of the world and are often kept in large ponds.
●Family Cyprinidae (the carp family): several genera and species. The family includes the majority of freshwater fishes in Eurasia, Africa, and North and Central America.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French carpe, from late Latin carpa.

carp^2 /kɑːp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. complain or find fault continually about trivial matters

• I don't want to carp about the way you did it.

II. derivatives

carper /ˈkɑːpə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘talk, chatter’): from Old Norse karpa ‘brag’; later influenced by Latin carpere ‘pluck at, slander’.

carpaccio /kɑːˈpatʃɪəʊ, Italian karˈpattʃo/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Italian hors d'oeuvre consisting of thin slices of raw beef or fish served with a sauce.

– origin Italian, named after Vittore Carpaccio (see Carpaccio, Vittore) (from his use of red pigments, resembling raw meat).

Carpaccio, Vittore /kɑːˈpatʃɪəʊ, Italian karˈpattʃo/

( c. 1455–1525), Italian painter noted especially for his paintings of Venice.

carpal /ˈkɑːp(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to the bones forming the human carpus (wrist), or to their equivalent in an animal's forelimb.

II. noun

any of the carpal bones.

carpal tunnel syndrome

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a painful condition of the hand and fingers caused by compression of a major nerve where it passes over the carpal bones through a passage at the front of the wrist. It may be caused by continual repetitive movements or by fluid retention.

car park

noun

(Brit.) an area or building where cars or other vehicles may be left temporarily.

• a multistorey car park.

Carpathian Mountains /kɑːˈpeɪθɪən / the Carpathians

a mountain system extending south-eastwards from southern Poland and Slovakia into Romania.

carpe diem /ˌkɑːpeɪ ˈdiːɛm, ˈdʌɪɛm/

I. exclamation

used to urge someone to make the most of the present time and give little thought to the future.

– origin Latin, ‘seize the day!’, a quotation from Horace ( Odes I.xi).

carpel /ˈkɑːp(ə)l/

I. noun

[Botany] the female reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of an ovary, a stigma, and usually a style. It may occur singly or as one of a group.

II. derivatives

carpellary /kɑːˈpɛləri /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French carpelle or modern Latin carpellum, from Greek karpos ‘fruit’.

Carpentaria, Gulf of /ˌkɑːpənˈtɛːrɪə/

a large bay on the north coast of Australia, between Arnhem Land and the Cape York Peninsula.

carpenter /ˈkɑːp(ə)ntə/

I. noun

a person who makes and repairs wooden objects and structures.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make by shaping wood

• the rails were carpentered very skilfully.

2. [no obj.] — do the work of a carpenter

• she carpenters and goes on archaeological digs.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, from Old French carpentier, charpentier, from late Latin carpentarius (artifex) ‘carriage (maker)’, from carpentum ‘wagon’, of Gaulish origin; related to car.

carpenter ant

noun

a large ant which burrows into wood to make a nest.
●Genus Camponotus, family Formicidae: numerous species.

carpenter bee

noun

a large solitary black bee with purplish wings, which nests in tunnels bored in dead wood or plant stems.
●Genus Xylocopa, family Apidae: several species.

carpenter trousers

plural noun

loose-fitting trousers with many pockets of various sizes and loops for tools at the tops or sides of the legs.

carpentry /ˈkɑːp(ə)ntri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity or occupation of making or repairing things in wood.
[as modifier]

• carpentry skills.

2. the work made or done by a carpenter

• the superb carpentry of the timber roof.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French carpentrie, Old French charpenterie, from charpentier (see carpenter).

carpet /ˈkɑːpɪt/

I. noun

1. a floor covering made from thick woven fabric

• the house has fitted carpets throughout

• [ mass noun] the floor was covered with carpet.

2. a large rug, especially an oriental one

• priceless Persian carpets.

3. a thick or soft expanse or layer of something

• carpets of wood anemones and bluebells.

4. ‹informal› (chiefly US) a type of artificial playing surface on a tennis court or sports field.

• anybody's batting average must benefit from being able to play on the carpet.

• [as modifier] the New York carpet courts.

5. [with modifier] — a slender moth marked with undulating bands of colour across the wings.
●Many species in the family Geometridae, including the garden carpet ( Xanthorhoe fluctuata).

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover with carpet

• the stairs were carpeted in a lovely shade of red.

2. cover with a thick or soft expanse or layer of something

• the meadows are carpeted with flowers.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› reprimand severely

• the Chancellor of the Exchequer carpeted the bank bosses.

III. phrases

1. on the carpet

‹informal› being severely reprimanded by someone in authority

• we've all been on the carpet for the chances we took.

[possibly from carpet in the sense ‘table covering’, referring to ‘the carpet of the council table’, before which one would be summoned for reprimand; or simply referring to the carpet in front of a superior's desk.]

2. sweep something under the carpet

conceal or ignore a problem or difficulty in the hope that it will be forgotten.

• the Salvation Army feared the scheme was an attempt to sweep the problem under the carpet.

– origin Middle English (denoting a thick fabric used as a cover for a table or bed): from Old French carpite or medieval Latin carpita, from obsolete Italian carpita ‘woollen counterpane’, based on Latin carpere ‘pluck, pull to pieces’.

carpet bag

I. noun

a travelling bag of a kind originally made of carpet-like material.

II. verb

( carpet-bag) [no obj.] — ‹informal› act as a carpetbagger
(as adj. carpet-bagging)

• he's the carpet-bagging king.

carpetbagger /ˈkɑːpɪtbaɡə/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a political candidate who seeks election in an area where they have no local connections.

2. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› (Brit.) a person who becomes a member of a mutually owned building society or insurance company in order to gain financially in the event of the organization demutualizing.

– origin mid 19th cent.: originally applied to people from the northern states of the US who went to the South after the Civil War to profit from the Reconstruction.

carpet beetle

noun

a small beetle whose larva (the woolly bear) is destructive to carpets, fabrics, and other materials.
●Genus Anthrenus, family Dermestidae.

carpet-bomb

verb — [with obj.] (often as noun carpet-bombing)

1. bomb (an area) intensively.

• the indiscriminate carpet-bombing of urban areas.

carpet-fitter

noun

a person who lays carpets for a living.

carpeting /ˈkɑːpɪtɪŋ/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — carpets collectively

• offices with wall-to-wall carpeting.

2. the fabric from which carpets are made.

• a range of deep-pile saxony carpeting.

3. [in sing.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› a severe reprimand

• I was called to her office for a carpeting.

carpet knight

I. noun

‹archaic› a man who avoids hard work in favour of leisure activities or philandering.

– origin late 16th cent.: with reference to a knight's exploits being restricted to a carpeted boudoir, instead of to the field of battle.

carpet muncher

noun

‹vulgar slang› a lesbian.

carpet python carpet snake

noun

a common large Australian climbing snake that is typically brightly patterned.
● Morelia spilota, family Pythonidae.

carpet shark

noun

a conspicuously marked small shallow-water shark with barbels around the nose or mouth, found in the Indo-Pacific region and the Red Sea.
●Family Orectolobidae: Orectolobus and other genera, and several species, including the wobbegong.

carpet shell

noun

a burrowing bivalve mollusc of temperate and warm seas, with concentric growth rings and irregular coloured markings.
●Genus Venerupis, family Veneriidae.

carpet slipper

noun

(Brit.) a soft slipper whose upper part is made of wool or thick cloth.

carpet sweeper

noun

a manual household implement used for sweeping carpets, having a revolving brush or brushes and a receptacle for dust and dirt.

carphology /kɑːˈfɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› plucking at the bedclothes by a delirious patient.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek karphologia, from karphos ‘straw’ + legein ‘collect’.

car phone

noun

a cellular phone designed for use in a motor vehicle.

carping /ˈkɑːpɪŋ/

adjective

difficult to please; critical

• she has silenced the carping critics with a successful debut tour.

carpology /kɑːˈpɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the study of fruits and seeds.

II. derivatives

carpological

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek karpos ‘fruit’ + -logy.

carpool /ˈkɑːpuːl / ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

I. noun

1. an arrangement between people to make a regular journey in a single vehicle, typically with each person taking turns to drive the others.

• they organized carpools to deliver the kids to school.

2. a group of people in a carpool.

• if passengers travelled in carpools of four, gasoline consumption would fall by 45 per cent.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. form or participate in a carpool.

• they are encouraged to take public transport, bike, walk, and carpool to work.

III. derivatives

carpooler

noun

carpophore /ˈkɑːpə(ʊ)fɔː/

I. noun

1. [Botany] (in a flower) an elongated axis that raises the stem of the pistil above the stamens.

2. [Botany] (in a fungus) the stem of the fruiting body.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek karpos ‘fruit’ + -phore.

carport /ˈkɑːpɔːt/

noun

a shelter for a car consisting of a roof supported on posts, built beside a house.

carpus /ˈkɑːpəs/

I. noun

the group of small bones between the main part of the forelimb and the metacarpus in terrestrial vertebrates. The eight bones of the human carpus form the wrist and part of the hand, and are arranged in two rows.

– origin late Middle English: from modern Latin, from Greek karpos ‘wrist’.

carr

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) fen woodland or scrub that is typically dominated by alder or willow.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse kjarr ‘brushwood’, in kjarr-mýrr ‘marsh overgrown with brushwood’.

Carracci /kəˈratʃi/

the name of a family of Italian painters comprising the brothers Annibale (1560–1609) and Agostino (1557–1602) and their cousin Ludovico (1555–1619). Together they established a teaching academy at Bologna, while Annibale became famed for his frescoes on the ceiling of the Farnese Gallery in Rome and for his invention of the caricature.

carrack /ˈkarək/

I. noun

a large merchant ship of a kind operating in European waters from the 14th to the 17th century.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French caraque; perhaps from Spanish carraca, from Arabic, perhaps from qarāqir, plural of qurqūra, a type of merchant ship.

carrageen /ˈkarəɡiːn / carragheen, carrageen moss

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an edible red shoreline seaweed with flattened branching fronds, found in both Eurasia and North America. Also called Irish moss.
● Chondrus crispus, division Rhodophyta.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Irish carraigín.

carrageenan /ˌkarəˈɡiːnən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a substance extracted from red and purple seaweeds, consisting of a mixture of polysaccharides. It is used as a thickening or emulsifying agent in food products.

– origin 1960s: from carrageen + -an.

Carrara /kəˈrɑːrə, Italian karˈrara/

a town in Tuscany in west central Italy, famous for the white marble quarried there since Roman times; pop. 65,760 (2008).

carrel /ˈkar(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a small cubicle with a desk for the use of a reader or student in a library.

2. ‹historical› a small enclosure or study in a cloister.

– origin late 16th cent.: apparently related to carol in the old sense ‘ring’.

Carrel, Alexis /kəˈrɛl, ˈkarəl, French kaʀɛl/

(1873–1944), French surgeon and biologist. He developed improved techniques for suturing arteries and veins, and carried out some of the first organ transplants. Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1912).

Carreras, José /kəˈrɛːrəs/

(b.1946), Spanish operatic tenor. His repertoire ranges from the operas of Verdi, Puccini, and Donizetti to traditional Catalan songs and popular light music.

carriage /ˈkarɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. a means of conveyance, in particular:

2. (Brit.) any of the separate sections of a train that carry passengers

• the first-class carriages.

3. a four-wheeled passenger vehicle pulled by two or more horses

• a horse-drawn carriage.

4. a wheeled support for moving a heavy object such as a gun.

• a US army howitzer and carriage.

5. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) the conveying of goods or passengers from one place to another

• the carriage of bikes on public transport.

6. the harbouring of a potentially disease-causing organism by a person or animal that does not contract the disease.

7. a moving part of a machine that carries other parts into the required position

• a typewriter carriage.

8. [in sing.] — a person's bearing or deportment

• her carriage was graceful, her movements quick and deft.

– origin late Middle English: from Old Northern French cariage, from carier (see carry).

carriage and pair

noun

a four-wheeled passenger carriage pulled by two horses.

carriage bolt

noun

North American term for coach bolt.

carriage clock

noun

(Brit.) a portable clock in a rectangular case with a handle on top.

carriage dog

I. noun

archaic term for Dalmatian (sense 1 of the noun).

– origin early 19th cent.: because Dalmatians were formerly trained to run behind carriages as guard dogs.

carriage house

noun

(N. Amer.) a building for housing a carriage, typically one which has been converted into a dwelling.

carriage release

noun

a function or lever which enables the carriage on a manual or electric typewriter to move freely, instead of only in one direction when the keys are pressed.

carriage return carriage return key

noun

another term for return (sense 5 of the noun).

carriage trade

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› the wealthy clientele of a business.

• determined to pursue the carriage trade, she quickly established an old-girl network.

– origin with reference to people who formerly would have been wealthy enough to maintain a private carriage.

carriageway /ˈkarɪdʒweɪ/

noun

1. (Brit.) each of the two sides of a dual carriageway or motorway, each of which usually have two or more lanes.

• the eastbound carriageway of the M4.

2. (Brit.) the part of a road intended for vehicles rather than pedestrians.

carrick bend

I. noun

a kind of knot used to join ropes end to end, especially so that they can go round a capstan without jamming.

– origin early 19th cent.: from bend^2: carrick perhaps an alteration of carrack.

Carrick-on-Shannon

the county town of Leitrim in the Republic of Ireland, on the River Shannon; pop. 3,163 (2006).

carrier /ˈkarɪə/

noun

1. a person or thing that carries, holds, or conveys something

• water carriers.

2. (Brit.) a carrier bag

• a plastic carrier.

3. a person or company that undertakes the professional conveyance of goods or people

• the instruments can be sent by carrier.

4. a vessel or vehicle for transporting goods in bulk.

• the largest timber carrier ever to dock at Sharpness.

5. an aircraft carrier.

• aircraft from the carrier Illustrious attacked the Italian fleet.

6. a company that provides facilities for conveying telecommunications messages.

• Japan's biggest international telecoms carrier is Singapore Telecom.

7. a person or animal that transmits a disease-causing organism to others, especially without suffering from it themselves

• the badger is a carrier of bovine tuberculosis.

8. an individual that possesses a particular gene, especially as a single copy whose effect is masked by a dominant allele, so that the associated characteristic (such as a hereditary disease) is not displayed but may be passed to offspring.

• the husband and wife may both be carriers of the same recessive gene, with a 25% chance of a diseased child.

9. a substance used to support or convey another substance such as a pigment, catalyst, or radioactive material.

10. [Physics] short for charge carrier.

11. [Biochemistry] a molecule that transfers a specified molecule or ion within the body, especially across a cell membrane.

carrier bag

noun

(Brit.) a plastic or paper bag with handles, especially one supplied by a shop to carry goods purchased there.

carrier pigeon

noun

a pigeon trained to carry messages tied to its neck or leg.

carrier shell

noun

a mollusc of warm seas which camouflages itself by cementing shell fragments and pebbles to its shell.
●Family Xenophoridae, class Gastropoda: Xenophora and other genera.

carrier wave

noun

a high-frequency electromagnetic wave modulated in amplitude or frequency to convey a signal.

Carrington, Dora /ˈkarɪŋtən/

(1893–1932), English painter, a member of the Bloomsbury Group; full name Dora de Houghton Carrington.

carriole /ˈkarɪəʊl / cariole

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a small open horse-drawn carriage for one person.

2. a light covered cart.

3. (in Canada) a kind of sledge pulled by a horse or dogs.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, from Italian carriuola, diminutive of carro, from Latin carrum (see car).

carrion /ˈkarɪən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the decaying flesh of dead animals.

• a crow wheeled over the hills in search of carrion.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French and Old Northern French caroine, caroigne, Old French charoigne, based on Latin caro ‘flesh’.

carrion beetle

noun

a beetle that feeds on decaying animal and plant matter.
●Family Silphidae: many species, including the burying beetles.

carrion crow

noun

a medium-sized, typically all-black crow which is common throughout much of Eurasia.
● Corvus corone, family Corvidae. See also hooded crow.

carrion flower

noun

another term for stapelia.

Carroll, Lewis

(1832–98), English writer; pseudonym of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. He wrote the children's classics Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking Glass (1871), which were inspired by Alice Liddell, the young daughter of the dean at the Oxford college where Carroll was a mathematics lecturer.

carronade /ˌkarəˈneɪd/

I. noun

‹historical› a short large-calibre cannon, formerly in naval use.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Carron, near Falkirk in Scotland, where this kind of cannon was first made.

carrot /ˈkarət/

I. noun

1. a tapering orange-coloured root eaten as a vegetable.

• roast lamb with peas and carrots.

• [ mass noun] grated carrot.

• [as modifier] carrot cake.

• carrot juice.

2. a cultivated plant of the parsley family with feathery leaves, which yields carrots.
● Daucus carota, family Umbelliferae: two subspecies and many varieties; wild forms lack the swollen root.

3. an offer of something enticing as a means of persuasion (often contrasted with the threat of something punitive or unwelcome)

• carrots will promote cooperation over the environment far more effectively than sticks.

[with allusion to the proverbial encouragement of a donkey to move by enticing it with a carrot.]

4. ( carrots) — ‹informal› ‹chiefly derogatory› a nickname for a red-haired person.

• He pulled her red plaits and said in a loud whisper, ‘Carrots! Carrots!’.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French carotte, from Latin carota, from Greek karōton.

carrot-and-stick

adjective

(of a method of persuasion or coercion) characterized by both the offer of reward and the threat of punishment

• a carrot-and-stick approach.

carrot cake

noun

a moist sponge cake containing grated carrot and typically topped with a buttercream or cream cheese icing.

• at lunchtime, how can we resist a fruit smoothie, a low-fat carrot cake, or a mocha cappuccino?

carrot fly

noun

a small fly whose larvae are a widespread pest of carrots, burrowing into the roots.
● Psila rosae, family Psilidae.

carroty /ˈkarəti/

adjective

(of a person's hair) orange-red in colour.

• a skinny little kid with carroty hair.

carry /ˈkari/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. support and move (someone or something) from one place to another

• medics were carrying a wounded man on a stretcher.

2. transport, conduct or transmit

• the train service carries 20,000 passengers daily

• nerves carry visual information from the eyes.

3. have on one's person

• he was killed for the money he was carrying

• ‹figurative› she had carried the secret all her life.

4. be infected with (a disease) and liable to transmit it to others

• ticks can carry a nasty disease which affects humans.

5. support the weight of

• the bridge is capable of carrying even the heaviest loads.

6. be pregnant with

• she was carrying twins.

7. [no obj.] — (of a sound, ball, missile, etc.) reach a specified point

• his voice carried clearly across the room

• the ball carried to second slip.

8. [with obj.] — (of a gun or similar weapon) propel (a missile) to a specified distance.

9. [with obj.] — take or develop (an idea or activity) to a specified point

• he carried the criticism much further.

10. assume or accept (responsibility or blame)

• they must carry management responsibility for the mess they have got the company into.

11. be responsible for the effectiveness of

• they relied on dialogue to carry the plot.

12. ( carry oneself) — stand and move in a specified way

• she carried herself straight and with assurance.

13. have as a feature or consequence

• being a combat sport, karate carries with it the risk of injury

• each bike carries a ten-year guarantee.

14. (of a newspaper or a television or radio station) publish or broadcast

• the paper carried a detailed account of the current crisis.

15. (of a shop) keep a regular stock of (goods for sale)

• 550 off-licences carry the basic range.

16. be known or marked by

• the product does not carry the swallow symbol.

17. approve (a proposed measure) by a majority of votes

• the resolution was carried by a two-to-one majority.

18. persuade (others) to support one's policy

• he could not carry the cabinet.

19. (N. Amer.) gain (a state or district) in an election.

20. transfer (a figure) to an adjacent column during an arithmetical operation (e.g. when a column of digit adds up to more than ten).

II. noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. an act of carrying something from one place to another.

• we did a carry of equipment from the camp.

2. [American Football] an act of running or rushing with the ball.

3. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) the practice of keeping a gun on one's person

• this pistol is the right choice for on-duty or off-duty carry.

4. (N. Amer.) ‹historical› a place between navigable waters over which boats or supplies had to be carried.

5. the transfer of a figure into an adjacent column (or the equivalent part of a computer memory) during an arithmetical operation.

6. the range of a gun or similar weapon.

7. [Golf] the distance a ball travels before reaching the ground.

8. [Finance] the maintenance of an investment position in a securities market, especially with regard to the costs or profits accruing.

• if other short-term interest rates are higher than the current yield, the bond is said to involve a negative carry.

III. phrases

1. carry all before one

overcome all opposition.

• at the beginning of the decade the party seemed to carry all before them.

2. carry one's bat

[Cricket] (of an opening or high-order batsman) be not out at the end of a side's completed innings.

3. carry the can

(Brit.) ‹informal› take responsibility for a mistake or misdeed.

• if anyone makes a mistake, it's the senior person who has to carry the can.

4. carry conviction

be convincing.

• he might have reassured the financial markets had he carried conviction as a man in complete charge of economic policy.

5. carry the day

be victorious or successful.

• the gusto of the amateur should carry the day.

6. carry weight

be influential

• the report is expected to carry considerable weight with the administration.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. be/get carried away

lose self-control

• I got a bit carried away when describing his dreadful season.

2. carry something away

[Nautical] lose a mast or other part of a ship through breakage.

3. carry something forward

a. transfer figures to a new page or account.

• they allowed the deficit to be carried forward.

b. keep something to use or deal with at a later time

• we carried forward a reserve which allowed us to meet demands.

4. carry someone/thing off

a. take someone or something away by force.

• bandits carried off his mule.

b. (of a medical condition) kill someone

• Parkinson's disease carried him off in September.

5. carry something off

a. win a prize

• she failed to carry off the gold medal.

b. succeed in doing something difficult

• he could not have carried it off without government help.

6. carry on

a. continue an activity or task

• you can carry on with a sport as long as you feel comfortable

• she carries on watching the telly.

b. continue to move in the same direction

• I knew I was going the wrong way, but I just carried on.

c. ‹informal› behave in a specified way

• they carry on in a very adult fashion.

d. behave in an overemotional way.

e. ‹informal› be engaged in a love affair, typically one of which the speaker disapproves

• she was carrying on with young Adam.

7. carry something on

engage in an activity

• he could not carry on a logical conversation.

8. carry something out

perform a task

• we're carrying out a market-research survey.

9. carry over

extend beyond the original area of application

• his artistic practice is clearly carrying over into his social thought.

10. carry something over

a. retain something and apply or deal with it in a new context

• much of the wartime economic planning was carried over into the peace.

b. postpone an event

• the match had to be carried over till Sunday.

c. another way of saying carry something forward.

11. carry something through

a. bring a project to completion.

• policy blueprints are rarely carried through perfectly.

b. bring something safely out of difficulties

• he was the only person who could carry the country through.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French and Old Northern French carier, based on Latin carrus ‘wheeled vehicle’.

carryall /ˈkarɪɔːl/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a large bag or case.

2. ‹historical› a light carriage.
[early 18th cent.: apparently altered by folk etymology from French carriole, denoting a small covered carriage.]

3. (US) a large car or truck with seats facing each other along the sides.

carrycot /ˈkarɪkɒt/

noun

(Brit.) a small portable bed for a baby.

carrying capacity

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the number or quantity of people or things which can be conveyed by a vehicle or container.

2. [Ecology] the number of people, animals, or crops which a region can support without environmental degradation.

carrying charge

noun

1. [Finance] (chiefly N. Amer.) an expense or effective cost arising from unproductive assets such as stored goods or unoccupied premises.

2. a sum payable for the conveyance of goods.

carrying trade

noun

the business of transporting commercial goods from one place to another by land, sea, or air.

carry-on /ˈkariɒn/

I. noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a display of excitement or fuss over an unimportant matter

• I never saw such a carry-on!

2. (also carryings-on) — (Brit.) ‹informal› questionable behaviour, typically involving sexual impropriety

• the sort of carry-on that goes on behind the chintz curtains of suburbia.

II. adjective

(of a bag or suitcase) suitable for taking on to an aircraft as handheld luggage.

carry-out /ˈkariaʊt/

adjective, noun

(chiefly Scottish) (US) another term for takeaway.

carry-over

noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. something transferred or resulting from a previous situation

• the slow trading was a carry-over from the big losses of last week.

carse /kɑːs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Scottish) fertile lowland beside a river.

– origin Middle English: perhaps an alteration of carrs, plural of carr.

car sharing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of sharing a car for regular travelling, especially for commuting

• varying shifts worked by staff make car sharing difficult

• [as modifier] some companies operate their own in-house car-sharing schemes.

carsick /ˈkɑːsɪk/

I. adjective

affected with nausea caused by the motion of a car or other vehicle in which one is travelling.

• he felt carsick.

II. derivatives

carsickness /ˈkɑːsɪknəs /

noun

Carson, Rachel

(1907–64), American zoologist, a pioneer ecologist and popularizer of science; full name Rachel Louise Carson. She is noted especially for The Sea Around Us (1951) and Silent Spring (1963), an attack on the indiscriminate use of pesticides.

Carson, Willie

(b.1942), Scottish jockey; full name William Fisher Hunter Carson. His successes include victories in the Derby in 1979, 1980, and 1989.

Carson City /kɑːsnˈsɪti/

the state capital of Nevada; pop. 54,867 (est. 2008).

cart /kɑːt/

I. noun

1. a strong open vehicle with two or four wheels, typically used for carrying loads and pulled by a horse

• a horse and cart.

2. a shallow open container on wheels that may be pulled or pushed by hand.

3. (also shopping cart) — North American term for shopping trolley.

4. (also shopping cart) — a facility on a website that records items selected by a customer for purchase until the transaction is completed

• from the product page select the size and quantity you'd like and click ‘Buy’ to add it to your cart.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. convey or put in a cart or similar vehicle

• the meat was pickled in salt and carted to El Paso.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — ‹informal› carry (a heavy or cumbersome object) somewhere with difficulty

• they carted the piano down three flights of stairs.

3. remove or convey (someone) somewhere unceremoniously

• they were carted off to the nearest police station.

4. [Cricket] hit (the ball) with a powerful stroke that sends it a long way.

• he carted Sinfield for six.

III. phrases

1. in the cart

(Brit.) ‹informal› in trouble or difficulty.

• if he didn't finish the round the whole team would be in the cart.

2. put the cart before the horse

reverse the proper order or procedure of something.

IV. derivatives

1. carter /ˈkɑːtə /

noun

2. cartful /ˈkɑːtfʊl /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse kartr, probably influenced by Anglo-Norman French and Old Northern French carete, diminutive of carre (see car).

cartage /ˈkɑːtɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the conveyance of something in a cart or other vehicle.

Cartagena /ˌkɑːtəˈdʒiːnə, Spanish kartaˈxena/

I. a port in SE Spain; pop. 210,376 (2008). Originally named Mastia, it was refounded as Carthago Nova (New Carthage) by Hasdrubal in c. 225 BC, as a base for the Carthaginian conquest of Spain.

II. a port, resort, and oil-refining centre in NW Colombia, on the Caribbean Sea; pop. 885,400 (2005).

carte blanche /kɑːt ˈblɑːnʃ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — complete freedom to act as one wishes

• the architect given carte blanche to design the store.

2. (in piquet) a hand containing no court cards as dealt.

– origin late 17th cent.: French, literally ‘blank paper’ (i.e. a blank sheet on which to write whatever one wishes, particularly one's own terms for an agreement).

carte de visite /ˌkɑːt də vɪˈziːt/

I. noun

‹historical› a small photographic portrait of a person, mounted on a piece of card.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, ‘visiting card’.

cartel /kɑːˈtɛl/

I. noun

1. an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition

• the Colombian drug cartels.

2. ‹chiefly historical› a coalition or cooperative arrangement between political parties intended to promote a mutual interest.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German Kartell, from French cartel, from Italian cartello, diminutive of carta, from Latin carta (see card^1). It was originally used to refer to the coalition of the Conservatives and National Liberal parties in Germany (1887), and hence any political combination; later to denote a trade agreement (early 20th cent.).

cartelize /kɑːˈtɛlʌɪz, ˈkɑːtəlʌɪz / cartelise

verb — [with obj.]

1. (of manufacturers or suppliers) form a cartel in (an industry or trade).

• the domestic industry retains the benefits of its expanded productivity by cartelizing the market.

• (as adj. cartelized) Europe's cartelized airline industry.

Carter, Angela

(1940–92), English novelist and short-story writer, whose fiction is characterized by fantasy, black humour, and eroticism. Notable works: The Magic Toyshop (1967) and Nights at the Circus (1984).

Carter, Elliott

(1908–2012), American composer; full name Elliott Cook Carter. He was noted for his innovative approach to metre and his choice of sources as diverse as modern jazz and Renaissance madrigals.

Carter, Howard

(1874–1939), English archaeologist. In 1922, while excavating in the Valley of the Kings at Thebes, he discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen.

Carter, Jimmy

(b.1924), American Democratic statesman, 39th President of the US 1977–81; full name James Earl Carter. He hosted the talks which led to the Camp David agreements (1978) and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Cartesian /kɑːˈtiːzɪən, kɑːˈtiːʒ(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to Descartes and his ideas.

II. noun

a follower of Descartes.

III. derivatives

Cartesianism /kɑːˈtiːzɪənɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin Cartesianus, from Cartesius, Latinized form of the name of Descartes.

Cartesian coordinates

plural noun

numbers which indicate the location of a point relative to a fixed reference point (the origin), being its shortest (perpendicular) distances from two fixed axes (or three planes defined by three fixed axes) which intersect at right angles at the origin.

Carthage /ˈkɑːθɪdʒ/

an ancient city on the coast of North Africa near present-day Tunis. Founded by the Phoenicians c. 814 BC, Carthage became a major force in the Mediterranean, and came into conflict with Rome in the Punic Wars. It was finally destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC.

Carthaginian /ˌkɑːθəˈdʒɪniən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the ancient African city of Carthage

• Carthaginian trading posts.

II. noun

an inhabitant of the ancient African city of Carthage

• a Carthaginian had sailed out of the Mediterranean deep into the Atlantic.

carthorse /ˈkɑːthɔːs/

noun

a large, strong horse suitable for heavy work.

Carthusian /kɑːˈθjuːzɪən/

I. noun

a monk or nun of an austere contemplative order founded by St Bruno in 1084.

II. adjective

relating to the Carthusians.

– origin from medieval Latin Carthusianus, from Cart(h)usia, Latin name of Chartreuse, near Grenoble, where the order was founded.

Cartier, Jacques /ˈkɑːtɪeɪ, French kaʀtje/

(1491–1557), French explorer. The first to establish France's claim to North America, he made three voyages to Canada between 1534 and 1541.

Cartier-Bresson, Henri /ˌkɑːtɪeɪˈbrɛsɒ̃, French kaʀtjebʀɛsɔ̃/

(1908–2004), French photographer and film director. He was noted for his collection of photographs The Decisive Moment (1952) and his documentary film about the Spanish Civil War, Return to Life (1937).

cartilage /ˈkɑːt(ɪ)lɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. firm, flexible connective tissue found in various forms in the larynx and respiratory tract, in structures such as the external ear, and in the articulating surfaces of joints. It is more widespread in the infant skeleton, being replaced by bone during growth.

2. [ count noun] — a particular structure made of cartilage.

• his knees failed and the cartilages were removed.

– origin late Middle English: from French, from Latin cartilago, cartilagin-.

cartilaginous /ˌkɑːtɪˈladʒɪnəs/

I. adjective

1. [Anatomy] made of cartilage.

2. [Zoology] (of a vertebrate animal) having a skeleton of cartilage.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin cartilaginosus, from cartilago, cartilagin- ‘cartilage’.

cartilaginous fish

noun

a fish of a class distinguished by having a skeleton of cartilage rather than bone, including the sharks, rays, and chimaeras. Compare with bony fish.
●Class Chondrichthyes: subclasses Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) and Hoplocephali (chimaeras).

Cartland, Dame Barbara

(1901–2000), English author of light romantic fiction; full name Dame Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland.

cartload /ˈkɑːtləʊd/

noun

1. the amount held by a cart.

• a cartload of hay.

2. ‹informal› a large quantity or number of people or things

• drunken yobbos who turned up by the cartload.

cartogram /ˈkɑːtəɡram/

I. noun

a map on which statistical information is shown in diagrammatic form.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French cartogramme, from carte ‘map or card’ + -gramme (from Greek gramma ‘thing written’).

cartographer /kɑːˈtɒɡrəfə/

noun

a person who draws or produces maps

• a cartographer in the British army.

cartographic /kɑːtəˈɡrafɪk / cartographical

I. adjective

relating to the science or practice of drawing maps

• he started his own cartographic printing company.

II. derivatives

cartographically

adverb

cartography /kɑːˈtɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the science or practice of drawing maps.

II. derivatives

cartographical

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French cartographie, from carte ‘map, card’ (see card^1) + -graphie (see -graphy).

cartomancy /ˈkɑːtə(ʊ)ˌmansi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. fortune telling by interpreting a random selection of playing cards.

II. derivatives

cartomancer

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from French cartomancie, from carte ‘card’ + -mancie (see -mancy).

carton /ˈkɑːt(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a small, light box or container in which drinks or foodstuffs are packaged.

• a carton of milk.

2. (N. Amer.) a large container of goods.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from Italian cartone (see cartoon).

cartonnage /ˈkɑːt(ə)nɪdʒ/

I. noun

an ancient Egyptian mummy case made of tightly fitting layers of linen or papyrus glued together.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French.

cartoon /kɑːˈtuːn/

I. noun

1. a simple drawing showing the features of its subjects in a humorously exaggerated way, especially a satirical one in a newspaper or magazine.

• the minister faced a welter of hostile headlines and mocking cartoons.

2. (also cartoon strip) — a narrative sequence of humorous drawings in a comic, magazine, or newspaper, usually with captions.

• a Peanuts cartoon by Charles Schulz.

3. a simplified or exaggerated version or interpretation of something
[as modifier]

• Dolores becomes a cartoon housewife, reading glossy magazines in a bathrobe.

4. a film using animation techniques to photograph a sequence of drawings rather than real people or objects.

• we watched Yogi Bear cartoons on TV.

• [as modifier] cartoon characters.

• a cartoon show.

5. a full-size drawing made by an artist as a preliminary design for a painting or other work of art.

• the tapestries are based on a set of cartoons commissioned by Pope Leo XI.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make a drawing of (someone) in a simplified or exaggerated way.

• she has a face with enough character to be cartooned.

2. (as noun cartooning) — the activity or occupation of drawing cartoons.

• he pursued a career in newspaper cartooning.

III. derivatives

cartoony

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 3 of the noun): from Italian cartone, from carta, from Latin carta, charta (see card^1). Sense 1 of the noun dates from the mid 19th cent.

cartoon character

noun

1. a fictional character depicted in an animated film or a comic strip

• your favourite cartoon characters.

2. a person or portrayal lacking in depth or characterized by exaggerated or stereotypical features

• in the films, Bond is a cartoon character

• she's become a cartoon character of what she once was.

cartoonish /kɑːˈtuːnɪʃ/

adjective

characteristic of or resembling a cartoon, especially in being unrealistically simplified and involving humorous exaggeration

• colourful, cartoonish prints

• the imagery is too cartoonish to take seriously

• the movie develops in a cartoonish, tongue-in-cheek fashion.

cartoonist /kɑːˈtuːnɪst/

noun

an artist who draws cartoons

• a political cartoonist for the local newspaper.

cartophily /kɑːˈtɒfɪli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the collecting of picture cards, such as postcards or cigarette cards, as a hobby.

II. derivatives

cartophilist

noun

– origin 1930s: from French carte or Italian carta ‘card’ + -phily.

cartouche /kɑːˈtuːʃ/

I. noun

1. a carved tablet or drawing representing a scroll with rolled-up ends, used ornamentally or bearing an inscription.

2. a decorative architectural feature, such as a modillion or corbel, resembling a scroll.

3. an ornate frame around a design or inscription.

• a coat of arms in a cartouche.

4. [Archaeology] an oval or oblong enclosing a group of Egyptian hieroglyphs, typically representing the name and title of a monarch.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French cartouche (masculine noun), earlier cartoche, from Italian cartoccio, from carta, from Latin carta, charta (see card^1).

cartridge /ˈkɑːtrɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. a container holding a spool of photographic film, a quantity of ink, etc., designed for insertion into a mechanism.

2. a casing containing a charge and a bullet or shot for small arms or an explosive charge for blasting.

3. a component carrying the stylus on the pickup head of a record player.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French cartouche (feminine noun), from Italian cartoccio (see cartouche).

cartridge belt

noun

a belt with pockets or loops for cartridges of ammunition.

cartridge paper

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) thick, rough-textured paper used for drawing and for strong envelopes.

– origin mid 17th cent.: originally used to make cartridge cases.

cart track

noun

a rough track or road over farmland that is unsuitable for ordinary vehicles.

cartwheel /ˈkɑːtwiːl/

I. noun

1. the wheel of a cart.

2. a circular sideways handspring with the arms and legs extended.

• he turned a cartwheel on the table.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. perform a cartwheel or cartwheels

• he cartwheeled across the room.

cartwright /ˈkɑːtrʌɪt/

noun

‹chiefly historical› a person whose job is making carts.

Cartwright, Edmund

(1743–1823), English engineer, inventor of the power loom.

caruncle /ˈkarəŋk(ə)l, kəˈrʌŋk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a wattle of a bird such as a turkeycock.

2. the red prominence at the inner corner of the eye.

3. [Botany] a coloured waxy or oily outgrowth from a seed near the micropyle, attractive to ants which aid the seed's dispersal.

II. derivatives

caruncular

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: obsolete French, from Latin caruncula, from caro, carn- ‘flesh’.

Caruso, Enrico /kəˈruːzəʊ/

(1873–1921), Italian operatic tenor. He was the first major tenor to be recorded on gramophone records.

carve /kɑːv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut (a hard material) in order to produce an object, design, or inscription

• the wood was carved with runes

• (as adj. carved) bookcases of carved oak.

2. produce (an object, inscription, or design) by cutting into a hard material

• the altar was carved from a block of solid jade

• I carved my initials on the tree.

3. cut (cooked meat) into slices for eating.

• he stood carving the roast chicken.

• [no obj.] Cliff wouldn't carve, so she was expected to wield the knife.

4. cut (a slice of meat) from a larger piece.
[with two objs]

• he carved himself a slice of beef.

5. [Skiing] make (a turn) by tilting one's skis on to their edges and using one's weight to bend them so that they slide in an arc.

II. phrases

be carved on tablets of stone

see stone.

III. phrasal verbs

1. carve something out

a. take something from a larger whole, especially with difficulty

• the company hopes to carve out a greater share of the $20 bn market.

b. establish or create something through painstaking effort

• he managed to carve out a successful photographic career for himself.

2. carve someone up ‹informal›

a. slash someone with a knife or other sharp object.

b. drive aggressively into the path of another driver while overtaking.

• I had to carve up a Volvo in order to follow him.

3. carve something up

divide something ruthlessly into separate areas or parts

• West Africa was carved up by the Europeans.

– origin Old English ceorfan ‘cut, carve’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kerven.

carvel-built

adjective

(of a boat) having external planks which do not overlap.
Compare with clinker-built.

carven

archaic past participle of carve.

carver /ˈkɑːvə/

noun

1. a person who carves a hard material professionally

• an ivory carver.

2. a knife designed for slicing meat.

3. ( carvers) — a knife and fork for slicing meat.

4. a person who cuts and serves the meat at a meal.

5. (Brit.) the principal chair, with arms, in a set of dining chairs, intended for the person carving meat.

carvery /ˈkɑːvəri/

noun

(Brit.) a buffet or restaurant where cooked joints are displayed and carved as required in front of customers.

carve-up

noun — [in sing.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a ruthless division of something into separate areas or parts

• the carve-up of the brewing industry by vested interests.

carving /ˈkɑːvɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of carving.

2. [ count noun] — an object or design carved from a hard material as an artistic work.

• a carving of an Asian elephant.

• [ mass noun] a table decorated with fluted carving.

carving knife

noun

a knife with a long blade used for carving cooked meat into slices.

car wash

noun

a building containing equipment for washing vehicles automatically.

car yard

noun

(Austral./NZ) a place where cars for sale are displayed in an outdoor area

• he bought the van from a Sydney car yard.

caryatid /ˌkarɪˈatɪd/

I. noun

[Architecture] a stone carving of a draped female figure, used as a pillar to support the entablature of a Greek or Greek-style building.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via French and Italian from Latin caryatides, from Greek karuatides, plural of karuatis ‘priestess of Artemis at Caryae’, from Karuai (Caryae) in Laconia.

caryophyllaceous /ˌkarɪə(ʊ)fɪˈleɪʃəs/

I. adjective

[Botany] relating to or denoting plants of the pink family ( Caryophyllaceae).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Caryophyllaceae (plural), based on Greek karuophullon ‘clove pink’, + -ous.

caryopsis /ˌkarɪˈɒpsɪs/

I. noun

[Botany] a dry one-seeded fruit in which the ovary wall is united with the seed coat, typical of grasses and cereals.

– origin early 19th cent.: from modern Latin, from Greek karuon ‘nut’ + opsis ‘appearance’.

casaba /kəˈsɑːbə/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a winter melon of a variety with a wrinkled yellow rind and sweet flesh.

2. ( casabas) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a woman's breasts.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Kasaba (now Turgutlu) in Turkey, from which the melons were first exported.

Casablanca /ˌkasəˈblaŋkə/

the largest city of Morocco, a seaport on the Atlantic coast; pop. 2,949,805 (2004).

Casals, Pablo /kəˈsalz/

(1876–1973), Spanish cellist, conductor, and composer. He was noted especially for his performances of Bach suites and the Dvořák Cello Concerto.

Casanova, Giovanni Jacopo /ˌkasəˈnəʊvə, ˌkazəˈnəʊvə/

I. (1725–98), Italian adventurer; full name Giovanni Jacopo Casanova de Seingalt. He is famous for his memoirs describing his sexual encounters and other exploits.

II. (as noun usu. a Casanova) — a man notorious for seducing women.

cascabel /ˈkaskəb(ə)l/

I. noun

a small red chilli pepper of a mild-flavoured variety.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Spanish, from Catalan cascavel, from medieval Latin cascabellus ‘little bell’.

cascade /kasˈkeɪd/

I. noun

1. a small waterfall, typically one of several that fall in stages down a steep rocky slope.

• the waterfall raced down in a series of cascades.

2. a mass of something that falls or hangs in copious quantities

• a cascade of pink bougainvillea.

3. a large number or amount of something occurring at the same time

• a cascade of anti-war literature.

4. a process whereby something, typically information or knowledge, is successively passed on.
[as modifier]

• the greater the number of people who are well briefed, the wider the cascade effect.

5. a succession of devices or stages in a process, each of which triggers or initiates the next.

II. verb

1. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (of water) pour downwards rapidly and in large quantities

• water was cascading down the stairs.

2. fall or hang in copious quantities

• blonde hair cascaded down her back.

3. [with obj.] — pass (something) on to a succession of others

• teachers who are able to cascade their experience effectively.

4. [with obj.] — arrange (a number of devices or objects) in a series or sequence.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian cascata, from cascare ‘to fall’, based on Latin casus (see case^1).

Cascade Range

a range of volcanic mountains in western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to northern California.

cascara /kasˈkɑːrə / cascara sagrada /səˈɡrɑːdə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a purgative made from the dried bark of an American buckthorn.

2. the tree from which cascara is obtained, native to western North America.
● Rhamnus purshiana, family Rhamnaceae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Spanish cáscara (sagrada), literally ‘(sacred) bark’.

case^1 /keɪs/

I. noun

1. an instance of a particular situation; an example of something occurring

• a case of mistaken identity

• in many cases farmers do have a deep feeling for their land.

2. [usu. in sing.] — the situation affecting or relating to a particular person or thing

• I'll make an exception in your case.

3. an incident or set of circumstances under official investigation by the police

• a murder case.

4. an instance of a disease, injury, or problem

• 200,000 cases of hepatitis B.

5. a person or their particular problem requiring or receiving medical or welfare attention

• most breast cancer cases were older women

• the local social services discussed Gemma's case.

• urgent cases were turned away from the hospital.

6. [with adj. or noun modifier] — ‹informal› a person whose situation is regarded as pitiable or as having no chance of improvement

• Vicky was a very sad case.

7. ‹informal› ‹dated› an amusing or eccentric person.

8. a legal action, especially one to be decided in a court of law

• a libel case

• a former employee brought the case against the council.

9. a set of facts or arguments supporting one side in a legal case

• the case for the defence.

10. a set of facts or arguments supporting one side of a debate or controversy

• the case against tobacco advertising.

11. (also case stated) — an agreed summary of the facts relating to a legal case, drawn up for review or decision on a point of law by a higher court.

12. [Grammar] any of the forms of a noun, adjective, or pronoun that express the semantic relation of the word to other words in the sentence

• the accusative case.

II. phrases

1. as the case may be

according to the circumstances (used when referring to two or more alternatives)

• the authorities will decide if they are satisfied or not satisfied, as the case may be.

2. be the case

be so.

3. in any case

a. whatever happens or may have happened.

• perhaps you'll let me know tomorrow—in any case I'll talk to you then.

b. moreover

• he wasn't allowed out yet, and in any case he wasn't well enough.

4. (just) in case

a. as a provision against something happening or being true

• we put on thick jumpers, in case it was cold.

b. if it is true that

• in case you haven't figured it out, let me explain.

5. in case of

in the event of (a particular situation)

• instructions about what to do in case of fire.

6. in no case

under no circumstances

• in no case is a specific funding target set.

7. in that case

if that is or will be the situation

• ‘I'm free this evening.’ ‘In that case, why not have dinner with me?’.

8. it's a case of ——

used to introduce a summary of a particular situation, especially one that is unavoidable under the circumstances

• it's not a case of wanting to return to work but having to.

9. on (or off) someone's case

‹informal› continually (or no longer) criticizing or harassing someone

• teachers, you know, get on your case.

10. on the case

a. actively engaged in an official investigation

• officers on the case are unable to find a motive.

b. in the process of dealing with a particular situation or task

• the city council's pest control team are on the case.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cas, from Latin casus ‘fall’, related to cadere ‘to fall’; in sense 4 directly from Latin, translating Greek ptōsis, literally ‘fall’.

case^2 /keɪs/

I. noun

1. a container designed to hold or protect something

• a silver cigarette case.

2. the outer protective covering of a natural or manufactured object

• a seed case.

3. an item of luggage; a suitcase.

4. a box containing twelve bottles of wine or other drink, sold as a unit

• a case of champagne.

5. each of the two forms, capital or minuscule, in which a letter of the alphabet may be written or printed. See also upper case, lower case.
[from the use in printing to mean ‘partitioned container for loose metal type’.]

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. surround in a material or substance

• the towers are of steel cased in granite.

2. enclose in a protective container
(as adj. cased)

• a cased pair of pistols.

3. ‹informal› reconnoitre (a place) before carrying out a robbery

• I was casing the joint.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French casse, chasse (modern caisse ‘trunk, chest’, châsse ‘reliquary, frame’), from Latin capsa, related to capere ‘to hold’.

caseation /ˌkeɪsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition characteristic of tuberculosis, in which diseased tissue forms a firm, dry mass like cheese in appearance.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from medieval Latin caseatio(n-), from Latin caseus ‘cheese’.

casebook /ˈkeɪsbʊk/

noun

1. a written record of cases dealt with, especially one kept by a doctor or investigator.

2. a book containing extracts of important legal cases.

3. (US) a book containing a selection of source materials on a particular subject, used as a reference work or in teaching.

casebound

adjective

(of a book) hardback.

case conference

noun

a meeting of professionals such as teachers or social workers to discuss a particular case.

case file

noun

a collection of documents and evidence relating to a particular legal case

• she discusses a court case without referring to the case file.

case grammar

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] a form of grammar in which the structure of sentences is analysed in terms of semantic case relationships.

case-hardened

I. adjective

1. (of a material) having a hard surface.

• case-hardened sandstones.

2. (of iron or steel) having been given a hard surface by being carburized.

• a case-hardened steel anvil.

3. made callous or tough by experience

• a case-hardened politician.

II. derivatives

case-harden /ˈkeɪsˌhɑːdn /

verb

case history

noun

a record of a person's background or medical history kept by a doctor or social worker.

casein /ˈkeɪsiːn, ˈkeɪsɪɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the main protein present in milk and (in coagulated form) in cheese. It is used in processed foods and in adhesives, paints, and other industrial products.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin caseus ‘cheese’ + -in^1.

case knife

noun

‹archaic› a type of dagger carried in a sheath.

case law

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the law as established by the outcome of former cases.
Compare with common law, statute law.

caseload /ˈkeɪsləʊd/

noun

the number of cases with which a doctor, lawyer, or social worker is concerned at one time.

casemate /ˈkeɪsmeɪt/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a small room in the wall of a fortress, with openings from which guns or missiles could be fired.

2. an armoured enclosure for guns on a warship.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Italian casamatta, perhaps from Greek khasma, khasmat- (see chasm).

casement /ˈkeɪsm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a window or part of a window set on a vertical hinge so that it opens like a door.

2. ‹literary› a window of any kind.

3. the sash of a sash window.

– origin late Middle English (as an architectural term denoting a hollow moulding): from Anglo-Latin cassimentum, from cassa, from Latin capsa (see case^2).

Casement, Sir Roger

(1864–1916), Irish diplomat and nationalist; full name Sir Roger David Casement. In 1914 he sought German support for an Irish uprising, and was subsequently hanged by the British for treason.

caseous /ˈkeɪsɪəs/

I. adjective

[Medicine] characterized by caseation.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin caseus ‘cheese’ + -ous.

casern /kəˈzəːn / caserne

I. noun

‹rare› a small, temporary building for housing a garrison of troops.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French caserne, from Provençal cazerna, from Latin quaterna ‘(hut) for four’.

case-sensitive

adjective

1. (of a computer program or function) differentiating between capital and lower-case letters.

• you can restrict the extent of the search by making it case-sensitive.

2. (of input) treated differently depending on whether it is in capitals or lower-case text

• function names are now case-sensitive.

case-shot

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› bullets or pieces of metal in an iron case fired from a cannon.

case study

noun

1. a process or record of research into the development of a particular person, group, or situation over a period of time.

• the case study was undertaken over a period of two months through a series of visits to the school.

• [as modifier] case-study interviews.

2. a particular instance of something used or analysed in order to illustrate a thesis or principle

• airline deregulation provides a case study of the effects of the internal market.

casevac /ˈkazɪvak, ˈkaʒɪvak / ‹military slang›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. evacuation of casualties by air.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. evacuate (a casualty) by air.

– origin 1950s: blend of casualty and evacuation.

casework^1 /ˈkeɪswəːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. social work directly concerned with individuals, especially that involving a study of a person's family history and personal circumstances.

II. derivatives

caseworker /ˈkeɪswəːkə /

noun

casework^2 /ˈkeɪswəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the decorative outer case protecting the workings of a complex mechanism such as an organ or harpsichord.

cash^1 /kaʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. money in coins or notes, as distinct from cheques, money orders, or credit

• the staff were paid in cash

• a discount for cash.

2. money in any form

• she was always short of cash.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. give or obtain notes or coins for (a cheque or money order)

• the bank cashed her cheque.

2. [Bridge] lead (a high card) so as to take the opportunity to win a trick.

• South cashed the ace, king, and queen of clubs.

III. phrases

1. cash and carry /ˌkaʃ n ˈkari /

a. a system of wholesale trading whereby goods are paid for in full at the time of purchase and taken away by the purchaser.

b. a wholesale store operating the cash-and-carry system.

2. cash down

(Brit.) with immediate and full payment at the time of purchase

• the price was £900 cash down.

3. cash in one's chips

‹informal› die.

• the two men never realized how close they had come to cashing in their chips.

[with reference to gambling in a casino.]

4. cash in hand

(Brit.) payment for goods and services in cash rather than by cheque or other means, typically as a way of avoiding the payment of tax on the amount earned
[as modifier]

• a cash-in-hand job.

5. cash on delivery

the system of paying for goods when they are delivered.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. cash in

‹informal› take advantage of or exploit (a situation)

• the breweries were cashing in on the rediscovered taste for real ales.

2. cash something in (or ‹N. Amer.› cash out)

convert an insurance policy, savings account, or other investment into money

• hundreds of savers cashed in their investments.

3. cash up (or ‹N. Amer.› cash out)

count and check takings at the end of a day's trading

• two staff were cashing up at one of the tills.

V. derivatives

cashable /ˈkaʃəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a box for money): from Old French casse or Italian cassa ‘box’, from Latin capsa (see case^2).

cash^2 /kaʃ/

I. noun

‹historical› a coin of low value from China, southern India, or SE Asia.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Portuguese caixa, from Tamil kāsu, influenced by cash^1.

Cash, Johnny

(1932–2003), American country music singer and songwriter; born J. R. Cash. Notable songs: ‘I Walk the Line’ (1956) and ‘A Boy Named Sue’ (1969).

cashback /ˈkaʃbak/

noun

1. a form of incentive offered to buyers of certain products whereby they receive a cash refund after making their purchase.

2. a facility offered by some retailers whereby the customer may withdraw cash when making a debit card purchase.

cash bar

noun

a bar at a social function at which guests buy drinks rather than having them provided free.

cash book

noun

a book in which receipts and payments of money are recorded.

cash box

noun

a metal box with a lock for keeping cash in.

cash buyer

noun

a person who is able to buy something, especially a property, without needing to take out a mortgage or loan to do so

• cash buyers and buy-to-let investors have done well because they've been able to pick up cheap homes.

cash card

noun

(Brit.) a plastic card issued by a bank or building society which enables the holder to withdraw money from a cash machine.

cash cow

noun

‹informal› a business, investment, or product that provides a steady income or profit.

cash crop

I. noun

a crop produced for its commercial value rather than for use by the grower.

• coffee is an important cash crop.

II. derivatives

cash cropping

noun

cash desk

noun

(Brit.) a counter or compartment in a shop or restaurant where payments are made.

cash dispenser

noun

(Brit.) another term for automated teller machine.

cashed-up

adjective

(Austral.) ‹informal› having a lot of money; wealthy

• cashed-up individuals from the corporate world.

cashew /ˈkaʃuː, kəˈʃuː/

I. noun

1. (also cashew nut) — an edible kidney-shaped nut, rich in oil and protein, which is roasted and shelled before it can be eaten. Oil extracted from the shells is used as a lubricant, in the production of plastics, etc.

2. (also cashew tree) — a bushy tropical American tree related to the mango, bearing cashew nuts singly at the tip of each swollen fruit. Also called acajou.
● Anacardium occidentale, family Anacardiaceae.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Portuguese, from Tupi acajú, cajú.

cashew apple

noun

the swollen edible fruit of the cashew tree, from which the cashew nut hangs, sometimes used to make wine.

cash flow

noun

the total amount of money being transferred into and out of a business, especially as affecting liquidity.

cashier^1 /kaˈʃɪə, kəˈʃɪə/

I. noun

a person handling payments and receipts in a shop, bank, or business.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Dutch cassier or French caissier, from caisse ‘cash’.

cashier^2 /kaˈʃɪə, kəˈʃɪə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. dismiss (someone) from the armed forces in disgrace because of a serious misdemeanour.

• he was found guilty and cashiered.

2. ‹informal› suspend or dismiss from an office or position

• the team owner had been cashiered for consorting with a gambler.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘dismiss or disband troops’): from Flemish kasseren ‘disband (troops)’ or ‘revoke (a will)’, from French casser ‘revoke, dismiss’, from Latin quassare (see quash).

cashless /ˈkaʃləs/

adjective

characterized by the exchange of funds by cheque, debit or credit card, or electronic methods rather than the use of cash

• the age of the cashless society.

cash machine ‹Brit.› cash dispenser, ‹trademark› cashpoint

noun

another term for automated teller machine.

cashmere /kaʃˈmɪə, ˈkaʃmɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. fine, soft wool, originally that from the Kashmir goat.

2. woollen material made from or resembling cashmere
[as modifier]

• a cashmere jumper.

– origin late 17th cent.: an early spelling of Kashmir.

cash nexus

noun

the relationship constituted by monetary transactions.

cash ratio

noun

1. the ratio of the liquid assets of a company to its current liabilities.

2. the ratio of cash to deposits in a bank (for which minimum values are generally set officially).

cash register

noun

a machine used in shops that has a drawer for money and totals, displays, and records the amount of each sale.

cash-rich

adjective

having a great deal of money available to spend

• cash-rich companies are rushing to build their portfolios

• many cash-rich, time-poor Britons have largely given up cooking from scratch.

cash-strapped

adjective

‹informal› extremely short of money

• cash-strapped consumers have gone deeper into debt.

casing /ˈkeɪsɪŋ/

noun

1. a cover or shell that protects or encloses something

• a waterproof casing.

2. the frame round a door or window.

casino /kəˈsiːnəʊ/

I. noun

a public room or building where gambling games are played.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Italian, diminutive of casa ‘house’, from Latin casa ‘cottage’.

casino banking

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› the practice whereby a commercial bank engages in unduly speculative or risky financial activities with the aim of achieving high profits.

• the banking needed by the economy could be closely regulated and casino banking could be left to its separate, freewheeling devices.

II. derivatives

1. casino bank

noun

2. casino banker

noun

casita /kəˈsiːtə/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a small house or other building, especially a wooden cabin.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Spanish, diminutive of casa ‘house’.

cask /kɑːsk/

I. noun

1. a large barrel-like container used for storing liquids, typically alcoholic drinks.

• the wine is stored in oak casks.

2. the quantity of liquid held in a cask

• a cask of cider.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French casque or Spanish casco ‘helmet’. The current senses appear only in English; from the late 16th to the late 18th centuries the word also denoted a helmet (compare with casque).

cask beer

noun — [ mass noun]

1. draught beer brewed and stored in the traditional way, maturing naturally in the cask from which it is served.
Compare with keg beer.

cask-conditioned

adjective

(of beer) undergoing a secondary fermentation in the cask and not filtered, pasteurized, or further processed before serving.

casket /ˈkɑːskɪt/

I. noun

1. a small ornamental box or chest for holding jewels, letters, or other valued objects.

• a small brass casket containing four black opals.

2. (Brit.) a small wooden box for cremated ashes.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) a coffin.

– origin late Middle English: perhaps an Anglo-Norman French form of Old French cassette, diminutive of casse (see case^2).

cask wine

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) wine sold in a large carton with a dispensing tap

• Kiwis have gone from drinking cask wine to appreciating quality vintages.

Caslon /ˈkazlɒn, ˈkazlən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of roman typeface first introduced in the 18th century.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after William Caslon (1692–1766), English type founder.

Casnewydd /kasˈnewɪð/

Welsh name for Newport.

Caspar /ˈkaspə, ˈkaspɑː/

one of the three Magi.

Caspian Sea /ˈkaspɪən/

a large landlocked salt lake, bounded by Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Iran. It is the world's largest body of inland water with an area of about 371,800 sq. km (143,550 sq. miles). Its surface lies 28 m (92 ft) below sea level.

casque /kɑːsk/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a helmet.

2. [Zoology] a helmet-like structure, such as that on the bill of a hornbill or the head of a cassowary.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from Spanish casco. Compare with cask.

Cassandra /kəˈsandrə / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. a daughter of the Trojan king Priam. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she cheated him, he turned this into a curse by causing her prophecies, though true, to be disbelieved.

II. (as noun a Cassandra) — a prophet of disaster, especially one who is disregarded.

cassareep /ˈkasəriːp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (W. Indian) a thick brown syrup made by boiling down the juice of grated cassava with sugar and spices, used as a flavouring for pepper pot (see pepper pot (sense 2)).

– origin from Arawak casiripe.

cassata /kəˈsɑːtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. Neapolitan ice cream containing candied or dried fruit and nuts.

– origin 1920s: Italian.

cassation /kəˈseɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

[Music] an informal instrumental composition of the 18th century, similar to a divertimento and often performed outdoors.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German Kassation ‘serenade’, from Italian cassazione.

Cassatt, Mary /kəˈsat/

(1844–1926), American painter, who worked mostly in Paris. Her paintings display a close interest in everyday subject matter.

cassava /kəˈsɑːvə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the starchy tuberous root of a tropical tree, used as food in tropical countries.

2. starch or flour obtained from cassava.
Also called manioc.

3. the shrubby tree from which cassava is obtained, native to tropical America and cultivated throughout the tropics.
●Genus Manihot, family Euphorbiaceae: several species.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Taino casávi, cazábbi, influenced by French cassave.

Cassegrain telescope /ˈkasɪɡreɪn/

I. noun

a reflecting telescope in which light reflected from a convex secondary mirror passes through a hole in the primary mirror.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after N. Cassegrain (1625–1712), the French astronomer who devised it.

casserole /ˈkasərəʊl/

I. noun

1. a kind of stew that is cooked slowly in an oven

• a chicken casserole.

2. a large covered dish used for cooking casseroles.

• heat the oil in a flameproof casserole.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cook (food) slowly in a casserole.

• I ordered guinea fowl casseroled in red wine.

• (as adj. casseroled) casseroled chicken.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, diminutive of casse ‘spoon-like container’, from Old Provençal casa, from late Latin cattia ‘ladle, pan’, from Greek kuathion, diminutive of kuathos ‘cup’.

cassette /kəˈsɛt/

I. noun

a sealed plastic unit containing a length of audio tape, videotape, film, etc. wound on a pair of spools, for insertion into a recorder, playback device, or other machine.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, diminutive of casse (see case^2).

cassette deck

noun

a unit in hi-fi equipment for playing or recording audio cassettes.

cassette player /kəˈsɛt pleɪə / cassette recorder

noun

a machine for playing back or recording audio cassettes.

cassette tape

noun

a cassette of audio tape or videotape.

cassia /ˈkasɪə/

I. noun

1. a tree, shrub, or herbaceous plant of the pea family, native to warm climates. Cassias yield a variety of products, including fodder, timber, and medicinal drugs (such as senna), and many are cultivated as ornamentals.
●Genus Cassia, family Leguminosae: many species.

2. (also cassia bark) [ mass noun] — the aromatic bark of an East Asian tree, yielding an inferior kind of cinnamon which is sometimes used to adulterate true cinnamon.
● Cinnamomum aromaticum, family Lauraceae.

– origin Old English (in sense 2), from Latin, probably denoting the wild cinnamon, via Greek from Hebrew qĕṣī‘āh.

cassingle /kaˈsɪŋɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

an audio cassette with a single piece of popular music on each side.

– origin 1970s: blend of cassette and single.

Cassini

a spacecraft launched in 1997 to explore Saturn and Titan, which it reached in 2004. It consists of an orbiter and a probe (see Huygens).

Cassini, Giovanni Domenico /kaˈsiːni/

(1625–1712), Italian-born French astronomer. He discovered the gap in the rings of Saturn known as Cassini's division.

Cassiopeia /ˌkasɪə(ʊ)ˈpiːə/

I. [Greek Mythology] the wife of Cepheus, king of Ethiopia, and mother of Andromeda.

II. [Astronomy] a constellation near the north celestial pole, recognizable by the conspicuous ‘W’ pattern of its brightest stars.

III. (as genitive Cassiopeiae) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Delta Cassiopeiae.

cassis^1 /kaˈsiːs, ˈkasɪs / crème de cassis

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a syrupy blackcurrant liqueur produced mainly in Burgundy.

– origin French, ‘blackcurrant’, apparently from Latin cassia (see cassia).

cassis^2 /kaˈsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a wine produced in the region of Cassis, a small town near Marseilles.

cassiterite /kəˈsɪtərʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a reddish, brownish, or yellowish mineral consisting of tin dioxide. It is the main ore of tin.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kassiteros ‘tin’ + -ite^1.

Cassius, Gaius /ˈkasɪəs/

(d.42 BC), Roman general; full name Gaius Cassius Longinus. He was one of the leaders of the conspiracy in 44 BC to assassinate Julius Caesar.

cassock /ˈkasək/

I. noun

a full-length garment worn by certain Christian clergy, members of church choirs, and others having an office or role in a church.

II. derivatives

cassocked

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French casaque ‘long coat’, from Italian casacca ‘riding coat’, probably from Turkic kazak ‘vagabond’. Compare with Cossack.

cassone /kaˈsəʊneɪ, kaˈsəʊni/

I. noun

(in Italy) a large chest, especially one used to hold a bride's trousseau.

– origin late 19th cent.: Italian, ‘large chest’.

cassoulet /ˈkasʊleɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a French stew made with meat (typically pork, goose, and duck) and beans.

– origin French, diminutive of dialect cassolo ‘stew pan’, from Old Provençal cassa ‘pan’; related to casserole.

cassowary /ˈkasəwəri, ˈkasəwɛːri/

I. noun

a very large flightless bird related to the emu, with a bare head and neck, a tall horny crest, and one or two coloured wattles. It is native mainly to the forests of New Guinea.
●Family Casuariidae and genus Casuarius: three species.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Malay kesuari.

cast^1 /kɑːst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [usu. with adverbial of direction] — ‹chiefly literary› throw (something) forcefully in a specified direction

• he cast the book down on to the chair angrily

• the fishermen cast a large net around a school of tuna

• ‹figurative› individuals who do not accept the norms are cast out from the group.

2. throw the hooked and baited end of (a fishing line) out into the water.

3. let down (an anchor or sounding line).

4. [with adverbial of place] — cause (light or shadow) to appear on a surface

• the moon cast a pale light over the cottages.

5. [with adverbial of direction] — direct (one's eyes or a look) at something

• she cast down her eyes

• [with two objs] she cast him a desperate glance.

6. cause (uncertainty or disparagement) to be associated with something

• journalists cast doubt on the government's version of events.

7. [with adverbial of direction] — discard

• he jumped in, casting caution to the wind.

8. shed (skin or horns) in the process of growth

• the antlers are cast each year.

9. (of a horse) lose (a shoe).

10. shape (metal or other material) by pouring it into a mould while molten.

• when hammered or cast, bronze could be made into tools.

11. make (a moulded object) by casting metal

• a bell was cast for the church.

12. arrange and present in a specified form or style

• he issued statements cast in tones of reason.

13. register (a vote)

• votes have been cast in 40 per cent of the seats.

14. cause (a magic spell) to take effect

• the witch cast a spell on her to turn her into a beast

• ‹figurative› the city casts a spell on the visitor.

15. calculate and record details of (a horoscope).

• you can look at the star chart cast at somebody's birth.

16. [no obj., usu. with adverbial of direction] — (in country dancing) change one's position by moving a certain number of places in a certain direction along the outside of the line in which one is dancing.

• cross the set and cast down one place.

17. [no obj.] — [Hunting] (of a dog) search in different directions for a lost scent

• the dog cast furiously for the vanished rabbit.

18. [with obj.] — let loose (hounds) on a scent.

• casting the hounds into cover, we stood and listened.

19. immobilize (an animal, especially a cow) by using a rope to cause it to fall on its side.

II. noun

1. an object made by shaping molten metal or similar material in a mould

• bronze casts of the sculpture.

2. (also plaster cast) — a mould used to make an object by casting.

• the artist's casts and moulds became the property of the museum.

3. (also plaster cast) — a bandage stiffened with plaster of Paris, moulded to the shape of a limb that is broken and used to support and protect it.

• I had to spend a month in a cast.

4. an act of throwing something forcefully

• he grabbed a spear for a third cast.

5. [Fishing] a throw of a fishing line.

• I swung the rod out for a cast.

6. (Brit.) the leader of a fishing line.

7. ‹archaic› a throw or a number thrown at dice

• 'tis no winning cast.

8. [in sing.] [with adj. or noun modifier] — the form or appearance of something, especially someone's features or complexion

• she had a somewhat masculine cast of countenance

• the colours he wore emphasized the olive cast of his skin.

9. the character of something

• this question is for minds of a more philosophical cast than mine.

10. a slight squint

• he had a cast in one eye.

11. short for worm cast.

12. a pellet regurgitated by a hawk or owl.

13. [Hunting] a wide search made by a hound or pack of hounds to find a trail.

14. (Austral./NZ) a wide sweep made by a sheepdog in mustering sheep.

15. ‹rare› a pair or group of hawks or falcons

• he gave one thousand pounds for a cast of hawks.

III. phrases

1. be cast in a —— mould

(of a person) be of the type specified

• he was cast in a cautious mould.

2. cast one's bread upon the waters

see bread.

3. cast one's eyes over

have a quick appraising look at.

• he was invited to cast his eyes over the exhibition.

4. cast light on

see light^1.

5. cast lots

see lot.

6. cast one's mind back

think back to a particular event or time

• he cast his mind back to the fatal evening.

7. cast the (or one's) net

search for suitable options or candidates in a specified way

• Martin vowed he would cast the net far and wide in the search for the best person.

• he is prepared to cast his net wide to find workable solutions.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. cast about (or around or round)

search far and wide (physically or mentally)

• he is restlessly casting about for novelties.

[from cast^1 (sense 9 of the verb).]

2. be cast away

be stranded after a shipwreck.

• he returned home three years after being cast away on the island.

3. be cast down

feel depressed

• she was greatly cast down by abusive criticism of her novels.

4. cast off (or cast something off)

a. [Knitting] take the stitches off the needle by looping each over the next to finish the edge.

• when the piece of knitting is long enough, cast off.

• cast off a few stitches at the armhole.

b. set a boat or ship free from her moorings

• the boatmen cast off and rowed downriver.

c. ( cast off) — (of a boat or ship) be set free from her moorings.

• the ferry cast off and made a beeline for the pier.

d. let loose a hunting hound or hawk.

e. [Printing] estimate the space that will be taken in print by manuscript copy.

5. cast someone off

exclude someone from a relationship

• you told me your family had cast you off.

6. cast on (or cast something on)

[Knitting] make the first row of a specified number of loops on the needle.

• cast on and knit a few rows of stocking stitch.

• cast on 14 stitches.

7. cast something up

a. (of the sea) deposit something on the shore.

• she would collect objects cast up by the tides.

b. ‹dated› add up figures.

• he could cast up intricate accounts in his head.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse kasta ‘to cast or throw’.

cast^2 /kɑːst/

I. noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the actors taking part in a play, film, or other production

• he draws sensitive performances from his inexperienced cast.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. assign a part in a play or film to (an actor)

• he was cast as a young knight in her lavish historical epic.

2. allocate parts in (a play or film).

• assembling a great baseball team is as tricky as casting a play.

– origin mid 17th cent.: a special use of cast^1 in cast^1 (sense 4 of the verb).

Castalia /kaˈsteɪlɪə/

I. a spring on Mount Parnassus, sacred in antiquity to Apollo and the Muses.

II. derivatives

Castalian

adjective

castanets /ˌkastəˈnɛts/

I. plural noun

small concave pieces of wood, ivory, or plastic, joined in pairs by a cord and clicked together by the fingers as a rhythmic accompaniment to Spanish dancing.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Spanish castañeta, diminutive of castaña, from Latin castanea ‘chestnut’.

castaway /ˈkɑːstəweɪ/

noun

a person who has been shipwrecked and stranded in an isolated place.

• a castaway on a desert island.

caste /kɑːst/

I. noun

1. each of the hereditary classes of Hindu society, distinguished by relative degrees of ritual purity or pollution and of social status

• members of the lower castes

• [ mass noun] a man of high caste.

2. [ mass noun] — the system of dividing society into castes.

• caste has survived among Goa's Christians.

• [as modifier] the caste system.

3. any class or group of people who inherit exclusive privileges or are perceived as socially distinct

• those educated in private schools belong to a privileged caste.

4. [Entomology] (in some social insects) a class of physically distinct individuals with a particular function in the society.

• in both ants and termites the workers can include specialist castes such as soldiers.

There are four basic classes or varnas in Hindu society: Brahman (priest), Kshatriya (warrior), Vaisya (merchant or farmer), and Sudra (labourer). The lowest class, the scheduled caste (formerly known as untouchables), fall outside the varna system and have historically suffered extreme discrimination.

II. phrases

lose caste

a. descend in the caste system, e.g. by taking employment regarded as of lower status.

b. come to be regarded with less respect; lose status.

• they lost caste by moving away from the old house.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the general sense ‘race, breed’): from Spanish and Portuguese casta ‘lineage, race, breed’, feminine of casto ‘pure, unmixed’, from Latin castus ‘chaste’.

caste Hindu

noun

a Hindu who belongs to one of the four main castes.

casteism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. adherence to a caste system.

2. prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of caste.

II. derivatives

casteist

adjective

Castel Gandolfo /ˌkastɛl ɡanˈdɒlfəʊ/

the summer residence of the pope, situated on the edge of Lake Albano near Rome.

castellan /ˈkastələn/

I. noun

‹historical› the governor of a castle.

– origin late Middle English: from Old Northern French castelain, from medieval Latin castellanus, from Latin castellum (see castle).

castellated /ˈkastəleɪtɪd/

I. adjective

1. having battlements

• a castellated gatehouse.

2. (of a nut or other mechanical part) having grooves or slots on its upper face.

– origin late 17th cent.: from medieval Latin castellatus, from Latin castellum (see castle).

castellations /ˌkastəˈleɪʃ(ə)nz/

I. plural noun

1. defensive or decorative parapets with regularly spaced notches; battlements.

• castellations and turrets added to the charm.

2. ( castellation) [ mass noun] — the use or building of castellations.

• one or two of the houses bore hints of castellation.

– origin early 19th cent.: based on medieval Latin castellare ‘to build castles’, from castellum (see castle).

Castell-Nedd /ˌkastelˈneð/

Welsh name for Neath.

caste mark

noun

a symbol on the forehead denoting membership of a particular Hindu caste.

caster /ˈkɑːstə/

noun

1. a person who casts something or a machine for casting something.

2. [Fishing] a fly pupa used as bait.

3. variant spelling of castor^1.

caster sugar castor sugar

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) finely granulated white or pale golden sugar.

– origin mid 19th cent.: so named because it was suitable for use in a castor (see castor^1 (sense 2)).

cast-for-age

adjective

(Austral./NZ) (of sheep) too old for breeding and destined to be sold off or slaughtered

• I purchased around 500 cast-for-age animals.

castigate /ˈkastɪɡeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› reprimand (someone) severely

• he was castigated for not setting a good example.

II. derivatives

1. castigation /kastɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. castigative

adjective

3. castigator /ˈkastɪɡeɪtə /

noun

4. castigatory /ˈkastɪɡeɪtəri /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin castigare ‘reprove’, from castus ‘pure, chaste’.

Castile /kaˈstiːl/

I. a region of central Spain, on the central plateau of the Iberian peninsula, formerly an independent Spanish kingdom.

– origin from French Castille, from Spanish Castilla.

Castile soap

noun — [ mass noun]

1. fine, hard white or mottled soap made with olive oil and soda.

Castilian /kaˈstɪlɪən/

I. noun

1. a native of Castile.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of Castile, being the standard spoken and literary Spanish.

II. adjective

relating to Castile, Castilians, or the Castilian form of Spanish.

Castilla-La Mancha /kaˌstiːjəlaˈmantʃə/

an autonomous region of central Spain; capital, Toledo.

Castilla-León /kaˌstiːjəleɪˈɒn/

an autonomous region of northern Spain; capital, Valladolid.

casting /ˈkɑːstɪŋ/

noun

an object made by pouring molten metal or other material into a mould.

• bronze castings.

casting couch

noun

‹informal› used in reference to the supposed practice whereby actresses are awarded parts in films or plays in return for granting sexual favours to the casting director

• she was no stranger to the casting couch.

casting director

noun

the person responsible for assigning roles in a film or play.

casting vote

I. noun

an extra vote given by a chairperson to decide an issue when the votes on each side are equal.

– origin early 17th cent.: from an obsolete sense of cast ‘turn the scale’.

cast iron /ˌkɑːst ˈʌɪən/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hard, relatively brittle alloy of iron and carbon which can be readily cast in a mould and contains a higher proportion of carbon than steel (typically 2–4.3 per cent).

2. [as modifier] — firm and unchangeable

• there are no cast-iron guarantees.

castle /ˈkɑːs(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a large building, typically of the medieval period, fortified against attack with thick walls, battlements, towers, and often a moat.

• Edinburgh Castle.

• the crumbling stonework of a ruined castle.

2. a magnificent and imposing old mansion
[in names]

• Castle Howard.

3. [Chess] ‹informal› old-fashioned term for rook^2.

II. verb — [no obj.] (often as noun castling)

1. [Chess] make a special move (no more than once in a game by each player) in which the king is transferred from its original square two squares along the back rank towards a rook on its corner square which is then transferred to the square passed over by the king.

2. [with obj.] — [Chess] move (the king) by castling.

III. phrases

castles in the air (or in Spain)

visionary unattainable schemes; daydreams

• my father built castles in the air about owning a boat.

IV. derivatives

castled

adjective

‹archaic›

– origin late Old English: from Anglo-Norman French and Old Northern French castel, from Latin castellum, diminutive of castrum ‘fort’.

Castle, Barbara

(Anne), Baroness Castle of Blackburn (1910–2002), British Labour politician. As Minister of Transport (1965–8) she introduced the 70 mph speed limit and the breathalyser test.

Castlebar /ˌkɑːs(ə)lˈbɑː/

the county town of Mayo, in the Republic of Ireland; pop. 10,655 (2006).

Castlereagh, Viscount /ˈkɑːs(ə)lreɪ/

(1769–1822), British Tory statesman; born Robert Stewart. He became Foreign Secretary in 1812 and represented Britain at the Congress of Vienna (1814–15).

cast net

noun

a fishing net that is thrown out and immediately drawn in again, rather than being set up and left.

cast-off /ˈkɑːstɒf / ‹Brit.›

I. adjective

no longer wanted; abandoned or discarded

• a pile of cast-off clothes.

II. noun

something, especially a garment, that is no longer wanted

• I'm not going out in her cast-offs!

castor^1 /ˈkɑːstə / caster

I. noun

1. each of a set of small swivelling wheels fixed to the legs or base of a heavy piece of furniture so that it can be moved easily.

2. a small container with holes in the top, especially one used for sprinkling sugar or pepper.

– origin late 17th cent. (in sense 2): originally a variant of caster, in the general sense ‘something that casts’.

castor^2 /ˈkɑːstə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an oily reddish-brown substance secreted by beavers, used in medicine and perfumes.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘beaver’): from Old French or Latin, from Greek kastōr.

Castor /ˈkɑːstə/

I. [Greek Mythology] the twin brother of Pollux.
See Dioscuri.

II. [Astronomy] the second-brightest star in the constellation Gemini, close to Pollux. It is a multiple star system, the three components visible in a moderate telescope being close binaries.

castor bean

noun

1. the seed of the castor oil plant, which contains a number of poisonous compounds, especially ricin, as well as castor oil.

2. (N. Amer.) the castor oil plant.

castor bean tick

noun

another term for sheep tick.

castor oil /ˈkɑːstə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a pale yellow oil obtained from castor beans, used as a purgative, a lubricant, and in manufacturing oil-based products.

– origin mid 18th cent.: perhaps so named because it succeeded castor^2 in medicinal use.

castor oil plant

noun

an African shrub with lobed serrated leaves, which yields the seeds from which castor oil is obtained and is widely naturalized in warm countries.
● Ricinus communis, family Euphorbiaceae.

castrate /kaˈstreɪt, ˈkastreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the testicles of (a male animal or man).

2. deprive of power, vitality, or vigour

• a restrictive classicism would have castrated England's literature.

II. noun

a man or male animal whose testicles have been removed.

• young human castrates, or eunuchs.

III. derivatives

castrator

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (earlier (Middle English) as castration): from Latin castrare.

castration /kaˈstreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the removal of the testicles of a male animal or man

• the castration of male calves was initiated to reduce fighting.

2. the state of being deprived of power, vitality, or vigour

• the inability to afford technology is economic castration.

castration complex

noun

[Psychoanalysis] (in Freudian theory) an unconscious anxiety arising during psychosexual development, represented in males as a fear that the penis will be removed by the father in response to sexual interest in the mother, and in females as a compulsion to demonstrate that they have an adequate symbolic equivalent to the penis, whose absence is blamed on the mother.

castrato /kaˈstrɑːtəʊ/

I. noun

‹historical› a male singer castrated in boyhood so as to retain a soprano or alto voice. The practice of castration was banned in 1903.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Italian, past participle of castrare (see castrate).

Castries /kaˈstriːs/

the capital of the Caribbean island of St Lucia, a seaport on the NW coast; pop. 14,000 (est. 2007).

Castro, Fidel /ˈkastrəʊ/

(b.1927), Cuban statesman, Prime Minister 1959–76 and President 1976–2008. After overthrowing President Batista he set up a communist regime which survived the abortive Bay of Pigs invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the collapse of the Soviet bloc. In 2008 he stood down in favour of his brother Raúl Castro.

cast steel

noun — [ mass noun]

1. steel that has been melted and cast in a mould, rather than worked while solid.

2. ‹historical› steel made by melting wrought iron in crucibles with charcoal.

casual /ˈkaʒjʊəl/

I. adjective

1. relaxed and unconcerned

• a casual attitude to life.

2. made or done without much thought or premeditation

• a casual remark.

3. done or acting in a desultory way

• to the casual observer, rugby looks something like football.

4. done or acting without sufficient care or thoroughness

• the casual way in which victims were treated.

5. not regular or permanent, in particular:

6. employed or established on a temporary or irregular basis

• a casual worker

• casual jobs.

7. (of a sexual relationship or encounter) occurring between people who are not established sexual partners

• they don't do one-night stands or casual flings.

8. [ attrib.] — happening by chance; accidental

• he pretended it was a casual meeting.

9. without formality of style or manner, in particular (of clothing) suitable for everyday wear rather than formal occasions

• a casual short-sleeved shirt

• an ideal coat for casual occasions.

II. noun

1. a person who does something irregularly

• a number of casuals became regular customers.

2. (Brit.) a worker employed on an irregular or temporary basis.

• the business employs eight full-time sales staff and ten casuals.

3. ‹historical› a person admitted to a workhouse for a short period.

4. ( casuals) — (Brit.) clothes or shoes suitable for everyday wear rather than formal occasions.

• she designs women's casuals.

5. (Brit.) a youth belonging to a subculture characterized by the wearing of expensive casual clothing and frequently associated with football hooliganism.

III. derivatives

casualness /ˈkazjʊəlnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2 of the adjective, sense 3 of the adjective): from Old French casuel and Latin casualis, from casus ‘fall’ (compare with case^1).

casual Friday

noun

Friday as a designated day of the week when organizations allow employees to dress more casually than on other weekdays.

casualization casualisation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the transformation of a workforce from one employed chiefly on permanent contracts to one engaged on a short-term temporary basis.

• casualization has left millions of workers in constant fear for their jobs.

• the casualization of the television industry.

II. derivatives

casualize /ˈkaʒʊəlʌɪz / casualise

verb

casually /ˈkaʒʊəli/

adverb

1. in a relaxed and informal way

• she was just casually strolling through the mall

• the family was casually dressed in jeans and jumpers.

2. in a way that lacks sufficient care or thoughtfulness

• people who casually throw rubbish around the streets.

3. without commitment or permanence; occasionally or irregularly

• I work casually as a staff nurse

• I wouldn't introduce my family to people I was casually dating.

casual sex

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sexual activity between people who are not established sexual partners or do not know each other well

• he wants a relationship, not just casual sex.

casualty /ˈkaʒjʊəlti/

I. noun

1. a person killed or injured in a war or accident

• the shelling caused thousands of civilian casualties.

2. a person or thing badly affected by an event or situation

• the building industry has been one of the casualties of the recession.

3. (Brit.) the casualty department of a hospital

• he went to casualty to have a cut stitched.

4. (chiefly in insurance) an accident or disaster.

• the Insurers acquire all the Policyholder's rights in respect of the casualty which caused the loss.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘chance, a chance occurrence’): from medieval Latin casualitas, from casualis (see casual), on the pattern of words such as penalty.

casualty department casualty ward

noun

(Brit.) the department of a hospital providing immediate treatment for emergency cases.

casual ward

noun

‹historical› a ward in a workhouse providing accommodation for those temporarily unable to support themselves.

casual water

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Golf] water that has accumulated temporarily and does not constitute a recognized hazard of the course. A player may move a ball from casual water without penalty.

casual wear

noun — [ mass noun]

1. articles of clothing suitable for informal occasions or situations

• she opted for casual wear, arriving in jeans with her hair scraped back into a ponytail.

casuarina /ˌkasjʊəˈriːnə/

I. noun

a tree with slender, jointed, drooping twigs which resemble horsetails and bear tiny scale-like leaves, native to Australia and SE Asia. Also called she-oak.
●Genus Casuarina, family Casuarinaceae.

– origin from modern Latin casuarius ‘cassowary’ (from the resemblance of the branches to the bird's feathers).

casuist /ˈkazjʊɪst, ˈkaʒjʊɪst/

I. noun

1. a person who uses clever but unsound reasoning, especially in relation to moral questions; a sophist.

2. a person who resolves moral problems by the application of theoretical rules.

II. derivatives

1. casuistic /kazjʊˈɪstɪk, kaʒjʊˈɪstɪk /

adjective

2. casuistical

adjective

3. casuistically

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from French casuiste, from Spanish casuista, from Latin casus (see case^1).

casuistry /ˈkazjʊɪstri, ˈkaʒjʊɪstri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of clever but unsound reasoning, especially in relation to moral questions; sophistry.

• the minister is engaging in nothing more or less than casuistry.

2. the resolving of moral problems by the application of theoretical rules.

casus belli /ˌkeɪsəs ˈbɛlʌɪ, ˌkɑːsʊs ˈbɛli/

I. noun

an act or situation that provokes or justifies a war.

– origin Latin, from casus (see case^1) and belli, genitive of bellum ‘war’.

cat^1 /kat/

I. noun

1. a small domesticated carnivorous mammal with soft fur, a short snout, and retractile claws. It is widely kept as a pet or for catching mice, and many breeds have been developed.
● Felis catus, family Felidae (the cat family); it was probably domesticated in ancient Egypt from the local race of wildcat. The cat family also includes the ocelot, serval, margay, lynx, and the big cats.

2. a wild animal of the cat family

• a marbled cat.

See also big cat.

3. used in names of catlike animals of other families, e.g. native cat, ring-tailed cat.

4. ‹informal› a malicious or spiteful woman.

• his mother called me an old cat.

5. ‹historical› short for cat-o'-nine-tails.

6. short for catfish.

7. short for cathead.

8. short for catboat.

9. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) (especially among jazz enthusiasts) a man.

• this West Coast cat had managed him since the early 80s.

• the cat went crazy on the horn.

10. ‹historical› a short tapered stick used in the game of tipcat.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Nautical] raise (an anchor) from the surface of the water to the cathead.

• I kept her off the wind and sailing free until I had the anchor catted.

III. phrases

1. all cats are grey in the dark ( ‹or US› at night all cats are gray)

‹proverb› the qualities that distinguish people from one another are obscured in some circumstances, and if they can't be perceived they don't matter.

2. cat and mouse

a series of cunning manoeuvres designed to thwart an opponent

• he continues to play cat and mouse with the UN inspection teams.

3. a cat may look at a king

‹proverb› even a person of low status or importance has rights.

4. the cat's whiskers ( ‹or chiefly N. Amer.› meow or pyjamas)

‹informal› an excellent person or thing

• this car is the cat's whiskers.

5. has the cat got your tongue?

said to someone who remains silent when they are expected to speak.

6. let the cat out of the bag

‹informal› reveal a secret carelessly or by mistake.

• now that Viola had let the cat out of the bag, she had no option but to confess.

7. like a cat on a hot tin roof ( also ‹Brit.› on hot bricks)

‹informal› very agitated or anxious.

8. like herding cats ‹informal›

used to refer to a difficult or impossible task, typically an attempt to organize a group of people

• controlling the members of this expedition is like herding cats.

9. like the cat that got (or stole) the cream

‹informal› self-satisfied, having achieved one's objective

• you sit in this office like the cat that got the cream and expect the world to revolve around you.

10. look like something the cat brought in

‹informal› look very dirty or dishevelled.

11. not have a cat in hell's chance

‹informal› have no chance at all.

• the plan did not have a cat in hell's chance of succeeding.

12. put (or set) the cat among the pigeons

(Brit.) say or do something that is likely to cause trouble or controversy.

13. see which way the cat jumps

‹informal› see what direction events are taking before committing oneself.

14. when (or while) the cat's away, the mice will play

‹proverb› people will naturally take advantage of the absence of someone in authority to do as they like.

• ‘His parents are away for the weekend.’ ‘I see—while the cat's away.’.

15. who's she—the cat's mother?

see she.

– origin Old English catt, catte, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kat and German Katze; reinforced in Middle English by forms from late Latin cattus.

cat^2 /kat/

noun

short for catalytic converter.

• models fitted with a cat as standard.

cat^3 /kat/

noun

short for catamaran.

CAT /kat/

abbreviation

1. clear air turbulence.

2. computer-assisted (or -aided) testing.

3. [Medicine] computerized axial tomography.
[as modifier]

• a CAT scan.

cata- cat-

I. prefix

1. down; downwards

• catadromous.

2. wrongly; badly

• catachresis.

3. completely

• cataclysm.

4. against; alongside

• catapult.

– origin from Greek kata ‘down’.

catabolism /kəˈtabəlɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the breakdown of complex molecules in living organisms to form simpler ones, together with the release of energy; destructive metabolism.

II. derivatives

1. catabolic /katəˈbɒlɪk /

adjective

2. catabolize /kəˈtabəlʌɪz /

verb

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek katabolē ‘throwing down’, from kata- ‘down’ + ballein ‘to throw’.

catabolite /kəˈtabəlʌɪt/

noun

[Biochemistry] a product of catabolism.

catachresis /ˌkatəˈkriːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of a word in an incorrect way, for example the use of mitigate for militate.

II. derivatives

catachrestic /ˌkatəˈkriːstɪk, ˌkatəˈkrɛstɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, from Greek katakhrēsis, from katakhrēsthai ‘misuse’, from kata- ‘down’ (expressing the sense ‘wrongly’) + khrēsthai ‘use’.

cataclasis /ˌkatəˈkleɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] the fracture and breaking up of rock by natural processes.

II. derivatives

cataclastic /ˌkatəˈklastɪk /

adjective

– origin 1950s: from cata- ‘completely’ + Greek klasis ‘breaking’.

cataclysm /ˈkatəˌklɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a large-scale and violent event in the natural world.

• the cataclysm at the end of the Cretaceous Period.

2. a sudden violent political or social upheaval

• the cataclysm of the First World War.

– origin early 17th cent. (originally denoting the biblical Flood described in Genesis): from French cataclysme, via Latin from Greek kataklusmos ‘deluge’, from kata- ‘down’ + kluzein ‘to wash’.

cataclysmic /katəˈklɪzmik/

I. adjective

1. (of a natural event) large-scale and violent

• a cataclysmic earthquake.

2. causing sudden and violent upheaval

• a novel about a cataclysmic world war.

3. ‹informal› used to emphasize the extent of something bad or unwelcome

• the concert was a cataclysmic failure.

II. derivatives

cataclysmically

adverb

catacomb /ˈkatəkuːm, ˈkatəkəʊm/

I. noun — (usu. catacombs)

1. an underground cemetery consisting of a subterranean gallery with recesses for tombs, as constructed by the ancient Romans.

2. an underground construction resembling or compared to catacombs.

– origin Old English, from late Latin catacumbas, the name of the subterranean cemetery of St Sebastian near Rome.

catadioptric /ˌkatədʌɪˈɒptrɪk/

adjective

[Optics] denoting an optical system which involves both the reflecting and refracting of light, in order to reduce aberration.

catadromous /kaˈtadrəməs/

I. adjective

[Zoology] (of a fish such as the eel) migrating down rivers to the sea to spawn.
The opposite of anadromous.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cata- ‘down’ + Greek dromos ‘running’, on the pattern of anadromous.

catafalque /ˈkatəfalk/

I. noun

a decorated wooden framework supporting the coffin of a distinguished person during a funeral or while lying in state.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian catafalco, of unknown origin. Compare with scaffold.

Catalan /ˈkatəlan/

I. noun

1. a native of Catalonia in Spain.

2. [ mass noun] — a Romance language closely related to Castilian Spanish and Provençal, widely spoken in Catalonia (where it has official status alongside Castilian Spanish) and in Andorra, the Balearic Islands, and parts of southern France. It has about 6 million speakers in all.

II. adjective

relating to Catalonia, its people, or its language.

– origin from French, from Spanish catalán, related to Catalan català ‘Catalan’, Catalunya ‘Catalonia’.

catalase /ˈkatəleɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an enzyme that catalyses the reduction of hydrogen peroxide.

– origin early 20th cent.: from catalysis + -ase.

catalectic /ˌkatəˈlɛktɪk/

I. adjective

[Prosody] (of a metrical line of verse) lacking one syllable in the last foot.

II. noun

a line lacking a syllable in the last foot.

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin catalecticus, from Greek katalēktikos, from katalēgein ‘leave off’.

catalepsy /ˈkat(ə)lɛpsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a medical condition characterized by a trance or seizure with a loss of sensation and consciousness accompanied by rigidity of the body.

II. derivatives

cataleptic /kat(ə)ˈlɛptɪk /

adjective, noun

– origin late Middle English: from French catalepsie or late Latin catalepsia, from Greek katalēpsis, from katalambanein ‘seize upon’.

catalogue /ˈkat(ə)lɒɡ / ‹US› catalog

I. noun

1. a complete list of items, typically one in alphabetical or other systematic order, in particular:

2. a list of all the books or resources in a library.

• a computerized library catalogue.

3. a publication containing details of items for sale, especially one produced by a mail-order company.

• a mail-order catalogue.

4. a list of works of art in an exhibition or collection, with detailed comments and explanations.

• this collection of paintings is the subject of a detailed catalogue.

5. (US) a list of courses offered by a university or college.

6. [in sing.] — a series of unwelcome or unpleasant things

• his life was a catalogue of dismal failures.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make a systematic list of (items of the same type).

• it will be some time before the collection is fully catalogued.

2. enter (an item) in a catalogue.

• the picture was withdrawn before being catalogued.

3. list (similar situations, qualities, or events) in succession

• the report catalogues dangerous work practices in the company.

III. derivatives

cataloguer /ˈkat(ə)lɒɡə / ‹US› cataloger

noun

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin catalogus, from Greek katalogos, from katalegein ‘pick out or enrol’.

catalogue raisonné /ˌreɪzɒˈneɪ/

I. noun

a descriptive catalogue of works of art with explanations and scholarly comments.

– origin late 18th cent.: French, ‘explained catalogue’.

Catalonia /ˌkatəˈləʊnɪə/

an autonomous region of NE Spain; capital, Barcelona. The region has a strong separatist tradition; the normal language for everyday purposes is Catalan, which has also won acceptance in recent years for various official purposes. Catalan name Catalunya /ˌkatəˈluːnɪə/; Spanish name Cataluña /ˌkataˈluɲa/.

Catalonian /ˌkat(ə)ˈləʊniən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Spanish region of Catalonia, its people, or its language

• a monumental 12th-century Catalonian fresco.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of the Spanish region of Catalonia

• he is bilingual like many Catalonians.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Spanish region of Catalonia, also widely spoken in Andorra, the Balearic Islands, and parts of southern France; Catalan

• my faltering attempts at Catalonian.

catalpa /kəˈtalpə/

I. noun

a tree with large heart-shaped leaves, clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers, and slender bean-like seed pods, native to North America and eastern Asia and cultivated as an ornamental.
●Genus Catalpa, family Bignoniaceae: several species, in particular the Indian bean tree.

– origin from Creek.

catalufa /ˌkatəˈluːfə/

I. noun

another term for bigeye (sense 2).

– origin from Spanish.

catalyse /ˈkat(ə)lʌɪz / ‹US› catalyze

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause or accelerate (a reaction) by acting as a catalyst.

• the enzyme catalyses the oxidation of acetaldehyde.

2. cause (an action or process) to begin

• the introduction of the canal and the railway catalysed the city's industrial growth.

– origin late 19th cent.: from catalysis, on the pattern of analyse.

catalyser /ˈkat(ə)lʌɪzə/

noun

(Brit.) another term for catalytic converter.

catalysis /kəˈtalɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the acceleration of a chemical reaction by a catalyst.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin, from Greek katalusis, from kataluein ‘dissolve’, from kata- ‘down’ + luein ‘loosen’.

catalyst /ˈkat(ə)lɪst/

I. noun

1. a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.

• chlorine acts as a catalyst promoting the breakdown of ozone.

2. a person or thing that precipitates an event

• the prime minister's speech acted as a catalyst for debate.

– origin early 20th cent.: from catalysis, on the pattern of analyst.

catalytic /ˌkatəˈlɪtɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or involving the action of a catalyst.

II. derivatives

catalytically

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from catalysis, on the pattern of pairs such as analysis, analytic.

catalytic converter /katəlɪtɪk kənˈvɜːtə/

noun

a device incorporated in the exhaust system of a motor vehicle, containing a catalyst for converting pollutant gases into less harmful ones.

catamaran /ˌkatəməˈran/

I. noun

a yacht or other boat with twin hulls in parallel.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Tamil kaṭṭumaram, literally ‘tied wood’.

catamenia /katəˈmiːnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› blood and other matter discharged from the uterus at menstruation.

– origin mid 18th cent.: Greek, neuter plural form of katamēnios ‘monthly’, from kata ‘down’ + mēn ‘month’: see -ia^2.

catamite /ˈkatəmʌɪt/

I. noun

‹archaic› a boy kept for homosexual practices.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin catamitus, via Etruscan from Greek Ganumēdēs (see Ganymede).

catamount /ˈkatəmaʊnt / catamountain /ˌkatəˈmaʊntɪn/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a puma.

2. ‹archaic› any medium-sized or large wild cat.

– origin late Middle English (as catamountain): from the phrase cat of the mountain.

catananche /ˌkatəˈnaŋki/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that includes cupid's dart.
●Genus Catananche, family Compositae.

– origin from modern Latin, from Latin catanance, a plant used in love potions, from Greek katanankē, from kata- ‘down’ + anankē ‘compulsion’.

Catania /kəˈtɑːnɪə, kəˈteɪnɪə/

a seaport situated at the foot of Mount Etna, on the east coast of Sicily; pop. 296,469 (2008).

cataphatic /ˌkatəˈfatɪk/

I. adjective

[Theology] (of knowledge of God) obtained through defining God with positive statements.
The opposite of apophatic.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kataphatikos ‘affirmative’, from kataphasis ‘affirmation’, from kata- (as an intensifier) + phanai ‘speak’.

cataphor /ˈkɑtəfə, ˈkɑtəfɔː/

I. noun

[Grammar] a word or phrase that refers to or stands for a later word or phrase (e.g. in when they saw Ruth, the men looked slightly abashed, they is used as a cataphor for the men).

– origin late 20th cent.: back-formation from cataphora.

cataphora /kəˈtaf(ə)rə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Grammar] the use of a word or phrase that refers to or stands for a later word or phrase (e.g. the pronoun he in he may be approaching 37, but Jeff has no plans to retire from the sport yet).
Compare with anaphora.

II. derivatives

1. cataphoric /katəˈfɒrɪk /

adjective

2. cataphorically

adverb

– origin 1970s: from cata- on the pattern of anaphora.

cataphract /ˈkatəfrakt/

I. noun

‹archaic› a soldier in full armour.

– origin late 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek kataphraktos ‘clothed in full armour’.

cataplasm /ˈkatəplaz(ə)m/

I. noun

‹archaic› a plaster or poultice.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cataplasme or late Latin cataplasma, from Greek kataplasma, from kataplassein ‘plaster over’.

cataplexy /ˈkatəˌplɛksi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a medical condition in which strong emotion or laughter causes a person to suffer sudden physical collapse though remaining conscious.

II. derivatives

cataplectic /katəˈplɛktɪk /

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kataplēxis ‘stupefaction’, from kataplessein, from kata- ‘down’ + plēssein ‘strike’.

catapult /ˈkatəpʌlt/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a forked stick with an elastic band fastened to the two prongs, used by children for shooting small stones.

2. ‹historical› a military machine worked by a lever and ropes for hurling large stones or other missiles.

3. a mechanical device for launching a glider or other aircraft, especially from the deck of a ship.

II. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of direction]

1. hurl or launch (something) with or as if with a catapult

• the explosion catapulted the car 30 yards along the road

• ‹figurative› their music catapulted them to the top of the charts.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move suddenly or at great speed as though hurled by a catapult

• the horse catapulted away from the fence.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French catapulte or Latin catapulta, from Greek katapeltēs, from kata- ‘down’ + pallein ‘hurl’.

cataract /ˈkatərakt/

I. noun

1. a large waterfall.

• the river descends in a succession of spectacular cataracts.

2. a sudden rush of water; a downpour

• the rain enveloped us in a deafening cataract.

3. a medical condition in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in blurred vision

• she had cataracts in both eyes.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin cataracta ‘waterfall, floodgate’, also ‘portcullis’ (medical sense 2 probably being a figurative use of this), from Greek kataraktēs ‘down-rushing’, from katarassein, from kata- ‘down’ + arassein ‘strike, smash’.

catarrh /kəˈtɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessive discharge or build-up of mucus in the nose or throat, associated with inflammation of the mucous membrane.

II. derivatives

catarrhal /kəˈtɑːrəl /

adjective

– origin early 16th cent.: from French catarrhe, from late Latin catarrhus, from Greek katarrhous, from katarrhein ‘flow down’, from kata- ‘down’ + rhein ‘flow’.

catarrhine /ˈkatərʌɪn / ‹Zoology›

I. adjective

relating to primates of a group that comprises the Old World monkeys, gibbons, great apes, and humans. They are distinguished by having nostrils that are close together and directed downwards, and do not have a prehensile tail.
Compare with platyrrhine.

II. noun

a catarrhine primate.
●Infraorder Catarrhini, order Primates: four families.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cata- ‘down’ + Greek rhis, rhin- ‘nose’.

catastrophe /kəˈtastrəfi/

I. noun

1. an event causing great and usually sudden damage or suffering; a disaster

• an environmental catastrophe

• [ mass noun] inaction will only bring us closer to catastrophe.

2. something very unfortunate or unsuccessful

• the tax would be a catastrophe for the industry.

3. the denouement of a drama, especially a classical tragedy.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘denouement’): from Latin catastropha, from Greek katastrophē ‘overturning, sudden turn’, from kata- ‘down’ + strophē ‘turning’ (from strephein ‘to turn’).

catastrophe theory

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a branch of mathematics concerned with systems displaying abrupt discontinuous change.

catastrophic /katəˈstrɒfɪk/

adjective

1. involving or causing sudden great damage or suffering

• a catastrophic earthquake.

2. extremely unfortunate or unsuccessful

• catastrophic mismanagement of the economy.

3. involving a sudden and large-scale alteration in state

• the body undergoes catastrophic collapse towards the state of a black hole.

4. relating to geological catastrophism.

catastrophically /katəˈstrɒfɪk(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a way that involves great damage, suffering, or deterioration in state

• tropical forests are being catastrophically destroyed.

2. [as submodifier] — to an extremely unsuccessful extent

• the film is catastrophically bad.

3. [Geology] in a way that results from a natural disaster

• two fossil specimens appear to have been buried together catastrophically.

catastrophism /kəˈtastrəfɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] the theory that changes in the earth's crust during geological history have resulted chiefly from sudden violent and unusual events.
Often contrasted with uniformitarianism.

II. derivatives

catastrophist /kəˈtastrəfɪst /

noun, adjective

catastrophize catastrophise

verb — [no obj.]

1. view or present a situation as considerably worse than it actually is

• traumatic experiences can predispose people to catastrophize.

catatonia /ˌkatəˈtəʊnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] abnormality of movement and behaviour arising from a disturbed mental state (typically schizophrenia). It may involve repetitive or purposeless overactivity, or catalepsy, resistance to passive movement, and negativism.

2. ‹informal› a state of immobility and stupor.

• violent imagery and musical dissonance induce a state of catatonia.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cata- ‘badly’ + Greek tonos ‘tone or tension’.

catatonic /katəˈtɒnɪk/

adjective

1. [Psychiatry] relating to or characterized by catatonia

• catatonic schizophrenia.

2. ‹informal› of or in an immobile or unresponsive stupor.

Catawba /kəˈtɔːbə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a North American variety of grape.

2. a white wine made from the Catawba grape.

– origin named after the River Catawba in North and South Carolina.

cat-bear

noun

another term for red panda.

catbird /ˈkatbəːd/

I. noun

1. a long-tailed American songbird of the mockingbird family, with mainly dark grey or black plumage and catlike mewing calls.
●Two genera and species, family Mimidae.

2. a thickset Australasian bird of the bowerbird family, having a loud call like a yowling cat.
●Genus Ailuroedus (and Scenopoeetes), family Ptilonorhynchidae: several species.

II. phrases

in the catbird seat

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› in a superior or advantageous position.

• we'll stay in the catbird seat in international agriculture.

[said to be an allusion to a baseball player in the fortunate position of having no strikes and therefore three balls still to play (a reference made in James Thurber's short story The Catbird Seat).]

catboat /ˈkatbəʊt/

I. noun

a sailing boat with a single mast placed well forward and carrying only one sail.

– origin mid 19th cent.: perhaps from cat (denoting a type of merchant ship formerly used in the coal and timber trades in NE England) + boat.

cat burglar

noun

a thief who enters a building by climbing to an upper storey.

cat cafe cat café

noun

a cafe or similar establishment where people pay to interact with cats housed on the premises

• she was one of many waiting in line this morning for the opening of North America's first pop-up cat cafe.

catcall /ˈkatkɔːl/

I. noun

1. a shrill whistle or shout of disapproval made at a public meeting or performance.

• he walked out to jeers and catcalls.

2. a loud whistle or a comment of a sexual nature made by a man to a passing woman.

• women were the objects of catcalls when they walked by the men's barracks.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a catcall

• they were fired for catcalling at women.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from cat^1 + call, originally denoting a kind of whistle or squeaking instrument used to express disapproval at a theatre.

catch /katʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. intercept and hold (something which has been thrown, propelled, or dropped)

• she threw the bottle into the air and caught it again.

2. intercept the fall of (someone).

• he fell forwards and Linda caught him.

3. seize or take hold of

• he caught hold of her arm as she tried to push past him.

4. [no obj.] ( catch at) — grasp or try to grasp

• his hands caught at her arms as she tried to turn away.

5. [Cricket] dismiss (a batsman) by catching the ball before it touches the ground.

• I was caught on the square-leg boundary for 96.

6. capture (a person or animal that tries or would try to escape)

• we hadn't caught a single rabbit.

7. succeed in reaching a person who is ahead of one.

8. ( be caught in) — unexpectedly find oneself in (an unwelcome situation)

• my sister was caught in a thunderstorm.

9. surprise (someone) in an incriminating situation or in the act of doing something wrong

• he was caught with bomb-making equipment in his home.

10. come upon (someone) unexpectedly

• unexpected snow caught us by surprise.

11. [no obj., with adverbial of place] — (of an object) accidentally become entangled or trapped in something

• a button caught in her hair.

12. [with obj. and adverbial of place] — have (a part of one's body or clothing) become entangled or trapped in something

• she caught her foot in the bedspread

• ‹figurative› companies face increased risks of being caught in a downward spiral.

13. [with obj. and adverbial of place] — fix or fasten in place

• her hair was caught up in a chignon.

14. reach in time and board (a train, bus, or aircraft)

• they caught the 12.15 from Oxford.

15. reach or be in a place in time to see (a person, performance, programme, etc.)

• she was hurrying downstairs to catch the news.

16. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› attend or watch (a performance)

• we'll get some burgers and catch a movie.

17. engage (a person's interest or imagination).

• it was the business scheme that had caught his imagination.

18. perceive fleetingly

• she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

19. hear or understand (something said), especially with effort

• he bellowed something Jess couldn't catch.

20. succeed in evoking or representing

• the programme caught something of the flavour of Minoan culture.

21. [with obj. and adverbial of place] — strike (someone) on a part of the body

• Ben caught him on the chin with an uppercut.

22. accidentally strike (a part of one's body) against something

• she fell and caught her head on the corner of the hearth.

23. contract (an illness) through infection or contagion.

• he served in Macedonia, where he caught malaria.

24. [no obj.] — become ignited and start burning

• the rafters have caught.

25. (of an engine) fire and start running.

• the generator caught immediately.

II. noun

1. an act of catching something, typically a ball.

2. [Cricket] a chance or act of catching the ball to dismiss a batsman

• he took a brilliant catch at deep square leg.

3. an amount of fish caught

• the UK's North Sea haddock catch.

4. [ mass noun] — a game in which a ball is thrown back and forth between two or more players.

5. a device for securing something such as a door, window, or box

• the window catch was rusty.

6. a hidden problem or disadvantage in an apparently ideal situation

• there's a catch in it somewhere.

7. [in sing.] — ‹informal› a person considered desirable as a partner or spouse

• Giles is a good catch for any girl.

8. [in sing.] — an unevenness in a person's voice caused by emotion

• there was a catch in Anne's voice.

9. [Music] a round, typically one with words arranged to produce a humorous effect.

III. phrases

1. catch (a) cold

see cold.

2. catch one's death (of cold)

see death.

3. catch someone's eye

a. be noticed by someone.

• a vase on a side table caught his eye.

b. attract someone's attention by making eye contact with them

• he caught Eva's eye and beckoned.

4. catch fire

see fire.

5. catch it ( ‹N. Amer.› catch hell)

(Brit.) ‹informal› be punished or told off.

• I'll catch it if he finds me here.

6. catch the light

shine or glint in the light.

• small gold hoop earrings caught the light as she turned her head.

7. catch sight of

see sight.

8. catch the sun

a. be in a sunny position.

• a glassed-in porch that caught the sun.

b. (Brit.) become tanned or sunburned.

9. you wouldn't catch —— doing something

‹informal› used to indicate that there is no possibility of the person mentioned doing what is specified

• you wouldn't catch me walking back to the house alone at night.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. catch on ‹informal›

a. (of a practice or fashion) become popular.

• the idea of linking pay to performance has caught on.

b. understand what is meant or how to do something

• I caught on to what it was the guy was saying.

c. ( catch yourself on) — (Irish) become aware of something

• catch yourself on, Michael, people don't get arrested for no reason.

2. catch someone out

a. detect that someone has done something wrong or made a mistake.

• his tone suggested he'd caught her out in some misdemeanour.

b. put someone in a difficult situation for which they are unprepared

• you might get caught out by the weather.

c. [Cricket] dismiss a batsman by catching the ball before it touches the ground.

3. catch up

a. succeed in reaching a person who is ahead of one

• he stopped and waited for Lily to catch up.

b. do tasks which one should have done earlier

• he normally used the afternoons to catch up on paperwork.

4. catch up with

a. succeed in reaching a person who is ahead of one

• you go with Stasia and Katie, and I'll catch up with you.

b. talk to (someone) whom one has not seen for some time in order to find out what they have been doing.

• it's a chance to catch up with old friends.

c. begin to have a damaging effect on

• the physical exertions began to catch up with Sue.

5. catch someone up

a. (Brit.) succeed in reaching a person who is ahead of one.

• you go with Tess and I'll catch you up.

b. ( be/get caught up in) — become involved in (something that one had not intended to become involved in)

• he had no desire to be caught up in political activities.

6. catch something up

pick something up hurriedly.

• she caught up her jacket and bag and walked to the door.

V. derivatives

catchable

adjective

– origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘chase’): from Anglo-Norman French and Old Northern French cachier, variant of Old French chacier, based on Latin captare ‘try to catch’, from capere ‘take’.

catch-all

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a term or category that encompasses a variety of different elements

• the stigmatizing catch-all term ‘schizophrenia’.

catch-as-catch-can

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› wrestling in which all holds are permitted.

2. [usu. as modifier] — a situation of using whatever is available

• the catch-as-catch-can repair of fences.

catch crop

noun

a crop grown in the space between two main crops or at a time when no main crops are being grown.

catcher /ˈkatʃə/

noun

1. a person or thing that catches something.

• a humane spider catcher.

2. [Baseball] a fielder positioned behind home plate to catch pitches not hit by the batter.

catchfly /ˈkatʃflʌɪ/

noun

a campion or similar plant of the pink family, with a sticky stem.
● Silene, Lychnis, and other genera, family Caryophyllaceae.

catching /ˈkatʃɪŋ/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. (of a disease) infectious

• chicken pox is catching until scabs form on all the blisters.

2. (of a person's emotion or mood) likely to spread to other people

• her enthusiasm is catching.

catchlight

noun

a gleam of reflected light in the eye of a person in a photograph.

catchline /ˈkatʃlʌɪn/

noun

1. (Brit.) an advertising slogan

• there was an advert for tea that had the catchline: 'Tea. Best Drink of the Day'.

2. (Brit.) [Printing] a short, eye-catching line of type, such as a running head.

catchment /ˈkatʃm(ə)nt/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of collecting water, especially the collection of rainfall over a natural drainage area.

• water catchment continues the whole year round.

2. a catchment area.

catchment area /ˈkatʃməntɛəriə/

noun

1. the area from which a hospital's patients or school's pupils are drawn.

• she lives outside the school's catchment area.

2. the area from which rainfall flows into a river, lake, or reservoir.

• the reservoir and its catchment area of heather moorland.

catchpenny /ˈkatʃpɛni/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. having a cheap superficial attractiveness designed to encourage quick sales

• the catchpenny world of commercial publishing.

catchphrase /ˈkatʃfreɪz/

noun

a well-known sentence or phrase, especially one that is associated with a particular famous person.

• the movie gave the world the catchphrase ‘I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse’.

catch points

plural noun

railway points positioned so as to derail any vehicle running in the wrong direction on a line, as a safety precaution.

catch-22 /katʃtwɛntiˈtuː/

I. noun

a dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions
[as modifier]

• a catch-22 situation.

– origin 1970s: title of a novel by Joseph Heller (1961), in which the main character feigns madness in order to avoid dangerous combat missions, but his desire to avoid them is taken to prove his sanity.

catchup /ˈkatʃʌp/

noun

old-fashioned term for ketchup.

catch-up catchup

I. noun

‹informal› an act of catching someone up in a particular activity.

II. phrases

play catch-up

a. fall behind continually with work or financial matters

• I'm always playing catch-up with my homework.

b. (N. Amer.) try to equal a competitor in a sport or game.

• we tried to play catch-up in the final period.

catchweight

noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. ‹chiefly historical› unrestricted weight in a wrestling match or other sporting contest

• a catchweight contest.

catchword /ˈkatʃwəːd/

noun

1. a popular word or phrase encapsulating a particular concept

• ‘motivation’ is a great catchword.

2. a word printed or placed so as to attract attention.

3. [Printing] ‹chiefly historical› the first word of a page given at the foot of the previous one.

catchy /ˈkatʃi/

I. adjective

(of a tune or phrase) instantly appealing and memorable

• catchy pop melodies.

II. derivatives

1. catchily

adverb

2. catchiness

noun

cate /keɪt/

I. noun — (usu. cates)

1. ‹archaic› a choice food; a delicacy.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘selling, a bargain’): from obsolete acate ‘purchasing, things purchased’, from Old French acat, achat, from acater, achater ‘buy’, based on Latin captare ‘seize’, from capere ‘take’.

catechesis /ˌkatɪˈkiːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. religious instruction given with a catechism in preparation for Christian baptism or confirmation.

2. (in Roman Catholic use) religious instruction in general.

– origin mid 18th cent.: via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek katēkhēsis ‘oral instruction’.

catechetical /ˌkatɪˈkɛtɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to religious instruction given in preparation for Christian baptism or confirmation.

2. relating to religious teaching by means of questions and answers.

II. derivatives

1. catechetic /ˌkatɪˈkɛtɪk /

adjective

2. catechetically

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from ecclesiastical Greek katēkhētikos, from katēkhētēs ‘catechist’, from katēkhein ‘instruct orally’ (see catechize).

catechetics /ˌkatɪˈkɛtɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of theology that deals with the instruction given to Christians before baptism or confirmation.

2. religious teaching in general, especially that given to children in the Roman Catholic Church.

catechin /ˈkatɪtʃɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a crystalline compound which is the major constituent of catechu.
●A phenol; chem. formula: C_15H_14O_6; several isomers.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from catechu + -in^1.

catechism /ˈkatɪkɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a summary of the principles of Christian religion in the form of questions and answers, used for religious instruction.

2. (in Roman Catholic use) religious instruction in general.

3. a series of fixed questions, answers, or precepts used for instruction

• the preventive health catechism ‘more exercise, less tobacco and alcohol, and better diet’.

II. derivatives

catechismal

adjective

– origin early 16th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin catechismus, from ecclesiastical Greek, from katēkhizein (see catechize).

catechist /ˈkatɪkɪst/

I. noun

a teacher of the principles of Christian religion, especially one using a catechism.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via ecclesiastical Latin from ecclesiastical Greek katēkhistēs, from katēkhein ‘instruct orally’.

catechize /ˈkatɪkʌɪz / catechise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. instruct (someone) in the principles of Christian religion by means of question and answer, typically by using a catechism.

2. ‹figurative› put questions to or interrogate (someone)

• Mrs Garrowby had catechized her sister about this unknown quantity.

II. derivatives

catechizer /ˈkatɪkʌɪzə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from ecclesiastical Greek katēkhizein, from katēkhein ‘instruct orally, make hear’.

catechol /ˈkatɪtʃɒl, ˈkatɪkɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a crystalline compound obtained by distilling catechu.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_4(OH)2.

– origin late 19th cent.: from catechu + -ol.

catecholamine /ˌkatɪˈkəʊləmiːn/

noun

[Biochemistry] any of a class of aromatic amines which includes a number of neurotransmitters such as adrenaline and dopamine.

catechu /ˈkatɪtʃuː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a vegetable extract containing tannin, especially one (also called cutch) obtained from the heartwood of an Indian acacia tree, used for tanning and dyeing.

2. another term for gambier.

– origin late 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Malay kacu. Compare with cachou.

catechumen /ˌkatɪˈkjuːmɛn/

I. noun

1. a person who is receiving instruction in preparation for Christian baptism or confirmation.

2. a young Christian preparing for confirmation.

– origin late Middle English: via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek katēkhoumenos ‘being instructed’, present participle of katēkhein ‘instruct orally’ (see catechize).

categorical /katəˈɡɒrɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

unambiguously explicit and direct

• a categorical assurance.

II. derivatives

categoric /ˌkatəˈɡɒrɪk /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin categoricus (from Greek katēgorikos, from katēgoria ‘statement’: see category) + -al.

categorical imperative

noun

[Philosophy] (in Kantian ethics) an unconditional moral obligation which is binding in all circumstances and is not dependent on a person's inclination or purpose.

categorically /ˌkatəˈɡɒrɪk(ə)li/

adverb

in a way that is unambiguously explicit and direct

• the rules state categorically, 'No Violence'.

categorization /katəɡərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. the action or process of placing into classes or groups

• categorization by topic.

2. [ count noun] — a system of classes into which something is sorted

• categorizations in music.

categorize /ˈkatəɡərʌɪz / categorise

verb — [with obj.]

1. place in a particular class or group

• silk is categorized as a luxury import.

category /ˈkatəɡ(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a class or division of people or things regarded as having particular shared characteristics

• the various categories of research.

2. [Philosophy] each of a possibly exhaustive set of classes among which all things might be distributed.

3. each of the a priori conceptions applied by the mind to sense impressions.

II. derivatives

categorial /katəˈɡɔːrɪəl /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from French catégorie or late Latin categoria, from Greek katēgoria ‘statement, accusation’, from katēgoros ‘accuser’.

category killer

noun

a large store, typically one of a chain, which specializes in a particular type of discounted merchandise and becomes the dominant retailer in that category.

category mistake category error

noun

[Logic] the error of assigning to something a quality or action which can only properly be assigned to things of another category, for example treating abstract concepts as though they had a physical location.

catena /kəˈtiːnə/

I. noun

1. ‹technical› a connected series or chain.

2. ‹technical› a connected series of texts written by early Christian theologians.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘chain’, originally in catena patrum ‘chain of the (Church) Fathers’.

catenaccio /ˌkatəˈnatʃɪəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Soccer] a very defensive system of play, especially one employing a sweeper.

– origin 1970s: Italian, literally ‘bolt’, from catena ‘chain’ + the pejorative suffix -accio.

catenane /ˈkatəneɪn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a molecule which consists of two or more connected rings like links in a chain.

– origin 1960s: from Latin catena ‘chain’ + -ane^2.

catenary /kəˈtiːnəri/

I. noun

1. a curve formed by a wire, rope, or chain hanging freely from two points that are not in the same vertical line
[as modifier]

• a catenary wire.

2. a wire, rope, or chain forming a catenary.

• a catenary from the electrical grid.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin catenarius ‘relating to a chain’, from catena ‘chain’.

catenated /ˈkatɪneɪtɪd/

I. adjective

‹technical› connected in a chain or series

• catenated molecules.

II. derivatives

catenation /katɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: past participle of the rare verb catenate, from Latin catenat- ‘chained, fettered’, from the verb catenare, from catena ‘chain’.

catenative /kəˈtɪnətɪv/

I. adjective

[Grammar] denoting a verb that governs a non-finite form of another verb, for example like in I like swimming.

II. noun

a catenative verb.

– origin late 20th cent.: from Latin catena ‘chain’ + -ative.

catenoid /ˈkatənɔɪd/

I. noun

[Geometry] the surface generated by rotating a catenary about its horizontal axis.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin catena ‘chain’ + -oid.

cater /ˈkeɪtə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) provide people with food and drink at a social event or other gathering

• my mother helped to cater for the party

• (as noun catering) high standards of catering.

2. [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) provide food and drink for (an event)

• he catered a lunch for 20 people.

3. ( cater for/to) — provide with what is needed or required

• the school caters for children with learning difficulties.

4. ( cater for) — take into account or make allowances for

• the scheme caters for interest rate fluctuations.

5. ( cater to) — try to satisfy (a need or demand)

• he catered to her every whim.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete cater ‘caterer’, from Old French acateor ‘buyer’, from acater ‘buy’ (see cate).

cateran /ˈkat(ə)r(ə)n/

I. noun

‹historical› a warrior or raider from the Scottish Highlands.

– origin Middle English (originally in the plural or as a collective singular denoting the peasantry as fighters): from Scottish Gaelic ceathairne ‘peasantry’.

cater-cornered /ˈkeɪtəˌkɔːnəd / cater-corner, catty-cornered, kitty-corner

I. adverb, adjective

(N. Amer.) situated diagonally opposite someone or something
[as adj.]

• a cater-cornered short cut.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from dialect cater ‘diagonally’, from cater denoting the four on dice, from French quatre ‘four’, from Latin quattuor.

caterer /ˈkeɪt(ə)rə/

noun

a person or company providing food and drink at a social event or other gathering

• it is increasingly common to engage professional caterers.

caterpillar /ˈkatəpɪlə/

I. noun

1. the larva of a butterfly or moth, which has a segmented body resembling a worm with three pairs of true legs and several pairs of leg-like appendages.

2. (in general use) any insect larva resembling the larvae of caterpillars and moths, especially that of the sawfly.

3. (also caterpillar track or tread) — ‹trademark› an articulated steel band passing round the wheels of a vehicle for travel on rough ground.

4. a vehicle with caterpillar tracks.

– origin late Middle English: perhaps from a variant of Old French chatepelose, literally ‘hairy cat’, influenced by obsolete piller ‘ravager’. The association with ‘cat’ is found in other languages, e.g. Swiss German Teufelskatz (literally ‘devil's cat’), Lombard gatta (literally ‘cat’). Compare with French chaton, English catkin, which resembles a hairy caterpillar.

caters

I. noun

[Bell-ringing] a system of change-ringing using nine bells, with four pairs changing places each time.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French quatre ‘four’.

caterwaul /ˈkatəwɔːl/

I. verb — [no obj.] (often as noun caterwauling)

1. (of a cat) make a shrill howling or wailing noise.

• the caterwauling of a pair of bobcats.

• ‹figurative› a caterwauling guitar.

II. noun

a shrill howling or wailing noise.

– origin late Middle English: from cat^1 + imitative waul.

catfight /ˈkatfʌɪt/

I. noun

‹informal› a fight between women.

II. derivatives

catfighting

noun

catfish /ˈkatfɪʃ/

I. noun

1. a freshwater or marine fish with whisker-like barbels round the mouth, typically bottom-dwelling.
●Order Siluriformes: many families, including the Eurasian family Siluridae (see wels) and the Callichthyidae (which contains a number of species that are popular in aquaria, in particular the genus Corydoras).

2. another term for wolf fish.

II. verb — (often as noun catfishing)

1. [no obj.] — fish for catfish

• with the Mississippi River far below its normal level, the catfishing kept getting better and better.

2. [with obj.] — (US) ‹informal› lure (someone) into a relationship by adopting a fictional online persona

• he was being catfished by a cruel prankster

• a victim of catfishing.

[originally with reference to the 2010 documentary film Catfish, which concerns such a relationship.]

cat flap cat door

noun

a small hinged flap in an outer door, through which a cat may enter or leave a building.

cat food

noun — [ mass noun]

1. commercially prepared food for pet cats

• I opened a can of cat food for my girlfriend's pets.

catgut /ˈkatɡʌt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a material used for the strings of some musical instruments, made of the dried twisted intestines of sheep or horses (but not cats).

– origin late 16th cent.: the association with cat^1 remains unexplained.

Cath.

abbreviation

1. Cathedral.

2. Catholic.

Cathar /ˈkaθɑː/

I. noun

a member of a heretical medieval Christian sect which professed a form of Manichaean dualism and sought to achieve great spiritual purity.

II. derivatives

1. Catharism

noun

2. Catharist

noun, adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin Cathari (plural), from Greek katharoi ‘the pure’.

catharsis /kəˈθɑːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

• music is a means of catharsis for them.

2. [Medicine] ‹rare› purgation.

– origin early 19th cent. (in sense 2): from Greek katharsis, from kathairein ‘cleanse’, from katharos ‘pure’. The notion of ‘release’ through drama (sense 1) derives from Aristotle's Poetics.

cathartic /kəˈθɑːtɪk/

I. adjective

1. providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions; causing catharsis

• crying is a cathartic release.

2. [Medicine] purgative.

II. noun

[Medicine] a purgative drug.

III. derivatives

cathartically

adverb

– origin early 17th cent. (in medical use): via late Latin from Greek kathartikos, from katharsis ‘cleansing’ (see catharsis).

Cathay /kaˈθeɪ/

I. the name by which China was known to medieval Europe.
Also called Khitai.

– origin from medieval Latin Cataya, Cathaya, from Turkic Khitāy.

cathead

noun

a horizontal beam extending from each side of a ship's bow, used for raising and carrying an anchor.

cathectic /kəˈθɛktɪk/

I. adjective

[Psychoanalysis] relating to cathexis.

– origin 1920s: from Greek kathektikos ‘capable of holding’.

cathedral /kəˈθiːdr(ə)l/

I. noun

the principal church of a diocese, with which the bishop is officially associated
[in names]

• St Paul's Cathedral.

– origin Middle English (as an adjective, the noun being short for cathedral church ‘the church which contains the bishop's throne’): from late Latin cathedralis, from Latin cathedra ‘seat’, from Greek kathedra.

cathedral city

noun

a city in which there is a cathedral.

Cather, Willa /ˈkaðə/

(1876–1974), American novelist and short-story writer; full name Willa Sibert Cather. Her home state of Nebraska provides the setting for some of her best writing. Notable novels: O Pioneers! (1913) and Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927).

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

(b.1982), wife of Prince William; born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton. She married Prince William in April 2011 and gave birth to a son, Prince George Alexander Louis, in July 2013, and a daughter, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, in May 2015.

Catherine, St

(died c. 307), early Christian martyr; known as St Catherine of Alexandria. According to tradition she opposed the persecution of Christians under the emperor Maxentius and refused to recant or to marry the emperor. She is said to have been tortured on a spiked wheel and then beheaded. Feast day, 25 November.

Catherine II

(1729–96), empress of Russia, reigned 1762–96; known as Catherine the Great. She became empress after her husband, Peter III, was deposed; her attempted social and political reforms were impeded by the aristocracy. She formed alliances with Prussia and Austria, and made territorial advances at the expense of the Turks and Tartars.

Catherine de' Medici

(1519–89), queen of France, wife of Henry II. She ruled as regent (1560–74) during the minority reigns of her three sons, Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III, and it was at her instigation that Huguenots were killed in the Massacre of St Bartholomew (1572).

Catherine of Aragon

(1485–1536), first wife of Henry VIII, youngest daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Castile, mother of Mary I. Henry's wish to annul his marriage to Catherine (due to her failure to produce a male heir) led eventually to England's break with the Roman Catholic Church.

Catherine wheel /ˈkaθrɪn wiːl/

I. noun

(Brit.) a firework in the form of a flat coil which spins when fixed to something solid and lit.

– origin late 16th cent. (as a heraldic term for a spiked wheel): named after St Catherine (see Catherine, St), with reference to her martyrdom.

catheter /ˈkaθətə/

I. noun

[Medicine] a flexible tube inserted through a narrow opening into a body cavity, particularly the bladder, for removing fluid.

• a urinary catheter.

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin, from Greek kathetēr, from kathienai ‘send or let down’.

catheterize /ˈkaθətərʌɪz / catheterise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Medicine] insert a catheter into (a body cavity).

• the renal vein was not catheterized.

II. derivatives

catheterization /ˌkaθətərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

cathetometer /ˌkaθɪˈtɒmɪtə/

I. noun

a telescope mounted on a graduated scale, used for accurate measurement of small vertical distances.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin cathetus (from Greek kathetos ‘perpendicular line’, from kathienai ‘send or let down’) + -meter.

cathexis /kəˈθɛksɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychoanalysis] the concentration of mental energy on one particular person, idea, or object (especially to an unhealthy degree).

– origin 1920s: from Greek kathexis ‘retention’, translating German Libidobesetzung, coined by Freud.

cathode /ˈkaθəʊd/

I. noun

1. the negatively charged electrode by which electrons enter an electrical device.
The opposite of anode.

2. the positively charged electrode of an electrical device, such as a primary cell, that supplies current.

II. derivatives

1. cathodal

adjective

2. cathodic /kəˈθɒdɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kathodos ‘way down’, from kata- ‘down’ + hodos ‘way’.

cathode ray

noun

a beam of electrons emitted from the cathode of a high-vacuum tube.

cathode ray tube

noun

a high-vacuum tube in which cathode rays produce a luminous image on a fluorescent screen, used in televisions and computer terminals.

cathodic protection

noun — [ mass noun]

1. protection of a metal structure from corrosion under water by making it act as an electrical cathode.

cathodoluminescence /ˌkaθədə(ʊ)ˌluːmɪˈnɛs(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] luminescence excited by the impact of an electron beam.

catholic /ˈkaθ(ə)lɪk/

I. adjective

including a wide variety of things; all-embracing

• her tastes are pretty catholic.

II. derivatives

1. catholicity /kaθəˈlɪsɪti /

noun

2. catholically

adverb

– origin late Middle English : from Catholic.

Catholic /ˈkaθ(ə)lɪk/

I. adjective

1. of the Roman Catholic faith.

2. of or including all Christians.

3. relating to the historic doctrine and practice of the Western Church.

• the Church of England must not compromise its Catholic principles.

II. noun

a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French catholique or late Latin catholicus, from Greek katholikos ‘universal’, from kata ‘in respect of’ + holos ‘whole’.

Catholic Church

noun

short for Roman Catholic Church.

Catholic Emancipation

the granting of full political and civil liberties to Roman Catholics in Britain and Ireland. This was effected by the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829, which repealed restrictive laws, including that which barred Catholics from holding public office.

Catholicism /kəˈθɒlɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the faith, practice, and church order of the Roman Catholic Church.

2. adherence to the forms of Christian doctrine and practice which are generally regarded as Catholic rather than Protestant or Eastern Orthodox.

Catholicize /kəˈθɒlɪsʌɪz / Catholicise

verb — [with obj.]

1. make Roman Catholic; convert to Catholicism.

• the intention was to Catholicize Hungary after the Turkish occupation.

Catholic League

see Holy League.

catholicon /kəˈθɒlɪkɒn/

I. noun

‹rare› a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases; a panacea.

– origin late Middle English: medieval Latin, from Greek dia katholikōn ‘made of general ingredients’: compare with diacatholicon.

Catholicos /kəˈθɒlɪkɒs/

I. noun

the Patriarch of the Armenian or the Nestorian Church.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Greek katholikos ‘universal’ (see Catholic).

cathouse /ˈkathəʊs/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a brothel.

• Mabel ran a one-woman cathouse in the back.

cat ice

noun — [ mass noun]

1. thin ice from under which the water has receded.

Catiline /ˈkatɪlʌɪn/

( c. 108–62 BC), Roman nobleman and conspirator; Latin name Lucius Sergius Catilina. In 63 BC he planned an uprising which was suppressed; his fellow conspirators were executed and he died in battle in Etruria.

cation /ˈkatʌɪən/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a positively charged ion, i.e. one that would be attracted to the cathode in electrolysis.
The opposite of anion.

II. derivatives

cationic /katʌɪˈɒnɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cata- ‘alongside’ or from cathode, + ion.

catkin /ˈkatkɪn/

I. noun

a downy, hanging flowering spike of trees such as willow and hazel, pollinated by the wind.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete Dutch katteken ‘kitten’.

cat ladder

noun

(Brit.) a ladder used for working on a sloping roof, with a hook at one end and pads to spread the load.

catlick /ˈkatlɪk/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a perfunctory wash.

catlike /ˈkatlʌɪk/

adjective

resembling a cat in appearance, action, or character

• Marianne crossed the room with her usual catlike grace.

catlinite /ˈkatlɪnʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a red clay of the Upper Missouri region, the sacred pipestone of the American Indians.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of George Catlin (1796–1872), American artist, + -ite^1.

catmint /ˈkatmɪnt/

noun

another term for catnip.

catnap /ˈkatnap/

I. noun

a short sleep during the day.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. have a catnap.

• Carradine catnapped in a hammock between two chairs.

catnip /ˈkatnɪp/

I. noun

1. a plant of the mint family, with downy leaves, purple-spotted white flowers, and a pungent smell attractive to cats. Also called catmint.
●Genus Nepeta, family Labiatae: several species.

2. someone or something that is very attractive or appealing to a particular person or group

• both men are aggressive self-promoters and catnip for the media

• biotech stocks have become catnip to investors this year.

– origin late 18th cent. (originally US): from cat^1 + nip, variant of dialect nep, nept, from medieval Latin nepta, from Latin nepeta ‘catmint’.

Cato, Marcus Porcius /ˈkeɪtəʊ/

(234–149 BC), Roman statesman, orator, and writer; known as Cato the Elder or Cato the Censor. As censor he initiated a vigorous programme of reform, and attempted to stem the growing influence of Greek culture.

cat-o'-nine-tails /katəˈnɑɪnteɪlz/

noun

‹historical› a rope whip with nine knotted cords, formerly used (especially at sea) to flog offenders.

catoptric /kaˈtɒptrɪk / ‹Physics›

I. adjective

relating to a mirror, a reflector, or reflection.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a noun in the sense ‘the part of optics that deals with reflection’): from Greek katoptrikos ‘reflecting’, from katoptron ‘mirror’.

catoptrics /kaˈtɒptrɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. [Physics] the branch of optics that deals with reflection.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally catoptric): from Greek katoptrikos ‘reflecting’, from katoptron ‘mirror’.

CAT scan

I. noun

an X-ray image made using computerized axial tomography.

II. derivatives

CAT scanner

noun

cat's cradle

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a child's game in which a loop of string is put around and between the fingers and complex patterns are formed.

cat scratch fever cat scratch disease

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an infectious disease occurring after a scratch by a cat's claw, a splinter, or a thorn.

cat's ear cat's ears

noun

a plant which resembles the dandelion, with yellow flowers and rosettes of leaves.
●Genus Hypochaeris, family Compositae.

cat's eye

noun

1. a semi-precious stone, especially chalcedony, with a band of bright lustre.

2. ( catseye) — (Brit.) ‹trademark› a reflective stud set into a road as one of a series to mark traffic lanes or the edge of the carriageway by reflecting light from headlights.

cat's foot

noun

a small white-flowered creeping plant of the daisy family, with soft white hairs on the flowering stems and undersides of the leaves. Also called mountain everlasting.
● Antennaria dioica, family Compositae.

cat shark

noun

a small bottom-dwelling shark that has catlike eyes and small dorsal fins set well back, inhabiting warmer waters.
● Apristurus and other genera, family Scyliorhinidae: several species.

cat-sit

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. look after a cat or cats while their owner is away, usually staying at the owner's home in order to do so

• I need someone to cat-sit this weekend

• a woman I used to cat-sit for.

II. derivatives

1. cat-sitter

noun

2. cat-sitting

noun

Catskill Mountains /ˈkatskɪl / the Catskills

a range of mountains in the state of New York, part of the Appalachian system.

cat's paw

noun

a person who is used by another to carry out an unpleasant or dangerous task.

• he was merely a cat's paw of older and cleverer men.

cat's tail cattail

noun

a plant with long, thin parts suggestive of cats' tails, in particular:
● the reed mace. ● timothy grass.

catsuit /ˈkatsuːt/

noun

a woman's close-fitting one-piece garment with trouser legs, covering the body from the neck to the feet.

cat's whisker

noun

a fine adjustable wire in a crystal radio receiver.

cattery /ˈkatəri/

noun

(Brit.) a boarding or breeding establishment for cats.

cattish /ˈkatɪʃ/

I. adjective

another term for catty^1.

II. derivatives

1. cattishly

adverb

2. cattishness

noun

cattle /ˈkat(ə)l/

I. plural noun

1. large ruminant animals with horns and cloven hoofs, domesticated for meat or milk, or as beasts of burden; cows and oxen.
● Bos taurus (including the zebu, B. indicus), family Bovidae; descended from the extinct aurochs.

2. animals of a group related to domestic cattle, including yak, bison, and buffaloes.
●Tribe Bovini, family Bovidae (the cattle family): four genera, in particular Bos. The cattle family also includes the sheep, goats, goat-antelopes, and antelopes.

II. derivatives

cattle-like

adjective

– origin Middle English (also denoting personal property or wealth): from Anglo-Norman French catel, variant of Old French chatel (see chattel).

cattle cake

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) concentrated food for cattle in a compressed flat form.

cattle call

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› an open audition for parts in a play or film.

cattle class

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹humorous› the cheapest class of seats on an aircraft.

cattle dog

noun

(Austral./NZ) a dog bred and trained to work cattle.

cattle-duff

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) steal cattle

• here they'd once cattle-duffed by starlight.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cattle + duff^3 ‘steal and alter brands on cattle’.

cattle duffing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) theft of cattle.

• two men face charges of cattle duffing.

II. derivatives

cattle duffer

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: duffing from duffer^2.

cattle egret

noun

a small white heron which feeds around grazing cattle and game herds. Native to southern Eurasia and Africa, it colonized North and South America and Australasia in the 20th century.
● Bubulcus ibis, family Ardeidae.

cattle grid ‹N. Amer.› cattle guard

noun

(Brit.) a metal grid covering a ditch, allowing vehicles and pedestrians to pass over but not cattle and other animals.

cattleman /ˈkat(ə)lmən/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a person who tends or rears cattle.

cattle plague

noun

another term for rinderpest.

cattle run

noun

(Austral./NZ) a tract of land used for grazing cattle

• he took up a small farm and later leased a cattle run.

cattle station

noun

(Austral./NZ) a very large farm on which cattle are raised

• their home is a million-acre cattle station in inland Western Australia.

cattle stop

noun

New Zealand term for cattle grid.

cattleya /ˈkatlɪə/

I. noun

a tropical American orchid with brightly coloured showy flowers and thick leaves, typically growing as an epiphyte.
●Genus Cattleya, family Orchidaceae.

– origin early 19th cent.: modern Latin, named after William Cattley (died 1832), English patron of botany.

cat train

I. noun

(Canadian) a crawler tractor pulling a train of sleighs across snow or ice.

– origin cat from caterpillar.

catty^1 /ˈkati/

I. adjective

1. deliberately hurtful in one's remarks; spiteful

• catty comments.

2. relating to cats; catlike.

• catty eyes.

II. derivatives

1. cattily /ˈkatɪli /

adverb

2. cattiness /ˈkatɪnəs /

noun

catty^2 /ˈkati/

noun

(S. African) ‹informal› a catapult.

• on the way to school we took potshots at dogs with our catty.

Catullus, Gaius Valerius /kəˈtʌləs/

( c. 84– c. 54 BC), Roman poet. He wrote on a range of subjects, but is best known for his love poems.

CATV

abbreviation

community antenna television (cable television).

catwalk /ˈkatwɔːk/

noun

1. a platform extending into an auditorium, along which models walk to display clothes in fashion shows.

2. a narrow walkway or open bridge, especially in an industrial installation.

caubeen /kɔːˈbiːn/

I. noun

an Irish beret, typically dark green in colour.

– origin early 19th cent.: Irish, literally ‘old hat’, from cáibín ‘little cape’, diminutive of cába ‘cape’.

Caucasian /kɔːˈkeɪʒən, kɔːˈkeɪzɪən/

I. adjective

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) white-skinned; of European origin

• twenty of the therapists were Caucasian, two were African American, and two were Hispanic.

2. ‹dated› relating to one of the traditional divisions of humankind, covering a broad group of peoples from Europe, western Asia, and parts of India and North Africa.
[so named because the German physiologist Blumenbach believed that it originated in the Caucasus region of SE Europe.]

3. relating to the Caucasus.

4. relating to a group of languages spoken in the region of the Caucasus, of which thirty-eight are known, many not committed to writing. The most widely spoken is Georgian, of the small South Caucasian family, not related to the three North Caucasian families.

II. noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a white person; a person of European origin

• a Caucasian of slim build, 198 cm tall with short grey hair and a grey beard.

2. a person from the Caucasus

• the Caucasians of Southern Russia.

usage: In the racial classification developed by 19th-century anthropologists, Caucasian (or Caucasoid) included peoples whose skin colour ranged from light (in northern Europe) to dark (in parts of North Africa and India). Although the classification is outdated and the categories are now not generally accepted as scientific (see usage at Mongoloid), the term Caucasian has acquired a more restricted meaning. It is now used, especially in the US, as a synonym for ‘white or of European origin’, as in the police are looking for a Caucasian male in his forties.

Caucasoid /ˈkɔːkəsɔɪd/

I. adjective

‹dated› relating to the Caucasian division of humankind.

usage: The term Caucasoid belongs to a set of terms introduced by 19th-century anthropologists attempting to categorize human races. Such terms are associated with outdated notions of racial types, and so are now potentially offensive and best avoided. See usage at Mongoloid.

Caucasus /ˈkɔːkəsəs / Caucasia /kɔːˈkeɪzɪə, kɔːˈkeɪʒə/

a mountainous region of SE Europe and SW Asia, lying between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and SE Russia.

Cauchy, Augustin Louis /ˈkəʊʃi, French koʃi/

Baron (1789–1857), French mathematician. He transformed the theory of complex functions by discovering his integral theorems, founded the modern theory of elasticity, and contributed substantially to the founding of group theory and analysis.

caucus /ˈkɔːkəs/

I. noun

1. (in North America and New Zealand) a meeting of the members of a legislative body who are members of a particular political party, to select candidates or decide policy.

• the Democrats held caucuses on 10 February.

2. the members of a caucus.

• he could no longer count on the support of a majority of the parliamentary caucus.

3. a group of people with shared concerns within a political party or larger organization.

• he has been driven into Euro-scepticism by the right-wing caucus in the cabinet.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) hold or form a caucus.

• Democrats caucus statewide on Sunday.

– origin mid 18th cent. (originally US): perhaps from Algonquian cau'-cau'-as'u ‘adviser’.

cauda /ˈkɔːdə/

I. noun

[Anatomy] [Zoology] a structure resembling a tail.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘tail’.

caudal /ˈkɔːd(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. of or like a tail.

2. at or near the tail or the posterior part of the body.

• the caudal vertebrae.

II. derivatives

caudally

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin caudalis, from Latin cauda ‘tail’.

caudal fin

noun

[Zoology] another term for tail fin.

Caudata /kɔːˈdeɪtə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] another term for Urodela.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Latin cauda ‘tail’.

caudate /ˈkɔːdeɪt/

I. adjective

1. [Anatomy] relating to or denoting the caudate nucleus.

2. [Zoology] (of an animal) having a tail.

II. noun

short for caudate nucleus.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin caudatus, from cauda ‘tail’.

caudate nucleus

noun

[Anatomy] the upper of the two grey nuclei of the corpus striatum in the cerebrum of the brain.

caudex /ˈkɔːdɛks/

I. noun

[Botany] the axis of a woody plant, especially a palm or tree fern, comprising the stem and root.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin, earlier form of codex.

caudillo /kaʊˈdiːjəʊ/

I. noun

(in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries) a military or political leader.

– origin Spanish, from late Latin capitellum, diminutive of Latin caput ‘head’. The title El Caudillo, ‘the leader’, was assumed by General Franco of Spain in 1938.

caught /kɔːt/

past and past participle of catch.

caul /kɔːl/

I. noun

1. the amniotic membrane enclosing a fetus.

2. part of the caul occasionally found on a child's head at birth, thought to bring good luck.

3. ‹historical› a woman's close-fitting indoor headdress or hairnet.

4. [Anatomy] the omentum.

– origin Middle English: perhaps from Old French cale ‘head covering’, but recorded earlier.

cauldron /ˈkɔːldr(ə)n, ˈkɒldr(ə)n / caldron

I. noun

1. a large metal pot with a lid and handle, used for cooking over an open fire.

2. a situation characterized by instability and strong emotions

• a cauldron of repressed anger.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French caudron, based on Latin caldarium, calidarium ‘cooking-pot’, from calidus ‘hot’.

cauliflower /ˈkɒlɪflaʊə/

I. noun

1. a cabbage of a variety which bears a large immature flower head of small creamy-white flower buds.

2. [ mass noun] — the flower head of the cauliflower eaten as a vegetable.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete French chou fleuri ‘flowered cabbage’, probably from Italian cavolfiore or modern Latin cauliflora. The original English form colieflorie or cole-flory had its first element influenced by cole; the second element was influenced by flower during the 17th cent.

cauliflower cheese

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a savoury dish of cauliflower in a cheese sauce.

cauliflower ear

noun

a person's ear that has become thickened or deformed as a result of repeated blows, typically in boxing or rugby.

cauliflower fungus

noun

an edible fungus which forms a distinctive fruiting body with a yellowish lobed surface, growing on wood and other plant debris. Also called brain fungus.
●Genus Sparassis and family Sparassidaceae, class Hymenomycetes: several species.

caulk /kɔːk / ‹US› calk

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a waterproof filler and sealant, used in building work and repairs.

• use silicone caulk to ensure that you have an all-season moisture seal.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. seal (a gap or seam) with caulk.

• caulk all cracks between the trim and siding or masonry.

2. make (a boat) watertight by stopping up any gaps in its hull.

• a garden must be cleared, boats caulked, and nets mended.

III. derivatives

caulker /ˈkɔːkə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘copulate’, used of birds): from Old Northern French cauquer, caukier, variant of cauchier ‘tread, press with force’, from Latin calcare ‘tread’, from calx, calc- ‘heel’.

causal /ˈkɔːz(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to or acting as a cause

• the causal factors associated with illness.

2. [Grammar] [Logic] expressing or indicating a cause

• a causal conjunction.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun denoting a causal conjunction or particle): from late Latin causalis, from Latin causa ‘cause’.

causalgia /kɔːˈzaldʒə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. severe burning pain in a limb caused by injury to a peripheral nerve.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kausos ‘heat, fever’ + -algia.

causality /kɔːˈzalɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the relationship between cause and effect.

2. the principle that everything has a cause.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French causalité or medieval Latin causalitas, from Latin causa ‘cause’.

causally /ˈkɔːzəli/

adverb

in terms of the way that one thing causes another; by way of cause and effect

• the storm cannot be understood causally

• the two traits are causally related.

causation /kɔːˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of causing something

• the postulated role of nitrate in the causation of cancer.

2. the relationship between cause and effect; causality.

• a strong association is not a proof of causation.

II. phrases

chain of causation

[Law] a linked series of events leading from cause to effect, typically in the assessment of liability for damages.

• in order to break the chain of causation the third party act must be independent of the breach of duty.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin causatio(n-) ‘pretext’ (in medieval Latin ‘the action of causing’), from causare ‘to cause’.

causative /ˈkɔːzətɪv/

I. adjective

1. acting as a cause

• a causative factor.

2. [Grammar] expressing causation

• a causative verb.

II. noun

[Grammar] a causative verb.

III. derivatives

causatively

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French causatif, -ive, or late Latin causativus, from causare ‘to cause’.

cause /kɔːz/

I. noun

1. a person or thing that gives rise to an action, phenomenon, or condition

• the cause of the accident is not clear.

2. [ mass noun] — reasonable grounds for doing, thinking, or feeling something

• Faye's condition had given no cause for concern

• [ count noun] class size is a cause for complaint in some schools.

3. a principle, aim, or movement to which one is committed and which one is prepared to defend or advocate

• she devoted her whole adult life to the cause of deaf people

• I'm raising money for good causes.

4. a matter to be resolved in a court of law.

• forty-five causes were entered in the list for the March session.

5. an individual's case offered at law.

• the rule that no man should be a judge in his own cause.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something, especially something bad) happen

• this disease can cause blindness

• [with obj. and infinitive] we have no idea what has happened to cause people to stay away

• [with two objs] you could cause them problems.

III. phrases

1. cause and effect

a. the principle of causation.

• the post-Cartesian attempt to see everything as governed by simple laws of cause and effect.

b. the operation or relation of a cause and its effect.

• cause and effect play an important part in the universe.

2. cause of action

[Law] a fact or facts that enable a person to bring an action against another.

• the plaintiff had a good cause of action in negligence.

3. in the cause of

so as to support, promote, or defend something

• he gave his life in the cause of freedom.

4. make common cause

unite in order to achieve a shared aim

• nationalist movements made common cause with the reformers.

5. a rebel without a cause

a person who is dissatisfied with society but does not have a specific aim to fight for.

• he was a rebel without a cause, a born mutineer.

[from the title of a US film, released in 1955.]

IV. derivatives

1. causeless /ˈkɔːzləs /

adjective

2. causer

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin causa (noun), causare (verb).

’cause

conjunction

‹informal› short for because.

cause célèbre /ˌkɔːz sɛˈlɛbr(ə) French koz selɛbʀ//

I. noun

a controversial issue that attracts a great deal of public attention.

• suddenly, saving the station's architectural integrity became a cause célèbre.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, literally ‘famous case’.

causerie /ˈkəʊzəri, French kozʀi/

I. noun

an informal article or talk, typically on a literary subject.

– origin French, from causer ‘to talk’.

causeway /ˈkɔːzweɪ/

I. noun

a raised road or track across low or wet ground.

• an island reached at low tide by a causeway.

– origin late Middle English: from causey + way.

causewayed camp

noun

[Archaeology] a type of Neolithic settlement in southern Britain, visible as an oval enclosure surrounded by concentric ditches that are crossed by several causeways.

causey /ˈkɔːzi, ˈkɔːsi/

I. noun

archaic or dialect term for causeway.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French causee, based on Latin calx ‘lime, limestone’ (used for paving roads).

caustic /ˈkɔːstɪk, ˈkɒstɪk/

I. adjective

1. able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action

• a caustic cleaner.

2. sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way

• the players were making caustic comments about the refereeing.

3. [Physics] formed by the intersection of reflected or refracted parallel rays from a curved surface.

II. noun

1. a caustic substance.

2. [Physics] a caustic surface or curve.

III. derivatives

1. caustically /ˈkɔːstɪk(ə)li /

adverb

2. causticity /kɔːsˈtɪsɪti, kɒsˈtɪsɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek kaustikos, from kaustos ‘combustible’, from kaiein ‘to burn’.

caustic potash

noun

another term for potassium hydroxide.

caustic soda

noun

another term for sodium hydroxide.

cauterize /ˈkɔːtərʌɪz / cauterise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. burn the skin or flesh of (a wound) with a heated instrument or caustic substance in order to stop bleeding or to prevent infection.

• I'll freeze the hand and cauterize the wound.

II. derivatives

cauterization /kɔːtərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cauteriser, from late Latin cauterizare, from Greek kautēriazein, from kautērion ‘branding iron’, from kaiein ‘to burn’.

cautery /ˈkɔːt(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. an instrument or a caustic substance used for cauterizing.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of cauterizing something.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek kautērion ‘branding iron’ (see cauterize).

caution /ˈkɔːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — care taken to avoid danger or mistakes

• anyone receiving a suspect package should exercise extreme caution.

2. [ count noun] — (Brit.) an official or legal warning given to someone who has committed a minor offence but has not been charged, to the effect that further action will be taken if they commit another such offence

• they let him off with a caution.

3. warning

• business advisers have sounded a note of caution.

4. ‹informal› ‹dated› an amusing or surprising person.

• ‘You're a caution, you are,’ she said.

II. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. say something as a warning
[with clause]

• the Chancellor cautioned that economic uncertainties remained

• [with direct speech] ‘Be careful now,’ he cautioned.

2. [no obj.] ( caution against) — warn or advise against (doing something)

• advisers have cautioned against tax increases.

3. [with obj.] — (Brit.) issue an official or legal warning to

• he was cautioned for possessing drugs.

4. [with obj.] — (Brit.) (of a police officer) advise (someone) of their legal rights when arresting them.

• having cautioned her, the police were ready to take her away for questioning.

III. phrases

1. err on the side of caution

take a comparatively safe course of action when presented with a choice.

• it is better for a doctor to err on the side of caution and follow the most restrictive view of the law.

2. throw caution to the wind (or winds)

act in a completely reckless manner.

• you may even throw caution to the wind and try one of our Mystery Trips.

3. under caution

having been told of one's legal rights when under arrest

• she made a statement under caution.

– origin Middle English (denoting bail or a guarantee; now chiefly Scots and US): from Latin cautio(n-), from cavere ‘take heed’.

cautionary /ˈkɔːʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/

adjective

serving as a warning

• a cautionary tale.

caution money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) money deposited, especially by a college student, as security for good conduct.

cautious /ˈkɔːʃəs/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) careful to avoid potential problems or dangers

• a cautious driver

• firms have been unusually cautious about hiring new workers.

2. (of an action) characterized by the desire to avoid potential problems or dangers

• the plan received a cautious welcome.

II. derivatives

cautiousness /ˈkɔːʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from caution, on the pattern of pairs such as ambition, ambitious.

cautiously /ˈkɔːʃəsli/

adverb

in a way that deliberately avoids potential problems or dangers

• we must proceed cautiously

• such laws have been cautiously welcomed.

Cauvery /ˈkɔːvəri / Kaveri

a river in south India which rises in north Kerala and flows 765 km (475 miles) eastwards to the Bay of Bengal, south of Puducherry. It is held sacred by Hindus.

cava /ˈkɑːvə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Spanish sparkling wine made in the same way as champagne.

– origin Spanish.

Cavafy, Constantine /kəˈvɑːfi/

(1863–1933), Greek poet; born Konstantinos Petrou Kavafis; full name Constantine Peter Cavafy. His poems refer mainly to the Hellenistic and Graeco-Roman period of his native Alexandria.

cavalcade /ˌkav(ə)lˈkeɪd, ˈkav(ə)lkeɪd/

I. noun

a formal procession of people walking, on horseback, or riding in vehicles.

• the royal cavalcade proceeded through the city.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a ride or raid on horseback): from French, from Italian cavalcata, from cavalcare ‘to ride’, based on Latin caballus ‘horse’.

cavalier /ˌkavəˈlɪə/

I. noun

1. ( Cavalier) — ‹historical› a supporter of King Charles I in the English Civil War.

2. ‹archaic› a courtly gentleman, especially one acting as a lady's escort.

3. a horseman, especially a cavalryman.

4. (also Cavalier King Charles) — a small spaniel of a breed with a long snout.

II. adjective

showing a lack of proper concern; offhand

• Anne was irritated by his cavalier attitude.

III. derivatives

cavalierly /ˌkavəˈlɪəli /

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Italian cavaliere, based on Latin caballus ‘horse’. Compare with caballero and chevalier.

cavalry /ˈkav(ə)lri/

I. noun — [usu. treated as pl.]

1. (in the past) soldiers who fought on horseback.

• the cavalry charged up the hill.

• the army numbered around 100,000 cavalry.

2. modern soldiers who fight in armoured vehicles.
[as modifier]

• a cavalry regiment.

II. derivatives

cavalryman /ˈkav(ə)lrimən /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French cavallerie, from Italian cavalleria, from cavallo ‘horse’, from Latin caballus.

cavalry twill

noun — [ mass noun]

1. strong woollen twill used especially for making trousers.

Cavan /ˈkav(ə)n/

I. a county of the Republic of Ireland, part of the old province of Ulster.

II. the county town of Cavan; pop. 3,934 (2006).

cavaquinho /ˌkavaˈkiːnjəʊ/

I. noun

a type of small, four-stringed guitar resembling a ukulele, popular in Brazil and Portugal.

– origin Portuguese.

cavatelli /kavəˈtɛli/

I. plural noun

small discs or short strips of pasta with opposite edges rolled towards each other to form a hollow shape

• another wonderful dish was the cavatelli with chèvre and roasted peppers and onions.

– origin Italian, plural of cavatello, from cavato past participle of cavare ‘hollow out’ + the diminutive suffix -ello.

cavatina /ˌkavəˈtiːnə/

I. noun

1. [Music] a short operatic aria in simple style without repeated sections.

2. [Music] a piece of lyrical instrumental music similar to a cavatina.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Italian.

cave^1 /keɪv/

I. noun

a natural underground chamber in a hillside or cliff.

• the narrow gorge contains a series of prehistoric caves.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. explore caves as a sport.

• they say they cave for the adventure, challenge, and physical exercise.

2. (US) capitulate or submit under pressure; cave in

• he caved because his position had become untenable

• she finally caved in the face of his persistence.

III. phrasal verbs

1. cave in

a. (of a roof or similar structure) subside or collapse

• the tunnel walls caved in.

• Len's club would have caved his skull in.

b. capitulate or submit under pressure

• the manager caved in to his demands.

2. cave something in

cause to collapse

• storms caved the roof in

• the car smashed into the front door and almost caved in the porch.

IV. derivatives

1. cave-like

adjective

2. caver /ˈkeɪvə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin cava, from cavus ‘hollow’ (compare with cavern). The usage cave in may be from the synonymous dialect expression calve in, influenced by obsolete cave ‘excavate, hollow out’.

cave^2 /ˈkeɪvi/

I. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› (among children) look out!

II. phrases

keep cave

act as lookout.

– origin Latin, imperative of cavere ‘beware’.

caveat /ˈkavɪat/

I. noun

1. a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations.

• there are a number of caveats which concern the validity of the assessment results.

2. [Law] a notice, especially in a probate, that certain actions may not be taken without informing the person who gave the notice.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘let a person beware’.

caveat emptor /ˈɛmptɔː/

I. noun

the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.

• caveat emptor still applies when you are buying your house.

– origin Latin, ‘let the buyer beware’.

cave bear

noun

a large extinct bear of the Pleistocene epoch, whose remains are found commonly in caves throughout Europe.
● Ursus spelaeus, family Ursidae.

cave cricket

noun

another term for camel cricket.

cave dweller

noun

a caveman or cavewoman.

cavefish

noun

a small colourless fish which lives only in limestone caves in North America. It has reduced or absent eyes, and the head and body are covered with papillae which are sensitive to vibration.
●Family Amblyopsidae: four genera, in particular Amblyopsis and Typhlichthys.

cave-in

noun

1. a collapse of a roof or underground structure.

• a mine cave-in.

2. an instance of yielding or submitting under pressure

• the government's cave-in to industry pressure.

Cavell, Edith /ˈkav(ə)l/

(1865–1915), English nurse; full name Edith Louisa Cavell. During the First World War she helped Allied soldiers to escape from occupied Belgium. She was subsequently executed by the Germans and became a heroine of the Allied cause.

caveman /ˈkeɪvman/

noun

1. a prehistoric man who lived in caves.

2. an uncivilized or violent man
[as modifier]

• you can't change my mind by caveman tactics.

cavendish /ˈkav(ə)ndɪʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. tobacco softened, sweetened, and formed into cakes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably from the surname Cavendish.

Cavendish, Henry /ˈkav(ə)ndɪʃ/

(1731–1810), English chemist and physicist. He identified hydrogen, studied carbon dioxide, and determined their densities relative to atmospheric air. He also established that water is a compound, and determined the density of the earth.

cave painting

noun

a prehistoric picture on the interior of a cave, often depicting animals.

cavern /ˈkav(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a large cave or chamber in a cave.

2. a large, dark place or space

• a dark cavern of a shop.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French caverne or from Latin caverna, from cavus ‘hollow’. Compare with cave^1.

cavernous /ˈkavənəs/

I. adjective

1. like a cavern in size, shape, or atmosphere

• a dismal cavernous hall.

2. giving the impression of vast, dark depths

• his cavernous eyes.

II. derivatives

cavernously

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French caverneux or Latin cavernosus (from caverna ‘cavern’).

cavernulous /kəˈvəːnjʊləs/

I. adjective

‹rare› (of rock or other material) full of minute cavities; porous.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin cavernula, diminutive of caverna ‘cavern’ + -ous.

cave salamander

noun

a cave-dwelling salamander with pinkish to brown skin.
●Several genera and species in the family Plethodontidae, including the North American Eurycea lucifuga and the European genus Hydromantes.

cavesson /ˈkavɪs(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a type of heavy bridle which lacks a bit and has a thick noseband fitted with rings to which a rein may be attached.

2. a simple noseband on a horse's bridle.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French caveçon, Italian cavezzone, based on Latin caput ‘head’.

cavewoman

noun

a prehistoric woman who lived in caves.

caviar /ˈkavɪɑː, ˌkavɪˈɑː / caviare

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the pickled roe of sturgeon or other large fish, eaten as a delicacy.

II. phrases

caviar to the general

a good thing unappreciated by the ignorant.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Italian caviale (earlier caviaro) or French caviar, probably from medieval Greek khaviari.

cavil /ˈkav(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make petty or unnecessary objections

• they cavilled at the cost.

II. noun

a petty or unnecessary objection.

III. derivatives

caviller

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French caviller, from Latin cavillari, from cavilla ‘mockery’.

caving /ˈkeɪvɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the sport or pastime of exploring caves.

cavitation /ˌkavɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the formation of an empty space within a solid object or body.

2. [Physics] the formation of bubbles in a liquid, typically by the movement of a propeller through it.

cavity /ˈkavɪti/

I. noun

1. an empty space within a solid object

• the abdominal cavity.

2. a decayed part of a tooth.

• most dentists fill cavities right away.

II. derivatives

cavitary

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French cavité or late Latin cavitas, from Latin cavus ‘hollow’.

cavity wall

noun

a wall formed from two thicknesses of brickwork or blockwork with a space between them.

cavolo nero /ˌkavələʊ ˈnɛːrəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark-leaved variety of kale used in Tuscan cookery.

– origin Italian, from cavolo ‘cabbage’ + nero ‘black’.

cavort /kəˈvɔːt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. jump or dance around excitedly

• the players cavorted about the pitch.

2. ‹informal› engage enthusiastically in sexual or disreputable pursuits

• he'd been cavorting with a hooker.

– origin late 18th cent. (originally US): perhaps an alteration of curvet.

Cavour, Camillo Benso /kəˈvʊə/

Conte di (1810–61), Italian statesman. A supporter of Italian unification under Victor Emmanuel II, he was Premier of Piedmont (1852–9; 1860–1), and in 1861 became the first Premier of a unified Italy.

cavy /ˈkeɪvi/

I. noun

a South American rodent with a sturdy body and vestigial tail.
●Family Caviidae: five genera and several species, in particular the guinea pig.

– origin late 18th cent.: from modern Latin cavia, from Galibi cabiai.

caw /kɔː/

I. noun

the harsh cry of a rook, crow, or similar bird.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. utter a caw.

• rooks cawed in the dark trees.

– origin late 16th cent.: imitative.

Cawley, Evonne /ˈkɔːli/

(b.1951), Australian tennis player; born Evonne Fay Goolagong; full name Evonne Fay Cawley. She won two Wimbledon singles titles (1971; 1980) and was three times Australian singles champion (1974–6).

Cawnpore /kɔːnˈpɔː/

former name for Kanpur.

Caxton, William

( c. 1422–91), the first English printer. He printed the first book in English in 1474 and went on to produce about eighty other texts, including editions of Le Morte d'Arthur and Canterbury Tales.

cay /keɪ, kiː/

I. noun

a low bank or reef of coral, rock, or sand, especially one on the islands in Spanish America.
Compare with key^2.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Spanish cayo ‘shoal, reef’, from French quai ‘quay’.

cayenne /keɪˈɛn / cayenne pepper

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a pungent hot-tasting red powder prepared from ground dried chilli peppers.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Tupi kyynha, quiynha, later associated with Cayenne.

Cayenne /keɪˈɛn/

the capital and chief port of French Guiana; pop. 63,000 (est. 2007).

Cayley, Arthur /ˈkeɪli/

(1821–95), English mathematician and barrister. He wrote almost a thousand mathematical papers, including articles on determinants, group theory, and the algebra of matrices. The Cayley numbers, a generalization of complex numbers, are named after him.

Cayley, Sir George /ˈkeɪli/

(1773–1857), English engineer, the father of British aeronautics. He is best known for his understanding of the principles of flight and for building the first manned glider, which was flown in 1853. He was also a founder of the original Polytechnic Institution.

Cayman Islands /ˈkeɪmən / the Caymans

a group of three islands in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba; pop. 49,000 (est. 2009); official language, English; capital, George Town. The Cayman Islands are a British overseas territory.

Cayuga /ˈkeɪjuːɡə, ˈkʌɪjuːɡə/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people, one of the five of the original Iroquois confederacy, formerly inhabiting part of New York State.

2. [ mass noun] — the extinct Iroquoian language of the Cayuga.

II. adjective

relating to the Cayuga or their language.

– origin from an Iroquoian place name.

Cayuse /ˈkʌɪjuːs/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people of Washington State and Oregon.

2. [ mass noun] — the extinct Penutian language of the Cayuse.

3. ( cayuse) — an American Indian pony.

II. adjective

relating to the Cayuse or their language.

– origin the name in Chinook Jargon.

CB

abbreviation

1. Citizens' Band (radio frequencies).

2. (in the UK) Companion of the Order of the Bath.

CBC

abbreviation

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

CBE

abbreviation

(in the UK) Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

CBI

abbreviation

Confederation of British Industry.

CBS /siːbiːˈɛs/

abbreviation

(in the US) Columbia Broadcasting System.

CBT

abbreviation

cognitive behavioural therapy.

cc /siːˈsiː / c.c.

I. abbreviation

1. carbon copy (used as an indication that a duplicate has been or should be sent to another person).

2. cubic centimetre(s).

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. send a copy of an email to (a third party).

CC

abbreviation

1. (Brit.) City Council.

2. Companion of the Order of Canada.

3. (Brit.) County Council.

4. (Brit.) County Councillor.

5. Cricket Club.

CCD

abbreviation

[Electronics] charge-coupled device, a high-speed semiconductor used chiefly in image detection.

CCJ

abbreviation

(in the UK) county court judgement, issued by a court after a person's failure to repay a debt and recorded in that person's credit history.

CCK

abbreviation

[Biochemistry] cholecystokinin.

CCS

abbreviation

carbon capture and storage.

CCTV /siːsiːtiːˈviː/

abbreviation

closed-circuit television.

CCU

abbreviation

critical care unit.

cd

abbreviation

candela.

Cd

symbol

the chemical element cadmium.

CD^1 /siːˈdiː/

noun

a compact disc.

CD^2 /siːˈdiː/

abbreviation

1. civil defence.

2. corps diplomatique (diplomatic corps).
[French.]

Cd.

abbreviation

(in the UK) Command Paper (third series, 1900–18).

CDC

abbreviation

1. (in the US) Centers for Disease Control.

2. Commonwealth Development Corporation.

CDF

abbreviation

Congolese franc(s).

CD-I /siːdiːˈʌɪ/

abbreviation

‹trademark› compact disc (interactive).

CDMA

abbreviation

code division multiple access, a telephone transmission system in which many coded calls simultaneously occupy a single channel.

CDN

abbreviation

Canada (international vehicle registration).

cDNA

abbreviation

complementary DNA.

Cdr

abbreviation

(in the navy or air force) Commander.

CD-R

I. noun — ( in the US)

1. ‹trademark› a blank compact disc which can be recorded on once only.

– origin 1980s: abbreviation of compact disc recordable.

Cdre

abbreviation

Commodore.

CD-ROM /siːdiːˈrɒm/

I. noun

a compact disc used as a read-only optical memory device for a computer system.

– origin 1980s: abbreviation of compact disc read-only memory.

CD-RW /siːdiːɑːˈdʌbljuː/

I. noun

a blank compact disc that can be recorded, erased, and rerecorded many times.

– origin 1980s: abbreviation of compact disc rewritable.

CDS

noun

short for credit default swap:

• triggering the CDS might even help Europe reduce the risk of contagion in the months ahead.

• [as modifier] the lack of transparency in the CDS market has been harmful.

CDT

abbreviation

1. Central Daylight Time (see Central time).

2. craft, design, and technology (as a school subject in the UK).

CD video CDV

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a video system in which both sound and picture are recorded on compact disc.

• old films on CD video.

• [ count noun] a new CD video will be released in the autumn.

Ce

symbol

the chemical element cerium.

CE

abbreviation

1. Church of England.

2. civil engineer.

3. Common Era.

ceanothus /ˌsiːəˈnəʊθəs/

I. noun

a North American shrub which is cultivated for its dense clusters of small, typically blue, flowers.
●Genus Ceanothus, family Rhamnaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek keanōthos, denoting a kind of thistle.

Ceará /ˌseɪəˈrɑː/

a state in NE Brazil, on the Atlantic coast; capital, Fortaleza.

cease /siːs/

I. verb

come or bring to an end
[no obj.]

• the hostilities ceased and normal life was resumed

• [with infinitive] on his retirement the job will cease to exist

• [with obj.] they were asked to cease all military activity.

II. phrases

1. never cease to

(in hyperbolic use) do something very frequently

• her exploits never cease to amaze me.

2. without cease

without stopping.

• the bells rang without cease.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cesser, from Latin cessare ‘stop’, from cedere ‘to yield’.

cease-and-desist

adjective

1. (US) [Law] denoting a legally enforceable order from a court or government agency directing someone to stop engaging in a particular activity

• they received a cease-and-desist order for conducting unlicensed property management activities

• the photographers would probably be within their rights to ask for a cease-and-desist injunction against the website.

2. (US) [Law] denoting a cautionary notice detailing the sender's complaint of alleged wrongdoing by the recipient and threatening legal action if the offending activity is not stopped

• she sent a cease-and-desist letter last July urging them to stop using the name.

ceasefire /ˈsiːsfʌɪə/

noun

1. a temporary suspension of fighting; a truce.

• the latest ceasefire seems to be holding.

• [as modifier] a ceasefire agreement.

2. an order or signal to stop fighting.

ceaseless /ˈsiːsləs/

adjective

constant and unending

• the fort was subjected to ceaseless bombardment.

ceaselessly /ˈsiːsləsli/

adverb

continuously and without end

• a former policeman who has campaigned ceaselessly on his daughter's behalf.

Ceauşescu, Nicolae /tʃaʊˈʃɛskuː/

(1918–89), Romanian communist statesman, first President of the Socialist Republic of Romania 1974–89. His regime became increasingly totalitarian and corrupt; a popular uprising in December 1989 resulted in its downfall and in his execution.

cebid /ˈsiːbɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a primate of a family ( Cebidae) that includes most of the New World monkeys.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Cebidae (plural), from the genus name Cebus.

Cebu /sɪˈbuː/

I. an island of the south central Philippines.

II. the chief city and port of Cebu; pop. 798,800 (est. 2007).

Cecil, William /ˈsɛs(ə)l, ˈsɪs(ə)l/

see Burghley, 1st Baron.

Cecilia, St /sɪˈsiːljə/

(2nd or 3rd century), Roman martyr. According to legend, she took a vow of celibacy but when forced to marry converted her husband to Christianity and both were martyred. She is the patron saint of church music. Feast day, 22 November.

cecropia /sɪˈkrəʊpɪə/

I. noun

1. a fast-growing tropical American tree which is typically among the first to colonize a cleared area.
●Genus Cecropia, family Cecropiaceae.

2. (also cecropia moth) — a very large North American silk moth with boldly marked reddish-brown wings.
● Platysamia cecropia, family Saturniidae.

– origin early 19th cent.: modern Latin, from the name Cecrops, a king of Attica.

cedar /ˈsiːdə/

I. noun

any of a number of conifers which typically yield fragrant, durable timber, in particular:
● a large tree of the pine family (genus Cedrus, family Pinaceae), in particular the cedar of Lebanon ( C. libani), with spreading branches, and the deodar. ● a tall slender North American or Asian tree (genus Thuja, family Cupressaceae), in particular the western red cedar ( T. plicata).

II. derivatives

cedarn /ˈsiːdən /

adjective

‹literary›

– origin Old English, from Old French cedre or Latin cedrus, from Greek kedros.

cede /siːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give up (power or territory)

• in 1874, the islands were ceded to Britain.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French céder or Latin cedere ‘to yield’.

cedi /ˈsiːdi/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Ghana, equal to 100 pesewas.

– origin of Ghanaian origin, perhaps an alteration of shilling.

cedilla /sɪˈdɪlə/

I. noun

1. a mark (¸) written under the letter c, especially in French, to show that it is pronounced like an s rather than a k (e.g. façade).

2. a mark similar to a cedilla written under s in Turkish and other languages.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete Spanish, earlier form of zedilla, diminutive of zeda (the letter Z), from Greek zēta.

Ceefax /ˈsiːfaks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹trademark› a teletext service provided by the BBC.

• our service brings you constantly updated financial information on Ceefax.

– origin 1970s: representing the pronunciation of the initial syllables of seeing and facsimile.

ceiba /ˈsʌɪbə/

I. noun

a very tall tropical American tree from which kapok is obtained, with lightweight yellowish or pinkish timber. Also called kapok.
● Ceiba pentandra, family Bombacaceae.

– origin via Spanish from Taino, literally ‘giant tree’.

ceil /siːl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› line or plaster the roof of (a building).

• the nave has been ceiled in wood.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘line the interior of a room with plaster or panelling’): perhaps related to Latin celare, French céler ‘conceal’.

ceilidh /ˈkeɪli / ‹Irish› ceili

I. noun

a social event with Scottish or Irish folk music and singing, traditional dancing, and storytelling.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic ceilidh and Irish célidhe (earlier form of céilí), from Old Irish céilide ‘visit, visiting’, from céile ‘companion’.

ceiling /ˈsiːlɪŋ/

I. noun

1. the upper interior surface of a room or other similar compartment.

• the books were stacked from floor to ceiling.

2. an upper limit set on prices, wages, or expenditure

• the government imposed a wage ceiling of 3 per cent.

3. the maximum altitude that a particular aircraft can reach.

• the aircraft's quoted ceiling of 24,000 feet.

4. the altitude of the base of a cloud layer.

5. [Nautical] the inside planking of a ship's bottom and sides.

II. derivatives

ceilinged

adjective

[in combination]

• high-ceilinged rooms

– origin Middle English (denoting the action of lining the interior of a room with plaster or panelling): from ceil + -ing^1. Sense 1 dates from the mid 16th cent.

ceiling rose

noun

a circular mounting on a ceiling, through which the wiring of an electric light passes.

ceinture /sãˈtjʊə/

I. noun

‹rare› a girdle or belt.

– origin late Middle English: via French from Latin cinctura (see cincture).

cel /sɛl/

I. noun

a transparent sheet of celluloid or similar film material, which can be drawn on and used in the production of cartoons.

– origin mid 20th cent.: abbreviation of celluloid.

celadon /ˈsɛlədɒn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a willow-green colour.
[as modifier]

• panelling painted in celadon green.

• an elegantly cut celadon dress.

2. a grey-green glaze used on pottery, especially that from China.

• a classic glaze such as celadon.

3. pottery made with celadon glaze.

• celadon from the Sung period.

• [as modifier] a large celadon dish.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French céladon, a colour named after the hero in d'Urfé's pastoral romance L'Astrée (1607–27).

celandine /ˈsɛləndʌɪn / lesser celandine

I. noun

a common plant of the buttercup family which produces yellow flowers in the early spring. See also greater celandine.
● Ranunculus ficaria, family Ranunculaceae.

– origin Middle English, from Old French celidoine, from medieval Latin celidonia, based on Greek khelidōn ‘swallow’ (the flowering of the plant being associated with the arrival of swallows).

-cele -coele

I. combining form

[Medicine] denoting a swelling or hernia in a specified part

• meningocele.

– origin from Greek kēlē ‘tumour’.

celeb /sɪˈlɛb/

I. noun

‹informal› a celebrity

• a TV celeb.

– origin early 20th cent. (originally US): abbreviation.

Celebes /ˈsɛlɪbiːz/

former name for Sulawesi.

Celebes Sea

a part of the western Pacific between the Philippines and Sulawesi, bounded to the west by Borneo. It is linked to the Java Sea by the Makassar Strait.

Celebra /sɪˈlɛbrə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a synthetic drug used in the management of arthritic pain.

– origin 1990s: an invented word.

celebrant /ˈsɛlɪbr(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a person who performs a rite, especially a priest at the Eucharist.

2. (N. Amer.) a person who celebrates something.

• birthday celebrants.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French célébrant or Latin celebrant- ‘celebrating’, from the verb celebrare (see celebrate).

celebrate /ˈsɛlɪbreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. publicly acknowledge (a significant or happy day or event) with a social gathering or enjoyable activity

• they were celebrating their wedding anniversary at a swanky restaurant

• [no obj.] she celebrated with a glass of champagne.

• wildlife campaigners celebrated after their victory.

2. reach (a birthday or anniversary).

• the programme celebrates its 40th birthday this year.

3. perform (a religious ceremony), in particular officiate at (the Eucharist)

• he celebrated holy communion.

4. honour or praise publicly

• a film celebrating the actor's career.

II. derivatives

1. celebrative

adjective

2. celebrator

noun

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from Latin celebrat- ‘celebrated’, from the verb celebrare, from celeber, celebr- ‘frequented or honoured’.

celebrated /ˈsɛlɪbreɪtɪd/

adjective

greatly admired; renowned

• a celebrated mathematician.

celebration /sɛlɪˈbreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of celebrating an important day or event

• the birth of his son was a cause for celebration.

2. [ count noun] — a social gathering or enjoyable activity held to celebrate something

• a birthday celebration.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin celebratio(n-), from the verb celebrare (see celebrate).

celebratory /sɛləˈbreɪtəri/

adjective

1. used or intended to publicly acknowledge a significant or happy day or event

• the guest of honour at a celebratory dinner

• several celebratory birthday champagnes.

2. feeling or expressing happiness and pride

• the impending anniversary has the restaurant in a celebratory mood

• the scowl was replaced by celebratory smiles for the seven-time series champion.

celebrity /sɪˈlɛbrɪti/

I. noun

1. a famous person, especially in entertainment or sport

• he became a sporting celebrity

• [as modifier] a celebrity chef.

2. [ mass noun] — the state of being well known

• his prestige and celebrity grew.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘solemn ceremony’): from Old French celebrite or Latin celebritas, from celeber, celebr- ‘frequented or honoured’.

celebrity guest

noun

a well-known person invited to take part in a radio or television programme on which they do not regularly appear

• lots of celebrity guests were lined up for the show.

celebutante /sɪˈlɛbjuːtɑːnt/

I. noun

a celebrity who is well known in fashionable society.

– origin 1930s: blend of celebrity and debutante.

celeriac /sɪˈlɛrɪak/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. celery of a variety which forms a large swollen turnip-like root which can be eaten cooked or raw.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from celery + an arbitrary use of -ac.

celerity /sɪˈlɛrɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› ‹literary› swiftness of movement.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French celerite, from Latin celeritas, from celer ‘swift’.

celery /ˈsɛləri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a cultivated plant of the parsley family, with closely packed succulent leaf stalks which are used as a salad or cooked vegetable.
● Apium graveolens var. dulce, family Umbelliferae.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French céleri, from Italian dialect selleri, based on Greek selinon ‘parsley’.

celery pine celery-top pine

noun

a slow-growing evergreen tree with shoots that resemble celery leaves, growing from Borneo to New Zealand.
●Genus Phyllocladus, family Phyllocladaceae.

celery salt

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mixture of salt and ground celery seed used for seasoning.

celesta /sɪˈlɛstə/

I. noun

a small keyboard instrument in which felted hammers strike a row of steel plates suspended over wooden resonators, giving an ethereal bell-like sound.

– origin late 19th cent.: pseudo-Latin, based on French céleste ‘heavenly’.

celeste /sɪˈlɛst/

I. noun

1. short for voix celeste.

2. another term for celesta.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French céleste ‘heavenly’, from Latin caelestis, from caelum ‘heaven’.

celestial /sɪˈlɛstɪəl/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. positioned in or relating to the sky, or outer space as observed in astronomy

• a celestial body.

2. belonging or relating to heaven

• the celestial city.

3. supremely good

• the celestial beauty of music.

II. derivatives

celestially

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin caelestialis, from Latin caelestis, from caelum ‘heaven’.

celestial bamboo

noun

another term for nandina.

celestial equator

noun

the projection into space of the earth's equator; an imaginary circle equidistant from the celestial poles.

celestial globe

noun

a spherical representation of the sky showing the constellations.

celestial horizon

noun

see horizon (sense 1).

celestial latitude

noun

[Astronomy] the angular distance of a point north or south of the ecliptic.
Compare with declination (sense 1).

celestial longitude

noun

[Astronomy] the angular distance of a point east of the First Point of Aries, measured along the ecliptic.
Compare with right ascension.

celestial mechanics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of theoretical astronomy that deals with the calculation of the motions of celestial objects such as planets.

celestial navigation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of finding one's way by observing the sun, moon, and stars.

celestial pole

noun

[Astronomy] the point on the celestial sphere directly above either of the earth's geographic poles, around which the stars and planets appear to rotate during the course of the night.

celestial sphere

noun

an imaginary sphere of which the observer is the centre and on which all celestial objects are considered to lie.

celibacy /ˈsɛlɪbəsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of abstaining from marriage and sexual relations

• a priest who had taken a vow of celibacy.

celibate /ˈsɛlɪbət/

I. adjective

1. abstaining from marriage and sexual relations, typically for religious reasons

• a celibate priest.

2. having or involving no sexual relations

• a celibate lifestyle.

II. noun

a person who abstains from marriage and sexual relations.

• he's attracted and attractive to women and yet he lives as a celibate.

– origin early 19th cent. (earlier (mid 17th cent.) as celibacy): from French célibat or Latin caelibatus ‘unmarried state’ + -ate^2.

Céline, Louis-Ferdinand /seɪˈliːn/

(1894–1961), French novelist; pseudonym of Louis-Ferdinand Destouches. He is best known for his autobiographical novel, the satirical Voyage au bout de la nuit (1932).

cell /sɛl/

I. noun

1. a small room in which a prisoner is locked up or in which a monk or nun sleeps.

• the authorities locked all remaining inmates in their cells.

2. ‹historical› a small monastery or nunnery dependent on a larger one.

3. [Biology] the smallest structural and functional unit of an organism, which is typically microscopic and consists of cytoplasm and a nucleus enclosed in a membrane.

4. an enclosed cavity in an organism.

5. a small compartment in a larger structure such as a honeycomb.

6. a small group forming a nucleus of political activity, typically a secret, subversive one

• terrorist cells.

7. a device containing electrodes immersed in an electrolyte, used for generating current or for electrolysis.

8. a unit in a device for converting chemical or solar energy into electricity.

• a button cell for a quartz watch.

9. the local area covered by one of the short-range transmitters in a cellular telephone system.

10. (N. Amer.) a mobile phone.

II. derivatives

1. celled

adjective

[in combination]

• a single-celled organism

2. cell-like

adjective

– origin Old English, from Old French celle or Latin cella ‘storeroom or chamber’.

cella /ˈkɛlə/

I. noun

the inner area of an ancient temple, especially one housing the hidden cult image in a Greek or Roman temple.

– origin Latin.

cellar /ˈsɛlə/

I. noun

1. a room below ground level in a house, often used for storing wine or coal.

• the servants led us down into a cellar.

• a wine cellar.

2. a stock of wine.

• he spent years building up a remarkable cellar of aged Riojas.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. store (wine) in a cellar.

• it is drinkable now but can be cellared for at least five years.

– origin Middle English (in the general sense ‘storeroom’): from Old French celier, from late Latin cellarium ‘storehouse’, from Latin cella ‘storeroom or chamber’.

cellarage /ˈsɛlərɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cellars collectively.

2. money charged for the use of a cellar or storehouse.

cellarer /ˈsɛlərə/

noun

1. the person in a monastery who is responsible for provisioning and catering.

2. a cellarman.

cellaret /ˌsɛləˈrɛt / ‹US› cellarette

noun

‹historical› a cabinet or sideboard for keeping alcoholic drinks and glasses in a dining room.

cellarman /ˈsɛləmən/

noun

(Brit.) a person in charge of a wine cellar.

cell block

noun

a large single building or part of a complex subdivided into separate prison cells.

cell division

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the division of a cell into two daughter cells with the same genetic material.

Cellini, Benvenuto /tʃɛˈliːni/

(1500–71), Italian goldsmith and sculptor, the most renowned goldsmith of his day.

cellist /ˈtʃɛlɪst/

I. noun

a person who plays the cello

• a cellist for a symphony orchestra.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cello + -ist.

cell line

noun

[Biology] a cell culture developed from a single cell and therefore consisting of cells with a uniform genetic make-up.

cellmate /ˈsɛlmeɪt/

noun

a person with whom one shares a cell.

cell-mediated

adjective

[Physiology] denoting the aspect of an immune response involving the action of white blood cells, rather than that of circulating antibodies.
Often contrasted with humoral.

cell membrane

noun

the semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell.

cello /ˈtʃɛləʊ/

I. noun

a bass instrument of the violin family, held upright on the floor between the legs of the seated player.

– origin late 19th cent.: shortening of violoncello.

cellophane /ˈsɛləfeɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a thin transparent wrapping material made from viscose.
[as modifier]

• a cellophane bag.

– origin early 20th cent.: from cellulose + -phane, from diaphane, a kind of semi-transparent woven silk (from medieval Latin diaphanus ‘diaphanous’).

cell phone /ˈsɛlfəʊn/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a mobile phone.

– origin 1980s: shortening of cellular phone.

cellular /ˈsɛljʊlə/

I. adjective

1. relating to or consisting of living cells

• cellular proliferation.

2. denoting or relating to a mobile telephone system that uses a number of short-range radio stations to cover the area that it serves, the signal being automatically switched from one station to another as the user travels about.

3. (of a fabric item, such as a blanket or vest) knitted so as to form holes or hollows that trap air and provide extra insulation.

4. consisting of small compartments or rooms

• cellular accommodation.

II. derivatives

cellularity

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French cellulaire, from modern Latin cellularis, from cellula ‘little chamber’, diminutive of cella.

cellular automaton

noun

[Computing] each of a set of units in a mathematical model which have simple rules governing their replication and destruction, used to model complex systems composed of simple units such as living things or parallel processors.

cellular phone

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a mobile phone.

cellulase /ˈsɛljʊleɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an enzyme that converts cellulose into glucose or a disaccharide.

– origin early 20th cent.: from cellulose + -ase.

cellulite /ˈsɛljʊlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. persistent subcutaneous fat causing dimpling of the skin, especially on women's hips and thighs.

– origin 1960s: from French, from cellule ‘small cell’.

cellulitis /ˌsɛljʊˈlʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of subcutaneous connective tissue.

celluloid /ˈsɛljʊlɔɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a transparent flammable plastic made in sheets from camphor and nitrocellulose, formerly used for cinematographic film.

2. the cinema as a genre

• having made the leap from theatre to celluloid, she can now make more money.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cellulose + -oid.

cellulose /ˈsɛljʊləʊz, ˈsɛljʊləʊs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an insoluble substance which is the main constituent of plant cell walls and of vegetable fibres such as cotton. It is a polysaccharide consisting of chains of glucose monomers.

2. paint or lacquer consisting principally of cellulose acetate or nitrate in solution.

II. derivatives

cellulosic /ˈsɛljʊləʊsɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from cellule ‘small cell’ + -ose^2.

cellulose acetate

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a non-flammable thermoplastic polymer made by acetylating cellulose, used as the basis of artificial fibres and plastic.

cellulose nitrate

noun

another term for nitrocellulose.

cell wall

noun

[Biology] a rigid layer of polysaccharides lying outside the plasma membrane of the cells of plants, fungi, and bacteria. In the algae and higher plants it consists mainly of cellulose.

celosia /sɪˈləʊsɪə, sɪˈləʊʃə/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that includes cockscomb.
●Genus Celosia, family Amarantaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek kēlos ‘burnt or dry’ (from the burnt appearance of the flowers in some species).

Celsius /ˈsɛlsɪəs / C

I. adjective — [ postpositive when used with a numeral]

1. of or denoting a scale of temperature on which water freezes at 0° and boils at 100° under standard conditions.

• a temperature of less than 25° Celsius.

II. noun

(also Celsius scale) — the Celsius scale of temperature.

usage: Celsius rather than centigrade is the standard accepted term when giving temperatures: use 25° Celsius rather than 25° centigrade.

Celsius, Anders /ˈsɛlsɪəs/

(1701–44), Swedish astronomer, best known for his temperature scale.

celt /sɛlt/

I. noun

[Archaeology] a prehistoric stone or metal implement with a bevelled cutting edge, probably used as a tool or weapon.

– origin early 18th cent.: from medieval Latin celtis ‘chisel’.

Celt /kɛlt, sɛlt/

I. noun

1. a member of a group of peoples inhabiting much of Europe and Asia Minor in pre-Roman times. Their culture developed in the late Bronze Age around the upper Danube, and reached its height in the La Tène culture (5th to 1st centuries BC) before being overrun by the Romans and various Germanic peoples.

2. a native of any of the modern nations or regions in which Celtic languages are (or were until recently) spoken; a person of Irish, Highland Scottish, Manx, Welsh, or Cornish descent.

– origin from Latin Celtae (plural), from Greek Keltoi; in later use from French Celte ‘Breton’ (taken as representing the ancient Gauls).

Celtiberian /ˌkɛltɪˈbɪərɪən, ˌkɛltʌɪˈbɪərɪən, ˌsɛltɪˈbɪərɪən, ˌsɛltʌɪˈbɪərɪən/

noun

another term for Iberian (sense 3 of the noun).

Celtic /ˈkɛltɪk/

I. adjective

relating to the Celts or their languages, which constitute a branch of the Indo-European family and include Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Breton, Manx, Cornish, and several extinct pre-Roman languages such as Gaulish.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Celtic language group.
See also P-Celtic, Q-Celtic.

III. derivatives

1. Celticism /ˈkɛltɪsɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. Celticist

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin Celticus (from Celtae ‘Celts’), or from French Celtique (from Celte ‘Breton’). / usage: Celt and Celtic can be pronounced either with an initial k- or s-, but in standard English the normal pronunciation is with a k-, except in the name of the Glaswegian football club.

Celtic Church

the Christian Church in the British Isles from its foundation in the 2nd or 3rd century until its assimilation into the Roman Catholic Church (664 in England; 12th century in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland).

Celtic cross

noun

a Latin cross with a circle round the centre.

Celtic fringe

noun

the Highland Scots, Irish, Welsh, and Cornish in relation to the rest of Britain.

Celtic harp

noun

another term for clarsach.

Celtic Sea

the part of the Atlantic Ocean between southern Ireland and SW England.

Celtic tiger

noun

the Irish economy, or Ireland itself, as regarded during the period of rapid economic growth that characterized the 1990s and early 21st century.

CE mark

I. noun

a symbol applied to products to indicate that they conform with relevant EU directives regarding health and safety or environmental protection.

– origin 1980s: CE from the initial letters of French Conformité Européenne ‘European Conformity’ or Communauté Européenne ‘European Community’.

cembalo /ˈtʃɛmbələʊ/

I. noun

another term for harpsichord.

II. derivatives

cembalist

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Italian, shortening of clavicembalo, from medieval Latin clavicymbalum, from Latin clavis ‘key’ + cymbalum ‘cymbal’.

cement /sɪˈmɛnt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a powdery substance made by calcining lime and clay, mixed with water to form mortar or mixed with sand, gravel, and water to make concrete.

2. concrete.

3. a soft glue that hardens on setting.

• tile cement.

4. ‹figurative› a factor or element that unites a group of people

• trust is the cement that holds organizations together.

5. a substance for filling cavities in teeth.

• dental cement.

6. (also cementum) — [Anatomy] a thin layer of bony material that fixes teeth to the jaw.

7. [Geology] the material which binds particles together in sedimentary rock.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. fix with cement.

• wooden posts were cemented into the ground.

2. settle or establish firmly

• the two firms are expected to cement an agreement soon.

3. [Geology] (of a material) bind (particles) together in sedimentary rock

• the original quartz grains were cemented by authigenic quartz.

III. derivatives

cementer

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French ciment (noun), cimenter (verb), from Latin caementum ‘quarry stone’, from caedere ‘hew’.

cementation /ˌsiːmɛnˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the binding together of particles or other things by cement.

2. [Metallurgy] a process of altering a metal by heating it in contact with a powdered solid.

cementite /sɪˈmɛntʌɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Metallurgy] a hard, brittle iron carbide present in cast iron and most steels.

cementitious /ˌsiːmɛnˈtɪʃəs/

adjective

of the nature of cement.

• a high-strength cementitious mortar which set within 1.5 hours.

cement mixer

noun

a machine with a revolving drum used for mixing cement with sand, gravel, and water to make concrete.

cemetery /ˈsɛmɪtri/

I. noun

a large burial ground, especially one not in a churchyard

• a military cemetery.

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek koimētērion ‘dormitory’, from koiman ‘put to sleep’.

cenacle /ˈsɛnək(ə)l/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› a group of people such as a discussion group or literary clique.

2. the room in which the Last Supper was held.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cenacle, from Latin cenaculum, from cena ‘dinner’.

CEng

abbreviation

(in the UK) chartered engineer.

cenobite /ˈsiːnəbʌɪt / coenobite

I. noun

a member of a monastic community.

II. derivatives

cenobitic /siːnəˈbɪtɪk /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cenobite or ecclesiastical Latin coenobita, via late Latin from Greek koinobion ‘convent’, from koinos ‘common’ + bios ‘life’.

cenobium /səˈnəʊbɪəm / coenobium

I. noun

a monastery

• many pilgrims flocked to the cenobium in search of the monk.

– origin early 19th cent.: ecclesiastical Latin coenobium, from Greek koinobion ‘community life, convent’, from koinos ‘common’ + bios ‘life’.

cenotaph /ˈsɛnətɑːf, ˈsɛnətaf/

I. noun

1. a monument to someone buried elsewhere, especially one commemorating people who died in a war.

2. ( the Cenotaph) — the war memorial in Whitehall, London, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and erected in 1919–20.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French cénotaphe, from late Latin cenotaphium, from Greek kenos ‘empty’ + taphos ‘tomb’.

cenote /sɪˈnəʊteɪ/

I. noun

a natural underground reservoir of water such as occurs in the limestone of Yucatán, Mexico.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Yucatán Spanish, from Maya tzonot.

Cenozoic /ˌsiːnəˈzəʊɪk / Cainozoic

I. adjective

1. [Geology] relating to or denoting the most recent era, following the Mesozoic era and comprising the Tertiary and Quaternary periods.

2. (as noun the Cenozoic) — [Geology] the Cenozoic era, or the system of rocks deposited during it.

The Cenozoic has lasted from about 65 million years ago to the present day. It has seen the rapid evolution and rise to dominance of mammals, birds, and flowering plants.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kainos ‘new’ + zōion ‘animal’ + -ic.

cense /sɛns/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› ritually perfume (something) with the odour of burning incense.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French encenser.

censer /ˈsɛnsə/

I. noun

a container in which incense is burnt during a religious ceremony.

– origin Middle English: from Old French censier, from encensier, from encens (see incense^1).

censor /ˈsɛnsə/

I. noun

1. an official who examines books, films, news, etc. that are about to be published and suppresses any parts that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security.

• the report was approved by the military censors.

• the movie has been given an adults-only rating by film censors.

2. [Psychoanalysis] an aspect of the superego which is said to prevent certain ideas and memories from emerging into consciousness.
[from a mistranslation of German Zensur ‘censorship’, coined by Freud.]

3. (in ancient Rome) either of two magistrates who held censuses and supervised public morals.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. examine (a book, film, etc.) officially and suppress unacceptable parts of it.

• the report had been censored ‘in the national interest’.

• the letters she received were censored.

III. derivatives

censorial /sɛnˈsɔːrɪəl /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 2 of the noun): from Latin, from censere ‘assess’. / usage: For an explanation of the difference between censor and censure, see usage at censure.

censorious /sɛnˈsɔːrɪəs/

I. adjective

severely critical of others

• censorious champions of morality.

II. derivatives

1. censoriously

adverb

2. censoriousness /sɛnˈsɔːrɪəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin censorius (from censor ‘magistrate’) + -ious.

censorship /ˈsɛnsəʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, films, news, etc. that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security

• the regulation imposes censorship on all media

• [as modifier] we have strict censorship laws.

2. [ count noun] — (in ancient Rome) the office or position of censor

• he celebrated a triumph together with his father and they held the censorship jointly.

censure /ˈsɛnʃə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. express severe disapproval of (someone or something), especially in a formal statement.

• the company was heavily censured by inspectors from the Department of Trade.

• shareholders censured the bank for its extravagance.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the formal expression of severe disapproval

• two MPs were singled out for censure

• [ count noun] despite episcopal censures, the practice continued.

III. derivatives

1. censurable /ˈsɛnʃ(ə)rəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. censurer

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘judicial sentence’): from Old French censurer (verb), censure (noun), from Latin censura ‘judgement, assessment’, from censere ‘assess’. / usage: Censure and censor, although quite different in meaning, are frequently confused. Both words can function as verbs and nouns, but censure means ‘express severe disapproval of’ ( the country was censured for human rights abuses) or ‘the expression of severe disapproval’, while censor means ‘examine (a book, film, etc.) and suppress unacceptable parts of it’ ( the letters she received were censored) or ‘an official who censors books, films, etc.’.

census /ˈsɛnsəs/

I. noun

an official count or survey, especially of a population

• a traffic census.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a poll tax): from Latin, applied to the registration of citizens and property in ancient Rome, usually for taxation, from censere ‘assess’. The current sense dates from the mid 18th cent.

cent /sɛnt/

I. noun

1. a monetary unit in various countries, equal to one hundredth of a dollar, euro, or other decimal currency unit.

• the pound is down two cents at one dollar forty.

• he was paid 40 cents an hour.

2. ‹informal› a small sum of money

• she saved every cent possible.

3. [with negative] — ‹informal› used for emphasis to denote no money at all

• he hadn't yet earned a cent.

4. [Music] one hundredth of a semitone.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘a hundred’): from French cent, Italian cento, or Latin centum ‘hundred’.

cent.

abbreviation

century.

centas /ˈsɛntas/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Lithuania, equal to one hundredth of a litas.

– origin Lithuanian.

centaur /ˈsɛntɔː/

I. noun

[Greek Mythology] a creature with the head, arms, and torso of a man and the body and legs of a horse.

– origin via Latin from Greek kentauros, the Greek name for a Thessalonian tribe of expert horsemen; of unknown ultimate origin.

centaurea /sɛnˈtɔːrɪə, ˌsɛntəˈriːə/

I. noun

a plant of a Eurasian genus which includes the cornflower and knapweed.
●Genus Centaurea, family Compositae.

– origin modern Latin based on Greek kentauros ‘centaur’ (see centaury).

Centaurus /sɛnˈtɔːrəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a large southern constellation (the Centaur). It lies in the Milky Way and contains the stars Alpha and Proxima Centauri.

II. (as genitive Centauri) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Lambda Centauri.

– origin Latin.

centaury /ˈsɛntɔːri/

I. noun

a widely distributed herbaceous plant of the gentian family, typically having pink flowers.
● Centaurium and related genera, family Gentianaceae: many species.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin centaurea, based on Greek kentauros ‘centaur’ (because its medicinal properties were said to have been discovered by the centaur Chiron).

centavo /sɛnˈtɑːvəʊ/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Mexico, Brazil, and certain other countries (formerly including Portugal), equal to one hundredth of the basic unit.

– origin Spanish and Portuguese, from Latin centum ‘a hundred’.

CENTCOM

abbreviation

Central Command.

centenarian /ˌsɛntɪˈnɛːrɪən/

noun

a person who is a hundred or more years old.

centenary /sɛnˈtiːnəri, sɛnˈtɛnəri / ‹Brit.›

I. noun

the hundredth anniversary of a significant event.

• the society has just celebrated its centenary.

• the stunning vitality of a musician who is nearing his centenary.

II. adjective

relating to a hundredth anniversary.

• the centenary year of the artist's birth.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a century): from Latin centenarius ‘containing a hundred’, based on Latin centum ‘a hundred’.

centennial /sɛnˈtɛnɪəl / ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

I. adjective

relating to a hundredth anniversary.

• centennial celebrations.

II. noun

a hundredth anniversary.

• the show is a celebration of the museum's centennial.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin centum ‘a hundred’, on the pattern of biennial.

Centennial State

informal name for Colorado.

centesimal /sɛnˈtɛsɪm(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to division into hundredths.

II. derivatives

centesimally

adverb

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin centesimus ‘hundredth’, from centum ‘a hundred’.

centesimo /tʃɛnˈtɛsɪməʊ/

I. noun

a former monetary unit of Italy, worth one hundredth of a lira (used only in calculations).

– origin Italian.

centésimo /sɛnˈtɛsɪməʊ, Spanish senˈtesimo, θenˈtesimo/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Uruguay and Panama, equal to one hundredth of a peso in Uruguay, and one hundredth of a balboa in Panama.

– origin Spanish.

centi- /ˈsɛnti/

I. combining form

1. used commonly in units of measurement:

2. one hundredth

• centilitre.

3. hundred

• centigrade

• centipede.

– origin from Latin centum ‘hundred’.

centigrade /ˈsɛntɪɡreɪd/

I. adjective — [ postpositive when used with a numeral]

1. another term for Celsius.

II. noun

(also centigrade scale) — the Celsius scale of temperature.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from Latin centum ‘a hundred’ + gradus ‘step’. / usage: In giving temperatures, use Celsius rather than centigrade in all contexts.

centigram /ˈsɛntɪɡram / cg

noun

a metric unit of mass, equal to one hundredth of a gram.

centile /ˈsɛntʌɪl/

noun

another term for percentile.

centilitre /ˈsɛntɪliːtə / ‹US› centiliter, cl

noun

a metric unit of capacity, equal to one hundredth of a litre.

centime /ˈsɒ̃tiːm French sɑ̃tim//

I. noun

a monetary unit equal to one hundredth of a franc or some other decimal currency units (used in France, Belgium, and Luxembourg until the introduction of the euro in 2002).

– origin French, from Latin centesimus ‘hundredth’, from centum ‘a hundred’.

centimetre /ˈsɛntɪmiːtə / ‹US› centimeter, cm

noun

a metric unit of length, equal to one hundredth of a metre.

centimetre-gram-second system

noun

a system of measurement using the centimetre, the gram, and the second as basic units of length, mass, and time respectively.

centimo /ˈsɛntɪməʊ, Spanish ˈθentimo, ˈsentimo/

I. noun

a monetary unit of a number of Latin American countries (and formerly of Spain), equal to one hundredth of the basic unit.

– origin Spanish.

centimorgan /ˈsɛntɪˌmɔːɡ(ə)n / centiMorgan

I. noun

[Genetics] a map unit used to express the distance between two gene loci on a chromosome. A spacing of one centimorgan indicates a one per cent chance that two genes will be separated by crossing over.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from centi- (denoting a factor of one hundredth) + the name of T. H. Morgan (see Morgan, Thomas Hunt).

centipede /ˈsɛntɪpiːd/

I. noun

a predatory myriapod invertebrate with a flattened elongated body composed of many segments. Most segments bear a single pair of legs, the front pair being modified as poison fangs.
●Class Chilopoda: several orders.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French centipède or Latin centipeda, from centum ‘a hundred’ + pes, ped- ‘foot’.

cento /ˈsɛntəʊ/

I. noun

‹rare› a literary work made up of quotations from other authors.

– origin early 17th cent.: Latin, ‘patchwork garment’, the original sense in English.

centra

plural form of centrum.

central /ˈsɛntr(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. at the point or in the area that is in the middle of something

• the station has a central courtyard

• central London.

2. accessible from a variety of places

• coaches met at a central location.

3. [Phonetics] (of a vowel) articulated in the centre of the mouth.

4. of the greatest importance; principal or essential

• his preoccupation with history is central to his work.

5. [ attrib.] — having or denoting supreme power over a country or organization

• central government.

II. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a place with a high concentration of a specified type of person or thing

• you're in workaholic central here.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, or from Latin centralis, from centrum (see centre).

Central African Republic /sɛntrəlafrɪkənˈrɪpʌblɪk/

a country of central Africa; pop. 4,511,500 (est. 2009); languages, French (official), Sango; capital, Bangui. Formerly a French colony, it became a republic within the French Community in 1958 and a fully independent state in 1960.
Former name (until 1958) Ubanghi Shari.

Central America

I. the southernmost part of North America, linking the continent to South America and consisting of the countries of Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.

II. derivatives

Central American

adjective, noun

central bank

noun

a national bank that provides financial and banking services for its country's government and commercial banking system, as well as implementing the government's monetary policy and issuing currency.

central casting

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) an agency or department that supplies actors for minor, usually stereotypical or generic film roles

• Lynch is a mild, methodical guy, a bureaucrat from central casting.

• a couple of hammy doctors straight from central casting.

– origin 1920s: from the name of the US organization Central Casting Corporation.

Central Command CENTCOM

a US military strike force consisting of units from the army, air force, and navy, established in 1979 (as the Rapid Deployment Force) to operate in the Middle East and North Africa.

Central Criminal Court

official name for Old Bailey.

Central European Time CET

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the standard time based on the mean solar time at the meridian 15° E, used in central and western continental Europe. It is one hour ahead of GMT.

central heating

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system for warming a building by heating water or air in one place and circulating it through pipes and radiators or vents.

• gas-fired central heating.

Central Intelligence Agency CIA

a federal agency in the US responsible for coordinating government intelligence activities. Established in 1947 and originally intended to operate only overseas, it has since also operated in the US.

centralism /ˈsɛntr(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the control of disparate activities and organizations under a single authority.

• the campaign against perceived European centralism.

II. derivatives

centralist /ˈsɛntrəlɪst /

noun, adjective

centrality /sɛnˈtraləti/

noun

1. the quality or fact of being in the middle of somewhere or something.

2. the state of being accessible from a variety of places

• he believes that the location's centrality can only be an added advantage for guests.

3. the quality of being essential or of the greatest importance

• the centrality of religion in their lives

• the centrality and sovereignty of the state.

centralization /sɛntrəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / centralisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the concentration of control of an activity or organization under a single authority

• the centralization of all financial power in the hands of its leaders

• increasing centralization of control over logistical planning.

2. the action or process of bringing activities together in one place

• greater centralization of food production.

centralize /ˈsɛntrəlʌɪz / centralise

verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. centralized)

1. concentrate (control of an activity or organization) under a single authority

• a highly centralized country.

2. bring (activities) together in one place.

• the Treasury centralized all naval refitting work at Devonport.

central locking

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a locking system in a motor vehicle which enables the locks of all doors to be operated simultaneously.

centrally /ˈsɛntrəli/

adverb

1. in or towards the middle of something

• rounded petals blossom from a centrally placed flower.

2. in a way that is accessible from a variety of places

• the charming and centrally located village.

3. with the greatest importance or significance; essentially

• a clear recognition of how centrally important the ports are to sustaining economic growth.

4. from or by a central organization or system

• key business strategies are organized centrally.

central nervous system

noun

[Anatomy] the complex of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body. In vertebrates it comprises the brain and spinal cord.

Central Park

a large public park in the centre of Manhattan in New York City.

Central Powers

I. the alliance of Germany, Austria–Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria during the First World War.

II. the alliance of Germany, Austria–Hungary, and Italy between 1882 and 1914.

central processing unit central processor, CPU

noun

[Computing] the part of a computer in which operations are controlled and executed.

central reservation

noun

(Brit.) the strip of land between the carriageways of a motorway or other major road.

central tendency

noun

[Statistics] the tendency for the values of a random variable to cluster round its mean, mode, or median.

Central time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the standard time in a zone that includes the central states of the US and parts of central Canada, specifically:
● standard time based on the mean solar time at longitude 90° W, six hours behind GMT. ● Central time during daylight saving, five hours behind GMT.

centre /ˈsɛntə / ‹US› center

I. noun

1. the point that is equally distant from every point on the circumference of a circle or sphere.

2. a point or part that is equally distant from all sides, ends, or surfaces of something

• the centre of the ceiling

• the city centre.

3. a political party or group whose opinions avoid extremes
[as modifier]

• a new centre party.

4. the middle player in a line or group in certain team games.

5. a kick, hit, or throw of the ball from the side to the middle of field in soccer, hockey, and other team games.

6. the filling in a chocolate

• truffles with liqueur centres.

7. a pivot or axis of rotation.

8. a conical adjustable support for a workpiece in a lathe or similar machine.

9. the point from which an activity or process is directed, or on which it is focused

• the city was a centre of discontent

• the managing director is at the centre of a row over policy.

10. the most important place in the respect specified

• Geneva was then the centre of the banking world.

11. a place or group of buildings where a specified activity is concentrated

• a conference centre.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] ( be centred in) — occur mainly in or around (a specified place)

• the textile industry was centred in Lancashire and Yorkshire.

2. ( centre around/on or centre something around/on) — have or cause to have (a specified concern or theme)

• the case centres around the couple's adopted children

• [with obj.] he is centring his discussion on an analysis of patterns of mortality.

3. [with obj.] — place in the middle

• to centre the needle, turn the knob.

4. [no obj.] — (in soccer, hockey, and other team games) kick, hit, or throw the ball from the side to the middle of the playing area.

• he centred from a difficult position on the left.

5. [no obj.] — (chiefly N. Amer.) play as the middle player of a line or group in certain team games.

III. phrases

1. centre of attention

a person or thing that excites everyone's interest or concern.

• the bride was the centre of attention.

2. centre of attraction

a. [Physics] the point to which bodies tend by gravity.

b. another term for centre of attention.

3. centre of buoyancy

[Physics] the centroid of the immersed part of a ship or other floating body.

4. centre of curvature

[Mathematics] the centre of a circle which passes through a curve at a given point and has the same tangent and curvature at that point.

5. centre of excellence

a place where the highest standards are maintained.

• the hospital is a centre of excellence in research and teaching of doctors.

6. centre of flotation

the centre of gravity of a floating object.

7. centre of gravity /ˌsɛntər əv ˈɡravəti /

a point from which the weight of a body or system may be considered to act. In uniform gravity it is the same as the centre of mass.

8. centre of mass

a point representing the mean position of the matter in a body or system.

9. centre of pressure

[Physics] a point on a surface through which the resultant force due to pressure passes.

IV. derivatives

centremost

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin centrum, from Greek kentron ‘sharp point, stationary point of a pair of compasses’, related to kentein ‘to prick’.

Centre /ˈsɒ̃tr(ə), French sɑ̃tʀ/

a region of central France, including the cities of Orleans, Tours, and Chartres.

centre back

noun

[Soccer] a defender who plays in the middle of the field.

• he plays at centre back.

centre bit

noun

a drill bit with a central point and side cutters.

centreboard /ˈsɛntəbɔːd / ‹US› centerboard

noun

a pivoted board that can be lowered through the keel of a sailing boat to reduce sideways movement.

centred /ˈsɛntəd / ‹US› centered

I. adjective

1. placed or situated in the centre.

2. [in combination] — having a specified subject as the most important or focal element

• a child-centred school.

3. [in combination] — (of a chocolate) having a centre or filling of a specified type

• a soft-centred chocolate.

4. (chiefly US) (of a person) well balanced and confident or serene.

• she is very together, very domesticated, very centred.

II. derivatives

centredness

noun

centre field ‹US› center field

I. noun

[Baseball] the central part of the outfield.

• the ball bounded into centrefield.

II. derivatives

centre fielder

noun

centrefire /ˈsentəfʌɪə/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. relating to or denoting guns whose cartridges have the primer in the centre of the base.

centrefold /ˈsɛntəfəʊld / ‹US› centerfold

noun

1. the two middle pages of a magazine, often taken up by a single illustration or feature.

• pull-out-and-keep centrefolds on superior quality paper.

• [as modifier] a centrefold poster.

2. an illustration on a centrefold, typically a picture of a naked or scantily clad model.

centre forward

noun

[Soccer] [Hockey] an attacker who plays in the middle of the field.

centre half

noun

[Soccer] another term for centre back.

centre half-back

noun

1. [Australian Rules] a defensive playing position between the full-backs and the rover

• the player hopes to find his niche at centre half-back.

2. [Australian Rules] a player who plays in a defensive position between the full-backs and the rover

• some people want to see him playing as a centre half-back.

centre half-forward

noun

1. [Australian Rules] an attacking playing position between the ruck rover and the full-forwards

• last year, he kicked 158 goals from centre half-forward.

2. [Australian Rules] a player who plays in an attacking position between the ruck rover and the full-forwards

• he's an imposing centre half-forward who's likely to make an impression.

centre line

noun

a real or imaginary line through the centre of something, especially one following an axis of symmetry.

centrepiece /ˈsɛntəpiːs / ‹US› centerpiece

noun

1. an ornament or display placed in the middle of a dining table.

2. an item, issue, etc. intended to be a focus of attention

• a domestic programme with health care as the centrepiece.

centrepin /ˈsentəpɪn/

noun

a relatively simple type of fishing reel with the line winding directly on to a revolving spool.

centre punch

noun

a tool consisting of a metal rod with a conical point for making an indentation, to allow a drill to make a hole at the same spot without slipping.

centre spread

noun

the two facing middle pages of a newspaper or magazine.

centre stage

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. the centre of a stage.

• I took my place in the darkened centre stage.

2. the most prominent position

• finance is taking centre stage in debates on policy.

II. adverb

1. at or towards the middle of a stage

• at the play's opening she stands centre stage.

2. in or towards the most prominent position.

• Asian countries have moved centre stage for world business.

centrex

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a telephone service in which a group of phone lines can be joined by part of the local exchange acting as a private exchange.

– origin 1990s: blend of central and exchange.

centric /ˈsɛntrɪk/

I. adjective

1. in or at the centre; central

• centric and peripheral forces.

2. [Botany] (of a diatom) radially symmetrical.
Compare with pennate.

II. derivatives

1. centrical

adjective

2. centricity /sɛnˈtrɪsɪti /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek kentrikos, from kentron ‘sharp point’ (see centre).

-centric

I. combining form

1. having a specified centre

• geocentric.

2. forming an opinion or evaluation originating from a specified viewpoint

• Eurocentric

• ethnocentric.

II. derivatives

-centricity

combining form

in corresponding nouns.

– origin from Greek kentrikos, on the pattern of words such as (con)centric.

centrifugal /ˌsɛntrɪˈfjuːɡ(ə)l, sɛnˈtrɪfjʊɡ(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Physics] moving or tending to move away from a centre.
The opposite of centripetal.

II. derivatives

centrifugally

adverb

– origin early 18th cent.: from modern Latin centrifugus, from Latin centrum (see centre) + -fugus ‘fleeing’ (from fugere ‘flee’).

centrifugal force

noun

[Physics] a force, arising from the body's inertia, which appears to act on a body moving in a circular path and is directed away from the centre around which the body is moving.

centrifugal pump

noun

a pump that uses an impeller to move water or other fluids.

centrifuge /ˈsɛntrɪfjuːdʒ/

I. noun

a machine with a rapidly rotating container that applies centrifugal force to its contents, typically to separate fluids of different densities (e.g. cream from milk) or liquids from solids.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. subject to the action of a centrifuge.

2. separate by centrifuge

• the black liquid is centrifuged into oil and water.

III. derivatives

centrifugation /sɛntrɪfjʊˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

centring /ˈsɛntrɪŋ / ‹US› centering

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of placing something in the middle of something else.

2. [Architecture] framing used to support an arch or dome while it is under construction.

centriole /ˈsɛntrɪəʊl/

I. noun

[Biology] each of a pair of minute cylindrical organelles near the nucleus in animal cells, involved in the development of spindle fibres in cell division.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin centriolum, diminutive of centrum (see centre).

centripetal /ˌsɛntrɪˈpiːt(ə)l, sɛnˈtrɪpɪt(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Physics] moving or tending to move towards a centre.
The opposite of centrifugal.

II. derivatives

centripetally

adverb

– origin early 18th cent.: from modern Latin centripetus, from Latin centrum (see centre) + -petus ‘seeking’ (from petere ‘seek’).

centripetal force

noun

[Physics] a force which acts on a body moving in a circular path and is directed towards the centre around which the body is moving.

centrist /ˈsɛntrɪst/

I. adjective

having moderate political views or policies.

• a centrist politician.

II. noun

a person who holds moderate political views.

III. derivatives

centrism /ˈsɛntrɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from French centriste, from Latin centrum (see centre).

centroid

noun

[Mathematics] the centre of mass of a geometric object of uniform density.

centromere /ˈsɛntrə(ʊ)mɪə/

I. noun

[Biology] the point on a chromosome by which it is attached to a spindle fibre during cell division.

II. derivatives

centromeric

adjective

– origin 1920s: from Latin centrum (see centre) + Greek meros ‘part’.

centrosome /ˈsɛntrəsəʊm/

I. noun

[Biology] an organelle near the nucleus of a cell which contains the centrioles (in animal cells) and from which the spindle fibres develop in cell division.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin centrum (see centre) + Greek sōma ‘body’.

centrum /ˈsɛntrəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the solid central part of a vertebra, to which the arches and processes are attached.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin.

cent sale

noun

(Austral.) a fundraising event similar to a raffle, often held by community groups

• the idea of a cent sale seemed to appeal to them.

centuple /ˈsɛntjʊp(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. multiply by a hundred or by a very large amount

• they were centupling the national debt.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, or from ecclesiastical Latin centuplus, alteration of Latin centuplex, from Latin centum ‘hundred’.

centurion /sɛnˈtjʊərɪən/

I. noun

the commander of a century in the ancient Roman army.

– origin Middle English: from Latin centurio(n-), from centuria (see century).

century /ˈsɛntʃʊri/

I. noun

1. a period of one hundred years

• a century ago most people walked to work.

2. a period of a hundred years reckoned from the traditional date of the birth of Christ

• the fifteenth century

• [as modifier] a twentieth-century lifestyle.

3. a score of a hundred in a sporting event, especially a batsman's score of a hundred runs in cricket.

• he scored the only century of the tour.

4. a company in the ancient Roman army, originally of a hundred men.

5. an ancient Roman political division for voting.

II. derivatives

centurial

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in sense 3): from Latin centuria, from centum ‘hundred’. Sense 1 dates from the early 17th cent. / usage: 1 Strictly speaking, centuries run from 01 to 100, meaning that the new century begins on the first day of the year 01 (i.e. 1 January 1901, 1 January 2001, etc.). In practice and in popular perception, however, the new century is held to begin when the significant digits in the date change, e.g. on 1 January 2000, when 1999 became 2000. 2 Since the 1st century ran from the year 1 to the year 100, the ordinal number (i.e. second, third, fourth, etc.) used to denote the century will always be one digit higher than the corresponding cardinal digit(s). Thus, 1066 is a date in the 11th century, 1542 is a date in the 16th century, and so on.

century plant

noun

a large stemless agave with long spiny leaves, which produces a very tall flowering stem after many years of growth and then dies. Also called American aloe.
● Agave americana, family Agavaceae.

CEO /siːiːˈəʊ/

noun

a chief executive officer, the highest-ranking person in a company or other institution, ultimately responsible for taking managerial decisions.

ceorl /tʃəːl/

I. noun

‹historical› (in Anglo-Saxon England) a freeman of the lowest class, ranking directly below a thane.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to carl.

cep /sɛp/

I. noun

an edible European mushroom with a smooth brown cap, a stout white stalk, and pores rather than gills, growing in dry woodland and much sought after as a delicacy. Also called penny bun.
● Boletus edulis, family Boletaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French cèpe, from Gascon cep ‘tree trunk, mushroom’, from Latin cippus ‘stake’.

cephalalgy /ˈsɛfəlaldʒi, ˈkɛfəlaldʒi/

I. noun

[Medicine] ‹rare› a headache.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin cephalalgia from Greek kephalalgia, from kephalē ‘head’ + algos ‘pain’: see -y^3.

cephalic /sɪˈfalɪk, kɛˈfalɪk/

I. adjective

‹technical› in or relating to the head.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cephalique, from Latin cephalicus, from Greek kephalikos, from kephalē ‘head’.

-cephalic

I. combining form

-headed (used most commonly in medical terms)

• macrocephalic.

– origin based on Greek kephalē ‘head’ + -ic.

cephalic index

noun

[Anthropology] a number expressing the ratio of the maximum breadth of a skull to its maximum length.

cephalin /ˈsɛf(ə)lɪn, ˈkɛf(ə)lɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] any of a group of phospholipids present in cell membranes, especially in the brain.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kephalē ‘brain’ + -in^1.

cephalization /ˌsɛfəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n, ˌkɛfəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] the concentration of sense organs, nervous control, etc., at the anterior end of the body, forming a head and brain, both during evolution and in the course of an embryo's development.

cephalo- /ˈsɛfələʊ, ˈkɛfələʊ/

I. combining form

relating to the head or skull

• cephalometry.

– origin from Greek kephalē ‘head’.

Cephalochordata /ˌsɛfələ(ʊ)kɔːˈdeɪtə, ˌkɛfələ(ʊ)kɔːˈdeɪtə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a small group of marine invertebrates that comprises the lancelets.
●Subphylum Cephalochordata, phylum Chordata.

II. derivatives

cephalochordate /ˌsɛfələ(ʊ)ˈkɔːdeɪt, ˌkɛfələ(ʊ)ˈkɔːdeɪt /

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from cephalo- ‘head’ + Greek chorda ‘cord’.

cephalometry /ˌsɛfəˈlɒmɪtri, ˌkɛfəˈlɒmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] measurement and study of the proportions of the head and face, especially during development and growth.

II. derivatives

cephalometric

adjective

cephalon /ˈsɛfəlɒn, ˈkɛfəlɒn/

I. noun

[Zoology] (in some arthropods, especially trilobites) the region of the head, composed of fused segments.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kephalē ‘head’.

Cephalonia /ˌkɛfəˈləʊnɪə/

a Greek island in the Ionian Sea; pop. 38,000 (est. 2006).
Greek name Kefallinía.

cephalopod /ˈsɛf(ə)lə(ʊ)pɒd, ˈkɛf(ə)lə(ʊ)pɒd/

noun

[Zoology] an active predatory mollusc of the large class Cephalopoda, such as an octopus or squid.

Cephalopoda /ˌsɛfələˈpəʊdə, ˌkɛfələˈpəʊdə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a large class of active predatory molluscs comprising octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish. They have a distinct head with large eyes and a ring of tentacles around a beaked mouth, and are able to release a cloud of inky fluid to confuse predators.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek kephalē ‘head’ + pous, pod- ‘foot’.

cephalosporin /ˌsɛfələ(ʊ)ˈspɔːrɪn, ˌkɛfələ(ʊ)ˈspɔːrɪn/

I. noun

any of a group of semi-synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotics resembling penicillin.

– origin 1950s: from modern Latin Cephalosporium (genus providing moulds for this) + -in^1.

cephalothorax /ˌsɛf(ə)ləʊˈθɔːraks, ˌkɛf(ə)ləʊˈθɔːraks/

noun

[Zoology] the fused head and thorax of spiders and other chelicerate arthropods.

-cephalous

combining form

equivalent to -cephalic.

cepheid /ˈsiːfɪɪd, ˈsɛːfɪɪd / cepheid variable

I. noun

[Astronomy] a variable star having a regular cycle of brightness with a frequency related to its luminosity, so allowing estimation of its distance from the earth.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the name of the variable star Delta Cephei, which typifies this class of stars.

Cepheus /ˈsiːfɪəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a constellation near the north celestial pole, with no very bright stars.

II. (as genitive Cephei) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Beta Cephei.

– origin from the name of a king of Ethiopia, the husband of Cassiopeia.

'cept

preposition, conjunction, verb

non-standard contraction of except used in representing speech:

• everyone else had visitors—'cept for Captain.

ceramic /sɪˈramɪk/

I. adjective

1. made of clay and permanently hardened by heat

• a ceramic bowl.

2. relating to ceramic articles

• a ceramic designer.

II. noun — ( ceramics)

1. pots and other articles made from clay hardened by heat.

• many of the painted ceramics are of native manufacture.

2. [usu. treated as sing.] — the art of making ceramic articles.

3. [ mass noun] ( ceramic) — the material from which ceramics are made

• tableware in ceramic.

4. [ mass noun] ( ceramic) — any non-metallic solid which remains hard when heated.

III. derivatives

ceramicist /sɪˈramɪsɪst /

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek keramikos, from keramos ‘pottery’.

ceramic hob

noun

an electric cooker hob made of ceramic, with heating elements fixed to its underside.

ceramic tile

noun

a tile made from clay that has been permanently hardened by heat, often having a decorative glaze

• the walls of the mosque are covered with blue ceramic tiles.

Ceram Sea /ˈseɪrəm / Seram Sea

the part of the western Pacific Ocean at the centre of the Molucca Islands.

cerastes /sɪˈrastiːz/

I. noun

a North African viper which has a spike over each eye.
●Genus Cerastes, family Viperidae: two species.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, from Greek kerastēs ‘horned’, from keras ‘horn’.

cerastium /sɪˈrastɪəm/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that includes chickweed and snow-in-summer.
●Genus Cerastium, family Caryophyllaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek kerastēs ‘horned’ (with reference to the shape of many seed capsules) + -ium.

ceratite /ˈsɛrətʌɪt, ˈsɪərətʌɪt/

I. noun

an ammonoid fossil of an intermediate type found chiefly in the Permian and Triassic periods, typically with partly frilled and partly lobed suture lines. Compare with ammonite and goniatite.
●Typified by the genus Ceratites, order Ceratida.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Ceratites (from Greek keras, kerat- ‘horn’) + -ite^1.

ceratobranchial /ˌsɛrətə(ʊ)ˈbraŋkɪəl, ˌkɛrətə(ʊ)ˈbraŋkɪəl/

I. noun

[Zoology] each of the paired ventral cartilaginous sections of the branchial arch in fishes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek keras, kerat- ‘horn’ + branchial (see branchia).

ceratopsian /ˌsɛrəˈtɒpsɪən, ˌkɛrəˈtɒpsɪən/

I. noun

[Palaeontology] a gregarious quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaur of a group found in the Cretaceous period, including triceratops.
●Infraorder Ceratopsia, order Ornithischia.

– origin early 20th cent.: from modern Latin Ceratopsia (plural) (from Greek keras, kerat- ‘horn’ + ops ‘face’) + -an.

Cerberus /ˈsəːbərəs / ‹Greek Mythology›

a monstrous watchdog with three (or in some accounts fifty) heads, which guarded the entrance to Hades.

cercaria /səːˈkɛːrɪə/

I. noun

[Zoology] a free-swimming larval stage in which a parasitic fluke passes from an intermediate host (typically a snail) to another intermediate host or to the final vertebrate host.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, formed irregularly from Greek kerkos ‘tail’.

cerclage /səːˈklɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the use of a ring or loop to bind together the ends of an obliquely fractured bone or encircle the opening of a malfunctioning cervix.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, literally ‘encirclement’.

cercopithecine /ˌsəːkə(ʊ)ˈpɪθɪsiːn/

I. noun

[Zoology] an Old World monkey of a group that includes the macaques, mangabeys, baboons, and guenons.
●Subfamily Cercopithecinae, family Cercopithecidae.

– origin from modern Latin Cercopithecinae (plural), based on Greek kerkopithēkos ‘long-tailed monkey’, from kerkos ‘tail’ + pithēkos ‘ape’.

cercopithecoid /ˌsəːkə(ʊ)ˈpɪθɪkɔɪd / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a primate of a group that comprises the Old World monkeys.
●Superfamily Cercopithecoidea and family Cercopithecidae.

II. adjective

relating to cercopithecoid monkeys.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Cercopithecoidea, based on Greek kerkopithēkos, a long-tailed monkey (from kerkos ‘tail’ + pithēkos ‘ape’).

cercus /ˈsəːkəs/

I. noun

[Zoology] either of a pair of small appendages at the end of the abdomen of some insects and other arthropods.

– origin early 19th cent.: from modern Latin, from Greek kerkos ‘tail’.

cere /sɪə/

I. noun

[Ornithology] a waxy fleshy covering at the base of the upper beak in some birds.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin cera ‘wax’.

cereal /ˈsɪərɪəl/

I. noun

1. a grain used for food, for example wheat, maize, or rye.

2. a grass producing edible grain that is grown as an agricultural crop
[as modifier]

• cereal crops.

3. [ mass noun] — a breakfast food made from roasted grain, typically eaten with milk

• a bowl of cereal.

– origin early 19th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin cerealis, from Ceres.

cereal bar

noun

a prepackaged food item similar in shape to a chocolate bar, made of cereal and, typically, fruit.

cerebellum /ˌsɛrɪˈbɛləm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the part of the brain at the back of the skull in vertebrates, which coordinates and regulates muscular activity.

II. derivatives

cerebellar /ˌsɛrəˈbɛlə /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, diminutive of cerebrum.

cerebral /ˈsɛrɪbr(ə)l, səˈriːbr(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. of the cerebrum of the brain

• a cerebral haemorrhage

• the cerebral cortex.

2. intellectual rather than emotional or physical

• she excelled in cerebral pursuits.

3. [Phonetics] another term for retroflex.

II. derivatives

cerebrally

adverb

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin cerebrum ‘brain’ + -al.

cerebral aqueduct

noun

another term for aqueduct of Sylvius.

cerebral dominance

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the normal tendency for one side of the brain to control particular functions, such as handedness and speech.

cerebral palsy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a condition marked by impaired muscle coordination (spastic paralysis) and/or other disabilities, typically caused by damage to the brain before or at birth.
See also spastic.

cerebration /ˌsɛrɪˈbreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› ‹formal› the working of the brain; thinking.

II. derivatives

cerebrate /ˈsɛrɪbreɪt /

verb

cerebro-

I. combining form

relating to the brain

• cerebrospinal.

– origin from Latin cerebrum ‘brain’.

cerebroside /ˈsɛrɪbrə(ʊ)sʌɪd/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] any of a group of complex lipids present in the sheaths of nerve fibres.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin cerebrum ‘brain’ + -ose^2 + -ide.

cerebrospinal /ˌsɛrɪbrə(ʊ)ˈspʌɪn(ə)l/

adjective

[Anatomy] relating to the brain and spine.

cerebrospinal fluid

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anatomy] clear watery fluid which fills the space between the arachnoid membrane and the pia mater.

cerebrovascular /ˌsɛrɪbrə(ʊ)ˈvaskjʊlə/

adjective

[Anatomy] relating to the brain and its blood vessels.

cerebrum /ˈsɛrɪbrəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the principal and most anterior part of the brain in vertebrates, located in the front area of the skull and consisting of two hemispheres, left and right, separated by a fissure. It is responsible for the integration of complex sensory and neural functions and the initiation and coordination of voluntary activity in the body.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘brain’.

cerecloth /ˈsɪəklɒθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› waxed cloth used for wrapping a corpse.

– origin late Middle English: from earlier cered cloth, from cere ‘to wax’, from Latin cerare, from cera ‘wax’.

Ceredigion /ˌkɛrəˈdɪɡɪən/

a county of western mid Wales; administrative centre, Aberaeron.

cerement /ˈsɪəm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also cerements) — ‹historical› waxed cloth for wrapping a corpse.

– origin early 17th cent. (first used by Shakespeare in Hamlet, 1602): from cere (see cerecloth).

ceremonial /sɛrɪˈməʊnɪəl/

I. adjective

1. relating to or used for formal religious or public events

• a ceremonial occasion.

2. (of a post or role) conferring or involving only nominal authority or power

• the largely ceremonial position of Lord Lieutenant of Kent.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the system of rules and procedures to be observed at a formal or religious occasion

• the procedure was conducted with all due ceremonial.

2. [ count noun] — a rite or ceremony.

• the Great Court was built to accommodate the grandest of ceremonials.

III. derivatives

1. ceremonialism /ˌsɛrɪˈməʊnɪəlɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. ceremonialist /ˌsɛrɪˈməʊnɪəlɪst /

noun

3. ceremonially /sɛrɪˈməʊnɪəli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin caerimonialis, from Latin caerimonia ‘religious worship’ (see ceremony).

ceremonious /sɛrɪˈməʊnɪəs/

I. adjective

1. relating or appropriate to grand and formal occasions

• a Great Hall where ceremonious and public appearances were made.

2. excessively polite; punctilious

• he accepted the gifts with ceremonious dignity.

II. derivatives

1. ceremoniously /sɛrɪˈməʊnɪəsli /

adverb

2. ceremoniousness /sɛrɪˈməʊnɪəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French cérémonieux or late Latin caerimoniosus, from Latin caerimonia (see ceremony).

ceremony /ˈsɛrɪməni/

I. noun

1. a formal religious or public occasion, especially one celebrating a particular event, achievement, or anniversary

• the winners were presented with their prizes at a special ceremony

• a public ceremony.

2. an act or series of acts performed according to a traditional or prescribed form.

• we found a rabbi to perform the ceremony for us.

3. [ mass noun] — the ritual observances and procedures required or performed at grand and formal occasions

• the new Queen was proclaimed with due ceremony.

4. formal polite behaviour

• he showed them to their table with great ceremony.

II. phrases

1. stand on ceremony

[usu. with negative] — insist on the observance of formalities

• we don't stand on ceremony in this house.

2. without ceremony

without preamble or politeness

• he was pushed without ceremony into the bathroom.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ceremonie or Latin caerimonia ‘religious worship’, (plural) ‘ritual observances’.

Cerenkov, Pavel

see Cherenkov, Pavel.

Cerenkov radiation /tʃəˌrɛŋkɒf reɪdɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n / Cherenkov radiation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] electromagnetic radiation emitted by particles moving in a medium at speeds faster than that of light in the same medium.

cereology /ˌsɪərɪˈɒlədʒɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study or investigation of crop circles.

II. derivatives

cereologist

noun

– origin 1990s: from Ceres + -logy.

cereopsis goose /ˌsɛrɪˈɒpsɪs/

I. noun

another term for Cape Barren goose.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Cereopsis (genus name), from Greek kerinos ‘waxen’ + opsis ‘face’ (because of its cere).

Ceres /ˈsɪəriːz/

I. [Roman Mythology] the goddess of agriculture.
Greek equivalent Demeter.

II. [Astronomy] the first asteroid to be discovered, found by G. Piazzi of Palermo on 1 January 1801. It is also much the largest (diameter 913 km).

ceresin /ˈsɛrɪsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hard whitish paraffin wax used with or instead of beeswax.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin ceres (from Latin cera ‘wax’) + -in^1.

cerise /sɛˈriːs, sɛˈriːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a light clear red colour

• a shade of vivid cerise.

• [as modifier] a bright cerise suit.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘cherry’.

cerium /ˈsɪərɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Ce) — the chemical element of atomic number 58, a silvery-white metal. It is the most abundant of the lanthanide elements and is the main component of the alloy misch metal.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after the asteroid Ceres, discovered shortly before.

cermet /ˈsəːmɛt/

I. noun

any of a class of heat-resistant materials made of ceramic and sintered metal.

– origin 1950s: blend of ceramic and metal.

CERN /səːn/

I. abbreviation

European Organization for Nuclear Research.

– origin initial letters of French Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, its former title.

cero /ˈsɪərəʊ/

I. noun

a large fish of the mackerel family, which is an important food fish in the tropical western Atlantic.
● Scomberomorus regalis, family Scombridae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Spanish sierra ‘saw or sawfish’.

cero- /ˈsɪərəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to wax

• ceroplastic.

– origin from Latin cera or Greek kēros ‘wax’.

ceroc /sɪˈrɒk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of modern social dance having elements of rock and roll, jive, and salsa.

– origin 1990s: invented word, apparently coined in English from French ce (as in c'est ‘this is’) + roc ‘rock’.

ceroplastic /sɪərəʊˈplastɪk/

adjective

relating to modelling in wax.

cert /səːt/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› an event regarded as inevitable

• of course Mum would cry, it was a dead cert.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a racehorse strongly tipped to win a race.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person regarded as certain to do something

• the Scottish keeper was a cert to play.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation of certainty.

cert. /səːt/

abbreviation

1. certificate.

2. certified.

certain /ˈsəːt(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. able to be firmly relied on to happen or be the case

• it's certain that more changes are in the offing

• she looks certain to win an Oscar.

2. having or showing complete conviction about something

• are you absolutely certain about this?

3. [ attrib.] — specific but not explicitly named or stated

• he raised certain personal problems with me

• the exercise was causing him a certain amount of pain.

4. used when mentioning the name of someone not known to the reader or hearer

• a certain General Percy captured the town.

II. pronoun — ( certain of)

1. some but not all

• certain of his works have been edited.

III. phrases

1. for certain

without any doubt

• I don't know for certain.

2. make certain

a. [with clause] — take action to ensure that something happens.

• make certain Lewis knows all the facts.

• I made certain that our paths would never cross again.

b. establish whether something is definitely the case

• he probably knew her, but it didn't do any harm to make certain.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin certus ‘settled, sure’.

certainly /ˈsəːt(ə)nli/

adverb — [ sentence adverb]

1. used to emphasize the speaker's belief that what is said is true

• the prestigious address certainly adds to the firm's appeal.

2. used to indicate that a statement is made as a concession or contrasted with another

• our current revenues are certainly lower than anticipated.

3. used to express complete agreement with something that has just been said.

• ‘A good idea,’ she agreed. ‘Certainly!’.

certainty /ˈsəːt(ə)nti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. firm conviction that something is the case

• she knew with absolute certainty that they were dead.

2. the quality of being reliably true

• there is a bewildering lack of certainty and clarity in the law.

3. a general air of confidence

• a man exuding certainty.

4. [ count noun] — a fact that is definitely true or an event that is definitely going to take place

• the passing of the act made a general election a certainty.

5. [ count noun] — a person that is certain to do or win the specified thing

• he was expected to be a certainty for a gold medal.

II. phrases

for a certainty

beyond the possibility of doubt.

• he knew they would come again for a certainty.

– origin Middle English: from Old French certainete, from certain (see certain).

CertEd

abbreviation

(in the UK) Certificate in Education.

certes /ˈsəːtɪz/

I. adverb

‹archaic› assuredly; I assure you.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin certus ‘settled, sure’.

certifiable /ˈsəːtɪfʌɪəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able or needing to be officially recorded

• encephalitis was a certifiable condition.

2. officially recognized as needing treatment for mental disorder.

• it is possible that he will have to return to hospital, but at the moment he is not certifiable.

3. ‹informal› mad; crazy

• the world of fashion is almost entirely insane, the people who work in it mainly certifiable.

II. derivatives

certifiably /ˌsəːtɪˈfʌɪəbli /

adverb

certificate

I. noun — certificate /səˈtɪfɪkət /

1. an official document attesting a fact, in particular:

2. a document recording a person's birth, marriage, or death

• a birth certificate.

3. a document confirming that someone has reached a certain level of achievement in a course of study or training.

• a university-accredited certificate.

4. a document attesting ownership of an item or the fulfilment of legal requirements

• a share certificate.

5. an official classification awarded to a cinema film by a board of censors indicating its suitability for a particular age group

• an 18 certificate.

II. verb — [with obj.] certificate /səˈtɪfɪkeɪt /

1. (Brit.) provide with or attest in an official document.

• the amounts earned have to be certificated by employers.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘certification, attestation’): from French certificat or medieval Latin certificatum, from certificare (see certify).

certificate of deposit

noun

a certificate issued by a bank to a person depositing money for a specified length of time at a specified rate of interest.

Certificate of Secondary Education

noun

fuller form of CSE.

certification /səːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) the action or process of providing someone or something with an official document attesting to a status or level of achievement

• a fundamental requirement for organic certification

• the certification of teachers.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) an official document attesting to a status or level of achievement

• graduates who want to gain industry-recognized certifications.

certified cheque

noun

a cheque which is guaranteed by a bank.

certified mail

noun

North American term for recorded delivery.

certified milk

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› milk guaranteed free from the tuberculosis bacillus.

certified public accountant

noun

(US) a member of an officially accredited professional body of accountants.

certify /ˈsəːtɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. attest or confirm in a formal statement

• the profits for the year had been certified by the auditors

• [with clause] the Law Society will certify that the sum charged is fair and reasonable.

2. (chiefly Brit.) officially recognize as possessing certain qualifications or meeting certain standards

• scenes of violence had to be cut before the film could be certified

• (as adj. certified) a certified accountant.

3. officially declare insane.

II. derivatives

certifier /ˈsəːtɪfʌɪə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French certifier, from late Latin certificare, from Latin certus ‘certain’.

certiorari /ˌsəːtɪə(ʊ)ˈrɑːri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] a writ or order by which a higher court reviews a case tried in a lower court

• an order of certiorari.

– origin late Middle English: from Law Latin, ‘to be informed’, a phrase originally occurring at the start of the writ, from certiorare ‘inform’, from certior, comparative of certus ‘certain’.

certitude /ˈsəːtɪtjuːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. absolute certainty or conviction that something is the case

• the question may never be answered with certitude.

2. [ count noun] — something that someone firmly believes is true

• the collapse of the old political certitudes in eastern Europe.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin certitudo, from certus ‘certain’.

cerulean /sɪˈruːlɪən / ‹literary›

I. adjective

deep blue in colour like a clear sky

• images of cerulean waters and golden sands.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a deep sky-blue colour.

• the background was painted in cerulean blue.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin caeruleus ‘sky blue’, from caelum ‘sky’.

cerumen /sɪˈruːmən/

I. noun

technical term for earwax.

– origin late 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Latin cera ‘wax’.

ceruse /ˈsɪəruːs, sɪˈruːs/

I. noun

archaic term for white lead.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin cerussa, perhaps from Greek kēros ‘wax’.

Cervantes, Miguel de /səːˈvantiːz, Spanish θerˈβantes, serˈβantes/

(1547–1616), Spanish novelist and dramatist; full name Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. His most famous work is Don Quixote (1605–15), a satire on chivalric romances that greatly influenced the development of the novel.

cervelat /ˈsəːvəlɑː, ˈsəːvəlat/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of smoked pork sausage.

– origin early 17th cent.: from obsolete French, earlier form of cervelas, from Italian cervellata.

cervical /ˈsəːvɪk(ə)l, səːˈvʌɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to the narrow neck-like passage forming the lower end of the womb

• cervical cancer.

2. relating to the neck

• the fifth cervical vertebra.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, or from modern Latin cervicalis, from Latin cervix, cervic- ‘neck’.

cervical screening

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the examination of cellular material from the neck of the womb for cancer.

cervical smear

noun

(Brit.) a specimen of cellular material from the neck of the womb spread on a microscope slide for examination for cancerous cells or precancerous changes.

cervicitis /ˌsəːvɪˈsʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the neck of the womb.

cervid /ˈsəːvɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a mammal of the deer family ( Cervidae).

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Cervidae (plural), from Latin cervus ‘deer’.

cervine /ˈsəːvʌɪn/

I. adjective

‹rare› relating to deer; deer-like.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin cervinus, from cervus ‘deer’, + -ine^1.

cervix /ˈsəːvɪks/

I. noun

1. the narrow neck-like passage forming the lower end of the womb.

2. ‹technical› the neck.

3. a part of other bodily organs resembling a neck.

– origin mid 18th cent.: Latin.

Cesarewitch /sɪˈzarəwɪtʃ/

I. a horse race run annually over two miles at Newmarket, England.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Russian tsesarevich ‘heir to the throne’, named in honour of the Russian Crown Prince (later Alexander II) who attended the inaugural race in 1839.

České Budějovice /ˌtʃɛskeɪ ˈbuːdjɛjɒˌvɪtsɛ/

a city in the south of the Czech Republic, on the River Vltava; pop. 94,925 (2007). It is noted for the production of lager.
German name Budweis.

cess^1 /sɛs / sess

I. noun

(in Scotland, Ireland, and India) a tax or levy.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting the obligation placed on the Irish to supply the Lord Deputy's household and garrison with provisions at prices ‘assessed’ by the government): shortened from the obsolete noun assess ‘assessment’.

cess^2 /sɛs/

I. noun — (in phrase bad cess to)

1. (chiefly Irish) a curse on

• bad cess to the day I joined that band!

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally Anglo-Irish): perhaps from cess^1.

cessation /sɛˈseɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or process of ending or being brought to an end

• the cessation of hostilities

• [ count noun] a cessation of animal testing of cosmetics.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin cessatio(n-), from cessare ‘cease’.

cesser /ˈsɛsə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] termination or cessation, especially of a period of tenure or legal liability.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French cesser ‘cease’, used as a noun.

cession /ˈsɛʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the formal giving up of rights, property, or territory by a state

• the cession of twenty important towns.

– origin late Middle English; from Latin cessio(n-), from cedere ‘cede’.

cesspit /ˈsɛspɪt/

I. noun

1. a pit for the disposal of liquid waste and sewage.

2. a disgusting or corrupt place

• the affair threatened to be a cesspit of scandal.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cess (the supposed base of cesspool) + pit^1.

cesspool /ˈsɛspuːl/

I. noun

1. an underground container for the temporary storage of liquid waste and sewage.

2. a disgusting or corrupt place.

• the town is not the cesspool you portrayed.

– origin late 17th cent. (denoting a trap under a drain to catch solids): probably an alteration, influenced by pool^1, of archaic suspiral ‘vent, water pipe, settling tank’, from Old French souspirail ‘air hole’, based on Latin sub- ‘from below’ + spirare ‘breathe’.

c'est la vie /ˌseɪ lɑːˈviː, French sɛ la vi/

I. exclamation

used to express acceptance or resignation in the face of a difficult or unpleasant situation

• if you get thwarted, c'est la vie.

– origin French, literally ‘that's life’.

Cestoda /sɛsˈtəʊdə / Cestoidea

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a class of parasitic flatworms that comprises the tapeworms.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Latin cestus, from Greek kestos, literally ‘stitched’, used as a noun in the sense ‘girdle’.

cestode /ˈsɛstəʊd/

noun

[Zoology] a parasitic flatworm of the class Cestoda; a tapeworm.

cestui que trust /ˌsɛtiː kiː ˈtrʌst/

I. noun

[Law] the beneficiary of a trust.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Law French, short for cestui a que use le trust est créé, ‘the person for whose benefit anything is given in trust to another’.

cestus /ˈsɛstəs/

I. noun

a belt or girdle, especially one worn by a bride in ancient times.

– origin mid 16th cent.: Latin, from Greek kestos ‘stitched’.

CET

abbreviation

Central European Time.

Cetacea /sɪˈteɪʃə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] an order of marine mammals that comprises the whales, dolphins, and porpoises. These have a streamlined hairless body, no hindlimbs, a horizontal tail fin, and a blowhole on top of the head for breathing.
See also Mysticeti, Odontoceti.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Latin cetus, from Greek kētos ‘whale’.

cetacean /sɪˈteɪʃn/

I. noun

a marine mammal of the order Cetacea; a whale, dolphin, or porpoise.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting cetaceans.

cetane /ˈsiːteɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless liquid hydrocarbon of the alkane series, present in petroleum spirit.
●Chem. formula: C_16H_34.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin cetus ‘whale’, from Greek kētos (because related compounds were first derived from spermaceti) + -ane^2.

cetane number

noun

a quantity indicating the ignition properties of diesel fuel relative to cetane as a standard.

ceteris paribus /ˌketərɪs ˈparɪbʊs/

I. adverb

‹formal› with other conditions remaining the same; other things being equal.

• shorter hours of labour will, ceteris paribus, reduce the volume of output.

– origin early 17th cent.: modern Latin.

cetology /sɪˈtɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of zoology that deals with whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

II. derivatives

cetologist

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin cetus ‘whale’ (see Cetacea) + -logy.

cetrimide /ˈsɛtrɪmʌɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic detergent and antiseptic which is a quaternary ammonium compound derived from cetane.

– origin 1940s: from cet(yl)trim(ethylammonium brom)ide.

Cetshwayo /sɛˈtʃweɪəʊ / Cetewayo

( c. 1826–84), Zulu king. He became ruler of Zululand in 1873 and was involved in a series of battles with the Afrikaners and British; he was deposed as leader after the capture of his capital by the British in 1879.

Cetti's warbler /ˈtʃɛtɪz/

I. noun

a chestnut-brown Eurasian warbler with a strikingly loud and abrupt song.
● Cettia cetti, family Sylviidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Francesco Cetti, 18th-cent. Italian ornithologist.

Cetus /ˈsiːtəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a large northern constellation (the Whale), said to represent the sea monster which threatened Andromeda. It contains the variable star Mira, but no other bright stars.

II. (as genitive Ceti) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Tau Ceti.

– origin Latin.

Ceuta /ˈseɪʊtə, Spanish ˈθeuta, ˈseuta/

a Spanish enclave on the coast of North Africa, in Morocco; pop. 77,389 (2008).

Cévennes /seɪˈvɛn, French sevɛn/

a mountain range on the south-eastern edge of the Massif Central in France.

ceviche /sɛˈviːtʃeɪ / seviche

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a South American dish of marinaded raw fish or seafood.

• a dinner that begins with ceviche and ends with fruit.

• [ count noun] a sensational ceviche with tomato and coriander.

– origin South American Spanish.

Ceylon /sɪˈlɒn/

former name (until 1972) for Sri Lanka.

Ceylon moss

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a red seaweed of southern Asia, which is the main source of agar.
● Gracilaria lichenoides, division Rhodophyta.

Cézanne, Paul /seɪˈzan, French sezan/

(1839–1906), French painter. He is closely identified with post-impressionism and his later work had an important influence on cubism. Notable works: Bathers (sequence of paintings 1890–1905).

Cf

symbol

the chemical element californium.

CF

abbreviation

1. (in the UK) Chaplain to the Forces.

2. cystic fibrosis.

cf. /siːˈɛf/

I. abbreviation

compare with (used to refer a reader to another written work or another part of the same written work).

– origin from Latin confer ‘compare’.

c.f.

abbreviation

carried forward (used to refer to figures transferred to a new page or account).

CFA CFA franc

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, and the Central African Republic, equal to 100 centimes.

– origin CFA from French Communauté Financière Africaine ‘African Financial Community’.

CFE

abbreviation

(in the UK) College of Further Education.

CFO

noun

a chief financial officer, a senior executive with responsibility for the financial affairs of a company or other institution.

CFP CFP franc

noun

the basic monetary unit of French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna, equal to 100 centimes.

CFS

abbreviation

chronic fatigue syndrome.

cg

abbreviation

centigram(s).

CG

abbreviation

Democratic Republic of Congo (international vehicle registration).

CGI

abbreviation

1. computer-generated imagery.

2. [Computing] Common Gateway Interface.

cgs

abbreviation

centimetre-gram-second.

CGS

abbreviation

(in the UK) Chief of General Staff.

CGT

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) short for capital gains tax.

CH

abbreviation

1. (in the UK) Companion of Honour.

2. Switzerland (international vehicle registration).
[from French Confédération Helvétique ‘Swiss Confederation’.]

ch.

abbreviation

1. chapter.

2. (of a horse) chestnut in colour.

3. church.

chaap /ʃɑːp / chhaap

I. noun

(Indian) an official seal or stamp, used to approve or authenticate a permit or similar document.

– origin Hindi chāp ‘stamp, brand’.

chaat /tʃɑːt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Indian dish of boiled vegetables or raw fruit, with spices.

• fruit chaat.

– origin from Hindi cāṭ.

chabazite /ˈkabəzʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a colourless, pink, or yellow zeolite mineral, typically occurring as rhombohedral crystals.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French chabazie, from Greek khabazie, a misreading of khalazie, vocative form of khalazios ‘hailstone’ (from khalaza ‘hail’, because of its form and colour), + -ite^1.

Chablis /ˈʃabliː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dry white burgundy wine from Chablis in eastern France.

Chabrol, Claude /ʃaˈbrɒl, French ʃabʀɔl/

(1930–2010), French film director, a member of the nouvelle vague. His films typically combine suspense with studies of personal relationships, and include Les Biches (1968).

chacha /ˈtʃʌtʃʌ/

I. noun

(Indian) uncle (often used as a respectful form of address to a man around the same age as one's father).

• Ranna's chacha, Iqbal, and other members of the house gathered about him.

– origin from Hindi cācā.

cha-cha /ˈtʃɑːtʃɑː / cha-cha-cha

I. noun

1. a ballroom dance with small steps and swaying hip movements, performed to a Latin American rhythm.

• his feet begin to move in an unmistakable cha-cha.

2. music for a cha-cha.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. dance the cha-cha.

• she cha-chas around in gold lamé pajamas.

– origin 1950s: Latin American Spanish.

chachalaca /ˌtʃatʃəˈlakə/

I. noun

a pheasant-like tree-dwelling bird of the guan family, found mainly in the forests of tropical America.
●Genus Ortalis, family Cracidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: via South American Spanish from Nahuatl, of imitative origin.

chack

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a bird) make a harsh call.

– origin early 16th cent.: imitative.

chacma baboon /ˈtʃakmə/

I. noun

a dark grey baboon which lives on the savannah of southern Africa.
● Papio ursinus, family Cercopithecidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Khoikhoi.

chaconne /ʃəˈkɒn/

I. noun

1. [Music] a composition in a series of varying sections in slow triple time.
Compare with passacaglia.

2. [Music] a stately dance performed to a chaconne, popular in the 18th century.

3. [Music] a ballroom dance performed in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from Spanish chacona.

Chaco War /ˈtʃɑːkəʊ/

a boundary dispute in 1932–5 between Bolivia and Paraguay, in which Paraguay eventually gained most of the disputed territory.

chacun à son goût /ˌʃakəːn a sɒn ˈɡuː, French ʃakœ̃ a sɔ̃ ɡu/

I. exclamation

each to their own taste.

– origin French.

chad /tʃad/

I. noun

a piece of waste material removed from card or tape by punching.

– origin 1950s: of unknown origin.

Chad /tʃad/

1. a landlocked country in northern central Africa; pop. 10,329,200 (est. 2009); official languages, French and Arabic; capital, N'Djamena.

Much of the country lies in the Sahel and, in the north, the Sahara Desert. A French colony from 1913, Chad became autonomous within the French Community in 1958, and fully independent as a republic in 1960.

Chad, Lake

a shallow lake on the borders of Chad, Niger, and Nigeria in north central Africa. Its size varies seasonally from c. 10,360 sq. km (4,000 sq. miles) to c. 25,900 sq. km (10,000 sq. miles).

Chadian /ˈtʃadiən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Chad or its people

• Chadian craftsmen produce musical instruments of extremely high quality.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Chad

• despite the harsh climate, Chadians grow a large variety of food.

Chadic /ˈtʃadɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a group of Afro-Asiatic languages spoken in the region of Lake Chad, of which the most important is Hausa.

II. adjective

relating to the Chadic languages.

chador /ˈtʃɑːdɔː, ˈtʃɑːdə, ˈtʃʌdə / chaddar, chuddar

I. noun

a large piece of cloth that is wrapped around the head and upper body leaving only the face exposed, worn especially by Muslim women.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Urdu chādar, chaddar, from Persian čādar ‘sheet or veil’.

Chadwick, Sir James /ˈtʃadwɪk/

(1891–1974), English physicist. He discovered the neutron, for which he received the 1935 Nobel Prize for Physics.

chaebol /ˈtʃeɪbɒl/

I. noun

(in South Korea) a large family-owned business conglomerate.

– origin 1980s: Korean, literally ‘money clan’.

chaeta /ˈkiːtə/

I. noun

[Zoology] a stiff bristle made of chitin, especially in an annelid worm.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek khaitē ‘long hair’.

Chaetognatha /ˌkiːtəɡˈnaθə, ˌkiːtəɡˈneɪθə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a small phylum of marine invertebrates that comprises the arrow worms.

II. derivatives

chaetognath

noun

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek khaitē ‘long hair’ + gnathos ‘jaw’.

chafe /tʃeɪf/

I. verb

1. (with reference to a part of the body) make or become sore by rubbing against something
[with obj.]

• the collar chafed his neck

• [no obj.] her arms chafed where the rope bit into them.

2. [no obj.] — (of an object) rub abrasively against another

• the grommet stops the cable chafing on the metal.

3. [with obj.] — rub (a part of the body) to restore warmth or sensation

• I chafed her feet and wrapped the blanket round her.

4. become or make annoyed or impatient because of a restriction or inconvenience
[no obj.]

• the bank chafed at the restrictions imposed upon it

• [with obj.] it chafed him to be confined like this.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — wear or damage caused by rubbing

• to prevent chafe the ropes should lie flat.

2. ‹archaic› a state of annoyance.

• into what an unprofitable chafe you have put yourself!

III. phrases

chafe at the bit

see champ at the bit at champ^1.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘make warm’): from Old French chaufer ‘make hot’, based on Latin calefacere, from calere ‘be hot’ + facere ‘make’.

chafer /ˈtʃeɪfə/

I. noun

a large flying beetle, the adult and larva of which can be very destructive to foliage and plant roots respectively.
●Several subfamilies of the family Scarabaeidae. .

– origin Old English ceafor, cefer, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kever.

chaff^1 /tʃɑːf, tʃaf/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the husks of corn or other seed separated by winnowing or threshing.

2. chopped hay and straw used as fodder.

3. worthless things; rubbish

• he hopes to separate scientifically supported claims from pseudoscientific chaff.

4. strips of metal foil released in the air to obstruct radar detection.

II. phrases

separate (or sort) the wheat from the chaff

distinguish valuable people or things from worthless ones.

– origin Old English cæf, ceaf, probably from a Germanic base meaning ‘gnaw’; related to Dutch kaf, also to chafer.

chaff^2 /tʃɑːf, tʃaf/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. light-hearted joking; banter.

• we used to come in for a fair amount of ribbing and good-natured chaff.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. tease.

• the pleasures of drinking and betting and chaffing your mates.

– origin early 19th cent.: perhaps from chafe.

chaff-cutter

noun

‹chiefly historical› a machine for chopping hay and straw for use as fodder.

chaffer /ˈtʃafə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. haggle about the terms of an agreement or price of something.

• I chaffered in the bazaars for objects I wanted.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› haggling about the price of something.

III. derivatives

chafferer

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘trade or trading’): from Old English cēap ‘a bargain’ + faru ‘journey’; probably influenced by Old Norse kaupfǫr.

chaffinch /ˈtʃafɪn(t)ʃ/

I. noun

a Eurasian and North African finch, typically with a bluish top to the head and dark wings and tail.
●Genus Fringilla, family Fringillidae: two species, in particular the F. coelebs, which (in the male of the typical European form) has a pinkish face and breast.

– origin Old English ceaffinc ‘chaff finch’ (because it forages around barns, picking seeds out of the chaff).

chaffweed /ˈtʃafwiːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tiny European pimpernel with pink or white flowers.
● Anagallis minima, family Primulaceae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: probably from the verb chafe + weed.

chafing dish /ˈtʃeɪfɪŋ/

I. noun

1. a cooking pot with an outer pan of hot water, used for keeping food warm.

2. a metal pan containing a spirit lamp or burning charcoal, used for cooking at table.

– origin late 15th cent.: from the original (now obsolete) sense of chafe ‘become warm, warm up’.

Chagall, Marc /ʃaˈɡal/

(1887–1985), Russian-born French painter and graphic artist. His work was characterized by the use of rich emotive colour and dream imagery, and had a significant influence on surrealism.

Chagas' disease /ˈtʃɑːɡəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease caused by a trypanosome transmitted by bloodsucking bugs, endemic in South and Central America and causing damage to the heart and central nervous system.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Carlos Chagas (1879–1934), the Brazilian physician who first described it.

Chagos Archipelago /ˈtʃɑːɡəs/

an island group in the Indian Ocean forming the British Indian Ocean Territory.

chagrin /ˈʃaɡrɪn, ʃəˈɡrɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. annoyance or distress at having failed or been humiliated

• to my chagrin, he was nowhere to be seen.

II. verb — ( be chagrined)

1. feel distressed or humiliated.

• he was chagrined when his friend poured scorn on him.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘melancholy’): from French chagrin (noun), literally ‘rough skin, shagreen’, chagriner (verb), of unknown origin.

chai /tʃʌɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Indian) tea made by boiling tea leaves with milk, sugar, and sometimes spices.

– origin a term in various Indian languages.

chain /tʃeɪn/

I. noun

1. a series of linked metal rings used for fastening or securing something, or for pulling loads

• he slid the bolts on the front door and put the safety chain across

• the drug dealer is being kept in chains.

2. a decorative chain worn round the neck as jewellery or as a badge of office.

• a tall man with a heavy gold chain round his neck.

3. a restrictive force or factor

• workers secured by the chains of the labour market.

4. a sequence of items of the same type forming a line

• he kept the chain of buckets supplied with water.

5. a series of connected elements

• the action would initiate a chain of events.

6. a connected series of mountains

• a mountain chain.

7. a group of hotels, restaurants, or shops owned by the same company

• the agency is part of a nationwide chain

• [as modifier] a chain restaurant.

8. (Brit.) a situation in which the sale of a house or flat is dependent on the prospective buyer selling their own or the seller buying another first

• our offer was accepted this morning and there's no chain.

9. a part of a molecule consisting of a number of atoms bonded together in a linear sequence.

10. a figure in a quadrille or similar dance, in which dancers meet and pass each other in a continuous sequence.

11. a jointed measuring line consisting of linked metal rods.

12. a measure of length equivalent to a chain (66 ft).

13. ( chains) — a structure of planks projecting horizontally from a sailing ship's sides abreast of the masts, used to widen the basis for the shrouds.
[formed earlier of iron plates.]

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. fasten or secure with a chain

• she chained her bicycle to the railings.

2. confine with a chain

• he had been chained up

• ‹figurative› as an actuary you will not be chained to a desk.

III. phrases

1. drag the chain

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› work slowly and ineffectively; lag behind

• the government is dragging the chain on this issue.

[probably with reference to draught animals in harness allowing the traces to slacken and drag rather than pulling on them.]

2. pull (or yank) someone's chain

‹informal› tease someone by leading them to believe something untrue

• he's just pulling your chain.

– origin Middle English: from Old French chaine, chaeine, from Latin catena ‘a chain’.

Chain, Sir Ernst Boris

(1906–79), German-born British biochemist. With Howard Florey he isolated and purified penicillin and in 1945 they shared a Nobel Prize with Alexander Fleming.

chain armour

noun

another term for chain mail.

chain bridge

noun

a suspension bridge held by chains rather than cables.

chain drive

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mechanism in which power is transmitted from an engine to the wheels of a vehicle or a boat's propeller by means of a moving endless chain.

II. derivatives

chain-driven

adjective

chaîné /ˈʃɛneɪ/

I. noun

[Ballet] a sequence of fast turns from one foot to the other, executed in a straight line.

– origin French, literally ‘linked’.

chain gang

noun

a group of convicts chained together while working outside the prison.

chain gear

noun

a gear transmitting motion by means of a moving endless chain, especially in a bicycle.

chain gun

noun

a machine gun that uses a motor-driven chain to power all moving parts.

chain harrow

noun

a harrow consisting of a net made of chains in a metal frame.

chain letter

noun

one of a sequence of letters, each recipient in the sequence being requested to send copies to a specific number of other people.

chain-link

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. made of wire in a diamond-shaped mesh

• a chain-link fence.

chain mail

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› flexible armour consisting of small metal rings linked together.

chain of command command chain

noun

a system in a military or civil organization by which instructions are passed from one person to another.

chain of ponds

noun

(Austral.) a series of water-filled depressions on the bed of a intermittently flowing watercourse that has otherwise dried up

• to the south-west is a chain of ponds about two miles in length.

chainplate

noun

a strong link or plate on the hull of a yacht or sailing ship, to which a shroud is secured.

chain reaction

noun

1. a chemical reaction or other process in which the products themselves promote or spread the reaction.

2. the self-sustaining fission reaction spread by neutrons which occurs in nuclear reactors and bombs.

3. a series of events, each caused by the previous one

• the wine provoked a chain reaction of memories.

chainring

noun

a large cog carrying the chain on a bicycle, to which the pedals are attached.

chainsaw /ˈtʃeɪnsɔː/

noun

a mechanical power-driven cutting tool with teeth set on a chain which moves around the edge of a blade.

chain shot

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› pairs of cannonballs or half balls joined by a chain, fired from cannons in sea battles in order to damage masts and rigging.

chain-smoke /ˈtʃʌɪnsməʊk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. smoke continually, typically by lighting a cigarette from the stub of the last one smoked.

• he chain-smoked and drank too much.

• [with obj.] he chain-smoked menthol cigarettes.

• (as adj. chain-smoking) morose, chain-smoking soldiers.

II. derivatives

chain-smoker /ˈtʃʌɪnsməʊkə /

noun

chain stitch

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an embroidery or crochet stitch resembling a chain.

chain store

noun

one of a series of shops owned by one firm and selling the same goods.

chain wheel

noun

a wheel transmitting power by means of a chain fitted to its edges.

chair /tʃɛː/

I. noun

1. a separate seat for one person, typically with a back and four legs.

2. ( the chair) — short for electric chair.

3. the person in charge of a meeting or of an organization (used as a neutral alternative to chairman or chairwoman)

• she's the chair of a research committee.

4. the post of a chairperson

• he was due to step down after a three-year stint in the chair.

5. a professorship

• he held a chair in physics.

6. (chiefly Brit.) a metal socket holding a rail in place on a railway sleeper.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. act as chairperson of or preside over (an organization, meeting, or public event)

• the debate was chaired by the Archbishop of York.

2. (Brit.) carry (someone) aloft in a chair or in a sitting position to celebrate a victory.

• no one seemed anxious to chair him round the hall.

III. phrases

take the chair

act as chairperson.

• the account executive will usually take the chair in meetings.

– origin Middle English: from Old French chaiere (modern chaire ‘bishop's throne, etc.’, chaise ‘chair’), from Latin cathedra ‘seat’, from Greek kathedra. Compare with cathedral.

chair car

noun

(N. Amer.) a railway carriage with adjustable seats in pairs either side of a central gangway.

chairlady

noun

another term for chairwoman.

chairlift /ˈtʃɛːlɪft/

noun

1. a series of chairs hung from a moving cable, used for carrying people up and down a mountain.

2. a device for carrying people in wheelchairs from one floor of a building to another.

chairman /ˈtʃɛːmən/

I. noun

1. a person chosen to preside over a meeting.

• the chairman of the conference.

2. the permanent or long-term president of a committee, company, or other organization.

• he was chairman of the finance committee.

• he received an offer to become the company's chairman and chief executive.

• [with modifier] the party chairman.

3. ( Chairman) — (since 1949) the leading figure in the Chinese Communist Party.

4. ‹historical› a sedan-bearer.

usage: The word chairman found itself accused of sexism in the 1970s, with critics opposed to the way it combined the notion of power with a grammatical gender bias. Two neutral alternatives were proposed, chair (which was actually recorded in this sense in the 17th century) and the neologism chairperson. Both terms faced initial resistance, and although they have now become accepted in standard English, the Oxford English Corpus shows that they are still far less common than chairman.

chairmanship /ˈtʃɛːmənʃɪp/

noun

1. the position or office of presiding over a meeting.

2. permanent or long-term presidency over a committee, company, or other organization

• he assumed the board chairmanship

• she was elected to the chairmanship of the company.

3. ( Chairmanship) — (since 1949) the office of the leading figure in the Chinese Communist Party.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of presiding over a meeting

• a meeting held under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor.

chairperson /ˈtʃɛːpəːs(ə)n/

noun

a chairman or chairwoman (used as a neutral alternative).

chairwoman /ˈtʃɛəwʊmən/

noun

a female chairperson.

chaise /ʃeɪz/

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly historical› a horse-drawn carriage for one or two people, typically one with an open top and two wheels.

2. another term for post-chaise.

3. US term for chaise longue.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, variant of chaire (see chair).

chaise longue /ˌʃeɪz ˈlɒŋɡ / ‹N. Amer.› chaise lounge

I. noun

a sofa with a backrest at only one end.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, literally ‘long chair’. / usage: The unfamiliar-looking spelling of chaise longue (‘long chair’ in French) has led many people to interpret it as the more English chaise lounge. This is regarded as an error in British English but is a common and accepted variant in US English.

chakka /ˈtʃʌkə/

I. noun

(Indian) a wheel or tyre.

– origin from Hindi cakkā.

chakra /ˈtʃʌkrə/

I. noun

(in Indian thought) each of seven centres of spiritual power in the human body.

– origin from Sanskrit cakra ‘wheel or circle’, from an Indo-European base meaning ‘turn’, shared by wheel.

chal^1 /tʃal/

I. noun

a male Gypsy.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Romany, literally ‘person, fellow’.

chal^2

noun

variant spelling of chawl.

chalaza /kəˈleɪzə/

I. noun

[Zoology] (in a bird's egg) each of two twisted membranous strips joining the yolk to the ends of the shell.

II. derivatives

chalazal

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek khalaza ‘small knot’.

Chalcedon /ˈkalsɪdɒn, kalˈsiːd(ə)n/

a former city on the Bosporus in Asia Minor, now part of Istanbul.
Turkish name Kadiköy.

Chalcedon, Council of

I. the fourth ecumenical council of the Christian Church, held at Chalcedon in 451. It condemned the Monophysite position and affirmed the dual but united nature of Christ as god and man.

II. derivatives

Chalcedonian /ˌkalsɪˈdəʊnɪən /

noun, adjective

chalcedony /kalˈsɛdəni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a microcrystalline type of quartz occurring in several different forms including onyx and agate.

II. derivatives

chalcedonic /ˌkalsɪˈdɒnɪk /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin calcedonius, chalcedonius (often believed to mean ‘stone of Chalcedon’, but this is doubtful), from Greek khalkēdōn.

chalcid /ˈkalsɪd / chalcid wasp

I. noun

a minute metallic-coloured parasitic wasp of a large group whose members lay eggs inside the eggs of other insects.
●Superfamily Chalcidoidea, order Hymenoptera.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Chalcis (genus name), from Greek khalkos ‘copper, brass’, + -id^3.

Chalcis /ˈkalsɪs/

the chief town of the island of Euboea, on the coast opposite mainland Greece; pop. 51,000 (est. 2009).
Greek name Khalkís.

Chalcolithic /ˌkalkə(ʊ)ˈlɪθɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Archaeology] relating to or denoting a period in the 4th and 3rd millennia BC, chiefly in the Near East and SE Europe, during which some weapons and tools were made of copper. This period was still largely Neolithic in character.
Also called Eneolithic.

2. (as noun the Chalcolithic) — [Archaeology] the Chalcolithic period.
Also called Copper Age.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek khalkos ‘copper’ + lithos ‘stone’ + -ic.

chalcopyrite /ˌkalkə(ʊ)ˈpʌɪrʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a yellow crystalline mineral consisting of a sulphide of copper and iron. It is the principal ore of copper.
Also called copper pyrites.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin chalcopyrites, from Greek khalkos ‘copper’ + puritēs (see pyrites).

Chaldea /kalˈdiːə/

I. an ancient country in what is now southern Iraq, inhabited by the Chaldeans.

– origin from Greek Khaldaia, from Akkadian Kaldû, the name of a Babylonian tribal group.

Chaldean /kalˈdiːən/

I. noun

1. a member of an ancient people who lived in Chaldea c. 800 BC and ruled Babylonia 625–539 BC. They were renowned as astronomers and astrologers.

2. [ mass noun] — the Semitic language of the ancient Chaldeans.

3. a language related to Aramaic and spoken in parts of Iraq.

4. a member of a Syrian Uniate (formerly Nestorian) Church based mainly in Iran and Iraq.

II. adjective

1. relating to ancient Chaldea or its people or language.

2. relating to the East Syrian Uniate Church.

Chaldee /kalˈdiː, ˈkaldiː/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the language of the ancient Chaldeans.

2. ‹dated› the Aramaic language as used in some books of the Old Testament.

3. a native of ancient Chaldea.

– origin from Latin Chaldaei ‘Chaldeans’, from Greek Khaldaioi, from Khaldaia (see Chaldea).

chalet /ˈʃaleɪ/

I. noun

1. a wooden house with overhanging eaves, typically found in the Swiss Alps.

2. (Brit.) a small cabin or house used by holidaymakers, forming a unit within a holiday complex.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Swiss French, diminutive of Old French chasel ‘farmstead’, based on Latin casa ‘hut, cottage’.

Chaliapin, Fyodor /ʃaˈljɑːpɪn/

(1873–1938), Russian operatic bass; full name Fyodor Ivanovich Chaliapin. He was particularly noted for his roles in Russian opera, such as the title role of Boris Godunov.

chalice /ˈtʃalɪs/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a large cup or goblet.

2. ‹historical› the wine cup used in the Christian Eucharist.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin calix, calic- ‘cup’.

chalicothere /ˈkalɪkəˌθɪə/

I. noun

a large horse-like fossil mammal of the late Tertiary period, with stout claws on the toes rather than hoofs.
●Family Chalicotheriidae, order Perissodactyla: several genera.

– origin early 20th cent.: from modern Latin Chalicotherium (genus name), from Greek khalix, khalik- ‘gravel’ + thērion ‘wild animal’.

chalk /tʃɔːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white soft earthy limestone (calcium carbonate) formed from the skeletal remains of sea creatures.

2. a chalk-like substance (calcium sulphate), made into sticks used for writing or drawing on a blackboard.

3. [ count noun] — [Geology] a series of strata consisting mainly of chalk.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. write or draw with chalk

• he chalked a message on the board.

2. draw or write on (a surface) with chalk

• blackboards chalked with Japanese phrases.

3. rub the tip of (a snooker cue) with chalk.

4. (Brit.) charge (drinks bought in a pub or bar) to a person's account

• he chalked the bill on to the Professor's private account.

III. phrases

1. as different as (or like) chalk and cheese

(Brit.) fundamentally different or incompatible.

• we'll never get on—we're like chalk and cheese.

2. by a long chalk

(Brit.) by far.

• she is, by a long chalk, the highest paid.

3. chalk and talk

(Brit.) teaching by traditional methods focusing on the blackboard and presentation by the teacher as opposed to more informal or interactive methods.

4. not by a long chalk

(Brit.) by no means; not at all

• they weren't beaten yet, not by a long chalk.

[with reference to the chalk used for marking up scores in competitive games.]

IV. phrasal verbs

1. chalk something off

(Brit.) (in sport) disallow a goal for an infringement of the rules.

2. chalk something out

sketch or plan something

• we have already chalked out the strategy for conducting raids.

3. chalk something up

a. achieve something noteworthy

• he has chalked up a box office success.

b. ascribe something to a particular cause

• I chalked my sleeplessness up to nerves.

– origin Old English cealc (also denoting lime), related to Dutch kalk and German Kalk, from Latin calx (see calx).

chalkboard /ˈtʃɔːkbɔːd/

noun

North American term for blackboard.

chalkface /ˈtʃɔːkfeɪs/

noun — [in sing.]

1. (Brit.) the day-to-day work of teaching in a school

• teachers at the chalkface.

chalkhill blue

noun

a European blue butterfly of calcareous grassland, of which the male is silvery-blue with blackish markings and the female is brown.
● Lysandra coridon, family Lycaenidae.

chalkie /ˈtʃɔːki/

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a schoolteacher

• I get three holidays a year, being a chalkie and all.

chalk pit

noun

(Brit.) a quarry from which chalk is extracted.

chalk-stone

noun

[Medicine] ‹dated› a chalky deposit of sodium urate formed in the hands and feet of sufferers from severe gout.

chalk-stripe

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of a garment or material) having a pattern of thin white stripes on a dark background

• a chalk-stripe suit.

II. noun — ( chalk stripe)

1. a pattern of thin white stripes on a dark background.

• her one good suit, grey with a white chalk stripe.

III. derivatives

chalk-striped

adjective

chalk talk

noun

(N. Amer.) a talk or lecture in which the speaker uses a blackboard and chalk.

chalk white chalky white

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a shade of white resembling chalk

• his fair complexion paled to chalk white

• [as adj.] a chalk-white face drained of colour.

chalky /ˈtʃɔːki/

I. adjective

1. consisting of or rich in chalk

• chalky soil.

2. resembling chalk in texture or paleness of colour

• walls of chalky green.

II. derivatives

chalkiness /ˈtʃɔːkinəs /

noun

challah /ˈhɑːlə, xɑːˈlɑː/

I. noun

a plaited loaf of white leavened bread, traditionally baked to celebrate the Jewish sabbath.

– origin from Hebrew ḥallah.

challan /ˈtʃʌlən / ‹Indian›

I. noun

an official form or document, such as a receipt, invoice, or summons.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. issue (someone) with an official notice of a traffic offence

• police challaned over 24 vehicle owners for violating the rules.

– origin Hindi chalān.

challenge /ˈtʃalɪn(d)ʒ/

I. noun

1. a call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength.

• he accepted the challenge.

2. a task or situation that tests someone's abilities

• the traverse of the ridge is a challenge for experienced climbers

• he took up the challenge of organizing a sports afternoon.

3. an attempt to win a contest or championship in a sport.

• he is desperate for a third world title challenge.

4. a call to prove or justify something

• a challenge to the legality of the banning order.

5. a guard's call for a password or other proof of identity.

• I heard the challenge ‘Who goes there?’.

6. [Law] an objection regarding the eligibility or suitability of a jury member.

7. [ mass noun] — [Medicine] exposure of the immune system to pathogenic organisms or antigens

• recently vaccinated calves should be protected from challenge.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. dispute the truth or validity of

• it is possible to challenge the report's assumptions.

2. [Law] object to (a jury member)

• a certain number of jurors may be challenged.

3. (of a guard) order (someone) to prove their identity.

• the watchman did not challenge him.

4. invite (someone) to engage in a contest

• he challenged one of my men to a duel

• organizations challenged the government in by-elections.

5. enter into competition with or opposition against.

6. make a rival claim to or threaten someone's hold on (a position)

• they were challenging his leadership.

7. [with obj. and infinitive] — invite (someone) to do or say something that one thinks will be difficult or impossible

• I challenge the Minister to deny these accusations.

8. make demands on; prove testing to

• a new way of life that would challenge them.

9. [Medicine] expose (the immune system) to pathogenic organisms or antigens.

III. derivatives

challengeable /ˈtʃalɪndʒəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘accusation’ and ‘accuse’): from Old French chalenge (noun), chalenger (verb), from Latin calumnia ‘calumny’, calumniari ‘calumniate’.

challenged /ˈtʃalɪndʒd/

I. adjective — [with submodifier or in combination]

1. used euphemistically to indicate that someone suffers disability in a specified respect

• my experience of being physically challenged.

2. ‹informal› used to indicate that someone or something is lacking or deficient in a specified respect

• I didn't know he was so vertically challenged

• today's attention-challenged teens.

usage: The use with a preceding adverb (e.g. physically challenged), originally intended to give a more positive tone than terms such as disabled or handicapped, arose in the US in the 1980s and quickly spread to the UK and elsewhere. Despite the serious intention the term rapidly became stalled by uses whose intention was to make fun of the attempts at euphemism and whose tone was usually clearly ironic: examples include cerebrally challenged, conversationally challenged, and follicularly challenged. See also usage at disabled.

challenger /ˈtʃalɪndʒə/

noun

1. a person who engages in a contest

• new championship challengers

• the leading team among the nine challengers.

2. a person who makes a rival claim to or threatens someone's hold on a position

• a serious challenger for the title

• a potential challenger for the party leadership.

3. a person who disputes the truth of or places themselves in opposition to something

• heroic challengers of authority

• the bold challenger of campus orthodoxy.

challenger bank

noun

(Brit.) a relatively small retail bank set up with the intention of competing for business with large, long-established national banks

• the British Bankers' Association urged ministers and regulators to boost competition by providing more support for challenger banks.

Challenger Deep

the deepest part (11,034 m, 36,201 ft) of the Mariana Trench in the North Pacific, discovered by HMS Challenger II in 1948.

challenging /ˈtʃalɪn(d)ʒɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. testing one's abilities; demanding

• challenging and rewarding employment

• the current challenging economic environment.

2. inviting competition; provocative

• there was a challenging glint in his eyes.

II. derivatives

challengingly

adverb

challis /ˈʃalɪs, ˈʃali/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a lightweight soft clothing fabric made from silk and worsted.

– origin mid 19th cent.: origin uncertain; perhaps from the surname Challis.

chalone /ˈkaləʊn, ˈkeɪləʊn/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] a substance secreted like a hormone but having the effect of inhibiting a physiological process.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek khalōn ‘slackening’, present participle of khalaein, on the pattern of hormone.

chalumeau /ˈʃalʊməʊ/

I. noun

1. a reed instrument of the early 18th century from which the clarinet was developed.

2. (also chalumeau register) — the lowest octave of the clarinet's range.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from Latin calamellus ‘little reed’, diminutive of calamus.

chalupa /tʃəˈluːpə/

I. noun

1. (in Spain and Latin America) a small light boat or canoe.

2. a fried tortilla in the shape of a boat, with a spicy filling.

– origin late 19th cent.: Spanish, ultimately related to Dutch sloep ‘sloop’.

chalybeate /kəˈlɪbɪət/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. of or denoting natural mineral springs containing iron salts.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin chalybeatus, from Latin chalybs, from Greek khalups, khalub- ‘steel’.

Cham /tʃam/

I. noun

1. a member of an indigenous people of Vietnam and Cambodia, who formed an independent kingdom from the 2nd to 17th centuries AD.

2. [ mass noun] — the Austronesian language of the Cham, with about 230,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Cham, their culture, or their language.

Chamaeleon /kəˈmiːlɪən / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small and faint southern constellation (the Chameleon), close to the south celestial pole.

II. (as genitive Chamaeleontis) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Delta Chamaeleontis.

– origin from Greek.

chamaephyte /ˈkamɪfʌɪt/

I. noun

[Botany] a woody plant whose resting buds are on or near the ground.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek khamai ‘on the ground’ + -phyte.

chamber /ˈtʃeɪmbə/

I. noun

1. a large room used for formal or public events

• a council chamber.

2. one of the houses of a parliament

• the upper chamber.

3. ( chambers) — [Law] (Brit.) rooms used by a barrister or barristers, especially in the Inns of Court.

4. [Law] a judge's office, where proceedings may be held if not required to be held in open court.

5. ‹archaic› a private room, especially a bedroom.

6. an enclosed space or cavity

• a burial chamber.

7. a large underground cavern.

8. the part of a gun bore that contains the charge.

9. [Biology] a cavity in a plant, animal body, or organ.

10. [as modifier] — [Music] of or for a small group of instruments

• a chamber concert.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. place (a bullet) into the chamber of a gun.

• he chambered a fresh cartridge.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘private room’): from Old French chambre, from Latin camera ‘vault, arched chamber’, from Greek kamara ‘object with an arched cover’.

chambered

adjective

1. (especially of a gun) having a chamber of a particular kind.

• the rifles are chambered for an intermediate size cartridge.

2. [Archaeology] (of a tomb) containing a burial chamber.

3. [Biology] (of a plant, animal body, or organ) having one or more body cavities
[in combination]

• a four-chambered heart.

chamberlain /ˈtʃeɪmbəlɪn/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› an officer who managed the household of a monarch or noble.

2. (Brit.) an officer who received revenue on behalf of a corporation or public body.

II. derivatives

chamberlainship

noun

– origin Middle English (denoting a servant in a bedchamber): via Old French from Old Saxon kamera, from Latin camera ‘vault’ (see chamber).

Chamberlain, Joseph /ˈtʃeɪmbəlɪn/

(1836–1914), British Liberal statesman. He left the Liberal party in 1886 because of Gladstone's support of Irish Home Rule. The leader of the Liberal Unionists from 1891, he played a leading role in the handling of the Second Boer War.

Chamberlain, Neville /ˈtʃeɪmbəlɪn/

(1869–1940), British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1937–40, son of Joseph Chamberlain; full name Arthur Neville Chamberlain. He pursued a policy of appeasement with Germany, signing the Munich Agreement (1938), but was forced to abandon this policy following Hitler's invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1939.

Chamberlain, Owen /ˈtʃeɪmbəlɪn/

(1920–2006), American physicist. He investigated subatomic particles and in 1955 discovered the antiproton with E. G. Segrè (1905–89), for which they shared the 1959 Nobel Prize for Physics.

chamber magistrate

noun

(Austral.) a local law official who gives legal advice to members of the public

• speak to the chamber magistrate about formulating a claim.

chambermaid /ˈtʃeɪmbəmeɪd/

noun

a woman who cleans bedrooms and bathrooms in a hotel.

chamber music

noun — [ mass noun]

1. instrumental music played by a small ensemble, with one player to a part, the most important form being the string quartet.

Chamber of Commerce

noun

a local association to promote and protect the interests of the business community in a particular place.

Chamber of Deputies

noun

the lower legislative assembly in some parliaments.

chamber of horrors

I. noun

a place of entertainment containing instruments or scenes of torture or execution.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name given to a room in Madame Tussaud's waxwork exhibition.

Chamber of Trade

noun

a national organization representing local Chambers of Commerce.

chamber orchestra

noun

a small orchestra.

chamber organ

noun

a movable pipe organ for playing in a small concert hall, chapel, or private house.

chamber pot

noun

a bowl kept in a bedroom and used as a toilet at night.

Chambers, Sir William

(1723–96), Scottish architect. His neoclassical style is demonstrated in buildings such as Somerset House in London (1776).

Chambertin /ˈʃɒ̃bəːtã/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dry red burgundy wine of high quality from Gevrey Chambertin in eastern France.

Chambéry /ˈʃɒ̃bəri, French ʃɑ̃beʀi/

a town in eastern France; pop. 59,188 (2006).

chambray /ˈʃambreɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a cloth with a white weft and a coloured warp.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally US): formed irregularly from Cambrai, the name of a town in northern France, where it was originally made. Compare with cambric.

chambré /ˈʃɒmbreɪ, ˈʃɒ̃mbreɪ/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. (of red wine) at room temperature

• the French believe that Cabernet tastes best chambré.

– origin 1950s: French, past participle of chambrer ‘bring to room temperature’, from chambre ‘room’ (see chamber).

chamcha /ˈtʃʌmtʃə/

I. noun

(Indian) ‹informal› an obsequious person.

• the boss came in with his chamchas.

– origin from Bengali and Hindi chamra, cham, literally ‘skin, hide’. The extended sense may derive from the idea of an obsequious person staying very close to a superior.

chameleon /kəˈmiːlɪən / chamaeleon

I. noun

1. a small slow-moving Old World lizard with a prehensile tail, long extensible tongue, protruding eyes that rotate independently, and a highly developed ability to change colour.
●Family Chamaeleonidae: four genera, in particular Chamaeleo, and numerous species, including the European chameleon ( C. vulgaris).

2. (also American chameleon) — (N. Amer.) an anole (tree-dwelling lizard).

3. ‹figurative› a person who changes their opinions or behaviour according to the situation

• voters have misgivings about his performance as a political chameleon.

II. derivatives

chameleonic /kəmiːlɪˈɒnɪk /

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Latin chamaeleon from Greek khamaileōn, from khamai ‘on the ground’ + leōn ‘lion’.

chameleon-like

adjective

changing one's opinions, behaviour, or appearance according to the situation

• with chameleon-like ease, they present the right image for the right audience

• they had grown disenchanted with chameleon-like politicians.

chameli /tʃʌˈmeɪli/

I. noun

Indian term for jasmine.

– origin from Hindi camelī.

chametz /hɑːˈmɛts, ˈxɑːmɛts / chometz

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Judaism] leaven or food mixed with leaven, prohibited during Passover.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Hebrew ḥāmēṣ.

chamfer /ˈtʃamfə / ‹Carpentry›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut away (a right-angled edge or corner) to make a symmetrical sloping edge.
(as adj. chamfered)

• a neat chamfered edge.

II. noun

a symmetrical sloping surface at an edge or corner.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘flute or furrow’): back-formation from chamfering, from French chamfrain, from chant ‘edge’ (see cant^2) + fraint ‘broken’ (from Old French fraindre ‘break’, from Latin frangere).

chamferboard /ˈtʃamfəbɔːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) exterior cladding for a building, consisting of overlapping horizontal boards

• the gap was concealed by lengths of chamferboard between the ends of the joists

• [as modifier] he lived in a white chamferboard house with a green roof.

Also called weatherboard.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from chamfer + board.

chamise /(t)ʃəˈmiːz / chamiso /tʃəˈmiːsəʊ/

I. noun

an evergreen shrub with small narrow leaves, common in the chaparral of California, US.
● Adenostoma fasciculatum, family Rosaceae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Mexican Spanish chamiso.

chamois

I. noun

1. ( pl. same) /ˈʃamwɑː/ — an agile goat-antelope with short hooked horns, found in mountainous areas of Europe from Spain to the Caucasus.
●Genus Rupicapra, family Bovidae: two species.

2. (also chamois leather) ( pl. same) /ˈʃami, ˈʃamwɑː/ [ mass noun] — (Brit.) a type of soft pliable leather now made from sheepskin or lambskin.

3. [ count noun] — a piece of chamois leather, used for washing windows or cars.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, of unknown ultimate origin.

Chamonix /ˈʃamɒniː, French ʃamɔni/

a ski resort at the foot of Mont Blanc, in the Alps of eastern France; pop. 9,514 (2006). Full name Chamonix-Mont-Blanc /mɒnˈblɒŋk/.

Chamorro /tʃəˈmɒrəʊ/

noun

1. a member of the indigenous people of Guam.

2. [ mass noun] — the Austronesian language of the Chamorro, with about 73,000 speakers.

champ^1 /tʃamp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a horse) make a noisy biting or chewing action.

2. munch or chew enthusiastically or noisily

• he champed on his sandwich.

3. fret impatiently

• he was already on the plane, champing to get off to Lagos.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a biting or chewing action.

III. phrases

champ (or chomp or chafe) at the bit

be restlessly impatient to start doing something.

• I was champing at the bit to investigate the shops.

– origin late Middle English: probably imitative.

champ^2 /tʃamp/

I. noun

‹informal› a champion.

• he showed the style that was to turn him into a world champ.

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation.

champagne /ʃamˈpeɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white sparkling wine from Champagne.

• the couple celebrated with a glass of champagne.

2. a pale cream or straw colour.
[as modifier]

• a champagne silk dress.

Champagne /ʃamˈpeɪn //

a former province of NE France, which now corresponds to the Champagne-Ardenne administrative region. The region is noted for the white sparkling wine first produced there in about 1700.

Champagne-Ardenne

a region of NE France, comprising part of the Ardennes forest and the vine-growing area of Champagne.

Champagne Charlie

I. noun

‹informal› a man who lives a life of luxury and excess.
[as modifier]

• Souness has put the Champagne Charlie lifestyle behind him.

– origin from the name of a popular song, first performed in 1868.

champagne socialist

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹derogatory› a person who espouses socialist ideals while enjoying a wealthy and luxurious lifestyle.

II. derivatives

champagne socialism

noun

champaign /ˈtʃampeɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› open level countryside.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French champagne, from late Latin campania, based on Latin campus ‘level ground’. Compare with campaign.

champak /ˈtʃʌmpək, ˈtʃampək / chempaka

I. noun

an Asian evergreen tree of the magnolia family, which bears fragrant orange flowers and is sacred to Hindus and Buddhists.
● Michelia champaca, family Magnoliaceae.

– origin from Sanskrit campaka.

champers /ˈʃampəz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› champagne.

champerty /ˈtʃampəti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] an illegal agreement in which a person with no previous interest in a lawsuit finances it with a view to sharing the disputed property if the suit succeeds.

II. derivatives

champertous

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French champartie, from Old French champart ‘feudal lord's share of produce’, from Latin campus ‘field’ + pars ‘part’.

champignon /tʃamˈpɪnjən / fairy ring champignon

I. noun

a small edible mushroom with a light brown cap, growing in short grass in both Eurasia and North America and often forming fairy rings.
● Marasmius oreades, family Tricholomataceae, class Hymenomycetes.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, diminutive of Old French champagne ‘open country’ (see champaign).

champion /ˈtʃampɪən/

I. noun

1. a person who has surpassed all rivals in a sporting contest or other competition
[as modifier]

• a champion hurdler.

2. a person who vigorously supports or defends a person or cause

• he became the determined champion of a free press.

3. ‹historical› a knight who fought in single combat on behalf of the monarch.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. vigorously support or defend the cause of

• he championed the rights of the working class and the poor.

III. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dialect› excellent

• ‘Thank ye, lad,’ the farmer said. ‘That's champion.’.

– origin Middle English (denoting a fighting man): from Old French, from medieval Latin campio(n-) ‘fighter’, from Latin campus (see camp^1).

Champion of England

noun

(in the UK) a hereditary official who at coronations offers to defend the monarch's title to the throne.

championship /ˈtʃampɪənʃɪp/

noun

1. a contest for the position of champion in a sport or game.

• the final round of the championship will be in Japan.

• the team's final match before the European championships.

• [with modifier] the world chess championship.

• [as modifier] a championship course.

2. the position or title of the winner of a championship contest.

• Louise Gibson retained the women's championship.

3. ( the Championship) — the second division of professional soccer in England and Wales.

4. [ mass noun] — the vigorous support or defence of a person or cause

• Alan's championship of his estranged wife.

Champions League

‹trademark› the major annual competition for soccer clubs in Europe, administered by UEFA.

Champlain, Lake

I. a lake in North America, situated to the east of the Adirondack Mountains.

– origin named after Samuel de Champlain (see Champlain, Samuel de), who reached it in 1609.

Champlain, Samuel de /ʃamˈpleɪn, French ʃɑ̃plɛ̃/

(1567–1635), French explorer and colonial statesman. He established a settlement at Quebec in 1608, developing alliances with the indigenous peoples, and was appointed Lieutenant Governor in 1612.

champlevé /ˌʃam(p)ləˈveɪ, ʃɒ̃ˈləveɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. enamelwork in which hollows made in a metal surface are filled with coloured enamels.
[as modifier]

• enamelling using the champlevé technique.

– origin French, from champ ‘field’ + levé ‘raised’.

Champollion, Jean-François /ʃɒ̃ˈpɒljɒ̃, French ʃɑ̃pɔljɔ̃/

(1790–1832), French Egyptologist. A pioneer in the study of ancient Egypt, he is best known for his success in deciphering some of the hieroglyphic inscriptions on the Rosetta Stone in 1822.

Champs-Élysées /ˌʃɒ̃z eɪˈliːzeɪ, French ʃɑ̃z elize/

an avenue in Paris, leading from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe.

chana /ˈtʃʌnə / channa

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Indian) chickpeas, especially when roasted and prepared as a snack.

• my cousin bought his channa, all crisp and peppered.

– origin from Hindi canā.

chance /tʃɑːns/

I. noun

1. a possibility of something happening

• there is a chance of winning the raffle

• [ mass noun] there is little chance of his finding a job.

2. ( chances) — the probability of something desirable happening

• he played down his chances of becoming chairman.

3. [in sing.] — an opportunity to do or achieve something

• I gave her a chance to answer.

4. [ mass noun] — the occurrence of events in the absence of any obvious intention or cause

• he met his brother by chance.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. fortuitous; accidental

• a chance meeting.

III. verb

1. [no obj., with infinitive] — do something by accident or without intending to

• he was very effusive if they chanced to meet.

2. ( chance upon/on/across) — find or see by accident

• he chanced upon an interesting advertisement.

3. [with obj.] — ‹informal› do (something) despite its being dangerous or of uncertain outcome

• they chanced a late holiday.

IV. phrases

1. as chance would have it

as it happened.

• as chance would have it, we were going camping that weekend.

2. by any chance

possibly (used in tentative enquiries or suggestions)

• were you looking for me by any chance?

3. chance one's arm (or luck)

(Brit.) ‹informal› undertake something although it may be dangerous or unsuccessful.

• the ferryman decided not to chance his luck in the storm.

4. chance would be a fine thing

(Brit.) ‹informal› expressing a speaker's belief that something is desirable but the opportunity is unlikely to arise.

• ‘You should come to the cafe with us.’ ‘Chance would be a fine thing.’.

5. no chance

‹informal› there is no possibility of that.

• Pressed for further comment, he snarled: ‘No chance.’.

6. on the (off) chance

just in case.

• she thought of ringing on the off chance of catching him at the flat.

7. stand a chance

have a prospect of success or survival

• his rivals don't stand a chance.

8. take a chance (or chances)

a. behave in a way that leaves one vulnerable to danger or failure.

• the bank was prepared to take a chance and lend him 40% of the purchase price.

• it was probably safe, but she was taking no chances.

b. ( take a chance on) — put one's trust in (something or someone) knowing that it may not be safe or certain.

• his boss was prepared to take a chance on youngsters.

9. take one's chance

do something risky with the hope of success.

• he was tempted to stay on the train and take his chance.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cheance, from cheoir ‘fall, befall’, based on Latin cadere.

chancel /ˈtʃɑːns(ə)l/

I. noun

the part of a church near the altar, reserved for the clergy and choir, and typically separated from the nave by steps or a screen.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin cancelli ‘crossbars’.

chancellery /ˈtʃɑːns(ə)l(ə)ri, ˈtʃɑːnsləri/

I. noun

1. the position, office, or department of a chancellor.

2. the official residence of a chancellor.

3. (US) an office attached to an embassy or consulate.

– origin Middle English: from Old French chancellerie, from chancelier ‘secretary’ (see chancellor).

chancellor /ˈtʃɑːns(ə)lə/

I. noun

1. a senior state or legal official.

• the Lord chancellor and the judges will consider the application.

2. ( Chancellor) — short for Chancellor of the Exchequer.

• the Chancellor's Budget speech.

3. ( Chancellor) — the head of the government in some European countries, such as Germany.

4. (Brit.) the honorary head of a university.

5. (US) the president or chief administrative officer of a university.

6. a bishop's law officer.

7. (US) the presiding judge of a chancery court.

8. (in the UK) an officer of an order of knighthood who seals commissions.

II. derivatives

chancellorship /ˈtʃɑːnsələrˌʃɪp /

noun

– origin late Old English from Old French cancelier, from late Latin cancellarius ‘porter, secretary’ (originally a court official stationed at the grating separating public from judges), from cancelli ‘crossbars’.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

noun

(in the UK) a member of the government legally representing the Crown as Duke of Lancaster, typically a cabinet minister employed on non-departmental work.

Chancellor of the Exchequer

noun

the chief finance minister of the United Kingdom, who prepares the nation's annual budgets.

chance-medley /tʃɑːnsˈmɛdli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] ‹rare› the accidental killing of a person in a fight.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Anglo-Norman French chance medlee, literally ‘mixed chance’, from chance ‘luck’ + medlee, feminine past participle of medler ‘to mix’ (based on Latin miscere).

chancer /ˈtʃɑːnsə/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person who exploits any opportunity to further their own ends.

• Prague was full of young chancers, bored with the City.

chancery /ˈtʃɑːns(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. ( Chancery or Chancery Division) — [Law] (in the UK) the Lord Chancellor's court, a division of the High Court of Justice.

2. (US) a court of law that decides legal cases based on the principle of equity.

3. ‹historical› the court of a bishop's chancellor.

4. (chiefly Brit.) an office attached to an embassy or consulate.

5. a public record office.

II. phrases

in chancery

‹informal› (of a boxer or wrestler) with their head held, contrary to the rules, between the opponent's arm and body and unable to avoid blows.

– origin late Middle English: contraction of chancellery.

Chan Chan /tʃan ˈtʃan/

the capital of the pre-Inca civilization of the Chimu. Its extensive adobe ruins are situated on the coast of north Peru.

Chan-chiang /tʃanˈtʃjaŋ/

variant of Zhanjiang.

chancre /ˈʃaŋkə/

I. noun

[Medicine] a painless ulcer, particularly one that develops on the genitals in venereal disease.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from Latin cancer ‘creeping ulcer’.

chancroid /ˈʃaŋkrɔɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a venereal infection causing ulceration of the lymph nodes in the groin.
Also called soft sore.

chancy /ˈtʃɑːnsi/

I. adjective

‹informal› involving risks and uncertainty

• football coaching is a chancy business.

II. derivatives

1. chancily

adverb

2. chanciness

noun

chandelier /ˌʃandəˈlɪə/

I. noun

a large, decorative hanging light with branches for several light bulbs or candles.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, from chandelle ‘candle’, from Latin candela, from candere ‘be white, glisten’.

chandelier earring

noun

a long, elaborate dangling earring, typically consisting of various tiers of gemstones, crystals, beads, etc.

• a statement necklace or chandelier earrings can add sophistication to casual attire.

chandelle /ʃanˈdɛl/

I. noun

a steep climbing turn executed in an aircraft to gain height while changing the direction of flight.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from French, literally ‘candle’.

Chandigarh /ˌtʃʌndɪˈɡɑː/

I. a Union Territory of NW India, created in 1966.

II. a city in the territory of Chandigarh; pop. 1,033,700 (est. 2009). The present city was designed in 1950 by Le Corbusier as a new capital for the Punjab and is now the capital of the states of Punjab and Haryana.

chandler /ˈtʃɑːndlə/

I. noun

1. (also ship chandler) — a dealer in supplies and equipment for ships and boats.

2. ‹historical› a dealer in household items such as oil, soap, paint, and groceries.

3. a person who makes and sells candles.

– origin Middle English (denoting a candle maker or candle seller): from Old French chandelier, from chandelle ‘candle’ (see chandelier).

Chandler, Raymond /ˈtʃɑːndlə/

(1888–1959), American novelist; full name Raymond Thornton Chandler. He is remembered as the creator of the private detective Philip Marlowe, who appeared in novels such as The Big Sleep (1939).

chandlery /ˈtʃɑːndləri/

noun

1. the shop or business of a chandler.

2. [ mass noun] — goods sold by a chandler.

Chandragupta Maurya /ˌtʃʌndrəˌɡʊptə ˈmaʊrɪə/

( c. 325–297 BC), Indian emperor. He founded the Mauryan empire and annexed provinces deep into Afghanistan from Alexander's Greek successors.

Chandrasekhar, Subrahmanyan /ˌtʃʌndrəˈsiːkə, ˌtʃʌndrəˈseɪkə/

(1910–95), Indian-born American astronomer. He suggested how some stars could eventually collapse to form a dense white dwarf, provided that their mass does not exceed an upper limit (the Chandrasekhar limit).

Chanel, Coco /ʃəˈnɛl, French ʃanɛl/

(1883–1971), French couturière; born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel. Her simple but sophisticated garments were a radical departure from the stiff corseted styles of the day. She also diversified into perfumes, costume jewellery, and textiles.

Chaney, Lon /ˈtʃeɪni/

(1883–1930), American actor; born Alonso Chaney. He played a wide variety of deformed villains and macabre characters in more than 150 films, including The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923).

Changan /tʃaŋˈɑːn/

former name for Xian.

Chang-chiakow /ˌtʃaŋtʃjɑːˈkaʊ/

variant of Zhangjiakou.

Changchun /tʃaŋˈtʃʊn/

an industrial city in NE China, capital of Jilin province; pop. 2,455,900 (est. 2006).

change /tʃeɪn(d)ʒ/

I. verb

1. make or become different
[with obj.]

• a proposal to change the law

• [no obj.] a Virginia creeper just beginning to change from green to gold.

2. [no obj., with complement] — alter in terms of

• the ferns began to change shape.

3. [no obj.] — (of traffic lights) move from one colour of signal to another.

• they stopped at the corner, waiting for the lights to change.

4. [no obj.] — (of the moon) arrive at a fresh phase; become new.

• he is going to be worse for the next two or three days because the moon has changed.

5. [with obj.] — take or use another instead of

• she decided to change her name.

6. move from one to another

• she was a typist who changed jobs incessantly.

7. [no obj.] — move to a different train, bus, etc.

• we had to change at Rugby.

8. give up or get rid of (something) in exchange for something else

• we changed the flagstones for quarry tiles.

9. remove (something dirty or faulty) and replace it with another of the same kind

• he scarcely knew how to change a plug.

10. put a clean nappy on (a baby or young child).

• I changed her on top of the table until she got too big.

11. [no obj.] — engage a different gear in a motor vehicle

• he changed into second.

12. exchange (a sum of money) for the same sum in a different currency or denomination.

• he popped into a bank to change a ten-pound note into one-pound coins.

13. [no obj.] — put different clothes on

• he changed for dinner.

II. noun

1. an act or process through which something becomes different

• the change from a nomadic to an agricultural society

• [ mass noun] activities related to environmental change.

2. the substitution of one thing for another

• we need a change of government.

3. an alteration or modification

• a change came over Eddie's face.

4. a new or refreshingly different experience

• couscous makes an interesting change from rice.

5. [in sing.] — a clean garment or garments as a replacement for something one is wearing

• a change of socks.

6. ( the change or the change of life) — ‹informal› the menopause.

7. the moon's arrival at a fresh phase, typically at the new moon.

8. [ mass noun] — coins as opposed to banknotes

• a handful of loose change.

9. money given in exchange for the same sum in larger units.

• I'd go to the bank and get change.

10. money returned to someone as the balance of the sum paid for something.

• I watched him check and pocket his change.

11. (usu. changes) — an order in which a peal of bells can be rung.

12. ( Change or 'Change) — ‹historical› a place where merchants met to do business.

III. phrases

1. change address

move house or business premises.

• people are likely to change address in the course of a year.

2. change colour

blanch or flush.

• she saw that he had changed colour and she now experienced some of his embarrassment.

3. change hands

a. (of a business or building) pass to a different owner.

• the Black Lion pub has changed hands recently.

b. (of money or a marketable commodity) pass to another person in the course of a business transaction.

• so far, no money has changed hands.

4. a change is as good as a rest

‹proverb› a change of work or occupation can be as restorative or refreshing as a period of relaxation.

5. change one's mind

adopt a different opinion or plan.

• he turned to go and then seemed to change his mind.

6. a change of air

a different climate, typically as a means of improving one's health.

7. a change of heart

a move to a different opinion or attitude.

• you can have your money back if you have a change of heart.

8. change places

exchange places or roles

• under the bishop's plan, he and I were to change places.

9. change sides

begin to support a different side in a war or dispute

• one of his supporters changed sides.

10. change step

alter one's step so that the opposite leg is the one that marks time when marching.

11. change the subject

begin talking of something different, to avoid embarrassment or distress.

12. change one's tune

express a very different opinion or behave in a very different way.

• he'd soon change his tune if he thought she'd lost interest.

13. for a change

contrary to how things usually happen or in order to introduce variety

• it's nice to be pampered for a change.

14. get no change out of

(Brit.) ‹informal› fail to get information or a desired reaction from.

• I doubt if you'll get much change out of Koogan.

15. ring the changes

vary the ways of expressing or doing something.
[with allusion to bell-ringing and the different orders in which a peal of bells may be rung.]

IV. phrasal verbs

1. change down

(Brit.) engage a lower gear in a vehicle or on a bicycle.

• it is important to change down in plenty of time to avoid having to brake sharply.

2. change over

a. move from one system or situation to another

• arable farmers have to change over to dairy farming.

b. swap roles or duties.

• we were allowed to split the night duty between us, changing over at 2 a.m.

3. change up

(Brit.) engage a higher gear in a vehicle or on a bicycle.

• what you notice with a diesel is the need to change up slightly earlier than in a petrol car.

V. derivatives

changeful /ˈtʃeɪndʒfʊl /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French change (noun), changer (verb), from late Latin cambiare, from Latin cambire ‘barter’, probably of Celtic origin.

changeable /ˈtʃeɪn(d)ʒəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. liable to unpredictable variation

• the weather will be changeable with rain at times.

2. able to be changed or exchanged

• cover the tables with changeable cloths.

II. derivatives

1. changeability /tʃeɪndʒəˈbɪləti /

noun

2. changeableness /ˈtʃeɪndʒəb(ə)lnəs /

noun

3. changeably

adverb

changeless /ˈtʃeɪn(d)ʒləs/

I. adjective

remaining the same

• changeless truths.

II. derivatives

1. changelessly

adverb

2. changelessness /ˈtʃeɪndʒləsnəs /

noun

changeling /ˈtʃeɪn(d)ʒlɪŋ/

noun

a child believed to have been secretly substituted by fairies for the parents' real child in infancy.

change management

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the management of change and development within a business or similar organization.

2. the controlled identification and implementation of required changes within a computer system.

changement de pieds /ˌʃɒ̃(d)ʒmɒ̃ də ˈpjeɪ / changement

noun

[Ballet] a leap during which a dancer changes the position of the feet.

changeover /ˈtʃeɪn(d)ʒəʊvə/

noun

a change from one system or situation to another.

• the changeover from handicraft to mechanized manufacture.

• [as modifier] the changeover period.

change purse

noun

(N. Amer.) a purse used for carrying money.

changer /ˈtʃeɪn(d)ʒə/

noun

1. a person or thing that changes something.

2. a device that holds several computer disks or CDs and is able to switch between them.

change-ringing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ringing of sets of church bells or handbells in a constantly varying order.

II. derivatives

change-ringer

noun

change-up

noun

[Baseball] an unexpectedly slow pitch designed to throw off the batter's timing.

• the pitcher can add a change-up to his fastball.

changing mat

noun

a mat on which a baby or young child is placed to have their nappy changed

• we placed him on the changing mat on the floor.

Chang Jiang /ˌtʃaŋ ˈdʒaŋ/

another name for Yangtze.

Changsha /tʃaŋˈʃɑː/

the capital of Hunan province in east central China; pop. 1,731,900 (est. 2006).

Chania /kɑːˈnjɑː/

a port on the north coast of Crete, capital of the island from 1841 to 1971; pop. 55,000 (est. 2002).
Greek name Khaniá.

channel /ˈtʃan(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a length of water wider than a strait, joining two larger areas of water, especially two seas.

2. ( the Channel) — the English Channel.

• the movement has spread across the Channel.

3. a navigable passage in a stretch of water otherwise unsafe for vessels.

• buoys marked the safe limits of the channel.

4. a hollow bed for a natural or artificial waterway.

• the river is confined in a narrow channel.

5. a band of frequencies used in radio and television transmission, especially as used by a particular station.

6. a service or station using a channel of frequencies

• a new television channel.

7. a method or system for communication or distribution

• they didn't apply through the proper channels

• some companies have a variety of sales channels.

8. an electric circuit which acts as a path for a signal.

• an audio channel.

9. [Electronics] the semiconductor region in a field-effect transistor that forms the main current path between the source and the drain.

10. [Biology] a tubular passage or duct for liquid.

• fish eggs have a small channel called the micropyle.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. direct towards a particular end or object

• the council is to channel public funds into training schemes.

2. cause to pass along or through a specified route or medium

• many countries channel their aid through charities.

3. (of a person) serve as a medium for (a spirit).

• she was channeling the spirit of Billie Holiday.

4. emulate or seem to be inspired by

• Meg Ryan plays Avery as if she's channelling Nicole Kidman.

5. (usu. as adj. channelled) — form channels or grooves in

• pottery with a distinctive channelled decoration.

III. derivatives

channeller

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French chanel, from Latin canalis ‘pipe, groove, channel’, from canna ‘reed’ (see cane). Compare with canal.

channel cat channel catfish

noun

a common North American freshwater catfish which has a pale blue to olive back with dark spots.
● Ictalurus punctatus, family Ictaluridae.

Channel Country

an area of SW Queensland and NE South Australia, watered intermittently by natural channels, where rich grasslands produced by the summer rains provide grazing for cattle.

channel-graze

I. verb

(US) ‹informal› another term for channel-hop (sense 1).

II. derivatives

channel-grazer

noun

channel-hop /ˈtʃan(ə)lhɒp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› change frequently from one television channel to another, using a remote control device.

2. ‹informal› travel across the English Channel and back to Britain frequently or for only a brief trip.

II. derivatives

channel-hopper

noun

Channel Islands

a group of islands in the English Channel off the NW coast of France, of which the largest are Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney; pop. 200,000 (est. 2007). Formerly part of the dukedom of Normandy, they have owed allegiance to England since the Norman Conquest in 1066, and are now classed as Crown dependencies.

channelize /ˈtʃan(ə)lʌɪz / channelise

verb

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for channel (sense 1 of the verb).

channel-surf

I. verb

‹informal› another term for channel-hop (sense 1).

II. derivatives

1. channel-surfer

noun

2. channel-surfing /ˈtʃan(ə)lˌsəːfɪŋ /

noun

Channel Tunnel

a railway tunnel under the English Channel, linking the coasts of England and France, opened in 1994 and 49 km (31 miles) long.

chanson /ˈʃɒ̃sɒ̃, French ʃɑ̃sɔ̃/

I. noun

a French song.

– origin French, from Latin cantio(n-) ‘singing’, from canere ‘sing’.

chanson de geste /ˌʃɒ̃sɒ̃ də ˈʒɛst, French ʃɑ̃sɔ̃də ʒɛst/

I. noun

a medieval French historical verse romance.

– origin French, literally ‘song of heroic deeds’, from chanson ‘song’ (see chanson) and geste from Latin gesta ‘actions, exploits’, from gerere ‘perform’.

chant /tʃɑːnt/

I. noun

1. a repeated rhythmic phrase, typically one shouted or sung in unison by a crowd.

• a group of young people set up a chant of ‘Why are we waiting?’.

2. a repetitive song, typically an incantation or part of a ritual.

• he was whispering something, repeating it like a chant or a mantra.

3. [Music] a short musical passage in two or more phrases used for singing unmetrical words; a psalm or canticle sung to such music.

4. [ mass noun] — the style of music consisting of chants

• Gregorian chant.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. say or shout repeatedly in a sing-song tone

• protesters were chanting slogans

• [no obj.] everyone was singing and chanting.

2. sing or intone (a psalm, canticle, or sacred text).

• priests and choir chant the story of the resurrection.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘sing’): from Old French chanter ‘sing’, from Latin cantare, frequentative of canere ‘sing’.

chantage /ˈtʃɑːntɪdʒ, ˈtʃantɪdʒ, French ʃɑ̃taːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› the extortion of money by blackmail.

– origin late 19th cent.: French.

chanter /ˈtʃɑːntə/

I. noun

1. a person who chants something.

2. [Music] the pipe of a bagpipe with finger holes, on which the melody is played.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French chanteor, from Latin cantator, from cantare (see chant).

chanterelle /ˈtʃɑːntərɛl, ˌtʃɑːntəˈrɛl/

I. noun

an edible woodland mushroom with a yellow funnel-shaped cap, found in both Eurasia and North America.
● Cantharellus cibarius, family Cantharellaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from modern Latin cantharellus, diminutive of cantharus, from Greek kantharos, denoting a kind of drinking container.

chanteuse /ʃɑːnˈtəːz, French ʃɑ̃tøz/

I. noun

a female singer of popular songs.

– origin French, from chanter ‘sing’.

chanticleer /ˈtʃɑːntɪˌklɪə/

I. noun

‹literary› a name given to a domestic cock, especially in fairy tales.

– origin Middle English: from Old French Chantecler, the name of the cock in the fable Reynard the Fox, from chanter ‘sing, crow’ (see chant) + cler ‘clear’.

Chantilly cream /ʃanˈtɪli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. sweetened or flavoured whipped cream.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Chantilly, a town near Paris, where it originated.

Chantilly lace

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a delicate kind of bobbin lace.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Chantilly (see Chantilly cream).

chanting goshawk

noun

a long-legged African hawk with pale grey upper parts, throat, and breast, noted for its prolonged musical fluting call.
●Genus Melierax, family Accipitridae: three species.

chant-like

adjective

sung or spoken repetitiously or in unison

• chant-like melodies.

chantry /ˈtʃɑːntri/

I. noun

1. an endowment founded for a priest or priests to celebrate masses for the soul of the founder.

2. a chapel, altar, or other part of a church endowed by a chantry.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French chanterie, from chanter ‘to sing’.

Chanute, Octave /tʃəˈnuːt/

(1832–1910), French-born American aviation pioneer. From 1898 he produced a number of gliders, including a biplane which made over 700 flights. He assisted the Wright brothers in making the world's first controlled powered flight.

chaology /keɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the study of chaotic systems.

II. derivatives

chaologist

noun

Chao Phraya /ˌtʃaʊ prəˈjɑː/

a major waterway of central Thailand, formed by the junction of the Ping and Nan Rivers.

chaos /ˈkeɪɒs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. complete disorder and confusion

• snow caused chaos in the region.

2. [Physics] the property of a complex system whose behaviour is so unpredictable as to appear random, owing to great sensitivity to small changes in conditions.

3. the formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe.

4. ( Chaos) — [Greek Mythology] the first created being, from which came the primeval deities Gaia, Tartarus, Erebus, and Nyx.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting a gaping void or chasm, later formless primordial matter): via French and Latin from Greek khaos ‘vast chasm, void’.

chaos theory

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of mathematics that deals with complex systems whose behaviour is highly sensitive to slight changes in conditions, so that small alterations can give rise to strikingly great consequences.

chaotic /keɪˈɒtɪk/

I. adjective

1. in a state of complete confusion and disorder

• the political situation was chaotic.

2. [Physics] relating to systems which exhibit chaos.

II. derivatives

chaotically /keɪˈɒtɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin early 18th cent.: from chaos, on the pattern of words such as hypnotic.

chaotic attractor

noun

[Mathematics] another term for strange attractor.

chap^1 /tʃap/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of the skin) become cracked, rough, or sore, typically through exposure to cold weather

• his skin is very dry and chaps easily.

2. [with obj.] (usu. as adj. chapped) — (of the wind or cold) cause (skin) to crack or become sore

• chapped lips.

II. noun

a cracked or sore patch on the skin.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

chap^2 /tʃap/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a man or a boy.

• he sounded like a nice, caring sort of chap.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a friendly form of address between men and boys

• best of luck, old chap.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a buyer or customer): abbreviation of chapman. The current sense dates from the early 18th cent.

chap^3 /tʃap/

I. noun — (usu. chaps)

1. the lower jaw or half of the cheek, especially that of a pig used as food.

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin. Compare with chops.

chap.

abbreviation

chapter.

chaparajos /ˌʃapəˈreɪhəʊs, ˌtʃapəˈreɪhəʊs / chaparejos

I. plural noun

(N. Amer.) leather trousers without a seat, worn by a cowboy over ordinary trousers to protect the legs.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Mexican Spanish chaparreras, from chaparra ‘dwarf evergreen oak’ (with reference to protection from thorny vegetation: see chaparral); probably influenced by Spanish aparejo ‘equipment’.

chaparral /ˌʃapəˈral, ˌtʃapəˈral/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) vegetation consisting chiefly of tangled shrubs and thorny bushes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, from chaparra ‘dwarf evergreen oak’.

chapatti /tʃəˈpɑːti, tʃəˈpati / chapati

I. noun

(in Indian cookery) a thin pancake of unleavened wholemeal bread cooked on a griddle.

– origin from Hindi capātī, from capānā ‘flatten, roll out’.

chapbook

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a small pamphlet containing tales, ballads, or tracts, sold by pedlars.

2. (N. Amer.) a small paper-covered booklet, typically containing poems or fiction.

– origin early 19th cent.: from chapman + book.

chape /tʃeɪp/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› the metal point of a scabbard.

2. the metal pin of a buckle.

– origin Middle English (in the general sense ‘plate of metal overlaying or trimming something’): from Old French, literally ‘cape, hood’, from late Latin cappa ‘cap’.

chapeau /ˈʃapəʊ/

I. noun

[Heraldry] a hat or cap, typically a red one with an ermine lining, on which the crests of some peers are borne.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French, from Latin cappellum, diminutive of cappa ‘cap’.

chapeau-bras /ˌʃapəʊˈbrɑː, French ʃapobʀa/

I. noun

‹historical› a man's three-cornered flat silk hat, typically carried under the arm.

– origin French, from chapeau ‘hat’ and bras ‘arm’.

chapel /ˈtʃap(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a small building or room used for Christian worship in a school, prison, hospital, or large private house

• a service in the chapel.

2. a part of a large church or cathedral with its own altar and dedication.

• the first chapel on the right of the cathedral is dedicated to St Ludmila.

3. (Brit.) a place of worship for Nonconformist congregations

• she went to chapel twice on Sunday.

4. a small building or room used for funeral services.

• the funeral was in the chapel at Broadfoot Brothers Funeral Home.

5. (US) a chapel of rest.

6. (Brit.) the members or branch of a print or newspaper trade union at a particular place of work.

• Mr Brind was the head of the BBC's NUJ chapel.

II. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› belonging to or regularly attending a Nonconformist chapel

• staunch chapel folk.

– origin Middle English: from Old French chapele, from medieval Latin cappella, diminutive of cappa ‘cap or cape’ (the first chapel being a sanctuary in which St Martin's cloak was preserved).

chapel of ease

noun

an Anglican chapel situated for the convenience of parishioners living a long distance from the parish church.

chapel of rest

noun

(Brit.) an undertaker's mortuary, where bodies are kept before a funeral.

chapel royal

noun

1. a chapel in a royal palace.

2. ( the Chapel Royal) — the body of clergy, singers, and musicians employed by the English monarch for religious services, now based at St James's Palace, London.

chapelry

I. noun

a district served by an Anglican chapel.

– origin Middle English: from Old French chapelerie, medieval Latin cappellaria, from cappella, originally ‘little cloak’ (see chapel).

chaperone /ˈʃapərəʊn / chaperon /ˈʃapərɒn/

I. noun

1. a person who accompanies and looks after another person or group of people.

2. ‹dated› an older woman responsible for the decorous behaviour of a young unmarried girl at social occasions.

• chaperones sat at the edge of the dance, gossiping and watching.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. accompany and look after or supervise.

• she chaperoned the children at all times.

III. derivatives

chaperonage /ˈʃap(ə)rənɪdʒ /

noun

– origin late Middle English (denoting a hood or cap, regarded as giving protection): from French, feminine of chaperon ‘hood’, diminutive of chape (see chape). The current sense dates from the early 18th cent.

chaperonin /ˌʃapəˈrəʊnɪn/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] a protein that aids the assembly and folding of other protein molecules in living cells.

– origin late 20th cent.: from chaperone + -in^1.

chap-fallen chop-fallen

I. adjective

‹archaic› with one's lower jaw hanging due to extreme exhaustion or dejection.

– origin late 16th cent.: from chap^3.

chaplain /ˈtʃaplɪn/

I. noun

a member of the clergy attached to a private chapel, institution, ship, regiment, etc.

• a prison chaplain.

II. derivatives

chaplaincy /ˈtʃaplɪnsi /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French chapelain, from medieval Latin cappellanus, originally denoting a custodian of the cloak of St Martin, from cappella, originally ‘little cloak’ (see chapel).

chaplet /ˈtʃaplɪt/

I. noun

1. a garland or circlet for a person's head.

2. a string of 55 beads (one third of the rosary number) for counting prayers, or as a necklace.

3. a metal support for the core of a hollow casting mould.

II. derivatives

chapleted

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French chapelet, diminutive of chapel ‘hat’, based on late Latin cappa ‘cap’.

Chaplin, Charlie

I. (1889–1977), English film actor and director; full name Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin. He directed and starred in many short silent comedies, mostly playing a bowler-hatted tramp, a character which was his trademark for more than twenty-five years. Notable films: The Kid (1921) and The Gold Rush (1925).

II. derivatives

Chaplinesque

adjective

chapman /ˈtʃapmən/

I. noun

‹archaic› a pedlar.

– origin Old English cēapman, from cēap ‘bargaining, trade’ (see cheap) + man.

Chapman, George

( c. 1560–1634), English poet and dramatist. He is chiefly known for his translations of Homer; the complete Iliad and Odyssey were published in 1616.

chappal /ˈtʃap(ə)l/

I. noun

(Indian) a slipper.

– origin from Hindi cappal.

Chappaquiddick Island /ˌtʃapəˈkwɪdɪk/

a small island off the coast of Massachusetts, the scene of a car accident in 1969 involving Senator Edward Kennedy in which his assistant Mary Jo Kopechne drowned.

Chappell, Greg /ˈtʃap(ə)l/

(b.1948), Australian cricketer; full name Gregory Stephen Chappell. Captain of Australia 1975–84, he was the first Australian to score more than 7,000 test-match runs.

chappie /ˈtʃapi/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› another term for chap^2.

chaprasi /tʃʌˈprɑːsi/

I. noun

(Indian) a junior office worker who carries messages.

• his uncle sent the office chaprasi to show him the way.

– origin from Hindi, from caprās, denoting a metal identity badge worn by messengers or orderlies.

chaps /tʃaps, ʃaps/

plural noun

short for chaparajos.

chapstick /ˈtʃapstɪk / ‹US trademark› Chap Stick

noun

a small stick of a cosmetic substance used to prevent chapping of the lips.

chaptalization /ˌtʃaptəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / chaptalisation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in winemaking) the correction or improvement of must by the addition of calcium carbonate to neutralize acid, or of sugar to increase alcoholic strength.

II. derivatives

chaptalize chaptalise

verb

– origin late 19th cent.: from the name of Jean A. Chaptal (1756–1832), the French chemist who invented the process, + -ization (see -ize).

chapter /ˈtʃaptə/

I. noun

1. a main division of a book, typically with a number or title.

• we will deal with this in chapter eleven.

2. an Act of Parliament numbered as part of a session's proceedings.

3. a section of a treaty.

• a majority voted for the inclusion of the social chapter in the treaty.

4. a distinctive period in history or in a person's life

• the people are about to begin a new chapter in their history.

5. a series or sequence

• the latest episode in a chapter of problems.

6. the governing body of a religious community or knightly order.

• land granted by the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral.

7. (chiefly N. Amer.) a local branch of a society.

• a leaflet was issued by the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.

8. a local group of Hell's Angels.

II. phrases

1. chapter and verse

an exact reference or authority

• she can give chapter and verse on current legislation.

2. a chapter of accidents

(Brit.) a series of unfortunate events.

• the whole affair has been a chapter of accidents from start to finish.

– origin Middle English: from Old French chapitre, from Latin capitulum, diminutive of caput ‘head’.

Chapter 11

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) protection from creditors given to a company in financial difficulties for a limited period to allow it to reorganize.

• it was the fourth airline to go into Chapter 11 since December.

– origin with allusion to chapter 11 of the US bankruptcy code.

chapter house

noun

1. a building used for the meetings of the canons of a cathedral or other religious community.

2. (US) a place where a college fraternity or sorority meets.

char^1 /tʃɑː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. partially burn so as to blacken the surface

• a region charred by bush fires

• (as adj. charred) charred remains.

2. [no obj.] — (of an object) become blackened as a result of partial burning

• the exposed surfaces of the beams may char in a fire.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. material that has been charred.

• she trimmed the char from the wicks of the oil lamps.

– origin late 17th cent.: apparently a back-formation from charcoal.

char^2 /tʃɑː / ‹Brit. informal›

I. noun

a charwoman.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. work as a charwoman.

• she'd had to char and work in a grocery store to put herself through university.

char^3 /tʃɑː / cha /tʃɑː/ , chai /tʃʌɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› tea.

– origin late 16th cent. (as cha; rare before the early 20th cent.): from Chinese (Mandarin dialect) chá.

char^4

noun

variant spelling of charr.

charabanc /ˈʃarəbaŋ/

I. noun

(Brit.) an early form of bus, used typically for pleasure trips.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French char-à-bancs ‘carriage with benches’ (the original horse-drawn charabancs having rows of bench seats).

characin /ˈkarəsɪn/

I. noun

a small and brightly coloured freshwater fish native to Africa and tropical America.
●Family Characidae: numerous species, including the piranhas and popular aquarium fishes such as the tetras.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Characinus (genus name), from Greek kharax, literally ‘pointed stake’, denoting a kind of fish.

character /ˈkarəktə/

I. noun

1. the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual

• running away was not in keeping with her character.

2. the distinctive nature of something

• gas lamps give the area its character.

3. [ mass noun] — the quality of being individual in an interesting or unusual way

• the island is full of character.

4. [ mass noun] — strength and originality in a person's nature

• she had character as well as beauty.

5. a person's good reputation

• to what do I owe this attack on my character?

6. ‹dated› a written statement of someone's good qualities; a testimonial.

• you are dismissed without a character.

7. a person in a novel, play, or film.

• the author's compassionate identification with his characters.

8. a part played by an actor.

• the actor's TV character is often on the wrong side of the law.

9. [with adj.] — a person seen in terms of a particular aspect of character

• he was a larger-than-life character

• shady characters.

10. ‹informal› an unusual or amusing person

• she's a right character with a will of her own.

11. a printed or written letter or symbol.

12. [Computing] a symbol representing a letter or number.

13. [chiefly Biology] a characteristic, especially one that assists in the identification of a species.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› inscribe or write (something).

2. ‹archaic› describe

• you have well charactered him.

III. phrases

in (or out of) character

in keeping (or not in keeping) with someone's usual pattern of behaviour and motives.

• his outburst was entirely in character.

IV. derivatives

1. characterful

adjective

2. characterfully

adverb

3. characterless /ˈkarəktələs /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French caractere, via Latin from Greek kharaktēr ‘a stamping tool’. From the early sense ‘distinctive mark’ arose ‘token, feature, or trait’ (early 16th cent.), and from this ‘a description, especially of a person's qualities’, giving rise to ‘distinguishing qualities’.

character actor

noun

an actor who specializes in playing eccentric or unusual people rather than leading roles.

character assassination

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the malicious and unjustified harming of a person's good reputation.

• all too often they discredit themselves by engaging in character assassination.

character-building character-forming

adjective

requiring effort or endurance to a degree that strengthens or improves a person's character

• the national tour proved to be a tremendous character-building experience

• the character-forming benefits of National Service.

character code

noun

[Computing] the binary code used to represent a letter or number.

character dance

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of ballet deriving inspiration from national or folk dances, or interpreting and representing a particular profession, mode of living, or personality.

II. derivatives

character dancer

noun

characteristic /karəktəˈrɪstɪk/

I. adjective

typical of a particular person, place, or thing

• he began with a characteristic attack on extremism.

II. noun

1. a feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place, or thing and serving to identify them

• certain defining characteristics of the school emerge from the study.

2. [Mathematics] the whole number or integral part of a logarithm, which gives the order of magnitude of the original number.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French caractéristique or medieval Latin characteristicus, from Greek kharaktēristikos, from kharaktēr ‘a stamping tool’.

characteristically /ˌkarəktəˈrɪstɪk(ə)li/

adverb

in a way that is typical of a particular person, place, or thing

• he characteristically helped an old man

• his response was characteristically blunt.

characteristic curve

noun

a graph showing the relationship between two variable but interdependent quantities.

characteristic function

noun

[Mathematics] a function whose result is unity for the members of a given set and zero for all non-members.

characteristic radiation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. radiation consisting of wavelengths which are peculiar to the element which emits them.

characterization /karaktərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / characterisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the creation or construction of a fictional character

• he preferred to emphasize characterization and human conflict

• [ count noun] the film's narrative elegance and richly developed characterizations.

2. a description of the distinctive nature or features of someone or something

• she rejected that characterization of her film.

characterize /ˈkarəktərʌɪz / characterise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. describe the distinctive nature or features of

• she characterized the period as the decade of revolution.

2. (of a feature or quality) be typical or characteristic of

• the disease is characterized by weakening of the immune system.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘engrave, inscribe’): from French caractériser or medieval Latin characterizare, from Greek kharaktērizein, from kharaktēr ‘a stamping tool’.

character part

noun

a part played by a character actor.

character recognition

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the identification by electronic means of printed or written characters.

character sketch

noun

a brief written description of a person's qualities.

character string

noun

a linear sequence of characters stored in or processed by a computer.

character witness

noun

a person who attests to another's good reputation in a court of law.

charade /ʃəˈrɑːd/

I. noun

1. an absurd pretence intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance

• talk of unity was nothing more than a charade.

2. ( charades) — a game in which players guess a word or phrase from a written or acted clue given for each syllable and for the whole item.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from modern Provençal charrado ‘conversation’, from charra ‘chatter’, perhaps of imitative origin.

charango /tʃəˈraŋɡəʊ/

I. noun

a small Andean guitar, traditionally made from an armadillo shell.

– origin 1920s: from South American Spanish.

charas /ˈtʃɑːrəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cannabis resin.

– origin from Hindi caras.

charbroil /ˈtʃɑːbrɔɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) grill (food, especially meat) on a rack over charcoal.

• charbroiled steak.

– origin 1950s: blend of charcoal and broil^1.

charcoal /ˈtʃɑːkəʊl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a porous black solid, consisting of an amorphous form of carbon, obtained as a residue when wood, bone, or other organic matter is heated in the absence of air.

2. briquettes of charcoal used for barbecuing

• lamb grilled on charcoal.

3. charcoal used for drawing.

• a selection of works in pencil and charcoal.

• [ count noun] with a thick charcoal he traced out the line of the front.

4. [ count noun] — a drawing made with charcoal.

5. a dark grey colour.

• charcoal cord trousers.

– origin late Middle English: probably related to coal in the early sense ‘charcoal’.

charcoal biscuit

noun

a biscuit containing wood charcoal to aid digestion.

charcoal burner

noun

1. a person who makes charcoal.

2. a small stove using charcoal as fuel.

charcoal filter

noun

a filter containing charcoal to absorb impurities.

charcoal grey ‹US› charcoal gray

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a very dark grey colour

• she gave me a long skirt to try, in charcoal grey

• [as modifier] a sophisticated charcoal-grey coat.

Charcot, Jean-Martin /ˈʃɑːkəʊ, French ʃaʀko/

(1825–93), French neurologist, regarded as one of the founders of modern neurology. He established links between neurological conditions and particular lesions in the central nervous system. His work on hysteria was taken up by his pupil Sigmund Freud.

charcuterie /ʃɑːˈkuːt(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cold cooked meats.

2. [ count noun] — a shop selling cold meats.

– origin French, from obsolete char (earlier form of chair) ‘flesh’ + cuite ‘cooked’.

chard /tʃɑːd/

I. noun

(also Swiss chard) — a beet of a variety with broad edible white leaf stalks and green blades.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French carde, perhaps influenced by chardon ‘thistle’.

Chardonnay /ˈʃɑːdəneɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of white wine grape used for making champagne and other wines.

2. a wine made from the Chardonnay grape.

– origin French.

Chardonnay socialist

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person who espouses socialist ideals while enjoying a wealthy and luxurious lifestyle

• these Chardonnay socialists think profanity makes them working class.

– origin 1980s: from Chardonnay + socialist, on the pattern of champagne socialist.

charentais /ˈʃarənteɪ / charentais melon

I. noun

a melon of a small variety with a pale green rind and orange flesh.

– origin French, literally ‘from the Charentes region’.

Charente /ʃaˈrɒnt, French ʃaʀɑ̃t/

a river of western France, which rises in the Massif Central and flows 360 km (225 miles) westwards to enter the Bay of Biscay at Rochefort.

charge /tʃɑːdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. demand (an amount) as a price for a service rendered or goods supplied

• wedding planners may charge an hourly fee of up to £150

• [with two objs] he charged me five dollars for the wine.

2. ( charge something to) — record the cost of something as an amount payable by (someone) or on (an account)

• they charge the calls to their credit-card accounts.

3. formally accuse (someone) of something, especially an offence under law

• they were charged with assault.

4. [with clause] — make an accusation or assertion that

• opponents charged that below-cost pricing would reduce safety.

5. [Law] formally accuse someone of (an offence).

• they filed a lawsuit charging fraud and breach of contract.

6. entrust (someone) with a task as a duty or responsibility

• the committee was charged with reshaping the educational system.

7. store electrical energy in (a battery or battery-operated device)

• the shaver can be charged up and used while travelling.

8. [no obj.] — (of a battery or battery-operated device) receive and store electrical energy.

9. load or fill (a container, gun, etc.) to the full or proper extent.

10. fill or pervade with a quality or emotion

• the air was charged with menace.

11. [no obj.] — rush forward in attack

• the plan is to charge headlong at the enemy.

12. [with obj.] — rush aggressively towards (someone or something) in attack.

• I don't advise anyone to charge that barricade.

13. [with adverbial of direction] — move quickly and forcefully

• Henry charged up the staircase.

14. [Heraldry] place a heraldic bearing on

• a pennant argent, charged with a cross gules.

II. noun

1. a price asked for goods or services

• our standard charge for a letter is £25.

2. a financial liability or commitment.

• an asset of some £102.7 m should have been taken as a charge on earnings.

3. an accusation, typically one formally made against a prisoner brought to trial

• he appeared in court on a charge of attempted murder.

4. [ mass noun] — responsibility for the care or control of someone or something

• the people in her charge are pupils and not experimental subjects.

5. [ count noun] — a person or thing entrusted to the care of someone

• the babysitter watched over her charges.

6. [ count noun] — ‹dated› a responsibility or duty assigned to someone.

• I have therefore laid down the charge which was placed upon me.

7. [ count noun] — an official instruction, especially one given by a judge to a jury regarding points of law.

• the judge gave a painstakingly careful charge to the jury.

8. the property of matter that is responsible for electrical phenomena, existing in a positive or negative form.

9. the quantity of matter responsible for electrical phenomena carried by a body.

10. [ mass noun] — energy stored chemically for conversion into electricity.

11. an act or period of storing electrical energy in a battery.

12. [in sing.] — ‹informal› a thrill

• I get a real charge out of working hard.

13. a quantity of explosive to be detonated in order to fire a gun or similar weapon.

• smaller charges, fired on three minute fuses lit by hand.

14. a headlong rush forward, typically in attack

• a cavalry charge.

15. [Heraldry] a device or bearing placed on a shield or crest.

III. phrases

1. free of charge

without any payment due.

• a Certificate of Posting is available free of charge at the counter.

2. in charge

in control or with overall responsibility

• he was in charge of civil aviation matters.

3. press charges

accuse someone formally of a crime so that they can be brought to trial.

• the victims often refuse to press charges.

4. put someone on a charge of something

(Brit.) charge someone with a specified offence.

• he should be put on a charge of perjury.

5. take charge

assume control or responsibility

• the candidate must take charge of an actual flight.

IV. derivatives

1. chargeable /ˈtʃɑːdʒəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. chargee

noun

– origin Middle English (in the general senses ‘to load’ and ‘a load’), from Old French charger (verb), charge (noun), from late Latin carricare, carcare ‘to load’, from Latin carrus ‘wheeled vehicle’.

charge account

noun

(N. Amer.) an account to which goods and services may be charged on credit.

chargeback

noun

1. a demand by a credit-card provider for a retailer to make good the loss on a fraudulent or disputed transaction.

2. (in business use) an act or policy of allocating the cost of an organization's centrally located resources to the individuals or departments which use them.

charge-cap

verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) (of a government) subject (a local authority) to an upper limit on the charges it may levy on the public for services.

• twenty local councils were to be charge-capped by the government for exceeding spending limits.

charge card

noun

a credit card for use with an account which must be paid in full when a statement is issued.

charge carrier

noun

1. a particle which carries an electric charge.

2. a mobile electron or hole by which electric charge passes through a semiconductor.

charge conjugation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] replacement of a particle by its antiparticle.

charged /tʃɑːdʒd/

adjective

1. having an electric charge.

2. filled with excitement, tension, or emotion

• the highly charged atmosphere created by the boycott.

chargé d'affaires /ˌʃɑːʒeɪ daˈfɛː French ʃaʀze dafɛʀ/ / chargé

I. noun

1. an ambassador's deputy.

2. a state's diplomatic representative in a minor country.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, ‘(a person) in charge of affairs’.

charge density

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the electric charge per unit area of a surface, or per unit volume of a field or body.

chargehand /ˈtʃɑːdʒhand/

noun

(Brit.) a worker, ranking below a foreman, in charge of others on a particular job.

charge nurse

noun

(Brit.) a nurse in charge of a ward in a hospital.

Charge of the Light Brigade

a British cavalry charge in 1854 during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War. A misunderstanding between the commander of the Light Brigade and his superiors led to the British cavalry being destroyed. The charge was immortalized in verse by Alfred Tennyson.

charger^1 /ˈtʃɑːdʒə/

noun

1. a horse ridden by a knight or cavalryman.

2. a device for charging a battery or battery-powered equipment.

charger^2 /ˈtʃɑːdʒə/

I. noun

‹archaic› a large flat dish.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French chargeour, from chargier ‘to load’, from late Latin carricare, carcare ‘to load’ (see charge).

charge sheet

noun

(Brit.) a record made in a police station of the charges against a person.

chargrill /ˈtʃɑːɡrɪl/

I. verb

grill (food, typically meat or fish) quickly at a very high heat.
(as adj. chargrilled)

• chargrilled breast of chicken.

– origin late 20th cent.: on the pattern of charbroil.

chariot /ˈtʃarɪət/

I. noun

1. a two-wheeled vehicle drawn by horses, used in ancient racing and warfare.

2. ‹historical› a four-wheeled carriage with back seats and a coachman's seat.

3. ‹literary› a stately or triumphal carriage.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› convey in or as in a chariot.

• he was charioted into the Temple.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, augmentative of char ‘cart’, based on Latin carrus ‘wheeled vehicle’.

charioteer /tʃarɪəˈtɪə/

I. noun

1. a chariot driver.

2. ( the Charioteer) — the constellation Auriga.

– origin Middle English: from Old French charieter, from chariot ‘large cart’ (see chariot). The sense in astronomy dates from the early 20th cent.

charism /ˈkarɪz(ə)m/

noun

another term for charisma (sense 2).

charisma /kəˈrɪzmə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others

• he has tremendous charisma and stage presence.

2. ( pl. charismata) — a divinely conferred power or talent.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in sense 2): via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek kharisma, from kharis ‘favour, grace’.

charismatic /karɪzˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

1. exercising a compelling charm which inspires devotion in others

• he was a charismatic figure with great appeal to the public.

2. relating to the charismatic movement in the Christian Church.

3. (of a power or talent) divinely conferred

• charismatic prophecy.

II. noun

1. an adherent of the charismatic movement.

2. a person who claims divine inspiration.

III. derivatives

charismatically

adverb

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kharisma, kharismat- ‘charisma’, + -ic.

charismatic movement

noun

a fundamentalist movement within the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and other Christian Churches that emphasizes talents held to be conferred by the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and healing of the sick.

charitable /ˈtʃarɪtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to the assistance of those in need

• he has spent £50,000 on charitable causes.

2. (of an organization or activity) officially recognized as devoted to the assistance of those in need.

• they set up a charitable trust to run the hospital.

3. generous in giving to those in need.

• he had to collect his daily food from charitable people.

4. apt to judge others leniently or favourably

• those who were less charitable called for his resignation.

II. derivatives

charitableness

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘showing Christian love to God and man’): from Old French, from charite (see charity).

charitably /ˈtʃarətəbli/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to the assistance of those in need

• legal advisers who are publicly or charitably funded

• an estate tax on a charitably bequeathed asset.

2. in a generous way towards those in need

• he was a very charitably disposed person.

3. in a way that judges others leniently or favourably, especially when undeserved

• we charitably assume he's being satirical

• a city that might be charitably described as a work in progress.

charity /ˈtʃarɪti/

I. noun

1. an organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need.

• the charity provides practical help for homeless people.

2. [ mass noun] — the body of organizations viewed collectively as the object of fundraising or of donations

• the proceeds of the sale will go to charity.

3. [ mass noun] — the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.

• the care of the poor must not be left to private charity.

4. help or money given to those in need

• an unemployed teacher living on charity.

5. [ mass noun] — kindness and tolerance in judging others

• she found it hard to look on her mother with much charity.

6. ‹archaic› love of humankind, typically in a Christian context

• faith, hope, and charity.

II. phrases

charity begins at home

‹proverb› a person's first responsibility is for the needs of their own family and friends.

– origin late Old English (in the sense ‘Christian love of one's fellows’): from Old French charite, from Latin caritas, from carus ‘dear’.

charity case

noun

‹informal› a person or group regarded as needing help or financial support

• she was sent as a charity case to a Catholic boarding school

• I like to pay my way, not be a charity case.

Charity Commission

(in the UK) a board established to control charitable trusts.

charity moll

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› an amateur or inexperienced prostitute, in particular one charging less than the usual rate

• women in the trade have a deep scorn for charity molls.

charity school

noun

a school which is supported by charitable contributions.

charity shop

noun

(Brit.) a shop where second-hand goods are sold to raise money for a charity.

charity walk

noun

a sponsored walk to raise money for a charity.

charivari /ˌʃɑːrɪˈvɑːri / ‹chiefly US› shivaree

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly historical› a cacophonous mock serenade, typically performed by a group of people in derision of an unpopular person or in celebration of a marriage.

• friends gave them a joyous charivari, with much banging and bell-ringing.

2. ‹chiefly historical› a series of discordant noises.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, of unknown origin.

charkha /ˈtʃəːkə / charka

I. noun

(in South Asia) a domestic spinning wheel used chiefly for cotton.

– origin from Urdu charḵa ‘spinning wheel’, from Persian; related to Sanskrit cakra ‘wheel’.

charlady /ˈtʃɑːleɪdi/

noun

(Brit.) a charwoman.

charlatan /ˈʃɑːlət(ə)n/

I. noun

a person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill.

• a self-confessed con artist and charlatan.

II. derivatives

1. charlatanism /ˈʃɑːlətənˌɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. charlatanry

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting an itinerant seller of supposed remedies): from French, from Italian ciarlatano, from ciarlare ‘to babble’.

Charlemagne /ˈʃɑːləmeɪn/

(742–814), king of the Franks 768–814 and Holy Roman emperor (as Charles I) 800–14; Latin name Carolus Magnus; known as Charles the Great. As the first Holy Roman emperor Charlemagne promoted the arts and education, and his court became the cultural centre of the Carolingian Renaissance, the influence of which outlasted his empire.

Charleroi /ˈʃɑːləˌrwʌ, French ʃaʀlʀwa/

an industrial city in SW Belgium; pop. 201,593 (2008).

Charles^1 /tʃɑːlz/

I. the name of two kings of England, Scotland, and Ireland:

II. Charles I (1600–49), son of James I, reigned 1625–49. His reign was dominated by the deepening religious and constitutional crisis that resulted in the English Civil War 1642–9. After the battle of Naseby, Charles tried to regain power in alliance with the Scots, but his forces were defeated in 1648 and he was tried by a special Parliamentary court and beheaded.

III. Charles II (1630–85), son of Charles I, reigned 1660–85. Charles was restored to the throne after the collapse of Cromwell's regime and displayed considerable adroitness in handling the difficult constitutional situation, although continuing religious and political strife dogged his reign.

Charles^2 /tʃɑːlz/

I. the name of four kings of Spain:

II. Charles I (1500–58), son of Philip I, reigned 1516–56, Holy Roman emperor (as Charles V) 1519–56. His reign was characterized by the struggle against Protestantism in Germany, rebellion in Castile, and war with France (1521–44). Exhausted by these struggles, Charles handed Naples, the Netherlands, and Spain over to his son Philip II and the imperial Crown to his brother Ferdinand, and retired to a monastery.

III. Charles II (1661–1700), reigned 1665–1700. He inherited a kingdom already in a decline which he was unable to halt. His choice of Philip of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV of France, as his successor gave rise to the War of the Spanish Succession.

IV. Charles III (1716–88), reigned 1759–88. He improved Spain's position as an international power through an increase in foreign trade, and brought Spain a brief cultural and economic revival.

V. Charles IV (1748–1819), reigned 1788–1808. During the Napoleonic Wars he suffered the loss of the Spanish fleet, destroyed along with that of France at Trafalgar in 1805. Following the French invasion of Spain in 1807, Charles was forced to abdicate.

Charles^3 /tʃɑːlz/

I. the name of seven Holy Roman emperors:

II. Charles I see Charlemagne.

III. Charles II (823–877), reigned 875–877.

IV. Charles III (839–888), reigned 881–887.

V. Charles IV (1316–1378), reigned 1355–1378.

VI. Charles V Charles I of Spain (see Charles^2).

VII. Charles VI (1685–1740), reigned 1711–40. His claim to the Spanish throne instigated the War of the Spanish Succession, but he was ultimately unsuccessful. He drafted the Pragmatic Sanction in an attempt to ensure that his daughter succeeded to the Habsburg dominions; this triggered the War of the Austrian Succession after his death.

VIII. Charles VII (1697–1745), reigned 1742–45.

Charles, Prince

Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales (b.1948), heir apparent to Elizabeth II. He married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981; the couple had two children, Prince William Arthur Philip Louis (b.1982) and Prince Henry Charles Albert David (known as Prince Harry, b.1984), and were divorced in 1996. In 2005 he married Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles (b.1947); she became HRH the Duchess of Cornwall.

Charles, Ray

(1930–2004), American pianist and singer; born Ray Charles Robinson. Totally blind from the age of 6, he drew on blues, jazz, and country music for songs such as ‘What'd I Say’ (1959) and ‘Georgia On My Mind’ (1960).

Charles XII Karl XII

(1682–1718), king of Sweden 1697–1718. In 1700 he embarked on the Great Northern War against Denmark, Poland-Saxony, and Russia. Initially successful, in 1709 he embarked on an expedition into Russia which ended in the destruction of his army and his internment.

Charles VII

(1403–61), king of France 1422–61. At the time of his accession much of northern France was under English occupation. After the intervention of Joan of Arc, however, the French experienced a dramatic military revival and the defeat of the English ended the Hundred Years War.

Charles' law Charles's law

I. noun

[Chemistry] a law stating that the volume of an ideal gas at constant pressure is directly proportional to the absolute temperature.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Jacques A. C. Charles (1746–1823), the French physicist who first formulated it.

Charles Martel /mɑːˈtɛl/

( c. 688–741), Frankish ruler of the eastern part of the Frankish kingdom from 715 and the whole kingdom from 719, grandfather of Charlemagne. His rule marked the beginning of Carolingian power.

Charles's Wain /ˈtʃɑːlzɪz / ‹archaic›

I. the Plough in Ursa Major.

– origin Old English Carles wægn ‘the wain of Carl (Charlemagne)’, perhaps because the star Arcturus was associated with King Arthur, with whom Charlemagne was connected in legend.

Charleston^1 /ˈtʃɑːlstən/

I. the state capital of West Virginia; pop. 50,302 (est. 2008).

II. a city and port in South Carolina; pop. 111,978 (est. 2008). The bombardment in 1861 of Fort Sumter, in the harbour, by Confederate troops marked the beginning of the American Civil War.

Charleston^2 /ˈtʃɑːlst(ə)n, ˈtʃɑːlzt(ə)n/

I. noun

a lively dance of the 1920s which involved turning the knees inwards and kicking out the ankles.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. dance the Charleston.

– origin 1920s: named after Charleston^1 in South Carolina, US.

charley horse /ˈtʃɑːli/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a cramp or feeling of stiffness in an arm or leg.

• he had a charley horse that night and limped getting out of the car.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

charlie /ˈtʃɑːli/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a fool.

• what a bunch of charlies.

2. ( charlies) — (Brit.) ‹informal› a woman's breasts.

3. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› cocaine.

• they all took loads of charlie.

4. a code word representing the letter C, used in radio communication.

5. (US) (Austral./NZ) ‹military slang› a member of the Vietcong or the Vietcong collectively.
[shortening of Victor Charlie, radio code for VC, representing Vietcong.]

– origin late 19th cent.: diminutive of the male given name Charles.

charlock /ˈtʃɑːlɒk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a wild mustard with yellow flowers, which is a common weed of cornfields.
● Sinapis arvensis, family Cruciferae.

– origin Old English cerlic, cyrlic, of unknown origin.

charlotte /ˈʃɑːlət/

I. noun

a pudding made of stewed fruit with a casing or covering of bread, sponge cake, biscuits, or breadcrumbs.

– origin French, from the female given name Charlotte.

Charlotte /ˈʃɑːlət/

a commercial city and transportation centre in southern North Carolina; pop. 687,456 (est. 2008).

Charlotte, Princess

Charlotte Elizabeth Diana (b.2015), daughter of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

Charlotte Amalie /əˈmɑːlɪə/

I. the capital of the Virgin Islands, on the island of St Thomas; pop. 10,100 (est. 2009).

– origin named after the wife of King Christian V of Denmark.

Charlotte Dundas /dʌnˈdas/

a paddle steamer launched in 1802 on the River Clyde, the first vessel to use steam propulsion commercially.

charlotte russe /ˈruːs/

I. noun

a pudding consisting of custard enclosed in sponge cake or a casing of sponge fingers.

– origin French, literally ‘Russian charlotte’.

Charlottetown

the capital and chief port of Prince Edward Island, Canada; pop. 32,174 (2006).

Charlton, Bobby /ˈtʃɑːlt(ə)n/

(b.1937), English footballer, brother of Jack Charlton; full name Sir Robert Charlton. An outstanding Manchester United striker, he scored a record forty-nine goals for England and was a member of the side that won the World Cup in 1966.

Charlton, Jack

(b.1935), English footballer and manager, brother of Bobby Charlton; full name John Charlton. A Leeds United defender, he was a member of the England side that won the World Cup in 1966. He later managed a number of teams including the Republic of Ireland national side (1986–95).

charm /tʃɑːm/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the power or quality of delighting, attracting, or fascinating others

• he was captivated by her youthful charm.

2. [ count noun] (usu. charms) — an attractive or alluring characteristic or feature

• the hidden charms of the city.

3. a small ornament worn on a necklace or bracelet.

• the trinkets were charms from his wife's bracelet.

4. an object, act, or saying believed to have magic power.

• the charm begins with ritual instructions.

5. an object kept or worn to ward off evil and bring good luck

• a good luck charm.

6. [ mass noun] — [Physics] one of six flavours of quark.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. delight greatly

• the books have charmed children the world over.

2. use one's ability to please and attract in order to influence (someone)

• he charmed her into going out.

3. control or achieve by or as if by magic

• a gesticulating figure endeavouring to charm a cobra

• [with adverbial] she will charm your warts away.

III. phrases

1. turn on the charm

use one's ability to please in a calculated way so as to influence someone or to obtain something.

• he would have to turn on the charm to talk her round.

2. work like a charm

be completely successful or effective.

• the new sales approach worked like a charm.

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘incantation or magic spell’ and ‘to use spells’): from Old French charme (noun), charmer (verb), from Latin carmen ‘song, verse, incantation’.

charm bracelet

noun

a bracelet hung with small trinkets or ornaments.

charmed /tʃɑːmd/

I. adjective

1. (of a person's life or a period of this) unusually lucky or happy as though protected by magic

• I felt that I had a charmed life.

2. [Physics] (of a particle) possessing the property charm.

• a charmed quark.

II. exclamation

‹dated› expressing polite pleasure at an introduction

• charmed, I'm sure.

charmer /tʃɑːmə/

noun

a person with an attractive and engaging personality, typically one who uses this to impress or manipulate others.

• Joe, who had been such a charmer, had become irritable and lazy.

charmeuse /ʃɑːˈməːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft, smooth silky dress fabric.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, feminine of charmeur ‘charmer’, from charmer ‘to charm’.

charming /ˈtʃɑːmɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. very pleasant or attractive

• a charming country cottage.

2. (of a person or their manner) very polite, friendly, and likeable

• he was a charming, affectionate colleague.

II. exclamation

used as an ironic expression of displeasure or disapproval

• ‘I hate men.’ ‘Charming!’ he said.

charmingly /ˈtʃɑːmɪŋli/

adverb

1. in a very pleasant or attractive way

• picturesque processions through streets that are charmingly decorated with flowers

• seven or so charmingly illustrated children's books.

2. in a very endearing way

• he seems both amusingly cranky and charmingly self-deprecating

• a charmingly goofy puppy.

charmless /ˈtʃɑːmləs/

I. adjective

unattractive or unpleasant

• a charmless sixties structure.

II. derivatives

1. charmlessly

adverb

2. charmlessness

noun

charm offensive

noun

a campaign of flattery, friendliness, and cajolement designed to achieve the support or agreement of others

• he launched a charm offensive against MPs who didn't support the government.

charmonium /tʃɑːˈməʊnɪəm/

I. noun

[Physics] a combination of a charmed quark and antiquark.

– origin 1970s: from charm (sense 4 of the noun).

charm school

noun

‹dated› ‹humorous› an institution offering training in social graces such as etiquette

• not all of the bar staff appear to have benefited from a stint at charm school.

charnel /ˈtʃɑːn(ə)l/

I. noun

short for charnel house.

II. adjective

associated with death

• I gagged on the charnel stench of the place.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from medieval Latin carnale, neuter (used as a noun) of carnalis ‘relating to flesh’ (see carnal).

charnel house /ˈtʃɑːnlhaʊs/

noun

1. ‹historical› a building or vault in which corpses or bones are piled.

2. ‹historical› a place associated with violent death

• Europe in the immediate post-war period had become a charnel house.

Charolais /ˈʃarə(ʊ)leɪ/

I. noun

an animal of a breed of large white beef cattle.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after the Monts du Charollais, hills in eastern France where the breed originated.

Charon /ˈkɛːrən/

I. [Greek Mythology] an old man who ferried the souls of the dead across the Rivers Styx and Acheron to Hades.

II. [Astronomy] the largest satellite of Pluto, discovered in 1978, with a diameter (1,190 km) that is more than half that of Pluto.

Charophyta /ˈkɑːrə(ʊ)ˌfʌɪtə, ˈkarə(ʊ)ˌfʌɪtə, ˈtʃarə(ʊ)ˌfʌɪtə/

I. plural noun

[Botany] a division of lower plants that includes the stoneworts, which are frequently treated as a class ( Charophyceae) of the green algae.

– origin modern Latin (plural), former name of the family Characeae, from Chara (genus name) + phuton ‘a plant’.

charophyte

noun

[Botany] a lower plant of the division Charophyta, such as a stonewort.

charpoy /ˈtʃɑːpɔɪ/

I. noun

(Indian) a light bedstead.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Urdu cārpāī ‘four-legged’, from Persian.

charr /tʃɑː / char

I. noun

a trout-like freshwater or marine fish of northern countries, valued as a food and game fish.
●Genus Salvelinus, family Salmonidae: several species, in particular the red-bellied Arctic charr ( S. alpinus), which occurs in Arctic waters, and the North American brook charr or brook trout ( S. fontinalis).

– origin mid 17th cent.: perhaps of Celtic origin.

charrette /ʃaˈrɛt / charette

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a public meeting or workshop devoted to a concerted effort to solve a problem or plan the design of something.

2. (N. Amer.) a period of intense work, typically undertaken in order to meet a deadline.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a cart or wagon): from French charrette, literally ‘cart’; current sense dates from the mid 20th cent., possibly with reference to the use of a cart in 19th-cent. Paris to collect architecture students' work on the day of an exhibition.

charro /ˈtʃɑːrəʊ/

I. noun

a traditionally dressed Mexican cowboy.

– origin Mexican Spanish, from Spanish, literally ‘rustic’.

chart /tʃɑːt/

I. noun

1. a sheet of information in the form of a table, graph, or diagram

• the doctor recorded her blood pressure on a chart.

2. (usu. the charts) — a weekly listing of the current bestselling pop records

• she topped the charts for eight weeks.

3. a geographical map or plan, especially one used for navigation by sea or air.

• a chart of the English coast.

4. (also birth chart or natal chart) — [Astrology] a circular map showing the positions of the planets in the twelve houses at the time of someone's birth, from which astrologers are said to be able to deduce their character or potential.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — make a map of (an area)

• Cook charted the coasts and waters of New Zealand.

2. plot (a course) on a chart

• the pilot found his craft taking a route he had not charted.

3. record the progress or development of

• the poems chart his descent into madness

• a major series charting the history of country music.

4. [no obj.] — (of a record) sell enough copies to enter the music charts at a particular position

• the record will probably chart at about No. 74.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French charte, from Latin charta ‘paper, papyrus leaf’ (see card^1).

chartaceous /kɑːˈteɪʃəs/

I. adjective

‹rare› thin, dry, or flimsy like paper; papery.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin chartaceus, from Latin charta ‘paper, papyrus leaf’ (see card^1) + -eous.

chartbuster

noun

1. ‹informal› a popular singer or group that makes a bestselling recording.

2. ‹informal› a bestselling recording.

charter /ˈtʃɑːtə/

I. noun

1. a written grant by the sovereign or legislative power of a country, by which a body such as a borough, company, or university is created or its rights and privileges defined.

• the town received a charter from the Emperor.

2. a written constitution or description of an organization's functions.

• the impending review of the BBC's Charter.

3. [with modifier] — (in the UK) a written statement of the rights of a specified group of people

• the standard set by the patient's charter.

4. ( a charter for) — (Brit.) a policy or law regarded as enabling people to engage more easily in a specified undesirable activity

• he described the act as a charter for vandals.

5. [ mass noun] — the hiring of an aircraft, ship, or motor vehicle for a special purpose

• a plane on charter to a multinational company.

6. [ count noun] — a ship or vehicle that is hired.

• the fifty foot charter Capricorn will join the team.

7. [ count noun] — a trip made by a ship or vehicle under hire

• he liked to see the boat sparkling clean before each charter.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (usu. as adj. chartered) — grant a charter to (a city, university, or other body)

• chartered corporations.

2. hire (an aircraft, ship, or motor vehicle).

• he immediately chartered a plane to take him to Paris.

– origin Middle English: from Old French chartre, from Latin chartula, diminutive of charta ‘paper’ (see card^1).

chartered /ˈtʃɑːtəd/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) (of an accountant, engineer, librarian, etc.) qualified as a member of a professional body that has a royal charter.

2. (of an aircraft or ship) having been hired.

• 80 journalists were flown in by chartered plane.

charterer /ˈtʃɑːt(ə)rə/

noun

a person or organization that charters a ship or aircraft.

charter flight

noun

a flight by an aircraft chartered for a specific journey, not part of an airline's regular schedule.

charterhouse /ˈtʃɑːtəhaʊs/

I. noun

‹historical› a Carthusian monastery.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman Chartous, Old French Chartreuse, from medieval Latin Carthusius, from Cart(h)usia (see Carthusian): assimilated to charter + house.

Charter Mark

noun

(in the UK) an award granted to institutions for exceptional public service under the terms of the Citizen's Charter.

charter member

noun

(N. Amer.) an original or founding member of a society or organization.

charter party

I. noun

1. a deed between a shipowner and a trader for the hire of a ship and the delivery of cargo.

2. a group of people using a hired aircraft or ship.

– origin late Middle English: from French charte partie, from medieval Latin charta partita ‘divided charter’, i.e. one written in duplicate on a single sheet, then divided in such a way that the two parts could be fitted together again as proof of authenticity.

charter school

noun

1. (in North America) a publicly funded independent school established by teachers, parents, or community groups under the terms of a charter with a local or national authority.

2. ( Charter School) — ‹historical› a school established by the Charter Society (founded for that purpose in 1733) to provide a Protestant education to poor Catholics in Ireland.

Chartism /ˈtʃɑːtɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a UK parliamentary reform movement of 1837–48, the principles of which were set out in a manifesto called The People's Charter and called for universal suffrage for men, equal electoral districts, voting by secret ballot, abolition of property qualifications for MPs, and annual general elections.

2. ( chartism) — the use of charts of financial data to predict future trends and to guide investment strategies.

II. derivatives

Chartist /ˈtʃɑːtɪst /

noun, adjective

Chartres /ˈʃɑːtr(ə), French ʃaʀtʀ/

a city in northern France; pop. 41,588 (2006). It is noted for its Gothic cathedral.

chartreuse /ʃɑːˈtrəːz/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a pale green or yellow liqueur made from brandy and aromatic herbs.

2. a pale yellow or green colour resembling the liqueur chartreuse.

3. a dish made in a mould using pieces of meat, game, vegetables, or (now most often) fruit in jelly.

– origin named after La Grande Chartreuse, the Carthusian monastery near Grenoble, where the liqueur (sense 1) was first made; sense 2 is an extended use.

chart-topping

I. adjective

‹informal› (of a popular singer, group, or recording) having reached the top of the music charts.

II. derivatives

chart-topper /ˈtʃɑːtˌtɒpə /

noun

charwoman /ˈtʃɑːwʊmən/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› a woman employed as a cleaner in a house or office.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete char or chare ‘a turn of work, an odd job, chore’ (obscurely related to chore) + woman.

chary /ˈtʃɛːri/

I. adjective

cautiously or suspiciously reluctant to do something

• she had been chary of telling the whole truth.

II. derivatives

charily /ˈtʃɛːrɪli /

adverb

– origin Old English cearig ‘sorrowful, anxious’, of West Germanic origin; related to care. The current sense arose in the mid 16th cent.

Charybdis /kəˈrɪbdɪs / ‹Greek Mythology›

a dangerous whirlpool in a narrow channel of the sea, opposite the cave of the sea monster Scylla.

Chas.

abbreviation

Charles.

chase^1 /tʃeɪs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pursue in order to catch or catch up with

• police chased the stolen car through the city

• [no obj.] the dog chased after the stick.

2. seek to attain

• the team are chasing their first home win this season.

3. seek the company of (a member of the opposite sex) in an obvious way

• he spends all his free time chasing girls.

4. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — drive or cause to go in a specified direction

• she chased him out of the house.

5. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — rush in a specified direction

• he chased down the motorway.

6. try to obtain (something owed or required)

• the company employs people to chase up debts.

7. try to make contact with (someone) in order to obtain something owed or required

• the council recently appointed its own team of bailiffs to chase non-payers.

8. ( chase something up (or down)) — make further investigation of an unresolved matter.

II. noun

1. an act of pursuing someone or something

• they captured the youths after a brief chase.

2. short for steeplechase.

3. ( the chase) — hunting as a sport

• she was an ardent follower of the chase.

4. [in place names] — (Brit.) an area of unenclosed land formerly reserved for hunting

• Cannock Chase.

5. ‹archaic› a hunted animal.

III. phrases

1. chase the game

(in soccer) adopt attacking tactics, especially when losing, at the risk of being vulnerable to counter-attack.

• we made the mistake of trying to chase the game instead of playing it tight.

2. chase shadows

pursue illusory targets

• I found that the three-day mission did little more than chase shadows.

3. give chase

go in pursuit

• a patrol car gave chase and finally overtook him

• officers gave chase to one of the thieves.

4. go and chase oneself

[in imperative] — ‹informal› go away.

5. the thrill of the chase

see thrill.

– origin Middle English: from Old French chacier (verb), chace (noun), based on Latin captare ‘continue to take’, from capere ‘take’.

chase^2 /tʃeɪs/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. chased)

1. engrave (metal, or a design on metal)

• a miniature container with a delicately chased floral design.

– origin late Middle English: apparently from earlier enchase, from Old French enchasser.

chase^3 /tʃeɪs/

I. noun

(in letterpress printing) a metal frame for holding the composed type and blocks being printed at one time.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French châsse, from Latin capsa ‘box’ (see case^2).

chase^4 /tʃeɪs/

I. noun

1. the part of a gun enclosing the bore.

2. a groove or furrow cut in the face of a wall or other surface to receive a pipe or wire.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French chas ‘enclosed space’, from Provençal cas, caus, from medieval Latin capsum ‘thorax or nave of a church’.

chaser /ˈtʃeɪsə/

noun

1. a person or thing that pursues someone or something
[in combination]

• a woman-chaser.

2. a horse for steeplechasing.

3. ‹informal› a strong alcoholic drink taken after a weaker one

• drinking pints of bitter with vodka chasers.

chasm /ˈkaz(ə)m/

I. noun

1. a deep fissure in the earth's surface.

• a chasm a mile long.

• ‹figurative› he was engulfed in a chasm of despair.

2. a profound difference between people, viewpoints, feelings, etc.

• the chasm between rich and poor.

II. derivatives

chasmic

adjective

‹rare›

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting an opening up of the sea or land, as in an earthquake): from Latin chasma, from Greek khasma ‘gaping hollow’.

chasse /ʃas/

I. noun

a liqueur drunk after coffee.

– origin French, abbreviation of chasse-café, literally ‘chase-coffee’.

chassé /ˈʃaseɪ/

I. noun

a gliding step in dancing in which one foot displaces the other.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. perform a chassé.

– origin French, literally ‘chased’.

Chasselas /ˈʃas(ə)lɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of white grape, grown mainly in Europe and Chile for eating as a fruit or for making wine.

2. a wine made from the Chasselas grape.

– origin named after a village near Mâcon, France.

chasseur /ʃaˈsəː, French ʃasœʀ/

I. noun

‹historical› a soldier equipped and trained for rapid movement, especially in the French army.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, from chasser ‘to chase or hunt’.

chasseur sauce

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rich dark sauce with wine and mushrooms, typically served with poultry or game.

– origin from French chasseur ‘huntsman’, from chasser ‘to chase or hunt’.

chassis /ˈʃasi/

I. noun

1. the base frame of a car, carriage, or other wheeled vehicle.

2. the outer structural framework of a piece of audio, radio, or computer equipment.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French châssis ‘frame’, based on Latin capsa ‘box’ (see case^2).

chaste /tʃeɪst/

I. adjective

1. abstaining from extramarital, or from all, sexual intercourse.

• what is required of celibate Catholic clergy is to remain chaste.

2. not having any sexual nature or intention

• a chaste, consoling embrace.

3. without unnecessary ornamentation; simple or restrained

• chaste Classical symmetry.

II. derivatives

1. chastely /ˈtʃeɪstli /

adverb

2. chasteness /ˈtʃeɪstnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin castus.

chasten /ˈtʃeɪs(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a reproof or misfortune) have a restraining or moderating effect on

• the director was somewhat chastened by his recent flops

• (as adj. chastening) a chastening experience.

2. ‹archaic› (especially of God) discipline; punish.

II. derivatives

chastener /ˈtʃeɪs(ə)nə /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from an obsolete verb chaste, from Old French chastier, from Latin castigare ‘castigate’, from castus ‘morally pure, chaste’.

chaste tree

I. noun

a southern European shrub with blue or white flowers, grown as an ornamental.
● Vitex agnus-castus, family Verbenaceae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: so named because of its association with chastity in sacrifices to Ceres.

chastise /tʃaˈstʌɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. rebuke or reprimand severely

• he chastised his colleagues for their laziness.

2. ‹dated› punish, especially by beating.

• her mistress chastised her with a whip for blasphemy.

II. derivatives

1. chastisement /tʃaˈstʌɪzmənt, ˈtʃæstɪzmənt /

noun

2. chastiser /tʃaˈstʌɪzə /

noun

– origin Middle English: apparently formed irregularly from the obsolete verb chaste (see chasten).

chastity /ˈtʃastɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or practice of refraining from extramarital, or especially from all, sexual intercourse

• vows of chastity.

– origin Middle English: from Old French chastete, from Latin castitas, from castus ‘morally pure’ (see chaste).

chastity belt

noun

‹historical› a garment or device designed to prevent the woman wearing it from having sexual intercourse.

chasuble /ˈtʃazjʊb(ə)l/

I. noun

an ornate sleeveless outer vestment worn by a Catholic or High Anglican priest when celebrating Mass.

– origin Middle English: from Old French chesible, later chasuble, from late Latin casubla, alteration of Latin casula ‘hooded cloak or little cottage’, diminutive of casa ‘house’.

chat^1 /tʃat/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. talk in a friendly and informal way

• she chatted to her mother on the phone every day.

2. exchange messages online in real time with one or more simultaneous users of a computer network

• I have chatted to a few women on the Net.

II. noun

1. an informal conversation

• he dropped in for a chat

• [ mass noun] that's enough chat for tonight.

2. the online exchange of messages in real time with one or more simultaneous users of a computer network

• online chat has been widely accepted by average Internet users.

• [ count noun] you can have four simultaneous chats online at once.

III. phrasal verbs

chat someone up

‹informal› engage someone in flirtatious conversation

• the waiter attempted to chat her up.

– origin Middle English: shortening of chatter.

chat^2 /tʃat/

I. noun

1. [often in combination] — a small Old World songbird of the thrush family, with black, white, and brown coloration and a harsh call.
● Saxicola and other genera, family Turdidae: numerous species. See also bushchat, stonechat, whinchat.

2. [with modifier] — any of a number of small songbirds with harsh calls:
● a New World warbler that typically has a yellow or pink breast (genera Icteria and Granatellus, family Parulidae). ● an Australian songbird related to the honeyeaters, the male of which is either mainly yellow or boldly marked (genera Ephthianura and Ashbyia, family Ephthianuridae).

– origin late 17th cent.: probably imitative of its call.

chatbot

I. noun

a computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the Internet

• chatbots often treat conversations like they're a game of tennis: talk, reply, talk, reply.

– origin 1990s: from chat^1 + bot^2.

chateau /ˈʃatəʊ / château /ˈʃatəʊ, French ˈʃato/

I. noun

a large French country house or castle, often giving its name to wine made in its neighbourhood
[in names]

• Château Margaux.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, from Old French chastel (see castle).

chateaubriand /ˌʃatəʊˈbriːɒ̃/

I. noun

a thick fillet of beef steak.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after François-René, Vicomte de Chateaubriand (see Chateaubriand, François-René), whose chef is said to have created the dish.

Chateaubriand, François-René /ˌʃatəʊˈbriːɒ̃, French ʃatobʀijɑ̃/

Vicomte de (1768–1848), French writer and diplomat. He was an important figure in early French romanticism. Notable works: Le Génie du Christianisme (1802) and Mémoires d'outre-tombe (autobiography, 1849–50).

chateau cardboard

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Austral./NZ) a jocular term for wine sold in a large carton with a dispensing tap

• these rich executives don't sup chateau cardboard and scoff vegemite sandwiches.

chatelain /ˈʃatəleɪn/

I. noun

another term for castellan.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French chastelain, from medieval Latin castellanus ‘castellan’, from Latin castellum (see castle).

chatelaine /ˈʃatəleɪn/

I. noun

1. ‹dated› a woman in charge of a large house.

2. ‹historical› a set of short chains attached to a woman's belt, used for carrying keys or other items.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French châtelaine, feminine of châtelain ‘castellan’, from medieval Latin castellanus (see chatelain).

Chatham, 1st Earl of /ˈtʃatəm/

see Pitt.

Chatham House Rule /ˌtʃatəm haʊs ˈruːl/

I. noun

(Brit.) a rule or principle according to which information disclosed during a meeting may be reported by those present, but the source of that information may not be explicitly or implicitly identified

• the conference was held under the Chatham House Rule.

– origin from Chatham House, the name of the building in London that houses the Royal Institute of International Affairs, by which the rule was devised.

Chatham Islands

a group of two islands, Pitt Island and Chatham Island, in the SW Pacific to the east of New Zealand.

chatline /ˈtʃatlʌɪn/

noun

a telephone service which allows conversation among a number of separate callers.

chatoyant /ʃəˈtɔɪənt/

I. adjective

(of a gem, especially when cut en cabochon) showing a band of bright lustre caused by reflection from inclusions in the stone.

II. derivatives

1. chatoyance

noun

2. chatoyancy

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: French, present participle of chatoyer ‘to shimmer’.

chat room

noun

an area on the Internet or other computer network where users can communicate, typically one dedicated to a particular topic.

chat show

noun

(Brit.) a television or radio programme in which celebrities are invited to talk informally about various topics.

chattel /ˈtʃat(ə)l/

I. noun

1. (in general use) a personal possession.

2. [Law] an item of property other than freehold land, including tangible goods ( chattels personal) and leasehold interests ( chattels real).
See also goods and chattels.

– origin Middle English: from Old French chatel, from medieval Latin capitale, from Latin capitalis, from caput ‘head’. Compare with capital^1 and cattle.

chattel mortgage

noun

(N. Amer.) a mortgage on a movable item of property.

chatter /ˈtʃatə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. talk informally about unimportant matters

• she was chattering about her holiday.

2. (of a bird, monkey, or machine) make a series of short, quick high-pitched sounds.

• parrots chattered in the sunlight.

3. (of a person's teeth) click repeatedly together from cold or fear.

• his teeth were chattering.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. informal talk

• he was full of inconsequential but amusing chatter.

2. electronic or radio communication, especially between individuals being monitored by a government agency as a result of suspected involvement in terrorist activity or espionage

• officials refused to comment on a news report that the patrols were resumed due to increased Internet chatter.

3. a series of short, quick high-pitched sounds

• the starlings' constant chatter.

4. undesirable vibration in a mechanism

• the wipers should operate without chatter.

III. phrases

the chattering classes

(Brit.) ‹derogatory› intellectual or artistic people considered as a social group given to the expression of liberal opinions.

• the politically correct voice of the chattering classes.

IV. derivatives

chattery

adjective

– origin Middle English: imitative.

chatterbot

noun

another term for chatbot.

• the chatterbot became confused because I gave my zip code too early in the process.

chatterbox /ˈtʃatəbɒks/

noun

‹informal› a person who likes to chatter.

chatterer /ˈtʃatərə/

noun

1. a person who chatters at length.

2. ‹informal› any of a number of birds with chattering calls, especially a babbler, a waxwing, or a cotinga.

Chatterton, Thomas

(1752–70), English poet, chiefly remembered for his fabricated poems professing to be those of a 15th-century monk. He committed suicide at the age of 17.

chatty /ˈtʃati/

I. adjective

1. readily engaging in informal talk

• the driver was very chatty.

2. (of a conversation, letter, etc.) informal and lively.

• she wrote a chatty, cheerful letter to her mother.

II. derivatives

1. chattily /ˈtʃatəli /

adverb

2. chattiness /ˈtʃatɪnəs /

noun

chat-up

noun — [often as modifier]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› an act of talking flirtatiously to someone

• a chat-up line.

Chaucer, Geoffrey /ˈtʃɔːsə/

( c. 1342–1400), English poet. His most famous work, the Canterbury Tales ( c. 1387–1400), is a cycle of linked tales told by a group of pilgrims. His skills of characterization, humour, and versatility established him as the first great English poet. Other notable works: Troilus and Criseyde (1385).

Chaucerian /tʃɔːˈsɪərɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the English writer Geoffrey Chaucer or his works

• ribald Chaucerian pilgrimages.

II. noun

an admirer, imitator, or student of the works of the English writer Geoffrey Chaucer

• every English department wants a Chaucerian.

chaudhuri /ˈtʃaʊˌdʌri/

I. noun

(Indian) a government employee who supplies and is in charge of workers and materials for public works.

– origin from Hindi caudharī, literally ‘holder of four’, or from Sanskrit cakradhārin, denoting the bearer of a discus as a sign of authority.

chauffeur /ˈʃəʊfə, ʃəʊˈfəː/

I. noun

a person employed to drive a private or hired car.

• a chauffeur-driven limousine.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. drive (a car or a passenger in a car), typically as part of one's job

• she insisted on being chauffeured around.

– origin late 19th cent. (in the general sense ‘motorist’): from French, literally ‘stoker’ (by association with steam engines), from chauffer ‘to heat’.

chauffeuse /ʃəʊˈfəːz/

noun

a female chauffeur.

Chauliac, Guy de /ˈʃəʊlɪak, French ʃoljak/

( c. 1300–68), French physician. His Chirurgia Magna (1363) was the first work to describe many surgical techniques.

chaulmoogra /tʃɔːlˈmuːɡrə/

I. noun

1. a tropical Asian evergreen tree with narrow leathery leaves and oil-rich seeds.
●Genus Hydnocarpus, family Flacourtiaceae: several species, in particular H. kurzii, the main source of the oil.

2. (also chaulmoogra oil) [ mass noun] — oil obtained from the seeds of the chaulmoogra tree, used medically and as a preservative.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Bengali cāul-mugrā.

Chaumes /ʃəʊm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of French cheese with an orange rind and a creamy flavour.

– origin French, possibly from chaume ‘wheat stubble’, in reference to the colours of the cheese and its rind.

chausses /ʃəʊs/

I. plural noun

‹historical› pantaloons or close-fitting coverings for the legs and feet, in particular those forming part of a knight's armour.

– origin late 15th cent.: French, literally ‘clothing for the legs’.

chautauqua /tʃɔːˈtɔːkwə, ʃɔːˈtɔːkwə/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) an institution that provided popular adult education courses and entertainment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Chautauqua, a county in New York State, where such an institution was first set up.

chauvinism /ˈʃəʊv(ɪ)nɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. exaggerated or aggressive patriotism.

2. excessive or prejudiced support for one's own cause, group, or sex.
See also male chauvinism.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Nicolas Chauvin, a Napoleonic veteran noted for his extreme patriotism, popularized as a character by the Cogniard brothers in Cocarde Tricolore (1831).

chauvinist /ˈʃəʊv(ɪ)nɪst/

I. noun

1. a person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.

2. a person displaying excessive or prejudiced support for their own cause, group, or sex

• she wrote off all the local males as hopeless chauvinists.

II. adjective

relating to or characteristic of a chauvinist

• a chauvinist rejection of foreign interference.

chauvinistic /ʃəʊv(ɪ)ˈnɪstɪk/

I. adjective

1. feeling or displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.

2. displaying excessive or prejudiced support for their own cause, group, or sex.

II. derivatives

chauvinistically

adverb

chav /tʃav/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a young lower-class person typified by brash and loutish behaviour.

II. derivatives

chavvy

adjective

– origin 1990s: probably from Romany chavo ‘boy, youth’ or chavvy ‘baby, child’: sometimes said to have originated in Chatham, Kent, and to be a shortening of that name.

Chavín /tʃɑːˈviːn/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Archaeology] a civilization that flourished in Peru c. 1000–200 BC, uniting a large part of the country's coastal region in a common culture.

– origin from the name of the town and temple complex of Chavín de Huantar in the northern highlands, where the civilization was centred.

chaw /tʃɔː / ‹informal chiefly N. Amer.›

I. noun

1. an act of chewing something, especially something not intended to be swallowed

• enjoying a good chaw.

2. something chewed, especially a quid of tobacco

• a chaw of tobacco.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. chew (something, especially tobacco).

• now just about anyone can don stetsons and chaw tobacco.

• [no obj.] he passed the time chawing and spitting.

– origin late Middle English (as a verb): variant of chew.

chawal /ˈtʃʌwəl, tʃɔːl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. rice, especially as part of a dish

• egg chawal.

– origin from Hindi cāval.

chawl /tʃɔːl / chal

I. noun

(in South Asia) a large building divided into many separate tenements, offering cheap, basic accommodation to labourers.

– origin from Marathi cāḷ, denoting a long narrow building.

chayote /ˈtʃeɪəʊti/

I. noun

1. a succulent green pear-shaped tropical fruit which resembles cucumber in flavour.

2. the tropical American vine which yields the chayote, also producing an edible yam-like tuberous root.
● Sechium edule, family Cucurbitaceae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Spanish, from Nahuatl chayotli.

ChB

I. abbreviation

Bachelor of Surgery.

– origin from Latin Chirurgiae Baccalaureus.

CHD

abbreviation

coronary heart disease.

cheap /tʃiːp/

I. adjective

1. low in price, especially in relation to similar items or services

• local buses were reliable and cheap.

2. charging low prices

• a cheap restaurant.

3. inexpensive because of inferior quality

• cheap, shoddy goods.

4. of little worth because achieved in a discreditable way requiring little effort

• her moment of cheap triumph.

5. deserving contempt

• a cheap trick.

6. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› miserly

• she's too cheap to send me a postcard.

II. adverb

at or for a low price

• a house that was going cheap because of the war.

III. phrases

1. cheap and cheerful

(Brit.) simple and inexpensive.

2. cheap and nasty

(Brit.) of low cost and bad quality

• the materials can seem a bit cheap and nasty.

3. (as) cheap as chips

(Brit.) ‹informal› very inexpensive

• the second-hand copies are cheap as chips

• [as modifier] cheap-as-chips jewellery.

4. cheap at the price (or ‹humorous› at half the price)

(Brit.) well worth having, regardless of the cost.

• as an investment for the future, the books are cheap at the price.

5. on the cheap

‹informal› at low cost.

• proper care cannot be provided on the cheap.

IV. derivatives

cheapish /ˈtʃiːpɪʃ /

adjective

– origin late 15th cent.: from an obsolete phrase good cheap ‘a good bargain’, from Old English cēap ‘bargaining, trade’, based on Latin caupo ‘small trader, innkeeper’.

cheapen /ˈtʃiːp(ə)n/

verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce the price of

• the depreciation of the dollar would cheapen US exports.

2. degrade

• the mass media cheapen the experience of art.

cheapjack /ˈtʃiːpdʒak/

I. noun

a seller of cheap inferior goods, typically a hawker at a fair or market.

II. adjective

(chiefly N. Amer.) of inferior quality.

• a cheapjack vehicle.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cheap + jack^1.

cheaply /ˈtʃiːpli/

adverb

1. in an inexpensive way

• cheaply priced designer furniture

• cheaply made umbrellas.

2. in a way that requires little effort or sacrifice, especially where this is regarded as contemptible or exploitative

• peace of mind doesn't come cheaply

• some people forgive too cheaply.

cheapness /ˈtʃiːpnəs/

noun

1. the quality of being low in price, especially in relation to similar items or services

• the relative cheapness of imported goods

• the ease and cheapness of Internet shopping.

2. the condition of costing less due to being of inferior quality

• an immediate feeling of cheapness or toy-like quality

• the plastic chassis contributes a sense of cheapness.

3. the quality of requiring little effort or sacrifice, especially where this is regarded as devaluing the outcome

• the cheapness of their humour

• I'm disgusted with the cheapness of this team.

4. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› the quality of being selfish with money; miserliness

• my father's cheapness is the reason I feel ill when I lose even small amounts of money

• better to pay a little for backup now than regret your cheapness later.

cheapo /ˈtʃiːpəʊ / ‹informal› cheapie

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. inexpensive and of poor quality

• a cheapo version of the guitar.

II. noun

something that is inexpensive and of poor quality.

cheapskate /ˈtʃiːpskeɪt/

I. noun

‹informal› a miserly person.

• she told him he was a cheapskate.

• [as modifier] cheapskate bosses are still paying women peanuts compared to male workers.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally US): from cheap + skate^3.

cheat /tʃiːt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage

• she always cheats at cards.

2. [with obj.] — gain an advantage over or deprive of something by using unfair or deceitful methods; defraud

• he had cheated her out of everything she had.

3. ‹informal› be sexually unfaithful

• his wife was cheating on him.

4. [with obj.] — avoid (something undesirable) by luck or skill

• she cheated death in a spectacular crash.

II. noun

1. a person who behaves dishonestly in order to gain an advantage.

2. an act of cheating; a fraud or deception.

3. [ mass noun] — a children's card game, the object of which is to get rid of one's cards while making declarations about them which may or may not be truthful.

– origin late Middle English: shortening of escheat (the original sense).

cheater /ˈtʃiːtə/

noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a person who acts dishonestly in order to gain an advantage.

2. ( cheaters) — (chiefly N. Amer.) ‹informal› a pair of glasses or sunglasses.

cheat grass

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a tough wild grass of open land, sometimes growing as a weed among cereal crops and in pasture.
●Genus Bromus, family Gramineae: several species.

– origin late 18th cent.: a local word for various wild plants, perhaps from their resemblance to the cereals among which they grew.

cheat sheet

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a piece of paper bearing written notes intended to aid one's memory, typically one used surreptitiously in an examination.

Cheboksary /ˌtʃɛbəkˈsɑːri/

a city in west central Russia, on the River Volga, west of Kazan, capital of the autonomous republic of Chuvashia; pop. 441,600 (est. 2008).

Chechen /ˈtʃɛtʃɛn/

I. noun

1. a member of the largely Muslim people inhabiting Chechnya.

2. [ mass noun] — the North Caucasian language of the Chechen people.

II. adjective

relating to the Chechen people or their language.

– origin from obsolete Russian chechen (earlier form of chechenets).

Chechnya /ˌtʃɛtʃˈnjɑː / Chechenia

an autonomous republic in the Caucasus in SW Russia, on the border with Georgia; pop. 1,205,800 (est. 2009); capital, Grozny. The republic declared itself independent of Russia in 1991 and was invaded by Russian forces (1994). A peace treaty agreed the withdrawal of troops, but the Russians invaded again in 1999. Also called Chechen Republic.

check^1 /tʃɛk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. examine (something) in order to determine its accuracy, quality, or condition, or to detect the presence of something

• customs officers have the right to check all luggage

• [no obj.] a simple blood test to check for anaemia.

2. verify or establish to one's satisfaction

• phone us to check the availability of your chosen holiday

• [with clause] she glanced over her shoulder to check that the door was shut.

3. ( check something against) — verify the accuracy of something by comparing it with (something else)

• keep your receipt to check against your statement.

4. [no obj.] — agree or correspond when compared.

5. ‹informal› look at; take notice of

• check the remix.

6. stop or slow the progress of (something, typically something undesirable)

• efforts were made to check the disease.

7. curb or control (one's feelings or reaction)

• he learned to check his excitement.

8. [Ice Hockey] hamper or neutralize (an opponent) with one's body or stick.

9. [no obj.] ( check against) — provide a means of preventing

• processes to check against deterioration in the quality of the data held.

10. (N. Amer.) (of a passenger) consign (baggage) to the care of the transport provider with whom they are travelling

• I checked my bag and got my boarding pass.

11. deposit (a coat, bag, or other item) for temporary safekeeping in the cloakroom of a restaurant, theatre, etc.

• the drinks weren't expensive and there's no cover charge but you do have to check your coat for $3.00.

12. mark or click on (a box) in order to select a particular option on a form, questionnaire, etc.

• users who want privacy should check the box that prevents your files from being shared.

13. [Chess] move a piece or pawn to a square where it attacks (the opposing king).

• he moves his knight to check my king again.

14. [no obj.] — (in poker) choose not to make a bet when called upon, allowing another player to do so instead.

15. [no obj.] — (of a hound) pause to make sure of or regain a scent.

16. (of a trained hawk) abandon the intended quarry and fly after other prey.

II. noun

1. an examination to test or ascertain accuracy, quality, or satisfactory condition

• a campaign calling for regular checks on gas appliances

• a health check.

2. a stopping or slowing of progress

• there was no check to the expansion of the market.

3. a means of control or restraint

• a permanent check upon the growth or abuse of central authority.

4. [Ice Hockey] an act of hampering or neutralizing an opponent with one's body or stick.

5. a temporary loss of the scent in hunting.

6. [Falconry] the movement made by a hawk when it abandons its intended quarry and pursues other prey.

7. [Chess] a move by which a piece or pawn directly attacks the opponent's king and by which the king may be checkmated.

8. US spelling of cheque.

9. (N. Amer.) the bill in a restaurant

• let's get the check.

10. (also baggage or luggage check) — a token of identification for left luggage.

11. a counter used as a stake in a gambling game.

12. (also check mark) — North American term for tick^1 (sense 1 of the noun).

13. a part of a piano which catches the hammer and prevents it retouching the strings.

14. a crack or flaw in timber.

III. exclamation

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) expressing assent or agreement.

2. used by a chess player to announce that the opponent's king has been placed in check.

IV. phrases

1. checks and balances /ˌtʃɛks ən ˈbalənsɪz /

counterbalancing influences by which an organization or system is regulated, typically those ensuring that power in political institutions is not concentrated in the hands of particular individuals or groups.

2. in check

a. under control

• a way of keeping inflation in check.

b. [Chess] (of a king) directly attacked by an opponent's piece or pawn; (of a player) having the king in this position.

3. keep a check on

monitor

• keep a regular check on your score.

V. phrasal verbs

1. check in

arrive and register at a hotel or airport

• you must check in at least one hour before take-off.

2. check someone in

register someone upon their arrival at a hotel or airport

• they check in the passengers.

3. check something in

a. (of a passenger) consign baggage to the care of the transport provider with whom they are travelling

• I got a taxi to the airport and checked my bags in.

b. deposit a coat, bag, or other item for temporary safekeeping in the cloakroom of a restaurant, theatre, etc.

• he was checking in his coat on the second floor when people started rushing past him.

4. check into

register one's arrival at (a hotel).

• you'll check into the luxurious Basle Hilton Hotel.

5. check something off

(chiefly N. Amer.) tick or otherwise mark an item on a list to show that it has been dealt with.

• check off each assignment as you complete it.

6. check on

a. verify, ascertain, or monitor the state or condition of

• the doctor had come to check on his patient.

b. another way of saying check up on.

7. check out

a. settle one's hotel bill before leaving.

• don't forget to hand in your room key when you check out.

b. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› die.

c. prove to be true or correct.

• his claims simply did not check out.

8. check someone/thing out

a. establish the truth or inform oneself about someone or something

• they decided to go and check out a local restaurant.

b. look at; take notice of

• do check out his website

• check out the chick in the leopardskin top.

c. ( check something out) — (chiefly N. Amer.) enter the price of goods in a supermarket into a cash machine.

• cashiers are told they must smile as they check out each item and present the bill.

d. register something as having been borrowed.

9. check something over

inspect or examine something thoroughly.

• each written piece has been checked over for errors.

10. check through

inspect or examine thoroughly.

• I checked through my notes.

11. check up on

investigate in order to establish the truth about or accuracy of

• Don called me to check up on some facts.

VI. derivatives

checkable

adjective

– origin Middle English (originally as used in the game of chess): the noun and exclamation from Old French eschec, from medieval Latin scaccus, via Arabic from Persian šāh ‘king’; the verb from Old French eschequier ‘play chess, put in check’. The sense ‘stop or control’ arose from the use in chess, and led (in the late 17th cent.) to ‘examine the accuracy of’.

check^2 /tʃɛk/

I. noun

1. a pattern of small squares

• a fine black-and-white check.

2. a garment or fabric with a pattern of small squares

• on Wednesdays he wore the small check.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. having a checked pattern

• a blue check T-shirt.

– origin late Middle English: probably from chequer (sense 1 of the noun).

checkbox /ˈtʃɛkbɒks/

noun

1. a small box on a form into which a tick or other mark is entered as the response to a question

• Americans will be able to identify themselves as more than one race on the census form, choosing from 12 checkboxes and three write-in spaces.

2. [Computing] (in a graphical display) a small box that, when selected by the user, shows that a particular feature has been enabled or a particular option chosen.

checked /tʃɛkt/

adjective

having a pattern of small squares

• a checked shirt.

checker^1 /ˈtʃɛkə/

noun

1. a person or thing that verifies or examines something

• a spelling and grammar checker.

2. (US) a cashier in a supermarket.

checker^2 /ˈtʃɛkə/

noun, verb

US spelling of chequer.

checkerberry

I. noun

1. a creeping evergreen North American shrub of the heather family, with spiny scented leaves and waxy white flowers. Also called wintergreen.
● Gaultheria procumbens, family Ericaceae.

2. the edible red fruit of the checkerberry plant.

– origin late 18th cent.: from checkers or chequers ‘berries of the service tree’ (so named from their colour) + berry.

checkerspot

noun

a North American butterfly that resembles a fritillary, with pale markings on the wings that typically form a chequered pattern.
● Euphydryas and other genera, subfamily Melitaeinae, family Nymphalidae.

check-in /ˈtʃɛkɪn/

noun — [ mass noun] [often as modifier]

1. the action of registering one's presence, typically as a passenger at an airport

• the check-in counter.

2. the point at which someone checks in.

checking account /ˈtʃɛkɪŋ / ‹Canadian› chequing account

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a current account at a bank.

– origin 1920s: from check^1.

checklist /ˈtʃɛklɪst/

noun

a list of items required, things to be done, or points to be considered, used as a reminder.

check mark

noun

(N. Amer.) North American term for tick^1 (sense 1 of the noun).

checkmate /ˈtʃɛkmeɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chess] a position in which a player's king is directly attacked by an opponent's piece or pawn and has no possible move to escape the check. The attacking player thus wins the game.

2. [as exclamation] — [Chess] said by a player to announce that the opponent's king is in the position of checkmate.

3. [Chess] a final defeat or deadlock

• if the rebel forces succeed in cutting off the road, they will have achieved checkmate.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chess] put into checkmate.

2. [Chess] defeat or frustrate totally

• the vice president checkmated that strategy.

– origin Middle English: from Old French eschec mat, from Arabic šāh māta, from Persian šāh māt ‘the king is dead’.

checkout /ˈtʃɛkaʊt/

noun

1. a point at which goods are paid for in a supermarket or similar store.
[as modifier]

• shelves near the checkout point often contain sweets, books, or magazines.

2. [ mass noun] — the administrative procedure followed when a guest leaves a hotel at the end of their stay.

• any extra charges will be settled with guests on check-out.

checkpoint /ˈtʃɛkpɔɪnt/

noun

1. a barrier or manned entrance, typically at a border, where security checks are carried out on travellers.

2. a place on the route in a long-distance race where the time for each competitor is recorded.

3. a location whose exact position can be verified visually or electronically, used by pilots to aid navigation.

check rein

noun

a bearing rein.

checkroom /ˈtʃɛkruːm, ˈtʃɛkrʊm/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a cloakroom in a hotel or theatre.

2. (N. Amer.) an office for left luggage.

checkside /ˈtʃɛksʌɪd/

I. noun

1. [Australian Rules] a curving shot at goal from a narrow angle

• his checkside from a near-impossible angle hit the post.

2. [Australian Rules] a goal scored by a curving shot from a narrow angle

• he scored an impressive running checkside in the second minute.

– origin 1960s: perhaps from the term check side used in billiards, etc. to refer to side spin imparted to the cue ball.

checkside goal

noun

[Australian Rules] a goal scored by a curving shot from a narrow angle

• the icing on the cake was a fine checkside goal from 30 metres.

checkside punt

noun

[Australian Rules] a curving shot at goal from a narrow angle

• he attempts an audacious checkside punt that hits the behind post.

checksum /ˈtʃɛksʌm/

noun

a digit representing the sum of the correct digits in a piece of stored or transmitted digital data, against which later comparisons can be made to detect errors in the data.

check-up /ˈtʃɛkʌp/

noun

a thorough examination, especially a medical or dental one, to detect any problems.

• a mother and her young daughter were taken to hospital for a check-up after a fire at their home.

check valve

noun

a valve that closes to prevent backward flow of liquid.

Cheddar /ˈtʃɛdə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of firm smooth yellow cheese, originally made in Cheddar in SW England.

cheder /ˈxɛdə / heder

I. noun

a school for Jewish children in which Hebrew and religious knowledge are taught.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Hebrew ḥeḏer ‘room’.

cheechako /tʃiːˈtʃɑːkəʊ/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person newly arrived in the mining districts of Alaska or NW Canada.

– origin late 19th cent.: Chinook Jargon, ‘newcomer’.

cheek /tʃiːk/

I. noun

1. either side of the face below the eye

• tears rolled down her cheeks.

2. either of the inner sides of the mouth

• Gabriel had to bite his cheeks to keep from laughing.

3. either of the buttocks.

4. either of two side pieces or parts arranged in lateral pairs in a structure.

5. [in sing.] — talk or behaviour regarded as rude or lacking in respect

• he had the cheek to complain.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› speak impertinently to

• Frankie always got away with cheeking his elders.

III. phrases

1. cheek by jowl

close together

• they lived cheek by jowl in a one-room flat.

[from a use of jowl in the sense ‘cheek’; the phrase was originally cheek by cheek.]

2. cheek to cheek

(of two people dancing) with their heads close together in a romantic way.

• they were dancing cheek to cheek to a stereo in the apartment.

3. turn the other cheek

refrain from retaliating when one has been attacked or insulted.
[with biblical allusion to Matt. 5:39.]

IV. derivatives

cheeked

adjective

[in combination]

• rosy-cheeked

– origin Old English cē(a)ce, cēoce ‘cheek, jaw’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kaak.

cheekbone /ˈtʃiːkbəʊn/

noun

the bone below the eye.

• she swept her hair back from her face to emphasize her high cheekbones.

cheekily /ˈtʃiːkɪli/

adverb

in an impudent or irreverent way that is typically regarded as amusing

• he smiled cheekily at the camera

• she cheekily poked fun at her other half.

cheekpiece /ˈtʃiːkpiːs/

noun

1. a smooth block fitted to the stock of a rifle or shotgun and resting against the face when aiming from the shoulder.

2. either of the two straps of a horse's bridle joining the bit and the headpiece.

3. a bar on a horse's bit which lies outside the mouth.

cheeky /ˈtʃiːki/

I. adjective

impudent or irreverent, typically in an amusing way

• a cheeky grin.

II. derivatives

cheekiness /ˈtʃiːkinəs /

noun

cheep /tʃiːp/

I. noun

1. a short, high squeaky cry made by a young bird.

2. a short, high sound resembling the cry of a young bird

• an electronic cheep from the alarm.

3. [in sing.] [with negative] [often as modifier] — ‹informal› the slightest sound

• there has not been a cheep from anybody.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a short, high squeaky sound.

• sparrows are cheeping all around.

– origin early 16th cent. (originally Scots): imitative (compare with peep^2).

cheer /tʃɪə/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — shout for joy or in praise or encouragement

• she cheered from the sidelines

• (as adj. cheering) a cheering crowd.

2. [with obj.] — praise or encourage with shouts

• MPs rose to cheer the Chancellor

• the cyclists were cheered on by the crowds.

3. [with obj.] — give comfort or support to

• he seemed greatly cheered by my arrival.

4. ( cheer someone up or cheer up) — make or become less miserable
[with obj.]

• I asked her out to lunch to cheer her up

• [no obj.] he cheered up at the sight of the food.

II. noun

1. a shout of encouragement, praise, or joy

• a tremendous cheer from the audience.

2. (also good cheer) [ mass noun] — cheerfulness, optimism, or confidence

• an attempt to inject a little cheer into this gloomy season.

3. food and drink provided for a festive occasion

• they had partaken heartily of the Christmas cheer.

III. phrases

1. of good cheer

‹archaic› cheerful; optimistic.

2. three cheers

three successive hurrahs shouted to express appreciation or congratulation

• three cheers for the winners!

3. two cheers

qualified approval or mild enthusiasm.

• larger companies gave at least two cheers for the Budget.

4. what cheer?

‹archaic› how are you?

– origin Middle English: from Old French chiere ‘face’, from late Latin cara, from Greek kara ‘head’. The original sense was ‘face’, hence ‘expression, mood’, later specifically ‘a good mood’.

cheerful /ˈtʃɪəfʊl, ˈtʃɪəf(ə)l/

adjective

1. noticeably happy and optimistic

• how can she be so cheerful at six o'clock in the morning?

• a cheerful voice.

2. causing happiness by its nature or appearance

• cheerful news

• the room was painted in cheerful colours.

cheerfully /ˈtʃɪəfəli/

adverb

1. in a cheerful way.

• he was whistling cheerfully.

2. in a way that inspires feelings of happiness

• a cheerfully decorated tram car.

3. readily and willingly

• he cheerfully admits to being the wrong side of fifty.

cheerfulness /ˈtʃɪəfəlnəs/

noun

1. the quality or state of being noticeably happy and optimistic

• her brand of hearty cheerfulness

• it's hard to be grumpy in the face of their resolute cheerfulness.

2. the quality of causing happiness

• the cheerfulness from the fire

• the overall cheerfulness of the film.

cheerily /ˈtʃɪərɪli/

adverb

in a happy and optimistic way

• the children were waving cheerily

• he chats cheerily about city living.

cheerio /tʃɪərɪˈəʊ/

exclamation

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› used as an expression of good wishes on parting; goodbye.

• cheerio, see you on Saturday.

2. ‹dated› expressing good wishes before drinking.

cheerleader /ˈtʃɪəliːdə/

noun

1. a member of a team that performs organized cheering, chanting, and dancing in support of a sports team at matches.

2. an enthusiastic and vocal supporter of someone or something

• he was a cheerleader for individual initiative.

cheerleading /ˈtʃɪəliːdɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sport involving the performance of organized cheering, chanting, and dancing in support of a sports team at matches

• she started cheerleading last year after a background in dance.

2. the enthusiastic and vocal support of someone or something

• the president deserves credit for not indulging in mindless cheerleading.

II. adjective

relating to the performance of organized cheering, chanting, and dancing

• the high school cheerleading squad.

cheerless /ˈtʃɪəlɪs/

I. adjective

gloomy; depressing

• the corridors were ill-lit and cheerless.

II. derivatives

1. cheerlessly

adverb

2. cheerlessness /ˈtʃɪələsnəs /

noun

cheerly /ˈtʃɪəli/

adverb

‹archaic› heartily (used as a cry of encouragement among sailors).

cheers /tʃɪəz/

exclamation

1. ‹informal› expressing good wishes before drinking.

• ‘Cheers,’ she said, raising her glass.

2. ‹informal› (Brit.) expressing good wishes on parting or ending a conversation.

• ‘Cheers, Jack, see you later.’.

3. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) expressing gratitude or acknowledgement for something.

• Billy tossed him the key. ‘Cheers, pal.’.

cheery /ˈtʃɪəri/

I. adjective

happy and optimistic

• a cheery smile.

II. derivatives

cheeriness /ˈtʃɪərɪnəs /

noun

cheese^1 /tʃiːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a food made from the pressed curds of milk, firm and elastic or soft and semi-liquid in texture

• grated cheese

• [as modifier] a cheese sandwich

• [ count noun] a cow's milk cheese.

2. [ count noun] — a complete cake of cheese with its rind.

• the cheeses are trimmed and wrapped in sterilized muslin.

3. [with modifier] — (Brit.) a conserve having the consistency of soft cheese

• lemon cheese.

4. [ count noun] — a round, flat object resembling a cake of cheese, such as the heavy flat wooden disc used in skittles and other games.

5. ‹informal› the quality of being too obviously sentimental

• the conversations tend too far towards cheese.

II. phrases

1. hard cheese

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to express sympathy over a petty matter.

• jolly hard cheese, better luck next time!

2. say cheese

said by a photographer to encourage the subject to smile.

– origin Old English cēse, cȳse, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kaas and German Käse; from Latin caseus.

cheese^2 /tʃiːz/

I. noun — (in phrase big cheese)

1. ‹informal› an important person.

• he was a really big cheese in the business world.

– origin 1920s: probably via Urdu from Persian čīz ‘thing’: the phrase the cheese was used earlier to mean ‘first-rate’ (i.e. the thing).

cheese^3 /tʃiːz/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. be cheesed off)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› exasperate, frustrate, or bore (someone)

• I got a bit cheesed off with the movie.

II. phrases

cheese it!

a. ‹archaic› used to urge someone to stop doing something.

b. ‹dated› used to urge someone to make a hasty departure from somewhere

• Cheese it, here comes Mr Madigan!

– origin early 19th cent. (in the archaic phrase cheese it, used to urge someone to stop doing something): of unknown origin.

cheeseball ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. adjective

lacking taste, style, or originality

• I'll admit to watching some of those cheeseball daytime talk shows.

II. noun

a person who lacks taste, style, or originality

• she's a walking cheeseball, but I love her anyway.

cheeseboard /ˈtʃiːzbɔːd/

noun

1. (Brit.) a selection of cheeses served as a course of a meal.

2. (Brit.) a board on which cheese is served and cut.

cheeseburger /ˈtʃiːzbəːɡə/

noun

a beefburger with a slice of cheese on it, served in a bread roll.

cheesecake /ˈtʃiːzkeɪk/

noun

1. a kind of rich sweet tart made with cream and soft cheese on a biscuit base.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› images portraying women in a manner which emphasizes idealized or stereotypical sexual attractiveness.
[as modifier]

• a cheesecake photo of herself wearing a silly hat and little else.

cheesecloth /ˈtʃiːzklɒθ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. thin, loosely woven, unsized cotton cloth, used typically for light clothing and in preparing or protecting food.

cheese-cutter

noun

1. an implement for cutting cheese, especially by means of a wire which can be pulled through the cheese.

2. (also cheese-cutter cap) — ‹informal› a cap with a broad, squared peak.

cheese fly

noun

a small shiny black fly whose larvae infest cheese. Also called cheese-skipper.
● Piophila casei, family Piophilidae.

cheese head

noun

(Brit.) a type of screw head with vertical sides and a slightly domed top.

cheesemaker /ˈtʃiːzmeɪkə/

I. noun

a person who makes cheese.

II. derivatives

cheesemaking /ˈtʃiːzmeɪkɪŋ /

noun

cheese mite

noun

a mite that infests cheese.
●Genus Tyroglyphus, order (or subclass) Acari.

cheesemonger

noun

(Brit.) a person who sells cheese, butter, and other dairy products.

cheese-paring

I. adjective

extremely careful or mean with money

• cheese-paring methods necessitated by desperate shortages.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. meanness.

cheese-skipper

noun

another term for cheese fly.

cheesesteak

noun

(US) a long bread roll with a filling of thinly sliced sautéed beef, melted cheese, and sautéed onions.

cheese straw

noun

a thin strip of pastry, flavoured with cheese and eaten as a snack.

cheesewood

noun

a small tropical evergreen tree with white flowers and yellowish-orange fruit.
●Genus Pittosporum, family Pittosporaceae: several species, in particular the Australian P. undulatum, with fragrant flowers and hard yellowish timber used in making golf clubs, and the South African P. viridifolium.

cheesy /ˈtʃiːzi/

I. adjective

1. like cheese in taste, smell, or consistency

• a pungent, cheesy sauce.

2. ‹informal› cheap and of low quality

• cheesy motel rooms.

3. hackneyed and obviously sentimental

• an album of cheesy pop hits.

4. (of a smile) exaggerated and likely to be insincere

• a cheesy grin.

II. derivatives

1. cheesily

adverb

2. cheesiness

noun

cheetah /ˈtʃiːtə/

I. noun

a large slender spotted cat found in Africa and parts of Asia. It is the fastest animal on land.
● Acinonyx jubatus, family Felidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Hindi cītā, perhaps from Sanskrit citraka ‘leopard’.

Cheever, John /ˈtʃiːvə/

(1912–82), American short-story writer and novelist. His stories frequently satirize affluent suburban New Englanders. Notable novels: The Wapshot Chronicle (1957).

chef /ʃɛf/

I. noun

a professional cook, typically the chief cook in a restaurant or hotel.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun cheffing)

1. ‹informal› work as a chef.

• he spent the next seven years cheffing in top restaurants and hotels in Germany.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, literally ‘head’.

chef d'école /ˌʃɛf deɪˈkɒl/

I. noun

the initiator or leader of a school or style of music, painting, or literature.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, ‘head of school’.

chef-d'œuvre /ʃeɪ ˈdəːvr(ə)/

I. noun

a masterpiece.

• the painting was made after a number of preliminary studies as a self-conscious chef d'oeuvre.

– origin French, ‘chief work’.

cheffy /ˈʃɛfi/

adjective

‹informal› relating to or characteristic of a chef (especially with reference to elaborate recipes, complicated techniques, etc.)

• there are no trendy ingredients or cheffy tricks

• when you cook and write a lot about food, you pick up some cheffy habits.

Chefoo /tʃiːˈfuː/

former name for Yantai.

Cheka /ˈtʃɛkə/

I. an organization under the Soviet regime for the investigation of counter-revolutionary activities. It executed many real and alleged enemies of Lenin's regime from its formation in 1917 until 1922, when it was replaced by the OGPU.

– origin Russian, from che, ka, the initial letters of Chrezvychaĭnaya komissiya ‘Extraordinary Commission (for combating Counter-revolution, Sabotage, and Speculation)’.

Chekhov, Anton /ˈtʃɛkɒf/

I. (1860–1904), Russian dramatist and short-story writer; full name Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. Chekhov's work, portraying upper-class life in pre-revolutionary Russia with a blend of naturalism and symbolism, had a considerable influence on 20th-century drama. Notable plays: The Seagull (1895), Uncle Vanya (1900), The Three Sisters (1901), and The Cherry Orchard (1904).

II. derivatives

Chekhovian /tʃɛˈkəʊvɪən /

adjective

Chekiang /tʃɛˈkjaŋ/

variant of Zhejiang.

chela^1 /ˈkiːlə/

I. noun

[Zoology] a pincer-like claw, especially of a crab or other crustacean.
Compare with chelicera.

– origin mid 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Latin chele or Greek khēlē ‘claw’.

chela^2 /ˈtʃeɪlə/

I. noun

a follower and pupil of a guru.

– origin from Hindi celā.

chelate /ˈkiːleɪt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a compound containing a ligand (typically organic) bonded to a central metal atom at two or more points.

II. adjective

[Zoology] (of an appendage) bearing chelae.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] form a chelate with.

IV. derivatives

1. chelation

noun

2. chelator

noun

chelation therapy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a therapy for mercury or lead poisoning that binds the toxins in the bloodstream by circulating a chelating solution.

2. a form of complementary therapy involving the intravenous infusion of substances intended to remove calcium from hardened arteries.

chelicera /kəˈlɪs(ə)rə/

I. noun

[Zoology] either of a pair of appendages in front of the mouth in arachnids and some other arthropods, usually modified as pincer-like claws.
Compare with chela^1.

II. derivatives

cheliceral

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek khēlē ‘claw’ + keras ‘horn’.

Chelicerata /kəˌlɪsəˈreɪtə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a large group of arthropods that comprises the arachnids, sea spiders, and horseshoe crabs. They lack antennae, but possess a pair of chelicerae, a pair of pedipalps, and (typically) four pairs of legs.
●Subphylum Chelicerata, phylum Arthropoda.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek khēlē ‘claw’ + keras ‘horn’.

chelicerate /kəˈlɪsəreɪt, kəˈlɪsər(ə)rət / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

an arthropod of the large group Chelicerata; an arachnid, sea spider, or horseshoe crab.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting chelicerates.

Chellean /ˈʃɛlɪən/

I. adjective, noun

former term for Abbevillian.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French Chelléen, from Chelles, near Paris, where tools from this period were discovered.

Chelmsford /ˈtʃɛlmzfəd/

a cathedral city in SE England, the county town of Essex; pop. 107,800 (est. 2009).

Chelonia /kɪˈləʊnɪə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] former term for Testudines.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek khelōnē ‘tortoise’.

chelonian /kɪˈləʊnɪən / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a reptile of the order Testudines (formerly Chelonia); a turtle, terrapin, or tortoise.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting chelonians.

Chelsea

a residential district of London, on the north bank of the River Thames.

Chelsea boot

noun

an elastic-sided boot, typically with a high heel.

Chelsea bun

I. noun

(Brit.) a flat, spiral-shaped currant bun sprinkled with sugar.

– origin early 18th cent.: named after Chelsea, where such buns were originally made.

Chelsea pensioner

noun

(in the UK) an inmate of the Chelsea Royal Hospital for old or disabled soldiers.

Chelsea tractor

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a large four-wheel drive vehicle used mainly in urban areas.

Chelsea ware

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of soft-paste porcelain made at Chelsea in the 18th century.

Cheltenham /ˈtʃɛlt(ə)nəm/

a town in western England, in Gloucestershire; pop. 104,300 (est. 2009). It became a fashionable spa town in the 19th century.

Chelyabinsk /tʃɪlˈjɑːbɪnsk/

an industrial city in southern Russia on the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains; pop. 1,092,500 (est. 2008).

chemi-

combining form

representing chemical.

chemical /ˈkɛmɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to chemistry, or the interactions of substances as studied in chemistry

• the chemical composition of the atmosphere.

2. relating to chemicals

• chemical treatments for killing fungi.

3. relating to or denoting the use of poison gas or other chemicals as weapons of war.

II. noun

1. a distinct compound or substance, especially one which has been artificially prepared or purified

• never mix disinfectant with other chemicals.

2. an addictive drug
[as modifier]

• chemical dependency.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French chimique or modern Latin chimicus, chymicus, from medieval Latin alchymicus, from alchimia (see alchemy).

chemical cosh

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a narcotic drug or drugs used to subdue a disruptive person, typically a patient in an institution

• health experts have denied claims that sedatives are being used as a chemical cosh for the elderly.

chemical engineering

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of engineering concerned with the design and operation of industrial chemical plants.

II. derivatives

chemical engineer

noun

chemical-free

adjective

1. (of farming or cultivation) not involving the use of artificial chemicals, especially pesticides or fertilizers

• a sustainable, chemical-free, grass-based livestock operation.

2. (of a product, especially food or drink) free from or produced without the use of artificial chemicals

• we use fresh vegetables and chemical-free poultry in our dishes.

chemically /ˈkɛmɪk(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to chemistry, or to the interactions of substances as studied in chemistry

• many of these compounds are chemically reactive.

2. by use of chemicals

• chemically modified vegetable oil

• her naturally wavy blonde hair was chemically straightened.

3. relating to or by means of alcohol or intoxicating drugs

• a chemically dependent person

• drugs and alcohol offered a chemically induced sense of belonging.

chemical potential

noun

[Chemistry] a thermodynamic function expressing the ability of an uncharged atom or molecule in a chemical system to perform physical work.

chemical reaction

noun

a process that involves rearrangement of the molecular or ionic structure of a substance, as distinct from a change in physical form or a nuclear reaction.

chemical toilet

noun

a toilet that is not connected to a sewage system but has a compartment in which waste is treated with chemicals for temporary storage

• the chemical toilet had been emptied and cleaned.

chemical weathering

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the erosion or disintegration of rocks, building materials, etc., caused by chemical reactions (chiefly with water and substances dissolved in it) rather than by mechanical processes.

chemico-

combining form

representing chemical.

chemiluminescence /ˌkɛmɪˌl(j)uːmɪˈnɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the emission of light during a chemical reaction which does not produce significant quantities of heat.

II. derivatives

chemiluminescent

adjective

chemin de fer /ʃəˌmã də ˈfɛː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a card game which is a variety of baccarat.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, literally ‘railway’.

chemise /ʃəˈmiːz/

I. noun

1. a dress hanging straight from the shoulders, popular in the 1920s.

2. a woman's loose-fitting undergarment or nightdress.

3. a priest's alb or surplice.

4. ‹historical› a smock.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from late Latin camisia ‘shirt or nightgown’.

chemisette /ˌʃɛmɪˈzɛt/

I. noun

a woman's undergarment similar to a camisole.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, diminutive of chemise.

chemisorption /ˌkɛmɪˈsɔːpʃ(ə)n, ˌkɛmɪˈzɔːpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] adsorption in which the adsorbed substance is held by chemical bonds.

II. derivatives

chemisorbed

adjective

– origin 1930s: from chemi- + a shortened form of adsorption (see adsorb).

chemist /ˈkɛmɪst/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a shop where medicinal drugs are dispensed and sold, and in which toiletries and other medical goods can be purchased.

• antihistamine tablets are freely available in chemists.

2. a person authorized to dispense medicinal drugs.

3. a person engaged in chemical research or experiments.

• chemists have developed catalysts that can turn low-grade fuels into petrol.

– origin late Middle English (denoting an alchemist): from French chimiste, from modern Latin chimista, from alchimista ‘alchemist’, from alchimia (see alchemy).

chemistry /ˈkɛmɪstri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of science concerned with the substances of which matter is composed, the investigation of their properties and reactions, and the use of such reactions to form new substances.

2. the chemical composition and properties of a substance or body.

• the patient's blood chemistry was monitored regularly.

• [ count noun] the chemistries of other galaxies.

3. the complex emotional or psychological interaction between people

• their affair was triggered by intense sexual chemistry.

Chemnitz /ˈkɛmnɪts/

an industrial city in eastern Germany, on the Chemnitz River; pop. 245,700 (est. 2006).
Former name (from 1953) Karl-Marx-Stadt.

chemo /ˈkiːməʊ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› chemotherapy.

• after nine months of chemo, her hair has grown in again.

chemo-

combining form

representing chemical.

chemoattractant /ˌkiːməʊəˈtraktənt, ˌkɛməʊəˈtraktənt/

noun

[Biology] a substance which attracts motile cells of a particular type.

chemoautotroph /ˌkiːməʊˈɔːtətrəʊf, ˌkiːməʊˈɔːtətrɒf, ˌkɛməʊˈɔːtətrəʊf, ˌkɛməʊˈɔːtətrɒf/

I. noun

[Biology] an organism, typically a bacterium, which derives energy from the oxidation of inorganic compounds.

II. derivatives

1. chemoautotrophic /ˌkiːməʊɔːtəˈtrəʊfɪk, ˌkiːməʊɔːtəˈtrɒfɪk /

adjective

2. chemoautotrophy /ˌkiːməʊɔːtəˈtrəʊfi, ˌkiːməʊɔːtəˈtrɒfi /

noun

chemoprophylaxis /ˌkiːməʊprɒfɪˈlaksɪs, ˌkɛməʊprɒfɪˈlaksɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of drugs to prevent disease.

II. derivatives

chemoprophylactic

adjective

chemoreceptor /ˈkiːməʊrɪˌsɛptə, ˈkɛməʊrɪˌsɛptə/

I. noun

[Physiology] a sensory cell or organ responsive to chemical stimuli.

II. derivatives

chemoreception

noun

chemosensory /ˌkiːməʊˈsɛns(ə)ri/

adjective

1. [Physiology] (of a sense organ or receptor) responsive to chemical stimuli.

2. [Physiology] of or relating to chemosensory organs or their action

• patients with chemosensory impairment.

chemostat /ˈkiːmə(ʊ)stat, ˈkɛmə(ʊ)stat/

noun

a system in which the chemical composition is kept at a controlled level, especially for the culture of microorganisms.

chemosynthesis /ˌkiːmə(ʊ)ˈsɪnθɪsɪs, ˌkɛmə(ʊ)ˈsɪnθɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the synthesis of organic compounds by bacteria or other living organisms using energy derived from reactions involving inorganic chemicals, typically in the absence of sunlight.
Compare with photosynthesis.

II. derivatives

chemosynthetic

adjective

chemotaxis /ˌkiːmə(ʊ)ˈtaksɪs, ˌkɛmə(ʊ)ˈtaksɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] movement of a motile cell or organism, or part of one, in a direction corresponding to a gradient of increasing or decreasing concentration of a particular substance.

II. derivatives

chemotactic

adjective

chemotherapy /ˌkiːmə(ʊ)ˈθɛrəpi, ˌkɛmə(ʊ)ˈθɛrəpi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the treatment of disease by the use of chemical substances, especially the treatment of cancer by cytotoxic and other drugs.

II. derivatives

chemotherapist /ˌkiːməʊˈθɛrəpɪst, ˌkɛməʊˈθɛrəpɪst /

noun

chemtrail /ˈkɛmtreɪl/

I. noun

a visible trail left in the sky by an aircraft and believed by some to consist of chemical or biological agents released as part of a covert operation, rather than the condensed water of a vapour trail.

• conspiracy theorists have been going wild with speculation over the nature and purpose of chemtrails.

– origin 1990s: blend of chemical and trail, on the pattern of contrail.

chemurgy /ˈkɛməːdʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the chemical and industrial use of organic raw materials.

II. derivatives

chemurgic /kɛˈməːdʒɪk /

adjective

– origin 1930s: from chemo-, on the pattern of metallurgy.

Chenab /tʃɪˈnɑːb/

a river of northern India and Pakistan, which rises in the Himalayas and flows through Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, to join the Sutlej River in Punjab. It is one of the five rivers that gave Punjab its name.

Chen-chiang /tʃɛnˈtʃjaŋ/

variant of Zhenjiang.

Chengchow /tʃɛŋˈtʃaʊ/

variant of Zhengzhou.

Chengdu /tʃɛŋˈduː/

the capital of Sichuan province in west central China; pop. 3,582,000 (est. 2006).

chenille /ʃəˈniːl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tufty, velvety cord or yarn, used for trimming furniture and made into carpets or clothing.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, literally ‘hairy caterpillar’, from Latin canicula ‘small dog’, diminutive of canis.

Chenin /ˈʃənã / Chenin blanc

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of wine grape native to the Loire valley but widely cultivated elsewhere.

2. a white wine made from the Chenin grape.

– origin French, perhaps from the name of the manor of Mont- Chenin, Touraine.

Chennai /ˈtʃɪnʌɪ/

a seaport on the east coast of India, capital of Tamil Nadu; pop. 4,590,300 (est. 2009).
Former name (until 1995) Madras.

cheongsam /tʃɪɒŋˈsam, tʃɒŋˈsam/

I. noun

a straight, close-fitting silk dress with a high neck and slit skirt, worn by Chinese and Indonesian women.

– origin Chinese (Cantonese dialect).

Cheops /ˈkiːɒps/

( fl. early 26th century BC), Egyptian pharaoh of the 4th dynasty; Egyptian name Khufu. He commissioned the building of the Great Pyramid at Giza.

cheque /tʃɛk / ‹US› check

I. noun

an order to a bank to pay a stated sum from the drawer's account, written on a specially printed form.

• they presented him with a cheque for £4,000.

• fees are payable by cheque or postal order.

– origin early 18th cent. (originally denoting a counterfoil, or a form with a counterfoil): variant of check^1, in the sense ‘device for checking the amount of an item’.

chequebook /ˈtʃɛkbʊk/

noun

a book of printed cheques ready for use.

chequebook journalism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of paying a large amount of money to acquire the exclusive right to publish a person's story in a newspaper.

• the shows mix gratuitous titillation and chequebook journalism.

cheque card cheque guarantee card

noun

(Brit.) a card issued by a bank to guarantee the honouring of cheques up to a stated amount.

cheque-proud

adjective

(Austral./NZ) (of a seasonal worker) recently paid for a season's work and anxious to spend money

• cheque-proud shearers were there in scores.

chequer /ˈtʃɛkə / ‹US› checker

I. noun

1. ( chequers) — a pattern of squares, typically alternately coloured

• a geometric shape bordered by chequers

• (as modifier chequer) a chequer design.

2. ( checkers) [treated as sing.] — (N. Amer.) the game of draughts.

3. ( checker) — a piece used in the game of draughts.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. divide into or mark with an arrangement of squares of different colour or character

• a great plain chequered with corn and green mosses.

– origin Middle English: from exchequer. The original sense ‘chessboard’ gave rise to chequered meaning ‘marked like a chessboard’; hence sense 1 of the noun (early 16th cent.).

chequerboard /ˈtʃɛkəbɔːd / ‹US› checkerboard

noun

1. a board for playing checkers (draughts) and similar games, having a regular pattern of squares in alternating colours, typically black and white.

2. a pattern resembling a chequerboard.

chequered /ˈtʃɛkəd / ‹US› checkered

adjective

1. having a pattern consisting of alternating squares of different colours.

• a blue and white chequered tablecloth.

2. marked by periods of varied fortune or discreditable incidents

• the chequered history of post-war Britain.

chequered flag

I. noun

[Motor Racing] a flag with a black-and-white chequered pattern, displayed to drivers at the end of a race.

II. phrases

take the chequered flag

finish first in a race.

• defending champion Lyons went on to take the chequered flag.

Chequers

a Tudor mansion in Buckinghamshire which serves as a country seat of the British Prime Minister in office.

Cher /ʃɛː/

a river of central France, which rises in the Massif Central, flowing 350 km (220 miles) northwards to meet the Loire near Tours.

Cherbourg /ˈʃəːbʊəɡ, French ʃɛʀbuʀ/

a seaport and naval base in Normandy, northern France; pop. 42,113 (2006).

Cheremis /ˈtʃɛrəmɪs/

noun

former term for the Mari language (see Mari^2).

Cherenkov, Pavel /tʃɪˈrɛŋkɒf / Cerenkov

(1904–90), Soviet physicist; full name Pavel Alekseevich Cherenkov. He investigated the effects of high-energy particles and shared the 1958 Nobel Prize for Physics for discovering the cause of blue light (now called Cerenkov radiation) emitted by radioactive substances underwater.

Cherepovets /ˌtʃɛrɪpəˈvjɛts/

a city in NW Russia, on the Rybinsk reservoir; pop. 308,000 (est. 2008).

cherimoya /ˌtʃɛrɪˈmɔɪə / chirimoya

I. noun

1. a kind of custard apple with scaly green skin and a flavour resembling that of pineapple.

2. the small tree which bears the cherimoya fruit, native to the Andes of Peru and Ecuador.
● Annona cherimola, family Annonaceae.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Spanish, from Quechua, from chiri ‘cold or refreshing’ + muya ‘circle’.

cherish /ˈtʃɛrɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. protect and care for (someone) lovingly.

• he needed a woman he could cherish.

2. hold (something) dear

• I cherish the letters she wrote.

3. keep (a hope or ambition) in one's mind

• he had long cherished a secret fantasy about his future.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘treat with affection’): from Old French cheriss-, lengthened stem of cherir, from cher ‘dear’, from Latin carus.

Cherkasy /tʃəˈkasi/

a port in central Ukraine, on the River Dnieper; pop. 288,600 (est. 2009). Russian name Cherkassy.

Cherkess /tʃəˈkɛs/

noun

another term for Circassian.

Cherkessk /tʃəˈkɛsk/

a city in the Caucasus in southern Russia, capital of the republic of Karachai-Cherkessia; pop. 116,300 (est. 2008).

chermoula /ʃɛːˈmuːlə, ʃɑːˈmuːlə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in North African cookery) a sauce or marinade for fish or meat, typically containing olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and coriander.

– origin French, from Arabic šeṛmula.

Chernenko, Konstantin /tʃəˈnjɛŋkəʊ/

(1911–85), Soviet statesman, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the USSR and President 1984–5; full name Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko. He died after only thirteen months in office and was succeeded by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Chernihiv /tʃɛːˈniːhɪv/

a port in northern Ukraine, on the River Desna; pop. 297,800 (est. 2009). Russian name Chernigov /tʃəˈniːɡɒf/.

Chernivtsi /tʃəˈnɪvtsi/

a city in western Ukraine, in the foothills of the Carpathians, close to the border with Romania; pop. 249,500 (est. 2009). It was part of Romania between 1918 and 1940. Russian name Chernovtsy /ˌtʃernəvˈtsi/.

Chernobyl /tʃəˈnɒbɪl, tʃəˈnəʊbɪl/

a town near Kiev in Ukraine where, in April 1986, an accident at a nuclear power station resulted in a serious escape of radioactive material.

Chernorechye /ˌtʃəːnəˈrɛtʃjə/

former name (until 1919) for Dzerzhinsk.

chernozem /ˈtʃəːnəzɛm/

I. noun

[Soil Science] a fertile black soil rich in humus and with a lighter lime-rich layer beneath, typically occurring in the temperate grasslands of the Russian steppes and North American prairies.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Russian, from chërnyĭ ‘black’ + zemlya ‘earth’.

Cherokee /ˌtʃɛrəˈkiː/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people formerly inhabiting much of the southern US, now living on reservations in Oklahoma and North Carolina.

2. [ mass noun] — the Iroquoian language of the Cherokee, which has had its own script since 1820 and has about 11,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Cherokee or their language.

– origin from obsolete Cherokee tsaraki, earlier form of tsaliki.

Cherokee rose

noun

a climbing Chinese rose with fragrant white flowers, which has become naturalized in the southern US.
● Rosa laevigata, family Rosaceae.

cheroot /ʃəˈruːt/

I. noun

a cigar with both ends open.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French cheroute, from Tamil curuṭṭu ‘roll of tobacco’.

cherry /ˈtʃɛri/

I. noun

1. a small, soft round stone fruit that is typically bright or dark red.

• a bowl of cherries.

• [as modifier] cherry pie.

2. (also cherry tree) — the tree that bears the cherry.
●Genus Prunus, family Rosaceae: several species, the edible kinds being derived from the sweet cherry ( P. avium) and the sour cherry ( P. cerasus).

3. (also cherrywood) [ mass noun] — the wood of the cherry tree.

4. used in names of unrelated plants with fruits similar to those of the cherry tree, e.g. cornelian cherry.

5. [ mass noun] — a bright deep red colour.
[as modifier]

• her mouth was a bright cherry red.

• she pulled up the collar of her cherry wool coat.

6. ( one's cherry) — ‹informal› one's virginity.

• only 3 per cent of the students lost their cherry at college.

II. phrases

1. a bite at the cherry

(Brit.) an attempt or opportunity to do something.

• the team had victory snatched from their grasp, and could well have had their last bite at the cherry.

2. a bowl of cherries

[usu. with negative] — a very pleasant or enjoyable situation or experience

• life isn't exactly a bowl of cherries.

3. the cherry on the cake (or on top)

a desirable feature perceived as the finishing touch to something that is already very good

• the car is faster than a Ferrari, but the cherry on the cake is the price.

– origin Middle English: from Old Northern French cherise, from medieval Latin ceresia, based on Greek kerasos ‘cherry tree, cherry’. The final - s was lost because cherise was interpreted as plural (compare with caper^2 and pea).

cherry brandy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sweet, dark red, cherry-flavoured liqueur made with brandy in which cherries have been steeped, or with crushed cherry stones.

cherry laurel

noun

an evergreen shrub or small tree with leathery leaves, white flowers, and cherry-like fruits, native to the Balkans and widely cultivated as the common ‘laurel’ of gardens.
● Prunus laurocerasus, family Rosaceae.

cherry-pick

verb — [with obj.]

1. selectively choose (the most beneficial or profitable items, opportunities, etc.) from what is available

• the company should buy the whole airline and not just cherry-pick its best assets.

cherry picker

noun

1. ‹informal› a hydraulic crane with a railed platform at the end for raising and lowering people, for instance to work on overhead cables.

• we had to use cherry pickers to get the appropriate camera angles.

2. ‹informal› a person who cherry-picks.

cherry pie

noun

a garden heliotrope with fragrant blue flowers.
●Genus Heliotropium, family Boraginaceae: several species.

cherry plum

noun

1. a SW Asian shrub or small tree with white flowers and small red and yellow edible fruit. Also called myrobalan.
● Prunus cerasifera, family Rosaceae.

2. the fruit of the cherry plum tree.

cherry red

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bright deep red colour
[as modifier]

• cherry-red lips.

cherry tomato

noun

a miniature tomato with a strong flavour.

Chersonese /ˈkəːsəniːz/

I. ancient name for the Gallipoli peninsula.

II. ( chersonese) — ‹literary› a peninsula.

– origin from Latin chersonesus, from Greek khersonēsos, from khersos ‘dry’ + nēsos ‘island’.

chert /tʃəːt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hard, dark, opaque rock composed of silica (chalcedony) with an amorphous or microscopically fine-grained texture. It occurs as nodules (flint) or, less often, in massive beds.

II. derivatives

cherty

adjective

– origin late 17th cent. (originally dialect): of unknown origin.

cherub /ˈtʃɛrəb/

I. noun

1. a winged angelic being described in biblical tradition as attending on God, represented in ancient Middle Eastern art as a lion or bull with eagles' wings and a human face and regarded in traditional Christian angelology as an angel of the second highest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy.

2. ( pl. cherubim or cherubs) — a representation of a cherub in Western art, depicted as a chubby, healthy-looking child with wings.

3. ( pl. cherubs) — a beautiful or innocent-looking child.

• a wistful cherub of eighteen months, photographed at her playgroup.

– origin Old English cherubin, ultimately (via Latin and Greek) from Hebrew kĕrūḇ, plural kĕrūḇīm. A rabbinic folk etymology, which explains the Hebrew singular form as representing Aramaic kĕ-raḇyā ‘like a child’, led to the representation of the cherub as a child.

cherubic /tʃɪˈruːbɪk/

I. adjective

having the innocence or plump prettiness of a young child

• a round, cherubic face.

II. derivatives

cherubically

adverb

Cherubini, Luigi /ˌkɛrʊˈbiːni/

(1760–1842), Italian composer; full name Maria Luigi Carlo Zenobio Salvatore Cherubini. He spent most of his composing career in Paris and is principally known for his church music and operas.

chervil /ˈtʃəːvɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Eurasian plant of the parsley family, with delicate fern-like leaves which are used as a culinary herb.
● Anthriscus cerefolium, family Umbelliferae.

– origin Old English, from Latin chaerephylla, from Greek khairephullon.

chervonets /ˌtʃəːvəʊˈnjɛts/

I. noun

1. a pre-Revolutionary Russian gold coin, worth three roubles.

2. a currency note introduced by the Bolsheviks in 1922, worth ten roubles.

– origin Russian.

Cherwell, 1st Viscount /ˈtʃɑːwɛl/

(1886–1957), German-born British physicist; born Frederick Alexander Lindemann. He was Churchill's scientific and aeronautical adviser during the Second World War.

Ches.

abbreviation

Cheshire.

Chesapeake Bay /ˈtʃɛsəpiːk/

a large inlet of the North Atlantic on the US coast, extending 320 km (200 miles) northwards through the states of Virginia and Maryland.

chesed /ˈxɛsəd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Judaism] the attribute of grace, benevolence, or compassion, especially (in Kabbalism) as one of the sephiroth.

– origin Hebrew ḥeseḏ ‘grace, loving-kindness’.

Cheshire^1 /ˈtʃɛʃ(ɪ)ə/

a county of west central England; county town, Chester.

Cheshire^2 /ˈtʃɛʃə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of firm crumbly cheese, originally made in Cheshire.

Cheshire, Leonard /ˈtʃɛʃə/

(1917–92), British airman and philanthropist; full name Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire. A bomber pilot in the Second World War, he later founded the Cheshire Foundation Homes for disabled and incurably sick people.

Cheshire cat /tʃɛʃəˈkat/

I. noun

a cat depicted with a broad fixed grin, as popularized through Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865).

II. phrases

grin like a Cheshire cat

have a broad fixed smile on one's face.

– origin late 18th cent.: of unknown origin, but it is said that Cheshire cheeses used to be marked with the face of a smiling cat.

Chesil Beach /ˈtʃɛz(ə)l / Chesil Bank

a shingle beach in southern England, off the Dorset coast. It is over 25 km (17 miles) long and encloses a tidal lagoon.

chess /tʃɛs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a board game of strategic skill for two players, played on a chequered board on which each playing piece is moved according to precise rules. The object is to put the opponent's king under a direct attack from which escape is impossible ( checkmate).

– origin Middle English: from Old French esches, plural of eschec ‘a check’ (see check^1).

chessboard /ˈtʃɛsbɔːd/

noun

a square board divided into sixty-four alternating dark and light squares (conventionally called ‘black’ and ‘white’), used for playing chess or draughts (checkers).

chessman /ˈtʃɛsman/

noun

a solid figure used as a chess piece.

• ivory chessmen stood on an inlaid board.

chess set

noun

a chessboard and a set of chessmen.

chest /tʃɛst/

I. noun

1. the front surface of a person's or animal's body between the neck and the stomach.

• she crossed her arms across her chest.

• he was very well built, with a muscular chest.

2. the whole of a person's upper trunk, especially as considered with reference to their respiratory health or to their size of clothes

• a bad chest

• a 42-inch chest.

3. a large strong box, typically made of wood and used for storage or transport.

• an oak chest.

4. a small cabinet for medicines, toiletries, etc.

• the medicine chest.

5. (Brit.) the treasury or financial resources of some institutions

• the university chest.

II. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of direction]

1. [Soccer] propel (the ball) by means of one's chest.

• he chested the ball down.

III. phrases

1. get something off one's chest

‹informal› say something that one has wanted to say for a long time, resulting in a feeling of relief.

• tell me about it, get it off your chest.

2. play (or keep) one's cards close to one's chest (or ‹N. Amer.› vest)

‹informal› be extremely secretive and cautious about one's intentions.

• the less skilled negotiator feels vulnerable and is more likely to keep his cards close to his chest.

IV. derivatives

chested

adjective

[in combination]

• a broad-chested athlete

– origin Old English cest, cyst, related to Dutch kist and German Kiste, based on Greek kistē ‘box’.

Chester /ˈtʃɛstə/

a city in NW England, the county town of Cheshire; pop. 80,600 (est. 2009).

chesterfield /ˈtʃɛstəfiːld/

I. noun

1. a sofa with padded arms and back of the same height and curved outwards at the top.

2. (Canadian) any sofa.

3. a man's plain straight overcoat, typically with a velvet collar.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in sense 2): named after a 19th-cent. Earl of Chesterfield.

Chesterfield

a town in Derbyshire, north central England; pop. 71,100 (est. 2009).

Chesterton, G. K.

(1874–1936), English essayist, novelist, and critic; full name Gilbert Keith Chesterton. His novels include The Napoleon of Notting Hill (1904) and a series of detective stories featuring Father Brown, a priest with a talent for crime detection.

Chester White

I. noun

a pig of a prolific white breed, developed in North America.

– origin named after Chester county, Pennsylvania.

chest freezer

noun

a freezer with a hinged lid rather than a door.

chest mark

noun

[Australian Rules] a catch, from a long kick, in which the ball is gathered into the chest

• then he takes a good chest mark 50m out from goal.

chestnut /ˈtʃɛsnʌt/

I. noun

1. (also sweet chestnut) — a glossy hard brown edible nut which develops within a bristly case and which may be roasted and eaten.

2. [ mass noun] — a deep reddish-brown colour.
[as modifier]

• chestnut hair.

3. (also chesnut) — a horse of a reddish-brown or yellowish-brown colour, with a brown mane and tail.
[as modifier]

• a chestnut stallion.

4. (also chestnut tree, sweet chestnut, or Spanish chestnut) — the large European tree that produces the edible chestnut, with serrated leaves and heavy timber.
● Castanea sativa, family Fagaceae.

5. short for horse chestnut.

6. used in names of trees and plants that are related to the sweet chestnut, or produce similar nuts or edible parts that resemble them, e.g. water chestnut.

7. a small horny patch on the inside of each of a horse's legs.

II. phrases

1. an old chestnut

a joke, story, or subject that has become tedious and uninteresting through constant repetition.

• the subject under discussion is that old chestnut, public or private financing of the arts.

2. pull someone's chestnuts out of the fire

succeed in a hazardous undertaking for someone else's benefit.
[with reference to the fable of a monkey using a cat's paw to extract roasting chestnuts from a fire.]

– origin early 16th cent.: from Old English chesten (from Old French chastaine, via Latin from Greek kastanea) + nut.

chestnut-coloured

adjective

of a deep reddish-brown colour

• chestnut-coloured cattle.

chestnut oak

noun

a North American oak which has leaves resembling those of the chestnut.
●Genus Quercus, family Fagaceae: several species.

chest of drawers

noun

a piece of furniture used for storage, consisting of an upright frame into which drawers are fitted.

chest voice

noun — [in sing.]

1. the lowest register of the voice in singing or speaking.

chesty /ˈtʃɛsti/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› (Brit.) having a lot of catarrh in the lungs.

• he got a bit chesty.

• a chesty cough.

2. ‹informal› (of a woman) having large or prominent breasts.

3. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) conceited and arrogant.

• people hate a chesty man.

II. derivatives

1. chestily

adverb

2. chestiness

noun

Chetnik /ˈtʃɛtnɪk/

I. noun

a member of a Slavic nationalist guerrilla force in the Balkans, especially during the Second World War.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Serbian četnik, from četa ‘band, troop’.

chetrum /ˈtʃɛtruːm/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Bhutan, equal to one hundredth of a ngultrum.

– origin Dzongkha.

Chetumal /ˌtʃɛtʊˈmɑːl/

a port in SE Mexico, on the Yucatán Peninsula at the border with Belize, capital of the state of Quintana Roo; pop. 136,825 (2005).

cheval glass /ʃəˈval / cheval mirror

I. noun

a tall mirror fitted at its middle to an upright frame so that it can be tilted.

– origin mid 19th cent.: cheval from French, in the sense ‘frame’.

chevalier /ˌʃɛvəˈlɪə/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a knight.

2. ‹historical› a member of certain orders of knighthood or of modern French orders such as the Legion of Honour.

3. ( Chevalier) — ‹historical› (Brit.) ‹historical› a title of the Old and Young Pretenders.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a horseman or mounted knight): from Old French, from medieval Latin caballarius, from Latin caballus ‘horse’. Compare with caballero and cavalier.

Chevalier, Maurice /ʃəˈvalɪeɪ, French ʃ(ə)valje/

(1888–1972), French singer and actor. Notable films: Innocents of Paris (1929) and Gigi (1958).

chevet /ʃəˈveɪ/

I. noun

[Architecture] (in large churches) an apse with an ambulatory giving access behind the high altar to a series of chapels set in bays.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘pillow’, from Latin capitium, from caput ‘head’.

Cheviot /ˈtʃɛvɪət, ˈtʃiːvɪət/

noun

1. a large sheep of a breed with short thick wool.

2. ( cheviot) [ mass noun] — the wool or tweed cloth obtained from the Cheviot sheep.

Cheviot Hills /ˈtʃɛvɪət, ˈtʃiːv- / the Cheviots

a range of hills on the border between England and Scotland.

chèvre /ʃɛvr(ə)/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. French cheese made with goat's milk.

– origin French, literally ‘goat, she-goat’, from Latin caper.

chevron /ˈʃɛvrən/

I. noun

1. a V-shaped line or stripe, especially one on the sleeve of a uniform indicating rank or length of service.

2. [Heraldry] an ordinary in the form of a broad inverted V-shape.

– origin late Middle English (in heraldic use): from Old French, based on Latin caper ‘goat’; compare with Latin capreoli (diminutive of caper) used to mean ‘pair of rafters’.

chevrotain /ˈʃɛvrəteɪn/

I. noun

a small deer-like mammal with small tusks, typically nocturnal and found in the tropical rainforests of Africa and southern Asia. Also called mouse deer.
●Family Tragulidae: genera Tragulus (three Asian species) and Hyemoschus (one African species).

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, diminutive of Old French chevrot, diminutive of chèvre ‘goat’.

Chevy /ˈʃɛvi / Chevvy

noun

‹informal› a Chevrolet car.

• a huge, shiny Chevvy with tail fins and white wall tyres.

chew /tʃuː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. bite and work (food) in the mouth with the teeth, especially to make it easier to swallow

• he was chewing a mouthful of toast

• [no obj.] he chewed for a moment, then swallowed.

2. gnaw at (something) persistently

• he chewed his lip reflectively

• [no obj.] she chewed at a fingernail.

II. noun

1. a repeated biting or gnawing of something.

• the dog was enjoying a quiet chew of his bone.

2. something that is meant for chewing

• a dog chew

• a chew of tobacco.

3. a chewy sweet.

• a gobstopper or a chew could be bought for a farthing.

III. phrases

1. chew the cud

see cud.

2. chew the fat (or rag)

‹informal› chat in a leisurely and prolonged way.

• we were chewing the fat, telling stories about the old days.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. chew someone out

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› reprimand someone severely

• he chewed me out for being late.

2. chew something over

discuss or consider something at length

• executives met to chew over the company's future.

3. chew something up

damage or destroy something as if by chewing

• the bikes were chewing up the paths.

V. derivatives

1. chewable /ˈtʃuːəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. chewer

noun

[usu. in combination]

• a tobacco-chewer

– origin Old English cēowan, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kauwen and German kauen.

chewing gum /ˈtʃuːɪŋ ɡʌm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. flavoured gum for chewing, typically made from chicle.

chew stick

noun

a Caribbean climbing plant of the buckthorn family, the twigs or bark of which are chewed to clean the teeth, for their flavour, or as a stimulant.
● Gouania domingensis, family Rhamnaceae.

chewy /ˈtʃuːi/

I. adjective

(of food) needing to be chewed hard or for some time before being swallowed.

• the rye bread has a nice, chewy texture.

• ‹derogatory› the pigeon breast starter was chewy and overcooked.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› chewing gum

• I had forgotten my chewy.

III. phrases

chewy on your boot

(Austral.) ‹informal› a spectator's call intended to discourage or mock a player

• the opposition yell, ‘chewy on your boot!’.

IV. derivatives

chewiness

noun

Cheyenne^1 /ʃʌɪˈan, ʃʌɪˈɛn/

the state capital of Wyoming; pop. 56,915 (est. 2008).

Cheyenne^2 /ʃʌɪˈan/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people formerly living between the Missouri and Arkansas Rivers but now on reservations in Montana and Oklahoma.

2. [ mass noun] — the Algonquian language of the Cheyenne, now almost extinct.

II. adjective

relating to the Cheyenne or their language.

– origin Canadian French, from Dakota šahíyena, from šaia ‘speak incoherently’, from ša ‘red’ + ya ‘speak’.

Cheyne–Stokes breathing /tʃeɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a cyclical pattern of breathing in which movement gradually decreases to a complete stop and then returns to normal. It occurs in various medical conditions, and at high altitudes.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after John Cheyne (1777–1836), Scottish physician, and William Stokes (1804–78), Irish physician.

chez /ʃeɪ/

I. preposition

at the home of (used in conscious imitation of French)

• I spent one summer chez Grandma.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, from Old French chiese, from Latin casa ‘cottage’.

CHF

I. abbreviation

Swiss franc(s).

– origin CH from Latin Confoederatio Helvetica ‘Confederation of Switzerland’.

Chhattisgarh /ˌtʃatɪzˈɡɑː/

a state in central India, formed in 2000 from the SE part of Madhya Pradesh; capital, Raipur.

chhi-chhi /ˈtʃiːtʃiː / chee-chee

I. exclamation

(Indian) used to express disgust.

• Today it was the love scene, chhi-chhi. I was just dying inside, thinking how to go near to that man with his breath of rotting cockroach dung.

– origin perhaps from Hindi chī-chī! ‘shame on you!’ (literally ‘dirt, excrement’).

chi^1 /kʌɪ/

I. noun

1. the twenty-second letter of the Greek alphabet ( Χ, χ), transliterated as ‘kh’ or ‘ch’.

2. ( Chi) [followed by Latin genitive] — [Astronomy] the twenty-second star in a constellation

• Chi Ophiuchi.

– origin Greek.

chi^2 /kiː / qi, ki

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the circulating life force whose existence and properties are the basis of much Chinese philosophy and medicine.

– origin from Chinese qì, literally ‘air, breath’.

chiack /ˈtʃʌɪak/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as noun chiacking)

1. (Austral.) (NZ) jeer at or tease.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from British slang chihike, originally a costermonger's cry.

Chiang Kai-shek /ˌtʃjaŋ kʌɪˈʃɛk / Jiang Jie Shi

(1887–1975), Chinese statesman and general, President of China 1928–31 and 1943–9 and of Taiwan 1950–75. He tried to unite China by military means in the 1930s but was defeated by the communists after the end of the Second World War. Forced to abandon mainland China in 1949, he set up a separate Nationalist Chinese State in Taiwan.

Chiangmai /tʃjaŋˈmʌɪ/

a city in NW Thailand; pop. 148,800 (est. 2007).

Chianina /ˌkɪəˈniːnə/

I. noun

an animal of a very large white breed of cattle, kept for its lean meat.

– origin from Italian.

Chianti /kɪˈanti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dry red Italian wine produced in Tuscany.

– origin named after the Chianti Mountains, Italy.

Chiapas /tʃɪˈɑːpəs/

a state of southern Mexico, bordering Guatemala; capital, Tuxtla Gutiérrez.

chiaroscuro /kɪˌɑːrəˈskʊərəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting.

2. an effect of contrasted light and shadow

• the chiaroscuro of cobbled streets.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Italian, from chiaro ‘clear, bright’ (from Latin clarus) + oscuro ‘dark, obscure’ (from Latin obscurus).

chiasma /kʌɪˈazmə, kɪˈazmə/

I. noun

1. (also optic chiasma) — [Anatomy] the X-shaped structure formed at the point below the brain where the two optic nerves cross over each other.

2. [Biology] a point at which paired chromosomes remain in contact during the first metaphase of meiosis, and at which crossing over and exchange of genetic material occur between the strands.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek chiasma ‘crosspiece, cross-shaped mark’, from khiazein ‘mark with the letter chi’.

chiasmus /kʌɪˈazməs, kɪˈazməs/

I. noun

a rhetorical or literary figure in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order.

II. derivatives

chiastic /kʌɪˈastɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘crosswise arrangement’): modern Latin, from Greek khiasmos, from khiazein ‘mark with the letter chi’, from khi ‘chi’.

chiastolite /kʌɪˈastəlʌɪt, kɪˈastəlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of the mineral andalusite containing carbonaceous inclusions giving a cross-shaped appearance.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek khiastos ‘arranged crosswise’ + -lite.

chib ‹Scottish›

I. noun

a knife used as a weapon.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. stab (someone).

– origin perhaps a variant of shiv.

Chiba /ˈtʃiːbə/

a city in Japan, on the island of Honshu, east of Tokyo; pop. 910,142 (2007).

Chibcha /ˈtʃɪbtʃə/

I. noun

1. a member of an indigenous people of Colombia whose ancient civilization was destroyed by Europeans.

2. [ mass noun] — the extinct Chibchan language of the Chibcha.

– origin American Spanish, from Chibcha zipa ‘chief, hereditary leader’.

Chibchan /ˈtʃɪbtʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a language family of Colombia and Central America, most members of which are now extinct or nearly so.

II. adjective

relating to Chibchan.

chibouk /tʃɪˈbuːk/

I. noun

a long Turkish tobacco pipe.

– origin early 19th cent.: French chibouque, from Turkish çubuk, literally ‘tube’.

chic /ʃiːk/

I. adjective

elegantly and stylishly fashionable

• she looked every inch the chic Frenchwoman.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. stylishness and elegance, typically of a specified kind

• the hotel's lobby and restaurant are the height of designer chic.

III. derivatives

1. chicly

adverb

2. chicness

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, probably from German Schick ‘skill’.

chica /ˈtʃiːkə/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a girl or young woman (often as a form of address)

• you rock, chica!

• she is one tough chica.

– origin Spanish.

Chicago /ʃɪˈkɑːɡəʊ/

a city in Illinois, on Lake Michigan; pop. 2,853,114 (est. 2008). Selected as a terminal for the new Illinois and Michigan canal, Chicago developed during the 19th century as a major grain market and food-processing centre.

Chicagoan /ʃɪˈkɑːɡəʊən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the US city of Chicago in Illinois

• something Chicagoan like pizza.

II. noun

an inhabitant of the US city of Chicago in Illinois

• she was a Chicagoan and president of the group.

Chicana /tʃɪˈkɑːna, ʃɪˈkɑːna, tʃɪˈkeɪna/

I. noun

(chiefly US) (in North America) a woman or girl of Mexican origin or descent.
See also Chicano.

– origin Mexican Spanish, alteration of Spanish mejicana (feminine) ‘Mexican’.

chicane /ʃɪˈkeɪn/

I. noun

1. a sharp double bend created to form an obstacle on a motor-racing track or a road.

• the Austrian's car flew out of control and spun across the chicane.

2. ‹dated› (in card games) a hand without cards of one particular suit; a void.

3. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› the use of deception; chicanery.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹archaic› employ chicanery.

• he spends more time chicaning on texts than invoking principles.

2. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› deceive (someone).

• she could not chicane me into admitting the promise of marriage.

– origin late 17th cent. (in the senses ‘chicanery’ and ‘use chicanery’): from French chicane (noun), chicaner (verb) ‘quibble’, of unknown origin.

chicanery /ʃɪˈkeɪnəri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of deception or subterfuge to achieve one's purpose

• storylines packed with political chicanery.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French chicanerie, from chicaner ‘to quibble’ (see chicane).

Chicano /tʃɪˈkɑːnəʊ, ʃɪˈkɑːnəʊ, tʃɪˈkeɪnəʊ/

I. noun

(chiefly US) (in North America) a person of Mexican origin or descent, especially a man or boy.
[as modifier]

• Chicano culture.

See also Chicana.

– origin Mexican Spanish, alteration of Spanish mejicano (masculine) ‘Mexican’.

chicha /ˈtʃɪtʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in South and Central America) a kind of beer made typically from maize.

– origin American Spanish, from Kuna.

chicharron /ˌtʃiːtʃəˈrəʊn/

I. noun

(in Mexican cooking) a piece of fried pork crackling.

– origin from American Spanish chicharrón.

Chichén Itzá /tʃɪˌtʃɛn ɪtˈsɑː/

a site in northern Yucatán, Mexico, the centre of the Mayan empire after AD 918.

Chichester /ˈtʃɪtʃɪstə/

a city in southern England, the county town of West Sussex; pop. 29,100 (est. 2009).

Chichester, Sir Francis /ˈtʃɪtʃɪstə/

(1901–72), English yachtsman; full name Sir Francis Charles Chichester. In his yacht Gipsy Moth IV he was the first person to sail alone round the world with only one stop (1966–7).

Chichewa /tʃɪˈtʃeɪwə/

noun

another term for Nyanja (the language).

chichi^1 /ˈʃiːʃiː/

I. adjective

attempting stylish elegance but achieving only an over-elaborate pretentiousness

• the tiny chichi dining room.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. pretentious and over-elaborate refinement

• a good restaurant without the chichi traditionally associated with French food.

– origin early 20th cent. (in the sense ‘showiness or pretentious object’): from French, of imitative origin.

chichi^2 /ˈʃiːʃiː/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a woman's breast.

– origin late 20th cent.: military slang, of Japanese origin.

Chichimec /ˌtʃiːtʃɪˈmɛk/

I. noun

1. a member of a group of American Indian peoples, including the Toltecs and the Aztecs, dominant in central Mexico from the 10th to the 16th centuries.

2. [ mass noun] — a Uto-Aztecan language of the Chichimec, with some 5,000 surviving speakers.

– origin Spanish, from Nahuatl.

chick^1 /tʃɪk/

I. noun

1. a young bird, especially one newly hatched.

• the cattle egrets hatched and reared two chicks.

• [with modifier] cuckoo chicks.

2. a newly hatched young domestic fowl.

• dozens of fluffy, chirruping chicks hatched out.

3. ‹informal› a young woman

• she's a great-looking chick.

II. phrases

neither chick nor child

(N. Amer.) ‹dialect› no children at all.

– origin Middle English: abbreviation of chicken.

chick^2 /tʃɪk/

I. noun

(in South Asia) a folding bamboo screen for a doorway.

– origin from Urdu chik, from Persian čigh.

chickabiddy /ˈtʃɪkəbɪdi/

I. noun

‹informal› an affectionate form of address for a small child or a loved one.

– origin late 18th cent.: from chick^1 + -a- (for ease of pronunciation) + biddy.

chickadee /ˈtʃɪkədiː/

I. noun

North American term for tit^1.

– origin mid 19th cent.: imitative of its call.

chickaree

I. noun

a squirrel with red fur, found in the coniferous forests of North America.
●Genus Tamiasciurus, family Sciuridae: three species.

– origin early 19th cent.: imitative of its call.

Chickasaw /ˈtʃɪkəsɔː/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people formerly resident in Mississippi and Alabama, and now in Oklahoma.

2. [ mass noun] — the Muskogean language of the Chickasaw, now all but extinct.

II. adjective

relating to the Chickasaw or their language.

– origin the name in Chickasaw.

chicken /ˈtʃɪkɪn/

I. noun

1. a domestic fowl kept for its eggs or meat, especially a young one.

• rationing was still in force and most people kept chickens.

2. [ mass noun] — meat from a chicken

• roast chicken.

3. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› a game in which the first person to lose their nerve and withdraw from a dangerous situation is the loser.

• he was killed by a car after he lay in the road playing chicken.

4. [ count noun] — a coward.

II. adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹informal› cowardly

• I was too chicken to go to court.

III. verb — [no obj.] ( chicken out)

1. ‹informal› withdraw from or fail in something through lack of nerve

• the referee chickened out of giving a penalty.

IV. phrases

1. chicken-and-egg

denoting a situation in which each of two things appears to be necessary to the other.

• it's a chicken-and-egg situation where men don't come forward because there's no research to report and until they come forward research isn't forthcoming.

2. don't count your chickens before they're hatched

see count^1.

3. like a headless chicken

‹informal› in a panic-stricken and unthinking manner.

• players were running about like headless chickens, going in different directions.

– origin Old English cīcen, cȳcen, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kieken and German Küchlein, and probably also to cock^1.

chicken à la king

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cooked breast of chicken in a cream sauce with mushrooms and peppers.

– origin said to be named after E. Clark King, proprietor of a New York hotel.

chicken brick

noun

(Brit.) an earthenware container for roasting a chicken in its own juices.

chicken cholera

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an infectious disease of fowls, a form of pasteurellosis.

chicken coop

noun

a cage or pen in which chickens are kept

• I plan to eat eggs from my son's backyard chicken coop.

chicken feed

noun

1. [ mass noun] — food for poultry.

2. ‹informal› a ridiculously small sum of money.

• the pay was chicken feed for the work I put in.

chicken-fried steak

noun

(US) a thin piece of beef which is lightly battered and fried until crisp.

chicken hawk

noun

1. (US) a hawk of a type that is reputed to prey on domestic fowl.

2. (US) ‹informal› an older man who seeks younger men or boys as sexual partners.

3. (US) ‹informal› a person who speaks out in support of war yet has avoided active military service.

chicken-hearted chicken-livered

adjective

easily frightened; cowardly.

chicken Kiev

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dish consisting of a chicken breast stuffed with garlic butter, coated with breadcrumbs, and then fried or baked

• chicken Kiev is always time-consuming to prepare but it's worth it.

Chicken Little

I. noun

(N. Amer.) an alarmist or person who panics easily.
[as modifier]

• Chicken Little travel agents say the place is dangerous.

– origin 1990s: from the name of a character in a nursery story who repeatedly warns that the sky is falling down.

chickenpox /ˈtʃɪkɪnpɒks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an infectious disease causing a mild fever and a rash of itchy inflamed pimples which turn to blisters and then loose scabs. It is caused by the herpes zoster virus and mainly affects children.
Also called varicella.

– origin early 18th cent.: probably so named because of its mildness, as compared to smallpox.

chicken run

noun

an enclosed area in which chickens may move freely in the open

• you must have a chicken run to protect the garden from the hens.

chickenshit /ˈtʃɪkɪnʃɪt / ‹N. Amer. vulgar slang›

I. adjective

1. worthless or contemptible (used as a general term of abuse).

2. cowardly.

II. noun

1. a worthless or contemptible person.

2. [ mass noun] — something worthless; rubbish.

chicken wire

noun — [ mass noun]

1. light wire netting with a hexagonal mesh.

chick flick

noun

‹informal› ‹chiefly derogatory› a film which appeals to young women.

chickling pea

I. noun

another term for grass pea.

– origin mid 16th cent.: based on obsolete chich ‘chickpea’.

chick lit

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› ‹chiefly derogatory› literature which appeals to young women.

chickpea /ˈtʃɪkpiː/

I. noun

1. a round yellowish edible seed, widely used as a pulse.
Also called garbanzo.

2. the Old World plant of the pea family which bears chickpeas.
● Cicer arietinum, family Leguminosae.

– origin early 18th cent. (earlier as chiche-pease): from late Middle English chiche (from Old French chiche, cice, from Latin cicer ‘chickpea’) + pease.

chickweed /ˈtʃɪkwiːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a small, widespread, white-flowered plant of the pink family, often growing as a garden weed, and sometimes eaten by poultry.
● Stellaria and other genera, family Caryophyllaceae: several species.

chicle /ˈtʃɪk(ə)l, ˈtʃɪkli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the milky latex of the sapodilla tree, formerly chewed by the Aztecs and now used to make chewing gum.

2. another term for sapodilla.

– origin via Latin American Spanish, from Nahuatl tzictli.

chicory /ˈtʃɪk(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a blue-flowered Mediterranean plant of the daisy family, cultivated for its edible salad leaves and carrot-shaped root.
● Cichorium intybus, family Compositae.

2. [ mass noun] — the root of the chicory plant, which is roasted and ground for use as an additive to or substitute for coffee.

3. North American term for endive.

– origin late Middle English: from obsolete French cicorée (earlier form of chicorée) ‘endive’, via Latin from Greek kikhorion.

chide /tʃʌɪd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. scold or rebuke

• she chided him for not replying to her letters

• [with direct speech] ‘Now, now,’ he chided.

II. derivatives

1. chider

noun

2. chiding

adjective

3. chidingly

adverb

– origin Old English cīdan, of unknown origin.

chief /tʃiːf/

I. noun

1. a leader or ruler of a people or clan

• the chief of the village

• [as title] Chief Banawi.

2. the head of an organization

• a union chief

• the chief of police.

3. an informal form of address to a man, especially one of superior rank or status

• it's quite simple, chief.

4. [Heraldry] an ordinary consisting of a broad horizontal band across the top of the shield.

5. the upper third of the field.

II. adjective

1. most important

• the chief reason for the spending cuts

• chief among her concerns is working alone at night.

2. having or denoting the highest rank

• the chief economist of a leading bank.

III. phrases

1. chief cook and bottle-washer

‹informal› a person who performs a variety of important but routine tasks.

2. in chief

[Heraldry] at the top; in the upper part.
See also -in-chief.

3. too many chiefs and not enough Indians

used to describe a situation where there are too many people giving orders and not enough people to carry them out.

IV. derivatives

chiefdom /ˈtʃiːfdəm /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French chief, chef, based on Latin caput ‘head’.

chief constable

noun

(Brit.) the head of the police force of a county or other region.

chief fire officer

noun

(Brit.) the person in charge of a fire service

• Lancashire's chief fire officer is strongly supportive of this campaign.

chief inspector

noun

(Brit.) a police officer ranking above inspector and below superintendent.

chiefly /ˈtʃiːfli/

adverb

1. mainly

• he is remembered chiefly for his organ sonatas.

2. for the most part; mostly

• an audience consisting chiefly of women between the ages of 18 and 54.

chief of staff

noun

the senior staff officer of a service, command, or formation.

chief petty officer

noun

a rank of non-commissioned officer in a navy, above petty officer and below warrant officer or senior chief petty officer.

chief police officer

noun

(Brit.) the person in charge of a police force

• the inquiry was led by the chief police officer in London.

chief rabbi

noun

(in the UK and some other countries) the leading rabbi of a national Jewish community.

chieftain /ˈtʃiːft(ə)n/

I. noun

1. the leader of a people or clan.

• powerful feudal chieftains.

2. ‹informal› a powerful member of an organization.

• an elite composed of corporate chieftains.

II. derivatives

1. chieftaincy /ˈtʃiːft(ə)nsi /

noun

2. chieftainship /ˈtʃiːft(ə)nʃɪp /

noun

– origin Middle English and Old French chevetaine, from late Latin capitaneus (see captain). The spelling was altered by association with chief.

chief technician

noun

a rank of non-commissioned officer in the RAF, above sergeant and below flight sergeant.

chief warrant officer

noun

a rank in the US armed forces, above warrant officer and below the lowest-ranking commissioned officer.

chiffchaff /ˈtʃɪftʃaf/

I. noun

a small Eurasian and North African migratory leaf warbler with drab plumage.
●Genus Phylloscopus, family Sylviidae: two species.

– origin late 18th cent.: imitative of its call.

chiffon /ˈʃɪfɒn/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a light, transparent fabric typically made of silk or nylon
[as modifier]

• a chiffon blouse.

2. [as modifier] — (of a cake or dessert) made with beaten egg to give a light consistency

• chiffon cake.

– origin mid 18th cent. (originally plural, denoting trimmings on a woman's dress): from French, from chiffe ‘rag’.

chiffonade /ˌʃɪfəˈnɑːd/

I. noun

a preparation of shredded or finely cut leaf vegetables, used as a garnish for soup.

– origin French, from chiffonner ‘to crumple’.

chiffonier /ˌʃɪfəˈnɪə/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a low cupboard either used as a sideboard or with a raised bookshelf on top.

2. (N. Amer.) a tall chest of drawers.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French chiffonnier, chiffonnière, literally ‘ragpicker’, also denoting a chest of drawers for odds and ends.

chifforobe /ˈʃɪfərəʊb/

I. noun

(US) a piece of furniture with drawers on one side and hanging space on the other.

– origin early 20th cent.: blend of chiffonier and wardrobe.

Chifley, Joseph Benedict /ˈtʃɪfli/

(1885–1951), Australian Labor statesman, Prime Minister 1945–9. He continued Labor's nationalization and welfare programme and initiated Australia's immigration policy.

chigger /ˈtʃɪɡə, ˈdʒɪɡə / jigger

I. noun

1. a tropical flea, the female of which burrows and lays eggs beneath the host's skin, causing painful sores. Also called chigoe, sand flea.
● Tunga penetrans, family Tungidae.

2. (N. Amer.) a harvest mite.

– origin mid 18th cent.: variant of chigoe.

chignon /ˈʃiːnjɒ̃/

I. noun

a knot or coil of hair arranged on the back of a woman's head.

• her hair was drawn back from her face into a chignon.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, originally ‘nape of the neck’, based on Latin catena ‘chain’.

chigoe /ˈtʃɪɡəʊ/

I. noun

another term for chigger (sense 1).

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French chique, from a West African language.

Chihli, Gulf of /ˈtʃiːliː/

another name for Bo Hai.

chihuahua /tʃɪˈwɑːwə/

I. noun

a very small dog of a smooth-haired large-eyed breed originating in Mexico.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after Chihuahua.

Chihuahua /tʃɪˈwɑːwə/

I. a state of northern Mexico.

II. the capital of the state of Chihuahua, the principal city of north central Mexico; pop. 748,518 (2005).

chikan /ˈtʃɪk(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in South Asia) a type of hand embroidery using cutwork and shadow work.

– origin from Urdu, from Persian čikan.

chiko roll /ˈtʃɪkəʊ ˌrəʊl/

noun

(Austral.) ‹trademark› a savoury snack food consisting of a meat and vegetable mixture coated in batter and deep-fried

• they're hoping chiko rolls will soak up the alcohol.

chikungunya /ˌtʃɪk(ə)nˈɡʌnjə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a viral disease resembling dengue, transmitted by mosquitoes and endemic in East Africa and parts of Asia.

– origin 1950s: a local word.

chilblain /ˈtʃɪlbleɪn/

I. noun

a painful, itching swelling on a hand or foot, caused by poor circulation in the skin when exposed to cold.

II. derivatives

chilblained

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from chill + blain.

child /tʃʌɪld/

I. noun

1. a young human being below the age of puberty or below the legal age of majority.

• she'd been playing tennis since she was a child.

• the film is not suitable for children.

2. a son or daughter of any age.

• when children leave home, parents can feel somewhat redundant.

3. an immature or irresponsible person.

• she's such a child!

4. a person who has little or no experience in a particular area

• he's a child in financial matters.

5. ( children) — ‹archaic› the descendants of a family or people

• the children of Abraham.

6. ( child of) — a person regarded as the product of (a specified influence or environment)

• a child of the Sixties.

II. phrases

1. child's play

a task which is easily accomplished.

• tapping telephones is child's play.

2. from a child

since childhood

• from a child she had taken ballet lessons.

3. with child

‹archaic› pregnant.

– origin Old English cild, of Germanic origin. The Middle English plural childer or childre became childeren or children by association with plurals ending in -en, such as brethren.

child abuse

noun — [ mass noun]

1. physical maltreatment or sexual molestation of a child.

• the campaign urges action over a sickening report on child abuse.

child allowance

noun

1. informal term for child benefit.

2. ‹historical› (in the UK) a tax allowance granted to parents of dependent children.

childbearing /ˈtʃʌɪl(d)bɛːrɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of giving birth to children
[as modifier]

• women of childbearing age.

childbed /ˈtʃʌɪl(d)bɛd/

noun

archaic term for childbirth.

child benefit

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the UK) regular payment by the state to the parents of a child up to a certain age.

• child benefit will go up to £10 a week.

childbirth /ˈtʃʌɪl(d)bəːθ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of giving birth to a child

• she died in childbirth.

childcare /ˈtʃʌɪl(d)kɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the care of children, especially by a crèche, nursery, or childminder while parents are working.

• employers will have to make provisions for childcare.

childcarer /ˈtʃʌɪl(d)kɛːrə/

noun

a person who looks after children, either as a paid worker or as a parent

• Tracey is an exceptionally dedicated and professional childcarer

• the traditional role of the woman as childcarer.

child-centred

adjective

giving priority to the interests and needs of children

• child-centred teaching methods.

Childe /tʃʌɪld/

I. noun — [in names]

1. ‹archaic› ‹literary› a youth of noble birth

• Childe Harold.

– origin late Old English, variant of child.

child endowment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) an untaxed allowance paid by the government to the parent or guardian of a child

• that era gave us full employment, a decent pension system, and child endowment.

Now called family allowance.

Childermas /ˈtʃɪldəmas/

I. noun

‹archaic› the feast of the Holy Innocents, 28 December.

– origin Old English cildramæsse, from cildra ‘of children’, genitive plural of cild (see child) + mæsse (see Mass).

Childers, Erskine /ˈtʃɪldəz/

(1870–1922), English-born Irish writer and political activist, shot for his involvement in the Irish civil war; full name Robert Erskine Childers. Notable works: The Riddle of the Sands (novel, 1903). His son Erskine Hamilton Childers (1905–74) was President of Ireland 1973–4.

child guidance

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) care for psychologically or emotionally disturbed children, especially through counselling.

childhood /ˈtʃʌɪldhʊd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or period of being a child

• he spent his childhood in Lewes

• the idealized world of childhood

• [as modifier] a childhood friend.

– origin Old English cildhād (see child, -hood).

childish /ˈtʃʌɪldɪʃ/

I. adjective

1. of, like, or appropriate to a child

• childish enthusiasm.

2. silly and immature

• a childish outburst.

II. derivatives

childishness /ˈtʃʌɪldɪʃnəs /

noun

childishly /ˈtsʌɪldɪʃli/

adverb

1. in the manner of a child

• a childishly innocent remark

• he was childishly eager.

2. in a silly or immature way

• he childishly chooses himself above his friends

• he was childishly rude in his dismissals.

child labour

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the employment of children in an industry or business, especially when illegal or considered exploitative.

childless /ˈtʃʌɪldləs/

I. adjective

not having any children

• a childless couple

• I am childless by choice.

II. derivatives

childlessness

noun

childlike /ˈtʃʌɪl(d)lʌɪk/

adjective

(of an adult) having the good qualities, such as innocence, associated with a child

• she speaks with a childlike directness.

childmind /ˈtʃʌɪl(d)mʌɪnd/

verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) look after children in one's own home for payment

• she decided to childmind after the birth of her child

• [with obj.] they were registered to childmind up to five children under eight.

childminder /ˈtʃʌɪl(d)mʌɪndə/

I. noun

(Brit.) a person who looks after children in their own home for payment.

• she drops off her children at the childminder's.

II. derivatives

childminding

noun

childproof /ˈtʃʌɪl(d)pruːf/

I. adjective

designed to prevent children from injuring themselves or doing damage

• disinfectants that are fitted with childproof caps.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make inaccessible to children

• childproof those cabinets with safety latches.

child-rearing /ˈtʃʌɪldrɪərɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of bringing up a child or children

• his mother had modern ideas about child-rearing

• [as modifier] child-rearing costs.

children /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural form of child.

Children's Crusade

a crusade to the Holy Land in 1212 by tens of thousands of children, chiefly from France and Germany. Most never reached their destination, and were sold into slavery.

Children's Laureate

noun

(Brit.) an eminent writer or illustrator of children's books who is appointed to promote and encourage children's interest in literature and reading.

child's pose

noun

a yoga pose assumed by kneeling and bending one's upper body downwards until one's head touches the floor in front of one's knees

• I folded into the child's pose and let the sun work its magic.

Child Support Agency CSA

(in the UK) a government agency responsible for the assessment and collection of compulsory child maintenance payments from absent parents.

child trafficking

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the illegal movement of children, typically for the purposes of forced labour or sexual exploitation

• child trafficking has become a worldwide concern in the past few years.

II. derivatives

child trafficker

noun

Chile /ˈtʃɪli Spanish ˈtʃile//

1. a country occupying a long coastal strip down the southern half of the west of South America; pop. 16,601,700 (est. 2009); official language, Spanish; capital, Santiago.

Most of Chile was part of the Inca empire and became part of Spanish Peru after Pizarro's conquest. Independence was achieved in 1818 with help from Argentina. After the overthrow of the Marxist democrat Salvador Allende in 1973, Chile was ruled by the right-wing military dictatorship of General Pinochet until a democratically elected President took office in 1990.

Chilean /ˈtʃɪlɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Chile or its people

• the Chilean coast

• a Chilean artist.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Chile

• a new generation of Chileans will vote for the first time this weekend.

chile con queso /ˌtʃɪlɪ kɒn ˈkeɪsəʊ / chili con queso

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Tex-Mex cookery) a thick sauce of melted cheese seasoned with chilli peppers, typically served warm as a dip for tortilla chips

• they dug into some appetizers, including chopped guacamole and chile con queso.

– origin Spanish, ‘chilli pepper with cheese’.

Chile pine /ˈtʃɪli/

noun

another term for monkey puzzle.

chile relleno /ˌtʃɪlɪ rɛˈljeɪnəʊ/

I. noun

(in Mexican cooking) a stuffed chilli pepper, typically covered in batter and deep-fried.

– origin Spanish, ‘stuffed chilli’.

Chile saltpetre /ˈtʃɪli/

noun

another term for sodium nitrate, especially as a commercial product.

chiliad /ˈkɪlɪad/

I. noun

1. ‹rare› a group of a thousand things.

2. ‹rare› a thousand years; a millennium.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin chilias, chiliad- ‘a thousand years’, from Greek khilias, khiliad-, from khilioi ‘thousand’.

chiliarch /ˈkɪlɪɑːk/

I. noun

(in ancient Greece) a commander of a thousand men.

– origin late 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek khiliarkhēs, from khilioi ‘thousand’.

chiliast /ˈkɪlɪast/

I. noun

another term for millenarian.

II. derivatives

chiliasm /ˈkɪlɪazəm /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek khiliastēs, from khilias ‘a thousand years’, from khilioi ‘thousand’.

chiliastic /ˌkɪlɪˈastɪk/

adjective

another term for millenarian.

chili dog

noun

(N. Amer.) a hot dog garnished with chilli con carne.

chill /tʃɪl/

I. noun

1. an unpleasant feeling of coldness in the atmosphere, one's surroundings, or the body

• there was a chill in the air

• the draughty chill of the castle

• heat exhaustion symptoms include nausea, chills, dizziness and dehydration.

2. a feverish cold

• we had better return before you catch a chill.

• he was confined to bed with a severe chill.

3. a coldness of manner

• the chill in relations between France and its former colony.

4. a depressing influence

• his statements have cast a chill over this whole country.

5. a sudden and powerful feeling of fear

• a chill ran down my spine.

6. a metal mould, often cooled, designed to ensure rapid or even cooling of metal during casting.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) cold

• they were chilled by a sudden wind.

2. cool (food or drink), typically in a refrigerator

• chill the soup slightly before serving.

3. [no obj.] — (of food or drink) be cooled

• they had some champagne chilling in the fridge.

4. [Metallurgy] another term for chill-cast.

5. horrify or frighten (someone)

• the city was chilled by the violence

• (as adj. chilling) a chilling account of the prisoners' fate.

6. [no obj.] (also chill out) — ‹informal› calm down and relax

• they like to get home, have a bath, and chill out.

7. pass time idly with other people

• she always seems to be just chilling with friends.

III. adjective

1. chilly

• the chill grey dawn

• ‹figurative› the chill winds of public censure.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› very relaxed or easy-going

• in general, I am a pretty chill guy

• the island is really chill and laid-back.

IV. phrases

1. chill someone's blood

horrify or terrify someone.

• the screams coming from the house had chilled his blood.

2. take the chill off

warm slightly

• an electric heater took the chill off the house.

V. derivatives

1. chillness /ˈtʃɪlnəs /

noun

2. chillsome

adjective

‹literary›

– origin Old English cele, ciele ‘cold, coldness’, of Germanic origin; related to cold.

chillax /tʃɪˈlaks/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› calm down and relax

• you can dance to your favourite tune, chillax, or have friends over.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of chill (sense 3 of the verb) and relax.

chill-cast

verb — [with obj.]

1. [Metallurgy] rapidly solidify (cast iron or other metal) by contact with a cooled metal mould or other cold surface in order to produce a hard, dense surface.

• the first metal flowing on to the cold plate is virtually chill-cast.

• (as adj. chill-cast) a thin layer of chill-cast crystals.

chilled /tʃɪld/

adjective

1. (of food or drink) cooled in a refrigerator

• a glass of chilled white wine

• chilled artichoke soup.

2. ‹informal› very relaxed

• by Sunday evening I'm usually feeling pretty chilled

• the chilled atmosphere makes this a great way to enjoy some typical French cuisine.

chiller /ˈtʃɪlə/

noun

1. a machine for cooling something, especially a cold cabinet or refrigerator for keeping stored food a few degrees above freezing point.

2. short for spine-chiller.

• a characteristically disturbing psychological chiller.

chill factor

noun

a quantity expressing the perceived lowering of the air temperature caused by the wind.

chilli /ˈtʃɪli / chilli pepper, ‹US› chili, chile

I. noun

1. a small hot-tasting pod of a variety of capsicum, used in sauces, relishes, and spice powders. There are various forms with pods of differing size, colour, and strength of flavour.
● Capsicum annuum var. annuum, ‘ longum’ group or var. longum.

2. short for chilli powder.

3. short for chilli con carne.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Spanish chile, from Nahuatl chilli.

chilli con carne /kɒn ˈkɑːneɪ, -ni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a stew of minced beef and beans flavoured with chillies or chilli powder.

– origin from Spanish chile con carne, literally ‘chilli pepper with meat’.

chillingly /ˈtʃɪlɪŋli/

adverb

in an unsettling or horrifying way

• her troubled childhood was brilliantly and chillingly evoked in her memoir

• [as submodifier] a chillingly cold-blooded plan.

chilli powder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hot-tasting spice made from ground dried red chillies, sometimes with other spices.

chilli sauce

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hot sauce made with tomatoes, chillies, and spices.

chill-out

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹informal› intended to induce or enhance a relaxed mood, in particular an area in a nightclub where quiet or ambient music is played.

chill pill

noun

‹informal› a notional pill taken to make someone calm down or relax

• is Tom right to get so uptight, or should he just take a chill pill?

chillum /ˈtʃɪləm/

I. noun

1. a hookah.

2. a small pipe used for smoking cannabis.

– origin from Hindi cilam.

chilly /ˈtʃɪli/

I. adjective

1. uncomfortably or unpleasantly cold

• a chilly February evening.

2. (of a person) feeling cold.

• I felt a bit chilly.

3. unfriendly

• he got a chilly reception from Republican activists.

II. derivatives

chilliness /ˈtʃɪlinəs /

noun

chillybin /ˈtʃɪlibɪn/

I. noun

(NZ) a portable insulated container for keeping food and drink cool.

– origin from a proprietary name.

Chilopoda /ˌkʌɪləˈpəʊdə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a class of myriapod arthropods which comprises the centipedes.

II. derivatives

chilopod /ˈkʌɪləpɒd /

noun

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek kheilos ‘lip’ + pous, pod- ‘foot’.

Chilpancingo /ˌtʃɪlpanˈsɪŋɡəʊ/

a city in SW Mexico, capital of the state of Guerrero; pop. 166,796 (2005).

Chiltern Hills /ˈtʃɪlt(ə)n / the Chilterns

a range of chalk hills in southern England, north of the River Thames and west of London.

Chiltern Hundreds /ˌtʃɪlt(ə)n ˈhʌndrədz/

I. (in the UK) a Crown manor, whose administration is a nominal office for which an MP applies as a way of resigning from the House of Commons. This is because stewardship of the district is legally an office of profit under the Crown, the holding of which disqualifies a person from being an MP.

– origin from Chiltern Hills and Hundreds (see the hundred (noun)).

Chiluba /tʃɪˈluːbə/

noun

another term for Luba (the language).

chimbley /ˈtʃɪmli / chimley

noun

dialect form of chimney.

Chimborazo /ˌtʃɪmbəˈrɑːzəʊ/

the highest peak of the Andes in Ecuador, rising to 6,310 m (20,487 ft).

chime^1 /tʃʌɪm/

I. noun

1. a bell or a metal bar or tube, tuned and used in a set to produce a melodious series of ringing sounds when struck.

• the warm breeze whispered through the chimes hanging from the balcony ceiling.

2. a melodious ringing sound produced by striking a set of chimes

• the chimes of Big Ben.

3. ( chimes) — a set of tuned bells used as a doorbell.

4. [Bell-ringing] a stroke of the clapper against one or both sides of a scarcely moving bell.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a bell or clock) make melodious ringing sounds, typically to indicate the time
[with complement]

• the clock chimed eight.

2. ( chime with or chime in with) — (Brit.) be in agreement with

• his poem chimes with our modern experience of loss.

III. phrasal verbs

chime in

interject a remark

• ‘Yes, you do that,’ Dave chimed in eagerly.

IV. derivatives

chimer /ˈtʃʌɪmə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘cymbal’ and ‘ring out’): probably from Old English cimbal (see cymbal), later interpreted as chime bell.

chime^2 /tʃʌɪm/

I. noun

the projecting rim at the end of a cask.

– origin late Middle English: probably from an Old English word related to Dutch kim and German Kimme. Compare with chine^3.

chimenea /ˌtʃɪmɪˈneɪə, ˌtʃɪmɪˈniːə/

I. noun

a free-standing clay fireplace or oven which consists of a hollow bulbous body tapering to a short chimney-like smoke vent.

– origin 1990s: Spanish, ‘chimney’.

chimera /kʌɪˈmɪərə, kɪˈmɪərə / chimaera

I. noun

1. (in Greek mythology) a fire-breathing female monster with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.

2. any mythical animal formed from parts of various animals.

3. a thing which is hoped for but is illusory or impossible to achieve

• the economic sovereignty you claim to defend is a chimera.

4. [Biology] an organism containing a mixture of genetically different tissues, formed by processes such as fusion of early embryos, grafting, or mutation.

• the sheeplike goat chimera.

5. a DNA molecule with sequences derived from two or more different organisms, formed by laboratory manipulation.

6. ( chimaera) — a cartilaginous marine fish with a long tail, an erect spine before the first dorsal fin, and typically a forward projection from the snout.
●Subclass Hoplocephali: three families, in particular Chimaeridae. .

II. derivatives

1. chimeric /kʌɪˈmɛrɪk, kɪˈmɛrɪk /

adjective

2. chimerical /kʌɪˈmɛrɪk(ə)l, kɪˈmɛrɪk(ə)l /

adjective

3. chimerically /kʌɪˈmɛrɪk(ə)li, kɪˈmɛrɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek khimaira ‘she-goat or chimera’.

chimichanga /ˌtʃɪmɪˈtʃaŋɡə/

I. noun

a tortilla rolled round a savoury filling and deep-fried.

– origin Mexican Spanish, literally ‘trinket’.

chimichurri /tʃɪmɪˈtʃʊri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Argentinian cookery) a piquant sauce or marinade traditionally used on grilled meat, typically containing parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and flakes of chilli pepper.

• often billed as ‘Argentine barbecue sauce’, chimichurri extends its influence far beyond the grill.

– origin Argentinian Spanish: origin unknown.

chimney /ˈtʃɪmni/

I. noun

1. a vertical channel or pipe which conducts smoke and combustion gases up from a fire or furnace and typically through the roof of a building.

• a coal fire thrust yellow flames up the chimney.

• a factory chimney.

2. a chimney stack.

• the outlines of rooftops and chimneys stood out against the pale sky.

3. a glass tube protecting the flame of a lamp.

• he trimmed the wick and put the glass chimney over the flame.

4. a very steep narrow cleft by which a rock face may be climbed.

• he slid fifty feet down a chimney, and became wedged there.

– origin Middle English (denoting a fireplace or furnace): from Old French cheminee ‘chimney, fireplace’, from late Latin caminata, perhaps from camera caminata ‘room with a fireplace’, from Latin caminus ‘forge, furnace’, from Greek kaminos ‘oven’.

chimney breast

noun

a part of an interior wall that projects to surround a chimney.

chimney corner

noun

a warm seat within an old-fashioned fireplace.

chimney piece

noun

(Brit.) a mantelpiece.

chimney pot

noun

an earthenware or metal pipe at the top of a chimney, narrowing the aperture and increasing the updraught.

chimney stack

noun

the part of a chimney that projects above a roof.

chimney sweep

noun

a person whose job is cleaning out the soot from chimneys.

chimney swift

noun

the common swift (bird) of the eastern part of North America, with mainly dark grey plumage.
● Chaetura pelagica, family Apodidae.

chimonanthus /ˌkʌɪmə(ʊ)ˈnanθəs/

I. noun

a shrub of the Chinese genus Chimonanthus (family Calycanthaceae), especially the wintersweet.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek kheimōn ‘winter’ + anthos ‘flower’.

chimp /tʃɪmp/

noun

‹informal› a chimpanzee.

chimpanzee /tʃɪmpanˈziː/

I. noun

a great ape with large ears, mainly black coloration, and lighter skin on the face, native to the forests of west and central Africa. Chimpanzees show advanced behaviour such as the making and using of tools.
●Genus Pan, family Pongidae: the common chimpanzee ( P. troglodytes) and the bonobo.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French chimpanzé, from Kikongo.

Chimu /tʃiːˈmuː/

I. noun

1. a member of an indigenous people of Peru that developed the most important civilization before the Incas.

2. [ mass noun] — the extinct language of the Chimu.

II. adjective

relating to the Chimu or their language.

– origin from Spanish.

chin /tʃɪn/

I. noun

the protruding part of the face below the mouth, formed by the apex of the lower jaw.

• grey stubble covered his cheeks and chin.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› hit or punch (someone) on the chin.

• he looked about ready to chin someone.

2. draw one's body up so that one's chin is level with or above (a horizontal bar) with one's feet off the ground, as an exercise.

• each boy must chin a bar four times.

III. phrases

1. keep one's chin up

‹informal› remain cheerful in difficult circumstances.

• keep your chin up, we're not lost yet.

2. take it on the chin

accept misfortune courageously or stoically.

• one of her great strengths is her ability to take it on the chin.

IV. derivatives

chinned

adjective

[in combination]

• square-chinned

– origin Old English cin, cinn, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kin, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin gena ‘cheek’ and Greek genus ‘jaw’.

Chin^1 /tʃɪn/

I. noun

1. a member of a people of SW Burma (Myanmar) and neighbouring parts of India and Bangladesh.

2. [ mass noun] — the Tibeto-Burman language of the Chin, with about 800,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Chin or their language.

– origin from Burmese, ‘hill man’.

Chin^2 /tʃɪn/

variant spelling of Jin.

china /ˈtʃʌɪnə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a fine white or translucent vitrified ceramic material

• a plate made of china

• [as modifier] a china cup.

Also called porcelain.

2. household tableware or other objects made from china or a similar material

• she had begun to remove the breakfast china.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› a friend.
[from rhyming slang china plate ‘mate’.]

– origin late 16th cent. (as an adjective): from Persian chīnī ‘relating to China’, where it was originally made.

China /ˈtʃʌɪnə/

I. a country in East Asia, the third largest and most populous in the world; pop. 1,338,613,000 (est. 2009); language, Chinese (of which Mandarin is the official form); capital, Beijing.
Official name People's Republic of China.

Chinese civilization stretches back until at least the 3rd millennium BC, the country being ruled by a series of dynasties until the Qing (or Manchu) dynasty was overthrown by Sun Yat-sen in 1911; China was proclaimed a republic the following year. After the Second World War the Kuomintang government of Chiang Kai-shek was overthrown by the communists under Mao Zedong, the People's Republic of China being declared in 1949. Market-oriented reforms were introduced in the last quarter of the twentieth century.

China, Republic of

official name for Taiwan.

China aster

noun

a Chinese plant of the daisy family, which is cultivated for its bright showy flowers.
● Callistephus chinensis, family Compositae.

chinaberry chinaberry tree

noun

1. a tall tree which bears fragrant lilac flowers and yellow berries, native to Asia and Australasia.
● Melia azedarach, family Meliaceae.

2. the fruit of the chinaberry, used to make insecticides and also rosary beads.

china blue

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a pale greyish blue.

• eyes of a startlingly bright china blue.

china clay

noun

another term for kaolin.

chinagraph pencil

noun

(Brit.) a waxy pencil used to write on china, glass, or other hard surfaces.

Chinaman /ˈtʃʌɪnəmən/

noun

1. ‹dated› ‹offensive› a native of China.

2. [Cricket] a ball that spins from off to leg, bowled by a left-handed bowler to a right-handed batsman.

chinar /ˈtʃɪnɑː / chenar

I. noun

the oriental plane tree, found from SE Europe to northern Iran.
● Platanus orientalis, family Platanaceae.

– origin from Persian chinār.

China rose

noun

1. a Chinese rose which was introduced into Europe in the 19th century.
● Rosa chinensis, family Rosaceae.

2. any of a number of garden rose varieties derived from crosses of this plant.

3. a tropical shrubby evergreen hibiscus, which is cultivated for its large showy flowers.
● Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, family Malvaceae.

China Sea

the part of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of China, divided by the island of Taiwan into the East China Sea in the north and the South China Sea in the south.

china stone

noun — [ mass noun]

1. partly kaolinized granite containing plagioclase feldspar, which is ground and mixed with kaolin to make porcelain.

China syndrome

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a hypothetical sequence of events following the meltdown of a nuclear reactor, in which the core melts through its containment structure and deep into the earth.

– origin 1970s: from China (as being on the opposite side of the earth from a reactor in the US).

China tea

noun — [ mass noun]

1. tea made from a small-leaved type of tea plant grown in China, typically flavoured by smoke curing or the addition of flower petals.

Chinatown /ˈtʃʌɪnətaʊn/

noun

a district of a large non-Chinese town or port in which the population is predominantly of Chinese origin.

• we spent the day poking about the back alleys of Vancouver's Chinatown.

china tree

noun

another term for chinaberry.

chinch /tʃɪn(t)ʃ / chinch bug

I. noun

a plant-eating ground bug that forms large swarms on grasses and rushes.
●Two species in the family Lygaeidae, suborder Heteroptera: the American Blissus leucopterus and the European Ischnodemus sabuleti.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘bedbug’): from Spanish chinche, from Latin cimex, cimic-.

chincherinchee /ˌtʃɪntʃərɪnˈtʃiː/

I. noun

a white-flowered South African lily.
● Ornithogalum thyrsoides, family Liliaceae.

– origin early 20th cent.: imitative of the squeaky sound made by rubbing its stalks together.

chinchilla /tʃɪnˈtʃɪlə/

I. noun

1. a small South American rodent with soft grey fur and a long bushy tail.
●Genus Chinchilla, family Chinchillidae: two species.

2. a cat or rabbit of a breed with silver-grey or grey fur.

3. [ mass noun] — the highly valued fur of the chinchilla, or of the chinchilla rabbit.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Spanish, from Aymara or Quechua.

chin-chin /tʃɪnˈtʃɪn/

I. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› used to express good wishes before drinking.

• ‘Chin-chin,’ he said, and drank.

– origin late 18th cent.: representing a pronunciation of Chinese qing qing.

Chindit /ˈtʃɪndɪt/

I. noun

a member of the Allied forces behind the Japanese lines in Burma in 1943–5.

– origin Second World War: from Burmese chinthé, a mythical creature.

Chindwin /tʃɪnˈdwɪn/

a river which rises in northern Burma (Myanmar) and flows southwards for 885 km (550 miles) to meet the Irrawaddy.

chine^1 /tʃʌɪn/

I. noun

1. the backbone of an animal as it appears in a joint of meat.

2. a joint of meat containing all or part of the chine.

3. a mountain ridge.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut (meat) across or along the backbone.

• he learned how to chine a whole sheep.

– origin Middle English: from Old French eschine, based on a blend of Latin spina ‘spine’ and a Germanic word meaning ‘narrow piece’, related to shin.

chine^2 /tʃʌɪn/

I. noun

(in the Isle of Wight or Dorset) a deep narrow ravine.

– origin Old English cinu ‘cleft, chink’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch keen, also to chink^1.

chine^3 /tʃʌɪn/

I. noun

the angle where the strakes of the bottom of a boat or ship meet the side.

– origin late Middle English: variant of chime^2 (the original sense).

Chinese /tʃʌɪˈniːz/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the language of China.

2. a native or inhabitant of China, or a person of Chinese descent.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› a Chinese meal.

• a takeaway Chinese washed down with Chardonnay.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› a Chinese restaurant.

• we found a Chinese in Soho.

Chinese, a member of the Sino-Tibetan language family, is the world's most commonly spoken first language, with an estimated 1.2 billion native speakers worldwide. The script is logographic, using characters which originated as stylized pictographs but now also represent abstract concepts and the sounds of syllables. Though complex, it permits written communication between speakers of the many dialects, most of which are mutually incomprehensible in speech. For transliteration into the Roman alphabet, the Pinyin system is now usually used.

II. adjective

1. relating to China or its language, culture, or people.

2. belonging to the people forming the dominant ethnic group of China and also widely dispersed elsewhere.
Also called Han.

Chinese box

noun

each of a set of boxes graduated in size so as to fit inside each other.

• his stories often fit together like so many Chinese boxes.

Chinese burn

noun

‹informal› an act of placing both hands on a person's arm and then twisting it to produce a burning sensation.

Chinese cabbage

noun

another term for Chinese leaves.

Chinese chequers ‹US› Chinese checkers

plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. a board game for two to six players who attempt to move marbles or counters from one corner to the opposite one on a star-shaped board.

Chinese fire drill

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹offensive› a state of disorder or confusion.

Chinese gooseberry

noun

former term for kiwi fruit.

Chinese lantern

noun

1. a collapsible paper lantern.

2. a Eurasian plant with white flowers and globular orange fruits enclosed in an orange-red papery calyx.
● Physalis alkekengi, family Solanaceae.

Chinese leaves Chinese cabbage

plural noun

(Brit.) an oriental cabbage which does not form a firm heart.
●Genus Brassica, family Cruciferae: two species, pak choi ( B. chinensis) and pe tsai ( B. pekinenis), which resembles lettuce.

Chinese New Year

noun

the Chinese festival marking the start of the new year, beginning on the second new moon after the winter solstice and ending on the full moon fifteen days later. It is marked by visits to family and friends, special meals, fireworks, and gift giving.
Also called Spring Festival.

Chinese puzzle

noun

an intricate puzzle consisting of many interlocking pieces.

• they shuffle the images about like the squares in a Chinese puzzle.

Chinese red

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a vivid orange-red.

Chinese restaurant syndrome

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an illness marked by short attacks of weakness, numbness, palpitations, and headaches, often attributed to overconsumption of monosodium glutamate (used as a seasoning in Chinese cooking).

Chinese wall

I. noun

an insurmountable barrier, especially to the passage of information.

• they should take responsibility for those decisions, not hide behind some fake Chinese wall.

– origin early 20th cent.: with allusion to the Great Wall of China.

Chinese whispers

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. (Brit.) a game in which a message is distorted by being passed around in a whisper.

Chinese white

noun — [ mass noun]

1. white pigment consisting of zinc oxide.

ching

I. noun

an abrupt high-pitched ringing sound, typically one made by a cash register.

• nothing shifts the winds of Hollywood opinion like the ching of a box office cash register.

– origin imitative.

Chinglish /ˈtʃɪŋɡlɪʃ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› a blend of Chinese and English, in particular a variety of English used by speakers of Chinese, incorporating some Chinese vocabulary or constructions.

• he speaks Mandarin Chinese but often uses a form of Chinglish.

Chin Hills /tʃɪn/

a range of hills in western Burma (Myanmar), close to the borders with India and Bangladesh.

chink^1 /tʃɪŋk/

I. noun

1. a narrow opening, typically one that admits light

• a chink in the curtains.

2. a beam or patch of light admitted by a narrow opening

• I noticed a chink of light under the door.

II. phrases

a chink in someone's armour

a weak point in someone's character or arguments which makes them vulnerable to attack.

• there was a chink in the armour of his benevolence and it was well worth trying to exploit it.

– origin mid 16th cent.: related to chine^2.

chink^2 /tʃɪŋk/

I. verb

make or cause to make a light, high-pitched ringing sound, as of glasses or coins striking together
[no obj.]

• the chain joining the handcuffs chinked

• [with obj.] they chinked glasses and kissed.

II. noun

a high-pitched ringing sound

• the chink of glasses.

– origin late 16th cent.: imitative.

Chink /tʃɪŋk/

I. noun

‹informal› ‹offensive› a Chinese person.

– origin late 19th cent.: irregular formation from China.

chinkara /tʃɪŋˈkɑːrə/

I. noun

(in South Asia) the Indian gazelle, which occurs from Iran to central India.
● Gazella bennettii, family Bovidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Hindi cikārā, from Sanskrit chikkāra.

Chinkiang /tʃɪnˈkjaŋ/

variant of Zhenjiang.

Chinky ‹informal, offensive›

I. noun

1. a Chinese person.

2. (Brit.) a Chinese restaurant or a Chinese meal.

II. adjective

Chinese.

chinless /ˈtʃɪnləs/

adjective

1. (of a person) lacking a well-defined chin.

• his chinless profile.

2. ‹informal› lacking strength of character; ineffectual.

• a chinless anti-hero.

chinless wonder

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› an ineffectual upper-class man.

• it's a good job we have you to deal with and not some flibberty chinless wonder.

chin music

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) ‹informal› idle chatter.

chino /ˈtʃiːnəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a cotton twill fabric, typically khaki-coloured.

2. ( chinos) — casual cotton trousers made from chino or a similar fabric.

• she wore crumpled chinos and a football shirt.

– origin 1940s: from Latin American Spanish, literally ‘toasted’ (referring to the typical colour).

Chino- /ˈtʃʌɪnəʊ/

combining form

equivalent to Sino-.

chinoiserie /ʃɪnˈwɑːzəri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a decorative style in Western art, furniture, and architecture, especially in the 18th century, characterized by the use of Chinese motifs and techniques
[as modifier]

• hand-painted chinoiserie wallpaper.

2. chinoiserie objects or decorations

• his apartment was filled with chinoiserie.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from chinois ‘Chinese’.

chinook /tʃɪˈnuːk, tʃɪˈnʊk, ʃɪˈnuːk, ʃɪˈnʊk/

I. noun

1. (also chinook wind) — a warm dry wind which blows down the east side of the Rocky Mountains at the end of winter.

2. (also chinook salmon) — a large North Pacific salmon which is an important food fish.
● Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, family Salmonidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from attributive use of Chinook.

Chinook /tʃɪˈnuːk, tʃɪˈnʊk, ʃɪˈnuːk, ʃɪˈnʊk/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people originally inhabiting the region around the Columbia River in Oregon.

2. [ mass noun] — the extinct Penutian language of the Chinook.

II. adjective

relating to the Chinook or their language.

– origin from Salish tsinúk.

Chinook Jargon

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an extinct pidgin composed of elements from Chinook, Nootka, English, French, and other languages, formerly used in the Pacific North-West of North America.

chinquapin /ˈtʃɪŋkəpɪn / chinkapin

I. noun

1. a North American chestnut tree.
●Several species in the family Fagaceae, in particular Castanea pumila.

2. the edible nut of the chinquapin.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Virginia Algonquian.

chinstrap /ˈtʃɪnstrap/

noun

a strap attached to a hat, helmet, or other headgear, designed to hold it in place by fitting under the wearer's chin.

chintz /tʃɪn(t)s/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. printed multicoloured cotton fabric with a glazed finish, used for curtains and upholstery
[as modifier]

• floral chintz curtains.

– origin early 17th cent. (as chints, plural of chint, denoting a stained or painted calico cloth imported from India): from Hindi chīṃṭ ‘spattering, stain’.

chintzy /ˈtʃɪn(t)si/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) of, like, or decorated with chintz

• a pretty, chintzy fabric.

2. brightly colourful but gaudy and tasteless.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› cheap and of poor quality.

• a chintzy amateur lens.

4. miserly; mean

• a chintzy salary increase.

II. derivatives

1. chintzily

adverb

2. chintziness

noun

chin-up /ˈtʃɪnʌp/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for pull-up (sense 1).

chinwag /ˈtʃɪnwaɡ / ‹Brit. informal›

I. noun

a chat.

• it was time they got together for a good old chinwag.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. have a chat.

• he sent her to chinwag with the chiefs.

chionodoxa /ˌkʌɪənəˈdɒksə/

I. noun

a bulbous Eurasian plant of the lily family, with early blooming blue flowers. Also called glory-of-the-snow.
●Genus Chionodoxa, family Liliaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek khiōn ‘snow’ + doxa ‘glory’.

Chios /ˈkʌɪɒs/

I. a Greek island in the Aegean Sea; pop. 53,100 (est. 2008).
Greek name Khios.

II. derivatives

Chian

noun, adjective

chip /tʃɪp/

I. noun

1. a small piece of something removed in the course of chopping, cutting, or breaking a hard material such as wood or stone

• granite chips.

2. a hole or mark on a hard object or surface where a small piece has broken off

• keep an eye out for any scratches or chips on the bodywork that might need treating.

3. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) wood or woody fibre split into thin strips and used for weaving hats or baskets.

4. (Brit.) a long rectangular piece of deep-fried potato.

• he always enjoyed fish and chips.

5. (also potato chip) — (N. Amer.) a potato crisp.

6. short for microchip.

7. a counter used in certain gambling games to represent money

• a poker chip.

8. (in football, golf, and other sports) a short lofted kick or shot.

• he made no mistake with a chip and a par putt from four feet to seal victory.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut or break (a small piece) from a hard material

• we had to chip ice off the upper deck.

2. [no obj.] — (of a material or object) break at the edge or on the surface

• the paint had chipped off the gate.

3. cut pieces off (a hard material) to shape it or break it up

• craftsmen chipped the blocks of flint to the required shape

• [no obj.] she chipped away at the ground outside the door.

4. (usu. as adj. chipped) — (Brit.) cut (a potato) into chips.

5. (in football, golf, and other sports) kick or strike (a ball or shot) to produce a short lofted shot or pass

• he chipped a superb shot over the keeper.

III. phrases

1. a chip off the old block

‹informal› someone who resembles their parent in character or appearance.

• she smiled at Jimmy, a chip off the old block with his grey eyes and a bit of his dad's twinkle.

2. a chip on one's shoulder

‹informal› an ingrained feeling of resentment deriving from a sense of inferiority and sometimes marked by aggressive behaviour.

• I had a dirty great chip on my shoulder—I thought everybody was against me.

[from an old custom of placing a chip of wood on one's shoulder as a challenge to a rival: if the rival knocked the chip off they were agreeing to fight.]

3. have had one's chips

(Brit.) ‹informal› be dead or defeated.

• Granny has had her chips—she's dead.

4. when the chips are down

‹informal› when a very serious situation arises.

• when the chips are down they chicken out.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. chip away at

gradually and relentlessly make something smaller or weaker

• rivals may chip away at one's profits by undercutting prices.

2. chip in (or chip something in)

a. contribute something as one's share of a joint activity, cost, etc.

• Rollie chipped in with nine saves and five wins

• the council will chip in a further £30,000 a year.

b. ‹informal› make an interjection
[with direct speech]

• ‘He's right,’ Gloria chipped in.

– origin Middle English: related to Old English forcippian ‘cut off’.

chip and PIN

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a way of paying for goods by debit or credit card whereby one enters one's personal identification number in an electronic device rather than signing a slip.

chipboard /ˈtʃɪpbɔːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. material made in rigid sheets from compressed wood chips and resin, often coated or veneered, used in furniture, buildings, etc.

Chipewyan /ˌtʃɪpəˈwʌɪən/

I. noun

1. a member of a Dene people of NW Canada.
Compare with Chippewa.

2. [ mass noun] — the Athabaskan language of the Chipewyan, with about 8,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Chipewyan or their language.

– origin from Cree, literally ‘(wearing) pointed-skin (garments)’.

chip heater

noun

(Austral./NZ) a domestic water heater that burns wood chips.

chipmaker

noun

a company that manufactures microchips.

chipmunk /ˈtʃɪpmʌŋk/

I. noun

a burrowing ground squirrel with cheek pouches and light and dark stripes running down the body, found in North America and northern Eurasia.
●Genus Tamias, family Sciuridae: many species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Ojibwa.

chipolata /tʃɪpəˈlɑːtə/

I. noun

(Brit.) a small thin sausage.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from Italian cipollata ‘a dish of onions’, from cipolla ‘onion’.

chipotle /tʃɪˈpəʊtleɪ/

I. noun

a smoked hot chilli pepper used in Mexican cooking.

– origin Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl.

Chippendale /ˈtʃɪp(ə)ndeɪl/

adjective

(of furniture) designed, made by, or in the style of Thomas Chippendale.

Chippendale, Thomas /ˈtʃɪp(ə)ndeɪl/

(1718–79), English furniture-maker and designer. He produced furniture in a neoclassical vein, with elements of the French rococo, chinoiserie, and Gothic revival styles, and his book of furniture designs The Gentleman and Cabinetmaker's Director (1754) was highly influential.

chipper^1 /ˈtʃɪpə/

I. adjective

‹informal› cheerful and lively.

• Eugene was feeling chipper.

– origin mid 19th cent.: perhaps from northern English dialect kipper ‘lively’.

chipper^2 /ˈtʃɪpə/

noun

1. a person or thing that turns something into chips.

2. a machine for chipping timber.

3. (Irish) ‹informal› a fish-and-chip shop.

Chippewa /ˈtʃɪpəwɔː, ˈtʃɪpəwɑː/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for Ojibwa. Compare with Chipewyan.

– origin alteration of Ojibwa.

chipping /ˈtʃɪpɪŋ/

noun

(Brit.) a small fragment of stone, wood, or similar material.

• it's not too late to give plants a mulch with bark chippings.

• crushed-stone aggregate gives pebble dash its colour, and an even distribution of the chippings is necessary.

chipping sparrow

I. noun

a common American songbird related to the buntings, with a chestnut crown and a white stripe over the eye.
● Spizella passerina, family Emberizidae (subfamily Emberizinae).

– origin early 19th cent.: chipping from US chip ‘chirp’, with reference to the bird's repetitive song.

chippy^1 /ˈtʃɪpi / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a fish-and-chip shop.

• there used to be a good chippy down the back of Albert Street.

2. (Brit.) a carpenter.

II. adjective

1. (of a person) touchy and defensive, especially on account of having a grievance or a sense of inferiority.

• I thought she was hostile and chippy.

2. (N. Amer.) (of an ice-hockey game or player) rough and belligerent.

• a chippy game.

III. derivatives

chippiness

noun

• his basic humanity becomes armoured in chippiness and paranoia

– origin mid 19th cent.: from chip + -y^2, -y^1; adjective is from the phrase a chip on one's shoulder.

chippy^2 /ˈtʃɪpi / chippie

I. noun

‹informal› a prostitute or promiscuous young woman.

– origin late 19th cent.: of uncertain origin; perhaps from chip + -y^1, or from cheap.

chipset /ˈtʃɪpsɛt/

noun

a collection of integrated circuits which are designed to function together as a unit, especially to perform a particular task within a computer system.

chip shot

noun

[Golf] a stroke at which the ball is or must be chipped into the air.

Chirac, Jacques /ˈʃɪərak, French ʃiʀak/

(b.1932), French statesman, Prime Minister 1974–6 and 1986–8 and President 1995–2007; full name Jacques René Chirac.

chiral /ˈkʌɪr(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] asymmetric in such a way that the structure and its mirror image are not superimposable.

II. derivatives

chirality

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kheir ‘hand’ + -al.

chi-rho

noun

a monogram of chi (Χ) and rho (Ρ) as the first two letters of Greek Khristos Christ.

Chirico, Giorgio de /ˈkɪrɪkəʊ/

(1888–1978), Greek-born Italian painter. His disconnected and unsettling dream images exerted a significant influence on surrealism.

chiro- /ˈkʌɪrəʊ / cheiro-

I. combining form

of the hand or hands

• chiromancy.

– origin from Greek kheir ‘hand’.

chirognomy /kʌɪˈrɒɡnəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the supposed art of judging a person's character by examining the lines and other features of the hand.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from chiro-, after physiognomy.

chirography /kʌɪˈrɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. handwriting, especially as distinct from typography.

II. derivatives

chirographic

adjective

chiromancer /ˈkʌɪrə(ʊ)mansə/

noun

a person who is supposedly able to predict a person's future by interpreting the lines on the palms of their hands.

chiromancy /ˈkʌɪrə(ʊ)mansi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the supposed prediction of a person's future from interpreting the lines on the palms of their hands; palmistry.

Chiron /ˈkʌɪərɒn/

I. [Greek Mythology] a learned centaur who acted as teacher to Jason, Achilles, and many other heroes.

II. [Astronomy] asteroid 2060, discovered in 1977, which is unique in having an orbit lying mainly between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus. It is believed to have a diameter of 370 km.

chironomid /kʌɪˈrɒnəmɪd/

I. noun

[Entomology] an insect of a family ( Chironomidae) which comprises the non-biting midges.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Chironomidae (plural), from the genus name Chironomus, from Greek kheironomos ‘pantomime dancer’.

chiropody /kɪˈrɒpədi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Brit.) the treatment of the feet and their ailments.

II. derivatives

chiropodist /kɪˈrɒpədɪst /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from chiro- ‘hand’ + Greek pous, pod- ‘foot’.

chiropractic /ˌkʌɪrə(ʊ)ˈpraktɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of complementary medicine based on the diagnosis and manipulative treatment of misalignments of the joints, especially those of the spinal column, which are believed to cause other disorders by affecting the nerves, muscles, and organs.

– origin late 19th cent.: from chiro- ‘hand’ + Greek praktikos ‘practical’, from prattein ‘do’.

chiropractor /ˈkʌɪrə(ʊ)ˌpraktə/

I. noun

a practitioner of the system of complementary medicine based on the diagnosis and manipulative treatment of misalignments of the joints.

– origin early 20th cent.: from chiro- ‘hand’ + Greek praktikos ‘practical’, from prattein ‘do’, + -or^1.

Chiroptera /kʌɪˈrɒpt(ə)rə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] an order of mammals that comprises the bats.
See also Megachiroptera, Microchiroptera.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from chiro- ‘hand’ + Greek pteron ‘wing’.

chiropteran /kʌɪˈrɒpt(ə)r(ə)n / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a mammal of the order Chiroptera; a bat.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting chiropterans.

chirp /tʃəːp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a small bird or an insect) make a short, sharp, high-pitched sound.

• outside, the crickets chirped monotonously.

• (as noun chirping) the chirping of birds.

2. [with direct speech] — (of a person) say something in a lively and cheerful way

• ‘Good morning!’ chirped Alex.

3. [with obj.] — (S. African) speak to (someone) in a taunting way.

• he chirped two policemen just before he was arrested.

II. noun

a short, sharp, high-pitched sound.

• the chirps and whirrs of insects.

III. derivatives

chirper

noun

– origin late Middle English: imitative.

chirpy /ˈtʃəːpi/

I. adjective

‹informal› cheerful and lively.

• she looked positively chirpy.

• a chirpy face.

II. derivatives

1. chirpily /ˈtʃəːpɪli /

adverb

2. chirpiness /ˈtʃəːpɪnəs /

noun

chirr /tʃəː / churr

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of an insect) make a prolonged low trilling sound.

• grasshoppers were chirring.

II. noun

a low trilling sound.

• the chirr of summer crickets.

– origin early 17th cent.: imitative.

chirrup /ˈtʃɪrəp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a small bird) make repeated short, high-pitched sounds.

• a bird chirruped intermittently outside.

2. [with direct speech] — (of a person) say something in a high-pitched voice

• ‘Yes, Miss Honey,’ chirruped eighteen voices.

II. noun

a short, high-pitched sound.

• the chirrups of the crickets.

III. derivatives

chirrupy

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: alteration of chirp, by trilling the -r-.

chiru /ˈtʃɪruː/

I. noun

a sandy-coloured Tibetan gazelle with black horns. Also called Tibetan antelope.
● Pantholops hodgsoni, family Bovidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: probably from Tibetan.

chisel /ˈtʃɪz(ə)l/

I. noun

a long-bladed hand tool with a bevelled cutting edge and a handle which is struck with a hammer or mallet, used to cut or shape wood, stone, or metal.

• cut away the tiles with a broad-bladed steel chisel.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut or shape (something) with a chisel

• chisel a hole through the brickwork.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) cheat or swindle (someone) out of something

• he's chiselled me out of my dues.

III. derivatives

chiseller /ˈtʃɪz(ə)lə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old Northern French, based on Latin cis- (as in late Latin cisorium), variant of caes-, stem of caedere ‘to cut’. Compare with scissors.

chiselled /ˈtʃɪz(ə)ld/

adjective

1. (of wood or stone) shaped or cut with a chisel

• the squared shapes of the chiselled stone.

2. (of a man's facial features) strongly and clearly defined

• the chiselled features of a male model.

Chişinău /ˌkɪʃɪˈnaʊ/

the capital of Moldova; pop. 630,300 (est. 2008).
Russian name Kishinyov.

chi-square test /kʌɪˈskwɛː tɛst/

noun

(Symbol: χ^2) — a statistical method assessing the goodness of fit between a set of observed values and those expected theoretically.

chit^1 /tʃɪt/

I. noun

a short official note, typically recording a sum owed.

• write out a chit for whatever you take from the drinks cupboard.

– origin late 18th cent.: Anglo-Indian, from Hindi ciṭṭhī ‘note, pass’.

chit^2 /tʃɪt/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹derogatory› an impudent or arrogant young woman

• she is a mere chit of a girl.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a whelp, cub, or kitten): perhaps related to dialect chit ‘sprout’.

chit^3 /tʃɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) cause (a potato) to sprout by placing it in a cool light place.

– origin early 17th cent.: from dialect chit ‘a shoot, sprout’.

chital /ˈtʃiːt(ə)l/

I. noun

a deer having lyre-shaped antlers and a white-spotted fawn coat, native to India and Sri Lanka.
● Cervus axis, family Cervidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Hindi cītal, from Sanskrit citrala ‘spotted’, from citra ‘spot, mark’.

chitarrone /ˌkɪtəˈrəʊneɪ, ˌkɪtəˈrəʊni/

I. noun

a very large lute similar to a theorbo, used in Italy in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

– origin Italian, literally ‘large guitar’.

chit-chat /ˈtʃɪttʃat / ‹informal›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. inconsequential conversation.

• it was a leisurely dinner with much chit-chat and laughter.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. talk about trivial matters

• I can't stand around chit-chatting.

– origin late 17th cent.: reduplication of chat^1.

chit fund

I. noun

(in South Asia) an institution which accepts savings at interest and lends money for house and other purchases.

– origin chit from chit^1.

chitin /ˈkʌɪtɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a fibrous substance consisting of polysaccharides, which is the major constituent in the exoskeleton of arthropods and the cell walls of fungi.

II. derivatives

chitinous

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French chitine, formed irregularly from Greek khitōn (see chiton).

chitlin circuit /ˈtʃɪtlɪn/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› (during the era of racial segregation in parts of the US) a network of clubs, theatres, and other venues where black entertainers were able to perform.

– origin from chitlins, a southern US dialect form of chitterlings (a food stereotypically associated with black people and poor southerners).

chiton /ˈkʌɪtɒn, ˈkʌɪt(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a long woollen tunic worn in ancient Greece.

2. a marine mollusc that has an oval flattened body with a shell of overlapping plates. Also called coat-of-mail shell.
●Class Polyplacophora.

– origin from Greek khitōn ‘tunic’. Sense 2 is a modern Latin genus name.

Chittagong /ˈtʃɪtəɡɒŋ/

a seaport in SE Bangladesh, on the Bay of Bengal; pop. 2,579,107 (2008).

chitter /ˈtʃɪtə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a twittering or chattering sound.

• a pair of hawks arced chittering through the darkness.

2. (Scottish) ‹dialect› shiver with cold

• they stand chittering at bus stops.

– origin Middle English: imitative; compare with chatter.

chitter-chatter /ˈtʃɪtətʃatə / ‹informal›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. informal and inconsequential conversation

• there was chitter-chatter in the lobby as Mabel entered the movie theatre.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. talk about trivial matters

• people are chitter-chattering and laughter flows freely.

– origin early 18th cent.: reduplication of chatter; compare with chit-chat.

chitterlings /ˈtʃɪtəlɪŋz/

I. plural noun

the smaller intestines of a pig, cooked as food.

– origin Middle English: perhaps related to synonymous German Kutteln.

chitty /ˈtʃɪti/

noun

(Brit.) informal term for chit^1.

chivalrous /ˈʃɪv(ə)lrəs/

I. adjective

1. (of a man or his behaviour) courteous and gallant, especially towards women.

• teachers may be more chivalrous towards girls.

2. relating to the historical concept of chivalry.

• the concept of chivalrous combat.

II. derivatives

1. chivalrously /ˈʃɪv(ə)lrəsli /

adverb

2. chivalrousness

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘characteristic of a medieval knight’): from Old French chevalerous, from chevalier (see chevalier).

chivalry /ˈʃɪv(ə)lri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the medieval knightly system with its religious, moral, and social code.

• the age of chivalry.

2. the combination of qualities expected of an ideal knight, namely courage, honour, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak.

• tales of chivalry and knightly deeds.

3. courteous behaviour, especially that of a man towards women

• he still retained a sense of chivalry towards women.

4. ‹archaic› knights, noblemen, and horsemen collectively.

• I fought against the cream of French chivalry.

II. derivatives

chivalric /ʃɪˈvalrɪk /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French chevalerie, from medieval Latin caballerius, for late Latin caballarius ‘horseman’ (see chevalier).

chives /tʃʌɪvz/

I. plural noun

a small Eurasian plant related to the onion, with purple-pink flowers and long tubular leaves which are used as a culinary herb

• freshly chopped chives

• (as modifier chive) chive and garlic dressing.

● Allium schoenoprasum, family Liliaceae (or Alliaceae).

– origin Middle English: from Old French, dialect variant of cive, from Latin cepa ‘onion’.

chivvy /ˈtʃɪvi / chivy

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly Brit.) tell (someone) repeatedly to do something

• an association which chivvies government into action.

– origin late 18th cent.: probably from the ballad Chevy Chase, celebrating a skirmish (probably the battle of Otterburn, 1388) on the Scottish border. Originally a noun denoting a hunting cry, the term later meant ‘a pursuit’, hence the verb ‘to chase, worry’ (mid 19th cent.).

Chkalov /ˈtʃkɑːlɒf/

former name (1938–57) for Orenburg.

Chladni figures /ˈkladni / Chladni patterns

I. plural noun

the patterns formed when a sand-covered surface is made to vibrate.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after Ernst Chladni (1756–1827), German physicist.

chlamydia /kləˈmɪdɪə/

I. noun

a very small parasitic bacterium which, like a virus, requires the biochemical mechanisms of another cell in order to reproduce. Bacteria of this type cause various diseases including trachoma, psittacosis, and non-specific urethritis.
●Genus Chlamydia and order Chlamydiales.

II. derivatives

chlamydial

adjective

– origin 1960s: modern Latin (plural), from Greek khlamus, khlamud- ‘cloak’.

chlamydomonas /ˌklamɪdəˈməʊnəs/

I. noun

[Biology] a common single-celled green alga which typically has two flagella for swimming, living in water and moist soil.
●Genus Chlamydomonas, division Chlorophyta (or phylum Chlorophyta, kingdom Protista).

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek khlamus, khlamud- ‘cloak’ + monas (see monad).

chlamydospore /ˈklamɪdə(ʊ)spɔː/

I. noun

[Botany] (in certain fungi) a thick-walled hyphal cell which functions like a spore.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek khlamus, khlamud- ‘cloak’ + spore.

chlamys /ˈklamɪs/

I. noun

a short cloak worn by men in ancient Greece.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Greek khlamus ‘cloak’.

chloasma /kləʊˈazmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a temporary condition, typically caused by hormonal changes, in which large brown patches form on the skin.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek khloazein ‘become green’.

chlor-

combining form

variant spelling of chloro- before a vowel (as in chloracne).

chloracne /klɔːˈrakni/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a skin disease resembling severe acne, caused by exposure to chlorinated chemicals.

chloral /ˈklɔːral/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless, viscous liquid made by chlorinating acetaldehyde.
●Chem. formula: CCl_3CHO.

2. [Chemistry] short for chloral hydrate.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, blend of chlore ‘chlorine’ and alcool ‘alcohol’.

chloral hydrate

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless crystalline solid made from chloral and used as a sedative.
●Chem. formula: CCl_3CH(OH)2.

chlorambucil /klɔːˈrambjʊsɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a cytotoxic drug used in the treatment of cancer.

– origin 1950s: from chlor(oethyl)am(inophenyl)bu(tyric acid), the systematic name, + -cil.

chloramine /ˈklɔːrəmiːn/

noun

[Chemistry] any of a group of antiseptics and disinfectants which are sulphonamide derivatives containing chlorine bonded to nitrogen.

• compounds such as chloramines.

• [ mass noun] chloramine is sometimes found in tap water.

chloramphenicol /ˌklɔːramˈfɛnɪkɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an antibiotic used against serious infections such as typhoid fever.

– origin 1940s: from chloro- (representing chlorine) + am(ide) + pheno- + ni(tro-) + (gly)col.

chlorate /ˈklɔːreɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of chloric acid.

chlordane /ˈklɔːdeɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic viscous toxic compound used as an insecticide.
●A chlorinated derivative of indene; chem. formula: C_10H_6Cl_8.

– origin 1940s: from chlor- (representing chlorine) + (in)dene + -ane^2.

chlordiazepoxide /ˌklɔːdʌɪazɪˈpɒksʌɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a tranquillizer of the benzodiazepine group, used chiefly to treat anxiety and alcoholism.
Also called Librium .

– origin 1960s: from chlor- + diazo + epoxide.

chlorella /kləˈrɛlə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] a common single-celled green alga of both terrestrial and aquatic habitats, responsible for turning stagnant water an opaque green.
●Genus Chlorella, division Chlorophyta (or phylum Chlorophyta, kingdom Protista).

– origin modern Latin, diminutive of Greek khlōros ‘green’.

chlorhexidine /klɔːˈhɛksɪdiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic compound used as a mild antiseptic.
●A biguanide derivative; chem. formula: C_22H_30Cl_2N_10.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from chlor- (representing chlorine) + hex(ane) + -id(e) + (am)ine.

chloric acid /ˈklɔːrɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless liquid acid with strong oxidizing properties.
●Chem. formula: HClO_3.

2. [Chemistry] any acid containing chlorine and oxygen.

– origin early 19th cent.: chloric from chlorine + -ic.

chloride /ˈklɔːrʌɪd/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a compound of chlorine with another element or group, especially a salt of the anion Cl− or an organic compound with chlorine bonded to an alkyl group.

• the presence of sulphates, chlorides, and nitrates.

• [with modifier] sodium chloride.

– origin early 19th cent.: from chlorine + -ide.

chlorinate /ˈklɔːrɪneɪt, ˈklɒrɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. chlorinated)

1. impregnate or treat with chlorine

• chlorinated water.

2. [Chemistry] introduce chlorine into (a compound)

• rainwater samples contained chlorinated hydrocarbons.

II. derivatives

1. chlorination /ˌklɔːrɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. chlorinator

noun

chlorine /ˈklɔːriːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Cl) — the chemical element of atomic number 17, a toxic, irritant, pale green gas.

A member of the halogen group, chlorine occurs in nature mainly as sodium chloride in seawater and salt deposits. The gas was used as a poison gas in the First World War. Chlorine is added to water supplies as a disinfectant.

– origin early 19th cent.: named by Sir Humphrey Davy, from Greek khlōros ‘green’ + -ine^4.

chlorite^1 /ˈklɔːrʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark green mineral consisting of a basic hydrated aluminosilicate of magnesium and iron. It occurs as a constituent of many rocks, typically forming flat crystals resembling mica.

II. derivatives

chloritic

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: via Latin from Greek khlōritis, a green precious stone.

chlorite^2 /ˈklɔːrʌɪt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a salt of chlorous acid, containing the anion ClO_2−.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from chlorine + -ite^1.

chloritoid /ˈklɔːrɪtɔɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a greenish-grey or black mineral resembling mica, consisting chiefly of a basic aluminosilicate of iron and found in metamorphosed clay sediments.

chloro- chlor-

I. combining form

1. [Biology] [Mineralogy] green.

2. [Chemistry] representing chlorine:

• chloroquine.

– origin from Greek khlōros ‘green’.

chlorodyne /ˈklɔːrə(ʊ)dʌɪn, ˈklɒrə(ʊ)dʌɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a preparation of chloroform and morphine formerly used to relieve pain.

– origin mid 19th cent.: blend of chloroform and anodyne.

chlorofluorocarbon /ˌklɔːrə(ʊ)ˌflʊərə(ʊ)ˈkɑːb(ə)n / CFC

noun

any of a class of compounds of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine, typically gases used in refrigerants and aerosol propellants. They are harmful to the ozone layer in the earth's atmosphere owing to the release of chlorine atoms on exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

chloroform /ˈklɔːrəfɔːm, ˈklɒrəfɔːm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a colourless, volatile, sweet-smelling liquid used as a solvent and formerly as a general anaesthetic.
●Chem. formula: CHCl_3.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) unconscious with chloroform.

• they terrorized residents, often chloroforming their victims.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from chloro- (representing chlorine) + form- from formic acid.

chloromelanite /ˌklɔːrə(ʊ)ˈmɛlənʌɪt, ˌklɒrə(ʊ)ˈmɛlənʌɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a greenish-black variety of jadeite containing a high proportion of iron.

chlorophyll /ˈklɔːrəfɪl, ˈklɒrəfɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a green pigment, present in all green plants and in cyanobacteria, which is responsible for the absorption of light to provide energy for photosynthesis.

II. derivatives

chlorophyllous

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: coined in French from Greek khlōros ‘green’ + phullon ‘leaf’.

Chlorophyta /ˈklɔːrə(ʊ)ˌfʌɪtə, ˈklɒrə(ʊ)ˌfʌɪtə/

I. plural noun

[Botany] a division of lower plants that comprises the green algae. They are frequently treated as a phylum of the kingdom Protista.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek khlōros ‘green’ + phuton ‘plant’.

chlorophyte

noun

[Botany] a lower plant of the division Chlorophyta, which comprises the green algae.

chloroplast /ˈklɔːrə(ʊ)plast, ˈklɔːrə(ʊ)plɑːst, ˈklɒrə(ʊ)plast, ˈklɒrə(ʊ)plɑːst/

I. noun

[Botany] a plastid in green plant cells which contains chlorophyll and in which photosynthesis takes place.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from Greek khlōros ‘green’ + plastos ‘formed’.

chloroprene /ˈklɔːrə(ʊ)prɪːn, ˈklɒrə(ʊ)prɪːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless liquid made from acetylene and hydrochloric acid and polymerized to form neoprene.
●Chem. formula: CH_2CClCHCH_2.

– origin 1930s: from chloro- + a shortened form of isoprene.

chloroquine /ˈklɔːrə(ʊ)kwiːn, ˈklɒrə(ʊ)kwiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic drug related to quinoline, used against malaria.

– origin 1940s: from chloro- + quin(olin)e.

chlorosis /klɒˈrəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] loss of the normal green coloration of leaves of plants, caused by iron deficiency in lime-rich soils, disease, or lack of light.

2. [Medicine] anaemia caused by iron deficiency, especially in adolescent girls, causing a pale, faintly greenish complexion.

II. derivatives

chlorotic /kləˈrɒtɪk /

adjective

chlorothiazide /ˌklɔːrə(ʊ)ˈθʌɪəzʌɪd, ˌklɒrə(ʊ)ˈθʌɪəzʌɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic drug used to treat fluid retention and high blood pressure.

chlorous acid /ˈklɔːrəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a weak acid with oxidizing properties, formed when chlorine dioxide dissolves in water.
●Chem. formula: HClO_2.

chlorpromazine /klɔːˈprəʊməzɪn, klɔːˈprəʊməziːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic drug used as a tranquillizer, sedative, and anti-emetic.

– origin 1950s: from chloro- + prom(eth)azine.

chlortetracycline /ˌklɔːtɛtrəˈsʌɪkliːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an antibiotic of the tetracycline group, active against many bacterial and fungal infections.

ChM

I. abbreviation

Master of Surgery.

– origin from Latin Chirurgiae Magister.

choanocyte /ˈkəʊənə(ʊ)sʌɪt/

I. noun

[Zoology] a flagellated cell with a collar of protoplasm at the base of the flagellum, numbers of which line the internal chambers of sponges.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek khoanē ‘funnel’ + -cyte.

choc /tʃɒk/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a chocolate.

• we consoled ourselves by scoffing chocs.

• [as modifier] I'll bring you a choc bar.

choccy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› chocolate.
[as modifier]

• choccy biscuits.

2. [ count noun] — ‹informal› a chocolate sweet.

chocho /ˈtʃəʊtʃəʊ/

noun

West Indian term for choko.

choc ice /ˈtʃɒk ʌɪs/

noun

(Brit.) a small bar of ice cream with a thin coating of chocolate.

chock /tʃɒk/

I. noun

1. a wedge or block placed against a wheel or rounded object, to prevent it from moving.

• their aircraft stood gently shuddering against their chocks.

2. a support for a rounded structure, such as a cask or the hull of a boat.

3. a ring with a gap at the top, through which a rope or line is run.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. prevent the movement of (a wheel or vehicle) with a chock

• the front wheel will need to be chocked.

2. support (a boat, cask, etc.) on chocks.

• outside, chocked up on the waterfront, was a yacht.

– origin Middle English: probably from an Old Northern French variant of Old French çouche, çoche ‘block, log’, of unknown ultimate origin.

chocka

adjective

(Brit.) short for chock-a-block.

chock-a-block /tʃɒkəˈblɒk/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) crammed full of people or things

• the manual is chock-a-block with information.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally in nautical use, with reference to tackle having the two blocks run close together): from chock (in chock-full) and block.

chocker /ˈtʃɒkə/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹informal› (Brit.) tired of or disgusted with something

• I'm a little chocker with this place.

2. ( also chockers) — ‹informal› (Austral.) (Brit.) full

• the church was chocker with flowers.

– origin Second World War (originally naval slang): from chock-a-block.

chock-full /tʃɒkˈfʊl/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹informal› filled to overflowing

• my case is chock-full of notes.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin; later associated with chock.

chockstone

noun

[Climbing] a stone that has become wedged in a vertical cleft.

chocoholic /tʃɒkəˈhɒlɪk / chocaholic

noun

‹informal› a person who is addicted to or very fond of chocolate.

• nine out of ten chocoholics are women.

chocolate /ˈtʃɒk(ə)lət/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a food in the form of a paste or solid block made from roasted and ground cacao seeds, typically sweetened and eaten as confectionery

• a bar of chocolate

• [as modifier] a chocolate biscuit.

2. [ count noun] — a sweet made of or covered with chocolate

• a box of chocolates.

3. hot chocolate

• I drink chocolate because it is so soothing.

4. a deep brown colour

• the former Great Western colours of chocolate and cream

• [as modifier] his chocolate brown eyes.

II. derivatives

chocolatey /ˈtʃɒkləti / chocolaty

adjective

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘a drink made with chocolate’): from French chocolat or Spanish chocolate, from Nahuatl chocolatl ‘food made from cacao seeds’, influenced by unrelated cacaua-atl ‘drink made from cacao’.

chocolate-box

I. adjective

(Brit.) (of a view or picture) pretty in a conventional or idealized way

• chocolate-box cottages lining narrow streets.

– origin from the use of attractive images to decorate boxes of chocolates.

chocolate chip

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a small piece of chocolate used in biscuits, cakes, and ice cream

• chocolate-chip cookies.

chocolate-coloured

adjective

of a deep brown colour

• a chocolate-coloured Labrador.

chocolate crackle

noun

(Austral.) a chocolate-flavoured refrigerated biscuit containing crisped rice

• Mum made fruit-juice iceblocks and chocolate crackles.

chocolate drop

noun

(Brit.) a small round sweet made of chocolate.

chocolate spot

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fungal disease affecting field and broad beans, characterized by dark brown spots on all parts of the plant.
●This is caused by the fungus Botrytis fabae, subdivision Deuteromycotina (or Ascomycotina).

chocolate wheel

noun

(Austral./NZ) a fundraising lottery with small prizes (originally chocolates, now usually cash), drawn by spinning a numbered wheel

• there will be a raffle, a chocolate wheel, and an auction.

chocolatier /ˌtʃɒk(ə)ləˈtɪə, French ʃɔkɔlatje/

I. noun

a maker or seller of chocolate.

– origin late 19th cent.: French.

Choctaw /ˈtʃɒktɔː/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people now living mainly in Mississippi.

2. [ mass noun] — the Muskogean language of the Choctaw, closely related to Chickasaw and now almost extinct.

3. (in skating) a step from one edge of a skate to the other edge of the other skate in the opposite direction.

II. adjective

relating to the Choctaw or their language.

– origin from Choctaw čahta.

choice /tʃɔɪs/

I. noun

1. an act of choosing between two or more possibilities

• the choice between good and evil.

2. [ mass noun] — the right or ability to choose

• I had to do it, I had no choice.

3. a range of possibilities from which one or more may be chosen

• you can have a sofa made in a choice of forty fabrics.

4. a thing or person which is chosen

• this disk drive is the perfect choice for your computer.

II. adjective

1. (especially of food) of very good quality

• he picked some choice early plums.

2. (of words or language) rude and abusive

• he had a few choice words at his command.

III. phrases

1. by choice

of one's own accord.

• she did not leave the academic world by choice, but because her future seemed blocked.

2. of choice

selected as one's favourite or the best

• champagne was his drink of choice.

3. of one's choice

that one chooses or has chosen

• the college of her choice.

IV. derivatives

1. choicely /ˈtʃɔɪsli /

adverb

2. choiceness /ˈtʃɔɪsnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French chois, from choisir ‘choose’, of Germanic origin and related to choose.

choil /tʃɔɪl/

I. noun

the end of a knife's cutting edge which is nearer to the handle.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

choir /ˈkwʌɪə/

I. noun

1. an organized group of singers, especially one that takes part in church services or performs in public.

• a church choir.

• the choir of the University of Ulster.

2. one of two or more subdivisions of such a group performing together

• his famous Spem in alium for eight five-part choirs.

3. the part of a cathedral or large church between the high altar and the nave, used by the choir and clergy.

• it has tall, twin western towers and spires and a long nave and choir.

4. a group of instruments of one family playing together

• a clarinet choir.

– origin Middle English quer, quere, from Old French quer, from Latin chorus (see chorus). The spelling change in the 17th cent. was due to association with Latin chorus and modern French choeur.

choirboy /ˈkwʌɪəbɔɪ / choirgirl

noun

a boy (or girl) who sings in a church or cathedral choir.

choirman

noun

(Brit.) a man who sings in a church or cathedral choir.

choirmaster /ˈkwʌɪəmɑːstə/

noun

the conductor of a choir.

choir organ

noun

a separate division of many large organs, played using a third manual (keyboard), and typically having distinctively toned stops.

choir school

noun

a school which is attached to a cathedral or college and specializes in training choirboys and choirgirls.

choir stalls

plural noun

fixed seating in the choir of a church or chapel.

choi sum /tʃɔɪ ˈsʌm / choy sum

I. noun

a small Chinese cabbage of a variety with mild-tasting leaves and small edible yellow flowers.
● Brassica rapa var. parachinensis, family Cruciferae.

– origin Chinese (Cantonese dialect), literally ‘vegetable heart’.

choisya /ˈtʃɔɪzɪə/

I. noun

an evergreen Mexican shrub with sweet-scented white flowers, grown as an ornamental.
● Choisya ternata, family Rutaceae.

– origin named after Jacques D. Choisy (1799–1859), Swiss botanist.

choke^1 /tʃəʊk/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a person or animal) have severe difficulty in breathing because of a constricted or obstructed throat or a lack of air

• Willie choked on a mouthful of tea.

2. [with obj.] — cause (a person or animal) to choke

• the toys contained parts that could choke a very young child.

3. [with obj.] — prevent (a plant) from growing by depriving it of light, air, or nourishment

• the bracken will choke the wild gladiolus.

4. [with obj.] — prevent or inhibit the occurrence or development of

• higher rates of interest choke off investment demand.

5. [no obj.] — ‹informal› (in sports) fail to perform at a crucial point of a game or contest as a result of nervousness

• we were the only team not to choke when it came to the crunch.

6. [with obj.] — fill (a space) so as to make movement difficult or impossible

• the roads were choked with traffic.

7. [with obj.] — make (someone) speechless with a strong feeling or emotion

• he was choked with fury.

8. (usu. be choked up) — cause (someone) to feel tearful or extremely upset

• I was so choked up I started crying and couldn't sing any more

• [no obj.] I just choked up reading it.

9. suppress a strong emotion or the expression of such an emotion

• Liz was choking back her anger.

10. [with obj.] — enrich the fuel mixture in (a petrol engine) by reducing the intake of air.

• carbon monoxide results during a cold start, when an engine is choked.

II. noun

1. a valve in the carburettor of a petrol engine that is used to reduce the amount of air in the fuel mixture when the engine is started.

• an automatic choke.

• [ mass noun] too much choke does not help.

2. a knob which controls the choke in a carburettor.

• he pulled the choke out to its full extent.

3. a narrowed part of a shotgun bore near the muzzle, serving to restrict the spread of the shot.

• many guns may not have the right choke.

• a full choke gun.

4. an inductance coil used to smooth the variations of an alternating current or to alter its phase.

5. an act or the sound of a person or animal having difficulty in breathing

• a little choke of laughter.

– origin Middle English: from Old English ācēocian (verb), from cēoce (see cheek).

choke^2 /tʃəʊk/

I. noun

the inedible mass of silky fibres at the centre of a globe artichoke.

– origin late 17th cent.: probably a confusion of the ending of artichoke with choke^1.

chokeberry

noun

1. a North American shrub of the rose family, with white flowers and red autumn foliage, cultivated as an ornamental.
●Genus Aronia, family Rosaceae.

2. the bitter scarlet berry-like fruit of the chokeberry.

choke chain

noun

a chain formed into a loop by passing one end through a ring on the other, placed round a dog's neck to exert control by causing pressure on the windpipe when the dog pulls.

chokecherry

noun

a North American cherry with astringent fruit which is edible when cooked.
● Prunus virginiana, family Rosaceae.

choke-damp

noun — [ mass noun]

1. choking or suffocating gas, typically carbon dioxide, that is found in mines and other underground spaces.

chokehold

noun

a tight grip round a person's neck, used to restrain them by restricting their breathing

• the police have banned chokeholds

• ‹figurative› the southern delegates had the convention in a chokehold.

choke point

noun

(N. Amer.) a point of congestion or blockage

• the tunnel is a choke point at rush hour.

choker /ˈtʃəʊkə/

noun

1. a necklace or band of fabric that fits closely around the neck.

• her only ornament was a simple pearl choker.

2. ‹dated› a clerical or other high collar.

3. (N. Amer.) a cable looped round a log to drag it.

4. ‹informal› an extremely upsetting experience

• saying our farewells—that was a bit of a choker.

5. ‹informal› a sports player who fails to perform at a crucial point as a result of nervousness

• when I was playing on the tour, I was a choker.

chokey /ˈtʃəʊki / choky

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› prison.

• they sent old Polgar to the chokey then?

2. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› imprisonment

• three months' chokey.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘customs or toll house’): Anglo-Indian, from Hindi caukī ; influenced by choke^1.

choko /ˈtʃəʊkəʊ/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) the fruit of the chayote plant, eaten as a vegetable in the Caribbean, Australia, and New Zealand.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Spanish chocho, from a Brazilian Indian word. The current spelling dates from the early 20th cent.

chokra /ˈtʃəʊkrə/

I. noun

‹chiefly derogatory› (in South Asia) a boy, especially one employed as a servant.

– origin from Hindi chokrā.

Chokwe /ˈtʃɒkweɪ/

I. noun

1. a member of a people living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) and northern Angola.

2. [ mass noun] — the Bantu language of the Chokwe, with over a million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Chokwe or their language.

choky^1 /ˈtʃəʊki/

adjective

1. having or causing difficulty in breathing

• the whole piazza was choky with tear gas.

2. breathless with emotion

• ‘Nick,’ she said, choky suddenly.

choky^2

noun

variant spelling of chokey.

chola /ˈtʃəʊlə/

I. noun

a Latin American woman with American Indian blood.

– origin mid 19th cent.: American Spanish (see cholo).

cholangiography /ˌkɒlandʒɪˈɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] X-ray examination of the bile ducts, used to locate and identify an obstruction.

II. derivatives

cholangiogram

noun

– origin 1930s: coined in Spanish from Greek khole ‘bile’ + angeion ‘vessel’ + -graphia (see -graphy).

chole- /ˈkɒli / chol-

I. combining form

[Medicine] [Chemistry] relating to bile or the bile ducts

• cholesterol.

– origin from Greek kholē ‘gall, bile’.

cholecalciferol /ˌkɒlɪkalˈsɪf(ə)rɒl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] one of the D vitamins, a sterol essential for the deposition of calcium in bones and formed by the action of sunlight on dehydrocholesterol in the skin.
Also called vitamin D3.

cholecyst- /ˈkɒlɪsɪst/

I. combining form

relating to the gall bladder

• cholecystectomy.

– origin from modern Latin cholecystis ‘gall bladder’.

cholecystectomy /ˌkɒlɪsɪsˈtɛktəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] surgical removal of the gall bladder.

cholecystitis /ˌkɒlɪsɪsˈtʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the gall bladder.

cholecystography /ˌkɒlɪsɪˈstɒɡrəfi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] X-ray examination of the gall bladder, used especially to detect the presence of gallstones.

cholecystokinin /ˌkɒlɪˌsɪstə(ʊ)ˈkʌɪnɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a hormone which is secreted by cells in the duodenum and stimulates the release of bile into the intestine and the secretion of enzymes by the pancreas.

cholelithiasis /ˌkɒlɪlɪˈθʌɪəsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the formation of gallstones.

cholent /ˈtʃɒl(ə)nt, ˈʃɒl(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Jewish Sabbath dish of slowly baked meat and vegetables, prepared on a Friday and cooked overnight.

– origin from Yiddish tsholnt.

choler /ˈkɒlə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in medieval science and medicine) one of the four bodily humours, identified with bile and believed to be associated with a peevish or irascible temperament.
Also called yellow bile.

2. ‹archaic› anger or irascibility.

– origin late Middle English (also denoting diarrhoea): from Old French colere ‘bile, anger’, from Latin cholera ‘diarrhoea’ (from Greek kholera), which in late Latin acquired the senses ‘bile or anger’, from Greek kholē ‘bile’.

cholera /ˈkɒlərə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an infectious and often fatal bacterial disease of the small intestine, typically contracted from infected water supplies and causing severe vomiting and diarrhoea.
●The disease is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. See vibrio.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting bile and later applied to various ailments involving vomiting and diarrhoea): from Latin (see choler). The current sense dates from the early 19th cent.

choleraic /ˌkɒləˈreɪɪk/

adjective

‹archaic› infected with cholera.

choleric /ˈkɒlərɪk/

I. adjective

1. bad-tempered or irritable.

• he was a choleric, self-important little man.

2. (in medieval medicine) having choler as the predominant bodily humour.

• a choleric disposition.

II. derivatives

cholerically

adverb

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘bilious’): from Old French cholerique, via Latin from Greek kholerikos, from kholera (see choler).

cholesterol /kəˈlɛstərɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a compound of the sterol type found in most body tissues. Cholesterol and its derivatives are important constituents of cell membranes and precursors of other steroid compounds, but high concentrations in the blood are thought to promote atherosclerosis.
●Chem. formula: C_27H_45OH.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kholē ‘bile’ + stereos ‘stiff’ + -ol.

choli /ˈtʃəʊli/

I. noun

a short-sleeved bodice worn under a sari by Indian women.

– origin from Hindi colī.

choliamb /ˈkəʊlɪam(b)/

I. noun

[Prosody] another term for scazon.

II. derivatives

choliambic /ˌkəʊlɪˈambɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: via late Latin from Greek khōliambos, from khōlos ‘lame’ + iambos (see iambus).

cholic acid /ˈkəʊlɪk, ˈkɒl-/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound produced by oxidation of cholesterol. It is a steroidal fatty acid and its salts are present in bile.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kholikos, from kholē ‘bile’.

choline /ˈkəʊliːn, ˈkəʊlɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a strongly basic compound important in the synthesis and transport of lipids in the body.
●Chem. formula: HON(CH_3)3CH_2CH_2OH.

– origin mid 19th cent.: coined in German from Greek kholē ‘bile’.

cholinergic /ˌkəʊlɪˈnəːdʒɪk/

I. adjective

[Physiology] relating to or denoting nerve cells in which acetylcholine acts as a neurotransmitter.
Contrasted with adrenergic.

– origin 1930s: from choline + Greek ergon ‘work’ + -ic.

cholinesterase /ˌkəʊlɪˈnɛstəreɪz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an enzyme, especially acetylcholinesterase, which hydrolyses esters of choline.

cholla /ˈtʃɔɪə/

I. noun

a cactus with a cylindrical stem, native to Mexico and the south-western US.
●Genus Opuntia, family Cactaceae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Mexican Spanish use of Spanish cholla ‘skull, head’, of unknown origin.

cholo /ˈtʃəʊləʊ/

I. noun

1. a Latin American man with American Indian blood; a mestizo.

2. (US) ‹informal› ‹offensive› a lower-class Mexican, especially in an urban area.

3. (US) a member of a Mexican street gang.

– origin mid 19th cent.: American Spanish, from Cholollán (now Cholula), in Mexico.

chomp /tʃɒmp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. munch or chew noisily or vigorously

• she chomped on a roll.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a chewing noise or action.

III. phrases

chomp at the bit

see champ at the bit at champ^1.

– origin mid 17th cent.: imitative.

Chomsky, Noam /ˈtʃɒmski/

(b.1928), American theoretical linguist, noted for expounding the theory of generative grammar; full name Avram Noam Chomsky. He also demonstrated that linguistic behaviour is innate, not learned, and that all languages share the same underlying grammatical base. Chomsky is known also for his opposition to American involvement in the Vietnam War and the Gulf War.

Chomskyan /ˈtʃɒmskɪən/

adjective

relating to or characteristic of the linguistic theories of Noam Chomsky, especially those concerning generative grammar

• Chomskyan ideas about an innate language faculty.

Chondrichthyes /kɒnˈdrɪkθiːz/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a class of fishes that includes those with a cartilaginous skeleton.
Compare with Osteichthyes.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek khondros ‘cartilage’ + ikhthus ‘fish’.

chondrite /ˈkɒndrʌɪt/

I. noun

a stony meteorite containing small mineral granules (chondrules).

II. derivatives

chondritic

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek khondros ‘granule’ + -ite^1.

chondro- /ˈkɒndrə(ʊ)/

I. combining form

relating to cartilage

• chondrocyte.

– origin from Greek khondros ‘grain or cartilage’.

chondrocranium /ˌkɒndrə(ʊ)ˈkreɪnɪəm/

noun

[Zoology] [Embryology] the primary skull of vertebrates, composed of cartilage, which in humans and most other vertebrates is replaced by bone during development.

chondrocyte /ˈkɒndrə(ʊ)sʌɪt/

noun

[Biology] a cell which has secreted the matrix of cartilage and become embedded in it.

chondroitin /kɒnˈdrəʊɪtɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a mucopolysaccharide compound which is a major constituent of cartilage and other connective tissue.

– origin late 19th cent.: from chondro- + -ite^1 + -in^1.

chondrule /ˈkɒndruːl/

I. noun

a spheroidal mineral grain present in large numbers in some stony meteorites.

– origin late 19th cent.: from chondrite + -ule.

Chongjin /tʃʌŋˈdʒɪn/

a port on the NE coast of North Korea; pop. 582,500 (est. 2005).

Chongqing /tʃʊŋˈtʃɪŋ / Chungking

a city in Sichuan province in central China; pop. 4,776,000 (est. 2006). It was the capital of China from 1938 to 1946.

choo-choo /ˈtʃuːtʃuː / choo-choo train

I. noun

a child's word for a railway train or locomotive.

– origin early 20th cent. (originally US): imitative.

choof /tʃʊf/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› go or move in a specified direction

• I used to drink beer at home with Dad before he choofed off.

– origin 1940s: form of chuff^1, used figuratively.

chook /tʃʊk / chookie

I. noun

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a chicken or fowl.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› an older woman.

– origin 1920s: probably from English dialect chuck ‘chicken’, of imitative origin.

chookas /ˈtʃʊkəz/

I. exclamation

(Austral.) used to wish a performer good luck

• a big chookas to all involved in tomorrow's show

• chookas for a fantastic run and a brilliant season.

– origin 1990s: probably from chook, although the precise origin is unclear. It is often popularly explained as an alteration of chook it is, from a time when chicken was considered an expensive delicacy: if a play was successful the actors would be paid well, and could eat well.

chook house

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› an enclosure for domestic fowl; a hen house

• ensure your chook house has adequate shade and ventilation for the summer months.

chook lit

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› a genre of literature dealing with countryside romance in Australia

• she's read so much chook lit now I'm surprised she's not clucking.

chook raffle

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a raffle in which the prize is a ready-to-cook chicken

• they passed the hat around and ran a few chook raffles and built a club.

choom /tʃʊm/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› an English person

• there was the belief that the diggers were better fighters than the chooms.

– origin First World War: representing a British English dialect pronunciation of chum^1.

choon /tʃuːn/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a song or piece of popular music

• play us some of your choons, bro!

– origin 1990s: informal respelling of tune.

choose /tʃuːz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pick out (someone or something) as being the best or most appropriate of two or more alternatives

• he chose a seat facing the door

• [no obj.] there are many versions to choose from.

2. [no obj.] — decide on a course of action
[with infinitive]

• he chose to go

• I'll stay as long as I choose.

II. phrases

1. cannot choose but do something

‹formal› have no alternative to doing something.

2. there is little (or nothing) to choose between

there is little or no difference between.

• there is little to choose between the different methods.

III. derivatives

chooser /ˈtʃuːzə /

noun

– origin Old English cēosan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kiezen.

choosy /ˈtʃuːzi/

I. adjective

‹informal› taking excessive care when making a choice

• she's become very choosy about food.

II. derivatives

1. choosily

adverb

2. choosiness

noun

chop^1 /tʃɒp/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — cut (something) into pieces with repeated sharp blows of an axe or knife

• they chopped up the pulpit for firewood

• finely chop 200g of skipjack tuna.

2. ( chop something off) — remove something by cutting

• a paper guillotine chopped off all four fingers.

3. cut through the base of (a tree or similar plant) with blows from an axe or other implement, in order to fell it

• the boy chopped down eight trees.

4. strike (something) with a short heavy blow, as if cutting at something

• Benson chopped the ball onto the stumps.

5. abolish or reduce the size of (something) in a way regarded as ruthless

• their training courses are to be chopped.

II. noun

1. a downward cutting blow or movement, typically with the hand

• an effective chop to the back of the neck.

2. a thick slice of meat, especially pork or lamb, adjacent to and often including a rib.

• he lived on liver or chops.

3. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person's share of something.

4. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) crushed or ground grain used as animal feed.

• the pile of chop was dropped into the calves' feeder.

5. [in sing.] — the broken motion of water, owing to the action of the wind against the tide

• we started our run into a two-foot chop.

III. phrases

1. the chop ‹Brit. informal›

a. dismissal from employment

• hundreds more workers have been given the chop.

b. cancellation or abolition

• all these projects are destined for the chop.

c. the action of killing someone or the fact of being killed.

• seven men we all knew had got the chop.

2. chop logic

argue in a tiresomely pedantic way; quibble.
[mid 16th cent.: from a dialect use of chop meaning ‘bandy words’.]

– origin late Middle English: variant of chap^1.

chop^2 /tʃɒp/

I. verb — (in phrase chop and change)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› change one's opinions or behaviour repeatedly and abruptly.

• teachers are fed up with having to chop and change with every twist in government policy.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘barter, exchange’): perhaps related to Old English cēap ‘bargaining, trade’; compare with chap- in chapman.

chop^3 /tʃɒp/

I. noun

‹archaic› a trademark; a brand of goods.

II. phrases

not much chop

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› unsatisfactory

• that veranda's not much chop in bad weather.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Hindi chāp ‘stamp, brand’ (see chaap).

chop-chop /tʃɒpˈtʃɒp/

I. adverb, exclamation

quickly; quick

• ‘Two pints, chop-chop,’ Jimmy called.

– origin mid 19th cent.: pidgin English, based on Chinese dialect kuaì-kuaì. Compare with chopstick.

chophouse /ˈtʃɒphaʊs/

noun

a restaurant that specializes in steaks, chops, and similar fare.

Chopin, Frédéric /ˈʃəʊpã/

(1810–49), Polish-born French composer and pianist; Polish name Fryderyk Franciszek Szopen; full name Frédéric François Chopin. Writing almost exclusively for the piano, he composed numerous mazurkas and polonaises inspired by Polish folk music, as well as nocturnes, preludes, and two piano concertos (1829; 1830).

Chopin, Kate /ˈʃəʊpan/

(1851–1904), American novelist and short-story writer; full name Kate O'Flaherty Chopin. Notable works: Bayou Folk (1894), A Night in Acidie (1897), and The Awakening (1899).

chopper /ˈtʃɒpə/

noun

1. a short axe with a large blade.

2. a butcher's cleaver

• a meat chopper.

3. a machine for chopping something

• a straw chopper.

4. a device for regularly interrupting an electric current or a beam of light or particles.

5. ( choppers) — ‹informal› teeth.

• he flashes his choppers back at me.

6. ‹informal› a helicopter.

• fog had delayed the landing of his chopper.

7. ‹informal› a type of motorcycle with high handlebars and the front-wheel fork extended forwards.

8. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› a man's penis.

chop picnic

noun

(Austral.) ‹dated› ‹informal› an outdoor meal in which meat is cooked over an open fire

• we're all going for a chop picnic in the scrub.

chopping block

I. noun

1. a block for chopping wood or food.

2. ‹historical› an executioner's block.

II. phrases

on the chopping block

likely to be abolished or drastically reduced.

• the $1.6 billion we spend each year on transportation subsidies is on the chopping block.

chopping board

noun

(Brit.) a board on which vegetables and other types of food are chopped.

choppy /ˈtʃɒpi/

I. adjective

1. (of a sea, lake, or river) having many small waves.

• sea conditions are often very choppy.

• heavy, choppy seas.

2. having a disjointed or jerky quality

• the choppy, electronic beat of hip hop.

3. denoting or relating to a hairstyle in which layers and sections of hair are cut at different lengths

• a choppy bob.

II. derivatives

1. choppily

adverb

2. choppiness /ˈtʃɒpɪnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘full of chaps or clefts’): from chop^1 + -y^1.

chops /tʃɒps/

I. plural noun

1. ‹informal› a person's or animal's mouth or jaws

• a smack in the chops.

2. ‹informal› a person's cheeks

• his wobbling chops.

3. ‹informal› the technical skill of a jazz or rock musician

• when I'm on tour my chops go down.

II. phrases

1. bust one's chops

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› exert oneself.

• you've been busting your chops today.

2. bust someone's chops

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› nag or criticize someone.

• I'm not busting your chops over this.

– origin late Middle English: variant of chap^3.

chop shop

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a place where stolen vehicles are dismantled so that the parts can be sold or used to repair other stolen vehicles.

• police officers raided a chop shop yesterday, arresting thirteen people.

chopsocky /ˈtʃɒpsɒki/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› kung fu or a similar martial art, especially as depicted in violent action films

• chopsocky epics from Hong Kong.

– origin 1970s: perhaps humorously suggested by chop suey.

chopstick /ˈtʃɒpstɪk/

I. noun — (usu. chopsticks)

1. each of a pair of small, thin, tapered sticks of wood, ivory, or plastic, held together in one hand and used as eating utensils especially by the Chinese and the Japanese.

– origin late 17th cent.: pidgin English, from chop ‘quick’ + stick^1, translating Chinese dialect kuàizi, literally ‘nimble ones’. Compare with chop-chop.

chop suey /tʃɒpˈsuːi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Chinese-style dish of meat stewed and fried with bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and onions, and served with rice.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Chinese (Cantonese dialect) tsaâp suì ‘mixed bits’.

choral /ˈkɔːr(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. composed for or sung by a choir or chorus

• a choral work.

2. engaged in or concerned with singing

• a choral scholar.

II. derivatives

chorally /ˈkɔːrəli /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin choralis, from Latin chorus (see chorus).

chorale /kɒˈrɑːl/

I. noun

1. a stately hymn tune, especially one associated with the German Lutheran Church.

2. a musical composition consisting of or resembling a harmonized version of a chorale.

3. (US) a choir or choral society.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German Choral(gesang), translating medieval Latin cantus choralis.

choral society

noun

an organized body of amateur singers who meet regularly to perform choral music.

chord^1 /kɔːd/

I. noun

a group of (typically three or more) notes sounded together, as a basis of harmony

• the triumphal opening chords

• a G major chord.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun chording)

1. play, sing, or arrange notes in chords.

• his chording makes an exhilarating accompaniment to the melody.

III. derivatives

chordal

adjective

– origin Middle English cord, from accord. The spelling change in the 18th cent. was due to confusion with chord^2. The original sense was ‘agreement, reconciliation’, later ‘a musical concord or harmonious sound’; the current sense dates from the mid 18th cent. / usage: See usage at chord^2.

chord^2 /kɔːd/

I. noun

1. [Mathematics] a straight line joining the ends of an arc.

2. [Aeronautics] the width of an aerofoil from leading to trailing edge.

3. [Engineering] each of the two principal members of a truss.

• a stabilizer chord.

4. [Anatomy] variant spelling of cord:

• the spinal chord.

5. ‹literary› a string on a harp or other instrument.

II. phrases

1. strike (or touch) a chord

cause someone to feel sympathy, emotion, or enthusiasm

• the issue of food safety strikes a chord with almost everyone.

[with figurative reference to the emotions being the ‘strings’ of the mind visualized as a musical instrument.]

2. strike (or touch) the right chord

skilfully appeal to or arouse a particular emotion in others

• Dickens knew how to strike the right chord in the hearts of his readers.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the anatomical sense): a later spelling (influenced by Latin chorda ‘rope’) of cord. / usage: In modern English there are two words spelled chord: the first is the musical term ‘a group of notes sounded together’, and the second is a technical term in mathematics, aeronautics, and engineering. Cord meaning ‘string or rope made from twisted strands’ is etymologically related to the second chord but is now regarded as a distinct word. The anatomical term generally uses the spelling cord (as in spinal cord and vocal cord), although chord is an acceptable variant.

Chordata /kɔːˈdeɪtə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a large phylum of animals that includes the vertebrates together with the sea squirts and lancelets. They are distinguished by the possession of a notochord at some stage during their development.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Latin chorda (see chord^2), on the pattern of words such as Vertebrata.

chordate /ˈkɔːdeɪt / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

an animal of the large phylum Chordata, comprising the vertebrates together with the sea squirts and lancelets.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting chordates.

chord line

noun

a railway route across the outer parts of an urban area.

chordophone /ˈkɔːdəfəʊn/

noun

[Music] ‹technical› a stringed instrument.

chordotonal /ˌkɔːdə(ʊ)ˈtəʊn(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Entomology] (in insects) denoting sense organs which are responsive to mechanical and sound vibrations.

– origin late 19th cent.: from chord^2 + tonal.

chore /tʃɔː/

I. noun

1. a routine task, especially a household one.

• her illness made even daily chores like shopping difficult.

2. a tedious but necessary task

• he sees interviews as a chore.

– origin mid 18th cent. (originally dialect and US): variant of obsolete char or chare (see charwoman).

chorea /kɒˈrɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a neurological disorder characterized by jerky involuntary movements affecting especially the shoulders, hips, and face.
See also Huntington's disease, Sydenham's chorea.

– origin late 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek khoreia ‘dancing in unison’, from khoros ‘chorus’.

choreograph /ˈkɒrɪəɡrɑːf/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. compose the sequence of steps and moves for (a ballet or other performance of dance).

• the ballet was choreographed by Diaghilev.

2. plan and control (an event or operation)

• the committee choreographs the movement of troops.

– origin 1940s: back-formation from choreography.

choreographer /kɒrɪˈɒɡrəfə/

noun

a person who composes the sequence of steps and moves for a performance of dance

• a professional choreographer.

choreography /ˌkɒrɪˈɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sequence of steps and movements in dance or figure skating, especially in a ballet or other staged dance

• the rumbustious choreography reflects the themes of the original play.

2. the art or practice of designing choreographic sequences.

• as well as dancing she did a great deal of choreography.

3. the written notation for such a sequence.

II. derivatives

1. choreographic /kɒriəˈɡrafɪk /

adjective

2. choreographically

adverb

– origin late 18th cent. (in the sense ‘written notation of dancing’): from Greek khoreia ‘dancing in unison’ (from khoros ‘chorus’) + -graphy.

choreology /ˌkɒrɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the notation of dance movement.

II. derivatives

choreologist

noun

– origin 1960s: from Greek khoreia ‘dancing in unison’ (from khoros ‘chorus’) + -logy.

choriambus /ˌkɒrɪˈambəs/

I. noun

a metrical foot consisting of two short (or unstressed) syllables between two long (or stressed) ones.

II. derivatives

choriambic /ˌkɒrɪˈambɪk /

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: via late Latin from Greek khoriambos, from khoreios ‘of the dance’ + iambos (see iambus).

choric /ˈkɒrɪk, ˈkɔːrɪk/

I. adjective

belonging to, spoken by, or resembling a chorus in drama or recitation.

• he is a choric commentator speaking with the wisdom of age.

– origin mid 19th cent.: via late Latin from Greek khorikos, from khoros ‘chorus’.

chorine /ˈkɔːriːn/

I. noun

a chorus girl.

• pictures of 1930's chorines in stage costumes of the period.

– origin 1920s (originally US): from chorus + -ine^3.

chorio- /ˈkɔːrɪəʊ/

combining form

representing chorion or choroid.

chorioallantoic /ˌkɔːrɪəʊˌalənˈtəʊɪk, ˌkɒrɪəʊˌalənˈtəʊɪk/

adjective

[Embryology] relating to or denoting fused chorionic and allantoic membranes around a fetus.

choriocarcinoma /ˌkɔːrɪə(ʊ)ˌkɑːsɪˈnəʊmə, ˈkɒrɪə(ʊ)ˌkɑːsɪnəʊmə/

noun

[Medicine] a malignant tumour of the uterus which originates in the fetal chorion.

chorion /ˈkɔːrɪən/

I. noun

[Embryology] the outermost membrane surrounding an embryo of a reptile, bird, or mammal. In mammals it contributes to the formation of the placenta.

II. derivatives

chorionic /ˌkɒrɪˈɒnɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Greek khorion.

chorionic gonadotrophin /ˌkɒrɪˈɒnɪk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hormone secreted during pregnancy by the placenta which stimulates continued production of progesterone by the ovaries.

chorionic villus sampling

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a test made in early pregnancy to detect congenital abnormalities in the fetus, in which a tissue sample is taken from the villi of the chorion.

chorister /ˈkɒrɪstə/

I. noun

1. a member of a choir, especially a choirboy or choirgirl.

2. (US) a person who leads the singing of a church choir or congregation.

– origin late Middle English queristre, from an Anglo-Norman French variant of Old French cueriste, from quer (see choir). The change in the first syllable in the 16th cent. was due to association with obsolete chorist ‘member of a choir or chorus’, but the older form quirister long survived.

chorizo /tʃəˈriːzəʊ, Spanish tʃoˈriθo, tʃoˈriso/

I. noun

a spicy Spanish pork sausage.

– origin Spanish.

chorography /kɔːˈrɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› the systematic description and mapping of particular regions.

II. derivatives

1. chorographer /kəˈrɒɡrəfə /

noun

2. chorographic

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek khōrographia, from khōra or khōros ‘region’.

choroid /ˈkɔːrɔɪd, ˈkɒrɔɪd/

I. adjective

resembling the chorion, particularly in containing many blood vessels.

II. noun

(also choroid coat) — the pigmented vascular layer of the eyeball between the retina and the sclera.

III. derivatives

choroidal

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek khoroeidēs (adjective), alteration of khorioeidēs, from khorion (see chorion).

choroid plexus /ˈkɔːrɔɪd, ˈkɒr-/

noun

a network of blood vessels in each ventricle of the brain, producing the cerebrospinal fluid.

choropleth map /ˈkɒrə(ʊ)plɛθ/

I. noun

a map which uses differences in shading, colouring, or the placing of symbols within predefined areas to indicate the average values of a particular quantity in those areas.
Compare with isopleth.

– origin 1930s: choropleth from Greek khōra ‘region’ + plēthos ‘multitude’.

chorten /ˈtʃɔːt(ə)n/

I. noun

(chiefly in Tibet) a Buddhist shrine, typically a saint's tomb or a monument to the Buddha.

– origin Tibetan.

chortle /ˈtʃɔːt(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. laugh in a noisy, gleeful way

• he chortled at his own execrable pun.

II. noun

a noisy, gleeful laugh

• Thomas gave a chortle.

– origin 1871: coined by Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking Glass; probably a blend of chuckle and snort.

chorus /ˈkɔːrəs/

I. noun

1. a part of a song which is repeated after each verse.

• strong guitar-driven songs with big, big choruses.

2. a piece of choral music, especially one forming part of a larger work such as an opera.

• a selection of choruses from the ‘Messiah’.

3. a simple song for group singing in informal Christian worship

• a typical service includes several hymns and choruses sung by all.

4. a large organized group of singers, especially one which performs with an orchestra or opera company.

• he has words of praise for the RSNO Chorus.

5. a group of singers or dancers performing together in a supporting role in a musical or opera.

• the orchestra lacked polish and the chorus were inclined to rush ahead regardless.

6. a simultaneous utterance of something by many people

• a growing chorus of complaint

• ‘Good morning,’ we replied in chorus.

7. (in ancient Greek tragedy) a group of performers who comment together on the main action.

• Sophocles no longer gave the chorus the major role.

8. a single character who speaks the prologue and other linking parts of the play, especially in Elizabethan drama.

9. a section of text spoken by the chorus in drama.

10. a device used with an amplified musical instrument to give the impression that more than one instrument is being played
[as modifier]

• a chorus pedal.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a group of people) say the same thing at the same time
[with direct speech]

• ‘Morning, Sister,’ the nurses chorused.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a character speaking the prologue of a play): from Latin, from Greek khoros.

chorus girl

noun

a young woman who sings or dances in the chorus of a musical.

chose /tʃəʊz/

past of choose.

chosen /ˈtʃəʊzn/

I. verb

past participle of choose.

II. adjective

having been selected as the best or most appropriate

• he is by no means a forerunner in his chosen field.

III. phrases

1. chosen few

a small group of people who enjoy special privileges or treatment, typically in a way thought to be unfair.

• why have they kept this secret to themselves, the chosen few?

2. chosen people

a. the Jewish people considered (in Jewish and Christian tradition) as having been selected by God for a special relationship with him.

b. (in Christian use) those destined for salvation; believing Christians.

chota /ˈtʃəʊtə/

I. adjective

1. (Indian) small or young.

• a chota peg.

2. (Indian) lower in rank or importance.

• a chota chaudhuri.

– origin from Hindi choṭā.

choucroute /ˈʃuːkruːt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. pickled cabbage; sauerkraut.

– origin French, from German dialect Surkrut ‘sauerkraut’, influenced by French chou ‘cabbage’.

Chou En-lai /ˌtʃəʊ ɛnˈlʌɪ/

variant of Zhou Enlai.

chough /tʃʌf/

I. noun

1. a black Eurasian and North African bird of the crow family, with a downcurved bill and broad, rounded wings, typically frequenting mountains and sea cliffs.
●Genus Pyrrhocorax (and Pseudopodoces), family Corvidae: three species, especially the chough ( P. pyrrhocorax).

2. (also white-winged chough) — a black and white Australian bird of the mud-nester family.
● Corcorax melanorhamphos, family Corcoracidae (or Grallinidae).

– origin Middle English (originally denoting the jackdaw): probably imitative.

choux pastry /ˈʃuː ˌpeɪstri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. very light pastry made with egg, typically used for eclairs and profiteroles.

– origin late 19th cent.: from choux or chou, denoting a round cream-filled pastry (from French chou (plural choux) ‘cabbage, rosette’, from Latin caulis) + pastry.

chow /tʃaʊ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› food.

• Tex-Mex chow is more than melted cheese and beans.

2. (also chow chow) — a dog of a sturdy Chinese breed with a broad muzzle, a tail curled over the back, a bluish-black tongue, and typically a dense thick coat.

II. verb

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› eat
[no obj.]

• he chowed down on lobster.

– origin late 19th cent.: shortened from chow chow.

chow chow

I. noun

1. another term for chow (sense 2 of the noun).

2. [ mass noun] — a Chinese preserve of ginger, orange peel, and other ingredients, in syrup.

3. [ mass noun] — a mixed vegetable pickle.

– origin late 18th cent.: pidgin English, of unknown ultimate origin.

chowder /ˈtʃaʊdə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rich soup typically containing fish, clams, or corn with potatoes and onions

• clam chowder.

– origin mid 18th cent.: perhaps from French chaudière ‘stew pot’, related to Old Northern French caudron (see cauldron).

chowderhead /ˈtʃaʊdəhɛd/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a stupid person.

• even chowderheads like us could comprehend it.

II. derivatives

chowderheaded

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably a variant of early 17th-cent. jolter-head ‘thickheaded person’.

chowhound

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a very enthusiastic eater.

– origin early 20th cent. (originally US military slang): from chow + hound.

chowk /tʃaʊk/

I. noun — [usu. in names]

1. (in South Asia) an open market area in a city at the junction of two roads

• Chandni Chowk.

– origin from Hindi cauk.

chowki /ˈtʃɒ̃ki/

I. noun

1. (Indian) a police station or jail.

2. (Indian) a low wooden seat or stool.

• participants in the conference will be seated on chowkis.

– origin from Hindi caukī (see chokey).

chowkidar /ˈtʃɒ̃kɪdɑː / chokidar /ˈtʃɒkɪdɑː/

I. noun

(in South Asia) a watchman or gatekeeper.

– origin from Urdu caukīdār, from caukī ‘toll house’ + -dār ‘keeper’.

chow mein /tʃaʊ ˈmeɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Chinese-style dish of fried noodles with shredded meat or seafood and vegetables.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Chinese chǎo miàn ‘stir-fried noodles’.

CHP

abbreviation

combined heat and power, a system in which steam produced in a power station as a by-product of electricity generation is used to heat nearby buildings.

Chr.

abbreviation

Chronicles (in biblical references).

chrestomathy /krɛˈstɒməθi/

I. noun

‹formal› a selection of passages from an author or authors, designed to help in learning a language.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek khrēstomatheia, from khrēstos ‘useful’ + -matheia ‘learning’.

Chrétien, Jean /ˈkreɪtjã, French kʀetjɛ̃/

(b.1934), Canadian Liberal statesman, Prime Minister 1993–2003; full name Joseph-Jacques Jean Chrétien.

Chrétien de Troyes /ˌkreɪtjã də ˈtrwʌ, French kʀetjɛ̃ də tʀwa/

(12th century), French poet. His courtly romances on Arthurian themes include Lancelot ( c. 1177–81) and Perceval (1181–90, unfinished).

Chrimbo Crimbo

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› Christmas.

• auntie will drive the family mad all Chrimbo because she didn't get the CD she wanted.

– origin 1920s: child's alteration.

chrism /ˈkrɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mixture of oil and balsam, consecrated and used for anointing at baptism and in other rites of Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican Churches.

– origin Old English, from medieval Latin crisma, ecclesiastical Latin chrisma, from Greek khrisma ‘anointing’, from khriein ‘anoint’.

chrisom /ˈkrɪz(ə)m / chrisom-cloth

I. noun

‹historical› a white robe put on a child at baptism, and used as its shroud if it died within the month.

– origin Middle English: alteration of chrism, representing a popular pronunciation with two syllables.

Chrissake /ˈkrʌɪseɪk / Chrissakes

I. noun — (in phrase for Chrissake)

1. ‹informal› for Christ's sake (used as an exclamation of annoyance or exasperation)

• for Chrissake, listen to me!

– origin 1920s: representing a pronunciation.

Chrissie /ˈkrɪsi / Chrissy

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› Christmas.
[as modifier]

• this video's a must for your Chrissie list.

Christ /krʌɪst/

I. noun

the title, also treated as a name, given to Jesus.

II. exclamation

an oath used to express irritation, dismay, or surprise.

• ‘Oh Christ,’ he moaned under his breath.

III. phrases

before Christ

full form of BC.

IV. derivatives

1. Christhood

noun

2. Christlike /ˈkrʌɪstlʌɪk /

adjective

3. Christly

adjective

– origin Old English Crīst, from Latin Christus, from Greek Khristos, noun use of an adjective meaning ‘anointed’, from khriein ‘anoint’, translating Hebrew māšīaḥ ‘Messiah’.

Christadelphian /ˌkrɪstəˈdɛlfɪən/

I. noun

a member of a Christian sect, founded in America in 1848, which claims to return to the beliefs and practices of the earliest disciples and holds that Christ will return in power to set up a worldwide theocracy beginning at Jerusalem.

II. adjective

of or adhering to the Christadelphian sect and its beliefs.

– origin from late Greek Khristadelphos ‘in brotherhood with Christ’ (from Greek Khristos ‘Christ’ + adelphos ‘brother’) + -ian.

Christchurch

a city on the South Island, New Zealand; pop. 348,435 (2006). Christchurch suffered extensive damage and loss of life in a series of major earthquakes in 2010–11.

christen /ˈkrɪs(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (a baby) a Christian name at baptism as a sign of admission to a Christian Church
[with obj. and complement]

• their second daughter was christened Jeanette.

2. give a name to (someone or something) which reflects a notable characteristic
[with obj. and complement]

• we have christened our regular train home the ghost train.

3. ‹informal› use for the first time.

• he bought a new pair of boots and christened them with his first goal at the McAlpine Stadium.

II. derivatives

christener

noun

– origin Old English crīstnian ‘make Christian’, from crīsten ‘Christian’, from Latin Christianus, from Christus ‘Christ’.

Christendom /ˈkrɪs(ə)ndəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› the worldwide body or society of Christians.

2. ‹dated› the Christian world

• the greatest church in Christendom.

– origin Old English crīstendōm, from crīsten (see christen) + -dōm (see -dom).

christening /ˈkrɪs(ə)nɪŋ/

noun

a Christian ceremony at which a baby is christened; a baptism.
[as modifier]

• a christening robe.

Christer /ˈkrʌɪstə/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a sanctimonious or ostentatiously pious Christian.

Christian /ˈkrɪstʃ(ə)n, ˈkrɪstɪən/

I. adjective

1. relating to or professing Christianity or its teachings

• the Christian Church.

2. ‹informal› having qualities associated with Christians, especially those of decency, kindness, and fairness.

II. noun

a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Christianity.

• a born-again Christian.

III. derivatives

1. Christianization Christianisation

noun

2. Christianize /ˈkrɪstʃənʌɪz / Christianise

verb

3. Christianly /ˈkrɪstʃənli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Latin Christianus, from Christus ‘Christ’.

Christian, Fletcher /ˈkrɪstɪən, ˈkrɪstʃən/

( c. 1764– c. 1793), English seaman and mutineer. As first mate under Captain Bligh on HMS Bounty, in April 1789 Christian seized the ship and cast Bligh and others adrift. In 1790 the mutineers settled on Pitcairn Island, where Christian was probably killed by Tahitians.

Christian Aid

a charity supported by most of the Christian Churches in the UK and operating chiefly in developing countries, where it works for disaster relief and supports development projects.

Christian Brothers

a Roman Catholic lay teaching order founded in France in 1684.

Christian era

noun — ( the Christian era)

1. the period of time which begins with the traditional date of Christ's birth.

Christiania /ˌkrɪstɪˈɑːnɪə / Kristiania

former name (1624–1924) for Oslo.

Christianity /krɪstɪˈanɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the religion based on the person and teachings of Jesus Christ, or its beliefs and practices.

• the writers seem to find a rapprochement between Islam and Christianity.

2. Christian quality or character.

• you may know a man by his Christianity.

Christianity is today the world's most widespread religion, with more than a billion members, mainly divided between the Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox Churches. It originated among the Jewish followers of Jesus of Nazareth, who believed that he was the promised Messiah (or ‘Christ’), but the Christian Church soon became an independent organization, largely through the missionary efforts of St Paul. In 313 Constantine ended official persecution in the Roman Empire and in 380 Theodosius I recognized it as the state religion. Most Christians believe in one God in three Persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) and that Jesus is the Son of God who rose from the dead after being crucified; a Christian hopes to attain eternal life after death through faith in Jesus Christ and tries to live by his teachings as recorded in the New Testament.

– origin Middle English: from Old French crestiente, from crestien ‘Christian’, influenced by late Latin christianitas, from Latin Christianus, from Christus ‘Christ’.

Christian name

I. noun

a first name, especially one given at baptism.

• she was not used to addressing adults by their Christian names.

• his Christian name is Gerry.

usage: In recognition of the fact that English-speaking societies have many religions and cultures, not just Christian ones, the term Christian name has largely given way, at least in official contexts, to alternative terms such as given name, first name, or forename.

Christian Science

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the beliefs and practices of the Church of Christ Scientist, a Christian sect founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1879. Members hold that only God and the mind have ultimate reality, and that sin and illness are illusions which can be overcome by prayer and faith.

II. derivatives

Christian Scientist

noun

Christie

I. noun

[Skiing] ‹dated› a sudden turn in which the skis are kept parallel, used for changing direction fast or stopping short.

– origin 1920s (earlier as Christiania): named after Christiania in Norway.

Christie, Dame Agatha

(1890–1976), English writer of detective fiction. She wrote over seventy novels, many of which feature the Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot or the resourceful Miss Marple. Notable works: Murder on the Orient Express (1934), Death on the Nile (1937), and The Mousetrap (play, 1952).

Christie, Linford

(b.1960), Jamaican-born British sprinter who won the Olympic gold medal in the 100 metres in 1992 and the world championship title at this distance in 1993.

Christingle /ˈkrɪstɪŋɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

a lighted candle symbolizing Christ as the light of the world, held by children at a special Advent service originating in the Moravian Church.

– origin 1950s: probably from German dialect Christkindl ‘Christ child, Christmas gift’.

Christmas /ˈkrɪsməs/

I. noun

1. the annual Christian festival celebrating Christ's birth, held on 25 December in the Western Church.

• he was a vehement sabbatarian and iconoclast, who denounced the observance of Christmas.

• [as modifier] a Christmas present.

2. the period immediately before and after 25 December

• we had guests over Christmas.

II. exclamation

‹informal› expressing surprise, dismay, or despair.

III. derivatives

Christmassy /ˈkrɪsməsi /

adjective

– origin Old English Crīstes mæsse (see Christ, Mass).

Christmas beetle

noun

any of a number of South African or Australian cicadas or beetles that are abundant or noticeable during the summer.

Christmas box

noun

(Brit.) a present given at Christmas to tradespeople and employees.

Christmas cactus

I. noun

a South American cactus with flattened segmented stems and red, pink, or white flowers, grown as a houseplant.
● Schlumbergera bridgesii, family Cactaceae.

– origin so named because it flowers at about the northern midwinter.

Christmas cake

noun

(Brit.) a rich fruit cake covered with marzipan and icing, eaten at Christmas.

Christmas card

noun

a greetings card given or sent at Christmas.

Christmas Day

noun

the day on which the festival of Christmas is celebrated, 25 December.

Christmas disease

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of haemophilia caused by deficiency of the blood-clotting factor IX rather than the more common factor VIII.

– origin 1950s: from the name of Stephen Christmas, the first patient examined in detail.

Christmas Eve

noun

the day or the evening before Christmas Day, 24 December.

Christmas flower

noun

(S. African) the hydrangea, which in South Africa blooms at Christmas.

Christmas Island

I. an island in the Indian Ocean 350 km (200 miles) south of Java, administered as an external territory of Australia since 1958; pop. 1,400 (est. 2009).

II. former name (until 1981) for Kiritimati.

Christmas pudding

noun

(Brit.) a rich boiled pudding eaten at Christmas, made with flour, suet, and dried fruit.

• cream to pour over your mince pies and Christmas puddings.

• [ mass noun] a dessert wine to accompany Christmas pudding.

Christmas rose

noun

1. a small white-flowered winter-blooming hellebore, grown as a houseplant.
● Helleborus niger, family Ranunculaceae.

2. (S. African) another term for Christmas flower.

Christmas stocking

noun

a long sock or similar receptacle hung up by children on Christmas Eve for Father Christmas to fill with presents.

Christmastide /ˈkrɪsməstʌɪd/

noun

the period immediately before and after 25 December

• my good wishes to you and yours for peace and joy this Christmastide.

Christmastime /ˈkrɪsməstʌɪm/

noun

the period immediately before and after 25 December

• a special holiday dish traditionally eaten at Christmastime.

Christmas tree

noun

an evergreen or artificial tree decorated with lights, tinsel, and other ornaments at Christmas.

Christo-

I. combining form

relating to Christ

• Christocentric.

– origin from Latin Christus or Greek Khristos ‘Christ’.

Christocentric

adjective

having Christ as its centre

• a thoroughly Christocentric theology.

Christology /krɪˈstɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of Christian theology relating to the person, nature, and role of Christ.

II. derivatives

1. Christological

adjective

2. Christologically

adverb

Christopher, St

a legendary Christian martyr, adopted as the patron saint of travellers, since it is said that he once carried Jesus Christ as a child across a river.

christophine /ˈkrɪstəfiːn / christophene

I. noun

another term for chayote (sense 1).

– origin probably based on the French given name Christophe.

Christ's thorn

noun

a thorny shrub popularly supposed to have formed Christ's crown of thorns, in particular:
● either of two shrubs related to the buckthorn ( Paliurus spina-christi and Ziziphus spina-christi, family Rhamnaceae). ● another term for crown of thorns (sense 2).

chroma /ˈkrəʊmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. purity or intensity of colour.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek khrōma ‘colour’.

chromaffin /krə(ʊ)ˈmafɪn/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. [Physiology] denoting granules or vesicles containing adrenaline and noradrenaline, and the secretory cells of the adrenal medulla in which they are found.

– origin early 20th cent.: from chromo-1 ‘chromium’ + Latin affinis ‘akin’ (because readily stained brown by chromates).

chromakey /ˈkrəʊməkiː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a digital technique by which a block of a particular colour (often blue or green) in a film or video image can be replaced by another colour or image, enabling, for example, a weather forecaster to appear against a background of a computer-generated weather map.

• the weatherman is gesturing at a blank wall, and the image is inserted by chromakey.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. manipulate (an image) using the chromakey technique.
(as noun chromakeying)

• examples of chromakeying on television.

chromate /ˈkrəʊmeɪt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a salt in which the anion contains both chromium and oxygen, especially one of the anion CrO_42−.

– origin early 19th cent.: from chromic + -ate^1.

chromatic /krəˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Music] relating to or using notes not belonging to the diatonic scale of the key in which a passage is written.

2. (of a scale) ascending or descending by semitones.

3. (of an instrument) able to play all the notes of the chromatic scale.

• the master of the chromatic harmonica.

4. relating to or produced by colour.

II. derivatives

1. chromatically

adverb

2. chromaticism

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from French chromatique or Latin chromaticus, from Greek khrōmatikos, from khrōma, khrōmat- ‘colour, chromatic scale’.

chromatic aberration

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Optics] the effect produced by the refraction of different wavelengths of light through slightly different angles, resulting in a failure to focus.

chromaticity /ˌkrəʊməˈtɪsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of colour, independent of brightness.

chromatid /ˈkrəʊmətɪd/

I. noun

[Biology] each of the two thread-like strands into which a chromosome divides longitudinally during cell division. Each contains a double helix of DNA.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek khrōma, khrōmat- ‘colour’ + -id^2.

chromatin /ˈkrəʊmətɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the material of which the chromosomes of organisms other than bacteria (i.e. eukaryotes) are composed, consisting of protein, RNA, and DNA.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from Greek khrōma, khrōmat- ‘colour’.

chromato- /ˈkrəʊmətəʊ / chromo-

I. combining form

colour; of or in colours

• chromatopsia.

– origin from Greek khrōma, khrōmat- ‘colour’.

chromatogram /krə(ʊ)ˈmatəɡram/

noun

a visible record (such as a graph) showing the result of separating the components of a mixture by chromatography.

chromatograph /krəʊˈmatəɡrɑːf/

noun

1. an apparatus for performing chromatography.

2. another term for chromatogram.

chromatography /ˌkrəʊməˈtɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a technique for the separation of a mixture by passing it in solution or suspension through a medium in which the components move at different rates.

II. derivatives

chromatographic

adjective

– origin 1930s: from German Chromatographie (see chromato-, -graphy), early separations being displayed as a number of coloured bands or spots.

chromatopsia /ˌkrəʊməˈtɒpsɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormally coloured vision, a rare symptom with various causes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from chromato- ‘colour’ + Greek -opsia ‘seeing’.

chrome /krəʊm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. chromium plate as a decorative or protective finish on motor-vehicle fittings and other objects
[as modifier]

• a chrome bumper.

2. [as modifier] — denoting compounds or alloys of chromium

• chrome dyes.

3. short for chrome yellow.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from Greek khrōma ‘colour’ (some chromium compounds having brilliant colours).

chrome alum

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a reddish-purple crystalline compound used in solution in photographic processing and as a mordant in dyeing.
●Chem. formula: K_2SO_4Cr_2(SO_4)3.24H_2O.

chromed /krəʊmd/

adjective

chromium-plated.

• chromed handlebars.

chrome leather

noun — [ mass noun]

1. leather tanned with chromium salts.

chrome steel

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hard fine-grained steel containing chromium, used for making tools.

chrome yellow

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bright yellow pigment made from lead chromate.

chromic /ˈkrəʊmɪk/

adjective

[Chemistry] of chromium with a higher valency, usually three.
Compare with chromous.

chromic acid

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a corrosive and strongly oxidizing acid existing only in solutions of chromium trioxide.
●Chem. formula: H_2CrO_4.

chromide

I. noun

a small deep-bodied fish of India and Sri Lanka, found in brackish water.
●Genus Etroplus, family Cichlidae: the orange chromide ( E. maculatus) and the green chromide ( E. suratensis).

– origin 1930s: from modern Latin Chromides (former order name), formed irregularly from Chromis (genus name), from Latin chromis ‘sea fish’.

chrominance /ˈkrəʊmɪnəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the colorimetric difference between a given colour in a television picture and a standard colour of equal luminance.

– origin 1950s: from Greek khrōma ‘colour’, on the pattern of luminance.

chromite /ˈkrəʊmʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the principal ore of chromium, a brownish-black oxide of chromium and iron.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from chrome or chromium + -ite^1.

chromium /ˈkrəʊmɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Cr) — the chemical element of atomic number 24, a hard white metal used in stainless steel and other alloys.

– origin early 19th cent.: from chrome + -ium.

chromium plate

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a thin layer of chromium, electroplated or otherwise applied as a coating to another metal.

2. metal with a coating of chromium.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover (something) with a thin layer of chromium.
(as adj. chromium-plated)

• pure copper, chromium-plated to prevent oxidation.

chromium-plated

adjective

covered with a thin layer of chromium

• an elegant moulded mesh of chromium-plated steel wire.

chromium steel

noun

another term for chrome steel.

chromo /ˈkrəʊməʊ/

noun

(N. Amer.) shortened form of chromolithograph.

chromo-1 /ˈkrəʊməʊ/

combining form

[Chemistry] representing chromium.

chromo-2 /ˈkrəʊməʊ/

combining form

variant spelling of chromato-.

chromogen /ˈkrəʊmə(ʊ)dʒ(ə)n/

noun

a substance which can be readily converted into a dye or other coloured compound.

chromogenic

adjective

1. involving the production of colour or pigments.

2. [Microbiology] (of a bacterium) producing a pigment.

3. [Photography] denoting a process of developing film which uses couplers to produce images of very high definition.

4. [Photography] denoting any of a number of similar developing processes.

chromolithograph /krəʊməʊˈlɪθəɡrɑːf / ‹historical›

I. noun

a coloured picture printed by lithography, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. produce (a picture) by lithography.
(as adj. chromolithographed)

• chromolithographed advertising.

III. derivatives

1. chromolithographer

noun

2. chromolithographic

adjective

3. chromolithography /krəʊməʊlɪˈθɒɡrəfi /

noun

chromoly /ˈkrəʊmɒli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of steel containing chromium and molybdenum, used to make strong, lightweight components such as bicycle frames.

– origin 1980s: blend of chromium and molybdenum.

chromophore /ˈkrəʊməfɔː/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an atom or group whose presence is responsible for the colour of a compound.

II. derivatives

chromophoric

adjective

chromoplast /ˈkrəʊməplast, ˈkrəʊməplɑːst/

I. noun

[Botany] a coloured plastid other than a chloroplast, typically containing a yellow or orange pigment.

– origin late 19th cent.: from chromo-2 ‘colour’ + Greek plastos ‘formed’.

chromosomal /ˌkrəʊməˈsəʊməl/

adjective

[Biology] involving or relating to chromosomes

• a chromosomal disorder.

chromosome /ˈkrəʊməsəʊm/

I. noun

1. [Biology] a thread-like structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus of most living cells, carrying genetic information in the form of genes.

Each chromosome consists of a DNA double helix bearing a linear sequence of genes, coiled and recoiled around aggregated proteins (histones). Their number varies from species to species: humans have 22 pairs plus the two sex chromosomes (two X chromosomes in females, one X and one Y in males). During cell division each DNA strand is duplicated, and the chromosomes condense to become visible as distinct pairs of chromatids joined at the centromere.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from Greek khrōma ‘colour’ + sōma ‘body’.

chromosome map

noun

[Genetics] a diagram showing the relative positions of genes along the length of a chromosome.

chromosome number

noun

[Genetics] the characteristic number of chromosomes found in the cell nuclei of organisms of a particular species.

chromosphere /ˈkrəʊməsfɪə/

I. noun

[Astronomy] a reddish gaseous layer immediately above the photosphere of the sun or another star which, together with the corona, constitutes its outer atmosphere.

II. derivatives

chromospheric

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from chromo-2 ‘colour’ + sphere.

chromous /ˈkrəʊməs/

adjective

[Chemistry] of chromium with a valency of two.
Compare with chromic.

Chron.

abbreviation

Chronicles (in biblical references).

chronic /ˈkrɒnɪk/

I. adjective

1. (of an illness) persisting for a long time or constantly recurring

• chronic bronchitis.

Often contrasted with acute.

2. (of a person) having a chronic illness

• a chronic asthmatic.

3. (of a problem) long-lasting

• the school suffers from chronic overcrowding.

4. (of a person) having a bad habit

• a chronic liar.

5. (Brit.) ‹informal› of a very poor quality

• the film was absolutely chronic.

II. derivatives

chronicity /krɒˈnɪsɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from French chronique, via Latin from Greek khronikos ‘of time’, from khronos ‘time’.

chronically /ˈkrɒnɪk(ə)li/

adverb — [usu. as submodifier]

1. (in relation to illness) in a persistent and recurring way

• families dealing with a chronically ill child.

2. in a long-lasting or habitual and problematic way

• the office is chronically understaffed

• a mission to create jobs for the chronically unemployed.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› to a very great extent; extremely

• chronically stupid drivers

• she was chronically indecisive.

chronic fatigue syndrome

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a medical condition of unknown cause, with fever, aching, and prolonged tiredness and depression, typically occurring after a viral infection.

chronicle /ˈkrɒnɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a factual written account of important or historical events in the order of their occurrence.

• a vast chronicle of Spanish history.

• the rebels' demands for personal freedom are conspicuous in the chronicles.

2. a fictitious or factual work describing a series of events.

• a chronicle of his life during the war years.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. record (a series of events) in a factual and detailed way

• his work chronicles 20th-century migration.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French cronicle, variant of Old French cronique, via Latin from Greek khronika ‘annals’, from khronikos (see chronic).

chronicler /ˈkrɒnɪk(ə)lə, ˈkrɒnɪklə/

noun

a person who writes accounts of important or historical events

• a chronicler of 18th-century American life.

Chronicles

the name of two books of the Bible, recording the history of Israel and Judah until the return from Exile (536 BC).

chrono- /ˈkrɒnəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to time

• chronometry.

– origin from Greek khronos ‘time’.

chronobiology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of biology concerned with cyclical physiological phenomena.

II. derivatives

chronobiologist

noun

chronograph /ˈkrɒnəɡrɑːf/

I. noun

1. an instrument for recording time with great accuracy.

2. a stopwatch.

• a precision water-resistant chronograph.

II. derivatives

chronographic

adjective

chronographer /krəˈnɒɡrəfə/

noun

‹historical› a person who wrote accounts of important or historical events; a chronicler

• Lydiat was appointed chronographer to Henry, Prince of Wales.

chronologer /krəˈnɒlədʒə/

noun

‹historical› a person who studied historical records to establish the dates of past events

• Jonson was elected chronologer of London in 1628.

chronological /krɒnəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/

adjective

1. (of a record of events) following the order in which they occurred

• the entries are in chronological order.

2. calculated in terms of the passage of time

• medical decisions should be based on the individual's biological age, not chronological age.

3. relating to the establishment of dates of past events

• the diary provided a chronological framework for the events.

chronologically /krɒnəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)li/

adverb

in a way that follows the order in which events or records occurred

• the essays are arranged chronologically

• the narrative moves chronologically.

chronology /krəˈnɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the arrangement of events or dates in the order of their occurrence

• the novel abandons the conventions of normal chronology.

2. [ count noun] — a list which has a chronological arrangement.

3. the study of historical records to establish the dates of past events.

• his book transformed prehistoric chronology by applying the results of carbon dating.

II. derivatives

chronologist /krəˈnɒlədʒɪst /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from modern Latin chronologia, from Greek khronos ‘time’ + -logia (see -logy).

chronometer /krəˈnɒmɪtə/

noun

an instrument for measuring time accurately in spite of motion or variations in temperature, humidity, and air pressure.

chronometry /krəˈnɒmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the science of accurate time measurement.

II. derivatives

1. chronometric /krɒnəˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

2. chronometrical

adjective

3. chronometrically /krɒnəˈmɛtrɪk(ə)li /

adverb

chronostratigraphy /ˌkrɒnə(ʊ)strəˈtɪɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of geology concerned with establishing the absolute ages of strata.

II. derivatives

chronostratigraphic

adjective

chronotherapy /ˌkrɒnə(ʊ)ˈθɛrəpi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the treatment of an illness or disorder by administering a drug at a time of day believed to be in harmony with the body's natural rhythms.

chronotype /ˈkrɒnətʌɪp/

I. noun

a person's natural inclination with regard to the times of day when they prefer to sleep or when they are most alert or energetic

• teenagers and students might find their chronotype shifts as they get older

• we have studied how a player's chronotype affects performance at different times of the day.

– origin 1970s: from chrono- + type.

chrysalid /ˈkrɪs(ə)lɪd/

I. noun

another term for chrysalis.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin chrysal(l)is, chrysal(l)id- (see chrysalis).

chrysalis /ˈkrɪs(ə)lɪs/

I. noun

1. a quiescent insect pupa, especially of a butterfly or moth.

• the transformation from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis and, finally, adult.

2. the hard outer case enclosing a chrysalis.

• the splitting of the chrysalis and the slow unfolding of the wings.

3. a transitional state

• she emerged from the chrysalis of self-conscious adolescence.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin chrysal(l)is, chrysal(l)id-, from Greek khrusallis, from khrusos ‘gold’ (because of the gold colour or metallic sheen of some pupae).

chrysanth /krɪˈsanθ, krɪˈsanz/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a cultivated chrysanthemum.

– origin 1920s: abbreviation.

chrysanthemum /krɪˈsanθɪməm, krɪˈsanθɪzəm/

I. noun

1. a plant of the daisy family with brightly coloured ornamental flowers, existing in many cultivated varieties.
●Genera Chrysanthemum or (most cultivated species) Dendranthema, family Compositae.

2. a flower or flowering stem of this plant.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally denoting the corn marigold): from Latin, from Greek khrusanthemon, from khrusos ‘gold’ + anthemon ‘flower’.

chryselephantine /ˌkrɪsɛlɪˈfantʌɪn/

I. adjective

(of ancient Greek sculpture) overlaid with gold and ivory.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek khruselephantinos, from khrusos ‘gold’ + elephas, elephant- ‘elephant’ or ‘ivory’.

chrysoberyl /ˌkrɪsə(ʊ)ˈbɛrɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a greenish or yellowish-green oxide of beryllium and aluminium which occurs as tabular crystals, sometimes of gem quality.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin chrysoberyllus, from Greek khrusos ‘gold’ + bērullos ‘beryl’.

chrysocolla /ˌkrɪsə(ʊ)ˈkɒlə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a greenish-blue mineral consisting of hydrated copper silicate, occurring as opaline crusts and masses.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the Greek sense): from Latin, from Greek khrusokolla, denoting a mineral used in ancient times for soldering gold.

chrysolite /ˈkrɪsəlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a yellowish-green or brownish variety of olivine, used as a gemstone.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French crisolite, from medieval Latin crisolitus, from Latin chrysolithus, based on Greek khrusos ‘gold’ + lithos ‘stone’.

chrysomelid /ˌkrɪsə(ʊ)ˈmɛlɪd, ˌkrɪsə(ʊ)ˈmiːlɪd/

I. noun

[Entomology] a beetle of a family ( Chrysomelidae) that comprises the leaf beetles and their relatives.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Chrysomelidae (plural), from Chrysomela (genus name), from Greek khrusomēlon, literally ‘golden apple’, influenced by khrusomēlolonthion ‘little golden chafer’.

chrysoprase /ˈkrɪsə(ʊ)preɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an apple-green gemstone consisting of a variety of chalcedony that contains nickel.

2. (in the New Testament) a golden-green precious stone, perhaps a variety of beryl.

– origin Middle English (denoting a precious stone in the New Testament): from Old French crisopace, via Latin from Greek khrusoprasos, from khrusos ‘gold’ + prason ‘leek’.

Chrysostom, St John /ˈkrɪsəstəm/

( c. 347–407), Doctor of the Church, bishop of Constantinople. He attempted to reform the corrupt state of the court, clergy, and people; this offended many, including the Empress Eudoxia, who banished him in 403. His name means ‘golden-mouthed’ in Greek. Feast day, 27 January.

chrysotile /ˈkrɪsə(ʊ)tʌɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fibrous form of the mineral serpentine.
Also called white asbestos.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek khrusos ‘gold’ + tilos ‘fibre’.

chthonic /ˈ(k)θɒnɪk / chthonian /ˈ(k)θəʊnɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or inhabiting the underworld

• a chthonic deity.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek khthōn ‘earth’ + -ic.

chub /tʃʌb/

I. noun

a thick-bodied European river fish with a grey-green back and white underparts.
● Leuciscus cephalus, family Cyprinidae.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

Chubb

I. noun

‹trademark› a lock with a device for fixing the bolt immovably to prevent it from being picked.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Charles Chubb (1773–1845), the London locksmith who invented it.

chubby /ˈtʃʌbi/

I. adjective

plump and rounded

• a pretty child with chubby cheeks.

II. derivatives

1. chubbily

adverb

2. chubbiness /ˈtʃʌbinəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘short and thickset, like a chub’): from chub.

Chubu /ˈtʃuːbuː/

a mountainous region of Japan, on the island of Honshu; capital, Nagoya.

chuck^1 /tʃʌk / ‹informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. throw (something) carelessly or casually

• someone chucked a brick through the window

• ‹figurative› chucking money at the problem won't solve it.

2. [Cricket] (of a bowler) deliver (a ball) with an unlawful action.

3. (often chuck something away/out) — throw (something) away

• they make a living out of stuff people chuck away.

4. end a relationship with (a partner)

• Mary chucked him for another guy.

5. give up (a job or activity)

• Richard chucked in his course.

6. ( chuck it) — ‹dated› stop doing something.

• chuck it, Ross!

II. noun

1. a throw.

2. ( the chuck) — (Brit.) ‹informal› a dismissal or rejection.

• he's still wondering why and how Mrs T got the chuck.

III. phrases

chuck it down

(Brit.) ‹informal› rain heavily.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. chuck someone out

‹informal› force someone to leave a building

• their landlord chucked them out last night.

2. chuck up

‹informal› vomit

• I nearly chucked up.

V. derivatives

chucker

noun

– origin late 17th cent. (as a verb): from chuck^2.

chuck^2 /tʃʌk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. touch (someone) playfully under the chin.

• he chucked the baby under its chin.

II. noun

a playful touch under the chin.

• she gave him a good-natured chuck under the chin.

– origin early 17th cent. (as a noun): probably from Old French chuquer, later choquer ‘to knock, bump’, of unknown ultimate origin.

chuck^3 /tʃʌk/

I. noun

1. a device for holding a workpiece in a lathe or a tool in a drill, typically having three or four jaws that move radially in and out.

• a power-drill chuck.

• a three-jaw chuck.

2. (also chuck steak) [ mass noun] — a cut of beef that extends from the neck to the ribs, typically used for stewing.

• the trays of fat-speckled chuck and sweetbreads had been put in the refrigerator.

– origin late 17th cent., as a variant of chock; see also chunk^1.

chuck^4 /tʃʌk/

I. noun

(N. English) ‹informal› used as a friendly form of address

• ‘Can I help you at all, chuck?’.

– origin late 16th cent.: alteration of chick^1.

chuck-a-luck

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a gambling game played with dice.

chucker-out

noun

‹informal› a person employed to expel troublemakers from a place of entertainment.

• the chucker-out came to see what the commotion was.

chuckhole /ˈtʃʌkhəʊl/

noun

(N. Amer.) a hole or rut in a road or track.

chuck key

noun

a small metal device for tightening the chuck of a drill.

chuckle /ˈtʃʌk(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. laugh quietly or inwardly

• I chuckled at the astonishment on her face.

II. noun

a quiet or suppressed laugh.

• Melissa gave a chuckle.

III. derivatives

chuckler

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘laugh convulsively’): from chuck meaning ‘to cluck’ in late Middle English.

chucklehead /ˈtʃʌk(ə)lhɛd/

I. noun

‹informal› a stupid person.

II. derivatives

chuckleheaded /ˈtʃʌk(ə)lhɛdɪd /

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from early 18th-cent. chuckle ‘big and clumsy’, probably related to chuck^3 (sense 2).

chucklesome

adjective

causing mild amusement; humorous

• the script is chucklesome rather than hilarious.

chuck wagon /ˈtʃʌkwaɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a wagon with cooking facilities providing food on a ranch or by a roadside.

– origin late 19th cent.: chuck, in the informal sense ‘food’.

chuckwalla /ˈtʃʌkwɒlə/

I. noun

a large dark-bodied lizard, the male of which has a light yellow tail, native to the deserts of the south-western US and Mexico.
● Sauromalus obesus, family Iguanidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Mexican Spanish chacahuala, from American Indian.

chuck-will's-widow

I. noun

a large nightjar native to eastern North America.
● Caprimulgus carolinensis, family Caprimulgidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: imitative of its call.

chuddies /ˈtʃʌdɪz/

I. plural noun

‹informal› (chiefly among British Asians) underpants.

– origin 1990s: Anglo-Indian, perhaps an alteration of churidars.

chuddy chutty

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dialect› chewing gum.

– origin 1940s: probably an alteration of chewed.

chufa /ˈtʃuːfə/

I. noun

1. an Old World sedge which yields an edible tuber, cultivated in some marshy regions of Spain and Italy. Also called tiger nut.
● Cyperus esculentus var. sativus, family Cyperaceae.

2. [ mass noun] — the tuber of the chufa plant, which may be roasted or made into flour or juice.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish.

chuff^1 /tʃʌf/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (of a steam engine) move with a regular sharp puffing sound.

• the train was chuffing out of the station.

– origin early 20th cent.: imitative.

chuff^2 /tʃʌf/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person's buttocks or anus.

– origin 1940s: origin uncertain.

chuffed /tʃʌft/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› very pleased

• I'm dead chuffed to have won.

– origin 1950s: from dialect chuff ‘plump or pleased’.

chuffing

I. adjective

(N. English) ‹informal› used for emphasis or as a mild expletive

• the whole chuffing world's gone mad.

– origin 1980s: perhaps related to chuff^2.

chug^1 /tʃʌɡ/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (of a vehicle or boat) move slowly making regular muffled explosive sounds, as of an engine running slowly

• a cabin cruiser was chugging down the river.

2. [no obj.] — make a series of muffled explosive sounds

• he could hear the pipes chugging.

II. noun

a muffled explosive sound or sounds

• the chug of a motor boat.

– origin mid 19th cent. (as a noun): imitative.

chug^2 /tʃʌɡ / ‹N. Amer. informal› chugalug

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. consume (a drink) in large gulps without pausing

• she chugged a glass of cola.

II. noun

a large gulp of a drink

• Chris took a long chug of his beer.

– origin 1950s: imitative.

chugger

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person who approaches passers-by in the street asking for subscriptions or donations to a particular charity

• when you have chuggers outside your shop, people just cross the road.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of charity and mugger^1.

chugging

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› the action or practice of approaching passers-by in the street to ask for subscriptions or donations to a particular charity

• the committee called on charities to publish their spend on campaigning and for tighter rules on chugging.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of charity and mugging.

Chugoku /tʃuːˈɡəʊkuː/

a region of Japan, on the island of Honshu; capital, Hiroshima.

chukar /ˈtʃʊkɑː / chukor, chukar partridge

I. noun

a Eurasian partridge similar to the red-legged partridge, but with a clucking call like a domestic hen.
●Genus Alectoris, family Phasianidae: two species.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Sanskrit cakora.

Chukchi /ˈtʃʊktʃiː/

I. noun

1. a member of an indigenous people of extreme NE Siberia.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Chukchi, which belongs to a small family also including Koryak.

II. adjective

relating to the Chukchi or their language.

– origin Russian (plural).

Chukchi Sea /ˈtʃʊktʃiː/

part of the Arctic Ocean lying between North America and Asia and to the north of the Bering Strait.

chukka /ˈtʃʌkə / ‹US› chukker

I. noun

each of a number of periods (typically six, of 7½ minutes each) into which play in a game of polo is divided.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Hindi cakkar, from Sanskrit cakra ‘circle or wheel’.

chum^1 /tʃʌm / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. a close friend.

• she shared the cake with her chums.

• an old school chum.

2. used as a friendly or familiar form of address between men or boys

• it's your own fault, chum.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. form a friendship with someone

• his sister chummed up with Sally.

2. [with obj.] — (Scottish) accompany (someone) somewhere

• I'll chum you down the road.

– origin late 17th cent. (originally Oxford University slang, denoting a room-mate): probably short for chamber-fellow. Compare with comrade and crony.

chum^2 /tʃʌm / ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. chopped fish and other material thrown overboard as angling bait.

• the anglers anchored down and put out their blood chum.

2. refuse from fish, especially that remaining after oil has been expressed.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. fish using chum as bait.
(as noun chumming)

• chumming is always a must when flounder fishing.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

chum^3 /tʃʌm / chum salmon

I. noun

a large North Pacific salmon that is commercially important as a food fish.
● Oncorhynchus keta, family Salmonidae.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Chinook Jargon tzum (samun), literally ‘spotted (salmon)’.

Chumash /ˈtʃuːmaʃ/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people inhabiting coastal parts of southern California.

2. [ mass noun] — the extinct Hokan language of the Chumash.

II. adjective

relating to the Chumash or their language.

chumble

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹dialect› nibble; chew.

• she was chumbling cake.

– origin early 19th cent.: probably imitative.

chummy /ˈtʃʌmi/

I. adjective

on friendly terms; friendly

• she's become rather chummy with Ted recently.

II. derivatives

1. chummily

adverb

2. chumminess /ˈtʃʌmɪnəs /

noun

chump /tʃʌmp/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a foolish or easily deceived person

• I was left feeling a bit of a chump.

2. (Brit.) the thick end of something, especially a loin of lamb or mutton.

II. phrases

off one's chump

(Brit.) ‹informal› mad.

• I was beginning to think he'd gone off his chump.

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘thick lump of wood’): probably a blend of chunk^1 and lump^1 or stump.

chump change

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a small or insignificant amount of money.

• it's rough, dead-end work that pays chump change.

– origin 1960s: originally black English.

Chün /tʃuːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of thickly glazed, typically bluish or purplish grey stoneware originally made at Chün Chou in Honan province, China, during the Song dynasty.

chunder /ˈtʃʌndə / ‹informal chiefly Austral./NZ›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. vomit.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. vomit.

– origin 1950s: probably from rhyming slang Chunder Loo ‘spew’, from the name of a cartoon character Chunder Loo of Akim Foo, who appeared in advertisements for Cobra boot polish in the Sydney Bulletin in the early 20th cent.

chunderous /ˈtʃʌnd(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› affected with nausea; feeling inclined to vomit

• my chunderous neighbour was now restored to health

• the chemist could give me something to stop the chunderous feeling.

2. (Austral.) ‹informal› causing nausea

• I'd recognize that chunderous shirt anywhere.

– origin 1960s: from chunder + -ous.

Chungking /tʃʊŋˈkɪŋ/

variant of Chongqing.

Chung-shan /tʃʊŋˈʃan/

variant of Zhongshan.

chunk^1 /tʃʌŋk/

I. noun

1. a thick, solid piece of something

• huge chunks of masonry littered the street.

2. [in sing.] — a significant amount of something

• she invested a chunk of her inheritance in the stock market.

3. [Computing] a section of information or data.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) divide (something) into chunks

• chunk four pounds of pears.

2. ‹informal› throw (something)

• chunk a piece of wood on the fire, will you?

3. (in psychology or linguistic analysis) group together (connected items or words) so that they can be stored or processed as single concepts.

• pupils are able to chunk phrases or propositions into units.

• (as noun chunking) the chunking of information.

4. [Computing] divide (data) into separate sections

• to prepare hypertext, information is chunked into small, manageable units.

– origin late 17th cent.: apparently an alteration of chuck^3.

chunk^2 /tʃʌŋk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) move with or make a muffled, metallic sound

• the door chunked behind them.

– origin late 19th cent.: imitative.

chunky /ˈtʃʌŋki/

I. adjective

1. bulky and thick

• a chunky bracelet.

2. (of a person) short and sturdy.

• a squat, chunky man whose face was stitched by tiny red veins.

3. (of food) containing chunks or thick pieces of something

• a chunky soup.

II. derivatives

1. chunkily /ˈtʃʌŋkɪli /

adverb

2. chunkiness

noun

Chunnel /ˈtʃʌn(ə)l/

I. noun

‹informal› short for Channel Tunnel.

– origin 1920s (but rare before the 1950s): blend.

chunni /ˈtʃʊni/

I. noun

another term for dupatta.

– origin from Punjabi.

chunter /ˈtʃʌntə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› talk or grumble monotonously

• she chuntered on about her problems.

2. [with adverbial of direction] — (Brit.) ‹informal› move along slowly and noisily

• the car came chuntering up the track.

– origin late 17th cent.: probably imitative.

chup /tʃʊp/

I. exclamation

(Indian) be quiet!

– origin from Hindi cuprao.

chupacabra /tʃuːpəˈkabrə/

I. noun

an animal said to exist in parts of Latin America, where it supposedly attacks animals, especially goats.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘goatsucker’, from chupar ‘to suck’ + cabra ‘goat’.

chuppah /ˈxʊpə / chuppa

I. noun

a canopy beneath which Jewish marriage ceremonies are performed.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Hebrew ḥuppāh ‘cover, canopy’.

Chuquisaca /ˌtʃuːkiːˈsɑːkə/

former name (1539–1840) for Sucre.

church /tʃəːtʃ/

I. noun

1. a building used for public Christian worship

• the church was largely rebuilt at the end of the 15th century

• some people go to church every Sunday

• after church we went to a restaurant

• [in names] St Luke's Church.

2. ( Church) — a particular Christian organization with its own clergy, buildings, and distinctive doctrines

• the Church of England.

3. ( the Church) — the hierarchy of clergy within a particular Christian Church

• Isobel would enter the Church as a deacon.

4. [ mass noun] — institutionalized religion as a political or social force

• the separation of church and state.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› take (a woman who has recently given birth) to church for a service of thanksgiving.

– origin Old English cir(i)ce, cyr(i)ce, related to Dutch kerk and German Kirche, based on medieval Greek kurikon, from Greek kuriakon (dōma) ‘Lord's (house)’, from kurios ‘master or lord’. Compare with kirk.

Church Army

a voluntary Anglican organization concerned with social welfare. It was founded in 1882 on the model of the Salvation Army, for evangelistic purposes.

Church Commissioners

a body managing the finances of the Church of England.

Churches of Christ

a number of Protestant denominations, chiefly in the US, originating in the Disciples of Christ but later separating over doctrinal issues.

churchgoer /ˈtʃəːtʃɡəʊə/

I. noun

a person who goes to church regularly.

II. derivatives

churchgoing /ˈtʃəːtʃɡəʊɪŋ /

noun, adjective

Churchill, Caryl

(b.1938), English dramatist. She is best known for the satire Serious Money (1986); written in rhyming couplets, it deals with 1980s speculators and the ethics of high finance.

Churchill, Sir Winston

1. (1874–1965), British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1940–5 and 1951–5; full name Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill.

He served as Home Secretary (1910–11) under the Liberals and as First Lord of the Admiralty 1911–15, but lost this post after the unsuccessful Allied attack on the Turks in the Dardanelles. A consistent opponent of appeasement between the wars, he replaced Neville Chamberlain as Prime Minister of the coalition government in 1940 and led Britain throughout the war, forging and maintaining the alliance which defeated the Axis Powers. His writings include The Second World War (1948–53) and A History of the English-Speaking Peoples (1956–8); he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953.

Churchillian /tʃəːˈtʃɪlɪən/

adjective

relating to or characteristic of the former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill or his policies

• a Churchillian figure in time of war.

church key

noun

(N. Amer.) a small metal device with a triangular point at one end for punching holes in cans and a rounded edge at the other end for removing bottle caps.

churchly /ˈtʃəːtʃli/

I. adjective

of or relating to the Christian Church; ecclesiastical

• views about biblical and churchly authority

• an exquisite album of churchly, ambient songs.

– origin Old English circlic, cyrclic, from church.

churchman /ˈtʃəːtʃmən/

noun

a male member of the Christian clergy or of a Church.

Church Militant

I. noun — ( the Church Militant)

1. the whole body of living Christian believers, regarded as striving to combat evil on earth.

• it is now time for the Church Militant to denounce antibiotics.

– origin mid 16th cent.: contrasted with the Church Triumphant in heaven.

Church of England

the English branch of the Western Christian Church, which combines Catholic and Protestant traditions, rejects the Pope's authority, and has the monarch as its titular head. The English Church was part of the Catholic Church until the Reformation of the 16th century; after Henry VIII failed to obtain a divorce from Catherine of Aragon he repudiated papal supremacy, bringing the Church under the control of the Crown.

Church of Scotland

the national (Presbyterian) Christian Church in Scotland. In 1560 John Knox reformed the established Church along Presbyterian lines, but there were repeated attempts by the Stuart monarchs to impose episcopalianism, and the Church of Scotland was not finally established as Presbyterian until 1690.

church planting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of establishing a core of Christian worshippers in a parish, with the intention that they should develop into a thriving congregation.

• plans for evangelism and church planting are being drawn up.

church school

noun

1. (in the UK) a school founded by or associated with the Church of England.

2. (in the US) a private school supported by a Church or parish.

Church Slavonic

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the liturgical language used in the Orthodox Church in Russia, Serbia, and some other countries.

Churchward, George Jackson /ˈtʃəːtʃwəd/

(1857–1933), English railway engineer. The standard 4-6-0 locomotives that he built at the Swindon works of the Great Western Railway were the basis of many later designs.

churchwarden /ˈtʃəːtʃwɔːd(ə)n/

noun

1. either of the two elected lay representatives in an Anglican parish, formally responsible for movable church property and for keeping order in church.

2. (US) a church administrator.

3. (Brit.) a long-stemmed clay pipe.

churchwoman /ˈtʃəːtʃwʊmən/

noun

a female member of the Christian clergy or of a Church.

churchy /ˈtʃəːtʃi/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) excessively pious and often narrow-minded.

• I was famous for being churchy and stuck-up.

• a churchy housewife.

2. resembling a church

• Gothic design looks too churchy.

II. derivatives

churchiness

noun

churchyard /ˈtʃəːtʃjɑːd/

noun

an enclosed area surrounding a church, especially as used for burials.

churidars /ˈtʃʊrɪdɑːz / churidar

I. plural noun

tight trousers worn by people from South Asia, typically with a kameez or kurta.

– origin from Hindi cūṛīdār ‘having a series of gathered rows’ (i.e. at the bottom of the trouser legs, traditionally worn too long and tucked up).

churinga /tʃʌˈrɪŋɡə/

I. noun

(among Australian Aborigines) a sacred object.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Arrernte, literally ‘object from the dreaming’.

churl /tʃəːl/

I. noun

1. a rude and mean-spirited person.

• this trio are used whenever some churl wants to have a pop at progressive rock.

2. ‹archaic› a miser.

3. ‹archaic› a peasant.

– origin Old English ceorl, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kerel and German Kerl ‘fellow’, also to carl.

churlish /ˈtʃəːlɪʃ/

I. adjective

rude in a mean-spirited and surly way

• it seems churlish to complain.

II. derivatives

1. churlishly /ˈtʃəːlɪʃli /

adverb

2. churlishness /ˈtʃəːlɪʃnəs /

noun

– origin Old English cierlisc, ceorlisc (see churl, -ish^1).

churn /tʃəːn/

I. noun

1. a machine for making butter by shaking milk or cream.

2. (Brit.) a large metal container for milk.

• the fresh creamy milk sat in a churn in the kitchen.

• a milk churn.

3. short for churn rate.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. shake (milk or cream) in a machine in order to produce butter

• the cream is ripened before it is churned.

2. produce (butter) by churning milk or cream.

• the women were churning butter and making cheese.

3. (with reference to liquid) move or cause to move about vigorously
[no obj.]

• the seas churned

• ‹figurative› her stomach was churning at the thought of the ordeal

• [with obj.] in high winds most of the loch is churned up.

4. break up the surface of (an area of ground)

• the earth had been churned up where vehicles had passed through.

5. (of a broker) encourage frequent turnover of (investments) in order to generate commission.

• these brokers churn the client's portfolio to generate an income for themselves.

III. phrasal verbs

churn something out

produce something mechanically and in large quantities

• artists continued to churn out uninteresting works.

– origin Old English cyrin, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Low German kerne and Old Norse kirna.

churn rate

noun

the annual percentage rate at which customers stop subscribing to a service or employees leave a job.

• the churn rate for cable is much higher than that for satellite services.

• the staff turnover or ‘churn rate’ is about 1 per cent.

churrascaria /tʃʊˌraskəˈrɪə/

I. noun

a restaurant specializing in churrasco.

– origin South American Spanish.

churrasco /tʃʊˈraskəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a South American dish of steak barbecued over a wood or charcoal fire.
[ count noun]

• an Argentine churrasco of peppered rib-eye steak with bacon.

– origin South American Spanish, probably from Spanish dialect churrascar ‘to burn’, related to Spanish soccarar ‘to scorch’.

Churrigueresque /ˌtʃʊərɪɡəˈrɛsk/

I. adjective

[Architecture] relating to the lavishly ornamented late Spanish baroque style

• a Churrigueresque church.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name José Benito de Churriguera (1665–1725), a Spanish architect who worked in this style.

churro /ˈtʃʊrəʊ/

I. noun

a sweet Spanish snack consisting of a strip of fried dough dusted with sugar or cinnamon.

– origin Spanish, of uncertain origin; perhaps related to churro ‘coarse, rough’.

chute^1 /ʃuːt / shoot

I. noun

1. a sloping channel or slide for conveying things to a lower level.

• cement was loaded on to barges via chutes.

2. a water slide into a swimming pool.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally a North American usage): from French, ‘fall’ (of water or rocks), from Old French cheoite, feminine past participle of cheoir ‘to fall’, from Latin cadere; influenced by shoot.

chute^2 /ʃuːt/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a parachute.

2. [Sailing] a spinnaker.

II. derivatives

chutist

noun

– origin 1920s: shortened form.

chutes and ladders

plural noun

US term for snakes and ladders.

chutney /ˈtʃʌtni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a spicy condiment of Indian origin, made of fruits or vegetables with vinegar, spices, and sugar.
[ count noun]

• various chutneys and yogurt dips.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Hindi caṭnī.

chutzpah /ˈxʊtspə, ˈhʊtspə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› extreme self-confidence or audacity (usually used approvingly)

• love him or hate him, you have to admire Cohen's chutzpah.

– origin late 19th cent.: Yiddish, from Aramaic ḥu ṣpā.

Chuuk Islands /tʃʊk/

a group of fourteen volcanic islands and numerous atolls in the western Pacific, in the Caroline Islands group, forming part of the Federated States of Micronesia; pop. 53,300 (est. 2008).
Former name Truk Islands.

Chuvash /ˈtʃuːvɑːʃ/

I. noun

1. a member of a people living mainly in Chuvashia.

2. [ mass noun] — the Turkic language of the Chuvash, with over a million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Chuvash or their language.

Chuvashia /tʃuːˈvɑːʃɪə/

an autonomous republic in European Russia, east of Nizhni Novgorod; pop. 1,278,600 (est. 2009); capital, Cheboksary.

chyle /kʌɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] a milky fluid containing fat droplets which drains from the lacteals of the small intestine into the lymphatic system during digestion.

II. derivatives

chylous

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin chylus, from Greek khūlos ‘juice’ (see chyme).

chylomicron /ˌkʌɪlə(ʊ)ˈmʌɪkrɒn/

I. noun

[Physiology] a droplet of fat present in the blood or lymph after absorption from the small intestine.

– origin 1920s: from chylo- (combining form of chyle) + micron.

chyme /kʌɪm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the pulpy acidic fluid which passes from the stomach to the small intestine, consisting of gastric juices and partly digested food.

II. derivatives

chymous

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin chymus, from Greek khūmos ‘juice’ (compare with chyle). The Greek words khūlos and khūmos are from the same root and more or less identical in sense.

chymotrypsin /ˌkʌɪmə(ʊ)ˈtrɪpsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a digestive enzyme which breaks down proteins in the small intestine. It is secreted by the pancreas and converted into an active form by trypsin.

– origin 1930s: from chymo- (combining form of chyme) + trypsin.

chypre /ʃiːpr(ə)/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a heady perfume made from sandalwood.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘Cyprus’, perhaps where it was first made.

chyron /ˈkʌɪrɒn/

I. noun

(US) ‹trademark› an electronically generated caption superimposed on a television or cinema screen.

– origin 1970s: from Chyron Corporation, its manufacturer.

Ci

abbreviation

curie.

CI

abbreviation

1. Channel Islands.

2. Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) (international vehicle registration).

CIA /siːʌɪˈeɪ/

abbreviation

Central Intelligence Agency.

ciabatta /tʃəˈbɑːtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a flattish, open-textured Italian bread with a floury crust, made with olive oil.

• wonderful Italian breads including ciabatta.

• [ count noun] all manner of olive breads and ciabattas.

– origin Italian, literally ‘slipper’ (from its shape).

ciao /tʃaʊ/

I. exclamation

‹informal› used as a greeting at meeting or parting.

• see you later—ciao!

– origin Italian, dialect alteration of schiavo ‘(I am your) slave’, from medieval Latin sclavus ‘slave’.

Cibber, Colley /ˈsɪbə/

(1671–1757), English comic actor, dramatist, and theatre manager. After his much-ridiculed appointment as Poet Laureate in 1730 he wrote an Apology for the Life of Mr Colley Cibber, Comedian (1740).

ciborium /sɪˈbɔːrɪəm/

I. noun

1. a receptacle shaped like a shrine or a cup with an arched cover, used in the Christian Church to hold the Eucharist.

2. a canopy over an altar in a church, standing on four pillars.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via medieval Latin from Greek kibōrion ‘seed vessel of the water lily or a cup made from it’. Sense 1 is probably influenced by Latin cibus ‘food’.

cicada /sɪˈkɑːdə/

I. noun

a large homopterous insect with long transparent wings, found chiefly in warm countries. The male cicada makes a loud, shrill droning noise by vibrating two membranes on its abdomen.
●Family Cicadidae, suborder Homoptera: many genera.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin cicada, cicala.

cicatrix /ˈsɪkətrɪks / cicatrice /ˈsɪkətrɪs/

I. noun

1. the scar of a healed wound.

2. a scar on the bark of a tree.

3. [Botany] a mark on a stem left after a leaf or other part has become detached.

II. derivatives

cicatricial /sɪkəˈtrɪʃ(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (as cicatrice): from Latin cicatrix or Old French cicatrice.

cicatrize /ˈsɪkətrʌɪz / cicatrise

I. verb

(with reference to a wound) heal by scar formation
[no obj.]

• his wound had cicatrized.

II. derivatives

cicatrization /sɪkətrʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cicatriser, from cicatrice ‘scar’ (see cicatrix).

cicchetti /tʃɪˈkɛti / cicheti

I. plural noun

(chiefly in Venice) savoury snacks or small side dishes, typically served in a bar or informal restaurant

• we dined on cicchetti washed down with a glass of local wine.

– origin Italian, from cicchetto (denoting a single dish).

cicely /ˈsɪsɪli / sweet cicely

I. noun

an aromatic white-flowered plant of the parsley family, with fern-like leaves.
●Genera Myrrhis and Osmorhiza, family Umbelliferae: several species, in particular the European M. odorata, grown as a culinary and medicinal herb.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin seselis, from Greek. The spelling change was due to association with the given name Cicely.

Cicero, Marcus Tullius /ˈsɪsərəʊ/

(106–43 BC), Roman statesman, orator, and writer. As an orator and writer Cicero established a model for Latin prose; his surviving works include speeches, treatises on rhetoric, philosophical works, and letters. A supporter of Pompey against Julius Caesar, in the Philippics (43 BC) he attacked Mark Antony, who had him put to death.

cicerone /ˌtʃɪtʃəˈrəʊni, ˌsɪsəˈrəʊni/

I. noun

a guide who gives information about places of interest to sightseers.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Italian, from Latin Cicero, Ciceron- (see Cicero, Marcus Tullius), apparently alluding humorously to his eloquence and learning.

Ciceronian /ˌsɪsəˈrəʊnɪən/

adjective

1. characteristic of the work and thought of Cicero.

• Ciceronian insight.

2. (of speech or writing) in an eloquent and rhythmic style similar to that of Cicero.

• he was composing a Ciceronian memo.

cichlid /ˈsɪklɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a perch-like freshwater fish of a large tropical family ( Cichlidae) which includes the angelfishes, discuses, mouthbrooders, and tilapia.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Cichlidae (plural), from Greek kikhlē, denoting a kind of fish.

cicisbeo /ˌtʃɪtʃɪzˈbeɪəʊ/

I. noun

a married woman's male companion or lover.

– origin early 18th cent.: Italian, of unknown origin.

CID

abbreviation

(in the UK) Criminal Investigation Department.

Cid, El /ɛl ˈsɪd, Spanish el ˈθið, ˈsið / the Cid

Count of Bivar ( c. 1043–99), Spanish soldier; born Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar. A champion of Christianity against the Moors, in 1094 he captured Valencia, which he went on to rule. He is immortalized in the Spanish Poema del Cid (12th century) and in Corneille's play Le Cid (1637).

-cide

I. combining form

1. denoting a person or substance that kills

• insecticide

• regicide.

2. denoting an act of killing

• suicide.

II. derivatives

1. -cidal

combining form

in corresponding adjectives.

2. -cidally

combining form

in corresponding adverbs.

– origin via French; sense 1 from Latin -cida; sense 2 from Latin -cidium, both from caedere ‘kill’.

cider /ˈsʌɪdə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alcoholic drink made from fermented apple juice.

• a bottle of cider.

• [ count noun] English-style ciders.

2. (also apple cider, sweet cider) — (N. Amer.) an unfermented drink made by crushing fruit, typically apples.

– origin Middle English: from Old French sidre, via ecclesiastical Latin from ecclesiastical Greek sikera, from Hebrew šēḵār ‘strong drink’.

cider apple

noun

an apple of a variety that is used in cider-making.

cider gum

noun

a fast-growing, hardy Tasmanian eucalyptus, widely grown in northern Europe.
● Eucalyptus gunnii, family Myrtaceae.

cider press

noun

a press for crushing apples to make cider.

cidery /ˈsʌɪdəri/

I. noun

a place where cider is made commercially

• the cidery produces an assortment of tasty tipples from more than 50 varieties of organic heritage apples.

II. adjective

smelling or tasting of cider

• sorghum beer can have a tart, cidery taste

• the cidery scent of fruit browning under the trees.

ci-devant /ˌsiːdəˈvɒ̃, French sidvɑ̃/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. from or in an earlier time; former

• her ci-devant pupil, now her lover.

– origin French, ‘heretofore’.

cierge /sɪˈɛːʒ/

I. noun

‹historical› a wax candle, especially one used in religious ceremonies

• the cierges were lighted, and a splendid mass in music performed.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cerge, from Latin cereas ‘wax taper’.

c.i.f.

abbreviation

cost, insurance, freight (as included in a price).

cig /sɪɡ/

I. noun

‹informal› a cigarette or cigar.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation.

cigar /sɪˈɡɑː/

I. noun

a cylinder of tobacco rolled in tobacco leaves for smoking.

II. phrases

close but no cigar

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› (of an attempt) almost but not quite successful.

• they didn't catch him in the car—close but no cigar.

[referring to a cigar received in congratulation.]

– origin early 18th cent.: from French cigare, or from Spanish cigarro, probably from Mayan sik'ar ‘smoking’.

cigarette /sɪɡəˈrɛt / ‹US› cigaret

I. noun

1. a thin cylinder of finely cut tobacco rolled in paper for smoking.

2. an object similar to a cigarette containing a narcotic or herbal substance.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, diminutive of cigare (see cigar).

cigarette beetle

noun

a small reddish beetle that infests tobacco and other stored products. Also called tobacco beetle.
● Lasioderma serricorne, family Anobiidae.

cigarette card

noun

(Brit.) a small collectable card with a picture on it, formerly included in packets of cigarettes.

cigarette end

noun

(Brit.) the unsmoked remainder of a cigarette.

cigarette holder

noun

a slim tubular device for holding a cigarette so that it can be smoked without direct contact with the fingers

• an iconic poster of Audrey Hepburn, sleek with cigarette holder, long black dress, and pearls.

cigarette machine

noun

a slot machine that dispenses cigarettes.

cigarette pants

plural noun

women's trousers with straight, very narrow legs.

cigarette paper

noun

a piece of thin paper with a gummed edge for rolling tobacco in to make a cigarette.

cigarillo /ˌsɪɡəˈrɪləʊ/

I. noun

a small cigar.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, diminutive of cigarro (see cigar).

ciggy /ˈsɪɡi/

I. noun

‹informal› a cigarette.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation.

ciguatera /ˌsɪɡwəˈtɛːrə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. poisoning by neurotoxins as a result of eating the flesh of tropical marine fish that carries a toxic dinoflagellate.
●This is caused by Gambierdiscus toxicus, division (or phylum) Dinophyta.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from American Spanish, from cigua ‘sea snail’.

cilantro /sɪˈlantrəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) coriander used as a seasoning or garnish.

• sour cream and chopped cilantro.

– origin 1920s: from Spanish, from Latin coliandrum ‘coriander’.

cilia /ˈsɪlɪə/

plural form of cilium.

ciliary /ˈsɪlɪəri/

adjective

1. [Biology] relating to or involving cilia.

• ciliary action.

• ciliary tracts.

2. [Anatomy] relating to the eyelashes or eyelids.

3. relating to the ciliary body of the eye.

ciliary body

noun

[Anatomy] the part of the eye that connects the iris to the choroid. It consists of the ciliary muscle (which alters the curvature of the lens), a series of radial ciliary process (from which the lens is suspended by ligaments), and the ciliary ring (which adjoins the choroid).

ciliate /ˈsɪlɪeɪt/

I. noun

[Zoology] a single-celled animal of a large and diverse phylum distinguished by the possession of cilia or ciliary structures.
●Phylum Ciliophora, kingdom Protista (formerly class Ciliata, phylum Protozoa).

II. adjective

1. [Zoology] (of an organism, cell, or surface) bearing cilia.

2. [Zoology] [Botany] (of a margin) having a fringe of hairs.

III. derivatives

1. ciliated

adjective

2. ciliation

noun

cilice /ˈsɪlɪs/

I. noun

1. a hair shirt.

2. a spiked garter or other device worn by penitents and ascetics.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from Latin cilicium, from Greek kilikion, from Kilikia, the Greek name for Cilicia in Asia Minor (because hair shirts were originally made of Cilician goats' hair).

Cilicia /sɪˈlɪʃə/

I. an ancient region on the coast of SE Asia Minor, corresponding to the present-day province of Adana, Turkey.

II. derivatives

Cilician

adjective, noun

Cilician Gates

a mountain pass in the Taurus Mountains of southern Turkey, historically forming part of a route linking Anatolia with the Mediterranean coast.

cilium /ˈsɪlɪəm/

I. noun

1. [Biology] a short microscopic hair-like vibrating structure found in large numbers on the surface of certain cells, either causing currents in the surrounding fluid, or, in some protozoans and other small organisms, providing propulsion.

2. [Anatomy] an eyelash.

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘eyelash’): from Latin.

cimbalom /ˈsɪmb(ə)l(ə)m/

I. noun

a large Hungarian dulcimer (musical instrument).

– origin late 19th cent.: from Hungarian, from Italian cembalo, cimbalo, from Latin cymbalum (see cymbal).

cimetidine /sʌɪˈmɛtɪdiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an antihistamine drug which is used to treat stomach acidity and peptic ulcers. It is a sulphur-containing derivative of imidazole.

– origin 1970s: from ci- (alteration of cy- in cyano-) + met(hyl) + -ide + -ine^4.

Cimmerian /sɪˈmɪərɪən/

I. noun

1. a member of an ancient nomadic people who overran Asia Minor in the 7th century BC.

2. [Greek Mythology] a member of a mythical people living in perpetual mist and darkness near the land of the dead.

II. adjective

relating to the Cimmerians.

– origin via Latin from Greek Kimmerios + -an.

C.-in-C. /siːɪnˈsiː/

abbreviation

Commander-in-Chief.

cinch /sɪn(t)ʃ/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› an extremely easy task

• the program was a cinch to use.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a sure thing; a certainty

• he was a cinch to take a prize.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) a girth for a Western saddle or pack of a type used mainly in Mexico and the western US.

• they watered the horses and loosed the cinches.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) secure (a garment) with a belt.

• my cut-offs are cinched by a belt.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) fix (a saddle) securely by means of a girth.

• when I caught up with him he was cinching up the saddle on Rose.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) ‹informal› make certain of

• his advice cinched her decision to accept the offer.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in sense 2 of the noun): from Spanish cincha ‘girth’.

cinchona /sɪŋˈkəʊnə/

I. noun

1. an evergreen South American tree or shrub with fragrant flowers, cultivated for its bark.
●Genus Cinchona, family Rubiaceae: several species.

2. [ mass noun] — the dried bark of the cinchona, which is a source of quinine and other medicinal substances.

– origin mid 18th cent.: modern Latin, named after the Countess of Chinchón (died 1641), who was treated with a similar drug in South America.

cinchonine /ˈsɪŋkəniːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a compound with antipyretic properties which occurs with quinine in cinchona bark.
●An alkaloid; chem. formula: C_19H_22ON_2.

Cincinnati /ˌsɪnsɪˈnati/

an industrial city in Ohio, on the Ohio River; pop. 333,336 (est. 2008).

cincture /ˈsɪŋktʃə/

I. noun

1. ‹literary› a girdle or belt.

• he put the cincture about his waist.

2. [Architecture] a ring at either end of a column shaft.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘encircling or enclosure’): from Latin cinctura, from cinct- ‘encircled’, from the verb cingere.

cinder /ˈsɪndə/

I. noun

1. a small piece of partly burnt coal or wood that has stopped giving off flames but still has combustible matter in it.

• a cold hearth full of cinders.

2. ( cinders) — ashes.

3. [ mass noun] — waste matter produced by smelting or refining ore; slag.

II. phrases

burnt to a cinder

completely burnt.

• I like my steak burnt to a cinder.

III. derivatives

cindery

adjective

– origin Old English sinder ‘slag’, of Germanic origin; related to German Sinter. The similar but unconnected French cendre (from Latin cinis ‘ashes’) has influenced both the sense development and the spelling. Compare with sinter.

cinder block

noun

North American term for breeze block.

cinder cone

noun

a cone formed round a volcanic vent by fragments of lava thrown out during eruptions.

Cinderella /sɪndəˈrɛlə/

I. a girl in various traditional European fairy tales. In the version by Charles Perrault she is exploited as a servant by her family but enabled by a fairy godmother to attend a royal ball. She meets and captivates Prince Charming but has to flee at midnight, leaving the prince to identify her by the glass slipper which she leaves behind.

II. [as noun] — a person or thing that is undeservedly neglected or ignored

• is research into breast cancer to remain the Cinderella of medicine?

– origin from cinder + the diminutive suffix -ella, on the pattern of French Cendrillon, from cendre ‘cinders’.

cinder toffee

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) another term for honeycomb (sense 3 of the noun):

• vanilla ice cream topped with cinder toffee.

cinder track

noun

a running track laid with fine cinders.

cine /ˈsɪni/

adjective

1. (Brit.) cinematographic

• a cine camera.

2. (chiefly Indian) relating to cinema

• a cine actor.

cine-

combining form

representing cinematographic (see cinematography).

cineaste /ˈsɪnɪast / cineast

I. noun

1. a filmmaker.

2. a person who is fond of or knowledgeable about the cinema.

– origin 1920s: from French cinéaste, from ciné (from cinéma), on the pattern of enthousiaste ‘enthusiast’.

cinema /ˈsɪnɪmə, ˈsɪnɪmɑː/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) a theatre where films are shown for public entertainment.

• I was weaned on a diet of Hollywood fantasy at my local cinema.

• I never go to the cinema.

2. [ mass noun] — (chiefly Brit.) the production of films as an art or industry

• one of the giants of British cinema.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French cinéma, abbreviation of cinématographe (see cinematograph).

cinemagoer /ˈsɪnɪməˌɡəʊə/

I. noun

(chiefly Brit.) a person who goes to the cinema, especially on a regular basis

• cinemagoers want to watch something they know they'll enjoy.

II. derivatives

cinemagoing /ˈsɪnəməˌɡəʊɪŋ /

noun, adjective

cinema organ

noun

‹historical› a type of organ specially adapted for use in cinemas, typically having extra percussion stops and other effects.

CinemaScope

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a cinematographic process in which special lenses are used to compress a wide image into a standard frame and then expand it again during projection. It results in an image that is almost two and a half times as wide as it is high.

cinematheque /ˌsɪnɪməˈtɛk/

I. noun

1. a film library or archive.

2. a small cinema.

– origin 1960s: from French cinémathèque, from cinéma ‘cinema’, on the pattern of bibliothèque ‘library’.

cinematic /sɪnɪˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the cinema

• cinematic output.

2. having qualities characteristic of films

• the cinematic feel of their video.

II. derivatives

cinematically

adverb

cinematograph /ˌsɪnɪˈmatəɡrɑːf / kinematograph

I. noun

‹historical› (chiefly Brit.) an apparatus for showing motion-picture films.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French cinématographe, from Greek kinēma, kinēmat- ‘movement’, from kinein ‘to move’.

cinematographer /ˌsɪnəməˈtɒɡrəfə/

noun

a person who oversees or directs photography and camerawork in film-making, especially one who operates the camera

• the film has been shot by an award-winning cinematographer

• a crew of daredevil underwater cinematographers.

cinematography /ˌsɪnɪməˈtɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art of photography and camerawork in film-making.

• home movie footage with superb cinematography.

II. derivatives

1. cinematographic /ˌsɪnəˌmatəˈɡrafɪk /

adjective

2. cinematographically

adverb

cinéma-vérité /ˌsɪnɪməˈvɛrɪteɪ French sinemaveʀite//

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of film-making characterized by realistic, typically documentary films which avoid artificiality and artistic effect and are generally made with simple equipment.

– origin French, literally ‘cinema truth’.

cinephile

I. noun

a person who is fond of the cinema.

• the film is mostly known only to dedicated cinephiles.

II. derivatives

cinephilia

noun

cineplex /ˈsɪnɪplɛks/

I. noun

‹trademark› (chiefly N. Amer.) a cinema with several separate screens; a multiplex.

– origin 1970s: blend of cinema and complex.

cineraria /ˌsɪnəˈrɛːrɪə/

I. noun

a plant of the daisy family with compact masses of bright flowers, cultivated as a winter-flowering pot plant.
●Genus Pericallis (formerly Senecio or Cineraria), family Compositae.

– origin modern Latin, feminine of Latin cinerarius ‘of ashes’, from cinis, ciner- ‘ashes’ (because of the ash-coloured down on the leaves).

cinerarium /ˌsɪnəˈrɛːrɪəm/

I. noun

a place where a cinerary urn is kept.

– origin late 19th cent.: from late Latin, neuter (used as a noun) of cinerarius ‘of ashes’.

cinerary urn /ˈsɪnərəri/

I. noun

an urn for holding a person's ashes after cremation, especially as used by Classical and prehistoric cultures.

– origin mid 18th cent.: cinerary from Latin cinerarius ‘of ashes’.

cinereous /sɪˈnɪərɪəs/

I. adjective

(especially of hair or feathers) ash-grey.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin cinereus ‘similar to ashes’ (from cinis, ciner- ‘ashes’) + -ous.

cinereous vulture

noun

another term for black vulture (sense 1).

ciné-vérité /ˌsɪnɪˈvɛrɪteɪ, French sineveʀite/

noun

another term for cinéma-vérité.

Cingalese /ˌsɪŋɡəˈliːz/

I. noun, adjective

archaic spelling of Sinhalese.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French Cinghalais, from Sanskrit Siṃhala ‘Sri Lanka’ + -ese.

cingulum /ˈsɪŋɡjʊləm/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] a curved bundle of nerve fibres in each hemisphere of the brain.

2. [Anatomy] a ridge of enamel on the base or margin of the crown of a tooth.

II. derivatives

cingulate

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘belt’, from cingere ‘gird’.

cinnabar /ˈsɪnəbɑː/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a bright red mineral consisting of mercury sulphide, sometimes used as a pigment.

2. the bright red colour of cinnabar.
[as modifier]

• the blood coagulated in cinnabar threads.

3. (also cinnabar moth) — a day-flying moth with black and red wings, whose black and yellow caterpillars feed on groundsel and ragwort.
● Tyria jacobaeae, family Arctiidae.

– origin Middle English: from Latin cinnabaris, from Greek kinnabari, of oriental origin.

cinnamon /ˈsɪnəmən/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — an aromatic spice made from the peeled, dried, and rolled bark of a SE Asian tree.

• a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

• [as modifier] a cinnamon cake.

2. a yellowish-brown colour resembling that of cinnamon.
[as modifier]

• he wore a short-sleeved shirt and pale cinnamon slacks.

3. the tree which yields cinnamon.
●Genus Cinnamomum, family Lauraceae: several species.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cinnamome (from Greek kinnamōmon), and Latin cinnamon (from Greek kinnamon), both from a Semitic language and perhaps based on Malay.

cinnamon bear

noun

a North American black bear of a variety with reddish-brown hair.

cinnamon fern

noun

a large North American fern with cinnamon-coloured fronds.
● Osmunda cinnamomea, family Osmundaceae.

cinnamon toast

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) buttered toast sprinkled with ground cinnamon and sugar.

cinquain /sɪŋˈkeɪn/

I. noun

(in verse) a five-line stanza.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, from cinq ‘five’.

cinque /sɪŋk / cinq

I. noun

1. the five on dice.

2. ( cinques) — [Bell-ringing] a system of change-ringing using eleven bells, with five pairs changing places each time.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cinc, cink, from Latin quinque ‘five’.

cinquecento /ˌtʃɪŋkwɪˈtʃɛntəʊ/

I. noun — ( the cinquecento)

1. the 16th century as a period of Italian art, architecture, or literature, with a reversion to classical forms.

– origin Italian, literally ‘500’ (shortened from milcinquecento ‘1500’) used with reference to the years 1500–99.

cinquefoil /ˈsɪŋkfɔɪl/

I. noun

1. a widely distributed herbaceous plant of the rose family, with compound leaves of five leaflets and five-petalled yellow flowers.
●Genus Potentilla, family Rosaceae.

2. [Art] an ornamental design of five lobes arranged in a circle, e.g. in architectural tracery or heraldry.

– origin Middle English: from Latin quinquefolium, from quinque ‘five’ + folium ‘leaf’.

Cinque Ports /sɪŋk ˈpɔːts/

I. a group of medieval ports in Kent and East Sussex in SE England, which were formerly allowed trading privileges in exchange for providing the bulk of England's navy. The five original Cinque Ports were Hastings, Sandwich, Dover, Romney, and Hythe; later Rye and Winchelsea were added.

– origin from Old French cink porz, from Latin quinque portus ‘five ports’.

Cinzano /tʃɪnˈzɑːnəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a type of vermouth produced in Italy.

– origin from the name of the producers.

CIO

abbreviation

‹historical› (in North America) Congress of Industrial Organizations.

cipher^1 /ˈsʌɪfə / cypher

I. noun

1. a secret or disguised way of writing; a code

• he wrote cryptic notes in a cipher

• [ mass noun] the information may be given in cipher.

2. something written in a code.

• he came across ciphers written on parchment and concealed in a hollow altar pillar.

3. a key to a code.

4. ‹dated› a zero; a figure 0.

5. a person of no importance, especially one who does the bidding of others and seems to have no will of their own.

• journalists are not mere interchangeable ciphers in the propaganda battle.

6. a monogram.

• a pair of rock crystal goblets engraved with the cipher of Peter the Great.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — put (a message) into secret writing; encode.

• he left two, as yet uncracked, ciphered messages for posthumous decoding.

2. [no obj.] — ‹archaic› do arithmetic.

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘symbol for zero’ and ‘Arabic numeral’): from Old French cifre, based on Arabic ṣifr ‘zero’.

cipher^2 /ˈsʌɪfə/

I. noun

a continuous sounding of an organ pipe, caused by a mechanical defect.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of an organ pipe) sound continuously.

– origin late 18th cent.: perhaps from cipher^1.

cipolin /ˈsɪpəlɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Italian marble with veins of talc, mica, or quartz, showing alternating white and green streaks.
[as modifier]

• hand-painted cipolin marble plates.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Italian cipollino, from cipolla ‘onion’ (because its structure, having thin veins of other minerals, resembles onion skin).

circa /ˈsəːkə/

I. preposition

(often preceding a date) approximately

• the church was built circa 1860.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Latin.

circadian /səːˈkeɪdɪən/

I. adjective

[Physiology] (of biological processes) recurring naturally on a twenty-four-hour cycle, even in the absence of light fluctuations

• a circadian rhythm.

– origin 1950s: formed irregularly from Latin circa ‘about’ + dies ‘day’.

Circassian /səːˈkasɪən/

I. noun

1. a member of a group of mainly Sunni Muslim peoples of the NW Caucasus.

2. [ mass noun] — either of two North Caucasian languages of the Circassians, Adyghe and Kabardian.
Also called Cherkess.

II. adjective

relating to the Circassians or their language.

– origin from Circassia, Latinized form of Russian Cherkes, denoting a district in the northern Caucasus.

Circe /ˈsəːsi / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. an enchantress who lived on the island of Aeaea. When Odysseus visited the island his companions were changed into pigs by her potions, but he protected himself with the magic herb moly and forced her to restore his men to human form.

– origin via Latin from Greek Kirkē.

circinate /ˈsəːsɪnət, ˈsəːsɪneɪt/

I. adjective

1. [Botany] denoting leaves or fronds that are rolled up with the tip in the centre, for example the young frond of a fern.

2. [Medicine] circular in appearance.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin circinatus, past participle of circinare ‘make round’, from circinus ‘pair of compasses’.

Circinus /ˈsəːsɪnəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small and faint southern constellation (the Compasses), in the Milky Way next to Centaurus.

II. (as genitive Circini) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Alpha Circini.

– origin Latin.

circle /ˈsəːk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a round plane figure whose boundary (the circumference) consists of points equidistant from a fixed point (the centre).

• draw a circle with a compass.

2. something in the shape of a circle

• the lamp spread a circle of light

• they all sat round in a circle.

3. a dark circular mark below each eye caused by illness or tiredness.

• she was pale and rather beautiful, with dark circles around deep, exhausted eyes.

4. (Brit.) a curved upper tier of seats in a theatre or cinema.

• she sat in the front row of the circle.

5. [Hockey] short for striking circle.

6. a group of people with a shared profession, interests, or acquaintances

• she did not normally move in such exalted circles.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. move all the way around (someone or something), especially more than once

• they were circling Athens airport

• (as adj. circling) a circling helicopter

• [no obj.] we circled round the island.

2. [no obj.] ( circle back) — move in a wide loop back towards one's starting point

• he paced away from her, then circled back.

3. form a ring around

• the abbey was circled by a huge wall.

4. draw a line around

• circle the correct answers.

III. phrases

1. circle the wagons

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› unite in defence of a common interest.

• the Lakers quickly circled the wagons, against the Spurs and the crowd.

[with reference to the defensive position of a wagon train under attack.]

2. come (or turn) full circle

return to a past position or situation, especially in a way considered to be inevitable.

• the region is being forced to come full circle and repeat the errors of its tragic past.

• now it seems the wheel has turned full circle—the western is being revived.

[with reference to Shakespeare's King Lear V. iii. 165, ‘The Wheele is come full circle’: by association with the wheel represented in mythology and literature as turned by Fortune and symbolizing mutability.]

3. go (or run) round in circles

‹informal› do something for a long time without achieving anything but purposeless repetition

• the discussion went round and round in circles.

– origin Old English, from Old French cercle, from Latin circulus ‘small ring’, diminutive of circus ‘ring’.

circle dance

noun

a country dance or folk dance in which dancers form a circle.

circlet /ˈsəːklɪt/

I. noun

1. a circular band, typically one made of precious metal, worn on the head as an ornament.

2. a small circular arrangement or object.

– origin late Middle English: from circle + -et^1, perhaps reinforced by archaic French cerclet.

circle work

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› the recreational activity of driving a vehicle around in tight circles

• the boys were doing circle work in a muddy paddock.

circlip /ˈsəːklɪp/

I. noun

(Brit.) a metal ring sprung into a slot or groove in a bar to hold something in place.

– origin early 20th cent.: blend of circle or circular and clip^1.

circs /səːks/

plural noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› circumstances

• anyone would have done the same under the circs.

circuit /ˈsəːkɪt/

I. noun

1. a roughly circular line, route, or movement that starts and finishes at the same place

• I ran a circuit of the village.

2. (Brit.) a track used for motor racing, horse racing, or athletics.

• Hockenheim was a fast circuit but was regarded as one of the safest.

3. an established itinerary of events or venues used for a particular activity, typically involving sport or public performance

• the alternative cabaret circuit.

4. a series of athletic exercises performed consecutively in one training session
[as modifier]

• circuit training.

5. a regular journey made by a judge around a particular district to hear cases in court
[as modifier]

• a circuit judge.

6. a district administered or formerly administered by travelling judges.

• the six circuits of England and Wales replaced the old system of assizes.

7. a group of local Methodist Churches forming an administrative unit.

• the success of any chapel or Methodist circuit depended on the minister.

8. a chain of theatres or cinemas under a single management

• the company also bought cinema circuits in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

9. a complete and closed path around which a circulating electric current can flow.

• the maximum number of light fittings on a circuit is twelve.

10. a system of electrical conductors and components forming an electrical circuit.

• control circuits.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. move all the way around (a place or thing).

• the trains will follow the Northern line, circuiting the capital.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin circuitus, from circuire, variant of circumire ‘go round’, from circum ‘around’ + ire ‘go’.

circuit board

noun

a thin rigid board containing an electric circuit; a printed circuit.

circuit breaker

noun

an automatic device for stopping the flow of current in an electric circuit as a safety measure.

circuitous /səːˈkjuːɪtəs/

I. adjective

(of a route or journey) longer than the most direct way

• the canal followed a circuitous route

• ‹figurative› a circuitous line of reasoning.

II. derivatives

1. circuitously /səːˈkjuːɪtəsli /

adverb

2. circuitousness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin circuitosus, from circuitus ‘a way around’ (see circuit).

circuit rider

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹historical› a clergyman who travelled on horseback from church to church, especially within a rural Methodist circuit.

circuitry /ˈsəːkɪtri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. electric circuits collectively

• solid state circuitry.

2. a circuit or system of circuits performing a particular function in an electronic device

• switching circuitry.

circular /ˈsəːkjʊlə/

I. adjective

1. having the form of a circle

• the building features a circular atrium.

2. (of a movement or journey) starting and finishing at the same place and often following roughly the circumference of an imaginary circle

• a circular walk.

3. [Logic] (of an argument) already containing an assumption of what is to be proved, and therefore fallacious.

• the reality of standard English rests on the circular argument that that is good which good users use.

4. [ attrib.] — (of a letter or advertisement) for distribution to a large number of people.

• a circular letter was sent asking for support.

II. noun

a letter or advertisement which is distributed to a large number of people.

• I received a circular from a building society.

III. derivatives

1. circularity /səːkjəˈlarəti /

noun

2. circularly

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French circulier, from late Latin circularis, from Latin circulus ‘small ring’ (see circle).

circular breathing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a technique of inhaling through the nose while blowing air through the lips from the cheeks, used to maintain constant exhalation especially by players of certain wind instruments.

circular firing squad

noun

(chiefly US) used in reference to a situation in which a group of people are engaged in self-destructive internal conflicts and mutual recriminations

• by Wednesday morning the party was preparing its traditional response to defeat: the circular firing squad.

circularize /ˈsəːkjʊlərʌɪz / circularise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. distribute a large number of letters or leaflets to (a group of people) in order to advertise something or canvas opinion.

• they circularize prospective purchasers at regular intervals.

2. [Biochemistry] make (a stretch of DNA) into a circular loop.

II. derivatives

circularization

noun

circular polarization

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] polarization of an electromagnetic wave in which either the electric or the magnetic vector executes a circle perpendicular to the path of propagation with a frequency equal to that of the wave. It is frequently used in satellite communications.

circular saw

noun

a power saw with a rapidly rotating toothed disc.

circulate /ˈsəːkjʊleɪt/

I. verb

1. move continuously or freely through a closed system or area
[no obj.]

• antibodies circulate in the bloodstream

• [with obj.] the fan circulates hot air around the oven.

2. [no obj.] — move around a social function in order to talk to many different people.

• the couple circulated, chatting to their guests.

3. pass from place to place or person to person
[no obj.]

• rumours of his arrest circulated

• [with obj.] they were circulating the list to conservation groups.

4. [with obj.] — send copies of a letter or leaflet to (a group of people)

• tutors were circulated with the handout.

II. derivatives

1. circulative

adjective

2. circulator /ˈsəːkjəleɪtə /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (as an alchemical term meaning ‘distil something in a closed container, allowing condensed vapour to return to the original liquid’): from Latin circulat- ‘moved in a circular path’, from the verb circulare, from circulus ‘small ring’ (see circle). Sense 1 dates from the mid 17th cent.

circulating library

noun

‹historical› a small library with books lent for a small fee to subscribers.

circulating medium

noun

a commodity used in commercial exchange, especially coins or gold.

circulation /səːkjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. movement to and fro or around something, especially that of fluid in a closed system

• an extra pump for good water circulation.

2. the continuous motion by which the blood travels through all parts of the body under the action of the heart.

• three 20-minute sessions a week which make you breathe a bit harder can improve circulation.

3. the movement of sap through a plant.

4. the public availability or knowledge of something

• his music has achieved wide circulation.

5. the movement, exchange, or availability of money in a country

• the new-look coins go into circulation today.

6. [in sing.] — the number of copies sold of a newspaper or magazine

• the magazine had a large circulation.

II. phrases

in (or out of) circulation

a. available (or unavailable) to the public

• there is a huge volume of video material in circulation.

b. (of a person) seen (or not seen) in public

• Anne had made a good recovery and was back in circulation.

– origin late Middle English (denoting continuous distillation of a liquid): from Latin circulatio(n-), from the verb circulare (see circulate).

circulatory /ˈsəːkjʊlət(ə)ri, səːkjʊˈleɪt(ə)ri/

adjective

relating to the circulation of blood or sap.

circulatory system

noun

the system that circulates blood and lymph through the body, consisting of the heart, blood vessels, blood, lymph, and the lymphatic vessels and glands.
Also called cardiovascular system.

circum- /ˈsəːkəm/

I. prefix

about; around (functioning within the word as an adverb as in circumambulate, or as a preposition as in circumpolar).

– origin from Latin circum ‘round’.

circumambient /ˌsəːkəmˈambɪənt/

I. adjective

‹literary› ‹formal› surrounding

• circumambient gases.

II. derivatives

circumambience

noun

circumambulate /ˌsəːkəmˈambjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› walk all the way round

• they used to circumambulate the perimeter wall.

II. derivatives

1. circumambulation

noun

2. circumambulatory

adjective

circumcircle /ˈsəːkəmsəːk(ə)l/

noun

[Geometry] a circle touching all the vertices of a triangle or polygon.

circumcise /ˈsəːkəmsʌɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut off the foreskin of (a young boy or man, especially a baby) as a religious rite, especially in Judaism and Islam, or as a medical treatment.

2. (as a practice traditional in some cultures) partially or totally remove the external genitalia of (a girl or young woman) for non-medical reasons.

II. derivatives

circumciser

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French circonciser, or from Latin circumcis- ‘cut around’, from the verb circumcidere, from circum ‘around, about’ + caedere ‘to cut’.

circumcision /səːkəmˈsɪʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or practice of circumcising a young boy or man.

2. [ mass noun] — the action or practice of circumcising a girl or young woman; female circumcision.

3. ( Circumcision) — (in church use) the feast of the Circumcision of Christ, 1 January.

– origin Middle English: from late Latin circumcisio(n-), from the verb circumcidere (see circumcise).

circumference /səˈkʌmf(ə)r(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. the enclosing boundary of a curved geometric figure, especially a circle.

2. the distance around something

• babies who have small head circumferences

• [ mass noun] a rope two inches in circumference.

II. derivatives

1. circumferential /səkʌmf(ə)ˈrɛnʃ(ə)l /

adjective

2. circumferentially

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French circonference, from Latin circumferentia, from circum ‘around, about’ + ferre ‘carry, bear’.

circumflex /ˈsəːkəmflɛks/

I. noun

(also circumflex accent) — a mark (^) placed over a vowel in some languages to indicate contraction, length, or a particular quality.

II. adjective

[Anatomy] bending round something else; curved

• circumflex coronary arteries.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin circumflexus (from circum ‘around, about’ + flectere ‘to bend’), translating Greek perispōmenos ‘drawn around’.

circumfluent /səːˈkʌmflʊənt/

I. adjective

‹rare› flowing round; surrounding.

II. derivatives

circumfluence

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin circumfluent- ‘flowing around’, from the verb circumfluere, from circum ‘around, about’ + fluere ‘to flow’.

circumfuse /ˌsəːkəmˈfjuːz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› pour (a liquid) so as to cause it to surround something

• Earth with her nether Ocean circumfused.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin circumfus- ‘poured around’, from the verb circumfundere, from circum ‘around’ + fundere ‘pour’.

circumjacent /ˌsəːkəmˈdʒeɪs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹archaic› surrounding.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin circumjacent- ‘lying round about, bordering upon’, from the verb circumjacere, from circum ‘around’ + jacere ‘to lie’.

circumlocution /ˌsəːkəmləˈkjuːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive

• his admission came after years of circumlocution

• [ count noun] he used a number of poetic circumlocutions.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin circumlocutio(n-) (translating Greek periphrasis), from circum ‘around’ + locutio(n-) from loqui ‘speak’.

circumlocutory /ˌsəːkəmˈlɒkjʊt(ə)ri/

adjective

using many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive; long-winded

• he has a meandering, circumlocutory speaking style.

circumlunar /səːkəmˈluːnə/

adjective

moving or situated around the moon

• a circumlunar flight.

circumnavigate /səːkəmˈnavɪɡeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. sail or travel all the way around (something, especially the world).

• he undertook to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days or less.

2. go around or avoid (an obstacle)

• he helped her to circumnavigate a frozen puddle.

3. avoid dealing with (something difficult or unpleasant)

• they circumnavigated the issue.

II. derivatives

circumnavigator /ˌsəːkəmˈnavɪɡeɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin circumnavigare ‘to sail round’ + -ate^3.

circumnavigation /səːkəmnavɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. the action or process of sailing or otherwise travelling all the way around something, especially the world

• he completed the fastest solo circumnavigation in a small vessel

• the first circumnavigation of the globe in a helicopter.

2. the action of going around or avoiding an obstacle

• our leisurely circumnavigation of the rocks.

3. the action of avoiding something difficult or unpleasant

• a circumnavigation of the simple facts.

circumpolar /səːkəmˈpəʊlə/

adjective

1. situated around or inhabiting one of the earth's poles

• circumpolar arctic areas.

2. [Astronomy] (of a star or motion) above the horizon at all times in a given latitude

• the Plough is circumpolar from Britain.

circumscribe /ˈsəːkəmskrʌɪb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. restrict (something) within limits

• the minister's powers are circumscribed both by tradition and the organization of local government.

2. [Geometry] draw (a figure) round another, touching it at points but not cutting it.

• if a hexagon is circumscribed about a circle the lines joining opposite vertices meet in one point.

Compare with inscribe.

II. derivatives

1. circumscriber

noun

2. circumscription /səːkəmˈskrɪpʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin circumscribere, from circum ‘around’ + scribere ‘write’.

circumsolar /ˌsəːkəmˈsəʊlə/

adjective

moving or situated around the sun.

circumspect /ˈsəːkəmspɛkt/

I. adjective

wary and unwilling to take risks

• the officials were very circumspect in their statements.

II. derivatives

circumspectly /ˈsəːkəmspɛktli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Latin circumspectus, from circumspicere ‘look around’, from circum ‘around, about’ + specere ‘look’.

circumspection /ˌsəːkəmˈspɛkʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being wary and unwilling to take risks; prudence

• circumspection is required in the day-to-day exercise of administrative powers.

circumstance /ˈsəːkəmst(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. (usu. circumstances) — a fact or condition connected with or relevant to an event or action

• we wanted to marry but circumstances didn't permit.

2. an event or fact that causes or helps to cause something to happen, typically something undesirable

• he was found dead but there were no suspicious circumstances

• [ mass noun] they were thrown together by circumstance.

3. ( circumstances) — one's state of financial or material welfare

• the artists are living in reduced circumstances.

4. ‹archaic› ceremony and public display

• pomp and circumstance.

II. phrases

1. circumstances alter cases

‹proverb› one's opinion or treatment of someone or something may vary according to the prevailing circumstances.

2. under (or in) the circumstances

given the difficult nature of the situation

• she had every right to be cross under the circumstances.

3. under (or in) no circumstances

never, whatever the situation is or might be.

• under no circumstances may the child be identified.

III. derivatives

circumstanced

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French circonstance or Latin circumstantia, from circumstare ‘encircle, encompass’, from circum ‘around’ + stare ‘stand’.

circumstantial /səːkəmˈstanʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. pointing indirectly towards someone's guilt but not conclusively proving it

• the prosecution will have to rely on circumstantial evidence.

2. (of a description) containing full details

• the picture was so circumstantial that it began to be convincing.

II. derivatives

1. circumstantiality /səːkəmstanʃɪˈalɪti /

noun

2. circumstantially

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin circumstantia (see circumstance) + -al.

circumterrestrial

adjective

moving or situated around the earth

• circumterrestrial space.

circumvallate /ˌsəːkəmˈvaleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. surround with or as if with a rampart

• the walls were circumvallated with a ditch.

II. adjective

1. ‹literary› surrounded or surrounding as if by a rampart

• circumvallate mountains.

2. [Anatomy] denoting certain papillae near the back of the tongue, surrounded by taste receptors.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin circumvallat- ‘surrounded with a rampart’, from the verb circumvallare, from circum ‘around’ + vallare, from vallum ‘rampart’. The verb dates from the early 19th cent.

circumvallation /səːkəmvaˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

a defensive wall of a castle or walled city

• a small stream encircled the space between the inner and outer circumvallations.

circumvent /səːkəmˈvɛnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. find a way around (an obstacle).

• if you come to an obstruction in a road you can seek to circumvent it.

2. overcome (a problem or difficulty) in a clever and surreptitious way

• it was always possible to circumvent the regulations.

3. ‹archaic› deceive; outwit.

• he's circumvented her with some of his stories.

II. derivatives

circumvention /ˌsəːkəmˈvɛnʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin circumvent- ‘skirted around’, from the verb circumvenire, from circum ‘around’ + venire ‘come’.

circumvolution /ˌsəːkəmvəˈluːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a winding movement, especially of one thing round another.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin circumvolut- ‘rolled around’, from the verb circumvolvere, from circum ‘around’ + volvere ‘roll’.

circus /ˈsəːkəs/

I. noun

1. a travelling company of acrobats, clowns, and other entertainers which gives performances, typically in a large tent, in a series of different places.

• I was thrilled by the annual visits of the circus.

• [as modifier] a circus elephant.

2. ‹informal› a large group of people travelling together on the circuit of a particular high-profile activity

• the Formula One grand prix circus.

3. ‹informal› a public scene of frenetic, noisy, or confused activity

• a media circus.

4. (in ancient Rome) a rounded or oval arena lined with tiers of seats, used for equestrian and other sports and games.
[in names]

• the Circus Maximus.

5. [in place names] — (Brit.) a rounded open space in a town or city where several streets converge

• Piccadilly Circus.

– origin late Middle English (with reference to the arena of Roman antiquity): from Latin, ‘ring or circus’. The sense ‘travelling company of performers’ dates from the late 18th cent.

ciré /ˈsiːreɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fabric with a smooth shiny surface obtained by waxing and heating.

• a two-piece in ciré.

– origin 1920s: French, literally ‘waxed’.

Cirencester /ˈsʌɪrənˌsɛstə/

a town in Gloucestershire, in England; pop. 16,500 (est. 2009). It was a major town in Roman Britain, when it was known as Corinium Dobunorum.

cire perdue /ˌsɪə pəːˈdjuː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of bronze casting using a clay core and a wax coating placed in a mould. The wax is melted in the mould and drained out, and bronze poured into the space left, producing a hollow bronze figure when the core is discarded.
Also called lost wax.

– origin French, ‘lost wax’.

cirl bunting /səːl/

I. noun

an Old World bunting related to the yellowhammer, the male of which has a distinctive facial pattern and a black throat.
● Emberiza cirlus, family Emberizidae (subfamily Emberizinae).

– origin late 18th cent.: cirl from Italian cirlo, probably from zirlare ‘whistle as a thrush’.

cirque /səːk/

I. noun

1. [Geology] a half-open steep-sided hollow at the head of a valley or on a mountainside, formed by glacial erosion.
Also called corrie or cwm.

2. ‹literary› a ring, circlet, or circle.

– origin late 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French, from Latin circus.

cirrhosis /sɪˈrəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a chronic disease of the liver marked by degeneration of cells, inflammation, and fibrous thickening of tissue. It is typically a result of alcoholism or hepatitis.

II. derivatives

cirrhotic /sɪˈrɒtɪk /

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek kirrhos ‘tawny’ (because this is the colour of the liver in many cases).

cirriped /ˈsɪrɪpɛd / cirripede /ˈsɪrɪpiːd/

noun

[Zoology] a crustacean of the class Cirripedia; a barnacle.

Cirripedia /ˌsɪrɪˈpiːdɪə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a class of crustaceans that comprises the barnacles.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Latin cirrus ‘a curl’ (because of the form of the legs) + pes, ped- ‘foot’.

cirrocumulus /ˌsɪrəʊˈkjuːmjʊləs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cloud forming a broken layer of small fleecy clouds at high altitude (usually 5 to 13 km, 16,500 to 45,000 ft), typically with a rippled or granulated appearance (as in a mackerel sky).

cirrostratus /ˌsɪrəʊˈstrɑːtəs, ˌsɪrəʊˈstreɪtəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cloud forming a thin, more or less uniform semi-translucent layer at high altitude (usually 5 to 13 km, 16,500 to 45,000 ft).

cirrus /ˈsɪrəs/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — cloud forming wispy filamentous tufted streaks or ‘mare's tails’ at high altitude (usually 5 to 13 km, 16,500 to 45,000 ft).

• long strands of high cirrus stretched across the eastern sky.

• [as modifier] cirrus clouds.

2. [Zoology] a slender tendril or hair-like filament, such as the appendage of a barnacle, the barbel of a fish, or the intromittent organ of an earthworm.

3. [Botany] a tendril.

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘tendril’): from Latin, literally ‘a curl’.

cis^1 /sɪs/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] denoting or relating to a molecular structure in which two particular atoms or groups lie on the same side of a given plane in the molecule, in particular denoting an isomer in which substituents at opposite ends of a carbon–carbon double bond are on the same side of the bond

• the cis isomer of stilbene.

Compare with trans^1.

– origin independent usage of cis-.

cis^2 /sɪs/

adjective

short for cisgender:

• we do not make arbitrary distinctions between trans and cis women.

CIS /siːʌɪˈɛs/

abbreviation

Commonwealth of Independent States.

cis-

I. prefix

1. on this side of; on the side nearer to the speaker. Often contrasted with trans- (sense 1) or ultra- (sense 2):

• cisatlantic.

2. ‹historical› on the side nearer to Rome

• cisalpine.

3. (of time) closer to the present

• cis-Elizabethan.

4. referring or relating to those whose sense of personal identity corresponds with the gender assigned to them at birth. Compare with trans- (sense 3):

• cisgender

• cissexism.

5. (usu. cis-) — [Chemistry] denoting molecules with cis arrangements of substituents

• cis -1,2-dichloroethene.

– origin from Latin cis ‘on this side of’.

cisalpine /sɪsˈalpʌɪn/

adjective

on the southern side of the Alps.

cisatlantic /sɪsətˈlantɪk/

adjective

on the same side of the Atlantic as the speaker.

cisco /ˈsɪskəʊ/

I. noun

a freshwater whitefish of northern countries, most species of which are important food fishes.
●Genus Coregonus, family Salmonidae: several species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

cisgender /sɪsˈdʒɛndə / cisgendered

I. adjective

denoting or relating to someone whose sense of personal identity corresponds with the gender assigned to them at birth. Compare transgender:

• this new-found attention to the plight of black trans folks by primarily cisgender allies is timely and necessary.

– origin 1990s: from cis- + gender.

Ciskei /sɪsˈkʌɪ/

a former homeland established in South Africa for the Xhosa people, now part of the province of Eastern Cape.
See also homeland.

cislunar /sɪsˈluːnə/

adjective

between the earth and the moon

• the darkness of cislunar space.

cisplatin /sɪsˈplatɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a cytotoxic drug used in cancer chemotherapy.
●A coordination compound of platinum; chem. formula: Pt(NH_3)2Cl_2.

– origin late 20th cent.: from cis- (sense 3) + platinum.

cispontine /sɪsˈpɒntʌɪn/

I. adjective

‹archaic› on the north side of the Thames bridges in London (originally the better-known side).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cis- + Latin pons, pont- ‘bridge’.

cissexism /sɪsˈsɛksɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. prejudice or discrimination against transgender people

• trans feminists have also focused on how trans people are impacted by institutionalized cissexism.

– origin early 21st cent.: from cis- (sense 2) + sexism.

cissexist /sɪsˈsɛksəst/

I. adjective

showing or feeling discrimination or prejudice against transgender people

• many trans people have come up with language to describe the cissexist world they see around them.

– origin early 21st cent.: from cis- (sense 2) + sexist.

cissing /ˈsɪsɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in decorating) failure of paint to adhere properly to a surface.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

cissus /ˈsɪsəs/

I. noun

a woody climbing vine of a genus that includes the kangaroo vine.
●Genus Cissus, family Vitaceae.

– origin modern Latin: from Greek kissos ‘ivy’.

cist /kɪst, sɪst / kist

I. noun

1. [Archaeology] an ancient coffin or burial chamber made from stone or a hollowed tree.

2. a box used in ancient Greece for sacred utensils.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin cista, from Greek kistē ‘box’; sense 1 via Welsh.

Cistercian /sɪˈstəːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a monk or nun of an order founded in 1098 as a stricter branch of the Benedictines. The monks are now divided into two observances, the strict observance, whose adherents are known popularly as Trappists, and the common observance, which has certain relaxations.

II. adjective

relating to the Cistercians

• a Cistercian abbey.

– origin from French cistercien, from Cistercium, the Latin name of Cîteaux near Dijon in France, where the order was founded.

cistern /ˈsɪstən/

I. noun

1. a tank for storing water, especially one supplying taps or as part of a flushing toilet.

2. an underground reservoir for rainwater.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cisterne, from Latin cisterna, from cista ‘box’ (see cist).

cisticola /sɪsˈtɪkələ, ˌsɪstɪˈkəʊlə/

I. noun

a small Old World warbler with brownish streaked plumage, found mainly in Africa.
●Genus Cisticola, family Sylviidae: numerous species. See also fan-tailed warbler.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek kistos ‘flowering shrub’ + Latin -col- ‘dwelling in’ (from the verb colere).

cistron /ˈsɪstrɒn/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] a section of a DNA or RNA molecule that codes for a specific polypeptide in protein synthesis.

– origin 1950s: from cis- (sense 3) + trans- (because of the possibility of two genes being on the same or different chromosomes) + -on.

cistus /ˈsɪstəs/

I. noun

a southern European shrub with large white or red flowers, from which the resin ladanum may be extracted. Also called rock rose.
●Genus Cistus, family Cistaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek kistos.

citadel /ˈsɪtəd(ə)l, ˈsɪtədɛl/

I. noun

1. a fortress, typically one on high ground above a city.

• the garrison withdrew into the citadel.

• ‹figurative› citadels of private economic power.

2. a meeting hall of the Salvation Army.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French citadelle, or from Italian cittadella, based on Latin civitas ‘city’ (see city).

citation /sʌɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a quotation from or reference to a book, paper, or author, especially in a scholarly work

• the majority of the citations are to work published during the past twenty years.

2. [Law] a reference to a previous case, used as guidance in the trying of comparable cases or in support of an argument.

• this journal contains citations from all jurisdictions.

3. a mention of a praiseworthy act in an official report, especially that of a member of the armed forces in wartime.

• the citation described him as an officer of extreme gallantry.

4. a note accompanying an award, describing the reasons for it

• a Nobel citation.

5. (N. Amer.) a summons to appear in court

• a traffic citation.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French, from Latin citatio(n-), from citare ‘cite’.

cite /sʌɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. refer to (a passage, book, or author) as evidence for or justification of an argument or statement, especially in a scholarly work.

• authors who are highly regarded by their peers tend to be cited.

• he does not cite any source for this assertion.

2. mention as an example

• medics have been cited as a key example of a modern breed of technical expert.

3. praise (someone, typically a member of the armed forces) in an official report for a courageous act.

• he has been cited many times for his contributions in the intelligence area.

4. summon (someone) to appear in court.

• the writ cited only four of the signatories of the petition.

II. noun

(US) a citation.

III. derivatives

citable /ˈsʌɪtəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in sense 3 of the verb, originally with reference to a court of ecclesiastical law): from Old French citer, from Latin citare, from ciere, cire ‘to call’.

CITES /ˈsʌɪtiːz/

abbreviation

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

cithara /ˈsɪθərə, ˈkɪθərə / kithara /ˈkɪθərə/

I. noun

an ancient Greek and Roman stringed musical instrument similar to the lyre.

– origin late 18th cent.: Latin, from Greek kithara. Compare with cittern.

citified

adjective

‹chiefly derogatory› characteristic of an urban environment

• we must look like citified dandies to them.

citizen /ˈsɪtɪz(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a legally recognized subject or national of a state or commonwealth, either native or naturalized

• a British citizen.

2. an inhabitant of a particular town or city

• the good citizens of Edinburgh.

II. phrases

citizen of the world

a person who is at home in any country.

• he has long since ceased to be a provincial and is now very much a citizen of the world.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French citezein, alteration (probably influenced by deinzein ‘denizen’) of Old French citeain, based on Latin civitas ‘city’ (see city).

citizen journalism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the collection, dissemination, and analysis of news and information by the general public, especially by means of the Internet.

II. derivatives

citizen journalist

noun

citizenry /ˈsɪtɪzənri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the citizens of a place regarded collectively

• the legal obligations of the citizenry.

Citizens' Advice Bureau ‹trademark›

an:( organization that provides members of the public with advice and information on matters relating to civil law and rights.

citizen's arrest

noun

an arrest by an ordinary person without a warrant, allowable in certain cases.

• he chased the thugs and made a citizen's arrest.

Citizens' Band CB

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a range of radio frequencies which are allocated for local communication by private individuals, especially by handheld or vehicle radio
[as modifier]

• Citizens' Band radio.

Citizen's Charter

noun

a document setting out the rights of citizens, especially a British government document of 1991 that guaranteed citizens the right of redress on occasions where a public service failed to meet certain standards.

citizen science

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the collection and analysis of data relating to the natural world by members of the general public, typically as part of a collaborative project with professional scientists

• the director of education sees a need for citizen science in astronomy

• [as modifier] citizen science projects.

II. derivatives

citizen scientist

noun

citizenship /ˈsɪtɪzənˌʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the position or status of being a citizen of a particular country

• the refugees could be granted dual citizenship.

Citlaltépetl /ˌsiːtlalˈteɪpɛt(ə)l/

I. the highest peak in Mexico, in the east of the country, north of the city of Orizaba. It rises to a height of 5,699 m (18,503 ft) and is an extinct volcano.
Spanish name Pico de Orizaba.

– origin Aztec, literally ‘star mountain’.

citole /sɪˈtəʊl/

I. noun

a lute-like medieval stringed instrument, forerunner of the cittern.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin cithara (see cittern).

citral /ˈsɪtral/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a fragrant liquid occurring in citrus and lemongrass oils and used in flavourings and perfumes.
●A terpene; chem. formula: C_10H_16O.

citrate /ˈsɪtreɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of citric acid.

citric /ˈsɪtrɪk/

I. adjective

derived from or related to citrus fruit

• a citric flavour.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin citrus ‘citron tree’ + -ic.

citric acid /sɪtrɪkˈasɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a sharp-tasting crystalline acid present in the juice of lemons and other sour fruits. It is made commercially by the fermentation of sugar and used as a flavouring and setting agent.
●A tribasic acid; chem. formula: C_6H_8O_7.

citriculture /ˈsɪtrɪˌkʌltʃə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the cultivation of citrus fruit trees.

citril /ˈsɪtrɪl / citril finch

I. noun

a small European and African finch related to the canary, with generally yellowish-green plumage.
●Genus Serinus, family Fringillidae: two species.

– origin late 17th cent.: apparently from Italian citrinella, diminutive of citrina ‘citrine-coloured (bird)’.

citrin /ˈsɪtrɪn/

noun

another term for bioflavonoid.

citrine /ˈsɪtrɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a glassy yellow variety of quartz.

2. a light greenish-yellow.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French citrin ‘lemon-coloured’, from medieval Latin citrinus, from Latin citrus ‘citron tree’.

citron /ˈsɪtr(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a shrubby Asian tree bearing fruits which resemble large lemons with less acid flesh and thick fragrant peel.
● Citrus medica, family Rutaceae; one of the ancestors of modern commercial citrus fruits.

2. the fruit of the citron tree.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting the fruit): from French, from Latin citrus ‘citron tree’, on the pattern of limon ‘lemon’.

citronella /sɪtrəˈnɛlə/

I. noun

1. (also citronella oil) [ mass noun] — a fragrant natural oil used as an insect repellent and in perfume and soap manufacture.
[as modifier]

• citronella candles.

2. the South Asian grass from which citronella oil is obtained.
● Cymbopogon nardus, family Gramineae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from citron + the diminutive suffix -ella.

citrus /ˈsɪtrəs/

I. noun

1. a tree of a genus that includes citron, lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit. Native to Asia, citrus trees are cultivated in warm countries for their fruit.
●Genus Citrus, family Rutaceae.

2. (also citrus fruit) — a fruit from a citrus tree
[as modifier]

• citrus extracts.

II. derivatives

1. citrous /ˈsɪtrəs /

adjective

2. citrusy citrussy

adjective

– origin Latin, ‘citron tree, thuja’.

cittern /ˈsɪt(ə)n/

I. noun

a stringed instrument similar to a lute, with a flattened back and wire strings, used in 16th- and 17th-century Europe.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin cithara, from Greek kithara, denoting a kind of harp. The spelling has been influenced by gittern.

city /ˈsɪti/

I. noun

1. a large town

• one of Italy's most beautiful cities

• [as modifier] the city council.

2. (Brit.) a town created a city by charter and usually containing a cathedral.

3. (N. Amer.) a municipal centre incorporated by the state or province.

4. [with modifier] — ‹informal› a place or situation characterized by a specified attribute

• the staff were in turmoil—it was panic city.

5. ( the City) — short for City of London.

6. the financial and commercial institutions located in the City of London

• the Budget got a stony reception from the City

• [as modifier] a City analyst.

II. derivatives

1. cityward /ˈsɪtɪwəd /

adjective, adverb

2. citywards

adverb

– origin Middle English: from Old French cite, from Latin civitas, from civis ‘citizen’. Originally denoting a town, and often used as a Latin equivalent to Old English burh ‘borough’, the term was later applied to the more important English boroughs. The connection between city and cathedral grew up under the Norman kings, as the episcopal sees (many had been established in villages) were removed to the chief borough of the diocese.

City and Guilds Institute

(in the UK) an institute based in London which is responsible for courses and examinations in technical and craft subjects, generally at a lower level than university degrees.

city centre ‹US› city center

noun

the central part or main business and commercial area of a city

• a new metro station provides a direct link to the city centre.

City Company

noun

(in the UK) a corporation descended from an ancient trade guild of London.

city desk

noun

1. (Brit.) the department of a newspaper dealing with business news.

2. (N. Amer.) the department of a newspaper dealing with local news.

city dweller

noun

a person who lives in a city

• many city dwellers live in rented apartments.

city editor

noun

1. (Brit.) a person dealing with financial news in a newspaper.

2. (N. Amer.) a person dealing with local news in a newspaper.

city farm

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a farm established within an urban area for educational purposes.

city father

noun

a person concerned with or experienced in the administration of a city

• the city fathers decided to build a museum.

city gent

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a businessman working in the financial district of the City of London.

city hall

noun

1. the administrative building of a municipal government.

2. (N. Amer.) municipal offices or officers collectively

• they cultivated close ties with City Hall.

city manager

noun

(N. Amer.) (in some cities) an official directing the administration of a city.

city of churches

I. noun

(Austral.) a nickname for the city of Adelaide

• the city of churches also boasts the country's cheapest apartments.

– origin mid 19th cent.: an allusion to the city's historical reputation for religious freedom.

City of God

I. Paradise, perceived as an ideal community in heaven.

II. the Christian Church.
[from The City of God by St Augustine.]

City of London

the part of London situated within the ancient boundaries and governed by the Lord Mayor and the Corporation.

city page

noun — (usu. city pages)

1. (Brit.) the part of a newspaper or magazine that deals with the financial news.

city planning

noun

US term for town planning.

cityscape /ˈsɪtɪskeɪp/

noun

1. the visual appearance of a city or urban area; a city landscape.

• shades of red brick which once coloured the cityscape.

2. a picture of a city.

city slicker

noun

‹informal› ‹derogatory› a person with the sophistication and values generally associated with urban dwellers.

• he cultivated the image of cool-as-ice City slicker.

• the false promises of city slickers.

city state

noun

‹chiefly historical› a city that with its surrounding territory forms an independent state.

City Technology College /sɪtitɛkˈnɒlədʒikɒlɪdʒ/

noun

(in England) a type of secondary school set up through partnerships between the government and business to teach technology and science in inner-city areas.

citywide /ˌsɪtɪˈwaɪd/

adjective, adverb

extending throughout a city
[as adj.]

• a citywide computer network

• [as adv.] sales citywide reached a four-year high.

Ciudad Bolívar /sjuːˌdad bɒˈliːvɑː, Spanish sjuˈðað boˈliβar, θjuˈðað/

a city in SE Venezuela, on the Orinoco River; pop. 355,800 (est. 2009). Formerly called Angostura, its name was changed in 1846 to honour the country's liberator, Simón Bolívar.

Ciudad Trujillo /truːˈhiːjəʊ/

former name (1936–61) for Santo Domingo.

Ciudad Victoria /vɪkˈtɔːrɪə, Spanish βikˈtorja/

a city in NE Mexico, capital of the state of Tamaulipas; pop. 278,455 (2005).

civet /ˈsɪvɪt/

I. noun

1. a slender nocturnal carnivorous mammal with a barred and spotted coat and well-developed anal scent glands, native to Africa and Asia.
●Family Viverridae (the civet family): several genera and species. The civet family also includes the genets, linsang, and fossa, and formerly included the mongooses.

2. [ mass noun] — a strong musky perfume obtained from the secretions of the civet's scent glands.

3. (US) the ring-tailed cat or cacomistle.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French civette, from Italian zibetto, from medieval Latin zibethum, from Arabic zabād, denoting the perfume.

civic /ˈsɪvɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to a city or town, especially its administration; municipal

• a meeting of civic and business leaders.

2. relating to the duties or activities of people in relation to their town, city, or local area

• he was active in the civic life of Swindon.

II. derivatives

civically

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French civique or Latin civicus, from civis ‘citizen’. The original use was in civic garland, crown, etc., translating Latin corona civica, denoting a garland of oak leaves and acorns given in ancient Rome to a person who saved a fellow citizen's life.

civic centre

noun

1. (Brit.) the area in the centre of a town where municipal offices and other public buildings are situated.

2. (N. Amer.) a large public building or complex for meetings, sports, and entertainments.

civics /ˈsɪvɪks/

plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. (chiefly Brit.) the study of the rights and duties of citizenship.

civil /ˈsɪv(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — relating to ordinary citizens and their concerns, as distinct from military or ecclesiastical matters

• civil aviation.

2. (of conflict) occurring between citizens of the same country

• civil strife.

3. [Law] relating to private relations between members of a community; non-criminal

• a civil action

• a civil court.

4. [Law] relating to civil law.

5. courteous and polite

• they were comparatively civil to their daughter

• they try to work out their differences in a civil manner.

6. (of time) fixed by custom or law rather than being natural or astronomical

• civil twilight.

II. derivatives

civilly /ˈsɪvəli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin civilis, from civis ‘citizen’.

civil commotion

noun

[English Law] a riot or similar disturbance.

civil defence

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the organization and training of civilians to be prepared for attacks in wartime.

civil disobedience

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the refusal to comply with certain laws considered unjust, as a peaceful form of political protest.

civil engineer

I. noun

an engineer who designs and maintains roads, bridges, dams, and similar structures.

II. derivatives

civil engineering

noun

civilian /sɪˈvɪlj(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a person not in the armed services or the police force.

• terrorists and soldiers have killed tens of thousands of civilians.

2. ‹informal› a person who is not a member of a particular profession or group, as viewed by a member of that group

• I talk to a lot of actresses and they say that civilians are scared of them.

II. adjective

relating to civilians

• civilian clothes.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a practitioner of civil law): from Old French civilien, in the phrase droit civilien ‘civil law’. The current sense arose in the early 19th cent.

civilianize civilianise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) non-military in character or function.

• the president plans to civilianize the country by reducing the army's strength.

II. derivatives

civilianization

noun

civility /sɪˈvɪlɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. formal politeness and courtesy in behaviour or speech

• I hope we can treat each other with civility and respect.

2. ( civilities) — polite remarks used in formal conversation

• she was exchanging civilities with his mother.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French civilite, from Latin civilitas, from civilis ‘relating to citizens’ (see civil). In early use the term denoted the state of being a citizen and hence good citizenship or orderly behaviour. The sense ‘politeness’ arose in the mid 16th cent.

civilization /ˌsɪvɪlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / civilisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the stage of human social development and organization which is considered most advanced

• the Victorians equated the railways with progress and civilization.

2. the process by which a society or place reaches an advanced stage of social development and organization.

3. the society, culture, and way of life of a particular area

• the great books of Western civilization

• [ count noun] the early civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt.

4. the comfort and convenience of modern life, regarded as available only in towns and cities

• in the UK nowhere is very far from civilization.

civilize /ˈsɪvɪlʌɪz / civilise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. civilized)

1. bring (a place or people) to a stage of social development considered to be more advanced

• a civilized society.

2. (as adj. civilized) — polite and good-mannered

• such an affront to civilized behaviour will no longer be tolerated.

II. derivatives

civilizer /ˈsɪvəlʌɪzə /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from French civiliser, from civil ‘civil’.

civil law

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the system of law concerned with private relations between members of a community rather than criminal, military, or religious affairs.

• the owners can prosecute the individuals under civil law for trespassing.

Contrasted with criminal law.

2. the system of law predominant on the European continent, historically influenced by that of ancient Rome.
Compare with common law.

civil liberty

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being subject only to laws established for the good of the community, especially with regard to freedom of action and speech.

• under Conservative rule civil liberty became seriously eroded.

• [as modifier] civil liberty groups.

2. ( civil liberties) — a person's rights to be subject only to laws established for the good of the community.

• growing threats to our civil liberties.

II. derivatives

civil libertarian

noun

Civil List

noun

(in the UK) a fixed annual allowance voted by Parliament to meet the official expenses incurred by the Queen in her role as head of state. It was replaced by the Sovereign Grant in 2011.

civil marriage

noun

a marriage solemnized as a civil contract without religious ceremony.

civil partnership ‹chiefly US› civil union

noun

(in some countries) a legally recognized union of a same-sex couple, with rights similar to those of marriage.

civil rights

plural noun

the rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.

civil servant

noun

a member of the civil service.

civil service

I. noun

the permanent professional branches of a state's administration, excluding military and judicial branches and elected politicians.
[as modifier]

• civil service administrators.

– origin late 18th cent.: originally applied to the part of the work of the British East India Company performed by staff who did not belong to the army or navy.

civil society

noun — [ mass noun]

1. society considered as a community of citizens linked by common interests and collective activity

• the corrosive impact of fear on politics and civil society

• they make important contributions to civil society

• [ count noun] a flourishing civil society indifferent to race, gender, or economic category.

civil state

noun

(Brit.) the state of being single, married, divorced, or widowed; a person's marital status.

civil war

noun

a war between citizens of the same country.

• they signed a peace accord ending the country's 12-year civil war.

• [ mass noun] the country is on the brink of civil war.

civil wrong

noun

[Law] an infringement of a person's rights, especially a tort.

civvy /ˈsɪvi / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. a civilian, as distinct from a member of the police force or armed services.

2. ( civvies) — civilian clothes, as opposed to uniform

• the Chief Constable came along in civvies.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. relating to civilians

• fliers who left the services for civvy airlines.

III. phrases

Civvy Street /ˈsɪvi striːt /

(Brit.) ‹informal› civilian life

• ex-service people starting life on Civvy Street.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation.

CJ

abbreviation

Chief Justice.

CJD

abbreviation

short for Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.

cl

abbreviation

centilitre

• 70 cl bottles.

Cl

symbol

the chemical element chlorine.

CL

abbreviation

1. chemiluminescence.

2. Sri Lanka (international vehicle registration).
[from Ceylon.]

clabber ‹chiefly US›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. milk that has naturally clotted on souring.

II. verb

curdle or cause to curdle.
[with obj.]

• she needed rainwater to clabber the milk.

• [no obj.] it had to be left to clabber before it could be churned.

– origin early 19th cent.: shortening of bonny clabber.

clachan /ˈklax(ə)n/

I. noun

(in Scotland or Northern Ireland) a small village or hamlet.

– origin late Middle English: from Scottish Gaelic and Irish clachán.

clack /klak/

I. verb

1. make a sharp sound or series of sounds as a result of a hard object striking another
[no obj.]

• he heard the sound of her heels clacking across flagstones

• [with obj.] he clacked the bones together.

2. [no obj.] — ‹archaic› chatter loudly

• he will sit clacking for hours.

II. noun

1. a sharp sound or series of sounds

• the clack of her high heels.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› loud chatter.

• her clack would go all day.

III. derivatives

clacker

noun

– origin Middle English: imitative.

clacket /ˈklakɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a series of sharp sounds as a result of a hard object striking another.
(as noun clacketing)

• the tranquil clacketing of the train.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French claquet, from claquer ‘to clack’.

Clackmannanshire /klakˈmanənʃ(ɪ)ə/

a council area and former county of central Scotland; administrative centre, Alloa.

Clactonian /klakˈtəʊnɪən/

adjective

1. [Archaeology] relating to or denoting a Lower Palaeolithic culture represented by flint implements found at Clacton-on-Sea in SE England, dated to about 250,000–200,000 years ago.

2. (as noun the Clactonian) — [Archaeology] the Clactonian culture or period.

clad^1 /klad/

I. verb

archaic or literary past participle of clothe.

II. adjective

1. clothed

• they were clad in T-shirts and shorts

• [in combination] leather-clad boys.

2. covered with cladding
[in combination]

• copper-clad boards.

clad^2 /klad/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. encase (a structure) with a covering or coating.

• he cladded the concrete-frame structure in stainless steel.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘clothe’): apparently from clad^1.

Claddagh ring /ˈkladə/

I. noun

a ring in the form of two hands clasping a heart, traditionally given in Ireland as a token of love.

– origin from the name of a small fishing village on the edge of Galway city.

cladding /ˈkladɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a covering or coating on a structure or material

• timber cladding.

clade /kleɪd/

I. noun

[Biology] a group of organisms believed to comprise all the evolutionary descendants of a common ancestor.

• the great ape and human clade.

– origin 1950s: from Greek klados ‘branch’.

cladistics /kləˈdɪstɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. [Biology] a method of classification of animals and plants that aims to identify and take account of only those shared characteristics which can be deduced to have originated in the common ancestor of a group of species during evolution, not those arising by convergence.

II. derivatives

1. cladism /ˈkladɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. cladistic

adjective

– origin 1960s: from clade + -ist + -ics.

clado- /ˈkleɪdəʊ, ˈkladəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to a branch or branching

• cladogram.

– origin from Greek klados ‘branch or shoot’.

Cladocera /kləˈdɒs(ə)rə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] an order of minute branchiopod crustaceans which includes the water fleas. They typically have a transparent shell enclosing the trunk, and large antennae which are used for swimming.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek klados ‘branch or root’ + keras ‘horn’ (because of the branched antennae).

cladoceran ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a minute branchiopod crustacean of the order Cladocera, which includes the water fleas.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting cladocerans.

cladode /ˈkleɪdəʊd/

I. noun

[Botany] a flattened leaf-like stem.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kladōdēs ‘with many shoots’, from klados ‘shoot’.

cladogenesis /ˌkleɪdə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪsɪs, ˈkladə(ʊ)dʒɛnɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the formation of a new group of organisms or higher taxon by evolutionary divergence from an ancestral form.

II. derivatives

cladogenetic

adjective

cladogram /ˈkleɪdə(ʊ)ɡram, ˈkladə(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

[Biology] a branching diagram showing the cladistic relationship between a number of species.

clafoutis /klaˈfuːti/

I. noun

a type of flan made of fruit, typically cherries, baked in a sweet batter.

– origin French, from dialect clafir ‘to stuff’.

claggy

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹dialect› tending to form clots; sticky

• claggy mud.

– origin late 16th cent.: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare with Danish klag ‘sticky mud’.

claim /kleɪm/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — state or assert that something is the case, typically without providing evidence or proof
[with clause]

• the Prime Minister claimed that he was concerned about Third World debt

• [with direct speech] ‘I'm entitled to be conceited,’ he claimed

• [with obj.] not every employee is eligible to claim unfair dismissal.

2. [with obj.] — assert that one has gained or achieved (something)

• his supporters claimed victory in the presidential elections.

3. [with obj.] — formally request or demand; say that one owns or has earned (something)

• if no one claims the items, they will become Crown property.

4. [with obj.] — make a demand for (money) under the terms of an insurance policy
[no obj.]

• the premiums are reduced by fifty per cent if you don't claim on the policy.

5. call for (someone's notice and thought)

• a most unwelcome event claimed his attention.

6. cause the loss of (someone's life).

• the attacks claimed the lives of five people.

II. noun

1. an assertion that something is true
[with clause]

• he was dogged by the claim that he had CIA links.

2. (also statement of claim) — a statement of the novel features in a patent.

• the two patents based on his claims will be reconfirmed.

3. a demand or request for something considered one's due

• the court had denied their claims to asylum.

4. an application for compensation under the terms of an insurance policy.

• he should make a claim on his house insurance for storm damage.

5. a right or title to something

• they have first claim on the assets of the trust.

6. a piece of land allotted to or taken by someone in order to be mined.

• each of them was to be rewarded with a farm and a number of mining claims in the land.

III. phrases

claim to fame

a reason for being regarded as unusual or noteworthy

• the town's only claim to fame is that it is the birthplace of Elgar.

IV. phrasal verbs

claim something back

ask for money that one has paid to be returned in accordance with the law or one's rights

• you may be able to claim something back from the taxman.

V. derivatives

claimable /ˈkleɪməb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French claime (noun), clamer (verb), from Latin clamare ‘call out’.

claimant /ˈkleɪm(ə)nt/

noun

a person making a claim, especially in a lawsuit or for a state benefit.

• one in four eligible claimants failed to register for a rebate.

claimer

noun

1. a person who claims something

• the top claimer of taxpayer-funded expenses.

2. (also claiming race) — [Horse Racing] a race in which every horse participating is for sale at a stipulated price.

• he was fourth in a 2m claimer at Bangor last week.

3. (Brit.) a jockey who claims a weight allowance in a race.

• the horse has been ridden by a 7 lb claimer in his two runs.

4. (US) a horse entered in a claiming race.

Clair, René /klɛː, French klɛʀ/

(1898–1981), French film director; born René Lucien Chomette. His films typically contain elements of surrealism underpinned by satire; they include Un Chapeau de paille d'Italie (1927), Sous les toits de Paris (1930), and Les Belles de nuit (1952).

clairaudience /klɛːrˈɔːdɪəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the supposed faculty of perceiving, as if by hearing, what is inaudible.

• his clairaudience enabled him to overhear the enemy's debates.

II. derivatives

clairaudient

adjective, noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French clair ‘clear’ + audience, on the pattern of clairvoyance.

clair de lune /ˌklɛːdəˈluːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft white or pale blue-grey colour.

2. a Chinese porcelain glaze of a soft white or pale blue-grey colour.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, literally ‘moonlight’.

clairvoyance /klɛːˈvɔɪəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the supposed faculty of perceiving things or events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact.

• she stared at the card as if she could contact its writer by clairvoyance.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French. from clair ‘clear’ + voir ‘to see’.

clairvoyant /klɛːˈvɔɪənt/

I. noun

a person who claims to have a supernatural ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact.

• she has had a message from a clairvoyant that her son is alive and well.

II. adjective

having or exhibiting clairvoyance

• he didn't tell me about it and I'm not clairvoyant.

III. derivatives

clairvoyantly

adverb

– origin late 17th cent. (in the sense ‘clear-sighted, perceptive’): from French, from clair ‘clear’ + voyant ‘seeing’ (from voir ‘to see’). The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

clam /klam/

I. noun

1. a marine bivalve mollusc with shells of equal size.
●Subclass Heterodonta: several families and numerous species, including the edible North American hardshell clam (see quahog) and softshell clam. See also giant clam.

2. ‹informal› any of a number of edible bivalve molluscs, e.g. a scallop.

3. (US) ‹informal› a dollar.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) dig for or collect clams.
(as noun clamming)

• November is one of the worst times for clamming.

2. ( clam up) — ‹informal› abruptly stop talking.

• as soon as I ask if any of this can go on the record, he clams up.

– origin early 16th cent.: apparently from earlier clam ‘a clamp’, from Old English clam, clamm ‘a bond or bondage’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch klemme, German Klemme, also to clamp^1.

clamant /ˈkleɪm(ə)nt, ˈklam(ə)nt/

I. adjective

urgently demanding attention

• the proper use of biotechnology has become a clamant question.

II. derivatives

clamantly

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin clamant- ‘crying out’, from the verb clamare.

clambake /ˈklambeɪk/

noun

(N. Amer.) a social gathering outdoors, especially for eating clams and other seafood.

clamber /ˈklambə/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. climb or move in an awkward and laborious way, typically using both hands and feet

• I clambered out of the trench.

II. noun

an awkward and laborious climb or movement

• a clamber up the cliff path.

– origin Middle English: probably from clamb, obsolete past tense of climb.

clamdiggers /ˈklamdɪɡəːz/

plural noun

close-fitting calf-length trousers for women.

clammy /ˈklami/

I. adjective

1. unpleasantly damp and sticky or slimy to touch

• his skin felt cold and clammy.

2. (of air or atmosphere) damp and unpleasant

• the clammy atmosphere of the cave.

II. derivatives

1. clammily

adverb

2. clamminess /ˈklamɪnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from dialect clam ‘to be sticky or adhere’, of Germanic origin; related to clay.

clamorous /ˈklamərəs/

I. adjective

1. making a loud and confused noise

• a jostling, clamorous mob.

2. expressing or characterized by vehement protests or demands

• the clamorous radical wing of the party.

II. derivatives

1. clamorously

adverb

2. clamorousness

noun

clamour /ˈklamə / ‹US› clamor

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a loud and confused noise, especially that of people shouting

• the questions rose to a clamour.

2. a strongly expressed protest or demand from a large number of people

• the growing public clamour for more policemen on the beat.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a group of people) shout loudly and insistently

• the surging crowds clamoured for attention.

2. make a vehement protest or demand

• scientists are clamouring for a ban on all chlorine substances.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin clamor, from clamare ‘cry out’.

clamp^1 /klamp/

I. noun

1. a brace, band, or clasp for strengthening or holding things together.

• I have fixed the motor to the table with two clamps.

2. short for wheel clamp.

3. an electric circuit which serves to maintain the voltage limits of a signal at prescribed levels.

II. verb

1. [with obj. and adverbial of place] — fasten (something) in place with a clamp

• the sander is clamped on to the edge of a workbench.

2. fasten (two things) firmly together

• the two frames are clamped together.

3. hold (something) tightly against another thing

• Maggie had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

4. [with obj.] — immobilize (an unlawfully parked car) by fixing a wheel clamp to one of its wheels.

• he had flown into a rage when he found his car was clamped.

5. [with obj.] — maintain the voltage limits of (an electrical signal) at prescribed values.

III. phrasal verbs

clamp down

suppress or prevent something in an oppressive or harsh manner

• the authorities have also clamped down on public demonstrations.

IV. derivatives

clamper

noun

– origin Middle English: probably of Dutch or Low German origin and related to clam.

clamp^2 /klamp/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a heap of potatoes or other root vegetables stored under straw or earth.

2. (Brit.) a three-sided structure used to store silage.

• a silage clamp.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a pile of bricks for firing): probably from Dutch klamp ‘heap’; related to clump.

clampdown /ˈklampdaʊn/

noun

‹informal› a concerted or harsh attempt to suppress something

• a clampdown on crime.

clamshell /ˈklamʃɛl/

noun

1. the shell of a clam, formed of two roughly equal valves with a hinge.

2. something, such as a mobile phone, with hinged parts that open and shut like a clamshell
[as modifier]

• a clamshell cellular phone.

clan /klan/

I. noun

1. a close-knit group of interrelated families, especially in the Scottish Highlands.

• the clan Macleod.

• civil strife has followed as rival clans jockey for power.

2. a large family

• the Watts clan is one of racing's oldest families.

3. a group of people with a strong common interest

• New York's garrulous clan of artists.

II. derivatives

clanship

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Scottish Gaelic clann ‘offspring, family’, from Old Irish cland, from Latin planta ‘sprout’.

clandestine /klanˈdɛstɪn, ˈklandɛstɪn/

I. adjective

kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit

• she deserved better than these clandestine meetings.

II. derivatives

clandestinity

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French clandestin or Latin clandestinus, from clam ‘secretly’.

clandestinely /klanˈdɛstɪnli/

adverb

in a secretive and illicit way

• traffickers operate clandestinely

• it prints money clandestinely at no cost to itself.

clang /klaŋ/

I. noun

a loud, resonant metallic sound or series of sounds

• the steel door slammed shut with a clang.

II. verb

make or cause to make a clang
[no obj.]

• the bell of a fire engine clanged

• [with obj.] the belfry still clangs its bell at 9 p.m.

– origin late 16th cent.: imitative, influenced by Latin clangere ‘resound’.

clanger /ˈklaŋə/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› an absurd or embarrassing blunder

• the minister had dropped a massive political clanger.

clangour /ˈklaŋɡə / ‹US› clangor

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a continuous loud banging or ringing sound.

• he went deaf because of the clangour of the steam hammers.

II. derivatives

clangorous /ˈklaŋɡərəs /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin clangor, from clangere ‘resound’.

clank /klaŋk/

I. noun

a loud, sharp sound or series of sounds, as is made by pieces of metal being struck together.

• the groan and clank of a winch.

II. verb

make or cause to make a clank
[no obj.]

• I could hear the chain clanking

• [with obj.] he clanked his heavy ring of keys.

– origin late Middle English (but rare before the mid 17th cent.): imitative.

clannish /ˈklanɪʃ/

I. adjective

‹chiefly derogatory› (of a group or their activities) tending to exclude others outside the group.

• they are a clannish lot with no time for foreigners.

II. derivatives

1. clannishly

adverb

2. clannishness

noun

clansman /ˈklanzmən/

noun

a male member of a clan.

clanswoman /ˈklanzˌwʊmən/

noun

a female member of a clan

• a fellow clanswoman.

clap^1 /klap/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. strike the palms of (one's hands) together repeatedly, typically in order to applaud someone or something

• Agnes clapped her hands in glee

• [no obj.] the crowd was clapping and cheering.

2. show approval of (a person or action) by clapping

• Louisa clapped his performance.

3. strike the palms of (one's hands) together once, especially as a signal

• the designer clapped his hands and the other girls exited the room.

4. (of a bird) flap (its wings) audibly.

• the hawk shook itself and clapped its wings.

5. slap (someone) encouragingly on the back or shoulder

• as they parted, he clapped Owen on the back.

6. place (a hand) briefly against or over one's mouth or forehead as a gesture of dismay or regret

• he swore and clapped a hand to his forehead.

II. noun

1. an act of striking together the palms of the hands.

• when they stop I give them a clap.

• there was no crescendo of applause, just a lone volley of claps.

2. a friendly slap or pat on the back or shoulder.

3. an explosive sound, especially of thunder

• a clap of thunder echoed through the valley.

III. phrases

1. clap eyes on

see eye.

2. clap hold of

‹informal› grab someone or something roughly or abruptly.

3. clap someone in jail (or irons)

put someone in prison (or in chains).

• the ship's captain had the mutineers clapped in irons.

IV. phrasal verbs

clap something on

abruptly impose a restrictive or punitive measure

• most countries clapped on tariffs to protect their farmers.

– origin Old English clappan ‘throb, beat’, of imitative origin. Sense 1 of the verb dates from late Middle English.

clap^2 /klap/

I. noun — [ mass noun] (usu. the clap)

1. ‹informal› a venereal disease, especially gonorrhoea.

• she has given him the clap.

• he was told he had a mild dose of clap.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Old French clapoir ‘venereal bubo’.

clapboard /ˈklapbɔːd, ˈklabəd/

I. noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a long, thin, flat piece of wood with edges horizontally overlapping in series, used to cover the outer walls of buildings
[as modifier]

• neat clapboard houses.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) ‹informal› a house with outer walls covered in clapboards.

II. derivatives

clapboarded

adjective

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting a piece of oak used for barrel staves or wainscot): partial translation of Low German klappholt ‘barrel stave’, from klappen ‘to crack’ + holt ‘wood’.

clapped-out

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› worn out from age or heavy use and unable to work or operate

• a clapped-out old van.

clapper /ˈklapə/

I. noun

the tongue or striker of a bell.

II. phrases

like the clappers

(Brit.) ‹informal› very fast or very hard

• she ran off like the clappers.

clapperboard /ˈklapəbɔːd/

noun

a pair of hinged boards that are struck together at the beginning of filming to synchronize the starting of picture and sound machinery.

clapper bridge

noun

a simple bridge consisting of slabs of stone or planks laid across a series of rocks or piles of stones.

clapper rail

noun

a large greyish rail (bird) of American coastal marshes, which has a distinctive clattering rattle-like call.
● Rallus longirostris, family Rallidae.

clap stick

noun

(Austral.) an Aboriginal musical instrument consisting of one stick or boomerang beaten against another or a different object

• two teens beat out a rhythm with clap sticks.

Clapton, Eric

(b.1945), English blues and rock guitarist, singer, and composer, known particularly for the song ‘Layla’ (1972) and for his group Cream (1966–8).

claptrap /ˈklaptrap/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. absurd or nonsensical talk or ideas

• such sentiments are just pious claptrap.

– origin mid 18th cent. (denoting something designed to elicit applause): from clap^1 + trap^1.

claque /klak, klɑːk/

I. noun

1. a group of sycophantic followers

• the President was surrounded by a claque of scheming bureaucrats.

2. a group of people hired to applaud (or heckle) a performer or public speaker.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from claquer ‘to clap’. The practice of paying members of an audience for their support originated at the Paris opera.

claqueur /klaˈkəː, klɑːˈkəː/

I. noun

a member of a claque.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from claquer ‘to clap’.

clarabella /ˌklarəˈbɛlə/

I. noun

an organ stop with the quality of a flute.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the feminine forms of Latin clarus ‘clear’ and bellus ‘pretty’.

Clare /klɛː/

a county of the Republic of Ireland, on the west coast in the province of Munster; county town, Ennis.

Clare, John

(1793–1864), English poet, who wrote in celebration of the natural world. In 1837 he was certified insane and spent the rest of his life in an asylum. Notable works: Poems Descriptive of Rural Life and Scenery (1820) and The Rural Muse (1835).

clarence /ˈklar(ə)ns/

I. noun

‹historical› a closed horse-drawn carriage with four wheels, seating four inside and two outside next to the coachman.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named in honour of the Duke of Clarence, later William IV.

Clarenceux /ˈklar(ə)nsuː/

I. noun

[Heraldry] (in the UK) the title given to the second King of Arms, with jurisdiction south of the Trent.
See King of Arms.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, named after the dukedom of Clarence created for the second son of Edward II, married to the heiress of Clare in Suffolk.

Clarendon, Earl of /ˈklarənd(ə)n/

(1609–74), English statesman and historian, chief adviser to Charles II and Chancellor of Oxford University 1660–7; born Edward Hyde. Notable works: History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England (published posthumously 1702–4).

Clare of Assisi, St

(1194–1253), Italian saint and abbess. With St Francis she founded the order of Poor Ladies of San Damiano (‘Poor Clares’), of which she was abbess. Feast day, 11 (formerly 12) August.

claret /ˈklarət/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a red wine from Bordeaux, or wine of a similar character made elsewhere.

• a passable bottle of claret.

• [ count noun] the prices of 1990 clarets.

2. a deep purplish-red colour.

3. ‹archaic› ‹informal› blood.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting a light red or yellowish wine, as distinct from a red or white): from Old French ( vin) claret and medieval Latin claratum (vinum) ‘clarified (wine)’, from Latin clarus ‘clear’.

clarification /ˌklarɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of making a statement or situation less confused and more comprehensible

• please advise us if you require further clarification

• [ count noun] the remaining changes are small clarifications.

II. derivatives

clarificatory

adjective

clarify /ˈklarɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a statement or situation) less confused and more comprehensible

• the report managed to clarify the government's position.

2. (often as adj. clarified) — melt (butter) in order to separate out the impurities.

• seal the pots with a layer of clarified butter.

II. derivatives

clarifier /ˈklarɪfʌɪə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘set forth clearly’ and ‘make pure and clean’): from Old French clarifier, from late Latin clarificare, from Latin clarus ‘clear’.

clarinet /klarɪˈnɛt/

I. noun

1. a woodwind instrument with a single-reed mouthpiece, a cylindrical tube with a flared end, and holes stopped by keys.

2. an organ stop with a tone resembling that of a clarinet.

II. derivatives

clarinettist /klarəˈnɛtɪst / ‹US› clarinetist

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French clarinette, diminutive of clarine, denoting a kind of bell; related to clarion.

clarion /ˈklarɪən/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a shrill narrow-tubed war trumpet.

2. ‹historical› an organ stop with a quality resembling that of a clarion.

II. adjective

‹literary› loud and clear

• clarion trumpeters.

III. phrases

clarion call /ˈklariən kɔːl /

a strongly expressed demand or request for action

• he issued a clarion call to young people to join the Party.

– origin Middle English: from medieval Latin clario(n-), from Latin clarus ‘clear’.

clarity /ˈklarɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being clear, in particular:

2. the quality of being coherent and intelligible

• for the sake of clarity, each of these strategies is dealt with separately.

3. the quality of being easy to see or hear; sharpness of image or sound

• the clarity of the picture.

4. the quality of being certain or definite

• it was clarity of purpose that he needed.

5. the quality of transparency or purity

• the crystal clarity of water.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘glory, divine splendour’): from Latin claritas, from clarus ‘clear’. The current sense dates from the early 17th cent.

Clark, Helen

(b.1950), New Zealand Labour stateswoman, Prime Minister of New Zealand 1999–2008.

Clark, William

(1770–1838), American explorer. With Meriwether Lewis, he commanded an expedition (1804–6) across the North American continent.

Clarke, Sir Arthur C.

(1917–2008), English writer of science fiction; full name Arthur Charles Clarke. He co-wrote (with Stanley Kubrick) the screenplay for the film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).

clarkia /ˈklɑːkɪə/

I. noun

a North American plant with showy white, pink, or purple flowers, cultivated as a border plant in gardens.
●Genus Clarkia, family Onagraceae.

– origin modern Latin, named after William Clark (see Clark, William), who discovered it.

clarsach /ˈklɑːrsəx, ˈklɑːsək/

I. noun

a small harp with wire strings, used in the folk and early music of Scotland and Ireland.
Also called Celtic harp.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic, perhaps based on clar ‘table, board’.

clart /klɑːt / clarts

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Scottish) (N. English) sticky mud; filth.

II. derivatives

clarty

adjective

– origin late 17th cent. (as a verb in the sense ‘smear, plaster’): of unknown origin.

clary /ˈklɛːri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an aromatic herbaceous plant of the mint family, some kinds of which are used as culinary and medicinal herbs.
●Genus Salvia, family Labiatae: several species.

– origin late Middle English: from obsolete French clarie, from medieval Latin sclarea.

clash /klaʃ/

I. noun

1. a violent confrontation

• there have been minor clashes with security forces.

2. an incompatibility leading to disagreement

• a personality clash.

3. (Brit.) a sports fixture (used chiefly in journalism)

• the Euro 2000 clash between England and Germany.

4. a mismatch of colours

• a clash of tweeds and a striped shirt.

5. an inconvenient coincidence of the timing of events or activities

• it is hoped that clashes of dates will be avoided.

6. a loud jarring sound, as of metal objects being struck together

• a clash of cymbals.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. meet and come into violent conflict

• protestors demanding self-rule clashed with police.

2. have a forceful disagreement

• the prime minister clashed with other Commonwealth leaders.

3. be incompatible or at odds

• his thriftiness clashed with Ross's largesse.

4. (Brit.) (in reference to sports teams) play a match (used chiefly in journalism)

• the two sides clashed in a goalless draw at Old Trafford in November.

5. (of colours) appear discordant or ugly when placed close to each other
(as adj. clashing)

• suits in clashing colours.

6. inconveniently occur at the same time

• we play our home games when they do not clash with those of Liverpool or Everton.

7. [with obj.] — strike (cymbals) together, producing a loud discordant sound.

– origin early 16th cent.: imitative.

clasp /klɑːsp/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. grasp (something) tightly with one's hand

• he clasped her arm.

2. place (one's arms) around something so as to hold it tightly

• Kate's arms were clasped around her knees.

3. hold (someone) tightly

• he clasped Joanne in his arms.

4. ‹archaic› fasten (something) with a small brooch or similar device.

• one modest emerald clasped her robe.

II. noun

1. a device with interlocking parts used for fastening things together

• a gold bracelet with a turquoise clasp.

2. a silver bar on a medal ribbon, inscribed with the name of the battle at which the wearer was present.

• he received the Queen's medal with four clasps.

3. [in sing.] — an embrace.

• we embraced, a tight clasp with cheeks touching.

4. a grasp or handshake

• he took her hand in a firm clasp.

III. phrases

1. clasp hands

shake hands with fervour or affection.

• they clasped hands and slapped each other on the back.

2. clasp one's hands

press one's hands together with the fingers interlaced.

• he lay on his back with his hands clasped behind his head.

– origin Middle English: of unknown origin.

claspers

plural noun

[Zoology] a pair of appendages under the abdomen of a male shark or ray, or at the end of the abdomen of a male insect, used to hold the female during copulation.

clasp knife

noun

a knife with a blade that folds into the handle.

class /klɑːs/

I. noun

1. a set or category of things having some property or attribute in common and differentiated from others by kind, type, or quality

• it has good accommodation for a hotel of this class

• a new class of heart drug.

2. [Biology] a principal taxonomic grouping that ranks above order and below phylum or division, such as Mammalia or Insecta.

3. (Brit.) a division of candidates according to merit in a university examination.

• he received a third class in literae humaniores.

4. [ mass noun] — a system of ordering society whereby people are divided into sets based on perceived social or economic status

• people who are socially disenfranchised by class

• [as modifier] the class system.

5. [ count noun] — a social division based on social or economic status

• the ruling class.

6. ( the classes) — ‹archaic› the rich or educated.

7. ‹informal› impressive stylishness in appearance or behaviour

• she's got class—she looks like a princess.

8. a group of students or pupils who are taught together.

• selected pupils act as representatives for the whole class.

9. an occasion when pupils meet with their teacher for instruction; a lesson

• I was late for a class.

10. a course of instruction

• I took classes in Indian music.

11. (chiefly N. Amer.) all of the college or school students of a particular year

• the class of 1999.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often be classed as)

1. assign or regard as belonging to a particular category

• conduct which is classed as criminal.

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹informal› showing stylish excellence

• he's a class player.

IV. phrases

1. class A (or B or C) drug

an illegal narcotic drug classified as being of the most harmful and addictive (or a less harmful and addictive) kind, possession or sale of which incurs corresponding legal penalties.

2. class act

‹informal› a person or thing displaying impressive and stylish excellence.

• the writing and the look of the magazine make it a real class act.

3. a class apart

much better than others of a similar kind

• his songs were definitely a class apart.

4. in a class of its (or one's) own

unequalled, especially in excellence or performance

• British advertising is in a class of its own for inventiveness.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 3 of the noun): from Latin classis ‘a division of the Roman people, a grade, or a class of pupils’.

class action

noun

[Law] (N. Amer.) a lawsuit filed or defended by an individual acting on behalf of a group.
[as modifier]

• a class action suit.

class consciousness

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. awareness of one's place in a system of social class, especially (in Marxist terms) as it relates to the class struggle.

II. derivatives

class-conscious /ˈklɑːsˌkɒnʃəs /

adjective

classic /ˈklasɪk/

I. adjective

1. judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind

• a classic novel

• a classic car.

2. (of a garment or design) of a simple, elegant style not greatly subject to changes in fashion

• this classic navy blazer.

3. very typical of its kind

• Hamlet is the classic example of a tragedy

• I had all the classic symptoms of flu.

II. noun

1. a work of art of recognized and established value

• his books have become classics.

2. a garment of a simple, elegant, and long-lasting style.

3. a thing which is memorable and a very good example of its kind

• he's hoping that tomorrow's game will be a classic.

4. ( Classics) — a subject at school or university which involves the study of ancient Greek and Latin literature, philosophy, and history.

• an honours degree in Classics.

5. ( the classics) — the works of ancient Greek and Latin writers and philosophers.

6. ‹dated› a scholar of ancient Greek and Latin.

7. ( Classic) — a major sports tournament or competition, especially in golf or tennis.

• the Australian Classic.

8. (in the UK) each of the five main flat races of the horse-racing season.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French classique or Latin classicus ‘belonging to a class or division’, later ‘of the highest class’, from classis (see class). / usage: Note that classic means ‘typical, excellent as an example, timeless,’ as in John Ford directed many classic Westerns, and classical means ‘relating to Greek or Roman antiquity’ ( the museum was built in the classical style). Great art is considered classic, not classical, unless it is created in the forms of antiquity. Classical music is the exception to this rule, being formal music adhering to certain stylistic principles of the late 18th century.

classical /ˈklasɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to ancient Greek or Latin literature, art, or culture

• classical mythology

• classical Latin.

2. (of art or architecture) influenced by ancient Greek or Roman forms or principles.

• the classical house at Buscot Park.

3. representing an exemplary standard within a traditional and long-established form or style

• classical ballet.

4. relating to the first significant period of an area of study

• classical mechanics.

5. [Physics] relating to or based upon concepts and theories which preceded the theories of relativity and quantum mechanics; Newtonian

• classical physics.

II. derivatives

1. classicalism

noun

2. classicality /klasɪˈkalɪti /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘outstanding of its kind’): from Latin classicus ‘belonging to a class’ (see classic) + -al. / usage: See usage at classic.

classical conditioning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychology] a learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired: a response which is at first elicited by the second stimulus is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.

classically /ˈklasɪk(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to ancient Greek or Latin literature, art, or culture

• the nineteenth-century classically educated reader

• the classically austere traditions of the Roman republic.

2. (with reference to art or architecture) in a way that resembles or is influenced by ancient Greek or Roman forms or principles

• fine architecture and beautiful, classically designed buildings.

3. to an exemplary standard within a traditional and long-established form or style

• a classically trained British stage actor

• a truly terrific evening of classically inspired dance.

4. in a way that relates to the first significant period of an area of study

• so much of Marxist economics was classically oriented

• Iberian horses have been classically divided into two native groups.

5. in a way that is very typical of its kind

• a classically styled cyberpunk film.

6. [Physics] according to or in accordance with concepts and theories which preceded the theories of relativity and quantum mechanics

• we can describe light classically in terms of an electromagnetic wave

• wormholes may be unstable, both classically or quantum mechanically.

classical music

noun — [ mass noun]

1. serious music following long-established principles rather than a folk, jazz, or popular tradition.

2. (more specifically) music written in the European tradition during a period lasting approximately from 1750 to 1830, when forms such as the symphony, concerto, and sonata were standardized.

classicism /ˈklasɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the following of ancient Greek or Roman principles and style in art and literature, generally associated with harmony, restraint, and adherence to recognized standards of form and craftsmanship, especially from the Renaissance to the 18th century.
Often contrasted with romanticism.

2. the following of traditional and long-established theories or styles.

• he would never substitute arid classicism for personal taste and character.

classicist /ˈklasɪsɪst/

noun

1. a person who studies Classics (ancient Greek and Latin).

2. a follower of classicism in the arts.

classicize /ˈklasɪsʌɪz / classicise

verb — [no obj.] (usu. as adj. classicizing)

1. imitate a classical style

• the classicizing strains in Guercino's art.

Classico /ˈklasɪkəʊ/

I. adjective — [ postpositive]

1. (of Italian wine) produced in the region from which the type takes its name, and thus of a higher standard than a regional wine without the designation

• Chianti Classico.

– origin Italian.

classic skiing classical skiing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of cross-country skiing in which the skis are alternately pushed forward parallel to each other in a motion similar to walking or running. Compare with skate skiing:

• a couple of hours classic skiing in the morning is my winter alternative to a long trail run.

II. derivatives

classic skier classical skiier

noun

classification /ˌklasɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of classifying something

• the classification of disease according to symptoms.

2. [Biology] the arrangement of animals and plants in taxonomic groups according to their observed similarities (including at least kingdom and phylum in animals, division in plants, and class, order, family, genus, and species)

• the classification of the platypus was one of the critical issues of the 1830s

• diagnostic features in reptilian classification.

3. [ count noun] — a category into which something is put.

• new classifications for drivers of commercial vehicles.

classified /ˈklasɪfʌɪd/

I. adjective

1. arranged in classes or categories

• a classified catalogue of books.

2. [ attrib.] — (of newspaper or magazine advertisements) organized in categories according to what is being advertised.

• classified advertisements.

• the classified columns of the newspaper.

3. (Brit.) (of a road) assigned to a category according to its importance within the overall system of road numbering.

4. (of information or documents) designated as officially secret and accessible only to authorized people

• classified information on nuclear experiments.

II. noun — ( classifieds)

1. small advertisements placed in a newspaper and organized in categories.

classifier /ˈklasɪfʌɪə/

noun

1. a person or thing that classifies something.

• any proposed filing order will be artificial and must be learnt by classifiers and users.

2. [Linguistics] an affix or word that indicates the semantic class to which a word belongs

• the English negative classifier ‘un-’.

classify /ˈklasɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. arrange (a group of people or things) in classes or categories according to shared qualities or characteristics

• mountain peaks are classified according to their shape.

2. assign to a particular class or category

• elements are usually classified as metals or non-metals.

3. designate (documents or information) as officially secret

• government officials classified 6.3 million documents in 1992.

II. derivatives

1. classifiable /ˈklasɪfʌɪəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. classificatory

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: back-formation from classification, from French, from classe ‘class’, from Latin classis ‘division’.

classifying

adjective

[Grammar] (of an adjective) describing the class that a head noun belongs to and characterized by not having a comparative or superlative (for example American, mortal).
Contrasted with gradable, qualitative.

class interval

noun

[Statistics] the size of each class into which a range of a variable is divided, as represented by the divisions of a histogram or bar chart.

classism /ˈklɑːsɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. prejudice against people belonging to a particular social class.

• they are told to be on watch against the evils of classism.

II. derivatives

classist /ˈklɑːsɪst /

adjective, noun

classless /ˈklɑːsləs/

I. adjective

1. (of a society) not divided into social classes.

• this is of course a classless society.

2. not showing obvious signs of belonging to a particular social class

• his voice was classless.

II. derivatives

classlessness /ˈklɑːsləsnəs /

noun

class list

noun

a list of the candidates who have taken an examination, showing the class or mark achieved by each.

• I worked hard and as a result topped the class list.

classmate /ˈklɑːsmeɪt/

noun

a fellow member of a class at school, college, or university.

classroom /ˈklɑːsruːm, ˈklɑːsrʊm/

noun

a room in which a class of pupils or students is taught.

class struggle class war

noun

(in Marxist ideology) the conflict of interests between the workers and the ruling class in a capitalist society, regarded as inevitably violent.

classwork

noun — [ mass noun]

1. schoolwork that is done in class.

classy /ˈklɑːsi/

I. adjective

‹informal› stylish and sophisticated

• the hotel is classy but relaxed.

II. derivatives

1. classily

adverb

2. classiness

noun

clast /klast/

I. noun

[Geology] a constituent fragment of a clastic rock.

– origin mid 20th cent.: back-formation from clastic.

clastic /ˈklastɪk/

I. adjective

[Geology] denoting rocks composed of broken pieces of older rocks.

• a group of clastic sediments such as conglomerates.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French clastique, from Greek klastos ‘broken in pieces’.

clathrate /ˈklaθreɪt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a compound in which molecules of one component are physically trapped within the crystal structure of another.

– origin 1940s: from Latin clathratus, from clathri ‘lattice bars’, from Greek klēthra.

clatter /ˈklatə/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a continuous rattling sound as of hard objects falling or striking each other

• the horse spun round with a clatter of hooves.

II. verb

1. make or cause to make a continuous rattling sound
[no obj.]

• her coffee cup clattered in the saucer

• [with obj.] she clattered cups and saucers on to a tray.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — fall or move with a clatter

• they heard Sybil's shoes clattering up the stone steps

• the knife clattered to the floor.

3. [with obj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› (of a soccer player) foul (an opponent)

• Bennett clattered Coleman ten yards out from goal

• [no obj.] Thatcher clattered into Beckham.

– origin Old English (as a verb), of imitative origin.

clattering /ˈklatərɪŋ/

noun

1. [in sing.] — a continuous rattling sound as of hard objects falling or striking each other

• a clattering of pans in the kitchen.

2. ‹rare› a flock of choughs (birds)

• you will have to chatter like a clattering of choughs.

Claude glass /klɔːd / Claude Lorrain glass /lɒˈreɪn/

I. noun

a convex dark or coloured glass that reflects a small image in subdued colours, used by landscape painters to show the tonal values of a scene.

– origin named after the French painter Claude Lorrain.

Claude Lorrain /ˌklɔːd ləˈreɪn / Lorraine

(1600–82), French painter; born Claude Gellée. His classical landscapes are notable for their rendering of light and atmosphere. Notable works: Ascanius and the Stag (1682).

claudication /ˌklɔːdɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] limping.

2. (also intermittent claudication) — [Medicine] a condition in which cramping pain in the leg is induced by exercise, typically caused by obstruction of the arteries.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin claudicatio(n-), from the verb claudicare ‘to limp’, from claudus ‘lame’.

Claudius /ˈklɔːdɪəs/

(10 BC–AD 54), Roman emperor 41–54; full name Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus. His reign was noted for its restoration of order after Caligula's decadence and for its expansion of the Empire, in particular the invasion of Britain in AD 43. His fourth wife, Agrippina, is said to have poisoned him.

clause /klɔːz/

I. noun

1. a unit of grammatical organization next below the sentence in rank and in traditional grammar said to consist of a subject and predicate.
See also main clause, subordinate clause.

2. a particular and separate article, stipulation, or proviso in a treaty, bill, or contract.

II. derivatives

clausal

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Old French clause, based on Latin claus- ‘shut, closed’, from the verb claudere.

Clausewitz, Karl von /ˈklaʊzəvɪts/

(1780–1831), Prussian general and military theorist. His study On War (1833) had a marked influence on strategic studies in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Clausius, Rudolf /ˈklaʊzɪʊs/

(1822–88), German physicist, one of the founders of modern thermodynamics. He was the first, in 1850, to formulate the second law of thermodynamics, developing the concept of a system's available thermal energy and coining the term entropy for it.

claustral /ˈklɔːstr(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to a cloister or religious house

• claustral buildings.

2. ‹literary› enveloping; confining

• this claustral heat.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin claustralis, from Latin claustrum ‘lock, enclosed place’ (see cloister).

claustration /klɔːˈstreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› confinement, as if in a cloister.

• freedom after long claustration.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin claustrum ‘lock, bolt’ + -ation.

claustrophobia /ˌklɔːstrəˈfəʊbɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme or irrational fear of confined places.

• the small stuffy room had begun to give him claustrophobia.

II. derivatives

claustrophobe

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Latin claustrum ‘lock, bolt’ + -phobia.

claustrophobic /klɔːstrəˈfəʊbɪk/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) suffering from claustrophobia

• crowds always made him feel claustrophobic.

2. (of a place or situation) inducing claustrophobia

• the claustrophobic interior of the cruiser.

II. noun

a person who suffers from claustrophobia.

• tall claustrophobics won't like the hotel's narrow passageways.

III. derivatives

claustrophobically

adverb

claustrum /ˈklɔːstrəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a thin layer of grey matter in each cerebral hemisphere between the lentiform nucleus and the insula.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Latin, literally ‘lock, enclosed place’.

clavate /ˈkleɪveɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] [Zoology] club-shaped; thicker at the apex than the base.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin clavatus, from Latin clava ‘club’.

clave /kleɪv/

archaic past of cleave^2.

claves /kleɪvz, klɑːvz/

I. plural noun

1. a pair of hardwood sticks used to make a hollow sound when struck together.

2. ( clave) [ mass noun] — a syncopated rhythm typical of some Latin American music.

– origin 1920s: from Latin American Spanish, from Spanish clave ‘keystone’, from Latin clavis ‘key’.

clavichord /ˈklavɪkɔːd/

I. noun

a small rectangular keyboard instrument with a soft tone, used especially in private homes from the early 15th to early 19th centuries.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin clavichordium, from Latin clavis ‘key’ + chorda ‘string’.

clavicle /ˈklavɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

technical term for collarbone.

II. derivatives

clavicular /kləˈvɪkjʊlə /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin clavicula ‘small key’, diminutive of clavis (because of its shape).

clavier /ˈklavɪə, kləˈvɪə/

I. noun

[Music] a keyboard instrument.

– origin early 18th cent.: from German Klavier, from French clavier, from medieval Latin claviarius ‘key-bearer’, from Latin clavis ‘key’.

claviform /ˈklavɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

‹technical› another term for clavate.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin clava ‘club’ + -iform.

claw /klɔː/

I. noun

1. a curved pointed horny nail on each digit of the foot in birds, lizards, and some mammals.

2. either of a pair of small hooked appendages on an insect's foot.

3. the pincer of a crab, scorpion, or other arthropod.

4. a mechanical device resembling a claw, used for gripping or lifting.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — scratch or tear something with the claws or the fingernails

• the kitten was clawing at Lowell's trouser leg

• [with obj.] her hands clawed his shoulders.

2. clutch at something with the hands

• his fingers clawed at the air.

3. ( claw one's way) — make one's way with difficulty by hauling oneself forward with one's hands

• he clawed his way over a pile of bricks

• ‹figurative› she was determined to claw her way out of poverty and find fame.

4. [with obj.] ( claw something away) — try desperately to move or remove something with the hands

• rescuers clawed away rubble with their bare hands.

5. [with obj.] — (Scottish) scratch (a part of one's body) gently so as to relieve itching.

6. [no obj.] — [Nautical] (of a sailing ship) beat to windward

• the ability to claw off a lee shore.

III. phrases

get one's claws into

‹informal› enter into a possessive relationship with

• she's already got her claws into the handyman.

IV. phrasal verbs

claw something back

a. (Brit.) regain a lost advantage or position laboriously and gradually

• a hostile majority were committed to clawing back power from the president.

b. (of a government) recover money paid out in the form of an allowance or benefit, typically by taxation.

• the government is trying to claw back the pay rises extracted by workers since deregulation of food prices.

V. derivatives

clawless

adjective

– origin Old English clawu (noun), clawian (verb), of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch klauw and German Klaue.

clawback /ˈklɔːbak/

noun

(Brit.) an act of retrieving money already paid out, typically by taxation.

• a clawback of tax relief.

• [ mass noun] the bonds will be subject to clawback.

clawed /klɔːd/

adjective

1. having a curved pointed horny nail on each digit

• a clawed hand grabbed for me

• scaly creatures with beaks and clawed feet

• [ in combination] two Asian short-clawed otters.

2. (of crabs, lobsters, and other arthropods) having pincers

• clawed lobsters are found in Nova Scotia.

clawed frog

noun

a frog with a flattened body and claws on the hind toes.
● Xenopus and other genera, family Pipidae: several species. See also Xenopus.

claw foot

noun

1. a foot on a piece of furniture, shaped to resemble a claw.
[as modifier]

• a claw-foot bathtub.

2. [Medicine] an excessively arched foot with an unnaturally high instep.
Also called pes cavus.

claw hammer

noun

a hammer with one side of the head split and curved, used for extracting nails.

clay /kleɪ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a stiff, sticky fine-grained earth that can be moulded when wet, and is dried and baked to make bricks, pottery, and ceramics.

• the soil is mainly clay.

• [as modifier] a clay soil.

• a clay tile.

• [ count noun] the rocks are covered by various mixtures of loose clays and sands.

2. ‹technical› sediment with particles smaller than silt, typically less than 0.002 mm.

3. a hardened clay surface for a tennis court

• she won more matches on clay than any other player.

4. ‹literary› the substance of the human body

• this lifeless clay.

5. a European moth with yellowish-brown wings.
●Several species in the family Noctuidae.

II. derivatives

1. clayey /ˈkleɪi /

adjective

2. clayish

adjective

3. clay-like

adjective

– origin Old English clǣg, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch klei, also to cleave^2 and climb.

Clay, Cassius

see Muhammad Ali^2.

clay court

noun

a tennis court with a surface of hardened clay.

• she began playing on a clay court and retired as the greatest women's tennis champion of all time.

claymation

I. noun — [ mass noun] ( in the US)

1. ‹trademark› a method of film animation using adjustable clay figures and stop-motion photography.

– origin 1980s: blend of clay and animation.

clay mineral

noun

any of a group of minerals which occur as colloidal crystals in clay. They are all hydrated aluminosilicates having layered crystal structures.

claymore /ˈkleɪmɔː/

I. noun

1. a broadsword formerly used by Scottish Highlanders, typically double-edged.

2. a type of anti-personnel mine.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic claidheamh ‘sword’ + mór ‘great’.

claypan

noun

(Austral.) a shallow depression or hollow in the ground with an impermeable clay base which holds water after rain.

clay pigeon

noun

a saucer-shaped piece of baked clay or other material thrown up in the air from a trap as a target for shooting
[as modifier]

• clay pigeon shooting.

clay pipe

noun

a tobacco pipe made of hardened clay.

Clayton's /ˈkleɪt(ə)nz/

I. adjective

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› not real or genuine; existing in name only

• even this Clayton's inquiry was forced to highlight major failures.

– origin 1980s: from the proprietary name of a soft drink marketed using the line ‘the drink you have when you're not having a drink’.

-cle

I. suffix

forming nouns such as article, particle, which were originally diminutives.

– origin via French from Latin -culus, -cula, -culum.

clean /kliːn/

I. adjective

1. free from dirt, marks, or stains

• the room was spotlessly clean

• keep the wound clean.

2. having been washed since last worn or used

• a clean blouse.

3. [ attrib.] — (of paper) not yet marked by writing or drawing

• he copied the advert on to a clean sheet of paper.

4. (of a person) attentive to personal hygiene

• by nature he was clean and neat.

5. free from pollutants or unpleasant substances

• we will create a cleaner, safer environment.

6. free from or producing relatively little radioactive contamination.

7. (of timber) free from knots

• the forester and the sawyer reject timber that is not straight and clean.

8. morally uncontaminated; pure; innocent

• clean living.

9. not sexually offensive or obscene

• it's all good clean fun.

10. showing or having no record of offences or crimes

• a clean driving licence is essential for the job.

11. played or done according to the rules

• we are not completely sure that the elections will be clean and fair.

12. [ predic.] — ‹informal› not possessing or containing anything illegal, especially drugs or stolen goods

• I searched him and his luggage, and he was clean.

13. [ predic.] — ‹informal› (of a person) not taking or having taken drugs or alcohol.

• I had been here for only a fortnight and clean for three weeks.

14. free from ceremonial defilement, according to Mosaic Law or other religious codes.

15. free from irregularities; having a smooth edge or surface

• a clean fracture of the leg.

16. having a simple, well-defined, and pleasing shape

• the clean lines and pared-down planes of modernism.

17. (of an action) smoothly and skilfully done

• he took a clean catch.

18. (of a taste, sound, or smell) giving a clear and distinctive impression to the senses; sharp and fresh

• clean, fresh, natural flavours.

II. adverb

1. so as to be free from dirt, marks, or unwanted matter

• the room had been washed clean.

2. ‹informal› used to emphasize the completeness of a reported action, condition, or experience

• he was knocked clean off his feet

• I clean forgot her birthday.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. make clean; remove dirt, marks, or stains from

• clean your teeth properly after meals

• I cleaned up my room

• (as noun cleaning) Anne will help with the cleaning.

2. remove the innards of (fish or poultry) prior to cooking.

• there are a variety of ways to cook the herring, but it must first be gutted and cleaned.

IV. noun — [in sing.]

1. an act of cleaning something

• he gave the room a clean.

V. phrases

1. (as) clean as a whistle

see whistle.

2. clean and jerk /ˈkliːn ən ˌdʒəːk /

a weightlifting exercise in which a weight is raised above the head following an initial lift to shoulder level.

3. clean bill of health

see bill of health.

4. clean someone's clock ‹N. Amer. informal›

a. give someone a beating.

• I assured her that if anything happened I would personally clean the Russian's clock.

b. defeat or surpass someone decisively.

• racing in this yacht he cleaned the clocks of the Regatta fleet.

5. clean house ‹N. Amer.›

a. do housework.

• they cleaned house, washed clothes, and cared for the children.

b. eliminate corruption or inefficiency.

• the president acted quickly to clean house when the allegations were made.

6. clean one's plate

eat up all the food put on one's plate.

7. a clean sheet (or slate)

a. an absence of existing restraints or commitments

• no government starts with a clean sheet.

b. ( keep a clean sheet) — (in a football match) prevent the opposing side from scoring.

• Scotland kept a clean sheet against the Welsh.

8. clean up one's act

‹informal› begin to behave in a better way, especially by giving up alcohol, drugs, or illegal activities.

• he planned to clean up his act, but in a last celebration bought some coke and heroin.

9. come clean

‹informal› be completely honest; keep nothing hidden

• the Chancellor must come clean about his plans for increasing taxation.

10. have clean hands

be uninvolved and blameless with regard to an immoral act

• no one involved in the conflict has clean hands.

11. keep one's hands clean

not involve oneself in an immoral act.

• Franco kept his own hands clean by using others to impose his will.

12. keep one's nose clean

see nose.

13. make a clean breast of it

confess fully one's mistakes or wrongdoings.

14. make a clean job of something

‹informal› do something thoroughly.

15. make a clean sweep

a. remove all unwanted people or things ready to start afresh.

• in 1917 many Soviet communists wanted to make a clean sweep of the discredited old order.

b. win all of a group of similar or related sporting competitions, events, or matches.

• Annadale are almost certain of making a clean sweep of the male athletics competitions.

VI. phrasal verbs

1. clean someone out

‹informal› use up or take all someone's money

• they were cleaned out by the Englishman at the baccarat table.

2. clean something out

thoroughly clean the inside of something

• my mom says I have to go and clean out the hamster 's cage.

3. clean up ‹informal›

a. make a substantial gain or profit.

• Francis put three quid on a horse, figuring it was about time he cleaned up.

b. win all the prizes available in a sporting competition.

• the Germans cleaned up at Wimbledon.

4. clean something up

restore order or morality to

• the police chief was given the job of cleaning up a notorious district.

VII. derivatives

1. cleanable /ˈkliːnəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. cleanish

adjective

3. cleanness /ˈkliːnnəs /

noun

– origin Old English clǣne, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German klein ‘small’.

clean-cut /klinˈkʌt/

adjective

1. sharply outlined

• the normally clean-cut edge between sea and land has become blurred.

2. (of a person, especially a man) appearing neat and respectable

• the part called for a clean-cut, conventional actor.

cleaner /ˈkliːnə/

I. noun

1. a person or thing that cleans something, in particular:

2. a person employed to clean the interior of a building.

• she's one of the office cleaners.

3. ( the cleaners) — a shop where clothes and fabrics are dry-cleaned

• my suit's at the cleaners.

4. a device for cleaning, such as a vacuum cleaner.

5. a chemical substance used for cleaning

• an oven cleaner.

II. phrases

take someone to the cleaners ‹informal›

a. take all someone's money or possessions in a dishonest or unfair way.

• he had a lot of dishonest partners who really took him to the cleaners.

b. inflict a crushing defeat on someone

• his team were taken to the cleaners by the Australians in the first Test.

cleaner fish

noun

a small fish, especially a striped wrasse, that is permitted to remove parasites from the skin, gills, and mouth of larger fishes, to their mutual benefit.
●Genus Labroides, family Labridae: several species.

clean-limbed

adjective

(of a person) slim and well formed.

cleanliness /ˈklɛnlinəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or quality of being clean or being kept clean

• standards of cleanliness have been criticized by patients and visitors

• she had an obsession with personal cleanliness and spent much of her time in the bathroom.

clean-living

adjective

not indulging in anything unhealthy or immoral.

• Young is surprisingly clean-living: a non-smoking fitness fanatic.

cleanly

I. adverb — cleanly /ˈkliːnli /

1. without difficulty or impediment; smoothly and efficiently

• he vaulted cleanly through the open window.

2. in a way that produces no dirt, noxious gases, or other pollutants

• the engine burns very cleanly.

II. adjective — cleanly /ˈklɛnli /

1. ‹archaic› habitually clean and careful to avoid dirt.

• some plain but cleanly country maid.

– origin Old English clǣnlīce (adverb), clǣnlīc (adjective): see clean, -ly^1, -ly^2.

clean-out

noun

1. an instance of thoroughly cleaning the inside of something

• the entire sewer is having a clean-out.

2. an instance of removing and disposing of unwanted items or material

• I had a wardrobe clean-out, and I gave away two full bags of clothes

• ‹figurative› the leadership of this company needs a clean-out.

clean room

noun

an environment free from dust and other contaminants, used chiefly for the manufacture of electronic components.

cleanse /klɛnz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something, especially the skin) thoroughly clean

• this preparation will cleanse and tighten the skin

• (as adj. cleansing) a cleansing cream.

2. rid of something unpleasant or defiling

• the mission to cleanse America of subversives.

3. free (someone) from sin or guilt.

• only God Himself can cleanse us.

4. ‹archaic› (in biblical translations) cure (a leper).

– origin Old English clǣnsian (verb), from clǣne (see clean).

cleanser /ˈklenzə/

noun

a substance that cleanses something, especially a cosmetic product for cleansing the skin.

• a skin cleanser.

clean-shaven /klinˈʃeɪv(ə)n/

adjective

(of a man) without a beard or moustache.

cleansing cream

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cream for removing grease, dirt, and make-up from the skin.

cleansing department

noun

(Brit.) a department of local government that collects refuse or rubbish.

cleanskin

noun

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) a person who does not have an existing criminal record or who has not attracted the attention of police or security forces

• intelligence officials have been concerned for some time about the threat posed by cleanskins.

2. (also clearskin) — ‹informal› (Austral./NZ) an animal that has not been branded with the owner's mark
[as modifier]

• Delacy began the trapping and branding of cleanskin cattle.

3. ‹informal› (Austral./NZ) a bottle of wine whose label does not identify the producer, typically sold at a low price

• Steve bought a cleanskin ($16) from the local tavern.

clean-up /ˈklinʌp/

noun

1. an act of cleaning a place

• an environmental clean-up.

2. an act of putting an end to immorality or crime.

• a clean-up of the more open violence had begun.

3. [usu. as modifier] — [Baseball] the fourth position in a team's batting order, usually reserved for a strong batter whose hits are likely to enable any runner who is on base to score.

• L.A.'s clean-up hitter Clarence Maddern smacked a fastball over the left-field fence.

clear /klɪə/

I. adjective

1. easy to perceive, understand, or interpret

• clear and precise directions

• her handwriting was clear

• am I making myself clear?

2. leaving no doubt; obvious or unambiguous

• it was clear that they were in a trap

• a clear case of poisoning.

3. having or feeling no doubt or confusion

• every pupil must be clear about what is expected.

4. (of a substance) transparent; unclouded

• the clear glass of the French windows

• a stream of clear water.

5. free of cloud, mist, or rain

• the day was fine and clear.

6. (of a person's skin) free from blemishes.

• Norma's clear skin did not need a heavy foundation.

7. (of a colour) pure and intense

• clear blue delphiniums.

8. ‹archaic› (of a fire) burning with little smoke

• a bright, clear flame.

9. free of any obstructions or unwanted objects

• with a clear road ahead he shifted into high gear

• I had a clear view in both directions.

10. (of a period of time) free of any appointments or commitments

• the following Saturday, Mattie had a clear day.

11. [ predic.] — (of a person) free of something undesirable or unpleasant

• after 18 months of treatment he was clear of TB.

12. (of a person's mind) free of anything that impairs logical thought

• in the morning, with a clear head, she would tackle all her problems.

13. (of a person's conscience) free of guilt.

• I left the house with a clear conscience.

14. ( clear of) — not touching; away from

• the lorry was wedged in the ditch, one wheel clear of the ground.

15. [ attrib.] — complete; full

• you must give seven clear days' notice of the meeting.

16. (of a sum of money) net

• a clear profit of £1,100.

17. [Phonetics] denoting a palatalized form of the sound of the letter l (as in leaf in south-eastern English speech).
Often contrasted with dark.

II. adverb

1. so as to be out of the way of or away from

• he leapt clear of the car

• stand clear, I'll start the plane up.

2. so as not to be obstructed or cluttered

• the floor had been swept clear of litter.

3. completely

• he had time to get clear away.

4. ( clear to) — (chiefly N. Amer.) all the way to

• you could see clear to the bottom of the lagoon.

III. verb

1. make or become clear, in particular:

2. [with obj.] — remove an obstruction or unwanted item or items from

• the drive had been cleared of snow

• Carolyn cleared the table and washed up.

3. [with obj.] — free (land) for cultivation or building by removing vegetation or existing structures

• the embankment was cleared for a new section of line.

4. [with obj.] — cause people to leave (a building or place)

• the wardens shouted a warning and cleared the streets.

5. [no obj.] — gradually go away or disappear

• the fever clears in two to four weeks

• the mist had cleared away.

6. [no obj.] — become free of cloud or rain

• we'll go out if the weather clears.

7. [no obj.] — (of a person's face or expression) assume a happier aspect following confusion or distress

• for a moment, Sam was confused; then his expression cleared.

8. [with obj.] — remove (an obstruction or unwanted item) from somewhere

• Karen cleared the dirty plates

• park staff cleared away dead trees.

9. (in soccer and other sports) send (the ball) away from the area near one's goal.

• McAllister's lob was cleared off the line by Kernaghan.

• [no obj.] Clarke headed towards the net but Nicol cleared.

10. discharge (a debt).

• at the moment I'm clearing debts.

11. [with obj.] — get past or over (something) safely or without touching it

• the plane rose high enough to clear the trees

• she cleared 1.50 metres in the high jump.

12. [with obj.] — officially show or declare (someone) to be innocent

• his sport's ruling body had cleared him of cheating.

13. [with obj.] — give official approval or authorization to

• I cleared him to return to his squadron.

14. satisfy the necessary requirements to pass through (customs)

• I can help her to clear customs quickly.

15. (with reference to a cheque) pass through a clearing house so that the money goes into the payee's account
[no obj.]

• there were more than sufficient funds in the account for both cheques to clear

• [with obj.] the cheque could not be cleared until Monday.

16. [with obj.] — earn or gain (an amount of money) as a net profit

• I would hope to clear £50,000 profit from each match.

IV. phrases

1. clear the air

a. make the air less humid.

• storms were supposed to clear the air.

b. defuse an angry or tense situation by frank discussion

• it's time a few things were said to clear the air.

2. (as) clear as a bell

see bell^1.

3. (as) clear as day

very easy to see or understand.

• I saw him clear as day.

• the reason for Peter's evasiveness was suddenly as clear as day.

4. (as) clear as mud

‹informal› not at all easy to understand.

• what the statement really means is still as clear as mud.

5. clear the decks

prepare for an event or course of action by dealing with anything that might hinder progress.

• the company's sale of Australian investments cleared the decks for expansion in the UK.

6. clear one's lines

[Rugby] [Soccer] make a kick sending the ball well upfield from near one's own goal line.

• nowadays wings must be able to clear their lines with all the authority of a fullback.

7. clear the name of

show to be innocent

• the spokesman released a statement attempting to clear his client's name.

8. clear the table

remove dishes and cutlery from a table after a meal

• afterwards, he cleared the table and washed up.

9. clear one's throat

cough slightly so as to speak more clearly, attract attention, or to express hesitancy before saying something awkward.

• he cleared his throat and spoke loudly.

• Sarah had to clear her throat before answering.

10. clear the way

remove an obstacle or hindrance to allow progress

• the ruling could be enough to clear the way for impeachment proceedings

• [in imperative] Stand back, there! Clear the way!

11. in clear

not in code.

• the Russian staff practice of sending radio messages and orders in clear.

12. in the clear

a. no longer in danger or under suspicion

• the information put her in the clear.

b. with nothing to hinder one in achieving something.

• a cross from O'Neill left Hughes in the clear with not even the goalkeeper to beat.

13. out of a clear sky

as a complete surprise

• his moods blew up suddenly out of a clear sky.

V. phrasal verbs

1. clear off (or out)

[usu. in imperative] — ‹informal› go away

• ‘Clear off!’ he yelled.

2. clear something out

remove the contents from something so as to tidy it or free it for alternative use

• they told her to clear out her desk by the next day.

3. clear up

a. (of an illness or other medical condition) become cured

• all my health problems cleared up.

b. (of the weather) become brighter.

• I said I would fix the roof when the weather clears up.

c. (of rain) stop.

• the drizzle looked unlikely to clear up.

4. clear something up

a. (also clear up) — tidy something up by removing rubbish or other unwanted items

• Thomas decided to clear up his cottage

• he asked the youths to clear up their litter

• I keep meaning to come down here and clear up.

b. solve or explain something

• he wanted to clear up some misconceptions.

c. cure an illness or other medical condition

• folk customs prescribed sage tea to clear up measles.

VI. derivatives

1. clearable

adjective

2. clearness /ˈklɪənəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French cler, from Latin clarus.

clearance /ˈklɪər(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of clearing or of being dispersed

• cleaning of the machine should include clearance of blockages.

• there will be sunny intervals after clearance of any early mist.

2. the removal of buildings, people, or trees from land so as to free it for alternative uses

• slum clearance accelerated during the 1960s

• [ count noun] forest clearances.

3. (also house clearance) — the removal of contents from a house.

• the sheriff's officers supervised the house clearance.

• [ count noun] antiques wanted and clearances undertaken.

4. [ count noun] — (in soccer and other sports) a kick or hit that sends the ball away from one's goal.

• Nilsson made two goal line clearances to keep out Tottenham's attackers.

5. [ count noun] — [Snooker] the potting of all the balls remaining on the table in a single break.

• a plant which let in Hendry for a clearance of 96.

6. official authorization for something to proceed or take place

• the aircraft hadn't got diplomatic clearance to land in Mexico.

7. (also security clearance) — official permission for someone to have access to classified information

• these people don't have clearance.

8. permission for an aircraft to take off or land at an airport

• he took off without air traffic clearance.

9. (also customs clearance) — the clearing of a person or ship by customs

• when you arrive at the continental airport you will be required to obtain customs clearance.

10. [ count noun] — a certificate showing that customs clearance has been granted.

11. the process of clearing cheques through a clearing house.

12. clear space allowed for a thing to move past or under another

• always give cyclists plenty of clearance.

clearance order

noun

(Brit.) an order for the demolition of buildings.

clearance sale

noun

a sale of goods at reduced prices to get rid of superfluous stock or because the shop is closing down.

clearcole /ˈklɪəkəʊl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› a mixture of size and whiting or white lead, formerly used as a primer for distemper.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French claire colle ‘clear glue’.

clear-cut /kliəˈkʌt/

I. adjective

1. sharply defined; easy to perceive or understand

• we now had a clear-cut objective.

2. (of an area) from which every tree has been cut down and removed.

• clear-cut forests are unappealing for recreation.

II. verb

(also clear-fell) [with obj.] — cut down and remove every tree from (an area).

• colonizers clear-cut large jungle tracts.

clearer

noun

1. (Brit.) a clearing bank.

2. a person or thing that clears away obstructions.

• a chemical drain clearer.

clear-eyed

adjective

1. having unclouded, bright eyes

• a handsome, clear-eyed young man.

2. having a shrewd understanding and no illusions

• he was clear-eyed about the film industry.

clear-headed /ˌklɪəˈhɛdɪd/

I. adjective

alert and thinking logically and coherently.

• he was finally clear-headed enough to make some sort of decision.

• clear-headed analysis.

II. derivatives

clear-headedness /ˌklɪərˈhɛdədnəs /

noun

clearing^1 /ˈklɪərɪŋ/

noun

an open space in a forest, especially one cleared for cultivation.

clearing^2 /ˈklɪərɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a system used by universities to fill the remaining available undergraduate places before the start of the academic year.

clearing bank

noun

(Brit.) a bank which is a member of a clearing house.

clearing house

noun

1. a bankers' establishment where cheques and bills from member banks are exchanged, so that only the balances need be paid in cash.

2. an agency or organization which collects and distributes something, especially information.

• the Centre will act as a clearing house for information on local school programmes.

clearing sale

noun

(Austral./NZ) an auction of the contents of a rural property, held after the property itself has been sold

• the farm's 180-gallon tank will go under the hammer in this weekend's clearing sale.

clearly /ˈklɪəli/

adverb

1. in a clear manner; with clarity

• her ability to write clearly

• [as submodifier] on white paper, the seeds are clearly visible.

2. [ sentence adverb] — without doubt; obviously

• clearly, things have changed in the last six weeks.

clear-out /ˈkliəaʊt/

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a removal and disposal of unwanted items or material.

• have a grand clear-out and put the whole place straight.

• a staff clear-out is being planned.

clear-sighted

I. adjective

thinking clearly and sensibly

• a clear-sighted sense of what is appropriate.

II. derivatives

clear-sightedness /ˌklɪərˈsʌɪtɪdnəs /

noun

clearskin

noun

another term for cleanskin (sense 2).

clear-thinking

adjective

able to think clearly

• she impressed me as a serious, clear-thinking scholar.

clear-up

noun

1. a removal and tidying away of rubbish or obstructions.

2. [ mass noun] — the solving of crimes by the police
[as modifier]

• Welsh police had one of the most successful clear-up rates.

clearway /ˈklɪəweɪ/

noun

(Brit.) a main road other than a motorway on which vehicles are not normally permitted to stop.

clearwing clearwing moth

noun

a day-flying moth which has narrow mainly transparent wings and mimics a wasp or bee in appearance.
●Family Sesiidae: several genera and many species, including the hornet moth.

cleat /kliːt/

I. noun

1. a T-shaped piece of metal or wood on a boat or ship, to which ropes are attached.

2. each of a number of projections on the sole of a shoe, designed to prevent the wearer losing their footing.

3. ( cleats) — (N. Amer.) athletic shoes with cleats on the soles.

4. an attachment for the sole of a cyclist's shoe which clips on to a pedal, keeping the foot in place while cycling and increasing the application of force to the pedal.

• I think more or less everyone who has used cleats has fallen off at some stage.

5. a projecting wedge on a spar or other part of a ship, to prevent slipping.

6. a small wedge, especially one on a plough or scythe.

II. derivatives

cleated /ˈkliːtɪd /

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘wedge’): of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kloot ‘ball, sphere’ and German Kloss ‘clod, dumpling’, also to clot and clout.

cleavage /ˈkliːvɪdʒ/

noun

1. a sharp division; a split

• the old cleavage between the forces of the right and left.

2. [ mass noun] — [Biology] cell division, especially of a fertilized egg cell.

• the cell undergoes cleavage and segmentation and develops into a blastula.

• [ count noun] all the cells divide synchronously for the first 12 cleavages.

3. [ mass noun] — the splitting of rocks or crystals in a preferred plane or direction.

• true slates split easily along a plane of cleavage.

4. the hollow between a woman's breasts when supported, especially as exposed by a low-cut garment.

• Holly and Bridget checked their cleavages and rearranged their hair.

• [ mass noun] she wore a dress that exposed an inch or two of cleavage.

cleave^1 /kliːv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. split or sever (something), especially along a natural line or grain

• the large chopper his father used to cleave wood for the fire.

2. split (a molecule) by breaking a particular chemical bond.

3. [no obj.] — [Biology] (of a cell) divide.

• the egg cleaves to form a mulberry-shaped cluster of cells.

4. make a way through (something) forcefully, as if by splitting it apart

• they watched a coot cleave the smooth water

• [no obj.] an unstoppable warrior clove through their ranks.

II. derivatives

cleavable /ˈkliːvəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Old English clēofan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch klieven and German klieben.

cleave^2 /kliːv/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( cleave to)

1. ‹literary› stick fast to

• Rose's mouth was dry, her tongue cleaving to the roof of her mouth.

2. ‹literary› adhere strongly to (a particular pursuit or belief)

• part of why we cleave to sports is that excellence is so measurable.

3. ‹literary› become very strongly involved with or emotionally attached to (someone)

• it was his choice to cleave to the Brownings.

– origin Old English cleofian, clifian, clīfan, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kleven and German kleben, also to clay and climb.

cleaver /ˈkliːvə/

noun

a tool with a heavy, broad blade, used by butchers for chopping meat.

• a meat cleaver.

cleavers /ˈkliːvəz/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. another term for goosegrass.

– origin Old English clīfe, related to cleave^2.

Cleese, John /kliːz/

(b.1939), English comic actor and writer, famous for Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–74) and the situation comedy Fawlty Towers (1975, 1979); full name John Marwood Cleese.

clef /klɛf/

I. noun

[Music] any of several symbols placed at the left hand end of a stave, indicating the pitch of the notes written on it.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from Latin clavis ‘key’.

cleft^1 /klɛft/

I. verb

past participle of cleave^1.

II. adjective

split, divided, or partially divided into two

• a cleft chin.

III. phrases

be (or be caught) in a cleft stick

be in a situation in which any action one takes will have adverse consequences.

cleft^2 /klɛft/

I. noun

1. a fissure or split, especially in rock or the ground.

• the third peak is divided from the eastern one by a deep cleft.

2. a vertical indentation in the middle of a person's forehead or chin.

• the enticing cleft in his chin.

3. a deep division between two parts of the body.

4. (also cleft sentence) — [Grammar] a sentence in which an element is emphasized by being put in a separate clause, with the use of an empty introductory word such as it or that, e.g. it's money we want; it was today that I saw him; that was the King you were talking to.

– origin Middle English clift: of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kluft and German Kluft, also to cleave^1. The form of the word was altered in the 16th cent. by association with cleft^1.

cleft lip

I. noun

a congenital split in the upper lip on one or both sides of the centre, often associated with a cleft palate.

usage: Cleft lip is the standard accepted term and should be used instead of harelip, which can cause offence.

cleft palate

noun

a congenital split in the roof of the mouth.

cleg /klɛɡ/

I. noun

(Brit.) another term for horsefly.

– origin late Middle English: from Old Norse kleggi.

Clegg, Nick

(b.1967), British Liberal Democrat statesman, Deputy Prime Minister 2010–15 (in coalition with the Conservatives); full name Nicholas William Peter Clegg.

Cleisthenes /ˈklʌɪsθəniːz/

( c. 570 BC– c. 508 BC), Athenian statesman. His reforms consolidated the Athenian democratic process begun by Solon and influenced the policies of Pericles.

cleistogamy /klʌɪˈstɒɡəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] self-fertilization that occurs within a permanently closed flower.

II. derivatives

cleistogamous

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kleistos ‘closed’ + -gamy (from gamos ‘marriage’).

clematis /ˈklɛmətɪs, kləˈmeɪtɪs/

I. noun

a climbing plant of the buttercup family which bears white, pink, or purple flowers and feathery seeds. Several kinds are cultivated as ornamentals.
●Genus Clematis, family Ranunculaceae.

– origin Latin (also denoting the periwinkle), from Greek klēmatis, from klēma ‘vine branch’.

Clemenceau, Georges /ˈklɛmənsəʊ, French klɛmɑ̃so/

(1841–1929), French statesman, Prime Minister 1906–9 and 1917–20; full name Georges Eugène Benjamin Clemenceau. At the Versailles peace talks he pushed hard for a punitive settlement with Germany.

clemency /ˈklɛmənsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. mercy; lenience

• an appeal for clemency.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin clementia, from clemens, clement- ‘clement’.

Clemens, Samuel Langhorne /ˈklɛmənz/

see Twain, Mark.

clement /ˈklɛm(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. (of weather) mild.

• it is a very clement day.

2. (of a person or their actions) merciful.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from Latin clemens, clement-.

Clement, St

(1st century AD), pope (bishop of Rome) c. 88– c. 97, probably the third after St Peter; known as St Clement of Rome. Feast day, 23 November.

clementine /ˈklɛm(ə)ntʌɪn, ˈklɛm(ə)ntiːn/

I. noun

a tangerine of a deep orange-red North African variety which is grown around the Mediterranean and in South Africa.

– origin 1920s: from French clémentine, from the male given name Clément.

Clement of Alexandria, St

( c. 150– c. 215), Greek theologian; Latin name Titus Flavius Clemens. His main contribution to theological scholarship was to relate the ideas of Greek philosophy to the Christian faith. Feast day, 5 December.

clenbuterol /klɛnˈbjuːtərɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic drug used in the treatment of asthma and respiratory diseases and also in veterinary obstetrics. It also promotes the growth of muscle and has been used illegally by athletes to enhance performance.

– origin 1970s: from c(h)l(oro-) + (ph)en(yl) + but(yl) + er + -ol.

clench /klɛn(t)ʃ/

I. verb

1. (with reference to the fingers or hand) close into a tight ball, especially as a manifestation of extreme anger
[with obj.]

• she clenched her fists, struggling for control

• [no obj.] Ian's right hand clenched into a fist

• (as adj. clenched) he struck the wall with his clenched fist.

2. (with reference to the teeth) press or be pressed tightly together, especially with anger or determination or so as to suppress a strong emotion

• he clenched his teeth, fighting waves of nausea.

3. [with obj.] — grasp (something) tightly and firmly

• he clenched the steering wheel so hard that the car wobbled.

4. [no obj.] — (of a muscular part of the body) tighten or contract sharply, especially with strong emotion

• Mark felt his stomach clench in alarm.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a contraction or tightening of part of the body

• she saw the anger rise, saw the clench of his fists.

– origin Old English (in the sense of clinch ‘fix securely’): of Germanic origin; related to cling.

cleome /klɪˈəʊmi/

I. noun

a plant of a chiefly tropical genus which includes the spider flower, noted for their long stamens.
●Genus Cleome, family Capparidaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek, denoting a different plant.

cleopatra /ˌklɪəˈpatrə/

noun

a European butterfly related to the brimstone, with wings that vary from pale cream to orange-yellow.
● Gonepteryx cleopatra, family Pieridae.

Cleopatra /ˌklɪəˈpatrə / Cleopatra VII

(69–30 BC), queen of Egypt 47–30 BC, the last Ptolemaic ruler. After a brief liaison with Julius Caesar she formed a political and romantic alliance with Mark Antony. Their ambitions ultimately brought them into conflict with Rome, and she and Antony were defeated at the battle of Actium in 31 BC. She is reputed to have committed suicide by allowing herself to be bitten by an asp.

Cleopatra's Needles

a pair of granite obelisks erected at Heliopolis by Tuthmosis III c. 1475 BC. They were taken from Egypt in 1878, one being set up on the Thames Embankment in London and the other in Central Park, New York. They have no known historical connection with Cleopatra.

clepe /kliːp/

I. verb — [with obj. and complement]

1. ‹archaic› give (someone or something) a specified name

• he was cleped Perkyn.

– origin Old English cleopian ‘call’, of Germanic origin.

clepsydra /ˈklɛpsɪdrə/

I. noun

an ancient time-measuring device worked by a flow of water.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek klepsudra, based on kleptein ‘steal’ + hudōr ‘water’.

clerestory /ˈklɪəˌstɔːri / ‹US› clearstory

I. noun

1. the upper part of the nave, choir, and transepts of a large church, containing a series of windows.

2. a series of windows in another large building that are similar to those in a clerestory.

3. a raised section of roof running down the centre of a railway carriage, with small windows or ventilators.

– origin late Middle English: from clear + storey.

clerestory window

noun

1. each of a series of windows in a clerestory.

2. a window with no crosspiece dividing the light.

clergy /ˈkləːdʒi/

I. noun — [usu. treated as pl.]

1. the body of all people ordained for religious duties, especially in the Christian Church

• all marriages were to be solemnized by the clergy.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, based on ecclesiastical Latin clericus ‘clergyman’ (see cleric).

clergyman /ˈkləːdʒɪmən/

noun

a male priest, minister, or religious leader, especially a Christian one.

clergywoman /ˈkləːdʒɪwʊmən/

noun

a female priest, minister, or religious leader, especially a Christian one.

cleric /ˈklɛrɪk/

I. noun

a priest or religious leader, especially a Christian or Muslim one.

– origin early 17th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin clericus ‘clergyman’, from Greek klērikos ‘belonging to the Christian clergy’, from klēros ‘lot, heritage’ (Acts 1:26).

clerical /ˈklɛrɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. concerned with or relating to work in an office, especially routine documentation and administrative tasks

• a clerical assistant

• clerical duties.

2. relating to the clergy

• he was still attired in his clerical outfit.

II. derivatives

1. clericalism /ˈklɛrɪk(ə)ˌlɪz(ə)m /

noun

clerical (sense 2)

2. clericalist /ˈklɛrɪk(ə)lɪst /

noun

clerical (sense 2)

3. clerically

adverb

– origin late 15th cent. (in sense 2): from ecclesiastical Latin clericalis, from clericus ‘clergyman’ (see cleric).

clerical collar

noun

a stiff upright white collar which fastens at the back, worn by the clergy in some churches.

clerical error

noun

a mistake made in copying or writing out a document.

clerihew /ˈklɛrɪhjuː/

I. noun

a short comic or nonsensical verse, typically in two rhyming couplets with lines of unequal length and referring to a famous person.

– origin 1920s: named after Edmund Clerihew Bentley (see Bentley, Edmund Clerihew), who invented it.

clerisy /ˈklɛrɪsi/

I. noun — [usu. treated as pl.]

1. learned or literary people regarded as a social group or class.

• the clerisy are those who read for pleasure.

• [treated as sing.] he makes Coleridge's ambitions for a clerisy exclusively conservative.

– origin early 19th cent.: apparently influenced by German Klerisei, based on Greek klēros ‘heritage’ (see cleric).

clerk /klɑːk/

I. noun

1. a person employed in an office or bank to keep records, accounts, and undertake other routine administrative duties.

• a bank clerk.

• a wages clerk.

2. an official in charge of the records of a local council or court

• a clerk to the magistrates.

3. a senior official in Parliament.

4. a lay officer of a cathedral, parish church, college chapel, etc.

• a chapter clerk.

5. (also desk clerk) — (chiefly N. Amer.) a receptionist in a hotel.

• she approached the desk and the clerk looked down at her.

6. an assistant in a shop.

• a clerk in an ice-cream store.

7. (also clerk in holy orders) — ‹formal› a member of the clergy.

8. ‹archaic› a literate or scholarly person.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) work as a clerk.

• eleven of those who left college this year are clerking in auction stores.

III. phrases

1. Clerk of the Closet

(in the UK) the sovereign's principal chaplain.

2. clerk of the course

an official who assists the judges in horse racing or motor racing.

3. clerk of (the) works

(Brit.) a person who oversees building work in progress.

IV. derivatives

1. clerkess

noun

(chiefly Scottish)

2. clerkish

adjective

3. clerkship /ˈklɑːkʃɪp /

noun

– origin Old English cleric, clerc (in the sense ‘ordained minister, literate person’), from ecclesiastical Latin clericus ‘clergyman’ (see cleric); reinforced by Old French clerc, from the same source. Sense 1 of the noun dates from the early 16th cent.

clerkly /ˈklɑːkli/

adjective

1. ‹archaic› relating or appropriate to a clerk

• a list drawn up in a clerkly hand.

2. ‹archaic› scholarly; learned.

• a clerkly man given to deep blushes.

Clermont-Ferrand /ˌklɛːmɒ̃ fɛˈrɒ̃, French klɛʀmɔ̃ fɛʀɑ̃/

an industrial city in central France, capital of the Auvergne region, at the centre of the Massif Central; pop. 142,449 (2006).

cleuch /kluːx / cleugh

I. noun

(Scottish) a steep valley or ravine.

– origin Middle English: variant of clough.

Cleveland /ˈkliːvlənd/

I. a former county on the North Sea coast of NE England, formed in 1974 from parts of Durham and North Yorkshire and replaced in 1996 by the unitary councils of Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, and Redcar and Cleveland.

II. a major port and industrial city in NE Ohio, situated on Lake Erie; pop. 433,748 (2008).

Cleveland, Grover /ˈkliːvlənd/

(1837–1908), American Democratic statesman, 22nd and 24th President of the US 1885–9 and 1893–7; full name Stephen Grover Cleveland.

Cleveland bay

noun

a bay horse of a strong breed originating in the north of England, formerly popular as carriage horses.

clever /ˈklɛvə/

I. adjective

1. quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent

• she was an extremely clever and studious young woman

• how clever of him to think of this!

2. skilled at doing or achieving something; talented

• he was very clever at getting what he wanted

• both Grandma and Mother were clever with their hands.

3. showing skill and originality; ingenious

• a simple but clever idea for helping people learn computing

• he taught the dog to perform some very clever tricks.

4. [usu. with negative] — ‹informal› sensible; well advised

• Joe had a feeling it wasn't too clever, leaving Dolly alone.

5. [ predic.] [with negative] — (Brit.) ‹informal› healthy or well

• I was up and about by this time though still not too clever.

II. phrases

too clever by half

‹informal› (of a person) annoyingly proud of their intelligence or skill, and liable to overreach themselves.

• he always was too clever by half.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘quick to catch hold’, only recorded in this period): perhaps of Dutch or Low German origin, and related to cleave^2. In the late 16th cent. the term came to mean (probably through dialect use) ‘manually skilful’; the sense ‘possessing mental agility’ dates from the early 18th cent.

clever-clever

adjective

‹derogatory› excessively anxious to appear impressively clever or intelligent

• her silly little clever-clever theories of love and marriage.

clever Dick clever clogs

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person who is irritatingly and ostentatiously knowledgeable or intelligent.

• she's such a clever Dick—you can't tell her anything.

cleverly /ˈklɛvəli/

adverb

in an intelligent, original, or skilful way

• a very cleverly worded letter

• a mule that is cleverly disguised to look like a zebra.

clever man

noun

(Austral.) an Aboriginal man who practises traditional medicine and may also play a role in ceremonial life

• these stories illustrate the power of the clever man.

cleverness /ˈklɛvənəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being clever; intelligence or shrewdness

• people marvelled at his cleverness

• the cleverness of her strategy.

clevis /ˈklɛvɪs/

I. noun

a U-shaped or forked metal connector to which another part can be fastened by means of a bolt or pin passing through the ends of the connector.
[as modifier]

• a clevis pin.

– origin late 16th cent.: perhaps related to cleave^1.

clew /kluː/

I. noun

1. the lower or after corner of a sail.

2. ( clews) — [Sailing] the cords by which a hammock is suspended.

3. ‹archaic› a ball of thread.

4. archaic variant of clue.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( clew something up (or down))

1. [Sailing] raise (or lower) a square sail by the clews when furling (or unfurling).

– origin Old English cliwen, cleowen (denoting a rounded mass, also a ball of thread), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kluwen. All senses are also recorded for the form clue.

clianthus /klʌɪˈanθəs, klɪˈanθəs/

I. noun

an Australasian plant of the pea family, which bears drooping clusters of large scarlet flowers. Also called glory pea.
●Genus Clianthus, family Leguminosae.

– origin modern Latin, apparently from Greek kleos, klei- ‘glory’ + anthos ‘flower’.

cliché /ˈkliːʃeɪ / cliche

I. noun

1. a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.

• that old cliché ‘a woman's place is in the home’.

• the usual worn-out clichés about the English.

• [ mass noun] a mixture of good humour, innuendo, and cliché.

2. a very predictable or unoriginal thing or person.

• each building is a mishmash of tired clichés.

• you're a walking cliché.

3. [Printing] (chiefly Brit.) a stereotype or electrotype.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, past participle (used as a noun) of clicher ‘to stereotype’.

clichéd /ˈkliːʃeɪd / cliched

adjective

showing a lack of originality; based on frequently repeated phrases or opinions

• he has a horror of clichéd images of African-American life.

cliché-ridden cliche-ridden

adjective

(especially of a film or piece of writing) full of unoriginal or overused phrases or ideas

• a cliché-ridden love-triangle melodrama

• the chairman offered the usual cliché-ridden statement to the media.

click /klɪk/

I. noun

1. a short, sharp sound as of a switch being operated or of two hard objects coming smartly into contact

• she heard the click of the door.

2. [Phonetics] a speech sound produced as a type of plosive by sudden withdrawal of the tongue from the soft palate, front teeth, or back teeth and hard palate, occurring in some southern African and other languages.

3. [Computing] an act of pressing a button on a mouse or similar device.

• it's normal for a click to select an item.

II. verb

1. make or cause to make a click
[no obj.]

• the key clicked in the lock and the door opened

• Martha clicked her tongue

• (as adj. clicking) the clicking cameras outside the church.

2. [Computing] select an item in a graphical user interface by pressing a button on a mouse
[no obj.]

• you can click on an underlined word to jump to another section

• [with obj.] click the left mouse button twice.

3. ( click through) — [Computing] press one of the buttons on a mouse in order to follow a hyperlink to another file or web page

• click through to the website to buy the CD.

4. [no obj.] — ‹informal› become suddenly clear or understandable

• I wasn't used to such good treatment, then it clicked: we were wearing suits.

5. quickly become friendly or intimate

• I couldn't help notice how pretty and intelligent she was and we just clicked

• I didn't meet a woman who I really clicked with until I was 40.

6. become successful or popular

• I don't think this issue has clicked with the voters.

III. phrases

1. click one's fingers

see finger.

2. click into place

become suddenly clear and understandable

• given this info, everything soon clicks into place.

3. clicks and mortar /ˌklɪks ən ˈmɔːtə /

used to refer to a traditional business that has expanded its activities to operate also on the Internet.
[as modifier]

• the way forward for us is as a clicks-and-mortar business.

IV. derivatives

clicky

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (as a verb): imitative.

clickable /ˈklɪkəbl/

adjective

[Computing] (of text or images) able to be clicked on with a mouse to produce a reaction.

click and collect

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹Brit.› a shopping facility whereby a customer can buy or order goods from a store's website and collect them from a local branch

• delivery is free on all orders over £75 or you can opt for click and collect for free delivery to your nearest store

• [as modifier] click-and-collect services are proving increasingly popular.

clickbait /ˈklɪkbeɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› (on the Internet) content whose main purpose is to attract attention and encourage visitors to click on a link to a particular web page

• these recent reports of the show's imminent demise are hyperbolic clickbait

• [as modifier] a clickbait article.

click beetle

noun

a long, narrow beetle which can spring up with a click as a means of startling predators and escaping. Its larva is the wireworm. Also called skipjack.
●Family Elateridae: numerous genera.

click-clack

I. noun

a repeated clicking sound as of shoe heels on a hard surface.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. move with a click-clack sound

• a woman in high heels click-clacked past.

clicker

noun

1. a device which clicks.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a remote control keypad.

click fraud

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of repeatedly clicking on an advertisement hosted on a website with the intention of generating revenue for the host website or draining revenue from the advertiser.

• companies also analyse historical query information to detect and protect against click fraud.

clickjacking /ˈklɪkdʒakɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the malicious practice of manipulating a website user's activity by concealing hyperlinks beneath legitimate clickable content, thereby causing the user to perform actions of which they are unaware.

• Microsoft has developed a technique to combat a common form of clickjacking.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of click and hijacking.

click language

noun

a language in which clicks are used.

click rate

noun

[Computing] the proportion of visitors to a web page who follow a hypertext link to a particular site.

click stop

noun

a control for the aperture of a camera lens or similar device which clicks into position at certain standard settings.

clickstream

noun

a user's activities on the World Wide Web as represented by the sequence of links they click on.

click-through

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] the action or facility of following a hypertext link to a particular website, especially a commercial one

• the site allows click-through to the entire book

• [ count noun] these reports reveal which of the ads are receiving the most click-throughs

• [as modifier] click-through banners.

2. (also click rate, click-through rate) — [Computing] the proportion of visitors to a web page who follow a hypertext link to a particular site

• advertisers love high click-through

• the average click-through rate is only about 6 percent.

client /ˈklʌɪənt/

I. noun

1. a person or organization using the services of a lawyer or other professional person or company

• insurance tailor-made to a client's specific requirements.

2. a person being dealt with by social or medical services

• a client referred for counselling.

3. [Computing] (in a network) a desktop computer or workstation that is capable of obtaining information and applications from a server.

• workstation clients are going to be easy to install.

4. (also client application or program) — a program that is capable of obtaining a service provided by another program.

• friendly client programs like this enable you to perform complicated actions in just a mouse press or two.

5. (in ancient Rome) a plebeian under the protection of a patrician.

6. ‹archaic› a dependant; a hanger-on.

II. derivatives

clientship

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin cliens, client-, variant of cluens ‘heeding’, from cluere ‘hear or obey’. The term originally denoted a person under the protection and patronage of another, hence a person ‘protected’ by a legal adviser (sense 1).

clientele /ˌkliːɒnˈtɛl/

I. noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. clients collectively

• the solicitor's clientele.

2. the customers of a shop, bar, or place of entertainment

• the dancers don't mix with the clientele.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘clientship, patronage’): via French from Latin clientela ‘clientship’, from cliens, client- (see client).

clientelism /ˌkliːɒnˈtɛlɪz(ə)m / clientism /ˈklʌɪəntɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a social order which depends on relations of patronage.

• the political culture is steeped in corruption and clientelism.

II. derivatives

clientelistic

adjective

– origin 1970s: from Italian clientelismo ‘patronage system’.

client-server

adjective

[Computing] denoting a computer system in which a central server provides data to a number of networked workstations.

• a client-server network.

Clifden nonpareil

I. noun

a large European moth of mostly subdued coloration, with a pale blue band on the underwing.
● Catocala fraxini, family Noctuidae.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Clifden (now Cliveden), the name of a village in Buckinghamshire, England, and nonpareil.

cliff /klɪf/

I. noun

a steep rock face, especially at the edge of the sea

• a coast path along the top of rugged cliffs.

II. derivatives

1. cliff-like

adjective

2. cliffy /ˈklɪfi /

adjective

– origin Old English clif, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch klif.

cliffhanger /ˈklɪfhaŋə/

I. noun

1. a dramatic and exciting ending to an episode of a serial, leaving the audience in suspense and anxious not to miss the next episode.

• it will take more than outrageous cliffhangers to win the ratings wars.

• [as modifier] a cliffhanger ending.

2. a story or event with a strong element of suspense

• the match was a cliffhanger right up to the final whistle.

II. derivatives

cliffhanging /ˈklɪfˌhaŋɪŋ /

adjective

– origin 1930s: from early film serials in which episodes ended with characters in desperate situations such as hanging off the edge of a cliff.

clifftop /ˈklɪftɒp/

noun

an area of land at the top of a cliff

• the windswept clifftops

• [as modifier] clifftop paths.

Clift, Montgomery

(1920–66), American actor; full name Edward Montgomery Clift. He received four Oscar nominations for films including A Place in the Sun (1951) and From Here to Eternity (1953).

clifty /ˈklɪfti/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Austral.) ‹dated› ‹informal› steal or take without permission

• he had a primus he'd cliftied from one of the officers

• [no obj.] Australians called the locals thieves but were guilty of cliftying themselves.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek kleptēs ‘thief’.

climacteric /klʌɪˈmakt(ə)rɪk, ˌklʌɪmakˈtɛrɪk/

I. noun

1. a critical period or event.

• the first major climacteric in twentieth-century poetry.

2. [Medicine] the period of life when fertility and sexual activity are in decline; (in women) menopause.

• most women do not experience significant psychological problems at the climacteric.

3. [Botany] the ripening period of certain fruits such as apples, involving increased metabolism and only possible while still on the tree.

• ripening accompanied by a sharp rise in respiration, the so-called climacteric.

II. adjective

1. having extreme and far-reaching implications or results; critical.

• Britain must possess so climacteric a weapon in order to deter an atomically armed enemy.

2. [Medicine] occurring at, characteristic of, or undergoing the climacteric; (in women) menopausal.

• every year adds new symptoms to climacteric syndrome.

3. [Botany] (of a fruit) undergoing a climacteric.

• it doesn't ripen off the tree, being a climacteric fruit.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘constituting a critical period in life’): from French climactérique or via Latin from Greek klimaktērikos, from klimaktēr ‘critical period’, from klimax ‘ladder, climax’.

climactic /klʌɪˈmaktɪk/

I. adjective

acting as a culmination or resolution to a series of events; forming an exciting climax

• the film's climactic scenes.

II. derivatives

climactically

adverb

– origin late 19th cent.: formed irregularly from climax + -ic, probably influenced by climacteric. / usage: Climactic and climatic are very similar in spelling and are often confused. Climactic means ‘forming a climax’, as in the film's climactic scene, while climatic means ‘relating to climate’, as in prevailing climatic conditions.

climate /ˈklʌɪmət/

I. noun

1. the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period

• our cold, wet climate

• [ mass noun] agricultural development is constrained by climate.

2. a region with a particular climate

• he had grown up in a hot climate.

3. the prevailing trend of public opinion or of another aspect of life

• the current economic climate.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French climat or late Latin clima, climat-, from Greek klima ‘slope, zone’, from klinein ‘to slope’. The term originally denoted a zone of the earth between two lines of latitude, then any region of the earth, and later, a region considered with reference to its atmospheric conditions. Compare with clime.

climate change

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.

climate control

noun

another term for air conditioning.

climatic /klʌɪˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

relating to climate

• under certain climatic conditions, desert locusts increase in number.

II. derivatives

1. climatical

adjective

2. climatically

adverb

usage: See usage at climactic.

climatology /klʌɪməˈtɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the scientific study of climate.

• the role of clouds is one of the big conundrums of climatology.

II. derivatives

1. climatological /klʌɪmətəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. climatologically

adverb

3. climatologist /klʌɪməˈtɒlədʒɪst /

noun

climax /ˈklʌɪmaks/

I. noun

1. the most intense, exciting, or important point of something; the culmination

• she was nearing the climax of her speech

• a thrilling climax to the game.

2. an orgasm.

3. [Ecology] the final stage in a succession in a given environment, at which a plant community reaches a state of equilibrium.
[as modifier]

• near the equator the tropical rainforest is the climax vegetation.

• a mixed hardwood climax forest.

4. [Rhetoric] a sequence of propositions or ideas in order of increasing importance, force, or effectiveness of expression.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. culminate in an exciting or impressive event; reach a climax

• the day climaxed with a gala concert.

2. [with obj.] — bring (something) to a climax

• three goals in the last two minutes climaxed a thrilling game.

3. have an orgasm.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in rhetoric): from late Latin, from Greek klimax ‘ladder, climax’. The sense ‘culmination’ arose in the late 18th cent.

climb /klʌɪm/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — go or come up a (slope or staircase); ascend

• we began to climb the hill

• [no obj.] the air became colder as they climbed higher

• he climbed up the steps slowly.

2. [no obj.] — (of an aircraft or the sun) go upwards

• we decided to climb to 6,000 feet.

3. [no obj.] — (of a road or track) slope upwards

• the track climbed steeply up a narrow, twisting valley.

4. (of a plant) grow up (a wall, tree, or trellis) by clinging with tendrils or by twining

• when ivy climbs a wall it infiltrates any crack

• [no obj.] there were roses climbing up the walls.

5. [no obj.] — increase in scale, value, or power

• deer numbers have been climbing steadily

• the stock market climbed 23.9 points.

6. move to a higher position in (a chart or table)

• the book climbed to number 18 on the New York Times bestseller list.

7. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move with effort, especially into or out of a confined space; clamber

• Howard started to climb out of the front seat.

8. ( climb into) — put on (clothes)

• he climbed into his suit.

II. noun

1. an ascent, especially of a mountain or hill, by climbing

• this walk involves a long moorland climb

• ‹figurative› how old will these graduates be before they begin a long climb out of debt?

2. a mountain, hill, or slope that is climbed

• he was too full of alcohol to negotiate the climb safely.

3. a recognized route up a mountain or cliff

• this may be the hardest rock climb in the world.

4. an aircraft's flight upwards

• we levelled out from the climb at 600 feet

• [ mass noun] the rate of climb can be set by the pilot.

5. a rise or increase in value, rank, or power

• an above-average climb in prices.

III. phrases

1. be climbing the walls

‹informal› feel frustrated, helpless, and trapped

• his job soon had him climbing the walls.

2. have a mountain to climb

be facing a very difficult task.

• we have a mountain to climb, but I am looking forward to the challenge.

IV. phrasal verbs

climb down

(Brit.) withdraw from a position taken up in argument or negotiation

• he was forced to climb down over the central package in the bill.

V. derivatives

climbable /ˈklʌɪməb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Old English climban, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German klimmen, also to clay and cleave^2.

climbdown /ˈklʌɪmdəʊn/

noun

(Brit.) a withdrawal from a position taken up in argument or negotiation

• a humiliating climbdown by the government over economic policy.

climber /ˈklʌɪmə/

noun

1. a person or animal that climbs

• leopards are great tree climbers.

2. a mountaineer

• a rock climber.

3. a climbing plant.

• climbers trained up fences and trellises.

climbing /ˈklʌɪmɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport or activity of climbing mountains or cliffs.

• his other great interest was climbing, especially in the Alps.

• [as modifier] climbing equipment.

climbing frame

noun

(Brit.) a structure of joined bars or logs for children to climb on.

climbing irons

plural noun

a set of spikes attached to boots for climbing trees or ice slopes.

climbing perch

noun

a small edible freshwater fish which is able to breathe air and move over land, native to Africa and Asia.
●Family Anabantidae: three genera and several species.

climbing wall

noun

a wall at a sports centre or in a gymnasium fitted with attachments to simulate a rock face for climbing practice.

climb-out

noun

the part of a flight of an aircraft after take-off and before it reaches a level altitude.

clime /klʌɪm/

I. noun — (usu. climes)

1. ‹chiefly literary› a region considered with reference to its climate

• long holidays in sunnier climes.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin clima ‘zone’ (see climate).

clinch /klɪn(t)ʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. confirm or settle (a contract or bargain)

• the Texan wanted to impress him to clinch a business deal.

2. conclusively settle (an argument or debate)

• these findings clinched the matter.

3. confirm the winning or achievement of (a match, competition, or victory)

• Johnson scored the goals which clinched victory.

4. [no obj.] — grapple at close quarters, especially (of boxers) so as to be too closely engaged for full-arm blows.

5. (of two people) embrace.

6. secure (a nail or rivet) by driving the point sideways when it has penetrated.

7. fasten (a rope or angling line) with a clinch knot.

II. noun

1. a struggle or scuffle at close quarters.

• breaking from a clinch, he crossed with his right.

2. an embrace, especially an amorous one

• we went into a passionate clinch on the sofa.

3. (also clinch knot) — a knot used to fasten ropes or angling lines, using a half hitch with the end seized back on its own part.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the senses ‘something that grips’ and ‘fix securely’): variant of clench.

clincher /ˈklɪn(t)ʃə/

noun

a fact, argument, or event that settles a matter conclusively

• Sixsmith scored the clincher after 81 minutes.

cline /klʌɪn/

I. noun

1. a continuum with an infinite number of gradations from one extreme to the other

• a point along a cline of activity.

2. [Biology] a gradation in one or more characteristics within a species or other taxon, especially between different populations.

II. derivatives

clinal

adjective

– origin 1930s: from Greek klinein ‘to slope’.

Cline, Patsy /klʌɪn/

(1932–63), American country singer; born Virginia Petterson Hensley. She had hits with songs such as ‘Crazy’ (1961) and ‘Sweet Dreams of You’ (1963) before dying in an air crash.

cling /klɪŋ/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( cling to/on to/on)

1. hold on tightly to

• she clung to Joe's arm

• we sat on the sofa clinging on to one another

• ‹figurative› she clung on to life for 16 days.

2. adhere or stick firmly or closely to; be hard to part or remove from

• the smell of smoke clung to their clothes

• the fabric clung to her smooth skin.

3. remain very close to

• the fish cling to the line of the weed.

4. remain persistently or stubbornly faithful to

• she clung resolutely to her convictions.

5. be overly dependent on (someone) emotionally

• you are clinging to him for security.

II. noun

(also cling peach) — a clingstone peach.

III. derivatives

clinger

noun

– origin Old English clingan ‘stick together’, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch klingen ‘adhere’, Middle High German klingen ‘climb’, also to clench.

cling film /ˈklɪŋ fɪlm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a thin transparent plastic film that adheres to surfaces and to itself, used as a wrapping or covering for food.

• wrap them in cling film and freeze till needed.

clingfish

noun

a small fish occurring mainly in shallow or intertidal water, with a sucker for attachment to rocks and other surfaces.
●Family Gobiesocidae: several genera and species.

clinging /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/

adjective

1. (of a garment) fitting closely to the body and showing its shape

• she was wearing a clinging black dress.

2. too dependent on someone emotionally

• she wasn't the clinging type.

clingstone

noun

a peach or nectarine of a variety in which the flesh adheres to the stone.
Contrasted with freestone (sense 2).

clingy /ˈklɪŋi/

I. adjective

1. (of a garment) liable to cling; clinging

• a clingy top.

2. (of a person) too emotionally dependent

• at about 18 months my son became very clingy.

II. derivatives

clinginess

noun

clinic /ˈklɪnɪk/

I. noun

1. an establishment or hospital department where outpatients are given medical treatment or advice, especially of a specialist nature

• an antenatal clinic.

2. (chiefly Brit.) an occasion or time when medical treatment or advice is given

• we're now holding regular clinics.

3. a gathering at a hospital bedside for the teaching of medicine or surgery.

4. a conference or short course on a particular subject

• a drum clinic.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in the sense ‘teaching of medicine at the bedside’): from French clinique, from Greek klinikē (tekhnē) ‘bedside (art)’, from klinē ‘bed’.

clinical /ˈklɪnɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to the observation and treatment of actual patients rather than theoretical or laboratory studies

• clinical medicine

• clinical drug trials.

2. (of a disease or condition) causing observable and recognizable symptoms

• clinical depression.

3. very efficient and without feeling; coldly detached

• nothing was left to chance—everything was clinical.

4. (of a room or building) bare, functional, and clean.

• the room was white and clinical.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek klinikē ‘bedside’ (see clinic) + -al.

clinical death

noun — [ mass noun]

1. death as judged by the medical observation of cessation of vital functions. It is typically identified with the cessation of heartbeat and respiration, though modern resuscitation methods and life-support systems have required the introduction of the alternative concept of brain death.

clinically /ˈklɪnɪkli/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to the observation and treatment of actual patients rather than theoretical or laboratory studies

• a clinically proven effective treatment

• the product would be developed and clinically tested in Denmark.

2. in a way that causes observable and recognizable symptoms

• this is manifested clinically as a heart attack

• he has been diagnosed as clinically depressed.

3. in a very efficient and detached way

• they calmly and clinically documented the ongoing destruction

• they used murder as a cold-blooded and clinically calculated means to a political end.

4. [usu. as submodifier] — in a bare, functional, and clean way

• the clinically clean kitchen design is curiously devoid of atmosphere

• a clinically lit room.

clinical psychology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of psychology concerned with the assessment and treatment of mental illness and behavioural problems.

II. derivatives

clinical psychologist

noun

clinical thermometer

noun

a small medical thermometer with a short but finely calibrated range, for taking a person's temperature.

clinician /klɪˈnɪʃn/

noun

a doctor having direct contact with patients rather than being involved with theoretical or laboratory studies.

clink^1 /klɪŋk/

I. noun

a sharp ringing sound, such as that made by striking metal or glass

• the clink of ice in tall glasses.

II. verb

1. make or cause to make a clink
[no obj.]

• his ring clinked against the crystal

• [with obj.] I heard Suzie clink a piece of crockery

• (as adj. clinking) clinking chains.

2. [with obj.] — strike (one's glass) against another's to express friendly feelings before drinking

• she clinked her glass against mine.

– origin Middle English (as a verb): probably from Middle Dutch klinken.

clink^2 /klɪŋk/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹informal› prison

• some bloke he'd met in clink.

– origin early 16th cent. (originally denoting a prison in Southwark, London): of unknown origin.

clinker^1 /ˈklɪŋkə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the stony residue from burnt coal or from a furnace.

2. (also clinker brick) [ count noun] — a brick with a vitrified surface.
[as modifier]

• clinker-brick walls.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from obsolete Dutch klinckaerd (earlier form of klinker), from klinken ‘to clink’.

clinker^2 /ˈklɪŋkə/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) something that is unsatisfactory, of poor quality, or a failure

• marketing couldn't save such clinkers as these films.

2. ‹informal› a wrong musical note

• a string breaks, you hit a clinker, you forget where you are in a piece.

3. ‹informal› (Brit.) ‹dated› something or someone excellent or outstanding

• she was a real clinker.

– origin late 17th cent. (denoting a person or thing that clinks): from clink^1 + -er^1. Sense 2 dates from the mid 19th cent., sense 1 from the 1930s.

clinker-built /klɪŋkəˈbɪlt/

I. adjective

(of a boat) having external planks which overlap downwards and are secured with clinched nails.

• an old clinker-built rowing boat.

Compare with carvel-built.

– origin mid 18th cent.: clinker from clink (northern English variant of clinch).

clinometer /klʌɪˈnɒmɪtə, klɪˈnɒmɪtə/

I. noun

[Surveying] an instrument used for measuring the angle or elevation of slopes.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek klinein ‘to slope’ + -meter.

clinopyroxene /ˌklʌɪnə(ʊ)pʌɪˈrɒksiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral of the pyroxene group crystallizing in the monoclinic system.

– origin early 20th cent.: from clino- in the sense ‘monoclinic’ + pyroxene.

clint /klɪnt/

I. noun

a block forming part of a natural limestone pavement, separated from others by fissures (grikes).

– origin Middle English: of Scandinavian origin; related to Danish klint ‘cliff’ and Swedish klint ‘summit, cliff’.

Clinton, Bill

I. (b.1946), American Democratic statesman, 42nd President of the US 1993–2001; full name William Jefferson Clinton. Re-elected in 1996, he was impeached in 1998 on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, but was acquitted.

II. derivatives

Clintonite

adjective, noun

Clio /ˈklʌɪəʊ / ‹Greek & Roman Mythology›

I. the Muse of history.

– origin from Greek kleiein ‘celebrate’.

cliometrics /ˌklʌɪə(ʊ)ˈmɛtrɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a technique for the interpretation of economic history, based on the statistical analysis of large-scale numerical data from population censuses, parish registers, and similar sources.

II. derivatives

1. cliometric

adjective

2. cliometrician

noun

– origin 1960s (originally US): from Clio, on the pattern of words such as econometrics.

clip^1 /klɪp/

I. noun

1. a flexible or spring-loaded device for holding an object or objects together or in place.

• he undid two clips and lifted the lid.

• a gilt clip fastened her hair.

2. a piece of jewellery fastened by a clip.

• a diamanté clip.

3. a clip for holding banknotes.

• he drew two fifties from his golden clip.

4. a metal holder containing cartridges for an automatic firearm.

• he shot twice, but his clip was empty.

II. verb — [with adverbial of place]

1. fasten or be fastened with a clip or clips
[with obj.]

• she clipped on a pair of diamond earrings

• [no obj.] the panels simply clip on to the framework.

– origin Old English clyppan (verb), of West Germanic origin. The noun use dates from the late 15th cent.

clip^2 /klɪp/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut short or trim (hair, vegetation, etc.) with shears or scissors

• I was clipping the hedge.

2. trim or remove the hair or wool of (an animal).

• we explain how to clip your horse.

3. ( clip something off) — cut off a thing or part of a thing with shears or scissors

• Philip clipped off another piece of wire

• ‹figurative› she clipped nearly two seconds off the world record.

4. cut (a section) from a newspaper or periodical

• a photograph clipped from a magazine.

5. illicitly pare the edge of (a coin).

• they clipped the edges of gold coins and melted the clippings down.

6. (Brit.) remove a small piece of (a bus or train ticket) to show that it has been used.

7. [Computing] process (an image) so as to remove the parts outside a certain area.

• once the video image is captured, it can be panned, clipped, and zoomed.

8. [Electronics] truncate the amplitude of (a signal) above or below predetermined levels.

• once the amplifier has boosted the signal it is clipped to provide a digital pulse.

9. (Brit.) strike smartly or with a glancing blow

• the car clipped the kerb

• he'll clip your ear.

10. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) swindle or rob

• in all the years he ran the place, he was clipped only three times.

11. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — ‹informal› (chiefly US) move quickly

• we clip down the track.

II. noun

1. an act of clipping or trimming something

• I gave him a full clip.

2. the quantity of wool clipped from a sheep or flock.

• a local agent will arrange for the clip to be sold at auction.

• selection favoured a heavy wool clip.

3. a short sequence taken from a film or broadcast

• clips from earlier shows

• a film clip.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› a smart or glancing blow

• I'd give him a clip round the ear.

5. [in sing.] — ‹informal› a specified speed or rate of movement, especially when rapid

• we crossed the dance floor at an amazingly fast clip.

III. phrases

1. at a clip

(US) ‹informal› at a time; all at once

• I spent several days with him, eight hours at a clip.

2. clip the wings of

a. trim the feathers of (a bird) so as to disable it from flight.

b. prevent (someone) from acting freely; check the aspirations of

• he finally clipped the wings of his high-flying chief of staff.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse klippa, probably imitative.

clip art

noun — [ mass noun]

1. simple pictures and symbols made available for computer users to add to their documents.

• you add designs to your labels from the clip art or your own custom graphics.

clipboard /ˈklɪpbɔːd/

noun

1. a small board with a spring clip at the top, used for holding papers and providing support for writing.

2. [Computing] a temporary storage area where material cut or copied from a file is kept for pasting into another file.

clip-clop /ˈklɪpklɒp/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. the sound of a horse's hoofs beating on a hard surface.

• the clip-clop of horseshoes ringing against the roadway.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. move with a clip-clop

• the horses clip-clopped slowly along the street.

– origin late 19th cent.: imitative.

clip joint

noun

‹informal› a nightclub or bar that charges exorbitant prices.

• clip joints more interested in overcharging for drinks than delivering a show.

clip-on /ˈklɪpɒn/

I. adjective

attached by a clip so as to be easy to fasten or remove

• a clip-on bow tie.

II. noun

( clip-ons) — things, especially sunglasses or earrings, that are attached by clips.

• these clip-ons are so lightweight you'll forget you're wearing them.

clipped /klɪpt/

adjective

(of speech) having short, sharp vowel sounds and clear pronunciation

• his cold clipped tones.

clipper /ˈklɪpə/

noun

1. (also clippers) — an instrument for cutting or trimming small pieces off things

• a set of hair clippers.

2. (also clipper ship) — a fast sailing ship, especially one of 19th-century design with concave bows and raked masts.

• the Cutty Sark, a tea clipper built in 1869.

3. [Electronics] another term for limiter.

4. (also clipper chip) — a microchip which inserts an identifying code into encrypted transmissions that allows them to be deciphered by a third party having access to a Government-held key.

clippie /ˈklɪpi/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a bus conductress.

clipping /ˈklɪpɪŋ/

noun — (usu. clippings)

1. a small piece trimmed from something

• hedge clippings and grass cuttings.

2. an article cut from a newspaper or magazine.

• I sent him a bundle of clippings that amply documented my charge.

• press clippings.

clique /kliːk/

I. noun

a small close-knit group of people who do not readily allow others to join them.

• his flat became a haven for a clique of young men of similar tastes.

• the old-school clique.

II. derivatives

1. cliquey /ˈkliːki /

adjective

2. cliquish

adjective

3. cliquishness /ˈkliːkɪʃnəs /

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from Old French cliquer ‘make a noise’; the modern sense is related to claque.

clit

noun

‹vulgar slang› short for clitoris.

CLit

abbreviation

(in the UK) Companion of Literature.

clitic /ˈklɪtɪk/

I. noun

[Grammar] an unstressed word that normally occurs only in combination with another word, for example 'm in I'm.

II. derivatives

1. cliticization /ˌklɪtɪsʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / cliticisation

noun

2. cliticize cliticise

verb

– origin 1940s: from (en)clitic and (pro)clitic.

clitoridectomy /ˌklɪt(ə)rɪˈdɛktəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. excision of the clitoris; female circumcision.

clitoris /ˈklɪt(ə)rɪs/

I. noun

a small, sensitive, erectile part of the female genitals at the anterior end of the vulva.

II. derivatives

clitoral /ˈklɪtərəl /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek kleitoris.

clitter

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a thin rattling sound.

• a coded message clittered over the radio speakers.

– origin early 16th cent.: imitative.

Clive, Robert

1st Baron Clive of Plassey (1725–74), British general and colonial administrator; known as Clive of India. In 1757 he recaptured Calcutta (now Kolkata), following the Black Hole incident, and gained control of Bengal. He served as governor of Bengal 1765–7, but was implicated in the East India company's corruption scandals and committed suicide.

clivia /ˈklʌɪvɪə/

I. noun

a southern African plant of the lily family, with dark green strap-like leaves and trumpet-shaped orange, red, or yellow flowers. Also called Kaffir lily.
●Genus Clivia, family Liliaceae (or Amaryllidaceae).

– origin modern Latin, from Clive, the maiden name of Charlotte, Duchess of Northumberland (1787–1866).

Cllr

abbreviation

(in the UK) Councillor.

cloaca /kləʊˈeɪkə/

I. noun

1. [Zoology] a common cavity at the end of the digestive tract for the release of both excretory and genital products in vertebrates (except most mammals) and certain invertebrates.

2. ‹archaic› a sewer.

II. derivatives

cloacal

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘sewer’): from Latin, related to cluere ‘cleanse’. The first sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

cloak /kləʊk/

I. noun

1. a sleeveless outdoor overgarment that hangs loosely from the shoulders.

• he threw his cloak about him.

2. something serving to hide or disguise something

• preparations had taken place under a cloak of secrecy.

3. ( cloaks) — (Brit.) a cloakroom.

• ground-floor accommodation comprises hall, cloaks, lounge, kitchen.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. dress in a cloak

• they sat cloaked and hooded.

2. hide, cover, or disguise (something)

• she cloaked her embarrassment by rushing into speech.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cloke, dialect variant of cloche ‘bell, cloak’ (from its bell shape), from medieval Latin clocca ‘bell’. Compare with clock^1.

cloak-and-dagger

adjective

involving or characterized by mystery, intrigue, or espionage

• a cloak-and-dagger operation.

cloakroom /ˈkləʊkruːm, ˈkləʊkrʊm/

noun

1. a room in a public building where outdoor clothes or luggage may be left
[as modifier]

• the cloakroom attendant.

2. (Brit.) a room that contains a toilet or toilets.

• a downstairs cloakroom with a WC and hand basin.

• the ladies' cloakroom at Victoria station.

clobber^1 /ˈklɒbə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› hit (someone) hard

• if he does that I'll clobber him!

2. ‹informal› treat or deal with harshly

• the recession clobbered other parts of the business.

3. ‹informal› defeat heavily.

• the Braves clobbered the Cubs 23–10.

– origin Second World War (apparently air force slang): of unknown origin.

clobber^2 /ˈklɒbə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› clothing, personal belongings, or equipment

• I found all his clobber in the locker.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

clobber^3 /ˈklɒbə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. add enamelled decoration to (porcelain).

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

clochard /ˈklɔʃɑː, French klɔʃaʀ/

I. noun

(in France) a beggar; a vagrant.

• clochards drinking in doorways.

– origin French, from clocher ‘to limp’.

cloche /klɒʃ, kləʊʃ/

I. noun

1. a small translucent cover for protecting or forcing outdoor plants.

2. (also cloche hat) — a woman's close-fitting bell-shaped hat.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘bell’ (see cloak).

clock^1 /klɒk/

I. noun

1. a mechanical or electrical device for measuring time, indicating hours, minutes, and sometimes seconds by hands on a round dial or by displayed figures.

• the church clock struck four.

• [as modifier] a clock face.

2. ( the clock) — time taken as a factor in an activity, especially in competitive sports

• this stage is played against the clock.

3. ‹informal› a measuring device such as a speedometer, taximeter, or milometer

• a car with over 82,000 miles on the clock.

4. [Computing] an electronic device used to initiate and synchronize internal operations.

5. (Brit.) a downy spherical seed head, especially that of a dandelion.

6. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person's face.

• I thought I recognized your clock.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. attain or register (a specified time, distance, or speed)

• Thomas has clocked up forty years service

• [no obj.] this is a generous CD, clocking in at more than 60 minutes.

2. achieve (a victory)

• he clocked up his first win of the year.

3. record as attaining a specified time or rate

• the tower operators clocked a gust at 185 mph.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› notice or watch

• I noticed him clocking her in the mirror.

5. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) hit (someone), especially on the head

• someone clocked him for no good reason.

6. (Brit.) ‹informal› wind back the milometer of (a car) illegally in order to make the vehicle appear to have travelled fewer miles than it really has.

• beware of motorists who clock their car before selling it.

• (as adj. clocked) they had sold clocked vehicles.

III. phrases

1. round (or around) the clock

all day and all night

• I've got a team working around the clock

• [as adj.] round-the-clock surveillance.

2. turn (or put) back the clock

return to the past or to a previous way of doing things.

• we can't turn the clock back—what's happened has happened.

• no revolution can turn the clock back and abolish industry.

3. watch the clock

another way of saying clock-watch.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. clock in ( ‹or Brit.› on)

register one's arrival at work by means of an automatic recording clock

• staff should clock in on arrival.

2. clock out ( ‹or Brit.› off)

register one's departure from work by means of an automatic recording clock

• the night shift were clocking off.

– origin late Middle English: from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch klocke, based on medieval Latin clocca ‘bell’.

clock^2 /klɒk/

I. noun

an ornamental pattern woven or embroidered on the side of a stocking or sock near the ankle.

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

clocker

noun

1. ‹informal› (Brit.) a person who illegally winds back the milometer of a car.

2. ‹informal› (US) a drug dealer, especially one who sells cocaine or crack.

clock golf

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a lawn game in which the players putt to a hole in the centre of a circle from successive points on its circumference.

clockmaker /ˈklɒkmeɪkə/

I. noun

a person who makes and repairs clocks and watches.

II. derivatives

clockmaking

noun

clock radio

noun

a combined bedside radio and alarm clock, which can be set so that the radio will come on at the desired time.

clock speed

noun

the operating speed of a computer or its microprocessor, expressed in cycles per second (megahertz).

• the processor is available in 25MHz, 33MHz, and 40MHz clock speeds.

clock tower

noun

a tower, typically forming part of a church or civic building, with a large clock at the top.

clock-watch

I. verb — [no obj.] (often as noun clock-watching)

1. (of an employee) be overly keen not to work more than one's allotted hours.

• you'll not find any mention of clock-watching in my references.

II. derivatives

clock-watcher /ˈklɒkwɒtʃə /

noun

clockwise /ˈklɒkwʌɪz/

adverb, adjective

in a curve corresponding in direction to the typical forward movement of the hands of a clock
[as adv.]

• turn the knob clockwise

• [as adj.] a clockwise direction.

clockwork /ˈklɒkwəːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mechanism with a spring and toothed gearwheels, used to drive a mechanical clock, toy, or other device

• quartz watches are more accurate than those driven by clockwork.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. driven by clockwork

• a clockwork motor.

2. very smooth and regular

• the clockwork precision of the galaxy.

3. repetitive and predictable

• it was a clockwork existence for the children.

III. phrases

1. as regular as clockwork

very regularly; repeatedly and predictably.

• she used to give me these chocolates Christmas and Easter, as regular as clockwork.

2. like clockwork

a. very smoothly and easily

• the event ran like clockwork.

b. with mechanical regularity

• these hens lay like clockwork.

clod /klɒd/

I. noun

1. a lump of earth or clay.

• frost is essential for breaking up clods into manageable sizes.

2. ‹informal› a stupid person.

• you're an insensitive clod and I hope you fall and break your neck.

3. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) a coarse cut of meat from the lower neck of an ox.

• other stewing cuts (in England known to the meat trade as clod) may cook in 90 minutes.

– origin late Middle English: variant of clot.

cloddish /ˈklɒdɪʃ/

I. adjective

foolish, awkward, or clumsy.

• they stood there looking stiff and cloddish.

II. derivatives

1. cloddishly

adverb

2. cloddishness

noun

clodhopper /ˈklɒdhɒpə/

noun

1. ‹informal› a large, heavy shoe.

• size-fourteen clodhoppers.

2. ‹informal› a foolish, awkward, or clumsy person.

• the other students looked very young and I felt like a clodhopper.

clodhopping /ˈklɒdhɒpɪŋ/

adjective

‹informal› foolish, awkward, or clumsy.

clodpole

noun

‹informal› ‹dated› a foolish, awkward, or clumsy person.

clog /klɒɡ/

I. noun

1. a shoe with a thick wooden sole.

2. an encumbrance or impediment

• they found the tax to be an unacceptable clog on the market.

II. verb

1. block or become blocked with an accumulation of thick, wet matter
[with obj.]

• the gutters were clogged up with leaves

• [no obj.] too much fatty food makes your arteries clog up

• (as adj. clogged) clogged drains.

2. fill up or crowd (something) so as to obstruct passage

• tourists' cars clog the roads into Cornwall.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘block of wood to impede an animal's movement’): of unknown origin.

clog dance

I. noun

a dance performed in clogs with rhythmic beating of the feet, especially as a traditional dance in Ireland, Scotland, and the North of England.

II. derivatives

1. clog dancer

noun

2. clog dancing

noun

clogger

noun

1. a person or thing that clogs something

• pore-cloggers.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a footballer who habitually fouls other players when tackling.

• I was a right clogger, always kicking people.

3. a person who makes clogs.

cloggy

adjective

thick and sticky

• cloggy mud.

cloisonné /ˈklwɑːzɒneɪ, klwɑːˈzɒneɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. decorative work in which enamel, glass, or gemstones are separated by strips of flattened wire placed edgeways on a metal backing.

• pieces of Chinese cloisonné.

• an emblem in beautiful cloisonné.

• [as modifier] cloisonné work.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, literally ‘partitioned’, past participle of cloisonner, from cloison ‘a partition or division’.

cloister /ˈklɔɪstə/

I. noun

1. a covered walk in a convent, monastery, college, or cathedral, typically with a colonnade open to a quadrangle on one side.

• the shadowed cloisters of the convent.

2. a convent or monastery.

3. ( the cloister) — monastic life

• he was inclined more to the cloister than the sword.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. seclude or shut up in a convent or monastery

• the monastery was where the Brothers would cloister themselves to meditate.

III. derivatives

cloistral /ˈklɔɪstrəl /

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘place of religious seclusion’): from Old French cloistre, from Latin claustrum, clostrum ‘lock, enclosed place’, from claudere, ‘to close’.

cloistered /ˈklɔɪstəd/

adjective

1. enclosed by or having a cloister

• a cloistered walkway.

2. kept away from the outside world; sheltered

• a cloistered upbringing.

cloisterer /ˈklɔɪstərə/

noun

‹archaic› a person who lives in a cloister; a monk or nun.

clomiphene /ˈkləʊmɪfiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic non-steroidal drug used to treat infertility in women by stimulating ovulation.

– origin 1970s: from chlo(ro-) + (a)mi(ne) + phen(yl).

clomp /klɒmp/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. walk with a heavy tread

• she clomped down the steps.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. the sound of a heavy tread

• the clomp of booted feet.

– origin early 19th cent.: imitative; compare with clump.

clone /kləʊn/

I. noun

1. [Biology] an organism or cell, or group of organisms or cells, produced asexually from one ancestor or stock, to which they are genetically identical.

• vines representing all the 15 existing clones were planted.

2. a person or thing regarded as an exact copy of another

• guitarists who are labelled Hendrix clones.

3. a computer designed to simulate exactly the operation of another, typically more expensive, model

• an IBM PC clone.

4. ‹informal› (within gay culture) a homosexual man who adopts an exaggeratedly macho appearance and style of dress.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. propagate (an organism or cell) as a clone

• of the hundreds of new plants cloned the best ones are selected.

2. make an identical copy of.

• developers are planning to clone a historic Liverpool terrace.

3. [Biochemistry] replicate (a fragment of DNA placed in an organism) so that there is sufficient to analyse or use in protein production.

• we have cloned DNA sequences added to the ends of the linear plasmid.

4. illegally copy the security codes from (a mobile phone) to one or more others as a way of obtaining free calls.

III. derivatives

1. clonal /ˈkləʊn(ə)l /

adjective

2. clonality

noun

3. cloner

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek klōn ‘twig’.

clonk /klɒŋk/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. an abrupt, heavy sound of impact.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — move with or make a clonk.

• the horses clonked and snorted softly.

2. [with obj.] — ‹informal› hit

• I'll clonk you on the head.

III. derivatives

clonky

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: imitative.

Clonmel /klɒnˈmɛl/

the county town of Tipperary, in the Republic of Ireland; pop. 15,482 (2006).

clonus /ˈkləʊnəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] muscular spasm involving repeated, often rhythmic, contractions.

• the patient suffered partial seizures accompanied with clonus in the left arm.

II. derivatives

clonic /ˈkləʊnɪk /

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek klonos ‘turmoil’.

clop /klɒp/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a sound or series of sounds made by a horse's hoofs on a hard surface.

• the plodding clop of patient draught horses.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (of a horse) move with a clop

• the animal clopped on at a steady pace.

– origin mid 19th cent.: imitative.

cloqué /ˈkləʊkeɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fabric with an irregularly raised or embossed surface.
[as modifier]

• a cotton cloqué suit.

– origin French, literally ‘blistered’. It was first recorded (1920s) in the anglicized form cloky; use of the French form dates from the 1950s.

close^1 /kləʊs/

I. adjective

1. only a short distance away or apart in space or time

• the hotel is close to the sea

• her birthday and mine were close together

• why don't we go straight to the shops, as we're so close?

2. with very little or no space in between; dense

• cloth with a close weave

• this work occupies over 1,300 pages of close print.

3. narrowly enclosed

• animals in close confinement.

4. ( close to) — very near to (being or doing something)

• on a good day the climate in LA is close to perfection

• she was close to tears.

5. (with reference to a competitive situation) involving only a small margin between winner and loser

• the race will be a close contest

• she finished a close second.

6. [ attrib.] — denoting a family member who is part of a person's immediate family, typically a parent or sibling

• the family history of cancer in close relatives.

7. on very affectionate or intimate terms

• they had always been very close, with no secrets at all.

8. (of a connection or resemblance) strong

• the college has close links with many other institutions.

9. (of observation, examination, etc.) done in a careful and thorough way

• pay close attention to what your body is telling you about yourself.

10. carefully guarded

• his whereabouts are a close secret.

11. not willing to give away money or information; secretive

• you're very close about your work, aren't you?

12. uncomfortably humid or airless

• a close, hazy day

• it was very close in the dressing room.

13. [Phonetics] another term for high (sense 7 of the adjective).

II. adverb — (often close to)

1. very near to someone or something; with very little space between

• they stood close to the door

• he was holding her close.

III. noun — [often in names]

1. (Brit.) a residential street without through access

• she lives at 12 Goodwood Close.

2. (Brit.) the precinct surrounding a cathedral.

3. (Brit.) a playing field at certain traditional English public schools.

4. (Brit.) (Scottish) an entry from the street to a common stairway or to a court at the back of a building.

IV. phrases

1. at (or in) close quarters

very or uncomfortably close to someone or something

• he witnessed the atrocities of war at close quarters

• housing shortages force people to live in close quarters.

2. close by

very near; nearby

• her father lives quite close by.

3. close shave close call

‹informal› a narrow escape from danger or disaster.

• I did take chances and can recall more than one close shave.

4. close to (or close on)

(of an amount) almost; very nearly

• he spent close to 30 years in jail.

5. close to the bone

see bone.

6. close to one's heart

see heart.

7. close to home

see home.

8. close up

very near

• close up she was no less pretty.

9. come close

almost achieve or do

• he came close to calling the Prime Minister a liar.

10. too close for comfort

dangerously or uncomfortably near

• he sat on the edge of the bed, far too close for comfort

• ‹figurative› an issue being discussed with a sufferer may be too close for comfort to the counsellor's personal experience.

V. derivatives

closish

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French clos (as noun and adjective), from Latin clausum ‘enclosure’ and clausus ‘closed’, past participle of claudere.

close^2 /kləʊz/

I. verb

1. move so as to cover an opening
[no obj.]

• she jumped on to the train just as the doors were closing

• [with obj.] she closed the door quietly.

• I kept closing my eyes and nodding off.

• they had to close the window because of the insects.

2. [with obj.] — block up (a hole or opening)

• close the hole with a plug of cotton wool

• ‹figurative› Stephen closed his ears to the sound.

3. [with obj.] — bring two parts of (something) together so as to block its opening or bring it into a folded state

• Loretta closed her mouth

• Rex closed the book.

4. [no obj.] ( close around/over) — come into contact with (something) so as to encircle and hold it

• my fist closed around the weapon.

5. [with obj.] — make (an electric circuit) continuous

• this will cause a relay to operate and close the circuit.

6. bring or come to an end
[with obj.]

• the members were thanked for attending and the meeting was closed

• [no obj.] the concert closed with ‘Silent Night’

• (as adj. closing) the closing stages of the election campaign.

7. [no obj.] — finish speaking or writing

• we close with a point about truth

• (as adj. closing) Nellie's closing words.

8. [with obj.] — bring (a business transaction) to a satisfactory conclusion

• right now we are trying to close the deal with our sponsors.

9. [no obj.] — (of a business, organization, or institution) cease to be in operation or accessible to the public, either permanently or at the end of a working day or other period of time

• the factory is to close with the loss of 150 jobs

• [with obj.] a hoax call which closed the city's stations for 4 hours.

10. [with obj.] — remove all the funds from (a bank or building society account) and cease to use it.

• I went to the bank to close an account held by my daughter.

11. [with obj.] — [Computing] make (a file) inaccessible after use, so that it is securely stored until required again.

• a statement is used to close a data file.

12. [no obj.] — gradually get nearer to someone or something

• he tried to walk faster, but each time the man closed up on him again.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. the end of an event or of a period of time or activity

• the afternoon drew to a close

• the seminar was brought to a close with a discussion of future trends.

2. ( the close) — the end of a day's trading on a stock market

• by the close the Dow Jones average was down 13.52 points at 2,759.84.

3. ( the close) — the end of a day's play in a cricket match.

• at the close, Lancashire were 129 for 3.

4. [Music] the conclusion of a phrase; a cadence.

5. the shutting of something, especially a door

• the door jerked to a close behind them.

III. phrases

1. close the door on (or to)

see door.

2. close one's eyes to

see eye.

3. close one's mind to

see mind.

4. close ranks

see rank^1.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. close down (or close something down)

a. cease or cause to cease business or operation, especially permanently

• the government promised to close down the nuclear plants within twenty years.

b. ( close down) — (Brit.) (of a broadcasting station) end transmission until the next day.

• the BBC closed down for the rest of the day.

2. close in

a. come nearer to someone being pursued

• the police were closing in on them.

b. gradually surround, especially with the effect of hindering movement or vision

• the weather has now closed in so an attempt on the summit is unlikely.

c. (of days) get successively shorter with the approach of the winter solstice

• November was closing in.

3. close something out

(N. Amer.) bring something to an end.

• Steve tried to close out the conversation.

4. close up

(of a person's face) become blank and emotionless or hostile

• he didn't like her laughter and his face closed up angrily.

5. close up

a. (also close something up) — stop using or operating a business or building

• the solicitor advised me to close the house up for the time being.

b. ( close up) — (of an opening) grow smaller or become blocked by something

• she felt her throat close up.

6. close with

come near, especially so as to engage with (an enemy force).

• their only hope was to close with the enemy.

V. derivatives

closable

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French clos-, stem of clore, from Latin claudere ‘to shut’.

close-coupled

adjective

(chiefly Brit.) (of two parts of a structure) attached or fixed close together.

• two wheels on one side of the trailer are close-coupled.

close-cropped /kləʊsˈkrɒpt/

adjective

(of hair or grass) cut very short.

closed /kləʊzd/

I. adjective

1. not open

• rooms with closed doors lined the hallway

• he sat with his eyes closed.

2. (of a society or system) not communicating with or influenced by others.

• the perception of the Soviet Union as a closed society had changed.

3. limited to certain people; not open or available to all

• the UN Security Council met in closed session.

4. unwilling to accept new ideas

• you're facing the situation with a closed mind.

5. (of a business) having ceased trading, especially for a short period

• he put the ‘Closed’ sign up on the door.

6. [Mathematics] (of a set) having the property that the result of a specified operation on any element of the set is itself a member of the set.

7. (of a set) containing all its limit points.

8. [Geometry] (of a curve or figure) formed from a single unbroken line.

II. phrases

1. behind closed doors

taking place secretly or without public knowledge.

• the legislature allows its business to be completed behind closed doors.

2. closed book

a subject or person about which one knows nothing

• accounting has always been a closed book to me.

closed caption

I. noun

one of a series of subtitles to a television programme, accessible through a decoder.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as noun closed-captioning)

1. provide (a programme) with closed captions.

closed-circuit television /kləʊzdˌsəːkɪt ˈtɛlɪvɪʒ(ə)n / CCTV

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a television system in which video signals are transmitted from one or more cameras by cable to a set of monitors, used especially for security purposes.

closed compound

noun

a word that is made up of two or more existing words and contains no spaces or hyphens, e.g. football, birthday, blackboard.

closed-end

adjective

1. having a predetermined and fixed extent

• a closed-end contract.

2. (N. Amer.) denoting an investment trust or company that issues a fixed number of shares.

closed-in

adjective

oppressively enclosed or lacking in space

• her distress at being in closed-in places.

close-down /ˈkləʊzdaʊn/

noun — [in sing.]

1. a cessation of work or business, especially on a permanent basis.

2. (Brit.) the end of broadcasting on television or radio until the next day.

closed season

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for close season.

closed shop

noun

1. a place of work where all employees must belong to an agreed trade union.
Compare with union shop.

2. [in sing.] — the system in operation in a place of work that is a closed shop

• the outlawing of the closed shop.

3. an area of activity that is restricted to a particular small group

• it's a very closed shop, the pharmaceutical world.

closed syllable

noun

a syllable ending in a consonant.

closed universe

noun

[Astronomy] the condition in which there is sufficient matter in the universe to halt the expansion driven by the Big Bang and cause eventual re-collapse.

close encounter

I. noun

a supposed encounter with a UFO or with aliens.

II. phrases

close encounter of the first (or second etc.) kind

used to describe encounters involving increasing degrees of complexity and apparent exposure of the witness to aliens.

close-fisted

adjective

unwilling to spend money; mean.

close-fitting /kləʊsˈfɪtɪŋ/

adjective

(of a garment) fitting tightly and showing the contours of the body.

close-fought closely fought

adjective

denoting or relating to a contest between evenly matched opponents that is won by only a small margin

• Gunston's three first-half goals were crucial in a close-fought match

• a close-fought victory

• the closely fought presidential election.

close-grained

adjective

having tightly packed fibres, crystals, or other structural elements.

close harmony

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Music] harmony in which the notes of the chord are close together, typically in vocal music.

• the chorus was sung in close harmony.

close-hauled

adjective, adverb

[Sailing] (of a ship) with the sails hauled aft to sail close to the wind.

close-in

adjective

1. only a short distance away

• a close-in shot.

2. (N. Amer.) near to the centre of a town or city

• close-in parking.

close-knit /kləʊsˈnɪt / closely knit

adjective

bound together by strong relationships and common interests

• a close-knit community.

closely /ˈkləʊsli/

adverb

1. with little or no space or time in between

• closely spaced homes

• the medical sergeant follows closely behind the squad.

2. in a narrowly enclosed way

• pens of closely confined fish.

3. in a way that involves only a small margin between the winner and loser

• a closely fought contest.

4. in a way that involves a strong resemblance or connection

• the students had to answer questions closely related to what they just learned

• the real-world injuries closely mirrored the university's experimental data.

5. in a collective or unified way

• we will be working closely with stakeholders

• the two companies collaborate closely.

6. very affectionately or intimately

• he has bonded very closely with his Miami family

• both children are clearly very closely attached to their parents.

7. in a careful and attentive way

• patients have to be watched closely for side effects.

8. in a cautious or secretive way

• a closely guarded plan.

close-minded

adjective

having or showing rigid opinions or a narrow outlook

• close-minded condemnation of people he knows nothing about.

close-mouthed /kləʊsˈmaʊðd / close-lipped

adjective

reticent; discreet.

• the candidates have been close-mouthed about their fund-raising goals.

• he's notoriously close-mouthed.

closeness /ˈkləʊsnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being only a short distance away or apart in space or time

• the geographical closeness of our two countries

• the translator's closeness to the original time period.

2. the state of being narrowly enclosed

• the claustrophobic closeness of the living quarters.

3. the quality of having only a small margin between winner and loser

• the closeness of the race

• the scoreline did not reflect the closeness of the contest.

4. the quality of affection or intimacy in a relationship

• moments of closeness with friends and family members.

5. the quality or state of having a strong resemblance or connection

• apes are often selected due to their evolutionary closeness to humans.

6. the quality of being done in an attentive and thorough way

• the closeness with which he watched current events.

closeout /ˈkləʊzaʊt/

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. (US) a sale of goods at reduced prices to get rid of superfluous stock.

• a closeout sale.

• closeout prices.

close-packed

adjective

arranged or situated very close together

• close-packed houses

• a solid column of close-packed soldiers.

closer /ˈkləʊzə/

noun

1. the last part of a performance, collection, or series

• the perfect closer to the album

• the last episode was still a great closer.

2. a person who is skilled at bringing a business transaction to a satisfactory conclusion

• this role will best suit closers who are hungry to make commissions.

3. [Baseball] a reliable relief pitcher who enters a game in the final innings, typically to preserve a slim lead

• he could develop into a big-league closer

• one of the game's highest-paid closers.

close range

noun

a short distance between someone or something and a target

• Wilkinson scored from close range

• they were shot at close range

• [as modifier] a close-range shot.

close-ratio

adjective

(of a vehicle's gearbox) having gear ratios that are set at values which are not very different from each other.

close reach

I. noun

[Sailing] a situation in sailing in which the wind blows from slightly in front of the beam

• we sailed on a close reach directly for Sharp's Island.

II. verb

( close-reach) [no obj.] — sail with the wind from slightly in front of the beam

• the yachts close-reached for home.

closer settlement

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹historical› a government policy designed to establish productive agricultural communities by dividing large tracts of pastoral land into small plots for settlement

• closer settlement relied on settlers practising forms of intensive agriculture.

close-run /kləʊsˈrʌn/

adjective

won or lost by a very small margin

• the motion failed to obtain an absolute majority of 249 but it was a close-run thing.

close season /ˈkləʊzsiːzn/

noun

1. (also closed season) — (Brit.) a period in the year when fishing or the killing of particular game is officially forbidden.

• the close season is an essential period of renewal for fish.

2. a part of the year when a particular sport is not played.

• many Crown Green bowlers play indoors in the close season.

close-set /kləʊsˈsɛt/

adjective

(of two or more things) having little space in between

• a large man with close-set eyes.

close-stool

noun

‹historical› a covered chamber pot enclosed in a wooden stool.

closet /ˈklɒzɪt/

I. noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a cupboard or wardrobe, especially one tall enough to walk into.

• rich women with closets full of clothes they'll never wear.

2. a small room, especially one used for storing things or for private study.

3. ‹dated› a toilet.

4. ( the closet) — used to refer to a state of secrecy or concealment, especially about one's homosexuality

• lesbians who had come out of the closet.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. secret; covert

• a closet feminist.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. shut (someone) away, especially in private conference or study

• he was closeted with the king

• he returned home and closeted himself in his room.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a private or small room): from Old French, diminutive of clos ‘closed’ (see close^1).

closeted /ˈklɒzɪtɪd/

adjective

keeping something secret, especially the fact of being homosexual.

• among those who voted against it were some closeted gays.

• she remained closeted because of her homophobic community.

closet play closet drama

noun

a play to be read rather than acted.

close-up /ˈkləʊsʌp/

noun

1. a photograph or film image taken at close range and showing the subject on a large scale

• a close-up of her face

• they see themselves in close-up.

2. an intimate and detailed description or study
[as modifier]

• the book's close-up account of the violence.

closing date

noun

the last date by which something must be submitted for consideration, especially a job application.

• the closing date for applications is 1 December.

closing order

noun

[English Law] an order by a local authority prohibiting the use of premises for specified purposes.

closing price

noun

the price of a security at the end of the day's business in a financial market.

closing time

noun

the regular time at which a pub, shop, or other place closes to the public each day.

• they sat in a corner of the lounge bar until closing time.

clostridium /klɒˈstrɪdɪəm/

I. noun

[Biology] an anaerobic bacterium of a large genus that includes many pathogenic species, e.g. those causing tetanus, gas gangrene, botulism, and other forms of food poisoning.
●Genus Clostridium: typically rod-shaped and Gram-positive.

II. derivatives

clostridial

adjective

– origin modern Latin, based on Greek klōstēr ‘spindle’.

closure /ˈkləʊʒə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an act or process of closing something, especially an institution, thoroughfare, or frontier, or of being closed

• hospitals that face closure

• [ count noun] road closures.

2. [ count noun] — a thing that closes or seals something, such as a cap or tie.

3. (in a legislative assembly) a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote
[as modifier]

• a closure motion.

4. a sense of resolution or conclusion at the end of an artistic work

• he brings modernistic closure to his narrative.

5. a feeling that an emotional or traumatic experience has been resolved

• I am desperately trying to reach closure but I don't know how to do it without answers from him.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. apply the closure to (a debate or speaker) in a legislative assembly.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from late Latin clausura, from claus- ‘closed’, from the verb claudere.

clot /klɒt/

I. noun

1. a thick mass of coagulated liquid, especially blood, or of material stuck together

• a blood clot

• a clot of dead leaves.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a foolish or clumsy person

• Watch where you're going, you clot!

II. verb

1. form or cause to form clots
[no obj.]

• drugs that help blood to clot

• [with obj.] a blood protein known as factor VIII clots blood.

2. [with obj.] — cover (something) with sticky matter

• its nostrils were clotted with blood.

– origin Old English clott, clot, of Germanic origin; related to German Klotz.

clotbur /ˈklɒtbəː/

I. noun

1. a herbaceous plant of the daisy family with burred fruits, native to tropical America but now found all over the world.
●Genus Xanthium, family Compositae: two or three species.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a burdock.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from dialect clote ‘burdock’ + burr.

cloth /klɒθ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — woven or felted fabric made from wool, cotton, or a similar fibre

• a broad piece of pleated cloth

• [as modifier] a cloth bag.

2. a piece of cloth for cleaning or covering something, e.g. a dishcloth or a tablecloth

• wipe clean with a damp cloth.

3. ( the cloth) — the clergy; the clerical profession

• has he given up all ideas of the cloth?

– origin Old English clāth, related to Dutch kleed and German Kleid, of unknown ultimate origin.

cloth cap

noun

1. (Brit.) a man's flat woollen cap with a peak.

2. [as modifier] — (Brit.) relating to or associated with the working class

• Labour's traditional cloth-cap image.

clothe /kləʊð/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. put clothes on (oneself or someone); dress

• Francesca was clothed in white

• she took off her shoes and lay down fully clothed

• (as adj., with submodifier clothed) a partially clothed body.

2. provide (someone) with clothes

• they already had eight children to feed and clothe.

3. (usu. be clothed with) — endow with a particular quality

• it is clothed with an aura of respectability.

– origin Old English (only recorded in the past participle geclāded), from clāth (see cloth).

cloth-eared

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› unable to hear or understand clearly.

clothes /kləʊ(ð)z/

I. plural noun

1. items worn to cover the body

• he stripped off his clothes

• baby clothes

• [as modifier] a clothes shop.

2. bedclothes.

• Rosie got into bed and pulled the clothes up to her nose.

– origin Old English clāthas, plural of clāth (see cloth).

clothes hanger

noun

a coat hanger.

clothes hoist

noun

(Austral./NZ) a rotary clothes drier in the form of an adjustable frame turning about a central pole and supporting lengths of clothes line

• Ruth pegged the washing on to the clothes hoist in the back garden.

clothes horse

noun

1. a frame on which washed clothes are hung to air indoors.

2. ‹informal› ‹often derogatory› a person, typically a woman, who is excessively concerned with wearing fashionable clothes.

clothes line

I. noun

a rope or wire on which washed clothes are hung to dry.

II. verb

( clothesline) [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› (chiefly in football and other sports) knock down (a runner) by placing one's outstretched arm in their path at neck level.

• Ramon clotheslined Owen to the floor.

clothes moth

noun

a small, drab moth whose larvae feed on a range of animal fibres and can be destructive to clothing and other domestic textiles.
●Family Tineidae: several species.

clothes peg ‹N. Amer.› clothespin

noun

(Brit.) a wooden or plastic clip for securing clothes to a clothes line.

cloth head

I. noun

‹informal› a stupid person.

II. derivatives

cloth-headed

adjective

clothier /ˈkləʊðɪə/

I. noun

a person or company that makes or sells clothes or cloth.

– origin Middle English clother, from cloth. The change in the ending was due to association with -ier.

clothing /ˈkləʊðɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. clothes collectively

• bring warm clothing and waterproofs.

Clotho /ˈkləʊθəʊ / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. one of the three Fates.

– origin Greek, literally ‘she who spins’.

cloth of gold

noun — [ mass noun]

1. fabric made of silk or wool interwoven with gold threads.

• the bishop was dressed in cloth of gold.

• [ count noun] a cloth of gold to cover his coffin.

clotted cream

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Brit.) thick cream obtained by heating milk slowly and then allowing it to cool while the cream content rises to the top in coagulated lumps.
[as modifier]

• they serve clotted cream teas.

clotting factor

noun

[Physiology] any of a number of substances in blood plasma which are involved in the clotting process, such as factor VIII.

cloture /ˈkləʊtjʊə/

I. noun, verb

US term for closure (sense 2 of the noun).

– origin late 19th cent.: from French clôture, from Old French closure (see closure).

clou /kluː/

I. noun

the chief attraction, point of greatest interest, or central idea of a thing.

– origin French, literally ‘nail’.

cloud /klaʊd/

I. noun

1. a visible mass of condensed watery vapour floating in the atmosphere, typically high above the general level of the ground

• the sun had disappeared behind a cloud

• [ mass noun] the sky was almost free of cloud.

2. an indistinct or billowing mass, especially of smoke or dust

• a cloud of dust.

3. a large number of insects or birds moving together

• clouds of orange butterflies.

4. an opaque patch within a transparent substance.

5. used to refer to a state or cause of gloom, suspicion, trouble, or worry

• the only cloud on the immediate horizon is raising a mortgage.

• the dark clouds of a major recession.

• a black cloud hung over their lives.

6. a frowning or depressed look

• a cloud passed over Jessica's face.

7. (usu. the cloud) — [Computing] a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet and used to store, manage, and process data in place of local servers or personal computers

• there's a rich, complex, shared data store in the cloud

• [as modifier] once you are logged in to your cloud storage space, you can upload files to it and share them with others.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of the sky) become overcast or gloomy

• the blue skies clouded over abruptly.

2. [with obj.] — darken (the sky) with cloud

• the western sky was still clouded.

3. make or become less clear or transparent
[with obj.]

• blood pumped out, clouding the water

• [no obj.] her eyes clouded with tears.

4. [with obj.] — make (a matter or mental process) unclear or uncertain

• don't allow your personal feelings to cloud your judgement.

5. [with obj.] — spoil (something)

• the general election was clouded by violence.

6. [no obj.] — (of someone's face or eyes) show an emotion such as worry, sorrow, or anger

• his expression clouded over.

7. [with obj.] — (of an emotion such as worry, sorrow, or anger) show in (someone's face)

• suspicion clouded her face.

III. phrases

1. every cloud has a silver lining

see silver.

2. in the clouds

out of touch with reality

• this clergyman was in the clouds.

3. on cloud nine (or seven)

extremely happy.

• I was on cloud nine once I had completed it.

[with reference to a ten-part classification of clouds in which ‘nine’ was next to the highest.]

4. under a cloud

under suspicion or discredited.

• he left under something of a cloud, accused of misappropriating funds.

5. with one's head in the clouds

(of a person) out of touch with reality; daydreaming.

• he's always got his head in the clouds.

IV. derivatives

cloudlet /ˈklaʊdlət /

noun

– origin Old English clūd ‘mass of rock or earth’; probably related to clot. Sense 1 of the noun dates from Middle English.

cloud base

noun — [in sing.]

1. the level or altitude of the lowest part of a general mass of clouds.

cloudberry /ˈklaʊdbɛri, ˈklaʊdb(ə)ri/

I. noun

a dwarf bramble with white flowers and edible orange fruit, which grows on the mountains and moorlands of northern Eurasia and northern North America.
● Rubus chamaemorus, family Rosaceae.

– origin late 16th cent.: apparently from the noun cloud in the obsolete sense ‘hill’ + berry.

cloudburst /ˈklaʊdbəːst/

noun

a sudden violent rainstorm.

cloud chamber

noun

[Physics] a device containing air or gas supersaturated with water vapour, used to detect charged particles, X-rays, and gamma rays by the condensation trails which they produce.

cloud computing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or a personal computer.

cloud cover

noun — [in sing.]

1. a mass of cloud covering all or most of the sky.

• the shuttle broke through the cloud cover.

• [ mass noun] long periods of cloud cover.

cloud cuckoo land

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of absurdly over-optimistic fantasy

• anyone who believes that the Bill will be effective is living in cloud cuckoo land.

– origin late 19th cent.: translation of Greek Nephelokokkugia, the name of the city built by the birds in Aristophanes' comedy Birds, from nephelē ‘cloud’ + kokkux ‘cuckoo’.

clouded leopard

noun

a large spotted cat found in forests in SE Asia.
● Neofelis nebulosa, family Felidae.

clouded yellow

noun

a migratory Old World butterfly which has yellowish wings with black margins.
●Genus Colias, family Pieridae: several species, in particular C. croceus.

cloud forest

noun

a moist tropical or subtropical forest that is characterized by persistent low-level cloud

• the lush cloud forests of the Andes.

cloud hopping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the flying of an aircraft from cloud to cloud for concealment.

cloudland

noun

‹literary› an imaginary or utopian place.

cloudless /ˈklaʊdləs/

I. adjective

clear and free of cloud

• we picnicked under a cloudless blue sky

• a crisp and cloudless afternoon.

II. derivatives

cloudlessly

adverb

cloudscape

I. noun

a large cloud formation considered in terms of its visual effect.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cloud, on the pattern of words such as landscape.

cloud seeding

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the dropping of crystals into clouds to cause rain.

• the Bureau has been using cloud seeding to increase rainfall and snowpack.

cloudy /ˈklaʊdi/

I. adjective

1. (of the sky or weather) covered with or characterized by clouds

• a very grey, cloudy day.

2. (of a liquid) not transparent or clear

• the pond water is slightly cloudy.

3. (of a colour) having white as a constituent

• cloudy reds and blues and greens.

4. (of a person's eyes) misted with tears

• she stared at him, her eyes cloudy.

5. uncertain; unclear

• the issue becomes more cloudy.

II. derivatives

1. cloudily /ˈklaʊdɪli /

adverb

2. cloudiness /ˈklaʊdinəs /

noun

Clouet /ˈkluːeɪ, French klwɛ/

two French court portrait painters, Jean ( c. 1485–1541) and his son François ( c. 1516–72).

clough /klʌf/

I. noun

(N. English) a steep valley or ravine.

– origin Old English clōh (recorded in place names), of Germanic origin; related to German dialect Klinge.

Clough, Arthur Hugh /klʌf/

(1819–61), English poet. He is especially remembered for longer poems such as Amours de Voyage (1858).

clout /klaʊt/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a heavy blow with the hand or a hard object

• a clout round the ear.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› influence or power, especially in politics or business

• I knew she carried a lot of clout.

3. ‹archaic› a piece of cloth or article of clothing.

4. [Archery] a target twelve times the usual size, placed flat on the ground with a flag marking its centre and used in long-distance shooting.

5. a long-distance shot that hits a clout.

6. short for clout nail.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› hit (someone or something) hard

• I clouted him round the head.

2. ‹archaic› mend with a patch.

• he helps the women clout their pans.

III. phrases

ne'er cast a clout till May be out

‹proverb› do not discard your winter clothes until summer has fully arrived.
[with reference either to the month of May or to the blossom of the may or hawthorn, which blooms in May.]

– origin Old English clūt (in the sense ‘a patch or metal plate’); related to Dutch kluit ‘lump, clod’, also to cleat and clot. The shift of sense to ‘heavy blow’, which dates from late Middle English, is difficult to explain; possibly the change occurred first in the verb (from ‘put a patch on’ to ‘hit hard’).

clout nail

noun

a nail with a large flat head, used chiefly for securing roofing felt.

clove^1 /kləʊv/

I. noun

1. the dried flower bud of a tropical tree, used as an aromatic spice.

2. ( oil of cloves) [ mass noun] — aromatic analgesic oil extracted from cloves and used medicinally to relieve dental pain.

3. the Indonesian tree from which cloves are obtained.
● Syzygium aromaticum (also called Eugenia caryophyllus), family Myrtaceae.

4. (also clove pink or clove gillyflower) — a clove-scented pink which is the original type from which the carnation and other double pinks have been bred.
● Dianthus caryophyllus, family Caryophyllaceae.

– origin Middle English: from Old French clou de girofle, literally ‘nail of gillyflower’ (from its shape), gillyflower being originally the name of the spice and later applied to the similarly scented pink.

clove^2 /kləʊv/

I. noun

any of the small bulbs making up a compound bulb of garlic, shallot, etc.

• rub a dish with a crushed clove of garlic.

– origin Old English clufu, of Germanic origin, corresponding to the first element of German Knoblauch (altered from Old High German klovolouh), and the base of cleave^1.

clove^3 /kləʊv/

past of cleave^1.

clove hitch /ˈkləʊvhɪtʃ/

I. noun

a knot by which a rope is secured by passing it twice round a spar or another rope that it crosses at right angles in such a way that both ends pass under the loop of rope at the front.

– origin mid 18th cent.: clove, past tense of cleave^1 (because the rope appears as separate parallel lines at the back of the knot).

cloven /ˈkləʊv(ə)n/

I. verb

past participle of cleave^1.

II. adjective

split or divided in two.

cloven hoof cloven foot

I. noun

1. the divided hoof or foot of ruminants such as cattle, sheep, goats, and deer.

2. a cloven hoof ascribed to a satyr, the god Pan, or to the Devil, sometimes used as a symbol or mark of the latter.

• ‹figurative› sometimes he shows the cloven hoof of the chanson writer.

II. derivatives

1. cloven-footed

adjective

2. cloven-hoofed

adjective

clover /ˈkləʊvə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a herbaceous plant of the pea family, with dense globular flower heads and leaves which are typically three-lobed. It is an important fodder and rotational crop.
●Genus Trifolium, family Leguminosae: many species.

II. phrases

in clover

in ease and luxury

• we'll be in clover down there, lying around in the sun and fishing on the lake.

• food retailers are in clover.

– origin Old English clāfre, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch klaver and German Klee.

cloverleaf /ˈkləʊvəliːf/

noun

1. a shape or pattern resembling a leaf of clover.

2. (N. Amer.) a junction of roads intersecting at different levels with connecting sections forming the pattern of a four-leaved clover.

Clovis^1 /ˈkləʊvɪs/

(465–511), king of the Franks 481–511. He extended Merovingian rule to Gaul and Germany, making Paris his capital. After his conversion to Christianity he championed orthodoxy against the Arian Visigoths, finally defeating them in the battle of Poitiers (507).

Clovis^2 /ˈkləʊvɪs/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Archaeology] a Palaeo-Indian culture of Central and North America, dated to about 11,500–11,000 years ago and earlier. The culture is distinguished by heavy leaf-shaped stone spearheads ( Clovis points).
Compare with Folsom.

– origin first found near Clovis in eastern New Mexico, US.

clown /klaʊn/

I. noun

1. a comic entertainer, especially one in a circus, wearing a traditional costume and exaggerated make-up.

• a circus clown.

2. a playful, extrovert person

• Martin was always the class clown.

3. a foolish or incompetent person

• we need a serious government, not a bunch of clowns.

4. ‹archaic› an unsophisticated country person; a rustic.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. behave in a comical or playful way

• Harvey clowned around pretending to be a dog.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 2 of the noun): perhaps of Low German origin.

clownfish /ˈklaʊnfɪʃ/

noun

a small tropical marine fish with bold vertical stripes or other bright coloration. It lives in close association with anemones and is protected from their stings by mucus. Also called anemone fish.
●Genera Amphiprion and Premnas, family Pomacentridae: several species.

clownish /ˈklaʊnɪʃ/

I. adjective

characteristic of or resembling a clown, especially in being foolish, playful, or humorously exaggerated

• clownish antics

• they only manage to look clumsy and clownish.

II. derivatives

1. clownishly

adverb

2. clownishness

noun

cloy /klɔɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. cloying)

1. disgust or sicken (someone) with an excess of sweetness, richness, or sentiment

• a romantic, rather cloying story

• [no obj.] the first sip gives a malty taste that never cloys.

II. derivatives

cloyingly /ˈklɔɪɪŋli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: shortening of obsolete accloy ‘stop up, choke’, from Old French encloyer ‘drive a nail into’, from medieval Latin inclavare, from clavus ‘a nail’.

clozapine /ˈkləʊzəpiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a sedative drug used to treat schizophrenia.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from c(h)lo(ro)- + elements of benzodiazepine.

cloze test /ˈkləʊz tɛst/

I. noun

a procedure in which a subject is asked to supply words that have been removed from a passage as a test of their ability to comprehend text.

– origin 1950s: cloze representing a spoken abbreviation of closure.

CLP

abbreviation

Chilean peso(s).

club^1 /klʌb/

I. noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.] — an association dedicated to a particular interest or activity

• I belong to a photographic club

• [as modifier] the club secretary.

2. the premises used by a particular club.

• a jazz club.

• a social club.

3. an organization offering members social amenities, meals, and temporary residence

• we had dinner at his club.

4. [usu. with modifier] — a commercial organization offering members special benefits

• a shopping club.

5. [with adj. or noun modifier] — a group of people or nations having something in common

• the wild man of the movies refused to join the teetotal club.

6. [treated as sing. or pl.] — an organization constituted to play matches in a particular sport

• a football club.

7. a nightclub playing fashionable dance music.
[as modifier]

• the club scene.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ( club together) — (Brit.) combine with others so as to collect a sum of money for a particular purpose

• friends and colleagues clubbed together to buy him a present.

2. ‹informal› go out to nightclubs

• she enjoys going clubbing in Oxford.

III. phrases

1. in the club (or the pudding club)

(Brit.) ‹informal› pregnant.

2. join the club

[in imperative] — ‹informal› used as an observation that someone else is in a similar difficult situation to oneself

• if you're confused, join the club!

IV. derivatives

clubber /ˈklʌbə /

noun

club 1 (sense 2 of the verb)

– origin early 17th cent. (as a verb): formed obscurely from club^2.

club^2 /klʌb/

I. noun

1. a heavy stick with a thick end, used as a weapon.

• they beat him with a wooden club.

2. short for golf club.

3. ( clubs) — one of the four suits in a conventional pack of playing cards, denoted by a black trefoil.

4. a card of such a suit.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. beat (a person or animal) with a club or similar implement

• the islanders clubbed whales to death.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse clubba, variant of klumba; related to clump.

clubbable /ˈklʌbəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

suitable for membership of a club because of one's sociability or popularity.

• his social world was inhabited exclusively by clubbable men.

II. derivatives

clubbability

noun

clubbiness /ˈklʌbɪnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the quality of being friendly and sociable with fellow members of a group but not with outsiders

• the clubbiness of media folk.

clubby /ˈklʌbi/

adjective

‹informal› friendly and sociable with fellow members of a group but not with outsiders.

• the clubby, late-night world of Parliament.

club car

noun

(N. Amer.) a railway carriage equipped with a lounge and other amenities.

club class

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a class of seating on an aircraft that is superior to economy class but less expensive than first class, intended especially for people travelling on business

• upgrade to the comfort of club class

• [as modifier] club class passengers

• [as adv.] he often flies club class.

club foot

I. noun

1. a deformed foot which is twisted so that the sole cannot be placed flat on the ground.
Also called talipes.

2. a woodland toadstool with a greyish-brown cap, pale yellow gills, and a stem with a swollen woolly base, found in both Eurasia and North America.
● Clitocybe clavipes, family Tricholomataceae, class Hymenomycetes.

II. derivatives

club-footed /ˌklʌbˈfʊtɪd /

adjective

clubhouse /ˈklʌbhaʊs/

noun

a building having a bar and other facilities for the members of a club.

clubland /ˈklʌbland/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) an area of a town or city with many nightclubs.

2. (Brit.) the world of nightclubs and nightclubbers.

• he was already a star in clubland.

• [as modifier] the show featured four clubland favourites.

clubman /ˈklʌbmən/

noun

a man who is a member of a gentleman's club.

• the MP has a reputation as a Blimpish clubman and Tory curmudgeon.

clubmate

noun

a fellow member of a sports club.

clubmoss /ˈklʌbmɒs/

noun

a low-growing flowerless plant that resembles a large moss, having branching stems with undivided leaves.
●Class Lycopsida, division Pteridophyta: three living families, in particular Lycopodiaceae and Selaginellaceae (the lesser clubmosses).

clubroot /ˈklʌbruːt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fungal disease of cabbages, turnips, and related plants, in which the root becomes swollen and distorted by a single large gall or groups of smaller ones.
●The fungus is Plasmodiophora brassicae, subdivision Mastigomycotina.

clubrush

noun

a tall rush-like water plant of the sedge family. Also called bulrush.
● Scirpus and related genera, family Cyperaceae, in particular the common S. lacustris, used for weaving.

club sandwich

noun

a sandwich consisting typically of chicken and bacon, tomato, lettuce, and dressing, with two layers of filling between three slices of bread.

club soda

noun

‹trademark› North American term for soda (sense 1).

cluck /klʌk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a hen) make a short, low sound.

• the chickens clucked and scratched in the dirt.

2. (of a person) make a short, low sound with one's tongue to express concern or disapproval

• the bystanders shook their heads and clucked sympathetically

• [with obj.] Carmichael clucked his tongue irritably.

3. [no obj.] ( cluck over/around) — express fussy concern about

• Pauline became worried about her health and constantly clucked over her.

II. noun

1. the short, low sound made by a hen.

2. a short, low sound made by a person to express concern or disapproval

• Loretta gave a cluck of impatience.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a foolish person.

– origin late 15th cent.: imitative, corresponding to Danish klukke, Swedish klucka.

clucky

adjective

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› (of a hen) sitting or ready to sit on eggs.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› (of a woman) broody

• Mum's gone clucky.

cludgie /ˈklʌdʒi/

I. noun

(Scottish) ‹informal› a toilet

• three people needed hospital treatment in Glasgow after old cludgies collapsed beneath them.

– origin 1960s: origin uncertain.

clue /kluː/

I. noun

1. a piece of evidence or information used in the detection of a crime

• police officers are still searching for clues.

2. a fact or idea that serves to reveal something or solve a problem

• archaeological evidence can give clues about the past.

3. a word or words giving an indication as to what is to be inserted in a particular space in a crossword.

• a long-pondered clue in a half-completed crossword.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( clue someone in)

1. ‹informal› inform someone about a particular matter

• Stella had clued her in about Peter.

III. phrases

have a clue

[usu. with negative] — ‹informal› know about something or about how to do something

• I didn't have a clue what was happening.

– origin late Middle English: variant of clew. The original sense was ‘a ball of thread’; hence one used to guide a person out of a labyrinth. Sense 1 of the noun dates from the early 17th cent.

clued-up /ˌkluːdˈʌp / ‹N. Amer.› clued-in

adjective

‹informal› well informed about a particular subject.

• I'm not too clued-up on turtles' habits.

clueful

adjective

‹informal› having knowledge or understanding of something; well informed

• clueful helpline operators.

clueless /ˈkluːləs/

I. adjective

having no knowledge, understanding, or ability

• you're clueless about how to deal with the world.

II. derivatives

1. cluelessly

adverb

2. cluelessness

noun

cluey /ˈkluːi/

I. adjective

(Austral.) ‹informal› wise, knowledgeable, or aware

• the article is easily comprehensible by a cluey high-schooler

• we are cluey enough to know that the system survives only with huge subsidies.

– origin 1960s: from clue, probably by analogy with clueless.

Cluj–Napoca /kluːʒˈnɑːpɒkə/

a city in west central Romania; pop. 305,620 (2006). The city was founded by 12th-century German-speaking colonists; by the 19th century it belonged to Hungary and was the cultural centre of Transylvania. The name was changed from Cluj in the mid 1970s to incorporate the name of a nearby ancient settlement.
Hungarian name Kolozsvár; German name Klausenburg.

Clumber spaniel /ˈklʌmbə/

I. noun

a spaniel of a slow, heavily built breed.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire.

clump /klʌmp/

I. noun

1. a small group of trees or plants growing closely together

• a clump of ferns.

2. a small, compact group of people

• they sat on the wall in clumps of two and three.

3. a compacted mass or lump of something

• clumps of earth.

4. [Physiology] an agglutinated mass of blood cells or bacteria, especially as an indicator of the presence of an antibody to them.

5. another term for clomp.

6. a thick extra sole on a boot or shoe.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. form a clump or clumps

• the particles tend to clump together.

2. another term for clomp.

– origin Middle English (denoting a heap or lump): partly imitative, reinforced by Middle Low German klumpe and Middle Dutch klompe; related to club^2.

clumpy /ˈklʌmpi/

adjective

1. (also clompy) (clompier, clompiest) — (Brit.) (of shoes or boots) heavy and inelegant.

• opaque tights and clumpy shoes.

2. forming or showing a tendency to form clumps.

• ultraviolet radiation penetrates the clumpy clouds.

clumsily /ˈklʌmzɪli/

adverb

1. in an awkward and careless way

• he climbed clumsily over the rail

• I reached over and fumbled clumsily until my finger found the button.

2. in a way that lacks skill or finesse

• poorly aimed, clumsily executed shots

• the clumsily translated English copy.

3. in a tactless way that shows a lack of social skills

• they clumsily said the wrong thing

• some of the issues are handled clumsily.

clumsiness /ˈklʌmzinəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being awkward or careless in one's movements

• my bumbling clumsiness

• in an impressive display of clumsiness, I managed to spill peppermint tea on my desk.

2. the quality of being done in a way that lacks skill or finesse

• the telltale clumsiness of the amateur

• the sheer clumsiness of the ploy made it sure to be uncovered.

3. the quality of being tactless and lacking social skills

• the clumsiness of his flirtation.

clumsy /ˈklʌmzi/

I. adjective

1. awkward in movement or in handling things

• the cold made his fingers clumsy.

2. done awkwardly or without skill

• a very clumsy attempt to park.

3. difficult to handle or use; unwieldy

• clumsy devices

• the legal procedure is far too clumsy.

4. lacking social skills; tactless

• his choice of words was clumsy.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete clumse ‘make or be numb’, probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Swedish klumsig.

clunch

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) soft limestone capable of being easily worked.

• they used clunch for most domestic building.

• [as modifier] sections of clunch wall in the stable.

– origin early 19th cent.: perhaps from dialect clunch ‘lumpy, thickset’.

clung /klʌŋ/

past and past participle of cling.

clunge /klʌn(d)ʒ/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› a woman's genitals.

2. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› a person's buttocks or anus.

– origin 1970s: origin uncertain, possibly ultimately related to cling.

Cluniac /ˈkluːnɪak/

I. adjective

relating to a reformed Benedictine monastic order founded at Cluny in eastern France in 910.

II. noun

a monk of the Cluniac order.

clunk /klʌŋk/

I. noun

1. a dull sound such as that made by heavy metal objects striking together.

• there was a clunk as the receiver went down.

2. (US) ‹informal› a stupid or foolish person.

• don't let her see what a clunk I'm married to.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. move with or make a clunk

• the machinery clunked into life.

– origin late 18th cent. (originally Scots, as a verb): imitative; compare with clank, clink^1, and clonk.

clunker /ˈklʌŋkə/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a dilapidated vehicle or machine.

• old clunkers are the primary source of pollution.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a thing that is totally unsuccessful

• novel after novel and not a clunker among them.

clunky /ˈklʌŋki/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› solid, heavy, and old-fashioned

• even last year's laptops look clunky.

2. ‹informal› (of shoes) clumpy

• clunky Dr Martens.

3. ‹informal› making a clunking sound

• clunky conveyor belts.

II. derivatives

1. clunkily

adverb

2. clunkiness

noun

clupeoid /ˈkluːpɪɔɪd / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a marine fish of a group that includes the herring family together with the anchovies and related fish.
●Order Clupeiformes or suborder Clupeoidei.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting the clupeoids.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Clupeoidei (plural), from Latin clupea, the name of a river fish.

cluster /ˈklʌstə/

I. noun

1. a group of similar things or people positioned or occurring closely together

• clusters of creamy-white flowers

• they stood there in a frightened cluster.

2. [Astronomy] a group of stars or galaxies forming a relatively close association

• there are several clusters in Cassiopeia.

3. (also consonant cluster) — [Linguistics] a group of consonants pronounced in immediate succession, as str in strong.

4. a natural subgroup of a population, used for statistical sampling or analysis.

• ten clusters from all the primary health centres were selected.

5. [Chemistry] a group of atoms of the same element, typically a metal, bonded closely together in a molecule.

• noble-metal clusters supported on an acidic carrier.

• [as modifier] a cluster compound.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. form a cluster or clusters

• the children clustered round her skirts.

2. [Statistics] (of data points) have similar numerical values

• students tended to have marks clustering around 70 per cent.

– origin Old English clyster; probably related to clot.

cluster bean

noun

another term for guar.

cluster bomb

noun

a bomb which releases a number of projectiles on impact.

clustered

adjective

1. growing or situated in a group

• the spires and clustered roofs of the old town.

2. [Architecture] (of pillars or columns) positioned close together, or arranged round or half-detached from a pier.

• slender, lofty piers are encircled with clustered column shafts.

cluster fly

noun

a fly which enters buildings in large numbers while looking for a place to overwinter.
● Pollenia rudis (family Calliphoridae), and the smaller Thaumatomyia notata (family Chloropidae).

clusterfuck

I. noun

(US) ‹vulgar slang› a disastrously mishandled situation or undertaking.

– origin 1960s: from cluster + fuck.

cluster headache

noun

a type of severe headache in which the pain is usually limited to one side of the head, tending to recur over a period of several weeks.

cluster pine

noun

another term for maritime pine.

clutch^1 /klʌtʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. grasp (something) tightly

• he stood clutching a microphone

• ‹figurative› Mrs Longhill clutched at the idea.

II. noun

1. a tight grasp

• she made a clutch at his body.

2. ( someone's clutches) — a person's power or control, especially when regarded as inescapable

• Tom had fallen into Amanda's clutches.

3. a mechanism for connecting and disconnecting an engine and the transmission system in a vehicle, or the working parts of any machine.

• she let the clutch in and the car surged forward.

4. the pedal operating the clutch in a vehicle.

5. (N. Amer.) a clutch bag.

III. adjective

1. (US) ‹informal› (in sport) denoting or occurring at a critical situation in which the outcome of a game or competition is at stake

• they both are hard-nosed players who seem to thrive in clutch situations.

2. (US) ‹informal› (of a player or action) achieving or characterized by success at a critical moment in a game or competition

• a clutch quarterback

• clutch performances.

IV. phrases

1. clutch at straws

see straw.

2. in the clutch

(US) ‹informal› at a critical moment

• why are some athletes able to perform in the clutch while others choke?

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘bend, crook’): variant of obsolete clitch ‘close the hand’, from Old English clyccan ‘crook, clench’, of Germanic origin.

clutch^2 /klʌtʃ/

I. noun

1. a group of eggs fertilized at the same time, laid in a single session and (in birds) incubated together.

• they lay fewer than ten eggs in a clutch.

2. a brood of chicks.

• the number of chicks in a clutch varies according to the availability of food and the danger of predators.

3. a small group of people or things

• a clutch of brightly painted holiday homes.

– origin early 18th cent.: probably a southern variant of northern English dialect cletch, related to Middle English cleck ‘to hatch’, from Old Norse klekja.

clutch bag ‹N. Amer.› clutch

noun

a slim, flat handbag without handles or a strap.

Clutha /ˈkluːθə/

a gold-bearing river at the southern end of the South Island, New Zealand. It flows 338 km (213 miles) to the Pacific Ocean.

clutter /ˈklʌtə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover or fill (something) with an untidy collection of things

• the room was cluttered with his bric-a-brac.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a collection of things lying about in an untidy state

• the attic is full of clutter.

2. [in sing.] — an untidy state

• the room was in a clutter of smelly untidiness.

– origin late Middle English: variant of dialect clotter ‘to clot’, influenced by cluster and clatter.

Clwyd /ˈkluːɪd/

a former county of NE Wales, replaced in 1996 by Denbighshire and Flintshire.

Clyde /klʌɪd/

a river in western central Scotland which flows 170 km (106 miles) from the Southern Uplands to the Firth of Clyde, formerly famous for the shipbuilding industries along its banks.

Clyde, Firth of

the estuary of the River Clyde in western Scotland which separates southern Scotland to the east from the southern extremities of the Highlands to the north-west.

Clydesdale

I. noun

1. a horse of a heavy, powerful breed, used for pulling heavy loads.

2. a dog of a small breed of terrier.

– origin from the name of the area around the River Clyde in Scotland, where they were originally bred.

clype /klʌɪp / ‹Scottish›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. inform on someone; tell tales

• the scam went on for two weeks until disgruntled neighbours clyped on him.

II. noun

an informer.

– origin early 18th cent.: obscurely developed from Old English cleopian ‘call’, of Germanic origin.

clypeus /ˈklɪpɪəs/

I. noun

[Entomology] a broad plate at the front of an insect's head.

II. derivatives

clypeal

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘round shield’.

clyster /ˈklɪstə/

I. noun

archaic term for enema.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French clystere or Latin clyster, from Greek klustēr ‘syringe’, from kluzein ‘wash out’.

Clytemnestra /ˌklʌɪtɪmˈnɛstrə / ‹Greek Mythology›

wife of Agamemnon. She conspired with her lover Aegisthus to murder Agamemnon on his return from the Trojan War, and was murdered in retribution by her son Orestes and her daughter Electra.

cm

abbreviation

centimetre(s).

Cm

symbol

the chemical element curium.

CM

abbreviation

1. command module.

2. common metre.

3. Member of the Order of Canada.

Cm.

abbreviation

(in the UK) Command Paper (sixth series, 1986–).

CMC

abbreviation

computer-mediated communication, i.e. communication by means of email, instant messaging, social media, etc.

Cmd.

abbreviation

(in the UK) Command Paper (fourth series, 1918–56).

Cmdr

abbreviation

Commander.

Cmdre

abbreviation

Commodore.

CMEA

abbreviation

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance.

CMG

abbreviation

(in the UK) Companion (of the Order) of St Michael and St George.

Cmnd.

abbreviation

(in the UK) Command Paper (fifth series, 1956–86).

c'mon /kəˈmɒn/

contraction

come on

• C'mon, it'll be fun!

CMOS

I. noun — [often as modifier]

1. [Electronics] a technology for making low power integrated circuits.

• a CMOS integrated circuit.

2. [Electronics] a chip built using CMOS technology.

• within a few weeks the CMOS loses the system set-up as well as date and time.

– origin 1980s: from Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor.

CMS

abbreviation

content management system (a system designed to manage the content of a website or other electronic resource that is used collaboratively by a number of people)

• the choice of the proper CMS can have a big impact on the success of a website.

CMV

abbreviation

cytomegalovirus.

Cn

symbol

the chemical element copernicium.

CNAA

abbreviation

(formerly in the UK) Council for National Academic Awards.

CND

abbreviation

(in the UK) Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

cnemial crest /ˈ(k)niːmɪəl/

I. noun

[Zoology] (in the legs of many mammals, birds, and dinosaurs) a ridge at the front of the head of the tibia or tibiotarsus to which the main extensor muscle of the thigh is attached.

– origin late 19th cent.: cnemial, from Greek knēmē ‘tibia’ + -al.

CNG

abbreviation

compressed natural gas.

Cnidaria /(k)nʌɪˈdɛːrɪə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a phylum of aquatic invertebrate animals that comprises the coelenterates.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek knidē ‘nettle’.

cnidarian ‹Zoology›

I. noun

an aquatic invertebrate animal of the phylum Cnidaria, which comprises the coelenterates.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting cnidarians.

CNN

abbreviation

Cable News Network.

C-note

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› a 100 dollar bill

• Helen's dad handed me a C-note for bringing his daughter home and this paid for the gas.

– origin 1930s: from the Roman numeral C (for 100).

cnr

abbreviation

corner.

CNS

abbreviation

central nervous system.

CN Tower

I. a tower in Toronto, Canada, the tallest self-supporting man-made structure in the world when it was completed in 1976. It stands 553 m (1,815 ft) high including a 100 m (328 ft) communications mast.

– origin CN from C anadian N ational (Railways).

CNY

abbreviation

1. Chinese New Year.

• the firecrackers mark the official start of CNY.

2. Chinese yuan.

Co

symbol

the chemical element cobalt.

CO

abbreviation

1. Colombia (international vehicle registration).

2. Colorado (in official postal use).

3. Commanding Officer.

4. conscientious objector.

Co. /kəʊ/

I. abbreviation

1. company

• the Consett Iron Co.

2. county

• Co. Cork.

II. phrases

and Co. /kəʊ /

a. used as part of the titles of businesses to designate the partner or partners not named.

b. (also and co.) — ‹informal› and the rest of them

• I waited for Mark and Co. to arrive.

c/o /siːˈəʊ/

abbreviation

care of.

co- /kəʊ/

I. prefix

1. (forming nouns) joint; mutual; common

• co-driver

• co-education.

2. (forming adjectives) jointly; mutually

• coequal.

3. (forming verbs) together with another or others

• co-produce.

4. [Mathematics] of the complement of an angle

• cosine.

5. the complement of

• co-latitude.

– origin from Latin, originally a form of com-.

CoA

abbreviation

[Biochemistry] coenzyme A.

coacervate /kəʊˈasəveɪt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a colloid-rich viscous liquid phase which may separate from a colloidal solution on addition of a third component.

– origin early 20th cent.: back-formation from coacervation, based on Latin cum ‘(together) with’ + acervus ‘heap’.

coach^1 /kəʊtʃ/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a comfortably equipped single-decker bus used for longer journeys
[as modifier]

• a coach trip.

2. (Brit.) a railway carriage.

3. (also coach class) — (N. Amer.) the cheapest class of seating in an aircraft or train.

4. a closed horse-drawn carriage.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. travel by coach

• fly or coach to the shores of the Mediterranean.

III. adverb

(N. Amer.) in economy class accommodation in an aircraft or train.

• many employees are now flying coach instead of business class to Europe.

IV. phrases

drive a coach and horses through

(Brit.) make (something) ineffective

• he's driving a coach and horses through our environmental legislation.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 3 of the noun): from French coche, from Hungarian kocsi (szekér) ‘(wagon) from Kocs’, a town in Hungary.

coach^2 /kəʊtʃ/

I. noun

1. an instructor or trainer in sport.

• a football coach.

• the coach of the Canadian team.

2. a private tutor who gives extra teaching.

3. (Austral.) another term for coacher.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. train or instruct (a team or player)

• he moved on to coach the England team.

2. give (someone) extra teaching

• she was coached for stardom by her mother.

3. teach (a subject or sport) as a coach

• he teaches history and coaches rugby.

4. give (someone) instructions as to what to do or say in a particular situation

• he had improperly coached a witness to testify more credibly.

5. give (someone) professional advice on how to attain their goals.

– origin early 18th cent. (as a verb): figuratively from coach^1.

coach bolt

noun

(Brit.) a large bolt with a round head, used for fixing wooden panels to masonry or to one another.

coach-built

I. adjective

(Brit.) (of a vehicle) having specially or individually built bodywork.

II. derivatives

coachbuilder /ˈkəʊtʃˌbɪldə /

noun

coacher

noun

(Austral.) a docile cow or bullock used as a decoy to attract wild cattle.

coach house

noun

a building in which a carriage is or was kept.

coaching inn

noun

‹historical› an inn along a route followed by horse-drawn coaches, at which horses could be changed.

coachload /ˈkəʊtʃləʊd/

noun

(Brit.) a group of people travelling in a coach

• coachloads of tourists trudging round Oxford.

coachman /ˈkəʊtʃmən/

noun

a driver of a horse-drawn carriage.

coachroof

noun

a raised part of the cabin roof of a yacht.

coach station

noun

(Brit.) an area or building from or at which coaches leave or arrive on a regular basis.

coachwhip

noun

1. (also coachwhip snake) — a harmless fast-moving North American snake, whose scales form a pattern said to resemble a braided whip.
● Masticophis flagellum, family Colubridae.

2. (also coachwhip bird) — (Austral.) the whipbird.

coachwood

noun

a slender tree of the rainforests of Australia and New Guinea, with close-grained timber that is used for cabinetmaking and veneers.
● Ceratopetalum apetalum, family Cunoniaceae.

coachwork /ˈkəʊtʃwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the bodywork of a road or railway vehicle.

• a Daimler limousine with coachwork by Barker & Co.

coaction /kəʊˈakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of working or acting together; cooperation.

II. derivatives

coactive /kəʊˈaktɪv /

adjective

Coade stone /ˈkəʊd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) an artificial stone claimed to have greater resistance to frost and heat than natural stone, formerly much used for statues, decorative work, etc.

– origin from the name of the family whose company manufactured the stone.

coadjutor /kəʊˈadʒʊtə/

I. noun

a bishop appointed to assist and often to succeed a diocesan bishop.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin coadjutor, from co- (from Latin cum ‘together with’) + adjutor ‘assistant’ (from adjuvare ‘to help’).

coagulant /kəʊˈaɡjʊlənt/

I. noun

a substance that causes blood or another liquid to coagulate.

• an injection of blood coagulant.

• [ count noun] I'll give a sedative, then a coagulant.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin coagulant- ‘curdling’, from the verb coagulare (see coagulate).

coagulase /kəʊˈaɡjʊleɪz, kəʊˈaɡjʊleɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a bacterial enzyme which brings about the coagulation of blood or plasma and is produced by disease-causing forms of staphylococcus.

coagulate /kəʊˈaɡjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a fluid, especially blood) change to a solid or semi-solid state

• blood had coagulated round the edges of the gash.

2. [with obj.] — cause (a fluid) to change to a solid or semi-solid state

• adrenaline coagulates the blood.

II. derivatives

1. coagulable

adjective

2. coagulative /kəʊˈaɡjʊlətɪv /

adjective

3. coagulator /ˌkəʊˈaɡjʊleɪtə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin coagulat- ‘curdled’, from the verb coagulare, from coagulum ‘rennet’.

coagulation /kəʊaɡjuˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of a liquid, especially blood, changing to a solid or semi-solid state

• a supplement that inhibits blood coagulation

• [as modifier] an abnormal coagulation test result.

coagulum /kəʊˈaɡjʊləm/

I. noun

a mass of coagulated matter.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a coagulant): from Latin, literally ‘rennet’.

Coahuila /ˌkəʊəˈwiːlə/

a state of northern Mexico, on the border with the US; capital, Saltillo.

coal /kəʊl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a combustible black or dark brown rock consisting chiefly of carbonized plant matter, found mainly in underground seams and used as fuel.

• two bags of coal.

• [as modifier] a coal fire.

2. [ count noun] — (Brit.) a piece of coal.

• men were loading coals into a wagon.

3. [ count noun] — a red-hot piece of coal or other material in a fire

• the glowing coals.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide with a supply of coal
(as noun coaling)

• the coaling and watering of the engine.

2. [no obj.] — mine or extract coal

• we have now finished coaling at the site.

III. phrases

1. coals to Newcastle

something supplied to a place where it is already plentiful.

2. haul someone over the coals

(Brit.) reprimand someone severely.

• bank chiefs are to be hauled over the coals by the Chancellor.

IV. derivatives

coaly /ˈkəʊli /

adjective

– origin Old English col (in the senses ‘glowing ember’ and ‘charred remnant’), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kool and German Kohle. The sense ‘combustible mineral used as fuel’ dates from Middle English.

coal-black

adjective

completely black

• a woman with coal-black eyes.

coal bunker

noun

a place for storing coal.

coaler /ˈkəʊlə/

noun

1. a ship that transports coal.

2. a large mechanized structure for loading coal on to a ship, railway wagon, or steam locomotive.

coalesce /ˌkəʊəˈlɛs/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. come together to form one mass or whole

• the puddles had coalesced into shallow streams.

2. [with obj.] — combine (elements) in a mass or whole

• his idea served to coalesce all that happened into one connected whole.

II. derivatives

1. coalescence /kəʊəˈlɛsns /

noun

2. coalescent

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin coalescere ‘grow together’, from co- (from cum ‘with’) + alescere ‘grow up’ (from alere ‘nourish’).

coalface /ˈkəʊlfeɪs/

I. noun

an exposed surface of coal in a mine.

II. phrases

at the coalface

(Brit.) engaged in work at an active rather than a theoretical level in a particular field.

• academics should work closely alongside the clinicians at the coalface.

coalfield /ˈkəʊlfiːld/

noun

an extensive area containing a number of underground coal strata.

coal-fired

adjective

using coal as fuel

• a coal-fired power station.

coalfish

noun

another term for saithe.

coal gas

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mixture of gases (chiefly hydrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide) obtained by the destructive distillation of coal and formerly used for lighting and heating.

coal-hole

noun

(Brit.) a compartment or small cellar used for storing coal.

coalhouse

noun

a building used for storing coal.

coalition /ˌkəʊəˈlɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a temporary alliance for combined action, especially of political parties forming a government

• a coalition between Liberals and Conservatives

• [ mass noun] they had a taste of government in coalition with the Social Democrats.

II. derivatives

coalitionist /ˌkəʊəˈlɪʃ(ə)nɪst /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘fusion’): from medieval Latin coalitio(n-), from the verb coalescere (see coalesce). Usage in politics dates from the late 18th cent.

coalman /ˈkəʊlmən/

noun

a man who delivers coal to people's houses.

coal measures

plural noun

[Geology] a series of strata of the Carboniferous period, including coal seams.

coal mine

noun

an excavation in the earth for extracting coal.

coal miner

noun

a person who works in a coal mine

• 200 coal miners were trapped deep underground for around six hours.

coalmouse /ˈkəʊlmaʊs / colemouse

I. noun

another term for coal tit.

– origin Old English colmāse, from col ‘charred remnant’ + māse ‘titmouse’. Compare with titmouse.

coal owner

noun

‹chiefly historical› the owner of a colliery.

Coalport

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of porcelain, frequently decorated with floral designs, produced at Coalport in Shropshire, England, from the late 18th century.

coal pot

noun

(chiefly W. Indian) a cooking device consisting of an iron grid over a raised iron bowl that holds burning charcoal.

Coalsack ‹Astronomy›

a dark nebula of dust near the Southern Cross that gives the appearance of a gap in the stars of the Milky Way.

coal scuttle

noun

a metal container with a sloping lid used to carry coal for a domestic fire.

coal tar

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a thick black liquid produced by distilling bituminous coal, containing benzene, naphthalene, phenols, aniline, and many other organic chemicals.

coal tit cole tit

noun

a small Eurasian and North African tit (songbird) with a grey back, black cap and throat, and white cheeks.
● Parus ater, family Paridae.

coaming /ˈkəʊmɪŋ / coamings

I. noun

a raised border round the cockpit or hatch of a yacht or other boat to keep out water.

• I stepped over the coaming and down into the cockpit.

• mooring ropes are housed in the side pockets in the coamings.

– origin early 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

coaptation /ˌkəʊapˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the adaptation or adjustment of things or people to each other.

• the coaptation of immigrants and native-born citizens.

2. [Medicine] the drawing together of the separated tissue in a wound or fracture.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin coaptatio(n-), from the verb coaptare, from co- (from Latin cum ‘with, together’) + aptare (from aptus ‘apt’).

coarct /kəʊˈɑːkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› [chiefly Anatomy] [Biology] compress or constrict; press together

• blood pressure was measured immediately before and after coarcting the aorta.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin coarctare ‘to press or draw together’.

coarctate /kəʊˈɑːkteɪt/

I. adjective

1. [chiefly Anatomy] [Biology] pressed close together; contracted; compressed.

2. [Entomology] (of the pupa of certain flies) formed within and remaining concealed by the larval cuticle or puparium.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin coarctatus, past participle of coarctare ‘press or draw together’.

coarctation /ˌkəʊɑːkˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] congenital narrowing of a short section of the aorta.

• coarctation of the aorta.

• [ count noun] a freshly dilated coarctation.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin coarctatio(n-), from the verb coarctare (see coarctate).

coarse /kɔːs/

I. adjective

1. rough or harsh in texture

• a coarse woollen cloth.

2. consisting of large grains or particles

• coarse sand.

3. (of grains or particles) large.

• under the microscope they are seen to contain coarse grains.

4. (of a person's features) not elegantly formed or proportioned.

• his coarse, ugly features contorted with rage.

5. (of food or drink) of inferior quality.

• the wine is harsh, tannic, and coarse.

6. (of a person or their speech) rude or vulgar.

• a man of coarse speech.

• indecent language and coarse jests.

7. (Brit.) relating to the sport of angling for coarse fish

• coarse anglers.

II. derivatives

coarsish

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘ordinary or inferior’): origin uncertain; until the 17th cent. identical in spelling with course, and possibly derived from the latter in the sense ‘ordinary manner’.

coarse fish

noun

(Brit.) any freshwater fish other than salmon and trout.

• many of the coarse fish are spawning in the vegetation.

Compare with game fish.

coarse-grained /ˈkɔːsɡreɪnd/

adjective

1. coarse in texture or grain

• coarse-grained soil.

2. (of photographic film) having a noticeably grainy appearance.

3. coarse in manner or speech

• a coarse-grained man.

4. rough rather than detailed or precise

• a very coarse-grained approximation of what is actually going on.

coarse-looking

adjective

not elegant or delicate in appearance.

coarsely /ˈkɔːsli/

adverb

1. in a coarse manner

• Carter laughed coarsely.

2. into large and irregularly shaped pieces

• chop the mushrooms coarsely

• coarsely grated cheese.

coarsen /ˈkɔːs(ə)n/

verb

1. make or become rough
[with obj.]

• her hands were coarsened by outside work

• [no obj.] his facial features appeared to coarsen with age.

2. make or become vulgar or unpleasant
[with obj.]

• her experience has not coarsened her or made her cynical.

coarseness /ˈkɔːsnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being rough or harsh

• the coarseness of her hair.

2. the quality of being coarse in texture

• you can set the desired coarseness of your flour.

3. rudeness; vulgarity

• he disliked the coarseness of the men around him.

coarticulation /ˌkəʊɑːtɪkjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Phonetics] the articulation of two or more speech sounds together, so that one influences the other.

• allophones can occur as a result of coarticulation across word boundaries.

coast /kəʊst/

I. noun

1. the part of the land adjoining or near the sea

• the west coast of Africa

• they sailed further up the coast.

2. ( the Coast) — (N. Amer.) the Pacific coast of North America.

3. the easy movement of a vehicle without the use of power.

• once the coast to the moon had begun, Apollo was separated from the third stage.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a person or vehicle) move easily without using power

• they were coasting down a long hill.

2. proceed without making much effort

• Colchester coasted to victory.

3. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — sail along the coast, especially in order to carry cargo
(as adj. coasting)

• a coasting schooner.

III. phrases

the coast is clear

there is no danger of being observed or caught.

• the streetcleaners kept stopping off for a smoke when the coast was clear.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘side of the body’), from Old French coste (noun), costeier (verb), from Latin costa ‘rib, flank, side’. Sense 1 of the noun arose from the phrase coast of the sea ‘side of the sea’.

coastal /ˈkəʊstl/

adjective

of or near a coast

• coastal erosion

• coastal waters.

coast disease

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) a disease of sheep caused by deficiency in certain minerals, formerly prevalent in coastal southern Australia

• the application of copper sulphate eliminated coast disease.

coasteering

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Brit.) the sport or activity of exploring a rocky coastline by climbing, jumping, and swimming.

• the more adventurous can try some of the various outdoor leisure activities, such as windsurfing, coasteering , kayaking, diving, or surfing.

– origin blend of coast and mountaineering.

coaster /ˈkəʊstə/

noun

1. a small mat for a bottle or glass.

2. a ship used to carry cargo along the coast from port to port.

3. [with adj.] — a person who inhabits a specified coast

• a West coaster.

4. (N. Amer.) a toboggan.

5. short for roller coaster.

coastguard /ˈkəʊs(t)ɡɑːd/

noun — ( the coastguard)

1. an organization keeping watch on coastal waters in order to assist people or ships in danger and to prevent smuggling.

• the speedy response of the coastguard.

• [as modifier] a coastguard station.

2. (chiefly Brit.) a member of the coastguard organization.

• four yachtsmen were saved by coastguards after their vessel flooded.

coastland

noun — [ mass noun] (also coastlands)

1. an expanse of land near the sea.

coastline /ˈkəʊs(t)lʌɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the land along a coast

• the hotel has wonderful views of the rugged coastline.

coast to coast

adjective, adverb

all the way across an island or continent
[as adv.]

• the game was telecast coast to coast

• (as adj. coast-to-coast) a coast-to-coast journey.

coastwise

adjective, adverb

along or connected with the coast
[as adj.]

• a small coastwise steamer

• [as adv.] the cargo was ferried coastwise.

coat /kəʊt/

I. noun

1. an outer garment with sleeves, worn outdoors and typically extending below the hips

• a winter coat

• [as modifier] his coat pocket.

2. a protective outer garment worn indoors

• a laboratory coat.

3. a man's jacket, especially as worn when hunting or by soldiers.

4. a woman's tailored jacket, worn with a skirt or dress.

• she wore a pale linen coat and skirt.

5. an animal's covering of fur or hair.

• a dog's coat may become tangled and matted.

6. an outer layer or covering.
[with modifier]

• the protein coat of the virus.

7. a single application of paint or similar material on a surface

• apply a final top coat of varnish.

8. a structure, especially a membrane, enclosing or lining an organ.

9. the skin or husk of a fruit or seed.

10. a layer of a plant bulb.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide with a layer or covering of something

• her right leg was coated in plaster

• coat each part with a thin oil

• (as adj., in combination -coated) plastic-coated wire.

2. (of a substance) form a covering to

• a film of dust coated the floor.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cote, of unknown ultimate origin.

coat armour

noun — [ mass noun]

1. heraldic arms.

coat check

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a cloakroom with an attendant.

II. derivatives

coat-checker

noun

coat dress

noun

a woman's tailored dress that resembles a coat.

coatee /kəʊˈtiː/

noun

(Brit.) a woman's or infant's short coat.

coati /kəʊˈɑːti/

I. noun

a raccoon-like animal found mainly in Central and South America, with a long flexible snout and a ringed tail. Also called coatimundi.
●Genera Nasua and Nasuella, family Procyonidae: three or four species.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Spanish and Portuguese, from Tupi kua'ti, from cua ‘belt’ + tim ‘nose’.

coatigan /ˈkəʊtɪɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

a long cardigan for women, made of thick yarn and designed to be worn as a coat.

– origin 1990s: blend of coat and cardigan.

coatimundi /kəʊˌɑːtɪˈmʌndi/

I. noun

another term for coati.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Portuguese, from Tupi kuatimu'ne, from kua'ti (see coati) + mu'ne ‘snare or trick’. The coatimundi was originally thought to be a different species from the coati.

coating /ˈkəʊtɪŋ/

noun

1. a thin layer or covering of something

• a coating of paint.

2. [ mass noun] — material used for making coats.

coat of arms

noun

the distinctive heraldic bearings or shield of a person, family, corporation, or country.

coat of mail

noun

‹historical› a jacket covered with or composed of metal rings or plates, serving as armour.

coat-of-mail shell

noun

another term for chiton (sense 2).

coatroom /ˈkəʊtruːm, ˈkəʊtrʊm/

noun

(N. Amer.) a cloakroom.

Coats Land

a region of Antarctica, to the east of the Antarctic Peninsula.

coat stand ‹N. Amer.› coatrack

noun

a stand with hooks on which to hang coats, hats, etc.

coat-tail

I. noun — (usu. coat-tails)

1. each of the flaps formed by the back of a tailcoat.

II. phrases

ride (on) the coattails of

benefit from the success of (another), sometimes undeservedly

• you can compete with me, but you can't do so by riding on my coat-tails.

co-author

I. noun

a joint author.

• an American teacher who later became his wife and co-author.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. be a joint author of (a book, paper, or report).

• it was the third book I had co-authored on English grammar.

coax^1 /kəʊks/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. persuade (someone) gradually or gently to do something

• the trainees were coaxed into doing boring work

• [with direct speech] ‘Come on now,’ I coaxed.

2. ( coax something from/out of) — obtain something from (someone) by gradual or gentle persuasion

• we coaxed our fare money out of my father.

3. [with obj. and adverbial] — arrange (something) carefully into a particular shape or position

• her lovely hair had been coaxed into ringlets.

II. derivatives

1. coaxer /ˈkəʊksə /

noun

2. coaxingly /ˈkəʊksɪŋli /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete cokes ‘simpleton’, of unknown origin. The original sense was ‘fondle’, hence ‘persuade by caresses or flattery’, the underlying sense being ‘make a simpleton of’.

coax^2 /ˈkəʊaks / ‹informal›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. coaxial cable.

II. adjective

coaxial.

• coax connectors.

coaxial /kəʊˈaksɪəl/

I. adjective

1. having a common axis.

2. (of a cable or line) transmitting by means of two concentric conductors separated by an insulator.

II. derivatives

coaxially

adverb

cob^1 /kɒb/

I. noun

1. (also corncob) — the central cylindrical woody part of the maize ear to which the grains are attached.

2. (Brit.) a round loaf of bread.

• a round granary cob.

3. (also cobnut) — a hazelnut or filbert.
[as modifier]

• cobnut stuffing.

4. a hazel or filbert bush.

5. a powerfully built, short-legged horse.

• he's got a nice young bay cob if you want to hack.

6. a male swan.

• ganders and cobs have permanent pair bonds.

7. (Brit.) a roundish lump of coal.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a strong man or leader): of unknown origin. The underlying general sense appears to be ‘rounded, sturdy’.

cob^2 /kɒb/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a mixture of compressed clay and straw used, especially in former times, for building walls.
[as modifier]

• cob and thatch cottages.

– origin early 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

cob^3 /kɒb/

I. noun — (in phrase have or get a cob on)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› be or get annoyed.

• he used to go on holiday when the band were due to appear on TV (Mac'd get a real cob on about it).

– origin 1930s: of unknown origin.

cob^4

noun

variant spelling of kob^2.

COB

abbreviation

close of business

• you have until COB today to show us why you should not be disconnected.

Cobain, Kurt /ˈkəʊbeɪn/

(1967–94), American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter; full name Kurt Donald Cobain. Cobain was the leader of the Seattle band Nirvana, who were internationally successful with the album Nevermind in 1991. Apparently depressed by drug and health problems, he shot himself in April 1994.

cobalamin /kə(ʊ)ˈbaləmɪn/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] any of a group of cobalt-containing substances including cyanocobalamin (vitamin B_12).

– origin 1950s: blend of cobalt and vitamin.

cobalt /ˈkəʊbɔːlt, ˈkəʊbɒlt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Co) — the chemical element of atomic number 27, a hard silvery-white magnetic metal.

2. cobalt blue
[as modifier]

• a cobalt sky.

Cobalt is chiefly obtained as a by-product from nickel and copper ores. It is a transition metal similar in many respects to nickel and is mainly used as a component of magnetic alloys and those designed for use at high temperatures.

II. derivatives

1. cobaltic /kə(ʊ)ˈbɔːltɪk, kə(ʊ)ˈbɒltɪk /

adjective

2. cobaltous /kə(ʊ)ˈbɔːltəs, kə(ʊ)ˈbɒltəs /

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: from German Kobalt ‘imp, demon’ (because the presence of cobalt-bearing ore made it more difficult to extract silver, and miners believed that it was harmful to the silver ore with which it occurred).

cobalt blue

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a deep blue pigment containing cobalt and aluminium oxides.

2. a deep blue colour.

• plates rimmed with cobalt blue.

• [ modifier] the distant cobalt-blue mountains.

cobber /ˈkɒbə/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a companion or friend (often used as a form of address between men)

• G'day cobbers!

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps related to English dialect cob ‘take a liking to’.

Cobbett, William

(1763–1835), English writer and political reformer. He started his political life as a Tory, but later became a radical and in 1802 founded the periodical Cobbett's Political Register. Notable works: Rural Rides (1830).

cobble^1 /ˈkɒb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a small round stone used to cover road surfaces.

• the sound of horses' hooves on the cobbles.

2. ( cobbles) — (Brit.) small round lumps of coal.

– origin late Middle English: from cob^1 + -le^2.

cobble^2 /ˈkɒb(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ( cobble something together) — roughly assemble or produce something from available parts or elements

• the film was imperfectly cobbled together from two separate stories.

2. ‹dated› repair (shoes).

• it had a tarnished brass knocker showing a pixie cobbling shoes.

– origin late 15th cent.: back-formation from cobbler.

cobbled /ˈkɒbld/

adjective

(of an area or roadway) paved with cobbles.

• a cobbled courtyard.

• the street was narrow and cobbled.

cobbler /ˈkɒblə/

I. noun

1. a person whose job is mending shoes.

2. [ mass noun] — an iced drink made with wine or sherry, sugar, and lemon.

• sherry cobbler.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) a dessert consisting of fruit baked in a deep dish with a thick, cake-like crust on top.

• apricot cobbler.

4. ( cobblers) — (Brit.) ‹informal› a man's testicles.

• I've been kicked in the cobblers a few times.

[from rhyming slang cobbler's awls ‘balls’.]

5. nonsense

• I thought it was a load of cobblers.

6. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› the last sheep to be shorn.
[late 19th cent.: pun in allusion to the cobbler's last.]

II. phrases

let the cobbler stick to his last

‹proverb› people should only concern themselves with things they know something about.
[translating Latin ne sutor ultra crepidam.]

– origin Middle English: of unknown origin.

cobblestone /ˈkɒb(ə)lstəʊn/

noun

another term for cobble^1.

cobby

adjective

(of horses, dogs, and other animals) shortish and thickset; stocky.

Cobden, Richard /ˈkɒbd(ə)n/

(1804–65), English political reformer, one of the leading spokesmen of the free-trade movement in Britain. From 1838, together with John Bright, he led the Anti-Corn-Law League in its successful campaign for the repeal of the Corn Laws (1846).

COBE /ˈkəʊbi/

I. a NASA satellite launched in 1989 to map the background microwave radiation in a search for evidence of the Big Bang.

– origin abbreviation of Cosmic Background Explorer.

co-belligerent

I. noun

any of two or more nations engaged in war as allies.

II. derivatives

co-belligerence

noun

cobia /ˈkəʊbɪə/

I. noun

a large edible game fish that lives in open waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and West Pacific oceans. Also called sergeant fish.
● Rachycentron canadum, family Rachycentridae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

coble /ˈkəʊb(ə)l/

I. noun

a flat-bottomed fishing boat of a type used in Scotland and NE England.

– origin Old English, perhaps of Celtic origin and related to Welsh ceubal ‘ferry boat, skiff’.

COBOL /ˈkəʊbɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a computer programming language designed for use in commerce.

– origin 1960s: from co(mmon) b(usiness) o(riented) l(anguage).

cobra /ˈkəʊbrə, ˈkɒbrə/

I. noun

1. a highly venomous African or Asian snake that spreads the skin of its neck into a hood when disturbed.
● Naja and two other genera, family Elapidae: several species, in particular the spectacled cobra.

2. (also cobra pose) — a yoga pose assumed by lying on one's stomach and raising one's upper body so as to curve it backwards, using one's arms and hands for support

• as you do the cobra, make sure you are not overextending the lower back.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Portuguese cobra de capello, literally ‘snake with hood’, based on Latin colubra ‘snake’.

co-branded

I. adjective

(of a product or service) marketed under or carrying two or more brand names.

• co-branded credit cards.

II. derivatives

co-branding

noun

cobweb /ˈkɒbwɛb/

I. noun

1. a spider's web, especially when old and dusty.

• the wooden carvings were almost obliterated by cobwebs.

2. [Zoology] a tangled three-dimensional spider's web.

3. something resembling a cobweb in delicacy or intricacy

• the city fans south in a cobweb of canals.

II. phrases

blow (or clear) away the cobwebs

banish a state of lethargy; refresh oneself.

• a brisk walk along the towpath might blow away the cobwebs.

III. derivatives

1. cobwebbed /ˈkɒbwɛbd /

adjective

2. cobwebby

adjective

– origin Middle English coppeweb, copweb, from obsolete coppe ‘spider’ + web.

cobweb spider

noun

a spider that builds tangled three-dimensional webs.
●Family Theridiidae: many species.

coca /ˈkəʊkə/

I. noun

1. a tropical American shrub grown for its leaves, which are the source of cocaine.
● Erythroxylum coca, family Erythroxylaceae.

2. [ mass noun] — the dried leaves of the coca shrub, which are mixed with lime and chewed as a stimulant by the indigenous people of western South America.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish, from Aymara kuka or Quechua koka.

Coca-Cola /kəʊkəˈkəʊlə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a carbonated non-alcoholic drink.

– origin late 19th cent.: from coca and cola.

cocaine /kə(ʊ)ˈkeɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an addictive drug derived from coca or prepared synthetically, used as an illegal stimulant and sometimes medicinally as a local anaesthetic.
●Chem. formula: C_17H_21NO_4.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from coca + -ine^4.

coccidia /kɒkˈsɪdɪə/

I. plural noun

[Biology] parasitic protozoa of a group that includes those that cause diseases such as coccidiosis and toxoplasmosis.
●Suborder Eimeriorina, phylum Sporozoa.

II. derivatives

coccidian

adjective, noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin (former order name), from Greek kokkis, diminutive of kokkos ‘berry’.

coccidioidomycosis /kɒkˌsɪdɪˌɔɪdəʊmʌɪˈkəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a serious fungal disease of the lungs and other tissues, endemic in the warmer, arid regions of America.
●The fungus is Coccidioides immitis, subdivision Deuteromycotina.

– origin 1930s: from modern Latin Coccidioides (part of the binomial of the fungus) + mycosis.

coccidiosis /kɒkˌsɪdɪˈəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease of birds and mammals that chiefly affects the intestines, caused by coccidia.

– origin late 19th cent.: from coccidium (singular of modern Latin Coccidia; see coccidia) + -osis.

coccidiostat /kɒkˈsɪdɪə(ʊ)stat/

noun

[Veterinary Medicine] a substance administered to poultry or cattle to retard the growth and reproduction of coccidian parasites.

coccinellid /ˌkɒksɪˈnɛlɪd/

I. noun

[Entomology] a beetle of a family ( Coccinellidae) that includes the ladybirds.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Coccinellidae (plural), from the genus name Coccinella, from Latin coccineus ‘scarlet’.

coccolith /ˈkɒkəlɪθ/

I. noun

[Biology] a minute rounded calcareous platelet, numbers of which form the spherical shells of coccolithophores.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kokkos ‘grain or berry’ + lithos ‘stone’.

coccolithophore /ˌkɒkə(ʊ)ˈlɪθəfɔː/

I. noun

[Biology] a single-celled marine flagellate that secretes a calcareous shell, forming an important constituent of the phytoplankton.
●Order Coccolithophorida, phylum Haptophyta.

II. derivatives

coccolithophorid

noun, adjective

coccus /ˈkɒkəs/

I. noun

[Biology] any spherical or roughly spherical bacterium.

II. derivatives

1. coccal

adjective

2. coccoid

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent. (denoting a scale insect): modern Latin, from Greek kokkos ‘berry’. Compare with cochineal.

coccyx /ˈkɒksɪks/

I. noun

a small triangular bone at the base of the spinal column in humans and some apes, formed of fused vestigial vertebrae.

II. derivatives

coccygeal /kɒkˈsɪdʒɪəl /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek kokkux ‘cuckoo’ (because the shape of the human bone resembles the cuckoo's bill).

Cochabamba /ˌkɒtʃəˈbambə/

a city in Bolivia, situated at the centre of a rich agricultural region; pop. 611,056 (2009).

co-chair

I. noun

a person who chairs a meeting jointly with another or others.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. act as co-chair of (a meeting).

• the panel is co-chaired by the prime ministers of Mozambique, Norway, and Pakistan.

Cochin^1 /ˈkəʊtʃɪn, ˈkɒtʃɪn/

former name for Kochi.

Cochin^2 /ˈkəʊtʃɪn, ˈkɒtʃɪn / Cochin China

noun

a chicken of an Asian breed with feathery legs.

Cochin-China /ˈkəʊtʃɪn, ˈkɒtʃɪn/

the former name for the southern region of what is now Vietnam. Part of French Indo-China from 1862, in 1946 it became a French overseas territory, then merged officially with Vietnam in 1949.

cochineal /ˌkɒtʃɪˈniːl, ˈkɒtʃɪniːl/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a scarlet dye used for colouring food, made from the crushed dried bodies of a female scale insect.

2. a dye similar to cochineal made from the oak kermes insect (see kermes).

3. ( cochineal insect) — the scale insect that is used for cochineal, native to Mexico and formerly cultivated on cacti.
● Dactylopius coccus, family Dactylopiidae, suborder Homoptera.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French cochenille or Spanish cochinilla, from Latin coccinus ‘scarlet’, from Greek kokkos ‘berry’ (the insect bodies were mistaken for grains or berries). Compare with coccus, kermes.

cochlea /ˈkɒklɪə/

I. noun

the spiral cavity of the inner ear containing the organ of Corti, which produces nerve impulses in response to sound vibrations.

II. derivatives

cochlear /ˈkɒklɪə /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (used to denote spiral objects): from Latin, ‘snail shell or screw’, from Greek kokhlias. The current sense dates from the late 17th cent.

cochoa /ˈkəʊtʃəʊə, kəˈtʃəʊə/

I. noun

an Asian thrush of evergreen forests, typically with predominantly purplish or green plumage and a pale blue crown.
●Genus Cochoa, family Turdidae: four species.

– origin modern Latin, from a Nepali name.

Cochran, Eddie /ˈkɒkrən/

(1938–60), American rock-and-roll singer and songwriter; born Edward Cochrane. He was killed in a car crash during a British tour. Notable songs: ‘Summertime Blues’ (1958), ‘Three Steps to Heaven’ (1960).

Cochran, Jacqueline /ˈkɒkrən/

(1910–80), American aviator, the first woman to break the sound barrier (1953).

Cochran, Sir Charles Blake /ˈkɒkrən/

(1872–1951), English theatrical producer, noted for musical revues including Noël Coward's Bitter Sweet (1929) and Cavalcade (1931). He was also agent for Houdini.

cock^1 /kɒk/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a male bird, especially of a domestic fowl.

2. [in combination] — used in names of birds, especially game birds, e.g. watercock.

3. (Brit.) a male lobster, crab, or salmon.

• the biggest salmon I ever had was a 45 lb cock.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› a friendly form of address among men

• please yourself, cock.

5. ‹vulgar slang› a man's penis.

6. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) ‹informal› nonsense

• that's all a lot of cock.

7. a firing lever in a gun which can be raised to be released by the trigger.

8. a stopcock.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. tilt (something) in a particular direction

• she cocked her head slightly to one side.

2. bend a (limb or joint) at an angle

• Madge threw herself into the armchair and cocked her legs over the side.

3. (of a male dog) lift (a back leg) in order to urinate.

• a greyhound cocked its leg against the tree.

4. raise the cock of (a gun) in order to make it ready for firing.

• he took the loaded pistol from his belt and cocked it.

5. ( cock something up) — (Brit.) ‹informal› ruin something as a result of incompetence or inefficiency

• the party cocked up the Euro-elections.

III. phrases

1. at full cock

(of a gun) with the cock lifted to the position at which the trigger will act.

• he wore a leather holster, the automatic slung at full cock butt-forward.

2. cock one's ear

a. (of a dog) raise its ears to an erect position.

• the animal responded to the noise by cocking its ears.

b. (of a person) listen attentively to or for something.

• she held up a finger for silence, cocking an ear to the background music.

3. cock one's eye

glance in a quizzical or knowing manner with a raised eyebrow.

• he cocked an eye speculatively over the rim of his glass.

4. cock of the walk

someone who dominates others within a group.

• don't ever forget he's cock of the walk here.

5. cock a snook

see snook^2.

– origin Old English cocc, from medieval Latin coccus; reinforced in Middle English by Old French coq.

cock^2 /kɒk/

I. noun

‹dated› a small pile of hay, straw, or other material, with vertical sides and a rounded top.

• we perched on a half-built cock of hay.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› pile (hay or other material) into cocks.

• it does not rake the grass into rows, nor cock it.

– origin late Middle English: perhaps of Scandinavian origin and related to Norwegian kok ‘heap, lump’, Danish kok ‘haycock’, and Swedish koka ‘clod’.

cockabully /ˈkɒkəbʊli/

I. noun

(NZ) a small blunt-nosed freshwater fish related to the sleepers.
●Genus Gobiomorphus, family Gobiidae (or Eleotridae).

– origin late 19th cent.: from Maori kokopu.

cockade /kɒˈkeɪd/

I. noun

a rosette or knot of ribbons worn in a hat as a badge of office, or as part of a livery.

• the cap bore the traditional cockade in silver, blue, and red.

II. derivatives

cockaded /kɒˈkeɪdɪd /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French cocarde, originally in bonnet à la coquarde, from the feminine of obsolete coquard ‘saucy’.

cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːd(ə)lˈduː/

exclamation

used to represent the sound made by a cock when it crows.

cock-a-hoop

I. adjective

extremely and obviously pleased, especially about an achievement.

• the team is cock-a-hoop at winning its first game of the season.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from the phrase set cock a hoop, of unknown origin, apparently denoting the action of turning on the tap and allowing liquor to flow (prior to a drinking session).

cock-a-leekie

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soup traditionally made in Scotland with chicken and leeks.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from cock^1 and leek.

cockalorum /ˌkɒkəˈlɔːrəm/

I. noun

‹informal› ‹dated› a self-important man.

– origin early 18th cent.: an arbitrary formation from cock^1.

cockamamie /ˈkɒkəˌmeɪmi / cockamamy

I. adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› ridiculous; implausible

• a cockamamie theory.

– origin 1940s (originally denoting a design left by a transfer): probably an alteration of decalcomania.

cock and bull story

noun

‹informal› an implausible story used as an explanation or excuse.

• nobody believes this cock and bull story about the sacking incident.

cockapoo /kɒkəˈpuː/

noun

a dog that is a cross-breed of an American cocker spaniel and a miniature poodle.

cockatiel /ˌkɒkəˈtiːl/

I. noun

a slender long-crested Australian parrot related to the cockatoos, with a mainly grey body, white shoulders, and a yellow and orange face.
● Nymphicus hollandicus, family Cacatuidae (or Psittacidae).

– origin late 19th cent.: from Dutch kaketielje, probably a diminutive of kaketoe ‘cockatoo’.

cockatoo /kɒkəˈtuː/

I. noun

1. a parrot with an erectile crest, found in Australia, eastern Indonesia, and neighbouring islands.
●Family Cacatuidae (or Psittacidae): several genera and numerous species.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a small-scale farmer.

3. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a lookout posted by those engaged in illegal activity.

• he is alleged to act as cockatoo during these meetings.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Dutch kaketoe, from Malay kakatua, the spelling influenced by cock^1. Sense 2, sense 3 date from the 19th cent.

cockatoo fence

I. noun

(Austral.) an improvised fence made from logs and branches

• the wall had replaced an old cockatoo fence I remembered in my childhood.

– origin mid 19th cent.: perhaps from cockatoo in the sense ‘small-scale farmer’, or from the bird's habit of sitting with others in a row on fences.

cockatrice /ˈkɒkətrʌɪs, ˈkɒkətrɪs/

I. noun

1. another term for basilisk (sense 1).

2. [Heraldry] a mythical animal depicted as a two-legged dragon (or wyvern) with a cock's head.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cocatris, from Latin calcatrix ‘tracker’ (from calcare ‘to tread or track’), translating Greek ikhneumōn (see ichneumon).

cock-bead

I. noun

a projecting wooden moulding used to decorate furniture.

II. derivatives

1. cock-beaded

adjective

2. cock-beading

noun

cockboat /ˈkɒkbəʊt/

I. noun

a small boat towed behind a larger vessel.

– origin late Middle English: from obsolete cock ‘small boat’ (from Old French coque, based on Latin caudex, codex ‘block of wood’) + boat.

cockchafer /ˈkɒkˌtʃeɪfə/

I. noun

a large brown European beetle which flies at dusk and is a destructive plant pest, both as an adult and a larva. Also called May bug.
● Melolontha melolontha, family Scarabaeidae.

– origin early 18th cent.: from cock^1 (expressing size or vigour) + chafer.

Cockcroft, Sir John Douglas

(1897–1967), English physicist. In 1932 he succeeded (with E. T. S. Walton) in splitting the atom, ushering in the whole field of nuclear and particle physics. Nobel Prize for Physics (1951, shared with Walton).

cockcrow /ˈkɒkkrəʊ/

noun

‹literary› dawn.

• she helped him to dance until cockcrow.

cocked hat

I. noun

1. a brimless triangular hat pointed at the front, back, and top.

2. ‹historical› a hat with a wide brim permanently turned up towards the crown, such as a tricorne.

II. phrases

knock something into a cocked hat

utterly defeat or outdo something.

• architecturally, Spencer House knocks Buckingham Palace into a cocked hat.

cocker /ˈkɒkə / cocker spaniel

I. noun

a small spaniel of a breed with a silky coat.

– origin early 19th cent.: from cock^1 + -er^1 (the dog was bred to flush out game birds such as woodcock).

cockerel /ˈkɒk(ə)r(ə)l/

I. noun

a young domestic cock.

– origin Middle English: diminutive of cock^1.

Cockerell, Sir Christopher

(1910–99), English engineer, the inventor of the hovercraft; full name Christopher Sydney Cockerell.

cockeye bob cockeyed bob

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a cyclone or a thunderstorm.

– origin late 19th cent.: probably an alteration of an Aboriginal word.

cockeyed /ˈkɒkʌɪd/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› crooked or askew; not level

• cockeyed camera angles.

2. ‹informal› absurd; impractical

• do you expect us to believe a cockeyed story like that?

3. ‹informal› ‹dated› drunk

• I got cockeyed.

4. ‹informal› (of a person or their eyes) having a squint.

– origin early 19th cent.: apparently from the verb cock^1 and eye.

cockfighting /ˈkɒkfʌɪtɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport (illegal in the UK and some other countries) of setting two cocks to fight each other.

II. derivatives

cockfight /ˈkɒkfʌɪt /

noun

cockie /ˈkɒki/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a cockroach

• the contractors had already sprayed for cockies and fleas.

– origin 1980s: abbreviation.

cockle^1 /ˈkɒk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. an edible burrowing bivalve mollusc with a strong ribbed shell.
●Genus Cardium, family Cardiidae.

2. (also cockleshell) — ‹literary› a small, shallow boat.

II. phrases

warm the cockles of one's heart

give one a comforting feeling of contentment.

– origin Middle English: from Old French coquille ‘shell’, based on Greek konkhulion, from konkhē ‘conch’.

cockle^2 /ˈkɒk(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of paper) form wrinkles or puckers.

• thin or lightweight paper cockles and warps when subjected to watercolour.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French coquiller ‘blister (bread in cooking)’, from coquille ‘shell’ (see cockle^1).

cocklebur

I. noun

a herbaceous plant of the daisy family with broad leaves and burred fruits, native to tropical America.
●Genus Xanthium, family Compositae: two or three species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cockle^2 + burr.

cockling /ˈkɒk(ə)lɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the activity or occupation of gathering cockles.
[as modifier]

• large-scale cockling operations.

II. derivatives

cockler

noun

cockloft /ˈkɒklɒft/

noun

a small upper loft under the ridge of a roof.

cockney /ˈkɒkni/

I. noun

1. a native of East London, traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells.

• Charlie was a cockney by birth, but he'd spent a lot of time abroad.

2. [ mass noun] — the dialect or accent typical of cockneys.

• his accent was a peculiar mixture of cockney and American.

3. (Austral.) a young snapper fish ( Chrysophrys auratus).

II. adjective

of or characteristic of cockneys or their dialect or accent

• cockney humour.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a pampered child): origin uncertain; it is apparently not the same word as Middle English cokeney ‘cock's egg’, denoting a small misshapen egg (probably from cock^1 + obsolete ey ‘egg’). A later sense was ‘a town-dweller regarded as affected or puny’, from which the current sense arose in the early 17th cent.

cockneyism /ˈkɒknɪɪz(ə)m/

noun

a feature or style of speech or idiom characteristic of cockneys.

• the programme gave idiotic cockneyisms national credence.

• [ mass noun] getting a ticket for the match means feigning cockneyism.

cock-of-the-rock

noun

a crested cotinga (bird) found in the tropical forests of South America. The male has brilliant orange or red plumage used in communal display.
●Genus Rupicola, family Cotingidae: two species.

cockpit /ˈkɒkpɪt/

I. noun

1. a compartment for the pilot, and sometimes also the crew, in an aircraft or spacecraft.

2. the driver's compartment in a racing car.

3. a space for the helmsman in some small yachts.

4. a place where cockfights are held.

5. a place where a battle or other conflict takes place.

• most conventional army training takes place on the cockpit of Salisbury Plain.

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2): from cock^1 + pit^1. Sense 1 dates from the early 20th cent. and derives from an early 18th-cent. nautical term denoting an area in the aft lower deck of a man-of-war where the wounded were taken, later coming to mean ‘the ‘pit’ or well from which a yacht is steered’; hence the place housing the controls of other vehicles.

cockrag /ˈkɒkraɡ/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹vulgar slang› an Aboriginal loincloth.

– origin 1960s: from cock^1 in the sense ‘penis’ + rag^1.

cockroach /ˈkɒkrəʊtʃ/

I. noun

a beetle-like scavenging insect with long antennae and legs. Several tropical kinds have become established worldwide as household pests.
●Suborder Blattodea, order Dictyoptera: many genera and species, including the common cockroach ( Blatta orientalis) and the American cockroach ( Periplaneta americana).

– origin early 17th cent. (as cacaroch): from Spanish cucaracha. The spelling change was due to association with cock^1 and roach^2.

cockscomb /ˈkɒkskəʊm/

noun

1. the crest or comb of a domestic cock.

2. (also coxcomb) — a tropical plant with a crest of tiny yellow, orange, or red flowers, grown as a pot plant.
● Celosia cristata, family Amaranthaceae.

3. a brightly coloured orchid of southern North America, related to the coralroots. Also called coralroot.
●Genus Hexalectris, family Orchidaceae.

cocksfoot /ˈkɒksfʊt/

noun

(Brit.) a pasture grass with broad leaves and green or purplish flowering spikes.
● Dactylis glomerata, family Gramineae.

cockshy /ˈkɒkʃʌɪ/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹dated› a target for throwing sticks or stones at as a game.

2. (Brit.) ‹dated› an act of throwing something at a cockshy.

3. (Brit.) ‹dated› an object of ridicule or criticism.

– origin from the original use of a replica of a cockerel as a target.

cocksman

I. noun

(US) ‹vulgar slang› a man who is reputed to be extremely virile or sexually accomplished.

II. derivatives

cocksmanship

noun

cock sparrow

noun

‹dated› a lively, quarrelsome person.

cockspur /ˈkɒkspəː/

noun

1. the spur on the leg of a cock.

2. (Austral.) a European plant of the daisy family with yellow thistle-like flower heads that has become naturalized in Australia.
● Centaurea melitensis, family Compositae.

cockspur thorn

noun

a North American hawthorn which is grown for its rich orange autumn foliage.
● Crataegus crus-galli, family Rosaceae.

cocksucker /ˈkɒksʌkə/

I. noun

‹vulgar slang› (chiefly N. Amer.) a contemptible person (used as a general term of abuse).

II. derivatives

cocksucking

adjective

cocksure /kɒkˈʃɔː, kɒkˈʃʊə/

I. adjective

confident in an excessive or arrogant way.

• the cocksure golf prodigy from California.

II. derivatives

1. cocksurely

adverb

2. cocksureness /ˌkɒkˈʃɔːnəs /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from archaic cock (a euphemism for God) + sure; later associated with cock^1.

cocktail /ˈkɒkteɪl/

I. noun

1. an alcoholic drink consisting of a spirit or spirits mixed with other ingredients, such as fruit juice or cream
[as modifier]

• a cocktail bar.

2. a mixture of substances or factors, especially when dangerous or unpleasant

• he was killed by a cocktail of drink and drugs.

3. a dish consisting of small pieces of food, typically served cold as a starter

• we began with prawn and avocado cocktail

• a chilled lobster cocktail prettily presented in a martini glass.

– origin early 17th cent.: from cock^1 + tail^1. The original use was as an adjective describing a creature with a tail like that of a cock, specifically a horse with a docked tail; hence (because hunters and coach-horses were generally docked) a racehorse which was not a thoroughbred, having a cock-tailed horse in its pedigree (early 19th cent.). Sense 1 (originally US, also early 19th cent.) is perhaps analogous, from the idea of an adulterated spirit.

cocktail dress

noun

a smart dress suitable for formal social occasions.

cocktail sauce

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a cold sauce made with ketchup or chilli sauce and horseradish, typically served with seafood

• six plump shrimp were accompanied by a slice of lemon and cup of zesty cocktail sauce.

cocktail stick

noun

(Brit.) a small pointed stick on which olives, cherries, or similar items of food may be served.

cock-teaser /ˈkɒktiːzə / cock-tease

noun

‹vulgar slang› a woman who leads a man to the mistaken belief that she is likely to have sexual intercourse with him.

cock-up

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› something done badly or inefficiently

• we've made a total cock-up of it.

cocky^1 /ˈkɒki/

I. adjective

conceited or confident in a bold or cheeky way.

• we were young, brash, cocky—we knew everything.

• a cocky playboy with a desperado mustache.

II. derivatives

1. cockily /ˈkɒkɪli /

adverb

2. cockiness /ˈkɒkinəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘lecherous’): from cock^1 + -y^1.

cocky^2 /ˈkɒki/

noun

(Austral./NZ) informal term for cockatoo.

cocky^3 /ˈkɒki/

I. noun

(Austral.) a farmer, originally one with a small holding

• all the cockies in this district wear baseball caps sponsored by chemical companies.

– origin late 19th cent.: from the Australian sense of cockatoo ‘a small-scale farmer’.

cocky chaff

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) husks separated from wheat grain by threshing; wheat chaff

• cocky chaff was used as a binder in walls of mud brick.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cocky^3 + chaff^1.

cocky country

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) areas where the main business is small-scale farming

• beyond the village lay hundreds of miles of cocky country.

– origin early 20th cent.: from cocky^3 + country.

cocky's gate

I. noun

(Austral.) a simple gate improvised from wire and pieces of wood

• he opened the cocky's gate between their two homes.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cocky^3 + gate^1.

coco /ˈkəʊkəʊ/

I. noun

1. [usu. as modifier] — coconut

• a coco palm.

2. [ mass noun] — (W. Indian) the root of the taro.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally denoting the nut): from Spanish and Portuguese, literally ‘grinning face’ (because of the appearance of the base of the coconut).

cocoa /ˈkəʊkəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a powder made from roasted and ground cacao seeds.

2. a hot drink made from cocoa powder mixed with milk or water.

II. phrases

I should cocoa (or coco)

(Brit.) ‹rhyming slang› I should say so.

– origin early 18th cent. (denoting cacao seed): alteration of cacao.

cocoa bean

noun

a cacao seed.

cocoa butter

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fatty substance obtained from cocoa beans, used in the manufacture of confectionery and cosmetics.

cocoa-coloured

adjective

of a brown colour like that of cocoa powder.

cocoanut

noun

old-fashioned spelling of coconut.

cocobolo /ˌkəʊkə(ʊ)ˈbəʊləʊ/

I. noun

a tropical American tree with hard reddish timber that is used to make cutlery handles.
● Dalbergia retusa, family Leguminosae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: via Spanish from Arawak kakabali.

coco de mer /ˌkəʊkəʊdəˈmɛː/

I. noun

1. a tall palm tree native to the Seychelles. Also called double coconut.
● Lodoicea maldivica, family Palmae.

2. the immense nut of the coco de mer tree, which is encased in a hard woody shell and is the largest known seed.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French coco-de-mer, literally ‘coco from the sea’ (because the tree was first known from nuts found floating in the sea).

co-conspirator

noun

a person who is engaged in a conspiracy with another or others

• two men were named by the prosecution as co-conspirators.

coconut /ˈkəʊkənʌt/

noun

1. the large oval brown seed of a tropical palm, consisting of a hard woody husk surrounded by fibre, lined with edible white flesh and containing a clear liquid.
[as modifier]

• coconut shells.

• [ mass noun] gardens produced vegetables, coconut, and pineapples.

2. [ mass noun] — the flesh of a coconut, often used as food.

• desiccated coconut.

• [as modifier] coconut ice cream.

3. (also coconut palm or tree) — the tall palm tree that yields the coconut, which has become naturalized throughout the tropics. The tree is also a source of copra, coir, and other products.

• warm tropical breezes, coconut trees, and magnificent beaches.

• [as modifier] coconut plantations.

● Cocos nucifera, family Palmae.

coconut butter

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a solid fat obtained from the flesh of the coconut, and used in the manufacture of soap, candles, ointment, etc.

coconut crab

I. noun

another term for robber crab.

– origin so named because it climbs trees to reach coconuts.

coconut ice

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a sweet made from sugar and desiccated coconut.

coconut matting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. matting made of fibre from coconut husks.

coconut milk

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a milky white liquid extracted from coconut flesh, used as a base in cooking.

coconut oil

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fatty oil obtained from the flesh of the coconut, used in cookery and in cosmetic products.

coconut shy

noun

(Brit.) a fairground sideshow where balls are thrown at coconuts in an attempt to knock them off stands.

coconut water

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the watery white liquid found inside a young coconut, consumed as a drink.

cocoon /kəˈkuːn/

I. noun

1. a silky case spun by the larvae of many insects for protection as pupae.

• the moth emerged from its pale yellow papery cocoon.

2. something that envelops someone in a protective or comforting way

• a cocoon of bedclothes

• ‹figurative› a warm cocoon of love.

3. a covering that prevents the corrosion of metal equipment.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. envelop in a protective or comforting way

• we felt cold even though we were cocooned in our sleeping bags

• ‹figurative› we remain cocooned in our own little world of fantasies.

2. [no obj.] — (N. Amer.) retreat from the stressful conditions of public life into the cosy private world of the family

• Americans are spending more time cocooning at home.

3. spray with a protective coating.

III. derivatives

cocooner

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from French cocon, from medieval Provençal coucoun ‘eggshell, cocoon’, diminutive of coca ‘shell’. The verb dates from the mid 19th cent.

Cocos Islands /ˈkəʊkəs/

a group of twenty-seven small coral islands in the Indian Ocean, administered as an external territory of Australia since 1955; pop. 600 (est. 2009). The islands were discovered in 1609 by Captain William Keeling of the East India Company.
Also called Keeling Islands.

cocotte /kɒˈkɒt/

noun

1. (usu. in phrase en cocotte) — a small heatproof dish in which individual portions of food can be cooked and served.
[early 20th cent.: from French cocasse, from Latin cucuma ‘cooking container’.]

2. ‹dated› a fashionable prostitute.
[mid 19th cent.: French, from a child's name for a hen.]

co-counselling

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of personal or psychological counselling in which two or more people alternate the roles of therapist and patient.

cocoyam /ˈkəʊkəʊjam/

I. noun

(in West Africa) either of two plants of the arum family with edible corms, i.e. taro (also old cocoyam) and tannia (also new cocoyam).

– origin early 20th cent.: probably from coco (sense 2) + yam.

Cocteau, Jean /ˈkɒktəʊ/

(1889–1963), French dramatist, novelist, and film director. His plays are noted for their striking blend of poetry, irony, and fantasy. Notable works: La Machine infernale (play, 1934), La Belle et la bête (film, 1946), and Les Enfants terribles (novel, 1929).

co-curricular /ˌkəʊkəˈrɪkjʊlə/

adjective

(chiefly N. Amer.) (of an activity at a school or college) pursued in addition to the normal course of study

• features in the journal throw light on the academic and co-curricular activities of the college.

cocus wood /ˈkəʊkəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. hard, heavy timber which blackens with age and is used for musical instruments.
●This timber is obtained from the Jamaican ebony ( Brya ebenus, family Leguminosae).

– origin mid 17th cent.: cocus, of unknown origin.

cod^1 /kɒd / codfish

I. noun

1. a large marine fish with a small barbel on the chin.
●Family Gadidae (the cod family): many genera and species, in particular the North Atlantic Gadus morhua, of great importance as a food fish. The cod family also includes the haddock, ling, pollack, whiting, and other food fishes.

2. used in names of fishes that are similar or related to the cod, e.g. rock cod, tomcod.

– origin Middle English: of unknown origin; one suggestion is that the word is the same as Old English cod(d) ‘bag’, because of the fish's appearance.

cod^2 /kɒd / ‹Brit. informal›

I. adjective

not authentic; fake

• a cod Mittel-European accent.

II. noun

1. a joke or hoax.

• I suppose it could all be a cod.

2. (Irish) a foolish person

• he's making a cod of himself.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. play a joke or trick on (someone)

• he was definitely codding them.

– origin late 17th cent. (denoting a person of a specified kind): of uncertain origin.

cod^3 /kɒd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› nonsense.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation of codswallop.

COD /siːəʊˈdiː/

abbreviation

1. cash on delivery.

2. (N. Amer.) collect on delivery.

coda /ˈkəʊdə/

I. noun

1. [Music] the concluding passage of a piece or movement, typically forming an addition to the basic structure.

• the first movement ends with a fortissimo coda.

2. [Music] the concluding section of a dance, especially of a pas de deux or the finale of a ballet in which the dancers parade before the audience.

3. [Music] a concluding event, remark, or section

• his new novel is a kind of coda to his previous books.

– origin mid 18th cent.: Italian, from Latin cauda ‘tail’.

coddle /ˈkɒd(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat (someone) in an indulgent or overprotective way

• I was coddled and cosseted.

2. cook (an egg) in water below boiling point.

• you may have your eggs scrambled, poached, coddled, or boiled.

II. derivatives

coddler

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘boil (fruit) gently’): origin uncertain; sense 1 is probably a dialect variant of obsolete caudle ‘administer invalids' gruel’, based on Latin caldum ‘hot drink’, from calidus ‘warm’.

code /kəʊd/

I. noun

1. a system of words, letters, figures, or symbols used to represent others, especially for the purposes of secrecy

• the Americans cracked their diplomatic code

• [ mass noun] messages written in code.

2. a phrase or concept used to represent another in an indirect way

• researching ‘the family’ is usually a code for studying women.

3. a series of letters, numbers, or symbols assigned to something for the purposes of classification or identification.

• each box had a label with the code SC 90.

4. short for dialling code.

• I was given the number, but not the code for Guildford.

5. [ mass noun] — [Computing] program instructions

• assembly code.

6. a systematic collection of laws or statutes

• a revision of the penal code.

7. a set of conventions or moral principles governing behaviour in a particular sphere

• a strict dress code

• a stern code of honour.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (the words of a message) into a code so as to convey a secret meaning

• only Mitch knew how to read the message—even the name was coded.

2. express the meaning of (a statement) in an indirect way
(as adj. coded)

• journalists made coded allusions to his deficiencies.

3. assign a code to (something) for purposes of classification or identification

• she coded the samples and sent them for dissection.

4. write code for (a computer program)

• most developers code C + + like C

• [no obj.] I no longer actively code in PHP.

5. [no obj.] ( code for) — [Biochemistry] be the genetic code for (an amino acid or protein)

• genes that code for human growth hormone.

6. be the genetic determiner of (a characteristic).

• one pair of homologous chromosomes codes for eye colour.

III. phrases

bring something up to code

(N. Amer.) renovate or update an old building in line with the latest building regulations.

• the wiring will be brought up to code.

IV. derivatives

coder /ˈkəʊdə /

noun

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin codex, codic- (see codex). The term originally denoted a systematic collection of statutes made by Justinian or another of the later Roman emperors; compare with sense 3 of the noun (mid 18th cent.), the earliest modern sense.

codebreaker /ˈkəʊdˌbreɪkə/

I. noun

a person who solves a code or codes.

II. derivatives

codebreaking

noun

codec /ˈkəʊdɛk/

I. noun

a device or program that compresses data to enable faster transmission and decompresses received data.

– origin 1960s: blend of coder (see code) and decoder (see decode).

co-defendant

noun

any of two or more individuals, companies, or institutions answering the same charge in a court of law.

codeine /ˈkəʊdiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a sleep-inducing and analgesic drug derived from morphine.
●Chem. formula: C_18H_21NO_3.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kōdeia ‘poppy head’ + -ine^4.

code name

noun

a word used for secrecy or convenience instead of the usual name.

• using the code name ‘Charlie’, Dick was on the phone with the President more and more.

code-named

adjective

identified by a word used for secrecy or convenience instead of the usual name

• the code-named operations

• the five code-named beaches where Allied soldiers landed.

codependency /kəʊdɪˈpɛnd(ə)nsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner, typically one with an illness or addiction who requires support.

• the tie that binds most of us together in this trap called codependency.

II. derivatives

1. codependence

noun

2. codependent /ˌkəʊdɪˈpɛndənt /

adjective, noun

code-sharing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. agreement between two or more airlines to list certain flights in a reservation system under each other's names.

II. derivatives

code-share

verb

code-switching

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation

• the conversational code-switching of the German-American bilingual community.

II. derivatives

code-switch

verb

co-determination

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cooperation between management and workers in decision-making, especially by the representation of workers on management boards.

code word

noun

a word used for secrecy or convenience instead of the usual name for something

• secret projects were identified by special code words

• various parties had been asked to bring 'cigars' to the meeting—a code word for guns.

codex /ˈkəʊdɛks/

I. noun

1. an ancient manuscript text in book form.
[in names]

• the great legal compilation known as the Codex Euricianus.

2. an official list of medicines, chemicals, etc.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a collection of statutes): from Latin, literally ‘block of wood’, later denoting a block split into leaves or tablets for writing on, hence a book.

codfish /ˈkɒdfɪʃ/

noun

another term for cod^1.

codger /ˈkɒdʒə/

I. noun

‹informal› ‹derogatory› an elderly man

• old codgers harping on about yesteryear.

– origin mid 18th cent.: perhaps a variant of cadger (see cadge).

codices /ˈkəʊdɪsiːz/

plural form of codex.

codicil /ˈkɒdɪsɪl, ˈkəʊdɪsɪl/

I. noun

an addition or supplement that explains, modifies, or revokes a will or part of one.

• Francis has remembered him in a codicil to this will.

II. derivatives

codicillary /ˌkɒdɪˈsɪləri, ˌkəʊdɪˈsɪləri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin codicillus, diminutive of codex, codic- (see codex).

codicology /ˌkəʊdɪˈkɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of manuscripts and their interrelationships.

II. derivatives

codicological

adjective

– origin 1950s: from French codicologie, from Latin codex, codic- (see codex).

codification /kəʊdɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of arranging laws or rules according to a system or plan

• a codification of existing common-law principles

• the formal codification of yoga in India.

codify /ˈkəʊdɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. arrange (laws or rules) into a systematic code.

• the statutes have codified certain branches of common law.

• (as adj. codified) in the United Kingdom there is no codified constitution.

2. arrange according to a plan or system

• this would codify existing intergovernmental cooperation on drugs.

II. derivatives

codifier /ˈkəʊdɪfʌɪə /

noun

coding /ˈkəʊdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of assigning a code to something for classification or identification.

• the forms are checked and returned to the census officer for coding.

• [as modifier] a coding system.

2. [ count noun] — a code assigned to something for classification or identifcation purposes.

• PAYE codings.

3. [Biochemistry] the process of coding genetically for an amino acid, protein, or characteristic.
[as modifier]

• a coding region in human DNA.

codling^1 /ˈkɒdlɪŋ/

noun

an immature cod.

codling^2 /ˈkɒdlɪŋ/

I. noun

any of several varieties of cooking apple having a long tapering shape.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French quer de lion ‘lionheart’.

codling moth

noun

a small greyish moth whose larvae feed on apples.
● Cydia pomonella, family Tortricidae.

cod liver oil

noun — [ mass noun]

1. oil pressed from the liver of cod, which is rich in vitamins D and A.

codology /kɒˈdɒlədʒi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Irish) ‹informal› foolish or untrue talk or writing; nonsense.

• of course the missus reckons it's just a bit of codology on my part.

codomain /ˈkəʊdə(ʊ)meɪn/

noun

[Mathematics] a set that includes all the possible values of a given function.

codon /ˈkəʊdɒn/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] a sequence of three nucleotides which together form a unit of genetic code in a DNA or RNA molecule.

– origin 1960s: from code + -on.

codpiece /ˈkɒdpiːs/

I. noun

a pouch attached to a man's breeches or close-fitting hose to cover the genitals, worn in the 15th and 16th centuries.

– origin from earlier cod ‘scrotum’ (from Old English codd ‘bag, pod’) + piece.

co-driver /ˈkəʊdrʌɪvə/

noun

1. a person who shares the driving of a vehicle with another

• after the vehicle, co-drivers or passengers are the most important make-or-break components of your road trip.

2. (in rally driving) a person who navigates from the front passenger seat

• you have a co-driver there calling the turns.

• the co-driver is responsible for memorizing the route and relaying exact instructions.

codswallop /ˈkɒdzwɒləp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› nonsense.

• I think that's a right load of old codswallop.

– origin 1960s: perhaps named after Hiram Codd, who invented a bottle for fizzy drinks (1875); the derivation remains unconfirmed.

cod war

noun

‹informal› any of several disputes between Britain and Iceland in the period 1958–76, concerning fishing rights in waters around Iceland.

Cody, William Frederick /ˈkəʊdi/

see Buffalo Bill.

Coe, Sebastian

Baron Coe of Ranmore (b.1956), British middle-distance runner and Conservative politician, an Olympic gold medal winner in the 1,500 metres in 1980 and 1984. After his retirement from athletics he served as an MP 1992–7 and chaired the committee that organized the 2012 London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

coed /ˈkəʊɛd, kəʊˈɛd / ‹informal›

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹dated› a female student at a co-educational institution.

• three Iowa State coeds.

II. adjective

(of an institution or system) co-educational.

• they're going coed in September.

• a coed comprehensive school.

co-education /kəʊɛdjuːˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the education of pupils of both sexes together.

II. derivatives

co-educational /ˌkəʊɛdjuːˈkeɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

coefficient /ˌkəʊɪˈfɪʃ(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. [Mathematics] a numerical or constant quantity placed before and multiplying the variable in an algebraic expression (e.g. 4 in 4x y).

2. [Physics] a multiplier or factor that measures a particular property

• the drag coefficient.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘cooperating to produce a result’): from modern Latin coefficient-, from com- ‘together’ + efficient- ‘accomplishing’ (see efficient).

coelacanth /ˈsiːləkanθ/

I. noun

a large bony marine fish with a three-lobed tail fin and fleshy pectoral fins. It was known only from fossils until one was found alive in 1938; since then others have been found near the Comoro Islands in the Indian Ocean and off Sulawesi, Indonesia.
● Latimeria chalumnae, family Latimeriidae (or Coelacanthidae), subclass Crossopterygii.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Coelacanthus (genus name), from Greek koilos ‘hollow’ + akantha ‘spine’ (its fins have hollow spines).

coelenterate /siːˈlɛnt(ə)rət, siːˈlɛnt(ə)reɪt/

I. noun

[Zoology] an aquatic invertebrate animal of a phylum that includes jellyfishes, corals, and sea anemones. They typically have a tube- or cup-shaped body with a single opening ringed with tentacles that bear stinging cells (nematocysts). Also called cnidarian.
●Phylum Cnidaria (formerly Coelenterata): four classes.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Coelenterata, from Greek koilos ‘hollow’ + enteron ‘intestine’.

coeliac /ˈsiːlɪak / ‹US› celiac

I. adjective

1. [Anatomy] relating to the abdomen.

2. [Medicine] relating to or affected by coeliac disease.

• a coeliac child.

II. noun

[Medicine] a person with coeliac disease.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin coeliacus, from Greek koiliakos, from koilia ‘belly’.

coeliac disease /ˈsiːliak dɪˌziːz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease in which the small intestine is hypersensitive to gluten, leading to difficulty in digesting food.

coelom /ˈsiːləm/

I. noun

[Zoology] the principal body cavity in most animals, located between the intestinal canal and the body wall.

II. derivatives

1. coelomate

adjective, noun

2. coelomic /səˈlɒmɪk /

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek koilōma ‘cavity’.

coelostat /ˈsiːlə(ʊ)stat/

I. noun

[Astronomy] an instrument with a rotating mirror that continuously reflects the light from the same area of sky, used for monitoring the path of a celestial object.

– origin late 19th cent.: formed irregularly from Latin caelum ‘sky’ + -stat.

coelurosaur /sɪˈljʊərəsɔː/

I. noun

a small, slender bipedal carnivorous dinosaur with long forelimbs, believed to be an evolutionary ancestor of birds.
●Infraorder Coelurosauria, suborder Theropoda, order Saurischia: many genera.

– origin 1950s: from Greek koilos ‘hollow’ + oura ‘tail’ + sauros ‘lizard’.

coenocyte /ˈsiːnəʊsʌɪt/

I. noun

[Botany] a body of algal or fungal cytoplasm containing several nuclei, enclosed in a single membrane.

II. derivatives

coenocytic /siːnəʊˈsɪtɪk /

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek koinos ‘common’ + -cyte.

coenzyme /ˈkəʊˌɛnzʌɪm/

noun

[Biochemistry] a non-protein compound that is necessary for the functioning of an enzyme.

coenzyme A

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a coenzyme derived from pantothenic acid, important in respiration and other biochemical reactions.

– origin A from acylation (see acylate).

coenzyme Q

I. noun

another term for ubiquinone.

– origin Q from quinone.

coequal /kəʊˈiːkw(ə)l/

I. adjective

having the same rank or importance

• coequal partners.

II. noun

a person or thing equal with another.

III. derivatives

coequality /kəʊɪˈkwɒlɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin coaequalis ‘of the same age’, from co- ‘jointly’ + aequalis (see equal).

coerce /kəʊˈəːs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. persuade (an unwilling person) to do something by using force or threats

• he was coerced into giving evidence.

2. obtain (something) from someone by using force or threats

• their confessions were allegedly coerced by torture.

II. derivatives

1. coercer

noun

2. coercible /kəʊˈəːsəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin coercere ‘restrain’, from co- ‘together’ + arcere ‘restrain’.

coercion /kəʊˈəːʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats

• it wasn't slavery because no coercion was used.

coercive /kəʊˈəːsɪv/

I. adjective

relating to or using force or threats

• coercive measures.

II. derivatives

1. coercively

adverb

2. coerciveness /kəʊˈəːsɪvnəs /

noun

coercive force

noun

[Physics] another term for coercivity.

coercivity /ˌkəʊəˈsɪvɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the resistance of a magnetic material to changes in magnetization, equivalent to the field intensity necessary to demagnetize the fully magnetized material.

coetaneous /kəʊɪˈteɪnɪəs/

I. adjective

having the same age or date of origin; contemporary

• his greatest rival and coetaneous critic.

– origin early17th cent.: from Latin coaetaneus ‘contemporaneous’ (from aetas ‘age’) + -ous.

coeternal /kəʊəˈtəːn(ə)l/

I. adjective

existing with something else eternally

• creation is not coeternal with God.

II. derivatives

coeternally

adverb

Coetzee, J. M. /kʊtˈsɪə/

(b.1940), South African novelist; full name John Maxwell Coetzee. He won the Booker Prize with Life and Times of Michael K (1983) and Disgrace (1999), becoming the first author to win the prize twice, and in 2003 was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

coeval /kəʊˈiːv(ə)l/

I. adjective

having the same age or date of origin; contemporary

• these lavas were coeval with the volcanic activity.

II. noun

a person of roughly the same age as oneself; a contemporary.

• like so many of his coevals, he yearned for stability.

III. derivatives

1. coevality

noun

2. coevally

adverb

– origin early 17th cent. (as a noun): from late Latin coaevus, from co- ‘jointly’ + Latin aevum ‘age’.

co-evolution

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the influence of closely associated species on each other in their evolution.

II. derivatives

1. co-evolutionary

adjective

2. co-evolve

verb

coexist /ˌkəʊɪɡˈzɪst/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. exist at the same time or in the same place

• dwarf mammoths may have survived in north-east Siberia to coexist with the Egyptian pharaohs.

2. (of nations or peoples) exist in harmony despite different ideologies or interests

• the task of diplomacy was to help different states to coexist.

II. derivatives

coexistent /kəʊɪɡˈzɪstənt /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin coexistere, from co- ‘together’ + existere ‘exist’, from ex- ‘out’ + sister ‘take a stand’.

coexistence /kəʊɪɡˈzɪstəns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or condition of living in harmony despite different ideologies or interests

• what is needed today is peaceful coexistence

• a managed coexistence between travellers and the settled community.

2. the state or fact of living or existing at the same time or in the same place

• a remarkable coexistence of two profoundly different artistic traditions

• it validates the coexistence of multiple viewpoints and interpretations.

coextensive /ˌkəʊɪkˈstɛnsɪv/

adjective

1. extending over the same area, extent, or time.

• the control of conscious attention is not at all coextensive with information processing.

2. (of a term) denoting the same referent as another.

cofactor

noun

1. a contributory cause of a disease.

2. [Biochemistry] a substance (other than the substrate) whose presence is essential for the activity of an enzyme.

3. [Mathematics] the quantity obtained from a determinant or a square matrix by removal of the row and column containing a specified element.

C of E

abbreviation

Church of England.

coffee /ˈkɒfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hot drink made from the roasted and ground bean-like seeds of a tropical shrub

• a cup of coffee

• [as modifier] a coffee pot.

2. [ count noun] — a cup of coffee

• we went out for a coffee.

3. coffee seeds roasted and ground, or a powder made from them

• a jar of instant coffee.

4. a pale brown colour like that of milky coffee

• coffee-coloured skin.

5. the shrub which yields coffee seeds, native to the Old World tropics.
●Genus Coffea, family Rubiaceae: several species. .

– origin late 16th cent.: from Turkish kahveh, from Arabic qahwa, probably via Dutch koffie.

coffee bar

noun

a bar or cafe serving coffee and light refreshments.

coffee bean

noun

a bean-like seed of the coffee shrub.

coffee break

noun

a short break during the working day, during which people typically drink a cup of coffee or tea.

coffee cake

noun

(N. Amer.) a cake or sweet bread flavoured with cinnamon or topped or filled with cinnamon sugar, eaten usually with coffee.

coffee-coloured

adjective

having a light brown colour like that of milky coffee

• he was wearing a coffee-coloured jacket, white T-shirt, and blue jeans

• coffee-coloured creek water.

coffee cup

noun

a cup, typically a small one, in which coffee is served.

coffee essence

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a concentrated extract of coffee, usually also containing chicory.

coffee grinder

noun

a small machine for grinding roasted coffee beans.

coffee house

noun

a cafe or other establishment that serves coffee and other refreshments.

coffee klatch /ˈkɒfi klatʃ / coffee klatsch /ˈkɒfi klatʃ/

noun

another term for kaffeeklatsch.

coffee maker

noun

a machine or percolator for making coffee.

coffee mill

noun

another term for coffee grinder.

coffee morning

noun

(Brit.) a morning social gathering at which coffee is served, typically one held in someone's house to raise money for charity.

coffee palace

noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› a hotel which does not serve alcoholic drinks

• imminent bankruptcy forced the coffee palaces to convert into licensed hotels.

coffee pot

noun

a tall covered pot with a spout, in which coffee is made or served.

coffee shop

noun

1. a cafe serving coffee and light refreshments.

2. a small, informal restaurant, as found in a hotel or department store.

coffee table

noun

a small, low table.

coffee-table book

noun

a large, expensive, lavishly illustrated book, intended especially for casual reading.

coffer /ˈkɒfə/

I. noun

1. a strongbox or small chest for holding valuables.

• a battered leather coffer sealed with a waxen crest.

2. ( coffers) — the funds or financial reserves of an organization

• there is not enough money in the coffers to finance the reforms.

3. a decorative sunken panel in a ceiling.

II. derivatives

coffered /ˈkɒfəd /

adjective

coffer (sense 2)

– origin Middle English: from Old French coffre ‘chest’, via Latin from Greek kophinos ‘basket’.

cofferdam /ˈkɒfədam/

noun

a watertight enclosure pumped dry to permit construction work below the waterline, as when building bridges or repairing a ship.

cofferer

noun

‹historical› one of the treasurers of the royal household.

coffin /ˈkɒfɪn/

I. noun

1. a long, narrow box, typically of wood, in which a dead body is buried or cremated.

• they lowered her coffin into the ground.

2. ‹informal› an old and unsafe aircraft or ship.

• a clapped-out one-gun flying coffin.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put (a dead body) in a coffin.

• the young man was coffined decently.

– origin Middle English (in the general sense ‘box, casket’): from Old French cofin ‘little basket or case’, from Latin cophinus (see coffer).

coffin bone

noun

the terminal bone in a horse's hoof (the distal phalanx).

coffin joint

noun

the joint at the top of a horse's hoof.

coffin nail

noun

‹informal› a cigarette.

• those coffin nails are going to hurt your voice.

coffle /ˈkɒf(ə)l/

I. noun

‹literary› a line of animals or slaves fastened or driven along together.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Arabic qāfila ‘caravan’.

coffret /ˈkɒfrɪt/

I. noun

a small box or container.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French, ‘small chest’, diminutive of coffre (see coffer).

co-founder /kəʊˈfaʊndə/

I. noun

a joint founder.

II. derivatives

co-found

verb

cog^1 /kɒɡ/

I. noun

1. a wheel or bar with a series of projections on its edge, which transfers motion by engaging with projections on another wheel or bar.

• the cogs and springs of a watch.

2. each of the projections on a cog.

• applewood was the favourite material for the cogs or teeth of a cogwheel.

II. phrases

a cog in the (or a) machine (or wheel)

a small or insignificant member of a larger organization or system

• copywriters have been seen as just a cog in the big advertising machine.

III. derivatives

cogged

adjective

– origin Middle English: probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Swedish kugge and Norwegian kug.

cog^2 /kɒɡ/

I. noun

a broadly built medieval ship with a rounded prow and stern.

– origin Middle English: related to Middle Dutch kogge, Old French cogue.

cog^3 /kɒɡ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Irish) ‹informal› copy (someone else's work) illicitly or without acknowledgement

• he's away cogging his homework from Aggie's wee girl.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in senses ‘practise tricks in throwing dice’ and ‘cheat’): of unknown origin.

cogency /ˈkəʊdʒ(ə)nsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being clear, logical, and convincing; lucidity

• the cogency of this argument.

cogeneration

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the generation of electricity and useful heat jointly, especially the utilization of the steam left over from electricity generation for heating.

cogent /ˈkəʊdʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.

• they put forward cogent arguments for British membership.

• the newspaper's lawyers must prepare a cogent appeal.

II. derivatives

cogently /ˈkəʊdʒəntli /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin cogent- ‘compelling’, from the verb cogere, from co- ‘together’ + agere ‘drive’.

cogitable

I. adjective

‹rare› able to be grasped by the mind; conceivable.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin cogitabilis, from the verb cogitare (see cogitate).

cogitate /ˈkɒdʒɪteɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹formal› think deeply about something; meditate or reflect

• he stroked his beard and retired to cogitate.

II. derivatives

1. cogitative /ˈkɒdʒɪtətɪv /

adjective

2. cogitator

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin cogitat- ‘considered’, from the verb cogitare, from co- ‘together’ + agitare ‘turn over, consider’.

cogitation /kɒdʒɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of thinking deeply about something; contemplation

• Sorry, did I interrupt your cogitation?

cogito /ˈkoɡɪtəʊ, ˈkodʒɪtəʊ/

I. noun — (usu. the cogito)

1. [Philosophy] the principle establishing the existence of a being from the fact of its thinking or awareness.

• Augustine gives a memorable earlier version of the Cartesian cogito.

– origin Latin, ‘I think’, in Descartes's formula (1641) cogito, ergo sum ‘I think therefore I am’.

cognac /ˈkɒnjak/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a high-quality brandy, strictly speaking that distilled in Cognac in western France.

• we went to a bar and had some cognac.

• [ count noun] a good range of cognacs.

cognate /ˈkɒɡneɪt/

I. adjective

1. [Linguistics] (of a word) having the same linguistic derivation as another (e.g. English father, German Vater, Latin pater).

• the term is obviously cognate with the Malay segan.

2. ‹formal› related; connected

• cognate subjects such as physics and chemistry.

3. related to or descended from a common ancestor.
Compare with agnate.

II. noun

1. [Linguistics] a cognate word.

2. [Law] a blood relative, especially on the mother's side.

III. derivatives

1. cognately

adverb

2. cognateness

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin cognatus, from co- ‘together with’ + natus ‘born’.

cognate object

noun

1. [Grammar] a direct object that has the same linguistic derivation as the verb which governs it, as in ‘sing a song’.

2. [Grammar] a direct object that makes explicit a semantic concept that is already present in the semantics of the verb which governs it, as in ‘eat some food’.

cognition /kɒɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.

2. [ count noun] — a perception, sensation, idea, or intuition resulting from the process of cognition.

II. derivatives

cognitional

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin cognitio(-), from cognoscere ‘get to know’.

cognitive /ˈkɒɡnɪtɪv/

I. adjective

relating to cognition.

• the cognitive processes involved in reading.

II. derivatives

cognitively

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin cognitivus, from cognit- ‘known’, from the verb cognoscere.

cognitive behavioural therapy cognitive therapy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of psychotherapy in which negative patterns of thought about the self and the world are challenged in order to alter unwanted behaviour patterns or treat mood disorders such as depression.

cognitive dissonance

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychology] the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioural decisions and attitude change.

cognitive grammar

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a theory of grammar that seeks to characterize, in a psychologically realistic way, those structures and abilities that constitute a speaker's grasp of linguistic convention, and to relate them to other cognitive processes.

cognitive map

noun

a mental representation of one's physical environment.

cognitive science

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of thought, learning, and mental organization, which draws on aspects of psychology, linguistics, philosophy, and computer modelling.

II. derivatives

cognitive scientist

noun

cognitivist

I. noun

a person who believes or works in cognitive grammar.

II. adjective

relating to cognitive grammar.

III. derivatives

cognitivism

noun

– origin 1950s (in the sense ‘believing that moral judgements are true or false statements about moral facts’): from cognitive + -ist.

cognizable /ˈkɒ(ɡ)nɪzəb(ə)l / cognisable

I. adjective

1. ‹formal› perceptible; clearly identifiable.

2. [Law] within the jurisdiction of a court.

• a cognizable claim.

– origin late 17th cent.: from cognizance + -able.

cognizance /ˈkɒ(ɡ)nɪz(ə)ns / cognisance

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — ‹formal› knowledge or awareness

• the Renaissance cognizance of Greece was limited.

2. [Law] the action of taking judicial notice.

3. [Heraldry] a distinctive emblem or badge formerly worn by retainers of a noble house.

II. phrases

take cognizance of

‹formal› attend to; take account of.

• the new structure attempted to take cognizance of individual regions' needs.

– origin Middle English conisance, from Old French conoisance, based on Latin cognoscere ‘get to know’. The spelling with g, influenced by Latin, arose in the 15th cent. and gradually affected the pronunciation.

cognizant /ˈkɒ(ɡ)nɪz(ə)nt / cognisant

I. adjective

‹formal› having knowledge or awareness

• statesmen must be cognizant of the political boundaries within which they work.

– origin early 19th cent.: probably directly from cognizance.

cognize /kɒɡˈnʌɪz / cognise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› know or become aware of.

• we cognize the system of mentally represented rules from which the facts follow.

– origin early 19th cent.: from cognizance, on the pattern of words such as recognize.

cognomen /kɒɡˈnəʊmən/

I. noun

1. an extra personal name given to an ancient Roman citizen, functioning rather like a nickname and typically passed down from father to son, for example Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Compare with nomen, praenomen, agnomen.

2. a name or nickname.

– origin Latin, from co- ‘together with’ + gnomen, nomen ‘name’.

cognoscente /ˌkɒɡnəˈʃɛnti, ˌkɒnjəˈʃɛnti/

I. noun

a connoisseur; a discerning expert

• the art historian as professional, expert, cognoscente, and aficionado.

– origin late 18th cent.: Italian, singular of cognoscenti.

cognoscenti /ˌkɒɡnəˈʃɛnti, ˌkɒnjəˈʃɛnti/

I. plural noun

people who are especially well informed about a particular subject

• it's worth taking a tip from the fashion cognoscenti.

– origin late 18th cent.: Italian, literally ‘people who know’, from Latin cognoscent- ‘getting to know’, from the verb cognoscere.

cogon /ˈkəʊɡɒn / cogon grass

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a coarse grass of tropical and warm regions, which can become a serious weed.
●Genus Imperata, family Gramineae.

– origin Tagalog.

cog railway

noun

another term for rack railway.

cogwheel /ˈkɒɡwiːl/

noun

another term for cog^1.

cohabit /kəʊˈhabɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. live together and have a sexual relationship without being married.

• an increasing number of couples are cohabiting.

• Mary is now cohabiting with Paul.

2. coexist

• animals that can cohabit with humans thrive.

II. derivatives

1. cohabitant

noun

2. cohabitee /kəʊhabɪˈtiː /

noun

3. cohabiter

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin cohabitare, from co- ‘together’ + habitare ‘dwell’.

cohabitation /kəʊhabɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of living together and having a sexual relationship without being married

• couples increasingly prefer cohabitation to marriage.

2. the state or fact of living or existing at the same time or in the same place

• a harmonious cohabitation with other living creatures.

Cohen, Leonard /ˈkəʊən/

(b.1934), Canadian singer, songwriter, poet, and novelist. His works include the poetry collection Let Us Compare Mythologies (1956) and the album The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1968).

cohere /kə(ʊ)ˈhɪə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. form a unified whole

• he made the series of fictions cohere into a convincing sequence.

2. (of an argument or theory) be logically consistent

• this view does not cohere with their other beliefs.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin cohaerere, from co- ‘together’ + haerere ‘to stick’.

coherence /kə(ʊ)ˈhɪər(ə)ns, kə(ʊ)ˈhɪərəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being logical and consistent

• this raises further questions on the coherence of state policy.

2. the quality of forming a unified whole

• the group began to lose coherence and the artists took separate directions.

II. derivatives

coherency

noun

coherent /kə(ʊ)ˈhɪər(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. (of an argument, theory, or policy) logical and consistent

• they failed to develop a coherent economic strategy.

2. (of a person) able to speak clearly and logically

• she was lucid and coherent and did not appear to be injured.

3. forming a unified whole

• the arts could be systematized into one coherent body of knowledge.

4. [Physics] (of waves) having a constant phase relationship.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘logically related to’): from Latin cohaerent- ‘sticking together’, from the verb cohaerere (see cohere).

coherently /kəʊˈhɪərəntli/

adverb

1. (with reference to an argument, theory, or policy) in a logical and consistent way

• you argue your point coherently.

2. (with reference to speech) in a clear and understandable way

• he suffered a stroke that left him unable to walk or talk coherently.

3. in a way that forms a unified whole

• communities preferred coherently organized or curated online collections.

coherer /kə(ʊ)ˈhiːrə/

noun

an early form of radio detector consisting of a glass tube loosely filled with metal filings whose bulk electrical resistance decreased in the presence of radio waves.

cohesion /kə(ʊ)ˈhiːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of forming a united whole

• the work at present lacks cohesion.

2. [Physics] the sticking together of particles of the same substance.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin cohaes- ‘cleaved together’, from the verb cohaerere (see cohere), on the pattern of adhesion.

cohesive /kəʊˈhiːsɪv/

I. adjective

characterized by or causing cohesion.

• each parish was formerly a cohesive unit.

• family life can be a cohesive force in society.

II. derivatives

cohesively

adverb

cohesiveness /kəʊˈhiːsɪvnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of forming a united whole

• the film lacks cohesiveness

• a sense of national pride and internal cohesiveness.

Cohn, Ferdinand Julius /kəʊn/

(1828–98), German botanist, a founder of bacteriology and the first to devise a systematic classification of bacteria into genera and species.

coho /ˈkəʊhəʊ / coho salmon, cohoe

I. noun

a deep-bodied North Pacific salmon with small black spots. Also called silver salmon.
● Oncorhynchus kisutch, family Salmonidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably from Salish.

cohort /ˈkəʊhɔːt/

I. noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.] — an ancient Roman military unit, comprising six centuries, equal to one tenth of a legion.

2. [treated as sing. or pl.] — a group of people with a shared characteristic

• a cohort of civil servants patiently drafting legislation.

3. a group of people with a common statistical characteristic

• the 1940–4 birth cohort of women.

4. ‹often derogatory› a supporter or companion.

• young Jack arrived with three of his cohorts.

• a long-time cohort of the band.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cohorte, or from Latin cohors, cohort- ‘yard, retinue’. Compare with court. / usage: The earliest sense of cohort is ‘a unit of men within the Roman army’. In the mid 20th century a new sense developed in the US, meaning ‘a companion or colleague’, as in young Jack arrived with three of his cohorts. Although this use is well established (it accounts for the majority of the citations for this word in the Oxford English Corpus), some people object to it on the grounds that cohort should only be used for groups of people, never for individuals.

cohosh /kəˈhɒʃ/

I. noun

either of two medicinal plants native to North America:
● a plant of the buttercup family, with small white flowers ( Cimicifuga racemosa, family Ranunculaceae). ● a plant of the barberry family ( Caulophyllum thalictroides, family Berberidaceae).

– origin late 18th cent.: from Eastern Abnaki.

co-host

I. noun

a person who hosts an event or broadcast with another or others.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. host (an event or broadcast) together with another or others.

cohune /kəˈhuːn/

I. noun

1. a Central American palm whose nut is a valuable source of oil.
● Orbignya cohune, family Palmae.

2. (also cohune nut) — the oil-rich nut of the cohune palm.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Miskito.

COI

abbreviation

(in the UK) Central Office of Information.

coif /kɔɪf/

I. noun

1. a woman's close-fitting cap, now only worn under a veil by nuns.

• her black habit and white starched coif.

2. ‹historical› a metal skullcap worn under armour.

3. /kwɑːf/ — ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) short for coiffure.

II. verb — [with obj.] coif /kwɑːf, kwɒf /

1. style or arrange (someone's hair).

• Gloria's hair was coiffed in its usual way.

• (as adj. coiffed) her coiffed blonde hair.

– origin Middle English: from Old French coife ‘headdress’, from late Latin cofia ‘helmet’.

coiffeur /kwɑːˈfəː, kwɒˈfəː/

I. noun

a hairdresser.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from coiffer ‘arrange the hair’, in Old French ‘cover with a coif’ (see coif).

coiffeuse /kwɑːˈfəːz, kwɒˈfəːz/

noun

a female hairdresser.

coiffure /kwɑːˈfjʊə, kwɒˈfjʊə/

I. noun

a person's hairstyle.

• Diana's intricately braided coiffure.

II. derivatives

coiffured

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: French, from coiffer ‘arrange the hair’, in Old French ‘cover with a coif’ (see coif).

coign /kɔɪn/

I. noun

a projecting corner or angle of a wall.

II. phrases

coign of vantage

a favourable position for observation or action.
[from Shakespeare's Macbeth (I. iv. 7), popularized by Sir Walter Scott.]

– origin late Middle English: variant of coin.

coil^1 /kɔɪl/

I. noun

1. a length of something wound in a joined sequence of concentric rings

• a coil of rope.

2. a single ring in a coil

• the snake wrapped its coils around her.

3. an intrauterine contraceptive device in the form of a coil.

• many women don't like the idea of having a coil fitted.

4. an electrical device consisting of a coiled wire, for converting the level of a voltage, producing a magnetic field, or adding inductance to a circuit

• a relay coil.

5. such a device used for transmitting high voltage to the spark plugs of an internal-combustion engine.

6. a slow-burning spiral made from the dried paste of pyrethrum powder, which produces a smoke that deters mosquitoes.

7. a roll of postage stamps, especially one for use in a vending machine.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. arrange (something long and flexible) in a coil

• he began to coil up the heavy ropes

• he coiled a lock of her hair around his finger.

2. [no obj., with adverbial] — move or twist into the shape of a coil

• smoke coiled lazily towards the ceiling.

– origin early 16th cent. (as a verb): from Old French coillir, from Latin colligere ‘gather together’ (see collect^1).

coil^2 /kɔɪl/

I. noun

‹archaic› ‹dialect› a confusion or turmoil.

II. phrases

shuffle off this mortal coil

‹chiefly humorous› die.
[from Shakespeare's Hamlet (III. i. 67).]

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

coil spring

noun

a helical spring made from metal wire.

Coimbatore /ˌkɔɪmbəˈtɔː/

a city in the state of Tamil Nadu, in southern India; pop. 1,008,300 (est. 2009).

Coimbra /kəʊˈɪmbrə, ˈkɔɪmbrə/

a university city in central Portugal; pop. 137,212 (2007).

coin /kɔɪn/

I. noun

1. a flat disc or piece of metal with an official stamp, used as money.

• she opened her purse and took out a coin.

• gold and silver coins.

2. [ mass noun] — money in the form of coins

• large amounts of coin and precious metal.

3. ( coins) — one of the suits in some tarot packs, corresponding to pentacles in others.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (coins) by stamping metal.

• guineas and half-guineas were coined.

2. make (metal) into coins.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› earn a lot of (money) quickly and easily

• the company was coining it in at the rate of £90 a second.

4. invent (a new word or phrase)

• he coined the term ‘desktop publishing’.

III. phrases

1. the other side of the coin

the opposite aspect of a matter.

• many jobs have been lost, but the other side of the coin is that firms may now be hiring more workers.

2. pay someone back in their own coin

retaliate by similar behaviour.

• paying Diane back in her own coin always seemed to backfire.

3. to coin a phrase

said when introducing a new expression or a variation on a familiar one, or ironically to show one's awareness that one is using a hackneyed expression

• she was, to coin a phrase, swept off her feet.

– origin Middle English: from Old French coin ‘wedge, corner, die’, coigner ‘to mint’, from Latin cuneus ‘wedge’. The original sense was ‘cornerstone’, later ‘angle or wedge’ (senses now spelled quoin); in late Middle English the term denoted a die for stamping money, or a piece of money produced by such a die.

coinage /ˈkɔɪnɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. coins collectively

• the volume of coinage in circulation.

2. the action or process of producing coins from metal.

• the controller of the coinage of tin.

3. [ count noun] — a system or type of coins in use

• decimal coinage.

4. the invention of a new word or phrase

• the word is of Derrida's own coinage.

5. [ count noun] — a newly invented word or phrase.

• the recent coinage ‘Eurointellectuals’.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French coigniage, from coignier ‘to mint’ (see coin).

coin box

noun

(Brit.) a public telephone operated by inserting coins.

coincide /ˌkəʊɪnˈsʌɪd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. occur at the same time

• publication is timed to coincide with a major exhibition.

2. be present at the same place and at the same time

• on Friday afternoons we generally coincided.

3. correspond in position; meet

• the two long-distance walks briefly coincide here.

4. correspond in nature; tally

• the interests of employers and employees do not always coincide.

5. be in agreement

• the members of the College coincide in this opinion.

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘occupy the same space’): from medieval Latin coincidere, from co- ‘together with’ + incidere ‘fall upon or into’.

coincidence /kəʊˈɪnsɪd(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection

• it was a coincidence that she was wearing a jersey like Laura's

• [ mass noun] they met by coincidence.

2. [ mass noun] — the fact of corresponding in nature or in time of occurrence

• the coincidence of interest between the mining companies and certain politicians.

3. [Physics] the presence of ionizing particles or other objects in two or more detectors simultaneously, or of two or more signals simultaneously in a circuit.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘occupation of the same space’): from medieval Latin coincidentia, from coincidere ‘coincide, agree’ (see coincide).

coincident /kəʊˈɪnsɪd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. occurring together in space or time

• the fall in the stock market was coincident with the slowdown in economic activity.

2. in agreement or harmony

• the stake of defence attorneys is not always coincident with that of their clients.

II. derivatives

coincidently

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin coincident- ‘coinciding’, from the verb coincidere (see coincide).

coincidental /kəʊɪnsɪˈdɛnt(ə)l/

adjective

1. resulting from a coincidence; happening by chance

• any resemblance between their reports is purely coincidental.

2. happening or existing at the same time

• it's convenient that his plan is coincidental with the group's closure.

coincidentally /kəʊɪnsɪˈdɛntəli/

adverb

1. in a way that results from chance despite being very unlikely

• her dad coincidentally happens to be the accountant at the bank

• the three are coincidentally reunited when captured by the enemy.

2. at the same time

• the report should be published coincidentally with the letter.

coiner /ˈkɔɪnə/

noun

1. ‹historical› a person who coins money, in particular a maker of counterfeit coins.

2. a person who invents a new word or phrase.

• who is the coiner of ‘family values’ in its current sense?

coin-op

noun

a machine which is operated by the insertion of coins.
[as modifier]

• a coin-op launderette.

Cointreau /ˈkwɒntrəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a colourless orange-flavoured liqueur.

– origin named after the Cointreau family, liqueur producers based in Angers, France.

coir /ˈkɔɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. fibre from the outer husk of the coconut, used in potting compost and for making ropes and matting.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Malayalam kayaṟu ‘cord, coir’.

coition /kəʊˈɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

another term for coitus.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘meeting or uniting’): from Latin coitio(n-), from the verb coire, from co- ‘together’ + ire ‘go’.

coitus /ˈkəʊɪtəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› sexual intercourse.

II. derivatives

coital /ˈkəʊɪt(ə)l /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, from coire ‘go together’ (see coition).

coitus interruptus /ˌɪntəˈrʌptəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. sexual intercourse in which the penis is withdrawn before ejaculation.

– origin from coitus + Latin interruptus ‘interrupted’.

coitus reservatus /ˌrɛzəˈvɑːtəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the postponement or avoidance of ejaculation, to prolong sexual intercourse.

– origin from coitus + Latin reservatus ‘reserved, kept’.

cojones /kəˈhəʊneɪz/

I. plural noun

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a man's testicles.

2. courage; guts

• only he's got the cojones to go after the general direct.

– origin Spanish.

coke^1 /kəʊk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a solid fuel made by heating coal in the absence of air so that the volatile components are driven off.

2. carbon residue left after the incomplete combustion of petrol or other fuels.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as noun coking)

1. convert (coal) into coke.
[as modifier]

• a coking plant.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘charcoal’): of unknown origin. The current sense dates from the mid 17th cent.

coke^2 /kəʊk/

I. noun

informal term for cocaine.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation.

Coke /kəʊk/

noun

‹trademark› short for Coca-Cola.

Coke-bottle

noun — [as modifier]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› denoting very thick lenses for glasses, or glasses with such lenses.

coked

adjective

‹informal› having taken a large amount of cocaine

• he was obviously drunk or coked up.

cokey /ˈkəʊki/

noun

‹informal› a cocaine addict.

coking coal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. coal suitable for making into coke.

col /kɒl/

I. noun

1. the lowest point of a ridge or saddle between two peaks, typically providing a pass from one side of a mountain range to another.

2. [Meteorology] a region of slightly elevated pressure between two anticyclones.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘neck’, from Latin collum.

col.

abbreviation

column.

Col.

abbreviation

1. Colonel.

2. the Epistle to the Colossians (in biblical references).

col-

prefix

variant spelling of com- assimilated before l (as in collocate, collude).

cola /ˈkəʊlə/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — a brown carbonated drink that is flavoured with an extract of cola nuts, or with a similar flavouring.

• a warm can of cola.

2. (also kola) — a small evergreen African tree which is cultivated in the tropics for its seeds (cola nuts).
[from Temne k'ola ‘cola nut’.] ●Genus Cola, family Sterculiaceae: several species.

colander /ˈkʌləndə, ˈkɒləndə/

I. noun

a perforated bowl used to strain off liquid from food after washing or cooking.

– origin Middle English: based on Latin colare ‘to strain’.

cola nut kola nut

noun

the seed of the cola tree, which contains caffeine and is chewed or made into a drink.

co-latitude /kəʊˈlatɪtjuːd/

noun

[Astronomy] the difference between a given latitude and 90°.

Colbert, Jean Baptiste /ˈkɒlbɛː, French kɔlbɛʀ/

(1619–83), French statesman, chief minister to Louis XIV 1665–83. He was responsible for reforming the country's finances and the navy, and for boosting industry and commerce.

colcannon /kɒlˈkanən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Irish and Scottish dish of cabbage and potatoes boiled and mashed together.

– origin late 18th cent.: from cole; the origin of the second element is uncertain but it is said that cannonballs were used to mash such vegetables as spinach.

Colchester /ˈkəʊltʃɪstə/

a town in Essex, in England; pop. 101,700 (est. 2009). It was a prominent town in Roman Britain, when it was known as Camulodunum.

colchicine /ˈkɒltʃɪsiːn, ˈkɒlkɒltʃɪsiːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a yellow compound present in the corms of colchicums, used to relieve pain in cases of gout.
●An alkaloid; chem. formula: C_22H_25NO_6.

colchicum /ˈkɒltʃɪkəm, ˈkɒlkɒltʃɪkəm/

I. noun

1. a plant of a genus that includes the autumn crocuses.
●Genus Colchicum, family Liliaceae.

2. [ mass noun] — the dried corm or seed of meadow saffron, which has analgesic properties and is used medicinally.

– origin from Latin, from Greek kolkhikon ‘of Colchis’, alluding to the skills as a poisoner of the sorceress Medea of Colchis in classical mythology.

Colchis /ˈkɒlkɪs/

an ancient region south of the Caucasus mountains at the eastern end of the Black Sea. In classical mythology it was the goal of Jason's expedition for the Golden Fleece.
Greek name Kolkhis.

cold /kəʊld/

I. adjective

1. of or at a low or relatively low temperature, especially when compared with the human body

• a freezing cold day

• it's cold outside

• a sharp, cold wind.

2. (of a person) feeling uncomfortably cold

• she was cold, and I put some more wood on the fire.

3. (of food or drink) served or consumed without being heated or after cooling

• a cold drink

• serve hot or cold.

4. feeling or characterized by fear or horror

• a cold shiver of fear.

5. [as complement] — ‹informal› unconscious

• she was out cold.

6. dead

• lying cold and stiff in a coffin.

7. lacking affection or warmth of feeling; unemotional

• how cold and calculating he was

• her cold black eyes.

8. not affected by emotion; objective

• cold statistics.

9. sexually unresponsive; frigid.

• Elise was cold and barren.

10. depressing or dispiriting; not suggestive of warmth

• a cold light streamed through the window.

11. (of a colour) containing pale blue or grey.

12. (of the scent or trail of a hunted person or animal) no longer fresh and easy to follow

• the trail went cold.

13. [ predic.] — (in children's games) far from finding or guessing what is sought.

14. [as complement] — without preparation or rehearsal

• they went into the test cold.

15. ‹informal› at one's mercy

• they had him cold.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a low temperature; cold weather; a cold environment

• my teeth chattered with the cold

• they nearly died of cold.

2. a common infection in which the mucous membrane of the nose and throat becomes inflamed, typically causing running at the nose, sneezing, and a sore throat.

• Suzie's got a cold.

• a bad cold.

• [as modifier] a cold remedy.

III. adverb

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› completely; entirely

• we stopped cold behind a turn in the staircase.

IV. phrases

1. (as) cold as ice (or stone or the grave etc.)

very cold

• her hand was as cold as ice.

2. catch a cold catch cold

a. become infected with a cold.

b. encounter difficulties.

• the investors who have put up around $30 million could catch a cold.

3. cold comfort /ˌkəʊld ˈkʌmfət /

poor or inadequate consolation

• another drop in the inflation rate was cold comfort for the 2.74 million jobless.

4. cold feet

loss of nerve or confidence

• after arranging to meet I got cold feet and phoned her saying I was busy.

5. cold one

‹informal› a glass, bottle, or can of chilled beer

• it's time to crack open another cold one.

6. the cold shoulder

a show of intentional unfriendliness; rejection

• the new England manager gave him the cold shoulder.

7. cold-shoulder someone

reject or be deliberately unfriendly to someone.

• she was cold-shouldered by Boston society as a pushy outsider.

8. cold steel

weapons such as swords or knives collectively.

• I say to you, give lawbreakers cold steel!

9. in cold blood

without feeling or mercy; ruthlessly

• the government forces killed them in cold blood.

10. in the cold light of day

when one has had time to consider a situation objectively

• in the cold light of day it all seemed so ridiculous.

11. out in the cold

ignored; neglected

• the talks left the French out in the cold.

12. throw (or pour) cold water on

be discouraging or negative about.

• she had poured cold water on the idea.

V. derivatives

coldish /ˈkəʊldɪʃ /

adjective

– origin Old English cald, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch koud and German kalt, also to Latin gelu ‘frost’.

cold-blooded /ˌkəʊldˈblʌdɪd/

I. adjective

1. denoting animals whose body temperature varies with that of the environment (e.g. fish); poikilothermic.

2. without emotion or pity; deliberately cruel or callous

• a cold-blooded murder.

II. derivatives

1. cold-bloodedly /ˌkəʊldˈblʌdɪdli /

adverb

2. cold-bloodedness /ˌkəʊldˈblʌdɪdnəs /

noun

cold-call

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make an unsolicited visit or telephone call to (someone), in an attempt to sell goods or services.

• he has been cold-called a dozen times in the past two months.

• there are severe new regulations against cold-calling.

II. noun

( cold call) — an unsolicited visit or telephone call made by someone trying to sell goods or services.

• the salesmen spend most of their time making cold calls on perfect strangers.

III. derivatives

cold-caller

noun

cold case

noun

an unsolved criminal investigation which remains open pending the discovery of new evidence

• the cold cases that have never been solved.

cold cash

noun

North American term for hard cash.

cold cathode

noun

[Electronics] a cathode that emits electrons without being heated.

cold chisel

noun

a chisel used for cutting metal.

cold-cock

verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› knock (someone) out, typically with a blow to the head.

cold cream

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a cosmetic preparation used for cleansing and softening the skin.

cold cuts

plural noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) slices of cold cooked meats.

cold deck

noun

1. (US) ‹informal› a deck of cards which has been dishonestly arranged beforehand.

2. (N. Amer.) a pile of logs stored away from the immediate area where logging is taking place.

cold-drawn

I. adjective

(of metal) drawn out into a wire or bar while cold.

II. derivatives

cold-drawing

noun

cold frame

noun

a frame with a glass top in which small plants are grown and protected without artificial heat.

cold front

noun

[Meteorology] the boundary of an advancing mass of cold air, in particular the trailing edge of the warm sector of a low-pressure system.

cold fusion

noun — [ mass noun]

1. nuclear fusion supposedly occurring at or close to room temperature.

cold-hearted /kəʊldˈhɑːtɪd/

I. adjective

lacking affection or warmth; unfeeling.

• Tom was unloved by his cold-hearted wife.

II. derivatives

1. cold-heartedly

adverb

2. cold-heartedness

noun

coldie

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a chilled can or bottle of beer.

Colditz /ˈkəʊldɪts, ˈkɒldɪts/

a medieval castle near Leipzig, used as a top-security camp for Allied prisoners in the Second World War.

cold light

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] light accompanied by little or no heat; luminescence.

coldly /ˈkəʊldli/

adverb

without affection or warmth of feeling; unemotionally

• Doyle looked at her coldly

• [as submodifier] a coldly contemptuous tone.

cold-moulded

I. adjective

(of an object) moulded from a resin that hardens without being heated.

II. derivatives

cold-moulding

noun

coldness /ˈkəʊldnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality or condition of being of or at a low or relatively low temperature, especially when compared with the human body

• the air returned to the bright coldness of winter

• the bitter coldness of the British weather.

2. a feeling of fear or horror

• a sudden coldness crept around his heart.

3. the quality of lacking affection or warmth of feeling

• he replied with coldness in his voice.

4. (in reference to colour) the quality of containing pale blue or grey

• the coldness of his paintings.

cold-rolled

I. adjective

[Metallurgy] (of metal) having been rolled into sheets while cold, resulting in a smooth, hard finish.

II. derivatives

cold-rolling

noun

cold-short

I. adjective

(of a metal) brittle in its cold state.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Swedish kallskör, from kall ‘cold’ + skör ‘brittle’, later associated with short in the same sense.

cold sore

noun

an inflamed blister in or near the mouth, caused by infection with the herpes simplex virus.

cold start

I. noun

an act of starting an engine or other machine at the ambient temperature.

• electronic injection control makes cold starts easier.

II. verb

( cold-start) [with obj.] — start (an engine or machine) at the ambient temperature.

• it is possible to cold-start the unit in one hour.

cold storage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the keeping of something in a refrigerator or other cold place for preservation.

• a billion pounds of food is being held in cold storage.

2. the temporary postponement of something

• the project went into cold storage.

cold store

noun

a large refrigerated room for preserving food at very low temperatures.

cold sweat

noun

a state of sweating induced by fear, anxiety, or illness

• the very thought of exams brought her out in a cold sweat.

cold table

noun

(Brit.) a selection of dishes of cold food in a restaurant or at a formal meal.

cold turkey ‹informal›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the abrupt and complete cessation of taking a drug to which one is addicted

• I had to go cold turkey.

2. the unpleasant symptoms caused by suddenly ceasing to take a drug to which one is addicted

• stopping the drug may result in cold turkey.

II. adverb

(chiefly N. Amer.) in a sudden and abrupt manner

• I had to quit drinking cold turkey.

cold war

noun

1. a state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures short of open warfare, in particular

2. ( the Cold War) — the state of hostility that existed between the Soviet bloc countries and the Western powers from 1945 to 1990.

cold warrior

noun

a person who promotes a cold war.

• there are cold warriors on both sides who want to keep things the way they were.

cold wave

noun

1. a spell of cold weather over a wide area.

2. a kind of permanent wave for the hair created by applying chemicals at room temperature.

cold-weld

verb — [with obj.]

1. join (a piece of metal) to another without the use of heat, by forcing them together so hard that the surface oxide films are disrupted and adhesion occurs.

cold-work

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. shape (metal) while it is cold.
(as adj. cold-worked)

• cold-worked brass.

II. noun

( cold work) [ mass noun] — the shaping of metal while it is cold.

cole /kəʊl/

I. noun

‹chiefly archaic› a brassica, especially cabbage, kale, or rape.

– origin Old English cāwel, caul, related to Dutch kool and German Kohl, from Latin caulis ‘stem, cabbage’; reinforced in Middle English by forms from Old Norse kál. Compare with kale.

Cole, Nat King

(1919–65), American singer and pianist; born Nathaniel Adams Coles. He became the first black man to have his own series both on radio (1948–9) and television (1956–7). Notable songs: ‘Mona Lisa’ (1950), ‘Ramblin' Rose’ (1962).

colectomy /kə(ʊ)ˈlɛktəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. surgical removal of all or part of the colon.

Coleman, Ornette

(1930–2015), American jazz saxophonist, trumpeter, violinist, and composer, whose music was noted for its lack of harmony and chordal structure.

colemanite /ˈkəʊlmənʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white crystalline mineral, typically occurring as glassy prisms, consisting of hydrated calcium borate.

– origin named after William T. Coleman (1824–93) + -ite^1.

Coleman lantern Coleman lamp

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹trademark› a type of bright gasoline lamp used by campers.

Coleoptera /ˌkɒlɪˈɒpt(ə)rə/

I. plural noun

1. [Entomology] an order of insects that comprises the beetles (including weevils), forming the largest order of animals on the earth.

2. ( coleoptera) — [Entomology] insects of the order Coleoptera; beetles.

• coleoptera are very sensitive to changes in wetness.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek koleopteros, from koleos ‘sheath’ + pteron ‘wing’.

coleopteran ‹Entomology›

I. noun

an insect of the order Coleoptera; a beetle.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting coleopterans.

III. derivatives

coleopterous

adjective

coleopterist /ˌkɒlɪˈɒptərɪst/

I. noun

a person who studies or collects beetles.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Coleoptera + -ist.

coleoptile /ˌkɒlɪˈɒptʌɪl/

I. noun

[Botany] a sheath protecting a young shoot tip in a grass or cereal.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek koleon ‘sheath’ + ptilon ‘feather’.

coleorhiza /ˌkɒlɪə(ʊ)ˈrʌɪzə/

I. noun

[Botany] a sheath protecting the root of a germinating grass or cereal grain.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from koleos ‘sheath’ + rhiza ‘root’.

Coleraine /kəʊlˈreɪn/

a town in the north of Northern Ireland, on the River Bann in County Londonderry; pop. 24,300 (est. 2009).

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor /ˈkəʊlərɪdʒ/

(1772–1834), English poet, critic, and philosopher. His Lyrical Ballads (1798), written with William Wordsworth, marked the start of English romanticism and included ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’. Other notable poems: ‘Christabel’ and ‘Kubla Khan’ (both 1816).

coleseed

I. noun

old-fashioned term for rape^2.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Dutch koolzaad ‘cabbage or rape seed’.

coleslaw /ˈkəʊlslɔː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a salad dish of shredded raw cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables mixed with mayonnaise.

– origin late 18th cent. (originally US): from Dutch koolsla, from kool ‘cabbage’ + sla (see slaw).

Colette /kɒˈlɛt/

(1873–1954), French novelist; born Sidonie Gabrielle Claudine. Notable novels Chéri (1920) and La Fin de Chéri (1926).

coleus /ˈkəʊlɪəs/

I. noun

a tropical SE Asian plant of the mint family with brightly coloured variegated leaves, popular as a houseplant.
●Genus Solenostemon (formerly Coleus), family Labiatae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek koleos ‘sheath’ (because of the way the stamens are joined together, resembling a sheath).

colewort /ˈkəʊlwəːt/

noun

‹archaic› another term for cole.

coley /ˈkəʊli/

I. noun

another term for saithe.

– origin 1960s: perhaps from coalfish.

colic /ˈkɒlɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. severe pain in the abdomen caused by wind or obstruction in the intestines and suffered especially by babies.

II. derivatives

colicky /ˈkɒlɪki /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French colique, from late Latin colicus, from colon (see colon^2).

colicin /ˈkɒlɪsɪn/

I. noun

[Biology] a bacteriocin produced by a coliform bacterium.

– origin 1940s: from French colicine (from coli, denoting a bacterium) + -in^1.

colic root

noun

a North American plant of the lily family, with a rosette of leaves and a spike of small goblet-shaped white flowers, formerly used in the treatment of colic.
● Aletris farinosa, family Liliaceae.

coliform /ˈkɒlɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

[Biology] belonging to a group of rod-shaped bacteria typified by E. coli.

– origin early 20th cent.: from modern Latin coli ‘of the colon’ + -iform.

Colima /kɒˈliːmə/

I. a state of SW Mexico, on the Pacific coast.

II. the capital city of Colima; pop. 123,587 (2005).

colinearity /ˌkəʊlɪnɪˈarɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Genetics] the relationship between the linear sequence of nucleic acid bases in the DNA of the gene and the sequence of amino acids in the protein encoded by the DNA.

coliseum /ˌkɒləˈsiːəm / colosseum

I. noun — [in names]

1. a large theatre, cinema, or stadium

• the London Coliseum.

– origin late 19th cent.: from medieval Latin, alteration of Latin colosseum (see Colosseum).

colitis /kəˈlʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the lining of the colon.

Coll

an island in the Inner Hebrides, to the west of the isle of Mull.

Coll.

abbreviation

1. Collected or Collection (used in written references to published works or sources).

• Edinburgh Literary Gazette, 6 June, in Masson, Coll. Writings (1890).

• source: Suss. Arch. Coll. xvii, 124.

2. College.

• Tokyo Univ. Coll. of Agr.

collabo /kəˈlabəʊ/

noun

1. (chiefly in the context of the German occupation of France during the Second World War) a person who collaborates with an enemy; a collaborator

• they meted out rough justice to collabos in areas freed of German control.

• [as modifier] confiscated collabo properties.

[French, from collaborateur.]

2. ‹informal› something produced by two or more people working together, especially a piece of music; a collaboration

• the trio won a Grammy for their hit collabo with the Gorillaz.

[1990s: abbreviation of collaboration.]

collaborate /kəˈlabəreɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. work jointly on an activity or project

• he collaborated with him on numerous hotel projects.

2. cooperate traitorously with an enemy

• during the last war they collaborated with the Nazis.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin collaborat- ‘worked with’, from the verb collaborare, from col- ‘together’ + laborare ‘to work’.

collaboration /kəlabəˈreɪʃn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of working with someone to produce something

• he wrote a book in collaboration with his son.

2. [ count noun] — something produced in collaboration with someone

• his recent opera was a collaboration with Lessing.

3. traitorous cooperation with an enemy

• he faces charges of collaboration.

II. derivatives

collaborationist /kəˌlabəˈreɪʃənɪst /

noun, adjective

collaboration (sense 2)

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin collaboratio(n-), from collaborare ‘work together’.

collaborative /kəˈlabərətɪv/

adjective

produced by or involving two or more parties working together

• collaborative research.

collaboratively /kəˈlab(ə)rətɪvli/

adverb

in a way that is produced by or involves two or more parties working together

• the guidelines have been developed collaboratively between key agencies.

collaborator /kəˈlabəreɪtə/

noun

1. a person who works jointly on an activity or project; an associate

• his collaborator on the book.

2. a person who cooperates traitorously with an enemy; a defector

• he was a collaborator during the occupation.

collage /ˈkɒlɑːʒ, kəˈlɑːʒ/

I. noun

1. a piece of art made by sticking various different materials such as photographs and pieces of paper or fabric on to a backing.

2. [ mass noun] — the art of making collages.

3. a collection or combination of various things

• a collage of musical genres.

II. derivatives

collagist

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, literally ‘gluing’.

collagen /ˈkɒlədʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] the main structural protein found in animal connective tissue, yielding gelatin when boiled.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French collagène, from Greek kolla ‘glue’ + French -gène (see -gen).

collapsar /kəˈlapsɑː/

I. noun

[Astronomy] an old star that has collapsed under its own gravity to form a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole.

– origin late 20th cent.: from collapse, on the pattern of words such as pulsar.

collapse /kəˈlaps/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a structure) suddenly fall down or give way

• the roof collapsed on top of me.

2. [with obj.] — cause (something) to fall down or give way

• it feels as if the slightest pressure would collapse it

• ‹figurative› many people tend to collapse the distinction between the two concepts.

3. (usu. as adj. collapsed) — (of a lung or blood vessel) fall inwards and become flat and empty.

• a collapsed lung.

4. [with obj.] — cause (a lung or blood vessel) to collapse

• he had an operation to collapse his lung.

5. (of a person) fall down and become unconscious as a result of illness or injury

• he collapsed from loss of blood.

6. sit or lie down as a result of exhaustion or amusement

• exhausted, he collapsed on the bed

• the three of them collapsed with laughter.

7. fail suddenly and completely

• the talks collapsed last week over territorial issues.

8. (of a price or currency) drop suddenly in value.

• the price of oil collapsed.

9. fold or be foldable into a small space
[no obj.]

• some cots collapse down to fit into a holdall.

10. [with obj.] — compress a displayed part of (a spreadsheet or other electronic document)

• tabulation programs can be used to collapse this list in various ways.

II. noun

1. an instance of a structure falling down or giving way

• the collapse of a railway bridge

• [ mass noun] the church roof is in danger of collapse.

2. a sudden failure of an institution or undertaking

• the collapse of a number of prominent banks.

3. a physical or mental breakdown

• he suffered a collapse from overwork

• [ mass noun] she's lying there in a state of collapse.

– origin early 17th cent. (as collapsed): from medical Latin collapsus, past participle of collabi, from col- ‘together’ + labi ‘to slip’.

collapsible /kəˈlapsɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of an object) able to be folded into a small space

• a collapsible bed.

II. derivatives

collapsibility

noun

collar /ˈkɒlə/

I. noun

1. the part around the neck of a shirt, blouse, jacket or coat, either upright or turned over.

• a shirt collar.

• we turned our collars up against the chill.

2. a band put around the neck of a domestic animal, used to restrain or control it.

• dogs for the Deaf are identified by an orange collar and leash.

3. a coloured marking resembling a collar round the neck of a bird or other animal

• the drake has a narrow black collar.

4. a heavy rounded part of the harness worn by a draught animal, which rests at the base of its neck on the shoulders

• a shire horse leaning into its collar.

5. a connecting band or pipe in machinery.

6. (Brit.) a piece of meat rolled up and tied.

7. a cut of bacon taken from the neck of a pig.

8. the part of a plant where the stem joins the roots.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› seize or apprehend (someone)

• police collared the culprit.

2. ‹informal› approach (someone) in order to talk to them

• he collared a departing guest for some last words.

III. derivatives

collarless

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French colier, from Latin collare ‘band for the neck, collar’, from collum ‘neck’.

collar beam

noun

a horizontal piece of squared timber connecting two rafters and forming with them an A-shaped roof truss.

collarbone /ˈkɒləbəʊn/

noun

either of the pair of bones joining the breastbone to the shoulder blades.
Also called clavicle.

collard /ˈkɒlɑːd / collards, collard greens

I. noun

‹dialect› (N. Amer.) a cabbage of a variety that does not develop a heart.

– origin mid 18th cent.: reduced form of colewort, in the same sense, from cole + wort.

collared /ˈkɒləd/

adjective

1. (of a garment) having a collar

• men were required to wear trousers and collared shirts

• [ in combination] a fur-collared jacket.

2. (of a bird or other animal) having a coloured marking resembling a collar around the neck

• I saw thousands of wood pigeons and collared doves

• you can sight collared lizards amidst cottonwoods and ferns.

collared dove

noun

an Old World dove related to the turtle dove, with buff, grey, or brown plumage and a narrow black band around the back of the neck.
●Genus Streptopelia, family Columbidae: several species, in particular the sandy grey S. decaocto.

collared lizard

noun

a lizard with a distinctive black-and-white collar, found in dry rocky areas in the southern US and Mexico.
● Crotaphytus collaris, family Iguanidae.

collar stud

noun

a stud used to fasten a detachable collar to a shirt.

collate /kəˈleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. collect and combine (texts, information, or data).

• all the information obtained is being collated.

2. compare and analyse (two or more sources of information)

• these accounts he collated with his own experience.

3. [Printing] verify the number and order of (the sheets of a book).

4. appoint (a member of the clergy) to a benefice.

II. derivatives

collator /kəˈleɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘confer a benefice upon’): from Latin collat- ‘brought together’, from the verb conferre (see confer).

collateral /kəˈlat(ə)r(ə)l/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — something pledged as security for repayment of a loan, to be forfeited in the event of a default.

• she put her house up as collateral for the bank loan.

2. a person having the same ancestor as another but through a different line.

II. adjective

1. additional but subordinate; secondary

• the collateral meanings of a word.

2. ‹euphemistic› denoting inadvertent casualties and destruction in civilian areas in the course of military operations

• munitions must be able to destroy the target without causing collateral damage

• collateral casualties.

3. descended from the same stock but by a different line

• a collateral descendant of Robert Burns.

4. situated side by side; parallel

• collateral veins.

III. derivatives

1. collaterality

noun

2. collaterally

adverb

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): from medieval Latin collateralis, from col- ‘together with’ + lateralis (from latus, later- ‘side’). Sense 1 of the noun (originally US) is from the phrase collateral security, denoting something pledged in addition to the main obligation of a contract.

collateral contract

noun

[Law] a subsidiary contract which induces a person to enter into a main contract or which depends upon the main contract for its existence.

collateralize collateralise

verb — [with obj.]

1. provide something as collateral for (a loan).

• these loans are collateralized by property.

• (as adj. collateralized) the risk of investments known as collateralized mortgage obligations.

collation /kəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of collating something

• data management and collation.

2. ‹formal› a light informal meal.

• lunch was a collation of salami, olives, and rye bread.

• a cold collation.

3. (in the Roman Catholic Church) a light meal allowed during a fast.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin collatio(n-), from conferre (see confer). Originally (in the plural) the term denoted John Cassian's Collationes Patrum in Scetica Eremo Commorantium ‘Conferences of, or with, the Egyptian Hermits’ (AD 415–20), from which a reading would be given in Benedictine communities prior to a light meal (see sense 2).

colleague /ˈkɒliːɡ/

I. noun

a person with whom one works in a profession or business.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French collègue, from Latin collega ‘partner in office’, from col- ‘together with’ + legare ‘depute’.

collect^1 /kəˈlɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. bring or gather together (a number of things)

• he went round the office collecting old coffee cups.

2. [no obj.] — come together and form a group

• a small crowd collected at the back door.

3. systematically seek and acquire (items of a particular kind) as a hobby

• I've started collecting stamps.

4. accumulate over a period of time

• collect rainwater to use on the garden.

5. call for and take away; fetch

• the children were collected from school.

6. call for and obtain (payments) from a number of people

• he collected their rent each week.

7. go somewhere and receive (something) as a right or award

• she came to Oxford to collect her honorary degree.

8. ask for and receive (charitable donations)

• they were collecting money for the war effort.

9. ( collect oneself) — regain control of oneself, typically after a shock.

• he paused for a moment to take a breath, to collect himself.

10. concentrate (one's thoughts).

• she returned to her room to collect her thoughts.

11. ‹archaic› conclude; infer
[with clause]

• by all best conjectures, I collect Thou art to be my fatal enemy.

12. cause (a horse) to bring its hind legs further forward as it moves.

• a rider should want to be able to collect a horse when hacking.

13. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› collide with

• he lost control of the truck and collected two cats.

II. adverb, adjective

(N. Amer.) (with reference to a telephone call) to be paid for by the person receiving it
[as adv.]

• I called my mother collect.

III. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a winning bet.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French collecter or medieval Latin collectare, from Latin collect- ‘gathered together’, from the verb colligere, from col- ‘together’ + legere ‘choose or collect’.

collect^2 /ˈkɒlɛkt, ˈkɒlɪkt/

I. noun

(in church use) a short prayer, especially one assigned to a particular day or season.

– origin Middle English: from Old French collecte, from Latin collecta ‘gathering’, feminine past participle of colligere ‘gather together’ (see collect^1).

collectable /kəˈlɛktəb(ə)l / collectible

I. adjective

1. (often collectible) — (of an item) worth collecting; of interest to a collector.

• his books became increasingly collectible classics.

• collectable coins.

2. able to be collected

• a hire car, collectable on your arrival.

II. noun

(usu. collectibles) — an item valued and sought by collectors.

• the auction attracted professional dealers trading in quality small collectables.

III. derivatives

collectability /kəlɛktəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

collectanea /kɒlɛkˈtɑːnɪə, kɒlɛkˈteɪnɪə/

I. plural noun — [also treated as sing.]

1. passages, remarks, and other pieces of text collected from various sources.

– origin mid 17th cent.: Latin, neuter plural of collectaneus ‘gathered together’.

collected /kəˈlɛktɪd/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) calm and self-controlled

• outwardly they are cool, calm, and collected.

2. [ attrib.] — (of individual works) brought together in one volume or edition

• the collected works of Shakespeare.

3. (of a volume or edition) containing all the works of a particular person or category.

• the first collected edition of Mozart's works.

4. [Riding] (of a horse) moving with a shortened stride and with its hind legs correctly placed to achieve balance and impulsion

• many top riders that instinctively ride a horse collected cannot explain the theory.

II. derivatives

collectedly /kəˈlɛktɪdli /

adverb

collected (sense 1)

collectedness /kəˈlɛktədnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being calm and self-controlled

• she is the very picture of collectedness and confidence.

collection /kəˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or process of collecting someone or something

• the collection of data

• refuse collection

• she left the envelope in the office for collection.

2. [ count noun] — a regular removal of mail for dispatch or of refuse for disposal.

• withdrawal of the Sunday collections.

3. [ count noun] — an instance of collecting money in a church service or for a charity.

• a collection is to be taken up for the Ecclesiastical Students Fund.

4. [ count noun] — a sum of money raised during a church or charity collection.

5. a group of things or people

• a rambling collection of houses.

6. a group of accumulated items of a particular kind

• a record collection.

7. a book or recording containing various texts, poems, songs, etc.

• a collection of essays.

8. a range of new clothes produced by a fashion house

• a preview of their autumn collection.

9. ( collections) — (Brit.) college examinations held at the beginning or end of a term, especially at Oxford University.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin collectio(n-), from colligere ‘gather together’ (see collect^1).

collective /kəˈlɛktɪv/

I. adjective

1. done by people acting as a group

• a collective protest.

2. relating to or shared by all the members of a group

• ministers who share collective responsibility

• a collective sigh of relief from parents.

3. taken as a whole; aggregate

• the collective power of the workforce.

II. noun

1. a cooperative enterprise.

• the anarchist collective and bookshop.

2. a collective farm.

III. derivatives

1. collectiveness

noun

2. collectivity /kəlɛkˈtɪvɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘representing many individuals’): from Old French collectif, -ive or Latin collectivus, from collect- ‘gathered together’, from the verb colligere (see collect^1).

collective bargaining

noun — [ mass noun]

1. negotiation of wages and other conditions of employment by an organized body of employees.

collective farm

noun

a jointly operated amalgamation of several smallholdings, especially one owned by the state.

collectively /kəˈlɛktɪvli/

adverb

as a group; as a whole

• the vast range of resources that the American people collectively own

• the audience collectively winced.

collective memory

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the memory of a group of people, passed from one generation to the next.

collective noun

I. noun

[Grammar] a count noun that denotes a group of individuals (e.g. assembly, family, crew).

usage: A collective noun can be used with either a singular verb ( my family was always hard-working) or a plural verb ( his family were disappointed in him). Generally speaking, in Britain it is more usual for collective nouns to be followed by a plural verb, while in the US the opposite is true. Notice that, if the verb is singular, any following pronouns must be too: the government is prepared to act, but not until it knows the outcome of the latest talks (not … until they know the outcome …).

collective ownership

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ownership of something, typically land or industrial assets, by all members of a group for the mutual benefit of all.

collective security

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the cooperation of several countries in an alliance to strengthen the security of each.

collective unconscious

noun

(in Jungian psychology) the part of the unconscious mind which is derived from ancestral memory and experience and is common to all humankind, as distinct from the individual's unconscious.

collectivism /kəˈlɛktɪvɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it.

• the Church has criticized the great emphasis placed on individualism rather than collectivism.

2. the ownership of land and the means of production by the people or the state, as a political principle or system.

• the Russian Revolution decided to alter the course of modernity towards collectivism.

collectivist /kəˈlɛktɪvɪst/

I. adjective

of or relating to the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it

• collectivist cultures had disciplined and cooperative work forces

• collectivist policies which promised security and protection.

II. noun

an adherent of the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it

• an entire nation of collectivists.

III. derivatives

collectivistic

adjective

collectivize /kəˈlɛktɪvʌɪz / collectivise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. collectivized)

1. organize (an industry or activity) on the basis of public or state ownership

• collectivized agriculture.

II. derivatives

collectivization /kəlɛktɪvʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

collector /kəˈlɛktə/

noun

1. a person who collects things of a specified type, professionally or as a hobby

• an art collector.

2. an official who is responsible for collecting money

• a tax collector.

3. an official who collects tickets from bus or train passengers.

• the ticket collector closed the gates.

4. (in some South Asian countries) the chief administrative official of a district.

5. [Electronics] the region in a bipolar transistor that absorbs charge carriers.

collectorate /kəˈlɛktərət/

noun

(in some South Asian countries) a district under the jurisdiction of a collector (see collector (sense 3)), or the staff or premises involved in the administration of this.

collector's item collector's piece

noun

an object valued by collectors, because it is rare, beautiful, or has some special interest.

colleen /kɒˈliːn, ˈkɒliːn/

I. noun

(Irish) a girl or young woman.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Irish cailin, diminutive of caile ‘countrywoman’.

college /ˈkɒlɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. an educational institution or establishment, in particular:

2. one providing higher education or specialized professional or vocational training

• colleges of further education

• I'm at college, studying graphic design.

3. (in Britain) any of the independent institutions into which certain universities are separated, each having its own teaching staff, students, and buildings.

• the Oxford colleges.

• [in names] Trinity College, Cambridge.

4. (Brit.) a private secondary school
[in names]

• Eton College.

5. (US) a university offering a limited curriculum or teaching only to a bachelor's degree.
[in names]

• Harvard College.

6. the teaching staff and students of a college considered collectively

• the college was shocked by his death.

7. an organized group of professional people with particular aims, duties, and privileges
[in names]

• the Royal College of Physicians.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin collegium ‘partnership’, from collega ‘partner in office’, from col- ‘together with’ + legare ‘depute’.

college-bound

adjective

(US) going or intending to go to college

• advice for parents of college-bound teenagers

• if you are college-bound, the chances are that you will have to take the SAT.

College of Arms College of Heralds

(in the UK) a corporation which officially records and grants armorial bearings. Formed in 1484, it comprises three Kings of Arms, six heralds, and four pursuivants.
Also called Heralds' College.

College of Cardinals

the body of cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, founded in the 11th century and since 1179 responsible for the election of the Pope.
Also called Sacred College.

college of education

noun

an institution where schoolteachers are trained.

college pudding

noun

(Brit.) a small baked or steamed suet pudding with dried fruit.

colleger /ˈkɒlɪdʒə/

noun

(at Eton College) a pupil who boards in the school itself rather than in the town.
Compare with oppidan.

collegial /kəˈliːdʒɪəl, kəˈliːdʒ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. another term for collegiate (sense 1).

2. relating to or involving shared responsibility, as among a group of colleagues.

• judges cultivate a collegial atmosphere in instructing the jury.

II. derivatives

collegiality

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French collegial or late Latin collegialis, from collegium ‘partnership’ (see college).

collegian /kəˈliːdʒɪən, kəˈliːdʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

a member of a college, especially within a university.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin collegianus, from collegium ‘partnership’ (see college).

collegiate /kəˈliːdʒ(ɪ)ət/

I. adjective

1. belonging or relating to a college or its students

• collegiate life.

2. (Brit.) (of a university) composed of different colleges.

• the Oxford collegiate system.

II. derivatives

collegiately

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin collegiatus, from collegium ‘partnership’ (see college).

collegiate church

noun

1. a church endowed for a chapter of canons but without a bishop's see.

2. (US) (Scottish) a church or group of churches established under two or more pastors.

collegiate Gothic

I. adjective

of or in a style of neo-Gothic architecture used for some US university buildings

• the history-evoking Collegiate Gothic buildings.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the collegiate Gothic style.

collegium /kəˈliːdʒɪəm/

I. noun

1. (in full collegium musicum) ( pl. collegia musica) — a society of amateur musicians, especially one attached to a German or US university.

2. ‹historical› an advisory or administrative board in Russia.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘association’.

col legno /kɒl ˈlɛnjəʊ/

I. adverb

(of a passage of music for a bowed instrument) played by hitting the strings with the back of the bow.

– origin Italian, ‘with the wood (of the bow)’.

Collembola /kəˈlɛmbələ/

I. plural noun

1. [Entomology] an order of insects that comprises the springtails.

2. ( collembola) — [Entomology] insects of the order Collembola; springtails.

• most collembola live in damp places.

II. derivatives

collembolan

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek kolla ‘glue’ + embolon ‘peg, stopper’ (with reference to the sticky substance secreted by the ventral tube of the insects).

collenchyma /kəˈlɛŋkɪmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] tissue strengthened by the thickening of cell walls, as in young shoots.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kolla ‘glue’ + enkhuma ‘infusion’.

Colles fracture /ˈkɒlɪs/

I. noun

[Medicine] a fracture of the radius in the wrist, with a characteristic backward displacement of the hand.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Abraham Colles (1773–1843), Irish surgeon.

collet /ˈkɒlɪt/

I. noun

1. a segmented band put round a shaft and tightened so as to grip it.

2. a small collar in a clock to which the inner end of a balance spring is attached.

3. a flange or socket for setting a gem in jewellery.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a piece of armour to protect the neck): from Old French, diminutive of col ‘neck’, from Latin collum.

colliculus /kəˈlɪkjʊləs/

I. noun

[Anatomy] any of a number of small swellings in the roof of the midbrain, involved in vision and hearing.

II. derivatives

collicular

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, diminutive of collis ‘hill’.

collide /kəˈlʌɪd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. hit by accident when moving

• she collided with someone

• two suburban trains collided.

2. come into conflict or opposition

• in his work, politics and metaphysics collide.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘cause to collide’): from Latin collidere, from col- ‘together’ + laedere ‘to strike’.

collider /kəˈlʌɪdə/

noun

[Physics] an accelerator in which two beams of particles are made to collide.

collie /ˈkɒli/

I. noun

a sheepdog of a breed originating in Scotland, having a long pointed nose and long thick hair.

– origin mid 17th cent.: perhaps from coal (the breed originally being black).

collier /ˈkɒlɪə/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) a coal miner.

2. (chiefly Brit.) a ship carrying coal.

– origin Middle English: from coal + -ier. The original sense was ‘maker of charcoal’, who usually brought it to market, hence ‘person selling charcoal’, later ‘person selling coal’, whence the current senses.

colliery /ˈkɒlɪəri/

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a coal mine and the buildings and equipment associated with it.

collieshangie /kɒlɪˈʃaŋi/

I. noun

(Scottish) ‹archaic› a noisy quarrel.

– origin mid 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

colligate /ˈkɒlɪɡeɪt/

I. verb

[Linguistics] be or cause to be juxtaposed or grouped in a syntactic relation
[no obj.]

• the two grammatical items are said to colligate.

II. derivatives

colligation /ˌkɒlɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the Latin sense): from Latin colligat- ‘bound together’, from the verb colligare, from col- ‘together’ + ligare ‘bind’. The current sense dates from the 1960s.

colligative /kəˈlɪɡətɪv/

adjective

[Chemistry] relating to the binding together of molecules.

• the colligative properties of dilute solutions.

collimate /ˈkɒlɪmeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (rays of light or particles) accurately parallel
(as adj. collimated)

• a collimated electron beam.

2. accurately set the alignment of (an optical or other system).

• manuals give detailed instructions for collimating the optics.

II. derivatives

collimation /kɒlɪˈmeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin collimare, an erroneous reading (in some editions of Cicero) of collineare ‘align or aim’, from col- ‘together with’ + linea ‘line’.

collimator /ˈkɒlɪmeɪtə/

noun

1. a device for producing a parallel beam of rays or radiation.

2. a small fixed telescope used for adjusting the line of sight of an astronomical telescope.

collinear /kəˈlɪnɪə/

I. adjective

[Geometry] (of points) lying in the same straight line.

II. derivatives

collinearity

noun

Collins

noun

short for Tom Collins.

Collins, Joan

(b.1933), English actress, a sex symbol in films such as Our Girl Friday (1953) and known more recently for the television series Dynasty (1981–9); full name Joan Henrietta Collins.

Collins, Michael

(1890–1922), Irish nationalist leader and politician. A Member of Parliament for Sinn Fein, he was one of the negotiators of the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. In 1922 he acted as head of the provisional government of the Irish Free State and then as commander of the Free State army in the civil war. He was killed in an ambush in August 1922.

Collins, Wilkie

(1824–89), English novelist, noted for his detective stories The Woman in White (1860) and The Moonstone (1868); full name William Wilkie Collins.

Collins Street

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› used allusively to refer to a rich person from the city who dabbles in rural life for fun or profit

• he was contemptuous of the Collins Street farmers who directed the rural industries from luxurious Melbourne offices.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the name of a major street in the business district of Melbourne.

collision /kəˈlɪʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an instance of one moving object or person striking violently against another

• a mid-air collision between two aircraft

• [ mass noun] his car was in collision with a lorry.

2. a conflict between opposing ideas, interests, or factions

• a collision of two diverse cultures and languages.

3. [Computing] an instance of two or more records being assigned the same identifier or location in memory.

4. an instance of simultaneous transmission by more than one node of a network.

II. phrases

on (a) collision course

adopting an approach that is certain to lead to conflict with another person or group

• nurses are on a collision course with the government.

III. derivatives

collisional

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin collisio(n-), from Latin collidere ‘strike together’ (see collide).

collocate

I. verb — collocate /ˈkɒləkeɪt /

1. [no obj.] — [Linguistics] (of a word) be habitually juxtaposed with another with a frequency greater than chance

• ‘maiden’ collocates with ‘voyage’.

2. [with obj.] — ‹rare› place side by side or in a particular relation.
(as adj. collocated)

• McAndrew was a collocated facility with Argentia Naval Station.

II. noun — collocate /ˈkɒləkət /

1. [Linguistics] a word that is habitually juxtaposed with another with a frequency greater than chance

• collocates for the word ‘mortgage’ include ‘lend’ and ‘property’.

– origin early 16th cent. (in sense 2 of the verb): from Latin collocat- ‘placed together’, from the verb collocare, from col- ‘together’ + locare ‘to place’. Sense 1 of the verb dates from the 1950s.

collocation /kɒləˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] the habitual juxtaposition of a particular word with another word or words with a frequency greater than chance

• the words have a similar range of collocation.

2. [ count noun] — a pair or group of words that are habitually juxtaposed

• ‘strong tea’ and ‘heavy drinker’ are typical English collocations.

3. the action of placing things side by side or in position

• the collocation of the two pieces.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin collocatio(n-), from collocare ‘place together’ (see collocate).

collocutor /ˈkɒləˌkjuːtə, kəˈlɒkjʊtə/

I. noun

‹rare› a person who takes part in a conversation.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin, from collocut- ‘conversed’, from the verb colloqui.

collodion /kəˈləʊdɪən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a syrupy solution of nitrocellulose in a mixture of alcohol and ether, used for coating things, chiefly in surgery.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kollōdēs ‘glue-like’, from kolla ‘glue’.

collogue /kɒˈləʊɡ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹archaic› talk confidentially or conspiratorially.

• they wagged their old heads sadly when they collogued in clubs.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘flatter, pretend to agree with or believe’): probably an alteration of obsolete colleague ‘conspire’, by association with Latin colloqui ‘to converse’.

colloid /ˈkɒlɔɪd/

I. noun

1. a homogeneous non-crystalline substance consisting of large molecules or ultramicroscopic particles of one substance dispersed through a second substance. Colloids include gels, sols, and emulsions; the particles do not settle, and cannot be separated out by ordinary filtering or centrifuging like those in a suspension.

2. [ mass noun] — [Anatomy] [Medicine] a substance of gelatinous consistency.

II. adjective

relating to or characterized by a colloid or colloids.

III. derivatives

colloidal /kəˈlɔɪd(ə)l /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kolla ‘glue’ + -oid.

collop /ˈkɒləp/

I. noun

‹dialect› (N. Amer.) a slice of meat

• three collops of bacon.

– origin late Middle English: of Scandinavian origin and related to Swedish kalops ‘meat stew’.

colloquial /kəˈləʊkwɪəl/

I. adjective

(of language) used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary.

• colloquial and everyday language.

• colloquial phrases.

II. derivatives

colloquially /kəˈləʊkwiəli /

adverb

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin colloquium ‘conversation’ + -al.

colloquialism /kəˈləʊkwɪəlɪz(ə)m/

noun

1. a word or phrase that is not formal or literary and is used in ordinary or familiar conversation.

• the colloquialisms of the streets.

2. [ mass noun] — the use of colloquialisms.

• speech allows for colloquialism and slang.

colloquium /kəˈləʊkwɪəm/

I. noun

an academic conference or seminar.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a conversation): from Latin, from colloqui ‘to converse’, from col- ‘together’ + loqui ‘to talk’.

colloquy /ˈkɒləkwi/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› a conversation

• they broke off their colloquy at once

• [ mass noun] he found her in earnest colloquy with the postman.

2. a gathering for discussion of theological questions.

• students attend colloquies and seminars in their chosen fields of study.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin colloquium ‘conversation’.

collotype /ˈkɒlətʌɪp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Printing] a process for making high-quality prints from a sheet of light-sensitive gelatin exposed photographically to the image without using a screen.
[as modifier]

• collotype printing.

2. [ count noun] — [Printing] a print made using the collotype process.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kolla ‘glue’ + type.

collude /kəˈl(j)uːd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. come to a secret understanding; conspire

• the president accused his opponents of colluding with foreigners.

II. derivatives

colluder

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin colludere ‘have a secret agreement’, from col- ‘together’ + ludere ‘to play’.

collusion /kəˈl(j)uːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy in order to deceive others

• the armed forces were working in collusion with drug traffickers.

2. [Law] collusion between ostensible opponents in a lawsuit.

II. derivatives

1. collusive /kəˈluːsɪv /

adjective

2. collusively

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Latin collusio(n-), from colludere ‘have a secret agreement’ (see collude).

colluvium /kəˈl(j)uːvɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] material which accumulates at the foot of a steep slope.

II. derivatives

colluvial

adjective

– origin mid 20th cent.: from Latin colluvies ‘confluence of matter’, from colluere ‘to rinse’, from col- ‘together’ + luere ‘to wash’.

collyrium /kəˈlɪrɪəm/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› a medicated eyewash.

2. [ mass noun] — a kind of dark eyeshadow, used especially in Eastern countries.

– origin late Middle English: Latin, from Greek kollurion ‘poultice’, from kollura ‘coarse bread roll’.

collywobbles /ˈkɒlɪwɒb(ə)lz/

I. plural noun

1. ‹informal› ‹chiefly humorous› stomach pain or queasiness

• an attack of collywobbles.

2. ‹informal› ‹chiefly humorous› intense anxiety or nervousness

• such organizations give him the collywobbles.

– origin early 19th cent.: fanciful formation from colic and wobble.

Colo.

abbreviation

Colorado.

colobine /ˈkɒləbʌɪn/

I. noun

[Zoology] an Old World monkey of a mainly leaf-eating group that includes the colobus monkeys, langurs, and leaf monkeys.
●Subfamily Colobinae, family Cercopithicidae.

– origin 1950s: from modern Latin Colobinae, based on Greek kolobos ‘cut short’.

coloboma /ˌkɒləˈbəʊmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a congenital malformation of the eye causing defects in the lens, iris, or retina.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek kolobōma ‘part removed in mutilation’, from kolobos ‘cut short’.

colobus /ˈkɒləbəs / colobus monkey

I. noun

a slender leaf-eating African monkey with silky fur, a long tail, and very small or absent thumbs.
●Genera Colobus and Procolobus, family Cercopithecidae: several species.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek kolobos ‘cut short’.

co-locate

verb — ( be co-located)

1. share a location or facility with something else

• a United Kingdom battalion would be co-located with the home-base battalion.

colocynth /ˈkɒləsɪnθ/

I. noun

1. a tropical Old World climbing plant of the gourd family, which bears a pulpy fruit. Also called bitter apple.
● Citrullus colocynthis, family Cucurbitaceae.

2. the fruit of the colocynth plant.

3. [ mass noun] — a bitter purgative drug obtained from the colocynth fruit.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek kolokunthis.

cologne /kəˈləʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. eau de cologne or similarly scented toilet water.

• bottles of cologne.

• [ count noun] she could smell his cool lemony cologne.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after Cologne in Germany.

Cologne /kəˈləʊn/

an industrial and university city in western Germany, in North Rhine-Westphalia; pop. 989,800 (est. 2006). Founded by the Romans and situated on the River Rhine, Cologne is notable for its medieval cathedral.
German name Köln.

Colombia /kəˈlɒmbɪə/

a country in the extreme NW of South America, having a coastline on both the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean; pop. 43,677,400 (est. 2009); official language, Spanish; capital, Bogotá. Colombia was conquered by the Spanish in the early 16th century and achieved independence in the early 19th century.

Colombian /kəˈlɒmbɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Colombia or its people

• a remote village near the Colombian border

• the former Colombian president.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Colombia

• only 17 per cent of Colombians live in Bogota.

Colombo /kəˈlʌmbəʊ/

the capital and chief port of Sri Lanka; pop. 672,700 (est. 2007).

colon^1 /ˈkəʊlən, ˈkəʊlɒn/

I. noun

1. a punctuation mark (:) used to precede a list of items, a quotation, or an expansion or explanation.

2. a colon used in various technical and formulaic contexts, for example a statement of proportion between two numbers, or to separate hours from minutes (and minutes from seconds) in a numerical statement of time

• 10:1

• 4:30 p.m.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a term in rhetoric denoting a section of a complex sentence, or a pause before it): via Latin from Greek kōlon ‘limb, clause’.

colon^2 /ˈkəʊlən, ˈkəʊlɒn/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the main part of the large intestine, which passes from the caecum to the rectum and absorbs water and electrolytes from food which has remained undigested.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek kolon.

colón /kɒˈlɒn/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Costa Rica and El Salvador, equal to 100 centimos in Costa Rica and 100 centavos in El Salvador.

– origin from Cristóbal Colón, the Spanish name of Christopher Columbus (see Columbus, Christopher).

Colón /kɒˈlɒn/

the chief port of Panama, at the Caribbean end of the Panama Canal; pop. 87,800 (est. 2009). It was founded in 1850 by the American William Aspinwall (1807–55), after whom it was originally named.

colonel /ˈkəːn(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a rank of officer in the army and in the US air force, above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier or brigadier general.

2. ‹informal› short for lieutenant colonel.

II. derivatives

colonelcy

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from obsolete French coronel (earlier form of colonel), from Italian colonnello ‘column of soldiers’, from colonna ‘column’, from Latin columna. The form coronel, source of the modern pronunciation, was usual until the mid 17th cent.

Colonel Blimp

noun

another term for blimp (sense 1).

colonel-in-chief

noun

a title given to the honorary head of a regiment in the British army.

colonial /kəˈləʊnɪəl/

I. adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of a colony or colonies

• British colonial rule

• colonial expansion.

2. denoting a predominantly neoclassical style of architecture characteristic of the period of the British colonies in America before independence, featuring a modification of the Queen Anne style.

• beautiful colonial villages of New Hampshire.

• a big, white, colonial church.

3. (of animals or plants) living in colonies.

• corals can be solitary or colonial.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of a colony.

• a rebellion by Dutch-speaking colonials.

2. a house built in colonial style.

• the house was a 1903 colonial.

III. derivatives

colonially

adverb

colonial goose

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹dated› a boned and stuffed roast leg of mutton

• I like colonial goose so much that last year I cooked it on Christmas Day.

colonialism /kəˈləʊnɪəlɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.

• the state apparatus that was dominant under colonialism.

colonialist /kəˈləʊnɪəlɪst/

I. noun

a person who supports the practice of gaining political control over other countries and occupying them with settlers

• 16th century Spanish colonialists in the Caribbean.

II. adjective

characteristic of or involving the practice of gaining political control over other countries and occupying them with settlers

• the nation's colonialist history.

colonial oven

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹historical› a large wrought-iron cooking appliance heated by open fires, consisting of an oven and top burner

• this was a huge improvement over the primitive colonial oven.

colonic /kəˈlɒnɪk/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] relating to or affecting the colon.

II. noun

‹informal› an act of colonic irrigation.

colonic irrigation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of injecting water via the anus to flush out the colon, used as a therapeutic treatment.
[ count noun]

• he waits for his colonic irrigation.

colonist /ˈkɒlənɪst/

noun

a settler in or inhabitant of a colony.

colonization /ˌkɒlənʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area

• Africa boasts a tradition of higher education institutions that predate Western colonization

• the European invasion and colonization of the Americas.

2. the action of appropriating a place or domain for one's own use

• the complete colonization of television entertainment by reality shows.

3. [Ecology] the action by a plant or animal of establishing itself in an area

• lower airway bacterial colonization

• suitable sites for colonization by Asian crabs.

colonize /ˈkɒlənʌɪz / colonise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. send settlers to (a place) and establish political control over it

• the Greeks colonized Sicily and southern Italy.

2. settle among and establish control over (the indigenous people of an area).

• they sought to discredit the peoples they were colonizing.

• (as plural noun the colonized) an organization seeking to protect the rights of the newly colonized.

3. appropriate (a place or domain) for one's own use

• a small town in a part of the Hudson Valley fast being colonized by weekenders.

4. [Ecology] (of a plant or animal) establish itself in (an area).

• mussels can colonize even the most inhospitable rock surfaces.

II. derivatives

colonizer /ˈkɒlənʌɪzə /

noun

colonnade /ˌkɒləˈneɪd/

I. noun

1. a row of evenly spaced columns supporting a roof, an entablature, or arches.

2. a row of trees or other tall objects.

II. derivatives

colonnaded /ˌkɒləˈneɪdɪd /

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from colonne ‘column’, from Latin columna.

colonoscope /kəˈlɒnəskəʊp/

noun

[Medicine] a flexible fibre-optic instrument inserted through the anus in order to examine the colon.

colonoscopy /kɒləˈnɒskəpi/

noun

[Medicine] a procedure in which a flexible fibre-optic instrument is inserted through the anus in order to examine the colon

• a colonoscopy did not show any problem

• [ mass noun] a large group of patients undergoing colonoscopy.

colony /ˈkɒləni/

I. noun

1. a country or area under the full or partial political control of another country and occupied by settlers from that country.

• Japanese forces overran the French colony of Indo-China.

2. a group of people living in a colony, consisting of the original settlers and their descendants and successors.

• the colony looked forward to fifty or more years of autonomy.

3. ( the colonies) — all the foreign countries or areas formerly under British political control.

• many poachers were exiled to the colonies.

4. ( the colonies) — the thirteen areas on the east coast of North America that gained independence from Britain and founded the United States of America.

5. a group of people of one nationality or race living in a foreign place

• the British colony in New York.

6. a place where a group of people with the same occupation or interest live together

• a nudist colony.

7. [Biology] a community of animals or plants of one kind living close together or forming a physically connected structure

• a colony of seals.

8. a group of fungi or bacteria grown from a single spore or cell on a culture medium.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a settlement formed mainly of retired soldiers, acting as a garrison in newly conquered territory in the Roman Empire): from Latin colonia ‘settlement, farm’, from colonus ‘settler, farmer’, from colere ‘cultivate’.

colony-stimulating factor

noun

[Biochemistry] a substance secreted by bone marrow which promotes the growth and differentiation of stem cells into colonies of specific blood cells.

colophon /ˈkɒləf(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a publisher's emblem or imprint, usually on the title page of a book.

2. ‹historical› a statement at the end of a book, typically with a printer's emblem, giving information about its authorship and printing.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a finishing touch): via late Latin from Greek kolophōn ‘summit or finishing touch’.

colophony /kəˈlɒfəni, ˈkɒləˌfəʊni/

I. noun

another term for rosin.

– origin Middle English: from Latin colophonia (resina) ‘(resin) from Colophon’, a town in Lydia, Asia Minor.

Coloradan /ˌkɒləˈrɑːd(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the US state of Colorado or its inhabitants

• Coloradan geological and natural features.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the US state of Colorado

• this Coloradan has a promising future.

Colorado /ˌkɒləˈrɑːdəʊ/

I. a river which rises in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado and flows generally south-westwards for 2,333 km (1,468 miles) to the Gulf of California, passing through the Grand Canyon.

II. a state in the central US; pop. 4,939,456 (est. 2008); capital, Denver. Colorado extends from the Great Plains in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west. Part of it was acquired by the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the rest ceded by Mexico in 1848. It became the 38th state in 1876.

Colorado beetle /kɒləˌrɑːdəʊ ˈbit(ə)l/

I. noun

a yellow- and black-striped leaf beetle native to America, whose larvae are highly destructive to potato plants.
● Leptinotarsa decemlineata, family Chrysomelidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after the state of Colorado.

coloration /kʌləˈreɪʃ(ə)n / colouration

I. noun

1. the appearance of something with regard to colour

• some bacterial structures take on a purple coloration.

2. the natural colouring of animals or plants

• the red coloration of many maples.

3. a scheme of applying colour in art.

• the coloration of the drawing.

4. the pervading character or tone of something

• the productions have taken on a political coloration.

5. a variety of musical or vocal expression

• the subtle colorations of big-box speakers.

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin coloratio(n-), from colorare ‘to colour’.

coloratura /ˌkɒlərəˈtjʊərə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. elaborate ornamentation of a vocal melody, especially in operatic singing.

• Penelope bursts into joyful cascades of coloratura.

• [as modifier] a coloratura aria.

2. (also coloratura soprano) [ count noun] — a soprano skilled in coloratura singing.

– origin Italian, literally ‘colouring’, from Latin colorare ‘to colour’.

colorectal /ˌkəʊləʊˈrɛkt(ə)l/

adjective

relating to or affecting the colon and the rectum.

colorific /ˌkʌləˈrɪfɪk, ˌkɒləˈrɪfɪk / colourific

I. adjective

‹rare› having much colour

• the colorific radiance of costume.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French colorifique or modern Latin colorificus, from Latin color ‘colour’.

colorimeter /ˌkʌləˈrɪmɪtə, ˌkɒləˈrɪmɪtə/

I. noun

an instrument for measuring the intensity of colour.

II. derivatives

1. colorimetric /ˌkʌlərɪˈmɛtrɪk, ˌkɒlərɪˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

2. colorimetry /ˌkʌləˈrɪmətri, ˌkɒləˈrɪmətri /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin color ‘colour’ + -meter.

colorize /ˈkʌlərʌɪz / ‹Brit.› colourize

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. add colour to (a black-and-white film).

• a number of the old classics have been colorized.

II. derivatives

1. colorization

noun

2. colorizer

noun

colossal /kəˈlɒs(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. extremely large or great

• a colossal amount of mail

• a colossal mistake.

2. [Sculpture] (of a statue) at least twice life size.

3. [Architecture] (of an order) having more than one storey of columns.

II. derivatives

colossally

adverb

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from colosse, from Latin colossus (see colossus).

Colosseum /ˌkɒləˈsiːəm/

I. noun

the name since medieval times of the Amphitheatrum Flavium, a vast amphitheatre in Rome, begun c. 75 AD.

– origin from Latin, neuter of colosseus ‘gigantic’, from colossus (see colossus).

Colossians, Epistle to the /kəˈlɒʃ(ə)nz/

a book of the New Testament, an epistle of St Paul to the Church at Colossae in Phrygia.

colossus /kəˈlɒsəs/

I. noun

1. a statue that is much bigger than life size.

• two statues known as the Colossi of Memnon.

2. a person or thing of enormous size, importance, or ability

• the Russian Empire was the colossus of European politics.

II. phrases

bestride something like a colossus

totally dominate a place or area of activity

• he bestrode French cinema like a colossus.

• the Hapsburg empire had bestrode Europe like a colossus.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek kolossos (applied by Herodotus to the statues of Egyptian temples).

Colossus of Rhodes

a huge bronze statue of the sun god Helios, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Built c. 292–280 BC, it stood beside the harbour entrance at Rhodes for about fifty years.

colostomy /kəˈlɒstəmi/

I. noun

1. a surgical operation in which the colon is shortened to remove a damaged part and the cut end diverted to an opening in the abdominal wall.

• he underwent a colostomy.

2. an opening so formed
[as modifier]

• a colostomy bag.

– origin late 19th cent.: from colon^2 + Greek stoma ‘mouth’.

colostrum /kəˈlɒstrəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the first secretion from the mammary glands after giving birth, rich in antibodies.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin.

colour /ˈkʌlə / ‹US› color

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way it reflects or emits light

• the lights flickered and changed colour.

2. [ count noun] — one, or any mixture, of the constituents into which light can be separated in a spectrum or rainbow, sometimes including (loosely) black and white

• a rich brown colour

• a range of bright colours.

3. the use of all colours, not only black and white, in photography or television

• he has shot the whole film in colour

• [as modifier] colour television.

4. rosiness or redness of the face as an indication of health or of embarrassment, anger, etc.

• there was some colour back in his face

• colour flooded her skin as she realized what he meant.

5. a substance used to give something a particular colour

• lip colour.

6. [ count noun] — [Heraldry] any of the major conventional colours used in coats of arms (gules, vert, sable, azure, purpure), especially as opposed to the metals, furs, and stains.

7. [ count noun] — [Snooker] any of the balls other than the white cue ball and the reds.

• Hendry potted the last four colours to win 5–4.

8. [ mass noun] — pigmentation of the skin, especially as an indication of someone's race

• discrimination on the basis of colour.

9. [ count noun] — a group of people considered as being distinguished by skin pigmentation

• all colours and nationalities.

10. [ mass noun] — vivid appearance resulting from the juxtaposition of many bright things

• for colour, plant groups of winter-flowering pansies.

11. features that lend a particularly interesting quality to something

• a town full of colour and character.

12. variety of musical tone or expression

• orchestral colour.

13. ( colours) — an item or items of a particular colour worn to identify or distinguish an individual or a member of a group, in particular a jockey or a member of a sports team.

• it was Devon Loch's first victory in the colours of his royal owner.

• it will be strange running on to the pitch in another team's colours.

14. (also school colours) — a badge, cap, or other item in the distinctive colours of a particular school, awarded to a pupil selected to represent the school in a sport.

15. (chiefly Brit.) the flag of a country, or of a regiment or ship.

• all over the world countries which had long been administered by others were hoisting their own colours.

• the Cheshire Regiment celebrated its tercentenary with a tattoo and the presentation of the new colours.

16. a shade of meaning

• many events in her past had taken on a different colour.

17. [ mass noun] — [Physics] a quantized property of quarks which can take three values (designated blue, green, and red) for each flavour.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — change the colour of (something) by painting, dyeing, or shading it

• he coloured her hair with a selection of blonde and brown shades.

2. [no obj.] — take on a different colour

• the foliage will not colour well if the soil is too rich.

3. fill (a shape or outline) with colour

• he hated finger-painting and colouring in pictures.

4. make vivid or picturesque

• he has coloured the dance with gestures from cabaret and vaudeville.

5. [no obj.] — (of a person or their skin) show embarrassment or shame by becoming red; blush

• she coloured slightly.

6. [with obj.] — cause (a person's skin) to change in colour

• rage coloured his pale complexion.

7. [with obj.] — (of an emotion) imbue (a person's voice) with a particular tone

• surprise coloured her voice.

8. [with obj.] — influence, especially in a negative way; distort

• the experiences had coloured her whole existence.

9. misrepresent by distortion or exaggeration

• witnesses might colour evidence to make a story saleable.

III. phrases

1. lend (or give) colour to

make something seem true or probable

• this lent colour and credibility to his defence.

2. sail under false colours

disguise one's true nature or intentions.

• he felt the waiters could see that in his cashmere tweed jacket he is sailing under false colours.

3. show one's true colours

reveal one's real character or intentions, especially when these are disreputable or dishonourable.

• she was only too anxious to get out of the room now that her employer had shown his true colours.

4. under colour of

under the pretext of.

• under colour of writing the history of the East Frankish kingdom, he has dealt as much with the history of Italy.

5. with flying colours

see flying.

– origin Middle English: from Old French colour (noun), colourer (verb), from Latin color (noun), colorare (verb).

colourable /ˈkʌlərəb(ə)l / ‹US› colorable

adjective

1. capable of being coloured

• colourable illustrations.

2. appearing to be correct or justified, but in fact not so

• a colourable legal claim.

3. counterfeit.

colourant /ˈkʌlər(ə)nt / ‹US› colorant

noun

a dye, pigment, or other substance that colours something.

• a range of natural hair colourants.

• [ mass noun] the amount of colourant that must be applied.

colour bar

noun

a social system in which black people are denied access to the same rights, opportunities, and facilities as white people.

colour-blind /ˈkʌləblʌɪnd/

I. adjective

unable to distinguish certain colours, or (rarely in humans) any colours at all.
See protanopia.

II. derivatives

colour blindness /ˈkʌləˌblʌɪndnəs /

noun

colourblock /ˈkʌləblɒk / colourblocked /ˈkʌləblɒkt/ , ‹US› colorblock, colorblocked

adjective

(in fashion and design) denoting or relating to an item characterized by contrasting blocks or panels of solid, typically bright colour

• a colourblock teal-and-yellow dress

• a pair of colourblocked platform sandals

• I love the colourblock trend.

colourblocking /ˈkʌləblɒkɪŋ / ‹US› colorblocking

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in fashion and design) the use of contrasting blocks or panels of solid, typically bright colour

• coral leather looked infinitely cool styled with a cobalt skirt—a modern lesson in colourblocking

• from graphic prints to bold colourblocking, black and white footwear is a must-have for spring.

colour code

I. noun

a system of marking things with different colours as a means of identification.

II. verb

( colour-code) [with obj.] — mark (things) with different colours as a means of identification

• each unit is colour-coded for clarity.

coloured /ˈkʌləd / ‹US› colored

I. adjective

1. having a colour or colours, especially as opposed to being black, white, or neutral

• brightly coloured birds are easier to see

• [in combination] a peach-coloured sofa.

2. imbued with an emotive or exaggerated quality

• highly coloured examples were used by both sides.

3. (also Coloured) — ‹dated› ‹offensive› wholly or partly of non-white descent.

4. (S. African) used as an ethnic label for people of mixed ethnic origin, including Khoisan, African, Malay, Chinese, and white.

• there was a drive to recruit coloured, black, and Indian members.

II. noun

1. (also Coloured) — ‹dated› ‹offensive› a person who is wholly or partly of non-white descent.

2. (S. African) a person of mixed descent usually speaking Afrikaans or English as their mother tongue.

• the ANC was not making much progress among Indians or mixed-race Coloureds.

3. ( coloureds) — clothes, sheets, etc. that are any colour but white.

• she wouldn't mix her whites with her coloureds on washday.

usage: Coloured referring to skin colour is first recorded in the early 17th century and was adopted in the US by emancipated slaves as a term of racial pride after the end of the American Civil War. In Britain it was the accepted term until the 1960s, when it was superseded (as in the US) by black. The term coloured lost favour among black people during this period and is now widely regarded as offensive except in historical contexts. In South Africa the term coloured (also written Coloured) has a different history. It is used to refer to people of mixed-race parentage rather than, as elsewhere, to refer to African peoples and their descendants (i.e. as a synonym for black). Under apartheid it was imposed as an official racial designation. However, in modern use the term is not generally considered offensive or derogatory.

colour fast

I. adjective

dyed in colours that will not fade or be washed out.

II. derivatives

colour fastness

noun

colour-field painting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of American abstract painting prominent from the late 1940s to the 1960s which features large expanses of unmodulated colour covering the greater part of the canvas. Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko were considered its chief exponents.

colour filter

noun

a photographic filter that absorbs light of certain colours.
[as modifier]

• a colour filter wheel.

colourful /ˈkʌləfʊl, ˈkʌləf(ə)l / ‹US› colorful

I. adjective

1. having much or varied colour; bright

• a colourful array of fruit.

2. full of interest; lively and exciting

• a controversial and colourful character

• a colourful account.

3. involving variously disreputable activities

• the financier had had a colourful career.

4. (of language) vulgar or rude

• she made it clear, in colourful language, that she did not wish to talk to the police.

II. derivatives

1. colourfully /ˈkʌləf(ə)li /

adverb

2. colourfulness

noun

colouring /ˈkʌlərɪŋ / ‹US› coloring

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of changing the colour of something by painting, dyeing, or shading it.

• the salon concentrates purely on colouring.

2. the filling in of a shape or outline with colour
[as modifier]

• a colouring book.

3. appearance with regard to colour

• the toad's colouring blended perfectly with its surroundings.

4. the natural hues of a person's skin, hair, and eyes

• her fair colouring.

5. the pervading character or tone of something

• her performance was strong on dramatic colouring.

6. matter used to give a particular colour to something, especially food

• food colouring

• [ count noun] paint the eggs using edible food colourings.

colourism /ˈkʌlərɪz(ə)m / ‹US› colorism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly US) prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group

• the article looks at the roots of colourism and how it has impacted the interaction of dark-skinned women with light-skinned women.

colourist /ˈkʌlərɪst / ‹US› colorist

noun

1. an artist or designer who uses colour in a special or skilful way.

2. a person who tints black-and-white films.

3. a hairdresser who specializes in dyeing people's hair.

colouristic ‹US› coloristic

I. adjective

1. showing special use of colour

• his great colouristic wallpapers.

2. having or showing a variety of musical or vocal expression

• the choir's colouristic resources.

II. derivatives

colouristically

adverb

colourless /ˈkʌləlɪs / ‹US› colorless

I. adjective

1. (especially of a gas or liquid) without colour.

• a colourless liquid.

• colourless nail varnish.

2. dull or pale in hue

• her colourless cheeks.

3. lacking distinctive character or interest; dull

• the book is rather colourless, like its author.

II. derivatives

1. colourlessly

adverb

2. colourlessness

noun

colour phase

noun

a genetic or seasonal variation in the colour of the skin, pelt, or feathers of an animal.

• a rare smoky-blue colour phase of the black bear.

colourpoint

noun

a cat of a long-haired breed having a pale coat with dark points, and blue eyes, developed by crossing Persian and Siamese cats.

colour reversal

noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. [Photography] the process of producing a positive image directly from another positive

• colour reversal films.

colour scheme

I. noun

an arrangement or combination of colours, especially one used in interior decoration

• a brown or gold colour scheme.

II. derivatives

colour scheming

noun

colour separation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Photography] [Printing] the production of separate negative images of the same subject taken through green, red, and blue filters, which are combined to reproduce the full colour of the original.

2. [ count noun] — [Photography] [Printing] an image produced by colour separation.

colour sergeant

I. noun

a rank of non-commissioned officer in the Army and Royal Marines, above sergeant and below warrant officer.

– origin with reference to the sergeant's responsibility for carrying one of the regiment's colours in a guard of honour.

colour supplement

noun

(Brit.) a magazine printed in colour and issued with a newspaper, especially at weekends.

colour temperature

noun

[Astronomy] [Physics] the temperature at which a black body would emit radiation of the same colour as a given object.

colour therapy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of alternative medicine based on the use of colour, especially projected coloured light.

colour wash

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. coloured distemper.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. paint (something) with coloured distemper.

• the wall had been recently pointed and colour-washed.

colourway /ˈkʌləweɪ / ‹US› colorway

noun

any of a range of combinations of colours in which a style or design is available

• our sweater comes in two colourways.

colour wheel

noun

a circle with different coloured sectors used to show the relationship between colours.

colporteur /ˈkɒlˌpɔːtə, ˌkɒlpɔːˈtəː/

I. noun

1. a person who sells books, newspapers, and similar literature.

2. someone employed by a religious society to distribute bibles and other religious tracts.

II. derivatives

colportage /ˈkɒlˌpɔːtɪdʒ /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: French, from the verb colporter, probably an alteration of comporter, from Latin comportare ‘carry with one’.

colposcope /ˈkɒlpəskəʊp/

I. noun

a surgical instrument used to examine the vagina and the cervix of the womb.

II. derivatives

colposcopy /kɒlˈpɒskəpi /

noun

– origin 1940s: from Greek kolpos ‘womb’ + -scope.

colt /kəʊlt/

I. noun

1. a young uncastrated male horse, in particular one less than four years old.

2. (Brit.) a member of a junior sports team

• England Colts.

– origin Old English; perhaps related to Swedish kult, applied to boys or half-grown animals.

Colt /kəʊlt/

I. noun

‹trademark› a type of revolver.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of the US inventor and firearms manufacturer Samuel Colt (1814–62).

Colt, Samuel /kəʊlt/

(1814–62), American inventor. He is remembered chiefly for the revolver named after him, which he patented in 1836.

coltan /ˈkɒltan/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dull metallic mineral which is a combination of columbite and tantalite and which is refined to produce tantalum.

– origin 1990s: from columbite + tantalite.

coltish /ˈkəʊltɪʃ/

I. adjective

energetic but awkward in one's movements or behaviour.

• long, lean, coltish women.

• their impossibly coltish legs.

II. derivatives

1. coltishly

adverb

2. coltishness

noun

Coltrane, John /kɒlˈtreɪn/

(1926–67), American jazz saxophonist; full name John William Coltrane. He was a leading figure in avant-garde jazz, bridging the gap between the harmonically dense jazz of the 1950s and the free jazz that evolved in the 1960s.

coltsfoot /ˈkəʊltsfʊt/

I. noun

a Eurasian plant of the daisy family, with yellow flowers which appear in the early spring before the large heart-shaped leaves. It is used in herbal medicine for the treatment of coughs and respiratory disorders.
● Tussilago farfara, family Compositae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: translating medieval Latin pes pulli ‘foal's foot’, with reference to the shape of the leaves.

colubrid /ˈkɒljʊbrɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a snake of a very large family ( Colubridae) which includes the majority of harmless species, such as grass snakes and garter snakes. The few venomous species have grooved fangs in the rear of the upper jaw.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Colubridae (plural), from Latin coluber ‘snake’.

colubrine /ˈkɒljʊbrʌɪn/

I. adjective

relating to or resembling a snake.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin colubrinus, from coluber ‘snake’.

colugo /kəˈluːɡəʊ/

I. noun

another term for flying lemur.

– origin late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

Columba /kəˈlʌmbə / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small and faint southern constellation (the Dove), near Canis Major. It is sometimes said to represent the dove that Noah sent out from the Ark.

II. (as genitive Columbae) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Beta Columbae.

– origin Latin.

Columba, St /kəˈlʌmbə/

( c. 521–97), Irish abbot and missionary. He established the monastery at Iona in c. 563 and converted the Picts to Christianity. Feast day, 9 June.

columbarium /ˌkɒl(ə)mˈbɛːrɪəm/

I. noun

a room or building with niches for funeral urns to be stored.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘pigeon-house’, from columba ‘pigeon’.

Columbia /kəˈlʌmbɪə/

I. a river in NW North America which rises in the Rocky Mountains of SE British Columbia, Canada, and flows 1,953 km (1,230 miles) generally southwards into the US, where it turns westwards to enter the Pacific south of Seattle.

II. the state capital of South Carolina; pop. 127,029 (est. 2008).

Columbia University

a university in New York City, one of the most prestigious in the US. It was founded in 1754.

columbine /ˈkɒləmbʌɪn/

I. noun

an aquilegia which has long-spurred flowers that are typically purplish blue.
●Genus Aquilegia, family Ranunculaceae, especially A. vulgaris and its hybrids.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French colombine, from medieval Latin colombina (herba) ‘dovelike (plant)’, from Latin columba ‘dove’ (from the supposed resemblance of the flower to a cluster of five doves).

Columbine /ˈkɒləmbʌɪn/

I. a character in Italian commedia dell'arte, the mistress of Harlequin.

– origin from French Colombine, from Italian Colombina, feminine of colombino ‘dovelike’, from colombo ‘dove’.

columbite /kəˈlʌmbʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a black mineral, typically occurring as dense tabular crystals, consisting of an oxide of iron, manganese, niobium, and tantalum. It is the chief ore of niobium.

– origin early 19th cent.: from columbium + -ite^1.

columbium /kəˈlʌmbɪəm/

I. noun

old-fashioned term for niobium.

– origin early 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Columbia, a poetic name for America from the name of Christopher Columbus (see Columbus, Christopher).

Columbus /kəˈlʌmbəs/

the state capital of Ohio; pop. 754,885 (est. 2008).

Columbus, Christopher

I. (1451–1506), Italian-born Spanish explorer, credited as being the first European to reach the Americas; Spanish name Cristóbal Colón.

Columbus persuaded the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, to sponsor an expedition to sail across the Atlantic in search of Asia and to prove that the world was round. In 1492 he set sail with three small ships and reached the New World (in fact various Caribbean islands). He made three further voyages between 1493 and 1504, reaching the South American mainland in 1498.

Columbus Day /kəˈlʌmbəsdeɪ/

noun

(in the US) a legal holiday commemorating Christopher Columbus's first voyage to the Americas in 1492. It is observed by most states on the second Monday of October.

columella /ˌkɒljʊˈmɛlə/

I. noun

1. [Zoology] an ossicle (small bone) of the middle ear of birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

2. [Anatomy] the pillar around which the cochlea spirals.

3. [Zoology] the axis of a spiral shell.

4. [Botany] the axis of the spore-producing body of some lower plants.

II. derivatives

columellar

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘small column’.

column /ˈkɒləm/

I. noun

1. an upright pillar, typically cylindrical, supporting an arch, entablature, or other structure or standing alone as a monument.

• a wide entrance portico of eight Ionic columns.

• the pulpit is hexagonal and stands on seven columns.

2. a vertical, roughly cylindrical thing

• a great column of smoke.

3. an upright shaft for controlling a machine or vehicle

• a Spitfire control column.

4. a vertical division of a page or text.

• turn to page five, column seven.

• detail your expenses in the left-hand column.

5. a vertical arrangement of figures or other information.

• list your strengths and weaknesses in two columns.

• the typical business report consists of columns and rows of numeric information.

6. a regular section of a newspaper or magazine devoted to a particular subject or written by a particular person.

• he has a weekly column in a Sydney newspaper.

• I've been reading your column for five years.

7. one or more lines of people or vehicles moving in the same direction

• a column of tanks moved north-west

• we walked in a column.

8. [Military] a narrow-fronted deep formation of troops in successive lines.

• a column of 300 to 400 troops.

9. a military force or convoy of ships.

• Moran had commanded a column in the war.

• he organized his column for the coming march.

II. derivatives

1. columnar /kəˈlʌmnə /

adjective

2. columned /ˈkɒləmd /

adjective

[often in combination]

• a four-columned portico

– origin late Middle English: partly from Old French columpne, reinforced by its source, Latin columna ‘pillar’.

columnated /ˈkɒləmneɪtɪd/

adjective

supported on or having columns

• a columnated church interior.

column inch

noun

a one-inch length of a column in a newspaper or magazine.

• it was a story which would fill many column inches.

columnist /ˈkɒləm(n)ɪst/

noun

a journalist contributing regularly to a newspaper or magazine.

colure /kəˈljʊə/

I. noun

[Astronomy] either of two great circles intersecting at right angles at the celestial poles and passing through the ecliptic at either the equinoxes or the solstices.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin coluri (plural), from Greek kolourai (grammai) ‘truncated (lines)’, from kolouros ‘truncated’, so named because the lower part is permanently cut off from view.

coly /ˈkəʊli/

I. noun

another term for mousebird.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Colius, from Greek kolios, denoting a type of woodpecker.

colza /ˈkɒlzə/

I. noun

another term for rape^2.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Walloon French kolza, from Low German kōlsāt, Dutch koolzaad, from kool ‘cole’ + zaad ‘seed’.

COM

abbreviation

computer output on microfilm or microfiche.

• a COM port.

com- co-, col-, con-, cor-

I. prefix

with; together; jointly; altogether

• combine

• command

• collude.

– origin from Latin cum ‘with’. / usage: Com- is used before b, m, p, also occasionally before vowels and f. The following variant forms occur: co- especially before vowels, h, and gn; col- before l; cor- before r; and con- before other consonants.

coma^1 /ˈkəʊmə/

I. noun

1. a prolonged state of deep unconsciousness, caused especially by severe injury or illness

• she went into a coma.

2. ‹humorous› a state of extreme lethargy or sleepiness.

• after the film I settled into a coma.

– origin mid 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek kōma ‘deep sleep’; related to koitē ‘bed’ and keisthai ‘lie down’.

coma^2 /ˈkəʊmə/

I. noun

1. [Astronomy] a diffuse cloud of gas and dust surrounding the nucleus of a comet.

2. [ mass noun] — [Optics] aberration which causes the image of an off-axis point to be flared like a comet.

– origin early 17th cent. (in botanical sense ‘tuft of hairs on seed’): via Latin from Greek komē ‘hair of the head’.

Coma Berenices /ˌkəʊmə ˌbɛrɪˈnʌɪsiːz / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small inconspicuous northern constellation (Berenice's Hair), said to represent the tresses of Queen Berenice. It contains a large number of galaxies.

II. (as genitive Comae Berenices or Comae) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Beta Comae Berenices.

– origin Latin.

Comanche /kəˈmantʃi/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people of the south-western US. The Comanche were among the first to acquire horses (from the Spanish) and resisted white settlers fiercely.

2. [ mass noun] — the Uto-Aztecan language of the Comanche, now virtually extinct.

II. adjective

relating to the Comanche or their language.

– origin Spanish, from Comanche.

Comaneci, Nadia /ˌkɒməˈnɛtʃ/

(b.1961), Romanian-born American gymnast. In 1976 she became the first Olympic competitor to be awarded the maximum score of 10.00.

comatose /ˈkəʊmətəʊs, ˈkəʊmətəʊz/

I. adjective

1. relating to or in a state of coma

• she had been comatose for seven months

• a comatose patient.

2. ‹humorous› extremely lethargic or sleepy.

• she lay comatose in the sun listening to a personal stereo.

• if Tekek seemed sleepy, this village is comatose.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Greek kōma, kōmat- ‘deep sleep’ + -ose^1.

comb /kəʊm/

I. noun

1. a strip of plastic, metal, or wood with a row of narrow teeth, used for untangling or arranging the hair.

2. [in sing.] — an act of untangling or arranging the hair with comb

• she gave her hair a comb.

3. a short curved type of comb, worn by women to hold the hair in place or as an adornment.

• her hair was held back with two tortoiseshell combs.

4. something resembling a comb in function or structure, in particular:

5. a device for separating and dressing textile fibres.

6. (Austral./NZ) the lower, fixed cutting piece of a sheep-shearing machine.

7. a row of brass points for collecting the electricity in an electrostatic generator.

8. the red fleshy crest on the head of a domestic fowl, especially a cock.

• a grey-speckled hen with a red comb and wattles.

9. short for honeycomb (sense 1 of the noun).

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. untangle or arrange (the hair) by drawing a comb through it

• she combed her hair and put some lipstick on

• (as adj., with submodifier combed) neatly combed hair.

2. ( comb something out) — remove something in the hair by drawing a comb through it

• she combed the burrs out of the dog's coat.

3. prepare (wool, flax, or cotton) for manufacture with a comb

• the wool had been cleaned and combed

• (as adjective combed) the socks are made of soft combed cotton.

4. search carefully and systematically

• police combed the area for the murder weapon

• [no obj.] his mother combed through the cardboard boxes.

III. derivatives

comb-like

adjective

– origin Old English camb, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kam and German Kamm.

combat /ˈkɒmbat/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. fighting between armed forces

• five Hurricanes were shot down in combat

• [ count noun] pilots re-enacted the aerial combats of yesteryear

• [as modifier] a combat zone.

2. non-violent conflict or opposition

• electoral combat.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. take action to reduce or prevent (something bad or undesirable)

• an effort to combat drug trafficking.

2. ‹archaic› engage in a fight with; oppose in battle.

• he hath no more antagonists to combat.

• [no obj.] your men combated against the first of ours.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally denoting a fight between two people or parties): from French combattre (verb), from late Latin combattere, from com- ‘together with’ + battere, variant of Latin batuere ‘to fight’.

combatant /ˈkɒmbət(ə)nt, ˈkʌmbət(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a person or nation engaged in fighting during a war.

• in the long Russo-Swedish conflict, both combatants endured terrible sacrifices.

2. a person engaged in conflict or competition with another.

• a long-time combatant for the control of Newcastle FC.

II. adjective

engaged in fighting during a war

• all the combatant armies went to war with machine guns.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective used in heraldry to describe two lions facing one another with raised forepaws): from Old French, present participle of combatre ‘to fight’ (see combat).

combat boots

plural noun

boots of a type worn by soldiers in actual combat.

combat dress

noun — [ mass noun]

1. uniform of a type intended to be worn by soldiers in actual combat.

• a hulking first lieutenant in combat dress.

combat fatigue

noun

1. more recent term for shell shock.

2. ( combat fatigues) — combat dress.

combative /ˈkɒmbətɪv, ˈkʌmbətɪv/

I. adjective

ready or eager to fight or argue

• he made some enemies with his combative style.

II. derivatives

1. combatively /ˈkɒmbətɪvli /

adverb

2. combativeness /ˈkɒmbətɪvnəs /

noun

combat jacket

noun

a jacket of a type worn by soldiers in combat, typically having a camouflage pattern.

combat trousers

plural noun

loose trousers with large patch pockets halfway down each leg, typically made of hard-wearing cotton.

comb-back

noun

a high-backed Windsor chair with a straight top rail
[as modifier]

• a comb-back rocker.

combe /kuːm / coomb, coombe

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a short valley or hollow on a hillside or coastline, especially in southern England.

2. [Geology] a dry valley in a limestone or chalk escarpment.

– origin Old English cumb, occurring in charters in the names of places in southern England, many of which survive; of Celtic origin, related to cwm.

comber^1 /ˈkəʊmə/

noun

1. a long curling sea wave.

• the combers, glassy blue-green, moved slowly in.

2. a person or machine that prepares cotton or wool for manufacture by separating and straightening the fibres.

comber^2 /ˈkɒmbə/

I. noun

a small fish that gapes when dead, occurring in shallow waters from the western English Channel to the Mediterranean. Also called gaper.
● Serranus cabrilla, family Serranidae.

– origin mid 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

combfish

noun

a fish of the NE Pacific, with small rough scales and long spines in the comb-like dorsal fin.
●Family Zaniolepididae and genus Zaniolepis: several species.

combi

I. noun

a machine or appliance with two or more functions
[as modifier]

• a combi oven.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation of combination.

combination /kɒmbɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a joining or merging of different parts or qualities in which the component elements are individually distinct

• a magnificent combination of drama, dance, and music

• the combination of recession and falling property values proved fatal to the business community

• this colour combination is stunningly effective.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of combining different parts or qualities or the state of being combined

• these four factors work together in combination.

3. a particular arrangement of different elements

• the canvases may be arranged in any number of combinations.

4. (in sport) a coordinated and effective sequence of moves

• a good uppercut/hook combination.

5. [as modifier] — denoting an object or process that unites different uses, functions, or ingredients

• combination remedies contain painkiller, decongestant, and cough soother.

6. [ mass noun] — [Chemistry] the joining of substances in a compound with new properties.

7. a sequence of numbers or letters used to open a combination lock.

• underneath the picture is a safe: the combination is 210319.

8. (Brit.) a motorcycle with a sidecar attached.

9. ( combinations) — (Brit.) ‹dated› a single undergarment covering the body and legs.

• woollen combinations.

10. [Mathematics] a selection of a given number of elements from a larger number without regard to their arrangement.

II. derivatives

1. combinational

adjective

2. combinative /ˈkɒmbɪnətɪv /

adjective

3. combinatorial /ˌkɒmbɪnəˈtɔːrɪəl /

adjective

[Mathematics]

4. combinatorially

adverb

[Mathematics]

5. combinatory

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin combinatio(n-), from the verb combinare ‘join two by two’ (see combine^1).

combinational circuit

noun

[Electronics] a circuit whose output is dependent only on the state of its inputs.
Compare with sequential circuit.

combination lock

noun

a lock that is opened by rotating a set of marked or numbered dials to show a specific sequence.

combination oven

noun

an oven operating by both conventional heating and microwaves.

combination skin

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of facial complexion characterized by an oily forehead, nose, and chin and relatively dry cheeks.

• using an excessive amount of moisturizer on combination skin will lead to blocked pores.

combination therapy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. treatment in which a patient is given two or more drugs (or other therapeutic agents) for a single disease.

combinatorics /ˌkɒmbɪnəˈtɒrɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of mathematics dealing with combinations of objects belonging to a finite set in accordance with certain constraints, such as those of graph theory.

– origin 1940s: from combinatorial (see combination), influenced by German Kombinatorik.

combine^1

I. verb — combine /kəmˈbʌɪn /

1. join or merge to form a single unit or substance
[with obj.]

• combine the flour with the margarine and salt

• a new product which combines the benefits of a hairspray and a gel

• [no obj., with infinitive] high tides and winds combined to bring chaos to the east coast.

2. [no obj.] — [Chemistry] unite to form a compound

• oxygen and hydrogen do not combine at room temperatures

• oxygen combines with haemoglobin.

3. [no obj.] — unite for a common purpose
[with infinitive]

• groups of teachers combined to tackle a variety of problems.

4. [with obj.] — engage in simultaneously

• an ideal place to combine shopping and sightseeing.

II. noun — combine /ˈkɒmbʌɪn /

1. a group of people or companies acting together for a commercial purpose

• one of the world's biggest food and personal products combines.

III. derivatives

1. combinable

adjective

2. combiner

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French combiner or late Latin combinare ‘join two by two’, from com- ‘together’ + Latin bini ‘two together’.

combine^2 /ˈkɒmbʌɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) harvest (a crop) by means of a combine harvester.

• he combined ten acres of linseed.

II. noun

a combine harvester.

combined pill

noun

an oral contraceptive containing both an oestrogen and a progestogen.

combine harvester

noun

(Brit.) an agricultural machine that reaps, threshes, and cleans a cereal crop in one operation.

combings /ˈkəʊmɪŋz/

plural noun

hairs removed as a result of combing.

combing wool

noun — [ mass noun]

1. long-stapled wool with straight, parallel fibres, suitable for combing and making into high-quality fabrics, in particular worsted.
Compare with carding wool.

combining form

I. noun

[Grammar] a form of a word normally used in compounds in combination with another element to form a word (e.g. Anglo- ‘English’ in Anglo-Irish, bio- ‘life’ in biology, -graphy ‘writing’ in biography).

usage: In this dictionary, combining form is used to denote an element that contributes to the particular sense of words (as with bio- and -graphy in biography), as distinct from a prefix or suffix that adjusts the sense of or determines the function of words (as with un-, -able, and -ation).

comb jelly

noun

a marine animal with a jellyfish-like body bearing rows of fused cilia for propulsion. They are typically small planktonic animals and are noted for their luminescence. Also called ctenophore.
●Phylum Ctenophora: two classes.

combo /ˈkɒmbəʊ/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a small jazz, rock, or pop band.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a combination, typically of different foods

• a surf 'n' turf combo.

3. ‹informal› a guitar amplifier with an integral speaker rather than a separate one.

– origin 1920s (originally US): abbreviation of combination + -o.

combo box

noun

[Computing] ‹informal› a type of dialogue box containing a combination of controls, such as sliders, text boxes, and drop-down lists.

comb-over

noun

a strip of hair combed over a bald patch on a man's head in an attempt to conceal it.

combs /kɒmz/

I. plural noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a single undergarment covering the body and legs.

– origin 1930s: abbreviation of combination garments.

combust /kəmˈbʌst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. consume or destroy by fire

• when fossil fuels are combusted, oxides are emitted into the atmosphere.

2. [no obj.] — be consumed or destroyed by fire.

• one day the whole building will combust.

II. derivatives

combustor

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from obsolete combust ‘burnt, calcined’, from Latin combustus, past participle of comburere ‘burn up’.

combustible /kəmˈbʌstɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able to catch fire and burn easily

• a combustible gas.

2. excitable; easily annoyed

• a volatile and combustible personality.

II. noun

a combustible substance.

III. derivatives

combustibility /kəmbʌstɪˈbɪlɪti /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from Old French, from late Latin combustibilis, from Latin combust- ‘burnt up’, from the verb comburere.

combustion /kəmˈbʌstʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of burning something

• the combustion of fossil fuels

• [as modifier] a large combustion plant.

2. [Chemistry] rapid chemical combination of a substance with oxygen, involving the production of heat and light.

II. derivatives

combustive

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin combustio(n-), from Latin comburere ‘burn up’.

combustion chamber

noun

an enclosed space in which combustion takes place, especially in an engine or furnace.

come /kʌm/

I. verb

1. [no obj., usu. with adverbial of direction] — move or travel towards or into a place thought of as near or familiar to the speaker

• Jess came into the kitchen

• they came here as immigrants

• he came rushing out.

2. arrive at a specified place

• we walked along till we came to a stream

• it was very late when she came back

• my trunk hasn't come yet.

3. (of a thing) reach or extend to a specified point

• women in slim dresses that came all the way to their shoes

• the path comes straight down.

4. ( be coming) — approach

• someone was coming

• she heard the train coming.

5. travel in order to be with a specified person, to do a specified thing, or to be present at an event

• the police came

• come and live with me

• [with infinitive] the electrician came to mend the cooker

• ‹figurative› we have come a long way since Aristotle.

6. [with present participle] — join someone in participating in a specified activity or course of action

• do you want to come fishing tomorrow?

7. ( come along/on) — make progress; develop

• he's coming along nicely

• she asked them how their garden was coming on.

8. (in imperative also come, come!) — said to someone when correcting or reassuring someone

• Come, come, child, don't thank me.

9. [no obj.] — occur; happen; take place

• twilight had not yet come

• his father waited for a phone call that never came

• a chance like this doesn't come along every day.

10. be heard, perceived, or experienced

• a voice came from the kitchen

• it came as a great shock.

11. [with adverbial] — (of a quality) become apparent or noticeable through actions or performance

• as an actor your style and personality must come through.

12. ( come across over off) — (of a person) appear or sound in a specified way; give a specified impression

• he'd always come across as a decent sort.

13. (of a thought or memory) enter one's mind

• the basic idea came to me while reading an article

• a passage from a novel came back to Adam.

14. [no obj., with complement] — take or occupy a specified position in space, order, or priority

• prisons come well down the list of priorities

• I make sure my kids come first.

15. achieve a specified place in a race or contest

• she came second among sixty contestants.

16. [no obj., with complement] — pass into a specified state, especially one of separation or disunion

• his shirt had come undone.

17. ( come to/into) — reach or be brought to a specified situation or result

• you will come to no harm

• staff who come into contact with the public

• the vehicle came to rest against a traffic signal.

18. [with infinitive] — eventually reach a certain condition or state of mind

• he had come to realize she was no puppet.

19. [no obj., with adverbial] — be sold, available, or found in a specified form

• the cars come with a variety of extras

• the shirts come in three sizes.

20. [no obj.] — ‹informal› have an orgasm.

II. preposition

‹informal› when a specified time is reached or event happens

• I don't think that they'll be far away from honours come the new season.

III. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› semen ejaculated at an orgasm.

IV. phrases

1. as —— as they come

used to describe someone or something that is a supreme example of the quality specified

• Smith is as tough as they come.

2. come again?

‹informal› used to ask someone to repeat or explain something they have said.

• ‘It's a bit like Sherlock Holmes's dog.’ ‘Come again?’.

• Madge looked blankly at her. ‘Come again?’.

3. come and go

a. arrive and then depart again; move around freely.

• he continued to come and go as he pleased.

b. exist or be present for a limited time; be transitory

• kings and queens may come and go, but the Crown goes on forever.

4. come from behind

win after lagging.

5. come off it

[in imperative] — ‹informal› said when vigorously expressing disbelief.

• ‘Come off it, he'll know that's a lie.’.

6. come right

‹informal› have a good outcome; end well.

• don't worry—I'm sure it'll come right.

7. come the ——

‹informal› play the part of; behave like

• don't come the innocent with me.

8. come to nothing

have no significant or successful result in the end.

• he is convinced talk of a leadership challenge will come to nothing.

9. come to pass

‹chiefly literary› happen; occur

• it came to pass that she had two sons.

10. come to that (or if it comes to that)

(Brit.) ‹informal› in fact (said to introduce an additional point)

• there isn't a clock on the mantelpiece—come to that, there isn't a mantelpiece!

11. come to think of it

on reflection (said when an idea or point occurs to one while one is speaking).

• come to think of it, that was very daring of you.

12. come what may

no matter what happens.

• a woman was supposed to stand by her man all the time, come what may.

13. have it coming (to one)

‹informal› be due for retribution on account of something bad that one has done

• his uppity sister-in-law had it coming to her.

14. how come?

‹informal› said when asking how or why something happened or is the case

• how come you never married, Jimmy?

15. to come

(following a noun) in the future

• films that would inspire generations to come

• in years to come.

16. where someone is coming from

‹informal› someone's meaning, motivation, or personality.

• George doesn't know me, he doesn't know where I'm coming from.

V. phrasal verbs

1. come about

a. happen; take place

• the relative speed with which emancipation came about.

b. (of a ship) change direction.

2. come across

a. meet or find by chance

• I came across these old photos recently.

b. ‹informal› hand over or provide what is wanted

• she has come across with some details.

c. (of a woman) agree to have sexual intercourse with a man.

3. come along

[in imperative] — said when encouraging someone or telling them to hurry up.

• That's our man, Watson! Come along!

4. come amid

(of an action or event) be accompanied by; happen at the same time as

• the cuts come amid increasing competition in Hong Kong.

5. come around

see come round.

6. come at

launch oneself at (someone) to attack them.

• he shot an officer who came at him from behind.

7. come away

be left with a specified feeling, impression, or result after doing something

• she came away feeling upset.

8. come back

a. (in sport) recover from a deficit

• the Mets came back from a 3–0 deficit.

b. reply or respond to someone, especially vigorously

• he came back at Judy with a vengeance.

9. come before

be dealt with by (a judge or court)

• it is the most controversial issue to come before the Supreme Court.

10. come between

interfere with or disturb the relationship of (two people)

• I let my stupid pride come between us.

11. come by

a. (N. Amer.) call casually and briefly as a visitor

• his friends came by

• she came by the house.

b. manage to acquire or obtain (something).

• the remoteness of the region makes accurate information hard to come by.

12. come down

a. (of a building or other structure) collapse or be demolished.

• we were lucky the bridge didn't come down.

• the whole ceiling had to come down.

b. (of an aircraft) crash or crash-land.

• the aircraft came down during an attempt to land in bad weather.

c. be handed down by tradition or inheritance

• the name has come down from the last century.

d. reach a decision or recommendation in favour of one side or another

• advisers and inspectors came down on our side.

e. (Brit.) leave a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge, after finishing one's studies.

• Jarvis came down from Cambridge with a degree in engineering.

f. ‹informal› experience the lessening of an excited or euphoric feeling, especially one produced by a narcotic drug.

• I felt like a raver who has just come down from an ecstasy tablet.

13. come down on

criticize or punish (someone) harshly

• she came down on me like a ton of bricks.

14. come down to

(of a situation or outcome) be dependent on (a specified factor)

• it came down to her word against Guy's.

15. come down with

begin to suffer from (a specified illness)

• I came down with influenza.

16. come for

a. arrive to arrest or detain (someone).

• the cops came for her husband.

b. launch oneself at (someone) to attack them

• he came for me with his fists.

17. come forward

volunteer oneself for a task or post or to give evidence about a crime.

• two witnesses have come forward with information.

• no one would come forward to claim the body.

18. come from

a. originate in; have as its source

• the word caviar comes from Italian.

b. be the result of

• a dignity that comes from being in control.

c. have as one's place of birth or residence

• I come from Sheffield.

d. be descended from

• she comes from a family of Muslim scholars.

19. come in

a. join or become involved in an enterprise

• that's where Jack comes in

• I agreed to come in on the project.

b. have a useful role or function

• this is where grammar comes in.

c. [with complement] — prove to have a specified good quality

• a car comes in handy for day trips from the city.

d. [with complement] — finish a race in a specified position

• the favourite came in first.

e. (of money) be earned or received regularly.

• there's me and Mum to keep, and no money coming in.

f. [in imperative] — begin speaking or make contact, especially in radio communication

• come in, London.

g. (of a tide) rise; flow.

• the tide was coming in.

20. come in for

receive or be the object of (a reaction), typically a negative one

• he has come in for a lot of criticism.

21. come into

suddenly receive (money or property), especially by inheriting it.

• he came into an inheritance.

22. come of

a. result from

• no good will come of it.

b. be descended from

• she came of Dorset stock.

23. come off

a. (of an action) succeed; be accomplished.

• this was a bold experiment which did not come off.

b. fare in a specified way in a contest

• Geoffrey always came off worse in an argument.

c. become detached or be detachable from something.

• a wheel came off the tractor.

d. fall from a horse or cycle that one is riding.

• the horse reared up and Harriet came off.

e. stop taking or being addicted to (a drug or form of medication).

• I think I'll come off the pill.

• she works with people coming off heroin.

f. (Brit.) ‹informal› have an orgasm.

24. come on

a. (of a state or condition) start to arrive or happen

• she felt a mild case of the sniffles coming on

• [with infinitive] it was coming on to rain.

b. (also come upon) — meet or find by chance.

• I came on a station that was playing upbeat songs.

c. [in imperative] — said when encouraging someone to do something or to hurry up or when one feels that someone is wrong or foolish

• Come on! We must hurry!

25. come on to

‹informal› make sexual advances towards.

• he was a flirt, he came on to everyone.

26. come out

a. (of a fact) emerge; become known

• it came out that the accused had illegally registered to vote.

b. develop or happen as a result

• something good can come out of something that went wrong.

c. (of a photograph) be produced satisfactorily or in a specified way

• I hope my photographs come out all right.

d. (of the result of a calculation or measurement) emerge at a specified figure

• rough cider usually comes out at about eight per cent alcohol.

e. (of patience or a similar card game) be played to a finish with all cards dealt with.

f. (of a book or other work) appear; be released or published.

• lots of interesting books are coming out.

g. declare oneself as being for or against something

• residents have come out against the proposals.

h. [with complement] — achieve a specified placing in an examination or contest

• he deservedly came out the winner on points.

i. acquit oneself in a specified way

• surprisingly, it's Penn who comes out best.

j. (of a stain) be removed or able to be removed.

k. (Brit.) go on strike.

l. ‹informal› openly declare that one is homosexual.
[from the phrase come out of the closet (see closet (sense 3 of the noun)).]

m. (Brit.) ‹dated› (of a young upper-class woman) make one's debut in society.

27. come out in

(Brit.) (of a person's skin) break out in (spots or a similar condition).

• Jason came out in a hot flush.

28. come out with

say (something) in a sudden, rude, or incautious way.

• a gentleman should not come out with those remarks.

29. come over

a. (of a feeling or manner) begin to affect (someone)

• a great weariness came over me.

b. [with complement] — ‹informal› (of a person) suddenly start to feel a specified way

• they come over all misty-eyed with nostalgia.

c. change to another side or point of view.

• a former star pitcher for the Braves, he came over to the Yankees near the end of his career.

30. come round ‹chiefly Brit.›

a. recover consciousness

• I'd just come round from a drunken stupor.

b. be converted to another person's opinion

• I came round to her point of view.

c. (of a date or regular occurrence) recur; be imminent again

• Friday had come round so quickly.

31. come through

a. succeed in surviving or dealing with (an illness or ordeal)

• she's come through the operation very well.

b. (of a message) be sent and received.

• a telephone call came through from Number 10.

c. (of an official decree) be processed and notified.

• his divorce came through.

32. come to

a. (also come to oneself) — recover consciousness.

• I came to in a corner of the room.

• he was struggling to come to himself.

b. (of an expense) reach in total; amount to

• the bill came to £20,000.

c. (of a ship) come to a stop.

33. come under

a. be classified as or among

• they all come under the general heading of opinion polls.

b. be subject to (an influence or authority).

• for a time they came under the rule of the Venetian doges.

c. be subjected to (pressure or aggression)

• his vehicle came under mortar fire.

34. come up

a. (of an issue, situation, or problem) occur or present itself, especially unexpectedly.

• the subject has not yet come up.

• something must have come up.

b. (of a specified time or event) approach or draw near

• she's got exams coming up.

c. (of a legal case) reach the time when it is scheduled to be dealt with.

d. become brighter in a specified way as a result of being polished or cleaned.

• I cleaned up the painting and it came up like new.

e. (Brit.) begin one's studies at a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge.

35. come up against

be faced with or opposed by

• I'd come up against this kind of problem before.

36. come up with

produce (something), especially when pressured or challenged

• he keeps coming up with all kinds of lame excuses.

37. come upon

a. attack (someone or something) by surprise.

• they could come upon us without warning and wreak havoc.

b. see come on (sense 2).

– origin Old English cuman, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch komen and German kommen. / usage: The use of come followed by and, as in come and see for yourself, dates back to Old English, but is seen by some as incorrect or only suitable for informal English: for more details see usage at and.

come-along

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a hand-operated winch.

come-at-able /kʌmˈatəb(ə)l/

adjective

‹informal› ‹dated› able to be reached or obtained.

comeback /ˈkʌmbak/

noun

1. a return by a well-known person, especially an entertainer or sports player, to the activity in which they have formerly been successful

• the heavyweight champion is set to make his comeback in England

• [as modifier] a comeback tour.

2. a return to fashion of an item, activity, or style

• trouser suits are making a comeback.

3. ‹informal› a quick reply to a critical remark.

• some of my best comebacks just go right over people's heads.

4. [ mass noun] — the opportunity to seek redress

• there's no comeback if he messes up your case.

5. (Austral./NZ) a sheep bred from cross-bred and pure-bred parents for both wool and meat.

Comecon /ˈkɒmɪkɒn/

I. an economic association of east European countries founded in 1949 and analogous to the European Economic Community. With the collapse of communism in eastern Europe, the association was dissolved in 1991.

– origin contraction of Council for Mutual Economic Assistance.

comedian /kəˈmiːdɪən/

I. noun

1. an entertainer on stage or television whose act is designed to make an audience laugh.

• they sat watching an Irish comedian telling jokes.

• a stand-up comedian.

2. a comic actor or playwright.

3. ‹often ironic› a person who is or thinks themselves to be amusing or entertaining.

• he's a real comedian, this fellow.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a comic playwright): from French comédien, from Old French comedie (see comedy). The sense ‘entertainer’ dates from the late 19th cent.

comedic /kəˈmiːdɪk/

adjective

relating to or characteristic of comedy; comic

• the man is a comedic genius

• with perfect comedic timing, he delivers the punch line.

Comédie-Française /ˌkɒmɛdiːfrɒ̃ˈseɪz, French kɔmedi fʀɑ̃sɛz/

the French national theatre (used for both comedy and tragedy), in Paris, founded in 1680 by Louis XIV.

comedienne /kəˌmiːdɪˈɛn/

I. noun

a female comedian.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French comédienne, feminine of comédien (see comedian).

comedo /ˈkɒmɪdəʊ, kəˈmiːdəʊ/

I. noun

technical term for blackhead (sense 1).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘glutton’, from comedere ‘eat up’, from com- ‘altogether’ + edere ‘eat’. Used formerly as a name for parasitic worms, the term here alludes to the worm-like matter which can be squeezed from a blackhead.

comedogenic /ˌkɒmɪdə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

tending to cause blackheads by blocking the pores of the skin.

comedown /ˈkʌmdaʊn/

noun

1. ‹informal› a loss of status or importance

• Patrol duty? Bit of a comedown for a sergeant.

2. ‹informal› a feeling of disappointment or depression.

• it's such a comedown after Christmas is over.

3. ‹informal› a lessening of the sensations generated by a narcotic drug as its effects wear off.

• the drug is like speed, but without the comedown.

comedy /ˈkɒmɪdi/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — professional entertainment consisting of jokes and sketches, intended to make an audience laugh.

• a cabaret with music, dancing, and comedy.

• the show combines theatre with the best of stand-up comedy.

2. [ count noun] — a film, play, or broadcast programme intended to make an audience laugh
[as modifier]

• a comedy film.

3. the style or genre represented by comedy films, plays, and broadcast programmes.

• the conventions of romantic comedy have grown more appealing with the passage of time.

4. the humorous or amusing aspects of something

• advertising people see the comedy in their work.

5. a play characterized by its humorous or satirical tone and its depiction of amusing people or incidents, in which the characters ultimately triumph over adversity

• Shakespeare's comedies.

6. the dramatic genre represented by comedies

• satiric comedy.

Compare with tragedy (sense 2).

– origin late Middle English (as a genre of drama, also denoting a narrative poem with a happy ending, as in Dante's Divine Comedy): from Old French comedie, via Latin from Greek kōmōidia, from kōmōidos ‘comic poet’, from kōmos ‘revel’ + aoidos ‘singer’.

comedy club

noun

a venue where comedians give stand-up performances in front of an audience

• she'd done a few amateur-night gigs at some local comedy clubs.

comedy of manners

noun

a play, novel, or film that gives a satirical portrayal of behaviour in a particular social group.

come-hither

adjective

‹informal› (of a woman or her manner) playfully showing or expressing sexual interest; coquettish

• nymphs with come-hither looks.

comely /ˈkʌmli/

I. adjective

1. ‹archaic› ‹humorous› (typically of a woman) pleasant to look at; attractive.

• the comely Italian actress Valeria Golino.

2. ‹archaic› ‹humorous› agreeable; suitable.

• a comely specimen.

II. derivatives

comeliness /ˈkʌmlɪnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: probably shortened from becomely ‘fitting, becoming’, from become.

come-on

noun

1. ‹informal› a gesture or remark that is intended to attract someone sexually

• she was giving me the come-on.

2. ‹informal› a marketing ploy, such as a free or cheap offer.

• the ad was a come-on to try to sell callers other items.

come-outer

noun

(US) ‹chiefly historical› a person who dissociates themselves from an organization.

• many of these come-outers went on to ignite independent sects.

comer /ˈkʌmə/

noun

1. a person who arrives somewhere

• feeding every comer is still a sacred duty.

2. [in sing.] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person or thing likely to succeed

• many in the party see tax relief as a comer.

COMESA

abbreviation

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.

comess /kɒˈmɛs/

I. noun

(W. Indian) a confused or noisy situation.

• we in dis land is really something else when it comes to talking; it is constantly from one comess to the next.

– origin from French Creole commece ‘confusion’, from French commerce ‘commerce’.

comestible /kəˈmɛstɪb(ə)l / ‹formal humorous›

I. noun — (usu. comestibles)

1. an item of food

• a fridge groaning with comestibles.

II. adjective

edible.

• sugar, coffee, and sundry other comestible requisites.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French, from medieval Latin comestibilis, from Latin comest- ‘eaten up’, from the verb comedere, from com- ‘altogether’ + edere ‘eat’.

comet /ˈkɒmɪt/

I. noun

1. a celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust and, when near the sun, a ‘tail’ of gas and dust particles pointing away from the sun.

Originating in the remotest regions of the solar system, most comets follow regular eccentric orbits and appear in the inner solar system as periodic comets, some of which break up and can be the origin of annual meteor showers. They were formerly considered to be supernatural omens.

II. derivatives

cometary /ˈkɒmɪtəri /

adjective

– origin late Old English, from Latin cometa, from Greek komētēs ‘long-haired (star)’, from komē ‘hair’; reinforced by Old French comete.

comeuppance /kʌmˈʌp(ə)ns/

noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹informal› a punishment or fate that someone deserves

• he got his comeuppance in the end.

comfit /ˈkʌmfɪt/

I. noun

‹dated› a sweet consisting of a nut, seed, or other centre coated in sugar.

– origin Middle English: from Old French confit, from Latin confectum ‘something prepared’, neuter past participle of conficere ‘put together’ (see confect).

comfort /ˈkʌmfət/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint

• there is room for four people to travel in comfort.

2. ( comforts) — things that contribute to physical ease and well-being

• the low upholstered chair was one of the room's few comforts.

3. prosperity and the pleasant lifestyle secured by it

• my father left us enough to live in comfort.

4. the easing or alleviation of a person's feelings of grief or distress

• a few words of comfort

• they should take comfort that help is available.

5. [in sing.] — a person or thing that helps to alleviate a difficult situation

• his friendship was a great comfort.

6. (US) ‹dialect› a warm quilt.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ease the grief or distress of

• the victim was comforted by friends before being taken to hospital.

2. improve the mood of or restore a sense of physical well-being to

• he dined outdoors, comforted by the crackling sounds of the fire.

– origin Middle English (as a noun, in the senses ‘strengthening, support, consolation’; as a verb, in the senses ‘strengthen, give support, console’): from Old French confort (noun), conforter (verb), from late Latin confortare ‘strengthen’, from com- (expressing intensive force) + Latin fortis ‘strong’. The sense ‘something producing physical ease’ arose in the mid 17th cent.

comfortable /ˈkʌmf(ə)təb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (especially of clothes or furnishings) providing physical ease and relaxation.

• comfortable sturdy shoes.

• relax in a comfortable chair.

2. (of a person) physically relaxed and free from constraint

• he would not be comfortable in any other clothes.

3. (of a hospital patient) not in pain or in danger.

• he was said to be comfortable in the West Highland Hospital.

4. free from stress or tension

• they appear very comfortable in each other's company

• few of us are comfortable with confrontations.

5. free from financial worry; having an adequate standard of living.

• the Rector enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle with plenty of servants.

6. as large as is needed or wanted

• a comfortable income.

7. with a wide margin

• a comfortable victory.

II. noun

(US) ‹dialect› a warm quilt.

III. derivatives

comfortableness

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘pleasant, pleasing’): from Anglo-Norman French confortable, from conforter ‘to comfort’ (see comfort).

comfortably /ˈkʌmftəbli/

adverb

1. in a physically relaxed way that is free from constraint

• he lounges comfortably in an armchair.

2. in a way that is free from stress or tension

• a group of old friends getting together and chatting comfortably.

3. in a way that is free from financial worry

• she seems comfortably well-off.

4. in a way that gives as much space as is needed or wanted

• their furnishings fit comfortably inside it.

5. with a wide margin

• they went on to win comfortably in the end.

comfort blanket

noun

(Brit.) another term for security blanket (sense 1):

• it was just as well that 16-month-old Madison had her comfort blanket with her yesterday

• leaving the comfort blanket of a regular salary after 20 years is a bit overwhelming.

comfort eating /ˈkʌmfətˌiːtɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. eating to make oneself feel happier, rather than to satisfy hunger.

comforter /ˈkʌmfətə/

I. noun

1. a person or thing that provides consolation.

• he is friend, comforter, and guardian.

• a cup of tea was our universal cure-all and comforter.

2. (Brit.) a baby's dummy.

3. ‹dated› a woollen scarf.

4. (N. Amer.) a warm quilt.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French comforteor, from conforter ‘to comfort’ (see comfort).

comfort food

noun — [ mass noun]

1. food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically having a high sugar or carbohydrate content and associated with childhood or home cooking.
[ count noun]

• single people tend to eat more comfort foods.

comforting /ˈkʌmfətɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. serving to alleviate a person's feelings of grief or distress

• we would like to thank our family and friends for their support and their comforting words.

2. serving to improve a person's mood or restore a sense of physical well-being

• a comforting bowl of soup.

II. derivatives

comfortingly

adverb

comfortless /ˈkʌmfətlɪs/

adjective

1. offering no means of relaxation and pleasure

• a comfortless prison.

2. having or offering nothing that serves to ease feelings or grief or distress

• he had left her comfortless.

comfort station

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹euphemistic› a public toilet.

comfort zone

noun

1. a situation where one feels safe or at ease

• the trip is an attempt to take the students out of their comfort zone.

2. a settled method of working that requires little effort and yields only barely acceptable results

• if you stay within your comfort zone you will never improve.

comfrey /ˈkʌmfri/

I. noun

a Eurasian plant of the borage family, which has large hairy leaves and clusters of purplish or white bell-shaped flowers.
●Genus Symphytum, family Boraginaceae: several species, in particular the common comfrey ( S. officinale), which is used in herbal medicine (see boneset).

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French cumfirie, based on Latin conferva, from confervere ‘heal’ (literally ‘boil together’, referring to the plant's medicinal use).

comfy /ˈkʌmfi/

I. adjective

‹informal› comfortable.

• comfy furniture.

• a comfy ride.

II. derivatives

1. comfily

adverb

2. comfiness

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: abbreviation.

comic /ˈkɒmɪk/

I. adjective

1. causing or meant to cause laughter

• a comic monologue.

2. relating to or in the style of comedy

• a comic actor

• comic drama.

II. noun

1. a comedian.

• he is training as a stand-up comic.

2. a periodical containing comic strips, intended chiefly for children.

• the shop sold newspapers and children's comics.

3. ( comics) — (N. Amer.) comic strips.

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek kōmikos, from kōmos ‘revel’.

comical /ˈkɒmɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

amusing, especially in a ludicrous or absurd way

• a series of comical misunderstandings.

II. derivatives

comicality /kɒmɪˈkalɪti /

noun

‹archaic›

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘relating to or in the style of comedy’): from Latin comicus (see comic) + -al.

comically /ˈkɒmɪk(ə)li/

adverb

in an amusing, ludicrous, or absurd way

• a comically fumbled free kick

• [as submodifier] his comically inept teammates.

Comice /ˈkɒmɪs/

I. noun

a large yellow dessert pear of a late-fruiting variety that is cultivated commercially.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘association, cooperative’, referring to the Comice Horticole of Angers, France, where this variety was developed.

comic opera

noun

an opera that portrays humorous situations and characters, enhanced by much spoken dialogue.

• a new recording of Rossini's frothiest comic opera.

• [ mass noun] he looked like a character from comic opera.

comic relief

noun — [ mass noun]

1. humorous content in a dramatic or literary work intended to offset more serious episodes.

• between tragic stories are a few songs supplying comic relief.

2. a character or characters providing comic relief.

• the archaeologist, who begins as oafish comic relief, exemplifies her gift for character drawing.

comic strip

noun

a sequence of drawings in boxes that tell an amusing story, typically printed in a newspaper or magazine.
[as modifier]

• a continuing story in comic-strip form.

coming /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. due to happen or just beginning

• work is due to start in the coming year.

2. likely to be important or successful in the future

• he was the coming man of French racing.

II. noun

an arrival or approach

• the coming of a new age.

III. phrases

1. coming of age /ˌkʌmɪŋ əv ˈeɪdʒ /

the age or occasion when one formally becomes an adult

• time was when being offered a drink for the first time was a rite of passage, a coming of age.

2. coming and going (or comings and goings)

busy, active movements of many people, especially in and out of a place.

• yesterday's comings and goings outside Number 10.

3. not know if one is coming or going

‹informal› be confused, especially as a result of being very busy.

Comino /kɒˈmiːnəʊ/

the smallest of the three main islands of Malta.

COMINT /ˈkɒmɪnt/

abbreviation

communications intelligence.

Comintern /ˈkɒmɪntəːn/

I. the Third International, a communist organization (1919–43).
See international (sense 2 of the noun).

– origin from Russian Komintern, blend of kom(munisticheskiĭ) ‘communist’ and intern(atsional) ‘international’.

comital /ˈkɒmɪt(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹chiefly historical› relating to a count or earl.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from medieval Latin comitalis, from comes, comit- ‘a count’.

comity /ˈkɒmɪti/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› an association of nations for their mutual benefit.

2. (also comity of nations) [ mass noun] — ‹formal› the mutual recognition by nations of the laws and customs of others.

3. [ mass noun] — ‹formal› courtesy and considerate behaviour towards others.

• a show of public comity in the White House.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin comitas, from comis ‘courteous’.

comm

noun

short for communication:
[as modifier]

• a comm link.

See also comms.

comma /ˈkɒmə/

I. noun

1. a punctuation mark (,) indicating a pause between parts of a sentence or separating items in a list.

2. [Music] a minute interval or difference of pitch.

3. (also comma butterfly) — a widespread butterfly that has orange and brown wings with ragged edges, and a white comma-shaped mark on the underside of the hindwing.
● Polygonia c-album, subfamily Nymphalinae, family Nymphalidae.

– origin late 16th cent. (originally as a term in rhetoric denoting a group of words shorter than a colon; see colon^1): via Latin from Greek komma ‘piece cut off, short clause’, from koptein ‘cut’.

command /kəˈmɑːnd/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — give an authoritative or peremptory order
[with obj. and infinitive]

• a gruff voice commanded us to enter

• [with direct speech] ‘Stop arguing!’ he commanded

• [with clause] he commanded that work should cease

• [with obj.] my mother commands my presence.

2. [with obj.] — [Military] have authority over; be in charge of (a unit).

• he commanded a Hurricane squadron.

3. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› control or restrain (oneself or one's feelings)

• he commanded himself with an effort.

4. [with obj.] — dominate (a strategic position) from a superior height

• the fortress commands the shortest Channel crossing.

5. [with obj.] — be in a strong enough position to have or secure

• they command a majority in Parliament

• he commanded considerable personal loyalty.

II. noun

1. an authoritative order

• he obeyed her commands without question.

2. [ mass noun] — authority, especially over armed forces

• an officer took command

• who's in command?

3. [treated as sing. or pl.] — [Military] a group of officers exercising control over a particular group or operation.

• a five-member general command.

4. [Military] a body of troops or a district under the control of a particular officer.

5. [in sing.] — the ability to use or control something

• he had a brilliant command of English.

6. [Computing] an instruction or signal causing a computer to perform one of its basic functions.

III. phrases

1. at someone's command

at someone's disposal to use or instruct

• I shall defend myself with all the eloquence at my command.

2. word of command ‹Military›

a. an order for a movement in a drill.

b. a prearranged spoken signal for the start of an operation.

– origin Middle English: from Old French comander ‘to command’, from late Latin commandare, from com- (expressing intensive force) + mandare ‘commit, command’. Compare with commend.

command and control

noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. [chiefly Military] the running of an armed force or other organization

• a command-and-control bunker.

commandant /ˌkɒmənˈdant, ˈkɒmənˌdant, ˈkɒmənˌdɑːnt/

I. noun

an officer in charge of a particular force or institution

• the camp commandant.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French commandant, or Italian or Spanish commandante, all from late Latin commandare ‘to command’ (see command).

command-driven

adjective

[Computing] (of a program or computer) operated by means of commands keyed in by the user or issued by another program or computer.

command economy

noun

another term for planned economy.

commandeer /ˌkɒmənˈdɪə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. officially take possession or control of (something), especially for military purposes

• a nearby house had been commandeered by the army.

2. take possession of (something) by force

• the truck was commandeered by a mob.

3. [with obj. and infinitive] — enlist (someone) to help in a task

• he commandeered the men to find a table.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Afrikaans kommandeer, from Dutch commanderen, from French commander ‘to command’ (see command).

commander /kəˈmɑːndə/

I. noun

1. a person in authority, especially over a body of troops or a military operation

• the commander of a paratroop regiment.

2. a rank of naval officer, above lieutenant commander and below captain.

3. an officer in charge of a Metropolitan Police district in London.

4. a member of a higher class in some orders of knighthood.
See also knight commander.

II. derivatives

commandership /kəˈmɑːndəʃɪp /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French comandeor, from late Latin commandare (see command).

commander-in-chief

noun

1. an officer in charge of all of the armed forces of a country, or a major subdivision of them.

2. a politician or head of state in supreme command of a country's armed forces.

Commander of the Faithful

noun

one of the titles of a caliph.

commanding /kəˈmɑːndɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (in military contexts) having a position of authority

• a commanding officer.

2. indicating or expressing authority; imposing

• a man of commanding presence

• her style is commanding.

3. possessing or giving superior strength

• a commanding 13–6 lead.

4. (of a place or position) dominating from above; giving a wide view of an area.

• the castle is built in a commanding position on a hill looking out over the sea.

II. derivatives

commandingly

adverb

command language

noun

[Computing] a source language composed chiefly of a set of commands or operators, used especially for communicating with the operating system of a computer.
[ mass noun]

• the problems of command language and syntax.

• [ modifier] Command Language code.

• [with modifier] the search command language.

command line

noun

an interface for typing commands directly to a computer's operating system.

commandment /kəˈmɑːndmənt/

I. noun

1. a divine rule, especially one of the Ten Commandments.

• the Sabbath had to be kept as ordered in the Fourth Commandment.

2. ‹humorous› a rule to be observed as strictly as one of the Ten Commandments.

• she had followed her mother's commandments for long enough.

– origin Middle English: from Old French comandement, from comander ‘to command’ (see command).

command module

noun

the detachable control compartment of a manned spacecraft.

commando /kəˈmɑːndəʊ/

I. noun

1. a soldier specially trained for carrying out raids.
[as modifier]

• a commando attack.

2. a unit of commandos.

• he saw service in a Marine Commando.

II. phrases

go commando

‹informal› wear no underpants.

– origin late 18th cent. (denoting a militia, originally consisting of Boers in South Africa): from Portuguese (earlier form of comando), from commandar ‘to command’, from late Latin commandare (see command).

commando knife

noun

a long, slender knife suitable for hand-to-hand combat.

Command Paper

noun

(in the UK) a document laid before Parliament by order of the Crown, though in practice by the government.

command performance Royal Command Performance

noun

(in the UK) a presentation of a play, concert, film, or other show at the request of royalty, who usually attend.

command post

noun

the place from which a unit commander controls a military unit.

comme ci, comme ça /kɒm ˌsiː kɒm ˈsɑː, French kɔm si kɔm sa/

I. adverb, adjective

used, especially in answer to a question, to convey that something is neither very good nor very bad.

• ‘How's it going?’ ‘Oh, comme ci, comme ça.’.

– origin French, literally ‘like this, like that’.

commedia dell'arte /kɒˈmeɪdɪə dɛlˈɑːteɪ Italian komˈmɛdja delˈlarte//

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an improvised kind of popular comedy in Italian theatres in the 16th–18th centuries, based on stock characters. Actors adapted their comic dialogue and action according to a few basic plots (commonly love intrigues) and to topical issues.

– origin Italian, ‘comedy of art’.

comme il faut /ˌkɒm iːl ˈfəʊ French kɔm il fo//

I. adjective

correct in behaviour or etiquette.

• my friend is partial to cocaine—in every other way he is very proper and comme il faut.

– origin French, literally ‘as is necessary’.

commemorate /kəˈmɛməreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. recall and show respect for (someone or something)

• a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the war dead

• a stone commemorating a boy who died at sea.

2. mark or celebrate (an event or person) by doing or producing something

• the victory was commemorated in songs.

II. derivatives

commemorator

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin commemorat- ‘brought to remembrance’, from the verb commemorare, from com- ‘altogether’ + memorare ‘relate’ (from memor ‘mindful’).

commemoration /kəmɛməˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of commemorating a dead person or past event

• local martyrs received public commemoration

• the window was ordered by the duchess in commemoration of her son.

2. [ count noun] — a ceremony or celebration in which a person or event is remembered.

• commemorations of wartime anniversaries.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin commemoratio(n-), from the verb commemorare ‘bring to remembrance’ (see commemorate).

commemorative /kəˈmɛm(ə)rətɪv/

I. adjective

acting as a memorial of an event or person.

II. noun

an object such as a stamp or coin made to mark an event or honour a person.

commence /kəˈmɛns/

I. verb

begin
[with obj.]

• his design team commenced work

• [no obj.] a public inquiry is due to commence on the 16th.

– origin Middle English: from Old French commencier, comencier, based on Latin com- (expressing intensive force) + initiare ‘begin’.

commencement /kəˈmɛnsm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. the beginning of something

• the commencement of the trial

• [ mass noun] the date of commencement.

2. (N. Amer.) a ceremony in which degrees or diplomas are conferred on university or high-school students
[as modifier]

• a commencement address.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from the verb commencier (see commence).

commend /kəˈmɛnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. praise formally or officially

• he was commended by the judge for his courageous actions.

2. present as suitable for approval or acceptance; recommend

• I commend her to you without reservation.

3. make (something) acceptable or pleasing

• the emphasis on peace will commend itself to all

• most one-roomed flats have little to commend them.

4. ( commend someone/thing to) — ‹archaic› ‹formal› entrust someone or something to

• as they set out on their journey I commend them to your care.

5. ( commend someone to) — pass on someone's good wishes to.

• commend me to my son, and bid him rule better than I.

II. phrases

highly commended

(Brit.) failing to win a prize but nevertheless considered meritorious.

• the winner gets £2,000, and two other projects will be highly commended.

– origin Middle English: from Latin commendare, from com- (expressing intensive force) + mandare ‘commit, entrust’. Compare with command.

commendable /kəˈmɛndəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

deserving praise

• he showed commendable restraint.

II. derivatives

commendably /kəˈmɛndəbli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin commendabilis, from commendare (see commend).

commendation /kɒmɛnˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. formal or official praise

• the film deserved the highest commendation

• [ count noun] the book gives commendations for initiative.

2. [ count noun] — an award given for very good performance

• the detectives received commendations for bravery.

3. [ count noun] — a very good result in an examination or competition.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin commendatio(n-), from commendare ‘commit to the care of’ (see commend). Originally (in the plural) the term denoted a liturgical office ending with a prayer commending the souls of the dead to God.

Commendatore /kɒˌmɛndəˈtɔːreɪ/

I. noun

a knight of an Italian order of chivalry.

– origin Italian, from Latin commendator, based on commendare ‘entrust’.

commendatory /kɒˈmɛndət(ə)ri/

I. adjective

‹archaic› serving to present something as suitable for approval or acceptance.

• a commendatory grin.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin commendatorius, from Latin commendare ‘commit to the care of’ (see commend).

commensal /kəˈmɛns(ə)l / ‹Biology›

I. adjective

relating to or exhibiting commensalism.

II. noun

a commensal organism, such as many bacteria.

III. derivatives

commensality /kɒmənˈsalɪti /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from medieval Latin commensalis, from com- ‘sharing’ + mensa ‘a table’.

commensalism /kəˈmɛns(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] an association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm.

commensurable /kəˈmɛnʃ(ə)rəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. measurable by the same standard

• the finite is not commensurable with the infinite.

2. ( commensurable to) — ‹rare› proportionate to.

3. [Mathematics] (of numbers) in a ratio equal to a ratio of integers.

II. derivatives

1. commensurability /kəmɛnʃ(ə)rəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. commensurably

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin commensurabilis, from com- ‘together’ + mensurabilis, from mensurare ‘to measure’.

commensurate /kəˈmɛnʃ(ə)rət, kəˈmɛnʃ(ə)rət/

I. adjective

corresponding in size or degree; in proportion

• salary will be commensurate with age and experience

• such heavy responsibility must receive commensurate reward.

II. derivatives

1. commensurately

adverb

2. commensurateness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin commensuratus, from com- ‘together’ + mensuratus, past participle of mensurare ‘to measure’.

comment /ˈkɒmɛnt/

I. noun

1. a verbal or written remark expressing an opinion or reaction

• you asked for comments on the new proposals

• [ mass noun] the plans were sent to the council for comment.

2. [ mass noun] — discussion, especially of a critical nature, of an issue or event

• the exhibition has aroused comment.

3. an indirect expression of the views of the writer of a play, book, film, etc.

• she denies that the film is a comment on the perils of celebrity.

4. an explanatory note in a book or other written text.

• additional notes and comments.

5. ‹archaic› a written explanation or commentary.

6. [Computing] a piece of text placed within a program to help other users to understand it, which the computer ignores when running the program.

II. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. express an opinion or reaction in speech or writing
[with clause]

• teachers commented that children of all abilities would benefit

• [no obj.] the company would not comment on the venture

• [with direct speech] ‘She's an independent soul,’ he commented.

2. [with obj.] — [Computing] place a piece of explanatory text within (a program) to assist other users.

• the only way to solve the problem is to code for the hardware directly—just make sure that it's clearly commented.

3. [with obj.] — [Computing] turn (part of a program) into a comment so that the computer ignores it when running the program

• you could try commenting out that line.

III. phrases

no comment

used in refusing to answer a question, especially in a sensitive situation.

• I spent the day saying ‘No comment’ to every reporter.

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘expository treatise’ and ‘explanatory note’): from Latin commentum ‘contrivance’ (in late Latin also ‘interpretation’), neuter past participle of comminisci ‘devise’.

commentariat /ˌkɒmənˈtɛːrɪət/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) members of the news media considered as a class.

• the US commentariat exuded recriminations when American air attacks were called off.

– origin late 20th cent.: blend of commentary and proletariat.

commentary /ˈkɒmənt(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. an expression of opinions or offering of explanations about an event or situation

• a biting social commentary about the divide between rich and poor

• an editorial commentary

• [ mass noun] a narrative overlaid with commentary.

2. a descriptive spoken account (especially on a broadcast) of an event or performance as it happens

• a live commentary on radio.

3. a set of explanatory or critical notes on a text

• a commentary on the Old Testament.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin commentarius, commentarium (adjective, used as a noun), from commentari, frequentative of comminisci ‘devise’.

commentate /ˈkɒmənteɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) report on an event as it occurs, especially for a news or sports broadcast; provide a commentary

• they commentate on live Monday matches.

– origin mid 19th cent.: back-formation from commentator.

commentative /kəˈmɛntətɪv/

adjective

‹rare› expressing or containing comments or judgements

• headlines are sometimes commentative rather than factual.

commentator /ˈkɒmənteɪtə/

noun

1. a person who comments on events or on a text.

• commentators noted that the demonstration was part of a wider strategy.

2. a person who commentates on a sports match or other event.

• the move electrified spectators and commentators alike.

commenter /ˈkɒmɛntə/

noun

a person who expresses an opinion or engages in discussion of an issue or event, especially online in response to an article or blog post

• the first commenter suggested that the story is a hoax

• a regular commenter on many blogs.

commerce /ˈkɒməːs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of buying and selling, especially on a large scale

• the changes in taxation are of benefit to commerce.

2. ‹dated› social dealings between people.

• the noise and warmth of human commerce.

3. ‹archaic› sexual intercourse.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 2): from French, or from Latin commercium ‘trade, trading’, from com- ‘together’ + mercium (from merx, merc- ‘merchandise’).

commercial /kəˈməːʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. concerned with or engaged in commerce

• a commercial agreement.

2. making or intended to make a profit

• commercial products.

3. having profit rather than artistic or other value as a primary aim

• their work is too commercial.

4. (of television or radio) funded by the revenue from broadcast advertisements.

5. (of chemicals) supplied in bulk and not of the highest purity.

II. noun

1. a television or radio advertisement.

• they looked like a family from a breakfast cereal commercial.

2. (Brit.) ‹dated› a travelling sales representative.

III. derivatives

commerciality /kəməːʃɪˈalɪti /

noun

commercial art

noun — [ mass noun]

1. art used in advertising and selling.

commercial bank

noun

a bank that offers services to the general public and to companies.

commercial bill

noun

a bill of exchange issued by a commercial organization to raise money for short-term needs.

commercial break

noun

an interruption in the transmission of a broadcast programme, or an intermission between programmes, during which advertisements are broadcast.

commercialism /kəˈməːʃ(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. emphasis on the maximizing of profit

• concern about state enterprise deficits prompted efforts for greater commercialism.

2. ‹derogatory› concern with the making of profit at the expense of artistic or other value

• the cut-throat commercialism of the Paris art world.

commercialization /kəməːʃ(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / commercialisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of managing or running something principally for financial gain

• the escalating commercialization of athletics

• rapid commercialization across the art world.

commercialize /kəˈməːʃ(ə)lʌɪz / commercialise

verb — [with obj.]

1. manage or exploit (an organization, activity, etc.) in a way designed to make a profit

• the museum has been commercialized.

commercialized /kəˈməːʃəlʌɪzd/

adjective

designed principally for financial gain; profit-orientated

• Christmas is overly commercialized.

commercially /kəˈməːʃ(ə)li/

adverb

in a way that is concerned with buying, selling, and making a profit

• kiwi fruit is now also grown commercially

• he made historical drama appear commercially viable.

commercial paper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. short-term unsecured promissory notes issued by companies.
[as modifier]

• the commercial paper market.

• the rise in commercial paper outstanding corresponds to the decline in bank lending.

commercial traveller

noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› a travelling sales representative.

commercial vehicle

noun

a vehicle used for carrying goods or fare-paying passengers.

commère /ˈkɒmɛː/

I. noun

(Brit.) a female compère.

– origin early 20th cent.: French, literally ‘godmother’, feminine of compère.

commie /ˈkɒmi / ‹informal, derogatory›

I. noun

a communist.

II. adjective

communist.

– origin 1940s: abbreviation.

commination /ˌkɒmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of threatening divine vengeance.

2. the recital of divine threats against sinners in the Anglican Liturgy for Ash Wednesday.

3. [ count noun] — the church service that includes the commination.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin comminatio(n-), from the verb comminari, from com- (expressing intensive force) + minari ‘threaten’.

comminatory /ˈkɒmɪnəˌt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

‹rare› threatening, punitive, or vengeful.

• both advocated a mild resolution which would head off anything more comminatory from the Soviet Union.

– origin early 16th cent.: from medieval Latin comminatorius, from comminat- ‘threatened’, from the verb comminari (see commination).

commingle /kɒˈmɪŋɡ(ə)l/

I. verb

‹literary› mix; blend
[no obj.]

• the part of the brain where the senses commingle

• [with obj.] his humanitarian stance was commingled with a desire for survival.

– origin early 17th cent.: from com- ‘together’ + mingle.

comminuted /ˈkɒmɪnjuːtɪd/

I. adjective

1. ‹technical› reduced to minute particles or fragments.

• finely comminuted and amorphous materials.

2. ‹technical› [Medicine] (of a fracture) producing multiple bone splinters.

• a grossly comminuted humeral fracture.

• most avian fractures tend to be comminuted.

– origin early 17th cent.: past participle of comminute, from Latin comminut- ‘broken into pieces’, from the verb comminuere, from com- ‘together’ + minuere ‘lessen’.

comminution /ˌkɒmɪˈnjuːʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› the action of reducing a material, especially a mineral ore, to minute particles or fragments.

• new comminution processes.

commis /ˈkɒmi / commis chef

I. noun

a junior chef.

– origin 1930s: from French, ‘deputy, clerk’, past participle of commettre ‘entrust’, from Latin committere (see commit).

commiserate /kəˈmɪzəreɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. express or feel sympathy or pity; sympathize

• she went over to commiserate with Rose on her unfortunate circumstances.

2. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› feel or express pity for (someone)

• she did not exult in her rival's fall, but, on the contrary, commiserated her.

II. derivatives

commiserative /kəˈmɪz(ə)rətɪv /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin commiserat- ‘commiserated’, from the verb commiserari, from com- ‘with’ + miserari ‘to lament’ (from miser ‘wretched’).

commiseration /kəˌmɪzəˈreɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others; compassion

• the other actors offered him clumsy commiseration.

2. ( commiserations) — expressions of sympathy and sorrow for another

• our commiserations to those who didn't win.

commish /kəˈmɪʃ/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› short for commissioner.

commissaire /ˌkɒmɪˈsɛː, French kɔmisɛʀ/

I. noun

1. a senior police officer in France.

2. (in France) an official at a cycle race or other sporting event.

– origin French.

commissar /ˌkɒmɪˈsɑː/

I. noun

1. an official of the Communist Party, especially in the former Soviet Union or present-day China, responsible for political education and organization.

• films that are passed by the political commissar.

2. a head of a government department in the former Soviet Union before 1946.

3. a strict or prescriptive figure of authority

• our academic commissars.

– origin early 20th cent. (Russian Revolution): from Russian komissar, from French commissaire, from medieval Latin commissarius (see commissary).

commissariat /ˌkɒmɪˈsɛːrɪət/

I. noun

1. [chiefly Military] a department for the supply of food and equipment.

2. a government department of the USSR before 1946.

– origin late 16th cent. (as a Scots legal term denoting the jurisdiction of a commissary, often spelled commissariot): from French commissariat, reinforced by medieval Latin commissariatus, both from medieval Latin commissarius ‘person in charge’, from Latin committere ‘entrust’.

commissary /ˈkɒmɪs(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a deputy or delegate.

2. a representative or deputy of a bishop.

3. (N. Amer.) a restaurant or food store in a military base, prison, or other institution.

II. derivatives

commissarial /kɒmɪˈsɛːrɪəl /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin commissarius ‘person in charge’, from Latin commiss- ‘joined, entrusted’, from the verb committere (see commit).

commission /kəˈmɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an instruction, command, or role given to a person or group

• one of his first commissions was to redesign the Great Exhibition building

• [with infinitive] he received a commission to act as an informer.

2. an order for something, especially a work of art, to be produced specially.

• Mozart at last received a commission to write an opera.

3. a work produced in response to a commission.

• in that year Zeuxis painted his most famous commission.

4. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› the authority to perform a task or certain duties

• the divine Commission of Christ.

5. a group of people entrusted by a government or other official body with authority to do something

• a commission was appointed to investigate allegations of police violence.

6. a sum, typically a set percentage of the value involved, paid to an agent in a commercial transaction

• foreign banks may charge a commission

• he sold cosmetics on commission.

7. a warrant conferring the rank of officer in an army, navy, or air force.

• he has resigned his commission.

• she intended to apply for a commission in the army.

8. [ mass noun] — the action of committing a crime or offence.

• the commission of an arrestable offence.

• the errors are of omission rather than commission.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. order or authorize the production of (something)

• the portrait was commissioned by his widow in 1792.

2. [with obj. and infinitive] — order or authorize (a person or organization) to do or produce something

• they commissioned an architect to manage the building project

• he was commissioned to do a series of drawings.

3. bring (something newly produced) into working condition

• we had a few hiccups getting the heating equipment commissioned

• the aircraft carrier was commissioned in 1945.

4. appoint (someone) to the rank of officer in an army, navy, or air force

• he was commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers

• (as adj. commissioned) a commissioned officer.

III. phrases

1. in commission

in use or in service.

• a reduced number of ships were retained in commission.

2. out of commission

a. not in service; not in working order.

• my car is out of commission until a new clutch arrives.

b. (of a person) unable to work or function normally, especially through illness or injury.

• I'm employing her; I have to know how long she's likely to be out of commission.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin commissio(n-), from committere ‘entrust’ (see commit).

commission agent

noun

(Brit.) a person who transacts business on commission, typically on behalf of a principal from another country.

commissionaire /kəˌmɪʃəˈnɛː/

I. noun

(Brit.) a uniformed door attendant at a hotel, theatre, or other building.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin commissarius ‘person in charge’, from Latin committere ‘entrust’ (see commit).

commissioner /kəˈmɪʃ(ə)nə/

I. noun

1. a person appointed to a role on or by a commission.

2. a representative of the supreme authority in an area.

3. the head of the Metropolitan Police in London.

4. (N. Amer.) a person appointed to regulate a particular sport

• a baseball commissioner.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin commissionarius, from Latin commissio (see commission).

commissioner for oaths

noun

(Brit.) a solicitor authorized to administer an oath to a person making an affidavit.

commission of the peace

noun

(Brit.) ‹chiefly historical› the Justices of the Peace in a particular jurisdiction considered collectively.

• all had been admitted to the Glamorgan commission of the peace.

commissure /ˈkɒmɪsjʊə/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] the joint between two bones.

2. [Anatomy] a band of nerve tissue connecting the hemispheres of the brain, the two sides of the spinal cord, etc.

3. [Anatomy] the line where the upper and lower lips or eyelids meet.

II. derivatives

commissural /ˌkɒmɪˈsjʊər(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin commissura ‘junction’, from committere ‘join’ (see commit).

commit /kəˈmɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. perpetrate or carry out (a mistake, crime, or immoral act)

• he committed an uncharacteristic error.

2. pledge or bind (a person or an organization) to a certain course or policy

• they were reluctant to commit themselves to an opinion

• [with obj. and infinitive] the treaty commits each party to defend the other

• [no obj.] try it out before you commit to a purchase.

3. ( be committed to) — be dedicated to (something)

• we are committed to the fundamental principles of democracy.

4. pledge or set aside (resources) for future use

• manufacturers will have to commit substantial funds to developing new engines.

5. ( commit oneself to) — resolve to remain in a long-term emotional relationship with (someone)

• she didn't love him enough to commit herself to him

• [no obj.] once I commit I tend to get scared.

6. ( be committed to) — be in a long-term emotional relationship with (someone).

• she loved a man who was committed to another woman.

7. ( commit something to) — transfer something to (a state or place where it can be kept or preserved)

• he composed a letter but didn't commit it to paper

• she committed each tiny feature to memory.

8. consign (someone) officially to prison, especially on remand

• he was committed to prison for contempt of court.

9. send (a person or case) for trial in a higher court

• the magistrate decided to commit him for trial.

10. send (someone) to be confined in a psychiatric hospital.

• you guys would have had me committed.

11. refer (a parliamentary or legislative bill) to a committee.

II. derivatives

1. committable

adjective

2. committer

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin committere ‘join, entrust’ (in medieval Latin ‘put into custody’), from com- ‘with’ + mittere ‘put or send’.

commitment /kəˈmɪtm(ə)nt/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.

• the company's commitment to quality

• I could not fault my players for commitment.

2. [ count noun] — a pledge or undertaking

• I cannot make such a commitment at the moment.

3. an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action

• with so many business commitments time for recreation was limited.

committal /kəˈmɪt(ə)l/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of sending a person to prison or a psychiatric hospital

• his committal to prison

• [ count noun] the high level of committals

• [as modifier] committal proceedings.

2. the burial of a dead body.

• the funeral service was held on May 12, followed by committal at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

committed /kəˈmɪtɪd/

adjective

1. pledged or bound to a certain course or policy; dedicated

• a committed environmentalist.

2. in or denoting a long-term emotional relationship

• a committed relationship

• Esther has a committed boyfriend.

committee

I. noun

1. /kəˈmɪti/ [treated as sing. or pl.] — a group of people appointed for a specific function by a larger group and typically consisting of members of that group

• the housing committee

• [as modifier] a committee meeting.

2. (in the UK) a committee appointed by Parliament to consider the details of proposed legislation

• there was much scrutiny in committee.

3. ( Committee of the whole House) — (in the UK) the whole House of Commons when sitting as a committee.

4. /ˌkɒmɪˈtiː/ — [Law] a person entrusted with the charge of another person or another person's property.

5. (chiefly US) a person who has been judicially committed to the charge of another because of insanity or mental disability.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the general sense ‘person to whom something has been entrusted’): from commit + -ee.

committeeman /kəˈmɪtimən/

noun

(in the US) a local political party leader.

Committee of Public Safety

a French governing body set up in April 1793, during the Revolution. Under the influence of Robespierre it initiated the Terror but it was dissolved in 1795.

committee stage /kəˈmɪtisteɪdʒ/

noun

(Brit.) the third of five stages of a bill's progress through Parliament when it may be debated and amended.

• he moved two amendments during the Committee stage.

• [ mass noun] a new clause had been added at committee stage.

committeewoman /kəˈmɪtiˌwʊmən/

noun

(in the US) a female local political party leader

• an elected committeewoman in Bucks County.

commix /kɒˈmɪks/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› mix; mingle

• beat them till they be thoroughly commixed.

II. derivatives

commixture /kɒˈmɪkstʃə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (as the past participle commixt): from Latin commixtus, from com- ‘together with’ + mixtus ‘mixed’.

commo

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) ‹informal› communication.
[as modifier]

• the commo men.

Commo /ˈkɒməʊ / ‹Austral./NZ informal, derogatory›

I. noun

a communist

• he's worried that Julia might be a Commo.

II. adjective

communist

• I hung around with many of the best-known comrades, and wrote for the Commo newspaper.

– origin 1940s: abbreviation.

commode /kəˈməʊd/

I. noun

1. a piece of furniture containing a concealed chamber pot.

2. (N. Amer.) a toilet.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹historical› a movable washstand.

4. a chest of drawers or chiffonier of a decorative type popular in the 18th century.

– origin mid 18th cent. (in sense 2): from French, literally ‘convenient, suitable’, from Latin commodus. Sense 1 dates from the early 19th cent.

commodification /kəˌmɒdɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of treating something as a mere commodity

• the commodification of knowledge.

commodify /kəˈmɒdɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. turn into or treat as a mere commodity
(as adj. commodified)

• art has become commodified.

– origin 1980s: from commodity + -fy.

commodious /kəˈməʊdɪəs/

I. adjective

1. ‹formal› roomy and comfortable

• they moved to a more commodious dwelling.

2. ‹archaic› convenient.

II. derivatives

1. commodiously

adverb

2. commodiousness

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘beneficial, useful’): from French commodieux or medieval Latin commodiosus, based on Latin commodus ‘convenient’.

commoditize commoditise

I. verb

another term for commodify.

II. derivatives

commoditization

noun

commodity /kəˈmɒdɪti/

I. noun

1. a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee.

• commodities such as copper and coffee.

• [as modifier] a commodities broker.

• commodity markets.

2. a useful or valuable thing

• water is a precious commodity.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French commodite or Latin commoditas, from commodus (see commodious).

commodore /ˈkɒmədɔː/

I. noun

1. a naval rank above captain and below rear admiral, generally given temporarily to an officer commanding a squadron or division of a fleet.

2. the president of a yacht club.

3. the senior captain of a shipping line.

– origin late 17th cent.: probably from Dutch komandeur, from French commandeur ‘commander’.

common /ˈkɒmən/

I. adjective

1. occurring, found, or done often; prevalent

• salt and pepper are the two most common seasonings

• common misspellings

• it's common for a woman to be depressed after giving birth.

2. (of an animal or plant) found or living in relatively large numbers; not rare.

• you might spot less common birds such as the great spotted woodpecker.

• the swordfish is not common in European waters.

3. denoting the most widespread or typical species of an animal or plant

• the common gull.

4. ordinary; of ordinary qualities; without special rank or position

• the dwellings of common people

• a common soldier.

5. (of a quality) of a sort or level to be generally expected

• common decency.

6. of the most familiar type

• the common or vernacular name.

7. shared by, coming from, or done by two or more people, groups, or things

• the two republics' common border

• problems common to both communities.

8. belonging to or involving the whole of a community or the public at large

• common land.

9. [Mathematics] belonging to two or more quantities.

10. (Brit.) showing a lack of taste and refinement supposedly typical of the lower classes; vulgar

• she's so common.

11. [Grammar] (in Latin, Dutch, and certain other languages) of or denoting a gender of nouns that are conventionally regarded as masculine or feminine, contrasting with neuter.

12. (in English) denoting a noun that refers to individuals of either sex (e.g. teacher).

13. [Prosody] (of a syllable) able to be either short or long.

14. [Law] (of a crime) of lesser severity

• common assault.

II. noun

1. a piece of open land for public use.

• we spent the morning tramping over the common looking for flowers.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› common sense.

3. (in the Christian Church) a form of service used for each of a group of occasions.

4. (also right of common) — [English Law] a person's right over another's land, e.g. for pasturage or mineral extraction.

III. phrases

1. common currency

a. a system of money shared by two or more countries.

b. something shared by different groups

• a shared humanity is the common currency.

2. common form

what is usually done; accepted procedure.

• it is nowadays common form to acknowledge Pound's generosity to other writers.

3. the common good

the benefit or interests of all

• it is time our elected officials stood up for the common good.

4. common ground /ˌkɒmən ˈɡraʊnd /

opinions or interests shared by each of two or more parties

• artists from different cultural backgrounds found common ground.

5. common knowledge

something known by most people.

• it's common knowledge that no one has yet found a cure for cancer.

6. common or garden

(Brit.) ‹informal› of the usual or ordinary type

• a common or garden family saloon car.

7. common property

a. a thing or things held jointly.

• the atmosphere is the common property of every nation on earth.

b. something known by most people.

• the general theory of climate change has now become common property.

8. common thread

a theme or characteristic found in various stories or situations

• a common thread through most of the stories is the support from the family.

9. the common touch

the ability to get on with or appeal to ordinary people.

• he was an intimate of Lord Beaverbrook yet kept the common touch.

10. have something in common

have a specified amount or degree of shared interests or characteristics

• they had one thing in common, an obsession with rock and roll.

11. in common

a. in joint use or possession; shared

• a sect that had wives in common.

b. [Law] held or owned by two or more people each having undivided possession but with distinct, separately transferable interests.

12. in common with

in the same way as

• in common with other officers I had to undertake guard duties.

13. out of the common

(Brit.) rarely occurring; unusual.

• it is odd, yes, but not so out of the common.

IV. derivatives

commonness /ˈkɒmənnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French comun (adjective), from Latin communis.

commonable /ˈkɒmənəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) ‹chiefly historical› (of land) allowed to be jointly used or owned.

• the idea of having rights on the commonable land.

2. (Brit.) ‹chiefly historical› (of an animal) allowed to be pastured on public land.

• these Acts exclude the deer and commonable cattle.

– origin early 17th cent.: from obsolete common ‘to exercise right of common’ + -able.

commonage /ˈkɒmənɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Brit.) the right of pasturing animals on common land.

2. (chiefly Brit.) land held in common.

3. (chiefly Brit.) the common people; the commonalty.

Common Agricultural Policy

the system in the EU for establishing common prices for most agricultural products within the European Union, a single fund for price supports, and levies on imports.

commonality /kɒməˈnalɪti/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the state of sharing features or attributes

• the explanations show a high degree of commonality in their reasoning

• [in sing.] a commonality of interest ensures cooperation.

2. [ count noun] — a shared feature or attribute

• we discern the commonalities between these writers.

3. ( the commonality) — another term for commonalty.

• noble intent lifts you as hero above the commonality.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): variant of commonalty. Sense 1 dates from the mid 16th cent., but was rarely used before the 1950s.

commonalty /ˈkɒmən(ə)lti/

I. noun — [treated as pl.] ( the commonalty)

1. ‹chiefly historical› people without special rank or position, usually viewed as an estate of the realm

• a petition by the earls, barons, and commonalty of the realm.

2. ‹chiefly historical› the general body of a group

• the expression seems to be spreading from teenagers to the broad commonalty.

– origin Middle English: from Old French comunalte, from medieval Latin communalitas, from Latin communis ‘common, general’ (see common).

common carrier

noun

1. a person or company undertaking to transport any goods or passengers on regular routes at agreed rates.

2. (N. Amer.) a company providing public telecommunications facilities.

common chord

noun

[Music] a triad containing a root, a major or minor third, and a perfect fifth.

common cold

noun — ( the common cold)

1. another term for cold (sense 2 of the noun).

common council

noun

a town or city council, now only in London and some parts of Canada and the US.

common denominator

noun

1. [Mathematics] a common multiple of the denominators of several fractions.
See also lowest common denominator, least common denominator.

2. [Mathematics] a feature shared by all members of a group

• the common denominator in these companies is the awareness of the importance of quality.

Common Entrance

noun

(Brit.) an examination taken, usually at the age of 13, by pupils wishing to enter public schools.

commoner /ˈkɒmənə/

I. noun

1. one of the ordinary or common people, as opposed to the aristocracy or to royalty.

• this is the story of the commoner who married a king.

2. a person who has a right over another's land, e.g. for pasturage or mineral extraction.

• commoners' centuries-old grazing rights.

• cattle and ponies owned by the commoners.

3. (at some British universities) an undergraduate who does not have a scholarship.

• a commoner's gown.

– origin Middle English (denoting a citizen or burgess): from medieval Latin communarius, from communa, communia ‘community’, based on Latin communis (see common).

Common Era

noun — ( the Common Era)

1. another term for Christian era.

common gull

noun

a migratory gull with greenish-grey legs, found locally in northern and eastern Eurasia and NW North America.
● Larus canus, family Laridae.

commonhold

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a system of freehold tenure of a unit within a multi-occupancy building, but with shared responsibility for common services.
[as modifier]

• a commonhold association.

common jury

noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› a jury for which no qualification of property or social standing was required.
Compare with special jury.

common law

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the part of English law that is derived from custom and judicial precedent rather than statutes.
Compare with case law, statute law.

2. the body of English law as adopted and adapted by the different States of the US.
Compare with civil law.

3. [as modifier] — denoting a partner in a marriage recognized in some jurisdictions (excluding the UK) as valid by common law, though not brought about by a civil or ecclesiastical ceremony

• a common-law husband.

4. denoting a partner in a relationship in which a man and woman cohabit for a period long enough to suggest stability.

common logarithm

noun

a logarithm to the base 10.

commonly /ˈkɒmənli/

adverb

very often; frequently

• a commonly used industrial chemical

• shift workers commonly complain of not getting enough sleep.

common market

noun

1. a group of countries imposing few or no duties on trade with one another and a common tariff on trade with other countries.

2. ( the Common Market) — a name for the European Economic Community or European Union, used especially in the 1960s and 1970s.

common metre

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a metrical pattern for hymns in which the stanzas have four lines containing eight and six syllables alternately.

common noun

noun

[Grammar] a noun denoting a class of objects or a concept as opposed to a particular individual.
Often contrasted with proper noun.

commonplace /ˈkɒmənpleɪs/

I. adjective

1. not unusual; ordinary

• unemployment was commonplace in his trade.

2. not interesting or original; trite

• the usual commonplace remarks.

II. noun

1. a usual or ordinary thing

• bombing has become almost a commonplace of public life there.

2. a trite saying or topic; a platitude

• it is a commonplace to talk of the young being alienated.

3. a notable passage in a work copied into a commonplace book.

III. derivatives

commonplaceness /ˈkɒmənpleɪsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally common place): translation of Latin locus communis, rendering Greek koinos topos ‘general theme’.

commonplace book

noun

a book into which notable extracts from other works are copied for personal use.

Common Pleas ‹Law historical› Court of Common Pleas

a court for hearing civil cases between subjects or citizens not involving Crown or state.

Common Prayer

the Church of England liturgy, originally set forth in the Book of Common Prayer of Edward VI (1549) and revised in 1662.

common rat

noun

another term for brown rat.

common room

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a room in a school or college for use of students or staff outside teaching hours.

commons /ˈkɒmənz/

I. plural noun

1. ( the Commons) — short for House of Commons.

2. ‹historical› the common people regarded as a part of a political system, especially in Britain.

• the state was divided into clergy, nobility, and commons.

• both lords and commons won some important concessions.

3. [treated as sing.] — land or resources belonging to or affecting the whole of a community.

• the mismanagement of a commons.

• the global commons of Antarctica.

4. (US) a dining hall in a school or college.

5. ‹archaic› provisions shared in common; rations.

II. phrases

short commons

‹archaic› insufficient allocation of food

• a life of short commons.

– origin Middle English: plural of common.

common seal^1

noun

a seal with a mottled grey-brown coat and a concave profile, found along North Atlantic and North Pacific coasts.
● Phoca vitulina, family Phocidae.

common seal^2

noun

an official seal of a corporate body.

common sense

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. good sense and sound judgement in practical matters

• it is all a matter of common sense

• [as modifier] a common-sense approach.

II. derivatives

commonsensical /ˌkɒmənˈsɛnsɪk(ə)l /

adjective

Common Serjeant

noun

(in the UK) a circuit judge of the Central Criminal Court with duties in the City of London.

common stock

plural noun

(also common stocks) [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) ordinary shares.

• the equity fund invests in common stocks.

• [ mass noun] the company announced a public offering of 3.5 million shares of common stock.

common time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Music] a rhythmic pattern in which there are two or four beats, especially four crotchets, in a bar.

commonweal /ˈkɒmənwiːl/

noun — ( the commonweal)

1. ‹archaic› the welfare of the public.

• the Church's importance to the country's commonweal.

commonwealth /ˈkɒmənwɛlθ/

I. noun

1. an independent state or community, especially a democratic republic.

2. an aggregate or grouping of states or other bodies.

• a union or commonwealth of democratic, self-governing countries.

3. a community of shared interests in a non-political field

• the Christian commonwealth

• the commonwealth of letters.

4. a self-governing unit voluntarily grouped with the US, such as Puerto Rico.

• the island became a commonwealth of the United States in 1986.

5. a formal title of some of the states of the US, especially Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

6. the title of the federated Australian states.

7. ( the Commonwealth) — the republican period of government in Britain between the execution of Charles I in 1649 and the Restoration of Charles II in 1660.

8. ( the Commonwealth) (in full the Commonwealth of Nations) — an international association consisting of the UK together with states that were previously part of the British Empire, and dependencies.

9. ( the commonwealth) — ‹archaic› the general good.

– origin late Middle English (originally as two words, denoting public welfare; compare with commonweal): from common + wealth.

Commonwealth Day /ˈkɒmənwɛlθdeɪ/

noun

the second Monday in March, on which the British Commonwealth is celebrated. It was instituted to commemorate assistance given to Britain by the colonies during the Boer War (1899–1902).
Formerly called Empire Day.

Commonwealth Games ‹trademark›

an amateur sports competition held every four years between member countries of the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth of Independent States CIS

a confederation of independent states, formerly constituent republics of the Soviet Union, established in 1991. The member states are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan and Ukraine are associate members.

Common Worship

noun

a book containing the public liturgy of the Church of England, published in 2000 to replace the Alternative Service Book.

commotion /kəˈməʊʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a state of confused and noisy disturbance

• she was distracted by a commotion across the street

• [ mass noun] they set off firecrackers to make a lot of commotion.

2. [ mass noun] — civil insurrection

• damage caused by civil commotion.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin commotio(n-), from com- ‘altogether’ + motio (see motion).

comms /kɒmz/

plural noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. communications

• comms software.

communal /ˈkɒmjʊn(ə)l, kəˈmjuːn(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. shared by all members of a community; for common use

• a communal bathroom and kitchen.

2. involving the sharing of work and property

• communal living.

3. relating to or done by a community

• communal pride in impressive local buildings.

4. (of conflict) between different communities, especially those having different religions or ethnic origins

• violent communal riots.

II. derivatives

1. communality

noun

2. communally /ˈkɒmjənəli, kəˈmjuːnəli /

adverb

– origin early 19th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to a commune, especially the Paris Commune’): from French, from late Latin communalis, from communis (see common).

communalism /ˈkɒmjʊn(ə)lɪz(ə)m, kəˈmjuːn(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a principle of political organization based on federated communes.

2. the principle or practice of living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities.

• suburban individualism and inner-city communalism.

3. allegiance to one's own ethnic group rather than to the wider society.

• issues such as Punjab violence and communalism.

II. derivatives

1. communalist /ˈkɒmjʊnəlɪst, kəˈmjuːn(ə)lɪst /

adjective, noun

2. communalistic

adjective

communalize communalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› organize (something) on the basis of shared ownership

• attempts to communalize farming.

II. derivatives

communalization

noun

communard /ˈkɒmjʊnɑːd/

I. noun

1. a member of a commune.

2. ( Communard) — ‹historical› a supporter of the Paris Commune.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from commune^1.

commune^1 /ˈkɒmjuːn/

I. noun

1. a group of people living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities.

• she went to California and joined a commune.

2. a communal settlement in a communist country.

• we all went out of Beijing by bus to spend a morning at a commune.

3. the smallest French territorial division for administrative purposes.

• very few of the abbey's vineyards were actually located within the commune of Hautvillers.

4. a territorial division similar to a French commune in other countries.

5. ( the Commune) — the group which seized the municipal government of Paris in the French Revolution and played a leading part in the Reign of Terror until suppressed in 1794.

6. (also the Paris Commune) — the municipal government organized on communalistic principles that was elected in Paris in 1871. It was soon brutally suppressed by government troops.

– origin late 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French, from medieval Latin communia, neuter plural of Latin communis (see common).

commune^2 /kəˈmjuːn/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( commune with)

1. share one's intimate thoughts or feelings with (someone), especially on a spiritual level

• the purpose of praying is to commune with God.

2. feel in close spiritual contact with

• he spent an hour communing with nature on the bank of a stream.

– origin Middle English: from Old French comuner ‘to share’, from comun (see common).

communicable /kəˈmjuːnɪkəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able to be communicated to others

• the value of the product must be communicable to the potential consumers.

2. (of a disease) able to be transmitted from one sufferer to another; contagious or infectious.

• the fight against communicable disease.

• a highly communicable form of conjunctivitis.

II. derivatives

1. communicability /kəmjuːnɪkəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. communicably

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘communicating, having communication’): from Old French, from late Latin communicabilis, from the verb communicare ‘to share’ (see communicate).

communicant /kəˈmjuːnɪk(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a person who receives Holy Communion.

2. ‹archaic› a person who imparts information.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin communicant- ‘sharing’, from the verb communicare (see communicate).

communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. share or exchange information, news, or ideas

• the prisoner was forbidden to communicate with his family.

2. [with obj.] — impart or pass on (information, news, or ideas)

• he communicated his findings to the inspector.

3. [with obj.] — convey or transmit (an emotion or feeling) in a non-verbal way

• the ability of good teachers to communicate their own enthusiasm

• his sudden fear communicated itself.

4. succeed in conveying one's ideas or in evoking understanding in others

• a politician must have the ability to communicate.

5. (of two people) be able to share and understand each other's thoughts and feelings

• we don't seem to be communicating—we need a break from each other.

6. [with obj.] — pass on (an infectious disease) to another person or animal.

• the disease is communicated from one person to another.

7. transmit (heat or motion)

• the heat is communicated through a small brass grating.

8. (often as adj. communicating) — (of two rooms) have a common connecting door

• he went into the communicating room to pick up the phone.

9. receive Holy Communion.

• orthodox policy is to communicate in both kinds (i.e. both bread and wine).

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin communicat- ‘shared’, from the verb communicare, from communis (see common).

communication /kəmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium

• television is an effective means of communication

• at the moment I am in communication with London.

2. [ count noun] — a letter or message containing information or news.

• a telephone communication.

3. the successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings

• there was a lack of communication between Pamela and her parents.

4. social contact

• she gave him some hope of her return, or at least of their future communication.

5. ( communications) — means of sending or receiving information, such as telephone lines or computers

• satellite communications

• [as modifier] a communications network.

6. [treated as sing.] — the field of study concerned with the transmission of information.

7. ( communications) — means of travelling or of transporting goods, such as roads or railways

• a city providing excellent road and rail communications.

II. derivatives

communicational

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French comunicacion, from Latin communicatio(n-), from the verb communicare ‘to share’ (see communicate).

communication cord

noun

(Brit.) another term for emergency cord.

communication skills

plural noun

the ability to convey or share ideas and feelings effectively

• you'll need good communication skills and must be able to work well with others.

communications satellite communication satellite

noun

a satellite placed in orbit round the earth in order to relay television, radio, and telephone signals.

communication theory communications theory

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of knowledge dealing with the principles and methods by which information is conveyed.

• the study of communication theory in journalism institutions.

communicative /kəˈmjuːnɪkətɪv/

I. adjective

1. willing, eager, or able to talk or impart information

• Lew was a very communicative chap.

2. relating to the conveyance or exchange of information

• the communicative process in literary texts.

II. derivatives

communicatively

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin communicativus, from communicat- ‘shared’, from the verb communicare (see communicate).

communicativeness /kəˈmjuːnɪkətɪvnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being willing, eager, or able to talk or impart information

• his questions encouraged her communicativeness.

communicator /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtə/

I. noun

1. [usu. with adj.] — a person who is able to convey or exchange information, news, or ideas, especially one who is eloquent or skilled

• a gifted communicator

• his successor was a less effective communicator.

2. an apparatus used to exchange information between individuals, ships, planes, etc.

• it'll send a signal to your hand-held communicator.

II. derivatives

communicatory

adjective

communion /kəˈmjuːnjən/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially on a mental or spiritual level

• in this churchyard communion with the dead was almost palpable

• [in sing.] for a moment there was a blessed communion between them.

2. shared participation in a mental or spiritual experience

• the Coronation marked a high spot of national communion.

3. (often Communion or Holy Communion) — the service of Christian worship at which bread and wine are consecrated and shared.

• Communion was celebrated once a month.

• [as modifier] communion service.

• communion wine.

See Eucharist.

4. the consecrated bread and wine administered and received at Communion

• the priests gave him Holy Communion.

5. a relationship of recognition and acceptance between Christian Churches or denominations, or between individual Christians or Christian communities and a Church

• the Eastern Churches are not in communion with Rome.

6. [ count noun] — a group of Christian communities or Churches which recognize one another's ministries or that of a central authority.

• the theology which had prevailed in the Roman communion.

See also Anglican Communion.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin communio(n-), from communis (see common).

communion of saints

noun

a fellowship between Christians living and dead.

• his concept of a minority culture was modelled on a communion of saints.

communiqué /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪ / communique

I. noun

an official announcement or statement, especially one made to the media.

• the country's foreign ministry issued a communique.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, past participle of communiquer ‘communicate’.

communism /ˈkɒmjʊnɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a theory or system of social organization in which all property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs.
See also Marxism.

The most familiar form of communism is that established by the Bolsheviks after the Russian Revolution of 1917, and it has generally been understood in terms of the system practised by the former Soviet Union and its allies in eastern Europe, in China since 1949, and in some developing countries such as Cuba, Vietnam, and North Korea. In this form of communism it was held that the state would wither away after the overthrow of the capitalist system. In practice, however, the state grew to control all aspects of communist society. Communism in eastern Europe collapsed in the late 1980s and early 1990s against a background of failure to meet people's economic expectations, a shift to more democracy in political life, and increasing nationalism such as that which led to the break-up of the Soviet Union.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French communisme, from commun (see common).

Communism Peak

former name (1962–98) for Ismail Samani Peak.

communist /ˈkɒmjʊnɪst/

I. noun

a person who supports or believes in the principles of communism

• I was very left-wing but I was never a communist.

II. adjective

adhering to or based on the principles of communism

• a French communist writer.

III. derivatives

communistic /kɒmjʊˈnɪstɪk /

adjective

communitarianism /kɛˌmjuːnɪˈtɛːrɪənɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a theory or system of social organization based on small self-governing communities.

2. an ideology which emphasizes the responsibility of the individual to the community and the social importance of the family unit.

II. derivatives

communitarian

adjective, noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from community + -arian, on the pattern of words such as unitarian.

community /kəˈmjuːnɪti/

I. noun

1. a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common

• Montreal's Italian community

• the gay community in London

• the scientific community.

2. a group of people living together and practising common ownership

• a community of nuns.

3. a particular area or place considered together with its inhabitants

• a rural community

• local communities.

4. a body of nations or states unified by common interests
[in names]

• the European Community.

5. ( the community) — the people of a district or country considered collectively, especially in the context of social values and responsibilities; society

• preparing prisoners for life back in the community.

6. [as modifier] — denoting a worker or resource designed to serve the people of a particular area

• community health services.

7. [ mass noun] — the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common

• the sense of community that organized religion can provide.

8. [in sing.] — a similarity or identity

• the law presupposes a community of interest between an employer and employees.

9. joint ownership or liability

• the community of goods.

10. [Ecology] a group of interdependent plants or animals growing or living together in natural conditions or occupying a specified habitat

• communities of insectivorous birds.

II. phrases

the international community

the countries of the world considered collectively.

• the policy led to widespread condemnation from the international community.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French comunete, reinforced by its source, Latin communitas, from communis (see common).

community architect

I. noun

an architect working in consultation with local inhabitants in designing housing and other amenities.

II. derivatives

community architecture

noun

community-based

adjective

focused on or relating to a community

• community-based projects.

community card

noun

(in some forms of poker) each of a number of cards dealt or turned face up for all active players to use.

community care care in the community

noun — [ mass noun]

1. long-term care for people who are mentally ill, elderly, or disabled which is provided within the community rather than in hospitals or institutions, especially as implemented in the UK under the National Health Service and Community Care Act of 1990.

community centre

noun

a place where people from a particular neighbourhood can meet for social events, education classes, or recreational activities.

community charge

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the UK) a tax, introduced by the Conservative government in 1990 (1989 in Scotland), levied locally on every adult in a community. It was replaced in 1993 by the council tax.
Informally called poll tax.

community chest

noun

a fund for charitable activities among the people in a particular area.

community college

noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a college providing further and higher education for people living in a particular area.

2. (Brit.) a secondary school whose educational and recreational facilities are available to adults in the local community.

community home

noun

(Brit.) a centre for housing young offenders and other young people in need of custodial care.

community hospital

noun

a non-specialized hospital serving a local area.

community medicine

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a branch of medicine dealing with health care issues affecting communities as a whole.

community-minded

adjective

interested in helping the wider community; socially concerned

• community-minded businesses

• residents need to be community-minded and look out for each other.

community of property

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in South Africa) a marriage contract in which the possessions of the partners are merged in a joint estate and disposed of by means of a joint will.

• we were married in community of property.

community order

noun

[English Law] a non-custodial sentence which requires an offender to perform community service, observe a curfew, undergo treatment for drug or alcohol addiction, etc., instead of going to prison.

community organizer

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a person whose job is to coordinate cooperative work and campaigning carried out by local residents to promote the interests of their community

• he was the chief community organizer mobilizing residents against the destruction of the Oak Ridges Moraine.

community organizing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) the coordination of cooperative efforts and campaigning carried out by local residents to promote the interests of their community

• parents are now empowered to transform their child's failing school through community organizing.

community police officer

noun

(Brit.) a police officer allocated to work within a particular local area.

community policing /kəmjuːnətipəˈliːsɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the system of allocating police officers to particular areas so that they become familiar with the local inhabitants.

• the reintroduction of community policing.

community sentence

noun

[English Law] a sentence whereby an offender is required to perform community service.

community service

noun — [ mass noun]

1. voluntary work intended to help people in a particular area.

• opportunities to engage in community service.

• [as modifier] she received a community service award.

2. [English Law] unpaid work, intended to be of social use, that an offender is required to do instead of going to prison
[as modifier]

• a community-service order.

community singing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. singing by a large crowd or group, especially of old popular songs or hymns.

• it sounded like community singing in a bomb shelter.

community spirit

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of involvement in and concern for one's local community

• there has been a loss of community spirit.

community worker

noun

a person who works among the people of a particular area to promote their welfare.

communize /ˈkɒmjʊnʌɪz / communise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› cause (a country or economic activity) to be organized on the principles of communism.

• the region was communized after World War II.

II. derivatives

communization

noun

commutable /kəˈmjuːtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of a place or journey) allowing regular commuting to and from work

• commutable country homes.

2. ‹rare› capable of being exchanged or converted.

• A has the same eigenvectors with a commutable matrix A.

II. derivatives

commutability /kəmjuːtəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

commutate /ˈkɒmjʊteɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. regulate or reverse the direction of (an alternating electric current), especially to make it a direct current.
(as adj. commutating)

• commutating coils.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin commutat- ‘changed altogether, exchanged, interchanged’, from the verb commutare (see commute).

commutation /kɒmjʊˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of commuting a judicial sentence.

• a commutation of her sentence.

2. the conversion of a legal obligation or entitlement into another form, e.g. the replacement of an annuity or series of payments by a single payment.

• the commutation of dues into money rents.

• making a one-off lump sum in commutation of your pension rights.

3. the process of commutating an electric current.

4. [Mathematics] the property of having a commutative relation.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘exchange, barter’, later ‘alteration’): from Latin commutatio(n-), from commutare ‘exchange, interchange’ (see commute). Sense 1 dates from the late 16th cent.

commutative /kəˈmjuːtətɪv, ˈkɒmjʊˌtətɪv/

I. adjective

1. [Mathematics] involving the condition that a group of quantities connected by operators gives the same result whatever the order of the quantities involved, e.g. a × b = b × a.

2. ‹rare› relating to or involving substitution or exchange.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to transactions between people’): from French commutatif, -ive or medieval Latin commutativus, from commutat- ‘exchanged’, from the verb commutare (see commute).

commutator /ˈkɒmjʊˌteɪtə/

noun

1. an attachment, connected with the armature of a motor or dynamo, through which electrical connection is made and which ensures the current flows as direct current.

2. a device for reversing the direction of flow of electric current.

commute /kəˈmjuːt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — travel some distance between one's home and place of work on a regular basis

• he commuted from Corby to Kentish Town.

2. [with obj.] — reduce (a judicial sentence, especially a sentence of death) to another less severe one

• the governor commuted the sentence to fifteen years' imprisonment.

3. ( commute something for/into) — change one kind of payment or obligation for (another)

• tithes were commuted into an annual sum varying with the price of corn.

4. replace (an annuity or other series of payments) with a single payment.

• if he had commuted some of his pension he would have received £330,000.

5. [no obj.] — [Mathematics] (of two operations or quantities) have a commutative relation

• operators which do not commute with each other.

II. noun

a regular journey of some distance to and from one's place of work.

• the daily commute.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘interchange (two things’)): from Latin commutare, from com- ‘altogether’ + mutare ‘to change’. Sense 1 of the verb originally meant to buy and use a commutation ticket, the US term for a season ticket (because the daily fare is commuted to a single payment).

commuter /kəˈmjuːtə/

noun

a person who travels some distance to work on a regular basis

• a fault on the line caused widespread delays for commuters.

commuter belt

noun

(Brit.) the area surrounding a city from which a large number of people travel to work each day.

• the London commuter belt.

Como, Lake /ˈkəʊməʊ/

a lake in the foothills of the Alps in northern Italy.

Comodoro Rivadavia /ˌkɒməˌdɔːrəʊ ˌriːvəˈdɑːvɪə, Spanish komoˌðoro riβaˈdaβja/

a port in Argentina situated on the Atlantic coast of Patagonia; pop. 142,800 (est. 2005).

co-morbid

I. adjective

[Medicine] relating to or denoting a medical condition that co-occurs with another.

II. derivatives

co-morbidity

noun

Comorin, Cape /ˈkɒmərɪn/

a cape at the southern tip of India, in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Comoros /ˈkɒmərəʊz/

I. a country consisting of a group of islands in the Indian Ocean north of Madagascar; pop. 752,400 (est. 2009); languages, French (official), Arabic (official), Comoran Swahili; capital, Moroni. The islands were first visited by the English at the end of the 16th century. At that time and for long afterwards Arab influence was dominant. In the mid 19th century they came under French protection, until in 1974 all but one of the four major islands voted for independence.

II. derivatives

Comoran

adjective, noun

comp /kɒmp / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. short for:

2. (Brit.) a competition.

3. (Brit.) a comprehensive school.

4. a computer

• I have Windows XP installed on my comp.

5. (N. Amer.) a complimentary ticket or voucher.

6. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) compensation.

7. (Brit.) a compositor.

8. a composition.

9. a compilation.

10. a musical accompaniment.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — play music as an accompaniment, especially in jazz or blues.

• he comps with an open, jangly sound.

• [with obj.] if someone is comping chord changes, there are more textured harmonies.

2. [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) give (something) away free, especially as part of a promotion

• the management did graciously comp our wine selection.

3. [with obj.] — short for composite.

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (N. Amer.) complimentary; free

• the average fan was unable to get comp press tickets.

compact^1

I. adjective — compact /kəmˈpakt /

1. closely and neatly packed together; dense

• a compact cluster of houses.

2. having all the necessary components or features neatly fitted into a small space

• this compact car has plenty of boot space.

3. (of a person or animal) small, strong, and well proportioned.

4. (of speech or writing) concise in expression

• a compact summary of the play.

5. ( compact of) — ‹archaic› composed or made up of

• towns compact of wooden houses.

II. verb — [with obj.] compact /kəmˈpakt /

1. exert force on (something) so that it becomes more dense; compress

• the rubbish was taken to the depot to be compacted

• (as adj. compacted) compacted earth.

2. [no obj.] — become compressed by the exertion of force

• the snow hardened and compacted.

3. ‹archaic› form (something) by pressing its component parts firmly together

• the foundation of the walls, compacted of Granite and Lime.

4. express in fewer words; condense

• the ideas are compacted into two sentences.

III. noun — compact /ˈkɒmpakt /

1. a small flat case containing face powder, a mirror, and a powder puff.

2. something that is a small and conveniently shaped example of its kind, in particular a compact camera.

• a wide selection of films is available for your 35 mm compact.

3. [Metallurgy] a mass of powdered metal compacted together in preparation for sintering.

• strength is then introduced by infiltrating glass into the compact.

IV. derivatives

1. compaction /kəmˈpakʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. compactly /kəmˈpaktli /

adverb

3. compactness /kəmˈpaktnəs /

noun

4. compactor /kəmˈpaktə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin compact- ‘closely put together, joined’, from the verb compingere, from com- ‘together’ + pangere ‘fasten’.

compact^2 /ˈkɒmpakt/

I. noun

a formal agreement or contract between two or more parties.

• they signed a compact with the United States.

• a peace compact.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make or enter into (a formal agreement) with another party or parties

• the Democratic Party compacted an alliance with dissident groups.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin compactum, past participle of compacisci, from com- ‘with’ + pacisci ‘make a covenant’. Compare with pact.

compact camera

noun

a small, simple 35 mm camera with automatic focusing and exposure.

compact car

noun

(N. Amer.) a medium-sized car.

compact disc CD

noun

a small plastic disc on which music or other digital information is stored in the form of a pattern of metal-coated pits from which it can be read using laser light reflected off the disc.
[ mass noun]

• all the recordings have been reissued on compact disc.

compadre /kɒmˈpɑːdreɪ/

I. noun

‹informal› (chiefly US) a way of addressing or referring to a friend or companion.

• if you lose this, I'll have you dangling from the tallest tree, compadre.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘godfather’, hence ‘benefactor, friend’. Compare with compère and gossip.

compand /kəmˈpand/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce the signal-to-noise ratio of (a signal) using a compander.

• the largest sample in the block then determines the amount by which the block will be companded.

– origin 1950s: back-formation from compander.

compander compandor

I. noun

a device that improves the signal-to-noise ratio of an electrical signal by compressing the range of amplitudes of the signal before transmission, and then expanding it on reproduction or reception.

– origin 1930s: blend of compressor and expander (see expand).

companion^1 /kəmˈpanjən/

I. noun

1. a person or animal with whom one spends a lot of time or with whom one travels

• his travelling companion

• ‹figurative› fear became my constant companion.

2. a person who shares the experiences of another, especially when these are unpleasant or unwelcome

• my companions in misfortune.

3. a person's long-term sexual partner outside marriage.

• Steve and his live-in companion.

4. a person, usually a woman, employed to live with and assist another.

• she brought along her companion, whose drab attire set off her employer's brilliance.

5. [Astronomy] a star, galaxy, or other celestial object that is close to or associated with another.

• the small, hot, and compact companion of Sirius was discovered in 1915.

• [as modifier] a small companion galaxy.

6. each of a pair of things intended to complement or match each other
[as modifier]

• a companion volume.

7. [usu. in names] — a book that provides information about a particular subject

• the Oxford Companion to English Literature.

8. (Brit.) ‹dated› a piece of equipment containing several objects used in a particular activity

• a traveller's companion.

9. ( Companion) — a member of the lowest grade of certain orders of knighthood

• a Companion of the Order of Canada.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› accompany

• he is companioned by a pageboy.

– origin Middle English: from Old French compaignon, literally ‘one who breaks bread with another’, based on Latin com- ‘together with’ + panis ‘bread’.

companion^2 /kəmˈpanjən/

I. noun

1. a covering over the hatchway leading to a ship's companionway.

2. ‹archaic› a raised frame with windows on the quarterdeck of a ship to allow light into the decks below.

3. short for companionway.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from obsolete Dutch kompanje (earlier form of kampanje) ‘quarterdeck’, from Old French compagne, from Italian (camera della) compagna ‘(storeroom for) provisions’.

companionable /kəmˈpanjənəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. friendly and sociable

• a companionable young man.

2. (of a situation) relaxed and pleasant because shared with friends or friendly people

• they walked in companionable silence.

II. derivatives

1. companionability

noun

2. companionableness

noun

3. companionably /kəmˈpaniənəbli /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: alteration of obsolete companiable, influenced by companion^1.

companion animal

noun

a pet or other domestic animal.

companionate /kəmˈpanjənət/

adjective

‹formal› (of a marriage or relationship) between partners or spouses as equal companions.

• the ideal of the companionate marriage.

companion-in-arms

noun

a fellow soldier.

companion ladder

noun

another term for companionway.

Companion of Honour CH

noun

(in the UK) a member of an order founded in 1917, for distinguished achievement, with membership limited to sixty-five people.

Companion of Literature

noun

(in the UK) a holder of an honour awarded by the Royal Society of Literature and founded in 1961.

companion planting

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the close planting of different plants that enhance each other's growth or protect each other from pests.

II. derivatives

companion plant

noun

companion set

noun

(Brit.) a collection of fireside implements on a stand.

companionship /kəmˈpanjənʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of fellowship or friendship

• the love and companionship of a husband.

companionway /kəmˈpanjənweɪ/

noun

a set of steps leading from a ship's deck down to a cabin or lower deck.

company /ˈkʌmp(ə)ni/

I. noun

1. a commercial business

• a shipping company

• [in names] the Ford Motor Company

• [as modifier] a company director.

2. [ mass noun] — the fact or condition of being with another or others, especially in a way that provides friendship and enjoyment

• I really enjoy his company.

3. [with adj. or modifier] — a person or people regarded as pleasant (or unpleasant) to be with

• she is excellent company

• you're not much company—I might as well go home.

4. the person or group of people whose society one is currently sharing

• he was silent among such distinguished company.

5. a visiting person or group of people

• I'm expecting company.

6. a number of individuals gathered together

• the Mayor addressed the assembled company.

7. a body of soldiers, especially the smallest subdivision of an infantry battalion, typically commanded by a major or captain

• B Company of the Cheshire Regiment.

8. a group of actors, singers, or dancers who perform together

• a national opera company.

9. (Brit.) a group of Guides.

10. ‹rare› a flock of wigeon (ducks)

• a company of wigeons occasionally numbers several thousand birds.

II. verb — [no obj.] ( company with)

1. ‹literary› associate with; keep company with

• these men which have companied with us all this time.

2. [with obj.] — ‹literary› ‹archaic› accompany (someone)

• the fair dame, companied by Statius and myself.

III. phrases

1. and company

used after a person's name to denote those people usually associated with them.

• the psycholinguistics of Jacques Lacan and company.

2. be in good company

be in the same situation as someone important or respected.

• if you spot the ghost, you are in good company: King George V saw it too.

3. in company

with another person or a group of people

• he feels at ease in company.

4. in company with

together with

• the US dollar went through a bad patch in 1986, in company with the oil market.

5. keep ( ‹or archaic› bear) someone company

a. accompany or spend time with someone in order to prevent them feeling lonely or bored.

• at weekends I kept my father company.

b. engage in the same activity as someone else in order to be sociable

• I'll have a drink myself, just to keep you company.

6. keep company with

associate with habitually

• she began keeping company with a real-estate developer.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2 of the noun, sense 3 of the noun): from Old French compainie; related to compaignon (see companion^1).

company car

noun

a car provided by a firm for the business and private use of an employee.

company officer

noun

an army officer serving within an infantry company.

company secretary

noun

(Brit.) an official on the board of a company who deals with financial and legal issues.

company sergeant major

noun

the highest-ranking non-commissioned officer of an infantry company.

company-wide

adjective, adverb

extending throughout a company
[as adj.]

• a company-wide wage freeze

• [as adv.] we recycle the paper we use company-wide.

comparable /ˈkɒmp(ə)rəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able to be likened to another; similar

• the situation in Holland is comparable to that in England.

2. of equivalent quality; worthy of comparison

• nobody is comparable with this athlete.

II. derivatives

comparability /kɒmp(ə)rəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin comparabilis, from the verb comparare (see compare). / usage: Although the correct pronunciation in standard English is with the stress on the first syllable rather than the second ( comparable), an alternative pronunciation with the stress on the second syllable (com parable) is gaining in currency.

comparably /ˈkɒmp(ə)rəbli/

adverb

in a similar way or to a similar degree

• a comparably priced CD player.

comparatist /kəmˈparətɪst/

noun

a person who carries out comparative study, especially of language or literature.

comparative /kəmˈparətɪv/

I. adjective

1. measured or judged by estimating the similarity or dissimilarity between one thing and another; relative

• he returned to the comparative comfort of his own home.

2. involving the systematic observation of the similarities or dissimilarities between two or more branches of science or subjects of study

• comparative religion.

3. [Grammar] (of an adjective or adverb) expressing a higher degree of a quality, but not the highest possible (e.g. braver; more fiercely).
Contrasted with positive, superlative.

4. (of a clause) involving comparison (e.g. he's not as good as he was).

II. noun

1. [Grammar] a comparative adjective or adverb.

2. ( the comparative) — [Grammar] the middle degree of comparison.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 3 of the adjective): from Latin comparativus, from comparare ‘to pair, match’ (see compare).

comparative advantage

noun

[Economics] the ability of an individual or group to carry out a particular economic activity (such as making a specific product) more efficiently than another activity.

comparative linguistics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of similarities and differences between languages, in particular the comparison of related languages with a view to reconstructing forms in their lost parent languages.

comparatively /kəmˈparətɪvli/

adverb — [as submodifier]

1. to a moderate degree as compared to something else; relatively

• inflation was comparatively low.

comparator /kəmˈparətə/

I. noun

1. a device for comparing something measurable with a reference or standard.

2. an electronic circuit for comparing two electrical signals.

3. something used as a standard for comparison

• even taking the most favourable comparator the company is about 20 per cent higher.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin comparat- ‘paired, matched’, from the verb comparare (see compare), + -or^1.

compare /kəmˈpɛː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. estimate, measure, or note the similarity or dissimilarity between

• individual schools compared their facilities with those of others in the area

• the survey compares prices in different countries

• total attendance figures were 28,000, compared to 40,000 at last year's event.

2. ( compare something to) — point out or describe the resemblances with; liken to

• her novel was compared to the work of Daniel Defoe.

3. ( compare something to) — draw an analogy between one thing and (another) for the purposes of explanation or clarification

• he compared the religions to different paths towards the peak of the same mountain.

4. [no obj., with adverbial] — have a specified relationship with another thing or person in terms of nature or quality

• salaries compare favourably with those of other professions.

5. [no obj., usu. with negative] — be of an equal or similar nature or quality

• the dried stuff just can't compare with the taste and aroma of fresh basil.

6. [Grammar] form the comparative and superlative degrees of (an adjective or an adverb)

• words of one syllable are usually compared by ‘-er’ and ‘-est’.

II. noun — (in phrase beyond or without compare)

1. ‹literary› of a quality or nature surpassing all others of the same kind

• a diamond beyond compare.

III. phrases

compare notes

exchange ideas, opinions, or information about a particular subject.

• the women compared notes on how their husbands were doing.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French comparer, from Latin comparare, from compar ‘like, equal’, from com- ‘with’ + par ‘equal’. / usage: Is there any difference between compare with and compare to, and is one more correct than the other? There is a slight difference, in that it is usual to use to rather than with when describing the resemblance, by analogy, of two quite different things, as in critics compared Ellington's music to the music of Beethoven and Brahms. In the sense ‘estimate the similarity or dissimilarity between’, with is often preferred to to, as in schools compared their facilities with those of others in the area. However, in practice the distinction is not clear-cut and both compare with and compare to can be used in either context.

comparison /kəmˈparɪs(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a consideration or estimate of the similarities or dissimilarities between two things or people

• they drew a comparison between Gandhi's teaching and that of other teachers

• [ mass noun] the two books invite comparison with one another.

2. an analogy

• perhaps the best comparison is that of seasickness.

3. [ mass noun] — the quality of being similar or equivalent

• when it comes to achievements this season, there's no comparison between Linfield and Bangor.

4. [ mass noun] — [Grammar] the formation of the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs.

II. phrases

1. bear (or stand) comparison

be of sufficient quality to be likened favourably to someone or something of the same kind.

• our pupils' results will bear comparison with any in Scotland.

2. beyond comparison

surpassing all others of the same kind.

3. in (or by) comparison

when compared

• the Prime Minister's support staff is tiny in comparison with that of a US President.

– origin Middle English: from Old French comparesoun, from Latin comparatio(n-), from comparare ‘to pair, match’ (see compare).

comparison shopping

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of comparing the price of goods or services provided by different shops or companies before making a purchase.

II. derivatives

1. comparison-shop

verb

2. comparison shopper

noun

compartment /kəmˈpɑːtm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a separate section or part of a structure or container

• there's some ice cream in the freezer compartment.

2. a division of a railway carriage marked by partitions

• a first-class compartment.

3. a division of a ship's hull

• the aft cargo compartment.

4. an area in which something can be considered in isolation from other things

• religion and politics should be kept in different compartments.

5. [Heraldry] a grassy mound or other support depicted below a shield.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. divide (something) into separate parts or sections

• the buildings are to be compartmented by fire walls.

III. derivatives

compartmentation

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French compartiment, from Italian compartimento, from compartire, from late Latin compartiri ‘divide’.

compartmental

I. adjective

characterized by division into separate sections

• the compartmental interior of the church.

II. derivatives

compartmentally

adverb

compartmentalize /kɒmpɑːtˈmɛnt(ə)lʌɪz / compartmentalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. divide into discrete sections or categories

• he had the ability to compartmentalize his life.

II. derivatives

1. compartmentalism

noun

2. compartmentalization /kɒmpɑːtmɛnt(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

compartment syndrome

noun

[Medicine] a condition resulting from increased pressure within a confined body space, especially of the leg or forearm.

compass /ˈkʌmpəs/

I. noun

1. an instrument containing a magnetized pointer which shows the direction of magnetic north and bearings from it.

• walkers should be equipped with a map and compass.

• a magnetic compass.

• Crewe was ideally placed on the rail network, with connections running to all points of the compass.

2. (also compasses or a pair of compasses) — an instrument for drawing circles and arcs and measuring distances between points, consisting of two arms linked by a movable joint, one arm ending in a point and the other usually carrying a pencil or pen.

• a regular heptagon cannot be constructed accurately with only ruler and compass.

3. [in sing.] — the range or scope of something

• the event had political repercussions which are beyond the compass of this book

• goods and services which fall within the compass of the free market.

4. the enclosing limits of an area

• this region had within its compass many types of agriculture.

5. the range of notes that can be produced by a voice or a musical instrument

• the cellos were playing in a rather sombre part of their compass.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› go round (something) in a circular course

• the ship wherein Magellan compassed the world.

2. ‹archaic› surround or hem in on all sides

• we were compassed round by a thick fog.

3. ‹archaic› contrive to accomplish (something)

• he compassed his end only by the exercise of violence.

– origin Middle English: from Old French compas (noun), compasser (verb), based on Latin com- ‘together’ + passus ‘a step or pace’. Several senses (‘measure’, ‘artifice’, ‘circumscribed area’, and ‘pair of compasses’) which appeared in Middle English are also found in Old French, but their development and origin are uncertain. The transference of sense to the magnetic compass is held to have occurred in the related Italian word compasso, from the circular shape of the compass box.

compass card

noun

a circular rotating card showing the 32 principal bearings, forming the indicator of a magnetic compass.

compassion /kəmˈpaʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others

• the victims should be treated with compassion.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from ecclesiastical Latin compassio(n-), from compati ‘suffer with’.

compassionate /kəmˈpaʃ(ə)nət/

I. adjective

feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others.

• I allowed him to go home on compassionate grounds.

• she tried to sound compassionate.

II. derivatives

compassionately /kəmˈpaʃ(ə)nətli /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from compassion + -ate^2, influenced by archaic French compassioné ‘feeling pity’.

compassionate leave

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a period of absence from work granted to someone as the result of particular personal circumstances, especially the death of a close relative.

compassion fatigue

noun — [ mass noun]

1. indifference to charitable appeals on behalf of suffering people, experienced as a result of the frequency or number of such appeals.

compassionless /kəmˈpaʃ(ə)nləs/

adjective

feeling or showing no sympathy and concern for others

• his life has been turned upside down by a cold and compassionless government.

compass rose

noun

a graduated circle printed on a map or chart from which bearings can be taken.

compass saw

noun

a handsaw with a narrow blade for cutting curves.

compass window

noun

a bay window with a semicircular curve.

compatibility /kəmˌpatɪˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state in which two things are able to exist or occur together without problems or conflict

• he argues for the compatibility of science and religion.

2. a feeling of sympathy and friendship; like-mindedness

• they felt the bond of true compatibility.

3. [Computing] the ability of one computer, piece of software, etc. to work with another.

• software compatibility is another important factor to consider.

compatible /kəmˈpatɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective — (often compatible with)

1. (of two things) able to exist or occur together without problems or conflict

• the careers structure here is not compatible with having a family.

2. (of two people) able to have a harmonious relationship; well suited

• it's a pity we're not compatible.

3. (of one thing) consistent with another

• the symptoms were compatible with gastritis or a peptic ulcer.

4. [Computing] (of a computer, piece of software, etc.) able to be used with a specified piece of equipment or software without special adaptation or modification

• the printer is fully compatible with all leading software.

II. noun

a computer that can use software designed for another make or type.

• packages available for IBM PCs and compatibles.

III. derivatives

compatibly

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from French, from medieval Latin compatibilis, from compati ‘suffer with’.

compatriot /kəmˈpatrɪət, kəmˈpeɪtrɪət/

I. noun

a fellow citizen or national of a country.

• Stich defeated his compatriot Boris Becker in the quarter-finals.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French compatriote, from late Latin compatriota (translating Greek sumpatriōtēs), from com- ‘together with’ + patriota (see patriot).

compeer /kəmˈpɪə/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› a person of equal rank, status, or ability.

• he was better versed in his profession than his compeers.

2. ‹archaic› a companion or associate.

• he had compeers in Fleet Street.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French comper, from com- ‘with’ + per, from Latin par ‘equal’ (compare with peer^2).

compel /kəmˈpɛl/

I. verb — [with obj. and infinitive]

1. force or oblige (someone) to do something

• a sense of duty compelled Harry to answer her questions.

2. [with obj.] — bring about (something) by the use of force or pressure

• they may compel a witness's attendance at court by issue of a summons

• his striking appearance compelled attention.

3. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — ‹literary› force to come or go in a particular direction

• by heav'n's high will compell'd from shore to shore.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin compellere, from com- ‘together’ + pellere ‘drive’.

compellable /kəmˈpɛləb(ə)l/

adjective

[Law] (of a witness) able to be made to attend court or give evidence.

compelling /kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/

adjective

1. evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way

• his eyes were strangely compelling

• a compelling film.

2. not able to be refuted; inspiring conviction

• there is compelling evidence that the recession is ending

• a compelling argument.

3. not able to be resisted; overwhelming

• the temptation to give up was compelling.

compellingly /kəmˈpɛlɪŋli/

adverb

1. in a way that evokes interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way

• this book is beautifully illustrated and compellingly narrated

• compellingly honest paintings.

2. in a convincing way that is not easily refuted

• an ambitious, compellingly argued book

• this assumption has never been compellingly demonstrated.

compendious /kəmˈpɛndɪəs/

I. adjective

‹formal› containing or presenting the essential facts of something in a comprehensive but concise way

• a compendious study.

II. derivatives

1. compendiously

adverb

2. compendiousness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French compendieux, from Latin compendiosus ‘advantageous, brief’, from compendium ‘profit, saving, abbreviation’.

compendium /kəmˈpɛndɪəm/

I. noun

1. a collection of concise but detailed information about a particular subject, especially in a book or other publication.

• an invaluable compendium of useful information about language.

2. a collection or set of similar items.

• a compendium of tools.

3. a package of stationery for writing letters.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘profit, saving’ (literally ‘what is weighed together’), from compendere, from com- ‘together’ + pendere ‘weigh’.

compensable /kəmˈpɛnsəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of a loss or hardship) for which compensation can be obtained.

– origin mid 17th cent.: French, from compenser, from Latin compensare ‘weigh (something) against (another)’.

compensate /ˈkɒmpɛnseɪt, ˈkɒmp(ə)nseɪt/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — give (someone) something, typically money, in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury incurred; recompense

• payments were made to farmers to compensate them for cuts in subsidies.

2. pay (someone) for work performed

• he will be richly compensated for his efforts.

3. [no obj.] ( compensate for) — reduce or counteract (something unwelcome or unpleasant) by exerting an opposite force or effect

• the manager is hoping for victory to compensate for the team's dismal league campaign.

4. act so as to neutralize or correct (a deficiency or abnormality in a physical property or effect)

• the output voltage rises, compensating for the original fall.

II. derivatives

1. compensative /kəmˈpɛnsətɪv /

adjective

2. compensator /ˈkɒmpɛnseɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘counterbalance’): from Latin compensat- ‘weighed against’, from the verb compensare, from com- ‘together’ + pensare (frequentative of pendere ‘weigh’).

compensation /kɒmpɛnˈseɪʃ(ə)n, kɒmp(ə)nˈseɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. something, typically money, awarded to someone in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury

• he is seeking compensation for injuries suffered at work

• [as modifier] a compensation claim.

2. the action or process of awarding compensation

• the compensation of victims.

3. something that counterbalances or makes up for an undesirable or unwelcome state of affairs

• the grey streets of London were small compensation for the loss of her beloved Africa

• [ count noun] getting older has some compensations.

4. the process of concealing or offsetting a psychological difficulty by developing in another direction.

5. (chiefly N. Amer.) the money received by an employee from an employer as a salary or wages

• send your CV and current compensation to Executive Search Consultant.

II. derivatives

compensational

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin compensatio(n-), from the verb compensare ‘weigh against’ (see compensate).

compensation pendulum

noun

[Physics] a pendulum constructed from metals with differing coefficients of expansion in order to neutralize the effects of temperature variation.

compensation water

noun — [ mass noun]

1. water supplied from a reservoir to a stream in time of drought.

compensatory /kɒmpɛnˈseɪtəri/

adjective

1. (of a payment) intended to recompense someone who has experienced loss, suffering, or injury

• $50 million in compensatory damages.

2. reducing or offsetting the unpleasant or unwelcome effects of something

• the government is taking compensatory actions to keep the interest rate constant.

compère /ˈkɒmpɛː / ‹Brit.›

I. noun

a person who introduces the performers or contestants in a variety show.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. act as a compère for (a variety show).

• Mark Wilson compered the whole proceedings.

– origin early 20th cent.: French, literally ‘godfather’, from medieval Latin compater, from com- ‘together with’ + Latin pater ‘father’.

compete /kəmˈpiːt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. strive to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others

• universities are competing for applicants

• he competed with a number of other candidates

• (as adj. competing) competing political ideologies.

2. [usu. with negative] — be able to rival another or others

• no one can compete with his physical prowess.

3. take part in a contest

• he competed in numerous track meets as a child.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin competere, in its late sense ‘strive or contend for (something)’, from com- ‘together’ + petere ‘aim at, seek’.

competence /ˈkɒmpɪt(ə)ns / competency

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the ability to do something successfully or efficiently

• courses to improve the competence of staff

• the players displayed varying degrees of competence.

2. the legal authority of a court or other body to deal with a particular matter

• the court's competence has been accepted to cover these matters.

3. (also linguistic or language competence) — [Linguistics] a person's subconscious knowledge of the rules governing the formation of speech in their first language.
Often contrasted with performance.

4. [Biology] [Medicine] effective performance of the normal function.

5. ‹dated› an income large enough to live on, typically an unearned one

• he found himself with an ample competence and no obligations.

competent /ˈkɒmpɪt(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully

• a highly competent surgeon

• [with infinitive] make sure the firm is competent to carry out the work.

2. (of a person) efficient and capable

• an infinitely competent mother of three.

3. acceptable and satisfactory, though not outstanding

• she spoke quite competent French.

4. (of a court or other body) accepted as having legal authority to deal with a particular matter

• the London Stock Exchange is the competent authority under the Financial Services Act.

5. [Biology] [Medicine] capable of performing the normal function effectively.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘suitable, adequate’): from Latin competent-, from the verb competere in its earlier sense ‘be fit or proper’ (see compete).

competently /ˈkɒmpɪtəntli/

adverb

1. in an efficient and capable way

• our government's ability to cope competently with disasters

• one of the most competently directed comedies in recent years.

2. in an acceptable and satisfactory, though not outstanding, way

• it's only competently sung and it's all but devoid of character.

competition /kɒmpɪˈtɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity or condition of striving to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others

• there is fierce competition between banks

• the competition for university places is greater than ever this year.

2. [ count noun] — an event or contest in which people take part in order to establish superiority or supremacy in a particular area

• a beauty competition.

3. [in sing.] — the person or people over whom one is attempting to establish one's supremacy or superiority; the opposition

• I walked round to check out the competition.

4. [Ecology] interaction between animal or plant species, or individual organisms, that are attempting to gain a share of a limited environmental resource.

• competition with ungulates or condylarths appears to have been the undoing of marsupials in North America.

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin competitio(n-) ‘rivalry’, from competere ‘strive for’ (see compete).

competitive /kəmˈpɛtɪtɪv/

I. adjective

1. relating to or characterized by competition

• a competitive sport

• the intensely competitive newspaper industry.

2. having or displaying a strong desire to be more successful than others

• she had a competitive streak.

3. as good as or better than others of a comparable nature

• a car industry competitive with any in the world.

4. (of prices) low enough to compare well with those of rival traders

• we offer prompt service at competitive rates.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin competit- ‘striven for’, from the verb competere (see compete), + -ive.

competitive advantage

noun

a condition or circumstance that puts a company in a favourable or superior business position

• expansion is vital to maintaining a competitive advantage.

competitive exclusion

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Ecology] the inevitable elimination from a habitat of one of two different species with identical needs for resources.

competitively /kəmˈpɛtɪtɪvli/

adverb

1. in a way that strives to gain or win something by defeating others

• I began swimming competitively nearly 30 years ago

• they were clamouring competitively for her attention.

2. in a way that compares favorably with others of the same nature, particularly in relation to price

• we will have to do some outsourcing to stay competitively priced.

competitiveness /kəmˈpɛtɪtɪvnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. possession of a strong desire to be more successful than others

• a lot of people get wrapped up in competitiveness and jealousy.

2. the quality of being as good as or better than others of a comparable nature

• the competitiveness of the agricultural sector.

3. the quality of comparing well with rival traders in terms of pricing

• shoppers are often pleasantly surprised by the competitiveness of the prices.

competitor /kəmˈpɛtɪtə/

noun

1. a person who takes part in a sporting contest.

• two competitors were banned for taking drugs.

2. an organization or country engaged in commercial or economic competition with others

• our main industrial competitors.

compilation /kɒmpɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or process of producing something, especially a list or book, by assembling information collected from other sources

• great care has been taken in the compilation of this guidebook.

2. a thing, especially a book, record, or broadcast programme, that is put together by assembling previously separate items

• there are thirty-three stories in this compilation

• [as modifier] a compilation album.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin compilatio(n-), from compilare ‘to plunder’ (see compile).

compile /kəmˈpʌɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. produce (a list or book) by assembling information collected from other sources

• the local authority must compile a list of the names and addresses of taxpayers.

2. collect (information) in order to produce a list or book

• the figures were compiled from a survey of 2,000 schoolchildren.

3. accumulate (a specified score)

• the world champion compiled a break of 101.

4. [Computing] convert (a program) into a machine-code or lower-level form in which the program can be executed.

• this allows you to create programs and compile them.

– origin Middle English: from Old French compiler or its apparent source, Latin compilare ‘plunder or plagiarize’.

compiler /kəmˈpʌɪlə/

noun

1. a person who produces a list or book by assembling information or written material collected from other sources

• this passage was revised in different ways by later compilers.

2. [Computing] a program that converts instructions into a machine-code or lower-level form so that they can be read and executed by a computer

• conversion would require more than just running it through a different compiler.

comping

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› the practice of entering competitions, especially those promoting consumer products.

• she received her copy of Competitor's Companion and entered the exciting world of comping.

2. the action of playing a musical accompaniment, especially in jazz or blues.

• the guitarists approach the delicacy of Cole in their comping.

3. the process of making composite images, especially electronically.

• Stefan did the comping and rendering, and it came together just great.

II. derivatives

comper /ˈkɒmpə /

noun

comping (sense 1)

complacency /kəmˈpleɪs(ə)nsi / complacence

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements

• the figures are better, but there are no grounds for complacency.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin complacentia, from Latin complacere ‘to please’.

complacent /kəmˈpleɪs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements

• you can't afford to be complacent about security.

II. derivatives

complacently /kəmˈpleɪsəntli /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘pleasant’): from Latin complacent- ‘pleasing’, from the verb complacere. / usage: Complacent and complaisant are two words which are similar in pronunciation and which both come from the Latin verb complacere ‘to please’, but in English they do not mean the same thing. Complacent is far commoner and means ‘smug and self-satisfied’. Complaisant, on the other hand, means ‘willing to please’, as in the local people proved complaisant and cordial.

complain /kəmˈpleɪn/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — express dissatisfaction or annoyance about something
[with clause]

• local authorities complained that they lacked sufficient resources

• [with direct speech] ‘You never listen to me,’ Larry complained

• [no obj.] we all complained bitterly about the food.

2. [no obj.] — (of a structure or mechanism) groan or creak under strain.

3. [no obj.] — ‹literary› make a mournful sound

• let the warbling flute complain.

4. [no obj.] ( complain of) — state that one is suffering from (a pain or other symptom of illness)

• her husband began to complain of headaches.

II. derivatives

1. complainer /kəmˈpleɪnə /

noun

2. complainingly

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French complaindre, from medieval Latin complangere ‘bewail’, from Latin com- (expressing intensive force) + plangere ‘to lament’.

complainant /kəmˈpleɪnənt/

I. noun

[Law] (Brit.) a plaintiff in certain lawsuits.

– origin late Middle English: from French complaignant, present participle of complaindre ‘to lament’ (see complain).

complaint /kəmˈpleɪnt/

I. noun

1. a statement that something is unsatisfactory or unacceptable

• I intend to make an official complaint

• there were complaints that the building was an eyesore.

2. a reason for dissatisfaction

• I have no complaints about the hotel.

3. [ mass noun] — the expression of dissatisfaction

• a letter of complaint

• he hasn't any cause for complaint.

4. [Law] the plaintiff's reasons for proceeding in a civil action.

5. an illness or medical condition, especially a relatively minor one

• she is receiving treatment for her skin complaint.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French complainte, feminine past participle of complaindre ‘to lament’ (see complain).

complaisant /kəmˈpleɪz(ə)nt/

I. adjective

willing to please others or to accept what they do or say without protest

• he went to join his apparently complaisant wife for Christmas.

II. derivatives

complaisance /kəmˈpleɪz(ə)ns /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: French, from complaire ‘acquiesce in order to please’, from Latin complacere ‘to please’. / usage: Complaisant does not mean the same as complacent. See usage at complacent.

compleat

adjective, verb

archaic spelling of complete.

complected /kəmˈplɛktɪd/

I. adjective — [in combination]

1. (N. Amer.) having a specified complexion

• the lighter-complected invaders from the north.

– origin early 19th cent.: apparently from complexion.

complement

I. noun — complement /ˈkɒmplɪm(ə)nt /

1. a thing that contributes extra features to something else in such a way as to improve or emphasize its quality

• local ales provide the perfect complement to fine food.

2. [in sing.] — a number or quantity of something, especially that required to make a group complete

• at the moment we have a full complement of staff.

3. the number of people required to crew a ship

• almost half the ship's complement of 322 were wounded.

4. [Geometry] the amount in degrees by which a given angle is less than 90°.

5. [Mathematics] the members of a set or class that are not members of a given subset.

6. [Grammar] one or more words, phrases, or clauses governed by a verb (or by a nominalization or a predicative adjective) that complete the meaning of the predicate. In generative grammar, all the constituents of a sentence that are governed by a verb form the complement.

7. (in systemic grammar) an adjective or noun that has the same reference as either the subject (as mad in he is mad) or the object (as mad in he drove her mad or manager in they appointed him manager).

8. [ mass noun] — [Physiology] a group of proteins present in blood plasma and tissue fluid which combine with an antigen–antibody complex to bring about the lysis of foreign cells.

II. verb — [with obj.] complement /ˈkɒmplɪmɛnt /

1. contribute extra features to (someone or something) in such a way as to improve or emphasize their qualities

• a classic blazer complements a look that's smart or casual.

2. add to or make complete

• the proposals complement the incentives already available.

III. phrases

in her complement

[Heraldry] (of the moon) depicted as full.

IV. derivatives

complemental

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘completion’): from Latin complementum, from complere ‘fill up’ (see complete). Compare with compliment. / usage: Complement and compliment (together with related words such as complementary and complimentary) are frequently confused. They are pronounced in the same way but have quite different meanings: as a verb complement means ‘add to something in a way that enhances or improves’, as in a classic blazer complements a look that's smart or casual, while compliment means ‘admire and praise someone for something’, as in he complimented her on her appearance. Complementary means ‘forming a complement or addition, completing,’ as in I purchased a suit with a complementary tie. This is often confused with complimentary, for which one sense is ‘given freely, as a courtesy’: honeymooners receive complimentary fruit and flowers.

complementarity /ˌkɒmplɪmɛnˈtarɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a relationship or situation in which two or more different things improve or emphasize each other's qualities

• a culture based on the complementarity of men and women.

2. [Physics] the concept that two contrasted theories, such as the wave and particle theories of light, may be able to explain a set of phenomena, although each separately only accounts for some aspects.

complementary /kɒmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. combining in such a way as to enhance or emphasize the qualities of each other or another

• they had different but complementary skills

• the second TV network was complementary to the BBC.

2. [Biochemistry] (of gene sequences, nucleotides, etc.) related by the rules of base pairing.

• a pair of complementary oligonucleotides were synthesized.

3. [ attrib.] — relating to complementary medicine

• complementary therapies such as aromatherapy.

II. derivatives

1. complementarily

adverb

2. complementariness

noun

complementary angle

noun

either of two angles whose sum is 90°.

complementary colour

noun

a colour that combined with a given colour makes white or black.

complementary distribution

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the occurrence of phenomena such as speech sounds in mutually exclusive contexts.

• bilabials were in complementary distribution with labiodentals.

complementary DNA

noun — [ mass noun]

1. synthetic DNA in which the sequence of bases is complementary to that of a given example of DNA.

complementary function

noun

[Mathematics] the part of the general solution of a linear differential equation which is the general solution of the associated homogeneous equation obtained by substituting zero for the terms not containing the dependent variable.

complementary medicine

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) any of a range of medical therapies that fall beyond the scope of conventional medicine but may be used alongside it in the treatment of disease and ill health. Examples include acupuncture and osteopathy.
See also alternative medicine.

complementation /kɒmplɪmɛnˈteɪʃn/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of complementing something.

2. [Grammar] all the clause constituents that are governed by a verb, nominalization, or adjective.

• information as to a verb's complementation tells the learner about its meaning.

3. [Genetics] the phenomenon by which the effects of two different non-allelic mutations in a gene are partly or entirely cancelled out when they occur together.

complement fixation test

noun

[Medicine] a test for infection with a microorganism which involves measuring the amount of complement available in serum to bind with an antibody–antigen complex.

complementizer complementiser

noun

[Grammar] a word or morpheme that marks an embedded clause as functioning as a complement, typically a subordinating conjunction or infinitival to.

complete /kəmˈpliːt/

I. adjective

1. having all the necessary or appropriate parts

• a complete list of courses offered by the university

• no woman's wardrobe is complete without this pretty top.

2. entire; full

• I only managed one complete term at school

• the complete works of Shakespeare.

3. ( complete with) — having (something) as an additional part or feature

• the house comes complete with gas central heating and double glazing.

4. [ predic.] — having run its full course; finished

• the restoration of the chapel is complete.

5. [ attrib.] — (often used for emphasis) to the greatest extent or degree; total

• a complete ban on smoking

• their marriage came as a complete surprise to me.

6. (also compleat) — ‹chiefly humorous› skilled at every aspect of a particular activity; consummate

• his range of skills made him the complete footballer.

[the spelling compleat is a revival of the 17th cent. use as in Walton's The Compleat Angler.]

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. finish making or doing

• he completed his PhD in 1993.

2. [no obj.] — (Brit.) conclude the sale of a property.

• you may find yourself in a position where you have to wait for your purchaser to complete, whereas your new home is ready.

3. [American Football] (of a quarterback) successfully throw (a forward pass) to a receiver.

• he was still throwing the ball hard enough to complete 48 of 76 passes.

4. provide with the item or items necessary to make (something) full or entire

• complete your collection of Britain's brightest gardening magazine

• quarry tiles and faded rugs complete the look.

5. write the required information on (a form or questionnaire)

• please complete the attached forms.

III. derivatives

completer

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French complet or Latin completus, past participle of complere ‘fill up, finish, fulfil’, from com- (expressing intensive force) + plere ‘fill’. / usage: On the question of the use of adjectives like complete, equal, and unique with submodifiers such as very or more, see usage at unique.

completely /kəmˈpliːtli/

adverb

totally; utterly

• the fire completely destroyed the building

• [as submodifier] you must be completely mad!

completeness /kəmˈpliːtnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or condition of having all the necessary or appropriate parts

• the completeness of the records

• for the sake of completeness, a brief update is included here.

completion /kəmˈpliːʃn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of completing or finishing something

• funds for the completion of the new building.

2. the state of being finished

• work on the new golf course is nearing completion

• [as modifier] the completion date is early next year.

3. (Brit.) the final stage in the sale of a property, at which point it legally changes ownership

• the risk stays with the seller until completion.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin completio(n-), from complere ‘fill up’ (see complete).

completist

noun

an obsessive, typically indiscriminate, collector or fan of something.

• this compilation of singles and B-sides has it usefulness for completists.

• horror completists may find the film worth a sit-through.

completive /kəmˈpliːtɪv/

noun

[Grammar] a word or morpheme which adds a sense of completeness to a word or phrase (e.g. in the phrase break up, up is a completive).

complex /ˈkɒmplɛks/

I. adjective

1. consisting of many different and connected parts

• a complex network of water channels.

2. not easy to analyse or understand; complicated or intricate

• a complex personality

• the situation is more complex than it appears.

3. [Mathematics] denoting or involving numbers or quantities containing both a real and an imaginary part.

4. [Chemistry] denoting an ion or molecule in which one or more groups are linked to a metal atom by coordinate bonds.

• in naming complex ions, the names of the ligands are cited first.

II. noun

1. a group or system of different things that are linked in a close or complicated way; a network

• a complex of mountain roads.

2. a group of similar buildings or facilities on the same site

• a leisure complex

• a complex of hotels.

3. [Psychoanalysis] a related group of repressed or partly repressed emotionally significant ideas which cause psychic conflict leading to abnormal mental states or behaviour.

4. ‹informal› a strong or disproportionate concern or anxiety about something

• there's no point having a complex about losing your hair.

5. [Chemistry] an ion or molecule in which one or more groups are linked to a metal atom by coordinate bonds.

• two guanine bases can attach themselves to the same platinum atom, forming a stable complex.

6. any loosely bonded species formed by the association of two molecules

• cross-linked protein–DNA complexes.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] make (an atom or compound) form a complex with another

• the DNA was complexed with the nuclear extract.

IV. derivatives

1. complexation

noun

[Chemistry]

2. complexly

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘group of related elements’): from Latin complexus, past participle (used as a noun) of complectere ‘embrace, comprise’, later associated with complexus ‘plaited’; the adjective is partly via French complexe.

complex conjugate

noun

[Mathematics] each of two complex numbers having their real parts identical and their imaginary parts of equal magnitude but opposite sign.

• replace each element of the matrix by its complex conjugate.

complexion /kəmˈplɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. the natural colour, texture, and appearance of a person's skin, especially of the face

• an attractive girl with a pale complexion.

2. the general aspect or character of something

• the complexion of the game changed

• successive governments of all complexions.

II. derivatives

complexioned

adjective

[in combination]

• they were both fair-complexioned

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin complexio(n-) ‘combination’ (in late Latin ‘physical constitution’), from complectere ‘embrace, comprise’. The term originally denoted physical constitution or temperament determined by the combination of the four bodily humours, hence sense 1 (late 16th cent.) as a visible sign of this.

complexity /kəmˈplɛksəti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or quality of being intricate or complicated

• an issue of great complexity.

2. [ count noun] (usu. complexities) — a factor involved in a complicated process or situation

• the complexities of family life.

complex sentence

noun

a sentence containing a subordinate clause or clauses.

compliance /kəmˈplʌɪəns / ‹chiefly US› compliancy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of complying with a wish or command

• the ways in which the state maintains order and compliance.

2. excessive acquiescence

• the appalling compliance with government views shown by the commission.

3. the state or fact of according with or meeting rules or standards

• all imports of timber are in compliance with regulations

• [as modifier] this paper estimates the compliance costs of such a policy change.

4. [Physics] the property of a material of undergoing elastic deformation or (of a gas) change in volume when subjected to an applied force. It is equal to the reciprocal of stiffness.

5. [Medicine] the ability of an organ to distend in response to applied pressure.

compliance officer

noun

a person who is employed to ensure that a company does not contravene any statutes or regulations which apply to its activities.

compliant /kəmˈplʌɪənt/

I. adjective

1. disposed to agree with others or obey rules, especially to an excessive degree; acquiescent

• a compliant labour force.

2. (often compliant with) — meeting or in accordance with rules or standards

• food which is compliant with safety regulations.

3. [Physics] [Medicine] having the property of compliance.

• the conversion of the gel to a much less compliant, rigid glass.

II. derivatives

compliantly

adverb

complicate /ˈkɒmplɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) more complicated

• increased choice will complicate matters for the consumer

• (as adj. complicating) a complicating factor.

2. [Medicine] introduce complications in (an existing condition)

• smoking may complicate pregnancy

• (as adj. complicating) patients with complicating biliary calculi.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘combine, entangle, intertwine’): from Latin complicat- ‘folded together’, from the verb complicare, from com- ‘together’ + plicare ‘to fold’.

complicated /ˈkɒmplɪkeɪtɪd/

I. adjective

1. consisting of many interconnecting parts or elements; intricate

• a complicated stereo system.

2. involving many different and confusing aspects

• a long and complicated saga.

3. [Medicine] involving complications

• complicated appendicitis.

II. derivatives

1. complicatedly

adverb

2. complicatedness

noun

complication /kɒmplɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a circumstance that complicates something; a difficulty

• there is a complication concerning ownership of the site.

2. [ mass noun] — an involved or confused condition or state

• to add further complication, English-speakers use a different name.

3. [Medicine] a secondary disease or condition aggravating an already existing one

• she developed complications after the surgery.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin complicatio(n-), from Latin complicare ‘fold together’ (see complicate).

complicit /kəmˈplɪsɪt/

I. adjective

involved with others in an activity that is unlawful or morally wrong

• the careers of those complicit in the cover-up were blighted.

– origin 1940s: back-formation from complicity.

complicitous /kəmˈplɪsɪtəs/

adjective

another term for complicit:

• they were complicitous with Nazi authorities.

complicity /kəmˈplɪsɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or condition of being involved with others in an activity that is unlawful or morally wrong

• they were accused of complicity in the attempt to overthrow the government.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Middle English complice ‘an associate’, from Old French, from late Latin complex, complic- ‘allied’, from Latin complicare ‘fold together’ (see complicate). Compare with accomplice.

compliment

I. noun — compliment /ˈkɒmplɪm(ə)nt /

1. a polite expression of praise or admiration

• she paid me an enormous compliment.

2. an act or circumstance that implies praise or respect

• it's a compliment to the bride to dress up on her special day.

3. ( compliments) — congratulations or praise expressed to someone

• my compliments on your cooking.

4. ( compliments) — formal greetings, especially when sent as a message

• carry my compliments to your kinsmen.

II. verb — [with obj.] compliment /ˈkɒmplɪmɛnt /

1. politely congratulate or praise (someone) for something

• he complimented Erika on her appearance.

2. praise (something) politely

• the manager was heard to compliment the other team's good play.

3. ( compliment someone with) — ‹archaic› present someone with (something) as a mark of courtesy

• Prince George expected to be complimented with a seat in the royal coach.

III. phrases

1. compliments of the season

used as a seasonal greeting at Christmas or the New Year.

2. pay one's compliments

send or express formal greetings.

• a gentleman stopped, eager to pay his compliments.

3. return the compliment

a. give a compliment in return for another.

b. retaliate or respond in kind.

• she eyed me warily, and I returned the compliment.

4. with one's compliments

used to express the fact that what one is giving is free

• all drinks will be supplied with our compliments.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French compliment (noun), complimenter (verb), from Italian complimento ‘fulfilment of the requirements of courtesy’, from Latin complementum ‘completion, fulfilment’ (reflected in the earlier English spelling complement, gradually replaced by the French form between 1655 and 1715). / usage: Compliment (together with complimentary) is quite different in meaning from complement (and complementary). See usage at complement.

complimentary /kɒmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ri/

adjective

1. expressing a compliment; praising or approving

• Jennie was very complimentary about Kath's riding

• complimentary remarks.

2. given or supplied free of charge

• a complimentary bottle of wine.

compliments slip compliment slip

noun

(Brit.) a small piece of paper on which a company's name, address, and logo are printed and which is sent out with goods or information, typically in place of a covering letter.

compline /ˈkɒmplɪn, ˈkɒmplʌɪn/

I. noun

a service of evening prayers forming part of the Divine Office of the Western Christian Church, traditionally said (or chanted) before retiring for the night.

– origin Middle English: from Old French complie, feminine past participle of obsolete complir ‘to complete’, from Latin complere ‘fill up’ (see complete). The ending -ine was probably influenced by Old French matines ‘matins’.

complot /ˈkɒmplɒt/

I. noun

‹rare› a secret or underhand plan

• fears of a Jesuit complot to undermine republican institutions.

– origin mid 16th cent.: French, of uncertain origin.

comply /kəmˈplʌɪ/

I. verb — [no obj.] (often comply with)

1. act in accordance with a wish or command

• we are unable to comply with your request.

2. (of an article) meet specified standards

• all second-hand furniture must comply with the new regulations.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian complire, Catalan complir, Spanish cumplir, from Latin complere ‘fill up, fulfil’ (see complete). The original sense was ‘fulfil, accomplish’, later ‘fulfil the requirements of courtesy’, hence ‘to be agreeable, to oblige or obey’. Compare with compliment.

compo^1 /ˈkɒmpəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a material made up of a mixture of different substances.

2. (also compo rations) — (Brit.) military rations consisting of a supply of tinned food designed to last a specified number of days and carried in a pack.

– origin early 19th cent.: abbreviation of composite.

compo^2 /ˈkɒmpəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a payment or series of payments made under a workers' compensation scheme.

• he claimed he'd injured his back and got compo for it.

II. phrases

on compo

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› receiving money under a workers' compensation scheme

• she'll be out on compo for the rest of the school year.

– origin 1940s: abbreviation of compensation.

component /kəmˈpəʊnənt/

I. noun

1. a part or element of a larger whole, especially a part of a machine or vehicle.

• an assembly plant for imported components.

• hydrogen is a component of all organic compounds.

2. each of two or more forces, velocities, or other vectors acting in different directions which are together equivalent to a given vector.

• he resolved the motion into horizontal and vertical components.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. constituting part of a larger whole; constituent

• the component elements of the armed forces.

III. derivatives

componentize componentise

verb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin component- ‘putting together’, from the verb componere, from com- ‘together’ + ponere ‘put’. Compare with compound^1.

componential analysis /kɒmpəˌnɛnʃ(ə)l əˈnalɪsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] the analysis of the meaning of a word or other linguistic unit into discrete semantic components.

componentry /kəmˈpəʊnəntri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the parts of a machine or vehicle considered collectively

• while the styling is retro, the componentry is from the 21st century.

compony /kɒmˈpɒni/

I. adjective — [usu. postpositive]

1. [Heraldry] divided into a single row of squares in alternating tinctures

• a bordure compony.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French componé, from Old French compondre, from Latin componere ‘put together’.

comport^1 /kəmˈpɔːt/

I. verb

1. ( comport oneself) — ‹formal› conduct oneself; behave

• articulate students who comported themselves well in interviews.

2. [no obj.] ( comport with) — ‹archaic› accord or agree with.

• they do all that nature and art can do to comport with his will.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘tolerate’): from Latin comportare, from com- ‘together’ + portare ‘carry, bear’.

comport^2 /ˈkɒmpɔːt/

I. noun

another term for compote (sense 2).

– origin late 19th cent.: apparently an abbreviation of French comportier, variant of compotier ‘dessert dish’.

comportment /kəmˈpɔːtm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. behaviour; bearing

• he displayed precisely the comportment expected of the rightful king.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French comportement, from the verb comporter, from Latin comportare (see comport^1).

compose /kəmˈpəʊz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. write or create (a work of art, especially music or poetry)

• he composed the First Violin Sonata four years earlier.

2. phrase (a letter or piece of writing) with great care and thought

• the first sentence is so hard to compose.

3. form (a whole) by ordering or arranging the parts, especially in an artistic way

• compose and draw a still life.

4. (of elements) constitute or make up (a whole, or a specified part of it)

• the National Congress is composed of ten senators

• Christians compose 40 per cent of the state's population.

5. calm or settle (oneself or one's features or thoughts)

• she tried to compose herself.

6. ‹archaic› settle (a dispute)

• the king, with some difficulty, composed this difference.

7. prepare (a text) for printing by manually, mechanically, or electronically setting up the letters and other characters in the order to be printed.

• in offices where close-set text was composed both men and women pieceworkers were normally employed.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘put together, construct’): from Old French composer, from Latin componere (see component), but influenced by Latin compositus ‘composed’ and Old French poser ‘to place’. / usage: For an explanation of the differences between compose and comprise, see usage at comprise.

composed /kəmˈpəʊzd/

I. adjective

having one's feelings and expression under control; calm

• a very talented and composed young player.

II. derivatives

composedly /kəmˈpəʊzɪdli /

adverb

composer /kəmˈpəʊzə/

noun

a person who writes music, especially as a professional occupation.

• Mozart was her favourite composer.

composite /ˈkɒmpəzɪt/

I. adjective

1. made up of several parts or elements

• this soup is one of those composite dishes which you gradually build up.

2. (of a constructional material) made up of recognizable constituents

• modern composite materials.

3. (of a railway carriage) having compartments of more than one class or function.

• composite coaches containing first-class and third-class compartments.

4. [Mathematics] (of an integer) being the product of two or more factors greater than unity; not prime.

5. ( Composite) — relating to or denoting a classical order of architecture consisting of elements of the Ionic and Corinthian orders.

6. /ˈkɒmpəzʌɪt/ — [Botany] relating to or denoting plants of the daisy family ( Compositae).

II. noun

1. a thing made up of several parts or elements

• the English legal system is a composite of legislation and judicial precedent.

2. a composite constructional material.

• the next decade may well see the introduction of more designer polymers and composites.

• [ mass noun] various combinations of metal, fabric, and composite.

3. /ˈkɒmpəzʌɪt/ — a motion for debate composed of two or more related resolutions.

4. /ˈkɒmpəzʌɪt/ — [Botany] a plant of the daisy family ( Compositae).

5. ( Composite) [ mass noun] — the Composite order of architecture.

III. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as noun compositing)

1. combine (two or more images) to make a single picture

• photographic compositing by computer.

IV. derivatives

1. compositely

adverb

2. compositeness

noun

– origin late Middle English (describing a number having more than one digit): via French from Latin compositus, past participle of componere ‘put together’.

composition /kɒmpəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the nature of something's ingredients or constituents; the way in which a whole or mixture is made up

• the social composition of villages.

2. the action of putting things together; formation or construction

• the composition of a new government was announced in November.

3. [ count noun] — a thing composed of various elements

• a theory is a composition of interrelated facts.

4. ‹archaic› mental constitution; character

• persons who have a touch of madness in their composition.

5. [often as modifier] — a compound artificial substance or material

• composition tiles.

6. [Mathematics] the successive application of functions to a variable, the value of the first function being the argument of the second, and so on

• composition of functions, when defined, is associative.

7. [Physics] the process of finding the resultant of a number of forces.

• the composition of forces.

8. a creative work, especially a poem or piece of music

• Chopin's most romantic compositions.

9. [ mass noun] — the action or art of producing a creative work such as a poem or piece of music

• the technical aspects of composition.

10. an essay, especially one written by a school or college student.

• we had a class composition, ‘My Best Friend’.

11. the artistic arrangement of the parts of a picture

• none of the other photographs shared this particular composition.

12. [ mass noun] — the preparation of text for printing by setting up characters or by establishing its style and appearance electronically.

• an external contractor providing computerized composition and typesetting.

13. a legal agreement to pay a sum in lieu of a larger debt or other obligation

• he had been released by deed on making a composition with the creditors.

14. a sum paid in lieu of a larger debt.

• Royalists redeemed their sequestrated estates by paying compositions.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin compositio(n-), from componere ‘put together’.

compositional /ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to the production of a creative work such as a poem or piece of music

• new compositional techniques arose

• the painting's compositional or dramatic structure.

2. composed of various elements

• strategies adopted in these fields tend to be compositional in nature.

II. derivatives

compositionally

adverb

compositor /kəmˈpɒzɪtə/

I. noun

[Printing] a person who arranges type for printing or keys text into a composing machine.

– origin late Middle English (originally Scots, denoting an umpire or arbiter): from Anglo-Norman French compositour, from Latin compositor, from composit- ‘put together’, from the verb componere (see composition).

compos mentis /ˌkɒmpɒs ˈmɛntɪs/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. having full control of one's mind

• are you sure he was totally compos mentis?

– origin early 17th cent.: Latin.

compossible

I. adjective

‹rare› (of one thing) compatible or possible in conjunction with another.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Old French, from medieval Latin compossibilis, from com- ‘together with’ + possibilis (see possible).

compost /ˈkɒmpɒst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. decayed organic material used as a fertilizer for growing plants.

• cover with a layer of fine compost.

2. a mixture of compost or similar material with loam soil used as a growing medium.

• sweet peppers can be grown singly in pots of potting compost.

• [ count noun] peat-free composts.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (vegetable matter or manure) into compost.

• don't compost heavily infested plants.

2. treat (soil) with compost.

• we turned clay soil into almost workable soil by composting it.

III. derivatives

1. compostable /ˈkɒmpɒstəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. composter

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French composte, from Latin composita, compositum ‘something put together’, feminine and neuter past participle of componere.

compost bin

noun

an outdoor container in which garden refuse and other organic waste is deposited in order to produce compost

• I have a compost bin in which I put my all kitchen scraps and grass cuttings.

compost heap ‹N. Amer.› compost pile

noun

a pile of garden and organic kitchen refuse which decomposes to produce compost.

composure /kəmˈpəʊʒə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or feeling of being calm and in control of oneself

• she was struggling to regain her composure.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘composing, composition’): from compose + -ure.

compote /ˈkɒmpəʊt, ˈkɒmpɒt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — fruit preserved or cooked in syrup.

2. a bowl-shaped dessert dish with a stem.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from Old French composte ‘mixture’ (see compost).

compound^1

I. noun — compound /ˈkɒmpaʊnd /

1. a thing that is composed of two or more separate elements; a mixture

• the air smelled like a compound of diesel and petrol fumes.

2. (also chemical compound) — a substance formed from two or more elements chemically united in fixed proportions

• a compound of hydrogen and oxygen

• lead compounds.

3. a word made up of two or more existing words.

II. adjective — compound /ˈkɒmpaʊnd /

1. made up or consisting of several parts or elements

• a compound noun.

2. (of interest) payable on both capital and the accumulated interest

• compound interest.

Compare with simple.

3. [Biology] (especially of a leaf, flower, or eye) consisting of two or more simple parts or individuals in combination.

III. verb — [with obj.] compound /kəmˈpaʊnd /

1. make up (a composite whole); constitute

• a dialect compounded of Spanish and Dutch.

2. mix or combine (ingredients or constituents)

• the groundnuts were compounded into cattle food.

3. reckon (interest) on previously accumulated interest

• the yield at which the interest is compounded.

4. make (something bad) worse; intensify the negative aspects of

• prisoners' lack of contact with the outside world compounds their problems.

5. [Law] forbear from prosecuting (a felony) in exchange for money or other consideration.

6. settle (a debt or other matter) in exchange for money or other consideration

• he compounded the case with the defendant for a cash payment.

IV. derivatives

compoundable /kəmˈpaʊndəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English compoune (verb), from Old French compoun-, present tense stem of compondre, from Latin componere ‘put together’. The final -d was added in the 16th cent. on the pattern of expound and propound. Sense 2 of the verb arose through a misinterpretation of the legal phrase compound a felony, which means ‘refrain from prosecuting a felony in exchange for money or other consideration’. This led to the use of compound in legal contexts to mean ‘make something bad worse’, which then became accepted in general usage.

compound^2 /ˈkɒmpaʊnd/

I. noun

1. an open area enclosed by a fence, for example around a factory or large house or within a prison.

2. (S. African) an area containing single-sex living quarters for migrant workers, especially miners.

3. another term for pound^3.

– origin late 17th cent. (referring to such an area in SE Asia): from Portuguese campon or Dutch kampoeng, from Malay kampong ‘enclosure, hamlet’; compare with kampong.

compounder /kəmˈpaʊndə/

noun

a person who mixes or combines ingredients in order to produce an animal feed, medicine, or other substance.

• compounders make up medicines for doctors or pharmacies.

compound eye

noun

an eye consisting of an array of numerous small visual units, as found in insects and crustaceans.
Contrasted with simple eye.

compound fracture

noun

an injury in which a broken bone pierces the skin, causing a risk of infection.

compound interval

noun

[Music] an interval greater than an octave.

compound leaf

noun

a leaf consisting of several or many distinct parts (leaflets) joined to a single stem.

compound noun

noun

[Grammar] a noun made up of two or more existing words, e.g. cat food or playgroup

• the German language is noted for its long compound nouns.

compound sentence

noun

a sentence with more than one subject or predicate.

compound time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Music] musical rhythm or metre in which each beat in a bar is subdivided into three smaller units, so having the value of a dotted note.
Compare with simple time.

comprador /ˌkɒmprəˈdɔː / compradore

I. noun

a person who acts as an agent for foreign organizations engaged in investment, trade, or economic or political exploitation.

• the communist movement identified the new ruling class as bourgeois compradors allied with imperialists.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a local person employed in a European household in SE Asia or India to make small purchases and keep the household accounts): from Portuguese, ‘buyer’, from late Latin comparator, from Latin comparare ‘to purchase’, from com- ‘with’ + parare ‘provide’.

comprehend /kɒmprɪˈhɛnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [often with negative] — grasp mentally; understand

• he couldn't comprehend her reasons for marrying Lovat

• [with clause] I simply couldn't comprehend what had happened.

2. ‹formal› include, comprise, or encompass

• a divine order comprehending all men.

– origin Middle English: from Old French comprehender, or Latin comprehendere, from com- ‘together’ + prehendere ‘grasp’.

comprehensible /kɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be understood; intelligible

• clear and comprehensible English.

II. derivatives

1. comprehensibility /kɒmprɪhɛnsəˈbɪləti /

noun

2. comprehensibly /kɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪbli /

adverb

– origin late 15th cent.: from French compréhensible or Latin comprehensibilis, from comprehens- ‘seized, comprised’, from the verb comprehendere (see comprehend).

comprehension /kɒmprɪˈhɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability to understand something

• some won't have the least comprehension of what I'm trying to do

• the comprehension of spoken language.

2. (Brit.) the setting of questions on a set text to test understanding, as a school exercise.
[as modifier]

• comprehension exercises.

3. ‹archaic› inclusion.

4. ‹historical› the inclusion of Nonconformists within the Established Church of England (as proposed in the 17th to 19th centuries but not adopted).

– origin late Middle English: from French compréhension or Latin comprehensio(n-), from the verb comprehendere ‘seize, comprise’ (see comprehend).

comprehensive /kɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪv/

I. adjective

1. including or dealing with all or nearly all elements or aspects of something

• a comprehensive list of sources.

2. of large content or scope; wide-ranging

• a comprehensive collection of photographs.

3. (of a victory or defeat) achieved or suffered by a large margin

• a comprehensive victory for Swansea.

4. (of motor-vehicle insurance) providing cover for most risks, including damage to the policyholder's own vehicle.

5. (Brit.) relating to or denoting a system of secondary education in which children of all abilities from a particular area are educated in one school

• a comprehensive school.

6. ‹archaic› relating to understanding.

II. noun

(Brit.) a comprehensive school.

• he trained as an accountant after leaving the local comprehensive.

• when I was 14 I was at comprehensive.

III. derivatives

comprehensiveness /kɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪvnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from French compréhensif, -ive, from late Latin comprehensivus, from the verb comprehendere ‘grasp mentally’.

comprehensively /kɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪvli/

adverb

1. in a way that includes or deals with all or nearly all elements or aspects of something

• these books are precisely and comprehensively illustrated

• a comprehensively equipped vehicle.

2. in a very clear or convincing manner

• they were comprehensively defeated

• the public has comprehensively rejected the technology.

3. (in relation to insurance) in a way that provides cover for most risks

• she crashed her comprehensively insured vehicle.

compresence

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [chiefly Philosophy] the simultaneous presence together of properties or experienced qualities.

II. derivatives

compresent

adjective

compress

I. verb — [with obj.] compress /kəmˈprɛs /

1. flatten by pressure; squeeze or press

• the skirt can be folded and compressed into a relatively small bag

• (as adj. compressed) compressed gas.

2. [no obj.] — be squeezed or pressed together or into a smaller space

• her face compressed into a frown.

3. (as adj. compressed) — [chiefly Biology] having a narrow shape as if flattened, especially sideways

• most sea snakes have a compressed tail.

4. squeeze or press (two things) together

• Viola compressed her lips together grimly.

5. express in a shorter form; abridge

• in this chapter we compress into summary form the main findings.

6. reduce the dynamic range of (a sound signal).

7. [Computing] alter the form of (data) to reduce the amount of storage necessary.

II. noun — compress /ˈkɒmprɛs /

1. a pad of lint or other absorbent material pressed on to part of the body to relieve inflammation or stop bleeding

• a cold compress.

III. derivatives

1. compressibility /ˌkɒmprɛsəˈbɪləti /

noun

2. compressible /kəmˈprɛsɪb(ə)l /

adjective

3. compressive /kəmˈprɛsɪv /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French compresser or late Latin compressare, frequentative of Latin comprimere, from com- ‘together’ + premere ‘to press’; or directly from compress- ‘pressed together’, from the verb comprimere.

compressed air

noun — [ mass noun]

1. air that is at more than atmospheric pressure.

compression /kəmˈprɛʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of compressing or being compressed.

2. the reduction in volume (causing an increase in pressure) of the fuel mixture in an internal-combustion engine before ignition.

II. derivatives

compressional

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin compressio(n-), from comprimere ‘press together’ (see compress).

compression joint

noun

a joint between two pipes made by tightening a threaded nut on to a metal ring, the compression thus caused creating the seal.

compression ratio

noun

the ratio of the maximum to minimum volume in the cylinder of an internal-combustion engine.

compressive strength

noun

the resistance of a material to breaking under compression.
Compare with tensile strength.

compressor /kəmˈprɛsə/

noun

1. an instrument or device for compressing something.

2. a machine used to supply air or other gas at increased pressure, e.g. to power a gas turbine.

3. an electrical device which reduces the dynamic range of a sound signal.

comprise /kəmˈprʌɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. consist of; be made up of

• the country comprises twenty states.

2. make up or constitute (a whole)

• this single breed comprises 50 per cent of the Swiss cattle population

• ( be comprised of) documents are comprised of words.

– origin late Middle English: from French, ‘comprised’, feminine past participle of comprendre, from Old French comprehender (see comprehend). / usage: 1 Comprise primarily means ‘consist of’, as in the country comprises twenty states. It can also mean ‘constitute or make up a whole’, as in this single breed comprises 50 per cent of the Swiss cattle population. When this sense is used in the passive (as in the country is comprised of twenty states), it is more or less synonymous with the first sense ( the country comprises twenty states). This usage is part of standard English, but the construction comprise of, as in the property comprises of bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, is regarded as incorrect. 2 On the differences between comprise and include, see usage at include.

compromise /ˈkɒmprəmʌɪz/

I. noun

1. an agreement or settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions

• eventually they reached a compromise

• [ mass noun] the secret of a happy marriage is compromise.

2. an intermediate state between conflicting alternatives reached by mutual concession

• a compromise between the freedom of the individual and the need to ensure orderly government.

3. [ mass noun] — the expedient acceptance of standards that are lower than is desirable

• sexism should be tackled without compromise.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — settle a dispute by mutual concession

• in the end we compromised and deferred the issue.

2. [no obj.] — expediently accept standards that are lower than is desirable

• we were not prepared to compromise on safety.

3. [with obj.] — weaken or harm by accepting standards that are lower than is desirable

• he won't accept any decisions which compromise his principles.

4. [with obj.] — bring into disrepute or danger by indiscreet, foolish, or reckless behaviour

• situations in which his troops could be compromised.

5. cause to become vulnerable or function less effectively

• yo-yo dieting can compromise your immune system

• last month's leak of source code will not compromise your IT security.

III. derivatives

compromiser

noun

– origin late Middle English (denoting mutual consent to arbitration): from Old French compromis, from late Latin compromissum ‘a consent to arbitration’, neuter past participle of compromittere, from com- ‘together’ + promittere (see promise).

compromising /ˈkɒmprəmʌɪzɪŋ/

adjective

(of information or a situation) revealing an embarrassing or incriminating secret about someone.

• compromising letters and blackmail.

• he was found in a compromising position.

compte rendu /ˌkɔ̃t rɑ̃ˈdjuː, French kɔ̃t ʀɑ̃dy/

I. noun

1. a formal report or review.

2. ( Comptes Rendus) — the published proceedings of a French academy.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, literally ‘account rendered’.

Compton, Arthur Holly

(1892–1962), American physicist. He observed the Compton effect and thus demonstrated the dual particle and wave properties of electromagnetic radiation and matter, as predicted by quantum theory. Nobel Prize for Physics (1927).

Compton, Denis

(1918–97), English cricketer and footballer; full name Denis Charles Scott Compton. He played cricket for Middlesex and England, and football for Arsenal and England.

Compton-Burnett, Dame Ivy /ˌkɒmptənbəːˈnɛt, ˌkɒmptənˈbəːnɪt/

(1884–1969), English novelist. Notable novels: Brothers and Sisters (1929), A Family and a Fortune (1939), and Manservant and Maidservant (1947).

Compton effect

I. noun

[Physics] an increase in wavelength of X-rays or gamma rays that occurs when they are scattered.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after A. H. Compton (see Compton, Arthur Holly).

comptroller /kənˈtrəʊlə, kɒmpˈtrəʊlə/

I. noun

a controller (used in the title of some financial officers).

• Comptroller and Auditor General.

– origin late 15th cent.: variant of controller, by erroneous association with French compte ‘calculation’ or its source, late Latin computus.

compulsion /kəmˈpʌlʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or state of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint

• the payment was made under compulsion.

2. an irresistible urge to behave in a certain way

• he felt a compulsion to babble on about what had happened.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin compulsio(n-), from compellere ‘to drive, force’ (see compel).

compulsive /kəmˈpʌlsɪv/

I. adjective

1. resulting from or relating to an irresistible urge

• compulsive eating.

2. (of a person) acting as a result of an irresistible urge

• a compulsive liar.

3. irresistibly interesting or exciting; compelling

• this play is compulsive viewing.

II. derivatives

compulsiveness

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘compulsory’): from medieval Latin compulsivus, from compuls- ‘driven, forced’, from the verb compellere (see compel). Sense 1 (originally a term in psychology) dates from the early 20th cent.

compulsively /kəmˈpʌlsɪvli/

adverb

1. in a way that results from or relates to an irresistible urge

• she exercised compulsively

• the students compulsively checked the time.

2. in an irresistible way

• the show is compulsively watchable.

compulsory /kəmˈpʌls(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. required by law or a rule; obligatory

• compulsory military service

• it was compulsory to attend mass.

2. involving or exercising compulsion; coercive

• the abuse of compulsory powers.

II. derivatives

1. compulsorily /kəmˈpʌls(ə)rəli /

adverb

2. compulsoriness /kəmˈpʌls(ə)rɪnəs /

noun

– origin early 16th cent. (as a noun denoting a legal mandate which had to be obeyed): from medieval Latin compulsorius, from compuls- ‘driven, forced’, from the verb compellere (see compel).

compulsory purchase

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the officially enforced purchase of privately owned land or property for public use
[as modifier]

• the City Council has applied for a compulsory purchase order.

compunction /kəmˈpʌŋkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [usu. with negative]

1. a feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows the doing of something bad

• they used their tanks without compunction.

II. derivatives

1. compunctious /kəmˈpʌŋkʃəs /

adjective

2. compunctiously

adverb

– origin Middle English: from Old French componction, from ecclesiastical Latin compunctio(n-), from Latin compungere ‘prick sharply’, from com- (expressing intensive force) + pungere ‘to prick’.

compurgation /ˌkɒmpəːˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] ‹historical› acquittal from a charge or accusation obtained by statements of innocence given by witnesses under oath.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin compurgatio(n-), from Latin compurgare, from com- (expressing intensive force) + purgare ‘purify’ (from purus ‘pure’).

compurgator /ˈkɒmpəːɡeɪtə/

I. noun

[Law] ‹historical› a sworn witness to the innocence or good character of an accused person.

– origin mid 16th cent.: medieval Latin, from Latin com- ‘together with’ + purgator, from purgare ‘purify’ (see compurgation).

computation /kɒmpjʊˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of mathematical calculation

• methods of computation

• [ count noun] statistical computations.

2. the use of computers, especially as a subject of research or study.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin computatio(n-), from the verb computare (see compute).

computational /kɒmpjuˈteɪʃənl/

adjective

1. using or relating to computers

• the computational analysis of English.

2. relating to the process of mathematical calculation

• the exam only really tested computational ability.

computational linguistics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of linguistics in which the techniques of computer science are applied to the analysis and synthesis of language and speech.

computationally /kɒmpjəˈteɪʃ(ə)nəli/

adverb

1. in a way that uses or relates to computers

• video images are processed computationally.

2. in a way that relates to the process of mathematical calculation

• a computationally efficient algorithm.

compute /kəmˈpjuːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. reckon or calculate (a figure or amount)

• the hire charge is computed on a daily basis.

2. [no obj., with negative] — ‹informal› seem reasonable; make sense

• the idea of a woman alone in a pub did not compute.

[from the phrase does not compute, once used as an error message in computing.]

II. derivatives

1. computability /kəmpjuːtəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. computable /kəmˈpjuːtəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from French computer or Latin computare, from com- ‘together’ + putare ‘to settle (an account)’.

computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/

noun

1. an electronic device which is capable of receiving information (data) in a particular form and of performing a sequence of operations in accordance with a predetermined but variable set of procedural instructions (program) to produce a result in the form of information or signals.

2. a person who makes calculations, especially with a calculating machine.

computer-aided

adjective

completed partially or entirely by using a computer

• computer-aided engineering.

computerate /kəmˈpjuːtərət/

adjective

‹informal› another term for computer-literate.

• a computerate person with publishing experience.

computer conferencing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of computer and telecommunications technology to hold discussions between people operating computers in separate locations.
[as modifier]

• computer conferencing system.

computer dating

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of computer databases to identify potentially compatible partners for people.
[as modifier]

• the most successful computer dating agency in the world.

computerese /kəmˌpjuːtəˈriːz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the technical language and jargon used in computing and computer science.

computer-friendly

adjective

1. suitable for use with computers; compatible with computers.

• present the data in computer-friendly form.

2. (of a person) well disposed towards computers.

• a computer-friendly politician.

computer game

noun

a game played using a computer, typically a video game.

computerize /kəmˈpjuːtərʌɪz / computerise

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. computerized)

1. convert (a system, device, etc.) to be operated by computer

• the advantages of computerized accounting.

2. convert (information) to a form which is stored or processed by computer

• a computerized register of dogs.

II. derivatives

computerization /kəmpjuːtərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

computer-literate /kəmˌpjuːtəˈlɪt(ə)rət/

I. adjective

(of a person) having sufficient knowledge and skill to be able to use computers; familiar with the operation of computers.

• nowadays, all graduates are computer-literate.

• computer-literate executives.

II. derivatives

computer literacy /kəmˌpjuːtə ˈlɪt(ə)rəsi /

noun

computer model

I. noun

a representation of a system or process created on a computer, to assist calculations and predictions

• the software uses a computer model to forecast insect densities.

II. derivatives

computer modelling

noun

computer programmer

noun

a person who writes computer programs.

computer science

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the principles and use of computers.

computing /kəmˈpjuːtɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use or operation of computers

• developments in mathematics and computing

• [as modifier] computing facilities.

comrade /ˈkɒmreɪd/

I. noun

1. (among men) a colleague or a fellow member of an organization.

• an old college comrade.

2. (also comrade-in-arms) — a fellow soldier or member of the armed forces.

• Hewett turned and rushed to help his comrade.

3. a fellow socialist or communist (often as a form of address).

• ‘You're right, comrade’.

• [as title] Comrade Petrova.

4. (in South Africa) a young militant supporter of the African National Congress.

II. derivatives

comradely /ˈkɒmreɪdli /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally also camerade): from French camerade, camarade (originally feminine), from Spanish camarada ‘room-mate’, from Latin camera ‘chamber’. Compare with chum^1.

comradery /ˈkɒmreɪdri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) another term for camaraderie:

• the project created a real sense of comradery among those involved.

– origin late 19th cent.: from comrade + -ery, influenced by camaraderie.

comradeship /ˈkɒmrədʃɪp, ˈkɒmreɪdʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the company and friendship of others with common aims

• his greatest joy came from comradeship with others in the team.

Comsat /ˈkɒmsat/

I. noun

‹trademark› a communications satellite.

– origin 1960s: blend.

Comte, Auguste /kɒmt, French kɔ̃t/

(1798–1857), French philosopher, one of the founders of sociology. Comte's positivist philosophy attempted to define the laws of social evolution and to found a genuine social science that could be used for social reconstruction.

con^1 /kɒn / ‹informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. persuade (someone) to do or believe something by lying to them

• I conned him into giving me your home number

• she was jailed for conning her aunt out of £500,000.

II. noun

an instance of deceiving or tricking someone

• the Charter is a glossy public relations con

• [as modifier] a con artist.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally US): abbreviation of confidence, as in confidence trick.

con^2 /kɒn/

I. noun

a disadvantage of or argument against something

• borrowers have to weigh up the pros and cons of each mortgage offer.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin contra ‘against’.

con^3 /kɒn/

I. noun

‹informal› a convict.

• you don't snitch to the prison authorities on another con.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation.

con^4 /kɒn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› study attentively or learn by heart (a piece of writing)

• the girls conned their pages with a great show of industry.

– origin Middle English cunne, conne, con, variants of can^1.

con^5 /kɒn/

I. noun

‹informal› a convention, especially one for science fiction enthusiasts.

• an SF con.

– origin 1970s: abbreviation.

con^6 /kɒn / ‹Nautical› ‹US› conn

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. direct the steering of (a ship)

• he hadn't conned anything bigger than a Boston whaler.

II. noun — ( the con)

1. the action or post of conning a ship.

• Mr Cargill, take the con.

– origin early 17th cent.: apparently a weakened form of obsolete cond ‘conduct, guide’, from Old French conduire, from Latin conducere (see conduce).

Con.

abbreviation

1. (Brit.) (in the context of party politics) Conservative.

• Teddy Taylor, MP (Con).

2. (Brit.) constable (as part of a police officer's title).

• Deputy Chief Con Tony Burden.

con-

I. prefix

variant spelling of com- assimilated before c, d, f, g, j, n, q, s, t, v, and sometimes before vowels (as in concord, condescend, confide, etc.).

– origin Latin variant of com-.

conacre /ˈkɒneɪkə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Ireland) the letting by a tenant of small portions of land prepared for crops or grazing.

– origin early 19th cent.: from corn^1 + acre.

Conakry /ˈkɒnəkri/

the capital and chief port of Guinea; pop. 1,484,000 (est. 2007).

con amore /ˌkɒn aˈmɔːreɪ/

I. adverb

[Music] (especially as a direction) with tenderness.

– origin Italian, ‘with love’.

con artist

noun

‹informal› a person who cheats or tricks others by persuading them to believe something that is not true

• the debonair con artist lives by scamming rich women

• con artists are great at spotting our vulnerabilities.

conation /kəˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] [Psychology] the mental faculty of purpose, desire, or will to perform an action; volition.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting an attempt or endeavour): from Latin conatio(n-), from conari ‘to try’.

conative /ˈkɒnətɪv/

I. adjective

1. [Philosophy] [Psychology] of or involving conation.

2. [Grammar] denoting a word or structure that expresses attempted action as opposed to action itself, for example at in he was kicking at the bicycle.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin conat- ‘endeavoured’ (from the verb conari) + -ive.

con brio /kɒn ˈbriːəʊ/

I. adverb

[Music] (especially as a direction) with vigour.

– origin Italian.

concatenate /kənˈkatɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› ‹technical› link (things) together in a chain or series

• some words may be concatenated, such that certain sounds are omitted.

– origin late 15th cent. (as an adjective): from late Latin concatenat- ‘linked together’, from the verb concatenare, from con- ‘together’ + catenare, from catena ‘chain’.

concatenation /kənkatəˈneɪʃn/

noun

1. a series of interconnected things

• a concatenation of events which had finally led to the murder.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of linking things together in a series, or the condition of being linked in such a way.

• the concatenation of lists.

concave /ˈkɒnkeɪv/

I. adjective

having an outline or surface that curves inwards like the interior of a circle or sphere.

• concave lenses.

Compare with convex (sense 1).

II. derivatives

concavely

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Latin concavus, from con- ‘together’ + cavus ‘hollow’.

concavity /kɒnˈkavɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or quality of being concave.

• the concavity of her stomach.

2. [ count noun] — a concave surface or thing.

• the spaces are hollowed out to form concavities.

concavo-concave /kɒnˈkeɪvəʊ/

adjective

another term for biconcave.

concavo-convex

adjective

(of a lens) concave on one side and convex on the other and thickest at the periphery.

conceal /kənˈsiːl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. not allow to be seen; hide

• a line of sand dunes concealed the distant sea.

2. prevent (something) from being known; keep secret

• they were at great pains to conceal that information from the public.

– origin Middle English: from Old French conceler, from Latin concelare, from con- ‘completely’ + celare ‘hide’.

concealed /kənˈsiːld/

adjective

kept secret; hidden

• a concealed weapon

• he spoke with barely concealed anger.

concealed carry

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the practice of carrying a concealed firearm on one's person in public

• concealed carry is legal in the vast majority of states

• [as modifier] a concealed carry permit.

Compare with open carry.

concealed weapon

noun

a weapon, typically a handgun, which someone keeps hidden on their person or in their vehicle

• college students were uncomfortable with concealed weapons on campus.

concealer /kənˈsiːlə/

noun

a flesh-toned cosmetic stick used to cover spots, blemishes, and dark under-eye circles.

concealment /kənˈsiːlm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of hiding something or preventing it from being known

• the concealment of the weapons

• the deliberate concealment of material facts.

2. something that acts as a hiding place; cover

• he darted forwards from the concealment of the bushes.

concede /kənˈsiːd/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — admit or agree that something is true after first denying or resisting it
[with clause]

• I had to concede that I'd overreacted

• [with direct speech] ‘All right then,’ she conceded.

2. [with obj.] — admit (defeat) in a match or contest

• reluctantly, Ellen conceded defeat.

3. [with obj.] — admit defeat in (a match or contest)

• they conceded the match to their opponents.

4. [with obj.] — surrender or yield (a possession, right, or privilege)

• in 475 the emperor conceded the Auvergne to Euric.

5. grant (a right, privilege, or demand)

• their rights to redress of grievances were conceded once more.

6. (in sport) fail to prevent an opponent scoring (a goal or point)

• they have conceded only one goal in seven matches.

7. allow (a lead or advantage) to slip

• he took an early lead which he never conceded.

II. derivatives

conceder

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from French concéder or Latin concedere, from con- ‘completely’ + cedere ‘yield’.

conceit /kənˈsiːt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — excessive pride in oneself

• he was puffed up with conceit.

2. an ingenious or fanciful comparison or metaphor

• the idea of the wind's singing is a prime romantic conceit.

3. an artistic effect or device

• the director's brilliant conceit was to film this tale in black and white.

4. a fanciful notion

• he is alarmed by the widespread conceit that he spent most of the 1980s drunk.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘notion’, also ‘quaintly decorative article’): from conceive, on the pattern of pairs such as deceive, deceit.

conceited /kənˈsiːtɪd/

I. adjective

excessively proud of oneself; vain

• Fred's so conceited he'd never believe anyone would refuse him.

II. derivatives

1. conceitedly /kənˈsiːtɪdli /

adverb

2. conceitedness /kənˈsiːtɪdnəs /

noun

conceivable /kənˈsiːvəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

capable of being imagined or grasped mentally

• a mass uprising was entirely conceivable

• in every conceivable way that action was entirely wrong

• the body was photographed from every conceivable angle.

II. derivatives

conceivability /kənsiːvəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

conceivably /kənˈsiːvəbli/

adverb — [ sentence adverb]

1. it is conceivable or imaginable that

• it may conceivably cause liver disease.

conceive /kənˈsiːv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. create (an embryo) by fertilizing an egg

• she was conceived when her father was 49.

2. [no obj.] — (of a woman) become pregnant

• five months ago Wendy conceived.

3. form or devise (a plan or idea) in the mind

• the dam project was originally conceived in 1977

• (as adj., with submodifier conceived) a brilliantly conceived and executed robbery.

4. form a mental representation of; imagine

• without society an individual cannot be conceived as having rights

• [no obj.] we could not conceive of such things happening to us.

5. ‹literary› become affected by (a feeling)

• I had conceived a passion for another.

– origin Middle English: from Old French concevoir, from Latin concipere, from com- ‘together’ + capere ‘take’.

concelebrate /kɒnˈsɛlɪbreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Christian Church] officiate jointly at (a Mass)

• the pro-nuncio will concelebrate Mass with bishops from Wales.

II. derivatives

1. concelebrant

noun

2. concelebration

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin concelebrat- ‘celebrated together’, from the verb concelebrare, from con- ‘together’ + celebrare (see celebrate).

concentrate /ˈkɒns(ə)ntreɪt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — focus all one's attention on a particular object or activity

• she couldn't concentrate on the film

• [with obj.] a threatened tax rise concentrates the mind wonderfully.

2. ( concentrate on/upon) — do or deal with (one particular thing) above all others

• Luke wants to concentrate on his film career.

3. [with obj.] — gather (people or things) together in a common location

• the nation's wealth was concentrated in the hands of the governing elite.

4. [no obj.] — come together in a common location

• troops were concentrating at the western front.

5. [with obj.] — increase the strength or proportion of (a substance or solution) by removing or reducing the other diluting agent or by selective accumulation of atoms or molecules.

• plants and micro-organisms can concentrate metals from the environment.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a substance made by removing or reducing the diluting agent; a concentrated form of something

• apple juice concentrate.

III. derivatives

1. concentrative /ˈkɒns(ə)ntreɪtɪv /

adjective

2. concentrator /ˈkɒns(ə)ntreɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘bring towards a centre’): Latinized form of concentre, or from French concentrer ‘to concentrate’. Sense 1 of the verb dates from the early 20th cent.

concentrated /ˈkɒnsntreɪtɪd/

I. adjective

1. wholly directed to one thing; intense

• a concentrated campaign.

2. (of a substance or solution) present in a high proportion relative to other substances; having had water or other diluting agent removed or reduced

• pure concentrated fruit juice.

II. derivatives

concentratedly

adverb

concentration /kɒns(ə)nˈtreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or power of focusing all one's attention

• she was frowning in concentration.

2. ( concentration on/upon) — dealing with one particular thing above all others

• concentration on the needs of the young can mean that the elderly are forgotten.

3. a close gathering of people or things

• the island has the greatest concentration of seabirds in the north-west.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of gathering together closely

• the concentration of power in the hands of nobles.

5. the relative amount of a particular substance contained within a solution or mixture or in a particular volume of space

• the gas can collect in dangerous concentrations.

6. [ mass noun] — the action of strengthening a solution by the removal or reduction of the diluting agent or by the selective accumulation of atoms or molecules.

• by concentration of cell contents and supercooling, frost-hardened plant tissues survive temperatures down to −10°C.

concentration camp

noun

a place in which large numbers of people, especially political prisoners or members of persecuted minorities, are deliberately imprisoned in a relatively small area with inadequate facilities, sometimes to provide forced labour or to await mass execution. The term is most strongly associated with the several hundred camps established by the Nazis in Germany and occupied Europe 1933–45, among the most infamous being Dachau, Belsen, and Auschwitz.

concentre ‹US› concenter

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. concentrate (something) in a small space or area

• the property of this country is concentred in a very few hands.

2. [no obj.] — come together at a common centre

• here the produce of this extensive territory concentres.

3. ‹archaic› bring (two or more things) towards a common centre

• a passion in which soul and body were concentred.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French concentrer, from Latin con- ‘together’ + centrum ‘centre’.

concentric /kənˈsɛntrɪk/

I. adjective

of or denoting circles, arcs, or other shapes which share the same centre, the larger often completely surrounding the smaller.

• concentric circles indicate distances of 1 km, 2 km, and 3 km from the centre.

• a universe consisting of concentric spheres or layers.

• the revolving circle is concentric with the fixed outer circle.

II. derivatives

1. concentrically /kənˈsɛntrɪk(ə)li /

adverb

2. concentricity /kɒnsɛnˈtrɪsɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French concentrique or medieval Latin concentricus, from con- ‘together’ + centrum ‘centre’.

Concepción /kɒnˌsɛpsɪˈɒn, Spanish konsepˈsjon, konθepˈθjon/

an industrial city in south central Chile; pop. 220,000 (est. 2006).

concept /ˈkɒnsɛpt/

I. noun

1. an abstract idea

• structuralism is a difficult concept

• the concept of justice.

2. a plan or intention

• the centre has kept firmly to its original concept.

3. an idea or invention to help sell or publicize a commodity

• a new concept in corporate hospitality.

4. [as modifier] — (of a car or other vehicle) produced as an experimental model to test the viability of innovative design features

• a concept car for next month's Geneva motor show.

5. [Philosophy] an idea or mental image which corresponds to some distinct entity or class of entities, or to its essential features, or determines the application of a term (especially a predicate), and thus plays a part in the use of reason or language.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘thought, imagination’): from Latin conceptum ‘something conceived’, from Latin concept- ‘conceived’, from concipere (see conceive).

concept album

noun

a rock album featuring a cycle of songs expressing a particular theme or idea.

conception /kənˈsɛpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of conceiving a child or of one being conceived

• an unfertilized egg before conception

• [ count noun] a rise in premarital conceptions.

2. the forming or devising of a plan or idea

• the time between a product's conception and its launch.

3. [ count noun] — the way in which something is perceived or regarded

• our conception of how language relates to reality.

4. [ count noun] — an abstract idea; a concept

• the conception of a balance of power.

5. [ count noun] — a plan or intention

• reconstructing Bach's original conceptions.

6. ability to imagine; understanding

• the administration had no conception of women's problems.

II. derivatives

conceptional /kənˈsɛpʃ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin conceptio(n-), from the verb concipere (see conceive).

conceptive /kənˈsɛptɪv/

I. adjective

1. ‹rare› relating to conception or reproduction; reproductive

• male sexual interest was not related to the conceptive nature of a cycle.

2. ‹rare› relating to mental perception

• the logical and conceptive aspect of mind can be used to conceive our world anew.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin conceptivus, from concept- ‘conceived’, from concipere (see conceive).

conceptual /kənˈsɛptʃʊəl/

I. adjective

relating to or based on mental concepts

• philosophy deals with conceptual difficulties.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin conceptualis, from Latin concept- ‘conceived’, from the verb concipere (see concept).

conceptual art

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. art in which the idea or concept presented by the artist is considered more important than the finished product, if any such exists.

II. derivatives

conceptual artist

noun

conceptualism /kənˈsɛptjʊəlɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] the theory that universals can be said to exist, but only as concepts in the mind.

II. derivatives

conceptualist /kənˈsɛptʃ(ʊ)əlɪst /

noun

conceptualization /kənsɛptjʊəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / conceptualisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of forming a concept or idea of something

• our experience is beyond any conceptualization

• [as modifier] the conceptualization phase.

2. [ count noun] — an abstract idea or concept of something

• a new conceptualization of national identity.

conceptualize /kənˈsɛptjʊəlʌɪz / conceptualise

verb — [with obj.]

1. form a concept or idea of (something)

• sex was conceptualized as an overpowering force in the individual.

conceptually /kənˈsɛptʃ(ʊ)əli/

adverb

in terms of a concept or abstract idea
[ sentence adverb]

• conceptually, this is a complex process

• a conceptually simple task.

conceptus /kənˈsɛptəs/

I. noun

‹technical› the embryo in the womb, especially during the early stages of pregnancy.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin, ‘conception, embryo’, from concept- ‘conceived’, from the verb concipere.

concern /kənˈsəːn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. relate to; be about

• the story concerns a friend of mine

• the report is mainly concerned with 1984 onwards.

2. be relevant or important to; affect or involve

• she was prying into that which did not concern her

• many thanks to all concerned.

3. ( concern oneself with) — interest or involve oneself in

• it is not necessary for us to concern ourselves with this point.

4. ( be concerned in) — ‹formal› have a specific connection with or responsibility for

• those concerned in industry, academia, and government.

5. ( be concerned with/to do something) — regard it as important to do something

• I was mainly concerned with making something that children could enjoy.

6. make (someone) anxious or worried

• the roof of the barn concerns me because eventually it will fall in

• don't concern yourself, old boy—my lips are sealed.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — anxiety; worry

• Carole gazed at her with concern.

2. [ count noun] — a cause of anxiety or worry

• environmental concerns.

3. a matter of interest or importance to someone

• housing is the concern of the Housing Executive

• [ mass noun] the prospect should be of concern to us all.

4. a business

• the town's only travel agent was a small, debt-ridden concern.

5. ‹informal› ‹dated› a complicated or awkward object.

III. phrases

1. as (or so) far as —— is concerned

as regards the interests or case of ——

• the measures are irrelevant as far as inflation is concerned.

2. have no concern with

‹formal› have nothing to do with

• drama seemed to have no concern with ‘truth’ at all.

3. to whom it may concern

used at the beginning of a letter, notice, or testimonial when the identity of the reader or readers is unknown.

– origin late Middle English: from French concerner or late Latin concernere (in medieval Latin ‘be relevant to’), from con- (expressing intensive force) + cernere ‘sift, discern’.

concerned /kənˈsəːnd/

I. adjective

worried, troubled, or anxious

• the villagers are concerned about burglaries.

II. derivatives

concernedly

adverb

concerning /kənˈsəːnɪŋ/

I. preposition

on the subject of or in connection with; about

• we are given little information concerning matters of national security.

II. adjective

causing anxiety; worrying

• I find many of the comments very concerning

• a concerning breach of security.

concernment /kənˈsəːnm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› importance

• matters of great public concernment.

2. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› a matter of interest or importance to someone; a concern

• if the captain has a family or any absorbing concernment of that sort.

concern troll

noun

‹informal› ‹derogatory› a person who disingenuously expresses concern about an issue with the intention of undermining or derailing genuine discussion

• he is regarded among climate scientists as a concern troll.

concern trolling

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› the action or practice of disingenuously expressing concern about an issue in order to undermine or derail genuine discussion

• there seems to be a lot of concern trolling in the second half of this article.

concert

I. noun — concert /ˈkɒnsət /

1. a musical performance given in public, typically by several performers or of several compositions

• a pop concert

• [as modifier] a concert pianist.

2. [as modifier] — relating to or denoting the performance of music written for opera, ballet, or theatre on its own without the accompanying dramatic action

• the concert version of the fourth interlude from the opera.

3. [ mass noun] — ‹formal› agreement or harmony

• critics' inability to describe with any precision and concert the characteristics of literature.

4. [Law] joint action, especially in the committing of a crime.

• they found direct evidence of concert of action.

II. verb — [with obj.] concert /kənˈsəːt /

1. ‹formal› arrange (something) by mutual agreement or coordination

• they started meeting regularly to concert their parliamentary tactics.

III. phrases

in concert

a. acting jointly

• we must take action in concert with our European partners.

b. (of music or a performer) giving a public performance; live

• they saw Pink Floyd in concert.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘unite’): from French concerter, from Italian concertare ‘harmonize’. The noun use, dating from the early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘a combination of voices or sounds’), is from French concert, from Italian concerto, from concertare.

concertante /ˌkɒntʃəˈtanteɪ, ˌkɒntʃəˈtanti/

I. adjective

1. denoting a piece of music containing one or more solo parts, typically of less prominence than in a concerto.

• he wrote several concertante works.

See also sinfonia concertante.

2. denoting prominent instrumental parts present throughout a piece of music, especially in baroque and early classical compositions.

• the cantata has a fine violin concertante part.

– origin Italian, ‘harmonizing’, from concertare ‘harmonize’.

concert band

noun

another term for military band.

concerted /kənˈsəːtɪd/

I. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — jointly arranged or carried out; coordinated

• a concerted attempt to preserve religious unity.

2. done with great effort or determination

• you must make a concerted effort to curb this.

3. (of music) arranged in several parts of equal importance.

• concerted secular music for voices.

II. derivatives

concertedly

adverb

concertgoer /ˈkɒnsətˌɡəʊə/

noun

a person who goes to concerts, especially on a regular basis.

• concertgoers waiting for the evening's performance to begin.

• Eliot was not a concertgoer.

concert grand

noun

the largest size of grand piano, up to 2.75 m long, used for concerts.

concert hall

noun

a large public building designed for the performance of concerts.

concertina /ˌkɒnsəˈtiːnə/

I. noun

1. a small musical instrument played by stretching and squeezing a central bellows between the hands to blow air over reeds, each note being sounded by a button.
Compare with accordion.

2. [as modifier] — opening or closing in multiple folds

• concertina doors.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. extend, compress, or collapse in folds like those of a concertina

• the car had concertinaed against the rear of the truck.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from concert + -ina.

concertino /ˌkɒntʃəˈtiːnəʊ/

I. noun

1. a simple or short concerto.

2. a solo instrument or solo instruments playing with an orchestra.
[as modifier]

• the concertino group of two violins and cello.

– origin late 18th cent.: Italian, diminutive of concerto (see concerto).

concertize /ˈkɒnsətʌɪz/

verb — [no obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) give a concert or concerts.

• I concertize around the world so much of the year.

concertmaster /ˈkɒnsətmɑːstə/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) the leading first-violin player in some orchestras.

concerto /kənˈtʃəːtəʊ, kənˈtʃɛːtəʊ/

I. noun

a musical composition for a solo instrument or instruments accompanied by an orchestra, especially one conceived on a relatively large scale.

– origin early 18th cent.: Italian, from concertare ‘harmonize’.

concerto grosso /ˈɡrɒsəʊ/

I. noun

a musical composition for a group of solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra. The term is used mainly of baroque works.

– origin early 18th cent.: Italian, literally ‘big concerto’.

concert overture

noun

a piece of music in the style of an overture but intended for independent performance.

concert party

noun

1. a group of performers giving variety concerts.

2. [Stock Exchange] a number of parties who separately invest in a company with the concealed intention of using their holdings as a single block.

concert performance

noun

1. a performance of a piece of music written for an opera, ballet, piece of theatre, religious service, etc., at a concert without the accompanying dramatic action or liturgy.

2. a performance of a piece of music at a live concert.

concert pianist

noun

a classical pianist who regularly performs as a soloist in concerts.

concert pitch

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Music] an internationally agreed standard for the tuning of musical instruments, in which the note A above middle C has a frequency of 440 Hz.

• the players use period instruments tuned to A = 421, nearly a semitone down on modern concert pitch.

2. [Music] a state of readiness, efficiency, and keenness

• slightly unnerved by the contretemps, I was not at concert pitch.

concession /kənˈsɛʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a thing that is granted, especially in response to demands

• the government was unwilling to make any further concessions.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of conceding or granting something

• this strict rule was relaxed by concession.

3. ( a concession to) — a gesture made in recognition of a demand or prevailing standard

• her only concession to fashion was her ornate silver ring.

4. a preferential allowance or rate given by an organization

• tax concessions.

5. (Brit.) a reduction in the price of something for a certain category of person.

• railcard holders can obtain concessions.

• there are concessions on party bookings.

6. the right to use land or other property for a specified purpose, granted by a government, company, or other controlling body

• new logging concessions.

7. a commercial operation set up by agreement within the premises of a larger concern.

• the concessions will offer photo processing and a pharmacy.

8. the right, given by a company, to sell goods, especially in a particular place.

9. (Canadian) a piece of land into which surveyed land is divided.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin concessio(n-), from the verb concedere (see concede).

concessionaire /kənˌsɛʃəˈnɛː / concessionnaire

I. noun

the holder of a concession or grant, especially for the use of land or commercial premises or for trading rights.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French concessionnaire, from Latin concessio (see concession).

concessional /kənˈsɛʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

adjective

(of a rate or allowance) constituting a concession

• a concessional interest rate.

concessionary /kənˈsɛʃənəri/

adjective

(Brit.) relating to or constituting a concession or reduced rate

• concessionary bus passes.

concession road concession line

noun

(Canadian) a rural road separating concessions.

concessive /kənˈsɛsɪv/

adjective

1. characterized by or tending to concession

• we must look for a more concessive approach.

2. [Grammar] (of a preposition or conjunction) introducing a phrase or clause denoting a circumstance which might be expected to preclude the action of the main clause, but does not (e.g. in spite of, although).

3. (of a phrase or clause) introduced by a concessive preposition or conjunction.

conch /kɒŋk, kɒn(t)ʃ/

I. noun

1. (also conch shell) — a tropical marine mollusc with a robust spiral shell which may bear long projections and have a flared lip.
● Strombus and other genera, family Strombidae, class Gastropoda.

2. a conch shell blown like a trumpet to produce a hollow-sounding musical note, often depicted as played by Tritons.

3. [Architecture] the roof of a semicircular apse, shaped like half a dome.

4. another term for concha.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin concha ‘shellfish, shell’, from Greek konkhē ‘mussel, cockle, or shell-like cavity’.

concha /ˈkɒŋkə/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] [Zoology] a part resembling a spiral shell, in particular:

2. [Anatomy] [Zoology] the depression in the external ear leading to its central opening.

3. (also nasal concha) — [Anatomy] [Zoology] any of several thin, scroll-like (turbinate) bones in the sides of the nasal cavity.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin (see conch).

conchie /ˈkɒnʃi/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a conscientious objector.

• they were all conchies and socialists and they kept on about negotiating an end to the war.

– origin First World War: abbreviation.

conchiglie /kɒnˈkiːljeɪ/

I. plural noun

pasta in the form of small conch shells.

– origin Italian, plural of conchiglia ‘conch shell’.

conchiolin /ˈkɒntʃɪə(ʊ)lɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] a tough, insoluble protein secreted by molluscs, forming the organic matrix of the shell within which calcium carbonate is deposited.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin concha ‘shell’ + the diminutive suffix -iola + -in^1.

conchoid /ˈkɒŋkɔɪd/

I. noun

[Mathematics] a plane quartic curve consisting of two separate branches either side of and asymptotic to a central straight line (the asymptote), such that if a line is drawn from a fixed point (the pole) to intersect both branches, the part of the line falling between the two branches is of constant length and is exactly bisected by the asymptote.
●Such curves are represented by the general equation ( x − a)2( x 2 + y 2) = b 2 x 2, where a is the distance between the pole and the asymptote, and b is the constant length. The branch on the same side of the asymptote as the pole typically has a cusp or loop.

– origin early 18th cent.: from conch + -oid.

conchoidal /kɒŋˈkɔɪd(ə)l/

adjective

[chiefly Mineralogy] denoting a type of fracture in a solid (such as flint) which results in a smooth rounded surface resembling the shape of a scallop shell.

conchology /kɒŋˈkɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the scientific study or collection of mollusc shells.

II. derivatives

1. conchological

adjective

2. conchologist /kɒŋˈkɒlədʒɪst /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek konkhē ‘shell’ + -logy.

concierge /ˈkɒnsɪɛːʒ/

I. noun

1. (especially in France) a resident caretaker of a block of flats or a small hotel.

2. a hotel employee whose job is to assist guests by booking tours, making theatre and restaurant reservations, etc.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting the warden of a house, castle, prison, or palace): French, probably based on Latin conservus ‘fellow slave’.

conciliar /kənˈsɪlɪə/

I. adjective

relating to or proceeding from a council, especially an ecclesiastical one

• conciliar decrees.

– origin late 17th cent.: from medieval Latin consiliarius ‘counsellor’, from Latin concilium (see council).

conciliate /kənˈsɪlɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. stop (someone) being angry or discontented; placate

• concessions were made to conciliate the peasantry.

2. [no obj.] — act as a mediator

• he sought to conciliate in the dispute.

3. ‹formal› reconcile; make compatible

• all complaints about charges will be conciliated if possible.

4. ‹archaic› gain (esteem or goodwill)

• the arts which conciliate popularity.

II. derivatives

conciliative /kənˈsɪlɪətɪv /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin conciliat- ‘combined, gained’, from the verb conciliare, from concilium (see council).

conciliation /kənˌsɪlɪˈeɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of stopping someone being angry; placation

• he held his hands up in a gesture of conciliation.

2. the action of mediating between two disputing people or groups

• many disputes are settled through conciliation by the official body.

conciliator /kənˈsɪlɪeɪtə/

noun

a person who acts as a mediator between two disputing people or groups

• he was seen as a conciliator, who would heal divisions in the party.

conciliatory /kənˈsɪliətəri/

adjective

intended or likely to placate or pacify

• a conciliatory approach.

concinnity /kənˈsɪnɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the skilful and harmonious arrangement or fitting together of the different parts of something.

2. ‹rare› studied elegance of literary or artistic style.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin concinnitas, from concinnus ‘skilfully put together’.

concise /kənˈsʌɪs/

I. adjective

giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words; brief but comprehensive

• a concise account of the country's history.

II. derivatives

1. conciseness /kənˈsʌɪsnəs /

noun

2. concision

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from French concis or Latin concisus, past participle of concidere ‘cut up, cut down’, from con- ‘completely’ + caedere ‘to cut’.

concisely /kənˈsʌɪsli/

adverb

in a way that is brief but comprehensive

• his main objections to it can be concisely summarized.

conclave /ˈkɒŋkleɪv/

I. noun

1. a private meeting.

2. (in the Roman Catholic Church) the assembly of cardinals for the election of a pope.

3. the meeting place for a conclave.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a private room): via French from Latin conclave ‘lockable room’, from con- ‘with’ + clavis ‘key’.

conclude /kənˈkluːd/

I. verb

1. bring or come to an end
[with obj.]

• they conclude their study with these words

• [no obj.] the talk concluded with slides.

2. [with obj.] — formally and finally settle or arrange (an agreement)

• an attempt to conclude a ceasefire.

3. [with clause] — arrive at a judgement or opinion by reasoning

• the doctors concluded that Esther had suffered a stroke

• what do you conclude from all this?

4. [with direct speech] — say in conclusion

• ‘It's a wicked old world,’ she concluded.

5. [with infinitive] — (US) ‹dated› decide to do something

• we found some bread, which we concluded to eat.

II. phrases

conclude missives

[Scots Law] (of a buyer) sign a contract with the vendor of a property or piece of land to signify change of ownership.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘convince’): from Latin concludere, from con- ‘completely’ + claudere ‘to shut’.

conclusion /kənˈkluːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. the end or finish of an event, process, or text

• the conclusion of World War Two.

2. the summing-up of an argument or text.

• in the conclusion we highlight these and other important issues.

3. [ mass noun] — the formal and final arrangement of an agreement

• the conclusion of a free-trade accord.

4. a judgement or decision reached by reasoning

• each research group came to a similar conclusion.

5. [Logic] a proposition that is reached from given premises.

II. phrases

1. in conclusion

lastly; to sum up

• in conclusion, it is clear that the market is maturing.

2. jump (or leap) to conclusions (or the conclusion)

make a hasty judgement before considering all the facts.

• they are imagining things, jumping to conclusions.

• investigators jumped to the conclusion that tropical deforestation was to blame.

3. try conclusions with

‹formal› engage in a trial of skill or argument with.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin conclusio(n-), from the verb concludere (see conclude).

conclusive /kənˈkluːsɪv/

I. adjective

1. (of evidence or argument) having or likely to have the effect of proving a case; decisive

• conclusive evidence

• the findings were by no means conclusive.

2. (of a victory) achieved easily or by a large margin.

• a conclusive 5–O win.

II. derivatives

conclusiveness /kənˈkluːsɪvnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘summing up’): from late Latin conclusivus, from Latin conclus- ‘closed up’, from the verb concludere (see conclusion).

conclusively /kənˈkluːsɪvli/

adverb

1. in a decisive way that has the effect of proving a case

• the story had been conclusively debunked

• I have shown conclusively that there was no such epidemic.

2. in a way that is achieved easily or by a large margin

• wars are difficult to win conclusively.

concoct /kənˈkɒkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a dish or meal) by combining various ingredients

• she began to concoct a dinner likely to appeal to him.

2. create or devise (a story or plan)

• his cronies concocted a simple plan.

II. derivatives

concocter concoctor

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin concoct-, literally ‘cooked together’, from concoquere. The original sense was ‘refine metals or minerals by heating’, later ‘cook’.

concoction /kənˈkɒkʃn/

noun

1. a mixture of various ingredients or elements

• the facade is a strange concoction of northern Mannerism and Italian Baroque.

2. an elaborate story, especially a fabricated one

• her story is an improbable concoction.

3. an elaborate or showy garment or hat.

• she wore a skin-tight concoction of bugle heads and sequins.

concomitance /kənˈkɒmɪt(ə)ns / concomitancy

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact of existing or occurring together with something else.

2. [Theology] the doctrine that the body and blood of Christ are each present in both the bread and the wine of the Eucharist.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin concomitantia, from the verb concomitari ‘accompany’ (see concomitant).

concomitant /kənˈkɒmɪt(ə)nt / ‹formal›

I. adjective

naturally accompanying or associated

• she loved travel, with all its concomitant worries

• concomitant with his obsession with dirt was a desire for order.

II. noun

a phenomenon that naturally accompanies or follows something

• he sought promotion without the necessary concomitant of hard work.

III. derivatives

concomitantly

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin concomitant- ‘accompanying’, from concomitari, from con- ‘together with’ + comitari, from Latin comes ‘companion’.

concord /ˈkɒŋkɔːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› agreement or harmony between people or groups

• a pact of peace and concord.

2. [ count noun] — a treaty.

• a concord was to be drawn up.

3. [Grammar] agreement between words in gender, number, case, person, or any other grammatical category which affects the forms of the words.

4. [ count noun] — [Music] a chord that is pleasing or satisfactory in itself.

– origin Middle English: from Old French concorde, from Latin concordia, from concors ‘of one mind’, from con- ‘together’ + cor, cord- ‘heart’.

Concord^1 /ˈkɒŋkɔːd/

I. the state capital of New Hampshire; pop. 42,255 (est. 2008).

II. a town in NE Massachusetts; pop. 17,450 (est. 2008). Battles there and at Lexington in April 1775 marked the start of the War of American Independence.

Concord^2 /ˈkɒŋkɔːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of dessert grape developed at Concord, Massachusetts.

concordance /kənˈkɔːd(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. an alphabetical list of the words (especially the important ones) present in a text or texts, usually with citations of the passages concerned or with the context displayed on a computer screen

• a concordance to the Bible.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹formal› agreement or consistency

• the concordance between the teams' research results.

3. [Medicine] the inheritance by two related individuals (especially twins) of the same genetic characteristic, such as susceptibility to a disease.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. concordanced)

1. make a concordance of

• the value of concordanced information.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from medieval Latin concordantia, from concordant- ‘being of one mind’ (see concordant).

concordant /kənˈkɔːd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. in agreement; consistent

• the answers were roughly concordant.

2. [Music] in harmony.

3. [Geology] corresponding in direction with the planes of adjacent or underlying strata.

4. [Medicine] (of twins) inheriting the same genetic characteristic.

II. derivatives

concordantly

adverb

concordat /kənˈkɔːdat/

I. noun

an agreement or treaty, especially one between the Vatican and a secular government relating to matters of mutual interest.

• Napoleon I's concordat with the papacy.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, or from Latin concordatum ‘something agreed upon’, neuter past participle of concordare ‘be of one mind’ (see concord).

Concorde /ˈkɒŋkɔːd/

a supersonic airliner able to cruise at twice the speed of sound. Produced through Anglo-French cooperation, it made its maiden flight in 1969 and was taken out of service in 2003.

concours /ˈkɒ̃kʊə / concours d'élégance /ˌdɛleɪˈɡɒ̃s/

I. noun

an exhibition or parade of vintage or classic motor vehicles in which prizes are awarded for those in the best or most original condition.
[as modifier]

• condition is what counts: a concours Mark 1 will fetch more than a ropy Mark 2 six years its junior.

– origin French, ‘contest (of elegance)’.

concourse /ˈkɒŋkɔːs/

I. noun

1. a large open area inside or in front of a public building

• a station concourse.

2. ‹formal› a crowd or assembly of people

• a vast concourse of onlookers.

3. [ mass noun] — the action of coming together or meeting

• the concourse of bodies.

4. another term for concours.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French concours, from Latin concursus, from concurs- ‘run together, met’, from the verb concurrere (see concur). Sense 1 (originally US) dates from the mid 19th cent.

concrescence /kənˈkrɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the coalescence or growing together of parts originally separate.

II. derivatives

concrescent

adjective

– origin early 17th cent. (in the senses ‘growth by assimilation’ and ‘a concretion’): from con- ‘together’ + -crescence, on the pattern of words such as excrescence. The current sense dates from the late 19th cent.

concrete

I. adjective — concrete /ˈkɒŋkriːt /

1. existing in a material or physical form; not abstract

• concrete objects like stones.

2. specific; definite

• I haven't got any concrete proof.

3. (of a noun) denoting a material object as opposed to an abstract quality, state, or action.

II. noun — [ mass noun] concrete /ˈkɒŋkriːt /

1. a building material made from a mixture of broken stone or gravel, sand, cement, and water, which can be spread or poured into moulds and forms a stone-like mass on hardening

• slabs of concrete

• [as modifier] concrete blocks.

III. verb — [with obj.] concrete /ˈkɒŋkriːt /

1. cover (an area) with concrete

• the precious English countryside may soon be concreted over.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of place] — fix in position with concrete

• the post is concreted into the ground.

3. /kənˈkriːt/ — ‹archaic› form (something) into a mass; solidify.

• the juices of the plants are concreted upon the surface.

4. make real or concrete instead of abstract

• concreting God into actual form of man.

IV. phrases

1. be set in concrete

(of a policy or idea) be fixed and unalterable

• I do not regard the constitution as set in concrete.

2. in the concrete

‹formal› in reality or in practice.

• the difference between war in the abstract and war in the concrete.

V. derivatives

concreteness /ˈkɒŋkriːtnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘solidified’): from French concret or Latin concretus, past participle of concrescere ‘grow together’. Early use was also as a grammatical term designating a quality belonging to a substance (usually expressed by an adjective such as white in white paper) as opposed to the quality itself (expressed by an abstract noun such as whiteness); later concrete came to be used to refer to nouns embodying attributes (e.g. fool, hero), as opposed to the attributes themselves (e.g. foolishness, heroism), and this is the basis of the modern use as the opposite of ‘abstract’. The noun sense ‘building material’ dates from the mid 19th cent.

concrete jungle

noun

a city or urban area which has a high density of large, unattractive, modern buildings and is perceived as an unpleasant living environment.

• a three-room flat in the concrete jungle of suburban Moscow.

concretely /ˈkɒnkriːtli/

adverb

1. in a definitive or conclusive way

• a very real need to think concretely about the issues.

2. in a way that is material or physical

• these moments are captured concretely and indelibly on film.

concrete mixer

noun

a cement mixer.

concrete music

noun

another term for musique concrète.

concrete noun

noun

a noun denoting a material object rather than an abstract quality, state, or action, e.g. dog, building, tree

• the list consisted of 20 high-frequency concrete nouns.

concrete poetry

noun — [ mass noun]

1. poetry in which the meaning or effect is conveyed partly or wholly by visual means, using patterns of words or letters and other typographical devices.

concrete universal

noun

(in idealist philosophy) an abstraction which is manifest in a developing or organized set of instances, so having the qualities of both the universal and the particular.

concretion /kənˈkriːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a hard solid mass formed by the local accumulation of matter, especially within the body or within a mass of sediment.

• nodular concretions of siderite growing within the sediments.

2. [ mass noun] — the process by which matter forms into a concretion.

II. derivatives

concretionary /kənˈkriːʃən(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin concretio(n-), from concrescere ‘grow together’.

concretize /ˈkɒŋkrɪtʌɪz / concretise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (an idea or concept) real; give specific or definite form to

• the theme park is an attempt to concretize our fantasies about America.

II. derivatives

concretization

noun

concubinage /kɒnˈkjuːbɪnɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹chiefly historical› the practice of keeping a concubine, or the state of being a concubine.

• what is the daughter of an infidel good for besides concubinage?

– origin late Middle English: from French, from Old French concubine (see concubine).

concubine /ˈkɒŋkjʊbʌɪn/

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly historical› (in polygamous societies) a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives.

2. ‹archaic› a mistress.

II. derivatives

concubinary /kənˈkjuːbɪn(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin concubina, from con- ‘with’ + cubare ‘to lie’.

concupiscence /kənˈkjuːpɪs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› strong sexual desire; lust.

• St Anthony's battle with concupiscence.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from late Latin concupiscentia, from Latin concupiscent- ‘beginning to desire’, from the verb concupiscere, from con- (expressing intensive force) + cupere ‘to desire’.

concupiscent /kənˈkjuːpɪs(ə)nt/

adjective

‹formal› filled with sexual desire; lustful

• concupiscent dreams.

concur /kənˈkəː/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. be of the same opinion; agree

• the authors concurred with the majority

• [with direct speech] ‘That's right,’ the chairman concurred.

2. ( concur with) — agree with (a decision or opinion)

• we strongly concur with this recommendation.

3. happen or occur at the same time; coincide

• in tests, cytogenetic determination has been found to concur with enzymatic determination.

– origin late Middle English (also in the senses ‘collide’ and ‘act in combination’): from Latin concurrere ‘run together, assemble in crowds’, from con- ‘together with’ + currere ‘to run’.

concurrence /kənˈkʌr(ə)ns / concurrency

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact of two or more events or circumstances happening or existing at the same time

• the incidental concurrence of two separate tumours.

2. [ count noun] — [Mathematics] a point at which three or more lines meet

• the number of possible concurrences in the diagram.

3. agreement or consistency

• delays can be avoided by arriving at political concurrence at the start

• we want the concurrence of law enforcement.

concurrent /kənˈkʌr(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. existing, happening, or done at the same time

• there are three concurrent art fairs around the city.

2. (of two or more prison sentences) to be served at the same time.

• he received concurrent sentences of two years' imprisonment for each of his two convictions.

• [ postpositive] she was given nine months concurrent for each offence.

3. [Mathematics] (of three or more lines) meeting at or tending towards one point.

4. agreeing or consistent.

II. derivatives

concurrency

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin concurrent- ‘running together, meeting’, from the verb concurrere (see concur).

concurrently /kənˈkʌrəntli/

adverb

at the same time; simultaneously

• journal articles published concurrently with the exhibition.

concuss /kənˈkʌs/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. concussed)

1. hit the head of (a person or animal), causing them to become temporarily unconscious or confused

• Michael was a bit concussed.

II. derivatives

concussive

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘shake violently’): from Latin concuss- ‘dashed together, violently shaken’, from the verb concutere, from con- ‘together’ + quatere ‘shake’.

concussion /kənˈkʌʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — temporary unconsciousness or confusion and other symptoms caused by a blow on the head.

• he was carried off the pitch with concussion.

• [ count noun] nothing more serious than a mild concussion.

2. a violent shock as from a heavy blow

• the ground shuddered with the concussion of the blast.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin concussio(n-), from the verb concutere ‘dash together, shake’ (see concuss).

condemn /kənˈdɛm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. express complete disapproval of; censure

• most leaders roundly condemned the attack

• the plan was condemned by campaigners.

2. sentence (someone) to a particular punishment, especially death

• the rebels had been condemned to death

• (as adj. condemned) the condemned men.

3. (of circumstances) force (someone) to endure or accept something unpleasant

• the physical ailments that condemned him to a lonely childhood.

4. prove or show to be guilty or unsatisfactory

• she could see in his eyes that her stumble had condemned her.

5. officially declare (something) to be unfit for use

• the pool has been condemned as a health hazard.

II. derivatives

condemnable /kənˈdɛmnəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French condemner, from Latin condemnare, from con- (expressing intensive force) + damnare ‘inflict loss on’ (see damn).

condemnation /ˌkɒndəmˈneɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the expression of very strong disapproval; censure

• there was strong international condemnation of the attack.

2. the action of condemning someone to a punishment; sentencing.

condemnatory /ˌkɒndəmˈneɪt(ə)ri/

adjective

expressing strong disapproval; censorious

• condemnatory statements.

condemned cell

noun

(Brit.) a prison cell in which a prisoner who has received a death sentence is kept.

condensate /ˈkɒnd(ə)nseɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. liquid collected by condensation.

2. [ count noun] — [Chemistry] a compound produced by a condensation reaction.

condensation /kɒndɛnˈseɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. water which collects as droplets on a cold surface when humid air is in contact with it.

• the inside of the cab steamed up with condensation.

2. the conversion of a vapour or gas to a liquid.

• the cloud is caused by condensation in the air.

3. (also condensation reaction) [ count noun] — [Chemistry] a reaction in which two molecules combine to form a larger molecule, producing a small molecule such as H_2O as a by-product.

4. [Psychology] the fusion of two or more images or ideas into a single composite or new image, as a primary process in unconscious thought exemplified in dreams.

5. [ count noun] — a concise version of something, especially a text

• a readable condensation of the recent literature.

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin condensatio(n-), from condensare ‘press close together’ (see condense).

condensation trail

noun

another term for vapour trail.

condense /kənˈdɛns/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — make (something) denser or more concentrated

• the morning play on Saturday was condensed into a half-hour package.

2. express (written or spoken material) in fewer words; make concise

• he condensed the three plays into a three-hour drama.

3. change or cause to change from a gas or vapour to a liquid
[no obj.]

• the moisture vapour in the air condenses into droplets of water

• [with obj.] the cold air was condensing his breath.

II. derivatives

condensable /ˌkɒnˈdɛnsəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French condenser or Latin condensare, from condensus ‘very thick’, from con- ‘completely’ + densus ‘dense’.

condensed /kənˈdɛnst/

adjective

1. made denser or more concise; compressed or concentrated

• a condensed version of the report.

2. (of a liquid) thickened by heating to reduce the water content; concentrated

• condensed soup.

3. changed from a gas or vapour to a liquid

• droplets of condensed moisture.

condensed milk

noun — [ mass noun]

1. milk that has been thickened by evaporation and sweetened, sold in tins.

condenser /kənˈdɛnsə/

noun

1. an apparatus or container for condensing vapour.

2. a lens or system of lenses for collecting and directing light.

3. another term for capacitor.

condescend /kɒndɪˈsɛnd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. show that one feels superior; be patronizing

• take care not to condescend to your reader.

2. [with infinitive] — do something in such a way as to emphasize that one clearly regards it as below one's dignity or level of importance

• he condescended to see me at my hotel.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘give way, defer’): from Old French condescendre, from ecclesiastical Latin condescendere, from con- ‘together’ + descendere ‘descend’.

condescending /kɒndɪˈsɛndɪŋ/

I. adjective

having or showing an attitude of patronizing superiority

• she thought the teachers were arrogant and condescending

• a condescending smile.

II. derivatives

condescendingly /kɒndɪˈsɛndɪŋli /

adverb

condescension /ˌkɒndɪˈsɛnʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an attitude of patronizing superiority; disdain

• a tone of condescension

• I'm treated with condescension.

condign /kənˈdʌɪn/

I. adjective

‹formal› (of punishment or retribution) appropriate to the crime or wrongdoing; fitting and deserved.

• condign punishment was rare when the criminal was a man of high social standing.

II. derivatives

condignly

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘worthy, appropriate’): from Old French condigne, from Latin condignus, from con- ‘altogether’ + dignus ‘worthy’.

condiment /ˈkɒndɪm(ə)nt/

I. noun

a substance such as salt, mustard, or pickle that is used to add flavour to food.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin condimentum, from condire ‘to pickle’.

condition /kənˈdɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] [usu. with adj.] — the state of something with regard to its appearance, quality, or working order

• the wiring is in good condition

• [in sing.] the bridge is in an extremely dangerous condition.

2. a person's or animal's state of health or physical fitness

• the baby was in good condition at birth

• [in sing.] she was in a serious condition.

3. [ count noun] [often with modifier] — an illness or other medical problem

• a heart condition.

4. [in sing.] — the situation in life of a particular group

• the sorrows of the human condition.

5. ‹archaic› social position

• those of humbler condition.

6. ( conditions) — the circumstances or factors affecting the way in which people live or work, especially with regard to their well-being

• harsh working conditions.

7. the factors or prevailing situation influencing the performance or outcome of a process

• present market conditions.

8. the prevailing state of the weather, ground, or sea at a particular time, especially as it affects a sporting event

• the appalling conditions determined the style of play.

9. a situation that must exist before something else is possible or permitted

• for a member to borrow money, three conditions have to be met

• all personnel should comply with this policy as a condition of employment.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. have a significant influence on or determine (the manner or outcome of something)

• national choices are conditioned by the international political economy.

2. train or accustom to behave in a certain way or to accept certain circumstances

• our minds are heavily conditioned and circumscribed by habit

• [with obj. and infinitive] they are beliefs which he has been conditioned to accept

• (as noun conditioning) social conditioning.

3. bring (something) into the desired state for use

• a product for conditioning leather.

4. (often as adj. conditioned) — make (a person or animal) fit and healthy

• he was six feet two of perfectly conditioned muscle and bone.

5. (often as adj. conditioned) — bring (beer) to maturation after fermentation while the yeast is still present
[in combination]

• cask-conditioned real ales.

6. [no obj.] — (of a beer) become conditioned

• brews that are allowed to condition in the bottle.

7. apply a conditioner to (the hair)

• I condition my hair regularly.

8. set prior requirements on (something) before it can occur or be done

• Congressmen have sought to limit and condition military and economic aid.

III. phrases

1. in (or out of) condition

in a fit (or unfit) physical state.

• what difference should it make to the coach what I do after hours as long as I keep in condition?

• ‘I'm out of condition,’ she panted.

2. in no condition to do something

certainly not fit or well enough to do something

• you're in no condition to tackle the stairs.

3. on condition that

with the stipulation that

• I got three years' probation, on condition that I stay at the hostel for a year.

– origin Middle English: from Old French condicion (noun), condicionner (verb), from Latin condicio(n-) ‘agreement’, from condicere ‘agree upon’, from con- ‘with’ + dicere ‘say’.

conditional /kənˈdɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. subject to one or more conditions or requirements being met

• the consortium have made a conditional offer

• Western aid was only granted conditional on further reform.

2. [Grammar] (of a clause, phrase, conjunction, or verb form) expressing a condition.

II. noun

1. [Grammar] [Philosophy] a conditional clause or conjunction.

2. a sentence containing a conditional clause.

3. [ mass noun] — [Grammar] the conditional mood of a verb, for example should in if I should die.

III. derivatives

conditionality /kəndɪʃ(ə)ˈnalɪti /

noun

conditional discharge

noun

an order made by a criminal court whereby an offender will not be sentenced for an offence unless a further offence is committed within a stated period.

conditionally /kənˈdɪʃ(ə)nəli/

adverb

in a way that is subject to one or more conditions or requirements being met

• they conditionally approved the proposal

• he conditionally accepted the job.

conditional probability

noun

[Statistics] the probability of an event ( A), given that another ( B) has already occurred.

conditional sale

noun

the sale of goods according to a contract under which ownership does not pass to the buyer until after a set time, usually after payment of the last instalment of the purchase price, although the buyer has possession and is committed to acquiring ownership.
[as modifier]

• conditional sale agreement.

condition code

noun

[Computing] a group of bits indicating the condition of something inside a computer, often used to decide which instructions the computer will subsequently execute.

conditioned response conditioned reflex

noun

[Psychology] an automatic response established by training to an ordinarily neutral stimulus.

conditioner /kənˈdɪʃ(ə)nə/

noun

1. a substance or appliance used to improve the condition of something

• add a water conditioner to neutralize chlorine.

2. a liquid applied to the hair after shampooing to improve its condition.

• to prevent static, always use a conditioner.

• [ mass noun] I have to use a lot of conditioner.

condo /ˈkɒndəʊ/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› short for condominium (sense 1):

• a high-rise condo.

condole /kənˈdəʊl/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( condole with)

1. express sympathy for (someone); grieve with

• the priest came to condole with Madeleine.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Christian Latin condolere, from con- ‘with’ + dolere ‘grieve, suffer’.

condolence /kənˈdəʊl(ə)ns/

I. noun — (usu. condolences)

1. an expression of sympathy, especially on the occasion of the death of a person's relative or close friend

• we offer our sincere condolences to his widow

• [ mass noun] letters of condolence.

– origin early 17th cent.: from condole, influenced by French condoléance.

condom /ˈkɒndəm/

I. noun

a thin rubber sheath worn on a man's penis during sexual intercourse as a contraceptive or as a protection against infection.

– origin early 18th cent.: of unknown origin; often said to be named after a physician who invented it, but no such person has been traced.

condominium /ˌkɒndəˈmɪnɪəm/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a building or complex of buildings containing a number of individually owned apartments or houses.

2. each of the individual apartments or houses in a condominium.

3. [ mass noun] — the system of ownership by which condominiums operate, in which owners have full title to the individual apartment or house and an undivided interest in the shared parts of the property.

4. [ mass noun] — the joint control of a state's affairs by other states.

5. [ count noun] — a state so governed.

• Sudan was from 1899 an Anglo-Egyptian condominium.

– origin early 18th cent.: modern Latin, from con- ‘together with’ + dominium ‘right of ownership’ (see dominion). Sense 1 dates from the 1960s.

condone /kənˈdəʊn/

I. verb — [with obj.] [often with negative]

1. accept (behaviour that is considered morally wrong or offensive)

• the college cannot condone any behaviour that involves illicit drugs.

2. approve or sanction (something), especially with reluctance

• those arrested were released and the exhibition was officially condoned a few weeks later.

II. derivatives

1. condonation /kɒndəˈneɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. condoner

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin condonare ‘refrain from punishing’, from con- ‘altogether’ + donare ‘give’.

condor /ˈkɒndɔː/

I. noun

a very large New World vulture with a bare head and mainly black plumage, living in mountainous country and spending much time soaring on massive outstretched wings.
●Two species in the family Cathartidae: the Andean condor ( Vultur gryphus) of South America, and the California condor ( Gymnogyps californianus), which is probably extinct in the wild.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Spanish cóndor, from Quechua kuntur.

condottiere /ˌkɒndɒˈtjɛːreɪ, ˌkɒndɒˈtjɛːri/

I. noun

‹historical› a leader or member of a troop of mercenaries, especially in Italy.

– origin Italian, from condotto ‘troop under contract’, from condotta ‘a contract’, from condurre ‘conduct’, from Latin conducere (see conduct).

conduce /kənˈdjuːs/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( conduce to)

1. ‹formal› help to bring about (a particular situation or outcome)

• nothing would conduce more to the unity of the nation.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘lead or bring’): from Latin conducere ‘bring together’ (see conduct).

conducive /kənˈdjuːsɪv/

I. adjective — (usu. conducive to)

1. making a certain situation or outcome likely or possible

• the harsh lights and cameras were hardly conducive to a relaxed atmosphere.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from conduce, on the pattern of words such as conductive.

conduct

I. noun — [ mass noun] conduct /ˈkɒndʌkt /

1. the manner in which a person behaves, especially in a particular place or situation

• they were arrested for disorderly conduct

• a code of conduct for directors of listed companies.

2. the manner in which an organization or activity is managed or directed

• the conduct of the elections.

3. ‹archaic› the action of leading; guidance

• travelling through the world under the conduct of chance.

II. verb — [with obj.] conduct /kənˈdʌkt /

1. organize and carry out

• in the second trial he conducted his own defence

• surveys conducted among students.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — lead or guide (someone) to or around a particular place

• he conducted us through his personal gallery of the Civil War

• (as adj. conducted) a conducted tour.

3. [Physics] transmit (a form of energy such as heat or electricity) by conduction

• heat is conducted to the surface.

4. direct the performance of (a piece of music or an orchestra, choir, etc.)

• the concert is to be conducted by Sir Simon Rattle.

5. ( conduct oneself) — behave in a specified way

• he conducted himself with the utmost propriety.

III. derivatives

1. conductibility /kənˌdʌktəˈbɪləti /

noun

2. conductible /kənˈdʌktɪb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin conduct- ‘brought together’, from the verb conducere. The term originally denoted a provision for safe passage, surviving in safe conduct; later the verb sense ‘lead, guide’ arose, hence ‘manage’ and ‘management’ (late Middle English), later ‘management of oneself, behaviour’ (mid 16th cent.). The original form of the word was conduit, which was preserved only in the sense ‘channel’ (see conduit); in other uses the spelling was influenced by Latin.

conductance /kənˈdʌkt(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the degree to which an object conducts electricity, calculated as the ratio of the current which flows to the potential difference present. This is the reciprocal of the resistance, and is measured in siemens or mhos.

conduct disorder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly US) a range of antisocial types of behaviour displayed in childhood or adolescence.

• sons of aggressive fathers are particularly prone to conduct disorder.

• [ count noun] males have higher rates of hyperactivity and conduct disorders.

conduction /kənˈdʌkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process by which heat or electricity is directly transmitted through the material of a substance when there is a difference of temperature or of electrical potential between adjoining regions, without movement of the material.

2. the process by which sound waves travel through a medium.

3. the transmission of impulses along nerves.

4. the conveying of fluid through a channel.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the senses ‘provision for safe passage’ and ‘leadership’): from Latin conductio(n-), from the verb conducere (see conduct).

conduction band

noun

[Physics] a delocalized band of energy levels in a crystalline solid which is partly filled with electrons. These electrons have great mobility and are responsible for electrical conductivity.

conductive /kənˈdʌktɪv/

I. adjective

1. having the property of conducting something (especially heat or electricity)

• a conductive material.

2. relating to conduction.

• conductive hearing impairment.

II. derivatives

conductively

adverb

conductive education

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a system of training for people with motor disorders, especially children, which aims to reduce their dependence on artificial aids.

conductivity /kɒndʌkˈtɪvɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also electrical conductivity) — the degree to which a specified material conducts electricity, calculated as the ratio of the current density in the material to the electric field which causes the flow of current.

2. (also thermal conductivity) — the rate at which heat passes through a specified material, expressed as the amount of heat that flows per unit time through a unit area with a temperature gradient of one degree per unit distance.

• they constructed models from two materials with different thermal conductivities.

conductor /kənˈdʌktə/

I. noun

1. a person who directs the performance of an orchestra or choir.

• he was appointed principal conductor of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra.

2. (chiefly Brit.) a person who collects fares and sells tickets on a bus.

3. (N. Amer.) a guard on a train.

4. [Physics] a material or device that conducts or transmits heat or electricity, especially when regarded in terms of its capacity to do this

• most polymers are poor conductors.

5. short for lightning conductor.

6. (Brit.) a person who is trained to provide conductive education.

II. derivatives

conductorship /kənˈdʌktəʃɪp /

noun

conductor (sense 1)

– origin late Middle English (denoting a military leader): via Old French from Latin conductor, from conducere ‘bring together’ (see conduct).

conductor rail

noun

a rail transmitting current to an electric train or other vehicle.

conductress /kənˈdʌktrəs/

noun

a female conductor, especially in a bus or other passenger vehicle.

conduct sheet

noun

a form used in schools and the armed forces to record someone's offences and punishments.

conductus /kənˈdʌktəs/

I. noun

a musical setting of a metrical Latin text, of the 12th or 13th century.

– origin from medieval Latin, from Latin conducere ‘bring together’ (see conduct).

conduit /ˈkɒndjʊɪt, ˈkɒndɪt/

I. noun

1. a channel for conveying water or other fluid.

• nearby springs supplied the conduit which ran into the brewery.

2. a person or organization that acts as a channel for the transmission of something

• as an actor you have to be a conduit for other people's words.

3. a tube or trough for protecting electric wiring.

• the gas pipe should not be close to any electrical conduit.

• [ mass noun] the cable must be protected by conduit.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from medieval Latin conductus, from Latin conducere ‘bring together’ (see conduct).

condylarth /ˈkɒndɪlɑːθ/

I. noun

a fossil herbivorous mammal of the early Tertiary period, ancestral to the ungulates.
●Order Condylarthra: several families.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Condylarthra (plural), from Greek kondulos ‘knuckle’ + arthron ‘joint’.

condyle /ˈkɒndɪl, ˈkɒndʌɪl/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a rounded protuberance at the end of some bones, forming an articulation with another bone.

II. derivatives

1. condylar

adjective

2. condyloid /ˈkɒndɪlɔɪd /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Latin condylus, from Greek kondulos ‘knuckle’.

condyloma /ˌkɒndɪˈləʊmə/

I. noun

[Medicine] a raised growth on the skin resembling a wart, typically in the genital region, caused by viral infection or syphilis and transmissible by contact.

II. derivatives

condylomatous

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek kondulōma ‘callous lump’, from kondulos ‘knuckle’.

cone /kəʊn/

I. noun

1. a solid or hollow object which tapers from a circular or roughly circular base to a point.

• stalls selling paper cones full of fresh berries.

• a cone of acrylic yarn.

2. [Mathematics] a surface or solid figure generated by the straight lines which pass from a circle or other closed curve to a single point (the vertex) not in the same plane as the curve.

3. a conical mountain, especially one of volcanic origin.

• the smooth cone of Vesuvius.

4. (also traffic cone) — a plastic cone-shaped object that is used to separate off or close sections of a road.

5. a coned-shaped wafer container in which ice cream is served.

6. (also pyrometric cone) — a ceramic pyramid that melts at a known temperature and is used to indicate the temperature of a kiln.

7. short for cone shell.

8. the dry fruit of a conifer, typically tapering to a rounded end and formed of a tight array of overlapping scales on a central axis which separate to release the seeds.

• a cedar cone.

9. a flower resembling a pine cone, especially that of the hop plant.

10. [Anatomy] one of two types of light-sensitive cell in the retina of the eye, responding mainly to bright light and responsible for sharpness of vision and colour perception.
Compare with rod (sense 5).

II. verb — [with obj.] ( cone something off)

1. (Brit.) separate off or mark a road with traffic cones

• part of the road has been coned off.

– origin late Middle English (denoting an apex or vertex): from French cône, via Latin from Greek kōnos.

cone biopsy

noun

a surgical procedure in which a cone-shaped segment of tissue from the uterus is removed for examination.

coned

adjective

1. conical in shape.

• she wore a striped jacket with coned bra for the video.

2. wound on a cone

• a coned yarn.

coneflower

noun

a North American plant of the daisy family, which has flowers with cone-like centres.
● Rudbeckia, Echinacea, and other genera, family Compositae.

conehead

noun

a small bush cricket that is mostly active by day and sings for long periods without stopping.
●Genus Conocephalus, family Tettigoniidae.

cone-shaped

adjective

having the shape of a cone, tapering from a round base to a point

• the ants construct cone-shaped mounds of soil.

cone shell

noun

a predatory mollusc of warm seas, with a conical, typically intricately patterned, shell. It captures prey by injecting venom, which can be lethal to humans, and the shells are popular with collectors.
●Genus Conus, family Conidae, class Gastropoda: numerous species.

Conestoga wagon /ˌkɒnɪˈstəʊɡə/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹historical› a large wagon used for long-distance travel.

– origin early 18th cent.: named after Conestoga, a town in Pennsylvania, US.

coney /ˈkəʊni / cony

I. noun

1. (Brit.) [Heraldry] a rabbit.

2. [ mass noun] — rabbit fur.

3. (N. Amer.) a pika.

4. (in biblical use) a hyrax.

5. a small grouper (fish) found on the coasts of the tropical western Atlantic, with variable coloration.
● Epinephelus fulvus, family Serranidae.

– origin Middle English: from Old French conin, from Latin cuniculus.

Coney Island

a resort and amusement park on the Atlantic coast in Brooklyn, New York City, on the south shore of Long Island.

confab /ˈkɒnfab / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. an informal private conversation or discussion.

• the men clustered together for a quick confab.

2. (N. Amer.) a meeting or conference of members of a particular group.

• the annual American Booksellers Association confab.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. engage in informal private conversation

• Peter was confabbing with a curly-haired guy.

– origin early 18th cent.: abbreviation of confabulation (see confabulate).

confabulate /kənˈfabjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹formal› engage in conversation; talk

• she could be heard on the telephone confabulating with someone.

2. [Psychiatry] fabricate imaginary experiences as compensation for loss of memory.

• she has lapses in attention and concentration—she may be confabulating a little.

II. derivatives

1. confabulation /kənˌfabjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. confabulatory /kənˈfabjʊlət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin confabulat- ‘chatted together’, from the verb confabulari, from con- ‘together’ + fabulari (from fabula ‘fable’).

confect /kənˈfɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something elaborate or dainty) from various elements

• a trifle confected from angelica and piped cream.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin confect- ‘put together’, from the verb conficere, from con- ‘together’ + facere ‘make’.

confection /kənˈfɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an elaborate sweet dish or delicacy

• a fruit confection.

2. an elaborately constructed thing, especially a frivolous one

• his elaborate pop confections.

3. an elaborate article of women's dress

• Therese was magnificent in a swirling confection of crimson.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of mixing or compounding something

• the confection of a syllabub.

– origin Middle English (in the general sense ‘something made by mixing’, especially a medicinal preparation): via Old French from Latin confectio(n-), from conficere ‘put together’ (see confect).

confectioner /kənˈfɛkʃ(ə)nə/

noun

a person whose trade is making or selling confectionery.

confectioner's custard

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) another term for crème patissière.

confectioner's sugar

noun

US term for icing sugar.

confectionery /kənˈfɛkʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sweets and chocolates considered collectively

• items of confectionery

• [as modifier] a confectionery company offering hand-made chocolates.

2. [ count noun] — a shop that sells sweets and chocolates

• chocolate and fudge are made daily at the village confectionery.

confederacy /kənˈfɛd(ə)rəsi/

I. noun

1. a league or alliance, especially of confederate states.

• the Italian confederacy known as the Lombard League.

2. ( the Confederacy) — another term for Confederate States of America.

3. a union of people or groups formed for an illicit purpose.

• the Yakuza is a secret confederacy of criminal fraternities.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French confederacie, based on Latin confoederare ‘join together in league’ (see confederation).

confederal

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a confederation.

– origin late 18th cent.: from confederation, on the pattern of federal.

confederate

I. adjective — [ attrib.] confederate /kənˈfɛd(ə)rət /

1. joined by an agreement or treaty

• some local groups united to form confederate councils.

2. ( Confederate) — relating to the Confederate States of America

• the Confederate flag.

II. noun — confederate /kənˈfɛd(ə)rət /

1. a person one works with, especially in something secret or illegal; an accomplice.

• where was his confederate, the girl who had stolen Richard's wallet?

2. ( Confederate) — a supporter of the Confederate States of America.

III. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. confederated) confederate /kənˈfɛdəreɪt /

1. bring (states or groups of people) into an alliance

• Switzerland is a model for the new confederated Europe.

– origin late Middle English: from late (ecclesiastical) Latin confoederatus, from con- ‘together’ + foederatus (see federate).

Confederate States of America the Confederacy

the eleven Southern states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia) which seceded from the United States in 1860–1, thus precipitating the American Civil War.

confederation /kənfɛdəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an organization which consists of a number of parties or groups united in an alliance or league

• a confederation of trade unions.

2. a more or less permanent union of states with some or most political power vested in a central authority.

• Canada became a confederation in 1867.

3. [ mass noun] — the action of confederating or the state of being confederated

• a referendum on confederation.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French confederacion or late Latin confederatio(n-), from Latin confoederare, from con- ‘together’ + foederare ‘join in league with’ (from foedus ‘league, treaty’).

Confederation of British Industry CBI

(in the UK) an organization to promote the prosperity of British business.

confer /kənˈfəː/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — grant (a title, degree, benefit, or right)

• the Minister may have exceeded the powers conferred on him by Parliament.

2. [no obj.] — have discussions; exchange opinions

• the officials were conferring with allies.

II. derivatives

1. conferment /kənˈfəːmənt /

noun

confer (sense 1)

2. conferrable /kɒnˈfəːrəb(ə)l /

adjective

3. conferral

noun

confer (sense 1)

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘bring together’, also in sense 2): from Latin conferre, from con- ‘together’ + ferre ‘bring’.

conferee

noun

1. a person who attends a conference.

• the conferees discussed the need to control emissions of greenhouse gases.

2. a person on whom something is conferred.

conference /ˈkɒnf(ə)r(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. a formal meeting of people with a shared interest, typically one that takes place over several days

• an international conference on the environment

• the Labour Party Conference.

2. a formal meeting for discussion.

• he gathered all the men around the baize table for a conference.

3. [usu. as modifier] — a linking of several telephones or computers, so that each user may communicate with the others simultaneously

• a conference call.

4. a commercial association for the regulation of an area of activity or the exchange of information.

• an international authority or, if that was not possible, a regional operators' conference.

5. an association of sports teams which play each other.

• Colchester regained the lead of the GM Vauxhall Conference.

6. the governing body of some Christian Churches, especially Methodist Churches.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun conferencing)

1. take part in a conference or conference call

• video conferencing.

III. phrases

in conference

in a meeting.

• the Prime Minister has been in conference for five hours.

– origin early 16th cent. (in the general sense ‘conversation, talk’): from French conférence or medieval Latin conferentia, from Latin conferre ‘bring together’ (see confer).

Conference

noun

a dessert pear of a firm-fleshed variety.

Conference on Disarmament

a committee with forty nations as members that seeks to negotiate multilateral disarmament.

confess /kənˈfɛs/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. admit that one has committed a crime or done something wrong
[with clause]

• he confessed that he had attacked the old man

• [no obj.] he wants to confess to Caroline's murder

• [with direct speech] ‘I damaged your car,’ she confessed.

2. acknowledge something reluctantly, typically because one feels slightly ashamed or embarrassed
[with clause]

• I must confess that I half believed you

• [no obj.] he confessed to a lifelong passion for food.

3. [with obj.] — declare (one's religious faith)

• 150 people confessed faith in Christ.

4. declare one's sins formally to a priest
[with obj.]

• I could not confess all my sins to the priest

• [no obj.] he gave himself up after confessing to a priest.

5. [with obj.] — (of a priest) listen to the confession of

• St Ambrose would weep bitter tears when confessing a sinner.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French confesser, from Latin confessus, past participle of confiteri ‘acknowledge’, from con- (expressing intensive force) + fateri ‘declare, avow’.

confessant /kənˈfɛs(ə)nt/

noun

a person who confesses to a priest; a penitent.

confessedly /kənˈfɛsɪdli/

adverb

by one's own admission

• many therapists have had clients who, confessedly or otherwise, have fallen in love with them.

confession /kənˈfɛʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a formal statement admitting that one is guilty of a crime

• he signed a confession to both the murders

• [ mass noun] proof of this crime must be established by confession.

2. an acknowledgement that one has done something about which one is ashamed or embarrassed

• by his own confession, he had strayed perilously close to alcoholism.

3. a formal admission of one's sins with repentance and desire of absolution, especially privately to a priest as a religious duty

• she still had not been to confession.

See also sacrament of reconciliation.

4. ( confessions) — ‹often humorous› intimate personal revelations, especially as presented in a sensationalized form in a book, newspaper, or film

• confessions of a driving instructor.

5. (also confession of faith) — a statement setting out essential religious doctrine.

• a Protestant confession of faith.

6. (also Confession) — the religious body or Church sharing a confession of faith.

• leading figures from every Christian confession.

7. a statement of one's principles

• his words are a political confession of faith.

II. derivatives

confessionary /kənˈfɛʃ(ə)nri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin confessio(n-), from confiteri ‘acknowledge’ (see confess).

confessional /kənˈfɛʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. noun

1. an enclosed stall in a church divided by a screen or curtain in which a priest sits to hear confessions.

• the secrets of the confessional.

2. an acknowledgement that one has done something shameful or embarrassing; a confession.

• tabloid confessionals.

II. adjective

1. (of speech or writing) in which a person reveals private thoughts or admits to past incidents, especially ones about which they feel ashamed or embarrassed

• the autobiography is remarkably confessional

• his confessional outpourings.

2. relating to religious confession

• the priest leaned forward in his best confessional manner.

3. relating to confessions of faith or doctrinal systems

• the confessional approach to religious education.

III. derivatives

confessionally

adverb

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): the adjective from confession + -al; the noun via French from Italian confessionale, from medieval Latin, neuter of confessionalis, from Latin confessio(n-), from confiteri ‘acknowledge’ (see confess).

confessor /kənˈfɛsə/

I. noun

1. a priest who hears confessions and gives absolution and spiritual counsel.

• she sent for her confessor because she was in mortal sin.

2. a person to whom another confides personal problems.

3. a person who avows religious faith in the face of opposition, but does not suffer martyrdom.

4. a person who makes a confession.

• if one prisoner confesses and implicates the other, the confessor will go free as a reward.

– origin Old English (in sense 2): from Old French confessour, from ecclesiastical Latin confessor, from Latin confess- ‘acknowledged’ (see confess).

confetti /kənˈfɛti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. small pieces of coloured paper traditionally thrown over a bride and bridegroom by their wedding guests after the marriage ceremony has taken place.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally denoting the real or imitation sweets thrown during Italian carnivals): from Italian, literally ‘sweets’, from Latin confectum ‘something prepared’, neuter past participle of conficere ‘put together’ (see confect).

confidant /ˈkɒnfɪdant, ˌkɒnfɪˈdant, ˌkɒnfɪˈdɑːnt/

I. noun

a person with whom one shares a secret or private matter, trusting them not to repeat it to others.

• a close confidante of the princess.

– origin mid 17th cent.: alteration of confident (as a noun in the same sense in the early 17th cent.), probably to represent the pronunciation of French confidente ‘having full trust’.

confide /kənˈfʌɪd/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. tell someone about a secret or private matter while trusting them not to repeat it to others
[with obj.]

• he confided his fears to his mother

• [with clause] he confided that stress had caused him to lose a stone in weight

• [with direct speech] ‘I have been afraid,’ she confided

• (as adj. confiding) she was in a confiding mood.

2. [no obj.] ( confide in) — trust (someone) enough to tell them of a secret or private matter
[with clause]

• he confided in friends that he and his wife planned to separate.

3. [with obj.] ( confide something to) — ‹dated› entrust something to (someone) in order for them to look after it

• the property of others confided to their care was unjustifiably risked.

II. derivatives

confidingly /kənˈfʌɪdɪŋli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘place trust (in’)): from Latin confidere ‘have full trust’. The sense ‘impart as a secret’ dates from the mid 18th cent.

confidence /ˈkɒnfɪd(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something

• we had every confidence in the staff

• he had gained the young man's confidence.

2. the state of feeling certain about the truth of something

• I can say with confidence that I have never before driven up this street.

3. a feeling of self-assurance arising from an appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities

• she's brimming with confidence

• [in sing.] he would walk up those steps with a confidence he didn't feel.

4. the telling of private matters or secrets with mutual trust

• someone with whom you may raise your suspicions in confidence.

5. [ count noun] (often confidences) — a secret or private matter told to someone under a condition of trust

• the girls exchanged confidences about their parents.

II. phrases

1. have every confidence in

feel that one can rely on or trust (someone)

• we had every confidence in the staff.

2. in someone's confidence

in a position of trust with someone.

• she was never fully in his confidence.

3. take someone into one's confidence

tell someone one's secrets.

• she took me into her confidence and told me about her problems.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin confidentia, from confidere ‘have full trust’ (see confident).

confidence interval

noun

[Statistics] a range of values so defined that there is a specified probability that the value of a parameter lies within it.

confidence level

noun

[Statistics] the probability that the value of a parameter falls within a specified range of values.

confidence limit

noun

[Statistics] either of the extreme values of a confidence interval.

confidence man

noun

old-fashioned term for conman.

confidence trick ‹N. Amer.› confidence game

noun

an act of cheating or tricking someone by gaining their trust and persuading them to believe something that is not true.

• they were the innocent victims of an elaborate confidence trick.

confidence trickster

noun

(Brit.) a person who sets out to defraud or deceive people by persuading them to believe something that is not true.

• his dad was a confidence trickster—spent a lot of time inside.

confident /ˈkɒnfɪd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. feeling or showing confidence in oneself or one's abilities or qualities

• she was a confident, outgoing girl

• people who are confident in their identity.

2. feeling or showing certainty about something

• this time they're confident of a happy ending

• I am not very confident about tonight's game.

II. noun

‹archaic› a confidant.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French confident(e), from Italian confidente, from Latin confident- ‘having full trust’, from the verb confidere, from con- (expressing intensive force) + fidere ‘trust’.

confidential /kɒnfɪˈdɛnʃ(ə)l/

adjective

1. intended to be kept secret

• confidential information.

2. (of a person's tone of voice) indicating that what one says is private or secret

• he dropped his voice to a confidential whisper.

3. [ attrib.] — entrusted with private or restricted information

• a confidential secretary.

confidentiality /kɒnfɪdɛnʃɪˈalɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of keeping or being kept secret or private

• the lead bank's duty of confidentiality to the borrower

• [as modifier] visitors have to sign confidentiality agreements.

confidentially /ˌkɒnfɪˈdɛnʃ(ə)li/

adverb

in a way that is intended to be private or secret; privately

• all queries will be treated confidentially.

confidently /ˈkɒnfɪd(ə)ntli/

adverb

1. in a self-assured way that expresses faith in oneself or one's abilities or qualities

• I strode confidently up to the rope.

2. in a way that expresses little or no doubt about something

• he confidently predicts a change of fortune.

configuration /kənˌfɪɡəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an arrangement of parts or elements in a particular form, figure, or combination

• the unrepeatable configuration of the stars at the moment of your birth

• the broad configuration of the economy remains capitalist.

2. [Computing] the arrangement or set-up of the hardware and software that make up a computer system.

• the PC comes with a removable hard disk drive as part of the standard configuration.

3. [Chemistry] the fixed three-dimensional relationship of the atoms in a molecule, defined by the bonds between them.
Compare with conformation.

4. [Psychology] another term for gestalt.

II. derivatives

configurational

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting the relative position of celestial objects): from late Latin configuratio(n-), from Latin configurare ‘shape after a pattern’ (see configure).

configure /kənˈfɪɡə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. arrange or put together in a particular form or configuration

• two of the aircraft will be configured as VIP transports.

2. [Computing] arrange or order (a computer system or an element of it) so as to fit it for a designated task

• the memory can be configured as a virtual drive.

II. derivatives

configurable /kənˈfɪɡ(ə)rəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the Latin sense): from Latin configurare ‘shape after a pattern’, from con- ‘together’ + figurare ‘to shape’ (from figura ‘shape or figure’).

confine

I. verb — [with obj.] ( confine someone/thing to) confine /kənˈfʌɪn /

1. keep or restrict someone or something within certain limits of (space, scope, or time)

• he does not confine his message to high politics

• you've confined yourself to what you know.

2. ( confine someone to/in) — restrain or forbid someone from leaving (a place)

• the troops were confined to their barracks.

3. ( be confined to) — (of a person) be unable to leave (one's bed, home, or a wheelchair) because of illness or disability

• he was confined to bed for four days with a bad dose of flu.

4. ( be confined) — ‹dated› (of a woman) remain in bed for a period before, during, and after giving birth

• she was confined for nearly a month.

II. noun — ( confines) confine /ˈkɒnfʌɪn /

1. the borders or boundaries of a place, especially with regard to their restricting freedom of movement

• within the confines of the hall escape was difficult.

2. the limits of something abstract, especially a sphere of activity

• the narrow confines of political life.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun): from French confins (plural noun), from Latin confinia, from confinis ‘bordering’, from con- ‘together’ + finis ‘end, limit’ (plural fines ‘territory’). The verb senses are from French confiner, based on Latin confinis.

confined /kənˈfʌɪnd/

adjective

(of a space) restricted in area or volume; cramped

• her fear of confined spaces.

confinement /kənˈfʌɪnmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of confining or state of being confined

• he was immediately released from his confinement.

2. ‹dated› the condition of being in childbirth

• the pros and cons of home versus hospital confinement

• [ count noun] my grandmother's last six confinements.

confirm /kənˈfəːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. establish the truth or correctness of (something previously believed or suspected to be the case)

• if these fears are confirmed, the outlook for the economy will be dire

• [with clause] the report confirms that a diet rich in vitamin C can help to prevent cataracts.

2. [ reporting verb] — state with assurance that a report or fact is true
[with clause]

• he confirmed that the general was in the hands of the rebels

• [with direct speech] ‘It is indeed proper coffee,’ I confirmed.

3. ( confirm someone in) — reinforce someone in (an opinion or feeling)

• he fuelled his misogyny by cultivating women who confirmed him in this view.

4. make (a provisional arrangement or appointment) definite

• Mr Baker's assistant telephoned to confirm his appointment with the chairman.

5. make (a decision or an agreement) formally valid

• the organization has confirmed the appointment of Mr Collins as managing director.

6. declare (someone) formally to be appointed to a particular post

• he was confirmed as the new EC peace envoy.

7. administer the religious rite of confirmation to

• he had been baptized and confirmed.

II. derivatives

1. confirmative /kənˈfəːmətɪv /

adjective

2. confirmatory /kənˈfəːmət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French confermer, from Latin confirmare, from con- ‘together’ + firmare ‘strengthen’ (from firmus ‘firm’).

confirmand /ˈkɒnfəmand/

noun

a person who is to undergo the religious rite of confirmation.

confirmation /kɒnfəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of confirming something or the state of being confirmed

• high unemployment figures were further confirmation that the economy was in recession.

2. (in the Christian Church) the rite at which a baptized person, especially one baptized as an infant, affirms Christian belief and is admitted as a full member of the Church.
[ count noun]

• the kind of joy mixed with tears one finds at weddings and confirmations.

3. the Jewish ceremony of bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin confirmatio(n-), from confirmare ‘make firm, establish’ (see confirm).

confirmation bias

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories.

confirmed /kənˈfəːmd/

adjective

(of a person) firmly established in a particular habit, belief, or way of life and unlikely to change their ways

• a confirmed bachelor

• a confirmed teetotaller.

confiscate /ˈkɒnfɪskeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take or seize (someone's property) with authority

• the guards confiscated his camera

• (as adj. confiscated) confiscated equipment.

2. appropriate (something, especially land) to the public treasury as a penalty.

• the government confiscated his property early in the war.

II. derivatives

1. confiscator /ˈkɒnfɪˌskeɪtə /

noun

2. confiscatory /kənˈfɪskət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin confiscat- ‘put away in a chest, consigned to the public treasury’, from the verb confiscare, based on con- ‘together’ + fiscus ‘chest, treasury’.

confiscation /ˌkɒnfɪˈskeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of taking or seizing someone's property with authority; seizure

• a court ordered the confiscation of her property.

confit /ˈkɒnfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. duck or other meat cooked very slowly in its own fat.

– origin French, ‘conserved’, from confire ‘prepare’.

Confiteor /kɒnˈfɪtɪɔː/

I. noun

a form of prayer confessing sins, used in the Roman Catholic Mass and some other sacraments.

– origin Latin, ‘I confess’, from the formula Confiteor Deo Omnipotenti ‘I confess to Almighty God’.

confiture /ˈkɒnfɪtjʊə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a preparation made by preserving fruit with sugar; jam or marmalade

• raspberry confiture.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French, from confit (see confit).

conflab

I. noun, verb

‹informal› another term for confab.

– origin late 19th cent.: alteration.

conflagration /ˌkɒnfləˈɡreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

an extensive fire which destroys a great deal of land or property.

• tinder-dry conditions sparked fears of a conflagration in many drought-devastated communities.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting consumption by fire): from Latin conflagratio(n-), from the verb conflagrare, from con- (expressing intensive force) + flagrare ‘to blaze’.

conflate /kənˈfleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. combine (two or more sets of information, texts, ideas, etc.) into one

• the urban crisis conflates a number of different economic, political, and social issues.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘fuse or melt down metal’): from Latin conflat- ‘kindled, fused’, from the verb conflare, from con- ‘together’ + flare ‘to blow’.

conflation /kənˈfleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the merging of two or more sets of information, texts, ideas, etc. into one

• the forceful conflation of two traditions.

conflict

I. noun — conflict /ˈkɒnflɪkt /

1. a serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one

• the eternal conflict between the sexes

• [ mass noun] doctors often come into conflict with politicians.

2. a prolonged armed struggle

• regional conflicts.

3. [ mass noun] — a state of mind in which a person experiences a clash of opposing feelings or needs

• bewildered by her own inner conflict, she could only stand there feeling vulnerable.

4. a serious incompatibility between two or more opinions, principles, or interests

• there was a conflict between his business and domestic life.

II. verb — [no obj.] conflict /kənˈflɪkt /

1. be incompatible or at variance; clash

• parents' and children's interests sometimes conflict

• the date for the match conflicted with a religious festival.

2. (as adj. conflicted) — having or showing confused and mutually inconsistent feelings

• he remains a little conflicted about Marlene.

III. derivatives

conflictual

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin conflict- ‘struck together, fought’, from the verb confligere, from con- ‘together’ + fligere ‘to strike’; the noun is via Latin conflictus ‘a contest’.

conflict diamond /ˈkɒnflɪkt ˌdʌɪ(ə)mənd/

noun

(especially in Africa) an uncut diamond mined in an area of armed conflict and traded illicitly to finance the fighting

• a joint initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds.

conflict-free

adjective

1. not involving or characterized by serious disagreement or argument

• the separation was smooth and conflict-free

• a post-Marxist ideal of a classless, conflict-free society.

2. denoting or relating to a diamond or other mineral that has not been mined in an area of armed conflict and traded illicitly to finance the fighting

• when we were shopping for a ring we were looking for conflict-free diamonds

• these systems will enable companies to know with certainty that the minerals they are buying are conflict-free

• the tin and tantalum are extracted from conflict-free mines.

conflicting /kənˈflɪktɪŋ/

adjective

incompatible or at variance; contradictory

• there are conflicting accounts of what occurred.

conflict mineral

noun

(especially in Africa) a mineral mined in an area of armed conflict and traded illicitly to finance the fighting

• coltan has been termed a conflict mineral, along with cassiterite, wolframite, and gold.

conflict of interest

noun

1. a situation in which the concerns or aims of two different parties are incompatible

• the conflict of interest between elected officials and corporate lobbyists.

2. a situation in which a person is in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in their official capacity

• Watson quit his job after questions about a possible conflict of interest.

confluence /ˈkɒnflʊəns/

I. noun

1. the junction of two rivers, especially rivers of approximately equal width.

• the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss.

• farther down the Tigris at its confluence with the Euphrates.

2. an act or process of merging

• a major confluence of the world's financial markets.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin confluentia, from Latin confluere ‘flow together’ (see confluent).

confluent /ˈkɒnflʊənt/

I. adjective

flowing together or merging.

• these confluent tones helped to fuse and unite his landscapes.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin confluent- ‘flowing together’, from confluere, from con- ‘together’ + fluere ‘to flow’.

conflux /ˈkɒnflʌks/

I. noun

another term for confluence.

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin confluxus, from con- ‘together’ + fluxus (see flux).

confocal /kɒnˈfəʊk(ə)l/

adjective

1. having a common focus or foci

• confocal ellipses.

2. denoting or using a microscope whose imaging system only collects light from a small spot on the specimen, giving greater resolution.

conform /kənˈfɔːm/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. comply with rules, standards, or laws

• the kitchen does not conform to hygiene regulations

• the changes were introduced to conform with international classifications.

2. (of a person) behave according to socially acceptable conventions or standards

• the pressure to conform.

3. be similar in form or type; agree

• the countryside should conform to a certain idea of the picturesque.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘make (something) like another thing’): from Old French conformer, from Latin conformare, from con- ‘together’ + formare ‘to form’.

conformable /kənˈfɔːməb(ə)l/

I. adjective — (usu. conformable to)

1. (of a person) disposed or accustomed to conform to what is acceptable.

• personalities conformable to the ambient level of cultural evolution.

2. similar in form or nature; consistent

• the human adoption of practices which are conformable to biological constraints.

3. [Geology] (of strata in contact) deposited in a continuous sequence, and having the same direction of stratification.

II. derivatives

1. conformability /kənfɔːməˈbɪləti /

noun

2. conformably /kənˈfɔːməbli /

adverb

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘compliant (to) or tractable’): from medieval Latin conformabilis, from Latin conformare ‘to form, fashion’ (see conform).

conformal /kənˈfɔːm(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of a map or a mathematical mapping) preserving the correct angles between directions within small areas (though distorting distances).

II. derivatives

conformally

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘conformable’): from late Latin conformalis, from con- ‘together’ + formalis ‘formal’. The current sense was coined in German.

conformance /kənˈfɔːm(ə)ns/

noun

another term for conformity.

• conformance to international standards.

• [as modifier] conformance testing.

conformation /kɒnfɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. the shape or structure of something, especially an animal.

• the judges run their hands over the dog's body and legs, checking its conformation.

• [ mass noun] we've been looking for stock with good overall conformation.

2. [Chemistry] any of the spatial arrangements which the atoms in a molecule may adopt and freely convert between, especially by rotation about individual single bonds.

• a change of DNA conformation induced by binding of RNA polymerase.

Compare with configuration.

II. derivatives

conformational /ˌkɒnfɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘conforming, adaptation’): from Latin conformatio(n-), from conformare ‘to shape, fashion’ (see conform).

conformer

I. noun

[Chemistry] a form of a compound having a particular molecular conformation.

• changing the temperature alters the relative proportions of the conformers.

– origin 1960s: blend of conformational (see conformation) and isomer.

conformist /kənˈfɔːmɪst/

I. noun

1. a person who conforms to accepted behaviour or established practices.

• organizations where employees are loyal without being unthinking conformists.

2. (Brit.) ‹historical› a person who conforms to the practices of the Church of England.

II. adjective

conforming to accepted behaviour or established practices; conventional

• the poet became more conformist in his later years.

III. derivatives

conformism /kənˈfɔːmɪz(ə)m /

noun

conformity /kənˈfɔːmɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. compliance with standards, rules, or laws

• conformity to regulations

• the goods were in conformity with the contract.

2. behaviour in accordance with socially accepted conventions

• a word of praise or an encouraging smile provide rewards for conformity to social norms.

3. (Brit.) ‹historical› compliance with the practices of the Church of England.

4. similarity in form or type; agreement in character

• these changes are intended to ensure conformity between all schemes.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French conformite or late Latin conformitas, from conformare ‘to form, fashion’ (see conform).

confound /kənˈfaʊnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause surprise or confusion in (someone), especially by not according with their expectations

• the inflation figure confounded economic analysts.

2. prove (a theory or expectation) wrong

• the rise in prices confounded expectations.

3. defeat (a plan, aim, or hope)

• we will confound these tactics by the pressure groups.

4. ‹archaic› overthrow (an enemy).

• God chose to use natural disorders to confound Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt.

5. mix up (something) with something else

• he was forever confounding managerialism with idealism.

II. exclamation

‹dated› used to express anger or annoyance

• oh confound it, where is the thing?

– origin Middle English: from Old French confondre, from Latin confundere ‘pour together, mix up’. Compare with confuse.

confounded /kənˈfaʊndɪd/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹informal› ‹dated› used for emphasis, especially to express anger or annoyance

• he was a confounded nuisance.

II. derivatives

confoundedly /kənˈfaʊndɪdli /

adverb

confraternity /kɒnfrəˈtəːnɪti/

I. noun

a brotherhood, especially with a religious or charitable purpose.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French confraternite, from medieval Latin confraternitas, from confrater (see confrère).

confrère /ˈkɒnfrɛː/

I. noun

a fellow member of a profession

• Pooley's police confrères.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, from medieval Latin confrater, from con- ‘together with’ + frater ‘brother’.

confront /kənˈfrʌnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. come face to face with (someone) with hostile or argumentative intent

• 300 policemen confronted an equal number of union supporters.

2. (of a problem or difficulty) present itself to (someone) so that action must be taken

• the new government was confronted with many profound difficulties.

3. face up to and deal with (a problem or difficulty)

• we knew we couldn't ignore the race issue and decided we'd confront it head on.

4. compel (someone) to face or consider something, especially by way of accusation

• Merrill confronted him with her suspicions.

5. appear or be placed in front of (someone) so as to unsettle or threaten them

• we were confronted with pictures of moving skeletons.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French confronter, from medieval Latin confrontare, from Latin con- ‘with’ + frons, front- ‘face’.

confrontation /ˌkɒnfrʌnˈteɪʃn/

noun

1. a hostile or argumentative situation or meeting between opposing parties

• a confrontation with the legislature

• [ mass noun] four months of violent confrontation between government and opposition forces.

2. a situation where two players or sides compete to win a sporting contest

• the race promised a classic confrontation between the two top runners in the world.

confrontational /ˌkɒnfrənˈteɪʃən(ə)l/

I. adjective

tending to deal with situations in an aggressive way; hostile or argumentative

• he distanced himself from the confrontational approach adopted by his predecessor.

II. derivatives

confrontationally

adverb

Confucian /kənˈfjuːʃ(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to Confucius or Confucianism.

II. noun

an adherent of Confucianism.

Confucianism /kənˈfjuːʃənɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of philosophical and ethical teachings founded by Confucius and developed by Mencius.

II. derivatives

Confucianist

noun, adjective

Confucius /kənˈfjuːʃəs/

(551–479 BC), Chinese philosopher; Latinized name of Kongfuze ( K'ung Fu-tzu) ‘Kong the master’. His ideas about the importance of practical moral values, collected by his disciples in the Analects, formed the basis of the philosophy of Confucianism.

confusable /kənˈfjuːzəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able or liable to be confused with something else

• convocation was by 1327 no longer confusable with parliament.

II. noun

a word or phrase that is easily confused with another in meaning or usage, such as mitigate, which is often confused with militate.

III. derivatives

confusability

noun

confuse /kənˈfjuːz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) bewildered or perplexed

• past and present blurred together, confusing her still further.

2. make (something) more complex or less easy to understand

• the points made by the authors confuse rather than clarify the issue.

3. identify wrongly; mistake

• a lot of people confuse a stroke with a heart attack

• purchasers might confuse the two products.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘rout, bring to ruin’): from Old French confus, from Latin confusus, past participle of confundere ‘mingle together’ (see confound). Originally all senses of the verb were passive, and therefore appeared only as the past participle confused; the active voice occurred rarely until the 19th cent. when it began to replace confound.

confused /kənˈfjuːzd/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) unable to think clearly; bewildered

• she was utterly confused about what had happened.

2. showing bewilderment

• a confused expression crossed her face.

3. not in possession of all one's mental faculties, especially because of old age

• interviewing confused old people does take longer.

4. lacking order and so difficult to understand

• the confused information supplied by authorities

• reports about the incident were rather confused.

5. lacking clear distinction of elements; jumbled

• the sound of a sort of confused hammering and shouting.

II. derivatives

confusedly /kənˈfjuːzədli /

adverb

confusing /kənˈfjuːzɪŋ/

adjective

bewildering or perplexing

• he found being in Egypt very confusing.

confusingly /kənˈfjuːzɪŋli/

adverb

in a bewildering or perplexing way

• the mystery isn't really involving and ends confusingly.

confusion /kənˈfjuːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. uncertainty about what is happening, intended, or required

• there seems to be some confusion about which system does what

• he cleared up the confusion over the party's policy.

2. a situation of panic or disorder

• the guaranteed income bond market was thrown into confusion.

3. [in sing.] — a disorderly jumble

• all I can see is a confusion of brown cardboard boxes.

4. the state of being bewildered or unclear in one's mind about something

• she looked about her in confusion.

5. the mistaking of one person or thing for another

• there is some confusion between ‘unlawful’ and ‘illegal’

• [ count noun] most of the errors are reasonable confusions between similar words.

– origin Middle English: from Latin confusio(n-), from the verb confundere ‘mingle together’ (see confuse).

confute /kənˈfjuːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› prove (a person or an assertion or accusation) to be wrong

• restorers who sought to confute this view were accused of ignorance.

II. derivatives

confutation /kɒnfjʊˈteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin confutare ‘restrain, answer conclusively’, from con- ‘altogether’ + the base of refutare ‘refute’.

conga /ˈkɒŋɡə/

I. noun

1. a Latin American dance of African origin, usually with several people in a single line, one behind the other.

2. (also conga drum) — a tall, narrow, low-toned drum beaten with the hands.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. perform the conga.

• I caught her round the waist and conga'd.

– origin 1930s: from Latin American Spanish, from Spanish, feminine of congo ‘Congolese’.

congé /ˈkɒ̃ʒeɪ/

I. noun

an unceremonious dismissal or rejection of someone.

• she gives him his congé, and at the same time avows her real love for him.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘permission to do something’): from Old French congie, from Latin commeatus ‘leave of absence’, from commeare ‘go and come’. The word is now usually treated as equivalent to modern French.

congeal /kənˈdʒiːl/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. become semi-solid, especially on cooling

• the blood had congealed into blobs

• (as adj. congealed) a lump of congealed moussaka.

2. take shape or coalesce, especially to form a satisfying whole

• the ballet failed to congeal as a single oeuvre.

II. derivatives

1. congealable /kənˈdʒiːləb(ə)l /

adjective

2. congealment /kənˈdʒiːlmənt /

noun

‹archaic›

– origin late Middle English: from Old French congeler, from Latin congelare, from con- ‘together’ + gelare ‘freeze’ (from gelu ‘frost’).

congee /ˈkɒndʒiː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Chinese cookery) broth or porridge made from rice.

– origin from Tamil kañci.

congelation /ˌkɒndʒəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of congealing or the state of being congealed

• the component of metals that causes their congelation.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin congelatio(n-), from the verb congelare ‘freeze together’ (see congeal).

congener /ˈkɒndʒɪnə, kənˈdʒiːnə/

I. noun

1. a thing or person of the same kind or category as another.

2. an animal or plant of the same genus as another

• these birds or their congeners may be found in East Africa.

3. a minor chemical constituent, especially one which gives a distinctive character to a wine or spirit or is responsible for some of its physiological effects.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin, from con- ‘together with’ + genus, gener- ‘race, stock’.

congeneric /ˌkɒndʒɪˈnɛrɪk/

I. adjective

1. (of an animal or plant species) belonging to the same genus

• this animal is congeneric with the later species.

2. of a related nature or origin.

• the two sets were congeneric.

II. derivatives

congenerous /kənˈdʒɛn(ə)rəs /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin congener (see congener) + -ic.

congenial /kənˈdʒiːnɪəl/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) pleasing or liked on account of having qualities or interests that are similar to one's own

• his need for some congenial company.

2. (of a thing) pleasant or agreeable because suited to one's taste or inclination

• he went back to a climate more congenial to his cold stony soul.

II. derivatives

1. congeniality /kəndʒiːnɪˈalɪti /

noun

2. congenially

adverb

congenital /kənˈdʒɛnɪt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of a disease or physical abnormality) present from birth

• a congenital malformation of the heart.

2. (of a person) having a particular trait from birth or by firmly established habit

• a congenital liar.

II. derivatives

congenitally /kənˈdʒɛnɪt(ə)li /

adverb

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin congenitus, from con- ‘together’ + genitus (past participle of gignere ‘beget’) + -al.

conger /ˈkɒŋɡə / conger eel

I. noun

a large edible predatory eel of shallow coastal waters.
● Conger and other genera, family Congridae: several species, in particular the European C. conger and the American C. oceanica.

– origin Middle English: from Old French congre, via Latin from Greek gongros.

congeries /kɒnˈdʒɪəriːz, ˈkɒndʒəriz/

I. noun

a disorderly collection; a jumble

• a congeries of European states.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin congeries ‘heap, pile’, from congerere ‘heap up’.

congested /kənˈdʒestɪd/

I. adjective

1. (of a road or place) so crowded with traffic or people as to hinder or prevent freedom of movement

• the congested streets of the West End

• the road was congested with refugees.

2. (of a part of the body) abnormally full of blood

• congested arteries.

3. (of the respiratory tract) blocked with mucus so as to hinder breathing

• his nose was congested.

II. derivatives

congest /kənˈdʒɛst /

verb

– origin late Middle English (as congest in the sense ‘heap up, accumulate’): from Latin congerere ‘heap up’, from con- ‘together’ + gerere ‘bring’.

congestion /kənˈdʒɛstʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being congested

• the new bridge should ease congestion in the area.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin congestio(n-), from congere ‘heap up’, from con- ‘together’ + gerere ‘bring’.

congestion charge

I. noun

(Brit.) a charge made to drive into an area, typically a city centre, that suffers heavy traffic.

II. derivatives

congestion-charging

noun

congestive /kənˈdʒɛstɪv/

I. adjective

[Medicine] involving or produced by congestion of a part of the body

• congestive heart failure.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from congest (see congested) + -ive.

congius /ˈkɒndʒɪəs/

I. noun

an ancient Roman liquid measure of one eighth of an amphora, equal in modern terms to about 6 imperial pints.

– origin Latin.

conglobulate /kɒnˈɡlɒbjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹rare› join closely together

• these people's feeble sense of self-respect prompts them to conglobulate in collectives.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin globulus ‘globule’, on the pattern of earlier conglobate ‘make into a ball’.

conglomerate

I. noun — conglomerate /kənˈɡlɒm(ə)rət /

1. a thing consisting of a number of different and distinct parts or items that are grouped together

• the Earth is a specialized conglomerate of organisms.

2. a large corporation formed by the merging of separate and diverse firms

• a media conglomerate.

3. [ mass noun] — [Geology] a coarse-grained sedimentary rock composed of rounded fragments embedded in a matrix of cementing material such as silica

• the sediments vary from coarse conglomerate to fine silt and clay.

II. adjective — conglomerate /kənˈɡlɒm(ə)rət /

1. relating to a conglomerate, especially a large corporation

• conglomerate firms.

III. verb — [no obj.] conglomerate /kənˈɡlɒməreɪt /

1. gather together into a compact mass

• atoms which conglomerate at the centre.

2. form a conglomerate by merging diverse firms.

• the urge to conglomerate has long been out of fashion in American boardrooms.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective describing something gathered up into a rounded mass): from Latin conglomeratus, past participle of conglomerare, from con- ‘together’ + glomus, glomer- ‘ball’. The geological sense dates from the early 19th cent.; the other noun senses are later.

conglomeration /kəŋˌɡlɒməˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. a number of different things, parts or items that are grouped together; collection

• a loose conglomeration of pieces.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of forming a conglomerate

• the practice of media conglomeration.

Congo /ˈkɒŋɡəʊ/

I. a major river of central Africa, which rises as the Lualaba to the south of Kisangani in northern Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) and flows 4,630 km (2,880 miles) in a great curve westwards, turning south-westwards to form the border with the Congo before emptying into the Atlantic.
Also called Zaire River.

II.
1. an equatorial country in Africa, with a short Atlantic coastline; pop. 4,012,800 (est. 2009); languages, French (official), Kikongo, and other Bantu languages; capital, Brazzaville. Also called Republic of Congo, Congo-Brazzaville.

The region was colonized in the 19th century by France, and as Middle Congo formed part of the larger territory of French Congo (later, French Equatorial Africa). The country became independent in 1960.

Congo, Democratic Republic of

I. a large equatorial country in central Africa with a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean; pop. 68,692,500 (est. 2009); languages, French (official), Kongo, Lingala, Swahili, and others; capital, Kinshasa. Also called Congo-Kinshasa.
Former name (1971–97) Zaire.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is a former Belgian colony, which was known as the Congo Free State (1885–1908) and the Belgian Congo (1908–60). Independence in 1960 was followed by civil war and UN intervention. General Mobutu seized control in a coup in 1965 and changed the name of the country from the Republic of the Congo to Zaire in 1971. The country experienced a huge influx of refugees following the violence in Rwanda in 1994, and the first of three destructive civil wars broke out in 1996. Mobutu was overthrown in 1997 by Laurent Kabila, who changed the country's name to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Congolese /ˌkɒŋɡəˈliːz/

I. adjective

relating to Congo or the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire).

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Congo or the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire).

2. [ mass noun] — any of the Bantu languages spoken in the Congo region, in particular Kikongo.

– origin from French Congolais.

Congo red

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a red-brown azo dye which becomes blue in acidic conditions, used as a chemical indicator and as a stain in histology.

congrats /kənˈɡrats/

I. plural noun

‹informal› congratulations
[as exclamation]

• congrats on your exams, Cal!

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation.

congratulate /kənˈɡratjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (someone) one's good wishes when something special or pleasant has happened to them

• he had taken the chance to congratulate him on his marriage.

• Simone wrote to her shortly after her engagement had been announced to congratulate her.

2. praise (someone) for an achievement

• the operators are to be congratulated for the service that they provide.

3. ( congratulate oneself) — feel pride or satisfaction

• she congratulated herself on her powers of deduction.

II. derivatives

congratulator

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin congratulat- ‘congratulated’, from the verb congratulari, from con- ‘with’ + gratulari ‘show joy’ (from gratus ‘pleasing’).

congratulation /kənɡratjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — ( congratulations)

1. words expressing one's praise for an achievement or good wishes on a special occasion

• our congratulations to the winners

• [as exclamation] congratulations on a job well done!

2. [ mass noun] — the action of expressing congratulations

• he began pumping the hand of his son in congratulation.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin congratulatio(n-), from the verb congratulari (see congratulate).

congratulatory /kənɡratʃuˈleɪtəri, kənˈɡratʃələt(ə)ri/

adjective

conveying good wishes or praise to someone in response to an achievement or special occasion

• as well as a congratulatory message from the Queen, Elsie received many cards and flowers

• a congratulatory handshake to mark four years of community success.

congregant /ˈkɒŋɡrɪɡ(ə)nt/

I. noun

a member of a congregation, especially that of a church or synagogue.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin congregant- ‘collecting (into a flock), uniting’, from the verb congregare (see congregate).

congregate /ˈkɒŋɡrɪɡeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. gather into a crowd or mass

• some 4,000 demonstrators had congregated at a border point.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin congregat- ‘collected (into a flock), united’, from the verb congregare, from con- ‘together’ + gregare (from grex, greg- ‘a flock’).

congregation /kɒŋɡrɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a group of people assembled for religious worship.

• the singing of psalms by the whole congregation.

2. a group of people regularly attending a particular place of worship

• he was a member of the Emmanuel Chapel congregation.

3. a gathering or collection of people, animals, or things

• large congregations of birds may cause public harm.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of gathering together in a crowd

• drought conditions lead to the congregation of animals around watering points.

5. (often Congregation) — (in the Roman Catholic Church) a permanent committee of the College of Cardinals

• the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

6. (Brit.) (in some universities) a general assembly of resident senior members.

7. a group of people obeying a common religious rule but under less solemn vows than members of the older religious orders

• the sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady.

8. a group of communities within a religious order sharing particular historical or regional links.

9. ‹rare› a flock of plovers

• this is a shorebird beach, with a congregation of plovers inhabiting it.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2, sense 3, sense 4): from Latin congregatio(n-), from congregare ‘collect (into a flock)’ (see congregate).

congregational /kɒŋɡrɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

adjective

1. relating to a congregation

• congregational singing.

2. ( Congregational) — of or adhering to Congregationalism

• the Congregational Church.

Congregationalism /kɒŋɡrɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of organization among Christian churches whereby individual local churches are largely self-governing.

II. derivatives

Congregationalist /ˌkɒŋɡrɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n(ə)lɪst /

noun, adjective

congress /ˈkɒŋɡrɛs/

I. noun

1. a formal meeting or series of meetings for discussion between delegates, especially those from a political party, trade union, or from within a particular sphere of activity

• an international congress of mathematicians.

2. ( Congress) — a national legislative body, especially that of the US. The US Congress, which meets at the Capitol in Washington DC, was established by the Constitution of 1787 and is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

• legislative power is held by a 72-member National Congress.

• changes in taxation required the approval of Congress.

3. (often in names) a political society or organization.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of coming together

• sexual congress.

– origin late Middle English (denoting an encounter during battle): from Latin congressus, from congredi ‘meet’, from con- ‘together’ + gradi ‘walk’.

congressional /kənˈɡrɛʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. belonging or relating to a national legislative body, especially that of the US

• the document surfaced in a congressional hearing last year

• our congressional correspondent is standing by.

2. relating to a formal meeting or series of meetings between delegates

• the congressional agricultural committees.

II. derivatives

congressionally

adverb

congressman /ˈkɒŋɡrɛsmən/

noun

a member of Congress, especially a member of the US House of Representatives

• senators and congressmen joined in a standing ovation.

• [as title] Congressman Bob Smithers.

Congress of Industrial Organizations CIO

a federation of North American trade unions, organized largely by industry rather than craft. In 1955 it merged with the American Federation of Labor to form the AFL-CIO.

congresswoman /ˈkɒŋɡrɛsˌwʊmən/

noun

a female member of Congress, especially a female member of the US House of Representatives

• she completed three terms as a congresswoman.

Congreve, William /ˈkɒŋɡriːv/

(1670–1729), English dramatist. A close associate of Swift, Pope, and Steele, he wrote plays such as Love for Love (1695) and The Way of the World (1700), which epitomize the wit and satire of Restoration comedy.

congruence /ˈkɒŋɡrʊəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. agreement or harmony; compatibility

• the results show quite good congruence with recent studies.

II. derivatives

congruency

noun

congruent /ˈkɒŋɡrʊənt/

I. adjective

1. in agreement or harmony

• the rules may not be congruent with the requirements of the law

• institutional and departmental objectives are very largely congruent.

2. [Geometry] (of figures) identical in form; coinciding exactly when superimposed.

II. derivatives

congruently

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Latin congruent- ‘agreeing, meeting together’, from the verb congruere, from con- ‘together’ + ruere ‘fall or rush’.

congruous /ˈkɒŋɡrʊəs/

I. adjective

in agreement or harmony

• this explanation is congruous with earlier observations.

II. derivatives

1. congruity /kənˈɡruːɪti /

noun

2. congruously /ˈkɒŋɡrʊəsli /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin congruus, from congruere ‘agree’ (see congruent), + -ous.

conic /ˈkɒnɪk / ‹Mathematics›

I. adjective

of a cone.

II. noun

short for conic section.

– origin late 16th cent.: from modern Latin conicus, from Greek kōnikos, from kōnos ‘cone’.

conical /ˈkɒnɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

having the shape of a cone.

II. derivatives

conically

adverb

conical projection conic projection

noun

a map projection in which an area of the earth is projected on to a cone, of which the vertex is usually above one of the poles.

conics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of mathematics concerned with conic sections.

conic section

noun

a figure formed by the intersection of a plane and a circular cone. Depending on the angle of the plane with respect to the cone, a conic section may be a circle, an ellipse, a parabola, or a hyperbola.

conidiophore /kəʊˈnɪdɪə(ʊ)fɔː/

I. noun

[Botany] (in certain fungi) a conidium-bearing hypha or filament.

– origin late 19th cent.: from conidio- (combining form of conidium) + -phore.

conidium /kəʊˈnɪdɪəm/

I. noun

[Botany] a spore produced asexually by various fungi at the tip of a specialized hypha.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek konis ‘dust’ + the diminutive suffix -idium.

conifer /ˈkɒnɪfə, ˈkəʊnɪfə/

I. noun

a tree which bears cones and needle-like or scale-like leaves that are typically evergreen. Conifers are of major importance as the source of softwood, and also supply resins and turpentine.
●Order Coniferales, class Coniferopsida, subdivision Gymnospermae: several families, including the pines and firs ( Pinaceae) and the cypresses ( Cupressaceae).

II. derivatives

coniferous /kəˈnɪfərəs /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘cone-bearing’, from conus (see cone).

coniform /ˈkəʊnɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

‹rare› having the shape of a cone.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin conus ‘cone’ + -iform.

coniine /ˈkəʊnɪiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a volatile poisonous compound found in hemlock and other plants. It affects the motor nerves, causing paralysis and asphyxia.
●An alkaloid, 2-propylpiperidine; chem. formula: C_8H_17N.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin conium (from Greek kōneion ‘hemlock’) + -ine^4.

conjectural /kənˈdʒɛktʃ(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

based on or involving conjecture

• the evidence was deemed too conjectural.

II. derivatives

conjecturally /kənˈdʒɛktʃ(ə)rəli /

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: via French from Latin conjecturalis, from conjectura ‘inference’ (see conjecture).

conjecture /kənˈdʒɛktʃə/

I. noun

1. an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information

• conjectures about the newcomer were many and varied

• [ mass noun] a matter for conjecture.

2. an unproven mathematical or scientific theorem.

3. [ mass noun] — (in textual criticism) the suggestion of a reading of a text not present in the original source.

II. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. form an opinion or supposition about (something) on the basis of incomplete information
[with clause]

• many conjectured that she had a second husband in mind.

2. (in textual criticism) propose (a reading).

III. derivatives

conjecturable /kənˈdʒɛktʃərəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘to divine’ and ‘divination’): from Old French, or from Latin conjectura, from conicere ‘put together in thought’, from con- ‘together’ + jacere ‘throw’.

conjoin /kənˈdʒɔɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› join; combine

• an approach which conjoins theory and method.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French conjoindre, from Latin conjungere, from con- ‘together’ + jungere ‘to join’.

conjoined twins

I. plural noun

twins that are physically joined at birth, sometimes sharing organs, and in some cases separable by surgery (depending on the degree of fusion).

usage: The term conjoined twins has supplanted Siamese twins in all contexts other than informal conversation.

conjoint /kənˈdʒɔɪnt/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. combining all or both people or things involved.

• the conjoint involvement of the two cerebral hemispheres.

II. derivatives

conjointly /kənˈdʒɔɪntli /

adverb

– origin Middle English: from Old French, past participle of conjoindre (see conjoin).

conjugal /ˈkɒndʒʊɡ(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to marriage or the relationship between a married couple

• conjugal loyalty.

II. derivatives

1. conjugality /kɒndʒʊˈɡalɪti /

noun

2. conjugally

adverb

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin conjugalis, from conjux, conjug- ‘spouse’, from con- ‘together’ + jugum ‘a yoke’.

conjugal rights

plural noun

the rights, especially to sexual relations, regarded as exercisable in law by each partner in a marriage.

conjugate

I. verb — conjugate /ˈkɒndʒʊɡeɪt /

1. [with obj.] — [Grammar] give the different forms of (a verb in an inflected language such as Latin) as they vary according to voice, mood, tense, number, and person.

• conjugating verbs forms part of language study.

2. [no obj.] — [Biology] (of bacteria or unicellular organisms) become temporarily united in order to exchange genetic material

• E. coli only conjugate when one of the cells possesses fertility genes.

3. (of gametes) become fused.

4. [with obj.] — [Chemistry] be combined with or joined to reversibly

• bilirubin is then conjugated by liver enzymes and excreted in the bile.

II. adjective — conjugate /ˈkɒndʒʊɡət /

1. ‹technical› coupled, connected, or related, in particular:

2. ‹technical› [Chemistry] (of an acid or base) related to the corresponding base or acid by loss or gain of a proton.

3. ‹technical› [Mathematics] joined in a reciprocal relation, especially having the same real parts and equal magnitudes but opposite signs of imaginary parts.

4. ‹technical› [Geometry] (of angles) adding up to 360°; (of arcs) combining to form a complete circle.

5. ‹technical› [Biology] (of gametes) fused.

III. noun — conjugate /ˈkɒndʒʊɡət /

1. [chiefly Biochemistry] a substance formed by the reversible combination of two or more others.

2. a mathematical value or entity having a reciprocal relation with another.
See also complex conjugate.

IV. derivatives

conjugacy

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin conjugat- ‘yoked together’, from the verb conjugare, from con- ‘together’ + jugum ‘yoke’.

conjugated /ˈkɒndʒʊɡeɪtɪd/

adjective

1. [Chemistry] relating to or denoting double or triple bonds in a molecule which are separated by a single bond, across which some sharing of electrons occurs.

2. [chiefly Biochemistry] (of a substance) reversibly combined with another

• conjugated bile salts.

conjugate diameter

noun

[Anatomy] the distance between the front and rear of the pelvis.

conjugation /kɒndʒʊˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Grammar] the variation of the form of a verb in an inflected language such as Latin, by which the voice, mood, tense, number, and person are identified.

• it was the conjugation of verbs he found most difficult.

2. [ count noun] — the class in which a verb is put according to the manner of this variation

• a past participle of the first conjugation.

3. ‹technical› the formation or existence of a link between things, in particular:

4. [Biology] the temporary union of two bacteria or unicellular organisms for the exchange of genetic material.

• immunity may be transferable by conjugation to other bacterial strains.

5. [Biology] the fusion of two gametes, especially when they are of a similar size.

6. [chiefly Biochemistry] the combination of two substances

• toxic compounds eliminated from the body by conjugation with glutathione.

7. [Chemistry] the sharing of electron density between nearby multiple bonds in a molecule.

8. [Mathematics] the solution of a problem by transforming it into an equivalent problem of a different form, solving this, and then reversing the transformation.

II. derivatives

conjugational /ˌkɒndʒʊˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in sense 1): from Latin conjugatio(n-), from conjugare ‘join together’ (see conjugate).

conjunct

I. adjective — conjunct /kənˈdʒʌŋ(k)t /

1. joined together, combined, or associated.

2. [Music] relating to the movement of a melody between adjacent notes of the scale.

3. [Astrology] in conjunction with.

• Moon conjunct Jupiter.

II. noun — conjunct /ˈkɒndʒʌŋ(k)t /

1. each of two or more things which are joined or associated.

2. [Logic] each of the terms of a conjunctive proposition.

3. [Grammar] an adverbial whose function is to join two sentences or other discourse units (e.g. however, anyway, in the first place).

– origin late Middle English: from Latin conjunctus, past participle of conjungere ‘join together’ (see conjoin).

conjunction /kənˈdʒʌŋ(k)ʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [Grammar] a word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause (e.g. and, but, if).

2. the action or an instance of two or more events or things occurring at the same point in time or space

• a conjunction of favourable political and economic circumstances

• he postulated that the Americas were formed by the conjunction of floating islands.

3. [Astronomy] [Astrology] an alignment of two planets or other celestial objects so that they appear to be in the same, or nearly the same, place in the sky.

• the conjunctions and oppositions of the planets.

• [ mass noun] the planet reached conjunction with the sun.

II. phrases

in conjunction

together

• herbal medicine was used in conjunction with acupuncture and massage.

III. derivatives

conjunctional /kənˈdʒʌŋkʃ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin conjunctio(n-), from the verb conjungere (see conjoin).

conjunctiva /ˌkɒndʒʌŋ(k)ˈtʌɪvə, kənˈdʒʌŋ(k)tɪvə/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the mucous membrane that covers the front of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids.

II. derivatives

conjunctival

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin (membrana) conjunctiva ‘conjunctive (membrane)’, from late Latin conjunctivus, from conjungere ‘join together’ (see conjoin).

conjunctive /kənˈdʒʌŋ(k)tɪv/

I. adjective

1. relating to or forming a connection or combination of things

• the conjunctive tissue.

2. involving the combination or co-occurrence of two or more conditions or properties.

3. [Grammar] of the nature of or relating to a conjunction.

II. noun

[Grammar] a word or expression acting as a conjunction.

III. derivatives

conjunctively /kənˈdʒʌŋktɪvli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin conjunctivus, from conjungere ‘join together’ (see conjunct).

conjunctivitis /kənˌdʒʌŋ(k)tɪˈvʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye.

conjuncture /kənˈdʒʌŋ(k)tʃə/

I. noun

1. a combination of events

• the happy conjuncture of two facts.

2. a state of affairs

• the wider political conjuncture.

– origin early 17th cent.: from conjunction, by substitution of the suffix; influenced by obsolete French conjuncture, from Italian congiuntura, based on Latin conjungere ‘join together’ (see conjoin).

conjunto /kɒnˈhʌntəʊ/

I. noun

(in Latin America or Hispanic communities) a small musical group or band.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘an ensemble, group’.

conjuration /ˌkʌndʒəˈreɪʃ(ə)n, ˌkɒndʒʊˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a magic incantation or spell.

2. [ mass noun] — the performance of something supernatural by means of a magic incantation or spell.

• the conjuration of spirits.

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘conspiracy, the swearing of an oath together’): via Old French from Latin conjuratio(n-), from conjurare (see conjure).

conjure /ˈkʌndʒə/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] (often conjure something up) — cause (a spirit or ghost) to appear by means of a magic ritual

• they hoped to conjure up the spirit of their dead friend.

2. make (something) appear unexpectedly or seemingly from nowhere

• Anne conjured up a delicious home-made hotpot.

3. call (an image) to the mind

• she had forgotten how to conjure up the image of her mother's face.

4. (of a word, sound, smell, etc.) cause someone to think of (something)

• a special tune that conjures up a particular time and place.

5. /kənˈdʒʊə, kənˈdʒɔː/ [with obj. and infinitive] — ‹archaic› implore (someone) to do something.

• she conjured him to return.

II. phrases

a name to conjure with

used to indicate that a particular person is very important or well regarded

• on the merger scene his is a name to conjure with.

– origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘oblige by oath’): from Old French conjurer ‘to plot or exorcise’, from Latin conjurare ‘band together by an oath, conspire’ (in medieval Latin ‘invoke’), from con- ‘together’ + jurare ‘swear’.

conjure woman

noun

(US) (W. Indian) a sorceress, especially one who practises voodoo.

conjuring /ˈkʌndʒərɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the performance of tricks which are seemingly magical, typically involving sleight of hand
[as modifier]

• a conjuring trick.

conjuror /ˈkʌndʒərə / conjurer

I. noun

a performer of conjuring tricks.

– origin Middle English: partly from conjure, partly from Old French conjureor, conjurere, from medieval Latin conjurator, from Latin conjurare ‘conspire’ (see conjure).

conk^1 /kɒŋk/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( conk out)

1. ‹informal› (of a machine) break down

• my car conked out.

2. ‹informal› (of a person) faint or go to sleep

• he conked out on the rear seat.

3. ‹informal› die.

• most creatures conk out smartly once they have passed on their genes.

– origin First World War: of unknown origin.

conk^2 /kɒŋk / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a person's nose.

• look at the size of that conk!

2. ‹dated› a person's head.

• a persistent idea has been buzzing about in my conk.

3. a blow to the head.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. hit (someone) on the head

• the clown conked him.

– origin early 19th cent.: perhaps an alteration of conch.

conker /ˈkɒŋkə/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) the hard, shiny dark brown nut of a horse chestnut tree.

2. [treated as sing.] ( conkers) — (Brit.) a children's game in which each has a conker on the end of a string and takes turns in trying to break another's with it.

– origin mid 19th cent. (a dialect word denoting a snail shell, with which the game, or a form of it, was originally played): perhaps from conch, but associated with (and frequently spelled) conquer in the 19th and early 20th cents: an alternative name was conquerors.

conlang /ˈkɒnlaŋ/

I. noun

a language that has been artificially created; a constructed language

• these conlangs help us understand the essential components of a successful language

• Klingon is a difficult conlang to master.

– origin 1990s: short for constructed language.

conlanger /ˈkɒnlaŋə/

I. noun

a person who creates an artificial language

• many conlangers strive to make their languages as different from European paradigms as possible.

– origin 1990s: from conlang.

conman /ˈkɒnman/

noun

‹informal› a man who cheats or tricks someone by means of a confidence trick.

con moto /kɒn ˈməʊtəʊ/

I. adverb

[Music] (especially as a direction) with movement

• andante con moto.

– origin Italian.

Conn.

abbreviation

Connecticut.

Connacht /ˈkɒnɔːt / Connaught

a province in the west of the Republic of Ireland.

connate /ˈkɒneɪt/

I. adjective

1. [Philosophy] (especially of ideas or principles) existing in a person or thing from birth; innate.

• are our ethical values connate?

2. [Biology] (of parts) united so as to form a single part.

3. [Geology] (of water) trapped in sedimentary rock during its deposition.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin connatus, past participle of connasci, from con- ‘together’ + nasci ‘be born’.

connatural /kəˈnatʃ(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

belonging naturally; innate.

II. derivatives

connaturally

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin connaturalis, from con- ‘together’ + Latin naturalis ‘natural’.

connect /kəˈnɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. bring together or into contact so that a real or notional link is established

• the electrodes were connected to a recording device

• (as adj. connected) a connected series of cargo holds.

2. join together so as to provide access and communication

• all the buildings are connected by underground passages

• [no obj.] the motorway connects with major routes from all parts of the country.

3. link to a power or water supply

• by 1892 most of the village had been connected to the mains.

4. put (someone) into contact by telephone

• I was quickly connected to the police.

5. [no obj.] — (of a train, bus, aircraft, etc.) be timed to arrive at its destination just before another train, bus, etc., departs so that passengers can transfer

• the bus connects with trains from Windermere station

• (as adj. connecting) we missed the connecting flight to the USA.

6. associate or relate (something) in some respect

• employees are rewarded with bonuses connected to their firm's performance

• jobs connected with the environment.

7. provide or have a link or relationship with

• there was no evidence to connect Jefferson with the theft

• [no obj.] the desire for religious faith connects up with profound needs at the core of our existence.

8. [no obj.] — form a relationship or feel an affinity

• he can't connect with anyone any more.

9. [no obj.] — ‹informal› (of a blow) hit the intended target

• the blow connected and he felt a burst of pain.

II. derivatives

1. connectable

adjective

2. connectedly /kəˈnɛktɪdli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘be united physically’; rare before the 18th cent.): from Latin connectere, from con- ‘together’ + nectere ‘bind’.

connectedness /kəˈnɛktɪdnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being joined or linked

• the connectedness of American business life and American sport

• the connectedness of local and national power.

2. a feeling of belonging to or having affinity with a particular person or group

• it's about partnering, trust, and connectedness

• individuals from these cultures value connectedness with family and friends.

Connecticut /kəˈnɛtɪkət/

I. a state in the north-eastern US, on the Atlantic coast; capital, Hartford; pop. 3,501,252 (est. 2008). It was one of the original thirteen states of the Union and ratified the draft US Constitution in 1788.

II. the longest river in New England, rising in northern New Hampshire and flowing south for 655 km (407 miles) to enter Long Island Sound.

connecting rod

noun

a rod connecting two moving parts in a mechanism, especially that between the piston and the crankpin (or equivalent parts) in an engine or pump.

connection /kəˈnɛkʃ(ə)n / ‹Brit.› connexion

I. noun

1. a relationship in which a person or thing is linked or associated with something else

• the connections between social attitudes and productivity

• sufferers deny that their problems have any connection with drugs.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of linking one thing with another

• connection to the Internet.

3. [ mass noun] — the placing of parts of an electric circuit in contact so that a current may flow.

4. a link between electrical components or pipes

• ensure that all connections between the wires are properly made.

5. a link between two telephones

• she replaced the receiver before the connection was made.

6. an arrangement or opportunity for catching a connecting train, bus, aircraft, etc.

• ferry connections are sporadic in the low season.

7. a connecting train, bus, etc.

• we had to wait for our connection to Frankfurt.

8. ( connections) — people with whom one has social or professional contact or to whom one is related, especially those with influence and able to offer one help

• he had connections in the music industry.

9. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a supplier of narcotics.

10. a narcotics sale or purchase.

11. ‹chiefly historical› an association of Methodist Churches.

• the primitive Methodists broke with the Wesleyan connection in 1810.

II. phrases

1. in connection with

with reference to; concerning

• detectives are questioning two men in connection with alleged criminal damage.

2. in this (or that) connection

with reference to this (or that)

• the local Marine Surveyor should be able to assist in this connection.

III. derivatives

connectional

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin connexio(n-), from connectere (see connect). The spelling -ct (18th cent.) is from connect, on the pattern of pairs such as collect, collection.

connectionism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an artificial intelligence approach to cognition in which multiple connections between nodes (equivalent to brain cells) form a massive interactive network in which many processes take place simultaneously and certain processes, operating in parallel, are grouped together in hierarchies that bring about results such as thought or action.
Also called parallel distributed processing.

connective /kəˈnɛktɪv/

I. adjective

connecting

• connective words and phrases.

II. noun

1. [Grammar] a word or phrase whose function is to link other linguistic units.

• she would be more likely to use a temporal connective such as before, after, or then than to use a causal connective.

2. [Anatomy] a bundle of nerve fibres connecting two nerve centres or ganglia, especially in invertebrate animals.

connective tissue

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anatomy] tissue that connects, supports, binds, or separates other tissues or organs, typically having relatively few cells embedded in an amorphous matrix, often with collagen or other fibres, and including cartilaginous, fatty, and elastic tissues.

• a thin sheet of connective tissue.

• [ count noun] connective tissues form the framework of the vertebrate body.

connectivity /kɒnɛkˈtɪvɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being connected or interconnected.

• the authorities worked at restoring connectivity between Puerto Rico and the US mainland after Hurricane Hugo.

2. [Computing] capacity for the interconnection of platforms, systems, and applications.

• this allows connectivity between Sun and Mac platforms.

connector /kəˈnɛktə/

noun

1. a thing which links two or more things together

• a pipe connector.

2. a device for keeping two parts of an electric circuit in contact.

• a cable connector.

Connemara /ˌkɒnɪˈmɑːrə/

a mountainous coastal region of Galway, in the west of the Republic of Ireland.

Connemara pony Connemara

noun

a pony of a small hardy breed, typically grey in colour.

Connery, Sir Sean /ˈkɒnəri/

(b.1930), Scottish film actor best known for his portrayal of James Bond; born Thomas Connery.

connie /ˈkɒni/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a conductor on a bus or tram

• he bought a one-day ticket from the connie.

– origin 1920s: abbreviation of conductor.

conning tower /ˈkɒnɪŋ/

noun

the superstructure of a submarine, from which it can be commanded when on the surface and which contains the periscope.

conniption /kəˈnɪpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a fit of rage or hysterics

• his client was having conniptions on the phone.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably an invented word.

connivance /kəˈnʌɪv(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. willingness to allow or be secretly involved in an immoral or illegal act

• this infringement of the law had taken place with the connivance of officials.

– origin late 16th cent. (also in the Latin sense ‘winking’): from French connivence or Latin conniventia, from connivere ‘shut the eyes (to)’ (see connive).

connive /kəˈnʌɪv/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( connive at/in)

1. secretly allow (something immoral, illegal, or harmful) to occur

• government officials were prepared to connive in impeding the course of justice.

2. (usu. connive to do something) — conspire to do something immoral, illegal, or harmful

• she connived with a senior official to rig the results of last year's election.

II. derivatives

conniver /kəˈnʌɪvə /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from French conniver or Latin connivere ‘shut the eyes (to)’, from con- ‘together’ + an unrecorded word related to nictare ‘to wink’.

conniving /kəˈnʌɪvɪŋ/

adjective

given to or involved in conspiring to do something immoral, illegal, or harmful

• a heartless and conniving woman.

connoisseur /ˌkɒnəˈsəː/

I. noun

an expert judge in matters of taste

• a connoisseur of music.

II. derivatives

connoisseurship

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from obsolete French, from conoistre ‘know’.

Connolly, Billy /ˈkɒnəli/

(b.1942), Scottish comedian. At first a folk singer, he developed his earthy stand-up act on British television before moving on to a successful career in the US.

Connolly, Cyril /ˈkɒnəli/

(1903–74), English writer and journalist; full name Cyril Vernon Connolly. His works include one novel, The Rock Pool (1936), and collections of essays, aphorisms, and reflections, among which are Enemies of Promise (1938) and The Unquiet Grave (1944).

Connolly, Maureen /ˈkɒnəli/

(1934–69), American tennis player; known as Little Mo; full name Maureen Catherine Connolly. She was 16 when she first won the US singles title and 17 when she took the Wimbledon title. In 1953 she became the first woman to win the grand slam before being forced to retire in 1954 after a riding accident.

Connors, Jimmy /ˈkɒnəz/

(b.1952), American tennis player; full name James Scott Connors. He won Wimbledon in 1974 and 1982, and the US Open championship five times.

connotation /kɒnəˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an idea or feeling which a word invokes for a person in addition to its literal or primary meaning

• the word ‘discipline’ has unhappy connotations of punishment and repression

• [ mass noun] the work functions both by analogy and by connotation.

2. [Philosophy] the abstract meaning or intension of a term, which forms a principle determining which objects or concepts it applies to.
Often contrasted with denotation.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin connotatio(n-), from connotare ‘mark in addition’ (see connote).

connote /kəˈnəʊt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a word) imply or suggest (an idea or feeling) in addition to the literal or primary meaning

• the term ‘modern science’ usually connotes a complete openness to empirical testing.

2. (of a fact) imply as a consequence or condition

• spinsterhood connoted failure.

II. derivatives

connotative /ˈkɒnəteɪtɪv, kəˈnəʊtətɪv /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin connotare ‘mark in addition’, from con- ‘together with’ + notare ‘to note’ (from nota ‘a mark’). / usage: Connote does not mean the same as denote. Whereas denote refers to the literal, primary meaning of something, connote refers to other characteristics suggested or implied by that thing. Thus, one might say that a word like mother denotes ‘a woman who is a parent’ but connotes qualities such as protection and affection.

connubial /kəˈnjuːbɪəl/

I. adjective

‹literary› relating to marriage or the relationship between a married couple; conjugal

• their connubial bed.

II. derivatives

1. connubiality

noun

2. connubially

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin connubialis, from connubium ‘marriage’, from con- ‘with’ + nubere ‘marry’.

conodont /ˈkəʊnədɒnt/

I. noun

1. (also conodont animal) — a fossil marine animal of the Cambrian to Triassic periods, having a long worm-like body, numerous small teeth, and a pair of eyes. It is now believed to be the earliest vertebrate.
●Class Conodonta, phylum Chordata: numerous families.

2. (also conodont element) — a tooth of the conodont, often found as a fossil.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Conodonta (plural), from Greek kōnos ‘cone’ + odous, odont- ‘tooth’.

conoid /ˈkəʊnɔɪd / ‹chiefly Zoology›

I. adjective

(also conoidal) — approximately conical in shape.

II. noun

a conoid object.

• her hull was a conoid, tapering toward the bow.

conquer /ˈkɒŋkə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. overcome and take control of (a place or people) by military force

• he conquered Cyprus

• ‹figurative› they've conquered new markets in Japan.

• (as adj. conquered) a conquered people.

2. successfully overcome (a problem or weakness)

• a fear she never managed to conquer.

3. climb (a mountain) successfully

• the second Briton to conquer Everest.

4. gain the love, admiration, or respect of (a person or group of people)

• the Beatles were to leave Liverpool and conquer the world.

II. derivatives

conquerable /ˈkɒŋkərəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English (also in the general sense ‘acquire, attain’): from Old French conquerre, based on Latin conquirere ‘gain, win’, from con- (expressing completion) + quaerere ‘seek’.

conqueror /ˈkɒŋk(ə)rə/

noun

a person who conquers a place or people; a vanquisher

• a people ruled over by a foreign conqueror

• ‹figurative› a chance for revenge against his Olympic conqueror.

conquest /ˈkɒŋkwɛst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the subjugation and assumption of control of a place or people by military force

• the conquest of the Aztecs by the Spanish.

2. [ count noun] — a territory which has been subjugated by military force

• colonial conquests.

3. ( the Conquest) — the invasion and assumption of control of England by William of Normandy in 1066.

4. the overcoming of a problem or weakness

• the conquest of inflation.

5. the successful ascent of a mountain, especially one not previously climbed

• the conquest of Everest.

6. [ count noun] — a person whose affection or favour has been won.

• she was someone he could display before his friends as his latest conquest.

II. phrases

make a conquest of

win the affections of.

– origin Middle English: from Old French conquest(e), based on Latin conquirere (see conquer).

conquistador /kɒnˈkwɪstədɔː, kɒnˈkɪstədɔː/

I. noun

a conqueror, especially one of the Spanish conquerors of Mexico and Peru in the 16th century.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Spanish.

Conrad, Joseph

(1857–1924), Polish-born British novelist; born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski. Much of his work, including his story Heart of Darkness (1902) and the novel Nostromo (1904), explores the darkness within human nature.

con rod

noun

(Brit.) informal term for connecting rod.

Cons.

abbreviation

Conservative.

consanguine /kɒnˈsaŋɡwɪn/

adjective

another term for consanguineous.

consanguineous /ˌkɒnsaŋˈɡwɪnɪəs/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting people descended from the same ancestor

• consanguineous marriages may give rise to recessive syndromes.

II. derivatives

consanguinity /kɒnsaŋˈɡwɪnəti /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin consanguineus ‘of the same blood’ (from con- ‘together’ + sanguis ‘blood’) + -ous.

conscience /ˈkɒnʃ(ə)ns/

I. noun

a person's moral sense of right and wrong, viewed as acting as a guide to one's behaviour

• he had a guilty conscience about his desires

• [ mass noun] Ben was suffering a pang of conscience.

II. phrases

1. in (all) conscience

given the fact that this is probably wrong; in fairness

• how can we in all conscience justify the charging of fees for such a service?

2. on one's conscience

weighing heavily and guiltily on one's mind

• an act of providence had prevented him from having a death on his conscience.

III. derivatives

conscienceless /ˈkɒnʃ(ə)nsləs /

adjective

– origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘inner thoughts or knowledge’): via Old French from Latin conscientia, from conscient- ‘being privy to’, from the verb conscire, from con- ‘with’ + scire ‘know’.

conscience clause

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a clause in a law providing for exemption or other allowances on the grounds of moral or religious conscience.

• Congress passed a ‘conscience clause’ bill, which permitted any individual or hospital opposed to abortion to refuse to perform the procedure.

conscience money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. money paid because of feelings of guilt, especially about a payment that one has evaded.

• the country regards aid as conscience money from the West.

conscience-stricken

adjective

made uneasy by a guilty conscience

• she was still conscience-stricken over her outburst.

conscientious /ˌkɒnʃɪˈɛnʃəs/

I. adjective

1. wishing to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly

• a conscientious man, he took his duties very seriously.

2. relating to a person's conscience

• the individual is denied even the opportunity to break the law on conscientious grounds.

II. derivatives

conscientiousness /kɒnʃɪˈɛnʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from French consciencieux, from medieval Latin conscientiosus, from Latin conscientia (see conscience).

conscientiously /kɒnʃɪˈɛnʃəsli/

adverb

1. in a thorough and responsible way

• he applied himself conscientiously to his profession

• a conscientiously detailed legislative history.

2. in a way that is motivated by one's moral sense of right and wrong

• he could not conscientiously take the oath

• people who are conscientiously opposed to killing.

conscientious objector

I. noun

a person who for reasons of conscience objects to serving in the armed forces.

II. derivatives

conscientious objection

noun

conscious /ˈkɒnʃəs/

I. adjective

1. aware of and responding to one's surroundings

• although I was in pain, I was conscious.

2. having knowledge of something

• we are conscious of the extent of the problem.

3. [in combination] — concerned with or worried about a particular matter

• they were growing increasingly security-conscious.

4. (of an action or feeling) deliberate and intentional

• a conscious effort to walk properly.

5. (of the mind or a thought) directly perceptible to and under the control of the person concerned.

• when you go to sleep it is only the conscious mind which shuts down.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘being aware of wrongdoing’): from Latin conscius ‘knowing with others or in oneself’ (from conscire ‘be privy to’) + -ous.

consciously /ˈkɒnʃəsli/

adverb

1. in a deliberate and intentional way

• she consciously chose to ignore him

• a vicious and consciously dishonest hatchet job.

2. in a way that is directly perceptible to and under the control of the person concerned

• most players don't think consciously about a throw

• we don't consciously perceive everything that happens to us.

consciousness /ˈkɒnʃəsnɪs/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the state of being aware of and responsive to one's surroundings

• she failed to regain consciousness and died two days later.

2. a person's awareness or perception of something

• her acute consciousness of Luke's presence.

3. the fact of awareness by the mind of itself and the world.

• consciousness emerges from the operations of the brain.

consciousness-raising /ˈkɒnʃəsnəsˌreɪzɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of seeking to make people more aware of personal, social, or political issues
[as modifier]

• a consciousness-raising group.

conscribe /kənˈskrʌɪb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› enlist (someone) compulsorily, typically into the armed services; conscript.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘write, compose’): from Latin conscribere (see conscript).

conscript

I. verb — [with obj.] conscript /kənˈskrɪpt /

1. enlist (someone) compulsorily, typically into the armed services

• they were conscripted into the army.

II. noun — conscript /ˈkɒnskrɪpt /

1. a person enlisted compulsorily.

• army conscripts.

• [as modifier] conscript troops.

– origin late 18th cent. (as a noun): from French conscrit, from Latin conscriptus, past participle of conscribere ‘enrol’. The verb is a back-formation from conscription.

conscription /kənˈskrɪpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces.

• conscription was extended to married men.

– origin early 19th cent.: via French (conscription was introduced in France in 1798), from late Latin conscriptio(n-) ‘levying of troops’, from Latin conscribere ‘write down together, enrol’, from con- ‘together’ + scribere ‘write’.

consecrate /ˈkɒnsɪkreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make or declare (something, typically a church) sacred; dedicate formally to a religious purpose

• the present Holy Trinity church was consecrated in 1845

• (as adj. consecrated) consecrated ground.

2. (in Christian belief) declare (bread and wine) to be or represent the body and blood of Christ
(as adj. consecrated)

• they received the host but not the consecrated wine.

3. ordain (someone) to a sacred office, typically that of bishop
[with obj. and complement]

• he was consecrated bishop of York.

4. ‹informal› devote (something) exclusively to a particular purpose

• the gun room was a male preserve, consecrated to sport.

II. derivatives

1. consecrator /ˈkɒnsɪkreɪtə /

noun

2. consecratory

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin consecrat- ‘dedicated, devoted as sacred’, from the verb consecrare, from con- (expressing intensive force) + sacrare ‘dedicate’, from sacer ‘sacred’.

consecration /kɒnsɪˈkreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of making or declaring something, typically a church, sacred

• the consecration of this cathedral was a magical event.

2. (in Christian belief) the action of declaring bread and wine to be or represent the body and blood of Christ

• the consecration of bread and wine in the Eucharist

• eucharistic consecration.

3. the action of ordaining someone to a sacred office, typically that of bishop

• he received consecration as bishop at Notre Dame.

consecutive /kənˈsɛkjʊtɪv/

I. adjective

1. following each other continuously

• five consecutive months of serious decline.

2. in unbroken or logical sequence.

• a consecutive pattern of what the film would be like.

3. [Grammar] expressing consequence or result

• a consecutive clause.

4. [Music] denoting intervals of the same kind (especially fifths or octaves) occurring in succession between two parts or voices.

II. derivatives

consecutiveness /kənˈsɛkjʊtɪvnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from French consécutif, -ive, from medieval Latin consecutivus, from Latin consecut- ‘followed closely’, from the verb consequi.

consecutively /kənˈsɛkjʊtɪvli/

adverb

1. one after another without interruption

• Jeremy smoked four cigarettes consecutively.

2. in unbroken or logical sequence

• the drives are just numbered consecutively.

consensual /kənˈsɛnʃʊəl/

I. adjective

relating to or involving consent or consensus

• consensual sexual activity.

II. derivatives

consensually

adverb

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin consensus ‘agreement’ (from consens- ‘felt together, agreed’, from the verb consentire) + -al.

consensus /kənˈsɛnsəs/

I. noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. a general agreement
[with clause]

• there is a growing consensus that the current regime has failed

• [as modifier] a consensus view.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘agreement’, from consens- ‘agreed’, from the verb consentire.

consensus sequence

noun

[Biochemistry] a sequence of DNA having similar structure and function in different organisms.

consent /kənˈsɛnt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. permission for something to happen or agreement to do something

• no change may be made without the consent of all the partners.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. give permission for something to happen

• he consented to a search by a detective.

2. [with infinitive] — agree to do something

• he had consented to serve as external assessor on the panel.

III. phrases

1. by common consent

with the agreement of all.

• it was, by common consent, our finest performance.

2. informed consent

permission granted in full knowledge of the possible consequences, typically that which is given by a patient to a doctor for treatment with knowledge of the possible risks and benefits.

• written informed consent was obtained from each patient.

– origin Middle English: from Old French consente (noun), consentir (verb), from Latin consentire, from con- ‘together’ + sentire ‘feel’.

consentient /kənˈsɛnʃ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹archaic› of the same opinion in a matter; in agreement.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin consentient- ‘agreeing’, from the verb consentire (see consent).

consenting adult

noun

an adult who willingly agrees to engage in a sexual act.

• I was the other consenting adult in the affair.

• gay sex between consenting adults will be decriminalized.

consequence /ˈkɒnsɪkw(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. a result or effect, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant

• abrupt withdrawal of drug treatment can have serious consequences

• many have been laid off from work as a consequence of government policies.

2. [ mass noun] [usu. with negative] — importance or relevance

• the past is of no consequence.

3. ‹dated› social distinction

• a woman of consequence.

4. [treated as sing.] ( consequences) — a game in which a narrative is made up by the players in turn, each ignorant of what has already been contributed.

II. phrases

1. in consequence

as a result.

• he died in consequence of injuries sustained.

2. take (or bear) the consequences

accept responsibility for the negative results or effects of one's choice or action.

• you acted on your own initiative, and you will take the consequences.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin consequentia, from consequent- ‘following closely’, from the verb consequi.

consequent /ˈkɒnsɪkw(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. following as a result or effect

• the social problems of pupils and their consequent educational difficulties

• you've got a university place consequent on your exam results.

2. ‹archaic› logically consistent.

3. [Geology] (of a stream or valley) having a direction or character determined by the original slope of the land before erosion.

II. noun

1. [Logic] the second part of a conditional proposition, whose truth is stated to be implied by that of the antecedent.

2. [Music] the second or imitating voice or part in a canon.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin consequent- ‘overtaking, following closely’, from the verb consequi.

consequential /kɒnsɪˈkwɛnʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. following as a result or effect

• a loss of confidence and a consequential withdrawal of funds.

2. [Law] resulting from an act, but not immediately and directly

• consequential damages.

3. important; significant

• the new congress lacked consequential leaders.

II. derivatives

1. consequentiality /kɒnsɪkwɛnʃɪˈalɪti /

noun

2. consequentially /kɒnsɪˈkwɛnʃəli /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin consequentia (see consequence) + -al.

consequentialism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] the doctrine that the morality of an action is to be judged solely by its consequences.

II. derivatives

consequentialist

adjective, noun

consequently /ˈkɒnsɪkw(ə)ntli/

adverb

as a result

• flexible workers find themselves in great demand, and consequently gain high salaries.

conservancy /kənˈsəːv(ə)nsi/

I. noun

1. [in names] — a body concerned with the preservation of natural resources

• the Nature Conservancy.

2. a commission controlling a port, river, or catchment area.

• the Thames Conservancy Board.

3. [ mass noun] — the conservation of wildlife and the environment.

• from the point of view of nature conservancy, I'd rather see it left unspoilt.

– origin mid 18th cent.: alteration of obsolete conservacy, from Anglo-Norman French conservacie, via Anglo-Latin from Latin conservatio (see conservation).

conservation /kɒnsəˈveɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of conserving something, in particular:

2. preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment and of wildlife.
[with modifier]

• nature conservation.

3. preservation and repair of archaeological, historical, and cultural sites and artefacts.

• the artworks in the collection need indexing and conservation.

4. prevention of wasteful use of a resource.

• the government must take action to promote energy conservation.

5. [Physics] the principle by which the total value of a physical quantity or parameter (such as energy, mass, linear or angular momentum) remains constant in a system which is not subject to external influence.

II. derivatives

conservational

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin conservatio(n-), from the verb conservare (see conserve).

conservation area

noun

(Brit.) an area of notable environmental or historical interest or importance which is protected by law against undesirable changes.

conservationist /kɒnsəˈveɪʃ(ə)nɪst/

noun

a person who advocates or acts for the protection and preservation of the environment and wildlife
[as modifier]

• conservationist groups.

conservatism /kənˈsəːvətiz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. commitment to traditional values and ideas with opposition to change or innovation

• proponents of theological conservatism.

2. the holding of political views that favour free enterprise, private ownership, and socially conservative ideas

• a party that espoused conservatism.

3. ( Conservativism) — the doctrines of the Conservative Party of Great Britain or a similar party elsewhere

• the thrust of post-war Conservatism.

conservative /kənˈsəːvətɪv/

I. adjective

1. averse to change or innovation and holding traditional values

• they were very conservative in their outlook.

2. (of dress or taste) sober and conventional

• a conservative suit.

3. (in a political context) favouring free enterprise, private ownership, and socially conservative ideas.

4. ( Conservative) — relating to the Conservative Party of Great Britain or a similar party elsewhere.

• the Conservative government.

5. (of an estimate) purposely low for the sake of caution

• police placed the value of the haul at a conservative £500,000.

6. (of surgery or medical treatment) intended to control rather than eliminate a condition, with existing tissue preserved as far as possible.

II. noun

1. a person who is averse to change and holds traditional values.

• he remains a conservative in constitutional matters.

2. ( Conservative) — a supporter or member of the Conservative Party of Great Britain or a similar party elsewhere.

III. phrases

conservative with a small ‘c’

said of someone who is conservative in outlook but does not necessarily vote for or support a Conservative party

• I think there are a good number of teachers who are instinctively conservative with a small c.

IV. derivatives

conservativeness

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘aiming to preserve’): from late Latin conservativus, from conservat- ‘conserved’, from the verb conservare (see conserve). Current senses date from the mid 19th cent.

Conservative Judaism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of Judaism, particularly prevalent in North America, which seeks to preserve Jewish tradition and ritual but has a more flexible approach to the interpretation of the law than Orthodox Judaism.

conservatively /kənˈsɛːvətɪvli/

adverb

1. in a sober and conventional way

• they've been dressing more conservatively at the office

• an upscale living room, conservatively furnished.

2. in a cautious way that seeks to avoid potential risks

• she conservatively estimates a supply shortfall of £8 million this year.

3. [Medicine] in a way that is intended to control symptoms rather than eliminate a condition

• the frostbite injury was treated conservatively.

Conservative Party

noun

a political party promoting free enterprise and private ownership, in particular a major British party that since the Second World War has been in power 1951–64, 1970–4, 1979–97, and since 2010 (2010–15 in coalition with the Liberal Democrats). It emerged from the old Tory Party under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s.

conservatoire /kənˈsəːvətwɑː/

I. noun

(Brit.) a college for the study of classical music or other arts, typically in the continental European tradition.

• she studies piano and violin at the Paris Conservatoire.

– origin late 18th cent.: French, from Italian conservatorio, from late Latin conservatorium, from conservare ‘to preserve’ (see conserve). Compare with conservatory.

conservator /ˈkɒnsəˌveɪtə, kənˈsəːvətə/

noun

a person responsible for the repair and preservation of things of cultural or environmental interest, such as buildings or works of art.

• the wall decoration was discovered by conservators repairing damage caused by a leaking roof.

• [with modifier] a paper conservator.

conservatorium /kənˌsəːvəˈtɔːrɪəm/

I. noun

Australian term for conservatoire.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German Konservatorium and modern Latin.

conservatory /kənˈsəːvət(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a room with a glass roof and walls, attached to a house at one side and used as a sun lounge or for growing delicate plants.

• keep plant cuttings in a frost-free conservatory or greenhouse.

2. (N. Amer.) another term for conservatoire.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting something that preserves): from late Latin conservatorium, from conservare ‘to preserve’ (see conserve).

conserve /kənˈsəːv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. protect (something, especially something of environmental or cultural importance) from harm or destruction

• the funds raised will help conserve endangered meadowlands.

2. prevent the wasteful overuse of (a resource)

• industry should conserve more water.

3. [Physics] maintain (a quantity such as energy) at a constant overall total.

• the momentum of a system is conserved unless an external force acts on it.

4. [Biochemistry] retain (a particular amino acid, nucleotide, or sequence of these) unchanged in different protein or DNA molecules.

• the adjacent sequence is conserved over large evolutionary distances.

• (as adj., with submodifier conserved) highly conserved regions of the protein.

5. preserve (fruit) with sugar.

II. noun — [ mass noun] conserve /ˈkɒnsəːv /

1. a preparation made by preserving fruit with sugar; jam or marmalade.

• pork tenderloin with onion and raisin conserve.

• [ count noun] a delectable cherry conserve.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French conserver (verb), conserve (noun), from Latin conservare ‘to preserve’, from con- ‘together’ + servare ‘to keep’.

consider /kənˈsɪdə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. think carefully about (something), typically before making a decision

• each application is considered on its merits

• (as adj. considered) I may not have time to give a considered reply to suggestions.

2. think about and be drawn towards (a course of action)

• he had considered giving up his job.

3. believe to be; think
[with obj. and infinitive]

• at first women were considered to be at low risk from HIV

• [with clause] I don't consider that I'm to blame.

4. [with obj. and complement] — regard (someone or something) as having a specified quality

• I consider him irresponsible.

5. take (something) into account when making a judgement

• one service area is not enough when you consider the number of cars using this motorway.

6. look attentively at

• the old man considered his granddaughter thoughtfully.

II. phrases

all things considered

taking everything into account.

• so, all things considered, I think I have done all right.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French considerer, from Latin considerare ‘examine’, perhaps based on sidus, sider- ‘star’.

considerable /kənˈsɪd(ə)rəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. notably large in size, amount, or extent

• a position of considerable influence.

2. (of a person) having merit or distinction

• Snow was a limited, but still considerable, novelist.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘capable of being considered’): from medieval Latin considerabilis ‘worthy of consideration’, from Latin considerare (see consider).

considerably /kənˈsɪd(ə)rəbli/

adverb

by a notably large amount or to a notably large extent; greatly

• things have improved considerably over the last few years

• [as submodifier] a considerably higher density.

considerate /kənˈsɪd(ə)rət/

I. adjective

1. careful not to inconvenience or harm others

• she was unfailingly kind and considerate.

2. ‹archaic› showing careful thought

• be considerate over your handwriting.

II. derivatives

1. considerately /kənˈsɪdərətli /

adverb

2. considerateness /kənˈsɪdərətnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘showing careful thought’): from Latin consideratus, past participle of considerare ‘examine’ (see consider).

consideration /kənsɪdəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — careful thought, typically over a period of time.

• your case needs very careful investigation and consideration.

2. [ count noun] — a fact or a motive taken into account in deciding something

• the idea was motivated by political considerations.

3. thoughtfulness and sensitivity towards others

• companies should show more consideration for their employees.

4. a payment or reward

• you can buy the books for a small consideration.

5. [Law] (in a contractual agreement) anything given or promised or forborne by one party in exchange for the promise or undertaking of another.

6. ‹archaic› importance; esteem.

II. phrases

1. in consideration of

in return for; on account of

• he paid them in consideration of their services.

2. take into consideration

take into account.

• planning that takes into consideration the needs of wildlife as well as those of humans.

3. under consideration

being thought about

• the abolition of the House of Lords was under consideration.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin consideratio(n-), from considerare ‘examine’.

considering /kənˈsɪd(ə)rɪŋ/

I. preposition, conjunction

taking into consideration
[as prep.]

• considering the circumstances, Simon was remarkably phlegmatic

• [as conjunction] considering that he was the youngest on the field he played well.

II. adverb

‹informal› taking everything into account

• they weren't feeling too bad, considering.

consigliere /ˌkɒnsɪˈljɛːreɪ/

I. noun

a member of a Mafia family who serves as an adviser to the leader and resolves disputes within the family.

– origin Italian, literally ‘a member of a council’.

consign /kənˈsʌɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deliver (something) to a person's keeping

• he consigned three paintings to Sotheby's.

2. send (goods) by a public carrier.

• the package was consigned by a famous sporting goods company.

3. ( consign someone/thing to) — put someone or something in (a place) in order to be rid of it or them

• she consigned the letter to the waste-paper basket.

II. derivatives

1. consignee /kɒnsʌɪˈniː /

noun

2. consignor /kənˈsʌɪnə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘mark with the sign of the cross’, especially at baptism or confirmation, as a sign of dedication to God): from French consigner or Latin consignare ‘mark with a seal’.

consignment /kənˈsʌɪnm(ə)nt/

noun

1. a batch of goods destined for or delivered to someone

• a consignment of drugs.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of consigning or delivering something.

• levels of consignment are running below budget.

consignment store

noun

(N. Amer.) a shop that sells second-hand items on behalf of the original owner, who receives a percentage of the selling price.

consilience /kənˈsɪlɪəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. agreement between the approaches to a topic of different academic subjects, especially science and the humanities.

II. derivatives

consilient /kənˈsɪlɪənt /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from con- + Latin -silient-, -siliens ‘jumping’ (as in resilient-resilient), after concurrent.

consist

I. verb — [no obj.] consist /kənˈsɪst /

1. ( consist of) — be composed or made up of

• the crew consists of five men.

2. ( consist in) — have as an essential feature

• his poetry consisted in the use of emotive language.

3. ( consist with) — ‹archaic› be consistent with

• the information perfectly consists with our friend's account.

II. noun — consist /ˈkɒnsɪst /

1. a set of railway vehicles forming a complete train.

• to turn an entire consist requires a wye.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘be located or inherent in’): from Latin consistere ‘stand firm or still, exist’, from con- ‘together’ + sistere ‘stand (still)’.

consistency /kənˈsɪst(ə)nsi / consistence

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. consistent behaviour or treatment

• the consistency of measurement techniques.

2. the quality of achieving a level of performance which does not vary greatly in quality over time.

• we know we have the ability at the club—what we need is consistency.

3. the way in which a substance holds together; thickness or viscosity

• the sauce has the consistency of creamed butter.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting permanence of form): from late Latin consistentia, from consistent- ‘standing firm’ (see consistent).

consistent /kənˈsɪst(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. acting or done in the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or accurate

• the parents are being consistent and firm in their reactions

• a consistent worldwide application of its policies.

2. unchanging in nature, standard, or effect over time

• he is Rangers' most consistent player this season

• the mixtures are of consistent quality.

3. (of an argument or set of ideas) not containing any logical contradictions

• a consistent explanation.

4. [ predic.] — compatible or in agreement with something

• the injuries are consistent with falling from a great height.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘consisting or composed of’): from Latin consistent- ‘standing firm or still, existing’, from the verb consistere (see consist).

consistently /kənˈsɪst(ə)ntli/

adverb

1. in every case or on every occasion; invariably

• the vehicle consistently outperforms some of the best competitors

• a team that consistently demonstrates a desire to win.

2. in a fair and impartial way

• students have to be treated consistently by all staff members.

consistory /kənˈsɪst(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a church council or court, in particular:

2. (in the Roman Catholic Church) the council of cardinals, with or without the Pope.

3. (also consistory court) — (in the Church of England) a court presided over by a bishop, for the administration of ecclesiastical law in a diocese.

4. (in other Churches) a local administrative body.

II. derivatives

consistorial /ˌkɒnsɪˈstɔːrɪəl /

adjective

– origin Middle English (originally denoting a non-ecclesiastical council): from Anglo-Norman French consistorie, from late Latin consistorium, from consistere ‘stand firm’ (see consist).

consociate /kɒnˈsəʊʃɪət, kɒnˈsoʊsɪət/

I. noun

‹rare› a partner or associate.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective in the sense ‘associated’): from Latin consociatus ‘joined in action’, from the verb consociare, from con ‘together’ + socius ‘sharing, allied’.

consociation /kɒnsəʊʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, kɒnsəʊsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a political system formed by the cooperation of different, especially antagonistic, social groups on the basis of shared power.

2. [Ecology] a small climax community of plants having a characteristic dominant species.

3. [Zoology] a group of animals of the same species which interact more or less equally with each other.

4. ‹dated› (chiefly US) an association of Congregational Churches.

5. [ mass noun] — ‹dated› close association or fellowship.

II. derivatives

1. consociational

adjective

2. consociationalism

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘associating, combination’): from Latin consociatio(n-), from the verb consociare, from con- ‘together’ + sociare ‘to associate’ (from socius ‘fellow’).

consolation /ˌkɒnsəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the comfort received by a person after a loss or disappointment

• there was consolation in knowing that others were worse off.

2. [ count noun] — a person or thing providing consolation

• the Church was the main consolation in a short and hard life.

3. (also consolation goal) [ count noun] — (Brit.) (in sport) a goal scored at a point when it is no longer possible for the scoring team to win

• two minutes from time Moore grabbed a consolation goal for the losers.

II. derivatives

consolatory /kənˈsɒlət(ə)ri, kənˈsəʊlət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin consolatio(n-), from the verb consolari (see console^1).

consolation prize

noun

a prize given to a competitor who just fails to win or who has come last.

• two hundred runners-up will get a consolation prize.

• ‹figurative› I just turned 40 and received a trip to Aspen as a consolation prize.

console^1 /kənˈsəʊl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. comfort (someone) at a time of grief or disappointment

• she tried to console him but he pushed her gently away

• you can console yourself with the thought that you did your best

• (as adj. consoling) he put a consoling arm around her shoulder.

II. derivatives

1. consolable /kɒnˈsəʊləb(ə)l /

adjective

2. consoler /kənˈsəʊlə /

noun

3. consolingly

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent. (replacing earlier consolate): from French consoler, from Latin consolari, from con- ‘with’ + solari ‘soothe’.

console^2 /ˈkɒnsəʊl/

I. noun

1. a panel or unit accommodating a set of controls for electronic or mechanical equipment.

2. (also games console, game console) — a small electronic device for playing computerized video games.

3. a cabinet for television or radio equipment.

4. the cabinet or enclosure containing the keyboards, stops, pedals, etc., of an organ.

5. an ornamented bracket or corbel supporting a shelf or table top.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French, perhaps from consolider, from Latin consolidare (see consolidate).

console table

noun

a table top supported by ornamented brackets against a wall.

consolidate /kənˈsɒlɪdeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) physically stronger or more solid

• the first phase of the project is to consolidate the outside walls.

2. strengthen (one's position or power)

• the company consolidated its position in the international market.

3. combine (a number of things) into a single more effective or coherent whole

• all manufacturing activities have been consolidated in new premises.

4. combine (a number of financial accounts or funds) into a single overall account or set of accounts.
(as adj. consolidated)

• consolidated accounts.

5. (chiefly Brit.) combine (separate pieces of legislation) into a single legislative act.

• the Companies Act 1948 and subsequent enactments were consolidated by the Companies Act 1985.

II. derivatives

consolidator /kənˈsɒlɪdeɪtə /

noun

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘combine into a whole’): from Latin consolidare, from con- ‘together’ + solidare ‘make firm’ (from solidus ‘solid’).

Consolidated Fund

the account held by the Exchequer of the British government at the Bank of England into which public monies (such as tax receipts) are paid and from which major payments are made, other than those dependent on periodic parliamentary approval.

consolidation /kənˌsɒlɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of making something stronger or more solid

• the permanent consolidation of peace.

2. the action or process of combining a number of things into a single more effective or coherent whole

• a consolidation of data within an enterprise.

3. the action or process of combining a number of financial accounts or funds into a single overall account or set of accounts

• a business selling debt consolidation services.

Consols /ˈkɒnsəlz/

I. plural noun

British government securities without redemption date and with fixed annual interest.

– origin late 18th cent.: contraction of consolidated annuities.

consommé /kənˈsɒmeɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a clear soup made with concentrated stock.

– origin French, past participle of consommer ‘consume or consummate’, from Latin consummare ‘make complete’ (see consummate).

consonance /ˈkɒns(ə)nəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. agreement or compatibility between opinions or actions

• consonance between conservation measures and existing agricultural practice

• a constitution in consonance with the people's customs.

2. the recurrence of similar-sounding consonants in close proximity, especially in prosody.

• the abrupt quality of the sound is echoed in the final ‘t’ consonance of ‘discreet’ and ‘shut’.

3. [Music] a combination of notes which are in harmony with each other due to the relationship between their frequencies.

• all music creates tension and release, dissonance and consonance.

• [ count noun] the tendency to place strong consonances in lower parts.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin consonantia, from consonant- ‘sounding together’, from the verb consonare (see consonant).

consonant /ˈkɒns(ə)nənt/

I. noun

1. a basic speech sound in which the breath is at least partly obstructed and which can be combined with a vowel to form a syllable. Contrasted with vowel.

• fricatives are by far the largest group of English consonants.

2. a letter representing a consonant.

II. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — denoting or relating to a consonant

• a consonant phoneme.

2. ( consonant with) — in agreement or harmony with

• the findings are consonant with other research.

3. [Music] making a harmonious interval or chord

• the bass is consonant with all the upper notes.

III. derivatives

1. consonantal /kɒnsəˈnant(ə)l /

adjective

2. consonantly

adverb

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘letter representing a consonant’): via Old French from Latin consonare ‘sound together’, from con- ‘with’ + sonare ‘to sound’ (from sonus ‘sound’).

con sordino /ˌkɒn sɔːˈdiːnəʊ/

I. adverb

[Music] (especially as a direction) with the use of a mute.

– origin Italian.

consort^1

I. noun — consort /ˈkɒnsɔːt /

1. a wife, husband, or companion, in particular the spouse of a reigning monarch.

• Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert.

2. a ship sailing in company with another.

II. verb — [no obj.] ( consort with) consort /kənˈsɔːt /

1. habitually associate with (someone), typically with the disapproval of others

• you chose to consort with the enemy.

2. ( consort with/to) — ‹archaic› agree or be in harmony with.

• it did not consort with his idea of scientific government.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a companion or colleague): via French from Latin consors ‘sharing, partner’, from con- ‘together with’ + sors, sort- ‘lot, destiny’. The verb senses are probably influenced by similar senses (now obsolete) of the verb sort.

consort^2 /ˈkɒnsɔːt/

I. noun

a small group of musicians performing together, typically playing instrumental music of the Renaissance period.

• a consort of viols.

• [as modifier] an anthology of Tudor consort music.

– origin late 16th cent.: earlier form of concert.

consortium /kənˈsɔːtɪəm/

I. noun

1. an association, typically of several companies.

2. [ mass noun] — [Law] the right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

• the amount awarded for loss of consortium must be included.

– origin early 19th cent. (in the sense ‘partnership’): from Latin, from consors ‘sharing, partner’ (see consort^1).

conspecific /kɒnspəˈsɪfɪk / ‹Biology›

I. adjective

(of animals or plants) belonging to the same species.

II. noun — (usu. conspecifics)

1. a member of the same species

• the rabbit was isolated from male conspecifics.

III. derivatives

conspecificity

noun

conspectus /kənˈspɛktəs/

I. noun

a summary or overview of a subject.

• new recordings containing five of his works give a rich conspectus of his art.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, past participle (used as a noun) of conspicere ‘look at attentively’.

conspicuous /kənˈspɪkjʊəs/

I. adjective

1. clearly visible

• he was very thin, with a conspicuous Adam's apple.

2. attracting notice or attention

• he showed conspicuous bravery.

II. phrases

conspicuous by one's absence

obviously not present where one or it should be.

• ratepayers grumbled that the police were conspicuous by their absence.

[from a speech made by Lord John Russell in an address to electors (1859): taken from Tacitus ( Annals iii. 76).]

III. derivatives

1. conspicuity /kənspɪˈkjuːəti /

noun

2. conspicuousness /kənˈspɪkjʊəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin conspicuus (from conspicere ‘look at attentively’, from con- (expressing intensive force) + spicere ‘look at’) + -ous.

conspicuous consumption

noun — [ mass noun]

1. expenditure on or consumption of luxuries on a lavish scale in an attempt to enhance one's prestige

• an age of increasing conspicuous consumption

• these mansions were seen as monstrous monuments to conspicuous consumption.

conspicuously /kənˈspɪkjʊəsli/

adverb

1. in a clearly visible way

• the signs were conspicuously displayed inside the restaurant.

2. in a way that attracts notice or attention

• his arguments conspicuously lack rigour

• [as submodifier] one important voice has been conspicuously absent.

conspiracist

noun

a person who supports a conspiracy theory.

• conspiracists sniffed a double murder, possibly by government agents.

conspiracy /kənˈspɪrəsi/

I. noun

1. a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful

• a conspiracy to destroy the government.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of plotting or conspiring

• they were cleared of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

II. phrases

a conspiracy of silence

an agreement to say nothing about an issue that should be generally known.

• the ministers took part in a conspiracy of silence over the decision to close the steelworks.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French conspiracie, alteration of Old French conspiration, based on Latin conspirare ‘agree, plot’ (see conspire).

conspiracy theory

I. noun

a belief that some covert but influential organization is responsible for an unexplained event.

• they sought to account for the attacks in terms of a conspiracy theory.

II. derivatives

conspiracy theorist

noun

conspirator /kənˈspɪrətə/

I. noun

a person who takes part in a conspiracy.

• conspirators had planned to seize the state.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French conspirateur, from Latin conspirator, from conspirat- ‘agreed, plotted’, from the verb conspirare (see conspire).

conspiratorial /kənspɪrəˈtɔːriəl/

I. adjective

1. relating to or suggestive of a secret plan made by a group of people to do something unlawful or harmful

• there are several who think this is some sort of vast conspiratorial plot on the part of the press

• historians have rejected this thesis as conspiratorial and simplistic.

2. (of a person’s manner or behaviour) suggesting that they share secret knowledge with another person

• he gave me a sly, conspiratorial wink.

II. derivatives

conspiratorially /kənspɪrəˈtɔːriəli /

adverb

conspire /kənˈspʌɪə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make secret plans jointly to commit an unlawful or harmful act

• they conspired against him

• [with infinitive] they deny conspiring to defraud the Inland Revenue.

2. [with infinitive] — (of events or circumstances) seem to be working together to bring about a particular negative result

• everything conspires to exacerbate the situation.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French conspirer, from Latin conspirare ‘agree, plot’, from con- ‘together with’ + spirare ‘breathe’.

conspirer /kənˈspʌɪərə/

noun

a person who is involved in making secret or underhand plans.

Const.

abbreviation

constable.

constable /ˈkʌnstəb(ə)l, ˈkɒnstəb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a police officer.

2. (also police constable) — a police officer of the lowest rank.

3. the governor of a royal castle.

4. ‹historical› the highest-ranking official in a royal household.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French conestable, from late Latin comes stabuli ‘count (head officer) of the stable’. Sense 1 dates from the mid 19th cent.

Constable, John /ˈkʌnstəb(ə)l, ˈkɒnstəb(ə)l/

(1776–1837), English painter. Among his best-known works are early paintings such as Flatford Mill (1817) and The Hay Wain (1821), inspired by the landscape of his native Suffolk.

constabulary /kənˈstabjʊləri/

I. noun

(Brit.) a police force covering a particular area or city

• the Royal Irish Constabulary.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. relating to a constabulary

• the constabulary strength was 13,000 men.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting the district under the charge of a constable): from medieval Latin constabularia (dignitas) ‘(rank) of constable’, from constabulus, based on Latin comes stabuli (see constable).

Constance, Lake

a lake in SW Germany on the north side of the Swiss Alps, at the meeting point of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, forming part of the course of the River Rhine.
German name Bodensee.

constancy /ˈkɒnst(ə)nsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being faithful and dependable.

• she did not think much of married bliss, yet she approved of constancy.

2. the quality of being enduring and unchanging

• the constancy of the tradition.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin constantia, from constant- ‘standing firm’ (see constant).

constant /ˈkɒnst(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. occurring continuously over a period of time

• the constant background noise of the city.

2. remaining the same over a period of time

• these discs rotate at a constant speed.

3. (of a person) unchangingly faithful and dependable.

• a constant friend.

II. noun

1. a situation that does not change

• the condition of struggle remained a constant.

2. [Mathematics] a quantity or parameter that does not change its value whatever the value of the variables, under a given set of conditions.

3. [Physics] a number expressing a relation or property which remains the same in all circumstances, or for the same substance under the same conditions.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘staying resolute or faithful’): from Old French, from Latin constant- ‘standing firm’, from the verb constare, from con- ‘with’ + stare ‘stand’. The noun senses date from the mid 19th cent.

Constanţa /kɒnˈstantsə / Constanza

the chief port of Romania, on the Black Sea; pop. 305,550 (2006). Founded in the 7th century BC by the Greeks, it was under Roman rule from 72 BC. Formerly called Tomis, it was renamed after Constantine the Great in the 4th century.

constantan /ˈkɒnst(ə)ntan/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a copper–nickel alloy used in electrical work for its high resistance.

– origin early 20th cent.: from constant + -an.

Constantine^1 /ˈkɒnstəntʌɪn/

a city in NE Algeria; pop. 462,800 (est. 2009). The capital of the Roman province of Numidia, it was destroyed in 311 but rebuilt by Constantine the Great and given his name.

Constantine^2 /ˈkɒnstəntʌɪn/

( c. 274–337), Roman emperor 306–37; known as Constantine the Great. He was the first Roman emperor to be converted to Christianity and in 324 made Christianity a state religion. In 330 he moved his capital from Rome to Byzantium, renaming it Constantinopolis (Constantinople). In the Orthodox Church he is venerated as a saint.

Constantinople /ˌkɒnstantɪˈnəʊp(ə)l/

the former name for Istanbul from AD 330 (when it was given its name by Constantine the Great) to the capture of the city by the Turks in 1453.

constantly /ˈkɒnst(ə)ntli/

adverb

continuously over a period of time; always

• the world is constantly changing

• he was constantly on her mind.

constative /ˈkɒnstətɪv, kənˈsteɪtɪv / ‹Linguistics›

I. adjective

denoting a speech act or sentence that is a statement declaring something to be the case.

• a constative sentence.

Often contrasted with performative.

II. noun

a constative speech act or sentence.

• constatives present a true or false account of the facts of the case.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin constat- ‘established’ (from the verb constare) + -ive.

constellate /ˈkɒnstəleɪt/

I. verb

‹literary› form or cause to form into a cluster or group; gather together
[no obj.]

• the towns and valleys where people constellate

• [with obj.] their stories were never constellated.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin constellatus, from con- ‘together’ + stellatus ‘arranged like a star’.

constellation /ˌkɒnstəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a group of stars forming a recognizable pattern that is traditionally named after its apparent form or identified with a mythological figure.

2. a group of associated or similar people or things

• no two patients ever show exactly the same constellation of symptoms.

– origin Middle English (as an astrological term denoting the relative positions of the ‘stars’ (planets), supposed to influence events): via Old French from late Latin constellatio(n-), based on Latin stella ‘star’.

consternate /ˈkɒnstəneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. fill (someone) with anxiety
(as adj. consternated)

• ‘Oh dear,’ said Georgiana, looking a little consternated.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin consternat- ‘terrified, prostrated’, from the verb consternare.

consternation /kɒnstəˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected

• to her consternation her car wouldn't start.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin consternatio(n-), from the verb consternare ‘lay prostrate, terrify’ (see consternate).

constipated /ˈkɒnstɪpeɪtɪd/

I. adjective

1. affected with constipation.

• regular heroin users can become constipated.

2. repressed or inhibited

• he's one of those emotionally constipated, stiff-upper-lip types.

II. derivatives

constipate /ˈkɒnstɪpeɪt /

verb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin constipat- ‘crowded or pressed together’, from the verb constipare, from con- ‘together’ + stipare ‘press, cram’.

constipation /kɒnstɪˈpeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a condition in which there is difficulty in emptying the bowels, usually associated with hardened faeces.

2. a high level of constraint or restriction

• literary constipation.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘contraction of body tissues’): from late Latin constipatio(n-), from the verb constipare (see constipated).

constituency /kənˈstɪtjʊənsi/

noun

1. a group of voters in a specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body

• most politicians are more interested in the voice of their constituency.

2. (chiefly Brit.) an area whose voters elect a representative to a legislative body

• a parliamentary candidate in the Hampstead and Highgate constituency.

3. a group of people with shared interests or political opinions

• the right needed to move beyond its blue-blood constituency.

constituent /kənˈstɪtjʊənt/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. being a part of a whole

• the constituent minerals of the rock.

2. being a voting member of an organization and having the power to appoint or elect

• the constituent body has a right of veto.

3. able to make or change a political constitution

• a constituent assembly.

II. noun

1. a member of an area which elects a representative to a legislative body.

• the MP is playing on his constituents' sense of regional identity to win votes.

2. a component part of something

• the essential constituents of the human diet.

– origin late 15th cent. (as a noun denoting a person who appoints another as agent): from Latin constituent- (partly via French constituant) ‘establishing, appointing’, from the verb constituere (see constitute).

constitute /ˈkɒnstɪtjuːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. be (a part) of a whole

• lone parents constitute a great proportion of the poor.

2. combine to form (a whole)

• there were enough members present to constitute a quorum.

3. be or be equivalent to (something)

• his failure to act constituted a breach of duty.

4. give legal or constitutional form to (an institution); establish by law.

• the superior courts were constituted by the Judicature Acts 1873–5.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin constitut- ‘established, appointed’, from the verb constituere, from con- ‘together’ + statuere ‘set up’.

constitution /kɒnstɪˈtjuːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.

• Britain lacks a codified constitution.

2. ( the Constitution) — the basic written set of principles and precedents of federal government in the US, which came into operation in 1789 and has since been modified by twenty-six amendments.

3. ‹historical› a decree, ordinance, or law.

4. [ mass noun] — the composition of something

• the genetic constitution of a species.

5. the action of forming or establishing something

• the constitution of a police authority.

6. a person's physical state as regards vitality, health, and strength

• pregnancy had weakened her constitution.

7. a person's character.

• the individual's constitution is commonly described as his nature.

– origin Middle English (denoting a law, or a body of laws or customs): from Latin constitutio(n-), from constituere ‘establish, appoint’ (see constitute).

constitutional /kɒnstɪˈtjuːʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to an established set of principles governing a state

• a constitutional amendment.

2. in accordance with a constitution

• a constitutional monarchy.

3. relating to someone's nature or physical condition

• a constitutional weakness.

II. noun

‹dated› a walk taken regularly to maintain or restore good health.

• she went out for a constitutional.

constitutionalism /kɒnstɪˈtjuːʃ(ə)n(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. constitutional government.

2. adherence to a constitutional system of government.

II. derivatives

constitutionalist /ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃ(ə)nəˌlɪst /

noun

constitutionality /kɒnstɪtjuːʃ(ə)ˈnalɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being in accordance with a political constitution

• a court case upheld the constitutionality of such a law.

constitutionalize /kɒnstɪˈtjuʃ(ə)n(ə)lʌɪz / constitutionalise

verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) make subject to the provisions of a country's constitution

• divorce is not constitutionalized.

constitutionally /kɒnstɪˈtjuːʃ(ə)nəli/

adverb

1. in a way that is in accordance with a political constitution

• basic constitutionally mandated rights.

2. in a way that relates to someone's nature or physical condition

• a person constitutionally incapable of compromise

• I'm constitutionally pessimistic.

Constitution State

informal name for Connecticut.

constitutive /ˈkɒnstɪtjuːtɪv/

I. adjective

1. having the power to establish or give organized existence to something

• the state began to exercise a new and constitutive function.

2. forming a part or constituent of something

• poverty is a constitutive element of a particular form of economic growth.

3. forming an essential element of something

• language is constitutive of thought.

4. [Biochemistry] relating to an enzyme or enzyme system that is continuously produced in an organism, regardless of the needs of cells.

II. derivatives

constitutively

adverb

constrain /kənˈstreɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. compel or force (someone) to follow a particular course of action
[with obj. and infinitive]

• children are constrained to work in the way the book dictates.

2. (as adj. constrained) — appearing forced or overly controlled

• he was acting in a constrained manner.

3. severely restrict the scope, extent, or activity of

• agricultural development is considerably constrained by climate.

4. ‹archaic› bring about (something) by compulsion

• Calypso in her caves constrained his stay.

5. ‹literary› confine forcibly; imprison.

• the walls are high, the gates are strong, but true love never yet was thus constrained.

II. derivatives

constrainedly /kənˈstreɪnɪdli /

adverb

– origin Middle English: from Old French constraindre, from Latin constringere ‘bind tightly together’.

constraint /kənˈstreɪnt/

I. noun

1. a limitation or restriction

• time constraints make it impossible to do everything

• the availability of water is the main constraint on food production.

2. [ mass noun] — stiffness of manner and inhibition in relations between people

• they would be able to talk without constraint.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘coercion’): from Old French constreinte, feminine past participle of constraindre (see constrain).

constrict /kənˈstrɪkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make narrower, especially by encircling pressure

• chemicals that constrict the blood vessels

• (as adj. constricted) constricted air passages.

2. [no obj.] — become narrower

• he felt his throat constrict.

3. (of a snake) coil round (prey) in order to asphyxiate it.

• boas constrict and suffocate their prey.

4. inhibit or restrict

• the fear and the reality of crime constrict many people's lives.

II. derivatives

constrictive /kənˈstrɪktɪv /

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin constrict- ‘bound tightly together’, from the verb constringere (see constrain).

constriction /kənˈstrɪkʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of making something narrower by pressure or of becoming narrower; tightening

• asthma is a constriction of the airways.

2. [ count noun] — a place where something has become tighter or narrower; an obstruction

• flow was impeded at bends and constrictions.

constrictor /kənˈstrɪktə/

I. noun

1. a snake that kills by coiling round its prey and asphyxiating it.
●Families Boidae and Pythonidae, and some members of other families (in particular Colubridae).

2. (also constrictor muscle) — [Anatomy] a muscle whose contraction narrows a vessel or passage.

3. each of the muscles which constrict the pharynx.

– origin early 18th cent.: modern Latin, from constrict- ‘bound tightly together’, from the verb constringere (see constrain).

constringent /kənˈstrɪndʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

causing constriction.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin constringent- ‘binding together’, from the verb constringere (see constrain).

construct

I. verb — [with obj.] construct /kənˈstrʌkt /

1. build or make (something, typically a building, road, or machine)

• a company that constructs oil rigs.

2. form (an idea or theory) by bringing together various conceptual elements

• poetics should construct a theory of literary discourse.

3. [Grammar] form (a sentence) according to grammatical rules.

• these rules tell us how to construct a grammatical sentence in a given language.

4. [Geometry] draw or delineate (a geometrical figure) accurately to given conditions.

• construct a square equal in area to a given circle.

II. noun — construct /ˈkɒnstrʌkt /

1. an idea or theory containing various conceptual elements, typically one considered to be subjective and not based on empirical evidence

• history is largely an ideological construct.

2. [Linguistics] a group of words forming a phrase.

• the appropriateness of the grammatical construct is illustrated.

3. a physical thing which is deliberately built or formed.

• a transgenic construct.

III. derivatives

constructor /kənˈstrʌktə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin construct- ‘heaped together, built’, from the verb construere, from con- ‘together’ + struere ‘pile, build’.

constructed language

noun

a language, such as Esperanto, that has been artificially created rather than having evolved naturally through use

• a scholar who has studied Tolkien's constructed languages.

construction /kənˈstrʌkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of building something, typically a large structure

• there was a skyscraper under construction.

2. the industry of constructing buildings, roads, etc.

• 50,000 more jobs will go from construction.

3. the style or method used in the building of something

• the mill is of brick construction.

4. [ count noun] — a building or other structure.

• the central waterway was a spectacular construction.

5. the creation of an abstract entity

• language plays a large part in our construction of reality.

6. [ count noun] — an interpretation or explanation

• you could put an honest construction upon their conduct.

7. [Grammar] the arrangement of words according to syntactical rules

• sentence construction.

II. derivatives

1. constructional /kənˈstrʌkʃ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

2. constructionally

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin constructio(n-), from construere ‘heap together’ (see construct).

constructionism

noun

another term for constructivism.

constructionist

noun

1. another term for constructivist (noun).

2. (US) a person who puts a particular interpretation upon a legal document, especially the US Constitution.

• he is campaigning to get strict constructionists appointed to the Supreme Court.

construction paper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a type of thick coloured paper used for making models, designs, and other craftwork.

construction site

noun

a building site.

constructive /kənˈstrʌktɪv/

I. adjective

1. having or intended to have a useful or beneficial purpose

• constructive advice.

2. [Law] not obvious or stated explicitly; derived by inference

• constructive liability.

3. [Mathematics] relating to, based on, or denoting mathematical proofs which show how an entity may in principle be constructed or arrived at in a finite number of steps.

II. derivatives

constructiveness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (in sense 2): from late Latin constructivus, from Latin construct- ‘heap together’, from the verb construere (see construct).

constructive dismissal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the changing of an employee's job or working conditions with the aim of forcing their resignation.

• employees may be entitled to claim constructive dismissal.

constructively /kənˈstrʌktɪvli/

adverb

1. in a way that has or is intended to have a useful or beneficial purpose

• the party has engaged constructively in this debate.

2. [Law] in a way that is not obvious or explicitly stated but may be inferred

• this non-disclosure was said to be constructively tantamount to fraud.

constructivism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Art] a style or movement in which assorted mechanical objects are combined into abstract mobile structural forms. The movement originated in Russia in the 1920s and has influenced many aspects of modern architecture and design.
[transliterating Russian konstruktivizm.]

2. [Mathematics] a view which admits as valid only constructive proofs and entities demonstrable by them, implying that the latter have no independent existence.

constructivist /kənˈstrʌktɪvɪst/

I. noun

1. [Art] a practitioner of a style in which mechanical objects are combined into abstract mobile forms

• the Russian constructivists adopted these techniques for their large constructions.

2. [Mathematics] an adherent of a view that admits as valid only constructive proofs and entities demonstrable by them.

II. adjective

1. [Art] relating to or denoting a style in which mechanical objects are combined into abstract mobile forms

• the constructivist aesthetic of the building.

2. [Mathematics] consistent with or relating to a view that admits as valid only constructive proofs and entities demonstrable by them

• a constructivist conception of mathematics.

construe /kənˈstruː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. interpret (a word or action) in a particular way

• his words could hardly be construed as an apology.

2. ‹dated› analyse the syntax of (a text, sentence, or word)

• both verbs can be construed with either infinitive.

3. translate (a passage or author) word for word, typically aloud.

• she was construing straight-faced a suggestive passage of Ovid.

II. derivatives

1. construable

adjective

2. construal

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin construere (see construct), in late Latin ‘analyse the construction of a sentence’.

consubstantial /kɒnsəbˈstanʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

of the same substance or essence (used especially of the three persons of the Trinity in Christian theology)

• Christ is consubstantial with the Father.

II. derivatives

consubstantiality /kɒnsəbstanʃɪˈalɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from ecclesiastical Latin consubstantialis (translating Greek homoousios ‘of one substance’), from con- ‘with’ + substantialis (see substantial).

consubstantiation /ˌkɒnsəbstanʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, ˌkɒnsəbstansɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Christian Theology] the doctrine, especially in Lutheran belief, that the substance of the bread and wine coexists with the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist.
Compare with transubstantiation.

– origin late 16th cent.: from modern Latin consubstantiatio(n-), from con- ‘together’, on the pattern of transubstantiatio(n-) ‘transubstantiation’.

consuetude /ˈkɒnswɪtjuːd/

I. noun

(chiefly Scottish) a custom, especially one having legal force.

II. derivatives

consuetudinary /kɒnswɪˈtjuːdɪn(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin consuetudo (see custom).

consul /ˈkɒns(ə)l/

I. noun

1. an official appointed by a state to live in a foreign city and protect the state's citizens and interests there.

• the British consul in Israel.

2. (in ancient Rome) each of the two annually elected chief magistrates who jointly ruled the republic.

3. any of the three chief magistrates of the first French republic (1799–1804).

II. derivatives

consulship /ˈkɒns(ə)lʃɪp /

noun

– origin late Middle English (denoting an ancient Roman magistrate): from Latin, related to consulere ‘take counsel’.

consular /ˈkɒnsjələ/

adjective

1. relating to the consul or consulate in a foreign city

• a consular official must interview applicants.

2. relating to the ancient Roman consuls, two annually elected chief magistrates who jointly ruled the republic

• Rome once again held consular elections.

3. relating to the French consuls (three chief magistrates) of 1799–1804.

consulate /ˈkɒnsjʊlət/

I. noun

1. the building in which a consul's duties are carried out.

• he called at the consulate in Palestine to pick up a visa.

2. the office or position of a consul.

3. ‹historical› the period of office of a Roman consul.

4. ( the consulate) — the system of government by consuls in ancient Rome.

5. ( the Consulate) — the government of the first French republic (1799–1804) by three consuls.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the government of Rome by consuls): from Latin consulatus, from consul (see consul).

consul general

noun

a consul of the highest status.

consult

I. verb — [with obj.] consult /ˈkɒnsʌlt /

1. seek information or advice from (someone, especially an expert or professional)

• if you consult a solicitor, making a will is a simple procedure.

2. have discussions with (someone), typically before undertaking a course of action

• patients are entitled to be consulted about their treatment

• [no obj.] the government must consult with interested bodies.

3. refer for information to (a book, diary, or watch).

• she consulted a large desk diary.

II. noun — consult /ˈkɒnsʌlt /

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) an act of consulting a professional; a consultation

• after a consult with his attorneys, he retracted his previous statement.

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘confer’): from French consulter, from Latin consultare, frequentative of consulere ‘take counsel’.

consultancy /kənˈsʌlt(ə)nsi/

noun

1. a professional practice that gives expert advice within a particular field
[as modifier]

• a management consultancy firm.

2. [ mass noun] — the work of a consultancy

• a world class source of environmental consultancy.

consultant /kənˈsʌlt(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a person who provides expert advice professionally.

• he acted as campaign consultant to the president.

2. [often as modifier] — (Brit.) a hospital doctor of senior rank within a specific field

• a consultant paediatrician.

– origin late 17th cent. (in the sense ‘a person who consults’): probably from French, from Latin consultare (see consult).

consultation /kɒnsəlˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of formally consulting or discussing

• they improved standards in consultation with consumer representatives

• [ count noun] consultations between all sections of the party.

2. [ count noun] — a meeting with an expert, such as a medical doctor, in order to seek advice.

• a consultation with a homeopathic doctor.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin consultatio(n-), from the verb consultare (see consult).

consultative /kənˈsʌltətɪv/

adjective

intended to give professional advice or recommendations

• a process of consultative review.

consultee

noun

a person who is formally consulted or asked for advice on a matter.

• residents and the private sector can contribute as consultees to local urban renewal.

consulting /kənˈsʌltɪŋ/

I. adjective

engaged in the business of giving expert advice to people working in a professional or technical field

• a consulting engineer.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the business of giving expert advice to other professionals.

• preference will be given to applicants with some experience in consulting for industry.

consulting room /kənˈsʌltɪŋ ˌruːm/

noun

a room in which a doctor or other therapeutic practitioner examines patients.

consumable /kənˈsjuːməb(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of an item for sale) intended to be used up and then replaced.

• you will have to pay for consumable materials, such as butane gas canisters.

II. noun — (usu. consumables)

1. a commodity that is intended to be used up relatively quickly

• drugs and other medical consumables.

consume /kənˈsjuːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. eat, drink, or ingest (food or drink)

• people consume a good deal of sugar in drinks.

2. (of a fire) completely destroy

• the fire spread rapidly, consuming many homes.

3. use up (a resource)

• this process consumes enormous amounts of energy.

4. buy (goods or services).

• accounting provides measures of the economic goods and services consumed.

5. (of a feeling) completely fill the mind of (someone)

• Carolyn was consumed with guilt.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin consumere, from con- ‘altogether’ + sumere ‘take up’; reinforced by French consumer.

consumer /kənˈsjuːmə/

noun

1. a person who purchases goods and services for personal use

• recession-hit consumers are being lured by cheap prices

• [as modifier] consumer demand.

2. a person or thing that eats or uses something.

• Scandinavians are the largest consumers of rye.

consumer confidence

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a statistical measure of consumers' feelings about current and future economic conditions, used as an indicator of the overall state of the economy

• markedly improving consumer confidence means people have become more prepared to borrow.

consumer credit

noun — [ mass noun]

1. credit advanced to consumers for the purchase of goods or services

• consumer credit as a percentage of disposable income stood at a near record high of 21.1 per cent

• [as modifier] the UK's consumer credit market.

consumer durables

plural noun

(Brit.) manufactured items, typically cars or household appliances, that are expected to have a relatively long useful life after purchase.

consumer electronics

plural noun

electronic devices such as televisions, computers, or smartphones, bought for personal rather than commercial use

• they are the leading manufacturer of consumer electronics

• [as modifier] the consumer electronics industry.

consumer goods

plural noun

goods bought and used by consumers, rather than by manufacturers for producing other goods.
Often contrasted with capital goods.

consumerism /kənˈsjuːmərɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the protection or promotion of the interests of consumers.

• the growth of consumerism has led to many organizations improving their service to the customer.

2. ‹often derogatory› the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods.

• many people are becoming increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of consumerism.

consumerist /kənˈsjuːmərɪst / ‹often derogatory›

I. adjective

characterized by a preoccupation with the acquisition of consumer goods

• a nation in the midst of a consumerist frenzy.

II. noun

a person who is preoccupied with the acquisition of consumer goods

• self-indulgent consumerists.

III. derivatives

consumeristic

adjective

consumer price index

noun

(in the US) an index of the variation in prices for retail goods and other items.

consumer research

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or activity of gathering information about consumers' needs and preferences, especially in relation to a particular product or service.

• consumer research showed that concern was high in relation to poultry farming methods.

consumer society

noun

‹chiefly derogatory› a society in which the buying and selling of goods and services is the most important social and economic activity.

• the consumer society with its all-pervasive materialism.

consumer sovereignty

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Economics] the situation in an economy where the desires and needs of consumers control the output of producers.

consumer unit

noun

an apparatus in the electrical supply at the point it enters a domestic property, which contains devices such as a switch and circuit-breakers.

consuming /kənˈsjuːmɪŋ/

I. adjective

(of a feeling) completely filling one's mind and attention; absorbing

• a consuming passion.

II. derivatives

consumingly

adverb

consummate

I. verb — [with obj.] consummate /ˈkɒns(j)əmeɪt /

1. make (a marriage or relationship) complete by having sexual intercourse

• his first wife refused to consummate their marriage.

2. complete (a transaction)

• the property sale is consummated.

II. adjective — consummate /ˈkɒns(j)əmət, kənˈsʌmət /

1. showing great skill and flair

• she dressed with consummate elegance.

III. derivatives

1. consummately /kənˈsʌmətli, ˈkɒnsəmətli /

adverb

2. consummator

noun

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective in the sense ‘completed, accomplished’): from Latin consummat- ‘brought to completion’, from the verb consummare, from con- ‘altogether’ + summa ‘sum total’, feminine of summus ‘highest, supreme’.

consummation /kɒnsəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n, kɒnsjʊˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. the action of making a marriage or relationship complete by having sexual intercourse

• the eager consummation that follows a long and passionate seduction.

2. [ mass noun] — the point at which something is complete or finalized

• the consummation of a sale.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin consummatio(n-), from the verb consummare (see consummate).

consumption /kənˈsʌm(p)ʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of using up a resource

• industrialized countries should reduce their energy consumption.

2. the action of eating or drinking something

• liquor is sold for consumption off the premises.

3. [in sing.] — an amount of something which is used up or ingested

• a daily consumption of 15 cigarettes.

4. the purchase of goods and services by the public.

• industry faced a serious challenge in trying to stimulate consumption.

5. the reception of information or entertainment by a mass audience

• his confidential speech was not meant for public consumption.

6. ‹dated› a wasting disease, especially pulmonary tuberculosis.

• his mother had died of consumption.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin consumptio(n-), from the verb consumere (see consume).

consumptive /kənˈsʌm(p)tɪv/

I. adjective

1. ‹dated› affected with a wasting disease, especially pulmonary tuberculosis.

• from birth he was sickly and consumptive.

• he travelled to Torquay for the health of his consumptive son.

2. ‹chiefly derogatory› relating to the using up of resources

• tourism represents an insidious form of consumptive activity.

II. noun

‹dated› a person with a wasting disease, especially pulmonary tuberculosis.

• for some consumptives, the outlook was hopeless.

III. derivatives

consumptively /kənˈsʌmptɪvli /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin consumptivus, from Latin consumpt- ‘consumed’, from the verb consumere (see consume).

cont.

abbreviation

1. contents.

2. continued.

contact

I. noun — contact /ˈkɒntakt /

1. [ mass noun] — the state of physical touching

• equipment in contact with water can benefit from rubber lining.

2. [as modifier] — caused by or operating through physical touch

• contact dermatitis.

3. ( contacts) — contact lenses.

• she didn't have her contacts in.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of communicating or meeting

• she had little contact with family members.

5. [ count noun] — a meeting, communication, or relationship with someone

• they have forged contacts with key people in business.

6. [ count noun] — a person who may be approached for information or assistance, especially with regard to one's job

• Francesca had good contacts.

7. [ count noun] — a person who has associated with a patient with a contagious disease (and so may carry the infection).

• all efforts are made to persuade possible contacts of patients with either disease to attend for investigation.

8. [ count noun] — a connection for the passage of an electric current from one thing to another, or a part or device by which such a connection is made

• the sliding contact of the potentiometer.

II. verb — [with obj.] contact /ˈkɒntakt, kənˈtakt /

1. communicate with (someone), typically in order to give or receive information.

• anyone with any information should contact Darlington police.

2. touch

• I winced as my blister contacted the floor.

III. derivatives

contactable /ˈkɒntaktəb(ə)l, kənˈtaktəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin contactus, from contact- ‘touched, grasped, bordered on’, from the verb contingere, from con- ‘together with’ + tangere ‘to touch’.

contact-breaker

noun

another term for circuit breaker.

contact clause

noun

[Grammar] a relative clause appended without a relative pronoun to the noun phrase that governs it, as in the man I saw yesterday.

contactee

noun

a person who claims to have been contacted by alien beings, especially through an abduction.

contact flight contact flying

noun — [ mass noun]

1. navigation of an aircraft by the observation of landmarks.

contact lens

noun

a thin plastic lens placed directly on the surface of the eye to correct visual defects.
[as modifier]

• contact lens wearers.

contactless /ˈkɒntaktləs/

adjective

relating to or involving technologies that allow a smart card, mobile phone, etc. to contact wirelessly to an electronic reader, typically in order to make a payment

• the bank reported more than a million contactless transactions this year.

contact man

noun

a man who provides a link for information or representation between two parties.

• the project manager may also have a contact man in each functional department.

contact metamorphism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] metamorphism due to contact with or proximity to an igneous intrusion.

contact print

I. noun

a photographic print made by placing a negative directly on to sensitized paper, glass, or film and illuminating it.

II. verb

( contact-print) [with obj.] — make a contact print from (a negative).

• the negative was developed and then contact-printed.

contact process

noun

the major industrial process used to make sulphuric acid, by oxidizing sulphur dioxide in the presence of a solid catalyst and absorbing the resulting sulphur trioxide in water.

contact sheet

noun

a piece of photographic paper on to which several or all of the negatives on a film have been contact-printed.

contact sport

noun

a sport in which the participants necessarily come into bodily contact with one another.

• rugby is a contact sport and there are inevitably going to be injuries.

contadina /ˌkɒntəˈdiːnə/

I. noun

an Italian peasant girl or peasant woman.

– origin Italian.

contadino /ˌkɒntəˈdiːnəʊ/

I. noun

an Italian peasant or countryman.

– origin Italian, from contado, denoting the peasant population around a city.

contagion /kənˈteɪdʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the communication of disease from one person or organism to another by close contact

• the rooms held no risk of contagion.

2. [ count noun] — ‹dated› a disease spread by close contact

• through personal hygiene the spread of common contagions is discouraged.

3. ‹figurative› the spreading of a harmful idea or theory

• the contagion of disgrace

• [ count noun] a political fear, a contagion that spread from city to city.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a contagious disease): from Latin contagio(n-), from con- ‘together with’ + the base of tangere ‘to touch’.

contagious /kənˈteɪdʒəs/

I. adjective

1. (of a disease) spread from one person or organism to another, typically by direct contact

• a contagious disease.

• it is a relatively new disease and very contagious.

2. (of a person) having a disease that can be transmitted by contact with other people

• precautions are taken with anyone who seems contagious.

3. (of an emotion, feeling, or attitude) likely to spread to and affect others

• her enthusiasm is contagious.

II. derivatives

1. contagiously /kənˈteɪdʒəsli /

adverb

2. contagiousness /kənˈteɪdʒəsnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin contagiosus, from contagio (see contagion). / usage: Strictly, a contagious disease is one transmitted by physical contact, whereas an infectious one is transmitted via microorganisms in the air or water. In practice there is little or no difference in meaning between contagious and infectious when applied to disease or its spread. In figurative senses contagious may describe the spread of good things such as laughter and enthusiasm or bad ones such as violence or panic, whereas infectious usually refers to the spread of positive things, such as good humour or optimism.

contagious abortion

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of brucellosis which causes spontaneous abortion in cattle.

contain /kənˈteɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. have or hold (someone or something) within

• the cigarettes were thought to contain cannabis.

2. be made up of (a number of things)

• documents containing both text and simple graphics can be created.

3. (of a number) be divisible by (a factor) without a remainder.

• since F contains the factor Q it disappears from both sides of the equation.

4. control or restrain (oneself or a feeling)

• he must contain his hatred.

5. prevent (a severe problem) from spreading or intensifying

• the government has already taken steps to contain the disease.

II. derivatives

containable /kənˈteɪnəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French contenir, from Latin continere, from con- ‘altogether’ + tenere ‘to hold’.

container /kənˈteɪnə/

noun

1. an object for holding or transporting something.

• the cakes will keep for up to two weeks if kept in an airtight container.

2. a large metal box of a standard design and size used for the transport of goods by road, rail, sea, or air
[as modifier]

• a container lorry.

container-grown

adjective

(of a plant) grown in a container rather than in the ground.

• container-grown roses.

containerize /kənˈteɪnərʌɪz / containerise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. containerized)

1. pack into or transport by container.

• containerized cargo.

II. derivatives

containerization /kənteɪnərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

containerload /kənˈteɪnələʊd/

noun

an amount of something that can be carried in a standard shipping container

• containerloads of goods

• worldwide corporations churning out bikes by the containerload.

container port

noun

a port which specializes in handling goods transported in containers.

container ship

noun

a ship which is designed to carry goods stored in containers.

containment /kənˈteɪnm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of keeping something harmful under control or within limits

• the containment of the AIDS epidemic.

2. the action or policy of preventing the expansion of a hostile country or influence

• a policy of containment and negotiation was the appropriate course of action.

contaminant /kənˈtamɪnənt/

noun

a polluting or poisonous substance that makes something impure

• people were exposed to airborne contaminants.

contaminate /kənˈtamɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) impure by exposure to or addition of a poisonous or polluting substance

• the site was found to be contaminated by radioactivity

• ‹figurative› celebrity has contaminated every aspect of public life

• (as adj. contaminated) contaminated blood products.

II. derivatives

contaminator

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin contaminat- ‘made impure’, from the verb contaminare, from contamen ‘contact, pollution’, from con- ‘together with’ + the base of tangere ‘to touch’.

contamination /kənˌtamɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or state of making or being made impure by polluting or poisoning

• the risk of contamination by dangerous bacteria

• ‹figurative› the contamination of his morals.

contango /kənˈtaŋɡəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Stock Exchange] the normal situation in which the spot or cash price of a commodity is lower than the forward price.
Often contrasted with backwardation.

2. [Stock Exchange] ‹historical› a percentage paid by a buyer of stock to postpone transfer to a future settling day.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably an arbitrary formation on the pattern of Latin verb forms ending in -o in the first person singular, perhaps with the idea ‘I make contingent’ (see contingent).

conte /kɒnt, French kɔ̃t/

I. noun

1. a short story as a form of literary composition.

2. a medieval narrative tale.

– origin French, based on Latin computare ‘reckon, sum up’.

Conté /ˈkɒnteɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of hard, grease-free crayon used as a medium for artwork
[as modifier]

• Conté pastels.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Nicolas J. Conté (1755–1805), the French inventor who developed it.

contemn /kənˈtɛm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› treat or regard with contempt.

• it lay in Deronda's nature usually to contemn the feeble.

II. derivatives

contemner /kənˈtɛmnə, kənˈtɛmə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin contemnere, from con- (expressing intensive force) + temnere ‘despise’.

contemplate /ˈkɒntɛmpleɪt, ˈkɒntəmpleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. look thoughtfully for a long time at

• he contemplated his image in the mirrors.

2. think about

• she couldn't even begin to contemplate the future.

3. [no obj.] — think deeply and at length.

• he sat morosely contemplating.

4. have in view as a probable intention

• he was contemplating action for damages.

II. derivatives

contemplator /ˈkɒntəmpleɪtə /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin contemplat- ‘surveyed, observed, contemplated’, from the verb contemplari, based on templum ‘place for observation’.

contemplation /ˌkɒntɛmˈpleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of looking thoughtfully at something for a long time

• the road is too busy for leisurely contemplation of the scenery.

2. deep reflective thought

• he would retire to his room for study or contemplation.

3. the state of being considered or planned

• substantial fitting work is in contemplation.

4. religious meditation.

5. a form of Christian prayer or meditation in which a person seeks to pass beyond mental images and concepts to a direct experience of the divine.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin contemplatio(n-), from the verb contemplari (see contemplate).

contemplative /kənˈtɛmplətɪv/

I. adjective

1. expressing or involving prolonged thought

• she regarded me with a contemplative eye.

2. involving or given to deep silent prayer or religious meditation

• contemplative knowledge of God.

II. noun

a person whose life is devoted primarily to prayer, especially in a monastery or convent.

III. derivatives

contemplatively /kənˈtɛmplətɪvli /

adverb

contemporaneous /kənˌtɛmpəˈreɪnɪəs, kɒnˌtɛmpəˈreɪnɪəs/

I. adjective

existing at or occurring in the same period of time

• Pythagoras was contemporaneous with Buddha.

II. derivatives

1. contemporaneity /kənˌtɛmpərəˈniːɪti, kənˌtɛmpərəˈneɪɪti /

noun

2. contemporaneously /kənˌtɛmpəˈreɪniəsli /

adverb

3. contemporaneousness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, from con- ‘together with’ + temporaneus (from tempus, tempor- ‘time’) + -ous.

contemporary /kənˈtɛmp(ə)r(ər)i/

I. adjective

1. living or occurring at the same time

• the event was recorded by a contemporary historian.

2. dating from the same time

• this series of paintings is contemporary with other works in an early style.

3. belonging to or occurring in the present

• the tension and complexities of our contemporary society.

4. following modern ideas in style or design

• contemporary ceramics by leading potters.

II. noun

1. a person or thing living or existing at the same time as another

• he was a contemporary of Darwin.

2. a person of roughly the same age as another

• my contemporaries at school.

III. derivatives

1. contemporarily

adverb

2. contemporariness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin contemporarius, from con- ‘together with’ + tempus, tempor- ‘time’ (on the pattern of Latin contemporaneus and late Latin contemporalis).

contempt /kənˈtɛm(p)t/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the feeling that a person or a thing is worthless or beneath consideration

• Pam stared at the girl with total contempt

• he wouldn't answer a woman he held in such contempt.

2. disregard for something that should be considered

• this action displays an arrogant contempt for the wishes of the majority.

3. (also contempt of court) — the offence of being disobedient to or disrespectful of a court of law and its officers.
[ count noun]

• when he was found to have lied to the House this was a contempt.

II. phrases

1. beneath contempt

utterly worthless or despicable.

• tawdry trash that is beneath contempt.

2. hold someone in contempt

judge someone to have committed the offence of contempt of court.

• the advocate was held in contempt for subpoenaing the judge.

3. hold someone/thing in contempt

consider someone or something to be unworthy of respect or attention

• the speed limit is held in contempt by many drivers.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin contemptus, from contemnere (see contemn).

contemptible /kənˈtɛm(p)tɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

deserving contempt; despicable

• a display of contemptible cowardice.

II. derivatives

1. contemptibility /kəntɛm(p)təˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. contemptibly /kənˈtɛmptəˌbli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from late Latin contemptibilis, from Latin contemnere (see contemn).

contemptuous /kənˈtɛm(p)tʃʊəs/

I. adjective

showing contempt; scornful

• she was intolerant and contemptuous of the majority of the human race.

II. derivatives

contemptuousness /kənˈtɛmptʃʊəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘despising law and order’): from medieval Latin contemptuosus, from Latin contemptus ‘contempt’, from contemnere (see contemn).

contemptuously /kənˈtɛmptʃʊəsli/

adverb

in a scornful way that shows disdain

• he contemptuously dismisses his son's work.

contend /kənˈtɛnd/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] ( contend with/against) — struggle to surmount (a difficulty)

• she had to contend with his uncertain temper.

2. ( contend for) — compete with others in a struggle to achieve (something)

• factions within the government were contending for the succession to the presidency.

3. [with clause] — assert something as a position in an argument

• he contends that the judge was wrong.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘compete for (something)’): from Old French contendre or Latin contendere, from con- ‘with’ + tendere ‘stretch, strive’.

contender /kənˈtɛndə/

noun

a person or group competing with others to achieve something

• a presidential contender

• the major contenders in the football championship.

content^1 /kənˈtɛnt/

I. adjective

1. in a state of peaceful happiness

• he seemed more content, less bitter.

2. willing to accept something; satisfied

• he had to be content with third place

• [with infinitive] the duke was content to act as Regent.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. satisfy (someone)

• nothing would content her apart from going off to Barcelona.

2. ( content oneself with) — accept as adequate despite wanting more or better

• we contented ourselves with a few small purchases.

III. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a state of satisfaction

• the greater part of the century was a time of content.

2. a member of the British House of Lords who votes for a particular motion.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin contentus ‘satisfied’, past participle of continere (see contain).

content^2 /ˈkɒntɛnt/

I. noun — (also contents)

1. the things that are held or included in something

• she unscrewed the top of the flask and drank the contents.

2. [in sing.] [with modifier] — the amount of a particular constituent occurring in a substance

• soya milk has a low fat content.

3. ( contents) — a list of the chapters or sections given at the front of a book or periodical
[as modifier]

• the contents page.

4. [ mass noun] — the material dealt with in a speech, literary work, etc. as distinct from its form or style

• the tone, if not the content, of his book is familiar.

5. information made available by a website or other electronic medium
[as modifier]

• online content providers.

II. derivatives

contentless

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin contentum (plural contenta ‘things contained’), neuter past participle of continere (see contain).

contented /kənˈtɛntɪd/

I. adjective

1. feeling or expressing happiness or satisfaction

• I felt warm and contented

• she gave a contented little smile.

2. willing to accept something; satisfied

• I was never contented with half measures.

II. derivatives

contentedness /kənˈtɛntɪdnəs /

noun

contentedly /kənˈtɛntɪdli/

adverb

in a way that expresses happiness or satisfaction

• he sighed contentedly.

content farm

noun

a website that contains very large quantities of content, typically of low quality or aggregated from other sites, generated solely to ensure that it appears high on the list of results returned by a search engine.

• content farms dispense altogether with professional storytelling, in favour of search-engine-optimized information packaging.

contention /kənˈtɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — heated disagreement

• the captured territory was the main area of contention between the two countries.

2. [ count noun] — an assertion, especially one maintained in argument

• Freud's contention that all dreams were wish fulfilment.

II. phrases

in (or out of) contention

having (or not having) a good chance of success in a contest.

• three penalties kept the team firmly in contention.

• Heather's error in the race put her out of contention.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin contentio(n-), from contendere ‘strive with’ (see contend).

contentious /kənˈtɛnʃəs/

I. adjective

1. causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial

• a contentious issue.

2. involving heated argument

• the socio-economic plan had been the subject of contentious debate.

3. (of a person) given to provoking argument.

4. [Law] relating to or involving differences between contending parties.

II. derivatives

1. contentiously /kənˈtɛnʃəsli /

adverb

2. contentiousness /kənˈtɛnʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French contentieux, from Latin contentiosus, from content- ‘striven’, from the verb contendere.

content marketing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of marketing that involves the creation and sharing of online material (such as videos, blogs, and social media posts) that does not explicitly promote a brand but is intended to stimulate interest in its products or services

• social media is an integral part of content marketing

• [as modifier] an effective content marketing strategy.

contentment /kənˈtɛntm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of happiness and satisfaction

• he found contentment in living a simple life in the country.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the payment of a claim): from French contentement, from Latin contentus (see content^1).

content provider

noun

an organization that supplies information for use on a website.

conterminous /kɒnˈtəːmɪnəs/

I. adjective

1. sharing a common boundary

• the forty-eight conterminous United States.

2. having the same area, context, or meaning

• a genealogy conterminous with the history of the USA.

II. derivatives

conterminously

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin conterminus (from con- ‘with’ + terminus ‘boundary’) + -ous. Compare with coterminous.

contessa /kɒnˈtɛsə/

I. noun

an Italian countess.

– origin Italian, from late Latin comitissa (see countess).

contest

I. noun — contest /ˈkɒntɛst /

1. an event in which people compete for supremacy in a sport or other activity, or in a quality

• a tennis contest.

2. a competition for a political position

• a leadership contest.

3. a dispute or conflict

• a contest between traditional and liberal views.

II. verb — [with obj.] contest /kənˈtɛst /

1. engage in competition to attain (a position of power)

• she declared her intention to contest the presidency.

2. take part in (a competition or election)

• a coalition was formed to contest the presidential elections.

3. oppose (an action or theory) as mistaken or wrong

• the former chairman contests his dismissal.

4. engage in dispute about

• the issues have been hotly contested.

III. phrases

no contest

a. (chiefly US) another term for nolo contendere.

• he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor counts.

b. a decision by the referee to declare a boxing match invalid on the grounds that one or both of the boxers are not making serious efforts.

c. a competition, comparison, or choice of which the outcome is a foregone conclusion

• when the two teams faced each other it was no contest.

IV. derivatives

1. contestability

noun

2. contestable /kənˈtɛstəb(ə)l /

adjective

3. contestably

adverb

4. contester

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (as a verb in the sense ‘swear to, attest’): from Latin contestari ‘call upon to witness, initiate (by calling witnesses)’, from con- ‘together’ + testare ‘to witness’. The senses ‘wrangle, struggle for’ arose in the early 17th cent., whence the current noun and verb senses.

contestant /kənˈtɛst(ə)nt/

I. noun

a person who takes part in a contest or competition.

• an anxious contestant on a television quiz show.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, present participle of contester, from Latin contestari ‘call upon to witness’ (see contest).

contestation /ˌkɒntɛˈsteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the action or process of disputing or arguing.

• ideological contestation over social policy in the European Union.

• [ count noun] a self-conscious contestation of the government.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘solemn appeal or protest’): from Latin contestatio(n-), from contestari ‘call upon to witness’ (see contest); reinforced by French contestation.

context /ˈkɒntɛkst/

I. noun

1. the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood

• the proposals need to be considered in the context of new European directives.

2. the parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning.

• skilled readers use context to construct meaning from words as they are read.

II. phrases

1. in context

considered together with the surrounding words or circumstances.

• the complex meaning of irony is only graspable in context.

2. out of context

without the surrounding words or circumstances and so not fully understandable.

• the article portrayed her as domineering by dropping quotes from her out of context.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the construction of a text): from Latin contextus, from con- ‘together’ + texere ‘to weave’.

contextual /kənˈtɛkstʃuəl/

I. adjective

1. depending on or relating to the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea

• he included contextual information in footnotes.

2. depending on the preceding or following parts of a text to clarify meaning

• they have limited practice in working out the meaning of unfamiliar material from contextual clues.

II. derivatives

contextually /kənˈtɛkstʃ(ʊ)əli /

adverb

contextualism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] a doctrine which emphasizes the importance of the context of enquiry in a particular question.

II. derivatives

contextualist

noun

contextualize /kənˈtɛkstʃʊəlʌɪz / contextualise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. place or study in context

• the excellent introduction summarizes and contextualizes Bowen's career.

II. derivatives

contextualization

noun

contiguity /ˌkɒntɪˈɡjuːɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of bordering or being in contact with something

• nations bound together by geographical contiguity.

2. [Psychology] the sequential occurrence or proximity of stimulus and response, causing their association in the mind.

• contiguity is necessary in all forms of learning.

– origin early 16th cent.: from late Latin contiguitas, from Latin contiguus ‘touching’ (see contiguous).

contiguous /kənˈtɪɡjʊəs/

I. adjective

1. sharing a common border; touching

• the Southern Ocean is contiguous with the Atlantic.

2. next or together in sequence.

• five hundred contiguous dictionary entries.

II. derivatives

contiguously

adverb

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin contiguus ‘touching’, from the verb contingere ‘be in contact, befall’ (see contingent), + -ous.

continent^1 /ˈkɒntɪnənt/

I. noun

1. any of the world's main continuous expanses of land (Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, Australia, Antarctica).

2. (also the Continent) — the mainland of Europe as distinct from the British Isles.

• clubs sprang up in Britain and on the Continent.

3. ‹archaic› a mainland contrasted with islands.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a continuous tract of land): from Latin terra continens ‘continuous land’.

continent^2 /ˈkɒntɪnənt/

I. adjective

1. able to control movements of the bowels and bladder.

2. exercising self-restraint, especially sexually.

II. derivatives

1. continence /ˈkɒntɪnəns /

noun

2. continently

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from Latin continent- ‘holding together, restraining oneself’, from continere (see contain).

continental /kɒntɪˈnɛnt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — forming or belonging to a continent

• continental Antarctica.

2. (also Continental) — in, from, or characteristic of mainland Europe

• a continental holiday.

II. noun

an inhabitant of mainland Europe.

III. derivatives

continentally

adverb

Continental Army

(in the US) the army raised by the Continental Congress of 1775, with George Washington as commander.

continental breakfast

noun

a light breakfast, typically consisting of coffee and bread rolls with butter and jam.

continental climate

noun

a relatively dry climate with very hot summers and very cold winters, characteristic of the central parts of Asia and North America.

Continental Congress

(in the US) each of the three congresses held by the American colonies in revolt against British rule in 1774, 1775, and 1776 respectively. The second Congress, convened in the wake of the battles at Lexington and Concord, created a Continental Army, which fought and eventually won the American War of Independence.

continental crust

noun

[Geology] the relatively thick part of the earth's crust which forms the large land masses. It is generally older and more complex than the oceanic crust.

continental day

noun

(Brit.) a school day lasting from early morning to early afternoon.

Continental Divide

the main series of mountain ridges in North America, chiefly the crests of the Rocky Mountains, which form a watershed separating the rivers flowing eastwards into the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico from those flowing westwards into the Pacific.
Also called Great Divide.

continental drift

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the gradual movement of the continents across the earth's surface through geological time.

The reality of continental drift was confirmed in the 1960s, leading to the theory of plate tectonics. It is believed that a single supercontinent called Pangaea broke up to form Gondwana and Laurasia, which further split to form the present-day continents. Such movement continues today: South America and Africa, for example, are moving apart at a rate of a few centimetres per year.

continental quilt

noun

British term for duvet.

continental shelf

noun

the area of seabed around a large land mass where the sea is relatively shallow compared with the open ocean. The continental shelf is geologically part of the continental crust.
[ mass noun]

• extensive areas of continental shelf.

continental slope

noun

the slope between the outer edge of the continental shelf and the deep ocean floor.

Continental System

Napoleon's strategy of blockading Britain (1806–13), by which British ships were prohibited from entering the ports of France and her allies.

contingency /kənˈtɪndʒ(ə)nsi/

I. noun

1. a future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty

• a detailed contract which attempts to provide for all possible contingencies.

2. a provision for a possible event or circumstance

• stores were kept as a contingency against a blockade.

3. an incidental expense.

• allow an extra fifteen per cent on the budget for contingencies.

4. [ mass noun] — the absence of certainty in events

• the island's public affairs can occasionally be seen to be invaded by contingency.

5. [ mass noun] — [Philosophy] the absence of necessity; the fact of being so without having to be so.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the philosophical sense): from late Latin contingentia (in its medieval Latin sense ‘circumstance’), from contingere ‘befall’ (see contingent).

contingency fee

noun

(in the US) a sum of money that a lawyer receives as a fee only if the case is won.

contingency fund

noun

a reserve of money set aside to cover possible unforeseen future expenses.

• there is a contingency fund within the budget to deal with unexpected legal fees.

contingency plan

noun

a plan designed to take account of a possible future event or circumstance.

• contingency plans for possible war in the Middle East.

contingency table

noun

[Statistics] a table showing the distribution of one variable in rows and another in columns, used to study the correlation between the two variables.

contingent /kənˈtɪndʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. subject to chance

• the contingent nature of the job.

2. (of losses, liabilities, etc.) that can be anticipated to arise if a particular event occurs.

3. ( contingent on/upon) — occurring or existing only if (certain circumstances) are the case; dependent on

• his fees were contingent on the success of his search.

4. [Philosophy] true by virtue of the way things in fact are and not by logical necessity.

• that men are living creatures is a contingent fact.

II. noun

1. a group of people sharing a common feature, forming part of a larger group.

• a contingent of Japanese businessmen attending a conference.

2. a body of troops or police sent to join a larger force.

• six warships were stationed off the coast with a contingent of 2,000 marines.

III. derivatives

contingently /kənˈtɪndʒəntli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘of uncertain occurrence’): from Latin contingere ‘befall’, from con- ‘together with’ + tangere ‘to touch’. The noun sense was originally ‘something happening by chance’, then ‘a person's share resulting from a division, a quota’; the current sense dates from the early 18th cent.

continual /kənˈtɪnjʊəl/

I. adjective

1. forming a sequence in which the same action or event is repeated frequently

• his plane went down after continual attacks.

2. having no interruptions

• some patients need continual safeguarding.

– origin Middle English: from Old French continuel, from continuer ‘continue’, from Latin continuare, from continuus (see continuous). / usage: For an explanation of the difference between continual and continuous, see usage at continuous.

continually /kənˈtɪnjʊəli/

adverb

1. repeated frequently in the same way; regularly

• this information is continually updated.

2. without interruption; constantly

• I was continually moving around.

continuance /kənˈtɪnjʊəns/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — ‹formal› the state of remaining in existence or operation

• his interests encouraged him to favour the continuance of war.

2. the time for which a situation or action lasts

• the trademarks shall be used only during the continuance of this agreement.

3. the state of remaining in a particular position or condition

• the king's ministers depended on his favour for their continuance in office.

4. [US Law] a postponement or an adjournment.

• scheduling trial dates and refusing to grant continuances are part of a judge's prerogative.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from continuer ‘continue’, from Latin continuare, from continuus (see continuous).

continuant /kənˈtɪnjʊənt/

I. noun

1. [Phonetics] a consonant which is sounded with the vocal tract only partly closed, allowing the breath to pass through and the sound to be prolonged (as with f, l, m, n, r, s, v).

2. [Philosophy] [Psychology] a thing that retains its identity even though its states and relations may change.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting a continuant.

– origin early 17th cent. (as an adjective in the general sense ‘continuing’): from French, from continuer, reinforced by Latin continuant- ‘continuing’, from the verb continuare, from continuus (see continuous). Current senses date from the 19th cent.

continuation /kəntɪnjʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of carrying something on over time or the state of being carried on

• the continuation of discussions about a permanent peace.

2. the state of remaining in a particular position or condition.

• the government's continuation in office.

3. [ count noun] [usu. in sing.] — a part that is attached to and is an extension of something else

• once a separate village, it is now a continuation of the suburbs.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin continuatio(n-), from continuare ‘continue’, from continuus (see continuous).

continuative /kənˈtɪnjʊətɪv / ‹Linguistics›

I. adjective

(of a word or phrase) having the function of moving a discourse or conversation forward.

II. noun

a continuative word or phrase (e.g. yes, well, as I was saying).

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a noun denoting something which brings about continuity): from late Latin continuativus, from continuat- ‘continued’, from the verb continuare (see continue).

continuator /kənˈtɪnjʊeɪtə/

noun

1. a person or thing that continues something or maintains continuity.

• the popes succeeded as the continuators of Byzantine rule.

2. a person who writes a continuation of another's work.

• the narratives of Thucydides or his continuator Xenophon.

continue /kənˈtɪnjuː/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — persist in an activity or process

• he was unable to continue with his job

• [with infinitive] prices continued to fall during April.

2. remain in existence or operation

• discussions continued throughout the year.

3. remain in a specified position or state

• they have indicated their willingness to continue in office

• [with complement] the weather continued warm and pleasant

• (as adj. continuing) a continuing controversy.

4. [with obj.] — carry on with (something that one has begun)

• the Archive has continued its programme of research

• (as adj. continued) he asked for their continued support.

5. [with adverbial of direction] — carry on travelling in the same direction

• they continued northwards to Glasgow.

6. recommence or resume after interruption
[with obj.]

• we continue the story from the point reached in Chapter 1

• [no obj.] the trial continues tomorrow.

7. [no obj.] — carry on speaking after a pause or interruption

• I told him he was obstructing the enquiry and he let me continue

• [with direct speech] ‘Pleased to make your acquaintance,’ he continued.

8. [with obj.] — [US Law] postpone or adjourn (a legal proceeding)

• the case was continued without a finding until August 2.

II. derivatives

1. continuable /kənˈtɪnjʊəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. continuer

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French continuer, from Latin continuare, from continuus (see continuous).

continued fraction

noun

[Mathematics] a fraction of infinite length whose denominator is a quantity plus a fraction, which latter fraction has a similar denominator, and so on.

continuing education

noun — [ mass noun]

1. education provided for adults after they have left the formal education system, consisting typically of short or part-time courses.
[as modifier]

• continuing education courses.

• a continuing education programme.

continuity /ˌkɒntɪˈnjuːɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over time

• a consensus favouring continuity of policy.

2. a state of stability and the absence of disruption

• they have provided the country with a measure of continuity.

3. a connection or line of development with no sharp breaks

• a firm line of continuity between pre-war and post-war Britain.

4. the maintenance of continuous action and self-consistent detail in the various scenes of a film or broadcast
[as modifier]

• a continuity error.

5. the linking of broadcast items by a spoken commentary
[as modifier]

• the BBC continuity announcer.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French continuite, from Latin continuitas, from continuare ‘continue’, from continuus (see continuous).

continuo /kənˈtɪnjʊəʊ / basso continuo

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in baroque music) an accompanying part which includes a bass line and harmonies, typically played on a keyboard instrument and with other instruments such as cello or lute.

• the piece is scored for flute, violin, viola da gamba, and continuo.

• [with modifier] both recordings use harpsichord continuo.

• [as modifier] members of the continuo group.

– origin early 18th cent.: Italian basso continuo ‘continuous bass’.

continuous /kənˈtɪnjʊəs/

I. adjective

1. forming an unbroken whole; without interruption

• the whole performance is enacted in one continuous movement.

2. forming a series with no exceptions or reversals

• there are continuous advances in design and production.

3. [Grammar] another term for progressive (sense 3 of the adjective).

4. [Mathematics] (of a function) of which the graph is a smooth unbroken curve, i.e. one such that as the value of x approaches any given value a, the value of f(x) approaches that of f(a) as a limit.

II. derivatives

continuousness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin continuus ‘uninterrupted’, from continere ‘hang together’ (from con- ‘together with’ + tenere ‘hold’) + -ous. / usage: There is some overlap in meaning between continuous and continual, but the two words are not wholly synonymous. Both can mean roughly ‘without interruption’ ( a long and continual war; five years of continuous warfare), but continuous is much more prominent in this sense and, unlike continual, can be used to refer to space as well as time, as in the development forms a continuous line along the coast. Continual, on the other hand, typically means ‘happening frequently, with intervals between’, as in the bus service has been disrupted by continual breakdowns. Overall, continuous occurs much more frequently than continual (almost five times more often in the Oxford English Corpus).

continuous assessment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the evaluation of a pupil's progress throughout a course of study, as distinct from by examination.

• continuous assessment is used to decide whether or not children have attained their reading targets.

continuous creation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the creation of matter as a continuing process throughout time, especially as postulated in steady state theories of the universe.

continuously /kənˈtɪnjʊəsli/

adverb

1. without interruption or gaps

• these images loop continuously.

2. repeatedly without exceptions or reversals

• their performance has continuously improved.

continuous spectrum

noun

[Physics] an emission spectrum that consists of a continuum of wavelengths.

continuous stationery

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) stationery, such as invoices and letterheads, printed on a long strip of paper that is often folded zigzag and is perforated so that it can be separated into sheets.

continuous wave

noun

an electromagnetic wave, especially a radio wave, having a constant amplitude.
[as modifier]

• continuous-wave radio communication.

continuum /kənˈtɪnjʊəm/

I. noun

a continuous sequence in which adjacent elements are not perceptibly different from each other, but the extremes are quite distinct.

• a continuum of special educational needs.

• the continuum from third world economies to advanced nations.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, neuter of continuus (see continuous).

continuum hypothesis

noun

[Mathematics] the assertion that there is no transfinite cardinal between the cardinal of the set of positive integers and that of the set of real numbers.

contort /kənˈtɔːt/

I. verb

twist or bend out of the normal shape
[with obj.]

• a spasm of pain contorted his face

• [no obj.] her face contorted with anger

• (as adj. contorted) contorted limbs

• ‹figurative› a contorted version of the truth.

II. derivatives

contortion /kənˈtɔːʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin contort- ‘twisted round, brandished’, from the verb contorquere, from con- ‘together’ + torquere ‘twist’.

contortionist /kənˈtɔːʃ(ə)nɪst/

noun

an entertainer who twists and bends their body into strange and unnatural positions.

contour /ˈkɒntʊə/

I. noun

1. (usu. contours) — an outline representing or bounding the shape or form of something

• she traced the contours of his face with her finger

• ‹figurative› challenges that have shaped the contours of European integration.

2. an outline of a natural feature such as a hill

• the road climbs steadily, following the contours of the hillside.

3. short for contour line.

• below the 1200-ft contour is a belt of limestone.

4. a line joining points on a diagram at which some property has the same value.

• the figure shows contours of 21-cm line emission of atomic hydrogen.

5. a way in which something varies, especially the pitch of music or the pattern of tones in an utterance.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mould into a specific shape, especially one designed to fit into something else

• the compartment has been contoured with smooth rounded corners

• (as adj. contoured) the contoured leather seats.

2. mark (a map or diagram) with contour lines
(as adj. contoured)

• a huge contoured map.

3. (of a road or railway) follow the outline of (a topographical feature), especially along a contour line

• the road contours the hillside.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian contorno, from contornare ‘draw in outline’, from con- ‘together’ + tornare ‘to turn’.

contour feather

noun

any of the mainly small feathers which form the outline of an adult bird's plumage.

contour line

noun

a line on a map joining points of equal height above or below sea level.

• every valley bottom below a certain contour line must have been soggy and at times impassable.

contour map

noun

a map marked with contour lines.

contour ploughing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ploughing along the contours of the land in order to minimize soil erosion.

Contra /ˈkɒntrə/

I. noun

a member of a guerrilla force in Nicaragua which opposed the left-wing Sandinista government 1979–90, and was supported by the US for much of that time.

– origin abbreviation of Spanish contrarevolucionario ‘counter-revolutionary’.

contra- /ˈkɒntrə/

I. prefix

1. against; opposite

• contraception

• contraflow.

2. [Music] (of an instrument or organ stop) pitched an octave below

• contrabass.

– origin from Latin contra ‘against’.

contraband /ˈkɒntrəband/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. goods that have been imported or exported illegally

• customs men had searched the carriages for contraband.

2. trade in smuggled goods

• the salt trade (and contraband in it) were very active in the town.

3. (also contraband of war) — goods forbidden to be supplied by neutrals to those engaged in war.

II. adjective

1. imported or exported illegally, either in defiance of a total ban or without payment of duty

• contraband brandy.

2. relating to traffic in illegal goods

• the contraband market.

III. derivatives

contrabandist /ˈkɒntrəbandɪst /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish contrabanda, from Italian contrabando, from contra- ‘against’ + bando ‘proclamation, ban’.

contrabass /ˈkɒntrəbeɪs/

I. noun

another term for double bass.

II. adjective

denoting a musical instrument with a range an octave lower than the normal bass range

• a contrabass clarinet.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Italian contrabasso, from contra- ‘pitched an octave below’ + basso (see bass^1).

contrabassoon /ˌkɒntrəbəˈsuːn/

noun

another term for double bassoon.

contraception /kɒntrəˈsɛpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the deliberate use of artificial methods or other techniques to prevent pregnancy as a consequence of sexual intercourse. The major forms of artificial contraception are: barrier methods, of which the commonest is the condom or sheath; the contraceptive pill, which contains synthetic sex hormones which prevent ovulation in the female; intrauterine devices, such as the coil, which prevent the fertilized ovum from implanting in the uterus; and male or female sterilization.

• one of the most important methods of contraception.

• it had been her first time, they didn't use any contraception.

– origin late 19th cent.: from contra- ‘against’ + a shortened form of conception.

contraceptive /kɒntrəˈsɛptɪv/

I. adjective

1. (of a method or device) serving to prevent pregnancy

• the contraceptive pill.

2. relating to contraception

• a book popularizing contraceptive knowledge.

II. noun

a device or drug serving to prevent pregnancy.

• we'd been making love without contraceptives for months.

contract

I. noun — contract /ˈkɒntrakt /

1. a written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy, that is intended to be enforceable by law

• he has just signed a contract keeping him with the club

• [ mass noun] much of the produce is grown under contract.

2. [ mass noun] — the branch of law concerned with the making and observation of contracts.

• the law of contract.

3. ‹informal› an arrangement for someone to be killed by a hired assassin

• smuggling bosses routinely put out contracts on witnesses.

4. [Bridge] the declarer's undertaking to win the number of tricks bid with a stated suit as trumps

• South can make the contract with correct play.

5. ‹dated› a formal agreement to marry.

• the contract between the Bride and the Bridegroom was renewed.

II. verb — contract /kənˈtrakt /

1. [no obj.] — decrease in size, number, or range

• glass contracts as it cools.

2. (of a muscle) become shorter and tighter in order to effect movement of part of the body

• the heart contracts about seventy times a minute

• [with obj.] exhale and slowly contract your abdominal muscles.

3. [with obj.] — shorten (a word or phrase) by combination or elision.

• these sources were called quasistellar objects, which was soon contracted to quasar.

4. [no obj.] — enter into a formal and legally binding agreement

• the local authority will contract with a wide range of agencies to provide services.

5. ( contract in/into) — (Brit.) choose to be involved in (a scheme)

• politically committed members contract into paying the levy.

6. ( contract out) — (Brit.) choose to withdraw from or not become involved in a scheme

• plans to encourage people to contract out of the pension scheme.

7. secure specified rights or undertake specified obligations in a formal and legally binding agreement

• a buyer may contract for the right to withhold payment

• [with infinitive] the paper had contracted to publish extracts from the diaries.

8. [with obj. and infinitive] — impose an obligation on (someone) to do something by means of a formal agreement

• health authorities contract a hospital to treat a specific number of patients.

9. [with obj.] ( contract something out) — arrange for work to be done by another organization.

• local authorities will have to contract out waste management.

10. [with obj.] — formally enter into (a marriage).

• kings obtained dispensations to enable them to contract politically advantageous matches.

11. [with obj.] — enter into (a friendship or other relationship)

• the patterns of social relationships contracted by men and women differ.

12. [with obj.] — catch or develop (a disease or infectious agent)

• three people contracted a killer virus.

13. [with obj.] — become liable to pay (a debt)

• he contracted a debt of £3,300.

III. derivatives

1. contractee

noun

2. contractive /kənˈtraktɪv /

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin contractus, from contract- ‘drawn together, tightened’, from the verb contrahere, from con- ‘together’ + trahere ‘draw’.

contractable /kənˈtraktəb(ə)l/

adjective

(of a disease) able to be caught.

contract bridge

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the standard form of the card game bridge, in which only tricks bid and won count towards the game, as opposed to auction bridge.

contractible /kənˈtraktɪb(ə)l/

adjective

able to be shrunk or capable of contracting.

contractile /kənˈtraktʌɪl/

I. adjective

[Biology] [Physiology] capable of or producing contraction

• the contractile activity of the human colon.

II. derivatives

contractility /kɒntrakˈtɪlɪti /

noun

contractile vacuole

noun

[Zoology] a vacuole in some protozoans which expels excess liquid on contraction.

contraction /kənˈtrakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of becoming smaller

• the general contraction of the industry did further damage to morale

• [ count noun] the manufacturing sector suffered a severe contraction.

2. the process in which a muscle becomes or is made shorter and tighter

• neurons control the contraction of muscles.

3. [ count noun] (usu. contractions) — a shortening of the uterine muscles occurring at intervals before and during childbirth.

• she was now in no doubt that she was having contractions.

4. the process of shortening a word by combination or elision.

5. [ count noun] — a word or group of words resulting from shortening an original form

• ‘goodbye’ is a contraction of ‘God be with you’.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin contractio(n-), from contrahere ‘draw together’ (see contract).

contractionary

adjective

causing or relating to the contraction of a country's economy

• he imposed a contractionary fiscal policy in the form of a tax surcharge.

• the contractionary effects of higher interest rates.

contract note

noun

a certificate confirming the terms of a sale of specified assets or securities between two parties.

contractor /kənˈtraktə/

noun

a person or firm that undertakes a contract to provide materials or labour to perform a service or do a job.

• the school meals service is provided by private contractors.

• building contractors.

contractorization contractorisation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the provision of a service, especially a public one, by an external contractor rather than by the employees of the body responsible for the service.

• defence spending is falling by providing more services through contractorization.

II. derivatives

contractorize

verb

contractual /kənˈtraktʃʊəl/

adjective

1. agreed in a contract

• a contractual obligation.

2. having similar characteristics to a contract

• the contractual nature of the shareholder's rights.

contractually /kənˈtraktʃ(ʊ)əli/

adverb

in a way that is agreed in or enforced by a contract

• he was contractually entitled to a year's severance pay.

contractural

adjective

1. [Medicine] relating to or involving contracture.

2. another term for contractual.

contracture /kənˈtraktʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition of shortening and hardening of muscles, tendons, or other tissue, often leading to deformity and rigidity of joints.

• contracture of the hip in cerebral palsy.

• [ count noun] the contractures had been caused by intramuscular injections.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, or from Latin contractura, from Latin contract- ‘drawn together’, from the verb contrahere.

contradance /ˈkɒntrədɑːns/

I. noun

a country dance in which the couples form lines facing each other.

– origin early 19th cent.: variant of contredanse.

contradict /kɒntrəˈdɪkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deny the truth of (a statement) by asserting the opposite

• the survey appears to contradict the industry's claims

• [with clause] he did not contradict what he said last week.

2. assert the opposite of a statement made by (someone)

• he did not contradict her but just said nothing

• within five minutes he had contradicted himself twice.

3. be in conflict with

• the existing layout of the city contradicted the logic of the new centre.

II. derivatives

contradictor

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin contradict- ‘spoken against’, from the verb contradicere, originally contra dicere ‘speak against’.

contradiction /kɒntrəˈdɪkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a combination of statements, ideas, or features which are opposed to one another

• the proposed new system suffers from a set of internal contradictions.

2. a situation in which inconsistent elements are present

• the paradox of using force to overcome force is a real contradiction.

3. [ mass noun] — the statement of a position opposite to one already made

• the second sentence appears to be in flat contradiction of the first

• [ count noun] the experiment provides a contradiction of the hypothesis.

II. phrases

contradiction in terms

a statement or group of words associating incompatible objects or ideas.

• she has demonstrated that the term ‘student-athlete’ isn't always a contradiction in terms.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin contradictio(n-), from the verb contradicere (see contradict).

contradictory /kɒntrəˈdɪkt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. mutually opposed or inconsistent

• the two studies came to contradictory conclusions.

2. containing elements which are inconsistent

• politically he exhibited contradictory behaviour.

3. [Logic] (of two propositions) so related that one and only one must be true.
Compare with contrary.

II. noun

[Logic] a contradictory proposition.

III. derivatives

1. contradictorily

adverb

2. contradictoriness

noun

– origin late Middle English (as a term in logic): from late Latin contradictorius, from Latin contradict- ‘spoken against’, from the verb contradicere (see contradict).

contradistinction /kɒntrədɪˈstɪŋ(k)ʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. distinction made by contrasting the different qualities of two things

• such a process is known as induction, in contradistinction to the deduction process.

contradistinguish /kɒntrədɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› distinguish between (two things) by contrasting them.

• we do not know exactly when the common law and statute law began to be contradistinguished.

contrafactive

adjective

[Linguistics] denoting a verb that assigns to its object (normally a clausal object) the status of not being true, e.g. pretend and wish.
Contrasted with factive, non-factive.

contrafactual /kɒntrəˈfaktʃʊəl/

adjective

another term for counterfactual.

contraflow /ˈkɒntrəfləʊ/

noun

(Brit.) a temporary arrangement where traffic on a road is transferred from its usual side to share the other half of the carriageway with traffic moving in the opposite direction.
[as modifier]

• a series of contraflow systems to allow resurfacing work to be carried out.

contrail /ˈkɒntreɪl/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for vapour trail.

– origin 1940s: abbreviation of condensation trail.

contraindicate /kɒntrəˈɪndɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Medicine] (of a condition or circumstance) suggest or indicate that (a particular technique or drug) should not be used in the case in question.

• surgery may also be contraindicated for more general reasons of increased operative risk.

II. derivatives

contraindication /kɒntrəɪndɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

contralateral /ˌkɒntrəˈlat(ə)r(ə)l/

adjective

[Medicine] relating to or denoting the side of the body opposite to that on which a particular structure or condition occurs

• the symptom develops in the hand contralateral to the lesion.

contralto /kənˈtraltəʊ/

I. noun

1. the lowest female singing voice

• she sang in a high contralto.

2. a singer with a contralto voice.

3. a part written for a contralto voice.

– origin mid 18th cent.: Italian, from contra- (in the sense ‘counter to’) + alto. Compare with countertenor.

contra mundum /ˌkɒntrə ˈmʌndəm/

I. adverb

defying or opposing everyone else.

– origin Latin, ‘against the world’.

contraposition /kɒntrəpəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Logic] conversion of a proposition from all A is B to all not-B is not-A.

II. derivatives

contrapositive /kɒntrəˈpɒzɪtɪv /

adjective, noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin contrapositio(n-), from the verb contraponere, from contra- ‘against’ + ponere ‘to place’.

contrapposto /ˌkɒntrəˈpɒstəʊ/

I. noun

[Sculpture] an asymmetrical arrangement of the human figure in which the line of the arms and shoulders contrasts with, while balancing, those of the hips and legs.

– origin Italian, past participle of contrapporre, from Latin contraponere ‘place against’.

contra proferentem /ˌkɒntrə prɒfəˈrɛntɛm/

I. adverb

[Law] (of the interpretation of an ambiguous contract) against the party which proposed or drafted the contract or clause.

– origin Latin, ‘against (the person) mentioning’.

contraption /kənˈtrapʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a machine or device that appears strange or unnecessarily complicated, and often badly made or unsafe

• repairing stereos and making contraptions out of spare electronic bits.

– origin early 19th cent.: perhaps from contrive (on the pattern of pairs such as conceive, conception), by association with trap^1.

contrapuntal /ˌkɒntrəˈpʌnt(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Music] of or in counterpoint.

II. derivatives

1. contrapuntally

adverb

2. contrapuntist

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Italian contrapunto (see counterpoint) + -al.

contrarian /kənˈtrɛːrɪən/

I. noun

a person who opposes or rejects popular opinion, especially in stock exchange dealing.

• it has become fashionable to be a stock-market contrarian.

II. adjective

opposing or rejecting popular opinion or current practice

• the comment came more from a contrarian disposition than moral conviction.

III. derivatives

contrarianism

noun

contrariety /ˌkɒntrəˈrʌɪəti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Logic] contrary opposition.

2. opposition or inconsistency between two things.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French contrariete, from late Latin contrarietas, from contrarius (see contrary).

contrariwise /kənˈtrɛːrɪwʌɪz, ˈkɒntrərɪˌwʌɪz/

adverb

1. in the opposite way or order

• it worked contrariwise—first you dialled the number then you put the money in.

2. in contrast to something that has just been stated or mentioned

• contrariwise, a registered person may vote, even if not entitled to be registered.

contra-rotating

adjective

rotating in the opposite direction or in opposite directions, especially about the same shaft.

contrary /ˈkɒntrəri/

I. adjective

1. opposite in nature, direction, or meaning

• he ignored contrary advice and agreed on the deal.

2. (of two or more statements, beliefs, etc.) opposed to one another

• his mother had given him contrary messages.

3. (of a wind) blowing in the opposite direction to one's course; unfavourable.

4. [Logic] (of two propositions) so related that one or neither but not both must be true.
Compare with contradictory.

5. /kənˈtrɛːri/ — perversely inclined to disagree or to do the opposite of what is expected or desired

• she is sulky and contrary where her work is concerned.

II. noun

1. ( the contrary) — the opposite

• an Act applies only to the United Kingdom unless the contrary is expressed.

2. [Logic] a contrary proposition.

III. phrases

1. contrary to

conflicting with or running counter to

• contrary to his expectations, he found the atmosphere exciting.

2. on (or quite) the contrary

used to intensify a denial of what has just been implied or stated by suggesting that the opposite is the case

• there was no malice in her; on the contrary, she was very kind.

3. to the contrary

with the opposite meaning or implication

• he continued to drink despite medical advice to the contrary.

IV. derivatives

1. contrarily /ˈkɒntrərɪli, kənˈtrɛːrɪli /

adverb

2. contrariness /ˈkɒntrərɪnɪs, kənˈtrɛːrɪnɪs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French contrarie, from Latin contrarius, from contra ‘against’.

contrast

I. noun — [ mass noun] contrast /ˈkɒntrɑːst /

1. the state of being strikingly different from something else in juxtaposition or close association

• the day began cold and blustery, in contrast to almost two weeks of uninterrupted sunshine

• [ count noun] a contrast between rural and urban trends

• Kos is an island of contrasts.

2. differences in colour, tone, or shape that contribute to the visual effect of a design or image.

• match the trimming with one of the stronger colours in the pattern to provide contrast.

3. the difference between tones in a television picture, photograph, etc.

• careful adjustment of the contrast to suit the prevailing light is critical.

• [in combination] high-contrast images.

4. [in sing.] — a thing or person having qualities noticeably different from another

• the castle is quite a contrast to other places where the singer has performed.

II. verb — [no obj.] contrast /kənˈtrɑːst /

1. differ strikingly

• his friend's success contrasted with his own failure

• (as adj. contrasting) a contrasting view.

2. [with obj.] — compare in such a way as to emphasize differences

• people contrasted her with her sister.

III. derivatives

1. contrastingly

adverb

2. contrastive /kənˈtrɑːstɪv /

adjective

– origin late 17th cent. (as a term in fine art, in the sense ‘juxtapose so as to bring out differences in form and colour’): from French contraste (noun), contraster (verb), via Italian from medieval Latin contrastare, from Latin contra- ‘against’ + stare ‘stand’.

contrast medium /ˈkɒntrɑːstˌmiːdiəm/

noun

[Medicine] a substance introduced into a part of the body in order to improve the visibility of internal structures during radiography.

contrasty /ˈkɒntrɑːsti/

adjective

‹informal› (of a photograph, film, or television picture) showing a high degree of contrast.

• the picture is sharp and contrasty, not a muted grey.

contra-suggestible

adjective

tending to respond to a suggestion by believing or doing the contrary.

contrate wheel /ˈkɒntreɪt/

I. noun

another term for crown wheel.

– origin late 17th cent.: contrate (a rare adjective meaning ‘opposed, contrary’) from medieval Latin contrata ‘lying opposite’, from Latin contra ‘against’.

contravene /ˌkɒntrəˈviːn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. offend against the prohibition or order of (a law, treaty, or code of conduct)

• he contravened the Official Secrets Act.

2. conflict with (a right, principle, etc.), especially to its detriment

• the Privy Council held that the prosecution contravened the rights of the individual.

II. derivatives

contravener

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin contravenire, from Latin contra- ‘against’ + venire ‘come’.

contravention /kɒntrəˈvɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

an action which offends against a law, treaty, or other ruling

• the publishing of misleading advertisements was a contravention of the Act

• [ mass noun] contravention of parking restrictions

• there were repeated raids by one side upon the other in contravention of treaty terms.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via French from medieval Latin contraventio(n-), from late Latin contravenire (see contravene).

contredanse /ˈkɒntrədɑːns, ˈkɒntrədɒ̃s/

I. noun

1. a French form of country dance, originating in the 18th century and related to the quadrille.

2. another term for contradance.

– origin French, alteration of English country dance, by association with contre ‘against, opposite’.

contre-jour /ˈkɒ̃trəˌʒʊə, French kɔ̃tʀəʒʊʀ/

I. adjective, adverb

[Photography] having or involving the sun or other light source behind the subject
[as adj.]

• a glorious contre-jour effect.

– origin early 20th cent.: French, from contre ‘against’ + jour ‘daylight’.

contretemps /ˈkɒntrətɒ̃/

I. noun

1. a minor dispute or disagreement

• she had occasional contretemps with her staff.

2. an unexpected and unfortunate occurrence.

• the hotel had to deal with more than one contretemps before the end of the night.

– origin late 17th cent. (originally as a fencing term, denoting a thrust made at an inopportune moment): French, originally ‘motion out of time’, from contre- ‘against’ + temps ‘time’.

contribute /kənˈtrɪbjuːt, ˈkɒntrɪbjuːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (something, especially money) in order to help achieve or provide something

• taxpayers had contributed £141.8 million towards the cost of local services

• [no obj.] he contributed to a private pension.

2. [no obj.] ( contribute to) — help to cause or bring about

• the government imposed a tax on fuels which contributed to global warming.

3. supply (an article) for publication in a newspaper, magazine, or journal

• he contributed articles to the magazine.

4. [no obj.] — give one's views in a discussion

• he did not contribute to the meetings.

II. derivatives

contributive /kənˈtrɪbjuːt /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin contribut- ‘brought together, added’, from the verb contribuere, from con- ‘with’ + tribuere ‘bestow’. / usage: There are two possible pronunciations of the word contribute, one which puts the stress on the -tri- and one which puts it on the con-. The first is held to be the standard, correct pronunciation even though the pronunciation with stress on the con- is older.

contribution /kɒntrɪˈbjuːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a gift or payment to a common fund or collection

• the agency is mainly financed from voluntary contributions.

2. the part played by a person or thing in bringing about a result or helping something to advance

• the major contribution of social scientists to the understanding of political life.

• there was scarcely a branch of art to which he did not make a contribution.

3. a piece of writing submitted for publication in a journal, book, etc.

• local historians are requesting contributions for a forthcoming book on the history of the community.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a tax or levy): from late Latin contributio(n-), from Latin contribuere ‘bring together, add’ (see contribute).

contributor /kənˈtrɪbjʊtə/

noun

1. a person or thing that contributes something, in particular

2. a person who writes articles for a magazine or newspaper.

• he became a regular contributor to the magazine.

3. a person who donates to a cause.

• Saudi Arabia was the biggest contributor of war costs.

4. a causal factor in the existence or occurrence of something

• stress is a major contributor to most diseases.

contributory /kənˈtrɪbjʊt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. playing a part in bringing something about

• smoking may be a contributory cause of the disease.

2. (of a pension or insurance scheme) operated by means of a fund into which people pay

• contributory benefits.

II. noun

[Law] (Brit.) a person liable to give money towards the payment of a wound-up company's debts.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘contributing to a fund’): from medieval Latin contributorius, from Latin contribut- ‘added’ (see contribution).

contributory negligence

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] failure of an injured party to act prudently, considered to be a contributory factor in the injury which they have suffered.

con trick

noun

(Brit.) informal term for confidence trick.

contrite /kənˈtrʌɪt, ˈkɒntrʌɪt/

I. adjective

feeling or expressing remorse at the recognition that one has done wrong

• a contrite tone.

II. derivatives

1. contritely

adverb

2. contriteness

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French contrit, from Latin contritus, past participle of conterere ‘grind down, wear away’, from con- ‘together’ + terere ‘rub’.

contrition /kənˈtrɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of feeling remorseful and penitent.

• to show contrition for his crime he offered to do community service.

2. (in the Roman Catholic Church) the repentance of past sins during or after confession.

• prayers of contrition.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from late Latin contritio(n-), from contrit- ‘ground down’, from the verb conterere (see contrite).

contrivance /kənˈtrʌɪv(ə)ns/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the use of skill to create or bring about something, especially with a consequent effect of artificiality

• the requirements of the system, by happy chance and some contrivance, can be summed up in an acronym.

2. [ count noun] — a device, especially in literary or artistic composition, which gives a sense of artificiality.

• the often tiresome contrivances of historical fiction.

3. a thing which is created skilfully and inventively to serve a particular purpose

• an assortment of electronic equipment and mechanical contrivances.

contrive /kənˈtrʌɪv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. create or bring about (an object or a situation) by deliberate use of skill and artifice

• his opponents contrived a cabinet crisis

• [with infinitive] you contrived to be alone with me despite the supervision.

2. [with infinitive] — manage to do something foolish or create an undesirable situation

• he contrived to flood the flat three times.

II. derivatives

contriver

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French contreuve-, stressed stem of controver ‘imagine, invent’, from medieval Latin contropare ‘compare’.

contrived /kənˈtrʌɪvd/

adjective

1. deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously.

2. created or arranged in a way that seems artificial and unrealistic

• the ending of the novel is too pat and contrived.

control /kənˈtrəʊl/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the power to influence or direct people's behaviour or the course of events

• the whole operation is under the control of a production manager

• the situation was slipping out of her control.

2. the ability to manage a machine, vehicle, or other moving object

• he lost control of his car

• improve your ball control.

3. the restriction of an activity, tendency, or phenomenon

• crime control.

4. the ability to restrain one's own emotions or actions

• she was goaded beyond control.

5. [ count noun] (often controls) — a means of limiting or regulating something

• growing controls on local spending.

6. [ count noun] — a switch or other device by which a device or vehicle is regulated

• he had the chance to take the controls and fly the glider

• the volume control.

7. [with modifier] — the place from which a system or activity is directed or where a particular item is verified

• passport control.

8. [Computing] short for control key.

• note that Control plus various keys on the numeric keypad will move you around the text.

9. a person or thing used as a standard of comparison for checking the results of a survey or experiment

• platelet activity was higher in patients with the disease than in the controls.

10. a member of an intelligence organization who personally directs the activities of a spy.

• he sat with his KGB control as the details of his new assignment were explained.

11. [Bridge] a high card that will prevent the opponents from establishing a particular suit.

• he has controls in both minor suits.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — determine the behaviour or supervise the running of

• he was appointed to control the company's marketing strategy.

2. maintain influence or authority over

• there were never enough masters to control the unruly mobs of boys.

3. limit the level, intensity, or numbers of

• he had to control his temper.

4. ( control oneself) — remain calm and reasonable despite provocation.

• her eyes flashed angrily, but she made an effort to control herself.

5. regulate (a mechanical or scientific process)

• the airflow is controlled by a fan.

6. (as adj. controlled) — (of a drug) restricted by law in respect of use and possession

• a sentence for possessing controlled substances.

7. [no obj.] ( control for) — take into account (an extraneous factor that might affect the results of an experiment)

• no attempt was made to control for variations

• (as adj. controlled) a controlled trial.

III. phrases

1. in control

able to direct a situation, person, or activity.

• from the beginning he has been in control of his own destiny.

2. out of control

no longer possible to manage.

• the fire gets out of control.

3. under control

(of a danger or emergency) such that people are able to deal with it successfully

• it took two hours to bring the blaze under control.

– origin late Middle English (as a verb in the sense ‘check or verify accounts’, especially by referring to a duplicate register): from Anglo-Norman French contreroller ‘keep a copy of a roll of accounts’, from medieval Latin contrarotulare, from contrarotulus ‘copy of a roll’, from contra- ‘against’ + rotulus ‘a roll’. The noun is perhaps via French contrôle.

control account

noun

an account used to record the balances on a number of subsidiary accounts and to provide a cross-check on them.

control character

noun

[Computing] a character that does not represent a printable character but serves to initiate a particular action.

control freak

I. noun

‹informal› a person who feels an obsessive need to exercise control over themselves and others and to take command of any situation.

II. derivatives

control freakery

noun

control key

noun

[Computing] a key which alters the function of another key if the two are pressed at the same time.

controllable /kənˈtrəʊləb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. capable of being directed or influenced

• the glider was fully controllable.

2. capable of being safely regulated or limited

• discontent began to give way to barely controllable rage.

II. derivatives

1. controllability /kənˌtrəʊləˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. controllably

adverb

controlled crying

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a technique for training young children to fall asleep on their own, in which the child is left to cry for gradually increasing periods of time before being comforted

• Dr Green advocates a programme of controlled crying.

controller /kənˈtrəʊlə/

I. noun

1. a person or thing that directs or regulates something

• the Controller of BBC Television Programmes

• a temperature controller.

2. a person in charge of an organization's finances.

• the regional controller for the Department of Education.

II. derivatives

controllership

noun

– origin Middle English (denoting a person who kept a duplicate register of accounts): from Anglo-Norman contrerollour, from contreroller ‘keep a copy of a roll of accounts’ (see control). Compare with comptroller.

controlling interest

noun

the holding by one person or group of a majority of the stock of a business, giving the holder a means of exercising control

• the purchase of a controlling interest in a company in California.

control rod

noun

a rod of a neutron-absorbing substance used to vary the output power of a nuclear reactor.

control tower

noun

a tall building at an airport from which the movements of air traffic are controlled.

contronym /ˈkɒntrənɪm / contranym

I. noun

a word with two opposite meanings, e.g. sanction (which can mean both ‘a penalty for disobeying a law’ and ‘official permission or approval for an action’).

– origin 1960s: blend of contra- and -onym, on the pattern of synonym and antonym.

controversial /kɒntrəˈvəːʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

giving rise or likely to give rise to controversy or public disagreement

• years of wrangling over a controversial bypass.

II. derivatives

1. controversialist

noun

2. controversiality

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin controversialis, from controversia (see controversy).

controversially /kɒntrəˈvəːʃəli/

adverb

in a way that gives rise to controversy or public disagreement

• the horse was controversially disqualified from first place.

controversy /ˈkɒntrəvəːsi, kənˈtrɒvəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. prolonged public disagreement or heated discussion

• the design of the building has caused controversy

• [ count noun] the announcement ended a protracted controversy.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin controversia, from controversus ‘turned against, disputed’, from contro- (variant of contra- ‘against’) + versus, past participle of vertere ‘to turn’. / usage: There are two possible pronunciations of the word controversy: one puts the stress on the con- and the other puts it on the -trov-. The second pronunciation, though common, is still widely held to be incorrect in standard English.

controvert /ˈkɒntrəvəːt, ˌkɒntrəˈvəːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deny the truth of (something)

• subsequent work from the same laboratory controverted these results.

2. argue about (something)

• the views in the article have been controverted.

II. derivatives

controvertible

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin controversus (see controversy), on the pattern of pairs such as adversus (see adverse), advertere (see advert^2).

contumacious /ˌkɒntjʊˈmeɪʃəs/

I. adjective

‹archaic› [Law] (especially of a defendant's behaviour) stubbornly or wilfully disobedient to authority.

• his refusal to make child support payments was contumacious.

II. derivatives

contumaciously

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin contumax, contumac- (perhaps from con- ‘with’ + tumere ‘to swell’) + -ious.

contumacy /ˈkɒntjʊməsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› [Law] stubborn refusal to obey or comply with authority, especially disobedience to a court order or summons.

– origin Middle English: from Latin contumacia ‘inflexibility’, from contumax (see contumacious).

contumelious /ˌkɒntjʊˈmiːlɪəs/

I. adjective

‹archaic› (of behaviour) scornful and insulting; insolent.

II. derivatives

contumeliously

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French contumelieus, from Latin contumeliosus, from contumelia ‘abuse, insult’ (see contumely).

contumely /ˈkɒntjuːmɪli, ˈkɒntjuːmli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› insolent or insulting language or treatment

• the Church should not be exposed to gossip and contumely.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French contumelie, from Latin contumelia, perhaps from con- ‘with’ + tumere ‘to swell’.

contuse /kənˈtjuːz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Medicine] injure (a part of the body) without breaking the skin, forming a bruise.

• the whole region beneath the ribcage was contused.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin contus- ‘bruised, crushed’, from the verb contundere, from con- ‘together’ + tundere ‘beat, thump’.

contusion /kənˈtjuːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

[Medicine] a region of injured tissue or skin in which blood capillaries have been ruptured; a bruise.

• a dark contusion on his cheek was beginning to swell.

• vigorously shaking the head back and forth can produce contusions to the soft structure of the brain.

– origin late Middle English: from French, from Latin contusio(n-), from the verb contundere (see contuse).

conundrum /kəˈnʌndrəm/

I. noun

1. a confusing and difficult problem or question

• one of the most difficult conundrums for the experts.

2. a question asked for amusement, typically one with a pun in its answer; a riddle.

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin, but first recorded in a work by Thomas Nashe, as a term of abuse for a crank or pedant, later coming to denote a whim or fancy, also a pun. Current senses date from the late 17th cent.

conurbation /ˌkɒnəˈbeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

an extended urban area, typically consisting of several towns merging with the suburbs of a central city.

• the major conurbations of London and Birmingham.

– origin early 20th cent.: from con- ‘together’ + Latin urbs, urb- ‘city’ + -ation.

conure /ˈkɒnjʊə/

I. noun

a Central and South American parakeet that typically has green plumage with patches of other colours.
● Aratinga, Pyrrhura, and other genera, family Psittacidae: numerous species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin conurus (former genus name), from Greek kōnos ‘cone’ + oura ‘tail’.

conus /ˈkəʊnəs/

I. noun

1. (in full conus arteriosus) — [Anatomy] the upper front part of the right ventricle of the heart.

2. (in full conus medullaris) — [Anatomy] the conical lower extremity of the spinal cord.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘cone’.

convalesce /ˌkɒnvəˈlɛs/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. recover one's health and strength over a period of time after an illness or medical treatment

• he spent eight months convalescing after the stroke.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin convalescere, from con- ‘altogether’ + valescere ‘grow strong’ (from valere ‘be well’).

convalescence /ˌkɒnvəˈlɛsns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. time spent recovering from an illness or medical treatment; recuperation

• a period of convalescence

• [ count noun] I had a long convalescence ahead.

convalescent /kɒnvəˈlɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) recovering from an illness or medical treatment.

• a convalescent child.

• you're still convalescent and you need to rest.

2. [ attrib.] — relating to convalescence

• a convalescent home.

II. noun

a person who is recovering after an illness or medical treatment.

• convalescents benefit from relaxation.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin convalescent- ‘growing strong, recovering’, from the verb convalescere (see convalesce).

convect /kənˈvɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. transport (heat or material) by convection

• this gas fire convects heat efficiently

• (as adj. convected) convected warmth.

2. [no obj.] — (of a fluid or fluid body) undergo convection

• the fluid starts to convect

• (as adj. convecting) the convecting layer.

– origin late 19th cent.: back-formation from convection.

convection /kənˈvɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the movement caused within a fluid by the tendency of hotter and therefore less dense material to rise, and colder, denser material to sink under the influence of gravity, which consequently results in transfer of heat.

• the final transfer of energy to the surface is by convection.

• upward convection in the troposphere carries water vapour and sulphur dioxide above the clouds.

II. derivatives

1. convectional

adjective

2. convective

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from late Latin convectio(n-), from Latin convehere, from con- ‘together’ + vehere ‘carry’.

convection cell

noun

a self-contained area in a fluid in which upward motion of warmer fluid in the centre is balanced by downward motion of cooler fluid at the periphery.

convection current

noun

a current in a fluid that results from convection.

• the Pacific Plate is floating, propelled by convection currents deep in the mantle.

convector /kənˈvɛktə/

noun

a heating appliance that circulates warm air by convection.
[as modifier]

• convector heaters.

convenance /ˈkɒnvəˌnɑːns/

I. noun — [ mass noun] (also convenances)

1. ‹archaic› conventional propriety.

• her utter ignorance of London convenances.

– origin French, from convenir ‘be fitting’, from Latin convenire (see convene).

convene /kənˈviːn/

I. verb

come or bring together for a meeting or activity; assemble
[with obj.]

• he had convened a secret meeting of military personnel

• [no obj.] the committee had convened for its final plenary session.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin convenire ‘assemble, agree, fit’, from con- ‘together’ + venire ‘come’.

convener /kənˈviːnə / convenor

noun

1. a person whose job it is to call people together for meetings of a committee.

• Convener of the Recreation Committee.

2. (Brit.) a senior trade union official at a workplace.

• a local Transport Union convener.

3. the chairman and civic head of some regional Scottish councils.

• Convener of Orkney Islands Council.

convenience /kənˈviːnɪəns/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the state of being able to proceed with something without difficulty

• services should be run to suit the convenience of customers, not of staff.

2. the quality of being useful, easy, or suitable for someone

• the success of the food halls in large stores is due to their convenience.

3. [ count noun] — a thing that contributes to an easy and effortless way of life

• voicemail was seen as one of the desktop conveniences of the electronic office.

4. [ count noun] — (Brit.) a public toilet.

• the large council car park next to the public conveniences.

II. phrases

1. at one's convenience

at a time or place that suits one.

• do make an appointment at your convenience.

2. at one's earliest convenience

as soon as one can without difficulty.

• please telephone me at your earliest convenience.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin convenientia, from convenient- ‘assembling, agreeing’, from the verb convenire (see convene).

convenience food

noun

a food, typically a complete meal, that has been pre-prepared commercially and so requires minimum further preparation by the consumer.

• convenience foods make life easier.

• [ mass noun] a diet of convenience food.

convenience store

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a shop with extended opening hours, stocking a limited range of household goods and groceries.

conveniency /kənˈviːnɪənsi/

noun

rare term for convenience (sense 1).

convenient /kənˈviːnɪənt/

I. adjective

1. fitting in well with a person's needs, activities, and plans

• I phoned your office to confirm that this date is convenient.

2. involving little trouble or effort

• the new car park will make shopping much more convenient.

3. ( convenient for) — situated so as to allow easy access to

• the site would have to be convenient for London.

4. helpfully placed or occurring

• guests were relaxing beneath a convenient palm tree.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘befitting, becoming, suitable’): from Latin convenient- ‘assembling, agreeing, fitting’, from the verb convenire (see convene).

conveniently /kənˈviːnɪəntli/

adverb

in a way that fits well with particular needs, activities, and plans

• this house is very conveniently located.

convent /ˈkɒnv(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a Christian community of nuns living together under monastic vows.

• Maria entered the convent at the age of eighteen.

2. (also convent school) — a school attached to and run by a convent.

3. the building or buildings occupied by a convent

• the long windy path behind the convent.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin conventus ‘assembly, company’, from the verb convenire (see convene). The original spelling was covent (surviving in the place name Covent Garden); the modern form dates from the 16th cent.

conventicle /kənˈvɛntɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

‹historical› a secret or unlawful religious meeting, typically of nonconformists.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘assembly, meeting’, particularly a clandestine or illegal one): from Latin conventiculum ‘(place of) assembly’, diminutive of conventus ‘assembly, company’, from the verb convenire (see convene).

convention /kənˈvɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a way in which something is usually done

• to attract the best patrons the movie houses had to ape the conventions and the standards of theatres.

2. [ mass noun] — behaviour that is considered acceptable or polite to most members of a society

• he was an upholder of convention and correct form

• [ count noun] the law is felt to express social conventions.

3. an agreement between states covering particular matters, especially one less formal than a treaty.

• the convention, signed by the six states bordering on the Black Sea, aims to prevent further pollution.

4. a large meeting or conference, especially of members of a political party or a particular profession or group

• the party held its biennial convention.

5. (N. Amer.) an assembly of the delegates of a political party to select candidates for office.

6. a body set up by agreement to deal with a particular issue.

• the convention is a UN body responsible for the regulation of sea dumping.

7. ‹historical› a meeting of Parliament without a summons from the sovereign.

8. [Bridge] a bid or system of bidding by which the bidder tries to convey specific information about the hand to their partner, as opposed to seeking to win the auction.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 3): via Old French from Latin conventio(n-) ‘meeting, covenant’, from the verb convenire (see convene). Sense 1 dates from the late 18th cent.

conventional /kənˈvɛnʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. based on or in accordance with what is generally done or believed

• a conventional morality had dictated behaviour.

2. (of a person) greatly or overly concerned with what is generally held to be socially acceptable.

• she blossomed into an attractive, intelligent, perhaps slightly too conventional, young woman.

3. (of a work of art or literature) following traditional forms and genres.

• conventional love poetry.

4. (of weapons or power) non-nuclear.

• agreement on reducing conventional forces in Europe.

5. [Bridge] (of a bid) intended to convey a particular meaning according to an agreed convention.

• West made a conventional bid showing a hand with at least 5 spades.

Often contrasted with natural.

II. derivatives

1. conventionalism

noun

2. conventionalist

noun

3. conventionality /kənvɛnʃ(ə)ˈnalɪti /

noun

4. conventionalize conventionalise

verb

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to a formal agreement or convention’): from French conventionnel or late Latin conventionalis, from Latin conventio(n-) ‘meeting, covenant’, from the verb convenire (see convene).

conventionally /kənˈvɛnʃ(ə)nəli/

adverb

1. in a way that is based on what is traditionally done or believed

• careers conventionally followed by women

• the atlas is divided conventionally into six continents.

2. in a way that shows concern with what is held to be socially acceptable

• Elisabeth behaved quite conventionally

• he was dressed conventionally in a grey shirt and trousers.

conventional memory

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] (in a personal computer running DOS) the first 640 k of memory where programs to be run must be loaded.

conventional wisdom

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a generally accepted theory or belief

• conventional wisdom has it that a book should never be judged by its cover

• many of your findings challenge conventional wisdom about entrepreneurial success.

conventioneer /kənvɛnʃəˈnɪə/

noun

(N. Amer.) a person attending a convention.

conventual /kənˈvɛntʃʊəl/

I. adjective

1. relating or belonging to a convent

• the conventual life.

2. relating to the less strict order of the Franciscans, living in large convents.

II. noun

a person who lives in or is a member of a convent.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin conventualis, from Latin conventus ‘assembly, company’ (see convent).

converge /kənˈvəːdʒ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of lines) tend to meet at a point

• a pair of lines of longitude are parallel at the equator but converge toward the poles.

2. come together from different directions so as eventually to meet

• convoys from America and the UK traversed thousands of miles to converge in the Atlantic.

3. ( converge on/upon) — come from different directions and meet at (a place)

• half a million sports fans will converge on the capital for the London Marathon.

4. (of a number of things) gradually change so as to become similar or develop something in common

• the aims of the two developments can and should converge.

5. [Mathematics] (of a series) approximate in the sum of its terms towards a definite limit.

• the powers of E therefore converge very slowly indeed.

– origin late 17th cent.: from late Latin convergere, from con- ‘together’ + Latin vergere ‘incline’.

convergence /kənˈvəːdʒ(ə)ns / convergency

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process or state of converging

• the convergence of lines in the distance.

2. [Biology] the tendency of unrelated animals and plants to evolve superficially similar characteristics under similar environmental conditions.

• these bivalves have assumed similar characters by convergence.

3. (also convergence zone) — a location where airflows or ocean currents meet, characteristically marked by upwelling (of air) or downwelling (of water).

convergent /kənˈvəːdʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. coming closer together; converging

• a convergent boundary

• there are a number of convergent reasons for the growth of interest in pragmatics.

2. [Psychology] (of thought) tending to follow only well-established patterns.

3. [Biology] relating to or denoting evolutionary convergence.

• one of the most bizarre examples of convergent evolution concerns the so-called periodical cicadas.

4. [Mathematics] (of a series) approaching a definite limit as more of its terms are added.

– origin early 18th cent.: from late Latin convergent- ‘inclining together’, from the verb convergere (see converge).

conversable /kənˈvəːsəb(ə)l/

adjective

‹archaic› fond of conversation; sociable

• he can be a conversable companion if he feels it worth his while.

conversant /kənˈvəːs(ə)nt/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. familiar with or knowledgeable about something

• you need someone who is conversant with the new technology.

II. derivatives

1. conversance

noun

2. conversancy

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French, present participle of converser (see converse^1). The original sense was ‘habitually spending time in a particular place or with a particular person’.

conversation /kɒnvəˈseɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a talk, especially an informal one, between two or more people, in which news and ideas are exchanged

• she picked up the phone and held a conversation in French

• [ mass noun] the two men were deep in conversation.

II. phrases

make conversation

talk for the sake of politeness without having anything to say.

• we sat together, trying somewhat stiltedly to make conversation.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘living among, familiarity, intimacy’): via Old French from Latin conversatio(n-), from the verb conversari (see converse^1).

conversational /kɒnvəˈseɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. as used in conversation; not formal

• she spoke fluent, conversational English.

2. consisting of or relating to conversation

• conversational skills.

II. derivatives

conversationally

adverb

conversationalist /kɒnvəˈseɪʃ(ə)n(ə)lɪst/

noun

a person who is good at or fond of engaging in conversation.

• an entertaining conversationalist.

conversation lolly

noun

(Austral./NZ) a flat sweet stamped with a phrase or motto

• I extracted a conversation lolly upon which I read the words, 'I love you'.

conversation piece

noun

1. a painting of a genre in which groups of figures are posed in a landscape or domestic setting, popular especially in the 18th century.

2. an object whose unusual quality makes it a topic of conversation.

• an umbrella stand conversation piece painted in garish colours.

conversation-stopper

noun

‹informal› a remark which is so surprising or embarrassing that it is difficult to find a polite reply.

conversazione /ˌkɒnvəsatsɪˈəʊneɪ/

I. noun

a scholarly social gathering held for discussion of literature and the arts.

– origin Italian, from Latin conversatio (see conversation).

converse^1

I. verb — [no obj.] converse /kənˈvəːs /

1. engage in conversation

• she was withdrawn and preoccupied, hardly able to converse with her mother.

II. noun — [ mass noun] converse /ˈkɒnvəːs /

1. ‹archaic› conversation.

• his converse at such seasons was always elevating.

• [ count noun] it will be difficult in these converses not to talk of secular matter.

III. derivatives

converser

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘live among, be familiar with’): from Old French converser, from Latin conversari ‘keep company (with’), from con- ‘with’ + versare, frequentative of vertere ‘to turn’. The current sense of the verb dates from the early 17th cent.

converse^2 /ˈkɒnvəːs/

I. noun

1. a situation, object, or statement that is the reverse of another or corresponds to it but with certain terms transposed

• if spirituality is properly political, the converse is also true: politics is properly spiritual.

2. [Mathematics] a theorem whose hypothesis and conclusion are the conclusion and hypothesis of another.

II. adjective

having characteristics which are the reverse of something else already mentioned

• the only mode of change will be the slow process of growth and the converse process of decay.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin conversus ‘turned about’, past participle of convertere (see convert).

conversely /ˈkɒnvəːsli, kənˈvəːsli/

adverb

introducing a statement or idea which reverses one that has just been made or referred to

• he would have preferred his wife not to work, although conversely he was also proud of what she did.

conversion /kənˈvəːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of changing or causing something to change from one form to another

• the conversion of food into body tissues.

2. the adaptation of a building or part of a building for a new use

• the conversion of a house into flats

• [ count noun] they were carrying out a loft conversion.

3. [ count noun] — (Brit.) a building that has been adapted for a new use

• high-quality cottages and barn conversions.

4. [Law] the changing of real property into personalty, or of joint into separate property, or vice versa.

5. [Logic] the transposition of the subject and predicate of a proposition according to certain rules to form a new proposition by inference.

6. the fact of changing one's religion or beliefs or the action of persuading someone else to change theirs.

• he insists that real conversion is a matter of the heart.

• [ count noun] his passion for seventeenth-century literature had led the former atheist to a sudden conversion.

7. [Christian Theology] repentance and change to a godly life.

• the individual's responsibility in conversion is to repent and believe.

8. [ count noun] — [Rugby] a successful kick at goal after a try, scoring two points.

• Gavin Hastings landed one penalty and one conversion.

9. [American Football] an act of converting a touchdown or a down.

10. (also conversion rate) — (in the context of online marketing) the proportion of people viewing an advertisement and going on to buy the product, click on a link, etc.

• you'll see better conversion rates for your local advertising if you include your physical address on your website

• keeping things simple will improve conversion.

11. [Law] the action of wrongfully dealing with goods in a manner inconsistent with the owner's rights

• he was found guilty of the fraudulent conversion of clients' monies.

12. [Psychiatry] the manifestation of a mental disturbance as a physical disorder or disease.
[as modifier]

• conversion disorders.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘turning of sinners to God’): via Old French from Latin conversio(n-), from convers- ‘turned about’, from the verb convertere (see convert).

conversion factor

noun

1. an arithmetical multiplier for converting a quantity expressed in one set of units into an equivalent expressed in another.

2. [Economics] the manufacturing cost of a product relative to the cost of raw materials.

conversion van

noun

(N. Amer.) a motor vehicle in which the area behind the driver has been converted into a living space.

convert

I. verb — convert /kənˈvəːt /

1. [with obj.] — change the form, character, or function of something

• modernization has converted the country from a primitive society to a near-industrial one.

2. [no obj.] — be able to change from one form to another

• the seating converts to a double or two single beds.

3. change (money, stocks, or units in which a quantity is expressed) into others of a different kind.

• the figures have been converted at $0.545 to the Dutch guilder.

4. adapt (a building) to make it suitable for a new purpose

• the company converted a disused cinema to house twelve machinists

• (as adj. converted) a converted Victorian property.

5. [Logic] transpose the subject and predicate of (a proposition) according to certain rules to form a new proposition by inference.

6. [no obj.] — change one's religious faith or other belief

• at sixteen he converted to Catholicism.

7. [with obj.] — persuade (someone) to change their religious faith or other belief

• he was converted in his later years to the socialist cause.

8. [with obj.] — score from (a penalty kick, pass, or other opportunity) in a sport or game.

• Faulkner gave away a penalty corner which was converted by Saeed Anjum.

9. [Rugby] score extra points after (a try) by a successful kick at goal.

• Stephens converted Proctor's try with a massive kick from the left-hand touchline.

10. [American Football] advance the ball far enough after (a down) to get another try for a first down.

• we didn't convert the third down.

11. [American Football] make an extra score after (a touchdown) by kicking a goal (one point) or running another play into the end zone (two points).

II. noun — convert /ˈkɒnvəːt /

1. a person who has been persuaded to change their religious faith or other belief

• he is a recent convert to the Church.

III. phrases

convert something to one's own use

[Law] wrongfully make use of another's property.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘turn round, send in a different direction’): from Old French convertir, based on Latin convertere ‘turn about’, from con- ‘altogether’ + vertere ‘turn’.

converted rice

noun — [ mass noun] ( in the US)

1. (N. Amer.) ‹trademark› white rice prepared from brown rice that has been soaked, steamed under pressure, and then dried and milled.

converter /kənˈvəːtə / convertor

noun

1. a person or thing that converts something

• the would-be converter of a building to domestic use.

2. a device for altering the nature of an electric current or signal, especially from AC to DC or vice versa, or from analogue to digital or vice versa.

3. a retort used in steel-making.

4. short for catalytic converter.

5. [Computing] a program that converts data from one format to another.

6. a camera lens which changes the focal length of another lens by a set amount.

• a camera fitted with a x2 converter.

converter reactor

noun

a nuclear reactor that converts fertile material into fissile material.

convertible /kənˈvəːtɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able to be changed in form, function, or character

• a convertible sofa

• nationalism is too easily convertible into bitterness and selfishness.

2. (of currency) able to be converted into other forms, especially into gold or US dollars.

• a formal commitment by the East European countries to convertible currencies.

• currencies were officially convertible into gold via the dollar.

3. (of a bond or stock) able to be converted into ordinary or preference shares.

• a sale of shares and convertible bonds.

• the bonds are convertible into ordinary shares.

4. (of a car) having a folding or detachable roof.

• his white convertible Mercedes.

5. [Logic] (of terms) synonymous.

II. noun

1. a car with a folding or detachable roof.

• Brendan picked her up in his cherry-red convertible.

2. (usu. convertibles) — a convertible security.

• an investment in convertibles can bring a higher return than an investment in equities.

III. derivatives

convertibility /kənvəːtəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘interchangeable’): from Old French, from Latin convertibilis, from convertere ‘turn about’ (see convert).

convex /ˈkɒnvɛks/

I. adjective

1. having an outline or surface curved like the exterior of a circle or sphere.

• a convex lens.

Compare with concave.

2. (of a polygon) not having any interior angles greater than 180°.

II. derivatives

1. convexity /kɒnˈvɛksɪti /

noun

2. convexly

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin convexus ‘vaulted, arched’.

convexo-concave /kənˈvɛksəʊ/

adjective

(of a lens) convex on one side and concave on the other and thickest in the centre.

convexo-convex

adjective

another term for biconvex.

convey /kənˈveɪ/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — transport or carry to a place

• pipes were laid to convey water to the house.

2. make (an idea, impression, or feeling) known or understandable

• the real virtues and diversity of America had never been conveyed in the movies

• [with clause] it's impossible to convey how lost I felt.

3. communicate (a message or information)

• Mr Harvey and his daughter have asked me to convey their very kind regards.

4. [Law] transfer the title to (property).

• no application for registration is required when the property is conveyed following a court order.

II. derivatives

conveyable

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘escort’; compare with convoy): from Old French conveier, from medieval Latin conviare, from con- ‘together’ + Latin via ‘way’.

conveyance /kənˈveɪəns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of transporting or carrying someone or something from one place to another

• a busy centre for the conveyance of agricultural produce from the Billingshurst area.

2. [ count noun] — ‹formal› ‹humorous› a means of transport; a vehicle

• adventurers attempt the trail using all manner of conveyances, including mountain bikes and motorcycles.

3. the action of making an idea, feeling, or impression known or understandable to someone

• a role that demands much more than the conveyance of simple emotions.

• art's conveyance of meaning is complicated.

4. [Law] the legal process of transferring property from one owner to another.

• such protective measures might be taken before the conveyance is concluded.

• [ count noun] a mortgage involves a conveyance of property subject to a right of redemption.

5. [ count noun] — a legal document effecting the transfer of property in the case of an unregistered title.

• the wife's solicitors will submit a draft conveyance or transfer to the husband's solicitors.

conveyancing /kənˈveɪənsɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of law concerned with the preparation of documents for the conveyance of property.

2. the action of preparing documents for the conveyance of property.

II. derivatives

conveyancer /kənˈveɪənsə /

noun

conveyor /kənˈveɪə / conveyer

noun

1. a person or thing that transports or communicates something

• a conveyor of information.

2. a conveyor belt.

conveyor belt /kənˈveɪjə ˌbɛlt/

noun

a continuous moving band of fabric, rubber, or metal used for transporting objects from one place to another.

• a baggage conveyor belt.

• goods are assembled on a moving conveyor belt.

• ‹figurative› the conveyor belt of education.

convict

I. verb — convict /kənˈvɪkt /

1. declare (someone) to be guilty of a criminal offence by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law

• her former boyfriend was convicted of assaulting her

• (as adj. convicted) a convicted murderer.

II. noun — convict /ˈkɒnvɪkt /

1. a person found guilty of a criminal offence and serving a sentence of imprisonment.

• two escaped convicts kidnapped them at gunpoint.

– origin Middle English: from Latin convict- ‘demonstrated, refuted, convicted’, from the verb convincere (see convince). The noun is from obsolete convict ‘convicted’.

convict brick

noun

(Austral.) a building brick of a type made by prisoners in a penal colony

• the house was built of convict bricks and hand-chiselled sandstone.

convict colony

noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› an Australian colony regarded primarily as a place of penal servitude

• he served as a governor of the early convict colony.

convict constable

noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› a convict appointed as an officer of the peace in an Australian colony

• a convict constable entered the house with a warrant of execution.

convict establishment

noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› a place designed for the imprisonment and punishment of convicts

• the supplying of the convict establishment gave the settlers an assured local market.

conviction /kənˈvɪkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a formal declaration by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law that someone is guilty of a criminal offence

• she had a previous conviction for a similar offence.

2. a firmly held belief or opinion

• she takes pride in stating her political convictions

• [with clause] his conviction that the death was no accident was stronger.

3. [ mass noun] — the quality of showing that one is firmly convinced of what one believes or says

• she had been speaking for some five minutes with force and conviction.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin convictio(n-), from the verb convincere (see convince).

convict overseer

noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› a convict appointed to supervise labouring prisoners

• they do their work guarded by a convict overseer and an armed soldier.

convict settlement

noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› a place designed for the imprisonment and punishment of convicts

• dysentery was rife in the nearby convict settlement.

convict station

noun

‹historical› (chiefly Austral.) a place designed for the imprisonment and punishment of convicts

• one of the most appalling and cruel of all the convict stations.

convict system

noun

‹historical› (chiefly Austral.) the transporting of convicts to overseas territories

• a harrowing, unforgettable account of the horrors of the convict system.

convince /kənˈvɪns/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to believe firmly in the truth of something

• Robert's expression had obviously convinced her of his innocence

• [with obj. and clause] we had to convince politicians that they needed to do something.

2. [with obj. and infinitive] — persuade (someone) to do something

• she convinced my father to branch out on his own.

II. derivatives

1. convincer

noun

2. convincible

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘overcome, defeat in argument’): from Latin convincere, from con- ‘with’ + vincere ‘conquer’. Compare with convict. / usage: Convince used (with an infinitive) as a synonym for persuade first became common in the 1950s in the US, as in she convinced my father to branch out on his own. Some traditionalists deplore the blurring of distinction between convince and persuade, maintaining that convince should be reserved for situations in which someone's belief is changed but no action is taken as a result ( he convinced me that he was right) while persuade should be used for situations in which action results ( he persuaded me rather than he convinced me to seek more advice). In practice the newer use is well established.

convinced /kənˈvɪnst/

adjective

1. completely certain about something

• she was not entirely convinced of the soundness of his motives

• [with clause] I am convinced the war will be over in a matter of months.

2. [ attrib.] — firm in one's belief with regard to a particular cause or issue

• a convinced pacifist.

convincing /kənˈvɪnsɪŋ/

adjective

1. capable of causing someone to believe that something is true or real

• there is no convincing evidence that advertising influences total alcohol consumption.

2. (of a victory or a winner) leaving no margin of doubt; clear

• Wales cruised to a convincing win over Ireland.

convincingly /kənˈvɪnsɪŋli/

adverb

1. in a way that causes someone to believe that something is true or real

• this chapter is not as convincingly argued.

2. [as submodifier] — in a way that leaves no margin of doubt as to who has won

• he convincingly defeated the current champion.

convivial /kənˈvɪvɪəl/

I. adjective

1. (of an atmosphere or event) friendly, lively, and enjoyable

• a convivial cocktail party.

2. (of a person) cheerful and friendly; jovial

• she was relaxed and convivial.

II. derivatives

convivially

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘fit for a feast, festive’): from Latin convivialis, from convivium ‘a feast’, from con- ‘with’ + vivere ‘live’.

conviviality /kənˌvɪvɪˈalɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being friendly and lively; friendliness

• the conviviality of the evening.

convo

noun

‹informal› (chiefly Austral.) a conversation

• I struck up a convo with the girl sitting next to me.

convocation /ˌkɒnvəˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a large formal assembly of people, in particular:

2. (in the Church of England) a representative assembly of clergy of the province of Canterbury or York.

3. (Brit.) a legislative or deliberative assembly of a university.

4. (N. Amer.) a formal ceremony for the conferment of university awards.

5. [ mass noun] — the action of calling people together for a large formal assembly.

• the arguments delayed the convocation of the first congress, planned for February 1992.

II. derivatives

convocational

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin convocatio(n-), from the verb convocare (see convoke).

convoke /kənˈvəʊk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› call together or summon (an assembly or meeting)

• she sent messages convoking a Council of Ministers.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin convocare, from con- ‘together’ + vocare ‘call’.

convoluted /ˌkɒnvəˈl(j)uːtɪd/

I. adjective

1. (especially of an argument, story, or sentence) extremely complex and difficult to follow

• the film is let down by a convoluted plot in which nothing really happens.

2. ‹chiefly technical› intricately folded, twisted, or coiled

• walnuts come in hard and convoluted shells.

II. derivatives

1. convolute

verb

2. convolutedly

adverb

3. convolutedness

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: past participle of convolute, from Latin convolutus, past participle of convolvere ‘roll together, intertwine’ (see convolve).

convolution /ˌkɒnvəˈluːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a coil or twist

• crosses adorned with elaborate convolutions.

2. [ mass noun] — the state of being or process of becoming coiled or twisted.

• the flexibility of the polymer chain allows extensive convolution.

3. a thing that is complex and difficult to follow

• the convolutions of farm policy.

4. a sinuous fold in the surface of the brain.

5. (also convolution integral) — [Mathematics] a function derived from two given functions by integration which expresses how the shape of one is modified by the other.

6. a method of determination of the sum of two random variables by integration or summation.

II. derivatives

convolutional

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin convolutio(n-), from convolvere ‘roll together’ (see convolve).

convolve /kənˈvɒlv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› roll or coil together; entwine.

2. [Mathematics] combine (one function or series) with another by forming their convolution.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘enclose in folds’): from Latin convolvere ‘roll together’, from con- ‘together’ + volvere ‘roll’.

convolvulus /kənˈvɒlvjʊləs/

I. noun

a twining plant with trumpet-shaped flowers, of which some kinds are invasive weeds (see also bindweed), and others are cultivated for their bright flowers.
●Genus Convolvulus, family Convolvulaceae.

– origin Latin, ‘bindweed’, from convolvere ‘roll together’ (see convolve).

convoy /ˈkɒnvɔɪ/

I. noun

a group of ships or vehicles travelling together, typically one accompanied by armed troops, warships, or other vehicles for protection

• a convoy of lorries.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a warship or armed troops) accompany (a group of ships or vehicles) for protection.

• American destroyers helped to convoy much-needed supplies to Britain in 1917–18.

III. phrases

in convoy

as a group; together

• the army trucks had passed through in convoy the previous evening.

– origin late Middle English (originally Scots, as a verb in the senses ‘convey’, ‘conduct’, and ‘act as escort’): from French convoyer, from medieval Latin conviare (see convey).

convulsant /kənˈvʌls(ə)nt/

I. adjective

(chiefly of drugs) producing sudden and involuntary muscle contractions.

II. noun

a convulsant drug.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from convulser, from Latin convuls- ‘pulled violently, wrenched’, from the verb convellere (see convulse).

convulse /kənˈvʌls/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — suffer violent involuntary contraction of the muscles, producing contortion of the body or limbs

• she convulsed, collapsing to the floor with the pain.

2. [with obj.] — (of an emotion, laughter, or physical stimulus) cause (someone) to make sudden, violent, uncontrollable movements

• she rocked backwards and forwards, convulsed with helpless mirth.

3. [with obj.] — throw (a country) into violent social or political upheaval

• a wave of mass strikes convulsed the Ruhr, Berlin, and central Germany.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin convuls- ‘pulled violently, wrenched’, from the verb convellere, from con- ‘together’ + vellere ‘to pull’.

convulsion /kənˈvʌlʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — (often convulsions)

1. a sudden, violent, irregular movement of the body, caused by involuntary contraction of muscles and associated especially with brain disorders such as epilepsy, the presence of certain toxins or other agents in the blood, or fever in children.

• toxic side effects like convulsions.

• febrile convulsions.

2. ( convulsions) — uncontrollable laughter

• the audience collapsed in convulsions.

3. an earthquake or other violent or major movement of the earth's crust

• the violent convulsions of tectonic plates.

4. a violent social or political upheaval

• the convulsions of 1939–45.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally in the sense ‘cramp, spasm’): from Latin convulsio(n-), from the verb convellere (see convulse).

convulsive /kənˈvʌlsɪv/

I. adjective

producing or consisting of convulsions

• a convulsive disease

• she gave a convulsive sob.

II. derivatives

convulsively

adverb

Conwy /ˈkɒnwi / Conway

a market town and county in North Wales, on the River Conwy; town pop. 3,900 (est. 2009). A railway bridge built by Stephenson in 1848 and a suspension bridge built by Telford in 1826 span the river here.

coo^1 /kuː/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a pigeon or dove) make a soft murmuring sound

• ringdoves cooed among the branches.

2. (of a person) speak in a soft gentle voice

• she cooed with delight as he unpacked the bags

• [with direct speech] ‘I knew I could count on you,’ she cooed.

II. noun

a soft murmuring sound made by a dove or pigeon.

• the coo of the dove.

– origin mid 17th cent.: imitative.

coo^2 /kuː/

I. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to express surprise

• ‘Coo, ain't it high!’ Mary squeaked.

– origin early 20th cent.: imitative.

COO /siːəʊˈəʊ/

noun

a chief operations (or operating) officer, a senior executive responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a company or other institution.

co-occur

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. occur together or simultaneously.

• sets of symptoms which always co-occur.

• a plural subject can co-occur with a singular verb.

II. derivatives

co-occurrence

noun

cooee /ˈkuːiː / ‹informal›

I. exclamation

used to attract attention, especially at a distance

• ‘Cooee!’ The call brought all three heads round.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a call to attract attention.

• Liz had to cooee as he seemed in danger of blundering into the table.

III. phrases

within cooee

(Austral./NZ) within reach; near

• there's loads of cheap accommodation within cooee of the airport.

– origin late 18th cent.: imitative of a signal used by Australian Aborigines and copied by settlers.

cook /kʊk/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — prepare (food, a dish, or a meal) by mixing, combining, and heating the ingredients

• shall I cook dinner tonight?

• [with two objs] she cooked me eggs and bacon

• (as adj. cooked) a cooked breakfast.

2. [no obj.] — (of food) be heated so that the state required for eating is reached

• while the rice is cooking, add the saffron to the stock.

3. ( cook something down) — heat food and cause it to thicken and reduce in volume

• cooking down the chutney can take up to 45 minutes.

4. [with obj.] — ‹informal› alter dishonestly; falsify

• a narcotics team who cooked the evidence.

5. ( be cooked) — be in an inescapably bad situation

• if I can't talk to him I'm cooked.

6. [no obj.] ( be cooking) — ‹informal› be happening or planned

• what's cooking on the alternative fuels front?

7. [no obj.] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› perform or proceed vigorously or very well

• the band used to get up on the bandstand and really cook.

II. noun

a person who prepares and cooks food, especially as a job or in a specified way

• Susan was a school cook

• I'm a good cook.

III. phrases

1. cook the books

‹informal› alter facts or figures dishonestly or illegally.

• he was an accountant, he could have cooked the books and made himself a lot more money.

2. cook someone's goose

‹informal› spoil someone's plans; cause someone's downfall.

• I've got enough on you to cook your goose.

3. too many cooks spoil the broth

‹proverb› if too many people are involved in a task or activity, it will not be done well.

IV. phrasal verbs

cook something up

concoct a clever or devious story, excuse, or plan

• I've had plenty of time to cook up an outlandish conspiracy theory.

V. derivatives

cookable

adjective

– origin Old English cōc (noun), from popular Latin cocus, from Latin coquus.

Cook, Captain James

(1728–79), English explorer. On his first expedition to the Pacific (1768–71), he charted the coasts of New Zealand and New Guinea as well as exploring the east coast of Australia and claiming it for Britain. He made two more voyages to the Pacific before being killed in a skirmish with indigenous people in Hawaii.

Cook, Mount

the highest peak in New Zealand, in the Southern Alps in the South Island, rising to a height of 3,724 m (12,218 ft). It is named after Captain James Cook.
Official name Aoraki/Mount Cook.

Cook, Peter

(1937–95), English comedian and actor; full name Peter Edward Cook. A writer and performer of the revue Beyond the Fringe (1959–64), he is remembered also for his television partnership with Dudley Moore. He had a long association with the satirical magazine Private Eye.

Cook, Thomas

(1808–92), English founder of the travel firm Thomas Cook. In 1841 he organized the first publicly advertised excursion train in England; the success of this venture led him to organize further excursions both in Britain and abroad, laying the foundations for the tourist and travel-agent industry.

cookbook /ˈkʊkbʊk/

noun

a cookery book.

cook-chill

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) relating to or denoting a procedure whereby food is cooked and refrigerated by the manufacturer ready for reheating by the consumer

• cook-chill food

• cook-chill processes.

Cooke, Sir William Fothergill

(1806–79), English inventor. With Sir Charles Wheatstone he invented the electric telegraph alarm.

cooker /ˈkʊkə/

noun

1. (Brit.) an appliance used for cooking food, typically consisting of an oven, hob, and grill and powered by gas or electricity.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› an apple or other fruit that is more suitable for cooking than for eating raw.

• a fine crop of Bramley cookers.

cookery /ˈkʊk(ə)ri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Brit.) the practice or skill of preparing and cooking food

• European peasant cookery

• [as modifier] cookery writers

• a cordon bleu cookery course.

cookery book

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a book containing recipes and other information about the preparation and cooking of food.

cook-general

noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› a domestic servant who does both housework and cookery.

cookhouse /ˈkʊkhaʊs/

noun

1. a kitchen or dining hall in a military camp.

2. an outdoor kitchen in a warm country.

cookie /ˈkʊki/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a sweet biscuit.

2. [with adj.] — ‹informal› a person of a specified kind

• she's a tough cookie.

3. (Scottish) a plain bun.

4. [Computing] a packet of data sent by an Internet server to a browser, which is returned by the browser each time it subsequently accesses the same server, used to identify the user or track their access to the server.

II. phrases

that's the way the cookie crumbles

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) that's the way the situation is, and it must be accepted, however undesirable.

• ‘It's so unfair.’ ‘That's the way the cookie crumbles.’.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Dutch koekje ‘little cake’, diminutive of koek.

cookie cutter

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a device with sharp edges for cutting biscuit dough into a particular shape.

2. [as modifier] — (N. Amer.) denoting something mass-produced or lacking any distinguishing characteristics

• a cookie-cutter apartment in a high-rise building.

cookie jar

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a jar for biscuits or small cakes.

II. phrases

with one's hand in the cookie jar

(N. Amer.) engaged in surreptitious theft from one's employer

• they got caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

cookie sheet

noun

(N. Amer.) a flat metal tray on which biscuits or cakes may be cooked.

cooking /ˈkʊkɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice or skill of preparing food by combining, mixing, and heating ingredients.

• he developed an interest in cooking.

2. food that has been prepared in a particular way

• authentic Italian cooking.

3. [as modifier] — suitable for or used in cooking

• cooking chocolate.

Cook Islands

I. a group of fifteen islands in the SW Pacific Ocean between Tonga and French Polynesia, which have the status of a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand; pop. 11,900 (est. 2009); languages, English (official), Rarotongan (a Polynesian language); capital, Avarua, on Rarotonga.

– origin named after Captain James Cook (see Cook, Captain James), who visited them in 1773.

cook-maid /ˈkʊkmeɪd/

noun

a female domestic servant who cooks or is an assistant to a cook

• the establishment consisted of a cook-maid, a coachman, and a little footboy.

cookout /ˈkʊkaʊt/

noun

(N. Amer.) a party or gathering where a meal is cooked and eaten outdoors.

• a cookout for the entire town.

cookshop

noun

1. ‹archaic› a shop selling cooked food.

2. (Brit.) a shop selling cooking equipment.

Cookson, Dame Catherine /ˈkʊks(ə)n/

(1906–98), English writer, a prolific author of light romantic fiction; full name Dame Catherine Anne Cookson.

Cook's tour

I. noun

‹informal› a rapid tour of many places

• let me give you the Cook's tour of the works here

• ‹figurative› he then took me on a Cook's tour of his scientific theories.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the name of the travel agent Thomas Cook (see Cook, Thomas).

Cook Strait

the strait separating the South Island and the North Island of New Zealand. It was named after Captain James Cook, who visited it in 1770.

cooktop /ˈkʊktɒp/

noun

(N. Amer.) a cooking unit, usually with hot plates or burners, built into or fixed on the top of a cabinet or other surface.

cookware /ˈkʊkwɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. pots, pans, or dishes in which food can be cooked

• cast-iron cookware.

cool /kuːl/

I. adjective

1. of or at a fairly low temperature

• it'll be a cool afternoon

• the wind kept them cool.

2. soothing or refreshing because of its low temperature

• a long, cool glass of orange juice.

3. (especially of clothing) keeping one from becoming too hot

• a cool cotton dress.

4. (of a colour) containing pale blue, green, or grey tones

• the bathroom was all glass and cool, muted blues.

5. showing no friendliness towards a person or enthusiasm for an idea or project

• he gave a cool reception to the suggestion for a research centre.

6. free from excitement, anxiety, or excessive emotion

• he prided himself on keeping a cool head

• she seems cool, calm, and collected.

7. (of jazz) restrained and relaxed.

8. ‹informal› fashionably attractive or impressive

• youngsters are turning to smoking because they think it makes them appear cool.

9. excellent
[as exclamation]

• our office was a sunny room with a computer you didn't even have to plug in. Cool!

10. used to express acceptance of or agreement with something

• if people want to freak out at our clubs, that's cool

• I told Bill that I was going to write the final draft of the script and he was cool with that.

11. ( a cool ——) — ‹informal› used to emphasize the size of an amount of money

• research for a new drug can cost a cool £50 million.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ( the cool) — a fairly low temperature

• the cool of the night air.

2. a time or place at which the temperature is pleasantly low

• the cool of the day.

3. calmness; composure

• he recovered his cool and then started laughing at us.

4. the quality of being fashionably attractive or impressive

• all the cool of high fashion.

III. verb

1. become or make less hot
[no obj.]

• we dived into the river to cool off

• [with obj.] cool the pastry for five minutes.

2. become or make calm or less excited
[no obj.]

• after I'd cooled off, I realized I was being irrational

• [with obj.] George was trying to cool him down.

3. [no obj.] ( cool out) — (chiefly W. Indian) relax

• a dreamy spot full of sunshine and sea where you could cool out and detox.

IV. phrases

1. cool it!

‹informal› behave in a less excitable manner

• cool it and tell me why you're so ecstatic.

2. cool one's heels

see heel^1.

3. keep (or lose) one's cool

‹informal› maintain (or fail to maintain) a calm and controlled attitude

• he finally lost his cool with a photographer and threatened to hit him.

4. too cool for school ‹informal›

very cool or fashionable

• he has no brains, no looks, no personality, but he still thinks he's too cool for school.

V. derivatives

coolish

adjective

– origin Old English cōl (noun), cōlian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch koel, also to cold.

coolamon /ˈkuːləmən/

I. noun

(Austral.) an Aboriginal container made of wood or bark, used for holding liquids or goods, or carrying a baby

• a coolamon of water.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Kamilaroi (an Aboriginal language) and neighbouring languages gulaman.

coolant /ˈkuːl(ə)nt/

I. noun

a liquid or gas that is used to remove heat from something.

– origin 1930s: from cool, on the pattern of lubricant.

cool bag

noun

(Brit.) a soft insulated container for keeping food and drink cool.

cool beans

exclamation

(US) ‹informal› used to express approval or delight

• They went to Europe? Cool beans.

cool box cool bag

noun

(Brit.) a rigid insulated container for keeping food and drink cool.

cooldrink

noun

(S. African) a soft drink.

• sit and watch the fun with a fizzy green cooldrink in your hand.

cooled /kuːld/

adjective

made less hot

• we hold the cooled branding irons

• [ in combination] an air-cooled engine.

cooler /ˈkuːlə/

noun

1. a container for keeping food or bottles cool.

2. (N. Amer.) a refrigerator.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) a long drink, especially a mixture of wine, fruit juice, and soda water.

4. ( the cooler) — ‹informal› prison or a prison cell.

• the cooler was a dark, claustrophobic room.

Cooley's anaemia /ˈkuːlɪz/

I. noun

another term for thalassaemia.

– origin 1930s: named after Thomas B. Cooley (1871–1945), American paediatrician.

Coolgardie safe /kuːlˌɡɑːdi ˈseɪf/

I. noun

(Austral.) a box or cupboard for storing food, cooled by strips of wetted fabric.

– origin 1920s: named after Coolgardie, a town in Western Australia.

cool-headed

adjective

not easily worried or excited.

• he appeared calm and cool-headed.

cool-headedness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being calm and not easily worried or excited

• his cool-headedness in the face of danger.

cool hunter

I. noun

‹informal› a person whose job is to make observations or predictions about new styles and trends.

II. derivatives

cool hunting

noun

coolibah /ˈkuːlɪbɑː / coolabah

I. noun

a North Australian gum tree which typically grows near watercourses and yields very strong, hard timber.
● Eucalyptus microtheca, family Myrtaceae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Kamilaroi (and related languages) gulubaa.

Coolidge, Calvin /ˈkuːlɪdʒ/

(1872–1933), American Republican statesman, 30th President of the US 1923–9; full name John Calvin Coolidge.

coolie /ˈkuːli/

I. noun

1. ‹dated or offensive› an unskilled native labourer in India, China, and some other Asian countries.

2. ‹offensive› a person from South or East Asia.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Hindi and Telugu kūlī ‘day labourer’, probably associated with Urdu ḳulī ‘slave’.

coolie hat

noun

a broad conical hat as worn by labourers in some Asian countries.

cooling-off period /ˌkuːlɪŋˈɒf ˌpiːrɪəd/

noun

1. an interval during which two sides in a disagreement can try to settle their differences before taking further action.

• a cooling-off period before industrial action can be taken.

2. a period of time after a sale contract is agreed during which the buyer can cancel the contract without incurring a penalty.

• the policy has a two week cooling-off period.

cooling tower

noun

a tall, open-topped, cylindrical concrete tower, used for cooling water or condensing steam from an industrial process.

coolly /ˈkuːlli/

adverb

1. in a way that lacks friendliness or enthusiasm

• the representatives were greeted coolly.

2. in a way that shows a lack of any excitement, anxiety, or excessive emotion

• passengers were able to deal with the possible threat coolly and calmly

• [as submodifier] she was coolly detached.

3. ‹informal› in a way that is fashionably attractive or impressive

• she was coolly dressed down in cut-off jean shorts.

CoolMax

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a polyester fabric which draws perspiration along its fibres away from the skin, used chiefly in sportswear.
[as modifier]

• a CoolMax boot liner to wick moisture away from the foot.

– origin 1980s: an invented name, probably from cool + max.

coolness /ˈkuːlnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality or condition of being at a fairly low temperature

• the coolness of the breeze.

2. the quality of being soothing or refreshing because of its low temperature

• the refreshing coolness of the water.

3. (in reference to colour) the quality of containing pale blue, green, or grey tones

• her art has an icy coolness.

4. the quality of lacking friendliness or enthusiasm

• the coolness towards the revolutionary cults.

5. freedom from excitement, anxiety, or excessive emotion

• his greatest strength is his coolness under pressure.

6. ‹informal› the quality of being fashionably attractive or impressive

• the coolness of this phone was worth the extra money.

coolroom /ˈkuːlruːm, ˈkuːlrʊm/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a refrigerated storeroom

• the coolroom abutted a residential property and generated a lot of noise.

– origin 1930s: from cool + room.

coolth /kuːlθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. pleasantly low temperature

• the coolth of the evening.

2. ‹informal› the quality of being fashionable

• the pinnacle of 1960s coolth.

– origin mid 16th cent. (but rare before the 20th cent.): from cool + -th^2.

coon /kuːn/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) short for raccoon.

2. ‹informal› ‹offensive› a black person.
[slang use of sense 1, from an earlier sense ‘(sly) fellow’.]

II. phrases

for (or in) a coon's age

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹dated› for a very long time.

• I haven't seen you in a coon's age!

cooncan /ˈkuːnkan/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a card game for two players, originally from Mexico, similar to rummy.

– origin late 19th cent.: probably from Spanish con quién ‘with whom?’.

coonhound

noun

a dog of a black and tan American breed, used to hunt raccoons.

coonskin /ˈkuːnskɪn/

noun

the pelt of a raccoon.
[as modifier]

• a coonskin hat.

coop /kuːp/

I. noun

1. a cage or pen in which poultry are kept.

2. (Brit.) a basket used in catching fish.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (usu. be cooped up) — confine in a small space

• being cooped up indoors all day makes him fidgety.

2. put or keep (poultry) in a cage or pen.

• our free-range chickens roam the barnyard instead of staying cooped up in a henhouse.

– origin Middle English cowpe; related to Dutch kuip ‘vat’ and German Kufe ‘cask’, based on Latin cupa. Compare with cooper.

co-op /ˈkəʊɒp/

I. noun

‹informal› a cooperative society, shop, business, or farm.

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation.

cooper /ˈkuːpə/

I. noun

a maker or repairer of casks and barrels.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make or repair (a cask or barrel).

• my father coopered casks and barrels for the ships.

• [no obj.] he worked most of his life coopering for a brewery.

– origin Middle English cowper, from Middle Dutch, Middle Low German kūper, from kūpe ‘tub, vat’, based on Latin cupa. Compare with coop.

Cooper, Gary

(1901–61), American actor; born Frank James Cooper. He is noted for his performances in such westerns as The Virginian (1929) and High Noon (1952).

Cooper, James Fenimore

(1789–1851), American novelist. He is renowned for his tales of American Indians and frontier life, in particular The Last of the Mohicans (1826).

Cooper, Sir Henry

(1934–2011), English boxer, the only man to win a Lonsdale belt outright three times. He knocked down Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) in 1963, but a bad cut inflicted by the same opponent in 1966 in his only world title fight hastened his retirement in 1971.

Cooper, Susie

(1902–95), English ceramic designer and manufacturer; full name Susan Vera Cooper. Her work is noted for its functional shapes and simple, vivid designs.

cooperage /ˈkuːp(ə)rɪdʒ/

noun

1. a cooper's business or premises.

2. [ mass noun] — the making of barrels and casks.

• cooperage is a forgotten art.

cooperate /kəʊˈɒpəreɪt / co-operate

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. work jointly towards the same end

• the leaders promised to cooperate in ending the civil war

• staff need to cooperate with each other.

2. assist someone or comply with their requests

• his captor threatened to kill him if he didn't cooperate.

II. derivatives

1. cooperant

noun

2. cooperator

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin cooperat- ‘worked together’, from the verb cooperari, from co- ‘together’ + operari ‘to work’.

cooperation /kəʊˌɒpəˈreɪʃ(ə)n / co-operation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of working together to the same end

• they worked in close cooperation with the British Tourist Authority.

2. assistance, especially by complying readily with requests

• we should like to ask for your cooperation in the survey.

3. [Economics] the formation and operation of cooperatives.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin cooperatio(n-), from the verb cooperari (see cooperate); later reinforced by French coopération.

cooperative /kəʊˈɒp(ə)rətɪv / co-operative

I. adjective

1. involving mutual assistance in working towards a common goal

• every member has clearly defined tasks in a cooperative enterprise.

2. willing to be of assistance

• they have been extremely considerate, polite, and cooperative.

3. (of a farm, business, etc.) owned and run jointly by its members, with profits or benefits shared among them.

II. noun

a farm, business, or other organization which is owned and run jointly by its members, who share the profits or benefits.

• we run the agency as a workers' cooperative.

III. derivatives

cooperativeness

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin cooperativus, from Latin cooperat- ‘worked together’, from the verb cooperari (see cooperate).

cooperatively /kəʊˈɒp(ə)rətɪvli/

adverb

1. in a way that involves mutual assistance in working towards a common goal

• the two publishers will work cooperatively on poster projects.

2. (in relation to the owning or running of a business) jointly by a group of people, with profits or benefits shared among them

• a cooperatively owned restaurant.

cooperative movement

noun

a movement originating in the industrial areas of northern England and Scotland in the late 18th century, based on the belief that industries and commercial concerns should be owned and controlled by the people working in them, for joint economic benefit.

Cooperative Republic of Guyana

official name for Guyana.

Cooper pair

I. noun

1. [Physics] a loosely bound pair of electrons with opposite spins and moving with the same speed in opposite directions, held to be responsible for the phenomenon of superconductivity.

2. [Physics] a loosely bound pair of atoms in a superfluid.

– origin 1960s: named after Leon N. Cooper (born 1930), American physicist.

Cooper's hawk

I. noun

a North American bird of prey resembling but smaller than the goshawk.
● Accipiter cooperii.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after William Cooper (1798–1864), American naturalist.

coopery /ˈkuːp(ə)ri/

noun

another term for cooperage.

coopetition /ˌkəʊɒpəˈtɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. collaboration between business competitors, in the hope of mutually beneficial results.

– origin 1980s: from cooperative + competition.

co-opt /ˌkəʊˈɒpt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. appoint to membership of a committee or other body by invitation of the existing members.

• the committee may co-opt additional members for special purposes.

2. divert to or use in a role different from the usual or original one
[with obj. and infinitive]

• social scientists were co-opted to work with the development agencies.

3. adopt (an idea or policy) for one's own use

• the green parties have had most of their ideas co-opted by bigger parties.

II. derivatives

1. co-optation

noun

2. co-option

noun

3. co-optive

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin cooptare, from co- ‘together’ + optare ‘choose’.

coordinate co-ordinate

I. verb — [with obj.] coordinate /kəʊˈɔːdɪneɪt /

1. bring the different elements of (a complex activity or organization) into a harmonious or efficient relationship

• he had responsibility for coordinating London's transport services.

2. [no obj.] — negotiate with others in order to work together effectively

• you will coordinate with consultants and other departments on a variety of projects.

3. [no obj.] — match or harmonize attractively

• the stud fastenings are coloured to coordinate with the shirt

• (as adj. coordinating) a variety of coordinating colours.

4. [Chemistry] form a coordinate bond to (an atom or molecule).

• the sodium atom is coordinated to two oxygen atoms.

II. adjective — coordinate /kəʊˈɔːdɪnət /

1. equal in rank or importance

• cross references in the catalogue link subjects which may be coordinate.

2. [Grammar] (of parts of a compound sentence) equal in rank and fulfilling identical functions.

3. [Chemistry] denoting a type of covalent bond in which one atom provides both the shared electrons.

III. noun — coordinate /kəʊˈɔːdɪnət /

1. each of a group of numbers used to indicate the position of a point, line, or plane.

2. ( coordinates) — matching items of clothing.

• matching accessories provide a complete ensemble of colour coordinates.

IV. derivatives

coordinative /kəʊˈɔːdɪnətɪv /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the senses ‘of the same rank’ and ‘place in the same rank’): from co- ‘together’ + Latin ordinare (from ordo ‘order’), on the pattern of subordinate.

Coordinated Universal Time

noun

another term for Greenwich Mean Time.

coordinating conjunction

noun

a conjunction placed between words, phrases, clauses, or sentences of equal rank, e.g. and, but, or.
Contrasted with subordinating conjunction.

coordination /kəʊˌɔːdɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the organization of the different elements of a complex body or activity so as to enable them to work together effectively

• an important managerial task is the control and coordination of activities.

2. cooperative effort resulting in an effective relationship

• action groups work in coordination with local groups to end rainforest destruction.

3. the ability to use different parts of the body together smoothly and efficiently

• changing from one foot position to another requires coordination and balance.

4. [Chemistry] the linking of atoms by coordinate bonds.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘placing in the same rank’): from French or from late Latin coordinatio(n-), based on Latin ordo, ordin- ‘order’.

coordination compound

noun

[Chemistry] a compound containing coordinate bonds, typically between a central metal atom and a number of other atoms or groups.

coordination number

noun

[Chemistry] the number of atoms or ions immediately surrounding a central atom in a complex or crystal.

coordinator /ˌkəʊˈɔːdɪneɪtə/

noun

1. a person whose job is to organize events or activities and to negotiate with others in order to ensure they work together effectively

• a full-time coordinator was appointed to oversee the referral process.

2. [Grammar] a word used to connect clauses, sentences, or words of equal syntactic importance (e.g. and, or, for)

• subordinate clauses can be connected with a coordinator.

coot /kuːt/

I. noun

1. ( pl. same) — an aquatic bird of the rail family, with blackish plumage, lobed feet, and a bill that extends back on to the forehead as a horny shield.
●Genus Fulica, family Rallidae: several species, in particular the widespread F. atra, which has a white bill and frontal shield.

2. (usu. old coot) — ‹informal› a stupid or eccentric person, typically an old man.

– origin Middle English: probably of Dutch or Low German origin and related to Dutch koet.

cooter

I. noun

a North American river turtle with a dull brown shell and typically having yellow stripes on the head.
●Genus Pseudemys, family Emydidae: several species, in particular P. concinna, some races of which are known as sliders.

– origin early 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

cootie /ˈkuːti/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a body louse.

– origin First World War: perhaps from Malay kutu, denoting a parasitic biting insect.

co-own

verb — [with obj.]

1. own (something) jointly.

• the clubs co-own the ground.

co-owner /kəʊˈəʊnə/

I. noun

a person who owns something jointly with another or others

• she is co-owner of her own clothing label.

II. derivatives

co-ownership

noun

cooze /kuːz/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› a woman's genitals.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› a woman, especially one regarded as sexually attractive or promiscuous.

– origin 1950s: origin uncertain.

cop^1 /kɒp / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. a police officer.

• a cop in a patrol car gave chase.

2. [ mass noun] (also cop-on) — (Irish) shrewdness; practical intelligence

• he had the cop-on to stay clear of Hugh Thornley.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. catch or arrest (an offender)

• he was copped for speeding.

2. incur (something unwelcome)

• England's captain copped most of the blame.

3. ( cop it) — (Brit.) get into trouble

• will you cop it from your dad if you get back late?

4. ( cop it) — (Brit.) be killed

• he almost copped it in a horrific accident.

5. receive or attain (something welcome)

• she copped an award for her role in the film.

6. (US) obtain (an illegal drug).

• he copped some hash for me.

7. (N. Amer.) strike (an attitude or pose)

• I copped an attitude—I acted real tough.

III. phrases

1. cop a feel

‹informal› fondle someone sexually, especially in a surreptitious way or without their permission.

2. cop hold of

[usu. in imperative] — (Brit.) ‹informal› take hold of

• cop hold of the suitcase, I'm off.

3. cop it sweet

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› accept or tolerate a disagreeable situation without complaint

• he didn't even have the grace to cop it sweet.

4. cop a plea

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› engage in plea bargaining.

5. good cop, bad cop

‹informal› used to refer to a police interrogation technique in which one officer feigns a sympathetic or protective attitude while another adopts an aggressive approach

• questioners often play good cop, bad cop

• ‹figurative› the prime minister and chancellor were involved in a classic good cop, bad cop routine.

6. it's a fair cop

(Brit.) ‹informal› see fair^1.

7. not much cop

(Brit.) ‹informal› not very good

• they say he's not much cop as a coach.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. cop off

(Brit.) ‹informal› have a sexual encounter

• loads of girls think that guys just want to cop off with any girl.

2. cop on ‹Irish informal›

a. become aware of something

• she never copped on—you've no idea of the guilt I went through.

b. [as imperative] — used as a way of telling someone not to be so stupid

• ah, cop on, I was only messin'.

3. cop out

‹informal› avoid doing something that one ought to do

• he would not cop out of the difficult tax decisions.

4. cop to

(US) ‹informal› accept or admit to

• there are a lot of people in the world who don't cop to their past.

– origin early 18th cent. (as a verb): perhaps from obsolete cap ‘arrest’, from Old French caper ‘seize’, from Latin capere. The noun is from copper^2.

cop^2 /kɒp/

I. noun

a conical mass of thread wound on to a spindle.

– origin late 18th cent.: possibly from Old English cop ‘summit, top’.

COP

abbreviation

Colombian peso(s).

Copacabana Beach /ˌkɒpəkəˈbanə/

a resort on the Atlantic coast of Brazil near Rio de Janeiro.

copacetic /ˌkəʊpəˈsɛtɪk, ˌkəʊpəˈsiːtɪk/

I. adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› in excellent order.

• he said to tell you everything is copacetic.

– origin early 20th cent.: of unknown origin.

copaiba /kəʊˈpʌɪbə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an aromatic plant oil or resin used in medicines and perfumes.
●These resins are obtained from plants of the genus Copaifera.

– origin early 17th cent.: via Portuguese from Tupi copaiba, Guarani cupaiba.

copal /ˈkəʊp(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. resin from any of a number of tropical trees, used to make varnish.
[as modifier]

• copal varnish.

●The resin is obtained from trees in the families Leguminosae (genera Guibourtia, Copaifera, and Trachylobium) and Araucariaceae (genus Agathis).

– origin late 16th cent.: via Spanish from Nahuatl copalli ‘incense’.

Copán /kəʊˈpan/

an ancient Mayan city, in western Honduras near the Guatemalan frontier, the southernmost point of the Mayan empire.

coparcenary /kəʊˈpɑːs(ə)n(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [English Law] joint heirship; the status of a coparcener.

– origin early 16th cent.: from co- ‘together’ + parcenary, legal term in the same sense, from Anglo-Norman French parcenarie, from parcener ‘coparcener’ (see coparcener).

coparcener /kəʊˈpɑːs(ə)nə/

I. noun

[English Law] a person who shares equally with others in the inheritance of an undivided estate or in the rights to it (in the UK now as equitable interests).

– origin late Middle English: from co- ‘together’ + parcener.

co-parent

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as noun co-parenting)

1. (especially of a separated or unmarried couple) share the duties of bringing up (a child).

II. noun

a person who co-parents a child.

co-partner /kəʊˈpɑːtnə/

I. noun

a partner or associate, especially an equal partner in a business.

• every partner is liable jointly with his co-partners.

II. derivatives

co-partnership

noun

COPD

abbreviation

[Medicine] chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, involving constriction of the airways and difficulty or discomfort in breathing.

cope^1 /kəʊp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a person) deal effectively with something difficult

• his ability to cope with stress

• it all got too much for me and I couldn't cope.

2. (of a machine or system) have the capacity to deal successfully with

• the roads are barely adequate to cope with the present traffic.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘meet in battle, come to blows’): from Old French coper, colper, from cop, colp ‘a blow’, via Latin from Greek kolaphos ‘blow with the fist’.

cope^2 /kəʊp/

I. noun

1. a long, loose cloak worn by a priest or bishop on ceremonial occasions.

2. ‹technical› ‹literary› a thing resembling or likened to a cloak

• the outer shell of clay is called the cope.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (in building) cover (a joint or structure) with a coping
(as adj. coped)

• a coped joint.

– origin Middle English (denoting a long outdoor cloak): from medieval Latin capa, variant of late Latin cappa (see cap^1 and cape^1).

Copenhagen /ˌkəʊpənˈheɪɡ(ə)n, ˌkəʊpənˈhɑːɡ(ə)n/

the capital and chief port of Denmark, a city occupying the eastern part of Zealand and northern part of the island of Amager; pop. 518,574 (2009).
Danish name København.

copepod /ˈkəʊpɪpɒd/

noun

[Zoology] a small or microscopic aquatic crustacean of the large class Copepoda.

Copepoda /ˌkəʊpɪˈpəʊdə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a large class of small aquatic crustaceans, many of which occur in plankton and some of which are parasitic on larger aquatic animals.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek kōpē ‘handle, oar’ + pous, pod- ‘foot’ (because of its paddle-like feet).

coper^1 horse-coper

I. noun

‹archaic› a horse-dealer.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Middle English cope ‘buy’, from Dutch, Low German kōpen; related to German kaufen, also to cheap.

coper^2

noun

a person who deals effectively with difficult situations

• Emma was always going to be fine. She was one of life's copers.

Copernican /kəˈpəːnɪkən/

adjective

relating to or characteristic of the astronomical theories of Nicolaus Copernicus

• the Copernican heliocentric solar system.

Copernican system /kəˈpəːnɪk(ə)n / Copernican theory

I. noun

[Astronomy] the theory that the sun is the centre of the solar system, with the planets (including the earth) orbiting round it.
Compare with Ptolemaic system.

– origin mid 17th cent.: named after Copernicus (see Copernicus, Nicolaus).

copernicium /kəʊpɜːˈnɪsɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Cn) — the chemical element of atomic number 112, a highly unstable substance that is produced artificially.

– origin early 21st cent.: from the name of Nicolaus Copernicus + -ium.

Copernicus, Nicolaus /kəˈpəːnɪkəs/

(1473–1543), Polish astronomer; Latinized name of Mikołaj Kopernik. He proposed a model of the solar system in which the planets orbited in perfect circles around the sun, and his work ultimately led to the overthrow of the established geocentric cosmology. He published his astronomical theories in De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (1543).

copestone /ˈkəʊpstəʊn/

I. noun

old-fashioned term for coping stone.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from cope^2 + stone.

copha /ˈkəʊfə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹trademark› solidified coconut oil, used as an ingredient in cooking and by the food industry

• place chocolate and copha in a heatproof bowl.

– origin early 20th cent.: probably adapted from copra.

copiable

adjective

able to be copied, especially legitimately.

• it is in the nature of software that it must be copiable to be produced.

copier /ˈkɒpɪə/

noun

a machine that makes exact copies of something, especially documents, video or audio recordings, or software.

co-pilot

I. noun

a second pilot in an aircraft.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. act as the co-pilot of (an aircraft).

• he still co-pilots private planes.

coping /ˈkəʊpɪŋ/

I. noun

the top, typically curved or sloping, course of a brick or stone wall.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from the verb cope^2, originally meaning ‘dress in a cope’, hence ‘to cover’.

coping saw

I. noun

a saw with a very narrow blade stretched across a D-shaped frame, used for cutting curves in wood.

– origin 1920s: coping from cope^2, used to describe likeness to a vault, arch, canopy, etc.

coping stone

noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) a flat stone forming part of a coping.

2. (chiefly Brit.) the highest stone in a building, wall, or structure.

3. (chiefly Brit.) a finishing touch or crowning achievement.

• the coping stone in Rattle's Birmingham plans was the completion in 1991 of the Symphony Hall.

copious /ˈkəʊpɪəs/

I. adjective

1. abundant in supply or quantity

• she took copious notes.

2. ‹archaic› profuse in speech or ideas.

• I had been a little too copious in talking of my country.

II. derivatives

copiousness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French copieux or Latin copiosus, from copia ‘plenty’.

copiously /ˈkəʊpiəsli/

adverb

1. in large quantities

• I was drinking copiously.

2. in an expansive or wide-ranging way

• his book is copiously annotated with references to the current debates.

copita /kəˈpiːtə/

I. noun

a slim stemmed glass that narrows slightly towards the top, used for sherry.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, diminutive of copa ‘cup’, from popular Latin cuppa (see cup).

coplanar /kəʊˈpleɪnə/

I. adjective

[Geometry] in the same plane.

• coplanar orbits.

• a point which is not coplanar with the other two.

II. derivatives

coplanarity

noun

Copland, Aaron /ˈkəʊplənd/

(1900–90), American composer, pianist, and conductor, of Lithuanian descent. He established a distinctive American style in his compositions, borrowing from jazz, folk, and other traditional music. Notable works: Music for the Theater (1925), Appalachian Spring (1944), Fanfare for the Common Man (1942).

Copley, John Singleton /ˈkɒpli/

(1738–1815), American painter. He is noted for his portraits and for paintings such as The Death of Chatham (1779–80), one of the first large-scale paintings of contemporary events.

copolymer /kəʊˈpɒlɪmə/

noun

[Chemistry] a polymer made by reaction of two different monomers, with units of more than one kind.

copolymerize copolymerise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] polymerize together to form a copolymer.

• these fibres have small amounts of chloroethene copolymerized with the propenenitrile.

• [no obj.] two different monomers are caused to copolymerize.

II. derivatives

copolymerization

noun

cop-out /ˈkɒpaʊt/

noun

‹informal› an instance of avoiding a commitment or responsibility.

• the government's green paper is a complete cop-out.

• some parents fudge the issue by saying that the grandparent has gone away for a little while, but this kind of cop-out is likely to undermine their credibility.

copper^1 /ˈkɒpə/

I. noun

1.
a. (Symbol: Cu)[ mass noun] — a red-brown metal, the chemical element of atomic number 29.

Copper was the earliest metal to be used by humans, first by itself and then later alloyed with tin to form bronze. A ductile easily worked metal, it is a very good conductor of heat and electricity and is used especially for electrical wiring.

2. ( coppers) — (Brit.) brown coins of low value made of copper or bronze.

3. ‹dated› a large copper or iron container for boiling laundry.

4. [ mass noun] — a reddish-brown colour like that of copper.

• she had copper-coloured hair.

5. [with modifier] — a small butterfly with bright reddish-brown wings.
●Genus Lycaena, family Lycaenidae: many species.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover or coat (something) with copper.

• some iron hulls were sheathed with wood and then coppered.

• (as adj. coppered) coppered pins.

– origin Old English copor, coper (related to Dutch koper and German Kupfer), based on late Latin cuprum, from Latin cyprium aes ‘Cyprus metal’ (so named because Cyprus was the chief source).

copper^2 /ˈkɒpə/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a police officer.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cop^1 + -er^1.

Copper Age ‹Archaeology›

the Chalcolithic period, especially in SE Europe.

copperas /ˈkɒp(ə)rəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. green crystals of hydrated ferrous sulphate, especially as an industrial product.

– origin late Middle English coperose, from Old French couperose, from medieval Latin cuperosa, literally ‘flower of copper’, from late Latin cuprum (see copper^1) + rosa ‘rose’, translating Greek khalkanthon.

copper beech

noun

a beech tree of a variety with purplish-brown leaves.

Copperbelt

a mining region of central Zambia with rich deposits of copper, cobalt, and uranium; chief town, Ndola.

copper-bottomed

adjective

(Brit.) thoroughly reliable; certain not to fail

• a copper-bottomed guarantee.

[from earlier usage referring to the copper sheathing of the bottom of a ship.]

copper-coloured

adjective

of a reddish-brown colour like that of copper

• a thin child with dull copper-coloured hair.

copper-fasten

verb — [with obj.]

1. make (an undertaking or agreement) firm or binding.

• the Irish government persuaded the EC to copper-fasten its anti-abortion law.

copperhead /ˈkɒpəhɛd/

noun

any of a number of stout-bodied venomous snakes with coppery-pink or reddish-brown coloration, in particular:
● a North American pit viper ( Agkistrodon contortrix, family Viperidae). Also called highland moccasin ● an Australian snake of the cobra family (genus Austrelaps, family Elapidae, in particular A. superbus).

coppering /ˈkɒpərɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› the work of a police officer

• he doesn't do his coppering by the book.

coppernob

noun

‹informal› a red-haired person.

copperplate /ˈkɒpəpleɪt/

I. noun

1. a polished copper plate with a design engraved or etched into it.

2. a print made from a copperplate.

3. [ mass noun] — a style of neat, round handwriting, usually slanted and looped, the thick and thin strokes being made by pressure with a flexible metal nib.
[the copybooks for this writing were originally printed from copperplates.]

II. adjective

of or in copperplate writing.

copper pyrites

noun

another term for chalcopyrite.

coppersmith /ˈkɒpəsmɪθ/

noun

1. a person who makes things out of copper.

2. (also coppersmith barbet) — the crimson-breasted barbet of SE Asia, which has a red breast band, a streaked belly, and a repetitive metallic call.
● Megalaima hemacephala, family Capitonidae.

copper sulphate copper sulfate

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a blue crystalline solid used in electroplating and as a fungicide.
●Chem. formula: CuSO_4.5H_2O.

coppery /ˈkɒp(ə)ri/

adjective

like copper, especially in colour

• his hair was fine and coppery.

coppice /ˈkɒpɪs/

I. noun

an area of woodland in which the trees or shrubs are periodically cut back to ground level to stimulate growth and provide firewood or timber.

• coppices of oak were cultivated.

• [ mass noun] much coppice is no longer managed as such.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut back (a tree or shrub) to ground level periodically to stimulate growth
(as adj. coppiced)

• coppiced timber.

III. phrases

coppice with standards

‹chiefly historical› managed woodland consisting of coppiced shrubs or trees, with scattered trees that are allowed to reach full height.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French copeiz, based on medieval Latin colpus ‘a blow’ (see cope^1). Compare with copse.

Coppola, Francis Ford /ˈkɒpələ/

(b.1939), American film director, writer, and producer. Notable films: The Godfather (1972) and its two sequels; Apocalypse Now (1979).

copra /ˈkɒprə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. dried coconut kernels, from which oil is obtained.

– origin late 16th cent.: via Portuguese and Spanish from Malayalam koppara ‘coconut’.

co-precipitation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the simultaneous precipitation of more than one compound from a solution.

• many complex interactions can take place with the co-precipitation of two or more minerals of different density.

II. derivatives

co-precipitate

verb

copro-

I. combining form

relating to dung or faeces

• coprophagous

• coprophilia.

– origin from Greek kopros ‘dung’.

coprocessor /kəʊˈprəʊsɛsə/

noun

[Computing] a microprocessor designed to supplement the capabilities of the primary processor.

co-produce /kəʊprəˈdjuːs/

verb — [with obj.]

1. produce (a theatrical work or a radio or television programme) jointly.

• Nelson and Epstein co-produced the New York première of Les Troyens.

co-producer /kəʊprəˈdʒuːsə/

noun

a person who produces a recording, theatrical work, television programme, etc. jointly with another or others

• the co-producer of the musical.

co-production /kəʊprəˈdʌkʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the production of a recording, theatrical work, television programme, etc. jointly with another or others

• the co-production of quality programming.

2. [ count noun] — a recording, theatrical work, television programme, etc. that is produced jointly with another or others

• co-productions between companies are common to the French theatres.

coprolalia /ˌkɒprə(ʊ)ˈleɪlɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] the involuntary and repetitive use of obscene language, as a symptom of mental illness or organic brain disease.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kopros ‘dung’ + lalia ‘speech, chatter’.

coprolite /ˈkɒprə(ʊ)lʌɪt/

noun

[Palaeontology] a piece of fossilized dung.

coprophagy /kɒˈprɒfədʒi / coprophagia /ˌkɒprə(ʊ)ˈfeɪdʒɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] the eating of faeces or dung.

II. derivatives

1. coprophagic

adjective

2. coprophagous

adjective

coprophilia /ˌkɒprə(ʊ)ˈfɪlɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. abnormal interest and pleasure in faeces and defecation.

copse /kɒps/

I. noun

a small group of trees.

– origin late 16th cent.: shortened from coppice.

cop shop

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a police station.

Copt /kɒpt/

I. noun

1. a native Egyptian in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

2. a member of the Coptic Church.

– origin from French Copte or modern Latin Coptus, from Arabic al-qibṭ, al-qubṭ ‘Copts’, from Coptic Gyptios, from Greek Aiguptios ‘Egyptian’.

copter /ˈkɒptə/

noun

informal term for helicopter.

Coptic /ˈkɒptɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the language of the Copts, which represents the final stage of ancient Egyptian. It now survives only as the liturgical language of the Coptic Church.

II. adjective

relating to the Copts or their language.

Coptic Church

the native Christian Church in Egypt, traditionally founded by St Mark, and adhering to the Monophysite doctrine rejected by the Council of Chalcedon. Long persecuted after the Muslim Arab conquest of Egypt in the 7th century, the Coptic community now make up about 5 per cent of Egypt's population.

copula /ˈkɒpjʊlə/

I. noun

[Logic] [Grammar] a connecting word, in particular a form of the verb be connecting a subject and complement.

II. derivatives

copular

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘connection, linking of words’, from co- ‘together’ + apere ‘fasten’.

copulate /ˈkɒpjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. have sexual intercourse.

• only the dominant male copulates with the female.

• after about twenty minutes, they copulate again.

II. derivatives

copulatory

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘join’): from Latin copulat- ‘fastened together’, from the verb copulare, from copula (see copula).

copulation /ˌkɒpjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sexual intercourse

• males may seek copulation with the breeding female.

copulative /ˈkɒpjʊlətɪv/

I. adjective

1. [Grammar] (of a word) connecting words or clauses linked in sense.
Compare with disjunctive.

2. connecting a subject and predicate.

3. relating to sexual intercourse.

II. derivatives

copulatively

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French copulatif, -ive or late Latin copulativus, from copulat- ‘coupled’, from the verb copulare (see copulate).

copy /ˈkɒpi/

I. noun

1. a thing made to be similar or identical to another

• the problem is telling which is the original document and which the copy.

2. a single specimen of a particular book, record, or other publication or issue

• the record has sold more than a million copies.

3. [ mass noun] — matter to be printed

• copy for the next issue must be submitted by the beginning of the month.

4. material for a newspaper or magazine article

• it is an unfortunate truth of today's media that bad news makes good copy.

5. the text of an advertisement.

• ‘No more stubble—no more trouble,’ trumpeted their ad copy.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make a similar or identical version of; reproduce

• each form had to be copied and sent to a different department.

2. [Computing] reproduce (data stored in one location) in another location

• the command will copy a file from one disc to another.

3. write out information that one has read or heard

• he copied the details into his notebook

• I began to copy out the addresses.

4. ( copy something to) — send a copy of a letter or an email to (a third party).

• I thought I'd copy to you this letter sent to the PR representative.

5. ( copy someone in) — send someone a copy of an email that is addressed to a third party

• I attached the document and copied him in so he'd know it had been sent.

6. imitate the style or behaviour of

• lifestyles that were copied from Miami and Fifth Avenue

• [no obj.] art students copied from approved old masters.

7. [no obj.] — hear or understand someone speaking on a radio transmitter

• this is Edwards, do you copy, over.

– origin Middle English (denoting a transcript or copy of a document): from Old French copie (noun), copier (verb), from Latin copia ‘abundance’ (in medieval Latin ‘transcript’, from such phrases as copiam describendi facere ‘give permission to transcribe’).

copybook /ˈkɒpɪbʊk/

I. noun

a book containing models of handwriting for learners to imitate.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. exactly in accordance with established criteria; perfect.

• it wasn't exactly a copybook landing.

copycat /ˈkɒpɪkat/

noun

1. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› (especially in children's use) a person who copies another's behaviour, dress, or ideas.

• all writers are copycats.

2. [as modifier] — ‹informal› ‹derogatory› denoting an action, typically a crime, carried out in imitation of another

• copycat killings.

copydesk /ˈkɒpɪdɛsk/

noun

(N. Amer.) a desk in a newspaper office at which copy is edited for printing.

copy-edit

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. edit (text to be printed) by checking its consistency and accuracy.

• the editor goes over the manuscript after it has been copy-edited.

• (as noun copy-editing) experienced freelancer offers copy-editing, typesetting, proofreading, indexing, page make-up.

II. derivatives

copy editor

noun

copyhold /ˈkɒpɪhəʊld/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹historical› tenure of land based on manorial records.

• Hogarth acquired the copyhold of a red brick villa.

• [as modifier] freehold and copyhold land.

copyholder /ˈkɒpɪhəʊldə/

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹historical› a person who held land in copyhold.

2. a clasp or stand for holding sheets of text while it is keyed or typed.

copyist /ˈkɒpɪɪst/

I. noun

1. a person who makes copies, especially of handwritten documents or music.

• the end of the first movement is in the hand of a copyist.

2. a person who imitates the styles of others, especially in art or music

• Beatles copyists.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from copy + -ist; replacing earlier copist, from French copiste or medieval Latin copista, from copiare ‘to copy’, from copia (see copy).

copyleft /ˈkɒpilɛft/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an arrangement whereby software or artistic work may be used, modified, and distributed freely on condition that anything derived from it is bound by the same conditions.

II. derivatives

copylefted

adjective

– origin 1980s: after copyright.

copyread /ˈkɒpɪriːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. read and edit (text) for a newspaper, magazine, or book.
(as noun copyreading)

• readers have grown used to accuracy, stringent copyreading, and diligent research.

II. derivatives

copyreader

noun

copyright /ˈkɒpɪrʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the exclusive and assignable legal right, given to the originator for a fixed number of years, to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material

• he issued a writ for breach of copyright

• making an unauthorized copy would infringe copyright

• [ count noun] works whose copyrights had lapsed.

2. [ count noun] — a particular literary, artistic, or musical work that is covered by copyright.

II. adjective

protected by copyright

• permission to reproduce photographs and other copyright material.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. secure copyright for (material)
(as adj. copyrighted)

• copyrighted music downloaded illegally from the Internet.

IV. derivatives

copyrightable

adjective

copyright library

noun

a library entitled to a free copy of each book published in the UK. The copyright libraries in the British Isles are the British Library, the Bodleian Library, Cambridge University Library, the National Library of Wales, the National Library of Scotland, and the library of Trinity College, Dublin.

copy typist

noun

a person whose job is to type transcripts of written drafts.

copywriter /ˈkɒpɪrʌɪtə/

I. noun

a person who writes the text of advertisements or publicity material.

II. derivatives

copywriting

noun

coq au vin /ˌkɒk əʊ ˈvã/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a casserole of chicken pieces cooked in red wine.

– origin French, literally ‘cock in wine’.

coquet /kɒˈkɛt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹rare› behave flirtatiously; flirt

• from the day I first met you I felt that you were coquetting with me

• ‹figurative› for a while he coquetted with engineering.

II. noun

‹dated› a man who flirts.

– origin early 17th cent. (as adj. in sense ‘amorous’): from French coqueter (see coquetry).

coquetry /ˈkɒkɪtri, ˈkəʊkɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. flirtatious behaviour.

• ‘I like the way you laugh,’ he said without coquetry.

• the air hostesses catch the men's eyes with a practised coquetry.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French coquetterie, from coqueter ‘to flirt’, from coquet ‘wanton’ (see coquette).

coquette /kɒˈkɛt/

I. noun

1. a flirtatious woman.

• her transformation from an ice maiden warrior into a winsome coquette.

2. a crested Central and South American hummingbird, typically with green plumage, a reddish crest, and elongated cheek feathers.
● Lophornis and two other genera, family Trochilidae: several species.

– origin mid 17th cent.: French, feminine of coquet ‘wanton’, diminutive of coq ‘male bird, cock’.

coquettish /kəˈkɛtɪʃ/

I. adjective

behaving in such a way as to suggest a playful sexual attraction; flirtatious

• a coquettish grin.

II. derivatives

1. coquettishly

adverb

2. coquettishness

noun

coquina /kɒˈkiːnə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a soft limestone of broken shells, used in road-making in the Caribbean and Florida.

2. (also coquina clam) — a small bivalve mollusc with a wedge-shaped shell which has a wide variety of colours and patterns.
●Genus Donax, family Donacidae: several species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, literally ‘cockle’, based on Latin concha (see conch).

coquito /kɒˈkiːtəʊ/

I. noun

a thick-trunked Chilean palm tree which yields large amounts of sweet sap (palm honey) and fibre.
● Jubaea chilensis, family Palmae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, diminutive of coco ‘coconut’.

cor /kɔː/

I. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› expressing surprise, excitement, admiration, or alarm

• Cor! That's a beautiful black eye you've got!

II. phrases

cor blimey

see blimey.

– origin 1930s: alteration of God.

Cor.

abbreviation

1. (US) coroner.

2. Epistle to the Corinthians (in biblical references).

cor-

prefix

variant spelling of com- assimilated before r (as in corrode, corrugate).

Cora /ˈkɔːrə/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people of western Mexico.

2. [ mass noun] — the Uto-Aztecan language of the Coras, with about 15,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Coras or their language.

coracle /ˈkɒrək(ə)l/

I. noun

(especially in Wales and Ireland) a small round boat made of wickerwork covered with a watertight material, propelled with a paddle.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Welsh corwgl, cwrwgl, related to Scottish Gaelic and Irish curach ‘small boat’; compare with currach.

coracoid /ˈkɒrəkɔɪd / coracoid process

I. noun

[Anatomy] a short projection from the shoulder blade in mammals, to which part of the biceps is attached.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin coracoides, from Greek korakoeidēs ‘raven-like’, from korax ‘raven’ (because of the resemblance to a raven's beak).

coral /ˈkɒr(ə)l/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a hard stony substance secreted by certain marine coelenterates as an external skeleton, typically forming large reefs in warm seas.
[as modifier]

• a coral reef.

• the nearby coral islands, lagoons, and atolls.

2. precious red coral, used in jewellery.

• she was wearing a twisted rope of coral, pearls, and crystal.

• [as modifier] coral beads.

3. the pinkish-red colour of red coral.

• colours of earth, coral, and chestnut.

• [as modifier] a coral and white dinner service.

4. a sedentary coelenterate of warm and tropical seas, with a calcareous, horny, or soft skeleton. Most corals are colonial and many rely on the presence of green algae in their tissues to obtain energy from sunlight.
●Several orders in the class Anthozoa, including the ‘true’ or stony corals (order Scleractinia or Madreporaria), which form reefs, the soft corals (order Alcyonacea), which form leathery or fleshy colonies, and the horny corals (order Gorgonacea).

5. [ mass noun] — the unfertilized roe of a lobster or scallop, which is used as food and becomes reddish when cooked.

• we had scallops with their coral, in their fluted shells.

II. derivatives

coralloid

adjective

[chiefly Biology] [Zoology]

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin corallum, from Greek korallion, kouralion.

coralberry /ˈkɒr(ə)lbɛri/

noun

an evergreen North American shrub of the honeysuckle family, which has fragrant white flowers followed by deep red berries.
● Symphoricarpos orbiculatus, family Caprifoliaceae.

coral fungus

noun

a fungus which produces a fruiting body composed of upright branching finger-like projections which resemble coral, found in both Eurasia and North America.
●Genus Clavulina, family Clavariaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

Corallian /kɒˈralɪən/

I. adjective, noun

another term for Oxfordian (sense 1 of the adjective, sense 1 of the noun).

– origin from Latin corallium ‘coral’ (with reference to the coral-derived limestone deposits) + -an.

coralline /ˈkɒrəlʌɪn/

I. noun

1. (also coralline alga or coralline seaweed) — a branching reddish seaweed with a calcareous jointed stem.
●Family Corallinaceae, division Rhodophyta, in particular Corallina officinalis, which is common on the coasts of the North Atlantic.

2. (in general use) a sedentary colonial marine animal, especially a bryozoan.

II. adjective

1. [Geology] derived or formed from coral

• the islands were volcanic rather than coralline in origin.

2. [Geology] of the pinkish-red colour of precious red coral.

• a coralline pepper.

3. [Geology] resembling coral

• coralline sponges.

– origin mid 16th cent.: the noun from Italian corallina, diminutive of corallo ‘coral’, the adjective (mid 17th cent.) from French corallin or late Latin corallinus, both based on Latin corallum ‘coral’.

corallita /ˌkɒrəˈliːtə / coralita

I. noun

a pink-flowered climbing vine native to Mexico and the Caribbean, grown as an ornamental.
● Antigonon leptopus, family Polygonaceae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from American Spanish coralito, diminutive of Spanish coral ‘coral’.

corallite /ˈkɒrəlʌɪt/

I. noun

1. [Palaeontology] the cup-like calcareous skeleton of a single coral polyp.

2. [Palaeontology] a fossil coral.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin corallum ‘coral’ + -ite^1.

coral rag

noun — [ mass noun]

1. rubbly limestone composed chiefly of petrified coral.

coral reef

noun

a ridge of rock in the sea formed by the growth and deposit of coral

• the small island is enclosed in the middle of the coral reef.

coralroot

noun

1. (also coralroot orchid) — a leafless orchid which has inconspicuous flowers and lacks chlorophyll. It has a pale knobbly rhizome which obtains nourishment from decaying organic matter.
●Genus Corallorhiza, family Orchidaceae: several species, including the widespread C. trifida.

2. another term for cockscomb (sense 3).

3. (also coralroot bittercress) — a Eurasian woodland plant with purple flowers and bud-like swellings (bulbils) at the base of the stem.
● Cardamine bulbifera, family Cruciferae.

Coral Sea /kɒrəlˈsiː/

a part of the western Pacific lying between Australia, New Guinea, and Vanuatu, the scene of a naval battle between US and Japanese carriers in 1942.

coral snake

noun

a brightly coloured venomous snake of the cobra family, typically having conspicuous bands of red, yellow, white, and black.
● Micrurus and other genera in the family Elapidae: numerous species.

coral spot coral spot disease

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a common fungal disease of trees and shrubs, appearing as numerous minute pink or dark red cushion-like bodies on the twigs and branches and causing dieback.
● Nectria cinnabarina, family Hypocreaceae, subdivision Ascomycotina.

coral tree

noun

a tropical or subtropical thorny shrub or tree with showy red or orange flowers.
●Genus Erythrina, family Leguminosae.

coram populo /ˌkɔːrəm ˈpɒpjʊləʊ/

I. adverb

in public.

– origin Latin, literally ‘in the presence of the people’.

cor anglais /kɔːr ˈɑːŋɡleɪ, ˈɒŋɡleɪ/

I. noun

1. [Music] an alto woodwind instrument of the oboe family, having a bulbous bell and sounding a fifth lower than the oboe.
Also called English horn.

2. [Music] an organ stop with the quality of a cor anglais.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, literally ‘English horn’.

corbeil /ˈkɔːbeɪl/

I. noun

[Architecture] a representation in stone of a basket of flowers.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French corbeille ‘basket’, from late Latin corbicula ‘small basket’, diminutive of corbis.

corbeille /kɔːˈbeɪ/

I. noun

an elegant basket of flowers or fruit.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, ‘basket’ (see also corbeil).

corbel /ˈkɔːb(ə)l/

I. noun

a projection jutting out from a wall to support a structure above it.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. support (a structure) on corbels
(as adj. corbelled)

• a very high corbelled vault.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, diminutive of corp ‘crow’, from Latin corvus ‘raven’ (perhaps because of the shape of a corbel, resembling a crow's beak).

corbel table

noun

a projecting course of bricks or stones resting on corbels.

corbicula /kɔːˈbɪkjʊlə/

I. noun

[Entomology] another term for pollen basket.

– origin early 19th cent.: from late Latin.

corbie /ˈkɔːbi/

I. noun

(Scottish) a raven, crow, or rook.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French corb, variant of corp ‘crow’ (see corbel).

corbie steps

plural noun

Scottish term for crow steps.

Corbusian /kɔːˈbjuːzɪən/

adjective

relating to the architect Le Corbusier.

Corcovado /ˌkɔːkəˈvɑːdəʊ/

a peak rising to 711 m (2,310 ft) on the south side of Rio de Janeiro. A gigantic statue of Christ, 40 m (131 ft) high, named ‘Christ the Redeemer’, stands on its summit.

Corcyra /kɔːˈsʌɪərə/

ancient Greek name for Corfu.

cord /kɔːd/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — thin, flexible string or rope made from several twisted strands

• her feet were tied with cord.

2. [ count noun] — a length of cord

• a dressing-gown cord.

3. [ count noun] — an anatomical structure resembling a length of cord (e.g. the spinal cord, the umbilical cord).

• the baby was still attached to its mother by the cord.

4. [ count noun] — an electric flex.

• she began toying with the telephone cord.

5. [ mass noun] — ribbed fabric, especially corduroy.

• the cloth for their suits was cord.

• [as modifier] cord jackets.

6. ( cords) — corduroy trousers

• he was dressed in faded black cords.

7. a cord-like rib on fabric.

8. a measure of cut wood (usually 128 cu. ft, 3.62 cubic metres).

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. attach a cord to.
(as adj. corded)

• a corded curtain track.

• you will need to cord the blind.

III. phrases

cut the (umbilical) cord

cease to rely on someone or something protective or supportive and begin to act independently.

• the true innovators of hard rock, like Jimi Hendrix, finally cut the umbilical cord to traditional rock 'n' roll.

– origin Middle English: from Old French corde, from Latin chorda, from Greek khordē ‘gut, string of a musical instrument’. / usage: See usage at chord^2.

cordage /ˈkɔːdɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cords or ropes, especially in a ship's rigging.

• masts, sails, and cordage were down in tangled confusion.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French, from corde ‘rope’ (see cord).

cordate /ˈkɔːdeɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] [Zoology] heart-shaped.

• their leaves are often triangular, sometimes cordate or sagittate at the base.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘wise, prudent’): from Latin cordatus ‘wise’ (in modern Latin ‘heart-shaped’), from cor, cord- ‘heart’.

Corday, Charlotte /kɔːˈdeɪ/

(1768–93), French political assassin; full name Marie Anne Charlotte Corday d'Armont. She became involved with the Girondists and in 1793 assassinated the revolutionary leader Jean Paul Marat in his bath; she was found guilty of treason and guillotined.

cord cutter

noun

‹informal› a person who cancels or forgoes a pay television subscription or landline phone connection in favour of an alternative Internet-based or wireless service

• the ranks of the cord cutters are growing, adding to the incipient rebellion around pay TV.

cord cutting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the practice of cancelling or forgoing a pay television subscription or landline phone connection in favour of an alternative Internet-based or wireless service

• whenever there is talk of a pay TV decline, thoughts inevitably turn to cord cutting.

corded /ˈkɔːdɪd/

adjective

1. (of cloth) ribbed.

• a white silk taffeta dress with corded French lace bodice.

2. (of a tensed muscle) standing out so as to resemble a piece of cord.

• beneath her fingers she felt his corded muscle.

3. equipped with a cord or flex

• corded and cordless phones.

Cordelier /ˌkɔːdəˈlɪə/

I. noun

a Franciscan Observant.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from cordelle ‘small rope’, diminutive of corde (see cord). The name derives from the knotted cord worn by the Cordeliers around the waist.

cordgrass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a coarse wiry coastal grass which is sometimes used to stabilize mudflats.
●Genus Spartina, family Gramineae.

cordial /ˈkɔːdɪəl/

I. adjective

1. warm and friendly

• the atmosphere was cordial and relaxed.

2. strongly felt

• I earned his cordial loathing.

II. noun

1. (Brit.) a sweet fruit-flavoured drink.

• wine cups and fruit cordials.

• [ mass noun] a tall glass of blackcurrant cordial.

2. (N. Amer.) another term for liqueur.

3. a pleasant-tasting medicine.

III. derivatives

cordiality /kɔːdɪˈalɪti /

noun

– origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘belonging to the heart’): from medieval Latin cordialis, from Latin cor, cord- ‘heart’.

cordially /ˈkɔːdiəli/

adverb

1. in a warm and friendly way

• he was greeted cordially by the archbishop.

2. with intense feeling

• he was cordially detested for his brutality and injustice.

cordierite /ˈkɔːdɪərʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark blue mineral occurring chiefly in metamorphic rocks. It consists of an aluminosilicate of magnesium and iron, and also occurs as a dichroic gem variety.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after Pierre L. A. Cordier (1777–1861), French geologist, + -ite^1.

cordillera /ˌkɔːdɪˈljɛːrə/

I. noun

a system or group of parallel mountain ranges together with the intervening plateaux and other features, especially in the Andes or the Rockies.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Spanish, from cordilla, diminutive of cuerda ‘cord’, from Latin chorda (see cord).

cording

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cord or braid, especially that used as a decorative fabric trimming.

cordite /ˈkɔːdʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a smokeless explosive made from nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine, and petroleum jelly, used in ammunition.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cord (because of its string-like appearance) + -ite^1.

cordless /ˈkɔːdləs/

I. adjective

(of an electrical appliance or telephone) working without connection to a mains supply or central unit.

II. noun

a cordless telephone.

cordoba /ˈkɔːdəbə/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Nicaragua, equal to 100 centavos.

– origin named after F. Fernández de Córdoba, a 16th-cent. Spanish governor of Nicaragua.

Cordoba /ˈkɔːdəbə / Cordova

I. a city in Andalusia, southern Spain; pop. 325,453 (2008). Founded by the Carthaginians, it was under Moorish rule from 711 to 1236, and was renowned for its architecture, particularly the Great Mosque. Spanish name Córdoba /ˈkorðoβa/.

II. a city in central Argentina; pop. 1,319,000 (est. 2005).

cordon /ˈkɔːd(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a line or circle of police, soldiers, or guards preventing access to or from an area or building

• the crowd was halted in front of the police cordon.

2. a fruit tree trained to grow as a single stem.

3. [Architecture] a projecting course of brick or stone on the face of a wall.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( cordon something off)

1. prevent access to or from an area or building by surrounding it with police or other guards

• the city centre was cordoned off after fires were discovered in two stores.

– origin late Middle English (denoting an ornamental braid): from Italian cordone, augmentative of corda, and French cordon, diminutive of corde, both from Latin chorda ‘string, rope’ (see cord). Sense 3 of the noun, the earliest of the current noun senses, dates from the early 18th cent.

cordon bleu /ˌkɔːdɒ̃ ˈbləː/

I. adjective

1. denoting or relating to the highest class or standard of quality in cookery

• a cordon bleu chef.

2. [ postpositive] — denoting a dish consisting of an escalope of veal or chicken rolled, filled with cheese and ham, and then fried in breadcrumbs.

II. noun

1. a cook or chef of the highest class.

2. ( cordon-bleu or cordon-bleu finch) — an African waxbill that is popular as a cage bird. The male has a blue face, breast, and tail, a brown back, and a red bill.
●Genus Uraeginthus, family Estrildidae: three species.

– origin mid 18th cent. (as a noun, often specifically denoting a first-class cook): French, literally ‘blue ribbon’. The blue ribbon once signified the highest order of chivalry in the reign of the Bourbon kings.

cordon sanitaire /kɔːˌdɒ̃ sanɪˈtɛː/

I. noun

1. a guarded line preventing anyone from leaving an area infected by a disease and thus spreading it.

• inoculations replaced cordons sanitaires as a major medical intervention.

2. a measure designed to prevent communication or the spread of undesirable influences

• these rules help to reinforce the cordon sanitaire around Whitehall.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from cordon ‘line, border’ (see cordon) + sanitaire ‘sanitary’.

cordovan /ˈkɔːdəv(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of soft leather made originally from goatskin and now from horse hide.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish cordován, former spelling of cordobán ‘of Cordoba’, where it was originally made.

Cordtex

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› fuse cable consisting of a core of explosive material in a plastic and textile sheath.

– origin 1930s: from the noun cord + textile.

Cordura /kɔːˈdjʊərə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a durable synthetic fabric.

corduroy /ˈkɔːdərɔɪ, ˈkɔːdjʊrɔɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a thick cotton fabric with velvety ribs.

2. ( corduroys) — trousers made of corduroy.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a road) out of tree trunks.

• where routes crossed or followed a creek, men would corduroy the road.

– origin late 18th cent.: probably from cord ‘ribbed fabric’ + duroy, denoting a kind of lightweight worsted formerly made in the West of England, of unknown origin.

corduroy road

noun

a road made of tree trunks laid across a swamp.

cordwainer /ˈkɔːdweɪnə/

I. noun

‹archaic› a shoemaker (still used in the names of guilds)

• the Cordwainers' Company.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French cordewaner, from Old French cordewan, ‘of Cordoba’ (see cordovan).

cordwood

noun — [ mass noun]

1. wood that has been cut into uniform lengths, used especially as firewood or for building.

core /kɔː/

I. noun

1. the tough central part of various fruits, containing the seeds

• a pineapple core.

2. the part of something that is central to its existence or character

• the plan has the interests of children at its core

• [as modifier] managers can concentrate on their core activities.

3. an important or unchanging group of people forming the central part of a larger body.

• a flexible core of permanent employees.

4. the dense central region of a planet, especially the nickel–iron inner part of the earth.

5. the central part of a nuclear reactor, which contains the fissile material.

6. a tiny ring of magnetic material used in a computer memory to store one bit of data, now superseded by semiconductor memories.

7. the inner strand of an electric cable or rope.

8. the muscles of the torso, especially the lower back and abdominal area, which assist in the maintenance of good posture, balance, etc.

• nothing will strengthen your core like balancing a heavy barbell on your back or lifting one off the floor

• [as modifier] the core muscles of the abdomen.

9. a piece of soft iron forming the centre of an electromagnet or an induction coil.

10. an internal mould filling a space to be left hollow in a casting.

• bronzes that have been cast using a clay core.

11. a cylindrical sample of rock, ice, or other material obtained by boring with a hollow drill.

12. [Archaeology] a piece of flint from which flakes or blades have been removed.

13. [as modifier] — [Economics] denoting or relating to a figure for inflation that excludes certain items, chiefly food and energy, that are subject to sudden and temporary price fluctuations

• core inflation was up 2.3 percent over the 12 month period.

Compare with headline (sense 2 of the noun).

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the tough central part and seeds from (a fruit)

• peel and core the pears.

III. phrases

to the core

a. to the depths of one's being

• she was shaken to the core by his words.

b. used to indicate that someone possesses a characteristic to a very high degree

• he is a politician to the core.

IV. derivatives

corer

noun

– origin Middle English: of unknown origin.

CORE /kɔː/

abbreviation

(in the US) Congress of Racial Equality.

-core

I. combining form

denoting types of rock or dance music, typically those with an aggressive or extreme style

• emocore.

– origin 1980s: from core in hardcore (see hard core (sense 2)).

core dump

noun

[Computing] a dump of the contents of main memory, carried out typically as an aid to debugging.

coreferential

I. adjective

[Linguistics] (of two elements or units) having the same reference.

II. derivatives

coreference

noun

co-religionist /kəʊrɪˈlɪdʒ(ə)nɪst / coreligionist

noun

an adherent of the same religion as another person.

• Hindu fundamentalists are admired by many of their co-religionists as virtuous people.

corella /kəˈrɛlə/

I. noun

a white Australasian cockatoo with some pink feathers on the face, bare blue skin around the eye, and typically a long bill.
●Genus Cacatua, family Cacatuidae (or Psittacidae): three species, in particular the widespread little corella ( C. sanguinea).

– origin late 19th cent.: from Wiradhuri.

Corelli, Arcangelo /kəˈrɛli/

(1653–1713), Italian violinist and composer. His best-known works are his trio and solo sonatas for the violin and his concerti grossi (published posthumously in 1714), especially the ‘Christmas’ concerto.

Corelli, Marie /kəˈrɛli/

(1855–1924), English writer of romantic fiction; pseudonym of Mary Mackay. The sales of her novels Thelma (1887), Barabbas (1893), and The Sorrows of Satan (1895) broke all existing records for book sales, although popularity was not matched by critical acclaim.

coreopsis /ˌkɒrɪˈɒpsɪs/

I. noun

a plant of the daisy family, which is cultivated for its rayed, typically yellow, flowers. Also called tickseed.
●Genus Coreopsis, family Compositae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek koris ‘bug’ + opsis ‘appearance’ (because of the shape of the seed).

co-respondent /kəʊrɪˈspɒnd(ə)nt / corespondent

noun

a person cited in a divorce case as having committed adultery with the respondent.

co-respondent shoes

plural noun

‹dated› ‹humorous› men's two-toned shoes.

core stability

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the capacity of the muscles of the torso to assist in the maintenance of good posture, balance, etc., especially during movement.

• skating requires great core stability—strong abs, back, and hips for all of the one-legged moves.

core time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the central part of the working day in a flexitime system, when an employee must be present.

core value

noun

a principle or belief that a person or organization views as being of central importance

• the editor wants to attract more young readers to the paper while maintaining its core values.

corf /kɔːf/

I. noun

(Brit.) a wagon or large basket formerly used for bringing coal out of a mine.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘basket’): from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch korf, from Latin corbis ‘basket’.

Corfu /kɔːˈf(j)uː/

a Greek island, one of the largest of the Ionian Islands, off the west coast of mainland Greece. It was known in ancient times as Corcyra; pop. 127,900 (est. 2009).
Greek name Kérkira.

corgi /ˈkɔːɡi / Welsh corgi

I. noun

a dog of a short-legged breed with a foxlike head.

– origin 1920s: from Welsh, from cor ‘dwarf’ + ci ‘dog’.

coriaceous /ˌkɒrɪˈeɪʃəs/

I. adjective

‹technical› resembling or having the texture of leather

• coriaceous leaves.

– origin late 17th cent.: from late Latin coriaceus (from Latin corium ‘leather’) + -ous.

coriander /ˌkɒrɪˈandə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an aromatic Mediterranean plant of the parsley family, the leaves and seeds of which are used as culinary herbs.
● Coriandrum sativum, family Umbelliferae.

– origin Middle English: from Old French coriandre, from Latin coriandrum, from Greek koriannon.

Corinth /ˈkɒrɪnθ/

a city on the north coast of the Peloponnese, Greece; pop. 27,600 (est. 2009). The modern city, built in 1858, is a little to the north-east of the site of an ancient city of the same name, which was a prominent city state in ancient Greece.
Greek name Kórinthos.

Corinth, Gulf of

an inlet of the Ionian Sea extending between the Peloponnese and central Greece.
Also called Lepanto, Gulf of.

Corinth, Isthmus of

a narrow neck of land linking the Peloponnese with central Greece and separating the Gulf of Corinth from the Saronic Gulf.

Corinth Canal

a man-made shipping channel across the narrowest part of the Isthmus of Corinth (a distance of 6.4 km, or 4 miles). Opened in 1893, it links the Gulf of Corinth and the Saronic Gulf.

Corinthian /kəˈrɪnθɪən/

I. adjective

1. belonging or relating to Corinth, especially the ancient city.

• Corinthian vase-painters.

• a Corinthian colony.

2. relating to or denoting the most ornate of the classical orders of architecture (used especially by the Romans), characterized by flared capitals with rows of acanthus leaves.

3. involving the highest standards of amateur sportsmanship.

• a club embodying the Corinthian spirit.

• the game evolved from a purely Corinthian pastime to an internationally recognized entity.

II. noun

1. a native of Corinth.

2. [ mass noun] — the Corinthian order of architecture.

Corinthians, Epistle to the

either of two books of the New Testament, epistles of St Paul to the Church at Corinth.

Coriolanus, Gaius Marcius /ˌkɒrɪəˈleɪnəs/

(5th century BC), Roman general, who got his name from the capture of the Volscian town of Corioli; also called Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus. According to legend, after his banishment from Rome he led a Volscian army against the city and was only turned back by the pleas of his mother and wife.

Coriolis effect /ˌkɒrɪˈəʊlɪs/

I. noun

[Physics] an effect whereby a mass moving in a rotating system experiences a force (the Coriolis force) acting perpendicular to the direction of motion and to the axis of rotation. On the earth, the effect tends to deflect moving objects to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern and is important in the formation of cyclonic weather systems.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Gaspard Coriolis (1792–1843), French engineer.

corium /ˈkɔːrɪəm/

I. noun

[chiefly Zoology] another term for dermis.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘skin’.

cork /kɔːk/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a buoyant light brown substance obtained from the outer layer of the bark of the cork oak.

• vinyl-coated cork is practical as a floor covering.

• [as modifier] cork tiles.

2. [Botany] a protective layer of dead cells immediately below the bark of woody plants.

3. a bottle stopper made of cork or a similar material.

• he pulled out the cork and commenced pouring the wine.

• champagne corks popped.

4. a piece of cork used as a float for a fishing line or net.

• the little steamer was tossed about like a cork.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. close or seal (a bottle) with a cork

• the bottles were tightly corked and wired.

2. draw with burnt cork.

• he had corked a moustache on his upper lip.

3. illicitly hollow out (a baseball bat) and fill it with cork to make it lighter.

• the balls are doctored and the bats are corked.

4. (Austral.) suffer a painful bruising injury to (a limb) as a result of a heavy blow, especially while participating in a contact sport

• he corked his thigh and limped off.

– origin Middle English: from Dutch and Low German kork, from Spanish alcorque ‘cork-soled sandal’, from Arabic al- ‘the’ and (probably) Spanish Arabic qurq, qorq, based on Latin quercus ‘oak, cork oak’.

Cork /kɔːk/

I. a county of the Republic of Ireland, on the south coast in the province of Munster.

II. the county town of Cork, a port on the River Lee; pop. 190,384 (2006).

corkage /ˈkɔːkɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a charge made by a restaurant or hotel for serving wine that has been brought in by a customer.

• you can choose from the large wine room and pay retail price plus $5 corkage.

cork cambium

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] tissue in the stem of a plant that gives rise to cork on its outer surface and a layer of cells containing chlorophyll on its inner.

corked /kɔːkt/

adjective

(of wine) spoilt by a musty taint arising from a fault in the cork.

• always open and taste your wine before the meal, if only to check that it is not corked.

corker /ˈkɔːkə / ‹informal›

I. noun

an excellent or astonishing person or thing

• it was the season's first goal, and a corker.

II. adjective

(NZ) very good; excellent.

• a corker little stove with bandy legs.

corkie /ˈkɔːki/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a painful injury with severe bruising caused by a heavy blow, typically gained while participating in contact sports

• a collision with a fellow Tasmanian left him with a corkie.

– origin 1980s: from the Australian sense of the verb cork ‘suffer a painful bruising injury to (a limb) as a result of a heavy blow’ + -ie.

corking /ˈkɔːkɪŋ/

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› very good; excellent

• cars in corking condition.

cork oak

noun

an evergreen Mediterranean oak, the outer layer of the bark of which is the source of cork, which can be stripped without harming the tree.
● Quercus suber, family Fagaceae.

corkscrew /ˈkɔːkskruː/

I. noun

1. a device for pulling corks from bottles, consisting of a spiral metal rod that is inserted into the cork, and a handle that extracts it.

2. [usu. as modifier] — a thing with a spiral shape or movement

• a girl with corkscrew curls.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. move or twist in a spiral motion

• the plane was corkscrewing towards the earth.

corkwood

noun

a shrub or tree which yields light porous timber, in particular:
● a small American tree which produces timber used for fishing floats ( Leitneria floridana, family Leitneriaceae). ● a tree native to New Zealand ( Entelea arborescens, family Tiliaceae).

corky /ˈkɔːki/

adjective

1. resembling cork

• corky lesions on apples.

2. (of wine) corked.

• a musty quality in all three bottles tasted caused some judges to call this wine corky.

corm /kɔːm/

I. noun

a rounded underground storage organ present in plants such as crocuses, gladioli, and cyclamens, consisting of a swollen stem base covered with scale leaves.
Compare with bulb (sense 1).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin cormus, from Greek kormos ‘trunk stripped of its boughs’.

cormel /ˈkɔːm(ə)l/

noun

a small corm growing at the side of a mature corm.

cormlet /ˈkɔːmlət/

noun

a small corm growing at the base of a mature corm.

cormorant /ˈkɔːm(ə)r(ə)nt/

I. noun

a rather large diving bird with a long neck, long hooked bill, short legs, and mainly dark plumage. It typically breeds on coastal cliffs.
●Genus Phalacrocorax (and Nannopterum), family Phalacrocoracidae: numerous species, in particular the widespread cormorant ( P. carbo).

– origin Middle English: from Old French cormaran, from medieval Latin corvus marinus ‘sea raven’. The final -t is on the pattern of words such as peasant.

corn^1 /kɔːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the chief cereal crop of a district, especially (in England) wheat or (in Scotland) oats.

• fields of corn.

2. the grain of a cereal crop.

3. North American, Australian, and New Zealand term for maize.

4. ‹informal› something banal or sentimental

• the film is pure corn.

II. phrases

corn on the cob

maize when cooked and eaten straight from the cob.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch koren and German Korn.

corn^2 /kɔːn/

I. noun

a small, painful area of thickened skin on the foot, especially on the toes, caused by pressure.

– origin late Middle English: via Anglo-Norman French from Latin cornu ‘horn’.

cornball /ˈkɔːnbɔːl / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. adjective

trite and sentimental

• a cornball movie.

II. noun

a person with trite or sentimental ideas.

• he was a cornball when compared to the svelte politicians of today.

corn beef

noun — [ mass noun]

1. corned beef.

corn borer

noun

a moth whose larvae feed upon and bore into maize.
●Several species in the family Pyralidae, in particular the European corn borer ( Ostrinia nubilalis), which was accidentally introduced into North America, and Diatraea grandiosella of the southern US.

cornbrash

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] an earthy fossiliferous limestone occurring widely in England in a thin formation of Jurassic age.

– origin early 19th cent.: from corn^1 + brash^2.

cornbread /ˈkɔːnbrɛd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of bread made from maize meal.

corn bunting

noun

a large thickset Eurasian bunting with brown streaked plumage and a jangling song, inhabiting open grassland and arable land.
● Emberiza calandra, family Emberizidae (subfamily Emberizinae).

corn circle

noun

another term for crop circle.

corncob pipe

noun

(US) a tobacco pipe with a bowl made from a dried corncob.

corncockle /ˈkɔːnkɒkl/

I. noun

a pink-flowered Mediterranean plant introduced into Britain, where it became a cornfield weed. It has since been almost eradicated because its poisonous seeds contaminate flour.
● Agrostemma githago, family Caryophyllaceae.

– origin early 18th cent.: from corn^1 + cockle (from Old English coccul ‘corncockle’, perhaps via Latin from Greek kokkos ‘berry’).

corncrake /ˈkɔːnkreɪk/

noun

a secretive Eurasian crake inhabiting coarse grasslands, with mainly brown streaked plumage and a distinctive double rasping call. Due to changes in agricultural practices it is now much rarer in the British Isles than formerly. Also called landrail.
● Crex crex, family Rallidae.

corn dodger

noun

(US) a small fried or baked cornmeal cake.

corn dog

noun

(N. Amer.) a hot dog covered in maize-flour batter, fried, and served on a stick.

corn dolly

noun

(Brit.) a symbolic or decorative model of a human figure, made of plaited straw.

cornea /ˈkɔːnɪə/

I. noun

the transparent layer forming the front of the eye.

II. derivatives

corneal

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin cornea tela ‘horny tissue’, from Latin cornu ‘horn’.

corn earworm

noun

an American moth caterpillar which is a pest of both maize and cotton. Also called bollworm, cotton bollworm.
● Heliothis zea, family Noctuidae.

corned

adjective

(of food) preserved in brine

• corned ham.

corned beef /kɔːndˈbiːf/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) beef preserved in brine, chopped and pressed and sold in tins.

2. (N. Amer.) beef brisket cured in brine and boiled, typically served cold.

Corneille, Pierre /kɔːˈneɪ, French kɔʀnɛj/

(1606–84), French dramatist, generally regarded as the founder of classical French tragedy. Notable plays: Le Cid (1637), Cinna (1641), and Polyeucte (1643).

cornel /ˈkɔːn(ə)l/

I. noun

a dogwood, especially of a dwarf variety.
●Genus Cornus, family Cornaceae: several species, including the dwarf C. suecica.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the wood of the cornelian cherry): from Old French corneille, from Latin cornus.

cornelian cherry

I. noun

1. a Eurasian flowering shrub or small tree of the dogwood family, cultivated as an ornamental.
● Cornus mas, family Cornaceae.

2. the edible oval red berry of the cornelian cherry.

– origin early 17th cent.: cornelian from cornel + -ian.

corneous /ˈkɔːnɪəs/

I. adjective

‹formal› horn-like; horny

• the skeleton is formed of a corneous substance.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin corneus (from cornu ‘horn’) + -ous.

corner /ˈkɔːnə/

I. noun

1. a place or angle where two sides or edges meet

• Jan sat at one corner of the table.

2. the area inside a room or other space near the place where two walls or other surfaces meet

• the colour TV in the corner of the room.

3. a place where two or more streets meet

• the huge bookshop on the corner.

4. a sharp bend in a road

• they took the corner in a skidding turn.

5. [Climbing] (Brit.) a place where two planes of rock meet at an angle of between 60° and 120°.

6. a location or area, especially one regarded as secluded or remote

• fountains are discovered in quiet corners and sleepy squares

• dance professionals from all corners of the globe attended the five-day festival

• ‹figurative› she couldn't bear journalists prying into every corner of her life.

7. a position in which one dominates the supply of a particular commodity

• London doesn't have a corner on film festivals.

8. a difficult or awkward situation

• I didn't wait for the prosecutor to try to get me in a corner.

9. (also corner kick) — [Soccer] a place kick taken by the attacking side from a corner of the field after the ball has been sent over the byline by a defender.

• he put a corner kick deep into the heart of the Southampton penalty area.

10. a free hit in field hockey, taken from the corner of the field.

11. [Boxing] [Wrestling] each of the diagonally opposite ends of the ring, where a contestant rests between rounds.

• when the bell sounded he turned to go back to his corner.

12. a contestant's supporters or seconds

• Hodkinson was encouraged by his corner.

13. (Brit.) a triangular cut from the hind end of a side of bacon.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. force (a person or animal) into a place or situation from which it is hard to escape

• the man was eventually cornered by police dogs.

2. detain (someone) in conversation

• I managed to corner Gary for fifteen minutes.

3. control (a market) by dominating the supply of a particular commodity

• whether they will corner the market in graphics software remains to be seen.

4. establish a corner in (a commodity)

• you cornered vanadium and made a killing.

5. [no obj.] — (of a vehicle) go round a bend in a road

• no squeal is evident from the tyres when cornering fast.

III. phrases

1. (just) around (or round) the corner

very near

• there's a chemist round the corner.

2. fight one's corner

defend one's position or interests

• we need someone in the cabinet to fight our corner.

3. in someone's corner

on someone's side; giving someone support and encouragement.

• he is a former pupil; I feel very sorry for him and I am still in his corner.

4. on (or at or in) every corner

everywhere

• there are saloons on every corner.

5. see someone/thing out of (or from) the corner of one's eye

see someone or something at the edge of one's field of vision.

• out of the corner of his eye he could see Maisie.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, based on Latin cornu ‘horn, tip, corner’.

cornerback

noun

[American Football] a defensive back positioned to the outside of the linebackers.

corner boy

noun

(chiefly Irish) a disreputable man or youth who spends his time loitering on the street.

Corner country

noun

( the Corner country) — (Austral.) the area in which the borders of New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia meet

• the book gives the history of the Aboriginal peoples of the Corner country.

cornered /ˈkɔːnəd/

adjective

1. [in combination] — having a specified number of corners

• young boys in six-cornered hats.

2. having a specified number of parties involved

• a three-cornered meeting was being arranged in Hong Kong.

3. (of a person or animal) forced into a place or situation from which it is hard to escape

• nothing is more dangerous than a cornered wild beast.

corner forward

noun

(in hurling) a player in an attacking position on the wing.

corner kick

noun

another term for corner (sense 5 of the noun).

cornerman

noun

a person whose job is to assist a boxer or wrestler at the corner between rounds.

corner shop

noun

(Brit.) a small shop selling groceries and general goods in a mainly residential area.

cornerstone /ˈkɔːnəstəʊn/

noun

1. an important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based

• a national minimum wage remained the cornerstone of policy.

2. a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls.

cornerwise

adverb

at an angle of approximately 45°; diagonally

• he laid the cloth cornerwise on the polished table.

cornet^1 /ˈkɔːnɪt/

I. noun

1. [Music] a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but shorter and wider.

2. a compound organ stop with a powerful treble sound.

3. (Brit.) a cone-shaped wafer filled with ice cream.

II. derivatives

cornetist /kɔːˈnɛtɪst / cornettist

noun

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting a wind instrument made of a horn): from Old French, diminutive of a variant of Latin cornu ‘horn’.

cornet^2 /ˈkɔːnɪt/

I. noun

‹chiefly historical› the fifth grade of commissioned officer in a cavalry troop, who carried the colours. It is still used in some British cavalry regiments for officers of the rank of second lieutenant.

II. derivatives

cornetcy

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French cornette, diminutive of corne (originally a collective term), based on Latin cornua ‘horns’. The word originally denoted a kind of woman's headdress, or a strip of lace hanging down from a headdress against the cheeks; later it referred to the pennon of a cavalry troop, hence the officer who carried the colours.

cornetfish

noun

a large marine fish with a long, narrow flute-like snout, an elongated body, and a whip-like extension to the tail. It is common in shallow tropical waters of the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific region.
●Family Fistularidae and genus Fistularia: several species.

cornetto /kɔːˈnɛtəʊ / cornett /ˈkɔːnɪt, kɔːˈnɛt/

I. noun

a woodwind instrument of the 16th and 17th centuries, typically curved, with finger holes and a cup-shaped mouthpiece.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Italian, diminutive of corno ‘horn’, from Latin cornu. Compare with cornet^1.

corn exchange

noun

(in the UK) a building where corn is or was traded, typically a hall now converted for other public use.

• the Corn Exchange this year houses three major exhibitions.

corn-fed /ˈkɔːnfɛd/

adjective

1. fed on grain, especially maize

• corn-fed chickens.

2. (US) ‹informal› plump; well fed.

• a minister of corn-fed opulence.

3. (US) ‹informal› provincial; unsophisticated

• a backward, corn-fed Heartland town.

cornfield /ˈkɔːnfiːld/

noun

a field in which corn is being grown.

cornflakes /ˈkɔːnfleɪks/

plural noun

a breakfast cereal consisting of toasted flakes made from maize flour.

cornflour /ˈkɔːnflaʊə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) finely ground maize flour, used for thickening sauces.

cornflower /ˈkɔːnflaʊə/

noun

1. a slender Eurasian plant related to the knapweeds, with flowers that are typically a deep, vivid blue.
●Genus Centaurea, family Compositae: several species, including the annual Centaurea cyaneus (also called bluebottle), formerly a common weed of cornfields, and the perennial C. montana, grown in gardens.

2. (also cornflower blue) [ mass noun] — a deep, vivid blue colour.

• from cornflower to azure, there are herringbones, checks, and ginghams.

cornhole /ˈkɔːnhəʊl / ‹US›

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a game in which small bags filled with dried kernels of maize are tossed at a target consisting of an upward sloping wooden platform with a hole at one end

• many are introduced to cornhole at a tailgate or family outing.

2. ‹vulgar slang› the anus.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹vulgar slang› have anal intercourse with (someone).

Cornhusker State

informal name for Nebraska.

cornice /ˈkɔːnɪs/

I. noun

1. an ornamental moulding round the wall of a room just below the ceiling.

2. a horizontal moulded projection crowning a building or structure, especially the uppermost member of the entablature of an order, surmounting the frieze.

3. an overhanging mass of hardened snow at the edge of a mountain precipice.

II. derivatives

1. corniced

adjective

2. cornicing

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French corniche, from Italian cornice, perhaps from Latin cornix ‘crow’ (compare with corbel), but influenced by Greek korōnis ‘coping stone’.

corniche /ˈkɔːnɪʃ, kɔːˈniːʃ/

I. noun

a road cut into the edge of a cliff, especially one running along a coast.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French (see cornice).

Cornish /ˈkɔːnɪʃ/

I. adjective

relating to Cornwall or its people or language.

II. noun

1. (as plural noun the Cornish) — the people of Cornwall collectively.

2. [ mass noun] — the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall, belonging to the Brythonic branch of the Celtic language group. It gradually died out in the 17th and 18th centuries, although attempts have been made to revive it.

III. derivatives

1. Cornishman

noun

2. Cornishwoman

noun

– origin late Middle English: from the first element of Cornwall + -ish^1.

Cornish cream

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) clotted cream.

Cornish hen Cornish game hen

noun

another term for Rock Cornish.

Cornish pasty /kɔːnɪʃˈpasti/

noun

(Brit.) a pasty containing seasoned meat and vegetables, especially potato.

Corn Laws

(in the UK) a series of 19th-century laws introduced to protect British farmers from foreign competition by allowing grain to be imported only after the price of home-grown wheat had risen above a certain level. They had the unintended effect of forcing up bread prices and were eventually repealed in 1846.

corn marigold

noun

a daisy-like yellow-flowered Eurasian plant which was formerly a common weed of cornfields.
● Chrysanthemum segetum, family Compositae.

cornmeal /ˈkɔːnmiːl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. meal made from corn, especially (in the US) maize flour or (in Scotland) oatmeal.

• cooked cornmeal mixed with milk.

• [as modifier] delicious cornmeal cakes.

corn oil

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an oil obtained from the germ of maize, used in cookery and salad dressings.

corn pone ‹N. Amer.›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. unleavened maize bread.

II. adjective — ( corn-pone)

1. ‹informal› rustic; unsophisticated

• country music and corn-pone humor.

corn roast

noun

(Canadian) a party at which green maize is roasted and eaten.

cornrows

plural noun

(especially among black people) a style of braiding and plaiting the hair in narrow strips to form geometric patterns on the scalp.

• the company refused to let her wear cornrows.

corn salad

noun

another term for lamb's lettuce.

cornsilk ‹N. Amer.›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fine thread-like styles on an ear of maize.

II. adjective

(of hair) fine and blonde, like cornsilk.

corn snake

I. noun

a long North American rat snake with a spear-shaped mark between the eyes.
● Elaphe guttata, family Colubridae.

– origin late 17th cent.: so named because often found in cornfields.

corn snow

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) snow with a rough granular surface resulting from alternate thawing and freezing.

– origin from corn in the dialect sense ‘granule’.

cornstalk /ˈkɔːnstɔːk/

I. noun

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person born or resident in New South Wales

• he was keen to recruit someone other than a cornstalk in order to counter the Sydney bias.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹archaic› a native-born Australian, as distinct from an immigrant

• as fast as the cornstalks grew, new settlers from Britain arrived with their cultural baggage.

– origin early 19th cent.: with allusion to the alleged tallness and leanness of native-born Australians.

cornstarch /ˈkɔːnstɑːtʃ/

noun

North American term for cornflour.

cornstone

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a mottled red and green limestone characteristic of the Old and the New Red Sandstone in Britain.

corn syrup

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly US) glucose syrup, especially when made from cornflour.

cornu /ˈkɔːnjuː/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] a horn-shaped projection of the thyroid cartilage or of certain bones (such as the hyoid and the coccyx).

2. [Anatomy] either of the two lateral cavities of the womb, into which the fallopian tubes pass.

3. [Anatomy] each of three elongated parts of the lateral ventricles of the brain.

II. derivatives

cornual

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘horn’.

cornucopia /ˌkɔːnjʊˈkəʊpɪə/

I. noun

1. a symbol of plenty consisting of a goat's horn overflowing with flowers, fruit, and corn.

2. an ornamental container shaped like a goat's horn.

3. an abundant supply of good things of a specified kind

• the festival offers a cornucopia of pleasures.

II. derivatives

cornucopian

adjective

– origin early 16th cent.: from late Latin, from Latin cornu copiae ‘horn of plenty’ (a mythical horn able to provide whatever is desired).

cornus /ˈkɔːnəs/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that comprises the dogwoods.
●Genus Cornus, family Cornaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Latin, ‘dogwood’.

Cornwall /ˈkɔːnwəl/

a county occupying the extreme south-western peninsula of England; county town, Truro.

Cornwall, Duchy of

an estate vested in the Prince of Wales, consisting of properties in Cornwall and elsewhere in SW England.

corny /ˈkɔːni/

I. adjective

‹informal› trite, banal, or mawkishly sentimental

• it sounds corny, but as soon as I saw her I knew she was the one.

II. derivatives

1. cornily

adverb

2. corniness

noun

– origin 1930s: from an earlier sense ‘rustic, appealing to country folk’.

corolla /kəˈrɒlə/

I. noun

[Botany] the petals of a flower, typically forming a whorl within the sepals and enclosing the reproductive organs.
Compare with calyx.

– origin late 17th cent. (in the sense ‘little crown’): from Latin, diminutive of corona ‘wreath, crown, chaplet’.

corollary /kəˈrɒləri/

I. noun

1. a proposition that follows from (and is often appended to) one already proved.

2. a direct or natural consequence or result

• the huge increases in unemployment were the corollary of expenditure cuts.

II. adjective

1. forming a proposition that follows from one already proved.

2. associated or supplementary

• the court did not answer a corollary question.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin corollarium ‘money paid for a garland or chaplet; gratuity’ (in late Latin ‘deduction’), from corolla, diminutive of corona ‘wreath, crown, chaplet’.

coromandel /ˌkɒrəˈmand(ə)l/

I. noun

1. (also coromandel wood or coromandel ebony) [ mass noun] — a fine-grained, greyish-brown ebony streaked with black, used in furniture.
Also called calamander.

2. the Sri Lankan tree that yields coromandel ebony.
● Diospyros quaesita, family Ebenaceae.

II. adjective

denoting a form of oriental lacquerware with intaglio designs.

– origin from Coromandel Coast, from which oriental lacquerware was originally transported.

Coromandel Coast /ˌkɒrəˈmand(ə)l/

the southern part of the east coast of India, from Point Calimere to the mouth of the Krishna River.

corona^1 /kəˈrəʊnə/

I. noun

1. [Astronomy] the rarefied gaseous envelope of the sun and other stars. The sun's corona is normally visible only during a total solar eclipse, when it is seen as an irregularly shaped pearly glow surrounding the darkened disc of the moon.

2. (also corona discharge) — [Physics] the glow around a conductor at high potential.

3. a small circle of light seen round the sun or moon, due to diffraction by water droplets.

4. [Anatomy] a crown or crown-like structure.

5. [Botany] the cup-shaped or trumpet-shaped outgrowth at the centre of a daffodil or narcissus flower.

6. a circular chandelier in a church.

7. [Architecture] a part of a cornice having a broad vertical face.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 5): from Latin, ‘wreath, crown’.

corona^2 /kəˈrəʊnə/

I. noun

a long, straight-sided cigar.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Spanish La Corona, literally ‘the crown’, originally a proprietary name.

Corona Australis /kəˌrəʊnə ɒˈstreɪlɪs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small southern constellation (the Southern Crown), with no bright stars.

II. (as genitive Coronae Australis) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Theta Coronae Australis.

– origin Latin.

Corona Borealis /kəˌrəʊnə ˌbɔːrɪˈeɪlɪs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a northern constellation (the Northern Crown), in which the main stars form a small but prominent arc.

II. (as genitive Coronae Borealis or Coronae) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star R Coronae Borealis.

– origin Latin.

coronach /ˈkɒrənək, ˈxɒrənək/

I. noun

(in Scotland or Ireland) a funeral song.

– origin early 16th cent. (originally Scots, denoting the outcry of a crowd): from Scottish Gaelic corranach (Irish coranach), from comh- ‘together’ + rànach ‘outcry’.

coronagraph

noun

an instrument that blocks out light emitted by the sun's actual surface so that the corona can be observed.

coronal^1 /kəˈrəʊn(ə)l, ˈkɒr(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [Astronomy] relating to the corona of the sun or another star.

• coronal holes are a source of geomagnetic activity.

2. [Anatomy] relating to the crown of the head.

3. [Anatomy] of or in the coronal plane.

• coronal imaging.

4. [Phonetics] (of a consonant) formed by raising the tip or blade of the tongue towards the hard palate.

II. noun

[Phonetics] a coronal consonant.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2 of the adjective): from Latin coronalis, from corona ‘crown’.

coronal^2 /ˈkɒr(ə)n(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a garland or wreath for the head.

• her eyes sparkled beneath a coronal of flowers.

2. ‹literary› a small crown; a coronet.

– origin Middle English: apparently from Anglo-Norman French, from corune ‘crown, wreath’ (see crown).

coronal bone

noun

former term for frontal bone.

coronal plane

noun

[Anatomy] an imaginary plane dividing the body into dorsal and ventral parts.

coronal suture

noun

[Anatomy] the transverse suture in the skull separating the frontal bone from the parietal bones.

coronary /ˈkɒr(ə)n(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. [Anatomy] relating to or denoting the arteries which surround and supply the heart.

2. [Anatomy] relating to or denoting a structure which encircles a part of the body.

II. noun

short for coronary thrombosis.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘resembling a crown’): from Latin coronarius, from corona ‘wreath, crown’.

coronary artery

noun

an artery supplying blood to the heart.

coronary thrombosis

noun

a blockage of the flow of blood to the heart, caused by a blood clot in a coronary artery.

coronation /kɒrəˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

the ceremony of crowning a sovereign or a sovereign's consort.

• the Queen's coronation.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin coronatio(n-), from coronare ‘to crown, adorn with a garland’, from corona (see crown).

coronation chicken

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a cold dish of cooked chicken served in a sauce flavoured with apricots and curry powder.

– origin so named because the dish was created for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Coronation stone

another term for Stone of Scone.

coronavirus /kəˈrəʊnəˌvʌɪrəs/

noun

[Medicine] any of a group of RNA viruses that cause a variety of diseases in humans and other animals.

coroner /ˈkɒr(ə)nə/

I. noun

1. an official who holds inquests into violent, sudden, or suspicious deaths, and (in Britain) inquiries into cases of treasure trove.

2. ‹historical› an official responsible for safeguarding the private property of the Crown.

II. derivatives

coronership

noun

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French coruner, from corune ‘a crown’ (see crown); reflecting the Latin title custos placitorum coronae ‘guardian of the pleas of the Crown’.

coronet /ˈkɒr(ə)nɪt/

I. noun

1. a small or relatively simple crown, especially as worn by lesser royalty and peers or peeresses.

2. a circular decoration for the head, especially one made of flowers.

3. a ring of bone at the base of a deer's antler.

4. the band of tissue on the lowest part of a horse's pastern, containing the horn-producing cells from which the hoof grows.

II. derivatives

coroneted

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French coronete ‘small crown or garland’, diminutive of corone (see crown).

coronial /kəˈrəʊnɪəl/

adjective

relating to a coroner.

coronoid /ˈkɒrənɔɪd/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] relating to or denoting a hooked projection of bone.
See coronoid process.

II. noun

(also coronoid bone) — [Zoology] a slender bone forming part of the lower jaw in primitive vertebrates.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Greek korōnē, denoting something hooked, + -oid.

coronoid process

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] a flattened triangular projection above the angle of the jaw where the temporalis muscle is attached.

2. [Anatomy] a projection from the front of the ulna forming part of the articulation of the elbow.

– origin mid 18th cent.: coronoid from Greek korōnē (denoting something hooked) + -oid.

Corot, Camille /ˈkɒrəʊ, French kɔʀo/

(1796–1875), French landscape painter, who worked in an essentially classical style despite his contact with the Barbizon School; full name Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot. Corot had a significant influence on the impressionists.

Corp. /kɔːpəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

abbreviation

1. (N. Amer.) Corporation

• IBM Corp.

2. ( Corp) — ‹informal› Corporal

• been abroad before, Corp?

corpora /ˈkɔːpərə/

plural form of corpus.

corporal^1 /ˈkɔːp(ə)r(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a rank of non-commissioned officer in the army, above lance corporal or private first class and below sergeant.

2. (also ship's corporal) — (Brit.) ‹historical› a petty officer who attended solely to police matters, under the master-at-arms.

3. North American term for fallfish.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, obsolete variant of caporal, from Italian caporale, probably based on Latin corpus, corpor- ‘body (of troops)’, with a change of spelling in Italian due to association with capo ‘head’.

corporal^2 /ˈkɔːp(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to the human body.

II. derivatives

corporally

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin corporalis, from corpus, corpor- ‘body’.

corporal^3 /ˈkɔːp(ə)r(ə)l/

I. noun

a cloth on which the chalice and paten are placed during the celebration of the Eucharist.

– origin Middle English: from medieval Latin corporale (pallium) ‘body (cloth)’, from Latin corpus, corpor- ‘body’.

corporality /kɔːpəˈralɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› material or corporeal existence.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin corporalitas, from Latin corporalis ‘relating to the body’ (see corporal^2).

corporal punishment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. physical punishment, such as caning or flogging.

corporate /ˈkɔːp(ə)rət/

I. adjective

1. relating to a large company or group

• airlines are very keen on their corporate identity.

2. [Law] (of a large company or group) authorized to act as a single entity and recognized as such in law.

• local authorities, like other corporate bodies, may reduce capital spending.

• the rules set by the corporate organization.

3. of or shared by all the members of a group

• the service emphasizes the corporate responsibility of the congregation.

II. noun

a corporate company or group.

III. derivatives

corporately

adverb

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin corporatus, past participle of corporare ‘form into a body’, from corpus, corpor- ‘body’.

corporate hospitality

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the entertaining of clients by companies in order to promote business, especially at sporting or other public events.

corporate raider

noun

a financier who makes a practice of making hostile takeover bids for companies, either to control their policies or to resell them for a profit.

• the business could become a target for a corporate raider.

corporate state

noun

a state governed by representatives not of geographical areas but of vocational corporations of the employers and employees in each trade, profession, or industry.

corporation /kɔːpəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a large company or group of companies authorized to act as a single entity and recognized as such in law.

• the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation.

• multinational corporations.

2. (Brit.) a group of people elected to govern a city, town, or borough.

• the City of London Corporation.

3. ‹dated› ‹humorous› a paunch.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin corporatio(n-), from Latin corporare ‘combine in one body’ (see corporate).

corporation tax

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) tax levied on companies' profits.

corporatism /ˈkɔːp(ə)rətɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the control of a state or organization by large interest groups.

• fascism was the high point of corporatism.

II. derivatives

corporatist

adjective, noun

corporative /ˈkɔːp(ə)rətɪv/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a state, typically a fascist one, organized into corporations representing employers and employees in various trades or professions.

II. derivatives

1. corporativism

noun

2. corporativist

adjective, noun

corporatize /ˈkɔːp(ə)rətʌɪz / corporatise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (a state organization) into an independent commercial company.

• she announced a proposal to corporatize the national labs.

II. derivatives

corporatization

noun

corporator

noun

(Indian) an elected member of a municipal corporation.

corporeal /kɔːˈpɔːrɪəl/

I. adjective

1. relating to a person's body, especially as opposed to their spirit

• he was frank about his corporeal appetites.

2. having a body

• a corporeal God.

3. [Law] consisting of material objects.

• in Scotland ‘goods’ includes all corporeal movables except money.

II. derivatives

1. corporeality /kɔːpɔːrɪˈalɪti /

noun

2. corporeally

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘material’): from late Latin corporealis, from Latin corporeus ‘bodily, physical’, from corpus, corpor- ‘body’.

corporeity /ˌkɔːpəˈriːɪti, ˌkɔːpəˈreɪɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the quality of having a physical body or existence.

• the others were men in their thirties, full to bursting with the filth and unclean tinctures of corporeity.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French corporéité or medieval Latin corporeitas, from Latin corporeus ‘composed of flesh’, from corpus, corpor- ‘body’.

corposant /ˈkɔːpəzant/

I. noun

‹archaic› an appearance of St Elmo's fire on a mast, rigging, or other structure.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian corpo santo ‘holy body’.

corps /kɔː/

I. noun — [often in names]

1. a main subdivision of an army in the field, consisting of two or more divisions

• the 5th Army Corps.

2. a branch of an army assigned to a particular kind of work

• the Royal Army Medical Corps.

3. [with adj. or noun modifier] — a body of people engaged in a particular activity

• the press corps.

4. short for corps de ballet.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from Latin corpus ‘body’.

corps de ballet /ˌkɔː də ˈbaleɪ/

I. noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the members of a ballet company who dance together as a group.

• Nikiya appears, accompanied by a corps de ballet and three soloists.

2. the members of the lowest rank of dancers in a ballet company.

– origin early 19th cent.: French.

corps d'elite /ˌkɔː deɪˈliːt/

I. noun

a select group of people.

• Furse set out to create a Service which would be a corps d'elite.

– origin French.

corpse /kɔːps/

I. noun

a dead body, especially of a human being rather than an animal.

• the corpse of a man lay there.

• ‹figurative› he believed that fascism would revive the corpse of Europe.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹theatrical slang› spoil a piece of acting by forgetting one's lines or laughing uncontrollably.

• Peter just can't stop himself corpsing when he is on stage.

2. [with obj.] — ‹theatrical slang› cause (an actor) to forget their lines and start laughing.

• one singer ad libbed and corpsed his colleagues on stage.

– origin Middle English (denoting the living body of a person or animal): alteration of corse by association with Latin corpus, a change which also took place in French (Old French cors becoming corps). The p was originally silent, as in French; the final e was rare before the 19th cent., but now distinguishes corpse from corps.

corpse candle

noun

a lambent flame seen just above the ground in a churchyard or over a grave, superstitiously regarded as an omen of death.

corpse-like

adjective

resembling a corpse, especially in being completely still or having a pale, gaunt appearance

• junkies with corpse-like complexions

• he manages to maintain a corpse-like stillness that helps him to preserve oxygen.

corpse pose

noun

a resting pose in yoga, typically assumed at the end of a session, in which one lies flat on one's back with one's eyes closed and one's arms relaxed at one's sides

• some beginners just work on sun salutations for 10 to 15 minutes and then rest in the corpse pose.

corpulence /ˈkɔːpjʊləns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being fat; obesity

• her corpulence is the butt of every joke.

II. derivatives

corpulency

noun

corpulent /ˈkɔːpjʊl(ə)nt/

I. adjective

(of a person) fat

• a short, somewhat corpulent man.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin corpulentus, from corpus ‘body’.

cor pulmonale /ˌkɔː pʌlməˈnɑːli, -ˈneɪli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormal enlargement of the right side of the heart as a result of disease of the lungs or the pulmonary blood vessels.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin cor ‘heart’ and modern Latin pulmonalis (from Latin pulmo(n-) ‘lung’).

corpus /ˈkɔːpəs/

I. noun

1. a collection of written texts, especially the entire works of a particular author or a body of writing on a particular subject

• the Darwinian corpus.

2. a collection of written or spoken material in machine-readable form, assembled for the purpose of linguistic research.

3. [Anatomy] the main body or mass of a structure.

4. the central part of the stomach, between the fundus and the antrum.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a human or animal body): from Latin, literally ‘body’. Sense 1 dates from the early 18th cent.

corpus callosum /kəˈləʊsəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a broad band of nerve fibres joining the two hemispheres of the brain.

– origin early 18th cent.: from corpus and Latin callosum, neuter of callosus ‘tough’.

corpus cavernosum /ˌkavəˈnəʊsəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] either of two masses of erectile tissue forming the bulk of the penis and the clitoris.

– origin from corpus and Latin cavernosum, neuter of cavernosus ‘containing hollows’.

Corpus Christi^1 /ˌkɔːpəs ˈkrɪsti/

a city and port in southern Texas; pop. 286,462 (est. 2008). It is situated on Corpus Christi Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico.

Corpus Christi^2 /ˌkɔːpəs ˈkrɪsti/

I. noun

a feast of the Western Christian Church commemorating the institution of the Eucharist, observed on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday.

– origin Latin, literally ‘body of Christ’.

corpuscle /ˈkɔːpʌs(ə)l/

I. noun

1. [Biology] a minute body or cell in an organism, especially a red or white cell in the blood of vertebrates.

2. ‹historical› a minute particle regarded as the basic constituent of matter or light.

• these subparticles at the centre of an antimony corpuscle are fluid and volatile.

II. derivatives

corpuscular /kɔːˈpʌskjʊlə /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin corpusculum ‘small body’, diminutive of corpus.

corpus delicti /dɪˈlɪktʌɪ/

I. noun

1. [Law] the facts and circumstances constituting a crime.

2. [Law] concrete evidence of a crime, such as a corpse.

– origin Latin, literally ‘body of offence’.

corpus luteum /ˈluːtɪəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a hormone-secreting structure that develops in an ovary after an ovum has been discharged but degenerates after a few days unless pregnancy has begun.

– origin late 18th cent.: from corpus and Latin luteum, neuter of luteus ‘yellow’.

corpus spongiosum /ˌspʌndʒɪˈəʊsəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a mass of erectile tissue alongside the corpora cavernosa of the penis and terminating in the glans.

– origin from corpus and Latin spongiosum, neuter of spongiosus ‘porous’.

corpus striatum /strʌɪˈeɪtəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] part of the basal ganglia of the brain, comprising the caudate and lentiform nuclei.

– origin from corpus and Latin striatum, neuter of striatus ‘grooved’.

corral /kəˈrɑːl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. gather together and confine (a group of people or things)

• the organizers were corralling the crowd into marching formation.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) put or keep (livestock) in a corral.

• sheep and goats grazed the plains during the day but they were corralled at night.

3. ‹historical› form (wagons) into a corral.

• the wagons, in forming the encampment, were corralled.

II. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a pen for livestock, especially cattle or horses, on a farm or ranch.

• he was galloping a pony very fast round a tiny corral.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹historical› a defensive enclosure formed of wagons in an encampment.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish and Old Portuguese (now curral), perhaps based on Latin currere ‘to run’. Compare with kraal.

correct /kəˈrɛkt/

I. adjective

1. free from error; in accordance with fact or truth

• make sure you have been given the correct information.

2. [ predic.] — not mistaken in one's opinion or judgement; right
[with infinitive]

• the government was correct to follow a course of defeating inflation.

3. meeting the requirements of or most appropriate for a particular situation or activity

• cut the top and bottom tracks to the correct length with a hacksaw.

4. (of a person or their appearance or behaviour) conforming to accepted social standards; proper

• he was a polite man, invariably correct and pleasant with Mrs Collins.

5. (chiefly N. Amer.) conforming to a particular political or ideological orthodoxy.

• the materials used are as environmentally correct as possible.

See also politically correct.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put right (an error or fault)

• the Council issued a statement correcting some points in the press reports.

2. mark the errors in (a written or printed text)

• he corrected Dixon's writing for publication.

3. tell (someone) that they are mistaken

• he had assumed she was married and she had not corrected him.

4. counteract or rectify

• the steel industry's current overcapacity will be corrected this year.

5. adjust (an instrument) to function accurately or accord with a standard

• motorists can have their headlights tested and corrected at a reduced price on Saturday.

6. adjust (a numerical result or reading) to allow for departure from standard conditions

• data were corrected for radionuclide decay.

III. derivatives

1. correctable

adjective

2. corrector

noun

– origin Middle English (as a verb): from Latin correct- ‘made straight, amended’, from the verb corrigere, from cor- ‘together’ + regere ‘guide’. The adjective is via French.

correction /kəˈrɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of correcting something

• I checked the typing for errors and sent it back for correction.

2. [ count noun] — a change that rectifies an error or inaccuracy

• he made a few corrections to my homework.

3. used to introduce an amended version of something one has just said

• I once dated a guy – correction – had one date with a guy.

4. [ count noun] — a quantity adjusting a numerical result to allow for a departure from standard conditions.

• isotopic ratios are presented normalized to NBS SRM981 using a fractionation correction of 0.101% per a.m.u.

5. (N. Amer.) ‹dated› punishment, especially that of criminals in prison intended to rectify their behaviour.

• the incompatibility of justice and correction as penal objectives has long been the major unsolved problem of penal practice.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin correctio(n-), from corrigere ‘make straight, bring into order’ (see correct).

correctional /kəˈrɛkʃənl/

adjective

(chiefly N. Amer.) relating to the punishment of criminals in a way intended to rectify their behaviour

• a correctional institution.

correction fluid

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an opaque liquid painted over a typed or written error so as to allow for the insertion of the correct character.

correctitude /kəˈrɛktɪtjuːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. correctness, especially conscious correctness in one's behaviour.

• Athens, not to be outdone in correctitude under cold war conditions, did not intervene until the Spartans had gone home.

– origin late 19th cent.: blend of correct and rectitude.

corrective /kəˈrɛktɪv/

I. adjective

designed to correct or counteract something harmful or undesirable

• management were informed so that corrective action could be taken.

II. noun

a thing intended to correct or counteract something else

• the move might be a corrective to some inefficient practices within hospitals.

III. derivatives

correctively

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French correctif, -ive or late Latin correctivus, from Latin correct- ‘brought into order’ from the verb corrigere (see correct).

correctly /kəˈrɛk(t)li/

adverb

1. in a way that is true, factual or appropriate; accurately

• she correctly answered eight questions.

2. in a way that is socially acceptable; properly

• she had acted correctly.

correctness /kəˈrɛktnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality or state of being free from error; accuracy

• there was evidence to support the correctness of the identification.

2. the quality of being right in an opinion or judgement

• he is trying to challenge the correctness of his criminal conviction.

3. conformity to accepted social standards

• the character was played with stuffy correctness.

4. (chiefly N. Amer.) conformity to a particular political or ideological orthodoxy

• high-end environmental correctness has a price.

See also political correctness.

Correggio, Antonio Allegri da /kɒˈrɛdʒɪəʊ/

( c. 1494–1534), Italian painter; born Antonio Allegri. The soft, sensual style of his devotional and mythological paintings influenced the rococo of the 18th century. He is best known for his frescoes in Parma cathedral.

correlate

I. verb — [no obj.] correlate /ˈkɒrələt /

1. have a mutual relationship or connection, in which one thing affects or depends on another

• the study found that success in the educational system correlates highly with class.

2. [with obj.] — establish a mutual relationship or connection between

• we should correlate general trends in public opinion with trends in the content of television news.

II. noun — correlate /ˈkɒrələt /

1. each of two or more related or complementary things

• strategies to promote health should pay greater attention to financial hardship and other correlates of poverty.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a noun): back-formation from correlation and correlative.

correlation /ˌkɒrəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a mutual relationship or connection between two or more things

• research showed a clear correlation between recession and levels of property crime

• [ mass noun] there was no correlation between the number of visits to the clinic and the treatment outcome.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of establishing a relationship or connection between two or more things.

• the increasingly similar basis underlying national soil maps allows correlation to take place more easily.

3. [ mass noun] — [Statistics] interdependence of variable quantities.

4. [Statistics] a quantity measuring the extent of the interdependence of variable quantities.

II. derivatives

correlational

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin correlatio(n-), from cor- ‘together’ + relatio (see relation).

correlation coefficient

noun

(Symbol: r) — [Statistics] a number between +1 and −1 calculated so as to represent the linear interdependence of two variables or sets of data.

correlative /kəˈrɛlətɪv/

I. adjective

1. having a mutual relationship; corresponding

• rights, whether moral or legal, can involve correlative duties.

2. [Grammar] (of words such as neither and nor) corresponding to each other and regularly used together.

II. noun

a word or concept that has a mutual relationship with another word or concept

• the child's right to education is a correlative of the parent's duty to send the child to school.

III. derivatives

1. correlatively

adverb

2. correlativity

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin correlativus, from cor- ‘together’ + late Latin relativus (see relative).

correspond /kɒrɪˈspɒnd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. have a close similarity; match or agree almost exactly

• the carved heads described in the poem correspond to a drawing of Edgcote House

• communication is successful when the ideas in the minds of the speaker and hearer correspond.

2. be analogous or equivalent in character, form, or function

• the rank of Feldwebel in the German forces nominally corresponded to the British rank of sergeant.

3. communicate by exchanging letters

• Margaret corresponded with him until his death

• the doctor and I corresponded for more than two decades.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French correspondre, from medieval Latin correspondere, from cor- ‘together’ + Latin respondere (see respond).

correspondence /kɒrɪˈspɒnd(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. a close similarity, connection, or equivalence

• there is a simple correspondence between the distance of a focused object from the eye and the size of its image on the retina.

2. [ mass noun] — communication by exchanging letters

• the organization engaged in detailed correspondence with local MPs.

3. letters sent or received

• his wife dealt with his private correspondence.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin correspondentia, from correspondent- ‘corresponding’ (see correspondent).

correspondence college correspondence school

noun

a college offering correspondence courses.

correspondence column

noun

(Brit.) the part of a newspaper, magazine, or journal that contains letters from readers.

correspondence course

noun

a course of study in which student and tutors communicate by post.

correspondence principle ‹Physics›

noun

the principle that states that for very large quantum numbers the laws of quantum theory merge with those of classical physics.

correspondence theory ‹Philosophy›

noun

the theory that states that the definition or criterion of truth is that true propositions correspond to the facts.

correspondent /kɒrɪˈspɒnd(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a person who writes letters on a regular basis

• she wasn't much of a correspondent.

2. [often with adj. or noun modifier] — a person employed to report for a newspaper or broadcasting organization

• a cricket correspondent.

II. adjective

corresponding.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): from Old French correspondant or medieval Latin correspondent- ‘corresponding’, from the verb correspondere (see correspond).

corresponding /ˌkɒrɪˈspɒndɪŋ/

adjective

analogous or equivalent in character, form, or function; comparable

• the corresponding Jamaican word is ‘bada’.

corresponding angles

plural noun

[Mathematics] the angles which occupy the same relative position at each intersection where a straight line crosses two others. If the two lines are parallel, the corresponding angles are equal.

correspondingly /ˌkɒrəˈspɒndɪŋli/

adverb

in an analogous or equivalent way

• it has fewer problems and correspondingly requires less maintenance.

corresponding member

noun

an honorary member of a learned society who has no voice in the society's affairs, especially one living some distance from its headquarters.

corrida /kɒˈriːdə/

I. noun

a bullfight.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Spanish corrida de toros ‘running of bulls’.

corrido /kɒˈriːdəʊ/

I. noun

a ballad in a traditional Mexican style, typically having lyrics that narrate a historical event

• several corridos devoted to the tragedy were composed.

– origin Spanish.

corridor /ˈkɒrɪdɔː/

I. noun

1. a long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms.

• his room lay at the very end of the corridor.

2. (Brit.) a passage along the side of some railway carriages, from which doors lead into compartments.

• even on long journeys early trains had no corridors.

3. a belt of land linking two other areas or following a road or river

• the security forces established corridors for humanitarian supplies.

II. phrases

the corridors of power

the senior levels of government or administration.

• he will be a considerable influence in the corridors of power, particularly when it comes to private legislation.

[from the name of C. P. Snow's novel The Corridors of Power (1964).]

– origin late 16th cent. (as a military term denoting a strip of land along the outer edge of a ditch, protected by a parapet): from French, from Italian corridore, alteration (by association with corridore ‘runner’) of corridoio ‘running place’, from correre ‘to run’, from Latin currere. The current sense dates from the early 19th cent.

corrie /ˈkɒri/

I. noun

a cirque, especially one in the mountains of Scotland.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic and Irish coire ‘cauldron, hollow’.

Corriedale /ˈkɒrɪdeɪl/

I. noun

a sheep of a New Zealand breed kept for both wool and meat.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after an estate in northern Otago, New Zealand.

corrigendum /ˌkɒrɪˈdʒɛndəm/

I. noun

a thing to be corrected, typically an error in a printed book.

• the 1980-84 cumulation contains corrigenda which are not included in the annual volumes.

– origin early 19th cent.: Latin, neuter gerundive of corrigere ‘bring into order’ (see correct).

corrigible /ˈkɒrɪdʒɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

capable of being corrected, rectified, or reformed.

II. derivatives

corrigibility

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘liable to or deserving punishment’): via French from medieval Latin corrigibilis, from Latin corrigere ‘to correct’.

corrival /kəˈrʌɪv(ə)l/

I. noun

‹archaic› one of several competitors having an equal claim to someone or something, especially a rival suitor

• he doth suspect corrivals in his love.

– origin late 16th cent.: French, or from Latin corrivalis, from rivalisrival.

corroborate /kəˈrɒbəreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding)

• the witness had corroborated the boy's account of the attack.

II. derivatives

1. corroborative /kəˈrɒbərətɪv /

adjective

2. corroborator

noun

3. corroboratory /kəˈrɒbərət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘make physically stronger’): from Latin corroborat- ‘strengthened’, from the verb corroborare, from cor- ‘together’ + roborare, from robur ‘strength’.

corroboration /kəˌrɒbəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. evidence which confirms or supports a statement, theory, or finding; confirmation

• there is no independent corroboration for this.

corroboree /kəˈrɒbəri/

I. noun

1. an Australian Aboriginal dance ceremony which may take the form of a sacred ritual or an informal gathering.

2. (chiefly Austral.) a party or other lively social gathering.

• of all the strange indigenous corroborees that take place in Melbourne, the Melbourne Cup is unquestionably the best.

– origin from Dharuk garaabara, denoting a style of dancing.

corrode /kəˈrəʊd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. destroy or damage (metal, stone, or other materials) slowly by chemical action

• acid rain poisons fish and corrodes buildings.

2. [no obj.] — (of metal or other materials) be destroyed or damaged in this way

• over the years copper pipework corrodes.

3. destroy or weaken (something) gradually

• the self-centred climate corrodes ideals and concerns about social justice.

II. derivatives

corrodible

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin corrodere, from cor- (expressing intensive force) + rodere ‘gnaw’.

corrody /ˈkɒrədi/

I. noun

‹historical› a pension or provision for maintenance, especially as given regularly by a religious house.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French corodie, from a Romance word meaning ‘preparation’.

corrosion /kəˈrəʊʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of corroding or being corroded

• each aircraft part is sprayed with oil to prevent corrosion.

2. damage caused to metal, stone, or other materials by corrosion

• engineers found the corrosion when checking the bridge.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from late Latin corrosio(n-), from Latin corrodere ‘gnaw through’ (see corrode).

corrosive /kəˈrəʊsɪv/

I. adjective

tending to cause corrosion

• the corrosive effects of salt water.

II. noun

a corrosive substance.

III. derivatives

1. corrosively

adverb

2. corrosiveness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French corosif, -ive, from medieval Latin corrosivus, from Latin corros- ‘gnawed through’, from the verb corrodere (see corrode).

corrosive sublimate

noun

old-fashioned term for mercuric chloride.

corrugate /ˈkɒrʊɡeɪt/

I. verb

contract or cause to contract into wrinkles or folds
[no obj.]

• Micky's brow corrugated in a simian frown.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin corrugat- ‘wrinkled’, from the verb corrugare, from cor- (expressing intensive force) + rugare (from ruga ‘a wrinkle’).

corrugated /ˈkɒrəɡeɪtɪd/

I. adjective

(of a material or surface) shaped into a series of parallel ridges and grooves so as to give added rigidity and strength

• corrugated cardboard.

II. derivatives

corrugation

noun

corrugated iron

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a building material consisting of iron or steel sheeting bent into a corrugated form.

corrugated paper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. packaging material made from layers of thick paper, the top layer of which is alternately grooved and ridged for added strength and rigidity.

corrupt /kəˈrʌpt/

I. adjective

1. having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain

• unscrupulous logging companies assisted by corrupt officials.

2. evil or morally depraved

• the old corrupt order.

3. (of a text or a computer database or program) made unreliable by errors or alterations.

• a progressively corrupt magnetic record is usable nonetheless.

4. ‹archaic› (of organic or inorganic matter) in a state of decay; rotten or putrid.

• a corrupt and rotting corpse.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain

• there is a continuing fear of firms corrupting politicians in the search for contracts.

2. cause to become morally depraved

• he has corrupted the boy.

3. change or debase by making errors or unintentional alterations

• a backup copy will be needed if the original copy becomes corrupted

• Epicurus's teachings have since been much corrupted.

4. ‹archaic› infect; contaminate.
(as adj. corrupting)

• the corrupting smell of death.

III. derivatives

1. corrupter

noun

2. corruptibility

noun

3. corruptible

adjective

4. corruptive

adjective

5. corruptly

adverb

6. corruptness

noun

– origin Middle English: from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpere ‘mar, bribe, destroy’, from cor- ‘altogether’ + rumpere ‘to break’.

corruption /kəˈrʌpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery

• the journalist who wants to expose corruption in high places.

2. the action or effect of making someone or something morally depraved.

• the corruption of youth was a powerful motif.

• the word ‘addict’ conjures up evil and corruption.

3. the process by which a word or expression is changed from its original state to one regarded as erroneous or debased

• a record of a word's corruption

• [ count noun] the term ‘hobgoblin’ is thought to be a corruption of ‘Robgoblin’.

4. the process by which a computer database or program becomes debased by alteration or the introduction of errors.

• this procedure creates a temporary file to prevent accidental corruption.

5. ‹archaic› the process of decay; putrefaction.

• the potato turned black and rotten with corruption.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin corruptio(n-), from corrumpere ‘mar, bribe, destroy’ (see corrupt).

corrupt practice

noun

a fraudulent activity, especially an attempt to rig an election.

• the National Peace Keeping Assembly believed that it could eliminate vote-buying and other corrupt practices.

corsac fox /ˈkɔːsak/

I. noun

a russet-grey fox found on the steppes of central Asia.
● Vulpes corsac, family Canidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: corsac from Russian korsak, from Turkic karsak.

corsage /kɔːˈsɑːʒ, ˈkɔːsɑːʒ/

I. noun

1. a spray of flowers worn pinned to a woman's clothes.

2. the upper part of a woman's dress.

– origin early 19th cent. (in sense 2): French, from Old French cors ‘body’, from Latin corpus.

corsair /kɔːˈsɛː, ˈkɔːsɛː/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› a pirate.

2. ‹archaic› a pirate ship.

3. ‹archaic› a privateer, especially one operating along the southern shore of the Mediterranean in the 16th–18th centuries.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French corsaire, from medieval Latin cursarius, from cursus ‘a raid, plunder’, special use of Latin cursus ‘course’, from currere ‘to run’.

corse /kɔːs/

I. noun

‹archaic› a corpse.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cors ‘body’, from Latin corpus. Compare with corpse.

Corse /kɔʀs/

French name for Corsica.

corselet /ˈkɔːs(ə)lɪt/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a piece of armour covering the trunk.

2. variant spelling of corselette.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French corslet, diminutive of cors ‘body’.

corselette /kɔːs(ə)ˈlɛt, ˈkɔːs(ə)lɛt / corselet

I. noun

a woman's foundation garment combining corset and bra.

– origin 1920s: from corselet (see corselet).

corset /ˈkɔːsɪt/

I. noun

1. a woman's tightly fitting undergarment extending from below the chest to the hips, worn to shape the figure.

2. a tightly fitting undergarment worn by men or women to support a weak or injured back.

3. ‹historical› a tightly fitting laced or stiffened outer bodice.

II. derivatives

1. corseted

adjective

2. corsetry

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French, diminutive of cors ‘body’, from Latin corpus. The sense ‘close-fitting undergarment’ dates from the late 18th cent., by which time the sense ‘bodice’ had mainly historical reference.

corsetière /ˈkɔːsɪtjɛː/

I. noun

a woman who makes or fits corsets.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, feminine of corsetier, from corset (see corset).

Corsica /ˈkɔːsɪkə/

a mountainous island off the west coast of Italy, forming an administrative region of France; pop. 273,000 (est. 2004); chief towns, Bastia (northern department) and Ajaccio (southern department). It was the birthplace of Napoleon I.
French name Corse.

Corsican /ˈkɔːsɪk(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to Corsica, its people, or their language.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Corsica.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of Corsica, which originated as a dialect of Italian.

corso /ˈkɔːsəʊ/

I. noun

1. (in Italy and some other Mediterranean countries) a social promenade.

2. a street used for social promenades, or where races and parades were formerly held.

– origin Italian, ‘main street’, from Latin cursus ‘a course’.

Cort, Henry /kɔːt/

(1740–1800), English ironmaster. He patented a process for producing iron bars by passing iron through grooved rollers, thus avoiding a hammering stage.

cortado /kɔːˈtɑːdəʊ/

I. noun

a drink of espresso coffee with a small amount of steamed milk

• I sat down at a cafe and ordered a cortado.

– origin from Spanish (café) cortado, literally ‘cut coffee’, from cortar ‘to cut’.

cortège /kɔːˈteɪʒ, kɔːˈtɛʒ/

I. noun

1. a solemn procession, especially for a funeral.

• a funeral cortège.

• off we sped in the cortège of limousines that had been drawn up on the tarmac.

2. a person's entourage or retinue.

• his entourage became an ever-present cortège wherever he went.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian corteggio, from corteggiare ‘attend court’, from corte ‘court’, from Latin cohors, cohort- ‘retinue’.

Cortes /ˈkɔːtɛs, ˈkɔːtɛz, Spanish ˈkortes/

I. the legislative assembly of Spain and formerly of Portugal.

– origin Spanish and Portuguese, plural of corte ‘court’, from Latin cohors, cohort- ‘yard, retinue’.

Cortés, Hernando /ˈkɔːtɛz, Spanish korˈtes / Cortez

(1485–1547), first of the Spanish conquistadores. Cortés overthrew the Aztec empire, conquering its capital, Tenochtitlán, in 1519 and deposing the emperor, Montezuma. In 1521 he destroyed Tenochtitlán completely and established Mexico City as the new capital of Mexico (then called New Spain).

cortex /ˈkɔːtɛks/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] the outer layer of the cerebrum (the cerebral cortex), composed of folded grey matter and playing an important role in consciousness.

2. an outer layer of another organ or body part such as a kidney (the renal cortex), the cerebellum, or a hair.

3. [Botany] an outer layer of tissue immediately below the epidermis of a stem or root.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, literally ‘bark’.

cortical /ˈkɔːtɪk(ə)l/

adjective

1. [Anatomy] relating to the outer layer of the cerebrum

• the imaging of the brain showed cortical atrophy.

2. relating to an outer layer of another organ or body part such as a kidney

• the outline of the kidney is irregular due to cortical scarring.

3. [Botany] relating to or forming an outer layer of tissue immediately below the epidermis of a stem or root

• a probe was inserted into cortical cells of cotton roots.

corticate /ˈkɔːtɪkeɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] having a cortex, bark, or rind.

II. derivatives

cortication

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin corticatus, from cortex, cortic- ‘bark’.

cortico-

I. combining form

representing cortex, used especially with reference to the adrenal and cerebral cortices.

– origin from Latin cortex, cortic- ‘bark’.

corticofugal /ˌkɔːtɪkəʊˈfjuːɡ(ə)l / corticifugal /ˌkɔːtɪˈsɪfjuːɡ(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] (of a nerve fibre) originating in and running from the cerebral cortex.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cortico- ‘cortex’ + Latin fugere ‘run from’.

corticosteroid /ˌkɔːtɪkəʊˈstɪərɔɪd, ˌkɔːtɪkəʊˈstɛrɔɪd/

noun

[Biochemistry] any of a group of steroid hormones produced in the adrenal cortex or made synthetically. There are two kinds: glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids. They have various metabolic functions and some are used to treat inflammation.

corticosterone /ˌkɔːtɪkəʊˈstɛrəʊn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex, one of the glucocorticoids.

corticotrophin /ˌkɔːtɪkə(ʊ)ˈtrəʊfɪn / corticotropin /ˌkɔːtɪkə(ʊ)ˈtrəʊpɪn/

noun

[Biochemistry] another term for adrenocorticotrophic hormone.

cortile /kɔːˈtiːleɪ, Italian korˈtile/

I. noun

(in Italy) an enclosed area, typically roofless and arcaded, within or attached to a building.

– origin Italian, derivative of corte ‘court’.

cortina /kɔːˈtʌɪnə, kɔːˈtiːnə/

I. noun

[Botany] (in some toadstools) a thin web-like veil extending from the edge of the cap to the stalk.

II. derivatives

cortinate

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from late Latin, literally ‘curtain’.

cortisol /ˈkɔːtɪsɒl/

noun

[Biochemistry] another term for hydrocortisone.

cortisone /ˈkɔːtɪzəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. One of the glucocorticoids, it is also made synthetically for use as an anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy agent.

– origin 1940s: from elements of its chemical name 17-hydroxy-11-dehydrocorticosterone.

corundum /kəˈrʌndəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extremely hard crystallized alumina, used as an abrasive. Ruby and sapphire are varieties of corundum.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Tamil kuruntam and Telugu kuruvindam.

Corunna /kəˈrʌnə/

a port in NW Spain; pop. 245,164 (2008). It was the point of departure for the Armada in 1588 and the site of a battle in 1809 in the Peninsular War, at which British forces under Sir John Moore defeated the French.
Spanish name La Coruña.

coruscant /kɒˈrʌsk(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹literary› glittering; sparkling.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin coruscant- ‘vibrating, glittering’, from the verb coruscare.

coruscate /ˈkɒrəskeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹literary› (of light) flash or sparkle

• the light was coruscating through the walls.

II. derivatives

coruscation /kɒrəˈskeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin coruscat- ‘glittered’, from the verb coruscare.

coruscating /ˈkɒrəskeɪtɪŋ/

adjective

1. flashing; sparkling

• a coruscating kaleidoscope of colours.

2. brilliant or striking in content or style

• the play's coruscating wit.

corvée /ˈkɔːveɪ/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a day's unpaid labour owed by a vassal to his feudal lord.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹historical› forced labour exacted in lieu of taxes, in particular that on public roads in France before 1776.

• they still force the peasants to do corveé.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin corrogare ‘ask for, collect’. Rare in English before the late 18th cent.

corves /kɔːvz/

plural form of corf.

corvette /kɔːˈvɛt/

I. noun

1. a small warship designed for convoy escort duty.

2. ‹historical› a type of sailing warship with one tier of guns.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Dutch korf, denoting a kind of ship, + the diminutive suffix -ette.

corvid /ˈkɔːvɪd/

I. noun

[Ornithology] a bird of the crow family ( Corvidae); a crow.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from modern Latin Corvidae (plural), from Latin corvus ‘raven’.

corvina^1 /kɔːˈviːnə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of wine grape native to the Veneto region of NE Italy, used to make Valpolicella and Bardolino.

– origin Italian (feminine adjective), literally ‘raven-black’.

corvina^2 /kɔːˈviːnə/

I. noun

a marine food and game fish of the drum family, found on the Pacific coasts of California and Mexico and sometimes living in fresh water.
●Genus Cynoscion, family Sciaenidae: two species.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Spanish and Portuguese.

corvine /ˈkɔːvʌɪn/

I. adjective

of or like a raven or crow, especially in colour.

• this attractive member of the corvine family.

• in appearance they are distinctly corvine.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin corvinus, from corvus ‘raven’.

Corvus /ˈkɔːvəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small southern constellation (the Crow or Raven), south of Virgo.

II. (as genitive Corvi) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Gamma Corvi.

– origin Latin.

corybantic /ˌkɒrɪˈbantɪk/

I. adjective

wild; frenzied.

• rock and roll's corybantic gyrations.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Corybantes, Latin name of the priests of Cybele, a Phrygian goddess of nature, who performed wild dances, from Greek Korubantes + -ic.

corydalis /kəˈrɪdəlɪs/

I. noun

a herbaceous plant with spurred tubular flowers, found in north temperate regions.
●Genus Corydalis, family Fumariaceae: many species, including yellow corydalis ( C. lutea), a garden escape which has become naturalized in Britain.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek korudallis ‘crested lark’, alluding to a similarity between the flower and the bird's spur.

corymb /ˈkɒrɪmb/

I. noun

[Botany] a flower cluster whose lower stalks are proportionally longer so that the flowers form a flat or slightly convex head.

• this hybrid produces beautiful corymbs of white, pink-budded flowers.

II. derivatives

corymbose

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from French corymbe or Latin corymbus, from Greek korumbos ‘cluster’.

corynebacterium /ˌkɒrɪnɪbakˈtɪərɪəm, kəˌrɪnɪbakˈtɪərɪəm/

I. noun

a bacterium which sometimes causes disease in humans and other animals, including diphtheria.
●Genus Corynebacterium; Gram-positive non-motile club-shaped rods.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek korunē ‘club’ + bacterium.

coryphée /ˈkɒrɪfeɪ/

I. noun

a leading dancer in a corps de ballet.

– origin French, via Latin from Greek koruphaios ‘leader of a chorus’, from koruphē ‘head’.

coryza /kəˈrʌɪzə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] catarrhal inflammation of the mucous membrane in the nose, caused especially by a cold or by hay fever.

• a patient suffering from acute coryza.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin, from Greek koruza ‘nasal mucus’.

cos^1 /kɒs / cos lettuce

I. noun

(Brit.) a lettuce of a variety with crisp narrow leaves that form a tall head.

– origin late 17th cent.: named after the Aegean island of Cos, where it originated.

cos^2 /kɒz, kɒs/

abbreviation

cosine.

cos^3 /kɒz, kəz / 'cos

conjunction

(Brit.) ‹informal› because. See also coz^1, cuz^1:

• I got quite upset, cos I'd worked so hard.

Cosa Nostra /ˌkəʊzə ˈnɒstrə/

I. a US criminal organization resembling and related to the Mafia.

– origin Italian, literally ‘our affair’.

coscoroba swan /ˌkɒskəˈrəʊbə/

I. noun

a small South American swan with white plumage and bright pink legs and feet.
● Coscoroba coscoroba, family Anatidae.

– origin early 19th cent.: coscoroba from the modern Latin taxonomic name, of unknown origin.

cosec /ˈkəʊsɛk/

abbreviation

cosecant.

cosecant /kəʊˈsiːk(ə)nt, kəʊˈsɛk(ə)nt/

I. noun

[Mathematics] the ratio of the hypotenuse (in a right-angled triangle) to the side opposite an acute angle; the reciprocal of sine.

– origin early 18th cent.: from modern Latin cosecant-, from co- ‘mutually’ + Latin secant- ‘cutting’ (from the verb secare). Compare with secant.

coseismal /kəʊˈsʌɪzm(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting points on the earth's surface affected by an earthquake simultaneously.

II. noun

a line on a map connecting coseismal points.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from co- ‘jointly’ + seismal (from Greek seismos ‘earthquake’, from seien ‘to shake’).

coset /ˈkəʊsɛt/

noun

[Mathematics] a set composed of all the products obtained by multiplying each element of a subgroup in turn by one particular element of the group containing the subgroup.

cosh^1 /kɒʃ / ‹Brit. informal›

I. noun

a thick, heavy stick or bar used as a weapon.

• the defendants deny having a self-loading pistol and a telescopic cosh.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. hit (someone) on the head with a cosh.

• the other coshed him and he fell unconscious.

III. phrases

under the cosh

(Brit.) ‹informal› under pressure; in a difficult situation

• car dealers are under the cosh right now.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

cosh^2 /kɒʃ, kɒˈseɪtʃ/

I. abbreviation

[Mathematics] hyperbolic cosine.

– origin from cos^2 + -h for hyperbolic. Compare with coth.

COSHH

abbreviation

(Brit.) control of substances hazardous for health, a body of regulations introduced in Britain to govern the storage and use of such substances.
[as modifier]

• the COSHH Regulations.

co-signatory /kəʊˈsɪɡnət(ə)ri/

noun

a person or state signing a treaty or other document jointly with others.

• this does not diminish the British obligation to our co-signatories.

Cosimo de' Medici /ˈkɒzɪməʊ/

(1389–1464), Italian statesman and banker; known as Cosimo the Elder. He laid the foundations for the Medici family's power in Florence, becoming the city's ruler in 1434 and using his considerable wealth to promote the arts and learning.

cosine /ˈkəʊsʌɪn/

noun

[Mathematics] the trigonometric function that is equal to the ratio of the side adjacent to an acute angle (in a right-angled triangle) to the hypotenuse.

co-sleeping

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of parents and young children sleeping in the same bed.

II. derivatives

co-sleep

verb

cosmeceutical /ˌkɒzməˈs(j)uːtɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

a cosmetic that has or is claimed to have medicinal properties.

– origin 1980s: blend of cosmetic and pharmaceutical.

cosmetic /kɒzˈmɛtɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to treatment intended to restore or improve a person's appearance

• cosmetic surgery.

2. serving to improve the appearance of the body, especially the face

• cosmetic creams.

3. affecting only the appearance of something rather than its substance

• the reform package was merely a cosmetic exercise.

II. noun — (usu. cosmetics)

1. a preparation applied to the body, especially the face, to improve its appearance.

• the range covers everything from the latest cosmetics to skin and hair care.

III. derivatives

cosmetically

adverb

– origin early 17th cent. (as a noun denoting the art of beautifying the body): from French cosmétique, from Greek kosmētikos, from kosmein ‘arrange or adorn’, from kosmos ‘order or adornment’.

cosmetician /ˌkɒzməˈtɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

(N. Amer.) a person who sells or applies cosmetics as an occupation.

cosmetology /ˌkɒzmɪˈtɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the professional skill or practice of beautifying the face, hair, and skin.

II. derivatives

1. cosmetological

adjective

2. cosmetologist

noun

cosmic /ˈkɒzmɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the universe or cosmos, especially as distinct from the earth

• cosmic matter

• the cosmic void.

2. inconceivably vast

• the song is a masterpiece of cosmic proportions.

II. derivatives

1. cosmical

adjective

2. cosmically

adverb

cosmic dust

noun — [ mass noun]

1. small particles of matter distributed throughout space.

• glowing clouds of dense cosmic dust.

cosmic radiation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. radiation consisting of cosmic rays.

cosmic ray

noun

a highly energetic atomic nucleus or other particle travelling through space at a speed approaching that of light.

cosmo- /ˈkɒzməʊ/

I. combining form

relating to the world or the universe

• cosmodrome

• cosmography.

– origin from Greek kosmos ‘order, world’.

cosmodrome /ˈkɒzmədrəʊm/

I. noun

(in the countries of the former Soviet Union) a launching site for spacecraft.

– origin 1950s: from cosmo- + drome, on the pattern of aerodrome.

cosmogenesis /ˌkɒzmə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

I. noun

the origin or evolution of the universe.

II. derivatives

1. cosmogenetic

adjective

2. cosmogenic

adjective

cosmogeny /kɒzˈmɒdʒəni/

noun

the origin or evolution of the universe.

cosmogony /kɒzˈmɒɡəni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of science that deals with the origin of the universe, especially the solar system.

• today the central questions of cosmology and cosmogony are being explored within the framework of the Big Bang theory.

2. [ count noun] — a theory regarding the origin of the universe

• in their cosmogony, the world was thought to be a square, flat surface.

II. derivatives

1. cosmogonic /kɒzməˈɡɒnɪk /

adjective

2. cosmogonical /kɒzməˈɡɒnɪk(ə)l /

adjective

3. cosmogonist

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from Greek kosmogonia, from kosmos ‘order or world’ + -gonia ‘-begetting’.

cosmography /kɒzˈmɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of science which deals with the general features of the universe, including the earth.

• he published a series of elementary textbooks on cosmography, trigonometry, and astronomy (1651).

2. [ count noun] — a description or representation of the universe or the earth.

• the Ravenna Cosmography.

II. derivatives

1. cosmographer

noun

2. cosmographic /kɒzməˈɡrafɪk /

adjective

3. cosmographical

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from French cosmographie, or via late Latin from Greek kosmographia, from kosmos (see cosmos^1) + -graphia ‘writing’.

cosmological /kɒzməˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/

adjective

relating to the origin and development of the universe

• the general theory of relativity led to major developments in cosmological theory.

cosmological argument

noun

[Philosophy] an argument for the existence of God which claims that all things in nature depend on something else for their existence (i.e. are contingent), and that the whole cosmos must therefore itself depend on a being which exists independently or necessarily.
Compare with ontological argument and teleological argument.

cosmological constant

noun

[Physics] an arbitrary constant in the field equations of general relativity.

cosmology /kɒzˈmɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the science of the origin and development of the universe. Modern cosmology is dominated by the Big Bang theory, which brings together observational astronomy and particle physics.

2. [ count noun] — an account or theory of the origin of the universe.

II. derivatives

cosmologist

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French cosmologie or modern Latin cosmologia, from Greek kosmos ‘order or world’ + -logia ‘discourse’.

cosmonaut /ˈkɒzmənɔːt/

I. noun

a Russian astronaut.

– origin 1950s: from cosmos^1, on the pattern of astronaut and Russian kosmonavt.

cosmopolis /kɒzˈmɒp(ə)lɪs/

I. noun

a city inhabited by people from many different countries.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kosmos ‘world’ + polis ‘city’.

cosmopolitan /ˌkɒzməˈpɒlɪt(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures

• his knowledge of French, Italian, and Spanish made him genuinely cosmopolitan.

2. including people from many different countries

• immigration transformed the city into a cosmopolitan metropolis.

3. having an exciting and glamorous character associated with travel and a mixture of cultures

• their designs became a byword for cosmopolitan chic.

4. (of a plant or animal) found all over the world.

II. noun

1. a cosmopolitan person.

• there were also cosmopolitans who spoke both Spanish and English and travelled in the worlds of both Puerto Rican and white Holyoke.

2. a cosmopolitan plant or animal.

3. a cocktail made with Cointreau, lemon vodka, cranberry juice, and lime juice.

III. derivatives

1. cosmopolitanism

noun

2. cosmopolitanize cosmopolitanise

verb

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a noun): from cosmopolite + -an.

cosmopolite /kɒzˈmɒp(ə)lʌɪt/

I. noun

1. a cosmopolitan person.

• the true cosmopolite, the great world figure, always had his roots deep in the peculiar soil of his own country.

2. [Ecology] another term for cosmopolitan (sense 2 of the noun).

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, from Greek kosmopolitēs, from kosmos ‘world’ + politēs ‘citizen’.

cosmos^1 /ˈkɒzmɒs/

I. noun — ( the cosmos)

1. the universe seen as a well-ordered whole

• he sat staring deep into the void, reminding himself of man's place in the cosmos.

2. a system of thought

• the new gender-free intellectual cosmos.

– origin Middle English: from Greek kosmos ‘order or world’.

cosmos^2 /ˈkɒzmɒs/

I. noun

an ornamental plant of the daisy family, which bears single dahlia-like flowers and is native to Mexico and warm regions of America.
●Genus Cosmos, family Compositae.

– origin from Greek kosmos in the sense ‘ornament’.

COSPAR /ˈkəʊspɑː/

abbreviation

Committee on Space Research.

cosplay /ˈkɒzpleɪ, ˈkɒspleɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of dressing up as a character from a film, book, or video game, especially one from the Japanese genres of manga or anime.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. engage in cosplay.

III. derivatives

cosplayer

noun

– origin 1990s: blend of costume and play.

Cossack /ˈkɒsak/

I. noun

1. a member of a people of Ukraine and southern Russia, noted for their horsemanship and military skill.

2. a member of a Cossack military unit.

The Cossacks had their origins in the 14th century, when refugees from religious persecution, outlaws, and escaped serfs banded together in settlements for protection. Under the tsars they were allowed considerable autonomy in return for protecting the frontiers and participating in military campaigns; with the collapse of Soviet rule Cossack groups have reasserted their identity in both Russia and Ukraine.

II. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Cossacks.

– origin from Russian kazak from Turkic, ‘vagabond, nomad’; later influenced by French Cosaque (see also Kazakh).

cosset /ˈkɒsɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. care for and protect in an overindulgent way

• all her life she'd been cosseted by her family.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a noun denoting a lamb brought up by hand, later a spoiled child): probably from Anglo-Norman French coscet ‘cottager’, from Old English cotsǣta ‘cottar’.

cossie /ˈkɒzi, ˈkɒsi / cozzie

I. noun

‹informal› a swimming costume or a pair of swimming trunks.

– origin early 20th cent.: alteration of the first element of costume.

Cossyra /kəˈsʌɪərə/

Roman name for Pantelleria.

cost /kɒst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of an object or action) require the payment of (a specified sum of money) before it can be acquired or done

• each issue of the magazine costs £1

• [with two objs] the journey will cost her £25.

2. cause the loss or unpleasant consequence of
[with two objs]

• driving at more than double the speed limit cost the woman her driving licence.

3. ‹informal› be expensive for (someone)

• if you want to own an island, it'll cost you.

4. ( past and past participle costed) — estimate the price of

• it is their job to plan and cost a media schedule for the campaign.

II. noun

1. an amount that has to be paid or spent to buy or obtain something

• we are able to cover the cost of the event

• health-care costs

• [ mass noun] the tunnel has been built at no cost to the state.

2. the effort, loss, or sacrifice necessary to achieve or obtain something

• the government succeeded in diverting resources away from consumption at considerable cost to its political popularity.

3. ( costs (also court costs)) — legal expenses, especially those allowed in favour of the winning party or against the losing party in a suit.

• costs may be awarded to a successful private prosecutor out of central funds.

III. phrases

1. at all costs (or at any cost)

regardless of the price to be paid or the effort needed

• he was anxious to avoid war at all costs.

2. at cost

at cost price; without profit to the seller.

3. cost an arm and a leg

see arm^1.

4. cost someone dear (or dearly)

involve someone in a serious loss or a heavy penalty

• they were really bad mistakes on my part and they cost us dear.

5. to someone's cost

with loss or disadvantage to someone

• without programmes to play on it, the cleverest machine is useless—as some hardware manufacturers already know to their cost.

– origin Middle English: from Old French coust (noun), couster (verb), based on Latin constare ‘stand firm, stand at a price’.

costa

I. noun

1. [Botany] [Zoology] a rib, midrib, or rib-like structure.

2. [Entomology] the main vein running along the leading edge of an insect's wing.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin.

Costa, Lúcio /ˈkɒstə/

(1902–98), French-born Brazilian architect, town planner, and architectural historian. He achieved a worldwide reputation with his design for Brazil's new capital, Brasilia, which was chosen by an international jury in 1956.

Costa Blanca /ˌkɒstə ˈblaŋkə/

I. a resort region on the Mediterranean coast of SE Spain.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘white coast’.

Costa Brava /ˈbrɑːvə, Spanish ˈbraβa/

I. a resort region to the north of Barcelona, on the Mediterranean coast of NE Spain.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘wild coast’.

cost accounting

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the recording of all the costs incurred in a business in a way that can be used to improve its management.

II. derivatives

cost accountant

noun

Costa del Sol /dɛl ˈsɒl/

I. a resort region on the Mediterranean coast of southern Spain.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘coast of the sun’.

costal /ˈkɒst(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to the ribs.

2. [Anatomy] [Zoology] relating to a costa.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from modern Latin costalis, from Latin costa ‘rib’.

co-star /ˈkəʊstɑː/

I. noun

a cinema or stage star appearing with another or others of equal importance.

• she had a well-publicized affair with her co-star.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. appear in a production as a co-star

• Rickman co-starred with Bruce Willis in the movie.

2. [with obj.] — (of a production) include as a co-star

• his new TV show co-stars John Schneider.

Costard /ˈkɒstəd, ˈkʌstəd/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a cooking apple of a large ribbed variety.

2. ‹archaic› ‹humorous› a person's head.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, from coste ‘rib’, from Latin costa.

Costa Rica /ˌkɒstə ˈriːkə/

I.
1. a republic in Central America on the Isthmus of Panama; pop. 4,253,900 (est. 2009); official language, Spanish; capital, San José.

Colonized by Spain in the early 16th century, Costa Rica achieved independence in 1823 and emerged as a separate country in 1838 after fourteen years within the United Provinces of Central America.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘rich coast’.

Costa Rican /ˌkɒstəˈ riːk(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Costa Rica or its people

• a Costa Rican rainforest.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Costa Rica

• the three-day race was won by a native Costa Rican.

costate /ˈkɒsteɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] [Zoology] ribbed; possessing a costa.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin costatus, from costa ‘rib’.

cost–benefit

adjective

relating to or denoting a process that assesses the relation between the cost of an undertaking and the value of the resulting benefits

• a cost–benefit analysis.

cost centre

noun

a part of an organization to which costs may be charged for accounting purposes.

cost-cutting /ˈkɒstkʌtɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the reduction of costs, especially in a business.

• the company would take a hard look at a new round of cost-cutting.

• [as modifier] the most extensive cost-cutting exercise in Canadian history.

II. derivatives

cost-cutter

noun

cost-effective /kɒstɪˈfɛktɪv/

I. adjective

effective or productive in relation to its cost

• the most cost-effective way to invest in the stock market.

II. derivatives

cost-effectively

adverb

cost-effectiveness /ˈkɒstɪˌfɛktɪvnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the degree to which something is effective or productive in relation to its cost

• the college will be able to improve the cost-effectiveness of policing.

cost-efficient

I. adjective

another term for cost-effective.

II. derivatives

cost-efficiency

noun

coster /ˈkɒstə/

noun

short for costermonger.

costermonger /ˈkɒstəmʌŋɡə/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› a person who sells goods, especially fruit and vegetables, from a handcart in the street.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting an apple seller): from Costard + -monger.

costing /ˈkɒstɪŋ/

noun — (often costings)

1. the proposed or estimated cost of producing or undertaking something

• he obtained costings for manual keyboarding of the records.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of calculating a costing

• detailed costing can make the difference between an excellent idea and a ruinous one.

costive /ˈkɒstɪv/

I. adjective

1. constipated.

2. slow or reluctant in speech or action; unforthcoming

• if he did ask her she would become costive.

II. derivatives

1. costively

adverb

2. costiveness

noun

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin constipatus ‘pressed together’ (see constipated).

costly /ˈkɒs(t)li/

I. adjective

1. costing a lot; expensive

• major problems requiring costly repairs.

2. causing suffering, loss, or disadvantage

• the government's biggest and most costly mistake.

II. derivatives

costliness

noun

costmary /ˈkɒstmɛːri/

I. noun

an aromatic plant of the daisy family, formerly used in medicine and for flavouring ale prior to the use of hops. Also called alecost.
● Balsamita major, family Compositae.

– origin late Middle English: from obsolete cost (via Latin from Greek kostos, via Arabic from Sanskrit kuṣṭha, denoting an aromatic plant) + Mary, the mother of Christ (with whom it was associated in medieval times because of its medicinal qualities).

cost-of-carry

noun

[Finance] the difference between the cost and the financial benefit of holding a particular asset for a specified period.

cost of living

noun

the level of prices relating to a range of everyday items.

cost-of-living index

noun

another term for retail price index.

cost-plus

adjective

relating to or denoting a method of pricing a service or product in which a fixed profit factor is added to the costs.

• many companies are charging what they believe the market will bear, rather than on a cost-plus basis.

cost price

noun

the price at which goods are or have been bought by a merchant or retailer.

cost-push

adjective

relating to or denoting inflation caused by increased labour or raw material costs.
Contrasted with demand-pull.

cost saving

I. noun

a reduction in expenses, especially in business

• the consolidation of these manufacturing facilities will deliver significant cost savings.

II. adjective

serving to reduce expenses, especially in business

• research into cost-saving technologies

• cost-saving measures.

costume /ˈkɒstjuːm/

I. noun

1. a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period

• authentic Elizabethan costumes

• [ mass noun] dancers in national costume.

2. a set of clothes worn by an actor or performer for a particular role.

• he was in charge of costumes and scenery for plays and masques.

3. (Brit.) a swimming costume.

4. (Brit.) ‹dated› a woman's matching jacket and skirt

• a chic black costume and white fur wrap.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. dress (someone) in a particular set of clothes

• an all-woman troupe elaborately costumed in clinging silver lamé.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from Italian costume ‘custom, fashion, habit’, from Latin consuetudo (see custom).

costume drama

noun

a television or cinema production set in a particular historical period, in which the actors wear costumes typical of that period.

costume jewellery

noun — [ mass noun]

1. jewellery made with inexpensive materials or imitation gems.

costumier /kɒˈstjuːmɪə / ‹US› costumer /kɒˈstjuːmə/

I. noun

a person or company that makes or supplies theatrical or fancy-dress costumes.

• a theatrical costumier.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from costumer ‘dress in a costume’ (see costume).

cosy /ˈkəʊzi / ‹US› cozy

I. adjective

1. giving a feeling of comfort, warmth, and relaxation

• the flickering lamp gave the room a cosy lived-in air.

2. (of a relationship or conversation) intimate and relaxed.

• a very cosy little chat.

3. not seeking or offering challenge or difficulty; complacent

• a cosy assumption among audit firms that they would never go bust.

4. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› (of a transaction or arrangement) beneficial to all those involved and possibly somewhat corrupt

• a cosy deal.

II. noun

1. a soft covering to keep a teapot, boiled egg, etc. hot

• a photograph of Smith pouring tea from a pot with a knitted cosy

• mug cosies are simple to make.

2. a soft decorative cover for a particular object

• a handmade phone cosy

• crocheted tissue box cosies.

3. ( cozy) — (N. Amer.) an insulating sleeve used to keep a canned or bottled drink cold

• guests received beer cozies at the end of the evening.

4. (Brit.) a canopied corner seat for two.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› make (someone) feel comfortable or complacent

• she cosied him and made out she found him irresistible.

2. [no obj.] ( cosy up to) — ‹informal› snuggle up to.

• he cosied up to the heater.

3. [no obj.] ( cosy up to) — ‹informal› ingratiate oneself with

• he decided to resign rather than cosy up to hardliners in the party.

IV. derivatives

1. cosily /ˈkəʊzɪli /

adverb

2. cosiness

noun

– origin early 18th cent. (originally Scots): of unknown origin.

cot^1 /kɒt/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a small bed with high barred sides for a baby or very young child.

2. (Brit.) a plain narrow bed.

3. (Brit.) (N. Amer.) a camp bed.

4. (Brit.) [Nautical] a bed resembling a hammock hung from deck beams, formerly used by officers.

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally Anglo-Indian, denoting a light bedstead): from Hindi khāṭ ‘bedstead, hammock’.

cot^2 /kɒt/

I. noun

1. a small shelter for livestock.

2. ‹archaic› a small, simple cottage.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; compare with Old Norse kytja ‘hovel’; related to cote.

cot^3 /kɒt/

abbreviation

[Mathematics] cotangent.

cotangent /kəʊˈtandʒ(ə)nt/

noun

[Mathematics] (in a right-angled triangle) the ratio of the side (other than the hypotenuse) adjacent to a particular acute angle to the side opposite the angle.

cot-case

noun

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person who is too ill to leave their bed.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person who is incapacitated by alcohol.

3. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› an eccentric or mad person.

cotch /kɒtʃ / kotch

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› spend time relaxing

• I'm still up—just been cotching on the sofa since I got in.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› stay or sleep somewhere on a temporary basis

• looks like I'm cotching on the streets tonight.

– origin late 19th cent. (in Jamaican English, in sense ‘rest, lean on something for support’): apparently a variant of scotch^1.

cot death

noun

(Brit.) the unexplained death of a baby in its sleep.

• cot deaths in England and Wales have dropped for the third year in succession.

• [ mass noun] the risk of cot death could be greatly reduced.

cote /kəʊt/

I. noun

a shelter for mammals or birds, especially pigeons.

– origin Old English (in the sense ‘cottage’), of Germanic origin; related to cot^2.

Côte d'Azur /ˌkəʊt dəˈzjʊə/

a coastal area of south-eastern France which includes Nice, Cannes, and Saint Tropez, and the principality of Monaco.

Côte d'Ivoire /ˌkəʊt diːˈvwɑː, kot divwaʀ/

a country in West Africa, on the Gulf of Guinea; pop. 20,617,100 (est. 2009); languages, French (official), West African languages; capital, Yamoussoukro. Also called Ivory Coast.
The area was explored by the Portuguese in the late 15th century. Subsequently it was disputed by traders from various European countries, who mainly sought ivory and slaves. It was made a French protectorate in 1842 and became a fully independent republic in 1960.

cote-hardie /ˈkəʊtˌhɑːdi/

I. noun

‹historical› a medieval close-fitting tunic with sleeves, worn by both sexes.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from cote ‘coat’ + hardie (feminine) ‘bold’.

coterie /ˈkəʊt(ə)ri/

I. noun

a small group of people with shared interests or tastes, especially one that is exclusive of other people

• a coterie of friends and advisers.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, earlier denoting an association of tenants, based on Middle Low German kote ‘cote’.

coterminous /kəʊˈtəːmɪnəs/

I. adjective

having the same boundaries or extent in space, time, or meaning

• the coterminous Borough and Parliamentary Constituency of Blyth Valley.

– origin late 18th cent.: alteration of conterminous.

coth /kɒθ, kɒtˈeɪtʃ/

I. abbreviation

hyperbolic cotangent.

– origin from cot^3 + -h for hyperbolic.

co-tidal line

noun

a line on a map connecting points at which a tidal level, especially high tide, occurs simultaneously.

cotillion /kəˈtɪljən/

I. noun

1. an elaborate 18th-century French dance based on the contredanse.

2. (US) a quadrille.

3. (US) a formal ball, especially one at which debutantes are presented.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French cotillon, literally ‘petticoat dance’, diminutive of cotte, from Old French cote.

cotinga /kəˈtɪŋɡə/

I. noun

a perching bird found in the forests of Central and South America, the male of which is frequently brilliantly coloured.
●Family Cotingidae (the cotinga family): several genera, especially Cotinga, and numerous species. The cotinga family also includes the bellbirds, umbrellabirds, and cocks-of-the-rock, and is sometimes placed within the family Tyrannidae.

– origin via French from Tupi cutinga.

Cotman, John Sell /ˈkɒtmən/

(1782–1842), English watercolourist and landscape painter, regarded as one of the leading figures of the Norwich School.

cotoneaster /kəˌtəʊnɪˈastə/

I. noun

a small-leaved shrub of the rose family, cultivated as a hedging plant or for its bright red berries which often remain on the plant throughout the winter.
●Genus Cotoneaster, family Rosaceae.

– origin mid 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Latin cotoneum (see quince) + -aster.

Cotonou /ˌkɒtəˈnuː/

the largest city, chief port, and chief commercial and political centre of Benin, on the coast of West Africa; pop. 719,912 (2006).

Cotopaxi /ˌkɒtəˈpaksi/

the highest active volcano in the world, rising to 5,896 m (19,142 ft) in the Andes of central Ecuador. Its name is Quechuan and means ‘shining peak’.

co-trimoxazole /ˌkəʊtrʌɪˈmɒksəzəʊl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a mixture of the drugs sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprim, used to treat bacterial infections synergistically.

Cotswold /ˈkɒtswəʊld/

I. noun

1. a sheep of a breed with fine wool, often used to produce cross-bred lambs.

2. [ mass noun] — Double Gloucester cheese containing chives and onions.

II. adjective

relating to the Cotswolds.

Cotswold Hills the Cotswolds

a range of limestone hills in SW England, largely in the county of Gloucestershire.

cotta /ˈkɒtə/

I. noun

a short garment resembling a surplice, worn typically by Catholic priests and servers.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Italian; ultimately related to coat.

cottage /ˈkɒtɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. a small house, typically one in the country.

• a holiday cottage.

2. a simple house forming part of a farm, used by a worker.

• farm cottages.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› (in the context of casual homosexual encounters) a public toilet.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun cottaging)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› perform homosexual acts in a public toilet.

• I was busted for cottaging.

III. derivatives

cottagey

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French cotage and Anglo-Latin cotagium, from cot^2 or cote.

cottage cheese

noun — [ mass noun]

1. soft, lumpy white cheese made from the curds of skimmed milk.

cottage garden

noun

an informal garden stocked typically with colourful flowering plants.

cottage hospital

noun

(Brit.) a small hospital in a country area.

cottage industry

noun

a business or manufacturing activity carried on in people's homes.

• weaving was an important cottage industry.

• [ mass noun] conditions in cottage industry were hardly rosy.

cottage loaf

noun

(Brit.) a loaf consisting of two round sections of bread, the smaller of which is on top of the larger.

cottage pie

noun

(Brit.) a dish of minced meat topped with browned mashed potato.

cottager /ˈkɒtɪdʒə/

noun

1. (Brit.) a person living in a cottage.

2. (N. Amer.) a person holidaying in a cottage.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› a man who performs homosexual acts in a public toilet.

cottar /ˈkɒtə / cotter

I. noun

‹historical› (in Scotland and Ireland) a farm labourer or tenant occupying a cottage in return for labour.

– origin late Old English, from cot^2 + -ar^4.

Cottbus /ˈkɒtbʊs/

an industrial city in SE Germany, in Brandenburg, on the River Spree; pop. 103,800 (est. 2006).

cotter pin /ˈkɒtə pɪn / cotter

I. noun

1. a metal pin used to fasten two parts of a mechanism together.

2. a split pin that is opened out after being passed through a hole.

– origin mid 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

cottier /ˈkɒtɪə/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› a rural labourer living in a cottage.

2. ‹historical› an Irish peasant holding land by cottier tenure.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cotier, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to cot^2.

cottier tenure

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› (in Ireland) the letting of land in small portions direct to the labourers, at a rent fixed by competition.

cottise /ˈkɒtɪs / cotise

I. noun

[Heraldry] a narrow band adjacent and parallel to an ordinary such as a bend or chevron.

II. derivatives

cottised

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from French cotice ‘leather thong’.

cotton /ˈkɒt(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft white fibrous substance which surrounds the seeds of the cotton plant and is made into textile fibre and thread for sewing.

• a cargo of cotton and wheat.

2. [often as modifier] — textile fabric made from cotton fibre

• a white cotton blouse.

3. thread made from cotton fibre.
[as modifier]

• a cotton reel.

4. (N. Amer.) cotton wool.

5. (also cotton plant) — the tropical and subtropical plant which is commercially grown to make cotton fabric and thread. Oil and a protein-rich flour are also obtained from the seeds.
●Genus Gossypium, family Malvaceae: many species and forms.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ( cotton on) — ‹informal› begin to understand

• he cottoned on to what I was trying to say.

2. ( cotton to) — ‹informal› (N. Amer.) have a liking for

• his rivals didn't cotton to all the attention he was getting.

III. derivatives

cottony

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French coton, from Arabic quṭn.

cotton batting

noun

North American term for cotton wool (sense 1).

cotton belt

noun

the cotton-producing region of the southern US.

cotton bud

noun

(Brit.) a small wad of cotton wool on a short, thin stick, used for cosmetic purposes or cleaning the ears.

cotton cake

noun — [ mass noun]

1. compressed cotton seed, used as food for cattle.

cotton candy

noun

North American term for candyfloss.

cotton gin

noun

a machine for separating cotton from its seeds.

cotton grass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sedge which typically grows on wet moorlands in the northern hemisphere, producing tufts of long white silky hairs which aid in the dispersal of the seeds. Also called bog cotton.
●Genus Eriophorum, family Cyperaceae.

cotton lavender

noun

a small aromatic shrubby plant of the daisy family, with silvery or greenish lavender-like foliage and yellow button flowers. Native to the Mediterranean area, it has insecticidal properties.
●Genus Santolina, family Compositae: several species, in particular S. chamaecyparissus.

cotton-leaf worm

noun

the larva of a migratory tropical moth which feeds on the leaves of the cotton plant and was formerly a major pest in North America.
● Alabama argillacea, family Noctuidae.

cottonmouth /ˈkɒt(ə)nməʊθ / cottonmouth moccasin

noun

a large, dangerous semiaquatic pit viper which inhabits lowland swamps and waterways of the south-eastern US. When threatening it opens its mouth wide to display the white interior. Also called water moccasin.
● Agkistrodon piscivorus, family Viperidae.

cotton-picking

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› used for emphasis

• just a cotton-picking minute!

cotton rat

noun

a short-tailed rat found in grassland and scrub from North America to Guyana.
●Genus Sigmodon, family Muridae: several species.

cotton spinner

noun

a dark sea cucumber of shallow seas which ejects long sticky threads from the anus when disturbed.
● Holothuria forskali, class Holothuroidea.

cotton stainer

noun

a North American bug which feeds on cotton bolls, causing reddish staining of the fibres.
●Genus Dysdercus, family Pyrrhocoridae, suborder Heteroptera: several species, in particular D. suturellus.

cotton state

noun

1. any of the states of the southern US of which cotton is or was a major product.

2. ( Cotton State) — informal name for Alabama.

cotton swab

noun

North American term for cotton bud.

cottontail /ˈkɒt(ə)nteɪl/

noun

an American rabbit which has a speckled brownish coat and a white underside to the tail.
●Genus Sylvilagus, family Leporidae: several species.

cotton waste

noun — [ mass noun]

1. scraps of waste cotton yarn, used typically to clean machinery.

cottonweed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a yellow-flowered aromatic plant of the daisy family, with silvery felted leaves and stems. It grows on sandy beaches, chiefly in southern and western Europe.
● Otanthus maritimus, family Compositae.

cottonwood /ˈkɒt(ə)nwʊd/

noun

1. a North American poplar with seeds covered in white cottony hairs.
●Genus Populus, family Salicaceae: several species, including P. deltoides.

2. any of a number of downy-leaved Australasian shrubs:
● an evergreen shrub of the buckthorn family ( Pomaderris phylicifolia, family Rhamnaceae). ● a shrub of the daisy family ( Bedfordia salicina, family Compositae).

cotton wool

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) fluffy wadding of a kind originally made from raw cotton, used for cleaning the skin or bathing wounds.

2. (US) raw cotton.

II. phrases

wrap someone in cotton wool

be overprotective towards someone.

• wrapping ourselves in cotton wool could turn us into a bunch of scaredy cats.

cottony-cushion scale

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Australian scale insect with a large fluted cottony egg sac, infesting citrus trees. It threatened to destroy the Californian citrus industry until it was controlled by the introduction of the Australian vedalia beetle.
● Icerya purchasi, family Margarodidae, suborder Homoptera.

cotyledon /ˌkɒtɪˈliːd(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [Botany] an embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants, one or more of which are the first leaves to appear from a germinating seed.

2. a succulent plant of the stonecrop family, some kinds of which are grown as ornamentals.
●Genus Cotyledon and related genera, family Crassulaceae: several species.

II. derivatives

cotyledonary

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a patch of villi on the placenta of mammals): from Latin, ‘navelwort’ (which has cup-shaped leaves), from Greek kotulēdōn ‘cup-shaped cavity’, from kotulē ‘cup’.

coucal /ˈkuːk(ə)l, ˈkʊkɑːl/

I. noun

an ungainly long-tailed Old World bird that is a large ground-dwelling member of the cuckoo family.
●Genus Centropus (and Coua), family Cuculidae: numerous species, including the Australasian pheasant coucal ( Centropus phasianinus).

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, perhaps a blend of coucou ‘cuckoo’ and alouette ‘lark’.

couch^1 /kaʊtʃ/

I. noun

1. a long upholstered piece of furniture for several people to sit on.

• I sat in an armchair and they sat on the couch.

2. a reclining seat with a headrest at one end on which a psychoanalyst's subject or doctor's patient lies while undergoing treatment.

• the child was lying on the examination couch.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. express (something) in language of a specified style

• the assurances were couched in general terms.

2. ‹literary› lay down

• two fair creatures, couched side by side in deepest grass.

3. ‹archaic› lower (a spear) to the position for attack.

• To arms! cried Mortimer, and couch'd his quiv'ring lance.

4. (usu. as noun couching) — ‹chiefly historical› treat (a cataract) by pushing the lens of the eye downwards and backwards, out of line with the pupil.

5. (in embroidery) fix (a thread) to a fabric by stitching it down flat with another thread

• gold and silver threads couched by hand.

III. phrases

on the couch

undergoing psychoanalysis or psychiatric treatment.

– origin Middle English (as a noun denoting something to sleep on; as a verb in the sense ‘lay something down’): from Old French couche (noun), coucher (verb), from Latin collocare ‘place together’ (see collocate).

couch^2 /kaʊtʃ, kuːtʃ / couch grass

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a coarse grass with long creeping roots, which can be a serious weed in gardens.
●Genera Elymus and Agropyron, family Gramineae: several species, in particular the Eurasian common couch ( E. repens).

– origin late 16th cent.: variant of quitch.

couchant /ˈkaʊtʃ(ə)nt/

I. adjective — [usu. postpositive]

1. [Heraldry] (of an animal) lying with the body resting on the legs and the head raised

• two lions couchant.

– origin late Middle English: French, ‘lying’, present participle of coucher (see couch^1).

couchette /kuːˈʃɛt/

I. noun

1. a railway carriage with seats convertible into sleeping berths.

2. a berth in a couchette.

– origin 1920s: French, literally ‘little bed’, diminutive of couche ‘a couch’.

couch potato

noun

‹informal› a person who takes little or no exercise and watches a lot of television.

• it is no good you being a couch potato and having a Dobermann.

couch-surf

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› stay temporarily in a series of other people's homes, typically making use of improvised sleeping arrangements

• many people were left homeless last year and have been couch-surfing ever since with parents or friends.

2. ‹informal› engage in sedentary activities such as watching television or browsing the Internet

• the bottom of this laptop does not get hot at all so you can put it in your lap and couch-surf easily.

II. derivatives

couch-surfer

noun

coudé /kuːˈdeɪ/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a telescope in which the rays are bent to a focus at a fixed point off the axis.

II. noun

a coudé telescope.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, literally ‘bent at right angles’, past participle of couder, from coude ‘elbow’, from Latin cubitum.

cougar /ˈkuːɡə/

I. noun

1. North American term for puma.

2. ‹informal› an older woman seeking a sexual relationship with a younger man.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French couguar, abbreviation of modern Latin cuguarcarana, from Guarani guaçuarana.

cough /kɒf/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. expel air from the lungs with a sudden sharp sound

• he tried to speak and started to cough.

2. (of an engine) make a sudden harsh noise, especially as a sign of malfunction.

• the engine began coughing and spluttering.

3. [with obj.] — force (something, especially blood) out of the lungs or throat by coughing

• he coughed up bloodstained fluid.

4. [with obj.] ( cough something out) — say something in an abrupt way

• he coughed out his orders.

5. (Brit.) ‹informal› reveal information; confess

• once he realized we knew, he was ready to cough fast enough.

II. noun

1. an act or sound of coughing

• she gave a discreet cough.

2. a condition of the respiratory organs causing coughing

• he looked feverish and had a bad cough.

III. phrasal verbs

cough something up (or cough up)

‹informal› give something reluctantly, especially money or information that is due or required

• the company coughed up $40 m. in settlement of the legal claims.

IV. derivatives

cougher

noun

– origin Middle English: of imitative origin; related to Dutch kuchen ‘to cough’ and German keuchen ‘to pant’.

cough drop cough sweet

noun

a medicated lozenge sucked to relieve a cough.

cough mixture

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) liquid medicine taken to relieve a cough.

• I have some cough mixture from home.

• [ count noun] it is widely found in cough mixtures.

could /kəd, kʊd/

I. modal verb

1. past of can^1.

2. used to indicate possibility

• they could be right

• I would go if I could afford it.

3. used in making suggestions or polite requests

• you could always ring him up

• could I use the phone?

4. used to indicate annoyance because of something that has not been done

• they could have told me!

5. used to indicate a strong inclination to do something

• he irritates me so much that I could scream.

usage: For a discussion on the use of could of instead of could have, see usage at have.

could-be /ˈkʊdbi/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. able to be or become; possible

• his new could-be love interest

• a could-be fatal illness.

II. noun

‹informal› a potential candidate for a job or situation

• political could-bes.

couldn't /ˈkʊd(ə)nt/

contraction

could not.

coulee /ˈkuːli/

I. noun

1. a short flow of viscous lava.

2. (N. Amer.) a deep ravine.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French coulée ‘(lava) flow’, from couler ‘to flow’, from Latin colare ‘to strain or flow’, from colum ‘strainer’.

coulibiac /ˌkuːlɪˈbjak / koulibiac

I. noun

a Russian pie of fish or meat, cabbage or other vegetables, and herbs.

– origin from Russian kulebyaka.

coulis /ˈkuːli/

I. noun

a thin fruit or vegetable puree, used as a sauce.

• spoon a little more cranberry coulis over the oranges.

– origin French, from couler ‘to flow’.

coulisse /kuːˈliːs/

I. noun

1. a flat piece of scenery at the side of the stage in a theatre.

2. ( the coulisses) — the spaces between the flat pieces of scenery at the side of a stage; the wings.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, feminine of coulis ‘sliding’, based on Latin colare ‘to flow’.

couloir /ˈkuːlwɑː/

I. noun

a steep, narrow gully on a mountainside.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, ‘gully or corridor’, from couler ‘to flow’.

coulomb /ˈkuːlɒm / C

I. noun

[Physics] the SI unit of electric charge, equal to the quantity of electricity conveyed in one second by a current of one ampere.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Charles-Augustin de Coulomb (1736–1806), French military engineer.

Coulomb's law /ˈkuːlɒmz/

I. noun

[Physics] a law stating that like charges repel and opposite charges attract, with a force proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

– origin late 18th cent.: named after C.-A. de Coulomb (see coulomb).

coulrophobia /ˌkɒlrəˈfəʊbɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› extreme or irrational fear of clowns.

• it has emerged that the multi-millionaire entrepreneur suffers from coulrophobia.

– origin 1980s: from Greek kolobatheron ‘stilt’ + -phobia.

coulter /ˈkəʊltə / colter

I. noun

1. a vertical cutting blade fixed in front of a ploughshare.

2. the part of a seed drill that makes the furrow for the seed.

– origin Old English, from Latin culter ‘knife or ploughshare’.

coumarin /ˈkuːmərɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a vanilla-scented compound found in many plants, formerly used for flavouring food.
●A bicyclic lactone; chem. formula: C_9H_6O_2.

2. [ count noun] — [Chemistry] any derivative of coumarin.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French coumarine, from coumarou, via Portuguese and Spanish from Tupi cumarú ‘tonka bean’.

coumarone /ˈkuːmərəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] an organic compound present in coal tar, used to make thermoplastic resins for paints and varnishes.
●A bicyclic compound with fused benzene and furan rings; chem. formula: C_8H_6O.

– origin late 19th cent.: from coumarin + -one.

council /ˈkaʊns(ə)l/

I. noun

1. an advisory, deliberative, or administrative body of people formally constituted and meeting regularly

• an official human rights council.

2. a body of people elected to manage the affairs of a city, county, or other municipal district.

• a ban on school buses using the road was imposed by the county council.

3. [as modifier] — (Brit.) denoting housing provided by a local council at a subsidized rent

• a council flat.

4. an ecclesiastical assembly.

5. a meeting for consultation or advice

• that evening, she held a family council.

– origin Old English (in the sense ‘ecclesiastical assembly’): from Anglo-Norman French cuncile, from Latin concilium ‘convocation, assembly’, from con- ‘together’ + calare ‘summon’. Compare with counsel.

council estate

noun

(Brit.) an area of houses built and rented out to tenants by a local council.

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance ‹historical›

I. fuller form of Comecon.

– origin translating Russian Sovet ékonomicheskoĭ vzaimopomoshchi.

council house

noun

(Brit.) a house owned by a local council and rented out to tenants.

councillor /ˈkaʊns(ə)lə / ‹US› councilor

I. noun

a member of a council.
[as title]

• Councillor Ralph Lewis.

II. derivatives

councillorship

noun

– origin late Middle English: alteration of counsellor, by association with council. / usage: On the difference between councillor and counsellor, see usage at counsellor.

councilman /ˈkaʊns(ə)lmən/

noun

(US) a member of a council, especially a municipal one
[as title]

• Councilman Gerry Richardson.

council of war

noun

1. a gathering of military officers in wartime.

2. a meeting held to plan a response to an emergency.

council tax

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tax levied on households by local authorities in Britain, based on the estimated value of a property and the number of people living in it.

councilwoman /ˈkaʊns(ə)lˌwʊmən/

noun

(US) a female member of a council, especially a municipal one
[as title]

• Councilwoman Alberta Hipps.

counsel /ˈkaʊns(ə)l/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — advice, especially that given formally.

• with wise counsel a couple can buy a home that will be appreciating in value.

• [ count noun] for the public, simple counsels of more patience are not enough.

2. ‹archaic› consultation, especially to seek or give advice.

• he took much counsel with him.

3. ( pl. same) — a barrister or other legal adviser conducting a case

• the counsel for the defence.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. give advice to (someone)

• careers officers should counsel young people in making their career decisions.

2. give professional help and advice to (someone) to resolve personal or psychological problems

• he was being counselled for depression.

3. recommend (a course of action)

• the athlete's coach counselled caution.

III. phrases

1. a counsel of despair

an action to be taken when all else fails.

• not to build because we are short of doctors would be a counsel of despair.

2. a counsel of perfection

advice that is ideal but not feasible.

• while it may be a counsel of perfection, it must be advisable for the insurer to attempt to investigate each claim.

3. keep one's own counsel

say nothing about what one thinks or plans

• she doubted what he said but kept her own counsel.

4. take counsel

discuss a problem.

• the party leader and chairman took counsel together.

– origin Middle English: via Old French counseil (noun), conseiller (verb), from Latin consilium ‘consultation, advice’, related to consulere (see consult). Compare with council.

counselling /ˈkaʊns(ə)lɪŋ / ‹US› counseling

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the provision of professional assistance and guidance in resolving personal or psychological problems

• bereavement counselling.

counsellor /ˈkaʊns(ə)lə / ‹US› counselor

I. noun

1. a person trained to give guidance on personal or psychological problems

• a marriage counsellor.

2. [with modifier] — a person who gives advice on a specified subject

• a debt counsellor.

3. a senior officer in the diplomatic service.

• a counsellor at the Russian embassy.

4. (also counselor-at-law) — (US) (Irish) a barrister.

5. (N. Amer.) a supervisor at a children's summer camp.

– origin Middle English (in the general sense ‘adviser’): from Old French conseiller, from Latin consiliarius, and Old French conseillour, from Latin consiliator, both from consilium ‘consultation or advice’. / usage: The words counsellor and councillor are often confused. A counsellor is a person who gives advice or counsel, especially on personal problems ( a marriage counsellor), whereas a councillor is a member of a city, county, or other council ( she stood as a Labour candidate for city councillor).

Counsellor of State

noun

(in the UK) a temporary regent during a sovereign's absence.

count^1 /kaʊnt/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — determine the total number of (a collection of items)

• I started to count the stars I could see

• they counted up their change.

2. [no obj.] — recite numbers in ascending order

• hold the position as you count to five.

3. [no obj.] ( count down) — recite or display numbers backwards to zero to indicate the time remaining before the launch of a rocket or the start of an operation.

• the floor manager pointed at the camera and counted down.

4. [no obj.] ( count down) — prepare for a significant event in the short time remaining before it

• with more orders expected, the company is counting down to a bumper Christmas.

5. [with obj.] — take into account; include

• the staff has shrunk to four, or five if you count the European director.

6. regard or be regarded as possessing a specified quality or fulfilling a specified role

• she met some rebuffs from people she had counted as her friends

• [with obj. and complement] I count myself fortunate to have known him

• [no obj.] results which are consistent with all models cannot count as evidence for any of them.

7. [no obj.] — be significant

• it did not matter what the audience thought—it was the critics that counted.

8. (of a factor) play a part in influencing opinion for or against someone or something

• he hopes his sporting attitude will count in his favour.

9. ( count for) — be worth (a specified amount)

• he has no power base and his views count for little.

10. ( count towards) — be included in an assessment of (a final result or amount)

• reduced rate contributions do not count towards your pension.

11. [no obj.] ( count on/upon) — rely on

• whatever you're doing, you can count on me.

II. noun

1. an act of determining the total number of something

• at the last count, fifteen applications were still outstanding

• the party's only candidate was eliminated at the first count.

2. the total determined by counting

• there was a moderate increase in the white cell count in both patients.

3. an act of reciting numbers in ascending order, up to the specified number

• hold the position for a count of seven.

4. an act of reciting numbers up to ten by the referee when a boxer is knocked down, the boxer being considered knocked out if still down when ten is reached.

• he dropped by the ropes to take a count of six on one knee.

5. a point for discussion or consideration

• the programme remained vulnerable on a number of counts.

6. [Law] a separate charge in an indictment

• he pleaded guilty to five counts of murder.

7. the measure of the fineness of a yarn expressed as the weight of a given length or the length of a given weight.

8. a measure of the fineness of a woven fabric expressed as the number of warp or weft threads in a given length.

III. phrases

1. —— and counting

used to say that a figure is constantly increasing

• nearly seven years later (and counting), Hackett remains undefeated.

2. beat the count

(of a boxer who has been knocked down) get up before the referee counts to ten.

• although Hurst tried to beat the count, it was clear that he was unable to continue.

3. count one's blessings

be grateful for what one has.

• when you find that many people are worse off than you are, you'll learn to count your blessings.

4. count the cost

experience the adverse consequences of something, typically a foolish action.

5. count the days (or hours)

be impatient for time to pass

• they counted the days until they came home on leave.

6. count something on the fingers of one hand

used to emphasize the small number of a particular thing

• you can count the exceptions on the fingers of one hand.

7. count the pennies

see penny.

8. count sheep

see sheep.

9. don't count your chickens before they're hatched

‹proverb› don't be too confident in anticipating success or good fortune before it is certain.

• I wouldn't count your chickens—I've agreed to sign the contract but that's all I've agreed to.

10. keep count (or a count)

take note of the number or amount of something

• you can protect yourself by keeping a count of what you drink.

11. lose count

forget how many of something there are, especially because the number is so high

• I've lost count of the hundreds of miles I've covered.

12. out ( also ‹or N. Amer.› down) for the count

a. [Boxing] defeated by being knocked to the ground and unable to rise within ten seconds.

b. unconscious or soundly asleep.

13. take the count

[Boxing] be knocked out.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. count someone in

‹informal› include someone in an activity or the plans for it

• if the project gets started, count me in.

2. count someone out

a. complete a count of ten seconds over a fallen boxer to indicate defeat.

• Jeffries landed a left hook to the jaw and Fitz was counted out.

b. not include someone in an activity

• if this is a guessing game you can count me out.

c. (in children's games) select a player for dismissal or a special role by using a counting rhyme.

3. count something out

a. take items one by one from a stock of something, especially money, keeping a note of how many one takes

• opening the wallet I counted out 19 dollars.

b. (Brit.) procure the adjournment of the House of Commons when fewer than 40 members are present.

– origin Middle English (as a noun): from Old French counte (noun), counter (verb), from the verb computare ‘calculate’ (see compute).

count^2 /kaʊnt/

I. noun

a foreign nobleman whose rank corresponds to that of an earl.

II. derivatives

countship

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French conte, from Latin comes, comit- ‘companion, overseer, attendant’ (in late Latin ‘person holding a state office’), from com- ‘together with’ + it- ‘gone’ (from the verb ire ‘go’).

countable /ˈkaʊntəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be counted.

• the Church is made up of countable people.

• the bundles of energy were too numerous to be countable.

II. derivatives

countably

adverb

countable noun

noun

another term for count noun.

countback /ˈkaʊntbak/

noun

a method of deciding the winner of a tied game or competition by awarding it to the contestant with the better score in the later part.

• David Montefiore beat clubmate Grant Jackson for second place on countback.

countdown /ˈkaʊntdaʊn/

noun

1. an act of counting numerals in reverse order to zero, especially before the launching of a rocket or missile

• the missiles' launch crews would begin their final countdown.

2. the period of time leading up to a significant event and the procedures carried out during this time

• the countdown to your holiday.

3. a digital display that counts down.

• a key toggles the countdown on and off.

countenance /ˈkaʊnt(ə)nəns/

I. noun

1. a person's face or facial expression

• his impenetrable eyes and inscrutable countenance give little away.

2. [ mass noun] — support or approval

• she was giving her specific countenance to the occasion.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. admit as acceptable or possible

• he was reluctant to countenance the use of force.

III. phrases

1. keep one's countenance

maintain one's composure, especially by refraining from laughter.

2. keep someone in countenance

help someone to remain calm and confident.

• to keep herself in countenance she opened her notebook.

3. out of countenance

disconcerted or unpleasantly surprised.

• I put him clean out of countenance just by looking at him.

– origin Middle English: from Old French contenance ‘bearing, behaviour’, from contenir (see contain). The early sense was ‘bearing, demeanour’, also ‘facial expression’, hence ‘the face’.

counter^1 /ˈkaʊntə/

I. noun

1. a long flat-topped fitment across which business is conducted in a shop or bank or refreshments are served in a cafeteria.

2. (N. Amer.) a worktop.

3. a small disc used in board games for keeping the score or as a place marker.

4. a token representing a coin.

5. a factor used to give one party an advantage in negotiations

• the proposal has become a crucial bargaining counter over prices.

6. a device used for counting

• the counter tells you how many pictures you have taken.

7. a person who counts something, for example votes in an election.

8. [Physics] an apparatus used for counting individual ionizing particles or events.

II. phrases

1. behind the counter

serving in a shop or bank.

• he drove to the store and flirted with two sisters behind the counter.

2. over the counter

a. by ordinary retail purchase, with no need for a prescription or licence
[as modifier]

• over-the-counter medicines.

b. (of share transactions) taking place outside the stock exchange system.

3. under the counter (or table)

(with reference to goods bought or sold) surreptitiously and typically illegally

• hard porn is legally banned, but still available under the counter

• [as modifier] an under-the-counter deal.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French conteor, from medieval Latin computatorium, from Latin computare (see compute).

counter^2 /ˈkaʊntə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. speak or act in opposition to

• the second argument is more difficult to counter.

2. [no obj.] — respond to hostile speech or action

• the possibility of the enemy being able to counter with similar missiles was remote.

3. [no obj.] — [Boxing] give a return blow while parrying

• he countered with a left hook.

II. adverb — ( counter to)

1. in the opposite direction or in opposition to

• his writing ran counter to the dominant trends of the decade.

III. adjective

responding to something of the same kind, especially in opposition

• after years of argument and counter argument there is no conclusive answer.

See also counter-.

IV. noun

1. [usu. in sing.] — a thing which opposes or prevents something else

• the stimulus to employers' organization was partly a counter to growing union power.

2. an answer to an argument or criticism

• he anticipates an objection and plans his counter.

3. [Boxing] a blow given while parrying; a counterpunch.

4. the curved part of the stern of a ship projecting aft above the waterline.

5. [Printing] the white space enclosed by a letter such as O or c.

V. phrases

go ( ‹or Brit.› hunt or run) counter

run or ride against the direction taken by a quarry.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French contre, from Latin contra ‘against’, or directly from counter-.

counter^3 /ˈkaʊntə/

I. noun

the back part of a shoe or boot, enclosing the heel.

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation of counterfort ‘buttress’, from French contrefort.

counter- /ˈkaʊntə/

I. prefix

1. denoting opposition, retaliation, or rivalry

• counter-attack

• counter-espionage.

2. denoting movement or effect in the opposite direction

• counterpoise.

3. denoting correspondence, duplication, or substitution

• counterpart.

– origin from Anglo-Norman French countre-, Old French contre, from Latin contra ‘against’.

counter-accusation

noun

an accusation made in turn by someone against their accuser

• the entire saga was made up of accusation and counter-accusation.

counteract /kaʊntərˈakt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. act against (something) in order to reduce its force or neutralize it

• should we deliberately intervene in the climate system to counteract global warming?

II. derivatives

1. counteraction

noun

2. counteractive

adjective

counteragent /kaʊntərˈeɪdʒ(ə)nt/

noun

an agent or force used to reduce or neutralize something else.

counterargument /ˈkaʊntəˌɑːɡjʊm(ə)nt/

noun

an argument or set of reasons put forward to oppose an idea or theory developed in another argument

• the obvious counterargument to that dire prediction is that the recession has depressed earnings.

counter-attack /ˈkaʊntərətak/

I. noun

an attack made in response to one by an opponent.

• General MacArthur launched a counter-attack.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. attack in response

• as deputies tried to dislodge him, he counter-attacked by forcing through elections.

III. derivatives

counter-attacker

noun

counter-attraction /ˈkaʊnt(ə)rətrakʃ(ə)n/

noun

a rival attraction

• it is a pity that this book may not triumph over the counter-attractions on the booksellers' shelves.

counterbalance

I. noun — counterbalance /ˈkaʊntəˌbal(ə)ns /

1. a weight that balances another weight.

• the trolley used a counterbalance and leverage action to reduce the effort of lifting loads.

2. a factor having the opposite effect to that of another and so preventing it from exercising a disproportionate influence

• his restoration to power was intended as a counterbalance to his rival's influence.

II. verb — [with obj.] counterbalance /ˌkaʊntəˈbal(ə)ns /

1. (of a weight) balance (another weight).

• the sitter's weight counterbalances the tilting pressure on the backrest.

2. neutralize or cancel by exerting an opposite influence

• the extra cost of mail order may be counterbalanced by its convenience.

counterblast /ˈkaʊntəblɑːst/

noun

a strongly worded reply to someone else's views

• a counterblast to the growing propaganda of the Left.

counterbore /ˈkaʊntəbɔː/

I. noun

1. a drilled hole that has a wider section at the top.

2. a drill whose bit has a uniform smaller diameter near the tip, for drilling counterbores in one operation.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. drill a counterbore in (an object).

• dies are counterbored to prevent material build-up.

counterchange /ˈkaʊntətʃeɪn(d)ʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› chequer with contrasting colours.

• a sudden splendour counterchanged the level lake with diamond-plots of dark and bright.

2. ‹literary› [Heraldry] interchange the tinctures of (a charge) with that of a divided field.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. change that is equivalent in degree but opposite in effect to a previous change.

• to all change there must be counterchange.

2. patterning in which a dark motif on a light ground alternates with the same motif light on a dark ground.

– origin late Middle English (as a heraldic term): from French contrechanger, from contre (expressing substitution) + changer ‘to change’.

countercharge /ˈkaʊntətʃɑːdʒ/

noun

1. an accusation made in turn by someone against their accuser

• charges and countercharges concerning producers, quotas, and affidavits.

2. a charge by police or an armed force in response to one made against them.

• there was a further clash as a crowd charged the police and was dispersed by a countercharge.

countercheck /ˈkaʊntətʃɛk/

I. noun

1. a second check for security or accuracy.

2. ‹archaic› a restraint.

• the evil that we suffer is often a countercheck which restrains us from greater evil.

3. ‹archaic› a sharp or incisive retort.

• the countercheck quarrelsome.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› stop (something) by acting to cancel or counteract it.

• His Majesty with his own hand wrote to countercheck his former Warrant.

counterclaim /ˈkaʊntəkleɪm/

I. noun

1. a claim made to rebut a previous claim.

• monitoring programmes set up in the wake of these various claims and counterclaims will resolve the issue.

2. [Law] a claim made by a defendant against a plaintiff.

• the debtor has an arguable counterclaim for damages.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. [chiefly Law] make a counterclaim for something.

• he counterclaimed for damages for breach of the covenant.

• [with obj.] she counterclaimed damages for late delivery.

counterclockwise /kaʊntəˈklɒkwʌɪz/

adverb, adjective

North American term for anticlockwise.

counter-conditioning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a technique employed in animal training and the treatment of phobias and similar conditions in humans, in which behaviour incompatible with a habitual undesirable pattern is induced.
Compare with deconditioning.

counterculture /ˈkaʊntəkʌltʃə/

I. noun

a way of life and set of attitudes opposed to or at variance with the prevailing social norm

• the idealists of the 60s counterculture.

II. derivatives

countercultural

adjective

countercurrent /ˈkaʊntəˌkʌrənt/

I. noun

a current flowing in an opposite direction to another.

• the equatorial countercurrent.

• ‹figurative› a female countercurrent in the survey.

II. adverb

in or with opposite directions of flow.

• the leys pass countercurrent to the soap.

counterdemonstration /ˈkaʊntədɛmənˌstreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

a public demonstration organized in order to express opposition to the aims of another demonstration

• an effort by right-wing elements to organize a counterdemonstration failed.

counter-espionage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. activities designed to prevent or thwart spying by an enemy.

• the Security Service have responsibility for counter-espionage.

• [as modifier] a small counter-espionage unit.

counterexample /ˈkaʊntərɪɡˌzɑːmp(ə)l, ˈkaʊntərɛɡˌzɑːmp(ə)l/

noun

an example that opposes or contradicts an idea or theory

• the media presented him as a counterexample to the common stereotypes.

counterfactual ‹Philosophy›

I. adjective

relating to or expressing what has not happened or is not the case.

II. noun

a counterfactual conditional statement (e.g. If kangaroos had no tails, they would topple over).

counterfeit /ˈkaʊntəfɪt, ˈkaʊntəfiːt/

I. adjective

1. made in exact imitation of something valuable with the intention to deceive or defraud

• counterfeit £10 notes.

2. pretended; sham

• a counterfeit image of reality.

II. noun

a fraudulent imitation of something else

• he knew the tapes to be counterfeits.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. imitate fraudulently

• my signature is extremely hard to counterfeit.

2. pretend to feel or possess (an emotion or quality)

• no pretence could have counterfeited such terror.

3. ‹literary› resemble closely

• sleep counterfeited Death so well.

IV. derivatives

counterfeiter

noun

– origin Middle English (as a verb): from Anglo-Norman French countrefeter, from Old French contrefait, past participle of contrefaire, from Latin contra- ‘in opposition’ + facere ‘make’.

counterflow /ˈkaʊntəfləʊ/

noun

a flow moving in the opposite direction to another
[as modifier]

• a counterflow airstream that works to keep dust from entering the cooling system.

counterfoil /ˈkaʊntəfɔɪl/

noun

(Brit.) the part of a cheque, receipt, ticket, or other document that is torn off and kept as a record by the person issuing it.

counter-insurgency /ˌkaʊntərɪnˈsəːdʒ(ə)nsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. military or political action taken against the activities of guerrillas or revolutionaries
[as modifier]

• a counter-insurgency force.

counter-intelligence

noun

another term for counter-espionage.

counter-intuitive

I. adjective

contrary to intuition or to common-sense expectation.

• this explanation sounds perversely counter-intuitive.

• computer analyses have in the past produced a number of counter-intuitive results.

II. derivatives

counter-intuitively

adverb

counterirritant /kaʊnt(ə)rˈɪrɪt(ə)nt/

I. noun

something such as heat or an ointment that is used to produce surface irritation of the skin, thereby counteracting underlying pain or discomfort.

II. derivatives

counterirritation

noun

counter-jumper

noun

‹informal› ‹derogatory› a shop assistant.

countermand /ˌkaʊntəˈmɑːnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. revoke or cancel (an order)

• an order to arrest the strike leaders had been countermanded.

2. revoke or cancel an order issued by (another person)

• he was already countermanding her.

3. declare (a vote or election) invalid.

• the election commission has countermanded voting on the grounds of intimidation.

II. noun

an order revoking a previous one.

• I forthwith mounted, and went off, lest I should receive a countermand.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French contremander (verb), contremand (noun), from medieval Latin contramandare, from contra- ‘against’ + mandare ‘to order’.

countermarch /ˈkaʊntəmɑːtʃ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. march in the opposite direction or back along the same route.

• the band was practising, marching and countermarching on the playing field.

II. noun

an act or instance of marching in the opposite direction.

countermark /ˈkaʊntəmɑːk/

noun

1. an additional mark placed on something already marked, especially for increased security.

2. a second watermark.

countermeasure /ˈkaʊntəmɛʒə/

noun

an action taken to counteract a danger or threat.

• for every clever defence that plants devise, some animal seems to be able to come up with a countermeasure.

countermelody

noun

a subordinate melody accompanying a principal one.

countermine /ˈkaʊntəmʌɪn/

I. noun

[Military] an excavation dug to intercept another dug by an enemy.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. dig a countermine against
(as noun countermining)

• countermining would be impossible given their shortage of gun powder.

countermove /ˈkaʊntəmuːv/

I. noun

a move or other action made in opposition to another.

• the regime is inhibited from making the clean sweep necessary to insure against a countermove in the future.

II. derivatives

countermovement

noun

counternarcotics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. measures or activities designed to prevent the use or distribution of illegal narcotic drugs.

• the US is spending over $800m a year on counternarcotics.

• [as modifier] he was in charge of CIA counternarcotics operations in the Golden Triangle area.

counteroffensive /ˈkaʊnt(ə)rəfɛnsɪv/

noun

an attack made in response to one from an enemy, typically on a large scale or for a prolonged period.

• the operation was bogged down in confusion, allowing the Republicans to mount a counteroffensive.

counter-offer

noun

an offer made in response to another.

counterpane /ˈkaʊntəpeɪn/

I. noun

‹dated› a bedspread.

– origin early 17th cent.: alteration of counterpoint, from Old French contrepointe, based on medieval Latin culcitra puncta ‘quilted mattress’ ( puncta, literally meaning ‘pricked’, from the verb pungere). The change in the ending was due to association with pane in an obsolete sense ‘cloth’.

counterpart /ˈkaʊntəpɑːt/

noun

1. a person or thing that corresponds to or has the same function as another person or thing in a different place or situation

• the minister held talks with his French counterpart.

2. [Law] one of two copies of a legal document.

counterpart fund

noun

a sum of money accrued in a local currency arising from goods or services received from abroad.

counterparty /ˈkaʊntəˌpɑːti/

noun

an opposite party in a contract or financial transaction.

counterplot /ˈkaʊntəplɒt/

I. noun

a plot intended to thwart another plot.

• the shadowy plots and counterplots of spring 1987.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. devise a counterplot.

counterpoint /ˈkaʊntəpɔɪnt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — [Music] the technique of setting, writing, or playing a melody or melodies in conjunction with another, according to fixed rules.

2. [ count noun] — a melody played in conjunction with another.

3. a thing that forms a pleasing or notable contrast to something else

• the sauce made a piquant counterpoint to the ham.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Music] add counterpoint to (a melody)

• the orchestra counterpoints the vocal part.

2. emphasize by contrast

• the cream walls and maple floors are counterpointed by black accents.

3. compensate for

• the yarn's fanciful excesses are counterpointed with some sharp and unsentimental dialogue.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French contrepoint, from medieval Latin contrapunctum ‘(song) pricked or marked over against (the original melody)’, from contra- ‘against’ + punctum, from pungere ‘to prick’.

counterpoise /ˈkaʊntəpɔɪz/

I. noun

1. a factor or force that balances or neutralizes another

• the organization sees the power of Brussels as a counterpoise to that of London.

2. a counterbalancing weight.

3. a state of equilibrium.

• the building stands in counterpoise to a Roman temple.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. have an opposing and balancing effect on

• they make a delightful couple, his gentle intellectuality counterpoised by her firm practicality.

2. bring into contrast

• the stories counterpoise a young recruit with an old-timer.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French contrepois from contre ‘against’ + pois from Latin pensum ‘weight’. Compare with poise^1. The verb, originally counterpeise, from Old French contrepeser, was altered under the influence of the noun in the 16th cent.

counterpose

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. set against or in opposition to.

• his book counterposes the darkness of formal religion to the inner light of personal spirituality.

II. derivatives

counterposition

noun

counterproductive /ˌkaʊntəprəˈdʌktɪv/

adjective

having the opposite of the desired effect

• child experts fear the Executive's plans may prove counterproductive.

counterproliferation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. action intended to prevent an increase or spread in the possession of nuclear weapons.

counterproposal /ˈkaʊntəprəˌpəʊz(ə)l/

noun

an alternative proposal made in response to a previous proposal that is regarded as unacceptable or unsatisfactory

• the union rejected the airline's counterproposal.

counterpunch /ˈkaʊntəpʌn(t)ʃ / ‹Boxing›

I. noun

a punch thrown in return for one received.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. throw a counterpunch.

• Petty counterpunched, regaining the lead.

III. derivatives

counterpuncher

noun

Counter-Reformation

the reform of the Church of Rome in the 16th and 17th centuries which was stimulated by the Protestant Reformation.
Measures to oppose the spread of the Reformation were resolved on at the Council of Trent (1545–63) and the Jesuit order became the spearhead of the Counter-Reformation, both within Europe and abroad. Although most of northern Europe remained Protestant, southern Germany and Poland were brought back to the Roman Catholic Church.

counter-revolution /ˌkaʊntəˌrɛvəˈluːʃ(ə)n/

noun

a revolution opposing a former one or reversing its results.

• the monarch plans to put himself at the head of the enemies of the revolution to attempt a counter-revolution.

• [ mass noun] the threat of successful counter-revolution.

counter-revolutionary /ˌkaʊntəˌrɛvəˈluːʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/

I. adjective

engaged in or promoting a revolution that opposes a previous one or reverses its results

• there was almost no violent counter-revolutionary activity.

II. noun

a person who advocates or engages in a revolution that opposes a previous one or reverses its results

• counter-revolutionaries had blown up a freighter full of armaments.

counterrotate

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. rotate in opposite directions, especially about the same axis.
(as adj. counterrotating)

• technological advances such as counterrotating balanced shafts.

II. derivatives

counterrotation

noun

counterscarp /ˈkaʊntəskɑːp/

I. noun

the outer wall of a ditch in a fortification.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French contrescarpe, from Italian controscarpa; compare with scarp.

countershading

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] protective coloration used by some animals in which parts normally in shadow are light and those exposed to the sky are dark.

II. derivatives

countershaded

adjective

countershaft /ˈkaʊntəʃɑːft/

noun

a machine driveshaft that transmits motion from the main shaft to where it is required, such as the drive axle in a vehicle.

countersign /ˈkaʊntəsʌɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. add a signature to (a document already signed by another person)

• each cheque had to be signed and countersigned.

II. noun

‹archaic› a signal or password given in reply to a soldier on guard.

• advance, patrol, and give the countersign to me.

III. derivatives

countersignature /kaʊntəˈsɪɡnətʃə /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (as a noun): from French contresigner (verb), contresigne (noun), from Italian contrassegno, based on Latin signum ‘sign’.

countersink /ˈkaʊntəsɪŋk/

verb — [with obj.]

1. enlarge and bevel the rim of (a drilled hole) so that a screw, nail, or bolt can be inserted flush with the surface.

• drill and countersink the hole for mounting the ladder to the wall.

2. drive (a screw, nail, or bolt) into a countersunk hole.
(as adj. countersunk)

• countersunk screw heads.

counterspy /ˈkaʊntəspʌɪ/

noun

a spy engaged in counter-espionage.

counterstain /ˈkaʊntəˌsteɪn / ‹Biology›

I. noun

an additional dye used in a microscopy specimen to produce a contrasting background or to make clearer the distinction between different kinds of tissue.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat (a specimen) with a counterstain.

counterstatement /ˈkaʊntəˌsteɪtm(ə)nt/

noun

a statement asserting that evidence or an accusation is false

• this proposal prompted a strong counterstatement.

counterstroke /ˈkaʊntəstrəʊk/

noun

an attack carried out in retaliation.

• the army were building up forces for a counterstroke.

countersubject

noun

[Music] a second or subsidiary subject, especially accompanying the subject or its answer in a fugue.

countertenor /ˈkaʊntəˌtɛnə/

I. noun

1. [Music] the highest male adult singing voice (sometimes distinguished from the male alto voice by its strong, pure tone).

2. [Music] a singer with a countertenor voice.

– origin late Middle English: from French contre-teneur, from obsolete Italian contratenore, based on Latin tenor (see tenor^1).

counterterrorism /kaʊntəˈtɛrərɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. political or military activities designed to prevent or thwart terrorism.

• he specialized in counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and close-quarters combat.

• [as modifier] the army's elite counterterrorism unit.

II. derivatives

counterterrorist

noun

countertop /ˈkaʊntətɒp/

noun

North American term for worktop.

countertrade /ˈkaʊntəˌtreɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. international trade by exchange of goods rather than by currency purchase.

countertransference

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychoanalysis] the emotional reaction of the analyst to the subject's contribution.

countervail /ˌkaʊntəˈveɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. countervailing)

1. offset the effect of (something) by countering it with something of equal force

• the dominance of the party was mediated by a number of countervailing factors.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘be equivalent to in value’): from Anglo-Norman French contrevaloir, from Latin contra valere ‘be of worth against’.

countervailing duty

noun

an import tax imposed on certain goods in order to prevent dumping or counter export subsidies.

countervalue

noun

(Brit.) an equivalent or equal, especially in military strategy
[as modifier]

• countervalue weapons.

counterweigh /ˌkaʊntəˈweɪ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. neutralize or cancel by exerting an opposite influence

• the reduction in transport charges would be great enough to counterweigh the expenditure.

counterweight /ˈkaʊntəweɪt/

noun

another term for counterbalance.

• the scales have a series of counterweights that slide along a calibrated beam.

• ‹figurative› conservatives saw the family as a counterweight to the power of the state.

countess /ˈkaʊntɛs/

I. noun

1. the wife or widow of a count or earl.

2. a woman holding the rank of count or earl in her own right.

– origin Middle English: from Old French contesse, from late Latin comitissa, feminine of comes (see count^2).

countian

noun — [with modifier]

1. (chiefly US) an inhabitant of a particular county

• Sussex countians.

counting /ˈkaʊntɪŋ/

preposition

taking account of when reaching a total; including

• there were three of us in the family, or four counting my pet rabbit

• the college had 139 employees, not counting those engaged in routine clerical work.

counting house /ˈkaʊntɪŋ/

noun

‹historical› an office or building in which the accounts and money of a person or company were kept.

counting-out pen

noun

(Austral./NZ) an enclosure into which shorn or dipped sheep are released to be counted

• he watched the shorn lamb run into the counting-out pen.

countless /ˈkaʊntləs/

adjective

too many to be counted; very many

• she'd apologized countless times before.

count noun countable noun

noun

[Grammar] a noun that can form a plural and, in the singular, can be used with the indefinite article (e.g. books, a book).
Contrasted with mass noun.

count palatine

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a feudal lord having royal authority within a region of a kingdom.

2. ‹historical› a high official of the Holy Roman Empire with royal authority within his domain.

– origin see palatine^1.

countrified /ˈkʌntrɪfʌɪd / countryfied

I. adjective

reminiscent or characteristic of the country, especially in being unsophisticated

• a countrified cottage garden

• her tweeds were far too countrified.

– origin mid 17th cent.: past participle of countrify ‘make rural’.

country /ˈkʌntri/

I. noun

1. a nation with its own government, occupying a particular territory

• the country's increasingly precarious economic position

• Spain, Italy, and other European countries.

2. ( the country) — the people of a nation

• the whole country took to the streets.

3. (often the country) — districts and small settlements outside large urban areas or the capital

• the airfield is right out in the country

• [as modifier] a country lane.

4. [ mass noun] — an area or region with regard to its physical features

• a tract of wild country.

5. a region associated with a particular person, work, or television programme

• an old mansion in Stevenson's ‘Kidnapped’ country.

6. short for country music.

II. phrases

1. across country

not keeping to roads.

• their route was across country, through fields of corn.

2. go (or appeal) to the country

(Brit.) test public opinion by dissolving Parliament and holding a general election.

• the prime minister had been due to go to the country by November.

3. one's line of country

(Brit.) a subject in which one is skilled or knowledgeable

• anagrams are not in my line of country.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cuntree, from medieval Latin contrata (terra) ‘(land) lying opposite’, from Latin contra ‘against, opposite’.

country and western

noun

another term for country music.

country blues

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a simple form of blues in which the singer is accompanied by an acoustic guitar.

country club

noun

a club with sporting and social facilities, set in a rural area.

country cousin

noun

a person with an unsophisticated and provincial appearance or manners.

• with her long black gown, she made Lucy feel like a country cousin.

country dance

noun

a traditional type of social English dance, in particular one performed by couples facing each other in long lines.

country-fried

adjective

1. (N. Amer.) (of an item of food) covered in batter, flour, or breadcrumbs and fried

• country-fried steak.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› rural or unsophisticated

• country-fried tunes.

country gentleman

noun

a rich man of good social standing who owns and lives in a large rural property.

country house

noun

(Brit.) a large house in the country, typically the seat of a wealthy or aristocratic family.

countrymade

adjective

(Indian) (especially of a weapon) manufactured by an illegal cottage industry.

countryman /ˈkʌntrɪmən/

noun

1. a man living or born in a rural area

• he was a complete countryman, with a pronounced affinity with nature.

2. a person from the same country as someone else

• they trust a fellow countryman.

country mile

noun

‹informal› a very long way

• he hit the ball a country mile.

country music

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of popular music originating in the rural southern US. It is a mixture of ballads and dance tunes played characteristically on fiddle, banjo, guitar, and pedal steel guitar.
Also called country and western.

country party

noun

‹historical› a political party supporting agricultural rather than manufacturing interests.

country rock^1

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] the rock which encloses a mineral deposit, igneous intrusion, or other feature.
[ count noun]

• the minerals have lower seismic velocities than country rocks.

country rock^2

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of popular music that is a blend of rock and country music.

country seat

noun

(Brit.) a large country house and estate belonging to an aristocratic family.

countryside /ˈkʌntrɪsʌɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the land and scenery of a rural area

• they explored the surrounding countryside

• [as modifier] countryside conservation groups.

2. the inhabitants of countryside areas

• the political influence of the countryside remains strong.

countrywide /kʌntriˈwʌɪd/

adjective, adverb

extending throughout a nation
[as adj.]

• a countrywide tour

• [as adv.] these units travel countrywide.

countrywoman /ˈkʌntrɪˌwʊmən/

noun

1. a woman living or born in a rural area

• she was a countrywoman through and through.

2. a woman from the same country as someone else

• Simpson and her fellow countrywomen head to Perth.

county /ˈkaʊnti/

I. noun

1. a territorial division of some countries, forming the chief unit of local administration.

• one of the most attractive towns in the county.

• [as modifier] administration at county level.

2. (Brit.) a sporting team playing for a county.

• it is the county's third final in four years.

3. (US) a political and administrative division of a state.

4. [as modifier] — (Brit.) relating to or characteristic of aristocratic people with an ancestral home in a particular county

• a county grande dame.

– origin Middle English: from Old French conte, from Latin comitatus, from comes, comit- (see count^2). The word seems first to have denoted a periodical meeting held to transact shire business.

county borough

noun

(in Wales and formerly in England and Northern Ireland) a town having the administrative status of a county.

county clerk

noun

(in the US) an elected county official who is responsible for local elections and maintaining public records.

county corporate

noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› a city or town ranking as an administrative county.

county council

I. noun

(in the UK) the elected governing body of an administrative county.

II. derivatives

county councillor

noun

county court

noun

1. (in England and Wales) a judicial court for civil cases.

2. (US) a court for civil and criminal cases.

county cricket

noun — [ mass noun]

1. first-class cricket played in the UK between the eighteen professional teams contesting the County Championship.

County Palatine ‹historical›

I. noun

(in England and Ireland) a county in which royal privileges and exclusive rights of jurisdiction were held by its earl or lord.

– origin see palatine^1.

county school

noun

(in the UK) a school that is established and funded by the local education authority.

county town ‹N. Amer.› county seat

noun

the town that is the administrative capital of a county.

coup /kuː/

I. noun

1. (also coup d'état) — a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government

• he was overthrown in an army coup.

2. an instance of successfully achieving something difficult

• it was a major coup to get such a prestigious contract.

3. an unusual or unexpected but successful tactic in card play.

4. [Billiards] a direct pocketing of the cue ball, which is a foul stroke.

5. ‹historical› (among North American Indians) an act of touching an enemy, as a deed of bravery, or an act of first touching an item of the enemy's in order to claim it.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin colpus ‘blow’ (see cope^1).

coup de foudre /ˌkuː də ˈfuːdr(ə) French ku də fudʀ//

I. noun

a sudden unforeseen event, in particular an instance of love at first sight.

• their fateful meeting caused a coup de foudre that grew into lifelong love.

– origin French, literally ‘stroke of lightning’.

coup de grâce /ˌkuː də ˈɡrɑːs French ku də ɡʀas//

I. noun

1. a final blow or shot given to kill a wounded person or animal

• he administered the coup de grâce with a knife.

2. an action or event that serves as the culmination of a bad or deteriorating situation

• Howarth delivered the coup de grâce with a penalty two minutes from time.

– origin French, literally ‘stroke of grace’.

coup de main /ˌkuː də ˈmã, French ku də mɛ̃/

I. noun

a sudden surprise attack, especially one made by an army during war.

• the bridge was seized by a coup de main.

– origin French, literally ‘stroke of hand’.

coup de maître /ˌkuː də ˈmɛːtr(ə), French ku də mɛtʀ/

I. noun

a master stroke.

– origin French.

coup d'état /ˌkuː deɪˈtɑː French ku deta//

I. noun

another term for coup (sense 1).

– origin French, literally ‘blow of state’.

coup de théâtre /ˌkuː də teɪˈɑːtr(ə) French ku də teɑtʀ//

I. noun

1. a dramatically sudden action or turn of events, especially in a play.

2. a successful theatrical production.

– origin French, literally ‘blow of theatre’.

coup d'œil /kuː ˈdəːɪ, French ku dœj/

I. noun

a glance that takes in a comprehensive view.

• I walked down the road, stopping for a final coup d'oeil at the church.

– origin French, literally ‘stroke of eye’.

coupe /kuːp/

I. noun

1. a shallow glass or glass dish, typically with a stem, in which desserts or champagne are served.

• serve the jelly in a coupe with whipped cream.

2. a dessert served in a coupe.

– origin French, ‘goblet’.

coupé /ˈkuːpeɪ / coupe /kuːp/

I. noun

1. a car with a fixed roof, two doors, and a sloping rear.

2. ‹historical› a four-wheeled enclosed carriage for two passengers and a driver.

3. (in South Africa) an end compartment in a railway carriage, with seats on only one side.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in sense 2): from French carrosse coupé, literally ‘cut carriage’. Sense 1 dates from the early 20th cent.

couped /kuːpt/

I. adjective — [usu. postpositive]

1. [Heraldry] cut off or truncated in a straight line.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French couper ‘to cut’ + -ed^2.

Couperin, François /ˈkuːpərã, French kupʀɛ̃/

(1668–1733), French composer, organist, and harpsichordist. A composer at the court of Louis XIV, he is principally known for his harpsichord works.

coupla /ˈkʌplə/

I. contraction

‹informal› couple of

• this is going to cost you a coupla quid

• I won't be online much for the next coupla days.

– origin early 20th cent.: alteration.

couple /ˈkʌp(ə)l/

I. noun

1. two people or things of the same sort considered together

• a couple of girls were playing marbles.

2. a pair of partners in a dance or game.

3. ( pl. couple) — a pair of hunting dogs.

4. ( couples) — two collars joined together and used for holding hounds together.

5. a pair of rafters.

6. [Mechanics] a pair of equal and parallel forces acting in opposite directions, and tending to cause rotation about an axis perpendicular to the plane containing them.

7. [treated as sing. or pl.] — two people who are married or otherwise closely associated romantically or sexually.

• in three weeks the couple fell in love and became engaged.

• a honeymoon couple.

8. ‹informal› an indefinite small number
[as pronoun]

• he hoped she'd be better in a couple of days

• we got some eggs—would you like a couple?

• [as determiner] just a couple more questions

• (N. Amer.) clean the stains with a couple squirts dishwashing liquid.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — link or combine (something) with something else

• a sense of hope is coupled with a palpable sense of loss.

2. connect (a railway vehicle or a piece of equipment) to another

• a cable is coupled up to one of the wheels.

3. connect (two electrical components) using electromagnetic induction, electrostatic charge, or an optical link
(as adj. coupled)

• networks of coupled oscillators.

4. [no obj.] ( couple up) — join to form a pair.

• the beetles may couple up to form a pair.

5. [no obj.] — mate or have sexual intercourse.

• as middle-class youth grew more tolerant of sex, they started to couple more often.

III. derivatives

coupledom

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French cople (noun), copler (verb), from Latin copula (noun), copulare (verb), from co- ‘together’ + apere ‘fasten’. Compare with copula and copulate.

coupler /ˈkʌplə/

noun

1. a thing that connects two things, especially mechanical components or systems

• a hydraulic coupler.

2. [Music] a device in an organ for connecting two manuals, or a manual with pedals, so that they both sound when only one is played.

3. (also octave coupler) — [Music] a device in an organ for connecting notes with their octaves above or below.

4. [Photography] a compound in a developer or an emulsion which combines with the products of development to form an insoluble dye, part of the image.

5. (also acoustic coupler) — a modem which converts digital signals from a computer into audible sound signals and vice versa, so that the former can be transmitted and received over telephone lines.

couplet /ˈkʌplɪt/

I. noun

a pair of successive lines of verse, typically rhyming and of the same length.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, diminutive of couple, from Old French cople (see couple).

coupling /ˈkʌplɪŋ/

noun

1. a device for connecting parts of machinery.

• undo the couplings so you can lift the pump out.

2. a fitting on the end of a railway vehicle for connecting it to another.

• a train with couplings of the continental pattern.

3. [ mass noun] — the pairing of two items

• the coupling of tribunals with ministerial enquiries.

4. an interaction between two electrical components by electromagnetic induction, electrostatic charge, or optical link.

• mutually inductive coupling.

5. [ mass noun] — the action of mating or having sexual intercourse.

6. two people in a romantic relationship; a couple.

coupling constant

noun

[Physics] a constant representing the strength of the interaction between a particle and a field.

coupling rod

noun

a rod which couples the driving wheels of a locomotive, enabling them to act as a unit.

couply coupley

adjective

‹informal› ‹often derogatory› relating to or characteristic of a couple in a romantic or sexual relationship, especially when the relationship is regarded as particularly intimate or socially exclusive.

• they're out in the country having a lovely boozy time with other couply friends.

coupon /ˈkuːpɒn/

I. noun

1. a voucher entitling the holder to a discount off a particular product.

2. a detachable ticket entitling the holder to a ration of food, clothes, or other goods, especially in wartime.

3. a detachable portion of a bond which is given up in return for a payment of interest.

4. the nominal rate of interest on a fixed-interest security.

• the stock carries a 10 per cent coupon.

5. a form in a newspaper or magazine which may be sent as an application for a purchase or information.

6. (Brit.) an entry form for a football pool or other competition.

7. (Scottish) (Irish) a person's face

• he had a big beaming smile on his coupon.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun couponing)

1. (chiefly US) (of a business) issue or distribute coupons or vouchers offering discounts on particular goods or services

• the company announced plans to reduce its couponing and just cut prices instead.

2. (chiefly US) (of a consumer) collect and use coupons or vouchers offering discounts on goods or services

• couponing has dropped their monthly grocery budget by upwards of $1,100.00 per month.

• since she'd only been couponing for a few weeks, she didn't have much of a grocery stockpile built up.

III. derivatives

couponer

noun

– origin early 19th cent. (denoting a detachable portion of a stock certificate): from French, literally ‘piece cut off’, from couper ‘cut’, from Old French colper (see cope^1).

coupon bond

noun

an investment bond on which interest is paid by coupons.

coupon-clipper

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person with a large number of interest-bearing bonds.

courage /ˈkʌrɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability to do something that frightens one; bravery

• she called on all her courage to face the ordeal.

2. strength in the face of pain or grief

• he fought his illness with great courage.

II. phrases

1. have the courage of one's convictions

act on one's beliefs despite danger or disapproval.

• lead your own life and have the courage of your convictions.

2. pluck up (or screw up or take) courage

make an effort to do something that frightens one.

• I plucked up the courage to go out by myself.

3. take one's courage in both hands

nerve oneself to do something that frightens one.

• taking her courage in both hands, she knocked on the door.

– origin Middle English (denoting the heart, as the seat of feelings): from Old French corage, from Latin cor ‘heart’.

courageous /kəˈreɪdʒəs/

I. adjective

not deterred by danger or pain; brave

• her courageous human rights work.

II. derivatives

courageousness

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French corageus, from corage (see courage).

courageously /kəˈreɪdʒəsli/

adverb

without being deterred by danger or pain; bravely

• the soldiers were well trained and fought courageously.

courant /kʊˈrant/

I. adjective — [usu. postpositive]

1. [Heraldry] represented as running.

– origin early 17th cent.: French, ‘running’, present participle of courir.

courante /kʊˈrɒ̃t, kʊˈrɑːnt/

I. noun

1. a 16th-century court dance consisting of short advances and retreats, later developed into a rapid gliding dance in quick triple time.

2. a piece of music written for or in the style of a courante, typically one forming a movement of a suite.

– origin late 16th cent.: French, literally ‘running’, feminine present participle of courir.

Courbet, Gustave /ˈkʊəbeɪ, French kuʀbɛ/

(1819–77), French painter. A leader of the 19th-century realist school of painting, he favoured an unidealized choice of subject matter that did not exclude the ugly or vulgar. Notable works: Burial at Ornans (1850) and Painter in his Studio (1855).

courbette /kʊəˈbɛt/

I. noun

(in classical riding) a movement in which the horse performs a series of jumps on the hind legs without the forelegs touching the ground.

– origin mid 17th cent.: French, from Italian corvetta ‘little curve’, based on Latin curvus ‘curved’.

coureur de bois /kuːˌrəː də ˈbwʌ/

I. noun

‹historical› (in Canada and the northern US) a woodsman or trader of French origin.

– origin French, literally ‘wood-runner’.

courgette /kʊəˈʒɛt/

I. noun

(Brit.) the immature fruit of a vegetable marrow, in particular one of a variety developed for harvesting and eating at an early stage of growth.
[ mass noun]

• slices of courgette.

Called zucchini in North America.

– origin 1930s: from French, diminutive of courge ‘gourd’, from Latin cucurbita.

courier /ˈkʊrɪə/

I. noun

1. a company or employee of a company that transports commercial packages and documents

• the cheque was dispatched by courier

• [as modifier] a courier service.

2. a messenger for an underground or espionage organization.

• a courier disguised as a commercial traveller.

3. (chiefly Brit.) a person employed to guide and assist a group of tourists.

• he worked as a courier on a package holiday to Majorca.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. send (goods or documents) by courier

• your order can be couriered to you in three days.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a person sent to run with a message): originally from Old French coreor; later from French courier (now courrier), from Italian corriere; based on Latin currere ‘to run’.

courol /ˈkuːrɒl/

I. noun

another term for cuckoo-roller.

– origin contraction.

Courrèges, André /kʊəˈreɪʒ, kʊəˈrɛʒ, French kuʀɛʒ/

(b.1923), French fashion designer. He is famous for his futuristic and youth-oriented styles, in particular the use of plastic and metal and unisex fashion such as trouser suits for women.

course /kɔːs/

I. noun

1. the route or direction followed by a ship, aircraft, road, or river

• the road adopts a tortuous course along the coast

• the new fleet changed course to join the other ships.

2. the way in which something progresses or develops

• the course of history.

3. (also course of action) [ count noun] — a procedure adopted to deal with a situation

• my decision had seemed to be the wisest course open to me at the time.

4. a dish, or a set of dishes served together, forming one of the successive parts of a meal

• guests are offered a choice of main course

• [in combination] a four-course meal.

5. an area of land set aside and prepared for racing, golf, or another sport.

6. a series of lectures or lessons in a particular subject, leading to an examination or qualification

• a business studies course.

7. [Medicine] a series of repeated treatments or doses of medication

• the doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics.

8. [Bell-ringing] a series of changes which brings the bells back to their original order, or the changes of a particular bell.

9. a continuous horizontal layer of brick, stone, or other material in a wall.

10. a pursuit of game (especially hares) with greyhounds by sight rather than scent.

11. a sail on the lowest yards of a square-rigged ship.

12. a set of adjacent strings on a guitar, lute, etc., tuned to the same note.

II. verb

1. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (of liquid) move without obstruction; flow

• tears were coursing down her cheeks

• ‹figurative› exultation coursed through him.

2. [with obj.] — pursue (game, especially hares) with greyhounds using sight rather than scent

• many of the hares coursed escaped unharmed

• [no obj.] she would course for hares with her greyhounds.

III. phrases

1. course of action

see course (sense 1 of the noun).

2. the course of nature

events or processes which are normal and to be expected

• each man would, in the course of nature, have his private opinions.

3. in (the) course of ——

a. undergoing the specified process

• a new text book was in course of preparation.

b. during the specified period or activity

• he was a friend to many people in the course of his life.

4. in (or over) the course of time

as time goes by

• the property will deteriorate in the course of time.

5. of course

a. used to introduce an idea or action as being obvious or to be expected

• the point is of course that the puzzle itself is misleading.

b. used to give or emphasize agreement or permission

• ‘Can I see you for a minute?’ ‘Of course.’.

c. introducing a qualification or admission

• of course we've been in touch by phone, but I wanted to see things for myself.

6. off course

not following the intended route.

• the car went careering off course.

7. on course

a. following the intended route

• he battled to keep the ship on course

• ‹figurative› we need to spend money to get the economy back on course.

b. ( on course for/to do something) — likely to achieve something

• he was on course for victory.

8. run (or take) its course

complete its natural development without interference

• his illness had to run its course to the crisis.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cours, from Latin cursus, from curs- ‘run’, from the verb currere.

coursebook /ˈkɔːsbʊk/

noun

(Brit.) a textbook designed for use on a particular course of study.

courser^1 /ˈkɔːsə/

I. noun

‹literary› a swift horse.

– origin Middle English: from Old French corsier, based on Latin cursus (see course).

courser^2 /ˈkɔːsə/

I. noun

a fast-running plover-like bird related to the pratincoles, typically found in open country in Africa and Asia.
●Genera Cursorius and Rhinoptilus, family Glareolidae: several species, in particular the desert-dwelling cream-coloured courser ( C. cursor).

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin Cursorius ‘adapted for running’, from cursor ‘runner’, from the verb currere (see course).

courser^3 /ˈkɔːsə/

I. noun

a person who hunts animals such as hares with greyhounds using sight rather than scent.

– origin early 17th cent.: from courser^1.

courseware /ˈkɔːswɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. computer programs or other material designed for use in an educational or training course.

coursework /ˈkɔːswəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. written or practical work done by a student during a course of study, usually assessed in order to count towards a final mark or grade.

• GCSE coursework.

• [as modifier] coursework assignments.

coursing /ˈkɔːsɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport of hunting game animals such as hares with greyhounds using sight rather than scent.
[with modifier]

• hare coursing.

• [as modifier] coursing grounds.

court /kɔːt/

I. noun

1. (also court of law) — a body of people presided over by a judge, judges, or magistrate, and acting as a tribunal in civil and criminal cases

• she will take the matter to court

• [as modifier] a court case.

2. the place where a court meets.

• everyone in the court knew he was going down, innocent or guilty.

3. a quadrangular area, either open or covered, marked out for ball games such as tennis or squash

• a squash court.

4. a quadrangular area surrounded by a building or group of buildings.

• the map showed the crescents and courts of recent urban sprawl.

5. ( Court) — used in the names of large houses or blocks of flats

• Hampton Court.

6. the courtiers, retinue, and household of a sovereign

• the emperor is shown with his court.

7. a sovereign and his or her councillors, constituting a ruling power

• relations between the king and the imperial court.

8. a sovereign's residence.

• he lived for four years at the court of King Philip.

9. the qualified members of a company or a corporation.

10. a meeting of the members of a company or a corporation.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — ‹dated› be involved with (someone) romantically, with the intention of marrying

• he was courting a girl from the neighbouring farm

• [no obj.] we went to the cinema when we were courting.

2. (of a male bird or other animal) try to attract (a mate).

3. pay special attention to (someone) in an attempt to win their support or favour

• Western politicians courted the leaders of the newly independent states.

4. try hard to win (favourable attention)

• he never had to court the approval of the political elite.

5. risk incurring (misfortune) because of one's behaviour

• he has often courted controversy.

III. phrases

1. go to court

take legal action.

• they will go to court to try to have the boundary changed.

2. have one's day in court

have a chance to make one's case in a court of law

• victims of violence should have their day in court.

3. in court

appearing as a party or an advocate in a court of law.

• he has appeared in court charged with stealing twelve million pounds.

4. out of court

a. before a legal hearing can take place

• they are trying to settle the squabble out of court

• [as modifier] an out-of-court settlement.

b. not worthy of consideration

• the price would put it out of court for most private buyers.

5. pay court to

pay flattering attention to (someone) in order to win favour.

• statesmen came to pay the king court and ask for alliances.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cort, from Latin cohors, cohort- ‘yard or retinue’. The verb is influenced by Old Italian corteare, Old French courtoyer. Compare with cohort.

Courtauld, Samuel /ˈkɔːtəʊld/

(1876–1947), English industrialist. He was a director of his family's silk firm and a collector of French impressionist and post-impressionist paintings. He presented his collection to the University of London, endowed the Courtauld Institute of Art, and bequeathed to it his house in Portman Square, London.

court bouillon /kɔːt ˈbuːjɒn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a stock made from wine and vegetables, typically used in fish dishes.

• sea bream in court bouillon.

• [ count noun] fish to be table-cooked in a court bouillon.

– origin French, from court ‘short’ and bouillon.

court card

I. noun

(Brit.) a playing card that is a king, queen, or jack of a suit.

– origin mid 17th cent.: alteration of 16th-cent. coat card, so named because of the decorative dress of the figures depicted.

court case

noun

a dispute between two parties that is decided in a court of law

• the victims read news reports of the pending court case.

court circular

noun

(usu. the Court Circular) — (Brit.) a daily report of the activities and public engagements of royal family members, published in some newspapers.

court costs

plural noun

see cost (noun).

court cupboard

noun

a 16th- or 17th-century sideboard for displaying plate and other decorative objects, especially one consisting of three open shelves and sometimes a small cupboard in the upper half.

court dress

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› formal clothing worn at a royal court.

2. official clothing worn in a court of law by those in the legal profession.

courteous /ˈkəːtɪəs/

I. adjective

polite, respectful, or considerate in manner.

• she was courteous and obliging to all.

• a courteous young man.

II. derivatives

1. courteously

adverb

2. courteousness

noun

– origin Middle English (meaning ‘having manners fit for a royal court’): from Old French corteis, based on Latin cohors ‘yard, retinue’ (see court). The change in the ending in the 16th cent. was due to association with words ending in -eous.

courtesan /ˌkɔːtɪˈzan, ˈkɔːtɪzan/

I. noun

‹chiefly literary› a prostitute, especially one with wealthy or upper-class clients.

• they diverted their remaining funds into frequenting courtesans.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French courtisane, from obsolete Italian cortigiana, feminine of cortigiano ‘courtier’, from corte (see court).

courtesy /ˈkəːtɪsi/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the showing of politeness in one's attitude and behaviour towards others

• he treated the players with courtesy and good humour.

2. [ count noun] — a polite remark or considerate act

• a ritual exchange of courtesies with the lawyers

• links to the manufacturers' websites are provided as a courtesy to the user.

3. [as modifier] — (especially of transport) supplied free of charge to people who are already paying for another service

• a courtesy car.

4. ‹archaic› a curtsy.

II. phrases

1. by courtesy

as a favour rather than by right.

• he was not at the conference only by courtesy.

2. (by) courtesy of

a. given or allowed by

• photograph courtesy of the Evening Star.

b. ‹informal› as a result of

• he booked his place in the final courtesy of a remarkable victory.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cortesie, from corteis (see courteous).

courtesy light

noun

a small light in a car that is automatically switched on when one of the doors is opened.

courtesy title

noun

a title given to someone, especially the son or daughter of a peer, that has no legal validity.

• he bore the courtesy title of Count of Champagne.

court hand

noun

a notoriously illegible style of handwriting used in English law courts until banned in 1731.

courthouse /ˈkɔːthaʊs/

noun

1. a building in which a judicial court is held.

2. (US) a building containing the administrative offices of a county.

courtier /ˈkɔːtɪə/

I. noun

a person who attends a royal court as a companion or adviser to the king or queen.

– origin Middle English: via Anglo-Norman French from Old French cortoyer ‘be present at court’, from cort (see court).

courtly /ˈkɔːtli/

I. adjective

very polite or refined, as befitting a royal court

• he gave a courtly bow.

II. derivatives

courtliness

noun

courtly love

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a highly conventionalized medieval tradition of love between a knight and a married noblewoman, first developed by the troubadours of southern France and extensively employed in European literature of the time. The love of the knight for his lady was regarded as an ennobling passion and the relationship was typically unconsummated.

court martial /kɔːt ˈmɑːʃ(ə)l/

I. noun

a judicial court for trying members of the armed services accused of offences against military law.

• they appeared before a court martial.

• [ mass noun] he was found guilty by court martial.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. try (someone) by a court martial

• they were court-martialled and imprisoned.

Court of Appeal

noun

1. (in England and Wales) a court of law that hears appeals against both civil and criminal judgements from the Crown Courts, High Court, and County Courts.

2. ( court of appeals) — (US) a court of law in a federal circuit or state to which appeals are taken.

Court of Claims

noun

(US) a federal court that tries claims against the government.

court of first instance

noun

a court in which legal proceedings are begun or first heard.

court of inquiry

noun

a tribunal appointed to investigate a matter and decide whether a court martial is warranted.

Court of Protection

an English court with jurisdiction over the affairs of people who are mentally ill or disabled, created in 2005.

court of record

noun

a court whose proceedings are recorded and available as evidence of fact.

court of review

noun

a court before which sentences previously imposed come for revision.

Court of St James's

the British sovereign's court.

Court of Session

the supreme civil court in Scotland.

court of summary jurisdiction

noun

(Brit.) a court, especially a magistrate's court, that tries summary offences without a jury.

court order

noun

a direction issued by a court or a judge requiring a person to do or not do something.

• his creditors secured a court order for his arrest.

• under the court order, she is allowed no contact with her son.

court plaster

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› sticking plaster made of silk or other cloth with an adhesive such as isinglass.

– origin late 18th cent.: so named because it was formerly used by ladies at court for beauty spots.

Courtrai /kuʀtʀɛ/

French name for Kortrijk.

court roll

noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› the record kept by a manorial court of rent paid and property held by tenants.

courtroom /ˈkɔːtruːm, ˈkɔːtrʊm/

noun

the place or room in which a court of law meets.
[as modifier]

• a bitter courtroom battle.

courtship /ˈkɔːtʃɪp/

noun

1. a period during which a couple develop a romantic relationship before getting married.

• he married his wife after a whirlwind courtship.

2. [ mass noun] — behaviour designed to persuade someone to marry or develop a romantic relationship with one.

• his courtship of Emma was idyllically happy.

3. [ mass noun] — the behaviour of male birds and other animals aimed at attracting a mate.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of attempting to win a person's favour or support

• the country's courtship of foreign investors.

court shoe

noun

(Brit.) a woman's plain, lightweight shoe that has a low-cut upper, no fastening, and typically a medium heel.

courtside /ˈkɔːtsʌɪd/

I. noun

the area adjacent to a tennis court, basketball court, etc.

• her family watched from courtside

• she was embraced by family and fans at courtside after her victory.

II. adjective, adverb

by the side of a tennis court, basketball court, etc.
[as adj.]

• the expensive courtside seats

• [as adv.] Vanessa and her two young daughters sat courtside.

court tennis

noun

North American term for real tennis.

courtyard /ˈkɔːtjɑːd/

noun

an unroofed area that is completely or partially enclosed by walls or buildings, typically one forming part of a castle or large house.

couscous /ˈkʊskʊs, ˈkuːskuːs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of North African semolina in granules made from crushed durum wheat.

2. a spicy dish made by steaming or soaking couscous and adding meat, vegetables, or fruit.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, from Arabic kuskus, from kaskasa ‘to pound’, probably of Berber origin.

cousin /ˈkʌz(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (also first cousin) — a child of one's uncle or aunt.

2. a person in one's wider extended family, to whom one is not closely related.

• she's a distant cousin.

3. a thing related or analogous to another

• the new motorbikes are not proving as popular as their four-wheel cousins.

4. (usu. cousins) — a person of a kindred race or nation

• our American cousins.

5. ‹historical› a title formerly used by a sovereign in addressing another sovereign or a noble of their own country.

II. phrases

1. first cousin once removed

a. a child of one's first cousin.

b. one's parent's first cousin.

2. first cousin twice removed

a. a grandchild of one's first cousin.

b. one's grandparent's first cousin.

3. second cousin

a child of one's parent's first cousin.

4. second cousin once removed

a. a child of one's second cousin.

b. one's parent's second cousin.

5. third cousin

a child of one's parent's second cousin.

III. derivatives

1. cousinhood

noun

2. cousinly

adjective

3. cousinship

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French cosin, from Latin consobrinus ‘mother's sister's child’, from con- ‘with’ + sobrinus ‘second cousin’ (from soror ‘sister’).

cousin-german

I. noun

old-fashioned term for cousin.

– origin Middle English: from French cousin germain (see cousin, german).

Cousteau, Jacques-Yves /ˈkuːstəʊ, French kusto/

(1910–97), French oceanographer and film director. He devised the scuba apparatus, but is known primarily for several feature films and popular television series on marine life.

couta /ˈkuːtə/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a barracouta (fish)

• a couta ate half the salmon before we could get it ashore.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation of barracouta.

couth /kuːθ / ‹humorous›

I. adjective

cultured, refined, and well mannered

• it is more couth to hold your shrimp genteelly by the tail when eating.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. good manners; refinement

• he has no couth, no brains and doesn't know the meaning of the word diplomacy.

III. derivatives

couthiness

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: back-formation from uncouth.

couthy /ˈkuːθi / couthie

I. adjective

1. (Scottish) (of a person) warm and friendly.

2. (Scottish) (of a place) cosy and comfortable

• a couthy wee tavern.

– origin early 18th cent.: apparently from Old English cūth ‘known’ + -y^1 (also -ie).

couture /kuːˈtjʊə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the design and manufacture of fashionable clothes to a client's specific requirements and measurements.

• designer ready-to-wear has taken over from couture as the focus of interest.

• [as modifier] London couture houses.

2. fashionable made-to-measure clothes

• they were dressed in size eight printed-silk couture.

– origin 1920s: French, ‘sewing, dressmaking’.

couturier /kuːˈtjʊərɪeɪ/

I. noun

a fashion designer who manufactures and sells clothes that have been tailored to a client's specific requirements and measurements.

• clothes of luxurious fabrics, cut by top couturiers to fit them to perfection.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, from couture.

couturière /kuːˈtjʊərɪɛː/

noun

a female couturier.

couvade /kuːˈvɑːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the custom in some cultures in which a man takes to his bed and goes through certain rituals when his child is being born, as though he were physically affected by the birth.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from couver ‘to hatch’, from Latin cubare ‘lie down’. The adoption of the term in French was due to a misunderstanding of the phrase faire la couvade ‘sit doing nothing’, used by earlier writers.

couvert /kuːˈvɛː/

I. noun

another term for cover (sense 5 of the noun).

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, past participle (used as a noun) of couvrir ‘to cover’.

couverture /ˈkuːvətjʊə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. chocolate made with extra cocoa butter to give a high gloss, used for covering sweets and cakes.

• the finest Belgian couverture.

• [ count noun] chocolates made using Swiss and French couvertures.

– origin 1930s: French, literally ‘covering’, from couvrir ‘to cover’.

covalent /kəʊˈveɪl(ə)nt/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] relating to or denoting chemical bonds formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms.
Often contrasted with ionic.

II. derivatives

1. covalence

noun

2. covalency

noun

3. covalently

adverb

covariance /kəʊˈvɛːrɪəns/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — [Mathematics] the property of a function of retaining its form when the variables are linearly transformed.

2. [Statistics] the mean value of the product of the deviations of two variates from their respective means.

covariant /kəʊˈvɛːrɪənt / ‹Mathematics›

I. noun

a function of the coefficients and variables of a given function which is invariant under a linear transformation except for a factor equal to a power of the determinant of the transformation.

II. adjective

1. changing in such a way that mathematical interrelations with another simultaneously changing quantity or set of quantities remain unchanged.

2. relating to or having the properties of a covariant.

covariation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Mathematics] correlated variation.

cove^1 /kəʊv/

I. noun

1. a small sheltered bay.

2. ‹dialect› a sheltered recess among hills or in the side of a mountain.

3. [Architecture] a concave arch or arched moulding, especially one formed at the junction of a wall with a ceiling.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. coved)

1. [Architecture] provide (a room, ceiling, etc.) with a cove.

• the mosques are rounded into domes and coved roofs.

– origin Old English cofa ‘chamber, cave’, of Germanic origin; related to German Koben ‘pigsty, pen’. Sense 1 of the noun dates from the late 16th cent.

cove^2 /kəʊv/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a man

• he is a perfectly amiable cove.

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps from Romany kova ‘thing or person’.

covelline /kəʊˈvɛlʌɪn/

noun

another term for covellite.

covellite /kəʊˈvɛlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a blue mineral consisting of copper sulphide, typically occurring as a coating on other copper minerals.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Nicolò Covelli (1790–1829), Italian chemist, + -ite^1.

coven /ˈkʌv(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a group or meeting of witches.

2. ‹often derogatory› a secret or close-knit group of associates

• covens of militants within the party.

– origin mid 17th cent.: variant of covin.

covenant /ˈkʌv(ə)nənt/

I. noun

1. an agreement.

• there was a covenant between them that her name was never to be mentioned.

2. [Law] a formal agreement, contract, or promise in writing, especially one undertaking to make regular payments to a charity.

3. [Law] a clause in a contract drawn up by deed.

4. [Theology] an agreement which brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people. The Jewish faith is based on the biblical covenants made with Abraham, Moses, and David.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. agree by lease, deed, or other legal contract
[with infinitive]

• the landlord covenants to repair the property.

2. [with obj.] — (Brit.) undertake to give (a sum of money) regularly to charity by means of a covenant.

• the company have covenanted £1,000 a year to the Law Library.

III. phrases

1. Old Covenant

[Christian Theology] the covenant between God and Israel in the Old Testament.

2. New Covenant

[Christian Theology] the covenant between God and the followers of Christ.

IV. derivatives

1. covenantal

adjective

2. covenantor

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French, present participle of covenir ‘agree’, from Latin convenire (see convene).

Covenanter /ˈkʌv(ə)nəntə/

noun

(in 17th-century Scotland) an adherent of the National Covenant (1638) or of the Solemn League and Covenant (1643), upholding the organization of the Scottish Presbyterian Church.

covenant of grace

noun

(in Reformation theology) the covenant between God and humanity which was established by Christ at the Atonement.

covenant of works

noun

(in Reformation theology) the covenant between God and humanity which was broken by Adam's sin at the Fall.

Covent Garden

a district in central London, originally the convent garden of the Abbey of Westminster. It was the site for 300 years of London's chief fruit and vegetable market, which in 1974 was moved to Nine Elms, Battersea. The first Covent Garden Theatre was opened in 1732; since 1946 it has been the home of the national opera and ballet companies, based at the Royal Opera House (built 1888).

Coventry /ˈkɒv(ə)ntri, ˈkʌv(ə)ntri/

I. an industrial city in the west Midlands of England; pop. 271,100 (est. 2009).

II. phrases

send someone to Coventry

(chiefly Brit.) refuse to associate with or speak to someone.

• some people ignore and send to Coventry individuals they disapprove of.

[mid 18th cent.: sometimes said to stem from the extreme unpopularity of soldiers stationed in Coventry, who were cut off socially by the citizens, or because Royalist prisoners were sent there during the English Civil War, the city being staunchly Parliamentarian.]

cover /ˈkʌvə/

I. verb

1. put something on top of or in front of (something) in order to protect or conceal it

• the table had been covered with a checked tablecloth

• her husband had covered up his bald patch.

2. envelop in a layer of something, especially dirt

• he was covered in mud

• ‹figurative› she was covered in confusion.

3. scatter a layer of loose material over (a floor or other surface), leaving it obscured

• the barn floor was covered in straw.

4. lie over or adhere to (a surface), as decoration or to conceal something

• masonry paint will cover hairline cracks.

5. extend over (an area)

• the grounds covered eight acres.

6. travel (a specified distance)

• it took them four days to cover 150 miles.

7. deal with (a subject) by describing or analysing its most important aspects or events

• a sequence of novels that will cover the period from 1968 to the present.

8. investigate, report on, or show pictures of (an event)

• Channel 4 are covering the match.

9. have responsibility for or provide services to (a particular area)

• development officers whose work would cover a large area.

10. (of a rule or law) apply to (a person or situation).

• the offence covers a wide spectrum of culpability.

11. (of a sum of money) be enough to pay (a cost)

• there are grants to cover the cost of materials for loft insulation.

12. (of insurance) protect against a liability, loss, or accident involving financial consequences

• your contents are now covered against accidental loss or damage in transit.

13. ( cover oneself) — take precautionary measures so as to protect oneself against future blame or liability

• one reason doctors take temperatures is to cover themselves against negligence claims.

14. disguise the sound or fact of (something) with another sound or action

• Louise laughed to cover her embarrassment.

15. [no obj.] ( cover for) — disguise the illicit absence or wrongdoing of (someone) in order to spare them punishment

• if the sergeant wants to know where you are, I'll cover for you.

16. [no obj.] ( cover for) — temporarily take over the job of (a colleague) in their absence.

• during August ministers cover for other ministers.

17. aim a gun at (someone) in order to prevent them from moving or escaping.

• she raised her gun to cover Klift.

18. protect (an exposed person) by shooting at an enemy
(as adj. covering)

• we retreated behind spurts of covering fire.

19. (of a fortress, gun, or cannon) have (an area) within range.

20. [chiefly Cricket] stand behind (another player) to stop any missed balls.

21. (in team games) take up a position ready to defend against (an opposing player).

22. [Baseball] be in position at (a base) ready to catch the ball.

• he moved to cover second base.

23. record or perform a new version of (a song) originally performed by someone else

• other artists who have covered the song include U2.

24. (of a male animal, especially a stallion) copulate with (a female animal).

• a working stallion who has covered forty mares this season.

25. [Bridge] play a higher card on (a high card) in a trick.

• the ploy will fail if the ten is covered.

• [no obj.] East covered with his queen.

II. noun

1. a thing which lies on, over, or around something, especially in order to protect or conceal it

• a seat cover

• a duvet cover.

2. a thin solid object that seals a container or hole; a lid

• a manhole cover.

3. a thick protective outer part or page of a book or magazine

• the year that Crime and Punishment appeared in hard covers.

4. ( the covers) — bedclothes

• she burrowed down beneath the covers.

5. [ mass noun] — shelter or protection sought by people in danger

• the sirens wailed and we ran for cover.

6. undergrowth or trees used as a shelter by animals

• the standing crops of game cover.

See also covert (sense 1 of the noun).

7. military support given when someone is being attacked

• they agreed to provide additional naval cover.

8. an activity or organization used as a means of concealing an illegal or secret activity

• the restaurant was run as a cover for a money-laundering operation.

9. [in sing.] — an identity adopted by a spy to conceal their true activities

• he was worried that their cover was blown.

10. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) protection by insurance against a liability, loss, or accident

• your policy provides cover against damage by subsidence.

11. (also cover version) — a recording or performance of a song previously recorded by a different artist.

• the band played covers of Beatles songs.

12. a place setting at a table in a restaurant.

• the busiest time is in summer, with up to a thousand covers for three meals a day.

[rendering French couvert.]

13. [Cricket] short for cover point.

• an easy catch by Hick at cover.

14. ( the covers) — an area of the field consisting of cover point and extra cover.

• deliveries pitching outside leg stump are pounded through the covers.

15. [Ecology] the amount of ground covered by a vertical projection of the vegetation, usually expressed as a percentage.

III. phrases

1. break cover

suddenly leave a place of shelter, especially vegetation, when being hunted or pursued.

• it was more than likely that the tigress would break cover and try to rush me.

2. cover all the bases ‹informal›

deal with something thoroughly

• we thought our legal department had covered all the bases in our terms and conditions.

3. cover one's back ( ‹or N. Amer.› ass)

‹informal› foresee and avoid the possibility of attack or criticism.

• never take chances, always cover your back.

4. cover oneself in (or with) glory

perform very well

• we didn't exactly cover ourselves in glory with our batting.

5. cover one's position ‹Finance›

purchase securities in order to be able to fulfil a commitment to sell.

6. cover one's tracks

conceal evidence of one's activities.

• he covered his tracks so well no one has ever been able to prove anything.

7. cover the waterfront

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› cover every aspect of something

• while half the dishes are Italian, the kitchen covers the waterfront from Greece to Morocco.

8. from cover to cover

from beginning to end of a book or magazine.

• it's a book to be read from cover to cover.

9. take cover

protect oneself from attack by ducking down into or under a shelter

• if the bombing starts, take cover in the basement.

10. under cover

under a roof or other shelter.

• store seats under cover before the bad weather sets in.

11. under cover of

a. concealed by

• the yacht made landfall under cover of darkness.

b. while pretending to do

• Moran watched every move under cover of reading the newspaper.

12. under plain cover

in an envelope or parcel without any marks to identify the sender.

13. under separate cover

in a separate envelope.

IV. phrasal verbs

cover something up

try to hide the fact of illegal or illicit activity

• the prime minister was accused of trying to cover up the scandal.

V. derivatives

coverable

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French covrir, from Latin cooperire, from co- (expressing intensive force) + operire ‘to cover’. The noun is partly a variant of covert.

coverage /ˈkʌv(ə)rɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the extent to which something deals with something else

• the grammar did not offer total coverage of the language.

2. the treatment of an issue by the media

• the programme won an award for its news coverage.

3. the area reached by a broadcasting station or advertising medium

• a network of eighty transmitters would give nationwide coverage.

4. the area that can be covered by a specified volume or weight of a substance

• coverage is 6.5 square metres per litre.

5. (US) the amount of protection given by an insurance policy.

6. [American Football] the manner in which a defender or a defensive team cover a player, an area, or a play.

• man-to-man coverage.

• [ count noun] he reads coverages well.

coverall /ˈkʌvərɔːl / ‹N. Amer.›

I. noun — (usu. coveralls)

1. overalls.

II. adjective

inclusive

• a coverall term.

cover band ‹Brit.› covers band

noun

a band whose repertoire consists of versions of songs by other artists rather than original material

• she's started singing in a covers band

• a Led Zeppelin cover band.

cover charge

noun

a flat fee paid for admission to a restaurant, bar, club, etc.

• that tempting little basket of bread that comes with the cover charge.

cover crop

noun

a crop grown for the protection and enrichment of the soil.

Coverdale, Miles /ˈkʌvədeɪl/

(1488–1568), English biblical scholar. He translated the first complete printed English Bible (1535), published in Zurich while he was in exile for preaching against confession and images. He also edited the Great Bible of 1539.

cover drive

noun

[Cricket] a drive past cover point.

cover girl

noun

a female model whose picture appears on magazine covers.

cover glass

noun

another term for coverslip.

covering /ˈkʌv(ə)rɪŋ/

noun

1. a thing used to protect, decorate, or conceal something else

• a vinyl floor covering.

2. [usu. in sing.] — a layer of something that covers something else

• the sky was obscured by a covering of cloud.

covering letter covering note, ‹N. Amer.› cover letter

noun

(Brit.) a letter sent with, and explaining the contents of, another document or a parcel of goods.

• you will need to write a covering letter to send with your CV.

coverlet /ˈkʌvəlɪt/

I. noun

a bedspread.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French covrelet, from Old French covrir ‘to cover’ + lit ‘bed’.

cover note

noun

(Brit.) a temporary certificate showing that a person has a current insurance policy.

cover point

noun

1. [Cricket] a fielding position a little in front of the batsman on the off side and halfway to the boundary.

2. [Cricket] a fielder at cover point.

coverslip

noun

a small, thin piece of glass used to cover and protect a specimen on a microscope slide.

cover story

noun

1. a magazine article that is illustrated or advertised on the front cover.

2. a fictitious account invented to conceal a person's identity or reasons for doing something.

covert

I. adjective — covert /ˈkʌvət, ˈkəʊvəːt /

1. not openly acknowledged or displayed

• covert operations against the dictatorship.

II. noun — covert /ˈkʌvət, ˈkʌvə /

1. a thicket in which game can hide.

2. [Ornithology] a feather covering the base of a main flight or tail feather of a bird.

3. ‹rare› a flock of coots

• it is a good omen when a covert of coots have taken to any particular locality.

III. derivatives

covertness

noun

– origin Middle English (in the general senses ‘covered’ and ‘a cover’): from Old French, ‘covered’, past participle of covrir (see cover).

covert coat /ˈkʌvət/

noun

(Brit.) a short, light overcoat designed to be worn for outdoor sports such as shooting and riding.

covertly /ˈkəʊvəːtli, kəʊˈvəːtli/

adverb

without being openly acknowledged or displayed; secretly

• a transcript of a covertly taped meeting.

coverture /ˈkʌvətjʊə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — ‹literary› protective or concealing covering.

2. [Law] ‹historical› the legal status of a married woman, considered to be under her husband's protection and authority.

– origin Middle English (originally denoting a coverlet or garment): from Old French, from covrir ‘to cover’.

cover-up /ˈkʌvərʌp/

noun

1. an attempt to prevent people discovering the truth about a serious mistake or crime.

• they claim he did not gun down the president and insist there was a cover-up.

2. a loose outer garment, as worn over a swimsuit or exercise outfit.

covet /ˈkʌvɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. yearn to possess (something, especially something belonging to another)

• I covet one of their smart bags

• (as adj. coveted) I gave up a coveted job, that of editor-in-chief.

II. derivatives

covetable

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French cuveitier, based on Latin cupiditas (see cupidity).

covetous /ˈkʌvɪtəs/

I. adjective

having or showing a great desire to possess something belonging to someone else

• she fingered the linen with covetous hands.

II. derivatives

1. covetously

adverb

2. covetousness

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French coveitous, based on Latin cupiditas (see cupidity).

covey /ˈkʌvi/

I. noun

1. a small flock of birds, especially partridge.

2. a small group of people or things

• coveys of actors rushed through the rooms.

– origin Middle English: from Old French covee, feminine past participle of cover, from Latin cubare ‘lie down’.

covin /ˈkʌvɪn / covine

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› fraud; deception.

– origin Middle English (denoting a company or band): from Old French, from medieval Latin convenium, from Latin convenire (see convene). Compare with coven.

cow^1 /kaʊ/

I. noun

1. a fully grown female animal of a domesticated breed of ox, kept to produce milk or beef

• a dairy cow.

2. (loosely) a domestic bovine animal, regardless of sex or age.

3. (in farming) a female domestic bovine animal which has borne more than one calf.
Compare with heifer.

4. the female of certain other large animals, for example elephant, rhinoceros, whale, or seal.

5. ‹informal› an unpleasant or disliked woman.

6. (Austral./NZ) an unpleasant person or thing.

II. phrases

1. have a cow

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› become angry, excited, or agitated

• don't have a cow—it's no big deal.

2. till the cows come home

‹informal› for an indefinitely long time

• those two could talk till the cows came home.

– origin Old English cū, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch koe and German Kuh, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin bos and Greek bous.

cow^2 /kaʊ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to submit to one's wishes by intimidation

• the intellectuals had been cowed into silence.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably from Old Norse kúga ‘oppress’.

cowabunga /ˌkaʊəˈbʌŋɡə, ˌkɑːwəˈbʌŋɡə/

I. exclamation

‹informal› used to express delight or satisfaction

• Cowabunga! It's an actor's dream.

– origin 1950s: first popularized by a character on the US television programme Howdy Doody (1947–60). It later became associated with surfing culture and was further popularized by use on the US television cartoon programme Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987–96).

coward /ˈkaʊəd/

I. noun

a person who is contemptibly lacking in the courage to do or endure dangerous or unpleasant things.

• they had run away—the cowards!

II. adjective

1. ‹literary› excessively afraid of danger or pain.

2. [Heraldry] (of an animal) depicted with the tail between the hind legs.

– origin Middle English: from Old French couard, based on Latin cauda ‘tail’, possibly with reference to a frightened animal with its tail between its legs, reflected in sense 2 of the adjective (early 16th cent.).

Coward, Sir Noël

(1899–1973), English dramatist, actor, and composer; full name Sir Noël Pierce Coward. He is remembered for witty, satirical plays, such as Hay Fever (1925) and Private Lives (1930), as well as revues and musicals featuring songs such as ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen’ (1932).

cowardice /ˈkaʊədɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of bravery

• my cowardice got the better of me and I crept out of the room

• his 11th-hour decision not to hold an election led to accusations of cowardice.

2. [ count noun] — ‹rare› a group of mongrels or feral dogs.

– origin Middle English: from Old French couardise, from couard (see coward).

cowardly /ˈkaʊədli/

I. adjective

1. lacking courage

• he was a weak, cowardly man.

2. (of an action) carried out against a person who is unable to retaliate

• a cowardly attack on a helpless victim.

II. adverb

‹archaic› in a way which shows a lack of courage.

III. derivatives

cowardliness

noun

cowardy

adjective — (in phrase cowardy custard)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a cowardly person (often used as a taunt by children).

cow bail /ˈkaʊ beɪl/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a movable framework for securing the head of a cow during milking

• she showed me the cow bail and how to use the milking machine.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cow^1 + bail^2.

cowbane /ˈkaʊbeɪn/

I. noun

any of a number of tall poisonous plants of the parsley family, growing in swampy or wet habitats.
● another term for water hemlock ● a North American plant ( Oxypolis rigidior, family Umbelliferae).

– origin late 18th cent.: from cow^1 + bane, because it is poisonous to grazing cattle.

cowbanger /ˈkaʊbaŋə/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a dairy farmer

• her boss is the local cowbanger.

– origin early 20th cent.: from cow^1 + banger.

cowbell /ˈkaʊbɛl/

noun

1. a bell hung round a cow's neck to indicate its whereabouts.

2. a bell used as a percussion instrument, typically without a clapper and struck with a stick.

cowberry

noun

1. a low-growing evergreen dwarf shrub of the heather family, which bears dark red berries and grows in northern upland habitats. See also lingonberry.
● Vaccinium vitis-idaea, family Ericaceae.

2. the edible acid berry of the cowberry plant.

cowbird /ˈkaʊbəːd/

noun

a New World songbird with dark plumage and a relatively short bill, typically laying its eggs in other birds' nests.
●Genus Molothrus (and Scaphidura), family Icteridae: several species, in particular the widespread brown-headed cowbird ( M. ater).

cowboy /ˈkaʊbɔɪ/

I. noun

1. (especially in the western US) a man who herds and tends cattle, performing much of his work on horseback.

• they are always playing cowboys and Indians.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a dishonest or careless person in business, especially an unqualified one.
[as modifier]

• cowboy coach firms are alleged to have flouted safety rules.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› work as a cowboy.

III. phrasal verbs

cowboy up

(US) ‹informal› make a determined effort to overcome an obstacle or deal with a difficult situation

• if the recount votes aren't to his liking, he still needs to cowboy up and let the voters' will be heard.

cowboy boot

noun

a high-heeled boot of a style originally worn by cowboys, typically with a pointed toe and decorative stitching.

cow camp

noun

(N. Amer.) a seasonal camp apart from the main buildings of a ranch, used during a cattle round-up.

cowcatcher /ˈkaʊkatʃə/

noun

(N. Amer.) a metal frame at the front of a locomotive for pushing aside cattle or other obstacles on the line.

cow chip

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a dried cowpat.

• he hurled a dried cow chip further than any other contestant at a rodeo.

cow cocky

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a small dairy farmer.

– origin from cow^1 + cocky^2.

Cowdrey, Colin /ˈkaʊdreɪ, ˈkaʊdri/

Lord Cowdrey of Tonbridge (1932–2000), English cricketer, Kent and England captain; full name Michael Colin Cowdrey. He scored 107 centuries, 22 of them in Test cricket.

Cowen, Brian /ˈkaʊən/

(b.1960), Irish Fianna Fáil statesman, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) 2008–11.

cower /ˈkaʊə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. crouch down in fear

• children cowered in terror as the shoot-out erupted.

– origin Middle English: from Middle Low German kūren ‘lie in wait’, of unknown ultimate origin.

Cowes /kaʊz/

a town on the Isle of Wight, southern England; pop. 19,900 (est. 2009). It is internationally famous as a yachting centre.

cowfish /ˈkaʊfɪʃ/

noun

1. a boxfish with horn-like spines on the head.
●Several genera and species in the family Ostraciontidae, in particular Lactoria diaphana.

2. a marine mammal, especially a manatee.

cow flop cow flap

noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a cowpat.

cowgirl /ˈkaʊɡɜːl/

noun

a woman who herds and tends cattle; a female cowboy.

cowhand /ˈkaʊhand/

noun

a person employed to tend cattle or to run a ranch.

cowherd /ˈkaʊhəːd/

I. noun

a person who tends grazing cattle.

– origin Old English, from cow^1 + obsolete herd ‘herdsman’.

cowhide /ˈkaʊhʌɪd/

noun

1. a cow's hide.

2. [ mass noun] — leather made from the hide of a cow.

• strips of cowhide.

3. a whip made from cowhide.

cow-house

noun

(Brit.) a shed or shelter for cows.

Cowichan sweater /ˈkaʊɪtʃən/

noun

(in Canada) a thick sweater decorated with symbols taken from the mythology of the Cowichan Indians of southern Vancouver Island.

cowl /kaʊl/

I. noun

1. a large loose hood, especially one forming part of a monk's habit.

2. a monk's hooded, sleeveless habit.

3. a cloak with wide sleeves worn by members of Benedictine orders.

4. the hood-shaped covering of a chimney or ventilation shaft.

5. another term for cowling.

II. derivatives

cowled

adjective

– origin Old English cugele, cūle, from ecclesiastical Latin cuculla, from Latin cucullus ‘hood of a cloak’.

cowlick /ˈkaʊlɪk/

noun

a lock of hair hanging or projecting over a person's forehead.

• his hair was cut short with a cowlick dropping over at the front.

cowling /ˈkaʊlɪŋ/

noun

the removable cover of a vehicle or aircraft engine.

cowl neck

noun

a neckline on a woman's garment that hangs in draped folds.
[as modifier]

• a cowl-neck sweater.

cowman /ˈkaʊmən/

noun

1. a person who is employed to tend grazing cattle.

2. (N. Amer.) a cowboy.

co-worker /kəʊˈwəːkə/

noun

1. a person with whom one works, typically someone in a similar role or at a similar level within an organization

• her strong work ethic and high standards have garnered respect and support from co-workers and employees alike.

2. a person engaged in the practice of co-working

• the offices offer a home to about 550 co-workers.

co-working /ˈkəʊwəːkɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of an office or other working environment by people who are self-employed or working for different employers, typically so as to share equipment, ideas, and knowledge

• the whole idea of co-working is to bring bright, creative people together and let the ideas collide

• [as modifier] the area's newest co-working space.

cow paddock

noun

(Austral./NZ) an area of land where cows are kept

• we drove past endless cow paddocks that used to be natural habitat.

cow parsley

noun

a European hedgerow plant of the parsley family, which has fern-like leaves and large heads of tiny white flowers, giving the appearance of lace. Also called Queen Anne's lace.
● Anthriscus sylvestris, family Umbelliferae.

cow parsnip

noun

another term for hogweed.

cowpat /ˈkaʊpat/

noun

(Brit.) a flat round deposit of cow dung.

cowpea /ˈkaʊpiː/

noun

1. a plant of the pea family native to the Old World tropics, cultivated for its edible pods and seeds.
● Vigna unguiculata, family Leguminosae.

2. the seed of the cowpea as food.

Cowper, William /ˈkuːpə/

(1731–1800), English poet, best known for his long poem The Task (1785) and the comic ballad John Gilpin (1782). In 1779 he wrote Olney Hymns with the evangelical minister John Newton (1725–1807).

Cowper's gland

I. noun

[Anatomy] either of a pair of small glands which open into the urethra at the base of the penis and secrete a constituent of seminal fluid.

– origin mid 18th cent.: named after William Cowper (1666–1709), English anatomist.

cow pie

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a cowpat.

cowpoke /ˈkaʊpəʊk/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a cowboy.

cowpox /ˈkaʊpɒks/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a viral disease of cows' udders which, when contracted by humans through contact, resembles mild smallpox, and was the basis of the first smallpox vaccines.

cowpuncher /ˈkaʊpʌntʃə/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a cowboy.

cowrie /ˈkaʊ(ə)ri / cowry

I. noun

1. a marine mollusc which has a glossy, brightly patterned domed shell with a long, narrow opening.
●Genus Cypraea, family Cypraeidae, class Gastropoda: numerous species, including the small money cowrie ( C. moneta).

2. the flattened yellowish shell of the money cowrie, formerly used as money in parts of Africa and the Indo-Pacific area.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Hindi kauṛī.

co-write /kəʊˈrʌɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. write (something) together with another person.

• she is currently co-writing a book on her recent Amazon expedition.

co-writer /ˈkəʊrʌɪtə/

noun

a person who writes something together with another person

• Tim and I became co-writers on the script.

cow shark

noun

a dull grey or brown shark that lives mainly in deep water, especially in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean.
● Hexanchus griseus, family Hexanchidae.

cowshed /ˈkaʊʃɛd/

noun

a farm building in which cattle are kept when not at pasture, or in which they are milked.

cowslip /ˈkaʊslɪp/

I. noun

1. a European primula with clusters of drooping fragrant yellow flowers in spring, growing on dry grassy banks and in pasture.
● Primula veris, family Primulaceae.

2. any of a number of herbaceous plants, in particular:
● North American term for marsh marigold ● a North American plant with blue flowers ( Mertensia virginica, family Boraginaceae).

– origin Old English cūslyppe, from cū ‘cow’ + slipa, slyppe ‘slime’, i.e. cow slobber or dung.

cowspanker /ˈkaʊspaŋkə/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a dairy farmer

• there was talk about putting a tax on the cowspankers.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cow^1 + spanker.

cow town

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a town or city in a cattle-raising area of western North America.

2. (N. Amer.) a small, isolated, or unsophisticated town.

cow tree

noun

a tropical American tree yielding a juice which looks and tastes like cow's milk.
●Several species, in particular the Venezuelan Brosimum utile (family Moraceae).

cow wheat

noun

a yellowish-flowered plant of the figwort family, partly parasitic on the roots of other plants and found in both Eurasia and North America.
●Genus Melampyrum, family Scrophulariaceae: several species, including common cow wheat ( M. pratense).

cox /kɒks/

I. noun

a coxswain, especially of a racing boat.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. act as a coxswain for (a racing boat or crew)

• the winning eight was coxed by a woman

• (as adj. coxed) the coxed pairs.

III. derivatives

coxless

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation.

Cox /kɒks / Cox's orange pippin

I. noun

an English eating apple of a variety with a red-tinged green skin.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after R. Cox (died 1845), the English amateur fruit grower who first grew it (1825).

coxa /ˈkɒksə/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] the hip bone or hip joint.

2. [Entomology] the first or basal segment of the leg of an insect.

II. derivatives

coxal

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘hip’.

coxcomb /ˈkɒkskəʊm/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› a vain and conceited man; a dandy.

2. variant spelling of cockscomb (sense 2).

II. derivatives

coxcombry /ˈkɒkskəmri /

noun

coxcomb (sense 1)

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a simpleton): variant of cockscomb, in the sense ‘jester's cap’ (resembling a cockscomb), hence ‘a jester, a fool’.

coxopodite /kɒkˈsɒpədʌɪt/

I. noun

[Zoology] the segment nearest the body in the leg of an arthropod, especially a crustacean.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin coxa ‘hip’ + Greek pous, pod- ‘foot’ + -ite^1.

Coxsackie virus /kɒkˈsaki, kʊk-/

I. noun

[Medicine] any of a group of enteroviruses which cause various respiratory, neurological, and muscular diseases in humans.

– origin 1940s: named after Coxsackie, New York State, where the first cases were diagnosed.

Cox's Bazar

a port and resort town on the Bay of Bengal, near Chittagong, southern Bangladesh; pop. 114,700 (est. 2009).

coxswain /ˈkɒks(ə)n/

I. noun

1. the person who steers a ship's boat, racing boat, or other boat.

2. the helmsman and skipper of a lifeboat.

3. the senior petty officer in a small ship or submarine in the Royal Navy.

– origin Middle English: from obsolete cock (see cockboat) + swain. Compare with boatswain.

coy /kɔɪ/

I. adjective

1. (especially with reference to a woman) making a pretence of shyness or modesty which is intended to be alluring

• she treated him to a coy smile of invitation.

2. reluctant to give details about something regarded as sensitive

• he is coy about his age.

– origin Middle English: from Old French coi, quei, from Latin quietus (see quiet). The original sense was ‘quiet, still’ (especially in behaviour), later ‘modestly retiring’, and hence (of a woman) ‘affecting to be unresponsive to advances’.

Coy

abbreviation

[chiefly Military] Company.

coydog

noun

(N. Amer.) a hybrid between a coyote and a dog.

coyly /ˈkɔɪli/

adverb

1. in an outwardly shy or modest way intended to be alluring

• she smiles coyly for the camera.

2. in a way that shows reluctance to give details about something regarded as sensitive

• he coyly withheld his candidacy.

coyness /ˈkɔɪnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (especially in a woman) the quality of feigning shyness or modesty in an attempt to seem alluring.

2. the quality of being reluctant to give details about something regarded as sensitive; reticence

• his coyness about his sexual orientation.

coyote /ˈkɔɪəʊt, kɔɪˈəʊti/

I. noun

1. a wolf-like wild dog native to North America. Also called brush wolf or prairie wolf in North America.
● Canis latrans, family Canidae.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person who smuggles people from Latin America across the US border, typically for a very high fee.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl coyotl.

Coyote State

informal name for South Dakota.

coypu /ˈkɔɪpuː/

I. noun

a large semiaquatic beaver-like rodent, native to South America. It is kept in captivity for its fur and has become naturalized in many other areas.
● Myocastor coypus, the only member of the family Myocastoridae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Araucanian.

coz^1 /kɒz, kəz / 'coz

conjunction

‹informal› because. See also cos^3, cuz^1:

• I'm booking a couple of tickets tomorrow coz it'll sell out.

coz^2 /kʌz/

I. noun

‹archaic› (N. Amer.) a person's cousin. See also cuz^2:

• goodbye, fair coz.

– origin mid 16th cent.: abbreviation.

cozen /ˈkʌz(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› trick or deceive

• do not think to cozen your contemporaries.

2. ‹literary› obtain by deception

• he was able to cozen a profit.

II. derivatives

1. cozenage

noun

2. cozener

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: perhaps from obsolete Italian cozzonare ‘to cheat’, from cozzone ‘middleman, broker’, from Latin cocio ‘dealer’.

Cozumel /ˌkəʊzəˈmɛl/

a resort island in the Caribbean, off the NE coast of the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico.

CP

abbreviation

1. cerebral palsy.

2. [Finance] commercial paper.

3. [Law] ‹historical› (Rolls of the Court of) Common Pleas.

4. Communist Party.

5. (in South Africa) Conservative Party.

cp.

abbreviation

compare.

c.p.

abbreviation

candlepower.

CPA

abbreviation

(US) certified public accountant.

CPI

abbreviation

(in the US) consumer price index.

Cpl /ˈkɔːp(ə)r(ə)l/

abbreviation

Corporal.

CPO

abbreviation

Chief Petty Officer.

CPR

noun — [ mass noun]

1. short for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

cps c.p.s.

abbreviation

1. [Computing] characters per second.

2. cycles per second.

CPS

abbreviation

(in the UK) Crown Prosecution Service.

CPU

abbreviation

[Computing] central processing unit.

CPVC

abbreviation

chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, a plastic material used to make water pipes.

CPVE

abbreviation

(in the UK) Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education.

Cr^1

symbol

the chemical element chromium.

Cr^2

abbreviation

1. Councillor.

2. credit.

CR

abbreviation

1. Community of the Resurrection.

2. Costa Rica (international vehicle registration).

crab^1 /krab/

I. noun

1. a crustacean, found chiefly on seashores, with a broad carapace, stalked eyes, and five pairs of legs, the first pair of which are modified as pincers.
●Many families in the order Decapoda, class Malacostraca.

2. [ mass noun] — the flesh of a crab as food.

3. ( the Crab) — the zodiacal sign or constellation Cancer.

4. (also crab louse) — a louse that infests human body hair, especially in the genital region, causing extreme irritation.
● Phthirus pubis, family Pediculidae, order Anoplura.

5. ( crabs) — ‹informal› an infestation of crab lice.

• the time his friend had crabs.

6. a machine with pincer-like arms for lifting heavy weights.

II. verb

1. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move sideways or obliquely

• he began crabbing sideways across the roof.

2. [with obj.] — steer (an aircraft or ship) slightly sideways to compensate for a crosswind or current.

• George crabbed the plane into the wind.

3. [no obj.] — fish for crabs.

• watermen were crabbing on the bay.

III. phrases

1. catch a crab

[Rowing] make a faulty stroke in which the oar is jammed under water or misses the water altogether.

2. draw the crabs

a. (Austral.) ‹military slang› attract enemy fire

• a lone tank drew the crabs on them.

b. (Austral.) ‹informal› attract unwanted attention

• once a complaint is made it has to be investigated, thereby drawing the crabs.

IV. derivatives

1. crabber

noun

2. crablike

adjective, adverb

– origin Old English crabba, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch krabbe, and more distantly to Dutch kreeft and German Krebs; also to crab^3.

crab^2 /krab/

noun

short for crab apple.

crab^3 /krab/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — ‹informal› grumble about something petty

• on picnics, I would crab about sand in my food.

2. [with obj.] — ‹informal› ‹dated› act so as to spoil (something).

• you're trying to crab my act.

– origin late 16th cent. (referring to hawks, meaning ‘claw or fight each other’): from Low German krabben; related to crab^1.

crab apple

I. noun

1. a small sour apple.

2. (also crab tree or crab-apple tree) — the small tree that bears the crab apple.
●Genus Malus, family Rosaceae: several species and hybrids, in particular the wild Eurasian crab apple ( M. sylvestris).

– origin late Middle English: crab perhaps an alteration (influenced by crab^1 or crabbed) of Scots and northern English scrab, in the same sense, probably of Scandinavian origin.

Crabbe, George /krab/

(1754–1832), English poet, best known for grimly realistic narrative poems, such as ‘The Village’ (1783) and ‘The Borough’ (1810); the latter included tales of Peter Grimes and Ellen Orford and later provided the subject matter for Benjamin Britten's opera Peter Grimes (1945).

crabbed /ˈkrabɪd, krabd/

I. adjective

1. (of handwriting) very small and difficult to decipher.

• his handwriting is crabbed and hideous.

2. (of style) contorted and difficult to understand

• crabbed legal language.

3. bad-tempered

• a crabbed, unhappy middle age.

II. derivatives

1. crabbedly

adverb

2. crabbedness

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘perverse, wayward’): from crab^1, because of the crab's sideways gait and habit of snapping.

crabby /ˈkrabi/

I. adjective

irritable.

• a rather crabby old man.

• he was crabby at having his siesta interrupted.

II. derivatives

1. crabbily

adverb

2. crabbiness

noun

crab cake

noun

a patty of flaked or minced crab meat, typically served fried.

• crab cakes with spicy tomato sauce.

crab canon

noun

another term for canon cancrizans.

crabeater seal

noun

a slender grey Antarctic seal which lives on the pack ice, feeding mainly on krill.
● Lobodon carcinophagus, family Phocidae.

crabgrass /ˈkrabɡrɑːs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a creeping grass that can become a serious weed.
● Digitaria and other genera, family Gramineae: several species, in particular D. sanguinalis and D. ciliaris.

crabhole /ˈkrabhəʊl/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Austral./NZ) a hole in the ground made by a terrestrial crustacean

• herons jab their crazy curved bills into the crabholes in the marsh muck.

2. (chiefly Austral./NZ) a hollow in heavy clay soils where rainwater collects; a waterhole

• he steered a way as best he could through trees, stumps, boulders and crabholes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from crab^1 + hole.

crabmeat

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the flesh of a crab as food.

Crab Nebula ‹Astronomy›

an irregular patch of luminous gas in the constellation Taurus, believed to be the remnant of a supernova explosion seen by Chinese astronomers in 1054. At its centre is the first pulsar to be observed visually, and the nebula is a strong source of high-energy radiation.

crab pot

noun

a wicker trap for crabs.

crab spider

noun

a spider with long front legs, moving with a crablike sideways motion and typically lying in wait in vegetation and flowers for passing prey.
●Family Thomisidae: several genera.

crab stick

noun

a stick of mixed compressed fish pieces, rectangular in section, and including and flavoured with crab.

crabwise /ˈkrabwʌɪz/

adverb, adjective

(of movement) sideways, typically in an awkward way
[as adv.]

• supermarket trolleys that only go crabwise

• [as adj.] crabwise steps.

crack /krak/

I. noun

1. a line on the surface of something along which it has split without breaking apart

• a hairline crack down the middle of the glass.

2. a narrow space between two surfaces which have broken or been moved apart

• he climbed into a crack between two rocks

• the door opened a tiny crack.

3. a vulnerable point; a flaw

• the company spotted a crack in their rival's defences.

4. a sudden sharp or explosive noise

• a loud crack of thunder.

5. a sharp audible blow

• she gave the thief a crack over the head with her rolling pin.

6. a sudden harshness or change in pitch in a person's voice

• the boy's voice had an uncertain crack in it.

7. ‹informal› a joke, typically a critical or unkind one.

• he knew about the gossip and would make the odd crack.

8. (also craic) [ mass noun] — (chiefly Irish) enjoyable social activity; a good time

• he loved the crack, the laughing.

9. [ count noun] — (Scottish) (N. English) a conversation

• they are having a great crack about shooting.

10. [in sing.] — ‹informal› an attempt to achieve something

• I fancy having a crack at winning a fourth title.

11. a chance to attack or compete with someone

• he wanted to have a crack at the enemy.

12. (also crack cocaine) [ mass noun] — a potent hard crystalline form of cocaine broken into small pieces and inhaled or smoked.

• he uses crack and cocaine.

• [as modifier] a crack dealer.

II. verb

1. break or cause to break without a complete separation of the parts
[no obj.]

• the ice all over the bog had cracked

• [with obj.] take care not to crack the glass.

2. break or cause to break open or apart
[no obj., with adverbial]

• a chunk of the cliff had cracked off in a storm

• ‹figurative› his face cracked into a smile

• [with obj.] she cracked an egg into the frying pan.

3. [with obj.] — break (wheat or corn) into coarse pieces.

4. give way or cause to give way under torture, pressure, or strain
[no obj.]

• the witnesses cracked and the truth came out

• [with obj.] no one can crack them—they believe their cover story.

5. make or cause to make a sudden sharp or explosive sound
[no obj.]

• a shot cracked across the ridge

• [with obj.] he cracked his whip and galloped away.

6. [no obj.] — knock hard against something

• she winced as her knees cracked against metal.

7. [with obj.] — hit (someone or something) hard

• she cracked him across the forehead.

8. [no obj.] — (of a person's voice) suddenly change in pitch, especially through strain

• ‘I want to get away,’ she said, her voice cracking.

9. [with obj.] — ‹informal› find a solution to; decipher or interpret

• the code will help you crack the messages.

10. break into (a safe).

11. [with obj.] — tell (a joke).

• he cracked jokes which she didn't find very funny.

12. [with obj.] — decompose (hydrocarbons) by heat and pressure with or without a catalyst to produce lighter hydrocarbons, especially in oil refining.

• catalytic cracking increases gasoline yields.

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. very good or skilful

• he is a crack shot

• crack troops.

IV. phrases

1. crack a book

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› open a book and read it; study.

• they can run with a football or dunk a basketball with little concern whether they ever crack a book.

2. crack (open) a bottle

open a bottle, especially of wine, and drink from it.

• he likes to crack a bottle of wine with his friends.

3. crack a crib

‹archaic› ‹informal› break into a house.

4. crack hardy

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› assume a brave or tough front in the face of a difficult or unpleasant situation

• we cracked hardy but we were in shock.

5. crack of dawn

a time very early in the morning; daybreak.

• I've been up since the crack of dawn.

6. crack of doom

a peal of thunder announcing the Day of Judgement.

• I fell off the ladder, making a noise like the crack of doom.

7. crack of the whip

(Brit.) ‹informal› a chance to try or participate in something

• individuals who feel that they have not had a fair crack of the whip.

8. be cracked up to be

[with negative] — ‹informal› be asserted to be (used to indicate that someone or something has been described too favourably)

• life on tour is not as glamorous as it's cracked up to be.

9. crack wise

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› make jokes.

• this struck them as funny, although nobody used it as a moment to crack wise at my expense.

10. get cracking

‹informal› act quickly and decisively

• most tickets have been snapped up, so get cracking if you want one.

11. slip (or fall) through the cracks

another way of saying slip through the net (see net^1).

V. phrasal verbs

1. crack down on

‹informal› take severe measures against

• the police will crack down on criminals.

2. crack on

(Brit.) ‹informal› proceed or progress quickly

• we'll crack on with the rest of the job this month.

3. crack on to

(Austral.) ‹informal› seek to form a sexual relationship with (someone).

4. crack up

a. ‹informal› suffer an emotional breakdown under pressure

• I feel I'm cracking up, always on the verge of tears.

b. ‹informal› burst into laughter

• she tries to keep a straight face, but she keeps cracking up.

VI. derivatives

cracky

adjective

– origin Old English cracian ‘make an explosive noise’; of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kraken and German krachen. Sense 4 of the noun is from Irish craic ‘entertaining conversation’.

crackbrained /ˈkrakbreɪnd/

adjective

‹informal› extremely foolish; crazy

• a crackbrained idea.

crackdown /ˈkrakdaʊn/

noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. a series of severe measures to restrict undesirable or illegal people or behaviour

• a crackdown on car crime.

cracked /krakt/

adjective

1. damaged and showing lines on the surface from having split without coming apart

• the old pipes were cracked and leaking.

2. (of a person's voice) having an unusual harshness or pitch, especially through strain.

• her voice emerged, cracked, from a throat tight with dread.

• the captain was screaming orders in a cracked baritone.

3. [ predic.] — ‹informal› crazy; insane

• you must think my family are cracked.

cracked wheat

noun — [ mass noun]

1. grains of wheat that have been crushed into small pieces.

• salads of cracked wheat.

cracker /ˈkrakə/

I. noun

1. a person or thing that cracks.

2. an installation for cracking hydrocarbons.

• a catalytic cracker.

3. a person who breaks into a computer system, typically for an illegal purpose.

4. a decorated paper cylinder which, when pulled apart, makes a sharp noise and releases a small toy or other novelty

• a Christmas cracker.

5. a firework that explodes with a sharp noise.

6. a thin dry biscuit, typically eaten with cheese.

• the sausage is delicious on hot toast or crackers.

7. a light crisp made of rice or tapioca flour

• prawn crackers.

8. (Brit.) ‹informal› a fine example of something

• don't miss this cracker of a CD.

9. an attractive person, especially a woman.

• you look a cracker.

10. (US) ‹offensive› another term for poor white.

II. phrases

be not worth a cracker

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› be of no value

• the battered old boat was not worth a cracker.

cracker-barrel

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (N. Amer.) (of an outlook or point of view) plain, simple, and unsophisticated

• his cracker-barrel philosophy.

– origin late 19th cent.: with reference to the barrels of soda crackers once found in country stores, around which informal discussions would take place between customers.

crackerjack /ˈkrakədʒak / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. adjective

exceptionally good

• a crackerjack eye surgeon.

II. noun

an exceptionally good person or thing.

• this turbo diesel ambulance is a crackerjack.

cracker night

noun

(Austral.) a public celebration involving a firework display

• tighter restrictions on fireworks have almost wiped out the traditional cracker night.

crackers /ˈkrakəz/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› insane

• if Luke wasn't here I'd go crackers.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› extremely angry

• when he saw the mess he went crackers.

crackhead /ˈkrakhɛd/

noun

‹informal› a person who habitually takes or is addicted to crack cocaine.

crack house

noun

‹informal› a place where crack cocaine is bought and sold.

cracking /ˈkrakɪŋ/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› excellent

• he is in cracking form to win this race

• [as submodifier] a cracking good story.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› fast and exciting

• the story rips along at a cracking pace.

crack-jaw

adjective

‹archaic› ‹informal› (of a word) difficult to pronounce.

crackle /ˈkrak(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a rapid succession of short sharp noises

• the fire suddenly crackled and spat sparks.

2. give a sense of great tension or animation

• attraction and antagonism were crackling between them.

II. noun

1. a sound made up of a rapid succession of short sharp noises

• there was a crackle and a whine from the microphone.

2. [ mass noun] — a pattern of minute surface cracks on paintwork, varnish, glazed ceramics, or glass.

III. derivatives

crackly

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from crack + -le^4.

crackling /ˈkraklɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ( also cracklings) — (US) the crisp fatty skin of roast pork.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹offensive› attractive women regarded collectively as objects of sexual desire.

• he had a splendid bit of crackling in his arms.

cracknel /ˈkrakn(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a light, crisp, savoury biscuit.

2. a brittle sweet made from set melted sugar, typically containing nuts.

– origin late Middle English: alteration of Old French craquelin, from Middle Dutch krākelinc, from krāken ‘to crack’.

crackpot /ˈkrakpɒt / ‹informal›

I. noun

an eccentric or foolish person.

• people who claim famous past identities are usually dismissed as crackpots.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. eccentric; impractical

• his head's full of crackpot ideas.

cracksman /ˈkraksmən/

noun

‹informal› ‹dated› a burglar, especially a safe-breaker.

crack-up

noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. ‹informal› an emotional breakdown.

• he had a complete mental crack-up.

2. ‹informal› an act of breaking up or splitting apart.

• the crack-up of the Soviet Union.

crack willow

noun

a large Eurasian willow with long glossy leaves, growing typically in damp or riverside habitats. The brittle branches break off easily, often taking root and producing new growth.
● Salix fragilis, family Salicaceae.

Cracow /ˈkrakaʊ/

an industrial and university city in southern Poland, on the River Vistula; pop. 754,624 (2008). It was the capital of Poland from 1320 until replaced by Warsaw in 1609.
Polish name Kraków.

-cracy

I. combining form

denoting a particular form of government, rule, or influence

• autocracy

• democracy.

– origin from French -cratie, via medieval Latin from Greek -kratia ‘power, rule’.

cradle /ˈkreɪd(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a baby's bed or cot, typically one mounted on rockers.

• the baby slept peacefully in its cradle.

2. ( the cradle) — infancy

• the welfare state was set up to provide care from the cradle to the grave.

3. ( the cradle of) — a place or process in which something originates or flourishes

• the Middle East is generally held to be the cradle of agriculture.

4. a framework resembling a cradle, in particular:

5. a framework on which a boat rests during construction or repairs.

6. (Brit.) a framework on which a worker is suspended to work on a ceiling, ship, or the side of a high building.

7. the part of a telephone on which the receiver rests when not in use.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. hold gently and protectively

• she cradled his head in her arms.

2. ‹figurative› be the place of origin of

• the north-eastern states cradled an American industrial revolution.

3. place (a telephone receiver) in its cradle.

• she cradled the receiver gently.

– origin Old English cradol, of uncertain origin; perhaps related to German Kratte ‘basket’.

cradleboard

noun

(among North American Indians) a board to which an infant is strapped.

cradle cap

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a skin condition sometimes seen in babies caused by excessive production of sebum, characterized by areas of yellowish or brownish scales on the top of the head.

cradle-snatcher

noun

‹derogatory› a person who marries or has a sexual relationship with a much younger person.

cradle song

noun

a lullaby.

cradling /ˈkreɪdlɪŋ/

noun

[Architecture] a wooden or iron framework, typically one used as a structural support in a ceiling.

craft /krɑːft/

I. noun

1. an activity involving skill in making things by hand

• the craft of cobbling

• [ mass noun] art and craft.

2. ( crafts) — work or objects made by hand

• the shop sells local crafts

• (as modifier craft) a craft fair.

3. [in sing.] — skills involved in carrying out one's work

• the artist learned his craft in Holland.

4. [as modifier] — denoting or relating to food or drink made in a traditional or non-mechanized way by an individual or a small company

• craft brewing

• a craft baker.

5. the members of a skilled profession.

6. ( the Craft) — the brotherhood of Freemasons.

7. [ mass noun] — skill used in deceiving others

• her cousin was not her equal in guile and evasive craft.

8. ( pl. same) — a boat or ship

• sailing craft.

9. an aircraft or spaceship.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. exercise skill in making (an object), typically by hand

• he crafted the chair lovingly

• (as adj., with submodifier crafted) a beautifully crafted object

• ‹figurative› Crichton knows how to craft a tale, one that keeps the reader turning the pages.

• (as adj., with submodifier crafted) a carefully crafted peace process.

III. derivatives

crafter

noun

– origin Old English cræft ‘strength, skill’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kracht, German Kraft, and Swedish kraft ‘strength’. Sense 3 of the noun, originally in the expression small craft ‘small trading vessels’, may be elliptical, referring to vessels requiring a small amount of ‘craft’ or skill to handle, as opposed to large ocean-going ships.

craft beer craft brew

noun

a beer made in a traditional or non-mechanized way by a small brewery.

craft guild

noun

‹historical› an association of workers of the same trade for mutual benefit.

crafting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity or hobby of making decorative articles by hand

• crafting has emerged as a fashionable form of self-expression.

• [as modifier] mulberry paper has made a comeback as a very popular crafting medium.

craft knife

noun

(Brit.) another term for utility knife.

craftsman /ˈkrɑːf(t)smən/

noun

1. a worker skilled in a particular craft.

• the tiles are handmade by trained craftsmen.

• ‹figurative› those craftsmen of post-war fiction.

2. [usu. as title] — (in the UK) a qualified private soldier in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

• Craftsman Browne.

craftsmanship /ˈkrɑːf(t)smənʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. skill in a particular craft

• I admire his engineering skills and craftsmanship.

2. the quality of design and work shown in something made by hand; artistry

• a piece of fine craftsmanship.

craftsperson

noun

a person who is skilled at making things by hand (used as a neutral alternative).

craftswoman /ˈkrɑːf(t)sˌwʊmən/

noun

a female worker skilled in a particular craft

• the expert craftswoman teaches traditional building techniques.

craft union

noun

a trade union of people of the same skilled craft.

craftwork /ˈkrɑːftwəːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the making of decorative or practical objects by hand as a profession or leisure activity.

• club activities include craftwork and exercise classes.

2. decorative or practical objects made by hand.

• criminals helped themselves to ornate craftwork from the chapel.

II. derivatives

craftworker

noun

crafty /ˈkrɑːfti/

I. adjective

1. clever at achieving one's aims by indirect or deceitful methods

• a crafty crook faked an injury to escape from prison.

2. involving or relating to indirect or deceitful methods

• he sneaked off to a toilet for a crafty smoke.

3. ‹informal› involving or relating to the making of objects by hand

• a market full of crafty pots and interesting earrings.

II. derivatives

1. craftily

adverb

2. craftiness

noun

– origin Old English cræftig ‘strong, powerful’, later ‘skilful’ (see craft, -y^1).

crag /kraɡ/

I. noun

1. a steep or rugged cliff or rock face.

2. [ mass noun] — [Geology] a shelly sandstone occurring in eastern England.

– origin Middle English: of Celtic origin. Sense 2, dating from the mid 18th cent., may have been a different word originally.

crag and tail

noun

[Geology] a rocky outcrop with a tapering ridge of glacial deposits extending to one side.

cragged /ˈkraɡɪd/

adjective

1. (of terrain) having a rough, rocky, and uneven surface; rugged

• rugged mountains and cragged coastlines

• cragged rocks.

2. (of a man's face) rugged and rough-textured

• the cragged features of the fishermen.

craggy /ˈkraɡi/

I. adjective

1. (of a landscape) having many crags

• a craggy coastline.

2. (of a cliff or rock face) rough and uneven.

3. (of a man's face) rugged and rough-textured in an attractive way.

II. derivatives

1. craggily

adverb

2. cragginess

noun

cragsman /ˈkraɡzmən/

noun

a skilled rock climber.

craic /krak/

I. noun

(chiefly Irish) variant spelling of crack (sense 4 of the noun).

– origin 1970s: Irish, from English crack. The English word apparently entered Irish English from Scots in the mid 20th century and subsequently assumed an Irish Gaelic form.

Craiova /krəˈjəʊvə/

a city in SW Romania; pop. 300,587 (2006).

crake /kreɪk/

I. noun

1. a bird of the rail family with a short bill, such as the corncrake.
●Family Rallidae: several genera, in particular Porzana, and numerous species.

2. the rasping cry of the corncrake.

– origin Middle English (originally denoting a crow or raven): from Old Norse kráka, krákr, of imitative origin.

cram /kram/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — completely fill (a place or container) to the point of overflowing

• the ashtray by the bed was crammed with cigarette butts.

2. force (people or things) into a place or container that is or appears to be too small to contain them

• it's amazing how you've managed to cram everyone in

• ‹figurative› he had crammed so much into his short life.

3. [no obj.] — (of a number of people) enter a place that is too small to accommodate all of them

• they all crammed into the car.

4. [no obj.] — study intensively over a short period of time just before an examination

• lectures were called off so students could cram for the semester finals.

– origin Old English crammian, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch krammen ‘to cramp or clamp’.

crambo /ˈkrambəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game in which a player gives a word or line of verse to which each of the other players must find a rhyme.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a particular fashion in drinking): from earlier crambe ‘cabbage’, used figuratively to denote something distasteful that is repeated, apparently from Latin crambe repetita ‘cabbage served up again’, applied by Juvenal to any distasteful repetition.

cramdown

noun

1. (US) a restructuring of debt that creditors are required to accept as part of a bankruptcy arrangement

• a judge would be empowered by federal law to execute a cramdown on them.

2. [ mass noun] — (US) the legal authority for courts to impose a restructuring of debt in a bankruptcy arrangement despite objections from creditors

• cramdown is not available for a residential first mortgage.

cram-full

adjective — [ predic.]

1. very full; packed

• all the roads were cram-full of cars.

crammer /ˈkramə/

noun

(Brit.) a person or institution that prepares pupils for an examination intensively over a short period of time.

cramp /kramp/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — painful involuntary contraction of a muscle or muscles, typically caused by fatigue or strain

• an attack of cramp

• [ count noun] he suffered severe cramps in his foot.

2. ( cramps) — (N. Amer.) abdominal pain caused by menstruation.

3. a tool, typically shaped like a capital G, for clamping two objects together for gluing or other work.

4. (also cramp-iron) — a metal bar with bent ends for holding masonry together.

• the facade is built of travertine blocks without mortar but held by metal cramps.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — inhibit the development of

• tighter rules will cramp economic growth.

2. [with obj.] — fasten with a cramp or cramps

• cramp the gates to the posts.

3. [no obj.] — suffer from sudden and painful contractions of a muscle or muscles.

• in the final game, Chang cramped severely.

III. phrases

cramp someone's style

‹informal› prevent a person from acting freely or naturally.

• he's not putting any pressure on me that would cramp my style.

– origin late Middle English: from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch krampe; sense 1 of the noun is via Old French crampe.

cramp balls

I. plural noun

a European fungus which produces a shiny spherical black fruiting body on dead or dying wood, especially ash. Also called King Alfred's cakes.
● Daldinia concentrica, family Xylariaceae, subdivision Ascomycotina.

– origin so named because it was once believed to be a charm against cramp and ague.

cramped /krampt/

adjective

1. suffering from cramp.

• rest your cramped arms for a moment.

2. uncomfortably small or restricted

• staff had to work in cramped conditions.

3. inhibiting the development of someone or something

• he felt cramped in a large organization.

4. (of handwriting) small and difficult to read.

• there is no way a computer will be able to decipher my cramped handwriting.

crampon /ˈkrampɒn, ˈkrampən/

I. noun — (usu. crampons)

1. a metal plate with spikes fixed to a boot for walking on ice or rock climbing.

2. archaic term for grappling hook.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French, of Germanic origin.

cran

I. noun

‹historical› a measure of fresh herrings, equivalent to 37½ gallons.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic crann, perhaps the same word as crann ‘lot’, denoting the share of fish given to each member of the crew.

Cranach /ˈkranək, German ˈkraːnax/

two German painters. Lucas (1472–1553, known as Cranach the Elder) was a member of the Danube School who was noted for his early religious pictures, such as The Rest on the Flight into Egypt (1504). He also painted portraits, including several of Martin Luther. His son Lucas (1515–86, known as Cranach the Younger) continued working in the same tradition as his father.

cranachan /ˈkranəkən, ˈkranəxən / crannachan

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Scottish dessert made with whipped cream, whisky, oatmeal, honey, and raspberries

• celebrate Burns' night with a traditional Scottish meal, including haggis, neeps and tatties, and cranachan.

– origin 1940s: from Scottish Gaelic crannachan.

cranage /ˈkreɪnɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of a crane or cranes.
[as modifier]

• excellent cranage facilities.

2. fees paid for using a crane or cranes.

cranberry /ˈkranb(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a small red acid berry used in cooking.
[as modifier]

• cranberry sauce.

2. the evergreen dwarf shrub of the heather family which yields the cranberry.
●Genus Vaccinium, family Ericaceae: several species.

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally North American): from German Kranbeere or Low German kranebeere ‘crane-berry’.

cranberry bush

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a shrub of the honeysuckle family, with round clusters of white flowers followed by red berries.
●Genus Viburnum, family Caprifoliaceae: the American cranberry bush ( V. trilobum), with edible berries, and the guelder rose or European cranberry bush.

crane^1 /kreɪn/

I. noun

1. a large, tall machine used for moving heavy objects by suspending them from a projecting arm or beam.

• a dockside crane.

• [as modifier] a crane driver.

2. a moving platform supporting a television or film camera.

• a very long tracking shot done with dolly and crane.

• [as modifier] the opening crane shot.

II. verb

1. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — stretch out one's body or neck in order to see something

• she craned forward to look more clearly.

2. [with obj.] — stretch out (one's neck) so as to see something.

• she craned her neck to see past me.

3. [with obj. and adverbial] — move (a heavy object) with a crane

• the wheelhouse module is craned into position on the hull.

– origin Middle English: figuratively from crane^2 (the same sense development occurred in the related German Kran and Dutch kraan (see crane^2), and in French grue). The verb dates from the late 16th cent.

crane^2 /kreɪn/

I. noun

a tall, long-legged, long-necked bird, typically with white or grey plumage and often with tail plumes and patches of bare red skin on the head. Cranes are noted for their elaborate courtship dances.
●Family Gruidae: four genera, in particular Grus, and several species, including the Eurasian common crane ( G. grus).

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kraan and German Kran, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin grus and Greek geranos.

Crane, Hart

(1899–1932), American poet; full name Harold Hart Crane. He published only two books before committing suicide: the collection White Buildings (1926) and The Bridge (1930), a mystical epic poem concerned with American life and consciousness.

Crane, Stephen

(1871–1900), American writer. His reputation rests on his novel The Red Badge of Courage (1895), a study of an inexperienced soldier in the American Civil War. It was hailed as a masterpiece of psychological realism, even though Crane himself had no personal experience of war.

crane fly

noun

a slender two-winged fly with very long legs. The larva of some kinds is the leatherjacket. Also called daddy-long-legs in Britain.
●Family Tipulidae: many genera and species, in particular the large and common Tipula maxima.

cranesbill /ˈkreɪnzbɪl/

I. noun

a herbaceous plant which typically has lobed leaves and purple, violet, or pink five-petalled flowers.
●Genus Geranium, family Geraniaceae: several species, including the common bluish-purple flowered meadow cranesbill ( G. pratense).

– origin mid 16th cent.: so named because of the long spur on the fruit, thought to resemble a crane's beak.

cranial /ˈkreɪnɪəl/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] relating to the skull or cranium.

– origin early 19th cent.: from cranium + -al.

cranial index

noun

another term for cephalic index.

cranial nerve

noun

1. [Anatomy] each of twelve pairs of nerves which arise directly from the brain, not from the spinal cord, and pass through separate apertures in the skull.

They are (with conventional Roman numbering) the olfactory (I), optic (II), oculomotor (III), trochlear (IV), trigeminal (V), abducens (VI), facial (VII), vestibulocochlear (VIII), glossopharyngeal (IX), vagus (X), accessory (XI), and hypoglossal (XII) nerves.

craniate /ˈkreɪnɪət / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

an animal that possesses a skull. Compare with vertebrate.
●Subphylum Craniata, phylum Chordata; used instead of Vertebrata in some classification schemes.

II. adjective

relating to the craniates.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin craniatus, from medieval Latin cranium (see cranium).

cranio- /ˈkreɪnɪəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to the cranium

• craniotomy.

– origin from Greek kranion ‘skull’.

craniofacial /ˌkreɪnɪə(ʊ)ˈfeɪʃ(ə)l/

adjective

[Anatomy] relating to the cranium and the face

• craniofacial surgery.

craniology /ˌkreɪnɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› the scientific study of the shape and size of the skulls of different human races.

2. ‹historical› another term for phrenology.

II. derivatives

1. craniological

adjective

2. craniologist

noun

craniometry /ˌkreɪnɪˈɒmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› the scientific measurement of skulls, especially in relation to craniology.

II. derivatives

craniometric

adjective

craniopagus /kreɪnɪˈɒpəɡəs/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a pair of conjoined twins attached at the head.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cranio- + Greek ‘that which is fixed’.

craniosacral therapy /ˌkreɪnɪəʊˈseɪkr(ə)l, -ˈsak-/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of alternative medicine intended to relieve pain and tension by gentle manipulations of the skull regarded as harmonizing with a natural rhythm in the central nervous system.

craniotomy /ˌkreɪnɪˈɒtəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. surgical removal of a portion of the skull.

• exploratory craniotomy disclosed an aneurysm.

2. surgical perforation of the skull of a dead fetus to ease delivery.

cranium /ˈkreɪnɪəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the skull, especially the part enclosing the brain.

– origin late Middle English: via medieval Latin from Greek kranion ‘skull’.

crank^1 /kraŋk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. turn the crankshaft of (an internal-combustion engine) in order to start the engine.

• the starter motor struggled to crank the engine.

• move the pitch lever into the normal range and crank up the engine.

2. turn (a handle) in order to start an engine.

• the generators roared into life when he cranked the handle.

3. ( crank something up) — ‹informal› increase the intensity of something

• the volume is cranked up a notch.

4. ( crank something out) — ‹informal› ‹derogatory› produce something regularly and routinely

• an army of researchers cranked out worthy studies.

5. (usu. as adj. cranked) — give a bend to (a shaft, bar, etc.).

• paddle styles also vary—long, short, cranked, etc.

6. [no obj.] — ‹informal› inject a narcotic drug

• he's been cranking up on smack.

II. noun

1. a part of an axle or shaft bent out at right angles, for converting reciprocal to circular motion and vice versa.

• a long con rod which acts as a longer lever on the crank.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› the drug methamphetamine.

– origin Old English cranc (recorded in crancstæf, denoting a weaver's implement), related to crincan (see cringe).

crank^2 /kraŋk/

noun

1. an eccentric person, especially one who is obsessed by a particular subject

• when he first started to air his views, they labelled him a crank

• [as modifier] I am used to getting crank calls from conspiracy theorists.

2. (N. Amer.) a bad-tempered person.
[mid 19th cent.: back-formation from cranky.]

3. ‹literary› a fanciful turn of speech.
[late 16th cent.: perhaps from a base meaning ‘bent together, curled up’, shared by Old English cranc (see crank^1).]

crank^3 /kraŋk/

I. adjective

[Nautical] ‹archaic› (of a sailing ship) liable to heel over.

– origin early 17th cent.: perhaps from dialect crank ‘weak, shaky’ (compare with cranky or crank^1).

crank call

I. noun

a telephone call made to disturb, annoy, or trick someone, often anonymously

• she had been getting a lot of crank calls and so she wasn't answering her phone

• an anonymous telephone warning was discounted as a crank call by Special Branch.

II. derivatives

crank caller

noun

crankcase /ˈkraŋkkeɪs/

noun

a case or covering enclosing a crankshaft.

crankpin /ˈkraŋkpɪn/

noun

a pin by which a connecting rod is attached to a crank.

crankshaft /ˈkraŋkʃɑːft/

noun

a shaft driven by a crank.

cranky /ˈkraŋki/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› eccentric or strange

• a cranky scheme to pipe ground-level ozone into the stratosphere.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) bad-tempered; irritable

• he was cranky after eight hours of working.

3. (of a machine) working erratically

• after a juddering landing the cranky plane eased up the runway.

II. derivatives

1. crankily

adverb

2. crankiness

noun

– origin late 18th cent. (in the sense ‘sickly, in poor health’): perhaps from obsolete (counterfeit) crank ‘a rogue feigning sickness’, from Dutch or German krank ‘sick’.

Cranmer, Thomas /ˈkranmə/

(1489–1556), English Protestant cleric and martyr. After helping to negotiate Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon, he was appointed the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury in 1532. He was responsible for liturgical reform and the compilation of the Book of Common Prayer (1549). In the reign of Mary Tudor Cranmer was tried for treason and heresy and burnt at the stake.

crannog /ˈkranəɡ/

I. noun

an ancient fortified dwelling constructed in a lake or marsh in Scotland or Ireland.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Irish crannóg, Scottish Gaelic crannag ‘timber structure’, from crann ‘tree, beam’.

cranny /ˈkrani/

I. noun

a small, narrow space or opening.

• bugs and spiders conceal themselves in crannies of the bark.

II. phrases

every nook and cranny

see nook.

III. derivatives

crannied /ˈkranɪd /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French crane ‘notched’, from cran, from popular Latin crena ‘notch’.

crap^1 /krap / ‹vulgar slang›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. something of extremely poor quality.

2. nonsense.

3. unwanted articles; rubbish.

4. excrement.

5. [ count noun] — an act of defecation.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. defecate.

2. ( crap on) — talk at length in a foolish or boring way.

III. adjective

(Brit.) extremely poor in quality.

– origin Middle English: related to Dutch krappe, from krappen ‘pluck or cut off’, and perhaps also to Old French crappe ‘siftings’, Anglo-Latin crappa ‘chaff’. The original sense was ‘chaff’, later ‘residue from rendering fat’, also ‘dregs of beer’. Current senses date from the late 19th cent.

crap^2 /krap / ‹N. Amer.›

I. noun

a losing throw of 2, 3, or 12 in craps.

II. verb — [no obj.] ( crap out)

1. ‹informal› make a losing throw at craps.

• he put all his chips on the table and rolled the dice—sooner or later he had to crap out.

2. ‹informal› give up an activity because of fear or fatigue

• when entrepreneurs get to $1 billion they crap out and turn their companies over to others.

3. ‹informal› fail in an attempt

• the Rams almost crapped out late in the game.

4. ‹informal› (of a machine) break down

• his teleprompter crapped out.

– origin early 20th cent.: from craps.

crape /kreɪp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. variant spelling of crêpe.

2. black silk, formerly used for mourning clothes.

3. [ count noun] — a band of black silk formerly worn round a person's hat as a sign of mourning.

II. derivatives

crapy

adjective

– origin early 16th cent.: from French crêpe (see crêpe).

crape fern

noun

a tall New Zealand fern with dark green fronds.
● Leptopteris superba, family Osmundaceae.

crape hair

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) artificial hair used by actors, chiefly for false beards and moustaches.

crape myrtle crepe myrtle

noun

an ornamental Chinese shrub or small tree with pink, white, or purplish crinkled petals.
● Lagerstroemia indica, family Lythraceae.

crap game

noun

(N. Amer.) a game of craps.

crap hat

I. noun

‹vulgar slang› (in the British army) a term used by paratroopers and commandos to refer to a soldier from a regiment in the rest of the army.

– origin probably with derogatory reference to the standard khaki-coloured (now dark blue) berets, in contrast to the prized red and green berets of the special regiments.

crapola /kraˈpəʊlə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› nonsense; rubbish.

– origin 1920s: from crap^1 and -ola, a suffix used humorously to extend standard words.

crapper

noun

‹vulgar slang› a toilet.

crappie

I. noun

a North American freshwater fish of the sunfish family, the male of which builds a nest and guards the eggs and young.
●Genus Pomoxis, family Centrarchidae: several species, including the white crappie ( P. annularis).

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

crappy /ˈkrapi/

adjective

1. ‹vulgar slang› of extremely poor quality.

2. ‹vulgar slang› ill; unwell.

• I feel really crappy today.

craps /kraps/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a gambling game played with two dice, chiefly in North America. A throw of 7 or 11 is a winning throw, 2, 3, or 12 is a losing throw.
See also crap^2.

– origin early 19th cent.: perhaps from crab^1 or crab's eyes, denoting the lowest throw (two ones) at dice.

crapshoot

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a game of craps.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a risky or uncertain matter

• skiing here can be a bit of a crapshoot at any time.

II. derivatives

crapshooter

noun

crapulent /ˈkrapjʊl(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹literary› relating to the drinking of alcohol or drunkenness.

II. derivatives

1. crapulence

noun

2. crapulous

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin crapulentus ‘very drunk’, from Latin crapula ‘inebriation’, from Greek kraipalē ‘drunken headache’.

craquelure /ˈkrakljʊə, krakˈljʊə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a network of fine cracks in the paint or varnish of a painting.

– origin early 20th cent.: French, from craqueler ‘to crackle’.

crash^1 /kraʃ/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a vehicle) collide violently with an obstacle or another vehicle

• a racing car had crashed, wrecking a safety barrier

• the stolen car she was riding in crashed into a tree.

2. [with obj.] — cause (a vehicle) to collide violently with something.

• they crashed a lorry through a fence.

3. (of an aircraft) fall from the sky and hit the land or sea

• a jet crashed 200 yards from the school.

4. [with obj.] — cause (an aircraft) to fall from the sky.

• the test pilot crashed a Hurricane fighter plane.

5. move or cause to move with force, speed, and sudden loud noise
[no obj., with adverbial of direction]

• huge waves crashed down on to us

• [with obj. and adverbial of direction] she crashed down the telephone receiver.

6. [no obj.] — make a sudden loud noise

• the thunder crashed.

7. [no obj.] — ‹informal› (of shares, a business, etc.) suddenly drop in value or fail

• the shares crashed to 329p.

8. be heavily defeated in a sporting competition

• Barcelona crashed out of the European Cup.

9. [no obj.] — (of a computer, computing system, or software) fail suddenly.

• the project was postponed because the computer crashed.

10. (chiefly N. Amer.) (of a patient) suffer a cardiac arrest.

11. [with obj.] — ‹informal› enter (a party) without an invitation; gatecrash.

12. illegally pass (a red traffic light).

• the cab driver crashed the lights.

13. [no obj.] — ‹informal› go to sleep, especially suddenly or in an improvised setting

• what was it you said just before I crashed out?

II. noun

1. a violent collision, typically of one vehicle with another or with an object

• a car crash.

2. an instance of an aircraft falling from the sky to hit the land or sea.

• a pilot who survived the crash of his plane.

3. a sudden loud noise as of something breaking or hitting another object

• he slammed the phone down with a crash.

4. a sudden disastrous drop in the value or price of something

• the 1987 stock-market crash.

5. the sudden failure of a business.

• the crash of the company meant that 150 jobs would go.

6. a sudden failure which puts a computer system out of action.

• system crashes are an everyday hazard.

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. done rapidly or urgently and involving a concentrated effort

• a crash course in Italian.

IV. adverb

with a sudden loud sound

• crash went the bolt.

V. phrases

crash and burn

‹informal› come to grief or fail spectacularly.

• I've seen guests crash and burn on the show.

– origin late Middle English: imitative, perhaps partly suggested by craze and dash.

crash^2 /kraʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› a coarse plain linen, woollen, or cotton fabric.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Russian krashenina ‘dyed coarse linen’.

crash barrier

noun

(Brit.) a strong fence at the side of a road or in the middle of a dual carriageway or motorway, intended to reduce the risk of serious accidents.

crash diet

I. noun

a weight-loss diet undertaken on an urgent, short-term basis with the aim of achieving very rapid results.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. embark on a crash diet.

• some climbers crash-diet for three days before major ascents.

crash-dive

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a submarine) dive rapidly and steeply to a deeper level in an emergency.

2. (of an aircraft) plunge steeply downwards into a crash.

• pilots crash-dived on bridges over the Oder, destroying three of them.

II. noun

( crash dive) — a steep dive by a submarine or aircraft.

crash helmet

noun

a helmet worn by a motorcyclist to protect the head in case of a crash.

crashing /ˈkraʃɪŋ/

I. adjective

‹informal› complete; total (used for emphasis)

• a crashing bore.

II. derivatives

crashingly

adverb

crash-land

verb — [no obj.]

1. (of an aircraft) land roughly in an emergency, typically without lowering the undercarriage
(as noun crash-landing)

• his plane made a crash-landing on a motorway.

crash mat

noun

a thick padded mat used to cushion a landing or fall in sports or the performance of stunts

• we have crash mats and a harness, so it is safe.

crash pad

noun

1. ‹informal› a place to sleep, especially for a single night or in an emergency.

• a short-stay crash pad for drug users in crisis.

2. a thick piece of shock-absorbing material for the protection of the occupants of an aircraft cockpit or motor vehicle.

crash team

noun

(in a hospital) a team of medical practitioners that stand by to resuscitate patients who have suffered cardiac or respiratory failure.

crash-test

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deliberately crash (a new vehicle) under controlled conditions in order to evaluate and improve its ability to withstand impact.

• countless prototypes were crash-tested and special shock-absorbing crumple zones were developed.

II. noun

( crash test) — an instance of crash-testing a vehicle.

crash trolley ‹N. Amer.› crash cart

noun

(in a hospital) a trolley carrying medicine and equipment for use in emergency resuscitations.

crashworthiness

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the degree to which a vehicle will protect its occupants from the effects of an accident.

II. derivatives

crashworthy

adjective

crasis /ˈkreɪsɪs/

I. noun

[Phonetics] a contraction of two adjacent vowels into one long vowel or diphthong, for example the reduction of words in ancient Greek from three syllables to two.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a medical term denoting the blending of physical qualities giving rise to a particular state of health): from Greek krasis ‘mixture’.

crass /kras/

I. adjective

showing no intelligence or sensitivity

• the crass assumptions that men make about women

• an act of crass stupidity.

II. derivatives

1. crassitude

noun

2. crassly

adverb

3. crassness

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘dense or coarse’): from Latin crassus ‘solid, thick’.

Crassus, Marcus Licinius /ˈkrasəs/

( c. 115–53 BC), Roman politician. After defeating Spartacus in 71 BC, Crassus joined Caesar and Pompey in the First Triumvirate in 60. In 55 he was made consul and given a special command in Syria, where, after some successes, he was defeated and killed.

-crat

I. combining form

denoting a member or supporter of a particular form of government or rule

• plutocrat

• technocrat.

– origin from French -crate, from adjectives ending in -cratique (see -cratic).

cratch /kratʃ/

I. noun

‹dialect› a long open trough or rack used for holding food for farm animals out of doors.

– origin Middle English: from Old French creche; ultimately of Germanic origin and related to crib.

crate /kreɪt/

I. noun

1. a slatted wooden case used for transporting goods

• a crate of bananas.

2. a square rigid container divided into small units, used for transporting or storing bottles

• a milk crate.

3. ‹informal› an old and dilapidated vehicle.

• you wouldn't believe the age of some of the crates I've driven.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. pack (something) in a crate for transportation.

• fruit and vegetables were being sorted and crated.

III. derivatives

crateful

noun

– origin late Middle English: perhaps related to Dutch krat ‘tailboard of a wagon’, earlier ‘box of a coach’, of unknown origin.

crater /ˈkreɪtə/

I. noun

1. a large bowl-shaped cavity in the ground or on a celestial object, typically one caused by an explosion or the impact of a meteorite.

• the blast left a crater in the car park.

• Ganymede, the largest moon in the solar system, has relatively few impact craters.

2. a large hollow forming the mouth of a volcano.

• a great plume of gas and ash rises above the crater.

3. a cavity or hole in any surface

• using the rounded end of a rolling pin, make craters over the surface of the cake.

4. a large bowl used in ancient Greece for mixing wine.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. form a crater in (the ground or a planet)

• pilots returned to the airfields to crater the runways

• (as adj. cratered) the heavily cratered areas of the moon.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting the hollow forming the mouth of a volcano): via Latin from Greek kratēr ‘mixing-bowl’, from krasis ‘mixture’.

Crater /ˈkreɪtə / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small and faint southern constellation (the Cup), between Hydra and Leo, said to represent the goblet of Apollo.

II. (as genitive Crateris) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Delta Crateris.

– origin Latin, from Greek, ‘mixing bowl’.

Crater Lake

a lake filling a volcanic crater in the Cascade mountains of SW Oregon. With a depth of more than 600 m (1,968 ft) it is the deepest lake in the US.

-cratic

I. combining form

relating to a particular kind of government or rule

• bureaucratic

• democratic.

II. derivatives

-cratically

combining form

in corresponding adverbs.

– origin from French -cratique, from -cratie (see -cracy).

C rations

I. plural noun

(N. Amer.) a type of tinned food formerly used by American soldiers.

– origin C for combat.

craton /ˈkratɒn/

I. noun

[Geology] a large stable block of the earth's crust forming the nucleus of a continent.

II. derivatives

cratonic

adjective

– origin 1930s: alteration of kratogen in the same sense, from Greek kratos ‘strength’.

cratur /ˈkreɪtʃə/

noun

non-standard spelling of creature, used in representing Irish speech:

• choked to death on her dentures, poor cratur.

cravat /krəˈvat/

I. noun

1. a short, wide strip of fabric worn by men round the neck and tucked inside an open-necked shirt.

2. ‹historical› a tie.

II. derivatives

cravatted

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French cravate, from Cravate ‘Croat’ (from German Krabat, from Serbian and Croatian Hrvat), because of the scarf worn by Croatian mercenaries in France.

crave /kreɪv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. feel a powerful desire for (something)

• if only she had shown her daughter the love she craved

• [no obj.] Will craved for family life.

2. ‹archaic› ask for

• I must crave your indulgence.

II. derivatives

craver

noun

– origin Old English crafian (in the sense ‘demand, claim as a right’), of Germanic origin; related to Swedish kräva, Danish kræve ‘demand’. The current sense dates from late Middle English.

craven /ˈkreɪv(ə)n/

I. adjective

contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly

• a craven abdication of his moral duty.

II. noun

‹archaic› a cowardly person.

III. derivatives

1. cravenly

adverb

2. cravenness /ˈkreɪv(ə)nnɪs /

noun

– origin Middle English cravant ‘defeated’, perhaps via Anglo-Norman French from Old French cravante, past participle of cravanter ‘crush, overwhelm’, based on Latin crepare ‘burst’. The change in the ending in the 17th cent. was due to association with past participles ending in -en (see -en^3).

craving /ˈkreɪvɪŋ/

noun

a powerful desire for something

• a craving for chocolate.

craw /krɔː/

I. noun

‹dated› the crop of a bird or insect.

II. phrases

stick in one's craw

see stick^2.

• it sticks in his craw that he, with his row of medals, must have me for a son-in-law.

– origin late Middle English: from or related to Middle Dutch crāghe or Middle Low German krage ‘neck, throat’.

crawdad /ˈkrɔːdad/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a freshwater crayfish.

– origin early 20th cent.: fanciful alteration of crawfish.

crawfish /ˈkrɔːfɪʃ/

I. noun

1. another term for spiny lobster.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a freshwater crayfish.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (US) ‹informal› retreat from a position.

• three networks, intimidated by the public outcry, had begun to crawfish.

– origin early 17th cent.: variant of crayfish.

Crawford, Joan /ˈkrɔːfəd/

( c. 1904–77), American actress; born Lucille le Sueur. Her film career lasted for over forty years, during which she played the female lead in films such as Mildred Pierce (1945) and in later years mature roles such as that in the horror film Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962).

Crawford, Osbert Guy Stanhope /ˈkrɔːfəd/

(1886–1957), British archaeologist. He pioneered the use of aerial photography in the detection of previously undiscovered or buried archaeological sites and monuments.

crawl /krɔːl/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — move forward on the hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground

• they crawled from under the table.

2. (of an insect or small animal) move slowly along a surface

• the tiny spider was crawling up Nicky's arm.

3. (of a vehicle) move at an unusually slow pace

• the traffic was crawling along.

4. swim using the crawl

• I turned without stopping and crawled back to the deep end.

5. ‹technical› (of paint or other liquid) move after application to form an uneven layer over the surface below.

• glazes can crawl away from a crack in the piece.

6. [no obj.] — ‹informal› behave obsequiously or ingratiatingly in the hope of gaining someone's favour

• a reporter's job can involve crawling to objectionable people.

7. ( be crawling with) — be covered or crowded with (insects or people), to an extent that is objectionable

• the floor was dirty and crawling with bugs.

8. [with obj.] — [Computing] (of a program) systematically visit (a number of web pages) in order to create an index of data

• its automated software robots crawl websites, grabbing copies of pages to index.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. an act of moving on one's hands and knees or dragging one's body along the ground

• they began the crawl back to their own lines.

2. a slow rate of movement, typically that of a vehicle

• he reduced his speed to a crawl.

3. a swimming stroke involving alternate overarm movements and rapid kicks of the legs.

• she could do the crawl and so many other strokes.

III. phrases

make someone's skin crawl

cause someone to feel an unpleasant sensation resembling something moving over the skin, as a symptom of fear or disgust.

• a person dying in a fire—doesn't it make your skin crawl?

IV. derivatives

1. crawlingly

adverb

2. crawly

adjective

– origin Middle English: of unknown origin; possibly related to Swedish kravla and Danish kravle.

crawlboard /ˈkrɔːlbɔːd/

noun

a board used as a means of access to a confined space.

crawler /ˈkrɔːlə/

noun

1. a thing that crawls or moves at a slow pace, especially an insect.

• the light bulb was a magnet for moths and many-legged crawlers.

2. a tractor or other vehicle moving on an endless caterpillar track.

• the crawlers move space shuttles to the launch pads.

• [as modifier] a crawler excavator.

3. [Computing] a program that systematically browses the World Wide Web in order to create an index of data.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person who behaves obsequiously in the hope of gaining favour.

• her pleading tone surprised herself, she was no crawler.

crawling peg

noun

a point on a scale of exchange rates in which a currency's value is allowed to go up or down frequently by small amounts within overall limits.
[as modifier]

• the ERM was a crawling-peg system.

crawl space

noun

an area of limited height under a floor or roof, giving access to wiring and plumbing.

cray^1

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a crayfish.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation.

cray^2 /kreɪ / cray cray

I. adjective

(US) ‹informal› crazy

• I have a feeling this is gonna get cray

• she's cray cray.

– origin early 21st cent.: abbreviation.

crayfish /ˈkreɪfɪʃ/

I. noun

1. (also freshwater crayfish) — a nocturnal freshwater crustacean that resembles a small lobster and inhabits streams and rivers.
●Several genera in the infraorder Astacidea, class Malacostraca, including Astacus of Europe and Cambarus of North America.

2. (also marine crayfish) — another term for spiny lobster.

– origin Middle English: from Old French crevice, of Germanic origin and related to German Krebs (see crab^1). In the 16th cent. or earlier the second syllable was altered by association with fish^1.

crayon /ˈkreɪən/

I. noun

a pencil or stick of coloured chalk or wax, used for drawing.

• a red crayon.

• [as modifier] crayon drawings.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. draw with a crayon or crayons

• Will crayoned a picture on a legal pad

• [no obj.] a child crayoning in a colouring book.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from craie ‘chalk’, from Latin creta.

craypot /ˈkreɪpɒt/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a basket-like trap used for catching crayfish

• his boat capsized while he was checking craypots off Cape Douglas.

– origin early 20th cent.: from a shortening of crayfish + pot^1.

craze /kreɪz/

I. noun

an enthusiasm for a particular activity or object which appears suddenly and achieves widespread but short-lived popularity

• the new craze for step aerobics.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (usu. as adj. crazed) — make (someone) wildly insane or out of control

• a crazed killer.

2. produce a network of fine cracks on (a surface)

• the loch was frozen over but crazed with cracks.

3. [no obj.] — develop fine cracks.

• internal stresses often caused the glue to craze.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘break, produce cracks’): perhaps of Scandinavian origin and related to Swedish krasa ‘crunch’.

crazily /ˈkreɪzɪli/

adverb

1. in a mad, wild, or erratic way

• an audience of boys laughed crazily.

2. in a foolish way

• the couple crazily hoped he would give his blessings.

3. in an extremely enthusiastic way

• they're soul mates and absolutely crazily in love.

4. [as submodifier] — to a great or absurd extent

• this year has gone crazily fast.

craziness /ˈkreɪzinəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. mad, wild, or erratic behaviour or nature

• he loves me and all of my craziness

• the craziness of the parties.

crazy /ˈkreɪzi / ‹informal›

I. adjective

1. mad, especially as manifested in wild or aggressive behaviour

• Stella went crazy and assaulted a visitor

• a crazy look.

2. extremely angry

• the noise was driving me crazy.

3. foolish

• it was crazy to hope that good might come out of this mess.

4. extremely enthusiastic

• I'm crazy about Cindy

• [in combination] a football-crazy bunch of boys.

5. (of an angle) appearing absurdly out of place or unlikely

• the monument leant at a crazy angle.

6. ‹archaic› (of a ship or building) full of cracks or flaws; unsound.

II. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) extremely

• I've been crazy busy.

III. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a mad person.

• keep that crazy away from me.

IV. phrases

like crazy ‹informal›

a. to a great degree; very intensely

• we are just working like crazy.

b. in a very fast or unrestrained way

• another driver, who was driving like crazy, ran him off the road.

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense ‘full of cracks’): from craze + -y^1.

crazy bone

noun

US term for funny bone.

crazy golf

noun

(Brit.) another term for minigolf.

Crazy Horse

( c. 1849–77), Sioux chief; Sioux name Ta-Sunko-Witko. A leading figure in the resistance to white settlement on American Indian land, he was at the centre of the confederation that defeated General Custer at Little Bighorn (1876). He surrendered in 1877 and was killed in custody.

crazy paving

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) paving made of irregular pieces of flat stone.
[as modifier]

• a crazy-paving patio.

crazy quilt

noun

1. a patchwork quilt of a type traditionally made in North America, with patches of randomly varying sizes, shapes, colours, and fabrics.

2. a disorganized collection of things

• colonial America was a crazy quilt of laws.

CRB

abbreviation

(in the UK) Criminal Records Bureau

• all applicants will be subject to a CRB check.

CRC

abbreviation

1. (in printing) camera-ready copy.

2. (in computing) cyclic redundancy check or code.

3. Costa Rican colón (or colones).

creak /kriːk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of an object, typically a wooden one) make a scraping or squeaking sound when being moved or when pressure is applied

• the stairs creaked as she went up them

• [with complement] the garden gate creaked open.

2. show weakness or frailty under strain

• the system started to creak.

II. noun

a scraping or squeaking sound.

• the creak of a floorboard broke the silence.

III. derivatives

creakingly

adverb

– origin Middle English (as a verb in the sense ‘croak’): imitative.

creaky /ˈkriːki/

I. adjective

1. making or liable to make a creaking sound when being moved or when pressure is applied

• I climbed the creaky stairs.

2. (of a voice) producing a harsh, high-pitched sound.

• ‘We don't know, do we’, he said, creaky with self-restraint.

3. old-fashioned or decrepit

• the country's creaky legal system.

II. derivatives

1. creakily

adverb

2. creakiness

noun

cream /kriːm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the thick white or pale yellow fatty liquid which rises to the top when milk is left to stand and which can be eaten as an accompaniment to desserts or used as a cooking ingredient

• strawberries and cream

• [as modifier] a cream cake.

2. the part of a liquid that gathers at the top

• the tank contains 24,000 gallons of cream and 12,000 gallons of serum.

3. a sauce, soup, dessert, or other dish containing cream or having a creamy consistency

• a tin of cream of mushroom soup.

4. [ count noun] — a sweet of a specified flavour which is creamy in texture

• a peppermint cream.

5. [ count noun] — a biscuit with a creamy filling

• a custard cream.

6. a thick liquid or semi-solid cosmetic or medical preparation applied to the skin

• shaving cream

• [ count noun] moisturizing creams.

7. the very best of a group of people or things

• the paper's readership is the cream of American society.

8. a very pale yellow or off-white colour

• the dress is available in white or cream

• [as modifier] a cream linen jacket.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. work (butter, typically with sugar) to form a smooth paste.

• you cream the butter first and then add the egg yolks.

2. (usu. as adj. creamed) — mash (a cooked vegetable) with milk or cream

• creamed turnips.

3. add cream to (coffee).

• she poured Jack a coffee and creamed and sugared it.

4. rub a cosmetic cream into (the skin)

• Madge was creaming her face in front of the mirror.

5. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) defeat (someone) heavily in a sporting contest.

• on paper, England should have creamed Scotland.

6. collide heavily with (someone), especially in a car

• she got creamed by a speeding car.

7. [no obj.] — ‹vulgar slang› (of a person) be sexually aroused to the point of producing sexual secretions.

8. [with obj.] — moisten (one's underpants) due to sexual arousal.

III. phrases

the cream of the crop

the very best of a particular group of people or things

• the researchers and institutions in this network are the cream of the crop.

IV. phrasal verbs

cream something off

a. take the best of (a group of people or things), especially in a way that is considered unfair

• the schools cream off some of the more able pupils.

b. make (an excessive profit) on a transaction.

• they have been accused of creaming off fat profits in house insurance commission.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cresme, from a blend of late Latin cramum (probably of Gaulish origin) and ecclesiastical Latin chrisma (see chrism).

cream bun

noun

(Brit.) a bun filled or topped with cream.

cream cheese

noun — [ mass noun]

1. soft, rich cheese made from unskimmed milk and cream.

cream-coloured

adjective

of a very pale yellow or off-white colour

• floors in cream-coloured marble.

cream cracker

noun

(Brit.) a dry unsweetened biscuit eaten chiefly with cheese.

cream-crackered

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› extremely tired.

– origin 1980s: rhyming slang for ‘knackered’.

creamer /ˈkriːmə/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — a cream or milk substitute for adding to coffee or tea.

2. (N. Amer.) a jug for cream.

3. ‹historical› a flat dish used for skimming the cream off milk.

4. a machine used for separating cream from milk.

creamery /ˈkriːm(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a factory that produces butter and cheese.

2. ‹dated› a shop where dairy products are sold.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cream, on the pattern of French crémerie.

cream horn

noun

a pastry shaped like a horn and filled with cream and jam.

cream of tartar

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white crystalline acidic compound obtained as a by-product of wine fermentation and used chiefly in baking powder.
●Alternative name: potassium hydrogen tartrate; chem. formula: HOOC(CHOH)2COOK.

cream puff

noun

1. a cake made of puff pastry filled with cream.

2. ‹informal› a weak or ineffectual person.

3. ‹informal› ‹offensive› a male homosexual.

4. [as modifier] — (US) ‹informal› denoting something of little consequence or difficulty

• a cream-puff assignment.

5. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a second-hand car or other item maintained in excellent condition.

• a twelve-year-old Cadillac—a real cream puff.

cream sherry

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a full-bodied mellow sweet sherry.

cream soda

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a carbonated vanilla-flavoured soft drink.

cream tea

noun

(Brit.) a meal taken in the afternoon consisting of tea to drink with scones, jam, and cream.

creamware

noun — [ mass noun]

1. glazed earthenware pottery of a rich cream colour, developed by Josiah Wedgwood in about 1760.

creamy /ˈkriːmi/

I. adjective

1. resembling cream in consistency or colour

• beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and creamy

• creamy white flowers.

2. containing a lot of cream

• a thick, creamy dressing.

II. derivatives

1. creamily

adverb

2. creaminess

noun

creance /ˈkriːəns/

I. noun

[Falconry] a long fine cord attached to a hawk's leash to prevent escape during training.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French créance ‘faith’, also denoting a cord to retain a bird of peu de créance (‘of little faith’ i.e. which cannot yet be relied upon).

crease /kriːs/

I. noun

1. a line or ridge produced on paper or cloth by folding, pressing, or crushing

• khaki trousers with knife-edge creases.

2. a wrinkle or furrow in the skin, especially of the face, caused by age or a particular facial expression.

• stubble lines the creases of his face.

3. [Cricket] any of a number of lines marked on the pitch at specified places.
See popping crease, bowling crease, return crease.

4. ( the crease) — the position of a batsman during their innings

• England were 15 for 3 overnight, with Stewart and Russell at the crease.

5. ( the crease) — an area around the goal in ice hockey or lacrosse which the players may not enter unless the puck or the ball has already done so.

• he was caught in the crease without the puck.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make a crease in (cloth or paper)

• he sank into the chair, careful not to crease his dinner jacket

• (as adj. creased) a creased piece of paper.

2. [no obj.] — (of a facial feature) be marked by creases, typically as an expression of an emotion

• his eyes creased in amusement.

3. ( crease up or crease someone up) — (Brit.) ‹informal› burst out or cause to burst out laughing
[no obj.]

• Jo could imitate anybody and always made him crease up.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› hit or punch (someone) hard

• clap or I'll crease you.

5. (of a bullet) graze (someone or something)

• a bullet creased his thigh.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably a variant of crest.

crease-resistant

adjective

denoting or made of a fabric of a type that does not crease easily when washed or worn

• crease-resistant cotton blends.

create /kriːˈeɪt/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — bring (something) into existence

• he created a thirty-acre lake

• over 170 jobs were created.

2. cause (something) to happen as a result of one's actions

• divorce created only problems for children.

3. (of an actor) originate (a role) by playing a character for the first time.

• Callas created only one role, and that was Eurydice.

4. [with obj. and complement] — invest (someone) with a title of nobility

• he was created a baronet.

5. [no obj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› make a fuss; complain

• little kids create because they hate being ignored.

II. derivatives

creatable

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘form out of nothing’, used of a divine or supernatural being): from Latin creat- ‘produced’, from the verb creare.

creatine /ˈkriːətiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound formed in protein metabolism and present in much living tissue. It is involved in the supply of energy for muscular contraction.
●A guanidine derivative, usually present as a phosphate; chem. formula: C_4H_9N_3O_2.

– origin mid 19th cent.: formed irregularly from Greek kreas ‘meat’ + -ine^4.

creatinine /krɪˈatɪniːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound which is produced by metabolism of creatine and excreted in the urine.
●An anhydride of creatine; chem. formula: C_7H_4N_3O.

creation /kriːˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of bringing something into existence

• creation of a coalition government

• job creation.

2. [ count noun] — a thing which has been made or invented, especially something showing artistic talent

• she treats fictional creations as if they were real people.

3. ( the Creation) — the creating of the universe, especially when regarded as an act of God.

• the big bang was the moment of the Creation, and therefore the work of God.

4. [ mass noun] — everything created; the universe

• our alienation from the rest of Creation.

5. the action of investing someone with a title of nobility.

• Edward's generosity extended beyond the creation of earls.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin creatio(n-), from the verb creare (see create).

creationism /kriːˈeɪʃ(ə)nɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the belief that the universe and living organisms originate from specific acts of divine creation, as in the biblical account, rather than by natural processes such as evolution.

2. another term for creation science.

creationist /kriːˈeɪʃ(ə)nɪst/

I. noun

a person who believes that the universe and living organisms originate from specific acts of divine creation, as in the biblical account

• a renewed campaign by religious creationists.

II. adjective

relating to the belief that the universe and living organisms originate from specific acts of divine creation

• a creationist account of the universe.

creation science

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the reinterpretation of scientific knowledge in accord with belief in the literal truth of the Bible, especially regarding the origin of matter, life, and humankind.

creative /kriːˈeɪtɪv/

I. adjective

1. relating to or involving the use of the imagination or original ideas to create something

• change unleashes people's creative energy

• creative writing.

2. having good imagination or original ideas

• a creative team of designers.

II. noun

‹informal› a person whose job involves creative work.

• the most important people in the mix will be creatives and direct marketing specialists.

III. derivatives

creativeness

noun

creative accountancy creative accounting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the exploitation of loopholes in financial regulation in order to gain advantage or present figures in a misleadingly favourable light.

creatively /kriːˈeɪtɪvli/

adverb

in an original or imaginative way

• this article inspires you to think creatively.

creativity /ˌkriːeɪˈtɪvɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness

• firms are keen to encourage creativity.

creator /kriːˈeɪtə/

noun

1. a person or thing that brings something into existence.

• James Bond's creator Ian Fleming.

• water—the creator of climate and weather.

2. ( the Creator) — used as a name for God.

creature /ˈkriːtʃə/

I. noun

1. an animal, as distinct from a human being

• night sounds of birds and other creatures.

2. an animal or person

• as fellow creatures on this planet, animals deserve respect.

3. a fictional or imaginary being

• a creature from outer space.

4. [with adj.] — a person of a specified kind

• you heartless creature!

5. a person or organization considered to be under the complete control of another

• the village teacher was expected to be the creature of his employer.

6. ‹archaic› anything living or existing

• dress, jewels, and other transitory creatures.

II. phrases

creature of habit

a person who follows an unvarying routine

• he's a creature of habit—he keeps to the places he knows.

III. derivatives

creaturely

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘something created’): via Old French from late Latin creatura, from the verb creare (see create).

creature comforts

plural noun

material comforts that contribute to physical ease and well-being, such as good food and accommodation.

• you're a long way from home and the only creature comforts you have are a television.

crèche /krɛʃ, kreɪʃ/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a nursery where babies and young children are cared for during the working day.

2. (N. Amer.) a representation of the nativity scene.

– origin late 18th cent. (in sense 2): French (see also cratch).

Crécy, Battle of /ˈkrɛsi/

a battle between the English and the French in 1346 near the village of Crécy-en-Ponthieu in Picardy, at which the forces of Edward III defeated those of Philip VI. It was the first major English victory of the Hundred Years War.

cred /krɛd/

noun

informal term for street credibility.

• a few tales here and there could wreck my cred completely!

credal /ˈkriːd(ə)l / creedal

adjective

relating to a statement of Christian or other religious belief.

• differences in credal formulation between the two traditions.

credence /ˈkriːd(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — belief in or acceptance of something as true

• psychoanalysis finds little credence among laymen.

2. the likelihood of something being true; plausibility

• being called upon by the media as an expert lends credence to one's opinions.

3. [usu. as modifier] — a small side table, shelf, or niche in a church for holding the elements of the Eucharist before they are consecrated

• a credence table.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin credentia, from Latin credent- ‘believing’, from the verb credere.

credential /krɪˈdɛnʃ(ə)l/

I. noun — (usu. credentials)

1. a qualification, achievement, quality, or aspect of a person's background, especially when used to indicate their suitability for something

• recruitment is based mainly on academic credentials.

2. a document proving a person's identity or qualifications.

• examine carefully the credentials of all callers before admitting them.

3. a letter of introduction given by a government to an ambassador before a new posting.

• the Russian ambassador presented his credentials on September 30.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. credentialed)

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) provide with credentials.

• inspections were to be done by a group of credentialed inspectors.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin credentialis, from credentia (see credence). The original use was as an adjective in the sense ‘giving credence to, recommending’, frequently in credential letters or papers, hence credentials (mid 17th cent.).

credentialism /krɪˈdɛnʃ(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. belief in or reliance on academic or other formal qualifications as the best measure of a person's intelligence or ability to do a particular job

• credentialism is to a large degree responsible for people assuming that they need a degree.

credenza /krɪˈdɛnzə/

I. noun

a sideboard or cupboard.

– origin late 19th cent.: Italian, from medieval Latin credentia (see credence).

credibility /krɛdɪˈbɪlɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being trusted and believed in

• the government's loss of credibility.

2. the quality of being convincing or believable

• the book's anecdotes have scant regard for credibility.

3. another term for street credibility.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin credibilitas, from Latin credibilis (see credible).

credibility gap

noun

an apparent difference between what is said or promised and what happens or is true.

• there is a distinct credibility gap between policy and achievement.

credible /ˈkrɛdɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able to be believed; convincing

• few people found his story credible

• a credible witness.

2. capable of persuading people that something will happen or be successful

• a credible threat.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin credibilis, from credere ‘believe’. / usage: Confusion often arises between the words credible and creditable. Credible chiefly means ‘able to be believed; convincing’ ( few people found his story credible), while creditable means ‘deserving acknowledgement and praise but not necessarily outstanding’ ( a very creditable 2–4 defeat).

credibly /ˈkrɛdəbli/

adverb

in a believable and convincing way

• he can also talk credibly about the details.

credit /ˈkrɛdɪt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future

• I've got unlimited credit.

2. the money lent or borrowed under a credit arrangement

• the bank refused to extend their credit

• [as modifier] he exceeded his credit limit.

3. an entry recording a sum received, listed on the right-hand side or column of an account.

• the columns should be added across and down and the total debits should equal the total credits.

The opposite of debit.

4. a payment received

• you need to record debits or credits made to your account.

5. [ mass noun] — entitlement to a set amount of a particular company's goods or services, typically paid for in advance of use

• in the middle of our conversation his phone ran out of credit

• she had £15 credit on her account.

6. [ mass noun] — public acknowledgement or praise, given or received when a person's responsibility for an action or idea becomes apparent

• the Prime Minister was quick to claim the credit for abolishing the tax.

7. [in sing.] — a source of pride

• the fans are a credit to the club.

8. (also credit title) [ count noun] (usu. credits) — an item in a list displayed at the beginning or end of a film or television programme, acknowledging a contributor's role

• the closing credits finished rolling.

9. [ mass noun] — (chiefly N. Amer.) the acknowledgement of a student's completion of a course or activity that counts towards a degree or diploma as maintained in a school's records

• a student can earn one unit of academic credit.

10. [ count noun] — a unit of study counting towards a degree or diploma

• the National Certificate consists of twelve credits.

11. [ count noun] — (Brit.) a grade above a pass in an examination.

12. acknowledgement of merit in an examination which is reflected in the marks awarded

• candidates will receive credit for accuracy and style.

13. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› the quality of being believed or credited

• the abstract philosophy of Cicero has lost its credit.

14. good reputation.

• John Gilpin was a citizen of credit and renown.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. publicly acknowledge a contributor's role in the production of (something published or broadcast)

• the screenplay is credited to one American and two Japanese writers.

2. ( credit someone with) — ascribe (an achievement or good quality) to someone

• he is credited with painting one hundred and twenty-five canvases.

3. add (an amount of money) to an account

• this deferred tax can be credited to the profit and loss account.

4. [often with modal] — (Brit.) believe (something surprising or unlikely)

• you would hardly credit it—but it was true.

III. phrases

1. be in credit

(of an account) have money in it.

• your statement shows your account to be in credit.

2. credit where credit is due

praise given when it is deserved, even if one is reluctant to give it.

3. do someone credit (or do credit to someone)

make someone worthy of praise or respect

• your concern does you credit.

4. give someone credit for

commend someone for (a quality or achievement), especially with reluctance or surprise

• please give me credit for some sense.

5. have something to one's credit

have achieved something notable

• he has 65 Tournament wins to his credit.

6. on credit

with an arrangement to pay later.

• people believed that buying on credit was wrong.

7. on the credit side

as a good aspect of the situation

• on the credit side, the text is highly readable.

8. to one's credit

used to indicate that something praiseworthy has been achieved, especially despite difficulties

• to his credit, he'd made a real effort with the carving.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally in the senses ‘belief’, ‘credibility’): from French crédit, probably via Italian credito from Latin creditum, neuter past participle of credere ‘believe, trust’.

creditable /ˈkrɛdɪtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of a performance, effort, or action) deserving public acknowledgement and praise but not necessarily outstanding or successful

• a very creditable 2–4 defeat.

II. derivatives

1. creditability

noun

2. creditably

adverb

usage: On the difference between creditable and credible, see usage at credible.

credit account

noun

(Brit.) another term for charge account.

credit analyst

noun

a person employed to assess the credit rating of people or companies.

credit card

noun

a small plastic card issued by a bank, building society, etc., allowing the holder to purchase goods or services on credit.
[as modifier]

• I gave my credit-card number.

• he always paid by credit card.

credit crunch /ˈkrɛdɪtkrʌntʃ/

I. noun

a sudden sharp reduction in the availability of money or credit from banks and other lenders

• the beleaguered company has become the latest victim of the credit crunch.

II. derivatives

credit-crunched

adjective

credit default swap

noun

[Finance] a financial contract whereby a buyer of corporate or sovereign debt in the form of bonds attempts to eliminate possible loss arising from default by the issuer of the bonds. This is achieved by the issuer of the bonds insuring the buyer’s potential losses as part of the agreement

• fears of so-called counterparty risk arising from credit default swaps were central to the investment bank's unravelling in March.

credit derivative

noun

[Finance] a type of derivative in which the risk that a loan will not be repaid is sold to a party other than the lender

• credit derivatives act as insurance for a company that invests in a corporate bond or loan.

credit event

noun

[Finance] a default, bankruptcy, or other situation which is recognized as affecting the creditworthiness of a country or organization and which may trigger insurance payments as defined in a credit default swap

• investors should keep in mind that this is a relatively small credit event relative to some of those we've seen in the banking sector before.

credit insurance

noun — [ mass noun]

1. insurance taken out to protect against bad debts.

credit line

noun

another term for line of credit (see line^1 (noun)).

credit note

noun

(Brit.) a receipt given by a shop to a customer who has returned goods, which can be offset against future purchases.

creditor /ˈkrɛdɪtə/

noun

a person or company to whom money is owing.

• he sold his Ferraris to pay off his creditors.

• [as modifier] creditor banks.

credit rating

noun

1. an estimate of the ability of a person or organization to fulfil their financial commitments, based on previous dealings.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of assessing a credit rating.

credit reference agency credit agency

noun

a company which collects information relating to the credit ratings of individuals and makes it available to banks, finance companies, etc.

credit standing

noun

the reputation of a person or organization with regard to capability and promptness in meeting financial obligations.

credit transfer

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system whereby successfully completed units of study contributing towards a degree or diploma can be transferred from one course to another.

2. (Brit.) a direct payment of money from one bank account to another.

credit union

noun

a non-profit-making money cooperative whose members can borrow from pooled deposits at low interest rates.

creditworthy /ˈkrɛdɪtwəːði/

I. adjective

(of a person or company) considered suitable to receive credit, especially because of being reliable in paying money back in the past.

II. derivatives

creditworthiness /ˈkrɛdɪtwəːðinəs /

noun

credo /ˈkriːdəʊ, ˈkreɪdəʊ/

I. noun

1. a statement of the beliefs or aims which guide someone's actions

• he announced his credo in his first editorial.

2. ( Credo) — a creed of the Christian Church in Latin.

3. ( Credo) — a musical setting of the Nicene Creed, typically as part of a mass.

• the Credo of Bach's B minor Mass.

– origin Middle English: Latin, ‘I believe’. Compare with creed.

credulity /krɪˈdjuːlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true.

• moneylenders prey upon their credulity and inexperience.

credulous /ˈkrɛdjʊləs/

I. adjective

having or showing too great a readiness to believe things.

• a ceremony staged for credulous tourists.

II. derivatives

1. credulously

adverb

2. credulousness

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the general sense ‘inclined to believe’): from Latin credulus (from credere ‘believe’) + -ous.

Cree /kriː/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people living in a vast area of central Canada.

2. [ mass noun] — the Algonquian language of the Cree, closely related to Montagnais. It has about 60,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Cree or their language.

– origin from Canadian French Cris, abbreviation of Cristinaux, from Algonquian.

creed /kriːd/

I. noun

1. a system of religious belief; a faith

• people of many creeds and cultures.

2. (often the Creed) — a formal statement of Christian beliefs, especially the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed.

• the godparents will then swear that they believe in the Creed and the Commandments.

3. a set of beliefs or aims which guide someone's actions

• liberalism was more than a political creed.

– origin Old English, from Latin credo.

creek /kriːk/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) a narrow, sheltered waterway, especially an inlet in a shoreline or channel in a marsh.

• a sandy beach in a sheltered creek.

2. (chiefly Brit.) (N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) a stream or minor tributary of a river.
[in place names]

• he drove into Adam's Creek.

II. phrases

1. be up the creek ‹informal›

a. (also be up the creek without a paddle) — be in severe difficulty or trouble, especially with no means of extricating oneself from it.

• if the police raided us I'd be up the creek.

b. (Brit.) be stupid or misguided.

• he said my idea of Catholicism was up the creek.

2. be up shit creek

see shit.

– origin Middle English: from Old French crique or from Old Norse kriki ‘nook’; perhaps reinforced by Middle Dutch krēke; of unknown ultimate origin.

Creek /kriːk/

I. noun

1. a member of a confederacy of American Indian peoples of the south-eastern US in the 16th to 19th centuries; their descendants now live mainly in Oklahoma.

2. [ mass noun] — the Muskogean language that was spoken by members of the Creek confederacy.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting the Creek or their language.

– origin from creek, because they lived beside the waterways of the flatlands of Georgia and Alabama.

creel /kriːl/

I. noun

1. a large wicker basket for holding fish.

2. an angler's fishing basket.

3. a rack holding bobbins or spools when spinning.

– origin Middle English (in sense 1; originally Scots and northern English): of unknown origin. Sense 2 dates from the mid 19th cent.

creep /kriːp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [usu. with adverbial of direction] — move slowly and carefully in order to avoid being heard or noticed

• he crept downstairs, hardly making any noise

• they were taught how to creep up on an enemy.

2. (of a thing) move very slowly and inexorably

• the fog was creeping up from the marsh.

3. (of a plant) grow along the ground or other surface by means of extending stems or branches.
(as adj. creeping)

• tufts of fine leaves grow on creeping rhizomes.

4. (of a plastic solid) undergo gradual deformation under stress.

5. ( creep in/into) — (of a negative characteristic or fact) occur or develop gradually and almost imperceptibly

• errors crept into his game

• (as adj. creeping) the creeping privatization of the health service.

6. ( creep up) — increase slowly but steadily in number or amount

• gas prices have been creeping up for a while.

II. noun

1. ‹informal› a detestable person.

• I thought he was a nasty little creep.

2. a person who behaves obsequiously in the hope of advancement.

3. [ mass noun] — slow steady movement, especially when imperceptible

• an attempt to prevent this slow creep of costs.

4. the tendency of a car with automatic transmission to move when in gear without the accelerator being pressed.

• creep can be useful in slow-moving traffic or when parking.

5. the gradual downward movement of disintegrated rock or soil due to gravity.

• stones and earth slowly slip down the slopes by soil creep.

6. the gradual deformation of a plastic solid under stress.

• metals and ceramics can also exhibit creep.

7. gradual bulging of the floor of a mine owing to pressure on the pillars

• the mines were unworkable because of creep.

8. (Brit.) an opening in a hedge or wall for an animal to pass through.

• low in the wall are creeps, through which ewes gain access to grazing from the pastures behind.

9. a feeding enclosure for young animals, with a long, narrow entrance.

• young piglets spend most of their time in the creep.

10. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) solid food given to young farm animals in order to wean them.

• we've started to wean the lambs earlier and to keep them on creep.

III. phrases

give someone the creeps

‹informal› induce a feeling of revulsion or fear in someone.

• eels wriggle, they're slimy, and they give some people the creeps.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. creep someone out

‹informal› give someone an unpleasant feeling of fear or unease

• an anonymous note like that would creep me out.

2. creep to

(Brit.) ‹informal› behave obsequiously towards (someone) in the hope of advancement.

• I'm not the kind of fellow that's going to creep to anybody.

– origin Old English crēopan ‘move with the body close to the ground’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kruipen. Sense 1 of the verb dates from Middle English.

creeper /ˈkriːpə/

noun

1. [Botany] any plant that grows along the ground, around another plant, or up a wall by means of extending stems or branches.

2. [with modifier] — any of a number of small birds that creep around in trees or vegetation:
● (N. Amer.) the American treecreeper ( Certhia americana, family Certhiidae). ● (NZ) a New Zealand songbird ( Mohoua novaeseelandiae, family Pachycephalidae or Acanthizidae). ● a Philippine songbird (family Rhabdornithidae and genus Rhabdornis: two species). ● a Hawaiian honeycreeper (genus Paroreomyza, family Drepanididae: three species).

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person, typically a man, whose behaviour towards or interest in someone is regarded as unwelcome and socially inappropriate

• I could dance there without a creeper walking up and accosting me.

4. ( creepers) — ‹informal› short for brothel creepers.

creepie

I. noun

(chiefly Scottish) a low stool.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from the verb creep + -ie.

creeping Jenny

noun

a trailing evergreen European plant with round glossy leaves and yellow flowers, growing in damp places and by water. Also called moneywort.
● Lysimachia nummularia, family Primulaceae.

creeping Jesus

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person who is obsequious or hypocritically pious.

creeping paralysis

noun

less technical term for locomotor ataxia.

creep joint

noun

(US) ‹slang› a brothel.

creepy /ˈkriːpi/

I. adjective

‹informal› causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or unease

• the creepy feelings one often gets in a strange house.

II. derivatives

1. creepily

adverb

2. creepiness

noun

creepy-crawly /kriːpiˈkrɔːli/

I. noun

‹informal› a spider, worm, or other small flightless creature, especially when considered unpleasant or frightening.

• Sylvia started to hallucinate, seeing creepy-crawlies on her bed.

II. adjective

causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or unease

• creepy-crawly stories.

crema /ˈkreɪmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a brownish foam that forms on the top of freshly made espresso coffee.

– origin Italian, literally ‘cream’.

crémant /ˈkrɛmɒ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a French sparkling wine made by the méthode champenoise.

• in Alsace itself, tradition dictates that Muscat or crémant is served as an aperitif wine.

– origin French, ‘sparkling wine’.

cremaster /krɪˈmastə/

I. noun

1. (also cremaster muscle) — [Anatomy] the muscle of the spermatic cord, by which the testicle can be partially raised.

2. [Entomology] the hook-like tip of a butterfly pupa, serving as an anchorage point.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Greek kremastēr, from krema- ‘hang’.

cremate /krɪˈmeɪt/

I. verb

dispose of (a dead person's body) by burning it to ashes, typically after a funeral ceremony

• she had refused to have her husband cremated.

II. derivatives

cremator

noun

– origin late 19th cent. (as cremation): from Latin cremare ‘burn’.

cremation /krɪˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the disposal of a dead person's body by burning it to ashes, typically after a funeral ceremony

• we chose cremation over burial

• [ count noun] advice on wills, costs, and cremations.

crematorium /ˌkrɛməˈtɔːrɪəm/

I. noun

a place where a dead person's body is cremated.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from cremare ‘burn’.

crematory /ˈkrɛmət(ə)ri/

I. adjective

relating to cremation.

II. noun

North American term for crematorium.

creme /kriːm/

I. noun

a substance or product with a thick, creamy consistency

• self-tanning creme.

– origin from French crème, ‘cream’.

crème anglaise /ˌkrɛm ɒ̃ˈɡleɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rich egg custard.

– origin French, literally ‘English cream’.

crème brûlée /ˌkrɛm bruːˈleɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dessert of custard topped with caramelized sugar.

– origin French, literally ‘burnt cream’.

crème caramel /krɛm ˌkarəˈmɛl, ˈkarəmɛl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a custard dessert made with whipped cream and eggs and topped with caramel.

– origin French.

crème de cacao /ˌkrɛm də kəˈkeɪəʊ, -ˈkaʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a chocolate-flavoured liqueur.

– origin French, literally ‘cream of cacao’.

crème de la crème /ˌkrɛm də la ˈkrɛm French kʀɛm də la kʀɛm//

I. noun

the best person or thing of a particular kind

• the crème de la crème of the dancers have left the country.

– origin French, literally ‘cream of the cream’.

crème de menthe /ˌkrɛm də ˈmɒnθ, ˈmɒ̃t/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a peppermint-flavoured liqueur.

– origin French, literally ‘cream of mint’.

crème fraiche /krɛm ˈfrɛʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of thick cream made from double cream with the addition of buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt.

– origin from French crème fraîche, literally ‘fresh cream’.

crème patissière /krɛm ˌpatɪsˈjɛː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a thick, creamy custard used as a filling for cakes and pastries

• I always make crème patissière for my eclairs.

– origin French, literally ‘pastry cook's cream’.

Cremona /krɪˈməʊnə, krɛˈməʊnə/

a city in Lombardy, in northern Italy; pop. 72,267 (2008). Between the 16th and the 18th century the city was home to three renowned families of violin-makers: the Amati, the Guarneri, and the Stradivari.

crenate /ˈkriːneɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] [Zoology] (especially of a leaf or shell) having a round-toothed or scalloped edge.
Compare with crenulate.

II. derivatives

1. crenated

adjective

2. crenation

noun

– origin late 18th cent. (earlier as crenated): from modern Latin crenatus, from popular Latin crena ‘notch’.

crenel /ˈkrɛn(ə)l / crenelle /krɪˈnɛl/

I. noun

an indentation in the battlements of a fort or castle, used for shooting or firing missiles through.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French, based on popular Latin crena ‘notch’.

crenellate /ˈkrɛn(ə)leɪt / crenelate

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. crenellated)

1. ‹chiefly historical› provide (a wall of a building) with battlements.

• the abbey of Quarr had been licensed to crenellate its buildings.

• a crenellated parapet.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French créneler, from Old French crenel (see crenel).

crenellations

plural noun

the battlements of a castle or other building.

crenulate /ˈkrɛnjʊleɪt/

I. adjective

‹technical› (especially of a leaf, shell, or shoreline) having a finely scalloped or notched outline or edge.
Compare with crenate.

II. derivatives

1. crenulated

adjective

2. crenulation

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from modern Latin crenulatus, from crenula, diminutive of crena ‘notch’.

creodont /ˈkriːədɒnt/

I. noun

a fossil carnivorous mammal of the early Tertiary period, ancestral to modern carnivores.
●Order Creodonta: several families.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Creodonta (plural), from Greek kreas ‘flesh’ + odous, odont- ‘tooth’.

Creole /ˈkriːəʊl / creole

I. noun

1. a person of mixed European and black descent, especially in the Caribbean.

2. a descendant of Spanish or other European settlers in the Caribbean or Central or South America.

3. a white descendant of French settlers in Louisiana and other parts of the southern US.

4. a mother tongue formed from the contact of a European language (especially English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese) with local languages (especially African languages spoken by slaves in the West Indies)

• a Portuguese-based Creole.

II. adjective

relating to a Creole or Creoles.

• a restaurant serving both international and Creole cuisine.

• research on pidgin and Creole languages.

– origin from French créole, criole, from Spanish criollo, probably from Portuguese crioulo ‘black person born in Brazil’, from criar ‘to breed’, from Latin creare ‘produce, create’.

creolize /ˈkriːə(ʊ)lʌɪz, ˈkrɪɒlʌɪz / creolise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. form (a Creole language) from the contact of a European language with a local language
(as adj. creolized)

• a creolized variety of French.

II. derivatives

creolization /kriːə(ʊ)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

creophagous /krɪˈɒfəɡəs / kreophagous

I. adjective

‹rare› flesh-eating or carnivorous

• crocodiles are creophagous animals.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kreophagus, from kreas ‘flesh’ + -phagos (see -phagous).

creosol /ˈkriːəsɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless liquid which is the chief constituent of wood-tar creosote.
●Alternative name: 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol; chem. formula: C_8H_10O_2.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from creosote + -ol.

creosote /ˈkriːəsəʊt/

I. noun

1. (also creosote oil) [ mass noun] — a dark brown oil containing various phenols and other organic compounds, distilled from coal tar and used as a wood preservative.

2. a colourless, pungent, oily liquid, containing creosol and other compounds, distilled from wood tar and used as an antiseptic.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat (wood) with creosote.
(as adj. creosoted)

• a creosoted wooden fence.

– origin mid 19th cent.: coined in German from Greek kreas ‘flesh’ + sōtēr ‘preserver’, with reference to its antiseptic properties.

creosote bush

noun

a shrub native to arid parts of Mexico and the western US. Its leaves smell of creosote and when steeped in boiling water they yield an antiseptic lotion.
● Larrea tridentata, family Zygophyllaceae.

crêpe /kreɪp/

I. noun

1. (also crape) [ mass noun] — a light, thin fabric with a wrinkled surface
[as modifier]

• a crêpe bandage.

2. (also crêpe rubber) — hard-wearing wrinkled rubber, used for the soles of shoes.

3. /krɛp/ — a thin pancake.

II. derivatives

crêpey crêpy

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: French, from Old French crespe ‘curled, frizzed’, from Latin crispus.

crêpe de Chine /də ˈʃiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fine crêpe of silk or similar fabric.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, literally ‘crêpe of China’.

crêpe paper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. thin, crinkled paper resembling crêpe, used especially for making decorations.

crêperie /ˈkreɪpəri, ˈkrɛpəri, French kʀɛpʀi/

I. noun

a small restaurant, typically one in France, in which a variety of crêpes are served.

• Brittany's many crêperies are a perennial favourite.

– origin French.

crêpe Suzette /suːˈzɛt/

noun

a thin dessert pancake flamed and served in alcohol.

crépinette /ˌkreɪpɪˈnɛt, French kʀepinɛt/

I. noun

a flat sausage consisting of minced meat and savoury stuffing wrapped in pieces of pork caul.

– origin French, diminutive of crépine ‘caul’.

crepitate /ˈkrɛpɪteɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a crackling sound

• the night crepitates with an airy whistling cacophony.

II. derivatives

crepitant

adjective

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘break wind’): from Latin crepitat- ‘crackled, rustled’, from the verb crepitare, from crepare ‘to rattle’.

crepitation /ˌkrɛpɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a crackling or rattling sound

• pistol-like crepitations.

2. [Medicine] a crackling sound made when breathing with an inflamed lung, detected using a stethoscope.

• chest examination showed left basal crepitations.

3. [ mass noun] — [Entomology] the explosive ejection of irritant fluid from the abdomen of a bombardier beetle.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French crépitation or Latin crepitatio(n-), from the verb crepitare (see crepitate).

crepitus /ˈkrɛpɪtəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a grating sound or sensation produced by friction between bone and cartilage or the fractured parts of a bone.

2. [Medicine] the production of crepitations in the lungs; rale.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin, from crepare ‘rattle’.

crépon /ˈkreɪpən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fabric resembling crêpe, but heavier and with a more pronounced crinkled effect.

– origin late 19th cent.: French.

crept /krɛpt/

past and past participle of creep.

crepuscular /krɪˈpʌskjʊlə, krɛˈpʌskjʊlə/

I. adjective

1. resembling or relating to twilight.

2. [Zoology] (of an animal) appearing or active in twilight.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin crepusculum ‘twilight’ + -ar^1.

crepuscule /ˈkrɛpəskjuːl / crepuscle /krɪˈpʌs(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› twilight.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin crepusculum ‘twilight’.

Cres.

abbreviation

crescent.

cresc. cres.

abbreviation

[Music] crescendo.

crescendo /krɪˈʃɛndəʊ/

I. noun

1. ( pl. crescendos or crescendi) — [Music] a gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music.

• each time the key changes, there is a gradual crescendo.

2. [Music] a passage of music marked or performed with a crescendo.

3. the loudest point reached in a gradually increasing sound

• the port engine revs rose to a crescendo.

4. a progressive increase in intensity

• a crescendo of misery.

5. the most intense point reached

• the hysteria reached a crescendo around the spring festival.

II. adverb, adjective

[Music] with a gradual increase in loudness.
[as adj.]

• a short crescendo kettledrum roll.

III. verb — [no obj.]

1. increase in loudness or intensity

• the reluctant cheers began to crescendo.

– origin late 18th cent.: Italian, present participle of crescere ‘to increase’, from Latin crescere ‘grow’.

crescent /ˈkrɛz(ə)nt, ˈkrɛs(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. the curved sickle shape of the waxing or waning moon.

• the moon was a slender crescent.

2. a representation of a crescent used as an emblem of Islam or of Turkey.

• on the flag was embroidered the Turkish crescent.

3. ( the Crescent) — ‹chiefly historical› the political power of Islam or of the Ottoman Empire.

4. a thing which has the shape of a single curve that is broad in the centre and tapers to a point at each end

• a three-mile crescent of golden sand.

5. [usu. in names] — (chiefly Brit.) a street or terrace of houses forming an arc

• we lived at Westway Crescent.

6. [Heraldry] a charge in the form of a crescent, typically with the points upward.

7. a moth or butterfly which bears crescent-shaped markings on the wings, in particular:
● an orange or brown American butterfly with a silvery mark on the underside of the hindwing (genus Phyciodes, subfamily Melitaeinae, family Nymphalidae). ● a brownish European moth with a pale mark on the forewing (several species in the family Noctuidae, in particular Celaena leucostigma).

II. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — having the shape of a crescent

• a crescent moon.

2. ‹literary› growing, increasing, or developing.

III. derivatives

crescentic /krɛˈsɛntɪk /

adjective

– origin late Middle English cressant, from Old French creissant, from Latin crescere ‘grow’. The spelling change in the 17th century was due to the influence of the Latin.

crescent wrench

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹trademark› an adjustable spanner designed to grip hexagonal nuts, with an adjusting screw fitted in the crescent-shaped head of the spanner.

cresol /ˈkriːsɒl/

I. noun

[Chemistry] each of three isomeric crystalline compounds present in coal-tar creosote, used as disinfectants.
●the ortho-, meta-, and para- methyl derivatives of phenol; chem. formula: CH_3C_6H_4OH.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from creosote + -ol.

cress /krɛs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a plant of the cabbage family, typically having small white flowers and pungent leaves. Some kinds are edible and are eaten raw as salad.
● Barbarea and other genera, family Cruciferae: several species, including garden cress (used in mustard and cress) and watercress.

– origin Old English cresse, cærse, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kers and German Kresse.

cresset /ˈkrɛsɪt/

I. noun

‹historical› a metal container of oil, grease, wood, or coal set alight for illumination and typically mounted on a pole.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from craisse, variant of graisse ‘oil, grease’.

Cressida /ˈkrɛsɪdə/

(in medieval legends of the Trojan War) the daughter of Calchas, a priest. She was faithless to her lover Troilus, a son of Priam.

crest /krɛst/

I. noun

1. a comb or tuft of feathers, fur, or skin on the head of a bird or other animal.

• a large game bird with a conspicuous erect red crest.

2. a plume of feathers on a helmet.

3. the top of a mountain or hill

• she reached the crest of the hill.

4. [Anatomy] a ridge along the surface of a bone.

• biopsy specimens of the iliac crest were obtained under local anaesthesia.

5. the upper line of the neck of a horse or other mammal.

• take hold of the mane halfway up the horse's crest.

6. the curling foamy top of a wave.

• a high wave formed by the meeting of two crests.

7. [Heraldry] a distinctive device representing a family or corporate body, borne above the shield of a coat of arms (originally as worn on a helmet) or separately reproduced, for example on writing paper.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — reach the top of (a hill or wave).

• she crested a hill and saw the valley spread out before her.

2. [no obj.] — (US) (of a river, flood, etc.) rise to its highest level.

3. [no obj.] — (of a wave) form a curling foamy top.

• the swell begins to curl and crest.

4. ( be crested with) — have attached at the top

• his helmet was crested with a fan of spikes.

III. phrases

on the crest of a wave

at a very successful point

• his career is on the crest of a wave at present.

IV. derivatives

crestless

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French creste, from Latin crista ‘tuft, plume’.

Cresta Run

a hazardously winding, steeply banked channel of ice built each year at the Cresta Valley, St Moritz, Switzerland, as a tobogganing course, on which competitors race on light toboggans in a characteristic head-first position. Such a run was first built in 1884.

crested /ˈkrɛstɪd/

adjective

1. (of a bird or other animal) having a comb or tuft of feathers, fur, or skin on the head

• the crested drake mandarin duck

• [in combination] a plush-crested jay.

2. emblazoned with a coat of arms or other emblem

• crested notepaper.

crested newt great crested newt

noun

a large Eurasian newt, the male of which has a tall crest along the back and tail during the breeding season. Also called warty newt.
● Triturus cristatus, family Salamandridae.

crested tit

noun

a small European tit (songbird) with a short crest, living chiefly in coniferous woodland.
● Parus cristatus, family Paridae.

crestfallen /ˈkrɛstfɔːlən/

I. adjective

sad and disappointed

• he came back empty-handed and crestfallen.

– origin late 16th cent.: originally with reference to a mammal or bird having a fallen or drooping crest.

crestfish

noun

a very elongated silvery marine fish with a crimson dorsal fin running the full length of its body and a forehead that projects forward into a long filament.
● Lophotus lacepedei, family Lophotidae.

cresting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an ornamental decoration at the ridge of a roof or top of a wall.

cresyl /ˈkriːsʌɪl, ˈkriːsɪl/

noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting a radical —OC_6H_4CH_3, derived from a cresol.

Cretaceous /krɪˈteɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. [Geology] relating to or denoting the last period of the Mesozoic era, between the Jurassic and Tertiary periods.

2. (as noun the Cretaceous) — [Geology] the Cretaceous period or the system of rocks deposited during it.

The Cretaceous lasted from about 146 to 65 million years ago. The climate was warm and the sea level rose; the period is characterized especially in NW Europe by the deposition of chalk. The first flowering plants emerged and the domination of the dinosaurs continued, although they died out quite abruptly towards the end of it.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin cretaceus (from creta ‘chalk’) + -ous.

Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary ‹Geology› K/T boundary

I. the division between the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods, about 65 million years ago.

A widespread layer of sediment dating from this time has been shown since 1980 to be enriched in iridium and other elements and to contain minerals showing evidence of thermal shock and carbon deposits indicative of extensive fires. This appears to indicate the catastrophic impact of one or more large meteorites, and geologists have identified a formation at Chicxulub in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, as a probable impact site. A resulting drastic climate change has been suggested as the cause of the extinction of dinosaurs and many other organisms at this time, but this remains controversial.

Cretan /ˈkritn/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Greek island of Crete or its inhabitants

• ancient Cretan pottery.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the Greek island of Crete

• on the road he meets a Cretan.

Crete /kriːt/

a Greek island in the eastern Mediterranean; pop. 630,000 (est. 2009); capital, Heraklion. It is noted for the remains of the Minoan civilization which flourished there in the 2nd millennium BC. It fell to Rome in 67 BC and was subsequently ruled by Byzantines, Venetians, and Turks. Crete played an important role in the Greek struggle for independence from the Turks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, becoming administratively part of an independent Greece in 1913.
Greek name Kríti.

cretic /ˈkriːtɪk/

I. noun

[Prosody] a metrical foot containing one short or unstressed syllable between two long or stressed ones.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin Creticus, from Greek Krētikos, from Krētē ‘Crete’.

cretin /ˈkrɛtɪn/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› ‹offensive› a stupid person (used as a general term of abuse).

2. [Medicine] ‹dated› a person who is physically deformed and has learning difficulties because of congenital thyroid deficiency.

II. derivatives

1. cretinism

noun

2. cretinous

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: from French crétin, from Swiss French crestin ‘Christian’ (from Latin Christianus), here used to mean ‘human being’, apparently as a reminder that, though deformed, cretins were human and not beasts.

cretonne /krɛˈtɒn, ˈkrɛtɒn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a heavy cotton fabric, typically with a floral pattern printed on one or both sides, used for upholstery.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, of unknown origin.

Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease /ˌkrɔɪtsfɛltˈjakɒb / CJD

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fatal degenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain, causing mental, physical, and sensory disturbances such as dementia and seizures. It is believed to be caused by prions and hence to be related to BSE and other spongiform encephalopathies such as kuru and scrapie.

– origin 1930s: named after H. G. Creutzfeldt (1885–1964) and A. Jakob (1882–1927), the German neurologists who first described cases of the disease in 1920–1. Creutzfeldt is credited with the first description of the disease in 1920, although the case is atypical by current diagnostic criteria; a year later Jakob described four cases, at least two of whom had clinical features suggestive of CJD as it is currently described.

crevasse /krɪˈvas/

I. noun

1. a deep open crack, especially one in a glacier.

2. (N. Amer.) a breach in the embankment of a river or canal.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from Old French crevace (see crevice).

crevette /krəˈvɛt/

I. noun

a shrimp or prawn, especially as an item on a menu.

– origin French.

crevice /ˈkrɛvɪs/

I. noun

a narrow opening or fissure, especially in a rock or wall.

• many creatures hide in crevices in the rock.

– origin Middle English: from Old French crevace, from crever ‘to burst’, from Latin crepare ‘to rattle, crack’.

crew^1 /kruː/

I. noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.] — a group of people who work on and operate a ship, aircraft, etc.

• he was one of nine members of the crew killed when the plane went down.

2. a group of people working on a ship, aircraft, etc. other than the officers

• the ship's captain and crew may be brought to trial.

3. [ mass noun] — (US) the sport of rowing.

4. a group of people who work closely together

• a film crew.

5. ‹informal› ‹often derogatory› a group of people associated in some way

• a crew of assorted computer geeks.

6. ‹informal› (chiefly US) a group of rappers, break dancers, or graffiti artists performing or operating together.

• a graffiti crew called the Syndicate.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide (a craft or vehicle) with a group of people to operate it

• normally the boat is crewed by five people.

2. [no obj.] — act as a member of a crew, subordinate to a captain

• I've never crewed for a world-famous yachtsman before.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French creue ‘augmentation, increase’, feminine past participle of croistre ‘grow’, from Latin crescere. The original sense was ‘band of soldiers serving as reinforcements’; hence it came to denote any organized armed band or, generally, a company of people (late 16th cent.).

crew^2 /kruː/

past of crow^2.

crew cut

I. noun

a very short haircut for men and boys.

– origin 1940s: apparently first adopted as a style by boat crews of Harvard and Yale universities.

Crewe /kruː/

a town and major railway junction in Cheshire, west central England; pop. 77,700 (est. 2009).

crewel /ˈkruːəl/

I. noun

a thin, loosely twisted, worsted yarn used for tapestry and embroidery.

– origin late 15th cent.: of unknown origin.

crewel work

noun — [ mass noun]

1. embroidery or tapestry worked in crewels on linen or cloth.

crewman /ˈkruːmən/

noun

a member of a group of people who work on and operate a ship, aircraft, etc., particularly one who is not an officer

• the coast guard has rescued seven crewmen from a tugboat being battered by rough seas.

crew neck

I. noun

1. a close-fitting round neckline on a sweater or T-shirt
[as modifier]

• a crew-neck sweater.

2. a sweater with a crew neck.

II. derivatives

crew-necked

adjective

crew woman

noun

a female member of a group of people who work on and operate a ship, aircraft, etc., particularly one who is not an officer

• a crew woman was rescued when the ship was caught in a hurricane.

crib /krɪb/

I. noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a child's bed with barred or latticed sides; a cot.

• tiptoeing over to the crib, he looked down at the sleeping child.

2. a barred container or rack for animal fodder; a manger.

3. (Brit.) a model of the Nativity of Christ, with a manger as a bed.

• a choir was singing carols by a crib.

4. ‹informal› a translation of a text for use by students, especially in a surreptitious way

• an English crib of Caesar's Gallic Wars.

5. a thing that has been plagiarized

• is the song a crib from Mozart's ‘Don Giovanni’?

6. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a person's apartment or house.

• you hook up with a girl and take her back to your crib.

7. [ mass noun] — short for cribbage.

• he would play crib with zest.

8. [ count noun] — the cards discarded by the players at cribbage, counting to the dealer.

9. (also cribwork) — a heavy timber framework used in foundations for a building or to line a mineshaft.

10. (Austral./NZ) a light meal; a snack.

• I was carrying my crib in a paper bag.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› copy (another person's work) illicitly or without acknowledgement

• he was doing an exam and didn't want anybody to crib the answers from him

• [no obj.] he often cribbed from other researchers.

2. ‹archaic› steal.

• a brace of birds and hare, that I cribbed this morning out of a basket of game.

3. ‹archaic› restrain

• he had been so cabined, cribbed, and confined by office.

4. [no obj.] — (Brit.) ‹dated› (Indian) grumble

• those guys have nothing to crib about.

III. derivatives

cribber

noun

– origin Old English (in the sense ‘manger’), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch krib, kribbe and German Krippe.

cribbage /ˈkrɪbɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a card game, usually for two players, in which the objective is to play so that the pip value of one's cards played reaches exactly 15 or 31.

– origin mid 17th cent.: related to crib; the game is said to have been invented by the English poet Sir John Suckling; it seems to have been developed from an older game called Noddy.

cribbage board

noun

a board with pegs and holes, used for scoring at cribbage.

crib-biting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a repetitive habit of some horses which involves the biting and chewing of wood in the stable, causing excessive wear to the front teeth.

crib death

noun

North American term for cot death.

cribellum /krɪˈbɛləm/

I. noun

[Zoology] (in some spiders) an additional spinning organ with numerous fine pores, situated in front of the spinnerets.

II. derivatives

cribellate

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from late Latin, diminutive of cribrum ‘sieve’.

cribo /ˈkriːbəʊ, ˈkrʌɪbəʊ/

I. noun

another term for indigo snake.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

cribriform /ˈkrɪbrɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] denoting an anatomical structure that is pierced by numerous small holes, in particular the plate of the ethmoid bone through which the olfactory nerves pass.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin cribrum ‘sieve’ + -iform.

crib time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) a break during a working day

• the hours were 35 per week, including 30 minutes paid crib time daily.

Crichton, James /ˈkrʌɪt(ə)n/

(1560– c. 1585), Scottish adventurer; known as the Admirable Crichton. Crichton was an accomplished swordsman, poet, and scholar. He served in the French army and made a considerable impression on French and Italian universities with his skills as a polyglot orator.

crick /krɪk/

I. noun

a painful stiff feeling in the neck or back.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. twist or strain (one's neck or back), causing painful stiffness
(as adj. cricked)

• he suffered a cricked neck during tackling practice.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

Crick, Francis

(1916–2004), English biophysicist; full name Francis Harry Compton Crick. Together with J. D. Watson he proposed the double helix structure of the DNA molecule, thus broadly explaining how genetic information is carried in living organisms and how genes replicate. Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1962, shared with Watson and M. H. F. Wilkins).

cricket^1 /ˈkrɪkɪt/

I. noun

1. an insect related to the grasshoppers but with shorter legs. The male produces a characteristic musical chirping sound.
●Family Gryllidae: many genera and species, including the field cricket and the house cricket.

2. used in names of insects of related families, e.g. bush cricket, mole cricket.

– origin Middle English: from Old French criquet, from criquer ‘to crackle’, of imitative origin.

cricket^2 /ˈkrɪkɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an open-air game played on a large grass field with ball, bats, and two wickets, between teams of eleven players, the object of the game being to score more runs than the opposition.
[as modifier]

• a cricket bat.

Cricket is played mainly in Britain and in territories formerly under British rule, such as Australia, South Africa, the West Indies, New Zealand, and the Indian subcontinent. The full game with two innings per side can last several days; shorter single-innings matches are usual at amateur level and have become popular at professional level since the 1960s.

II. phrases

1. a cricket score ‹Brit. informal›

(in sports other than cricket) an unusually high score

• England looked set to run up a cricket score when they went four tries ahead.

2. not cricket

(Brit.) ‹informal› something contrary to traditional standards of fairness or rectitude.

• an appeal by the Crown against too lenient a sentence is simply not cricket.

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

cricketer /ˈkrɪkɪtə/

noun

a person who plays cricket

• he is a very young and talented cricketer.

cricketing /ˈkrɪkɪtɪŋ/

adjective

relating to the playing of cricket

• a true cricketing legend.

cricoid /ˈkrʌɪkɔɪd/

I. noun

(also cricoid cartilage) — [Anatomy] the ring-shaped cartilage of the larynx.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin cricoides ‘ring-shaped’, from Greek krikoeidēs, from krikos ‘ring’.

cricothyroid /ˌkrʌɪkə(ʊ)ˈθʌɪrɔɪd/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] relating to the cricoid and thyroid cartilages.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kriko- (combining form of krikos ‘ring’) + thyroid.

cri de cœur /ˌkriː də ˈkəː, French kʀi də køʀ/

I. noun

a passionate appeal, complaint, or protest.

• a patriotic cris de coeur.

– origin French, ‘cry from the heart’.

cried /krʌɪd/

past and past participle of cry.

crier /ˈkrʌɪə/

I. noun

1. an officer who makes public announcements in a court of justice.

2. short for town crier.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French criere, from crier ‘to shout’.

crikey /ˈkrʌɪki/

I. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› an expression of surprise

• Crikey! I never thought I'd see you again.

– origin mid 19th cent.: euphemism for Christ.

crim

noun, adjective

‹informal› (chiefly Austral./NZ) short for criminal.

crime /krʌɪm/

I. noun

1. an action or omission which constitutes an offence and is punishable by law

• shoplifting was a serious crime.

2. [ mass noun] — illegal activities

• the victims of crime.

3. an action or activity considered to be evil, shameful, or wrong

• they condemned apartheid as a crime against humanity

• it's a crime to keep a creature like Willy in a tank.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› (especially in the army) charge with or find guilty of an offence

• they found the note and I got crimed for it.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘wickedness, sin’): via Old French from Latin crimen ‘judgement, offence’, based on cernere ‘to judge’.

Crimea /krʌɪˈmiːə/

(usu. the Crimea)

1. a peninsula of Ukraine lying between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. It was the scene of the Crimean War in the 1850s. The majority of the population is Russian.

crime against humanity

I. noun

a deliberate act, typically as part of a systematic campaign, that causes human suffering or death on a large scale

• he was handed over to the International Criminal Court in The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity.

– origin late 17th cent.: originally in the sense ‘immoral or destructive act’.

Crimean /krʌɪˈmiːən/

I. adjective

relating to the Crimea or its people

• fine Crimean wines were passed around.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the Crimea

• many Crimeans chose to boycott the poll.

Crimean shirt

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹historical› a coloured flannel shirt, as worn by workers in the bush

• he wore a dirty torn Crimean shirt.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of the Black Sea peninsula, probably with reference to the warmth of the material.

Crimean War

a war (1853–6) in the area of the Crimean peninsula, between Russia and an alliance of Great Britain, France, Sardinia, and Turkey. Russian aggression against Turkey led to war in 1853, with Turkey's European allies intervening to destroy Russian naval power in the Black Sea in 1854 and eventually capture the fortress city of Sebastopol in 1855 after a lengthy siege.

crime-fighting

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of working to reduce the incidence of crime.
[as modifier]

• a crime-fighting detective.

II. derivatives

crime-fighter /ˈkrʌɪmˌfʌɪtə /

noun

crime-free

adjective

not affected by or involving illegal activities

• the streets here are safe and crime-free

• we want young people to lead healthy and crime-free lives.

crimen injuria /ˌkrʌɪmən ɪnˈdʒuːrɪə/

I. noun

(S. African) [Law] a wilful injury to someone's dignity, caused by the use of obscene or racially offensive language or gestures.

– origin Latin, from crimen ‘accusation’ + injuria ‘indignity’.

crime passionnel /ˌkriːm pasjəˈnɛl/

I. noun

a crime, typically a murder, committed in a fit of sexual jealousy.

– origin French, ‘crime of passion’.

crime-ridden

adjective

(of a place) having a high incidence of criminal activity

• a crime-ridden neighbourhood.

crime scene

noun

the place where an offence has been committed and forensic evidence may be gathered

• fingerprints left at a crime scene.

crime sheet

noun

1. (Brit.) a form on which police record details of a reported crime.

2. (Brit.) (in the armed forces) a record of someone's offences and punishments under military law.

crimeware /ˈkrʌɪmwɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of malicious software designed to carry out or facilitate illegal online activity

• old-school malware written for glory has given way to a new era of ‘crimeware’ designed for spamming, data theft, or extortion.

crime wave

noun

a sudden increase in the number of crimes committed in a country or area.

• officials blamed the crime wave on economic shortages.

crime writer

noun

a writer of detective stories or thrillers.

criminal /ˈkrɪmɪn(ə)l/

I. noun

a person who has committed a crime

• these men are dangerous criminals.

II. adjective

1. relating to crime

• he is charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

2. [Law] relating to crime as opposed to civil matters

• a criminal court.

3. ‹informal› (of an action or situation) deplorable and shocking

• he may never fulfil his potential, and that would be a criminal waste.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): from late Latin criminalis, from Latin crimen, crimin- (see crime).

criminal conversation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› adultery, especially as formerly constituting grounds for the recovery of legal damages by a husband from his wife's adulterous partner.

criminalistics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. another term for forensics.

criminality /krɪmɪˈnalɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. behaviour that is contrary to or forbidden by criminal law

• a regime that sanctions organized criminality.

criminalization /krɪmɪn(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / criminalisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of turning an activity into a criminal offence by making it illegal

• the criminalization of gang membership.

2. the action of turning someone into a criminal by making their activities illegal

• the increasing criminalization of youths.

criminalize /ˈkrɪmɪn(ə)lʌɪz / criminalise

verb — [with obj.]

1. turn (an activity) into a criminal offence by making it illegal

• his view is that the state should not criminalize drug use but discourage it.

2. turn (someone) into a criminal by making their activities illegal

• these punitive measures would further criminalize travellers for their way of life.

criminal law

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of law concerned with the punishment of offenders.

• it is the function of the criminal law to punish.

Contrasted with civil law.

criminal libel

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the offence of making a malicious defamatory statement in a permanent form.

criminally /ˈkrɪmɪnəli/

adverb

1. in a manner that is contrary to or forbidden by criminal law

• there was no evidence the firms had acted criminally.

2. [Law] in a way that relates to crime as opposed to civil matters

• these offences may be prosecuted criminally under state law.

3. [as submodifier] — ‹informal› to a shocking degree

• one of his most criminally underappreciated films.

criminal record

noun

1. a list of a person's previous criminal convictions

• the caution wouldn't go on his criminal record.

2. a history of being convicted for crime

• he admits he has a criminal record.

criminogenic /ˌkrɪmɪnəˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

(of a system, situation, or place) causing or likely to cause criminal behaviour

• the criminogenic nature of homelessness.

criminologist /ˌkrɪmɪˈnɒlədʒɪst/

noun

an expert in the scientific study of crime and criminals

• the pioneering criminologist proposed a method for identifying criminals.

criminology /ˌkrɪmɪˈnɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the scientific study of crime and criminals.

II. derivatives

criminological

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin crimen, crimin- ‘crime’ + -logy.

criminy /ˈkrɪmɪni/

I. exclamation

(US) ‹informal› used to express surprise or disbelief

• criminy, what is this world coming to?

– origin late 17th cent. (as crimine): origin uncertain; perhaps an alteration of Christ, perhaps from Italian crimine ‘crime’.

crimp /krɪmp/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. compress (something) into small folds or ridges

• she crimped the edge of the pie.

2. connect (a wire or cable) by squeezing the end or ends

• pliers will crimp wires together.

3. (often as adj. crimped) — make waves in (someone's hair) with a hot iron

• crimped blonde hair.

4. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› have a limiting or adverse effect on (something)

• his zeal about his career can crimp the rest of his life.

II. noun

1. a folded or compressed edge.

2. a small connecting piece for crimping wires or lines together.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a restriction or limitation

• the crimp on take-home pay has been even tighter since taxes were raised.

III. phrases

put a crimp in

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› have an adverse effect on

• well, that puts a crimp in my theory.

IV. derivatives

crimpy /ˈkrɪmpi /

adjective

– origin Old English gecrympan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch krimpen ‘shrink, wrinkle’. Of rare occurrence before the 18th cent., the word was perhaps reintroduced from Low German or Dutch.

crimper

noun

1. a person or thing that crimps.

2. ‹informal› a hairdresser.

• the celebrity crimper has built up such a loyal following.

Crimplene /ˈkrɪmpliːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a synthetic crease-resistant fibre and fabric.

– origin 1950s: perhaps from the name of the Crimple valley in Yorkshire, site of the ICI laboratory where the fabric was developed, + -ene.

crimson /ˈkrɪmz(ə)n/

I. adjective

of a rich deep red colour inclining to purple

• she blushed crimson with embarrassment.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rich deep red colour inclining to purple.

• a pair of corduroy trousers in livid crimson, they were horrid to behold.

III. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a person's face) become flushed, especially through embarrassment

• my face crimsoned and my hands began to shake.

– origin late Middle English: from obsolete French cramoisin or Old Spanish cremesin, based on Arabic qirmizī, from qirmiz (see kermes). Compare with carmine.

cringe /krɪn(d)ʒ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. bend one's head and body in fear or apprehension or in a servile manner

• he cringed away from the blow

• (as adj. cringing) we are surrounded by cringing yes-men and sycophants.

2. experience an inward shiver of embarrassment or disgust

• I cringed at the fellow's stupidity.

II. noun

an act of cringing.

III. derivatives

cringer

noun

– origin Middle English crenge, crenche, related to Old English cringan, crincan ‘bend, yield, fall in battle’, of Germanic origin and related to Dutch krengen ‘heel over’ and German krank ‘sick’, also to crank^1.

cringe-making

adjective

another term for cringeworthy.

cringeworthy /ˈkrɪndʒwəːði/

adjective

‹informal› causing feelings of embarrassment or awkwardness

• the play's cast was excellent, but the dialogue was unforgivably cringeworthy.

cringingly

adverb

1. in a servile or sycophantic way

• Carfax shrank cringingly to one side.

2. [usu. as submodifier] — ‹informal› so as to make one feel embarrassed or disgusted

• their early performances were cringingly awkward.

cringle /ˈkrɪŋɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

[Sailing] a ring of rope containing a thimble, for another rope to pass through.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Low German kringel, diminutive of kring ‘ring’.

crinigerous /krɪˈnɪdʒ(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

‹rare› having hair.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin crinis ‘hair’ + -gerous.

crinite /ˈkrʌɪnʌɪt/

I. adjective

‹technical› having hairlike tufts; hairy.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin crinitus, past participle of crinire ‘cover or provide with hair’: see -ite^1.

crinkle /ˈkrɪŋk(ə)l/

I. verb

form into small surface creases or wrinkles
[no obj.]

• Rose's face crinkled in bewilderment

• [with obj.] he smiled boyishly, crinkling his eyes

• (as adj. crinkled) a skirt in crinkled fabric.

II. noun

a wrinkle or crease on the surface of something

• there was a crinkle of suspicion on her forehead.

– origin late Middle English: related to Old English crincan (see cringe).

crinkle-cut

adjective

(especially of chips) cut with wavy edges.

crinkly /ˈkrɪŋkli/

adjective

full of creases or wrinkles; wrinkled

• brown crinkly paper.

crinkum-crankum /krɪŋkəmˈkraŋkəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› elaborate decoration or detail.

– origin mid 17th cent.: fanciful reduplication of the nouns crank^1 and crank^2.

crinoid /ˈkrʌɪnɔɪd, ˈkrɪnɔɪd / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

an echinoderm of the class Crinoidea, which comprises the sea lilies and feather stars.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting crinoids.

III. derivatives

crinoidal /krʌɪˈnɔɪd(ə)l, krɪˈnɔɪd(ə)l /

adjective

Crinoidea /krʌɪˈnɔɪdɪə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a class of echinoderms that comprises the sea lilies and feather stars. They have slender feathery arms and (in some kinds) a stalk for attachment, and were abundant in the Palaeozoic era.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek krinoeidēs ‘lily-like’, from krinon ‘lily’.

crinoline /ˈkrɪn(ə)lɪn/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a stiffened or hooped petticoat worn to make a long skirt stand out.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹historical› a stiff fabric made of horsehair and cotton or linen thread, used for stiffening petticoats or as a lining.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally in sense 2, early crinolines being made of such material): from French, formed irregularly from Latin crinis ‘hair’ + linum ‘thread’.

criollo /krɪˈɒləʊ, krɪˈɒjəʊ/

I. noun

1. a person from Spanish South or Central America, especially one of pure Spanish descent.

2. a horse or other domestic animal of a South or Central American breed.

3. (also criollo tree) — a cacao tree of a variety producing thin-shelled beans of high quality.

– origin late 19th cent.: Spanish, literally ‘native to the locality’ (see Creole).

crip

I. noun

1. ‹offensive› (chiefly N. Amer.) a disabled person.

2. (usu. Crip) — a member of a Los Angeles street gang.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation of cripple.

cripes /krʌɪps/

I. exclamation

‹informal› used as a euphemism for Christ.

• Joyce is on the warpath, cripes!

• for cripes' sakes get a move on or we'll be late.

– origin early 20th cent.: alteration of Christ.

Crippen, Hawley Harvey /ˈkrɪpɪn/

(1862–1910), American-born British murderer; known as Doctor Crippen. Crippen poisoned his wife at their London home and sailed to Canada with his former secretary. His arrest in Canada was achieved through the intervention of radio-telegraphy, the first case of its use in apprehending a criminal; Crippen was later hanged.

cripple /ˈkrɪp(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to become unable to walk or move properly

• a young student was crippled for life

• (as adj. crippling) a crippling disease.

2. cause severe and disabling damage to (a machine).

3. cause a severe and almost insuperable problem for

• developing countries are crippled by their debts.

II. noun

1. ‹dated› ‹offensive› a person who is unable to walk or move properly through disability or because of injury to their back or legs.

2. ‹dated› ‹offensive› a person with a severe limitation of a specified kind

• an emotional cripple.

III. derivatives

1. crippler

noun

2. cripplingly

adverb

– origin Old English: from two words, crypel and crēopel, both of Germanic origin and related to creep. / usage: The word cripple has long been in use to refer to ‘a person unable to walk through illness or disability’ and is recorded (in the Lindisfarne Gospels) as early as AD 950. In the 20th century the term acquired offensive connotations and has now been largely replaced by broader terms such as ‘disabled person’.

crippled /ˈkrɪpld/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) unable to walk or move properly; disabled

• a crippled old man.

2. (of a machine) severely damaged

• the pilot displayed skill and nerve in landing the crippled plane.

usage: See usage at cripple.

crise de nerfs /ˌkriːz də ˈnɛː(f), French kʀiz də nɛʀf/

I. noun

‹dated› an attack of anxiety

• I had a crise de nerfs before the first performance.

– origin French, literally ‘crisis of nerves’.

crisis /ˈkrʌɪsɪs/

I. noun

1. a time of intense difficulty or danger

• the current economic crisis

• [ mass noun] the monarchy was in crisis.

2. a time when a difficult or important decision must be made
[as modifier]

• the situation has reached crisis point.

3. the turning point of a disease when an important change takes place, indicating either recovery or death.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the turning point of a disease): medical Latin, from Greek krisis ‘decision’, from krinein ‘decide’. The general sense ‘decisive point’ dates from the early 17th cent.

crisis management

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process by which a business or other organization deals with a sudden emergency situation.

crisp /krɪsp/

I. adjective

1. (of a substance) firm, dry, and brittle

• crisp bacon

• the snow is lovely and crisp.

2. (of a fruit or vegetable) firm and juicy

• a crisp lettuce.

3. (of paper or cloth) stiff and uncreased

• £65 in crisp new notes.

4. (of hair) having tight curls.

5. (of the weather) cool, fresh, and invigorating

• a crisp autumn day.

6. (of a way of speaking) briskly decisive and matter-of-fact, without hesitation or unnecessary detail

• her answer was crisp.

II. noun

1. (also potato crisp) — (Brit.) a wafer-thin slice of potato fried or baked until crisp and eaten as a snack.

• cut down on fatty snacks such as crisps.

2. a dessert of fruit baked with a crunchy topping of brown sugar, butter, and flour

• rhubarb crisp.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (food) a crisp surface by placing it in an oven or under a grill

• crisp the pitta in the oven.

2. [no obj.] — (of food) develop a crisp surface in an oven or under a grill.

• open the foil so that the bread browns and crisps.

3. ‹archaic› curl (something) into short, stiff, wavy folds or crinkles.

• there is a cooling breeze which crisps the broad clear river.

IV. phrases

burn something to a crisp

burn something completely, leaving only a charred remnant.

• it is better to cook it slowly than to burn it to a crisp.

V. derivatives

crispness /ˈkrɪspnəs /

noun

– origin Old English (referring to hair in the sense ‘curly’): from Latin crispus ‘curled’. Other senses may result from symbolic interpretation of the sound of the word.

crispate /ˈkrɪspeɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] (especially of a leaf) having a wavy or curly edge.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin crispatus, past participle of crispare ‘to curl’.

crispbread /ˈkrɪspbrɛd/

noun

a thin, savoury biscuit made from crushed rye or wheat.

crisper /ˈkrɪspə/

noun

a compartment at the bottom of a refrigerator for storing fruit and vegetables.

crisply /ˈkrɪspli/

adverb

1. in a way that is distinct in outline or detail

• crisply focused details.

2. in a brisk and concise way

• she replied crisply that there would be little demand for GM crops.

3. so as to have a firm, dry, brittle texture

• crisply fried brown onions.

4. (in relation to dress) formally and neatly

• he was crisply dressed in a grey suit and white shirt.

crispy /ˈkrɪspi/

I. adjective

(of food) having a firm, dry, and brittle surface or texture

• crispy fried bacon.

II. derivatives

crispiness

noun

criss

I. adjective

(W. Indian) smart or fashionable.

• you're gonna look criss in dat dress at de wedding.

– origin alteration of crisp.

crissal thrasher /ˈkrɪs(ə)l/

I. noun

a large grey thrasher (songbird) with a red patch under the tail, found in the south-western US and Mexico.
● Toxostoma dorsale , family Mimidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: crissal from modern Latin crissum (denoting the vent region of a bird) + -al.

criss-cross /ˈkrɪskrɒs/

I. noun

a pattern of intersecting straight lines or paths

• the blotting paper was marked with a criss-cross of different inks.

II. adjective

containing a number of straight lines or paths which intersect each other

• the streets ran in a regular criss-cross pattern

• [as adv.] the swords were strung criss-cross on his back.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. form a pattern of intersecting lines or paths on (a place)

• the green hill was criss-crossed with a network of sheep tracks

• [no obj.] the smaller streets criss-crossed in a grid pattern.

2. move or travel around (a place) by going back and forth repeatedly

• the President criss-crossed America.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a figure of a cross preceding the alphabet in a hornbook): from Christ-cross (in the same sense in late Middle English), from Christ's cross. The form was later treated as a reduplication of cross.

crista /ˈkrɪstə/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] [Zoology] a ridge or crest.

2. [Biology] each of the partial partitions in a mitochondrion formed by infolding of the inner membrane.

II. derivatives

cristate /ˈkrɪsteɪt /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘tuft, plume, crest’.

cristobalite /krɪˈstəʊbəlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of silica which is the main component of opal and also occurs as small octahedral crystals.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Cerro San Cristóbal in Mexico, where it was discovered, + -ite^1.

crit /krɪt/

noun

1. ‹informal› short for criticism or critic.

2. ‹informal› (Brit.) a review of a literary or artistic work or production.

• a theatre crit.

criterion /krʌɪˈtɪərɪən/

I. noun

a principle or standard by which something may be judged or decided

• they award a green label to products that meet certain environmental criteria.

II. derivatives

criterial

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek kritērion ‘means of judging’, from kritēs (see critic). / usage: Strictly speaking, the singular form (following the original Greek) is criterion and the plural form is criteria. It is a common mistake to use criteria as if it were a singular, as in a further criteria needs to be considered.

critic /ˈkrɪtɪk/

I. noun

1. a person who expresses an unfavourable opinion of something

• critics of the new legislation say it is too broad.

2. a person who judges the merits of literary or artistic works, especially one who does so professionally

• a theatre critic.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin criticus, from Greek kritikos, from kritēs ‘a judge’, from krinein ‘judge, decide’.

critical /ˈkrɪtɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgements

• I was very critical of the previous regime.

2. expressing or involving an analysis of the merits and faults of a work of literature, music, or art

• she never won the critical acclaim she sought.

3. (of a text) incorporating a detailed and scholarly analysis and commentary

• a critical edition of a Bach sonata.

4. involving the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement

• professors often find it difficult to encourage critical thinking amongst their students.

5. (of a situation or problem) having the potential to become disastrous; at a point of crisis

• the floodwaters had not receded and the situation was still critical.

6. extremely ill and at risk of death

• she was critical but stable in Middlesbrough General Hospital.

7. having a decisive or crucial importance in the success, failure, or existence of something

• temperature is a critical factor in successful fruit storage

• getting banks lending again was critical to any recovery

• [in combination] time-critical tasks.

8. [Mathematics] [Physics] relating to or denoting a point of transition from one state to another.

• if the density is less than a certain critical value the gravitational attraction will be too weak to halt the expansion.

9. (of a nuclear reactor or fuel) maintaining a self-sustaining chain reaction

• the reactor is due to go critical in October.

II. derivatives

1. criticality /ˌkrɪtɪˈkalɪti /

noun

critical (sense 3, sense 4)

2. criticalness

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to the crisis of a disease’): from late Latin criticus (see critic).

critical angle

noun

[Optics] the angle of incidence beyond which rays of light passing through a denser medium to the surface of a less dense medium are no longer refracted but totally reflected.

critical damping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] damping just sufficient to prevent oscillations.

critical list

noun — [in sing.]

1. a list of those who are critically ill in hospital.

• she's fallen into a coma and is on the critical list.

• ‹figurative› the company appears to be off the critical list.

critically /ˈkrɪtɪkli/

adverb

1. in a way that expresses disapproval

• a designer spoke critically of capitalism.

2. in a way that expresses or involves an analysis of the merits and faults of a work of literature, music, or art

• a critically acclaimed novel.

3. in a way that involves the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement

• the reader must evaluate critically every article he or she reviews.

4. [as submodifier] — to a potentially disastrous degree

• the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal.

5. [as submodifier] — to an extreme degree with a risk of death

• two critically wounded people died in hospital

• critically ill patients who were awaiting surgery.

6. with decisive or crucial importance in the success, failure, or existence of something

• the livelihood of rural people critically depends on the use of natural resources.

critical mass

noun — [in sing.]

1. [Physics] the minimum amount of fissile material needed to maintain a nuclear chain reaction.

2. the minimum size or amount of resources required to start or maintain a venture

• some of our new industries are now reaching critical mass.

critical path

noun

the sequence of stages determining the minimum time needed for an operation, especially when analysed on a computer for a large organization.
[as modifier]

• software exists to effectively undertake critical-path analyses.

critical path analysis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the mathematical network analysis technique of planning complex working procedures with reference to the critical path of each alternative system.
[ count noun]

• sophisticated software capable of devising a critical path analysis.

critical period

noun

[Psychology] a period during someone's development in which a particular skill or characteristic is believed to be most readily acquired.

critical point

noun

1. [Chemistry] a point on a phase diagram at which both the liquid and gas phases of a substance have the same density, and are therefore indistinguishable.

2. [Mathematics] US term for stationary point.

critical pressure

noun

[Chemistry] the pressure of a gas or vapour in its critical state.

critical state

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the state of a substance when it is at the critical point, i.e. at critical temperature and pressure.

critical temperature

noun

[Chemistry] the temperature of a gas in its critical state, above which it cannot be liquefied by pressure alone.

critical theory

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a philosophical approach to culture, and especially to literature, that considers the social, historical, and ideological forces and structures which produce and constrain it.

critical thinking

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement

• professors often find it difficult to encourage critical thinking among their students.

critical volume

noun

[Chemistry] the volume occupied by a unit mass of a gas or vapour in its critical state.

criticaster /ˌkrɪtɪˈkastə, ˈkrɪtɪˌkastə/

I. noun

‹rare› a minor or inferior critic.

– origin late 17th cent.: from critic + -aster.

criticism /ˈkrɪtɪsɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the expression of disapproval of someone or something on the basis of perceived faults or mistakes

• he received a lot of criticism

• [ count noun] he ignored the criticisms of his friends.

2. the analysis and judgement of the merits and faults of a literary or artistic work

• alternative methods of criticism supported by well-developed literary theories.

3. the scholarly investigation of literary or historical texts to determine their origin or intended form.

– origin early 17th cent.: from critic or Latin criticus + -ism.

criticize /ˈkrɪtɪsʌɪz / criticise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. indicate the faults of (someone or something) in a disapproving way

• the opposition criticized the government's failure to consult adequately

• technicians were criticized for defective workmanship.

2. form and express a judgement of (a literary or artistic work)

• a literary text may be criticized on two grounds: the semantic and the expressive.

II. derivatives

1. criticizable /ˈkrɪtɪsʌɪzəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. criticizer

noun

critique /krɪˈtiːk/

I. noun

a detailed analysis and assessment of something, especially a literary, philosophical, or political theory.

• a critique of Marxist historicism.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. evaluate (a theory or practice) in a detailed and analytical way

• the authors critique the methods and practices used in the research.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a noun): from French, based on Greek kritikē tekhnē ‘critical art’.

critter /ˈkrɪtə/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› ‹dialect› (chiefly N. Amer.) a living creature; an animal.

2. [usu. with adj.] — ‹informal› ‹dialect› (chiefly N. Amer.) a person of a particular kind

• the old critter used to live in a shack.

– origin early 19th cent.: variant of creature.

CRM

abbreviation

customer relationship management, denoting strategies and software that enable a company to optimize its customer relations.

croak /krəʊk/

I. noun

1. a characteristic deep hoarse sound made by a frog or a crow.

• a female frog can pick out a mate's voice from a cacophony of croaks.

2. a sound resembling a croak

• Lorton tried to laugh—it came out as a croak.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a frog or crow) make a characteristic deep hoarse sound.

• the frogs settled in the shade, croaking happily.

2. (of a person) make a sound similar to a croak when speaking or laughing
[with direct speech]

• ‘Thank you,’ I croaked.

3. ‹archaic› prophesy evil or misfortune, especially unjustifiably and to the irritation of others

• without croaking, it may be observed that our government is upon a dangerous experiment.

4. ‹informal› die

• the dog finally croaked in 1987.

5. [with obj.] — kill (someone)

• there are a few people down there who'd like to croak him.

– origin Middle English (as a verb): imitative.

croaker /ˈkrəʊkə/

noun

1. a person or animal that croaks.

2. another term for drum^3.

croaky /ˈkrəʊki/

I. adjective

(of a person's voice) deep and hoarse.

II. derivatives

croakily

adverb

Croat /ˈkrəʊat/

I. noun, adjective

another term for Croatian.

– origin from modern Latin Croatae (plural), from Serbian and Croatian Hrvat.

Croatia /krəʊˈeɪʃə/

I. a country in SE Europe, formerly a constituent republic of Yugoslavia; pop. 4,489,400 (est. 2009); language, Croatian; capital, Zagreb.
Croatian name Hrvatska.

Apart from a period of Turkish rule in the 16th–17th centuries, Croatia largely remained linked with Hungary until 1918, when it joined the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia). After a period in the Second World War as a Nazi puppet state (1941–5), Croatia became part of Yugoslavia once more and remained a constituent republic until it declared itself independent in 1991. The secession of Croatia led to war between Croats and the Serb minority, and with Serbia; a ceasefire was called in 1992. Croatia joined the EU in 2013.

Croatian /krəʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Croatia, or a person of Croatian descent.

2. [ mass noun] — the Southern Slavic language of the Croats, almost identical to Serbian but written in the Roman alphabet.
See Serbo-Croat.

II. adjective

relating to the Croats or their language.

croc /krɒk/

I. noun

‹informal› a crocodile.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation.

Croce, Benedetto /ˈkrəʊtʃeɪ, Italian ˈkrotʃe/

(1866–1952), Italian philosopher and politician. In his ‘Philosophy of Spirit’ he denied the physical reality of a work of art and identified philosophical endeavour with a methodological approach to history. A former Minister of Education, he helped to rebuild democracy in Italy after the fall of Mussolini.

crochet /ˈkrəʊʃeɪ, ˈkrəʊʃi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a handicraft in which yarn is made up into a textured fabric by means of a hooked needle
[as modifier]

• a crochet hook.

2. crocheted fabric or items

• the bikini is tiny, three triangles of cotton crochet.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a garment or piece of fabric) using crochet

• she had crocheted the shawl herself

• [no obj.] her mother had stopped crocheting.

III. derivatives

crocheter /ˈkrəʊʃeɪə /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, diminutive of croc ‘hook’, from Old Norse krókr.

croci /ˈkrəʊkʌɪ/

plural form of crocus.

crocidolite /krə(ʊ)ˈsɪdəlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fibrous blue or green mineral consisting of a silicate of iron and sodium.
Also called blue asbestos.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek krokis, krokid- ‘nap of cloth’ + -lite.

crock^1 /krɒk/

I. noun

1. an earthenware pot or jar.

• the runner beans were then packed in layers of salt in large crocks.

2. a broken piece of earthenware.

3. a plate, cup, or other item of crockery.

• I ate my tea and then I washed up the dirty crocks.

4. (chiefly N. Amer.) something considered to be complete nonsense.

• ‹vulgar slang› crock of shit.

• this whole business of an electronic community is a crock.

• what a crock!

– origin Old English croc, crocca, of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse krukka and probably to Dutch kruik and German Krug.

crock^2 /krɒk / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. (Brit.) an old person who is considered to be feeble and useless.

• I'm an old crock and he's an old buffer.

2. (Brit.) an old and worn-out vehicle.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) injure (part of the body)

• he crocked a shoulder in the test against South Africa.

2. (as adj. crocked) — (N. Amer.) drunk

• his party guests were pretty crocked.

– origin late Middle English: perhaps from Flemish, and probably related to crack. Originally a Scots term for an old ewe, it came in the late 19th cent. to denote an old or broken-down horse.

crockery /ˈkrɒk(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. plates, dishes, cups, and other similar items, especially ones made of earthenware or china.

– origin early 18th cent.: from obsolete crocker ‘potter’, from crock^1.

crocket /ˈkrɒkɪt/

I. noun

(in Gothic architecture) a small carved ornament, typically a bud or curled leaf, on the inclined side of a pinnacle, arch, etc.

– origin Middle English (denoting a curl or roll of hair): from Old Northern French, variant of Old French crochet (see crotchet). The current sense dates from the late 17th cent., but crotchet was used in the same sense from late Middle English until the 19th cent.

Crockett, Davy /ˈkrɒkɪt/

(1786–1836), American frontiersman, soldier, and politician; full name David Crockett. He was a member of the House of Representatives 1827–35 and cultivated the image of a rough backwoods legislator. On leaving politics he returned to the frontier, where he took up the cause of Texan independence and was killed at the siege of the Alamo.

Crockford

I. Crockford's Clerical Directory, a reference book of Anglican clergy in the British Isles first issued in 1860.

– origin named after John Crockford (1823–65), its first publisher.

Crockpot

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹trademark› a large electric cooking pot, used to cook stews and other dishes slowly.

crocodile /ˈkrɒkədʌɪl/

I. noun

1. a large predatory semiaquatic reptile with long jaws, long tail, short legs, and a horny textured skin.
●Family Crocodylidae: three genera, in particular Crocodylus, and several species.

2. [ mass noun] — leather made from crocodile skin, used especially to make bags and shoes.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› a line of schoolchildren walking in pairs.

– origin Middle English cocodrille, cokadrill, from Old French cocodrille, via medieval Latin from Latin crocodilus, from Greek krokodilos ‘worm of the stones’, from krokē ‘pebble’ + drilos ‘worm’. The spelling was changed in the 16th cent. to conform with the Latin and Greek forms.

crocodile bird

noun

the Egyptian plover, which is said to feed on insects parasitic on crocodiles.

crocodile clip

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a sprung metal clip with long, serrated jaws, used attached to an electric cable for making a temporary connection to a battery or other component.

crocodile tears

I. plural noun

tears or expressions of sorrow that are insincere.

• they weep crocodile tears for the poor and disadvantaged, but are basically happy with things as they are.

– origin mid 16th cent.: said to be so named from a belief that crocodiles wept while devouring or luring their prey.

crocodilian /ˌkrɒkəˈdɪlɪən/

I. noun

[Zoology] a large predatory semiaquatic reptile of an order that comprises the crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharial. Crocodilians are distinguished by long jaws, short legs, and a powerful tail.
●Order Crocodylia: three families.

II. adjective

relating to crocodilians.

crocoite /ˈkrəʊkəʊʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rare bright orange mineral consisting of lead chromate.

– origin mid 19th cent.: originally as French crocoise, from Greek krokoeis ‘saffron-coloured’, from krokos ‘crocus’. The spelling was altered to crocoisite, then crocoite.

crocosmia /krə(ʊ)ˈkɒzmɪə/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that includes montbretia.
●Genus Crocosmia, family Iridaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek krokos ‘saffron’.

crocus /ˈkrəʊkəs/

I. noun

a small spring-flowering Eurasian plant of the iris family, which grows from a corm and bears bright yellow, purple, or white flowers. See also autumn crocus.
●Genus Crocus, family Iridaceae.

– origin late Middle English (also denoting saffron, obtained from a species of crocus): via Latin from Greek krokos, of Semitic origin and related to Hebrew karkōm and Arabic kurkum.

croeso /ˈkrɔɪsɔː/

I. exclamation

(Welsh) welcome!

– origin Welsh.

Croesus /ˈkriːsəs/

I. (6th century BC), last king of Lydia c. 560–546 BC. Renowned for his great wealth, he subjugated the Greek cities on the coast of Asia Minor before being overthrown by Cyrus the Great.

II. (as noun a Croesus) — a person of great wealth.

croft /krɒft / ‹Brit.›

I. noun

1. a small rented farm, especially one in Scotland, comprising a plot of arable land attached to a house and with a right of pasturage held in common with other such farms.

2. an enclosed field used for tillage or pasture, typically attached to a house and worked by the occupier.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. farm (land) as a croft or crofts.

• the land was crofted at one time.

– origin Old English: of unknown origin.

crofter /ˈkrɒftə/

noun

(Brit.) a person who farms a croft.

crofting /ˈkrɒftɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the practice or system of farming in crofts
[as modifier]

• a crofting community.

Crohn's disease /ˈkrəʊnz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines, especially the colon and ileum, associated with ulcers and fistulae.

– origin 1930s: named after Burrill B. Crohn (1884–1983), American pathologist, who was among the first to describe it.

croissant /ˈkrwasɒ̃/

I. noun

a French crescent-shaped roll made of sweet flaky yeast dough, eaten for breakfast.

– origin late 19th cent.: French (see crescent). The term had occasionally been recorded earlier as a variant of crescent.

Cro-Magnon man /krəʊˈmanjɒ̃ man, krəʊˈmaɡnən man/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the earliest form of modern human in Europe, associated with the Aurignacian flint industry. The group's appearance c. 35,000 years ago marked the beginning of the Upper Palaeolithic and the apparent decline and disappearance of Neanderthal man; the group persisted at least into the Neolithic period.

– origin Cro-Magnon, the name of a hill in the Dordogne, France, where remains were found in 1868.

Cromarty Firth /ˈkrɒməti/

an inlet of the Moray Firth on the coast of Highland region, northern Scotland. The shipping forecast area Cromarty extends far beyond this, covering Scottish coastal waters roughly from Aberdeen in the south to John o'Groats in the north.

crombec /ˈkrɒmbɛk/

I. noun

a small African warbler with a very short tail, and grey or green upper parts with rufous or white underparts.
●Genus Sylvietta, family Sylviidae: several species, in particular the crombec ( S. brachyura).

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, from Dutch krom ‘crooked’ + bek ‘beak’.

Crome, John /krəʊm/

(1768–1821), English painter. Founder and leading member of the Norwich School, he later developed a distinctive romantic style of his own, exemplified in such landscapes as Slate Quarries (undated).

Cromerian /krəʊˈmɪərɪən/

I. adjective

1. [Geology] relating to or denoting an interglacial period in the Middle Pleistocene of Britain and northern Europe, preceding the Elster (Anglian) glaciation.

2. (as noun the Cromerian) — [Geology] the Cromerian interglacial period or the system of fossil-rich deposits laid down during it.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Cromer, in Norfolk, site of an outcrop of fossil-rich deposits from this period, + -ian.

cromlech /ˈkrɒmlɛk/

I. noun

1. (in Wales) a megalithic tomb consisting of a large flat stone laid on upright ones; a dolmen.

2. (in Brittany) a circle of standing stones.

– origin Welsh, from crom, feminine of crwm ‘arched’ + llech ‘flat stone’; sense 2 is via French from Breton krommlec'h.

cromoglycate /ˌkrəʊmə(ʊ)ˈɡlʌɪseɪt / sodium cromoglycate

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, inhaled to prevent asthmatic attacks and allergic reactions.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from an alteration of chromone (a bicyclic ketone) + glyc(erol) + -ate^1.

Crompton, Richmal /ˈkrɒmpt(ə)n/

(1890–1969), English writer; pseudonym of Richmal Crompton Lamburn. She made her name with Just William (1922), a collection of stories for children about a mischievous schoolboy, William Brown. She published a further thirty-seven collections based on the same character, as well as some fifty books for adults.

Crompton, Samuel /ˈkrɒmpt(ə)n/

(1753–1827), English inventor. Famed for his invention of the spinning mule, he lacked the means to obtain a patent and sold his rights to a Bolton industrialist for £67. The House of Commons subsequently gave him £5,000 in compensation.

Cromwell, Oliver /ˈkrɒmwɛl/

(1599–1658), English general and statesman, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth 1653–8. Cromwell was the leader of the victorious Parliamentary forces (or Roundheads) in the English Civil War. As head of state he styled himself Lord Protector, and refused Parliament's offer of the Crown in 1657. His rule was notable for its puritan reforms in the Church of England. He was briefly succeeded by his son Richard (1626–1712), who was forced into exile in 1659.

Cromwell, Thomas /ˈkrɒmwɛl/

( c. 1485–1540), English statesman, chief minister to Henry VIII 1531–40. He presided over the king's divorce from Catherine of Aragon (1533) and his break with the Roman Catholic Church as well as the dissolution of the monasteries and the 1534 Act of Supremacy. He fell from favour over Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves and was executed on a charge of treason.

Cromwellian /krɒmˈwɛlɪən/

adjective

relating to or characteristic of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth 1653–8, in particular with reference to his puritanism

• critics of the Cromwellian regime.

cron /krɒn/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Computing] a command to an operating system or server for a job that is to be executed at a specified time

• a cron job.

– origin 1990s: from chronological.

crone /krəʊn/

I. noun

an ugly old woman.

– origin late Middle English: via Middle Dutch croonje, caroonje ‘carcass, old ewe’ from Old Northern French caroigne ‘carrion, cantankerous woman’ (see carrion).

Cronin, A. J. /ˈkrəʊnɪn/

(1896–1981), Scottish novelist; full name Archibald Joseph Cronin. His novels, including The Citadel (1937), often reflect his early experiences as a doctor and were successfully adapted for radio and television as Dr Finlay's Casebook in the 1960s and 1990s.

croning /ˈkrəʊnɪŋ/

I. noun

(especially among feminists in the US and Australasia) a celebration or ceremony to honour older women.

• they're worried about how they'll look at their croning.

– origin 1990s: blend of crone + crowning from crown.

cronk

I. adjective

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› unfit or unsound.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› fraudulent.

– origin late 19th cent.: probably related to crank^3.

Cronus /ˈkrɒnəs, ˈkrəʊnəs / ‹Greek Mythology› Kronos

the supreme god until dethroned by Zeus. The youngest son of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaia (Earth), Cronus overthrew and castrated his father and then married his sister Rhea. Because he was fated to be overcome by one of his male children, Cronus swallowed all of them as soon as they were born, but when Zeus was born Rhea deceived him and hid the baby away.
Roman equivalent Saturn.

crony /ˈkrəʊni/

I. noun

‹informal› ‹often derogatory› a close friend or companion

• he went gambling with his cronies.

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally Cambridge university slang): from Greek khronios ‘long-lasting’ (here used to mean ‘contemporary’), from khronos ‘time’. Compare with chum^1.

crony capitalism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹derogatory› an economic system characterized by close, mutually advantageous relationships between business leaders and government officials

• allegations of crony capitalism have plagued the government.

cronyism /ˈkrəʊniɪz(ə)m / croneyism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹derogatory› the appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority, without proper regard to their qualifications.

• it looked like an end to the cronyism with which many of the government's appointments had been tainted.

crook /krʊk/

I. noun

1. the hooked staff of a shepherd.

• seizing his crook from behind the door, he set off to call his dogs.

2. a bishop's crozier.

3. a bend in something, especially at the elbow in a person's arm

• her head was cradled in the crook of Luke's left arm.

4. a piece of extra tubing which can be fitted to a brass instrument to lower the pitch by a set interval.

5. ‹informal› a person who is dishonest or a criminal.

• the man's a crook, he's not to be trusted.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. bend (something, especially a finger as a signal)

• he crooked a finger for the waitress.

III. adjective

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› bad, unpleasant, or unsatisfactory

• it was pretty crook on the land in the early 1970s.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› (of a person or a part of the body) unwell or injured

• a crook knee.

3. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› dishonest; illegal

• some pretty crook things went on there.

IV. phrases

1. be crook on

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› be annoyed by

• you're crook on me because I didn't walk out with you.

2. go crook

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› lose one's temper.

• we rolled him for his overcoat—you ought to have heard him go crook.

V. derivatives

crookery

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘hooked tool or weapon’): from Old Norse krókr ‘hook’. A noun sense ‘deceit, guile, trickery’ (compare with crooked) was recorded in Middle English but was obsolete by the 17th cent. The Australian senses are abbreviations of crooked.

crookback /ˈkrʊkbak/

I. noun

‹archaic› a person with a hunchback.

II. derivatives

crookbacked /ˈkrʊkbakt /

adjective

crooked /ˈkrʊkɪd/

I. adjective

1. bent or twisted out of shape or out of place

• his teeth were yellow and crooked.

2. ‹informal› dishonest; illegal

• a crooked business deal.

3. (usu. crooked on) — (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› annoyed; exasperated

• ‘It's not you I'm crooked on,’ he assured Vivien.

[1940s: from the phrase go crook ‘become angry’.]

II. derivatives

1. crookedly /ˈkrʊkɪdli /

adverb

2. crookedness /ˈkrʊkɪdnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from crook, probably modelled on Old Norse krókóttr ‘crooked, cunning’.

Crookes, Sir William

(1832–1919), English physicist and chemist. In 1861 he discovered the element thallium. This led him indirectly to the invention of the radiometer in 1875. He later developed a vacuum tube (the precursor of the X-ray tube) and in 1903 invented the spinthariscope.

crookneck crookneck squash

noun

(N. Amer.) a squash of a club-shaped variety with a curved neck and warty skin.

croon /kruːn/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. hum or sing in a soft, low voice, especially in a sentimental manner

• she was crooning to the child

• [with obj.] the female vocalist crooned smoky blues into the microphone.

2. [with direct speech] — say in a soft, low voice

• ‘Goodbye, you lovely darling,’ she crooned.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a soft, low voice or tone

• he sang in a gentle, highly expressive croon.

– origin late 15th cent. (originally Scots and northern English): from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch krōnen ‘groan, lament’. The use of croon in standard English was probably popularized by Robert Burns.

crooner /ˈkruːnə/

noun

a singer, typically a male one, who sings sentimental songs in a soft, low voice.

crop /krɒp/

I. noun

1. a cultivated plant that is grown on a large scale commercially, especially a cereal, fruit, or vegetable

• the main crops were oats and barley.

2. an amount of produce harvested at one time

• a heavy crop of fruit.

3. an abundance of something, especially a person's hair

• he had a thick crop of wiry hair.

4. the total number of young farm animals born in a particular year on one farm.

• failure to observe sound practice leads to a lamb crop at weaning of around 50–60 per cent.

5. a group or amount of related people or things appearing or occurring at one time

• the current crop of politicians.

6. a hairstyle in which the hair is cut very short.

• she has her hair cut in a short crop.

7. short for riding crop or hunting crop.

8. a pouch in a bird's gullet where food is stored or prepared for digestion.

• the parent waxbill partially digests food in its crop.

9. an organ resembling a pouch in an insect or earthworm.

10. the entire tanned hide of an animal.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — cut (something, especially a person's hair) very short
(as adj. cropped)

• cropped blonde hair.

2. (of an animal) bite off and eat the tops of (plants)

• the horse was gratefully cropping the grass.

3. cut the edges of (a photograph) in order to produce a better picture or to fit a given space.

• you can always crop the picture afterwards.

4. [with obj.] — harvest (plants or their produce) from a particular area

• hay would have been cropped several times through the summer.

5. sow or plant (land) with plants that will produce food or fodder, especially on a large commercial scale

• the southern areas are cropped in cotton

• (as adj., with submodifier cropped) intensively cropped areas.

6. [no obj.] — (of land or a plant) yield a harvest of plants or produce

• the parsley will need protection to continue cropping through the winter.

III. phrasal verbs

1. crop out

(of rock) appear or be exposed at the surface of the earth.

• high hills are found where the igneous rocks of eastern South Uist crop out.

2. crop up

appear, occur, or come to one's notice unexpectedly

• some urgent business had cropped up.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to German Kropf. From Old English to the late 18th cent. there existed a sense ‘flower head, ear of corn’, giving rise to sense 1 of the noun and senses referring to the top of something, whence sense 4 of the noun.

crop circle

noun

an area of standing crops which has been flattened in the form of a circle or more complex pattern. No general cause of crop circles has been identified although various natural and unorthodox explanations have been put forward; many are known to have been hoaxes.

crop dusting

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the spraying of powdered insecticide or fertilizer on crops, especially from the air.

II. derivatives

crop duster

noun

crop-eared

adjective

1. ‹historical› having the tops of the ears cut off.

2. ‹historical› (especially of a Roundhead in the English Civil War) having the hair cut very short.

cropland /ˈkrɒpland/

noun — [ mass noun] (also croplands)

1. land used for growing crops.

crop-over

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a West Indian celebration marking the end of the sugar-cane harvest.

cropper /ˈkrɒpə/

I. noun

1. a plant which yields a specified crop

• the white-fleshed varieties are the heaviest croppers.

2. a machine or person that cuts or trims something.

3. (chiefly US) a person who raises a crop, especially as a sharecropper.

II. phrases

come a cropper ‹Brit. informal›

a. fall heavily.

• he came the most appalling cropper—I think he knocked himself out.

b. suffer a defeat or disaster

• the club's challenge for the championship has come a cropper.

crop top cropped top

noun

a woman's casual sleeveless or short-sleeved garment or undergarment for the upper body, cut short so that it reveals the stomach.

croquembouche /ˌkrɒkɒmˈbuːʃ/

I. noun

a decorative dessert consisting of choux pastry and crystallized fruit or other confectionery items arranged in a cone and held together by a caramel sauce.

– origin French, literally ‘crunch in the mouth’.

croque-monsieur /ˌkrɒk məˈsjəː/

I. noun

a fried or grilled cheese and ham sandwich.

– origin French, literally ‘bite (a) man’.

croquet /ˈkrəʊkeɪ, ˈkrəʊki/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game played on a lawn, in which wooden balls are driven through a series of square-topped hoops by means of mallets
[as modifier]

• a croquet lawn.

2. [ count noun] — an act of croqueting a ball.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. drive away (an opponent's ball) by holding one's own ball against it and striking this with the mallet. A player is entitled to do this after their ball has struck an opponent's.

– origin mid 19th cent.: perhaps a dialect form of French crochet ‘hook’.

croqueta /krə(ʊ)ˈkɛtə/

I. noun

(in Spanish cooking) a small ball or roll of minced meat or fish, fried in breadcrumbs

• you have to try the chicken and ham croquetas.

– origin Spanish, ‘croquette’.

croquette /krə(ʊ)ˈkɛt/

I. noun

a small ball or roll of vegetables, minced meat, or fish, fried in breadcrumbs

• a potato croquette.

– origin French, from croquer ‘to crunch’.

croquis /krəʊˈkiː/

I. noun

a rough draft; a sketch.

– origin French.

crore /krɔː/

I. noun

(Indian) ten million; one hundred lakhs, especially of rupees, units of measurement, or people.

– origin from Hindi karoṛ, based on Sanskrit koṭi ‘ten millions’.

Crosby, Bing

(1903–77), American singer and actor; born Harry Lillis Crosby. His songs include ‘White Christmas’ (from the film Holiday Inn, 1942). He also starred in a series of films (1940–62) with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour (1914–96).

cross /krɒs/

I. noun

1. a mark, object, or figure formed by two short intersecting lines or pieces (+ or ×)

• place a cross against the preferred choice.

2. a cross (×) used to show that something is incorrect or unsatisfactory.

• the class sat quiet, waiting anxiously for the verdict—a tick or a large cross.

3. an upright post with a transverse bar, as used in antiquity for crucifixion.

4. ( the Cross) — the cross on which Christ was crucified.

• the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

5. a cross as an emblem of Christianity

• she wore a cross around her neck.

6. short for sign of the cross (see sign).

7. a staff surmounted by a cross carried in religious processions and on ceremonial occasions before an archbishop.

8. something unavoidable that has to be endured

• she's just a cross we have to bear.

9. a cross-shaped decoration awarded for personal valour or indicating rank in some orders of knighthood

• the Military Cross.

10. ( the Cross) — the constellation Crux.
Also called Southern Cross.

11. an animal or plant resulting from cross-breeding; a hybrid

• a Galloway and shorthorn cross.

12. ( a cross between) — a mixture or compromise of two things

• the system is a cross between a monorail and a conventional railway.

13. [Soccer] a pass of the ball across the field towards the centre close to one's opponents' goal.

• Beckham's low cross was turned into the net by Cole.

14. [Boxing] a blow given with a crosswise movement of the fist

• a right cross.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. go or extend across or to the other side of (an area, stretch of water, etc.)

• she has crossed the Atlantic twice

• two paths crossed the field

• ‹figurative› a shadow of apprehension crossed her face

• [no obj.] we crossed over the bridge.

2. go across or climb over (an obstacle or boundary)

• he attempted to cross the border into Jordan

• [no obj.] we crossed over a stile.

3. [no obj.] ( cross over) — (especially of an artist or an artistic style or work) begin to appeal to a different audience, especially a wider one

• a talented animator who crossed over to live action.

4. [no obj.] — pass in an opposite or different direction; intersect

• the two lines cross at 90°.

5. [with obj.] — cause to intersect or lie crosswise

• cross the cables in opposing directions

• Michele sat back and crossed her arms.

6. (of a letter) be dispatched before receipt of another from the person being written to

• our letters crossed.

7. draw a line or lines across; mark with a cross

• voters should ask one question before they cross today's ballot paper.

8. (Brit.) mark or annotate (a cheque), typically by drawing a pair of parallel lines across it, to indicate that it must be paid into a named bank account.
(as adj. crossed)

• a crossed cheque.

9. ( cross someone/thing off) — delete a name or item on a list as being no longer required or involved

• Liz crossed off the days on the calendar.

10. ( cross something out/through) — delete an incorrect or inapplicable word or phrase by drawing a line through it.

• cross out any portions which do not apply.

11. ( cross oneself) — (of a person) make the sign of the cross in front of one's chest as a sign of Christian reverence or to invoke divine protection.

• Beatie crossed herself quickly at the mention of the dead.

12. [Soccer] pass (the ball) across the field towards the centre when attacking.

• he could not get to the line to cross the ball.

• [no obj.] Powell crossed from the left.

13. cause (an animal of one species, breed, or variety) to breed with one of another species, breed, or variety

• many animals of the breed were crossed with the closely related Guernsey.

14. cross-fertilize (a plant)

• a hybrid tea was crossed with a polyantha rose.

15. oppose or stand in the way of (someone)

• no one dared cross him.

III. adjective

annoyed

• he seemed to be very cross about something.

IV. phrases

1. as cross as two sticks

(Brit.) very annoyed or irritated.

• she was as jumpy as a cat and as cross as two sticks.

2. at cross purposes

misunderstanding or having different aims from one another

• we had been talking at cross purposes.

3. cross one's fingers keep one's fingers crossed

put one finger across another as a sign of hoping for good luck.

• we will be keeping our fingers crossed that a quick thaw is on its way.

4. cross the floor

(Brit.) join the opposing side in Parliament.

5. cross my heart (and hope to die)

used to emphasize the truthfulness and sincerity of what one is saying.

• I'm deadly serious—cross my heart and hope to die.

6. cross one's legs

place one leg over the other while seated

• I crossed my legs and leaned back in my chair.

7. cross one's mind

(of a thought) occur to one, especially transiently

• it had not crossed Flora's mind that they might need payment.

8. cross someone's palm with silver

‹humorous› pay someone for a favour or service, especially before having one's fortune told.

• we strongly suspect her palm had been crossed with silver in return for her silence.

9. cross someone's path

be met or encountered.

• she got to know people who wouldn't ordinarily cross her path.

• their paths crossed years later at Manchester University.

10. cross swords

have an argument or dispute.

• the two leaders crossed swords.

11. crossed line

a telephone connection that has been wrongly made with the result that another call or calls can be heard.

• the system will be totally secure from crossed lines and tapping.

12. get one's wires (or lines) crossed

a. become wrongly connected by telephone.

b. have a misunderstanding.

• somewhere along the line someone had got their wires crossed, that much was clear.

13. have a/one's cross to bear

have a difficult problem or responsibility one has to deal with

• as a smoker, I can tell you it's a horrible habit, but that's my cross to bear.

V. derivatives

1. crosser

noun

2. crossly /ˈkrɒsli /

adverb

3. crossness /ˈkrɒsnəs /

noun

– origin late Old English (in the sense ‘monument in the form of a cross’): from Old Norse kross, from Old Irish cros, from Latin crux.

cross-

combining form

1. denoting movement or position across something

• cross-channel.

2. denoting interaction

• cross-pollinate.

3. passing from side to side; transverse

• crosspiece.

4. describing the form or figure of a cross

• crossbones.

crossable /ˈkrɒsəb(ə)l/

adjective

(of a river or road) allowing safe, easy, or unobstructed access from one side to the other

• in places the usually crossable river had become five feet deep.

cross-assembler

noun

[Computing] an assembler which can convert instructions into machine code for a computer other than that on which it is run.

crossbar /ˈkrɒsbɑː/

noun

1. the horizontal bar between the two upright posts of a goal in football, rugby, hockey, etc.

2. the horizontal metal bar between the handlebars and saddle on a man's or boy's bicycle.

cross-beam

noun

a transverse beam.

cross-bedding /ˈkrɒsbɛdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] layering within a stratum and at an angle to the main bedding plane.

cross bench

I. noun

(in the House of Lords and some other legislatures) a bench occupied by members who are independent of any political party.
[as modifier]

• a cross-bench political outlook.

II. derivatives

cross-bencher /ˈkrɒsˌbɛn(t)ʃə /

noun

crossbill /ˈkrɒsbɪl/

noun

a thickset finch with a crossed bill adapted for extracting seeds from the cones of conifers. The plumage is typically red in the male and olive green in the female.
●Genus Loxia, family Fringillidae: four species, in particular the widespread red crossbill ( L. curvirostra).

crossbones /ˈkrɒsbəʊnz/

noun

see skull and crossbones at skull.

cross-border /ˌkrɒsˈbɔːdə/

adjective

involving movement or activity across a border between two countries

• cross-border trade.

crossbow /ˈkrɒsbəʊ/

I. noun

a medieval bow of a kind that is fixed across a wooden support and has a groove for the bolt and a mechanism for drawing and releasing the string.

II. derivatives

crossbowman

noun

cross-breed /ˈkrɒsbriːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. produce (an animal or plant) by mating or hybridizing two different species, breeds, or varieties
(as adj. cross-bred)

• a cross-bred puppy.

2. hybridize (a breed, species, or variety) with another.

• they cross-breed traditional sheep with the local breeds from various English counties.

3. [no obj.] — (of an animal or plant) breed with a different breed, species, or variety.

• the danger of weeds cross-breeding with crops.

II. noun

an animal or plant produced by cross-breeding
[as modifier]

• a cross-breed Labrador.

cross-check

I. verb — [with obj.] cross-check /krɒsˈtʃɛk /

1. verify (figures or information) by using an alternative source or method

• always try to cross-check your bearings

• (as noun cross-checking) no cross-checking has been done.

2. [Ice Hockey] obstruct (an opponent) illegally with the stick held horizontally in both hands.

II. noun — cross-check /ˈkrɒstʃɛk /

1. an instance of cross-checking figures or information

• as a cross-check they were also asked to give their date of birth.

cross-colour ‹US› cross-color

noun — [ mass noun]

1. coloured flashes of interference in a colour television receiver caused by the misinterpretation of high-frequency luminance detail as colour information.

cross-compiler /ˌkrɒskəmˈpaɪlə/

noun

[Computing] a compiler which can convert instructions into machine code or low-level code for a computer other than that on which it is run.

cross-connection

noun

a connection made between two or more distinct things, typically parts of different networks or circuits.

• a cross-connection between the chilled-water system and the condenser system.

• ‹figurative› academics are constantly looking for new trains of thought or fruitful cross-connections.

cross-contamination

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process by which bacteria or other microorganisms are unintentionally transferred from one substance or object to another, with harmful effect.

• cross-contamination between raw and cooked food is the cause of most infection.

II. derivatives

cross-contaminate

verb

cross-correlate

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. compare (a sequence of data) against another.

• the observed profiles were cross-correlated with a standard pulse profile.

II. derivatives

cross-correlation /ˈkrɒskɒrəˌleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

cross-country /ˌkrɒsˈkʌntri/

I. adjective

1. across fields or countryside, as opposed to on roads or tracks

• cross-country walking.

2. relating to or denoting skiing over relatively flat countryside, as opposed to down mountain slopes.

• a cross-country skier.

3. not keeping to main or direct roads, routes, or railway lines

• an awkward, cross-country journey by train

• [as adv.] we drove cross-country to a family reunion.

4. (chiefly US) travelling to many different parts of a country

• a whirlwind cross-country tour.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport of cross-country running, riding, skiing, or motoring

• skiing in the Rockies is a pleasant mix of downhill and cross-country.

cross-court

adverb, adjective

(of a stroke in tennis and other racket sports) hit diagonally across the court
[as adj.]

• a cross-court volley.

cross cousin

noun

each of two cousins who are children of a brother and sister.
[as modifier]

• cross-cousin marriage.

cross-cultural /ˌkrɒsˈkʌltʃ(ə)r(ə)l/

adjective

relating to different cultures or comparison between them

• cross-cultural understanding.

cross-current

noun

1. a current in a river or sea which flows across another.

• she watched the launches bounce into the choppy cross-current.

2. a situation or tendency marked by conflict with another

• strong cross-currents of debate.

cross-curricular

adjective

(Brit.) involving curricula in more than one educational subject.

• the majority of schools adopted a cross-curricular and thematic approach.

cross-cut /ˈkrɒskʌt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut (wood or stone) across its main grain or axis.

• they cross-cut the timber before its removal.

2. alternate (one sequence) with another when editing a film.

• the opening sequence cross-cuts the reluctant confessions of a young wife with the hippy's arrival.

• [no obj.] they were cross-cutting from one story to another.

II. noun

1. a diagonal cut, especially one across the main grain or axis of wood or stone.

2. an instance of alternating between two or more sequences when editing a film.

• movies today are all cross-cuts and violent effects.

III. adjective

(of a file) having two sets of grooves crossing each other diagonally.

cross-cut saw

noun

a saw with a handle at each end, used by two people for cutting across the grain of timber.

cross-dating

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Archaeology] the dating of objects by correlation with the chronology of another culture or site.

cross-disciplinary

adjective

relating to or representing more than one branch of knowledge; interdisciplinary

• a strong cross-disciplinary approach to research

• a cross-disciplinary panel of scholars.

cross-dress

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. wear clothing typical of the opposite sex.

• a lot of men cross-dress.

• (as noun cross-dressing) entertainment has thrived on drag, cross-dressing, and androgyny.

II. derivatives

cross-dresser /ˌkrɒsˈdrɛsə /

noun

crosse /krɒs/

I. noun

the stick used in women's field lacrosse.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Old French croce ‘bishop's crook’, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to crutch.

cross-examination /ˌkrɒsɪɡˌzamɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the formal interrogation of a witness called by the other party in a court of law to challenge or extend testimony already given

• he testified consistently under vigorous cross-examination

• [ count noun] further cross-examinations on these questions would be required.

2. aggressive or detailed questioning of someone

• she is capable of facing tougher cross-examination in the political debates.

cross-examine /ˌkrɒsɪɡˈzamɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. question (a witness called by the other party) in a court of law to challenge or extend testimony already given.

• he would decline to cross-examine the prosecution witness.

Compare with examination-in-chief.

2. question (someone) aggressively or in great detail

• I was cross-examined over the breakfast table.

II. derivatives

cross-examiner

noun

cross-eyed /ˈkrɒsʌɪd/

adjective

having one or both eyes turned inwards towards the nose, either from focusing on something very close, through temporary loss of control of focus, or as a permanent condition (convergent strabismus).

cross eyes

plural noun

the condition of having one or both eyes turned inwards towards the nose in a squint

• if a child has cross eyes, there are a few choices for treatment.

cross-fade

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (in sound or film editing) make a picture or sound appear or be heard gradually as another disappears or becomes silent.
(as noun cross-fading)

• there's some imaginative use of cross-fading.

II. noun

an instance of cross-fading.

cross-fertilize /krɒsˈfəːtɪlʌɪz / cross-fertilise

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — fertilize (a plant) using pollen from another plant of the same species.

• he cross-fertilized some batches of plants.

2. [no obj.] — (of two plants) fertilize each other.

• fennel should not be grown near to dill, otherwise the two will cross-fertilize.

3. stimulate the development of (something) with an exchange of ideas or information

• sessions between the two groups cross-fertilize ideas and provide insights.

II. derivatives

cross-fertilization /ˌkrɒsˌfəːtɪlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

crossfire /ˈkrɒsfʌɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. gunfire from two or more directions passing through the same area

• a photographer was killed in crossfire

• ‹figurative› the sponsors are caught in the crossfire of the battle between the world champion and his team boss.

crossflow

noun

a type of engine cylinder head where the intake ports are on the opposite side of the engine from the exhaust ports.

cross-functional

adjective

denoting or relating to a system whereby people from different areas of an organization work together as a team

• the need for a cross-functional approach to problem solving.

cross-grain

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. running across the regular grain in timber

• cross-grain swelling.

cross-grained /ˈkrɒsɡreɪnd/

adjective

1. (of timber) having a grain that runs across the regular grain.

2. stubbornly contrary or bad-tempered

• Bruce was a cross-grained and boastful individual.

cross guard

noun

a guard on a sword or dagger consisting of a short transverse bar.

cross hairs

plural noun

a pair of fine wires crossing at right angles at the focus of an optical instrument or gunsight, for use in positioning, aiming, or measuring.

• I raised the rifle and got the deer in the cross hairs.

cross-hatch

verb — [with obj.] (often as noun cross-hatching)

1. (in drawing or graphics) shade (an area) with intersecting sets of parallel lines.

• the region is defined by diagonal cross-hatching.

cross head /ˈkrɒs hɛd/

noun

1. a bar or block between the piston rod and connecting rod in a steam engine.

2. a screw with an indented cross shape in its head.

3. (also cross heading) — a heading to a paragraph printed across a column in the body of a newspaper article.

cross index

I. noun

a note or cross reference in a book or list which refers the reader to other material.

II. verb

( cross-index) [with obj.] — index (something) under another heading as a cross reference
(as adj. cross-indexed)

• a cross-indexed file.

cross infection

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the transfer of infection, especially to a hospital patient with a different infection or between different species of animal or plant.

• complications of scarlet fever are caused by cross infection with strains other than the original streptococcus.

• cross infection of the virus between cattle and sheep.

crossing /ˈkrɒsɪŋ/

noun

1. a place where roads or railway lines cross.

• a stream of cars was waiting for the railway crossing barriers to be opened.

2. a place at which one may safely cross something, especially a street.

• we were thirty yards from the crossing when a man stepped off the pavement.

• a border crossing.

3. [ mass noun] — the action of crossing something

• the crossing of the Pennines.

4. a journey across water in a ship

• a short ferry crossing.

5. [Architecture] the intersection of a church nave and the transepts.

• the cathedral has a lantern tower over the crossing.

crossing over

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Genetics] the exchange of genes between homologous chromosomes, resulting in a mixture of parental characteristics in offspring.

cross-legged /krɒsˈlɛɡd/

adjective, adverb

(of a seated person) with the legs crossed at the ankles and the knees bent outwards
[as adv.]

• John sat cross-legged on the floor.

cross-license

verb — [with obj.]

1. give one party a licence to use (patented or copyright material) in return for a similar licence

• the two companies have agreed to cross-license their intellectual property.

cross light

noun

a light positioned to illuminate the parts of a photographic subject which the main lighting leaves in shade.

• keep the light a little high and put a cross light on her to bring the cheekbones out.

cross link

I. noun

a chemical bond between different chains of atoms in a polymer or other complex molecule.

II. verb

1. ( cross-link) — make or become linked with a cross link.
[with obj.]

• adjacent protein chains are cross-linked by quinones.

• [no obj.] these substances cross-link without any problem.

• (as adj. cross-linked) cross-linked copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone with methyl methacrylate.

2. [with obj.] — connect (something) by a series of transverse links.

• cross-link the guidance system with the actual games programme.

III. derivatives

cross-linkage

noun

crossmatch ‹Medicine›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. test the compatibility of (a donor's and a recipient's blood or tissue).
(as noun crossmatching)

• after careful crossmatching, blood was administered over a period of 10 to 15 minutes.

II. noun

an instance of crossmatching.

cross member

noun

a transverse piece which adds support to a structure.

cross of Lorraine

noun

another term for Lorraine cross.

crossopterygian /ˌkrɒsɒptəˈrɪdʒɪən / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a lobe-finned fish, such as the coelacanth.

II. adjective

relating to crossopterygians.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Crossopterygii, from Greek krossos ‘tassel’ + pterux, pterug- ‘fin’.

crossover /ˈkrɒsəʊvə/

noun

1. a point or place of crossing from one side to the other.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of achieving success in a different field or style, especially in popular music
[as modifier]

• a jazz–classical crossover album.

3. [as modifier] — relating to or denoting trials of medical treatment in which experimental subjects and control groups are exchanged after a set period

• a crossover study.

crossover distortion

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Electronics] distortion occurring where a signal changes from positive to negative or vice versa.

crossover network

noun

a filter in a loudspeaker unit that divides the signal and delivers different parts to bass and treble speakers.

cross-ownership

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ownership by one corporation of different companies with related interests or commercial aims.

• Britain's biggest media empire would be affected by tougher curbs on cross-ownership.

cross-party

adjective

involving or relating to two or more political parties

• a cross-party committee of MPs.

crosspatch /ˈkrɒspatʃ/

I. noun

‹informal› a bad-tempered person.

– origin early 18th cent.: from the adjective cross + obsolete patch ‘fool, clown’, perhaps from Italian pazzo ‘madman’.

cross peen cross pein

noun

a hammer having a peen that lies crossways to the length of the shaft.
[as modifier]

• a cross-peen hammer.

crosspiece /ˈkrɒspiːs/

noun

a beam or bar fixed or placed across something else.

• tall pillars of brick with wooden crosspieces.

cross-platform

adjective

[Computing] able to be used on different types of computers or with different software packages

• a cross-platform game.

cross-ply /ˈkrɒsplʌɪ/

adjective

(Brit.) (of a tyre) having fabric layers with their threads running diagonally, crosswise to each other.

cross-point

adjective

(of a screwdriver) having a cross-shaped point for turning cross-head screws.

cross-pollinate /krɒsˈpɒlɪneɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. pollinate (a flower or plant) with pollen from another flower or plant.

• these varieties benefit from being cross-pollinated by another compatible variety.

cross-pollination /ˌkrɒsˌpɒlɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. pollination of a flower or plant with pollen from another flower or plant

• contamination could happen from cross-pollination during harvest.

cross-post

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. post (a message, link, image, etc.) to more than one online location, such as a blog, social media website, or forum

• the app is set up so that you can easily cross-post your item on Craigslist too.

2. transfer (an employee) to a different department or place of work or (a soldier) to a different regiment

• I was living with my family in Aberdeen, where my father was cross-posted.

II. noun

a message, link, image, etc. that has been posted to more than one online location

• this is a cross post from my personal blog.

cross-posting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the posting of a message, link, image, etc. to more than one online location

• I'm a fan of cross-posting, and consider it just another way in which people can reach a broad audience

• [ count noun] abusive cross-postings have become a serious problem.

2. the transfer of an employee to a different department of place of work, or a soldier to a different regiment

• increased cross-posting gives promising officers the chance to command infantry on the ground

• [ count noun] his Chief Constable will describe the move as a routine cross-posting.

cross-pressure

verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) expose (someone) to different, incompatible opinions

• the executive has been cross-pressured by the interests of the states and the electorate.

cross product

noun

another term for vector product.

cross-promotion

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the cooperative marketing by two or more companies of one another's products.

II. derivatives

cross-promote

verb

cross-question /ˌkrɒsˈkwɛstʃ(ə)n/

verb — [with obj.]

1. question (someone) in great detail

• the Chancellor was cross-questioned by the finance committee

• (as noun cross-questioning) the cross-questioning of Lopez.

cross-rate

noun

an exchange rate between two currencies computed by reference to a third currency, usually the US dollar.

cross-reaction

noun

[Biochemistry] the reaction of an antibody with an antigen other than the one which gave rise to it.

cross-refer

verb

refer to another text or part of a text, typically in order to elaborate on a point
[no obj.]

• the database cross-refers to the printed book

• [with obj.] the entry cross-refers readers to ‘Style’.

cross reference /ˌkrɒs ˈrɛfrəns/

I. noun

a reference to another text or part of a text, typically given in order to elaborate on a point.

II. verb

( cross-reference) [with obj.] — provide with cross references

• entries are fully cross-referenced.

cross-rhythm

noun

[Music] a rhythm used simultaneously with another rhythm or rhythms.

crossroads /ˈkrɒsrəʊdz/

noun

1. an intersection of two or more roads.

• Donna accelerated, seeing a crossroads ahead.

• the jeep sped on towards the crossroads.

2. ( crossroad) — (N. Amer.) a road that crosses a main road or joins two main roads.

3. a point at which a crucial decision must be made which will have far-reaching consequences

• by 1998 I was at the crossroads.

cross-ruff

I. noun

a sequence of play in bridge or whist in which partners alternately trump each other's leads.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (in bridge or whist) play a cross-ruff.

• the two were cross-ruffing for some time.

• [with obj.] he decided to cross-ruff spades in dummy and hearts in hand.

cross section /ˈkrɒs ˌsɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a surface or shape exposed by making a straight cut through something, especially at right angles to an axis

• the cross section of an octahedron is a square

• in cross section the sailfish's body looks like a tapering spear.

2. a thin strip of tissue or other material removed by making two straight parallel cuts through it.

3. a typical or representative sample of a larger group

• a cross section of our senior managers.

4. [Physics] a quantity having the dimensions of an area which expresses the probability of a given interaction between particles.

II. verb

( cross-section) [with obj.] — make a cross section of.
(as noun cross-sectioning)

• complex triangular terrain models for contour cross-sectioning.

cross-sectional

adjective

1. exposed by making a straight cut through a solid form, especially at right angles to an axis

• the cross-sectional area of the wood.

2. constituting a typical or representative sample of a larger group

• a cross-sectional survey of high school students.

cross-sectoral

adjective

relating to or affecting more than one group, area, or section

• cross-sectoral collaboration.

cross-sell

verb — [with obj.]

1. sell (a different product or service) to an existing customer

• their database is used to cross-sell financial services.

cross-slide

noun

a sliding part on a lathe or planing machine which is supported by the saddle and carries the tool in a direction at right angles to the bed of the machine.

cross-stitch ‹Needlework›

I. noun

1. a stitch formed of two stitches crossing each other.

2. [ mass noun] — needlework done using cross-stitches.

• work the border in cross-stitch.

II. verb

[with obj.] — sew or embroider using cross-stitch
(as adj. cross-stitched)

• a cross-stitched pillow.

cross street

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a street that crosses another street or connects two streets.

• turn at the cross street into Sunset Place.

cross-subsidize /krɒsˈsʌbsɪdʌɪz / cross-subsidise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. subsidize (a business or activity) out of the profits of another business or activity.

• busy services are cross-subsidizing off-peak ones.

II. derivatives

1. cross-subsidization

noun

2. cross-subsidy /ˌkrɒsˈsʌbsɪdi /

noun

crosstalk /ˈkrɒstɔːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. unwanted transfer of signals between communication channels.

2. witty conversation; repartee.

cross tie

noun

(US) a railway sleeper.

cross-town

adjective, adverb

extending or travelling from one side of a town to the other
[as adj.]

• the cross-town traffic.

cross-train

verb — [no obj.]

1. learn another skill, especially one related to one's current job.

• mechanics are encouraged to cross-train in other areas.

• [with obj.] you will be cross-trained on other unit tasks.

cross-training

noun — [ mass noun]

1. training in two or more sports in order to improve fitness and performance, especially in a main sport.
[as modifier]

• rollerblades have become popular as a cross-training tool for cyclists, skiers, and runners.

crosstrees /ˈkrɒstriːz/

plural noun

a pair of horizontal struts attached to a sailing ship's mast to spread the rigging, especially at the head of a topmast.

cross-voting /ˈkrɒsvəʊtɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (especially in a parliament) voting for a party one does not belong to, or for more than one party.

crosswalk /ˈkrɒswɔːk/

noun

North American and Australian term for pedestrian crossing.

crossway /ˈkrɒsweɪ/

noun

(N. Amer.) a road that crosses a main road or joins two main roads.

crossways /ˈkrɒsweɪz/

adverb

another term for crosswise.

crosswind /ˈkrɒswɪnd/

noun

a wind blowing across one's direction of travel.

• a strong crosswind gusting to over thirty knots.

crosswise /ˈkrɒswʌɪz/

adverb

1. in the form of a cross

• their arms were held out crosswise.

2. diagonally or transversely

• wash the potatoes and halve them crosswise.

crossword /ˈkrɒswəːd / crossword puzzle

I. noun

a puzzle consisting of a grid of squares and blanks into which words crossing vertically and horizontally are written according to clues.

• she settled down to do the crossword.

– origin said to have been invented by the journalist Arthur Wynne, whose puzzle (called a ‘word-cross’) appeared in a Sunday newspaper, the New York World, on 21 December 1913.

crosswort /ˈkrɒswəːt/

noun

a yellow-flowered European plant related to the bedstraws, with leaves arranged in a cross or whorl of four.
● Cruciata laevipes, family Rubiaceae.

crostini /krɒˈstiːni/

I. plural noun

small pieces of toasted or fried bread served with a topping as a starter or canapé.

– origin Italian, plural of crostino ‘little crust’.

crotale /ˈkrəʊt(ə)l/

I. noun — (usu. crotales)

1. a small tuned cymbal.

– origin 1930s: French, from Latin crotalum, denoting an ancient type of castanet, from Greek krotalon.

crotch /krɒtʃ/

I. noun

1. the part of the human body between the legs where they join the torso.

2. the part of a garment that passes between the legs.

3. a fork in a tree, road, or river.

II. derivatives

crotched

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting an agricultural or garden fork, also a crutch): perhaps related to Old French croche ‘crozier, shepherd's crook’, based on Old Norse krókr ‘hook’; partly also a variant of crutch.

crotchet /ˈkrɒtʃɪt/

I. noun

1. [Music] (Brit.) a note having the time value of a quarter of a semibreve or half a minim, represented by a large solid dot with a plain stem.
Also called quarter note.

2. a perverse or unfounded belief or notion

• the natural crotchets of inveterate bachelors.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘hook’): from Old French crochet, diminutive of croc ‘hook’, from Old Norse krókr.

crotchety /ˈkrɒtʃɪti/

I. adjective

irritable

• he was tired and crotchety.

II. derivatives

crotchetiness

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from crotchet (sense 2) + -y^1.

crotchless /ˈkrɒtʃləs/

adjective

(of a garment) leaving the genitals uncovered.

croton /ˈkrəʊt(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a strong-scented tree, shrub, or herbaceous plant of the spurge family, native to tropical and warm regions. Several kinds yield timber and other commercially important products.
●Genus Croton, family Euphorbiaceae: numerous species, including C. laccifer, the host plant for the lac insect.

2. a small evergreen tree or shrub of the Indo-Pacific region, which is grown for its colourful ornamental foliage.
●Genus Codiaeum, family Euphorbiaceae: several species.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek krotōn ‘sheep tick’ (from the shape of the seeds of the croton in sense 1).

croton oil

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a foul-smelling oil, formerly used as a purgative, obtained from the seeds of a tropical Asian croton tree.
●The tree is Croton tiglium (family Euphorbiaceae).

crottin /ˈkrɒtã/

I. noun

a small, round cheese made from goat's milk.

– origin French, literally ‘piece of horse dung’.

crottle /ˈkrɒt(ə)l / crotal

I. noun

a common lichen found on rocks, used in Scotland to make a golden-brown or reddish-brown dye for staining wool for making tweed.
● Parmelia saxatilis (order Parmeliales) and other species.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic and Irish crotal, crotan.

crouch /kraʊtʃ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. adopt a position where the knees are bent and the upper body is brought forward and down, typically in order to avoid detection or to defend oneself

• we crouched down in the trench

• ( be crouched) Leo was crouched before the fire.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a crouching stance or posture.

• he dropped into a defensive crouch.

– origin late Middle English: perhaps from Old French crochir ‘be bent’, from croche (see crotch).

croup^1 /kruːp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. inflammation of the larynx and trachea in children, associated with infection and causing breathing difficulties.

II. derivatives

croupy

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from dialect croup ‘to croak’, of imitative origin.

croup^2 /kruːp/

I. noun

the rump or hindquarters, especially of a horse.

– origin Middle English: from Old French croupe, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to crop.

croupade /krʊˈpeɪd/

I. noun

a movement performed in classical riding, in which the horse leaps from the ground with its legs tucked under its body.

– origin mid 17th cent.: French, from Italian groppata, from groppa ‘croup’.

croupier /ˈkruːpɪə, ˈkruːpɪeɪ/

I. noun

1. the person in charge of a gaming table, responsible for gathering in and paying out money or tokens.

2. ‹historical› the assistant chairman at a public dinner, seated at the lower end of the table.

– origin early 18th cent. (denoting a person standing behind a gambler to give advice): French, from Old French cropier ‘pillion rider, rider on the croup’, related to Old French croupe (see croup^2). Compare with crupper.

croustade /krʊˈstɑːd/

I. noun

a crisp piece of bread or pastry hollowed to receive a savoury filling.

• we had mushroom croustade with a hazelnut topping.

– origin French, from Old French crouste or Italian crostata ‘tart’ (from crosta ‘crust’).

croute /kruːt/

I. noun

a piece of toasted bread on which savoury snacks can be served.
See also en croute.

– origin French croûte (see crust).

crouton /ˈkruːtɒn/

I. noun

a small piece of fried or toasted bread served with soup or used as a garnish.

– origin from French croûton, from croûte (see crust).

crow^1 /krəʊ/

I. noun

1. a large perching bird with mostly glossy black plumage, a heavy bill, and a raucous voice.
●Genus Corvus, family Corvidae (the crow family): several species, including the carrion crow ( C. corone) and the American crow ( C. brachyrhynchos). The crow family also includes the ravens, jays, magpies, choughs, and nutcrackers.

2. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› an old or ugly woman.

• to my two sons I am still just the old crow.

II. phrases

1. as the crow flies

in a straight line

• Easingwold was 22 miles away as the crow flies.

2. eat crow

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› be humiliated by having to admit one's defeats or mistakes.

• the so-called experts will be eating crow tonight.

– origin Old English crāwe, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kraai and German Krähe, also to crow^2.

crow^2 /krəʊ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a cock) utter its characteristic loud cry.

• she was awakened in the mornings by cocks crowing.

2. (of a person) express great pride or triumph, especially in a tone of gloating satisfaction

• Ruby crowed with delight

• avoid crowing about your success

• [with direct speech] ‘I knew you 'd be back,’ she crowed.

II. noun

1. [usu. in sing.] — the cry of a cock.

2. a sound made by a person expressing great pride or triumph

• she gave a little crow of triumph.

– origin Old English crāwan, of West Germanic origin; related to German krähen, also to crow^1; ultimately imitative.

Crow

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people inhabiting eastern Montana.

2. [ mass noun] — the Siouan language of the Crow, with about 5,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Crow or their language.

– origin suggested by French gens de corbeaux, translating Siouan apsáaloke ‘crow people’.

crowbait /ˈkrəʊbeɪt/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› an old horse.
[ mass noun]

• Smith would have felt badly had anyone learned of him selling such crowbait.

• [as modifier] that old crowbait stallion.

crowbar /ˈkrəʊbɑː/

I. noun

an iron bar with a flattened end, used as a lever.

II. verb — [with obj. and complement]

1. use a crowbar to open (something)

• he crowbarred the box open.

crowberry /ˈkrəʊb(ə)ri/

noun

1. a creeping heather-like dwarf shrub with small leaves and black berries, growing on moorland.
● Empetrum nigrum, family Empetraceae.

2. the edible but flavourless black berry of the crowberry.

crowd /kraʊd/

I. noun

1. a large number of people gathered together in a disorganized or unruly way

• a huge crowd gathered in the street outside.

2. an audience, especially one at a sporting event

• they played before a 25,000 crowd

• [as modifier] a match marred by crowd trouble.

3. ‹informal› ‹often derogatory› a group of people who are linked by a common interest or activity

• I've broken away from that whole junkie crowd.

4. ( the crowd) — the mass or multitude of ordinary people

• make yourself stand out from the crowd

• free-thinkers who don't follow the crowd.

• he'd become just another face in the crowd.

5. a large number of things regarded collectively

• the crowd of tall buildings.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a number of people) fill (a space) almost completely, leaving little or no room for movement

• the dance floor was crowded with revellers.

2. [no obj.] ( crowd into) — (of a number of people) move into (a restricted space)

• they crowded into the cockpit.

3. [no obj.] ( crowd round) — (of a group of people) form a tightly packed mass around

• photographers crowded round him.

4. move too close to (someone)

• don't crowd her, she needs air.

5. [no obj.] ( crowd in on) — overwhelm and preoccupy (someone)

• as demands crowd in on you it becomes difficult to keep things in perspective.

6. ( crowd someone/thing out) — exclude someone or something by taking their place

• rampant plants will crowd out the less vigorous.

– origin Old English crūdan ‘press, hasten’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kruien ‘push in a wheelbarrow’. In Middle English the senses ‘move by pushing’ and ‘push one's way’ arose, leading to the sense ‘congregate’, and hence (mid 16th cent.) to the noun.

crowded /ˈkraʊdɪd/

I. adjective

(of a space) full of people, leaving little or no room for movement; packed

• a very crowded room

• the crowded streets of Southwark.

II. derivatives

crowdedness

noun

crowdfund /ˈkraʊdfʌnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. fund (a project or venture) by raising money from a large number of people who each contribute a relatively small amount, typically via the Internet

• he's launched a campaign to crowdfund the first album he'll record under his own name

• (as adj. crowdfunded) a crowdfunded movie.

– origin early 21st cent.: from crowd + fund, on the pattern of crowdsource.

crowdfunding /ˈkraʊdfʌndɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people who each contribute a relatively small amount, typically via the Internet

• musicians, filmmakers, and artists have successfully raised funds and fostered awareness through crowdfunding.

crowdie /ˈkraʊdi / crowdy

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft Scottish cheese made from buttermilk or sour milk.

– origin early 19th cent.: from crud + -ie.

crowd-pleaser

noun

a person or thing with great popular appeal

• once again, the group has produced an album which is bound to be a crowd-pleaser.

crowd-pleasing /ˈkraʊdˌpliːzɪŋ/

adjective

very popular and appealing

• a string of crowd-pleasing movies.

crowd-puller /ˈkraʊdpʊlə/

I. noun

‹informal› an event, person, or display that attracts a large audience.

• the Boat Show is one of the south coast's major crowd-pullers.

II. derivatives

crowd-pulling /ˈkraʊdpʊlɪŋ /

adjective

crowdsource /ˈkraʊdsɔːs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. obtain (information or input into a particular task or project) by enlisting the services of a large number of people, either paid or unpaid, typically via the Internet

• she crowdsourced advice on album art and even posted an early version of the song so fans could vote for their favorite chorus.

– origin early 21st cent.: from crowd + source, after outsource.

crowdsourcing /ˈkraʊdsɔːsɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of obtaining information or input into a task or project by enlisting the services of a large number of people, either paid or unpaid, typically via the Internet

• crowdsourcing is less expensive than hiring a professional translator

• [as modifier] data scientists were among the earliest and most enthusiastic users of crowdsourcing services.

crowd-surf

verb — [no obj.]

1. be passed in a prone position over the heads of the audience at a rock concert, typically after having jumped from the stage.

• for a full six hours the fans jump, crowd-surf, and sweat profusely.

croweater /ˈkrəʊˌiːtə/

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a South Australian.

crowfoot /ˈkrəʊfʊt/

noun

a herbaceous plant related to the buttercups, typically having lobed or divided leaves and white or yellow flowers. Many kinds are aquatic with flowers held above the water.
●Genus Ranunculus, family Ranunculaceae: many species, in particular the European water crowfoot ( R. aquatilis).

crow hop

noun

a short jump with both feet together.

crown /kraʊn/

I. noun

1. a circular ornamental headdress worn by a monarch as a symbol of authority, usually made of or decorated with precious metals and jewels.

2. ( the Crown) — the monarchy or reigning monarch

• their loyalty to the Church came before their loyalty to the Crown.

3. an ornament, emblem, or badge shaped like a crown.

• shiny covers embossed with gold crowns.

4. a wreath of leaves or flowers, especially that worn as an emblem of victory in ancient Greece or Rome.

5. an award or distinction gained by a victory or achievement, especially in sport

• the world heavyweight crown.

6. the top or highest part of something

• the crown of the hill.

7. the top part of a person's head or a hat.

• his hair was swept straight back over his crown.

8. the part of a plant just above and below the ground from which the roots and shoots branch out.

• mulch should be mounded around the crowns of the shrubs.

9. the upper branching or spreading part of a tree or other plant.

• an erect evergreen tree with a dense crown.

10. the upper part of a cut gem, above the girdle.

11. the part of a tooth projecting from the gum.

• a thin layer of enamel covers the crown.

12. an artificial replacement or covering for the upper part of a tooth.

• emergency treatment for loose crowns.

13. (also crown piece) — a British coin with a face value of five shillings or 25 pence, now minted only for commemorative purposes.

14. a foreign coin with a name meaning ‘crown’, especially the krona or krone.

15. (in full metric crown) [ mass noun] — a paper size, 384 × 504 mm.

16. (in full crown octavo) — a book size, 186 × 123 mm.

17. (in full crown quarto) — a book size, 246 × 189 mm.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ceremonially place a crown on the head of (someone) in order to invest them as a monarch

• he went to Rome to be crowned

• [with complement] she was crowned queen in 1953.

2. [with obj. and complement] — declare or acknowledge (someone) as the best, especially at a sport

• he was crowned world champion last September.

3. (in draughts) promote (a piece) to king by placing another on top of it.
(as adj. crowned)

• with his crowned piece he jumped them all.

4. rest on or form the top of

• the distant knoll was crowned with trees.

5. be the triumphant culmination of (an effort or endeavour, especially a prolonged one)

• years of struggle were crowned by a state visit to Paris

• (as adj. crowning) the crowning moment of a worthy career.

6. fit a crown to (a tooth).

• simple fillings no longer suffice and the tooth has to be crowned.

7. ‹informal› hit on the head

• she contained the urge to crown him.

8. [no obj.] — (of a baby's head during labour) fully appear in the vaginal opening prior to emerging.

• I was able to see our baby's head crowning.

III. phrases

1. crowning glory /ˌkraʊnɪŋˈɡlɔːri /

a. the best and most notable aspect of something

• the scene is the crowning glory of this marvellously entertaining show.

b. ‹chiefly humorous› a person's hair.

• he had a great mass of raven hair and he was very proud of this crowning glory.

2. to crown it all

(Brit.) as the final event in a series of particularly fortunate or unfortunate events

• it was cold and raining, and, to crown it all, we had to walk home.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French corune (noun), coruner (verb), Old French corone (noun), coroner (verb), from Latin corona ‘wreath, chaplet’.

Crown Agents

plural noun

a body appointed by the British government to provide commercial and financial services, originally to British colonies, now to foreign governments and international bodies. It is responsible to the Minister for Overseas Development and its full title (as re-established in 1979) is the Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations.

crown and anchor

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a gambling game played with three dice each bearing a crown, an anchor, and the four card suits, and played on a board similarly marked.

Crown attorney

noun

Canadian term for Crown prosecutor.

crown cap

noun

another term for crown cork.

Crown Colony /kraʊnˈkɒləni/

noun

‹historical› a British colony whose legislature and administration was controlled by the Crown, represented by a governor.

crown cork

noun

a metal bottle cap with a crimped edge.

Crown Court

noun

(in England and Wales) a court of criminal jurisdiction, which deals with serious offences and appeals referred from the magistrates' courts.

Crown dependency

noun

a territory that is under the sovereignty of the British Crown but does not form part of the UK. The Crown dependencies are the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Compare with British overseas territory.

Crown Derby

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of soft-paste porcelain made at Derby and often marked with a crown above the letter ‘D’.
[as modifier]

• displays of Crown Derby china.

crowned crane

noun

an African crane with a yellowish bristly crest, a mainly black or dark grey body, much white on the wings, and pink and white cheeks.
●Genus Balearica, family Gruidae: two species, in particular the crowned crane ( B. pavonina).

crowned head

noun

a king or queen.

crowned pigeon

noun

the largest known pigeon, which has mainly bluish plumage and a tall erect crest, found in New Guinea. Also called goura.
●Genus Goura, family Columbidae: three species.

crown ether

noun

[Chemistry] any of a class of organic compounds whose molecules are large rings containing a number of ether linkages.

crown fire

noun

a forest fire that spreads from treetop to treetop.

crown gall

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bacterial disease of plants, especially fruit bushes and trees, which is characterized by large tumour-like galls on the roots and lower trunk.
●This disease is caused by the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

2. [ count noun] — a large tumour-like gall caused by crown gall disease.

crown glass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. glass made without lead or iron, originally in a circular sheet. Formerly used in windows, it is now used as optical glass of low refractive index.

Crown grant

noun

(Austral./NZ) (Canadian) a grant of government-owned land made to an individual or company

• there was no lake on the lands conveyed by the Crown grant.

crown green

noun

(Brit.) a kind of bowling green which rises slightly towards the middle
[as modifier]

• crown green bowls.

crown imperial

noun

an Asian fritillary (plant) with a cluster of bell-like flowers at the top of a tall, largely bare stem.
● Fritillaria imperialis, family Liliaceae.

crown jewel

noun

1. ( Crown Jewels) — the crown and other ornaments and jewellery worn or carried by a sovereign on certain state occasions

• the Crown Jewels of the British monarchy.

2. a particularly valuable or prized possession or asset

• one of Istanbul's architectural crown jewels

• he is under pressure to sell the crown jewel of his retail empire.

3. ( crown jewels) — ‹humorous› a man's genitals.

crown labourer

noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› a convict

• a crown labourer could be assigned to a free settler.

Crown land

noun — [ mass noun] (also Crown lands)

1. land belonging to the British Crown.

• revenue from Crown lands.

2. land belonging to the state in some parts of the Commonwealth.

crown moulding

noun

US term for cornice (sense 1).

Crown Office Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

noun

a Scottish law court responsible for listing cases to be tried in Scotland.

crown of thorns

I. noun

1. a large spiky starfish of the tropical Indo-Pacific, feeding on coral and sometimes causing great damage to reefs.
● Acanthaster planci, class Asteroidea.

2. a Madagascan shrub of the spurge family, with bright red flowers and many slender thorns. It is a popular houseplant and is sometimes used for hedging in the tropics. Also called Christ's thorn.
● Euphorbia milii, family Euphorbiaceae.

3. any of a number of thorny plants, especially Christ's thorn ( Ziziphus spina-christi).

– origin by association with Christ's crown of thorns.

crown prince

noun

(in some countries) a male heir to a throne.

crown princess

noun

1. the wife of a crown prince.

2. (in some countries) a female heir to a throne.

Crown Prosecution Service CPS

(in England and Wales) an independent organization which decides whether cases brought by the police proceed to the criminal court. Its head is the Director of Public Prosecutions, with each region having its own Chief Crown Prosecutor.

Crown prosecutor

noun

(in England, Wales, and Canada) a lawyer who acts for the Crown, especially a prosecutor in a criminal court.
In Canada also called Crown attorney.

crown roast

noun

a roast of rib pieces of pork or lamb arranged like a crown in a circle with the bones pointing upwards.

crown saw

noun

another term for hole saw.

crown wheel

noun

a gearwheel or cogwheel with teeth that project from the face of the wheel at right angles, used especially in the gears of motor vehicles.

crow-pheasant

noun

a coucal (bird), especially the greater coucal, which has black plumage with chestnut wings and back and is found in southern Asia.
●Genus Centropus, family Cuculidae, especially C. sinensis.

crow quill

noun

1. a quill pen made from a large feather of a crow's wing, formerly used for fine writing.

2. (also crow-quill pen) — a small, fine pen for map drawing.

crow's foot

noun

1. a branching wrinkle at the outer corner of a person's eye.

2. a mark, symbol, or design formed of lines diverging from a point, resembling a bird's footprint.

3. ‹historical› a military caltrop.

crowsfoot spanner

noun

an adjustable spanner.

crow's nest

noun

a shelter or platform fixed at the masthead of a vessel as a place for a lookout to stand.

crow steps

I. plural noun

step-like projections on the sloping part of a gable, common in Flemish architecture and 16th- and 17th-century Scottish buildings.

II. derivatives

crow-stepped

adjective

croze /krəʊz/

I. noun

1. a groove at the end of a cask or barrel to receive the edge of the head.

2. a cooper's tool for making croze grooves.

– origin early 17th cent.: perhaps from French creux, creuse ‘hollow’.

Crozet Islands /krəʊˈzeɪ/

a group of five small islands in the southern Indian Ocean, under French administration.

crozier /ˈkrəʊzɪə / crosier

I. noun

1. a hooked staff carried by a bishop as a symbol of pastoral office.

2. the curled top of a young fern.

– origin Middle English (originally denoting the person who carried a processional cross in front of an archbishop): partly from Old French croisier ‘cross-bearer’, from crois ‘cross’, based on Latin crux; reinforced by Old French crocier ‘bearer of a bishop's crook’, from croce (see crosse).

CRT

abbreviation

cathode ray tube.

cru /kruː, French kʀy/

I. noun

(in France) a vineyard or group of vineyards, especially one of recognized superior quality.

• the newest of the Beaujolais crus.

See also grand cru, premier cru.

– origin French, from crû, literally ‘growth’, past participle of croître.

crubeen /ˈkruːbiːn/

I. noun

(Irish) a boiled pig's trotter as food.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Irish crúibín, diminutive of crúb ‘claw, hoof’.

cruces /ˈkruːsiːz/

plural form of crux.

crucial /ˈkruːʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. decisive or critical, especially in the success or failure of something

• negotiations were at a crucial stage.

2. of great importance

• this game is crucial to our survival.

3. ‹informal› excellent.

II. derivatives

cruciality /kruːʃɪˈalɪti /

noun

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘cross-shaped’): from French, from Latin crux, cruc- ‘cross’. The sense ‘decisive’ is from Francis Bacon's Latin phrase instantia crucis ‘crucial instance’, which he explained as a metaphor from a crux or fingerpost marking a fork at a crossroad; Newton and Boyle took up the metaphor in experimentum crucis ‘crucial experiment’.

crucially /ˈkruːʃ(ə)li/

adverb

with decisive or vital importance

• a question that may have crucially influenced the decision

• [ sentence adverb] crucially, recipients of these funds would be required to place their work in the public domain

• [as submodifier] both movies are crucially dependent on the performance of the male lead.

crucian /ˈkruːʃ(ə)n / crucian carp

I. noun

a small olive-green to reddish-brown European carp of still or slow-moving waters, important as a farmed fish in eastern Europe.
● Carassius carassius, family Cyprinidae.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Low German karusse, karutze, perhaps based on Latin coracinus, from Greek korax ‘raven’, also denoting a black fish found in the Nile.

cruciate /ˈkruːʃɪət, ˈkruːʃeɪt/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] [Botany] cross-shaped.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin cruciatus, from crux, cruc- ‘cross’.

cruciate ligament

noun

[Anatomy] either of a pair of ligaments in the knee which cross each other and connect the femur to the tibia.

crucible /ˈkruːsɪb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a ceramic or metal container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures.

• the crucible tipped and the mould filled with liquid metal.

2. a situation of severe trial, or in which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new

• their relationship was forged in the crucible of war.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin crucibulum ‘night lamp, crucible’ (perhaps originally a lamp hanging in front of a crucifix), from Latin crux, cruc- ‘cross’.

crucifer /ˈkruːsɪfə/

I. noun

1. [Botany] a cruciferous plant, with four petals arranged in a cross.

2. a person carrying a cross or crucifix in a procession.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Christian Latin, from Latin crux, cruc- ‘cross’.

cruciferous /kruːˈsɪf(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

[Botany] relating to or denoting plants of the cabbage family ( Cruciferae).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Cruciferae (plural), from Latin crux, cruc- ‘cross’ + -fer ‘bearing’ (because the flowers have four equal petals arranged crosswise), + -ous.

crucifix /ˈkruːsɪfɪks/

I. noun

a representation of a cross with a figure of Christ on it.

• a large silver crucifix on a chain.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from ecclesiastical Latin crucifixus, from Latin cruci fixus ‘fixed to a cross’. Compare with crucify.

crucifixion /kruːsɪˈfɪkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an ancient form of execution in which a person was nailed or bound to a cross.

• there is little evidence that the Romans used to flog their victims before crucifixion.

2. ( the Crucifixion) — the killing of Jesus Christ by crucifixion.

• Paul appears on the scene within a year or so of the Crucifixion.

3. ( Crucifixion) — an artistic representation or musical composition based on the Crucifixion.

• Picasso's Crucifixion of 1930.

– origin late Middle English: from ecclesiastical Latin crucifixio(n-), from the verb crucifigere (see crucify).

cruciform /ˈkruːsɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

1. having the shape of a cross

• a cruciform sword.

2. (of a church) having a cross-shaped plan with a nave and transepts.

II. noun

a thing shaped like a cross.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin crux, cruc- ‘cross’ + -iform.

crucify /ˈkruːsɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. put (someone) to death by nailing or binding them to a cross, especially as an ancient punishment

• two thieves were crucified with Jesus.

2. cause anguish to (someone)

• she'd been crucified by his departure.

3. ‹informal› criticize (someone) severely and unrelentingly

• our fans would crucify us if we lost.

II. derivatives

crucifier /ˈkruːsɪfʌɪə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French crucifier, from late Latin crucifigere, from Latin crux, cruc- ‘cross’ + figere ‘fix’. Compare with crucifix.

cruciverbalist /kruːsɪˈvəːb(ə)lɪst/

I. noun

a person who enjoys or is skilled at solving crosswords.

– origin 1970s: from Latin crux, cruci- ‘cross’ and verbalist.

cruck /krʌk/

I. noun

(Brit.) either of a pair of curved timbers extending from ground level to the transverse beam or ridge of a roof and forming a structure frame in a medieval timber-framed house
[as modifier]

• a cruck barn.

– origin late 16th cent.: variant of crook.

crud /krʌd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› a substance which is considered unpleasant or disgusting, typically because of its dirtiness.

• use a good soap compound to remove accumulated crud.

2. ‹informal› heavy snow on which it is difficult to ski.

• there's no way I can ski crud.

3. ‹informal› nonsense

• the usual crud which passes itself off as a smart twenty-something comedy.

4. [ count noun] — ‹informal› a contemptible person.

II. derivatives

cruddy /ˈkrʌdi /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: variant of curd (the original sense). The earliest modern senses, ‘filth’ and ‘nonsense’ (originally US), date from the 1940s.

crude /kruːd/

I. adjective

1. in a natural or raw state; not yet processed or refined

• crude oil.

2. [Statistics] (of figures) not adjusted or corrected

• the crude mortality rate.

3. (of an estimate or guess) likely to be only approximately accurate.

• a crude estimate of the number of people available for work.

4. constructed in a rudimentary or makeshift way

• a relatively crude nuclear weapon.

5. (of an action) showing little finesse or subtlety and as a result unlikely to succeed

• the measure was condemned by economists as crude and ill-conceived.

6. offensively coarse or rude, especially in relation to sexual matters

• a crude joke.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. natural mineral oil

• the ship was carrying 80,000 tonnes of crude.

III. derivatives

crudeness /ˈkruːdnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin crudus ‘raw, rough’.

crudely /ˈkruːdli/

adverb

1. in a rudimentary or makeshift way

• the crudely stitched flag.

2. in a way that lacks finesse or subtlety

• his minor works are sometimes crudely handled.

3. in an offensively coarse or rude way, especially in relation to sexual matters

• talking bluntly and crudely about sex.

crude oil

noun — [ mass noun]

1. unrefined petroleum

• vast reserves of crude oil were discovered in the region.

crudités /ˈkruːdɪteɪ/

I. plural noun

mixed raw vegetables served as an hors d'oeuvre, typically with a sauce into which they may be dipped.

– origin plural of French crudité ‘rawness, crudity’, from Latin crudus ‘raw, rough’.

crudity /ˈkruːdɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being rudimentary or makeshift; primitiveness

• he criticises the crudity of design.

2. the quality of being offensively coarse or rude; vulgarity

• the crudity of the language.

crudo /ˈkruːdəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dish of raw fish or seafood, typically dressed with oil, citrus juice, and seasonings

• starters include crudo, garlic shrimp and polenta, and risotto with scampi

• we started with the yellowtail crudo, which was delicious

• [as modifier] I recommend a nice bottle of wine and several crudo plates.

– origin Italian, literally ‘raw’.

cruel /krʊəl/

I. adjective

1. wilfully causing pain or suffering to others, or feeling no concern about it

• people who are cruel to animals

• a cruel remark.

2. causing pain or suffering

• the winters are long, hard, and cruel.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› spoil or ruin (an opportunity or a chance of success)

• Ernie nearly cruelled the whole thing by laughing.

[late 19th cent.: perhaps influenced by the idiom queer someone's pitch (see queer).]

III. phrases

1. be cruel to be kind

act towards someone in a way which seems harsh but will ultimately be of benefit to them.

• George did not like being firm with Lennie but he knew that he had to be cruel to be kind.

2. cruel and unusual punishment

a category of excessively severe punishment banned under the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution (and originally under the English Bill of Rights).

• this is an important case that confronts the issue of what constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin crudelis, related to crudus (see crude).

cruelly /ˈkruː(ə)li/

adverb

1. (with reference to a person) in a way that wilfully causes pain or suffering to others

• he marries Edgar's sister Isabella and cruelly ill-treats her.

2. (with reference to an event) in a way that causes pain or suffering

• their hopes were cruelly dashed.

cruelty /ˈkrʊəlti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cruel behaviour or attitudes

• he has treated her with extreme cruelty

• we can't stand cruelty to animals

• [ count noun] the cruelties of forced assimilation and genocide.

2. [Law] behaviour which causes physical or mental harm to another, especially a spouse, whether intentionally or not.

• she divorced my stepfather for persistent cruelty.

– origin Middle English: from Old French crualte, based on Latin crudelitas, from crudelis (see cruel).

cruelty-free

adjective

(of cosmetics or other commercial products) manufactured or developed by methods which do not involve cruelty to animals.

cruet /ˈkruːɪt/

I. noun

1. a small container or set of containers for salt, pepper, oil, or vinegar for use at a dining table.

2. (in church use) a small container for the wine or water to be used in the celebration of the Eucharist.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from Anglo-Norman French, diminutive of Old French crue ‘pot’, from Old Saxon krūka; related to crock^1.

cruft /krʌft/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] ‹informal› badly designed, unnecessarily complicated, or unwanted code or software

• this removes all unnecessary cruft from Word documents saved as HTML.

– origin 1950s (in the sense ‘rubbish, detritus’): origin unknown.

Cruft, Charles /krʌft/

(1852–1939), English showman. In 1886 he initiated the first dog show in London. The Crufts dog shows are now held annually.

Cruikshank, George /ˈkrʊkʃaŋk/

(1792–1878), English painter, illustrator, and caricaturist. The most eminent political cartoonist of his day, he was known for exposing the private life of the Prince Regent. His later work includes illustrations for Charles Dickens's Sketches by Boz (1836), and a series of etchings supporting the temperance movement.

cruise /kruːz/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial]

1. sail about in an area without a precise destination, especially for pleasure

• they were cruising off the California coast

• [with obj.] she cruised the canals of France in a barge.

2. take a holiday on a ship or boat following a predetermined course, usually calling in at several places.

3. travel or move around a place slowly, typically in search of something

• a police van cruised past us

• [with obj.] my idea of a perfect Sunday afternoon is cruising car lots and checking out the new models.

4. [no obj.] — ‹informal› wander about a place in search of a casual sexual partner

• he spends his time cruising and just hanging out in New Orleans

• [with obj.] he cruised the gay bars of Los Angeles.

5. [with obj.] — ‹informal› walk past and assess (a potential sexual partner)

• he was cruising a pair of sailors.

6. (of a motor vehicle or aircraft) travel smoothly at a moderate or economical speed

• we sit in a jet, cruising at some 30,000 ft.

7. achieve an objective with ease, especially in sport

• Millwall cruised to a 2–0 win over Leicester.

8. (of a young child) walk while holding on to furniture or other structures, prior to learning to walk without support

• my daughter cruised at seven months and didn't walk until just after her first birthday

• (as noun cruising) it can take ages to go from cruising to proper walking

• [with obj.] about a week ago she started crawling forwards, cruising furniture, and standing by herself.

II. noun

a voyage on a ship or boat taken for pleasure or as a holiday and usually calling in at several places

• a cruise down the Nile

• [as modifier] a cruise liner.

III. phrases

cruising for a bruising

‹informal› heading or looking for trouble.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a verb): probably from Dutch kruisen ‘to cross’, from kruis ‘cross’, from Latin crux.

cruise control

noun

1. a device in a motor vehicle which can be switched on to maintain a selected constant speed without the use of the accelerator pedal.

• I set the cruise control on 63 mph.

2. used in reference to actions performed with little effort

• the team went on cruise control during the second half.

• United finished the game in cruise control.

cruise missile

noun

a low-flying missile which is guided to its target by an on-board computer.

cruiser /ˈkruːzə/

I. noun

1. a relatively fast warship larger than a destroyer and less heavily armed than a battleship.

2. a yacht or motor boat with passenger accommodation, designed for leisure use.

• a pleasure cruiser.

3. a person who goes on a pleasure cruise.

4. (N. Amer.) a police patrol car.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Dutch kruiser, from kruisen (see cruise).

cruiserweight /ˈkruːzəweɪt/

noun

(chiefly Brit.) another term for light heavyweight.

cruise ship cruise liner

noun

a large ship that carries people on voyages for pleasure, typically calling in at several places

• the couples enjoyed fine dining aboard the cruise ship.

cruising chute

noun

[Sailing] a type of spinnaker that is designed to be more stable but less efficient than a normal spinnaker.

cruising range

noun

the maximum distance from a base that the fuel capacity of a ship or aircraft will allow it to travel and then return safely at cruising speed.

• a fuel capacity of 2200 gallons should give a cruising range of around 2000 miles.

cruising speed /ˈkruːzɪŋ ˌspiːd/

noun

a speed for a particular vehicle, ship, or aircraft, usually somewhat below maximum, that is comfortable and economical.

• the boat is powered by a pair of 425-hp diesels that push it along at a cruising speed of 28 knots.

cruiskeen /ˈkruːʃkiːn/

I. noun

(Irish) a small jug.

– origin Irish crúiscín.

cruisy

adjective

1. ‹informal› (Austral./NZ) relaxed or easy-going

• I spent three cruisy days with my folks.

2. ‹informal› (of a place) used by people searching for gay sexual partners

• he was assaulted near a cruisy park.

cruller /ˈkrʌlə/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a small cake made of rich dough twisted or curled and fried in deep fat.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Dutch kruller, from krullen ‘to curl’.

crumb /krʌm/

I. noun

1. a small fragment of bread, cake, or biscuit.

• she brushed some cake crumbs off her dress.

• [as modifier] a crispy crumb topping.

2. [ mass noun] — the soft inner part of a loaf of bread.

• a morsel of crumb will often tempt a chub.

3. a very small amount of something

• the Budget provided few crumbs of comfort.

4. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) an objectionable or contemptible person

• he's an absolute crumb.

5. (also crumb rubber) [ mass noun] — granulated rubber, usually made from recycled car tyres.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover (food) with breadcrumbs
(as adj. crumbed)

• crispy crumbed mushrooms with garlic dip.

III. phrases

crumbs from ——'s table

an unfair and inadequate share of something large.

• it will amount to no more than crumbs from the European Commission's table.

– origin Old English cruma, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kruim and German Krume. The final -b was added in the 16th cent., perhaps from crumble but also influenced by words such as dumb, where the original final -b is retained although no longer pronounced.

crumble /ˈkrʌmb(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. break or fall apart into small fragments, especially as part of a process of deterioration

• the plaster started to crumble

• (as adj. crumbling) their crumbling ancestral home.

2. [with obj.] — cause (something) to break apart into small fragments

• the easiest way to crumble blue cheese.

3. (of something abstract) disintegrate gradually over a period of time

• the party's fragile unity began to crumble.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a mixture of flour and fat that is rubbed to the texture of breadcrumbs and cooked as a topping for fruit.

• sprinkle the crumble over the rhubarb.

2. (Brit.) a pudding made with crumble and fruit

• apple crumble.

– origin late Middle English: probably from an Old English word related to crumb.

crumbly /ˈkrʌmbli/

I. adjective

consisting of or easily breaking into small fragments

• the cheese has a sharp flavour and is crumbly and moist.

II. noun

‹informal› ‹humorous› ‹derogatory› an old person

• the high proportion of crumblies in the population.

III. derivatives

crumbliness

noun

crumbs /krʌmz/

I. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to express dismay or surprise

• ‘Crumbs,’ said Emily, ‘how embarrassing.’.

– origin late 19th cent.: euphemism for Christ.

crumb structure

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the porous structure or condition of soil when its particles are moderately aggregated.

• good crumb structure depends on the amounts of clay and organic matter in the soil.

crumby /ˈkrʌmi/

adjective

1. resembling or covered in crumbs.

2. variant spelling of crummy.

crummy /ˈkrʌmi / ‹informal› crumby

I. adjective

1. dirty, unpleasant, or of poor quality

• a crummy little room.

2. unwell

• I've been feeling pretty crummy the last few days.

II. noun

(N. Amer.) a truck used to transport loggers to and from work.

III. derivatives

1. crummily

adverb

2. crumminess

noun

– origin mid 19th cent. (earlier in the literal senses ‘crumbly’ and ‘like or covered with crumbs’): variant of crumby.

crump /krʌmp/

I. noun

a loud thudding sound, especially one made by an exploding bomb or shell.

• the crump of shells could be heard hours later.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a loud, thudding sound.

• we heard the cannon crumping.

– origin mid 17th cent.: imitative. The original sense (as a verb) was ‘munch, crunch’, later ‘hit hard’ (used initially as a term in the game of cricket), and then the military sense ‘bombard’ (First World War).

crumpet /ˈkrʌmpɪt/

I. noun

1. a thick, flat, savoury cake with a soft, porous texture, made from a yeast mixture cooked on a griddle and eaten toasted and buttered.

2. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) ‹informal› people, especially women, regarded as objects of sexual desire

• fat chance of our running into any crumpet

• [in sing.] he's the thinking woman's crumpet.

3. ‹archaic› ‹informal› a person's head.

II. phrases

be not worth a crumpet

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› be of no value

• the certificate that they hold is not worth a crumpet.

– origin late 17th cent.: of unknown origin. Sense 2 dates from the 1930s.

crumple /ˈkrʌmp(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. crush (something, typically paper or cloth) so that it becomes creased and wrinkled

• he crumpled up the paper bag

• (as adj. crumpled) a crumpled sheet.

2. [no obj.] — become creased, bent, or crooked

• the bumper crumpled as it glanced off the wall.

3. [no obj.] — (of a person) suddenly flop down to the ground

• she crumpled to the floor in a dead faint

• ‹figurative› her composure crumpled.

4. [no obj.] — (of a person's face) suddenly sag and show an expression of desolation

• the child's face crumpled and he began to howl.

II. noun

a crushed fold, crease, or wrinkle.

III. derivatives

crumply

adjective

– origin Middle English: from obsolete crump ‘make or become curved’, from Old English crump ‘bent, crooked’, of West Germanic origin; related to German krumm.

crumple zone

noun

a part of a motor vehicle, especially the extreme front and rear, designed to crumple easily in a crash and absorb the main force of an impact.

crunch /krʌn(t)ʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. crush (a hard or brittle foodstuff) with the teeth, making a loud but muffled grinding sound

• she paused to crunch a ginger biscuit.

2. [no obj.] — make a crunching sound, especially when walking or driving over gravel or an icy surface.

• footsteps began to crunch across the frozen rock.

• the snow crunched as we walked.

3. (especially of a computer) process (large quantities of information)

• the program crunches data from 14,000 sensors to decipher evolving patterns.

II. noun

1. [usu. in sing.] — a loud muffled grinding sound like that of something hard or brittle being crushed

• Marco's fist struck Brian's nose with a crunch.

2. ( the crunch) — ‹informal› a crucial point or situation, typically one at which a decision with important consequences must be made

• when it comes to the crunch you chicken out.

3. a severe shortage of money or credit

• the agencies are facing a financial crunch.

4. a physical exercise designed to strengthen the abdominal muscles; a sit-up.

– origin early 19th cent. (as a verb): variant of 17th-cent. cranch (probably imitative), by association with crush and munch.

cruncher /ˈkrʌntʃə/

noun

1. ‹informal› a critical or vital point; a crucial or difficult question.

• the big cruncher—have you got anything to contribute to skating?

2. ‹informal› a computer, system, or person able to perform very large or complex operations

• a global information cruncher.

See also number cruncher.

crunchy /ˈkrʌntʃi/

I. adjective

1. making a sharp noise when bitten or crushed

• bake until the topping is crunchy.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› politically liberal and environmentally aware

• a song that incorporates whale-singing seems pretty crunchy.

II. derivatives

1. crunchily

adverb

2. crunchiness

noun

crunk

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of hip-hop music characterized by repeatedly shouted catchphrases and elements typical of electronic dance music, such as prominent bass.

• at the heart of this conviction is a total lack of pretence combined with a genuine passion for music in all its many varieties, from rave to rock and punk to crunk.

II. adjective

(US) ‹informal› very excited or full of energy

• get crunk with some raw hip hop.

– origin 1990s (as adjective): perhaps an altered past participle of crank^1 or a blend of crazy and drunk.

cruor /ˈkruːɔː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› coagulated blood; gore.

– origin mid 17th cent: Latin.

crupper /ˈkrʌpə/

I. noun

a strap buckled to the back of a saddle and looped under the horse's tail to prevent the saddle or harness from slipping forward.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cropiere, related to croupe (see croup^2). Compare with croupier.

crural /ˈkrʊər(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [Anatomy] [Zoology] relating to the leg or the thigh.

2. [Anatomy] [Zoology] relating to any part called ‘crus’, for example, the crura cerebri.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin cruralis, from crus, crur- ‘leg’.

crus /krʌs/

I. noun

[Anatomy] an elongated part of an anatomical structure, especially one which occurs in the body as a pair.
See crus cerebri.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin, ‘leg’.

crusade /kruːˈseɪd/

I. noun

1. ( Crusade) — each of a series of medieval military expeditions made by Europeans to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries.

• the fanaticism engendered by the Crusades.

• in 1204 the armies of the Fourth Crusade sacked Constantinople.

2. a war instigated for alleged religious ends.

• the Albigensian crusades.

3. a vigorous campaign for political, social, or religious change

• a crusade against crime.

II. verb — [no obj.] (often as adj. crusading)

1. lead or take part in a vigorous campaign for social, political, or religious change

• a crusading stance on poverty.

– origin late 16th cent. (originally as croisade): from French croisade, an alteration (influenced by Spanish cruzado) of earlier croisée, literally ‘the state of being marked with the cross’, based on Latin crux, cruc- ‘cross’; in the 17th cent. the form crusado, from Spanish cruzado, was introduced. The blending of these two forms led to the current spelling, first recorded in the early 18th cent.

crusader /kruːˈseɪdə/

noun

1. ( Crusader) — a fighter in the medieval Crusades.

2. a person who campaigns vigorously for political, social, or religious change; a campaigner

• crusaders for early detection and treatment of mental illnesses.

crus cerebri /ˈsɛrɪbrʌɪ/

I. noun

[Anatomy] either of two symmetrical tracts of nerve fibres at the base of the midbrain, linking the pons and the cerebral hemispheres.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘leg of the brain’.

cruse /kruːz/

I. noun

‹archaic› an earthenware pot or jar.

– origin Old English crūse, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kroes and German Krause; reinforced in Middle English by Low German krūs.

crush /krʌʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deform, pulverize, or force inwards by compressing forcefully

• you can crush a pill between two spoons

• a labourer was crushed to death by a lorry

• (as adj. crushed) the crushed remains of a Ford Cortina.

2. crease or crumple (cloth or paper).

3. violently subdue (opposition or a rebellion)

• the government had taken elaborate precautions to crush any resistance.

4. make (someone) feel overwhelmingly disappointed or embarrassed

• I was crushed—was I not good enough?

• (as adj. crushing) the news came as a crushing blow.

II. noun

1. [usu. in sing.] — a crowd of people pressed closely together

• a number of youngsters fainted in the crush.

2. ‹informal› a brief but intense infatuation for someone, especially someone unattainable

• she did have a crush on Dr Russell.

3. a person with whom someone is infatuated

• it turns out she thought you were flirting with her crush.

4. [ mass noun] — a drink made from the juice of pressed fruit

• lemon crush.

5. (also crush pen) — a fenced passage with one narrow end, used for handling cattle or sheep.

III. phrasal verbs

crush on

(US) ‹informal› be infatuated with

• he's awesome, so it wasn't too surprising that other girls were crushing on him.

IV. derivatives

1. crushable

adjective

2. crusher /ˈkrʌʃə /

noun

3. crushingly /ˈkrʌʃɪŋli /

adverb

– origin Middle English: from Old French cruissir, ‘gnash (teeth) or crack’, of unknown origin.

crush bar

noun

(Brit.) a bar in a theatre or opera house selling drinks to the audience in the interval.

crush barrier

noun

(Brit.) a barrier, especially a temporary one, for restraining a crowd.

crushed velvet

noun — [ mass noun]

1. velvet which has its nap pointing in different directions in irregular patches.

crush zone

noun

another term for crumple zone.

crusie /ˈkruːzi / cruisie

I. noun

1. (Scottish) ‹historical› a small oil lamp with a handle.

2. (Scottish) ‹historical› a triangular candlestick.

– origin early 16th cent.: perhaps representing French creuset ‘crucible’.

crust /krʌst/

I. noun

1. the tough outer part of a loaf of bread

• a sandwich with the crusts cut off

• [ mass noun] I tore off several pieces of crust from the loaf.

2. a hard, dry scrap of bread

• a kindly old woman might give her a crust.

3. a hardened layer, coating, or deposit on the surface of something soft

• a crust of snow.

4. a layer of pastry covering a pie.

5. the outermost layer of rock of which a planet consists, especially the part of the earth above the mantle

• the earth's crust.

6. a deposit of tartrates and other substances formed in wine aged in the bottle, especially port.

7. (Brit.) ‹informal› a living or livelihood

• I've been earning a crust wherever I can.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. form into a hard outer layer

• the blisters eventually crust over.

2. [with obj.] — cover with a hard outer layer

• the burns crusted his cheek.

III. derivatives

crustal /ˈkrʌst(ə)l /

adjective

[Geology]

– origin Middle English: from Old French crouste, from Latin crusta ‘rind, shell, crust’.

Crustacea /krʌˈsteɪʃ(ə)/

I. plural noun

1. [Zoology] a large group of mainly aquatic arthropods which include crabs, lobsters, shrimps, woodlice, barnacles, and many minute forms. They are very diverse, but most have four or more pairs of limbs and several other appendages.
●Subphylum (or phylum) Crustacea.

2. ( crustacea) — [Zoology] arthropods of the group Crustacea.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from crusta (see crust).

crustacean /krʌˈsteɪʃn / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

an arthropod of the large, mainly aquatic group Crustacea, such as a crab, lobster, shrimp, or barnacle.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting crustaceans.

III. derivatives

crustaceous /krʌˈsteɪʃəs /

adjective

crusted /ˈkrʌstɪd/

adjective

1. having or forming a hard outer layer

• she washed away the crusted blood.

2. denoting a style of unfiltered, blended port which deposits a sediment in the bottle.

3. old-fashioned or venerable

• a crusted establishment figure.

crustose /ˈkrʌstəʊs/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a lichen or alga) forming or resembling a crust.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin crustosus, from crusta (see crust).

crusty /ˈkrʌsti/

I. adjective

1. having or acting as a hard outer layer or covering

• crusty bread

• Lake Manyara was ringed by crusty salt deposits.

2. (especially of an old person) easily irritated

• a crusty old Scots judge.

II. noun

‹informal› a young person who is homeless or travels constantly, has a shabby appearance, and rejects conventional values.

• she cuts a curious figure amid the crusties and mud-stained tree-huggers.

III. derivatives

1. crustily /ˈkrʌstɪli /

adverb

2. crustiness /ˈkrʌstɪnəs /

noun

crutch /krʌtʃ/

I. noun

1. a long stick with a crosspiece at the top, used as a support under the armpit by a lame person.

2. [in sing.] — a thing used for support or reassurance

• they use the Internet as a crutch for their loneliness.

3. the crotch of the body or a garment.

• a black skirt that barely hid her crutch.

• overalls reinforced with leather where the crutch took the saddle's chafing.

– origin Old English crycc, cryc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kruk and German Krücke.

Crutched Friars

I. an order of mendicant friars established in Italy by 1169, which spread to England, France, and the Low Countries in the 13th century and was suppressed in 1656.

– origin crutched (earlier crouched), from Latin crux, cruc- ‘cross’, referring to the cross worn on the top of their staves, and later on the front of their habits.

crutchings /ˈkrʌtʃɪŋz/

I. plural noun

(Austral./NZ) wool clipped from the hindquarters of a sheep

• the wool comprised mostly crutchings and other oddments.

– origin early 20th cent.: from ‘crutch’ in the verb sense ‘cut off the wool from the hindquarters of a sheep’.

crux /krʌks/

I. noun — ( the crux)

1. the decisive or most important point at issue

• the crux of the matter is that attitudes have changed.

2. a particular point of difficulty

• both cruces can be resolved by a consideration of the manuscripts.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting a representation of a cross, chiefly in crux ansata ‘ankh’, literally ‘cross with a handle’): from Latin, literally ‘cross’.

Crux /krʌks / ‹Astronomy›

I. the smallest constellation (the Cross or Southern Cross), but the most familiar one to observers in the southern hemisphere. It contains the bright star Acrux, the ‘Jewel Box’ star cluster, and most of the Coalsack nebula. Formerly called Crux Australis.

II. (as genitive Crucis) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Beta Crucis.

– origin Latin.

Cruyff, Johan /krɔɪf/

(b.1947), Dutch footballer and football manager. An attacking midfielder, he was a member of the Ajax team that won three consecutive European Cup Finals (1971–3) and captained the Netherlands in their World Cup Final defeat by West Germany (1974).

cruzado /kruːˈzɑːdəʊ/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Brazil from 1988 to 1990, equal to 100 centavos.

– origin from Portuguese cruzado, crusado ‘marked with the cross’.

cruzeiro /kruːˈzɛːrəʊ/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Brazil from 1990 to 1993, equal to 100 centavos.

– origin Portuguese, literally ‘large cross’.

cry /krʌɪ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. shed tears in distress, pain, or sorrow

• don't cry—it'll be all right

• [with obj.] you'll cry tears of joy.

2. shout or scream in fear, pain, or grief

• the little girl fell down and cried for mummy.

3. [with direct speech] — say something loudly in an excited or anguished tone of voice

• ‘Where will it end?’ he cried out.

4. [with obj.] — (of a street trader) shout out the name of (goods for sale)

• there was a bustle of activity as vendors cried their wares, offering shellfish to potential buyers.

5. (of a bird or other animal) make a loud characteristic call

• the wild birds cried out over the water.

II. noun

1. a loud inarticulate shout or scream expressing a powerful feeling or emotion

• a cry of despair.

2. a loud excited utterance of a word or words

• there was a cry of ‘Silence!’.

3. the call of a street trader selling goods

• the city comes to life after 10 p.m., with the din of car horns, and the cries of street hawkers.

4. an urgent appeal or entreaty

• fund-raisers have issued a cry for help.

5. a demand or opinion expressed by many people

• peace became the popular cry.

6. the loud characteristic call of a bird or other animal.

• the harsh cries of magpies.

7. a spell of shedding tears

• I still have a cry, sometimes, when I realize that my mother is dead.

8. ‹rare› a pack of hounds

• he kept a cry of hounds to hunt in the wilderness.

III. phrases

1. cry one's eyes (or heart) out

weep bitterly and at length.

• I cried my eyes out when he fired me.

2. cry for the moon

ask for what is unattainable or impossible.

• there must be no more self-pity, no more time wasted on crying for the moon.

3. cry foul

protest strongly about a real or imagined wrong or injustice.

• deprived of the crushing victory it was confidently expecting, the party cried foul.

4. cry from the heart

a passionate and honest appeal or protest.

5. cry it out

a. weep until one is soothed or exhausted

• he broke your heart—cry it out, girl

• at 18–24 months, we did have to let our son cry it out a little.

b. ( cry-it-out) — denoting a method of sleep training in which a young child is left to fall asleep on their own and not immediately comforted when they cry

• she created developmentally appropriate strategies to help parents thrive without resorting to cry-it-out sleep training.

6. cry stinking fish

(Brit.) disparage one's own efforts or products.

• those in racing should go forward together and stop crying stinking fish.

7. cry wolf

see wolf.

8. for crying out loud

‹informal› used to express one's irritation or impatience

• why do you have to take everything so personally, for crying out loud?

9. in full cry

a. (of hounds) baying in keen pursuit.

• the fox broke and the hounds followed in full cry.

b. expressing an opinion loudly and forcefully

• the prime minister was in full cry with warnings against the plots of the Americans.

10. it's no use crying over spilt milk

see milk.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. cry off

(Brit.) ‹informal› go back on a promise or fail to keep to an arrangement

• we were going to Spain together and he cried off at the last moment.

2. cry out for

demand as a self-evident requirement or solution

• the scheme cries out for reform.

3. cry someone/thing up (or down)

‹dated› praise (or disparage) someone or something

• when one of them does something wrong, they cry down the lot.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘ask for earnestly or loudly’): from Old French crier (verb), cri (noun), from Latin quiritare ‘raise a public outcry’, literally ‘call on the Quirites (Roman citizens) for help’.

crybaby /ˈkrʌɪbeɪbi/

noun

a person, especially a child, who sheds tears frequently or readily.

cryer

noun

archaic spelling of crier.

crying /ˈkrʌɪɪŋ/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. very great

• it would be a crying shame to let some other woman have it.

cryo- /ˈkrʌɪəʊ/

I. combining form

involving or producing cold, especially extreme cold

• cryostat

• cryosurgery.

– origin from Greek kruos ‘frost’.

cryobiology /ˌkrʌɪəʊbʌɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of biology which deals with the properties of organisms and tissues at low temperatures.

II. derivatives

1. cryobiological

adjective

2. cryobiologist

noun

cryogen /ˈkrʌɪə(ʊ)dʒ(ə)n/

noun

a substance used to produce very low temperatures.

cryogenic /krʌɪə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to or involving the branch of physics that deals with the production and effects of very low temperatures

• a powerful cryogenic engine.

2. relating to the deep-freezing of the bodies of people who have just died, in the hope that scientific advances may allow them to be revived in the future

• a body being prepared for cryogenic preservation.

II. derivatives

cryogenically

adverb

cryogenics /ˌkrʌɪə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of physics dealing with the production and effects of very low temperatures.

2. another term for cryonics.

cryoglobulin /ˌkrʌɪə(ʊ)ˈɡlɒbjʊlɪn/

noun

[Biochemistry] a protein which occurs in the blood in certain disorders. It can be precipitated out of solution below 10°C, causing obstruction in the fingers and toes.

cryolite /ˈkrʌɪəlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white or colourless mineral consisting of a fluoride of sodium and aluminium. It is added to bauxite as a flux in aluminium smelting.

– origin early 19th cent.: from cryo- ‘cold, frost’ (because the main deposits are found in Greenland) + -lite.

cryonics /krʌɪˈɒnɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the practice or technique of deep-freezing the bodies of people who have just died, in the hope that scientific advances may allow them to be revived in the future.

II. derivatives

1. cryonic

adjective

2. cryonically

adverb

– origin 1960s: contraction of cryogenics.

cryoprecipitate /ˌkrʌɪəʊprɪˈsɪpɪtət/

noun

1. [chiefly Biochemistry] a substance precipitated from a solution, especially from the blood, at low temperatures.

2. [ mass noun] — [Medicine] an extract rich in a blood-clotting factor obtained as a residue when frozen blood plasma is thawed.

cryopreserve

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Biology] [Medicine] preserve (cells or tissues) by cooling them below the freezing point of water.

• several major problems hinder attempts to cryopreserve large mammalian organs.

II. derivatives

cryopreservation

noun

cryoprotectant

noun

[Physiology] a substance that prevents the freezing of tissues, or prevents damage to cells during freezing.

cryostat /ˈkrʌɪə(ʊ)stat/

noun

1. an apparatus for maintaining a very low temperature.

2. a cold chamber in which frozen tissue is divided with a microtome.
[as modifier]

• cryostat sections about 5μm thick.

cryosurgery /krʌɪəʊˈsəːdʒ(ə)ri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. surgery using the local application of intense cold to destroy unwanted tissue.

cryotherapy /ˌkrʌɪə(ʊ)ˈθɛrəpi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of extreme cold in surgery or other medical treatment.

crypt /krɪpt/

I. noun

1. an underground room or vault beneath a church, used as a chapel or burial place.

2. [Anatomy] a small tubular gland, pit, or recess.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘cavern’): from Latin crypta, from Greek kruptē ‘a vault’, from kruptos ‘hidden’.

cryptanalysis /ˌkrɪptəˈnalɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art or process of deciphering coded messages without being told the key.

II. derivatives

1. cryptanalyst

noun

2. cryptanalytic

adjective

3. cryptanalytical

adjective

– origin 1920s: from crypto- + analysis.

cryptic /ˈkrɪptɪk/

I. adjective

1. having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure

• he found his boss's utterances too cryptic.

2. (of a crossword) having difficult clues which indicate the solutions indirectly.

3. [Zoology] (of coloration or markings) serving to camouflage an animal in its natural environment.

• cryptic plumage is thought to minimize predation.

II. derivatives

cryptically /ˈkrɪptɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin crypticus, from Greek kruptikos, from kruptos ‘hidden’. Sense 2 dates from the late 19th cent.

cryptid /ˈkrɪptɪd/

I. noun

an animal whose existence or survival is disputed or unsubstantiated, such as the yeti.

– origin 1990s: from crypto- + -id^3.

crypto- /ˈkrɪptəʊ/

I. combining form

concealed; secret

• cryptogram.

– origin from Greek kruptos ‘hidden’.

cryptobiont /ˌkrɪptəʊˈbʌɪɒnt/

noun

[Biology] an organism capable of cryptobiosis.

cryptobiosis /ˌkrɪptə(ʊ)bʌɪˈəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] a physiological state in which metabolic activity is reduced to an undetectable level without disappearing altogether. It is known in certain plant and animal groups adapted to survive periods of extremely dry conditions.

cryptobiotic

adjective

1. [Biology] relating to or capable of cryptobiosis.

2. [Biology] denoting primitive organisms of the kind presumed to have existed in earlier geological periods but to have left no trace of their existence.

cryptococcosis /ˌkrɪptə(ʊ)kəˈkəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] infestation with a yeast-like fungus, resulting in tumours in the lungs and sometimes spreading to the brain. It occurs chiefly in the United States. Also called torulosis.
●The fungus is Cryptococcus neoformans, subdivision Deuteromycotina (or class Teliomycetes).

II. derivatives

cryptococcal

adjective

– origin 1930s: from modern Latin Cryptococcus (part of the binomial of the fungus) + -osis.

cryptocrystalline

adjective

having a crystalline structure visible only when magnified.

• non-porous cryptocrystalline limestone.

cryptocurrency /ˈkrɪptəʊˌkʌr(ə)nsi/

I. noun

a digital currency in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of units of currency and verify the transfer of funds, operating independently of a central bank

• decentralized cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin now provide an outlet for personal wealth that is beyond restriction and confiscation.

– origin early 21st cent.: from crypto- + currency.

cryptogam /ˈkrɪptə(ʊ)ɡam/

I. noun

[Botany] ‹dated› a plant that has no true flowers or seeds, including ferns, mosses, liverworts, lichens, algae, and fungi.

II. derivatives

cryptogamous

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French cryptogame, from modern Latin cryptogamae (plantae), denoting non-flowering plants, from Greek kruptos ‘hidden’ + gamos ‘marriage’ (because the means of reproduction was not apparent).

cryptogamic /krɪptə(ʊ)ˈɡamɪk/

adjective

1. [Botany] relating to or denoting cryptogams.

2. [Ecology] (of a desert soil or surface crust) covered with or consisting of a fragile black layer of cyanobacteria, mosses, and lichens, which is often important in preventing erosion.

cryptogenic /ˌkrɪptəʊˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

(of a disease) of obscure or uncertain origin.

cryptogram /ˈkrɪptə(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

a text written in code.

cryptograph /ˈkrɪptəɡrɑːf/

noun

1. ‹rare› a coded message

• you must solve the cryptograph to find the correct coordinates.

2. ‹rare› a device for encoding or decoding messages

• in 1867 he unveiled his cryptograph, which used two clock-like hands, connected by gears.

cryptography /krɪpˈtɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art of writing or solving codes.

II. derivatives

1. cryptographer /krɪpˈtɒɡrəfə /

noun

2. cryptographic /ˌkrɪptəˈɡrafɪk /

adjective

3. cryptographically

adverb

cryptology /krɪpˈtɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of codes, or the art of writing and solving them.

II. derivatives

1. cryptological

adjective

2. cryptologist

noun

cryptomeria /ˌkrɪptə(ʊ)ˈmɪərɪə/

I. noun

a tall conical coniferous tree with long, curved, spirally arranged leaves and short cones. Native to China and Japan, it is grown for timber in Japan. Also called Japanese cedar.
● Cryptomeria japonica, family Taxodiaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from crypto- ‘hidden’ + Greek meros ‘part’ (because the seeds are concealed by scales).

cryptonym /ˈkrɪptənɪm/

I. noun

a code name.

II. derivatives

cryptonymous

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from crypto- ‘hidden’ + -onym.

cryptorchid /ˌkrɪpˈtɔːkɪd/

noun

[Medicine] a person suffering from cryptorchidism.

cryptorchidism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which one or both of the testes fail to descend from the abdomen into the scrotum.

– origin late 19th cent.: from crypto- ‘hidden’ + Greek orkhis, orkhid- ‘testicle’ + -ism.

cryptosporidiosis /ˌkrɪptə(ʊ)spərɪdɪˈəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an intestinal condition caused by infection with cryptosporidium, causing diarrhoea and vomiting.

cryptosporidium /ˌkrɪptə(ʊ)spɒˈrɪdɪəm/

I. noun

a parasitic coccidian protozoan found in the intestinal tract of many vertebrates, where it sometimes causes disease.
●Genus Cryptosporidium, phylum Sporozoa.

– origin early 20th cent.: from crypto- ‘concealed’ + modern Latin sporidium ‘small spore’.

cryptozoic /ˌkrɪptəˈzəʊɪk/

I. adjective

[Ecology] (of small invertebrates) living on the ground but hidden in the leaf litter under stones or pieces of wood.

• scorpions are shy or cryptozoic.

II. derivatives

cryptozoa

plural noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kruptos ‘hidden’ + zōē ‘life’ + -ic.

Cryptozoic /ˌkrɪptəˈzəʊɪk/

I. adjective

[Geology] relating to or denoting the period (the Precambrian) in which rocks contain no, or only slight, traces of living organisms.
Compare with Phanerozoic.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek kruptos ‘hidden’ + zōē ‘life’ + -ic.

cryptozoology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the search for and study of animals whose existence or survival is disputed or unsubstantiated, such as the Loch Ness monster and the yeti.

II. derivatives

1. cryptozoological

adjective

2. cryptozoologist

noun

crystal /ˈkrɪst(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a piece of a homogeneous solid substance having a natural geometrically regular form with symmetrically arranged plane faces.

• a quartz crystal.

• ice crystals formed where his breath froze.

2. [Chemistry] any solid consisting of a symmetrical, ordered, three-dimensional aggregation of atoms or molecules.

3. [Electronics] a crystalline piece of semiconductor used as an oscillator or transducer.

4. [ mass noun] — a clear transparent mineral, especially quartz.

• cups cut from crystal.

5. a piece of crystalline substance believed to have healing powers.

6. (also crystal glass) [ mass noun] — highly transparent glass with a high refractive index
[as modifier]

• a crystal chandelier.

7. articles made of crystal glass

• a collection of crystal.

8. [ count noun] — the glass over a watch face.

9. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› short for crystal meth (methamphetamine).

II. adjective

clear and transparent like crystal

• the clean crystal waters of the lake.

III. phrases

crystal clear /ˌkrɪstəl ˈklɪə /

a. completely transparent and unclouded.

• careful restoration work had turned the once polluted waters of the river crystal clear.

b. unambiguous; easily understood.

• the house rules are crystal clear.

– origin late Old English (denoting ice or a mineral resembling it), from Old French cristal, from Latin crystallum, from Greek krustallos ‘ice, crystal’. The chemistry sense dates from the early 17th cent.

crystal axis

noun

each of three axes used to define the edges of the unit cell of a crystal.

crystal ball

noun

a solid globe of glass or rock crystal, used by fortune-tellers and clairvoyants for crystal-gazing.

crystal class

noun

each of thirty-two categories of crystals classified according to the possible combinations of symmetry elements possessed by the crystal lattice.

crystal form

noun

a set of crystal faces defined according to their relationship to the crystal axes.

crystal gazer

noun

1. a person who looks intently into a crystal ball with the aim of seeing images relating to future or distant events

• fortune tellers of all stripes, including crystal gazers.

2. a person who attempts to forecast the future

• for France, most crystal gazers see around 4% economic growth.

crystal-gazing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. looking intently into a crystal ball with the aim of seeing images relating to future or distant events.

2. attempting to forecast the future.

crystal healing crystal therapy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of the supposed healing powers of crystals in alternative medicine.

crystal lattice

noun

the symmetrical three-dimensional arrangement of atoms inside a crystal.

crystallin /ˈkrɪst(ə)lɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a protein of the globulin class present in the lens of the eye.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin crystallum ‘crystal’ + -in^1.

crystalline /ˈkrɪst(ə)lʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. having the structure and form of a crystal; composed of crystals

• a crystalline rock.

2. ‹literary› very clear

• he writes a crystalline prose.

II. derivatives

crystallinity

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French cristallin, via Latin from Greek krustallinos, from krustallos (see crystal).

crystalline lens

noun

the transparent elastic structure behind the iris by which light is focused on to the retina of the eye.

crystalline sphere

noun

‹historical› (in ancient and medieval astronomy) a transparent sphere of the heavens postulated to lie between the fixed stars and the primum mobile and to account for the precession of the equinox and other motions.

crystallite /ˈkrɪst(ə)lʌɪt/

noun

1. an individual perfect crystal or region of regular crystalline structure in the substance of a material, typically of a metal or a partly crystalline polymer.

2. a very small crystal.

crystallize /ˈkrɪst(ə)lʌɪz / crystallise

I. verb

1. form or cause to form crystals
[no obj.]

• when most liquids freeze they crystallize.

2. (usu. as adj. crystallized) — coat and impregnate (fruit or petals) with sugar as a means of preserving them

• a box of crystallized fruits.

3. make or become definite and clear

• vague feelings of unrest crystallized into something more concrete

• [with obj.] writing can help to crystallize your thoughts.

4. [Finance] convert or be converted from a floating charge into a fixed charge.

• no deduction is given for contingent liabilities until they crystallize.

• [with obj.] the sale may not crystallize the charge.

II. derivatives

1. crystallizable /ˈkrɪst(ə)ˌlʌɪzəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. crystallization /ˌkrɪst(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

crystallography /ˌkrɪstəˈlɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of science concerned with the structure and properties of crystals.

II. derivatives

1. crystallographer /ˌkrɪstəˈlɒɡrəfə /

noun

2. crystallographic /ˌkrɪstələˈɡrafɪk /

adjective

3. crystallographically

adverb

crystalloid /ˈkrɪst(ə)lɔɪd/

I. adjective

resembling a crystal in shape or structure.

II. noun

1. [Botany] a small crystal-like mass of protein in a plant cell.

2. [Chemistry] a substance that, when dissolved, forms a true solution rather than a colloid and is able to pass through a semipermeable membrane.

crystal meth

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› crystal methamphetamine (the drug methamphetamine in a powdered crystalline form)

• she has been in custody since October after allegedly being found with 1.73 grams of crystal meth.

crystal methamphetamine

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the drug methamphetamine in a powdered crystalline form, used illegally as a stimulant

• crystal methamphetamine worth 22 million euros has been seized by police in the second major drug bust in ten days.

Crystal Palace

a large building of prefabricated iron and glass resembling a giant greenhouse, designed by Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park, London, and re-erected at Sydenham near Croydon; it was accidentally burnt down in 1936.

crystal set crystal radio

noun

a simple early form of radio receiver with a crystal touching a metal wire as the rectifier (instead of a valve or transistor), and no amplifier or loudspeaker, necessitating headphones or an earphone.

crystal system

noun

each of seven categories of crystals (cubic, tetragonal, orthorhombic, trigonal, hexagonal, monoclinic, and triclinic) classified according to the possible relations of the crystal axes.

crystal violet

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic violet dye, related to rosaniline, used as a stain in microscopy and as an antiseptic in the treatment of skin infections.

crystalware /ˈkrɪst(ə)lwɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ornaments and articles made from crystal glass

• the finalists all received bouquets and crystalware.

Cs

symbol

the chemical element caesium.

CS

abbreviation

1. (Brit.) chartered surveyor.

2. (Brit.) Civil Service.

3. (Brit.) Court of Session.

c/s

abbreviation

cycles per second.

CSA

abbreviation

Child Support Agency.

csardas /ˈtʃɑːdaʃ, ˈzɑːdəs / czardas

I. noun

a Hungarian dance with a slow introduction and a fast, wild finish.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Hungarian csárdás, from csárda ‘inn’.

CSC

abbreviation

(Brit.) Civil Service Commission.

CSE

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the UK except Scotland) a qualification in a specific subject formerly taken by school students aged 14–16, at a level below O level. It was replaced in 1988 by the GCSE.

2. [ count noun] — a CSE exam or pass.

• a CSE in French.

• Gary left school with just four CSEs.

• [as modifier] CSE examinations.

– origin 1960s: short for Certificate of Secondary Education.

C-section

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a caesarean section.

CS gas /siːɛsˈɡas/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a powerful form of tear gas used particularly in the control of riots.

– origin 1960s: from the initials of Ben B. Corson (1896–1987) and Roger W. Stoughton (1906–57), the American chemists who discovered the properties of the chemical in 1928.

CSIRO

abbreviation

(in Australia) Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.

CSM

abbreviation

1. command and service modules (see command module).

2. (in the UK) Committee on Safety of Medicines.

3. Company Sergeant Major.

CSR

abbreviation

1. (Brit.) comprehensive spending review.

2. corporate social responsibility.

CST /siːɛsˈtiː/

abbreviation

Central Standard Time (see Central time).

CSU

abbreviation

(in the UK) Civil Service Union.

ct

abbreviation

1. carat

• 18 ct gold.

2. cent.

CT

abbreviation

1. computerized (or computed) tomography.

• a CT scan.

2. Connecticut (in official postal use).

CTC

abbreviation

1. City Technology College.

2. (in the UK) Cyclists' Touring Club.

ctenidium /tɪˈnɪdɪəm/

I. noun

[Zoology] a comb-like structure, especially a respiratory organ or gill in a mollusc, consisting of an axis with a row of projecting filaments.

– origin late 19th cent.; modern Latin, from Greek ktenidion, diminutive of kteis, kten- ‘comb’.

ctenoid /ˈtiːnɔɪd/

I. adjective

[Zoology] (of fish scales) having many tiny projections on the edge like the teeth of a comb, as in many bony fishes.
Compare with ganoid and placoid.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kteis, kten- ‘comb’ + -oid.

Ctenophora /tiːˈnɒfərə, tɛːˈnɒfərə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a small phylum of aquatic invertebrates that comprises the comb jellies.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek kteis, kten- ‘comb’ + pherein ‘to bear’.

ctenophore /ˈtiːnəfɔː, ˈtɛːnəfɔː/

noun

[Zoology] an aquatic invertebrate of the phylum Ctenophora, which comprises the comb jellies.

Ctesiphon /ˈtɛsɪf(ə)n/

an ancient city on the Tigris near Baghdad, capital of the Parthian kingdom from c. 224 and then of Persia under the Sassanian dynasty. It was taken by the Arabs in 636 and destroyed in the 8th century.

CTO

noun

a chief technology (or technical) officer, a senior executive with responsibility for managing the technological requirements of a company or other institution.

C2C /ˌsiːtəˈsiː/

abbreviation

consumer-to-consumer, denoting transactions conducted via the Internet between consumers.

CTS

abbreviation

carpal tunnel syndrome.

CTT

abbreviation

capital transfer tax.

Cu

I. symbol

the chemical element copper.

– origin from late Latin cuprum.

CU

abbreviation

1. Christian Union.

2. ‹informal› see you.

cu.

abbreviation

cubic (in units of measurement: for example, cu. ft. = cubic feet).

cuadrilla /kwɒˈdriːljə, kwɒˈdriːjə/

I. noun

a matador's team.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Spanish.

cuartel /kwɑːˈtɛl/

I. noun

a military barracks in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries

• ‘Pasaporte,’ demands the sour-faced officer at the cuartel.

– origin mid 19th cent.ː Spanish, from cuarta ‘quarter’.

cuatro /ˈkwatrəʊ/

I. noun

a small guitar, typically with four (or five) single or paired strings, used in Latin American and Caribbean folk music, especially in Puerto Rico.

– origin Latin American Spanish, literally ‘four’.

cub /kʌb/

I. noun

1. the young of a fox, bear, lion, or other carnivorous mammal.

• she was as protective as a tiger with her cubs.

• a fox cub.

2. ‹archaic› a young man, especially one who is awkward or bad-mannered.

• his sons are as yet mere cubs.

3. ( Cubs) — a junior branch of the Scout Association, for boys aged about 8 to 11.

• she tells an anecdote about his wanting to join the Cubs.

4. (also Cub Scout) — a member of the Cubs.

• I was a Cub and already impatient to move up to the Scouts.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. give birth to cubs

• both share the same earth during the first ten days after cubbing.

2. hunt fox cubs

• members of the Grafton Hunt were out cubbing.

III. derivatives

cubhood

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

Cuba /ˈkjuːbə/

1. a Caribbean country, the largest and furthest west of the islands of the West Indies, situated at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico; pop. 11,451,700 (est. 2009); official language, Spanish; capital, Havana.

A Spanish colony, Cuba became nominally independent after the Spanish–American War of 1898 and achieved full autonomy in 1934. Fidel Castro led a communist revolution in 1959, and held the presidency until replaced by his brother Raúl Castro in 2008. The country suffered under a U.S. trade embargo and, after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern bloc, lost much of its trade.

cubage /ˈkjuːbɪdʒ/

noun

cubic content or capacity.

Cuba libre /ˌk(j)uːbə ˈliːbreɪ/

I. noun

a long drink typically containing lime juice and rum.

– origin American Spanish, ‘free Cuba’.

Cuban /ˈkjuːb(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to Cuba or its people

• a box of Cuban cigars

• the Cuban national team.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Cuba, or a person of Cuban descent

• the language spoken by nearly all Cubans is Spanish.

Cubango /kjuːˈbaŋɡəʊ/

another name for Okavango.

Cuban heel

noun

a moderately high straight-sided heel on a shoe or boot.

Cuban Missile Crisis

an international crisis in October 1962, the closest approach to nuclear war at any time between the US and the USSR. When the US discovered Soviet nuclear missiles on Cuba, President John F. Kennedy demanded their removal and announced a naval blockade of the island; the Soviet leader Khrushchev acceded to the US demands a week later.

cubature /ˈkjuːbətʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the determination of the volume of a solid.

– origin late 17th cent.: from the verb cube, on the pattern of quadrature.

cubby

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a cubbyhole.

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally Scots, denoting a straw basket): related to dialect cub ‘stall, pen, hutch’, of Low German origin.

cubbyhole /ˈkʌbɪhəʊl/

noun

1. a small enclosed space or room.

• she works in a cubbyhole next to his office.

2. (S. African) a glove compartment in a car.

cube /kjuːb/

I. noun

1. a symmetrical three-dimensional shape, either solid or hollow, contained by six equal squares.

• what is the surface area of a 2 cm cube?

• it was a rough shape, neither a cube nor a sphere.

2. a block of something with six sides

• a sugar cube.

3. a partitioned-off area in an office containing a desk; a cubicle.

4. [Mathematics] the product of a number multiplied by its square, represented by a superscript figure 3

• a body increasing in weight by the cube of its length.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Mathematics] raise (a number or value) to its cube.

• cube the deviations from the mean.

• 1200 metres cubed.

2. cut (food) into small cubes

• I bought sirloin from the butcher and cubed it myself.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French, or via Latin from Greek kubos.

cubeb /ˈkjuːbɛb/

I. noun

1. a tropical shrub of the pepper family, which bears pungent berries.
●Genus Piper, family Piperaceae: several species.

2. [ mass noun] — the dried unripe berries of the cubeb, used medicinally and to flavour cigarettes.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cubebe, from Spanish Arabic kubēba, from Arabic kubāba.

cube farm

noun

(chiefly US) a large office divided into cubicles for individual workers.

cube root

noun

the number which produces a given number when cubed.

cube steak cubed steak

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) steak that has been mechanically tenderized, a process that leaves a characteristic pattern of small indentations on the flattened surface of the meat

• the recipe calls for a family pack of cube steak.

cubic /ˈkjuːbɪk/

I. adjective

1. having the shape of a cube

• a cubic room.

2. denoting a crystal system or three-dimensional geometrical arrangement having three equal axes at right angles.

• the sodium and chloride ions form two intersecting cubic structures.

3. denoting a unit of measurement equal to the volume of a cube whose side is one of the linear units specified

• 15 billion cubic metres of water.

4. involving the cube (and no higher power) of a quantity or variable

• a cubic equation.

II. noun

[Mathematics] a cubic equation, or a curve described by one.

III. derivatives

1. cubical /ˈkjuːbɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. cubically

adverb

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘involving the cube (and no higher power)’): from Old French cubique, or via Latin from Greek kubikos, from kobos ‘cube’.

cubic capacity

noun

the volume contained by a hollow structure, expressed in litres, cubic centimetres, or other cubic units.

• the new crankshaft and pistons reduce the cubic capacity of the engine to 1171 cc.

cubic content

noun

the volume of a solid, often expressed in cubic metres.

cubicle /ˈkjuːbɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

a small partitioned-off area of a room, for example one containing a shower or toilet, or a desk in an office.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘bedroom’): from Latin cubiculum, from cubare ‘lie down’.

cubiform /ˈkjuːbɪfɔːm/

adjective

‹technical› cube-shaped

• the columns are thick and have cubiform capitals.

cubism /ˈkjuːbɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an early 20th-century style and movement in art, especially painting, in which perspective with a single viewpoint was abandoned and use was made of simple geometric shapes, interlocking planes, and, later, collage.

Cubism was a reaction against traditional modes of representation and impressionist concerns with light and colour. The style, created by Picasso and Braque and first named by the French critic Louis Vauxcelles in 1908, was inspired by the later work of Cézanne and by African sculpture.

II. derivatives

cubist /ˈkjuːbɪst /

noun, adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from French cubisme, from cube (see cube).

cubit /ˈkjuːbɪt/

I. noun

an ancient measure of length, approximately equal to the length of a forearm. It was typically about 18 inches or 44 cm, though there was a long cubit of about 21 inches or 52 cm.

– origin Middle English: from Latin cubitum ‘elbow, forearm, cubit’.

cubital /ˈkjuːbɪt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [Anatomy] of the forearm or the elbow

• the cubital vein.

2. [Entomology] of the cubitus.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin cubitalis, from cubitus ‘cubit’.

cubitus /ˈkjuːbɪtəs/

I. noun

[Entomology] the fifth longitudinal vein from the anterior edge of an insect's wing.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin.

cuboid /ˈkjuːbɔɪd/

I. adjective

more or less cubic in shape

• the school was a hideous cuboid erection of brick and glass.

II. noun

1. [Geometry] a solid which has six rectangular faces at right angles to each other.

2. (also cuboid bone) — [Anatomy] a squat tarsal bone on the outer side of the foot, articulating with the heel bone and the fourth and fifth metatarsals.

III. derivatives

cuboidal

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from modern Latin cuboides, from Greek kuboeidēs, from kubos (see cube).

cub reporter

noun

‹informal› a young or inexperienced newspaper reporter.

• he joined the paper as a cub reporter in 1917.

CUC

abbreviation

Cuban convertible peso(s).

cucking-stool /ˈkʌkɪŋstuːl/

I. noun

‹historical› a chair to which disorderly women were tied and then ducked into water or subjected to public ridicule as a punishment.

– origin Middle English: from obsolete cuck ‘defecate’, of Scandinavian origin; so named because a stool containing a chamber pot was often used for the purpose.

cuckold /ˈkʌk(ə)ld/

I. noun

‹dated› the husband of an adulteress, often regarded as an object of derision.

• jokes in literature about elderly cuckolds and misers are rife.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a man) make (another man) a cuckold by having a sexual relationship with his wife.

• in the novel Humberto cuckolds his employer.

2. (of a man's wife) make (her husband) a cuckold.

• he was repeatedly cuckolded by his wife Aphrodite.

III. derivatives

cuckoldry

noun

– origin late Old English, from Old French cucuault, from cucu ‘cuckoo’ (from the cuckoo's habit of laying its egg in another bird's nest). The equivalent words in French and other languages applied to both the bird and the adulterer; cuckold has never been applied to the bird in English.

cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/

I. noun

1. a long-tailed, medium-sized bird, typically with a grey or brown back and barred or pale underparts. Many cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of small songbirds.
●Family Cuculidae (the cuckoo family): numerous genera and species, especially the cuckoo ( Cuculus canorus), the male of which has a well-known two-note call. The cuckoo family also includes the coucals, roadrunners, malkohas, and anis.

2. ‹informal› a mad person.

II. adjective

‹informal› mad; crazy

• people think you're cuckoo.

III. phrases

cuckoo in the nest

an unwelcome intruder in a place or situation.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cucu, imitative of its call.

cuckoo bee

noun

a bee which lays its eggs in the nest of another kind of bee, the young being raised and fed by the host.
● Nomada and related genera (which parasitize solitary bees), and Psithyrus (which parasitize bumblebees), family Apidae.

cuckoo clock

noun

a clock that strikes the hour with a sound like a cuckoo's call and typically has a mechanical cuckoo that emerges with each note.

cuckooflower /ˈkʊkuːflaʊə/

I. noun

a spring-flowering herbaceous European plant with pale lilac flowers, growing in damp meadows and by streams. Also called lady's smock.
● Cardamine pratensis, family Cruciferae.

– origin late 16th cent.: so named because it flowers at the time of year when the cuckoo is first heard calling.

cuckoo pint

I. noun

the common European wild arum of woodland and hedgerows, with a pale spathe and a purple or green spadix followed by bright red berries. Also called lords and ladies or Jack-in-the-pulpit.
● Arum maculatum, family Araceae.

– origin late Middle English: from earlier cuckoo-pintle, from pintle in the obsolete sense ‘penis’ (because of the shape of the spadix).

cuckoo-roller

noun

a bird resembling a roller, with an iridescent green cap, back, wings, and tail, found only in Madagascar. Also called courol.
● Leptosomus discolor, the only member of the family Leptosomatidae.

cuckoo-shrike

noun

a shrike-like Old World songbird, somewhat resembling a cuckoo when in flight, and typically with grey, black, or white plumage.
●Family Campephagidae (the cuckoo-shrike family): several genera, especially Coracina and Campephaga, and numerous species. The cuckoo-shrike family also includes the cicadabirds, greybirds, minivets, and trillers.

cuckoo spit

noun — [ mass noun]

1. whitish froth found in compact masses on leaves and plant stems, exuded by the larvae of froghoppers.

cuckoo wasp

noun

a wasp which lays its eggs in the nest of a bee or another kind of wasp, in particular:
● a ruby-tailed wasp. ● a true wasp lacking a worker caste, whose larvae are fed by the social wasp host (several species in the family Vespidae, including Vespula austriaca).

cucumber /ˈkjuːkʌmbə/

I. noun

1. a long, green-skinned fruit with watery flesh, usually eaten raw in salads or pickled.

2. the climbing plant of the gourd family which yields cucumbers, native to the Chinese Himalayan region. It is widely cultivated but very rare in the wild.
● Cucumis sativus, family Cucurbitaceae.

II. phrases

(as) cool as a cucumber

a. untroubled by heat or exertion.

• he leaps up the six flights of stairs and arrives at the top as cool as a cucumber.

b. calm and relaxed.

• she looked as efficient as a hospital matron, as cool as a cucumber.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cocombre, coucombre, from Latin cucumis, cucumer-.

cucumber mosaic

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a virus disease affecting plants of the gourd family, spread by beetles and aphids and causing mottling and stunting.

cucurbit /kjʊˈkəːbɪt/

I. noun

(chiefly US) a plant of the gourd family ( Cucurbitaceae), which includes melon, pumpkin, squash, and cucumber.

II. derivatives

cucurbitaceous /kjʊˌkəːbɪˈteɪʃəs /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cucurbite, from Latin cucurbita.

cud /kʌd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. partly digested food returned from the first stomach of ruminants to the mouth for further chewing.

II. phrases

chew the cud

a. (of a ruminant animal) further chew partly digested food.

b. (Brit.) think or talk reflectively.

• we chewed the cud and drank a few beers.

– origin Old English cwidu, cudu, of Germanic origin; related to German Kitt ‘cement, putty’ and Swedish kåda ‘resin’.

cuddle /ˈkʌd(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. hold close in one's arms as a way of showing love or affection

• he cuddles the baby close

• they were cuddling each other in the back seat

• [no obj.] the pair have been spotted kissing and cuddling.

2. [no obj., with adverbial] — lie or sit close

• Rebecca cuddled up to Mum

• they cuddled together to keep out the cold.

3. [no obj.] ( cuddle up to) — ‹informal› ingratiate oneself with

• they start cuddling up to the Liberals for support.

II. noun

a prolonged and affectionate hug.

• he just wanted a comforting kiss and a cuddle.

– origin early 16th cent. (rare before the 18th cent.): of unknown origin.

cuddlesome /ˈkʌdls(ə)m/

adjective

endearing and pleasant to cuddle

• cuddlesome lion cubs and strokeable deer.

cuddly /ˈkʌdli/

adjective

1. endearing and pleasant to cuddle, especially as a result of being soft or plump

• she was short and cuddly.

2. (Brit.) denoting a toy, especially a model of an animal, that is padded or spongy and covered in soft fabric.

• a cuddly toy.

cuddy /ˈkʌdi/

I. noun

1. ‹dialect› (chiefly Scottish) a donkey.

2. ‹dialect› (chiefly Scottish) a stupid person

• you great soft cuddy!

– origin early 18th cent.: perhaps a pet form of the given name Cuthbert, once popular in Scotland and northern England.

cudgel /ˈkʌdʒ(ə)l/

I. noun

a short, thick stick used as a weapon.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. beat with a cudgel.

• they would lie in wait and cudgel her to death.

III. phrases

1. cudgel one's brain (or brains)

(Brit.) think hard about a problem.

• she cudgelled her brain, trying to decide what had caused such an about-face.

2. take up the cudgels

start to defend or support someone or something strongly

• there was no one else to take up the cudgels on their behalf.

– origin Old English cycgel, of unknown origin.

Cudlipp, Hugh /ˈkʌdlɪp/

Baron Cudlipp of Aldingbourne (1913–98), British newspaper editor. Editorial director of the Daily Mirror, he introduced the formula that combined sensationalized reporting of sex and crime with populist politics, dramatically increasing the paper's circulation.

cudweed /ˈkʌdwiːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a plant of the daisy family, with hairy or downy leaves and inconspicuous flowers.
●Genera Gnaphalium and Filago, family Compositae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from cud + weed, said to be given to cattle who had lost their cud.

cue^1 /kjuː/

I. noun

1. a thing said or done that serves as a signal to an actor or other performer to enter or to begin their speech or performance.

• she had not yet been given her cue to come out on to the dais.

2. a signal for action

• his success was the cue for the rest of Fleet Street to forge ahead.

3. a circumstance or piece of information which aids the memory in retrieving details not recalled spontaneously.

4. [Psychology] a feature of something perceived that is used in the brain's interpretation of the perception

• expectancy is communicated both by auditory and visual cues.

5. a hint or indication about how to behave in particular circumstances

• my teacher joked about such attitudes and I followed her cue.

6. [ mass noun] — a facility for playing through an audio or video recording very rapidly until a desired starting point is reached.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. give a cue to or for

• Ros and Guil, cued by Hamlet, also bow deeply.

2. act as a prompt or reminder

• have a list of needs and questions on paper to cue you.

3. set a piece of audio or video equipment in readiness to play (a particular part of the recorded material)

• there was a pause while she cued up the next tape.

III. phrases

1. on cue

at the correct moment

• right on cue the door opened.

2. take one's cue from

follow the example or advice of

• McGee did not move and Julia took her cue from him.

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

cue^2 /kjuː/

I. noun

a long straight tapering wooden rod for striking the ball in snooker, billiards, etc.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. use a cue to strike the ball.

• Mark cued well early on.

– origin mid 18th cent. (denoting a long plait or pigtail): variant of queue.

cue ball

noun

the ball, usually a white one, that is to be struck with the cue in snooker, billiards, etc.

cue bid

noun

[Bridge] a bid intended to give specific information about the content of the hand to the bidder's partner rather than to advance the auction.

cueca /ˈkwɛkə/

I. noun

a lively South American dance.

– origin early 20th cent.: American Spanish, from zamacueca, also denoting a dance performed especially in Chile.

cue card

noun

a card held beside a camera for a television broadcaster to read from while appearing as if looking into the camera.

Cuenca /ˈkwɛŋkə/

a city in the Andes in southern Ecuador; pop. 374,200 (est. 2008). Founded in 1557, it is known as the ‘marble city’ because of its many fine buildings.

Cuernavaca /ˌkwɛːnəˈvakə, Spanish kwernaˈβaka/

a resort town in central Mexico, at an altitude of 1,542 m (5,060 ft), capital of the state of Morelos; pop. 332,197 (2005).

cuesta /ˈkwɛstə/

I. noun

[Geology] a ridge with a gentle slope (dip) on one side and a steep slope (scarp) on the other.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally a US term for a steep slope at the edge of a plain): from Spanish, ‘slope’, from Latin costa ‘rib, flank’.

cuff^1 /kʌf/

I. noun

1. the end part of a sleeve, where the material of the sleeve is turned back or a separate band is sewn on.

• a red dress with a white lace collar and cuffs.

2. the part of a glove covering the wrist.

3. (N. Amer.) a trouser turn-up.

• a pair of faded denims with the cuffs rolled up.

4. the top part of a boot, typically padded or turned down.

• the ankle cuff provided support without restricting my movement.

5. ( cuffs) — ‹informal› handcuffs.

• when the cuffs went on he had braced his wrists.

6. an inflatable bag wrapped round the arm when blood pressure is measured.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› secure with handcuffs

• the man's hands were cuffed behind his back.

III. phrases

off the cuff /ɒf ðə ˈkʌf /

‹informal› without preparation

• they posed some difficult questions to answer off the cuff

• [as modifier] an off-the-cuff remark.

[as if from impromptu notes made on one's shirt cuffs.]

– origin late Middle English (denoting a glove or mitten): of unknown origin.

cuff^2 /kʌf/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. strike (someone) with an open hand, especially on the head

• he cuffed him playfully on the ear.

II. noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. a blow given with an open hand.

• Luke gave Flora a mild cuff.

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

cuffed /kʌft/

adjective

(of an item of clothing) having a section of the material at the end turned back, or a separate band sewn on

• laboratory coats with cuffed sleeves

• [in combination] a double-cuffed striped shirt.

cufflink /ˈkʌflɪŋk/

noun — (usu. cufflinks)

1. a device for fastening together the sides of a shirt cuff, typically a pair of linked studs or a single plate connected to a short swivelling rod, passed through a hole in each side of the cuff.

Cuiabá /ˌkuːjəˈbɑː/

I. a river port in west central Brazil, on the Cuiabá River, capital of the state of Mato Grosso; pop. 526,831 (2007).

II. a river of western Brazil, which rises in the Mato Grosso plateau and flows for 483 km (300 miles) to join the São Lourenço River near the border with Bolivia.

cui bono? /kwiː ˈbɒnəʊ, ˈbəʊ-/

I. exclamation

who stands, or stood, to gain (from a crime, and so might have been responsible for it)?

– origin Latin, ‘to whom (is it) a benefit?’.

cuirass /kwɪˈras/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a piece of armour consisting of breastplate and backplate fastened together.

2. [Medicine] an artificial ventilator which encloses the body, leaving the limbs free, and forces air in and out of the lungs by changes in pressure.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cuirace, based on late Latin coriaceus (adjective), from corium ‘leather’ (of which a cuirass was originally made).

cuirassier /ˌkwɪrəˈsiːə French kɥiʀasje//

I. noun

‹historical› a cavalry soldier wearing a cuirass.

– origin mid 16th cent.: French, from cuirasse, from Old French cuirace (see cuirass).

cuisine /kwɪˈziːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style or method of cooking, especially as characteristic of a particular country, region, or establishment

• much Venetian cuisine is based on seafood.

2. food cooked in a certain way

• we spent the evening sampling the local cuisine.

– origin late 18th cent.: French, literally ‘kitchen’, from Latin coquina, from coquere ‘to cook’.

cuisse /kwɪs / cuish /kwɪʃ/

I. noun — (usu. cuisses or cuishes)

1. ‹historical› a piece of armour for the thigh.

– origin Middle English (originally in the plural): from Old French cuisseaux, plural of cuissel, from late Latin coxale, from coxa ‘hip’.

cuke /kjuːk/

noun

‹informal› a cucumber.

Culbertson, Ely /ˈkʌlbəts(ə)n/

(1891–1955), American bridge player. An authority on contract bridge, he revolutionized the game by formalizing a system of bidding. This helped to establish this form of the game in preference to auction bridge.

culchie /ˈkʌl(t)ʃi/

I. noun

(Irish) ‹informal› an unsophisticated country person.
[as modifier]

• culchie food.

– origin apparently an alteration of Kiltimagh (Irish Coillte Mach), the name of a country town in County Mayo, Ireland.

Culdee /kʌlˈdiː/

I. noun

an Irish or Scottish monk of the 8th to 12th centuries, living as a recluse usually in a group of thirteen (on the analogy of Christ and his Apostles). The tradition ceased as the Celtic Church was brought under Roman Catholic rule.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin culdeus, alteration, influenced by Latin cultores Dei ‘worshippers of God’, of kelledei (plural, found in early Scottish records), from Old Irish céle dé, literally ‘companion of God’.

cul-de-sac /ˈkʌldəˌsak, ˈkʊldəˌsak/

I. noun

1. a street or passage closed at one end.

2. a route or course leading nowhere

• was the new post a career cul-de-sac?

3. [Anatomy] a vessel, tube, or sac open at only one end.

– origin mid 18th cent. (originally in anatomy): French, literally ‘bottom of a sack’.

-cule

I. suffix

forming nouns such as molecule, reticule, which were originally diminutives.

– origin from French -cule or Latin -culus, -cula, -culum.

culex /ˈkjuːlɛks / culex mosquito

I. noun

a mosquito of a genus which includes a number of kinds commonly found in cooler regions. They do not transmit malaria, but can pass on a variety of other parasites including those causing filariasis. Compare with anopheles.
●Genus Culex, subfamily Culicinae, family Culicidae.

II. derivatives

culicine /ˈkjuːlɪsʌɪn, ˈkjuːlɪsiːn /

adjective, noun

– origin Latin, ‘gnat’.

Culiacán Rosales /ˌkʊljəˌkɑːn rəʊˈzɑːlɛz/

a city in NW Mexico, capital of the state of Sinaloa; pop. 540,800 (2005).

culinary /ˈkʌlɪn(ə)ri/

I. adjective

of or for cooking

• culinary skills

• savour the culinary delights of the region.

II. derivatives

culinarily

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin culinarius, from culina ‘kitchen’.

cull /kʌl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce the population of (a wild animal) by selective slaughter

• some of the culled deer will be used for scientific research

• (as noun culling) kangaroo culling.

2. send (an inferior or surplus farm animal) to be slaughtered.

• unproductive animals can be identified and culled.

3. select from a large quantity; obtain from a variety of sources

• anecdotes culled from Greek and Roman history.

4. ‹archaic› pick (flowers or fruit)
(as adj. culled)

• fresh culled daffodils.

II. noun

1. a selective slaughter of animals.

• fishermen are to campaign for a seal cull.

2. an inferior or surplus livestock animal selected for culling.

• he keeps his female calves and sells only male calves and herd culls.

• [as modifier] a cull cow.

III. derivatives

culler

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French coillier, based on Latin colligere (see collect^1).

Cullen skink

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Scottish soup made from smoked haddock, potatoes, onions, and milk.

– origin from the name of Cullen, a village on the Moray Firth in NE Scotland, + Scots skink ‘soup made from shin of beef’, probably from Middle Low German Schinke ‘ham’.

cullet /ˈkʌlɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. recycled broken or waste glass used in glass-making.

– origin early 19th cent.: variant of collet, in the obsolete sense ‘glass left on the blowing-iron when the finished article is removed’.

Culloden, Battle of /kəˈlɒd(ə)n/

the final engagement of the Jacobite uprising of 1745–6, fought on a moor near Inverness, the last pitched battle on British soil. The Hanoverian army under the Duke of Cumberland crushed the small and poorly supplied Jacobite army of Charles Edward Stuart, and a ruthless pursuit after the battle effectively prevented any chance of saving the Jacobite cause.

cully /ˈkʌli/

I. noun

‹archaic› ‹informal› (often as a form of address) a man; a friend.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting a person who is imposed upon): of unknown origin.

culm /kʌlm/

I. noun

the hollow stem of a grass or cereal plant, especially that bearing the flower.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin culmus ‘stalk’.

Culm /kʌlm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a series of Carboniferous strata in SW England, mainly shale and limestone with some thin coal seams.

2. ( culm) — ‹archaic› coal dust or slack.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘soot, smut’, now only Scots): probably related to coal.

culmen /ˈkʌlmɛn/

I. noun

1. [Ornithology] the upper ridge of a bird's bill.

2. [Anatomy] a small region in the brain on the anterior surface of the cerebellum.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘top, summit’): from Latin, contraction of columen ‘top, summit’.

culminant /ˈkʌlmɪnənt/

adjective

at or forming the top or highest point.

culminate /ˈkʌlmɪneɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. reach a climax or point of highest development

• weeks of violence culminated in the brutal murder of a magistrate.

2. [with obj.] — be the climax or point of highest development of

• her book culminated a research project on the symmetry studies of Escher.

3. ‹archaic› [Astrology] (of a celestial body) reach or be at the meridian.

• the star culminates at midnight on about the 30th April.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in astronomy and astrology): from late Latin culminat- ‘exalted’, from the verb culminare, from culmen ‘summit’.

culmination /kʌlmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. the highest or climactic point of something, especially as attained after a long time

• the deal marked the culmination of years of negotiation.

2. ‹archaic› [Astrology] the reaching of the meridian by a celestial body.

culottes /kjuːˈlɒt(s)/

I. plural noun

women's knee-length trousers, cut with full legs to resemble a skirt.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, ‘knee breeches’, diminutive of cul ‘rump’, from Latin culus.

culpability /ˌkʌlpəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. responsibility for a fault or wrong; blame

• a level of moral culpability.

culpable /ˈkʌlpəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

deserving blame

• mercy killings are less culpable than ‘ordinary’ murders.

II. derivatives

culpably /ˈkʌlpəbli /

adverb

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘deserving punishment’): from Old French coupable, culpable, from Latin culpabilis, from culpare ‘to blame’, from culpa ‘fault, blame’.

culpable homicide

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] (in some jurisdictions, including Scotland, South Africa, and India) an act which has resulted in a person's death but is held not to amount to murder.

Culpeper, Nicholas /ˈkʌlpɛpə/

(1616–54), English herbalist. His Complete Herbal (1653) popularized herbalism and, despite embracing ideas of astrology and the doctrine of signatures, was important in the development of botany and pharmacology.

culprit /ˈkʌlprɪt/

I. noun

1. a person who is responsible for a crime or other misdeed.

• the car's front nearside door had been smashed in but the culprits had fled.

2. the cause of a problem or defect

• low-level ozone pollution is the real culprit.

– origin late 17th cent. (originally in the formula Culprit, how will you be tried?, said by the Clerk of the Crown to a prisoner pleading not guilty): perhaps from a misinterpretation of the written abbreviation cul. prist for Anglo-Norman French Culpable: prest d'averrer notre bille ‘(You are) guilty: (We are) ready to prove our indictment’; in later use influenced by Latin culpa ‘fault, blame’.

cult /kʌlt/

I. noun

1. a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object

• the cult of St Olaf.

2. a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or as imposing excessive control over members

• a network of Satan-worshipping cults.

3. a misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular thing

• the cult of the pursuit of money as an end in itself.

4. a person or thing that is popular or fashionable among a particular group or section of society

• the series has become a bit of a cult in the UK

• [as modifier] a cult film.

II. derivatives

1. cultic

adjective

2. cultish

adjective

3. cultishness

noun

4. cultism

noun

5. cultist

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (originally denoting homage paid to a divinity): from French culte or Latin cultus ‘worship’, from cult- ‘inhabited, cultivated, worshipped’, from the verb colere.

cultch /kʌltʃ / culch

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the mass of stones, broken shells, and grit of which an oyster bed is formed.

– origin mid 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

cult classic

noun

something, typically a film or book, that is popular or fashionable among a particular group or section of society

• fans of this cult classic will be thrilled to see it in its original widescreen version

• his legacy is a spoof documentary which became a cult classic.

cult figure

noun

a writer, musician, artist, or other public figure who is greatly admired by a relatively small audience or is influential despite limited commercial success

• at the time he was pretty much a cult figure, known only to a handful of art-movie buffs.

cult hero

noun

a writer, musician, artist, or other public figure who is greatly admired by a relatively small audience or is influential despite limited commercial success

• the group were cult heroes on the US college rock circuit before finding worldwide fame in the 90s.

cult heroine

noun

a female writer, musician, artist, or other public figure who is greatly admired by a relatively small audience or is influential despite limited commercial success

• she can still generate the kind of energy that made her a cult heroine over 17 years ago.

cultigen /ˈkʌltɪdʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

[Botany] a plant species or variety known only in cultivation, especially one with no known wild ancestor.

– origin early 20th cent.: from cultivated (past participle of cultivate) + -gen.

cultivar /ˈkʌltɪvɑː/

I. noun

[Botany] a plant variety that has been produced in cultivation by selective breeding. Cultivars are usually designated in the style Taxus baccata ‘Variegata’.
See also variety (sense 2).

– origin 1920s: blend of cultivate and variety.

cultivate /ˈkʌltɪveɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. prepare and use (land) for crops or gardening.

• the peasants who cultivated the land became its owners.

2. break up (soil) in preparation for sowing or planting.
(as adj., with submodifier cultivated)

• damp, well-cultivated soil.

3. raise or grow (plants), especially on a large scale for commercial purposes.

• they were encouraged to cultivate basic food crops.

• walnuts were cultivated for salad oil.

4. [Biology] grow or maintain (living cells or tissue) in culture.

• blood cells that can be most easily cultivated are macrophages.

5. try to acquire or develop (a quality or skill)

• he cultivated an air of indifference.

6. try to win the friendship or favour of (someone)

• it helps if you go out of your way to cultivate the local people.

7. try to improve or develop (one's mind).

II. derivatives

1. cultivable /ˈkʌltɪvəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. cultivatable

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin cultivat- ‘prepared for crops’, from the verb cultivare, from cultiva (terra) ‘arable (land)’, from colere ‘cultivate, inhabit’.

cultivated /ˈkʌltɪveɪtɪd/

adjective

refined and well educated

• he was a remarkably cultivated and educated man.

cultivation /kʌltɪˈveɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of cultivating land, or the state of being cultivated

• the cultivation of arable crops

• the economy was based largely on rice cultivation.

2. the process of trying to acquire or develop a quality or skill

• the cultivation of good staff–management relations.

3. refinement and good education

• a man of cultivation and taste.

cultivation paddock

noun

(Austral.) an area of farmland reserved for the growing of crops

• I was put to work ploughing a large newly cleared cultivation paddock.

cultivator /ˈkʌltɪveɪtə/

noun

1. a person or thing that cultivates something

• they were herders of cattle and cultivators of corn.

2. a mechanical implement for breaking up the ground and uprooting weeds.

• rotary cultivators are ideal in the kitchen garden.

cultural /ˈkʌltʃ(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a society

• the cultural diversity of British society.

2. relating to the arts and to intellectual achievements

• a cultural festival.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin cultura ‘tillage’ + -al.

cultural attaché

noun

an embassy official whose function is to promote cultural relations between their own country and the one to which they are accredited.

cultural cringe

I. noun

(chiefly Austral./NZ) the view that one's own national culture is inferior to the cultures of other countries

• there are signs that the cultural cringe is on the retreat.

– origin 1950s: coined by A. A. Phillips in an essay of the same name.

cultural diversity

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the existence of a variety of cultural or ethnic groups within a society

• cultural diversity has increased, exposing kids to new tastes and experiences.

culturally /ˈkʌltʃ(ə)rəli/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of different societies

• the story is culturally insensitive

• [ sentence adverb] culturally, talking about class has become boring, unfashionable.

2. in a way that relates to the arts and to intellectual achievements

• a culturally vibrant city.

cultural relativism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the theory that beliefs, customs, and morality exist in relation to the particular culture from which they originate and are not absolute

• there remains a tension between cultural relativism and universal rights.

Cultural Revolution

a political upheaval in China between 1966 and 1976 intended to bring about a return to revolutionary Maoist beliefs. Largely carried forward by the Red Guard, it resulted in attacks on intellectuals, a large-scale purge in party posts, and the appearance of a personality cult around Mao Zedong. It led to considerable economic dislocation and was gradually brought to a halt by premier Zhou Enlai.

culturati /ˌkʌltʃəˈrɑːti/

I. plural noun

well-educated people who appreciate the arts.

• the yuppies and the culturati get fashionable shows that suck up to them.

– origin 1980s: blend of culture and literati.

culture /ˈkʌltʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively

• 20th century popular culture.

2. a refined understanding or appreciation of culture

• men of culture.

3. the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society

• Afro-Caribbean culture

• [ count noun] people from many different cultures.

4. [with modifier] — the attitudes and behaviour characteristic of a particular social group

• the emerging drug culture.

5. [Biology] the cultivation of bacteria, tissue cells, etc. in an artificial medium containing nutrients

• the cells proliferate readily in culture.

6. [ count noun] — a preparation of cells obtained by culture

• the bacterium was isolated in two blood cultures.

7. the cultivation of plants

• this variety of lettuce is popular for its ease of culture.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Biology] maintain (tissue cells, bacteria, etc.) in conditions suitable for growth.

• several investigators have attempted to culture biliary cells.

– origin Middle English (denoting a cultivated piece of land): the noun from French culture or directly from Latin cultura ‘growing, cultivation’; the verb from obsolete French culturer or medieval Latin culturare, both based on Latin colere ‘tend, cultivate’ (see cultivate). In late Middle English the sense was ‘cultivation of the soil’ and from this (early 16th cent.), arose ‘cultivation (of the mind, faculties, or manners’); sense 1 of the noun dates from the early 19th cent.

culture-bound

adjective

restricted in character or outlook by belonging or referring to a particular culture.

• what evidence there is may be culture-bound, since most of it comes from the USA.

cultured /ˈkʌltʃəd/

I. adjective

1. characterized by refined taste and manners and good education

• a cultured and intelligent man.

2. [Biology] (of tissue cells, bacteria, etc.) grown or propagated in an artificial medium.

• cultured tumour cells.

3. (of a pearl) formed round a foreign body inserted into an oyster.

II. derivatives

culturedness

noun

culture jamming

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of criticizing and subverting advertising and consumerism in the mass media, by methods such as producing advertisements parodying those of global brands.

II. derivatives

culture jammer

noun

– origin 1990s: coined by the US band Negativland.

culture shock

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone when they are suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes.

• jet lag, culture shock, altitude sickness; we struggle to get to grips with this, our first morning in South America.

• [in sing.] being at home with small babies is an instant culture shock to the young woman of the world.

culture vulture

noun

‹informal› a person who is very interested in the arts.

• there's more than enough to satisfy the thousands of culture vultures who will descend on the Scottish capital.

culture war

noun

a conflict between groups with different ideals, beliefs, philosophies, etc.

cultus /ˈkʌltəs/

I. noun

‹technical› a system or variety of religious worship.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Latin (see cult).

culverin /ˈkʌlv(ə)rɪn/

I. noun

1. a 16th- or 17th-century cannon with a relatively long barrel for its bore.

2. a kind of handgun of the 15th and 16th centuries.

– origin late 15th cent. (in sense 2): from Old French coulevrine, from couleuvre ‘snake’, based on Latin colubra.

culvert /ˈkʌlvət/

I. noun

a tunnel carrying a stream or open drain under a road or railway.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. channel (a stream or drain) through a culvert.

• we have asked for the river to be culverted.

• (as adj. culverted) a culverted drain.

– origin late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

cum^1 /kʌm/

I. preposition — [usu. in combination]

1. combined with; also used as (used to describe things with a dual nature or function)

• a study-cum-bedroom.

– origin late 19th cent.: Latin.

cum^2 /kʌm/

noun, verb

‹informal› variant spelling of come (sense 6 of the verb, noun).

cumber /ˈkʌmbə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹dated› hamper or hinder

• they were cumbered with greatcoats and swords.

2. ‹dated› obstruct (a path or space)

• the road was clean and dry and not still cumbered by slush.

II. noun

‹archaic› a hindrance, obstruction, or burden

• a cumber of limestone rocks.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘overthrow, destroy’): probably from encumber.

Cumberland /ˈkʌmbələnd/

a former county of NW England. In 1974 it was united with Westmorland and part of Lancashire to form Cumbria.

Cumberland, Duke of /ˈkʌmbələnd/

(1721–65), English military commander, third son of George II; born William Augustus. He gained great notoriety (and his nickname ‘the Butcher’) for the severity of his suppression of the Jacobite clans in the aftermath of his victory at the Battle of Culloden (1746).

Cumberland sauce

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a piquant sauce served as a relish with game and cold meats. It is typically made from redcurrant jelly flavoured with orange, mustard, and port.

Cumberland sausage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a type of coarse sausage traditionally made in a continuous strip and cooked and served as a spiral.

Cumbernauld /ˌkʌmbəˈnɔːld/

a town in central Scotland, in North Lanarkshire; pop. 54,000 (est. 2009). It was built as a new town in 1955.

cumbersome /ˈkʌmbəs(ə)m/

I. adjective

1. large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use; unwieldy

• cumbersome diving suits.

2. slow or complicated and therefore inefficient

• organizations with cumbersome hierarchical structures.

II. derivatives

1. cumbersomely

adverb

2. cumbersomeness

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘difficult to get through’): from cumber + -some^1.

cumbia /ˈkʊmbɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of dance music of Colombian origin, similar to salsa.

• a hot mix of cumbia, salsa, and merengue.

2. [ count noun] — a dance performed to cumbia.

– origin 1940s: from Colombian Spanish, perhaps from Spanish cumbé.

Cumbria /ˈkʌmbrɪə/

I. a county of NW England; county town, Carlisle. Cumbria was an ancient British kingdom, and the name continued to be used for the hilly north-western region of England containing the Lake District. The county of Cumbria was formed in 1974, largely from the former counties of Westmorland and Cumberland.

– origin from medieval Latin, from Welsh Cymry ‘Welshman’.

Cumbrian /ˈkʌmbrɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the English county of Cumbria

• the fells and lakes that make up the Cumbrian landscape.

II. noun

an inhabitant of the English county of Cumbria

• the Cumbrians knocked them out of the competition.

cumbrous /ˈkʌmbrəs/

I. adjective

literary term for cumbersome.

II. derivatives

1. cumbrously

adverb

2. cumbrousness

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘difficult to get through’): from cumber + -ous.

cum dividend

adverb

(of share purchases) with a dividend about to be paid.

cumec

I. noun

a cubic metre per second, as a unit of rate of flow of water.

– origin 1950s: from cu bic m etres per s ec ond.

cumene /ˈkjuːmiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a liquid hydrocarbon made catalytically from benzene, chiefly as an intermediate in phenol synthesis.
●Alternative name: isopropyl benzene; chem. formula: C_6H_5CH(CH_3)2.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin cuminum ‘cumin’ + -ene.

cum grano salis /kʌm ˌɡrɑːnəʊ ˈsɑːlɪs/

I. adverb — (in phrase take something cum grano salis)

1. another way of saying take something with a pinch of salt (see salt).

• the article needs to be taken cum grano salis.

– origin Latin, ‘with a grain of salt’.

cumin /ˈkʌmɪn, ˈk(j)uːmɪn / cummin

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the aromatic seeds of a plant of the parsley family, used as a spice, especially ground and used in curry powder.

• add a pinch of cumin.

2. the small, slender plant which bears cumin seeds, occurring from the Mediterranean to central Asia.
● Cuminum cyminum, family Umbelliferae.

– origin Old English cymen, from Latin cuminum, from Greek kuminon, probably of Semitic origin and related to Hebrew kammōn and Arabic kammūn; superseded in Middle English by forms from Old French cumon, comin, also from Latin.

cum laude /kʌm ˈlɔːdi, kʊm ˈlaʊdeɪ/

I. adverb, adjective

(chiefly N. Amer.) with distinction (with reference to university degrees and diplomas).
[as adv.]

• he received his A.B. Degree cum laude.

• [as adj.] Kathy is a cum laude graduate of Pennsylvania State University.

– origin Latin, literally ‘with praise’.

cummerbund /ˈkʌməbʌnd/

I. noun

a sash worn around the waist, especially as part of a man's formal evening suit.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Urdu and Persian kamar-band, from kamar ‘waist, loins’ and -bandi ‘band’. The sash was formerly worn in the Indian subcontinent by domestic workers and low-status office workers.

cummings, e. e.

(1894–1962), American poet and novelist; full name Edward Estlin Cummings. His poems are characterized by their experimental typography (most notably in the avoidance of capital letters), technical skill, frank vocabulary, and the sharpness of his satire.

cummingtonite /ˈkʌmɪŋtənʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral occurring typically as brownish fibrous crystals in some metamorphic rocks. It is a magnesium-rich iron silicate of the amphibole group.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after Cummington, a town in Massachusetts, US, + -ite^1.

cumulate

I. verb — cumulate /ˈkjuːmjʊleɪt /

1. [with obj.] — gather together and combine

• the systems cumulate data over a period of years.

2. [no obj.] — be gathered together and combined

• all unpaid dividend payments cumulate and are paid when earnings are sufficient.

3. (as adj. cumulated) — [Chemistry] denoting two double bonds attached to the same carbon atom.

II. noun — cumulate /ˈkjuːmjʊlət /

1. [Geology] an igneous rock formed by gravitational settling of particles in a magma.

• they appear to have formed from cumulates in the root of a magma chamber.

• [as modifier] cumulate gabbro.

III. derivatives

cumulation /ˌkjuːmjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a verb in the sense ‘gather in a heap’): from Latin cumulat- ‘heaped’, from the verb cumulare, from cumulus ‘a heap’. Current senses date from the early 20th cent.

cumulative /ˈkjuːmjʊlətɪv/

I. adjective

increasing or increased in quantity, degree, or force by successive additions

• the cumulative effect of two years of drought.

II. derivatives

cumulativeness

noun

cumulative distribution function

noun

[Statistics] a function whose value is the probability that a corresponding continuous random variable has a value less than or equal to the argument of the function.

cumulative error

noun

[Statistics] an error that increases with the size of the sample revealing it.

cumulatively /ˈkjuːmjʊlətɪvli/

adverb

1. in a way that increases in quantity, degree, or force by successive additions

• success must be measured cumulatively.

2. taken as a whole; in combination

• the artworks cumulatively covered 500 years.

cumulative preference share

noun

a preference share whose annual fixed-rate dividend, if it cannot be paid in any year, accrues until it can.

cumulative voting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of voting in an election in which each voter is allowed a number of votes, and may give them all to one candidate or divide them among several.

cumulonimbus /ˌkjuːmjʊləʊˈnɪmbəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Meteorology] cloud forming a towering mass with a flat base at fairly low altitude and often a flat top, as in thunderstorms.

• the development of clouds from fair-weather cumulus to giant cumulonimbus.

• [ count noun] those clouds that will build west of Baltimore late Sunday afternoon are cumulonimbi.

cumulus /ˈkjuːmjʊləs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Meteorology] cloud forming rounded masses heaped on each other above a flat base at fairly low altitude.

• the high cumulus is breaking up to give a lovely summer evening.

• [ count noun] silent, moving, red-tinged cumuli.

II. derivatives

cumulous

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting a heap or an accumulation): from Latin, ‘heap’.

Cunard, Sir Samuel /kjuːˈnɑːd/

(1787–1865), Canadian-born British shipowner. One of the pioneers of the regular transatlantic passenger service, he founded the steamship company which still bears his name with the aid of a contract to carry the mail between Britain and Canada. The first such voyage for the company was made in 1840.

cunctation /kʌŋ(k)ˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

‹rare› the action of delaying or putting off doing something.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin cunctatio(n-), from cunctari ‘to delay’: see -ation.

cuneate /ˈkjuːnɪət/

I. adjective

[chiefly Anatomy] [Botany] wedge-shaped.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin cuneus ‘wedge’ + -ate^2.

cuneiform /ˈkjuːnɪfɔːm, kjuːˈneɪɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

1. denoting or relating to the wedge-shaped characters used in the ancient writing systems of Mesopotamia, Persia, and Ugarit, surviving mainly on clay tablets

• a cuneiform inscription.

2. [Anatomy] denoting three bones of the tarsus (ankle) between the navicular bone and the metatarsals.

3. [chiefly Biology] wedge-shaped

• the eggs are cuneiform.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cuneiform writing.

• a Mesopotamian script pre-dating cuneiform.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French cunéiforme or modern Latin cuneiformis, from Latin cuneus ‘wedge’.

Cunene /kjuːˈneɪnə/

a river of Angola, which rises near the city of Huambo and flows 250 km (156 miles) southwards as far as the frontier with Namibia, which then follows it westwards to the Atlantic.

cu-nim

noun

short for cumulonimbus.

cunjevoi /ˈkʌndʒɪvɔɪ/

I. noun

1. a tall Australian plant of the arum family, with edible corms.
● Alocasia macrorrhiza, family Araceae.

2. an Australian sea squirt used as fishing bait.
● Pyura praeputialis, class Ascidiacea.

– origin late 19th cent. (in sense 1): of Aboriginal (probably Queensland) origin. Sense 2 dates from the early 20th cent.

cunner /ˈkʌnə/

I. noun

an edible greenish-grey wrasse (fish) which lives along the Atlantic coast of North America.
● Tautogolabrus adspersus, family Labridae.

– origin early 17th cent.: perhaps associated with archaic conder, denoting a lookout who alerts the crew of fishing boats to the direction taken by shoals of herring.

cunnilingus /ˌkʌnɪˈlɪŋɡəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. stimulation of the female genitals using the tongue or lips.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin, from cunnus ‘vulva’ + lingere ‘lick’.

cunning /ˈkʌnɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion

• a cunning look came into his eyes.

2. ingenious

• plants have evolved cunning defences.

3. (N. Amer.) attractive or quaint

• Baby will look too cunning for anything in that pink print.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. skill in achieving one's ends by deceit

• a statesman to whom cunning had come as second nature.

2. ingenuity

• what resources of energy and cunning it took just to survive.

III. derivatives

cunningness

noun

– origin Middle English: perhaps from Old Norse kunnandi ‘knowledge’, from kunna ‘know’ (related to can^1), or perhaps from Middle English cunne, an obsolete variant of can^1. The original sense was ‘(possessing) erudition or skill’ and had no implication of deceit; the sense ‘deceitfulness’ dates from late Middle English.

Cunningham, Merce /ˈkʌnɪŋəm/

(1919–2009), American dancer and choreographer. A dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company (1939–45), he formed his own company in 1953 and explored new abstract directions for modern dance.

cunningly /ˈkʌnɪŋli/

adverb

1. in a clever and deceitful way

• an important document was cunningly hidden under the noses of the police.

2. in an ingenious way

• the tracks are arranged in cunningly interwoven layers.

Cunobelinus /ˌkjuːnə(ʊ)bəˈlʌɪnəs/

variant of Cymbeline.

cunt /kʌnt/

I. noun

1. ‹vulgar slang› a woman's genitals.

2. ‹vulgar slang› an unpleasant or stupid person.

– origin Middle English: of Germanic origin; related to Norwegian and Swedish dialect kunta, and Middle Low German, Middle Dutch, and Danish dialect kunte.

cup /kʌp/

I. noun

1. a small bowl-shaped container for drinking from, typically having a handle.

2. the contents of a cup

• a cup of tea.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) a measure of capacity used in cookery, equal to half a US pint (0.237 litre)

• a cup of butter.

4. (in church use) a chalice used at the Eucharist.

• Latin was replaced by the vernacular, and the cup was offered to the laity.

5. an ornamental trophy in the form of a cup, usually made of gold or silver and having a stem and two handles, awarded as a prize in a sports contest.

6. ( Cup) — a contest in which the winners are awarded a cup

• playing in the Cup is the best thing ever.

7. a cup-shaped thing.

8. either of the two parts of a bra shaped to contain or support one breast

• she had grown from an A to a C cup in just six months.

9. [Golf] the hole on a putting green, or the metal container in it.

• the ball bounced out of the cup.

10. [ mass noun] — a mixed drink made from fruit juices and typically containing wine or cider.

• the bars offered large glasses of white wine cup.

• a non-alcoholic fruit cup.

11. ( cups) — one of the suits in a tarot pack.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. form (one's hand or hands) into the curved shape of a cup

• ‘Hey!’ Dad shouted, with his hands cupped around his mouth.

2. place the curved hand or hands around

• he cupped her face in his hands.

3. [Medicine] ‹historical› bleed (someone) by using a glass in which a partial vacuum is formed by heating

• Dr Ross ordered me to be cupped.

III. phrases

1. in one's cups

‹informal› drunk.

• he became mellow and humorous when in his cups.

2. not one's cup of tea

‹informal› not what one likes or is interested in

• cats were not her cup of tea.

IV. derivatives

cupful /ˈkʌpfʊl /

noun

– origin Old English: from popular Latin cuppa, probably from Latin cupa ‘tub’.

CUP

abbreviation

1. Cambridge University Press.

2. Cuban peso(s).

cup-and-ring

adjective

denoting marks cut in megalithic monuments consisting of a circular depression surrounded by concentric rings.

cup-bearer

noun

‹chiefly historical› a person who serves wine, especially in a royal or noble household.

cupboard /ˈkʌbəd/

I. noun

a recess or piece of furniture with a door and usually shelves, used for storage

• a broom cupboard.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a table or sideboard on which cups, plates, etc. were displayed): from cup + board.

cupboard love

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) affection that is feigned in order to obtain something.

• Midge holds her son and her daughter-in-law by cupboard love, having become an excellent cook.

cupcake /ˈkʌpkeɪk/

noun

1. a small cake baked in a cup-shaped foil or paper container and typically iced.

2. (US) ‹informal› an attractive woman (often as a term of address).

3. a weak or effeminate man.

cupcakery /ˈkʌpkeɪkəri/

noun

a bakery that specializes in cupcakes

• we both have a sweet tooth so we make a habit of stopping in local cupcakeries to check them out.

cup coral

noun

a small brightly coloured solitary coral with tentacles that end in small knobs, sometimes found in colder seas.
●Genus Caryophyllia, order Scleractinia (or Madreporaria): several species.

cupel /ˈkjuːp(ə)l/

I. noun

a shallow, porous container in which gold or silver can be refined or assayed by melting with a blast of hot air which oxidizes lead or other base metals.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. assay or refine (a metal) in a cupel.

• to extract the silver, the Greeks roasted the ore and then cupelled the molten metal.

III. derivatives

cupellation /kjuːp(ə)ˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (as a noun): from French coupelle, diminutive of coupe ‘goblet’.

Cup Final

noun

(Brit.) the final match in a sports competition in which the winners are awarded a cup.

cup fungus

noun

a fungus in which the spore-producing layer forms the lining of a shallow cup.
●Several families in the orders Helotiales and Pezizales, subdivision Ascomycotina.

cupholder

noun

a device for holding a plastic cup or other drinking container.

Cupid /ˈkjuːpɪd / ‹Roman Mythology›

I. the god of love. He is represented as a naked winged boy with a bow and arrows, with which he wounds his victims.
Greek equivalent Eros.

II. (as noun also cupid) — a representation of a naked winged child, typically carrying a bow.

• little cupids floated in roseate clouds.

III. phrases

play Cupid

try to initiate a romantic relationship between two people

• are you sure you want to play Cupid with these two?

– origin from Latin Cupido, personification of cupido ‘love, desire’, from cupere ‘to desire’.

cupidity /kjuːˈpɪdɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. greed for money or possessions.

• new wealth, however tainted by cupidity and egoism, tends to be favourable for the arts.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French cupidite or Latin cupiditas, from cupidus ‘desirous’, from cupere ‘to desire’. Compare with covet.

Cupid's bow

noun

a shape like that of the double-curved bow often shown carried by Cupid, especially at the top edge of a person's upper lip.
[as modifier]

• soulful eyes and Cupid's bow lips.

cupid's dart

noun

a herbaceous plant of the daisy family, with white, blue, or lilac flowers.
● Catananche caerulea, family Compositae.

cup lichen

noun

a greenish-grey lichen with small cup-like structures arising from its spreading lobes, found typically on heathland and moorland.
●Genus Cladonia, order Cladoniales: many species.

cupola /ˈkjuːpələ/

I. noun

1. a rounded dome forming or adorning a roof or ceiling.

• a square tower crowned by a cupola.

• the gilded cupola was supported by caryatids.

2. a gun turret.

3. (also cupola furnace) — a cylindrical furnace for refining metals, with openings at the bottom for blowing in air and originally with a dome leading to a chimney above.

II. derivatives

cupolaed /ˈkjuːpələd /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: Italian, from late Latin cupula ‘small cask or burying vault’, diminutive of cupa ‘cask’.

cuppa /ˈkʌpə / ‹Brit. informal›

I. noun

a cup of tea

• a good strong cuppa.

II. contraction

cup of

• let's have another cuppa tea.

– origin 1920s: alteration.

cupping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Chinese medicine) a therapy in which heated glass cups are applied to the skin along the meridians of the body, creating suction and believed to stimulate the flow of energy.

cuppy

adjective

(of ground) full of shallow depressions.

cupr-

combining form

variant spelling of cupro-. shortened before a vowel (as in cuprammonium).

cuprammonium /ˌkjuːprəˈməʊnɪəm/

noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] a complex ion, Cu(NH_3)42+, formed in solution when ammonia is added to copper salts. The solution is deep blue and is used to dissolve cellulose.

cupreous /ˈkjuːprɪəs/

I. adjective

of or like copper.

• stained green with cupreous patina.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin cupreus (from cuprum ‘copper’) + -ous.

cupric /ˈkjuːprɪk/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] of copper with a valency of two; of copper(II).
Compare with cuprous.

– origin late 18th cent.: from late Latin cuprum ‘copper’ + -ic.

cuprite /ˈkjuːprʌɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark red or brownish black mineral consisting of cuprous oxide.

cupro /ˈk(j)uːprəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of rayon made by dissolving cotton cellulose with cuprammonium salts and spinning the resulting solution into filaments.

– origin 1980s: an invented word, probably from cuprammonium.

cupro- /ˈkjuːprəʊ / cupr-

I. combining form

relating to copper

• cupro-nickel.

– origin from late Latin cuprum.

cupro-nickel /kjuːprəʊˈnɪk(ə)l/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alloy of copper and nickel, especially in the proportions 3:1 as used in ‘silver’ coins.

cuprous /ˈkjuːprəs/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] of copper with a valency of one; of copper(I).

– origin mid 17th cent.: partly directly from late Latin cuprum ‘copper’ (reinforced by cupric) + -ous.

cup tie

noun

(Brit.) a match in a competition for which the prize is a cup.

cup-tied

adjective

(Brit.) (of a soccer player) ineligible to play for one's club in a cup competition as a result of having played for another club in an earlier round.

• he missed the 2–0 FA Cup victory against Tottenham because he is cup-tied.

cupule /ˈkjuːpjuːl/

I. noun

[Botany] [Zoology] a cup-shaped organ, structure, or receptacle in a plant or animal.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin cupula (see cupola).

cup-winning

adjective

gaining, resulting in, or relating to victory in the final of a competition

• he scored the cup-winning goal

• captain of the cup-winning team.

cur /kəː/

I. noun

1. an aggressive or unkempt dog, especially a mongrel.

2. ‹informal› a contemptible man.

– origin Middle English (in the general sense ‘dog’): probably originally in cur-dog, perhaps from Old Norse kurr ‘grumbling’.

curable /ˈkjʊərəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of a disease or condition) able to be cured

• most skin cancers are completely curable.

2. (of plastic, varnish, etc.) able to be hardened by some additive or other agent.
[in combination]

• a radiation-curable coating.

II. derivatives

1. curability /kjʊərəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. curably

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from late Latin curabilis, from Latin curare (see cure).

curaçao /ˌkjʊərəˈsaʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a liqueur flavoured with the peel of bitter oranges.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after Curaçao, where the oranges are grown.

Curaçao /ˌkjʊərəˈsaʊ/

a self-governing territory of the Netherlands in the Caribbean Sea, 37 miles (60 km) north of the Venezuelan coast, formerly the largest island in the Netherlands Antilles; pop. 141,766 (2009); chief town, Willemstad.

curacy /ˈkjʊərəsi/

noun

the office of a curate, or the tenure of this

• he served his curacy in Northampton.

curandero /ˌkjʊərənˈdɛːrəʊ, Spanish kuranˈðero/

I. noun

(in Spain and Latin America) a healer who uses folk remedies.

– origin Spanish, from curar ‘to cure’, from Latin curare.

curare /kjʊˈrɑːri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bitter resinous substance obtained from the bark and stems of some South American plants. It paralyses the motor nerves and is traditionally used by some Indian peoples to poison their arrows and blowpipe darts.
●Curare is obtained from Curarea species and Chondodendron tomentosum (family Menispermaceae), and Strychnos toxifera (family Loganiaceae).

– origin late 18th cent.: from a Carib word, partly via Spanish and Portuguese.

curassow /ˈkjʊərəsəʊ/

I. noun

a large crested pheasant-like bird of the guan family, found in tropical American forests. The male is typically black in colour.
●Genus Crax (and Nothocrax), family Cracidae: several species.

– origin late 17th cent.: anglicized form of Curaçao.

curate^1 /ˈkjʊərət/

I. noun

1. (also assistant curate) — a member of the clergy engaged as assistant to a vicar, rector, or parish priest.

2. ‹archaic› a minister with pastoral responsibility.

– origin Middle English: from medieval Latin curatus, from Latin cura ‘care’.

curate^2 /kjʊ(ə)ˈreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. select, organize, and look after the items in (a collection or exhibition)

• both exhibitions are curated by the Centre's director.

2. select the performers or performances that will feature in (an arts event or programme)

• in past years the festival has been curated by the likes of David Bowie.

3. select, organize, and present (online content, merchandise, information, etc.), typically using professional or expert knowledge

• people not only want to connect when using a network but they also enjoy getting credit for sharing or curating information.

• (as adj. curated) a curated alternative to the world's most popular video portal.

II. derivatives

curation

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: back-formation from curator.

curate-in-charge

noun

another term for priest-in-charge.

curate's egg

I. noun

(Brit.) a thing that is partly good and partly bad

• this book is a bit of a curate's egg.

– origin early 20th cent.: from a cartoon in Punch (1895) depicting a meek curate who, given a stale egg at the bishop's table, assures his host that ‘parts of it are excellent’.

curative /ˈkjʊərətɪv/

I. adjective

able to cure disease

• the curative properties of herbs.

II. noun

a curative medicine or agent.

III. derivatives

curatively

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘relating to cures’): from French curatif, -ive, from medieval Latin curativus, from Latin curare (see cure).

curator /kjʊ(ə)ˈreɪtə/

I. noun

1. a keeper or custodian of a museum or other collection.

• the curator of drawings at the National Gallery.

2. a person who selects acts to perform at a music festival.

II. derivatives

curatorship /kjʊ(ə)ˈreɪtəʃɪp /

noun

– origin late Middle English (denoting an ecclesiastical pastor, also (still a Scots legal term) the guardian of a minor): from Old French curateur or, in later use, directly from Latin curator, from curare (see cure). The current sense dates from the mid 17th cent.

curatorial /kjʊrəˈtɔːrɪəl/

adjective

relating to the selection and organization of a museum or other collection

• the curatorial team has managed to balance the cutting edge with more accessible works.

curb /kəːb/

I. noun

1. a check or restraint on something

• plans to introduce tougher curbs on insider dealing.

2. (also curb bit) — a type of bit with a strap or chain attached which passes under a horse's lower jaw, used as a check.

3. (N. Amer.) variant spelling of kerb.

4. a swelling on the back of a horse's hock, caused by spraining a ligament.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. restrain or keep in check

• she promised she would curb her temper.

2. restrain (a horse) by means of a curb.

• both men were instinctively curbing their horses.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting a strap fastened to the bit): from Old French courber ‘bend, bow’, from Latin curvare (see curve).

curb chain

noun

a small chain which is attached to a curb bit and lies in the groove on a horse's chin.

curb cut

noun

North American term for dropped kerb.

curb roof

noun

1. a roof of which each face has two slopes, the lower one steeper than the upper.

2. (Brit.) a mansard roof.

curbstone /ˈkəːbstəʊn/

noun

1. US spelling of kerbstone.

2. [as modifier] — ‹informal› unqualified; amateur

• curbstone commentators.

curculio /kəːˈkjuːlɪəʊ/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a beetle of the weevil family, especially one which is a pest of fruit trees.
●Several genera and species in the family Curculionidae, including the plum curculio ( Conotrachelus nenuphar).

– origin modern Latin, used as the genus name for weevils in the 18th cent., now restricted to the nut weevils.

curcuma /ˈkəːkjʊmə/

I. noun

a tropical Asian plant of a genus that includes turmeric, zedoary, and other species that yield spices, dyes, and medicinal products.
●Genus Curcuma, family Zingiberaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Arabic kurkum ‘saffron’, from Sanskrit kuṅkuma (so named because the colour of the spices resembles that of saffron).

curd /kəːd/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] (also curds) — a soft, white substance formed when milk coagulates, used as the basis for cheese.

2. a fatty substance found between the flakes of poached salmon.

3. the edible head of a cauliflower.

II. derivatives

curdy /ˈkəːdi /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

curd cheese

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Brit.) a mild, soft, smooth cheese made from skimmed milk curd.

curdle /ˈkəːd(ə)l/

I. verb

separate or cause to separate into curds or lumps
[no obj.]

• take care not to let the soup boil or it will curdle

• [with obj.] rennet is used for making cheese by curdling milk.

II. phrases

make someone's blood curdle

fill someone with horror.

• there were atrocities on both sides which would make your blood curdle.

III. derivatives

curdler

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: frequentative of obsolete curd ‘congeal’.

cure /kjʊə, kjɔː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. relieve (a person or animal) of the symptoms of a disease or condition

• he was cured of the disease.

2. eliminate (a disease or condition) with medical treatment

• this technology could be used to cure diabetes.

3. solve (a problem)

• a bid to trace and cure the gearbox problems.

4. preserve (meat, fish, tobacco, or an animal skin) by salting, drying, or smoking
(as adj., in combination -cured)

• home-cured ham.

5. harden (rubber, plastic, concrete, etc.) after manufacture by a chemical process such as vulcanization.

• the early synthetic rubbers were much more difficult to cure than natural rubber.

6. [no obj.] — undergo hardening by a chemical process.

• the mastic takes days to cure.

II. noun

1. a substance or treatment that cures a disease or condition

• the search for a cure for the common cold.

2. [ mass noun] — restoration to health

• he was beyond cure.

3. a solution to a problem

• the cure is to improve the clutch operation.

4. [ mass noun] — the process of curing rubber, plastic, or other material.

5. [ mass noun] — a Christian minister's pastoral charge or area of responsibility for spiritual ministry

• a benefice involving the cure of souls.

6. [ count noun] — a parish.

• he had been at this cure for four years.

III. derivatives

curer /ˈkjʊərə /

noun

– origin Middle English (as a noun): from Old French curer (verb), cure (noun), both from Latin curare ‘take care of’, from cura ‘care’. The original noun senses were ‘care, concern, responsibility’, in particular spiritual care (hence sense 3 of the noun). In late Middle English the senses ‘medical care’ and ‘successful medical treatment’ arose, and hence ‘remedy’.

curé /ˈkjʊəreɪ, French kyʀe/

I. noun

a parish priest in a French-speaking country.

– origin French, from medieval Latin curatus (see curate^1).

cure-all /ˈkjʊərɔːl/

noun

1. a medicine or other remedy that will supposedly cure any ailment.

• it was prized as a cure-all, for there seemed to be few common ailments which did not respond to treatment with comfrey.

2. a solution to any problem.

• unfortunately, the new output circuitry is not a cure-all.

curettage /kjʊəˈrɛtɪdʒ, ˌkjʊərɪˈtɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Surgery] the use of a curette, especially on the lining of the uterus.
See dilatation and curettage.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from curette.

curette /kjʊəˈrɛt/

I. noun

a small surgical instrument used to remove material by a scraping action, especially from the uterus.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. clean or scrape with a curette.

• the endometrium was curetted.

– origin mid 18th cent. (as a noun): from French, from curer ‘cleanse’, from Latin curare (see cure).

curfew /ˈkəːfjuː/

I. noun

1. a regulation requiring people to remain indoors between specified hours, typically at night

• a dusk-to-dawn curfew

• [ mass noun] the whole area was immediately placed under curfew.

2. the hour designated as the beginning of a curfew.
[ mass noun]

• to be abroad after curfew without permission was to risk punishment.

3. the daily signal indicating the beginning of a curfew

• they had to return before the curfew sounded.

– origin Middle English (denoting a regulation requiring people to extinguish fires at a fixed hour in the evening, or a bell rung at that hour): from Old French cuevrefeu, from cuvrir ‘to cover’ + feu ‘fire’. The current sense dates from the late 19th cent.

Curia /ˈkjʊərɪə/

I. the papal court at the Vatican, by which the Roman Catholic Church is governed. It comprises various Congregations, Tribunals, and other commissions and departments.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin curia, denoting a division of an ancient Roman tribe, also (by extension) the senate of cities other than Rome; later the term came to denote a feudal or Roman Catholic court of justice, whence the current sense.

Curial /ˈkjʊərɪəl/

adjective

relating to the Curia, the papal court at the Vatican

• cardinals who hold Curial offices.

curie /ˈkjʊəri / Ci

I. noun

1. a unit of radioactivity, corresponding to 3.7 × 10^10 disintegrations per second.

2. the quantity of radioactive substance that emits one curie of activity.

• a curie of any radioactive element disintegrates at the same rate as 1 gram of natural radium.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Pierre and Marie Curie.

Curie /ˈkjʊəri/

Marie (1867–1934), Polish-born French physicist, and Pierre (1859–1906), French physicist, pioneers of radioactivity. Working together on the mineral pitchblende, they discovered the elements polonium and radium, for which they shared the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics with A.-H. Becquerel. After her husband's accidental death Marie received another Nobel Prize (for chemistry) in 1911 for her isolation of radium. She died of leukaemia, caused by prolonged exposure to radioactive materials.

curio /ˈkjʊərɪəʊ/

I. noun

a rare, unusual, or intriguing object.

• they had such fun over the wonderful box of curios that Jack had sent from India.

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation of curiosity.

curiosa /ˌkjʊərɪˈəʊsə/

I. plural noun

curiosities, especially erotic or pornographic books or articles.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin, neuter plural of curiosus (see curious).

curiosity /kjʊərɪˈɒsɪti/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a strong desire to know or learn something

• filled with curiosity, she peered through the window

• curiosity got the better of me, so I called him.

2. an unusual or interesting object or fact

• he showed them some of the curiosities of the house.

II. phrases

curiosity killed the cat

‹proverb› being inquisitive about other people's affairs may get you into trouble.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French curiousete, from Latin curiositas, from curiosus (see curious).

curious /ˈkjʊərɪəs/

I. adjective

1. eager to know or learn something

• I began to be curious about the whereabouts of the bride and groom

• she was curious to know what had happened.

2. expressing curiosity

• a curious stare.

3. strange; unusual

• a curious sensation overwhelmed her.

4. ‹euphemistic› (of books) erotic or pornographic.

II. derivatives

curiousness /ˈkjʊərɪəsnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French curios, from Latin curiosus ‘careful’, from cura ‘care’. Sense 2 dates from the early 18th cent.

curiously /ˈkjʊərɪəsli/

adverb

1. in a way that shows eagerness to know or learn something

• neighbours peered curiously through windows at me.

2. in a strange and unusual way

• the sentence is curiously worded

• [ sentence adverb] curiously, I find snooker riveting.

Curitiba /ˌkʊərɪˈtiːbə/

a city in southern Brazil, capital of the state of Paraná; pop. 1,797,408 (2007).

curium /ˈkjʊərɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Cm) — the chemical element of atomic number 96, a radioactive metal of the actinide series. Curium does not occur naturally and was first made by bombarding plutonium with helium ions.

– origin 1940s: modern Latin, from the name of Marie and Pierre Curie.

curl /kəːl/

I. verb

1. form or cause to form into a curved or spiral shape
[no obj.]

• her fingers curled round the microphone

• a slice of ham had begun to curl up at the edges

• [with obj.] she used to curl her hair with rags.

2. [no obj.] ( curl up) — sit or lie with the knees drawn up

• she curled up and went to sleep.

3. move or cause to move in a spiral or curved course
[no obj., with adverbial of direction]

• a wisp of smoke curling across the sky.

4. (with reference to one's mouth or upper lip) raise or cause to raise slightly on one side as an expression of contempt or disapproval
[no obj.]

• Maria saw his lip curl sardonically.

5. (in weight training) lift (a weight) using only the hands, wrists, and forearms.

• slowly curl the barbell to shoulder height.

6. [no obj.] — play at the game of curling.

• during the severe spell in 1740, men curled on the pond.

II. noun

1. something in the shape of a spiral or coil, especially a lock of hair

• her blonde hair was a mass of tangled curls

• a curl of blue smoke.

2. a curling movement

• the sneering curl of his lip.

3. (with reference to a person's hair) a state or condition of being curled

• your hair has a natural curl

• [ mass noun] large perm rods give volume and control rather than lots of curl.

4. see leaf curl.

5. a weightlifting exercise involving movement of only the hands, wrists, and forearms

• a dumb-bell curl.

6. [Mathematics] a function giving a measure of the rotation of a vector field.

III. phrases

make someone's hair curl

‹informal› shock or horrify someone.

• she drives at a speed to make your hair curl.

– origin late Middle English: from obsolete crulle ‘curly’, from Middle Dutch krul.

curler /ˈkəːlə/

noun

1. (usu. curlers) — a roller or clasp around which a lock of hair is wrapped to curl it.

• one of our neighbours with her hair in curlers.

2. a player in the game of curling.

curlew /ˈkəːl(j)uː/

I. noun

a large wading bird of the sandpiper family, with a long downcurved bill, brown streaked plumage, and frequently a distinctive ascending two-note call. See also stone curlew.
●Genus Numenius, family Scolopacidae: several species, in particular N. arquata of Eurasia.

– origin Middle English: from Old French courlieu, alteration (by association with courliu ‘courier’, from courre ‘run’ + lieu ‘place’) of imitative courlis.

curlicue /ˈkəːlɪkjuː/

I. noun

a decorative curl or twist in calligraphy or in the design of an object.

• the wide bridge was decorated with gilded wrought-iron curlicues.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from curly + cue^2 (in the sense ‘pigtail’), or -cue representing the letter q.

curlicued /ˈkəːlɪkjuːd/

adjective

having decorative curls or twists

• a page of elaborately curlicued and unintelligible script

• curlicued cornices and portals.

curling /ˈkəːlɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game played on ice, especially in Scotland and Canada, in which large round flat stones are slid across the surface towards a mark. Members of a team use brooms to sweep the surface of the ice in the path of the stone to control its speed and direction.

curling stone

noun

a large polished circular stone, with a handle on top, used in the game of curling.

curling tongs curling iron, curling pins

plural noun

a device incorporating a heated rod used for rolling a person's hair into curls.

curly /ˈkəːli/

I. adjective

made, growing, or arranged in curls or curves

• my hair is just naturally thick and curly.

II. derivatives

curliness /ˈkəːlɪnəs /

noun

curly bracket

noun

another term for brace (sense 4 of the noun).

curly-haired

adjective

having hair that forms curls or ringlets

• a curly-haired young man.

curly kale

noun — [ mass noun]

1. kale of a variety with dark green tightly curled leaves.

curly-wurly

I. adjective

‹informal› twisting and curling.

– origin late 18th cent.: reduplication of curly.

curmudgeon /kəːˈmʌdʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

a bad-tempered or surly person.

II. derivatives

1. curmudgeonliness

noun

2. curmudgeonly /kəˈmʌdʒ(ə)nli /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

currach /ˈkʌrə(x) / curragh

I. noun

Irish and Scottish term for coracle.

– origin late Middle English: from Irish and Scottish Gaelic curach ‘small boat’. Compare with coracle.

curragh^1

noun

variant spelling of currach.

curragh^2 /ˈkʌrə(x)/

I. noun

1. (in Ireland and the Isle of Man) a stretch of marshy waste ground.

2. ( the Curragh) — a level stretch of open ground in County Kildare, Ireland, famous for its racecourse and military camp.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Irish currach ‘marsh’, Manx curragh ‘bog, fen’.

currant /ˈkʌr(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a small dried fruit made from a small seedless variety of grape originally grown in the eastern Mediterranean region and much used in cookery.
[as modifier]

• a currant bun.

2. a Eurasian shrub which produces small edible black, red, or white berries.
●Genus Ribes, family Grossulariaceae: several species, including blackcurrant and redcurrant.

3. a berry from a currant shrub.

– origin Middle English raisons of Corauntz, translating Anglo-Norman French raisins de Corauntz ‘grapes of Corinth’ (the original source).

currant gall

noun

a spherical red or purple gall which forms on the leaves or male catkins of oak trees in response to the developing larva of a gall wasp. It results from eggs laid in the spring and alternates within the annual cycle with the spangle gall.
●The wasp is Neuroterus quercusbaccarum, family Cynipidae.

currant tomato

noun

a kind of tomato with tiny fruits, native to the Andes.
● Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium, family Solanaceae.

currawong /ˈkʌrəwɒŋ/

I. noun

a crow-like songbird of the Australian butcher-bird family, with mainly black or grey plumage, a robust straight bill, and a resonant call. Also called bell magpie.
●Genus Strepera, family Cracticidae: three species.

– origin 1920s: from an Aboriginal word.

currency /ˈkʌr(ə)nsi/

noun

1. a system of money in general use in a particular country

• the dollar was a strong currency

• [ mass noun] travellers cheques in foreign currency.

2. [ mass noun] — the fact or quality of being generally accepted or in use

• the term gained wider currency after the turn of the century.

3. the time during which something is in use or operation

• no claim had been made during the currency of the policy.

currency lad

noun

(Austral.) ‹dated› a native-born Australian man, as distinct from an immigrant

• the currency lads and lasses began inventing the Australian way of speaking.

currency lass

noun

(Austral.) ‹dated› a native-born Australian woman, as distinct from an immigrant

• the currency lass can wield a pen as well as the currency lad can shoulder a rifle.

current /ˈkʌr(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. belonging to the present time; happening or being used or done now

• keep abreast of current events

• I started my current job in 2001.

2. in common or general use

• the other meaning of the word is still current.

II. noun

1. a body of water or air moving in a definite direction, especially through a surrounding body of water or air in which there is less movement

• ocean currents.

2. a flow of electricity which results from the ordered directional movement of electrically charged particles.

• this completes the circuit so that a current flows to the lamp.

• magnetic fields are produced by currents flowing in the cables.

3. a quantity representing the rate of flow of electric charge, usually measured in amperes.

• at high currents there is wasteful power dissipation.

4. the general tendency or course of events or opinion

• the student movement formed a distinct current of protest.

– origin Middle English (in the adjective sense ‘running, flowing’): from Old French corant ‘running’, from courre ‘run’, from Latin currere ‘run’.

current account

noun

(Brit.) an account with a bank or building society from which money may be withdrawn without notice, typically an active account catering for frequent deposits and withdrawals by cheque.

current affairs

plural noun

events of political or social interest and importance happening in the world at the present time.

• I began to take an interest in current affairs.

• [as modifier] current affairs programmes.

current assets

plural noun

cash and other assets that are expected to be converted to cash within a year.
Compare with fixed assets.

current cost accounting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of accounting in which assets are valued on the basis of their current replacement cost, and increases in their value as a result of inflation are excluded from calculations of profit.

current density

noun

[Physics] the amount of electric current flowing per unit cross-sectional area of a material.

current liabilities

plural noun

amounts due to be paid to creditors within twelve months.

currently /ˈkʌrəntli/

adverb

at the present time

• the EC is currently attempting greater economic integration.

curricle /ˈkʌrɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

‹historical› a light, open, two-wheeled carriage pulled by two horses side by side.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin curriculum ‘course, racing chariot’, from currere ‘to run’.

curricular /kəˈrɪkjələ/

adjective

relating to the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college

• a curricular revision is introducing new courses.

curriculum /kəˈrɪkjʊləm/

I. noun

the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college.

• course components of the school curriculum.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin (see curricle).

curriculum vitae /kʌˈrɪkjʊləm ˈviːtʌɪ/

I. noun

a brief account of a person's education, qualifications, and previous occupations, typically sent with a job application.

• send a curriculum vitae and the names of two referees.

– origin early 20th cent.: Latin, ‘course of life’.

currier /ˈkʌrɪə/

I. noun

a person who curries leather.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French corier, from Latin coriarius, from corium ‘leather’.

currish /ˈkəːrɪʃ/

I. adjective

‹archaic› like a cur; bad-tempered.

II. derivatives

1. currishly

adverb

2. currishness

noun

curry^1 /ˈkʌri/

I. noun

a dish of meat, vegetables, etc., cooked in an Indian-style sauce of strong spices.

• we went out for a curry.

• a beef curry.

• [ mass noun] she wouldn't eat curry.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. curried)

1. prepare or flavour with a sauce of hot-tasting spices

• curried chicken.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Tamil kaṟi.

curry^2 /ˈkʌri/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) groom (a horse) with a curry comb.

• I was brushing and currying the horse.

2. ‹historical› treat (tanned leather) to improve its properties.

• I made the deer's hide be curried and dressed by a tanner.

3. ‹archaic› thrash; beat.

• he swore he would curry his hide.

II. phrases

curry favour

ingratiate oneself with someone through obsequious behaviour

• a wimpish attempt to curry favour with the new bosses.

[alteration of Middle English curry favel, from the name ( Favel or Fauvel) of a chestnut horse in a 14th-cent. French romance who became a symbol of cunning and duplicity; hence ‘to curry (or groom) Favel’ meant to use the cunning which he personified.]

– origin Middle English: from Old French correier, ultimately of Germanic origin.

Curry, John

(1949–94), English ice skater; full name John Anthony Curry. He won a succession of championships, including the British, European, and World titles, taking the gold medal for men's figure skating in his second winter Olympic Games in 1976.

curry comb

noun

1. a metal device with serrated ridges, used for removing dirt from a body brush with which a horse is being groomed.

2. a rubber or plastic device with short teeth on one side, used to loosen dirt in a horse's coat.

curry leaf

noun

a shrub or small tree native to India and Sri Lanka, the leaves of which are widely used in Indian cooking.
● Murraya koenigii, family Rutaceae.

curry plant

noun

a small shrubby plant of the daisy family, which has narrow silver-grey leaves and small yellow flowers and emits a strong smell of curry.
● Helichrysum angustifolium, family Compositae.

curry powder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mixture of finely ground spices, such as turmeric, ginger, and coriander, used for making curry.

curse /kəːs/

I. noun

1. a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something

• she'd put a curse on him.

2. [usu. in sing.] — a cause of harm or misery

• impatience is the curse of our day and age.

3. an offensive word or phrase used to express anger or annoyance

• at every blow there was a curse.

4. ( the curse) — ‹informal› menstruation.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — invoke or use a curse against

• it often seemed as if the family had been cursed.

2. ( be cursed with) — be afflicted with

• many owners have been cursed with a series of bankruptcies.

3. [no obj.] — utter offensive words in anger or annoyance

• he cursed loudly as he burned his hand.

4. [with obj.] — address with offensive words

• I cursed myself for my carelessness.

III. derivatives

curser

noun

– origin Old English, of unknown origin.

cursed /ˈkəːsɪd, kəːst/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹informal› ‹dated› used to express annoyance or irritation

• his cursed tidy-mindedness.

II. derivatives

1. cursedly

adverb

2. cursedness

noun

cursillo /kəːˈsiːjəʊ/

I. noun

a short informal spiritual retreat by a group of Roman Catholics, especially in Spain or Latin America.

– origin 1950s: Spanish, ‘little course’.

cursive /ˈkəːsɪv/

I. adjective

written with the characters joined

• cursive script.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cursive writing.

• this style of writing began to compete with Gothic cursive.

III. derivatives

cursively

adverb

– origin late 18th cent.: from medieval Latin cursivus, from Latin curs- ‘run’, from the verb currere.

cursor /ˈkəːsə/

I. noun

1. a movable indicator on a computer screen identifying the point that will be affected by input from the user.

2. ‹chiefly historical› the transparent slide engraved with a hairline that is part of a slide rule and is used for marking a point on the rule while bringing a point on the central sliding portion up to it.

– origin Middle English (denoting a runner or running messenger): from Latin, ‘runner’, from curs- (see cursive). Sense 2 dates from the late 16th cent.

cursorial /kəːˈsɔːrɪəl/

I. adjective

[Zoology] having limbs adapted for running.

• a fast-flying and cursorial desert bird.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin cursor (see cursor) + -ial.

cursory /ˈkəːs(ə)ri/

I. adjective

hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed

• a cursory glance at the figures.

II. derivatives

1. cursorily /ˈkəːs(ə)rəli /

adverb

2. cursoriness /ˈkəːs(ə)rɪnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin cursorius ‘of a runner’, from cursor (see cursor).

curst /kəːst/

adjective

archaic spelling of cursed.

curt /kəːt/

I. adjective

rudely brief

• his reply was curt.

II. derivatives

1. curtly /ˈkəːtli /

adverb

2. curtness /ˈkəːtnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘short, shortened’): from Latin curtus ‘cut short, abridged’.

curtail /kəːˈteɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on

• civil liberties were further curtailed.

2. ( curtail someone of) — ‹archaic› deprive someone of (something)

• I that am curtailed of this fair proportion.

– origin late 15th cent.: from obsolete curtal ‘horse with a docked tail’, from French courtault, from court ‘short’, from Latin curtus. The change in the ending was due to association with tail^1 and perhaps also with French tailler ‘to cut’.

curtailment /kəˈteɪlm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of reducing or restricting something

• the curtailment of human rights.

curtain /ˈkəːt(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a piece of material suspended at the top to form a screen, typically movable sideways along a rail and found as one of a pair at a window

• she drew the curtains and lit the fire

• ‹figurative› through the curtain of falling snow, she could just make out gravestones.

2. ( the curtain) — a screen of heavy cloth or other material that can be raised or lowered at the front of a stage.

• he wants to see you directly the curtain comes down.

3. a raising or lowering of the curtain at the beginning or end of an act or scene

• the art is to hold your audience right from the opening curtain.

4. ( curtains) — ‹informal› a disastrous outcome

• it looked like curtains for me.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. curtained)

1. provide with a curtain or curtains

• a curtained window.

2. conceal or screen with a curtain

• a curtained-off side room.

III. phrases

bring down the curtain on

bring to an end

• her decision brought down the curtain on a glittering 30-year career.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cortine, from late Latin cortina, translation of Greek aulaia, from aulē ‘court’.

curtain call

noun

the appearance of one or more performers on stage after a performance to acknowledge the audience's applause.

• they were taking a curtain call together.

curtain fire ‹chiefly US› curtain of fire

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) rapid, continuous artillery or machine-gun fire on a designated line or area.

• their artillery used curtain fire to trap the Austrian forces in their deep trenches.

curtain lecture

I. noun

‹dated› an instance of a wife reprimanding her husband in private.

– origin mid 17th cent.: originally a reprimand given behind bed curtains.

curtain-raiser /ˈkəːt(ə)n ˌreɪzə/

I. noun

an entertainment or other event happening just before a longer or more important one

• Bach's Sinfonia in B flat was an ideal curtain-raiser to Mozart's last piano concerto.

– origin late 19th cent.: originally used in the theatre to denote a short opening piece performed before a play.

curtain ring

noun

a ring, typically one of brass or wood, used to fasten a curtain to a rail or rod.

curtain-sider

noun

a lorry or trailer having fabric sides.

curtain speech

noun

a speech of thanks or appreciation to an audience, made after a performance by an actor playing a leading role, typically from the front of the stage with the curtains closed.

curtain-up

noun — [in sing.]

1. the beginning of a stage performance

• curtain-up is at 8 p.m.

curtain wall

noun

1. a fortified wall around a medieval castle, typically one linking towers together.

2. a wall which encloses the space within a building but does not support the roof.

curtal /ˈkəːt(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹archaic› shortened, abridged, or curtailed.

• the curtal frock of sunbright cotton.

II. noun

‹historical› a dulcian or bassoon of the late 16th to early 18th century.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting a short-barrelled cannon): from French courtault, from court ‘short’ + the pejorative suffix -ault. In both English and French the noun denoted various items characterized by something short, especially an animal with a docked tail, which probably gave rise to the adjective sense.

curtana /kəːˈtɑːnə, kəːˈteɪnə/

I. noun

(Brit.) the unpointed sword carried in front of English sovereigns at their coronation to represent mercy.

• Curtana is borne in the front rank of the regalia.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Latin curtana (spatha) ‘shortened (sword)’, from Old French cortain, the name of the sword belonging to Roland (the point of which was damaged when it was thrust into a block of steel), from cort ‘short’, from Latin curtus ‘cut short’.

curtilage /ˈkəːt(ɪ)lɪdʒ/

I. noun

an area of land attached to a house and forming one enclosure with it

• the roads within the curtilage of the development site.

– origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, variant of Old French courtillage, from courtil ‘small court’, from cort ‘court’.

Curtin, John /ˈkəːtɪn/

(1885–1945), Australian Labor statesman, Prime Minister 1941–5; full name John Joseph Ambrose Curtin.

Curtiss, Glenn /ˈkəːtɪs/

(1878–1930), American air pioneer and aircraft designer; full name Glenn Hammond Curtiss. In 1908 Curtiss made the first public American flight of 1.0 km (0.6 miles). He built his first aeroplane in 1909, and invented the aileron and demonstrated the first practical seaplane two years later.

curtsy /ˈkəːtsi / curtsey

I. noun

a woman's or girl's formal greeting made by bending the knees with one foot in front of the other

• she bobbed a curtsy to him.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. perform a curtsy

• his sisters had curtsied to the vicar.

– origin early 16th cent.: variant of courtesy. Both forms were used to denote the expression of respect or courtesy by a gesture, especially in phrases such as do courtesy, make courtesy, and from this arose the current use (late 16th cent.).

curule /ˈkjʊəruːl/

I. adjective

‹historical› denoting or relating to the authority exercised by the senior magistrates in ancient Rome, chiefly the consul and praetor, who were entitled to use the sella curulis (‘curule seat’, a kind of folding chair).

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin curulis, from currus ‘chariot’ (in which the chief magistrate was conveyed to the seat of office), from currere ‘to run’.

curvaceous /kəːˈveɪʃəs/

I. adjective

(especially of a woman or a woman's figure) having an attractively curved shape.

• a curvaceous young woman.

• Stephanie's body became curvaceous and beautifully toned.

II. derivatives

1. curvaceously

adverb

2. curvaceousness

noun

curvature /ˈkəːvətʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact of being curved or the degree to which something is curved

• spinal curvature

• the curvature of the earth.

2. [Geometry] the degree to which a curve deviates from a straight line, or a curved surface deviates from a plane.

3. a numerical quantity expressing curvature.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin curvatura, from curvare (see curve).

curve /kəːv/

I. noun

1. a line or outline which gradually deviates from being straight for some or all of its length

• the parapet wall sweeps down in a bold curve.

2. (N. Amer.) a place where a road deviates from a straight path

• the vehicle rounded a curve.

3. ( curves) — a curving contour of a woman's figure.

• her dress twisted tightly round her generous curves.

4. a line on a graph (whether straight or curved) showing how one quantity varies with respect to another

• the population curve.

5. [Baseball] another term for curveball:

• he relies on a couple of curves and a modest fastball.

II. verb

form or cause to form a curve
[no obj.]

• her mouth curved in a smile

• [with obj.] starting with arms outstretched, curve the body sideways.

III. phrases

1. ahead of (or behind) the curve

(especially of a business or politician) ahead of (or lagging behind) current thinking or trends

• we are continually looking for ways to stay ahead of the curve and provide added value to our consumers.

2. throw someone a curve

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› another way of saying throw someone a curveball:

• just when you think you have this parenting thing down pat, they throw you a curve.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin curvare ‘to bend’, from curvus ‘bent’. The noun dates from the late 17th cent.

curveball /ˈkəːvbɔːl/

I. noun

1. [Baseball] a delivery in which the pitcher causes the ball to deviate from a straight path by imparting spin.

• his three-speed curveball enabled him to win 20 games in two different seasons.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› something which is unexpected, surprising, or disruptive

• there's always a curveball on every mission.

II. phrases

throw someone a curveball

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› unexpectedly present someone with a challenge or disruption

• just when you think things are working out, life throws you a curveball.

curved /kəːvd/

adjective

having the form of a curve; bent

• birds with long curved bills.

curvet /kəːˈvɛt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a horse) perform a courbette.

• Barney and Dolly curvetted for grandma's benefit.

2. leap gracefully or energetically.

II. noun

a graceful or energetic leap.

• he sprang from the ice in a swift, frisky curvet.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian corvetta, diminutive of corva, earlier form of curva ‘a curve’, from Latin curvus ‘bent’.

curvilinear /ˌkəːvɪˈlɪnɪə/

I. adjective

contained by or consisting of a curved line or lines

• these designs employ flowing, curvilinear forms.

II. derivatives

curvilinearly

adverb

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin curvus ‘bent, curved’, on the pattern of rectilinear.

curvirostral /ˌkəːvɪˈrɒstr(ə)l/

adjective

with a curved beak.

curvy /ˈkəːvi/

I. adjective

1. having curves

• curvy lines.

2. ‹informal› (of a woman's figure) shapely and voluptuous.

II. derivatives

curviness

noun

cuscus /ˈkʌskʌs/

I. noun

a tree-dwelling marsupial with a rounded head and prehensile tail, native to New Guinea and northern Australia.
●Four genera in the family Phalangeridae: several species, including the spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus maculatus) and the grey cuscus ( Phalanger orientalis). See also phalanger.

– origin mid 17th cent.: via French and Dutch from a local name in the Molucca Islands.

cusec /ˈkjuːsɛk/

I. noun

a unit of flow (especially of water) equal to one cubic foot per second.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation of cubic foot per second.

cush^1 /kʊʃ/

I. adjective

(US) ‹informal› another term for cushy:

• a cush job

• cush leather seats.

– origin 1920s: abbreviation.

cush^2 /kʊʃ/

I. noun

‹informal› a cushion on a billiard table.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation.

Cush /kʊʃ/

I. (in the Bible) the eldest son of Ham and grandson of Noah (Gen. 10:6).

II. the southern part of ancient Nubia, first mentioned in Egyptian records of the Middle Kingdom. In the Bible it is the country of the descendants of Cush.

cushat /ˈkʌʃət/

I. noun

‹dialect› (chiefly Scottish) a wood pigeon.

– origin Old English, of unknown origin.

cushaw /kʊˈʃɔː, ˈkuːʃɔː / cushaw squash

I. noun

(US) a large winter squash of a variety with a curved neck.

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

cush-cush /ˈkʊʃkʊʃ / cush-cush yam

I. noun

1. a tropical American yam which produces a number of tubers on each plant.
● Dioscorea trifida, family Dioscoreaceae.

2. [ mass noun] — the edible tuber of the cush-cush, eaten as a vegetable.

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps ultimately of African origin.

Cushing, Peter /ˈkʊʃɪŋ/

(1913–94), English actor, known particularly for his roles in Hammer horror films.

Cushing's disease

noun — [ mass noun]

1. Cushing's syndrome as caused by a tumour of the pituitary gland.

Cushing's syndrome

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a metabolic disorder caused by overproduction of corticosteroid hormones by the adrenal cortex and often involving obesity and high blood pressure.

– origin 1930s: named after Harvey W. Cushing (1869–1939), American surgeon.

cushion /ˈkʊʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a bag of cloth stuffed with a mass of soft material, used as a comfortable support for sitting or leaning on.

• comfortable chairs and sofas piled with cushions.

2. something providing support or protection against impact

• underlay forms a cushion between carpet and floor.

3. the elastic lining of the sides of a billiard table, from which the ball rebounds.

4. the layer of air supporting a hovercraft or similar vehicle.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. soften the effect of an impact on

• the bag cushions equipment from inevitable knocks.

2. mitigate the adverse effects of

• to cushion the blow, wages and pensions were increased.

III. derivatives

cushiony /ˈkʊʃəni /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French cuissin, based on a Latin word meaning ‘cushion for the hip’, from coxa ‘hip, thigh’. The Romans also had a word cubital ‘elbow cushion’, from cubitus ‘elbow’.

cushion capital

noun

[Architecture] a capital resembling a cushion pressed down by a weight, seen particularly in Romanesque churches.

cushioned /ˈkʊʃ(ə)nd/

adjective

covered by soft padding that provides comfortable support, especially for sitting or leaning on

• she is sitting on a cushioned stool.

cushion star

noun

a small shallow-water starfish with a broad body and very short blunt arms. Also called starlet.
● Asterina and related genera, class Asteroidea, in particular A. gibbosa of the NE Atlantic.

Cushitic /kʊˈʃɪtɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a group of East African languages of the Afro-Asiatic family spoken mainly in Ethiopia and Somalia, including Somali and Oromo.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Cushitic group of languages.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Cush + -itic.

cushty /ˈkʊʃti/

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› very good or pleasing

• he's got a cushty set-up.

– origin 1920s: from Romany kushto, kushti ‘good’, perhaps influenced by cushy.

cushy /ˈkʊʃi/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› (of a job or situation) undemanding, easy, or secure

• he doesn't have anything like the cushy life you professors have

• the Caribbean posting is not a cushy number.

2. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) (of furniture) comfortable.

• cushy chairs and couches.

II. derivatives

cushiness

noun

– origin late 19th cent. (originally Anglo-Indian): from Urdu ḵushī ‘pleasure’, from Persian ḵuš.

cusimanse /ˌkuːsɪˈmansi / kusimanse

I. noun

a small gregarious mongoose with a dark brown coat and a long mobile snout, native to West Africa.
● Crossarchus obscurus, family Herpestidae. Alternative name: long-nosed mongoose.

– origin mid 19th cent: probably a local word in West Africa.

cusk /kʌsk/

I. noun

another term for torsk.

– origin early 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

cusk-eel

noun

a small eel-like fish with a tapering body and fins that form a pointed tail, typically found in deep water.
●Family Ophidiidae: numerous genera.

cusp /kʌsp/

I. noun

1. a pointed end where two curves meet, in particular:

2. [Architecture] a moulded projection at the point of a small arch in Gothic tracery.

3. a cone-shaped prominence on the surface of a tooth.

4. [Anatomy] a pocket or fold in the wall of the heart or a major blood vessel that fills and distends if the blood flows backwards, so forming part of a valve.

5. [Mathematics] a point at which the direction of a curve is abruptly reversed.

6. each of the pointed ends of the crescent moon.

7. [Botany] a sharp rigid point of a leaf.

8. [Astrology] the initial point of an astrological sign or house

• he was Aries on the cusp with Taurus.

9. a point of transition between two different states

• those on the cusp of adulthood.

II. derivatives

1. cuspate

adjective

2. cusped

adjective

3. cuspidate /ˈkʌspɪdeɪt /

adjective

4. cuspidal /ˈkʌspɪd(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin cuspis ‘point or apex’.

cuspid /ˈkʌspɪd/

I. noun

a tooth with a single cusp or point; a canine tooth.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin cuspis, cuspid- ‘point or apex’.

cuspidor /ˈkʌspɪdɔː/

I. noun

(US) a spittoon.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Portuguese, ‘spitter’, from cuspir ‘to spit’, from Latin conspuere.

cusping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Architecture] a formation consisting of cusps.

cuss /kʌs / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. an annoying or stubborn person or animal

• he was certainly an unsociable cuss.

2. another term for curse (sense 2 of the noun).

II. verb

another term for curse (sense 2 of the verb).

cussed /ˈkʌsɪd/

I. adjective

‹informal› awkward; annoying

• why do you have to be so cussed?

II. derivatives

1. cussedly

adverb

2. cussedness /ˈkʌsɪdnəs /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US): variant of cursed.

cuss word

noun

‹informal› a swear word.

custard /ˈkʌstəd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dessert or sweet sauce made with milk and eggs, or milk and a proprietary powder.

– origin late Middle English crustarde, custarde (denoting an open pie containing meat or fruit in a spiced or sweetened sauce thickened with eggs), from Old French crouste (see crust).

custard apple

noun

1. a large fleshy tropical fruit with a sweet yellow pulp.
See also cherimoya, bullock's heart, sweetsop.

2. the tree which bears the custard apple, native to Central and South America.
●Genus Annona, family Annonaceae: several species.

custard cream

noun

(Brit.) a biscuit with a vanilla-flavoured cream filling.

custard marrow

noun

(Brit.) a summer squash of a variety which has flattened round fruits with scalloped edges.

custard pie

noun

1. an open pie containing cold set custard.

2. a custard pie, or a flat container of foam, used for throwing in someone's face in slapstick comedy.

• staff raised about £70 by putting members of the management team in the stocks and pelting them with custard pies.

• [as modifier] Charlie Chaplin won enormous popularity with his custard-pie comedies.

custard powder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a preparation of flavoured cornflour for making custard.

custard tart

noun

a sweet pastry case with a filling of egg custard, typically eaten cold

• a plate of home-made custard tarts.

Custer, George /ˈkʌstə/

(1839–76), American cavalry general; full name George Armstrong Custer. He served with distinction in the American Civil War but led his men to their deaths in a clash (popularly known as Custer's Last Stand) with the Sioux at Little Bighorn in Montana.

custodial /kʌˈstəʊdiəl/

adjective

1. relating to or requiring imprisonment

• a light custodial sentence.

2. [Law] relating to or having parental responsibility, especially as allocated as part of a divorce

• the request by a custodial parent to relocate.

custodian /kʌˈstəʊdɪən/

I. noun

1. a person who has responsibility for taking care of or protecting something

• the custodians of pension and insurance funds.

• the custodian of the Great Seal in Canada is always the Secretary of State.

2. (US) a person employed to clean and maintain a building.

3. (Brit.) ‹humorous› a goalkeeper or wicketkeeper.

II. derivatives

custodianship

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from custody, on the pattern of guardian.

custody /ˈkʌstədi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the protective care or guardianship of someone or something

• the property was placed in the custody of a trustee.

2. [Law] parental responsibility, especially as allocated to one of two divorcing parents

• he was trying to get custody of their child.

3. imprisonment

• my father was being taken into custody.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin custodia, from custos ‘guardian’.

custom /ˈkʌstəm/

I. noun

1. a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something that is specific to a particular society, place, or time

• the old English custom of dancing round the maypole

• [ mass noun] custom demanded that a person should have gifts for the child.

2. [in sing.] — a thing that one does habitually

• it is our custom to visit the Lake District in October.

3. [Law] established usage having the force of law or right.

4. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) regular dealings with a shop or business by customers

• if you keep me waiting, I will take my custom elsewhere.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (N. Amer.) made or done to order; custom-made

• a custom guitar.

– origin Middle English: from Old French coustume, based on Latin consuetudo, from consuetus, past participle of consuescere ‘accustom’, from con- (expressing intensive force) + suescere ‘become accustomed’.

customarily /ˈkʌstəm(ə)rɪli/

adverb

in a way which follows customs or usual practices; usually

• the leaves are customarily used for animal fodder.

customary /ˈkʌstəm(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. according to the customs or usual practices associated with a particular society, place, or set of circumstances

• it is customary to mark an occasion like this with a toast.

2. [ attrib.] — according to a person's habitual practice

• I put the kettle on for our customary cup of coffee.

3. [Law] established by or based on custom rather than common law or statute.

4. (in South Africa) relating to black African traditional custom or law.

II. noun

‹historical› another term for custumal.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun): from medieval Latin custumarius, from custuma, from Anglo-Norman French custume (see custom).

custom-built /ˌkʌstəmˈbɪlt/

adjective

built or made to a particular customer's order.

customer /ˈkʌstəmə/

noun

1. a person who buys goods or services from a shop or business

• Mr Harrison was a regular customer at the Golden Lion.

2. [with adj.] — a person of a specified kind with whom one has to deal

• he's a tough customer.

customer-facing

adjective

dealing directly with customers

• a customer-facing role.

customer service

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services.

custom house customs house

noun

‹chiefly historical› the office at a port or frontier where customs duty is collected.

customizable /ˈkʌstəmʌɪzəb(ə)l / customisable

adjective

able to be modified to suit a particular individual or task

• a customizable keyboard designed with the gamer in mind.

customization /ˌkʌstəmʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / customisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of modifying something to suit a particular individual or task

• the new software allows customization.

2. [ count noun] — a modification made to something to suit a particular individual or task

• users can save these customizations.

customize /ˈkʌstəmʌɪz / customise

verb — [with obj.]

1. modify (something) to suit a particular individual or task

• the software can be customized to the developing needs of your students

• (as adj. customized) many caterers offer private tastings and customized menus.

custom-made /ˌkʌstəmˈmeɪd/

adjective

made or done to order for a particular customer.

customs /ˈkʌstəmz/

I. plural noun

1. the official department that administers and collects the duties levied by a government on imported goods

• cocaine seizures by customs have risen this year

• [as modifier] a customs officer.

2. the place at a port, airport, or frontier where officials check incoming goods, travellers, or luggage

• we were through customs with a minimum of formalities.

3. (usu. customs duties) — the duties levied by a government on imported goods.

• an inflow of customs duties to the Treasury.

• from 1374 Chaucer worked as controller of customs on wool in the port of London.

– origin late Middle English: originally in the singular, denoting a customary due paid to a ruler, later duty levied on goods on their way to market.

customs union

noun

a group of states that have agreed to charge the same import duties as each other and usually to allow free trade between themselves.

custos rotulorum /ˌkʌstɒs ˌrəʊtjʊˈlɔːrəm/

I. noun

(in England and Wales) the principal Justice of the Peace of a county, who has nominal custody of the records of the commission of the peace. The function is usually fulfilled by the Lord Lieutenant.

– origin Latin.

custumal /ˈkʌstjʊm(ə)l / customal

I. noun

‹historical› a written account of the customs of a manor or other local community or large establishment.

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin custumale ‘customs book’, neuter of custumalis, from custuma ‘custom’.

cut /kʌt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make an opening, incision, or wound in (something) with a sharp-edged tool or object

• he cut his big toe on a sharp stone

• when fruit is cut open, it goes brown.

2. make a deliberate incision in (one's flesh), as a symptom of psychological or emotional distress

• I started cutting myself when I was about 14 and continued for four years

• [no obj.] I just started high school and I have a lot of self-confidence issues and as a result I started cutting.

3. remove (something) from something larger by using a sharp implement

• I cut his photograph out of the paper

• some prisoners had their right hands cut off.

4. castrate (an animal, especially a horse).

5. ( cut something out) — make something by cutting

• I cut out some squares of paper.

6. ( cut something out) — remove, exclude, or stop eating or doing something undesirable

• start today by cutting out fatty foods.

7. ( cut something out) — (N. Amer.) separate an animal from the main herd.

• after the target animal is spotted, the pilot swoops down, cutting it out of the herd.

8. divide into pieces with a knife or other sharp implement

• cut the beef into thin slices

• he cut his food up into teeny pieces.

9. make divisions in (something)

• land that has been cut up by streams into forested areas.

10. separate (something) into two; sever

• they cut the rope before he choked.

11. ( cut something down) — cause something to fall by cutting it through at the base.

• some 24 hectares of trees were cut down.

12. ( cut someone down) — (of a weapon, bullet, or disease) kill or injure someone

• Barker had been cut down by a sniper's bullet.

13. make or form (something) by using a sharp tool to remove material

• workmen cut a hole in the pipe.

14. make or design (a garment) in a particular way
(as adj., with submodifier cut)

• an impeccably cut suit.

15. make (a path, tunnel, or other route) by excavation, digging, or chopping

• plans to cut a road through a rainforest

• [no obj.] investigators called for a machete to cut through the bush.

16. make (a sound recording).

• quadraphonic LPs had to be cut at a lower volume level than conventional records.

17. trim or reduce the length of (grass, hair, etc.) by using a sharp implement

• Ted was cutting the lawn

• cut back all the year's growth to about four leaves.

18. reduce the amount or quantity of

• buyers will bargain hard to cut the cost of the house they want

• I should cut down my sugar intake

• [no obj.] they've cut back on costs

• we're looking to cut down on the use of chemicals.

19. abridge (a text, film, or performance) by removing material

• he had to cut unnecessary additions made to the opening scene.

20. [Computing] delete (part of a text or other display) so as to insert a copy of it elsewhere.
See also cut and paste.

21. end or interrupt the provision of (a supply)

• we resolved to cut oil supplies to territories controlled by the rebels

• if the pump develops a fault, the electrical supply is immediately cut off.

22. switch off (an engine or a light).

• Niall brought the car to a halt and cut the engine.

23. (N. Amer.) absent oneself from (something one should normally attend, especially school)

• Rodney was cutting class.

24. ‹informal› ignore or refuse to recognize (someone)

• they cut her in public.

25. (of a line) cross or intersect (another line).

• mark the point where the line cuts the vertical axis.

26. [no obj.] ( cut across) — pass or traverse, especially so as to shorten one's route

• the following aircraft cut across to join him.

27. [no obj.] ( cut across) — have an effect regardless of (divisions or boundaries between groups)

• subcultures which cut across national and political boundaries.

28. [no obj.] ( cut along) — ‹informal› ‹dated› leave or move hurriedly.

• you can cut along now.

29. [no obj., often in imperative] — stop filming or recording.

• ‘Cut’ shouted a voice, followed by ‘Could we do it again, please?’.

30. [with adverbial] — move to another shot in a film

• cut to a dentist's surgery.

31. [with obj.] — make (a film) into a coherent whole by removing parts or placing them in a different order.

• I like to watch the rushes at home before I start cutting the film.

32. [no obj.] — divide a pack of playing cards by lifting a portion from the top, either to reveal a card at random or to place the top portion under the bottom portion.

• let's cut for dealer.

33. strike or kick (a ball) with an abrupt, typically downward motion

• Cook cut the ball back to him.

34. [Golf] slice (the ball).

35. [Cricket] hit (the ball) to the off side with the bat held almost horizontally; play such a stroke against (the bowler).

36. [no obj.] — [Cricket] (of the ball) turn sharply on pitching.

37. mix (an illegal drug) with another substance

• speed cut with rat poison.

38. ( cut it) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› come up to expectations; meet requirements

• this CD player doesn't quite cut it.

[shortened form of the idiom cut the mustard.]

II. noun

1. an act of cutting, in particular:

2. [in sing.] — a haircut

• his hair was in need of a cut.

3. a stroke or blow given by a sharp-edged implement or by a whip or cane

• he could skin an animal with a single cut of the knife.

4. a wounding remark or act.

• his unkindest cut at Elizabeth was to call her heartless.

5. [often with modifier] — a reduction in amount or size

• she took a 20% pay cut

• a cut in interest rates.

6. (Brit.) a power cut.

• fortunately the cut happened at night and power was quickly restored.

7. an act of cutting part of a book, play, etc.

• they would not publish the book unless the author was willing to make cuts.

8. an immediate transition from one scene to another in a film.

• instead of hard cuts, we used dissolves to give it a very dreamy character.

9. [Golf] the halfway point of a golf tournament, where half of the players are eliminated.

10. [Tennis] [Cricket] a stroke made with an abrupt, typically horizontal or downward action.

• Kellett was denied a century by edging a cut to wicketkeeper Burns.

11. a result of cutting something, in particular:

12. a long, narrow incision in the skin made by something sharp

• blood ran from a cut on his jaw.

13. a long, narrow opening or incision made in a surface or piece of material

• make a single cut along the top of each potato.

14. a piece of meat cut from a carcass

• a good lean cut of beef.

15. [in sing.] — ‹informal› a share of the profits from something

• the directors are demanding their cut.

16. a recording of a piece of music

• a cut from his forthcoming album.

17. a version of a film after editing.

• the final cut.

18. a passage cut or dug out, as a railway cutting or a new channel made for a river or other waterway.

• the cut connected with the Harborough arm of the canal.

19. [in sing.] — the way or style in which something, especially a garment or someone's hair, is cut

• the elegant cut of his dinner jacket.

III. phrases

1. be cut out for (or to be)

[usu. with negative] — ‹informal› have exactly the right qualities for a particular role or job

• I'm just not cut out to be a policeman.

2. a cut above

‹informal› noticeably superior to

• she's a cut above the rest.

3. cut and dried /ˌkʌt ən ˈdrʌɪd /

[often with negative] — (of a situation) completely settled

• the championship is not as cut and dried as everyone thinks.

[early 18th cent.: originally used to distinguish the herbs of herbalists' shops from growing herbs.]

4. cut and paste /ˌkʌt ən ˈpeɪst /

[Computing] move (text) by cutting it from one part of the text and inserting it in another.

5. cut and run

‹informal› make a speedy departure from a difficult situation rather than deal with it.

• he laughed off suggestions he is ready to cut and run from struggling United.

[originally a nautical phrase, meaning ‘cut the anchor cable because of some emergency and make sail immediately’.]

6. cut and thrust /ˌkʌt ən ˈθrʌst /

a. a lively and competitive atmosphere or environment

• the cut and thrust of political debate.

b. a situation or sphere of activity regarded as carried out under adversarial conditions

• the ruthless cut and thrust of the business world.

[originally a phrase in fencing.]

7. cut both ways

a. (of a point or statement) serve both sides of an argument.

• such a tax is often claimed to encourage saving but the argument can cut both ways.

b. (of an action or process) have both good and bad effects

• the triumphs of civilization cut both ways.

8. cut the corner

take the shortest course by going across and not around a corner.

9. cut corners

do something perfunctorily so as to save time or money.

• there is always a temptation to cut corners when time is short.

10. cut the crap

[often in imperative] — ‹vulgar slang› get to the point; state the real situation.

11. cut a dash

(Brit.) be stylish or impressive in one's dress or behaviour.

• the foreign secretary wanted to cut a dash in Brussels.

12. cut someone dead

completely ignore someone.

• where he used to cut them dead, he now helps them on with their coats.

13. cut a deal

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› come to an arrangement, especially in business; make a deal.

• he had gone to the board of directors with his new robot design and cut a deal.

14. cut someone down to size

‹informal› deflate someone's exaggerated sense of self-worth.

15. cut something down to size

reduce the size or power of something, for example an organization, which is regarded as having become too large or powerful.

• the government clearly plans to cut councils down to size.

16. cut a —— figure

present oneself or appear in a particular way

• David has cut a dashing figure on the international social scene.

17. cut from the same cloth

of the same nature; similar.

• don't assume all women are cut from the same cloth.

18. cut in line

(N. Amer.) jump the queue.

19. cut it fine

see fine^1.

20. cut it out

[usu. in imperative] — ‹informal› used to ask someone to stop doing or saying something that is annoying or offensive.

• I'm sick of that joke; cut it out, can't you?

21. cut loose

a. distance or free oneself from a person, group, or system

• he was a young teenager, already cutting loose from his family.

b. begin to act without restraint

• when Mannion cut loose the home side collapsed to 127 all out.

22. cut someone/thing loose (or free)

free someone or something from something which holds or restricts them

• he'd cut loose the horses.

23. cut one's losses

abandon an enterprise or course of action that is clearly going to be unprofitable or unsuccessful before one suffers more loss or harm.

• an inner voice was urging her to cut her losses and go back to England.

24. cut the mustard

‹informal› come up to expectations; reach the required standard

• I didn't cut the mustard as a hockey player.

25. cut no ice

‹informal› have no influence or effect

• your holier-than-thou attitude cuts no ice with me.

26. cut someone off (or down) in their prime

bring someone's life or career to an abrupt end while they are at the peak of their abilities.

• she was too young to die: she had been cut off in her prime.

27. cut someone/thing short

interrupt someone or something; bring an abrupt or premature end to something said or done

• Peter cut him short rudely.

28. cut someone to pieces

a. kill or severely injure someone.

• I was nearly cut to pieces by shrapnel.

b. totally defeat someone.

• we were cut to pieces by Rovers.

29. cut a (or the) rug

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› dance, especially in an energetic or accomplished way.

• a place where a fella and a gal can cut a rug.

30. cut one's teeth

acquire initial practice or experience of a particular sphere of activity

• the brothers cut their professional teeth at Lusardi's before starting their own restaurant.

31. cut a tooth

(of a baby) have a tooth appear through the gum.

• a feast to celebrate a son cutting his first tooth.

32. cut to the chase

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› come to the point

• cut to the chase—what is it you want us to do?

[ cut in the sense ‘move to another part of the film’, expressing the notion of ignoring any preliminaries.]

33. cut up rough

(Brit.) ‹informal› behave in an aggressive, quarrelsome, or awkward way.

• he can cut up rough and turn a bit nasty if he's got a mind to.

34. cut up well

‹archaic› bequeath a large fortune.

• the old banker died and cut up prodigiously well.

35. cut your coat according to your cloth

‹proverb› undertake only what you have the money or ability to do and no more.

36. have one's work cut out

see work.

37. make the cut

[usu. with negative] — [Golf] equal or better a required score, thus avoiding elimination from the last two rounds of a four-round tournament.

• she shot rounds of 86 and 86 and failed to make the cut.

38. miss the cut

[Golf] fail to equal or better a required score, thus being eliminated from the last two rounds of a four-round tournament.

• bad driving made him miss the cut by nine strokes.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. cut in

a. interrupt someone while they are speaking

• ‘It's urgent,’ Raoul cut in.

b. pull in too closely in front of another vehicle after having overtaken it

• she cut in on a station wagon, forcing the driver to brake.

c. (of a motor or other mechanical device) begin operating, especially when triggered automatically by an electrical signal.

• emergency generators cut in.

d. ‹dated› interrupt a dancing couple to take over from one partner.

• Saturday night she goes to an informal dance where men are rare and any girl may cut in.

2. cut someone in

‹informal› include someone in a deal and give them a share of the profits.

• he didn't mind my having a racket, he was just narked that I hadn't cut him in.

3. cut into

interrupt the course of

• Victoria's words cut into her thoughts.

4. cut someone off

a. interrupt someone while they are speaking.

• he cut her off and went on to another subject.

b. interrupt someone during a telephone call by breaking the connection.

• I listened to pre-recorded messages for twenty-three minutes before being cut off.

c. prevent someone from receiving or being provided with something, especially power or water.

• consumers may be cut off for non-payment.

d. reject someone as one's heir; disinherit someone

• Gabrielle's family cut her off without a penny.

e. prevent someone from having access to somewhere or someone; isolate someone from something they previously had connections with

• the couple were cut off by a fast-moving tide.

5. cut something off

block the usual means of access to a place

• the caves were cut off from the outside world by a landslide.

6. cut out

a. (of a motor or engine) suddenly stop operating.

• both the lifeboat's engines cut out at times as they hit the seabed.

b. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› (of a person) leave quickly, especially so as to avoid a boring or awkward situation.

• she was working her way toward the door and when no one was watching, she cut out.

7. cut someone out

exclude someone

• his mother cut him out of her will.

8. cut up

a. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› behave in a mischievous or unruly manner

• kids cutting up in a classroom.

b. ‹informal› (of a horse race) have a particular selection of runners

• the race has cut up badly with no other opposition from England.

9. cut someone up

a. ‹informal› (of a driver) overtake someone and pull in too closely in front of them.

• he was threatened with a baseball bat after cutting up another driver.

b. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› criticize someone severely

• my kids cut him up about his appetite all the time.

– origin Middle English (probably existing, although not recorded, in Old English); probably of Germanic origin and related to Norwegian kutte and Icelandic kuta ‘cut with a small knife’, kuti ‘small blunt knife’.

cut-and-come-again

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a garden plant, especially a green vegetable or a flower, that can be repeatedly cut or harvested

• cut-and-come-again spinach.

cut-and-cover

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of building a tunnel by making a cutting which is then lined and covered over.
[as modifier]

• a cut-and-cover tunnel.

cutaneous /kjuːˈteɪnɪəs/

I. adjective

relating to or affecting the skin

• cutaneous pigmentation.

– origin late 16th cent.: from modern Latin cutaneus (from Latin cutis ‘skin’) + -ous.

cutaway /ˈkʌtəweɪ/

noun — [often as modifier]

1. a coat or jacket with the front cut away below the waist.

• a cutaway coat.

2. a diagram or drawing with some external parts left out to reveal the interior.

• a cutaway diagram of the magnetosphere.

3. a shot or scene in a film which is of a different subject from those to which it is joined in editing.

• a quick cutaway to the forest and back.

cutback /ˈkʌtbak/

noun

an act or instance of reducing something, especially expenditure

• cutbacks in defence spending.

cutch /kʌtʃ/

noun

see catechu.

cut-down

adjective

reduced in scope or length

• it's a cut-down version of a DTP program.

cute /kjuːt/

I. adjective

1. attractive in a pretty or endearing way

• she had a cute little nose.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› sexually attractive; good-looking

• Ryan's cute but he's kinda young

• a cute guy.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› clever or cunning, especially in a self-seeking or superficial way

• she had a real cute idea

• the two brothers were cute enough to find a couple of rich women and marry them.

II. derivatives

cutely /ˈkjuːtli /

adverb

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘clever, shrewd’): shortening of acute.

cuteness /ˈkjuːtnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being attractive in a pretty or endearing way

• the innocence, exuberance, and overall cuteness of all these children.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› the quality of being sexually attractive

• this actress has cuteness written all over her face.

cutesy /ˈkjuːtsi/

I. adjective

‹informal› cute to a sentimental or mawkish extent

• the film's cutesy shots of children playing in the streets.

II. derivatives

cutesiness

noun

cut glass /ˌkʌt ˈɡlɑːs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. glass ornamented with patterns cut into it by grinding and polishing.

• fine English cut glass.

• [as modifier] a cut-glass decanter.

2. [as modifier] — characterized by precise and careful enunciation

• a cut-glass accent.

Cuthbert, St

(d.687), English monk. He lived as a hermit on Farne Island before becoming bishop of Lindisfarne. Feast day, 20 March.

cuticle /ˈkjuːtɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. the dead skin at the base of a fingernail or toenail.

• you've been gnawing at your cuticles.

2. the outer cellular layer of a hair.

• the cuticle is the hair's protective shield.

3. [Botany] [Zoology] a protective and waxy or hard layer covering the epidermis of a plant, invertebrate, or shell.
[ count noun]

• the body is covered with a non-living cuticle of chitin.

4. [Zoology] another term for epidermis.

II. derivatives

cuticular /kjuːˈtɪkjʊlə /

adjective

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting a membrane of the body): from Latin cuticula, diminutive of cutis ‘skin’.

cutie /ˈkjuːti/

noun

‹informal› an attractive or endearing person, especially a young woman.

• this twenty-year-old cutie was flavour of the month.

cutin /ˈkjuːtɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a waxy water-repellent substance in the cuticle of plants, consisting of highly polymerized esters of fatty acids.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cutis + -in^1.

cut-in

noun

a shot in a film that is edited into another shot or scene.

• the frequent cut-ins to people skiing over cliffs had less relevance.

cutis /ˈkjuːtɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anatomy] the true skin or dermis.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘skin’.

cutlass /ˈkʌtləs/

I. noun

a short sword with a slightly curved blade, formerly used by sailors.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French coutelas, based on Latin cultellus ‘small knife’ (see cutler).

cutlassfish

noun

a long, slender marine fish with sharp teeth and a dorsal fin running the length of the back.
●Family Trichiuridae: several species, including the Atlantic Trichiurus lepturus (also called snakefish), an important food fish in the tropics.

cutler /ˈkʌtlə/

I. noun

a person who makes or sells cutlery.

– origin Middle English: from Old French coutelier, from coutel ‘knife’, from Latin cultellus, diminutive of culter ‘knife, ploughshare’. Compare with coulter.

cutlery /ˈkʌtləri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. knives, forks, and spoons used for eating or serving food.

2. (N. Amer.) cutting utensils, especially knives.

– origin Middle English: from Old French coutellerie, from coutelier (see cutler).

cutlet /ˈkʌtlɪt/

I. noun

1. a portion of meat, usually served grilled or fried and often covered in breadcrumbs.

• a pork cutlet.

2. (Brit.) a lamb or veal chop from just behind the neck.

• lamb cutlets.

3. a flat croquette of minced meat, nuts, or pulses, typically covered in breadcrumbs and shaped like a veal chop.

• nut cutlets.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French côtelette, earlier costelette, diminutive of coste ‘rib’, from Latin costa.

cutline /ˈkʌtlʌɪn/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) the caption to a photograph or other illustration.

• the cutline submitted by the photographer accurately described the event.

2. (in squash) the line above which a served ball must strike the front wall.

cut lunch

noun

(Austral./NZ) a packed lunch.

cut-off /ˈkʌtɒf/

noun

1. a point or level which is a designated limit of something

• 2,500 g is the standard cut-off below which infants are categorized as ‘low birthweight’

• [as modifier] the cut-off date to register is July 2.

2. an act of stopping or interrupting the supply of something

• a cut-off of aid would be a disaster.

3. a device for producing an interruption in flow of a power or fuel supply.

• the motor has a thermal overload cut-off for safety.

4. a sudden drop in amplification or responsiveness of an electric device at a certain frequency.
[as modifier]

• a cut-off frequency of 8 Hz.

5. [ mass noun] — the stopping of the supply of steam to the cylinders of a steam engine when the piston has travelled a set percentage of its stroke.

• at the moment of starting, cut-off is about 75 per cent.

6. ( cut-offs) — shorts made by cutting off the legs of a pair of jeans or other trousers and leaving the edges unhemmed.

• she was wearing frayed cut-offs.

7. (N. Amer.) a short cut.

cut-out

noun

1. a shape cut out of board or another material.

• a life-size cut-out.

2. a person perceived as characterless or lacking in individuality

• this film's protagonists are cardboard cut-outs.

3. a hole cut in something for decoration or to allow the insertion of something else.

• the mains output socket is fitted into a suitable cut-out on the rear panel.

4. a device that automatically breaks an electric circuit for safety and either resets itself or can be reset.

• there's a thermal cut-out to prevent overheating.

cutover /ˈkʌtəʊvə/

I. noun

a rapid transition from one phase of a business enterprise or project to another.

• the system cutovers have been on schedule.

II. adjective

(of land) having had its saleable timber felled and removed.

cut-price /kʌtˈprʌɪs / ‹N. Amer.› cut-rate

adjective

1. for sale at a reduced or unusually low price

• cut-price footwear.

2. offering goods at reduced prices

• cut-price supermarkets.

cutpurse /ˈkʌtpəːs/

I. noun

‹archaic› a pickpocket or thief.

– origin late Middle English: with reference to stealing by cutting purses suspended from a waistband.

cutscene

noun

(in computer games) a scene that develops the storyline and is often shown on completion of a certain level, or when the player's character dies.

• between every few missions there's a lengthy cutscene which fills in the gaps in the story.

cutter /ˈkʌtə/

noun

1. a person or thing that cuts something, in particular

2. [often with adj. or noun modifier] — a tool for cutting something, especially one intended for cutting a particular thing or for producing a particular shape

• a biscuit cutter

• ( cutters) a pair of bolt cutters.

3. a person who cuts or edits film.

• he's a great cutter—he saved ‘Rocky V’ in the editing room.

4. a person in a tailoring establishment who takes measurements and cuts the cloth.

• a lifetime spent as a cutter in the Manhattan rag trade.

5. a person who deliberately cuts into their own flesh, as a symptom of psychological or emotional distress

• a support group for recovering cutters.

6. a person who reduces or cuts down on something, especially expenditure

• a determined cutter of costs.

7. a light, fast coastal patrol boat.

• a coastguard cutter.

8. a ship's boat used for carrying light stores or passengers.

9. ‹historical› a small fore-and-aft rigged sailing boat with one mast, more than one headsail, and a running bowsprit, used as a fast auxiliary.

10. a yacht with one mainsail and two foresails.

11. [Cricket] [Baseball] a ball that deviates sharply on pitching.

12. (N. Amer.) a light horse-drawn sleigh.

• a one-horse cutter parked in front of the barn.

13. a pig heavier than a porker but lighter than a baconer.

cut-throat /ˈkʌtθrəʊt/

I. noun

1. ‹dated› a murderer or other violent criminal.

• meanwhile, Hitler and his crew of cut-throats were tramping all over Europe.

2. short for cut-throat razor.

3. (also cut-throat trout) — a trout of western North America, with red or orange markings under the jaw.
● Salmo clarki, family Salmonidae.

II. adjective

1. (of a competitive situation or activity) fierce and intense; involving the use of ruthless measures

• the cut-throat world of fashion.

2. (of a person) using ruthless methods in a competitive situation

• the greedy cut-throat manufacturers he worked for.

3. denoting a form of whist (or other card game normally for four) played by three players.

cut-throat razor

noun

(Brit.) a razor having a long blade set in a handle, usually folding like a penknife.

cut-throat weaver cut-throat, cut-throat finch

noun

a small finch-like African bird of the waxbill family, with speckled brown plumage, a conspicuous crimson throat band, and a rufous belly.
● Amadina fasciata, family Estrildidae.

cutting /ˈkʌtɪŋ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of cutting something

• the cutting of the cake

• tax-cutting.

2. (often cuttings) — a piece cut off from something, especially what remains when something is being trimmed or prepared

• grass cuttings.

3. (Brit.) an article or other piece cut from a newspaper or periodical.

• an archive of newspaper cuttings.

4. a piece cut from a plant for propagation.

• take cuttings of Christmas cactus and pot them on.

5. (Brit.) an open passage excavated through higher ground for a railway, road, or canal.

• they found the cutting and scrambled down the slope.

II. adjective

1. capable of cutting something

• the cutting blades of the hedge trimmer.

2. (of a comment) causing emotional pain; hurtful

• a cutting remark.

3. (of the wind) bitterly cold.

• cutting winter winds.

III. derivatives

cuttingly /ˈkʌtɪŋli /

adverb

cutting edge

I. noun

1. the edge of a tool's blade.

• tools with cutting edges should be kept sharp.

2. [in sing.] — the latest or most advanced stage in the development of something

• researchers at the cutting edge of molecular biology.

3. [in sing.] — a dynamic or invigorating quality

• the party's campaign began to lose its cutting edge.

II. adjective

( cutting-edge) — highly advanced; innovative or pioneering

• cutting-edge technology.

cutting grass

noun

1. [ mass noun] — an Australian and New Zealand sedge with sharp-edged leaves or stems.
●Genus Gahnia, family Cyperaceae.

2. another term for cane rat.

cutting horse

noun

(N. Amer.) a horse trained in separating cattle from a herd.
[as modifier]

• the nation's finest cutting-horse ranches.

cutting room

noun

a room in a film studio where film is cut and edited
[as modifier]

• such a scene would end up on the cutting-room floor.

cuttle /ˈkʌt(ə)l/

I. noun

a cuttlefish.

– origin Old English cudele ‘cuttlefish’, of Germanic origin; related to codd ‘bag’, with reference to its ink bag.

cuttlebone /ˈkʌtlbəʊn/

noun

the flattened oval internal skeleton of the cuttlefish, which is made of white lightweight chalky material. It is used as a dietary supplement for cage birds and for making casts for precious metal items.

• parakeets require only a cuttlebone to hone their beaks.

• [ mass noun] cuttlebone has long been used for casting pieces of jewellery.

cuttlefish /ˈkʌt(ə)lfɪʃ/

I. noun

a swimming marine mollusc that resembles a broad-bodied squid, having eight arms and two long tentacles that are used for grabbing prey. Its internal skeleton is the familiar cuttlebone, which it uses for adjusting buoyancy.
●Order Sepioidea, class Cephalopoda: Sepia and other genera.

– origin late 16th cent.: from cuttle + fish^1.

cutty /ˈkʌti / ‹Scottish N. English›

I. adjective

short, either naturally so or through being cut down

• they carried wee cutty ladders.

II. noun

a short tobacco pipe.

Cutty Sark /ˌkʌtɪ ˈsɑːk/

I. the only survivor of the British tea clippers, launched in 1869 and now preserved as a museum ship at Greenwich, London.

– origin from Robert Burns's Tam o' Shanter, a poem about a Scottish farmer chased by a young witch who wore only her ‘cutty sark’ (= short shift).

cutty-stool

noun

(Scottish) ‹historical› a stool on which an offender was publicly rebuked during a church service.

cut up

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. (of soft ground) rutted and uneven after the passage of heavy vehicles or animals.

2. ‹informal› (of a person) very distressed

• she was pretty cut up about them leaving.

II. noun

1. a film or sound recording made by cutting and editing material from pre-existing recordings.

• the band use old movie and televangelist cut ups and rap-influenced vocals.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person who is fond of making jokes or playing the fool.

• she insists she was ‘never a class cut-up’, but her sister was always pretty funny.

cutwater /ˈkʌtwɔːtə/

noun

1. the forward edge of a ship's prow.

2. a wedge-shaped projection on the pier of a bridge, which divides the flow of water and prevents debris from becoming trapped against the pier.

cutwork

noun — [ mass noun]

1. embroidery in which parts of the fabric ground are cut out and the edges oversewn or elaborately stitched.

• a linen blouse with cutwork.

• [as modifier] a cutwork design.

2. appliqué work in which the pattern is cut out and sewn on.

cutworm /ˈkʌtwəːm/

noun

a moth caterpillar that lives in the upper layers of the soil and eats through the stems of young plants at ground level.
●Several species in the family Noctuidae, in particular the large yellow underwing (see yellow underwing).

cuvée /ˈkjuːveɪ, French kyve/

I. noun

a type, blend, or batch of wine, especially champagne.

• the judicious addition of good-quality Pinot Meunier to a cuvée is indispensable.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, ‘vatful’, from cuve ‘cask’, from Latin cupa.

cuvette /kjuːˈvɛt/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] a straight-sided clear container for holding liquid samples in a spectrophotometer or other instrument.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, diminutive of cuve ‘cask’, from Latin cupa.

Cuvier, Georges /ˈkuːvɪeɪ, French kyvje/

Baron (1769–1832), French naturalist; full name Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier. Cuvier founded the science of palaeontology and made pioneering studies in comparative anatomy and classification.

cuz^1 /kʌz / 'cuz

conjunction

‹informal› because. See also cos^3, coz^1:

• I don't have much money to buy games cuz I'm a student.

cuz^2 /kʌz/

noun

1. ‹informal› a person's cousin. See also coz^2:

• did you know that Claire's my cuz?

2. ‹informal› (chiefly US) a friend or acquaintance (typically used as a form of address between men)

• he always greeted people with a smile and "Whassup, cuz?".

Cuzco /ˈkʊskəʊ, Spanish ˈkusko, ˈkuθko/

a city in the Andes in southern Peru; pop. 348,900 (est. 2007). It was the capital of the Inca empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533.

CV /siːˈviː/

I. noun

a brief account of a person's education, qualifications, and previous occupations, typically sent with a job application

• if you feel that you have these skills then please send us your CV.

– origin 1970s: short for curriculum vitae.

cv.

abbreviation

cultivated variety.

CVA /ˌsiːviːˈeɪ/

abbreviation

[Medicine] cerebrovascular accident, a stroke.

CVE

abbreviation

Cape Verdean escudo(s).

CVO

abbreviation

(in the UK) Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

CVS

abbreviation

chorionic villus sampling.

CVT

abbreviation

continuously variable transmission.

Cwlth

abbreviation

Commonwealth.

cwm /kʊm/

I. noun

a cirque, especially one in the mountains of Wales.
[in place names]

• there is a dusting of snow in Cwm Glas Mawr.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Welsh; related to combe.

Cwmbran /kʊmˈbrɑːn/

a town in SE Wales, administrative centre of Monmouthshire; pop. 49,400 (est. 2009).

CWO

abbreviation

Chief Warrant Officer.

c.w.o.

abbreviation

cash with order.

cwr

abbreviation

continuous welded rail.

CWS

abbreviation

Cooperative Wholesale Society.

cwt

I. abbreviation

hundredweight.

• a lorry carrying 100 cwt of potatoes.

– origin from Latin centum ‘a hundred’.

cwtch /kʊtʃ/

I. noun

1. (Welsh) a cupboard or cubbyhole.

2. (Welsh) a cuddle or hug.

– origin Welsh, from cwts, related to couch^1.

CY

abbreviation

Cyprus (international vehicle registration).

-cy

I. suffix

1. denoting state or condition

• bankruptcy.

2. denoting rank or status

• baronetcy.

– origin from Latin -cia, -tia and Greek -k(e)ia, -t(e)ia.

cyan /ˈsʌɪən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a greenish-blue colour which is one of the primary subtractive colours, complementary to red.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kuaneos ‘dark blue’.

cyanamide /sʌɪˈanəmʌɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a weakly acidic crystalline compound made as an intermediate in the production of ammonia.
●Alternative name: cyanogen amide; chem. formula: CH_2N_2.

2. [Chemistry] a salt of cyanamide containing the anion CN_22−, especially the calcium salt used as a fertilizer.

– origin mid 19th cent.: blend of cyanogen and amide.

cyanate /ˈsʌɪəneɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt or ester of cyanic acid.

cyanic /sʌɪˈanɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Chemistry] of cyanogen.

2. ‹rare› blue; azure.

• the deep cyanic sky.

– origin early 19th cent.: from cyan + -ic.

cyanic acid

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless, poisonous, volatile, strongly acidic liquid.
●Chem. formula: HOCN. See also fulminic acid, isocyanic acid.

– origin early 19th cent.: from cyanogen + -ic.

cyanide /ˈsʌɪənʌɪd/

I. noun

1. [Chemistry] a salt or ester of hydrocyanic acid, containing the anion CN− or the group —CN. The salts are generally extremely toxic.
Compare with nitrile.

2. [ mass noun] — [Chemistry] sodium or potassium cyanide used as a poison or in the extraction of gold and silver.

– origin early 19th cent.: from cyanogen + -ide.

cyano-

I. combining form

1. relating to the colour blue, especially dark blue

• cyanosis.

2. representing cyanide.

– origin from Greek kuan(e)os ‘dark blue’.

cyanoacrylate /ˌsʌɪənəʊˈakrɪleɪt/

noun

[Chemistry] any of a class of compounds which are cyanide derivatives of acrylates. They are easily polymerized and are used to make quick-setting adhesives.

Cyanobacteria /ˌsʌɪənəʊbakˈtɪərɪə/

I. plural noun

1. [Biology] a division of microorganisms that are related to the bacteria but are capable of photosynthesis. They are prokaryotic and represent the earliest known form of life on the earth.
●Division Cyanobacteria, kingdom Monera.

2. ( cyanobacteria) — [Biology] microorganisms of the Cyanobacteria division; blue-green algae.

• cultures of algae and cyanobacteria.

II. derivatives

cyanobacterial

adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek kuaneos ‘dark blue’ + plural of bacterium.

cyanocobalamin /ˌsʌɪənə(ʊ)kəˈbaləmɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a vitamin derived from foods of animal origin such as liver, fish, and eggs, a deficiency of which can cause pernicious anaemia. It contains a cyanide group bonded to the central cobalt atom of a cobalamin molecule.
Also called vitamin B12.

– origin 1950s: from cyanogen and cobalamin (blend of cobalt and vitamin).

cyanogen /sʌɪˈanədʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless flammable highly poisonous gas made by oxidizing hydrogen cyanide.
●Chem. formula: C_2N_2.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French cyanogène, from Greek kuanos ‘dark blue mineral’ + -gène (see -gen), so named because it is a constituent of Prussian blue.

cyanogenesis /ˌsʌɪənə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] the production of hydrogen cyanide by certain plants, such as cherry laurel and bracken, as a response to wounding or a deterrent to herbivores.

cyanogenic /ˌsʌɪənəˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

1. [Botany] (of a plant) capable of cyanogenesis.

• cyanogenic forms.

2. [Biochemistry] containing a cyanide group in the molecule.

• cyanogenic glycosides.

cyanohydrin /ˌsʌɪənə(ʊ)ˈhʌɪdrɪn/

noun

[Chemistry] an organic compound containing a carbon atom linked to both a cyanide group and a hydroxyl group.

cyanophyte /ˈsʌɪənə(ʊ)fʌɪt/

noun

[Biology] a microorganism of the division Cyanobacteria.

cyanosis /ˌsʌɪəˈnəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a bluish discoloration of the skin due to poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood.

II. derivatives

cyanotic /ˌsʌɪəˈnɒtɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek kuanōsis ‘blueness’, from kuaneos ‘dark blue’.

cyanotype /ˈsʌɪənə(ʊ)tʌɪp/

noun

a photographic blueprint.

cyathium /sʌɪˈaθɪəm/

I. noun

[Botany] the characteristic inflorescence of the spurges, resembling a single flower. It consists of a cup-shaped involucre of fused bracts enclosing several greatly reduced male flowers and a single female flower.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek kuathion, diminutive of kuathos ‘cup’.

Cybele /ˈsɪbɪli / ‹Mythology›

a mother goddess worshipped especially in Phrygia and later in Greece (where she was associated with Demeter), Rome, and the Roman provinces, with her consort Attis.

cyber /ˈsʌɪbə/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the culture of computers, information technology, and virtual reality

• the cyber age.

– origin 1980s: abbreviation of cybernetics.

cyber- /ˈsʌɪbə/

I. combining form

relating to electronic communication networks and virtual reality

• cyberpunk

• cyberspace.

– origin back-formation from cybernetics.

cyberattack /ˈsʌɪbərətak/

noun

an attempt by hackers to damage or destroy a computer network or system.

cyberbullying /ˈsʌɪbəˌbʊliɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature

• children may be reluctant to admit to being the victims of cyberbullying.

II. derivatives

cyberbully

noun

cybercafe /ˈsʌɪbəkafeɪ / cybercafé

noun

another term for Internet cafe.

cybercast

noun, verb

another term for webcast:

• over 200,000 subscribers worldwide followed the contest via a special cybercast

• the show will be cybercast on the band's website.

cyberchondriac /ˌsʌɪbəˈkɒndrɪak/

I. noun

a person who compulsively searches the Internet for information about particular real or imagined symptoms of illness

• everybody is terribly health-conscious these days—it's no surprise that many people are becoming cyberchondriacs.

II. derivatives

cyberchondria

noun

– origin 1990s: blend of cyber- and hypochondriac.

cybercrime /ˈsʌɪbəkrʌɪm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. criminal activities carried out by means of computers or the Internet.

II. derivatives

cybercriminal

noun

cybercrook

noun

‹informal› a person who commits criminal activities by means of computers or the Internet; a cybercriminal.

• a wireless network set up by cybercrooks to capture any personal and financial information you send over it.

cyberculture /ˈsʌɪbəˌkʌltʃə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the social conditions brought about by the widespread use of computer networks for communication, entertainment, and business

• our lives are influenced by cyberculture.

cyberespionage /ˌsʌɪbərˈɛspɪənɑːʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of computer networks to gain illicit access to confidential information, typically that held by a government or other organization

• improving cybersecurity across government agencies is crucial given the increase in cyberespionage.

Cyber Monday

I. noun

the Monday following the US holiday of Thanksgiving, promoted by online retailers as a day for exceptional bargains

• these deals are only good on Cyber Monday so you have to act fast

• their already low prices drop on selected items for Cyber Monday.

– origin early 21st cent.: on the pattern of Black Friday.

cybernaut /ˈsʌɪbənɔːt/

I. noun

1. an expert or habitual user of the Internet.

2. a person who uses computer technology and sensory devices to experience virtual reality.

– origin 1960s (in the senses ‘robot’ and ‘cyborg’): from cyber-, on the pattern of astronaut.

cybernetics /sʌɪbəˈnɛtɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the science of communications and automatic control systems in both machines and living things.

II. derivatives

1. cybernetic /ˌsʌɪbəˈnɛtɪk /

adjective

2. cybernetician

noun

3. cyberneticist

noun

– origin 1940s: from Greek kubernētēs ‘steersman’, from kubernan ‘to steer’.

cyberphobia /sʌɪbəˈfəʊbɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme or irrational fear of computers or technology.

• cyberphobia may sound silly, but a new survey found many people are ignorant about electronic gadgets.

II. derivatives

1. cyberphobe

noun

2. cyberphobic

adjective, noun

cyberpunk /ˈsʌɪbəpʌŋk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a genre of science fiction set in a lawless subculture of an oppressive society dominated by computer technology.

cybersecurity /ˈsʌɪbəsɪˌkjʊərɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being protected against the criminal or unauthorized use of electronic data, or the measures taken to achieve this

• some people have argued that the threat to cybersecurity has been somewhat inflated.

• [as modifier] IT security professionals said that outsourcing would be the biggest cybersecurity threat.

cybersex /ˈsʌɪbəsɛks/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sexual arousal using computer technology, especially by wearing virtual reality equipment or by exchanging messages with another person via the Internet.

• more people seemed to be in a mood to talk about cybersex.

• I have had cybersex several times.

cyberslacker

I. noun

‹informal› a person who uses their employer's Internet and email facilities for personal activities during working hours.

II. derivatives

cyberslacking

noun

cyberspace /ˈsʌɪbəspeɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the notional environment in which communication over computer networks occurs.

• I stayed in cyberspace for just a few minutes.

cybersphere

noun

the realm of information technology and electronic communication, especially the Internet.

• our attempts to police the cybersphere can be likened to a solitary bobby on a bike patrolling the M1.

cyberspying /ˈsʌɪbəspʌɪɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for cyberespionage:

• the government denied any involvement in cyberspying.

cybersquatting /ˈsʌɪbəskwɒtɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of registering names, especially well-known company or brand names, as Internet domains, in the hope of reselling them at a profit.

II. derivatives

cybersquatter /ˈsʌɪbəskwɒtə /

noun

cyberstalking

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the repeated use of electronic communications to harass or frighten someone, for example by sending threatening emails.

II. derivatives

cyberstalker /ˈsʌɪbəstɔːkə /

noun

cyberterrorism /sʌɪbəˈtɛrərɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the politically motivated use of computers and information technology to cause severe disruption or widespread fear.

II. derivatives

cyberterrorist /ˌsʌɪbəˈtɛrərɪst /

noun

cybertheft /ˈsʌɪbəθɛft/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. theft carried out by means of computers or the Internet

• online fraud and cybertheft cost financial institutions an estimated $3.5 billion last year

• [ count noun] a cybertheft in which criminals infiltrated the bank's computer system and stole £1.3 million.

cyberthreat

noun

the possibility of a malicious attempt to damage or disrupt a computer network or system

• the FBI has opened an investigation to address the potential cyberthreat.

cyberwar

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of computer technology to disrupt the activities of a state or organization, especially the deliberate attacking of information systems for strategic or military purposes

• cyberwar is asymmetric, which means it benefits lesser military powers as much as military goliaths

• [ count noun] the same strategies that averted nuclear armageddon may also work to stave off a cyberwar.

cyberwarfare /sʌɪbəˈwɔːfɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of computer technology to disrupt the activities of a state or organization, especially the deliberate attacking of information systems for strategic or military purposes

• professional programmers are being hired by governments intent on waging cyberwarfare.

cyberwarrior /ˈsʌɪbəˌwɒrɪə/

noun

a computer expert engaged in the infiltration or sabotage of information systems, or in the defence of information systems against outside attack, typically for strategic or military purposes

• for the governments facing increasing computer attacks, the biggest challenge is finding the right cyberwarriors to fight back.

cyborg /ˈsʌɪbɔːɡ/

I. noun

a fictional or hypothetical person whose physical abilities are extended beyond normal human limitations by mechanical elements built into the body.

– origin 1960s: blend of cyber- and organism.

cycad /ˈsʌɪkad/

I. noun

a palm-like plant of tropical and subtropical regions, bearing large male or female cones. Cycads were abundant during the Triassic and Jurassic eras, but have since been in decline.
●Class Cycadopsida, subdivision Gymnospermae: twenty species in the genus Cycas and family Cycadaceae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Cycas, Cycad- (order name), from supposed Greek kukas, scribal error for koikas, plural of koix ‘Egyptian palm’.

Cyclades /ˈsɪklədiːz/

I. a large group of islands in the southern Aegean Sea, regarded in antiquity as circling around the sacred island of Delos. The Cyclades form a department of modern Greece.
Greek name Kikládhes.

– origin Latin, based on Greek kuklos ‘circle’.

Cycladic /sɪˈkladɪk, sʌɪˈkladɪk/

adjective

1. relating to the Cyclades.

2. [Archaeology] relating to or denoting a Bronze Age civilization that flourished in the Cyclades, dated to c. 3000 to c. 1050 BC.

3. (as noun the Cycladic) — the Cycladic culture or period.

cyclamate /ˈsɪkləmeɪt, ˈsʌɪkləmeɪt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a salt of a synthetic acid which is a cyclohexyl derivative of sulphamic acid. Sodium and calcium cyclamates were formerly used as artificial sweeteners.

– origin 1950s: contraction of cyclohexylsulphamate.

cyclamen /ˈsɪkləmən/

I. noun

1. a European plant of the primrose family, having pink, red, or white flowers with backward-curving petals and grown as a winter-flowering pot plant.
●Genus Cyclamen, family Primulaceae: several species.

2. [ mass noun] — a pinkish-purple colour.

– origin modern Latin, from Latin cyclaminos, from Greek kuklaminos, perhaps from kuklos ‘circle’, with reference to its bulbous roots.

cycle /ˈsʌɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. [often with adj. or noun modifier] — a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order

• the recurrent cycle of harvest failure, food shortages, and price increases.

2. the period of time taken to complete a cycle of events

• the cells are shed over a cycle of twenty-eight days.

3. ‹technical› a recurring series of successive operations or states, such as in the working of an internal-combustion engine, or in the alternation of an electric current or a wave.

• the familiar four cycles of intake, combustion, ignition, and exhaust.

4. [Biology] a recurring series of events or metabolic processes in the lifetime of a plant or animal

• the storks' breeding cycle.

5. [Biochemistry] a series of successive metabolic reactions in which one of the products is regenerated and reused.

6. [Ecology] the movement of a simple substance through the soil, rocks, water, atmosphere, and living organisms of the earth.
See carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle.

7. [Computing] a single set of hardware operations, especially that by which memory is accessed and an item is transferred to or from it, to the point at which the memory may be accessed again.

8. [Physics] a cycle per second; one hertz.

• AC reverses its direction of flow sixty times a second at 60 cycles.

9. a complete set or series

• the painting is one of a cycle of seven.

10. a series of songs, stories, plays, or poems composed around a particular theme, and usually intended to be performed or read in sequence

• Wagner's Ring Cycle.

11. a bicycle or tricycle.

• for the energetic, cycles may be hired.

• [as modifier] cycle shorts.

12. [in sing.] — a ride on a bicycle

• a 112-mile cycle.

II. verb

1. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — ride a bicycle

• she cycled to work every day.

2. [no obj.] — move in or follow a regularly repeated sequence of events

• economies cycle regularly between boom and slump.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from late Latin cyclus, from Greek kuklos ‘circle’.

cycle lane

noun

(Brit.) a division of a road marked off with painted lines, for use by cyclists.

cycle of erosion

noun

[Geology] ‹dated› an idealized course of landscape evolution, passing from youthful stages, marked by steep gradients, to old age, when the landscape is reduced to a peneplain.

cycle rickshaw bicycle rickshaw

noun

(in South Asia) a three-wheeled bicycle for public hire, with a covered seat for passengers behind the driver.

cycle track cycleway, cycle path

noun

(Brit.) a path or road for bicycles and not motor vehicles.

cyclic /ˈsʌɪklɪk, ˈsɪklɪk/

I. adjective

1. occurring in cycles; regularly repeated

• the cyclic pattern of the last two decades.

2. [Mathematics] (of a group) having the property that each element of the group can be expressed as a power of one particular element.

3. denoting a musical or literary composition with a recurrent theme or structural device.

4. [Mathematics] relating to a circle or other closed curve.

5. [Geometry] (of a polygon) having all its vertices lying on a circle.

6. [Chemistry] (of a compound) having a molecular structure containing one or more closed rings of atoms.

• a cyclic sulphonium salt.

7. [Botany] (of a flower) having its parts arranged in whorls.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French cyclique or Latin cyclicus, from Greek kuklikos, from kuklos ‘circle’.

cyclical /ˈsɪklɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

occurring in cycles; recurrent

• the cyclical nature of the cement industry.

II. derivatives

cyclically /ˈsɪklɪk(ə)li, ˈsʌɪklɪk(ə)li /

adverb

cyclic AMP

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a cyclic form of adenosine monophosphate (adenylic acid) which plays a major role in controlling many enzyme-catalysed processes in living cells.

cyclic redundancy check cyclic redundancy code, CRC

noun

[Computing] a code added to data which is used to detect errors occurring during transmission, storage, or retrieval.

cyclin /ˈsʌɪklɪn/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] any of a number of proteins associated with the cycle of cell division which are thought to initiate certain processes of mitosis.

– origin 1980s: from cycle + -in^1.

cycling /ˈsʌɪklɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport or activity of riding a bicycle. Cycle racing has three main forms: road racing (typically over long distances), pursuit (on an oval track), and cyclo-cross (over rough, open country).

cycling shorts

plural noun

skintight knee-length shorts made of a stretch fabric, of a kind originally designed to be worn by cyclists.

Cycliophora /sɪklɪˈɒphərə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a new phylum that has been proposed for a minute marine invertebrate ( Symbion pandora) that was discovered in 1995 attached to the mouthparts of lobsters. It is related to the phyla Bryozoa and Entoprocta.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek kuklios ‘circular’ + pherein ‘to bear’.

cyclist /ˈsʌɪklɪst/

noun

a person who rides a bicycle.

cyclize /ˈsʌɪklʌɪz / cyclise

I. verb

[Chemistry] undergo or cause to undergo a reaction in which one part of a molecule becomes linked to another to form a closed ring.
[no obj.]

• some derivatives may cyclize spontaneously.

• [with obj.] ACV is cyclized to give isopenicillin N.

II. derivatives

cyclization /sʌɪklʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

cyclo- /ˈsʌɪkləʊ/

I. combining form

1. circular

• cyclorama.

2. relating to a cycle or cycling

• cyclo-cross.

3. cyclic

• cycloalkane.

– origin from Greek kuklos ‘circle’, or directly from cycle or cyclic.

cycloaddition

noun

[Chemistry] an addition reaction in which a cyclic molecule is formed.

cycloalkane

noun

[Chemistry] a hydrocarbon with a molecule containing a ring of carbon atoms joined by single bonds.

cyclo-cross /ˈsʌɪkləʊkrɒs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cross-country racing on bicycles.
[as modifier]

• the national cyclo-cross champion.

cyclogenesis /ˌsʌɪkləʊˈdʒɛnəsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Meteorology] the development or strengthening of an area of low pressure in the atmosphere, resulting in the formation of a cyclone

• cyclogenesis is common on the lee side of the mountains at the locations of the Alberta and Colorado storm track.

– origin 1920s: from cyclo- + genesis.

cyclohexane /ˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈhɛkseɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless flammable liquid cycloalkane obtained from petroleum or by hydrogenating benzene, and used as a solvent and paint remover.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_12.

cyclohexyl /ˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈhɛksʌɪl, ˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈhɛksɪl/

noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting the cyclic hydrocarbon radical —C_6H_11, derived from cyclohexane.

cycloid /ˈsʌɪklɔɪd/

I. noun

[Mathematics] a curve (resembling a series of arches) traced by a point on a circle being rolled along a straight line.

II. derivatives

cycloidal /sʌɪˈklɔɪd(ə)l /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek kukloeidēs ‘circular’, from kuklos ‘circle’.

cyclometer /sʌɪˈklɒmɪtə/

noun

1. an instrument for measuring circular arcs.

2. an instrument attached to a bicycle for measuring the distance it travels.

cyclone /ˈsʌɪkləʊn/

I. noun

1. [Meteorology] a system of winds rotating inwards to an area of low barometric pressure, with an anticlockwise (northern hemisphere) or clockwise (southern hemisphere) circulation; a depression.

2. [Meteorology] another term for tropical storm.

II. derivatives

1. cyclonic /sʌɪˈklɒnɪk /

adjective

2. cyclonically

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably from Greek kuklōma ‘wheel, coil of a snake’, from kuklos ‘circle’. The change of spelling from -m to -n is unexplained.

cycloparaffin

noun

[Chemistry] another term for cycloalkane.

cyclopean /ˌsʌɪkləˈpiːən, sʌɪˈkləʊpɪən / cyclopian

adjective

1. denoting a type of ancient masonry made with massive irregular blocks

• cyclopean stone walls.

[by association with the great size of the Cyclops.]

2. of or resembling a Cyclops

• a cyclopean eye.

cyclopedia /sʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈpiːdɪə / cyclopaedia

I. noun — (except in book titles)

1. ‹archaic› an encyclopedia

• Bailey's Cyclopedia of Horticulture.

II. derivatives

cyclopedic

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: shortening of encyclopedia.

cyclophosphamide /ˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈfɒsfəmʌɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic cytotoxic drug used in treating leukaemia and lymphoma and as an immunosuppressive agent.

cyclopropane

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a flammable gaseous synthetic compound whose molecule contains a ring of three carbon atoms. It has some use as a general anaesthetic.
●Chem. formula: C_3H_6.

Cyclops /ˈsʌɪklɒps/

I. noun

1. ( pl. Cyclops or Cyclopes) — [Greek Mythology] a member of a race of savage one-eyed giants. In the Odyssey, Odysseus escaped death by blinding the Cyclops Polyphemus.

2. ( cyclops) — a minute predatory freshwater crustacean which has a cylindrical body with a single central eye.
●Genus Cyclops and other genera, order Cyclopoida.

– origin via Latin from Greek Kuklōps, literally ‘round-eyed’, from kuklos ‘circle’ + ōps ‘eye’.

cyclorama /ˌsʌɪkləˈrɑːmə/

I. noun

1. a circular picture of a 360° scene, viewed from inside.

2. a cloth stretched tight in an arc around the back of a stage set, often used to depict the sky.

• for the setting, I thought just a bare cyclorama would be nice.

II. derivatives

cycloramic /ˌsʌɪkləˈramɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cyclo-, on the pattern of words such as panorama.

cyclosporin /ˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈspɔːrɪn / cyclosporin A, cyclosporine

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a drug with immunosuppressive properties used to prevent the rejection of grafts and transplants. A cyclic peptide, it is obtained from a fungus.
●This drug is obtained from the fungus Trichoderma polysporum.

– origin 1970s: from cyclo- + -sporin (from Latin spora ‘spore’) + -in^1.

cyclosportive /ˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)spɔːˈtiːv/

I. noun

another term for sportive^2:

• the 69-mile cyclosportive will take place on 18 August, on a closed road course.

– origin 1990s: French (short for randonnée cyclosportive), noun use of the feminine of the adjective cyclosportif, from cyclo- (see cyclo-) + sportif ‘relating to sport’.

cyclostome /ˈsʌɪklə(ʊ)stəʊm/

I. noun

[Zoology] an eel-like jawless vertebrate with a round sucking mouth, of a former group that included the lampreys and hagfishes.
●Subclass Cyclostomata, now incorporated in the superclass Agnatha.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from cyclo- + Greek stoma ‘mouth’.

cyclostyle /ˈsʌɪklə(ʊ)stʌɪl/

I. noun

an early device for duplicating handwriting, in which a pen with a small toothed wheel pricks holes in a sheet of waxed paper, which is then used as a stencil.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. cyclostyled)

1. duplicate with a cyclostyle

• a cyclostyled leaflet.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cyclo- ‘circular’ + the noun style.

cyclothymia /ˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈθʌɪmɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] ‹dated› a mental state characterized by marked swings of mood between depression and elation; bipolar disorder.

II. derivatives

cyclothymic

adjective

– origin 1920s: from cyclo- + Greek thumos ‘temper’.

cyclotron /ˈsʌɪklətrɒn/

noun

[Physics] an apparatus in which charged atomic and subatomic particles are accelerated by an alternating electric field while following an outward spiral or circular path in a magnetic field.

cyder

noun

archaic spelling of cider.

cygnet /ˈsɪɡnɪt/

I. noun

a young swan.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French cignet, diminutive of Old French cigne ‘swan’, based on Latin cycnus, from Greek kuknos.

Cygnus /ˈsɪɡnəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a prominent northern constellation (the Swan), said to represent a flying swan that was the form adopted by Zeus on one occasion. It contains the bright star Deneb.

II. (as genitive Cygni) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Delta Cygni.

– origin Latin.

cylinder /ˈsɪlɪndə/

I. noun

1. a solid geometrical figure with straight parallel sides and a circular or oval cross section.

2. a solid or hollow body, object, or part having the shape of a cylinder.

3. a piston chamber in a steam or internal-combustion engine.

4. a cylinder-shaped container holding liquefied gas under pressure.

5. a rotating metal roller in a printing press.

6. [Archaeology] a cylinder seal.

II. derivatives

cylindric

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin cylindrus, from Greek kulindros ‘roller’, from kulindein ‘to roll’.

cylinder head

noun

the end cover of a cylinder in an internal-combustion engine, against which the piston compresses the cylinder's contents.

cylinder lock

noun

a lock with the keyhole and tumbler mechanism contained in a cylinder.

cylinder seal

noun

[Archaeology] a small barrel-shaped stone object with a hole down the centre and bearing an incised design or cuneiform inscription, originally for rolling on clay when soft to indicate ownership or authenticate a document, used chiefly in Mesopotamia from the late 4th to the 1st millennium BC.

cylindrical /sɪˈlɪndrɪk(ə)l / cylindric

I. adjective

having straight parallel sides and a circular or oval cross-section; in the shape or form of a cylinder

• a cylindrical plastic container

• the cavity is roughly cylindrical.

II. derivatives

cylindrically /sɪˈlɪndrɪk(ə)li /

adverb

cyma /ˈsʌɪmə/

I. noun

[Architecture] a cornice moulding with an S-shaped cross section.

– origin mid 16th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek kuma ‘wave or wavy moulding’.

cymbal /ˈsɪmb(ə)l/

I. noun

a musical instrument consisting of a slightly concave round brass plate which is either struck against another one or struck with a stick to make a ringing or clashing sound.

II. derivatives

cymbalist /ˈsɪmb(ə)lɪst /

noun

– origin Old English, from Latin cymbalum, from Greek kumbalon, from kumbē ‘cup’; readopted in Middle English from Old French cymbale.

Cymbeline /ˈsɪmbəliːn / Cunobelinus

(died c. 42 AD), British chieftain. A powerful ruler, he made Camulodunum (Colchester) his capital, and established a mint there. He was the subject of a medieval fable used by Shakespeare for his play Cymbeline.

cymbidium /sɪmˈbɪdɪəm/

I. noun

a tropical orchid with long, narrow leaves and arching stems bearing several flowers, growing chiefly as an epiphyte from Asia to Australasia and widely grown for buttonholes.
●Genus Cymbidium, family Orchidaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek kumbē ‘cup’.

cyme /sʌɪm/

I. noun

[Botany] a flower cluster with a central stem bearing a single terminal flower that develops first, the other flowers in the cluster developing as terminal buds of lateral stems.
Compare with raceme.

II. derivatives

cymose /ˈsʌɪməʊs /

adjective

– origin early 18th cent. (denoting the unopened head of a plant): from French, literally ‘summit’, from a popular variant of Latin cyma.

Cymraeg /ˈkʌmrʌɪɡ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Welsh language.

– origin Welsh.

Cymric /ˈkɪmrɪk/

I. adjective

Welsh in language or culture.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Welsh language.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Welsh Cymru ‘Wales’, Cymry ‘the Welsh’, + -ic.

Cymru /ˈkʌmri/

Welsh name for Wales.

cynanthropy /sɪˈnanθrəpi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› a form of madness involving the delusion of being a dog, with correspondingly altered behaviour.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French cynanthropie (after lycanthropie ‘lycanthropy’), from Greek kun-, kuōn ‘dog’ + anthrōpos ‘man’.

Cynewulf /ˈkɪnɪwʊlf/

(late 8th–9th centuries), Anglo-Saxon poet. Modern scholarship attributes four poems to him: Juliana, Elene, The Fates of the Apostles, and Christ II.

cynic /ˈsɪnɪk/

I. noun

1. a person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest rather than acting for honourable or unselfish reasons

• some cynics thought that the controversy was all a publicity stunt.

2. a person who questions whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile

• the cynics were silenced when the factory opened.

3. ( Cynic) — a member of a school of ancient Greek philosophers founded by Antisthenes, marked by an ostentatious contempt for ease and pleasure. The movement flourished in the 3rd century BC and revived in the 1st century AD.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin cynicus, from Greek kunikos; probably originally from Kunosarges, the name of a gymnasium where Antisthenes taught, but popularly taken to mean ‘doglike, churlish’, kuōn, kun-, ‘dog’ becoming a nickname for a Cynic.

cynical /ˈsɪnɪk(ə)l/

adjective

1. believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity

• he was brutally cynical and hardened to every sob story under the sun.

2. doubtful as to whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile

• most residents are cynical about efforts to clean mobsters out of their city.

3. contemptuous; mocking

• he gave a cynical laugh.

4. concerned only with one's own interests and typically disregarding accepted standards in order to achieve them

• a cynical manipulation of public opinion.

cynically /ˈsɪnɪk(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a distrustful way that expresses a belief that people are motivated purely by self-interest

• many cynically dismiss the way of peace as naive and impossible.

2. in a way that expresses doubt as to whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile

• the public has cynically disregarded the good news.

3. in a way that is concerned only with one's own interests and disregards accepted standards in order to achieve them

• he was accused of cynically exploiting a terrible tragedy.

cynicism /ˈsɪnɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest; scepticism

• public cynicism about politics.

2. an inclination to question whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile; pessimism

• cynicism about the future.

3. ( Cynicism) — a school of ancient Greek philosophers, the Cynics.

cyno- /sʌɪnəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to dogs

• cynodont.

– origin from Greek kuōn, kun- ‘dog’.

cynodont /ˈsʌɪnə(ʊ)dɒnt/

I. noun

a fossil carnivorous mammal-like reptile of the late Permian and Triassic periods, with well-developed specialized teeth.
●Suborder Cynodontia, order Therapsida: several families.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek kuōn, kun- ‘dog’ + odous, odont- ‘tooth’.

cynosure /ˈsʌɪnəʃʊə, ˈsɪnəʃʊə, ˈsʌɪnəzjʊə, ˈsɪnəzjʊə/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a person or thing that is the centre of attention or admiration

• Kirk was the cynosure of all eyes.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, or from Latin cynosura, from Greek kunosoura ‘dog's tail’ (also ‘Ursa Minor’), from kuōn, kun- ‘dog’ + oura ‘tail’. The term originally denoted the constellation Ursa Minor, or the pole star which it contains, long used as a guide by navigators.

cyphel /ˈsʌɪf(ə)l / mossy cyphel

I. noun

a European mountain plant of the pink family, which forms cushion-like mounds and bears small greenish flowers.
● Minuartia sedoides, family Caryophyllaceae.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the houseleek): apparently from Greek kuphella ‘hollows of the ears’.

cypherpunk

I. noun

a person who uses encryption when accessing a computer network in order to ensure privacy, especially from government authorities.

– origin 1990s: on the pattern of cyberpunk.

cy-pres /siː ˈpreɪ/

I. adverb, adjective

[Law] as near as possible to the testator's or donor's intentions when these cannot be precisely followed.

– origin early 19th cent.: from a late Anglo-Norman French variant of French si près ‘so near’.

cypress /ˈsʌɪprəs/

I. noun

1. (also cypress tree) — an evergreen coniferous tree with small rounded woody cones and flattened shoots bearing small scale-like leaves.
● Cupressus, Chamaecyparis, and other genera, family Cupressaceae: many species, including the columnar Italian cypress ( Cupressus sempervirens), common throughout southern Europe. .

2. a cypress tree, or branches from it, as a symbol of mourning.

3. used in names of coniferous trees of other families that resemble the cypress, e.g. swamp cypress.

– origin Middle English: from Old French cipres, from late Latin cypressus, from Greek kuparissos.

cypress knees

plural noun

the cone-shaped exposed growths on the buttress roots of a swamp cypress.

Cyprian, St /ˈsɪprɪən/

(d.258), Carthaginian bishop and martyr. The author of a work on the nature of true unity in the Church in its relation to the episcopate, he was martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Valerian. Feast day, 16 or 26 September.

cyprinid /ˈsɪprɪnɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a fish of the carp family ( Cyprinidae).

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Cyprinidae (plural), based on Greek kuprinos ‘carp’.

cyprinoid /ˈsɪprɪnɔɪd / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a fish of a large group which includes the carps, suckers, and loaches, and (in some classification schemes) the characins.
●Order Cypriniformes or superfamily Cyprinoidea.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting the cyprinoids.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Cyprinoidea, based on Latin cyprinus ‘carp’ (from Greek kuprinos).

Cypriot /ˈsɪpriət/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Cyprus.

2. [ mass noun] — the dialect of Greek used in Cyprus.

II. adjective

1. relating to Cyprus or its people or the Greek dialect used there.

2. denoting an ancient syllabic script related to the Minoan and Mycenaean scripts, which was used to write the Cypriot dialect of Greek from the 6th to the 3rd centuries BC.

– origin from Greek Kupriōtes, from Kupros ‘Cyprus’.

cypripedium /ˌsɪprɪˈpiːdɪəm/

I. noun

an orchid of a genus which comprises the lady's slippers.
●Genus Cypripedium, family Orchidaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek Kupris ‘Aphrodite’ + pedilon ‘slipper’.

Cyprus /ˈsʌɪprəs/

I. an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean about 80 km (50 miles) south of the Turkish coast; pop. 1,084,700 (est. 2009); official languages, Greek and Turkish; capital, Nicosia.

A Greek colony in ancient times, Cyprus was held by the Turks from 1571 until 1878, when it was placed under British administration. After virtual civil war between the Greek Cypriots (some of whom favour enosis or union with Greece) and the Turkish Cypriots, Cyprus became an independent Commonwealth republic in 1960. In 1974 Turkish forces took over the northern part of the island, which proclaimed itself the independent Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983 but has not received international recognition. The Greek Cypriot–controlled Republic of Cyprus joined the EU in May 2004.

cypsela /ˈsɪpsɪlə/

I. noun

[Botany] a dry single-seeded fruit formed from a double ovary of which only one develops into a seed, as in the daisy family.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek kupselē ‘hollow vessel’.

Cyrano de Bergerac, Savinien /ˌsɪrənəʊ də ˈbɛːʒərak, French siʀano də bɛʀʒəʀak/

(1619–55), French soldier, duellist, and writer. He is chiefly remembered for the large number of duels that he fought (many on account of his proverbially large nose), as immortalized in a play by Edmond Rostand ( Cyrano de Bergerac, 1897).

Cyrenaic /ˌsʌɪərɪˈneɪɪk/

I. adjective

denoting the hedonistic school of philosophy founded c. 400 BC by Aristippus the Elder of Cyrene, which holds that pleasure is the highest good and that virtue is to be equated with the ability to enjoy.

II. noun

a follower of the Cyrenaic school of philosophy.

III. derivatives

Cyrenaicism

noun

Cyrenaica /ˌsʌɪərɪˈneɪɪkə/

a region of NE Libya, bordering on the Mediterranean Sea, settled by the Greeks c. 640 BC.

Cyrene /sʌɪˈriːni/

an ancient Greek city in North Africa, near the coast in Cyrenaica. From the 4th century BC it was a great intellectual centre with a noted medical school.

Cyril, St

(826–69), Greek missionary. The invention of the Cyrillic alphabet is ascribed to him. Feast day (in the Eastern Church) 11 May; (in the Western Church) 14 February.

Cyrillic /sɪˈrɪlɪk/

I. adjective

denoting the alphabet used by many Slavic peoples, chiefly those with a historical allegiance to the Orthodox Church. Ultimately derived from Greek uncials, it is now used for Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Ukrainian, and some other Slavic languages.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Cyrillic alphabet.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after St Cyril (see Cyril, St).

Cyril of Alexandria, St

(d.444), Doctor of the Church and patriarch of Alexandria. A champion of orthodoxy, he is best known for his vehement opposition to the views of the patriarch of Constantinople, Nestorius, whose condemnation he secured at the Council of Ephesus in 431. Feast day, 9 February.

Cyrus^1 /ˈsʌɪrəs/

(died c. 530 BC), king of Persia 559–530 BC and founder of the Achaemenid dynasty, father of Cambyses; known as Cyrus the Great. He defeated the Median empire in 550 BC and went on to conquer Asia Minor, Babylonia, Syria, Palestine, and most of the Iranian plateau.

Cyrus^2 /ˈsʌɪrəs/

(d.401 BC), Persian prince; known as Cyrus the Younger. On the death of his father, Darius II, in 405 BC, Cyrus led an army of mercenaries against his elder brother, who had succeeded to the throne as Artaxerxes II. His campaign is recounted by the historian Xenophon.

cyst /sɪst/

I. noun

1. [Biology] a thin-walled hollow organ or cavity in an animal or plant, containing a liquid secretion; a sac, vesicle, or bladder.

2. [Medicine] a membranous sac or cavity of abnormal character in the body, containing fluid.

3. a tough protective capsule enclosing the larva of a parasitic worm or the resting stage of an organism.

– origin early 18th cent.: from late Latin cystis, from Greek kustis ‘bladder’.

cystectomy /sɪsˈtɛktəmi/

noun

1. a surgical operation to remove the urinary bladder.

2. a surgical operation to remove an abnormal cyst

• an ovarian cystectomy.

cysteine /ˈsɪstɪiːn, ˈsɪstɪɪn, ˈsɪsteɪn, ˈsɪstiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a sulphur-containing amino acid which occurs in keratins and other proteins, often in the form of cystine, and is a constituent of many enzymes.
●Chem. formula: HSCH_2CH(NH_2)COOH.

– origin late 19th cent.: from cystine + -eine (variant of -ine^4).

cystic /ˈsɪstɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Medicine] relating to or characterized by cysts

• the ultrasound scan showed a cystic nodule

• masses in the ovary may be cystic or solid.

2. [Zoology] (of a parasite or other organism) enclosed in a cyst.

• the cystic stage.

3. relating to the urinary bladder or the gall bladder

• the cystic artery.

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally referring to the gall bladder): from French cystique or modern Latin cysticus, from late Latin cystis (see cyst).

cysticercus /ˌsɪstɪˈsəːkəs/

I. noun

[Zoology] a larval tapeworm at a stage in which the scolex is inverted in a sac, typically found encysted in the muscle tissue of the host.

II. derivatives

cysticercoid

adjective, noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin (originally the name of a supposed genus), from Greek kustis ‘bladder’ + kerkos ‘tail’.

cystic fibrosis /sɪstɪkfʌɪˈbrəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hereditary disorder affecting the exocrine glands. It causes the production of abnormally thick mucus, leading to the blockage of the pancreatic ducts, intestines, and bronchi and often resulting in respiratory infection.

cystine /ˈsɪstiːn, ˈsɪstɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound which is an oxidized dimer of cysteine and is the form in which cysteine often occurs in organic tissue.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_12N_2O_4S_2.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek kustis ‘bladder’ (because it was first isolated from urinary calculi) + -ine^4.

cystitis /sɪˈstʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the urinary bladder. It is often caused by infection and is usually accompanied by frequent painful urination.

cysto- /ˈsɪstəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to the urinary bladder

• cystotomy.

– origin from Greek kustis ‘bladder’.

cystoscope /ˈsɪstəskəʊp/

I. noun

[Medicine] an instrument inserted into the urethra for examining the urinary bladder.

II. derivatives

1. cystoscopic

adjective

2. cystoscopy

noun

cystotomy /sɪˈstɒtəmi/

noun

a surgical incision into the urinary bladder.

-cyte

I. combining form

[Biology] denoting a mature cell

• lymphocyte.

Compare with -blast.

– origin from Greek kutos ‘vessel’.

Cytherea /ˌsɪθəˈriːə/

I. noun

another name for Aphrodite.

– origin from Latin Cythera ‘Kithira’, the name of an Ionian island.

Cytherean /ˌsɪθəˈriːən/

adjective

1. [Astronomy] relating to the planet Venus

• the Cytherean atmosphere.

2. [Mythology] relating to the goddess Cytherea.

cytidine /ˈsʌɪtɪdiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a nucleoside composed of cytosine linked to ribose, obtained from RNA by hydrolysis.

– origin early 20th cent.: from cyto- + -ide + -ine^4.

cytisus /sʌɪˈtɪsəs, ˈsɪtɪsəs/

I. noun

a plant of a large genus of shrubs, mostly native to southern Europe, which includes some brooms.
●Genus Cytisus, family Leguminosae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek kutisos.

cyto- /ˈsʌɪtəʊ/

I. combining form

[Biology] of a cell or cells

• cytology

• cytoplasm.

– origin from Greek kutos ‘vessel’.

cytoarchitectonics /ˌsʌɪtəʊˌɑːkɪtɛkˈtɒnɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. another term for cytoarchitecture.

II. derivatives

cytoarchitectonic

adjective

cytoarchitecture /ˌsʌɪtəʊˈɑːkɪtɛktʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anatomy] the arrangement of cells in a tissue, especially in specific areas of the cerebral cortex characterized by the arrangement of their cells and each associated with particular functions.
Also called cytoarchitectonics.

2. [Anatomy] the study of cytoarchitecture.

II. derivatives

cytoarchitectural

adjective

cytocentrifuge /ˌsʌɪtəʊˈsɛntrɪfjuːdʒ / ‹Biology›

I. noun

a centrifuge used for depositing cells suspended in a liquid on a slide for microscopic examination.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. deposit (cells) on a slide using a cytocentrifuge.

• aliquots of suspended cells were cytocentrifuged.

cytochalasin /ˌsʌɪtəʊkəˈleɪsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] any of a group of polycyclic compounds produced by fungi, used experimentally in research for their property of interfering with cell processes.

– origin 1960s: from cyto- ‘cell’ + Greek khalasis ‘dislocation’.

cytochrome /ˈsʌɪtə(ʊ)krəʊm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] any of a number of compounds consisting of haem bonded to a protein. Cytochromes function as electron transfer agents in many metabolic pathways, especially cellular respiration.

cytogenetics /ˌsʌɪtəʊdʒəˈnɛtɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. [Biology] the study of inheritance in relation to the structure and function of chromosomes.

II. derivatives

1. cytogenetic /ˌsʌɪtə(ʊ)dʒəˈnɛtɪk /

adjective

2. cytogenetical

adjective

3. cytogenetically

adverb

4. cytogeneticist

noun

cytokine /ˈsʌɪtə(ʊ)kʌɪn/

noun

[Physiology] any of a number of substances, such as interferon, interleukin, and growth factors, which are secreted by certain cells of the immune system and have an effect on other cells.

cytokinesis /ˌsʌɪtə(ʊ)kʌɪˈniːsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the cytoplasmic division of a cell at the end of mitosis or meiosis, bringing about the separation into two daughter cells.

cytokinin /ˌsʌɪtəʊˈkʌɪnɪn/

noun

another term for kinin (sense 2).

cytology /sʌɪˈtɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branches of biology and medicine concerned with the structure and function of plant and animal cells.

II. derivatives

1. cytological /sʌɪtəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. cytologically

adverb

3. cytologist /sʌɪˈtɒlədʒɪst /

noun

cytolysis /sʌɪˈtɒlɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the dissolution or disruption of cells, especially by an external agent.

II. derivatives

cytolytic

adjective

cytomegalic /ˌsʌɪtə(ʊ)mɪˈɡalɪk/

adjective

[Medicine] characterized by enlarged cells, especially with reference to a disease caused by a cytomegalovirus.

• cytomegalic inclusion disease.

cytomegalovirus /ˌsʌɪtə(ʊ)ˈmɛɡ(ə)lə(ʊ)ˌvʌɪrəs / CMV

noun

[Medicine] a kind of herpesvirus which usually produces very mild symptoms in an infected person but may cause severe neurological damage in people with weakened immune systems and in the newborn.

cytophotometry /ˌsʌɪtə(ʊ)fə(ʊ)ˈtɒmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the investigation of the contents of cells by measuring the light they allow through after staining.

II. derivatives

1. cytophotometer

noun

2. cytophotometric

adjective

cytoplasm /ˈsʌɪtə(ʊ)plaz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the material or protoplasm within a living cell, excluding the nucleus.

II. derivatives

cytoplasmic

adjective

cytoplasmic inheritance

noun — [ mass noun]

1. inheritance of traits, usually via the maternal line, controlled by an extrachromosomal element.

cytosine /ˈsʌɪtəsiːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound found in living tissue as a constituent base of DNA. It is paired with guanine in double-stranded DNA.
●A pyrimidine derivative; chem. formula: C_4H_5N_3O.

cytoskeleton

I. noun

[Biology] a microscopic network of protein filaments and tubules in the cytoplasm of many living cells, giving them shape and coherence.

II. derivatives

cytoskeletal

adjective

cytosol /ˈsʌɪtə(ʊ)sɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the aqueous component of the cytoplasm of a cell, within which various organelles and particles are suspended.

II. derivatives

cytosolic

adjective

cytotoxic /sʌɪtə(ʊ)ˈtɒksɪk/

I. adjective

toxic to living cells.

• cytotoxic drugs.

• peripheral blood lymphocytes may be cytotoxic to these cells.

II. derivatives

cytotoxicity

noun

Czech /tʃɛk/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of the Czech Republic or (formerly) Czechoslovakia, or a person of Czech descent.

2. [ mass noun] — the Western Slavic language spoken in the Czech Republic, closely related to Slovak. It has over 10 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Czechs or their language.

– origin Polish spelling of Czech Čech.

Czechoslovakia /ˌtʃɛkə(ʊ)sləˈvakɪə/

I.
1. a former country in central Europe, now divided between the Czech Republic and Slovakia; capital, Prague.

Czechoslovakia was created out of the northern part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of the First World War. It was crushed by the Nazi takeover of the Sudetenland in 1938 and the rest of the country in 1939. After the Second World War Czechoslovakia fell under Soviet domination, an attempt at liberalization being crushed by military intervention in 1968, until the ‘velvet revolution’ of 1989. The two parts separated on 1 January 1993.

II. derivatives

Czechoslovak /ˌtʃɛkə(ʊ)ˈsləʊvak /

noun, adjective

Czechoslovakian /ˌtʃɛkə(ʊ)sləˈvakɪən / Czechoslovak /ˌtʃɛkəˈsləʊvak/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the former country Czechoslovakia or its inhabitants

• a Czechoslovakian film and a television series.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of the former country Czechoslovakia

• a trio of merry Czechoslovakians.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the former country Czechoslovakia

• he speaks English a lot better than I speak Czechoslovakian.

Czech Republic /tʃɛkrɪˈpʌblɪk/

I. a country in central Europe; pop. 10,211,900 (est. 2009); official language, Czech; capital, Prague.

Formerly one of the two constituent republics of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic became independent on the partition of that country on 1 January 1993. It comprises the former provinces of Bohemia, Silesia, and Moravia.

Czerny, Karl /ˈtʃɛːni/

(1791–1857), Austrian pianist, teacher, and composer. The bulk of his output is made up of more than 1,000 exercises and studies for the piano.

Częstochowa /ˌtʃɛnstəˈkəʊvə/

an industrial city in south central Poland; pop. 244,137 (2007). It is famous for its shrine housing a painting of the black Madonna.

CZK

abbreviation

Czech Republic koruna(s).

d /diː/

I. abbreviation

1. (in genealogies) daughter.

• Henry m. Georgina 1957, 1s 2d.

2. day(s).

• orbital period (Mars): 687.0 d.

3. [in combination] — (in units of measurement) deci-.

4. (in travel timetables) departs.

• Plymouth d 0721.

5. ( d.) — died (used to indicate a date of death)

• Barents, Willem (d.1597).

6. (Brit.) penny or pence (of pre-decimal currency)

• £20 10s 6d.

[from Latin denarius ‘penny’.]

7. [Chemistry] denoting electrons and orbitals possessing two units of angular momentum

• d-electrons.

[ d from diffuse, originally applied to lines in atomic spectra.]

II. symbol

1. [Mathematics] diameter.

• the circumference of a circle is expressed by the formula πd.

2. [Mathematics] denoting a small increment in a given variable

• dy/dx.

D^1 /diː / d

noun

1. the fourth letter of the alphabet.

2. denoting the fourth in a set of items, categories, sizes, etc.

3. the fourth-highest category of academic mark.

4. ( d) — [Chess] denoting the fourth file from the left, as viewed from White's side of the board.

5. denoting the second-lowest-earning socio-economic category for marketing purposes, including semi-skilled and unskilled personnel.

6. (also dee) ( D) — a shape like that of a capital D
[in combination]

• the D-shaped handle.

7. a loop or ring in the shape of a capital D

• a saddle with stainless steel dees.

8. ( D) — a semicircle marked on a billiard table in the baulk area, with its diameter part of the baulk line, within which a player must place the cue ball when breaking off or restarting from hand.

9. (usu. D) — [Music] the second note of the diatonic scale of C major.

10. a key based on a scale with D as its keynote.

11. the Roman numeral for 500.
[understood as half of CIƆ, an earlier form of M (= 1,000).]

D^2 /diː/

I. abbreviation

1. (in the US) Democrat or Democratic.

• Delaware: breakdown of outgoing Senate: 13 D, 8 R.

2. depth (in the sense of the dimension of an object from front to back).

• H 35 cm × W 50 cm × D 20 cm.

3. [Chemistry] dextrorotatory

• D-glucose.

4. (with a numeral) dimension(s) or dimensional

• a 3-D model.

5. (in tables of sports results) drawn.

6. (on an automatic gear shift) drive.

7. Germany (international vehicle registration).
[from German Deutschland.]

II. symbol

1. [Physics] electric flux density.

2. [Chemistry] the hydrogen isotope deuterium.

'd /d/

contraction

1. had

• they'd already gone.

2. would

• I'd expect that.

da^1

abbreviation — [in combination]

1. (in units of measurement) deca-.

da^2

determiner

non-standard spelling of the, used in representing informal American speech.

DA /diːˈeɪ/

abbreviation

1. (US) district attorney.

2. ‹informal› duck's arse.

D/A /ˌdiːtuˈeɪ/

abbreviation

[Electronics] digital to analogue.

dab^1 /dab/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. press against (something) lightly several times with a piece of absorbent material in order to clean or dry it or to apply a substance

• he dabbed his mouth with his napkin

• [no obj.] she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.

2. apply (a substance) with light quick strokes

• she dabbed disinfectant on the cut.

3. ‹dialect› strike with a light blow.

II. noun

1. a small amount of something

• she licked a dab of chocolate from her finger.

2. a brief application of a piece of absorbent material to a surface

• apply concealer with light dabs.

3. ( dabs) — (Brit.) ‹informal› fingerprints.

• the catalogue is being dusted for your dabs.

– origin Middle English: symbolic of a light striking movement; compare with dabble and dib.

dab^2 /dab/

I. noun

a small, commercially important flatfish found chiefly in the North Atlantic.
● Limanda and other genera, family Pleuronectidae (several species, in particular the European L. limanda).

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

DAB

abbreviation

digital audio broadcasting.

dabber /ˈdabə/

noun

a rounded pad used in printing to apply ink to a surface.

dabble /ˈdab(ə)l/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — immerse (one's hands or feet) partially in water and move them around gently

• they dabbled their feet in the rock pools.

2. [no obj.] — (of a duck or other waterbird) move the bill around in shallow water while feeding

• teal dabble in the shallows.

3. [no obj.] — take part in an activity in a casual or superficial way

• he dabbled in left-wing politics.

II. derivatives

dabbler /ˈdablə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from obsolete Dutch dabbelen, or a frequentative of the verb dab^1.

dabbling duck

noun

a freshwater duck which typically feeds in shallow water by dabbling and upending, such as the mallard, teal, and pintail. Compare with diving duck.
●Tribe Anatini, family Anatidae: genus Anas (numerous species).

dabchick /ˈdabtʃɪk/

I. noun

a small grebe, especially the little grebe.
●Genera Tachybaptus and Podilymbus, family Podicipedidae: several species.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as dapchick or dopchick): the first element is perhaps related to dip and deep.

dab hand

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person who is an expert at a particular activity

• Liam is a dab hand at golf.

– origin early 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

DAC

abbreviation

[Electronics] digital to analogue converter.

da capo /dɑː ˈkɑːpəʊ / ‹Music›

I. adverb

(especially as a direction) repeat from the beginning.
Compare with dal segno.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. including the repetition of a passage at the beginning

• da capo arias.

– origin Italian, literally ‘from the head’.

dace /deɪs/

I. noun

a small freshwater fish related to the carp, typically living in running water.
● Leuciscus and other genera, family Cyprinidae: several species, in particular L. leuciscus of northern Eurasia.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French dars (see dart).

dacha /ˈdatʃə / datcha

I. noun

a country house or cottage in Russia, typically used as a second or holiday home.

– origin Russian, originally ‘grant (of land)’.

Dachau /ˈdakaʊ, German ˈdaxaʊ/

a Nazi concentration camp in southern Bavaria, from 1933 to 1945.

dachshund /ˈdakshʊnd, ˈdaks(ə)nd/

I. noun

a dog of a very short-legged, long-bodied breed.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German, literally ‘badger dog’ (the breed being originally used to dig badgers out of their setts).

Dacia /ˈdeɪʃə, ˈdeɪsɪə/

I. an ancient country of SE Europe in what is now NW Romania. It was annexed by Trajan in AD 106 as a province of the Roman Empire.

II. derivatives

Dacian

adjective, noun

dacite /ˈdeɪsʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a volcanic rock resembling andesite but containing free quartz.

II. derivatives

dacitic

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: from the name of the Roman province of Dacia (as it was first found in the Carpathian Mountains) + -ite^1.

dacoit /dəˈkɔɪt/

I. noun

(in India or Burma (Myanmar)) a member of a band of armed robbers.

– origin from Hindi ḍakait, from ḍakaitī ‘robbery by a gang’.

dacoity /dəˈkɔɪti/

I. noun

(in India or Burma (Myanmar)) an act of violent robbery committed by an armed gang.

• an increase in the number of dacoities in buses.

• [ mass noun] thirteen cases of attempted dacoity.

– origin from Hindi ḍakaitī.

Dacron /ˈdakrɒn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a synthetic polyester (polyethylene terephthalate) with tough, elastic properties, used as a textile fabric.

• a suit of dark blue Dacron.

• [ count noun] square woven Dacrons are the best choice for sails.

• [as modifier] Dacron three-piece suite.

– origin 1950s: an invented name.

dactyl /ˈdaktɪl/

I. noun

[Prosody] a metrical foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables or (in Greek and Latin) one long syllable followed by two short syllables.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek daktulos, literally ‘finger’ (the three bones of the finger corresponding to the three syllables).

dactylic /dakˈtɪlɪk / ‹Prosody›

I. adjective

of or using dactyls

• dactylic rhythm.

II. noun — (usu. dactylics)

1. dactylic verse.

dactylic hexameter

noun

[Prosody] a hexameter consisting of five dactyls and either a spondee or trochee, in which any of the first four dactyls, and sometimes the fifth, may be replaced by a spondee.

dad /dad/

I. noun

‹informal› one's father.

• his dad was with him.

• [as name] Mum and Dad were thrilled.

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps imitative of a young child's first syllables da, da.

dada^1 /ˈdadə/

I. noun

‹informal› one's father.

– origin late 17th cent.: perhaps imitative of a young child's first syllables (see dad).

dada^2 /ˈdɑːdɑː/

I. noun

1. (Indian) an older brother or male cousin.

• Dada went to see off his father-in-law.

2. (Indian) a respectful form of address for an older male.

• Ram dada is my cousin's friend.

– origin from Hindi dādā.

Dada /ˈdɑːdɑː/

I. noun

1. an early 20th-century movement in art, literature, music, and film, repudiating and mocking artistic and social conventions and emphasizing the illogical and absurd.

Dada was launched in Zurich in 1916 by Tristan Tzara and others, soon merging with a similar group in New York. It favoured montage, collage, and the ready-made. Leading figures: Jean Arp, André Breton, Max Ernst, Man Ray, and Marcel Duchamp.

II. derivatives

1. Dadaism /ˈdɑːdəɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. Dadaist /ˈdɑːdəɪst /

noun, adjective

3. Dadaistic

adjective

– origin French, literally ‘hobby horse’, the title of a review published in Zurich in 1916.

dadah /ˈdɑːdɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Malaysia) illegal drugs.

– origin Malay, ‘medicine, drugs’.

Dad and Dave

I. adjective

(Austral.) ‹informal› characteristic of rural life or values, especially when viewed as comical

• a farmer down in the Dad and Dave country.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the names of two characters in the stories of Australian writer, Steele Rudd (1868–1935).

Dadd, Richard

(1817–86), English painter. After killing his father while suffering a mental breakdown, he was confined in asylums, where he produced a series of visionary paintings.

dad dancing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› awkward or unfashionable dancing to pop music, as characteristically performed by middle-aged or older men

• for optimum embarrassment of offspring, dad dancing is best performed to REM's Shiny Happy People.

daddy /ˈdadi/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› one's father.

2. ‹informal› the oldest, best, or biggest example of something

• the daddy of all potholes.

3. ( the daddy) — ‹informal› the best or most successful person

• it's you who's calling the shots now—you're the daddy.

– origin early 16th cent.: from dad + -y^2.

daddy-long-legs /ˌdadɪˈlɒŋlɛɡz/

noun

1. ‹informal› (Brit.) a crane fly.

2. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) a harvestman.

daddy's girl

noun

‹informal› a girl or woman who is particularly attached to, and indulged by, her father.

dado /ˈdeɪdəʊ/

I. noun

1. the lower part of the wall of a room, below about waist height, when decorated differently from the upper part.

2. short for dado rail.

• dados were fixed to the wall to protect the plaster.

3. (N. Amer.) a groove cut in the face of a board, into which the edge of another board is fixed.
[as modifier]

• a dado joint.

4. [Architecture] the part of a pedestal between the base and the cornice.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting the main part of a pedestal, above the base): from Italian, literally ‘dice or cube’, from Latin datum ‘something given, starting point’ (see datum).

dado rail

noun

a decorative waist-high moulding round the wall of a room, which also protects the wall from damage.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli /ˈdɑːdrə ənd nɑːɡə həˈveɪli/

a Union Territory in western India, on the Arabian Sea; pop. 303,200 (est. 2009); capital, Silvassa.

dadrock

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› rock music that appeals to an older generation, or that is heavily influenced by that of an earlier era

• some reviewers deride his current style as dadrock—music that shouldn't appeal to self-respecting teenagers.

Daedalian /diːˈdeɪlɪən/

I. adjective

ingenious, intricate, and confusing

• this curious amalgamation of comfortable hotel and Daedalian cruise ship.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin Daedaleus ‘relating to Daedalus’ + -ian.

Daedalic /ˈdiːdəlɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting an ancient Greek (chiefly Dorian) sculptural style of the 7th century BC.

– origin from the name Daedalus + -ic.

Daedalus /ˈdiːdələs / ‹Greek Mythology›

a craftsman, considered the inventor of carpentry, who is said to have built the labyrinth for Minos, king of Crete. Minos imprisoned him and his son Icarus, but they escaped using wings which Daedalus made and fastened with wax. Icarus, however, flew too near the sun and was killed.

daemon^1 /ˈdiːmən / daimon

I. noun

1. (in ancient Greek belief) a divinity or supernatural being of a nature between gods and humans.

2. an inner or attendant spirit or inspiring force.

• Socrates claimed to have lived his life according to the dictates of his daimon.

3. archaic spelling of demon^1.

II. derivatives

daemonic /dɪˈmɒnɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: common spelling of demon^1 until the 19th cent.

daemon^2 /ˈdiːmən / demon

I. noun

[Computing] a background process that handles requests for services such as print spooling and file transfers, and is dormant when not required.

– origin 1980s: perhaps from d(isk) a(nd) e(xecution) mon(itor) or from de(vice) mon(itor), or a transferred use of demon^1.

daff /daf/

noun

‹informal› a daffodil.

daffodil /ˈdafədɪl/

I. noun

a bulbous European plant which typically bears bright yellow flowers with a long trumpet-shaped centre (corona).
●Genus Narcissus, family Liliaceae (or Amaryllidaceae): several species, in particular the common Narcissus pseudonarcissus and its varieties. .

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Middle English affodill, from medieval Latin affodilus, variant of Latin asphodilus (see asphodel). The initial d- is unexplained.

daffodil yellow

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a shade of bright yellow.

daffy /ˈdafi/

I. adjective

‹informal› silly; mildly eccentric

• another one of his daffy dad's catchphrases.

II. derivatives

daffiness

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from northern English dialect daff ‘simpleton’ + -y^1; perhaps related to daft.

daft /dɑːft/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› silly; foolish

• don't ask such daft questions.

2. ( daft about) — (Brit.) ‹informal› infatuated with

• I was daft about him.

II. derivatives

daftness

noun

– origin Old English gedæfte ‘mild, meek’, of Germanic origin; related to Gothic gabadan ‘become or be fitting’.

dag

I. noun

1. (usu. dags) — (Austral./NZ) a lock of wool matted with dung hanging from the hindquarters of a sheep.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› an entertainingly eccentric person; a character.

• your father must have been a bit of a dag.

3. (Austral.) ‹informal› a conservative or unfashionable person.

4. an untidy or dirty-looking person.

5. an awkward adolescent.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) cut dags from (a sheep).

• we failed to have the ewes dagged.

III. phrases

rattle one's dags

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› hurry up.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a hanging pointed part of something): possibly related to tag^1. Sense 1 of the noun dates from the early 17th cent.; sense 2 of the noun is a transferred use of English dialect meaning ‘a challenge’.

da Gama, Vasco /də ˈɡɑːmə/

( c. 1469–1524), Portuguese explorer. He led the first European expedition round the Cape of Good Hope in 1497, sighting and naming Natal on Christmas Day before crossing the Indian Ocean and arriving in Calicut (now Kozhikode) in 1498. He also established colonies in Mozambique.

Dagestan /ˌdaɡɪˈstɑːn, ˌdaɡɪˈstan/

I. an autonomous republic in SW Russia, on the western shore of the Caspian Sea; pop. 2,707,900 (est. 2009); capital, Makhachkala.

II. derivatives

Dagestanian

noun, adjective

Dagestani /ˌdaɡɪˈstɑːni, ˌdaɡɪˈstani/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the autonomous republic of Dagestan in SW Russia or its inhabitants

• a hotel in the Dagestani capital.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the autonomous republic of Dagestan in SW Russia

• the foundation says it can help Dagestanis living outside the republic.

dagga /ˈdaxə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (S. African) cannabis.

• while we waited we shared pipes of dagga.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Afrikaans, from Khoikhoi dachab.

dagger /ˈdaɡə/

I. noun

1. a short knife with a pointed and edged blade, used as a weapon.

• he drew his dagger and stabbed the leader.

2. [Printing] another term for obelus.

3. a moth with a dark dagger-shaped marking on the forewing.
●Genus Acronicta, family Noctuidae: several species.

II. phrases

1. be at daggers drawn

(Brit.) (of two people) be bitterly hostile towards each other.

• they have been at daggers drawn for weeks over tactics.

2. look (or glare) daggers at

glare very angrily at.

• she flung the fork down, looking daggers at him.

– origin late Middle English: perhaps from obsolete dag ‘pierce, stab’, influenced by Old French dague ‘long dagger’.

daggerboard

noun

a kind of centreboard which slides vertically through the keel of a sailing boat.

daggy /ˈdaɡi/

adjective

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Austral./NZ) (especially of clothes) scruffy.

• ‘pre-worn’ clothing might be a bit daggy.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Austral./NZ) not stylish; unfashionable

• a daggy disco track.

dago /ˈdeɪɡəʊ/

I. noun

‹informal› ‹offensive› a Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian-speaking person.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the Spanish given name Diego (equivalent to James).

Dagon /ˈdeɪɡɒn/

I. (in the Bible) a national deity of the ancient Philistines, represented as a fish-tailed man.

– origin via Latin and Greek from Hebrew dāḡōn, perhaps from dāḡān ‘corn’, but said (according to folk etymology) to be from dāḡ ‘fish’.

Daguerre, Louis-Jacques-Mandé /dəˈɡɛː, French daɡɛʀ/

(1789–1851), French physicist, painter, and inventor of the first practical photographic process. He went into partnership with Joseph-Nicéphore Niépce (1765–1833) to improve the latter's heliography process, and in 1839 he presented his daguerreotype process to the French Academy of Sciences.

daguerreotype /dəˈɡɛrətʌɪp / daguerrotype

I. noun

a photograph taken by an early photographic process employing an iodine-sensitized silvered plate and mercury vapour.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French daguerréotype, named after L.-J.-M. Daguerre (see Daguerre, Louis-Jacques-Mandé).

dagwood dog /ˌdaɡwʊd ˈdɒɡ/

I. noun

(Austral.) a saveloy sausage cooked in batter, usually served on a stick

• families packed the pavilions and devoured dagwood dogs and strawberry sundaes.

– origin 1940s: adapted from Dagwood sandwich, named after Dagwood Bumstead, a US comic-strip character.

Dagwood sandwich Dagwood

I. noun

(US) a thick sandwich with a variety of different fillings.

– origin 1970s: named after Dagwood Bumstead, a comic-strip character who makes and eats this type of sandwich.

dah /dɑː/

I. noun

(in the Morse system) another term for dash.

– origin Second World War: imitative.

dahabeeyah /ˌdɑːhəˈbiːjə/

I. noun

a large passenger boat used on the Nile, typically with lateen sails.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Arabic, literally ‘golden’, denoting the gilded state barge formerly used by the Muslim rulers of Egypt.

dahi /ˈdəhiː/

I. noun

Indian term for yogurt.

• we never eat dahi at night.

– origin from Hindi dahī ‘curds’.

dahi vada /ˈvʌdə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Indian dish consisting of balls made from ground lentils, which are deep-fried and served in a yogurt sauce.

– origin from Hindi dahī ‘curds’ and vaḍā ‘ball of ground lentils’.

Dahl, Roald /dɑːl/

(1916–90), British writer, of Norwegian descent. His fiction and drama, such as the short-story collection Tales of the Unexpected (1979), typically include macabre plots and unexpected outcomes. Notable works for children: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964), The BFG (1982).

dahlia /ˈdeɪlɪə/

I. noun

a tuberous-rooted Mexican plant of the daisy family, which is cultivated for its brightly coloured single or double flowers.
●Genus Dahlia, family Compositae.

– origin modern Latin, named in honour of Andreas Dahl (1751–89), Swedish botanist.

Dahomey /dəˈhəʊmi/

former name (until 1975) for Benin.

dai /dʌɪ/

I. noun

(Indian) a midwife or wet nurse.

– origin from Urdu, from Persian dāyah.

daikon /ˈdʌɪk(ə)n, ˈdʌɪkɒn/

I. noun

another term for mooli.

– origin Japanese, from dai ‘large’ + kon ‘root’.

Dáil /dɔɪl Irish daːˈlʲ/ / Dáil Éireann /ˈɛːr(ə)n, Irish ˈeːrʲən/

I. the lower house of Parliament in the Republic of Ireland, composed of 166 members (called Teachtai Dála). It was first established in 1919, when Irish republicans proclaimed an Irish state.

– origin Irish, ‘assembly (of Ireland)’.

daily /ˈdeɪli/

I. adjective

1. done, produced, or occurring every day or every weekday

• a daily newspaper.

2. relating to the period of a single day

• boats can be hired for a daily rate.

II. adverb

every day

• the museum is open daily.

III. noun

1. ‹informal› a newspaper published every day except Sunday.

• the trial was reported in all the popular dailies.

2. (also daily help) — ‹informal› (Brit.) ‹dated› a woman who is employed to clean someone else's house each day.

3. ( dailies) — ‹informal› the first prints from cinematographic takes; the rushes.

• as a co-producer he has to view the dailies.

IV. phrases

daily life

the activities and experiences that constitute a person's normal existence

• the routines of my daily life.

– origin late Middle English: from day + -ly^1, -ly^2.

daily double

noun

[Horse Racing] a single bet on the winners of two named races in a day.

daily dozen

noun

‹informal› ‹dated› regular exercises, especially those done first thing in the morning.

• that ten-minute daily dozen.

Daimler, Gottlieb /ˈdeɪmlə, German ˈdaɪmlɐ/

(1834–1900), German engineer and motor manufacturer. An employee of Nikolaus Otto, he produced a small engine using the Otto cycle in 1884 and made it propel a bicycle using petrol vapour. He founded the Daimler motor company in 1890.

daimon /ˈdʌɪməʊn/

I. noun

variant spelling of daemon^1.

II. derivatives

daimonic /dʌɪˈməʊnɪk, dʌɪˈmɒnɪk /

adjective

daimyo /ˈdʌɪmɪəʊ, ˈdʌɪmjəʊ / daimio

I. noun

(in feudal Japan) one of the great lords who were vassals of the shogun.

– origin Japanese, from dai ‘great’ + myō ‘name’.

dainty /ˈdeɪnti/

I. adjective

1. delicately small and pretty

• a dainty lace handkerchief

• the china cup seemed too dainty in his large hands.

2. (of a person) delicate and graceful in build or movement.

• he is one of the daintiest players in the game.

3. (of food) particularly good to eat and served in a small portion

• a dainty morsel.

4. fastidious, especially concerning food

• a dainty appetite.

II. noun

something good to eat; a delicacy.

• home-made breads, jams, and dainties.

III. derivatives

1. daintily /ˈdeɪntɪli /

adverb

2. daintiness /ˈdeɪntɪnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (as noun): from Old French daintie, deintie ‘choice morsel, pleasure’, from Latin dignitas ‘worthiness or beauty’, from dignus ‘worthy’.

daiquiri /ˈdʌɪkɪri, ˈdakɪri/

I. noun

a cocktail containing rum and lime juice.

– origin named after Daiquirí, a rum-producing district in Cuba.

Dairen /dʌɪˈrɛn/

former name for Dalian.

dairy /ˈdɛːri/

I. noun

1. a building or room for the processing, storage, and distribution of milk and milk products.

2. a shop where milk and milk products are sold.

3. [ mass noun] — milk and milk products collectively

• I rely on soya as a substitute for dairy.

4. (also corner dairy) — (NZ) a small grocery shop.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. containing or made from milk

• local dairy foods.

2. concerned with the production of milk

• a dairy farmer.

– origin Middle English deierie, from deie ‘dairymaid’ (in Old English dǣge ‘female servant’), of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse deigja, also to dough and to the second element of Old English hlǣfdige (see lady).

dairying /ˈdɛːrɪɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the business of producing, storing, and distributing milk and its products.

• he has a qualification in dairying.

• [as modifier] good dairying districts.

dairymaid /ˈdɛːrɪmeɪd/

noun

‹archaic› a woman employed in a dairy.

dairyman /ˈdɛːrɪmən/

noun

a man who is employed in a dairy or sells dairy products.

dairy product

noun

a product containing or made from milk

• low-fat dairy products.

dais /ˈdeɪɪs, deɪs/

I. noun

a low platform for a lectern or throne.

– origin Middle English (originally denoting a raised table for distinguished guests): from Old French deis, from Latin discus ‘disc or dish’ (later ‘table’). Little used after the Middle English period, the word was revived by antiquarians in the early 19th cent. with the disyllabic pronunciation.

daisy /ˈdeɪzi/

I. noun

1. a small European grassland plant which has flowers with a yellow disc and white rays.
● Bellis perennis, family Compositae (or Asteraceae; the daisy family). The plants of this large family (known as composites) are distinguished by having composite flower heads consisting of numerous disc florets, ray florets, or both; they include many weeds (dandelions, thistles) and garden flowers (asters, chrysanthemums, dahlias).

2. used in names of other plants of the daisy family, e.g. Michaelmas daisy, Shasta daisy.

II. phrases

1. be (as) fresh as a daisy

be healthy and full of energy.

• you look fresh as a daisy!

2. be pushing up (the) daisies

‹informal› be dead and buried.

• his heart condition will see him pushing up the daisies at a young age.

– origin Old English dæges ēage ‘day's eye’ (because the flower opens in the morning and closes at night).

daisy bush

noun

a shrubby evergreen Australasian plant of the daisy family, which typically has grey-green leaves and bears fragrant flower heads.
●Genus Olearia, family Compositae.

daisy chain

I. noun

1. a string of daisies threaded together by their stems.

2. a series of associated or connected people or things

• a daisy chain of coloured lights.

3. ‹informal› a group sexual activity in which participants act as partners to different people simultaneously.

II. verb

( daisy-chain) [with obj.] — [Computing] connect (several devices) together in a linear series.
(as adj. daisy-chained)

• three daisy-chained CD-ROM drives.

III. derivatives

daisy-chainable

adjective

daisy-cutter

noun

1. ‹informal› (in sport) a ball hit or bowled so as to roll along the ground.

2. ‹informal› an immensely powerful aerial thermobaric bomb.

Daisy Dukes

I. plural noun

brief, tight-fitting denim shorts for women, typically made from a pair of cut-off jeans.

– origin 1990s: from Daisy Duke, the name of a character in the 1970s US television series The Dukes of Hazzard, who often wore shorts of this type.

daisy wheel

noun

a device used as a printer in some word processors, consisting of a disc of spokes each terminating in a printing character.

dak /dɑːk, dɔːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the postal service in the Indian subcontinent, originally delivered by a system of relay runners.

– origin Hindi ḍāk.

Dak.

abbreviation

Dakota.

Dakar /ˈdakɑː/

the capital of Senegal, a port on the Atlantic coast of West Africa; pop. 2,604,000 (est. 2007).

dak bungalow

noun

a travellers' rest house in the Indian subcontinent, originally on a dak route.

Dakota^1 /dəˈkəʊtə/

I. a former territory of the US, organized in 1889 into the states of North Dakota and South Dakota.

II. derivatives

Dakotan

noun, adjective

Dakota^2 /dəˈkəʊtə/

I. noun

1. a member of a North American Indian people of the northern Mississippi valley and the surrounding plains.

2. [ mass noun] — the Siouan language of the Dakota, spoken by about 15,000 people.
Also called Sioux.

II. adjective

relating to the Dakota or their language.

– origin the name in Dakota, literally ‘allies’.

daks /daks/

I. plural noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› trousers.

– origin 1930s (as a proprietary name for a brand of clothing): first recorded in this sense in the 1970s.

dal^1 /dɑːl / dhal

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Indian cookery) split pulses, in particular lentils.

2. a dish made with these.

– origin Hindi dāl.

dal^2

abbreviation

decalitre(s).

Dalai Lama /ˌdalʌɪ ˈlɑːmə/

I. noun

1. the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism and, until the establishment of Chinese communist rule, the spiritual and temporal ruler of Tibet.

Each Dalai Lama is believed to be the reincarnation of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, reappearing in a child when the incumbent Dalai Lama dies. The present Dalai Lama, the fourteenth incarnation, escaped to India in 1959 following the Chinese invasion of Tibet and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

– origin from Tibetan, literally ‘ocean monk’, so named because he is regarded as ‘the ocean of compassion’.

dalasi /dɑːˈlɑːsiː/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Gambia, equal to 100 butut.

– origin a local word.

dale /deɪl/

I. noun

a valley, especially in northern England.

– origin Old English dæl, of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse dalr, Dutch dal, and German Tal, also to dell.

Dale, Sir Henry Hallett

(1875–1968), English physiologist and pharmacologist. He investigated the role of histamine in anaphylactic shock and allergy, and the role of acetylcholine as a natural neurotransmitter. Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1936).

dalek /ˈdɑːlɛk/

I. noun

a member of a race of hostile alien machine-organisms which appeared in the BBC television science fiction series Doctor Who from 1963.

– origin 1960s: invented by the scriptwriter Terry Nation (1930–97).

d'Alembert, Jean le Rond /ˈdaləmbɛː, French dalɑ̃bɛʀ/

(1717–83), French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher. His most famous work was the Traité de dynamique (1743), in which he developed his own laws of motion. From 1746 to 1758 he was Diderot's chief collaborator on the Encyclopédie.

Dalesman /ˈdeɪlzmən/

noun

an inhabitant of the Yorkshire Dales in northern England.

Dales pony

noun

(Brit.) a large stocky pony of a breed which is typically black.

Dalglish, Kenny /dalˈɡliːʃ/

(b.1951), Scottish footballer and manager; full name Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish. An attacker for Celtic, Liverpool, and Scotland, he managed Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle, and Celtic.

Dalhousie, 1st Marquess of /dalˈhaʊzi/

(1812–60), British colonial administrator; born James Andrew Broun Ramsay. He was a progressive Governor General of India 1847–56.

Dalí, Salvador /ˈdɑːli/

I. (1904–89), Spanish painter. A surrealist, he portrayed dream images with almost photographic realism against backgrounds of arid Catalan landscapes. Dalí also collaborated with Buñuel in the production of the film Un Chien andalou (1928). Notable works: The Persistence of Memory (1931).

II. derivatives

Daliesque

adjective

Dalian /ˌdɑːlɪˈan/

a port and shipbuilding centre on the Liaodong Peninsula in NE China, now part of the urban complex of Luda.
Former name Dairen.

Dalit /ˈdʌlɪt/

I. noun

(in the traditional Indian caste system) a member of the lowest caste.
See also untouchable, scheduled caste.

– origin via Hindi from Sanskrit dalita ‘oppressed’.

Dallapiccola, Luigi /ˌdaləˈpɪkələ/

(1904–75), Italian composer. He combined serialism with lyrical polyphonic writing. Notable works: Songs of Prison (1938–41).

Dallas /ˈdaləs/

a city in NE Texas, noted as a centre of the oil industry; pop. 1,279,910 (est. 2008).

dalliance /ˈdalɪəns/

I. noun

1. a casual romantic or sexual relationship.

• Jack was not averse to an occasional dalliance with a pretty girl.

• [ mass noun] MPs have the opportunity for dalliance, as they are away from home for much of the week.

2. a period of brief or casual involvement with something

• Berkeley was my last dalliance with the education system.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘conversation’): from dally + -ance.

Dall sheep /dɑːl / Dall's sheep

I. noun

a wild North American sheep found in mountainous country from Alaska to British Columbia. Also called white sheep.
● Ovis dalli, family Bovidae.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after William H. Dall (1845–1927), American naturalist.

dally /ˈdali/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. act or move slowly

• she'd dallied upstairs long enough to put on a little make-up.

2. ( dally with) — have a casual romantic or sexual liaison with

• he should stop dallying with film stars.

3. show a casual interest in

• the company was dallying with the idea of opening a new office.

II. derivatives

dallier

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French dalier ‘to chat’, of unknown origin.

Dalmatia /dalˈmeɪʃə/

an ancient region in what is now SW Croatia, comprising mountains and a narrow coastal plain along the Adriatic, together with offshore islands. It once formed part of the Roman province of Illyricum.

Dalmatian /dalˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a dog of a large, white short-haired breed with dark spots.

2. a native or inhabitant of Dalmatia.

II. adjective

relating to Dalmatia.

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2 of the noun): the dog is believed to have originated in Dalmatia in the 18th cent.

dalmatic /dalˈmatɪk/

I. noun

a wide-sleeved long, loose vestment open at the sides, worn by deacons and bishops, and by monarchs at their coronation.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French dalmatique or late Latin dalmatica, from dalmatica (vestis) ‘(robe) of (white) Dalmatian wool’, from Dalmaticus ‘of Dalmatia’.

Dalradian /dalˈrɑːdɪən/

I. adjective

1. [Geology] relating to or denoting a series of late Precambrian metamorphic rocks, occurring in Scotland and Ireland.

2. (as noun the Dalradian) — [Geology] the Dalradian series of rocks.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Dalrad-, from Dalriada (by alteration), + -ian.

Dalriada /dalˈrɪədə/

an ancient Gaelic kingdom in northern Ireland whose people (the Scots) established a colony in SW Scotland from about the late 5th century. By the 9th century Irish Dalriada had declined but the people of Scottish Dalriada gradually acquired dominion over the whole of Scotland.

dal segno /dal ˈsɛnjəʊ/

I. adverb, adjective

[Music] (especially as a direction) repeat from the point marked by a sign.
Compare with da capo.

– origin Italian, ‘from the sign’.

dalton /ˈdɔːlt(ə)n/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a unit used in expressing the molecular weight of proteins, equivalent to atomic mass unit.

– origin 1930s: named after John Dalton (see Dalton, John).

Dalton, John /ˈdɔːlt(ə)n/

(1766–1844), English chemist, father of modern atomic theory. He defined an atom as the smallest part of a substance that could participate in a chemical reaction and argued that elements are composed of atoms. He stated that elements combine in definite proportion and produced the first table of comparative atomic weights.

daltonism /ˈdɔːlt(ə)nɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

another term for protanopia, a form of colour blindness.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of John Dalton, John + -ism.

Dalton's law

noun

[Chemistry] a law stating that the pressure exerted by a mixture of gases in a fixed volume is equal to the sum of the pressures that would be exerted by each gas alone in the same volume.

dam^1 /dam/

I. noun

1. a barrier constructed to hold back water and raise its level, forming a reservoir used to generate electricity or as a water supply

• the dam burst after torrential rain

• [in names] the Hoover Dam.

2. a barrier of branches in a stream, constructed by a beaver to provide a deep pool and a lodge.

3. (chiefly S. African) an artificial pond or reservoir where rain or spring water is collected for storage.

• the dam was full of water.

4. (also dental dam) — a rubber sheet used to keep saliva from the teeth during dental operations, or as a prophylactic device during cunnilingus and anilingus.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. build a dam across (a river or lake).

• the river was dammed to form Lake Powell.

2. hold back or obstruct (something)

• the closed lock gates dammed up the canal.

– origin Middle English: from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch; related to Dutch dam and German Damm, also to Old English fordemman ‘close up’.

dam^2 /dam/

I. noun

the female parent of an animal, especially a domestic mammal.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a human mother): alteration of dame.

dam^3 /dam/

abbreviation

decametre(s).

dama gazelle /ˈdɑːmə/

I. noun

a large long-legged gazelle with a mainly whitish coat, native to the southern and western Sahara (where it is now very rare). Also called addra gazelle.
● Gazella dama, family Bovidae.

– origin modern Latin dama ‘fallow deer’ (the specific epithet of its Latin name).

damage /ˈdamɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — physical harm that impairs the value, usefulness, or normal function of something.

• bombing caused extensive damage to the town.

2. detrimental effects

• the damage to his reputation was considerable.

3. ( damages) — a sum of money claimed or awarded in compensation for a loss or an injury

• she was awarded $284,000 in damages.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. inflict physical harm on (something) so as to impair its value, usefulness, or normal function

• the car was badly damaged in the accident.

2. have a detrimental effect on

• the scandal could seriously damage his career.

III. phrases

1. the damage is done

used to indicate that it is too late to prevent the occurrence of something unfortunate or undesirable.

• there didn't seem any point in arguing now—the damage was done.

2. what's the damage?

‹informal› ‹humorous› used to ask the cost of something.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from dam, damne ‘loss or damage’, from Latin damnum ‘loss or hurt’; compare with damn.

damage control

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for damage limitation.

• this meeting was a combined exercise in damage control.

• [as modifier] the new submarine model has the latest damage-control systems.

damaged goods

plural noun

‹informal› a person who is regarded as inadequate or impaired in some way.

• ‘See? I'm damaged goods. You don't want me’.

damage feasant /ˈfiːz(ə)nt / ‹English Law›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. damage done on one person's land by another person's trespassing animal, which justifies the landowner in retaining the animal until compensated.

II. adverb

on grounds of damage caused to land or property.

• I can distrain the goods damage feasant.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Old French damage fesant ‘doing damage’.

damage limitation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. action taken to limit the damaging effects of an accident or error.

damaging /ˈdamɪdʒɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. causing physical damage

• new cars are less damaging to the environment.

2. having a detrimental effect on someone or something

• damaging allegations of corruption.

II. derivatives

damagingly /ˈdamɪdʒɪŋli /

adverb

Daman and Diu /dəˈmɑːn, ˈdiːuː/

a Union Territory in India, on the west coast north of Mumbai (Bombay); pop. 217,500 (est. 2009); capital, Daman. It consists of the district of Daman and the island of Diu, and until 1987 was administered with Goa.

Damara /dəˈmɑːrə/

I. noun

a member of a people inhabiting mountainous parts of Namibia and speaking the Nama language.

II. adjective

relating to the Damara.

– origin the name in Nama.

Damaraland /dəˈmɑːrəland/

a plateau region of central Namibia inhabited chiefly by the Damara and Herero peoples.

Damascene /ˈdaməsiːn, ˌdaməˈsiːn/

I. adjective

1. relating to the city of Damascus.

• a Damascene geographer.

2. used in reference to an important moment of insight, typically one that leads to a dramatic transformation of attitude or belief

• in light of his recent statements, it would appear that Fisher has undergone something of a Damascene conversion

• was there a Damascene moment, when he knew he had to turn his attention to politics?

[from the account of St Paul's conversion to Christianity while travelling to Damascus on a mission (Acts 9). See also road to Damascus.]

3. ‹historical› relating to Damascus steel or its manufacture.

• a fine Damascene blade.

4. (often damascene) — relating to or denoting a process of inlaying a metal object with gold or silver decoration.

• elaborate Damascene dishes.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Damascus.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun): via Latin from Greek Damaskēnos ‘of Damascus’.

damascened /ˈdaməsiːnd, ˌdaməˈsiːnd/

adjective

1. (of iron or steel) given a wavy pattern by hammer-welding and repeated heating and forging.

• a damascened blade.

2. (of a metal object) inlaid with gold or silver decoration.

• a pocket looking glass, silver damascened with gold.

Damascus /dəˈmɑːskəs, dəˈmaskəs/

the capital of Syria since the country's independence in 1946; pop. 1,614,300 (est. 2009). It has existed as a city for over 4,000 years.

Damascus steel

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› steel given a wavy pattern by hammer-welding strips of steel and iron followed by repeated heating and forging, used chiefly for knife and sword blades. Such items were often marketed in Damascus during the medieval period.

damask /ˈdaməsk/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a rich, heavy silk or linen fabric with a pattern woven into it, used for table linen and upholstery.

• the walls are covered with faded red damask.

• [ count noun] silks and damasks.

• [as modifier] a heavy damask tablecloth.

2. short for damask rose.

3. (also damask steel) [ mass noun] — ‹historical› another term for Damascus steel.

II. adjective

‹literary› having the velvety pink or light red colour of a damask rose.

• her damask cheek.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› decorate with or as if with a variegated pattern

• flowers damask the fragrant seat.

– origin late Middle English: from Damaske, early form of the name of Damascus, where the fabric was first produced.

damask rose

noun

a sweet-scented rose of an old variety, having pink or light red velvety petals which are used to make attar.
● Rosa damascena, family Rosaceae.

dame /deɪm/

I. noun

1. ( Dame) — (in the UK) the title given to a woman with the rank of Knight Commander or holder of the Grand Cross in the Orders of Chivalry.

• Dame Vera Lynn.

2. ‹archaic› ‹humorous› an elderly or mature woman.

• a matronly dame presided at the table.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a woman.

• a rich dame who took her husband to the cleaners.

4. (also pantomime dame) — (Brit.) a comic middle-aged female character in modern pantomime, usually played by a man.

– origin Middle English (denoting a female ruler): via Old French from Latin domina ‘mistress’.

dame school

noun

‹historical› a small primary school run by elderly women, especially in their own homes.

damfool /ˈdamfuːl / ‹informal, dated›

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. thoroughly foolish.

• two damfool stupid women, that's us.

II. noun

a foolish person.

• you're a damfool not to write.

damiana /ˌdeɪmɪˈɑːnə/

I. noun

a small shrub native to tropical America, whose leaves are used in herbal medicine and in the production of a liqueur, and also reputedly possess aphrodisiac qualities.
● Turnera diffusa, family Turneraceae.

– origin American Spanish.

Damietta /ˌdamɪˈɛtə/

I. the eastern branch of the Nile delta.
Arabic name Dumyat.

II. a port at the mouth of the Damietta; pop. 206,700 (est. 2006).

dammar /ˈdamə / damar

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. resin obtained from any of a number of tropical, chiefly Indo-Malaysian trees, used to make varnish.
●The resin is obtained from trees in the families Araucariaceae (genus Agathis), Dipterocarpaceae (genera Hopea, Shorea, and Vatica), and Burseraceae (genus Canarium).

– origin late 17th cent.: from Malay damar ‘resin’.

dammit /ˈdamɪt/

I. exclamation

‹informal› used to express anger or frustration.

• Stop, Ruth, dammit. I said stop it, right now.

II. phrases

as near as dammit (or damn it)

‹informal› as close to being accurate as makes no difference.

• it may not be a perfect match, but it's as near as dammit.

– origin mid 19th cent.: alteration of damn it.

damn /dam/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ( be damned) — (in Christian belief) be condemned by God to suffer eternal punishment in hell.

• I treated her badly and I'll be damned to hell for it.

2. be doomed to misfortune or failure

• the enterprise was damned.

3. criticize strongly

• the book damns her husband.

4. curse (someone or something)

• she cleared her throat, damning it for its huskiness

• damn him for making this sound trivial.

II. exclamation

‹informal› expressing anger or frustration

• Damn! I completely forgot!

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹informal› used for emphasis, especially to express anger or frustration

• turn that damn thing off!

• [as submodifier] don't be so damn silly!

IV. phrases

1. as near as damn it

see dammit.

2. —— be damned

used to express defiance or rejection of someone or something previously mentioned

• glory be damned!

3. damn all

(Brit.) ‹informal› nothing at all.

• there's damn all you can do about it.

4. damn someone/thing with faint praise

praise someone or something so unenthusiastically as to imply condemnation.

• it was a wretched review, damning poor Lisa with faint praise.

5. I'm (or I'll be) damned if

‹informal› used to express a strong negative

• I'm damned if I know.

6. not be worth a damn

‹informal› have no value at all.

• your evidence isn't worth a damn.

7. not give (or care) a damn

‹informal› not care at all

• people who don't give a damn about the environment.

8. well I'll be (or I'm) damned

‹informal› used to express surprise.

• Well, I'll be damned! What brings you here?

– origin Middle English: from Old French dam(p)ner, from Latin dam(p)nare ‘inflict loss on’, from damnum ‘loss, damage’.

damna /ˈdamnə/

plural form of damnum.

damnable /ˈdamnəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. very bad or unpleasant

• leave this damnable place behind.

2. subject to or worthy of divine condemnation

• suicide was thought damnable in the Middle Ages.

II. derivatives

damnably /ˈdamnəbli /

adverb

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French dam(p)nable, from Latin dam(p)nabilis, from dam(p)nare ‘inflict loss on’ (see damn).

damnation /damˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. condemnation to eternal punishment in hell.

• sins that risk eternal damnation.

II. exclamation

expressing anger or frustration.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin dam(p)natio(n-), from the verb dam(p)nare ‘inflict loss on’ (see damn).

damnatory /ˈdamnəˌt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

conveying or causing censure or damnation.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin damnatorius, from dam(p)nat- ‘caused to suffer loss’, from the verb dam(p)nare (see damn).

damned /damd/

I. adjective

1. (in Christian belief) condemned by God to suffer eternal punishment in hell

• damned sinners

• (as plural noun the damned) the spirits of the damned.

2. [ attrib.] — ‹informal› used for emphasis, especially to express anger or frustration

• it's none of your damned business

• [as submodifier] she's too damned arrogant.

3. ( damnedest) — (N. Amer.) used to emphasize the surprising nature of something

• the damnedest thing I ever saw.

II. phrases

do (or try) one's damnedest ‹informal›

do or try one's utmost.

• I tried my damnedest to lift the ball.

damnify /ˈdamnɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [English Law] ‹rare› cause injury to.

• Article 86 gives rise to a cause of action at the suit of a person damnified by its contravention.

II. derivatives

damnification /damnɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from Old French damnefier, dam(p)nifier, from late Latin damnificare ‘injure, condemn’, from Latin damnificus ‘hurtful’, from damnus ‘loss, damage’.

damning /ˈdamɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (of a circumstance or piece of evidence) strongly suggesting guilt or error.

• I was innocent but the evidence was damning.

2. extremely critical

• a damning indictment of the government's record.

II. derivatives

damningly

adverb

damnum /ˈdamnəm/

I. noun

[Law] a loss.

• the infant plaintiff avers that she suffered the damnum.

– origin Latin, ‘hurt, harm, or damage’.

Damoclean /ˌdaməˈkliːən/

I. adjective

threatening and precarious

• the parties charged are left in the Damoclean situation of never knowing when an old charge may spring back to life.

II. phrases

Damoclean sword

used to refer to an extremely precarious and threatening situation

• we forget that just above our heads hangs the Damoclean sword of our own design.

[late 19th cent.: from the legendary courtier Damocles, who was seated at a banquet with a sword hung by a single hair over his head.]

Damocles /ˈdaməkliːz/

I. a legendary courtier who extravagantly praised the happiness of Dionysius I, ruler of Syracuse. To show him how precarious this happiness was, Dionysius seated him at a banquet with a sword hung by a single hair over his head.

II. phrases

sword of Damocles

used to refer to an extremely precarious situation.

Damon /ˈdeɪmən/

a legendary Syracusan of the 4th century BC whose friend Pythias (also called Phintias) was sentenced to death by Dionysius I. Damon stood bail for Pythias, who returned just in time to save him, and was himself reprieved.

damp /damp/

I. adjective

slightly wet

• her hair was still damp from the shower.

• damp November evenings.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — moisture diffused through the air or a solid substance or condensed on a surface, typically with detrimental or unpleasant effects.

• the house reeked of mould and damp.

2. short for firedamp.

3. ( damps) — ‹archaic› damp air or atmosphere.

• the damps of the valley.

4. ‹archaic› a discouragement or check

• shame gave a damp to her triumph.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) slightly wet

• damp a small area with water.

2. ( damp something down) — make a fire burn less strongly by reducing the flow of air to it.

• he damped down the fire for the night.

3. control or restrain a feeling or a situation

• she tried to damp down her feelings of despair.

4. reduce or stop the vibration of (the strings of a piano or other musical instrument) so as to reduce the volume of sound.

• the muted notes should be produced by damping the strings at the seventh position.

• (as adj. damped) an ensemble of drums including a foot-damped instrument.

5. [Physics] progressively reduce the amplitude of (an oscillation or vibration).

• concrete structures damp out any vibrations.

• (as adj. damped) a damped suspension that isolates the chassis from external vibration.

IV. derivatives

1. dampish /ˈdampɪʃ /

adjective

2. damply /ˈdampli /

adverb

– origin Middle English (in the noun sense ‘noxious inhalation’): of West Germanic origin; related to a Middle Low German word meaning ‘vapour, steam, smoke’.

damp course damp-proof course

noun

(Brit.) a layer of waterproof material in the wall of a building near the ground, to prevent rising damp.

damp-dry

verb — [with obj.]

1. dry (something wet) until it is only damp.

• damp-dry the fish with kitchen paper.

dampen /ˈdamp(ə)n/

verb — [with obj.]

1. make slightly wet

• the fine rain dampened her face.

2. make less strong or intense

• nothing could dampen her enthusiasm.

3. reduce the amplitude of (a sound source)

• slider switches on the mixers can dampen the drums.

dampener /ˈdamp(ə)nə/

I. noun

a thing that has a restraining or subduing effect

• television and booze, those twin dampeners of the revolutionary spirit.

II. phrases

put a dampener on

another way of saying put a damper on (see damper).

damper /ˈdampə/

I. noun

1. a person or thing that has a subduing or inhibiting effect.

• this will be a damper on the liberal agenda for the next couple of years.

2. [Music] a pad silencing a piano string except when removed by means of a pedal or by the note being struck.

3. a device for reducing mechanical vibration, in particular a shock absorber on a motor vehicle.

4. a conductor used to reduce oscillation in an electric motor or generator.

5. a movable metal plate in a flue or chimney, used to regulate the draught and so control the rate of combustion.

6. (chiefly Austral./NZ) an unleavened loaf or cake of flour and water baked in wood ashes.
[in the sense ‘something that takes the edge off the appetite’.]

II. phrases

put a damper on

have a subduing or inhibiting effect on

• he put a damper on her youthful excitement.

Dampier, William /ˈdampɪə/

(1652–1715), English explorer and adventurer. He is notable for having sailed round the world twice. In 1683 he set out from Panama, crossing the Pacific and reaching England again in 1691; in 1699 the government commissioned him to explore the NW coast of Australia.

damping /ˈdampɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› a reduction in the amplitude of an oscillation as a result of energy being drained from the system to overcome frictional or other resistive forces.

2. a mechanism for bringing about damping.

3. a method of bringing about a reduction in oscillatory peaks in an electric current or voltage using an energy-absorbing or resistance circuit.

• menu-driven operation for the setting of other parameters such as meter damping.

4. ( damping off) — the death of young seedlings as a result of a fungal infection encouraged by damp conditions.
●The disease is caused by fungi of the genera Pythium (subdivision Mastigomycotina) or Fusarium (subdivision Deuteromycotina).

dampness /ˈdampnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or condition of being slightly wet

• the dampness in the air.

damp-proof

I. adjective

impervious to damp.

• any damp-proof membrane must be effective.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make impervious to damp by using a damp course.

• the foundation has been properly damp-proofed.

damp squib

noun

(Brit.) a situation or event which is much less impressive than expected.

• my moment of power was a damp squib.

damsel /ˈdamz(ə)l/

I. noun

‹archaic› ‹literary› a young unmarried woman.

II. phrases

damsel in distress

‹humorous› a young woman in trouble.

• she makes a rather sweet damsel in distress.

– origin Middle English: from Old French dameisele, damisele, based on Latin domina ‘mistress’.

damsel bug

noun

a slender long-legged bug that is a predator of other insects.
●Family Nabidae, suborder Heteroptera: several genera.

damselfish

noun

a small brightly coloured tropical marine fish that lives in or near coral reefs.
● Chromis and other genera, family Pomacentridae: numerous species.

damselfly /ˈdamz(ə)lflʌɪ/

noun

a slender insect related to the dragonflies, typically resting with the wings folded back along the body.
●Suborder Zygoptera, order Odonata: several families. .

damson /ˈdamz(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a small purple-black plum-like fruit.
[as modifier]

• damson jam.

2. [ mass noun] — a dark purple colour.

3. (also damson tree) — the small deciduous tree which bears damsons, probably derived from the bullace.
● Prunus domestica subsp. insititia (or P. damascena), family Rosaceae.

– origin late Middle English damascene, from Latin damascenum (prunum) ‘(plum) of Damascus’. Compare with Damascene and damask.

damson cheese

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a solid preserve made from damsons and sugar.

dan^1 /dan/

I. noun

1. any of ten degrees of advanced proficiency in judo or karate.

• he was awarded his first dan.

2. a person who has achieved a dan.

• in five years' time they can become a black belt second dan.

– origin 1940s: from Japanese.

dan^2 /dan / dan buoy

I. noun

a small temporary marker buoy with a lightweight flagpole.

– origin late 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

Dan /dan/

I. (in the Bible) a Hebrew patriarch, son of Jacob and Bilhah (Gen. 30:6).

II. the tribe of Israel traditionally descended from Dan.

III. an ancient town in the north of Canaan, where the tribe of Dan settled. It marked the northern limit of the ancient Hebrew kingdom of Israel (Judges 20).

Dan.

abbreviation

Daniel (in biblical references).

Dana, James Dwight /ˈdeɪnə/

(1813–95), American naturalist, geologist, and mineralogist. He founded an important classification of minerals based on chemistry and physics. His view of the earth as a unit was an evolutionary one, but he was slow to accept Darwin's theory of evolution.

Dana, Richard Henry /ˈdeɪnə/

(1815–82), American adventurer, lawyer, and writer, known for his account of his voyage from Boston round Cape Horn to California, Two Years before the Mast (1840).

Danae /ˈdaneɪiː / ‹Greek Mythology›

the daughter of Acrisius, king of Argos. An oracle foretold that she would bear a son who would kill her father. Attempting to evade this Acrisius imprisoned her, but Zeus visited her in the form of a shower of gold and she conceived Perseus, who killed Acrisius by accident.

danaid /ˈdaneɪɪd/

I. noun

[Entomology] a large strikingly marked butterfly of a group that includes the monarch (milkweed) and plain tiger, found chiefly in the tropics of Africa and East Asia.
●Subfamily Danainae, family Nymphalidae (formerly family Danaidae).

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Danaidae, arbitrary use of the Latin name of the daughters of Danaus.

Danaids /ˈdaneɪɪdz / ‹Greek Mythology›

the daughters of Danaus, king of Argos, who were compelled to marry the sons of his brother Aegyptus but murdered their husbands on the wedding night, except for one, Hypermnestra, who helped her husband to escape. The remaining Danaids were punished in Hades by being set to fill a leaky jar with water.

Danakil /ˈdanəkɪl, dəˈnɑːk(ə)l/

I. noun, adjective

another term for Afar.

– origin from Arabic danāqil, plural of danqalī.

Danakil Depression

a long low-lying desert region of NE Ethiopia and northern Djibouti, between the Red Sea and the Great Rift Valley.

Da Nang /dɑː ˈnaŋ/

a port and city in central Vietnam, on the South China Sea; pop. 770,500 (est. 2009). During the Vietnam War it was used as a US military base.
Former name Tourane.

dance /dɑːns/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. move rhythmically to music, typically following a set sequence of steps

• all the men wanted her to dance with them.

2. [with obj.] — perform (a particular dance or a role in a ballet)

• they danced a tango.

3. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — lead (a dancing partner) in a particular direction

• I danced her out of the room.

4. [with adverbial of direction] — (of a person) move in a quick and lively way

• Sheila danced in gaily.

5. move up and down lightly and quickly in the air

• midges danced over the stream.

6. (of someone's eyes) sparkle with pleasure or excitement.

• he grinned, his grey eyes dancing.

II. noun

1. a series of steps and movements that match the speed and rhythm of a piece of music

• everyone was taking part in the dance.

2. an act of dancing

• they rolled back the carpet and had a dance.

3. a particular sequence of steps and movements constituting a particular form of dancing

• dances include the waltz, the quickstep, and the foxtrot.

4. [ mass noun] — dance steps and movements considered as an activity or art form

• the rules of classical dance.

5. a social gathering at which people dance.

• she met her husband at a dance.

6. a set of lively movements resembling a dance

• he gesticulated comically and did a little dance.

7. a piece of music for dancing to

• the last dance had been played.

8. (also dance music) [ mass noun] — a type of popular music intended for dancing to in clubs, typically having a repetitive beat and a synthesized backing track that features sound samples.

III. phrases

1. dance attendance on

(chiefly Brit.) do one's utmost to please someone by attending to all their requests.

• she's got that man dancing attendance on her.

2. dance to someone's tune

comply completely with someone's demands.

• she had to stay on her best behaviour and dance to his tune.

3. lead someone a dance (or a merry dance)

(Brit.) cause someone a great deal of trouble or worry.

• Gwen was leading him a merry dance.

IV. derivatives

1. danceability

noun

2. danceable /ˈdɑːnsəb(ə)l /

adjective

3. dancey

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French dancer (verb), dance (noun), of unknown origin.

dance band

noun

a band that plays music suitable for dancing to, especially swing.

dance card

noun

‹dated› a card bearing the names of a woman's prospective partners at a formal dance.

• we went to the school dance and the girls kept dance cards.

dance drama

noun

a drama in which all the action is expressed by dancing.

dance floor

noun

1. an area of uncarpeted floor in a nightclub, disco, or restaurant reserved for dancing.

2. [as modifier] — denoting a type of music particularly popular as an accompaniment to dancing.

• their brilliant dance-floor smash of a couple of years back.

dance hall

noun

1. a large public hall or building where people pay to enter and dance.

2. ( dancehall) [ mass noun] — an uptempo style of dance music derived from reggae, in which a DJ improvises lyrics over a recorded backing track or to the accompaniment of live musicians.

dance of death

noun

a medieval allegorical representation in which a personified Death leads all types of people to the grave, intended to emphasize the equality of all before death.

dance-off

noun

a competition, or a round in a competition, in which a number of dancers compete against each other until a winner is declared

• the dance-off will feature each couple performing Latin, ballroom, and freestyle.

dancer /ˈdɑːnsə/

noun

a person who dances or whose profession is dancing.

• she thought he would become a ballet dancer.

dancercise dancercize

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of aerobic exercise using dance movements.

• I've got dancercise at four.

• [as modifier] a dancercise studio.

– origin 1960s: blend of dance and exercise.

dancetté /ˈdansəteɪ / dancetty

I. adjective — [usu. postpositive]

1. [Heraldry] having deep zigzag indentations.

– origin early 17th cent.: alteration of French denché, based on Latin dens, dent- ‘tooth’.

dancing /ˈdɑːnsɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of dancing for pleasure or in order to entertain others.

• there will be folk music, singing, and dancing.

• [as modifier] a dancing class.

dancing girl

noun

a female professional dancer, especially a member of the chorus in a musical.

danda /ˈdʌndə/

I. noun

(in South Asia) a large stick used as a weapon by a policeman or guard.

• the watchman beat the walls with his danda.

– origin from Hindi ḍaṇḍā, from Sanskrit daṇḍa.

D and C D & C

abbreviation

dilatation and curettage.

dandelion /ˈdandɪlʌɪən/

I. noun

a widely distributed weed of the daisy family, with a rosette of leaves and large bright yellow flowers followed by globular heads of seeds with downy tufts.
●Genus Taraxacum, family Compositae: several species, in particular T. officinale, which has edible leaves.

– origin late Middle English: from French dent-de-lion, translation of medieval Latin dens leonis ‘lion's tooth’ (because of the jagged shape of the leaves).

dandelion clock

I. noun

(Brit.) the downy spherical seed head of a dandelion.

– origin from the child's game of blowing away the seeds to find out what time it is.

dandelion coffee

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hot drink made from dried and powdered dandelion roots.

dandelion greens

plural noun

(N. Amer.) fresh dandelion leaves used as a salad vegetable or herb.

dander^1 /ˈdandə/

I. noun — (in phrase get/have one's dander up)

1. ‹informal› lose one's temper.

• this doesn't half get my dander up.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US): of unknown origin.

dander^2 /ˈdandə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. flakes of skin in an animal's fur or hair.

• you can keep your cat free of dander by proper care.

– origin late 18th cent.: related to dandruff.

dander^3 /ˈdandə / ‹chiefly Scottish›

I. noun

a stroll.

• we'll take a bit of a dander and get the fresh air.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. stroll

• he dandered in to change his coat.

– origin late 16th cent.: frequentative form; perhaps related to dialect dadder ‘quake’ and daddle ‘dawdle’.

dandiacal /danˈdʌɪək(ə)l/

adjective

relating to or characteristic of a dandy.

• Wilson is a dandiacal man about town.

Dandie Dinmont /ˌdandɪ ˈdɪnmənt/

I. noun

a terrier of a breed from the Scottish Borders, with short legs, a long body, and a rough coat.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after a character in Sir Walter Scott's Guy Mannering who owned a special breed of terriers.

dandified /ˈdandɪfʌɪd/

adjective

1. (of a man) showing excessive concern about his clothes or appearance.

• a dandified liberal senator.

2. self-consciously sophisticated or elaborate

• he writes a dandified prose.

dandiprat

I. noun

‹archaic› ‹informal› a young or insignificant person.

• I am a self-obsessed dandiprat.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting a coin worth three halfpence): of unknown origin.

dandiya raas /ˈdandɪə rɑːs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of traditional Gujarati dance in which pairs of dancers hold a short stick in each hand and strike one another's sticks in time to the music.

– origin Gujarati, from dandiya ‘sticks’ (from daṇḍi ‘stick’) and raas ‘dance’.

dandle /ˈdand(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. move (a baby or young child) up and down in a playful or affectionate way.

• he dandled his son on his knee.

2. move (something) lightly up and down

• dandling the halter rope, he gently urged the pony's head up.

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

Dandong /danˈdʊŋ/

a port in Liaoning province, NE China, near the mouth of the Yalu River, on the border with North Korea; pop. 597,900 (est. 2006).
Former name Antung.

dandruff /ˈdandrʌf/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. small pieces of dead skin in a person's hair.

• there was a certain amount of dandruff on the shirt.

II. derivatives

dandruffy

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: the first element is unknown; the second ( -ruff) is perhaps related to Middle English rove ‘quality of being scurfy’.

dandy /ˈdandi/

I. noun

1. a man unduly concerned with looking stylish and fashionable.

• his floppy handkerchiefs and antique cufflinks gave him the look of a dandy.

2. ‹informal› ‹dated› an excellent thing of its kind.

• the Winchester Model 37 shotgun is a dandy, at a low price.

II. adjective

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› excellent

• things are all fine and dandy.

2. relating to or characteristic of a dandy.

• ruffle-fronted dandy shirts.

III. derivatives

1. dandyish /ˈdandɪɪʃ /

adjective

2. dandyism /ˈdandɪˌɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: perhaps a shortened form of 17th-cent. Jack-a-dandy ‘conceited fellow’ (the last element representing Dandy, a pet form of the given name Andrew).

dandy brush

noun

a coarse brush used for grooming a horse.

dandy roll dandy roller

noun

a roller which is used to solidify partly formed paper during its manufacture, and to impress the water mark.

Dane /deɪn/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Denmark, or a person of Danish descent.

2. ‹historical› one of the Viking invaders of the British Isles in the 9th–11th centuries.

– origin Old English Dene; superseded in Middle English by forms influenced by Old Norse Danir and late Latin Dani (both plural).

Danegeld /ˈdeɪnɡɛld/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› a land tax levied in Anglo-Saxon England during the reign of King Ethelred to raise funds for protection against Danish invaders.

2. ‹historical› taxes collected for national defence by the Norman kings until 1162.

– origin late Old English, from Old Norse Danir ‘Danes’ + gjald ‘payment’.

Danelaw /ˈdeɪnlɔː/

I. the part of northern and eastern England occupied or administered by Danes from the late 9th century until after the Norman Conquest.

– origin late Old English Dena lagu ‘Danes' law’.

danewort /ˈdeɪnwəːt/

I. noun

a dwarf Eurasian elder with a strong, unpleasant smell and berries yielding a blue dye.
● Sambucus ebulus, family Caprifoliaceae.

– origin early 16th cent.: so named from the folklore that the plant sprang up where Danish blood was spilt in battle.

Danforth anchor /ˈdanfəθ/

noun

a type of lightweight anchor with flat flukes.

dang /daŋ/

adjective, exclamation, verb

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› euphemism for damn:
[as adj.]

• just get the dang car started!

danger /ˈdeɪn(d)ʒə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the possibility of suffering harm or injury

• his life was in danger.

2. [ count noun] — a cause or likely cause of harm or injury

• the dangers of smoking.

3. the possibility of something unwelcome or unpleasant happening

• she was in danger of being exploited

• there was no danger of the champagne running out.

4. (Brit.) the status of a railway signal indicating that the line is not clear and that a train should not proceed.

• one of the trains involved passed a signal at danger.

II. phrases

out of danger

(of a person who has suffered a serious injury or illness) not expected to die.

• the hospital said she was out of immediate danger.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘jurisdiction or power’, specifically ‘power to harm’): from Old French dangier, based on Latin dominus ‘lord’.

danger area

noun

1. an area in which there is a high risk of harm

• plans were already being made for schools to be evacuated from the danger area

• if you live in a hurricane danger area, gather your storm supplies.

2. something that is controversial or needs to be treated with care

• housing is another danger area

• the one danger area for him is a health care disaster.

3. [Cricket] another word for protected area.

danger list

noun

(Brit.) a list of those who are dangerously ill in hospital

• he is now off the danger list

• the 28-year-old is still on the danger list.

• ‹figurative› languages such as Navajo are on the danger list.

danger man

noun

(in sport) a player or competitor regarded as posing a particularly serious threat to the opposition.

danger money ‹N. Amer.› danger pay

noun — [ mass noun]

1. extra payment for working under dangerous conditions.

dangerous /ˈdeɪn(d)ʒ(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

1. able or likely to cause harm or injury

• a dangerous animal

• insecticides which are dangerous to the environment.

2. likely to cause problems or to have adverse consequences

• it is dangerous to convict on his evidence.

II. derivatives

dangerousness /ˈdeɪn(d)ʒ(ə)rəsnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘arrogant’, ‘fastidious’, and ‘difficult to please’): from Old French dangereus, from dangier (see danger).

dangerously /ˈdeɪn(d)ʒ(ə)rəsli/

adverb

1. in a way that is able or likely to cause harm or injury

• he admitted driving dangerously

• [as submodifier] during the night Mary was taken dangerously ill.

2. in a way that is likely to cause problems or to have adverse consequences
[as submodifier]

• stocks have been depleted to dangerously low levels.

danger signal

noun

1. a railway signal indicating that the line is not clear and instructing the driver to halt.

2. (also danger sign) — an indication that a bad or dangerous situation is likely to develop

• a rise in tobacco use by teenagers, especially girls, is a danger signal.

danger zone

noun

1. an area in which there is a high risk of harm, especially where this risk has been officially identified

• this is a danger zone where any one of us can step on a landmine

• nuclear reactors in Europe have danger zones of 800 meters in radius.

2. a situation that is hazardous or controversial

• he's moving and he's conscious – at least for now he's out of the danger zone

• remuneration levels for individual shareholders is another potential danger zone.

dangle /ˈdaŋɡ(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of place]

1. hang or swing loosely

• saucepans dangled from a rail

• [with obj.] they were dangling their legs over the water.

2. [with obj.] — offer (an enticing incentive) to someone

• the defence portfolio could be the carrot to dangle before him.

II. phrases

keep someone dangling

keep someone in an uncertain position.

• he was kept dangling—offered a place in the team and then dropped.

III. derivatives

1. dangler /ˈdaŋɡlə /

noun

2. dangly

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: symbolic of something loose and pendulous, corresponding to Danish dangle, Swedish dangla, but the origin is unclear.

dangling

adjective

hanging or swinging loosely

• a pair of dangling earrings.

dangling participle

I. noun

[Grammar] a participle intended to modify a noun which is not actually present in the text.

usage: A participle is a word formed as an inflection of the verb, such as arriving or arrived. A dangling participle is one which is left ‘hanging’ because, in the grammar of the clause, it does not relate to the noun it should. In the sentence arriving at the station, she picked up her case the construction is correct because the participle arriving and the subject she relate to each other ( she is the one doing the arriving). But in the following sentence, a dangling participle has been created: arriving at the station, the sun came out. We know, logically, that it is not the sun which is arriving but grammatically that is exactly the link which has been created. Such errors are frequent, even in written English, and can give rise to genuine confusion.

Daniel /ˈdanjəl/

I. a Hebrew prophet (6th century BC), who spent his life as a captive at the court of Babylon. In the Bible he interpreted the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar and was delivered by God from the lions' den into which he had been thrown as the result of a trick; in the apocryphal Book of Susanna he is portrayed as a wise judge (Sus. 45–64).

II. a book of the Bible containing Daniel's prophecies. It was probably written at the outbreak of persecution of the Jews under Seleucid rule c. 167 BC.

Daniell cell /ˈdanj(ə)l/

I. noun

a primary voltaic cell with a copper anode and a zinc-amalgam cathode, giving a standard electromotive force when either copper sulphate or sulphuric acid is used as the electrolyte.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after John Daniell (1790–1845), the British physicist who invented it.

danio /ˈdanɪəʊ/

I. noun

a small, brightly coloured freshwater fish of South and SE Asia.
●Genera Danio and Brachydanio, family Cyprinidae: several species.

– origin modern Latin (genus name).

Danish /ˈdeɪnɪʃ/

I. adjective

relating to Denmark or its people or language.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the Scandinavian language spoken in Denmark, which is also the official language of Greenland and the Faroes. It is spoken by over 5 million people.

2. (as plural noun the Danish) — the people of Denmark.

3. ‹informal› a Danish pastry.

– origin Old English Denisc, of Germanic origin; superseded in Middle English by forms influenced by Old French daneis and medieval Latin Danensis (from late Latin Dani ‘Danes’).

Danish blue

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft, salty, strongly flavoured white cheese with blue veins.

Danish oil

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mixture of tung oil, other vegetable oils, and chemicals to quicken drying, used to treat wood.

Danish pastry

noun

a cake of sweetened yeast pastry with toppings or fillings such as icing, fruit, or nuts.

dank /daŋk/

I. adjective

unpleasantly damp and cold

• huge dank caverns.

II. derivatives

1. dankly

adverb

2. dankness /ˈdaŋknəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Swedish dank ‘marshy spot’.

Danmark /ˈdanmarɡ/

Danish name for Denmark.

Dannebrog /ˈdanəbrɒɡ/

I. noun

the Danish national flag.

– origin Danish, literally ‘Danish cloth’.

d'Annunzio, Gabriele /daˈnʊntsɪəʊ/

(1863–1938), Italian novelist, dramatist, and poet. He is best known for his ‘Romances of the Rose’ trilogy, including The Triumph of Death (1894), which shows the influence of Nietzsche.

Dano-Norwegian /ˌdeɪnəʊnɔːˈwiːdʒ(ə)n/

noun

another term for Bokmål.

danse macabre /ˌdɑːns məˈkɑːbr(ə)/

I. noun

another term for dance of death.

– origin French, recorded from late Middle English in anglicized forms such as dance of Machabray, dance of Macaber (see also macabre).

danseur /dɑ̃ˈsəː/

I. noun

a male ballet dancer.

– origin French, from danser ‘to dance’.

danseur noble /dɑ̃ˌsəː ˈnɒbl(ə)/

I. noun

a principal male ballet dancer, especially one who is particularly suited by bearing or physique to princely roles.

– origin French, literally ‘noble dancer’.

danseuse /dɑ̃ˈsəːz/

I. noun

a female ballet dancer.

– origin French, ‘female dancer’.

Dante /ˈdanteɪ/

(1265–1321), Italian poet; full name Dante Alighieri. His reputation rests chiefly on The Divine Comedy ( c. 1309–20), an epic poem describing his spiritual journey through Hell and Purgatory and finally to Paradise. His love for Beatrice Portinari is described in Vita nuova ( c. 1290–4).

Dantean /ˈdantɪən, danˈtiːən/

I. adjective

of or reminiscent of the poetry of Dante, especially in invoking his vision of hell in The Divine Comedy.

• he described a Dantean scene when two 30 ft monsters fought to the death.

II. noun

an admirer or student of Dante or his writing.

Dantesque /ˌdantɪˈɛsk / Dante-esque

adjective

another term for Dantean.

danthonia /danˈθəʊnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a widely distributed tufted grass that grows on poor soils and is of low palatability to grazing animals.
●Genus Danthonia, family Gramineae.

– origin modern Latin, named after Étienne Danthoine, 19th-cent. French botanist.

Danton, Georges /ˈdantən, French dɑ̃tɔ̃/

(1759–94), French revolutionary; full name Georges Jacques Danton. A noted orator, he won great popularity in the early days of the French Revolution. He was initially an ally of Robespierre but later revolted against the severity of the Revolutionary Tribunal and was executed on Robespierre's orders.

Danube /ˈdanjuːb/

I. a river which rises in the Black Forest in SW Germany and flows about 2,850 km (1,770 miles) into the Black Sea. It is the second-longest river in Europe after the Volga; the cities of Vienna, Budapest, and Belgrade are situated on it.
German name Donau^1.

II. derivatives

Danubian /daˈnjuːbɪən /

adjective

Danube School

a group of landscape painters working in the Danube region in the early 16th century. Its members included Altdorfer and Cranach the Elder.

Danubian principalities

the former European principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. In 1861 they united to form the state of Romania.

Danzig /ˈdantsɪç/

German name for Gdańsk.

dap /dap/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. fish by letting the fly (but not the line) bob lightly on the water.

• dapping was almost a sure-fire method.

• [with obj.] he was dapping the fly skilfully.

II. noun

1. (usu. the dap) — a fishing fly used when dapping.

• most of the fish are being taken on the dap.

2. ( daps) — ‹dialect› rubber-soled shoes.

• hi-hats and daps are the order of the day.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a verb): symbolic of a flicking movement, similar to dab^1.

daphne /ˈdafni/

I. noun

a small, typically evergreen Eurasian shrub with sweet-scented flowers.
●Genus Daphne, family Thymelaeaceae: several species.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the laurel or bay tree): from Greek daphnē, from the name of the nymph Daphne.

Daphne /ˈdafni / ‹Greek Mythology›

a nymph who was turned into a laurel bush to save her from the amorous pursuit of Apollo.

daphnia /ˈdafnɪə/

I. noun

a minute semi-transparent freshwater crustacean with long antennae and a prominent single eye. Also called water flea.
●Genus Daphnia, order Cladocera.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek Daphnē, from the name of the nymph Daphne.

Daphnis /ˈdafnɪs / ‹Greek Mythology›

a Sicilian shepherd who, according to one version of the legend, was struck with blindness for his infidelity to the nymph Echenaïs. He consoled himself with pastoral poetry, of which he was the originator.

Da Ponte, Lorenzo /dɑː ˈpɒnteɪ/

(1749–1838), Italian poet and librettist; born Emmanuele Conegliano. He became poet to the Court Opera in Vienna in 1784 and wrote the libretti for Mozart's Marriage of Figaro (1786), Don Giovanni (1787), and Così fan tutte (1790).

dapper /ˈdapə/

I. adjective

(of a man) neat and trim in dress and appearance

• he looked very dapper in a dark silk suit.

II. derivatives

1. dapperly

adverb

2. dapperness

noun

– origin late Middle English: probably from a Middle Low German or Middle Dutch word meaning ‘strong, stout’.

dapperling /ˈdapəlɪŋ/

noun

‹archaic› a small, dapper man or boy.

dapple /ˈdap(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark with spots or rounded patches

• the floor was dappled with pale moonlight.

II. noun

1. a patch or spot of colour or light.

• a dapple of sunlight that shifted as the breeze stirred the leaves.

• their designs tend to be simple, spots and dapples.

2. an animal with a dappled coat.

• smooth and wire-haired puppies, occasional dapples and piebalds.

– origin late 16th cent. (earlier as an adjective): perhaps related to Old Norse depill ‘spot’.

dappled /ˈdapld/

adjective

marked with spots or rounded patches

• the horse's dappled flank.

dapple grey /dapl ˈɡreɪ/

I. adjective

(of a horse) grey or white with darker ring-like markings.

II. noun

a dapple-grey horse.

dappy

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› silly, disorganized, or lacking concentration

• a dappy lass

• he seemed very genuine—and slightly dappy.

– origin 1990s: probably a variant of dippy.

Dapsang /dʌpˈsʌŋ/

another name for K2.

dapsone /ˈdapsəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a sulphur compound with bacteriostatic action, used in the treatment of leprosy.
●Chem. formula: (H_2NC_6H_4)2SO_2.

– origin 1950s: from elements of its alternative systematic name dipara-aminophenyl sulphone.

Daqing /dɑːˈtʃɪŋ / Taching

a major industrial city in NE China, in Heilongjiang province; pop. 976,200 (est. 2006).

DAR

abbreviation

Daughters of the American Revolution.

darbies /ˈdɑːbɪz/

I. plural noun

‹archaic› ‹informal› handcuffs.

– origin late 17th cent.: allusive use of Father Darby's bands, a rigid form of agreement which put debtors in the power of moneylenders, possibly from the name of a 16th-cent. usurer.

Darby and Joan /dɑːbiənˈdʒəʊn/

I. noun

(Brit.) a devoted old married couple.

– origin late 18th cent.: from a poem (1735) in the Gentleman's Magazine, which contained the lines ‘Old Darby, with Joan by his side … They're never happy asunder.’.

Darby and Joan club

noun

(Brit.) a club for senior citizens.

Dard /dɑːd/

I. noun

1. a member of a group of peoples inhabiting eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and Kashmir.

2. [ mass noun] — the group of Indic languages spoken by the Dards, including Kashmiri.

II. adjective

relating to the Dards or their languages.

III. derivatives

Dardic

noun, adjective

– origin the name in Dard.

Dardanelles /ˌdɑːdəˈnɛlz/

a narrow strait between Europe and Asiatic Turkey (called the Hellespont in classical times), linking the Sea of Marmara with the Aegean Sea. It is 60 km (38 miles) long. In 1915 it was the scene of an unsuccessful attack on Turkey by Allied troops (see Gallipoli).

dare /dɛː/

I. verb

1. (as modal usu. with infinitive with or without to often with negative) — have the courage to do something

• a story he dare not write down

• she leaned forward as far as she dared.

2. ( how dare you) — used to express indignation at something

• how dare you talk to me like that!

3. ( don't you dare) — used to order someone threateningly not to do something

• don't you dare touch me.

4. [with obj. and infinitive] — defy or challenge (someone) to do something

• she was daring him to disagree

• [with obj.] swap with me, I dare you.

5. [with obj.] — ‹literary› take the risk of; brave

• few dared his wrath.

II. noun

a challenge, especially to prove courage

• she ran across a main road for a dare.

III. phrases

I dare say (or daresay)

used to indicate that one believes something is probable

• I dare say you've heard about her.

IV. derivatives

darer

noun

– origin Old English durran, of Germanic origin; related to Gothic gadaursan, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek tharsein and Sanskrit dhṛṣ- ‘be bold’.

daredevil /ˈdɛːdɛv(ə)l/

I. noun

a reckless person who enjoys doing dangerous things.

• spectators watched in horror as the nineteen-year-old daredevil smashed into the ground.

II. adjective

reckless and daring.

• a daredevil skydiver.

III. derivatives

daredevilry

noun

Dar es Salaam /ˌdɑːr ɛs səˈlɑːm/

the chief port and former capital of Tanzania; pop. 2,930,000 (est. 2007). It was founded in 1866 by the sultan of Zanzibar. Its Arabic name means ‘haven of peace’.

Darfur /dɑːˈfʊə/

a region in the west of Sudan, an independent kingdom until 1874. In 2003 a rebellion against the Sudanese government began, and many thousands have died or been displaced in the subsequent conflict.

darg /dɑːɡ/

I. noun

‹dialect› (Austral./NZ) a fixed amount of work, such as a quota to be fulfilled in one day.

– origin late Middle English: alteration of northern English dialect daywork ‘a day's work’.

dargah /ˈdʊəɡɑː/

I. noun

the tomb or shrine of a Muslim saint.

• there are several case histories of cures at the dargah of Mira Datar.

– origin from Urdu, from Persian.

Dari /ˈdɑːriː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the form of Persian spoken in Afghanistan.

– origin from Persian.

Darien /ˈdɛːrɪən, ˈdarɪən/

a sparsely populated province of eastern Panama. The name was formerly applied to the whole of the Isthmus of Panama.

Darien, Gulf of

part of the Caribbean Sea between Panama and Colombia.

daring /ˈdɛːrɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (of a person or action) adventurous or audaciously bold

• a daring crime.

2. causing outrage or surprise by being boldly unconventional

• a pretty girl in daring clothes.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. adventurous courage.

• the daring of the players brings fortune or ruin.

III. derivatives

daringly /ˈdɛːrɪŋli /

adverb

dariole /ˈdarɪəʊl/

I. noun

1. (also dariole mould) — (in French cooking) a small, flowerpot-shaped mould in which an individual sweet or savoury dish is cooked and served.

• set the filled darioles in the saucepan.

2. an individual savoury or sweet dish cooked and served in a dariole mould.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French.

Darius I /dəˈrʌɪəs/

( c. 550–486 BC), king of Persia 521–486 BC; known as Darius the Great. After a revolt by the Greek cities in Ionia (499–494 BC) he invaded Greece but was defeated at Marathon (490 BC).

Darjeeling^1 /dɑːˈdʒiːlɪŋ / Darjiling

a hill station at an altitude of 2,150 m (7,054 ft) in West Bengal, NE India, near the Sikkim border; pop. 141,200 (est. 2009).

Darjeeling^2 /dɑːˈdʒiːlɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a high-quality tea grown in the mountainous regions of northern India.

dark /dɑːk/

I. adjective

1. with little or no light

• it's too dark to see much.

2. (of a theatre) closed; not in use.

• when I came to work here, over half the West End theatres were dark.

3. (of a colour or object) not reflecting much light; approaching black in shade

• dark green.

4. (of someone's skin, hair, or eyes) brown or black in colour.

• dark curly hair.

5. (of a person) having dark skin, hair, or eyes.

• a tall, dark girl.

• both my father and I are very dark.

6. (of a period or situation) characterized by great unhappiness or unpleasantness

• the dark days of the war.

7. deeply pessimistic

• a dark vision of the future.

8. (of an expression) angry.

• Matthew flashed a dark look at her.

9. suggestive of or arising from evil; sinister

• so many dark deeds had been committed.

10. hidden from knowledge; mysterious

• a dark secret.

11. ( darkest) — ‹humorous› (of a region) most remote, inaccessible, or uncivilized

• he lives somewhere in darkest Essex.

12. ‹archaic› ignorant; unenlightened

• he is dark on certain points of scripture.

13. [Phonetics] denoting a velarized form of the sound of the letter l (as in pull in south-eastern English speech).
Often contrasted with clear.

II. noun

1. ( the dark) — the absence of light in a place

• Carolyn was sitting in the dark.

2. [ mass noun] — nightfall

• I'll be home before dark.

3. a dark colour or shade, especially in a painting.

• lights and darks are juxtaposed arbitrarily to create a sense of shallow relief.

III. phrases

1. the darkest hour is just before the dawn

‹proverb› when things seem to be at their worst they are about to start improving.

2. in the dark

in a state of ignorance.

• the player is still in the dark about his future.

3. keep something dark

(Brit.) keep something secret.

• you've kept your plans very dark.

4. a shot (or stab) in the dark

an act whose outcome cannot be foreseen; a guess.

• their experiments were little more than shots in the dark.

IV. derivatives

1. darkish /ˈdɑːkɪʃ /

adjective

2. darksome /ˈdɑːksəm /

adjective

‹literary›

– origin Old English deorc, of Germanic origin, probably distantly related to German tarnen ‘conceal’.

dark adaptation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the adjustment of the eye to low light intensities, involving reflex dilation of the pupil and activation of the rod cells in preference to the cone cells.

II. derivatives

dark-adapted

adjective

Dark Ages

I. the period in western Europe between the fall of the Roman Empire and the high Middle Ages, c. 500–1100 AD, during which Germanic tribes swept through Europe and North Africa, often attacking and destroying towns and settlements. It was judged to have been a time of relative unenlightenment, though scholarship was kept alive in the monasteries and learning was encouraged at the courts of Charlemagne and Alfred the Great.

II. a period of supposed unenlightenment

• a throwback to the dark ages of computing.

III. ( the dark ages) — ‹humorous› ‹derogatory› an obscure or little-regarded period in the past, especially as characterizing an outdated attitude or practice

• the judge is living in the dark ages.

IV. [Archaeology] a period in Greece and the Aegean from the end of the Bronze Age until the beginning of the historical period. There was no building of palaces and fortresses, and the art of writing was apparently lost.

dark chocolate

noun

another term for plain chocolate.

dark-coloured

adjective

dark in colour or shade

• two men wearing dark-coloured, hooded tops were seen running away.

dark-complexioned

adjective

(of a person) having brown or black skin

• a black-haired, dark-complexioned man.

Dark Continent

a name given to Africa at a time when it was little known to Europeans.

dark current

noun

the residual electric current flowing in a photoelectric device when there is no incident illumination.

darken /ˈdɑːk(ə)n/

I. verb

1. make or become dark or darker
[no obj.]

• the sky was darkening rapidly

• [with obj.] darken the eyebrows with black powder

• (as adj. darkened) a darkened room.

2. make or become angry, unhappy, or gloomy
[no obj.]

• his mood darkened

• [with obj.] the abuse darkened the rest of their lives.

3. [no obj.] — (of someone's eyes or expression) show anger, sorrow, or another strong negative emotion.

• Guy's expression darkened.

4. [with obj.] — (of anger, sorrow, etc.) show in (someone's eyes or expression)

• misery darkened her gaze.

II. phrases

never darken someone's door

keep away from someone's home permanently.

• never darken my door again!

III. derivatives

darkener

noun

dark energy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] a theoretical form of energy postulated to act in opposition to gravity and to occupy the entire universe, accounting for most of the energy in it and causing its expansion to accelerate.

dark-field microscopy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of light microscopy which produces brightly illuminated objects on a dark background.

dark glasses

plural noun

glasses with tinted lenses, worn to protect or conceal a person's eyes.

dark-haired

adjective

having dark-coloured hair

• a dark-haired young woman.

Darkhan /dɑːˈkɑːn/

an industrial and mining city in northern Mongolia, established in 1961; pop. 78,300 (est. 2009).

dark horse

I. noun

a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds.

• a Gloucester side that could be a dark horse for the title.

– origin early 19th cent.: originally racing slang.

darkie /ˈdɑːki / darky

noun

‹informal› ‹offensive› a black person.

dark line

noun

[Physics] an absorption line in an electromagnetic spectrum, appearing as a black line at visible wavelengths.

darkling /ˈdɑːklɪŋ/

adjective

‹literary› growing dark or characterized by darkness

• the darkling sky.

darkling beetle

noun

a dark-coloured nocturnal beetle, typically with reduced or absent wings.
●Family Tenebrionidae: numerous genera and species.

darkly /ˈdɑːkli/

adverb

1. in a threatening, mysterious, or ominous way

• ‘You can't trust him,’ said Jacob darkly.

2. in a pessimistic way

• I wondered darkly if I was wasting my time.

3. with a dark colour

• a figure silhouetted darkly against the trees.

dark matter

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Astronomy] (in some cosmological theories) non-luminous material which is postulated to exist in space and which could take either of two forms: weakly interacting particles ( cold dark matter) or high-energy randomly moving particles created soon after the Big Bang ( hot dark matter).

dark nebula

noun

[Astronomy] a non-luminous nebula of dust and gas which is observable because it obscures light from other sources.

darkness /ˈdɑːknəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the partial or total absence of light

• the office was in darkness.

2. night

• they began to make camp before darkness fell.

3. the quality of being dark in colour

• the darkness of his jacket.

4. wickedness or evil

• the forces of darkness.

5. unhappiness or gloom

• moments of darkness were rare.

6. secrecy or mystery

• they drew a veil of darkness across the proceedings.

7. lack of spiritual or intellectual enlightenment; ignorance

• his accomplishments shone in a world of darkness.

darknet

noun

[Computing] a computer network with restricted access that is used chiefly for illegal peer-to-peer file sharing.

dark night of the soul

I. noun

a period of spiritual desolation suffered by a mystic in which all sense of consolation is removed.

– origin mid 19th cent.: used to translate Spanish Noche oscura, the title of a poem by the mystic St John of the Cross.

dark pool

noun

[Stock Exchange] a private securities exchange in which investors, typically large financial institutions, are able to make trades anonymously

• the dark pool's volume has grown from a million shares to 43 million shares.

dark reaction

noun

[Biochemistry] the cycle of reactions (the Calvin cycle) which occurs in the second phase of photosynthesis and does not require the presence of light. It involves the fixation of carbon dioxide and its reduction to carbohydrate and the dissociation of water, using chemical energy stored in ATP.

darkroom /ˈdɑːkruːm, ˈdɑːkrʊm/

noun

a room for developing photographs, in which normal light is excluded.

dark-skinned

adjective

(of a person) having brown or black skin

• Australia's first inhabitants were dark-skinned nomadic hunters.

dark star

noun

[Astronomy] a starlike object which emits little or no visible light. Its existence is inferred from other evidence, such as the eclipsing of other stars.

dark store

noun

(Brit.) a large retail facility that resembles a conventional supermarket or other store but is not open to the public, housing goods used to fulfil orders placed online

• opposition councillors claimed that shopping needs in the area would be better served by a dark store than a superstore.

dark tourism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. tourism that involves travelling to places associated with death and suffering.

• he's planning a project on dark tourism, documenting the increasing popularity of morbid landmarks around the world.

II. derivatives

dark tourist

noun

darl /dɑːl/

I. noun

‹informal› (chiefly Austral./NZ) short for darling (as a form of address):

• don't worry, darl, I'm not having the best day myself.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation.

darling /ˈdɑːlɪŋ/

I. noun

1. used as an affectionate form of address to a beloved person

• good night, darling.

2. a lovable or endearing person

• he's such a darling.

3. a person who is particularly popular with a certain group

• he is the darling of Labour's left wing.

II. adjective

1. beloved

• his darling wife.

2. (in affected use) pretty; charming

• a darling little pillbox hat.

III. phrases

be a darling

‹informal› used as a friendly or encouraging preface to a request

• be a darling and don't mention I'm here.

– origin Old English dēorling (see dear, -ling).

Darling, Grace

(1815–42), English heroine. The daughter of a lighthouse keeper on the Farne Islands off the coast of Northumberland, she achieved fame in September 1838 when she and her father rowed through a storm to rescue the survivors of the wrecked ship Forfarshire.

Darling River

a river of SE Australia, flowing 2,757 km (1,712 miles) in a generally south-westward course to join the Murray River.

Darling shower

I. noun

(Austral.) a dust storm

• clouds moved round the horizon, but they'd only produce a Darling shower.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after the Darling river and the semi-arid environment around it.

Darlington

an industrial town in County Durham, NE England; pop. 87,000 (est. 2009).

Darmstadt /ˈdɑːmʃtat, German ˈdarmʃtat/

an industrial town in Hesse, western Germany; pop. 141,300 (est. 2006).

darmstadtium /dɑːmˈstatɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Ds) — the chemical element of atomic number 110, a radioactive element produced artificially.

– origin early 21st cent.: named after the German city of Darmstadt (where it was discovered) + -ium.

darn^1 /dɑːn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. mend (a hole in knitted material) by interweaving yarn with a needle

• I don't expect you to darn my socks.

2. embroider (material) with a large running stitch.

II. noun

a place in a garment that has been darned.

• a sweater with darns in the elbows.

– origin early 17th cent.: perhaps from dialect dern ‘to hide’, which is from Old English diernan, of West Germanic origin; compare with Middle Dutch dernen ‘stop holes in (a dyke)’.

darn^2 /dɑːn / ‹US› durn

verb, adjective, exclamation

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) euphemism for damn:
[as verb]

• darn it all, Poppa

• [as adj.] he was a darn sight younger than Jill.

darned /dɑːnd / ‹US› durned

I. adjective

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) euphemism for damned:

• you have to work a darned sight harder.

II. derivatives

darnedest /ˈdɑːndɪst /

adjective

darnel /ˈdɑːn(ə)l/

I. noun

a Eurasian ryegrass.
●Genus Lolium, family Gramineae: several species.

– origin Middle English: of unknown origin; apparently related to French (Walloon dialect) darnelle.

darner

noun

(N. Amer.) a large slender-bodied dragonfly. Also called darning needle, devil's darning needle.
●Family Aeshnidae: several genera.

darning /ˈdɑːnɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the skill or activity of darning.

• the nuns had taught her darning.

• [as modifier] thin darning wool.

2. articles being darned or needing to be darned.

• Aunt Edie bent her head to her darning.

darning mushroom darning egg

noun

a mushroom-shaped (or egg-shaped) piece of wood or other smooth hard material used to stretch and support material being darned.

darning needle

noun

1. a long sewing needle with a large eye, used in darning.

2. (N. Amer.) another term for darner.

Darnley, Henry Stewart /ˈdɑːnli/

Lord (1545–67), Scottish nobleman, second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots and father of James I of England. He was implicated in the murder of his wife's secretary Rizzio in 1566, and was later killed in a mysterious gunpowder explosion in Edinburgh.

DARPA /ˈdɑːpə/

abbreviation

(US) Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

darshan /ˈdɑːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

[Hinduism] an opportunity to see or an occasion of seeing a holy person or the image of a deity.

• Hindus attach great importance to a darshan, or view, of a saint or holy image.

• [ mass noun] he was shown dancing, attending darshan, eating in the dining hall.

– origin via Hindi from Sanskrit darśana ‘sight or seeing’.

dart /dɑːt/

I. noun

1. a small pointed missile that can be thrown or fired.

• the classroom was littered with paper darts.

• she shot the animal with a tranquillizing dart.

2. a small pointed missile with a feather or plastic flight, used in the game of darts.

• Jack's first dart pierced the treble twenty.

3. [Zoology] a dart-like calcareous organ of a snail forming part of the reproductive system, exchanged during copulation.

4. an act of running somewhere suddenly and rapidly

• the cat made a dart for the door.

5. a sudden, intense pang of a particular emotion

• a dart of panic.

6. a tapered tuck stitched in a garment in order to shape it.

• stitch collarband on to neck edge and stitch darts.

II. verb

1. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move or run somewhere suddenly or rapidly

• she darted across the street.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — cast (a look or one's eyes) suddenly and rapidly in a particular direction

• she darted a glance across the table.

3. [with obj.] — shoot (an animal) with a dart, typically in order to administer a drug.

• he darted the leopard with a long-acting anaesthetic.

4. ‹archaic› throw (a missile).

• he darted his fierce iron.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, accusative of darz, dars, from a West Germanic word meaning ‘spear, lance’.

Dart, Raymond Arthur

(1893–1988), Australian-born South African anthropologist and anatomist. In 1925 he found the first specimen of a hominid for which he coined the genus name Australopithecus.

dartboard /ˈdɑːtbɔːd/

noun

a circular board marked with numbered segments, used as a target in the game of darts.

darter /ˈdɑːtə/

noun

1. a long-necked fish-eating bird related to the cormorants, typically found in fresh water, where they frequently swim submerged to the neck. Also called anhinga, snakebird.
●Family Anhingidae and genus Anhinga: four species.

2. a small fast-moving North American freshwater fish.
●Genera Etheostoma and Percina, family Percidae: numerous species.

3. (also darter dragonfly) — a broad-bodied dragonfly that typically darts out from a perch to grab prey.
● Libellulidae and related families: several genera.

Dartford warbler /ˈdɑːtfəd/

I. noun

a long-tailed non-migratory warbler with grey upper parts and purplish-brown underparts, found in western Europe and North Africa.
● Sylvia undata, family Sylviidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Dartford in Kent, England, where the bird was first seen.

Dartmoor /ˈdɑːtmɔː, ˈdɑːtmʊə/

a moorland district in Devon that was a royal forest in Saxon times, now a national park.

Dartmoor pony

noun

a pony of a small hardy breed with a long shaggy coat in winter.

Dartmouth /ˈdɑːtməθ/

a port in Devon, SW England; pop. 6,000 (est. 2009). It is the site of the Royal Naval College.

darts /dɑːts/

plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. an indoor game in which small pointed missiles with feather or plastic flights are thrown at a circular target marked with numbers in order to score points.

• he spent the evening playing darts in a pub.

• [as modifier] a darts match.

• darts players.

Darwin /ˈdɑːwɪn/

the capital of Northern Territory, Australia; pop. 120,652 (2008).

Darwin, Charles /ˈdɑːwɪn/

(1809–82), English natural historian and geologist, proponent of the theory of evolution by natural selection; full name Charles Robert Darwin. Darwin was the naturalist on HMS Beagle for her voyage around the southern hemisphere (1831–6), during which he collected the material which became the basis for his ideas on natural selection. His works On the Origin of Species (1859) and The Descent of Man (1871) had a fundamental effect on our concepts of nature and humanity's place within it.

Darwin, Erasmus /ˈdɑːwɪn/

(1731–1802), English physician, scientist, inventor, and poet. Darwin is chiefly remembered for his scientific and technical writing, much of which appeared in the form of long poems. These include Zoonomia (1794–96), which proposed a Lamarckian view of evolution. He was the grandfather of Charles Darwin and Francis Galton.

Darwinian /dɑːˈwɪnɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Darwinism.

• Darwinian evolution.

II. noun

an adherent of Darwinism.

Darwinism /ˈdɑːwɪnɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the theory of the evolution of species by natural selection advanced by Charles Darwin.

Darwin argued that since offspring tend to vary slightly from their parents, mutations which make an organism better adapted to its environment will be encouraged and developed by the pressures of natural selection, leading to the evolution of new species differing widely from one another and from their common ancestors. Darwinism was later developed by the findings of Mendelian genetics (see neo-Darwinian).

II. derivatives

Darwinist /ˈdɑːwɪnɪst /

noun, adjective

Darwin rig

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) semi-formal dress for a man consisting of a white shirt, long trousers (or shorts with long white socks), and no jacket

• Darwin rig is de rigueur for the bar.

– origin 1950s: named after the city of Darwin, where the standard business suit was adapted for the tropical climate.

Darwin's finches

plural noun

a group of songbirds related to the buntings and found on the Galapagos Islands, discovered by Charles Darwin and used by him to illustrate his theory of natural selection. They are believed to have evolved from a common ancestor and have developed a variety of bills to suit various modes of life. Also called Galapagos finches.
●Family Emberizidae (subfamily Emberizinae): four to six genera, especially Geospiza (the ground finches) and Camarhynchus (the tree finches).

Darwin stubby

I. noun

(Austral.) a very large bottle of beer, typically 2.25 litres

• he walked in carrying a Darwin stubby, which he would sink before dinner.

– origin 1980s: a humorous allusion to the alleged prodigious thirst of people from the tropical Northern Territory, with reference to the small size of beer bottle known in Australia as a stubby.

Dasein /ˈdɑːzʌɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] (in Hegelianism) existence or determinate being; (in existentialism) human existence.

– origin mid 19th cent.: German, from dasein ‘exist’, from da ‘there’ + sein ‘be’.

dash /daʃ/

I. verb

1. [no obj., usu. with adverbial of direction] — run or travel somewhere in a great hurry

• I dashed into the garden

• I must dash, I'm late.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — strike or fling (something) somewhere with great force, especially so as to have a destructive effect; hurl

• the ship was dashed upon the rocks.

3. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — strike forcefully against something

• a gust of rain dashed against the bricks.

4. [with obj.] — destroy or frustrate (hopes or expectations)

• the budget dashed hopes of an increase in funding.

5. [with obj.] — cause (someone) to lose confidence; dispirit

• I won't tell Stuart—I think he'd be dashed.

II. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to express mild annoyance

• dash it all, I am in charge.

III. noun

1. an act of running somewhere suddenly and hastily

• she made a dash for the door.

2. a journey or period of time characterized by urgency or eager haste

• a 20-mile dash to the airport.

3. (N. Amer.) a short, fast race run in one heat; a sprint.

• the 100 m dash.

4. a small quantity of a liquid added to something else

• whisky with a dash of soda.

5. a small amount of a quality that adds piquancy or distinctiveness to something else

• a casual atmosphere with a dash of sophistication.

6. a horizontal stroke in writing or printing to mark a pause or break in sense or to represent omitted letters or words.

7. the longer signal of the two used in Morse code.
Compare with dot^1.

8. [Music] a short vertical mark placed above or beneath a note to indicate that it is to be performed in a very staccato manner.

9. [ mass noun] — impetuous or flamboyant vigour and confidence; panache.

• he has youthful energy, dash, and charisma.

10. ‹informal› short for dashboard.

• an indicator on the dash tells you what gear you are in.

IV. phrasal verbs

dash something off

write something hurriedly and without much premeditation

• I dashed off a quick letter.

V. derivatives

dasher /ˈdaʃə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘strike forcibly against’): probably symbolic of forceful movement and related to Swedish and Danish daska.

dashboard /ˈdaʃbɔːd/

noun

1. the panel facing the driver of a vehicle or the pilot of an aircraft, containing instruments and controls.

• Scott looked at the clock on the dashboard.

2. a graphical summary of various pieces of important information, typically used to give an overview of a business

• an executive dashboard enables a CEO to see bank balances, the top five customers, accounts receivable, and accounts payable.

3. a home page on a website giving access to different elements of the site's functionality

• the main line graph in the dashboard shows daily traffic to our site over the past 30 days.

4. ‹historical› a board of wood or leather in front of a carriage, to keep out mud.

dashed /daʃt/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› used for emphasis

• it's a dashed shame

• [as submodifier] she was dashed rude.

dasheen /daˈʃiːn/

I. noun

another term for taro.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally West Indian): of unknown origin.

dashiki /ˈdɑːʃɪki/

I. noun

a loose brightly coloured shirt or tunic, originally from West Africa.

– origin from Yoruba or Hausa.

dashing /ˈdaʃɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (of a man) attractive, adventurous, and full of confidence

• a dashing young pilot.

2. stylish and fashionable

• a dashing black fedora.

II. derivatives

dashingly

adverb

dashpot

noun

a device for damping shock or vibration.

dassie /ˈdasi/

I. noun

1. a hyrax (mammal), especially the rock hyrax of southern Africa.
●Family Procaviidae, in particular Procavia capensis.

2. (S. African) a silvery marine fish with dark fins and a black spot on the tail, found around African and Mediterranean coasts.
● Diplodus sargus, family Sparidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Afrikaans, from South African Dutch dasje, diminutive of Dutch das ‘badger’; the fish is said to have been named because of a perceived resemblance (in its habit of frequenting rocks, or from its shy nature) to the rock hyrax.

dastard /ˈdastəd, ˈdɑːstəd/

I. noun

‹dated› ‹humorous› a dishonourable or despicable man.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘stupid person’): probably from dazed, influenced by dotard and bastard.

dastardly /ˈdastədli, ˈdɑːstədli/

I. adjective

‹dated› ‹humorous› wicked and cruel

• pirates and their dastardly deeds.

II. derivatives

dastardliness

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘dull or stupid’): from dastard in the obsolete sense ‘base coward’.

dastur /dəˈstʊə / dastoor

I. noun

(Indian) a chief priest of the Parsees.

– origin Persian, from Old Persian dastōbār.

dasyure /ˈdasɪjʊə/

I. noun

another term for quoll.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from modern Latin dasyurus, from Greek dasus ‘rough, hairy’ + oura ‘tail’.

DAT /dat/

abbreviation

digital audiotape.

data /ˈdeɪtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis

• there is very little data available.

2. the quantities, characters, or symbols on which operations are performed by a computer, which may be stored and transmitted in the form of electrical signals and recorded on magnetic, optical, or mechanical recording media.

3. [Philosophy] things known or assumed as facts, making the basis of reasoning or calculation.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a term in philosophy): from Latin, plural of datum. / usage: In Latin, data is the plural of datum and, historically and in specialized scientific fields, it is also treated as a plural in English, taking a plural verb, as in the data were collected and classified. In modern non-scientific use, however, it is generally not treated as a plural. Instead, it is treated as a mass noun, similar to a word like information, which takes a singular verb. Sentences such as data was collected over a number of years are now widely accepted in standard English.

databank /ˈdeɪtəbaŋk/

noun

a large repository of computer data on a particular topic, sometimes formed from more than one database, and accessible by many users.

database /ˈdeɪtəbeɪs/

noun

a structured set of data held in a computer, especially one that is accessible in various ways.

• a database covering nine million workers.

• [as modifier] database systems.

database management system

noun

[Computing] software that handles the storage, retrieval, and updating of data in a computer system.

datable /ˈdeɪtəb(ə)l / dateable

adjective

able to be dated to a particular time

• the mosaic is datable to the second century.

data capture

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] the action or process of gathering data, especially from an automatic device, control system, or sensor.

• online data capture.

• [as modifier] a data capture device.

data centre

noun

a large group of networked computer servers typically used by organizations for the remote storage, processing, or distribution of large amounts of data.

datacomms datacoms

plural noun

data communications.

• datacomms in digital or conventional analogue systems.

• [as modifier] datacomms software.

data dictionary

noun

[Computing] a set of information describing the contents, format, and structure of a database and the relationship between its elements, used to control access to and manipulation of the database.

data-driven

adjective

determined by or dependent on the collection or analysis of data

• decisions are data-driven and made by committee

• Silicon Valley is bringing a host of new, data-driven technologies to healthcare.

data dump

noun

1. [Computing] a large amount of data transferred from one system or location to another

• the data dump needs to be converted into Excel so as to be analysed more easily.

2. [Computing] another term for info dump:

• his attention to detail leads to unneeded flashbacks and data dumps.

dataglove /ˈdeɪtəɡlʌv/

noun

[Computing] a device worn like a glove, which allows the manual manipulation of images in virtual reality.

data link

noun

a telecommunications link over which data is transmitted.

data mining

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] the practice of examining large pre-existing databases in order to generate new information.

data processing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the carrying out of operations on data, especially by a computer, to retrieve, transform, or classify information.

• management strategies in data processing.

• [as modifier] data-processing systems.

II. derivatives

data processor

noun

data protection

noun — [ mass noun]

1. legal control over access to and use of data stored in computers.
[as modifier]

• data protection legislation.

data scientist

noun

a person employed to analyse and interpret complex digital data, such as the usage statistics of a website, especially in order to assist a business in its decision-making

• Silicon Valley technology companies are hiring data scientists to help them glean insights from the terabytes of data that they collect everyday.

data set

noun

[Computing] a collection of related sets of information that is composed of separate elements but can be manipulated as a unit by a computer.

• all hospitals must provide a standard data set of each patient's details.

data smog

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› an overwhelming excess of information, especially that obtained as the result of an Internet search.

data terminal

noun

a terminal at which a person can enter data into a computer-based system or receive data from one.

data type

noun

[Computing] a particular kind of data item, as defined by the values it can take, the programming language used, or the operations that can be performed on it.

dataveillance

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of monitoring digital data relating to personal details or online activities.

– origin 1970s: blend of data and surveillance.

data warehouse

I. noun

a large store of data accumulated from a wide range of sources within a company and used to guide management decisions.

II. derivatives

data warehousing

noun

date^1 /deɪt/

I. noun

1. the day of the month or year as specified by a number

• what's the date today?

• please give your name, address, and date of birth.

2. a particular day or year when a given event occurred or will occur

• 1066 is the most famous date in English history.

3. ( dates) — the years of a particular person's birth and death or of the beginning and end of a particular period or event.

4. the period of time to which an artefact or structure belongs

• the church is the largest of its date.

5. a social or romantic appointment or engagement.

• I've got a hot date.

• we made a date for eleven the next morning.

6. a person with whom one has a date

• my date isn't going to show, it seems.

7. a musical or theatrical engagement or performance, especially as part of a tour.

• most large bands play one big date in Scotland.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. establish or ascertain the date of (an object or event)

• they date the paintings to 1460–70.

2. mark with a date

• sign and date the document.

3. [no obj.] ( date from or back to) — originate at a particular time; have existed since

• the controversy dates back to 1986.

4. reveal (someone) as being old-fashioned

• jazzy—does that word date me?

5. [no obj.] — seem old-fashioned

• the coat may be pricey but it will never date.

6. go out with (someone in whom one is romantically or sexually interested)

• my sister's pretty judgemental about the girls I date

• [no obj.] they have been dating for more than a year.

III. phrases

to date ‹Indian› till date

until now

• their finest work to date.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin data, feminine past participle of dare ‘give’; from the Latin formula used in dating letters, data (epistola) ‘(letter) given or delivered’, to record a particular time or place.

date^2 /deɪt/

I. noun

1. a sweet, dark brown oval fruit containing a hard stone, usually eaten dried.

2. (also date palm) — a tall palm tree which bears clusters of dates, native to western Asia and North Africa.
● Phoenix dactylifera, family Palmae.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, via Latin from Greek daktulos ‘finger’ (because of the finger-like shape of its leaves).

datebook /ˈdeɪtbʊk/

noun

(N. Amer.) an engagement diary.

dated /ˈdeɪtɪd/

adjective

1. marked with a date

• a signed and dated painting.

2. old-fashioned

• a dated expression.

dateless /ˈdeɪtləs/

adjective

1. not clearly belonging to any particular period, therefore not likely to go out of date.

• a dateless dress.

• the farcical element throughout was dateless.

2. having no marked date.

dateline /ˈdeɪtlʌɪn/

I. noun

a line at the head of a dispatch or newspaper article showing the date and place of writing.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark (a dispatch or article) with a dateline.

Date Line International Date Line

an imaginary North–South line through the Pacific Ocean, adopted in 1884, to the east of which the date is a day earlier than it is to the west. It lies chiefly along the meridian furthest from Greenwich (i.e. longitude 180°), with diversions to pass around some island groups.

date mussel

noun

a brown, cigar-shaped bivalve mollusc which bores into limestone and coral.
●Genus Lithophaga, family Mytilidae.

date night

noun

‹informal› a prearranged occasion on which an established couple, especially one with children, go for a night out together

• they make sure they have a date night every week.

• she's planning date nights with her husband.

date plum

noun

another term for persimmon.

dater /ˈdeɪtə/

noun

a person who goes out on dates, typically on a regular basis

• successful daters look on the dating game as fun—it doesn't make them anxious or unhappy.

date rape

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. rape by a person with whom the victim has gone on a date.

II. derivatives

date-rape

verb

date stamp

I. noun

1. a stamped mark indicating a date, used on food packaging, posted envelopes, etc.

2. an adjustable stamp used to make a date stamp.

II. verb

( date-stamp) [with obj.] — mark with a date stamp.

• she hummed at the desk as she date-stamped books.

dating agency

noun

a service which arranges introductions for people seeking romantic partners.

• they met through a dating agency.

• the dating agency supplied a steady stream of potential partners.

dative /ˈdeɪtɪv / ‹Grammar›

I. adjective

(in Latin, Greek, German, and some other languages) denoting a case of nouns and pronouns, and words in grammatical agreement with them, indicating an indirect object or recipient.

II. noun

1. a noun or other word in the dative case.

2. ( the dative) — the dative case.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin (casus) dativus ‘(case) of giving’, from dat- ‘given’, from the verb dare.

Datong /dɑːˈtʊŋ/

a city in northern China in Shanxi province; pop. 1,105,100 (est. 2006).

Datuk /ˈdɑːtək/

I. noun

(in Malaysia) a title of respect.

• Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mahathir Mohamed.

– origin Malay.

datum /ˈdeɪtəm/

I. noun

1. See also data.

2. a piece of information.

• the fact is a datum worth taking into account.

3. an assumption or premise from which inferences may be drawn.

• this is not a permanent and unchangeable datum.

See also sense datum.

4. a fixed starting point of a scale or operation.

• an accurate datum is formed by which other machining operations can be carried out.

See also ordnance datum.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘something given’, neuter past participle of dare ‘give’.

datum line datum level

noun

1. a standard of comparison or point of reference.

• the majority were living below the poverty datum line.

2. [Surveying] an assumed surface used as a reference for the measurement of heights and depths.

3. a line to which dimensions are referred on engineering drawings, and from which measurements are calculated.

datura /dəˈtjʊərə/

I. noun

a shrubby annual plant with large, erect, trumpet-shaped flowers, native to southern North America. They contain toxic or narcotic alkaloids and are used as hallucinogens by some American Indian peoples.
●Genus Datura, family Solanaceae: several species, including the thorn apple or jimson weed.

– origin modern Latin, from Hindi dhatūrā, from Sanskrit dhustur.

daub /dɔːb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. carelessly coat or smear (a surface) with a thick or sticky substance

• the walls were daubed with splashes of paint.

2. spread (a thick or sticky substance) on a surface in a careless or clumsy way

• a canvas with paint daubed on it.

3. paint (words or drawings) on a surface in a careless or clumsy way

• they daubed graffiti on the walls.

II. noun

1. a patch or smear of a thick or sticky substance

• a daub of paint.

2. a painting executed without much skill.

• she stuck the painting up alongside the daubs made by her children.

3. [ mass noun] — plaster, clay, or another substance used for coating a surface, especially when mixed with straw and applied to laths or wattles to form a wall.

• wattle and daub.

III. derivatives

dauber /ˈdɔːbə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French dauber, from Latin dealbare ‘whiten, whitewash’, based on albus ‘white’.

daube /dəʊb/

I. noun

a stew of meat, typically beef, braised slowly in wine.

• a good daube of boeuf with fresh noodles.

II. phrases

en daube

(of meat) braised slowly in wine.

– origin French; compare with Italian addobbo ‘seasoning’.

Daubenton's bat /ˈdɔːbəntənz, dɔːˈbɛntənz/

I. noun

a small brown myotis bat that typically flies low over water, found throughout Eurasia.
● Myotis daubentonii, family Vespertilionidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton (1716–1800), French naturalist and physician.

Daubigny, Charles François /ˈdəʊbɪnji, French dobiɲi/

(1817–78), French landscape painter. He was a member of the Barbizon School and is often regarded as a linking figure between this group and the impressionists.

Daudet, Alphonse /ˈdəʊdeɪ, French dodɛ/

(1840–97), French novelist and dramatist. He is best known for his sketches of life in his native Provence, particularly the Lettres de mon moulin (1869).

daughter /ˈdɔːtə/

I. noun

1. a girl or woman in relation to either or both of her parents.

2. a female offspring of an animal.

3. a female descendant

• we are the sons and daughters of Adam.

4. a woman considered as the product of a particular person, influence, or environment

• she was a daughter of the vicarage in manner and appearance.

5. ‹archaic› used as a term of affectionate address to a woman or girl, typically by an older person.

6. ‹literary› a thing personified as a daughter in relation to its origin or source

• Italian, the eldest daughter of ancient Latin.

7. [Physics] a nuclide formed by the radioactive decay of another.

• as radon gas decays it produces daughters that attach themselves to dust particles.

II. derivatives

1. daughterhood

noun

2. daughterly /ˈdɔːtəli /

adjective

– origin Old English dohtor, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dochter and German Tochter, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek thugatēr.

daughterboard /ˈdɔːtəbɔːd / daughtercard

noun

[Electronics] a small printed circuit board that attaches to a larger one.

daughter cell

noun

[Biology] a cell formed by the division or budding of another.

daughter-in-law /ˈdɔːtərɪnlɔː/

noun

the wife of one's son.

Daughters of the American Revolution DAR

(in the US) a patriotic society whose aims include encouraging education and the study of US history and which tends to be politically conservative. Membership is limited to female descendants of those who aided the cause of independence.

Daumier, Honoré /ˈdəʊmɪeɪ, French domje/

(1808–78), French painter and lithographer. From the 1830s he worked as a cartoonist for periodicals such as Charivari, where he produced lithographs satirizing French society and politics.

daunorubicin /ˌdɔːnə(ʊ)ˈruːbɪsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic antibiotic that interferes with DNA synthesis and is used in the treatment of acute leukaemia and other cancers.

– origin 1960s: from Daunia, in southern Italy where it was developed, + -rubi- ‘red’ + -mycin.

daunt /dɔːnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) feel intimidated or apprehensive

• some people are daunted by technology.

II. phrases

nothing daunted

without having been made fearful or apprehensive

• nothing daunted, the committee set to work.

– origin Middle English: from Old French danter, from Latin domitare, frequentative of domare ‘to tame’.

daunting /ˈdɔːntɪŋ/

I. adjective

seeming difficult to deal with in prospect; intimidating

• a daunting task.

II. derivatives

dauntingly

adverb

dauntless /ˈdɔːntləs/

I. adjective

showing fearlessness and determination

• dauntless bravery.

II. derivatives

1. dauntlessly /ˈdɔːntləsli /

adverb

2. dauntlessness

noun

dauphin /ˈdɔːfɪn, ˈdəʊfã French dofɛ̃//

I. noun

‹historical› the eldest son of the King of France.

– origin French, from the family name of the lords of the Dauphiné, an area of SE France: ultimately a nickname meaning ‘dolphin’. In 1349 the future Charles V acquired the lands and the title; when king he ceded them to his eldest son, establishing the practice of passing both title and lands to the Crown Prince.

Dauphiné /ˈdəʊfɪneɪ, French dofine/

a region and former province of SE France. Its capital was Grenoble.

dauphinois /ˌdəʊfɪˈnwaː / dauphinoise /ˌdəʊfɪˈnwaːz/

I. adjective

(of potatoes or other vegetables) sliced and cooked in milk, typically with a topping of cheese.

– origin French, ‘from the province of Dauphiné’.

Davao /dɑːˈvɑːəʊ/

a seaport in the southern Philippines, on the island of Mindanao; pop. 785,700 (est. 2007). Founded in 1849, it is the largest city on the island and the third-largest city in the Philippines.

daven /ˈdɑːv(ə)n/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (in Judaism) recite the prescribed liturgical prayers.

• he used to daven for a full half hour.

– origin Yiddish.

davenport /ˈdav(ə)npɔːt/

noun

1. (Brit.) an ornamental writing desk with drawers and a sloping surface for writing.
[probably named after Captain Davenport, for whom early examples of this type of desk were made in the late 18th cent.]

2. (N. Amer.) a large heavily upholstered sofa.
[perhaps from a manufacturer's name.]

David^1 /ˈdeɪvɪd/

(died c. 962 BC), king of Judah and Israel c. 1000– c. 962 BC. In the biblical account he was the youngest son of Jesse and killed the Philistine Goliath; on Saul's death, he became king, making Jerusalem his capital. He is traditionally regarded as the author of the Psalms, though this has been disputed.

David^2 /ˈdeɪvɪd/

I. the name of two kings of Scotland:

II. David I ( c. 1084–1153), sixth son of Malcolm III, reigned 1124–53. In 1136 he invaded England in support of his niece Matilda's claim to the throne, but was defeated at the Battle of the Standard in 1138.

III. David II (1324–71), son of Robert the Bruce, reigned 1329–71. His reign witnessed a renewal of fighting with England, with Edward III supporting the pretender Edward de Baliol. His death without issue left the throne to the Stuarts.

David, Elizabeth /ˈdeɪvɪd/

(1913–92), British cookery writer. She played a leading role in introducing Mediterranean cuisine to Britain in the 1950s and 1960s.

David, Jacques-Louis /daˈviːd, French david/

(1748–1825), French painter, famous for neoclassical paintings such as The Oath of the Horatii (1784). He became actively involved in the French Revolution, voting for the death of Louis XVI and supporting Robespierre.

David, St

(6th century), Welsh monk; Welsh name Dewi. Since the 12th century he has been regarded as the patron saint of Wales. Little is known of his life, but it is generally accepted that he transferred the centre of Welsh ecclesiastical administration from Caerleon to Mynyw (now St David's). Feast day, 1 March.

Davies, Robertson

(1913–95), Canadian novelist, dramatist, and journalist; full name William Robertson Davies. He won international recognition with his Deptford trilogy of novels, comprising Fifth Business (1970), The Manticore (1972), and World of Wonders (1975).

Davies, Sir Peter Maxwell

(b.1934), English composer and conductor, influenced particularly by serialism and early English music. Notable works: Eight Songs for a Mad King (1969) and Taverner (1970).

Davies, W. H.

(1871–1940), Welsh poet; full name William Henry Davies. He emigrated to the US and lived as a vagrant and labourer, writing The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp (1908) about his experiences.

da Vinci, Leonardo

see Leonardo da Vinci.

Davis

the name of two English billiards and snooker players. Joe (1901–78) held the world championship from 1927 until his retirement in 1946. He was also world billiards champion 1928–32. His brother Fred (1913–98) was world snooker champion (1948–9; 1951–6) and world billiards champion (1980).

Davis, Bette

(1908–89), American actress; born Ruth Elizabeth Davis. She established her Hollywood career playing a number of strong, independent female characters in such films as Dangerous (1935). Her flair for suggesting the macabre and menacing emerged in later films, such as What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962).

Davis, Miles

(1926–91), American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader; full name Miles Dewey Davis. In the 1950s he played and recorded arrangements in a new style which became known as ‘cool’ jazz, heard on albums such as Kind of Blue (1959). In the 1960s he pioneered the fusion of jazz and rock.

Davis, Steve

(b.1957), English snooker player. He was UK Professional Champion (1980–1; 1984–7) and World Professional Champion (1981; 1983–4; 1987–9).

Davis Cup

I. an annual tennis championship for men, first held in 1900, between teams from different countries.

– origin named after Dwight F. Davis (1879–1945), the American doubles champion who donated the trophy.

Davisson, Clinton Joseph /ˈdeɪvɪs(ə)n/

(1881–1958), American physicist. Davisson, together with L. H. Germer (1896–1971), discovered electron diffraction, thus confirming de Broglie's theory of the wave nature of electrons. Nobel Prize for Physics (1937).

Davis Strait

I. a sea passage 645 km (400 miles) long separating Greenland from Baffin Island and connecting Baffin Bay with the Atlantic Ocean.

– origin named after John Davis (1550–1605), the English explorer who sailed through it in 1587.

davit /ˈdavɪt, ˈdeɪvɪt/

I. noun

a small crane on board a ship, especially one of a pair for suspending or lowering a lifeboat.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French daviot, diminutive of david, denoting a kind of carpenter's tool.

Davos /dɑːˈvɒs/

a resort and winter-sports centre in eastern Switzerland; pop. 10,686 (2007).

Davy, Sir Humphry

(1778–1829), English chemist, a pioneer of electrochemistry. He discovered nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and the elements sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium. He also identified and named the element chlorine, determined the properties of iodine, and demonstrated that diamond was a form of carbon. In 1815 he invented the miner's safety lamp.

Davy Jones's locker

I. noun

‹informal› the bottom of the sea, especially regarded as the grave of those drowned at sea.

• the reef will consign us all to Davy Jones's locker.

– origin extension of early 18th-cent. nautical slang Davy Jones, denoting the evil spirit of the sea.

Davy lamp

noun

a miner's portable safety lamp with the flame enclosed by wire gauze to reduce the risk of an explosion of gas.

daw /dɔː/

I. noun

another term for jackdaw.

– origin late Middle English: of Germanic origin; related to German Dohle.

dawdle /ˈdɔːd(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. waste time; be slow

• she mustn't dawdle—she had to make the call now.

2. [with adverbial of direction] — move slowly and idly in a particular direction

• Ruth dawdled back through the wood.

II. derivatives

dawdler /ˈdɔːd(ə)lə /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: related to dialect daddle, doddle ‘dally’.

dawg /dɔːɡ/

noun

non-standard spelling of dog, used especially to represent American speech.

Dawkins, Richard

(b.1941), English biologist. Dawkins's book The Selfish Gene (1976) did much to popularize the theory of sociobiology. In The Blind Watchmaker (1986) Dawkins discussed evolution by natural selection and suggested that the theory could answer the fundamental question of why life exists.

dawn /dɔːn/

I. noun

1. the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise

• he set off at dawn.

2. the beginning of a phenomenon or period of time, especially one perceived as auspicious

• the dawn of civilization.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a day) begin
[with complement]

• Thursday dawned bright and sunny.

2. come into existence

• a new age was dawning in the Tory party.

3. become evident to the mind; be perceived or understood

• the awful truth was beginning to dawn on him

• (as adj. dawning) he smiled with dawning recognition.

– origin late 15th cent. (as a verb): back-formation from Middle English dawning.

dawn chorus

noun

(Brit.) the singing of a large number of birds before dawn each day, particularly during the breeding season.

• the dawn chorus woke Robyn at five.

dawning /ˈdɔːnɪŋ/

I. noun

1. ‹literary› dawn.

2. ‹literary› the beginning or first appearance of something

• the dawnings of civilization.

– origin Middle English: alteration of earlier dawing, from Old English dagian ‘to dawn’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dagen and German tagen, also to day.

dawn raid

noun

1. a surprise visit at dawn, especially by police searching for criminals or illicit goods.

• armed police carried out a dawn raid.

• five men have been arrested in a dawn raid on a caravan site.

2. [Stock Exchange] (Brit.) an attempt to acquire a substantial portion of a company's shares at the start of a day's trading, typically as a preliminary to a takeover bid.

• the dawn raid on BAA shares.

dawn redwood

noun

a coniferous tree with deciduous needles, known only as a fossil until it was found growing in SW China in 1941.
● Metasequoia glyptostroboides, family Taxodiaceae.

DAX /daks/

abbreviation

Deutscher Aktien IndeX, the German stock exchange index.

day /deɪ/

I. noun

1. each of the twenty-four-hour periods, reckoned from one midnight to the next, into which a week, month, or year is divided, and corresponding to a rotation of the earth on its axis.

• they only met a few days ago.

• we'll leave the day after tomorrow.

• ‘What day is it?’ ‘Sunday’.

• she spent five days in hospital.

2. the part of a day when it is light; the time between sunrise and sunset

• the animals hunt by day.

3. the part of a day spent working

• he works an eight-hour day.

4. [Astronomy] a single rotation of a planet in relation to its primary.

5. [Astronomy] the period on a planet when its primary star is above the horizon.

6. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› ‹literary› daylight

• by the time they had all gone it was broad day.

7. (also days) — a particular period of the past; an era

• in Shakespeare's day

• the laws were very strict in those days.

8. ( the day) — the present time

• the political issues of the day.

9. (usu. with modifier days) — a particular period in a person's life or career

• my student days.

10. ( one's day) — the most active or successful period of a person's life or career

• he had been a star in his day.

11. ( one's days) — the remaining period of someone's life

• she cared for him for the rest of his days.

II. phrases

1. all in a day's work

(of something unusual or difficult) accepted as part of someone's normal routine or as a matter of course

• dodging sharks is all in a day's work for some scientists.

2. any day ‹informal›

a. at any time or under any circumstances (used to express a strong opinion or preference)

• they could outfight the police any day.

b. very soon

• she's expected to give birth any day now.

3. at the end of the day

see end.

4. by the day

gradually and steadily

• the campaign is growing by the day.

5. call it a day

decide or agree to stop doing something.

• after three marriages, many men would have been more than ready to call it a day.

6. day after day

on each successive day over a long period

• the rain poured down day after day.

7. day and night

all the time

• the district is patrolled day and night.

8. day by day

on each successive day; gradually and steadily.

• day by day I grew worse.

9. day in, day out

continuously or repeatedly over a long period of time.

• I worked with you day in, day out.

10. day of reckoning

the time when past mistakes or misdeeds must be punished or paid for.

• a day of reckoning will come for those in the security service.

[with allusion to Judgement Day, on which (in some beliefs) the judgement of mankind is expected to take place.]

11. from day one

from the very beginning

• children need a firm hand from day one.

12. have had one's (or its) day

be no longer popular, successful, or influential

• power dressing has had its day.

13. if he (or she etc.) is a day

at least (appended to a statement about a person's age)

• he must be seventy if he's a day.

14. in this day and age

at the present time.

• you can't be too careful in this day and age.

15. not someone's day

used to convey that someone has experienced a day of successive misfortunes.

• not your day, is it, darling.

16. one day

a. at a particular but unspecified time in the past

• one day a boy started teasing Grady.

b. (also some day or one of these days) — at a particular but unspecified time in the future

• our wishes will come true one of these days.

• he would one day be a great President.

17. one of those days

a day when several things go wrong.

• it was just one of those days.

18. that will be the day

‹informal› that is very unlikely.

• ‘I may have missed something.’ ‘That'll be the day.’.

19. these days

at present

• he's drinking far too much these days.

20. those were the days

used to assert that a particular past time was better than the present.

• the sixties, those were the days.

21. to the day

exactly

• it's four years to the day since he was killed.

22. to this day

at the present time as in the past; still

• the tradition continues to this day.

– origin Old English dæg, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dag and German Tag.

Day, Doris

(b.1924), American actress and singer; born Doris Kappelhoff. She became a film star in the 1950s with roles in light-hearted musicals, comedies, and romances such as Calamity Jane (1953) and Pillow Talk (1959).

Dayak /ˈdʌɪak / Dyak

I. noun

1. a member of a group of indigenous peoples inhabiting parts of Borneo, including the Iban (or Sea Dayak) of the north, the Land Dayak of the south-west, and the Punan.

2. [ mass noun] — the group of Austronesian languages spoken by the Dayak.

II. adjective

relating to the Dayak or their languages.

– origin Malay, literally ‘up-country’.

dayan /daˈjɑːn/

I. noun

[Judaism] a religious judge, in particular one in a rabbinic court.

– origin from Hebrew dayyān, from dān ‘to judge’.

Dayan, Moshe /daˈjɑːn/

(1915–81), Israeli statesman and general. As Minister of Defence he oversaw Israel's victory in the Six Day War and as Foreign Minister he played a prominent role in negotiations towards the Camp David Accords of 1979.

daybed /ˈdeɪbɛd/

noun

(N. Amer.) a couch that can be made up into a bed.

dayboat

noun

another term for daysailor.

daybook /ˈdeɪbʊk/

noun

1. an account book in which a day's transactions are entered for later transfer to a ledger.

2. (N. Amer.) a diary.

day boy

noun

(Brit.) a boy who lives at home but attends a school where other pupils board.

daybreak /ˈdeɪbreɪk/

noun

the time in the morning when daylight first appears; dawn

• she set off at daybreak.

day care

noun — [ mass noun]

1. daytime care for people who cannot be fully independent, such as children or elderly people.

• children would be looked after in day care and mothers would work.

• [as modifier] day-care facilities.

2. [ count noun] ( daycare) — (N. Amer.) a day centre.

• we have encountered problems trying to find a daycare willing to accept him.

• I never went to daycare.

day centre day-care centre

noun

(Brit.) a place providing care and recreation facilities for those who cannot be fully independent.

daydream /ˈdeɪdriːm/

I. noun

a series of pleasant thoughts that distract one's attention from the present.

• she was lost in a daydream.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. indulge in a daydream

• stop daydreaming and pay attention.

III. derivatives

daydreamer /ˈdeɪdriːmə /

noun

day flower

noun

a plant of warm climates with short-lived flowers that are typically blue.
●Genus Commelina, family Commelinaceae.

day girl

noun

(Brit.) a girl who lives at home but attends a school where other pupils board.

Day-Glo dayglo

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a fluorescent paint or other colouring.

II. adjective

very bright or fluorescent in colour.

• their clothing was marked with Day-Glo panels.

– origin 1950s: blend of day and glow.

day hospital

noun

a hospital or other medical facility which provides treatment, assessment, etc. during the day, with patients returning home or to another hospital at night.

day job

I. noun

a person’s regular job and main source of income, typically as contrasted with a more enjoyable occupation or hobby

• he funds his films with money earned from his day job as a manager.

II. phrases

don't give up the (or your) day job

‹informal› used as a humorous way of recommending someone not to pursue something at which they are unlikely to be successful.

day labourer

noun

an unskilled labourer paid by the day.

Day-Lewis, C.

(1904–72), English poet and critic; full name Cecil Day-Lewis. His early verse, such as Transitional Poem (1929), reflects the influence of revolutionary thinking. After 1940, however, he increasingly became a figure of the Establishment and was Poet Laureate 1968–72.

daylight /ˈdeɪlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the natural light of the day
[as modifier]

• the daylight hours.

2. the first appearance of light in the morning; dawn

• I returned at daylight.

3. an appreciable distance or difference between one person or thing and another

• their views on education are so close that it's difficult to see daylight between them.

• the growing daylight between himself and the leading jockey.

II. phrases

1. —— the living daylights out of

do the specified thing to (someone) with great severity

• he beat the living daylights out of them.

• he can scare the living daylights out of a cinema audience.

[from daylights meaning ‘eyes’, hence ‘any vital organ’.]

2. see daylight

a. gain public exposure or attention

• old photographs that rarely see daylight.

b. begin to understand what was previously puzzling or unclear.

• Sam saw daylight. ‘You think he might be your father?’.

daylighting /ˈdeɪlaɪtɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the illumination of buildings by natural light.

• daylighting is achieved by using properly designed windows and skylights.

daylight robbery

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› blatant and unfair overcharging.

• Do you know how much he charges? It's daylight robbery.

daylight saving time daylight time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) time as adjusted to achieve longer evening daylight in summer by setting the clocks an hour ahead of the standard time.
Compare with summer time.

day lily

noun

a Eurasian lily which bears large yellow, red, or orange flowers, each flower lasting only one day.
●Genus Hemerocallis, family Liliaceae.

day-long

adjective

lasting a whole day

• a day-long seminar.

daymare

noun

a frightening hallucinatory condition experienced while awake.

• I saw her constantly and obsessively in my conscious mind during my daymares and insomnias.

Day of Atonement

another term for Yom Kippur.

day off

noun

a day's holiday from work or school, on what would normally be a working day.

• it's her day off today.

Day of Judgement

another term for Judgement Day.

day of rest

noun

a day in the week set aside from normal work or activity, typically Sunday on religious grounds.

• when the Lord made Sunday he meant it for a day of rest.

Day of the Dead

noun

All Souls' Day (2 November), as celebrated in various European and Latin American countries, especially Mexico.

• the dead person is also formally remembered with prayers and feasting on the first anniversary of the death, and on the Day of the Dead every November.

day out

noun

(Brit.) a trip or excursion for a day.

daypack

noun

a small rucksack.

day patient

noun

a patient who attends a hospital for treatment without staying overnight.

• the waiting list for day patients has shot up by fifty per cent.

day release

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a system of allowing employees days off work to go on educational courses

• she goes to college on day release.

day return

noun

(Brit.) a reduced-price fare for a journey on public transport out and back in one day.

day room

noun

a room, especially a communal room in an institution, used during the day.

daysack

noun

(Brit.) another term for daypack.

daysail /ˈdeɪseɪl/

verb — [no obj.]

1. sail a yacht for a single day.

• we have daysailed countless times.

• (as noun daysailing) an outstanding boat for daysailing.

daysailor /ˈdeɪseɪlə / ‹US› daysailer

noun

a sailing boat without a cabin, designed for use during the day only.

day school

noun

1. a non-residential school, typically a fee-paying one.

2. (Brit.) a short educational course on a particular subject.

• a day school on canine communication.

day shift

noun

1. a period of time worked during the daylight hours in a hospital, factory, etc.

2. [treated as sing. or pl.] — the employees who work during the day shift.

• the day shift clocked off from the factory.

dayside

noun

[Astronomy] the side of a planet that is facing its primary star.

Days of Awe

plural noun

another term for High Holidays.

dayspring

noun

‹archaic› dawn.

day surgery

noun — [ mass noun]

1. minor surgery that does not require the patient to stay in hospital overnight.

daytime /ˈdeɪtʌɪm/

noun

the time of the day between sunrise and sunset

• she was alone in the daytime

• [as modifier] a daytime telephone number.

daytimer

noun

‹trademark› (chiefly N. Amer.) an appointment diary or an electronic organizer.

day-to-day /deɪtəˈdeɪ/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. happening regularly every day

• the day-to-day management of the classroom

• he is battling the disease on a day-to-day basis.

2. ordinary; everyday

• our day-to-day domestic life.

3. short-term; without consideration for the future

• the struggle for day-to-day survival.

II. adverb

on a daily basis

• the information to be traded is determined day-to-day.

III. noun — [in sing.]

1. an ordinary, everyday routine

• they have come to escape the day-to-day.

Dayton /ˈdeɪt(ə)n/

a city in western Ohio; pop. 154,200 (est. 2008). It was the home of the aviation pioneers the Wright brothers and is still a centre of aerospace research.

day trading /ˌdeɪˈtreɪdɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Stock Exchange] a form of share dealing in which individuals buy and sell shares over the Internet over a period of a single day's trading, with the intention of profiting from small price fluctuations.

II. derivatives

day trader

noun

day trip

I. noun

a journey or excursion completed in one day.

• you can take a day trip to the Esk Valley.

II. derivatives

day tripper

noun

(Brit.)

daywear /ˈdeɪwɛə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. articles of casual clothing suitable for informal or everyday occasions.

• a fine selection of daywear, lingerie, and swimwear in a range of fabrics.

daywork /ˈdeɪwəːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. casual work paid for on a daily basis.
[as modifier]

• the daywork rate.

II. derivatives

dayworker

noun

daze /deɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (especially of an emotional or physical shock) make (someone) unable to think or react properly

• she was dazed by his revelations

• (as adj. dazed) a dazed expression.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a state of stunned confusion or bewilderment

• he was walking around in a daze.

III. derivatives

dazedly /ˈdeɪzɪdli /

adverb

– origin Middle English: back-formation from dazed (adjective), from Old Norse dasathr ‘weary’; compare with Swedish dasa ‘lie idle’.

dazibao /ˈdɑːdzəbaʊ/

I. noun

(in the People's Republic of China) a wall poster written in large characters, expressing a political opinion.

• they put up dazibao accusing the government of ‘selling its soul’.

– origin Chinese, from dà ‘big’ + zi ‘character’ + bào ‘newspaper or poster’.

dazzle /ˈdaz(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a bright light) blind (a person or their eyes) temporarily

• she was dazzled by the headlights.

2. amaze or overwhelm (someone) with a particular impressive quality

• I was dazzled by the beauty and breadth of the exhibition.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. brightness that blinds someone temporarily

• I screwed my eyes up against the dazzle.

III. derivatives

dazzlement /ˈdaz(ə)lm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘be dazzled’): frequentative of the verb daze.

dazzler /ˈdazlə/

noun

a person or thing that dazzles, in particular a person who is highly impressive or skilful.

• he is a dazzler, hopelessly irresistible with his charm and drop-dead looks.

dazzling /ˈdazlɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. extremely bright, especially so as to blind the eyes temporarily

• the sunlight was dazzling

• ‹figurative› a dazzling smile.

2. extremely impressive, beautiful, or skilful

• a dazzling display of football.

II. derivatives

dazzlingly /ˈdaz(ə)lɪŋli /

adverb

dB

abbreviation

decibel(s).

Db

symbol

the chemical element dubnium.

dba

abbreviation

doing business as

• Bruce Newman, dba Newman Graphics.

DBE

abbreviation

(in the UK) Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

DBMS

abbreviation

database management system.

DBS

abbreviation

1. direct broadcasting by satellite.

2. direct-broadcast satellite.

dbx

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› electronic circuitry designed to increase the dynamic range of reproduced sound and reduce noise in the system.

– origin 1970s: from dB ‘decibel’ + x (representing expander).

DC^1

abbreviation

1. [Music] da capo.

2. (also d.c.) — direct current.

3. District of Columbia

• Washington DC.

4. District Commissioner.

DC^2

I. noun

‹informal› a person's child (used in electronic communication)

• my eldest DC is starting reception tomorrow.

– origin early 21st cent.: abbreviation of darling child or dear child.

DCA

abbreviation

(in the UK) Department for Constitutional Affairs.

DCB

abbreviation

(in the UK) Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath.

DCI

abbreviation

(in the UK) Detective Chief Inspector.

DCL

abbreviation

(in the UK) Doctor of Civil Law.

DCM

abbreviation

(in the UK) Distinguished Conduct Medal, awarded for bravery.

DCMG

abbreviation

(in the UK) Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.

DCMS

abbreviation

(in the UK) Department for Culture, Media, and Sport.

DCVO

abbreviation

(in the UK) Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

DD^1

abbreviation

1. Doctor of Divinity.

2. designated driver

• I'm the DD tonight.

DD^2

I. noun

‹informal› a person's daughter (used in electronic communication)

• my DD is having three girls sleep over for her sixth birthday.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation of darling daughter or dear daughter.

D-Day /ˈdiːdeɪ/

I. noun

1. the day (6 June 1944) in the Second World War on which Allied forces invaded northern France by means of beach landings in Normandy.

2. the day on which an important operation is to begin or a change to take effect.

• Powell embarks on a publicity blitz that promises to be the D-day of author tours.

– origin from D for day + day. Compare with H-hour.

DDC

abbreviation

dideoxycytidine.

DDE

I. noun

[Computing] a standard allowing data to be shared between different programs.

– origin 1980s: abbreviation of Dynamic Data Exchange.

DDI

abbreviation

1. dideoxyinosine.

2. divisional detective inspector.

DDoS

abbreviation

[Computing] distributed denial of service, denoting the intentional paralysing of a computer network by flooding it with data sent simultaneously from many individual computers.

DDR

I. abbreviation

German Democratic Republic.

– origin abbreviation of German Deutsche Demokratische Republik.

DDT /diːdiːˈtiː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic organic compound used as an insecticide. Like other chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons, DDT tends to persist in the environment and become concentrated in animals at the head of the food chain. Its use is now banned in many countries.
●Chem. formula: CCl_3CH(C_6H_4Cl)2.

– origin 1940s: abbreviation of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane.

DE

abbreviation

1. Delaware (in official postal use).

2. (formerly in the UK) Department of Employment.

de-

I. prefix

1. (forming verbs and their derivatives) down; away

• descend

• deduct.

2. completely

• denude

• derelict.

3. (added to verbs and their derivatives) denoting removal or reversal

• deaerate

• de-ice.

4. denoting formation from

• deverbal.

– origin from Latin de ‘off, from’; sense 2 via Old French des- from Latin dis-.

DEA /diːiːˈeɪ/

abbreviation

(US) Drug Enforcement Administration.

deaccession /ˌdiːəkˈsɛʃ(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. officially remove (an item) from a library, museum, or art gallery in order to sell it.

• the decision was made to deaccession the picture.

• [no obj.] museums will deaccession to buy other works.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the official removal of an item from a library, museum, or art gallery in order to sell it.

• in England deaccession has been adopted by local authorities to offset spending cuts.

• [ count noun] the spate of spectacular deaccessions being conducted by American museums.

deacon /ˈdiːk(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (in Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox Churches) an ordained minister of an order ranking below that of priest.

2. (in some Nonconformist Churches) a lay officer appointed to assist a minister, especially in secular affairs.

3. ‹historical› (in the early church) a minister appointed to administer charity.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. appoint or ordain as a deacon.

III. derivatives

deaconship

noun

– origin Old English diacon, via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek diakonos ‘servant’ (in ecclesiastical Greek ‘Christian minister’).

deaconess /ˌdiːkəˈnɛs/

noun

(in the early Church and some modern Churches) a woman with duties similar to those of a deacon.

deactivate /diːˈaktɪveɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) inactive by disconnecting or destroying it

• the switch deactivates the alarm.

2. [Military] remove from active duty.

II. derivatives

1. deactivation

noun

2. deactivator

noun

dead /dɛd/

I. adjective

1. no longer alive

• a dead body

• [as complement] he was shot dead by terrorists

• (as plural noun the dead) there was no time to bury the dead with decency.

2. (of a part of the body) having lost sensation; numb.

• I severed nerves in my leg so part of my foot is dead.

3. lacking emotion, sympathy, or sensitivity

• a cold, dead voice.

4. no longer current, relevant, or important

• pollution had become a dead issue.

5. devoid of living things

• a dead planet.

6. (of a place or time) characterized by a lack of activity or excitement

• Brussels isn't dead after dark, if you know where to look.

7. (of money) not financially productive.

• far from being dead money, it is available to be spent or invested.

8. (of sound) without resonance; dull.

• the earth hit the coffin with a peculiarly dead sound.

9. (of a colour) not glossy or bright.

• a matte, dead black.

10. (of a piece of equipment) no longer functioning

• the phone had gone dead.

11. (of an electric circuit or conductor) carrying or transmitting no current

• the batteries are dead.

12. no longer alight

• the fire had been dead for some days.

13. (of a glass or bottle) empty or no longer being used.

• they got all the dead glasses and put them on the table.

14. (of the ball in a game) out of play.

• the ball had gone dead.

See also dead ball.

15. (of a cricket pitch or other surface) lacking springiness or bounce.

• the pitch was so utterly dead that Pollock could hardly get the ball bail-high.

16. [ attrib.] — complete; absolute

• we sat in dead silence.

II. adverb — [often as submodifier]

1. absolutely; completely

• you're dead right

• he was dead against the idea.

2. exactly

• they arrived dead on time.

3. straight; directly

• red flares were seen dead ahead.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› very

• omelettes are dead easy to prepare.

III. phrases

1. dead and buried

over; finished

• the incident is dead and buried.

2. (as) dead as a (or the) dodo

see dodo.

3. (as) dead as a doornail

see doornail.

4. (as) dead as mutton

see mutton.

5. dead from the neck up

‹informal› stupid.

6. dead in the water

a. (of a ship) unable to move.

• the vessel was dead in the water with no engine power.

b. unable to function effectively

• the economy is dead in the water.

7. dead meat

‹informal› used to suggest someone is in serious trouble

• if anyone finds out, you're dead meat.

8. the dead of night

the quietest, darkest part of the night.

• I woke up at the dead of night.

9. the dead of winter

the coldest part of winter.

• golf can be an unpleasant experience in the dead of winter.

10. dead on

exactly right

• her judgement was dead on.

11. dead on one's feet

‹informal› extremely tired.

• get some sleep—you must be dead on your feet.

12. dead to the world

‹informal› fast asleep.

13. the dead ring of

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› the exact double of

• you're the dead ring of your father at the same age.

14. dead 'un

(Austral.) ‹informal› a loser, especially a racehorse that is made to lose deliberately

• the trick to picking the Cup winner was always to pick the dead 'un in the race before every Cup.

15. from the dead

a. from a state of death

• according to Christian belief, Jesus rose from the dead three days later.

b. from a period of obscurity or inactivity

• the cartoon brought animation back from the dead.

16. make a dead set at

see set^2.

17. more dead than alive

(of a person) hurt and in a very poor state

• he was breathing, but more dead than alive.

18. over my dead body

see body.

19. stop dead stop someone dead

stop (or cause to stop) suddenly or abruptly

• Rob stopped dead and turned to face me

• the sight stopped him dead in his tracks.

20. wouldn't be seen (or caught) dead

‹informal› used to express strong dislike for a particular thing

• I wouldn't be seen dead in a navy suit

• she wouldn't be seen dead shopping with her mother.

IV. derivatives

deadness /ˈdɛdnəs /

noun

– origin Old English dēad, of Germanic origin: related to Dutch dood and German tot, also to die^1.

dead air

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a period during which the signal of a television or radio broadcast is unintentionally interrupted, so that no material is transmitted.

dead ball

noun

1. (in ball games) a ball that has gone out of play or is declared to be out of play.

2. [as modifier] — [Soccer] involving a restart of the game by kicking a stationary ball, e.g. by a free kick

• dead-ball situations.

dead-ball line

noun

1. [Rugby] a line behind the goal line, beyond which the ball is out of play.

2. [Soccer] the byline.

dead bat

noun

[Cricket] a bat held loosely so that the ball falls to the ground immediately when struck.

deadbeat /ˈdɛdbiːt/

I. adjective

1. ( dead beat) — ‹informal› completely exhausted

• I must go to bed—I'm dead beat.

2. (of a clock escapement or other mechanism) without recoil.

II. noun

1. ‹informal› an idle, feckless, or disreputable person.

• drunks and deadbeats.

2. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) a person who tries to evade paying their debts.

• threatening a deadbeat to get him to pay up.

deadbolt /ˈdɛdbəʊlt/

noun

a bolt engaged by turning a knob or key, rather than by spring action.

dead cat bounce

noun

[Stock Exchange] a temporary recovery in share prices after a substantial fall, caused by speculators buying in order to cover their positions.

• is the recession really over, or is it a dead cat bounce?

dead centre

noun

1. the exact centre of something

• Kansas, the dead centre of the USA

• [as adv.] most notebooks have a logo sitting dead centre.

2. the position of a crank when it is in line with the connecting rod and not exerting torque.

dead duck

I. noun

‹informal› a person or thing that is defunct or has no chance of success

• travel promotions are a dead duck as far as marketing directors are concerned.

– origin from the old saying ‘never waste powder on a dead duck’.

deaden /ˈdɛd(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a noise or sensation) less strong or intense

• ether was used to deaden the pain.

2. deprive of the power of sensation

• diabetes can deaden the nerve endings.

3. deprive of force or vitality; stultify

• the syllabus has deadened the teaching process

• (as adj. deadening) a deadening routine.

4. make (someone) insensitive to something

• laughter might deaden us to the moral issue.

II. derivatives

deadener /ˈdɛd(ə)nə /

noun

dead end /ˌdɛd ˈɛnd/

I. noun

1. an end of a road or passage from which no exit is possible

• the path came to a dead end.

2. a road or passage from which no exit is possible.

• Not that way! It's a dead end!

3. a situation offering no prospects of progress or development

• their relationship had reached a dead end

• [as modifier] a dead-end street.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ( dead-end) — (N. Amer.) (of a road or passage) come to a dead end

• he kept walking, until the corridor dead-ended.

deadeye /ˈdɛdʌɪ/

noun

1. [Sailing] a circular wooden block with a groove round the circumference to take a lanyard, used singly or in pairs to tighten a shroud.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) an expert marksman.

• Chuck here is a deadeye.

• [as modifier] a successful field goal requires a deadeye kick.

deadfall

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a trap consisting of a heavy weight positioned to fall on an animal.

2. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) a tangled mass of fallen trees and brush.

• the brush and deadfall along the river stopped us cold.

3. [ count noun] — (N. Amer.) a fallen tree.

• the deadfall was a poplar about ten inches in diameter.

4. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a disreputable drinking place.

• I've been on a few benders in deadfalls along the Alaska Highway.

dead hand

noun

an undesirable persisting influence

• the dead hand of state control.

deadhead /ˈdɛdhɛd/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a faded flower head.

2. ‹informal› a boring or unenterprising person.

• you're just a deadhead.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) a passenger or member of an audience with a free ticket.

4. ( Deadhead) — ‹informal› a fan of the rock group the Grateful Dead.

5. a sunken or partially submerged log.

• most boating accidents begin small, as a disabled engine or a collision with a deadhead.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — remove dead flower heads from (a plant)

• deadhead and spray rose bushes.

2. [no obj.] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› (of a commercial driver) complete a trip in a train or other vehicle with no passengers or cargo

• they deadhead back to Denver on eastbound trains.

dead heat

I. noun

a situation in which two or more competitors in a race are exactly level.

• competition is always fierce, with a dead heat in one of the early races.

• there was a dead heat for second place.

II. verb

( dead-heat) [no obj.] — run or finish a race exactly level.

• he dead-heated at Aintree.

• his riding of Marina Park to dead-heat with King's Signet was inspired.

dead language

noun

a language which is no longer in everyday spoken use, such as Latin.

dead leg

I. noun

1. an injury caused by a numbing blow with the knee to a person's upper leg.

• the striker was taken off with a dead leg.

2. a length of pipe running from a hot water cylinder to the hot taps.

II. verb

( dead-leg) [with obj.] — ‹informal› give (someone) a numbing blow to the upper leg with one's knee.

• Mucker dead-legged him and Andy groaned, sinking to one knee.

dead letter

noun

1. a law or treaty which has not been repealed but is ineffectual or defunct in practice.

2. a thing which is unimportant or obsolete

• theoretical reasoning is a dead letter to a child.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) an unclaimed or undelivered piece of mail.

dead letter box

noun

a place where messages can be left and collected without the sender and recipient meeting.

dead lift

noun

[Weightlifting] a lift made from a standing position, without the use of a bench or other equipment.

deadlight /ˈdɛdlʌɪt/

noun

1. a protective cover or shutter fitted over a porthole or window on a ship.

2. (US) a skylight designed not to be opened.

deadline /ˈdɛdlʌɪn/

noun

1. the latest time or date by which something should be completed.

• the deadline for submissions is Friday 5th February.

• the deadline of 6pm passed without incident.

• the December 6 deadline set by Washington.

2. ‹historical› a line drawn around a prison beyond which prisoners were liable to be shot.

dead load

noun

the intrinsic weight of a structure or vehicle, excluding the weight of passengers or goods.

• a jacking operation to transfer 4000 t of the tower's 6000 t dead load to underlying chalk bedrock.

Often contrasted with live load.

deadlock /ˈdɛdlɒk/

I. noun

1. [in sing.] — a situation, typically one involving opposing parties, in which no progress can be made.

• an attempt to break the deadlock.

2. a situation in a game or match where the scores are level

• Ashton broke the deadlock with a penalty after 15 minutes.

3. (Brit.) a type of lock requiring a key to open and close it, as distinct from a spring lock.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [no obj.] — cause (a situation or opposing parties) to come to a point where no progress can be made because of fundamental disagreement

• the meeting is deadlocked.

2. ( be deadlocked) — (of a game or match) be tied, with the score level.

3. (Brit.) secure (a door) with a deadlock.

• you can deadlock any exit door from the outside.

dead loss /ˌdɛd ˈlɒs/

noun

1. a venture or situation which produces no profit.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) a person or thing that is completely useless.

deadly /ˈdɛdli/

I. adjective

1. causing or able to cause death

• a deadly weapon.

2. filled with hate

• his voice was cold and deadly.

3. extremely accurate, effective, or skilful

• his aim is deadly.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› extremely boring

• my end of the theatre is deadly at the moment.

5. [ attrib.] — complete; total

• she was in deadly earnest.

6. (Irish) (Austral.) ‹informal› very good; excellent

• it's a great town and the pubs are deadly.

II. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. in a way resembling or suggesting death; as if dead

• her skin was deadly pale.

2. extremely

• a deadly serious remark.

III. derivatives

deadliness /ˈdɛdlɪnəs /

noun

– origin Old English dēadlīc ‘mortal, in danger of death’ (see dead, -ly^1).

deadly nightshade /dɛdliˈnʌɪtʃeɪd/

noun

a poisonous bushy Eurasian plant with drooping purple flowers and black cherry-like fruit. Also called belladonna.
● Atropa belladonna, family Solanaceae.

deadly sin

noun

(in Christian tradition) a sin regarded as leading to damnation, especially one of a traditional list of seven.
See the seven deadly sins at seven.

dead man

noun

1. ‹informal› a bottle after the contents have been drunk.

2. (also deadman) — an object buried in or secured to the ground for the purpose of providing anchorage or leverage.

dead man's fingers

plural noun

1. a European colonial soft coral which has spongy lobes stiffened by calcareous spines, said to resemble the fingers of a corpse.
● Alcyonium digitatum, order Alcyonacea.

2. a fungus that produces clumps of dull black, irregular, finger-like fruiting bodies at the bases of dead tree stumps in Eurasia and North America.
● Xylaria polymorpha, family Xylariaceae, subdivision Ascomycotina.

3. ‹informal› the finger-like divisions of a lobster's or crab's gills.

dead man's handle dead man's pedal

noun

(in a train) a lever which acts as a safety device by shutting off power when not held in place by the driver.

dead march

noun

a slow, solemn piece of music suitable for a funeral procession.

dead-nettle

noun

a Eurasian and North African plant of the mint family, with leaves that resemble those of a nettle but lack stinging hairs.
● Lamium and related genera, family Labiatae: several species, including the common white dead-nettle ( L. album).

deadpan /ˈdɛdpan/

I. adjective

impassive or expressionless

• she delivered her monologue in a deadpan voice.

II. adverb

in a deadpan manner.

• ‘That's all right then,’ Claire said, deadpan.

III. verb — [with direct speech]

1. say something amusing while affecting a serious manner

• ‘I'm an undercover dentist,’ he dead-panned.

dead reckoning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of calculating one's position, especially at sea, by estimating the direction and distance travelled rather than by using landmarks or astronomical observations.

deadrise

noun

the vertical distance between a line horizontal to the keel of a boat and its chine.

Dead Sea

a salt lake or inland sea in the Jordan valley, on the Israel–Jordan border. Its surface is 400 m (1,300 ft) below sea level.

Dead Sea scrolls

a collection of Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts discovered in pottery storage jars in caves near Qumran between 1947 and 1956. Thought to have been hidden by the Essenes or a similar Jewish sect shortly before the revolt against Roman rule AD 66–70, the scrolls include texts of many books of the Old Testament; they are some 1,000 years older than previously known versions.

dead shot

noun

an extremely accurate marksman or markswoman.

• he is a dead shot with a rifle.

deadstick landing

noun

an unpowered landing of an aircraft.

deadstock /ˈdɛdstɒk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the machinery used on a farm, as opposed to the livestock.

– origin mid 19th cent.: on the pattern of livestock.

dead time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. time in which someone or something is inactive or unable to act productively.

• the dead time spent on aeroplanes and buses.

2. [Physics] the period after the recording of a particle or pulse when a detector is unable to record another.

dead water

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) still water without any current.

• a ditch full of dead water.

dead weight /dɛdˈweɪt/

noun

1. the weight of an inert person or thing.

• he had to struggle while carrying forty-five pounds of deadweight on his back.

2. a heavy or oppressive burden.

• she'd drag my father's dead weight from wherever he'd fallen.

3. the total weight of cargo, stores, etc. which a ship carries or can carry.

• this will produce a maximum dead weight of 72,350 tons.

4. another term for dead load.

5. [ mass noun] — [Farming] animals sold by the estimated weight of saleable meat that they will yield.

6. [usu. as modifier] — [Economics] losses incurred because of the inefficient allocation of resources, especially through taxation or restriction

• a dead-weight burden.

7. [usu. as modifier] — a debt not covered by assets.

dead white

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a flat, lustreless white.

dead white European male dead white male

noun

‹informal› a writer, philosopher, or other significant figure whose importance and talents may have been exaggerated by virtue of his belonging to a historically dominant gender and ethnic group.

• fanatics of political correctness may dismiss Shakespeare as a dead white European male.

dead wood

noun — [ mass noun]

1. parts of a tree or branch which are dead.

2. people or things that are no longer useful or productive

• a lot of the company's dead wood was removed by voluntary redundancy.

dead wool

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) wool taken from a dead sheep

• wool rugs that shed a lot are that way because they are made from dead wool.

dead zone

noun

1. a place or period in which nothing happens or in which no life exists

• the week before Christmas is always a dead zone at work.

2. an area of the ocean that is depleted of oxygen, frequently due to pollution.

3. a place where it is not possible to receive a mobile phone or radio signal.

deaerate /diːˈɛːreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove dissolved air from (a substance).

II. derivatives

deaeration

noun

deaf /dɛf/

I. adjective

1. lacking the power of hearing or having impaired hearing

• I'm a bit deaf so you'll have to speak up

• deaf children.

2. unwilling or unable to hear or pay attention to something

• she is deaf to all advice.

II. phrases

1. (as) deaf as a post

having very bad hearing.

2. fall on deaf ears

(of a statement or request) be ignored.

• their pleas fell on deaf ears.

3. turn a deaf ear

refuse to listen or respond to a statement or request.

• he turned a deaf ear to all appeals.

– origin Old English dēaf, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch doof and German taub, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek tuphlos ‘blind’.

deaf aid

noun

(Brit.) a hearing aid.

deaf and dumb

adjective

‹dated› ‹offensive› (of a person) both deaf and unable to speak

• he has been deaf and dumb since birth.

deaf-blind

adjective

having a severe impairment of both hearing and vision.

deafen /ˈdɛf(ə)n/

verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to lose the power of hearing permanently or temporarily

• we were deafened by the explosion.

2. (of a loud noise) overwhelm (someone) with sound

• he was deafened by lorry traffic.

3. ( deafen someone to) — cause someone to be unaware of (other sounds)

• the noise deafened him to Ron's approach.

deafening /ˈdɛf(ə)nɪŋ/

I. adjective

(of a noise) so loud as to make it impossible to hear anything else

• the music reached a deafening crescendo.

II. derivatives

deafeningly /ˈdɛf(ə)nɪŋli /

adverb

deafferentation /diːˌaf(ə)r(ə)nˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the interruption or destruction of the afferent connections of nerve cells, performed especially in animal experiments to demonstrate the spontaneity of locomotor movement.

II. derivatives

deafferented

adjective

deaf mute ‹dated offensive›

I. noun

a person who is both deaf and unable to speak.

II. adjective

(of a person) both deaf and unable to speak.

usage: In modern use deaf mute has acquired offensive connotations (implying, wrongly, that such people are without the capacity for communication). It should be avoided in favour of other terms such as profoundly deaf.

deafness /ˈdɛfnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the condition of lacking the power of hearing or having impaired hearing

• the baby is at risk of being born with profound deafness

• loud music is a cause of deafness.

2. the state of being unwilling or unable to hear or pay attention to something

• the deafness shown by political leaders

• a worrying example of deafness to human rights concerns.

Deakin, Alfred /ˈdiːkɪn/

(1856–1919), Australian Liberal statesman, Prime Minister 1903–4, 1905–8, and 1909–10.

deal^1 /diːl/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — distribute (cards) in an orderly rotation to players for a game or round

• the cards were dealt for the last hand

• ‹figurative› fate dealt her a different hand

• [no obj.] he shuffled and dealt.

2. ( deal someone in) — include a new player in a card game by giving them cards.

3. distribute or mete out (something) to a person or group

• the punishments dealt out to the rioters were hideous.

4. [no obj.] — take part in commercial trading of a particular commodity

• directors were prohibited from dealing in the company's shares.

5. be concerned with

• journalism that deals in small-town chit-chat.

6. ‹informal› buy and sell illegal drugs.

• you are suspected of dealing in drugs.

• [with obj.] many of the men are dealing drugs.

7. [no obj.] ( deal with) — take measures concerning (someone or something), especially with the intention of putting something right

• the government had been unable to deal with the economic crisis.

8. cope with or control (a difficult person or situation)

• you'll have to find a way of dealing with those feelings.

9. [with adverbial] — treat (someone) in a particular way

• life had dealt very harshly with her.

10. have commercial relations with

• the bank deals directly with the private sector.

11. have as a subject; discuss

• the novel deals with several different topics.

12. [with two objs] — inflict (a blow) on (someone or something)

• hopes of an economic recovery were dealt another blow.

II. noun

1. an agreement entered into by two or more parties for their mutual benefit, especially in a business or political context

• the government was ready to do a deal with the opposition.

2. [with adj.] — a particular form of treatment given or received

• working mothers get a bad deal.

3. [in sing.] — the process of distributing the cards to players in a card game.

• after the deal, players A and B stay out.

4. a player's turn to distribute cards.

• ‘Time for one more game.’ ‘All right. Whose deal?’.

5. the round of play following a distribution of cards.

6. the set of hands dealt to the players.

III. phrases

1. a big deal ‹informal›

a. [usu. with negative] — a thing considered important

• they don't make a big deal out of minor irritations.

b. ( big deal) — used to express one's contempt for something regarded as impressive or important by another person.

• ‘I'll give you an allowance,’ he said. ‘Big deal,’ she thought.

2. a deal of

‹dated› a large amount of

• he lost a deal of blood.

3. a good (or great) deal

a. a large amount

• I don't know a great deal about politics.

b. to a considerable extent

• she had got to know him a good deal better.

4. it's a deal

‹informal› used to express one's assent to an agreement.

• ‘It's a deal,’ he said, smiling with satisfaction.

5. no big deal

‹informal› used to indicate that something is of little consequence

• We had a casual conversation about it. No big deal.

6. the deal

‹informal› the situation or state of affairs

• what's the deal with you and that guy?

• big double standards exist, but he knows the deal.

7. the real deal

‹informal› a person or thing considered to be a genuine or supremely good example of their kind

• their love affair seems pretty close to the real deal

• Craig is the real deal, an American running legend.

– origin Old English dǣlan ‘divide’, ‘participate’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch deel and German Teil ‘part’ (noun), also to dole^1. The sense ‘divide’ gave rise to ‘distribute’, hence sense 1 of the verb, sense 4 of the verb; the sense ‘participate’ gave rise to ‘have dealings with’, hence sense 2 of the verb, sense 3 of the verb.

deal^2 /diːl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. fir or pine wood as a building material.

2. [ count noun] — a plank made of fir or pine wood.

– origin Middle English: from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch dele ‘plank’.

deal-breaker

noun

(in business and politics) a factor or issue which, if unresolved during negotiations, would cause one party to withdraw from a deal.

• fringe benefits are now seen as an important part of any salary package and base salary is no longer viewed as the deal-breaker.

de-alcoholize de-alcoholise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the alcohol from (a normally alcoholic drink).

II. derivatives

de-alcoholization

noun

dealer /ˈdiːlə/

noun

1. a person who buys and sells goods

• a dealer in foreign stamps.

2. a person who buys and sells shares, securities, or other financial assets as a principal (rather than as a broker or agent).

• a brash young dealer arrived on the dealing floor.

See also broker-dealer.

3. ‹informal› a person who sells illegal drugs

• she was sucked into an underworld of heroin addicts, dealers, pimps, prostitution, and theft

• his mother was a crack dealer and he had a very troubled family life.

4. the player who distributes the cards at the start of a game.

dealership /ˈdiːləʃɪp/

noun

an establishment authorized to buy and sell specific goods, especially motor vehicles
[with modifier]

• his family owns a car dealership.

dealfish

I. noun

a long, slender silvery fish with a dorsal fin running the length of the body, living in the NE Atlantic.
● Trachipterus arcticus, family Trachipteridae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from deal^2 in the sense ‘board’ (with reference to its shape) + fish^1.

deal flow

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Economics] the number of investment opportunities available at a given time to a particular company or investor or within a particular region or market sector

• the firm started to get much more deal flow

• low deal flow has put pressure on loan pricing as banks bid aggressively to win business.

dealign

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a voter) withdraw allegiance to a political party.

• when voters dealign, they become vessels of the Zeitgeist.

II. derivatives

dealignment

noun

dealing /ˈdiːlɪŋ/

noun

1. ( dealings) — business relations or transactions

• they had dealings with an insurance company.

2. a personal connection or association with someone

• my dealings with the gentler sex.

3. the activity of buying and selling a particular commodity

• share dealings

• drug dealing.

dealmaker /diːlˈmeɪkə/

I. noun

a person who is skilled at bringing commercial or political deals to a satisfactory conclusion.

II. derivatives

dealmaking

noun

dealt /dɛlt/

past participle of deal^1.

deamination /dɪˈamɪneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] the removal of an amino group from an amino acid or other compound.

II. derivatives

deaminated

adjective

dean^1 /diːn/

I. noun

1. the head of the chapter of a cathedral or collegiate church.

2. (also rural dean, area dean) — (Brit.) a member of the clergy exercising supervision over a group of parochial clergy within a division of an archdeaconry.

3. the head of a university faculty or department or of a medical school.

4. (in a college or university, especially Oxford or Cambridge) a senior member of a college, with disciplinary and advisory functions.

– origin Middle English: from Old French deien, from late Latin decanus ‘chief of a group of ten’, from decem ‘ten’. Compare with doyen.

dean^2

noun

variant spelling of dene^1.

Dean, Christopher

see Torvill and Dean.

Dean, James

(1931–55), American actor; born James Byron. Although he starred in only three films before dying in a car accident, he became a cult figure closely identified with the title role of Rebel Without a Cause (1955), symbolizing for many the disaffected youth of the post-war era.

deanery /ˈdiːn(ə)ri/

noun

1. (Brit.) the group of parishes presided over by a rural dean.

2. the official residence of a dean.

3. the position or office of a dean.

de-anglicize de-anglicise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove English characteristics or influence from.

• Europeans make adaptations that effectively de-Anglicize the English language.

II. derivatives

de-anglicization

noun

Dean of Faculty

noun

the president of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland.

dean's list

noun

(N. Amer.) a list of students recognized for academic achievement during a term by the dean of the college they attend.

dear /dɪə/

I. adjective

1. regarded with deep affection

• a dear friend

• he is very dear to me.

2. used in speech as a polite or affectionate form of address

• Martin, my dear fellow.

3. used in the polite form of address at the start of a letter.

4. endearing; sweet

• a dear little puppy.

5. (chiefly Brit.) expensive

• five pounds—that's a bit dear!

II. noun

1. used as an affectionate or friendly form of address

• don't you worry, dear.

2. a sweet or endearing person

• Harry's a dear.

III. adverb

(chiefly Brit.) at a high cost

• they buy property cheaply and sell dear.

IV. exclamation

used in expressions of surprise, dismay, or sympathy

• oh dear, I've upset you.

V. phrases

for dear life

see life.

VI. derivatives

dearness /ˈdɪərnəs /

noun

– origin Old English dēore, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dier ‘beloved’, also to Dutch duur and German teuer ‘expensive’.

dearest

I. adjective

1. most loved or cherished

• one of my dearest friends.

2. (Brit.) most expensive

• beer is dearest in Germany.

II. noun

used as an affectionate form of address.

• you make me so happy, dearest.

dearie /ˈdɪəri/

I. noun

‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) used as a friendly or condescending form of address.

• having trouble, dearie?

II. phrases

dearie me!

‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) used to express surprise or dismay.

• well, dearie me, what a shame.

Dear John letter /dɪə ˈdʒɒn lɛtə / Dear John

noun

‹informal› a letter from a woman to a man, ending a romantic or sexual relationship.

dearly /ˈdɪəli/

adverb

1. very much

• he loved his parents dearly.

2. with much loss or suffering; at great cost

• freedom to worship our religion has been bought dearly.

dearth /dəːθ/

I. noun

1. a scarcity or lack of something

• there is a dearth of evidence.

2. ‹archaic› a situation where food is in short supply.

– origin Middle English derthe (see dear, -th^2).

deasil /ˈdɛs(ə)l, ˈdjɛʃ(ə)l / deisal

I. adverb

‹dated› (chiefly Scottish) in the direction of the sun's apparent course, considered as lucky; clockwise.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic deiseil.

death /dɛθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person or organism

• he had been depressed since the death of his father

• [ count noun] an increase in deaths from skin cancer

• I don't believe in life after death.

2. the state of being dead

• even in death, she was beautiful.

3. the permanent ending of vital processes in a cell or tissue.

4. ( Death) — the personification of the power that destroys life, often represented in art and literature as a skeleton or an old man holding a scythe.
Also called the Grim Reaper.

5. the destruction or permanent end of something

• the death of her hopes.

6. a damaging or destructive state of affairs

• to be driven to a dance by one's father would be social death.

II. phrases

1. as sure as death

quite certain.

2. at death's door

(especially in hyperbolic use) so ill that one may die.

• you've been out a lot, considering you're supposed to be at death's door.

3. be the death of

(often used hyperbolically or humorously) cause someone's death

• you'll be the death of me with all your questions.

4. be in at the death

a. be present when a hunted animal is caught and killed.

b. be present when something fails or comes to an end.

5. catch one's death (of cold)

‹informal› catch a severe cold or chill.

• don't come out, dear, you'll catch your death!

6. do someone to death

kill someone.

• he had been done to death by his two attackers.

7. do something to death

perform or repeat something so frequently that it becomes tediously familiar

• a subject that has been done to death by generations of painters.

8. a fate worse than death

a terrible experience.

• are you going to buy me a drink as well as rescuing me from a fate worse than death?

9. like death warmed up ( ‹or N. Amer.› over)

‹informal› extremely tired or ill.

• I feel like death warmed up.

10. a matter of life and death

see life.

11. put someone to death

kill someone, especially with official sanction.

• the prisoner was found guilty of sabotage and put to death without trial.

12. till (or until) death us do part

for as long as each of a couple live

• to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.

[from the marriage service in the Book of Common Prayer.]

13. to death

a. used of a particular action or process that results in someone's death

• he was stabbed to death.

b. used to emphasize the extreme nature of a specific action, feeling, or state of mind

• I'm sick to death of you

• I've got used to speaking in public but it used to scare me to death.

14. to the death

until dead

• a fight to the death.

III. derivatives

deathlike /ˈdɛθlʌɪk /

adjective

– origin Old English dēath, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dood and German Tod, also to die^1.

death adder

noun

a venomous Australian snake which has a thin worm-like tail that it uses to lure birds and other prey.
●Genus Acanthophis, family Elapidae: three species.

deathbed /ˈdɛθbɛd/

noun

1. the bed where someone is dying or has died.

2. used in reference to the time when someone is dying or died
[as modifier]

• a deathbed confession.

death blow

noun

1. a stroke with a hand or weapon that causes death.

2. an event or circumstance which abruptly ends something

• this feature of quantum mechanics dealt a death blow to the theory.

death camp

noun

a prison camp for political prisoners or prisoners of war in which many die from poor conditions and treatment.

death cap

noun

a deadly poisonous toadstool with a pale olive-green cap and white gills, growing in broadleaved woodland in both Eurasia and North America.
● Amanita phalloides, family Amanitaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

death cell

noun

a cell occupied by a prisoner who has been condemned to death or who awaits execution.

death certificate

noun

an official statement, signed by a doctor, of the cause, date, and place of a person's death.

death-dealing

adjective

capable of causing death

• death-dealing drugs.

death duty

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the UK) a tax levied on property after the owner's death (replaced officially in 1975 by capital transfer tax and in 1986 by inheritance tax).

death futures

plural noun

(US) ‹informal› life insurance policies of terminally ill people, purchased by a third party at less than their mature value as a form of short-term investment.
See also viatical settlement.

death grant

noun

(in the UK) a state grant towards funeral expenses (abolished under the Social Security Act 1986).

death house

noun

1. a house in which someone has died.

2. a place for storing bodies prior to burial or cremation.

3. (US) ‹informal› the building in which prisoners are kept in preparation for execution.

death instinct

noun

[Psychoanalysis] an innate desire for self-annihilation, proposed by certain psychologists.
Compare with life instinct.

death knell

noun

1. the tolling of a bell to mark someone's death.

2. used to refer to the imminent destruction or failure of something

• the chaos may sound the death knell for the UN peace plan.

deathless /ˈdɛθləs/

I. adjective

‹chiefly literary› ‹humorous› immortal

• pages of deathless prose.

II. derivatives

deathlessness

noun

deathly /ˈdɛθli/

adjective

1. resembling or suggestive of death

• a deathly hush fell over the breakfast table

• [as submodifier] his face was deathly pale.

2. ‹archaic› ‹literary› relating to or causing death

• an eagle carrying a snake in its deathly grasp.

death mask

noun

a plaster cast taken of a dead person's face, used to make a mask or model.

death match

noun

1. (in wrestling) a match in which many of the normal rules do not apply, typically leading to a more violent contest.

2. (in computer gaming) a mode of play in which the aim is to kill the characters controlled by other players.

death metal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of heavy metal music using lyrics preoccupied with death, suffering, and destruction.

death-obsessed

adjective

excessively preoccupied with death; morbid

• the two central characters are a pair of misfit, death-obsessed sisters

• his death-obsessed works of fiction.

death-or-glory

adjective

brave to the point of foolhardiness; reckless

• a death-or-glory approach to political problems.

death penalty

noun — ( the death penalty)

1. punishment by execution.

• offences carrying the death penalty.

death rate

noun

the ratio of deaths to the population of a particular area or during a particular period of time, usually calculated as the number of deaths per one thousand people per year.

• improved diets have reduced death rates.

death rattle

noun

a gurgling sound sometimes heard in a dying person's throat.

death ray

noun

(in science fiction) a beam or ray capable of killing.

death roll

noun

(Brit.) old-fashioned term for death toll.

death row

noun

a prison block or section for those sentenced to death

• a convicted killer on death row.

death's head

noun

a human skull as a symbol of mortality.

death's head hawkmoth

noun

a large dark European hawkmoth which has a skull-like marking on the thorax.
● Acherontia atropos, family Sphingidae.

death slide

noun

(chiefly Brit.) another term for zip line.

• there were fun and games for both children and adults from the coconut shy and the death slide to a merry-go-round and a bouncy castle.

death song

noun

a song sung before or after someone's death or to commemorate the dead.

death spiral

noun

1. a spiralling downward path taken by an aircraft that is out of control

• the plane went into a death spiral and then a nose dive.

2. used in reference to a rapidly worsening situation, typically one that ends in disaster

• when demand dipped, it sent a lot of vineyards into a death spiral

• his career is in a death spiral.

3. (in pairs skating) a move in which the man pivots on one foot while the woman, stretched out almost parallel to the ice and holding on to his outstretched hand, circles around him with one skate on the ice

• the death spiral is performed by almost every skating pair.

death squad

noun

an armed paramilitary group formed to kill political opponents.

• the police operated death squads to eliminate prominent government opponents.

death stare death glare

noun

‹informal› a hostile or contemptuous look directed at a particular person

• Bruce gave her a death stare that was even detectable through his sunglasses.

death tax

noun

US term for inheritance tax.

death toll

noun

the number of deaths resulting from a particular cause.

• this brought the death toll from cross-border clashes to eighteen.

deathtrap /ˈdɛθtrap/

noun

a place, structure, or vehicle that is potentially very dangerous.

• a match can turn a foam-filled armchair into a death trap in seconds.

Death Valley

a deep arid desert basin below sea level in SE California and SW Nevada, the hottest and driest part of North America.

death warrant

noun

an official order for the execution of a condemned person

• he signed the king's death warrant in 1649

• ‹figurative› he signed his own death warrant by being seen as a peacemaker.

deathwatch beetle /ˌdɛθwɒtʃ ˈbiːt(ə)l/

noun

a small beetle whose larvae bore into dead wood and structural timbers, causing considerable damage. The adult makes a tapping sound like a watch ticking, formerly believed to portend death.
● Xestobium rufovillosum, family Anobiidae.

death wish

noun

an unconscious desire for one's own death.

deattribute /ˌdiːəˈtrɪbjuːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cease to attribute (a work of art) to a particular artist.

• imitations that have been deattributed.

II. derivatives

deattribution

noun

deb /dɛb/

noun

‹informal› short for debutante.

debacle /deɪˈbɑːk(ə)l/

I. noun

a sudden and ignominious failure; a fiasco.

• the only man to reach double figures in the second-innings debacle.

– origin early 19th cent. (in sense ‘the breaking up of ice in a river’): from French débâcle, from débâcler ‘unleash’, from dé- ‘un-’ + bâcler ‘to bar’ (from Latin baculum ‘staff’).

debag /diːˈbaɡ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› take the trousers off (someone) as a joke or punishment.

• we debagged him and put his Y-fronts on the roof!

deballast

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove ballast from (a ship) in order to increase its buoyancy.

• deballast the temporary launching barge until the end of the buoyant tower floats.

debar /dɪˈbɑː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. exclude or prohibit (someone) officially from doing something

• first-round candidates were debarred from standing.

II. derivatives

debarment /dɪˈbɑːm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from French débarrer, from Old French desbarrer ‘unbar’, from des- (expressing reversal) + barrer ‘to bar’.

debark^1 /diːˈbɑːk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. leave a ship or aircraft.

• the President debarked to girlish squeals.

2. [with obj.] — unload (cargo or troops) from a ship or aircraft.

• the ship would simply sail into the harbour, dock, and begin debarking troops.

II. derivatives

debarkation /diːbɑːˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French débarquer.

debark^2 /diːˈbɑːk/

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove (the bark) from a tree.

• the timber was then debarked and treated with insecticide.

debase /dɪˈbeɪs/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — reduce (something) in quality or value; degrade

• the love episodes debase the dignity of the drama.

2. lower the moral character of (someone)

• war debases people.

3. ‹historical› lower the value of (coinage) by reducing the content of precious metal.

• the King was forced to debase the coinage.

II. derivatives

1. debasement /dɪˈbeɪsm(ə)nt /

noun

2. debaser /dɪˈbeɪsə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘humiliate, belittle’): from de- ‘down’ + the obsolete verb base (compare with abase), expressing the notion ‘bring down completely’.

debased /dɪˈbeɪst/

adjective

reduced in quality or value

• the debased traditions of sportsmanship.

debatable /dɪˈbeɪtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. open to discussion or argument

• it is debatable whether the country is coming out of recession.

2. ‹historical› (of land) on the border between two countries and claimed by each.

II. derivatives

debatably

adverb

debate /dɪˈbeɪt/

I. noun

1. a formal discussion on a particular matter in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward and which usually ends with a vote.

• last night's debate on the Education Bill.

2. an argument about a particular subject, especially one in which many people are involved

• the national debate on abortion

• [ mass noun] there has been much debate about prices.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. argue about (a subject), especially in a formal manner

• MPs debated the issue in the Commons

• [no obj.] members of the society debated for five nights.

2. [with clause] — consider a possible course of action in one's mind before reaching a decision

• he debated whether he should leave the matter alone or speak to her.

III. phrases

1. be open to debate

be unproven and requiring further discussion.

• whether a further wave of takeovers would benefit consumers is open to debate.

2. under debate

being discussed or disputed.

• the subject is still under debate.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + battere ‘to fight’.

debater /dəˈbeɪtə/

noun

a person who argues about a subject, especially in a formal manner

• he is a skilled debater and has a deep command of the issues.

debating point

noun

an interesting subject for debate, especially one which is not essential to the matter under discussion.

debauch /dɪˈbɔːtʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. destroy or debase the moral purity of; corrupt.

• Hitler debauched the moral climate of Germany.

2. ‹dated› seduce (a woman).

• he debauches the doctor's teenage daughter.

II. noun

1. a bout of excessive indulgence in sex, alcohol, or drugs.

• Patrick looked utterly untouched by the previous night's debauch.

2. [ mass noun] — the practice of excessive indulgence in sex, alcohol, or drugs

• his life had been spent in debauch.

III. derivatives

debaucher

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from French débaucher (verb) ‘turn away from one's duty’, from Old French desbaucher, of uncertain ultimate origin.

debauched /dɪˈbɔːtʃt/

adjective

indulging in or characterized by excessive indulgence in sex, alcohol, or drugs

• a debauched lifestyle.

debauchee /ˌdɪbɔːˈtʃiː, ˌdɪbɔːˈʃiː/

I. noun

a person given to excessive indulgence in sex, alcohol, or drugs.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French débauché ‘turned away from duty’, past participle of débaucher (see debauch).

debauchery /dɪˈbɔːtʃ(ə)ri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessive indulgence in sex, alcohol, or drugs.

debby /ˈdɛbi/

adjective

‹informal› characteristic of a debutante

• a debby girlfriend.

debeak

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the upper part of the beak of (a bird) to prevent it injuring other birds.
(as noun debeaking)

• debeaking is thought to cause chickens chronic pain.

de Beauvoir, Simone /də ˈbəʊvwɑː, French də bovwaʀ/

(1908–86), French existentialist philosopher, novelist, and feminist. Her best-known work is The Second Sex (1949), a central book of the ‘second wave’ of feminism. She had a lifelong association with Jean-Paul Sartre.

debenture /dɪˈbɛntʃə/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a long-term security yielding a fixed rate of interest, issued by a company and secured against assets.

2. (also debenture bond) — (N. Amer.) an unsecured loan certificate issued by a company.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a voucher issued by a royal household, giving the right to claim payment for goods or services): from Latin debentur ‘are owing’ (from debere ‘owe’), used as the first word of a certificate recording a debt. The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

debilitate /dɪˈbɪlɪteɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) very weak and infirm

• he was severely debilitated by a stomach upset

• (as adj. debilitated) a debilitated patient.

2. hinder, delay, or weaken

• hard drugs destroy families and debilitate communities.

II. derivatives

1. debilitation /dɪbɪlɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. debilitative

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin debilitat- ‘weakened’, from the verb debilitare, from debilitas (see debility).

debilitating /dɪˈbɪlɪteɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (of a disease or condition) making someone very weak and infirm

• debilitating back pain.

2. tending to weaken something

• the debilitating effects of underinvestment.

II. derivatives

debilitatingly

adverb

debility /dɪˈbɪlɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. physical weakness, especially as a result of illness.

• most of the cases presented with general debility, muscle weakness, and weight loss.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French debilite, from Latin debilitas, from debilis ‘weak’.

debit /ˈdɛbɪt/

I. noun

1. an entry recording a sum owed, listed on the left-hand side or column of an account.

• a double-entry system of bookkeeping, where each debit has a corresponding credit entry.

The opposite of credit.

2. a payment made or owed.

• a further debit of £21 6s 6d had been received from the Locomotive Department.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a bank or other financial organization) remove (an amount of money) from a customer's account

• $10,000 was debited from their account.

2. remove an amount of money from (a bank account)

• cash terminals automatically debit a customer's bank account.

III. phrases

1. be in debit

(of an account) show a net balance of money owed to others.

• the account is only 120 francs in debit.

2. the debit side

the unsatisfactory aspect of a situation

• on the debit side, they predict a rise in book prices.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘debt’): from French débit, from Latin debitum ‘something owed’ (see debt). The verb sense dates from the 17th cent.; the current noun sense from the late 18th cent.

debitage /ˌdɛbɪˈtɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Archaeology] waste material produced in the making of prehistoric stone implements.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from French débitage ‘cutting of stone’, from débiter ‘discharge, dispense’.

debit card

noun

a card allowing the holder to transfer money electronically from their bank account when making a purchase.

deblur

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹technical› make (a blurred image) sharper.

debonair /ˌdɛbəˈnɛː/

I. adjective

(of a man) confident, stylish, and charming.

• all the men looked debonair and handsome in white tie and tails.

II. derivatives

debonairly

adverb

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘meek or courteous’): from Old French debonaire, from de bon aire ‘of good disposition’.

debone /diːˈbəʊn/

verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. deboned)

1. remove the bones from (meat or fish) before cooking.

Deborah /ˈdɛbərə, ˈdɛbrə/

a biblical prophet and leader who inspired the Israelite army to defeat the Canaanites (Judges 4–5). The ‘Song of Deborah’, a song of victory attributed to her, is thought to be one of the oldest sections of the Bible.

deboss /diːˈbɒs/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. debossed)

1. stamp (a design) into the surface of an object so that it is indented

• a blue awareness bracelet with a debossed logo.

2. stamp a design into the surface of (an object)

• the shoulders of the lemon-yellow bottle are debossed with lemons.

– origin 1930s: from de- and emboss.

debouch /dɪˈbaʊtʃ, dɪˈbuːʃ/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. emerge from a confined space into a wide, open area

• the stream finally debouches into a silent pool.

II. derivatives

debouchment /dɪˈbaʊtʃm(ə)nt, dɪˈbuːʃm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French déboucher, from dé- (expressing removal) + bouche ‘mouth’ (from Latin bucca ‘cheek’).

debouchure /dɪbʊˈʃʊə/

I. noun

the mouth of a river or valley.

– origin mid 19th cent.: alteration of embouchure, on the pattern of debouch.

Debrecen /ˈdɛbrətsɛn/

an industrial and commercial city in eastern Hungary; pop. 206,225 (2009).

Debrett, John /dəˈbrɛt/

( c. 1750–1822), English publisher. He compiled The Peerage of England, Scotland, and Ireland (first issued in 1803), which is regarded as the authority on the British nobility; it is published today as Debrett’s Peerage and Baronetage, but is often known just as Debrett’s.

debridement /deɪˈbriːdmɒ̃, dɪˈbriːdm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the removal of damaged tissue or foreign objects from a wound.

II. derivatives

debride

verb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from débrider, literally ‘remove the bridle from’, based on bride ‘bridle’ (of Germanic origin).

debrief /diːˈbriːf/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. question (someone, typically a soldier or spy) about a completed mission or undertaking

• the government debriefed him over a span of four years

• (as noun debriefing) during his debriefing he exposed two Russian spies.

II. noun

a series of questions about a completed mission or undertaking.

• in the debrief, Gary gave his assessment of the trip and his performance.

III. derivatives

debriefer

noun

debris /ˈdɛbriː, ˈdeɪbriː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. scattered pieces of rubbish or remains.

• workmen were clearing the roads of the debris from shattered buildings.

• leaves and garden debris.

2. loose natural material consisting especially of broken pieces of rock.

• a stable arrangement of planets, comets, and debris orbiting the sun.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French débris, from obsolete débriser ‘break down’.

de Broglie, Louis-Victor /də ˈbrəʊɡli, French də bʀɔj/

Prince (1892–1987), French physicist. He was the first to suggest that subatomic particles can also have the properties of waves, and his name is now applied to such a wave. He further developed the study of wave mechanics, which was fundamental to the subsequent development of quantum mechanics. Nobel Prize for Physics (1929).

debruise /dɪˈbruːz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Heraldry] partly obscure (another charge).

– origin Middle English: from Old French debruisier, debrisier, from de- + bruiser, brisier (modern briser), ‘break’.

debt /dɛt/

I. noun

1. a sum of money that is owed or due

• I paid off my debts

• [ mass noun] a way to reduce Third World debt.

2. [ mass noun] — the state of owing money

• the firm is heavily in debt.

3. a feeling of gratitude for a service or favour

• I would like to acknowledge my debt to my teachers.

II. phrases

be in someone's debt

owe gratitude to someone for a service or favour.

• God bless you—I am forever in your debt.

– origin Middle English dette: from Old French, based on Latin debitum ‘something owed’, past participle of debere ‘owe’. The spelling change in French and English was by association with the Latin word.

debt ceiling

noun

an upper limit set on the amount of money that a government may borrow

• on Friday, Congress raised the debt ceiling by $800 million.

debt collector

noun

a person who is employed to collect debts for creditors.

debt counsellor /ˈdɛt ˌkaʊnsələ/

noun

a person who offers professional advice on methods of debt repayment.

debt-free

adjective

not owing any money

• the family business is healthy and completely debt-free.

debt of honour

noun

1. a debt that is not legally recoverable, especially a sum lost in gambling.

2. a feeling of great gratitude

• we owe a debt of honour to miners who have died from these terrible diseases.

debtor /ˈdɛtə/

noun

a person, country, or organization that owes money.

• generally, debtors must negotiate with each creditor separately.

• [as modifier] debtor countries.

debt relief

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the partial or total remission of debts, especially those owed by developing countries to external creditors.

debt security

noun

a negotiable or tradable liability or loan.

debt swap debt-for-nature swap

noun

an arrangement whereby a foreign debt owed by a developing country is transferred to a particular organization, typically in return for the country's committing itself to specified conservation measures.

debt trap

noun

a situation in which a debt is difficult or impossible to repay, typically because high interest payments prevent repayment of the principal

• a new personal bankruptcy law aims to help individuals free themselves from the debt trap

• countries like Greece and Portugal are already caught in a debt trap.

debug /diːˈbʌɡ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. identify and remove errors from (computer hardware or software)

• games are the worst to debug

• (as noun debugging) software debugging.

2. detect and remove concealed microphones from (an area).

3. (N. Amer.) remove insects from (something), especially with a pesticide.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of identifying and removing errors from computer hardware or software.
[as modifier]

• every designer has a different debug method.

debugger /diːˈbʌɡə/

noun

a computer program that assists in the detection and correction of errors in other computer programs.

debunk /diːˈbʌŋk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. expose the falseness or hollowness of (an idea or belief)

• she debunks all the usual rubbish about acting.

2. reduce the inflated reputation of (someone)

• comedy takes delight in debunking heroes.

II. derivatives

1. debunker /diːˈbʌŋkə /

noun

2. debunkery

noun

deburr /diːˈbəː / debur

verb — [with obj.]

1. neaten and smooth the rough edges or ridges of (an object, typically one made of metal).

• hand tools for deburring holes in metal.

• (as noun deburring) an essential tool for sharpening, deburring, and removing rust.

debus /diːˈbʌs/

verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹chiefly military slang› alight from a motor vehicle.

2. [with obj.] — (Brit.) ‹chiefly military slang› unload (personnel or stores) from a vehicle.

Debussy, Claude /dəˈb(j)uːsi, French dəbysi/

(1862–1918), French composer and critic; full name Achille Claude Debussy. Debussy carried the ideas of impressionist art and symbolist poetry into music, using melodies based on the whole-tone scale and delicate harmonies exploiting overtones. Notable works: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (1894).

debut /ˈdeɪbjuː, ˈdɛbjuː/

I. noun

1. a person's first appearance or performance in a particular capacity or role

• the film marked his debut as a director.

2. [as modifier] — denoting the first recording or publication of a group, singer, or writer

• a debut album.

3. ‹dated› the first appearance of a debutante in society.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial]

1. perform in public for the first time

• the Rolling Stones debuted at the Marquee.

2. (of a new product) be launched

• the model is expected to debut at $19,000.

3. [with obj.] — (of a company) launch (a new product)

• the company is to debut new software.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French début, from débuter ‘lead off’.

debutant /ˈdɛbjuːtɒ̃, ˈdeɪɛbjuːtɒ̃/

I. noun

a man making his first public appearance, especially in sport.
[as modifier]

• rarely in the history of the festival has a debutant director won the Palme d'Or.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French débutant ‘leading off’, from the verb débuter.

debutante /ˈdɛbjʊtɑːnt, ˈdeɪɛbjʊtɑːnt/

I. noun

1. an upper-class young woman making her first appearance in fashionable society.

2. a woman making her first public appearance, especially in sport.

• the women's team includes eighteen year-old debutante Katharine Merry.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French débutante (feminine) ‘leading off’, from the verb débuter.

debye /dəˈbʌɪ / debye unit

I. noun

[Chemistry] a unit used to express electric dipole moments of molecules. One debye is equal to 3.336 × 10−30 coulomb metre.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after P. J. Debye (see Debye, Peter).

Debye, Peter /dəˈbʌɪ/

(1884–1966), Dutch-born American chemical physicist; full name Peter Joseph William Debye. Debye is best known for establishing the existence of permanent electric dipole moments in many molecules, demonstrating the use of these to determine molecular size and shape, and modifying Einstein's theory of specific heats as applied to solids. Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1936).

dec.

abbreviation

1. deceased.

2. [Cricket] declared.

Dec.

abbreviation

December.

deca- /ˈdɛkə / dec-

I. combining form

(used commonly in units of measurement) ten; having ten

• decahedron

• decane.

– origin from Greek deka ‘ten’.

decad /ˈdɛkad/

I. noun

‹technical› a group or set of ten.

– origin early 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek dekas, decad-, from deka ‘ten’.

decade /ˈdɛkeɪd, dɪˈkeɪd/

I. noun

1. a period of ten years.

• he taught at the university for nearly a decade.

2. a period of ten years beginning with a year ending in 0.

• the fourth decade of the nineteenth century.

3. each of the five divisions of each chapter of the rosary.

• a local priest led the mourners in a decade of the rosary.

4. a range of electrical resistances, frequencies, or other quantities spanning from one to ten times a base value.

• power per decade of frequency.

II. derivatives

decadal

adjective

– origin late Middle English (denoting each of ten parts of a literary work): via Old French and late Latin from Greek deka ‘ten’. Sense 1 dates from the early 17th cent. / usage: There are two possible pronunciations for decade: one puts the stress on the dec- while the other puts the stress on the -cade (sounds like decayed). The second pronunciation is disapproved of by some traditionalists but is now regarded as a standard, acceptable alternative.

decadence /ˈdɛkəd(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. moral or cultural decline as characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury

• he denounced Western decadence.

2. luxurious self-indulgence

• cream cakes on a Wednesday—pure decadence.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French décadence, from medieval Latin decadentia; related to decay.

decadent /ˈdɛkəd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. characterized by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline.

• a decaying, decadent Britain.

2. luxuriously self-indulgent

• a decadent soak in a scented bath.

II. noun

1. a person who is luxuriously self-indulgent.

• for half a million dollars, he offers rich decadents the chance to lead a deadly safari.

2. (often Decadent) — a member of a group of late 19th-century French and English poets associated with the Aesthetic Movement.

III. derivatives

decadently

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French décadent, from medieval Latin decadentia (see decadence).

decaf /ˈdiːkaf / ‹informal› decaff

I. adjective

decaffeinated

• a decaff cappuccino

• a cup of decaf tea.

II. noun — [ mass noun] ( in the UK)

1. ‹trademark› decaffeinated coffee.

• we haven't any decaf, I'm afraid.

– origin 1950s: abbreviation.

decaffeinated /diːˈkafɪneɪtɪd/

I. adjective

(of coffee or tea) having had most or all of the caffeine removed.

II. derivatives

1. decaffeinate /diːˈkafɪneɪt /

verb

2. decaffeination

noun

decagon /ˈdɛkəɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

a plane figure with ten straight sides and angles.

II. derivatives

decagonal /dɪˈkaɡən(ə)l /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: via medieval Latin from Greek dekagōnon, neuter (used as a noun) of dekagōnos ‘ten-angled’.

decahedron /ˌdɛkəˈhiːdr(ə)n/

I. noun

a solid figure with ten plane faces.

II. derivatives

decahedral

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from deca- ‘ten’ + -hedron, on the pattern of words such as polyhedron.

decal /ˈdiːkal/

I. noun

a design prepared on special paper for durable transfer on to another surface such as glass or porcelain.

– origin 1950s: abbreviation of decalcomania.

decalcified

I. adjective

(of rock or bone) containing a reduced quantity of calcium salts.

• decalcified chalk.

II. derivatives

1. decalcification /diːkalsɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. decalcifier

noun

3. decalcify /diːˈkalsɪfʌɪ /

verb

decalcomania /dɪˌkalkə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of transferring designs from prepared paper on to glass or porcelain.

2. a technique used by some surrealist artists which involves pressing paint between sheets of paper.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French décalcomanie, from décalquer ‘transfer a tracing’ + -manie ‘-mania’ (with reference to the enthusiasm for the process in the 1860s).

decalitre /ˈdɛkəliːtə / ‹US› decaliter, dekaliter, dal, ‹US› dkl

noun

a metric unit of capacity, equal to 10 litres.

Decalogue /ˈdɛkəlɒɡ/

I. noun — ( the Decalogue)

1. the Ten Commandments.

– origin late Middle English: via French and ecclesiastical Latin from Greek dekalogos (biblos) ‘(book of) the Ten Commandments’, from hoi deka logoi ‘the Ten Commandments’ (literally ‘the ten sayings’).

Decameron /dɪˈkamərən/

a work by Boccaccio, written between 1348 and 1358, containing a hundred tales supposedly told in ten days by a party of ten young people who had fled from the Black Death in Florence. The work was influential on later writers such as Chaucer and Shakespeare.

decametre /ˈdɛkəmiːtə / ‹US› decameter, dekameter, dam, ‹US› dkm

I. noun

a metric unit of length, equal to 10 metres.

II. derivatives

decametric

adjective

decamp /dɪˈkamp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. leave a place suddenly or secretly

• now he has decamped to Hollywood.

2. break up or leave a military camp.

• the armies of both chiefs had decamped.

II. derivatives

decampment /dɪˈkampm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from French décamper, from dé- (expressing removal) + camp ‘camp’.

decan /ˈdɛk(ə)n/

I. noun

[Astrology] each of three equal ten-degree divisions of a sign of the zodiac.

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin decanus ‘chief of a group of ten’ (see dean^1).

decanal /dɪˈkeɪn(ə)l, ˈdɛk(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to a dean or deanery.

2. relating to or denoting the south side of the choir of a church, the side on which the dean sits.
The opposite of cantorial.

– origin early 18th cent.: from medieval Latin decanalis, from late Latin decanus (see dean^1).

decane /ˈdɛkeɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless liquid hydrocarbon of the alkane series, present in petroleum spirit.
●Chem. formula: C_10H_22.

decani /dɪˈkeɪnʌɪ/

I. noun

the section of a church or cathedral choir conventionally placed on the south side and taking the first or higher part in antiphonal singing.
The opposite of cantoris.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘of the dean’ (see dean^1).

decant /dɪˈkant/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. gradually pour (wine, port, or another liquid) from one container into another, typically in order to separate out sediment

• he decanted the rich red liquid into some glasses.

2. (Brit.) temporarily transfer (people) to another place

• tour coaches decant eager customers directly into the store.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin decanthare, from Latin de- ‘away from’ + canthus ‘edge, rim’ (used to denote the angular lip of a beaker), from Greek kanthos ‘corner of the eye’.

decanter /dɪˈkantə/

noun

a stoppered glass container into which wine or spirit is decanted.

decapitate /dɪˈkapɪteɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut off the head of (someone)
(as adj. decapitated)

• a decapitated body.

2. attempt to undermine (a group or organization) by removing its leaders

• the Church had been decapitated by the arrest and deportation of all its bishops.

II. derivatives

decapitator

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin decapitat- ‘decapitated’, from the verb decapitare, from de- (expressing removal) + caput, capit- ‘head’.

decapitation /dɪkapɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n, ˌdiːkapɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of cutting off the head of a person or animal

• England's last public decapitation

• shocking scenes of decapitation and murder.

2. an attempt to undermine a group or organization by removing its leaders
[as modifier]

• their decapitation strategy only succeeded in removing one Tory minister.

decapod /ˈdɛkəpɒd / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a crustacean of the order Decapoda, such as a shrimp, crab, or lobster.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting decapods.

Decapoda /ˌdɛkəˈpəʊdə/

I. plural noun

1. [Zoology] an order of crustaceans which includes shrimps, crabs, and lobsters. They have five pairs of walking legs and are typically marine.

2. [Zoology] a former order of cephalopod molluscs which includes squids and cuttlefishes, which have eight arms and two long tentacles.
Compare with Octopoda.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from deca- ‘ten’ + Greek pous, pod- ‘foot’.

decapsulate

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Surgery] remove the capsule or covering from (a kidney or other organ).

• after blood sampling, the kidneys were removed, decapsulated, and stored.

II. derivatives

decapsulation

noun

decarbonize /diːˈkɑːb(ə)nʌɪz / decarbonise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce the amount of gaseous carbon compounds released in or as a result of (an environment or process)

• policies to decarbonize the UK economy.

2. remove carbon or carbonaceous deposits from (an engine or other metal object).

II. derivatives

1. decarbonization /ˌdiːˌkɑːb(ə)nʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. decarbonizer

noun

decarboxylase /ˌdiːkɑːˈbɒksɪleɪz/

noun

[Biochemistry] an enzyme that catalyses the decarboxylation of a particular organic molecule.

decarboxylate /ˌdiːkɑːˈbɒksɪleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] eliminate a carboxylic acid group from (an organic compound).

• heating at 100°C in dryness decarboxylates the proteins to yield glutamic acid.

2. [no obj.] — [Chemistry] undergo the process of decarboxylation

• unstable carbamic acid decarboxylates to yield the amine.

II. derivatives

decarboxylation /ˌdiːkɑːbɒksɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

decarburize /diːˈkɑːbjʊrʌɪz / decarburise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Metallurgy] remove carbon from (iron or steel).

• high-carbon steel was decarburized in the forge.

II. derivatives

decarburization /diːˌkɑːbjʊrʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from de- (expressing removal) + carburize, on the pattern of French décarburer.

decastyle /ˈdɛkəstʌɪl / ‹Architecture›

I. adjective

(of a temple or portico) having ten columns.

II. noun

a ten-columned portico.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Greek dekastulos ‘having ten columns’, from deka ‘ten’ + stulos ‘column’.

decasyllabic /ˌdɛkəsɪˈlabɪk/

adjective

[Prosody] (of a metrical line) consisting of ten syllables.

decasyllable

noun

a metrical line of ten syllables.

decathlon /dɪˈkaθlɒn, dɪˈkaθlən/

I. noun

an athletic event taking place over two days, in which each competitor takes part in the same prescribed ten events (100 metres sprint, long jump, shot-put, high jump, 400 metres, 110 metres hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1,500 metres).

II. derivatives

decathlete /dɪˈkaθliːt /

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from deca- ‘ten’ + Greek athlon ‘contest’.

decay /dɪˈkeɪ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of organic matter) rot or decompose through the action of bacteria and fungi

• the body had begun to decay

• (as adj. decayed) decayed animal and plant matter

• (as adj. decaying) the odour of decaying fish.

2. [with obj.] — cause to rot or decompose

• the fungus will decay soft timber.

3. fall into disrepair; deteriorate

• facilities decay when money is not spent on refurbishment.

4. decline in quality, power, or vigour

• the moral authority of the party was decaying.

5. [Physics] (of a radioactive substance, particle, etc.) undergo change to a different form by emitting radiation.

• the trapped radiocarbon begins to decay at a known rate.

• the W-particle then decays into an electron and a neutrino.

6. ‹technical› (of a physical quantity) undergo a gradual decrease.

• the time taken for the current to decay to zero.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or process of rotting or decomposition

• hardwood is more resistant to decay than softwood

• bacterial decay.

2. rotten matter or tissue

• fluoride heals small spots of decay.

3. structural or physical deterioration

• the old barn rapidly fell into decay.

4. the process of declining in quality, power, or vigour

• the problems of urban decay.

5. [Physics] the change of a radioactive substance, particle, etc. into another by the emission of radiation.

• the gas radon is produced by the decay of uranium in rocks and soil.

• [ count noun] he developed a detector for decays of carbon-14.

6. ‹technical› gradual decrease in the magnitude of a physical quantity.

• the required time constant for current decay is 1 ms.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French decair, based on Latin decidere ‘fall down or off’, from de- ‘from’ + cadere ‘fall’.

Deccan /ˈdɛkən/

a triangular plateau in southern India, bounded by the Malabar Coast in the west, the Coromandel Coast in the east, and by the Vindhaya mountains in the north.

decease /dɪˈsiːs/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹formal› [Law] a person's death

• he held the post until his untimely decease in 1991.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹archaic› die.

• he deceased at his palace of Croydon.

– origin Middle English: from Old French deces, from Latin decessus ‘death’, past participle (used as a noun) of decedere ‘to die’.

deceased /dɪˈsiːst / ‹formal Law›

I. noun — ( the deceased)

1. the recently dead person in question.

• the judge inferred that the deceased was confused as to the extent of his assets.

II. adjective

recently dead

• the deceased man's family

• [ postpositive] the will of Christopher Smith deceased.

decedent /dɪˈsiːd(ə)nt/

I. noun

[US Law] a deceased person.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin decedent- ‘dying’, from the verb decedere (see decease).

deceit /dɪˈsiːt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth

• a web of deceit

• hypocrisy and deceit were anathema to her

• [ count noun] a series of lies and deceits.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, past participle (used as a noun) of deceveir ‘deceive’.

deceitful /dɪˈsiːtfʊl, dɪˈsiːtf(ə)l/

I. adjective

guilty of or involving deceit; deceiving or misleading others

• a deceitful politician

• such an act would have been deceitful and irresponsible.

II. derivatives

1. deceitfully /dɪˈsiːtfʊli, dɪˈsiːtfəli /

adverb

2. deceitfulness /dɪˈsiːtfʊlnəs, dɪˈsiːtfəlnəs /

noun

deceive /dɪˈsiːv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deliberately cause (someone) to believe something that is not true, especially for personal gain

• I didn't intend to deceive people into thinking it was French champagne.

2. (of a thing) give (someone) a mistaken impression

• the area may seem to offer nothing of interest, but don't be deceived.

3. ( deceive oneself) — fail to admit to oneself that something is true.

• it was no use deceiving herself any longer—she loved him with all her heart.

4. be sexually unfaithful to (one's regular partner)

• he had deceived her with another woman.

II. derivatives

1. deceivable /dɪˈsiːvəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. deceiver /dɪˈsiːvə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French deceivre, from Latin decipere ‘catch, ensnare, cheat’.

decelerate /diːˈsɛləreɪt/

I. verb

reduce or cause to reduce in speed
[no obj.]

• the train began to decelerate.

II. derivatives

decelerator

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from de- (expressing removal) + a shortened form of accelerate.

deceleration /ˌdiːsɛləˈreɪʃ(ə)n, dɪsɛləˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. reduction in speed or rate

• speed brakes enable the aircraft to carry out rapid deceleration

• a deceleration in economic growth.

December /dɪˈsɛmbə/

I. noun

the twelfth month of the year, in the northern hemisphere usually considered the first month of winter

• the fuel shortage worsened during December.

– origin Middle English: from Latin, from decem ‘ten’ (being originally the tenth month of the Roman year).

Decembrist /dɪˈsɛmbrɪst/

noun

a member of a group of Russian revolutionaries who in December 1825 led an unsuccessful revolt against Tsar Nicholas I.

decency /ˈdiːs(ə)nsi/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — behaviour that conforms to accepted standards of morality or respectability

• she had the decency to come and confess.

2. behaviour or appearance that avoids impropriety or immodesty

• a loose dress, rather too low-cut for decency.

3. ( decencies) — the requirements of accepted or respectable behaviour

• an appeal to common decencies.

4. ( decencies) — things required for a reasonable standard of life

• I can't afford any of the decencies of life.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘appropriateness, fitness’): from Latin decentia, from decent- ‘being fitting’ (see decent).

decennial /dɪˈsɛnɪəl/

I. adjective

1. recurring every ten years

• the decennial census.

2. lasting for or relating to a period of ten years

• decennial insurance.

II. derivatives

decennially /dɪˈsɛnɪəli /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin decennium ‘a decade’, from decennis ‘of ten years’ (from decem ‘ten’ + annus ‘year’), + -al.

decennium /dɪˈsɛnɪəm/

I. noun

‹rare› a decade.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin, from decem ‘ten’ + annus ‘year’.

decent /ˈdiːs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. conforming with generally accepted standards of respectable or moral behaviour

• a decent clean-living individual.

2. appropriate; fitting

• they would meet again after a decent interval.

3. not likely to shock or embarrass others

• a decent high-necked dress.

4. ‹informal› sufficiently clothed to see visitors

• ‘Hello, miss? Are you decent?’.

5. [ attrib.] — of an acceptable standard; satisfactory

• people need decent homes.

6. good

• there's a few decent players in the team.

7. (Brit.) ‹informal› kind, obliging, or generous

• that's awfully decent of you.

II. phrases

do the decent thing

take the most honourable or appropriate course of action, even if is not necessarily in one's own interests

• after his defeat he should do the decent thing and step down.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘suitable, appropriate’): from Latin decent- ‘being fitting’, from the verb decere.

decently /ˈdiːsntli/

adverb

1. in a way that conforms with generally accepted standards of respectable or moral behaviour

• parents can teach their children how to behave decently

• customers were treated decently.

2. to a fair and appropriate degree; fittingly

• they would like to be decently paid for the work they do

• a decently priced restaurant.

3. in a manner that is not likely to shock or embarrass others

• she must dress decently and not flash too much flesh.

4. to an acceptable or comfortable standard; satisfactorily

• the chances of getting enough cash to live decently are poor

• the interior is decently furnished.

5. fairly well

• he batted decently but not spectacularly

• the thriller was decently received by reviewers.

decentralization /ˌdiːsɛntr(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / decentralisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the transfer of authority from central to local government

• efforts to promote decentralization and reform of the national political party

• [as modifier] the government's decentralization programme.

2. the movement of departments of a large organization away from a single administrative centre to other locations

• the decentralization of business services.

decentralize /diːˈsɛntrəlʌɪz / decentralise

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. decentralized)

1. transfer (authority) from central to local government

• Canada has one of the most decentralized governments in the world.

2. move departments of (a large organization) away from a single administrative centre to other locations.

• new technology allows companies to decentralize large factories.

• [no obj.] he argues that giant corporations must decentralize.

II. derivatives

decentralist

noun, adjective

decentre ‹US› decenter

verb — [with obj.]

1. displace from the centre or from a central position.

2. remove or displace (the individual human subject, such as the author of a text) from a primary place or central role
(as noun decentring)

• the decentring of the author is paradigmatic of contemporary experimental fiction.

decent-sized

adjective

of a satisfactory or good size

• the venue boasts a decent-sized stage and nearly 400 seats.

deception /dɪˈsɛpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of deceiving someone

• obtaining property by deception.

2. [ count noun] — a thing that deceives

• a range of elaborate deceptions.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin deceptio(n-), from decipere ‘deceive’.

deceptive /dɪˈsɛptɪv/

I. adjective

giving an appearance or impression different from the true one; misleading

• he put the question with deceptive casualness.

II. derivatives

deceptiveness /dɪˈsɛptɪvnəs /

noun

deceptively /dɪˈsɛptɪvli/

I. adverb — [usu. as submodifier]

1. in a way or to an extent that gives a misleading impression:

2. to a lesser extent than appears the case

• the idea was deceptively simple.

3. to a greater extent than appears the case

• the airy and deceptively spacious lounge.

usage: Deceptively belongs to a very small set of words whose meaning is genuinely ambiguous. It can be used in similar contexts to mean both one thing and also its complete opposite. A deceptively smooth surface is one which appears smooth but in fact is not smooth at all, while a deceptively spacious room is one that does not look spacious but is in fact more spacious than it appears. But what is a deceptively steep gradient? Or a person who is described as deceptively strong? To avoid confusion, it is probably best to reword and not to use deceptively in such contexts at all.

decerebrate /diːˈsɛrɪbreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. decerebrated)

1. [Biology] remove the cerebrum from (a laboratory animal).

• a decerebrated frog loses the power to learn by experience.

II. derivatives

decerebration

noun

decertify

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove a certificate or certification from.

• the FAA immediately decertified it because it reported false microbursts.

II. derivatives

decertification

noun

de-Christianize de-Christianise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove Christian influences or characteristics from.

II. derivatives

de-Christianization

noun

deci- /ˈdɛsi/

I. combining form

(used commonly in units of measurement) one tenth

• decilitre.

– origin from Latin decimus ‘tenth’.

decibel /ˈdɛsɪbɛl / dB

I. noun

1. a unit used to measure the intensity of a sound or the power level of an electrical signal by comparing it with a given level on a logarithmic scale.

2. (in general use) a degree of loudness

• his voice went up several decibels.

– origin early 20th cent.: from deci- ‘ten’ + bel (the unit being one tenth of a bel).

decide /dɪˈsʌɪd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. come or bring to a resolution in the mind as a result of consideration
[with clause]

• she decided that she liked him

• [with infinitive] I've decided to stay on a bit

• this business about the letter decided me.

2. [no obj.] — make a choice from a number of alternatives

• she had decided on her plan of action

• I've decided against having children.

3. [no obj.] — give a judgement concerning a matter or legal case

• the courts decided in favour of the New York claimants

• [with obj.] the judge will decide the case.

4. come to a decision about (something)

• the council will decide the fate of the homes.

5. resolve or settle (a question or contest)

• an exciting game was decided by a 65th-minute goal.

II. derivatives

decidable /dɪˈsʌɪdəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘bring to a settlement’): from French décider, from Latin decidere ‘determine’, from de- ‘off’ + caedere ‘cut’.

decided /dɪˈsʌɪdɪd/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of a quality) definite; unquestionable

• the sunshine is a decided improvement.

2. (of a person) having clear opinions; resolute.

• you could never talk him round, he was very decided.

3. (of a legal case) having been resolved.

• he quotes from decided cases.

II. derivatives

decidedness

noun

decidedly /dɪˈsʌɪdɪdli/

adverb

1. [usu. as submodifier] — undoubtedly; undeniably

• he looked decidedly uncomfortable.

2. (Brit.) in a decisive and confident way

• ‘No,’ Donna said decidedly.

decider /dɪˈsʌɪdə/

noun

a game, goal, point, etc. that settles a contest or series of contests

• a tense promotion decider.

deciding /dɪˈsʌɪdɪŋ/

adjective

serving to resolve or settle something

• taxes could be the deciding factor for millions of floating voters.

decidua /dɪˈsɪdjʊə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the thick layer of modified mucous membrane which lines the uterus during pregnancy and is shed with the afterbirth.

II. derivatives

decidual /dɪˈsɪdjʊəl /

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: from modern Latin decidua (membrana), literally ‘falling off (membrane)’.

deciduous /dɪˈsɪdjʊəs/

I. adjective

1. (of a tree or shrub) shedding its leaves annually.

• sun-loving deciduous trees like aspen.

Often contrasted with evergreen.

2. ‹informal› (of a tree or shrub) broadleaved.

3. denoting the milk teeth of a mammal, which are shed after a time.

• this is the period when the deciduous teeth are being shed.

II. derivatives

1. deciduously

adverb

2. deciduousness

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin deciduus (from decidere ‘fall down or off’) + -ous.

decigram /ˈdɛsɪɡram / decigramme, dg

noun

a metric unit of mass, equal to one tenth of a gram.

decile /ˈdɛsʌɪl/

I. noun

1. [Statistics] each of ten equal groups into which a population can be divided according to the distribution of values of a particular variable

• the lowest income decile of the population.

2. [Statistics] each of the nine values of the random variable which divide a population into ten deciles.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French décile, from a medieval Latin derivative of Latin decem ‘ten’.

decilitre /ˈdɛsɪliːtə / ‹US› deciliter, dl

noun

a metric unit of capacity, equal to one tenth of a litre.

decimal /ˈdɛsɪm(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting a system of numbers and arithmetic based on the number ten, tenth parts, and powers of ten

• decimal arithmetic.

2. relating to or denoting a system of currency, weights and measures, or other units in which the smaller units are related to the principal units as powers of ten

• decimal coinage.

II. noun

1. (also decimal fraction) — a fraction whose denominator is a power of ten and whose numerator is expressed by figures placed to the right of a decimal point.

• write these decimals as vulgar fractions.

2. [ mass noun] — the system of decimal numerical notation.

• the computer converts the initial data from decimal to binary.

III. derivatives

decimally

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from modern Latin decimalis (adjective), from Latin decimus ‘tenth’.

decimalize /ˈdɛsɪm(ə)lʌɪz / decimalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (a system of coinage or weights and measures) to a decimal system.

II. derivatives

decimalization /dɛsɪməlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

decimal place

noun

the position of a digit to the right of a decimal point.

• calculate, to one decimal place, the following ten ratios.

decimal point

noun

a full point or dot placed after the figure representing units in a decimal fraction.

decimate /ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. kill, destroy, or remove a large proportion of

• the inhabitants of the country had been decimated.

2. drastically reduce the strength or effectiveness of (something)

• public transport has been decimated.

3. ‹historical› kill one in every ten of (a group of people, originally a mutinous Roman legion) as a punishment for the whole group.

• the man who is to determine whether it be necessary to decimate a large body of mutineers.

II. derivatives

decimator

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin decimat- ‘taken as a tenth’, from the verb decimare, from decimus ‘tenth’. In Middle English the term decimation denoted the levying of a tithe, and later the tax imposed by Cromwell on the Royalists (1655). / usage: Historically, the meaning of the word decimate is ‘kill one in every ten of (a group of people)’. This sense has been more or less totally superseded by the later, more general sense ‘kill, destroy, or remove a large proportion of’, as in the virus has decimated the population. Some traditionalists argue that this is incorrect, but it is clear that it is now part of standard English.

decimation /dɛsɪˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the killing or destruction of a large proportion of a group or species

• our growing hunger for fish has resulted in the decimation of fish stocks

• the decimation of our rainforests.

2. a drastic reduction in the strength or effectiveness of something

• we need to halt the decimation of this country's manufacturing base

• economic and financial decimation from two world wars.

3. ‹historical› the killing of one in every ten of a group of people as a punishment for the whole group (originally with reference to a mutinous Roman legion).

decimetre /ˈdɛsɪmiːtə / ‹US› decimeter, dm

I. noun

a metric unit of length, equal to one tenth of a metre.

II. derivatives

decimetric

adjective

decipher /dɪˈsʌɪfə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (a text written in code, or a coded signal) into normal language.

• authorized government agencies can decipher encrypted telecommunications.

2. succeed in understanding, interpreting, or identifying (something)
[with clause]

• visual signals help us decipher what is being communicated.

II. derivatives

1. decipherable /dɪˈsʌɪf(ə)rəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. decipherment /dɪˈsʌɪfəm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from de- (expressing reversal) + cipher^1, on the pattern of French déchiffrer.

decipherer /dɪˈsʌɪfərə/

noun

a person who converts text or code into normal language

• the world's leading expert on, and decipherer of, runes

• a decipherer of Old Norse.

decision /dɪˈsɪʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration

• I'll make the decision on my own

• the editor's decision is final.

2. [ mass noun] — the action or process of deciding something or of resolving a question

• the information was used as the basis for decision.

3. [ mass noun] — the ability or tendency to make decisions quickly; decisiveness

• she was a woman of decision.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin decisio(n-), from decidere ‘determine’ (see decide).

decision maker

noun

a person who makes important decisions

• she is one of the key decision makers within the department on energy issues.

decision-making

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of making important decisions

• the system encourages workers' participation in corporate decision-making

• [ as modifier] the decision-making process.

II. derivatives

decision-maker /dəˈsɪʒ(ə)nˌmeɪkə /

noun

decision problem

I. noun

[Logic] the problem of finding a way to decide whether a formula or class of formulas is true or provable within a given system of axioms.

– origin 1930s: translation of German Entscheidungsproblem.

decision support system

noun

[Computing] a set of related computer programs and the data required to assist with analysis and decision-making within an organization.

decision theory

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the mathematical study of strategies for optimal decision-making between options involving different risks or expectations of gain or loss depending on the outcome.
Compare with game theory.

decisive /dɪˈsʌɪsɪv/

I. adjective

1. settling an issue; producing a definite result

• the archers played a decisive part in the victory

• a decisive battle.

2. having or showing the ability to make decisions quickly and effectively.

• she had an image of being tough and decisive.

• he handled the situation in a calm, decisive way.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French décisif, -ive, from medieval Latin decisivus, from decis- ‘determined’, from the verb decidere (see decide).

decisively /dɪˈsʌɪsɪvli/

adverb

1. in a manner that settles an issue convincingly or produces a definite result

• I want the person who wins the election to win decisively

• samples from his body proved decisively that he was poisoned.

2. in a way that shows the ability to make decisions quickly and effectively

• the government will act decisively against all extremist activities

• we must respond decisively to protect our national interests.

decisiveness /dɪˈsʌɪsɪvnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability to make decisions quickly and effectively

• the crisis will require leadership and decisiveness to resolve it

• he criticized the government for its lack of decisiveness.

2. the conclusive nature of an issue that has been settled or a result that has been produced

• there was no doubting the decisiveness of his victory

• the decisiveness of the policy.

Decius /ˈdiːsɪəs/

I. ( c. 201–51), Roman emperor 249–51; full name Gaius Messius Quintus Trajanus Decius. He was the first Roman emperor to promote systematic persecution of the Christians in the empire.

II. derivatives

Decian

adjective

deck /dɛk/

I. noun

1. a floor of a ship, especially the upper, open level extending for the full length of the vessel

• he stood on the deck of his flagship

• the lower decks.

2. a floor or platform resembling or compared to a ship's deck

• the upper deck of the car park.

3. a floor of a double-decker bus.

• she was sitting on the top deck.

4. a timber platform or terrace attached to a house or other building.

• sitting on his deck on that sunny Sunday afternoon.

5. ( the deck) — ‹informal› the ground or floor

• there was a big thud when I hit the deck.

6. the flat part of a skateboard or snowboard.

7. a component or unit for playing or recording records, tapes, or compact discs

• a record deck

• a cassette deck.

8. ( decks) — a set of two or more record decks connected to sound mixing equipment, used by a DJ

• every serious DJ needs a set of decks.

9. (chiefly N. Amer.) a pack of cards.

• Craig reached into his pocket and caressed his lucky deck of cards.

10. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a packet of narcotics.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. decorate or adorn brightly or festively

• Ingrid was decked out in her Sunday best.

2. ‹informal› knock (someone) to the ground with a punch.

• Lisa threatened to deck her if she didn't stop filming.

III. phrases

1. not playing with a full deck

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› mentally deficient.

• this guy has a screw loose—he wasn't playing with a full deck.

2. on deck

a. on or on to a ship's main deck

• she stood on deck for hours.

b. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› ready for action or work.

– origin late Middle English: from Middle Dutch dec ‘covering, roof, cloak’, dekken ‘to cover’. Originally denoting canvas used to make a covering (especially on a ship), the term came to mean the covering itself, later denoting a solid surface serving as roof and floor.

deckchair /ˈdɛktʃɛː/

noun

a folding chair of wood and canvas, typically used by the sea or on the deck of passenger ships.

decked /dɛkt/

adjective

1. (of a vessel, vehicle, or other structure) having a number of floors or decks

• a decked car park

• [in combination] a two-decked ship.

2. (of a garden or other area attached to a house) having a timber platform or terrace

• the master bedroom leads on to a decked balcony

• a decked patio.

-decker /ˈdɛkə/

combining form

having a specified number of decks or layers

• double-decker.

deckhand /ˈdɛkhand/

noun

a member of a ship's crew whose duties include cleaning, mooring, and cargo handling.

deckhead

noun

the underside of the deck of a ship.

deckhouse /dɛkhaʊs/

noun

a cabin on the deck of a ship or boat, used for navigation or accommodation.

decking /ˈdɛkɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the material of a ship's deck.

• roof decking.

2. the material of a timber platform or terrace attached to a house or other building.

deckle /ˈdɛk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. (also deckle strap) — a device in a papermaking machine for limiting the size of the sheet, consisting of a continuous belt on either side of the wire.

2. a frame on the mould used to shape the pulp when making paper by hand.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from German Deckel, diminutive of Decke ‘covering’.

deckle edge

I. noun

the rough uncut edge of a sheet of paper, formed by a deckle.

II. derivatives

deckle-edged /ˈdɛklˌɛdʒd /

adjective

deck passenger

noun

a passenger on a ship who does not have a cabin.

deck quoits

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. (Brit.) a game in which rope quoits are aimed at a peg, played especially on cruise ships.

deck shoe

noun

a flat canvas or leather shoe with rubber soles.

deck tennis

noun

a game in which a quoit of rope or rubber is tossed to and fro over a net, played especially on cruise ships.

declaim /dɪˈkleɪm/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. utter or deliver words in a rhetorical or impassioned way, as if to an audience
[with obj.]

• she declaimed her views

• [no obj.] a preacher declaiming from the pulpit

• an opportunity to declaim against the evils of society.

II. derivatives

declaimer

noun

– origin late Middle English: from French déclamer or Latin declamare, from de- (expressing thoroughness) + clamare ‘to shout’.

declamation /dɛkləˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or art of declaiming

• Shakespearean declamation

• [ count noun] declamations of patriotism.

2. [ count noun] — a rhetorical exercise or set speech.

• lines written for a school declamation.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘a set speech’): from Latin declamatio(n-), from the verb declamare (see declaim).

declamatory /dɪˈklamət(ə)ri/

adjective

vehement or impassioned in expression

• a long declamatory speech.

declarant /dɪˈklɛːr(ə)nt / ‹chiefly Law›

I. noun

a person or party who makes a formal declaration.

II. adjective

making or having made a formal declaration.

• the declarant state.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French déclarant, present participle of déclarer, from Latin declarare ‘make quite clear’ (see declare).

declaration /dɛkləˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a formal or explicit statement or announcement

• a declaration of love.

2. the formal announcement of the beginning of a state or condition

• the declaration of war.

3. a written public announcement of intentions or of the terms of an agreement.

• all students must sign the following declaration.

4. (also declaration of the poll) — (Brit.) a public official announcement of the votes cast for candidates in an election.

5. [Law] a plaintiff's statement of claims in proceedings.

6. [Law] an affirmation made in place of an oath.

7. the naming of trumps in bridge, whist, or a similar card game.

8. an announcement of a combination held in certain card games.

9. [Cricket] an act of declaring an innings closed.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin declaratio(n-), from declarare ‘make quite clear’ (see declare).

Declaration of Independence

a document declaring the US to be independent of the British Crown, signed by the Congressional representatives of thirteen states, including Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams, and ratified on 4 July 1776.

Declaration of Rights

a statute passed by the English Parliament in 1689, which established the joint monarchy of William and Mary and which was designed to ensure that the Crown would not act without Parliament's consent. It was later incorporated in the Bill of Rights.

declarative /dɪˈklarətɪv/

I. adjective

1. of the nature of or making a declaration

• declarative statements.

2. [Grammar] (of a sentence or phrase) taking the form of a simple statement.

3. [Computing] denoting high-level programming languages which can be used to solve problems without requiring the programmer to specify an exact procedure to be followed.

II. noun

1. a statement in the form of a declaration.

2. [Grammar] a declarative sentence or phrase.

III. derivatives

declaratively

adverb

declarator /dɪˈklarətə / action for declarator

noun

[Scots Law] an action whereby a legal right or status is declared but nothing further is done.

declare /dɪˈklɛː/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — say something in a solemn and emphatic manner
[with clause]

• the prime minister declared that the programme of austerity had paid off

• [with direct speech] ‘I was under too much pressure,’ he declared.

2. [with obj.] — formally announce the beginning of (a state or condition)

• Spain declared war on Britain in 1796.

3. [with obj. and complement] — pronounce or assert (a person or thing) to be something specified

• the mansion was declared a fire hazard.

4. [no obj.] ( declare for/against) — (Brit.) openly align oneself for or against (a party or position) in a dispute

• the president had declared for denuclearization of Europe.

5. ( declare oneself) — reveal one's intentions or identity.

• a number of interested parties who can't declare themselves openly.

6. [no obj.] — announce oneself as a candidate for an election

• he declared last April.

7. ( declare oneself) — ‹archaic› express feelings of love to someone

• she waited in vain for him to declare himself.

8. [with obj.] — acknowledge possession of (taxable income or dutiable goods).

• if you have something to declare customs officers will tell you the duty payable.

9. [no obj.] — [Cricket] close an innings voluntarily before all the wickets have fallen

• Pakistan declared at 446 for four.

10. [with obj.] — announce that one holds (certain combinations of cards) in a card game.

11. name (the trump suit) in a card game.

II. phrases

well, I declare I do declare

an exclamation of incredulity, surprise, or vexation.

• ‘Well, I do declare! It's Annabelle!’.

III. derivatives

1. declarable /dɪˈklɛːrəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. declaratory /dɪˈklarət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Latin declarare, from de- ‘thoroughly’ + clarare ‘make clear’ (from clarus ‘clear’).

declared /dɪˈklɛːd/

I. adjective

1. openly or formally asserted or announced

• despite the company's declared good intentions, some remained sceptical

• he has no declared conflict of interest

• there is only one declared winner

• they are both declared atheists.

2. (of taxable income or dutiable goods) acknowledged as being in one's possession

• his declared income is £60,000

• declared goods are free from VAT.

II. derivatives

declaredly /dɪˈklɛːrɪdli /

adverb

declarer /dɪˈklɛːrə/

noun

[Bridge] the player whose bid establishes the suit of the contract and who must therefore play both their own hand and the exposed hand of the dummy.

declass

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove (someone) from their original social class.

• the proletariat has been declassed.

• (as adj. declassed) declassed millworkers.

déclassé /deɪˈklaseɪ / déclassée

I. adjective

having fallen in social status

• his parents were poor and déclassé.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, ‘removed from one's class, degraded’, past participle of déclasser.

declassify /diːˈklasɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. officially declare (information or documents) to be no longer secret

• government documents were declassified.

2. reassign to a lower classification

• she called for vigorous research before any moves are made to declassify the drug in Ireland.

II. derivatives

declassification /ˌdiːklasɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

declaw /diːˈklɔː/

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the claws from (an animal, typically a cat).

declension /dɪˈklɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the grammar of Latin, Greek, and certain other languages) the variation of the form of a noun, pronoun, or adjective, by which its grammatical case, number, and gender are identified.

2. [ count noun] — the class to which a noun or adjective is assigned according to the manner of this variation.

• this declension involves only two endings, a nominative and an oblique.

3. ‹archaic› a condition of decline or moral deterioration

• the declension of the new generation.

II. derivatives

declensional

adjective

– origin late Middle English declinson, from Old French declinaison, from decliner ‘to decline’. The change in the ending was probably due to association with words such as ascension.

de Clerambault's syndrome /də ˈklɛrəmbəʊz/

I. noun

[Psychiatry] another term for erotomania.

– origin from the name of Gatin de Clérambault (1872–1934), French psychiatrist, who first described it.

declination /ˌdɛklɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [Astronomy] the angular distance of a point north or south of the celestial equator.

• the declination of Arcturus is 19 degrees north.

Compare with right ascension and celestial latitude.

2. the angular deviation of a compass needle from true north (because the magnetic north pole and the geographic north pole do not coincide).

3. [Linguistics] another term for downdrift.

4. (US) formal refusal
[as modifier]

• the mandatory vaccine declination form.

II. derivatives

declinational

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin declinatio(n-), from the verb declinare (see decline).

declination axis

noun

[Astronomy] the axis of an equatorially mounted telescope which is at right angles to the polar axis, about which the telescope is turned in order to view points at different declinations but at a constant right ascension.

decline /dɪˈklʌɪn/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (typically of something regarded as good) become smaller, fewer, or less; decrease

• the birth rate continued to decline.

2. diminish in strength or quality; deteriorate

• her health began to decline

• (as adj. declining) declining industries.

3. [with obj.] — politely refuse (an invitation or offer)

• Caroline declined the coffee

• [with infinitive] the company declined to comment.

4. [no obj.] — (especially of the sun) move downwards.

• the sun began to creep round to the west and to decline.

5. ‹archaic› bend down; droop.

• the wearisome creatures of the world declining to their rest.

6. [with obj.] — (in the grammar of Latin, Greek, and certain other languages) state the forms of (a noun, pronoun, or adjective) corresponding to case, number, and gender.

II. noun

1. a gradual and continuous loss of strength, numbers, or value

• a serious decline in bird numbers

• [ mass noun] a civilization in decline.

2. ‹archaic› the sun's gradual setting.

• this Evening from the Sun's decline arriv'd.

3. ‹archaic› a disease in which the bodily strength gradually fails, especially tuberculosis.

• he died at his brother's of a deep decline.

III. phrases

declining years /dɪˌklʌɪnɪŋ ˈjɪəz /

a. the period of one's old age.

• he needed a companion for his declining years.

b. the period leading up to the end of an enterprise or institution

• the declining years of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

IV. derivatives

1. declinable /dɪˈklʌɪnəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. decliner

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French decliner, from Latin declinare ‘bend down, turn aside’, from de- ‘down’ + clinare ‘to bend’.

declinism /dɪˈklʌɪnɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the belief that a particular country, society, or institution is in a state of significant and possibly irreversible decline

• polls showed a rise in declinism after Nixon's devaluation of the dollar.

declinist /dɪˈklʌɪnɪst/

I. noun

a person who believes that a particular country, society, or institution is in a state of significant and possibly irreversible decline

• the contents of his new book might induce declinists to reconsider their narrative of doom.

II. adjective

characterized by or holding the belief that a country, society, or institution is in decline

• the declinist point of view

• declinist authors.

declivity /dɪˈklɪvɪti/

I. noun

‹formal› a downward slope

• a thickly wooded declivity.

II. derivatives

declivitous /dɪˈklɪvɪtəs /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin declivitas, from declivis ‘sloping down’, from de- ‘down’ + clivus ‘a slope’.

declutch /diːˈklʌtʃ/

verb — [no obj.]

1. disengage the clutch of a motor.
See also double-declutch.

declutter /diːˈklʌtə/

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove unnecessary items from (an untidy or overcrowded place)

• there's no better time to declutter your home.

deco

noun

1. /ˈdɛkəʊ / — short for art deco.

2. /ˈdiːkəʊ / — (in scuba diving) short for decompression.

decoct /dɪˈkɒkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. extract the essence from (something) by heating or boiling it.

• young red oaken leaves decocted in wine make an excellent gargle for a sore mouth.

II. derivatives

decocture

noun

‹rare›

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘cook, heat up’): from Latin decoct- ‘boiled down’, from the verb decoquere, from de- ‘down’ + coquere ‘cook’.

decoction /dɪˈkɒkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a concentrated liquor resulting from heating or boiling a substance, especially a medicinal preparation made from a plant

• a decoction of a root.

2. [ mass noun] — the action or process of extracting the essence of something.

• decoction is used for woody plant material such as roots and bark.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin decoctio(n-), from decoquere ‘boil down’ (see decoct).

decode /diːˈkəʊd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (a coded message) into intelligible language.

• he put down the phone and decoded the message.

2. analyse and interpret (a communication or image)

• a handbook to help parents decode street language.

3. convert (audio or video signals) into a different or usable form, for example to analogue from digital in sound reproduction.

• processors used to decode CD-quality digital audio signals.

II. noun

‹informal› a translation of a coded message

• studying reports, poring over decodes.

III. derivatives

decodable

adjective

decoder /diːˈkəʊdə/

noun

a device capable of converting audio or video signals into a different form, for example from digital to analogue

• a phone with an integrated digital TV decoder.

decoke /diːˈkəʊk/

verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) remove carbon or carbonaceous material from (an internal-combustion engine).

decollate^1 /dɪˈkɒleɪt, ˈdɛkəleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› behead (someone).

• the murderer is instantly decollated.

II. derivatives

decollation /ˌdɪkɒˈleɪʃ(ə)n, ˌdɛkəˈleɪʃ(ə)n, ˌdiːkəˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin decollat- ‘beheaded’, from the verb decollare, from de- (expressing removal) + collum ‘neck’.

decollate^2 /ˌdiːkəˈleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. mechanically separate sheets of paper into different piles.

II. derivatives

1. decollation /ˌdɪkɒˈleɪʃ(ə)n, ˌdɛkəˈleɪʃ(ə)n, ˌdiːkəˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. decollator

noun

– origin 1960s: from de- ‘away from’ + collate.

decollement /deɪˈkɒlmɔ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a process in which some strata become partly detached from those underneath and slide over them, causing folding and deformation.

2. (also decollement zone) [ count noun] — [Geology] a boundary separating deformed strata from underlying strata which are not similarly deformed.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from décoller ‘unstick’.

décolletage /ˌdeɪkɒlɪˈtɑːʒ, deɪˈkɒltɑːʒ/

I. noun

1. a low neckline on a woman's dress or top.

2. a woman's cleavage as revealed by a low neckline on a dress or top.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, from décolleter ‘expose the neck’, from dé- (expressing removal) + collet ‘collar of a dress’.

décolleté /deɪˈkɒlteɪ / décolletée

I. adjective

(of a woman's dress or top) having a low neckline.

II. noun

a low neckline on a woman's dress or top.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, past participle of décolleter ‘expose the neck’.

decolonize /diːˈkɒlənʌɪz / decolonise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a state) withdraw from (a colony), leaving it independent

• Spain seemed in no hurry to decolonize those lands.

II. derivatives

decolonization /ˌdiːkɒlənʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

decolorize /diːˈkʌlərʌɪz / decolorise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the colour from.

• ethane decolorizes bromine water.

II. derivatives

decolorization /ˌdiːkʌlərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

decolour /diːˈkʌlə / ‹US› decolor

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the colour from.

– origin late Middle English: from French décolorer or Latin decolorare, from de- (expressing removal or reversal) + Latin colorare ‘to colour’.

decommission /diːkəˈmɪʃ(ə)n/

verb — [with obj.]

1. withdraw (something, especially weapons or military equipment) from service.

• a decision to decommission the ice patrol ship HMS Endurance.

2. make (a nuclear reactor) inoperative and dismantle it safely.

• we need to decommission old nuclear power stations.

• (as noun decommissioning) decommissioning was a lengthy, expensive, and potentially hazardous enterprise.

decommunize decommunise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the features or influence of communism from.

II. derivatives

decommunization

noun

decompensation

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — [Medicine] the failure of an organ (especially the liver or heart) to compensate for the functional overload resulting from disease.

2. [Psychiatry] the failure to generate effective psychological coping mechanisms in response to stress, resulting in personality disturbance.

II. derivatives

decompensated

adjective

decompile /diːkəmˈpʌɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. produce source code from (compiled code).

• a programmer has to decompile the code.

II. derivatives

1. decompilation

noun

2. decompiler

noun

decompose /diːkəmˈpəʊz/

I. verb

1. (with reference to a dead body or other organic matter) make or become rotten; decay or cause to decay
[no obj.]

• the body had begun to decompose

• (as adj. decomposing) decomposing fungi

• [with obj.] dead plant matter can be completely decomposed by micro-organisms.

2. (with reference to a chemical compound) break down or cause to break down into component elements or simpler constituents.
[no obj.]

• many chemicals decompose rapidly under high temperature.

• [with obj.] living organisms are used to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen.

3. [with obj.] — [Mathematics] express (a number or function) as a combination of simpler components.

• in how many ways can one decompose a number as a sum of squares?

II. derivatives

1. decomposable /diːkəmˈpəʊzəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. decomposer /ˌdiːkəmˈpəʊzə /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent. (in the sense ‘separate into simpler constituents’): from French décomposer, from de- (expressing reversal) + composer.

decomposition /ˌdiːkɒmpəˈzɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or process of rotting; decay

• the decomposition of organic waste.

decompress /ˌdiːkəmˈprɛs/

verb — [with obj.]

1. [with obj.] — relieve of compressing forces, in particular

2. subject (a diver) to decompression.

• when a worker is suddenly decompressed, he should be placed in the airlock.

3. expand (compressed data) to its normal size so that it can be read and processed by a computer.

• it takes less time to load a small file and decompress it than to pull a larger file off the disk.

4. [no obj.] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› calm down and relax

• Michael sits for a minute to decompress before walking home.

decompression /diːkəmˈprɛʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. reduction in air pressure

• decompression of the aircraft cabin.

2. a gradual reduction of air pressure on a person who has been experiencing high pressure while diving.

• itching and rashes often occur following decompression.

• [as modifier] the swim took some two hours, including a one hour decompression stop.

3. the process of expanding computer data to its normal size so that it can be read by a computer.

• this disk contains a number of utilities which require decompression.

decompression chamber

noun

a small room in which the air pressure can be varied, used chiefly to allow deep-sea divers to adjust gradually to normal air pressure.

decompression sickness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a condition that results when too rapid decompression causes nitrogen bubbles to form in the tissues of the body. It is suffered particularly by divers (who often call it the bends), and can cause pain in the muscles and joints, cramp, numbness, nausea, and paralysis.
Also called caisson disease.

decompressor /diːkəmˈprɛsə/

noun

(Brit.) a device for reducing pressure in the engine of a motor vehicle.

deconditioned

I. adjective

having lost fitness or muscle tone, especially through lack of exercise.

• deconditioned muscles.

II. derivatives

decondition

verb

deconditioning /diːkənˈdɪʃ(ə)nɪŋ/

noun

[Psychiatry] the reform or reversal of previously conditioned behaviour, especially in the treatment of phobia and other anxiety disorders in which the fear response to certain stimuli is brought under control.

• anxiety reactions triggered by specific stimuli may be subject to deconditioning.

Compare with counter-conditioning.

deconflict /ˌdiːkənˈflɪkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Military] reduce the risk of collision between (aircraft, airborne weaponry, etc.) in an area by coordinating their movements.

II. derivatives

deconfliction

noun

decongest /diːk(ə)nˈdʒɛst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. relieve the congestion of (something).

II. derivatives

decongestion /ˌdiːk(ə)nˈdʒɛstʃ(ə)n /

noun

decongestant /diːk(ə)nˈdʒɛst(ə)nt/

I. adjective

(chiefly of a medicine) used to relieve nasal congestion.

• decongestant nasal sprays can ease swollen nasal passages.

II. noun

a decongestant medicine.

• a common and widely available decongestant.

• [ mass noun] a three-day supply of decongestant.

deconsecrate /diːˈkɒnsɪkreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. transfer (a building) from sacred to secular use

• the church was deconsecrated in the early nineteenth century.

II. derivatives

deconsecration /ˌdiːkɒnsɪˈkreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

deconstruct /ˌdiːk(ə)nˈstrʌkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. analyse (a text or linguistic or conceptual system) by deconstruction.

• she likes to deconstruct the texts, to uncover what they are not saying.

2. reduce (something) to its constituent parts in order to reinterpret it

• I want to deconstruct this myth that poverty breeds crime.

II. derivatives

deconstructive

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: back-formation from deconstruction.

deconstruction /diːk(ə)nˈstrʌkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of critical analysis of philosophical and literary language which emphasizes the internal workings of language and conceptual systems, the relational quality of meaning, and the assumptions implicit in forms of expression.

Deconstruction focuses on a text as such rather than as an expression of the author's intention, stressing the limitlessness (or impossibility) of interpretation and rejecting the Western philosophical tradition of seeking certainty through reasoning by privileging certain types of interpretation and repressing others. It was effectively named and popularized by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida from the late 1960s and taken up particularly by US literary critics.

II. derivatives

1. deconstructionism

noun

2. deconstructionist /ˌdiːk(ə)nˈstrʌkʃ(ə)nɪst /

adjective, noun

– origin late 19th cent. (originally in the general sense ‘taking to pieces’): from de- (expressing reversal) + construction.

decontaminate /diːk(ə)nˈtamɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. neutralize or remove dangerous substances, radioactivity, or germs from (an area, object, or person)

• they tried to decontaminate nearby villages.

II. derivatives

decontaminant

noun

decontamination /ˌdiːk(ə)ntamɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the neutralization or removal of dangerous substances, radioactivity, or germs from an area, object, or person

• procedures to ensure decontamination of medical equipment

• [as modifier] a decontamination chamber.

decontextualize decontextualise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. decontextualized)

1. consider (something) in isolation from its context.

• coffee-table photo books with their beautiful but decontextualized photographs.

II. derivatives

decontextualization

noun

decontrol /ˌdiːk(ə)nˈtrəʊl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. release (a commodity, market, etc.) from controls or restrictions.

• there has been fierce debate over whether gas prices should be totally decontrolled.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of decontrolling something.

• the assumption that enterprise might flourish in the wake of decontrol.

deconvolution

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a process of resolving something into its constituent elements or removing complication.

• the editor helped in the deconvolution of phrase and thought.

2. [Mathematics] the resolution of a convolution function into the functions from which it was formed in order to separate their effects.

3. (also deconvolution analysis) — the improvement of resolution of images or other data by a mathematical algorithm designed to separate the information from artefacts which result from the method of collecting it.

decor /ˈdeɪkɔː, ˈdɛkɔː/

I. noun

1. the furnishing and decoration of a room.

• inside, the decor is elegant and traditional.

• [ count noun] a decor that strained too hard to convey class.

2. the decoration and scenery of a stage.

• the decor revolves around a night-time street scene.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French décor, from the verb décorer, from Latin decorare ‘embellish’ (see decorate).

decorate /ˈdɛkəreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) look more attractive by adding extra items or images to it

• the town was decorated with Christmas lights.

2. (chiefly Brit.) apply paint or wallpaper in (a room or building)

• the five bedrooms are individually decorated.

3. confer an award or medal on (a member of the armed forces)

• he was decorated for outstanding bravery.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘to grace or honour’): from Latin decoratus ‘embellished’ (past participle of decorare), from decus, decor- ‘beauty, honour, or embellishment’.

Decorated

adjective

denoting a stage of English Gothic church architecture typical of the 14th century (between Early English and Perpendicular), with increasing use of decoration and geometrical, curvilinear, and reticulated tracery.

• fine Decorated Gothic facades can be seen at Exeter and York.

decoration /dɛkəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the process or art of decorating something

• the lavish decoration of cloth with gilt

• interior decoration.

2. ornamentation

• inside there was little decoration.

3. (chiefly Brit.) paint or wallpaper applied when decorating a room

• an authority on English furniture and decoration.

4. [ count noun] — a thing that serves as an ornament

• Christmas tree decorations.

5. a medal or award conferred as an honour.

• a decoration won on the field of battle.

• he was awarded the highest Australian decoration.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin decoratio(n-), from the verb decorare (see decorate).

Decoration Day

noun

(US) another term for Memorial Day.

decorative /ˈdɛk(ə)rətɪv/

I. adjective

1. serving to make something look more attractive; ornamental

• a well-appointed house with original decorative features.

2. relating to decoration

• a decorative artist.

3. ‹informal› (of a woman) attractive.

• she was an extremely decorative and popular actress.

II. derivatives

1. decoratively /ˈdɛk(ə)rətɪvli /

adverb

2. decorativeness

noun

decorative arts

plural noun

the arts concerned with the production of objects which are both useful and beautiful.

decorator /ˈdɛkəreɪtə/

noun

1. a person who decorates, in particular:

2. (chiefly Brit.) a person whose job is to decorate the interior of buildings by painting the walls and hanging wallpaper.

• she became a painter and decorator.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) a person whose job is to design the interior of houses by choosing colours, carpets, and furnishings.

decorous /ˈdɛk(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

in keeping with good taste and propriety; polite and restrained

• Charlotte gave David a decorous kiss.

II. derivatives

1. decorously /ˈdɛk(ə)rəsli /

adverb

2. decorousness /ˈdɛk(ə)rəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘appropriate, seemly’): from Latin decorus ‘seemly’ + -ous.

decorticate /diːˈkɔːtɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹technical› remove the bark, rind, or husk from.

2. subject to surgical decortication.

II. adjective

[Biology] [Psychology] (of an animal) having had the cortex of the brain removed or separated.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin decorticat- ‘stripped of its bark’, from the verb decorticare, from de- (expressing removal) + cortex, cortic- ‘bark’.

decortication /dɪˌkɔːtɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the removal of the outer layer or cortex from a structure, especially the kidney, brain, or other organ.

2. [Medicine] the operation of removing fibrous scar tissue that prevents expansion of the lung.

decorum /dɪˈkɔːrəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. behaviour in keeping with good taste and propriety.

• he had acted with the utmost decorum.

2. etiquette

• he had no idea of funeral decorum.

3. ( decorums) — ‹archaic› particular requirements of good taste and propriety.

4. ‹archaic› suitability to the requirements of a person, rank, or occasion.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a literary term, denoting suitability of style): from Latin, neuter of the adjective decorus ‘seemly’.

découpage /ˌdeɪkuːˈpɑːʒ, dɪˈkuːpɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art or craft of decorating objects with paper cut-outs.

– origin 1960s: French, from découper ‘cut out’.

decouple

verb — [with obj.]

1. separate, disengage, or dissociate (something) from something else.

• the mountings effectively decouple movements of the engine from those of the wheels.

2. make the interaction between (electrical components) so weak that there is little transfer of energy between them, especially to remove unwanted AC distortion or oscillations in circuits with a common power supply.

3. muffle the sound or shock of (a nuclear explosion) by causing it to take place in an underground cavity.

decoy

I. noun — decoy /ˈdiːkɔɪ, dɪˈkɔɪ /

1. a bird or mammal, or an imitation of one, used by hunters to attract other birds or mammals
[as modifier]

• a decoy duck.

2. a person or thing used to mislead or lure someone into a trap.

• we need a decoy to distract their attention.

3. a pond from which narrow netted channels lead, into which wild duck may be enticed for capture.

II. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of direction] decoy /dɪˈkɔɪ, ˈdiːkɔɪ /

1. lure or entice (a person or animal) away from their intended course, typically into a trap

• they would try to decoy the enemy towards the hidden group.

– origin mid 16th cent. (earlier as coy): from Dutch de kooi ‘the decoy’, from Middle Dutch de kouw ‘the cage’, from Latin cavea ‘cage’. Sense 2 of the noun is from the practice of using tamed ducks to lead wild ones along channels into captivity.

decrease

I. verb — decrease /dɪˈkriːs /

1. make or become smaller or fewer in size, amount, intensity, or degree
[no obj.]

• the population of the area has decreased radically

• [with obj.] the aisles were decreased in height.

II. noun — decrease /ˈdiːkriːs /

1. an instance of becoming smaller or fewer

• a decrease in births

• [ mass noun] the rate of decrease became greater.

III. phrases

on the decrease

becoming less common or widespread; decreasing.

• marriage is on the decrease.

IV. derivatives

decreasingly /dɪˈkriːsɪŋli /

adverb

[as submodifier]

• voters have proved decreasingly willing to support the party

– origin late Middle English: from Old French decreis (noun), decreistre (verb), based on Latin decrescere, from de- ‘down’ + crescere ‘grow’.

decree /dɪˈkriː/

I. noun

1. an official order that has the force of law.

• the decree guaranteed freedom of assembly.

• presidential decrees.

2. [ mass noun] — the issuing of a decree

• the king ruled by decree.

3. a judgement or decision of certain law courts, especially in matrimonial cases.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. order (something) by decree
[with clause]

• the president decreed that the military was to be streamlined.

– origin Middle English (denoting an edict issued by an ecclesiastical council to settle a point of doctrine or discipline): from Old French decre, decret, from Latin decretum ‘something decided’, from decernere ‘decide’.

decree absolute

noun

[English Law] a court of law's final order officially ending a marriage, enabling either party to remarry.

decree nisi

I. noun

[English Law] an order by a court of law stating the date on which a marriage will end unless a good reason not to grant a divorce is produced.

– origin late 19th cent.: Latin nisi ‘unless’.

decrement /ˈdɛkrɪm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. ‹technical› a reduction or diminution.

• relaxation produces a decrement in sympathetic nervous activity.

2. ‹technical› an amount by which something is reduced or diminished

• the dose was reduced by 10 mg weekly decrements.

3. ‹technical› [Physics] the ratio of the amplitudes in successive cycles of a damped oscillation.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [chiefly Computing] cause a discrete reduction in (a numerical quantity).

• the instruction decrements the accumulator by one.

– origin early 17th cent. (as a noun): from Latin decrementum ‘diminution’, from the stem of decrescere ‘to decrease’.

decrepit /dɪˈkrɛpɪt/

I. adjective

1. worn out or ruined because of age or neglect

• a row of decrepit houses.

2. (of a person) elderly and infirm

• a rather decrepit old man.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin decrepitus, from de- ‘down’ + crepitus, past participle of crepare ‘rattle, creak’.

decrepitate /dɪˈkrɛpɪteɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹technical› (of a solid, especially a crystal) disintegrate audibly when heated.

II. derivatives

decrepitation /dɪkrɛpɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from de- ‘away’ + Latin crepitat- ‘crackled’, from the verb crepitare, frequentative of crepare ‘rattle’ (see decrepit).

decrepitude /dɪˈkrɛpɪtʃuːd, dɪˈkrɛpɪtjuːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being decrepit

• he had passed directly from middle age into decrepitude.

decrescendo /ˌdiːkrɪˈʃɛndəʊ/

I. noun, adverb, adjective

another term for diminuendo.
[as noun]

• the decrescendo of distant thunder.

• [as adj.] a decrescendo heart murmur.

– origin early 19th cent.: Italian, literally ‘decreasing’.

decrescent /dɪˈkrɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

(of the moon) waning.

• the keen-sighted watcher may catch a glimpse of the slender decrescent moon.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin decrescent- ‘growing less’, from the verb decrescere (see decrease).

decretal /dɪˈkriːt(ə)l/

I. noun

a papal decree concerning a point of canon law.

II. adjective

of the nature of a decree.

– origin Middle English: from late Latin decretale, neuter of decretalis (adjective), from Latin decret- ‘decided’, from the verb decernere.

Decretum /dɪˈkriːtəm/

I. noun

a collection of decisions and judgements in canon law.

– origin Latin, literally ‘something decreed’.

decriminalize /diːˈkrɪmɪn(ə)lʌɪz / decriminalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cease to treat (something) as illegal or as a criminal offence

• a battle to decriminalize cannabis.

II. derivatives

decriminalization /ˌdiːˌkrɪmɪn(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

decry /dɪˈkrʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. publicly denounce

• they decried human rights abuses.

II. derivatives

decrier

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘decrease the value of coins by royal proclamation’): from de- ‘down’ + cry, on the pattern of French décrier ‘cry down’.

decrypt /diːˈkrɪpt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a coded or unclear message) intelligible

• the computer can be used to encrypt and decrypt sensitive transmissions.

II. noun

a text that has been decoded.

• he passed the raw decrypts to Moscow, but denies that he was a spy.

III. derivatives

decryption /diːˈkrɪpʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin 1930s: from de- (expressing reversal) + crypt as in encrypt.

decubitus /dɪˈkjuːbɪtəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [chiefly Medicine] the posture adopted by a person who is lying down
[as modifier]

• lumbar puncture with the patient in the lateral decubitus position.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Latin decumbere ‘lie down’, on the pattern of words such as accubitus ‘reclining at table’.

decubitus ulcer

noun

technical term for bedsore.

decumbent /dɪˈkʌmb(ə)nt/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a plant) lying along the ground or along a surface, with the extremity curving upwards.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin decumbent- ‘lying down’, from the verb decumbere, based on de- ‘down’ + a verb related to cubare ‘to lie’.

decurrent /dɪˈkʌr(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. [Botany] (of a fungus gill, leaf, etc.) extending down the stem below the point of attachment.

2. [Botany] (of a shrub or the crown of a tree) having several roughly equal branches.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin decurrent- ‘running down’, from the verb decurrere.

decurved

adjective

[Biology] (especially of a bird's bill) curved downwards.

decussate ‹technical›

I. verb — [no obj.] decussate /dɪˈkʌseɪt, ˈdɛkəseɪt /

1. (of two or more things) cross or intersect each other to form an X.

• the fibres decussate in the collar.

II. adjective — decussate /dɪˈkʌsət /

1. shaped like an X.

2. [Botany] (of leaves) arranged in opposite pairs, each pair being at right angles to the pair below.

III. derivatives

decussation /diːkʌˈseɪʃ(ə)n, ˈdɛkəseɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a verb): from Latin decussatus, past participle of decussare ‘divide crosswise’, from decussis (describing the figure X, i.e. the Roman numeral for the number 10), from decem ‘ten’.

decyl /ˈdɪsʌɪl, ˈdɪsɪl/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting an alkyl radical —C_10H_21, derived from decane.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek deka- ‘ten’ + -yl.

dedans /dəˈdɒ̃/

I. noun

(in real tennis) an open gallery for spectators at the service side of a court.

– origin early 18th cent.: French, literally ‘inside’.

Dedekind, Richard /ˈdeɪdəkɪnd, German ˈdeːdəkɪnt/

(1831–1916), German mathematician, one of the founders of abstract algebra and modern mathematics.

dedendum /dɪˈdɛndəm/

I. noun

[Engineering] the radial distance from the pitch circle of a cogwheel or wormwheel to the bottom of the tooth space or groove.
Compare with addendum.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin, ‘thing that can be surrendered’, neuter gerundive of dedere.

dedicate /ˈdɛdɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often dedicate something to)

1. devote (time or effort) to a particular task or purpose

• Joan has dedicated her life to animals.

2. devote (something) to a particular subject

• volume four is dedicated to wasps.

3. cite or nominate (a book or other artistic work) as being issued or performed in someone's honour

• the novel is dedicated to the memory of my mother.

4. formally open or unveil (a building or monument)

• today the President dedicates the new Second World War memorial in Washington.

5. ceremonially assign (a church or other building) to a deity or saint

• the parish church is dedicated to St Paul.

II. derivatives

1. dedicatee /dɛdɪkəˈtiː /

noun

2. dedicator /ˈdɛdɪkeɪtə /

noun

3. dedicatory /ˈdɛdɪkətri, ˌdɛdɪˈkeɪtəri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘devote to sacred use by solemn rites’): from Latin dedicat- ‘devoted, consecrated’, from the verb dedicare.

dedicated /ˈdɛdɪkeɪtɪd/

I. adjective

1. devoted to a task or purpose

• a team of dedicated doctors.

2. exclusively allocated to or intended for a particular purpose

• a dedicated high-speed rail link from the Channel Tunnel.

II. derivatives

dedicatedly

adverb

dedication /dɛdɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being dedicated or committed to a task or purpose

• his dedication to his duties.

2. the action of dedicating a church or other building

• the dedication of a new city church.

3. [ count noun] — an inscription or form of words dedicating a building, book, etc. to a person or deity.

• a faintly engraved inscription or dedication.

• the hardback edition contained a fulsome dedication to his wife.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dedicatio(n-), from dedicare ‘devote, consecrate’ (see dedicate).

de dicto /deɪ ˈdɪktəʊ, diː/

I. adjective

[Philosophy] relating to the form of an assertion or expression itself, rather than any property of a thing it refers to.
Compare with de re.

– origin Latin, ‘from what is said’.

dedifferentiate /ˌdiːdɪfəˈrɛnʃɪeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [Biology] (of a cell or tissue) undergo a reversal of differentiation and lose specialized characteristics.

• some types of human cells dedifferentiate in culture, becoming primitive, unspecialized cells.

II. derivatives

dedifferentiation

noun

deduce /dɪˈdjuːs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. arrive at (a fact or a conclusion) by reasoning; draw as a logical conclusion

• little can be safely deduced from these figures

• [with clause] they deduced that the fish died because of water pollution.

2. ‹archaic› trace the course or derivation of

• he cannot deduce his descent wholly by heirs male.

II. derivatives

deducible /dɪˈdjuːsəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘lead or convey’): from Latin deducere, from de- ‘down’ + ducere ‘lead’.

deduct /dɪˈdʌkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. subtract or take away (an amount or part) from a total

• tax has been deducted from the payments.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin deduct- ‘taken or led away’, from the verb deducere. Deduct and deduce were not distinguished in sense until the mid 17th cent.

deductible /dɪˈdʌktɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be deducted, especially from taxable income or tax to be paid.

• childcare vouchers will be deductible expenses for employers.

See also tax-deductible.

II. noun

(N. Amer.) the part of an insurance claim to be paid by the insured; an excess.

III. derivatives

deductibility

noun

deduction /dɪˈdʌkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of deducting or subtracting something

• the dividend will be paid without deduction of tax.

2. [ count noun] — an amount that is or may be deducted from something, especially from taxable income or tax to be paid

• tax deductions.

3. the inference of particular instances by reference to a general law or principle

• the detective must uncover the murderer by deduction from facts

• [ count noun] we do not yet know if these deductions are correct.

Often contrasted with induction.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin deductio(n-), from the verb deducere (see deduce).

deductive /dɪˈdʌktɪv/

I. adjective

characterized by or based on the inference of particular instances from a general law

• deductive reasoning

• I used my deductive powers.

II. derivatives

deductively /dɪˈdʌktɪvli /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin deductivus, from deduct- ‘deduced’, from the verb deducere (see deduce).

de Duve, Christian René /də ˈduːv, French də dyv/

(1917–2013), British-born Belgian biochemist. A pioneer in the study of cell biology, he won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1974.

dee

noun

the letter D.

Dee

I. a river in NE Scotland, which rises in the Grampian Mountains and flows eastwards past Balmoral Castle to the North Sea at Aberdeen.

II. a river which rises in North Wales and flows past Chester and on into the Irish Sea.

Dee, John

(1527–1608), English alchemist, mathematician, and geographer. He was Elizabeth I's astrologer and in later life he absorbed himself in alchemy and acquired notoriety as a sorcerer.

deed /diːd/

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly literary› an action that is performed intentionally or consciously

• doing good deeds.

2. a brave or noble act

• their deeds will live on in song.

3. [ mass noun] — action or performance

• she had erred in both deed and manner.

4. (often deeds) — a legal document that is signed and delivered, especially one regarding the ownership of property or legal rights.

• mortgage deeds.

See also title deed.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) convey or transfer (property or rights) by legal deed.

• they deeded their property to their children.

– origin Old English dēd, dǣd, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch daad and German Tat, from an Indo-European root shared by do^1.

deed box

noun

a strongbox for keeping deeds and other documents.

deed of covenant

noun

(Brit.) an agreement to pay a regular amount of money, particularly when this enables the recipient (typically a charity) to reclaim any tax paid by the donor on the amount.

deed poll

I. noun

[English Law] a legal deed made and executed by one party only, especially to formalize a change of a person's name

• he changed his name by deed poll.

– origin late 16th cent.: so named because the parchment was ‘polled’ or cut cleanly, not indented at the edges as in the case of a deed made by two parties.

deedy

adjective

‹dialect› ‹archaic› industrious, effective, or earnest.

• her actions are unquestionably deedy.

deejay /diːˈdʒeɪ, ˈdiːdʒeɪ / ‹informal›

I. noun

a disc jockey.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. perform as a disc jockey, typically in a club.

– origin 1950s (originally US): representing the pronunciation of DJ.

deem /diːm/

I. verb — [with obj. and complement]

1. ‹formal› regard or consider in a specified way

• the event was deemed a great success

• [with obj. and infinitive] the strike was deemed to be illegal.

– origin Old English dēman (also in the sense ‘act as judge’), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch doeman, also to doom.

deeming rate /ˈdiːmɪŋ reɪt/

noun

(Austral.) the assumed rate of return on personal investments, set by the government for the purposes of calculating social security benefits

• pensions will gain about $7 a fortnight through a long-awaited cut in deeming rates.

de-emphasize de-emphasise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce the importance or prominence given to (something).

• commentators tend to de-emphasize parental culpability.

II. derivatives

de-emphasis

noun

deemster /ˈdiːmstə/

I. noun

a judge (of whom there are two) in the Isle of Man judiciary.

– origin Middle English (originally a general word for a judge): from deem + -ster. The current sense dates from the early 17th cent.

deener /ˈdiːnə/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹historical› a shilling

• word starts spreading they can't earn a deener.

– origin late 19th cent.: probably a corruption of denarius.

de-energize de-energise

verb — [with obj.]

1. disconnect (an electric circuit) from a power supply.

2. [no obj.] — undergo loss of electrical power

• the starter relay automatically de-energizes.

deep /diːp/

I. adjective

1. extending far down from the top or surface

• a deep gorge

• the lake was deep and cold.

2. extending or situated far in from the outer edge or surface

• a deep alcove

• deep in the woods.

3. [ predic.] — (after a measurement and in questions) extending a specified distance from the top, surface, or outer edge

• the well was 200 feet deep.

4. [in combination] — as far up or down as a specified point

• they stood waist-deep in the water.

5. [ predic.] — in a specified number of ranks one behind another
[in combination]

• they were standing three-deep at the bar.

6. taking in or giving out a lot of air

• she took a deep breath.

7. [Cricket] (of a fielding position) relatively distant from the batsman; near the boundary

• deep midwicket.

8. (in ball games) to or from a position far down or across the field

• a deep cross from Neill.

9. very intense or extreme

• she was in deep trouble

• a deep sleep.

10. (of an emotion or feeling) intensely felt

• deep disappointment.

11. profound or penetrating in awareness or understanding

• a deep analysis.

12. difficult to understand

• this is all getting too deep for me.

13. ( deep in) — fully absorbed or involved in (a state or activity)

• they were deep in their own thoughts.

14. (of a person) unpredictable and secretive

• that Thomas is a deep one.

15. (of sound) low in pitch and full in tone; not shrill

• a deep, resonant voice.

16. (of colour) dark and intense

• a deep pink.

II. noun

1. ( the deep) — ‹literary› the sea

• denizens of the deep.

2. (usu. deeps) — a deep part of the sea

• the dark and menacing deeps

• ‹figurative› the deeps of her imagination.

3. ( the deep) — [Cricket] the part of the field distant from the batsman.

III. adverb

1. far down or in; deeply

• he travelled deep into the forest.

2. (in sport) distant from the batsman or forward line of one's team

• he swung the ball in deep.

IV. phrases

1. the deep end

the end of a swimming pool where the water is deepest.

2. dig deep

‹informal› use one's physical, mental, or financial resources.

• dig deep—I know you can do better.

• the generous trio decided to dig deep into their own pockets.

3. go off the deep end ‹informal›

a. give way immediately to an emotional outburst, especially of anger.

• now don't go off the deep end—I've thought of an idea.

b. (chiefly US) go mad; behave extremely strangely

• they looked at me as if I had gone off the deep end.

4. go (or run) deep

(of emotions, beliefs, etc.) be strongly and wholeheartedly felt or held

• his passion runs deep.

5. in deep

inextricably involved in or committed to a situation.

• he knew that he was in deep when his things began to proliferate in her apartment.

6. in deep water (or waters)

‹informal› in trouble or difficulty

• he landed in deep water when he began the affair.

7. jump (or be thrown) in at the deep end

‹informal› face a difficult problem or undertaking with little or no preparation or prior experience.

• they're thrown in at the deep end and have to develop skills quickly.

V. derivatives

deepness /ˈdiːpnəs /

noun

– origin Old English dēop (adjective), dīope, dēope (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch diep and German tief, also to dip.

Deepavali /diːpəˈvɑːli/

I. noun

another term for Diwali.

– origin respelling of Sanskrit dīpāvali (see Diwali).

deep-bodied

adjective

(of an animal, especially a fish) having a body which is deeper (from back to belly) than it is wide.

deep breathing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of breathing deeply, especially as a method of relaxation.

• calm your nerves by deep breathing.

• [as modifier] he started to do deep-breathing exercises.

deep-coloured

adjective

of a dark and intense colour or shade

• deep-coloured wines.

deep-cycle

adjective

(N. Amer.) denoting a type of electric battery that can be totally discharged and recharged several times.

deep-discount

adjective

1. denoting financial securities carrying a low rate of interest relative to prevailing market rates and issued at a discount to their redemption value, so mainly providing capital gain rather than income.

• the cost to the borrower of issuing a deep-discount bond comprises the discount on issue as well as any interest payments.

2. (N. Amer.) heavily discounted; greatly reduced in price

• deep-discount pricing has kept air fares affordable.

deep-dish

adjective

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) (of a pie) baked in a deep dish to allow for a large filling

• deep-dish apple pie.

2. (also deep-pan) — (chiefly N. Amer.) (of a pizza) cooked in a deep dish and having a thick dough base.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) ‹informal› extreme or thoroughgoing

• deep-dish conservatism.

deep-drawn

adjective

(of metal) shaped by being forced through a die when cold.

deep-dyed

adjective

‹informal› thoroughgoing; complete

• a deep-dyed Beatles fan.

deep ecology

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an environmental movement and philosophy which regards human life as just one of many equal components of a global ecosystem.

deepen /ˈdiːp(ə)n/

verb

make or become deep or deeper
[no obj.]

• the crisis deepened

• (as adj. deepening) a deepening depression.

deep freeze /ˌdiːp ˈfriːz/

I. noun

a refrigerator in which food can be quickly frozen and kept for long periods at a very low temperature.

II. verb

( deep-freeze) [with obj.] (often as adj. deep-frozen) — store (something) in a deep freeze.

• deep-frozen cod.

deep-fry /ˌdiːpˈfrʌɪ/

verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. deep-fried)

1. fry (food) in an amount of fat or oil sufficient to cover it completely

• deep-fried scampi.

deep kiss

noun

‹dated› a kiss involving insertion of the tongue into the partner's mouth.

deep-laid

adjective

(of a scheme) elaborate and secret

• a deep-laid plot.

deeply /ˈdiːpli/

adverb

1. far down or in

• he breathed deeply.

2. intensely

• Richard felt her loss very deeply

• [as submodifier] she was deeply hurt.

deep-mined

I. adjective

(of coal) obtained from far below the surface of the ground, not from opencast mines.

II. derivatives

deep mining

noun

deep mourning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of mourning, conventionally expressed by wearing only black clothing.

2. the black clothing worn by someone in deep mourning.

deep-mouthed

adjective

‹archaic› (of a dog) having a deep-sounding bark.

deep pockets

I. plural noun

‹informal› used to refer to the possession of abundant financial resources

• these companies have very deep pockets and don't mind spending a lot of loot to get their projects off the ground.

II. derivatives

deep-pocketed

adjective

deep-rooted /ˌdiːpˈruːtɪd/

I. adjective

firmly embedded in thought, behaviour, or culture, and so having a persistent influence

• her deep-rooted fears and anxieties.

II. derivatives

deep-rootedness

noun

deep sea

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. the deeper parts of the ocean, especially those beyond the edge of the continental shelf

• deep-sea diving.

deep-seated

adjective

firmly established at a deep or profound level

• an opportunity for tackling the deep-seated causes of crime.

deep-set /ˌdiːpˈsɛt/

adjective

1. embedded or positioned firmly or deeply

• the young man had deep-set eyes.

2. long-established and profound

• the deep-set interrelations between religion and politics.

deep-six

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› destroy or dispose of (something) irretrievably

• someone had deliberately deep-sixed evidence.

– origin 1920s (as the deep six ‘the grave’): perhaps from the custom of burial at sea at a depth of six fathoms.

Deep South

the south-eastern region of the US regarded as embodying traditional Southern culture and traditions.

deep space

noun

another term for outer space.

deep structure

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in transformational grammar) the underlying logical relationships of the elements of a phrase or sentence.

• rules of transformation change deep structure into surface structure.

Contrasted with surface structure.

deep throat

I. noun

a person who anonymously supplies information about covert or illegal action in the organization where they work.

– origin 1970s: the title of a pornographic film of 1972, first applied in this sense as the name (‘Deep Throat’) of an informant in the Watergate scandal.

deep-toned

adjective

1. (of sound) having a low-pitched, deep tone

• the rhythmic clanging of deep-toned bells.

2. (of colour) having a dark, intense tone

• a deep-toned blood-red.

deep-vein thrombosis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. thrombosis in a vein lying deep below the skin, especially in the legs, often precipitated by immobility during illness or long-distance travel.

Deep Web

noun

the part of the World Wide Web that is not discoverable by means of standard search engines, including password-protected or dynamic pages and encrypted networks

• the biggest weakness of the Deep Web is also its greatest strength: it's really hard to find anything.

deer /dɪə/

I. noun

a hoofed grazing or browsing animal, with branched bony antlers that are shed annually and typically borne only by the male.
●Family Cervidae: several genera and many species.

– origin Old English dēor, also originally denoting any quadruped, used in the (now archaic) phrase small deer meaning ‘small creatures collectively’; of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dier, German Tier.

deer fly

noun

1. a bloodsucking louse fly which is a parasite of deer. It loses its wings on finding a host, and the female gives birth to fully grown larvae.
● Lipoptena cervi, family Hippoboscidae.

2. a bloodsucking horsefly which attacks humans and other large mammals. It can transmit various diseases, including tularaemia.
●Genus Chrysops, family Tabanidae: several species, including C. callidus, widespread throughout North America.

deer forest

noun

an extensive area of wild forest reserved for the hunting of deer.

• a remote deer forest.

• [ mass noun] the eastern part of the island is largely deer forest.

deergrass

noun

a small sedge related to cotton grass, growing in tufts on wet moors and bogs.
● Trichophorum cespitosum (or Scirpus cespitosus), family Cyperaceae.

deer hair

noun — [ mass noun]

1. hair from a deer, particularly as used in making artificial fishing flies.

deerhound /ˈdɪəhaʊnd/

noun

a large dog of a rough-haired breed, resembling the greyhound.

deer lick

noun

(N. Amer.) a place where deer come to lick salt.

deer mouse

noun

a mainly nocturnal mouse found in a wide range of habitats in North and Central America.
●Genus Peromyscus, family Muridae: numerous species.

deer park

noun

a large enclosed area of ground attached to a country house, in which deer are kept.

deerskin /ˈdɪəskɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. leather made from deer's skin.

• a couch of deerskin.

• [as modifier] deerskin boots.

deerstalker /ˈdɪəstɔːkə/

noun

1. a soft cloth cap, originally worn for hunting, with peaks in front and behind and ear flaps which can be tied together over the top.

2. a person who stalks deer.

de-escalate /diːˈɛskəleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce the intensity of (a conflict or potentially violent situation).

• they had training in how to de-escalate a situation.

II. derivatives

de-escalation /diːɛskəˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

deets

I. plural noun

‹informal› details

• stay tuned for more deets.

– origin 1980s: representing a pronunciation of an abbreviated form of details.

def

I. adjective

‹informal› excellent

• a truly def tattoo.

– origin 1980s: probably an alteration of death (used in Jamaican English as an intensifier), or shortened from definitive or definite.

deface /dɪˈfeɪs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. spoil the surface or appearance of (something), for example by drawing or writing on it

• he defaced library books.

II. derivatives

1. defacement /dɪˈfeɪsm(ə)nt /

noun

2. defacer

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French desfacier, from des- (expressing removal) + face ‘face’.

de facto /deɪ ˈfaktəʊ/

I. adverb

in fact, whether by right or not

• the country was de facto divided between two states.

Often contrasted with de jure.

II. adjective

existing or holding a specified position in fact but not necessarily by legal right

• a de facto one-party system.

– origin Latin, literally ‘of fact’.

defalcate /ˈdiːfalkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› embezzle (funds with which one has been entrusted).

• the officials were charged with defalcating government money.

II. derivatives

1. defalcation /ˌdiːfalˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. defalcator

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘deduct, subtract’): from medieval Latin defalcat- ‘lopped’, from the verb defalcare, from de- ‘away from, off’ + Latin falx, falc- ‘sickle’.

de Falla, Manuel

see Falla, Manuel de.

defamation /ˌdɛfəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of damaging the good reputation of someone; slander or libel

• she sued him for defamation.

defamatory /dɪˈfamət(ə)ri/

adjective

(of remarks, writing, etc.) damaging the good reputation of someone; slanderous or libellous

• a defamatory allegation.

defame /dɪˈfeɪm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. damage the good reputation of (someone); slander or libel

• he claimed that the article defamed his family.

II. derivatives

defamer /dɪˈfeɪmə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French diffamer, from Latin diffamare ‘spread evil report’, from dis- (expressing removal) + fama ‘report’.

defamiliarize defamiliarise

verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) unfamiliar or strange

• art serves to defamiliarize our experience of our own present.

defang

verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) harmless or ineffectual

• the president had largely defanged the opposition.

defat

verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. defatted)

1. remove fat from (food).

• defatted chicken stock.

default

I. noun — default /dɪˈfɔːlt, ˈdiːfɔːlt /

1. [ mass noun] — failure to fulfil an obligation, especially to repay a loan or appear in a law court

• the company will have to restructure its debts to avoid default

• [ count noun] the deteriorating economy pushed defaults to almost $20 billion.

2. [in sing.] — a preselected option adopted by a computer program or other mechanism when no alternative is specified by the user or programmer

• the default is fifty lines

• [as modifier] default settings.

3. [usu. as modifier] — something that is usual or standard

• all my life, envy has been my default emotion

• SSRIs have become the default for adults with depression.

II. verb — [no obj.] default /dɪˈfɔːlt /

1. fail to fulfil an obligation, especially to repay a loan or to appear in a law court

• the dealer could repossess the goods if the customer defaulted

• some had defaulted on student loans.

2. [with obj.] — declare (a party) to have defaulted and give judgement against that party

• two semi-finalists were defaulted.

3. ( default to) — (of a computer program or other mechanism) revert automatically to (a preselected option)

• when you start a fresh letter the system will default to its own style.

III. phrases

1. by default

a. because of a lack of opposition.

• they won the last election by default.

b. through lack of positive action rather than conscious choice

• he became an actor by default.

2. go by default

[Law] (of a case) be decided in favour of one party because of lack of opposition by the other party.

• the case against us has gone by default.

3. in default

guilty of failing to repay a loan or appear in a law court.

• the company is already in default on its loans.

4. in default of

in the absence of

• in default of agreement the rent was to be determined by a surveyor.

– origin Middle English: from Old French defaut, from defaillir ‘to fail’, based on Latin fallere ‘disappoint, deceive’.

defaulter /dɪˈfɔːltə/

noun

1. a person who fails to fulfil a duty, obligation, or undertaking.

2. a person who fails to complete a course of medical treatment.

3. (chiefly Brit.) a member of the armed forces guilty of a military offence.

defeasance /dɪˈfiːz(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the action or process of rendering something null and void.

2. [ count noun] — [Law] a clause or condition which, if fulfilled, renders a deed or contract null and void.

– origin late Middle English (as a legal term): from Old French defesance, from defaire, desfaire ‘undo’ (see defeat).

defeasible /dɪˈfiːzɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

[chiefly Law] [Philosophy] open in principle to revision, valid objection, forfeiture, or annulment.

II. derivatives

1. defeasibility

noun

2. defeasibly

adverb

– origin Middle English: via Anglo-Norman French from the stem of Old French desfesant ‘undoing’ (see also defeasance).

defeat /dɪˈfiːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. win a victory over (someone) in a battle or other contest; overcome or beat

• Garibaldi defeated the Neapolitan army.

2. prevent (someone) from achieving an aim

• she was defeated by the last steep hill.

3. prevent (an aim) from being achieved

• don't cheat by allowing your body to droop—this defeats the object of the exercise.

4. reject or block (a motion or proposal)

• the amendment was defeated.

5. be impossible for (someone) to understand

• this line of reasoning defeats me, I must confess.

6. [Law] render null and void; annul.

II. noun

an instance of defeating or being defeated

• a 1–0 defeat by Grimsby

• [ mass noun] she had still not quite admitted defeat.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘undo, destroy, annul’): from Old French desfait ‘undone’, past participle of desfaire, from medieval Latin disfacere ‘undo’.

defeated /dɪˈfiːtɪd/

I. adjective

1. having been beaten in a battle or other contest

• the defeated army.

2. demoralized and overcome by adversity.

• she looked defeated, quite unlike her normal self.

II. derivatives

defeatedly

adverb

defeater /dɪˈfiːtə/

noun

a person or thing that defeats or conquers someone or something

• the onset of hopelessness is the great defeater.

defeatist /dɪˈfiːtɪst/

I. noun

a person who expects or is excessively ready to accept failure.

II. adjective

demonstrating expectation or acceptance of failure

• we have a duty not to be so defeatist.

III. derivatives

defeatism /dɪˈfiːtɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from French défaitiste, from défaite ‘defeat’.

defecate /ˈdɛfɪkeɪt, ˈdiːfɪkeɪt / ‹Brit.› defaecate

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. discharge faeces from the body.

II. derivatives

1. defecator

noun

2. defecatory

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘clear of dregs, purify’): from Latin defaecat- ‘cleared of dregs’, from the verb defaecare, from de- (expressing removal) + faex, faec- ‘dregs’. The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

defecation /ˌdɛfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n / ‹Brit.› defaecation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the discharge of faeces from the body.

• the ulcer causes pain that occurs during defecation.

defect^1

I. noun — defect /ˈdiːfɛkt, dɪˈfɛkt /

1. a shortcoming, imperfection, or lack

• genetic defects

• [ mass noun] the property is free from defect.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun, influenced by Old French defect ‘deficiency’): from Latin defectus, past participle of deficere ‘desert or fail’, from de- (expressing reversal) + facere ‘do’.

defect^2 /dɪˈfɛkt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. abandon one's country or cause in favour of an opposing one

• he defected to the Soviet Union after the war.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin defect- ‘failed’, from the verb deficere (see defect^1).

defection /dɪˈfɛkʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the desertion of one's country or cause in favour of an opposing one

• his defection from the Labour Party

• [ count noun] a number of defections by leading ballet dancers.

defective /dɪˈfɛktɪv/

I. adjective

1. imperfect or faulty

• complaints over defective goods.

2. lacking or deficient

• dystrophin is commonly defective in muscle tissue.

3. [Grammar] (of a word) not having all the inflections normal for the part of speech.

4. (also mentally defective) — ‹dated or offensive› having mental disabilities.

II. noun

‹dated or offensive› a person with mental disabilities.

III. derivatives

1. defectively /dɪˈfɛktɪvli /

adverb

2. defectiveness /dɪˈfɛktɪvnəs /

noun

defector /dɪˈfɛktə/

noun

a person who has abandoned their country or cause in favour of an opposing one

• staff interviewed escapees and defectors to the West.

defeminize defeminise

verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive of feminine characteristics.

• there was concern that female professionalism and independence were defeminizing women.

defence /dɪˈfɛns / ‹US› defense

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of defending from or resisting attack

• methods of defence against this kind of attack

• she came to the defence of the eccentric professor

• he spoke in defence of a disciplined approach.

2. [ count noun] — an instance of defending a title or seat in a contest or election

• his first title defence against Jones.

3. military measures or resources for protecting a country

• the minister of defence

• [as modifier] defence policy.

4. a means of protecting something from attack

• wire netting is the best defence against rabbits.

5. ( defences) — fortifications or barriers against attack

• coastal defences.

6. the case presented by or on behalf of the party accused of a crime or being sued in a civil lawsuit.

• the farmer's defence was that he intended only to wound the thief.

7. [treated as sing. or pl.] ( the defence) — the counsel for the defendant in a lawsuit

• the defence requested more time to prepare their case.

8. (in sport) the action or role of defending one's goal or wicket against the opposition

• Wolves were pressed back into defence.

9. ( the defence) — the players in a team who defend the goal.

• despite heavy pressure the defence was coping well.

• Ford returns to United's defence.

• [ count noun] dribbling through defences.

II. phrases

defence in depth

the arrangement of defensive lines or fortifications so that they can defend each other.

– origin Middle English: from Old French defens, from late Latin defensum (neuter), defensa (feminine), past participles of defendere ‘defend’.

Defence Force

the South African armed services, consisting of the army, navy, air force, and medical service.

defenceless /dɪˈfɛnsləs / ‹US› defenseless

I. adjective

without defence or protection; totally vulnerable

• attacks on defenceless civilians.

II. derivatives

defencelessness /dɪˈfɛnsləsnəs /

noun

defenceman ‹US› defenseman

noun

(in ice hockey and lacrosse) a player in a defensive position.

defence mechanism

noun

1. an automatic reaction of the body against disease-causing organisms.

2. a mental process initiated unconsciously to avoid experiencing conflict or anxiety.

defend /dɪˈfɛnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. resist an attack made on (someone or something); protect from harm or danger

• we shall defend our island, whatever the cost.

2. speak or write in favour of (an action or person); attempt to justify

• he defended his policy of imposing high rates.

3. compete to retain (a title or seat) in a contest or election

• he won the party's nomination to defend the Welsh seat

• (as adj. defending) the defending champion.

4. conduct the case for (the party being accused or sued) in a lawsuit

• he is a lawyer who specializes in defending political prisoners.

5. [no obj.] — (in sport) protect one's goal or wicket rather than attempt to score against one's opponents.

• they were forced to defend for long periods.

II. derivatives

defendable

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French defendre, from Latin defendere, from de- ‘off’ + -fendere ‘to strike’. Compare with offend.

defendant /dɪˈfɛnd(ə)nt/

noun

an individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.

• the defendant tried to claim that it was self-defence.

Compare with plaintiff.

defender /dɪˈfɛndə/

noun

1. a person who defends someone or something

• a determined defender of British interests.

2. [Bridge] either member of the partnership that did not win the auction.
Compare with declarer.

3. (in sport) a player whose task it is to protect their own side's goal.

• Owen surged between two defenders, then drove the ball out of the reach of the goalkeeper.

4. [Scots Law] another term for defendant.

Defender of the Faith

I. noun

a title conferred on Henry VIII by Pope Leo X in 1521. It was recognized by Parliament as an official title of the English monarch in 1544, and has been borne by all subsequent sovereigns.

– origin translation of Latin Fidei Defensor.

defenestrate /diːˈfɛnɪstreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› throw (someone) out of a window

• she had made up her mind that the woman had been defenestrated, although the official verdict had been suicide.

2. ‹informal› remove or dismiss (someone) from a position of power or authority

• the overwhelming view is that he should be defenestrated before the next election.

– origin early 17th cent. (as defenestrated): see defenestration.

defenestration /ˌdiːfɛnɪˈstreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› ‹humorous› the action of throwing someone out of a window

• death by defenestration has a venerable history.

2. ( the Defenestration of Prague) — see Prague.

3. ‹informal› the action or process of dismissing someone from a position of power or authority

• that victory resulted in Churchill's own defenestration by the war-weary British electorate.

– origin early 17th cent.: from modern Latin defenestratio(n-), from de- ‘down from’ + Latin fenestra ‘window’.

defensible /dɪˈfɛnsɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. justifiable by argument

• a morally defensible penal system.

2. able to be protected

• a fort with a defensible yard at its feet.

II. derivatives

1. defensibility /dɪfɛnsɪˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. defensibly /dɪˈfɛnsɪbli /

adverb

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘capable of giving protective defence’): from late Latin defensibilis, from Latin defendere (see defend).

defensive /dɪˈfɛnsɪv/

I. adjective

1. used or intended to defend or protect

• defensive barriers.

2. (in sport) relating to or intended as defence.

• a defensive player.

• a poor defensive record.

3. very anxious to challenge or avoid criticism

• he was very defensive about that side of his life.

II. phrases

on the defensive

expecting or resisting criticism or attack

• British forces were on the defensive.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French défensif, -ive, from medieval Latin defensivus, from Latin defens- ‘warded off’, from the verb defendere (see defend).

defensive end

noun

[American Football] either of the two defensive players positioned at the end of the line of the scrimmage.

defensively /dɪˈfɛnsɪvli/

adverb

1. in a manner intended to defend or protect

• both countries say they acted defensively when they sent troops in.

2. in a way that relates to the defending of a goal or wicket against the opposition in sport

• the team is struggling defensively

• a complete player both offensively and defensively.

3. in a way intended to challenge or avoid criticism

• he reacted defensively to attacks from fellow critics

• CEOs have responded defensively to the onslaught on their profession.

defensiveness /dɪˈfɛnsɪvnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being anxious to challenge or avoid criticism

• the police reacted with defensiveness and hostility to the disclosure

• Jane had a note of defensiveness in her voice.

2. behaviour intended to defend or protect

• defensiveness of the hive was related to the size of the colony.

defer^1 /dɪˈfəː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. put off (an action or event) to a later time; postpone

• they deferred the decision until February.

2. [Law] (of a judge) postpone (a sentence) so that the circumstances or conduct of the defendant can be further assessed

• the judge deferred sentence until 5 April for background reports.

3. (US) ‹historical› postpone the conscription of (someone).

• he was no longer deferred from the draft.

II. derivatives

deferrable

adjective

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘put on one side’): from Old French differer ‘defer or differ’, from Latin differre, from dis- ‘apart’ + ferre ‘bring, carry’. Compare with defer^2 and differ.

defer^2 /dɪˈfəː/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( defer to)

1. submit to or acknowledge the merit of

• he deferred to Tim's superior knowledge.

II. derivatives

deferrer

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French deferer, from Latin deferre ‘carry away, refer (a matter)’, from de- ‘away from’ + ferre ‘bring, carry’. Compare with defer^1.

deference /ˈdɛf(ə)r(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. polite submission and respect

• he addressed her with the deference due to age.

II. phrases

in deference to

out of respect for; in consideration of.

• in deference to her wishes we spent two weeks on the coast.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French déférence, from déférer ‘refer’ (see defer^2).

deferent^1 /ˈdɛf(ə)r(ə)nt/

I. adjective

another term for deferential.

– origin early 19th cent.: from defer^2 and deference.

deferent^2 /ˈdɛf(ə)r(ə)nt/

I. noun

(in the Ptolemaic system of astronomy) the large circular orbit followed by the centre of the small epicycle in which a planet was thought to move.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin deferent- ‘carrying away’, from the verb deferre.

deferential /dɛfəˈrɛnʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

showing deference; respectful

• people were always deferential to him.

II. derivatives

deferentially /dɛfəˈrɛnʃ(ə)li /

adverb

– origin early 19th cent.: from deference, on the pattern of pairs such as prudence, prudential.

deferment /dɪˈfəːm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of putting something off to a later time; postponement

• deferment of the decision.

2. (US) ‹historical› the postponement of a person's conscription
[ count noun]

• he was granted five deferments from the draft.

deferral /dɪˈfəːr(ə)l/

noun

a postponement of an action or event

• they agreed to a deferral of industrial action

• they can offer deferrals on loan repayments

• [ mass noun] it is unclear whether deferral of feeding is beneficial.

deferred annuity

noun

an annuity which commences only after a lapse of some specified time after the final purchase premium has been paid.

deferred payment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. temporary postponement of the payment of an outstanding bill or debt, usually involving repayment by instalments.

2. [ count noun] — a sum of money paid under a deferred payment arrangement.

defervescence /ˌdɪfəˈvɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the abatement of a fever as indicated by a decrease in bodily temperature.

II. derivatives

defervesce

verb

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin defervescent- ‘ceasing to boil’, from the verb defervescere.

deffo

I. adverb

(Brit.) ‹informal› definitely; certainly

• Tyler is by far the best—he should deffo win.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation.

defiance /dɪˈfʌɪəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. open resistance; bold disobedience

• an act of defiance

• the demonstration was held in defiance of official warnings.

– origin Middle English (denoting the renunciation of an allegiance or friendship): from Old French, from defier ‘defy’.

defiant /dɪˈfʌɪənt/

adjective

showing defiance

• a defiant gesture.

defiantly /dɪˈfʌɪəntli/

adverb

in a manner that shows open resistance or bold disobedience

• he defiantly refused to accept any government money

• folding her arms, she stood defiantly.

defibrillation /ˌdiːfɪbrɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the stopping of fibrillation of the heart by administering a controlled electric shock, to allow restoration of the normal rhythm.

II. derivatives

defibrillate

verb

defibrillator /diːˈfɪbrɪleɪtə/

noun

[Medicine] an apparatus used to control heart fibrillation by application of an electric current to the chest wall or heart.

deficiency /dɪˈfɪʃ(ə)nsi/

noun

1. a lack or shortage

• deficiencies in material resources.

2. a failing or shortcoming

• for all its deficiencies it remains his most powerful play.

3. the amount by which something, especially revenue, falls short; a deficit

• a budget deficiency of $96 billion.

deficiency disease

noun

a disease caused by the lack of an element in the diet, usually a particular vitamin or mineral.

deficiency payment

noun

a payment made, typically by a government body, to cover a financial deficit incurred in the course of an activity such as farming.

deficient /dɪˈfɪʃ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. not having enough of a specified quality or ingredient

• this diet is deficient in vitamin B.

2. insufficient or inadequate

• the documentary evidence is deficient.

3. (also mentally deficient) — ‹dated› ‹offensive› having mental disabilities.

II. derivatives

deficiently

adverb

– origin late 16th cent. (originally in the theological phrase deficient cause, denoting a failure or deficiency that has a particular consequence): from Latin deficient- ‘failing’, from the verb deficere (see defect^1).

deficit /ˈdɛfɪsɪt/

I. noun

1. the amount by which something, especially a sum of money, is too small.

2. an excess of expenditure or liabilities over income or assets in a given period

• an annual operating deficit

• [ mass noun] the balance of payments is again in deficit.

3. (in sport) the amount or score by which a team or individual is losing

• a 3–0 deficit.

4. ‹technical› a deficiency or failing, especially in a neurological or psychological function

• deficits in speech comprehension.

– origin late 18th cent.: via French from Latin deficit ‘it is lacking’, from the verb deficere (see defect^1).

deficit financing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. government funding of spending by borrowing.

deficit spending

noun — [ mass noun]

1. government spending, in excess of revenue, of funds raised by borrowing rather than from taxation.

defilade /ˌdɛfɪˈleɪd / ‹Military›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the protection of forces against enemy observation or gunfire.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. protect (forces) against enemy observation or gunfire.
(as adj. defiladed)

• a defiladed tank.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French défiler ‘protect from the enemy’ + -ade^1.

defile^1 /dɪˈfʌɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. damage the purity or appearance of; mar or spoil

• the land was defiled by a previous owner.

2. desecrate or profane (something sacred)

• the tomb had been defiled and looted.

3. ‹archaic› rape or sexually assault (a woman).

• and the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom.

II. derivatives

defiler /dɪˈfʌɪlə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: alteration of obsolete defoul, from Old French defouler ‘trample down’, influenced by obsolete befile ‘befoul, defile’.

defile^2 /dɪˈfʌɪl/

I. noun — defile /ˈdiːfʌɪl /

1. a steep-sided narrow gorge or passage (originally one requiring troops to march in single file).

• the twisting track wormed its way up a defile to level ground.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. ‹archaic› (of troops) march in single file.

• we emerged after defiling through the mountainsides.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French défilé (noun), défiler (verb), from dé ‘away from’ + file ‘column, file’.

defilement /dɪˈfʌɪlm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of defiling or the state of being defiled.

• the heinous defilement of their most sacred site.

• [ count noun] the purification of all defilements.

definable /dɪˈfʌɪnəbl/

adjective

able to be defined

• it may not serve a definable purpose.

define /dɪˈfʌɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. state or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of

• the contract will seek to define the client's obligations.

2. give the meaning of (a word or phrase), especially in a dictionary.

• the dictionary defines it as ‘a type of pasture’.

3. make up or establish the character or essence of

• for some, the football club defines their identity.

4. mark out the boundary or limits of
(as adj. defined)

• clearly defined boundaries.

5. make clear the outline of; delineate

• she defined her eyes by applying eyeshadow to her eyelids.

II. derivatives

definer

noun

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘bring to an end’): from Old French definer, from a variant of Latin definire, from de- (expressing completion) + finire ‘finish’ (from finis ‘end’).

definiendum /dɪˌfɪnɪˈɛndəm/

I. noun

a word, phrase, or symbol which is the subject of a definition, especially in a dictionary entry, or which is introduced into a logical system by being defined.
Contrasted with definiens.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘that which is to be defined’, from the verb definire (see define).

definiens /dɪˈfɪnɪɛnz/

I. noun

a word, phrase, or symbolic expression used to define something, especially in a dictionary entry, or introducing a word or symbol into a logical system by providing a statement of its meaning.
Contrasted with definiendum.

– origin late 19th cent.: from medieval Latin, ‘defining’, present participle of definire (see define).

defining moment

noun

an event which typifies or determines all subsequent related occurrences.

• this is a defining moment for him—there could be a backlash, but there could be great benefits.

definite /ˈdɛfɪnət/

I. adjective

1. clearly stated or decided; not vague or doubtful

• we had no definite plans.

2. clearly true or real; unambiguous

• no definite proof has emerged.

3. [ predic.] — (of a person) certain or sure about something

• you're very definite about that!

4. clear or undeniable (used for emphasis)

• under the circumstances, air conditioning is a definite asset.

5. having exact and discernible physical limits or form.

• organizations have boundaries in the sense that they may occupy a definite geographical area.

II. derivatives

definiteness /ˈdɛfɪnətnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin definitus ‘defined, set within limits’, past participle of definire (see define). / usage: For an explanation of the difference between definite and definitive, see usage at definitive.

definite article

noun

[Grammar] a determiner ( the in English) that introduces a noun phrase and implies that the thing mentioned has already been mentioned, or is common knowledge, or is about to be defined (as in the book on the table; the art of government; the famous public school in Berkshire).
Compare with indefinite article.

definite description

noun

[chiefly Philosophy] a noun phrase introduced by the definite article or its equivalent, and denoting a particular entity or phenomenon.

definite integral

noun

[Mathematics] an integral expressed as the difference between the values of the integral at specified upper and lower limits of the independent variable.

definitely /ˈdɛfɪnətli/

adverb

1. without doubt (used for emphasis)

• I shall definitely be at the airport to meet you.

2. in a definite manner; clearly

• we couldn't plan to go elsewhere until we had heard from you more definitely.

definition /dɛfɪˈnɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a statement of the exact meaning of a word, especially in a dictionary.

• a dictionary definition of the verb.

2. an exact statement or description of the nature, scope, or meaning of something

• our definition of what constitutes poetry.

3. [ mass noun] — the action or process of defining something.

• a question of definition.

• issues of methodology and definition.

4. [ mass noun] — the degree of distinctness in outline of an object, image, or sound.

• the clarity and definition of pictures can be aided by using computer graphics.

5. the capacity of a device to make images distinct in outline

• we've been pleased with the definition of this TV.

II. phrases

by definition

by its very nature; intrinsically

• the assumption is that travel will, by definition, lead to creative insight.

III. derivatives

1. definitional

adjective

2. definitionally

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Latin definitio(n-), from the verb definire ‘set bounds to’ (see define).

definitive /dɪˈfɪnɪtɪv/

I. adjective

1. (of a conclusion or agreement) done or reached decisively and with authority

• a definitive decision.

2. (of a book or other text) the most authoritative of its kind

• the definitive biography of Prince Charles.

3. (of a postage stamp) for general use and typically of standard design, not special or commemorative.

II. noun

a definitive postage stamp.

• low-value British definitives simply have a portrait of the reigning monarch.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French definitif, -ive, from Latin definitivus, from definit- ‘set within limits’, from the verb definire (see define). / usage: Definitive is often used, rather imprecisely, when definite is actually intended, to mean simply ‘clearly decided’. Although definitive and definite have a clear overlap in meaning, definitive has the additional sense of ‘having an authoritative basis’. Thus, a definitive decision is one which is not only conclusive but also carries the stamp of authority or is a benchmark for the future, while a definite decision is simply one which has been made clearly and is without doubt.

definitive host

noun

[Biology] an organism which supports the adult or sexually reproductive form of a parasite.
Compare with intermediate host.

definitively /dɪˈfɪnɪtɪvli/

adverb

decisively and with authority; conclusively

• the benefits of this therapy have never been definitively proven

• only a large clinical trial can definitively answer the question.

deflagrate /ˈdɛfləɡreɪt/

I. verb

[Chemistry] ‹dated› burn or cause to burn away with a sudden flame and rapid, sharp combustion
[with obj.]

• the current will deflagrate some of the particles.

II. derivatives

deflagrator /ˈdɛfləˌɡreɪtə /

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin deflagrat- ‘burnt up’, from the verb deflagrare, from de- ‘away, thoroughly’ + flagrare ‘to burn’.

deflagration /dɛfləˈɡreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of heating a substance until it burns away rapidly.

2. ‹technical› combustion which propagates through a gas or across the surface of an explosive at subsonic speeds, driven by the transfer of heat.
Compare with detonation.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin deflagratio(n-), from the verb deflagrare (see deflagrate).

deflate /dɪˈfleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. let air or gas out of (a tyre, balloon, or similar object)

• he deflated one of the tyres.

2. [no obj.] — be emptied of air or gas

• the balloon deflated.

3. make (someone) suddenly lose confidence or feel dispirited
(as adj. deflated)

• the news left him feeling utterly deflated.

4. reduce the level of (an emotion or feeling)

• her anger was deflated.

5. [Economics] bring about a general reduction of price levels in (an economy).

• the budget deflated the economy.

• [no obj.] the government deflated sharply in 1964.

II. derivatives

deflator /dɪˈfleɪtə /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from de- (expressing reversal) + -flate (as in inflate).

deflation /dɪˈfleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of deflating or being deflated

• the deflation of the illusion that the 1960s were a perpetual party.

2. [Economics] reduction of the general level of prices in an economy.

• a time of high unemployment and deflation.

• [ count noun] a long deflation lasted until about 1896.

3. [Geology] the removal of particles of rock, sand, etc. by the wind.

II. derivatives

deflationist /dɪˈfleɪʃ(ə)nɪst /

noun, adjective

– origin late 19th cent. (in the sense ‘release of air from something inflated’): from deflate; sense 3 via German from Latin deflat- ‘blown away’, from the verb deflare.

deflationary /diːˈfleɪʃənri/

adjective

characterized by or tending to cause economic deflation.

• the deflationary effect of higher taxes.

• deflationary measures.

deflect /dɪˈflɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj., and usu. with adverbial of direction]

1. cause (something) to change direction; turn aside from a straight course

• the bullet was deflected harmlessly into the ceiling

• ‹figurative› he attempted to deflect attention away from his private life.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (of an object) change direction after hitting something

• the ball deflected off Knight's body.

3. cause (someone) to deviate from an intended purpose

• she refused to be deflected from anything she had set her mind on.

4. cause (something) to change orientation

• the compass needle is deflected from magnetic north by metal in the aircraft.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin deflectere, from de- ‘away from’ + flectere ‘to bend’.

deflection /dɪˈflɛkʃ(ə)n / deflexion

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of deflecting or being deflected

• the deflection of the light beam

• [ count noun] his volley took a deflection off a United defender.

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin deflexio(n-), from deflectere ‘bend away’ (see deflect).

deflector /dɪˈflɛktə/

noun

1. a device that deflects something, in particular:

2. a plate or other attachment for deflecting a flow of air, water, heat, etc.

• an underbody deflector to smooth airflow near the rear suspension.

• [as modifier] a metal deflector plate to stop the controls getting too hot.

3. an electrode in a cathode ray tube whose magnetic field is used to deflect a beam of electrons on to a phosphor screen to form an image.

deflesh

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the flesh from.

• stone tools had been used to deflesh the bone.

deflexed

I. adjective

‹technical› bent or curving downwards or backwards

• a deflexed beak.

– origin early 19th cent. (earlier as deflex): from Latin deflexus ‘bent away’ (past participle of deflectere) + -ed^1.

deflocculate /diːˈflɒkjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] break up the floccules of (a substance suspended in a liquid) into fine particles, producing a dispersion.
(as adj. deflocculated)

• deflocculated clay slurry.

II. derivatives

deflocculation

noun

defloration /ˌdiːflɔːˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› ‹literary› the taking of a woman's virginity.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin defloratio(n-), from the verb deflorare (see deflower).

deflower /diːˈflaʊə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹dated› ‹literary› deprive (a woman) of her virginity.

• he took her to bed and deflowered her.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desflourer, from a variant of late Latin deflorare, from de- (expressing removal) + Latin flos, flor- ‘a flower’.

defocus /diːˈfəʊkəs/

verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (an image, lens, or beam) to go out of focus.

• the filter lets you defocus all or part of an image.

• (as adj. defocused) progressively defocused and focused binoculars.

2. [no obj.] — go out of focus

• the view defocused, then resolved.

3. cause to be less clearly defined

• defocusing the traditional contract approach in business.

Defoe, Daniel /dɪˈfəʊ/

(1660–1731), English novelist and journalist. His best-known novel, Robinson Crusoe (1719), is loosely based on the true story of the shipwrecked sailor Alexander Selkirk; it has a claim to being the first English novel. Other notable works: Moll Flanders (novel, 1722) and A Journal of the Plague Year (historical fiction, 1722).

defogger /diːˈfɒɡə/

noun

(N. Amer.) a device for demisting a vehicle windscreen.

defoliant /diːˈfəʊliənt/

noun

a chemical that removes the leaves from trees and plants, used in warfare.

defoliate /diːˈfəʊlɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove leaves from (a tree, plant, or area of land), for agricultural purposes or as a military tactic.

• the area was defoliated and napalmed many times.

• (as adj. defoliated) a defoliated poplar.

II. derivatives

defoliation /diːˌfəʊlɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from late Latin defoliat- ‘stripped of leaves’, from the verb defoliare, from de- (expressing removal) + folium ‘leaf’.

defoliator

noun

1. an adult or larval insect which strips all the leaves from a tree or shrub.

2. a machine that removes the leaves from a root crop.

deforce /dɪˈfɔːs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Law] deprive (someone) wrongfully or forcibly of their rightful property.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French deforcer, from de- (expressing removal) + forcer ‘to force’.

deforest /diːˈfɒrɪst/

verb — [with obj.]

1. clear (an area) of forests or trees.

• 404,000 sq. km had been deforested.

De Forest, Lee /də ˈfɒrɪst/

(1873–1961), American physicist and electrical engineer. He designed a triode valve that was crucial to the development of radio communication, television, and computers.

deforestation /ˌdiːfɒrɪˈsteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of clearing a wide area of trees

• a key aim is to try to halt widespread deforestation in the Amazon

• deforestation caused by foreign logging companies.

deform /dɪˈfɔːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. distort the shape or form of; make misshapen

• he was physically deformed by a rare bone disease.

2. [no obj.] — become distorted or misshapen; undergo deformation.

• the suspension deforms slightly on corners.

II. derivatives

deformable

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desformer, via medieval Latin from Latin deformare, from de- (expressing reversal) + forma ‘a shape’.

deformation /ˌdiːfɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of deforming or distorting.

• solid rock undergoing slow deformation.

2. the result of a distorting process

• the deformation will be temporary.

3. [ count noun] — an altered form of a word, especially one used to avoid overt profanity (e.g. dang for damn).

II. derivatives

deformational

adjective

deformed /dɪˈfɔːmd/

adjective

(of a person or part of the body) not having the normal or natural shape or form; misshapen

• his deformed hands.

deformity /dɪˈfɔːmɪti/

I. noun

1. a deformed part, especially of the body; a malformation

• deformities of the hands or feet.

2. [ mass noun] — the state of being deformed or misshapen

• respiratory problems caused by spinal deformity.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desformite, from Latin deformitas, from deformis ‘misshapen’.

DEFRA /ˈdɛfrə/

abbreviation

(in the UK) Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs.

defrag /diːˈfraɡ/

verb

[Computing] short for defragment.

defragment /ˌdiːfraɡˈmɛnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Computing] reduce the fragmentation of (a file) by concatenating parts stored in separate locations on a disk.

• the safe way to defragment your files.

II. derivatives

1. defragmentation /ˌdiːfraɡmənˈteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. defragmenter

noun

defraud /dɪˈfrɔːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. illegally obtain money from (someone) by deception

• he used a second identity to defraud the bank of thousands of pounds.

II. derivatives

defrauder /dɪˈfrɔːdə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French defrauder or Latin defraudare, from de- ‘from’ + fraudare ‘to cheat’ (from fraus, fraud- ‘fraud’).

defray /dɪˈfreɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide money to pay (a cost or expense)

• the proceeds from the raffle help to defray the expenses of the evening.

II. derivatives

1. defrayable /dɪˈfreɪəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. defrayal /dɪˈfreɪəl /

noun

3. defrayment /dɪˈfreɪm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘spend money’): from French défrayer, from dé- (expressing removal) + obsolete frai ‘cost, expenses’ (from medieval Latin fredum ‘a fine for breach of the peace’).

defriend /ˌdiːˈfrɛnd/

verb

another term for unfriend.

defrock /diːˈfrɒk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive (a person in holy orders) of ecclesiastical status.

• he had left his diocese one step ahead of a move to defrock him.

• (as adj. defrocked) a defrocked French Catholic priest.

2. deprive (someone) of professional status or membership of a prestigious group.
(as adj. defrocked)

• a defrocked psychiatrist.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French défroquer, from dé- (expressing removal) + froc ‘frock’.

defrost /diːˈfrɒst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. free (the interior of a refrigerator or freezer) of accumulated ice, usually by turning it off for a period.

2. [no obj.] — (of a refrigerator or freezer) become free of accumulated ice in this way

• she opened the door to let the fridge defrost.

3. thaw (frozen food) before cooking it

• defrost the turkey slowly.

4. (N. Amer.) remove frost or ice from (the windscreen of a motor vehicle).

II. derivatives

defroster /diːˈfrɒstə /

noun

deft /dɛft/

I. adjective

1. neatly skilful and quick in one's movements

• a deft piece of footwork.

2. demonstrating skill and cleverness

• the script was both deft and literate.

II. derivatives

deftness /ˈdɛftnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: variant of daft, in the obsolete sense ‘meek’.

defterdar /ˌdɛftəˈdɑː/

I. noun

(in the Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey) a finance officer or treasurer, especially a provincial accountant general.

– origin Turkish, from Persian daftardār, from daftar ‘register’ + -dār ‘holder’.

deftly /ˈdɛftli/

adverb

1. in a way that is neatly skilful and quick in movement

• her fingers moved deftly, quickly parting the grass

• Lizzy deftly weaves her way through the crowd.

2. in a clever way

• he has deftly handled the flak he's received

• the show's writers deftly balance humour and grief.

defunct /dɪˈfʌŋ(k)t/

I. adjective

no longer existing or functioning

• the now defunct Somerset & Dorset railway line.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘deceased’): from Latin defunctus ‘dead’, past participle of defungi ‘carry out, finish’, from de- (expressing reversal) + fungi ‘perform’.

defund

verb — [with obj.]

1. (US) prevent from continuing to receive funds

• the California Legislature has defunded the Industrial Welfare Commission.

defuse /diːˈfjuːz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the fuse from (an explosive device) in order to prevent it from exploding.

• explosives specialists tried to defuse the grenade.

2. make (a situation) less tense or dangerous

• a scheme that teaches officers how to defuse potentially explosive situations.

usage: On the potential confusion between defuse and diffuse, see usage at diffuse.

defy /dɪˈfʌɪ/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — openly resist or refuse to obey

• a woman who defies convention.

2. be of such a kind or nature that (a specified attitude or action) is almost impossible

• his actions defy belief

• the outfit defied adequate description.

3. [with obj. and infinitive] — appear to be challenging (someone) to do or prove something

• he glowered at her, defying her to mock him.

4. ‹archaic› challenge (someone) to fight.

• go now, defy him to the combat.

II. derivatives

defier /dɪˈfʌɪə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘renounce an allegiance’ and ‘challenge to combat’): from Old French desfier, based on Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + fidus ‘faithful’.

deg.

abbreviation

degree(s).

dégagé /deɪˈɡɑːʒeɪ, deɪˈɡaʒeɪ/

I. adjective

unconcerned or unconstrained; relaxed.

II. noun

[Ballet] a movement in which weight is shifted from one foot to the other in preparation for the execution of a step.

– origin late 17th cent.: French, past participle of dégager ‘set free’.

degas /diːˈɡas/

verb

make or become free of unwanted or excess gas.
[no obj.]

• the summit craters were degassing freely.

Degas, Edgar /ˈdeɪɡɑː, French dəɡɑ/

(1834–1917), French painter and sculptor; full name Hilaire Germain Edgar Degas. An impressionist painter, Degas is best known for his paintings of ballet dancers.

de Gaulle, Charles /də ˈɡəʊl, də ˈɡɔːl, French də ɡol/

(1890–1970), French general and statesman, head of government 1944–6, President 1959–69; full name Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle. A wartime organizer of the Free French movement, he is remembered particularly for his assertive foreign policy and for quelling the student uprisings and strikes of May 1968.

degauss /diːˈɡaʊs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Electronics] remove unwanted magnetism from (a television or monitor) in order to correct colour disturbance.
(as noun degaussing)

• the degaussing of a monitor.

2. ‹historical› neutralize the magnetic field of (a ship) by encircling it with a conductor carrying electric currents.

II. derivatives

degausser

noun

– origin mid 20th cent.: from de- + gauss.

degeneracy /dɪˈdʒɛnərəsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or quality of being degenerate

• the degeneracy of later Roman work.

degenerate

I. adjective — degenerate /dɪˈdʒɛn(ə)rət /

1. having lost the physical, mental, or moral qualities considered normal and desirable; showing evidence of decline

• a degenerate form of a higher civilization.

2. ‹technical› lacking some usual or expected property or quality, in particular:

3. [Mathematics] (of a type of equation, curve, etc.) equivalent to a simpler type, especially when a variable or parameter is set to zero.

4. [Physics] (of an energy level) corresponding to more than one quantum state.

5. [Physics] (of matter) at densities so high that gravitational contraction is counteracted, either by the Pauli exclusion principle or by an analogous quantum effect between closely packed neutrons.

6. [Biology] having reverted to a simpler form as a result of losing a complex or adaptive structure present in the ancestral form.

• degenerate offshoots from the main line of vertebrate progress.

II. noun — degenerate /dɪˈdʒɛn(ə)rət /

1. an immoral or corrupt person.

• get out of my house, you degenerate!

III. verb — [no obj.] degenerate /dɪˈdʒɛnəreɪt /

1. decline or deteriorate physically, mentally, or morally

• the quality of life had degenerated

• the debate degenerated into a brawl.

IV. derivatives

degenerately

adverb

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin degeneratus ‘no longer of its kind’, from the verb degenerare, from degener ‘debased’, from de- ‘away from’ + genus, gener- ‘race, kind’.

degeneration /dɪˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or process of being or becoming degenerate; decline or deterioration

• overgrazing has caused serious degeneration of grassland.

2. [Medicine] deterioration and loss of function in the cells of a tissue or organ

• degeneration of the muscle fibres.

degenerative /dɪˈdʒɛn(ə)rətɪv/

adjective

1. (of a disease) characterized by progressive deterioration and loss of function in the organs or tissues.

2. of or tending to decline and deterioration

• the young generation had fallen into a degenerative backslide.

degenerescence /dɪˌdʒɛnəˈrɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun

another term for degeneration.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French dégénérescence, from dégénérer ‘to degenerate’.

deglaciation /ˌdiːɡleɪsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] the disappearance of ice from a previously glaciated region.

• in the polar regions deglaciation has accompanied a slow, unsteady warming.

2. [ count noun] — [Geology] a period of geological time during which deglaciation takes place

• the last deglaciation.

deglamorize deglamorise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make less glamorous or attractive.

• she has a hard time deglamorizing herself.

II. derivatives

deglamorization

noun

deglaze

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make a gravy or sauce by adding liquid to the cooking juices and food particles in (a pan in which meat has been cooked).

• deglaze the pan with the white wine.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French déglacer.

deglutition /ˌdiːɡluːˈtɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› the action or process of swallowing.

• the muscles involved in deglutition.

• [ count noun] oesophageal pressure peaks induced by a single deglutition.

II. derivatives

deglutitive

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French déglutition or modern Latin deglutitio(n-), from deglutire ‘swallow down’.

degradation /ˌdɛɡrəˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the condition or process of degrading or being degraded

• a trail of human misery and degradation.

2. [Geology] the wearing down of rock by disintegration.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French, or from ecclesiastical Latin degradatio(n-), from the verb degradare (see degrade).

degrade /dɪˈɡreɪd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat or regard (someone) with contempt or disrespect

• she thought that many supposedly erotic pictures degraded women.

2. lower the character or quality of

• vast areas of natural habitats have been degraded.

3. break down or deteriorate chemically

• the bacteria will degrade hydrocarbons.

4. [Physics] reduce (energy) to a less readily convertible form.

5. [Geology] wear down (rock) and cause it to disintegrate.

6. ‹archaic› reduce (someone) to a lower rank, especially as a punishment.

• he was degraded from his high estate.

II. derivatives

1. degradability

noun

2. degradable /dɪˈɡreɪdəb(ə)l /

adjective

3. degradative

adjective

4. degrader

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French degrader, from ecclesiastical Latin degradare, from de- ‘down, away from’ + Latin gradus ‘step or grade’.

degraded

adjective

1. treated or regarded with contempt or disrespect

• she had felt cheap and degraded.

2. reduced in quality; inferior

• it will grow successfully even on degraded land.

degrading /dɪˈɡreɪdɪŋ/

I. adjective

causing a loss of self-respect; humiliating

• the prisoners were subjected to cruel and degrading treatment.

II. derivatives

degradingly

adverb

degranulate

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [Physiology] (of a cell) lose or release granules of a substance, typically as part of an immune reaction.

• the eosinophils degranulate, releasing the toxic contents of the granules.

II. derivatives

degranulation

noun

degrease

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove excess grease or fat from.

• the preparation consists of cleaning and degreasing.

II. derivatives

1. degreasant

noun

2. degreaser

noun

degree /dɪˈɡriː/

I. noun

1. the amount, level, or extent to which something happens or is present

• a degree of caution is probably wise

• [ mass noun] a question of degree.

2. (Symbol: °) — a unit of measurement of angles, one ninetieth of a right angle or the angle subtended by one three-hundred-and-sixtieth of the circumference of a circle

• set at an angle of 45 degrees.

3. (Symbol: °) — a unit in any of various scales of temperature, intensity, or hardness

• water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

4. a stage in a scale or series, in particular:

5. [in combination] — each of a set of grades (usually three) used to classify burns according to their severity.
See first-degree, second-degree, third-degree.

6. [often in combination] — a legal grade of crime or offence, especially murder

• second-degree murder

• criminal conduct in the first degree.

7. [often in combination] — a step in direct genealogical descent

• second-degree relatives.

8. [Music] a position in a musical scale, counting upwards from the tonic or fundamental note

• the lowered third degree of the scale.

9. [Mathematics] the class into which an equation falls according to the highest power of unknowns or variables present

• an equation of the second degree.

10. [Grammar] any of the three steps on the scale of comparison of gradable adjectives and adverbs, namely positive, comparative, and superlative.

11. a rank in an order of freemasonry.

12. ‹archaic› a thing placed like a step in a series; a tier or row.

13. an academic rank conferred by a college or university after examination or after completion of a course, or conferred as an honour on a distinguished person

• a degree in zoology.

14. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› social or official rank

• persons of unequal degree.

II. phrases

1. by degrees

a little at a time; gradually.

• rivalries and prejudice were by degrees fading out.

2. to a degree

a. to some extent

• to a degree, it is possible to educate oneself.

b. ‹dated› to a considerable extent

• the pressure you were put under must have been frustrating to a degree.

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘step’, ‘tier’, ‘rank’, or ‘relative state’): from Old French, based on Latin de- ‘down’ + gradus ‘step or grade’.

degree day

noun

1. a day on which academic degrees are formally awarded.

2. a unit used to determine the heating requirements of buildings, representing a fall of one degree below a specified average outdoor temperature (usually 18°C or 65°F) for one day.

degree holder

noun

a person who has been awarded an academic degree

• a Masters degree holder in economics.

degree of freedom

noun

1. each of a number of independently variable factors affecting the range of states in which a system may exist, in particular any of the directions in which independent motion can occur.

2. [Chemistry] each of a number of independent factors required to specify a system at equilibrium.

3. [Statistics] the number of independent values or quantities which can be assigned to a statistical distribution.

degressive /dɪˈɡrɛsɪv/

I. adjective

1. reducing by gradual amounts.

2. (of taxation) at successively lower rates on lower amounts.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin degress- ‘descended’ (from the verb degredi, from de- ‘down’ + gradi ‘walk’) + -ive.

degu /ˈdeɪɡuː/

I. noun

a rat-like rodent with a long silky coat, found in southern South America.
●Genus Octodon, family Octodontidae: three species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from American Spanish, from South American Indian deuñ.

degust /dɪˈɡʌst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› taste (something) carefully to appreciate it fully.

• Dennis didn't drink it, he degusted it.

II. derivatives

degustation

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin degustare, from de- ‘completely’ + gustare ‘to taste’.

de haut en bas /də ˌəʊt ɒ̃ ˈbɑː, French də ot ɑ̃ ba/

I. adverb, adjective

in a condescending or superior manner
[as adv.]

• he never addressed his students de haut en bas.

– origin French, ‘from above to below’.

de Havilland, Sir Geoffrey /də ˈhavɪlənd/

(1882–1965), English aircraft designer and manufacturer. He designed and built many aircraft, including the Mosquito of the Second World War.

dehisce /dɪˈhɪs/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹technical› (of a pod or seed vessel, or a cut or wound) gape or burst open.

• after the anther lobes dehisce, the pollen is set free.

II. derivatives

1. dehiscence /diːˈhɪs(ə)ns /

noun

2. dehiscent /diːˈhɪs(ə)nt /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin dehiscere, from de- ‘away’ + hiscere ‘begin to gape’ (from hiare ‘gape’).

de Hooch, Pieter /də ˈhuːtʃ / de Hoogh

( c. 1629– c. 1684), Dutch genre painter. He is noted for his depictions of domestic interior and courtyard scenes.

dehorn /diːˈhɔːn/

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the horns from (an animal).

• you can learn how to dehorn a bull calf.

dehors /dəˈɔː, dəˈhɔː/

I. preposition

[Law] other than, not including, or outside the scope of.

• where a trust is dehors a will, the beneficiary will not even know of the trustee.

• the plea shows that no request, dehors the letter, existed.

– origin early 18th cent.: from an Old French usage as a preposition (in modern French functioning as an adverb and noun).

dehort /diːˈhɔːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› strongly dissuade (someone) from a course of action

• they dehorted him from going to Babylon.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin dehortari ‘to dissuade’, from de- + hortari ‘to exhort’.

Dehra Dun /ˌdɛːrə ˈduːn / Dehradun

a city in northern India, capital of the state of Uttarakhand; pop. 551,300 (est. 2009).

dehull

verb

another term for hull^2.

dehumanization /diːhjuːmənʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / dehumanisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of depriving a person or group of positive human qualities

• the consequences of systematic dehumanization of one racial group in a society can be horrific.

dehumanize /diːˈhjuːm(ə)nʌɪz / dehumanise

verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive of positive human qualities
(as adj. dehumanizing)

• the dehumanizing effects of war.

dehumidify /diːhjuːˈmɪdɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove moisture from (the air or a gas).

II. derivatives

1. dehumidification /ˌdiːhjuːˌmɪdɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. dehumidifier /ˌdiːhjuːˈmɪdɪfʌɪə /

noun

dehusk

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the husk or husks from (grain).

dehydrate /diːhʌɪˈdreɪt, diːˈhʌɪdreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. dehydrated)

1. cause (a person or their body) to lose a large amount of water

• his body temperature was high and he had become dehydrated.

2. [no obj.] — lose a large amount of water from the body.

• the nurses made sure I didn't dehydrate.

3. remove water from (food) in order to preserve and store it

• dehydrated mashed potatoes.

II. derivatives

dehydrator /diːˌhʌɪˈdreɪtə, diːˈhʌɪdreɪtə /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from de- (expressing removal) + Greek hudros, hudr- ‘water’.

dehydration /ˌdiːhʌɪˈdreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the loss or removal of water from something

• from an inspection of plants undergoing dehydration there was no evidence of root damage

• [as modifier] a vegetable dehydration factory.

2. a harmful reduction in the amount of water in the body

• the patient was suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition

• flying at high altitudes causes dehydration.

dehydrocholesterol /diːˌhʌɪdrə(ʊ)kəˈlɛstərɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a derivative of cholesterol present in the skin. It can be converted to cholecalciferol (vitamin D_3) by the action of ultraviolet radiation.
●Chem. formula: C_27H_44O.

– origin 1930s: from dehydro- ‘that has lost hydrogen’ + cholesterol.

dehydrogenase /ˌdiːhʌɪˈdrɒdʒəneɪz/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] an enzyme that catalyses the removal of hydrogen atoms from a particular molecule, particularly in the electron transport chain reactions of cell respiration in conjunction with the coenzymes NAD and FAD.

• glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

– origin early 20th cent.: from de- (expressing removal) + hydrogen + -ase.

dehydrogenate /ˌdiːˌhʌɪˈdrɒdʒəneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] remove a hydrogen atom or atoms from (a compound).
(as adj. dehydrogenated)

• a dehydrogenated analogue of cortisone.

II. derivatives

dehydrogenation /ˌdiːhʌɪˌdrɒdʒəˈneɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from de- (expressing removal) + hydrogen + -ate^3.

Deianira /ˌdiːəˈnʌɪərə / ‹Greek Mythology›

the wife of Hercules, who was tricked into smearing poison on a garment thereby causing his death.

de-ice /diːˈʌɪs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove ice from.

• airplanes are de-iced before take-off.

• (as adj. de-icing) the application of de-icing salts to our highways.

II. derivatives

de-icer /diːˈʌɪsə /

noun

deicide /ˈdeɪɪsʌɪd, ˈdiːɪsʌɪd/

I. noun

1. the killer of a god.

2. [ mass noun] — the killing of a god.

II. derivatives

deicidal

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin deicida ‘killer of a god’, or directly from Latin deus ‘god’ + -cide.

deictic /ˈdeɪktɪk, ˈdʌɪktɪk / ‹Linguistics›

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a word or expression whose meaning is dependent on the context in which it is used (such as here, you, me, that one there, or next Tuesday).
Also called indexical.

II. noun

a deictic word or expression.

III. derivatives

deictically

adverb

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek deiktikos, deiktos ‘capable of proof’, from deiknunai ‘to show’.

deid /diːd/

adjective

Scottish form of dead.

deific /diːˈɪfɪk, deɪˈɪfɪk/

I. adjective

resembling a god in qualities such as power or beauty; divine

• he achieved deific status

• deific powers.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French déifique or ecclesiastical Latin deificus, from Latin deus ‘god’.

deiform /ˈdeɪɪfɔːm, ˈdiːɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

godlike in form or character

• a deiform image.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin deiformis, from deus ‘god’ + -iform.

deify /ˈdeɪɪfʌɪ, ˈdiːɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. worship or regard as a god

• she was deified by the early Romans as a fertility goddess.

II. derivatives

deification /deɪɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n, diːɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘make godlike in character’): from Old French deifier, from ecclesiastical Latin deificare, from deus ‘god’.

Deighton, Len /ˈdeɪt(ə)n/

(b.1929), English writer; full name Leonard Cyril Deighton. His reputation is based on his spy thrillers, several of which have been adapted as films and for television.

deign /deɪn/

I. verb — [no obj., with infinitive]

1. do something that one considers to be beneath one's dignity

• she did not deign to answer the maid's question.

2. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› condescend to give (something)

• he had deigned an apology.

– origin Middle English: from Old French degnier, from Latin dignare, dignari ‘deem worthy’, from dignus ‘worthy’.

Dei gratia /ˌdeɪiː ˈɡrɑːtɪə, -ʃɪə/

I. adverb

by the grace of God.

– origin Latin.

deil /diːl/

noun

Scottish form of devil.

Deimos /ˈdeɪmɒs / ‹Astronomy›

I. the outer of the two small satellites of Mars, discovered in 1877 (15 km long and 12 km across).

– origin named after one of the sons of Ares in Greek mythology.

de-index

verb — [with obj.]

1. end the indexation to inflation of (pensions or other benefits).

• one way to reduce inflation would be to de-index pensions.

deindustrialization /ˌdiːɪndʌstrɪəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / deindustrialisation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the reduction of industrial activity or capacity in a region or economy.

• idealists in the environmental movement advocate deindustrialization and non-intensive methods of food production.

• severe deindustrialization with substantial job losses.

• the decline in British manufacturing encapsulated in the term ‘deindustrialization’.

II. derivatives

deindustrialize /ˌdiːɪnˈdʌstrɪəlɑɪz /

verb

deink

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove ink from (paper being recycled).

deinonychus /dʌɪˈnɒnɪkəs/

I. noun

a dromaeosaurid dinosaur of the mid Cretaceous period, growing up to 3.3 m (11 ft) in length.
●Genus Deinonychus, family Dromaeosauridae, suborder Theropoda.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek deinos ‘terrible’ + onux, onukh- ‘claw’.

deinotherium /ˌdʌɪnə(ʊ)ˈθɪərɪəm / deinothere /ˈdʌɪnə(ʊ)θɪə/

I. noun

a fossil elephant-like mammal found mainly in the Pliocene epoch, that had tusks in the lower jaw that curved downwards and backwards.
●Genus Deinotherium, suborder Deinotherioidea, order Proboscidea.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek deinos ‘terrible’ + thērion ‘wild beast’.

deinstall /ˌdiːɪnˈstɔːl / deinstal

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove (an application or file) from a computer.

II. derivatives

1. deinstallation

noun

2. deinstaller

noun

deinstitutionalize deinstitutionalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. discharge (a long-term inmate) from an institution such as a psychiatric hospital or prison.

• the changes aim to deinstitutionalize mentally ill people.

• (as adj. deinstitutionalized) the deinstitutionalized mentally ill.

II. derivatives

deinstitutionalization

noun

deionize /diːˈʌɪənʌɪz / deionise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the ions or ionic constituents from (a substance, especially water).
(as adj. deionized)

• the sample is placed in deionized water.

II. derivatives

1. deionization /diːʌɪənʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. deionizer

noun

Deirdre /ˈdɪədri / ‹Irish Mythology›

a tragic heroine of whom it was prophesied that her beauty would bring banishment and death to heroes. King Conchobar of Ulster wanted to marry her, but she fell in love with Naoise, son of Usnach, who with his brothers carried her off to Scotland. They were lured back by Conchobar and treacherously slain, and Deirdre took her own life.

deism /ˈdeɪɪz(ə)m, ˈdiːɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not intervene in the universe.
Compare with theism.

II. derivatives

1. deist /ˈdeɪɪst, ˈdiːɪst /

noun

2. deistic /deɪˈɪstɪk, diːˈɪstɪk /

adjective

3. deistical

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin deus ‘god’ + -ism.

deity /ˈdeɪɪti, ˈdiːɪti/

I. noun

1. a god or goddess (in a polytheistic religion)

• a deity of ancient Greece.

2. [ mass noun] — divine status, quality, or nature

• a ruler driven by delusions of deity.

3. (usu. the Deity) — the creator and supreme being (in a monotheistic religion such as Christianity).

• she raised her head as if appealing to the Deity presiding over the church.

4. a representation of a god or goddess, such as a statue or carving

• also on show is a bronze falcon deity.

– origin Middle English (denoting the divine nature of God): from Old French deite, from ecclesiastical Latin deitas (translating Greek theotēs), from deus ‘god’.

deixis /ˈdeɪksɪs, ˈdʌɪksɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] the function or use of deictic words, forms, or expressions.

• we construct a context from the deixis of the text.

– origin 1940s: from Greek, literally ‘reference’, from deiknunai ‘to show’.

déjà vu /deɪʒɑː ˈvuː French deʒa vy//

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of having already experienced the present situation.

• a feeling of déjà vu.

• to list the opponents of his policies is to invite boredom and a sense of déjà vu.

– origin early 20th cent.: French, literally ‘already seen’.

deject /dɪˈdʒɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› make sad or dispirited; depress

• nothing dejects a trader like the interruption of his profits.

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘overthrow, abase, degrade’): from Latin deject- ‘thrown down’, from the verb deicere, from de- ‘down’ + jacere ‘to throw’.

dejected /dɪˈdʒɛktɪd/

I. adjective

sad and depressed; dispirited

• he stood in the street looking dejected.

II. derivatives

dejectedly /dɪˈdʒɛktɪdli /

adverb

dejection /dɪˈdʒɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sad and depressed state; low spirits

• he was slumped in deep dejection.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dejectio(n-), from deicere ‘throw down’ (see deject).

dejunk

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› clear (a room or other space) by disposing of clutter and unwanted possessions

• dejunk the house before you move.

de jure /deɪ ˈjʊəreɪ, diː ˈdʒʊəri/

I. adverb

according to rightful entitlement or claim; by right.

• the resolution declared that the independent Republic of Latvia proclaimed on November 18, 1918 was still in existence de jure.

Often contrasted with de facto.

II. adjective

existing or holding a specified position by legal right

• he had been de jure king since his father's death.

– origin Latin, literally ‘of law’.

deke /diːk / ‹Ice Hockey›

I. noun

a deceptive movement or feint that induces an opponent to move out of position.

II. verb — [with obj. and adverbial]

1. draw (a player) out of position by performing a deke.

• four minutes into the third period, Hull scored his 70th goal of the season, deking a Flyer defenceman to the ice.

• [no obj.] McRae deked twice and scored.

– origin 1960s: shortened form of decoy.

Dekker, Thomas /ˈdɛkə/

( c. 1570–1632), English dramatist, author of the revenge tragedy The Witch of Edmonton (1623), in which he collaborated with John Ford and William Rowley, and The Honest Whore (1604; 1630) with Thomas Middleton.

dekko /ˈdɛkəʊ/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a quick look or glance

• come and have a dekko at this.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally used by the British army in India): from Hindi dekho ‘look!’, imperative of dekhnā.

de Klerk, F. W. /də ˈklɛːk/

(b.1936), South African statesman, State President 1989–94; full name Frederik Willem de Klerk. As State President he freed Nelson Mandela in 1990, lifted the ban on membership of the ANC, and opened the negotiations that led to the first democratic elections in 1994. Nobel Peace Prize with Nelson Mandela (1993).

de Kooning, Willem /də ˈkuːnɪŋ/

(1904–97), Dutch-born American painter, a leading exponent of abstract expressionism. The female form became a central theme in his later work, notably in the Women series (1950–3).

del

I. noun

(Symbol: ∇) — [Mathematics] an operator used in vector analysis.
●del is defined as i∂/∂ x + j∂/∂ y + k∂/∂ z, where i, j, and k are vectors directed respectively along the Cartesian axes x, y, and z.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation of delta^1, from the representation of the operator as an inverted capital delta.

Del.

abbreviation

Delaware.

de la Beche, Sir Henry Thomas /ˌdə la ˈbiːtʃ/

(1796–1855), English geologist. He travelled extensively and produced the first geological description and map of Jamaica. He was involved in the establishment of the Geological Survey of Great Britain in 1835, directing it from then until his death.

Delacroix, Eugène /ˌdɛləˈkrwɑː, French dəlakʀwa/

(1798–1863), French painter, the chief painter of the French romantic school; full name Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix. He is known for his use of vivid colour, free drawing, and exotic, violent, or macabre subject matter. Notable works: The Massacre at Chios (1824).

de la Mare, Walter /ˌdə la ˈmɛː/

(1873–1956), English poet, known particularly for his verse for children. Notable works: The Listeners (1912); full name Walter John de la Mare.

delaminate /diːˈlamɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹technical› divide into layers.

• delaminating the horn into thin sheets.

• [no obj.] the plywood was starting to delaminate.

II. derivatives

delamination

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from de- ‘away’ + Latin lamina ‘thin plate’ + -ate^3.

delate /dɪˈleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› report (an offence or crime).

• they may delate my slackness to my patron.

2. ‹archaic› inform against or denounce (someone)

• they deliberated together on delating her as a witch.

II. derivatives

1. delation /dɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. delator /dɪˈleɪtə /

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin delat- ‘referred, carried away’, from the verb deferre (see defer^2).

Delaunay, Robert /dəˈlɔːneɪ, French dəlone/

(1885–1941), French painter. For most of his career he experimented with the abstract qualities of colour, and he painted some of the first purely abstract pictures. He was one of the founder members of Orphism together with Sonia Delaunay-Terk.

Delaunay-Terk, Sonia /dəˌlɔːneɪˈtɛːk, French dəlonetɛʀk/

(1885–1979), Russian-born French painter and textile designer, wife of Robert Delaunay. She created abstract paintings based on harmonies of form and colour.

Delaware^1 /ˈdɛləwɛː/

I. a river of the north-eastern US. Rising in the Catskill Mountains in New York State, it flows some 450 km (280 miles) southwards to northern Delaware, where it meets the Atlantic at Delaware Bay. For much of its length it forms the eastern border of Pennsylvania.

II. a state of the US on the Atlantic coast, one of the original thirteen states of the Union (1787); pop. 873,092 (est. 2008); capital, Dover.

Delaware^2 /ˈdɛləwɛː/

I. noun

1. a member of an American Indian people formerly inhabiting the Delaware River valley of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.

2. [ mass noun] — either of two Algonquian languages (Munsi and Unami), both now extinct, spoken by the Delaware.

II. adjective

relating to the Delaware or their languages.

– origin named after the River Delaware (see Delaware^1).

Delawarean /ˌdɛləˈwɛːrɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the US state of Delaware or its inhabitants

• farming is still a bedrock of rural Delawarean identity.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the US state of Delaware

• we want every Delawarean to be ready and safe.

delay /dɪˈleɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone or something) late or slow

• the train was delayed.

2. [no obj.] — be late or slow; loiter

• time being of the essence, they delayed no longer.

3. postpone or defer (an action)

• he may decide to delay the next cut in interest rates.

II. noun

1. a period of time by which something is late or postponed

• a two-hour delay

• long delays in obtaining passports.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of delaying or being delayed

• I set off without delay.

3. [Electronics] the time interval between the propagation of an electrical signal and its reception.

4. an electronic device which introduces a delay, especially in an audio signal.

III. derivatives

delayer

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French delayer (verb).

delayed-action

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. operating or effective after a predetermined length of time

• delayed-action bombs.

II. noun

( delayed action) [ mass noun] — the operation of something after a predetermined length of time.

delayering /diːˈleɪərɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of reducing the number of levels in the hierarchy of employees in an organization.

• downsizing and delayering have severely undermined staff loyalty.

II. derivatives

delayer

verb

delaying action

noun — [ mass noun]

1. action taken to gain time, especially a military engagement that delays the advance of an enemy.

delaying tactic

noun

an action or strategy designed to defer or postpone something in order to gain an advantage for oneself

• he accused them of adopting delaying tactics.

delay line

noun

1. a device producing a specific desired delay in the transmission of a signal.

2. a set of mirrors controlling the path lengths between outlying telescopes and a central receiver.

dele /ˈdiːli/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. delete or mark (a part of a text) for deletion.

II. noun

a proofreader's sign indicating matter to be deleted.

– origin Latin, ‘blot out! efface!’, imperative of delere.

delectable /dɪˈlɛktəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of food or drink) delicious

• delectable handmade chocolates.

2. ‹humorous› extremely attractive

• the delectable Ms Davis.

II. derivatives

1. delectability

noun

2. delectably /dɪˈlɛktəbli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin delectabilis, from delectare ‘to charm’ (see delight).

delectation /ˌdiːlɛkˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› ‹chiefly humorous› pleasure and delight

• they had all manner of rock 'n' roll goodies for our delectation.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin delectatio(n-), from delectare ‘to charm’ (see delight).

delegacy /ˈdɛlɪɡəsi/

I. noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. a body of delegates; a committee or delegation.

– origin late Middle English: from delegate, on the pattern of the pair prelate, prelacy.

delegate

I. noun — delegate /ˈdɛlɪɡət /

1. a person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference.

• congress delegates rejected the proposals.

2. a member of a committee.

II. verb — [with obj.] delegate /ˈdɛlɪɡeɪt /

1. entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person, typically one who is less senior than oneself

• she must delegate duties so as to free herself for more important tasks

• the power delegated to him must never be misused.

2. [with obj. and infinitive] — send or authorize (someone) to do something as a representative

• Edward was delegated to meet new arrivals.

III. derivatives

1. delegable /ˈdɛlɪɡəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. delegator

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin delegatus ‘sent on a commission’, from the verb delegare, from de- ‘down’ + legare ‘depute’.

delegation /dɛlɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.] — a body of delegates or representatives; a deputation

• a delegation of teachers.

2. [ mass noun] — the action or process of delegating or being delegated

• the delegation of power to the district councils.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting the action or process of delegating; also in the sense ‘delegated power’): from Latin delegatio(n-), from delegare ‘send on a commission’ (see delegate).

delegitimate

verb

another term for delegitimize.

delegitimatize delegitimatise

verb

another term for delegitimize.

delegitimize delegitimise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. withdraw legitimate status or authority from

• the country has been delegitimized by the world community.

II. derivatives

delegitimization

noun

de Lenclos, Ninon

see Lenclos, Ninon de.

delete /dɪˈliːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove or obliterate (written or printed matter), especially by drawing a line through it

• the passage was deleted.

2. remove (data) from a computer's memory.

• any program in memory will be deleted before the new one is loaded.

3. remove (a product, especially a recording) from the catalogue of those available for purchase

• their EMI release has already been deleted.

4. ( be deleted) — [Genetics] (of a section of genetic code, or its product) be lost or excised from a nucleic acid or protein sequence.

• if one important gene is deleted from an animal's DNA, other genes can stand in.

II. noun

a command or key on a computer which erases text.

• you can use delete to remove a number of lines from your program.

III. derivatives

deletable

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘destroy’): from Latin delet- ‘blotted out, effaced’, from the verb delere.

deleterious /ˌdɛlɪˈtɪərɪəs/

I. adjective

‹formal› causing harm or damage

• divorce is assumed to have deleterious effects on children.

II. derivatives

deleteriously

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: via medieval Latin from Greek dēlētērios ‘noxious’ + -ous.

deletion /dɪˈliːʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the removal or obliteration of written or printed matter, especially by drawing a line through it

• we can agree the deletion of the second paragraph

• [ count noun] deletions from the list could only be made after debate.

2. the removal of data from a computer's memory

• a bug is responsible for the unexplained deletion of emails

• it pays to ensure deletion of unnecessary files.

3. the removal of a product, especially a recording, from the catalogue of those available for purchase.

4. [Genetics] the loss or excision of a section of genetic code, or its product, from a nucleic acid or protein sequence

• deletion of the gene in mice results in a very reduced tail

• [ count noun] his team have identified several types of deletions of chromosome 1.

deleveraging /diːˈliːv(ə)rɪdʒɪŋ, diːˈlɛv(ə)rɪdʒɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Finance] the process or practice of reducing the level of one's debt by rapidly selling one's assets.

II. derivatives

deleverage

noun, verb

delexical /diːˈlɛksɪk(ə)l/

adjective

[Linguistics] (of a verb) having little or no meaning in its own right, for example take in take a photograph.

Delfont, Bernard /ˈdɛlfɒnt/

Baron Delfont of Stepney (1909–94), Russian-born British impresario; born Boris Winogradsky. From the early 1940s onwards he presented more than 200 shows in London's West End.

delft /dɛlft/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. English or Dutch tin-glazed earthenware, typically decorated by hand in blue on a white background.
[as modifier]

• walls covered with delft tiles.

II. derivatives

delftware

noun

– origin late 17th cent. (originally Delf ware): see Delft, where the pottery originated.

Delft /dɛlft/

I. a town in the Netherlands, in the province of South Holland; pop. 96,168 (2008). The home of the painters Pieter de Hooch and Jan Vermeer, it is noted for its pottery.

– origin originally Delf, from Dutch delf ‘ditch’, still the name of the town's main canal.

Delhi /ˈdɛli / Old Delhi

a walled city on the River Jumna in north central India, which was made the capital of the Mogul empire in 1638 by Shah Jahan (1592–1666).
See also New Delhi.

Delhi belly

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› an upset stomach accompanied by diarrhoea, especially as suffered by visitors to India.

• he was suffering from a severe case of Delhi belly.

deli /ˈdɛli/

noun

‹informal› short for delicatessen.

Delian /ˈdiːlɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Delos.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Delos.

Delian League

an alliance of ancient Greek city states, dominated by Athens, that joined in 478–447 BC against the Persians. The league was disbanded on the defeat of Athens in the Peloponnesian War (404 BC), but again united under Athens' leadership against Spartan aggression in 377–338 BC.
Also called the Athenian empire.

deliberate

I. adjective — deliberate /dɪˈlɪb(ə)rət /

1. done consciously and intentionally

• a deliberate attempt to provoke conflict.

2. careful and unhurried

• a conscientious and deliberate worker.

3. fully considered; not impulsive

• a deliberate decision.

II. verb — [no obj.] deliberate /dɪˈlɪbəreɪt /

1. engage in long and careful consideration

• she deliberated over the menu.

2. [with obj.] — consider (a question) carefully

• jurors deliberated the fate of those charged

• [with clause] they deliberated what they should do with him.

III. derivatives

1. deliberateness /dəˈlɪbərətnəs /

noun

2. deliberator

noun

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): from Latin deliberatus, ‘considered carefully’, past participle of deliberare, from de- ‘down’ + librare ‘weigh’ (from libra ‘scales’).

deliberately /dɪˈlɪb(ə)rətli/

adverb

1. consciously and intentionally; on purpose

• the fire was started deliberately.

2. in a careful and unhurried way

• slowly and deliberately he rose from the armchair.

deliberation /dɪˌlɪbəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. long and careful consideration or discussion

• after much deliberation we arrived at a compromise

• [ count noun] the commission's deliberations.

2. slow and careful movement or thought

• he replaced the glass on the table with deliberation.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin deliberatio(n-), from deliberare ‘consider carefully’ (see deliberate).

deliberative /dɪˈlɪb(ə)rətɪv/

I. adjective

relating to or intended for consideration or discussion

• a deliberative assembly.

II. derivatives

deliberatively

adverb

Delibes, Léo /dəˈliːb, French dəlib/

(1836–91), French composer and organist; full name Clément Philibert Léo Delibes. His best-known works are the ballets Coppélia (1870) and Sylvia (1876).

delicacy /ˈdɛlɪkəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. fineness or intricacy of texture or structure

• miniature pearls of exquisite delicacy.

2. susceptibility to illness or adverse conditions; fragility.

3. tact and consideration

• I have to treat this matter with the utmost delicacy.

4. the quality of requiring discretion or sensitivity

• the delicacy of the situation.

5. accuracy of perception; sensitiveness.

6. [ count noun] — a choice or expensive food

• traditional Japanese delicacies.

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘voluptuousness’ and ‘luxuriousness’): from delicate + -acy.

delicate /ˈdɛlɪkət/

I. adjective

1. very fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality

• a delicate lace shawl.

2. (of colour) subtle and subdued

• delicate pastel shades.

3. (of food or drink) subtly and pleasantly flavoured

• a delicate, sweet flavour.

4. easily broken or damaged; fragile

• delicate china.

5. susceptible to illness or adverse conditions

• his delicate health.

6. (of a state or condition) easily upset or affected

• owls have a delicate balance with their habitat.

7. requiring sensitive or careful handling

• delicate negotiations.

8. tactful and considerate

• a delicate approach is needed.

9. skilful and finely judged; deft

• his delicate ball-playing skills.

10. (of an instrument) highly sensitive.

II. noun

‹informal› a delicate fabric or garment.
[as modifier]

• the delicates cycle of a washing machine.

III. phrases

in a delicate condition

‹archaic› pregnant.

IV. derivatives

delicateness

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘delightful, charming’): from French délicat or Latin delicatus, of unknown origin. Senses also expressed in Middle English (now obsolete) include ‘voluptuous’, ‘self-indulgent’, ‘fastidious’, and ‘effeminate’.

delicately /ˈdɛlɪkətli/

adverb

1. in a manner displaying fineness of texture or structure and intricate workmanship

• a silk dress delicately embroidered in gold

• delicately carved wooden sculptures

• his book is complex and delicately layered.

2. in a pleasantly subtle and subdued manner; lightly

• delicately scented leaves

• a delicately flavoured tea

• delicately tinted wallpaper.

3. in a very careful or finely judged manner; gently

• she took the jewel in her hands, holding it delicately.

4. in a highly sensitive or thoughtful way; tactfully

• that's a sensitive issue that has to be approached delicately

• both players were handled delicately.

5. in a way that is easily upset or affected

• the game was delicately balanced approaching half-time.

delicatessen /ˌdɛlɪkəˈtɛs(ə)n/

I. noun

a shop selling cooked meats, cheeses, and unusual or foreign prepared foods.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally US, denoting prepared foods for sale): from German Delikatessen or Dutch delicatessen, from French délicatesse ‘delicateness’, from délicat (see delicate).

delicense delicence

verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive of a licence.

delicious /dɪˈlɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. highly pleasant to the taste

• delicious home-baked brown bread.

2. delightful

• a delicious irony.

II. derivatives

deliciousness /dɪˈlɪʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘characterized by sensuous indulgence’): via Old French from late Latin deliciosus, from Latin deliciae (plural) ‘delight, pleasure’.

deliciously /dɪˈlɪʃəsli/

adverb

1. in a way that is highly pleasant to the senses, especially taste

• the trout was light and crisp, deliciously cooked

• the cake smelled deliciously of lemon

• an orange-fleshed honeydew that tasted deliciously sweet.

2. [as submodifier] — in a way that is very pleasing; delightfully

• it's smart satire and deliciously silly

• a deliciously dark comedy.

delict /dɪˈlɪkt, ˈdiːlɪkt/

I. noun

[Law] a violation of the law; a tort.

• an international delict.

• [ mass noun] claims in tort or delict.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin delictum ‘something showing fault’, neuter past participle of delinquere (see delinquent).

delight /dɪˈlʌɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. please (someone) greatly

• an experience guaranteed to delight both young and old.

2. [no obj.] ( delight in) — take great pleasure in

• they delight in playing tricks.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. great pleasure

• the little girls squealed with delight

• we broke into an impromptu dance, to the delight of the crowd

• she took great delight in telling your story.

2. [ count noun] — a cause or source of great pleasure

• the trees here are a delight.

– origin Middle English: from Old French delitier (verb), delit (noun), from Latin delectare ‘to charm’, frequentative of delicere. The -gh- was added in the 16th cent. by association with light^1.

delighted /dɪˈlʌɪtɪd/

I. adjective

feeling or showing great pleasure

• a delighted smile

• [with infinitive] we were delighted to see her.

II. derivatives

delightedly /dɪˈlʌɪtɪdli /

adverb

delightful /dɪˈlʌɪtfʊl, dɪˈlʌɪtf(ə)l/

I. adjective

causing delight; charming

• a delightful secluded garden.

II. derivatives

delightfulness

noun

delightfully /dɪˈlʌɪtf(ə)li/

adverb

in a manner that causes great pleasure; charmingly

• a delightfully illustrated account

• [as submodifier] delightfully eccentric characters.

Delilah /dɪˈlʌɪlə/

I. (in the Bible) a woman who betrayed Samson to the Philistines (Judges 16) by revealing to them that the secret of his strength lay in his long hair.

II. (as noun a Delilah) — a seductive and wily temptress.

delimit /dɪˈlɪmɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. determine the limits or boundaries of

• agreements delimiting fishing zones.

II. derivatives

1. delimitation /dɪlɪmɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. delimiter

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French délimiter, from Latin delimitare, from de- ‘down, completely’ + limitare (from limes, limit- ‘boundary, limit’).

delineate /dɪˈlɪnɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. describe or portray (something) precisely

• the law should delineate and prohibit behaviour which is socially abhorrent.

2. indicate the exact position of (a border or boundary).

• his finger found a precisely outlined section delineated in red marker.

II. derivatives

delineator /dɪˈlɪnɪeɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘trace the outline of something’): from Latin delineat- ‘outlined’, from the verb delineare, from de- ‘out, completely’ + lineare (from linea ‘line’).

delineation /dɪˌlɪnɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of describing or portraying something precisely

• the artist's exquisite delineation of costume and jewellery.

2. the action of indicating the exact position of a border or boundary.

• the eventual delineation of the border between the two states.

delink

verb — [with obj.] (often as noun delinking)

1. break the connection between (something) and something else

• the possibility of delinking from the international economic system.

delinquency /dɪˈlɪŋkw(ə)nsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. minor crime, especially that committed by young people

• social causes of crime and delinquency.

2. ‹formal› neglect of one's duty.

• he relayed this in such a manner as to imply grave delinquency on the host's part.

3. [ count noun] — (chiefly US) a failure to pay an outstanding debt by the due date.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin delinquentia, from Latin delinquent- ‘offending’ (see delinquent).

delinquent /dɪˈlɪŋkw(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. (typically of a young person) tending to commit crime, particularly minor crime

• delinquent teenagers.

2. ‹formal› failing in one's duty.

3. (N. Amer.) in arrears

• delinquent accounts.

II. noun

a delinquent person

• juvenile delinquents.

III. derivatives

delinquently

adverb

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin delinquent- ‘offending’, from the verb delinquere, from de- ‘away’ + linquere ‘to leave’.

deliquesce /ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛs/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of organic matter) become liquid, typically during decomposition.

2. [Chemistry] (of a solid) become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin deliquescere ‘dissolve’, from de- ‘down’ + liquescere ‘become liquid’ (from liquere ‘be liquid’).

deliquescent /ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. becoming liquid, or having a tendency to become liquid.

2. [Chemistry] (of a solid) tending to absorb moisture from the air and dissolve in it.

II. derivatives

deliquescence /ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛs(ə)ns /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin deliquescent- ‘dissolving’, from the verb deliquescere (see deliquesce).

deliration /dɛlɪˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› frenzied or delirious behaviour.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin deliratio(n-), from delirat- past participial stem of delirare ‘deviate, be deranged’ (see delirium) + -ation.

delirious /dɪˈlɪrɪəs/

I. adjective

1. in an acutely disturbed state of mind characterized by restlessness, illusions, and incoherence; affected by delirium.

• he became delirious and couldn't recognize people.

2. in a state of wild excitement or ecstasy

• there was a great roar from the delirious crowd.

II. derivatives

1. deliriant

adjective

2. deliriously /dɪˈlɪrɪəsli /

adverb

[as submodifier]

• Rose was deliriously happy

delirium /dɪˈlɪrɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an acutely disturbed state of mind characterized by restlessness, illusions, and incoherence, occurring in intoxication, fever, and other disorders.

• somewhere a patient shouted in delirium.

• she had fits of delirium.

2. wild excitement or ecstasy.

• a chorus of delirium from the terrace.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, from delirare ‘deviate, be deranged’ (literally ‘deviate from the furrow’), from de- ‘away’ + lira ‘ridge between furrows’.

delirium tremens /ˈtriːmɛnz, ˈtrɛ-/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a psychotic condition typical of withdrawal in chronic alcoholics, involving tremors, hallucinations, anxiety, and disorientation.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘trembling delirium’.

delish

adjective

‹informal› delicious.

delist

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove from a list, in particular:

2. remove (a security) from the official register of a stock exchange.

• the stock collapsed and was delisted.

3. remove (a product) from the list of those sold by a particular retailer.

• stores may delist products or their manufacturers decline to supply their usual outlets.

Delius, Frederick /ˈdiːlɪəs/

(1862–1934), English composer, of German and Scandinavian descent. He is best known for pastoral works such as Brigg Fair (1907), but he also wrote songs, concertos, and choral and theatre music.

deliver /dɪˈlɪvə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. bring and hand over (a letter, parcel, or goods) to the proper recipient or address

• the products should be delivered on time

• [no obj.] we'll deliver direct to your door.

2. provide (something promised or expected)

• he had been able to deliver votes in huge numbers

• [no obj.] she's waiting for him to deliver on his promise.

3. formally hand over (someone)

• there was a reward if you were delivered unharmed to the nearest British post.

4. ( deliver someone/thing up) — surrender someone or something

• had he feared she would deliver him up to the police?

5. [Law] acknowledge that one intends to be bound by (a deed), either explicitly by declaration or implicitly by formal handover.

6. launch or aim (a blow, ball, or attack)

• he delivered a punch to the man's belly

• ‹figurative› the company has delivered a body blow to this city.

7. state in a formal manner

• he will deliver a lecture on endangered species

• he delivered himself of a sermon.

8. (of a judge or court) give (a judgement or verdict)

• the court was due to deliver its verdict.

9. assist in the birth of

• the village midwife delivered the baby.

10. give birth to

• the number of women delivering their babies in hospitals increased.

11. ‹archaic› ‹formal› assist (a woman) in giving birth

• Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24 p.m.

12. ( deliver someone/thing from) — save, rescue, or set someone or something free from

• deliver us from the nightmare of junk mail.

II. phrases

deliver the goods

‹informal› provide that which is promised or expected.

• the command economy can't deliver the goods.

III. derivatives

deliverer /dɪˈlɪvərə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French delivrer, based on Latin de- ‘away’ + liberare ‘set free’.

deliverable /dɪˈlɪvərəbl/

I. adjective

able to be delivered

• goods in a deliverable state.

II. noun — (usu. deliverables)

1. a thing able to be provided, especially as a product of a development process.

• the company's primary method of measuring customer feedback on deliverables.

III. derivatives

deliverability

noun

deliverance /dɪˈlɪv(ə)r(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of being rescued or set free

• prayers for deliverance.

2. a formal or authoritative utterance.

• the low drawl he employed for such deliverances.

– origin Middle English: from Old French delivrance, from the verb delivrer (see deliver).

delivery /dɪˈlɪv(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of delivering letters, parcels, or goods

• allow up to 28 days for delivery

• [ count noun] there will be around 15 deliveries a week.

2. [ count noun] — an item or items delivered on a particular occasion

• new deliveries are stacked behind older stock.

3. the process of giving birth

• injuries sustained during delivery

• [ count noun] practically all deliveries take place in hospital.

4. [ count noun] — an act of throwing, bowling, or kicking a ball, especially a cricket ball

• he reached 59 runs off only 42 deliveries.

5. the manner or style of giving a speech

• her delivery was stilted.

6. the supply or provision of something

• a mechanism for rapid delivery of bile into the duodenum.

7. [Law] the acknowledgement by the maker of a deed that they intend to be bound by it.

II. phrases

take delivery of

receive (something purchased)

• we took delivery of the software in February.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French delivree, feminine past participle of delivrer (see deliver).

dell /dɛl/

I. noun

‹literary› a small valley, usually among trees

• lush green valleys and wooded dells.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch del and German dialect Telle, also to dale.

Della Cruscan /ˌdɛlə ˈkrʌsk(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a late 18th-century school of English poets with an artificial style modelled on that of purist Italian writers.

II. noun

a Della Cruscan poet.

– origin named after the Academy della Crusca in Florence (from Italian della Crusca ‘of the bran’, with reference to ‘sifting’ of the language).

della Quercia, Jacopo /ˌdɛlə ˈkwɛːtʃə, Italian ˌdella ˈkwertʃa/

( c. 1374–1438), Italian sculptor. He is noted for his tomb of Ilaria del Carretto in Lucca cathedral ( c. 1406) and for the biblical reliefs on the portal of San Petronio in Bologna (1425–35).

della Robbia, Luca /ˈrɒbɪə/

(1400–82), Italian sculptor and ceramicist. He is best known for his relief panels in Florence cathedral and his colour-glazed terracotta figures.

delocalize /diːˈləʊk(ə)lʌɪz / delocalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. detach or remove from a particular place or location
(as adj. delocalized)

• delocalized cortical activity.

2. ( be delocalized) — [Chemistry] (of electrons) be shared among more than two atoms in a molecule.

• the pi electrons are delocalized and energetically stable.

II. derivatives

delocalization /ˌdiːləʊk(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

Delors, Jacques /dəˈlɔː, French dəlɔʀ/

(b.1925), French socialist politician, president of the European Commission 1985–94; full name Jacques Lucien Jean Delors. During his presidency he pressed for closer European union and oversaw the introduction of a single market within the European Community, which came into effect on 1 January 1993.

Delos /ˈdiːlɒs/

a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea, regarded as the centre of the Cyclades. Now virtually uninhabited, in classical times it was considered to be sacred to Apollo, and according to legend was the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis.
Greek name Dhílos.

delouse /diːˈlaʊs/

verb — [with obj.]

1. treat (a person or animal) to rid them of lice and other parasitic insects.

• they were given showers and deloused.

delph

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Irish) plates, dishes, and other similar items; crockery.

• the cacophony of tin on delph as the boys wolfed their food from their plates with cheap cutlery.

– origin variant of delft.

Delphi /ˈdɛlfi, ˈdɛlfʌɪ/

one of the most important religious sanctuaries of the ancient Greek world, dedicated to Apollo and situated on the lower southern slopes of Mount Parnassus above the Gulf of Corinth. It was the seat of the Delphic Oracle, whose riddling responses to a wide range of questions were delivered by the Pythia.
Greek name Dhelfoí.

Delphic /ˈdɛlfɪk / Delphian /ˈdɛlfɪən/

adjective

1. relating to the ancient Greek oracle at Delphi.

2. deliberately obscure or ambiguous.

delphinium /dɛlˈfɪnɪəm/

I. noun

a popular garden plant of the buttercup family, which bears tall spikes of blue flowers.
●Genus Delphinium, family Ranunculaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek delphinion ‘larkspur’, from delphin ‘dolphin’ (because of the shape of the spur, thought to resemble a dolphin's back).

Delphinus /dɛlˈfʌɪnəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small constellation (the Dolphin), just north of the celestial equator near Cygnus.

II. (as genitive Delphini) — used with preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation

• the star Alpha Delphini.

– origin Latin.

del Sarto, Andrea

see Sarto, Andrea del.

delta^1 /ˈdɛltə/

I. noun

1. the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet ( Δ, δ), transliterated as ‘d’.

2. (Brit.) a fourth-class mark given for an essay, examination paper, or other piece of work.

3. [as modifier] — the fourth in a series of items, categories, etc.

• delta hepatitis.

4. ( Delta) [followed by Latin genitive] — [Astronomy] the fourth (usually fourth-brightest) star in a constellation

• Delta Cephei.

5. a code word representing the letter D, used in radio communication.

6. (also delta connection) — a triangular arrangement of electrical three-phase windings.

II. symbol

1. ( δ) — [Mathematics] variation of a variable or function.

2. ( Δ) — [Mathematics] a finite increment.

3. ( δ) — [Astronomy] declination.

– origin Greek, from Phoenician daleth.

delta^2 /ˈdɛltə/

I. noun

a triangular tract of sediment deposited at the mouth of a river, typically where it diverges into several outlets.

• the Nile delta.

• [as modifier] a huge delta system developed.

II. derivatives

deltaic /dɛlˈteɪɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: originally specifically as the Delta (of the River Nile), from the shape of the Greek letter (see delta^1).

Delta Force

an elite American military force whose main responsibilities are rescue operations and special forces work.

delta rays

plural noun

[Physics] rays of low penetrative power consisting of slow electrons or other particles ejected from atoms by the impact of ionizing radiation.

delta rhythm

noun — [ mass noun]

1. electrical activity of the brain at a frequency of around 1–8 Hz, typical of sleep. The resulting oscillations, detected using an electroencephalograph, are called delta waves.

delta-v delta-vee

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› acceleration

• four hundred knots of delta-v.

– origin late 20th cent.: from delta^1 (as a mathematical symbol denoting variation) + v for velocity.

delta wing

I. noun

a single triangular swept-back wing fitted on some jet aircraft.

II. derivatives

delta-winged

adjective

deltiologist /ˌdɛltɪˈɒlədʒɪst/

I. noun

a person who collects postcards as a hobby.

II. derivatives

deltiology

noun

– origin 1940s: from Greek deltion (diminutive of deltos ‘writing tablet’) + -logist.

deltoid /ˈdɛltɔɪd/

I. adjective

‹technical› triangular

• a tree with large deltoid leaves.

II. noun

1. (also deltoid muscle) — a thick triangular muscle covering the shoulder joint and used for raising the arm away from the body.

2. each of the three parts of a deltoid muscle, attached at the front, side, and rear of the shoulder

• the anterior deltoid.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French deltoïde, or via modern Latin from Greek deltoeidēs.

delude /dɪˈl(j)uːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) believe something that is not true

• too many theorists have deluded the public

• (as adj. deluded) the poor deluded creature.

II. derivatives

1. deludedly

adverb

2. deluder

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin deludere ‘to mock’, from de- (with pejorative force) + ludere ‘to play’.

deluge /ˈdɛljuːdʒ/

I. noun

1. a severe flood.

• this may be the worst deluge in living memory.

2. ( the Deluge) — the biblical Flood (recorded in Genesis 6–8).

• the world appeared to be emerging still from the waters of the Deluge.

3. a heavy fall of rain

• a deluge of rain hit the plains.

4. a great quantity of something arriving at the same time

• a deluge of complaints.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. overwhelm with a flood.

• caravans were deluged by the heavy rains.

2. inundate with a great quantity of something

• he has been deluged with offers of work.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, variant of diluve, from Latin diluvium, from diluere ‘wash away’.

delusion /dɪˈluːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an idiosyncratic belief or impression maintained despite being contradicted by reality or rational argument, typically as a symptom of mental disorder

• the delusion of being watched.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of deluding or the state of being deluded

• what a capacity television has for delusion.

II. phrases

delusions of grandeur

a false impression of one's own importance.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘act of deluding or of being deluded’): from late Latin delusio(n-), from the verb deludere (see delude).

delusional /dɪˈluːʒ(ə)n(ə)l/

adjective

1. characterized by or holding idiosyncratic beliefs or impressions that are contradicted by reality or rational argument, typically as a symptom of mental disorder

• hospitalization for schizophrenia and delusional paranoia

• he was diagnosed with a delusional disorder.

2. based on or having faulty judgement; mistaken

• their delusional belief in the project's merits never wavers

• I think the guy is being a bit delusional here.

delusive /dɪˈluːsɪv/

I. adjective

giving a false or misleading impression

• a delusive perception of opportunity for all.

II. derivatives

delusively /dɪˈluːsɪvli /

adverb

delusory /dɪˈluːs(ə)ri, dɪˈluːz(ə)ri/

adjective

another term for delusive.

delustre ‹US› deluster

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the lustre from (a textile), typically by chemical treatment.
(as adj. delustred)

• delustred acetate fibres.

deluxe /dɪˈlʌks, ˈlʊks/

I. adjective

luxurious or sumptuous; of a superior kind

• a deluxe hotel.

– origin early 19th cent.: French de luxe, literally ‘of luxury’.

delve /dɛlv/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. reach inside a receptacle and search for something

• she delved in her pocket.

2. research or make painstaking enquiries into something

• the society is determined to delve deeper into the matter.

3. ‹archaic› dig; excavate.

• when Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?

• [with obj.] the approach from the surface above had awed her, so hugely delved were the tunnels.

II. derivatives

delver

noun

– origin Old English delfan ‘dig’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch delven.

Dem.

abbreviation

(US) Democrat.

demagnetize /diːˈmaɡnɪtʌɪz / demagnetise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove magnetic properties from.

• demagnetize the tape heads.

II. derivatives

1. demagnetization /ˌdiːˌmaɡnɪtʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. demagnetizer

noun

demagogue /ˈdɛməɡɒɡ/

I. noun

1. a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.

• the Senator was a gifted demagogue, with particular skill in manipulating the press.

2. (in ancient Greece and Rome) a leader or orator who espoused the cause of the common people.

• the Athenian demagogues had definite and valuable functions within the state.

II. derivatives

1. demagogic /dɛməˈɡɒɡɪk /

adjective

2. demagoguery /dɛməˈɡɒɡ(ə)ri /

noun

3. demagogy /ˈdɛməɡɒɡi /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek dēmagōgos, from dēmos ‘the people’ + agōgos ‘leading’ (from agein ‘to lead’).

demand /dɪˈmɑːnd/

I. noun

1. an insistent and peremptory request, made as of right

• a series of demands for far-reaching reforms.

2. (usu. demands) — pressing requirements

• he's got enough demands on his time already.

3. [ mass noun] — the desire of consumers, clients, employers, etc. for a particular commodity, service, or other item

• a recent slump in demand

• [ count noun] a demand for specialists.

II. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. ask authoritatively or brusquely
[with direct speech]

• ‘Where is she?’ he demanded

• [with clause] the police demanded that he give them the names.

2. [with obj.] — insist on having

• an outraged public demanded retribution

• too much was being demanded of the top players.

3. require; need

• a complex activity demanding detailed knowledge.

III. phrases

1. in demand

sought after

• all these skills are much in demand.

2. on demand

as soon as or whenever required

• a combination boiler provides hot water on demand

• [as modifier] an on-demand movie service on broadband.

IV. derivatives

demander

noun

– origin Middle English (as a noun): from Old French demande (noun), demander (verb), from Latin demandare ‘hand over, entrust’ (in medieval Latin ‘demand’), from de- ‘formally’ + mandare ‘to order’.

demand curve

noun

a graph showing how the demand for a commodity or service varies with changes in its price.

demand deposit

noun

a deposit of money that can be withdrawn without prior notice, e.g. in a current account.

demand draft demand note

noun

(chiefly Indian) a financial draft payable on demand.

demand-driven

adjective

[Economics] motivated or caused by economic demand

• releasing this amount of money into the market could lead to demand-driven price inflation.

demand feeding

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of feeding a baby when it cries to be fed rather than at set times.

demanding /dɪˈmɑːndɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (of a task) requiring much skill or effort

• she has a busy and demanding job.

2. (of a person) making others work hard or meet high standards; not easily satisfied.

• he was a demanding baby, and rarely slept through the night.

II. derivatives

demandingly

adverb

demand-led demand-driven

adjective

[Economics] caused or determined by demand from consumers or clients.

• demand-led programmes such as social security.

demand-pull

adjective

relating to or denoting inflation caused by an excess of demand over supply.
Contrasted with cost-push.

demantoid /dɪˈmantɔɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a lustrous green variety of andradite (garnet).

– origin late 19th cent.: from German, from Demant ‘diamond’.

demarcate /ˈdiːmɑːkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. set the boundaries or limits of

• plots of land demarcated by barbed wire.

2. separate or distinguish from

• art was being demarcated from the more objective science.

– origin early 19th cent.: back-formation from demarcation.

demarcation /diːmɑːˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of fixing the boundary or limits of something

• the demarcation of the maritime border.

2. [ count noun] — a dividing line.

• a horizontal band that produces a distinct demarcation two inches from the top.

• ‹figurative› the demarcation between teachers and learners.

3. (Brit.) the practice of requiring that specific jobs be assigned to members of particular trade unions

• strikes over job demarcation.

II. derivatives

demarcator

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from Spanish demarcación, from demarcar ‘mark the bounds of’, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to mark^1. Originally used in the phrase line of demarcation (Spanish línea de demarcación, Portuguese linha de demarcação), the word denoted a line dividing the New World between the Spanish and Portuguese, laid down by the Pope in 1493.

demarcation dispute

noun

(Brit.) a dispute between trade unions about who should do a particular job.

démarche /deɪˈmɑːʃ/

I. noun

a political step or initiative

• foreign policy démarches.

– origin mid 17th cent.: French, from démarcher ‘take steps’.

demark /diːˈmɑːk/

I. verb

another term for demarcate.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from demarcation, on the pattern of the verb mark.

demassify /diːˈmasɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. divide or break up (a social or political unit) into its component parts.

• computerized forces of production demassify organizations.

II. derivatives

demassification

noun

dematerialize /diːməˈtɪərɪəlʌɪz / dematerialise

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. become free of physical substance.

2. (in science fiction) disappear by means of some imagined technological process

• he watched the time machine dematerialize.

3. [with obj.] — replace (physical records or certificates) with a paperless computerized system.
(as adj. dematerialized)

• a dematerialized stock lending service.

II. derivatives

dematerialization

noun

de Maupassant, Guy

see Maupassant, Guy de.

deme /diːm/

I. noun

1. a political division of Attica in ancient Greece.

2. an administrative division in modern Greece.

3. [Biology] a subdivision of a population consisting of closely related plants, animals, or people, typically breeding mainly within the group.

– origin from Greek dēmos ‘people’; sense 2 is an extended use dating from the 1930s.

demean^1 /dɪˈmiːn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause a severe loss in the dignity of and respect for (someone or something)

• I had demeaned the profession.

2. ( demean oneself) — do something that is beneath one's dignity.

• good potential MPs would not demean themselves by setting out to acquire popularity.

– origin early 17th cent.: from de- ‘away, down’ + the adjective mean^2, on the pattern of debase.

demean^2 /dɪˈmiːn/

I. verb — ( demean oneself)

1. ‹archaic› conduct oneself in a particular way

• no man demeaned himself so honourably.

– origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘manage, control’): from Old French demener ‘to lead’, based on Latin de- ‘away’ + minare ‘drive (animals), drive on with threats’ (from minari ‘threaten’).

demeaning /dɪˈmiːnɪŋ/

I. adjective

causing someone to lose their dignity and the respect of others

• the poster was not demeaning to women.

II. derivatives

demeaningly

adverb

demeanour /dɪˈmiːnə / ‹US› demeanor

I. noun

outward behaviour or bearing

• his happy demeanour.

– origin late 15th cent.: from demean^2, probably influenced by obsolete havour ‘behaviour’.

de' Medici, Catherine

see Catherine de' Medici.

de' Medici, Cosimo

see Cosimo de' Medici.

de' Medici, Giovanni

the name of Pope Leo X (see Leo^1).

de' Medici, Lorenzo

see Lorenzo de' Medici.

de Médicis, Marie

see Marie de Médicis.

dement /dɪˈmɛnt/

I. noun

‹archaic› a person suffering from dementia.

– origin late 15th cent. (as an adjective in the sense ‘demented’): from French dément or Latin demens, dement- ‘insane’. The noun use dates from the late 19th cent.

demented /dɪˈmɛntɪd/

I. adjective

1. suffering from dementia.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) behaving irrationally due to anger, distress, or excitement

• she was demented with worry.

II. derivatives

1. dementedly /dɪˈmɛntɪdli /

adverb

2. dementedness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: past participle of earlier dement ‘drive mad’, from Old French dementer or late Latin dementare, from demens ‘out of one's mind’.

démenti /deɪˈmɒ̃ti/

I. noun

an official denial of a published statement.

– origin French, from démentir ‘contradict or accuse of lying’.

dementia /dɪˈmɛnʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin, from demens, dement- ‘out of one's mind’.

dementia praecox /ˈpriːkɒks/

I. noun

archaic term for schizophrenia.

– origin Latin, literally ‘early insanity’.

demerara /ˌdɛməˈrɛːrə, ˌdɛməˈrɑːrə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also demerara sugar) — (Brit.) light brown cane sugar coming originally and chiefly from Guyana.

2. (also demerara rum) — a dark rum fermented from molasses, made in Guyana.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after the region of Demerara.

Demerara /ˌdɛməˈrɛːrə, ˌdɛməˈrɑːrə/

I. a river of northern Guyana. Rising in the Guiana Highlands, it flows about 320 km (200 miles) northwards to the Atlantic.

II. a former Dutch colony in South America, now part of Guyana.

demerge /diːˈməːdʒ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) separate (a business) from another, particularly to dissolve an earlier merger.

• the company announced plans to demerge its multimedia subsidiary.

• [no obj.] they demerged from the rest of the firm.

demerger /diːˈməːdʒə/

noun

(Brit.) the separation of a large company into two or more smaller organizations, particularly as the dissolution of an earlier merger.

• the demerger of the security company will be announced on 10 June.

• [as modifier] forty per cent of shareholders approve of the demerger plan.

demerit /diːˈmɛrɪt/

I. noun

1. a fault or disadvantage

• the merits and demerits of these proposals.

2. (N. Amer.) a mark awarded against someone for a fault or offence.

II. derivatives

demeritorious /diːmɛrɪˈtɔːrɪəs /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘merit’): from Old French desmerite or Latin demeritum ‘something deserved’, neuter past participle of demereri, from de- ‘thoroughly’ (also understood in medieval Latin as denoting reversal) + mereri ‘to merit’.

Demerol /ˈdɛmərɒl/

I. noun

trademark for pethidine.

– origin 1940s: of unknown origin.

demersal /dɪˈməːs(ə)l/

I. adjective

(chiefly of fish) living close to the floor of the sea or a lake.

• demersal fish.

Often contrasted with pelagic.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin demersus (past participle of demergere ‘submerge, sink’, from de- ‘down’ + mergere ‘plunge’) + -al.

demesne /dɪˈmeɪn, dɪˈmiːn/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a piece of land attached to a manor and retained by the owner for their own use.

• because labour was cheap, there were ample advantages in cultivating the demesne.

2. ‹historical› the lands of an estate.

• a levy of one tenth on property in the royal demesne.

3. ‹historical› ‹archaic› a region or domain

• she may one day queen it over that fair demesne.

4. [ mass noun] — ‹historical› [Law] possession of real property in one's own right.

II. phrases

held in demesne

[Law] ‹historical› (of an estate) occupied by the owner, not by tenants.

– origin Middle English: from Old French demeine (later Anglo-Norman French demesne) ‘belonging to a lord’, from Latin dominicus, from dominus ‘lord, master’. Compare with domain.

Demeter /dɪˈmiːtə / ‹Greek Mythology›

the corn goddess, daughter of Cronus and Rhea and mother of Persephone. She is associated with Cybele and her symbol is typically an ear of corn. The Eleusinian mysteries were held in honour of her.

demi- /ˈdɛmi/

I. prefix

1. half; half-size

• demisemiquaver.

2. partially; in an inferior degree

• demigod.

– origin via French from medieval Latin dimedius ‘half’, from earlier dimidius.

demi-caractère /ˌdɛmɪkarəkˈtɛː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of ballet having elements of character dance, but executed with steps based on the classical technique.

2. [ count noun] — a dancer specializing in demi-caractère dance.

– origin French, literally ‘half character’.

demi-glace /ˈdɛmɪɡlas / demi-glaze

I. noun

a rich, glossy brown sauce from which the liquid has been partly evaporated, typically flavoured with wine and served with meat.
[as modifier]

• lamb chop with demi-glace sauce.

– origin French, literally ‘half glaze’.

demigod /ˈdɛmɪɡɒd/

I. noun

1. a being with partial or lesser divine status, such as a minor deity, the offspring of a god and a mortal, or a mortal raised to divine rank.

• some Roman emperors claimed descent from demigods such as Hercules.

2. a man who is greatly admired or respected

• a former juvenile delinquent who would become a counterculture demigod

• Roth even mocked the demigod James Joyce

• he was hailed as a demigod style guru.

– origin mid 16th cent.: translating Latin semideus.

demigoddess /ˈdɛmɪˌɡɒdɪs/

noun

1. a female being with partial or lesser divine status, such as a minor deity, the offspring of a god and a mortal, or a mortal raised to divine rank

• the Greek demigoddess Clio.

2. a woman who is greatly admired or respected

• to anyone who studied theatre in the 70s or 80s, she is a demigoddess

• pop culture demigoddess Beyonce.

demijohn /ˈdɛmɪdʒɒn/

I. noun

a bulbous narrow-necked bottle holding from 3 to 10 gallons of liquid, typically enclosed in a wicker cover.

– origin mid 18th cent.: probably an alteration of French dame-jeanne ‘Lady Jane’, by association with demi- ‘half-sized’ and the given name John.

demilitarize /diːˈmɪlɪt(ə)rʌɪz / demilitarise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. demilitarized)

1. remove all military forces from (an area)

• a demilitarized zone.

II. derivatives

demilitarization /ˌdiːˌmɪlɪt(ə)rʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

de Mille, Cecil B. /də ˈmɪl/

(1881–1959), American film producer and director, famous for his spectacular epics; full name Cecil Blount de Mille. Notable films: The Ten Commandments (1923; remade 1956) and Samson and Delilah (1949).

demilune /ˈdɛmɪluːn/

I. noun

a crescent or half-circle, or a thing of this shape.
[as modifier]

• demilune shutters.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French demi-lune, literally ‘half-moon’.

demi-mondaine /ˈdɛmɪmɒnˌdeɪn French dəmimɔ̃dɛn//

I. noun

a woman considered to belong to the demi-monde.

– origin French.

demi-monde /ˌdɛmɪˈmɒnd French dəmimɔ̃d//

I. noun

1. (in 19th-century France) a class of women considered to be of doubtful social standing and morality.

2. a group of people on the fringes of respectable society

• the demi-monde of arms deals.

– origin French, literally ‘half-world’.

demine

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove explosive mines from

• the army is working to demine the border.

II. derivatives

deminer

noun

demineralize demineralise

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. demineralized)

1. remove salts from (water).

• demineralized water.

2. deprive (teeth or bones) of essential minerals.

• prolonged periods in zero gravity have weakened muscles dangerously and demineralized bones.

II. derivatives

demineralization

noun

demi-pension /ˌdɛmɪˈpɒ̃sjɒ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. hotel accommodation with bed, breakfast, and one main meal per day.

– origin French, literally ‘half board’.

demirep /ˈdɛmɪrɛp/

I. noun

‹archaic› a woman whose chastity is considered doubtful.

– origin mid 18th cent.: abbreviation of demi-reputable.

demise /dɪˈmʌɪz/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a person's death

• Mr Grisenthwaite's tragic demise.

2. the end or failure of an enterprise or institution

• the demise of industry.

3. [ mass noun] — [Law] conveyance or transfer of property or a title by will or lease.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Law] convey or grant (an estate) by will or lease.

• the manor and the mill were demised for twenty-one-year terms.

• (as adj. demised) the demised property.

2. [Law] transmit (a sovereign's title) by death or abdication.

– origin late Middle English (as a legal term): from Anglo-Norman French, past participle (used as a noun) of Old French desmettre ‘dismiss’, (in reflexive) ‘abdicate’, based on Latin dimittere (see dismiss).

demi-sec /dɛmɪˈsɛk, French dəmisɛk/

I. adjective

(of wine) medium dry.

– origin French, literally ‘half-dry’.

demisemiquaver /ˌdɛmɪˈsɛmɪˌkweɪvə/

noun

[Music] (chiefly Brit.) a note having the time value of half a semiquaver, represented by a large dot with a three-hooked stem.
Also called thirty-second note.

demist /diːˈmɪst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) clear condensation from (a vehicle's windscreen).
(as adj. demisting)

• the cabin should be fitted with demisting equipment.

II. derivatives

demister /diːˈmɪstə /

noun

demit /dɪˈmɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› resign from (an office or position).

• arguments within his congregation led to his demitting his post.

II. derivatives

demission /dɪˈmɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘dismiss’): from French démettre, from dé- ‘away from’ + mettre ‘put’.

demitasse /ˈdɛmɪtas/

I. noun

a small coffee cup.
[as modifier]

• a demitasse spoon.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘half-cup’.

demiurge /ˈdiːmɪəːdʒ, ˈdɛmɪəːdʒ/

I. noun

1. a being responsible for the creation of the universe, in particular:

2. (in Platonic philosophy) the Maker or Creator of the world.

3. (in Gnosticism and other theological systems) a heavenly being, subordinate to the Supreme Being, that is considered to be the controller of the material world and antagonistic to all that is purely spiritual.

II. derivatives

1. demiurgic /diːmɪˈəːdʒɪk, dɛmɪˈəːdʒɪk /

adjective

2. demiurgical

adjective

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a magistrate in certain ancient Greek states): via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek dēmiourgos ‘craftsman’, from dēmios ‘public’ (from dēmos ‘people’) + -ergos ‘working’.

demo^1 /ˈdɛməʊ / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. a demonstration of a product or technique

• a cookery demo.

2. a version of something such as computer software produced to demonstrate its capabilities or for use as a trial

• there is a demo to try before you buy.

3. a recording made to demonstrate the capabilities of a musical group or performer or as preparation for a full recording

• we recorded a three-song demo

• [as modifier] a demo track.

4. (chiefly Brit.) a public meeting or march protesting against something or expressing views on a political issue

• a peace demo.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. record (a song or piece of music) to demonstrate the capabilities of a musical group or performer or as preparation for a full recording

• they've already demoed twelve new songs.

2. demonstrate the capabilities of (software or another product)

• Apple is expected to demo the newest version of its mobile operating system at the conference next week.

3. test (software or another product), typically with a view to a future purchase

• if you want to demo the app first, a free download is also available for you to test out.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation of demonstration and demonstrate.

demo^2 /ˈdɛməʊ/

noun

(US) ‹informal› short for demographic:

• both channels managed to maintain ratings among young male demos.

demob /diːˈmɒb / ‹Brit. informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. demobilize (troops).

• there were four million men being demobbed.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. demobilization

• we were waiting for our demob.

– origin 1920s (following the First World War): abbreviation.

demob-happy

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› feeling elated because one is about to leave a stressful or responsible job or situation

• he's looking a little more relaxed these days, though he's not demob-happy quite yet.

demobilize /diːˈməʊbɪlʌɪz / demobilise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take (troops) out of active service, typically at the end of a war

• he was demobilized in February 1946.

2. [no obj.] — cease military operations

• Germany demanded that they demobilize within twelve hours.

II. derivatives

demobilization /ˌdiːˌməʊbɪlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from French démobiliser, from dé- (expressing reversal) + mobiliser ‘mobilize’.

democracy /dɪˈmɒkrəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives

• a system of parliamentary democracy.

2. [ count noun] — a state governed under a system of democracy

• a multiparty democracy.

3. control of an organization or group by the majority of its members

• the intended extension of industrial democracy.

4. the practice or principles of social equality

• demands for greater democracy.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French démocratie, via late Latin from Greek dēmokratia, from dēmos ‘the people’ + -kratia ‘power, rule’.

democrat /ˈdɛməkrat/

I. noun

1. an advocate or supporter of democracy.

• as a democrat, I accepted the outcome of the referendum.

2. ( Democrat) — (in the US) a member of the Democratic Party.

– origin late 18th cent. (originally denoting an opponent of the aristocrats in the French Revolution of 1790): from French démocrate, on the pattern of aristocrate ‘aristocrat’.

democratic /dɛməˈkratɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to or supporting democracy or its principles

• democratic countries

• democratic government.

2. favouring or characterized by social equality; egalitarian

• cycling is a very democratic activity which can be enjoyed by anyone.

3. ( Democratic) — (in the US) relating to the Democratic Party.

• a Democratic fundraiser.

• a Democratic governor.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French démocratique, via medieval Latin from Greek dēmokratikos, from dēmokratia (see democracy).

democratically /ˌdɛməˈkratɪkli/

adverb

in accordance with the principles of democracy

• a democratically elected government

• wage scales should be decided democratically.

democratic centralism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Leninist organizational system in which policy is decided centrally and is binding on all members.

Democratic Party

one of the two main US political parties (the other being the Republican Party), which follows a broadly liberal programme, tending to support social reform and minority rights.

Democratic Republican Party

a US political party founded in 1792 by Thomas Jefferson, a forerunner of the modern Democratic Party.

democratization /dɪˌmɒkrətʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / democratisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the introduction of a democratic system or democratic principles

• he has funded efforts to promote democratization in Europe

• the Reform Bill was the first step towards democratization of Parliament.

2. the action of making something accessible to everyone

• the democratization of information through technology.

democratize /dɪˈmɒkrətʌɪz / democratise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. introduce a democratic system or democratic principles to

• public institutions need to be democratized.

2. make (something) accessible to everyone

• mass production has not democratized fashion.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French démocratiser.

Democritus /dɪˈmɒkrɪtəs/

( c. 460– c. 370 BC), Greek philosopher. He developed the atomic theory originated by his teacher, Leucippus, which explained natural phenomena in terms of the arrangement and rearrangement of atoms moving in a void.

démodé /deɪˈməʊdeɪ/

I. adjective

out of fashion.

– origin French, past participle of démoder ‘go out of fashion’.

demodectic mange /ˌdiːmə(ʊ)ˈdɛktɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of mange caused by follicle mites and tending to affect chiefly the head and foreparts.
Compare with sarcoptic mange.

– origin late 19th cent.: demodectic from modern Latin Demodex (from Greek dēmos ‘fat’ + dēx ‘woodworm’) + -ic.

demodulate /diːˈmɒdjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Electronics] extract or separate (a modulating signal) from its carrier.

• the signal is passed through a filter at 300 kHz and demodulated.

II. derivatives

1. demodulation /diːˌmɒdjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. demodulator

noun

demographic /ˌdɛməˈɡrafɪk/

I. adjective

relating to the structure of populations

• the demographic trend is towards an older population.

II. noun

a particular sector of a population

• the drink is popular with a young demographic.

III. derivatives

demographical

adjective

demographically

adverb

in a way that relates to the structure of populations

• the state is geographically and demographically diverse.

demographics /dɛməˈɡrafɪks/

plural noun

statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it

• the demographics of book buyers.

demography /dɪˈmɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of statistics such as births, deaths, income, or the incidence of disease, which illustrate the changing structure of human populations.

2. the composition of a particular human population

• Europe's demography is changing.

II. derivatives

demographer /dɪˈmɒɡrəfə /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek dēmos ‘the people’ + -graphy.

demoi

plural form of demos.

demoiselle /ˌdɛmwɑːˈzɛl/

I. noun

1. (also demoiselle crane) — a small Old World crane with a black head and breast and white ear tufts, breeding in SE Europe and central Asia.
● Anthropoides virgo, family Gruidae.

2. a damselfly, especially an agrion.

3. a damselfish.

4. ‹archaic› ‹literary› a young woman.

– origin early 16th cent. (in sense 4): from French, from Old French dameisele ‘damsel’.

de Moivre's theorem /də ˈmwɑːvr(ə)/

I. noun

[Mathematics] a theorem which states that (cos θ + i sin θ)n = cos n θ + i sin n θ, where i is the square root of −1.

– origin early 18th cent.: named after Abraham de Moivre (1667–1754), French-born mathematician, fellow of the Royal Society.

demolish /dɪˈmɒlɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pull or knock down (a building).

• the house was demolished to make way for the shopping centre.

2. comprehensively refute (an argument or its proponent)

• I looked forward keenly to demolishing my opponent.

3. ‹informal› overwhelmingly defeat (a player or team)

• Arsenal demolished City 3–0.

4. (Brit.) ‹humorous› eat up (food) quickly

• Brown was busy demolishing a sausage roll.

II. derivatives

demolisher

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French démoliss-, lengthened stem of démolir, from Latin demoliri, from de- (expressing reversal) + moliri ‘construct’ (from moles ‘mass’).

demolition /dɛməˈlɪʃn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of demolishing or being demolished

• the monument was saved from demolition.

2. ‹informal› an overwhelming defeat.

• Ireland's demolition of England.

II. derivatives

demolitionist

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: via French from Latin demolitio(n-), from the verb demoliri (see demolish).

demolition derby

noun

(N. Amer.) a competition in which cars are driven into each other until only one car is left running.

demon^1 /ˈdiːmən/

I. noun

1. an evil spirit or devil, especially one thought to possess a person or act as a tormentor in hell.

• he was possessed by an evil demon.

• each of the damned souls was guarded by a group of hideous demons.

2. a cruel, evil, or unmanageable person

• I was a little demon, I can tell you.

3. a powerful, often destructive compulsion or obsession

• he is plagued by demons which go back to his childhood.

4. something very insidious and harmful

• the demon of sexism

• [as modifier] the demon drink.

5. [ mass noun] — reckless mischief; devilry

• his eyes are bursting with pure demon.

6. [often as modifier] — a forceful or skilful performer of a specified activity

• a friend of mine is a demon cook.

7. another term for daemon^1 (sense 1).

II. phrases

like a demon

in a very forceful, fierce, or skilful way

• he worked like a demon.

– origin Middle English: from medieval Latin, from Latin daemon, from Greek daimōn ‘deity, genius’; in sense 1 also from Latin daemonium ‘lesser or evil spirit’, from Greek daemonion, diminutive of daimōn.

demon^2 /ˈdiːmən/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a police officer.

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps from Van Diemen 's Land, an early name for Tasmania, or based on dee (slang term for detective) + man.

demon^3

noun

variant spelling of daemon^2.

demonetize /diːˈmʌnɪtʌɪz / demonetise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive (a coin or precious metal) of its status as money.

• coins minted with the name and portrait of Emperor Caligula were demonetized after his death.

II. derivatives

demonetization /diːˌmʌnɪtʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French démonétiser, from dé- (expressing reversal) + Latin moneta ‘money’.

demoniac /dɪˈməʊnɪak/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of a demon or demons

• a goddess with both divine and demoniac qualities

• demoniac rage.

II. noun

a person supposedly possessed by an evil spirit.

III. derivatives

1. demoniacal /ˌdiːməˈnʌɪək(ə)l /

adjective

2. demoniacally

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French demoniaque, from ecclesiastical Latin daemoniacus, from daemonium ‘lesser or evil spirit’ (see demon^1).

demonic /dɪˈmɒnɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of demons or evil spirits

• demonic possession

• her laughter was demonic.

2. fiercely energetic or frenzied

• a demonic hurry.

II. derivatives

demonically

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek daimonikos, from daimōn (see demon^1).

demonism /ˈdiːmənɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. belief in the power of demons.

2. action or behaviour that seems too cruel or wicked to be human

• the demonism of warfare.

demonize /ˈdiːmənʌɪz / demonise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. portray as wicked and threatening

• he was demonized by the right-wing press.

II. derivatives

demonization /ˌdiːmənʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

demono- /ˈdiːmənəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to demons

• demonolatry.

– origin from Greek daimon ‘demon’.

demonolatry /ˌdiːməˈnɒlətri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the worship of demons.

demonology /diːməˈnɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of demons or demonic belief.

2. a set of beliefs about people or things regarded as harmful or unwelcome.

• he was public enemy number one in the demonology of the Australian right wing.

II. derivatives

1. demonological

adjective

2. demonologist

noun

demonopolize demonopolise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. introduce competition into (a market or economy) by privatizing previously nationalized assets.

• the key ingredient, demonopolizing the economy, has not been fully approved.

II. derivatives

demonopolization

noun

demonstrable /dɪˈmɒnstrəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

clearly apparent or capable of being logically proved

• the demonstrable injustices of racism.

II. derivatives

demonstrability /dɪˌmɒnstrəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin demonstrabilis, from demonstrare ‘point out’.

demonstrably /dɪˈmɒnstrəbli/

adverb

in a way that is clearly apparent or capable of being logically proved

• the policies followed so far have demonstrably failed

• the claim is demonstrably false.

demonstrate /ˈdɛmənstreɪt/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — clearly show the existence or truth of (something) by giving proof or evidence

• their shameful silence demonstrates their ineptitude.

2. show (a feeling or quality) by one's actions

• she began to demonstrate a new-found confidence.

3. [with obj.] — give a practical exhibition and explanation of (how a machine, skill, or craft works or is performed)

• computerized design methods will be demonstrated

• [with clause] she demonstrated how to cook chops.

4. [no obj.] — take part in a public demonstration

• thousands demonstrated in favour of the government.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘point out’): from Latin demonstrat- ‘pointed out’, from the verb demonstrare.

demonstration /dɛmənˈstreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an act of showing that something exists or is true by giving proof or evidence

• his demonstration of the need for computer corpora in language study is convincing

• [ mass noun] acts of faith are not capable of mathematical demonstration.

2. an outward show of a feeling or quality

• physical demonstrations of affection.

3. a practical exhibition and explanation of how something works or is performed

• a microwave cookery demonstration.

4. a public meeting or march protesting against something or expressing views on a political issue.

• a pro-democracy demonstration.

• demonstrations against the poll tax.

II. derivatives

demonstrational

adjective

– origin late Middle English (also in the senses ‘proof provided by logic’ and ‘sign, indication’): from Latin demonstratio(n-), from demonstrare ‘point out’ (see demonstrate). Sense 3 dates from the mid 19th cent.

demonstrative /dɪˈmɒnstrətɪv/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) unrestrained in showing feelings, especially those of affection.

• we were a very physically demonstrative family.

2. serving as conclusive evidence of something.

• demonstrative evidence.

3. involving demonstration, especially by scientific means

• the possibility of a demonstrative science of ethics.

4. [Grammar] (of a determiner or pronoun) indicating the person or thing referred to (e.g. this, that, those).

II. noun

[Grammar] a demonstrative determiner or pronoun.

III. derivatives

1. demonstratively /dɪˈmɒnstrətɪvli /

adverb

2. demonstrativeness /dɪˈmɒnstrətɪvnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘serving as conclusive evidence of’ and ‘making manifest’): from Old French demonstratif, -ive, from Latin demonstrativus, from demonstrare ‘point out’ (see demonstrate).

demonstrative legacy

noun

[Law] a legacy which is directed to be paid from a specified fund or pool.

demonstrator /ˈdɛmənstreɪtə/

noun

1. a participant in a public protest meeting or march.

• troops opened fire on crowds of demonstrators.

2. a person who shows how a piece of equipment works or how a skill or craft is performed.

• the demonstrators arrived and launched into a two-hour sales pitch.

3. a person who teaches by demonstration in a laboratory

• she was appointed demonstrator in botany at Newnham College.

4. a piece of merchandise which can be tested by potential buyers.

• the dealer represented the car to be new when it had been used as a demonstrator.

de Montespan, Marquise

see Montespan, Marquise de.

de Montfort, Simon

see Montfort, Simon de^1.

demoralize /dɪˈmɒrəlʌɪz / demoralise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to lose confidence or hope

• the General Strike had demoralized the trade unions.

2. ‹archaic› corrupt the morals of (someone).

• she hastened her daughter's steps, lest she be demoralized by beholding the free manners of these ‘mad English’.

II. derivatives

1. demoralization /dɪˌmɒrəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. demoralizing /dɪˈmɒrəlʌɪzɪŋ /

adjective

3. demoralizingly

adverb

– origin late 18th cent.: from French démoraliser (a word of the French Revolution), from dé- (expressing reversal) + moral ‘moral’, from Latin moralis.

demoralized demoralised

adjective

having lost confidence or hope; disheartened

• a weak and demoralized president.

De Morgan's laws

I. plural noun

[Mathematics] two laws in Boolean algebra and set theory which state that AND and OR, or union and intersection, are dual. They are used to simplify the design of electronic circuits.
●The laws can be expressed in Boolean logic as: NOT ( a AND b) = NOT a OR NOT b; NOT ( a OR b) = NOT a AND NOT b.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Augustus De Morgan (1806–71), English mathematician, but already known (by logicians) as principles in the Middle Ages.

demos /ˈdiːmɒs/

I. noun

1. the common people of an ancient Greek state.

2. the populace of a democracy as a political unit.

– origin from Greek dēmos.

Demosthenes /dɪˈmɒsθəniːz/

I. (384–322 BC), Athenian orator and statesman. He is best known for his political speeches on the need to resist the aggressive tendencies of Philip II of Macedon (the Philippics).

II. derivatives

Demosthenic /dɛmɒsˈθɛnɪk /

adjective

demo tape

noun

a recording (originally one presented on a cassette tape) that is made to demonstrate the capabilities of a musical group or performer.

• he encouraged bands to send him their demo tapes.

demote /diːˈməʊt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. move (someone) to a lower position or rank, usually as a punishment

• the head of the army was demoted to deputy defence secretary.

– origin late 19th cent.: from de- ‘down’ + a shortened form of promote.

demotic /dɪˈmɒtɪk/

I. adjective

1. denoting or relating to the kind of language used by ordinary people; colloquial

• a demotic idiom.

2. relating to or denoting the form of modern Greek used in everyday speech and writing.
Compare with katharevousa.

3. relating to or denoting a simplified, cursive form of ancient Egyptian script, dating from c. 650 BC and replaced by Greek in the Ptolemaic period.
Compare with hieratic.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ordinary colloquial speech.

• he blinked in mild surprise at this uncharacteristic leap into the demotic.

2. demotic Greek.

3. demotic Egyptian script.

– origin early 19th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to the Egyptian demotic’): from Greek dēmotikos ‘popular’, from dēmotēs ‘one of the people’, from dēmos ‘the people’.

demotion /diːˈməʊʃn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. reduction in rank or status

• she could remain on the staff if she accepted demotion to ordinary lecturer

• [ count noun] too many demotions would weaken morale.

– origin early 20th cent.: from demote, on the pattern of promotion.

demotivate /diːˈməʊtɪveɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) less eager to work or study

• some children disrupt classes and demotivate other pupils.

II. derivatives

demotivation

noun

demountable

I. adjective

able to be dismantled or removed from its setting and readily reassembled or repositioned.

• in the spare bedroom I had a demountable workbench.

II. derivatives

demount /diːˈmaʊnt /

verb

Dempsey, Jack /ˈdɛmpsi/

(1895–1983), American boxer; full name William Harrison Dempsey. He was world heavyweight champion 1919–26.

demulcent /dɪˈmʌls(ə)nt / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(of a substance) relieving inflammation or irritation.

II. noun

a substance that relieves irritation of the mucous membranes in the mouth by forming a protective film.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin demulcent- ‘stroking caressingly’, from the verb demulcere, from de- ‘away’ + mulcere ‘soothe’.

demur /dɪˈməː/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. raise objections or show reluctance

• normally she would have accepted the challenge, but she demurred.

2. [Law] ‹dated› put forward a demurrer.

II. noun — [ mass noun] [usu. with negative]

1. the action of objecting to or hesitating over something

• they accepted this ruling without demur.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘linger, delay’): from Old French demourer (verb), demeure (noun), based on Latin de- ‘away, completely’ + morari ‘delay’.

demure /dɪˈmjʊə, dɪˈmjɔː/

I. adjective

1. (of a woman or her behaviour) reserved, modest, and shy.

• a demure little wife who sits at home minding the house.

2. (of clothing) suggesting that a woman is demure.

• a demure white lace cap.

II. derivatives

1. demurely /dɪˈmjʊəli, dɪˈmjɔːli /

adverb

2. demureness /dɪˈmjʊənəs, dɪˈmjɔːnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘sober, serious, reserved’): perhaps from Old French demoure, past participle of demourer ‘remain’ (see demur); influenced by Old French mur ‘grave’, from Latin maturus ‘ripe or mature’. The sense ‘reserved, shy’ dates from the late 17th cent.

demurrable /dɪˈməːrəb(ə)l/

adjective

‹dated› [chiefly Law] open to demurrer.

demurrage /dɪˈmʌrɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] a charge payable to the owner of a chartered ship on failure to load or discharge the ship within the time agreed.

– origin mid 17th cent. (also in the general sense ‘delay’): from Old French demourage, from the verb demourer (see demur).

demurral /dɪˈməːr(ə)l/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of demurring

• words of demurral.

demurrer /dɪˈməːrə/

I. noun

1. [Law] ‹dated› an objection granting the factual basis of an opponent's point but dismissing it as irrelevant or invalid.

• the pleadings must be referred to because they contain the facts, as is normal in a demurrer.

2. ‹formal› an objection.

• the headmaster was about to enter a stinging demurrer when the phone rang.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Anglo-Norman French (infinitive used as a noun), from Old French demourer ‘remain, stay’ (see demur).

demutualize /diːˈmjuːtʃʊ(ə)lʌɪz / demutualise

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a mutual organization such as a building society) change from being owned by its members to a different kind of ownership.

• both companies could demutualize over the next few years.

II. derivatives

demutualization /diːmjuːtʃʊ(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

demy /dɪˈmʌɪ / metric demy

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a paper size, 564 × 444 mm.

2. (also demy octavo) — a book size, 216 × 138 mm.

3. (also demy quarto) — a book size, 276 × 219 mm.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective in the sense ‘half-sized’): from demi-, or from its source, French demi ‘half’.

demyelinate /diːˈmʌɪəlɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. demyelinating)

1. [Medicine] cause the loss or destruction of myelin in (nerve tissue)

• a chronic demyelinating disease.

II. derivatives

demyelination

noun

demystify /diːˈmɪstɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a difficult subject) clearer and easier to understand

• this book attempts to demystify technology.

II. derivatives

demystification /ˌdiːˌmɪstɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

demythologize /diːmɪˈθɒlədʒʌɪz / demythologise

verb — [with obj.]

1. reinterpret (a subject) so that it is free of mythical elements

• the biographer undertakes to demythologize a man who is for many a modern saint.

2. reinterpret what are considered to be mythological elements of (the Bible).

den /dɛn/

I. noun

1. a wild mammal's hidden home; a lair.

• a female mink had set up her den there.

2. ‹informal› a room or hideout where a person can go to relax or be private.

• Harriet built a den in a tree.

3. a place where people meet in secret, typically to engage in an illicit activity

• an opium den

• a den of iniquity.

4. (chiefly US) a small subdivision of a Cub Scout pack.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a wild animal) live in a den

• the cubs denned in the late autumn.

– origin Old English denn, of Germanic origin; related to German Tenne ‘threshing floor’, also to dene^1.

Denali /dɪˈnɑːli/

another name for Mount McKinley (see McKinley, Mount).

denar /ˈdiːnə/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of the republic of Macedonia.

– origin based on Latin denarius; compare with dinar.

denarius /dɪˈnɛːrɪəs, dɪˈnɑːrɪəs/

I. noun

1. an ancient Roman silver coin, originally worth ten asses.

2. a unit of weight equal to that of a silver denarius.

3. an ancient Roman gold coin worth 25 silver denarii.

– origin Latin, literally ‘containing ten’, from the phrase denarius nummus ‘coin worth ten asses’ (see as^2), from deni ‘in tens’, from decem ‘ten’.

denary /ˈdiːn(ə)ri/

I. adjective

less common term for decimal:

• denary numbers.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin denarius ‘containing ten’ (see denarius).

denationalize /diːˈnaʃ(ə)n(ə)lʌɪz / denationalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. transfer (a nationalized industry or institution) from public to private ownership.

• an attempt to denationalize the state monopolies.

2. deprive (a country or person) of nationality or national characteristics.

• a state that had been largely denationalized within the European Community.

• (as adj. denationalized) would those denationalized persons reaffirm the need for separate states?

II. derivatives

denationalization /ˌdiːˌnaʃ(ə)n(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 19th cent. (in sense 2): from French dénationaliser (a word of the French Revolution), from dé- (expressing reversal) + nationaliser ‘nationalize’.

denaturalize /diːˈnatʃ(ə)rəlʌɪz / denaturalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) unnatural.

• punning denaturalizes representation.

2. deprive (someone) of citizenship of a country.

II. derivatives

denaturalization /ˌdiːˌnatʃ(ə)rəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

denaturant /diːˈneɪtʃər(ə)nt/

noun

1. a substance which causes denaturation of proteins or other biological compounds.

2. a toxic or foul-smelling substance added to alcohol to make it unfit for drinking.

denature /diːˈneɪtʃə/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. denatured)

1. take away or alter the natural qualities of

• many forms of packaged and denatured culture.

2. make (alcohol) unfit for drinking by the addition of toxic or foul-tasting substances.

3. [Biochemistry] destroy the characteristic properties of (a protein or other biological macromolecule) by heat, acidity, or other effect which disrupts its molecular conformation.

II. derivatives

denaturation /diːˌnatʃəˈreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from French dénaturer, from dé- (expressing reversal) + nature ‘nature’.

denazify /ˌdiːˈnɑːtsɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove Nazi influence from.

• Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill agree to denazify Germany.

II. derivatives

denazification /ˌdiːˌnɑːtsɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

Denbighshire /ˈdɛnbɪʃ(ɪ)ə/

a county of North Wales; administrative centre, Ruthin. It was divided between Clwyd and Gwynedd between 1974 and 1996.

Dench, Dame Judi /dɛntʃ/

(b.1934), English actress; full name Judith Olivia Dench. She has performed with the Old Vic Company (1957–61) and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and appeared in numerous West End, film, and television productions; she won an Oscar for her role in Shakespeare in Love (1998).

dendrimer /ˈdɛndrɪmə/

I. noun

a synthetic polymer with a branching, tree-like structure.

– origin 1990s: from Greek dendron ‘tree’ + -i- + -mer.

dendrite /ˈdɛndrʌɪt/

I. noun

1. [Physiology] a short branched extension of a nerve cell, along which impulses received from other cells at synapses are transmitted to the cell body.
Compare with axon.

2. a crystal or crystalline mass with a branching, tree-like structure.

3. a natural tree-like or moss-like marking on a rock or mineral.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from Greek dendritēs ‘tree-like’, from dendron ‘tree’.

dendritic /dɛnˈdrɪtɪk/

I. adjective

1. ‹technical› having a branched form resembling a tree.

• moss agate has a pale background colour with numerous darker dendritic patterns.

2. ‹technical› [Physiology] relating to a dendrite or dendrites.

3. ‹technical› (of a solid) consisting of crystalline dendrites

• dendritic salt.

II. derivatives

dendritically

adverb

dendro- /ˈdɛndrəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to a tree or trees

• dendrology.

– origin from Greek dendron ‘tree’.

dendrochronology /ˌdɛndrəʊkrəˈnɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the science or technique of dating events, environmental change, and archaeological artefacts by using the characteristic patterns of annual growth rings in timber and tree trunks.

II. derivatives

1. dendrochronological

adjective

2. dendrochronologist

noun

dendrogram /ˈdɛndrə(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

a tree diagram, especially one showing taxonomic relationships.

dendroid /ˈdɛndrɔɪd/

I. adjective

[Biology] (of a plant, marine invertebrate, or structure) tree-shaped; branching.

II. noun

[Palaeontology] a graptolite of a type that formed much-branched colonies, found chiefly in the Ordovician and Silurian periods.
●Order Dendroidea, class Graptolithina.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from dendro- ‘tree’ + -oid.

dendrology /dɛnˈdrɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the scientific study of trees.

II. derivatives

1. dendrological

adjective

2. dendrologist

noun

dendron /ˈdɛndrɒn/

I. noun

another term for dendrite (sense 1).

– origin late 19th cent.: from dendrite, on the pattern of words such as axon.

dene^1 /diːn / dean

I. noun — [usu. in place names]

1. (Brit.) a vale, especially the deep, narrow, wooded valley of a small river

• Rottingdean

• Deepdene.

– origin Old English denu, of Germanic origin; related to den.

dene^2 /diːn/

I. noun

‹dialect› a bare sandy tract or low sandhill by the sea.

– origin Middle English: perhaps of Germanic origin and related to dune.

Dene /ˈdɛneɪ, ˈdɛni/

I. noun

1. a member of a group of American Indian peoples of the Canadian North-West and Alaska.

2. [ mass noun] — any of the Athabaskan languages of the Dene.

II. adjective

relating to the Dene or their languages.

– origin from French Déné, from an Athabaskan word meaning ‘people’.

Deneb /ˈdɛnɛb / ‹Astronomy›

I. the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus, a yellow supergiant.

– origin from Arabic, literally ‘tail’ (i.e. of the ‘swan’).

Denebola /dɪˈnɛbələ / ‹Astronomy›

I. the second-brightest star in the constellation Leo.

– origin from Arabic dhanab al(-asad) ‘(lion's) tail’.

denervate /diːˈnəːveɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Medicine] remove or cut off the nerve supply from (a body part or organ)
(as adj. denervated)

• the denervated muscle fibres.

II. derivatives

denervation

noun

Deneuve, Catherine /dəˈnəːv, French dənœv/

(b.1943), French actress; born Catherine Dorléac. Notable films: Repulsion (1965) and Belle de jour (1967).

dengue /ˈdɛŋɡi / dengue fever

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a debilitating viral disease of the tropics, transmitted by mosquitoes, and causing sudden fever and acute pains in the joints.

– origin early 19th cent.: from West Indian Spanish, from Kiswahili dinga (in full kidingapopo), influenced by Spanish dengue ‘fastidiousness’ (with reference to the dislike of movement by affected patients).

Deng Xiaoping /ˌdɛŋ ʃaʊˈpɪŋ, ˌdʌŋ / Teng Hsiao-p'ing

(1904–97), Chinese communist statesman, Vice-Premier 1973–6 and 1977–80; Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party 1977–80. Discredited during the Cultural Revolution, he was reinstated in 1977, becoming the effective leader of China.

Den Haag /dɛn ˈhaːɡ, Dutch dɛn ˈhaːx/

Dutch name for The Hague (see Hague).

deni /ˈdɛniː/

I. noun

a monetary unit of the republic of Macedonia, equal to one hundredth of a denar.

– origin Macedonian, from denar.

deniable /dɪˈnʌɪəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be denied.

• the government did agree to play a limited and deniable role in the rebellion.

II. derivatives

1. deniability

noun

2. deniably

adverb

denial /dɪˈnʌɪ(ə)l/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of denying something

• she shook her head in denial.

2. [ count noun] — a statement that something is not true

• his pious denials of responsibility.

3. the refusal of something requested or desired

• the denial of insurance to people with certain medical conditions.

4. refusal to acknowledge an unacceptable truth or emotion or to admit it into consciousness, used as a defence mechanism

• I was an addict in denial.

5. short for self-denial.

6. refusal to acknowledge someone as one's leader.

denialist /dɪˈnʌɪ(ə)lɪst/

I. noun

a person who refuses to admit the truth of a concept or proposition that is supported by the majority of scientific or historical evidence

• the small minority of very vocal climate change denialists.

• [as modifier] the denialist view.

II. derivatives

denialism /dɪˈnʌɪ(ə)lɪz(ə)m /

noun

denial of service DoS

noun

[Computing] an interruption in an authorized user's access to a computer network, typically one caused with malicious intent.

denier^1 /dɪˈnʌɪə/

noun

a person who denies something, especially someone who refuses to admit the truth of a concept or proposition that is supported by the majority of scientific or historical evidence

• a prominent denier of global warming

• a climate change denier.

denier^2 /ˈdɛnɪə/

I. noun

1. a unit of weight by which the fineness of silk, rayon, or nylon yarn is measured, equal to the weight in grams of 9,000 metres of the yarn and often used to describe the thickness of hosiery

• 15-denier stockings.

2. a former French coin, equal to one twelfth of a sou, which was withdrawn in the 19th century.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin denarius (see denarius). Sense 1 dates from the mid 19th cent.

denigrate /ˈdɛnɪɡreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. criticize unfairly; disparage

• doom and gloom merchants who denigrate their own country.

II. derivatives

1. denigrator /ˈdɛnɪɡreɪtə /

noun

2. denigratory /ˌdɛnɪˈɡreɪt(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘blacken, make dark’): from Latin denigrat- ‘blackened’, from the verb denigrare, from de- ‘away, completely’ + nigrare (from niger ‘black’).

denigration /dɛnɪˈɡreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of unfairly criticizing someone or something

• I witnessed the denigration of anyone who failed to toe the line

• their constant denigration by a hostile media.

denim /ˈdɛnɪm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hard-wearing cotton twill fabric, typically blue and used for jeans and other clothing.

2. ( denims) — jeans or other garments made of denim

• a pair of denims.

– origin late 17th cent. (as serge denim): from French serge de Nîmes, denoting a kind of serge from the town of Nîmes.

De Niro, Robert /də ˈnɪərəʊ/

(b.1943), American actor. He has starred in many films, often playing tough characters and frequently working with director Martin Scorsese. He has won Oscars for The Godfather Part II (1974) and Raging Bull (1980).

Denis, Maurice /dəˈniː, French dəni/

(1870–1943), French painter, designer, and art theorist. A member of the Nabi Group, he wrote many works on art, including Théories (1913) and Nouvelles Théories (1921).

Denis, St /ˈdɛnɪs, French dəni / Denys

(died c. 250), Italian-born French bishop, patron saint of France; Roman name Dionysius. According to tradition he was one of a group of seven missionaries sent from Rome to convert Gaul; he became bishop of Paris and was martyred in the reign of the emperor Valerian. Feast day, 9 October.

denitrify /diːˈnʌɪtrɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly of bacteria) remove the nitrates or nitrites from (soil, air, or water) by chemical reduction.

• indigenous bacteria denitrify groundwater.

II. derivatives

denitrification

noun

denizen /ˈdɛnɪz(ə)n/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› ‹humorous› a person, animal, or plant that lives or is found in a particular place

• denizens of field and forest.

2. (Brit.) ‹historical› a foreigner allowed certain rights in their adopted country.

II. derivatives

denizenship

noun

– origin late Middle English deynseyn, via Anglo-Norman French from Old French deinz ‘within’ (from Latin de ‘from’ + intus ‘within’) + -ein (from Latin -aneus ‘-aneous’). The change in the form of the word was due to association with citizen.

Denmark /ˈdɛnmɑːk/

I. a Scandinavian country consisting of the greater part of the Jutland peninsula and several neighbouring islands, between the North Sea and the Baltic; pop. 5,500,500 (est. 2009); official language, Danish; capital, Copenhagen.
Danish name Danmark.

Denmark emerged as a separate country during the Viking period of the 10th and 11th centuries. In the 14th century Denmark and Norway were united under a Danish king, the union being joined between 1389–97 and 1523 by Sweden; Norway was ceded to Sweden in 1814. Although neutral, Denmark was occupied by Germany for much of the Second World War. Denmark joined the EC in 1973.

den mother

noun

1. (US) the female leader of a den of Cub Scouts.

2. (US) a woman who plays a supportive or protective role for a particular group of people

• the band's business manager, cook, and de facto den mother.

denominal /dɪˈnɒmɪnəl/

I. adjective

(of a word) derived from a noun.

II. noun

a word that is derived from a noun.

– origin 1930s: from de- (sense 3) + nominal.

denominate /dɪˈnɒmɪneɪt/

I. verb

1. ( be denominated) — (of sums of money) be expressed in a specified monetary unit

• the borrowings were denominated in US dollars.

2. [with obj. and complement] — ‹formal› call; name.

• two principal types of word associates can be denominated paradigmatic and syntagmatic.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from Latin denominat- ‘named’, from the verb denominare, from de- ‘away, formally’ + nominare ‘to name’ (from nomen, nomin- ‘name’). Sense 1 dates from the mid 20th cent.

denomination /dɪˌnɒmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church.

• the Presbyterian community is the second-largest denomination in the country.

2. a branch of any religion

• Orthodox Jewish denominations.

3. the face value of a banknote, coin, or postage stamp
[as modifier]

• high-denomination banknotes.

4. the rank of a playing card within a suit, or of a suit relative to others

• two cards of the same denomination.

5. ‹formal› a name or designation.

6. [ mass noun] — the action of naming or classifying something.

• the denomination of a consideration as relevant or irrelevant.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 3): from Latin denominatio(n-), from the verb denominare (see denominate). Sense 1 dates from the mid 17th cent.

denominational /dɪˌnɒmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to or according to the principles of a particular religious denomination

• denominational schools.

II. derivatives

denominationalism

noun

denominative /dɪˈnɒmɪnətɪv/

I. adjective

old-fashioned term for denominal.

– origin late 16th cent. (as a noun in the grammatical sense): from late Latin denominativus, from denominat- ‘named’, from the verb denominare (see denominate).

denominator /dɪˈnɒmɪneɪtə/

noun

1. [Mathematics] the number below the line in a vulgar fraction; a divisor.

2. [Mathematics] a figure representing the total population in terms of which statistical values are expressed.

de nos jours /ˌdə nəʊ ˈʒʊə, French də no ʒuʀ/

I. adjective — [ postpositive]

1. contemporary

• he is a kind of Oscar Wilde de nos jours.

– origin French, ‘of our days’.

denotation /diːnəʊˈteɪʃn/

I. noun

1. the literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of indicating or referring to something by means of a word, symbol, etc.

3. [Philosophy] the object or concept to which a term refers, or the set of objects of which a predicate is true.
Often contrasted with connotation.

II. derivatives

denotational

adjective

denote /dɪˈnəʊt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. be a sign of; indicate

• this mark denotes purity and quality.

2. stand as a name or symbol for

• the level of output per firm is denoted by X.

II. derivatives

denotative /dɪˈnəʊtətɪv /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘be a sign of, mark out’): from French dénoter or Latin denotare, from de- ‘away, thoroughly’ + notare ‘observe, note’ (from nota ‘a mark’). / usage: For an explanation of the difference between denote and connote, see usage at connote.

denouement /deɪˈnuːmɒ̃ / dénouement

I. noun

1. the final part of a play, film, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.

• the film's denouement was unsatisfying and ambiguous.

2. the outcome of a situation, when something is decided or made clear

• I waited by the eighteenth green to see the denouement.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French dénouement, from dénouer ‘unknot’.

denounce /dɪˈnaʊns/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. publicly declare to be wrong or evil

• the Assembly denounced the use of violence

• he was widely denounced as a traitor.

2. inform against

• priests denounced him to the King for heresy.

II. derivatives

1. denouncement /dɪˈnaʊnsm(ə)nt /

noun

2. denouncer /dɪˈnaʊnsə /

noun

– origin Middle English (originally in the sense ‘proclaim’, also ‘proclaim someone to be wicked, a rebel, etc.’): from Old French denoncier, from Latin denuntiare ‘give official information’, based on nuntius ‘messenger’.

de nouveau /ˌdə nuːˈvəʊ, French də nuvo/

I. adverb

‹archaic› starting again from the beginning; anew.

– origin French, literally ‘from new’.

de novo /deɪ ˈnəʊvəʊ, diː ˈnəʊvəʊ/

I. adverb, adjective

starting from the beginning; anew
[as adv.]

• in a pure meritocracy, everyone must begin de novo

• [as adj.] a general strategy for de novo protein design.

– origin Latin, literally ‘from new’.

Denpasar /dɛnˈpɑːsɑː/

the chief city of the island of Bali, a seaport on the south coast; pop. 424,300 (est. 2009).

dense /dɛns/

I. adjective

1. closely compacted in substance

• as the storm cleared, a dense fog came down.

2. having the constituent parts crowded closely together

• she made her way through the dense undergrowth.

3. ‹informal› (of a person) stupid.

• Am I being dense? I don't quite understand.

4. (of a text) hard to understand because of its complexity of ideas.

• a dark, dense novel.

II. derivatives

denseness /ˈdɛnsnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin densus.

densely /ˈdɛnsli/

adverb

1. in a closely compacted or crowded manner; thickly

• a densely populated country

• densely packed layers

• the best way to keep weeds at bay is to plant densely.

2. in a manner that is hard to understand because of its complexity

• densely plotted historical fiction.

3. ‹informal› in a stupid manner

• staff can be surly should they decide a customer is behaving densely

• [as submodifier] he is densely ignorant and primitive.

densify

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. densified)

1. make (something) more dense

• densified hardboard.

II. derivatives

densification

noun

densimeter /dɛnˈsɪmɪtə/

I. noun

an instrument for measuring density, especially of liquids.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin densus ‘dense’ + -meter.

densitometer /ˌdɛnsɪˈtɒmɪtə/

I. noun

1. a device for measuring the density of a material.

2. an instrument for measuring the photographic density of an image on a film or photographic print.

II. derivatives

1. densitometric

adjective

2. densitometrically

adverb

3. densitometry

noun

density /ˈdɛnsɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the degree of compactness of a substance

• a reduction in bone density.

2. (also packing density) — [Computing] a measure of the amount of information on a storage medium
[as modifier, in combination]

• a low-density floppy disk.

3. [Physics] the quantity of mass per unit volume of a substance.

4. the opacity of a photographic image.

5. the quantity of people or things in a given area or space

• areas of low population density

• [ count noun] a density of 10,000 per square mile.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French densité or Latin densitas, from densus ‘dense’.

density function

noun

short for probability density function.

dent /dɛnt/

I. noun

1. a slight hollow in a hard even surface made by a blow or pressure.

• there was a hideous dent in the front passenger door.

2. a reduction in amount or size

• he has barely made a dent in the poverty rate.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark with a dent

• he hit a concrete bollard, denting the wing.

2. have an adverse effect on; diminish

• this neither deterred him nor dented his enthusiasm.

– origin Middle English (designating a blow with a weapon): variant of dint.

dental /ˈdɛnt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — relating to the teeth

• dental health.

2. relating to dentistry.

• dental councils.

3. [Phonetics] (of a consonant) pronounced with the tip of the tongue against the upper front teeth (as th) or the alveolar ridge (as n, d, t).

II. noun

[Phonetics] a dental consonant.

III. derivatives

1. dentalize dentalise

verb

[Phonetics]

2. dentally

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin dentalis, from Latin dens, dent- ‘tooth’.

dental floss

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft thread of floss silk or similar material used to clean between the teeth.

dental formula

noun

[Zoology] a formula expressing the number and kinds of teeth possessed by a mammal. A dental formula is usually written in the form of four ‘fractions’, one for each type of tooth, with the upper and lower lines describing the upper and lower jaws respectively.

dental hygienist

I. noun

an ancillary dental worker specializing in scaling and polishing teeth, and giving advice on oral hygiene.

II. derivatives

dental hygiene

noun

dentalium /dɛnˈteɪlɪəm/

I. noun

1. another term for tusk shell:
[as modifier]

• dentalium shells are ideal for use with beadwork because they're lightweight and easy to work with.

●Genus Dentalium, class Scaphopoda.

2. (usu. dentalia) — ‹historical› tusk shells used as currency, especially by some American Indian peoples

• he gave them handfuls of dentalia, for which his father-in-law and his brothers-in-law gave him slaves and valuable furs

• [ mass noun] a white mare purchased with dentalium.

– origin modern Latin, from late Latin dentalis (see dental).

dental nurse

noun

a person whose job is to assist a dentist in the treatment of patients.

dental surgeon

noun

a dentist.

dental technician dental mechanic

noun

a person who makes and repairs artificial teeth.

dentary /ˈdɛnt(ə)ri/

I. noun

[Zoology] the anterior bone of the lower jaw which bears the teeth. In mammals it forms the whole of the lower jaw (or mandible).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from late Latin dentarius, from Latin dens, dent- ‘tooth’.

dentate /ˈdɛnteɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] [Zoology] having a tooth-like or serrated edge.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dentatus, from dens, dent- ‘tooth’.

dentelle /dɛnˈtɛl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ornamental tooling used in bookbinding, resembling lace edging.
[as modifier]

• dentelle borders.

• [ count noun] inner gilt dentelles.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, ‘lace’, from dent ‘tooth’ + the diminutive suffix -elle.

dentex /ˈdɛntɛks/

I. noun

a sea bream of the genus Dentex, especially D. dentex of the Mediterranean and the North African Atlantic coast.

– origin modern Latin (genus name), from Latin.

denticle /ˈdɛntɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

[Zoology] a small tooth or tooth-like projection.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a pointer on an astrolabe): from Latin denticulus, diminutive of dens, dent- ‘tooth’.

denticulate /dɛnˈtɪkjʊlət/

I. adjective

having small teeth or tooth-like projections; finely toothed.

II. derivatives

denticulated

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin denticulatus, from denticulus ‘small tooth’ (see denticle).

denticulation /dɛnˌtɪkjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

[Zoology] a small tooth or tooth-like projection

• their tips form a sharp denticulation on the internal septal edge.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin denticulus: see denticle, -ation.

dentifrice /ˈdɛntɪfrɪs/

I. noun

a paste or powder for cleaning the teeth.

• here's a dentifrice with real action.

– origin late Middle English: from French, from Latin dentifricium, from dens, dent- ‘tooth’ + fricare ‘to rub’.

dentil /ˈdɛntɪl/

I. noun — [often as modifier]

1. (in classical architecture) one of a number of small rectangular blocks resembling teeth, used as a decoration under the moulding of a cornice

• a dentil frieze.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian dentello or obsolete French dentille, diminutive of dent ‘tooth’, from Latin dens, dent-.

dentilingual /ˌdɛntɪˈlɪŋɡw(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Phonetics] (of a consonant) pronounced with the teeth and the tongue; dental.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin dens, dent- ‘tooth’ + lingual.

dentine /ˈdɛntiːn / ‹US› dentin /ˈdɛntɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. hard dense bony tissue forming the bulk of a tooth, beneath the enamel.

II. derivatives

dentinal /ˈdɛntɪn(ə)l /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin dens, dent- ‘tooth’ + -ine^4.

dentist /ˈdɛntɪst/

I. noun

a person who is qualified to treat diseases and other conditions that affect the teeth and gums, especially the repair and extraction of teeth and the insertion of artificial ones.

• his mouth is still sore from his visit to the dentist's.

• a leather dentist's chair.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French dentiste, from dent ‘tooth’, from Latin dens, dent-.

dentistry /ˈdɛntɪstri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the treatment of diseases and other conditions that affect the teeth and gums, especially the repair and extraction of teeth and the insertion of artificial ones

• advances in modern dentistry

• [as modifier] dentistry students.

dentition /dɛnˈtɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the arrangement or condition of the teeth in a particular species or individual.

• mammals can be reliably identified from a study of their dentition alone.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting the development of teeth): from Latin dentitio(n-), from dentire ‘teethe’, from dens, dent- ‘tooth’.

denture /ˈdɛntʃə/

I. noun — (usu. dentures)

1. a removable plate or frame holding one or more artificial teeth.

• ideally, dentures should be renewed every three or four years.

• [as modifier] denture plates are manufactured from plastic acrylic resin.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from dent ‘tooth’, from Latin dens, dent-.

denturist

noun

a person who makes dentures.

denuclearize /diːˈnjuːklɪərʌɪz / denuclearise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove nuclear weapons from.

• the US said it would denuclearize most of its naval vessels.

II. derivatives

denuclearization

noun

denude /dɪˈnjuːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. strip (something) of its covering, possessions, or assets

• almost overnight the Arctic was denuded of animals.

II. derivatives

denudation /diːnjʊˈdeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin denudare, from de- ‘completely’ + nudare ‘to bare’ (from nudus ‘naked’).

denumerable /dɪˈnjuːm(ə)rəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Mathematics] able to be counted by a one-to-one correspondence with the infinite set of integers.

II. derivatives

1. denumerability

noun

2. denumerably

adverb

– origin early 20th cent.: from late Latin denumerare ‘count out’ + -able.

denunciate /dɪˈnʌnsɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. publicly declare to be wrong or evil; denounce

• about 1500 civilians joined the demonstration to denunciate terrorism.

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin denunciat-, from the verb denuntiare ‘give official information’, based on nuntius ‘messenger’: see -ate^3.

denunciation /dɪˌnʌnsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. public condemnation of someone or something.

• denunciation of his reckless methods.

• [ count noun] a denunciation of the bombing.

2. the action of informing against someone.

II. derivatives

1. denunciator /dɪˈnʌnsɪeɪtə /

noun

2. denunciatory /dɪˈnʌnsɪət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin denuntiatio(n-), from the verb denuntiare (see denounce). The original sense was ‘public announcement’, also ‘formal accusation’; the main sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

Denver /ˈdɛnvə/

a city in Colorado, the state capital; pop. 598,707 (est. 2008). Situated at an altitude of 1,608 m (5,280 ft) on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, Denver was developed in the 1870s as a silver-mining town.

Denver boot

noun

(N. Amer.) a wheel clamp.

deny /dɪˈnʌɪ/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — state that one refuses to admit the truth or existence of

• both firms deny any responsibility for the tragedy.

2. refuse to admit the truth of (a concept or proposition that is supported by the majority of scientific or historical evidence)

• an anti-environmentalist campaign group that denies climate change.

3. [with two objs] — refuse to give (something requested or desired) to (someone)

• the inquiry was denied access to intelligence sources.

4. ( deny oneself) — refuse to let oneself have something that one desires

• he had denied himself sexually for years.

5. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› refuse access to (someone).

• the servants are ordered to deny him.

– origin Middle English: from Old French deni-, stressed stem of deneier, from Latin denegare, from de- ‘formally’ + negare ‘say no’.

Denys, St

see Denis, St.

deoch an doris /ˌdɒx (ə)n ˈdɒrɪs, dɒk / doch an dorris

I. noun

(Scottish) (Irish) a final drink taken before parting.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic deoch an doruis ‘drink at the door’.

deodar /ˈdiːə(ʊ)dɑː/

I. noun

a tall, broadly conical cedar which has drooping branches and bears large barrel-shaped cones, native to the Himalayas.
● Cedrus deodara, family Pinaceae.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Hindi deodār, from Sanskrit devadāru ‘divine tree’.

deodorant /dɪˈəʊd(ə)r(ə)nt/

I. noun

a substance which removes or conceals unpleasant smells, especially bodily odours.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from de- (expressing removal) + Latin odor ‘smell’ + -ant.

deodorize /dɪˈəʊdərʌɪz / deodorise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove or conceal an unpleasant smell in

• people used dried flowers to deodorize their homes.

II. derivatives

1. deodorization /dɪˌəʊdərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. deodorizer /dɪˈəʊdərʌɪzə /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from de- (expressing removal) + Latin odor ‘smell’ + -ize.

Deo gratias /ˌdeɪəʊ ˈɡrɑːtɪəs, -ʃɪəs/

I. exclamation

thanks be to God.

• Thank you so much, Jeremy. Deo Gratias!

– origin Latin.

deontic /dɪˈɒntɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Philosophy] relating to duty and obligation as ethical concepts.

2. [Linguistics] expressing duty or obligation.

– origin mid 19th cent. (as noun deontics): from Greek deont- ‘being needed or necessary’ (from dei ‘it is necessary’) + -ic.

deontology /ˌdiːɒnˈtɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] the study of the nature of duty and obligation.

II. derivatives

1. deontological

adjective

2. deontologist

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek deont- ‘being needed or necessary’ (from dei ‘it is necessary’) + -logy.

Deo volente /ˌdeɪəʊ vɒˈlɛnteɪ/

I. adverb

God willing; if nothing prevents it.

• she has signed the lease for the house—it will be for both of them, Deo volente.

– origin Latin.

deoxidize /diːˈɒksɪdʌɪz / deoxidise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove combined oxygen from (a substance, usually a metal).

• the melt is deoxidized with ferrosilicon or aluminium.

II. derivatives

1. deoxidation /diːˌɒksɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. deoxidizer

noun

deoxycorticosterone /diːˌɒksɪˌkɔːtɪkəʊˈstɛrəʊn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a corticosteroid hormone involved in regulating the salt and water balance of the body.

deoxygenate /diːˈɒksɪdʒəneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. deoxygenated)

1. remove oxygen from

• deoxygenated air.

II. derivatives

deoxygenation

noun

deoxyribonuclease /diːˌɒksɪrʌɪbəʊˈnjuːklɪeɪz/

noun

[Biochemistry] another term for DNase.

deoxyribonucleic acid /dɪˌɒksɪrʌɪbəʊnjuːˈkleɪɪk/

I. noun

see DNA.

– origin 1930s: deoxyribonucleic from a blend of deoxyribose and nucleic acid.

deoxyribose /dɪˌɒksɪˈrʌɪbəʊz, dɪˌɒksɪˈrʌɪbəʊs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a sugar derived from ribose by replacement of a hydroxyl group by hydrogen.
●Chem. formula; C_5H_10O_4. There are several isomers; the isomer 2-deoxyribose is a constituent of DNA.

– origin 1930s: from de- (expressing reduction) + oxy-2 + ribose.

dep.

abbreviation

1. departs.

2. deputy.

Depardieu, Gérard /ˈdɛpɑːdjəː, French dəpaʀdjø/

(b.1948), French actor. Notable films: Danton (1982), Jean de Florette (1986), and Cyrano de Bergerac (1990).

depart /dɪˈpɑːt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. leave, especially in order to start a journey

• they departed for Germany

• a contingent was departing from Cairo.

2. ( depart from) — deviate from (an accepted, prescribed, or usual course of action)

• he departed from the precedent set by many.

3. [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) leave (one's job).

• he will soon depart his post as high commissioner to Britain.

II. phrases

depart this life

‹archaic› die.

• he departed this life with a putrid liver.

– origin Middle English: from Old French departir, based on Latin dispertire ‘to divide’. The original sense was ‘separate’, also ‘take leave of each other’, hence ‘go away’.

departed /dɪˈpɑːtɪd/

adjective

dead

• a dear departed relative

• (as noun the departed) prayers for the departed.

department /dɪˈpɑːtm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a division of a large organization such as a government, university, or business, dealing with a specific area of activity

• the council's finance department.

2. an administrative district in France and other countries.

• the turnout was particularly low in rural departments.

3. ( one's department) — ‹informal› an area of special expertise or responsibility

• that's not my department.

4. [with modifier] — ‹informal› a specified aspect or quality

• he was a bit lacking in the height department.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French departement, from departir (see depart). The original sense was ‘division or distribution’, later ‘separation’, hence ‘a separate part’ (core sense, mid 18th cent.).

departmental /diːpɑːtˈmɛnt(ə)l/

I. adjective

concerned with or belonging to a department of an organization

• a departmental meeting.

II. derivatives

departmentally /diːpɑːtˈmɛnt(ə)li /

adverb

departmentalism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. adherence to departmental methods or structure.

departmentalize /diːpɑːtˈmɛnt(ə)lʌɪz / departmentalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. divide (an organization or its work) into departments.

• the work of the office was departmentalized.

II. derivatives

departmentalization /diːpɑːtˌmɛnt(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

department store

noun

a large shop stocking many varieties of goods in different departments.

• the oldest department store in London.

departure /dɪˈpɑːtʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of leaving, especially to start a journey

• the day of departure

• [ count noun] she made a hasty departure.

2. [ count noun] — a deviation from an accepted, prescribed, or usual course of action

• the album is not a radical departure from the band's previous work.

3. [Nautical] the amount of a ship's change of longitude.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French departeure, from the verb departir (see depart).

departure lounge

noun

a seating area in an airport where passengers wait immediately prior to boarding.

depasture

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) put (an animal) to graze on pasture.

• this right enables the commoners to depasture some 3,000 ponies.

II. derivatives

depasturage

noun

depauperate /dɪˈpɔːp(ə)rət/

I. adjective

1. [Biology] (of a flora, fauna, or ecosystem) lacking in numbers or variety of species

• oceanic islands are generally depauperate in mayflies.

2. [Biology] (of a plant or animal) imperfectly developed.

• a depauperate inflorescence.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘impoverished’): from medieval Latin depauperatus, past participle of depauperare, from de- ‘completely’ + pauperare ‘make poor’ (from pauper ‘poor’).

dépaysé /deɪˈpeɪzeɪ, French depeize / dépaysée

I. adjective

removed from one's habitual surroundings.

• he was not yet so dépaysé that he had forgotten the language of the village pub.

– origin French, ‘(removed) from one's own country’.

depend /dɪˈpɛnd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ( depend on/upon) — be controlled or determined by

• differences in earnings depended on a wide variety of factors.

2. ( depend on/upon) — be able to trust; rely on

• we can depend on her to deliver a quality product.

3. need for financial or other support

• a town which had depended heavily upon the wool industry.

4. be grammatically dependent on.

5. ‹archaic› ‹literary› hang down

• his tongue depended from open jaws.

II. phrases

1. depending on

according to

• makes 8–10 burgers (depending on size).

2. it (or that) (all) depends

used to express uncertainty in answering a question

• How many people use each screen? It all depends.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 3; also in the sense ‘wait or be in suspense’): from Old French dependre, from Latin dependere, from de- ‘down’ + pendere ‘hang’. / usage: In informal use, it is quite common for the on to be dropped in sentences such as it all depends how you look at it (rather than it all depends on how you look at it), but in well-formed written English the on should be retained.

dependable /dɪˈpɛndəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

trustworthy and reliable.

• a dependable supply of cold beer.

• the most valuable and dependable of America's allies.

II. derivatives

1. dependability /dɪpɛndəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. dependably /dɪˈpɛndəbli /

adverb

dependant /dɪˈpɛnd(ə)nt / dependent

I. noun

a person who relies on another, especially a family member, for financial support.

• a single man with no dependants.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a dependency): from Old French, literally ‘hanging down from’, present participle of dependre (see depend). / usage: Until recently the only correct spelling of the noun in British English was dependant, as in a single man with no dependants. However, the variant dependent is now standard, and indeed it is now as common as dependant in the Oxford English Corpus. In US English dependent is the standard form for the noun. The adjective is spelled -ent, not -ant, as in we are dependent on his goodwill.

dependence /dɪˈpɛnd(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something else

• Japan's dependence on imported oil.

2. reliance on someone or something for financial support

• the dependence of our medical schools on grant funds.

3. addiction to drink or drugs

• alcohol dependence.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘hanging down or something that hangs down’): from Old French dependance, from the verb dependre (see depend).

dependency /dɪˈpɛnd(ə)nsi/

noun

1. a country or province controlled by another.

• the islands became dependencies of Norway and Denmark.

2. [ mass noun] — dependence

• the country's dependency on the oil industry.

dependency culture

noun

a way of life characterized by dependency on state benefits.

dependent /dɪˈpɛnd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. ( dependent on/upon) — contingent on or determined by

• the various benefits will be dependent on length of service.

2. requiring someone or something for financial or other support

• an economy heavily dependent on oil exports

• households with dependent children.

3. unable to do without

• people dependent on drugs.

4. [Grammar] (of a clause, phrase, or word) subordinate to another clause, phrase, or word.

• a clause dependent on another clause.

II. noun

variant spelling of dependant.

III. derivatives

dependently

adverb

– origin late Middle English dependant ‘hanging down’, from Old French, present participle of dependre (see depend). The spelling change in the 16th cent. was due to association with the Latin participial stem dependent-. / usage: On the distinction between dependent and dependant, see usage at dependant.

dependent variable

noun

[Mathematics] a variable (often denoted by y) whose value depends on that of another.
Also called response variable.

depersonalization /diːˌpəːs(ə)n(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / depersonalisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of divesting someone or something of human characteristics or individuality.

2. [Psychiatry] a state in which one's thoughts and feelings seem unreal or not to belong to oneself.

depersonalize /diːˈpəːs(ə)n(ə)lʌɪz / depersonalise

verb — [with obj.]

1. divest of human characteristics or individuality.

• I thought that death, like marriage, depersonalized people.

• (as adj. depersonalized) a depersonalized view of nature.

dephlogisticated /ˌdiːfləˈdʒɪstɪkeɪtɪd/

adjective

[Chemistry] ‹historical› deprived of ‘phlogiston’. Oxygen was originally called dephlogisticated air by Joseph Priestley.

depict /dɪˈpɪkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. represent by a drawing, painting, or other art form.

• paintings depicting Old Testament scenes.

• these equations may be depicted on a graph.

2. portray in words; describe

• youth is depicted as a time of vitality and good health.

II. derivatives

1. depicter /dɪˈpɪktə /

noun

2. depictive

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin depict- ‘portrayed’, from the verb depingere, from de- ‘completely’ + pingere ‘to paint’.

depiction /dɪˈpɪkʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of depicting something, especially in a work of art

• the painting's horrific depiction of war

• [ count noun] Michelangelo's depictions of the male nude.

depigment /diːˈpɪɡm(ə)nt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. depigmented)

1. reduce or remove the pigmentation of (the skin).

II. derivatives

depigmentation

noun

depilate /ˈdɛpɪleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the hair from

• they scrubbed and depilated her

• (as adj. depilated) his permanently depilated and tattooed skull.

II. derivatives

1. depilation /ˌdɛpɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. depilator

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (earlier (late Middle English) as depilation): from Latin depilat- ‘stripped of hair’, from the verb depilare, from de- (expressing removal) + pilare (from pilus ‘hair’).

depilatory /dɪˈpɪlət(ə)ri/

I. adjective

used to remove unwanted hair.

II. noun

a cream or lotion for removing unwanted hair.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin depilatorius, from depilat- ‘stripped of hair’, from the verb depilare (see depilate).

de Pisan, Christine /də ˈpiːzan / de Pizan

( c. 1364– c. 1430), Italian writer, resident in France from 1369. The first professional woman writer in France, she is best known for her works in defence of women's virtues and achievements, such as Le Livre des trois vertus (1406).

deplane /diːˈpleɪn/

verb — [no obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) disembark from an aircraft

• we landed and deplaned.

deplete /dɪˈpliːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often as adj. depleted) — use up the supply or resources of

• fish stocks are severely depleted

• Mansfield started the game with a heavily depleted side.

2. [no obj.] — diminish in number or quantity

• supplies are depleting fast.

II. derivatives

depleter

noun

– origin early 19th cent. (earlier (mid. 17th cent.) as depletion): from Latin deplet- ‘emptied out’, from the verb deplere, from de- (expressing reversal) + plere ‘fill’ (from plenus ‘full’).

depleted uranium

noun — [ mass noun]

1. uranium from which most of the fissile isotope uranium-235 has been removed.

depletion /dɪˈpliːʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. reduction in the number or quantity of something

• the depletion of the ozone layer.

depletion allowance

noun

(N. Amer.) a tax concession allowable to a company whose normal business activities (in particular oil extraction) reduce the value of its own assets.

deplorable /dɪˈplɔːrəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. deserving strong condemnation; completely unacceptable

• children living in deplorable conditions.

2. shockingly bad in quality

• her spelling was deplorable.

II. derivatives

deplorably /dɪˈplɔːrəbli /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from French déplorable or late Latin deplorabilis, from the verb deplorare (see deplore).

deplore /dɪˈplɔː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. feel or express strong condemnation of (something)

• we deplore all violence.

II. derivatives

deploringly

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘weep for, regret deeply’): from French déplorer or Italian deplorare, from Latin deplorare, from de- ‘away, thoroughly’ + plorare ‘bewail’.

deploy /dɪˈplɔɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. move (troops or equipment) into position for military action

• forces were deployed at strategic locations.

2. [no obj.] — (of troops) move into position for military action

• the air force began to deploy forward.

3. bring into effective action

• small states can often deploy resources more freely.

II. derivatives

deployable

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: from French déployer, from Latin displicare and late Latin deplicare ‘unfold or explain’, from dis-, de- ‘un-’ + plicare ‘to fold’. Compare with display.

deployment /dɪˈplɔɪm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the movement of troops or equipment to a place or position for military action

• the authorities announced deployment of extra security forces in towns and cities to prevent violence

• they agreed to round up their troops for immediate deployment

• [ count noun] a six-month deployment in the Gulf with the US Navy.

2. the action of bringing resources into effective action

• the rapid deployment of high-speed cable Internet services to consumers

• a world leader in the development and deployment of wave and tidal power.

deplume /dɪˈpluːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove feathers from (a bird).
(as adj. depluming)

• a depluming scabies mite that commonly affects parrots.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desplumer or medieval Latin deplumare, from des-, de- (expressing reversal) + Latin pluma ‘feather’.

depolarize /diːˈpəʊlərʌɪz / depolarise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Physics] reduce or remove the polarization of

• the threshold necessary to depolarize the membrane.

II. derivatives

depolarization /diːˌpəʊlərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

depoliticize /diːpəˈlɪtɪsʌɪz / depoliticise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove from political activity or influence

• we have to depoliticize sex education.

II. derivatives

depoliticization

noun

depollute /diːpəˈluːt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove harmful or poisonous substances from

• every scrapped vehicle must be drained of oil and petrol to depollute it.

depolymerize /diːˈpɒlɪmərʌɪz / depolymerise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] break (a polymer) down into monomers or other smaller units.

2. [no obj.] — [Chemistry] undergo the process of depolymerization.

• the ideal disposable polymer would depolymerize naturally.

II. derivatives

depolymerization

noun

depone /dɪˈpəʊn/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly Scottish) give evidence as a witness in a law court
[with clause]

• Adams paraded several relations to depone that Charlie had been crazy from birth

• all the witnesses were deponing to the same facts.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin deponere ‘put down, (in medieval sense) testify’, from de- ‘down’ + ponere ‘to place’.

deponent /dɪˈpəʊnənt/

I. adjective

[Grammar] (of a verb, especially in Latin or Greek) passive or middle in form but active in meaning.

II. noun

1. [Grammar] a deponent verb.

2. [Law] a person who makes a deposition or affidavit under oath.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin deponent- ‘laying aside, putting down’ (in medieval Latin ‘testifying’), from the verb deponere, from de- ‘down’ + ponere ‘place’. The use in grammar arose from the notion that the verb had ‘laid aside’ the passive sense (although in fact these verbs were originally reflexive).

depopulate /diːˈpɒpjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. substantially reduce the population of (an area)

• the disease could depopulate a town the size of Bournemouth.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘ravage, lay waste’): from Latin depopulat- ‘ravaged’, from the verb depopulari, from de- ‘completely’ + populari ‘lay waste’ (from populus ‘people’).

depopulation /ˌdiːpɒpjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. substantial reduction in the population of an area

• rural districts experience depopulation and economic decline.

deport /dɪˈpɔːt/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — expel (a foreigner) from a country, typically on the grounds of illegal status or for having committed a crime

• he was deported for violation of immigration laws.

2. exile (a native) to another country.

• he was deported to Turkey for his public condemnation of the Shah.

3. ( deport oneself) — ‹archaic› conduct oneself in a specified manner

• he has deported himself with great dignity.

II. derivatives

deportable

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2): from French déporter, from Latin deportare, from de- ‘away’ + portare ‘carry’.

deportation /diːpɔːˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of deporting a foreigner from a country

• asylum seekers facing deportation

• [as modifier] a deportation order.

• [ count noun] mass deportations took place over many months.

deportee /ˌdiːpɔːˈtiː/

noun

a person who has been or is being expelled from a country.

deportment /dɪˈpɔːtm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the way a person stands and walks, particularly as an element of etiquette

• poise is directly concerned with good deportment.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a person's behaviour or manners

• there are team rules governing deportment on and off the field.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting behaviour in general): from French déportement, from the verb déporter (see deport).

depose /dɪˈpəʊz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove from office suddenly and forcefully

• he had been deposed by a military coup.

2. [Law] testify to or give (evidence) under oath, typically in a written statement

• every affidavit shall state which of the facts deposed to are within the deponent's knowledge.

– origin Middle English: from Old French deposer, from Latin deponere (see deponent), but influenced by Latin depositus and Old French poser ‘to place’.

deposit /dɪˈpɒzɪt/

I. noun

1. a sum of money paid into a bank or building society account.

• cash funds which are an alternative to bank or building society deposits.

2. a sum payable as a first instalment on the purchase of something or as a pledge for a contract, the balance being payable later

• we've saved enough for a deposit on a house.

3. a returnable sum payable on the hire or rental of something, to cover possible loss or damage.

• a refundable €100 deposit is payable on arrival at the villa.

4. (in the UK) a sum of money lodged by an election candidate and forfeited if they fail to receive a certain proportion of the votes.

• he lost his deposit but was credited with contributing to the Conservatives' defeat.

5. a layer or mass of accumulated matter

• the deposits of salt on the paintwork.

6. a natural underground layer of rock, coal, or other material.

• a great quantity of pottery was found in this deposit.

• [with modifier] areas of mineral deposits.

7. [ mass noun] — the action of placing something in a specified place.

• the deposit of a thesis in a library gives no guarantee of copyright protection.

• [ count noun] although some people will be withdrawing money, others will be making new deposits.

II. verb

1. [with obj. and usu. with adverbial of place] — put or set down (something or someone) in a specific place

• he deposited a pile of school books on the kitchen table.

2. (of water, the wind, or other natural agency) lay down (matter) gradually as a layer or covering

• beds where salt is deposited by the tide.

3. lay (an egg).

• the female deposits a line of eggs.

4. [with obj.] — place (something) somewhere for safekeeping

• a vault in which guests may deposit valuable property.

5. pay (a sum of money) into a bank or building society account

• the money had been deposited in a Swiss bank account.

6. pay (a sum) as a first instalment or as a pledge for a contract

• I had to deposit 10% of the price of the house.

III. phrases

on deposit

(of money) placed in a deposit account.

• half of the money is placed on deposit.

– origin late 16th cent. (especially in the phrases in deposit or on deposit): from Latin depositum (noun), medieval Latin depositare (verb), both from Latin deposit- ‘laid aside’, from the verb deponere.

deposit account

noun

(Brit.) a bank account that pays interest and is usually not able to be drawn on without notice or loss of interest.

depositary /dɪˈpɒzɪt(ə)ri / depository

I. noun

a person to whom something is lodged in trust.

• in the seventeenth century, goldsmiths acted as depositaries for the gold of the rich.

II. adjective

(of a share or receipt) representing a share in a foreign company. The depositary share or receipt is traded on the stock exchange of the investor's country rather than the actual share, which is deposited in a foreign bank.

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin depositarius, from the verb deponere (see deposit).

deposition /ˌdɛpəˈzɪʃ(ə)n, diːpəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of deposing someone, especially a monarch

• Edward V's deposition.

2. [Law] the giving of sworn evidence

• the deposition of four expert witnesses.

3. [ count noun] — a formal, usually written, statement to be used as evidence.

• a commissioner to take depositions from witnesses.

4. the action of depositing something

• pebbles formed by the deposition of calcium in solution.

5. ( the Deposition) — the removal of the body of Christ from the Cross.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin depositio(n-), from the verb deponere (see deposit).

depositor /dɪˈpɒzɪtə/

noun

a person who keeps money in a bank or building society account.

depository /dɪˈpɒzɪt(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a place where things are stored.

• Irish libraries became depositories for material from all over the world.

2. variant spelling of depositary.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting a depositary): from late Latin depositorium, from deposit- ‘laid aside’, from the verb deponere (see deposit).

depot /ˈdɛpəʊ/

I. noun

1. a place for the storage of large quantities of equipment, food, or goods

• an arms depot.

2. a place where buses, trains, or other vehicles are housed and maintained and from which they are dispatched for service.

3. (N. Amer.) a railway or bus station.

4. [Military] a place where recruits are trained or other troops are assembled.

• only conscripts who lived near a training depot had permission to commute to it.

– origin late 18th cent. (in the sense ‘act of depositing’): from French dépôt, from Latin depositum ‘something deposited’ (see deposit).

depower

verb — [with obj.]

1. [Sailing] adjust or alter (a sail) so that the wind no longer fills it.

• you need to depower the mainsail.

deprave /dɪˈpreɪv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) immoral or wicked

• this book would deprave and corrupt young children.

II. derivatives

depravation /dɛprəˈveɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘pervert the meaning or intention of something’): from Old French depraver or Latin depravare, from de- ‘down, thoroughly’ + pravus ‘crooked, perverse’.

depraved /dɪˈpreɪvd/

adjective

morally corrupt; wicked

• he was a depraved lecher

• this city is depraved.

depravity /dɪˈpravɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. moral corruption; wickedness

• a tale of depravity hard to credit

• [ count noun] I wondered what depravities had occurred in that place.

2. [Christian Theology] the innate corruption of human nature, due to original sin.

– origin mid 17th cent.: alteration (influenced by deprave) of obsolete pravity, from Latin pravitas, from pravus ‘crooked, perverse’.

deprecate /ˈdɛprɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. express disapproval of

• what I deprecate is persistent indulgence

• (as adj. deprecating) he sniffed in a deprecating way.

2. ( be deprecated) — (chiefly of a software feature) be usable but regarded as obsolete and best avoided, typically because it has been superseded

• this feature is deprecated and will be removed in later versions

• (as adj. deprecated) avoid the deprecated element that causes text to flash on and off.

3. another term for depreciate (sense 2):

• he deprecates the value of children's television.

II. derivatives

1. deprecatingly /ˈdɛprɪkeɪtɪŋli /

adverb

2. deprecation /dɛprɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

3. deprecative /ˈdɛprɪkətɪv /

adjective

4. deprecator

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘pray against’): from Latin deprecat- ‘prayed against (as being evil)’, from the verb deprecari, from de- (expressing reversal) + precari ‘pray’.

deprecatory /dɛprəˈkeɪtəri/

adjective

1. expressing disapproval; disapproving.

2. apologetic or appeasing

• a deprecatory smile.

depreciate /dɪˈpriːʃɪeɪt, dɪˈpriːsɪeɪt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — diminish in value over a period of time

• the latest cars will depreciate heavily in the first year.

2. [with obj.] — reduce the recorded value in a company's books of (an asset) each year over a predetermined period.

3. [with obj.] — disparage or belittle (something)

• she was already depreciating her own aesthetic taste.

II. derivatives

1. depreciable /dɪˈpriːʃ(ɪ)əb(ə)l, dɪˈpriːsɪəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. depreciative /dɪˈpriːʃ(ɪ)ətɪv, dɪˈpriːsɪətɪv /

adjective

3. depreciatively

adverb

4. depreciatory /dɪˈpriːʃ(ɪ)ət(ə)ri, dɪˈpriːsɪət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from late Latin depreciat- ‘lowered in price, undervalued’, from the verb depreciare, from Latin de- ‘down’ + pretium ‘price’.

depreciation /dɪˌpriːʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, dɪˌpriːsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a reduction in the value of an asset over time, due in particular to wear and tear.

• provision should be made for depreciation of fixed assets.

2. a decrease in the value of a currency relative to other currencies.

• depreciation leads to losses for non-dollar based investors.

• [ count noun] a currency depreciation.

depredate /ˈdɛprədeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. steal from, typically using force; plunder

• many types of predators depredate bird nests

• wandering flocks of pigeons depredating barley crops.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin depraedat- ‘plundered’, from the verb depraedari.

depredation /ˌdɛprɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — (usu. depredations)

1. an act of attacking or plundering

• protecting grain from the depredations of rats and mice.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘plundering, robbery’, (plural) ‘ravages’): from French déprédation, from late Latin depraedatio(n-), from depraedari ‘plunder’.

depredator /ˈdɛprɪdeɪtə/

I. noun

‹archaic› a person or thing that makes depredations, especially a predatory animal.

II. derivatives

depredatory /dɪˈprɛdət(ə)ri, ˌdɛprɪˈdeɪt(ə)ri /

adjective

depress /dɪˈprɛs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) feel utterly dispirited or dejected

• that first day at school depressed me.

2. reduce the level or strength of activity in (something, especially an economic or biological system)

• fear of inflation in America depressed bond markets

• alcohol depresses the nervous system.

3. push or pull (something) down into a lower position

• depress the lever.

II. derivatives

depressible

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French depresser, from late Latin depressare, frequentative of deprimere ‘press down’.

depressant /dɪˈprɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) reducing functional or nervous activity.

II. noun

1. a depressant drug.

2. an influence that depresses economic activity

• higher taxation is a depressant.

depressed /dɪˈprɛst/

adjective

1. (of a person) in a state of unhappiness or despondency.

• she felt lonely and depressed.

2. (of a person) suffering from clinical depression.

3. (of a place or economic activity) suffering the damaging effects of a lack of demand or employment

• depressed inner-city areas.

4. (of an object or part of an object) in a lower position, having been pushed down

• a depressed fracture of the skull.

depressing /dɪˈprɛsɪŋ/

adjective

1. causing or resulting in a feeling of miserable dejection

• that thought is too depressing for words.

2. causing a damaging reduction in economic activity

• the mortgage rate increase will have a depressing effect on the housing market.

depressingly /dɪˈprɛsɪŋli/

adverb

in a manner that causes sadness

• Mrs Lynde spoke depressingly

• [as submodifier] the story is becoming depressingly familiar

• [as sentence adverb] depressingly, I have to agree with Eric on the likely political reaction to this problem.

depression /dɪˈprɛʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — feelings of severe despondency and dejection.

• self-doubt creeps in and that swiftly turns to depression.

2. [Psychiatry] a mental condition characterized by feelings of severe despondency and dejection, typically also with feelings of inadequacy and guilt, often accompanied by lack of energy and disturbance of appetite and sleep

• she was referred by a psychiatrist treating her for depression.

3. a long and severe recession in an economy or market

• the depression in the housing market.

4. ( the Depression or the Great Depression) — the financial and industrial slump of 1929 and subsequent years.

5. [ mass noun] — the action of lowering something or pressing something down

• depression of the plunger delivers two units of insulin.

6. [ count noun] — a sunken place or hollow on a surface

• the original shallow depressions were slowly converted to creeks.

7. [Meteorology] a region of lower atmospheric pressure, especially a cyclonic weather system.

• hurricanes start off as loose regions of bad weather known as tropical depressions.

8. [Astronomy] [Geography] the angular distance of an object below the horizon or a horizontal plane.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin depressio(n-), from deprimere ‘press down’ (see depress).

depressive /dɪˈprɛsɪv/

I. adjective

1. causing feelings of severe despondency and dejection.

2. relating to or tending to suffer from clinical depression

• a depressive illness.

3. causing a reduction in strength, effectiveness, or value

• steroids have a depressive effect on the immune system.

II. noun

a person suffering from or tending to suffer from depression.

depressor /dɪˈprɛsə/

noun

1. (also depressor muscle) — [Anatomy] a muscle whose contraction pulls down a part of the body.

2. any of several specific muscles in the face
[followed by Latin genitive]

• depressor anguli oris.

3. [Physiology] a nerve whose stimulation results in a lowering of blood pressure.

4. an instrument for pressing something down.

depressurize /diːˈprɛʃərʌɪz / depressurise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. release the pressure of the gas inside (a pressurized vehicle or container).

• O'Kelly depressurized the cabin.

2. [no obj.] — (of a pressurized vehicle or container) lose pressure.

• I waited for the deck to depressurize.

II. derivatives

depressurization /ˌdiːˌprɛʃərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

deprivation /dɛprɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the damaging lack of material benefits considered to be basic necessities in a society

• low wages mean that 3.75 million people suffer serious deprivation

• [ count noun] rural households could escape the worst deprivations of the towns.

2. the lack or denial of something considered to be a necessity

• sleep deprivation.

3. ‹archaic› the action of depriving someone of office, especially an ecclesiastical office.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘removal from office’): from medieval Latin deprivatio(n-), from the verb deprivare (see deprive).

deprive /dɪˈprʌɪv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. prevent (a person or place) from having or using something

• the city was deprived of its water supplies.

2. ‹archaic› depose (someone, especially a member of the clergy) from office.

• the Archbishop deprived a considerable number of puritan clergymen.

II. derivatives

deprival /dɪˈprʌɪv(ə)l /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘depose from office’): from Old French depriver, from medieval Latin deprivare, from de- ‘away, completely’ + privare (see private).

deprived /dɪˈprʌɪvd/

adjective

1. suffering a severe and damaging lack of basic material and cultural benefits

• the charity cares for destitute and deprived children.

2. (of a person) lacking a specified benefit that is considered important

• the men felt sexually deprived.

de profundis /ˌdeɪ prəˈfʊndɪs/

I. adverb

used to convey that one's most heartfelt feelings of sorrow or anguish are being expressed.

II. noun

a heartfelt cry of appeal.

– origin Latin, ‘from the depths’, the opening words of Psalm 130.

deprogramme /diːˈprəʊɡram / ‹US› deprogram

verb — [with obj.]

1. release (someone) from apparent brainwashing, typically that of a religious cult, by the systematic reindoctrination of conventional values.

• some parents managed to induce back their children and deprogramme them from the cult.

deproteinize /diːˈprəʊtiːnʌɪz / deproteinise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the protein from (a substance), usually as a stage in chemical purification.

II. derivatives

deproteinization

noun

Dept

abbreviation

Department.

depth /dɛpθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the distance from the top or surface to the bottom of something

• water of no more than 12 feet in depth.

2. the distance from the front to the back of something

• the depth of the wardrobe.

3. the distance from the top or surface of something to a specified lower point within it
[in sing.]

• loosen the soil to a depth of 8 inches.

4. the apparent existence of three dimensions in a picture or other two-dimensional representation

• texture in a picture gives it depth.

5. the quality of being intense or extreme

• he was surprised by the depth of Eloise's vindictiveness

• the government failed to understand the depth of the problems.

6. complexity and profundity of thought

• the book has unexpected depth.

7. extensive and detailed study or knowledge

• third-year courses typically go into more depth.

8. intensity of colour

• strong lighting will accentuate the depth of colour.

9. ( the depths) — a point far below the surface

• he lifted the manhole cover and peered into the depths beneath.

10. a time considered to be the worst point within a bad period

• 4 a.m. in the depths of winter.

11. a time when one's negative feelings are at their most intense

• she was in the depths of despair.

12. a remote and inaccessible place

• I wish I didn't live in the depths of Devon.

II. phrases

1. hidden depths

admirable but previously unnoticed qualities

• his solo spots reveal hidden depths.

2. in depth

comprehensively and thoroughly

• research students pursue a specific aspect of a subject in depth.

See also in-depth.

3. out of one's depth

a. in water too deep to stand in.

• just out of our depth, we bounce down below the surface of the water.

b. in a situation that is beyond one's capabilities

• they soon realized they were out of their depth in Division One.

• I find it difficult to talk in a situation like this—I'm out of my depth.

– origin late Middle English: from deep + -th^2, on the pattern of pairs such as long, length.

depth charge

noun

an explosive charge designed to be dropped from a ship or aircraft and to explode under water at a preset depth, used for attacking submarines.

depth finder

noun

an echo sounder or other device for measuring water depth.

depth gauge

noun

a device fitted to a drill bit to ensure that the hole drilled does not exceed the required depth.

depthless /ˈdɛpθləs/

I. adjective

1. too deep to be measured

• a depthless gorge.

2. shallow and superficial.

• a depthless happening in the goofy circus of America.

II. derivatives

depthlessly

adverb

depth of field

noun

(in photography) the distance between the nearest and the furthest objects giving a focused image.

depth of focus

noun

1. another term for depth of field.

2. the distance between the two extreme axial points behind a lens at which an image is judged to be in focus.

depth psychology

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of unconscious mental processes and motives, especially in psychoanalytic theory and practice.

depth sounder

noun

another term for echo sounder.

depuration /dɪpjʊəˈreɪʃ(ə)n, dɛpjʊˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› the action or process of freeing something of impurities.

II. derivatives

1. depurate /dɪˈpjʊəreɪt, ˈdɛpjʊreɪt /

verb

2. depurative /dɪˈpjʊərətɪv, ˈdɛpjʊrətɪv /

adjective, noun

3. depurator

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin depuratio(n-), from the verb depurare, from de- ‘completely’ + purare ‘purify’ (from purus ‘pure’).

deputation /dɛpjʊˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a group of people appointed to undertake a mission or take part in a formal process on behalf of a larger group

• he had been a member of a deputation to Napoleon III.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘appointment to an office or function’): from late Latin deputatio(n-), from the verb deputare (see depute).

depute

I. verb — [with obj. and infinitive] depute /dɪˈpjuːt /

1. appoint or instruct (someone) to perform a task for which one is responsible

• she was deputed to look after him while Clare was away.

2. [with obj.] — delegate (authority or a task).

II. noun — depute /ˈdɛpjuːt /

1. (Scottish) a person appointed to act in an official capacity or as a representative of another official
[as modifier]

• a depute chairman.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin deputare ‘consider to be, assign’, from de- ‘away’ + putare ‘consider’.

deputize /ˈdɛpjʊtʌɪz / deputise

verb — [no obj.]

1. temporarily act or speak on behalf of someone else

• the post-holder is required to deputize for the manager in their absence.

2. [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) make (someone) a deputy.

• after an oath or two she was deputized.

deputy /ˈdɛpjʊti/

I. noun

1. a person who is appointed to undertake the duties of a superior in the superior's absence.

• his deputy has been largely running the business for the past year.

• [as modifier] the deputy prime minister.

2. a parliamentary representative in certain countries.

• the communists had numbered 324 out of the 450 deputies.

3. (Brit.) a coal mine official responsible for safety.

II. phrases

by deputy

‹historical› instructing another person to act in one's stead; by proxy.

• the wardens of the forests performed important duties by deputy.

III. derivatives

deputyship

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French depute, from late Latin deputatus, past participle of deputare (see depute).

Deputy Lieutenant

noun

(in the UK) the deputy of the Lord Lieutenant of a county.

dequeue

verb — [with obj.]

1. [Computing] remove (an item of data awaiting processing) from a queue of such items.

De Quincey, Thomas /də ˈkwɪnsi/

(1785–1859), English essayist and critic. He achieved fame with his Confessions of an English Opium Eater (1822), a study of his addiction to opium and its psychological effects.

der

exclamation

variant spelling of dur.

deracinate /dɪˈrasɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. deracinated)

1. uproot (someone) from their natural geographical, social, or cultural environment

• a deracinated writer who has complicated relations with his working-class background.

II. derivatives

deracination

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from French déraciner, from dé- (expressing removal) + racine ‘root’ (based on Latin radix).

déraciné /deɪˈrasɪneɪ, French deʀasine/

I. adjective

(of a person) uprooted from their natural environment; deracinated

• the self-consciousness of déraciné Americans.

II. noun

a person who has been or feels deracinated.

• he became a déraciné, a nomad.

– origin French, ‘uprooted’.

deradicalization /diːˌradɪkəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / deradicalisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of causing a person with extreme views to adopt more moderate positions on political or social issues

• a forensic psychologist who has written extensively on terrorism and deradicalization

• [as modifier] a government-run deradicalization programme.

deradicalize /diːˈradɪk(ə)lʌɪz / deradicalise

verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (a person with extreme views) to adopt more moderate positions on political or social issues

• unless extremists are deradicalized, there will be no end to this protracted conflict.

derail /dɪˈreɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (a train or tram) to leave its tracks accidentally

• a train was derailed after it collided with a herd of cattle.

2. [no obj.] — (of a train or tram) accidentally leave the tracks.

• the trams had a tendency to derail on sharp corners.

3. [with obj.] — obstruct (a process) by diverting it from its intended course

• the plot is seen by some as an attempt to derail the negotiations.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French dérailler, from dé- (expressing removal) + rail ‘rail’.

derailleur /dɪˈreɪl(j)ə/

I. noun

a bicycle gear which works by lifting the chain from one sprocket wheel to another of a different size.

– origin 1930s: from French, from dérailler ‘derail’.

derailment /diːˈreɪlm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of a train or tram leaving its tracks accidentally

• an investigation into the derailment of a freight train

• [ count noun] track defects are being cited as the cause of the derailment.

2. the obstruction of a process by diverting it from its intended course

• the derailment of the peace process.

Derain, André /ˈdərã, French dəʀɛ̃/

(1880–1954), French painter, one of the exponents of Fauvism. He also designed theatre sets and costumes, notably for the Ballets Russes.

derange /dɪˈreɪn(d)ʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) insane

• that business last month must have deranged him a bit.

2. cause (something) to act irregularly

• stress deranges the immune system.

3. ‹archaic› intrude on; disturb

• I am sorry to have deranged you for so small a matter.

II. derivatives

derangement /dɪˈreɪn(d)ʒm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from French déranger, from Old French desrengier, literally ‘move from orderly rows’.

deranged /dɪˈreɪn(d)ʒd/

adjective

mad; insane

• a deranged gunman.

derate /diːˈreɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) (under the former rates system) remove part or all of the burden of rates from (a property or business).
(as noun derating)

• I shall shortly announce the level of industrial derating for next year.

2. reduce the power rating of (a component or device)

• the engines were derated to 90 horse power.

deration /diːˈraʃ(ə)n/

verb — [with obj.]

1. free (a commodity) of rationing restrictions.

• coal was derationed.

Derbent /dəˈbɛnt/

a city in southern Russia, in Dagestan on the western shore of the Caspian Sea; pop. 109,000 (est. 2008).

Derby^1 /ˈdɑːbi/

a city in the Midlands of England, on the River Derwent; pop. 244,700 (est. 2009).

Derby^2 /ˈdɑːbi/

noun

1. an annual flat race for three-year-old horses, founded in 1780 by the 12th Earl of Derby and run on Epsom Downs in England in late May or early June.

2. a race similar to the Derby, run elsewhere

• the Irish Derby.

3. (also derby) [often in names] — an important sporting contest

• the showjumping Derby at Hickstead.

4. ( derby or local derby) — (Brit.) a sports match between two rival teams from the same area.

5. ( derby) — (N. Amer.) a bowler hat.
[said to be from American demand for a hat of the type worn at the Epsom Derby.]

6. a boot or shoe having the eyelet tabs stitched on top of the vamp.

Derby^3 /ˈdɑːbi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hard cheese made from skimmed milk, chiefly in Derbyshire.

Derby, 14th Earl of /ˈdɑːbi/

(1799–1869), British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1852, 1858–9, and 1866–8; born Edward George Geoffrey Smith Stanley. In his last term as Prime Minister he carried the second Reform Act (1867) through Parliament.

Derby Day

noun

the day on which the Derby is run.

Derbyshire /ˈdɑːbɪʃ(ɪ)ə/

a county of north central England; county town, Matlock.

Derbyshire neck

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› goitre, formerly endemic in parts of Derbyshire.

de re /deɪ ˈreɪ, diː/

I. adjective

[Philosophy] relating to the properties of things mentioned in an assertion or expression, rather than to the assertion or expression itself.
Compare with de dicto.

– origin Latin, literally ‘about the thing’.

derealization derealisation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling that one's surroundings are not real, especially as a symptom of mental disturbance.

II. derivatives

derealized

adjective

derecho /dɪˈreɪtʃəʊ/

I. noun

(US) a storm system that moves a long distance rapidly and brings winds which can devastate an area several miles wide.

– origin late 19th cent.: Spanish, literally ‘direct, straight’.

derecognize /diːˈrɛkəɡnʌɪz / derecognise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. withdraw recognition of (an organization or country).

• none of the agencies will be allowed to derecognize any of the trade unions.

II. derivatives

derecognition /ˌdiːrɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

dereference /diːˈrɛfərəns/

verb — [with obj.]

1. [Computing] obtain the address of a data item held in another location from (a pointer).

deregister

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove from a register

• scores of patients have been deregistered by the practices.

2. [no obj.] — remove one's name from a register.

• he should deregister for VAT purposes.

II. derivatives

deregistration /diːˌrɛdʒɪsˈtrɛɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

de règle /də ˈrɛɡl(ə), French də ʀɛɡl/

I. adjective

required by custom; proper

• it shall be de règle for guests to come in afternoon dresses.

– origin French, literally ‘of rule’.

deregulate /diːˈrɛɡjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove regulations or restrictions from

• the trucking industry was deregulated in the early 1980s.

II. derivatives

deregulatory

adjective

deregulation /diːrɛɡjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the removal of regulations or restrictions, especially in a particular industry

• he fought for deregulation of the telecom industry

• banks were allowed to grant mortgages following financial deregulation.

derelict /ˈdɛrəlɪkt/

I. adjective

1. in a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect

• a derelict Georgian mansion

• the barge lay derelict for years.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) shamefully negligent of one's duties or obligations

• he was derelict in his duty to his country.

II. noun

1. a person without a home, job, or property.

• derelicts who could fit all their possessions in a paper bag.

2. a ship or other piece of property abandoned by the owner and in poor condition.

• she had been a derelict recommissioned for this journey.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin derelictus ‘abandoned’, past participle of derelinquere, from de- ‘completely’ + relinquere ‘forsake’.

dereliction /dɛrəˈlɪkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of having been abandoned and become dilapidated

• a 15th-century farmhouse has been saved from dereliction.

2. ( dereliction of duty) — the shameful failure to fulfil one's obligations.

• the prosecution team were guilty of dereliction of duty for failing to disclose evidence.

• [ count noun] a gross dereliction of duty by the Secretary of State.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin derelictio(n-), from the verb derelinquere (see derelict).

derepress /ˌdiːrɪˈprɛs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Biochemistry] [Genetics] activate (enzymes, genes, etc.) from an inoperative or latent state.

II. derivatives

derepression

noun

derequisition /ˌdiːrɛkwɪˈzɪʃ(ə)n/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹dated› return (requisitioned property) to its former owner.

• the corporation agreed to seek permission from the Minister to derequisition the plaintiff's premises.

derestrict /diːrɪˈstrɪkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove restrictions from.

• eight items from the list of restricted exports are to be derestricted.

II. derivatives

derestriction /ˌdiːrɪˈstrɪkʃ(ə)n /

noun

deride /dɪˈrʌɪd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. express contempt for; ridicule

• the decision was derided by environmentalists.

II. derivatives

derider /dɪˈrʌɪdə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin deridere ‘scoff at’.

de rigueur /də rɪˈɡəː/

I. adjective

required by etiquette or current fashion

• it was de rigueur for bands to grow their hair long.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, literally ‘in strictness’.

derision /dɪˈrɪʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. contemptuous ridicule or mockery

• my stories were greeted with derision and disbelief.

II. phrases

hold (or have) in derision

‹archaic› regard with mockery.

III. derivatives

derisible /dɪˈrɪzɪb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin derisio(n-), from deridere ‘scoff at’.

derisive /dɪˈrʌɪsɪv, dɪˈrʌɪzɪv/

I. adjective

expressing contempt or ridicule

• he gave a harsh, derisive laugh.

II. derivatives

derisiveness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from derision, on the pattern of the pair decision, decisive.

derisively /dɪˈrɪzɪvli/

adverb

in a manner expressing contempt or ridicule

• she snorted derisively at him

• they derisively referred to clients as muppets.

de-risk

verb — [with obj.]

1. (especially in a business context) take steps to make (something) less risky or less likely to involve a financial loss

• as the eurozone crisis deteriorated, we accelerated our efforts to de-risk the investment portfolio.

derisory /dɪˈrʌɪs(ə)ri, dɪˈrʌɪz(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. ridiculously small or inadequate

• they were given a derisory pay rise.

2. another term for derisive:

• his derisory gaze swept over her.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘derisive’): from late Latin derisorius, from deris- ‘scoffed at’, from the verb deridere (see derision). / usage: Although the words derisory and derisive share similar roots they have different core meanings. Derisory usually means ‘ridiculously small or inadequate’, as in a derisory pay offer or the security arrangements were derisory. Derisive, on the other hand, is used to mean ‘showing contempt’, as in he gave a derisive laugh.

derivate /ˈdɛrɪvət, ˈdɛrɪveɪt/

I. noun

something derived, especially a product obtained chemically from a raw material.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin derivat- ‘derived’, from the verb derivare (see derive).

derivation /dɛrɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of obtaining something from a source or origin

• the derivation of scientific laws from observation.

2. the formation of a word from another word or from a root in the same or another language.

3. origin; extraction

• music of primarily Turkish derivation.

4. [ count noun] — something derived; a derivative.

• a good dictionary includes derivations.

5. [Linguistics] the set of stages that link a sentence in a natural language to its underlying logical form.

6. [Mathematics] the process of deducing a new formula, theorem, etc., from previously accepted statements.

7. [ count noun] — a sequence of statements showing that a formula, theorem, etc., is a consequence of previously accepted statements.

II. derivatives

derivational

adjective

– origin late Middle English (denoting the drawing of a fluid, especially pus or blood; also in the sense ‘formation of a word from another word’): from Latin derivatio(n-), from the verb derivare (see derive).

derivative /dɪˈrɪvətɪv/

I. adjective

1. imitative of the work of another artist, writer, etc., and usually disapproved of for that reason

• an artist who is not in the slightest bit derivative.

2. originating from, based on, or influenced by

• Darwin's work is derivative of the moral philosophers.

3. [ attrib.] — [Finance] (of a product) having a value deriving from an underlying variable asset

• equity-based derivative products.

II. noun

1. something which is based on another source

• the aircraft is a derivative of the Falcon 20G.

2. a word derived from another or from a root in the same or another language.

• ‘fly-tip’ is a derivative of the phrase ‘on the fly’.

3. a substance that is derived chemically from a specified compound

• crack is a highly addictive cocaine derivative.

4. (often derivatives) — [Finance] an arrangement or product (such as a future, option, or warrant) whose value derives from and is dependent on the value of an underlying asset, such as a commodity, currency, or security.
[as modifier]

• the derivatives market.

5. [Mathematics] an expression representing the rate of change of a function with respect to an independent variable.

III. derivatives

derivatively

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the adjective sense ‘having the power to draw off’, and in the noun sense ‘a word derived from another’): from French dérivatif, -ive, from Latin derivativus, from derivare (see derive).

derive /dɪˈrʌɪv/

I. verb — [with obj.] ( derive something from)

1. obtain something from (a specified source)

• they derived great comfort from this assurance.

2. ( derive something from) — base a concept on an extension or modification of (another concept)

• some maintain that he derived the idea of civil disobedience from Thoreau.

3. [no obj.] ( derive from) — (of a word) have (a specified word, usually of another language) as a root or origin

• the word ‘punch’ derives from the Hindustani ‘pancha’

• [with obj.] the word ‘man’ is derived from the Sanskrit ‘manas’.

4. [no obj.] ( derive from) — arise from or originate in (a specified source)

• words whose spelling derives from Dr Johnson's incorrect etymology.

5. ( be derived from) — [Linguistics] (of a sentence in a natural language) be linked by a set of stages to (its underlying logical form).

6. ( be derived from) — (of a substance) be formed or prepared by (a chemical or physical process affecting another substance)

• strong acids are derived from the combustion of fossil fuels.

7. [Mathematics] obtain (a function or equation) from another by a sequence of logical steps, for example by differentiation.

• the volume fraction of the soil can then be derived as a function of L.

II. derivatives

derivable /dɪˈrʌɪvəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘draw a fluid through or into a channel’): from Old French deriver or Latin derivare, from de- ‘down, away’ + rivus ‘brook, stream’.

derived demand

noun

[Economics] a demand for a commodity, service, etc. which is a consequence of the demand for something else.

derived fossil

noun

a fossil redeposited in a sediment which is younger than the one in which it first occurred.

derm /dəːm/

noun

another term for dermis.

derma^1 /ˈdəːmə/

I. noun

another term for dermis.

– origin early 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek ‘skin’.

derma^2 /ˈdəːmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. beef or chicken intestine, stuffed and cooked in dishes such as kishke.

– origin from Yiddish derme, plural of darm ‘intestine’; related to Old English tharm ‘intestine’.

dermabrasion /ˌdəːməˈbreɪʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in cosmetic surgery) the removal of superficial layers of skin with a rapidly revolving abrasive tool.

– origin 1950s: from Greek derma ‘skin’ + abrasion.

Dermaptera /dəːˈmaptərə/

I. plural noun

[Entomology] an order of insects that comprises the earwigs.

II. derivatives

dermapteran

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek derma ‘skin’ + pteron ‘wing’.

dermatitis /ˌdəːməˈtʌɪtɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a medical condition in which the skin becomes red, swollen, and sore, sometimes with small blisters, resulting from direct irritation of the skin by an external agent or an allergic reaction to it.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek derma, dermat- ‘skin’ + -itis.

dermato- /ˈdəːmətəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to the skin

• dermatomycosis.

– origin from Greek derma, dermat- ‘skin, hide’.

dermatoglyphics /ˌdəːmətə(ʊ)ˈɡlɪfɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of skin markings or patterns on fingers, hands, and feet, and its application, especially in criminology.

II. derivatives

dermatoglyphic

adjective

– origin 1920s: from dermato- ‘skin’ + Greek gluphikos ‘carved’ (from gluphē ‘carving’).

dermatologist /ˌdəːməˈtɒlədʒɪst/

noun

a medical practitioner qualified to diagnose and treat skin disorders

• visit your dermatologist yearly for a full-body skin check.

dermatology /ˌdəːməˈtɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of skin disorders.

II. derivatives

1. dermatologic

adjective

2. dermatological

adjective

3. dermatologically

adverb

dermatome /ˈdəːmətəʊm/

noun

1. [Embryology] the lateral wall of each somite in a vertebrate embryo, giving rise to the connective tissue of the skin.
Compare with myotome, sclerotome.

2. [Physiology] an area of the skin supplied by nerves from a single spinal root.

dermatomycosis /ˌdəːmətə(ʊ)mʌɪˈkəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fungal infection of the skin, especially by a dermatophyte.

dermatomyositis /ˌdəːmətə(ʊ)mʌɪə(ʊ)ˈsʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the skin and underlying muscle tissue, involving degeneration of collagen, discoloration, and swelling, typically occurring as an autoimmune condition or associated with internal cancer.

dermatophyte /ˈdəːmətə(ʊ)fʌɪt/

I. noun

a pathogenic fungus that grows on skin, mucous membranes, hair, nails, feathers, and other body surfaces, causing ringworm and related diseases.
● Trichophyton and other genera, subdivision Deuteromycotina.

II. derivatives

dermatophytic

adjective

dermatophytosis /ˌdəːmətə(ʊ)fʌɪˈtəʊsɪs/

noun

another term for dermatomycosis.

dermatosis /ˌdəːməˈtəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease of the skin, especially one that does not cause inflammation.

dermestid /dəːˈmɛstɪd/

I. noun

[Entomology] a small beetle of a family ( Dermestidae) that includes many kinds which are destructive (especially as larvae) to hides, skin, fur, wool, and other animal substances.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Dermestidae (plural), from the genus name Dermestes, formed irregularly from Greek derma ‘skin’ + esthiein ‘eat’.

dermis /ˈdəːmɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› the skin.

2. ‹technical› [Anatomy] the thick layer of living tissue below the epidermis which forms the true skin, containing blood capillaries, nerve endings, sweat glands, hair follicles, and other structures.

II. derivatives

1. dermal /ˈdəːm(ə)l /

adjective

2. dermic /ˈdəːmɪk /

adjective

‹rare›

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, suggested by epidermis.

dermoid /ˈdəːmɔɪd/

noun

short for dermoid cyst.

dermoid cyst

noun

[Medicine] an abnormal growth (teratoma) containing epidermis, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands, derived from residual embryonic cells.

Dermoptera /dəːˈmɒptərə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a small order of mammals which comprises the flying lemurs or colugos.

II. derivatives

dermopteran /dəˈmɒptər(ə)n /

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek derma ‘skin’ + pteron ‘wing’.

dernier cri /dəːnjeɪ ˈkriː/

I. noun — ( the/le dernier cri)

1. the very latest fashion.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, literally ‘last cry’.

derogate /ˈdɛrəɡeɪt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] ( derogate from) — ‹formal› detract from

• this does not derogate from his duty to act honestly and faithfully.

2. [no obj.] ( derogate from) — ‹formal› deviate from (a set of rules or agreed form of behaviour)

• one country has derogated from the Rome Convention.

3. [with obj.] — ‹formal› disparage (someone or something)

• it is typical of him to derogate the powers of reason.

II. derivatives

derogative

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin derogat- ‘abrogated’, from the verb derogare, from de- ‘aside, away’ + rogare ‘ask’.

derogation /dɛrəˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an exemption from or relaxation of a rule or law

• countries assuming a derogation from EC law.

2. [ mass noun] — the perception or treatment of someone or something as being of little worth

• the derogation of women.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘impairment of the force of’): from Latin derogatio(n-), from the verb derogare (see derogate).

derogatory /dɪˈrɒɡət(ə)ri/

I. adjective

showing a critical or disrespectful attitude

• she tells me I'm fat and is always making derogatory remarks.

II. derivatives

derogatorily

adverb

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘impairing in force or effect’): from late Latin derogatorius, from derogat- ‘abrogated’, from the verb derogare (see derogate).

derp /dəːp / ‹informal›

I. exclamation

used as a substitute for speech regarded as meaningless or stupid, or to comment on a foolish or stupid action

• Lower tax rates and far lower job creation. Derp.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. foolishness or stupidity

• the derp heard outside apparently was only the tip of the iceberg.

– origin 1990s: probably an alteration of dur or duh.

derrick /ˈdɛrɪk/

I. noun

1. a kind of crane with a movable pivoted arm for moving heavy weights, especially on a ship.

2. the framework over an oil well or similar boring, holding the drilling machinery.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a hangman, also the gallows): from Derrick, the surname of a London hangman.

Derrida, Jacques /ˈdɛrɪdə, French dɛʀida/

I. (1930–2004), French philosopher and critic, the most important figure in deconstructionism. Notable works: Of Grammatology (1967) and Writing and Difference (1967).

II. derivatives

Derridean /ˌdɛrɪˈdɪən /

adjective, noun

derrière /ˌdɛrɪˈɛː/

I. noun

‹euphemistic› a person's buttocks.

– origin late 18th cent.: French, literally ‘behind’.

derring-do /ˌdɛrɪŋˈduː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› ‹humorous› action displaying heroic courage

• tales of derring-do.

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Middle English dorryng do ‘daring to do’, used by Chaucer, and, in a passage by Lydgate based on Chaucer's work, misprinted in 16th-cent. editions as derrynge do; this was misinterpreted by Spenser to mean ‘manhood, chivalry’, and subsequently taken up and popularized by Sir Walter Scott.

derringer /ˈdɛrɪn(d)ʒə/

I. noun

a small pistol with a large bore, which is very effective at close range.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Henry Deringer (1786–1868), the American gunsmith who invented it.

derris /ˈdɛrɪs/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — an insecticide containing rotenone, made from the powdered roots of certain tropical plants.

2. a woody climbing plant of the pea family, which has tuberous roots from which the insecticide derris is obtained.
●Genus Derris, family Leguminosae.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in sense 2): modern Latin (genus name), from Greek, ‘leather covering’ (referring to the plant's leathery pods).

derro /ˈdɛrəʊ/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a vagrant, especially one who is dependent on alcohol.

– origin 1970s: abbreviation of derelict + -o.

derry

I. noun — (in phrase have a derry on)

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› have a strong dislike for.

• they've always had a derry on us.

– origin late 19th cent.: apparently from the song refrain derry down, used humorously for down in the sense ‘dislike’.

Derry /ˈdɛri/

see Londonderry.

derv /dəːv / DERV

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) diesel oil for road vehicles.

– origin 1940s (apparently Second World War forces' slang): acronym from diesel-engined road vehicle.

dervish /ˈdəːvɪʃ/

I. noun

a member of a Muslim (specifically Sufi) religious order who has taken vows of poverty and austerity. Dervishes first appeared in the 12th century; they were noted for their wild or ecstatic rituals and were known as dancing, whirling, or howling dervishes according to the practice of their order.

– origin from Turkish derviş, from Persian darvīš ‘poor’, (as a noun) ‘religious mendicant’.

Derwenter /ˈdəːwəntə/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› a released convict who had served time in Tasmania

• the new arrivals were three Derwenters.

– origin early 19th cent.: from the Derwent River, a major river in Tasmania.

DES

abbreviation

1. [Computing] data encryption standard.

2. (formerly in the UK) Department of Education and Science.

desacralize /diːˈsakrəlʌɪz / desacralise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the religious or sacred status or significance from.

• we have chosen to desacralize the world through modern science.

II. derivatives

desacralization

noun

de Sade, Marquis

see Sade, Comte de.

desalinate /diːˈsalɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. desalinated)

1. remove salt from (seawater).

• a pipeline pumping desalinated seawater into the desert.

II. derivatives

desalinator /diːˈsalɪneɪtə /

noun

desalination /ˌdiːsalɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of removing salt from seawater

• the newly constructed plant for the desalination of seawater remains inoperative

• [as modifier] the water supply comes from desalination plants.

desalinize

I. verb

US term for desalinate.

II. derivatives

desalinization

noun

desalt /diːˈsɔːlt, diːˈsɒlt/

verb

another term for desalinate.

desaparecido /ˌdɛzəparəˈsiːdəʊ, Spanish desapareˈsido, desapareˈθido/

I. noun

(especially in South America) a person who has disappeared, presumed killed by members of the armed services or the police.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘disappeared’.

desaturate

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make unsaturated or less saturated.

• high ambient lighting will desaturate colours.

II. derivatives

desaturation

noun

descale /diːˈskeɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) remove deposits of scale from.

• if you have problems with your heating system, you need to descale it thoroughly.

II. derivatives

descaler /diːˈskeɪlə /

noun

descamisado /dɛsˌkamɪˈsɑːdəʊ/

I. noun

(in Latin America) a very poor person.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘shirtless’.

descant

I. noun — descant /ˈdɛskant /

1. [Music] an independent treble melody sung or played above a basic melody.

2. ‹archaic› ‹literary› a melodious song.

• I hear the wood thrush piping one mellow descant more.

3. ‹literary› a discourse on a theme

• his descant of deprivation.

II. verb — [no obj.] descant /dɪˈskant, dɛˈskant /

1. ‹literary› talk tediously or at length

• I have descanted on this subject before.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French deschant, from medieval Latin discantus ‘part-song, refrain’.

descant recorder

noun

the most common size of recorder (musical instrument), with a range of two octaves from the C above middle C upwards.

Descartes, René /ˈdeɪkɑːt, French dekaʀt/

I. (1596–1650), French philosopher, mathematician, and man of science.

Aiming to reach totally secure foundations for knowledge, Descartes concluded that everything was open to doubt except his own conscious experience, and his existence as a necessary condition of this: ‘ Cogito, ergo sum’ (I think, therefore I am). From this certainty he developed a dualistic theory regarding mind and matter as separate though interacting. In mathematics Descartes developed the use of coordinates to locate a point in two or three dimensions.

descend /dɪˈsɛnd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. move or fall downwards

• the aircraft began to descend.

2. [with obj.] — move down (a slope or stairs)

• the vehicle descended a ramp.

3. (of a road, path, or flight of steps) slope or lead downwards

• a side road descended into the forest

• [with obj.] a flight of stairs descended a steep slope.

4. move down a scale of quality
(as adj. descending)

• the categories are listed in descending order of usefulness.

5. [Music] (of sound) become lower in pitch
(as adj. descending)

• a passage of descending chords.

6. ( descend to) — act in a shameful way that is far below one's usual standards

• he was scrupulous in refusing to descend to misrepresentation.

7. ( descend into) — (of a situation or group of people) reach (an undesirable state)

• the army had descended into chaos.

8. ( descend on/upon) — make a sudden attack on

• the militia descended on Rye.

9. ( descend on/upon) — make an unexpected visit to

• groups of visiting supporters descended on a local pub.

10. (of a feeling) develop suddenly and affect a place or person

• an air of gloom descended on Labour Party headquarters.

11. (of night or darkness) begin to occur

• as the winter darkness descended, the fighting ceased.

12. ( be descended from) — be a blood relative of (a specified ancestor)

• John Dalrymple was descended from an ancient Ayrshire family.

13. (of an asset) pass by inheritance, typically from parent to child

• his lands descended to his eldest son.

– origin Middle English: from Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, from de- ‘down’ + scandere ‘to climb’.

descendant /dɪˈsɛnd(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a person, plant, or animal that is descended from a particular ancestor

• she's a descendant of Charles Darwin.

2. a machine, artefact, system, etc., that has developed from an earlier, more rudimentary version

• house music is a descendant of disco.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective in the sense ‘descending’): from French, present participle of descendre ‘to descend’ (see descend). The noun dates from the early 17th cent. / usage: The correct spelling for the noun meaning ‘person descended from a particular ancestor’ is descendant, not -ent. Descendent is a less common adjective meaning ‘descending from an ancestor’. Almost 15 per cent of the citations for the term in the Oxford English Corpus use the wrong spelling.

descendent

I. adjective

descending from an ancestor

• there are 60 descendent families

• descendent lineages.

usage: On the difference between descendent and descendant, see usage at descendant.

descender

noun

1. a part of a letter that extends below the level of the base of a letter such as x (as in g and p).

2. a letter having a descender.

descendeur /dɪˈsɛndə/

I. noun

[Climbing] a piece of metal around which a rope is passed, which makes use of friction to slow descent during abseiling.

– origin late 20th cent.: from French, literally ‘descender’.

descendible /dɪˈsɛndɪb(ə)l/

adjective

[Law] (of property) eligible to be inherited by a descendant.

• an estate descendible only in the male line.

descending colon

noun

[Anatomy] the part of the large intestine which passes downwards on the left side of the abdomen towards the rectum.

descent /dɪˈsɛnt/

I. noun

1. [usu. in sing.] — an act of moving downwards, dropping, or falling

• the plane had gone into a steep descent.

2. a downward slope

• a steep, badly eroded descent.

3. a moral, social, or psychological decline

• the ancient empire's slow descent into barbarism.

4. [ mass noun] — the origin or background of a person in terms of family or nationality

• the settlers were of Cornish descent.

5. the transmission of qualities, property, or privileges by inheritance.

6. ( descent on) — a sudden violent attack

• a descent on the Channel ports.

7. an unexpected visit.

• his descents on the manager of any shop he took a fancy to visit.

– origin Middle English: from Old French descente, from descendre ‘to descend’ (see descend).

descramble /diːˈskramb(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert or restore (a signal) to intelligible form.

• a hacking system that can descramble everything.

II. derivatives

descrambler /diːˈskramblə /

noun

describe /dɪˈskrʌɪb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give a detailed account in words of

• he described his experiences in a letter to his parents.

2. mark out or draw (a geometrical figure)

• on the diameter of a circle an equilateral triangle is described.

3. move in a way which follows the outline of (an imaginary geometrical figure)

• a single light is seen to describe a circle.

II. derivatives

1. describable /dɪˈskrʌɪbəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. describer /dɪˈskrʌɪbə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin describere, from de- ‘down’ + scribere ‘write’.

description /dɪˈskrɪpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a spoken or written account of a person, object, or event

• people who had seen him were able to give a description.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of giving a spoken or written account

• the emphasis was placed on explanation rather than description.

3. a type or class of people or things

• it is laughably easy to buy drugs of all descriptions.

II. phrases

1. beyond description

to a great and astonishing extent

• his face was swollen beyond description.

2. defy description

be so unusual or remarkable as to be impossible to describe.

• the sheer scale of the Requiem defies description.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin descriptio(n-), from describere ‘write down’.

descriptive /dɪˈskrɪptɪv/

I. adjective

1. serving or seeking to describe

• the text contains some good descriptive passages.

2. [Grammar] (of an adjective) assigning a quality rather than restricting the application of the expression modified, e.g. blue as distinct from few.

3. describing or classifying in an objective and non-judgemental way.

4. [Linguistics] denoting or relating to an approach to language analysis that describes accents, forms, structures, and usage without making value judgements.
Often contrasted with prescriptive.

II. derivatives

1. descriptively /dɪˈskrɪptɪvli /

adverb

2. descriptiveness

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from late Latin descriptivus, from descript- ‘written down’, from the verb describere (see describe).

descriptivism /dɪˈskrɪptɪvɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] the doctrine that the meanings of ethical or aesthetic terms and statements are purely descriptive rather than prescriptive, evaluative, or emotive.

II. derivatives

descriptivist /dɪˈskrɪptɪvɪst /

noun, adjective

descriptor /dɪˈskrɪptə/

noun

1. [Linguistics] a word or expression used to describe or identify something.

2. [Computing] a piece of stored data that indicates how other data is stored.

descry /dɪˈskrʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› catch sight of

• she descried two figures.

– origin Middle English: Old French descrier ‘publish, proclaim’, perhaps confused with obsolete descry ‘describe’.

desecrate /ˈdɛsɪkreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat (a sacred place or thing) with violent disrespect

• more than 300 graves were desecrated.

2. spoil (something which is valued or respected)

• many lanes are desecrated with yellow lines.

II. derivatives

desecrator /ˈdɛsɪkreɪtə /

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from de- (expressing reversal) + a shortened form of consecrate.

desecration /ˌdɛsɪˈkreɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of desecrating something

• the desecration of a grave.

• the desecration of swathes of Scotland's landscape.

deseed /diːˈsiːd/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. deseeded)

1. remove the seeds from (a plant, vegetable, or fruit).

• deseeded black grapes.

II. derivatives

deseeder

noun

desegregate /diːˈsɛɡrɪɡeɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. end a policy of racial segregation in

• actions to desegregate schools.

desegregation /ˌdiːsɛɡrɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ending of a policy of racial segregation

• he wrote editorials calling for the desegregation of schools.

deselect /diːsɪˈlɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) (of a local branch of a political party) reject (an existing MP) as a candidate in a forthcoming election.

• the ultimate disloyalty would be to deselect a long-standing MP.

2. turn off (a selected feature) on a list of options on a computer menu.

• deselect the SAVE CHANGES option for normal use.

II. derivatives

deselection /ˌdiːsɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n /

noun

desensitize /diːˈsɛnsɪtʌɪz / desensitise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make less sensitive

• creams to desensitize the skin at the site of the injection.

2. make (someone) less likely to feel shock or distress at scenes of cruelty or suffering by overexposure to such images
(as adj. desensitized)

• people who view such movies become desensitized to violence.

3. free (someone) from a phobia or neurosis by gradually exposing them to the thing that is feared.
See systematic desensitization.

II. derivatives

1. desensitization /diːˌsɛnsɪtʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. desensitizer /ˌdiːˈsɛnsɪtʌɪzə /

noun

desert^1 /dɪˈzəːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. abandon (a person, cause, or organization) in a way considered disloyal or treacherous

• he deserted his wife and daughter and went back to England.

2. (of people) leave (a place), causing it to appear empty

• the tourists have deserted the beaches.

3. (of a quality or ability) fail (someone) when most needed

• her luck deserted her.

4. [no obj.] — [Military] illegally leave the armed forces.

• his life in the regiment had been such a hell that he decided to desert.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French deserter, from late Latin desertare, from Latin desertus ‘left waste’ (see desert^2).

desert^2 /ˈdɛzət/

I. noun

1. a waterless, desolate area of land with little or no vegetation, typically one covered with sand.

• the desert of the Sinai peninsula is a harsh place.

• [ mass noun] drought and deforestation are turning fragile grasslands into desert.

2. a situation or place considered dull and uninteresting

• a cultural desert.

3. ‹rare› a flock of lapwings

• a desert of lapwings rises from a ploughed field.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. like a desert

• overgrazing has created desert conditions.

2. uninhabited and desolate

• desert wastes.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from late Latin desertum ‘something left waste’, neuter past participle of deserere ‘leave, forsake’.

desert boot

noun

a lightweight boot with the upper made from suede.

• a woman dressed in jeans, desert boots, and a big overshirt.

deserted /dɪˈzəːtɪd/

adjective

(of a place) empty of people

• deserted beaches of soft sand.

deserter /dɪˈzəːtə/

noun

a member of the armed forces who deserts

• deserters from the army.

desertification /dɛˌzəːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture.

• nearly one fifth of the world's land is threatened with desertification.

desertion /dɪˈzəːʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of deserting a person, cause, or organization

• her guilt over her desertion of her husband.

2. [Military] the action of illegally leaving the armed forces

• three officers were shot for desertion

• [ count noun] the number of desertions was rising.

desert island

noun

a remote tropical island, typically an uninhabited one.

• Carwyn seemed like a castaway on a desert island.

desert oak

noun

an Australian casuarina tree, which typically grows in arid regions.
● Casuarina decaisneana, family Casuarinaceae.

desert pavement

noun

[Geology] a surface layer of closely packed or cemented pebbles, rock fragments, etc., from which fine material has been removed by the wind in arid regions.

desert rat

noun

‹informal› a soldier of the 7th British armoured division (with the jerboa as a badge) in the North African desert campaign of 1941–2.

desert rose

noun

1. a flower-like aggregate of crystals of a mineral, occurring in arid areas.

2. a succulent plant with pink tubular flowers and a woody stem containing toxic milky sap, native to East Africa and Arabia.
● Adenium obesum, family Apocynaceae.

3. (also Sturt's desert rose) — a dense shrub with pinkish-lilac flowers and black spotted leaves and fruit, native to arid regions of Australia.
● Gossypium sturtianum, family Malvaceae.

deserts /dɪˈzəːts/

I. plural noun

what a person deserves with regard to reward or (more usually) punishment

• the penal system fails to punish offenders in accordance with their deserts.

II. phrases

get (or receive) one's just deserts

receive what one deserves, especially appropriate punishment

• those who caused great torment to others rarely got their just deserts.

– origin Middle English: via Old French desert, from deservir ‘serve well’ (see deserve). / usage: If a person gets their just deserts they get what they deserve. Deserts here is related to deserve, and is spelled with one -s- in the middle; a dessert is a sweet course eaten at the end of a meal. The -ss- spelling in the sense ‘what a person deserves’ is regarded as an error, although in the Oxford English Corpus it is as common as the correct spelling.

desert varnish

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a dark hard film of oxides formed on exposed rock surfaces in arid regions.

deserve /dɪˈzəːv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. do something or have or show qualities worthy of (a reaction which rewards or punishes as appropriate)

• the referee deserves a pat on the back

• [with infinitive] we didn't deserve to win.

II. phrases

1. deserve a medal

have done something considered especially praiseworthy or heroic.

• as a psychiatric nurse he deserves a medal, anyway.

2. deserve well (or ill) of

be worthy of good (or bad) treatment at the hands of.

– origin Middle English: from Old French deservir, from Latin deservire ‘serve well or zealously’.

deserved /dɪˈzəːvd/

adjective

rightfully earned because of something done or qualities shown; merited

• a deserved standing ovation.

• a deserved victory.

deservedly /dɪˈzəːvɪdli/

adverb

in the way that is deserved; rightfully

• a deservedly popular sitcom

• they are top of the league, and deservedly so.

deserving /dɪˈzəːvɪŋ/

I. adjective

worthy of being treated in a particular way, typically of being given assistance

• the deserving poor.

II. derivatives

1. deservingly

adverb

2. deservingness

noun

desex

verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. desexed)

1. deprive (someone) of sexual qualities or attraction

• Lawrence portrays feminists as shrill, humourless, and desexed.

2. castrate or spay (an animal).

• about 80 per cent of cats are desexed.

desexualize desexualise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive of sexual character or the distinctive qualities of a sex.
(as adj. desexualized)

• sanitized, desexualized renderings of lesbian love.

II. derivatives

desexualization

noun

desh /dɛʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Indian) a person's or a people's native land

• contrary to my visit in December, I have a very positive view about desh now.

– origin from Hindi deś.

déshabillé /ˌdɛzaˈbiːjeɪ / dishabille

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being only partly or scantily clothed

• the paintings of Venus all shared the same state of déshabillé.

– origin French, ‘undressed’.

desi /ˈdeɪsi / ‹Indian› deshi /ˈdeɪʃi/

I. adjective

1. local; indigenous

• desi liquor.

2. ‹derogatory› rustic; unsophisticated.

3. unadulterated or pure

• desi ghee.

II. noun

a person of Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi birth or descent who lives abroad.

– origin via Hindi from Sanskrit deśa ‘country, land’.

De Sica, Vittorio /də ˈsiːkə/

(1901–74), Italian film director and actor, a key figure in Italian neorealist cinema. Notable films: Bicycle Thieves (1948) and Two Women (1960), both of which won Oscars.

desiccant /ˈdɛsɪk(ə)nt/

I. noun

a hygroscopic substance used as a drying agent.

• natural desiccants cause fleas to dehydrate and die.

• [ mass noun] a small packet of desiccant to absorb any moisture.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin desiccant- ‘making thoroughly dry’, from the verb desiccare.

desiccate /ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (usu. as adj. desiccated) — remove the moisture from (something), typically in order to preserve it

• desiccated coconut.

2. (as adj. desiccated) — lacking interest, passion, or energy

• a desiccated history of ideas.

II. derivatives

1. desiccation /dɛsɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. desiccative /ˈdɛsɪkətɪv /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin desiccat- ‘made thoroughly dry’, from the verb desiccare.

desiccator /ˈdɛsɪkeɪtə/

noun

a glass container or other apparatus holding a drying agent for removing moisture from specimens and protecting them from water vapour in the air.

desiderate /dɪˈzɪdəreɪt, dɪˈsɪdəreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› feel a keen desire for (something lacking or absent)

• I desiderate the resources of a family.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin desiderat- ‘desired’, from the verb desiderare, perhaps from de- ‘down’ + sidus, sider- ‘star’. Compare with consider.

desiderative /dɪˈzɪd(ə)rətɪv, dɪˈsɪd(ə)rətɪv/

I. adjective

1. [Grammar] (in Latin and other inflected languages) denoting a verb formed from another and expressing a desire to do the act denoted by the root verb (such as Latin esurire ‘want to eat’, from edere ‘eat’).

2. [Grammar] having, expressing, or relating to desire.

II. noun

[Grammar] a desiderative verb.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin desiderativus, from Latin desiderat- ‘desired’, from the verb desiderare (see desiderate).

desideratum /dɪˌzɪdəˈrɑːtəm, dɪˌzɪdəˈreɪtəm, dɪˌsɪdəˈrɑːtəm/

I. noun

something that is needed or wanted

• integrity was a desideratum.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘something desired’, neuter past participle of desiderare (see desiderate).

design /dɪˈzʌɪn/

I. noun

1. a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other object before it is made

• he has just unveiled his design for the new museum.

2. [ mass noun] — the art or action of conceiving of and producing a plan or drawing of something before it is made

• good design can help the reader understand complicated information.

3. [ mass noun] — the arrangement of the features of an artefact, as produced from following a plan or drawing

• inside, the design reverts to turn-of-the-century luxe.

4. a decorative pattern

• pottery with a lovely blue and white design.

5. [ mass noun] — purpose or planning that exists behind an action, fact, or object

• the appearance of design in the universe.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. decide upon the look and functioning of (a building, garment, or other object), by making a detailed drawing of it

• a number of architectural students were designing a factory

• (as adj., with submodifier designed) specially designed buildings.

2. do or plan (something) with a specific purpose in mind
[with obj. and infinitive]

• the tax changes were designed to stimulate economic growth.

III. phrases

1. by design

as a result of a plan; intentionally

• I became a presenter by default rather than by design.

2. have designs on

a. aim to obtain (something), typically in an underhand way

• he suspected her of having designs on the family fortune.

b. ‹informal› have an undisclosed sexual interest in.

• a bloke called Kevin who, in Henry's view, had had designs on Elinor.

– origin late Middle English (as a verb in the sense ‘to designate’): from Latin designare ‘to designate’, reinforced by French désigner. The noun is via French from Italian.

designate

I. verb — [with obj.] designate /ˈdɛzɪɡneɪt /

1. appoint (someone) to a specified office or post

• he was designated as prime minister.

2. officially give a specified status or name to
[with obj. and complement]

• the Wye Valley is designated an area of outstanding natural beauty

• certain schools are designated ‘science schools’.

II. adjective — [ postpositive] designate /ˈdɛzɪɡnət /

1. appointed to an office or post but not yet installed

• the Director designate.

III. derivatives

designator

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin designatus ‘designated’, past participle of designare, based on signum ‘a mark’.

designated driver /ˌdɛsɪɡneɪtɪd ˈdrʌɪvə/

noun

a person who abstains from alcohol at a social gathering so as to be fit to drive others home.

designated hitter

noun

[Baseball] a non-fielding player named before the start of a game to bat instead of the pitcher anywhere in the batting order.

designation /dɛzɪɡˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of choosing someone to hold an office or post

• a leader's designation of his own successor.

2. the action of choosing a place for a special purpose or giving it a special status

• Dibden Bay's designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

3. [ count noun] — an official name, description, or title

• quality designations such as ‘Premier Cru’.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘the action of marking’): from Latin designatio(n-), from the verb designare (see designate).

designative /ˈdɛzɪɡneɪtɪv, ˈdɛzɪɡnətɪv/

adjective

‹rare› serving to indicate or specify something

• the designative meaning is very obvious.

designedly /dɪˈzʌɪnɪdli/

adverb

deliberately in order to produce a specific effect

• the goblet designedly left for him.

designer /dɪˈzʌɪnə/

noun

1. a person who plans the look or workings of something prior to it being made, by preparing drawings or plans

• a leading car designer.

2. [as modifier] — made by a famous and prestigious fashion designer

• designer clothes.

3. [as modifier] — fashionable

• designer food.

designer baby

noun

a baby whose genetic make-up has been selected in order to eradicate a particular defect, or to ensure that a particular gene is present.

designer drug

noun

a synthetic analogue of a legally restricted or prohibited drug, devised to circumvent drug laws.

designer label

noun

a famous and prestigious fashion brand

• a world where designer labels are a prerequisite

• [as modifier] designer-label clothing.

designer stubble

noun — [ mass noun]

1. stubble that a man deliberately allows to grow on his face in order to look fashionable

• Bill generally has a few days' growth of designer stubble.

designing /dɪˈzʌɪnɪŋ/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. acting in a calculating, deceitful way

• a designing little minx.

desirability /dɪˌzʌɪərəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being desirable

• we agree on the desirability of a negotiated settlement.

desirable /dɪˈzʌɪərəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. wished for as being an attractive, useful, or necessary course of action
[with infinitive]

• it is desirable to check that nothing has been forgotten.

2. (of a person) arousing sexual desire

• you're a very desirable woman.

II. noun

a desirable person or thing

• the store sells various desirables.

III. derivatives

1. desirableness /dɪˈzʌɪərəb(ə)lnəs /

noun

2. desirably /dɪˈzʌɪərəbli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, suggested by Latin desiderabilis, from desiderare ‘to desire’ (see desiderate).

desire /dɪˈzʌɪə/

I. noun

1. a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen

• he resisted public desires for choice in education.

2. [ mass noun] — strong sexual feeling or appetite

• they were clinging together in fierce desire.

3. something desired.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. strongly wish for or want (something)

• he never achieved the status he so desired

• (as adj. desired) the bribe had its desired effect.

2. want (someone) sexually.

• there had been a time, years ago, when he had desired her.

3. ‹archaic› express a wish to.

• John spake unto him, and desired him in like manner and contestation as before.

– origin Middle English: from Old French desir (noun), desirer (verb), from Latin desiderare (see desiderate).

Desiree /dɪˈzɪəreɪ/

noun

a potato of a pink-skinned variety with yellow waxy flesh.

desirous /dɪˈzʌɪərəs/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. having or characterized by desire

• the pope was desirous of peace in Europe.

– origin Middle English: from Old French desireus, based on Latin desiderare ‘to desire’ (see desiderate).

desist /dɪˈzɪst, dɪˈsɪst/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. stop doing something; cease or abstain

• each pledged to desist from acts of sabotage.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desister, from Latin desistere, from de- ‘down from’ + sistere ‘to stop’ (reduplication of stare ‘to stand’).

desk /dɛsk/

I. noun

1. a piece of furniture with a flat or sloping surface and typically with drawers, at which one can read, write, or do other work.

• he sat at his desk, reading reports.

• [as modifier] a desk job.

2. a counter in a hotel, bank, or airport at which a customer may check in or obtain information

• the reception desk.

3. [with modifier] — a specified section of a newspaper or broadcasting organization

• he landed a job on the sports desk.

4. [Music] a position in an orchestra at which two players share a music stand

• an extra desk of first and second violins.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin desca, probably based on Provençal desca ‘basket’ or Italian desco ‘table, butcher's block’, both based on Latin discus (see discus).

desk-bound

adjective

restricted to working in an office, rather than in an active, physical capacity

• his contempt for the desk-bound staff behind the lines.

desk diary

noun

a large diary designed for use in an office.

desk dictionary

noun

(N. Amer.) a one-volume dictionary of medium size.

deskill /diːˈskɪl/

verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce the level of skill required to carry out (a job)

• advances in technology had deskilled numerous working-class jobs.

2. make the skills of (a worker) obsolete.

• workers are being deskilled all the time.

desk job

noun

a job based at a desk, especially as opposed to one in active military service.

desk jockey

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹chiefly derogatory› a person who works at a desk; an office worker.

desk sergeant

noun

a sergeant in administrative charge of a police station.

desk tidy ‹US› desk organizer

noun

a container kept on a desk and used to store stationery and other small items

• complete your office with the addition of useful extras like a desk tidy and a noticeboard.

desktop /ˈdɛsktɒp/

noun

1. the working surface of a desk.

2. (also desktop computer) — a computer suitable for use at an ordinary desk.

• a new low-end desktop.

3. the working area of a computer screen regarded as a representation of a notional desktop and containing icons representing items such as files.

• you can now have multiple, overlapping windows on the desktop.

desktop publishing DTP

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the production of printed matter by means of a printer linked to a desktop computer, with special software. The system enables reports, advertising matter, etc., to be produced cheaply with a layout and print quality similar to that of typeset books.

desman /ˈdɛzmən/

I. noun

a small semiaquatic European mammal related to the mole, with a long tubular muzzle and webbed toes.
●Family Talpidae: the Russian desman ( Desmana moschata) and the Pyrenean desman ( Galemys pyrenaicus).

– origin late 18th cent.: via French and German from Swedish desman-råtta ‘muskrat’, from desman ‘musk’.

desmid /ˈdɛzmɪd/

I. noun

[Biology] a single-celled freshwater alga which appears to be composed of two rigid cells with a shared nucleus. The presence of desmids is usually an indicator of unpolluted water.
●Family Desmidiaceae, division Chlorophyta (or phylum Gamophyta, kingdom Protista).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Desmidium (genus name), from Greek desmos ‘band, chain’ (because the algae are often found united in chains or masses).

desmoid /ˈdɛzmɔɪd/

I. adjective

[Medicine] denoting a type of fibrous tumour of muscle and connective tissue, typically in the abdomen.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek desmos ‘bond’ or desmē ‘bundle’ + -oid.

Des Moines /deɪ ˈmɔɪn/

the state capital and largest city of Iowa; pop. 197,052 (est. 2008).

desmosome /ˈdɛzməsəʊm/

I. noun

[Biology] a structure by which two adjacent cells are attached, formed from protein plaques in the cell membranes linked by filaments.

II. derivatives

desmosomal

adjective

– origin 1930s: from Greek desmos ‘bond, chain’ + -some^3.

desolate

I. adjective — desolate /ˈdɛs(ə)lət /

1. (of a place) uninhabited and giving an impression of bleak emptiness

• a desolate Pennine moor.

2. feeling or showing great unhappiness or loneliness

• I suddenly felt desolate and bereft.

II. verb — [with obj.] desolate /ˈdɛsəleɪt /

1. make (a place) appear bleakly empty

• the droughts that desolated the dry plains.

2. make (someone) feel utterly wretched and unhappy

• he was desolated by the deaths of his treasured friends.

III. derivatives

1. desolately /ˈdɛsələtli /

adverb

2. desolateness

noun

3. desolator

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin desolatus ‘abandoned’, past participle of desolare, from de- ‘thoroughly’ + solus ‘alone’.

desolation /dɛsəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of complete emptiness or destruction

• the stony desolation of the desert.

2. great unhappiness or loneliness

• in choked desolation, she watched him leave.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin desolatio(n-), from Latin desolare ‘to abandon’ (see desolate).

desolder

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove solder from.

• when all eight pins have been desoldered, the connector can be pulled out easily.

desorb /diːˈsɔːb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] cause the release of (an adsorbed substance) from a surface.

• these ‘active points’ desorb the resultant alkane.

2. [no obj.] — [Chemistry] (of an adsorbed substance) become released.

• the free radicals desorbed back into the chamber.

II. derivatives

1. desorbent

adjective, noun

2. desorber

noun

3. desorption /diːˈsɔːpʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin 1920s: back-formation from desorption (from de- ‘away’ + adsorption).

despair /dɪˈspɛː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the complete loss or absence of hope

• a voice full of self-hatred and despair

• in despair, I hit the bottle.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. lose or be without hope

• we should not despair

• she despaired of finding a good restaurant nearby.

III. phrases

be the despair of

cause to lose hope

• such students can be the despair of conscientious teachers.

– origin Middle English: the noun via Anglo-Norman French from Old French desespeir; the verb from Old French desperer, from Latin desperare, from de- ‘down from’ + sperare ‘to hope’.

despairing /dɪˈspɛːrɪŋ/

I. adjective

showing the loss of all hope

• he gave a despairing little shrug.

II. derivatives

despairingly /dɪˈspɛːrɪŋli /

adverb

desperado /ˌdɛspəˈrɑːdəʊ/

I. noun

‹dated› a desperate or reckless person, especially a criminal.

II. derivatives

desperadoism

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: pseudo-Spanish alteration of the obsolete noun desperate. Both desperate and desperado originally denoted a person in despair or in a desperate situation, hence someone made reckless by despair.

desperate /ˈdɛsp(ə)rət/

I. adjective

1. feeling or showing a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with

• a desperate sadness enveloped Ruth.

2. (of an act) tried in despair or when everything else has failed

• drugs used in a desperate attempt to save his life.

3. (of a situation) extremely serious or dangerous

• there is a desperate shortage of teachers.

4. (of a person) violent or dangerous

• a desperate criminal.

5. (Irish) ‹informal› very bad

• that beer's desperate—it's a wonder you've the nerve to offer it for sale.

6. [ predic.] — (of a person) having a great need or desire for something

• I am desperate for a cigarette

• [with infinitive] other women are desperate to get back to work.

II. phrases

desperate diseases must have desperate remedies

‹proverb› extreme measures are justified as a response to a difficult or dangerous situation.

• she resorted to even more desperate remedies.

III. derivatives

desperateness /ˈdɛsp(ə)rətnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘in despair’): from Latin desperatus ‘deprived of hope’, past participle of desperare (see despair).

desperately /ˈdɛsp(ə)rətli/

adverb

1. in a way that shows despair

• he looked around desperately.

2. used to emphasize the extreme degree of something

• he desperately needed a drink

• [as submodifier] I am desperately disappointed.

desperation /dɛspəˈreɪʃn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of despair, typically one which results in rash or extreme behaviour

• she wrote to him in desperation.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin desperatio(n-), from the verb desperare (see despair).

despicable /dɪˈspɪkəb(ə)l, ˈdɛspɪkəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

deserving hatred and contempt

• a despicable crime.

II. derivatives

despicably /dɪˈspɪkəbli, ˈdɛspɪkəbli /

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin despicabilis, from despicari ‘look down on’.

de Spinoza, Baruch

see Spinoza, Baruch de.

despise /dɪˈspʌɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. feel contempt or a deep repugnance for

• he despised himself for being selfish.

II. derivatives

despiser

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French despire, from Latin despicere, from de- ‘down’ + specere ‘look at’.

despite /dɪˈspʌɪt/

I. preposition

without being affected by; in spite of

• he remains a great leader despite age and infirmity.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› contemptuous treatment or behaviour; outrage

• the despite done by him to the holy relics.

2. ‹archaic› contempt; disdain

• the theatre only earns my despite.

III. phrases

1. despite (or in despite) of

‹archaic› in spite of.

• in despite of its tranquillity, this is not a dreary place.

2. despite oneself

used to indicate that one did not intend to do the thing mentioned

• despite herself Frau Nordern laughed.

IV. derivatives

despiteful /dɪˈspʌɪtf(ə)l /

adjective

‹archaic›

– origin Middle English (originally used as a noun meaning ‘contempt, scorn’ in the phrase in despite of): from Old French despit, from Latin despectus ‘looking down on’, past participle (used as a noun) of despicere (see despise).

despoil /dɪˈspɔɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. steal or violently remove valuable possessions from; plunder

• the church was despoiled of its marble wall covering.

II. derivatives

1. despoiler /dɪˈspɔɪlə /

noun

2. despoilment

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French despoillier, from Latin despoliare ‘rob, plunder’ (from spolia ‘spoil’).

despoliation /dɪˌspəʊlɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of despoiling or the condition of being despoiled; plunder

• the despoliation of the resources of the natural world.

despond /dɪˈspɒnd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹archaic› become dejected and lose confidence.

• I thought it right not to let my young lady despond.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of unhappiness and low spirits.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin despondere ‘give up, abandon’, from de- ‘away’ + spondere ‘to promise’. The word was originally used as a noun in Slough of Despond.

despondency /dɪˈspɒnd(ə)nsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. low spirits from loss of hope or courage; dejection

• an air of despondency.

despondent /dɪˈspɒnd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

in low spirits from loss of hope or courage

• she grew more and more despondent.

II. derivatives

1. despondence

noun

2. despondently /dɪˈspɒnd(ə)ntli /

adverb

despot /ˈdɛspɒt/

I. noun

a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French despote, via medieval Latin from Greek despotēs ‘master, absolute ruler’. Originally (after the Turkish conquest of Constantinople) the term denoted a minor Christian ruler under the Turkish empire. The current sense dates from the late 18th cent.

despotic /dɪˈspɒtɪk/

I. adjective

of or typical of a despot; tyrannical

• a despotic regime.

II. derivatives

despotically /dɪˈspɒtɪk(ə)li /

adverb

despotism /ˈdɛspətɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way

• the ideology of enlightened despotism.

2. [ count noun] — a country or political system where the ruler holds absolute power.

• some nations are democracies, others are despotisms.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French despotisme, from despote (see despot).

des Prez, Josquin /deɪ ˈpreɪ / des Prés, Deprez

( c. 1440–1521), Flemish musician. A leading Renaissance composer, he wrote eighteen complete masses, 112 motets, and some seventy songs.

desquamate /ˈdɛskwəmeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as adj. desquamated)

1. (of a layer of cells, e.g. of the skin) come off in scales or flakes

• desquamated cells.

II. derivatives

1. desquamation /ˌdɛskwəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. desquamative /dɛˈskwamətɪv /

adjective

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘remove the scales from’): from Latin desquamat- ‘scaled’, from the verb desquamare, from de- ‘away from’ + squama ‘a scale’.

des res /dɛz ˈrɛz/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a desirable residence (used as a humorous allusion to the language used in housing advertisements).

• they are converting a Victorian schoolhouse into a des res.

– origin 1980s: abbreviation.

Dessau /ˈdɛsaʊ/

an industrial city in Germany, on the River Mulde, in Anhalt about 112 km (70 miles) south-west of Berlin; pop. 77,400 (est. 2006).

dessert /dɪˈzəːt/

I. noun

the sweet course eaten at the end of a meal

• a dessert of chocolate mousse.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, past participle of desservir ‘clear the table’, from des- (expressing removal) + servir ‘to serve’. / usage: See usage at deserts.

dessertspoon /dɪˈzəːtspuːn/

I. noun

1. a spoon used for dessert, smaller than a tablespoon and larger than a teaspoon.

2. the amount held by a dessertspoon, in the UK considered to be 11.8 millilitres when used as a measurement in cookery.

II. derivatives

dessertspoonful /dɪˈzəːtspuːnfʊl /

noun

dessert wine

noun

a sweet wine drunk with or following dessert.

destabilization /ˌdiːsteɪbɪlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / destabilisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of upsetting the stability of a region or system, especially of government

• economic and political destabilization was crippling the country

• [as modifier] a well-funded, orchestrated destabilization campaign.

destabilize /diːˈsteɪb(ə)lʌɪz / destabilise

verb — [with obj.]

1. upset the stability of (a region or system); cause unrest or instability in

• the accused were charged with conspiracy to destabilize the country

• the discovery of an affair can destabilize a relationship

• (as adj. destabilizing) a destabilizing effect on the stock market.

de Staël, Madame /də ˈstɑːl, French də stal/

(1766–1817), French novelist and critic, a precursor of the French romantics, born Anne Louise Germaine Necker. Her best-known critical work, De l'Allemagne (1810), introduced late 18th-century German writers and thinkers to France.

destain

verb — [with obj.]

1. [Biology] selectively remove stain from (a specimen for microscopy, a chromatography gel, etc.) after it has previously been stained.
(as noun destaining)

• after destaining the gel was dried and then apposed to X-ray film.

De Stijl /də ˈstʌɪl/

I. a 20th-century Dutch art movement founded in 1917 by Theo van Doesburg (1883–1931) and Piet Mondrian. The movement favoured an abstract, economical style and was influential on the Bauhaus and constructivist movements.

– origin Dutch, literally ‘the style’, originally the name of the movement's periodical.

destination /ˌdɛstɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. the place to which someone or something is going or being sent

• Delft is an ideal destination for a relaxing weekend.

2. [as modifier] — denoting a place that people will make a special trip to visit

• a destination restaurant.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin destinatio(n-), from destinare ‘make firm, establish’. The original sense was ‘the action of intending someone or something for a purpose’, later ‘being destined for a place’, hence (from the early 19th cent.) the place itself.

destine /ˈdɛstɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. intend or choose for a particular purpose or end.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘predetermine, decree’): from Old French destiner, from Latin destinare ‘make firm, establish’.

destined /ˈdɛstɪnd/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. (of a person's future) regarded as developing as though according to a pre-existing plan

• he was destined for great things

• [with infinitive] they were destined to become diplomats.

2. ( destined to) — certain to meet (a particular fate)

• the Act seems destined to failure.

3. ( destined for) — intended for or travelling towards (a particular place)

• the shipment of illegal drugs destined for American and European markets.

4. [ attrib.] — preordained

• your heroine will be united with her destined mate.

destiny /ˈdɛstɪni/

I. noun

1. the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future

• she was unable to control her own destiny.

2. [ mass noun] — the hidden power believed to control future events; fate

• he believed in destiny.

– origin Middle English: from Old French destinee, from Latin destinata, feminine past participle of destinare ‘make firm, establish’.

destitute /ˈdɛstɪtjuːt/

I. adjective

1. extremely poor and lacking the means to provide for oneself

• the charity cares for destitute children.

2. ( destitute of) — not having

• towns destitute of commerce.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘deserted, abandoned, empty’): from Latin destitutus, past participle of destituere ‘forsake’, from de- ‘away from’ + statuere ‘to place’.

destitution /ˌdɛstɪˈtʃuːʃn, ˌdɛstɪˈtjuːʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. poverty so extreme that one lacks the means to provide for oneself

• the family faced eviction and destitution.

destock /diːˈstɒk/

verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) (of a retailer) reduce the quantity of stock held.
(as noun destocking)

• a period of destocking is possible as firms respond to lower demand.

de-stress /diːˈstrɛs/

verb — [no obj.]

1. relax after a period of work or tension.

• others come simply to de-stress and to enjoy the exercise and relaxation classes.

destrier /ˈdɛstrɪə, dɛˈstriːə/

I. noun

a medieval knight's warhorse.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin dextera ‘the right hand’, from dexter ‘on the right’ (because the squire led the knight's horse with his right hand).

destroy /dɪˈstrɔɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. end the existence of (something) by damaging or attacking it

• the room had been destroyed by fire.

2. ruin (someone) emotionally or spiritually

• he has been determined to destroy her.

3. defeat (someone) utterly

• Northants have the batting to destroy anyone.

4. kill (a sick, savage, or unwanted animal) by humane means

• their terrier was destroyed after the attack.

– origin Middle English: from Old French destruire, based on Latin destruere, from de- (expressing reversal) + struere ‘build’.

destroyer /dɪˈstrɔɪə/

noun

1. a small, fast warship, especially one equipped for a defensive role against submarines and aircraft.

2. a person or thing that destroys something

• CFCs are the chief destroyers of the ozone layer.

destroying angel

noun

a deadly poisonous white toadstool which grows in woodland, native to Eurasia and North America.
●Genus Amanita, family Amanitaceae, class Hymenomycetes: several species, including the European A. virosa.

destruct /dɪˈstrʌkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause deliberate, terminal damage to.

• the boys' war to destruct things.

II. noun — [in sing.] [usu. as modifier]

1. the deliberate causing of terminal damage

• press the destruct button.

III. derivatives

destructor /dɪˈstrʌktə /

noun

– origin 1950s (originally US): back-formation from destruction.

destructible /dɪˈstrʌktɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be destroyed

• destructible plastic labels.

II. derivatives

destructibility

noun

– origin mid 18th cent. (earlier in indestructible): from French, from late Latin destructibilis, from Latin destruct- ‘destroyed’, from the verb destruere (see destroy).

destruction /dɪˈstrʌkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of causing so much damage to something that it no longer exists or cannot be repaired

• the destruction of the rainforest

• the avalanche left a trail of destruction.

2. the action or process of killing or being killed

• the wanton destruction of human life.

3. [in sing.] — a cause of someone's ruin

• gambling was his destruction.

4. [ count noun] — ‹rare› a group of wild cats.

– origin Middle English: from Latin destructio(n-), from the verb destruere (see destroy).

destructive /dɪˈstrʌktɪv/

I. adjective

1. causing great and irreparable damage

• the destructive power of weapons.

2. negative and unhelpful

• destructive criticism.

II. derivatives

1. destructively /dɪˈstrʌktɪvli /

adverb

2. destructiveness /dɪˈstrʌktɪvnəs /

noun

destructive distillation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] decomposition of a solid by heating it in a closed container and collecting the volatile constituents given off.

desuetude /ˈdɛswɪtjuːd, dəˈsjuːətjuːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› a state of disuse

• the docks fell into desuetude.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘cessation’): from French, from Latin desuetudo, from desuet- ‘made unaccustomed’, from the verb desuescere, from de- (expressing reversal) + suescere ‘be accustomed’.

desulphurize /diːˈsʌlfərʌɪz / desulphurise, desulfurize

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove sulphur or sulphur compounds from (a substance).

• equipment to desulphurize coal in power plants.

II. derivatives

1. desulphurization /diːˌsʌlfərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. desulphurizer

noun

desultory /ˈdɛs(ə)lt(ə)ri, ˈdɛz(ə)lt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm

• a few people were left, dancing in a desultory fashion.

2. (of conversation or speech) going from one subject to another in a half-hearted way

• the desultory conversation faded.

3. occurring randomly or occasionally

• desultory passengers were appearing.

II. derivatives

1. desultorily /ˈdɛs(ə)lt(ə)rɪli, ˈdɛz(ə)lt(ə)rəli /

adverb

2. desultoriness /ˈdɛs(ə)lt(ə)rɪnəs, ˈdɛz(ə)lt(ə)rɪnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (also in the literal sense ‘skipping about’): from Latin desultorius ‘superficial’ (literally ‘relating to a vaulter’), from desultor ‘vaulter’, from the verb desilire.

desuperheater

noun

a container for reducing the temperature of steam to make it less superheated.

desynchronize desynchronise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. disturb the synchronization of; put out of step or phase.
(as adj. desynchronized)

• desynchronized cortical rhythms.

II. derivatives

desynchronization

noun

detach /dɪˈtatʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. disengage (something or part of something) and remove it

• he detached the front lamp from its bracket

• ‹figurative› a willingness to detach comment from political allegiance.

2. [no obj.] — be easily removable

• the screen detaches from the keyboard.

3. ( detach oneself from) — leave or separate oneself from (a group or place)

• a figure in brown detached itself from the shadows

• ‹figurative› the newspaper detached itself from the political parties.

4. ( be detached) — [Military] (of a group of soldiers or ships) be sent on a separate mission.

• our crew were detached to Tabuk for the exercise.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘discharge a gun’): from French détacher, earlier destacher, from des- (expressing reversal) + attacher ‘attach’.

detachable /dɪˈtatʃəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be removed or separated from something

• a shirt with a detachable collar

• the detachable handles click on and off.

II. derivatives

detachability

noun

detached /dɪˈtatʃt/

I. adjective

1. separate or disconnected, in particular:

2. (of a house or other building) not joined to another on either side

• a four-bedroomed detached house.

3. (of a social worker or social work) operating or based in the community rather than in an office

• detached youth workers.

4. aloof and objective

• he is a detached observer of his own actions.

II. derivatives

detachedly /dɪˈtatʃɪdli /

adverb

detached retina

noun

a retina that has become separated from the underlying choroid tissue at the back of the eye, causing loss of vision in the affected area.

detachment /dɪˈtatʃm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the state of being objective or aloof

• he felt a sense of detachment from what was going on.

2. [Military] a group of troops, aircraft, or ships sent away on a separate mission

• a detachment of Marines

• [ mass noun] the Squadron went on detachment to Malta.

3. a party of people separated from a larger group

• a truck containing a detachment of villagers.

4. [ mass noun] — the action or process of detaching; separation

• structural problems resulted in cracking and detachment of the wall.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French détachement, from détacher ‘to detach’ (see detach).

detail /ˈdiːteɪl/

I. noun

1. an individual fact or item

• we shall consider every detail of the Bill

• [ mass noun] her meticulous attention to detail.

2. a less significant item or fact

• he didn't want them to get sidetracked on a detail of policy.

3. a minor decorative feature of a building or work of art

• a detail on Charlemagne's tomb.

4. [ mass noun] — the style or treatment of minor decorative features

• the classical French detail of the building's facade.

5. a small part of a picture that is reproduced separately for close study.

• detail of right eye showing marks on the lids.

6. ( details) — itemized information about someone

• the official asked for my father's details.

7. a small detachment of troops or police officers given a special duty

• the governor's security detail.

8. [often with modifier] — a special duty assigned to a detachment of troops or police officers.

• I didn't often get the toilet detail.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. give full information about

• the report details proposals to improve public transport.

2. [with obj. and infinitive] — assign (someone) to undertake a particular task

• the ships were detailed to keep watch.

3. (US) clean (a motor vehicle) thoroughly.

III. phrases

1. go into detail

give a full account of something.

• I don't want to go into detail about how I get on with her.

2. in detail

as regards every feature or aspect; fully

• we will have to examine the proposals in detail.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘minor items or events regarded collectively’): from French détail (noun), détailler (verb), from dé- (expressing separation) + tailler ‘to cut’ (based on Latin talea ‘twig, cutting’).

detailed /ˈdiːteɪld/

adjective

1. having many details or facts; showing attention to detail

• more detailed information was needed.

2. (of a work of art) executed with many minor decorative features

• an exquisitely detailed carving.

detailing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. small decorative features on a building, garment, or work of art.

• keystones and other masonry detailing.

detain /dɪˈteɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. keep (someone) from proceeding by holding them back or making claims on their attention

• she made to open the door, but he detained her.

2. keep (someone) in official custody, typically for questioning about a crime or in a politically sensitive situation

• she was detained without trial for two years.

3. officially seize and hold (goods).

• customs officers may detain goods for up to two days.

II. derivatives

detainment /dɪˈteɪnm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘be afflicted with sickness or infirmity’): from Old French detenir, from a variant of Latin detinere, from de- ‘away, aside’ + tenere ‘to hold’.

detainee /ˌdɪteɪˈniː, ˌdiːteɪˈniː/

noun

a person held in custody, especially for political reasons.

• all political detainees were freed in August.

detainer /dɪˈteɪnə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — [Law] the action of detaining or withholding property.

2. [Law] the detention of a person in custody.

• the lawful apprehension or detainer of any person.

3. [ count noun] — [Law] an order authorizing the continued detention of a person in custody.

• the writ must state all the causes of the detainer of the person restrained.

4. [Law] a person who detains someone or something.

• the detainer is liable for any damage caused.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Anglo-Norman French detener ‘detain’ (used as a noun), variant of Old French detenir (see detain).

detangle

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove tangles from (hair).

• it helps strengthen and detangle hair.

detect /dɪˈtɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. discover or identify the presence or existence of

• cancer may soon be detected in its earliest stages.

2. discern (something intangible or barely perceptible)

• Paul detected a faint note of weariness in his father's voice.

3. discover or investigate (a crime or its perpetrators)

• the public can help the police to detect crime.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin detect- ‘uncovered’, from the verb detegere, from de- (expressing reversal) + tegere ‘to cover’. The original senses were ‘uncover, expose’ and ‘give someone away’, later ‘expose the real or hidden nature of’; hence the current (partly influenced by detective).

detectable /dɪˈtɛktəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able to be discovered or identified

• an easily detectable and treatable disorder

• the virus is not yet detectable in the blood.

2. able to be perceived or noticed; discernible

• there is a detectable note of bitterness when he talks of his father

• Yvette responded finally, her French accent barely detectable.

II. derivatives

detectably

adverb

detection /dɪˈtɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of identifying the presence of something concealed

• the early detection of fetal abnormalities.

2. the work of a detective in investigating a crime

• modern technology is essential to crime detection.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘revelation of what is concealed’): from late Latin detectio(n-), from Latin detegere ‘uncover’ (see detect).

detective /dɪˈtɛktɪv/

I. noun

1. a person, especially a police officer, whose occupation is to investigate and solve crimes.

• detectives are anxious to interview anyone who saw the car.

2. [as modifier] — denoting a rank of police officer with investigative duties

• a detective inspector.

3. [as modifier] — concerning crime and its investigation

• detective work.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from detect. The noun was originally short for detective policeman, from an adjectival use of the word in the sense ‘serving to detect’.

detective story /dɪˈtɛktɪvstɔːri / detective novel

noun

a story whose plot revolves around the investigation and solving of a crime.

detector /dɪˈtɛktə/

noun — [often with modifier]

1. a device or instrument designed to detect the presence of a particular object or substance

• methane detectors.

detectorist

noun

a person who uses a metal detector for a hobby.

detent /dɪˈtɛnt/

I. noun

1. a catch in a machine which prevents motion until released.

• a system of detents is used to ensure that gears are held in whatever position is selected.

• [as modifier] a detent spring.

2. a catch that regulates striking in a clock.

– origin late 17th cent. (denoting a catch in a clock): from French détente, from Old French destente, from destendre ‘slacken’, from des- (expressing reversal) + Latin tendere ‘to stretch’.

detente /deɪˈtɑːnt / détente

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries

• his policy of arms control and detente with the Soviet Union.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French détente, ‘loosening, relaxation’.

detention /dɪˈtɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of detaining someone or the state of being detained in official custody

• the fifteen people arrested were still in police detention.

2. the punishment of being kept in school after hours

• teachers were divided as to the effectiveness of detention

• [ count noun] masters gave lines or detentions.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘withholding of what is claimed or due’): from late Latin detentio(n-), from Latin detinere ‘hold back’ (see detain).

detention centre

noun

an institution for the short-term detention of illegal immigrants, refugees, people awaiting trial or sentence, or (formerly in the UK) young offenders.

detenu /dɪˈtenjuː / detenue

I. noun

(Indian) a person held in custody; a detainee.

– origin early 19th cent. (in British use): from French détenu.

deter /dɪˈtəː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. discourage (someone) from doing something by instilling doubt or fear of the consequences

• only a health problem would deter him from seeking re-election.

2. prevent the occurrence of

• strategists think not only about how to deter war, but about how war might occur.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin deterrere, from de- ‘away from’ + terrere ‘frighten’.

deterge /dɪˈtəːdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› cleanse thoroughly.

• she wanted to deterge herself completely of it.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French déterger or Latin detergere ‘wipe away’.

detergent /dɪˈtəːdʒ(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a water-soluble cleansing agent which combines with impurities and dirt to make them more soluble, and differs from soap in not forming a scum with the salts in hard water.

• liquid detergents.

• [ mass noun] packets of detergent.

2. any additive with a similar action to a detergent, e.g. an oil-soluble substance which holds dirt in suspension in lubricating oil.

II. adjective

relating to detergents or their action.

• staining that resists detergent action.

III. derivatives

1. detergence

noun

2. detergency

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin detergent- ‘wiping away’, from the verb detergere, from de- ‘away from’ + tergere ‘to wipe’.

deteriorate /dɪˈtɪərɪəreɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. become progressively worse

• relations between the countries had deteriorated sharply

• (as adj. deteriorating) deteriorating economic conditions.

II. derivatives

deteriorative

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘make worse’): from late Latin deteriorat- ‘worsened’, from the verb deteriorare, from Latin deterior ‘worse’.

deterioration /dɪˌtɪərɪəˈreɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of becoming progressively worse

• a deterioration in the condition of the patient.

determinable /dɪˈtɜːmɪnəbl/

I. adjective

1. able to be definitely decided or ascertained

• a readily determinable market value.

2. [Law] capable of being brought to an end under given conditions.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin determinabilis ‘finite’, from the verb determinare (see determine).

determinant /dɪˈtəːmɪnənt/

I. noun

1. a factor which decisively affects the nature or outcome of something

• pure force of will was the main determinant of his success.

2. [Biology] a gene or other factor which determines the character and development of a cell or cells in an organism, a set of which forms an individual's idiotype.

3. [Mathematics] a quantity obtained by the addition of products of the elements of a square matrix according to a given rule.

II. adjective

serving to determine or decide something.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin determinant- ‘determining’, from the verb determinare (see determine).

determinate /dɪˈtəːmɪnət/

I. adjective

1. having exact and discernible limits or form

• the longest determinate prison sentence ever upheld by English courts.

2. [Botany] (of a flowering shoot) having the main axis ending in a flower bud and therefore no longer extending in length, as in a cyme.

II. derivatives

1. determinacy

noun

2. determinately

adverb

3. determinateness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin determinatus ‘limited, determined’, past participle of determinare (see determine).

determination /dɪˌtəːmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being determined; firmness of purpose

• those who succeed because of sheer grit and determination.

2. the process of establishing something exactly by calculation or research

• determination of molecular structures.

3. [Law] the settlement of a dispute by the authoritative decision of a judge or arbitrator.

• expert determination.

4. [ count noun] — [Law] a judicial decision or sentence.

5. the controlling or deciding of the nature or outcome of something

• genetic sex determination.

6. [Law] the cessation of an estate or interest.

7. ‹archaic› a tendency to move in a fixed direction.

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘settlement of a controversy by a judge or by reasoning’ and ‘authoritative opinion’): via Old French from Latin determinatio(n-), from the verb determinare (see determine).

determinative /dɪˈtəːmɪnətɪv/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. [chiefly Law] serving to define, qualify, or direct

• the employer's view is not determinative of the issue.

II. noun

[Grammar] another term for determiner.

determine /dɪˈtəːmɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (something) to occur in a particular way or to have a particular nature

• it will be her mental attitude that determines her future.

2. ascertain or establish exactly by research or calculation

• the inquest is entrusted with the task of determining the cause of death

• [with clause] the point of our study was to determine what is true, not what is practicable.

3. [Mathematics] specify the value, position, or form of (a mathematical or geometrical object) uniquely.

4. [no obj.] — firmly decide

• he determined on a withdrawal of his forces

• [with infinitive] she determined to tackle Stephen the next day.

• [with clause] my wife had determined that I must swap my old bike for a car.

5. [Law] ‹archaic› bring or come to an end.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French determiner, from Latin determinare ‘limit, fix’, from de- ‘completely’ + terminare ‘terminate’.

determined /dɪˈtəːmɪnd/

I. adjective

1. having made a firm decision and being resolved not to change it
[with infinitive]

• Alina was determined to be heard.

2. possessing or displaying resolve

• Helen was a determined little girl

• a determined effort to reduce inflation.

II. derivatives

determinedness

noun

determinedly /dɪˈtəːmɪndli/

adverb

in a manner displaying resolve and determination

• he marched determinedly into the house

• [as submodifier] he is determinedly upbeat about the situation.

determiner /dɪˈtəːmɪnə/

noun

1. a person or thing that determines or decides something.

2. [Grammar] a modifying word that determines the kind of reference a noun or noun group has, for example a, the, every.
See also article.

determining /dɪˈtɜːmɪnɪŋ/

adjective

causing something to occur or be done in a particular way; serving to decide something

• money may have been the determining factor in his decision.

determinism /dɪˈtəːmɪnɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] the doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes regarded as external to the will. Some philosophers have taken determinism to imply that individual human beings have no free will and cannot be held morally responsible for their actions.

II. derivatives

determinist /dɪˈtəːmɪnɪst /

noun, adjective

deterministic /ˌdɪtəːmɪˈnɪstɪk/

I. adjective

relating to the philosophical doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes regarded as external to the will

• a deterministic theory.

II. derivatives

deterministically

adverb

deterrence /dɪˈtɛr(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of discouraging an action or event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences

• nuclear missiles remain the main deterrence against possible aggression

• they contend that a death penalty is necessary as a form of deterrence.

deterrent /dɪˈtɛr(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a thing that discourages or is intended to discourage someone from doing something

• cameras are a major deterrent to crime.

2. a nuclear weapon or weapons system regarded as deterring an enemy from attack.

• Britain's nuclear deterrent.

II. adjective

able or intended to deter

• the deterrent effect of heavy prison sentences.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin deterrent- ‘deterring’, from the verb deterrere (see deter).

detest /dɪˈtɛst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. dislike intensely

• she really did detest his mockery.

II. derivatives

detester

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin detestari, from de- ‘down’ + testari ‘witness, call upon to witness’ (from testis ‘a witness’).

detestable /dɪˈtɛstəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

deserving intense dislike

• I found the film's violence detestable.

II. derivatives

detestably /dɪˈtɛstəbli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin detestabilis, from the verb detestari (see detest).

detestation /ˌdiːtɛˈsteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. intense dislike

• Wordsworth's detestation of aristocracy.

2. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› a detested person or thing

• he is the detestation of the neighbourhood.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin detestatio(n-), from the verb detestari (see detest).

dethrone /diːˈθrəʊn, dɪˈθrəʊn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove (a monarch) from power.

• in January 1831 the Poles dethroned the Romanovs.

2. remove from a position of authority or dominance

• he dethroned the defending title-holder.

II. derivatives

dethronement /diːˈθrəʊnm(ə)nt, dɪˈθrəʊnm(ə)nt /

noun

detinue /ˈdɛtɪnjuː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the crime of wrongful detention of goods or personal possessions (replaced in the UK by the tort of wrongful interference of goods).

– origin late Middle English: from Old French detenue, past participle (used as a noun) of detenir ‘detain’.

detonate /ˈdɛtəneɪt/

I. verb

explode or cause to explode
[no obj.]

• two other bombs failed to detonate

• [with obj.] a trigger that can detonate nuclear weapons.

II. derivatives

detonative

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin detonat- ‘thundered down or forth’, from the verb detonare, from de- ‘down’ + tonare ‘to thunder’.

detonation /dɛtəˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of causing a bomb or explosive device to explode.

• she was in a control building at the time of detonation.

• [ count noun] atom bomb detonations at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

2. [ count noun] — a loud explosion

• a series of deafening detonations was heard.

3. ‹technical› combustion of a substance which is initiated suddenly and propagates extremely rapidly, giving rise to a shock wave.

• natural gas's high resistance to detonation.

Compare with deflagration.

4. the premature combustion of fuel in an internal-combustion engine, causing pinking.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French détonation, from the verb détoner, from Latin detonare ‘thunder down’ (see detonate).

detonator /ˈdɛtəneɪtə/

noun

1. a device or small sensitive charge used to detonate an explosive.

2. (Brit.) another term for fog signal.

detorsion /dɪˈtɔːʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] (in gastropod molluscs) the evolutionary reversion of a group to a primitive linear body plan.
Compare with torsion.

detour /ˈdiːtʊə/

I. noun

1. a long or roundabout route that is taken to avoid something or to visit somewhere along the way

• he had made a detour to a cafe.

2. an alternative route for use by traffic when the usual road is temporarily closed.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) take a long or roundabout route

• he detoured around the walls.

2. [with obj.] — (chiefly N. Amer.) avoid by taking a detour

• I would detour the endless stream of motor homes.

– origin mid 18th cent. (as a noun): from French détour ‘change of direction’, from détourner ‘turn away’.

detox ‹informal›

I. noun — [ mass noun] detox /ˈdiːtɒks /

1. a process or period of time in which one abstains from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances; detoxification

• he ended up in detox for three months.

• [ count noun] I'd been waiting to get into the clinic for a detox.

• [as modifier] a detox programme.

II. verb — [no obj.] detox /diːˈtɒks /

1. abstain from or rid the body of toxic or unhealthy substances

• he checked into a hospital to detox.

• [with obj.] both my mind and my body were detoxed.

detoxicate /diːˈtɒksɪkeɪt/

I. verb

another term for detoxify.

II. derivatives

detoxication /diːtɒksɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from de- (expressing removal) + Latin toxicum ‘poison’, on the pattern of intoxicate.

detoxification /diːˌtɒksɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of removing toxic substances.

• the detoxification of formaldehyde.

2. medical treatment of an alcoholic or drug addict involving abstention from drink or drugs until the bloodstream is free of toxins.

• detoxification might be a useful alternative to prison.

• [as modifier] a detoxification unit.

detoxify /diːˈtɒksɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove toxic substances from

• the process uses chemical reagents to detoxify the oil.

2. abstain or help to abstain from drink and drugs until the bloodstream is free of toxins, in order to overcome alcoholism or drug addiction.
[no obj.]

• if they are not able to detoxify in their normal environment then they will never come off drugs.

• [with obj.] he was twice detoxified from heroin.

3. [no obj.] — become free of harmful substances

• you can help your body detoxify by cutting down on coffee.

II. derivatives

detoxifier

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from de- (expressing removal) + Latin toxicum ‘poison’ + -fy.

detract /dɪˈtrakt/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( detract from)

1. diminish the worth or value of (a quality or achievement)

• these quibbles in no way detract from her achievement.

2. [with obj.] — take away (a specified amount) from the worth or value of a quality or achievement.

• it is detracting nothing from his ability to say that he owed the championship to a superior car.

II. derivatives

1. detraction /dɪˈtrakʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. detractive /dɪˈtraktɪv /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin detract- ‘drawn away’, from the verb detrahere, from de- ‘away from’ + trahere ‘draw’.

detractor /dɪˈtraktə/

noun

a person who disparages someone or something.

• the island, say its detractors, has been devoured by development.

detrain /diːˈtreɪn/

I. verb

leave or cause to leave a train.
[no obj.]

• the train from Loughborough will stop at Quorn for passengers to detrain.

• [with obj.] passengers were detrained as the train was on fire.

II. derivatives

detrainment

noun

detribalize detribalise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. detribalized)

1. remove (someone) from a traditional tribal social structure.

• the 250,000 Australian Aboriginals include many detribalized urban people.

2. remove a traditional tribal social structure from (a culture).

II. derivatives

detribalization

noun

detriment /ˈdɛtrɪm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being harmed or damaged

• he is engrossed in his work to the detriment of his married life

• light industry can be carried out in a residential area without detriment to its amenities.

2. [ count noun] — a cause of harm or damage

• such tests are a detriment to good education.

– origin late Middle English in the sense ‘loss sustained by damage’: from Old French, from Latin detrimentum, from detri-, stem of deterere ‘wear away’.

detrimental /ˌdɛtrɪˈmɛnt(ə)l/

I. adjective

tending to cause harm

• recent policies have been detrimental to the interests of many old people

• moving her could have a detrimental effect on her health.

II. derivatives

detrimentally /ˌdɛtrɪˈmɛntəli /

adverb

detrition /dɪˈtrɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the action of wearing something away by friction.

– origin late 17th cent.: from medieval Latin detritio(n-), from detri-, stem of deterere ‘wear away’.

detritivore /dɪˈtrɪtɪvɔː/

I. noun

[Zoology] an animal which feeds on dead organic material, especially plant detritus.

II. derivatives

detritivorous /ˌdɛtrɪˈtɪv(ə)rəs /

adjective

– origin 1960s: from detritus + -vore ‘eating’ (see -vorous).

detritus /dɪˈtrʌɪtəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. waste or debris of any kind

• the streets were foul with detritus.

2. gravel, sand, silt, or other material produced by erosion.

3. organic matter produced by the decomposition of organisms.

II. derivatives

detrital /dɪˈtrʌɪt(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late 18th cent. (in the sense ‘detrition’): from French détritus, from Latin detritus, from deterere ‘wear away’.

Detroit /dɪˈtrɔɪt/

a major industrial city and Great Lakes shipping centre in SE Michigan; pop. 912,062 (est. 2008). It is the centre of the US automobile industry, containing the headquarters of Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors.

de trop /də ˈtrəʊ French də tʀo//

I. adjective

not wanted; unwelcome

• she had no grasp of the conversation and felt herself de trop.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, literally ‘excessive’.

de Troyes, Chrétien

see Chrétien de Troyes.

detrusor /dɪˈtruːsə / detrusor muscle

I. noun

[Anatomy] a muscle which forms a layer of the wall of the bladder.

– origin mid 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Latin detrus- ‘thrust down’, from the verb detrudere.

Dettol /ˈdɛtɒl, ˈdɛt(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a type of surgical or household disinfectant.

– origin 1930s: an invented name.

detumescence /ˌdiːtjʊˈmɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of subsiding from a state of tension, swelling, or (especially) sexual arousal.

II. derivatives

1. detumesce

verb

2. detumescent

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin detumescere, from de- ‘down, away’ + tumescere ‘to swell’.

detune

verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (a musical instrument) to become out of tune.

2. (usu. as adj. detuned) — reduce the performance or efficiency of (a motor vehicle or engine) by adjustment.

• a slightly detuned version of a professional rally racer.

3. change the frequency of (an oscillatory system such as a laser) away from a state of resonance.

• diode lasers can be detuned faster than standard lasers.

Deucalion /djuːˈkeɪlɪən / ‹Greek Mythology›

the son of Prometheus. With his wife Pyrrha he survived a flood sent by Zeus to punish human wickedness; they were then instructed to throw stones over their shoulders, and these turned into humans to repopulate the world.

deuce^1 /djuːs/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a thing representing, or represented by, the number two, in particular:

2. the two on dice or playing cards.

• a doctored die having two deuces.

3. a throw of two at dice.

4. ‹informal› ‹dated› a two-dollar bill.

• a deuce for the hat-check girl.

5. [Tennis] the score of 40 all in a game, at which each player needs two consecutive points to win the game.

• the Swede pegged him back to deuce from 40-love.

• a marathon game that went to eleven deuces.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French deus ‘two’, from Latin duos.

deuce^2 /djuːs/

I. noun — ( the deuce)

1. ‹informal› used as a euphemism for ‘devil’ in expressions of annoyance, impatience, surprise, etc.

• how the deuce are we to make a profit?

• what the deuce are you trying to do?

II. phrases

1. a (or the) deuce of a ——

used to emphasize how bad, difficult, or serious something is.

2. like the deuce

very fast

• you go up the ladder like the deuce.

3. the deuce to pay

trouble to be expected.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Low German duus, probably of the same origin as deuce^1 (two aces at dice being the worst throw).

deuced /ˈdjuːsɪd, djuːst / ‹informal, dated›

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. used for emphasis, especially to express disapproval or frustration

• I sound like a deuced newspaper reporter

• [as submodifier] I'm so deuced fond of you.

II. derivatives

deucedly

adverb

[as submodifier]

• they're deucedly hard to find

deurmekaar /ˌdjəːməˈkɑː/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. (S. African) ‹informal› in a state of muddle or confusion.

• my tenants left the house so deurmekaar, I'll never get it straight.

– origin Afrikaans, from Dutch dialect variants of door elkaar, literally ‘through one another, interchangeable’.

deus ex machina /ˌdeɪʊs ɛks ˈmakɪnə, ˌdiːəs ɛks məˈʃiːnə/

I. noun

an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel.

– origin late 17th cent.: modern Latin, translation of Greek theos ek mēkhanēs, ‘god from the machinery’. In Greek theatre, actors representing gods were suspended above the stage, the denouement of the play being brought about by their intervention.

Deut.

abbreviation

Deuteronomy (in biblical references).

deuteragonist /ˌdjuːtəˈraɡənɪst/

I. noun

the person second in importance to the protagonist in a drama.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek deuteragōnistēs, from deuteros ‘second’ + agōnistēs ‘actor’.

deuteranope /ˈdjuːt(ə)rəˌnəʊp/

noun

a person suffering from deuteranopia.

deuteranopia /ˌdjuːt(ə)rəˈnəʊpɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. colour blindness resulting from insensitivity to green light, causing confusion of greens, reds, and yellows.
Compare with protanopia.

– origin early 20th cent.: from deutero- ‘second’ (the colour green being regarded as the second component of colour vision) + an-1 + -opia.

deuterated /ˈdjuːtəreɪtɪd / deuteriated /djuːˈtɪərɪeɪtɪd/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] (of a compound) in which the ordinary isotope of hydrogen has been replaced with deuterium.

II. derivatives

deuteration

noun

deuteric /ˈdjuːtərɪk/

I. adjective

[Geology] relating to or denoting alteration of the minerals of an igneous rock during the later stages of consolidation.

– origin early 20th cent.: from deutero- ‘secondary’ + -ic.

deuterium /djuːˈtɪərɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: D) — [Chemistry] a stable isotope of hydrogen with a mass approximately twice that of the usual isotope.

Deuterium atoms have a neutron as well as a proton in the nucleus, and the isotope is present to about 1 part in 6,000 in naturally occurring hydrogen. It is used as a fuel in thermonuclear bombs, and heavy water (D_2O) is used as a moderator in nuclear reactors.

– origin 1930s: modern Latin, from Greek deuteros ‘second’.

deutero- /ˈdjuːtərəʊ/

I. combining form

1. second

• Deutero-Isaiah.

2. secondary

• deuterocanonical.

– origin from Greek deuteros ‘second’.

deuterocanonical /ˌdjuːtərəʊkəˈnɒnɪk(ə)l/

adjective

(of sacred books or literary works) forming a secondary canon.

Deutero-Isaiah /ˌdjuːtərəʊʌɪˈzʌɪə/

the supposed later author of Isaiah 40–55.

deuteron /ˈdjuːtərɒn/

I. noun

the nucleus of a deuterium atom, consisting of a proton and a neutron.

– origin 1930s: from Greek deuteros ‘second’, on the pattern of proton.

Deuteronomy /ˌdjuːtəˈrɒnəmi/

the fifth book of the Bible, containing a recapitulation of the Ten Commandments and much of the Mosaic law.

Deutschland /ˈdɔytʃlant/

German name for Germany.

Deutschmark /ˈdɔɪtʃmɑːk / Deutsche Mark /ˈdɔɪtʃə mɑːk, German ˌdɔytʃə ˈmark/

I. noun

(until the introduction of the euro in 2002) the basic monetary unit of Germany, equal to 100 pfennig.

– origin from German deutsche Mark ‘German mark’.

deutzia /ˈdjuːtsɪə, ˈdɔɪtsɪə/

I. noun

an ornamental shrub with white or pinkish flowers, native to Asia and Central America.
●Genus Deutzia, family Hydrangeaceae.

– origin modern Latin, named after Johann van der Deutz, 18th-cent. Dutch patron of botany.

deva /ˈdeɪvə/

I. noun

1. a member of a class of divine beings in the Vedic period, which in Indian religion are benevolent and in Zoroastrianism are evil.
Compare with asura.

2. (Indian) (in general use) a god.

– origin from Sanskrit, literally ‘shining one’, later ‘god’.

devadasi /ˌdeɪvəˈdɑːsi/

I. noun

a hereditary female dancer in a Hindu temple.

– origin from Sanskrit devadāsī, literally ‘female servant of a god’.

de Valera, Eamon /ˌdə vəˈlɛːrə/

(1882–1975), American-born Irish statesman, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) 1937–48, 1951–4, and 1957–9 and President of the Republic of Ireland 1959–73. He was the leader of Sinn Fein 1917–26 and the founder of the Fianna Fáil Party in 1926. As President of the Irish Free State from 1932, de Valera was largely responsible for the new constitution of 1937 which created the state of Éire.

de Valois, Dame Ninette /də ˈvalwɑː/

(1898–2001), Irish choreographer, ballet dancer, and teacher; born Edris Stannus. A former soloist with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, she formed the Vic-Wells Ballet (which eventually became the Royal Ballet) and the Sadler's Wells ballet school.

devalorize /diːˈvalərʌɪz / devalorise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› devalue.

• cultural mythology which is devalorized by its implicit feminization.

II. derivatives

devalorization

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from French dévaloriser.

devaluate /diːˈvaljʊeɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce or underestimate the worth or importance of

• the pound was devaluated further during the year.

devaluation /ˌdiːvaljʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the reduction or underestimation of the worth or importance of something

• the general devaluation of expertise in our culture

• [ count noun] his philosophical views led to a devaluation of the individual.

2. [Economics] the reduction in the official value of a currency in relation to other currencies

• a financial crisis will result in severe devaluation of the country's currency

• [ count noun] the pound has suffered a devaluation.

devalue /diːˈvaljuː/

verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce or underestimate the worth or importance of

• I resent the way people seem to devalue my achievement.

2. [Economics] reduce the official value of (a currency) in relation to other currencies

• the dinar was devalued by 20 per cent.

Devanagari /ˌdeɪvəˈnɑːɡ(ə)ri, dɛvəˈnɑːɡ(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the alphabet used for Sanskrit, Hindi, and other Indian languages.

– origin from Sanskrit, literally ‘divine town script’, from deva ‘god’ + nāgarī (from nagara ‘town’), an earlier name of the script.

devastate /ˈdɛvəsteɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. destroy or ruin

• the city was devastated by a huge earthquake.

2. cause (someone) severe and overwhelming shock or grief

• she was devastated by the loss of Damian.

II. derivatives

devastator /ˈdɛvəsteɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin devastat- ‘laid waste’, from the verb devastare, from de- ‘thoroughly’ + vastare ‘lay waste’.

devastating /ˈdɛvəsteɪtɪŋ/

adjective

1. highly destructive or damaging

• a devastating cyclone.

2. causing severe shock, distress, or grief

• the news came as a devastating blow.

3. ‹informal› extremely impressive or effective

• she had a devastating wit.

devastatingly /ˈdɛvəsteɪtɪŋli/

adverb

1. in a highly destructive or damaging way

• those countries were devastatingly affected by the tsunami.

2. in a manner causing severe shock, distress, or grief

• the council's figures devastatingly confirm my own shocking findings

• [as submodifier] devastatingly bad news.

3. to an extremely impressive degree

• no artist has more devastatingly exposed the folly of his fellow men

• [as submodifier] a devastatingly attractive man.

devastation /ˌdɛvəˈsteɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. great destruction or damage

• the floods caused widespread devastation.

2. severe and overwhelming shock or grief

• she spoke of her devastation at his death.

devein

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the main central vein from (a shrimp or prawn).

• shell and devein the prawns and then sprinkle them with turmeric and salt.

develop /dɪˈvɛləp/

I. verb

1. grow or cause to grow and become more mature, advanced, or elaborate
[no obj.]

• motion pictures were to develop into mass entertainment

• (as adj. developing) this is a rapidly developing field

• [with obj.] enabling individuals to develop their personal skills.

2. [no obj.] (often as adj. developing) — (of a poor agricultural country) become more economically and socially advanced

• the developing world.

3. [with obj.] — convert (land) to a new purpose by constructing buildings or making other use of its resources.

• plans to develop the area.

4. construct or convert (a building) so as to improve existing resources

• the company developed a chain of hotels.

5. [with obj.] — elaborate (a musical theme) by modification of the melody, harmony, or rhythm.

• the piano develops the melody into a short cadenza.

6. start to exist, experience, or possess
[no obj.]

• a strange closeness developed

• [with obj.] I developed an interest in law

• call the doctor if your child develops a rash.

7. [with obj.] — treat (a photographic film) with chemicals to make a visible image.

• she came to get the film developed.

• (as adj. developing) a developing tank.

8. [with obj.] — [Chess] bring (a piece) into play from its initial position on a player's back rank.

• he preferred to develop his bishop on e7.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘unfold, unfurl’): from French développer, based on Latin dis- ‘un-’ + a second element of unknown origin found also in envelop.

developable /dɪˈvɛləpəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. (of land or property) able to be adapted or improved so as to become profitable.

• there's competition among retailers for developable sites.

2. [Geometry] (of a curved surface) capable of being flattened into a plane without overlap or separation, as with a cylinder.

3. [Mathematics] (of a function or expression) capable of being expanded as a series.

developed /dɪˈvɛləpt/

adjective

1. advanced or elaborated to a specified degree

• a fully developed system of public law.

2. (of a person or part of the body) having specified physical proportions

• a strongman with well-developed muscles.

3. (of a country or region) advanced economically and socially

• the developed world.

developer /dɪˈvɛləpə/

noun

1. a person or thing that develops something

• a property developer

• software developers.

2. [with adj.] — a person who grows or matures at a specified time or rate

• I was a slow developer.

3. [ mass noun] — a chemical agent used for treating photographic film to make a visible image.

• photography paper in a trough of developer.

developing country /dɪvɛləpɪŋˈkʌntri/

noun

a poor agricultural country that is seeking to become more advanced economically and socially.

development /dɪˈvɛləpm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of developing or being developed

• she traces the development of the novel

• the paintings provide evidence of his artistic development.

2. a specified state of growth or advancement

• the wings attain their full development several hours after birth.

3. [ count noun] — a new and advanced product or idea

• the latest developments in information technology.

4. [ count noun] — an event constituting a new stage in a changing situation

• I don't think there have been any new developments since yesterday.

5. the process of converting land to a new purpose by constructing buildings or making use of its resources

• land suitable for development.

6. [ count noun] — an area of land with new buildings on it

• a major housing development in Essex.

7. the process of starting to be affected by an ailment or feeling

• the development of brittle bones.

8. the process of treating photographic film with chemicals to make a visible image.

• agitation is carried out while a film is processed to ensure even development.

9. [Chess] the process of bringing one's pieces into play in the opening phase of a game.

• I sought to take advantage of Black's defective development.

developmental /dɪˌvɛləpˈmɛnt(ə)l/

adjective

1. concerned with the development of someone or something

• developmental problems

• developmental psychology.

2. concerned with ontogenetic development, especially embryonic development in animals

• developmental biology.

developmental delay

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the condition of a child being less developed mentally or physically than is normal for its age.

developmentally

adverb

in a way that relates to the development of someone or something

• hunger is leaving millions of children developmentally delayed

• [ sentence adverb] culturally, developmentally, and economically, the places we come from are very different.

development area

noun

(in the UK) an area in which government assistance is available to encourage business investment, in order to counteract unemployment.

development education

noun — [ mass noun]

1. education aimed at giving an understanding of developing countries and their place in the global socio-economic situation.

development system

noun

[Computing] a system of software and hardware designed to assist in the development of new software or products.

développé /ˌdeɪv(ə)lɒˈpeɪ/

I. noun

[Ballet] a movement in which one leg is raised and then kept in a fully extended position.

– origin French, past participle of développer ‘stretch out, develop’.

Devensian /dɪˈvɛnzɪən/

I. adjective

1. [Geology] relating to or denoting the most recent Pleistocene glaciation in Britain, identified with the Weichselian of northern Europe.

2. (as noun the Devensian) — [Geology] the Devensian glaciation or the system of deposits laid down during it.

– origin 1960s: from Latin Devenses ‘people dwelling near the River Dee’ (see Dee (sense 2)) + -ian.

deverbal /diːˈvəːb(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of a noun or adjective) derived from a verb.

II. noun

a deverbal noun or adjective.

Devi /ˈdeɪvi / ‹Hinduism›

I. the supreme goddess, often identified with Parvati and Sakti.

II. ( devi) — (Indian) (in general use) a goddess.

III. (Indian) used after the first name of a Hindu woman as a form of respect

• Deval Devi.

– origin from Sanskrit.

deviance /ˈdiːviəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or state of diverging from usual or accepted standards, especially in social or sexual behaviour.

• a study of crime and deviance.

• social deviance.

II. derivatives

deviancy /ˈdiːviənsi /

noun

deviant /ˈdiːvɪənt/

I. adjective

1. departing from usual or accepted standards, especially in social or sexual behaviour

• deviant behaviour

• a deviant ideology.

2. ‹offensive› homosexual.

II. noun

a deviant person or thing.

• killers, deviants, and those whose actions are beyond most human comprehension.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin deviant- ‘turning out of the way’, from the verb deviare (see deviate).

deviate

I. verb — [no obj.] (usu. deviate from) deviate /ˈdiːvɪeɪt /

1. depart from an established course

• you must not deviate from the agreed route.

2. depart from usual or accepted standards

• those who deviate from society's values.

II. noun, adjective — deviate /ˈdiːvɪət /

1. old-fashioned term for deviant.

III. derivatives

deviator /ˈdiːvɪeɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (as an adjective in the sense ‘remote’): from late Latin deviat- ‘turned out of the way’, from the verb deviare, from de- ‘away from’ + via ‘way’. The verb dates from the mid 17th cent.

deviation /diːvɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of departing from an established course or accepted standard

• deviation from a norm

• sexual deviation

• [ count noun] deviations from Standard English.

2. [Statistics] the amount by which a single measurement differs from a fixed value such as the mean.

• a significant deviation from the average value.

3. the deflection of a ship's compass needle caused by iron in the ship.

II. derivatives

1. deviationism /ˌdiːvɪˈeɪʃ(ə)nɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. deviationist /ˌdiːvɪˈeɪʃ(ə)nɪst /

noun

3. deviational

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via French from medieval Latin deviatio(n-), from Latin deviare (see deviate).

device /dɪˈvʌɪs/

I. noun

1. a thing made or adapted for a particular purpose, especially a piece of mechanical or electronic equipment

• a measuring device.

2. a bomb or other explosive weapon

• an incendiary device.

3. a plan, method, or trick with a particular aim

• writing a letter to a newspaper is a traditional device for signalling dissent.

4. a form of words intended to produce a particular effect in speech or a literary work

• a rhetorical device.

5. a drawing or design

• the decorative device on the invitations.

6. an emblematic or heraldic design

• their shields bear the device of the Blazing Sun.

7. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› the design or look of something

• works of strange device.

II. phrases

leave someone to their own devices

leave someone to do as they wish without supervision.

• left to her own devices, Lucy wondered what she should do next.

– origin Middle English: from Old French devis, based on Latin divis- ‘divided’, from the verb dividere. The original sense was ‘desire or intention’, found now only in leave someone to their own devices (which has become associated with sense 2).

devil /ˈdɛv(ə)l/

I. noun

1. (usu. the Devil) — (in Christian and Jewish belief) the supreme spirit of evil; Satan.

• belief in the Devil.

• the work of the devil.

2. an evil spirit; a demon.

• casting out devils.

3. a very wicked or cruel person

• they prefer voting for devils than for decent men.

4. ( the devil) — fighting spirit; wildness

• he was dangerous when the devil was in him.

5. ( the devil) — a thing that is very difficult or awkward to do or deal with

• it's going to be the very devil to disentangle.

6. [with adj.] — ‹informal› a person with specified characteristics

• the cunning old devil

• you lucky devil.

7. ( the devil) — expressing surprise or annoyance in various questions or exclamations

• ‘Where the devil is he?’.

8. an instrument or machine fitted with sharp teeth or spikes, used for tearing or other destructive work.

9. ‹informal› ‹dated› a junior assistant of a barrister or other professional.
See also printer's devil.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — ‹informal› ‹dated› act as a junior assistant for a barrister or other professional.

• there is the possibility of devilling for fellow members of the Bar.

2. [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) harass or worry (someone)

• he was deviled by a new-found fear.

III. phrases

1. be a devil!

(Brit.) ‹informal› said when encouraging someone to do something that they are hesitating to do

• ‘Go on, be a devil and stop being so staid!’.

2. between the devil and the deep blue sea

in a difficult situation where there are two equally unpleasant choices.

3. devil a ——

‹archaic› not even one or any

• the devil a man of you stirred himself over it.

4. the devil can quote scripture for his purpose

‹proverb› people may conceal unworthy motives by reciting words that sound morally authoritative.
[with allusion to the Temptation.]

5. the devil finds work for idle hands to do

‹proverb› if someone doesn't have enough work to occupy them, they are liable to cause or get into trouble.

6. the devil looks after his own

‹proverb› success or good fortune often seem to come to those who least deserve it.

7. a devil of a ——

‹informal› used to emphasize great size or degree

• photographic equipment costs a devil of a lot.

8. the devil's dozen

thirteen.

9. the devil's in the detail

the details of a matter are its most problematic aspect.

10. the devil's own ——

‹informal› used to emphasize the difficulty or seriousness of something

• it was the devil's own job to get her to give me money.

11. the devil to pay

serious trouble to be dealt with.

• there was the devil to pay when we got home.

12. every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost

see man.

13. give the devil his due

‹proverb› if someone or something generally considered bad or undeserving has any redeeming features these should be acknowledged.

14. go to the devil!

said in angry rejection or condemnation of someone.

• it's anybody's right to go to the devil in his or her own way!

15. like the devil

with great speed or energy

• he drove like the devil.

16. play the devil with

have a damaging or disruptive effect on

• this brandy plays the devil with one's emotions!

17. speak (or talk) of the devil

said when a person appears just after being mentioned.
[from the superstition that the devil will appear if his name is spoken.]

– origin Old English dēofol (related to Dutch duivel and German Teufel), via late Latin from Greek diabolos ‘accuser, slanderer’ (used in the Septuagint to translate Hebrew śāṭān ‘Satan’), from diaballein ‘to slander’, from dia ‘across’ + ballein ‘to throw’.

devil dance

I. noun

a dance performed as part of Buddhist ritual in Sri Lanka and Tibet, for the invocation, propitiation, or exorcism of spirits.

II. derivatives

devil dancer

noun

devil devil debil debil

noun

(Austral.) (in Aboriginal belief) an evil spirit

• her sister had told her there was a devil devil near her camp.

devilfish /ˈdɛv(ə)lfɪʃ/

noun

any of a number of marine creatures that are perceived as having a sinister appearance, in particular a devil ray, a stonefish, or an octopus or squid.

devilish /ˈdɛv(ə)lɪʃ/

I. adjective

1. like or appropriate to a devil in evil and cruelty

• devilish tortures.

2. mischievous and rakish

• a wide, devilish grin.

3. very difficult to deal with or use

• it turned out to be a devilish job.

II. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. ‹informal› ‹dated› very; extremely

• a devilish clever chap.

III. derivatives

1. devilishly /ˈdɛv(ə)lɪʃ(ə)li /

adverb

[as submodifier]

• I'm feeling devilishly hot!

2. devilishness /ˈdɛv(ə)lɪʃnəs /

noun

devilled /ˈdɛvld/

adjective

(of food) cooked with hot seasoning

• devilled kidneys.

devilling float

noun

a wooden or plastic block with tips of nails just protruding through its base, used to scratch the surface of plaster lightly to enable more plaster to adhere to it.

devil-may-care

adjective

cheerful and reckless

• light-hearted, devil-may-care young pilots.

devilment /ˈdɛv(ə)lm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. reckless mischief; wild spirits

• his eyes were blazing with devilment.

devil ray

noun

a large long-tailed ray which has a fleshy horn-like projection on each side of the mouth. It occurs on or near the surface of warm seas and feeds on plankton.
●Family Mobulidae: two genera and several species, including the manta.

devilry /ˈdɛv(ə)lri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. wicked activity

• some devilry was afoot.

2. reckless mischief

• a perverse sense of devilry urged her to lead him on.

3. black magic; dealings with the devil.

devil's advocate

noun

1. a person who expresses a contentious opinion in order to provoke debate or test the strength of the opposing arguments.

• the interviewer will need to play devil's advocate, to put the other side's case forward.

2. ‹historical› a person appointed by the Roman Catholic Church to challenge a proposed beatification or canonization, or the verification of a miracle.

devil's bit

noun

any of a number of wild plants with a very short rootstock, said in folklore to have been bitten off by the devil, in particular:
● a blue-flowered plant native to Eurasia and North Africa ( Succisa pratensis, family Dipsacaceae). ● (N. Amer.) the blazing star ( Chamaelirium luteum, family Liliaceae).

devil's claw

noun

a plant whose seed pods bear claw-like hooks which can harm livestock.
●Two genera in the family Pedaliaceae: genus Proboscidea of warm regions of America, used in basketry or grown for their fruit, and Harpagophytum procumbens of southern Africa and Madagascar, used in herbal medicine.

devil's club

noun

a very spiny straggling shrub of western North America.
● Oplopanax horridus, family Araliaceae.

devil's coach-horse

noun

(Brit.) a large black predatory rove beetle which raises its hind end and opens its jaws in a threatening manner when disturbed.
● Staphylinus olens, family Staphylinidae.

devil's darning needle

noun

(N. Amer.) another term for darner.

devil's food cake /dɛvlsˈfuːdkeɪk/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a rich chocolate cake.

devil's grip

noun

informal term for Bornholm disease.

Devil's Island

a rocky island off the coast of French Guiana, used from 1852 as a penal settlement, especially for political prisoners. The last prisoner was released in 1953.

devils on horseback

plural noun

(chiefly Brit.) a savoury snack of prunes individually wrapped in slices of bacon, served on toast or croutons.

devil's paintbrush

noun

(N. Amer.) the European orange hawkweed, which has become naturalized in North America.
● Hieracium aurantiacum, family Compositae.

devil's walking stick

noun

a prickly angelica tree native to the eastern US. Also called Hercules' club.
● Aralia spinosa, family Araliaceae.

deviltry

noun

archaic variant of devilry.

devious /ˈdiːvɪəs/

I. adjective

1. showing a skilful use of underhand tactics to achieve goals

• he's as devious as a politician needs to be

• they have devious ways of making money.

2. (of a route or journey) longer and less direct than the most straightforward way.

• they arrived at the town by a devious route.

II. derivatives

1. deviously /ˈdiːvɪəsli /

adverb

2. deviousness /ˈdiːvɪəsnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin devius (from de- ‘away from’ + via ‘way’) + -ous. The original sense was ‘remote’; the later sense ‘departing from the direct route’ gave rise to the figurative sense ‘deviating from the straight way’ and hence ‘skilled in underhand tactics’.

devise /dɪˈvʌɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. plan or invent (a complex procedure, system, or mechanism) by careful thought

• a training programme should be devised

• a complicated game of his own devising.

2. [Law] leave (something, especially real estate) to someone by the terms of a will.

II. noun

[Law] a clause in a will leaving something, especially real estate, to someone.

III. derivatives

1. devisable /dɪˈvʌɪzəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. devisee /dɪvʌɪˈziː /

noun

devise (sense 2 of the verb)

3. deviser /dɪˈvʌɪzə /

noun

4. devisor /dɪˈvʌɪzə /

noun

devise (sense 2 of the verb)

– origin Middle English: the verb from Old French deviser, from Latin divis- ‘divided’, from the verb dividere (this sense being reflected in the original English sense of the verb); the noun is a variant of device (in the early sense ‘will, desire’).

devitalize /diːˈvʌɪt(ə)lʌɪz / devitalise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. devitalized)

1. deprive of strength and vigour

• an effective product to treat devitalized skin.

II. derivatives

devitalization /ˌdiːˌvʌɪt(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

devitrify /diːˈvɪtrɪfʌɪ/

I. verb

(with reference to glass or vitreous rock) become or make hard, opaque, and crystalline.
[no obj.]

• glasses are not particularly stable materials, and in the course of time they devitrify.

• (as adj. devitrified) bands of devitrified glass.

II. derivatives

devitrification

noun

devo /ˈdiːvəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the transfer or delegation of power by a central government to a local or regional administration; devolution

• her speech on more devo was coherent and well thought through

• we have known for a week that devo was not on the agenda

• [as modifier] the devo deal has considerable support amongst Greater Manchester MPs.

– origin 1980s: abbreviation of devolution.

devoice /diːˈvɔɪs/

verb — [with obj.]

1. [Phonetics] make (a vowel or voiced consonant) voiceless.
(as noun devoicing)

• the devoicing of the final consonant is compensated for by a lengthening of the preceding vowel or diphthong.

devoid /dɪˈvɔɪd/

I. adjective — ( devoid of)

1. entirely lacking or free from

• Lisa kept her voice devoid of emotion.

– origin late Middle English: past participle of obsolete devoid ‘cast out’, from Old French devoidier.

devoir /dəˈvwɑː/

I. noun

‹archaic› a person's duty

• you have done your devoir right well.

II. phrases

pay one's devoirs

‹archaic› pay one's respects formally.

• I paid my devoirs to both.

– origin Middle English: from Old French deveir, from Latin debere ‘owe’. The spelling, and subsequently the pronunciation, was changed under the influence of modern French devoir.

devolution /ˌdiːvəˈluːʃ(ə)n, ˌdɛvəˈluːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the transfer or delegation of power to a lower level, especially by central government to local or regional administration.

• demands for electoral reform and devolution.

• the devolution of power to the regions.

2. [Law] the legal transfer of property from one owner to another.

3. ‹formal› descent to a lower or worse state

• the devolution of the gentlemanly ideal into a glorification of drunkenness.

4. [Biology] evolutionary degeneration.

II. derivatives

1. devolutionary

adjective

2. devolutionist /ˌdiːvəˈluːʃ(ə)nɪst, ˌdɛvəˈluːʃ(ə)nɪst /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘transference by default’): from late Latin devolutio(n-), from Latin devolvere ‘roll down’ (see devolve).

devolve /dɪˈvɒlv/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — transfer or delegate (power) to a lower level, especially from central government to local or regional administration

• measures to devolve power to a Scottish assembly

• (as adj. devolved) devolved and decentralized government.

2. [no obj.] ( devolve on/upon/to) — (of duties or responsibility) pass to (a body or person at a lower level)

• his duties devolved on a comrade.

3. [no obj.] ( devolve on/upon/to) — [Law] (of property) be transferred from one owner to (another), especially by inheritance.

• the estate had devolved to the heir.

4. [no obj.] ( devolve into) — ‹formal› pass into (a different state, especially a worse one); degenerate

• the Empire devolved into separate warring states.

II. derivatives

devolvement

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘roll down’): from Latin devolvere, from de- ‘down’ + volvere ‘to roll’.

devo max

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a proposed constitutional arrangement by which Scotland would be granted full economic independence from the rest of the United Kingdom but would still be subject to governance by the British Parliament in particular areas, such as defence or foreign policy

• opinion polls placed public support for devo max at 60 per cent

• the First Minister was accused of ‘flying in the face of economic reality’ by pushing for devo max.

– origin early 21st cent.: from abbreviations of devolution and maximum.

Devon^1 /ˈdɛv(ə)n / Devonshire

I. a county of SW England; county town, Exeter.

– origin from medieval Latin Devonia ‘Devonshire’.

Devon^2 /ˈdɛv(ə)n/

I. noun

an animal of a breed of red beef cattle.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after the county of Devon (see Devon^1).

Devonian /dɛˈvəʊnɪən, dɪˈvəʊnɪən/

I. adjective

1. relating to Devon.

2.
a. [Geology] relating to or denoting the fourth period of the Palaeozoic era, between the Silurian and Carboniferous periods.

The Devonian period lasted from about 409 to 363 million years ago. During this period fish became abundant, the first amphibians evolved, and the first forests appeared.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Devon.

2. ( the Devonian) — [Geology] the Devonian period or the system of rocks deposited during it.

Devonshire cream

noun — [ mass noun]

1. clotted cream.

Devonshire tea

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a meal of scones with jam and cream, served with tea or coffee

• there are guided tours of the house and garden, and Devonshire teas.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the association of the cream tea with the English county of Devonshire.

devoré /dəˈvɔːreɪ / devore

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a velvet fabric with a pattern formed by burning the pile away with acid

• a devoré top.

– origin 1990s: from French dévoré, literally ‘devoured’, past participle of dévorer.

devote /dɪˈvəʊt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ( devote something to) — give all or most of one's time or resources to (a person or activity)

• I wanted to devote more time to my family

• she devoted herself to fundraising.

2. use a certain amount of space or time to cover (a topic).

• a full page is devoted to each ski run.

3. ‹archaic› invoke or pronounce a curse upon.

• the hostile army was devoted with dire execrations to the gods of war.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘dedicate formally, consecrate’): from Latin devot- ‘consecrated’, from the verb devovere, from de- ‘formally’ + vovere ‘to vow’.

devoted /dɪˈvəʊtɪd/

I. adjective

1. very loving or loyal

• he was a devoted husband

• Leo was devoted to his job.

2. ( devoted to) — given over to the display, study, or discussion of

• there is a museum devoted to her work.

II. derivatives

1. devotedly /dɪˈvəʊtɪdli /

adverb

devoted (sense 1)

2. devotedness

noun

devoted (sense 1)

devotee /ˌdɛvə(ʊ)ˈtiː/

noun

1. a person who is very interested in and enthusiastic about someone or something

• a devotee of Lewis Carroll.

2. a strong believer in a particular religion or god

• devotees of Krishna.

devotion /dɪˈvəʊʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person or activity

• his devotion to duty never wavered

• she was the epitome of wifely devotion.

2. religious worship or observance

• the order's aim was to live a life of devotion.

3. ( devotions) — prayers or religious observances.

• she went to her devotions.

– origin Middle English: from Latin devotio(n-), from devovere ‘consecrate’ (see devote).

devotional /dɪˈvəʊʃənl/

I. adjective

of or used in religious worship

• devotional books.

II. derivatives

devotionally /dɪˈvəʊʃ(ə)nəli /

adverb

devour /dɪˈvaʊə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. eat (food or prey) hungrily or quickly

• he devoured half of his burger in one bite.

2. (of fire or a similar force) destroy completely

• the hungry flames devoured the old house.

3. read quickly and eagerly

• she spent her evenings devouring the classics.

4. ( be devoured) — be totally absorbed by a powerful feeling

• she was devoured by need.

II. derivatives

devourer /dɪˈvaʊərə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French devorer, from Latin devorare, from de- ‘down’ + vorare ‘to swallow’.

devout /dɪˈvaʊt/

I. adjective

1. having or showing deep religious feeling or commitment

• she was a devout Catholic

• a rabbi's devout prayers.

2. totally committed to a cause or belief

• the most devout environmentalist.

II. derivatives

devoutness /dɪˈvaʊtnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French devot, from Latin devotus ‘devoted’, past participle of devovere (see devote).

devoutly /dɪˈvaʊtli/

adverb

1. in a manner that shows deep religious feeling or commitment

• they passed a man praying devoutly beside a roadside shrine.

2. [usu. as submodifier] — in a totally committed and sincere way; earnestly

• let us devoutly hope that Morris is correct

• he devoutly believes that he is rescuing these children from savagery.

de Vries, Hugo /də ˈvriːs/

(1848–1935), Dutch plant physiologist and geneticist. De Vries did much work on osmosis and water relations in plants, coining the term plasmolysis. His subsequent work on heredity and variation contributed substantially to the chromosome theory of heredity.

dew /ˈdjuː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces at night, when atmospheric vapour condenses

• the grass was wet with dew

• [in sing.] a cold, heavy dew dripped from the leaves.

2. [in sing.] — a beaded or glistening liquid resembling dew

• her body had broken out in a fine dew of perspiration.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› moisten with drops of liquid

• sweat dewed her lashes.

– origin Old English dēaw, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dauw and German Tau (noun), tauen (verb).

DEW

abbreviation

distant early warning, a radar system in North America for the early detection of a missile attack.
[as modifier]

• the DEW line.

dewar /ˈdjuːə/

I. noun

a double-walled flask of metal or silvered glass with a vacuum between the walls, used to hold liquids at well below ambient temperature.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Sir James Dewar (see Dewar, Sir James).

Dewar, Sir James /ˈdjuːə/

(1842–1923), Scottish chemist and physicist. He is chiefly remembered for his work in cryogenics, in which he devised the vacuum flask, achieved temperatures close to absolute zero, and was the first to produce liquid oxygen and hydrogen in quantity.

dewater

verb — [with obj.]

1. drain (a waterlogged or flooded area).
(as noun dewatering)

• a study will determine the impact of dewatering in the Humboldt Basin area.

2. remove water from (sediment or waste materials).

• in theory, this equipment could dewater sewage sludge, but that would require more development.

dewax

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove wax from

• linoleum needs to be dewaxed using a strong solvent.

dewberry /ˈdjuːb(ə)ri/

noun

1. a trailing European bramble with soft prickles and edible fruit resembling the blackberry, which have a dewy white bloom on the skin.
● Rubus caesius, family Rosaceae.

2. (N. Amer.) any of a number of trailing brambles.

3. the blue-black fruit of the dewberry.

dewclaw /ˈdjuːklɔː/

I. noun

1. a rudimentary inner toe present in some dogs.

2. a false hoof on an animal such as a deer, which is formed by its rudimentary side toes.

– origin late 16th cent.: apparently from dew and claw.

dewdrop /ˈdjuːdrɒp/

noun

a drop of dew.

Dewey, John /ˈdjuːi/

(1859–1952), American philosopher and educationist. Working in the pragmatic tradition of William James and C. S. Peirce, he evolved the educational theory that children would learn best by doing.

Dewey Decimal Classification /djuːi ˈdɛsɪml klasɪfɪkeɪʃn / Dewey system

I. noun

‹trademark› an internationally applied decimal system of library classification which uses a three-figure code from 000 to 999 to represent the major branches of knowledge, and allows finer classification to be made by the addition of further figures after a decimal point.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Melvil Dewey (1851–1931), American librarian.

dewfall /ˈdjuːfɔːl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› the formation of dew, or the time of the evening when dew begins to form.

2. ‹literary› the film of dew covering an area.

• the school lawn was lightly dusted with dewfall.

Dewi /ˈdewi/

Welsh name for St David (see David, St).

dewlap /ˈdjuːlap/

I. noun

a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck or throat of an animal, especially that present in many cattle.

– origin Middle English: from dew and lap^1, perhaps influenced by a Scandinavian word (compare with Danish doglæp).

deworm

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat (an animal) to free it of worms.

• you must be prepared to deworm your dog regularly.

II. derivatives

dewormer

noun

• she recommends an oral dewormer be given six weeks after turnout on to grass

dew point

noun

the atmospheric temperature (varying according to pressure and humidity) below which water droplets begin to condense and dew can form.

dew pond

noun

(Brit.) a shallow pond, especially an artificial one made on downs where the water supply from springs or surface drainage is inadequate.

Dewsbury /ˈdjuːzb(ə)ri/

a textile manufacturing town in West Yorkshire, northern England; pop. 53,300 (est. 2009).

dew worm

I. noun

(N. Amer.) an earthworm, in particular one that is used as fishing bait.

– origin Old English deaw-wyrm ‘ringworm’; compare with East Frisian dauworm, denoting both ringworm and the earthworm.

dewy /ˈdjuːi/

I. adjective

1. wet with dew.

2. (of a person's skin) appearing soft and lustrous.

3. youthful and fresh

• the girls have yet to lose their dewy charm.

II. derivatives

1. dewily

adverb

2. dewiness /ˈdjuːɪnəs /

noun

– origin Old English dēawig (see dew, -y^1).

dewy-eyed

adjective

having eyes that are moist with tears (used typically to indicate that a person is nostalgic, naive, or sentimental)

• she gets slightly dewy-eyed as she talks about her family.

dex

noun

‹informal› short for Dexedrine.

dexamethasone /ˌdɛksəˈmɛθəsəʊn, ˌdɛksəˈmɛθəzəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic drug of the corticosteroid type, used especially as an anti-inflammatory agent.

– origin 1950s: from dexa- (blend of deca- and hexa-) + meth(yl) + -a- + ( cortis)one.

Dexedrine /ˈdɛksədriːn, ˈdɛksədrɪn/

I. noun

‹trademark› a form of amphetamine (see amphetamine).

– origin 1940s: probably from dextro-, on the pattern of Benzedrine.

dexter^1 /ˈdɛkstə/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹archaic› [Heraldry] on or towards the right-hand side (in a coat of arms, from the bearer's point of view, i.e. the left as it is depicted).
The opposite of sinister.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘on the right’.

dexter^2 /ˈdɛkstə/

I. noun

an animal of a small, hardy breed of Irish cattle.

– origin late 19th cent.: said to have been named after the breeder.

Dexter, Colin /ˈdɛkstə/

(b.1930), English writer of detective fiction. He is noted for his Inspector Morse stories, set in Oxford.

dexterity /dɛkˈstɛrɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands

• her dexterity with chopsticks

• his record testifies to a certain dexterity in politics.

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘mental adroitness’): from French dextérité, from Latin dexteritas, from dexter ‘on the right’.

dexterous /ˈdɛkst(ə)rəs / dextrous

I. adjective

showing or having skill, especially with the hands

• a dexterous keyboard player.

II. derivatives

1. dexterously /ˈdɛkst(ə)rəsli /

adverb

2. dexterousness /ˈdɛkst(ə)rəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘mentally adroit’): from Latin dexter ‘on the right’ + -ous.

dextral /ˈdɛkstr(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. of or on the right side or the right hand (the opposite of sinistral).

2. right-handed.

3. [Geology] relating to or denoting a strike-slip fault in which the motion of the block on the further side of the fault from an observer is towards the right.

4. [Zoology] (of a spiral mollusc shell) with whorls rising to the right and coiling in an anticlockwise direction.

II. noun

a right-handed person.

III. derivatives

1. dextrality /dɛkˈstraləti /

noun

2. dextrally

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin dextralis, from Latin dextra ‘the right hand’, from dexter ‘on the right’.

dextran /ˈdɛkstran/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a carbohydrate gum formed by the fermentation of sugars and consisting of polymers of glucose.

2. [Medicine] a solution containing a hydrolysed form of dextran, used as a substitute for blood plasma.

– origin late 19th cent.: from dextro- + -an.

dextrin /ˈdɛkstrɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soluble gummy substance obtained by hydrolysis of starch, used as a thickening agent and in adhesives and dietary supplements.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from dextro- + -in^1.

dextro-

I. combining form

on or to the right

• dextrorotatory.

– origin from Latin dexter, dextr- ‘right’.

dextrorotatory /ˌdɛkstrəʊˈrəʊtət(ə)ri/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] (of a compound) having the property of rotating the plane of a polarized light ray to the right, i.e. clockwise facing the oncoming radiation.
The opposite of laevorotatory.

II. derivatives

dextrorotation

noun

dextrose /ˈdɛkstrəʊz, ˈdɛkstrəʊs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the dextrorotatory form of glucose (and the predominant naturally occurring form).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin dexter, dextr- ‘on the right’ + -ose^2.

dexy /ˈdɛksi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› Dexedrine.

2. [ count noun] — ‹informal› a tablet of Dexedrine.

– origin 1950s: abbreviation.

dezincification /diːˌzɪŋkɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of corrosion and weakening of brass objects in which zinc is dissolved out of the brass alloy.

DF

abbreviation

1. Defender of the Faith.
[from Latin Defensor Fidei.]

2. direction finder.

DFC

abbreviation

(in the UK) Distinguished Flying Cross, a decoration for distinguished active service awarded to members of the RAF, instituted in 1918.

DFID

abbreviation

(in the UK) Department for International Development.

Dfl

abbreviation

Dutch florins.

DFM

abbreviation

(in the UK) Distinguished Flying Medal, a decoration awarded to RAF personnel for acts of courage or devotion to duty when not in action against an enemy, instituted in 1918.

DfT

abbreviation

(in the UK) Department for Transport.

dg

abbreviation

decigram(s).

DG

abbreviation

1. Dei gratia, by the grace of God.

2. Deo gratias, thanks be to God.

3. (in the UK) director general.

DH^1 /diːˈeɪtʃ / ‹Baseball›

I. noun

a designated hitter.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. act as a designated hitter.

DH^2

I. noun

‹informal› a person's husband (used in electronic communication)

• my DH would be glad to retire and spend his days fishing.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation of darling husband or dear husband.

dhaba /ˈdɑːbə/

I. noun

(Indian) a roadside food stall.

– origin from Hindi ḍhābā.

Dhaka /ˈdakə / Dacca

I. the capital of Bangladesh, on the Ganges delta; pop. 7,000,940 (2008).

II. derivatives

Dhakai

adjective

dhamma /ˈdɑːmə, ˈdʌmə/

I. noun

another term for dharma, especially among Theravada Buddhists.

– origin Pali, from Sanskrit dharma ‘decree or custom’.

Dhanbad /ˈdɑːnbad/

a city in Jharkhand, NE India; pop. 241,800 (est. 2009).

dhansak /ˈdʌnsɑːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Indian dish of meat or vegetables cooked with lentils and occasionally spinach

• chicken dhansak.

– origin Gujarati.

dharma /ˈdɑːmə, ˈdəːmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Indian religion) the eternal law of the cosmos, inherent in the very nature of things.

In Hinduism, dharma is seen as the cosmic law both upheld by the gods and expressed in right behaviour by humans, including adherence to the social order. In Buddhism (termed dhamma), it is interpreted as universal truth or law, especially as proclaimed by the Buddha. In Jainism, it is conceived both as virtue and as a kind of fundamental substance, the medium of motion.

– origin Sanskrit, literally ‘decree or custom’.

dharmashala /ˈdɑːməˌʃɑːlə / dharmsala /ˈdɑːmˌsɑːlə/ , dharamshala /ˈdɑːrəmˌʃɑːlə/

I. noun

(in South Asia) a building devoted to religious or charitable purposes, especially a rest house for travellers.

– origin from Sanskrit dharmaśālā, from dharma ‘virtue’ + śālā ‘house’.

dharna /ˈdəːnə, ˈdəːnɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Indian) a mode of compelling payment or compliance, by sitting at the debtor's or offender's door until the demand is complied with.

2. [ count noun] — (Indian) a peaceful demonstration.

– origin from Hindi dharnā ‘sitting in restraint, placing’.

Dharuk /ˈdʌrʊk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Aboriginal language of the area around Sydney, Australia, now extinct.

Dhaulagiri /ˌdaʊləˈɡɪri/

a mountain massif in the Himalayas, in Nepal, with six peaks, rising to 8,172 m (26,810 ft) at its highest point.

Dhelfoí /ðɛlˈfi/

Greek name for Delphi.

dhikr /ˈðɪk(ə)r / zikr /ˈzɪk(ə)r/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Islam] a form of devotion, associated chiefly with Sufism, in which the worshipper is absorbed in the rhythmic repetition of the name of God or his attributes.

2. [ count noun] — [Islam] a Sufi ceremony in which dhikr is practised.

– origin from Arabic ḏikr ‘remembrance’.

Dhílos /ˈðilɔs/

Greek name for Delos.

dhobi /ˈdəʊbi/

I. noun

(in South Asia) a washerman or washerwoman.

– origin from Hindi dhobī, from dhob ‘washing’.

dhobi itch

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› itching inflammation of the skin, especially in the groin region, suffered particularly in the tropics and typically caused by certain types of ringworm infection or by allergic dermatitis.

Dhofar /dəʊˈfɑː/

the fertile southern province of Oman.

dhol /dəʊl/

I. noun

a large, barrel-shaped or cylindrical wooden drum, typically two-headed, used in South Asia.

– origin from Hindi ḍhol.

dholak /ˈdəʊlək/

I. noun

a medium-sized dhol.

– origin Hindi, from ḍhol (see dhol) + the diminutive suffix -ak.

dhole /dəʊl/

I. noun

an Asian wild dog with a sandy coat and a black bushy tail, living in packs. Also called red dog.
● Cuon alpinus, family Canidae.

– origin early 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

dhoni /ˈdəʊni/

I. noun

a small wooden sailing vessel used in India and SE Asia.

– origin from Telugu doni; compare with Persian dōnī ‘yacht’.

dhoti /ˈdəʊti/

I. noun

a garment worn by male Hindus, consisting of a piece of material tied around the waist and extending to cover most of the legs.

– origin Hindi dhotī.

dhow /daʊ/

I. noun

a lateen-rigged ship with one or two masts, used chiefly in the Arabian region.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Arabic dāwa, probably related to Marathi dāw.

DHSS

abbreviation

(formerly in the UK) Department of Health and Social Security.

DHT

abbreviation

dihydrotestosterone.

DHTML

abbreviation

[Computing] dynamic HTML.

dhurrie /ˈdʌri / durrie

I. noun

a heavy cotton rug of Indian origin.

• we were sitting on dhurries by the pond.

– origin from Hindi darī.

dhyana /dɪˈɑːnə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Hindu and Buddhist practice) profound meditation which is the penultimate stage of yoga.

– origin from Sanskrit dhyāna.

DI

abbreviation

1. (in the UK) Defence Intelligence.

2. (in the UK) Detective Inspector.

3. direct injection.

di-1 /dʌɪ, di/

I. combining form

1. twice; two-; double

• dichromatic.

2. [Chemistry] containing two atoms, molecules, or groups of a specified kind

• dioxide.

– origin from Greek dis ‘twice’.

di-2 /di, dʌɪ/

I. prefix

variant spelling of dis- shortened before l, m, n, r, s (followed by a consonant), and v; also often shortened before g, and sometimes before j.

– origin from Latin.

di-3 /dʌɪ/

prefix

variant spelling of dia- shortened before a vowel (as in dielectric).

dia.

abbreviation

diameter.

dia- di-

I. prefix

1. through; across

• diameter

• diaphanous

• diuretic.

2. apart

• diakinesis.

– origin from Greek dia ‘through’.

diabase /ˈdʌɪəbeɪs/

I. noun

[Geology] another term for dolerite.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally denoting diorite): from French, formed irregularly as if from di- ‘two’ + base ‘base’ (thus ‘rock with two bases’, referring to the base minerals of diorite), but associated later perhaps with Greek diabasis ‘transition’.

diabesity /ˌdʌɪəˈbiːsɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› used to refer to a form of diabetes which typically develops in later life and is associated with being obese.

• regular exercise helps prevent diabesity.

– origin 1980s: blend of diabetes and obesity.

diabetes /dʌɪəˈbiːtiːz / diabetes mellitus /dʌɪəˌbiːtiːz mɪˈlʌɪtəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood.
●There are two main types of diabetes. In Type 1 diabetes, the body lacks the cells which produce insulin in the pancreas. In Type 2 diabetes (which is more common, and often develops later in life) the cells of the body fail to respond to insulin normally and the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. See also diabetes insipidus.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek, literally ‘siphon’, from diabainein ‘go through’; mellitus is from Latin mellitus ‘sweet’.

diabetes insipidus /dʌɪəˌbiːtiːz ɪnˈsɪpɪdəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a disease in which the secretion of or response to the pituitary hormone vasopressin is impaired, resulting in the production of very large quantities of dilute urine, often with dehydration and insatiable thirst.

– origin late 19th cent.: from diabetes + Latin insipidus ‘insipid’.

diabetic /dʌɪəˈbɛtɪk/

I. adjective

1. having diabetes.

2. relating to or designed to relieve diabetes

• a diabetic clinic

• a diabetic diet.

II. noun

a person suffering from diabetes.

diablerie /dɪˈɑːbləri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being reckless or wild in a charismatic way.

2. ‹archaic› sorcery supposedly assisted by the devil.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, from diable, from ecclesiastical Latin diabolus ‘devil’.

diabolic /ˌdʌɪəˈbɒlɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Devil

• the darkness of a diabolic world.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French diabolique or ecclesiastical Latin diabolicus, from diabolus ‘devil’.

diabolical /dʌɪəˈbɒlɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. characteristic of the Devil, or so evil as to recall the Devil

• his diabolical cunning.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› disgracefully bad or unpleasant

• a singer with an absolutely diabolical voice.

II. derivatives

diabolically /dʌɪəˈbɒlɪk(ə)li /

adverb

[as submodifier]

• a diabolically clever scheme

diabolism /dʌɪˈabəlɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. worship of the Devil.

II. derivatives

diabolist

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin diabolus or Greek diabolos ‘devil’ + -ism.

diabolize /dʌɪˈabəlʌɪz / diabolise

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› represent as diabolical.

diabolo /dɪˈabələʊ, dʌɪˈabələʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game in which a two-headed top is thrown up and caught with a string stretched between two sticks.

2. [ count noun] — the wooden top used in the game of diabolo.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Italian, from ecclesiastical Latin diabolus ‘devil’; the game was formerly called devil on two sticks.

diacatholicon /dʌɪəkəˈθɒlɪkɒn/

I. noun

‹rare› a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases; a panacea.

– origin late Middle English: medieval Latin, from Greek dia katholikōn ‘made of general ingredients’.

diacetylmorphine /dʌɪˌasɪtʌɪlˈmɔːfiːn/

noun

technical term for heroin.

diachronic /ˌdʌɪəˈkrɒnɪk/

I. adjective

concerned with the way in which something, especially language, has developed and evolved through time. Often contrasted with synchronic.

• the census is also a diachronic data set.

• linguistic change is the diachronic aspect of linguistic variation.

II. derivatives

1. diachroneity /ˌdʌɪəkrəˈniːɪti, ˌdʌɪəkrəˈneɪɪti /

noun

2. diachronically /dʌɪəˈkrɒnɪk(ə)li /

adverb

3. diachronistic /dʌɪˌakrəˈnɪstɪk /

adjective

4. diachrony /dʌɪˈakrəni /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from dia- ‘through’ + Greek khronos ‘time’ + -ic.

diachronism /dʌɪˈakrənɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] the occurrence of a feature or phenomenon in different geological periods.

II. derivatives

1. diachronous

adjective

2. diachronously

adverb

diaconal /dʌɪˈak(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to a deacon, or to the role of a deacon.

• a diaconal minister of The Presbyterian Church.

– origin early 17th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin diaconalis, from diaconus (see deacon).

diaconate /dʌɪˈakəneɪt, dʌɪˈakənət/

I. noun

1. the office of deacon, or a person's tenure of it.

2. a body of deacons collectively.

– origin early 18th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin diaconatus, from diaconus (see deacon).

diacritic /ˌdʌɪəˈkrɪtɪk/

I. noun

a sign, such as an accent or cedilla, which when written above or below a letter indicates a difference in pronunciation from the same letter when unmarked or differently marked.

II. adjective

(of a mark or sign) indicating a difference in pronunciation.

III. derivatives

1. diacritical /ˌdʌɪəˈkrɪtɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. diacritically

adverb

– origin late 17th cent.: from Greek diakritikos, from diakrinein ‘distinguish’, from dia- ‘through’ + krinein ‘to separate’.

diadelphous /ˌdʌɪəˈdɛlfəs/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of stamens) united by their filaments so as to form two groups.

– origin early 19th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + Greek adelphos ‘brother’ + -ous.

diadem /ˈdʌɪədɛm/

I. noun

1. a jewelled crown or headband worn as a symbol of sovereignty.

2. ( the diadem) — ‹archaic› the authority or dignity symbolized by a crown.

• he refused the diadem of all the Caesars.

II. derivatives

diademed /ˈdʌɪədɛmd /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French diademe, via Latin from Greek diadēma ‘the regal headband of the Persian kings’, from diadein ‘bind round’.

Diadochi /dʌɪˈadəki/

I. the six Macedonian generals of Alexander the Great (Antigonus, Antipater, Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy, and Seleucus), among whom his empire was eventually divided after his death in 323 BC.

– origin from Greek diadokhoi ‘successors’.

diaeresis /dʌɪˈɪərɪsɪs, dʌɪˈɛrɪsɪs / ‹US› dieresis

I. noun

1. a mark (¨) placed over a vowel to indicate that it is sounded separately, as in naïve, Brontë.

2. [ mass noun] — the division of a sound into two syllables, especially by sounding a diphthong as two vowels.

3. [Prosody] a natural rhythmic break in a line of verse where the end of a metrical foot coincides with the end of a phrase.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting the division of one syllable into two): via Latin from Greek diairesis ‘separation’, from diairein ‘take apart’, from dia ‘apart’ + hairein ‘take’.

diagenesis /ˌdʌɪəˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] the physical and chemical changes occurring during the conversion of sediment to sedimentary rock.

II. derivatives

1. diagenetic

adjective

2. diagenetically

adverb

Diaghilev, Sergei /dɪˈaɡɪlɛf/

(1872–1929), Russian ballet impresario; full name Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev. In 1909 he formed the Ballets Russes, which he directed until his death.

diagnose /ˈdʌɪəɡnəʊz, dʌɪəɡˈnəʊz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. identify the nature of (an illness or other problem) by examination of the symptoms

• two doctors failed to diagnose a punctured lung.

2. identify the nature of the medical condition of

• she was finally diagnosed as having epilepsy

• 20,000 men are diagnosed with skin cancer every year.

II. derivatives

diagnosable

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: back-formation from diagnosis.

diagnosis /ˌdʌɪəɡˈnəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the identification of the nature of an illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms

• early diagnosis and treatment are essential

• [ count noun] a diagnosis of Crohn's disease was made.

2. the distinctive characterization in precise terms of a genus, species, or phenomenon.

– origin late 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek, from diagignōskein ‘distinguish, discern’, from dia ‘apart’ + gignōskein ‘recognize, know’.

diagnostic /dʌɪəɡˈnɒstɪk/

I. adjective

1. concerned with the diagnosis of illness or other problems

• a diagnostic tool.

2. (of a symptom) distinctive, and so indicating the nature of an illness

• there are fifteen infections which are diagnostic of AIDS.

3. characteristic of a particular species, genus, or phenomenon

• the diagnostic character of having not one but two pairs of antennae.

II. noun

1. a distinctive symptom or characteristic.

2. [Computing] a program or routine that helps a user to identify errors.

3. ( diagnostics) — the practice or techniques of diagnosis

• advanced medical diagnostics.

III. derivatives

1. diagnostically /ˌdʌɪəɡˈnɒstɪkli /

adverb

2. diagnostician /dʌɪəɡnɒˈstɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek diagnōstikos ‘able to distinguish’, from diagignōskein ‘distinguish’; the noun from hē diagnōstikē tekhnē ‘the art of distinguishing (disease)’.

diagonal /dʌɪˈaɡ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of a straight line) joining two opposite corners of a square, rectangle, or other straight-sided shape.

2. (of a line) straight and at an angle; slanting

• a tie with diagonal stripes.

II. noun

1. a straight line joining two opposite corners of a square, rectangle, or other straight-sided shape.

2. [Mathematics] the set of elements of a matrix that lie on a line joining two opposite corners.

3. a slanting straight line

• the bars of light made diagonals across the entrance

• tiles can be laid on the diagonal.

4. [Chess] a slanting row of squares whose colour is the same.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin diagonalis, from Greek diagōnios ‘from angle to angle’, from dia ‘through’ + gōnia ‘angle’.

diagonally /dʌɪˈaɡ(ə)nəli, dʌɪˈaɡən(ə)li/

adverb

in a diagonal direction

• now walk diagonally across the field towards a farmhouse.

diagonal matrix

noun

[Mathematics] a matrix having non-zero elements only in the diagonal running from the upper left to the lower right.

diagram /ˈdʌɪəɡram/

I. noun

1. a simplified drawing showing the appearance, structure, or workings of something; a schematic representation

• a diagram of the living room.

2. [Geometry] a figure composed of lines that is used to illustrate a definition or statement or to aid in the proof of a proposition.

3. (Brit.) a graphical schedule for operating railway locomotives and rolling stock in order to provide a desired service.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. represent (something) in graphic form

• the experiment is diagrammed on page fourteen.

2. (Brit.) schedule the operations of (a locomotive or train) according to a diagram.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin diagramma, from Greek, from diagraphein ‘mark out by lines’, from dia ‘through’ + graphein ‘write’.

diagrammatic /ˌdʌɪəɡrəˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

of or in the form of a diagram

• a diagrammatic representation of the system.

II. derivatives

diagrammatically /ˌdʌɪəɡrəˈmatɪk(ə)li /

adverb

diagrid /ˈdʌɪəɡrɪd/

I. noun

(Brit.) a supporting framework in a building formed with diagonally intersecting ribs of metal or concrete.

– origin 1940s: from diagonal + grid.

diakinesis /ˌdʌɪəkʌɪˈniːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the fifth and last stage of the prophase of meiosis, following diplotene, when the separation of homologous chromosomes is complete and crossing over has occurred.

– origin early 20th cent.: from dia- ‘through, across’ + Greek kinēsis ‘motion’.

dial /dʌɪəl/

I. noun

1. a face of a clock or watch that is marked to show units of time.

2. a flat plate with a scale and pointer for showing measurements of weight, volume, or pressure.

3. a disc with numbered finger holes on a telephone, rotated a particular distance for each digit of the number being called.

4. a plate or disc turned to select a setting on a radio, cooker, or other piece of equipment.

5. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person's face.

• he must be one of the new batch—I haven't seen his dial before.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. call (a telephone number) by turning a dial or using a keypad

• she dialled 999

• it took only a moment for Alistair to dial in the numbers on the telephone

• [no obj.] company employees dial out from their office.

III. phrasal verbs

1. dial something down

a. adjust the control on an electrical device so as to reduce the level of sound, light, heat, etc. produced

• after 15 minutes of frustration, someone on the stand took the hint and dialled down the music.

b. ‹informal› lessen the amount, intensity, or degree of a quality, factor, etc.

• he's dialled down the rage that seems to permeate his other novels

• having read this review I think I will dial down my expectations a little.

2. dial in (or into)

access a computer system or service remotely via a telephone line

• there's no need to dial in to see if you have mail

• remote workers or travelling employees can dial into the data network.

3. dial something in (or into)

a. indicate or regulate by means of a dial

• you're expected to dial in volume and tone settings.

b. include or add

• the car has a lot of understeer dialled into the suspension.

4. be (or get) dialled in

‹informal› be or become so focused that one is able to perform to the best of one's abilities

• I didn't really get dialled in until the final qualifying session.

5. dial up (or dial something up)

access a computer system or service remotely via a telephone line

• dialling up each time we want to use the Internet will become a thing of the past

• people do not have to pay for phone line calls every time they dial up to the internet

• plans to enable customers to dial up videos from their living room.

6. dial something up

a. adjust the control on an electrical device so as to increase the level of sound, light, heat, etc. produced

• even with everything dialled up to full, the audio output level was only moderate at best.

b. ‹informal› increase the amount, intensity, or degree of a quality, factor, etc.

• the Raiders really dialled up the pressure in the second half.

– origin Middle English (denoting a mariner's compass): from medieval Latin diale ‘clock dial’, based on Latin dies ‘day’.

dial-a-

combining form

denoting a service available for booking by telephone

• dial-a-ride.

dialect /ˈdʌɪəlɛkt/

I. noun

1. a particular form of a language which is peculiar to a specific region or social group

• the Lancashire dialect seemed like a foreign language.

2. [Computing] a particular version of a programming language.

II. derivatives

1. dialectal /dʌɪəˈlɛkt(ə)l /

adjective

2. dialectally

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting the art of investigating the truth of opinions): from French dialecte, or via Latin from Greek dialektos ‘discourse, way of speaking’, from dialegesthai ‘converse with’ (see dialogue).

dialectic /ˌdʌɪəˈlɛktɪk / ‹Philosophy›

I. noun — [ mass noun] [usu. treated as sing.]

1. the art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions.

2. enquiry into metaphysical contradictions and their solutions.

3. the existence or action of opposing social forces, concepts, etc.

The ancient Greeks used the term dialectic to refer to various methods of reasoning and discussion in order to discover the truth. More recently, Kant applied the term to the criticism of the contradictions which arise from supposing knowledge of objects beyond the limits of experience, e.g. the soul. Hegel applied the term to the process of thought by which apparent contradictions (which he termed thesis and antithesis) are seen to be part of a higher truth (synthesis).

II. adjective

relating to dialectic or dialectics; dialectical.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French dialectique or Latin dialectica, from Greek dialektikē (tekhnē) ‘(art) of debate’, from dialegesthai ‘converse with’ (see dialogue).

dialectical /dʌɪəˈlɛktɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to the logical discussion of ideas and opinions

• dialectical ingenuity.

2. concerned with or acting through opposing forces

• a dialectical opposition between social convention and individual libertarianism.

II. derivatives

dialectically /ˌdʌɪəˈlɛktɪk(ə)li /

adverb

dialectical materialism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Marxist theory (adopted as the official philosophy of the Soviet communists) that political and historical events result from the conflict of social forces and are interpretable as a series of contradictions and their solutions. The conflict is seen as caused by material needs.

II. derivatives

dialectical materialist

noun, adjective

dialectician /ˌdʌɪəlɛkˈtɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a person skilled in philosophical debate.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French dialecticien, from Latin dialecticus, based on Greek dialegesthai ‘converse with’.

dialectology /ˌdʌɪəlɛkˈtɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of linguistics concerned with the study of dialects.

II. derivatives

1. dialectological /ˌdʌɪəlɛktəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. dialectologist /ˌdʌɪəlɛkˈtɒlədʒɪst /

noun

dial-in

adjective

another term for dial-up.

dialler /ˈdʌɪələ / ‹US› dialer

noun

a device or piece of software for calling telephone numbers automatically.

• a handheld computer phone dialler.

dialling code /ˈdʌɪəlɪŋ ˌkəʊd/

noun

(Brit.) a sequence of numbers dialled to connect a telephone to an exchange in another area or country.

• the dialling code for Aldershot is 0252.

dialling tone ‹N. Amer.› dial tone

noun

a sound produced by a telephone that indicates that a caller may start to dial.

dialog box ‹Brit.› dialogue box

noun

[Computing] a small area on screen in which the user is prompted to provide information or select commands.

dialogic /ˌdʌɪəˈlɒdʒɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or in the form of dialogue.

II. derivatives

dialogical

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: via late Latin from Greek dialogikos, from dialogos (see dialogue).

dialogism /dʌɪˈalədʒɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use in a text of different tones or viewpoints, whose interaction or contradiction are important to the text's interpretation.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin dialogismos, from Greek dialogizesthai ‘to converse’, from dialogos ‘discourse’ (see dialogue).

dialogue /ˈdʌɪəlɒɡ / ‹US› dialog

I. noun

1. a conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or film

• the book consisted of a series of dialogues

• [ mass noun] passages of dialogue.

2. a discussion between two or more people or groups, especially one directed towards exploration of a particular subject or resolution of a problem

• the USA would enter into a direct dialogue with Vietnam

• [ mass noun] interfaith dialogue.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) take part in a conversation or discussion to resolve a problem

• he stated that he wasn't going to dialogue with the guerrillas.

2. [with obj.] — (chiefly N. Amer.) provide (a film or play) with a dialogue.

III. phrases

dialogue of the deaf

a discussion in which each party is unresponsive to what the others say.

IV. derivatives

dialogist /ˌdʌɪˈalədʒɪst /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French dialoge, via Latin from Greek dialogos, from dialegesthai ‘converse with’, from dia ‘through’ + legein ‘speak’.

dial tone

noun

North American term for dialling tone.

dial-up

adjective

(of a computer system or service) used remotely via a telephone line.

dialysate /dʌɪˈalɪzeɪt / ‹US› dialyzate

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the part of a mixture which passes through the membrane in dialysis.

2. the solution the dialysate forms with the fluid on the other side of the membrane.

3. the fluid used on the other side of the membrane during dialysis to remove impurities.

– origin late 19th cent.: from dialysis + -ate^1; the term originally denoted the part of the mixture which does not pass through the membrane.

dialyse /ˈdʌɪəlʌɪz / ‹US› dialyze

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. purify (a mixture) by means of dialysis.

2. treat (a patient) by means of dialysis.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from dialysis, on the pattern of analyse.

dialysis /dʌɪˈalɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the separation of particles in a liquid on the basis of differences in their ability to pass through a membrane.

2. [Medicine] the clinical purification of blood by dialysis, as a substitute for the normal function of the kidney.

II. derivatives

dialytic /dʌɪəˈlɪtɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: via Latin from Greek dialusis, from dialuein ‘split, separate’, from dia ‘apart’ + luein ‘set free’.

diamagnetic /ˌdʌɪəmaɡˈnɛtɪk/

I. adjective

[Physics] (of a substance or body) tending to become magnetized in a direction at 180° to the applied magnetic field.

II. derivatives

1. diamagnet

noun

2. diamagnetically

adverb

3. diamagnetism /ˌdʌɪəˈmaɡnɪtɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin 1846: coined by Faraday, from Greek dia ‘through, across’ + magnetic.

diamanté /dɪəˈmɒnteɪ/

I. adjective

decorated with glass cut to resemble diamonds

• a diamanté brooch.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. costume jewellery or fabric made or decorated with glass that is cut to resemble diamonds.

– origin early 20th cent.: French, literally ‘set with diamonds’, past participle of diamanter, from diamant ‘diamond’.

diamantiferous /ˌdʌɪəmənˈtɪf(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

(of a rock formation, region, etc.) producing or yielding diamonds.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French diamantifère, from diamant ‘diamond’ + -fère ‘producing’.

diamantine /ˌdʌɪəˈmantɪn, ˌdʌɪəˈmantiːn/

I. adjective

made from or reminiscent of diamonds.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘hard as diamond’): from French diamantin, from diamant ‘diamond’.

diameter /dʌɪˈamɪtə/

I. noun

1. a straight line passing from side to side through the centre of a body or figure, especially a circle or sphere.

2. a transverse measurement of something; width or thickness.

3. a unit of linear measurement of magnifying power.

II. derivatives

diametral /dʌɪˈamɪtrəl /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French diametre, via Latin from Greek diametros (grammē) ‘(line) measuring across’, from dia ‘across’ + metron ‘measure’.

diametrical /ˌdʌɪəˈmɛtrɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of opposites) complete; absolute

• he's the diametrical opposite of Gabriel.

2. of or along a diameter.

II. derivatives

diametric /ˌdʌɪəˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Greek diametrikos (from diametros ‘measuring across’: see diameter) + -al.

diametrically /ˌdʌɪəˈmɛtrɪkli/

adverb

(with reference to opposition) completely; directly
[as submodifier]

• two diametrically opposed viewpoints.

diamine /dʌɪˈeɪmiːn, dʌɪˈamiːn, ˈdʌɪəmiːn/

noun

[Chemistry] a compound whose molecule contains two amino groups, especially when not part of amide groups.

diamond /ˈdʌɪ(ə)mənd/

I. noun

1.
a. a precious stone consisting of a clear and colourless crystalline form of pure carbon, the hardest naturally occurring substance
[as modifier]

• a diamond ring.

b. a tool with a small diamond for cutting glass.

c. ( a diamond) — (Brit.) ‹informal› an excellent or very special person or thing

• Fred's a diamond.

Diamonds occur in some igneous rock formations (kimberlite) and alluvial deposits. They are typically octahedral in shape but can be cut in many ways to enhance the internal reflection and refraction of light, producing jewels of sparkling brilliance. Diamonds are also used in cutting tools and abrasives.

2. [often as modifier] — a figure with four straight sides of equal length forming two opposite acute angles and two opposite obtuse angles; a rhombus

• a sweater with a pale-blue diamond pattern.

3. ( diamonds) — one of the four suits in a conventional pack of playing cards, denoted by a red diamond.

4. a card of the suit of diamonds.

• she led a losing diamond.

5. the area delimited by the four bases of a baseball field, forming a square shape.

6. a baseball field.

7. [usu. as modifier] — a railway crossing in which two tracks cross over each other at an acute angle.

• diamond crossings.

II. phrases

1. diamond cut diamond

used to describe a situation in which a sharp-witted person meets their match.

2. diamond in the rough

North American term for rough diamond.

III. derivatives

diamondiferous /dʌɪəmənˈdɪf(ə)rəs /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French diamant, from medieval Latin diamas, diamant-, variant of Latin adamans (see adamant).

diamond anniversary

noun

the sixtieth anniversary of a significant event, especially a couple's wedding

• Ernest and Marie will soon celebrate their diamond anniversary

• the diamond anniversary of VE day.

diamondback /ˈdʌɪəməndbak/

noun

1. (also diamondback rattlesnake) — (N. Amer.) a common large North American rattlesnake with diamond-shaped markings. Also called diamond rattlesnake.
●Genus Crotalus, family Viperidae: two species.

2. (N. Amer.) another term for terrapin (sense 2).

diamondback moth

noun

a small greyish moth which displays a pattern of diamonds along its back when the wings are folded. The caterpillar can be a pest of brassicas and other cultivated vegetables.
● Plutella xylostella, family Yponomeutidae.

diamond-bird

noun

(Austral.) a pardalote, which typically has rows of small white spots on the dark parts of its plumage.

diamond-cut

adjective

1. cut with facets like a diamond.

2. cut into the shape of a diamond.

Diamond Head

an extinct volcano overlooking the port of Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

diamond jubilee

noun

the sixtieth anniversary of a notable event, especially a sovereign's accession or the foundation of an organization.

diamond python

noun

a carpet python of a race occurring in the coastal areas of New South Wales.
● Morelia spilota spilota, family Pythonidae.

diamond rattlesnake

noun

another term for diamondback (sense 1).

Diamond State

informal name for the state of Delaware^1.

diamond wedding diamond wedding anniversary

noun

the sixtieth anniversary of a couple's wedding

• they recently celebrated their diamond wedding

• Roy and Annie will celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary on Monday.

diamond willow

noun

(N. Amer.) a willow tree with diamond-shaped depressions on the trunk as a result of fungal attack, resulting in timber with a diamond-shaped pattern of pale sapwood and darker heartwood.
●Several species in the genus Salix are affected, in particular S. bebbiana.

diamorphine /dʌɪˈmɔːfiːn/

noun

short for diacetylmorphine (heroin).

diana /dʌɪˈanə/

I. noun

a North American fritillary (butterfly), the male of which is orange and black and the female blue and black.
● Speyeria diana, subfamily Argynninae, family Nymphalidae.

– origin modern Latin; associated with the goddess of the moon, because of the silvery crescents on the wings.

Diana /dʌɪˈanə / ‹Roman Mythology›

an early Italian goddess associated with hunting, virginity, and, in later literature, with the moon.
Greek equivalent Artemis.

Diana, Princess of Wales

(1961–97), former wife of Prince Charles; title before marriage Lady Diana Frances Spencer. The daughter of the 8th Earl Spencer, she married Prince Charles in 1981; the couple were divorced in 1996. She became a popular figure through her charity work and glamorous media appearances, and her death in a car crash in Paris gave rise to intense national mourning.

Diana monkey

I. noun

a West African monkey that has a black face with a white crescent on the forehead.
● Cercopithecus diana, family Cercopithecidae.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after the Roman moon goddess Diana.

Dianetics /ˌdʌɪəˈnɛtɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a system developed by the founder of the Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, which aims to relieve psychosomatic disorder by cleansing the mind of harmful mental images.

– origin 1950s: from Greek dianoētikos ‘relating to thought’ + -ics.

dianthus /dʌɪˈanθəs/

I. noun

a flowering plant of a genus that includes the pinks and carnations.
●Genus Dianthus, family Caryophyllaceae.

– origin from Greek Dios ‘of Zeus’ + anthos ‘a flower’.

diapason /ˌdʌɪəˈpeɪs(ə)n, ˌdʌɪəˈpeɪz(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (also open diapason or stopped diapason) — an organ stop sounding a main register of flue pipes, typically of eight-foot pitch.

2. a grand swelling burst of harmony.

3. ‹literary› the entire compass, range, or scope of something.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the interval of an octave): via Latin from Greek dia pasōn (khordōn) ‘through all (notes)’.

diapause /ˈdʌɪəpɔːz / ‹Zoology›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a period of suspended development in an insect, other invertebrate, or mammal embryo, especially during unfavourable environmental conditions.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as adj. diapausing)

1. (of an insect or other animal) undergo a period of suspended development.

– origin late 19th cent.: from dia- ‘through’ + the noun pause.

diapedesis /ˌdʌɪəpəˈdiːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the passage of blood cells through the intact walls of the capillaries, typically accompanying inflammation.

– origin early 17th cent.: modern Latin, based on Greek dia ‘through’ + pēdan ‘throb or leap’.

diaper /ˈdʌɪəpə/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a baby's nappy.

2. [ mass noun] — a linen or cotton fabric woven in a repeating pattern of small diamonds.

3. a repeating geometrical or floral pattern used to decorate a surface.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) put a nappy on (a baby).

2. decorate (a surface) with a repeating geometrical or floral pattern.

– origin Middle English: from Old French diapre, from medieval Latin diasprum, from medieval Greek diaspros (adjective), from dia ‘across’ + aspros ‘white’. The term seems originally to have denoted a costly fabric, but after the 15th cent. it was used as in sense 2 of the noun; babies' nappies were originally made from pieces of this fabric, hence sense 1 of the noun (late 16th cent.).

diaper rash

noun

North American term for nappy rash.

diaphanous /dʌɪˈaf(ə)nəs/

I. adjective

(especially of fabric) light, delicate, and translucent

• a diaphanous dress of pale gold.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin diaphanus, from Greek diaphanēs, from dia ‘through’ + phainein ‘to show’.

diaphone /ˈdʌɪəfəʊn/

I. noun

a low-pitched fog signal operated by compressed air, characterized by the ‘grunt’ which ends each note.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek dia ‘through’ + phōnē ‘sound’.

diaphorase /dʌɪˈafəreɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an enzyme of the flavoprotein type, able to oxidize a reduced form of the coenzyme NAD.

– origin 1930s: from Greek diaphoros ‘different’ + -ase.

diaphoresis /ˌdʌɪəfəˈriːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› sweating, especially to an unusual degree as a symptom of disease or a side effect of a drug.

– origin late 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek, from diaphorein ‘carry off, sweat out’, from dia ‘through’ + phorein ‘carry’.

diaphoretic /ˌdʌɪəfəˈrɛtɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Medicine] (chiefly of a drug) inducing perspiration.

2. [Medicine] (of a person) sweating heavily.

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek diaphorētikos, from diaphorein ‘sweat out’.

diaphragm /ˈdʌɪəfram/

I. noun

1. a dome-shaped muscular partition separating the thorax from the abdomen in mammals. It plays a major role in breathing, as its contraction increases the volume of the thorax and so inflates the lungs.

2. a thin sheet of material forming a partition.

3. a taut flexible membrane in mechanical or acoustic systems.

4. a thin contraceptive cap fitting over the cervix.

5. a device for varying the effective aperture of the lens in a camera or other optical system.

II. derivatives

diaphragmatic /ˌdʌɪəfraɡˈmatɪk /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin diaphragma, from Greek, from dia ‘through, apart’ + phragma ‘a fence’.

diaphragm pump

noun

a pump using a flexible diaphragm in place of a piston.

diaphysis /dʌɪˈafɪsɪs/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the shaft or central part of a long bone.
Compare with epiphysis.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek diaphusis ‘growing through’, from dia ‘through’ + phusis ‘growth’.

diapir /ˈdʌɪəpɪə/

I. noun

[Geology] a domed rock formation in which a core of rock has moved upward to pierce the overlying strata.

II. derivatives

1. diapiric

adjective

2. diapirism

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek diapeirainein ‘pierce through’, from dia ‘through’ + peirainein (from peran ‘pierce’).

diapositive /ˌdʌɪəˈpɒzɪtɪv/

noun

a positive photographic slide or transparency.

diapsid /dʌɪˈapsɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a reptile of a large group characterized by the presence of two temporal openings in the skull, including the lizards, snakes, crocodiles, dinosaurs, and pterosaurs.
●Sometimes placed in a subclass Diapsida.

– origin early 20th cent.: from modern Latin Diapsida, from di-1 ‘two’ + Greek apsis, apsid- ‘arch’.

diarchy /ˈdʌɪɑːki / dyarchy

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. government by two independent authorities (especially in India 1919–35).

II. derivatives

1. diarchal

adjective

2. diarchic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + Greek arkhia ‘rule’, on the pattern of monarchy.

diarist /ˈdʌɪərɪst/

I. noun

a person who writes a diary.

II. derivatives

diaristic

adjective

diarize /ˈdʌɪərʌɪz / diarise

verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) note (an appointment) in a diary.

2. [no obj.] — ‹archaic› keep a record of events in a diary.

• I have not had time to diarize.

diarrhoea /ˌdʌɪəˈrɪə / ‹US› diarrhea

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a condition in which faeces are discharged from the bowels frequently and in a liquid form.

• a range of symptoms including diarrhoea and vomiting.

II. derivatives

1. diarrhoeal /ˌdʌɪəˈrɪəl /

adjective

2. diarrhoeic

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek diarrhoia, from diarrhein ‘flow through’, from dia ‘through’ + rhein ‘to flow’.

diary /ˈdʌɪəri/

I. noun

1. a book in which one keeps a daily record of events and experiences.

2. (Brit.) a book with spaces for each day of the year in which one notes appointments or information.

3. a column in a newspaper or magazine giving news or gossip on a particular topic

• the City Diary.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin diarium, from dies ‘day’.

Dias, Bartolomeu /ˈdiːas / Diaz

( c. 1450–1500), Portuguese navigator and explorer. He was the first European to round the Cape of Good Hope (1488), thereby establishing a sea route from the Atlantic to Asia.

diaspora /dʌɪˈasp(ə)rə/

I. noun — ( the diaspora)

1. the dispersion of the Jews beyond Israel.

2. Jews living outside Israel.

3. the dispersion or spread of any people from their original homeland.

• the diaspora of boat people from Asia.

4. people who have spread or been dispersed from their homeland.

• the Ukrainian diaspora flocked back to Kiev.

The main diaspora began in the 8th–6th centuries BC, and even before the sack of Jerusalem in AD 70 the number of Jews dispersed by the diaspora was greater than that living in Israel. Thereafter, Jews were dispersed even more widely throughout the Roman world and beyond.

II. derivatives

diasporic

adjective

– origin Greek, from diaspeirein ‘disperse’, from dia ‘across’ + speirein ‘scatter’. The term originated in the Septuagint (Deuteronomy 28:25) in the phrase esē diaspora en pasais basileias tēs gēs ‘thou shalt be a dispersion in all kingdoms of the earth’.

diaspore /ˈdʌɪəspɔː/

noun

[Botany] a spore, seed, or other structure that functions in plant dispersal; a propagule.

diastase /ˈdʌɪəsteɪz/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] another term for amylase.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek diastasis ‘separation’, from dia ‘apart’ + stasis ‘placing’.

diastema /ˌdʌɪəˈstiːmə, dʌɪˈastɪmə/

I. noun

1. [Zoology] a space separating teeth of different functions, especially that between the biting teeth (incisors and canines) and grinding teeth (premolars and molars) in rodents and ungulates.

2. [Zoology] a gap between a person's two upper front teeth.

– origin mid 19th cent.: via late Latin from Greek diastēma ‘space between’.

diastereoisomer /ˌdʌɪəstɛrɪəʊˈʌɪsəmə/

I. noun

[Chemistry] each of a pair of stereoisomeric compounds that are not mirror images of one another.

II. derivatives

diastereoisomeric

adjective

diastole /dʌɪˈastəli/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle relaxes and allows the chambers to fill with blood.
Often contrasted with systole.

II. derivatives

diastolic /dʌɪəˈstɒlɪk /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek, ‘separation, expansion’, from diastellein, from dia ‘apart’ + stellein ‘to place’.

diathermy /ˈdʌɪəˌθəːmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a medical and surgical technique involving the production of heat in a part of the body by high-frequency electric currents, to stimulate the circulation, relieve pain, destroy unhealthy tissue, or cause bleeding vessels to clot.

– origin early 20th cent.: from dia- ‘through’ + Greek thermon ‘heat’.

diathesis /dʌɪˈaθəsɪs/

I. noun

1. [usu. with modifier] — [Medicine] a tendency to suffer from a particular medical condition

• a bleeding diathesis.

2. [Linguistics] the set of syntactic patterns with which a verb or other word is most typically associated.

– origin mid 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek, ‘disposition’, from diatithenai ‘arrange’. Sense 2 dates from the mid 20th cent.

diatom /ˈdʌɪətəm/

I. noun

[Biology] a single-celled alga which has a cell wall of silica. Many kinds are planktonic, and extensive fossil deposits have been found.
●Class Bacillariophyceae, division Chromophycota or Heterokontophyta (or phylum Bacillariophyta, kingdom Protista).

II. derivatives

diatomaceous /dʌɪətəˈmeɪʃəs /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Diatoma (genus name), from Greek diatomos ‘cut in two’, from diatemnein ‘to cut through’.

diatomaceous earth /ˌdʌɪətəˈmeɪʃəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft, crumbly, porous sedimentary deposit formed from the fossil remains of diatoms.

diatomic /ˌdʌɪəˈtɒmɪk/

adjective

[Chemistry] consisting of two atoms.

• only diatomic molecules are easy to study in this way, as larger molecules invariably fragment.

diatomite /dʌɪˈatəmʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a fine-grained sedimentary rock formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth.

– origin late 19th cent.: from diatom + -ite^1.

diatonic /ˌdʌɪəˈtɒnɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Music] (of a scale, interval, etc.) involving only notes proper to the prevailing key without chromatic alteration.

2. [Music] (of a melody or harmony) constructed from a diatonic scale.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a tetrachord divided into two tones and a lower semitone, or ancient Greek music based on this): from French diatonique, or via late Latin from Greek diatonikos ‘at intervals of a tone’, from dia ‘through’ + tonos ‘tone’.

diatreme /ˈdʌɪətriːm/

I. noun

[Geology] a long vertical pipe or plug formed when gas-filled magma forced its way up through overlying strata.

– origin early 20th cent.: from dia- ‘through’ + Greek trēma ‘perforation’.

diatribe /ˈdʌɪətrʌɪb/

I. noun

a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something

• a diatribe against consumerism.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a disquisition): from French, via Latin from Greek diatribē ‘spending of time, discourse’, from dia ‘through’ + tribein ‘rub’.

Díaz, Porfirio /ˈdiːaz, Spanish ˈdias, ˈdiaθ/

(1830–1915), Mexican general and statesman, President 1877–80 and 1884–1911.

diazepam /dʌɪˈazɪpam, dʌɪˈeɪzəpam/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tranquillizing muscle-relaxant drug used chiefly to relieve anxiety. Also called Valium .
●A member of the benzodiazepine group; chem. formula: C_16H_13N_2OCl.

– origin 1960s: blend of benzodiazepine and amide.

diazinon /dʌɪˈazɪnɒn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an organophosphorus insecticide derived from pyrimidine.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from diazine (see di-1, azine) + -on (suffix of unknown origin).

diazo /dʌɪˈazəʊ, dʌɪˈeɪzəʊ / diazotype

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a copying or colouring process using a diazo compound decomposed by ultraviolet light
[as modifier]

• diazo printers.

diazo compound

I. noun

[Chemistry] an organic compound containing two nitrogen atoms bonded together, especially a diazonium compound.

– origin late 19th cent.: diazo from diazonium.

diazomethane /dʌɪˌazəʊˈmiːθeɪn, dʌɪˌeɪzəʊˈmiːθeɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a poisonous, reactive yellow gas used as a methylating agent in chemical synthesis.
●Chem. formula: CH_2N_2.

– origin late 19th cent.: from diazo- (indicating the presence of two nitrogen atoms) + methane.

diazonium /ˌdʌɪəˈzəʊnɪəm/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] an organic cation containing the group —N_2+ bonded to an organic group. Aromatic diazonium compounds are typically intensely coloured and include many synthetic dyes.

• a diazonium salt.

• diazonium chloride.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from diazo- (indicating the presence of two nitrogen atoms) + the suffix -onium (from ammonium).

dib /dɪb/

I. verb

another term for dap.

– origin late 17th cent.: related to dab^1.

dibasic /dʌɪˈbeɪsɪk/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] (of an acid) having two replaceable hydrogen atoms.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + basic.

dibber /ˈdɪbə/

noun

British term for dibble.

dibble /ˈdɪb(ə)l/

I. noun

a pointed hand tool for making holes in the ground for seeds or young plants.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a hole) in soil with a dibble.

2. sow (a seed or plant) with a dibble.

– origin late Middle English: apparently related to dib (also used in this sense in dialect).

dibbler

I. noun

a marsupial mouse found in SW Australia. It is very rare and possibly extinct.
● Parantechinus apicalis, family Dasyuridae.

– origin early 19th cent.: from dibble.

diborane /dʌɪˈbɔːreɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a poisonous, reactive gas made by the action of acids on some borides. It is the simplest of the boranes and is an example of electron-deficient bonding.
●Chem. formula: B_2H_6.

dibs /dɪbz/

I. plural noun

1. (usu. in phrase have first dibs) — ‹informal› the right to share or choose something.

2. ‹informal› ‹dated› money.

– origin mid 18th cent. (denoting pebbles used in a children's game): from earlier dib-stones, perhaps from dib.

dice /dʌɪs/

I. noun

1. a small cube with each side having a different number of spots on it, ranging from one to six, thrown and used in gambling and other games involving chance.
See also die^2.

2. [ mass noun] — a game played with dice.

3. small cubes of food

• cut the meat into dice.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] (often as noun dicing) — play or gamble with dice.

2. ( dice with) — take risks with; run the risk of

• his side continue to dice with disaster.

• you are dicing with an unknown problem.

3. [with obj.] — cut (food or other matter) into small cubes

• dice the peppers

• (as adj. diced) diced onions.

4. [with obj.] — (Austral.) ‹informal› ‹dated› reject or abandon

• he'd better behave, or I'll dice him.

[1940s: extended use of dice ‘gamble away’.]

III. phrases

1. dice with death

take serious risks.

2. no dice

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) used to refuse a request or indicate that there is no chance of success.

3. roll (or throw) of the dice

a risky attempt to do or achieve something

• the merger was their last roll of the dice, and it failed miserably.

IV. derivatives

dicer /ˈdʌɪsə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French des, plural of de (see die^2). / usage: Historically, dice is the plural of die, but in modern standard English dice is both the singular and the plural: throw the dice could mean a reference to either one or more than one dice.

dicentra /dʌɪˈsɛntrə/

I. noun

a plant of the genus Dicentra (family Fumariaceae), especially (in gardening) a bleeding heart.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek dikentros, from di- ‘two’ + kentron ‘spur, sharp point’.

dicentric /dʌɪˈsɛntrɪk / ‹Genetics›

I. adjective

(of a chromosome) having two centromeres.

II. noun

a dicentric chromosome.

dicey /ˈdʌɪsi/

adjective

‹informal› unpredictable and potentially dangerous

• democracy is a dicey business.

dichasium /dʌɪˈkeɪzɪəm/

I. noun

[Botany] a cyme in which each flowering branch gives rise to two or more branches symmetrically placed.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from di-1 ‘two’ + Greek khasis ‘separation’.

dichlorvos /dʌɪˈklɔːvɒs/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a pale yellow liquid used as an insecticide and veterinary anthelmintic.
●An organophosphorus compound; alternative name: 2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate; chem. formula: (CH_3O)2PO_2CHCCl_2.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from elements of the systematic name (see above).

dichogamy /dʌɪˈkɒɡəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] the ripening of the stamens and pistils of a flower at different times, so that self-fertilization is prevented.
Compare with homogamy (sense 3).

II. derivatives

dichogamous

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek dikho- ‘apart, in two’ + gamos ‘marriage’.

dichotic /dʌɪˈkɒtɪk/

I. adjective

[Physiology] involving or relating to the simultaneous stimulation of the right and left ear by different sounds.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from Greek dikho- ‘apart’ + ous, ōt- ‘ear’ + -ic.

dichotomize /dʌɪˈkɒtəmʌɪz, dɪˈkɒtəmʌɪz / dichotomise

verb — [with obj.]

1. regard or represent as divided or opposed

• gender is dichotomized to give two and only two categories.

dichotomous /dʌɪˈkɒtəməs, dɪˈkɒtəməs/

I. adjective

1. exhibiting or characterized by dichotomy

• a dichotomous view of the world.

2. [Botany] (of branching) in which the axis is divided into two branches.

II. derivatives

dichotomously

adverb

– origin late 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek dikhotomos (from dikho- ‘in two’ + temnein ‘to cut’) + -ous.

dichotomy /dʌɪˈkɒtəmi, dɪˈkɒtəmi/

I. noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different

• a rigid dichotomy between science and mysticism.

2. [ mass noun] — [Botany] repeated branching into two equal parts.

– origin late 16th cent.: via modern Latin from Greek dikhotomia, from dikho- ‘in two, apart’ + -tomia (see -tomy).

dichroic /dʌɪˈkrəʊɪk/

I. adjective

(of a crystal) showing different colours when viewed from different directions, or (more generally) having different absorption coefficients for light polarized in different directions.

II. derivatives

dichroism /ˈdʌɪkrəʊˌɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek dikhroos (from di- ‘twice’ + khrōs ‘colour’) + -ic.

dichromate /dʌɪˈkrəʊmeɪt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a salt, typically red or orange, containing the anion Cr_2O_72−.

• potassium dichromate.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + chromate.

dichromatism /dʌɪˈkrəʊmətɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (typically in an animal species) the occurrence of two different kinds of colouring.

2. colour blindness in which only two of the three primary colours can be discerned.

II. derivatives

dichromatic /dʌɪkrə(ʊ)ˈmatɪk /

adjective

dick^1 /dɪk/

I. noun

1. ‹vulgar slang› a man's penis.

2. ‹vulgar slang› (Brit.) a stupid or contemptible man.

3. [ mass noun] [with negative] — ‹vulgar slang› (N. Amer.) anything at all.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — (chiefly N. Amer.) ‹informal› waste time; mess around.

2. [with obj.] — (chiefly N. Amer.) (of a man) have sexual intercourse with.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the general sense ‘fellow’): pet form of the given name Richard. Sense 1 of the noun dates from the late 18th cent.

dick^2 /dɪk/

I. noun

‹informal› ‹dated› (chiefly N. Amer.) a detective.

– origin early 20th cent.: perhaps an arbitrary shortening of detective, or from obsolete slang dick ‘look’, from Romany.

dickcissel /dɪkˈsɪs(ə)l, ˈdɪksɪs(ə)l/

I. noun

a sparrow-like North American songbird related to the cardinals, with a black-and-white throat and bright yellow breast.
● Spiza americana, family Emberizidae (subfamily Cardinalinae).

– origin late 19th cent.: imitative of its call.

dicken /ˈdɪk(ə)n/

I. exclamation

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› an expression of disgust or disbelief

• "Oh, dicken to that," the miners say.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation of dickens.

dickens /ˈdɪkɪnz/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹informal› ‹dated› used for emphasis, or to express annoyance or surprise when asking questions

• what the dickens is going on?

• they work like the dickens.

– origin late 16th cent.: a euphemism for ‘devil’, probably a use of the surname Dickens.

Dickens, Charles /ˈdɪkɪnz/

I. (1812–70), English novelist; full name Charles John Huffam Dickens.

His novels are notable for their satirical humour and treatment of contemporary social problems, including the plight of the urban poor and the corruption and inefficiency of the legal system. Memorable characters such as Scrooge and Mr Micawber contributed to his work's popular appeal. Some of his most famous novels are Oliver Twist (1837–8), Nicholas Nickleby (1838–9), A Christmas Carol (1843), David Copperfield (1850), Bleak House (1852–3), and Great Expectations (1860–1).

Dickensian /dɪˈkɛnzɪən/

adjective

of or reminiscent of the novels of Charles Dickens, especially in suggesting the poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters that they portray

• the backstreets of Dickensian London.

dicker /ˈdɪkə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) engage in petty argument or bargaining

• Sam advised him not to dicker over the extra fee.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) toy or fiddle with

• the company was still dickering with its pricing schedule.

II. derivatives

dickerer

noun

– origin early 19th cent. (originally US): perhaps from obsolete dicker ‘set of ten (hides’), used as a unit of trade, based on Latin decem ‘ten’.

dickhead /ˈdɪkhɛd/

I. noun

‹vulgar slang› a stupid, irritating, or ridiculous man.

– origin 1960s: from dick^1 + head.

Dickin Medal /ˌdɪkɪn ˈmɛd(ə)l/

I. noun

‹trademark› (in the UK) a medal awarded to an animal in recognition of an act of great bravery, typically one performed during a time of military conflict by an animal attached to the armed forces

• the six-year-old English springer spaniel received the Dickin Medal for ‘outstanding gallantry’ last year.

– origin 1940s: named after Maria Dickin, the founder of the veterinary charity PDSA, who instituted the award.

Dickinson, Emily

(1830–86), American poet; full name Emily Elizabeth Dickinson. Her poems use an elliptical language, emphasizing assonance and alliteration rather than rhyme, reflecting the struggles of her reclusive life.

dickstickers /ˈdɪkstɪkəz/

I. plural noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› men's brief, tight-fitting swimming trunks

• they spend their Sundays on the beach, wearing dickstickers and floppy hats.

– origin 1980s: from dick^1 + sticker.

dickwad /ˈdɪkwɒd/

I. noun

‹vulgar slang› a contemptible person.

– origin 1980s: from dick^1 + wad.

dicky^1 /ˈdɪki / dickey

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a false shirt front.

2. ‹informal› ‹dated› (chiefly Brit.) a folding outside seat at the back of a vehicle.

3. ‹informal› ‹historical› a driver's seat in a carriage.

4. ‹informal› (Indian) the boot of a car.

– origin mid 18th cent. (denoting a petticoat): each sense probably has different origins; perhaps partly from Dicky, pet form of the given name Richard.

dicky^2 /ˈdɪki/

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› (of a part of the body, a structure, or a device) not strong, healthy, or functioning reliably

• a pianist with a dicky heart.

– origin late 18th cent. (in the sense ‘almost over’): perhaps from the given name Dick, in the old saying as queer as Dick's hatband.

dicky bird /ˈdɪkɪbəːd/

I. noun

‹informal› a child's word for a bird.
[late 18th cent.: probably from Dicky, pet form of the given name Richard.]

II. phrases

not a dicky bird

‹informal› not a word; nothing at all

• ‘Did you hear from her?’ ‘Not a dicky bird.’.

[ dicky bird being rhyming slang for ‘word’.]

dicky bow

noun

‹informal› a bow tie.

dicot /ˈdʌɪkɒt/

noun

short for dicotyledon.

dicotyledon /ˌdʌɪkɒtɪˈliːd(ə)n/

I. noun

[Botany] a flowering plant with an embryo that bears two cotyledons (seed leaves). Dicotyledons constitute the larger of the two great divisions of flowering plants, and typically have broad stalked leaves with net-like veins (e.g. daisies, hawthorns, oaks). Compare with monocotyledon.
●Class Dicotyledoneae (or -donae, -dones; sometimes Magnoliopsida), subdivision Angiospermae.

II. derivatives

dicotyledonous /ˌdʌɪkɒtɪˈliːd(ə)nəs /

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from modern Latin dicotyledones (plural), from di- ‘two’ + cotyledon (see cotyledon).

dicrotic /dʌɪˈkrɒtɪk/

I. adjective

[Medicine] denoting a pulse in which a double beat is detectable for each beat of the heart.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek dikrotos ‘beating twice’ + -ic.

dicta /ˈdɪktə/

plural form of dictum.

dictamnus /dɪkˈtamnəs/

I. noun

1. another term for dittany of Crete (see dittany).

2. another term for gas plant.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin.

Dictaphone /ˈdɪktəfəʊn/

I. noun

‹trademark› a small cassette recorder used to record speech for transcription at a later time.

– origin early 20th cent.: from dictate or dictation + -phone.

dictate

I. verb — [with obj.] dictate /dɪkˈteɪt /

1. state or order authoritatively

• the tsar's attempts to dictate policy

• [no obj.] that doesn't give you the right to dictate to me.

2. control or decisively affect; determine

• choice is often dictated by availability

• [no obj.] a review process can be changed as circumstances dictate.

3. say or read aloud (words to be typed, written down, or recorded on tape)

• I have four letters to dictate.

II. noun — (usu. dictates) dictate /ˈdɪkteɪt /

1. an order or principle that must be obeyed

• the dictates of fashion.

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2 of the verb): from Latin dictat- ‘dictated’, from the verb dictare.

dictation /dɪkˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of dictating words to be typed, written down, or recorded on tape

• the dictation of letters.

2. the activity of taking down a passage that is dictated by a teacher as a test of spelling, writing, or language skills

• passages for dictation.

3. words that are dictated

• the job will involve taking dictation, drafting letters, and arranging meetings.

4. the action of giving orders authoritatively or categorically.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in sense 2): from late Latin dictatio(n-), from the verb dictare (see dictate).

dictation speed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rate of speech slow enough for someone to be able to write down what is said.

dictator /dɪkˈteɪtə/

I. noun

1. a ruler with total power over a country, typically one who has obtained control by force.

2. a person who behaves in an autocratic way.

3. (in ancient Rome) a chief magistrate with absolute power, appointed in an emergency.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, from dictat- ‘dictated’, from the verb dictare (see dictate).

dictatorial /dɪktəˈtɔːrɪəl/

I. adjective

1. of or typical of a ruler with total power

• a dictatorial regime.

2. having or showing an autocratic manner

• his mother-in-law was somewhat dictatorial.

II. derivatives

1. dictatorially /dɪktəˈtɔːrɪəli /

adverb

2. dictatorialness

noun

dictatorship /dɪkˈteɪtəʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. government by a dictator

• the effects of forty years of dictatorship.

2. [ count noun] — a country governed by a dictator.

3. absolute authority in any sphere.

diction /ˈdɪkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing

• Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction.

2. the style of enunciation in speaking or singing

• she began imitating his careful diction.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a word or phrase): from Latin dictio(n-), from dicere ‘to say’.

dictionary /ˈdɪkʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a book or electronic resource that lists the words of a language (typically in alphabetical order) and gives their meaning, or gives the equivalent words in a different language, often also providing information about pronunciation, origin, and usage

• I'll look up 'love' in the dictionary

• the website gives access to an online dictionary

• [as modifier] the dictionary definition of ‘smile’.

2. a reference book on a particular subject, the items of which are typically arranged in alphabetical order

• a dictionary of quotations.

3. [Computing] a set of words or other text strings made for use in applications such as spellcheckers

• the worm attempts to crack account passwords using a built-in dictionary.

II. phrases

have swallowed a dictionary

‹informal› use long and obscure words when speaking.

– origin early 16th cent.: from medieval Latin dictionarium (manuale) or dictionarius (liber) ‘manual or book of words’, from Latin dictio (see diction).

dictionary attack

noun

an attempt to gain illicit access to a computer system by using a very large set of words to generate potential passwords.

dictum /ˈdɪktəm/

I. noun

1. a formal pronouncement from an authoritative source

• the dicta of High Court Judges.

2. a short statement that expresses a general truth or principle

• the old dictum ‘might is right’.

3. [Law] short for obiter dictum.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘something said’, neuter past participle of dicere.

dicty /ˈdɪkti/

I. adjective

(US) ‹informal› ostentatiously stylish; pretentious

• up there in their dicty Detroit suburb living the so-called good life.

– origin early 20th cent.: of unknown origin.

Dictyoptera /ˌdɪktɪˈɒptərə/

I. plural noun

[Entomology] an order of insects that comprises the cockroaches and mantises. They have a somewhat flattened form, two pairs of wings, and long spiky legs.

II. derivatives

dictyopteran

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek diktuon ‘net’ + pteron ‘wing’.

dicynodont /dʌɪˈsɪnədɒnt/

I. noun

a fossil herbivorous mammal-like reptile of the late Permian and Triassic periods, with beaked jaws and no teeth apart from two tusks in the upper jaw of the male.
● Dicynodon and other genera, infra-order Dicynodontia, order Therapsida.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Dicynodontia (plural), from Greek di- ‘two’ + kuōn ‘dog’ + odous, odont- ‘tooth’.

did /dɪd/

past of do^1.

didactic /dɪˈdaktɪk, dʌɪˈdaktɪk/

I. adjective

1. intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive

• a didactic novel that set out to expose social injustice.

2. in the manner of a teacher, particularly so as to appear patronizing

• his tone ranged from didactic to backslapping.

II. derivatives

1. didactically /dɪˈdaktɪkli, dʌɪˈdaktɪkli /

adverb

2. didacticism /dɪˈdaktɪsɪz(ə)m, dʌɪˈdaktɪsɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek didaktikos, from didaskein ‘teach’.

didanosine /dɪˈdanəʊsiːn/

noun

[Medicine] another term for dideoxyinosine.

diddle /ˈdɪd(ə)l/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — ‹informal› cheat or swindle (someone) so as to deprive them of something

• he thought he'd been diddled out of his change.

2. ‹informal› deliberately falsify

• he diddled his income tax returns.

3. [no obj.] — ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) pass time aimlessly or unproductively

• I felt sorry for her, diddling around in her room while her friends were having a good time.

4. [with obj.] — ‹informal› ‹vulgar slang› (chiefly N. Amer.) (of a man) have sexual intercourse with.
[originally in Scots dialect use in the sense ‘jerk from side to side’, apparently corresponding to dialect didder ‘tremble’.]

II. derivatives

diddler

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: probably from the name of Jeremy Diddler, a character in the farce Raising the Wind (1803) by the Irish dramatist James Kenney (1780–1849). Diddler constantly borrowed and failed to repay small sums of money: the name may be based on an earlier verb diddle ‘walk unsteadily’.

diddly-squat /ˈdɪdlɪˌskwɒt / doodly-squat

I. pronoun — [usu. with negative]

1. ‹informal› anything

• Hiram didn't care diddly-squat about what Darrel thought.

– origin 1960s: probably from US slang doodle ‘excrement’ + squat in the sense ‘defecate’.

diddums /ˈdɪdəmz/

I. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to express commiseration to a child or, ironically, to an adult.

– origin late 19th cent.: from did 'em, i.e. ‘did they?’ (tease you, do that to you, etc.).

diddy^1

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a fool.

• what a diddy!

– origin late 18th cent.: alteration of titty.

diddy^2

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› little

• a little diddy baby hedgehog.

– origin probably a child's corruption of little.

dideoxycytidine /ˌdʌɪdɪɒksɪˈsʌɪtɪdiːn / DDC, ddC

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a drug which inhibits the replication of HIV and is used in the treatment of AIDS, especially in combination with zidovudine. It is a synthetic analogue of a pyrimidine nucleoside.

dideoxyinosine /ˌdʌɪdɪɒksɪˈɪnəʊsiːn / DDI, ddI

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a drug which inhibits the replication of HIV and is used in the treatment of AIDS, especially in combination with zidovudine. It is a synthetic analogue of a purine nucleoside.

– origin 1970s: from di-1 ‘two’ + deoxy- (in the sense ‘that has lost oxygen’) + inosine.

Diderot, Denis /ˈdiːdərəʊ, French didəʀo/

(1713–84), French philosopher, writer, and critic. A leading figure of the Enlightenment in France, he was principal editor of the Encyclopédie (1751–76), through which he disseminated and popularized philosophy and scientific knowledge. Other notable works: Le Rêve de D'Alembert (1782) and Le Neveu de Rameau (1805).

didgeridoo /ˌdɪdʒ(ə)rɪˈduː / didjeridu

I. noun

an Australian Aboriginal wind instrument in the form of a long wooden tube, traditionally made from a hollow branch, which is blown to produce a deep, resonant sound, varied by rhythmic accents of timbre and volume.

– origin 1920s: imitative; from an Aboriginal language of Arnhem Land.

didi /ˈdiːdiː/

I. noun

1. (Indian) an older sister or older female cousin (often as a proper name or form of address)

• ‘Just have a look at this luggage, didi.’.

2. (Indian) a respectful form of address to any older woman familiar to the speaker.

– origin from Hindi dīdī.

didicoi /ˈdɪdɪkɔɪ/

I. noun

‹dialect› a Gypsy or other nomadic person.

– origin mid 19th cent.: perhaps an alteration of Romany dik akei ‘look here’.

didn't /ˈdɪd(ə)nt/

contraction

did not.

dido /ˈdʌɪdəʊ/

I. noun — (in phrase cut/cut up didoes)

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› perform mischievous tricks or deeds.

– origin early 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

Dido /ˈdʌɪdəʊ/

(in the Aeneid) the queen and founder of Carthage, who fell in love with the shipwrecked Aeneas and killed herself when he deserted her.

didst /dɪdst/

archaic second person singular past of do^1.

Didyma /ˈdɪdɪmə/

an ancient sanctuary of Apollo, site of one of the most famous oracles of the Aegean region, close to the west coast of Asia Minor.

didymium /dɪˈdɪmɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a mixture containing the rare earth elements praseodymium and neodymium, used to colour glass for optical filters. It was originally regarded as a single element.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek didumos ‘twin’ (because it was closely associated with lanthanum) + -ium (used as a suffix for new metals).

die^1 /dʌɪ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a person, animal, or plant) stop living

• he died of AIDS

• trees are dying from acid rain

• [with obj.] the king died a violent death.

2. ( die out) — become extinct

• many species died out.

3. be forgotten

• her genius has assured her name will never die.

4. [with adverbial] — become less loud or strong

• after a while, the noise died down

• at last the storm died away.

5. ( die back) — (of a plant) decay from the tip toward the root

• rhubarb dies back to a crown of buds each winter.

6. ( die off) — die one after another until few or none are left

• the original founders died off or retired.

7. (of a fire or light) stop burning or gleaming.

• the fire had died and the room was cold.

8. ‹informal› (of a machine) stop functioning or run out of electric charge

• three toasters have died on me

• I was halfway through a text message when the phone died.

9. ‹informal› be very eager for something

• they must be dying for a drink

• [with infinitive] he's dying to meet you.

10. used to emphasize how strongly one is affected by a particular feeling or emotion

• only the thought of Matilda prevented him from dying of boredom

• we nearly died laughing when he told us.

11. ‹archaic› have an orgasm.

II. phrases

1. die a (or the) death

(Brit.) ‹informal› come to an end; cease or fail to be popular or successful

• the craze for cycling shorts is dying a death.

2. die hard

disappear or change very slowly

• old habits die hard.

3. die in bed

undergo death from natural causes.

4. die in harness

die before retirement.

5. die like flies

see fly^2.

6. die on one's feet

‹informal› come to a sudden or premature end

• critics said the show would die on its feet.

7. die on the vine

be unsuccessful at an early stage.

8. die with one's boots on

see boot^1.

9. never say die

used to encourage someone not to give up hope in a difficult situation.

10. to die for

‹informal› extremely good or desirable

• the ice creams are to die for.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse deyja, of Germanic origin; related to dead.

die^2 /dʌɪ/

I. noun

1. singular form of dice.

2. ( pl. dies) — a device for cutting or moulding metal into a particular shape.

3. an engraved device for stamping a design on coins or medals.

4. [Architecture] the cubical part of a pedestal between the base and the cornice; a dado or plinth.

II. phrases

1. the die is cast

an event has happened or a decision has been taken that cannot be changed.

2. (as) straight as a die

a. absolutely straight.

b. entirely open and honest.

– origin Middle English: from Old French de, from Latin datum ‘something given or played’, neuter past participle of dare. / usage: In modern standard English, the singular die (rather than dice) is uncommon. Dice is used for both the singular and the plural.

dieback /ˈdʌɪbak/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a condition in which a tree or shrub begins to die from the tip of its leaves or roots backwards, owing to disease or an unfavourable environment.

• any sign of browning or other discoloration could be the onset of dieback.

• aluminium causes the stress condition of crown dieback.

• a survey of hedgerow trees found a correlation between ash dieback, acidity, and sulphur.

die-cast

I. adjective

(of a metal object) formed by pouring molten metal into a reusable mould

• a die-cast aluminium loudspeaker chassis.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as noun die-casting)

1. make (a metal object) by pouring molten metal into a mould.

dieffenbachia /ˌdiːf(ə)nˈbakɪə/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that includes dumb cane and its relatives.
●Genus Dieffenbachia, family Araceae.

– origin modern Latin, named after Ernst Dieffenbach (1811–55), German horticulturalist.

diegesis /ˌdʌɪəˈdʒiːsɪs/

I. noun

a narrative or plot, typically in a film.

II. derivatives

diegetic /ˌdʌɪəˈdʒɛtɪk /

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek diēgēsis ‘narrative’.

Diego Garcia /dɪˌeɪɡəʊ ɡɑːˈsiːə/

the largest island of the Chagos Archipelago in the middle of the Indian Ocean, site of a strategic Anglo-American naval base established in 1973.

diehard /ˈdʌɪhɑːd/

I. noun — [often as modifier]

1. a person who strongly opposes change or who continues to support something in spite of opposition

• my stepfather was a diehard Republican

• a diehard Yankees fan.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from die hard (see die^1).

die-in

noun

‹informal› a demonstration in which people lie down as if dead.

diel /ˈdiːl/

I. adjective

[Biology] denoting or involving a period of twenty-four hours

• tidal and diel cycles.

– origin 1930s: from Latin dies ‘day’ + -(a)l (see -al).

dieldrin /ˈdiːldrɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a toxic insecticide produced by the oxidation of aldrin, now largely banned because of its persistence in the environment.
●A chlorinated epoxide; chem. formula: C_12H_8Cl_6O.

– origin 1940s: blend of the name Diels (see Diels–Alder reaction) + aldrin.

dielectric /ˌdʌɪɪˈlɛktrɪk / ‹Physics›

I. adjective

having the property of transmitting electric force without conduction; insulating.

II. noun

a medium or substance with a dielectric property; an insulator.

III. derivatives

dielectrically

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from di-3 + electric, literally ‘across which electricity is transmitted (without conduction)’.

dielectric constant

noun

[Physics] a quantity measuring the ability of a substance to store electrical energy in an electric field.

dielectrophoresis /dʌɪɪˌlɛktrəfəˈriːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the migration of uncharged particles towards the position of maximum field strength in a non-uniform electric field.

– origin mid 20th cent.: blend of dielectric and electrophoresis.

die link

I. noun

an established connection between coins struck from the same die.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( die-link)

1. establish a connection between (coins).

Diels–Alder reaction /diːlzˈɔːldə/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an addition reaction in which a conjugated diene reacts with a compound with a double or triple bond so as to form a six-membered ring.

– origin 1940s: named after Otto Diels (1876–1954), and Kurt Alder (1902–58), German chemists.

Dien Bien Phu /ˌdjɛn bjɛn ˈfuː/

a village in NW Vietnam, in 1954 the site of a French military post which was captured by the Vietminh after a 55-day siege.

diencephalon /ˌdʌɪɛnˈsɛf(ə)lɒn, ˌdʌɪɛnˈkɛf(ə)lɒn/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the caudal (posterior) part of the forebrain, containing the epithalamus, thalamus, hypothalamus, and ventral thalamus and the third ventricle.
Compare with telencephalon.

II. derivatives

diencephalic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from di-3 ‘across’ + Greek enkephalos ‘brain’.

diene /ˈdʌɪiːn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an unsaturated hydrocarbon containing two double bonds between carbon atoms.

– origin early 20th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + -ene.

Dieppe /dɪˈɛp, French djɛp/

a channel port in northern France, from which ferries run to Newhaven and elsewhere; pop. 34,670 (2006). In August 1942 it was the scene of an unsuccessful amphibious raid by a joint force of British and Canadian troops to destroy the German-held port and airfield.

diesel /ˈdiːz(ə)l/

I. noun

1. (also diesel engine) — an internal-combustion engine in which heat produced by the compression of air in the cylinder is used to ignite the fuel
[as modifier]

• a diesel locomotive.

2. (also diesel oil) [ mass noun] — a heavy petroleum fraction used as fuel in diesel engines

• eleven litres of diesel.

II. derivatives

dieselize dieselise

verb

– origin late 19th cent.: named after R. Diesel (see Diesel, Rudolf).

Diesel, Rudolf /ˈdiːz(ə)l/

(1858–1913), French-born German engineer, inventor of the diesel engine; full name Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel. In 1892 he patented a design for a new, more efficient internal-combustion engine and developed it, exhibiting the prototype in 1897.

diesel-electric

I. adjective

denoting or relating to a locomotive driven by the electric current produced by a diesel-engined generator.

II. noun

a diesel-electric locomotive.

diesel-hydraulic

I. adjective

denoting or relating to a locomotive driven by a hydraulic transmission system powered by a diesel engine.

II. noun

a diesel-hydraulic locomotive.

die-sinker

I. noun

a person who engraves dies used to stamp designs on coins or medals.

II. derivatives

die-sinking

noun

Dies Irae /ˌdiːeɪz ˈɪərʌɪ, ˈɪəreɪ/

I. noun

a Latin hymn sung in a Mass for the dead.

– origin Latin, ‘day of wrath’ (the opening words of the hymn).

diesis /ˈdʌɪɪsɪs/

I. noun

[Printing] the double dagger symbol ‡.

– origin late Middle English: Latin, from Greek diēsis, from diienai ‘send through’, from dia ‘through’ + ienai ‘send’.

dies non /ˌdiːeɪz ˈnɒn/

I. noun

a day on which no legal business can be done, or which does not count for legal purposes.

– origin Latin, short for dies non juridicus ‘non-judicial day’.

die-stamping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of embossing paper or another surface using a die.

2. a method of printing using an inked die to produce raised print.

diestock /ˈdʌɪstɒk/

noun

a hand tool used in the cutting of external screw threads, consisting of a holder for the die which is turned using long handles.

diet^1 /ˈdʌɪət/

I. noun

1. the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats

• a vegetarian diet.

2. the activities, pastimes, etc. in which a person or group habitually engages

• screen violence is becoming the staple diet of the video generation.

3. a special course of food to which a person restricts themselves, either to lose weight or for medical reasons

• I'm going on a diet.

4. [as modifier] — (of food or drink) with reduced fat or sugar content

• diet soft drinks.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight

• I began dieting again.

2. [with obj.] — put (a person or animal) on a special diet.

III. derivatives

dieter /ˈdʌɪətə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French diete (noun), dieter (verb), via Latin from Greek diaita ‘a way of life’.

diet^2 /ˈdʌɪət/

I. noun

1. a legislative assembly in certain countries.

2. ‹historical› a regular meeting of the states of a confederation.

3. [Scots Law] a meeting or session of a court.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin dieta ‘day's work, wages, etc.’, also ‘meeting of councillors’.

dietary /ˈdʌɪət(ə)ri/

I. adjective

relating to or provided by diet

• dietary advice for healthy skin and hair.

II. noun

‹dated› a regulated or restricted diet.

– origin late Middle English (as a noun): from medieval Latin dietarium, from Latin diaeta (see diet^1).

diet-busting

adjective

‹informal› (of food) high in calories; fattening

• a diet-busting chocolate sandwich

• diet-busting recipes.

dietetic /ˌdʌɪəˈtɛtɪk/

I. adjective

concerned with diet and nutrition

• experienced dietetic advice.

II. derivatives

dietetically

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a noun in the sense ‘dietetics’): via Latin from Greek diaitētikos, from diaita ‘a way of life’.

dietetics /dʌɪəˈtɛtɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of knowledge concerned with the diet and its effects on health, especially with the practical application of a scientific understanding of nutrition.

diethylene glycol /dʌɪˈɛθɪliːn, -θ(ə)l-/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless soluble liquid used as a solvent and antifreeze.
●Chem. formula: (C_2H_4OH)2O.

diethylstilboestrol /dʌɪˌiːθʌɪlstɪlˈbiːstrɒl, dʌɪˌɛθɪlstɪlˈbiːstrɒl / ‹US› diethylstilbestrol

noun

another term for stilboestrol.

dietician /dʌɪəˈtɪʃ(ə)n / dietitian

noun

an expert on diet and nutrition.

• we have a team of dieticians to ensure patients get healthy, balanced meals.

Diet of Worms

a meeting of the Holy Roman emperor Charles V's imperial diet at Worms in 1521, at which Martin Luther was summoned to appear. Luther committed himself there to the cause of Protestant reform, and his teaching was formally condemned in the Edict of Worms.

Dietrich, Marlene /ˈdiːtrɪx/

(1901–92), German-born American actress and singer; born Maria Magdelene Dietrich. She became famous for her part as Lola in The Blue Angel (1930), one of many films she made with Josef von Sternberg. From the 1950s she was also successful as an international cabaret star.

Dieu et mon droit /ˌdjəː eɪ mɒ̃ ˈdrwɑː/

I. noun

God and my right (the motto of the British monarch).

– origin French.

dif-

I. prefix

variant spelling of dis- assimilated before f (as in diffraction, diffuse).

– origin from Latin, variant of dis-.

differ /ˈdɪfə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. be unlike or dissimilar

• the second set of data differed from the first

• tastes differ, especially in cars

• (as adj. differing) widely differing circumstances.

2. disagree

• he differed from his contemporaries in ethical matters.

II. phrases

1. agree to differ

cease to argue about something because neither party will compromise or be persuaded.

2. beg to differ

politely disagree.

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘put off, defer’): from Old French differer ‘differ, defer’, from Latin differre, from dis- ‘from, away’ + ferre ‘bring, carry’. Compare with defer^1.

difference /ˈdɪf(ə)r(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. a point or way in which people or things are dissimilar

• the differences between men and women.

2. [ mass noun] — the state or condition of being dissimilar

• their difference from one another.

3. a quantity by which amounts differ; the remainder left after subtraction of one value from another

• the insurance company will pay the difference.

4. [Heraldry] an alteration in a coat of arms to distinguish members or branches of a family.

5. a disagreement, quarrel, or dispute

• the couple are patching up their differences.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Heraldry] alter (a coat of arms) to distinguish members or branches of a family.

III. phrases

1. make a (or no) difference

have a significant effect (or no effect) on a person or situation

• the Act will make no difference to my business.

2. with a difference

having a new or unusual feature or treatment

• a fashion show with a difference.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin differentia (see differentia).

difference threshold

noun

the least amount by which two sensory stimuli can differ for an individual to perceive them as different.

different /ˈdɪf(ə)r(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. not the same as another or each other; unlike in nature, form, or quality

• you can play this game in different ways

• the car's different from anything else on the market.

2. ‹informal› novel and unusual

• try something deliciously different.

3. distinct; separate

• on two different occasions.

II. phrases

different strokes for different folks

‹proverb› different things appeal to different people.

III. derivatives

differentness

noun

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin different- ‘carrying away, differing’, from the verb differre (see differ). / usage: Different from, different than, and different to: are there any distinctions between these three constructions, and is one more correct than the others? In practice, different from is both the most common structure, both in British and US English, and the most accepted. Different than is used chiefly in North America, although its use is increasing in British English. It has the advantage that it can be followed by a clause, and so is sometimes more concise than different from: compare things are definitely different than they were one year ago with things are definitely different from the way they were one year ago. Different to is common in Britain, but is disliked by traditionalists. The argument against it is based on the relation of different to differ, which is used with from; but this is a flawed argument which is contradicted by other pairs of words such as accord ( with) and according ( to).

differentia /ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃɪə/

I. noun

1. a distinguishing mark or characteristic.

2. [chiefly Philosophy] an attribute that distinguishes a species of thing from other species of the same genus.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘difference’, from different- ‘carrying away’ (see different).

differentiable /ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃɪəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be differentiated.

II. derivatives

differentiability

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from differentiate, on the pattern of pairs such as depreciate, depreciable.

differential /ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃ(ə)l / ‹chiefly technical›

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. of, showing, or depending on a difference; varying according to circumstances or relevant factors

• the differential achievements of boys and girls.

2. constituting a specific difference; distinctive

• the differential features between benign and malignant tumours.

3. [Mathematics] relating to infinitesimal differences or to the derivatives of functions.

4. relating to a difference in a physical quantity

• a differential amplifier.

II. noun

1. a difference between amounts of things

• the differential between petrol and diesel prices.

2. (Brit.) a difference in wages between industries or between categories of employees in the same industry

• regional differentials in pay.

3. [Mathematics] an infinitesimal difference between successive values of a variable.

4. (also differential gear) — a gear allowing a vehicle's driven wheels to revolve at different speeds in cornering.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin differentialis, from Latin differentia ‘difference’ (see differentia).

differential calculus

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a branch of mathematics concerned with the determination, properties, and application of derivatives and differentials.
Compare with integral calculus.

differential coefficient

noun

[Mathematics] another term for derivative.

differential diagnosis

noun

[Medicine] the process of differentiating between two or more conditions which share similar signs or symptoms.

differential equation

noun

an equation involving derivatives of a function or functions.

differential lock

noun

a device which disables the differential of a motor vehicle in slippery conditions to improve grip.

differentially /ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃ(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a way that varies according to circumstances or relevant factors

• separation anxiety might differentially affect male and female infants

• people respond differentially to positive and negative stimuli.

2. in different directions or ways; distinctively

• differentially positioned religious systems.

differential operator

noun

[Mathematics] another term for del.

differentiate /ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. recognize or ascertain what makes (someone or something) different

• children can differentiate the past from the present.

2. [no obj.] ( differentiate between) — identify differences between (two or more things or people)

• he is unable to differentiate between fantasy and reality.

3. make (someone or something) appear different or distinct

• little now differentiates the firm's products from its rivals.

4. ‹technical› make or become different in the process of growth or development
[with obj.]

• the receptors are developed and differentiated into sense organs

• [no obj.] the cells differentiate into a wide variety of cell types.

5. [Mathematics] transform (a function) into its derivative.

II. derivatives

differentiator

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from medieval Latin differentiat- ‘carried away from’, from the verb differentiare, from differentia (see differentia).

differentiation /ˌdɪfərɛnʃɪˈeɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of differentiating

• packaging can be a source of product differentiation.

differently /ˈdɪf(ə)r(ə)ntli/

adverb

1. in a way that is not the same as another or as before

• we work differently from other developers

• I think you will feel differently after you've met her.

2. ‹informal› in a novel and unusual way

• he likes to do things a bit differently.

3. in varied ways; diversely

• differently coloured pens

• a large group of differently aged chicks.

differently abled

I. adjective

(chiefly N. Amer.) disabled.

• we are not disabled, we are differently abled.

• (as plural noun the differently abled) the oppression of the differently abled.

usage: Differently abled was first proposed (in the 1980s) as an alternative to disabled, handicapped, etc. on the grounds that it gave a more positive message and so avoided discrimination towards people with disabilities. The term has gained little currency, however, and has been criticized as both over-euphemistic and condescending. The accepted term in general use is still disabled.

difficult /ˈdɪfɪk(ə)lt/

I. adjective

1. needing much effort or skill to accomplish, deal with, or understand

• she had a difficult decision to make

• the questions are too difficult for the children.

2. characterized by or causing hardships or problems

• a difficult economic climate.

3. (of a person) not easy to please or satisfy; awkward

• Lily could be difficult.

II. derivatives

1. difficultly

adverb

‹rare›

2. difficultness

noun

– origin late Middle English: back-formation from difficulty.

difficulty /ˈdɪfɪk(ə)lti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or condition of being difficult

• Guy had no difficulty in making friends

• I managed with difficulty to struggle upright.

2. [ count noun] — a thing that is hard to accomplish, deal with, or understand

• there is a practical difficulty

• a club with financial difficulties.

3. ( difficulties) — a situation that is difficult or dangerous

• they went for a swim but got into difficulties.

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘requiring effort or skill’ and ‘something difficult’): from Latin difficultas, from dis- (expressing reversal) + facultas ‘ability, opportunity’.

diffidence /ˈdɪfɪd(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. modesty or shyness resulting from a lack of self-confidence

• I say this with some diffidence.

diffident /ˈdɪfɪd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence

• a diffident youth.

II. derivatives

diffidently /ˈdɪfɪd(ə)ntli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘lacking confidence or trust in someone or something’): from Latin diffident- ‘failing in trust’, from the verb diffidere, from dis- (expressing reversal) + fidere ‘to trust’.

diffract /dɪˈfrakt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Physics] cause to undergo diffraction.

• experiments found that a beam of electrons could be diffracted like light.

• (as adj. diffracted) diffracted X-rays.

II. derivatives

1. diffractive

adjective

2. diffractively

adverb

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin diffract- ‘broken in pieces’, from the verb diffringere, from dis- ‘away, from’ + frangere ‘to break’.

diffraction /dɪˈfrakʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process by which a beam of light or other system of waves is spread out as a result of passing through a narrow aperture or across an edge, typically accompanied by interference between the wave forms produced.

diffraction grating

noun

a plate of glass or metal ruled with very close parallel lines, producing a spectrum by diffraction and interference of light.

diffractometer /ˌdɪfrakˈtɒmɪtə/

noun

an instrument for measuring diffraction, chiefly used to determine the structure of a crystal by analysis of the diffraction of X-rays.

diffuse

I. verb — diffuse /dɪˈfjuːz /

1. spread over a wide area or between a large number of people
[no obj.]

• technologies diffuse rapidly

• [with obj.] the problem is how to diffuse power without creating anarchy.

2. [Physics] intermingle with another substance by movement, typically in a specified direction or at specified speed
[no obj.]

• oxygen molecules diffuse across the membrane

• [with obj.] gas is diffused into the bladder.

3. [with obj.] — cause (light) to spread evenly to reduce glare and harsh shadows.

II. adjective — diffuse /dɪˈfjuːs /

1. spread out over a large area; not concentrated

• the diffuse community which centred on the church

• the light is more diffuse.

2. (of disease) not localized in the body

• diffuse hyperplasia.

3. lacking clarity or conciseness

• the second argument is more diffuse.

III. derivatives

1. diffusely /dɪˈfjuːsli /

adverb

2. diffuseness /dɪˈfjuːsnɪs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin diffus- ‘poured out’, from the verb diffundere, from dis- ‘away’ + fundere ‘pour’; the adjective via French diffus or Latin diffusus ‘extensive’, from diffundere. / usage: The verbs diffuse and defuse sound similar but have different meanings. Diffuse means, broadly, ‘disperse’, while the non-literal meaning of defuse is ‘reduce the danger or tension in’. Thus sentences such as Cooper successfully diffused the situation are regarded as incorrect, while Cooper successfully defused the situation would be correct. However, such uses of diffuse are widespread, and can make sense: the image in, for example, only peaceful dialogue between the two countries could diffuse tension is not of making a bomb safe but of reducing something dangerous to particles and dispersing them harmlessly.

diffuser /dɪˈfjuːzə / diffusor

noun

1. a thing that diffuses something, in particular:

2. an attachment or duct for broadening an airflow and reducing its speed.

3. [Photography] a device which spreads the light from a light source evenly and reduces harsh shadows.

diffusible /dɪˈfjuːzɪb(ə)l/

adjective

able to intermingle by diffusion

• diffusible factors in the cytoplasm.

diffusion /dɪˈfjuːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the spreading of something more widely

• the rapid diffusion of ideas and technology.

2. the action of spreading the light from a light source evenly to reduce glare and harsh shadows.

3. [Physics] the intermingling of substances by the natural movement of their particles

• the rate of diffusion of a gas.

4. [Anthropology] the dissemination of elements of culture to another region or people.

II. derivatives

1. diffusionism

noun

[Anthropology]

2. diffusionist

adjective, noun

[Anthropology]

3. diffusive /dɪˈfjuːsɪv /

adjective

[Physics]

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘pouring out, effusion’): from Latin diffusio(n-), from diffundere ‘pour out’.

diffusion line diffusion range

noun

a range of relatively inexpensive ready-to-wear garments produced for the mass market by a fashion designer.

diffusivity /ˌdɪfjuːˈsɪvɪti/

noun

[Physics] a measure of the capability of a substance or energy to be diffused or to allow something to pass by diffusion.

• the diffusivity of heat.

• [ count noun] the two components should have different diffusivities.

dig /dɪɡ/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — break up and move earth with a tool or machine, or with hands, paws, snout, etc.

• the boar had been digging for roots

• [with obj.] she had to dig the garden

• authorities cause chaos by digging up roads.

2. [with obj.] — make (a hole, grave, etc.) by digging

• he took a spade and dug a hole

• (as adj. dug) the newly dug grave.

3. [with obj. and adverbial] — extract from the ground by breaking up and moving earth

• the water board came and dug the cable up.

4. ( dig in) — (of a soldier) protect oneself by digging a trench or similar ground defence.

5. ( dig in) — ‹informal› begin eating heartily.

6. [with obj.] — excavate (an archaeological site).

• apart from digging a site, recording evidence is important.

7. [with obj.] — push or poke sharply

• he dug his hands into his pockets.

8. [no obj., with adverbial] — search or rummage in a specified place

• Catherine dug into her handbag and produced her card.

9. [no obj.] — engage in research; conduct an investigation

• he had no compunction about digging into her private affairs.

10. ( dig something up/out) — bring out or discover something after a search or investigation

• they dug out last year's notes

• have you dug up any information on the captain?

11. [with obj.] — ‹informal› like, appreciate, or understand

• I really dig heavy rock.

II. noun

1. [in sing.] — an act or spell of digging

• a thorough dig of the whole plot.

2. [ count noun] — an archaeological excavation.

3. a push or poke with one's elbow, finger, etc.

• Ginnie gave her sister a dig in the ribs.

4. ‹informal› a remark intended to mock or criticize

• she never missed an opportunity to have a dig at him.

III. phrases

1. dig the dirt (or dig up dirt)

‹informal› discover and reveal damaging information about someone.

2. dig a hole for oneself (or dig oneself into a hole)

get oneself into an awkward or restrictive situation.

3. dig in one's heels (or toes or feet)

resist stubbornly; refuse to give in

• officials dug their heels in on particular points.

4. dig a pit for

see pit^1.

5. dig's one's own grave

see grave^1.

– origin Middle English: perhaps from Old English dīc ‘ditch’.

Digambara /dɪˈɡʌmbərə/

I. noun

a member of one of two principal sects of Jainism, which was formed as a result of doctrinal schism in about AD 80 and continues today in parts of southern India. Male ascetic members of the sect traditionally reject property ownership and do not wear clothes.
See also Svetambara.

– origin from Sanskrit Digāmbara, literally ‘sky-clad’.

digamma /dʌɪˈɡamə/

I. noun

the sixth letter of the early Greek alphabet ( Ϝ, ϝ), probably pronounced as ‘w’. It became obsolete before the Classical period.

– origin late 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek, from di- ‘twice’ + gamma (because of the shape of the letter, resembling gamma (Γ) with an extra stroke).

digastric /dʌɪˈɡastrɪk / digastric muscle

I. noun

[Anatomy] each of a pair of muscles which run under the jaw and act to open it.

– origin late 17th cent.: from modern Latin digastricus, from di- ‘twice’ + Greek gastēr ‘belly’ (because the muscle has two fleshy parts or ‘bellies’ at an angle, connected by a tendon).

digenean /ˌdʌɪdʒɪˈniːən, dʌɪˈdʒɛnɪən / ‹Zoology›

I. adjective

relating to a group of flukes which are internal parasites needing two to four hosts to complete their life cycle.
Compare with monogenean.

II. noun

a digenean fluke; a trematode.
●Subclass Digenea, class Trematoda.

– origin 1960s: from modern Latin Digenea (from Greek di- ‘twice’ + genea ‘generation, race’) + -an.

digerati /ˌdɪdʒəˈrɑːti/

I. plural noun

people with expertise or professional involvement in information technology.

– origin 1990s: blend of digital and literati.

digest

I. verb — [with obj.] digest /dʌɪˈdʒɛst, dɪˈdʒɛst /

1. break down (food) in the alimentary canal into substances that can be absorbed and used by the body.

2. [Chemistry] treat (a substance) with heat, enzymes, or a solvent in order to decompose it or extract essential components.

3. understand or assimilate (information) by a period of reflection

• Leonora digested this piece of news with mixed feelings.

4. arrange in a systematic or convenient order, especially by reduction

• the computer digested your labours into a form understandable by a program.

II. noun — digest /ˈdʌɪdʒɛst /

1. a compilation or summary of material or information

• a digest of their findings.

2. a periodical consisting of condensed versions of pieces of writing or news published elsewhere.

3. a methodical summary of a body of laws.

4. ( the Digest) — the compendium of Roman law compiled in the reign of Justinian.

5. [Chemistry] a substance or mixture obtained by digestion

• a digest of cloned DNA.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin digest- ‘distributed, dissolved, digested’, from the verb digerere, from di- ‘apart’ + gerere ‘carry’; the noun from Latin digesta ‘matters methodically arranged’, from digestus ‘divided’, from digerere.

digester /dʌɪˈdʒɛstə/

noun

[Chemistry] a container in which substances are treated with heat, enzymes, or a solvent in order to promote decomposition or extract essential components.

digestible /dʌɪˈdʒɛstɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of food) able to be digested.

2. (of information) easy to understand or follow

• her books convey philosophical issues in a lucid and digestible form.

II. derivatives

digestibility /dɪˌdʒɛstɪˈbɪləti /

noun

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin digestibilis, from digest- ‘digested’, from the verb digerere (see digest).

digestif /dʌɪˈdʒɛstɪf, ˌdiːʒɛˈstiːf/

I. noun

a drink, especially an alcoholic one, drunk before or after a meal in order to aid the digestion.

– origin French, literally ‘digestive’.

digestion /dʌɪˈdʒɛstʃ(ə)n, dɪˈdʒɛstʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of digesting food.

2. [ count noun] — a person's capacity to digest food

• he suffered with his digestion.

3. [Chemistry] the process of treating a substance with heat, enzymes, or a solvent to promote decomposition or extract essential components.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin digestio(n-), from the verb digerere (see digest).

digestive /dʌɪˈdʒɛstɪv, dɪˈdʒɛstɪv/

I. adjective

1. relating to the process of digesting food

• digestive disorders.

2. (of food or medicine) aiding or promoting the process of digestion

• tubes of digestive mints.

II. noun

1. a food, drink, or medicine that aids or promotes the digestion of food.

2. (also digestive biscuit) — (Brit.) a round semi-sweet biscuit made of wholemeal flour.

III. derivatives

digestively

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French digestif, -ive or Latin digestivus, from digest- ‘digested’, from the verb digerere (see digest).

digestive gland

noun

[Zoology] a glandular organ of digestion present in crustaceans, molluscs, and certain other invertebrates.

digestivo /dɪdʒesˈtiːvəʊ/

I. noun

another term for digestif.a drink, especially an alcoholic one, drunk before or after a meal in order to aid the digestion.

– origin Italian, from digerire ‘to digest’.

digger /ˈdɪɡə/

noun

1. a person, animal, or large machine that digs earth.

2. a miner.

3. a person who excavates archaeological sites.

4. ( Digger) — a member of a group of radical dissenters formed in England in 1649 as an offshoot of the Levellers, believing in a form of agrarian communism in which common land would be made available to the poor.

5. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a man, especially a private soldier (often used as a friendly form of address)

• how are you, Digger?

[early 20th cent.: from digger ‘miner’, reinforced by association with the digging of trenches on the battlefields.]

digger's hat digger hat

noun

(Austral./NZ) a soft-brimmed felt hat, especially one worn as part of the Australian army uniform

• he stood with his rifle over his squared shoulders and his digger's hat at the correct angle.

digger wasp

noun

a solitary wasp which typically excavates a burrow in sandy soil, filling it with one or more paralysed insects or spiders for its larvae to feed on.
●Families Sphecidae (which includes sand wasps) and Pompilidae (which includes spider-hunting wasps).

diggings /ˈdɪɡɪŋz/

plural noun

1. a site such as a mine or goldfield that has been excavated

• hills scarred with peat diggings.

2. material that has been dug from the ground.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› lodgings.

digging stick

noun

a primitive digging implement consisting of a pointed stick, sometimes weighted by a stone.

dight /dʌɪt/

I. adjective

‹archaic› clothed or equipped.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› make ready for a use or purpose; prepare.

2. ‹literary› (Scottish) (N. English) wipe clean or dry.

• take a cloth and dight it up.

3. ‹literary› (Scottish) (N. English) winnow (corn).

– origin Middle English: past participle of archaic dight ‘order, deal with’, based on Latin dictare ‘compose (in language), order’. The wide and varied use of the word in Middle English is reflected dialectally.

digicam /ˈdɪdʒɪkam/

noun

‹trademark› a digital camera.

digipak /ˈdɪdʒɪpak/

I. noun

‹trademark› a type of packaging for CDs or DVDs, typically made from cardboard with an internal plastic holder for one or more discs.

– origin 1980s: from digital and pack^1, probably on the pattern of Tetra Pak.

digit /ˈdɪdʒɪt/

I. noun

1. any of the numerals from 0 to 9, especially when forming part of a number.

2. a finger, thumb, or toe.

3. [Zoology] a structure equivalent to a finger or thumb at the end of the limbs of many higher vertebrates.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin digitus ‘finger, toe’; sense 1 arose from the practice of counting on the fingers.

digital /ˈdɪdʒɪt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of signals or data) expressed as series of the digits 0 and 1, typically represented by values of a physical quantity such as voltage or magnetic polarization.
Often contrasted with analogue.

2. relating to, using, or storing data or information in the form of digital signals

• digital TV

• a digital recording.

3. involving or relating to the use of computer technology

• the digital revolution.

4. (of a clock or watch) showing the time by means of displayed digits rather than hands or a pointer.

5. relating to a finger or fingers.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin digitalis, from digitus ‘finger, toe’.

digital audiotape DAT

noun — [ mass noun]

1. magnetic tape which is used to make digital sound recordings of very high quality.

digital camera /ˌdɪdʒɪtlˈkamərə/

noun

a camera which produces digital images that can be stored in a computer and displayed on screen.

digital detox

noun

‹informal› a period of time during which a person refrains from using electronic devices such as smartphones or computers, regarded as an opportunity to reduce stress or focus on social interaction in the physical world

• break free of your devices and go on a digital detox.

digital divide

noun

the gulf between those who have ready access to computers and the Internet, and those who do not.

• there is a ‘digital divide’ between rich and poor, black and white, in terms of computer use.

digital footprint

noun

the information about a particular person that exists on the Internet as a result of their online activity

• there are several ways to ensure your digital footprint doesn't damage your reputation, or any future employment opportunities.

digital frame

noun

a device for displaying a revolving selection of digital photographs, which can be uploaded directly from a digital camera or memory card.

digital humanities

plural noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. an academic field concerned with the application of computational tools and methods to traditional humanities disciplines such as literature, history, and philosophy

• the unit will advance scholarship in both classical studies and the digital humanities.

digital immigrant

noun

a person born or brought up before the widespread use of digital technology.

• chances are many digital immigrants will find managing online privacy a daunting prospect.

digitalin /ˌdɪdʒɪˈteɪlɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a drug containing the active constituents of digitalis.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from digitalis + -in^1.

digitalis /ˌdɪdʒɪˈteɪlɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a drug prepared from the dried leaves of foxgloves and containing substances (notably digoxin and digitoxin) that stimulate the heart muscle.

– origin late 18th cent.: from the modern Latin genus name of the foxglove, from digitalis (herba) ‘(plant) relating to the finger’, from digitus ‘finger, toe’; suggested by German Fingerhut ‘thimble or foxglove’.

digitalize^1 /ˈdɪdʒɪt(ə)lʌɪz / digitalise

I. verb

another term for digitize.

II. derivatives

digitalization /ˌdɪdʒɪt(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

digitalize^2 /ˈdɪdʒɪt(ə)lʌɪz / digitalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Medicine] administer digitalis or digoxin to (a patient with a heart complaint).

• the failure to produce a slowing of resting heart rate suggests that our subjects were not digitalized.

II. derivatives

digitalization /ˌdɪdʒɪt(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

digitally /ˈdɪdʒɪt(ə)li/

adverb

1. by means of digital or computer technology

• all our TV shows are recorded digitally

• digitally enhanced images.

2. with reference to the fingers

• he was the nimble soloist in the violin concerto, digitally dexterous in the final movement.

digital native

noun

a person born or brought up during the age of digital technology and so familiar with computers and the Internet from an early age.

• the digital tools that are reshaping our economy make more sense to young digital natives than to members of older generations.

digital signature

noun

[Computing] a digital code (generated and authenticated by public key encryption) which is attached to an electronically transmitted document to verify its contents and the sender's identity.
See also electronic signature.

digital television

noun — [ mass noun]

1. television broadcasting in which the pictures are transmitted as digital signals which are decoded by a device in or attached to the receiving television set.

digital-to-analogue converter

noun

an electronic device for converting digital signals to analogue form.

digital video recorder

noun

a device that records audio and video input, typically from a television signal, on to a hard disk.

digitate /ˈdɪdʒɪtət, ˈdɪdʒɪteɪt/

I. adjective

‹technical› shaped like a spread hand

• digitate leaves

• a digitate delta.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin digitatus, from digitus ‘finger, toe’.

digitation /ˌdɪdʒɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

[Zoology] [Botany] a finger-like protuberance or division.

digitigrade /ˈdɪdʒɪtɪˌɡreɪd/

I. adjective

[Zoology] (of a mammal) walking on its toes and not touching the ground with its heels, as a dog, cat, or rodent.
Compare with plantigrade.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin digitus ‘finger, toe’ + -gradus ‘-walking’.

digitization /dɪdʒɪtʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / digitisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the conversion of text, pictures, or sound into a digital form that can be processed by a computer

• the digitization of the rare map collection at the library

• [as modifier] digitization projects of archival material.

digitize /ˈdɪdʒɪtʌɪz / digitise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. digitized)

1. convert (pictures or sound) into a digital form that can be processed by a computer.

• the new police national computer will be capable of storing digitized photographs.

II. derivatives

digitizer /ˈdɪdʒɪtʌɪzə /

noun

• a piece of hardware such as a digitizer

digitoxin /ˌdɪdʒɪˈtɒksɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a compound with similar properties to digoxin and found with it in the foxglove and similar plants.

diglossia /dʌɪˈɡlɒsɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] a situation in which two languages (or two varieties of the same language) are used under different conditions within a community, often by the same speakers. The term is usually applied to languages with distinct ‘high’ and ‘low’ (colloquial) varieties, such as Arabic.

II. derivatives

diglossic

adjective

– origin 1950s: from Greek diglōssos ‘bilingual’, on the pattern of French diglossie.

dignified /ˈdɪɡnɪfʌɪd/

I. adjective

having or showing a composed or serious manner that is worthy of respect

• she maintained a dignified silence

• a dignified old lady.

II. derivatives

dignifiedly

adverb

dignify /ˈdɪɡnɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) seem worthy and impressive

• the Americans had dignified their departure with a ceremony.

2. give an impressive name to (someone or something unworthy of it)

• dumps are increasingly dignified as landfills.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French dignefier, from late Latin dignificare, from Latin dignus ‘worthy’.

dignitary /ˈdɪɡnɪt(ə)ri/

I. noun

a person considered to be important because of high rank or office.

• the guests included former shareholders, local dignitaries, and many of the people directly involved with the project.

• I presented bouquets to visiting dignitaries at my prep school.

– origin late 17th cent.: from dignity, on the pattern of the pairs propriety, proprietary.

dignity /ˈdɪɡnɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect

• the dignity of labour.

2. [ count noun] — a high rank or position

• he promised dignities to the nobles in return for his rival's murder.

3. a composed or serious manner or style

• he bowed with great dignity.

4. a sense of pride in oneself; self-respect

• it was beneath his dignity to shout.

II. phrases

stand on one's dignity

insist on being treated with due respect.

– origin Middle English: from Old French dignete, from Latin dignitas, from dignus ‘worthy’.

digoxin /dɪˈdʒɒksɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a poisonous compound present in the foxglove and other plants. It is a steroid glycoside and is used in small doses as a cardiac stimulant.

– origin 1930s: contraction of digitoxin.

digraph /ˈdʌɪɡrɑːf/

I. noun

1. a combination of two letters representing one sound, as in ph and ey.

2. [Printing] a character consisting of two joined letters; a ligature.

II. derivatives

digraphic

adjective

digress /dʌɪˈɡrɛs/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing

• I have digressed a little from my original plan.

II. derivatives

digresser

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin digress- ‘stepped away’, from the verb digredi, from di- ‘aside’ + gradi ‘to walk’.

digression /dʌɪˈɡrɛʃ(ə)n/

noun

a temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing

• let's return to the main topic after that brief digression.

digressive /dʌɪˈɡrɛsɪv/

I. adjective

characterized by digression; tending to depart from the subject.

• a digressive account.

II. derivatives

1. digressively

adverb

2. digressiveness

noun

digs /dɪɡz/

I. plural noun

‹informal› lodgings.

– origin late 19th cent.: short for diggings, used in the same sense, probably referring to the land where a farmer digs, i.e. works and, by extension, lives.

dihedral /dʌɪˈhiːdr(ə)l/

I. adjective

having or contained by two plane faces

• a dihedral angle.

II. noun

1. an angle formed by two plane faces.

2. [ mass noun] — [Aeronautics] inclination of an aircraft's wing from the horizontal, especially upwards away from the fuselage.
Compare with anhedral.

3. (N. Amer.) [Climbing] a place where two planes of rock meet at an angle of between 60° and 120°.

– origin late 18th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + -hedral (see -hedron).

dihybrid /dʌɪˈhʌɪbrɪd/

noun

[Genetics] a hybrid that is heterozygous for alleles of two different genes
[as modifier]

• a dihybrid cross.

dihydric /dʌɪˈhʌɪdrɪk/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] (of an alcohol) containing two hydroxyl groups.

– origin late 19th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + hydrogen + -ic.

dihydrotestosterone /dʌɪˌhʌɪdrəʊtɛsˈtɒstərəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a male sex hormone which is the active form of testosterone, formed from testosterone in bodily tissue.

– origin 1950s: from dihydro- (in the sense ‘containing two hydrogen atoms in the molecule’) + testosterone.

dihydroxyacetone /ˌdʌɪhʌɪdrɒksɪˈasɪtəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a synthetic compound with strong reducing properties, used in lotions for colouring the skin in sunlight.
●Chem. formula: (CH_2OH)CO.

– origin late 19th cent.: from dihydroxy- (in the sense ‘containing two hydroxyl groups in the molecule’) + acetone.

Dijon /ˈdiːʒɒ̃, French diʒɔ̃/

an industrial city in east central France, the capital of Burgundy; pop. 155,340 (2006).

dik-dik /ˈdɪkdɪk/

I. noun

a dwarf antelope found on the dry savannah of Africa, the female of which is larger than the male.
●Genus Madoqua, family Bovidae: several species.

– origin late 19th cent.: a local word in East Africa, imitative of its call.

dikkop /ˈdɪkəp/

I. noun

(S. African) a stone curlew.
●The Cape dikkop is the spotted stone curlew ( Burhinus capensis).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Afrikaans, from dik ‘thick’ + kop ‘head’.

diktat /ˈdɪktat/

I. noun

an order or decree imposed by someone in power without popular consent

• a diktat from the Bundestag

• [ mass noun] he can disband the legislature and rule by diktat.

– origin 1930s: from German, from Latin dictatum ‘something dictated’, neuter past participle of dictare.

DIL^1

abbreviation

[Electronics] dual in-line (package).
See DIP.

DIL^2

I. noun

‹informal› a person's daughter-in-law

• my son and DIL are both primary school teachers.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation.

Dilantin /dʌɪˈlantɪn/

I. noun

US trademark for phenytoin.

– origin 1930s: from di-1 ‘two’ + -l- + (hyd)ant(o)in.

dilapidate /dɪˈlapɪdeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› cause (something) to fall into disrepair or ruin.

• a ruined Chappell, built by the Spaniard, and dilapidated by the Dutch.

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘waste, squander’): from Latin dilapidat- ‘demolished, squandered’, from the verb dilapidare, literally ‘scatter as if throwing stones’, from di- ‘apart, abroad’ + lapis, lapid- ‘stone’.

dilapidated /dɪˈlapɪdeɪtɪd/

adjective

(of a building or object) in a state of disrepair or ruin as a result of age or neglect.

• old, dilapidated buildings.

• the tank was now rather dilapidated.

dilapidation /dɪˌlapɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or process of falling into decay or being in disrepair

• the mill was in a state of dilapidation.

2. ( dilapidations) — repairs required during or at the end of a tenancy or lease.

3. [ count noun] — [Law] a cause of action to force a tenant to pay for dilapidations.

4. (in church use) a sum charged against an incumbent for wear and tear during a tenancy.

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘squandering, waste’): from late Latin dilapidatio(n-), from Latin dilapidare ‘demolish, squander’ (see dilapidate).

dilatancy /dʌɪˈleɪt(ə)nsi, dɪˈleɪt(ə)nsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the phenomenon exhibited by some fluids, sols, and gels in which they become more viscous or solid under pressure.

dilatation /ˌdʌɪleɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n, dɪleɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n, ˌdʌɪləˈteɪʃ(ə)n, ˌdɪləˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [chiefly Medicine] [Physiology] the action of dilating a vessel or opening or the process of becoming dilated.

2. [ count noun] — [chiefly Medicine] [Physiology] a dilated part of a hollow organ or vessel.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin dilatatio(n-), from the verb dilatare (see dilate).

dilatation and curettage D and C

noun

a surgical procedure involving dilatation of the cervix and curettage of the uterus, performed after a miscarriage or for the removal of cysts or tumours.

dilate /dʌɪˈleɪt, dɪˈleɪt/

I. verb

1. make or become wider, larger, or more open
[no obj.]

• her eyes dilated with horror

• [with obj.] the woman dilated her nostrils.

2. [no obj.] ( dilate on) — speak or write at length on (a subject).

• the faithful could hear the minister dilate on the role religion could play.

II. derivatives

dilatable /dʌɪˈleɪtəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French dilater, from Latin dilatare ‘spread out’, from di- ‘apart’ + latus ‘wide’.

dilation /dɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n, dʌɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [chiefly Physiology] the action or condition of becoming or being made wider, larger, or more open

• nitric oxide causes dilation of the blood vessels

• dilation of the pupils of the eye.

2. ( dilation on) — the action of speaking or writing at length on (a subject)

• the main editorial involved no dilation on the privileges or responsibilities of citizenship

• [ count noun] dilations on Alpha Male psychology aren't overdone.

dilator /dʌɪˈleɪtə, dɪˈleɪtə/

noun

1. a thing that dilates something, in particular:

2. (also dilator muscle) — [Anatomy] a muscle whose contraction dilates an organ or aperture, such as the pupil of the eye.

3. a surgical instrument for dilating a tube or cavity in the body.

4. a vasodilatory drug.

dilatory /ˈdɪlət(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. slow to act

• he had been dilatory in appointing a solicitor.

2. intended to cause delay

• they resorted to dilatory tactics, forcing a postponement of peace talks.

II. derivatives

1. dilatorily

adverb

2. dilatoriness /ˈdɪlət(ə)rɪnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin dilatorius ‘delaying’, from Latin dilator ‘delayer’, from dilat- ‘deferred’, from the verb differre.

dildo /ˈdɪldəʊ/

I. noun

1. an object shaped like an erect penis used for sexual stimulation.

2. ‹vulgar slang› a stupid or ridiculous person.

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

dilemma /dɪˈlɛmə, dʌɪˈlɛmə/

I. noun

1. a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially ones that are equally undesirable

• he wants to make money, but he also disapproves of it: Den's dilemma in a nutshell.

2. a difficult situation or problem

• the insoluble dilemma of adolescence.

3. [Logic] an argument forcing an opponent to choose either of two unfavourable alternatives.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting a form of argument involving a choice between equally unfavourable alternatives): via Latin from Greek dilēmma, from di- ‘twice’ + lēmma ‘premise’. / usage: At its core, a dilemma is a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives. More informally, it can mean ‘a difficult situation or problem’ (as in the insoluble dilemma of adolescence). Some traditionalists object to this weakened use, but it is recorded as early as the first part of the 17th century, and is now widespread and generally acceptable.Note that dilemma is spelled with a double m in the middle, not as -mn-.

dilettante /ˌdɪlɪˈtanteɪ, ˌdɪlɪˈtanti/

I. noun

1. a person who cultivates an area of interest, such as the arts, without real commitment or knowledge.

2. ‹archaic› a person with an amateur interest in the arts.

II. derivatives

1. dilettantish /ˌdɪlɪˈtantɪʃ /

adjective

2. dilettantism /ˌdɪlɪˈtantɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Italian, ‘person loving the arts’, from dilettare ‘to delight’, from Latin delectare.

Dili /ˈdiːliː/

the capital and chief port of East Timor, on the northern coast of the island; pop. 171,400 (est. 2009).

diligence^1 /ˈdɪlɪdʒ(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. careful and persistent work or effort.

• few party members challenge his diligence as an MP.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘close attention, caution’): via Old French from Latin diligentia, from diligent- ‘assiduous’ (see diligent).

diligence^2 /ˈdɪlɪdʒ(ə)ns/

I. noun

‹historical› a public stagecoach.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, shortened from carrosse de diligence ‘coach of speed’.

diligent /ˈdɪlɪdʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties

• after diligent searching, he found a parcel.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin diligens, diligent- ‘assiduous’, from diligere ‘love, take delight in’.

diligently /ˈdɪlɪdʒ(ə)ntli/

adverb

in a way that shows care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties

• he spends his nights diligently working on his dissertation

• I searched diligently for a remedy.

dill^1 /dɪl / dill weed

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an aromatic annual herb of the parsley family, with fine blue-green leaves and yellow flowers. The leaves or seeds are used for flavouring and for medicinal purposes.
● Anethum graveolens, family Umbelliferae.

– origin Old English dile, dyle; related to Dutch dille and German Dill; of unknown ultimate origin.

dill^2 /dɪl/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a naive or foolish person.

– origin 1940s: apparently a back-formation from dilly^2.

dill pickle

noun — [ mass noun]

1. pickled cucumber flavoured with dill.

• pastrami on rye with crunchy dill pickle.

• [ count noun] serve with pumpernickel, crisp dill pickles, and a green salad.

dill water

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an extract distilled from dill, used to relieve flatulence.

dilly^1 /ˈdɪli/

I. noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› an excellent example of a particular type of person or thing

• that's a dilly of a breakfast recipe.

– origin late 19th cent. (as an adjective in the sense ‘delightful’): alteration of the first syllable of delightful or delicious.

dilly^2 /ˈdɪli/

I. adjective

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› odd; foolish.

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps a blend of daft and silly.

dillybag dilly

I. noun

(Austral.) a bag or basket of traditional Aboriginal design, made from woven grass or fibre.

– origin from Yagara (an extinct Aboriginal language of Queensland) dili ‘coarse grass or reeds; a bag woven of this’ + bag.

dilly-dally /ˈdɪlɪdali/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› waste time through aimless wandering or indecision

• don't dilly-dally for too long.

– origin early 17th cent.: reduplication of dally.

dilophosaurus /dʌɪˌləʊfə(ʊ)ˈsɔːrəs/

I. noun

the earliest of the large bipedal dinosaurs, which had two long crests on the head and occurred in the early Jurassic period.
●Genus Dilophosaurus, infraorder Carnosauria, suborder Theropoda.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek dilophos ‘two-crested’ + sauros ‘lizard’.

diluent /ˈdɪljʊənt / ‹technical›

I. noun

a substance used to dilute something.

II. adjective

acting to cause dilution.

– origin early 18th cent. (denoting a medicine used to increase the proportion of water in the blood): from Latin diluent- ‘dissolving’, from the verb diluere.

dilute /dʌɪˈl(j)uːt, dɪˈl(j)uːt daɪˈlut, dəˈlut//

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a liquid) thinner or weaker by adding water or another solvent to it

• bleach can be diluted with cold water

• (as adj. diluted) diluted fruit juice.

2. make (something) weaker in force, content, or value by modification or the addition of other elements

• the reforms have been diluted

• (as adj. diluted) the report was published in a diluted form.

3. reduce the value of (a shareholding) by issuing more shares in a company without increasing the values of its assets.

II. adjective — dilute /ˈdʌɪl(j)uːt /

1. (of a liquid) made thinner or weaker by having had water or another solvent added to it.

2. [Chemistry] (of a solution) having a relatively low concentration of solute

• a dilute solution of potassium permanganate.

3. (of colour or light) weak or low in concentration

• dilute sun.

III. derivatives

diluter /dʌɪˈl(j)uːtə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin dilut- ‘washed away, dissolved’, from the verb diluere.

dilution /dʌɪˈluːʃn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of making a liquid more dilute.

• the milk factor is greatly reduced by dilution.

2. the action of making something weaker in force, content, or value

• he is resisting any dilution of dogma.

3. [ count noun] — a liquid that has been diluted.

4. [ count noun] — the degree to which a solution has been diluted

• the antibody was applied at a dilution of 1:50.

5. a reduction in the value of a shareholding due to the issue of additional shares in a company without an increase in assets.

II. derivatives

dilutive

adjective

[chiefly Finance]

diluvial /dʌɪˈl(j)uːvɪəl, dɪˈl(j)uːvɪəl/

I. adjective

relating to a flood or floods, especially the biblical Flood.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin diluvialis, from diluvium ‘deluge’, from diluere ‘wash away’.

diluvian /dʌɪˈl(j)uːvɪən, dɪˈl(j)uːvɪən/

adjective

another term for diluvial.

dim /dɪm/

I. adjective

1. (of a light, colour, or illuminated object) not shining brightly or clearly

• the dim glow of the fire.

2. (of an object or shape) made difficult to see by darkness, shade, or distance

• a dim figure in the dark kitchen.

3. (of a room or other space) made difficult to see in by darkness

• long dim corridors.

4. (of the eyes) unable to see clearly.

• his eyes became dim.

5. (of a sound) indistinct or muffled

• the dim drone of their voices.

6. not clearly recalled or formulated in the mind

• dim memories

• the matter was in the dim and distant past.

7. (of a situation) not giving cause for hope or optimism

• their prospects for the future looked fairly dim.

8. ‹informal› stupid or slow to understand.

• you're just incredibly dim.

II. verb

1. make or become less bright or distinct
[with obj.]

• a smoky inferno that dimmed the sun

• [no obj.] the lights dimmed and the curtains parted.

2. [with obj.] — lower the beam of (a vehicle's headlights) to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers.
(as adj. dimmed)

• the car moved slowly, its headlights dimmed.

3. make or become less intense
[with obj.]

• the difficulty in sleeping couldn't dim her happiness.

4. make or become less able to see clearly
[no obj.]

• his eyes dimmed.

III. phrases

take a dim view of

regard with disapproval.

IV. derivatives

1. dimmable

adjective

2. dimmish

adjective

3. dimness /ˈdɪmnəs /

noun

– origin Old English dim, dimm, of Germanic origin; related to German dialect timmer.

dim.

abbreviation

diminuendo.

DiMaggio, Joe /dɪˈmadʒɪəʊ/

(1914–99), American baseball player; full name Joseph Paul DiMaggio. Star of the New York Yankees team 1936–51, he was renowned for his outstanding batting ability and for his outfield play. He was briefly married to Marilyn Monroe in 1954.

Dimbleby, Richard /ˈdɪmb(ə)lbi/

(1913–65), English broadcaster; full name Frederick Richard Dimbleby. He was the BBC's first news correspondent (1936) and was particularly noted for his radio and television commentaries on royal, national, and international events. His sons David (b.1938) and Jonathan (b.1944) have both followed their father into careers in news broadcasting.

dime /dʌɪm/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a ten-cent coin.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a small amount of money

• he didn't have a dime.

II. phrases

1. a dime a dozen

‹informal› very common and of no particular value

• experts in this field are a dime a dozen.

2. drop a (or the) dime on someone

‹informal› inform on someone.

3. get off the dime

‹informal› be decisive and show initiative.

4. on a dime

‹informal› used to refer to a manoeuvre that can be performed within a small area or short distance

• boats that can turn on a dime.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French disme, from Latin decima pars ‘tenth part’. The word originally denoted a tithe or tenth part; the modern sense ‘ten cent coin’ dates from the late 18th cent.

dime bag

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a specified amount of an illegal drug, packaged and sold for a fixed price.

• a dime bag of marijuana.

dime novel

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹dated› a cheap, popular novel, typically a melodramatic romance or adventure story.

dimension /dɪˈmɛnʃ(ə)n, dʌɪˈmɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (usu. dimensions) — a measurable extent of a particular kind, such as length, breadth, depth, or height

• the final dimensions of the pond were 14 ft x 8 ft

• [ mass noun] the drawing must be precise in dimension.

2. a mode of linear extension of which there are three in space and two on a flat surface, which corresponds to one of a set of coordinates specifying the position of a point.

3. [Physics] an expression for a derived physical quantity in terms of fundamental quantities such as mass, length, or time, raised to the appropriate power (acceleration, for example, having the dimension of length × time −2).

4. an aspect or feature of a situation

• we must focus on the cultural dimensions of the problem.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut or shape (something) to particular measurements.

2. (usu. as adj. dimensioned) — mark (a diagram) with measurements.

III. derivatives

dimensionless /dɪˈmɛnʃ(ə)nləs /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in sense 1 of the noun): via Old French from Latin dimensio(n-), from dimetiri ‘measure out’. Sense 2 of the noun dates from the 1920s.

dimensional /dɪˈmɛnʃ(ə)n(ə)l, dʌɪˈmɛnʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

adjective

1. relating to measurements or dimensions

• technicians check dimensional accuracy using coordinate measuring machines.

2. having sufficient depth and substance to be believable

• well-rounded, fully dimensional characters.

dimensional analysis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Mathematics] analysis using the fact that physical quantities added to or equated with each other must be expressed in terms of the same fundamental quantities (such as mass, length, or time) for inferences to be made about the relations between them.

dimer /ˈdʌɪmə/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a molecule or molecular complex consisting of two identical molecules linked together.

II. derivatives

dimeric

adjective

– origin 1930s: from di-1 ‘two’, on the pattern of polymer.

dimercaprol /ˌdʌɪməˈkaprɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless, oily liquid with an unpleasant smell, used as an antidote for poisoning by mercury, arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals.
●Alternative name: 2,3,-dimercapto-1-propanol; chem. formula: CH_2(SH)CH(SH)CH_2OH.

– origin 1940s: from elements of the systematic name (see above).

dimerize /ˈdʌɪmərʌɪz / dimerise

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [Chemistry] combine with a similar molecule to form a dimer.

• AlCl_3 molecules dimerize to form molecules of Al_2Cl_6.

II. derivatives

dimerization

noun

dimerous /ˈdɪm(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

1. [Botany] [Zoology] having parts arranged in groups of two.

2. [Botany] [Zoology] consisting of two joints or parts.

– origin early 19th cent.: from modern Latin dimerus (from Greek dimerēs ‘bipartite’) + -ous.

dime store

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a shop selling cheap merchandise (originally one where the maximum price was a dime).

2. [as modifier] — (N. Amer.) cheap and inferior

• plastic dime-store toys.

3. [as modifier] — (N. Amer.) trite; simplistic

• the dime-store moralism of yesteryear.

dimeter /ˈdɪmɪtə/

I. noun

[Prosody] a line of verse consisting of two metrical feet.

– origin late 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek dimetros ‘of two measures’, from di- ‘twice’ + metron ‘a measure’.

dimethoate /dʌɪˈmiːθəʊeɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a crystalline synthetic organophosphorus compound used in solution as an insecticide.

– origin 1960s: from di-1 ‘two’ + methyl + thio- + -ate^1.

dimethyl sulphoxide /dʌɪˌmiːθʌɪl sʌlˈfɒksʌɪd, -ˌmɛθ-, -θɪl / dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless liquid used as a solvent and synthetic reagent. It is readily able to penetrate the skin and is used in medicinal preparations for skin application.
●Chem. formula: (CH_3)2SO.

dimetric /dʌɪˈmɛtrɪk/

I. adjective

(in technical drawing) denoting or incorporating a method of showing projection or perspective using a set of three geometrical axes of which two are of the same scale or dimension but the third is of another.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + Greek metron ‘measure’ + -ic.

dimetrodon /dʌɪˈmiːtrədɒn/

I. noun

a large fossil carnivorous mammal-like reptile of the Permian period, with long spines on its back supporting a sail-like crest.
●Genus Dimetrodon, order Pelycosauria, subclass Synapsida.

– origin modern Latin, from di- ‘twice’ + Greek metron ‘measure’ + odous, odont- ‘tooth’ (taken in the sense ‘two long teeth’).

dimidiate /dɪˈmɪdɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Heraldry] (of a coat of arms or charge) adjoin (another) so that only half of each is visible.

2. (as adj. dimidiated) — [Heraldry] (of a charge) having only one half depicted.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin dimidiat- ‘halved’, from the verb dimidiare, from dimidium ‘half’.

dimidiation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Heraldry] the combination of two coats of arms by juxtaposing the dexter half of one and the sinister half of the other on a single shield (a practice largely superseded by impalement).

diminish /dɪˈmɪnɪʃ/

I. verb

1. make or become less
[with obj.]

• the new law is expected to diminish the government's chances

• [no obj.] the pain will gradually diminish.

2. [with obj.] — cause to seem less impressive or valuable

• the trial has aged and diminished him.

II. phrases

(the law of) diminishing returns

used to refer to a point at which the level of profits or benefits gained is less than the amount of money or energy invested.

III. derivatives

diminishable /dɪˈmɪnɪʃəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: blend of archaic minish ‘diminish’ (based on Latin minutia ‘smallness’) and obsolete diminue ‘speak disparagingly’ (based on Latin deminuere ‘lessen’ (in late Latin diminuere), from minuere ‘make small’).

diminished /dɪˈmɪnɪʃt/

adjective

1. made smaller or less

• a diminished role for local government.

2. [ predic.] — made to seem less impressive or valuable

• she felt diminished by the report.

3. [ attrib.] — [Music] denoting or containing an interval which is one semitone less than the corresponding minor or perfect interval

• a diminished fifth.

diminished responsibility

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [English Law] an unbalanced mental state which is considered to make a person less answerable for murder, being recognized as grounds to reduce the charge to that of manslaughter.

• he has admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

diminished seventh

noun

1. [Music] the interval which is a semitone less than a minor seventh, e.g. from A to G flat (which in equal tuning sounds the same as a major sixth).

2. (also diminished seventh chord) — [Music] a chord formed by a note together with those above it at intervals of a minor third, a diminished fifth, and a diminished seventh. The resulting chord consists entirely of superimposed minor thirds, and is much used in modern music in modulating between keys.

diminuendo /dɪˌmɪnjʊˈɛndəʊ / ‹Music›

I. noun

1. a decrease in loudness in a piece of music.

• the sudden diminuendos are brilliantly effective.

2. a passage to be performed with a decrease in loudness.

II. adverb, adjective

(especially as a direction) with a decrease in loudness
[as adj.]

• the diminuendo chorus before the final tumult.

III. verb — [no obj.]

1. decrease in loudness or intensity.

• the singers left and the buzz diminuendoed.

– origin Italian, literally ‘diminishing’, from diminuire, from Latin deminuere ‘lessen’ (see diminish).

diminution /ˌdɪmɪˈnjuːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a reduction in the size, extent, or importance of something

• a permanent diminution in value

• [ mass noun] the disease shows no signs of diminution.

2. [Music] the shortening of the time values of notes in a melodic part.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin deminutio(n-), from the verb deminuere (see diminish).

diminutive /dɪˈmɪnjʊtɪv/

I. adjective

1. extremely or unusually small

• a diminutive figure dressed in black.

2. (of a word, name, or suffix) implying smallness, either actual or imputed to convey affection, scorn, etc. (e.g. teeny, -let, -kins).

II. noun

1. a smaller or shorter thing, in particular:

2. a diminutive word or suffix.

3. a shortened form of a name, typically used informally

• ‘Nick’ is a diminutive of ‘Nicholas’.

4. [Heraldry] a charge of the same form as an ordinary but of lesser size or width.

III. derivatives

1. diminutively

adverb

2. diminutiveness /dɪˈmɪnjʊtɪvnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (as a grammatical term): from Old French diminutif, -ive, from late Latin diminutivus, from Latin deminut- ‘diminished’, from the verb deminuere (see diminish).

dimissory /ˈdɪmɪs(ə)ri/

I. adjective

(in the Christian Church) denoting formal permission from a bishop ( letters dimissory) for a person from one diocese to be ordained in another, or (formerly) for an ordained person to leave one diocese for another.

– origin late Middle English (as a plural noun): from late Latin dimissorius, from dimiss- ‘sent away’, from the verb dimittere. The adjective dates from the late 16th cent., the original sense being ‘valedictory’.

dimity /ˈdɪmɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hard-wearing cotton fabric woven with stripes or checks.

• a nightcap in white dimity edged with lace.

• [as modifier] gay dimity curtains.

– origin late Middle English: from Italian dimito or medieval Latin dimitum, from Greek dimitos, from di- ‘twice’ + mitos ‘warp thread’; the origin of the final -y is unknown.

dimly /ˈdɪmli/

adverb

1. with a faint light; not brightly

• a single lamp glowed dimly in the gloom

• a dimly lit corridor.

2. in a faint or indistinct way; not clearly

• the desert is dimly visible in the light of the moon

• the dimly outlined figure of a young boy.

3. in a way that is not clearly perceived or recalled

• we became dimly aware of voices

• I can only dimly remember the 1960s.

4. used to express disapproval

• he would look dimly upon any attempt to change her team

• the organizers view such enterprise very dimly.

DIMM

abbreviation

[Computing] dual in-line memory module.

dimmer /ˈdɪmə/

noun

1. (also dimmer switch) — a device for varying the brightness of an electric light.

2. (US) a headlight with a low beam.

3. ( dimmers) — small parking lights on a motor vehicle.

dimorphic /dʌɪˈmɔːfɪk/

I. adjective

[chiefly Biology] occurring in or representing two distinct forms

• in this sexually dimorphic species only the males have wings.

II. derivatives

dimorphism /dʌɪˈmɔːfɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek dimorphos (from di- ‘twice’ + morphē ‘form’) + -ic.

dimorphotheca /ˌdʌɪmɔːfəˈθiːkə/

I. noun

1. a southern African plant of the daisy family, sometimes grown as a border plant.
●Genus Dimorphotheca, family Compositae.

2. (in gardening) any of a number of plants of the genus Osteospermum that are similar to dimorphothecas.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek dimorphos ‘having two forms’ + theca.

dimple /ˈdɪmp(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a small depression in the flesh, either one that exists permanently or one that forms in the cheeks when one smiles.

2. a slight depression in the surface of an object
[as modifier]

• a new golf ball, with a different dimple pattern.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. produce a dimple or dimples in the surface of

• rain began to fall, dimpling the water.

2. [no obj.] — form or show a dimple or dimples

• she dimpled at Auguste

• (as adj. dimpled) her dimpled thighs.

III. derivatives

dimply

adjective

– origin Middle English: of Germanic origin; related to German Tümpel ‘pond’.

dim sum /dɪm ˈsʌm / dim sim /ˈsɪm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Chinese dish of small steamed or fried savoury dumplings containing various fillings.

– origin from Chinese (Cantonese dialect) tim sam, from tim ‘dot’ and sam ‘heart’.

dimwit /ˈdɪmwɪt/

noun

‹informal› a stupid or silly person.

dim-witted /ˌdɪmˈwɪtɪd/

I. adjective

‹informal› stupid or silly

• a dim-witted waiter.

II. derivatives

1. dim-wittedly

adverb

2. dim-wittedness

noun

din /dɪn/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise

• the fans made an awful din.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] ( din something into) — make (someone) learn or remember an idea by constant repetition

• a runner-up, he dinned into them, was a loser.

2. [no obj.] — make a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise

• the sound dinned irritatingly into Marian's head.

– origin Old English dyne, dynn (noun), dynian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Old High German tuni (noun) and Old Norse dynr (noun), dynja ‘come rumbling down’.

DIN

I. noun

any of a series of technical standards originating in Germany and used internationally, especially to designate electrical connections, film speeds, and paper sizes
[as modifier]

• a DIN socket.

– origin early 20th cent.: acronym from Deutsche Industrie-Norm ‘German Industrial Standard’ (as laid down by the Deutsches Institut für Normung ‘German Institute for Standards’).

dinar /ˈdiːnɑː/

I. noun

1. the basic monetary unit of Serbia, equal to 100 paras.

2. the basic monetary unit of certain countries of the Middle East and North Africa, equal to 1000 fils in Jordan, Bahrain, and Iraq, 1000 dirhams in Libya, and 100 centimes in Algeria.

3. a monetary unit of Iran, equal to one hundredth of a rial.

– origin from Arabic and Persian dīnār, Turkish and Serbian dinar, via late Greek from Latin denarius (see denarius).

Dinaric Alps /dɪˈnarɪk/

a mountain range in the Balkans, running parallel to the Adriatic coast from Slovenia in the north-west, through Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro, to Albania in the south-east.

din-dins /ˈdɪndɪnz / din-din

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a child's word for dinner.

dine /dʌɪn/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. eat dinner

• we dined at a restaurant

• (as noun dining) a dining area.

2. ( dine out) — eat dinner in a restaurant.

3. ( dine out on) — regularly entertain friends with (a humorous story or interesting fact).

4. [with obj.] — take (someone) to dinner.

– origin Middle English: from Old French disner, probably from desjëuner ‘to break fast’, from des- (expressing reversal) + jëun ‘fasting’ (from Latin jejunus).

diner /ˈdʌɪnə/

noun

1. a person who is eating, typically a customer in a restaurant.

2. a dining car on a train.

3. (N. Amer.) a small roadside restaurant with a long counter and booths.

dinero /dɪˈnɛːrəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› money

• their pockets full of dinero.

– origin Spanish, ‘coin, money’.

Dinesen, Isak /ˈdɪnɪs(ə)n/

see Blixen, Karen.

dinette /dʌɪˈnɛt/

I. noun

1. a small room or part of a room used for eating meals.

2. (N. Amer.) a set of table and chairs for a dining area.

– origin 1930s: formed irregularly from dine + -ette.

ding^1 /dɪŋ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a ringing sound

• cash registers were dinging softly.

II. exclamation

used to imitate a metallic ringing sound resembling a bell.

– origin early 17th cent.: imitative.

ding^2 /dɪŋ/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a mark or dent on the bodywork of a car, boat, or other vehicle.

2. (Scottish) ‹dialect› a blow on the head.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. dent (something).

2. hit (someone), especially on the head

• I dinged him one.

3. [no obj.] ( ding into) — (Scottish) bump into.

• he dings into doorways like a bearing in a pinball machine.

– origin Middle English: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare with Danish dænge ‘beat, bang’.

ding^3 /dɪŋ/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a lively party or celebration.

– origin 1950s: perhaps from ding-dong or wingding.

ding-a-ling /ˈdɪŋəlɪŋ/

I. noun

1. [in sing.] — the ringing sound of a bell.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› an eccentric or stupid person.

– origin late 19th cent.: imitative.

Ding an sich /ˌdɪŋ an ˈzɪx, German ˌdɪŋ an ˈzɪç/

I. noun

(in Kant's philosophy) a thing as it is in itself, not mediated through perception by the senses or conceptualization, and therefore unknowable.

– origin German.

dingbat /ˈdɪŋbat/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) a stupid or eccentric person.

2. ( dingbats) — ‹informal› (Austral./NZ) delusions or feelings of unease, particularly those induced by delirium tremens.

3. ‹informal› a typographical device other than a letter or numeral (such as an asterisk), used to signal divisions in text or to replace letters in a euphemistically presented vulgar word.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in early use applied to various vaguely specified objects): origin uncertain; perhaps based on ding^2. Sense 2 is probably by association with have bats in the belfry.

ding-dong /ˈdɪŋdɒŋ, dɪŋˈdɒŋ/

I. noun

1. [in sing.] — ‹informal› (Brit.) a fierce argument or fight

• they had a bit of a ding-dong.

2. ‹informal› ‹dated› a riotous party.

3. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) a silly or foolish person.

II. adverb, adjective

1. with the simple alternate chimes of or as of a bell
[as adv.]

• the church bells go ding-dong

• [as adj.] he heard the ding-dong tones on the aircraft.

2. [as adv.] — (Brit.) energetically or wildly

• her biological clock is going ding-dong.

3. [as adj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› (of a contest) evenly matched and hard fought

• the game was an exciting ding-dong battle.

– origin mid 16th cent.: imitative.

dinger /ˈdɪŋə/

I. noun

1. [Baseball] ‹informal› a home run.

2. (US) ‹informal› ‹dated› a thing outstanding of its kind

• it was going to be a dinger of a night.

– origin late 19th cent.: shortening of humdinger.

dinghy /ˈdɪŋɡi, ˈdɪŋi/

I. noun

1. a small boat for recreation or racing, especially an open boat with a mast and sails.

2. a small inflatable rubber boat.

– origin early 19th cent. (denoting a rowing boat used on rivers in India): from Hindi ḍiṅgī. The -gh in English serves to indicate the hard g.

dingle /ˈdɪŋɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

‹literary› ‹dialect› a deep wooded valley or dell.

– origin Middle English (denoting a deep abyss): of unknown origin. The current sense dates from the mid 17th cent.

dingleberry

I. noun

1. (US) ‹informal› a foolish or inept person.

2. ‹vulgar slang› a particle of faecal matter attached to anal hair.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from dingle of unknown origin + berry.

dingo /ˈdɪŋɡəʊ/

I. noun

1. a wild or half-domesticated dog with a sandy-coloured coat, found in Australia.
● Canis dingo, family Canidae.

2. (Austral.) ‹informal› a cowardly or treacherous person.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› behave in a cowardly manner

• he dingoed out because he did not have the nerve

• [with obj.] you have dingoed it on every occasion.

III. phrases

dingo's breakfast

(Austral.) ‹informal› no breakfast at all

• after a dingo's breakfast he set off back to Adelaide.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Dharuk din-gu ‘domesticated dingo’; sense 2 of the noun dates from the mid 19th cent. and alludes to the treachery popularly associated with the dingo.

dingo fence

noun

(Austral.) a fence erected around an area to keep out dingoes. Also called dog fence:

• a 1.8km dingo fence was completed on the island last month.

dingus /ˈdɪŋəs / ‹S. African› dinges

I. noun

(N. Amer.) (S. African) ‹informal› used to refer to something one cannot or does not wish to name specifically.

– origin late 19th cent.: via Afrikaans from Dutch ding ‘thing’.

dingy /ˈdɪn(d)ʒi/

I. adjective

gloomy and drab

• a dingy room.

II. derivatives

1. dingily

adverb

2. dinginess /ˈdɪn(d)ʒɪnəs /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: perhaps based on Old English dynge ‘dung’.

dining car

noun

a railway carriage equipped as a restaurant.

dining hall

noun

a large room, typically in a school or other institution, in which people eat meals together.

dining room

noun

a room in a house or hotel in which meals are eaten.

• the main building has a dining room, kitchen, and TV lounge.

• [as modifier] a dining-room table.

dining table

noun

a table on which meals are served in a dining room.

dink^1 /dɪŋk/

noun

another term for dinky^2.

dink^2 /dɪŋk/

I. noun

(in sport) a softly struck hit or kick of the ball that drops abruptly to the ground

• a brilliantly controlled backhand dink over the net.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. hit or kick (the ball) softly so that it drops abruptly to the ground

• he dinked a shot over the net to take the second set 7–5.

– origin 1930s (originally a North American usage): symbolic of the light action.

dink^3 /dɪŋk / ‹Austral.›

I. noun

a lift on a bicycle

• you will have to give him a dink on the handlebars.

II. verb

carry a passenger on a bicycle
[with obj.]

• I dinked him down the path to the main gate

• [no obj.] when nobody was watching they would double-dink.

– origin 1930s: origin unknown.

Dinka /ˈdɪŋkə/

I. noun

1. a member of a Sudanese people of the Nile basin.

2. [ mass noun] — the Nilotic language of the Dinka, with about 1.4 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Dinka or their language.

– origin from the local word Jieng ‘people’.

dinkum /ˈdɪŋkəm / ‹Austral./NZ informal›

I. adjective

(of an article or person) genuine, honest, true

• a real dinkum bloke.

II. adverb

really, truly, honestly.

III. phrases

1. (the) dinkum oil

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› the honest truth

• what I am telling you is the dinkum oil.

2. fair (or square or straight) dinkum ‹Austral./NZ informal›

a. used to emphasize or seek confirmation of the genuineness or truth of something

• Eric and his assistant are fair dinkum magicians

• ‘Burt's just told me he's packing up in a month.’ ‘Fair dinkum?’.

b. used to emphasize that behaviour complies with accepted standards

• they were asking a lot for the car, but fair dinkum considering its list price.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

dinky^1 /ˈdɪŋki/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› (Brit.) (of an object or place) attractively small and neat

• a dinky little restaurant.

2. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) disappointingly small; insignificant

• I can't believe the dinky salaries they pay here.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Scots and northern English dialect dink ‘neat, trim’, of unknown origin.

dinky^2 /ˈdɪŋki/

I. noun

‹informal› a partner in a well-off working couple with no children.

– origin 1980s: acronym from double income, no kids, on the pattern of yuppy.

Dinky

noun — [as modifier]

1. ‹trademark› denoting a miniature motor vehicle of die-cast metal.

dinky-di /ˌdɪŋkɪˈdʌɪ / dinki-di

I. adjective

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› another term for dinkum.

– origin early 20th cent.: from dinkum, with a nonsensical final element.

dinna dinnae

I. verb

non-standard spelling of don't, used in representing Scottish speech.

• dinna break your heart.

• I dinna think so.

II. phrases

dinna fash

see fash.

dinner /ˈdɪnə/

I. noun

1. the main meal of the day, taken either around midday or in the evening.

2. a formal evening meal, typically one in honour of a person or event.

II. phrases

1. done like (a) dinner

(Austral./NZ) (Canadian) ‹informal› utterly defeated or outwitted.

2. more —— than someone has had hot dinners

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to emphasize someone's wide experience of a specified activity or phenomenon

• he's seen more battles than you've had hot dinners.

– origin Middle English: from Old French disner (infinitive used as a noun: see dine).

dinner camp

noun

(Austral.) a midday break

• the boys have a good long dinner camp to catch up on a bit of sleep

• he told the story one day on dinner camp.

dinner dance

noun

a formal social event in which guests have dinner, followed by dancing.

dinner jacket

noun

a man's jacket without tails, typically black, worn with a bow tie for formal occasions in the evening.

dinner lady

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a woman who serves meals to children in a school.

dinner pail

I. noun

‹dated› (chiefly US) a pail in which a labourer's or schoolchild's dinner is carried and kept warm.

II. phrases

hand in one's dinner pail

‹informal› die.

• old Syd handed in his dinner pail over twenty-five years ago.

dinner party

noun

a social occasion at which guests eat dinner together.

dinner service dinner set

noun

a set of matching crockery for serving a meal.

• an eight piece dinner service.

dinner suit

noun

a dinner jacket and trousers, worn with a bow tie on formal occasions.

dinner theatre

noun

(N. Amer.) a theatre in which a meal is included in the price of a ticket.
[as modifier]

• a dinner-theatre production.

dinner time

noun

the time at which dinner is customarily eaten, either around midday or in the evening

• I'll be back at dinner time.

dinnerware /ˈdɪnəwɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) dishes, utensils, and glassware used at table; tableware.

dino /ˈdʌɪnəʊ/

noun

‹informal› a dinosaur.
[as modifier]

• the palaeontologist hopes future digs will uncover new dino species previously unknown to science.

dinoflagellate /ˌdʌɪnə(ʊ)ˈfladʒəleɪt/

I. noun

[Biology] a single-celled organism with two flagella, occurring in large numbers in marine plankton and also found in fresh water. Some produce toxins that can accumulate in shellfish, resulting in poisoning when eaten.
●Division Dinophyta or class Dinophyceae, division Chromophycota (or phylum Dinophyta, kingdom Protista).

– origin late 19th cent. (as an adjective): from modern Latin Dinoflagellata (plural), from Greek dinos ‘whirling’ + Latin flagellum ‘small whip’ (see flagellum).

dinosaur /ˈdʌɪnəsɔː/

I. noun

1.
a. a fossil reptile of the Mesozoic era, often reaching an enormous size.

The dinosaurs are placed, according to their hip structure, in two distantly related orders (see ornithischian and saurischian). Some of them may have been warm-blooded, and their closest living relatives are the birds. Dinosaurs were all extinct by the end of the Cretaceous period (65 million years ago), possibly as a result of a catastrophic asteroid impact in the Gulf of Mexico.

2. a person or thing that is outdated or has become obsolete because of failure to adapt to changing circumstances.

II. derivatives

dinosaurian

adjective, noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin dinosaurus, from Greek deinos ‘terrible’ + sauros ‘lizard’.

dint /dɪnt/

I. noun

1. a dent or hollow in a surface

• the soft dints at the top of a coconut.

2. ‹archaic› a blow or stroke, typically one made with a weapon in fighting.

3. [ mass noun] — force of attack; impact

• I perceive you feel the dint of pity.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark (a surface) with dents or hollows.
(as adj. dinted)

• the metal was dull and dinted.

III. phrases

by dint of

by means of

• he had got to where he was today by dint of sheer hard work.

– origin Old English dynt ‘stroke with a weapon’, reinforced in Middle English by the related Old Norse word dyntr; of unknown ultimate origin. Compare with dent.

diocesan /dʌɪˈɒsɪs(ə)n/

I. adjective

of or concerning a diocese.

II. noun

the bishop of a diocese.

– origin late Middle English: from French diocésain, from medieval Latin diocesanus, from Latin dioecesis (see diocese).

diocese /ˈdʌɪəsɪs/

I. noun

a district under the pastoral care of a bishop in the Christian Church.

– origin Middle English: from Old French diocise, from late Latin diocesis, from Latin dioecesis ‘governor's jurisdiction, diocese’, from Greek dioikēsis ‘administration, diocese’, from dioikein ‘keep house, administer’.

dioch /ˈdʌɪək/

I. noun

a quelea (weaver bird).
●The black-faced dioch is the red-billed quelea ( Quelea quelea).

– origin late 19th cent.: probably a local African name.

Diocletian /ˌdʌɪəˈkliːʃ(ə)n/

(245–313), Roman emperor 284–305; full name Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus. Faced with mounting military problems, in 286 he divided the empire between himself in the east and Maximian in the west. Diocletian launched the final persecution of the Christians (303).

diode /ˈdʌɪəʊd/

I. noun

1. [Electronics] a semiconductor device with two terminals, typically allowing the flow of current in one direction only.

2. [Electronics] a thermionic valve having two electrodes (an anode and a cathode).

– origin early 20th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + a shortened form of electrode.

dioecious /dʌɪˈiːʃəs/

I. adjective

[Biology] (of a plant or invertebrate animal) having the male and female reproductive organs in separate individuals.
Compare with monoecious.

II. derivatives

dioecy

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from modern Latin Dioecia (a class in Linnaeus's sexual system), from di-1 ‘two’ + Greek -oikos ‘house’.

dioestrus /dʌɪˈiːstrəs / ‹US› diestrus

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] (in most female mammals) a period of sexual inactivity between recurrent periods of oestrus.

Diogenes /dʌɪˈɒdʒɪniːz/

( c. 400– c. 325 BC), Greek philosopher. The most famous of the Cynics, he lived ascetically in Athens (according to legend, he lived in a tub) and was accordingly nicknamed Kuōn (‘the dog’), from which the Cynics derived their name. He emphasized self-sufficiency and the need for natural, uninhibited behaviour, regardless of social conventions.

diogenite /dʌɪˈɒdʒənʌɪt/

I. noun

a stony meteorite of a kind consisting largely of pyroxenes and plagioclase.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek Diogenēs ‘descended from Zeus’ + -ite^1.

diol /ˈdʌɪɒl/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an alcohol containing two hydroxyl groups in its molecule.

– origin 1920s: from di-1 ‘two’ + -ol.

Dione /dʌɪˈəʊni / ‹Astronomy›

I. a satellite of Saturn, the twelfth closest to the planet, discovered by Cassini in 1684, being icy with a partly cratered and partly smooth surface (diameter 1,120 km).

– origin named after a Titan, the mother of Aphrodite, in Greek mythology.

Dionysiac /ˌdʌɪəˈnɪzɪak / Dionysian /ˌdʌɪəˈnɪzɪən/

adjective

1. [Greek Mythology] relating to the god Dionysus.

2. relating to the sensual, spontaneous, and emotional aspects of human nature.
Compare with Apollonian.

Dionysius /ˌdʌɪəˈnɪsɪəs/

I. the name of two rulers of Syracuse:

II. Dionysius I ( c. 430–367 BC), ruled 405–367; known as Dionysius the Elder. A tyrannical ruler, he waged three wars against the Carthaginians for control of Sicily, later becoming the principal power in Greek Italy after the capture of Rhegium (386) and other Greek cities in southern Italy.

III. Dionysius II ( c. 397– c. 344 BC), son of Dionysius I, ruled 367–357 and 346–344; known as Dionysius the Younger. He lacked his father's military ambitions and signed a peace treaty with Carthage in 367. Despite his patronage of philosophers, he resisted the attempt by Plato to turn him into a philosopher king.

Dionysius Exiguus /ɪɡˈzɪɡjʊəs/

(died c. 556), Scythian monk and scholar. He is famous for introducing the system of dates BC and AD that is still in use today, accepting 753 AUC as the year of the Incarnation; this has since been shown to be mistaken. He is said to have taken the nickname Exiguus (‘little’) as a sign of humility.

Dionysius of Halicarnassus

(1st century BC), Greek historian, literary critic, and rhetorician. He lived in Rome from 30 BC and is best known for his detailed history of the city, written in Greek; this covers the period from the earliest times until the outbreak of the first Punic War (264 BC).

Dionysius the Areopagite /ˌarɪˈɒpəɡʌɪt/

(1st century AD), Greek churchman. His conversion by St Paul is recorded in Acts 17:34 and according to tradition he went on to become the first bishop of Athens. He was later confused with St Denis and with a mystical theologian, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, who exercised a profound influence on medieval theology.

Dionysus /ˌdʌɪəˈnʌɪsəs / ‹Greek Mythology›

a Greek god, son of Zeus and Semele; his worship entered Greece from Thrace c. 1000 BC. Originally a god of the fertility of nature, associated with wild and ecstatic religious rites, in later traditions he is a god of wine who loosens inhibitions and inspires creativity in music and poetry.
Also called Bacchus.

Diophantine equation /ˌdʌɪəˈfantɪn, -tʌɪn/

I. noun

[Mathematics] a polynomial equation with integral coefficients for which integral solutions are required.

– origin early 18th cent.: named after Diophantus.

Diophantus /ˌdʌɪəˈfantəs/

( fl. c. 250 AD), Greek mathematician. Diophantus was the first to attempt an algebraical notation, showing in Arithmetica how to solve simple and quadratic equations. His work led to Pierre de Fermat's discoveries in the theory of numbers.

diopside /dʌɪˈɒpsʌɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral occurring as white to pale green crystals in metamorphic and basic igneous rocks. It consists of a calcium and magnesium silicate of the pyroxene group, often also containing iron and chromium.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, formed irregularly from di-3 ‘through’ + Greek opsis ‘aspect’, later interpreted as derived from Greek diopsis ‘a view through’.

dioptase /dʌɪˈɒpteɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rare mineral occurring as emerald green or blue-green crystals. It consists of a hydrated silicate of copper.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, formed irregularly from Greek dioptos ‘transparent’.

dioptre /dʌɪˈɒptə / ‹US› diopter

I. noun

a unit of refractive power, which is equal to the reciprocal of the focal length (in metres) of a given lens.

• vision corrected to within one dioptre of perfect sight.

– origin late 16th cent. (originally as diopter, denoting an alidade): from French, from Latin dioptra, from Greek, from di- ‘through’ + optos ‘visible’. The term was used in the early 17th cent. to denote an ancient form of theodolite; the current sense dates from the late 19th cent.

dioptric /dʌɪˈɒptrɪk/

I. adjective

relating to the refraction of light, especially in the organs of sight or in devices which aid or improve the vision.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek dioptrikos, from dioptra, a kind of theodolite (see dioptre).

dioptrics /dʌɪˈɒptrɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of optics that deals with refraction.

Dior, Christian /ˈdiːɔː, French djɔʀ/

(1905–57), French couturier. His first collection (1947), featured narrow-waisted tightly fitted bodices and full pleated skirts; this became known as the New Look. He later created the first A-line garments.

diorama /ˌdʌɪəˈrɑːmə/

I. noun

1. a model representing a scene with three-dimensional figures, either in miniature or as a large-scale museum exhibit.

2. ‹chiefly historical› a scenic painting, viewed through a peephole, in which changes in colour and direction of illumination simulate changes in the weather, time of day, etc.

3. a miniature film set used for special effects or animation.

– origin early 19th cent.: coined in French from dia- ‘through’, on the pattern of panorama.

diorite /ˈdʌɪərʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a speckled, coarse-grained igneous rock consisting essentially of plagioclase, feldspar, and hornblende or other mafic minerals.

II. derivatives

dioritic

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein ‘distinguish’ + -ite^1.

Dioscuri /ˌdʌɪɒˈskʊəri, dʌɪˈɒskjʊri / ‹Greek & Roman Mythology›

I. the twins Castor and Pollux, born to Leda after her seduction by Zeus. Castor was mortal, but Pollux was immortal; at Pollux's request they shared his immortality between them, spending half their time below the earth in Hades and the other half on Olympus. They are often identified with the constellation Gemini.

– origin from Greek Dioskouroi ‘sons of Zeus’.

diosgenin /dʌɪˈɒsdʒənɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a steroid compound obtained from Mexican yams and used in the synthesis of steroid hormones.

– origin 1930s: from dios- (from the modern Latin genus name Dioscorea) + genin, denoting steroids that occur as the non-sugar part of certain glycosides.

dioxane /dʌɪˈɒkseɪn / dioxan /dʌɪˈɒksan/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless toxic liquid used as an organic solvent.
●A heterocyclic compound with a ring of four carbon and two oxygen atoms; chem. formula: C_4H_8O_2.

– origin early 20th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + ox- ‘oxygen’ + -an (or -ane^2).

dioxide /dʌɪˈɒksʌɪd/

noun

[Chemistry] an oxide containing two atoms of oxygen in its molecule or empirical formula.

dioxin /dʌɪˈɒksɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a highly toxic compound produced as a by-product in some manufacturing processes, notably herbicide production and paper bleaching. It is a serious and persistent environmental pollutant.
●A heterocyclic organochlorine compound; alternative name: 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzoparadioxin ; chem. formula: C_12H_4O_2Cl_4.

2. [ count noun] — any of the class of compounds to which dioxin belongs.

– origin early 20th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + ox- ‘oxygen’ + -in^1.

dip /dɪp/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] ( dip something in/into) — put or let something down quickly or briefly in or into (liquid)

• he dipped a brush in the paint.

2. immerse (sheep) in a chemical solution that kills parasites.

3. make (a candle) by immersing a wick repeatedly in hot wax.

4. ‹informal› ‹dated› baptize (someone) by immersion in water.

5. [no obj.] ( dip into) — put a hand or implement into (a bag or container) in order to take something out

• Ian dipped into his briefcase and pulled out a photograph.

6. spend from or make use of (one's financial resources)

• you won't have to dip into your savings.

7. read only parts of (a publication or document)

• a reference work to dip into time and time again.

8. [no obj.] — sink, drop, or slope downwards

• the sun had dipped below the horizon

• the road dipped down to the bridge.

9. (of a level or amount) become lower or smaller, typically temporarily

• the president's popularity has dipped

• audiences dipped below 600,000 for the match.

10. [with obj.] — lower or move (something) downwards

• the plane dipped its wings.

11. [with obj.] — (Brit.) lower the beam of (a vehicle's headlights).

12. [no obj.] ( dip out) — (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› miss an opportunity; fail.

13. [with obj.] — ‹informal› ‹dated› pick (someone's pocket).

II. noun

1. a brief swim

• they cooled off by taking a dip in the pool.

2. a brief immersion in liquid.

3. short for sheep dip.

4. [ mass noun] — a thick sauce in which pieces of food are dipped before eating

• tasty garlic dip.

5. a brief downward slope followed by an upward one

• the big hedge at the bottom of the dip.

6. an act of sinking or dropping briefly before rising again

• a dip in the share price.

7. [ mass noun] — ‹technical› the extent to which something is angled downward from the horizontal, in particular:

8. (also magnetic dip) — the angle made with the horizontal at any point by the earth's magnetic field, or by a magnetic needle in response to this.

9. [Geology] the angle a stratum makes with the horizontal.

• the cliff profile tends to be dominated by the dip of the beds.

10. [Astronomy] [Surveying] the apparent depression of the horizon from the line of observation, due to the curvature of the earth.

11. ‹informal› ‹dated› a pickpocket.

12. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a stupid or foolish person.

13. ‹archaic› a candle made by immersing a wick repeatedly in hot wax.

III. phrases

dip one's toe into (or in)

a. put one's toe briefly in (water), typically to check the temperature.

b. begin to do or test (something) cautiously

• the company has already dipped its toe into the market.

– origin Old English dyppan, of Germanic origin; related to deep.

DIP /diːʌɪˈpiː/

abbreviation

1. [Computing] document image processing, a system for the digital storage and retrieval of documents as scanned images.

2. [Electronics] dual in-line package, a package for an integrated circuit consisting of a rectangular sealed unit with two parallel rows of downward-pointing pins.

Dip.

abbreviation

diploma.

DipAD

abbreviation

(in the UK) Diploma in Art and Design.

dip-dye

verb — [with obj.]

1. immerse (a yarn or fabric) in a special solution in order to colour it.

• yarn can be dip-dyed in different colours.

• (as noun dip-dyeing) similar effects to dip-dyeing can be achieved by spraying.

DipEd /dɪpˈɛd/

abbreviation

(in the UK) Diploma in Education.

dipeptide /dʌɪˈpɛptʌɪd/

noun

[Biochemistry] a peptide composed of two amino-acid residues.

DipHE

abbreviation

(in the UK) Diploma of Higher Education.

diphenhydramine /ˌdʌɪfɛnˈhʌɪdrəmiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an antihistamine compound used for the symptomatic relief of allergies.
●A synthetic amine, usually used as a hydrochloride salt; chem. formula: C_17H_21NO.

– origin 1940s: from diphen- (denoting the presence of two phenyl groups) + hydr- + amine.

diphenylamine /dʌɪˈfiːnʌɪləˌmiːn, dʌɪˈfɛnɪləˌmiːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a synthetic crystalline compound with basic properties, used in making azo dyes and as an insecticide and larvicide.
●Chem. formula: (C_6H_5)2NH.

diphtheria /dɪfˈθɪərɪə, dɪpˈθɪərɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an acute and highly contagious bacterial disease causing inflammation of the mucous membranes, formation of a false membrane in the throat which hinders breathing and swallowing, and potentially fatal heart and nerve damage by a bacterial toxin in the blood. It is now rare in developed countries owing to immunization.
●The disease is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae: see Klebs–Löffler bacillus.

II. derivatives

1. diphtherial /dɪfˈθɪərɪəl, dɪpˈθɪərɪəl /

adjective

2. diphtheritic /dɪfθəˈrɪtɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from French diphthérie (earlier diphthérite), from Greek diphthera ‘skin, hide’. / usage: In the past diphtheria was pronounced with an f sound representing the two letters ph (as in telephone, sulphur, and other ph words derived from Greek). In recent years the pronunciation has shifted and today the most common pronunciation, no longer incorrect in standard English, is with a p sound. A very similar shift has taken place with the word diphthong, which is now also widely pronounced with a p rather than an f sound.

diphtheroid /ˈdɪfθərɔɪd, ˈdɪpθərɔɪd/

I. noun

[Microbiology] any bacterium of a genus that includes the diphtheria bacillus, especially one that does not cause disease.
See corynebacterium.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. [Medicine] similar to diphtheria.

• diphtheroid endocarditis.

diphthong /ˈdɪfθɒŋ, ˈdɪpθɒŋ/

I. noun

1. a sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves towards another (as in coin, loud, and side).
Often contrasted with monophthong, triphthong.

2. a digraph representing the sound of a diphthong or single vowel (as in feat).

3. a compound vowel character; a ligature (such as æ).

II. derivatives

diphthongal /dɪpˈθɒŋɡ(ə)l, dɪfˈθɒŋɡl /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from French diphtongue, via late Latin from Greek diphthongos, from di- ‘twice’ + phthongos ‘voice, sound’. / usage: For a discussion of the pronunciation of diphthong, see usage at diphtheria.

diphthongize /ˈdɪfθɒŋʌɪz, ˈdɪpθɒŋʌɪz / diphthongise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. change (a vowel) into a diphthong.

• the short vowel was not lengthened or diphthongized.

II. derivatives

diphthongization /dɪfθɒŋʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n, dɪpθɒŋʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

diphycercal /ˌdɪfɪˈsəːk(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Zoology] (of a fish's tail) approximately symmetrical and with the vertebral column continuing to the tip, as in lampreys.
Contrasted with heterocercal, homocercal.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek diphu- ‘of double form’ + kerkos ‘tail’ + -al.

diplegia /dʌɪˈpliːdʒə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] paralysis of corresponding parts on both sides of the body, typically affecting the legs more severely than the arms.

– origin late 19th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’, on the pattern of hemiplegia and paraplegia.

diplo-

I. combining form

1. double

• diplococcus.

2. [Genetics] diploid.

• diplohaplontic.

– origin from Greek diplous ‘double’.

diploblastic /ˌdɪplə(ʊ)ˈblastɪk/

adjective

[Zoology] having a body derived from only two embryonic cell layers (ectoderm and endoderm, but no mesoderm), as in sponges and coelenterates.

diplococcus /ˌdɪplə(ʊ)ˈkɒkəs/

noun

a bacterium that occurs as pairs of cocci, e.g. pneumococcus.

diplodocus /dɪˈplɒdəkəs, ˌdɪplə(ʊ)ˈdəʊkəs/

I. noun

a huge herbivorous dinosaur of the late Jurassic period, with a long slender neck and tail.
●Genus Diplodocus, infraorder Sauropoda, order Saurischia.

– origin modern Latin, from diplo- ‘double’ + Greek dokos ‘wooden beam’.

diplohaplontic /ˌdɪpləʊhapˈlɒntɪk/

adjective

[Genetics] (of an alga or other lower plant) having a life cycle in which full-grown haploid and diploid forms alternate.
Compare with diplontic and haplontic.

diploid /ˈdɪplɔɪd / ‹Genetics›

I. adjective

1. (of a cell or nucleus) containing two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.
Compare with haploid.

2. (of an organism or part) composed of diploid cells.

II. noun

a diploid cell, organism, or species.

III. derivatives

diploidy

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek diplous ‘double’ + -oid.

diploid number

noun

[Genetics] the number of chromosomes present in the body cells of a diploid organism.

diploma /dɪˈpləʊmə/

I. noun

1. a certificate awarded by an educational establishment to show that someone has successfully completed a course of study.

2. ‹historical› an official document or charter.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘state paper’): via Latin from Greek diplōma ‘folded paper’, from diploun ‘to fold’, from diplous ‘double’.

diplomacy /dɪˈpləʊməsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations, typically by a country's representatives abroad

• an extensive round of diplomacy in the Middle East.

2. the art of dealing with people in a sensitive and tactful way

• with perfect diplomacy, he divided his attention between Meryl and Anthea.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French diplomatie, from diplomatique ‘diplomatic’, on the pattern of aristocratie ‘aristocracy’.

diploma mill

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› an institution or organization that grants large numbers of educational degrees based on inadequate or inferior education and assessment of the recipients

• the best online schools have to amass enough alumni performance data to distinguish themselves from diploma mills.

diplomat /ˈdɪpləmat/

I. noun

1. an official representing a country abroad.

2. a person who can deal with others in a sensitive and tactful way.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French diplomate, back-formation from diplomatique ‘diplomatic’, from Latin diploma (see diploma).

diplomate /ˈdɪpləmeɪt/

noun

(chiefly US) a person who holds a diploma, especially a doctor certified as a specialist by a board of examiners.

diplomatic /dɪpləˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

1. of or concerning diplomacy

• diplomatic relations with Britain were broken.

2. having or showing an ability to deal with people in a sensitive and tactful way

• he tried his best to be diplomatic.

3. (of an edition or copy) exactly reproducing an original version

• a diplomatic transcription.

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to official documents’): from modern Latin diplomaticus and French diplomatique, from Latin diploma (see diploma). Sense 1 (late 18th cent.) is probably due to the publication of the Codex Juris Gentium Diplomaticus (1695), a collection of originals of important public documents, many of which dealt with international affairs.

diplomatically /ˌdɪpləˈmatɪkli/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to diplomacy or international relations

• the country has been left rather isolated politically and diplomatically

• they're trying to find ways to work diplomatically with our allies.

2. in a sensitive and tactful way

• they have to deal diplomatically with awkward patients

• a difficult question to answer diplomatically.

diplomatic bag

noun

(Brit.) a container in which official mail is sent to or from an embassy, which is not subject to customs inspection.

diplomatic corps

noun

the body of diplomats representing other countries in a particular state.

diplomatic immunity

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the privilege of exemption from certain laws and taxes granted to diplomats by the state in which they are working.

• her embassy are claiming diplomatic immunity on her behalf.

diplomatic pouch

noun

US term for diplomatic bag.

diplomatic service

noun

the government department concerned with the representation of a country abroad.

diplomatist /dɪˈpləʊmətɪst/

noun

old-fashioned term for diplomat.

diplontic /dɪpˈlɒntɪk/

I. adjective

[Genetics] (of an alga or other lower plant) having a life cycle in which the main form, except for the gametes, is diploid.
Compare with haplontic and diplohaplontic.

II. derivatives

diplont

noun

– origin 1920s: from diplo- ‘double’ + Greek on, ont- ‘being’ (from einai ‘be, exist’) + -ic.

diplopia /dɪˈpləʊpɪə/

noun

technical term for double vision.

Diplopoda /ˌdɪpləˈpəʊdə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a class of myriapod arthropods that comprises the millipedes.

II. derivatives

diplopod /ˈdɪpləpɒd /

noun

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek diploos ‘double’ + pous, pod- ‘foot’.

diplotene /ˈdɪplətiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the fourth stage of the prophase of meiosis, following pachytene, during which the paired chromosomes begin to separate into two pairs of chromatids.

– origin 1920s: from diplo- ‘double’ + Greek tainia ‘band’.

Diplura /dɪˈplʊərə/

I. plural noun

[Entomology] an order of small primitive wingless insects which resemble the true bristletails but have two bristles at the end of the abdomen.
●Order Diplura, subclass Apterygota, class Insecta (or Hexapoda).

II. derivatives

dipluran

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from di-1 ‘two’ + Greek pleura ‘side of the body’.

dip net ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

I. noun

a small fishing net with a long handle.

II. verb

( dip-net) [with obj.] — catch (fish) using a dip net.

dipole /ˈdʌɪpəʊl/

I. noun

1. [Physics] a pair of equal and oppositely charged or magnetized poles separated by a distance.

2. [Chemistry] a molecule in which a concentration of positive electric charge is separated from a concentration of negative charge.

3. an aerial consisting of a horizontal metal rod with a connecting wire at its centre.

II. derivatives

dipolar

adjective

dipole moment

noun

[Physics] [Chemistry] the mathematical product of the separation of the ends of a dipole and the magnitude of the charges.

dip pen

noun

a pen that has to be dipped in ink.

dipper /ˈdɪpə/

noun

1. a short-tailed songbird related to the wrens, frequenting fast-flowing streams and able to swim, dive, and walk under water to feed.
●Family Cinclidae and genus Cinclus: five species, in particular the white-throated Eurasian C. cinclus.

2. a ladle or scoop.

3. a person who dips something in liquid.

4. ‹informal› a pickpocket.

5. ‹archaic› ‹informal› a Baptist or Anabaptist.

dippy /ˈdɪpi/

I. adjective

‹informal› silly and eccentric or scatterbrained

• dippy ideas.

– origin early 20th cent.: of unknown origin.

dipshit /ˈdɪpʃɪt/

I. noun

‹vulgar slang› (chiefly N. Amer.) a contemptible or inept person.

– origin 1970s: perhaps a blend of dippy and shit.

dip slope

noun

a gentle slope in the land that follows that of the underlying strata, especially the gentler slope of a cuesta.
Often contrasted with scarp slope.

dipso /ˈdɪpsəʊ/

noun

‹informal› a person suffering from dipsomania; an alcoholic.

dipsomania /ˌdɪpsə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. alcoholism, specifically in a form characterized by intermittent bouts of craving for alcohol.

II. derivatives

1. dipsomaniac /dɪpsəˈmeɪnɪak /

noun

2. dipsomaniacal

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek dipso- (from dipsa ‘thirst’) + -mania.

dipstick /ˈdɪpstɪk/

noun

1. a graduated rod for measuring the depth of a liquid, especially oil in a vehicle's engine.

2. ‹informal› a stupid or inept person.

dip switch

noun

(Brit.) a switch for lowering a vehicle's headlight beams.

DIP switch

noun

[Computing] an arrangement of switches in a dual in-line package used to select the operating mode of a device such as a printer.

Diptera /ˈdɪpt(ə)rə/

I. plural noun

1. [Entomology] a large order of insects that comprises the two-winged or true flies, which have the hindwings reduced to form balancing organs (halteres). It includes many biting forms such as mosquitoes and tsetse flies that are vectors of disease.

2. ( diptera) — [Entomology] insects of the order Diptera; flies.

• many diptera bask in sunlight.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek diptera, neuter plural of dipteros ‘two-winged’, from di- ‘two’ + pteron ‘wing’.

dipteral /ˈdɪpt(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Architecture] having a double peristyle.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin dipteros (from Greek, from di- ‘twice’ + pteron ‘wing’) + -al.

dipteran /ˈdɪpt(ə)r(ə)n / ‹Entomology›

I. noun

an insect of the large order Diptera; a fly.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting dipterans.

dipterist /ˈdɪpt(ə)rɪst/

I. noun

a person who studies or collects flies.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Diptera + -ist.

dipterocarp /ˈdɪpt(ə)rə(ʊ)ˌkɑːp/

I. noun

a tall forest tree from which are obtained resins and timber for the export trade, occurring mainly in SE Asia.
[as modifier]

• dipterocarp forests.

●Family Dipterocarpaceae: numerous species.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Dipterocarpus, from Greek dipteros ‘two-winged’ + karpos ‘fruit’.

dipterous /ˈdɪpt(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

1. [Entomology] relating to flies of the order Diptera.

• dipterous larvae.

2. [Botany] having two wing-like appendages.

– origin late 18th cent.: from modern Latin dipterus (from Greek dipteros ‘two-winged’) + -ous.

diptych /ˈdɪptɪk/

I. noun

1. a painting, especially an altarpiece, on two hinged wooden panels which may be closed like a book.

2. an ancient writing tablet consisting of two hinged leaves with waxed inner sides.

– origin early 17th cent.: via late Latin from late Greek diptukha ‘pair of writing tablets’, neuter plural of Greek diptukhos ‘folded in two’, from di- ‘twice’ + ptukhē ‘a fold’.

dipyridamole /ˌdʌɪpɪˈrɪdəməʊl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic drug used as a coronary vasodilator to treat angina, and to reduce platelet aggregation and hence the chance of thrombosis.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + pyr(imidine) + (piper)id(ine) + am(ino-) + -ol.

diquat /ˈdʌɪkwɒt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a synthetic compound used in controlling plant growth, often as a non-persistent contact herbicide.
●A bromide of a quaternary amine; chem. formula: (C_5H_4NCH_2)2Br_2.

– origin 1960s: from di-1 ‘two’ + quaternary.

Dirac, Paul /dɪˈrak/

(1902–84), English theoretical physicist; full name Paul Adrian Maurice Dirac. He described the properties of the electron, including its spin, and postulated the existence of the positron by applying Einstein's theory of relativity to quantum mechanics. Nobel Prize for Physics (1933).

diram /ˈdɪərəm/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Tajikistan, equal to one hundredth of a somoni.

– origin Tajik.

dire /ˈdʌɪə/

I. adjective

1. extremely serious or urgent

• misuse of drugs can have dire consequences

• he was in dire need of help.

2. (of a warning or threat) presaging disaster

• there were dire warnings from the traffic organizations.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› of a very poor quality

• the concert was dire.

II. derivatives

1. direly /ˈdʌɪəli /

adverb

2. direness /ˈdʌɪənəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin dirus ‘fearful, threatening’.

direct /dɪˈrɛkt, dʌɪˈrɛkt/

I. adjective

1. extending or moving from one place to another without changing direction or stopping

• there was no direct flight that day.

2. [Astronomy] [Astrology] (of apparent planetary motion) proceeding from west to east in accord with actual motion.

3. without intervening factors or intermediaries

• the complications are a direct result of bacteria spreading

• I had no direct contact with Mr Clark.

4. (of light or heat) proceeding from a source without being reflected or blocked

• ferns like a bright position out of direct sunlight.

5. (of genealogy) proceeding in continuous succession from parent to child

• a direct descendant of Edward III.

6. (of a quotation) taken from someone's words without being changed.

7. (of taxation) levied on income or profits rather than on goods or services.

8. complete (used for emphasis)

• attitudes which were in direct contrast to the confrontational perspectives of the past.

9. (of a person or their behaviour) going straight to the point; frank

• he is very direct and honest.

10. (of evidence or proof) bearing immediately and unambiguously upon the facts at issue

• there is no direct evidence that officials accepted bribes.

11. perpendicular to a surface; not oblique

• a direct butt joint between surfaces of steel.

II. adverb

1. with no one or nothing in between

• they seem reluctant to deal with me direct.

2. by a straight route or without breaking a journey

• Austrian Airlines are flying direct to Innsbruck again.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. control the operations of; manage or govern

• an economic elite directed the nation's affairs.

2. supervise and control (a film, play, or other production, or the actors in it).

• the film is directed by Sir Richard Attenborough.

3. train and conduct (a group of musicians).

4. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — aim (something) in a particular direction or at a particular person

• heating ducts to direct warm air to rear-seat passengers

• his smile was directed at Lois.

5. tell or show (someone) how to get somewhere

• can you direct me to the railway station, please?

6. address or give instructions for the delivery of (a letter or parcel).

• put them all in one packet, and direct them to me.

7. focus (one's thoughts) on or address (one's efforts) towards something.

8. ( direct something at/to) — address a comment to or aim a criticism at

• his criticism was directed at the wastage of ammunition

• I suggest that he direct his remarks to the council.

9. ( direct something at) — target a product or advertisement specifically at (someone)

• the book is directed at the younger reader.

10. ‹archaic› guide or advise in a course or decision

• the conscience of the credulous prince was directed by saints and bishops.

11. [with obj. and infinitive] — give (someone) an official order or authoritative instruction

• the judge directed him to perform community service

• [with clause] he directed that no picture from his collection could be sold.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin directus, past participle of dirigere, from di- ‘distinctly’ or de- ‘down’ + regere ‘put straight’.

direct access

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the facility of retrieving data immediately from any part of a computer file, without having to read the file from the beginning.
Compare with random access and sequential access.

direct action

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of strikes, demonstrations, or other public forms of protest rather than negotiation to achieve one's demands.

• protestors took direct action by chaining themselves to bulldozers.

direct banking

noun

another term for telebanking.

direct current DC, dc

noun

an electric current flowing in one direction only.
Compare with alternating current.

direct debit

noun

an arrangement made with a bank that allows a third party to transfer money from a person's account on agreed dates, typically in order to pay bills.

• members pay their subscription by direct debit.

direct deposit

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the electronic transfer of money from one bank account to another.

direct dialling

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the facility of making a telephone call without connection by the operator.
[as modifier]

• a direct dialling telephone system.

II. derivatives

direct-dial

adjective

direct discourse

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for direct speech.

direct-drive

adjective

denoting or relating to mechanical parts driven directly by a motor, without a belt or other device to transmit power.

direct examination

noun

another term for examination-in-chief.

direct-grant school

noun

‹historical› (in the UK) a fee-paying school that received funds from the government in return for the admission of non-paying pupils nominated by the local authority.

direct injection

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in diesel engines) the use of a pump to spray fuel into the cylinder at high pressure, without the use of compressed air.
[as modifier]

• a direct-injection diesel.

direction /dɪˈrɛkʃ(ə)n, dʌɪˈrɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a course along which someone or something moves

• she set off in the opposite direction

• [ mass noun] he had a terrible sense of direction.

2. the course which must be taken in order to reach a destination

• the village is over the moors in a northerly direction.

3. a point to or from which a person or thing moves or faces

• a house with views in all directions.

4. a general way in which someone or something is developing; a trend or tendency

• new directions in painting and architecture

• any dialogue between them is a step in the right direction.

5. [ mass noun] — general aim or purpose

• the campaign's lack of direction.

6. [ mass noun] — the management or guidance of someone or something

• under his direction, the college has developed an international reputation.

7. the work of directing the actors and other staff in a film, play, or other production.

8. ( directions) — instructions on how to reach a destination or about how to do something

• Preston gave him directions to a restaurant not far from the studio.

II. phrases

sense of direction

a person's ability to know without explicit guidance the direction in which they are or should be moving.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from Latin directio(n-), from the verb dirigere (see direct).

directional /dɪˈrɛkʃ(ə)n(ə)l, dʌɪˈrɛkʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to or indicating the direction in which someone or something is situated or moving

• directional signs wherever two paths joined.

2. relating to, influencing, or exemplifying the latest trends in fashion

• a directional womenswear designer.

3. having a particular direction of motion, progression, or orientation

• coiling the wire permits directional flow of the magnetic flux.

4. relating to, denoting, or designed for the projection, transmission, or reception of light, radio, or sound waves in or from a particular direction or directions

• a directional microphone.

II. derivatives

1. directionality /dɪrɛkʃ(ə)ˈnalɪti, dʌɪrɛkʃ(ə)ˈnalɪti /

noun

2. directionally

adverb

direction finder

noun

a system of aerials for locating the source of radio signals, used as an aid to navigation.

directionless /dəˈrɛkʃnləs/

adjective

lacking in general aim or purpose

• music which bordered on directionless experimentalism.

directive /dɪˈrɛktɪv, dʌɪˈrɛktɪv/

I. noun

an official or authoritative instruction

• a new EC directive.

II. adjective

involving the management or guidance of operations

• the authority is seeking a directive role in energy policy.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): from medieval Latin directivus, from direct- ‘guided, put straight’, from the verb dirigere (see direct).

direct labour

noun — [ mass noun]

1. labour involved in production rather than administration, maintenance, and other support services.

2. labour employed by the authority commissioning the work, not by a contractor.

directly /dɪˈrɛktli, dʌɪˈrɛktli/

I. adverb

1. without changing direction or stopping

• they went directly to the restaurant.

2. at once; immediately

• I went directly after breakfast.

3. ‹dated› in a little while; soon

• I'll be back directly.

4. with nothing or no one in between

• the decisions directly affect people's health

• the security forces were directly responsible for the massacre.

5. exactly in a specified position

• the ceiling directly above the door

• the houses directly opposite.

6. in a frank way

• she spoke simply and directly.

II. conjunction

(Brit.) as soon as

• she fell asleep directly she got into bed.

direct mail

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. unsolicited commercial literature sent to prospective customers through the post.

• some charities depend on direct mail to get support.

• [as modifier] a direct mail campaign.

II. derivatives

direct mailing

noun

direct marketing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the business of selling products or services directly to the public, e.g. by mail order or telephone selling, rather than through retailers.

direct method

noun — [in sing.]

1. a system of teaching a foreign language using only that language and without emphasis on the study of grammar.

directness /dɪˈrɛk(t)nəs, dʌɪˈrɛk(t)nəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being plain and straightforward

• he was renowned for the clarity and directness of his sermons

• I like the simplicity and directness of the image.

2. the quality of proceeding in a straight line without deflection

• despite the directness of the route, the old road was terribly difficult.

direct object

noun

a noun phrase denoting a person or thing that is the recipient of the action of a transitive verb, for example the dog in Jeremy fed the dog.
Compare with indirect object.

Directoire /dɪˈrɛktwɑː, French diʀɛktwaʀ/

I. adjective

relating to a neoclassical decorative style intermediate between the more ornate Louis XVI style and the Empire style, prevalent during the French Directory (1795–9).

• a Directoire clock.

– origin French.

Directoire drawers Directoire knickers

plural noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› knickers which are straight, full, and knee-length.

director /dɪˈrɛktə, dʌɪˈrɛktə/

I. noun

1. a person who is in charge of an activity, department, or organization

• the sales director.

2. a member of the board of people that manages or oversees the affairs of a business.

3. a person who supervises the actors and other staff in a film, play, or similar production.

4. short for musical director.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French directour, from late Latin director ‘governor’, from dirigere ‘to guide’.

directorate /dɪˈrɛkt(ə)rət, dʌɪˈrɛkt(ə)rət/

noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the board of directors of a company.

2. a section of a government department in charge of a particular activity

• the Food Safety Directorate.

director general

noun

(chiefly Brit.) the chief executive of a large organization.

directorial /dɪrɛkˈtɔːrɪ(ə)l, dʌɪrɛkˈtɔːrɪ(ə)l/

adjective

1. relating to a person who supervises the actors and other staff in a film, play, or similar production

• his big-screen directorial debut

• his directorial style is casual and unhurried.

2. relating to a person who is in charge of a department or organization

• Matthews served in a variety of directorial positions

• directorial duties.

Director of Public Prosecutions DPP

noun

(in the UK) a senior law officer who is head of the Crown Prosecution Service.

director's cut

noun

a version of a film that reflects the director's original intentions, released after the first studio version.

directorship /dɪˈrɛktəʃɪp, dʌɪˈrɛktəʃɪp/

noun

1. the office or position of being in charge of an activity, department, or organization

• the Federal Bureau of Investigation rose to prominence under the directorship of J. Edgar Hoover

• I was offered the directorship of the Museum of Fine Arts.

2. membership of the board of people that manages the affairs of a business

• she has held a number of directorships, including seats on local radio stations

• he wants to devote time to his directorship of the local football team.

directory /dɪˈrɛkt(ə)ri, dʌɪˈrɛkt(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a book or website listing individuals or organizations alphabetically or thematically with details such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers.

2. a board in an organization or large store listing names and locations of departments, individuals, etc.

3. [Computing] a file which consists solely of a set of other files (which may themselves be directories).

4. ‹chiefly historical› a book of directions for the conduct of Christian worship, especially in Presbyterian and Roman Catholic Churches.

5. ( the Directory) — the revolutionary government in France 1795–9, comprising two councils and a five-member executive. It maintained an aggressive foreign policy, but could not control events at home and was overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘something that directs’): from late Latin directorium, from director ‘governor’, from dirigere ‘to guide’.

directory enquiries ‹N. Amer.› directory assistance

plural noun

a telephone service used to find out someone's telephone number.

direct proportion direct ratio

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the relation between quantities whose ratio is constant

• sensors emit an electronic signal in direct proportion to the amount of light detected.

directress /dɪˈrɛktrəs, dʌɪˈrɛktrəs / directrice

I. noun

a female director.

– origin early 17th cent.: from director + -ess^1; the variant directrice is an adopted French form.

directrix /dɪˈrɛktrɪks, dʌɪˈrɛktrɪks/

I. noun

[Geometry] a fixed line used in describing a curve or surface.

– origin early 18th cent.: from medieval Latin, literally ‘directress’, based on Latin dirigere ‘to guide’.

direct rule

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of government in which a province is controlled by a central government.

direct speech

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the reporting of speech by repeating the actual words of a speaker, for example ‘I'm going,’ she said.
Contrasted with reported speech.

direct tax

noun

a tax, such as income tax, which is levied on the income or profits of the person who pays it, rather than on goods or services.

direful /ˈdʌɪəfʊl, ˈdʌɪəf(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹archaic› ‹literary› extremely bad; dreadful.

II. derivatives

direfully

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from dire + -ful.

dire wolf

I. noun

a large extinct wolf of the Pleistocene epoch, which preyed on large mammals.
● Canis dirus, family Canidae.

– origin dire in the sense ‘threatening’, translating the modern Latin taxonomic name.

dirge /dəːdʒ/

I. noun

1. a lament for the dead, especially one forming part of a funeral rite.

2. a mournful song, piece of music, or sound.

• singers chanted dirges.

• ‹figurative› the wind howled dirges around the chimney.

3. ‹informal› a song or piece of music that is considered too slow, miserable, or boring.

• after his ten-minute dirge, the audience booed.

II. derivatives

dirgeful

adjective

– origin Middle English (denoting the Office for the Dead): from Latin dirige! (imperative) ‘direct!’, the first word of an antiphon (Ps. 5:8) formerly used in the Latin Office for the Dead.

dirgelike /ˈdəːdʒlʌɪk/

adjective

(of music) having the slow, mournful character of a dirge

• a dirgelike rendition of ‘The Internationale’.

dirham /ˈdɪərəm/

I. noun

1. the basic monetary unit of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, equal to 100 centimes in Morocco and 100 fils in the United Arab Emirates.

2. a monetary unit of Libya and Qatar, equal to one thousandth of a dinar in Libya and one hundredth of a riyal in Qatar.

– origin from Arabic, from Greek drakhmē, denoting an Attic weight or coin. Compare with drachma.

dirigible /ˈdɪrɪdʒɪb(ə)l/

I. noun

an airship.

II. adjective

capable of being steered, guided, or directed

• a dirigible spotlight.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin dirigere ‘to direct’ + -ible.

dirigisme /ˈdɪrɪʒɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. state control of economic and social matters.

II. derivatives

dirigiste

adjective

– origin 1950s: from French, from the verb diriger, from Latin dirigere ‘to direct’.

diriment impediment /ˈdɪrɪm(ə)nt/

I. noun

(in ecclesiastical law) a factor which invalidates a marriage, such as the existence of a prior marriage.

– origin mid 19th cent.: diriment from Latin diriment- ‘interrupting’, from the verb dirimere.

dirk /dəːk/

I. noun

a short dagger of a kind formerly carried by Scottish Highlanders.

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

dirndl /ˈdəːnd(ə)l/

I. noun

1. (also dirndl skirt) — a full, wide skirt with a tight waistband.

2. a woman's dress in the style of Alpine peasant costume, with a dirndl skirt and a close-fitting bodice.

– origin 1930s: from south German dialect, diminutive of Dirne ‘girl’.

dirt /dəːt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a substance, such as mud or dust, that soils someone or something

• Jo wiped the dirt off her face.

2. soil or earth

• Michael threw a handful of dirt on to the coffin

• [as modifier] a dirt road.

3. ‹informal› excrement

• a lawn covered in dog dirt.

4. a state or quality of uncleanliness

• the sweat and dirt of industry.

5. ‹informal› information about someone's activities or private life that could prove damaging if revealed

• is there any dirt on Desmond?

II. phrases

1. do someone dirt (also do dirt to)

‹informal› harm someone's reputation maliciously.

2. drag the name of someone/thing through the dirt

‹informal› give someone or something a bad reputation through bad behaviour or damaging revelations.

3. eat dirt

‹informal› suffer insults or humiliation.

• the film bombed at the box office and the critics made it eat dirt.

4. treat someone like dirt

treat someone with a complete lack of respect.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse drit ‘excrement’, an early sense in English.

dirtbag

noun

(US) ‹informal› a very unkempt or unpleasant person.

dirt bike

noun

a motorcycle designed for use on rough terrain, such as unsurfaced roads or tracks, and used especially in scrambling.

dirt cheap

adverb, adjective

‹informal› extremely cheap
[as adv.]

• the auctioneers let us have the stuff dirt cheap

• [as adj.] a dirt-cheap price.

dirt farmer

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a farmer who ekes out a living from a farm on poor land, typically without the help of hired labour.

• many migrated to become poor dirt farmers in North Carolina.

II. derivatives

dirt farm

noun

dirt-free

adjective

free from dirt; perfectly clean

• pristine, dirt-free streets.

dirt poor

adjective

extremely poor

• dirt-poor villages.

dirt track

I. noun

a course made of rolled cinders for motorcycle racing or of earth for flat racing.

II. derivatives

dirt tracker

noun

dirty /ˈdəːti/

I. adjective

1. covered or marked with an unclean substance

• a tray of dirty cups and saucers

• her boots were dirty.

2. causing a person or place to become unclean

• farming is a hard, dirty job.

3. (of a nuclear weapon) producing considerable radioactive fallout.

4. (of an activity) dishonest; dishonourable

• he had a reputation for dirty dealing.

5. (US) ‹informal› using illegal drugs.

6. [ attrib.] — ‹informal› used to emphasize one's disgust for someone or something

• you dirty rat!

7. concerned with sex in a lewd or obscene way

• he told a stream of dirty jokes.

8. (of weather) rough, stormy, and unpleasant.

9. (of a colour) not bright or pure; dull

• the sea was a waste of dirty grey.

10. (of popular music) having a distorted or rasping tone

• Nirvana's dirty guitar sound.

II. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› used for emphasis

• a dirty great slab of stone.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. make dirty

• she didn't like him dirtying her nice clean towels.

IV. phrases

1. the dirty end of the stick

‹informal› the difficult or unpleasant part of a task or situation.

2. do the dirty on someone

(Brit.) ‹informal› cheat or betray someone.

3. get one's hands dirty (or dirty one's hands)

a. do manual, menial, or other hard work.

b. ‹informal› become involved in dishonest or dishonourable activity.

4. play dirty

‹informal› act in a dishonest or unfair way.

5. talk dirty

‹informal› talk about sex in a coarse or salacious way.

V. derivatives

1. dirtily /ˈdəːtɪli /

adverb

2. dirtiness /ˈdəːtɪnəs /

noun

dirty bomb

noun

a conventional bomb that contains radioactive material.

dirty look

noun

‹informal› a facial expression of disapproval, disgust, or anger

• they were giving me dirty looks for taking up so much room at the bar.

dirty martini

noun

(US) a cocktail made with gin (or vodka), dry vermouth, and a small amount of olive brine, typically garnished with a green olive

• the only accessory a dirty martini needs is an olive.

dirty money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. money obtained unlawfully or immorally.

• the bank was found to have been laundering dirty money.

dirty old man

noun

‹informal› an older man who is sexually interested in younger women or girls.

dirty rice

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Cajun dish consisting of white rice cooked with onions, peppers, chicken livers, and herbs.

dirty trick

noun

1. a dishonest or unkind act.

2. ( dirty tricks) — underhand political or commercial activity designed to discredit an opponent.

dirty weekend

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a weekend spent away, especially in secret, with a lover.

dirty word

noun

1. an offensive or indecent word.

2. a thing regarded with dislike or disapproval

• VAT is a dirty word among small businesses.

dirty work

noun — [ mass noun]

1. activities or tasks that are unpleasant or dishonest and given to someone else to undertake.

• you're only indispensable to your boss because you do all her dirty work.

dis /dɪs / ‹informal› diss

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. speak disrespectfully to or criticize

• I don't like her dissing my friends

• a campaign of forum postings and emails dissing the company.

• maybe you should stop dissing psychics and discover that part of yourself.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. disrespectful talk.

– origin 1980s: abbreviation of disrespect.

dis- /dɪs/

I. prefix

1. expressing negation

• disadvantage

• disbelieve.

2. denoting reversal or absence of an action or state

• diseconomy

• disaffirm.

3. denoting removal of something

• disbud.

4. denoting separation

• discarnate.

5. denoting expulsion

• disbar.

6. expressing completeness or intensification of an unpleasant or unattractive action

• disgruntled.

– origin from Latin, sometimes via Old French des-.

disability /dɪsəˈbɪlɪti/

noun

1. a physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities

• children with severe physical disabilities

• [ mass noun] differing types of disability.

2. a disadvantage or handicap, especially one imposed or recognized by the law

• the plaintiff was under a disability.

disable /dɪsˈeɪb(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a disease, injury, or accident) limit (someone) in their movements, senses, or activities

• it's an injury that could disable somebody for life

• (as adj. disabling) a progressively disabling disease.

2. put out of action

• the raiders tried to disable the alarm system.

3. (of an action or circumstance) prevent or discourage (someone) from doing something

• their choice disables them from pursuing certain avenues.

II. derivatives

disablement /dɪsˈeɪb(ə)lm(ə)nt /

noun

disabled /dɪsˈeɪbld/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) having a physical or mental condition that limits their movements, senses, or activities

• facilities for disabled people.

2. relating to or specifically designed for people with a physical or mental disability

• disabled access is available at all venues.

usage: The word disabled came to be used as the standard term in referring to people with physical or mental disabilities in the second half of the 20th century, and it remains the most generally accepted term in both British and US English today. It superseded outmoded, now often offensive, terms such as crippled, defective, and handicapped and has not been overtaken itself by newer coinages such as differently abled or physically challenged. Although the usage is very widespread, some people regard the use of the adjective as a plural noun (as in the needs of the disabled) as dehumanizing because it tends to treat people with disabilities as an undifferentiated group, defined merely by their capabilities. To avoid offence, a more acceptable term would be people with disabilities.

disablist

adjective

discriminating or prejudiced against people who are disabled.

• we are in danger of becoming a disablist society.

disabuse /ˌdɪsəˈbjuːz/

verb — [with obj.]

1. persuade (someone) that an idea or belief is mistaken

• he quickly disabused me of my fanciful notions.

disaccharide /dʌɪˈsakərʌɪd/

noun

[Chemistry] any of a class of sugars whose molecules contain two monosaccharide residues.

disaccord /dɪsəˈkɔːd / ‹rare›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of agreement or harmony.

• the disaccord remains in effect.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. disagree; be at variance.

• this disaccords with the precise date.

disadvantage /dɪsədˈvɑːntɪdʒ/

I. noun

an unfavourable circumstance or condition that reduces the chances of success or effectiveness

• a major disadvantage is the limited nature of the data

• [ mass noun] situations of serious social and economic disadvantage.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put in an unfavourable position in relation to someone or something else

• the pension scheme tends to disadvantage women.

III. phrases

1. at a disadvantage

in an unfavourable position relative to someone or something else

• stringent regulations have put British farmers at a disadvantage.

2. to one's disadvantage

so as to cause harm to one's interests or standing

• his poor educational track record inevitably worked to his disadvantage.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desavantage, from des- (expressing reversal) + avantage ‘advantage’.

disadvantaged /dɪsədˈvɑːntɪdʒd/

adjective

(of a person or area) in unfavourable circumstances, especially with regard to financial or social opportunities

• disadvantaged groups such as the unemployed

• (as plural noun the disadvantaged) we began to help the disadvantaged.

disadvantageous /ˌdɪsadv(ə)nˈteɪdʒəs/

I. adjective

involving or creating unfavourable circumstances that reduce the chances of success or effectiveness

• the new employment scheme is disadvantageous to women.

II. derivatives

disadvantageously

adverb

disaffect /dɪsəˈfɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) dissatisfied, especially with people in authority or a system of control; alienate

• what these ads do is disaffect the voting public.

– origin early 17th cent.: from dis- (expressing reversal) + affect^2. The original sense was ‘dislike’.

disaffected /dɪsəˈfɛktɪd/

I. adjective

dissatisfied, especially with people in authority or a system of control

• a military plot by disaffected elements in the army.

II. derivatives

disaffectedly

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: past participle of disaffect, originally in the sense ‘dislike or disorder’, from dis- (expressing reversal) + affect^2.

disaffection /dɪsəˈfɛkʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state or feeling of being dissatisfied, especially with people in authority or a system of control

• there is growing disaffection with large corporations.

disaffiliate /ˌdɪsəˈfɪlɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a group or organization) end its official connection with (a subsidiary group)

• the party disaffiliated the Socialist League.

2. [no obj.] — (of a subsidiary group) end an official connection with an organization

• students' unions who wish to disaffiliate from the NUS.

II. derivatives

disaffiliation

noun

disaffirm /dɪsəˈfəːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Law] reverse (a previous decision).

2. [Law] repudiate (a settlement).

• to disaffirm a contract is to say it never existed.

II. derivatives

disaffirmation

noun

disafforest /ˌdɪsəˈfɒrɪst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. another term for deforest.

2. [English Law] ‹historical› reduce (a district) from the legal status of forest to that of ordinary land.

• in 1878 what remained of the forest of Essex was disafforested.

II. derivatives

1. disafforestation

noun

2. disafforestment

noun

disafforest (sense 2)

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from Anglo-Latin disafforestare.

disaggregate /dɪsˈaɡrɪɡeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. separate (something) into its component parts

• a method for disaggregating cells.

II. derivatives

disaggregation

noun

disagree /dɪsəˈɡriː/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. have or express a different opinion

• no one was willing to disagree with him

• historians often disagree.

2. ( disagree with) — disapprove of

• she disagreed with the system of apartheid.

3. (of statements or accounts) be inconsistent or fail to correspond

• results which disagree with the findings reported so far.

4. ( disagree with) — (of food, climate, or an experience) have an adverse effect on

• the sea crossing disagreed with her.

– origin late 15th cent. (in sense 2, also in the sense ‘refuse to agree to’): from Old French desagreer.

disagreeable /dɪsəˈɡriːəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. unpleasant or unenjoyable

• a disagreeable thought

• aspects of his work are disagreeable to him.

2. unfriendly and bad-tempered

• Henry was always a very disagreeable boy.

II. derivatives

1. disagreeableness /ˌdɪsəˈɡriːəb(ə)lnəs /

noun

2. disagreeably /ˌdɪsəˈɡriːəbli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘discordant, incongruous’): from Old French desagreable, based on agreer ‘agree’.

disagreement /dɪsəˈɡriːmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of consensus or approval

• there was some disagreement about the details

• [ count noun] disagreements between parents and adolescents.

2. lack of consistency or correspondence

• disagreement between the results of the two assessments.

disallow /dɪsəˈlaʊ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. refuse to declare valid

• he was offside and the goal was disallowed.

II. derivatives

disallowance /ˌdɪsəˈlaʊəns /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘disown, refuse to accept’): from Old French desalouer.

disambiguate /dɪsamˈbɪɡjʊeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove uncertainty of meaning from (an ambiguous sentence, phrase, or other linguistic unit).

• word senses can be disambiguated by examining the context.

II. derivatives

disambiguation

noun

disamenity /ˌdɪsəˈmiːnɪti, ˌdɪsəˈmɛnɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the unpleasant quality or character of something

• two rapidly growing sources of disamenity are air travel and tourism.

disannul /dɪsəˈnʌl/

verb — [with obj.]

1. declare to be invalid; cancel

• your covenant shall be disannulled.

disappear /dɪsəˈpɪə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. cease to be visible

• he disappeared into the trees

• the sun had disappeared.

2. cease to exist or be in use

• the tension had completely disappeared.

3. (of a thing) be mislaid

• my wallet seems to have disappeared.

4. (of a person) go missing or (in coded political language) be killed

• the family disappeared after being taken into custody.

– origin late Middle English: from dis- (expressing reversal) + appear, on the pattern of French disparaître.

disappearance /dɪsəˈpɪərəns/

noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. an act of someone or something ceasing to be visible.

• the sun's disappearance at night.

2. an act or the fact of someone or something going missing

• the police were investigating her disappearance.

3. [ mass noun] — the process of something ceasing to exist or be in use

• the disappearance of grammar schools.

disappearing act

noun

‹informal› an instance of someone being impossible to find, especially when they are required to face something unpleasant.

• I don't want you doing a disappearing act on me.

disapply

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat (something) as inapplicable

• British courts are under obligation to disapply Acts where they conflict with European law.

II. derivatives

disapplication

noun

disappoint /dɪsəˈpɔɪnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. fail to fulfil the hopes or expectations of

• I have no wish to disappoint everyone by postponing the visit.

2. prevent (hopes or expectations) from being realized

• the governing coalition had bitterly disappointed the hopes of its voters.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘deprive of a position’): from Old French desappointer.

disappointed /dɪsəˈpɔɪntɪd/

I. adjective

1. sad or displeased because someone or something has failed to fulfil one's hopes or expectations

• I'm disappointed in you, Mary

• thousands of disappointed customers were kept waiting.

2. (of hopes or expectations) prevented from being realized.

• the rising was a revolution of disappointed hopes.

II. derivatives

disappointedly /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪdli /

adverb

disappointing /dɪsəˈpɔɪntɪŋ/

adjective

failing to fulfil someone's hopes or expectations

• the team made a disappointing start

• [with clause] it was disappointing that there were relatively few possibilities.

disappointingly /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪŋli/

adverb

1. in a manner that fails to fulfil someone's hopes or expectations

• the concert ended disappointingly

• [as submodifier] the audience was disappointingly small.

2. [ sentence adverb] — used to express disappointment at an event or situation

• disappointingly, bad weather forced the cancellation of my trip.

disappointment /dɪsəˈpɔɪntm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sadness or displeasure caused by the non-fulfilment of one's hopes or expectations

• to her disappointment, there was no chance to talk privately with Luke.

2. [ count noun] — a person or thing that causes disappointment

• the job proved a disappointment

• I was a big disappointment to her.

disapprobation /dɪsˌaprəˈbeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. strong disapproval, typically on moral grounds

• she braved her mother's disapprobation and slipped out to enjoy herself.

disapproval /dɪsəˈpruːvl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. possession or expression of an unfavourable opinion

• Jill replied with a hint of disapproval in her voice.

disapprove /dɪsəˈpruːv/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. have or express an unfavourable opinion

• Bob strongly disapproved of drinking and driving.

2. [with obj.] — officially refuse to agree to

• a company may take power to disapprove the transfer of shares.

II. derivatives

disapprover

noun

disapproving /ˌdɪsəˈpruːvɪŋ/

I. adjective

expressing an unfavourable opinion

• he shot a disapproving glance at her.

II. derivatives

disapprovingly /dɪsəˈpruːvɪŋli /

adverb

disarm /dɪsˈɑːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take a weapon or weapons away from (a person, force, or country)

• guerrillas had completely disarmed their forces.

2. [no obj.] — (of a country or force) give up or reduce its armed forces or weapons

• the other militias had disarmed by the agreed deadline.

3. remove the fuse from (a bomb), making it safe.

• police yesterday disarmed a parcel bomb.

4. allay the hostility or suspicions of

• his tact and political skills will disarm critics.

5. deprive of the power to hurt

• camp humour acts to provoke rather than disarm moral indignation.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. [Fencing] an act of taking a weapon away from someone

• a well-executed disarm.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desarmer.

disarmament /dɪsˈɑːməm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the reduction or withdrawal of military forces and weapons

• the public wanted peace and disarmament

• [as modifier] disarmament treaties between America and the former Soviet Union.

disarmer /dɪˈsɑːmə/

noun

a person who advocates or campaigns for the withdrawal of nuclear weapons.

disarming /dɪsˈɑːmɪŋ/

adjective

(of manner or behaviour) having the effect of allaying suspicion or hostility, especially through charm

• he gave her a disarming smile.

disarmingly /dɪsˈɑːmɪŋli/

adverb

in a manner that allays suspicion or hostility, especially through charm

• she smiled disarmingly

• [as submodifier] Daniel is suave and disarmingly honest

• the plan was disarmingly simple.

disarrange /dɪsəˈreɪn(d)ʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make untidy or disordered

• had any of the statues been removed or disarranged?

II. derivatives

disarrangement /ˌdɪsəˈreɪn(d)ʒm(ə)nt /

noun

disarray /dɪsəˈreɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of disorganization or untidiness

• her grey hair was in disarray

• his plans have been thrown into disarray.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. throw into a state of disorganization or untidiness

• the inspection disarrayed the usual schedule.

2. ‹literary› undress (someone)

• attendant damsels to help to disarray her.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French dissairay.

disarticulate /dɪsɑːˈtɪkjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. separate (bones) at the joints

• the African egg-eating snake can disarticulate its lower jaw from its upper.

2. disrupt the logic of (an argument or opinion)

• novels disarticulate theories.

II. derivatives

disarticulation /dɪsɑːtɪkjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

disassemble /dɪsəˈsɛmb(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take (something) to pieces

• the piston can be disassembled for transport.

2. [Computing] translate (a program) from machine code into a symbolic language.

• it is permissible for a lawful user to disassemble a computer program to determine its interfaces.

II. derivatives

disassembly /dɪsəˈsɛmbli /

noun

disassembler

noun

[Computing] a program for converting machine code into a low-level symbolic language.

disassociate /dɪsəˈsəʊʃɪeɪt/

I. verb

another term for dissociate.

II. derivatives

disassociation /dɪsəsəʊʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, dɪsəsəʊsiˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

disaster /dɪˈzɑːstə/

I. noun

1. a sudden accident or a natural catastrophe that causes great damage or loss of life

• 159 people died in the disaster

• [ mass noun] disaster struck within minutes of take-off.

2. [as modifier] — denoting a genre of films that use natural or accidental catastrophe as the mainspring of plot and setting

• a disaster movie.

3. an event or fact that has unfortunate consequences

• a string of personal disasters

• [ mass noun] reduced legal aid could spell financial disaster.

4. ‹informal› a person or thing that is a complete failure

• lunch had turned out to be a total disaster.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian disastro ‘ill-starred event’, from dis- (expressing negation) + astro ‘star’ (from Latin astrum).

disaster area

noun

1. an area in which a major disaster has recently occurred

• the vicinity of the explosion was declared a disaster area.

2. ‹informal› a thing that is regarded as chaotic or highly unsuccessful

• football has long been a disaster area for investors.

disastrous /dɪˈzɑːstrəs/

I. adjective

1. causing great damage

• a disastrous fire swept through the museum.

2. ‹informal› highly unsuccessful

• United made a disastrous start to the season.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘ill-fated’): from French désastreux, from Italian disastroso, from disastro ‘disaster’.

disastrously /dɪˈzɑːstrəsli/

adverb

1. in a way that causes great damage

• the economy has been disastrously mismanaged.

2. in an extremely unsuccessful way

• the party fared disastrously in by-elections

• [as submodifier] the mission went disastrously wrong.

disavow /dɪsəˈvaʊ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deny any responsibility or support for

• the union leaders resisted pressure to disavow picket-line violence.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desavouer.

disavowal /ˌdɪsəˈvaʊəl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the denial of any responsibility or support for something; repudiation

• his disavowal of his previous writings

• [ count noun] they know this, despite their disavowals.

disband /dɪsˈband/

I. verb

(with reference to an organized group) break up or cause to break up.
[no obj.]

• the unit was scheduled to disband.

• [with obj.] from today the choir shall be disbanded.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete French desbander.

disbandment /dɪsˈban(d)m(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the breaking up of an organized group

• the disbandment of the old army meant that they could start afresh.

disbar /dɪsˈbɑː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. expel (a barrister) from the Bar, so that they no longer have the right to practise law.

• a disciplinary tribunal directed that he should be disbarred.

2. exclude (someone) from something

• competitors wearing rings will be disbarred from competition.

II. derivatives

disbarment /dɪsˈbɑːm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 2): from dis- ‘away’ + bar^1.

disbelief /dɪsbɪˈliːf/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. inability or refusal to accept that something is true or real

• Laura shook her head in disbelief.

2. lack of faith

• I'll burn in hell for disbelief.

disbelieve /dɪsbɪˈliːv/

verb — [with obj.]

1. be unable to believe

• he seemed to disbelieve her.

2. [no obj.] — have no religious faith

• to disbelieve is as much an act of faith as belief.

disbeliever /ˌdɪsbɪˈliːvə/

noun

a person who refuses to believe something or who lacks religious faith

• she intends to prove the disbelievers wrong.

disbelieving /ˌdɪsbɪˈliːvɪŋ/

I. adjective

feeling or expressing disbelief

• the disbelieving look in her eyes.

II. derivatives

disbelievingly

adverb

disbenefit

noun

(Brit.) a disadvantage or loss resulting from something.

• an environmental disbenefit to the area of Teesside.

disbound

adjective

(of a portion of a book) removed from a bound volume.

disbud /dɪsˈbʌd/

verb — [with obj.]

1. remove superfluous or unwanted buds from (a plant).

2. [Farming] remove the horn buds from (a young animal).

disburden /dɪsˈbəːd(ə)n/

verb — [with obj.]

1. relieve (someone or something) of a burden or responsibility

• I decided to disburden myself of the task.

2. ‹archaic› relieve (someone's mind) of worries.

disburse /dɪsˈbəːs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pay out (money from a fund)

• $67 million of the pledged aid had already been disbursed.

II. derivatives

1. disbursal

noun

2. disburser

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French desbourser, from des- (expressing removal) + bourse ‘purse’.

disbursement /dɪsˈbəːsm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the payment of money from a fund.

• they established a committee to supervise the disbursement of aid.

2. [ count noun] — a payment, especially one made by a solicitor to a third party and then claimed back from the client.

• the bill includes unpaid professional disbursements.

disc /dɪsk / ‹US› disk

I. noun

1. a flat, thin circular object

• coins were made by striking a blank disc of metal

• a man's body with an identity disc around the neck.

2. ( disk) — an information storage device for a computer in the shape of a round flat plate which can be rotated to give access to all parts of the surface. The data may be stored either magnetically (in a magnetic disk) or optically (in an optical disk such as a CD-ROM).

3. a CD or record.

4. ( discs) — one of the suits in some tarot packs, corresponding to coins in others.

5. an object or part resembling a disc in shape or appearance

• the smudged yellow disc of the moon.

6. (also intervertebral disc) — a layer of cartilage separating adjacent vertebrae in the spine

• he suffered a prolapsed disc.

7. [Botany] the central part of the flower of a daisy or other composite plant, consisting of a close-packed cluster of tubular florets.

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally referring to the seemingly flat circular form of the sun or moon): from French disque or Latin discus (see discus). / usage: Generally speaking, the British spelling is disc and the US spelling is disk, although there is much overlap and variation between the two. In particular, the spelling for senses relating to computers is nearly always disk, as in floppy disk, disk drive, and so on.

discalced /dɪsˈkalst/

I. adjective

denoting or belonging to one of several strict orders of Catholic friars or nuns who go barefoot or are shod only in sandals.

– origin mid 17th cent.: variant, influenced by French déchaux, of earlier discalceated, from Latin discalceatus, from dis- (expressing removal) + calceatus (from calceus ‘shoe’).

discard

I. verb — [with obj.] discard /dɪˈskɑːd /

1. get rid of (someone or something) as no longer useful or desirable

• Hilary bundled up the clothes she had discarded.

2. (in bridge, whist, and similar card games) play (a card that is neither of the suit led nor a trump), when one is unable to follow suit.

• West led a heart and East was able to discard his club loser.

II. noun — discard /ˈdɪskɑːd /

1. a thing rejected as no longer useful or desirable.

2. (in bridge, whist, and similar card games) a card played which is neither of the suit led nor a trump, when one is unable to follow suit.

III. derivatives

discardable /dɪsˈkɑːdəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (originally in the sense ‘reject (a playing card’)): from dis- (expressing removal) + the noun card^1.

discarnate /dɪsˈkɑːnət/

I. adjective

(of a person or being) not having a physical body.

• methods for communicating with the dead or with discarnate spirits.

– origin late 19th cent.: from dis- ‘without’ + Latin caro, carn- ‘flesh’ or late Latin carnatus ‘fleshy’.

disc brake

noun

a type of vehicle brake employing the friction of pads against a disc which is attached to the wheel.

disc camera

noun

a camera in which the images are formed on a disc, rather than on film.

discectomy /dɪsˈkɛktəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. surgical removal of the whole or a part of an intervertebral disc.

• recurrent episodes may be treated with discectomy.

discern /dɪˈsəːn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. recognize or find out

• I can discern no difference between the two policies

• [with clause] pupils quickly discern what is acceptable to the teacher.

2. distinguish (someone or something) with difficulty by sight or with the other senses

• she could faintly discern the shape of a skull.

II. derivatives

discerner

noun

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin discernere, from dis- ‘apart’ + cernere ‘to separate’.

discernible /dɪˈsəːnɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be discerned; perceptible

• the scandal had no discernible effect on his career.

• the inscription was barely discernible.

II. derivatives

discernibly /dɪˈsəːnɪb(ə)li /

adverb

discerning /dɪˈsəːnɪŋ/

I. adjective

having or showing good judgement

• the brasserie attracts discerning customers.

II. derivatives

discerningly

adverb

discernment /dɪˈsəːnm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability to judge well

• an astonishing lack of discernment.

discerption /dɪˈsəːpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› the action of pulling something apart.

2. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› a piece severed from something.

II. derivatives

1. discerptibility

noun

2. discerptible

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin discerptio(n-), from Latin discerpere ‘pluck to pieces’.

disc floret

noun

[Botany] (in a composite flower head of the daisy family) any of a number of small tubular and usually fertile florets that form the disc. In rayless plants such as the tansy the flower head is composed entirely of disc florets.
Compare with ray floret.

disc golf disk golf

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game in which a concave plastic disc is thrown into each of a series of metal baskets on an outdoor course, the object being to complete the course using the fewest possible throws

• my husband and his friends spend their free time playing disc golf.

discharge

I. verb — [with obj.] discharge /dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ /

1. tell (someone) officially that they can or must leave, in particular:

2. allow (a patient) to leave hospital because they are judged fit.

• Mark was taken away in an ambulance but later discharged.

3. dismiss from the armed forces or police.

• his memory was impaired and he was discharged from the RAF.

4. release from the custody or restraint of the law

• she was conditionally discharged for two years at Oxford Crown Court.

5. relieve (a juror or jury) from serving in a case.

• if the jury cannot agree, it should be discharged.

6. allow (a liquid, gas, or other substance) to flow out from where it has been confined

• industrial plants discharge highly toxic materials into rivers

• [no obj.] the overflow should discharge in an obvious place.

7. (of an orifice or diseased tissue) emit (pus or other liquid).

• the swelling will eventually break down and discharge pus.

• [no obj.] the eyes and nose began to discharge.

8. [Physics] release or neutralize the electric charge of (an electric field, battery, or other object).

• the electrostatic field that builds up on a monitor screen can be discharged.

• [no obj.] batteries have a tendency to discharge slowly.

9. (of a person) fire (a gun or missile).

• when you shoot you can discharge as many barrels as you wish.

10. [no obj.] — (of a firearm) be fired

• there was a dull thud as the gun discharged.

11. unload (goods or passengers) from a ship

• the ferry was discharging passengers

• [no obj.] ninety ships were queuing to discharge.

12. allow (an emotion) to be expressed

• he discharged his resentment in the harmless form of memoirs.

13. do all that is required to perform (a duty) or fulfil (a responsibility).

• the bank had failed to discharge its supervisory duties.

14. pay off (a debt).

• the executor must discharge the funeral expenses.

15. release (a party) from a contract or obligation

• the insurer is discharged from liability from the day of breach.

16. [Law] relieve (a bankrupt) of residual liability.

• first-time bankrupts are discharged automatically after three years.

17. [Law] (of a judge or court) cancel (an order of a court).

• the court may discharge a care order on the application of the child.

18. cancel (a contract) because of completion or breach

• an existing mortgage to be discharged on completion.

II. noun — [ mass noun] discharge /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ, dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ /

1. the action of discharging someone from a hospital or from the armed forces or police

• referrals can be discussed before discharge from hospital

• [ count noun] offending policemen receive a dishonourable discharge.

2. [ count noun] — an act of releasing someone from the custody or restraint of the law

• she was given an absolute discharge after admitting breaking a smoking ban.

3. the action of discharging a liquid, gas, or other substance

• those germs might lead to vaginal discharge.

4. a substance that has been discharged

• industrial discharge has turned the river into an open sewer

• [ count noun] a greeny-yellow nasal discharge.

5. [Physics] the release of electricity from a charged object

• slow discharge of a condenser is fundamental to oscillatory circuits.

6. [ count noun] — a flow of electricity through air or other gas, especially when accompanied by emission of light

• a sizzling discharge between sky and turret.

7. the action of firing a gun or missile

• a police permit for discharge of an air gun

• [ count noun] sounds like discharges of artillery.

8. the action of unloading a ship.

• freight for discharge.

9. the action of doing all that is required to fulfil a responsibility or perform a duty

• directors must use skill in the discharge of their duties.

10. the payment of a debt

• money paid in discharge of a claim.

11. [Law] the relief of a bankrupt from residual liability.

• machinery to rehabilitate the bankrupt through the process of discharge.

12. [Law] the cancellation of an order of a court.

• an application for discharge of a supervision order.

III. derivatives

dischargeable /dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘relieve of an obligation’): from Old French descharger, from late Latin discarricare ‘unload’, from dis- (expressing reversal) + carricare ‘to load’ (see charge).

discharge lamp

noun

a lamp in which the light is produced by a discharge tube.

discharger /dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒə/

noun

1. a person or thing that discharges something, in particular:

2. a person or organization that allows industrial waste or other harmful substances to be released into the environment.

3. a device that releases nerve gas or other substances for military purposes.

4. an apparatus for releasing or neutralizing an electric charge.

discharge tube

noun

a tube containing charged electrodes and filled with a gas in which ionization is induced by an electric field. The gas molecules emit light as they return to the ground state.

disc harrow

noun

a harrow with cutting edges consisting of a row of concave discs set at an oblique angle.

disciple /dɪˈsʌɪp(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a personal follower of Christ during his life, especially one of the twelve Apostles.

2. a follower or pupil of a teacher, leader, or philosopher

• a disciple of Rousseau.

II. derivatives

1. discipleship /dɪˈsʌɪp(ə)lʃɪp /

noun

2. disciplic

adjective

3. discipular /dɪˈsɪpjʊlə /

adjective

– origin Old English, from Latin discipulus ‘learner’, from discere ‘learn’; reinforced by Old French deciple.

Disciples of Christ

a Protestant denomination, originating among American Presbyterians in the early 19th century and found chiefly in the US, which rejects creeds and regards the Bible as the only basis of faith.

disciplinarian /ˌdɪsɪplɪˈnɛːrɪən/

noun

a person who believes in or practises firm discipline.

• he was a strict disciplinarian whose word was law.

disciplinary /ˈdɪsɪplɪn(ə)ri, ˌdɪsɪˈplɪn(ə)ri/

I. adjective

concerning or enforcing discipline

• a soldier will face disciplinary action after going absent without leave.

– origin late 15th cent. (originally with reference to ecclesiastical order): from medieval Latin disciplinarius, from Latin disciplina, from discipulus ‘learner’ (see disciple).

discipline /ˈdɪsɪplɪn/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour, using punishment to correct disobedience

• a lack of proper parental and school discipline.

2. the controlled behaviour resulting from such training

• he was able to maintain discipline among his men.

3. activity that provides mental or physical training

• the tariqa offered spiritual discipline

• [ count noun] Kung fu is a discipline open to old and young.

4. [ count noun] — a system of rules of conduct

• he doesn't have to submit to normal disciplines.

5. a branch of knowledge, typically one studied in higher education

• sociology is a fairly new discipline.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. train (someone) to obey rules or a code of behaviour, using punishment to correct disobedience

• many parents have been afraid to discipline their children.

2. punish or rebuke formally for an offence

• a member of staff was to be disciplined by management.

3. ( discipline oneself to do something) — train oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way

• every month discipline yourself to go through the file.

III. derivatives

1. disciplinable /ˌdɪsɪˈplɪnəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. disciplinal /ˌdɪsɪˈplʌɪn(ə)l, ˈdɪsɪˌplɪn(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘mortification by scourging oneself’): via Old French from Latin disciplina ‘instruction, knowledge’, from discipulus (see disciple).

disciplined /ˈdɪsəplɪnd/

adjective

showing a controlled form of behaviour or way of working

• a disciplined approach to management.

disc jockey

noun

a person who introduces and plays recorded popular music, especially on radio or at a club.

disclaim /dɪsˈkleɪm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. refuse to acknowledge; deny

• the school disclaimed any responsibility for his death.

2. [Law] renounce a legal claim to (a property or title).

• the earl disclaimed his title.

– origin late Middle English (in legal contexts): from Anglo-Norman French desclamer, from des- (expressing reversal) + clamer ‘to claim’ (see claim).

disclaimer /dɪsˈkleɪmə/

noun

1. a statement that denies something, especially responsibility

• the novel carries a disclaimer about the characters bearing no relation to living persons.

2. [Law] an act of repudiating a claim, warranty, or bequest.

• a disclaimer stating that the holidaymaker accepts compensation in full and final settlement of any claims.

disc-like ‹US› disk-like

adjective

having a flat, circular shape or appearance

• the disc-like sun.

disclose /dɪsˈkləʊz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (secret or new information) known

• they disclosed her name to the press.

2. allow (something hidden) to be seen

• he cleared away the grass and disclosed a narrow opening descending into the darkness.

II. derivatives

1. disclosable

adjective

2. discloser

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desclos-, stem of desclore, based on Latin claudere ‘to close’.

disclosure /dɪsˈkləʊʒə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of making new or secret information known

• a judge ordered the disclosure of the government documents.

2. [ count noun] — a fact, especially a secret, that is made known

• the government's disclosures about missile programmes.

– origin late 16th cent.: from disclose, on the pattern of closure.

disco /ˈdɪskəʊ/

I. noun

1. a club or party at which people dance to pop music.

• on Friday evenings, he often attended a disco with school friends.

2. the lighting and sound equipment used at a disco

• no one knows how to waltz so I've ordered a disco.

3. short for disco music.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. attend or dance at a disco

• she filled every hour of the day playing tennis, or discoing with friends.

– origin 1960s (originally US): abbreviation of discotheque.

disco biscuit

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a tablet of the drug Ecstasy.

– origin 1980s (in the US sense ‘tablet of Quaalude’): from disco + biscuit.

discobolus /dɪˈskɒbələs/

I. noun

a discus-thrower in ancient Greece.

– origin early 18th cent.: via Latin from Greek diskobolos, from diskos ‘discus’ + -bolos ‘-throwing’ (from ballein ‘to throw’).

disco-dance

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. dance to pop music

• girls disco-dancing in slow motion around their handbags.

II. derivatives

disco dancer

noun

discography /dɪˈskɒɡrəfi/

I. noun

1. a descriptive catalogue of musical recordings, particularly those of a particular performer or composer.

• the factual reliability is commendable—he clearly had a good discography to hand.

2. all of a performer's or composer's recordings considered as a body of work

• his discography is overwhelmingly classical.

3. [ mass noun] — the study of musical recordings and compilation of descriptive catalogues.

• jazz fans direct their intellectual energy to discography.

II. derivatives

discographer

noun

– origin 1930s: from disc + -graphy, on the pattern of biography.

discoid /ˈdɪskɔɪd/

I. adjective

‹technical› shaped like a disc.

II. noun

a thing that is shaped like a disc, particularly a type of ancient stone tool.

III. derivatives

discoidal /dɪˈskɔɪd(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek diskoeidēs, from diskos (see discus).

discoloration /ˌdɪskʌləˈreɪʃn / discolouration

noun

the process of changing to a different, less attractive colour

• a bluish discoloration of the skin.

discolour /dɪsˈkʌlə / ‹US› discolor

I. verb

change or cause to change to a different, less attractive colour
[no obj.]

• do not over-knead the dough or it will discolour

• [with obj.] too much aluminium can discolour water.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French descolorer or medieval Latin discolorare, from des-, dis- (expressing reversal) + Latin colorare ‘to colour’.

discoloured ‹US› discolored

adjective

changed in colour in a way that is less attractive

• her beauty was marred by discoloured teeth.

discombobulate /ˌdɪskəmˈbɒbjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹humorous› (chiefly N. Amer.) disconcert or confuse (someone)
(as adj. discombobulated)

• he is looking a little pained and discombobulated.

II. derivatives

discombobulation

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably based on discompose or discomfit.

discomfit /dɪsˈkʌmfɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed

• he was not noticeably discomfited by her tone.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘defeat in battle’): from Old French desconfit, past participle of desconfire, based on Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + conficere ‘put together’ (see confection). / usage: The words discomfit and discomfort are etymologically unrelated but in modern use their principal meanings as a verb have collapsed into one: ‘make someone feel uneasy’.

discomfiture /dɪsˈkʌmfɪtʃə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of unease or embarrassment; awkwardness

• many MPs are secretly enjoying his discomfiture.

discomfort /dɪsˈkʌmfət/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. slight pain

• the patient complained of discomfort in the left calf.

2. worry or embarrassment

• his remarks caused her discomfort.

3. [ count noun] — something that causes one to feel uncomfortable

• the discomforts of too much sun in summer.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) feel anxious or embarrassed

• the unknown leaker's purpose was to discomfort the Prime Minister.

2. (often as adj. discomforting) — cause (someone) slight pain

• if the patient's condition has discomforting symptoms, these should be controlled.

– origin Middle English (as a verb in the sense ‘dishearten’): from Old French desconforter (verb), desconfort (noun), from des- (expressing reversal) + conforter ‘to comfort’ (see comfort).

discommode /ˌdɪskəˈməʊd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› cause (someone) trouble or inconvenience

• I am sorry to have discommoded you.

II. derivatives

1. discommodious

adjective

2. discommodity

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from obsolete French discommoder, variant of incommoder (see incommode).

discompose /dɪskəmˈpəʊz/

verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. discomposed)

1. disturb or agitate (someone)

• she looked a little discomposed as she spoke.

discomposure /ˌdɪskəmˈpəʊʒə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or feeling of being disturbed or agitated; agitation

• she laughed to mask her discomposure.

disco music

noun — [ mass noun]

1. pop music intended mainly for dancing to at discos, typically soul-influenced and melodic with a regular bass beat and popular particularly in the late 1970s.

disconcert /ˌdɪskənˈsəːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. disturb the composure of; unsettle

• the abrupt change of subject disconcerted her

• (as adj. disconcerted) Keith looked momentarily disconcerted.

II. derivatives

1. disconcertedly

adverb

2. disconcertion

noun

– origin late 17th cent. (in the sense ‘upset the progress of’): from obsolete French desconcerter, from des- (expressing reversal) + concerter ‘bring together’.

disconcerting /ˌdɪskənˈsəːtɪŋ/

I. adjective

causing one to feel unsettled

• he had a disconcerting habit of offering jobs to people he met at dinner parties.

II. derivatives

disconcertingly /dɪskənˈsəːtɪŋli /

adverb

disconfirm

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. show that (a belief or hypothesis) is not or may not be true.

• Cohen may have found evidence disconfirming the hypothesis.

II. derivatives

1. disconfirmation /ˌdɪskɒnfəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. disconfirmatory

adjective

disconformity /dɪskənˈfɔːmɪti/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — lack of conformity.

2. [Geology] a break in a sedimentary sequence which does not involve a difference of inclination between the strata on each side of the break.
Compare with unconformity.

disconnect /dɪskəˈnɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. break the connection of or between

• if the axle unit is partially disconnected from the body, the car should not be driven.

2. put (an electrical device) out of action by detaching it from a power supply.

• he disconnected the main power cables from the batteries.

3. interrupt or terminate (a telephone conversation) by breaking the connection

• I phoned them in Edinburgh but we got disconnected.

4. terminate the connection of (a household) to water, electricity, gas, or telephone, typically because of non-payment of bills.

• if customers agree a payment plan, they will not be disconnected.

II. noun

1. an instance of disconnecting or being disconnected
[as modifier]

• a disconnect message.

2. a discrepancy or lack of connection

• there can be a disconnect between boardrooms and IT departments when it comes to technology.

disconnected /dɪskəˈnɛktɪd/

I. adjective

1. having had a connection broken

• he expected the disconnected phone to start ringing.

2. [ predic.] — (of a person) lacking contact with reality

• I drove away, feeling disconnected from the real world.

3. (of speech, writing, or thought) lacking a logical sequence

• a disconnected narrative.

II. derivatives

1. disconnectedly /dɪskəˈnɛktɪdli /

adverb

2. disconnectedness /dɪskəˈnɛktɪdnəs /

noun

disconnection /ˌdɪskəˈnɛkʃ(ə)n / ‹Brit.› disconnexion

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being isolated or detached

• I felt a sense of disconnection from the city environment

• [in sing.] an ever-deepening disconnection between people and the natural world.

2. the act of detaching one thing from another

• disconnection from the internet

• the player takes 15 seconds to reboot after disconnection from the PC.

3. termination of the connection of a household to water, electricity, gas, or telephone

• protests over the disconnection of the water supply

• threats of disconnection will follow unless the debt is settled.

disconsolate /dɪsˈkɒns(ə)lət/

I. adjective

very unhappy and unable to be comforted

• she left Fritz looking disconsolate.

II. derivatives

1. disconsolately /dɪsˈkɒnsələtli /

adverb

2. disconsolateness

noun

3. disconsolation

noun

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin disconsolatus, from dis- (expressing reversal) + Latin consolatus (past participle of consolari ‘to console’).

discontent /dɪskənˈtɛnt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. dissatisfaction with one's circumstances; lack of contentment

• voters voiced discontent with both parties

• [ count noun] the discontents of the working class.

2. [ count noun] — a person who is dissatisfied, typically with the prevailing social or political situation

• the cause attracted a motley crew of discontents and zealots.

II. adjective

dissatisfied.

• he was discontent with his wages.

III. derivatives

discontentment /dɪskənˈtɛntm(ə)nt /

noun

discontented /dɪskənˈtɛntɪd/

I. adjective

dissatisfied, especially with one's circumstances

• I am so discontented with my work

• a discontented housewife

• (as plural noun the discontented) the ranks of the discontented were swelled by returning soldiers.

II. derivatives

1. discontentedly /ˌdɪskənˈtɛntɪdli /

adverb

2. discontentedness /ˌdɪskənˈtɛntɪdnəs /

noun

discontinue /dɪskənˈtɪnjuː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cease from doing or providing (something), especially something that has been provided on a regular basis

• the ferry service was discontinued by the proprietors

• he discontinued his visits.

2. stop making (a particular product).

• their current top-of-the-range running shoe is being discontinued.

3. cease taking (a newspaper or periodical) or paying (a subscription).

II. derivatives

1. discontinuance /ˌdɪskənˈtɪnjuːəns /

noun

2. discontinuation /dɪskəntɪnjuˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘interrupt, disrupt’): via Old French from medieval Latin discontinuare, from Latin dis- ‘not’ + continuare (see continue).

discontinued

adjective

(of a product) no longer available or produced

• discontinued fabrics.

discontinuity /dɪsˌkɒntɪˈnjuːɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of having intervals or gaps; lack of continuity

• there is no significant discontinuity between modern and primitive societies.

2. [ count noun] — a break in or lack of continuity

• changes in government have resulted in discontinuities in policy.

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin discontinuitas, from discontinuus (see discontinuous).

discontinuous /dɪskənˈtɪnjʊəs/

I. adjective

having intervals or gaps

• a person with a discontinuous employment record.

II. derivatives

discontinuously /dɪskənˈtɪnjʊəsli /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘producing discontinuity’): from medieval Latin discontinuus, from dis- ‘not’ + continuus (see continuous).

discord

I. noun — [ mass noun] discord /ˈdɪskɔːd /

1. disagreement between people

• a prosperous family who showed no signs of discord.

2. lack of agreement or harmony between things

• the discord between indigenous and Western cultures.

3. [Music] lack of harmony between notes sounding together

• the music faded in discord.

4. [ count noun] — a chord which (in conventional harmonic terms) is regarded as unpleasing or requiring resolution by another.

5. [ count noun] — any interval except unison, an octave, a perfect fifth or fourth, a major or minor third and sixth, or their octaves.

6. [ count noun] — a single note dissonant with another.

II. verb — [no obj.] discord /dɪsˈkɔːd /

1. ‹archaic› (of people) disagree

• we discorded commonly on two points.

2. ‹archaic› (of things) be different

• the party's views were apt to discord with those of the leading members of the government.

– origin Middle English: from Old French descord (noun), descorder (verb), from Latin discordare, from discors ‘discordant’, from dis- (expressing negation, reversal) + cor, cord- ‘heart’.

discordant /dɪˈskɔːd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. disagreeing or incongruous

• the operative principle of democracy is a balance of discordant qualities.

2. characterized by conflict

• a study of children in discordant homes.

3. (of sounds) harsh and jarring because of a lack of harmony

• the singers continued their discordant chanting.

II. phrases

strike a discordant note

appear strange and out of place.

• the chair's modernity struck a discordant note in a room full of eighteenth-century furniture.

III. derivatives

1. discordance /dɪˈskɔːd(ə)ns /

noun

2. discordancy

noun

3. discordantly /dɪˈskɔːd(ə)ntli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French descordant, present participle of descorder (see discord).

discotheque /ˈdɪskətɛk/

I. noun

another term for disco (sense 1 of the noun).

– origin 1950s: from French discothèque, originally ‘record library’, on the pattern of bibliothèque ‘library’.

discount

I. noun — discount /ˈdɪskaʊnt /

1. a deduction from the usual cost of something

• rail commuters get a discount on season tickets

• [ mass noun] we introduced a standard level of discount for everyone.

2. [Finance] a percentage deducted from the face value of a bill of exchange or promissory note when it changes hands before the due date.

II. verb — [with obj.] discount /dɪsˈkaʊnt /

1. deduct an amount from (the usual price of something)

• a product may carry a price which cannot easily be discounted.

2. reduce (a product or service) in price

• one shop has discounted children's trainers.

3. buy or sell (a bill of exchange) before its due date at less than its maturity value.

• the bill will be discounted, sold for a sum less than its maturity value.

4. regard (a possibility or fact) as being unworthy of consideration because it lacks credibility

• I'd heard rumours, but discounted them.

III. phrases

at a discount

below the nominal or usual price.

• a scheme which lets tenants buy their homes at a discount.

Compare with at a premium (see premium).

IV. derivatives

discountable /dɪsˈkaʊntəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from obsolete French descompte (noun), descompter (verb), or (in commercial contexts) from Italian ( di)scontare, both from medieval Latin discomputare, from Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + computare (see compute).

discount broker

I. noun

a stockbroker or brokerage firm that charges a reduced commission on transactions but typically does not provide investment advice or other services

• whether you decide to deal with a full-service or discount broker, there are many options out there.

Compare with full-service broker.

II. derivatives

discount brokerage

noun

discounted cash flow

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Finance] a method of assessing investments taking into account the expected accumulation of interest.

discountenance /dɪsˈkaʊntɪnəns/

verb — [with obj.]

1. refuse to approve of

• the best solution to alcohol abuse is a healthy family life where alcohol consumption is discountenanced.

2. disturb the composure of

• Amanda was not discountenanced by the accusation.

discounter /ˈdɪskaʊntə/

noun

a large business that sells goods or services at less than the usual price

• the company has been hit by fierce competition from discounters at the lower end of the market

• the German discounter has 600 stores in the UK.

discount factor

noun

[Finance] a factor which, when multiplied by a predicted future cash flow from a loan or some other form of debt, gives its present value

• the further out the payday is, the greater the discount factor that will be used.

discount house

noun

1. (Brit.) a company that buys and sells bills of exchange.

2. (N. Amer.) another term for discount store.

discount market

noun

the section of the financial market which deals in discounted bills of exchange.

discount rate

noun

1. [Finance] the minimum interest rate set by the US Federal Reserve (and some other national banks) for lending to other banks.

2. [Finance] a rate used for discounting bills of exchange.

discount store

noun

a shop that sells goods at less than the normal retail price.

discourage /dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to lose confidence or enthusiasm

• tedious regulations could discourage investors.

2. prevent or try to prevent (something) by showing disapproval or creating difficulties

• the plan is designed to discourage the use of private cars.

3. persuade (someone) against an action

• we want to discourage children from smoking.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French descouragier, from des- (expressing reversal) + corage ‘courage’.

discouraged

adjective

having lost confidence or enthusiasm; disheartened

• he must be feeling pretty discouraged.

discouragement /dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒm(ə)nt/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — a loss of confidence or enthusiasm; dispiritedness

• do not give in to discouragement.

2. an attempt to prevent something by showing disapproval or creating difficulties; deterrent

• the discouragement of crime.

discouraging /dɪˈskʌrɪdʒɪŋ/

I. adjective

causing someone to lose confidence or enthusiasm; depressing

• a discouraging experience.

II. derivatives

discouragingly /dɪˈskʌrɪdʒɪŋli /

adverb

discourse

I. noun — discourse /ˈdɪskɔːs /

1. written or spoken communication or debate
[ mass noun]

• the language of political discourse

• [ count noun] an imagined discourse between two people.

2. [ count noun] — a formal discussion of a topic in speech or writing

• a discourse on critical theory.

3. [Linguistics] a connected series of utterances; a text or conversation.

II. verb — [no obj.] discourse /dɪsˈkɔːs /

1. speak or write authoritatively about a topic

• she could discourse at great length on the history of Europe.

2. engage in conversation

• he spent an hour discoursing with his supporters.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the process of reasoning): from Old French discours, from Latin discursus ‘running to and fro’ (in medieval Latin ‘argument’), from the verb discurrere, from dis- ‘away’ + currere ‘to run’; the verb influenced by French discourir.

discourse marker

noun

[Grammar] a word or phrase whose function is to organize discourse into segments, for example well or I mean.

discourteous /dɪsˈkəːtɪəs/

I. adjective

showing rudeness and a lack of consideration for other people

• it would be unkind and discourteous to decline a visit.

II. derivatives

1. discourteously /dɪsˈkəːtɪəsli /

adverb

2. discourteousness

noun

discourtesy /dɪsˈkəːtəsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. rude and inconsiderate behaviour

• he was able to discourage visitors without obvious discourtesy.

2. [ count noun] — an impolite act or remark

• the fact that MPs were not kept informed was an extraordinary discourtesy.

discover /dɪˈskʌvə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. find unexpectedly or during a search

• firemen discovered a body in the debris

• she discovered her lover in the arms of another woman.

2. become aware of (a fact or situation)

• the courage to discover the truth and possibly be disappointed

• [with clause] it was a relief to discover that he wasn't in.

3. be the first to find or observe (a place, substance, or scientific phenomenon)

• Fleming discovered penicillin early in the twentieth century.

4. show interest in (an activity or subject) for the first time

• a teenager who has recently discovered fashion.

5. be the first to recognize the potential of (an actor or performer)

• I discovered the band back in the mid 70s.

6. ‹archaic› divulge (a secret).

• they contain some secrets which Time will discover.

7. disclose the identity of (someone)

• she at last discovered herself to me.

8. display (a quality or feeling)

• with what agility did these military men discover their skill in feats of war.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘make known’): from Old French descovrir, from late Latin discooperire, from Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + cooperire ‘cover completely’ (see cover).

discoverability /dɪskʌv(ə)rəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being able to be discovered or found

• the legal discoverability of information.

2. [Computing] (in relation to online content) the quality of being easy to find via a search engine, within an application, or on a website

• a good way to gauge your discoverability is to type your name into Google

• [as modifier] the usability studies did not highlight any discoverability issues with the feature.

discoverable /dɪˈskʌv(ə)rəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. able to be discovered or found; findable

• the traces of his pen are readily discoverable on every page

• there must be some discoverable patterns.

2. [Computing] (of online content) tending or designed to be easily found by users via a search engine, within an application, or on a website

• the keywords appearing in the content are discoverable through search engines

• your content needs to be easily discoverable and accessible to the tablet user.

discovered check

noun

[Chess] a check which results when a player moves a piece or pawn so as to put the opponent's king in check from another piece.

discoverer /dɪˈskʌv(ə)rə/

noun

1. the first person to find or explore a place.

2. the first person to find or observe a substance or scientific phenomenon

• many chemical processes are named after their original discoverers.

discovery /dɪˈskʌv(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of discovering or being discovered

• the discovery of the body

• [ count noun] he made some startling discoveries.

2. [ count noun] — a person or thing discovered

• the drug is not a new discovery.

3. [Law] the compulsory disclosure, by one party to an action to another, of relevant testimony or documents.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from discover, on the pattern of the pair recover, recovery.

Discovery

noun

a dessert apple of a variety with crisp flesh and bright red skin.

discovery well

noun

the first successful oil well in a new field.

discredit /dɪsˈkrɛdɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. harm the good reputation of

• his remarks were taken out of context in an effort to discredit him

• (as adj. discredited) a discredited government.

2. cause (an idea or account) to seem false or unreliable

• his explanation for the phenomenon was soon discredited.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. loss or lack of reputation or respect

• they committed crimes which brought discredit upon the administration.

2. [ count noun] — a person or thing that is a source of disgrace

• the ships were a discredit to the country.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from dis- (expressing reversal) + credit, on the pattern of Italian ( di)scredito (noun), ( di)screditare (verb), and French discrédit (noun), discréditer (verb).

discreditable /dɪsˈkrɛdɪtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

tending to bring harm to a reputation

• allegations of discreditable conduct.

II. derivatives

discreditably /dɪsˈkrɛdɪtəbli /

adverb

discreet /dɪˈskriːt/

I. adjective

1. careful and prudent in one's speech or actions, especially in order to keep something confidential or to avoid embarrassment

• we made some discreet inquiries.

2. intentionally unobtrusive

• a discreet cough.

II. derivatives

discreetness /dɪˈskriːtnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French discret, from Latin discretus ‘separate’, past participle of discernere ‘discern’, the sense arising from late Latin discretio (see discretion). Compare with discrete. / usage: The words discrete and discreet are pronounced in the same way and share the same origin but they do not mean the same thing. Discrete means ‘separate’, as in a finite number of discrete categories, while discreet means ‘careful and circumspect’, as in you can rely on him to be discreet.

discreetly /dɪˈskriːtli/

I. adverb

1. in a careful and prudent manner, especially in order to keep something confidential or to avoid embarrassment

• he discreetly inquired whether the position was still available.

2. in an intentionally unobtrusive manner

• she coughed discreetly.

usage: The words discretely and discreetly are pronounced in the same way and share the same origin but they do not mean the same thing. Discretely means ‘separately and individually’, as in they are counted then discretely marked, while discreetly means ‘in a careful and prudent manner’, as in he wanted the affair handled discreetly.

discrepancy /dɪsˈkrɛp(ə)nsi/

I. noun

an illogical or surprising lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts

• there's a discrepancy between your account and his.

II. derivatives

discrepant /dɪˈskrɛpənt /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin discrepantia, from discrepare ‘be discordant’, from dis- ‘apart, away’ + crepare ‘to creak’.

discrete /dɪˈskriːt/

I. adjective

individually separate and distinct

• speech sounds are produced as a continuous sound signal rather than discrete units.

II. derivatives

discreteness /dɪˈskriːtnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin discretus ‘separate’; compare with discreet.

discretely

I. adverb

separately and individually

• the regions are discretely labelled with individual introductory texts.

usage: See usage at discreetly.

discretion /dɪˈskrɛʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offence or revealing confidential information

• she knew she could rely on his discretion

• I'll be the soul of discretion.

2. the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation

• local authorities should use their discretion in setting the charges

• honorary fellowships may be awarded at the discretion of the council.

II. phrases

discretion is the better part of valour

‹proverb› it's better to avoid a dangerous situation than to confront it.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘discernment’): via Old French from Latin discretio(n-) ‘separation’ (in late Latin ‘discernment’), from discernere (see discern).

discretional /dɪˈskrɛʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

adjective

available for use at the discretion of the user; discretionary

• the Court has some discretional powers to assess the statements presented to it.

discretionary /dɪˈskrɛʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/

adjective

1. available for use at the discretion of the user

• there has been an increase in year-end discretionary bonuses.

2. denoting or relating to investment funds placed with a broker or manager who has discretion to invest them on the client's behalf

• discretionary portfolios.

discretionary income

noun — [ mass noun]

1. income remaining after deduction of taxes, social security charges, and basic living costs.
Compare with disposable income.

discretionary trust

noun

a trust in which the number of shares of each beneficiary are not fixed by the settlor in the trust deed, but at the discretion of the trustees.

discretize /dɪˈskriːtʌɪz / discretise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Mathematics] represent or approximate (a quantity or series) using a discrete quantity or quantities.

II. derivatives

discretization

noun

discriminable /dɪˈskrɪmɪnəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be discriminated; distinguishable

• the target contours will not be discriminable from their background.

II. derivatives

1. discriminability

noun

2. discriminably

adverb

– origin mid 18th cent.: from discriminate, on the pattern of the pair separate, separable.

discriminant /dɪˈskrɪmɪnənt/

I. noun

1. a distinguishing feature or characteristic

• anaemia is commonly present in patients with both conditions, and is therefore not a helpful discriminant.

2. [Mathematics] a function of the coefficients of a polynomial equation whose value gives information about the roots of the polynomial.
See also discriminant function.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in the sense ‘showing discernment’): from Latin discriminant- ‘distinguishing between’, from the verb discriminare (see discriminate).

discriminant analysis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. statistical analysis using a discriminant function to assign data to one of two or more groups.

discriminant function

noun

[Statistics] a function of several variates used to assign items into one of two or more groups. The function for a particular set of items is obtained from measurements of the variates of items which belong to a known group.

discriminate /dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. recognize a distinction; differentiate

• babies can discriminate between different facial expressions.

2. [with obj.] — perceive or constitute the difference in or between

• features that discriminate this species from other gastropods.

3. make an unjust or prejudicial distinction in the treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, sex, or age

• existing employment policies discriminate against women.

II. derivatives

1. discriminately

adverb

2. discriminative /dɪˈskrɪmɪnətɪv /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin discriminat- ‘distinguished between’, from the verb discriminare, from discrimen ‘distinction’, from the verb discernere (see discern).

discriminating /dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

having or showing refined taste or good judgement

• he became a discriminating collector and patron of the arts.

II. derivatives

discriminatingly /dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪtɪŋli /

adverb

discrimination /dɪˌskrɪmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex

• victims of racial discrimination

• discrimination against homosexuals.

2. recognition and understanding of the difference between one thing and another

• discrimination between right and wrong

• [ count noun] young children have difficulties in making fine discriminations.

3. the ability to judge what is of high quality; good judgement or taste

• those who could afford to buy showed little taste or discrimination.

4. [Psychology] the ability to distinguish between different stimuli
[as modifier]

• discrimination learning.

5. [Electronics] the selection of a signal having a required characteristic, such as frequency or amplitude, by means of a discriminator.

discriminator

noun

1. a characteristic which enables people or things to be distinguished from one another

• age should not be used as a primary discriminator in recruitment.

2. [Electronics] a circuit or device which only produces an output when the input exceeds a fixed value.

3. a circuit which converts a frequency-modulated signal into an amplitude-modulated one.

discriminatory /dɪˈskrɪmɪnɪˌt(ə)ri, dɪˌskrɪmɪˈneɪt(ə)ri/

adjective

making or showing an unfair or prejudicial distinction between different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex

• discriminatory employment practices.

disc-shaped ‹US› disk-shaped

adjective

flat, thin, and circular like a disc.

discursive /dɪsˈkəːsɪv/

I. adjective

1. digressing from subject to subject

• students often write dull, second-hand, discursive prose.

2. (of a style of speech or writing) fluent and expansive

• the short story is concentrated, whereas the novel is discursive.

3. relating to discourse or modes of discourse

• the attempt to transform utterances from one discursive context to another.

4. [Philosophy] ‹archaic› proceeding by argument or reasoning rather than by intuition.

II. derivatives

1. discursively /dɪˈskəːsɪvli /

adverb

2. discursiveness /dɪˈskəːsɪvnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin discursivus, from Latin discurs-, literally ‘gone hastily to and fro’, from the verb discurrere (see discourse).

discus /ˈdɪskəs/

I. noun

1. a heavy thick-centred disc thrown by an athlete, in ancient Greek games or in modern field events.

2. a small colourful South American freshwater fish with a rounded laterally compressed body, native to South America and popular in aquariums.
●Genus Symphysodon, family Cichlidae: several species.

– origin via Latin from Greek diskos.

discuss /dɪˈskʌs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. talk about (something) with a person or people

• I discussed the matter with my wife

• [with clause] they were discussing where to go for a drink.

2. talk or write about (a topic) in detail, taking into account different issues or ideas

• in Chapter Six I discuss problems that arise in applying Darwin's ideas.

II. derivatives

1. discussable

adjective

2. discusser

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘dispel, disperse’, also ‘examine by argument’): from Latin discuss- ‘dashed to pieces’, later ‘investigated’, from the verb discutere, from dis- ‘apart’ + quatere ‘shake’.

discussant /dɪˈskʌs(ə)nt/

noun

a person who takes part in a discussion, especially a prearranged one.

• discussants from Europe provided a wide range of perspectives on the topic.

discussion /dɪˈskʌʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of talking about something in order to reach a decision or to exchange ideas

• the committee acts as a forum for discussion

• the EC directive is currently under discussion.

2. [ count noun] — a conversation or debate about a specific topic

• discussions about environmental improvement.

3. [ count noun] — a detailed treatment of a topic in speech or writing.

• see Appendix One, for a more detailed discussion.

– origin Middle English (denoting judicial examination): via Old French from late Latin discussio(n-), from discutere ‘investigate’ (see discuss).

discussion board

noun

another term for message board.

disc wheel

noun

a bicycle wheel with a central disc in place of spokes.

disdain /dɪsˈdeɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one's consideration or respect

• her upper lip curled in disdain

• an aristocratic disdain for manual labour.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. consider to be unworthy of one's consideration

• he disdained his patients as an inferior rabble.

2. refuse to do (something) from feelings of pride or superiority

• she remained standing, pointedly disdaining his invitation to sit down

• [with infinitive] he disdained to discuss the matter further.

– origin Middle English: from Old French desdeign (noun), desdeignier (verb), based on Latin dedignari, from de- (expressing reversal) + dignari ‘consider worthy’ (from dignus ‘worthy’).

disdainful /dɪsˈdeɪnfʊl, dɪsˈdeɪnf(ə)l/

I. adjective

showing contempt or lack of respect

• with a last disdainful look, she turned towards the door.

II. derivatives

1. disdainfully /dɪsˈdeɪnfʊli, dɪsˈdeɪnfəli /

adverb

2. disdainfulness

noun

disease /dɪˈziːz/

I. noun

1. a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury

• bacterial meningitis is quite a rare disease

• [ mass noun] heart disease.

2. a particular quality or disposition regarded as adversely affecting a person or group of people

• we are suffering from the British disease of self-deprecation.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘lack of ease; inconvenience’): from Old French desaise ‘lack of ease’, from des- (expressing reversal) + aise ‘ease’.

diseased /dɪˈziːzd/

adjective

1. suffering from disease

• diseased trees.

2. abnormal and corrupt

• I cannot bear your diseased view of mankind.

disease-free

adjective

not suffering from, contaminated by, or exposed to a particular disease

• all three patients remained disease-free four years after diagnosis

• the farm was declared disease-free.

disease-ridden

adjective

full of or causing disease

• scurrying, disease-ridden vermin

• crowded, disease-ridden conditions.

diseconomy /dɪsɪˈkɒnəmi/

noun

[Economics] an economic disadvantage such as an increase in cost arising from an increase in the size of an organization

• in an ideal world, these diseconomies of scale would be minimized.

disembark /dɪsɪmˈbɑːk, dɪsɛmˈbɑːk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. leave a ship, aircraft, or train

• the passengers began to disembark.

II. derivatives

disembarkation /dɪsɪmbɑːˈkeɪʃ(ə)n, dɪsɛmbɑːˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from French désembarquer, Spanish desembarcar, or Italian disimbarcare, based on Latin barca ‘ship's boat’.

disembarrass /dɪsɪmˈbarəs, dɪsɛmˈbarəs/

I. verb — ( disembarrass oneself of/from)

1. free oneself of (a burden or nuisance)

• shouldn't empires disembarrass themselves of elements which no longer serve a purpose?

2. [with obj.] — ‹rare› free from embarrassment.
(as adj. disembarrassed)

• the disembarrassed honesty of the sexual fantasies.

II. derivatives

disembarrassment

noun

disembodied /dɪsɪmˈbɒdid/

adjective

1. separated from or existing without the body

• a disembodied ghost.

2. (of a sound) lacking any obvious physical source

• a disembodied voice at the end of the phone.

disembody /dɪsɪmˈbɒdi, dɪsɛmˈbɒdi/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. separate (something) from its material form

• the play of light off the dome's glass further served to disembody it.

II. derivatives

disembodiment /ˌdɪsɪmˈbɒdɪm(ə)nt /

noun

disembogue /ˌdɪsɪmˈbəʊɡ, ˌdɪsɛmˈbəʊɡ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹literary› (of a river or stream) emerge or be discharged in quantity; pour out.
(as noun disemboguing)

• the disemboguing of the brook.

II. derivatives

disemboguement

noun

‹rare›

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish desembocar, from des- (expressing reversal) + embocar ‘run into a creek or strait’ (based on boca ‘mouth’).

disembowel /ˌdɪsɪmˈbaʊəl, ˌdɪsɛmˈbaʊəl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut open and remove the internal organs of.

• the dinosaur used its claw to disembowel prey.

II. derivatives

disembowelment /ˌdɪsɪmˈbaʊəlm(ə)nt /

noun

disembroil /ˌdɪsɪmˈbrɔɪl, ˌdɪsɛmˈbrɔɪl/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› free from confusion

• to disembroil a subject that seems to have perplexed even Antiquity.

disempower /dɪsɪmˈpaʊə, dɪsɛmˈpaʊə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a person or group) less powerful or confident

• the experience of hospital invariably disempowers women.

II. derivatives

disempowerment

noun

disenable /dɪsɪˈneɪb(ə)l, dɪsɛˈneɪb(ə)l/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› deprive of the ability or capacity to do something

• if we can get the communication system, we can possibly disenable their whole force.

disenchant /dɪsɪnˈtʃɑːnt, dɪsɛnˈtʃɑːnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to be disappointed

• he may have been disenchanted by the loss of his huge following.

II. derivatives

1. disenchanting

adjective

2. disenchantingly

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from French désenchanter, from dés- (expressing reversal) + enchanter (see enchant).

disenchanted /dɪsɪnˈtʃɑːntɪd/

adjective

disappointed by someone or something previously respected or admired; disillusioned

• he became disenchanted with his erstwhile ally

• there are a lot of disenchanted music fans out there.

disenchantment /ˌdɪs(ɪ)nˈtʃɑːntm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of disappointment about someone or something you previously respected or admired; disillusionment

• their growing disenchantment with the leadership.

disencumber /dɪsɪnˈkʌmbə, dɪsɛnˈkʌmbə/

verb — [with obj.]

1. free from or relieve of an encumbrance

• the sect claims to disencumber adherents of the untoward effects of past traumas.

disendorse /dɪsənˈdɔːrs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Austral.) withdraw party support for (a political candidate) during an election campaign

• the Right planned to disendorse him for refusing to cross a union picket line.

– origin 1990s: from dis- + endorse.

disendow /dɪsɪnˈdaʊ, dɪsɛnˈdaʊ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive (someone or something) of an endowment, in particular deprive (a Church) of the property and funds that it receives from the state.

• the state Church, the Church of Ireland, continued until 1869, when Gladstone disestablished and disendowed it.

II. derivatives

disendowment /ˌdɪsɪnˈdaʊm(ə)nt /

noun

disenfranchise /ˌdɪsɪnˈfran(t)ʃʌɪz, ˌdɪsɛnˈfran(t)ʃʌɪz / disfranchise

verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive (someone) of the right to vote

• the law disenfranchised some 3,000 voters on the basis of a residence qualification.

2. deprive (someone) of a right or privilege

• we strongly oppose any measure which would disenfranchise people from access to legal advice.

3. ‹archaic› deprive (a place) of the right to send a representative to Parliament.

4. ‹archaic› deprive (someone) of the rights and privileges of a free inhabitant of a borough, city, or country.

disenfranchisement /ˌdɪs(ɪ)nˈfrantʃɪzm(ə)nt / disfranchisement

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being deprived of a right or privilege, especially the right to vote

• the widespread disenfranchisement of minority voters

• the decision fuelled a sense of disenfranchisement.

disengage /ˌdɪsɪnˈɡeɪdʒ, ˌdɪsɛnˈɡeɪdʒ/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — separate or release (someone or something) from something to which they are attached or connected

• I disengaged his hand from mine

• they clung together for a moment, then she disengaged herself.

2. [no obj.] — become released

• the clutch will not disengage.

3. [with obj.] — remove (troops) from an area of conflict

• the ceasefire gave the commanders a chance to disengage their forces

• [no obj.] plans were already afoot for the Americans to disengage from the city.

4. [no obj.] — [Fencing] pass the point of one's sword over or under the opponent's sword to change the line of attack.

II. noun

[Fencing] a disengaging movement.

disengaged /dɪsɪnˈɡeɪdʒd/

adjective

emotionally detached

• the students were oddly disengaged, as if they didn't believe they could control their lives.

disengagement /dɪsɪnˈɡeɪdʒm(ə)nt, dɪsɛnˈɡeɪdʒm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of withdrawing from involvement in an activity, situation, or group

• his disengagement from the provisional government.

2. the withdrawal of military forces or the renunciation of military or political influence in an area.

• Europe must look to her own defence as a consequence of the American disengagement.

3. the process of separating or releasing something or of becoming separated or released

• the mechanism prevents accidental disengagement.

4. ‹archaic› the breaking off of an engagement to be married.

5. emotional detachment; objectivity

• contemporary criticism can afford neutral disengagement.

6. [Fencing] another term for disengage.

disentailment

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the action of freeing property from entail

• the disentailment of the Church's landed property.

II. derivatives

disentail /ˌdɪsɪnˈteɪl /

verb

disentangle /dɪsɪnˈtaŋɡ(ə)l, dɪsɛnˈtaŋɡ(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. free (something or someone) from something that they are entangled with

• ‘I must go,’ she said, disentangling her fingers from Gabriel's

• ‹figurative› it was difficult to disentangle fact from fiction.

2. remove knots or tangles from (wool, rope, or hair).

• Allen was on his knees disentangling a coil of rope.

II. derivatives

disentanglement /ˌdɪsɪnˈtaŋɡ(ə)lm(ə)nt /

noun

disenthral /ˌdɪsɪnˈθrɔːl, ˌdɪsɛnˈθrɔːl / ‹US› disenthrall

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› set free

• I disenthral my mind from theories.

II. derivatives

disenthralment

noun

disentitle

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive (someone) of a right

• she was disentitled to a redundancy payment.

II. derivatives

disentitlement

noun

disentomb /dɪsɪnˈtuːm, dɪsɛnˈtuːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove (something) from a tomb

• a mummy which we saw disentombed

• ‹figurative› he disentombed a great part of the early history of England.

II. derivatives

disentombment

noun

disequilibrium /dɪsiːkwɪˈlɪbrɪəm, ˌdɪsɛkwɪˈlɪbrɪəm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a loss or lack of equilibrium or stability, especially in relation to supply, demand, and prices.

disestablish /dɪsɪˈstablɪʃ, dɪsɛˈstablɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive (an organization, especially a national Church) of its official status.

• the Anglican Church in Wales was disestablished in 1919.

II. derivatives

disestablishment /dɪsɪˈstablɪʃm(ə)nt, dɪsɛˈstablɪʃm(ə)nt /

noun

disesteem

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. low esteem or regard

• her disesteem for institutionalized medicine now heightened to aversion.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› have a low opinion of

• novels and short stories have been disesteemed.

diseuse /diːˈzəːz/

I. noun

a female artiste who entertains with spoken monologues.

– origin French, literally ‘talker’, feminine of diseur, from dire ‘to say’.

disfavour /dɪsˈfeɪvə / ‹US› disfavor

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. disapproval or dislike

• the headmaster regarded her with disfavour.

2. the state of being disliked

• coal fell into disfavour because steam engines are noisy and polluting.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put at a disadvantage or treat as undesirable

• the system favours those who employ less labour and disfavours those who employ more.

disfellowship

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. exclusion from fellowship, especially as a form of discipline in some Protestant and Mormon Churches.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. exclude (someone) from fellowship.

disfigure /dɪsˈfɪɡə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. spoil the appearance of

• litter disfigures the countryside

• (as adj. disfiguring) a disfiguring birthmark.

II. derivatives

disfiguration /dɪsˌfɪɡəˈreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desfigurer, based on Latin figura ‘figure’.

disfigurement /dɪsˈfɪɡəm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of spoiling the appearance of something or someone; defacement

• the disfigurement of this very pleasant area.

2. something which spoils the appearance of someone or something; a blemish

• a severe facial disfigurement.

disforest

I. verb

another term for disafforest.

II. derivatives

disforestation

noun

disfranchise /dɪsˈfran(t)ʃʌɪz/

verb

another term for disenfranchise.

disfrock /dɪsˈfrɒk/

verb

another term for defrock.

disgorge /dɪsˈɡɔːdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pour (something) out

• the combine disgorged a steady stream of grain.

2. (of a building or vehicle) discharge (the occupants)

• an aircraft disgorging paratroopers.

3. bring up or vomit (food).

4. yield or give up (funds, especially when dishonestly acquired)

• they were made to disgorge all the profits made from the record.

5. [no obj.] — (of a river) empty into a sea

• the Nile disgorges into the sea at Rashid.

6. remove the sediment from (a sparkling wine) after fermentation.

• the wine is aged in the bottle before it is disgorged.

II. derivatives

disgorgement

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French desgorger, from des- (expressing removal) + gorge ‘throat’.

disgorger

noun

[Fishing] a device for extracting a hook from a fish's throat.

disgrace /dɪsˈɡreɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. loss of reputation or respect as the result of a dishonourable action

• he left the army in disgrace

• if he'd gone back it would have brought disgrace on the family.

2. [in sing.] — a person or thing regarded as shameful and unacceptable

• he's a disgrace to the legal profession.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. bring shame or discredit on

• you have disgraced the family name

• John stiffened his jaw so he wouldn't disgrace himself by crying.

2. cause (someone) to fall from favour or a position of power or honour

• he has been publicly disgraced for offences for which he was not guilty.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a verb): via French from Italian disgrazia (noun), disgraziare (verb), from dis- (expressing reversal) + Latin gratia ‘grace’.

disgraced /dɪsˈɡreɪst/

adjective

having fallen from favour or a position of power or honour; discredited

• the disgraced city financier.

disgraceful /dɪsˈɡreɪsfʊl, dɪsˈɡreɪsf(ə)l/

I. adjective

shockingly unacceptable

• a disgraceful waste of money

• [with clause] it is disgraceful that they should be denied unemployment benefits.

II. derivatives

disgracefully /dɪsˈɡreɪsfʊli, dɪsˈɡreɪsfəli /

adverb

disgruntle /dɪsˈɡrʌnt(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) angry or dissatisfied

• nothing disgruntles anyone more than the feeling they are being cheated.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from dis- (as an intensifier) + dialect gruntle ‘utter little grunts’, from grunt.

disgruntled /dɪsˈɡrʌnt(ə)ld/

I. adjective

angry or dissatisfied

• judges receive letters from disgruntled members of the public.

II. derivatives

disgruntlement /dɪsˈɡrʌnt(ə)lm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from dis- (as an intensifier) + dialect gruntle ‘utter little grunts’, from grunt.

disguise /dɪsˈɡʌɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (someone or oneself) a different appearance in order to conceal one's identity

• he disguised himself as a girl

• Bryn was disguised as a priest

• (as adj. disguised) a disguised reporter.

2. make (something) unrecognizable by altering its appearance, sound, taste, or smell

• does holding a handkerchief over the mouthpiece really disguise your voice?

3. conceal the nature or existence of (a feeling or situation)

• he made no effort to disguise his contempt

• (as adj. disguised) his voice was heavy with barely disguised emotion.

II. noun

1. a means of altering one's appearance to conceal one's identity

• I put on dark glasses as a disguise.

2. [ mass noun] — the state of having altered one's appearance in order to conceal one's identity

• I told them you were a policewoman in disguise.

3. [ mass noun] — the concealing of one's true intentions or feelings

• the children looked at her without disguise.

III. derivatives

disguisement /dɪsˈɡʌɪzm(ə)nt /

noun

‹archaic›

– origin Middle English (meaning ‘change one's usual style of dress’, with no implication of concealing one's identity): from Old French desguisier.

disgust /dɪsˈɡʌst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of revulsion or strong disapproval aroused by something unpleasant or offensive

• the sight filled her with disgust

• some of the audience walked out in disgust.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to feel revulsion or strong disapproval

• they were disgusted by the violence

• (as adj. disgusted) a disgusted look.

III. derivatives

disgustedly /dɪsˈɡʌstɪdli /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from early modern French desgoust or Italian disgusto, from Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + gustus ‘taste’.

disgustful /dɪsˈɡʌstfʊl, dɪsˈɡʌstf(ə)l/

adjective

old-fashioned term for disgusting.

disgusting /dɪsˈɡʌstɪŋ/

I. adjective

arousing revulsion or strong indignation

• he had the most disgusting rotten teeth

• I think the decision is disgusting.

II. derivatives

1. disgustingly /dɪsˈɡʌstɪŋli /

adverb

2. disgustingness

noun

dish /dɪʃ/

I. noun

1. a shallow, flat-bottomed container for cooking or serving food

• an ovenproof dish.

2. the food contained or served in a dish

• a dish of sauté potatoes.

3. a particular variety or preparation of food served as part of a meal

• fresh fish dishes.

4. ( the dishes) — all the items that have been used in the preparation, serving, and eating of a meal

• I left the children to do the dishes.

5. [usu. with modifier] — a shallow, concave receptacle, especially one intended to hold a particular substance

• the cats' water dish.

6. (also dish aerial) — a bowl-shaped radio aerial.

• other channels are available with a larger dish.

See also satellite dish.

7. ‹informal› a sexually attractive person

• I gather he's quite a dish.

8. ( one's dish) — ‹dated› a thing that one enjoys or does well

• as a public relations man this was my dish and the campaign was right up my street.

9. ( the dish) — ‹informal› information which is not generally known or available

• if he has the real dish I wish he'd tell us.

10. [ mass noun] — concavity of a spoked wheel resulting from a difference in spoke tension on each side and consequent sideways displacement of the rim in relation to the hub.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ( dish something out/up) — put food on to a plate or plates before a meal

• Steve was dishing up vegetables.

2. ( dish something out) — dispense something in a casual or indiscriminate way

• the banks dished out loans to all and sundry.

3. ( dish something up) — offer or present something, especially something regarded as substandard

• is your ISP short-changing you by dishing up outdated and perhaps incorrect information?

4. ( dish it out) — ‹informal› subject others to criticism or punishment

• you can dish it out but you can't take it.

5. [no obj.] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› gossip or share intimate information

• groups gather to dish about romances.

6. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) utterly destroy or defeat

• the election interview dished Labour's chances.

7. give concavity to (a wheel) by tensioning the spokes.
(as noun dishing)

• this tool accurately checks for proper dishing of a wheel.

III. phrases

dish the dirt

‹informal› reveal or spread scandal or gossip.

• he was happy to dish the dirt on his rival.

IV. derivatives

dishful /ˈdɪʃfʊl /

noun

– origin Old English disc ‘plate, bowl’ (related to Dutch dis, German Tisch ‘table’), based on Latin discus (see discus).

disharmony /dɪsˈhɑːməni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of harmony or agreement.

• we will become evermore a nation of social disharmony.

II. derivatives

1. disharmonious /dɪshɑːˈməʊnɪəs /

adjective

2. disharmoniously

adverb

dishcloth /ˈdɪʃklɒθ/

noun

a cloth for washing or drying dishes.

dishcloth gourd

noun

North American term for loofah.

dishdasha /ˈdɪʃˌdaʃə / dishdash

I. noun

a long robe with long sleeves, worn by men from the Arabian peninsula.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Arabic dišdāša.

dishearten /dɪsˈhɑːt(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to lose determination or confidence

• the farmer was disheartened by the damage to his crops

• (as adj. disheartened) a disheartened tone of voice.

II. derivatives

1. dishearteningly /dɪsˈhɑːt(ə)nɪŋli /

adverb

2. disheartenment /dɪsˈhɑːt(ə)nm(ə)nt /

noun

dished /dɪʃt/

adjective

having the shape of a dish; concave

• overloaded timber floors are likely to sag, producing a dished or sloping floor surface.

dishevel /dɪˈʃɛvl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a person's hair or clothes) untidy.

• he ran one hand through his hair, further dishevelling it.

– origin probably a back-formation from dishevelled.

dishevelled /dɪˈʃɛv(ə)ld / ‹US› disheveled

I. adjective

(of a person's hair, clothes, or appearance) untidy; disordered

• a man with long dishevelled hair.

II. derivatives

dishevelment /dɪˈʃɛv(ə)lm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from obsolete dishevely, from Old French deschevele, past participle of descheveler (based on chevel ‘hair’, from Latin capillus). The original sense was ‘having the hair uncovered’; later, referring to the hair itself, ‘hanging loose’, hence ‘disordered, untidy’. Compare with unkempt.

dishlicker /ˈdɪʃlɪkə/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a greyhound, especially as a racing dog

• he'd put the money on a dishlicker.

– origin 1950s: from dish + licker.

dishonest /dɪsˈɒnɪst/

I. adjective

1. behaving or prone to behave in an untrustworthy, deceitful, or insincere way

• he was a dishonest hypocrite prepared to exploit his family.

2. intended to mislead or cheat

• he gave the editor a dishonest account of events.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘dishonourable, unchaste’): from Old French deshoneste, Latin dehonestus.

dishonestly /dɪsˈɒnɪstli/

adverb

in an untrustworthy, deceitful, or insincere way;

• he admitted six offences of dishonestly obtaining money

• they acted dishonestly for their own selfish gains.

dishonesty /dɪsˈɒnɪsti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. deceitfulness shown in someone's character or behaviour

• the dismissal of thirty civil servants for dishonesty and misconduct.

2. [ count noun] — a fraudulent or deceitful act

• they are tackling the divisions and dishonesties on the campus.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘dishonour, sexual misconduct’): from Old French deshoneste ‘indecency’ (see dishonest).

dishonour /dɪsˈɒnə / ‹US› dishonor

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of shame or disgrace

• the incident brought dishonour upon the police.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. bring shame or disgrace on

• the ceremony was undertaken if a pupil had done something to dishonour the school.

2. ‹archaic› violate the chastity of (a woman); rape.

• she was now unworthy of his notice, having been dishonoured by Casim.

3. fail to observe or respect (an agreement or principle)

• the community has its own principles it can itself honour or dishonour.

4. refuse to accept or pay (a cheque or a bill of exchange).

• payment was by a cheque which was later dishonoured.

– origin Middle English: from Old French deshonor (noun), deshonorer (verb), based on Latin honor ‘honour’.

dishonourable /dɪsˈɒn(ə)rəb(ə)l / ‹US› dishonorable

I. adjective

bringing shame or disgrace on someone or something

• his crimes are petty and dishonourable.

II. derivatives

1. dishonourableness

noun

2. dishonourably /dɪsˈɒn(ə)rəbli /

adverb

dishonourable discharge

noun

the dismissal of someone from the armed forces as a result of criminal or morally unacceptable actions.

dishpan /ˈdɪʃpɑn/

noun

(N. Amer.) a bowl in which dishes are washed.

dishrag /ˈdɪʃraɡ/

noun

(N. Amer.) a dishcloth.

dish towel

noun

(N. Amer.) a cloth for drying washed crockery, cutlery, and glasses; a tea towel

• I asked where the dish towel was so I could dry.

dishwasher /ˈdɪʃwɒʃə/

I. noun

1. a machine for washing dishes automatically.

2. a person employed to wash dishes.

II. derivatives

dishwashing

noun, adjective

dishwater /ˈdɪʃwɔːtə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. dirty water in which dishes have been washed

• as for the coffee, dishwater would probably have tasted better.

II. phrases

dull as dishwater

see dull.

dishy /ˈdɪʃi/

adjective

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) (of a man) sexually attractive.

2. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) scandalous or gossipy

• she's the perfect candidate for a dishy biography.

disillusion /ˌdɪsɪˈluːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be.

• the old enthusiasm for the government evaporated into a more cynical disillusion.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to realize that a belief they hold is false

• if they think we have a magic formula to solve the problem, don't disillusion them.

disillusioned /dɪsɪˈluːʒ(ə)nd/

adjective

disappointed in someone or something that one discovers to be less good than one had believed

• the minority groups were completely disillusioned with the party.

disillusionment /dɪsɪˈluːʒ(ə)nm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be

• the high abstention rate at the election reflected the voters' growing disillusionment with politics.

disincarnate /ˌdɪsɪŋˈkɑːnət/

adjective

another term for discarnate.

disincentive /dɪsɪnˈsɛntɪv/

I. noun

a factor, especially a financial disadvantage, that discourages a particular action

• spiralling house prices are beginning to act as a disincentive to development.

II. adjective

tending to discourage.

• higher taxes have major disincentive effects on work effort.

disincentivize disincentivise

verb — [with obj.]

1. discourage (a person or course of action) by removing an incentive

• such policies disincentivize those on average incomes.

disinclination /ˌdɪsɪnklɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [in sing.]

1. a reluctance or lack of enthusiasm

• Lucy felt a strong disinclination to talk about her engagement.

disinclined /dɪsɪnˈklʌɪnd/

adjective — [ predic., with infinitive]

1. unwilling; reluctant

• the rural community was disinclined to abandon the old ways.

disincorporate /dɪsɪnˈkɔːpəreɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. dissolve (a corporate body).

disinfect /dɪsɪnˈfɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. clean (something), especially with a chemical, in order to destroy bacteria

• he disinfected and dressed the cut on his forehead

• chlorine has been used to disinfect water in pools for many years.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘rid of infection’): from French désinfecter, from dés- (expressing reversal) + infecter ‘to infect’.

disinfectant /dɪsɪnˈfɛkt(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a chemical liquid that destroys bacteria.

• all surfaces are cleaned manually or by pressure washer with disinfectant.

• [ count noun] a cat won't use its litter box if it's cleaned with smelly disinfectants.

II. adjective

causing disinfection

• cleansing and disinfectant products.

disinfection /ˌdɪs(ɪ)nˈfɛkʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of cleaning something, especially with a chemical, in order to destroy bacteria

• instruments must undergo high-level disinfection before reuse.

disinfest /dɪsɪnˈfɛst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. rid (someone or something) of infesting vermin.

• researchers have found a way of disinfesting farm produce.

II. derivatives

disinfestation /ˌdɪsɪnfɛˈsteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

disinflation /dɪsɪnˈfleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Economics] reduction in the rate of inflation.

II. derivatives

disinflationary /ˌdɪsɪnˈfleɪʃ(ə)n(ə)ri /

adjective

disinformation /ˌdɪsɪnfəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. false information which is intended to mislead, especially propaganda issued by a government organization to a rival power or the media.

• the entire Western intelligence system had been systematically manipulated with clever disinformation.

• [as modifier] a government inspired disinformation campaign.

– origin 1950s: formed on the pattern of Russian dezinformatsiya.

disingenuous /ˌdɪsɪnˈdʒɛnjʊəs/

I. adjective

not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does

• this journalist was being somewhat disingenuous as well as cynical.

II. derivatives

1. disingenuity

noun

2. disingenuously /dɪsɪnˈdʒɛnjʊəsli /

adverb

3. disingenuousness /ˌdɪsɪnˈdʒɛnjʊəsnəs /

noun

disinherit /dɪsɪnˈhɛrɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. change one's will or take other steps to prevent (someone) from inheriting one's property.

• the Duke is seeking to disinherit his eldest son.

II. derivatives

disinheritance /dɪsɪnˈhɛrɪt(ə)ns /

noun

– origin late Middle English (superseding earlier disherit): from dis- (expressing removal) + inherit in the obsolete sense ‘make someone an heir’.

disinhibit /dɪsɪnˈhɪbɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make less inhibited

• as well as disinhibiting me, he educated me.

II. derivatives

disinhibition /dɪsɪnhɪˈbɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

disintegrate /dɪsˈɪntɪɡreɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. break up into small parts as the result of impact or decay

• our shoes had to last until they disintegrated on our feet.

2. [Physics] undergo or cause to undergo disintegration at a subatomic level.
[no obj.]

• a meson can spontaneously disintegrate.

• [with obj.] it has become a relatively easy matter to disintegrate almost any atom.

3. lose strength or cohesion and gradually fail

• their marriage disintegrated.

II. derivatives

1. disintegrative

adjective

2. disintegrator /dɪsˈɪntɪɡreɪtə /

noun

disintegration /dɪsˌɪntɪˈɡreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of losing cohesion or strength

• the twin problems of economic failure and social disintegration.

2. the process of coming to pieces

• the disintegration of infected cells.

3. [Physics] a process in which a nucleus or other subatomic particle emits a smaller particle or divides into smaller particles.

disinter /ˌdɪsɪnˈtəː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. dig up (something that has been buried, especially a corpse).

• his corpse was disinterred and dumped in a pit.

2. discover (something that is well hidden)

• he has disinterred an important collection of writings.

II. derivatives

disinterment /ˌdɪsɪnˈtəːm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from French désenterrer, from dis- (expressing reversal) + enterrer ‘to inter’.

disinterest /dɪsˈɪnt(ə)rɪst/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of not being influenced by personal involvement in something; impartiality

• I do not claim any scholarly disinterest with this book.

2. lack of interest in something

• he chided Dennis for his disinterest in anything that is not his own idea.

disinterested /dɪsˈɪnt(ə)rɪstɪd/

I. adjective

1. not influenced by considerations of personal advantage

• a banker is under an obligation to give disinterested advice.

2. having or feeling no interest in something; uninterested

• her father was so disinterested in her progress that he only visited the school once.

II. derivatives

1. disinterestedly /dɪsˈɪnt(ə)rəstɪdli /

adverb

2. disinterestedness /dɪsˈɪnt(ə)rɪstɪdnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: past participle of the rare verb disinterest ‘rid of interest or concern’, from dis- (expressing removal) + interest. / usage: Nowhere are the battle lines more deeply drawn in usage questions than over the difference between disinterested and uninterested. According to traditional guidelines, disinterested should never be used to mean ‘not interested’ (i.e. it is not a synonym for uninterested) but only to mean ‘impartial’, as in the judgements of disinterested outsiders are likely to be more useful. Ironically, the earliest recorded sense of disinterested is for the disputed sense. Today, the ‘incorrect’ use of disinterested is widespread: around a quarter of citations in the Oxford English Corpus for disinterested are for this sense.

disintermediation /ˌdɪsɪntəmiːdɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Economics] reduction in the use of intermediaries between producers and consumers, for example by investing directly in the securities market rather than through a bank.

II. derivatives

disintermediate

verb

disinvent

verb — [with obj.]

1. undo the invention of

• you can't disinvent nuclear power.

disinvest /dɪsɪnˈvɛst/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. withdraw or reduce an investment

• the oil industry began to disinvest, and oil share prices have fallen

• [with obj.] they opposed the move to disinvest shares.

II. derivatives

disinvestment /dɪsɪnˈvɛstm(ə)nt /

noun

disinvite

verb — [with obj.]

1. withdraw or cancel an invitation to

• the White House called to disinvite him from the President's party.

disinvoltura /ˌdɪsɪnvɒlˈtjʊərə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› self-assurance; lack of constraint.

• a certain disinvoltura was all very well, but not as unthinkingly as this!

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Italian, from disinvolto ‘unembarrassed’, from disinvolgere ‘unwind’.

disjecta membra /dɪsˌdʒɛktə ˈmɛmbrə/

I. plural noun

scattered fragments, especially of written work.

– origin Latin, alteration of disjecti membra poetae (used by Horace) ‘limbs of a dismembered poet’.

disjoin /dɪsˈdʒɔɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. separate or disunite

• they asked that their parish be disjoined from Lewis and added to Harris.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desjoindre, from Latin disjungere, from dis- (expressing reversal) + jungere ‘to join’.

disjoint /dɪsˈdʒɔɪnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. disturb the cohesion or organization of

• the loss of the area disjointed military plans.

2. ‹dated› take apart at the joints.

• disjoint a six-pound fowl, put in a pot, and simmer until tender.

II. adjective

[Mathematics] (of two or more sets) having no elements in common.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective in the sense ‘disjointed’): from Old French desjoint ‘separated’, from the verb desjoindre (see disjoin).

disjointed /dɪsˈdʒɔɪntɪd/

I. adjective

lacking a coherent sequence or connection

• piecing together disjointed fragments of information.

II. derivatives

1. disjointedly /dɪsˈdʒɔɪntɪdli /

adverb

2. disjointedness /dɪsˈdʒɔɪntɪdnəs /

noun

disjunct /ˈdɪsdʒʌŋ(k)t/

I. noun

1. [Logic] each of the terms of a disjunctive proposition.

2. [Grammar] another term for sentence adverb.

II. adjective

disjoined and distinct from one another

• a series of disjunct chords.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin disjunctus ‘disjoined, separated’, from the verb disjungere.

disjunction /dɪsˈdʒʌŋ(k)ʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a lack of correspondence or consistency

• there is a disjunction between the skills taught in education and those demanded in the labour market.

2. [ mass noun] — [Logic] the relation of two distinct alternatives.

3. [ count noun] — a statement expressing the relation of two distinct alternatives (especially one using the word ‘or’).

– origin late Middle English: from Latin disjunctio(n-), from disjungere ‘disjoin’ (see disjunct).

disjunctive /dɪsˈdʒʌŋ(k)tɪv/

I. adjective

1. lacking connection or consistency

• the novel's disjunctive detail.

2. [Grammar] (of a conjunction) expressing a choice between two mutually exclusive possibilities, for example or in she asked if he was going or staying.
Compare with copulative.

3. [Logic] (of a proposition) expressing alternatives.

II. noun

1. [Grammar] a disjunctive conjunction or other word.

2. [Grammar] [Logic] a disjunctive proposition.

III. derivatives

disjunctively

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2 of the adjective): from Latin disjunctivus, from disjunct- ‘disjoined’ (see disjunct).

disjuncture

I. noun

a separation or disconnection

• the monstrous disjuncture between his private and his public life.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin disjunctura, from Latin disjunct- ‘disjoined’ (see disjunct).

disk

I. noun

US spelling of disc, also widely used in computing contexts.

II. derivatives

diskless

adjective

disk drive disc drive

noun

a device which allows a computer to read from and write on to computer disks.

diskette /dɪˈskɛt/

noun

another term for floppy.

Disko /ˈdɪskəʊ/

an island with extensive coal deposits on the west coast of Greenland. Its chief settlement is Godhavn.

disk operating system

noun

see DOS.

dislike /dɪsˈlʌɪk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. feel distaste for or hostility towards

• she disliked any kind of unnecessary rudeness.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of distaste or hostility

• he made no secret of his dislike of the police

• they had taken a dislike to each other.

2. [ count noun] — a thing to which one feels aversion

• I know all his likes and dislikes.

III. derivatives

1. dislikeable /dɪsˈlʌɪkəb(ə)l / dislikable

adjective

2. disliker

noun

dislocate /ˈdɪsləkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. disturb the normal position of (a bone in a joint)

• he dislocated his shoulder in training.

2. disturb the organization of; disrupt

• trade was dislocated by a famine.

3. move from its proper place or position

• the symbol is dislocated from its political context.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably a back-formation from dislocation, but perhaps from medieval Latin dislocatus ‘moved from a former position’, from the verb dislocare.

dislocation /ˌdɪslə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. disturbance from a proper, original, or usual place or state

• rapid urban and industrial development brought immense social dislocation in its wake.

2. injury or disability caused when the normal position of a joint or other part of the body is disturbed

• congenital dislocation of the hip

• [ count noun] dealing with fractures and dislocations.

3. [ count noun] — [Crystallography] a displacement of part of a crystal lattice structure.

• dislocations are present due to the accidents of imperfect growth.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from medieval Latin dislocatio(n-), from the verb dislocare (see dislocate), based on Latin locare ‘to place’.

dislodge /dɪsˈlɒdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. knock or force out of position

• the hoofs of their horses dislodged loose stones.

2. remove from a position of power or authority

• government opponents failed to dislodge the Prime Minister.

II. derivatives

1. dislodgeable

adjective

2. dislodgement /dɪsˈlɒdʒm()nt /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French deslogier, from des- (expressing reversal) + logier ‘encamp’, from loge (see lodge).

disloyal /dɪsˈlɔɪ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. failing to be loyal to a person, country, or organization to which one has obligations

• she was accused of being disloyal to the government.

2. (of a remark or thought) demonstrating a lack of loyalty

• disloyal mutterings about his leadership.

II. derivatives

disloyally /dɪsˈlɔɪəli /

adverb

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French desloial, from des- (expressing negation) + loial ‘loyal’.

disloyalty /dɪsˈlɔɪ(ə)lti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of not being loyal to a person, country, or organization; unfaithfulness

• an accusation of disloyalty and betrayal.

dismal /ˈdɪzm(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. causing a mood of gloom or depression

• the dismal weather made the late afternoon seem like evening.

2. (of a person or their mood) gloomy.

• his dismal mood was not dispelled by finding the house empty.

3. ‹informal› pitifully or disgracefully bad

• he shuddered as he watched his team's dismal performance.

II. phrases

1. the dismals

‹archaic› ‹informal› low spirits

• a fit of the dismals.

2. the dismal science

‹humorous› economics.

III. derivatives

dismalness /ˈdɪzm(ə)lnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from earlier dismal (noun), denoting the two days in each month which in medieval times were believed to be unlucky, from Anglo-Norman French dis mal, from medieval Latin dies mali ‘evil days’.

dismally /ˈdɪzm(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a gloomy or depressed manner

• we drove round dismally

• the wolves howl dismally.

2. ‹informal› in a disgracefully bad way

• the second half was a disappointment with both teams performing dismally

• the scheme failed dismally.

Dismal Swamp

another name for Great Dismal Swamp.

dismantle /dɪsˈmant(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take (a machine or structure) to pieces

• the engines were dismantled and the bits piled into a heap

• ‹figurative› the old regime was dismantled.

II. derivatives

1. dismantlement /dɪsˈmant(ə)lm(ə)nt /

noun

2. dismantler

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘destroy the defensive capability of a fortification’): from Old French desmanteler, from des- (expressing reversal) + manteler ‘fortify’ (from Latin mantellum ‘cloak’).

dismast /dɪsˈmɑːst/

verb — [with obj.]

1. break or force down the mast or masts of (a ship)
(as adj. dismasted)

• a dismasted ship wallowing in stormy seas.

dismay /dɪsˈmeɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. concern and distress caused by something unexpected

• to his dismay, she left him.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to feel concern and distress

• they were dismayed by the U-turn in policy

• (as adj. dismaying) to most experts, such findings have been somewhat dismaying.

III. derivatives

dismayingly

adverb

– origin Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin dis- (expressing negation) + the Germanic base of may^1.

dismember /dɪsˈmɛmbə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut off the limbs of (a person or animal)

• he watched a doctor dismember the body

• (as adj. dismembered) a dismembered corpse.

2. partition or divide up (a territory or organization)

• the winning powers of World War I set out to dismember the Ottoman Empire.

– origin Middle English: from Old French desmembrer, based on Latin dis- ‘apart’ + membrum ‘limb’.

dismemberment /dɪsˈmɛmbəm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of cutting off a person's or animal's limbs

• graphic pictures of torture and dismemberment.

2. the action of partitioning or dividing up a territory or organization

• the dissolution and dismemberment of the British empire.

dismiss /dɪsˈmɪs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. order or allow to leave; send away

• she dismissed the taxi at the corner of the road.

2. remove from employment or office, typically on the grounds of unsatisfactory performance

• the prime minister dismissed five members of his cabinet.

3. [no obj.] — (of a group assembled under someone's authority) disperse

• he told his company to dismiss.

4. [Cricket] end the innings of (a batsman or a side)

• Australia were dismissed for 118.

5. treat as unworthy of serious consideration

• it would be easy to dismiss him as all brawn and no brain.

6. deliberately cease to think about

• he suspected a double meaning in her words, but dismissed the thought.

7. [Law] refuse further hearing to (a case)

• the judge dismissed the case for lack of evidence.

II. derivatives

dismissible /dɪsˈmɪsɪb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin dismiss-, variant of Latin dimiss- ‘sent away’, from the verb dimittere.

dismissal /dɪsˈmɪsl/

noun

1. the act of ordering or allowing someone to leave

• their controversial dismissal from the competition.

2. the act of removing someone from employment or office; discharge

• the dismissal of an employee

• a claim for unfair dismissal.

3. [Cricket] an instance of ending a batsman's innings or of having one's innings ended

• the dismissal of a batsman.

4. the act of treating something as unworthy of serious consideration; rejection

• the government's dismissal of the report.

5. [Law] a decision not to continue hearing a case

• the dismissal of the appeal.

dismissive /dɪsˈmɪsɪv/

I. adjective

feeling or showing that something is unworthy of consideration

• monetarist theory is dismissive of the need to control local spending

• his dismissive attitude towards women left him isolated.

II. derivatives

dismissiveness

noun

dismissively /dɪsˈmɪsɪvli/

adverb

in a manner that suggests that something or someone is unworthy of consideration

• he was treated dismissively and mocked publicly

• Elizabeth shrugged dismissively.

dismount /dɪsˈmaʊnt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — get off a horse, bicycle, or anything that one is riding.

• he rode over and dismounted.

2. [with obj.] — cause to fall off a horse, bicycle, etc.

• his escort had dismounted a trooper.

3. [with obj.] — remove (something) from its support

• we have to dismount the pump.

4. [Computing] make (a disk or disk drive) unavailable for use.

• the device should now be dismounted and unloaded.

II. noun

[Gymnastics] a move in which a gymnast jumps off an apparatus or completes a floor exercise.

• on the uneven bars the women go for ever more complex dismounts.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from dis- + mount^1, probably on the pattern of Old French desmonter, medieval Latin dismontare.

Disney, Walt

(1901–66), American animator and film producer; full name Walter Elias Disney. He made his name with the creation of cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) was the first full-length cartoon feature film with sound and colour. Other notable films: Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941), and Bambi (1942).

disobedience /dɪsəˈbiːdiəns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. failure or refusal to obey rules or someone in authority

• disobedience to law is sometimes justified.

disobedient /dɪsəˈbiːdɪənt/

I. adjective

refusing to obey rules or someone in authority

• Larry was stern with disobedient employees.

II. derivatives

disobediently /dɪsəˈbiːdɪəntli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desobedient, based on Latin oboedient- ‘obeying’ (see obedient).

disobey /dɪsəˈbeɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. fail to obey (rules, a command, or someone in authority)

• around 1,000 soldiers had disobeyed orders and surrendered.

II. derivatives

disobeyer

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desobeir, based on Latin oboedire ‘obey’ (see obey).

disoblige /dɪsəˈblʌɪdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. offend (someone) by not acting in accordance with their wishes

• one didn't disoblige them if one could help it.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘release from an obligation’): from French désobliger, based on Latin obligare ‘oblige’.

disobliging /dɪsəˈblʌɪdʒɪŋ/

adjective

1. deliberately unhelpful; uncooperative.

• I think you're simply being disobliging.

2. unkind

• disobliging remarks about colleagues.

disomy /dʌɪˈsəʊmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Genetics] the condition of having a chromosome represented twice in a chromosomal complement.

II. derivatives

disomic

adjective

– origin late 20th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + -some^3 + -y^3.

disorder /dɪsˈɔːdə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of confusion

• the world 's currency markets were in disorder.

2. the breakdown of peaceful and law-abiding public behaviour

• recurrent food crises led to outbreaks of disorder.

3. [ count noun] — [Medicine] an illness that disrupts normal physical or mental functions

• skin disorders

• [ mass noun] an improved understanding of mental disorder.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. disordered)

1. disrupt the systematic functioning or neat arrangement of

• she went to comb her disordered hair

• his sleep is disordered.

2. [Medicine] disrupt the normal functioning of

• a patient who is mentally disordered.

– origin late 15th cent. (as a verb): alteration, influenced by order, of earlier disordain, from Old French desordener, ultimately based on Latin ordinare ‘ordain’.

disorderly /dɪsˈɔːdəli/

I. adjective

1. lacking organization; untidy

• his life was as disorderly as ever

• a disorderly pile of books.

2. involving or contributing to a breakdown of peaceful and law-abiding behaviour

• they had no intention of staging a disorderly protest.

II. derivatives

disorderliness /dɪsˈɔːdəlɪnəs /

noun

disorderly conduct

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] unruly behaviour constituting a minor offence.

disorderly house

noun

[Law] ‹archaic› a brothel.

• she was convicted of running a disorderly house.

disorganization /dɪsˌɔːɡənʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / disorganisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of proper planning and control

• social disorganization is destroying the wellbeing of the population

• the evacuation was dogged by chaos and disorganization.

2. inability to plan one's activities or affairs efficiently

• if you frequently lose your keys you may be suffering from chronic disorganization.

disorganized /dɪsˈɔːɡənʌɪzd / disorganised

I. adjective

1. not properly planned and controlled

• the campaign was hopelessly disorganized.

2. unable to plan one's activities efficiently

• she's very muddled and disorganized.

II. derivatives

disorganize /dɪsˈɔːɡənʌɪz /

verb

disorient /dɪsˈɔːrɪɛnt/

I. verb

another term for disorientate.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French désorienter ‘turn from the east’.

disorientate /dɪsˈɔːrɪɛnteɪt/

verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. disorientated)

1. (Brit.) cause (someone) to lose their sense of direction

• when he emerged into the street he was totally disorientated.

2. (Brit.) make (someone) feel confused

• being near him made her feel weak and disorientated.

disorientation /dɪsɔːrɪɛnˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the condition of having lost one's sense of direction

• as we walked on into the night, an air of total disorientation descended.

2. a state of mental confusion

• the hospital environment can bring anxiety and disorientation to patients.

disown /dɪsˈəʊn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. refuse to acknowledge or maintain any connection with

• Lovell's rich family had disowned him because of his marriage.

II. derivatives

1. disowner

noun

2. disownment /dɪsˈəʊnm(ə)nt /

noun

disparage /dɪˈsparɪdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. regard or represent as being of little worth

• he never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors.

II. derivatives

disparagement /dɪsˈparɪdʒm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘marry someone of unequal rank’, also ‘bring discredit on’): from Old French desparagier ‘marry someone of unequal rank’, based on Latin par ‘equal’.

disparager /dɪˈsparɪdʒə/

noun

a person who criticizes someone as being of little worth

• he is shrewder than his disparagers would credit.

disparaging /dɪˈsparɪdʒɪŋ/

I. adjective

expressing the opinion that something is of little worth; derogatory

• disparaging remarks about council houses.

II. derivatives

disparagingly /dɪˈsparɪdʒɪŋli /

adverb

disparate /ˈdɪsp(ə)rət/

I. adjective

1. essentially different in kind; not able to be compared

• they inhabit disparate worlds of thought.

2. containing elements very different from one another

• a culturally disparate country.

II. noun — ( disparates)

1. ‹archaic› things so unlike that there is no basis for comparison.

III. derivatives

1. disparately

adverb

2. disparateness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin disparatus ‘separated’, from the verb disparare, from dis- ‘apart’ + parare ‘to prepare’; influenced in sense by Latin dispar ‘unequal’.

disparity /dɪˈsparɪti/

I. noun

a great difference

• economic disparities between different regions of the country

• [ mass noun] the arrangements could lead to disparity of treatment between companies.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French disparité, from late Latin disparitas, based on Latin paritas ‘parity’.

dispassionate /dɪsˈpaʃ(ə)nət/

I. adjective

not influenced by strong emotion, and so able to be rational and impartial

• she dealt with life's disasters in a calm, dispassionate way.

II. derivatives

1. dispassion

noun

2. dispassionateness /dɪˈspaʃ(ə)nətnəs /

noun

dispassionately /dɪsˈpaʃ(ə)nətli/

adverb

in an unemotional, rational, and impartial manner

• he will look at the situation calmly and dispassionately

• the issue is hard to view dispassionately.

dispatch /dɪˈspatʃ / despatch

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. send off to a destination or for a purpose

• he dispatched messages back to base

• [with obj. and infinitive] the government dispatched 150 police to restore order.

2. deal with (a task or opponent) quickly and efficiently

• the Welsh team were dispatched comfortably by the opposition.

3. kill

• he dispatched the animal with one blow.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the sending of someone or something to a destination or for a purpose

• a resolution authorizing the dispatch of a peacekeeping force.

2. promptness and efficiency

• the situation might change, so he should proceed with dispatch.

3. an official report on state or military affairs

• in his battle dispatch he described the gunner's bravery.

4. a report sent in from abroad by a journalist.

• he conducted meetings for the correspondents and censored their dispatches.

5. [ mass noun] — the killing of someone or something

• the executioner's merciful dispatch of his victims.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Italian dispacciare or Spanish despachar ‘expedite’, from dis-, des- (expressing reversal) + the base of Italian impacciare, Spanish empachar ‘hinder’.

dispatch box

noun

1. (also dispatch case) — (chiefly Brit.) a container for official state or military dispatches.

2. ( the Dispatch Box) — a box in the House of Commons next to which ministers stand when speaking.

• we have had commitments from Ministers of State at the dispatch box.

dispatcher /dɪˈspatʃə / despatcher

noun

1. a person whose job is to receive messages and organize the movement of people or vehicles, especially in the emergency services

• he told the dispatcher that his wife wasn't breathing

• a cab driver responded to a call from his dispatcher

• [with modifier] emergency police dispatchers received a call from the building at 8.45 am.

2. a person who sends something to a destination.

dispatch rider

noun

(Brit.) a messenger who delivers urgent business documents or military dispatches by motorcycle or (formerly) on horseback.

dispel /dɪˈspɛl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) disappear

• the brightness of the day did nothing to dispel Elaine's dejection.

II. derivatives

dispeller

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dispellere, from dis- ‘apart’ + pellere ‘to drive’.

dispensable /dɪˈspɛnsəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able to be replaced or done without; superfluous

• the captain's loss of form made him dispensable.

2. (of a law or other rule) not mandatory but susceptible of being waived in special cases.

II. derivatives

dispensability

noun

– origin early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘permissible in special circumstances’): from medieval Latin dispensabilis, from Latin dispensare (see dispense).

dispensary /dɪˈspɛns(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a room where medicines are prepared and provided.

2. a clinic provided by public or charitable funds.

3. (N. Amer.) a facility that prepares and sells cannabis as recommended by a doctor for the treatment of a medical condition

• state-issued ID cards are good for up to two ounces of pot a month from state-approved dispensaries.

– origin late 17th cent.: from medieval Latin dispensarium, neuter (used as a noun) of dispensarius, from Latin dispensare (see dispense).

dispensation /dɪspɛnˈseɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — exemption from a rule or usual requirement

• although she was too young, she was given special dispensation to play before her birthday.

2. permission to be exempted from the laws or observances of the Church

• he received papal dispensation to hold a number of benefices

• [ count noun] the pope granted Henry a dispensation to marry Elizabeth of York.

3. a political, religious, or social system prevailing at a particular time

• scholarship is conveyed to a wider audience than under the old dispensation.

4. (in Christian theology) a divinely ordained system prevailing at a particular period of history

• the Mosaic dispensation.

5. ‹archaic› an act of divine providence

• the laws to which the creator in all his dispensations conforms.

6. [ mass noun] — the action of distributing or supplying something

• regulations controlling dispensation of medications.

II. derivatives

dispensational

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dispensatio(n-), from the verb dispensare (see dispense).

dispensationalism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Christian Theology] belief in a system of historical progression, as revealed in the Bible, consisting of a series of stages in God's self-revelation and plan of salvation.

II. derivatives

dispensationalist

noun

dispense /dɪˈspɛns/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — distribute or provide (a service or information) to a number of people

• orderlies went round dispensing drinks.

2. (of a machine or container) supply or release (a product or cash)

• the machines dispense a range of drinks

• (as adj. dispensing) a dispensing machine.

3. (of a chemist) make up and give out (medicine) according to a doctor's prescription.

• he was stopped from dispensing prescriptions.

4. [no obj.] ( dispense with) — manage without or get rid of

• let's dispense with the formalities, shall we?

5. give special exemption from (a law or rule)

• the Secretary of State was empowered to dispense with the nationality requirement in individual cases.

6. [with obj.] — grant (someone) an exemption from a religious obligation

• the Pope personally nominated him as bishop, dispensing him from his impediment.

II. phrases

dispense with someone's services

dismiss someone from a job.

• the club have no option but to dispense with his services.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin dispensare ‘continue to weigh out or disburse’, from the verb dispendere, based on pendere ‘weigh’.

dispenser /dɪˈspɛnsə/

noun

1. a person or thing that dispenses something

• his role as protector of the weak and dispenser of justice.

2. a person who prepares medicines in a dispensary.

3. [usu. with modifier] — an automatic machine or container which is designed to release a specific amount of something

• a paper towel dispenser.

dispensing chemist

noun

(Brit.) a person qualified to make up, advise on, and dispense medicine.

dispensing optician

noun

(Brit.) a person qualified to prescribe and dispense as well as to make glasses and contact lenses.

dispersal /dɪˈspɜːsl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of distributing or spreading things or people over a wide area

• dispersal of pollen by the wind

• [ count noun] dispersals of archaic populations.

2. the splitting up of a group of people, causing them to leave in different directions

• the dispersal of the crowd by mounted police.

3. the splitting up and selling off of a collection of artefacts or books.

• the dispersal of the John Willett Collection.

• [ count noun] colleges had made large dispersals, and the shops were filled with books.

dispersant /dɪˈspəːs(ə)nt/

noun

a liquid or gas used to disperse small particles in a medium.

disperse /dɪˈspəːs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. distribute or spread over a wide area

• storms can disperse seeds via high altitudes

• caravan sites could be dispersed among trees so as to be out of sight.

2. go or cause to go in different directions
[no obj.]

• the crowd dispersed

• [with obj.] the police used tear gas to disperse the protesters.

3. (with reference to gas, smoke, mist, or cloud) thin out or cause to thin out and disappear
[no obj.]

• the earlier mist had dispersed

• [with obj.] winds dispersed the radioactive cloud high in the atmosphere.

4. [Physics] divide (light) into constituents of different wavelengths.

• the ability of a material to disperse light by refraction.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. [Chemistry] denoting a phase dispersed in another phase, as in a colloid.

• emulsions should be examined after storage for droplet size of the disperse phase.

III. derivatives

1. disperser

noun

2. dispersible

adjective

3. dispersive /dɪˈspəːsɪv /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dispers- ‘scattered’, from the verb dispergere, from dis- ‘widely’ + spargere ‘scatter, strew’.

dispersion /dɪˈspəːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of distributing things or people over a wide area

• some seeds rely on birds for dispersion.

2. the state of being dispersed

• the study looks at the dispersion of earnings with OECD member countries.

3. [Ecology] the pattern of distribution of individuals within a habitat.

4. (also the Dispersion) — another term for diaspora.

5. [ count noun] — a mixture of one substance dispersed in another medium

• the virus is transmitted in the dispersion of droplets which results from sneezing or coughing.

6. [Physics] the separation of white light into colours or of any radiation according to wavelength.

7. [Statistics] the extent to which values of a variable differ from a fixed value such as the mean.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin dispersio(n-), from Latin dispergere (see disperse).

dispirit /dɪˈspɪrɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to lose enthusiasm or hope

• the army was dispirited by the uncomfortable winter conditions.

dispirited /dɪˈspɪrɪtɪd/

I. adjective

having lost enthusiasm and hope; disheartened

• she was determined to appear unworried in front of her dispirited family.

II. derivatives

1. dispiritedly /dɪˈspɪrɪtɪdli /

adverb

2. dispiritedness

noun

dispiriting /dɪˈspɪrɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

causing someone to lose enthusiasm and hope; disheartening

• it was a dispiriting occasion.

II. derivatives

dispiritingly

adverb

displace /dɪsˈpleɪs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take over the place, position, or role of

• he believes that books may be displaced by the electronic word.

2. move (something) from its proper or usual position

• he seems to have displaced some vertebrae.

3. force (someone) to leave their home, typically because of war, persecution, or natural disaster

• thousands of people have been displaced by the civil war.

4. remove (someone) from a job or position of authority

• his aides were discredited and displaced.

II. derivatives

displacer

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French desplacer.

displaced person /ˌdɪspleɪst ˈpəːs(ə)n/

noun

a person who is forced to leave their home country because of war or persecution; a refugee.

displacement /dɪsˈpleɪsm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of moving something from its place or position

• vertical displacement of the shoreline

• [ count noun] a displacement of the vertebra at the bottom of the spine.

2. the removal of someone or something by someone or something else which takes their place

• males may be able to resist displacement by other males.

3. the enforced departure of people from their homes, typically because of war, persecution, or natural disaster

• the displacement of farmers by guerrilla activity.

4. [ count noun] — the amount by which a thing is moved from a position

• a displacement of 6.8 metres along the San Andreas fault.

5. the occupation by a submerged body or part of a body of a volume which would otherwise be occupied by a fluid.

6. the volume or weight of fluid that would fill the volume displaced by a floating ship, used as a measure of the ship's size

• the submarine has a surface displacement of 2,185 tons.

7. ‹technical› the volume swept by a reciprocating system, as in a pump or engine.
[as modifier]

• a fixed displacement gear.

8. [Psychoanalysis] the unconscious transfer of an intense emotion from one object to another

• this phobia was linked with the displacement of fear of his father.

9. [Physics] the component of an electric field due to free separated charges, regardless of any polarizing effects.

10. the vector representing such a component.

11. the flux density of such an electric field.

displacement activity

noun

[Psychology] an animal or human activity that seems inappropriate, such as head-scratching when confused, considered to arise unconsciously when a conflict between antagonistic urges cannot be resolved.

displacement pump

noun

a pump in which liquid is moved out of the pump chamber by a moving surface or by the introduction of compressed air or gas.

display /dɪˈspleɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. put (something) in a prominent place in order that it may readily be seen

• the palace used to display a series of tapestries

• a notice was displayed in the booking office.

2. show (data or an image) on a computer, television, or other screen.

• pressing the F1 key will display a help screen.

3. give a clear demonstration of (a quality, emotion, or skill)

• both players displayed a great deal of spirit.

4. [no obj.] — (of a male bird, reptile, or fish) engage in a specialized pattern of behaviour that is intended to attract a mate.

• she photographed the peacock, which chose that moment to display.

II. noun

1. a performance, show, or event staged for public entertainment

• a display of fireworks

• [as modifier] an aerobatic display team.

2. a collection of objects arranged for public viewing

• the museum houses an informative display of rocks

• [ mass noun] the latest in computer gadgetry was on display.

3. a clear demonstration of an emotion, skill, or quality

• a hint of malice underlay his display of concern.

4. [ mass noun] — the conspicuous exhibition of one's wealth; ostentation

• every clansman was determined to outdo the Campbells in display.

5. a specialized pattern of behaviour by the males of certain species of birds, reptiles, and fish that is intended to attract a mate

• the teal were indulging in delightful courtship displays.

6. [ mass noun] — [Printing] the arrangement and choice of type in a style intended to attract attention.

7. an electronic device for the visual presentation of data or images

• the colour display now costs £400.

8. [ mass noun] — the process or facility of presenting data or images on a computer screen or other device.

• the processing and display of high volumes of information.

9. the data or images shown on a computer screen or other device.

• the user may wish to see the previous few words as handwriting before the display changes.

III. derivatives

displayer

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘unfurl, unfold’): from Old French despleier, from Latin displicare ‘scatter, disperse’ (in medieval Latin ‘unfold’). Compare with deploy.

display case display cabinet

noun

a case, made all or partly of glass, for displaying items in a shop or museum for observation or inspection.

displayed

adjective

1. (of information) shown on a computer screen or other device.

• a utility designed to allow you to cut up pieces of displayed graphics.

2. [Heraldry] (of a bird of prey) depicted with the wings extended.

3. (of the wings of a bird of prey) extended.

display type

noun — [ mass noun]

1. large, bold, or eye-catching type used for headings or advertisements.

displease /dɪsˈpliːz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) feel annoyed or upset

• the tone of the letter displeased him

• (as adj. displeasing) it was not entirely displeasing to be the centre of such a drama.

II. derivatives

displeasingly

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desplaisir, from des- (expressing reversal) + plaisir ‘to please’, from Latin placere.

displeased /dɪsˈpliːzd/

adjective

feeling or showing annoyance and displeasure

• he was displeased with your work.

displeasure /dɪsˈplɛʒə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of annoyance or disapproval

• he started hanging around the local pubs, much to the displeasure of his mother.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› annoy; displease

• not for worlds would I do aught that might displeasure thee.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desplaisir (see displease), influenced by pleasure.

displume /dɪsˈpluːm/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› remove feathers from (a bird).

disport /dɪˈspɔːt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹archaic› ‹humorous› enjoy oneself unrestrainedly; frolic

• a painting of ladies disporting themselves by a lake.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› diversion from work or serious matters; recreation or amusement

• the King and all his Court were met for solace and disport.

2. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› ‹archaic› a pastime, game, or sport.

• the display of these pageants and disports which enlivened the repast.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desporter, from des- ‘away’ + porter ‘carry’ (from Latin portare).

disposable /dɪˈspəʊzəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of an article) intended to be thrown away after use

• disposable nappies

• a disposable razor.

2. (of a person or idea) able to be dispensed with; easily dismissed

• the poor performer is motivated by the fear that he or she is highly disposable.

3. (chiefly of financial assets) readily available for the owner's use as required

• he made a mental inventory of his disposable assets.

II. noun

an article designed to be thrown away after use

• don't buy disposables, such as cups and plates.

III. derivatives

disposability /dɪspəʊzəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

disposable income

noun — [ mass noun]

1. income remaining after deduction of taxes and social security charges, available to be spent or saved as one wishes.

• the rents of tenants in work reached 21 per cent of disposable income.

• [ count noun] car-makers need to persuade consumers to part with an ever-bigger slice of their disposable incomes.

Compare with discretionary income.

disposal /dɪˈspəʊz(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of getting rid of something

• the disposal of radioactive waste

• [ count noun] consents for disposals at sea.

2. [ count noun] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a device fitted to the waste pipe of a kitchen sink for grinding up food waste

• garbage disposals that never worked.

3. the action of overcoming a rival or threat

• England's 4-0 disposal of Turkey.

4. the sale of shares, property, or other assets.

• the disposal of his shares in the company.

• [ count noun] disposals of fixed and non-current assets.

5. ‹literary› the arrangement of something

• she brushed her hair carefully, as if her success lay in the sleek disposal of each gleaming black thread.

II. phrases

1. at one's disposal

available for one to use whenever or however one wishes

• a helicopter was put at their disposal.

2. at someone's disposal

ready to assist the person concerned in any way they wish

• I am at your disposal until Sunday.

dispose /dɪˈspəʊz/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] ( dispose of) — get rid of by throwing away or giving or selling to someone else

• the waste is disposed of in the North Sea

• people now have substantial assets to dispose of after their death.

2. ‹informal› kill

• she came up with schemes for disposing of her husband.

3. overcome (a rival or threat)

• the Scottish champions were buoyant after they disposed of English champions Leeds.

4. ‹informal› consume (food or drink) quickly or enthusiastically

• she watched him dispose of a large slice of cheese.

5. incline (someone) towards a particular activity or mood

• prolactin, a calming hormone, is released, disposing you towards sleep

• [with obj. and infinitive] if you touch the female readers' hearts, it might dispose their husbands to be charitable.

6. [with obj. and adverbial] — arrange in a particular position

• the chief disposed his attendants in a circle.

7. [no obj.] — ‹literary› determine the course of events

• the government proposed, but the trade union movement disposed.

[from the proverb ‘Man proposes, (but) God disposes’, translating Latin Homo proponit, sed Deus disponit (Thomas à Kempis's De Imitatione Christi I. xix).]

II. derivatives

disposer /dɪˈspəʊzə /

noun

• a waste disposer

• a disposer of grants and subsidies

– origin late Middle English: from Old French disposer, from Latin disponere ‘arrange’, influenced by dispositus ‘arranged’ and Old French poser ‘to place’.

disposed /dɪˈspəʊzd/

adjective — [ predic., usu. with infinitive]

1. inclined or willing

• James didn't seem disposed to take the hint.

2. [with submodifier] — having a specified attitude to or towards

• he is favourably disposed towards the proposals.

disposition /dɪspəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a person's inherent qualities of mind and character

• a sweet-natured girl of a placid disposition

• he has the disposition of a saint.

2. [often with infinitive] — an inclination or tendency

• the Prime Minister has shown a disposition to alter policies

• the judge's disposition to clemency.

3. [ mass noun] — the way in which something is placed or arranged, especially in relation to other things

• the plan shows the disposition of the rooms.

4. the action of arranging people or things in a particular way

• the prerogative gives the state widespread powers regarding the disposition and control of the armed forces.

5. ( dispositions) — the stationing of troops ready for military action

• the new strategic dispositions of our forces.

6. [ mass noun] — [Law] the distribution or transfer of property or money to someone, especially by bequest

• this is a tax which affects the disposition of assets on death.

7. the power to deal with something as one pleases

• if Napoleon had had railways at his disposition, he would have been invincible.

8. ‹archaic› the determination of events by divine power.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin dispositio(n-), from disponere ‘arrange’ (see dispose).

dispositive /dɪsˈpɒzətɪv/

I. adjective

1. relating to or bringing about the settlement of an issue or the disposition of property

• such litigation will rarely be dispositive of any question.

2. (in Scots and US law) dealing with the disposition of property by deed or will

• the testator had to make his signature after making the dispositive provisions.

3. (in US law) producing a final settlement or determination.

4. dealing with the settling of international conflicts by an agreed disposition of disputed territories.

• a peace settlement in the nature of a dispositive treaty.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘contributory, conducive’): from Old French, or from medieval Latin dispositivus, from Latin disposit- ‘arranged, disposed’, from the verb disponere (see dispose).

dispositor /dɪˈspɒzɪtə/

noun

[Astrology] the planet which rules the sign in which another planet is located in a particular chart.

dispossess /dɪspəˈzɛs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deprive (someone) of land, property, or other possessions

• they were dispossessed of lands and properties during the Reformation

• (as plural noun the dispossessed) a champion of the poor and the dispossessed.

2. (in sport) deprive (a player) of the ball

• he dispossessed Hendrie and set off on a solo run.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French despossesser, from des- (expressing reversal) + possesser ‘possess’.

dispossession /dɪspəˈzɛʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of depriving someone of land, property, or other possessions

• the global impact of poverty and dispossession

• reparation for the victims of land dispossession.

dispraise /dɪsˈpreɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. censure; criticism

• this engraving has on occasion elicited dispraise for Raphael.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› express censure or criticism of

• men cannot praise Dryden without dispraising Coleridge.

– origin Middle English: from Old French despreisier, based on late Latin depreciare (see depreciate).

disproof /dɪsˈpruːf/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a set of facts that prove that something is untrue

• Rex was living disproof of the youth-preserving powers imputed to life in the college.

2. the action of proving that something is untrue

• the answer ought to turn on considerations that are susceptible to verification or disproof.

disproportion /dɪsprəˈpɔːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

an instance of being out of proportion with something else

• there is a disproportion between the scale of expenditure and any benefit that could possibly result.

• [ mass noun] women undergoing caesarean section because of feto-pelvic disproportion.

II. derivatives

1. disproportional /dɪsprəˈpɔːʃ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

2. disproportionality

noun

3. disproportionally

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from dis- (expressing absence) + proportion, on the pattern of French disproportion.

disproportionate^1 /ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːʃ(ə)nət/

I. adjective

too large or too small in comparison with something else

• people on lower incomes spend a disproportionate amount of their income on fuel

• persistent offenders were given sentences that were disproportionate to the offences they had committed.

II. derivatives

disproportionateness

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from dis- (expressing absence) + proportionate, on the pattern of French disproportionné.

disproportionate^2 /ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːʃ(ə)neɪt/

verb — [no obj.]

1. [Chemistry] undergo disproportionation

• water disproportionates to oxygen and hydrogen.

disproportionately /ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːʃ(ə)nətli/

adverb

to an extent that is too large or too small in comparison with something else

• a tax cut would disproportionately benefit the rich

• older cars contribute disproportionately to global warming.

disproportionation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a reaction in which a substance is simultaneously oxidized and reduced, giving two different products.

disproval /dɪsˈpruːv(ə)l/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of proving that something is untrue

• determination of facts, and disproval of slanders.

disprove /dɪsˈpruːv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. prove that (something) is false

• he has given the Department of Transport two months to disprove the allegation.

II. derivatives

disprovable

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French desprover.

Dispur /dɪsˈpʊə/

a city in NE India, capital of the state of Assam; pop. 9,800 (est. 2009).

disputable /dɪˈspjuːtəb(ə)l, ˈdɪspjʊtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

not established as a fact, and so open to question or debate

• whether it can be described as art criticism may be disputable.

II. derivatives

disputably

adverb

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin disputabilis, from the verb disputare ‘to estimate’, later ‘to dispute’ (see dispute).

disputation /dɪspjuːˈteɪʃ(ə)n, dɪspjʊˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. debate or argument

• promoting consensus rather than disputation

• [ count noun] a lengthy disputation about the rights and wrongs of a particular request.

2. formal academic debate

• the founding father of logical disputation

• [ count noun] scholastic disputations.

II. derivatives

disputative

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin disputatio(n-), from the verb disputare (see dispute).

disputatious /dɪspjuːˈteɪʃəs, dɪspjʊˈteɪʃəs/

I. adjective

fond of having heated arguments

• it's a congenial hang-out for disputatious academics.

II. derivatives

1. disputatiously

adverb

2. disputatiousness

noun

dispute

I. noun — dispute /dɪˈspjuːt, ˈdɪspjuːt /

1. a disagreement or argument

• a territorial dispute between the two countries

• [ mass noun] the Commission is in dispute with the government.

2. a disagreement between management and employees that leads to industrial action

• an industrial dispute.

II. verb — [with obj.] dispute /dɪˈspjuːt /

1. argue about (something)

• the point has been much disputed

• [no obj.] he taught and disputed with local poets.

2. question whether (a statement or alleged fact) is true or valid

• the accusations are not disputed

• [with clause] the estate disputes that it is responsible for the embankment.

3. compete for; strive to win

• the two drivers crashed while disputing the lead.

4. ‹archaic› resist (a landing or advance)

• I formed my line and prepared to dispute the advance of the foe.

III. phrases

1. beyond (or without) dispute

certain or certainly

• the main part of his argument was beyond dispute.

2. open to dispute

not definitely decided.

• such estimates are always open to dispute.

IV. derivatives

1. disputant /dɪˈspjuːt(ə)nt, ˈdɪspjʊt(ə)nt /

noun

2. disputer /dɪˈspjuːtə /

noun

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin disputare ‘to estimate’ (in late Latin ‘to dispute’), from dis- ‘apart’ + putare ‘reckon’.

disqualification /dɪsˌkwɒlɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of disqualifying or the state of being disqualified.

• a period of disqualification.

• [ count noun] a ten-year disqualification.

2. [ count noun] — a fact that disqualifies someone from a position or activity

• such an offence is no longer a disqualification for office.

disqualify /dɪsˈkwɒlɪfʌɪ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. declare (someone) ineligible for an office, activity, or competition because of an offence or infringement

• he was disqualified from driving for six months

• she was disqualified after failing a drugs test

• (as adj. disqualified) he was hit by a disqualified driver.

2. (of a feature or characteristic) make (someone) unsuitable for an office or activity

• a heart murmur disqualified him for military service.

disquiet /dɪsˈkwʌɪət/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of worry or unease

• public disquiet about animal testing.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. disquieted)

1. make (someone) worried or uneasy

• she felt disquieted at the lack of interest the girl had shown.

disquieting /dɪsˈkwʌɪətɪŋ/

I. adjective

inducing feelings of anxiety or worry

• he found Jean's gaze disquieting.

II. derivatives

disquietingly /dɪsˈkwʌɪətɪŋli /

adverb

disquietude /dɪsˈkwʌɪətjuːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of uneasiness or anxiety.

• such passages reflect a sense of disquietude, of alienation even.

disquisition /ˌdɪskwɪˈzɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a long or elaborate essay or discussion on a particular subject

• nothing can kill a radio show quicker than a disquisition on intertextual analysis.

II. derivatives

disquisitional

adjective

‹archaic›

– origin late 15th cent.: via French from Latin disquisitio(n-) ‘investigation’, based on quaerere ‘seek’. The original sense was ‘topic for investigation’, whence ‘discourse in which a subject is investigated’ (mid 17th cent.).

Disraeli, Benjamin /dɪzˈreɪli/

1st Earl of Beaconsfield (1804–81), British Conservative statesman; Prime Minister 1868 and 1874–80. He was largely responsible for the introduction of the second Reform Act (1867). He also ensured that Britain bought a controlling interest in the Suez Canal (1875) and made Queen Victoria Empress of India.

disrate /dɪsˈreɪt/

verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce (a sailor) to a lower rank.

• he had been disrated for an unsavoury escapade.

disregard /dɪsrɪˈɡɑːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pay no attention to; ignore

• the body of evidence is too substantial to disregard.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or state of paying no attention to something

• blatant disregard for the law.

III. derivatives

disregardful /ˌdɪsrɪˈɡɑːdfʊl /

adjective

disrelish /dɪsˈrɛlɪʃ / ‹archaic›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of dislike or distaste

• disrelish for any pursuit is ample reason for abandoning it.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. regard with dislike or distaste

• I am not surprised that some members of the House should disrelish your report.

disremember /dɪsrɪˈmɛmbə/

verb — [with obj.]

1. (US) ‹dialect› fail to remember

• mostly what you disremember ain't worth the trouble to call to mind.

disrepair /dɪsrɪˈpɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. poor condition of a building or structure due to neglect

• the station gradually fell into disrepair.

disreputable /dɪsˈrɛpjʊtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

not considered to be respectable in character or appearance

• he was heavy, grubby, and vaguely disreputable.

II. derivatives

1. disreputableness

noun

2. disreputably /dɪsˈrɛpjʊtəbli /

adverb

disrepute /ˌdɪsrɪˈpjuːt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being held in low esteem by the public

• one of the top clubs in the country is bringing the game into disrepute.

disrespect /dɪsrɪˈspɛkt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of respect or courtesy

• growing disrespect for the rule of law.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) show a lack of respect for; insult

• a young brave who disrespects his elders.

disrespectful /dɪsrɪˈspɛk(t)f(ə)l/

I. adjective

showing a lack of respect or courtesy; impolite

• a deeply disrespectful attitude towards women.

II. derivatives

disrespectfully /dɪsrɪˈspɛk(t)fʊli, dɪsrɪˈspɛk(t)fəli /

adverb

disrobe /dɪsˈrəʊb/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. take off one's clothes

• she began to disrobe.

2. take off official vestments or regalia

• they walked to the vestry to disrobe.

3. [with obj.] — undress (someone).

• the leggy blond gets disrobed twice in the first chapter.

– origin late Middle English: from dis- (expressing reversal) + robe, perhaps on the pattern of French desrober.

disrupt /dɪsˈrʌpt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. interrupt (an event, activity, or process) by causing a disturbance or problem

• flooding disrupted rail services.

2. drastically alter or destroy the structure of

• alcohol can disrupt the chromosomes of an unfertilized egg.

II. derivatives

disrupter /dɪsˈrʌptə / disruptor

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin disrupt- ‘broken apart’, from the verb disrumpere.

disruption /dɪsˈrʌpʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. disturbance or problems which interrupt an event, activity, or process

• the scheme was planned to minimize disruption

• [ count noun] there had been no delays or disruptions to flights.

disruptive /dɪsˈrʌptɪv/

I. adjective

1. causing or tending to cause disruption

• disruptive pupils

• the hours of work are disruptive to home life.

2. innovative or groundbreaking

• breaking a disruptive technology into the market is never easy.

II. derivatives

1. disruptively /dɪsˈrʌptɪvli /

adverb

2. disruptiveness /dɪsˈrʌptɪvnəs /

noun

dissatisfaction /dɪssatɪsˈfakʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of satisfaction

• widespread public dissatisfaction with incumbent politicians.

dissatisfied /dɪsˈsatɪsfʌɪd/

I. adjective

not content or happy with something

• his parents are dissatisfied with the quality of tuition on offer

• dissatisfied customers.

II. derivatives

dissatisfiedly

adverb

dissatisfy /dɪ(s)ˈsatɪsfʌɪ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. fail to satisfy (someone)

• what is it about these words that dissatisfies you?

dissaving /dɪsˈseɪvɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) the action of spending more than one has earned in a given period.

2. ( dissavings) — (chiefly N. Amer.) the excess amount spent.

II. derivatives

dissaver

noun

dissect /dʌɪˈsɛkt, dɪˈsɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. methodically cut up (a body or plant) in order to study its internal parts.

• an animal's eye can be easily dissected.

2. analyse (a text or idea) in minute detail

• he dissected the Prime Minister's statement and revealed the truth behind it.

II. derivatives

dissector /dʌɪˈsɛktə, dɪˈsɛktə /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin dissect- ‘cut up’, from the verb dissecare, from dis- ‘apart’ + secare ‘to cut’.

dissected /dʌɪˈsɛktɪd, dɪˈsɛktɪd/

adjective

1. having been cut up for anatomical study.

2. having a divided form or structure, in particular:

3. [Botany] (of a leaf) divided into many deep lobes.

4. [Geology] (of a plateau or upland) divided by a number of deep valleys.

dissection /dɪˈsɛkʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of dissecting a body or plant to study its internal parts

• the dissection of animals for scientific research.

2. very detailed analysis of a text or idea

• this dissection of modern relationships.

disseisin /dɪ(s)ˈsiːzɪn / disseizin

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] ‹historical› the seizure of land belonging to someone else

• inquiries by the sheriff or the justices on questions of disseisin of land.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French dessaisine, from dis- + seisin.

disseize /dɪ(s)ˈsiːz / disseise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Law] ‹historical› dispossess (someone) of land or property

• his ancestors had held the land but had been disseized in the fifteenth century.

– origin Middle English: from Old French dessaisir ‘dispossess’, from dis- + seize.

dissemble /dɪˈsɛmb(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. conceal or disguise one's true feelings or beliefs

• an honest, sincere person with no need to dissemble.

2. [with obj.] — disguise or conceal (a feeling or intention)

• she smiled, dissembling her true emotion.

II. derivatives

1. dissemblance

noun

2. dissembler /dɪˈsɛmblə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: alteration (suggested by semblance) of obsolete dissimule, via Old French from Latin dissimulare ‘disguise, conceal’.

disseminate /dɪˈsɛmɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. spread (something, especially information) widely

• health authorities should foster good practice by disseminating information.

2. (usu. as adj. disseminated) — spread throughout an organ or the body

• disseminated colonic cancer.

II. derivatives

disseminator /dɪˈsɛmɪneɪtə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin disseminat- ‘scattered’, from the verb disseminare, from dis- ‘abroad’ + semen, semin- ‘seed’.

disseminated sclerosis

noun

see sclerosis.

dissemination /dɪˌsɛmɪˈneɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the act of spreading something, especially information, widely; circulation

• dissemination of public information.

disseminule /dɪˈsɛmɪnjuːl/

I. noun

[Botany] a part of a plant that serves to propagate it, such as a seed or a fruit.

– origin early 20th cent.: formed irregularly from dissemination (see disseminate) + -ule.

dissension /dɪˈsɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. disagreement that leads to discord

• this manoeuvre caused dissension within feminist ranks

• [ count noun] the mill was the cause of a dissension in 1620.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin dissensio(n-), from the verb dissentire (see dissent).

dissensus /dɪˈsɛnsəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. widespread dissent

• the ‘shame’ attached to being held responsible for social dissensus.

– origin 1960s: from dis- (expressing reversal) + a shortened form of consensus, or from Latin dissensus ‘disagreement’.

dissent /dɪˈsɛnt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the holding or expression of opinions at variance with those commonly or officially held

• there was no dissent from this view.

2. (also Dissent) — refusal to accept the doctrines of an established or orthodox Church; nonconformity.

• rural communities with a long tradition of Dissent.

3. (in sport) the offence of expressing disagreement with the referee's decision

• he was sent off for dissent.

4. [ count noun] — (US) a statement by a judge giving reasons as to why he or she disagrees with a decision made by the other judges in a court case.

• he wasted no time in cranking out nine majority opinions, as well as three dissents.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. hold or express opinions that are at variance with those commonly or officially held

• two members dissented from the majority

• (as adj. dissenting) there were a couple of dissenting voices.

2. disagree with the doctrine of an established or orthodox Church.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dissentire ‘differ in sentiment’.

dissenter /dɪˈsɛntə/

noun

1. a person who dissents.

2. ( Dissenter) — (Brit.) ‹historical› a member of a non-established Church; a Nonconformist.

dissentient /dɪˈsɛnʃ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

in opposition to a majority or official opinion

• dissentient voices were castigated as ‘hopeless bureaucrats’.

II. noun

a person who opposes a majority or official opinion.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin dissentient- ‘differing in opinion’, from the verb dissentire.

dissentious /dɪˈsɛnʃəs/

adjective

‹archaic› characterized by or expressing disagreement; quarrelsome

• dissentious rogues.

dissepiment /dɪˈsɛpɪm(ə)nt/

I. noun

[Botany] [Zoology] a partition in a part or organ; a septum.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin dissaepimentum, from dissaepire ‘make separate’, from dis- (expressing separation) + saepire ‘divide by a hedge’.

dissertate /ˈdɪsəteɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹rare› discourse on a particular subject

• we have dissertated on the church at Antioch.

2. write a dissertation

• he was working incredibly long hours and I was dissertating

• at Stanford, she dissertated on selfhood and storytelling.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin dissertat-, from dissertare ‘to continue to discuss’.

dissertation /ˌdɪsəˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a long essay on a particular subject, especially one written for a university degree or diploma.

• a dissertation on the novels of the Brontë sisters.

• he had considered writing his doctoral dissertation on Kant.

II. derivatives

dissertational

adjective

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘discussion, debate’): from Latin dissertatio(n-), from dissertare ‘continue to discuss’, from disserere ‘examine, discuss’.

disservice /dɪ(s)ˈsəːvɪs/

noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. a harmful action

• you have done a disservice to the African people by ignoring this fact.

dissever /dɪ(s)ˈsɛvə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› divide or sever (something)

• a European tradition which had not been willing to dissever reason from the law of nature.

II. derivatives

1. disseverance /dɪ(s)ˈsɛv(ə)rəns /

noun

2. disseverment

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘separate’): from Old French dessevrer, from late Latin disseparare, from dis- (expressing intensive force) + Latin separare ‘to separate’.

dissidence /ˈdɪsɪd(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. protest against official policy.

• the decree's purpose was to suppress the dissidence of the minority tribes in the eastern states.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin dissidentia, from dissident- ‘sitting apart’ (see dissident).

dissident /ˈdɪsɪd(ə)nt/

I. noun

a person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state.

• a dissident who had been jailed by a military regime.

II. adjective

in opposition to official policy

• the measure was supported by dissident Tories.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘differing in opinion or character’): from Latin dissident- ‘sitting apart, disagreeing’, from dis- ‘apart’ + sedere ‘sit’.

dissimilar /dɪˈsɪmɪlə/

I. adjective

not the same; different

• a collection of dissimilar nations lacking overall homogeneity

• the pleasures of the romance novel are not dissimilar from those of the chocolate bar.

II. derivatives

dissimilarly

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from dis- (expressing reversal) + similar, on the pattern of Latin dissimilis, French dissimilaire.

dissimilarity /ˌdɪsɪmɪˈlarɪti/

noun

difference; variance

• the similarity or dissimilarity between humans and other animals.

dissimilate /dɪˈsɪmɪleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Linguistics] change (a sound or sounds in a word) to another when the word originally had identical sounds near each other (e.g. in taper, which derives from papyrus, the p is dissimilated to t).

2. [no obj.] — [Linguistics] (of a sound) undergo the process of dissimilation

• the first ‘r’ dissimilates to ‘l’.

II. derivatives

1. dissimilation /dɪˌsɪmɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. dissimilatory /dɪˈsɪmɪlət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from dis- (expressing reversal) + Latin similis ‘like, similar’, on the pattern of assimilate.

dissimilitude /ˌdɪsɪˈmɪlɪtjuːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› dissimilarity or diversity.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dissimilitudo, from dissimilis ‘unlike’, from dis- (expressing reversal) + similis ‘like, similar’.

dissimulate /dɪˈsɪmjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. conceal or disguise (one's thoughts, feelings, or character)

• a country gentleman who dissimulates his wealth beneath ragged pullovers

• [no obj.] now that they have power, they no longer need to dissimulate.

II. derivatives

dissimulator /dɪˈsɪmjʊleɪtə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dissimulat- ‘hidden, concealed’, from the verb dissimulare.

dissimulation /dɪˌsɪmjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. concealment of one's thoughts, feelings, or character; pretence

• an attempt at dissimulation.

2. [ count noun] — ‹rare› a flock of small birds

• his audience consisted of a dissimulation of birds.

dissipate /ˈdɪsɪpeɪt/

I. verb

1. (with reference to a feeling or emotion) disappear or cause to disappear
[no obj.]

• the concern she'd felt for him had wholly dissipated

• [with obj.] he wanted to dissipate his anger.

2. disperse or scatter

• the cloud of smoke dissipated.

3. [with obj.] — waste or fritter away (money, energy, or resources).

• he inherited, but then dissipated, his father's fortune.

4. [Physics] cause (energy) to be lost through its conversion to heat.

• no power is dissipated in this sort of control element.

II. derivatives

1. dissipative /ˈdɪsɪpətɪv /

adjective

2. dissipator /ˈdɪsɪpeɪtə / dissipater

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dissipat- ‘scattered’, from the verb dissipare, from dis- ‘apart, widely’ + supare ‘to throw’.

dissipated /ˈdɪsɪpeɪtɪd/

adjective

(of a person or way of life) overindulging in sensual pleasures

• dissipated behaviour.

dissipation /dɪsɪˈpeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. overindulgence in sensual pleasures; dissipated living

• a descent into drunkenness and sexual dissipation.

2. the squandering of money, energy, or resources

• the dissipation of the country's mineral wealth.

3. [Physics] loss of energy through its conversion into heat.

• energy dissipation.

• [ count noun] the dissipations in the switch and diode are small.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘complete disintegration’): from Latin dissipatio(n-), from the verb dissipare (see dissipate).

dissociable /dɪˈsəʊʃɪəb(ə)l, dɪˈsɪˈsəʊʃɪəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be dissociated; separable

• language and cognition are not dissociable.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Latin dissociabilis, from dissociare ‘to separate’.

dissociate /dɪˈsəʊʃɪeɪt, dɪˈsəʊsɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (especially in abstract contexts) disconnect or separate

• the word ‘spiritual’ has become for many dissociated from religion.

2. ( dissociate oneself from) — declare that one is not connected with or a supporter of (someone or something)

• he took pains to dissociate himself from the religious radicals.

3. [Psychiatry] split off (a component of mental activity) to act as an independent part of mental life.

4. [Chemistry] (with reference to a molecule) split into separate smaller atoms, ions, or molecules, especially reversibly
[with obj.]

• these compounds are dissociated by solar radiation to yield atoms of chlorine.

II. derivatives

dissociative /dɪˈsəʊʃɪətɪv, dɪˈsəʊsɪətɪv /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin dissociat- ‘separated’, from the verb dissociare, from dis- (expressing reversal) + sociare ‘join together’ (from socius ‘companion’).

dissociated personality

noun

another term for multiple-personality disorder.

dissociation /dɪˌsəʊʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, dɪˌsəʊsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of disconnecting or separating or the state of being disconnected

• we in the West honour a long-standing dissociation between church and state.

2. [Chemistry] the splitting of a molecule into smaller molecules, atoms, or ions, especially by a reversible process.

3. [Psychiatry] separation of normally related mental processes, resulting in one group functioning independently from the rest, leading in extreme cases to disorders such as multiple personality
[ count noun]

• the dissociations that one can observe in neuropsychological patients.

dissociation constant

noun

[Chemistry] a quantity expressing the extent to which a particular substance in solution is dissociated into ions, equal to the product of the concentrations of the respective ions divided by the concentration of the undissociated molecule.

dissoluble /dɪˈsɒljʊb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be dissolved, loosened, or disconnected

• permitting divorce would render every marriage dissoluble.

II. derivatives

dissolubility /dɪsɒljʊˈbɪlɪti /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin dissolubilis, from the verb dissolvere (see dissolve).

dissolute /ˈdɪsəluːt/

I. adjective

(of a person or a way of life) overindulging in sensual pleasures

• unfortunately, his heir was feckless and dissolute.

II. derivatives

1. dissolutely /ˈdɪsəluːtli /

adverb

2. dissoluteness /ˈdɪsəluːtnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dissolutus ‘disconnected, loose’, from the verb dissolvere (see dissolve).

dissolution /dɪsəˈluːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of formally ending or dismissing an assembly, partnership, or official body

• the dissolution of their marriage

• [ count noun] the Prime Minister asked the queen for a dissolution of Parliament.

2. ‹technical› the action or process of dissolving or being dissolved

• minerals susceptible to dissolution.

3. disintegration; decomposition

• the dissolution of the flesh.

4. ‹archaic› death.

5. debauched living; dissipation

• an advanced state of dissolution.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dissolutio(n-), from the verb dissolvere (see dissolve).

dissolution of the monasteries

the abolition of monasteries in England and Wales by Henry VIII under two Acts (1536, 1539), in order to replenish his treasury by vesting monastic assets in the Crown and to establish royal supremacy in ecclesiastical affairs.

dissolve /dɪˈzɒlv/

I. verb

1. (with reference to a solid) become or cause to become incorporated into a liquid so as to form a solution
[no obj.]

• glucose dissolves easily in water

• [with obj.] dissolve a stock cube in a pint of hot water.

2. [no obj.] — disappear

• my courage dissolved.

3. [no obj.] ( dissolve into/in) — subside uncontrollably into (an expression of strong feelings)

• she suddenly dissolved into floods of tears.

4. [no obj.] ( dissolve into/to) — (of an image or scene in a film) change gradually to (another)

• the scene dissolves into a series of shots of the Morgan family.

5. [with obj.] — close down or dismiss (an assembly or official body).

• the National Assembly was dissolved after a coup.

6. annul or end (a partnership or marriage).

• their marriage has been dissolved.

II. noun

an act or instance of moving gradually from one image or scene in a film to another.

• the alternatives to a cut are fades or dissolves.

III. derivatives

dissolvable /dɪˈzɒlvəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘break down into component parts’): from Latin dissolvere, from dis- ‘apart’ + solvere ‘loosen or solve’.

dissolvent /dɪˈzɒlv(ə)nt/

I. noun

a substance that dissolves something else

• the experience of death could strengthen family ties, rather than act as a dissolvent.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin dissolvent- ‘dissolving’, from the verb dissolvere (see dissolve).

dissonance /ˈdɪs(ə)nəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Music] lack of harmony among musical notes

• an unusual degree of dissonance for such choral styles

• [ count noun] a session full of jangling dissonances.

2. [Music] lack of agreement or harmony between people or things

• the party faithful might be willing to put up with such dissonance among their candidates.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from late Latin dissonantia, from Latin dissonant- ‘disagreeing in sound’, from the verb dissonare.

dissonant /ˈdɪs(ə)nənt/

I. adjective

1. [Music] lacking harmony

• irregular, dissonant chords.

2. [Music] unsuitable or unusual in combination; clashing

• Jackson employs both harmonious and dissonant colour choices.

II. derivatives

dissonantly

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘clashing’): from Old French, or from Latin dissonant- ‘being discordant’, from the verb dissonare, from dis- ‘apart’ + sonare ‘to sound’.

dissuade /dɪˈsweɪd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. persuade (someone) not to take a particular course of action

• his friends tried to dissuade him from flying.

II. derivatives

1. dissuader

noun

2. dissuasion /dɪˈsweɪʒ(ə)n /

noun

3. dissuasive /dɪˈsweɪsɪv, dɪˈsweɪzɪv /

adjective

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘advise against’): from Latin dissuadere, from dis- (expressing reversal) + suadere ‘advise, persuade’.

dissyllable /dɪˈsɪləb(ə)l/

noun

variant spelling of disyllable.

dissymmetry /dɪˈsɪmɪtri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of symmetry.

2. ‹technical› the symmetrical relation of mirror images, the left and right hands, or crystals with two corresponding forms.

II. derivatives

1. dissymmetric /dɪsɪˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

2. dissymmetrical

adjective

distaff /ˈdɪstɑːf/

I. noun

1. a stick or spindle on to which wool or flax is wound for spinning.

2. [as modifier] — of or concerning women

• marriage is still the passport to distaff power.

II. phrases

the distaff side

the female side of a family

• the family title could be passed down through the distaff side.

The opposite of the spear side.

– origin Old English distæf: the first element is apparently related to Middle Low German dise, disene ‘distaff, bunch of flax’; the second is staff^1. Sense 2 arose because spinning was traditionally done by women.

distal /ˈdɪst(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [Anatomy] situated away from the centre of the body or from the point of attachment

• the distal end of the tibia.

The opposite of proximal.

2. [Geology] relating to or denoting the outer part of an area affected by geological activity.

• the distal zone is characterized by pyroclastic flow deposits.

II. derivatives

distally

adverb

– origin early 19th cent.: from distant, on the pattern of words such as dorsal.

distance /ˈdɪst(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. the length of the space between two points

• I cycled the short distance home

• you may have to walk long distances.

2. [ mass noun] — the condition of being far off; remoteness

• distance makes things look small.

3. a far-off point

• watching them from a distance.

4. ( the distance) — the more remote part of what is visible or discernible

• I heard police sirens in the distance

• they sped off into the distance.

5. an interval of time

• the sort of goal which remains in the memory even at a distance of six years.

6. the full length of a race

• he claimed the 100 m title in only his second race over the distance.

7. (Brit.) [Horse Racing] a space of more than twenty lengths between two finishers in a race

• he stormed home by a distance in the Handicap Chase.

8. ( the distance) — (Brit.) a length of 240 yards from the winning post on a racecourse.

9. (N. Amer.) [Horse Racing] the distance from the winning post which a horse must have reached when the winner finishes in order to qualify for a subsequent heat.

10. ( the distance) — [Boxing] the scheduled length of a fight

• he has won his first five fights inside the distance.

11. [ mass noun] — the avoidance of familiarity; reserve

• a mix of warmth and distance makes a good neighbour.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone or something) far off or remote in position or nature

• her mother wished to distance her from the rough village children.

2. ( distance oneself from) — declare that one is not connected with or a supporter of (someone or something)

• he sought to distance himself from the proposals.

3. (N. Amer.) [Horse Racing] beat (a horse) by a distance.

III. phrases

1. distance lends enchantment to the view

‹proverb› things look better from further away.

2. go the distance

a. [Boxing] complete a fight without being knocked out.

• he went the distance after being floored in the first round.

b. (of a boxing match) last the scheduled length.

• six of his fights went the distance.

c. [Baseball] pitch for the entire length of a game.

• he went the distance on the mound.

d. last for a long time

• this amplifier system should go the distance.

3. keep one's distance

a. stay far away.

• keep your distance from birds feeding their young.

b. maintain one's reserve

• you had to say nothing and keep your distance.

4. within —— distance

near enough to reach by the means specified

• her flat is within walking distance.

5. within spitting ( ‹or US› shouting) distance

within a very short distance.

6. within striking distance

near enough to hit or achieve something

• we are within striking distance of our goal.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘discord, debate’): from Old French or from Latin distantia, from distant- ‘standing apart’, from the verb distare (see distant).

distance learning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of studying in which lectures are broadcast or lessons are conducted by correspondence, without the student needing to attend a school or college.

distance post

noun

(N. Amer.) a post placed at a specified distance before the finishing post on a racecourse, which a horse must have passed when the winner finishes in order to qualify for a subsequent heat.

distance runner

noun

an athlete who competes in long- or middle-distance races.

distant /ˈdɪst(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. far away in space or time

• distant parts of the world

• I remember that distant afternoon.

2. [ predic.] — (after a measurement) at a specified distance

• the star is 30,000 light years distant from Earth

• the town lay half a mile distant.

3. (of a sound) faint because far away

• the distant bark of some farm dog.

4. remote or far apart in resemblance or relationship

• a distant acquaintance.

5. [ attrib.] — (of a person) not closely related

• a distant cousin of the King.

6. (of a person) not intimate; cool or reserved

• his children found him strangely distant

• she and my father were distant with each other.

7. not paying attention; remote

• a distant look in his eyes.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin distant- ‘standing apart’, from the verb distare, from dis- ‘apart’ + stare ‘stand’.

distantiate /dɪˈstanʃɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. set or keep (something) at a distance, especially mentally

• Austen's aesthetic forms distantiate ideology.

II. derivatives

distantiation

noun

– origin 1940s: based on Latin distantia ‘distance’.

distantly /ˈdɪst(ə)ntli/

adverb

1. far away

• distantly he heard shouts.

2. not closely

• they are distantly related to the elephants.

3. coolly or remotely

• she smiled distantly.

distant signal

noun

a railway signal giving a warning of the condition of the next home signal.

distaste /dɪsˈteɪst/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. mild dislike or aversion

• Harry nurtured a distaste for all things athletic

• [ mass noun] his mouth twisted with distaste.

– origin late 16th cent.: from dis- (expressing reversal) + taste, on the pattern of early modern French desgout, Italian disgusto. Compare with disgust.

distasteful /dɪsˈteɪstfʊl, dɪsˈteɪstf(ə)l/

I. adjective

causing dislike or aversion; disagreeable or unpleasant

• he found such cynicism distasteful.

II. derivatives

1. distastefully /dɪsˈteɪstfʊli, dɪsˈteɪstf(ə)li /

adverb

2. distastefulness /dɪsˈteɪstfʊlnəs, dɪsˈteɪstf(ə)lnəs /

noun

Di Stefano, Alfredo /dɪ ˈstɛfənəʊ/

(1926–2014), Argentinian-born Spanish footballer. He played as a forward in Argentina and Colombia, then for Spain and Real Madrid, with whom he won the European Cup in each of its first five seasons (1956–60).

distemper^1 /dɪˈstɛmpə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a viral disease of some animals, especially dogs, causing fever, coughing, and catarrh.

2. ‹archaic› political disorder

• an attempt to illuminate the moral roots of the modern world's distemper.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally in the sense ‘bad temper’, later ‘illness’): from Middle English distemper ‘upset, derange’, from late Latin distemperare ‘soak, mix in the wrong proportions’, from dis- ‘thoroughly’ + temperare ‘mingle’. Compare with temper. Sense 1 dates from the mid 18th cent.

distemper^2 /dɪˈstɛmpə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of paint using glue or size instead of an oil base, for use on walls or for scene-painting.

2. a method of mural and poster painting using distemper.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. distempered)

1. paint with distemper

• the distempered roof timbers.

– origin late Middle English (originally as a verb in the senses ‘dilute’ and ‘steep’): from Old French destremper or late Latin distemperare ‘soak’.

distempered /dɪˈstɛmpəːd/

adjective

1. ‹literary› emotionally or psychologically disturbed.

• her performance counterbalances his distempered Beaumont.

2. ‹literary› symptomatic of a general moral and psychological debility

• this distempered fog, this old corruption of the nation.

distend /dɪˈstɛnd/

I. verb

swell or cause to swell by pressure from inside
[no obj.]

• the abdomen distended rapidly

• [with obj.] air is introduced into the stomach to distend it.

II. derivatives

1. distensibility

noun

2. distensible /dɪˈstɛnsɪb(ə)l /

adjective

3. distension /dɪˈstɛnʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin distendere, from dis- ‘apart’ + tendere ‘to stretch’.

distended /dɪˈstɛndɪd/

adjective

swollen due to pressure from inside; bloated

• a distended belly.

distich /ˈdɪstɪk/

I. noun

[Prosody] a pair of verse lines; a couplet.

– origin early 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek distikhon (metron) ‘(measure) of two lines’, neuter of distikhos, from di- ‘twice’ + stikhos ‘line’.

distichous /ˈdɪstɪkəs/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of parts) arranged alternately in two opposite vertical rows.

II. derivatives

distichously

adverb

– origin mid 18th cent.: via Latin from Greek distikhos (see distich) + -ous.

distil /dɪˈstɪl / ‹US› distill

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. purify (a liquid) by heating it so that it vaporizes, then cooling and condensing the vapour and collecting the resulting liquid

• they managed to distil a small quantity of water

• (as adj. distilled) distilled water.

2. make (spirits or an essence) by distilling

• whisky is distilled from a mash of grains

• (as noun distilling) the distilling industry.

3. extract the essence of (something) by heating it with a solvent

• distil the leaves of some agrimony.

4. remove (a volatile constituent) of a mixture by heating

• coal tar is made by distilling out the volatile products in coal.

5. [no obj.] — ‹literary› emanate as a vapour or in minute drops

• she drew back from the dank breath that distilled out of the earth.

6. extract the essential meaning or most important aspects of

• my travel notes were distilled into a book

• (as adj. distilled) the report is a distilled version of the main accounts.

II. derivatives

distillatory

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin distillare, variant of destillare, from de- ‘down, away’ + stillare (from stilla ‘a drop’).

distillate /ˈdɪstɪleɪt/

I. noun

something formed by distillation

• petroleum distillates

• [ mass noun] natural gas mixed with distillate.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin distillatus ‘fallen in drops’, from the verb distillare (see distil).

distillation /ˌdɪstɪˈleɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of purifying a liquid by a process of heating and cooling

• the petroleum distillation process.

2. the extraction of the essential meaning or most important aspects of something

• this book represents the distillation of years of experience in the private sector

• [ count noun] the film is a distillation of personal experiences.

distiller /dɪˈstɪlə/

noun

a person or company that manufactures spirits

• a family-owned whisky distiller.

distillery /dɪˈstɪləri/

noun

a place where spirits are manufactured.

• Scotland's southernmost malt distillery.

distinct /dɪˈstɪŋ(k)t/

I. adjective

1. recognizably different in nature from something else of a similar type

• the patterns of spoken language are distinct from those of writing

• there are two distinct types of sickle cell disease.

2. physically separate

• the gallery is divided into five distinct spaces.

3. readily distinguishable by the senses

• a distinct smell of nicotine.

4. [ attrib.] — (used for emphasis) so clearly apparent to the mind as to be unmistakable; definite

• he got the distinct impression that Melissa wasn't best pleased.

II. derivatives

distinctness /dɪˈstɪŋk(t)nəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘differentiated’): from Latin distinctus ‘separated, distinguished’, from the verb distinguere (see distinguish).

distinction /dɪˈstɪŋ(k)ʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a difference or contrast between similar things or people

• there is a sharp distinction between domestic politics and international politics

• I was completely unaware of class distinctions.

2. [ mass noun] — the separation of people or things into different groups according to their characteristics

• high interest rates strike down, without distinction, small businesses and the unemployed.

3. [ mass noun] — excellence that sets someone or something apart from others

• a novelist of distinction.

4. [ count noun] — a decoration or honour awarded to someone

• he gained the highest distinction awarded for excellence in photography.

5. [ count noun] — a grade in an examination denoting excellence

• she gained a distinction in her diploma.

Compare with merit.

II. phrases

distinction without a difference

an artificially created distinction where no real difference exists.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘subdivision, category’): via Old French from Latin distinctio(n-), from the verb distinguere (see distinguish).

distinctive /dɪˈstɪŋ(k)tɪv/

I. adjective

characteristic of one person or thing, and so serving to distinguish it from others

• juniper berries give gin its distinctive flavour.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘serving to differentiate’): from late Latin distinctivus, from Latin distinct- ‘distinguished’ (see distinct).

distinctively /dɪˈstɪŋ(k)tɪvli/

adverb

in a way that is characteristic of one person or thing and distinguishes it from others

• Hunter was distinctively dressed in a leather flying jacket

• a dramatic and distinctively shaped building

• [as submodifier] a distinctively American voice.

distinctiveness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being individual or easily distinguishable

• communities are keen to maintain cultural distinctiveness.

distinctly /dɪˈstɪŋ(k)tli/

adverb

1. in a way that is readily distinguishable by the senses; clearly

• reading each word slowly and distinctly.

2. [as submodifier] — (used for emphasis) in a way that is very noticeable or apparent; decidedly

• two distinctly different cultures

• he looked distinctly uncomfortable.

distingué /dɪˈstaŋɡeɪ/

I. adjective

having a distinguished manner or appearance

• he was lean and distingué, with a small goatee.

– origin French, ‘distinguished’, from the verb distinguer.

distinguish /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. recognize or treat (someone or something) as different

• the child is perfectly capable of distinguishing reality from fantasy.

2. [no obj.] — recognize or point out a difference

• we must distinguish between two kinds of holiday.

3. be an identifying characteristic or mark of

• what distinguishes sport from games?

4. manage to discern (something barely perceptible)

• it was too dark to distinguish anything more than their vague shapes.

5. ( distinguish oneself) — make oneself worthy of respect by one's behaviour or achievements

• many distinguished themselves in the fight against Hitler.

– origin late 16th cent.: formed irregularly from French distinguer or Latin distinguere, from dis- ‘apart’ + stinguere ‘put out’ (from a base meaning ‘prick’).

distinguishable /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. clear enough to be recognized or identified as different; discernible

• distinguishable features

• this particular case is distinguishable from others.

2. clear enough to be discerned or perceived

• his words were barely distinguishable.

distinguished /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/

adjective

1. very successful, authoritative, and commanding great respect

• a distinguished American educationist.

2. dignified and noble in appearance or manner

• that hairstyle makes you look quite distinguished.

Distinguished Service Order

noun

see DSO.

distinguishing /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃɪŋ/

adjective

characteristic of one thing or person, so serving to identify it; distinctive

• a house with no distinguishing features.

distort /dɪˈstɔːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pull or twist out of shape

• a grimace distorted her fine mouth.

2. [no obj.] — become twisted out of shape

• the pipe will distort as you bend it.

3. give a misleading or false account or impression of

• many factors can distort the results.

4. change the form of (an electrical signal or sound wave) during transmission, amplification, or other processing

• you're distorting the sound by overdriving the amp.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘twist to one side’): from Latin distort- ‘twisted apart’, from the verb distorquere, from dis- ‘apart’ + torquere ‘to twist’.

distorted /dɪˈstɔːtɪd/

I. adjective

1. pulled or twisted out of shape; contorted.

2. giving a misleading or false account or impression; misrepresented

• his report gives a distorted view of the meeting.

3. affected by electrical distortion

• distorted guitars.

II. derivatives

1. distortedly

adverb

2. distortedness

noun

distortion /dɪˈstɔːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of distorting or the state of being distorted

• the virus causes distortion of the leaves

• [ count noun] deliberate distortions of pitch and timbre.

2. [ count noun] — a distorted form or part

• a distortion in the eye's shape or structure.

3. the action of giving a misleading account or impression

• we're fed up with the media's continuing distortion of our issues.

4. change in the form of an electrical signal or sound wave during processing.

II. derivatives

1. distortional /dɪˈstɔːʃ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

2. distortionless

adjective

distract /dɪˈstrakt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. prevent (someone) from concentrating on something

• don't allow noise to distract you from your work.

2. divert (attention) from something

• it was another attempt to distract attention from the truth.

3. ( distract oneself) — divert one's attention from something unpleasant by doing something different or more pleasurable

• I tried to distract myself by concentrating on Jane.

4. ‹archaic› perplex and bewilder

• horror and doubt distract His troubl'd thoughts.

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘pull in different directions’): from Latin distract- ‘drawn apart’, from the verb distrahere, from dis- ‘apart’ + trahere ‘to draw, drag’.

distracted /dɪˈstraktɪd/

I. adjective

unable to concentrate because one is preoccupied by something worrying or unpleasant

• Charlotte seemed too distracted to give him much attention.

II. derivatives

1. distractedly /dɪˈstraktɪdli /

adverb

2. distractedness

noun

distracting /dɪˈstraktɪŋ/

I. adjective

preventing concentration or diverting attention; disturbing

• she found his nearness distracting.

II. derivatives

distractingly

adverb

[as submodifier]

• some of my classmates are distractingly pretty

distraction /dɪˈstrakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a thing that prevents someone from concentrating on something else

• the firm found passenger travel a distraction from the main business of moving freight.

2. a diversion or recreation

• there are plenty of distractions such as sailing

• [ mass noun] he roved the district in search of distraction.

3. [ mass noun] — extreme agitation of the mind

• her uncharacteristic air of distraction.

II. phrases

to distraction

almost to a state of madness

• she loved him to distraction.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin distractio(n-), from the verb distrahere (see distract).

distraction burglary

I. noun

(Brit.) an instance of gaining access to a property under false pretences, with the intention of committing theft.

• two thieves pretending to be from the Water Board have carried out a string of distraction burglaries in the area.

II. derivatives

distraction burglar

noun

distractor

noun

1. a person or thing that distracts

• the visual channel is capable of being a powerful distractor.

2. an incorrect option in a multiple choice question.

• four pictures, three of which are distractors.

distrain /dɪˈstreɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Law] seize (someone's property) in order to obtain payment of rent or other money owed

• legislation has restricted the right to distrain goods found upon the premises.

2. [Law] seize the property of (someone) in order to obtain payment of money owed

• the Crown applied political pressure by distraining debtors.

II. derivatives

1. distrainer /dɪˈstreɪnɔː /

noun

2. distrainment

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French destreindre, from Latin distringere ‘stretch apart’, from dis- ‘apart’ + stringere ‘tighten’.

distraint /dɪˈstreɪnt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the seizure of someone's property in order to obtain payment of money owed, especially rent

• many faced heavy fines and the distraint of goods.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from distrain, on the pattern of constraint.

distrait /dɪˈstreɪ, ˈdɪstreɪ/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. distracted or absent-minded

• he seemed oddly distrait.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, from Old French destrait, past participle of destraire ‘distract’, from Latin distrahere ‘pull apart’ (see distract).

distraught /dɪˈstrɔːt/

I. adjective

very worried and upset

• a distraught woman sobbed and screamed for help

• he is terribly distraught.

– origin late Middle English: alteration of the obsolete adjective distract (from Latin distractus ‘pulled apart’), influenced by straught, archaic past participle of stretch.

distress /dɪˈstrɛs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain

• to his distress he saw that she was trembling

• her fingers flew to her throat in distress.

2. the state of a ship or aircraft when in danger or difficulty and needing help

• vessels in distress on or near the coast

• [as modifier] a distress call.

3. difficulty caused by lack of money

• a company in financial distress.

4. [Medicine] a state of physical strain, especially difficulty in breathing

• they said the baby was in distress.

5. [Law] another term for distraint.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) anxiety, sorrow, or pain

• I didn't mean to distress you

• please don't distress yourself.

2. give (furniture or clothing) simulated marks of age and wear

• the manner in which leather jackets are industrially distressed.

III. derivatives

distressful /dɪˈstrɛsfʊl, dɪˈstrɛsf(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French destresce (noun), destrecier (verb), based on Latin distringere ‘stretch apart’.

distressed /dɪˈstrɛst/

adjective

1. suffering from extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain

• I was distressed at the news of his death

• the distressed relatives of his victims.

2. ‹dated› impoverished

• women in distressed circumstances.

3. ‹informal› (chiefly US) (of property) offered for sale cheaply due to mortgage foreclosure or because it is part of an insolvent estate.

4. (of furniture or clothing) having simulated marks of age and wear

• a distressed leather jacket.

distressed area

noun

a region of high unemployment and poverty.

distressing /dɪˈstrɛsɪŋ/

I. adjective

causing anxiety, sorrow or pain; upsetting

• some very distressing news.

II. derivatives

distressingly /dɪˈstrɛsɪŋli /

adverb

[as submodifier]

• the pattern was distressingly familiar

distress rocket

noun

a rocket fired as a distress signal.

distress signal

noun

a signal from a ship or aircraft that is in danger.

distress warrant

noun

[Law] a warrant authorizing distraint.

• the landlord took out a distress warrant in respect of the outstanding rent.

distributary /dɪˈstrɪbjʊt(ə)ri/

noun

a branch of a river that does not return to the main stream after leaving it (as in a delta).

distribute /dɪˈstrɪbjuːt, ˈdɪstrɪbjuːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give a share or a unit of (something) to each of a number of recipients

• information leaflets are being distributed to hotels.

2. supply (goods) to retailers

• the journal is distributed worldwide.

3. [Printing] separate (metal type that has been set up) and return the characters to their separate compartments in a type case.

4. ( be distributed) — occur throughout an area

• the birds are mainly distributed in marshes and river valleys.

5. spread (a load) over an area

• the seat is designed to ensure the weight of the passenger is evenly distributed.

6. (as adj. distributed) — [Computing] (of a computer system) spread over several machines, especially over a network.

• a distributed system.

7. [Logic] use (a term) to include every individual of the class to which it refers.

• the middle term must be distributed, at least once, in the premises.

II. derivatives

distributable /dɪˈstrɪbjʊtəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin distribut- ‘divided up’, from the verb distribuere, from dis- ‘apart’ + tribuere ‘assign’. / usage: The word distribute is pronounced either with the stress on the -stri- or with the stress on the dis-. Until recently the latter, with the stress on the first syllable, was considered incorrect in standard British English, but now both pronunciations are standard.

distribution /dɪstrɪˈbjuːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of sharing something out among a number of recipients

• the government released about 74,000 tonnes of rice for distribution among people affected by the cyclone

• [ count noun] unequal distributions of income and wealth.

2. the action or process of supplying goods to retailers.

• a manager has the choice of four types of distribution.

• [as modifier] an established distribution channel.

3. [Bridge] the different number of cards of each suit in a player's hand.

• strength has two ingredients, high cards and distribution.

4. the way in which something is shared out among a group or spread over an area

• changes undergone by the area have affected the distribution of its wildlife.

II. derivatives

distributional /dɪstrɪˈbjuːʃ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin distributio(n-), from the verb distribuere (see distribute).

distribution board

noun

a panel carrying the fuses, terminals, and other components of a number of subsidiary electric circuits.

distributive /dɪˈstrɪbjʊtɪv/

I. adjective

1. concerned with the supply of goods to retailers

• transport and distributive industries.

2. concerned with the way in which things are shared between people

• the distributive effects of public expenditure.

3. [Grammar] (of a determiner or pronoun) referring to each individual of a class, not to the class collectively, e.g. each, either.

4. [Mathematics] (of an operation) fulfilling the condition that, when it is performed on two or more quantities already combined by another operation, the result is the same as when it is performed on each quantity individually and the products then combined.

II. noun

[Grammar] a distributive word.

III. derivatives

distributively

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French distributif, -ive or late Latin distributivus, from Latin distribut- ‘divided up’, from the verb distribuere (see distribute).

distributor /dɪˈstrɪbjʊtə/

noun

1. an agent who supplies goods to retailers

• a sports goods distributor.

2. a device in a petrol engine for passing electric current to each spark plug in turn.

district /ˈdɪstrɪkt/

I. noun

1. an area of a country or city, especially one characterized by a particular feature or activity

• a coal-mining district.

2. [often as modifier] — a region defined for an administrative purpose

• a district health authority.

3. (Brit.) a division of a county or region that elects its own councillors.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) divide into areas
(as noun districting)

• the province's system of electoral districting.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting the territory under the jurisdiction of a feudal lord): from French, from medieval Latin districtus ‘(territory of) jurisdiction’, from Latin distringere ‘draw apart’.

district attorney DA

noun

(in the US) a public official who acts as prosecutor for the state in a particular district.

district auditor

noun

(in the UK) a civil servant responsible for auditing the accounts of local authorities.

district court

noun

(in most US jurisdictions) the federal or state trial court.

district heating

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the supply of heat or hot water from one source to a district or a group of buildings.

district nurse

noun

(in the UK) a nurse who visits and treats patients in their homes, operating in a specific area or in association with a particular general practice surgery or health centre.

District of Columbia /dɪstrɪktəvˈkəlʌmbiə / DC

a federal district of the US, coextensive with the city of Washington, situated on the Potomac River with boundaries on the states of Virginia and Maryland.

district surgeon

noun

(in South Africa) a doctor appointed to serve a particular district.

distro

noun

‹informal› a computer software distribution package.

distrust /dɪsˈtrʌst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the feeling that someone or something cannot be relied upon

• the public's distrust of politicians.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. doubt the honesty or reliability of; regard with suspicion

• speculation remained that the Army distrusted the peace process.

III. derivatives

distruster

noun

distrustful /dɪsˈtrʌstfʊl, dɪsˈtrʌstf(ə)l/

I. adjective

feeling or showing distrust of someone or something

• I have grown up to be distrustful of men.

II. derivatives

distrustfully /dɪsˈtrʌstfʊli, dɪsˈtrʌstf(ə)li /

adverb

disturb /dɪˈstəːb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. interfere with the normal arrangement or functioning of

• take the rollers out carefully so as not to disturb the curls too much.

2. interrupt the sleep, relaxation, or privacy of

• I'll see my patient now and we are not to be disturbed.

3. make (someone) anxious

• I am disturbed by the document I have just read.

II. derivatives

disturber /dɪˈstəːbə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French destourber, from Latin disturbare, from dis- ‘utterly’ + turbare ‘disturb’ (from turba ‘tumult’).

disturbance /dɪˈstəːb(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the interruption of a settled and peaceful condition

• a helicopter landing can cause disturbance to residents.

2. [ count noun] — a breakdown of peaceful and law-abiding behaviour

• the disturbances were precipitated when four men were refused bail.

3. [Law] interference with rights or property.

4. a state in which normal mental or physical functioning is disrupted

• children with learning difficulty and personality disturbance.

– origin Middle English: from Old French destourbance, from destourber (see disturb).

disturbed /dɪˈstəːbd/

adjective

1. having had the normal pattern or functioning disrupted

• disturbed sleep.

2. having or resulting from emotional and mental problems

• the treatment of disturbed children

• disturbed behaviour.

disturbing /dɪˈstəːbɪŋ/

adjective

causing anxiety; worrying

• disturbing unemployment figures.

disturbingly /dɪˈstəːbɪŋli/

adverb

1. [usu. as submodifier] — in a way that causes worry or unease

• disturbingly violent movies

• the course of events was disturbingly familiar

• Paul's nightmares blend disturbingly with memories of his childhood orphanage home.

2. [ sentence adverb] — used to express worry or unease at a situation or event

• disturbingly, he appears to support the war.

disubstituted /dʌɪˈsʌbstɪtjuːtɪd/

adjective

[Chemistry] (of a molecule) having two substituent groups.

disulfiram /dʌɪˈsʌlfɪram/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic compound used in the treatment of alcoholics to make drinking alcohol produce unpleasant after-effects. Also called Antabuse .
●Alternative name: tetraethylthiuram disulphide; chem. formula: (C_2H_5)2NCSSCN(C_2H_5)2.

– origin 1940s: blend of disulfide (see disulphide) and thiuram (from thio- + urea + amide).

disulphide /dʌɪˈsʌlfʌɪd / disulfide

noun

1. [Chemistry] a sulphide containing two atoms of sulphur in its molecule or empirical formula.

• molybdenum disulphide.

2. [Chemistry] an organic compound containing the group —S—S— bonded to other groups.
[as modifier]

• disulphide bonds.

disunion /dɪsˈjuːnjən, dɪsˈjuːnɪən/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the breaking up of something such as a federation

• his rejection of disunion was consistent with his nationalism.

disunited /ˌdɪsjuːˈnʌɪtɪd/

I. adjective

lacking unity

• a disunited nation.

II. derivatives

disunite /ˌdɪsjuːˈnʌɪt /

verb

disunity /dɪsˈjuːnɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. disagreement and conflict within a group

• the disunity among opposition parties.

disuse /dɪsˈjuːs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of not being used

• his voice was croaky with disuse.

disused /dɪsˈjuːzd/

adjective

no longer being used

• they held an exhibition in a disused warehouse.

disutility /ˌdɪsjuːˈtɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Economics] the adverse or harmful effects associated with a particular activity or process, especially when carried out over a long period.

disvalue

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. undervalue (something or someone)

• I'm not going to disvalue the way they feel.

II. noun

a negative value or worth

• a story in which exhibitionism is a disvalue.

III. derivatives

disvaluation

noun

disyllabic /ˌdʌɪsɪˈlabɪk / dissyllabic

I. adjective

1. (of a word or metrical foot) consisting of two syllables.

2. (of a bird's characteristic call) consisting of two distinct sounds, such as the call of the cuckoo.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French dissyllabique, via Latin from Greek disullabos ‘of two syllables’.

disyllable /dʌɪˈsɪləb(ə)l, ˈdʌɪsɪləb(ə)l / dissyllable /dɪˈsɪləb(ə)l/

I. noun

[Prosody] a word or metrical foot consisting of two syllables.

– origin late 16th cent.: alteration (influenced by syllable) of French disyllabe, via Latin from Greek disullabos ‘of two syllables’, from di- ‘two’ + sullabē ‘syllable’.

dit

I. noun

(in the Morse system) another term for dot^1.

– origin Second World War: imitative.

ditch /dɪtʃ/

I. noun

a narrow channel dug at the side of a road or field, to hold or carry away water.

• their car went out of control and plunged into a ditch.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide with a ditch or ditches.

• he was praised for ditching the coastal areas.

2. [no obj.] — make or repair ditches
(as noun ditching)

• they would have to pay for hedging and ditching.

3. ‹informal› get rid of or give up

• plans for the road were ditched following a public inquiry.

4. end a relationship with (someone) peremptorily

• she ditched her husband to marry the window cleaner.

5. (N. Amer.) play truant from (school)

• maybe she could ditch school and run away.

6. bring (an aircraft) down on water in an emergency

• he was picked up by a gunboat after ditching his plane in the Mediterranean.

7. [no obj.] — (of an aircraft) make a forced landing on water

• the aircraft was obliged to ditch in the sea off the North African coast.

8. (US) derail (a train).

III. derivatives

ditcher /ˈdɪtʃə /

noun

– origin Old English dīc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dijk ‘ditch, dyke’ and German Teich ‘pond, pool’, also to dyke^2.

ditchwater /ˈdɪtʃwɔːtə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. stagnant water in a ditch.

diterpene /dʌɪˈtəːpiːn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] any of a group of terpenes found in plant gums and resins, having unsaturated molecules based on a unit with the formula C_20H_32.

II. derivatives

diterpenoid

adjective, noun

ditheism /ˈdʌɪθɪɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a belief in two gods, especially as independent and opposed principles of good and evil.

II. derivatives

ditheist

noun

dither /ˈdɪðə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. be indecisive

• I can't bear people who dither

• he was dithering about the election date.

2. [with obj.] — add white noise to (a digital recording) to reduce distortion of low-amplitude signals.

3. display or print (a colour image) in such a way that it appears to contain more colours than are really available
(as adj. dithered)

• dithered bitmaps.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› indecisive behaviour

• after months of dither ministers had still not agreed.

2. [in sing.] — a state of agitation

• all of a dither, he prophesied instant chaos.

III. derivatives

1. ditherer /ˈdɪðərə /

noun

2. dithery /ˈdɪðəri /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the dialect sense ‘tremble, quiver’): variant of dialect didder; related to dodder^1.

dithionite /dʌɪˈθʌɪənʌɪt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a salt containing the anion S_2O_42−.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from di-1 ‘two’ + Greek theion ‘sulphur’ + -ite^1.

dithizone /dʌɪˈθʌɪzəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a synthetic compound used as a reagent for the analysis and separation of lead and other metals.
●Alternative name: diphenylthiocarbazone; chem. formula: C_13H_12N_4S.

– origin 1920s: from elements of the systematic name (see above).

dithyramb /ˈdɪθɪram(b)/

I. noun

1. a wild choral hymn of ancient Greece, especially one dedicated to Dionysus.

2. a passionate or inflated speech, poem, or other writing.

II. derivatives

dithyrambic /dɪθɪˈrambɪk /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek dithurambos, of unknown ultimate origin.

ditransitive /dʌɪˈtranzɪtɪv, dʌɪˈtrɑːnzɪtɪv, dʌɪˈtransɪtɪv, dʌɪˈtrɑːnsɪtɪv/

adjective

[Grammar] denoting a verb that takes two objects, for example give as in I gave her the book.

dittany /ˈdɪtəni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. any of a number of aromatic herbaceous or shrubby plants:
● a dwarf shrub with white woolly leaves and pink flowers, native to Crete and Greece ( Origanum dictamnus, family Labiatae). ● an American herb used in cookery and herbal medicine (genus Cunila, family Labiatae). ● another term for gas plant.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ditain or medieval Latin ditaneum, from Latin dictamnus, dictamnum, from Greek diktamnon, perhaps from Diktē, the name of a mountain in Crete.

ditto /ˈdɪtəʊ/

I. noun

1. the same thing again (used in lists and accounts and often indicated by a ditto mark under the word or figure to be repeated).

2. ‹informal› used to indicate that something already said is applicable a second time

• if one folds his arms, so does the other; if one crosses his legs, ditto.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘in the aforesaid month’): from Tuscan dialect, variant of Italian detto ‘said’, from Latin dictus ‘said’.

dittography /dɪˈtɒɡrəfi/

I. noun

a mistaken repetition of a letter, word, or phrase by a copyist.

II. derivatives

dittographic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek dittos ‘double’ + -graphy.

dittohead /ˈdɪtəʊhɛd/

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› an unquestioning supporter of an idea or opinion as expressed by a particular person, organization, etc.

• from your posts, it's obvious that you are a highly partisan dittohead unable to think for yourself.

– origin 1990s: from ditto and -head^2, with reference to fans of the US conservative radio commentator Rush Limbaugh, who would often begin their calls to his programme with expressions based on the word 'ditto'.

ditto marks

plural noun

two apostrophes (〃) representing ‘ditto’.

ditty /ˈdɪti/

I. noun

a short, simple song

• a lovely little music-hall ditty.

– origin Middle English: from Old French dite ‘composition’, from Latin dictatum (neuter) ‘something dictated’, from dictare ‘to dictate’.

ditty bag ditty box

I. noun

a receptacle for odds and ends, especially one used by sailors or fishermen.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

ditz /dɪts/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a scatterbrained person.

– origin 1970s: back-formation from ditzy.

ditzy /ˈdɪtsi / ditsy

I. adjective

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› silly or scatterbrained

• don't tell me my ditzy secretary didn't send you an invitation!

II. derivatives

ditziness

noun

– origin 1970s: of unknown origin.

diuresis /ˌdʌɪjʊ(ə)ˈriːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] increased or excessive production of urine.
Compare with polyuria.

– origin late 17th cent.: modern Latin, from di-3 ‘through’ + Greek ourēsis ‘urination’.

diuretic /ˌdʌɪjʊ(ə)ˈrɛtɪk / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

(chiefly of drugs) causing increased passing of urine.

II. noun

a diuretic drug.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French diuretique, or via late Latin from Greek diourētikos, from diourein ‘urinate’, from dia ‘through’ + ouron ‘urine’.

diurnal /dʌɪˈəːn(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. of or during the day.

2. [Zoology] (of animals) active in the daytime.

3. [Botany] (of flowers) open only during the day.

4. daily; of each day

• diurnal rhythms.

5. [Astronomy] of or resulting from the daily rotation of the earth

• diurnal aberration.

II. derivatives

diurnally

adverb

– origin late Middle English (as a term in astronomy): from late Latin diurnalis, from Latin diurnus ‘daily’, from dies ‘day’.

div^1

abbreviation

divergence (in mathematical equations).

div^2

noun

another term for divvy^2.

Div.

abbreviation

Division.

diva /ˈdiːvə/

I. noun

1. a celebrated female opera singer.

2. a famous female singer of popular music

• a pop diva.

3. a self-important person, typically a woman, who is temperamental and difficult to please.

• she is much more the dedicated maverick than the petulant diva.

– origin late 19th cent.: via Italian from Latin, literally ‘goddess’.

divagate /ˈdʌɪvəɡeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹literary› stray or digress

• Yeats divagated into Virgil's territory only once.

II. derivatives

divagation /dʌɪvəˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin divagat- ‘wandered about’, from the verb divagari, from di- ‘widely’ + vagari ‘wander’.

divalent /dʌɪˈveɪl(ə)nt/

adjective

[Chemistry] having a valency of two.

divan /dɪˈvan, dʌɪˈvan, ˈdʌɪvan/

I. noun

1. (also divan bed) — (Brit.) a bed consisting of a base and mattress but no footboard or headboard.

2. a long, low sofa without a back or arms.

3. ‹historical› a legislative body, council chamber, or court of justice in the Ottoman Empire or elsewhere in the Middle East.

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 3): via French or Italian from Turkish dīvān, from Persian dīwān ‘anthology, register, court, or bench’; compare with diwan. As a piece of furniture, a divan was originally (early 18th cent.) a low bench or raised section of floor against an interior wall, used as a long seat and common in Middle Eastern countries; European imitation of this led to the sense ‘low flat sofa or bed’ (late 19th cent.).

divaricate /dʌɪˈvarɪkeɪt, dɪˈvarɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹technical› ‹literary› stretch or spread apart; diverge widely

• her crow's feet are divaricating like deltas.

II. adjective

[Botany] (of a branch) coming off the stem almost at a right angle.

III. derivatives

divarication /dʌɪvarɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n, dɪvarɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin divaricat- ‘stretched apart’, from the verb divaricare, from di- (expressing intensive force) + varicare ‘stretch the legs apart’ (from varicus ‘straddling’).

dive /dʌɪv/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [with adverbial of direction] — plunge head first into water with one's arms raised over one's head

• she walked to the deep end, then she dived in

• he dived off the bridge for a bet.

2. (of a fish or submarine) go to a deeper level in water

• the fish dive down to about 1,400 feet.

3. swim under water using breathing equipment

• he had been diving in the area to test equipment.

4. (of an aircraft or bird) plunge steeply downwards through the air

• arctic skuas which dive at your head as you walk near their territories.

5. move quickly or suddenly in a specified direction

• a bullet passed close to his head and he dived for cover

• (as adj. diving) he scored with a diving header.

6. (of prices or profits) drop suddenly

• profits before tax dived by 61 per cent.

7. ‹informal› put one's hand quickly into a pocket or bag in order to find something

• she dived into her bag and extracted a card.

8. [Soccer] ‹informal› (of a player) deliberately fall when challenged in order to deceive the referee into awarding a foul.

• Stein was booked for diving.

II. noun

1. a plunge head first into water

• he hit the sea in a shallow dive.

2. an instance of swimming or going deeper under water

• divers should have a good intake of fluid before each dive.

3. a steep descent by an aircraft or bird

• the jumbo jet went into a dive.

4. a sudden movement in a specified direction

• she made a dive for the fridge to quench her thirst.

5. a sudden marked fall in prices or profits

• an 11 per cent dive in profits.

6. [Soccer] ‹informal› a deliberate fall by a player, intended to deceive the referee into awarding a foul.

7. (also dive bar) — (US) ‹informal› a shabby or sleazy bar or similar establishment

• he got into a fight in some dive

• a detective story set in the smoky clubs and dive bars of 1940s Los Angeles.

III. phrases

take a dive

a. [Boxing] pretend to be knocked down or out.

b. (of prices, hopes, fortunes, etc.) fall suddenly

• profits could take a dive as easily as they could soar.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. dive in

help oneself to food.

2. dive into

occupy oneself suddenly and enthusiastically with (a meal, or an engrossing subject or activity)

• I'm not quite ready to dive into that discussion.

– origin Old English dūfan ‘dive, sink’ and dȳfan ‘immerse’, of Germanic origin; related to deep and dip.

dive-bomb /ˈdʌɪvbɒm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. bomb (a target) while diving steeply downwards in an aircraft

• planes were dive-bombing the aerodrome.

2. (of a bird or flying insect) attack (something) by swooping down on it

• the crow folded its wings and dive-bombed the vulture.

II. derivatives

dive-bomber /ˈdʌɪvˌbɒmə /

noun

divemaster

noun

a person who is in charge of an underwater diving expedition.

diver /ˈdʌɪvə/

noun

1. a person who dives as a sport

• an Olympic diver.

2. a person who wears a diving suit to work under water

• a police diver.

3. a large diving waterbird of northern latitudes, with a sleek black or grey head, a straight pointed bill, and short legs set far back under the body. Called loon^2 in North America.
●Family Gaviidae and genus Gavia: five species, including the great northern diver or common loon ( G. immer) of both Canada and Eurasia.

diverge /dʌɪˈvəːdʒ, dɪˈvəːdʒ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a road, route, or line) separate from another route and go in a different direction

• the flight path diverged from the original flight plan

• ‹figurative› their ways had diverged at university.

2. (of an opinion, theory, or approach) differ

• the coverage by the columnists diverged from that in the main news stories

• (as adj. diverging) diverging concepts of nation-building.

3. ( diverge from) — depart from (a set course or standard)

• suddenly he diverged from his text.

4. develop in a different direction

• English Gothic architecture began to diverge from that on the Continent.

5. [Mathematics] (of a series) increase indefinitely as more of its terms are added.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin divergere, from Latin dis- ‘in two ways’ + vergere ‘to turn or incline’.

divergence /dʌɪˈvəːdʒ(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process or state of diverging

• the divergence between primates and other groups.

2. [ count noun] — a difference in opinions, interests, etc.

• a fundamental divergence of attitude.

3. [ count noun] — a place where airflows or ocean currents diverge, typically marked by downwelling (of air) or upwelling (of water).

4. [Mathematics] the scalar product of the operator del and a given vector, which gives a measure of the quantity of flux emanating from any point of the vector field or the rate of loss of mass, heat, etc., from it.

divergent /dʌɪˈvəːdʒ(ə)nt, dɪˈvəːdʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. tending to be different or develop in different directions

• divergent interpretations

• varieties of English can remain astonishingly divergent from one another.

2. [Psychology] (of thought) using a variety of premises, especially unfamiliar premises, as bases for inference, and avoiding common limiting assumptions in making deductions.

• divergent thinking.

3. [Mathematics] (of a series) increasing indefinitely as more of its terms are added.

II. derivatives

1. divergency

noun

2. divergently

adverb

divers /ˈdʌɪvəz/

I. adjective

‹archaic› ‹literary› of varying types; several

• in divers places.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin diversus ‘diverse’, from divertere ‘turn in separate ways’ (see divert).

diverse /dʌɪˈvəːs, ˈdʌɪvəːs/

I. adjective

showing a great deal of variety; very different

• a culturally diverse population

• subjects as diverse as architecture, language teaching, and the physical sciences.

II. derivatives

diversely

adverb

– origin Middle English: variant of divers.

diversification /dʌɪvəːsɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of making or becoming more diverse or varied

• growers should start planning diversification of crops

• studies have examined the diversification of plant species in Asia.

2. the process of a company enlarging or varying its range of products or field of operation

• the company is benefiting from geographical diversification

• diversification into other markets is worth exploring.

diversify /dʌɪˈvəːsɪfʌɪ, dɪˈvəːsɪfʌɪ/

I. verb

1. make or become more diverse or varied
[no obj.]

• the trilobites diversified into a great number of species

• [with obj.] new plants will diversify the habitat.

2. [no obj.] — (of a company) enlarge or vary its range of products or field of operation

• the company expanded rapidly and diversified into computers.

3. [with obj.] (often as adj. diversified) — enlarge or vary the range of products or the field of operation of (a company)

• the rise of the diversified corporation.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘show diversity’): via Old French from medieval Latin diversificare ‘make dissimilar’, from Latin diversus, past participle of divertere (see divert).

diversion /dʌɪˈvəːʃ(ə)n, dɪˈvəːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of turning something aside from its course

• the diversion of resources from defence to civil research.

2. the action of reallocating something

• the diversion of funds to the Contras.

3. [ count noun] — (Brit.) an alternative route for use by traffic when the usual road is temporarily closed

• the road was closed and diversions put into operation.

4. an activity that diverts the mind from tedious or serious concerns; a recreation or pastime

• our chief diversion was reading

• [ mass noun] people in search of diversion.

5. something intended to distract attention from something more important

• a subsidiary raid was carried out on the airfield to create a diversion.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin diversio(n-), from Latin divertere ‘turn aside’ (see divert).

diversionary /dɪˈvəːʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/

adjective

1. intended to distract attention from something more important

• her comments are easy to dismiss as a diversionary tactic

• he mounted a diversionary attack on the Labour party.

2. denoting a recreational activity that diverts the mind

• playing snooker was a popular diversionary activity

• a coffee break and diversionary chat with Paul.

3. having the effect of turning something aside from its course

• the challenge of lowering the lake isn't just technical—diversionary tunnels could drain it.

4. (Brit.) denoting an alternative route for use by traffic when the usual road is temporarily closed

• motorists are advised to follow the signed diversionary route.

diversity /dʌɪˈvəːsɪti, dɪˈvəːsɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being diverse

• there was considerable diversity in the style of the reports.

2. [in sing.] — a range of different things

• newspapers were obliged to allow a diversity of views to be printed.

– origin Middle English: from Old French diversite, from Latin diversitas, from diversus ‘diverse’, past participle of divertere ‘turn aside’ (see divert).

divert /dʌɪˈvəːt, dɪˈvəːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone or something) to change course or turn from one direction to another

• a scheme to divert water from the river to irrigate agricultural land.

2. [no obj.] — (of a vehicle or person) change course

• an aircraft has diverted and will be with you shortly.

3. reallocate (money or resources) to a different purpose

• more of their advertising budget was diverted into promotions.

4. distract (someone) from something

• she managed to divert Rose from the dangerous topic of Lady Usk.

5. (usu. as adj. diverting) — draw the attention of (someone) away from tedious or serious concerns; entertain or amuse

• a diverting book.

II. derivatives

divertingly

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via French from Latin divertere, from di- ‘aside’ + vertere ‘to turn’.

diverticula /dʌɪvəˈtɪkjʊlə/

plural form of diverticulum.

diverticular /ˌdʌɪvəˈtɪkjʊlə/

adjective

[Medicine] relating to diverticula.

diverticular disease

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a condition in which muscle spasm in the colon (lower intestine) in the presence of diverticula causes abdominal pain and disturbance of bowel function without inflammation.

diverticulitis /ˌdʌɪvətɪkjʊˈlʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of a diverticulum, especially in the colon, causing pain and disturbance of bowel function.
Compare with diverticulosis.

diverticulosis /ˌdʌɪvətɪkjʊˈləʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which diverticula are present in the intestine without signs of inflammation.
Compare with diverticulitis.

diverticulum /ˌdʌɪvəˈtɪkjʊləm/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] [Zoology] a blind tube leading from a cavity or passage.

2. [Medicine] an abnormal sac or pouch formed at a weak point in the wall of the alimentary tract.

– origin early 19th cent.: from medieval Latin, variant of Latin deverticulum ‘byway’, from devertere ‘turn down or aside’.

divertimento /dɪˌvəːtɪˈmɛntəʊ, dɪˌvɛːtɪˈmɛntəʊ/

I. noun

[Music] a light and entertaining composition, typically one in the form of a suite for chamber orchestra.

– origin mid 18th cent. (denoting a diversion or amusement): Italian, literally ‘diversion’.

divertissement /dɪˈvəːtɪsmənt, ˌdiːvɛːˈtiːsmɒ̃/

I. noun

1. a minor entertainment or diversion

• the intellectual divertissements of working men.

2. [Ballet] a short dance within a ballet that displays a dancer's technical skill without advancing the plot or character development.

– origin early 18th cent. (specifically denoting a short ballet): French, from divertiss-, stem of divertir, from Latin divertere ‘turn in separate ways’.

Dives /ˈdʌɪviːz/

I. noun

‹literary› used to refer to a typical or hypothetical rich man

• there must be rich and poor, Dives says, smacking his claret.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin, used in the Vulgate translation of the Bible (Luke 16).

divest /dʌɪˈvɛst, dɪˈvɛst/

I. verb — [with obj.] ( divest someone/thing of)

1. deprive someone of (power, rights, or possessions)

• men are unlikely to be divested of power without a struggle.

2. deprive something of (a particular quality)

• he has divested the original play of its charm.

3. rid oneself of (a business interest or investment)

• the government's policy of divesting itself of state holdings.

4. ‹dated› ‹humorous› relieve someone of (a garment)

• she divested him of his coat.

– origin early 17th cent.: alteration of devest, from Old French desvestir, from des- (expressing removal) + Latin vestire (from vestis ‘garment’).

divestiture /dʌɪˈvɛstɪtʃə, dɪˈvɛstɪtʃə / divesture

I. noun

another term for divestment.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin divestit- ‘divested’ (from the verb divestire) + -ure.

divestment /dʌɪˈvɛstm(ə)nt, dɪˈvɛstm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of selling off subsidiary business interests or investments

• the importance of divestment

• [ count noun] proceeds from divestments.

divey /ˈdʌɪvi/

I. adjective

(US) ‹informal› (of a bar or similar establishment) shabby or sleazy

• the bar is kind of divey and but the service was good

• it's a divey joint with a few stools along a small counter.

– origin 1950s: from dive (sense 3 of the noun).

divide /dɪˈvʌɪd/

I. verb

1. separate or be separated into parts
[with obj.]

• consumer magazines can be divided into a number of categories

• [no obj.] the cell clusters began to divide rapidly.

2. [with obj.] — separate (something) into portions and share out among a number of people

• Jack divided up the rest of the cash

• profits from his single were divided between a number of charities.

3. [with obj.] — allocate (different parts of one's time or efforts) to different activities or places

• the last years of her life were divided between Bermuda and Paris.

4. [with obj.] — form a boundary between (two people or things)

• glass panels divide the bar from the TV room.

5. (of a legislative assembly) separate or be separated into two groups for voting
[no obj.]

• the House divided: Ayes 287, Noes 196

• [with obj.] the Party decided to put down an amendment and thus divide the House.

6. disagree or cause to disagree
[with obj.]

• the question had divided Frenchmen since the Revolution

• (as adj. divided) a divided party leadership

• [no obj.] cities where politicians frequently divide along racial lines.

7. [with obj.] — [Mathematics] find how many times (a number) contains another

• 36 divided by 2 equals 18.

8. [no obj.] — (of a number) be susceptible of division without a remainder

• 30 does not divide by 8.

9. find how many times (a number) is contained in another

• divide 4 into 20.

10. [no obj.] — (of a number) be contained in a number without a remainder

• 3 divides into 15.

II. noun

1. a difference or disagreement between two groups, typically producing tension

• there was still a profound cultural divide between the parties.

2. a boundary between two things

• symbolically, the difference of sex is a divide.

3. (chiefly US) a ridge or line of high ground forming the division between two valleys or river systems.

III. phrases

1. divide and rule (or conquer)

the policy of maintaining control over one's subordinates or opponents by encouraging dissent between them, thereby preventing them from uniting in opposition.

• the politics of divide and rule in society.

2. divided against itself

(of a group which should be coherent) split by factional interests

• the regime is profoundly divided against itself.

– origin Middle English (as a verb): from Latin dividere ‘force apart, remove’. The noun dates from the mid 17th cent.

divided highway

noun

(N. Amer.) a dual carriageway.

divided skirt

noun

‹dated› culottes.

dividend /ˈdɪvɪdɛnd/

I. noun

1. a sum of money paid regularly (typically annually) by a company to its shareholders out of its profits (or reserves).

2. a payment divided among a number of people, e.g. winners in a football pool or members of a cooperative.

3. an individual's share of a dividend.

4. ( dividends) — a benefit from an action or policy

• buying a rail pass may still pay dividends.

5. [Mathematics] a number to be divided by another number.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the general sense ‘portion, share’): from Anglo-Norman French dividende, from Latin dividendum ‘something to be divided’, from the verb dividere (see divide).

dividend cover

noun

the ratio of a company's net profits to the total sum allotted in dividends to ordinary shareholders.

dividend warrant

noun

a document that shows that a shareholder is entitled to a dividend.

dividend yield

noun

a dividend expressed as a percentage of a current share price.

• the firm has a dividend yield of only 2.66 per cent.

divider /dɪˈvʌɪdə/

noun

1. a person or thing that divides a whole into parts.

2. (also room divider) — a screen or piece of furniture that divides a room into two parts.

3. an issue on which opinions are divided

• on the Labour side, the big divider was still nuclear weapons.

4. ( dividers) — a measuring compass, especially one with a screw for making fine adjustments.

dividing line

noun

1. the boundary between two areas.

• the dividing line between eastern and western zones.

2. a distinction or set of distinctions marking the difference between two things that are closely related

• the smudged dividing line between drama and reality.

dividing range

noun

(Austral./NZ) a stretch of high country that separates adjacent river systems

• the area is bounded on the north by the rocky dividing range.

divi-divi /ˈdɪvɪˌdɪvi/

I. noun

1. a small tropical American tree of the pea family.
● Caesalpinia coriaria, family Leguminosae.

2. [ mass noun] — the curled pods of the divi-divi tree, used as a source of tannin.

– origin mid 19th cent.: via American Spanish from Carib.

divination /ˌdɪvɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means.

• the Celtic art of divination.

• [ count noun] the mediums are hired to perform divinations.

II. derivatives

divinatory

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin divinatio(n-), from divinare ‘predict’ (see divine^2).

divine^1 /dɪˈvʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. of or like God or a god

• heroes with divine powers

• paintings of shipwrecks being prevented by divine intervention.

2. devoted to God; sacred

• divine liturgy.

3. ‹informal› very pleasing; delightful

• he had the most divine smile.

II. noun

1. ‹dated› a cleric or theologian.

2. ( the Divine) — providence or God.

III. derivatives

divineness

noun

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin divinus, from divus ‘godlike’ (related to deus ‘god’).

divine^2 /dɪˈvʌɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. discover (something) by guesswork or intuition

• mum had divined my state of mind

• [with clause] they had divined that he was a fake.

2. have supernatural or magical insight into (future events)

• frauds who claimed to divine the future in chickens' entrails.

3. discover (water) by dowsing.

• he showed him how to divine water.

II. derivatives

diviner /dɪˈvʌɪnə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French deviner ‘predict’, from Latin divinare, from divinus (see divine^1).

divinely /dɪˈvʌɪnli/

adverb

1. by the power of God or a god

• he regards the Bible as divinely inspired

• the idea of a divinely created universe.

2. ‹informal› in a very pleasing or delightful way

• you dance divinely

• [as submodifier] a divinely beautiful young woman.

divine right of kings

noun

the doctrine that kings derive their authority from God not their subjects, from which it follows that rebellion is the worst of political crimes. It was enunciated in Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries under the Stuarts and is also associated with the absolutism of Louis XIV of France.

divine service

noun — [ mass noun]

1. public Christian worship.

diving /ˈdʌɪvɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport or activity of swimming or exploring under water.

2. the sport or activity of diving into water from a diving board.

diving beetle

noun

a predatory water beetle which has fringed back legs for swimming and which stores air under its wing cases while diving.
●Family Dytiscidae: numerous genera and species, including the great diving beetle ( Dytiscus marginalis).

diving bell

noun

an open-bottomed chamber supplied with air, in which a person can be let down under water.

diving board

noun

an elevated board projecting over a swimming pool or other body of water, from which people dive or jump in.

• a few children were jumping off the diving board.

diving duck

noun

a duck of a type which dives under water for food, such as the pochard, scaup, tufted duck, and goldeneye. Compare with dabbling duck.
●Tribes Aythyini and Mergini, family Anatidae: several genera, in particular Aythya and Bucephala.

diving suit

noun

a watertight suit, typically with a helmet and an air supply, worn for working or exploring deep under water.

divining rod

noun

a stick or rod used for dowsing.

divinity /dɪˈvɪnɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or quality of being divine

• Christ's divinity.

2. [ count noun] — a divine being; a god or goddess

• busts of Roman divinities.

3. ( the Divinity) — God.

4. the study of religion; theology

• a doctor of divinity.

– origin Middle English: from Old French divinite, from Latin divinitas, from divinus ‘belonging to a deity’ (see divine^1).

divinize /ˈdɪvɪnʌɪz / divinise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) divine; deify.

• this brush with death seems to have divinized her.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French diviniser, from divin ‘divine’.

divisi /dɪˈviːsi/

I. adjective

a musical direction indicating that a section of players should be divided into two or more groups each playing a different part
[ postpositive]

• violas divisi.

II. noun

a divisi passage of music.

– origin Italian, literally ‘divided’ (plural), from dividere ‘to divide’.

divisible /dɪˈvɪzɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. capable of being divided

• the marine environment is divisible into a number of areas.

2. [Mathematics] (of a number) containing another number a number of times without a remainder

• 24 is divisible by 4.

II. derivatives

divisibility /dɪvɪzɪˈbɪlɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin divisibilis, from divis- ‘divided’, from the verb dividere (see divide).

division /dɪˈvɪʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of separating something into parts or the process of being separated

• the division of the land into small fields

• a gene that helps regulate cell division.

2. the distribution of something separated into parts

• the division of his estates between the two branches of his family.

3. [ count noun] — an instance of members of a legislative body separating into two groups to vote

• the new clause was agreed without a division.

4. [Logic] the action of dividing a wider class into two or more subclasses.

5. difference or disagreement between two or more groups, typically producing tension

• a growing sense of division between north and south

• [ count noun] a country with ethnic and cultural divisions.

6. the process of dividing one number by another.

• no multiplication or division is necessary.

7. [Mathematics] the process of dividing a matrix, vector, or other quantity by another under specific rules to obtain a quotient.

8. [ count noun] — each of the parts into which something is divided

• the main divisions of the book.

9. a major section of an organization, with responsibility for a particular area of activity

• a retail division.

10. a group of army brigades or regiments

• an infantry division.

11. a number of teams or competitors grouped together in a sport for competitive purposes according to such characteristics as ability or weight

• the club will finish second in Division One.

12. a part of a county, country, or city defined for administrative or political purposes

• a licensing division of a district.

13. (Brit.) a part of a county or borough forming a parliamentary constituency.

• he was MP for the Lancaster division of North Lancashire.

14. [Botany] a principal taxonomic category that ranks above class and below kingdom, equivalent to the phylum in zoology.

15. [Zoology] any subsidiary category between major levels of classification.

16. [ count noun] — a partition

• the villagers lived in a communal building and there were no solid divisions between neighbours.

II. phrases

division of labour /dɪˌvɪʒ(ə)n əv ˈleɪbə /

the assignment of different parts of a manufacturing process or task to different people in order to improve efficiency.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French devisiun, from Latin divisio(n-), from the verb dividere (see divide).

divisional /dɪˈvɪʒənl/

I. adjective

1. relating to an organizational or administrative division

• a divisional manager.

2. forming a partition

• divisional walls.

II. derivatives

divisionally

adverb

divisionalize /dɪˈvɪʒ(ə)n(ə)lʌɪz / divisionalise

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. divisionalized)

1. subdivide (an organization) into a number of divisions

• a large divisionalized Western corporation.

II. derivatives

divisionalization

noun

divisional van

noun

(Austral.) a vehicle in which police officers transport people they have arrested

• he is escorted to a waiting divisional van.

division bell

noun

(in Britain) a bell rung in Parliament to announce an imminent division.

divisionism

noun

another term for pointillism.

division sign

noun

the sign ÷, placed between two numbers showing that the first is to be divided by the second, as in 6 ÷ 3 = 2.

divisive /dɪˈvʌɪsɪv/

I. adjective

tending to cause disagreement or hostility between people

• the highly divisive issue of abortion.

II. derivatives

divisively

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a noun denoting something that divides or separates): from late Latin divisivus, from Latin dividere (see divide).

divisiveness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tendency to cause disagreement or hostility between people

• transparency will enhance development rather than social divisiveness.

divisor /dɪˈvʌɪzə/

I. noun

1. [Mathematics] a number by which another number is to be divided.

2. [Mathematics] a number that divides into another without a remainder.

• the greatest common divisor.

– origin late Middle English: from French diviseur or Latin divisor, from dividere (see divide).

divorce /dɪˈvɔːs/

I. noun

1. the legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other competent body

• her divorce from her first husband

• [ mass noun] one in three marriages ends in divorce.

2. a legal decree dissolving a marriage.

• my divorce comes through in two weeks.

3. [in sing.] — a separation between things which were or ought to be connected

• a divorce between ownership and control in the typical large company.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. legally dissolve one's marriage with (someone)

• she divorced him in 1965

• [no obj.] they divorced eight years later.

2. separate or dissociate (something) from something else, typically with an undesirable effect

• religion cannot be divorced from morality.

3. ( divorce oneself from) — dissociate oneself from (something)

• a desire to divorce myself from history.

III. derivatives

divorcement /dɪˈvɔːsm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late Middle English: the noun from Old French divorce, from Latin divortium, based on divertere (see divert); the verb from Old French divorcer, from late Latin divortiare, from divortium.

divorcee /ˌdɪvɔːˈsiː/

I. noun

a divorced person.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French divorcé(e) ‘divorced man (or woman)’.

divot /ˈdɪvət/

I. noun

1. a piece of turf cut out of the ground by a golf club in making a stroke or by a sports player's boot.

• he hit a wedge shot and carved a hefty divot out of the fairway.

2. a small hole made by the removal of a divot.

• if your ball finds a divot to rest in.

3. (chiefly Scottish) a piece of turf, as formerly used for roofing cottages.

– origin early 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

divulge /dʌɪˈvʌldʒ, dɪˈvʌldʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make known (private or sensitive information)

• I am too much of a gentleman to divulge her age.

II. derivatives

1. divulgation /dʌɪvʌlˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n, dɪvʌlˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. divulgence

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘announce publicly’): from Latin divulgare, from di- ‘widely’ + vulgare ‘publish’ (from vulgus ‘common people’).

divvy^1 /ˈdɪvi / ‹informal›

I. noun

(Brit.) a dividend or share, especially of profits earned by a cooperative

• the divvy is being held at 8.8p.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. share out

• they divvied up the proceeds.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation of dividend.

divvy^2 /ˈdɪvi / ‹Brit. informal›

I. noun

a foolish or stupid person.

II. adjective

foolish; stupid.

– origin 1970s: of unknown origin.

Diwali /dɪˈwɑːli / Divali

I. noun

a Hindu festival with lights, held in the period October to November. It is particularly associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and marks the beginning of the financial year in India.

– origin from Hindi dīvālī, from Sanskrit dīpāvali ‘row of lights’, from dīpā ‘lamp’ + vali ‘row’.

diwan /dɪˈwɑːn / dewan

I. noun

1. (in Islamic societies) a central finance department, chief administrative office, or regional governing body.

2. ‹historical› a chief treasury official, finance minister, or Prime Minister in some Indian states.

– origin Urdu, from Persian dīwān ‘fiscal register’; compare with divan.

dixie /ˈdɪksi/

I. noun

a large iron cooking pot used by campers or soldiers.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Hindi degcī ‘cooking pot’, from Persian degča, diminutive of deg ‘pot’.

Dixie /ˈdɪksi/

I. an informal name for the Southern states of the US. It was used in the song ‘Dixie’ (1859), a marching song popular with Confederate soldiers in the American Civil War.

II. phrases

whistle Dixie

(US) engage in unrealistic fantasies; waste one's time.

• until you nail that down, you're just whistling Dixie—you're in a real mess.

Dixiecrat /ˈdɪksɪkrat/

noun

(US) ‹informal› any of the Southern Democrats who seceded from the party in 1948 in opposition to its policy of extending civil rights.

Dixieland /ˈdɪksɪland/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of jazz with a strong two-beat rhythm and collective improvisation, which originated in New Orleans in the early 20th century.

DIY /diːʌɪˈwʌɪ / ‹chiefly Brit.›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of decorating, building, and making fixtures and repairs at home by oneself rather than employing a professional.

• DIY avoids the difficult relationship between householder and professional decorator.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. relating to DIY

• a DIY store.

2. done in person by someone without the relevant qualifications

• we intend to have DIY funerals.

III. derivatives

DIY'er /diːʌɪˈwʌɪə /

noun

– origin 1950s: abbreviation of do-it-yourself.

diya /ˈdiːjə/

I. noun

(Indian) a small cup-shaped oil lamp made of baked clay.

• I was glad she used diyas instead of electrical lighting.

– origin from Hindi dīyā.

Diyarbakir /dɪˈjɑːbəˌkɪə/

a city in SE Turkey, capital of a province of the same name; pop. 592,600 (est. 2007).

dizygotic /ˌdʌɪzʌɪˈɡɒtɪk/

adjective

(of twins) derived from two separate ova, and so not identical.

dizygous /dʌɪˈzʌɪɡəs/

adjective

another term for dizygotic.

dizziness /ˈdɪzɪnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sensation of spinning around and losing one's balance

• the medicine can cause dizziness or nausea.

dizzy /ˈdɪzi/

I. adjective

1. having or involving a sensation of spinning around and losing one's balance

• Jonathan had begun to suffer dizzy spells

• ‹figurative› he looked around, dizzy with happiness.

2. causing a spinning sensation

• a sheer, dizzy drop

• ‹figurative› a dizzy range of hues.

3. ‹informal› (of a woman) silly

• a dizzy blonde.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. dizzying)

1. make (someone) feel unsteady, confused, or amazed

• the dizzying rate of change

• her nearness dizzied him.

III. phrases

the dizzy heights

‹informal› a position of great importance

• the dizzy heights of TV stardom.

IV. derivatives

dizzily /ˈdɪzɪli /

adverb

– origin Old English dysig ‘foolish’, of West Germanic origin; related to Low German dusig, dösig ‘giddy’ and Old High German tusic ‘foolish, weak’.

dizzy-making

adjective

causing dizziness or disorientation

• unsettling, dizzy-making sensations.

DJ^1 /ˈdiːdʒeɪ/

I. noun

1. a person who introduces and plays recorded popular music on radio

• he was the only DJ to play our last release on the radio.

2. a person who plays recorded dance music at a club or party

• a DJ will spin tunes.

3. a person who uses samples of recorded music to make dance or rap music.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. play recorded music on radio or at a club or party

• he DJ'ed for 5 hours non-stop.

– origin 1940s: abbreviation of disc jockey.

DJ^2 /ˈdiːdʒeɪ/

noun

(Brit.) a dinner jacket.

djellaba /ˈdʒɛləbə / djellabah, jellaba

I. noun

a loose hooded woollen robe or cloak of a kind traditionally worn by Arabs.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Moroccan Arabic jellāba, jellābiyya.

djembe /ˈʒɛmbə, ˈʒɛmbeɪ/

I. noun

a kind of goblet-shaped hand drum originating in West Africa.

– origin French djembé, from Mande jembe.

Djerba /ˈdʒəːbə / Jerba

a resort island in the Gulf of Gabès off the coast of Tunisia.

DJF

abbreviation

Djiboutian franc(s).

Djibouti /dʒɪˈbuːti / Jibuti

I.
1. a country on the NE coast of Africa; pop. 724,600 (est. 2009); languages, Arabic (official), French (official), Somali and other Cushitic languages.

2. the capital of Djibouti, a port at the western end of the Gulf of Aden; pop. 583,000 (est. 2007).

The territory became a French protectorate under the name of French Somaliland in 1897. It was renamed the French Territory of the Afars and Issas in 1946, the Afars and the Issas forming the two main ethnic groups. In 1977 the country achieved independence as the Republic of Djibouti.

II. derivatives

Djiboutian

adjective, noun

DK

abbreviation

Denmark (international vehicle registration).

DKK

abbreviation

Danish krone(s).

dkl

abbreviation

(US) dekaliter(s).

dkm

abbreviation

(US) dekameter(s).

dl

abbreviation

decilitre(s).

DL

abbreviation

1. Deputy Lieutenant.

2. (N. Amer.) disabled list, a list of injured sports players who are temporarily unable to play.

• he goes on the 15-day DL because of circulatory problems.

D-layer

I. noun

the lowest layer of the ionosphere, able to reflect low-frequency radio waves.

– origin 1930s: from an arbitrary use of the letter D.

DLitt

I. abbreviation

Doctor of Letters.

– origin from Latin Doctor Litterarum.

DLL

abbreviation

[Computing] dynamic linked library, a collection of subroutines stored on disk, which can be loaded into memory and executed when accessed by a running program.

D-lock

noun

a mechanism used to secure a bicycle or motorbike when parked, consisting of a U-shaped bar which is locked to a crosspiece of solid metal.

dlr

abbreviation

dollar.

dm

abbreviation

decimetre(s).

DM

abbreviation

Deutschmark.

• an annual fee of DM200.

DMA

abbreviation

direct memory access, a method allowing a peripheral device to transfer data to or from the memory of a computer system using operations not under the control of the central processor.

D-mark

noun

short for Deutschmark.

DMD

abbreviation

Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

DMs

abbreviation

Dr Martens.

DMSO

abbreviation

[Chemistry] dimethyl sulphoxide.

DMU

abbreviation

(Brit.) diesel multiple unit (train).

DMus

abbreviation

Doctor of Music.

DMV

abbreviation

(in the US) Department of Motor Vehicles.

DMZ

abbreviation

(N. Amer.) demilitarized zone, an area from which warring parties agree to remove their military forces.

DNA /diːɛnˈeɪ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material which is present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information.
Each molecule of DNA consists of two strands coiled round each other to form a double helix, a structure like a spiral ladder. Each rung of the ladder consists of a pair of chemical groups called bases (of which there are four types), which combine in specific pairs so that the sequence on one strand of the double helix is complementary to that on the other: it is the specific sequence of bases which constitutes the genetic information.

2. [Biochemistry] the fundamental and distinctive characteristics or qualities of someone or something, especially when regarded as unchangeable

• diversity is part of the company's DNA

• men just don't get shopping—it's not in our DNA.

DNA fingerprinting DNA profiling

noun

another term for genetic fingerprinting.

DNase /ˌdiːɛnˈeɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an enzyme which catalyses the hydrolysis of DNA into oligonucleotides and smaller molecules.
Also called deoxyribonuclease.

– origin 1940s: from DNA + -ase.

DNA virus

noun

a virus in which the genetic information is stored in the form of DNA (as opposed to RNA).

DNB

abbreviation

Dictionary of National Biography.

Dnieper /ˈdniːpə/

a river of eastern Europe, rising in Russia west of Moscow and flowing southwards some 2,200 km (1,370 miles) through Ukraine to the Black Sea. Ukrainian name Dnipro /dniːˈprəʊ/.

Dniester /ˈdniːstə/

a river of eastern Europe, rising in the Carpathian Mountains in western Ukraine and flowing 1,410 km (876 miles) to the Black Sea near Odessa. Russian name Dnestr /dnʲiˈster/.

Dniprodzerzhinsk /ˌdniːprədzəːˈʒɪnsk/

an industrial city and river port in Ukraine, on the River Dnieper; pop. 245,100 (est. 2009).
Former name (until 1936) Kamenskoye.

Dnipropetrovsk /ˌdniːprəpɛˈtrɒfsk/

an industrial city and river port in Ukraine, on the River Dnieper; pop. 1,017,500 (est. 2009). It was known as Yekaterinoslav (Ekaterinoslav) until 1926. Russian name Dnepropetrovsk /ˌdɲɪprəpɪˈtrɔfsk/.

D-notice

I. noun

(Brit.) a government notice issued to news editors requiring them not to publicize certain information for reasons of national security.

– origin Second World War: D for defence.

DNR

abbreviation

1. (in the US) Department of Natural Resources.

2. do not resuscitate, denoting an instruction not to attempt the resuscitation of a terminally ill patient after cardiac arrest in hospital.

DNS

abbreviation

1. [Computing] domain name server, the system that automatically translates Internet addresses to the numeric machine addresses that computers use.

2. [Computing] domain name system, the hierarchical method by which Internet addresses are constructed.

do^1 /duː/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — perform (an action, the precise nature of which is often unspecified)

• something must be done about the city's traffic

• she knew what she was doing

• what can I do for you?

• Brian was looking at the girl, and had been doing so for most of the hearing.

2. perform (a particular task)

• Dad always did the washing up on Sundays.

3. work on (something) to bring it to completion or to a required state

• it takes them longer to do their hair than me

• she's the secretary and does the publicity.

4. [no obj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› do the cleaning for a person or household

• Florrie usually did for the Shermans in the mornings.

5. make or have available and provide

• many hotels don't do single rooms at all

• [with two objs] he decided to do her a pastel sketch of himself.

6. solve; work out

• Joe was doing sums aloud.

7. cook (food) to completion or to a specified degree

• if a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean, then your pie is done.

8. (often in questions) work at for a living

• what does she do?

9. learn or study; take as one's subject

• I'm doing English, German, and History.

10. produce or give a performance of (a particular play, opera, etc.)

• the Royal Shakespeare Company are doing Macbeth next month.

11. ‹informal› imitate (a particular person) in order to entertain people

• he not only does Schwarzenegger and Groucho, he becomes them.

12. ‹informal› take (a narcotic drug)

• he doesn't smoke, drink, or do drugs.

13. attend to (someone)

• the barber said he'd do me next.

14. ‹vulgar slang› have sexual intercourse with.

15. ( do it) — ‹informal› have sexual intercourse.

• I only ever did it in the missionary position.

16. ( do it) — ‹informal› urinate or defecate.

17. [with obj.] — achieve or complete, in particular:

18. travel (a specified distance)

• one car I looked at had done 112,000 miles.

19. travel at (a specified speed)

• I was speeding, doing seventy-five.

20. make (a particular journey)

• last time I did Oxford–York return by train it was £50.

21. ‹informal› visit as a tourist, especially in a superficial or hurried way

• the Americans are allotted only a day to do the Yorkshire Moors.

22. spend (a specified period of time) in prison or in a particular occupation

• he did five years for manslaughter

• Peter has done thirteen years in the RAF.

23. [no obj.] — ‹informal› finish

• you must sit there and wait till I've done

• [with present participle] we've done arguing.

24. ( be done) — be over

• the special formula continues to beautify your tan when the day is done.

25. ( be/have done with) — (Brit.) give up concern for; have finished with

• I should sell the place and be done with it

• Steve was not done with her.

26. [no obj., with adverbial] — act or behave in a specified way

• they are free to do as they please

• you did well to bring her back.

27. make progress or perform in a specified way; get on or fare

• when a team is doing badly, it's not easy for a new player to settle in

• Mrs Walters, how're you doing?

28. [with obj. and complement] — have a specified effect on

• the walk will do me good.

29. [with obj.] — result in

• the years of stagnation did a lot of harm to the younger generation.

30. [no obj.] — be suitable or acceptable

• if he's anything like you, he'll do

• [with obj.] a couple of quid'll do me.

31. suffice or be usable

• a strip of white cotton about 20 yards long did for a fence.

32. [with obj.] — ‹informal› beat up or kill

• one day I'll do him.

33. ( be done) — be ruined

• once you falter, you're done.

34. rob (a place)

• this would be an easy place to do and there was plenty of money lying around.

35. (Brit.) ‹informal› swindle

• a thousand pounds for one set of photos—Jacqui had been done.

36. [with obj.] (usu. be/get done for) — (Brit.) ‹informal› prosecute or convict

• we got done for conspiracy to cause GBH.

II. auxiliary verb

1. used before a verb (except be, can, may, ought, shall, will) in questions and negative statements

• do you have any pets?

• did he see me?

• I don't smoke

• it does not matter.

2. used to make tag questions

• you write poetry, don't you?

• I never seem to say the right thing, do I?

3. used in negative commands

• don't be silly

• do not forget.

4. used to refer back to a verb already mentioned

• he looks better than he did before

• you wanted to enjoy yourself, and you did

• as they get smarter, so do the crooks.

5. used to give emphasis to a positive verb

• I do want to act on this

• he did look tired.

6. used in positive commands to give polite encouragement

• do tell me!

• do sit down.

7. used with inversion of a subject and verb when an adverbial phrase begins a clause for emphasis

• only rarely did they succumb

• not only did the play close, the theatre closed.

III. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a party or other social event

• the soccer club Christmas do.

2. (also 'do) — ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) short for hairdo.

• a bowl-shaped do of perfect silky hair.

3. (also doo) [ mass noun] — ‹informal› excrement

• the air was rancid with the smell of donkey doo.

• ‹figurative› they'll be the first to come begging for help when the do hits the fan.

4. ‹archaic› ‹informal› a swindle or hoax.

IV. phrases

1. be nothing to do with

a. be no business or concern of

• it's my decision—it's nothing to do with you.

b. be unconnected with

• he says his departure is nothing to do with the resignation calls.

2. be to do with

be concerned or connected with

• the problems are usually to do with family tension.

3. do a ——

‹informal› behave in a manner characteristic of (a specified person)

• he did a Garbo after his flop in the play.

4. do battle

enter into a conflict.

• they are about to do battle with Canada's retail food industry.

• I was ready and eager to do battle.

5. don't —— me

‹informal› do not use the word —— to me

• ‘Don't morning me. Where the hell've you been all night?’.

6. do one

[in imperative] — (N. English) ‹informal› go away

• look, just do one, will you!

7. do or die

a. persist, even if death is the result.

• a grim determination to do or die.

b. used to describe a critical situation where one's actions may result in victory or defeat

• the 72nd hole was do or die.

8. dos and don'ts

rules of behaviour

• I have no knowledge of the political dos and don'ts.

9. do well for oneself

become successful or wealthy.

• her friend had done well for herself since she'd moved to London.

10. do well out of

make a profit out of; benefit from

• they're doing well out of scrap metal.

11. have (got) —— to do with

a. be connected with (someone or something) to the extent specified

• John's got nothing to do with that terrible murder.

b. ( have nothing to do with) — have no contact or dealings with

• Billy and his father have had nothing to do with each other for nearly twenty years.

12. it isn't done

(Brit.) used to express the opinion that a particular thing contravenes custom or propriety

• in such a society it is not done to admit to taking religion seriously.

13. it won't do

(Brit.) used to express the opinion that a particular person's behaviour is unsatisfactory and cannot be allowed to continue

• Can't have that kind of talk—I've told you before, it won't do.

14. no you don't!

‹informal› used to indicate that one intends to prevent someone from doing what they were about to do

• Sharon went to get in the taxi. ‘Oh no you don't’, said Steve.

15. that does it!

‹informal› used to indicate that one will not tolerate a particular thing any longer

• That does it! Let's go!

16. that's done it!

‹informal› used to express dismay or anger when something has gone wrong.

V. phrasal verbs

1. do away with ‹informal›

a. put an end to; remove

• the desire to do away with racism.

b. kill

• he didn't have the courage to do away with her.

2. do by

‹dated› treat or deal with in a specified way

• do as you would be done by

• she did well by them.

3. do someone/thing down ‹Brit. informal›

a. get the better of someone, typically in an underhand way.

• if you're a manager trying to do down a colleague, the best way to do it is to flood them with data.

b. criticize someone or something

• they're always moaning and doing British industry down.

4. do for

‹informal› defeat, ruin, or kill

• without that contract we're done for

• it was the cold that did for him in the end.

5. do something (or nothing) for

‹informal› enhance (or detract from) the appearance or quality of

• whatever the new forum does for industry, it certainly does something for the Minister

• that scarf does nothing for you.

6. do someone in ‹informal›

a. kill someone.

• oh my God, she's done him in.

b. ( be done in) — ‹informal› be tired out

• there was 1 minute 4 seconds to play and the Lions were done in.

7. do something in

‹informal› injure something

• I did my back in a few years ago.

8. do someone out of

‹informal› deprive someone of (something) in an underhand or unfair way.

• she was always chasing him about money, as if he was trying to do her out of her share.

9. do something out

(Brit.) ‹informal› decorate or furnish a room or building in a particular style, colour, or material

• the basement is done out in limed oak.

10. do someone over

(Brit.) ‹informal› beat someone up.

• let's do them over and dump them somewhere.

11. do something over

a. (Brit.) ‹informal› ransack a place, especially while searching for something worth stealing.

• Jacqui's flat had been done over—the evidence was all too clear.

b. ‹informal› decorate or furnish a room or building.

• a two-room flat done over by a local designer.

c. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› repeat something

• to absorb the lesson, I had to do it over and over.

12. do up

be able to be fastened

• a shirt so tight that not all of the buttons did up.

13. do someone up

dress someone up, especially in an elaborate or impressive way

• Agnes was all done up in a slinky black number.

14. do something up

a. fasten something

• she drew on her coat and did up the buttons.

b. arrange one's hair in a particular way, especially so as to be pulled back from one's face or shoulders

• her dark hair was done up in a pony tail.

c. wrap something up

• unwieldy packs all done up with string.

d. (Brit.) ‹informal› renovate or redecorate a room or building

• Mrs Hamilton did the place up for letting.

15. do with

a. [with modal] — would find useful or would like to have or do

• I could do with a cup of coffee.

b. ( can't/won't be doing with) — (Brit.) be unwilling to tolerate or be bothered with

• she couldn't be doing with meals for one.

16. do without

a. [with modal] — manage without

• she could do without food for a day.

b. ‹informal› would prefer not to have

• I can do without your carping first thing in the morning.

– origin Old English dōn, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch doen and German tun, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek tithēmi ‘I place’ and Latin facere ‘make, do’.

do^2 /dəʊ/

noun

variant spelling of doh^1.

do. /ˈdɪtəʊ/

abbreviation

‹dated› ditto.

DOA

abbreviation

dead on arrival, used to describe a person who is declared dead immediately upon their arrival at a hospital.

doable /ˈduːəb(ə)l/

adjective

‹informal› within one's powers; feasible

• none of the jobs were fun, but they were doable.

dob /dɒb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ( dob someone in) — (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› inform against someone

• Helen dobbed me in to Mum.

2. [no obj.] ( dob on) — (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› inform on; betray.

3. ( dob something in) — (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› contribute money to a common cause

• everyone dobbed in a few dollars.

4. ( dob someone in) — (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› impose on someone to do something

• I dobbed him in to do the cleaning.

II. derivatives

dobber

noun

– origin 1950s: figurative use of dialect dob ‘put down abruptly’, later ‘throw something at a target’.

d.o.b.

abbreviation

date of birth.

dobbin /ˈdɒbɪn/

I. noun

a pet name for a draught horse or a farm horse.

– origin late 16th cent.: pet form of the given name Robert.

dobby

I. noun

a mechanism attached to a loom for weaving small patterns similar to but simpler than those produced by a Jacquard loom.
[as modifier]

• dobby loom.

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps an application of the given name Dobbie, from Dob (alteration of the given name Rob). The usage is probably an extension of the earlier sense ‘benevolent elf’ (who performed household tasks secretly).

dobe /ˈdəʊbi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) ‹informal› adobe.

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation.

Dobermann /ˈdəʊbəmən / Dobermann pinscher /ˈpɪnʃə/ , ‹chiefly N. Amer.› Doberman

I. noun

a large dog of a German breed with powerful jaws and a smooth coat, typically black with tan markings.

– origin early 20th cent.: from the name of Ludwig Dobermann, 19th-cent. German dog breeder + German Pinscher ‘terrier’.

dobra /ˈdɒbrə/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of São Tomé and Principe, equal to 100 centavos.

– origin from Portuguese dóbra ‘doubloon’.

Dobrich /ˈdɒbrɪtʃ/

a city in NE Bulgaria, the centre for an agricultural region; pop. 93,163 (2008). It was named Tolbukhin 1949–91 after the Soviet marshal Fyodor Ivanovich Tolbukhin.

dobro /ˈdɒbrəʊ/

I. noun

‹trademark› a type of acoustic guitar with steel resonating discs inside the body under the bridge.

– origin 1950s: from Do(pěra) Bro(thers), the Czech-American inventors of the instrument.

Dobruja /ˈdɒbrʊjə/

a district of eastern Romania and NE Bulgaria on the Black Sea coast, bounded on the north and west by the River Danube.

dobsonfly /ˈdɒbs(ə)nflʌɪ/

I. noun

a large grey North American winged insect related to the alderflies. Its predatory aquatic larva (the hellgrammite) is often used as fishing bait.
●Family Corydalidae, order Neuroptera: several genera and species, in particular Corydalis cornutus.

– origin early 20th cent.: of unknown origin.

Dobsonian /dɒbˈsəʊnɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a low-cost Newtonian reflecting telescope with large aperture and short focal length, or the simple altazimuth mount used for it.

– origin 1980s: from the name of John Dobson, American amateur astronomer, + -ian.

Dobson unit DU

I. noun

a unit of measurement for the total amount of ozone in the atmosphere above a point on the earth's surface, one Dobson unit being equivalent to a layer of pure ozone 0.01 mm thick at standard temperature and pressure.

– origin 1980s: from the name of G. M. B. Dobson (1889–1976), British meteorologist.

doc /dɒk/

abbreviation

1. ‹informal› doctor.

2. ‹informal› [Computing] document.

docent /ˈdəʊs(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. (in certain US and European universities and colleges) a member of the teaching staff immediately below professorial rank.

2. a person who acts as a guide, typically on a voluntary basis, in a museum, art gallery, or zoo.

– origin late 19th cent.: via German from Latin docent- ‘teaching’, from docere ‘teach’.

Docetism /dəˈsiːtɪz(ə)m, ˈdəʊsɪˌtɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the doctrine, important in Gnosticism, that Christ's body was not human but either a phantasm or of real but celestial substance, and that therefore his sufferings were only apparent.

II. derivatives

Docetist

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from medieval Latin Docetae (the name, based on Greek dokein ‘seem’, given to a group of 2nd-cent. Christian heretics) + -ism.

docile /ˈdəʊsʌɪl/

I. adjective

ready to accept control or instruction; submissive

• a cheap and docile workforce

• she's a black Labrador, gentle and docile.

II. derivatives

1. docilely /ˈdəʊsʌɪlli /

adverb

2. docility /dəʊˈsɪlɪti /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘apt or willing to learn’): from Latin docilis, from docere ‘teach’.

dock^1 /dɒk/

I. noun

1. an enclosed area of water in a port for the loading, unloading, and repair of ships.

• the boat nosed up to a dock.

• [ mass noun] the tanker was coming into dock.

• [as modifier] dock workers.

2. ( docks) — a group of docks along with wharves and associated buildings.

3. short for dry dock.

4. (N. Amer.) a jetty or pier where a ship may moor.

5. (also loading dock) — a platform for loading lorries or goods trains.

6. a device in which a laptop, smartphone, or other mobile device may be placed for charging, providing access to a power supply and to peripheral devices or auxiliary features; a docking station.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a ship) come into a dock and tie up at a wharf

• the ship docked at Southampton.

2. [with obj.] — bring (a ship or boat) into a dock

• the yard where the boats were docked and maintained.

3. (of a spacecraft) join with a space station or another spacecraft in space.

• most spaceships docked at the orbital transit station.

• the module was scheduled for docking in March.

4. attach (a piece of equipment) to another

• the user wants to dock a portable into a desktop computer.

III. phrases

in dock

a. (of a ship) moored in a dock.

b. (Brit.) ‹informal› (of a person) not fully fit and out of action

• he grazed my arm and put me in dock for a couple of days.

– origin late Middle English: from Middle Dutch, Middle Low German docke, of unknown origin.

dock^2 /dɒk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deduct (something, especially an amount of money or a point in a game)

• the agency enforce payments by docking money from the father's salary

• [with two objs] he was docked a penalty point.

2. cut short (an animal's tail)

• their tails were docked.

II. noun

1. the solid bony or fleshy part of an animal's tail, excluding the hair.

2. the stump left after a tail has been docked.

– origin late Middle English: perhaps related to Frisian dok ‘bunch, ball (of string etc.)’ and German Docke ‘doll’. The original noun sense was ‘the solid part of an animal's tail’, whence the verb sense ‘cut short an animal's tail’, later generalized to ‘reduce, deduct’.

dock^3 /dɒk/

I. noun

the enclosure in a criminal court where a defendant stands or sits

• the nine others in the dock face a combination of charges.

– origin late 16th cent.: probably originally slang and related to Flemish dok ‘chicken coop, rabbit hutch’, of unknown origin.

dock^4 /dɒk/

I. noun

a coarse weed of temperate regions, with inconspicuous greenish or reddish flowers. The leaves are used to relieve nettle stings.
●Genus Rumex, family Polygonaceae.

– origin Old English docce, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dialect dokke.

dockage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. accommodation or berthing of ships in docks.

dock brief

noun

‹chiefly historical› a brief given directly to a barrister selected from a panel of those present by a prisoner in the dock, without the agency of a solicitor.

docken /ˈdɒk(ə)n/

I. noun

(chiefly Scottish) another term for dock^4 (the plant).

– origin late Middle English: apparently from Old English doccan, plural of docce (see dock^4).

docker /ˈdɒkə/

noun

a person employed in a port to load and unload ships.

docket /ˈdɒkɪt/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a document or label listing the contents of a consignment or package.

2. a customs warrant certifying that duty has been paid on goods entering a country.

3. a voucher entitling the holder to receive or obtain delivery of goods ordered.

4. (N. Amer.) a list of cases for trial or people having cases pending.

• one new case on the docket from Florida.

5. an agenda or list of things to be done.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark (a consignment or package) with a document or label listing the contents.

• the clothes would be handed in and neatly docketed.

2. (N. Amer.) enter (a case) on a list of those due to be heard.

• the case may be docketed for the fall term.

– origin late 15th cent.: perhaps from dock^2. The word originally denoted a short summary or abstract; hence, in the early 18th cent., ‘a document giving particulars of a consignment’.

docking station

noun

a device in which a laptop computer, smartphone, or other mobile device may be placed for charging, providing access to a power supply and to peripheral devices or auxiliary features.

dockland /ˈdɒklənd/

noun — [ mass noun] (also docklands)

1. (Brit.) the area containing a city's docks

• an old fishing village just west of dockland

• plans to redevelop London's docklands.

dockominium /ˌdɒkəˈmɪnɪəm/

I. noun

1. (US) a waterfront condominium with a private mooring.

2. (US) a privately owned landing stage at a marina.

– origin 1980s: from dock^1, on the pattern of condominium.

dockside /ˈdɒksʌɪd/

noun

the area immediately adjacent to a dock.

• the dockside was the busiest place Ruth had ever seen.

• [as modifier] three large dockside cranes are being installed.

dock worker

noun

a person employed in a port to load and unload ships; a docker

• most of the dock workers were casual contractors.

dockyard /ˈdɒkjɑːd/

noun

an area with docks and equipment for repairing and maintaining ships.

doco

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a documentary

• a doco on the D-Day landings.

doctor /ˈdɒktə/

I. noun

1. a person who is qualified to treat people who are ill
[as title]

• Doctor Thornhill.

2. (N. Amer.) a qualified dentist or veterinary surgeon.

3. [with modifier] — ‹informal› a person employed to make improvements or give advice

• the script doctor rewrote the original.

4. ( Doctor) — a person who holds the highest university degree

• he was made a Doctor of Divinity.

5. short for Doctor of the Church.

6. ‹archaic› a teacher or learned person

• the wisest doctor is gravelled by the inquisitiveness of a child.

7. [Angling] an artificial fishing fly.

8. [with modifier] — a cool onshore breeze that blows regularly in a particular warm location

• the Perth doctor blows towards evening off the Indian Ocean.

See also Cape doctor, Albany doctor.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. change the content or appearance of (a document or picture) in order to deceive; falsify

• the reports could have been doctored.

2. alter the content of (food or drink) by adding strong or harmful ingredients

• he denied doctoring Stephen's drinks.

3. [Cricket] [Baseball] tamper with (a ball) so as to affect its flight when bowled or pitched.

• fast bowlers were doctoring the ball.

4. (usu. as noun doctoring) — ‹informal› treat (someone) medically

• he contemplated giving up doctoring.

5. remove the sexual organs of (an animal) so that it cannot reproduce.

• the dog was doctored.

6. repair (a machine).

• ex-fleet cars which have been doctored.

III. phrases

1. be (just) what the doctor ordered

‹informal› be very beneficial or desirable under the circumstances

• a 2–0 victory is just what the doctor ordered.

2. go for the doctor

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› make an all-out effort

• he will go for the doctor in Parliament next week.

IV. derivatives

doctorly

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘learned person’ and ‘Doctor of the Church’): via Old French from Latin doctor ‘teacher’ (from docere ‘teach’).

doctoral /ˈdɒkt(ə)r(ə)l/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. relating to or designed to achieve a doctorate

• a doctoral thesis.

doctorate /ˈdɒkt(ə)rət/

I. noun

the highest degree awarded by a university faculty or other approved educational organization

• a doctorate in art history.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin doctoratus ‘made a doctor’.

doctor fish

noun

a small fish of a kind used in fish pedicures to remove dead or calloused skin.
● Garra rufa or Cyprinion macrostomus.

Doctor of Philosophy PhD, DPhil

noun

1. a doctorate in any faculty except medicine or sometimes theology.

2. a person holding a Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Doctor of the Church

noun

one of the early Christian theologians regarded as especially authoritative in the Western Church (particularly St Augustine of Hippo, St Jerome, St Ambrose, and St Gregory the Great) or later so designated by the Pope (e.g. St Thomas Aquinas, St Teresa of Ávila).
Compare with Fathers of the Church (see father (sense 3 of the noun)).

doctrinaire /ˌdɒktrɪˈnɛː/

I. adjective

seeking to impose a doctrine in all circumstances without regard to practical considerations

• the administration's doctrinaire economic policy.

II. noun

a doctrinaire person.

III. derivatives

doctrinairism

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from doctrine (see doctrine).

doctrinal /dɒkˈtrʌɪn(ə)l/

I. adjective

concerned with a doctrine or doctrines

• doctrinal disputes.

II. derivatives

doctrinally /dɒkˈtrʌɪn(ə)li /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin doctrinalis, from doctrina ‘teaching, learning’ (see doctrine).

doctrine /ˈdɒktrɪn/

I. noun

1. a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, political party, or other group

• the doctrine of predestination.

2. (US) a stated principle of government policy, mainly in foreign or military affairs

• the Truman Doctrine.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin doctrina ‘teaching, learning’, from doctor ‘teacher’, from docere ‘teach’.

docu /ˈdɒkjʊ/

noun

‹informal› short for documentary (noun):

• a well-researched and in-depth docu

• docus are our last truly independent movie art form.

docu- /ˈdɒkjʊ/

I. combining form

denoting a dramatized film, television programme, play, etc. that is based on real events

• a docu-film which tells the story of how Doctor Who was created

• a docu-musical about the life of Buddy Holly.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation of documentary.

docudrama /ˈdɒkjʊˌdrɑːmə/

I. noun

a dramatized television film based on real events.

• a convoluted docudrama.

• [ mass noun] television docudrama set itself up as the balancer of history.

– origin 1960s: from docu- + drama.

document

I. noun — document /ˈdɒkjʊm(ə)nt /

1. a piece of written, printed, or electronic matter that provides information or evidence or that serves as an official record.

II. verb — [with obj.] document /ˈdɒkjʊmɛnt /

1. record (something) in written, photographic, or other form

• the photographer spent years documenting the lives of miners.

2. support or accompany with documentation.

• teaching resources that are documented clearly and comprehensively.

III. derivatives

1. documentable

adjective

2. documental /dɒkjʊˈmɛnt(ə)l /

adjective

3. documentative

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin documentum ‘lesson, proof’ (in medieval Latin ‘written instruction, official paper’), from docere ‘teach’.

documentalist /dɒkjʊˈmɛnt(ə)lɪst/

noun

a person engaged in keeping records and providing information.

• the official documentalist of the British Olympic team.

documentarian /ˌdɒkjʊmɛnˈtɛːrɪən/

noun

1. (also documentarist) — a photographer specializing in producing a factual record.

2. a director or producer of documentaries.

3. an expert analyst of historical documents.

documentary /dɒkjʊˈmɛnt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. consisting of or based on official documents

• documentary evidence of regular payments from the company.

2. using pictures or interviews with people involved in real events to provide a factual report on a particular subject

• a documentary programme about Manchester United.

II. noun

a film or television or radio programme that provides a factual report on a particular subject.

– origin early 19th cent.: from document + -ary^1.

documentation /ˌdɒkjʊmɛnˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. material that provides official information or evidence or that serves as a record

• you will have to complete the relevant documentation.

2. the written specification and instructions accompanying a product, especially a computer program or hardware.

• user documentation.

3. the process of classifying and annotating texts, photographs, etc.

• she arranged the collection and documentation of photographs.

document case

noun

a lightweight, typically flexible case for carrying papers.

docuseries /ˈdɒkjʊˌsɪərɪz/

I. noun

a television series that follows a particular person or group of people and their involvement in real events and situations over a period of time

• a docuseries about the New York City Ballet

• a four-part docuseries chronicling his participation in France's legendary 24-hour race, Le Mans.

– origin 1980s: from docu- + series.

docusoap /ˈdɒkjusəʊp/

I. noun

a documentary following people in a particular occupation or location over a period of time.

• the docusoap Airport reminded many of us exactly why we stay put.

– origin 1990s: from docu- + soap.

docutainment /ˌdɒkjʊˈteɪnmənt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) entertainment provided by films or other presentations that is intended both to inform and entertain.

– origin 1970s: from docu- + entertainment.

DOD

abbreviation

(in the US) Department of Defense.

dodder^1 /ˈdɒdə/

I. verb — [no obj.] (often as adj. doddering)

1. tremble or totter, typically because of old age

• that doddering old fool.

II. derivatives

dodderer /ˈdɒdərə /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: variant of obsolete dialect dadder; related to dither.

dodder^2 /ˈdɒdə/

I. noun

a widely distributed parasitic climbing plant of the convolvulus family, with leafless thread-like stems that are attached to the host plant by means of suckers.
●Genus Cuscuta, family Convolvulaceae.

– origin Middle English: related to Middle Low German doder, dodder, Middle High German toter.

doddery /ˈdɒd(ə)ri/

I. adjective

slow and unsteady in movement because of weakness in old age.

• he's a bit doddery on his legs and doesn't get about much.

II. derivatives

dodderiness

noun

doddle /ˈdɒd(ə)l/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a very easy task

• this printer's a doddle to set up and use.

– origin 1930s: perhaps from dialect doddle ‘toddle’, of unknown origin.

dodeca- /ˈdəʊdɛkə/

I. combining form

(used chiefly in scientific and musical terms) twelve; having twelve

• dodecahedron

• dodecaphonic.

– origin from Greek.

dodecagon /dəʊˈdɛkəɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

a plane figure with twelve straight sides and angles.

II. derivatives

dodecagonal /dəʊdɪˈkaɡ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: from Greek dōdekagōnon, neuter (used as a noun) of dōdekagōnos ‘twelve-angled’.

dodecahedron /ˌdəʊdɛkəˈhiːdr(ə)n/

I. noun

a three-dimensional shape having twelve plane faces, in particular a regular solid figure with twelve equal pentagonal faces.

II. derivatives

dodecahedral

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek dōdekaedron, neuter (used as a noun) of dōdekaedros ‘twelve-faced’.

Dodecanese /ˌdəʊdɪkəˈniːz/

a group of twelve islands in the SE Aegean, of which the largest is Rhodes.

dodecaphonic /ˌdəʊdɛkəˈfɒnɪk/

adjective

[Music] another term for twelve-note.

dodge /dɒdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. avoid (someone or something) by a sudden quick movement

• marchers had to dodge missiles thrown by loyalists.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move quickly to one side or out of the way

• Adam dodged between the cars.

3. evade (a debt or obligation) in a cunning or dishonest way

• he'd caught her dodging fares on the underground.

4. (often as noun dodging) — [Photography] expose (one area of a print) less than the rest during processing or enlarging.

5. [no obj.] — [Bell-ringing] (of a bell in change-ringing) move one place contrary to the normal sequence, and then back again in the following round.

II. noun

1. a sudden quick movement to avoid someone or something.

2. ‹informal› a cunning trick or dishonest act, in particular one intended to avoid something unpleasant

• the grant system's widespread use as a tax dodge.

3. [Bell-ringing] the dodging of a bell in change-ringing.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the senses ‘dither’ and ‘haggle’): of unknown origin.

dodgeball

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) a game in which players, in teams, form a circle and try to hit opponents with a large ball.

Dodge City

a city in SW Kansas; pop. 25,689 (est. 2008). Established in 1872 as a railhead on the Santa Fe Trail, it rapidly gained a reputation as a rowdy frontier town.

dodgem /ˈdɒdʒ(ə)m / dodgem car

I. noun

(Brit.) a small electrically powered car with rubber bumpers all round, driven in an enclosure at a funfair with the aim of bumping into other such cars.

• he wanted to go on the dodgems.

– origin 1920s: US proprietary name (as Dodg'em), from the phrase dodge them.

dodger /ˈdɒdʒə/

noun

1. [often with modifier] — ‹informal› a person who engages in cunning tricks or dishonest practices to evade a debt or obligation

• tax dodgers

• a fare dodger.

2. [in combination] — (Brit.) ‹humorous› a person who dislikes or avoids a specified thing

• a greasy-haired soap-dodger.

3. [Nautical] a canvas screen on a ship giving protection from spray.

Dodgson, Charles Lutwidge

see Carroll, Lewis.

dodgy /ˈdɒdʒi/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› dishonest or unreliable

• a dodgy second-hand car salesman.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› potentially dangerous

• activities like these could be dodgy for your heart.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› of low quality

• Spurs' dodgy defence had thrown away a 2-0 lead.

II. derivatives

1. dodgily

adverb

2. dodginess

noun

dodo /ˈdəʊdəʊ/

I. noun

1. a large extinct flightless bird with a stout body, stumpy wings, a large head, and a heavy hooked bill. It was found on Mauritius until the end of the 17th century.
● Raphus cucullatus, family Raphidae. .

2. ‹informal› an old-fashioned and ineffective person.

• dodos do enter the events, they just never make the finals.

II. phrases

(as) dead as a (or the) dodo ‹informal›

a. completely dead or extinct.

b. no longer effective, valid, or interesting

• the campaign was as dead as a dodo.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Portuguese doudo ‘simpleton’ (because the bird had no fear of man and was easily killed). Compare with dotterel.

Dodoma /dəʊˈdəʊmə/

the capital of Tanzania, in the centre of the country; pop. 183,000 (est. 2007).

doe /dəʊ/

I. noun

1. a female deer, especially a female roe, fallow deer, or reindeer.

2. a female hare, rabbit, rat, ferret, or kangaroo.
[as modifier]

• doe rabbits.

– origin Old English dā, of unknown origin.

DoE

abbreviation

(formerly in the UK) Department of the Environment.

doe-eyed

adjective

(especially of a woman) having large, gentle dark eyes

• doe-eyed waifs.

doek /dʊk/

I. noun

(S. African) a headscarf.

– origin South African Dutch, from Dutch, ‘cloth’.

doer /ˈduːə/

noun

1. the person who does something

• the doer of the action.

2. a person who acts rather than merely talking or thinking

• I'm a doer, not a moaner.

3. (also hard doer) — (Austral./NZ) a person who is admired because of their courage and toughness.

does /dʌz/

third person singular present of do^1.

doeskin /ˈdəʊskɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. leather made from the skin of a doe fallow deer.

• a pair of gloves made in the finest white doeskin.

• [as modifier] black doeskin trousers.

2. a fine satin-weave woollen cloth resembling doeskin.

doesn't /ˈdʌz(ə)nt/

contraction

does not.

doest /ˈduːɪst/

archaic second person singular present of do^1.

doeth /ˈduːɪθ/

archaic third person singular present of do^1.

dof /dɒf/

I. adjective

(S. African) ‹informal› stupid; uninformed.

• I think they're pretty dof in their whole approach.

• ‘You're just dof,’ he said, exasperated.

– origin Afrikaans.

doff /dɒf/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove (an item of clothing).

2. take off or raise (one's hat) as a greeting or token of respect

• the manager doffed his hat to her.

– origin late Middle English: contraction of do off. Compare with don^2.

dog /dɒɡ/

I. noun

1. a domesticated carnivorous mammal that typically has a long snout, an acute sense of smell, non-retractile claws, and a barking, howling, or whining voice.
● Canis familiaris, family Canidae (the dog family); probably domesticated from the wolf in the Mesolithic period. The dog family also includes the wolves, coyotes, jackals, and foxes.

2. a wild animal of the dog family.

3. the male of an animal of the dog family, or of some other mammals such as the otter
[as modifier]

• a dog fox.

4. ( the dogs) — (Brit.) ‹informal› greyhound racing

• a night at the dogs.

5. ‹informal› an unpleasant, contemptible, or wicked man.

• he was interrupted by cries of ‘dirty dog!’.

• come out, Michael, you dog!

6. [with adj.] — ‹dated› used to refer to a person of a specified kind in a tone of playful reproof, commiseration, or congratulation

• your historian is a dull dog

• you lucky dog!

7. used to refer to someone who is abject or miserable, especially because they have been treated harshly

• I make him work like a dog

• Rab was treated like a dog.

8. ‹informal› ‹offensive› an unattractive woman.

9. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› an informer or traitor

• one day she's going to turn dog on you.

10. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a thing of poor quality

• a dog of a film.

11. ‹informal› a horse that is slow or difficult to handle.

12. used in names of dogfishes, e.g. sandy dog, spur-dog.

13. a mechanical device for gripping.

14. ( dogs) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› feet.

15. ( dogs) — [Horse Racing] (US) barriers used to keep horses off a particular part of the track.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. follow (someone) closely and persistently

• photographers seemed to dog her every step.

2. (of a problem) cause continual trouble for

• the twenty-nine-year-old has constantly been dogged by controversy.

3. ( dog it) — ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) act lazily; fail to try one's hardest.

• Eric had a reputation for dogging it a little.

4. grip (something) with a mechanical device
[with obj. and complement]

• she has dogged the door shut.

III. phrases

1. dog and bone

(Brit.) ‹rhyming slang› a telephone.

2. dog-and-pony show

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› an elaborate display or presentation.

• the department never really had a chance to get its dog-and-pony show under way.

3. dog eat dog

used to refer to a situation of fierce competition in which people are willing to harm each other in order to succeed

• New York is a dog-eat-dog society.

4. dog in the manger /ˌdɒɡ ɪn ðə ˈmeɪndʒə /

a person who prevents others from having or using things even though he or she does not need them.
[as modifier]

• your cold, grudging, dog-in-the-manger sort.

[alluding to the fable of the dog that lay in a manger to prevent the ox and horse from eating the hay.]

5. a dog's age

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a very long time

• the best I've seen in a dog's age.

6. dogs bark, but the caravans move on

‹proverb› people may make a fuss, but it won't change the situation.

7. the dog's bollocks

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› a person or thing that is the best of its kind.

8. a dog's dinner (or breakfast)

(Brit.) ‹informal› a poor piece of work; a mess

• we made a real dog's breakfast of it.

9. a dog's life

an unhappy existence, full of problems or unfair treatment

• he led poor Amy a dog's life.

10. the dogs of war

‹literary› the havoc accompanying military conflict.

• the strategy would let loose the dogs of nuclear war.

[from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (III. 1. 274).]

11. dressed (up) like a dog's dinner

(Brit.) ‹informal› wearing ridiculously smart or ostentatious clothes.

• look at her, dressed up like a dog's dinner.

12. every dog has his (or its) day

‹proverb› everyone will have good luck or success at some point in their lives.

13. give a dog a bad name and hang him

‹proverb› it's very difficult to lose a bad reputation, even if it's unjustified.

14. go to the dogs

‹informal› deteriorate shockingly

• the country is going to the dogs.

15. like a dog with two tails

used to emphasize how delighted someone is

• ‘Is he pleased?’ ‘Like a dog with two tails.’.

16. not a dog's chance

no chance at all.

• you wouldn't have a dog's chance.

• a month ago I didn't give him a dog's chance.

17. put on the dog

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› behave in a pretentious or ostentatious way

• we have to put on the dog for Anne Marie.

18. throw someone to the dogs

discard someone as worthless

• young people look upon the older person as someone to be thrown to the dogs.

19. you can't teach an old dog new tricks

‹proverb› you cannot make people change their ways.

20. why keep a dog and bark yourself?

‹proverb› why pay someone to work for you and then do the work yourself?

IV. derivatives

1. dogdom

noun

2. doggish /ˈdɒɡɪʃ /

adjective

3. doglike /ˈdɒɡlʌɪk /

adjective

– origin Old English docga, of unknown origin.

dogana /də(ʊ)ˈɡɑːnə/

I. noun

(in Italy) a custom house.

– origin Italian, from Arabic dīwān (compare with divan).

dogbane /ˈdɒɡbeɪn/

noun

a shrubby North American plant, typically having bell-shaped flowers and reputed to be poisonous to dogs.
●Genus Apocynum, family Apocynaceae.

dogberry /ˈdɒɡb(ə)ri, ˈdɒɡbɛri/

noun

1. ‹informal› the fruit of the dogwood.

2. (also dogberry tree) — ‹informal› the dogwood.

3. ‹informal› a fruit of poor eating quality from any of a number of other shrubs or small trees, e.g. the American rowan.

dog biscuit

noun

a hard, thick biscuit for feeding to dogs.

dogbox

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a compartment in a railway carriage without a corridor.

II. phrases

in the dogbox

(NZ) (S. African) ‹informal› in disfavour.

• I was in the dogbox right enough.

– origin early 19th cent.: originally denoting a box for a dog to lie in, later denoting a railway compartment for transporting dogs.

dog cart

noun

a two-wheeled cart for driving in, with cross seats back to back, originally incorporating a box under the seat for sportsmen's dogs.

dog clutch

noun

a device for coupling two shafts in order to transmit motion, one part having teeth which engage with slots in another.

dog cockle

noun

a burrowing bivalve mollusc which has a highly convex, almost spherical, shell.
●Family Glycimeridae: many species.

dog collar

noun

‹informal› a clerical collar.

dog days

plural noun

1. ‹chiefly literary› the hottest period of the year (reckoned in antiquity from the heliacal rising of Sirius, the Dog Star).

2. ‹chiefly literary› a period of inactivity or decline

• these are indeed dog days for British film production.

doge /dəʊdʒ/

I. noun

‹historical› the chief magistrate of Venice or Genoa.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Venetian Italian doze, based on Latin dux, duc- ‘leader’.

dog-eared /ˈdɒɡɪəd/

adjective

(of an object made from paper) having the corners worn or battered with use.

• a dog-eared paperback book.

dog-end

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a cigarette end.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› the last and least pleasing part of something

• the dog-end of a hard day.

dogface /ˈdɒɡfeɪs/

noun

(US) ‹informal› ‹dated› a US soldier, especially an infantryman.

dog fence

noun

(Austral.) a fence erected around an area to keep out dingoes. Also called dingo fence:

• the 584-kilometre fence is designed to keep dogs out of New South Wales.

dogfight /ˈdɒɡfʌɪt/

I. noun

1. a close combat between military aircraft.

• Sergeant Smith and a colleague were in a dogfight with an enemy aircraft.

2. a ferocious struggle for supremacy between interested parties

• the meeting deteriorated into a dogfight.

II. derivatives

1. dogfighter

noun

2. dogfighting /ˈdɒɡfʌɪtɪŋ /

noun

dogfish /ˈdɒɡfɪʃ/

noun

1. a small sand-coloured bottom-dwelling shark with a long tail, common on European coasts. Also called rough hound, sandy dog.
● Scyliorhinus canicula, family Scyliorhinidae.

2. [with modifier] — a small shark that resembles or is related to the dogfish, sometimes caught for food.
●Several genera in the families Scyliorhinidae, Squalidae, and Triakidae.

dog food

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. commercially prepared food for dogs.

• a can of dog food.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› [chiefly Computing] (of a company's staff) use a product or service developed by that company so as to test it before it is made available to customers

• it was a great opportunity to dogfood the phones

• (as noun dogfooding) If you're writing software intended for other developers then dogfooding makes perfect sense.

III. phrases

eat one's own dog food

‹informal› [chiefly Computing] (of a company's staff) use a product or service developed by that company so as to test it before it is made available to customers

• we had to eat our own dog food—we had to make sure the tools worked.

dogged /ˈdɒɡɪd/

I. adjective

having or showing tenacity and grim persistence

• success required dogged determination.

II. derivatives

doggedness /ˈdɒɡɪdnəs /

noun

doggedly /ˈdɒɡɪdli/

adverb

in a manner that shows tenacity and grim persistence

• she has doggedly pursued her own path

• Grant is doggedly determined to uncover the truth.

dogger^1 /ˈdɒɡə/

I. noun

‹historical› a two-masted bluff-bowed Dutch sailing boat, used for fishing.

– origin Middle English: from Middle Dutch.

dogger^2 /ˈdɒɡə/

I. noun

[Geology] a large spherical concretion occurring in sedimentary rock.

– origin late 17th cent. (originally a dialect word denoting a kind of ironstone): perhaps from dog.

Dogger Bank

a submerged sandbank in the North Sea, about 115 km (70 miles) off the NE coast of England. This part of the central North Sea is covered by the shipping forecast area Dogger.

doggerel /ˈdɒɡ(ə)r(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. comic verse composed in irregular rhythm.
[as modifier]

• doggerel verses.

2. verse or words that are badly written or expressed

• the last stanza deteriorates into doggerel.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective describing such verse): apparently from dog (used contemptuously, as in dog Latin) + -rel.

Doggett's Coat and Badge /ˈdɒɡɪts/

an orange livery with a silver badge offered as a trophy in an annual rowing contest among Thames watermen in London. It was instituted in 1715 by an Irish comic actor, Thomas Doggett (1620–1721).

dogging /ˈdɒɡɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› the practice of watching or engaging in exhibitionist sexual activity in a public place.

– origin 1980s: probably from dog (verb) + -ing^1.

doggo /ˈdɒɡəʊ/

I. adverb — (in phrase lie doggo)

1. ‹informal› remain motionless and quiet to escape detection

• a dozen officers had been lying doggo for hours.

– origin late 19th cent.: of obscure origin; apparently from dog + -o.

doggone /ˈdɒɡɒn / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. used to express feelings of annoyance, surprise, or pleasure

• now just a doggone minute

• [as submodifier] it's doggone good to be home.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. damn; darn (used to express surprise, irritation, or anger)

• from that moment, doggone it if I didn't see a motivation in Joey!

• I'll be doggoned if every fourth kid is affected.

– origin early 19th cent.: probably from dog on it, euphemism for God damn it.

doggy /ˈdɒɡi/

I. adjective

1. of or like a dog

• his doggy brown eyes.

• doggy smells.

2. ‹informal› fond of dogs

• it was a doggy household.

II. noun

a child's word for a dog.

III. derivatives

dogginess

noun

doggy bag

noun

a bag used by a restaurant customer or party guest to take home leftover food, supposedly for their dog.

doggy-paddle /ˈdɒɡiˌpad(ə)l / ‹chiefly N. Amer.› dog-paddle

I. noun

an elementary swimming stroke in which the swimmer beats at the water with the hands in a manner resembling a swimming dog.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. swim using doggy-paddle.

doggy style doggie style, doggy fashion

noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹informal› a sexual position in which one partner is penetrated from behind by the other while supporting themselves on their hands and knees

• doggy style was by far the favourite position

• [as adv.] sometimes we do it doggy style.

dog handler

I. noun

a person who works with trained dogs

• a police dog handler.

II. derivatives

dog-handling

noun

doghouse /ˈdɒɡhaʊs/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a dog's kennel.

2. (N. Amer.) [Sailing] a raised area at the after end of a yacht's coachroof, providing standing room.

II. phrases

be in the doghouse

‹informal› be in disgrace or disfavour.

• his country is in the doghouse.

dogie /ˈdəʊɡi/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a motherless or neglected calf.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

dog Latin

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a debased form of Latin.

dog-leg

noun

1. a thing that bends sharply, in particular a sharp bend in a road or route.
[as modifier]

• they took us through a dog-leg cave.

2. [Golf] a hole where the fairway has a bend.
[as modifier]

• this hole is a dog-leg par-4 with a water hazard on the right.

dog-leg fence dog-legged fence

noun

(Austral./NZ) a fence consisting of logs laid horizontally on X-shaped wooden supports

• the wild cattle had walked over the dog-leg fence, and eaten my crops.

dog-leg stair dog-leg staircase

noun

a staircase which has no well and a bend of 180° in it, usually at a landing halfway between floors.

dogma /ˈdɒɡmə/

I. noun

a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true

• the dogmas of faith

• [ mass noun] the rejection of political dogma.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek dogma ‘opinion’, from dokein ‘seem good, think’.

dogman

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a person giving directional signals to the operator of a crane, typically while sitting on the crane's load.

– origin 1940s: from dog (sense 4 of the noun) + man.

dogmatic /dɒɡˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

inclined to lay down principles as undeniably true

• she was not tempted to be dogmatic about what she believed.

II. derivatives

dogmatically /dɒɡˈmatɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent. (as a noun denoting a philosopher or physician of a school based on a priori assumptions): via late Latin from Greek dogmatikos, from dogma, dogmat- (see dogma).

dogmatics /dɒɡˈmatɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a system of principles laid down by an authority, especially the Roman Catholic Church, as undeniably true

• it is a work of analysis, not of dogmatics.

dogmatism /ˈdɒɡmətɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the tendency to lay down principles as undeniably true, without consideration of evidence or the opinions of others

• a culture of dogmatism and fanaticism.

II. derivatives

dogmatist /ˈdɒɡmətɪst /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: via French from medieval Latin dogmatismus, from Latin dogma (see dogma).

dogmatize /ˈdɒɡmətʌɪz / dogmatise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. represent as an undeniable truth

• I find views dogmatized to the point of absurdity.

– origin early 17th cent.: via French and late Latin from Greek dogmatizein ‘lay down one's opinion’, from dogma (see dogma).

dognap

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› steal (a dog), especially in order to sell it.

• Lassie had been dognapped by a shady businessman.

II. derivatives

dognapper

noun

do-gooder /duːˈɡʊdə/

I. noun

a well-meaning but unrealistic or interfering philanthropist or reformer.

II. derivatives

1. do-good

adjective, noun

2. do-goodery /duːˈɡʊdəri /

noun

3. do-gooding

noun

4. do-goodism

noun

dog racing

noun

another term for greyhound racing.

Dogrib /ˈdɒɡrɪb/

I. noun

1. a member of a Dene people of NW Canada.

2. [ mass noun] — the Athabaskan language of the Dogrib, with about 2,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Dogrib or their language.

– origin translation of Dogrib Thlingchadinne ‘dog's flank’, from the legend that the people's common ancestor was a dog.

dog-robber

noun

‹informal› an army or navy officer's orderly.

• Sergeant Major sent me to be the lieutenant's dog-robber.

dog rose

noun

a delicately scented Eurasian wild rose with pink or white flowers, which commonly grows in hedgerows.
●Genus Rosa, family Rosaceae: several closely related species, in particular R. canina.

dogsbody /ˈdɒɡzbɒdi/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person who is given menial tasks to do, especially a junior in an office

• I got myself a job as typist and general dogsbody on a small magazine.

II. derivatives

dogsbodying

noun

dog's disease dog disease

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› ‹dated› any of various ailments causing weakness and exhaustion, especially influenza or gastroenteritis

• I'm trying to get over the dog's disease myself, so sitting on the couch today in front of the TV.

dogshore

noun

each of a pair of blocks of timber positioned on each side of a ship on a slipway to prevent it sliding down before launching.

dog-sit

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. look after a dog or dogs while their owner is away, usually staying at the owner's home in order to do so

• she asked me to dog-sit while she went away

• [with obj.] I was invited by a friend to dog-sit her French bulldog.

II. derivatives

1. dog-sitter

noun

2. dog-sitting

noun

dogskin

noun — [ mass noun]

1. leather made of or imitating dog's skin, especially as used for gloves.

dog sled

noun

(N. Amer.) a sled designed to be pulled by dogs.

dog's mercury

I. noun

a Eurasian plant of the spurge family, with hairy stems and small green flowers, found as a dominant plant of old woodland.
● Mercurialis perennis, family Euphorbiaceae.

– origin late 16th cent.: translating modern Latin Mercurialis canina (former taxonomic name); the plant is poisonous and is contrasted with Mercurialis annua ‘annual mercury’, useful in medicine.

dogstail /ˈdɒɡzteɪl / dog's-tail

noun

an Old World fodder grass with spiky flower heads.
●Genus Cynosurus, family Gramineae: several species, in particular crested dogstail ( C. cristatus), a common pasture grass.

Dog Star

I. the star Sirius.

– origin translating Greek kuon or Latin canicula ‘small dog’, both names of the star; so named as it appears to follow at the heels of Orion (the hunter).

dog's-tooth violet

noun

a plant of the lily family which has backward-curving pointed petals.
●Genus Erythronium, family Liliaceae: several species, in particular the Eurasian E. dens-canis, with speckled leaves and pinkish-purple flowers.

dog tag

noun

1. a metal tag attached to a dog's collar, typically giving its name and owner's address.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a soldier's metal identity tag.

dog-tired

adjective

extremely tired; worn out

• he'd gone to bed dog-tired.

dog-tooth /ˈdɒɡtuːθ/

noun

1. [Architecture] a small pointed ornament or moulding forming one of a series radiating like petals from a raised centre, typical of Norman and Early English styles.

2. (also dogstooth) [ mass noun] — a small check pattern with notched corners suggestive of a canine tooth, used in cloth for jackets and suits.

dog track

noun

a stadium or course used for greyhound racing

• he would often watch races with friends at the dog track.

dogtrot /ˈdɒɡtrɒt/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a gentle easy trot.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. move at a dogtrot.

• the loaded man would dogtrot along the trail.

dog tucker

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (NZ) food for working dogs

• the thawed chicken was kept for dog tucker.

2. (NZ) ‹informal› a person or organization in a hopeless situation

• without his seat, the party is dog tucker.

dog violet

noun

a scentless wild violet, typically having purple or lilac flowers.
●Genus Viola, family Violaceae: several species.

dogwatch /ˈdɒɡwɒtʃ/

noun

either of two short watches on a ship (4–6 or 6–8 p.m.).

dog-weary

adjective

another term for dog-tired.

dog whelk

noun

a predatory marine mollusc that typically occurs on the shore or in shallow waters.
●Family Nassariidae, class Gastropoda: Nucella and other genera.

dog whistle

noun

1. a high-pitched whistle used to train dogs, typically having a sound inaudible to humans.

2. [usu. as modifier] — a subtly aimed political message which is intended for, and can only be understood by, a particular demographic group

• dog-whistle issues such as immigration and crime.

dogwood /ˈdɒɡwʊd/

I. noun

1. a shrub or small tree of north temperate regions, which yields hard timber and is grown for its decorative foliage, red stems, or colourful berries.
●Genus Cornus, family Cornaceae: many species.

2. used in names of trees which resemble the dogwood or yield similar hard timber.

– origin so named because the wood was formerly used to make ‘dogs’ (i.e. skewers).

doh^1 /dəʊ / do

I. noun

1. [Music] (in tonic sol-fa) the first and eighth note of a major scale.

2. [Music] the note C in the fixed-doh system.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Italian do, an arbitrarily chosen syllable replacing ut, taken from a Latin hymn (see solmization).

doh^2 /dəʊ / d'oh

exclamation

‹informal› used to comment on a foolish or stupid action, especially one's own

• I keep crashing cars. Doh! What a dummy!

DoH

abbreviation

(in the UK) Department of Health.

Doha /ˈdəʊhɑː/

the capital of Qatar; pop 385,000 (est. 2007).

DOHC

abbreviation

double overhead camshaft.

dohyo /ˈdəʊjəʊ/

I. noun

the ring within which sumo wrestling takes place.

– origin Japanese, abbreviation of dohyōba ‘wrestling arena’.

DOI

abbreviation

[Computing] digital object identifier, a unique string of characters allocated to a website, file, or other piece of digital information.

doily /ˈdɔɪli/

I. noun

a small ornamental mat made of lace or paper with a lace pattern, put on a plate under cakes or other sweet food.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Doiley or Doyley, the name of a 17th-cent. London draper. The word originally denoted a woollen material used for summer wear, said to have been introduced by this draper. The current sense (originally doily napkin) dates from the early 18th cent.

doing /ˈduːɪŋ/

I. noun

1. (usu. doings) — the activities in which a particular person engages

• the latest doings of television stars.

2. ‹informal› excrement, especially that of a domestic animal.

• it is my duty to clear up the guard dog's doings.

3. [in sing.] — ‹informal› a beating or scolding

• someone had given her a doing.

4. [treated as sing. or pl.] ( doings) — ‹informal› used to refer to things when one has forgotten their name or when no one word easily covers them

• the drawer where he kept the doings.

II. phrases

1. be someone's doing

be the creation or fault of the person named

• he looked at Lisa as though it was all her doing.

2. take some doing

be difficult to achieve

• it would take some doing to calm him down.

Doisneau, Robert /ˈdwʌnəʊ, French dwano/

(1912–94), French photographer, best known for his photos of the city and inhabitants of Paris, such as ‘The Kiss at the Hôtel de Ville’ (1950).

doit /dɔɪt/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹archaic› a very small amount of money.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Middle Low German doyt, Middle Dutch duit, of unknown origin.

doited /ˈdɔɪtɪd/

I. adjective

(Scottish) ‹archaic› having the faculties impaired, especially by age.

– origin late Middle English: perhaps an alteration of doted, past participle of dote.

do-it-yourself /ˌduːɪtjɔːˈsɛlf/

I. noun, adjective

full form of DIY.
[as noun]

• she had real talent for do-it-yourself.

• [as adj.] a do-it-yourself plutonium bomb.

II. derivatives

do-it-yourselfer /ˌduːɪtjəˈsɛlfə /

noun

dojo /ˈdəʊdʒəʊ/

I. noun

a room or hall in which judo and other martial arts are practised.

– origin Japanese, from dō ‘way, pursuit’ + jō ‘a place’.

dol.

abbreviation

dollar or dollars.

Dolby /ˈdɒlbi, ˈdəʊlbi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› an electronic noise-reduction system used in tape recording to reduce hiss.
[as modifier]

• full Dolby noise reduction.

2. ‹trademark› an electronic system used to provide stereophonic sound for cinemas and television sets.
[as modifier]

• Dolby sound.

– origin 1960s: named after Ray M. Dolby (1933–2013), the American engineer who devised it.

dolce /ˈdɒltʃeɪ/

I. adverb, adjective

[Music] (especially as a direction) sweetly and softly.

– origin Italian, literally ‘sweet’.

dolce far niente /ˌdɒltʃeɪ fɑː nɪˈɛnteɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. pleasant idleness.

• Henry hastened to explain about the joys of dolce far niente.

– origin Italian, ‘sweet doing nothing’.

Dolcelatte /ˌdɒltʃəˈlɑːteɪ, ˌdɒltʃəˈlati/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a kind of soft creamy blue-veined cheese from Italy.

– origin Italian, literally ‘sweet milk’.

dolce vita /ˌdɒltʃeɪ ˈviːtə/

I. noun — (usu. la dolce vita)

1. a life of heedless pleasure and luxury.

• he was young, beautiful, and living la dolce vita.

– origin Italian, literally ‘sweet life’.

doldrums /ˈdɒldrəmz/

I. plural noun — ( the doldrums)

1. a state or period of stagnation or depression

• the mortgage market has been in the doldrums for three years.

2. an equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean with calms, sudden storms, and light unpredictable winds.

• Hurricane Verity had been born in the doldrums.

– origin late 18th cent. (as doldrum ‘dull, sluggish person’): perhaps from dull, on the pattern of tantrums.

dole^1 /dəʊl/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] (usu. the dole) — (Brit.) ‹informal› benefit paid by the state to the unemployed

• I was on the dole for three years

• [as modifier] my next dole cheque.

2. [ count noun] — ‹dated› a charitable gift of food, clothes, or money.

• the customary dole was a tumblerful of rice.

3. ‹literary› a person's lot or destiny.

• death be his dole who worst maintains the strife.

II. verb — [with obj.] ( dole something out)

1. distribute shares of something

• the scanty portions of food doled out to them.

– origin Old English dāl ‘division, portion, or share’, of Germanic origin; related to deal^1. The sense ‘distribution of charitable gifts’ dates from Middle English; the sense ‘unemployment benefit’ dates from the early 20th cent.

dole^2 /dəʊl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› ‹literary› sorrow; mourning.

2. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› ‹literary› ‹rare› a flock of doves

• a dole of doves adorned its tiled roof.

– origin Middle English: from Old French doel ‘mourning’, from popular Latin dolus, from Latin dolere ‘grieve’.

dole-bludge

verb — [no obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› live on unemployment benefit, especially by deliberately avoiding work

• I've never dole-bludged or been on a benefit.

dole-bludger

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person who chooses to receive unemployment benefit rather than work.

dole-bludging

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› the action of living on unemployment benefit, especially by deliberately avoiding work

• the writer posits a future of state-sanctioned dole-bludging

• [as modifier] dole-bludging dropouts.

doleful /ˈdəʊlfʊl, ˈdəʊlf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. expressing sorrow; mournful

• a doleful look.

2. causing grief or misfortune

• he could be struck off, with doleful consequences.

II. derivatives

1. dolefully /ˈdəʊlfʊli, ˈdəʊlf(ə)li /

adverb

2. dolefulness /ˈdəʊlfʊlnəs, ˈdəʊlf(ə)lnəs /

noun

dolerite /ˈdɒlərʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a dark, medium-grained igneous rock, typically with ophitic texture, containing plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine. It typically occurs in dykes and sills.
Also called diabase.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French dolérite, from Greek doleros ‘deceptive’ (because it is difficult to distinguish from diorite).

doli capax /ˌdɒlɪ ˈkapaks/

I. adjective

[Law] deemed capable of forming the intent to commit a crime or tort, especially by reason of age (ten years old or older).

– origin Latin, ‘capable of evil’.

dolichocephalic /ˌdɒlɪkə(ʊ)sɪˈfalɪk, ˌdɒlɪkə(ʊ)kɛˈfalɪk/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] having a relatively long skull (typically with the breadth less than 80 (or 75) per cent of the length).
Often contrasted with brachycephalic.

II. derivatives

dolichocephaly

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek dolikhos ‘long’ + -cephalic.

doli incapax /ˈdɒlɪ ɪnˈkapaks/

I. adjective

[Law] deemed incapable of forming the intent to commit a crime or tort, especially by reason of age (under ten years old).

– origin Latin, literally ‘incapable of evil’.

Dolin, Sir Anton /ˈdəʊlɪn, ˈdɒlɪn/

(1904–83), English ballet dancer and choreographer; born Sydney Francis Patrick Chippendall Healey-Kay. He was the first artistic director of the London Festival Ballet (1950–61), as well as first soloist.

doline /dɒˈliːn / dolina /dɒˈliːnə/

I. noun

[Geology] a hollow or basin in a karstic region, typically funnel-shaped.

– origin late 19th cent.: via German from Slovene dolina ‘valley’.

D'Oliveira, Basil /ˌdɒlɪˈvɪərə/

(1931–2011), British cricketer and coach, born in South Africa and of Cape coloured origin; full name Basil Lewis D'Oliveira. South Africa's refusal to allow him into the country led to the cancellation of England's 1968–9 tour and to South Africa's subsequent banishment from Test cricket until the end of apartheid.

doll^1 /dɒl/

I. noun

1. a small model of a human figure, typically one of a baby or girl, used as a child's toy.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) an attractive young woman.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a generous or considerate person

• would you be a doll and set the table?

II. verb — [with obj.] ( doll someone up)

1. ‹informal› dress someone smartly and attractively

• I got all dolled up for a party.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a mistress): pet form of the given name Dorothy. The sense ‘small model of a human figure’ dates from the late 17th cent.

doll^2 /dɒl / ‹Horse Racing Brit.›

I. noun

a temporary barrier on a racecourse or gallop.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. place a barrier in front of (a jump or other part of the course that is to be omitted from a race).

• staff incorrectly dolled off a fence at the meeting.

– origin 1940s: perhaps a variant of archaic dool ‘boundary marker’.

Doll, Sir Richard

(1912–2005), English physician; full name William Richard Shaboe Doll. With Sir A. Bradford Hill (1897–1991) he was the first to show a statistical link between smoking and lung cancer.

dollar /ˈdɒlə/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of the US, Canada, Australia, and certain countries in the Pacific, Caribbean, SE Asia, Africa, and South America.

II. phrases

dollars to doughnuts

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› used to emphasize one's certainty

• I'd bet dollars to doughnuts he's a medical student.

– origin from early Flemish or Low German daler, from German T(h)aler, short for Joachimsthaler, a coin from the silver mine of Joachimsthal (‘Joachim's valley’), now Jáchymov in the Czech Republic. The term was later applied to a coin used in the Spanish-American colonies, which was also widely used in the British North American colonies at the time of the American War of Independence, hence adopted as the name of the US monetary unit in the late 18th cent.

dollar area

noun

the area of the world in which currency is linked to the US dollar.

dollarbird

noun

the eastern broad-billed roller of Asia and Australasia, which has a conspicuous white coin-like mark on the wing that is visible in flight.
● Eyrystomus orientalis, family Coraciidae.

dollar diplomacy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of a country's financial power to extend its international influence.

dollar gap

noun

the amount by which a country's import trade with the dollar area exceeds the corresponding export trade.

dollarization /dɒlərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / dollarisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of aligning a country's currency with the US dollar.

2. the dominating effect of the US on the economy of a country.

dollar sign dollar mark

noun

the sign $, representing a dollar.

Dollfuss, Engelbert /ˈdɒlfʊs/

(1892–1934), Austrian statesman, Chancellor of Austria 1932–4. From 1933 Dollfuss attempted to block Austrian Nazi plans to force the Anschluss by governing without Parliament. He was assassinated by Austrian Nazis.

dollop /ˈdɒləp/

I. noun

‹informal› a large, shapeless mass of something, especially soft food

• great dollops of cream

• ‹figurative› a dollop of romance here and there.

II. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of direction]

1. add (a large mass of something) casually and without measuring

• she stopped him from dolloping cream into his coffee.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a clump of grass or weeds in a field): perhaps of Scandinavian origin and related to Norwegian dialect dolp ‘lump’.

doll's house ‹N. Amer.› dollhouse

noun

a miniature toy house used for playing with dolls.

dolly /ˈdɒli/

I. noun

1. a child's word for a doll.

2. ‹informal› ‹dated› an attractive but unintelligent young woman.

3. a small platform on wheels used for holding heavy objects, typically film or television cameras.
[as modifier]

• a dolly shot.

4. [Cricket] ‹informal› an easy catch.

• he fumbled a dolly at slip.

5. ‹historical› a short wooden pole for stirring clothes in a washtub.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (of a film or television camera) be moved on a mobile platform in a specified direction

• the camera dollies back to reveal hundreds of people.

III. phrases

full up to dolly's wax

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› having eaten to one's limits or satisfaction

• they would all eat until they were full up to dolly's wax.

[with reference to the wax heads of 19th-century dolls.]

dolly bird

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› an attractive but unintelligent young woman.

dolly mixtures

plural noun

(Brit.) a mixture of small variously shaped and coloured sweets.

dolly switch

noun

an electrical on-off switch whose external operating mechanism is a short pivoted lever terminating in a rounded knob, rather than a spring-loaded rocker.

dolly tub

I. noun

‹historical› a washtub.

– origin late 19th cent.: from dialect dolly (used as a term for various contrivances thought to resemble a doll in some way) and tub.

Dolly Varden /ˈvɑːd(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (also Dolly Varden hat) — a large hat with one side drooping and with a floral trimming, formerly worn by women.

2. a brightly spotted edible charr (fish) occurring in fresh water on both sides of the North Pacific.
● Salvelinus malma, family Salmonidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from the name of a character in Dickens's Barnaby Rudge, who wore a similar hat.

dolma /ˈdɒlmə/

I. noun

a dish consisting of ingredients such as meat and spiced rice wrapped in vine or cabbage leaves, popular in the Balkans, the Caucasus, and the eastern Mediterranean.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Greek ntolmas or its source, Turkish dolma, from dolmak ‘fill, be filled’.

dolman /ˈdɒlmən/

I. noun

1. a long Turkish robe open in front.

2. a woman's loose cloak with cape-like sleeves.

– origin late 16th cent.: based on Turkish dolama, dolaman.

dolman sleeve

noun

a loose sleeve cut in one piece with the body of a garment.

dolmen /ˈdɒlmɛn/

I. noun

a megalithic tomb with a large flat stone laid on upright ones, found chiefly in Britain and France.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, perhaps via Breton from Cornish tolmen ‘hole of a stone’.

dolmus /ˈdɒlmʊʃ/

I. noun

(in Turkey) a shared taxi.

– origin from Turkish dolmuş, literally ‘filled’.

dolomite /ˈdɒləmʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a translucent mineral consisting of a carbonate of calcium and magnesium, usually also containing iron.

2. a sedimentary rock formed chiefly of dolomite.

II. derivatives

dolomitic /dɒləˈmɪtɪk /

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered it, + -ite^1.

Dolomite Mountains the Dolomites

a range of the Alps in northern Italy, so named because the characteristic rock of the region is dolomitic limestone.

dolorimeter /ˌdɒləˈrɪmɪtə/

I. noun

an instrument for measuring sensitivity to, or levels of, pain.

II. derivatives

dolorimetry

noun

dolorous /ˈdɒl(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

‹literary› feeling or expressing great sorrow or distress.

• a dolorous and repetitive tale of atrocity.

II. derivatives

dolorously

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French doleros, from late Latin dolorosus, from Latin dolor ‘pain, grief’.

dolostone /ˈdɒləstəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] rock consisting of dolomite.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from dolomite + stone.

dolour /ˈdɒlə / ‹US› dolor

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› a state of great sorrow or distress

• they squatted, hunched in their habitual dolour.

– origin Middle English (denoting both physical and mental pain or distress): via Old French from Latin dolor ‘pain, grief’.

dolphin /ˈdɒlfɪn/

I. noun

1. a small gregarious toothed whale which typically has a beak-like snout and a curved fin on the back. Dolphins have become well known for their sociable nature and high intelligence.
●Families Delphinidae (marine) and Platanistidae (the river dolphins): several genera and many species.

2. (also dolphinfish) — another term for dorado (sense 1).

3. a bollard, pile, or buoy for mooring boats.

4. a structure for protecting the pier of a bridge.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French dauphin, from Provençal dalfin, from Latin delphinus, from Greek delphin.

dolphinarium /ˌdɒlfɪˈnɛːrɪəm/

noun

an aquarium in which dolphins are kept and trained for public entertainment.

dolt /dəʊlt/

I. noun

a stupid person.

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps a variant of dulled, past participle of dull.

doltish /ˈdəʊltɪʃ/

I. adjective

(of a person) stupid; idiotic

• a doltish character.

II. derivatives

1. doltishly

adverb

2. doltishness /ˈdəʊltɪʃnəs /

noun

Dom /dɒm/

I. noun

1. a title prefixed to the names of some Roman Catholic dignitaries and Benedictine and Carthusian monks

• Dom Bede Griffiths.

2. Portuguese form of don^1 (sense 2).

– origin from Latin dominus ‘master’.

-dom

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. denoting a state or condition

• freedom.

3. denoting rank or status

• earldom.

4. denoting a domain

• fiefdom.

5. denoting a class of people or the attitudes associated with them, regarded collectively

• officialdom.

– origin Old English -dōm, originally meaning ‘decree, judgement’.

domain /də(ʊ)ˈmeɪn/

I. noun

1. an area of territory owned or controlled by a particular ruler or government

• the French domains of the Plantagenets.

2. a specified sphere of activity or knowledge

• the country's isolation in the domain of sport.

3. [Computing] a distinct subset of the Internet with addresses sharing a common suffix or under the control of a particular organization or individual.

4. [Physics] a discrete region of magnetism in ferromagnetic material.

5. [Mathematics] the set of possible values of the independent variable or variables of a function.

6. [Biochemistry] a distinct region of a complex molecule or structure.

– origin late Middle English (denoting heritable or landed property): from French domaine, alteration (by association with Latin dominus ‘lord’) of Old French demeine ‘belonging to a lord’ (see demesne).

domaine /dəˈmeɪn/

I. noun

a vineyard.

– origin French, literally ‘estate’ (see domain).

domain name

noun

[Computing] the part of a network address which identifies it as belonging to a particular domain.

domal /ˈdəʊm(ə)l/

adjective

(chiefly of geological features) having the form of a dome.

• continental plates also give rise to domal uplifts.

domanial /dəˈmeɪnɪəl/

I. adjective

relating to the control or ownership of an area of territory by a ruler or government.

• this domanial regime suited large-scale landlords.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin domanialis, from domanium ‘lordship’.

dome /dəʊm/

I. noun

1. a rounded vault forming the roof of a building or structure, typically with a circular base

• the dome of St Paul's Cathedral.

2. the revolving openable hemispherical roof of an observatory.

3. [in names] — (N. Amer.) a sports stadium with a domed roof.

4. a thing shaped like a dome, in particular:

5. a natural vault or canopy, such as that of the sky or trees

• the dome of the sky.

6. [Geology] a rounded uplifted landform or underground structure.

7. ‹informal› the top of the head

• her Mohican projected from her shaved dome.

8. ‹literary› a stately building.

II. verb — [no obj.] (often as noun doming)

1. (of stratified rock or a surface) become rounded in formation; swell.

III. derivatives

dome-like

adjective

– origin early 16th cent. (in sense 3 of the noun): from Latin domus; other senses are via French dôme, from Italian duomo ‘cathedral, dome’.

domed /dəʊmd/

adjective

covered with or shaped like a rounded vault

• his domed forehead

• [in combination] a glass-domed roof.

dome fastener

noun

a press stud consisting of a rounded portion which clips into a socket, used especially as a fastener for gloves.

Dome of the Rock

an Islamic shrine in Jerusalem, for Muslims the third most holy place after Mecca and Medina. It surrounds the sacred rock on which, according to tradition, Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac and from which the prophet Muhammad made his miraculous midnight ascent into heaven (the Night Journey).

Domesday /ˈduːmzdeɪ / Domesday Book

I. noun

a comprehensive record of the extent, value, ownership, and liabilities of land in England, made in 1086 by order of William I.

– origin Middle English: an old spelling of doomsday, which was apparently applied because the book was regarded as a final authority.

domestic /dəˈmɛstɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to the running of a home or to family relations

• domestic chores

• domestic violence.

2. of or for use in the home rather than in an industrial or office environment

• domestic water supplies.

3. (of an animal) tame and kept by humans

• domestic dogs.

4. (of a person) fond of family life and running a home

• she was not at all domestic.

5. existing or occurring inside a particular country; not foreign or international

• Egypt's domestic affairs.

II. noun

1. (also domestic worker or domestic help) — a person who is paid to help with cleaning and other menial tasks in a person's home.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a violent quarrel between family members, especially a couple

• they are often called to sort out a domestic.

3. (N. Amer.) a product not made abroad.

– origin late Middle English: from French domestique, from Latin domesticus, from domus ‘house’.

domestically /dəˈmɛstɪkli/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to the running of a home or to family relations

• his wife is domestically and financially controlling.

2. in a home environment

• barn owls can be kept domestically.

3. in a way that relates to activities inside a particular country; nationally

• only a quarter of French locomotives were domestically produced

• the company has a high reputation both domestically and internationally.

domesticate /dəˈmɛstɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. tame (an animal) and keep it as a pet or on a farm

• mammals were first domesticated for their milk.

2. cultivate (a plant) for food.

• the potato was first domesticated on Andean slopes.

3. ‹humorous› make (someone) fond of and good at home life and the tasks that it involves

• you've quite domesticated him.

II. derivatives

domesticable /dəˈmɛstɪkəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin domesticat- ‘domesticated’, from the verb domesticare, from Latin domesticus ‘belonging to the house’ (see domestic).

domesticated /dəˈmɛstɪkeɪtɪd/

adjective

1. (of an animal) tame and kept as a pet or on a farm

• domesticated dogs.

2. (of a plant) cultivated for food; naturalized

• domesticated crops.

3. ‹humorous› (especially of a man) fond of home life and housework

• he is thoroughly domesticated.

domestication /dəmɛstɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of taming an animal and keeping it as a pet or on a farm

• domestication of animals lies at the heart of human civilization.

2. the cultivation of a plant for food

• this book covers the evolution and domestication of six important cereal crops.

3. ‹humorous› the process of making someone fond of and good at home life and the tasks that it involves

• I won't say it was an easy change, but my domestication was a much needed one.

domestic bursar

noun

the person responsible for the administration of the domestic establishment of a college or university.

domestic goddess

noun

‹informal› a woman with exceptional domestic skills, especially one who excels at cookery and preparing meals.

domesticity /ˌdɒmɛˈstɪsɪti, ˌdəʊmɛˈstɪsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. home or family life

• the atmosphere is one of happy domesticity.

domestic partner

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a person who is living with another in a close personal and sexual relationship.

II. derivatives

domestic partnership

noun

domestic science

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹dated› the study of household skills such as cooking or sewing, especially as taught at school; home economics.

domestic violence

noun — [ mass noun]

1. violent or aggressive behaviour within the home, typically involving the violent abuse of a spouse or partner.

• police, social services, and voluntary agencies are working together to tackle domestic violence.

domical /ˈdəʊmɪk(ə)l/

adjective

another term for domed:

• an octagonal, domical vault.

domicile /ˈdɒmɪsʌɪl, ˈdɒmɪsɪl/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› [Law] the country that a person treats as their permanent home, or lives in and has a substantial connection with

• his wife has a domicile of origin in Germany.

Compare with residence.

2. (chiefly US) a person's residence or home

• the builder I've hired to renovate my new domicile.

3. the place at which a company or other body is registered, especially for tax purposes.

II. verb — [with adverbial of place] ( be domiciled)

1. ‹formal› [Law] treat a specified country as a permanent home

• the tenant is domiciled in the United Kingdom.

Compare with reside.

2. ‹formal› [Law] (chiefly US) reside or be based

• he was domiciled in a frame house in the outskirts of Bogotá.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin domicilium ‘dwelling’, from domus ‘home’.

domiciliary /ˌdɒmɪˈsɪlɪəri/

I. adjective

concerned with or occurring in someone's home

• a study compared domiciliary care with hospital care.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French domiciliaire, from medieval Latin domiciliarius, from Latin domicilium ‘dwelling’ (see domicile).

domiciliation /ˌdɒmɪsɪlɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the state of living or being domiciled in a place.

– origin late 18th cent.: from obsolete verb domiciliate, from Latin domicilium (see domicile).

dominance /ˈdɒmɪnəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. power and influence over others

• the worldwide dominance of Hollywood.

2. [Genetics] the phenomenon whereby, in an individual containing two allelic forms of a gene, one is expressed to the exclusion of the other.

• all had, in conformity with the principle of dominance, round seeds with yellow cotyledons.

3. [Ecology] the predominance of one or more species in a plant (or animal) community.

• some plants produce structures to outcompete other species for dominance in a given habitat.

II. derivatives

dominancy

noun

dominant /ˈdɒmɪnənt/

I. adjective

1. having power and influence over others

• they are now in an even more dominant position in the market.

2. (of a high place) overlooking others.

3. [Genetics] relating to or denoting heritable characteristics which are controlled by genes that are expressed in offspring even when inherited from only one parent.

• it is the dominant gene causing polydactyly.

• the mutant allele is dominant to the wild type.

Often contrasted with recessive.

4. [Ecology] denoting the predominant species in a plant (or animal) community.

• red spruce is a dominant species in many types of forest.

5. (in decision theory) denoting a choice that is at least as good as the alternatives in all circumstances, and better in some

• holding back is here a dominant strategy.

II. noun

1. [Genetics] a dominant trait or gene.

• this disorder is inherited as a dominant.

2. [Ecology] a dominant species in a plant (or animal) community.

• oak is a long-established dominant.

3. [Music] the fifth note of the diatonic scale of any key, or the key based on this, considered in relation to the key of the tonic.

III. derivatives

dominantly

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin dominant- ‘ruling, governing’, from the verb dominari (see dominate).

dominant seventh

noun

[Music] the common chord of the dominant note in a key, plus the diminished seventh from that note (e.g. in the key of C, a chord of G-B-D-F). It is important in conventional harmony, as it naturally resolves to the tonic or subdominant.

dominate /ˈdɒmɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. have power and influence over

• the company dominates the market for operating system software.

2. be the most important or conspicuous person or thing in

• the race was dominated by the 1998 champion.

3. have a commanding position over; overlook

• a picturesque city dominated by the cathedral tower.

II. derivatives

dominator /ˈdɒmɪneɪtə /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin dominat- ‘ruled, governed’, from the verb dominari, from dominus ‘lord, master’.

domination /dɒmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the exercise of power or influence over someone or something, or the state of being so controlled

• the imperial domination of India.

2. ( dominations) — (in traditional Christian angelology) the fourth-highest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin dominatio(n-), from the verb dominari (see dominate).

dominatrix /ˌdɒmɪˈneɪtrɪks/

I. noun

a dominating woman, especially one who takes the sadistic role in sadomasochistic sexual activities.

– origin mid 16th cent. (rare before the late 20th cent.): from Latin, feminine of dominator, from dominat- ‘ruled’, from the verb dominari (see dominate).

dominee /ˈdɒmɪni/

I. noun

(S. African) a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church.

– origin Afrikaans and Dutch, from the Latin vocative domine! ‘master!’.

domineer /ˌdɒmɪˈnɪə/

I. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as adj. domineering)

1. assert one's will over another in an arrogant way

• Cathy had been a martyr to her gruff, domineering husband.

II. derivatives

domineeringly

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from Dutch dominieren, from French dominer, from Latin dominari (see dominate).

Domingo, Placido /dəˈmɪŋɡəʊ/

(b.1941), Spanish-born tenor. His performances in operas by Verdi and Puccini have met with particular acclaim.

Dominic, St /ˈdɒmɪnɪk/

( c. 1170–1221), Spanish priest and friar; Spanish name Domingo de Guzmán. In 1216 he founded the Order of Friars Preachers at Toulouse in France; its members became known as Dominicans or Black Friars. Feast day, 8 August.

Dominica /ˌdɒmɪˈniːkə, dəˈmɪnɪkə/

I. a mountainous island in the Caribbean, the loftiest of the Lesser Antilles and the northernmost and largest of the Windward Islands; pop. 72,700 (est. 2009); languages, English (official), Creole; capital, Roseau. The island came into British possession at the end of the 18th century, becoming an independent republic within the Commonwealth in 1978.

– origin named by Columbus, who discovered it on a Sunday (Latin dies dominica ‘the Lord's day’) in 1493.

dominical /dəˈmɪnɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. of Sunday as the Lord's day.

2. of Jesus Christ as the lord.

– origin Middle English: from late Latin dominicalis, from Latin dominicus, from dominus ‘lord, master’.

dominical letter

noun

any of the seven letters A–G used in Church calendars to indicate the date (1–7 January) on which the first Sunday in the year falls, and hence in dating movable feasts.

Dominican^1 /dəˈmɪnɪk(ə)n/

I. noun

a member of the Roman Catholic order of preaching friars founded by St Dominic, or of a religious order for women founded on similar principles .

II. adjective

relating to St Dominic or the Dominicans.

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin Dominicanus, from Dominicus, the Latin name of Domingo de Guzmán (see Dominic, St).

Dominican^2 /dəˈmɪnɪk(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to the Dominican Republic or its people.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the Dominican Republic.

– origin from Spanish Dominicana, influenced by Santo Domingo.

Dominican^3 /ˌdɒmɪˈniːk(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to the island of Dominica or its people.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the island of Dominica.

Dominican Republic /dəˈmɪnɪkən/

a country in the Caribbean occupying the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola; pop. 9,650,100 (est. 2009); official language, Spanish; capital, Santo Domingo. The Dominican Republic is the former Spanish colony of Santo Domingo, the part of Hispaniola which Spain retained when it ceded the western portion (now Haiti) to France in 1697. It was proclaimed a republic in 1844.

dominie /ˈdɒmɪni/

I. noun

1. (Scottish) a schoolmaster.

2. (chiefly US) a pastor or clergyman.

– origin late 17th cent.: alteration of Latin domine! (vocative) ‘master!, sir!’, from dominus ‘lord’ (formerly used as a polite form of address to a clergyman or member of one of the professions).

dominion /dəˈmɪnjən/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — sovereignty or control

• man's attempt to establish dominion over nature.

2. another term for dominium.

3. (usu. dominions) — the territory of a sovereign or government

• the Angevin dominions.

4. ( Dominion) — ‹historical› each of the self-governing territories of the British Commonwealth.

• Great Britain, together with her Dominions and Colonies.

5. ( dominions) — another term for domination (sense 2).

– origin Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin dominio(n-), from Latin dominium, from dominus ‘lord, master’.

dominium /dəˈmɪnɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] (chiefly US) ownership and control of property.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin.

domino /ˈdɒmɪnəʊ/

I. noun

1. any of 28 small oblong pieces marked with 0–6 pips in each half.

• everyone will fall over like a row of dominoes.

2. [treated as sing.] ( dominoes) — the game played with dominoes, in which they are laid down to form a line, each player in turn trying to find and lay down a domino with a value matched by that of a piece at either end of the line already formed.

3. ‹historical› a loose cloak, worn with a mask for the upper part of the face at masquerades.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, denoting a hood worn by priests in winter, probably based on Latin dominus ‘lord, master’.

Domino, Fats /ˈdɒmɪnəʊ/

(b.1928), American pianist, singer, and songwriter; born Antoine Domino. His music represents part of the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll. Notable songs: ‘Ain't That a Shame’ (1955) and ‘Blueberry Hill’ (1956).

domino effect

noun

the effect of the domino theory.

domino theory

noun

the theory that a political event in one country will cause similar events in neighbouring countries, like a falling domino causing an entire row of upended dominoes to fall.

Domitian /dəˈmɪʃ(ə)n/

(AD 51–96), son of Vespasian, Roman emperor 81–96; full name Titus Flavius Domitianus. An energetic but autocratic ruler, he embarked on a major building programme, but was assassinated following a lengthy period of terror.

don^1 /dɒn/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a university teacher, especially a senior member of a college at Oxford or Cambridge.

2. ( Don) — a Spanish title prefixed to a male forename.

3. a Spanish gentleman.

4. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a high-ranking member of the Mafia.

II. derivatives

donship

noun

– origin early 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Spanish, from Latin dominus ‘lord, master’.

don^2 /dɒn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. put on (an item of clothing)

• in the dressing room the players donned their football shirts.

– origin late Middle English: contraction of do on. Compare with doff.

Don /dɒn/

I. a river in Russia which rises near Tula, south-east of Moscow, and flows for a distance of 1,958 km (1,224 miles) to the Sea of Azov.

II. a river in Scotland which rises in the Grampians and flows 131 km (82 miles) eastwards to the North Sea at Aberdeen.

III. a river in northern England which rises in the Pennines and flows 112 km (70 miles) eastwards to join the Ouse shortly before it, in turn, joins the Humber.

donah /ˈdəʊnə / dona

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› a woman or girlfriend

• formidable fighter as he was, his donah was yet more feared.

– origin mid 19th cent.: originally British slang, from Spanish doña or Portuguese dona, from Latin domina ‘mistress’.

donate /də(ʊ)ˈneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (money or goods) for a good cause, for example to a charity

• the proceeds will be donated to an AIDS awareness charity.

2. allow the removal of (blood or an organ) from one's body for transplantation, transfusion, or research.
(as adj. donated)

• all donated blood is tested for antibodies.

3. [Chemistry] [Physics] provide or contribute (electrons or protons).

II. derivatives

donator /də(ʊ)ˈneɪtə /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: back-formation from donation.

Donatello /ˌdɒnəˈtɛləʊ/

(1386–1466), Italian sculptor; born Donato di Betto Bardi. He was one of the pioneers of scientific perspective, and is especially famous for his lifelike sculptures, including the bronze David ( c. 1430–60).

donatio mortis causa /dəˌneɪʃɪəʊ ˌmɔːtɪs ˈkɔːzə/

I. noun

[Law] a gift of personal property made by someone who expects to die in the immediate future, taking full effect only after the donor dies.

– origin Latin, literally ‘gift by reason of death’.

donation /də(ʊ)ˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. something that is given to a charity, especially a sum of money

• please send your donation of £20 to the Disaster Appeal.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of donating something.

• the donation of carpets, chairs, and cutlery.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin donatio(n-), from the verb donare, based on donum ‘gift’.

Donatist /ˈdəʊnətɪst/

I. noun

a member of a schismatic Christian group in North Africa, formed in 311, who held that only those living a blameless life belonged in the Church. They survived until the 7th century.

II. derivatives

Donatism

noun

– origin from Donatus (died c. 355), a Christian prelate in Carthage and the group's leader, + -ist.

donative /ˈdəʊnətɪv / ‹rare›

I. noun

a donation, especially one given formally or officially as a largesse.

II. adjective

1. given as a donation.

2. ‹historical› (of a benefice) given directly, not presentative.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin donativum ‘gift, largesse’, from donat- ‘given’, from the verb donare (see donation).

Donatus, Aelius /dəˈneɪtəs/

(4th century), Roman grammarian. The Ars Grammatica, containing his treatises on Latin grammar, was used in schools in the Middle Ages.

Donau^1 /ˈdoːnaʊ/

German name for Danube.

Donau^2 /ˈdɒnəʊ/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Geology] a series of Lower Pleistocene glaciations in the Alps, preceding the Günz.

2. [Geology] the system of deposits laid down during the Donau period.

– origin German, ‘Danube’.

Donbas /dɒnˈbɑːs/

Ukrainian name for Donets Basin.

Doncaster /ˈdɒŋkastə/

an industrial town in South Yorkshire, northern England; pop. 63,800 (est. 2009).

doncha /ˈdəʊntʃə / dontcha, don'tcha

contraction

‹informal› don't you

• why doncha write me a nice song

• dontcha trust me?

done /dʌn/

I. verb

past participle of do^1.

II. adjective

1. (of food) cooked thoroughly

• the turkey will be done to a turn.

2. no longer happening or existing

• her hunting days were done.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› socially acceptable

• therapy was not the done thing then.

III. exclamation

used to indicate that the speaker accepts the terms of an offer

• ‘I'll give ten to one he misses by a mile!’ called Reilly. ‘Done!’, said the conductor.

IV. phrases

1. a done deal

an agreement that has been finalized.

• although a few details still had to be worked out, the settlement was a done deal.

2. done for

‹informal› in a situation so bad that it is impossible to get out

• if the guard sees us, we're done for.

3. done in (or up)

‹informal› extremely tired

• you look done in.

V. derivatives

doneness

noun

‹informal› done (sense 1 of the adjective)

• check the meat for doneness during the last 20 minutes of cooking

donee /dəʊˈniː/

I. noun

1. a person who receives a gift.

2. [Law] a person who is given a power of appointment.

– origin early 16th cent.: from donor + -ee.

Donegal^1 /ˌdɒnɪˈɡɔːl/

a county in the extreme north-west of the Republic of Ireland, part of the old province of Ulster; capital, Lifford.

Donegal^2 /ˌdɒnɪˈɡɔːl, ˌdʌnɪˈɡɔːl, ˈdɒnɪɡɔːl, ˈdʌnɪɡɔːl / Donegal tweed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tweed characterized by bright flecks randomly distributed on a background that is typically light grey, as originally woven in County Donegal.

doner kebab /ˈdɒnə, ˈdəʊnə/

I. noun

a Turkish dish consisting of spiced lamb cooked on a spit and served in slices, typically with pitta bread.

– origin from Turkish döner kebap, from döner ‘rotating’ and kebap ‘roast meat’.

Donets /dɒˈnjɛts/

a river in eastern Europe, rising near Belgorod in southern Russia and flowing south-eastwards for some 1,000 km (630 miles) through Ukraine before re-entering Russia and joining the Don near Rostov.

Donets Basin

a coal-mining and industrial region of SE Ukraine, stretching between the valleys of the Donets and lower Dnieper Rivers.
Ukrainian name Donbas.

Donetsk /dɒˈnjɛtsk/

the leading city of the Donets Basin in Ukraine; pop. 974,600 (est. 2009). The city was called Yuzovka from 1872 until 1924, and Stalin or Stalino from 1924 until 1961.

dong^1 /dɒŋ/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a bell) make a deep, resonant sound.

• cows with bells about their necks which donged as they moved.

2. [with obj.] — (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› hit or punch (someone).

• the publican gives young Annie Lang a pat on the bottom but she dongs him a beauty.

II. noun

1. the deep, resonant sound of a large bell.

2. (Austral./NZ) a blow; a punch.

3. ‹vulgar slang› a man's penis.

– origin late 16th cent.: imitative.

dong^2 /dɒŋ/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Vietnam, equal to 100 xu.

– origin from Vietnamese dông ‘coin’.

donga /ˈdɒŋɡə/

I. noun

1. (S. African) (Austral./NZ) a dry gully, formed by the eroding action of running water.

2. (Austral.) a temporary, usually transportable, dwelling.

3. (Austral.) the bush; the remote countryside.

– origin Sense 1 from Xhosa and Zulu udonga; sense 2 is said to stem from an extended usage of the term in the Boer War.

donger /ˈdɒŋə/

I. noun

(chiefly Austral./NZ) ‹vulgar slang› a man's penis.

– origin 1960s: from dong^1.

dongle /ˈdɒŋɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

[Computing] a small device able to be connected to and used with a computer, especially to allow access to wireless broadband or use of protected software.

– origin 1980s: an arbitrary formation.

dong quai /dɒŋ ˈkwɛɪ, ˈkwʌɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an aromatic herb native to China and Japan, the root of which is used by herbalists to treat premenstrual syndrome and menopausal symptoms.
● Angelica sinensis, family Umbelliferae.

– origin from Chinese dāngguī.

Donizetti, Gaetano /ˌdɒnɪˈtsɛti/

(1797–1848), Italian composer. His operas include tragedies such as Lucia di Lammermoor (1835) and comedies such as Don Pasquale (1843).

donjon /ˈdɒndʒ(ə)n, ˈdʌndʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

the great tower or innermost keep of a castle.

– origin Middle English: variant of dungeon.

Don Juan /dɒn ˈhwɑːn, dɒn ˈdʒʊən/

I. a legendary Spanish nobleman of dissolute life, famous for seducing women.

II. (as noun a Don Juan) — a seducer of women; a libertine.

donkey /ˈdɒŋki/

I. noun

1. a domesticated hoofed mammal of the horse family with long ears and a braying call, used as a beast of burden; an ass.
● Equus asinus, family Equidae, descended from the wild ass of Africa.

2. ‹informal› a stupid or inept person.

3. ‹informal› an engine.

4. (also donkey stool) — a low stool on which an artist sits astride, especially in an art school.

5. [ mass noun] — a children's card game involving exchanging cards.

II. phrases

donkey's years

(Brit.) ‹informal› a very long time

• we've been close friends for donkey's years.

– origin late 18th cent. (originally pronounced to rhyme with monkey): perhaps from dun^1, or from the given name Duncan.

donkey derby

noun

a race between competitors riding donkeys.

donkey engine

noun

a small auxiliary engine.

donkey jacket

noun

(Brit.) a heavy jacket which has a patch of waterproof leather or plastic across the shoulders, worn typically by building workers.

donkey-lick donkey-wallop

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› defeat (someone) resoundingly

• she donkey-licked her opposition in the 1200m sprint.

– origin late 19th cent.: from donkey + lick in the sense ‘beat decisively’.

donkeyman

noun

a man with responsibilities in a ship's engine room
[as modifier]

• a donkeyman greaser.

donkey vote

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) (in a preferential system of voting) a vote in which the preferences recorded simply follow the order in which candidates' names appear on the ballot paper

• I would much rather people abstain than cast a donkey vote.

– origin early 20th cent.: an allusion to the donkey's reputation for stupidity.

donkey work

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› the boring or laborious part of a job; drudgery

• supervisors who get a research student to do the donkey work.

Donkin, Bryan /ˈdɒŋkɪn/

(1768–1855), English engineer. He developed a method of food preservation by heat sterilization, sealing the food inside a container made of sheet steel and so producing the first tin can.

Donna /ˈdɒnə/

I. noun

a title or form of address for an Italian woman.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Italian, from Latin domina ‘mistress’, feminine of dominus ‘lord, master’.

Donnan equilibrium /ˈdɒn(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the equilibrium reached between two ionic solutions separated by a semipermeable membrane when one or more of the kinds of ion present cannot pass through the membrane. The result is a difference in osmotic pressure and electrical potential between the solutions.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Frederick G. Donnan (1870–1956), British physical chemist.

Donne, John /dʌn/

(1572–1631), English poet and preacher. A metaphysical poet, he is most famous for his Satires and Elegies ( c. 1590–9) and his love poems. He also wrote religious poems and, as dean of St Paul's from 1621, was one of the most celebrated preachers of his age.

donnée /ˈdɒneɪ / donné

I. noun

1. a subject or theme of a narrative.

2. a basic fact or assumption.

– origin French, ‘given’.

donnish /ˈdɒnɪʃ/

I. adjective

(Brit.) resembling a college don, particularly because of having a pedantic, scholarly manner.

II. derivatives

1. donnishly

adverb

2. donnishness

noun

donnybrook /ˈdɒnɪbrʊk/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) a scene of uproar and disorder; a heated argument

• raucous ideological donnybrooks.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, formerly famous for its annual fair.

donor /ˈdəʊnə, ˈdəʊnɔː/

I. noun

1. a person who donates something, especially money to charity

• an anonymous donor has given £25

• [as modifier] loans from rich donor countries.

2. a person who provides blood, an organ, or semen for transplantation, transfusion, etc.

• one third of patients die before a suitable donor is found.

• a blood donor.

3. [Chemistry] an atom or molecule that provides a pair of electrons in forming a coordinate bond.

4. [Physics] an impurity atom in a semiconductor which contributes a conducting electron to the material.

– origin Middle English: from Old French doneur, from Latin donator, from donare ‘give’.

donor card

noun

a card which a person carries to indicate consent to the use of their organs for transplant surgery in the event of their death.

• I just wish everyone would carry a donor card.

donor fatigue

noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for compassion fatigue.

• the ‘Crisis in Africa’ appeal raised record donations, despite fears of donor fatigue.

do-nothing ‹informal›

I. adjective

taking no action; doing nothing

• a weak, divided, do-nothing government.

II. noun

an idle or feckless person

• a shiftless lot of do-nothings.

Don Quixote /dɒn kiːˈhəʊti, dɒn ˈkwɪksəʊt/

the hero of a romance (1605–15) by Cervantes, a satirical account of chivalric beliefs and conduct. The character of Don Quixote is typified by a romantic vision and naive, unworldly idealism.

don't /dəʊnt/

I. contraction

do not

• they really don't know what will happen.

• I see a face I don't recognize.

II. phrases

dos and don'ts

see do^1.

usage: Don't is a contraction of do not. It is often used informally, especially in speech, as the equivalent of does not —as in, for example, she don't drink tea —but this is not standard English and should be avoided in writing.

don't-know

noun

a person who disclaims knowledge, especially one who is undecided when replying to an opinion poll or questionnaire.

doobie

I. noun

‹informal› a cannabis cigarette.

– origin 1960s (originally US): of unknown origin.

doobry doobrey, doobrie /ˈduːbri/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› another term for doodah:

• you know, the little plastic doobry that covers the connector.

– origin 1950s: of unknown origin.

doodad /ˈduːdad/

I. noun

North American term for doodah.

– origin early 20th cent.: of unknown origin.

doodah /ˈduːdɑː/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to refer to something that the speaker cannot name precisely

• from the poshest potpourri to the humblest dangly doodah.

II. phrases

all of a doodah

(Brit.) ‹informal› very agitated

• they'll be all of a doodah because of the bombs.

– origin early 20th cent. (in the phrase all of a doodah): perhaps from the refrain of the song Camptown Races.

doodle /ˈduːd(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. scribble absent-mindedly

• he was only doodling in the margin.

II. noun

a rough drawing made absent-mindedly.

• the text was interspersed with doodles.

III. derivatives

doodler

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (originally as a noun denoting a fool, later as a verb in the sense ‘make a fool of, cheat’): from Low German dudeltopf, dudeldopp ‘simpleton’. Current senses date from the 1930s.

doodlebug /ˈduːd(ə)lbʌɡ/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› (Brit.) informal term for V-1.

2. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) the larva of an ant lion.

3. ‹informal› (US) an unscientific device for locating oil or minerals; a divining rod.

4. ‹informal› a prospector for oil or minerals.

5. ‹informal› a small car or other vehicle.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in sense 2): from 17th-cent. doodle ‘ninny’ + bug.

doodly-squat

noun

another term for diddly-squat.

doo-doo /ˈduːduː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› excrement

• they should fine people if they are not carrying a bag for their dog's doo-doo

• ‹figurative› the company really is in deep doo-doo.

– origin 1950s (originally a child's word): reduplicated respelling of do^1 (sense 3 of the noun).

doof /duːf/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — (Austral.) electronic music with a repetitive, heavy bass beat

• they join in the workshops, eat felafel, and dance to doof.

2. [ count noun] — (Austral.) a large party or festival with dancing to electronic music

• the park provides the perfect venue for a doof

• [as modifier] they were no strangers to the doof scene.

– origin 1990s: an onomatopoeic coinage suggestive of the repetitive, heavy bass beat of electronic music.

doofer /ˈduːfə/

I. noun

‹informal› an object or device of unspecified name or nature.

– origin 1930s: perhaps an alteration of do for in phrases like that will do for now.

doofus /ˈduːfʌs / dufus

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a stupid person.

• a doofus who paid an inflated price for a tatty house.

– origin 1960s: perhaps an alteration of goofus, or from Scots doof ‘dolt’.

doohickey /ˈduːhɪki/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a small object or gadget, especially one whose precise name the speaker cannot recall

• a garage filled with electronic parts and other valuable doohickeys.

– origin early 20th cent. (originally servicemen's slang): blend of doodad and hickey.

dookie /ˈduːki / dooky

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› excrement

• dog dookie

• ‹figurative› each week, I get phone calls from investors who are in deep dookie.

– origin 1960s: origin unknown.

doolally /duːˈlali/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› temporarily deranged or feeble-minded

• Uncle's gone doolally again.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› transported with excitement or pleasure

• a return on capital that the City would go doolally over.

– origin early 20th cent.: originally doolally tap, Indian army slang, from Deolali (the name of a town with a military sanatorium and a transit camp) + Urdu tap ‘fever’.

Doolittle, Hilda /ˈduːlɪt(ə)l/

(1886–1961), American poet; pseudonym H.D. Her work shows the influence of Ezra Pound and other imagist poets. Notable works: Sea Garden (1916).

doom /duːm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. death, destruction, or some other terrible fate

• the aircraft was sent crashing to its doom in the water.

2. [in sing.] — ‹archaic› (in Christian belief) the Last Judgement.

• a day like that of the last doom.

See also crack of doom at crack.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. condemn to certain death or destruction

• fuel was spilling out of the damaged wing and the aircraft was doomed.

2. cause to have an unfortunate and inescapable outcome

• her plan was doomed to failure.

III. phrases

doom and gloom gloom and doom

a general feeling of pessimism or despondency

• the national feeling of doom and gloom.

– origin Old English dōm ‘statute, judgement’, of Germanic origin, from a base meaning ‘to put in place’; related to do^1.

doomed /duːmd/

adjective

likely to have an unfortunate and inescapable outcome; ill-fated

• the moving story of their doomed love affair.

doom-laden

adjective

conveying a sense of tragedy

• a doom-laden speech.

doom-monger

noun

a person who predicts disaster

• the situation is nowhere near as critical as doom-mongers will have you believe.

doomsayer

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a person who predicts disaster.

II. derivatives

doomsaying

noun

doomsday /ˈduːmzdeɪ/

I. noun

1. the last day of the world's existence.

• Bede believed that the time of doomsday is concealed from mankind.

2. (in religious belief) the day of the Last Judgement.

3. a time or event of crisis or great danger
[as modifier]

• in all the concern over greenhouse warming, one doomsday scenario stands out.

II. phrases

till doomsday

‹informal› forever

• we'll be here till doomsday if you go blethering on.

– origin Old English dōmes dæg (see doom, day).

doomster /ˈduːmstə/

noun

(Brit.) another term for doomsayer.

doomwatch /ˈduːmwɒtʃ/

I. noun

an organized campaign of vigilance to alert people to the dangers of environmental pollution.

II. derivatives

doomwatcher

noun

doomy

I. adjective

suggesting or predicting disaster; ominous

• doomy forecasts.

II. derivatives

1. doomily

adverb

2. doominess

noun

doona /ˈduːnə/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹trademark› a quilted eiderdown or duvet.

– origin 1970s: perhaps from Swedish dun (see down^2).

door /dɔː/

I. noun

1. a hinged, sliding, or revolving barrier at the entrance to a building, room, or vehicle, or in the framework of a cupboard.

• she looked for her key and opened the door.

2. a doorway

• she walked through the door.

3. used to refer to the distance from one building in a row to another

• he lives just a few doors away from the Strongs.

II. phrases

1. as one door closes, another opens

‹proverb› you shouldn't be discouraged by failure, as other opportunities will soon present themselves.

2. at the door

on admission to an event rather than in advance

• tickets will be available at the door.

3. close (or shut) the door on (or to)

exclude the opportunity for

• she had closed the door on ever finding out what he was feeling.

4. (from) door to door

a. from start to finish of a journey

• the trip from door to door could take more than four hours.

b. visiting all the houses in an area to sell or publicize something

• he went from door to door selling insurance policies

• [as modifier] a door-to-door salesman.

5. lay something at someone's door

regard someone as responsible for something

• the failure is laid at the door of the government.

6. leave the door open

ensure that there is still an opportunity for something

• he is leaving the door open for future change.

7. on the door

a. monitoring admission to a building or event

• the uniformed commissionaires on the door.

b. another way of saying at the door.

8. open the door to

create an opportunity for

• her research has opened the door to a deeper understanding of the subject.

9. out of doors /ˌaʊt əv ˈdɔːz /

in or into the open air

• food tastes even better out of doors.

III. derivatives

doored

adjective

[in combination]

• a glass-doored desk

– origin Old English duru, dor, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch deur ‘door’ and German Tür ‘door’, Tor ‘gate’; from an Indo-European root shared by Latin foris ‘gate’ and Greek thura ‘door’.

doorbell /ˈdɔːbɛl/

noun

a bell in a building which can be rung by visitors outside to signal their arrival.

• Charlotte rang the doorbell.

do-or-die

adjective

showing or requiring a determination not to compromise or be deterred

• the mercenaries fought with a do-or-die fanaticism.

door frame doorcase

noun

the frame in a doorway into which a door is fitted.

door furniture

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the handles, lock, and other fixtures on a door.

door head

noun

the upper part of a door frame.

doorkeeper /ˈdɔːkiːpə/

noun

a person on duty at the entrance to a building.

doorknob /ˈdɔːnɒb/

noun

a handle on a door that is turned to release the latch.

doorknock ‹Austral./NZ›

I. noun

a campaign of door-to-door house visits to collect for a charity or to appeal for support for a political candidate
[as modifier]

• a doorknock appeal.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. campaign by making door-to-door house visits.

doorman /ˈdɔːmən/

noun

a man such as a porter, bouncer, or janitor who is on duty at the entrance to a large building.

doormat /ˈdɔːmat/

noun

1. a mat placed in a doorway, on which people can wipe their shoes on entering a building.

2. a submissive person who allows others to dominate them

• to put up with such treatment you must be either a saint or a doormat.

doornail /ˈdɔːneɪl/

I. noun

a stud set in a door for strength or as an ornament.

II. phrases

(as) dead as a doornail

quite dead.

• the plants are all as dead as a doornail.

Doornik /ˈdoːrnɪk/

Flemish name for Tournai.

door plate

noun

a plate on the door of a house or room which gives information about the occupant.

doorpost /ˈdɔːpəʊst/

noun

each of the two upright parts of a door frame.

door prize

noun

a prize which each person present at an event has a chance to win, usually by means of a draw or raffle.

Doors /dɔːz/

an American rock group chiefly remembered for flamboyant lead singer Jim Morrison (1943–71) and for dramatic songs such as ‘Light My Fire’ (1967).

doorstep /ˈdɔːstɛp/

I. noun

1. a step leading up to the outer door of a house.

• he put his foot on the doorstep of the cottage.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a thick slice of bread
[as modifier]

• doorstep sandwiches.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› (of a journalist) wait uninvited outside the home of (someone) in order to obtain an interview or photograph

• he was being doorstepped by the tabloids.

III. phrases

on one's (or the) doorstep

situated very close by

• the airport is on my doorstep so flying is easy.

doorstop /ˈdɔːstɒp / doorstopper

noun

1. a fixed or heavy object that keeps a door open or stops it from banging against a wall.

2. a heavy or bulky object, especially a thick book

• his sixth novel is a thumping 400-page doorstop.

doorway /ˈdɔːweɪ/

noun

an entrance to a room or building through a door

• Beth stood there in the doorway

• ‹figurative› the doorway to success.

dooryard

noun

(N. Amer.) a yard or garden by the door of a house.

doosra /ˈduːzrə/

I. noun

[Cricket] a leg break bowled with an apparent off-break action.

– origin 1990s: from Hindi and Punjabi dūsrā ‘second, other (one)’, from Sanskrit dvi- ‘two’.

doo-wop /ˈduːwɒp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of pop music marked by the use of close harmony vocals using nonsense phrases, originating in the US in the 1950s.

II. derivatives

doo-wopper

noun

– origin imitative.

doozy /ˈduːzi / doozie

I. noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) something outstanding or unique of its kind

• it's gonna be a doozy of a black eye.

– origin early 20th cent.: of unknown origin.

dop /dɒp/

I. noun

(S. African) ‹informal› a drink, especially of brandy or other spirits.

– origin South African Dutch, ‘shell, husk’.

DOP

abbreviation

Dominican Republic peso(s).

dopa /ˈdəʊpə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound which is present in nervous tissue as a precursor of dopamine, used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. See also l-dopa.
●An amino acid; alternative name: dihydroxyphenylalanine; chem. formula: C_9H_11NO_4.

– origin early 20th cent.: from German, acronym from the systematic name.

dopamine /ˈdəʊpəmiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound present in the body as a neurotransmitter and a precursor of other substances including adrenaline.
●Alternative name: 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine; chem. formula: C_8H_11NO_2.

– origin 1950s: blend of dopa and amine.

dopaminergic /ˌdəʊpəmiːˈnəːdʒɪk/

I. adjective

[Biochemistry] releasing or involving dopamine as a neurotransmitter.

– origin 1960s: from dopamine + Greek ergon ‘work’ + -ic.

dopant /ˈdəʊp(ə)nt/

I. noun

[Electronics] a substance used to produce a desired electrical characteristic in a semiconductor.

– origin 1960s: from the verb dope + -ant.

dope /dəʊp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› a drug taken illegally for recreational purposes, especially cannabis.

• police arrested a protester for smoking dope.

2. a drug given to a racehorse or greyhound to inhibit or enhance its performance.

3. a drug taken by an athlete to improve performance
[as modifier]

• he failed a dope test.

4. [ count noun] — ‹informal› a stupid person

• though he wasn't an intellectual giant, he was no dope either.

5. ‹informal› information about a subject, especially if not generally known

• our reviewer will give you the dope on hot spots around the town.

6. a varnish formerly applied to fabric surfaces of aircraft to strengthen them and keep them airtight.

7. a thick liquid used as a lubricant.

8. a substance added to petrol to increase its effectiveness.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. administer drugs to (a racehorse, greyhound, or athlete) in order to inhibit or enhance sporting performance

• the horse was doped before the race.

2. ( be doped up) — ‹informal› be heavily under the influence of drugs, typically illegal ones

• he was so doped up that he can't remember a thing.

3. treat (food or drink) with drugs

• maybe they had doped her Perrier.

4. [no obj.] — ‹informal› ‹dated› regularly take illegal drugs.

5. smear or cover with varnish or other thick liquid

• she doped the surface with photographic emulsion.

6. [Electronics] add an impurity to (a semiconductor) to produce a desired electrical characteristic.

III. adjective

‹informal› very good

• that suit is dope!

IV. phrasal verbs

dope something out

‹informal› ‹dated› work out something

• they met to dope out plans for covering the event.

V. derivatives

doper

noun

– origin early 19th cent. (in the sense ‘thick liquid’): from Dutch doop ‘sauce’, from doopen ‘to dip, mix’.

dopester /ˈdəʊpstə/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person who collects and supplies information, typically on sporting events or elections

• they are inside dopesters with special access to the racing world.

dopey /ˈdəʊpi / dopy

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› stupefied by sleep or a drug

• she was under sedation and a bit dopey.

2. ‹informal› idiotic

• did you ever hear such dopey names?

II. derivatives

1. dopily

adverb

2. dopiness /ˈdəʊpɪnəs /

noun

dopiaza /ˈdəʊpɪɑːʒə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an Indian dish consisting of meat cooked with onions and garnished with raw or fried onions

• chicken dopiaza.

– origin from Hindi do ‘two’ + pyāz ‘onion’.

doppelgänger /ˈdɒp(ə)lˌɡaŋə, ˈdɒp(ə)lˌɡɛŋə/

I. noun

an apparition or double of a living person.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German, literally ‘double-goer’.

Dopper /ˈdɒpə/

I. noun

(in South Africa) a member of the Gereformeerde Kerk, a strictly orthodox Calvinistic denomination.

– origin Afrikaans, of unknown origin.

doppie /ˈdɒpi/

I. noun

(S. African) ‹informal› a tot of spirits.

– origin Afrikaans, diminutive of dop (see dop).

Doppler, Christian /ˈdɒplə/

(1803–53), Austrian physicist, famous for his discovery, in 1842, of what is now known as the Doppler effect.

Doppler broadening

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the broadening of spectral lines as a result of the different velocities of the emitting atoms giving rise to different Doppler shifts.

Doppler effect /ˈdɒplərɪfɛkt/

noun

[Physics] an increase (or decrease) in the frequency of sound, light, or other waves as the source and observer move towards (or away from) each other. The effect causes the sudden change in pitch noticeable in a passing siren, as well as the red shift seen by astronomers.

Doppler shift

noun

[Physics] a change in frequency due to the Doppler effect.

dor /dɔː / dor beetle

I. noun

a large black dung beetle that makes a droning sound in flight and excavates burrows in which its young develop.
●Family Geotrupidae: several genera and species, including the common Geotrupes stercorarius.

– origin Old English (denoting a bee or buzzing fly), probably imitative.

dorado /dəˈrɑːdəʊ/

I. noun

1. an edible marine fish of warm seas, with silver and bright blue or green coloration when alive. Also called dolphin.
●Family Coryphaenidae and genus Coryphaena: two species, in particular the large C. hippurus.

2. a South American freshwater fish with a golden body and red fins, popular as a game fish.
● Salminus maxillosus, family Characidae.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Spanish, literally ‘gilded’, from late Latin deauratus, from deaurare ‘to gild over’ (see also dory^1).

Dorado /dəˈrɑːdəʊ / ‹Astronomy›

I. a southern constellation (the Goldfish), containing most of the Large Magellanic Cloud.

– origin Spanish (see dorado).

do-rag /ˈduːraɡ / doo-rag

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a scarf or cloth worn on the head, typically with its ends or corners tied together in the back.

• baseball caps and do-rags are dutifully removed while court is in session.

– origin 1960s: from do^1 (sense 2 of the noun) + rag^1.

dorcas gazelle /ˈdɔːkəs/

I. noun

a small gazelle found on semi-desert plains in North Africa and western Asia.
● Gazella dorcas, family Bovidae.

– origin early 19th cent.: from modern Latin Gazella dorcas (from Greek dorkas ‘gazelle’).

Dorchester /ˈdɔːtʃɪstə/

a town in southern England, the county town of Dorset; pop. 17,700 (est. 2009).

Dordogne /dɔːˈdɔɪn French dɔʀdɔɲ//

I. a river of western France which rises in the Auvergne and flows 472 km (297 miles) westwards to meet the Garonne and form the Gironde estuary.

II. a department of SW France. It contains caves that have yielded abundant remains of early humans and their artefacts and art, such as that at Lascaux.

Dordrecht /dɔːˈdrɛxt/

an industrial city and river port in the Netherlands, near the mouth of the Rhine (there called the Waal), 20 km (12 miles) south-east of Rotterdam; pop. 118,182 (2008).
Also called Dort.

doré /ˈdɔːreɪ, ˈdɔːriː/

I. noun

Canadian term for wall eye (sense 2).

– origin late 18th cent.: French, literally ‘gilded’.

Doré, Gustave /ˈdɔːreɪ, French dɔʀe/

(1832–83), French book illustrator, known for his woodcut illustrations of books such as Dante's Inferno (1861), Cervantes' Don Quixote (1863), and the Bible (1865–6).

Dorian /ˈdɔːrɪən/

I. noun

a member of a Hellenic people speaking the Doric dialect of Greek, thought to have entered Greece from the north c. 1100 BC. They settled in the Peloponnese and later colonized Sicily and southern Italy.

II. adjective

relating to the Dorians or to Doris in central Greece.

– origin via Latin from Greek Dōrios ‘of Doris’ + -ian.

Dorian mode

noun

[Music] the mode represented by the natural diatonic scale D–D (containing a minor 3rd and minor 7th).

Doric /ˈdɒrɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting a classical order of architecture characterized by a sturdy fluted column and a thick square abacus resting on a rounded moulding.

2. relating to the ancient Greek dialect of the Dorians.

3. ‹archaic› (of a dialect) broad; rustic.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Doric order of architecture.

2. the ancient Greek dialect of the Dorians.

3. a broad or rustic dialect, especially the dialect spoken in the north-east of Scotland.

– origin via Latin from Greek Dōrikos, from Dōrios (see Dorian).

dorje /ˈdɔːdʒeɪ/

I. noun

(in Tibetan Buddhism) a representation of a thunderbolt in the form of a short double trident or sceptre, symbolizing the male aspect of the spirit and held during invocations and prayers.
Compare with vajra.

– origin Tibetan.

dork /dɔːk/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a contemptible, socially inept person.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹vulgar slang› a man's penis.

– origin 1960s (originally US): perhaps a variant of dirk, influenced by dick^1.

dorky /ˈdɔːki/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› socially inept or awkward

• he teases all the dorky kids.

2. ‹informal› unfashionable

• why would anyone wear such dorky glasses?

II. derivatives

dorkiness

noun

dorm /dɔːm/

I. noun

‹informal› a dormitory.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation.

dormant /ˈdɔːm(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. (of an animal) having normal physical functions suspended or slowed down for a period of time; in or as if in a deep sleep

• dormant butterflies

• ‹figurative› the event evoked memories that she would rather had lain dormant.

2. (of a plant or bud) alive but not actively growing.

3. (of a volcano) temporarily inactive.

4. (of a disease) causing no symptoms but not cured and liable to recur.

• the disease may remain dormant and undetected until transmitted to other fish.

5. [usu. postpositive] — [Heraldry] (of an animal) depicted lying with its head on its paws.

II. derivatives

dormancy /ˈdɔːm(ə)nsi /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘fixed in position’ and ‘latent’): from Old French, ‘sleeping’, present participle of dormir, from Latin dormire ‘to sleep’.

dormer /ˈdɔːmə / dormer window

I. noun

a window that projects vertically from a sloping roof.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting the window of a dormitory or bedroom): from Old French dormeor ‘dormitory’, from dormir ‘to sleep’.

dormer bungalow

noun

a bungalow that has a dormer window in the roof space.

Dormition /dɔːˈmɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (in the Orthodox Church) the passing of the Virgin Mary from earthly life.

2. the feast held on 15 August in honour of the Dormition, corresponding to the Assumption in the Western Church.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French, from Latin dormitio(n-) ‘falling asleep’, from dormire ‘to sleep’.

dormitory /ˈdɔːmɪt(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a large bedroom for a number of people in a school or institution.

• he visited the boarders in their dormitory.

2. (N. Amer.) a university or college hall of residence or hostel.

3. [usu. as modifier] — (chiefly Brit.) a small town or suburb providing a residential area for those who work in a nearby city

• a dormitory town.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dormitorium, neuter (used as a noun) of dormitorius, from dormire ‘to sleep’.

Dormobile /ˈdɔːməbiːl/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹trademark› a motor caravan that can be used for sleeping in.

– origin 1950s: blend of dormitory and automobile.

dormouse /ˈdɔːmaʊs/

I. noun

an agile mouse-like rodent with a hairy or bushy tail, found in Africa and Eurasia. Some kinds are noted for spending long periods in hibernation.
●Family Myoxidae: several genera and species, including the common dormouse ( Muscardinus avellanarius) and the fat dormouse.

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin, but associated with French dormir or Latin dormire ‘to sleep’ and mouse.

dormy /ˈdɔːmi/

I. adjective

[Golf] (of a player in match play) ahead by a specified number of holes when the same number of holes remain to be played, and thus in a position at least to draw the match (used preceding a numeral)

• he reached the 17th hole dormy two.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

doronicum /dəˈrɒnɪkəm/

I. noun

a plant of the genus Doronicum in the daisy family, especially (in gardening) leopard's bane.

– origin modern Latin (Linnaeus), from modern Greek dōronikon, from Persian darūnak.

Dorothy Dix /ˌdɒrəθi ˈdɪks/

I. noun

(Austral.) a prearranged parliamentary question asked to allow a minister to deliver a prepared speech

• short questions inevitably appear to be Dorothy Dixes.

– origin 1950s: named after Dorothy Dix, the pseudonym of US journalist Elizabeth Meriwether (1870–1951), who wrote a popular question-and-answer column.

dorp /dɔːp/

I. noun

(S. African) a small rural town or village (often used to suggest that a place is backward or unimpressive)

• dreary little dorps.

– origin Dutch, ‘village’ (see thorp).

dorsal /ˈdɔːs(ə)l/

I. adjective — , &

1. [Anatomy] [Zoology] [Botany] on or relating to the upper side or back of an animal, plant, or organ

• a dorsal view of the body

• the dorsal aorta.

Compare with ventral.

II. derivatives

dorsally

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin dorsalis, from Latin dorsum ‘back’.

dorsal fin

noun

[Zoology] an unpaired fin on the back of a fish or whale, e.g. the tall triangular fin of a shark or killer whale.

Dorset^1 /ˈdɔːsɪt/

a county of SW England; county town, Dorchester.

Dorset^2 /ˈdɔːsɪt/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Archaeology] a prehistoric culture which flourished in the American Arctic during the 1st millennium AD and was displaced by the Thule culture.

• Dorset sites are bigger than their pre-Dorset counterparts.

– origin 1930s: from the name of Cape Dorset, Baffin Island.

Dorset Down

noun

a sheep of a breed with a brown face and legs.

Dorset Horn

noun

a sheep of a breed with a white face and horns on both the ewe and the ram.

dorsi-

I. combining form

towards or on the back

• dorsiventral.

– origin from Latin dorsum ‘back’.

dorsiflex /ˈdɔːsɪflɛks/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Physiology] bend (something, typically the hand or foot) dorsally or towards its upper surface.

• the subject dorsiflexed the ankle.

II. derivatives

dorsiflexion

noun

dorsiflexor /ˈdɔːsɪˌflɛksə/

noun

[Anatomy] a muscle whose contraction dorsiflexes the hand or foot.

dorsiventral /ˌdɔːsɪˈvɛntr(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [chiefly Botany] (of a leaf or other part of a plant) having dissimilar dorsal and ventral surfaces.

2. [chiefly Botany] another term for dorsoventral.

II. derivatives

1. dorsiventrality

noun

2. dorsiventrally

adverb

dorso-

I. combining form

relating to the back

• dorsoventral.

– origin from Latin dorsum ‘back’.

dorsolateral /ˌdɔːsə(ʊ)ˈlat(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] [Biology] relating to or involving the dorsal and lateral surfaces.

II. derivatives

dorsolaterally

adverb

dorsoventral /ˌdɔːsə(ʊ)ˈvɛntr(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] [Biology] of, denoting, or extending along an axis joining the dorsal and ventral surfaces.

II. derivatives

dorsoventrally

adverb

dorsum /ˈdɔːsəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] [Zoology] the dorsal part of an organism or structure.

– origin late 18th cent. (denoting a long hill or ridge): from Latin, ‘back’.

Dort /dɔːt/

another name for Dordrecht.

Dortmund /ˈdɔːtmʊnd, German ˈdɔrtmʊnt/

an industrial city in NW Germany, in North Rhine-Westphalia; pop. 587,600 (est. 2006).

dory^1 /ˈdɔːri/

I. noun

a narrow deep-bodied fish with a mouth that can be opened very wide.
●Several genera and species in the families Zeidae and Oreosomatidae. See also John Dory.

– origin late Middle English: from French dorée, feminine past participle of dorer ‘gild’, from late Latin deaurare ‘gild over’, based on Latin aurum ‘gold’. Compare with dorado.

dory^2 /ˈdɔːri/

I. noun

a small flat-bottomed rowing boat with a high bow and stern, originally of a kind used for fishing in New England.

– origin early 18th cent.: perhaps from Miskito dóri ‘dugout’.

doryphore /ˈdɒrɪfɔː/

I. noun

‹rare› a pedantic and annoyingly persistent critic.

– origin 1950s (introduced by Sir Harold Nicolson): from French, literally ‘Colorado beetle’, from Greek doruphoros ‘spear carrier’.

DoS

abbreviation

[Computing] denial of service.

DOS /dɒs/

abbreviation

[Computing] disk operating system, an operating system originally developed for IBM personal computers.

dosa /ˈdəʊsə/

I. noun

(in southern Indian cooking) a pancake made from rice flour and ground pulses, typically served with a spiced vegetable filling.

• I feel like eating a masala dosa.

– origin from Tamil tōcai.

dos-à-dos /ˌdəʊzəˈdəʊ/

I. adjective

(of two books) bound together with a shared central board and facing in opposite directions.

II. noun

a seat or carriage in which the occupants sit back to back.

– origin French, ‘back to back’.

dosage /ˈdəʊsɪdʒ/

noun

1. the size or frequency of a dose of a medicine or drug

• a dosage of 450 milligrams a day

• [ mass noun] there are recommendations about dosage in elderly patients.

2. a level of exposure to or absorption of ionizing radiation.

dose /dəʊs/

I. noun

1. a quantity of a medicine or drug taken or recommended to be taken at a particular time

• he took a dose of cough mixture.

2. an amount of ionizing radiation received or absorbed at one time or over a specified period

• a dose of radiation exceeding safety limits.

3. ‹informal› a venereal infection.

4. ‹informal› a quantity of something unpleasant but necessary

• I wanted to give you a dose of the hell you put me through.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. administer a dose to (a person or animal)

• he dosed himself with vitamins.

2. adulterate or blend (a substance) with another substance

• the petrol is dosed with lead.

III. phrases

1. in small doses

‹informal› when experienced or engaged in a little at a time

• computer games are great in small doses.

2. like a dose of salts

(Brit.) ‹informal› very fast and efficiently

• we'll go through this place like a dose of salts and scrub it from top to bottom.

[from the use of Epsom salts as a laxative.]

– origin late Middle English: from French, via late Latin from Greek dosis ‘gift’, from didonai ‘give’.

dose equivalent

noun

an estimate of the biological effect of a dose of ionizing radiation, calculated by multiplying the dose received by a factor depending on the type of radiation. It is measured in sieverts.

dose-response curve

noun

[Medicine] the relationship between the size of a dose and the extent of the response to it.

dosh /dɒʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› money

• cycling saves you a heap of dosh.

– origin 1950s: of unknown origin.

dosha /ˈdɒʃə, ˈdəʊʃə/

I. noun

(in Ayurvedic medicine) each of three energies believed to circulate in the body and govern physiological activity, their differing proportions determining individual temperament and physical constitution and (when unbalanced) causing a disposition to particular physical and mental disorders.

– origin Sanskrit doṣa, literally ‘fault, disease’.

do-si-do /ˌdəʊzɪˈdəʊ, ˌdəʊsɪˈdəʊ / do-se-do

I. noun

(in country dancing) a figure in which two dancers pass round each other back to back and return to their original positions.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. dance a do-si-do.

• a hundred flushed women were do-si-doing to the music.

– origin 1920s (originally US): alteration of dos-à-dos.

dosimeter /dəʊˈsɪmɪtə/

I. noun

a device used to measure an absorbed dose of ionizing radiation.

II. derivatives

1. dosimetric

adjective

2. dosimetry /dəʊˈsɪmɪtri /

noun

Dos Passos, John /dɒs ˈpasɒs/

(1896–1970), American novelist, chiefly known for his portrayal of American life in such novels as Manhattan Transfer (1925) and USA (1938); full name John Roderigo Dos Passos.

doss /dɒs / ‹Brit. informal›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. sleep in rough accommodation or on an improvised bed

• he dossed down on a friend's floor.

2. spend time idly

• all I've seen her do so far is doss around.

II. noun

1. an instance of sleeping in rough accommodation or on an improvised bed.

2. ‹archaic› a bed in a cheap lodging house.

3. a situation giving the opportunity for being extremely idle

• they thought being a student was a great doss.

– origin late 18th cent.: perhaps based on Latin dorsum ‘back’.

dossal /ˈdɒs(ə)l/

I. noun

an ornamental cloth hung behind an altar in a church or at the sides of a chancel.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting an ornamental cloth for covering the back of a seat): from medieval Latin dossale, from late Latin dorsalis ‘on the back’ (see dorsal).

dosser /ˈdɒsə/

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a person who sleeps rough; a tramp.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› an idle person.

dosseret /ˈdɒsərɛt/

I. noun

[Architecture] an additional block of stone placed above an abacus in the columns of a Byzantine or Romanesque arcade.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, diminutive of dossier ‘back’ (denoting a supporting structure).

dosshouse /ˈdɒshaʊs/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a cheap lodging house for homeless people and tramps.

dossier /ˈdɒsɪə, ˈdɒsɪeɪ/

I. noun

a collection of documents about a particular person, event, or subject

• we have a dossier on him

• a dossier of complaints.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, denoting a bundle of papers with a label on the back, from dos ‘back’, based on Latin dorsum.

dost /dʌst/

archaic second person singular present of do^1.

Dostoevsky, Fyodor /ˌdɒstɔɪˈɛfski / Dostoyevsky

(1821–81), Russian novelist; full name Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky's novels reveal his psychological insight, savage humour, and concern with the religious, political, and moral problems posed by human suffering. Notable novels: Crime and Punishment (1866), The Idiot (1868), and The Brothers Karamazov (1880).

dot^1 /dɒt/

I. noun

1. a small round mark or spot

• a symbol depicted in coloured dots.

2. a small round mark written or printed as part of an i or j, as one of a series of marks to signify omission, or as a full stop.

3. [Music] a small round mark used to denote the lengthening of a note or rest by half, or to indicate staccato.

4. the shorter signal of the two used in Morse code.
Compare with dash (sense 3 of the noun).

5. used to refer to an object that appears tiny because it is far away

• they were mere dots on the horizon now.

6. used to indicate the punctuation separating parts of an email or website address

• OUP dot com.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark with a small spot or spots

• wet spots of rain began to dot his shirt.

2. (of a number of items) be scattered over (an area)

• churches dot the countryside

• ( be dotted) there appear to be a number of airfields dotted about.

3. place a dot over (a letter)

• you need to dot the i.

4. [Music] mark (a note or rest) to show that the time value is increased by half
(as adj. dotted)

• a dotted minim.

5. (Brit.) ‹informal› hit (someone)

• ‘You want to dot him one,’ he said.

III. phrases

1. dot the i's and cross the t's

‹informal› ensure that all details are correct.

• I just have to dot the i's and cross the t's on my dissertation.

2. on the dot

‹informal› exactly on time

• he arrived on the dot at nine o'clock.

3. the year dot

(Brit.) ‹informal› a very long time ago

• that wallpaper has been there since the year dot.

IV. derivatives

dotter

noun

– origin Old English dott ‘head of a boil’. The word is recorded only once in Old English, then not until the late 16th cent., when it is found in the sense ‘a small lump or clot’, perhaps influenced by Dutch dot ‘a knot’. The sense ‘small mark or spot’ dates from the mid 17th cent.

dot^2 /dɒt/

I. noun

‹archaic› a dowry from which only the interest or annual income was available to the husband.

– origin from French, from Latin dos, dot- ‘dowry’ (see dower).

DoT

abbreviation

1. (in Canada and formerly in the UK) Department of Transport.

2. (in the US) Department of Transportation.

DOT

abbreviation

directly observed therapy, a method of supervising patients to ensure that they take medication as directed.

dotage /ˈdəʊtɪdʒ/

I. noun

the period of life in which a person is old and weak

• you could live here and look after me in my dotage.

– origin late Middle English: from dote + -age.

dotard /ˈdəʊtəd/

I. noun

an old person, especially one who has become weak or senile.

– origin late Middle English: from dote + -ard.

dot-com /dɒtˈkɒm / dot.com

I. noun

a company that conducts its business on the Internet.

• tons of dot-coms went out of business.

II. derivatives

dot-commer

noun

– origin 1990s: from ‘.com’ in an Internet address, indicating a commercial site.

dote /dəʊt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ( dote on/upon) — be extremely and uncritically fond of

• she doted on her two young children.

2. ‹archaic› be silly or feeble-minded, especially as a result of old age

• the parson is now old and dotes.

II. noun

(Irish) ‹informal› a sweet or adorable person

• he's gorgeous and the twins are dotes.

III. derivatives

doter

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘act or talk foolishly’): of uncertain origin; related to Middle Dutch doten ‘be silly’.

doth /dʌθ/

archaic third person singular present of do^1.

doting /ˈdəʊtɪŋ/

I. adjective

extremely and uncritically fond of someone; adoring

• she was spoiled outrageously by her doting father.

II. derivatives

dotingly /ˈdəʊtɪŋli /

adverb

dotish

I. adjective

‹archaic› (W. Indian) stupid or silly

• dotish foreign TV programmes.

– origin early 16th cent.: from obsolete dote ‘folly’ + -ish^1.

dot matrix

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a grid of dots which are filled selectively to produce an image on a screen or paper

• a dot matrix printer.

dot-org dot.org

I. noun

a non-profit-making organization that conducts its business on the Internet.

– origin 1990s: from ‘.org’ in an Internet address, typically indicating a non-commercial site.

dot painting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) a style of Aboriginal art that makes extensive use of dots of colour

• he brought dot painting to the attention of the world's influential curators

• [ count noun] in the great dot paintings, the country is imagined as though seen from above.

dot plant

noun

a garden plant that is planted singly to stand out against the surrounding plants.

dot product

noun

another term for scalar product.

dotted line

noun

1. a line made up of dots or dashes (often used in reference to the space left for a signature on a contract)

• Adam signed on the dotted line with a flourish.

2. an indirect, informal, or secondary line of responsibility within an organization (as represented by a dotted line on an organizational chart)

• I report to Hal Jones, our CFO, with a dotted line to the audit committee.

dotted note

noun

[Music] a note written with a dot after it, which has one and a half times the length of the same note without a dot.

dotted rhythm

noun

[Music] rhythm in which the beat is unequally subdivided into a long dotted note and a short note.

dotterel /ˈdɒt(ə)r(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a small plover with a brown streaked back and a chestnut or buff belly with black below, breeding in mountainous areas and in the tundra.
●Genus Eudromias, family Charadriidae: two species.

2. [with modifier] — (Austral./NZ) any small plover, especially one of the genus Charadrius.

– origin Middle English: from dote (so named because it is easily caught) + -rel. Compare with dodo.

dottle /ˈdɒt(ə)l/

I. noun

a remnant of tobacco left in a pipe after smoking.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a plug for a barrel or other container): from dot^1 + -le^1.

dotty /ˈdɒti/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› eccentric or slightly mad

• a dotty old lady.

2. ( dotty about) — (Brit.) ‹informal› infatuated with

• she's dotty about her husband.

II. derivatives

1. dottily

adverb

2. dottiness /ˈdɒtɪnəs /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps from obsolete dote ‘simpleton, fool’, apparently from Dutch dote ‘folly’.

Douala /duːˈɑːlə/

the chief port and largest city of Cameroon; pop. 1,776,000 (est. 2007).

Douay Bible /ˈduːeɪ, ˈdaʊeɪ / Douay version

noun

an English translation of the Bible formerly used in the Roman Catholic Church, completed at Douai in France early in the 17th century.

double /ˈdʌb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. consisting of two equal, identical, or similar parts or things

• double doors.

2. having twice the usual size, quantity, or strength

• she sipped a double brandy.

3. designed to be used by two people

• a double bed.

4. having two different roles or interpretations, especially in order to deceive or confuse

• the furtive double life of a terrorist.

5. (of a letter or number) occurring twice in succession

• ‘otter’ is spelled with a double t.

6. (of a flower) having more than one circle of petals

• large double blooms.

7. (of a domino) having the same number of pips on each half.

8. [Music] lower in pitch by an octave.

II. predeterminer

twice as much or as many

• the jail now houses almost double the number of prisoners it was designed for

• I'll pay double what I paid last time.

III. adverb

at or to twice the amount or extent

• you have to be careful, and this counts double for older people.

IV. noun

1. a thing which is twice as large as usual or is made up of two standard units or things

• join the two sleeping bags together to make a double.

2. a double measure of spirits.

• ‘Two whiskies, and make it doubles please’.

3. a type of bet in which two selections are made, with any winnings from the first being transferred to the second.

4. [Bridge] a call that will increase the penalty points won by the defenders if the declarer fails to make the contract.

5. [Darts] a hit on the narrow ring enclosed by the two outer circles of a dartboard, scoring double.

• you must finish the game on a double.

6. a person who looks exactly like another

• you could pass yourself off as his double.

7. a person who stands in for an actor in a film.

8. an apparition of a living person

• she had seen her husband's double.

9. ( doubles) — (especially in tennis and badminton) a game or competition involving sides made up of two players

• the semi-finals of the doubles.

10. [Bell-ringing] a system of change-ringing using five bells, with two pairs changing places each time.

11. a pair of victories in the same sport in two different competitions

• Manchester United won the double twice.

12. (Brit.) a home and away victory over the same team in one season or competition

• Oldham did the double over Forest last season.

V. pronoun

a number or amount which is twice as large as a contrasting or usual number or amount

• he paid double and had a room all to himself.

VI. verb

1. [no obj.] — become twice as much or as many

• profits doubled in one year.

2. [with obj.] — make twice as much or as many of (something)

• Clare doubled her income overnight.

3. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› amount to twice as much as

• thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty.

4. [Military] move at twice the usual speed; run

• I doubled across the deck to join the others.

5. [Bridge] make a call increasing the value of the penalty points to be scored on an opponent's bid if it wins the auction and is not fulfilled.

• West's failure to double 4♥.

• [no obj.] it may be right for East to double.

6. [with obj.] — fold or bend (paper, cloth, or other material) over on itself

• the muslin is doubled and then laid in a sieve over the bowl.

7. clench (a fist).

• he had one arm around her and the other fist doubled.

8. [Snooker] pot (a ball) by making it rebound off a cushion.

9. [Nautical] sail round (a headland)

• we struck out seaward to double the headland of the cape.

10. [no obj.] — be used in or play another, different role

• a laser printer doubles as a photocopier.

11. [with obj.] — (of an actor) play (two parts) in the same piece.

12. [Music] play two or more musical instruments.

13. [with obj.] — [Music] add the same note in a higher or lower octave to (a note).

VII. phrases

1. at the double ( ‹US› on the double)

at running speed; very fast

• he disappeared at the double.

2. bend double

bend over into a stooping position.

• the boy bent double and disappeared inside the hide.

3. be seeing double

seem to see two images of one object.

4. double or quits ( ‹US› double or nothing)

a gamble to decide whether a loss or debt should be doubled or cancelled.

VIII. phrasal verbs

1. double back

go back in the direction one has come

• he had to double back to collect them.

2. double down

a. (chiefly US) (in blackjack) double a bet after seeing one's initial cards, with the requirement that one additional card be drawn

• the amount only increases when you choose to split or double down

• he doubled down on a pair and lost.

b. strengthen one's commitment to a particular strategy or course of action, typically one that is potentially risky

• he decided to double down and escalate the war

• the third quarter of the year saw central banks doubling down on the quantitative easing approach.

3. double up

a. bend over or curl up, typically because one is overcome with pain or laughter

• Billy started to double up with laughter.

b. share a room

• ‘Where's Jimmy going to sleep?’ ‘He can double up with Bertie.’.

c. use the winnings from a bet as stake for another bet.

IX. derivatives

1. doubleness /ˈdʌb(ə)lnəs /

noun

2. doubler

noun

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin duplus (see duple). The verb is from Old French dobler, from late Latin duplare, from duplus.

double acrostic

noun

an acrostic in which the first and last letters of each line form a hidden word or words.

double act

noun

1. a performance involving two people.

• the best comic double act of its time.

2. a pair of entertainers who perform a double act

• my father was part of a double act with his brother.

double-acting

adjective

1. (of a device or product) combining two different functions.

• it is double-acting: it guards your radiator against freeze-ups and helps prevent rust.

2. (of an engine) having pistons pushed from both sides alternately.

double-action

adjective

1. combining two different functions; double-acting.

• double-action moss killer.

2. (of a gun) able to be cocked and fired in one single action.

double agent

noun

an agent who pretends to act as a spy for one country or organization while in fact acting on behalf of an enemy.

• a suspected double agent.

double axe

noun

an axe with two blades.

double-bank

verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly Brit.) arrange in two similar or parallel lines; double.

• you will be double-banked with someone experienced.

double bar

noun

a pair of closely spaced bar lines marking the end of a piece or section of music.

double-barrelled /ˌdʌb(ə)lˈbarəld/

adjective

1. (of a gun) having two barrels.

2. having two parts or aspects.

3. (Brit.) (of a surname) having two parts joined by a hyphen.

double bass

noun

the largest and lowest-pitched instrument of the violin family, providing the bass line of the orchestral string section and also used in jazz and some country music.

double bassoon

noun

a bassoon that is larger and longer than the normal type and sounds an octave lower in pitch.

double bill

noun

a programme of entertainment with two main items

• a double bill of horror movies.

double bind

noun

a situation in which a person is confronted with two irreconcilable demands or a choice between two undesirable courses of action.

• students are caught in a double bind between unemployment and cuts in education.

double-bitted axe

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for double axe.

double-blind

adjective

denoting a test or trial, especially of a drug, in which any information which may influence the behaviour of the tester or the subject is withheld until after the test.

• a 12-week double blind trial.

double bluff

noun

an action or statement that is intended to appear as a bluff but is in fact genuine.

double bogey ‹Golf›

I. noun

a score of two strokes over par for a hole.

II. verb

( double-bogey) [with obj.] — complete (a hole) in two strokes over par.

double boiler

noun

a saucepan with a detachable upper compartment heated by boiling water in the lower one.

double bond

noun

a chemical bond in which two pairs of electrons are shared between two atoms.

double-book /dʌbəlˈbʊk/

verb — [with obj.]

1. inadvertently reserve (something, especially a seat or a hotel room) for two different customers or parties at the same time

• the hotel was double-booked.

double-breasted /ˌdʌb(ə)lˈbrɛstɪd/

adjective

(of a jacket or coat) having a substantial overlap of material at the front and showing two rows of buttons when fastened.

• a handsome man in a double-breasted jacket.

double bridle

noun

a bridle which has both a curb and a snaffle bit, each with its own set of reins.

double-check /ˌdʌb(ə)lˈtʃɛk/

verb — [with obj.]

1. check (something) for a second time to ensure that it is accurate or safe

• he double-checked our credentials

• [with clause] double-check that all windows are firmly locked.

double chin

I. noun

a roll of fatty flesh below a person's chin.

II. derivatives

double-chinned /ˌdʌblˈtʃɪnd /

adjective

double-click /ˌdʌb(ə)lˈklɪk/

verb — [no obj.]

1. press a computer mouse button twice in quick succession to select a file, program, or function

• to run a window just double-click on the icon

• [with obj.] when you double-click this file it should open.

double-clutch

verb

North American term for double-declutch.

double coconut

noun

another term for coco de mer.

double concerto

noun

a concerto for two solo instruments.

double convict

noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› a convict who commits a further offence after transportation

• the life-sentenced double convicts are usually sent to Norfolk Island.

double cream

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) thick cream that contains a lot of milk fat.

double-cross /ˌdʌb(ə)lˈkrɒs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deceive or betray (a person with whom one is supposedly cooperating)

• he was blackmailed into double-crossing his own government.

II. noun

a betrayal of someone with whom one is supposedly cooperating.

• the firm's representative claimed that the outside deal was a double-cross.

III. derivatives

double-crosser /ˌdʌb(ə)lˈkrɒsə /

noun

double-cut

adjective

another term for cross-cut.

double-cut roll

noun

(Austral.) a thick bread roll cut through in two places to allow for two layers of filling

• I remembered school days of double-cut rolls oozing with fave fillings.

double dagger double obelus, double obelisk

noun

a symbol (‡) used in printed text to introduce an annotation.

double-dealing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of working to people's disadvantage behind their backs.

• an air of double-dealing and deceit hangs over the negotiations.

II. adjective

working deceitfully to injure others

• she is a back-stabbing, double-dealing twister.

III. derivatives

double-dealer /ˌdʌb(ə)lˈdiːlə /

noun

double-decker /ˌdʌb(ə)lˈdɛkə/

noun

something, especially a bus, that has two floors or levels
[as modifier]

• a double-decker bus

• double-decker sandwiches.

double-declutch

verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) release and re-engage the clutch of a vehicle twice when changing gear.

• he was too short to see over the bonnet and double-declutch at the same time.

double decomposition

noun

[Chemistry] a reaction in which two compounds exchange ions, typically with precipitation of an insoluble product.

double denim

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› a style of dress in which a denim jacket or shirt is worn with a pair of jeans or a denim skirt, often regarded as a breach of fashion etiquette

• wearing a suit and no socks is a cardinal sin—it's even worse than double denim.

double digging

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in gardening) digging of an area in parallel trenches two spits deep, burying the soil of each upper spit in the bottom of the next trench.

double-digit

I. adjective

(of a number or variable) between 10 and 99.

II. noun — ( double digits)

1. (N. Amer.) another term for double figures.

double-dip /ˌdʌb(ə)lˈdɪp/

I. adjective

denoting or relating to a recession during which a period of economic decline is followed by a brief period of growth, followed by a further period of decline

• higher food and energy prices could increase the risk of a double-dip recession.

II. noun

a double-dip recession

• this strategy should help mitigate the risk of the economy falling into a double-dip.

III. verb — [no obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› obtain an income from two different sources, typically in an illicit way.

• they compared notes and discovered that he was double-dipping.

IV. derivatives

double-dipper /ˌdʌb(ə)lˈdɪpə /

noun

double dissolution

noun

(Austral.) the simultaneous dissolution of the upper and lower houses of parliament preparatory to an election, used to resolve a deadlock between the houses

• the chances of a double dissolution improving Labor's position in the Senate would be low.

double dot ‹Music›

I. noun

two dots placed side by side after a note to indicate that it is to be lengthened by three quarters of its value.

II. verb

( double-dot) [with obj.] — write or perform (music) with a rhythm of alternating long and short notes in a ratio of seven to one, producing a more marked effect than ordinary dotted rhythm.
(as noun double-dotting)

• some may feel at times that the double-dotting is being a little overdone.

double Dutch

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› language that is impossible to understand; gibberish

• instructions written in double Dutch.

2. (N. Amer.) a jumping game played with two skipping ropes swung in opposite directions so that they cross rhythmically.

double-dyed

adjective

1. (of clothing) dyed twice in order to give a very deep colour.

2. (of a person) thoroughly imbued with a particular quality

• a double-dyed liberal.

double eagle

noun

1. a representation of a two-headed eagle.

2. (US) a gold coin worth twenty dollars.

3. [Golf] a score of three strokes under par at a hole.
Also called albatross.

double-edged /dʌbəlˈɛdʒd/

I. adjective

1. (of a knife or sword) having two cutting edges.

2. having two contradictory aspects or possible outcomes

• the consequences can be double-edged.

II. phrases

a double-edged sword

a situation or course of action having both positive and negative effects.

• reductions in taxation are a double-edged sword when used as a device to create jobs.

double effect

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the good and bad effect of an action, compared according to a principle which seeks to justify the action if the bad effect, though foreseen, is outweighed by the good effect.

• the doctrine of double effect.

double-ender

noun

a boat in which stern and bow are similarly tapered.

double entendre /ˌduːb(ə)l ɒ̃ˈtɒ̃dr(ə)/

I. noun

1. a word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué or indecent.

• he was unable to get through two consecutive sentences without a smutty double entendre.

2. [ mass noun] — humour that uses double entendres.

– origin late 17th cent.: from obsolete French (now double entente), ‘double understanding’.

double-entry

adjective

denoting a system of bookkeeping in which each transaction is entered as a debit in one account and a credit in another.

double exposure

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the repeated exposure of a photographic plate or film to light, often producing ghost images.

• the transparency of the two characters is a result of double exposure.

double-faced /dʌb(ə)lˈfeɪst/

adjective

1. having two faces

• a double-faced clock.

2. (of a fabric or material) finished on both sides so that either may be used as the right side.

3. tending to say one thing and do another; deceitful.

• were you double-faced—did you betray them?

double fault

I. noun

[Tennis] an instance of two consecutive faults in serving, counting as a point against the server.

II. verb

( double-fault) [no obj.] — serve a double fault.

• she double-faulted on the final point.

double feature

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a cinema programme with two full-length films.

double figures

plural noun

(chiefly Brit.) a number or amount between 10 and 99

• inflation was in double figures.

double first

noun

(Brit.) a university degree with first-class honours in two subjects or two major examinations.

• at Oxford he took a double first in Greats.

double flat

noun

1. a sign placed before a musical note to indicate that it is to be lowered two semitones.

2. a musical note marked by a double flat or lowered two semitones.

double-fronted

adjective

(Brit.) (of a house) with principal windows on either side of the front door.

double fugue

noun

[Music] a fugue with two subjects, each similarly treated.

double glazing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Brit.) windows which have two layers of glass with a space between them, designed to reduce loss of heat and exclude noise.

• we have been able to put in double glazing and central heating.

II. derivatives

double-glaze /ˌdʌbəlˈɡleɪz /

verb

• the company would be asked to double-glaze the windows of some of the village houses

Double Gloucester

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of hard cheese originally made in Gloucestershire.

– origin so named because the curd is processed twice.

double-handed

adjective

1. made to be lifted or held with two hands

• double-handed war axes.

2. using both hands

• a double-handed backhand.

double harness

noun

a harness worn by two horses working together.

• a gentle team of horses and a set of double harness.

double-headed

adjective

1. (of a train) pulled by two locomotives.

2. (of a weapon) having two cutting implements, typically one at each end of the shaft

• a double-headed axe.

double-header

noun

1. a train pulled by two locomotives coupled together.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a sporting event in which two games or contests are played in succession at the same venue, typically between the same teams or players.

double helix

noun

a pair of parallel helices intertwined about a common axis, especially that in the structure of the DNA molecule.

double-hung

adjective

(of a window) consisting of two sliding vertical sashes.

double indemnity

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) provision for payment of double the face amount of an insurance policy under certain conditions, e.g. when death occurs as a result of an accident.

double jeopardy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] (chiefly N. Amer.) the prosecution or punishment of a person twice for the same offence.

• he can still be prosecuted on that charge without double jeopardy.

2. [Law] (chiefly N. Amer.) risk or disadvantage incurred from two sources simultaneously

• he is in double jeopardy, unable to speak either language adequately.

double-jointed /dʌbəlˈdʒɔɪntɪd/

I. adjective

(of a person) having unusually flexible joints, typically those of the fingers, arms, or legs.

II. derivatives

double-jointedness

noun

double knitting

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a grade of yarn of medium thickness, typically used in hand knitting.

• double knitting is mostly used for lace.

– origin mid 19th cent.: double with reference to the ‘doubling’ of the yarn to four-ply.

double lock

I. noun

a type of spring lock which may be used as a deadlock by an extra turn of the key.

II. verb

( double-lock) [with obj.] — fasten (a door) with two locks, or with a double lock.

• don't forget to double-lock Wayne's door.

double meaning

noun

a meaning that can be interpreted in more than one way

• the title of the film has a double meaning

• [as modifier] a double-meaning punchline.

double napoleon

noun

‹historical› a gold forty-franc French coin.

double negation

noun

[Philosophy] the result of negating the negation of a proposition, and the principle (not admitted in intuitionist logic) that this is equivalent to the proposition itself.

double negative

I. noun

1. [Grammar] a negative statement containing two negative elements (for example he didn't say nothing).

2. [Grammar] a positive statement in which two negative elements are used to produce the positive force, usually for some particular rhetorical effect, for example there is not nothing to worry about!

usage: According to standard English grammar, a double negative used to express a single negative, such as I don't know nothing (rather than I don't know anything), is incorrect. The rules dictate that the two negative elements cancel each other out to give an affirmative statement, so that I don't know nothing would be interpreted as I know something.In practice this sort of double negative is widespread in dialect and other non-standard usage and rarely gives rise to confusion as to the intended meaning. Double negatives are standard in certain other languages such as Spanish and they have not always been unacceptable in English, either. The double negative was normal in Old English and Middle English and did not come to be frowned upon until some time after the 16th century, when attempts were made to relate the rules of language to the rules of formal logic.Modern (correct) uses of the double negative give an added subtlety to statements: saying I am not unconvinced by his argument suggests reservations in the speaker's mind that are not present in its ‘logical’ equivalent: I am convinced by his argument.

double-park /ˌdʌb(ə)lˈpɑːk/

verb — [with obj.]

1. park (a vehicle) alongside one that is already parked at the side of the road.

• the burgundy pickup was double-parked.

double play

noun

[Baseball] a defensive play in which two runners are put out.

double plugger /ˌdʌb(ə)l ˈplʌɡə/

noun

(Austral.) a flip-flop with straps which are fixed to the sole at two points on either side, for added strength

• he wore boardies, a T-shirt, and double pluggers.

double pneumonia

noun — [ mass noun]

1. pneumonia affecting both lungs.

double precision

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] the use of twice the usual number of bits to represent a number, giving greater arithmetic accuracy.
[as modifier]

• run on a computer in double-precision arithmetic.

double quick

adjective, adverb

(Brit.) ‹informal› very quick or quickly
[as adj.]

• I got changed in double quick time

• [as adv.] you get upstairs double quick!

double reed

noun

[Music] a reed with two slightly separated blades, used for playing a wind instrument such as an oboe or bassoon.
[as modifier]

• a double-reed instrument.

double refraction

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] division of a single incident light ray or other electromagnetic wave into two separate rays in an anisotropic medium.

double rhyme

noun

a rhyme involving two syllables in each rhyming line.

double room

noun

a hotel room or bedroom designed to be used by two people

• the cost of a double room in a typical beachfront hotel.

double salt

noun

[Chemistry] a crystalline salt having the composition of a mixture of two simple salts but with a different crystal structure from either.

double saucepan

noun

British term for double boiler.

double sharp

noun

1. a sign placed before a musical note to indicate that it is to be raised two semitones.

2. a musical note marked a double sharp or raised two semitones.

double shuffle

noun

a dance in which a person makes shuffling movements twice with each foot alternately.

double-sided

adjective

using or able to be used on both sides

• double-sided tape.

doublespeak /ˈdʌb(ə)lspiːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. deliberately euphemistic, ambiguous, or obscure language

• the art of political doublespeak.

– origin 1950s: often attributed incorrectly to George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

double standard

noun

a rule or principle which is unfairly applied in different ways to different people or groups

• the double standards employed to deal with ordinary people and those in the City.

double star

noun

two stars actually or apparently very close together.

double steal

noun

[Baseball] a play in which two base runners each steal or attempt to steal a base.

double-stopping

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sounding of two strings at once on a violin or similar bowed instrument.

II. derivatives

double stop

noun

Double Summer Time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. daylight saving time in which clocks are set two hours ahead of standard time, used in Britain during the Second World War.

doublet /ˈdʌblɪt/

I. noun

1. a pair of similar things, in particular two words of the same derivation but having different meanings, for example fashion and faction, cloak and clock.

2. ( doublets) — the same number on two dice thrown at once.

3. [Physics] [Chemistry] a pair of associated lines close together in a spectrum or electrophoretic gel.

4. a combination of two simple lenses.

5. a man's short close-fitting padded jacket, commonly worn from the 14th to the 17th century.

• they were wearing red velvet doublets and hose.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, ‘something folded’, also denoting a fur-lined coat, from double ‘double’.

double take

noun

a delayed reaction to something unexpected, immediately after one's first reaction

• Tony glanced at her, then did a double take.

double-talk /ˈdʌbltɔːk/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for doublespeak.

double-team ‹N. Amer.›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (in ball games) block (an opponent) with two players.

• one really good player that everybody has to double-team.

II. noun

an act of double-teaming.

• they mounted an effective double-team.

doublethink /ˈdʌb(ə)lθɪŋk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the acceptance of contrary opinions or beliefs at the same time, especially as a result of political indoctrination.

– origin 1949: coined by George Orwell in his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

double time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rate of pay equal to double the standard rate, sometimes paid for working on holidays or outside normal working hours.

• staff are entitled to double time for each statutory holiday worked.

2. [Military] a regulation running pace.

• the sergeants march a shaven-headed squad in double time.

3. [Music] a rhythm that is twice as fast as an earlier one.

doubleton /ˈdʌb(ə)lt(ə)n/

I. noun

1. (in card games, especially bridge) a pair of cards which are the only cards of their suit in a hand.
[as modifier]

• a doubleton ace.

2. a pair of people or things.

– origin early 20th cent.: from double, on the pattern of singleton.

double tonguing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Music] the use of two alternating movements of the tongue (usually as in sounding t and k) in playing rapid passages on a wind instrument.

double top

noun

[Darts] a score of double twenty.

doubletree

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a crossbar in front of a wagon with a swingletree at each end, enabling two horses to be harnessed.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from double, on the pattern of singletree.

double U

I. noun

the letter W.

– origin late 16th cent.: the letter W represented as a word.

double vision

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the simultaneous perception of two images, usually overlapping, of a single scene or object.

double whammy

I. noun

‹informal› a twofold blow or setback

• a double whammy of taxation and price increases.

– origin 1950s: originally with reference to the comic strip Li'l Abner (see whammy).

double-wide

noun

(N. Amer.) a semi-permanent mobile home consisting of two separate units connected on site.

double yellow line

noun

(in the UK) a pair of yellow lines painted at the side of a road to indicate that parking is not permitted at most times of day.

doubloon /dʌˈbluːn/

I. noun

‹historical› a Spanish gold coin.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French doublon or its source, Spanish doblón, from doble ‘double’ (so named because the coin was worth double the value of a pistole).

doublure /duːbˈljʊə/

I. noun

an ornamental lining, especially one made of leather, on the inside of a book cover.

– origin French, ‘lining’, from doubler ‘to line’.

doubly /ˈdʌbli/

adverb — [often as submodifier]

1. to twice the normal extent or degree; especially

• we're going to have to work doubly hard.

2. two times or in two ways

• doubly mutant cells.

doubt /daʊt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction

• some doubt has been cast upon the authenticity of this account

• [ count noun] they had doubts that they would ever win.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — feel uncertain about

• I doubt my ability to do the job

• [with clause] I doubt if anyone slept that night.

2. question the truth or fact of (something)

• who can doubt the value and necessity of these services?

3. disbelieve or lack faith in (someone)

• I have no reason to doubt him.

4. [no obj.] — feel uncertain, especially about one's religious beliefs.

5. [with clause] — ‹archaic› fear; be afraid

• I doubt not any ones contradicting this Journal.

III. phrases

1. beyond doubt

allowing no uncertainty

• you've proved it beyond doubt.

2. in doubt

a. open to question

• the outcome is no longer in doubt.

b. feeling uncertain about something

• by the age of 14 he was in no doubt about his career aims.

3. no doubt

a. used to indicate the speaker's firm belief that something is true

• those who left were attracted, no doubt, by higher pay.

b. used to introduce a concession which is subsequently dismissed as unimportant or irrelevant

• they no doubt did what they could to help her, but their best proved insufficient.

4. without (a) doubt

indisputably

• he was without doubt the very worst kind of reporter.

IV. derivatives

doubtable /ˈdaʊtəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French doute (noun), douter (verb), from Latin dubitare ‘hesitate’, from dubius ‘doubtful’ (see dubious).

doubter /ˈdaʊtə/

noun

a person who questions or lacks faith in something; a sceptic

• he had proved all his doubters wrong.

doubtful /ˈdaʊtfʊl, ˈdaʊtf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. feeling uncertain about something

• he looked doubtful, but gave a nod

• I was doubtful of my judgement.

2. not known with certainty

• the fire was of doubtful origin.

3. improbable
[with clause]

• it is doubtful whether these schemes have any lasting effect.

4. not established as genuine or acceptable

• of doubtful legality.

II. derivatives

1. doubtfully /ˈdaʊtf(ə)li /

adverb

2. doubtfulness /ˈdaʊtfʊlnəs, ˈdaʊtf(ə)lnəs /

noun

doubting

I. adjective

expressing or feeling uncertainty or lack of conviction; sceptical

• some doubting voices were raised over the price

• people look at it through doubting eyes.

II. derivatives

doubtingly

adverb

doubting Thomas /daʊtɪŋˈtɒməs/

I. noun

a person who is sceptical and refuses to believe something without proof.

• I was a real doubting Thomas. I didn't believe the stuff would work.

• those doubting Thomases still can't figure out how the show became a hit.

– origin early 17th cent.: with biblical allusion to the apostle Thomas (John 20:24–29).

doubtless /ˈdaʊtləs/

I. adverb — [ sentence adverb]

1. certainly; without doubt

• the company would doubtless find the reduced competition to their liking.

2. presumably or very probably

• doubtless you'll solve the problem.

II. derivatives

doubtlessly

adverb

douce /duːs/

I. adjective

(chiefly Scottish) sober and sedate

• stories which would have outraged their douce minds.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘pleasant, sweet’): from Old French dous, douce, from Latin dulcis ‘sweet’.

douceur /duːˈsəː, French dusœʀ/

I. noun

a financial inducement; a bribe

• Pericles gave a handsome douceur to the Spartan commanders to withdraw without fighting.

– origin French, literally ‘sweetness’.

douceur de vivre /duːˌsəː də ˈviːvr(ə), French dusœʀ də vivʀ / douceur de vie /viː, French vi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a way of living that is pleasant and free from worries.

• the douceur de vivre enjoyed in the country houses of the very rich.

– origin French, literally ‘sweetness of living (or life)’.

douche /duːʃ/

I. noun

1. a shower of water

• I felt better for taking a daily douche.

2. a jet of liquid applied to part of the body for cleansing or medicinal purposes.

• the mixture may be used as an antiseptic douche or as a gargle.

3. a device for washing out the vagina.

4. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) an obnoxious or contemptible person, typically a man

• that guy is such a douche.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. spray or shower with water.

• she did not douche herself and the smell, at times, was off-putting.

2. [no obj.] — use a douche as a method of contraception.

– origin mid 18th cent. (as a noun): via French from Italian doccia ‘conduit pipe’, from docciare ‘pour by drops’, based on Latin ductus ‘leading’ (see duct).

douchebag /ˈduːʃbaɡ/

noun

1. a small syringe for douching the vagina, especially as a contraceptive measure.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› an obnoxious or contemptible person, typically a man.

douchebaggery /ˈduːʃbaɡəri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› obnoxious or contemptible behaviour

• no one gets away with that much douchebaggery without consequences.

douchey /ˈduːʃi / douchy

adjective

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) (typically of a man or his behaviour) obnoxious or contemptible

• she has a history of dating douchey men

• he later apologized for his douchey remarks.

douc langur /duːk / douc monkey

I. noun

a langur with black, white, and orange fur, native to the tropical rainforests of SE Asia.
● Pygathrix nemaeus, family Cercopithecidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: douc via French from Vietnamese.

doudou /ˈduːduː/

I. noun

(W. Indian) a term of endearment.

– origin French Creole, from French doux ‘sweet’.

dough /dəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a thick, malleable mixture of flour and liquid, used for baking into bread or pastry.

• add water to the flour and mix to a manageable dough.

2. ‹informal› money

• lots of dough.

II. derivatives

1. doughiness

noun

2. doughy /ˈdəʊi /

adjective

– origin Old English dāg, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch deeg and German Teig, from an Indo-European root meaning ‘smear, knead’.

doughboy /ˈdəʊbɔɪ/

noun

1. a boiled or deep-fried dumpling.

2. (US) ‹informal› a United States infantryman, especially one in the First World War.
[said to have been a term applied in the Civil War to the large globular brass buttons on the infantry uniform; also said to derive from the use of pipe clay ‘dough’ to clean the white belts worn by infantrymen.]

doughnut /ˈdəʊnʌt / ‹US› donut

noun

1. a small fried cake of sweetened dough, typically in the shape of a ball or ring.

2. a ring-shaped object, in particular a vacuum chamber in some types of particle accelerator.

doughnut hole

noun

(US) a small ball-shaped doughnut.

• it's 9.30 on a wintry Saturday morning, and we're sipping coffee and eating doughnut holes.

doughty /ˈdaʊti/

I. adjective

‹archaic› ‹humorous› brave and persistent

• his doughty spirit kept him going.

II. derivatives

1. doughtily /ˈdaʊtɪli /

adverb

2. doughtiness

noun

– origin late Old English dohtig, variant of dyhtig, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch duchtig and German tüchtig.

Douglas /ˈdʌɡləs/

the capital of the Isle of Man; pop. 27,200 (est. 2009).

Douglas fir /ˈdʌɡləs/

I. noun

a tall, slender conifer with soft foliage and, in mature trees, deeply fissured bark. It is widely planted as a timber tree.
●Genus Pseudotsuga, family Pinaceae: several species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after David Douglas (1798–1834), the Scottish botanist and explorer who introduced it to Europe from North America.

Douglas-Home, Sir Alec /ˌdʌɡləsˈhjuːm/

Baron Home of the Hirsel of Coldstream (1903–95), British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1963–4; born Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home. When Douglas-Home became Prime Minister he relinquished his hereditary peerage.

doula /ˈduːlə/

I. noun

a woman who gives support, help, and advice to another woman during pregnancy and during and after the birth.

• from admission through delivery, a doula stayed at her assigned patient's side.

– origin 1960s: modern Greek, from Greek doulē ‘female slave’.

Doulton /ˈdəʊlt(ə)n / Royal Doulton

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› fine decorative pottery or porcelain made at the factories of John Doulton (1793–1873) or his successors.

doum palm /duːm / dom palm

I. noun

a palm tree with a forked trunk, producing edible fruit and a vegetable ivory substitute. It is native to the Nile region of Upper Egypt.
● Hyphaene thebaica, family Palmae.

– origin early 18th cent.: doum from Arabic dawm, dūm.

dour /ˈdʊə, ˈdaʊə/

I. adjective

relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in manner or appearance

• a hard, dour, humourless fanatic.

II. derivatives

1. dourly /ˈdʊəli, ˈdaʊəli /

adverb

2. dourness /ˈdʊənəs, ˈdəʊnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (originally Scots): probably from Scottish Gaelic dúr ‘dull, obstinate, stupid’, perhaps from Latin durus ‘hard’.

Douro /ˈdʊəruː/

a river of the Iberian peninsula, rising in central Spain and flowing west for 900 km (556 miles) through Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean near Oporto.
Spanish name Duero.

douroucouli /ˌdʊərʊˈkuːli/

I. noun

a large-eyed chiefly nocturnal monkey found in South America. Also called night monkey, owl monkey.
●Genus Aotus, family Cebidae: two or more species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably a South American Indian name.

douse /daʊs / dowse

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pour a liquid over; drench

• he doused the car with petrol and set it on fire.

2. extinguish (a fire or light)

• stewards appeared and the fire was doused

• ‹figurative› nothing could douse her sudden euphoria.

3. [Sailing] lower (a sail) quickly.

– origin early 17th cent.: perhaps imitative, influenced by souse, or perhaps from dialect douse ‘strike, beat’, from Middle Dutch and Low German dossen.

dout /daʊt / ‹chiefly Scottish› dowt

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. extinguish (a fire or light).

• he sent her and Peter back to dout the fire.

II. noun

a cigarette end.

• he inserts the dout off-centre between his lips.

– origin early 16th cent. (as a verb): contraction of do out. The noun dates from the 1940s.

dove^1 /dʌv/

I. noun

1. a stocky bird with a small head, short legs, and a cooing voice, feeding on seeds or fruit. Doves are generally smaller and more delicate than pigeons, but many kinds have been given both names.
●Family Columbidae: numerous genera and species; white doves are a variety of the domestic pigeon.

2. a person who advocates peaceful or conciliatory policies, especially in foreign affairs.

• he was the cabinet's leading dove, the only minister to advocate peace talks.

Compare with hawk^1 (sense 2 of the noun).

3. ( Dove) — (in Christian art and poetry) the Holy Spirit (as represented in John 1:32).

II. derivatives

1. dovelike

adjective

2. dovish /ˈdʌvɪʃ /

adjective

dove 1 (sense 2)

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse dúfa.

dove^2 /dəʊv / ‹N. Amer.›

past of dive.

dovecote /ˈdʌvkɒt / dovecot

I. noun

a shelter with nest holes for domesticated pigeons.

II. phrases

flutter the dovecotes cause a flutter among the dovecotes

startle or upset a sedate or conventionally minded community.

• it is his promotion that will flutter the dovecotes most of all.

dove grey

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a light grey.

• he had decorated the room in dove grey and gold.

• [as modifier] the dove-grey sky above.

dovekie /ˈdʌvki/

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for little auk.

– origin early 19th cent. (originally denoting the black guillemot, Cepphus grylle, also formerly called the Greenland dove): from a Scots diminutive of dove^1.

Dover /ˈdəʊvə/

I. a ferry port in Kent, in England, on the coast of the English Channel; pop. 35,200 (est. 2009). It is mainland Britain's nearest point to the Continent, being only 35 km (22 miles) from Calais.

II. a shipping forecast area covering the Strait of Dover.

III. the state capital of Delaware; pop. 36,107 (est. 2008).

Dover, Strait of

a sea passage between England and France, connecting the English Channel with the North Sea.

Dover sole

noun

either of two flatfishes which are highly valued as food:
● a true sole that is common in European waters ( Solea solea, family Soleidae). ● (N. Amer.) a relative of the lemon sole found in the East Pacific ( Microstomus pacificus, family Pleuronectidae).

dove's-foot cranesbill

noun

a European cranesbill which has white downy hairs on the leaves and spreading stems. The leaves supposedly resemble the foot of a bird.
● Geranium molle, family Geraniaceae.

dove shell

noun

a small mollusc with a robust shell, occurring in tropical and subtropical seas.
●Family Pyrenidae (or Columbellidae), class Gastropoda: Pyrene and other genera.

dovetail /ˈdʌvteɪl/

I. noun

1. a joint formed by one or more tapered projections (tenons) on one piece which interlock with corresponding notches or recesses (mortises) in another.

2. a tenon used in a dovetail joint, typically wider at its extremity.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — join together by means of a dovetail.

2. fit or cause to fit together easily and conveniently
[with obj.]

• plan to enable parents to dovetail their career and family commitments

• [no obj.] flights that dovetail with the working day.

dovetail saw

noun

a tenon saw with a small blade and fine teeth, used mainly for making joints.

dove tree

noun

a slender deciduous Chinese tree with flowers that bear large white bracts said to resemble doves' wings, grown as an ornamental.
● Davidia involucrata, family Nyssaceae.

Dow /daʊ/

short for Dow Jones index:

• the Dow fell sharply that summer.

dowager /ˈdaʊədʒə/

I. noun

1. a widow with a title or property derived from her late husband
[as modifier]

• the dowager duchess

• [ postpositive] the queen dowager.

2. ‹informal› a dignified elderly woman.

• a handsome dowager was standing in front of the mirror.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French douagiere, from douage ‘dower’, from douer ‘endow’, from Latin dotare ‘endow’ (see dower).

dowager's hump

noun — [ mass noun]

1. forward curvature of the spine resulting in a stoop, typically in women with osteoporosis, caused by collapse of the front edges of the thoracic vertebrae.

dowak /ˈdaʊak/

I. noun

(Austral.) an Aboriginal weapon in the form of a wooden club pointed at each end

• one man caught him by the arm, threatening to strike him with a dowak.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Nyungar (an Aboriginal language).

dowd /daʊd/

I. noun

a person, typically a woman, of dull, unfashionable appearance.

• you will never catch a husband if you persist in looking like a dowd!

– origin Middle English: of unknown origin. Perhaps reintroduced in the early 19th cent. as a back-formation from dowdy.

Dowding, Hugh /ˈdaʊdɪŋ/

Baron (1882–1970), British Marshal of the RAF; full name Hugh Caswall Tremenheere Dowding. He was Commander-in-Chief of the British air defence forces that defeated the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain in 1940.

dowdy /ˈdaʊdi/

I. adjective

(of a person, typically a woman, or their clothes) unfashionable and unstylish in appearance

• she could achieve the kind of casual chic which made every other woman around her look dowdy.

II. derivatives

1. dowdily /ˈdaʊdɪli /

adverb

2. dowdiness /ˈdaʊdɪnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (as a noun): from dowd.

dowel /ˈdaʊəl/

I. noun

a projecting peg used for holding together components of a structure.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. fasten with a dowel or dowels.

• the pivot bearings are doweled into the face of the limb butts.

– origin Middle English: perhaps from Middle Low German dovel.

dowelling /ˈdaʊəlɪŋ / ‹US› doweling

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cylindrical rods for cutting into dowels.

dower /ˈdaʊə/

I. noun

1. a widow's share for life of her husband's estate.
[as modifier]

• a dower house.

2. ‹archaic› a dowry.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› give a dowry to.

• he was so short of money that he could not even dower his sister.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French douaire, from medieval Latin dotarium, from Latin dotare ‘endow’, from dos, dot- ‘dowry’; related to dare ‘give’.

dower house

noun

(Brit.) a house intended as the residence of a widow, typically one near the main house on her late husband's estate.

dowitcher /ˈdaʊɪtʃə/

I. noun

a wading bird of the sandpiper family, with a long straight bill, breeding in arctic and subarctic North America and eastern Asia.
●Genus Limnodromus, family Scolopacidae: three species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Iroquoian.

Dow Jones index /daʊˈdʒəʊnz / Dow Jones average

I. an index of figures indicating the relative price of shares on the New York Stock Exchange, based on the average price of selected stocks.

– origin from the name of Dow Jones & Co, Inc., a financial news agency founded by Charles H. Dow (1851–1902) and Edward D. Jones ( c. 1855–1920), American economists whose company compiled the first average of US stock prices in 1884.

down^1 /daʊn/

I. adverb

1. towards or in a lower place or position, especially to or on the ground or another surface

• she looked down

• the sun started to go down

• he put his glass down

• he swung the axe to chop down the tree.

2. at or to a specified distance below

• you can plainly see the bottom 35 feet down.

3. downstairs

• I went down to put the kettle on.

4. expressing movement or position away from the north

• they're living down south.

5. to or at a place perceived as lower (often expressing casualness or lack of hurry)

• I'd rather be down at the villa

• I'm going down to the pub.

6. (Brit.) away from the capital or major city

• there are eight trains a day, four up and four down.

7. (Brit.) away from a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge.

• he was down from Oxford.

8. (with reference to food or drink swallowed) in or into the stomach

• she couldn't keep anything down.

9. so as to lie or be fixed flush or flat

• she stuck down a Christmas label.

10. [as exclamation] — used as a command to a person or animal to sit or lie down

• down, boy!

11. referring to a crossword answer which reads vertically

• how many letters in fifteen down?

12. to or at a lower level of intensity, volume, or activity

• keep the noise down

• the panic was dying down

• at night it would cool down.

13. to or at a lower price, value, or rank

• output was down by 20 per cent

• soup is down from 59p to 49p.

14. to a finer consistency, a smaller amount or size, or a simpler or more basic state

• I must slim down a bit

• a formal statement that can't be edited down

• thin down an oil-based paint with spirits.

15. from an earlier to a later point in time or order

• buildings in England down to 1540

• everyone, from the President down to the bloke selling hot dogs, wants her dead.

16. in or into a weaker or worse position, mood, or condition

• the scandal brought down the government

• he was down with the flu.

17. losing or at a disadvantage by a specified amount

• United were 3–0 down.

18. used to express progress through a series of tasks or items

• one down and only six more to go.

19. (of a computer system) out of action or unavailable for use

• the system went down yesterday.

20. ( down with ——) — shouted to express strong dislike of a specified person or thing

• crowds chanted ‘Down with America!’.

21. in or into writing

• Graham noted the numbers down carefully

• taking down notes.

22. on or on to a list, schedule, or record

• I'll put you down for the evening shift.

23. (with reference to partial payment of a sum of money) made initially or on the spot

• pay £5 down and the rest at the end of the month.

24. (of sailing) with the current or the wind.

25. (of a ship's helm) moved round to leeward so that the rudder is to windward.

26. [American Football] (of the ball or a player in possession) not in play, typically through progress being stopped.

II. preposition

1. from a higher to a lower point of (something)

• up and down the stairs

• tears streaming down her face.

2. at or to the part of (a river or stream) that is nearer the sea

• a dozen miles or so down the Thames.

3. moving or at a point further along the course of (something)

• he lived down the street

• I wandered down the road.

4. ‹informal› at or to (a place)

• she was tired of going down the pub every night.

5. throughout (a period of time)

• astrologers down the ages.

III. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — directed or moving towards a lower place or position

• the down escalator

• click on the down arrow.

2. relating to or denoting trains travelling away from the main terminus

• we travelled on the first down train.

3. [Physics] denoting a flavour of quark having a charge of −⅓. Protons and neutrons are thought to be composed of combinations of up and down quarks.

4. [ predic.] — unhappy; depressed

• he's been so down lately.

5. [ predic.] — (of a computer system) temporarily out of action or unavailable

• sorry, but the computer's down.

6. [ predic.] — (US) ‹informal› supporting or going along with someone or something

• you got to be down with me

• she was totally down for a selfie

• ‘You going to the movies?’ ‘Yo, I'm down.’.

7. aware of and following the latest fashion

• a seriously down, hip-hop homie.

IV. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› knock or bring to the ground

• 175 enemy aircraft had been downed

• he struck Slater on the face, downing him.

2. ‹informal› consume (something, typically a drink)

• he downed five pints of cider.

3. ‹informal› [Golf] sink (a putt).

• he downed a 20-foot putt for victory.

V. noun

1. [American Football] a chance for a team to advance the ball, ending when the ball carrier is tackled or the ball becomes out of play. A team must advance at least ten yards in a series of four downs in order to keep possession.

2. ( downs) — ‹informal› unwelcome experiences or events

• there had been more downs than ups during his years at Ferrari.

3. ‹informal› a feeling or period of unhappiness or depression

• everyone gets their downs, their depressive periods.

VI. phrases

1. be (or have a) down on

(Brit.) ‹informal› feel hostile or antagonistic towards.

• she had a real down on Angela.

2. be down to

a. be attributable to (a particular factor or circumstance)

• he claimed his problems were down to the media.

b. be the responsibility of (a particular person)

• it's down to you to make sure the boiler receives regular servicing.

c. be left with only (the specified amount)

• I'm down to my last few pounds.

3. down in the mouth /ˌdaʊn ɪn ðə ˈmaʊθ /

‹informal› unhappy; dejected.

4. down on one's luck

‹informal› experiencing a period of bad luck.

• he plays the part of a scriptwriter down on his luck.

5. down tools

(Brit.) ‹informal› stop work, especially as a form of industrial action

• the union instructed its members to down tools.

6. down to the ground

‹informal› completely; totally.

7. down town

into or in the centre of a town

• I went down town to do a few errands.

8. have (or put) someone/thing down as

judge someone or something to be (a particular type)

• I never had Jake down as a ladies' man.

– origin Old English dūn, dūne, shortened from adūne ‘downward’, from the phrase of dūne ‘off the hill’ (see down^3).

down^2 /daʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. soft, fine, fluffy feathers which form the first covering of a young bird or an insulating layer below the contour feathers of an adult bird.

• the baby penguins' woolly down is essential in the Antarctic winter.

2. down feathers taken from ducks or their nests and used for stuffing cushions, quilts, etc.

• a down-filled sleeping bag.

3. fine, soft hair on the face or body of a person

• the little girl had a covering of golden down on her head.

4. short, soft hairs on some leaves, fruit, or seeds.

• the bright green leaves are covered with a soft white down.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse dúnn.

down^3 /daʊn/

I. noun

1. (usu. downs) — a gently rolling hill

• the gentle green contours of the downs.

2. ( the Downs) — ridges of undulating chalk and limestone hills in southern England, used mainly for pasture.

3. ( the Downs) — a stretch of sea off the east coast of Kent, sheltered by the Goodwin Sands.

– origin Old English dūn ‘hill’ (related to Dutch duin ‘dune’), perhaps ultimately of Celtic origin and related to Old Irish dún and obsolete Welsh din ‘fort’, which are from an Indo-European root shared by town.

Down /daʊn/

one of the Six Counties of Northern Ireland, since 1973 an administrative district; chief town, Downpatrick.

down and dirty

adjective

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› highly competitive or unprincipled

• he's willing to get down and dirty, slinging mud at will and knowing that some of it will stick.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› earthy, direct, and explicit

• I won't bore you with the down-and-dirty details.

down and out

I. adjective

1. (of a person) without money, a job, or a place to live; destitute

• a novel about being down and out in London.

2. (of a boxer) knocked down and unable to continue fighting.

3. (of a competitor) facing certain defeat.

• behind, away from home, and down to 14 men, Kelso ought to have been down and out, but Jeffrey rallied his men.

II. noun

( down-and-out) — a person without money, a job, or a place to live

• a hostel for down-and-outs.

down at heel

adjective

1. (of a shoe) with the heel worn down.

2. having a poor, shabby appearance

• down-at-heel areas.

downbeat /ˈdaʊnbiːt/

I. adjective

1. pessimistic or gloomy

• the assessment of the UK's economic prospects is downbeat.

2. relaxed and understated

• he responds to her enthusiasm with downbeat bemusement.

II. noun

[Music] an accented beat, usually the first of the bar.

downburst /ˈdaʊnbəːst/

noun

a strong downward current of air from a cumulonimbus cloud, which is usually accompanied by intense rain or a thunderstorm.

downcase

verb — [with obj.]

1. change (an upper-case letter) to a lower-case one.

downcast /ˈdaʊnkɑːst/

I. adjective

1. (of a person's eyes) looking downwards

• her modestly downcast eyes.

2. (of a person) feeling despondent.

• you mustn't be downcast.

II. noun

a shaft dug in a mine for extra ventilation.

downchange

I. noun

a change to a lower gear in a motor vehicle.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put (a vehicle) into a lower gear.

2. [no obj.] — change to a lower gear.

downcomer /ˈdaʊnkʌmə/

noun

a pipe for the downward transport of water or gas from the top of a furnace or boiler.

downconverter

I. noun

[Electronics] a device that converts a signal to a lower frequency, especially in television reception.

II. derivatives

downconversion

noun

downcountry

adjective, adverb

(chiefly N. Amer.) in, into, or relating to the low-lying and generally more densely settled part of a country as opposed to hilly regions
[as adj.]

• a downcountry upstart

• [as adv.] the land rolled away a hundred miles downcountry.

downcurved

adjective

curved downwards.

downcut

verb — [no obj.]

1. [Geology] (of a river) erode downwards through its bed.

• the New River began downcutting.

• (as noun downcutting) the effect of the downcutting.

downdraught /ˈdaʊndrɑːft / ‹US› downdraft

noun

a downward current or draught of air.

downdrift

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tendency in certain languages or kinds of utterance for pitch to fall near the end of a phrase, clause, or sentence.

downer /ˈdaʊnə/

noun

1. (usu. downers) — ‹informal› a depressant or tranquillizing drug, especially a barbiturate.

• during that week I was heavily doped on downers.

2. ‹informal› a dispiriting or depressing experience or factor

• the thought of the danger his son was in put something of a downer on the situation.

3. ‹informal› a cow or other animal that has fallen down and cannot get to its feet unaided.

downfall /ˈdaʊnfɔːl/

noun

1. a loss of power, prosperity, or status

• the crisis led to the downfall of the government.

2. the cause of a loss of power, prosperity, or status

• his intractability will prove to be his downfall.

3. a heavy fall of rain or snow.

• the wind was whipping up the downfall into deep drifts on the moor.

downfield

adverb

1. (N. Amer.) another term for upfield (sense 1).

2. [Physics] in a direction corresponding to decreasing field strength.

downfold

noun

[Geology] a syncline.

downforce

noun

a force, produced by a combination of air resistance and gravity, that acts on a moving vehicle, having the effect of pressing it down towards the ground and giving it increased stability.

downgrade

I. verb — [with obj.] downgrade /ˈdaʊnɡreɪd, daʊnˈɡreɪd /

1. reduce to a lower grade, rank, or level of importance

• some jobs had gradually been downgraded from skilled to semi-skilled.

II. noun — downgrade /ˈdaʊnɡreɪd /

1. an instance of reducing someone or something's rank, status, or level of importance.

• downgrades by debt-rating agencies outnumber upgrades by five to one.

2. (N. Amer.) a downward gradient on a railway or road.

• a steep downgrade for which he had to put the car in second.

III. phrases

on the downgrade

(N. Amer.) in decline

• profits are on the downgrade.

downhaul

noun

[Nautical] a rope used for hauling down a sail, spar, etc.

downhearted /daʊnˈhɑːtɪd/

I. adjective

discouraged; in low spirits

• fans must not be downhearted even though we lost.

II. derivatives

1. downheartedly

adverb

2. downheartedness

noun

downhill

I. adverb — downhill /daʊnˈhɪl /

1. towards the bottom of a slope

• he ran downhill

• follow the road downhill.

2. into a steadily worsening situation

• her marriage continued to slide downhill

• the business is going downhill fast.

II. adjective — downhill /ˈdaʊnhɪl /

1. leading down towards the bottom of a slope

• the route is downhill for part of the way.

2. relating to the sport of skiing downhill

• the world downhill champion.

3. leading to a steadily worsening situation

• the downhill road to delinquency.

4. without difficulty or challenge

• we can take the easy road, the downhill road, or we can put America on the path to greatness again.

III. noun — downhill /ˈdaʊnhɪl /

1. a downward slope.

• on downhills brake gently.

2. [Skiing] a downhill race.

3. [ mass noun] — the activity of downhill skiing.

IV. phrases

be downhill all the way

a. be easy in comparison with what came before

• two-nil up—it should have been downhill all the way.

b. become worse or less successful

• that had been the start of the present trouble—downhill all the way since then.

downhiller

noun

a skier or cyclist who takes part in downhill races.

downhole

adjective, adverb

(in the oil industry) used, occurring, or performed in a well or borehole.

down-home

adjective

(N. Amer.) connected with an unpretentious way of life, especially that of rural peoples or areas

• some good down-home cooking.

Downing Street /ˈdaʊnɪŋ striːt/

I. a street in Westminster, London, between Whitehall and St James's Park. No. 10 is the official residence of the Prime Minister; No. 11 is the home of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

II. used allusively for the British government or the Prime Minister

• Downing Street flatly refused to confirm that the summit was off.

downland /ˈdaʊnlənd/

noun — [ mass noun] (also downlands)

1. gently rolling hill country, especially in southern England.

downlighter downlight

I. noun

a light placed or designed so as to throw illumination downwards.

II. derivatives

downlighting

noun

downlink

I. noun

a telecommunications link for signals coming to the earth from a satellite, spacecraft, or aircraft.

• two satellites were used to carry the signal over the Atlantic to a downlink in Atlanta.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. relay to the earth (a telecommunications signal or the information it conveys)

• any TV station can downlink just about any game.

download ‹Computing›

I. verb — [with obj.] download /daʊnˈləʊd /

1. copy (data) from one computer system to another, typically over the Internet.

• it would be wise to download your program to another computer before testing it.

• (as adj. downloaded) DRM will limit what you can do with downloaded music and video.

II. noun — download /ˈdaʊnləʊd /

1. an act or process of downloading data

• movie downloads were painfully slow

• [ mass noun] we have music available for free download

• [as modifier] download speeds of 200 to 300 kilobits per second.

2. a file or set of files that has been downloaded

• digital music downloads.

III. derivatives

downloader

noun

downloadable /daʊnˈləʊdəb(ə)l/

adjective

(of data) able to be copied from one computer system to another or to a disk

• the illustrations are available as downloadable files from the website.

down-low

I. noun — (in phrase on the down-low)

1. (US) ‹informal› on the quiet; in secret

• he kept his status as a Hell's Angel on the down-low.

2. (US) ‹informal› (of a man) concealing his homosexual tendencies.

– origin 1990s: originally in African-American usage.

downmarket /daʊnˈmɑːkɪt, ˈdaʊnmɑːkɪt/

adjective, adverb

(chiefly Brit.) towards or relating to the cheaper or less prestigious sector of the market
[as adj.]

• an interview for the downmarket tabloids

• [as adv.] competition threatens to drive broadcasters further downmarket.

downmost /ˈdaʊnməʊst/

adjective, adverb

(chiefly Brit.) the furthest down; at or towards the bottom.

down payment

noun

an initial payment made when something is bought on credit.

• it had taken their savings to make the down payment on a house.

downpipe /ˈdaʊnpʌɪp/

noun

(Brit.) a pipe to carry rainwater from a roof to a drain or to ground level.

downplay /daʊnˈpleɪ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) appear less important than it really is

• this report downplays the seriousness of global warming.

downpour /ˈdaʊnpɔː/

noun

a heavy fall of rain

• a sudden downpour had filled the gutters and drains.

downrate

verb — [with obj.]

1. make lower in value, standard, or importance

• he notched up five kills although Fighter Command downrated them to four probables.

downright /ˈdaʊnrʌɪt/

I. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — (of something bad or unpleasant) utter; complete (used for emphasis)

• it's a downright disgrace.

2. so direct in manner as to be blunt

• her common sense and downright attitude to life surprised him.

II. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. to an extreme degree; thoroughly

• he was downright rude.

downriver /daʊnˈrɪvə/

adverb, adjective

towards or situated at a point nearer the mouth of a river
[as adv.]

• the cabin cruiser started to drift downriver

• [as adj.] the downriver side of the bridge.

downscale /ˈdaʊnskeɪl / ‹N. Amer.›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. reduce in size, scale, or extent

• he was unable to downscale his strongly unionized workforce.

II. adjective

at the lower end of a scale, especially a social scale; downmarket

• these brands appeal to downscale shoppers who are looking for a low price.

downshift /ˈdaʊnʃɪft/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) change to a lower gear in a motor vehicle or bicycle.

• an inertia system that activates whenever the rider brakes or downshifts.

2. slow down; slacken off

• well before the country slipped into recession, business was downshifting.

3. change a financially rewarding but stressful career or lifestyle for a less pressured and less highly paid but more fulfilling one

• increasing numbers of men want to downshift from full-time work.

II. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a change to a lower gear in a motor vehicle or bicycle.

• the chain broke during a downshift on a single-track climb.

2. an instance of changing to a less pressured and less highly paid but more fulfilling career or lifestyle.

• this downshift coincides with his marriage.

downside /ˈdaʊnsʌɪd/

noun

the negative aspect of something otherwise regarded as good or desirable

• a magazine feature on the downside of fashion modelling.

downsize /ˈdaʊnsʌɪz/

verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) make (something) smaller

• I downsized the rear wheel to 26 inches.

2. make (a company or organization) smaller by shedding staff.

• a TV news producer told what happened after her network downsized the newsroom.

3. [no obj.] — (of a company) shed staff

• recession forced many companies to downsize.

downslope

I. adverb

at or towards a lower point on a slope.

II. adjective

caused by, occurring, or acting on a downward slope

• they can produce strong downslope winds.

III. noun

a downward slope.

downspout /ˈdaʊnspaʊt/

noun

(N. Amer.) a downpipe.

Down's syndrome /daʊnz / Down syndrome

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a congenital disorder arising from a chromosome defect, causing intellectual impairment and physical abnormalities including short stature and a broad facial profile. It arises from a defect involving chromosome 21, usually an extra copy (trisomy-21).

– origin 1960s: named after John L. H. Down (1828–96), the English physician who first described it. / usage: Of relatively recent coinage, Down's syndrome is the accepted term in modern use, and former terms such as mongol and mongolism, which are likely to cause offence, should be avoided.

downstage /ˈdaʊnsteɪdʒ, daʊnˈsteɪdʒ/

adjective, adverb

at or towards the front of a stage
[as adv.]

• all four run for their lives downstage

• [as adj.] the downstage area.

downstairs

I. adverb — downstairs /daʊnˈstɛːz /

1. down a flight of stairs

• I tripped over the cat and fell downstairs.

2. on or to a lower floor

• we were waiting for you downstairs

• she called him downstairs.

II. adjective — [ attrib.] downstairs /ˈdaʊnstɛːz /

1. situated downstairs

• the downstairs loo.

III. noun — downstairs /daʊnˈstɛːz /

1. the ground floor or lower floors of a building

• the downstairs was hardly damaged at all.

downstate /ˈdaʊnsteɪt / ‹US›

I. adjective, adverb

of, in, or to a part of a state that is remote from its large cities, especially the southern part.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a remote part of a state.

III. derivatives

downstater

noun

downstream

adverb, adjective

1. situated or moving in the direction in which a stream or river flows
[as adv.]

• the bridge spanned the river just downstream of the rail line

• [as adj.] deforestation could have disastrous consequences for downstream regions.

2. [Biology] situated in or towards the part of a sequence of genetic material where transcription takes place later than at a given point.

• a termination signal was found downstream from the coding region.

3. at a stage in the process of gas or oil extraction and production after the raw material is ready for refining.

downstroke /ˈdaʊnstrəʊk/

noun

a stroke made downwards

• he writes the figure seven with a line through the downstroke.

downswing /ˈdaʊnswɪŋ/

noun

1. another term for downturn.

2. [Golf] the downward movement of a club when the player is about to hit the ball.

• your body must not sway to the left during the downswing.

downtempo

adjective, adverb

[Music] played at a slow tempo.

down-the-line

adjective

‹informal› thorough and uncompromising

• the party avoids down-the-line support of unions.

downthrow ‹Geology›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. displace (a rock formation) downwards.

• in the downthrown areas the carbonates have escaped exposure.

II. noun

a downward displacement of rock strata.

downtick

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a small decrease or slight downward trend

• a downtick in the unemployment rate is welcome news.

downtime /ˈdaʊntʌɪm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. time during which a machine, especially a computer, is out of action or unavailable for use.

2. (N. Amer.) time when one is not working or active

• everyone needs downtime to unwind.

down to earth

I. adjective

with no illusions or pretensions; practical and realistic

• a down-to-earth view of marriage.

II. derivatives

down-to-earthness

noun

downtown ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

I. adjective — downtown /ˈdaʊntaʊn /

1. in or relating to the central part or main business and commercial area of a town or city

• downtown Chicago

• a downtown bar.

II. adverb — downtown /daʊnˈtaʊn /

1. in or into a downtown area

• I drove downtown.

III. noun — downtown /ˈdaʊntaʊn /

1. the downtown area of a town or city

• the heart of Pittsburgh's downtown.

IV. derivatives

downtowner

noun

downtrend /ˈdaʊntrɛnd/

noun

a downward tendency, especially in economic matters.

downtrodden /ˈdaʊntrɒd(ə)n/

adjective

oppressed or treated badly by people in power

• a downtrodden proletarian struggling for social justice.

down trou /ˈdaʊn traʊ/

noun

(NZ) ‹informal› a deliberate lowering of one's trousers in public in order to insult or amuse people

• he and three cobbers had done a down trou in the tavern on New Year's Eve.

downturn /ˈdaʊntəːn/

I. noun

a decline in economic, business, or other activity

• a downturn in the housing market.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. downturned)

1. turn (something) downwards

• his downturned mouth.

down under ‹informal›

I. adverb

in or to Australia or New Zealand

• take a flight down under in September.

II. noun

(also Down Under) — Australia and New Zealand

• a girl from down under.

– origin late 19th cent.: with reference to the position of these countries on a globe.

downvote /ˈdaʊnvəʊt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (in an online context) register disapproval of or disagreement with (a post or poster) by means of a particular icon

• I had to resist the urge to downvote the first serious comment

• you can downvote me all you want, but the refereeing this season has been absolutely deplorable

• [no obj.] if you want to downvote, go ahead.

II. noun

(in an online context) an instance of using a particular icon to register disapproval of or disagreement with a post or poster

• there is absolutely nothing in his comment that deserves a downvote

• I am making it my mission to counter every downvote you are given for critiquing his grammar.

downward /ˈdaʊnwəd/

I. adverb

(also downwards) — towards a lower place or level

• he was lying face downward

• the floor sloped downwards.

II. adjective

moving or leading towards a lower place or level

• a downward trend in inflation.

– origin Middle English: shortening of Old English adūnweard.

downward dog downward-facing dog

noun

a yoga pose in which the body assumes an inverted V shape, with the hands and feet on the floor, and the buttocks pointing upwards

• just because you're not in a yoga studio, it doesn't mean you can't practise your downward dog.

downwardly /ˈdaʊnwədli/

I. adverb

towards a lower level; in a downward direction.

II. phrases

downwardly mobile /ˌdaʊnwədli ˈməʊbʌɪl /

see mobile.

downwarp /ˈdaʊnwɔːp / ‹Geology›

I. noun

a broad depression of the earth's surface.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. displace (a rock formation) downwards so as to form a downwarp.

• the land masses buckled and downwarped the continental shelves.

downwash /ˈdaʊnwɒʃ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the downward deflection of an airstream by an aircraft wing or helicopter rotor blade.

• the energy in main-rotor downwash.

• [ count noun] it generates a 200 mph downwash when lifting heavy loads.

downwelling

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the downward movement of fluid, especially in the sea, the atmosphere, or deep in the earth.

• coastal downwelling leads to in-transport of coastal water.

• [ count noun] continents aggregate over cold downwellings in the mantle.

II. adjective

characterized by or undergoing downwelling.

• downwelling mantle.

downwind /daʊnˈwɪnd/

adverb, adjective

in the direction in which the wind is blowing
[as adv.]

• warnings were issued to people living downwind of the fire

• [as adj.] downwind landings.

downwinder /daʊnˈwɪndə/

noun

(chiefly US) a person living downwind of a nuclear test site or reactor, where the risk from fallout or radiation leaks is greatest.

downy /ˈdaʊni/

adjective

1. covered with fine, soft hair or feathers

• the baby's downy cheek.

2. soft and fluffy

• pale downy hair.

3. filled with soft feathers

• a downy pillow.

4. ‹dated› (of a person) shrewd; sharp

• I told you she was a downy one.

downy mildew

noun — [ mass noun]

1. mildew on a plant which is marked by a whitish down composed of spore-forming hyphae, penetrating more deeply into the plant than powdery mildew.
●Family Peronosporaceae, subdivision Mastigomycotina.

downzone

verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) assign (land or property) to a zoning grade under which the permitted density of housing and development is reduced.

• under the new zoning proposals a number of areas are downzoned.

dowry /ˈdaʊ(ə)ri/

I. noun

an amount of property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage.

• Elizabeth's dowry was to be £45,000 in diamonds.

– origin Middle English (denoting a widow's life interest in her husband's estate): from Anglo-Norman French dowarie, from medieval Latin dotarium (see dower).

dowse^1 /daʊz/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. practise dowsing

• water is easy to dowse for.

2. [with obj.] — search for or discover by dowsing

• he dowsed a spiral of energy on the stone.

II. derivatives

dowser /ˈdaʊzə /

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

dowse^2

verb

variant spelling of douse.

dowsing /ˈdaʊzɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a technique for searching for underground water, minerals, ley lines, or anything invisible, by observing the motion of a pointer (traditionally a forked stick, now often paired bent wires) or the changes in direction of a pendulum, supposedly in response to unseen influences
[as modifier]

• a dowsing rod.

Dowson, Ernest /ˈdaʊs(ə)n/

(1867–1900), English poet, associated with the ‘decadent’ school of Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley; full name Ernest Christopher Dowson. His two books of poems, Verses (1896) and Decorations (1899), deal with themes of ennui and world-weariness.

dox /dɒks / doxx

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› search for and publish private or identifying information about (a particular individual) on the Internet, typically with malicious intent

• hackers and online vigilantes routinely dox both public and private figures.

– origin early 21st cent.: alteration of docs, plural of doc (short for document).

doxastic /dɒkˈsastɪk/

I. adjective

[Philosophy] relating to an individual's beliefs

• doxastic worlds.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek doxastikos ‘conjectural’, from doxazein ‘to conjecture’.

doxology /dɒkˈsɒlədʒi/

I. noun

a liturgical formula of praise to God.

• after the singing of the doxology the congregation separated.

II. derivatives

doxological

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: via medieval Latin from Greek doxologia, from doxa ‘appearance, glory’ (from dokein ‘seem’) + -logia (see -logy).

doxorubicin /ˌdɒksəʊˈruːbɪsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a bacterial antibiotic that is widely used to treat leukaemia and various other forms of cancer.
●This is produced by the streptomycete bacterium Streptomyces peucetius caesius.

– origin 1970s: from deoxy- (in the sense ‘that has lost oxygen’) + Latin rubus ‘red’ + -mycin.

doxy /ˈdɒksi/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› a lover or mistress.

2. ‹archaic› a prostitute.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally slang): of unknown origin.

doxycycline /ˌdɒksɪˈsʌɪkliːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a broad-spectrum antibiotic of the tetracycline group, which has a long half-life in the body.

– origin 1960s: from d(e)oxy- + tetracycline.

doyen /ˈdɔɪən, ˈdwɑːjã/

I. noun

the most respected or prominent person in a particular field

• he became the doyen of British physicists.

– origin late 17th cent.: via French from Old French deien (see dean^1).

doyenne /ˈdɔɪɛn, dɔɪˈɛn, dwʌˈjɛn/

I. noun

the most respected or prominent woman in a particular field

• she became a doyenne of the London Irish music scene.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, feminine of doyen (see doyen).

Doyenne du Comice /ˈdɔɪɛn d(j)uː kɒˈmɪs, dɔɪˈɛn, dwʌˈjɛn/

noun

fuller term for Comice.

Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan /dɔɪl/

(1859–1930), Scottish novelist and short-story writer, chiefly remembered for his creation of the private detective Sherlock Holmes. Holmes first appeared (with his friend Dr Watson, the narrator of the stories) in A Study in Scarlet (1887), and featured in more than fifty stories and in novels such as The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902).

D'Oyly Carte, Richard /ˌdɔɪlɪ ˈkɑːt/

(1844–1901), English impresario and producer. He brought together the librettist Sir W. S. Gilbert and the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan, producing many of their operettas in London's Savoy Theatre, which he had established in 1881.

doz.

abbreviation

dozen.

doze /dəʊz/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. sleep lightly

• he found his mother dozing by the fire.

2. ( doze off) — fall lightly asleep

• I dozed off for a few seconds.

II. noun

a short, light sleep.

• ‘I think I'll have a doze,’ he said, closing his eyes.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘stupefy, bewilder, or make drowsy’): perhaps related to Danish døse ‘make drowsy’.

dozen /ˈdʌz(ə)n/

I. noun

1. ( pl. same) — a group or set of twelve

• a dozen bottles of sherry.

2. ( dozens) — ‹informal› a lot

• she has dozens of admirers.

3. ( the dozens) — an exchange of insults engaged in as a game or ritual among black Americans.

II. phrases

1. by the dozen

in large quantities.

2. talk nineteen to the dozen

(Brit.) talk incessantly.

III. derivatives

dozenth /ˈdʌz(ə)nθ /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French dozeine, based on Latin duodecim ‘twelve’.

dozer /ˈdəʊzə/

noun

‹informal› short for bulldozer.

dozy /ˈdəʊzi/

I. adjective

1. feeling drowsy and lazy

• he grew dozy at the end of a long day.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› sluggish and not alert; stupid

• at breakfast, a dozy waitress brings the wrong things.

II. derivatives

1. dozily

adverb

2. doziness /ˈdəʊzɪnəs /

noun

DP

abbreviation

1. data processing.

2. displaced person.

dpc

abbreviation

damp-proof course.

DPhil /diːˈfɪl/

abbreviation

(in the UK) Doctor of Philosophy.

dpi /diːpiːˈʌɪ/

abbreviation

[Computing] dots per inch, a measure of the resolution of printers, scanners, etc.

dpm

abbreviation

damp-proof membrane, a sheet of material used to make a structure such as a solid concrete floor damp-proof.

DPP

abbreviation

(in the UK) Director of Public Prosecutions.

DPT

abbreviation

diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus, a combined vaccine given to small children.

Dr

abbreviation

1. debit.
[formerly representing debtor.]

2. (as a title) Doctor

• Dr Michael Russell.

3. (in street names) Drive.

dr.

abbreviation

1. drachm or drachms.

2. drachma or drachmas.

3. dram or drams.

drab^1 /drab/

I. adjective

1. lacking brightness or interest; drearily dull

• the landscape was drab and grey

• her drab suburban existence.

2. of a dull light brown colour

• drab camouflage uniforms.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. fabric of a dull light brown colour.

2. ( drabs) — clothes, especially trousers, made of drab

• a young man dressed in drabs.

III. derivatives

1. drably /ˈdrabli /

adverb

2. drabness /ˈdrabnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a noun denoting undyed cloth): probably from Old French drap ‘cloth’ (see drape).

drab^2 /drab/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› a slovenly woman.

2. ‹archaic› a prostitute.

– origin early 16th cent.: perhaps related to Low German drabbe ‘mire’ and Dutch drab ‘dregs’.

drabble /ˈdrab(ə)l/

I. verb

‹archaic› make or become wet and dirty by movement into or through muddy water.
[with obj.]

• clip off the down at the tail to prevent their being drabbled.

• [no obj.] the poor fellows who had to drabble through the mire.

– origin Middle English: from Low German drabbelen ‘paddle in water or mire’, from drabbe ‘mire’.

Drabble, Margaret

(b.1939), English novelist, the younger sister of A. S. Byatt. Notable works: The Millstone (1966), The Ice Age (1977), and The Radiant Way (1987).

dracaena /drəˈsiːnə/

I. noun

a tropical palm-like shrub or tree with ornamental foliage, popular as a greenhouse or indoor plant.
●Genera Dracaena and Cordyline, family Agavaceae. .

– origin modern Latin, from Greek drakaina, feminine of drakōn ‘serpent, dragon’ (the genus Dracaena includes Dracaena draco, the dragon tree).

drachm /dram / dr.

I. noun

1. a unit of weight formerly used by apothecaries, equivalent to 60 grains or one eighth of an ounce.

2. (also fluid drachm) — a liquid measure formerly used by apothecaries, equivalent to 60 minims or one eighth of a fluid ounce.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the ancient Greek drachma): from Old French dragme or late Latin dragma, via Latin from Greek drakhmē (see drachma).

drachma /ˈdrakmə/

I. noun

1. a former monetary unit of Greece, notionally equal to 100 lepta, replaced in 2002 by the euro.

2. a silver coin of ancient Greece.

– origin via Latin from Greek drakhmē, an Attic weight and coin. Compare with dirham and drachm.

drack /drak/

I. adjective

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› (especially of a woman) unattractive or slovenly.

2. (Austral.) ‹informal› dreary and dull.

– origin 1940s: said to be from the name of the 1930s film Dracula's Daughter, but possibly related to dreck.

Draco^1 /ˈdreɪkəʊ / ‹Astronomy›

I. a large northern constellation (the Dragon), stretching around the north celestial pole and said to represent the dragon killed by Hercules. It has no bright stars.

– origin Latin.

Draco^2 /ˈdreɪkəʊ/

(7th century BC), Athenian legislator. His codification of Athenian law was notorious for its severity in that the death penalty was imposed even for trivial crimes.

dracone /ˈdrakəʊn/

I. noun

a large flexible sausage-shaped container used for transporting oil and other liquids on water.

– origin 1950s: from Latin draco, dracon-, from Greek drakōn ‘serpent’ (because of its shape).

draconian /drəˈkəʊnɪən/

I. adjective

(of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.

• the Nazis destroyed the independence of the press by a series of draconian laws.

II. derivatives

draconic /drəˈkɒnɪk /

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from the name of Draco (see Draco^2) + -ian.

Dracula /ˈdrakjʊlə/

I. the Transylvanian vampire in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula (1897).

– origin variant of Drakula, Dragwlya, names given to Vlad Ţepeş (Vlad the Impaler), a 15th-cent. prince of Wallachia renowned for his cruelty.

draegerman /ˈdreɪɡəmən/

I. noun

(Canadian) a member of a crew trained for underground rescue work.

– origin early 20th cent.: the first element from the name of A. B. Dräger (1870–1928), German inventor of a type of breathing apparatus.

draff /draf/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› dregs or refuse.

– origin Middle English: perhaps from an unrecorded Old English word related to German Treber, Träber ‘husks, grains’, and perhaps also to drivel.

draft /drɑːft/

I. noun

1. a preliminary version of a piece of writing

• the first draft of the party's manifesto

• [as modifier] a draft document.

2. a plan, sketch, or rough drawing.

• a manuscript draft representing the explorer's latest findings.

3. [ mass noun] — [Computing] a mode of operation of a printer in which text is produced rapidly but with relatively low definition.

4. a written order to pay a specified sum.

5. ( the draft) — (US) compulsory recruitment for military service

• 25 million men were subject to the draft.

6. (N. Amer.) a procedure whereby sports players are made available for selection or reselection by the teams in a league, usually with the earlier choices being given to the weaker teams.

• the White Sox chose him in the 13th round of the 1990 draft.

7. ‹rare› a group or individual selected from a larger group for a special duty, e.g. for military service.

• the draft and I were sent to the barracks near Folkestone.

8. US spelling of draught (noun).

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. prepare a preliminary version of (a document)

• I drafted a letter of resignation.

2. select (a person or group of people) and bring them somewhere for a certain purpose

• riot police were drafted in to break up the blockade.

3. (US) conscript (someone) for military service.

• he was drafted in 1938.

4. (N. Amer.) select (a player) for a sports team through the draft.

• he was drafted by Winnipeg and traded the following spring.

III. adjective

US spelling of draught (adjective).

IV. derivatives

drafter /ˈdrɑːftə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: phonetic spelling of draught.

draft dodger

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹derogatory› a person who has avoided compulsory military service.

II. derivatives

draft dodging

noun

draftee /drɑːfˈtiː/

noun

(US) a person conscripted for military service.

drafting gate

noun

(Austral./NZ) a gate in a stockyard which simultaneously closes one exit and opens another, used when sorting livestock

• a drafting gate at the end of the race directs sheep into the chosen pen.

drafting race

noun

(Austral./NZ) a fenced passage in a stockyard along which animals are driven prior to being sorted at the drafting gate

• the new sheep yard has a curved three-way drafting race.

drafting yard

noun

(Austral./NZ) an enclosure in which livestock are sorted into groups

• the boys were pushing the cattle up towards the drafting yard.

draft pick

noun

1. (N. Amer.) the right of a sports team to select a player during the annual selection process.

2. (N. Amer.) a player selected during the draft.

draftsman /ˈdrɑːf(t)smən/

noun

1. a person who drafts legal documents.

• parliamentary draftsmen seem to delight in complicating even the simplest provision.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) variant spelling of draughtsman.

drag /draɡ/

I. verb

1. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — pull (someone or something) along forcefully, roughly, or with difficulty

• we dragged the boat up the beach.

2. take (someone) to or from a place or event, despite their reluctance

• my girlfriend is dragging me off to Rhodes for a week.

3. ( drag oneself) — go somewhere wearily, reluctantly, or with difficulty

• I have to drag myself out of bed each day.

4. move (an image or highlighted text) across a computer screen using a tool such as a mouse.

• you can move the icons into this group by dragging them in with the mouse.

5. [no obj.] — (of a person's clothes or an animal's tail) trail along the ground

• the nuns walked in meditation, their habits dragging on the grassy verge.

6. [no obj.] ( drag at) — catch hold of and pull (something)

• desperately, Jinny dragged at his arm.

7. [with obj.] — (of a ship) trail (an anchor) along the seabed, drifting in the process.

• the coaster was dragging her anchor in St Ives Bay.

• [no obj.] the anchor did not hold and they dragged further through the water.

8. [no obj.] — (of an anchor) fail to hold, causing a ship or boat to drift.

• his anchor had dragged and he found himself sailing out to sea.

9. [with obj.] — search the bottom of (a river, lake, or the sea) with grapnels or nets

• frogmen had dragged the local river.

10. [no obj.] — (of time) pass slowly and tediously

• the day dragged—eventually it was time for bed.

11. ( drag on) — (of a process or situation) continue at tedious and unnecessary length

• the dispute between the two families dragged on for some years.

12. [with obj.] ( drag something out) — protract something unnecessarily

• he dragged out the process of serving them.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of pulling something forcefully or with difficulty

• the drag of the current.

2. the longitudinal retarding force exerted by air or other fluid surrounding a moving object.

• the coating reduces aerodynamic drag.

3. [in sing.] — a person or thing that impedes progress or development

• Larry was turning out to be a drag on her career.

4. [Angling] unnatural motion of a fishing fly caused by the pull of the line.

5. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› an iron shoe that can be applied as a brake to the wheel of a cart or wagon.

6. [in sing.] — ‹informal› a boring or tiresome person or thing

• working nine to five can be a drag.

7. ‹informal› an act of inhaling smoke from a cigarette

• he took a long drag on his cigarette.

8. [ mass noun] — clothing more conventionally worn by the opposite sex, especially women's clothes worn by a man

• a fashion show, complete with men in drag.

9. ‹informal› a street or road

• the main drag is wide but there are few vehicles.

10. ‹historical› a private vehicle like a stagecoach, drawn by four horses.

11. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a car

• a stately great drag with a smart chauffeur.

12. short for drag race.

13. a thing that is pulled along the ground or through water, in particular:

14. ‹historical› a harrow used for breaking up the surface of land.

15. an apparatus for dredging or for recovering objects from the bottom of a river or lake.

16. another term for dragnet.

17. a strong-smelling lure drawn before hounds as a substitute for a fox.

18. a hunt using a drag lure.

19. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› influence over other people

• they had the education but they didn't have the drag.

20. [Music] one of the basic patterns (rudiments) of drumming, consisting of a stroke preceded by two grace notes usually played with the other stick.
See also ruff^4.

III. phrases

1. drag and drop /ˌdraɡ ən ˈdrɒp /

[Computing] move (an image or highlighted text) to another part of the screen using a mouse or similar device.

• a new interface lets you drag and drop items.

2. drag one's feet

a. walk slowly and wearily or with difficulty.

• they dragged their feet through the orchard towards the house.

b. (also drag one's heels) — be deliberately slow or reluctant to act

• the government has dragged its heels over permanent legislation.

3. drag someone/thing through the mud

see mud.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. drag someone/thing down

bring someone or something to a lower level or standard

• the economy will be dragged down by inefficient firms.

2. drag something in/into

introduce an irrelevant or inappropriate subject

• politics were never dragged into the conversation.

3. drag someone/thing into

involve someone or something in (a situation or matter), typically when such involvement is inappropriate or unnecessary

• he had no right to drag you into this sort of thing.

4. drag on

‹informal› inhale the smoke from (a cigarette).

• she dragged on a low-tar cigarette.

5. drag something out

extract information from someone against their will

• the truth was being dragged out of us.

6. drag up

‹informal› dress up in clothes more conventionally worn by the opposite sex.

• he drags up to play a high-heeled bordello inmate.

7. drag something up

‹informal› deliberately mention an unwelcome or unpleasant fact

• pieces of evidence about his early life were dragged up.

8. drag someone up

(Brit.) ‹informal› bring up a child badly

• would you have her dragged up by a succession of au pairs?

– origin Middle English: from Old English dragan or Old Norse draga ‘to draw’; the noun partly from Middle Low German dragge ‘grapnel’.

drag anchor

noun

another term for sea anchor.

drag chain

noun

a chain used to slow down or steady the motion of a vehicle.

dragée /ˈdrɑːʒeɪ/

I. noun

1. a sweet consisting of a centre covered with a coating, such as a sugared almond.

2. a small silver ball for decorating a cake.

– origin late 17th cent. (also denoting a mixture of spices): French, from Old French dragie (see dredge^2).

dragged-out

adjective

continued for a long time, especially for longer than is necessary

• a long, dragged-out story.

dragger

noun

(N. Amer.) a fishing boat that uses a dragnet.

dragging brush

noun

another term for flogger.

draggle /ˈdraɡ(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) dirty or wet, typically by trailing it through mud or water
(as adj. draggled)

• she wore a draggled skirt.

2. [no obj.] — hang untidily

• red hairs draggled dispiritedly from her chignon.

3. [no obj.] — ‹archaic› trail behind others; lag behind.

• they draggled at the heels of his troop.

– origin early 16th cent.: diminutive and frequentative of drag.

draggle-tailed

adjective

‹archaic› having untidily trailing skirts

• a draggle-tailed wench.

draggy /ˈdraɡi/

adjective

‹informal› dreary and lacking liveliness

• a long, draggy, boring Friday afternoon.

drag hound

noun

a hound used to hunt with a drag.

drag lift

noun

(Brit.) a type of ski lift which pulls skiers up a slope on their skis.

dragline /ˈdraɡlʌɪn/

noun

1. a large excavator with a bucket pulled in by a wire cable.

2. a line of silk produced by a spider and acting as a safety line or (in newly hatched spiders) a parachute.

dragnet /ˈdraɡnɛt/

noun

a net drawn through a river or across ground to trap fish or game.

dragoman /ˈdraɡə(ʊ)mən/

I. noun

an interpreter or guide, especially in countries speaking Arabic, Turkish, or Persian.

– origin late Middle English: from obsolete French, from Italian dragomanno, from medieval Greek dragoumanos, from Arabic tarjumān ‘interpreter’.

dragon /ˈdraɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a mythical monster like a giant reptile. In European tradition the dragon is typically fire-breathing and tends to symbolize chaos or evil, whereas in East Asia it is usually a beneficent symbol of fertility, associated with water and the heavens.

2. ‹derogatory› a fierce and intimidating woman

• his wife is a real dragon.

3. (also flying dragon) — another term for flying lizard.

4. (Austral.) any lizard of the agama family.

II. phrases

chase the dragon

‹informal› smoke heroin.

– origin Middle English (also denoting a large serpent): from Old French, via Latin from Greek drakōn ‘serpent’.

dragon arum

noun

an arum of the eastern Mediterranean, with a deep purple spathe and spadix and an unpleasant smell.
● Dracunculus vulgaris, family Araceae.

dragon boat

noun

1. a boat of a traditional Chinese design, typically decorated to resemble a dragon, propelled with paddles by a large crew and used for racing.

2. another term for dragon ship.

dragonet /ˈdraɡ(ə)nɪt/

I. noun

a marine fish which often lies partly buried in the seabed. The male is brightly coloured.
●Two genera in the family Callionymidae: several species, in particular the European Callionymus lyra.

– origin Middle English (denoting a small dragon): from Old French, diminutive of dragon ‘dragon’.

dragonfish

noun

a deep-sea fish with a long slender body:
● a fish with fang-like teeth, a barbel on the chin, and luminous organs on the body (families Stomiatidae and Idiacanthidae). ● a fish of southern polar seas with a flattened head (family Bathydraconidae).

dragonfly /ˈdraɡ(ə)nflʌɪ/

noun

a fast-flying long-bodied predatory insect with two pairs of large transparent wings which are spread out sideways at rest. The voracious aquatic larvae take up to five years to reach adulthood. Compare with damselfly.
●Suborder Anisoptera, order Odonata: several families.

dragonnade /ˌdraɡəˈneɪd/

I. noun

a form of persecution directed by Louis XIV against French Protestants, in which troops were quartered on them.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from dragon ‘dragon’ (see dragoon).

dragon's blood

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a red gum or powder that is derived from the fruit of certain palm trees and from the stem of the dragon tree and related plants.

dragon's head

noun

[Astrology] the ascending or north node of the moon's orbit, used in drawing up an astrological chart.

dragon ship

noun

a Viking longship ornamented with a beaked prow.

dragon's tail

noun

[Astrology] the descending or south node of the moon's orbit, used in drawing up an astrological chart.

dragon's teeth

I. plural noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› concrete obstacles pointing upwards from the ground in rows, used against tanks in the Second World War.

II. phrases

sow (or plant) dragon's teeth

take action that is intended to prevent trouble, but which actually brings it about.

– origin with allusion to the teeth of the dragon killed by Cadmus.

dragon tree

noun

a slow-growing palm-like tree of the agave family, which is native to the Canary Islands and yields dragon's blood.
● Dracaena draco, family Agavaceae.

dragoon /drəˈɡuːn/

I. noun

1. a member of any of several cavalry regiments in the British army.

2. ‹historical› a mounted infantryman armed with a carbine.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. coerce (someone) into doing something

• she had been dragooned into helping with the housework.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a kind of carbine or musket, thought of as breathing fire): from French dragon ‘dragon’.

drag queen

noun

‹informal› a man who ostentatiously dresses up in women's clothes.

drag race

I. noun

a race between two cars over a short distance, usually a quarter of a mile, as a test of acceleration.

II. derivatives

1. drag racer

noun

2. drag racing

noun

dragster /ˈdraɡstə/

noun

a car built or modified to take part in drag races.

drail /dreɪl/

I. noun

[Angling] a fish hook and line weighted with lead for dragging below the surface of the water.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting part of a plough): from the obsolete verb drail, an alteration of trail.

drain /dreɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause the water or other liquid in (something) to run out, leaving it empty or dry

• we drained the swimming pool.

2. cause or allow (liquid) to run off or out of something

• fry the pork and drain off any excess fat.

3. make (land) drier by providing channels for water to flow away in

• the land was drained and the boggy ground reclaimed.

4. (of a river) carry off the superfluous water from (an area)

• the stream drains a wide moorland above the waterfall.

5. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (of water or another liquid) flow away from, out of, or into something

• the river drains into the Pacific

• ‹figurative› Polly felt the blood drain from her face.

6. [no obj.] — become dry or drier as liquid runs off or away

• dishes left to drain.

7. drink the entire contents of (a glass or other container)

• the stranger drained his glass of beer.

8. deprive of strength or vitality

• his limbs were drained of all energy

• Ruth slumped down in her seat, drained by all that had happened.

9. cause (a valuable resource) to be lost or used up

• my mother's hospital bills are draining my income.

10. [no obj., with adverbial] — (of a valuable resource) be lost or used up

• votes and campaign funds drained away from the Republican candidate.

11. [Golf] ‹informal› (of a player) hole (a putt).

• whenever he did hit a green, he drained the putt.

II. noun

1. a channel or pipe carrying off surplus liquid, especially rainwater or liquid waste.

2. (Brit.) a frame of metal bars set in a road over the opening to a rainwater channel.

3. a tube for drawing off accumulating fluid from a body cavity or an abscess.

4. [Electronics] the part of a field-effect transistor to which the charge carriers flow after passing the gate.

5. [in sing.] — a thing that uses up a particular resource

• nuclear power is a serious drain on the public purse.

6. the continuous loss or expenditure of a particular resource

• the drain of talented staff to the United States.

III. phrases

go down the drain

‹informal› be totally wasted

• the government must stop public money going down the drain.

– origin Old English drēahnian, drēhnian ‘strain (liquid’), of Germanic origin; related to dry.

drainage /ˈdreɪnɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of draining something

• the pot must have holes in the base for good drainage

• the drainage of wetlands.

2. a system of drains.

• they set about renewing and repairing drainage and water supplies.

drainage tube

noun

a tube, usually of clear flexible plastic with lateral perforations, for draining a wound, abscess, etc.

drainboard /ˈdreɪnbɔːd/

noun

North American term for draining board.

draincock

noun

a valve for draining the water from a boiler.

drainer /ˈdreɪnə/

noun

1. a device used for draining things, in particular:

2. a rack placed on a draining board to hold crockery and cutlery while it drains.

3. a draining board.

4. a person who drains a flooded area.

draining board /ˈdreɪnɪŋ bɔːd/

noun

(Brit.) a sloping grooved board or surface on which washed dishes are left to drain into an adjacent sink.

drainpipe /ˈdreɪnpʌɪp/

noun

1. a pipe for carrying off rainwater or liquid refuse from a building.

2. ( drainpipes or drainpipe trousers) — trousers with very narrow legs.

Draize test

I. noun

a pharmacological test in which a substance is introduced into the eye or applied to the skin of a laboratory animal in order to ascertain the likely effect of that substance on the corresponding human tissue.

– origin 1970s: named after John H. Draize (1900–92), the American pharmacologist who helped to develop this type of test.

drake^1 /dreɪk/

I. noun

a male duck
[as modifier]

• a drake mallard.

– origin Middle English: of West Germanic origin; related to Low German drake and German Enterich.

drake^2 /dreɪk/

I. noun

(in fishing) a natural or artificial mayfly, especially a subadult or a gravid female.

• green drake hatches.

– origin Old English draca, from Latin draco ‘dragon’.

Drake, Sir Francis

( c. 1540–96), English sailor and explorer. He was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe (1577–80), in his ship the Golden Hind. He played an important part in the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Drake equation

noun

[Astronomy] a speculative equation which gives an estimate of the likelihood of discovering intelligent extraterrestrial life in the galaxy, formulated by the US astronomer Frank Drake in 1961.

Drakensberg Mountains /ˈdrɑːkənzˌbəːɡ/

a range of mountains in southern Africa, stretching in a NE–SW direction for a distance of 1,126 km (700 miles) through Lesotho and parts of South Africa. The highest peak is Thabana Ntlenyana (3,482 m, 11,425 ft).

Drake Passage

I. an area of ocean, noted for its violent storms, connecting the South Atlantic with the South Pacific and separating the southern tip of South America (Cape Horn) from the Antarctic Peninsula.

– origin named after Sir Francis Drake (see Drake, Sir Francis).

Dralon /ˈdreɪlɒn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› (chiefly Brit.) a synthetic textile made from acrylic fibre and used for curtains and upholstery.
[as modifier]

• blue Dralon armchairs.

– origin 1950s: on the pattern of nylon.

dram^1 /dram/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Scottish) a small drink of whisky or other spirits

• a wee dram to ward off the winter chill.

2. another term for drachm.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French drame or medieval Latin drama, variants of dragme and dragma (see drachm).

dram^2 /dram/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Armenia, equal to 100 luma.

– origin Armenian, literally ‘coin, money’, from Greek drakhmēdrachma.

DRAM

I. noun

[Electronics] a memory chip that depends upon an applied voltage to keep the stored data.

– origin acronym from dynamic random-access memory.

drama /ˈdrɑːmə/

I. noun

1. a play for theatre, radio, or television

• a gritty urban drama about growing up in Harlem.

2. [ mass noun] — plays as a genre or style of literature

• Renaissance drama.

3. [ mass noun] — the activity of acting

• teachers who use drama are working in partnership with pupils

• [as modifier] drama school.

4. an exciting, emotional, or unexpected event or circumstance

• a hostage drama

• [ mass noun] an afternoon of high drama at Wembley.

II. phrases

make a drama out of

‹informal› exaggerate the importance of (a minor problem or incident).

• Gwyneth makes such a drama out of things.

– origin early 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek drama, from dran ‘do, act’.

drama-documentary

noun

a television film based on real events.

Dramamine /ˈdraməmiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› an antihistamine compound used to counter nausea (especially travel sickness), also used as a recreational drug.

– origin 1940s: from dram- (of unknown origin) + amine.

drama queen

noun

‹informal› a person who habitually responds to situations in a melodramatic way.

dramatic /drəˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — relating to drama or the performance or study of drama

• the dramatic arts

• a dramatic society.

2. (of an event or circumstance) sudden and striking

• a dramatic increase in recorded crime.

3. exciting or impressive

• he recalled his dramatic escape from the building

• dramatic mountain peaks.

4. (of a person or their behaviour) intending or intended to create an effect; theatrical

• with a dramatic gesture, she put a hand to her brow.

– origin late 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek dramatikos, from drama, dramat- (see drama).

dramatically /drəˈmatɪkli/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to drama or the performance of drama

• they displayed their talents both musically and dramatically

• [ sentence adverb] dramatically and technically the film falls far short.

2. by a strikingly large amount or to a strikingly large extent; greatly

• his health has improved dramatically

• [as submodifier] my opponent's policies are dramatically different from ours.

3. in an exciting or impressive manner

• his dramatically shaped canvases attracted critical acclaim.

4. in a way intended to create an effect; theatrically

• she paused dramatically.

dramatic monologue

noun

a poem in the form of a speech or narrative by an imagined person, in which the speaker inadvertently reveals aspects of their character while describing a particular situation or series of events.

dramatics /drəˈmatɪks/

plural noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.] — the study or practice of acting in and producing plays

• she is known internationally for her work in creative dramatics.

2. theatrically exaggerated or overemotional behaviour

• cut out the dramatics.

dramatis personae /ˌdramətɪs pəːˈsəʊnʌɪ, -niː/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the characters of a play, novel, or narrative.

• he has little gift for bringing his dramatis personae to life.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘persons of the drama’.

dramatist /ˈdramətɪst/

noun

a person who writes plays.

dramatization /dramətʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / dramatisation

noun

1. a play or film adapted from a novel or depicting a particular incident

• the film is a dramatization of a true story.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of adapting a novel or presenting a particular incident in a play or film

• he led an agitation for the reform of copyright law to prevent the dramatization of novels without the author's sanction.

dramatize /ˈdramətʌɪz / dramatise

verb — [with obj.]

1. adapt (a novel) or present (a particular incident) as a play or film

• his play dramatized the plight of Maureen, a pregnant young woman.

2. exaggerate the seriousness or importance of (an incident or situation)

• she had a tendency to dramatize things.

dramaturge /ˈdramətəːdʒ / dramaturg

I. noun

1. a dramatist.

2. a literary editor on the staff of a theatre who liaises with authors and edits texts.

– origin mid 19th cent.: via French and German from Greek dramatourgos, from drama, dramat- ‘drama’ + -ergos ‘worker’.

dramaturgist /ˈdramətəːdʒist/

I. noun

‹rare› a person who writes plays; a playwright.

– origin early 19th cent.: formed as dramaturge + -ist.

dramaturgy /ˈdraməˌtəːdʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the theory and practice of dramatic composition

• studies of Shakespeare's dramaturgy.

II. derivatives

1. dramaturgic /ˌdraməˈtəːdʒɪk /

adjective

2. dramaturgical

adjective

3. dramaturgically

adverb

Drambuie /dramˈbuːi, dramˈbjʊi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a sweet Scotch whisky liqueur.

– origin from Scottish Gaelic dram buidheach ‘satisfying drink’.

dramedy /ˈdrɑːmɪdi/

I. noun

a television programme or film in which the comic elements derive mainly from character and plot development.

– origin early 20th cent.: blend of drama and comedy.

Drammen /ˈdrɑːmən/

a seaport in SE Norway, on an inlet of Oslofjord; pop. 93,006 (2007).

Drang nach Osten /ˌdraŋ nax ˈɒst(ə)n, German ˌdraŋ naːx ˈɔstn/

I. noun

the former German policy of eastward expansion, especially that espoused under Nazi rule.

– origin German, literally ‘pressure towards the east’.

drank /draŋk/

I. verb

past of drink.

II. noun

(US) ‹informal› a drink, especially of alcohol

• the dranks were definitely flowin'.

[1930s: representing a regional pronunciation of drink.]

drape /dreɪp/

I. verb — [with obj. and adverbial]

1. arrange (cloth or clothing) loosely or casually on or round something

• she draped a shawl around her shoulders.

2. cover or wrap loosely with folds of cloth

• the body was draped in a blanket.

3. let (oneself or a part of one's body) rest somewhere in a casual or relaxed way

• he draped an arm around her shoulders.

4. [no obj.] — (of fabric) hang in loose, graceful folds

• velvet drapes beautifully.

II. noun

1. ( drapes) — (N. Amer.) long curtains

• Katherine pulled back the heavy velvet drapes.

2. [usu. as modifier] — a man's suit consisting of a long jacket and narrow trousers, as worn by a Teddy boy

• a drape jacket.

3. a cloth for covering parts of a patient's body other than that part on which a surgical operation is being performed.

4. [in sing.] — the way in which a garment or fabric hangs

• by fixing the band lower down you obtain a fuller drape in the fabric.

III. derivatives

drapey

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: back-formation from drapery, influenced by French draper ‘to drape’. The noun senses date from the early 20th cent.

draper /ˈdreɪpə/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› a person who sells textile fabrics.

• as a young man he was employed in a draper's shop.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a maker of woollen cloth): from Old French drapier, from drap ‘cloth’, from late Latin drappus.

drapery /ˈdreɪp(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cloth, curtains, or clothing hanging in loose folds

• the hall of the school was hung with green drapery.

2. the depiction of folds of cloth in sculpture or painting

• the effigy is notable for its flowing drapery.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘cloth, fabrics’): from Old French draperie, from drap ‘cloth’ (see draper).

drastic /ˈdrastɪk/

I. adjective

likely to have a strong or far-reaching effect; radical and extreme

• a drastic reduction of staffing levels.

– origin late 17th cent. (originally applied to the effect of medicine): from Greek drastikos, from dran ‘do’.

drastically /ˈdrastɪkli/

adverb

1. in a way that is likely to have a strong or far-reaching effect

• now her fortunes have changed drastically

• management layers will be drastically reduced.

2. [as submodifier] — extremely; very

• the ending was drastically different from what I'd expected.

drat /drat/

I. exclamation — (often drat someone/something)

1. a fairly mild expression of anger or annoyance

• ‘Oh, drat Feargal and his suspicions!’.

II. derivatives

dratted /ˈdratɪd /

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: shortening of od rat, euphemism for God rot.

draught /drɑːft / ‹US› draft

I. noun

1. a current of cool air in a room or other confined space

• heavy curtains at the windows cut out draughts.

2. a single act of drinking or inhaling

• she downed the remaining beer in one draught.

3. the amount swallowed or inhaled in a draught

• he took deep draughts of oxygen into his lungs.

4. ‹literary› ‹archaic› a quantity of a liquid with medicinal properties

• a sleeping draught.

5. the depth of water needed to float a ship

• the shallow draught enabled her to get close inshore.

6. the drawing in of a fishing net.

7. the fish taken at one drawing; a catch.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. denoting beer or cider served from a barrel or tank rather than from a bottle or can

• draught ale.

2. denoting an animal used for pulling heavy loads

• a draught horse.

III. phrases

1. feel the draught

‹informal› experience an adverse change in one's financial circumstances.

• the high street shops will feel the draught most keenly.

2. on draught

(of beer or cider) ready to be drawn from a barrel or tank; not bottled or canned.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘drawing, pulling’; also ‘something drawn, a load’): from Old Norse dráttr, of Germanic origin; related to German Tracht, also to draw. Compare with draft.

draughtboard /ˈdrɑːf(t)bɔːd/

noun

(Brit.) a square chequered board of 64 small squares identical to a chessboard and used for playing draughts.

draught excluder

noun

a strip of foam rubber, metal, or other material inserted in a door or window frame to keep out draughts.

draughtproof /ˈdrɑːftpruːf/

I. adjective

sealed so as to keep out draughts.

• fit double glazing and make your doors draughtproof.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a building, door, or window) draughtproof
(as noun draughtproofing)

• simple draughtproofing is relatively inexpensive.

draughts /drɑːfts/

I. noun

(Brit.) a board game for two players, played on a draughtboard. Each player starts with twelve disc-shaped pieces in three rows along one side of the board, and moves them diagonally with the aim of capturing all the opponent's pieces.

– origin late Middle English: from draught; related to obsolete draught in the sense ‘move’ (in chess or any similar game); compare with French trait, from Latin tractus ‘a dragging’.

draughtsman /ˈdrɑːf(t)smən/

I. noun

1. a person who makes detailed technical plans or drawings.

2. an artist skilled in drawing.

3. variant spelling of draftsman (sense 1).

II. derivatives

draughtsmanship /ˈdrɑːf(t)sm(ə)nʃɪp /

noun

draughtsperson ‹US› draftsperson

noun

a draughtsman or draughtswoman (used as a neutral alternative).

draughtswoman /ˈdrɑːf(t)sˌwʊmən / ‹US› draftswoman

noun

1. a woman who makes detailed technical plans or drawings

• she worked as an industrial draughtswoman.

2. a female artist skilled in drawing

• Victoria was a skilled draughtswoman, and her brushwork was delicate and precise.

draughty /ˈdrɑːfti / ‹US› drafty

I. adjective

1. (of an enclosed space) cold and uncomfortable because of currents of cool air

• anyone would get pneumonia living in that draughty old house.

2. (of a door or window) ill-fitting and allowing in currents of cool air.

• fix plastic foam strips around draughty windows.

II. derivatives

1. draughtily

adverb

2. draughtiness /ˈdrɑːftɪnəs /

noun

Dravidian /drəˈvɪdɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a family of languages spoken in southern India and Sri Lanka, or the peoples who speak them.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the Dravidian family of languages.

2. a member of any of the peoples speaking a Dravidian language.

Dravidian languages were once spoken throughout the Indian subcontinent, but were restricted to the south following the arrival of speakers of Indic languages c. 1000 BC. Those still used, by over 160 million people, include Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Telugu.

– origin from Sanskrit drāviḍa ‘relating to the Tamils’ (from Dravida ‘Tamil’) + -ian.

draw /drɔː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. produce (a picture or diagram) by making lines and marks on paper with a pencil, pen, etc.

• he drew a map.

2. produce an image of (someone or something) by making lines and marks on paper

• I asked her to draw me

• [no obj.] you're at art college, you must be able to draw.

3. trace or produce (a line or mark) on a surface

• she drew a wavering line down the board.

4. pull or drag (something such as a vehicle) so as to make it follow behind

• a cart drawn by two horses.

5. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — pull or move (something) in a specified direction

• I drew back the blanket and uncovered the body.

6. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — gently pull or guide (someone) in a specified direction

• ‘David,’ she whispered, drawing him aside.

7. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move somewhere in a slow steady way

• the train drew in to the station.

8. [no obj., with adverbial] — come to or arrive at a point in time or in a process

• the campaign drew to a close.

9. pull (curtains) shut or open

• do you want me to draw the curtains?

10. make (wire) by pulling a piece of metal through successively smaller holes.

11. extract (an object) from a container or receptacle

• he drew his gun and peered into the gloomy apartment.

12. take or obtain (liquid) from a container or receptacle

• a wheel was built to draw water from the well

• he drew off a pint of bitter.

13. run (a bath)

• I would have been drawing his bath.

14. ( draw something from) — obtain something from (a particular source)

• an independent panel of judges drawn from members of the public.

15. ( draw on) — use (one's experience, talents, or skills) as a resource

• Sue has a lot of past experience to draw on.

16. obtain or withdraw (money) from a bank or other source.

• now I just draw out a spending allowance every week.

17. [Hunting] search (cover) for game.

• many a time she had seen the hounds draw such a covert.

18. [Bridge] (of the declarer) force the defenders to play (cards in a particular suit) by leading cards in that suit.

• before establishing his diamonds, declarer must draw trumps.

19. ( draw on) — suck smoke from (a cigarette or pipe).

• she drew heavily on her cigarette.

20. [no obj.] — (of a chimney, flue, or fire) allow air to flow in and upwards freely, so that a fire can burn

• failure of a fire to draw properly can have a number of causes.

21. take in (a breath)

• Mrs Feather drew a long breath.

22. [no obj.] — (of tea) be left standing so that the flavour is extracted from the leaves

• a pot of tea is allowed to draw.

23. disembowel

• after a mockery of a trial he was hanged, drawn, and quartered.

24. be the cause of (a specified response)

• he drew criticism for his lavish spending.

25. attract (someone) to come to a place or an event

• you really drew the crowds with your playing.

26. induce (someone) to reveal or do something

• he refused to be drawn on what would happen.

27. direct or attract (someone's attention) to something

• it was an outrage and we had to draw people's attention to it

• a bright red instantly draws the eye.

28. reach (a conclusion) by deduction or inference from a set of circumstances

• the moral to be drawn is that spending wins votes.

29. formulate or perceive (a comparison or distinction)

• the law drew a clear distinction between innocent and fraudulent misrepresentation.

30. finish (a contest or game) with an even score
[with obj. and complement]

• Brazil had drawn a stormy match 1–1

• [no obj., with complement] they drew 0–0 in 1974.

31. [Bowls] cause (a bowl) to travel in a curve determined by its bias to the desired point.

32. [Golf] hit (the ball) so that it deviates slightly, usually as a result of spin.

• he had to learn to draw the ball—not least for the tee shots at Augusta.

Compare with fade.

33. (of a ship) require (a specified depth of water) to float in

• boats that draw only a few inches of water.

34. [no obj.] — (of a sail) be filled with wind.

• as the sail drew, he put the helm over to circle back.

II. noun

1. an act of selecting names randomly to decide winners in a lottery, opponents in a sporting contest, etc.

• the draw has been made for this year's tournament.

2. an even score at the conclusion of a game or match

• he scored twice to force a 4–4 draw.

3. [Cricket] a game which is left incomplete for lack of time, regardless of the scores.
Compare with tie.

4. a person or thing that is very attractive or interesting

• the museum has turned out to be a big draw for school children in the city.

5. an act of drawing on a cigarette.

• she took a long draw on her cigarette.

6. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) ‹informal› cannabis

• they're dropping Es and smoking draw.

7. an act of pulling a gun from its holster in order to shoot.

• he went for the quick draw and levelled a long-barrelled pistol at all of us.

8. [Golf] a shot causing the ball to deviate slightly.

• most high handicappers would benefit from a controlled draw.

III. phrases

1. draw a bead on

see bead.

2. draw a blank

see blank.

3. draw blood

cause someone to bleed, especially in the course of a fight

• the blow drew blood from the corner of his mouth.

4. draw someone's fire

attract hostile criticism away from a more important target

• the concession will go some way to draw the fire of the government's critics.

5. draw a line under

resolve not to engage in further discussion or consideration of (a difficult or distressing issue or situation)

• we need to draw a line under this whole affair, not prolong it.

6. draw the line

set a limit on what one is willing to do or accept

• Alex shared the domestic work but drew the line at laundry and mending.

7. draw lots

see lot.

8. draw the short straw

see straw.

9. draw stumps

[Cricket] take the stumps out of the ground at close of play.

• I drew stumps swearing to myself I'd never umpire again.

10. quick on the draw

a. very fast in taking one's gun from its holster.

b. very fast in acting or reacting.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. draw back

choose not to do something that one was expected to do

• the government has drawn back from attempting reform.

2. draw something down draw down

a. reduce the size of a military force in an area

• more had to be done before the US could begin to draw down its forces in any significant number

• we need to start letting them stand on their own feet, and that isn't going to happen until we start drawing down.

b. withdraw money from a fund or loan facility

• I'm not actually going to be drawing down any of the loan until early 1999

• she would have to draw down on her $253,000 investments at a rate of 7.2 per cent.

c. withdraw water, oil, or gas from a reservoir or repository

• the state began drawing down some of its stored water.

3. draw in

a. (of successive days) become shorter because of the changing seasons.

b. (of a day) approach its end.

c. (of successive evenings or nights) start earlier because of the changing seasons

• the nights were drawing in fast.

4. draw on

(of a period of time) pass by and approach its end

• he remembered sitting in silence with his grandmother as evening drew on.

5. draw something on

put an item of clothing on

• he drew on his dressing gown.

6. draw out

(of successive days) become longer because of the changing seasons.

• she talked about the snowdrops and how the days were beginning to draw out.

7. draw someone out

gently or subtly persuade someone to talk or become more expansive

• she drew me out and flattered me.

8. draw something out

make something last longer

• the transition was long and drawn out.

9. draw up

come to a halt

• drivers drew up at the lights.

10. draw something up

prepare a plan, agreement, or other document in detail

• they instructed an attorney to draw up a sales agreement.

11. draw oneself up

make oneself stand in a stiffly upright manner.

• Sarah drew herself up, full of indignation that he should presume to judge her.

– origin Old English dragan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dragen and German tragen, also to draught. / usage: On the confusion of draw and drawer, see usage at drawer.

drawback /ˈdrɔːbak/

noun

1. a feature that renders something less acceptable; a disadvantage or problem

• the main drawback of fitting catalytic converters is the cost.

2. (also duty drawback) — an amount of excise or import duty remitted on goods exported.

• they had been complaining of difficulties in getting quick reimbursement of duty drawback.

drawbar

noun

1. a bar on a vehicle to which something can be attached to pull it or be pulled.

2. a bar in a structure that can be removed to allow someone through or to let other parts move.

3. one of a number of bars that may be pulled out to control harmonics on an electric organ.

drawbridge /ˈdrɔːbrɪdʒ/

noun

‹historical› a bridge, especially one over a castle's moat, which is hinged at one end so that it may be raised to prevent people crossing or to allow vessels to pass under it.

• there was a rattle of chains as the drawbridge was lowered.

drawcard

noun

‹informal› a quality or feature that evokes interest or liking; an attraction

• most described natural beauty as the country's main drawcard.

drawcord /ˈdrɔːkɔːd/

noun

another term for drawstring.

drawdown /ˈdrɔːdəʊn/

noun

1. a reduction in the size or presence of a military force

• the unit is the first to leave Germany as part of the drawdown.

2. an act of drawing on available funds or loan facilities

• a drawdown on investment capital.

3. a withdrawal of water, oil, or gas from a reservoir or repository.

• drastic drawdowns can render shorelines unusable for other economic activities and largely uninhabitable for wildlife.

4. a decline in an investment or fund

• the drawdown seemed to be concentrated in the smaller hedge funds.

drawee /drɔː(r)ˈiː/

noun

the person or organization, typically a bank, who must pay a draft or bill.

drawer

I. noun

1. /drɔː/ — a box-like storage compartment without a lid, made to slide horizontally in and out of a desk, chest, or other piece of furniture.

2. ( drawers) — ‹dated› ‹humorous› knickers or underpants.

• Queen Victoria was notoriously careless with her drawers.

3. /ˈdrɔː(r)ə/ — a person who produces a drawing or design.

4. a person who writes a cheque.

• the banker would have rights as holder to pursue the drawer.

II. derivatives

drawerful

noun

usage: The word drawer is often spelled incorrectly as draw. As a noun, draw chiefly means ‘an act of selecting names randomly to decide winners’ or ‘an even score at the conclusion of a game’, whereas drawer mainly means ‘a sliding storage compartment’.

draw hoe

noun

a hoe designed to be used with a pulling action.

drawing /ˈdrɔː(r)ɪŋ/

noun

1. a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, or crayon rather than paint

• a series of charcoal drawings on white paper.

2. [ mass noun] — the art or activity of making drawings

• she took lessons in drawing.

drawing board

I. noun

a large flat board on which paper may be spread for artists or designers to work on.

II. phrases

1. back to the drawing board

used to indicate that an idea, scheme, or proposal has been unsuccessful and that a new one must be devised

• the government must go back to the drawing board and review the whole issue of youth training.

2. on the drawing board

(of an idea, scheme, or proposal) under consideration and not yet ready to put into practice

• there are plans to enlarge the runway, but at present all this remains on the drawing board.

drawing pin

noun

(Brit.) a short flat-headed pin, used for fastening paper to a wall or other surface.

drawing room

I. noun

1. a room in a large private house in which guests can be received and entertained.

2. [as modifier] — (of a song or play) characterized by a polite observance of social proprieties

• a stock figure of Thirties drawing-room comedy.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting a private room attached to a more public one): abbreviation of 16th-cent. withdrawing-room ‘a room to withdraw to’.

drawknife

noun

a knife consisting of a blade with a handle at each end at right angles to it, which is drawn towards the user to remove wood from a surface.

drawl /drɔːl/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. speak in a slow, lazy way with prolonged vowel sounds
[with direct speech]

• ‘Suits me fine,’ he drawled.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a slow, lazy way of speaking or an accent with prolonged vowel sounds

• a strong Texan drawl.

III. derivatives

drawly

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: probably originally slang, from Low German or Dutch dralen ‘delay, linger’.

drawn /drɔːn/

I. verb

past participle of draw.

II. adjective

(of a person) looking strained from illness, exhaustion, anxiety, or pain

• Cathy was pale and drawn and she looked tired out.

drawn butter

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) melted butter.

drawn-out

adjective

lasting or seeming to last longer than is necessary

• after the long drawn-out years of waiting the end of the war was in sight.

drawn work drawn-thread-work

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ornamental work on linen or other fabric, in which threads are drawn out of the fabric to create a pattern of openings and holes.

draw-off draw-off pipe

noun

a pipe which takes water from the plumbing system to a tap or other points of use.

draw reins

plural noun

a pair of reins that are attached to a horse's saddle or girth and pass through the bit rings to the rider's hands.

• draw reins are training tools that can teach Primo how to position his head.

draw sheet

noun

1. a sheet that is placed in such a way that it can be taken from under a patient or invalid without disturbing the bedclothes.

2. a list of matches to be played in a tournament.

• it is the duty of any coach arriving at a competition to get hold of a current draw sheet.

drawstring /ˈdrɔːstrɪŋ/

noun

a string in the seam of the material of a garment or a bag, which can be pulled to tighten or close it.

• a suede money bag with a drawstring.

• [as modifier] cotton boxer shorts with an elasticated drawstring waist.

dray /dreɪ/

I. noun

1. a truck or cart without sides, for delivering beer barrels or other heavy loads.

2. (Austral./NZ) a two-wheeled cart.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a sledge): perhaps from Old English dræge ‘dragnet’, related to dragan ‘to pull’ (see draw).

dray horse

noun

a large, powerful horse used to pull heavy loads.

drayman /ˈdreɪmən/

noun

a person who delivers beer for a brewery.

DRC

abbreviation

Democratic Republic of Congo.

dread /drɛd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. anticipate with great apprehension or fear

• Jane was dreading the party

• [with infinitive] I dread to think what Russell will say.

2. ‹archaic› regard with great awe or reverence.

• the man whom Henry dreaded as the future champion of English freedom.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — great fear or apprehension

• the thought of returning to London filled her with dread

• [in sing.] I used to have a dread of Friday afternoons.

2. a sudden take-off and flight of a flock of gulls or other birds.

• flocks of wood sandpiper, often excitable, noisy, and given to dreads.

3. ‹informal› a person with dreadlocks

• the band appeals to dreads and baldheads alike.

4. ( dreads) — dreadlocks.

• Lyon combed his fingers through Curtis' dreads.

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. greatly feared; dreadful

• he was stricken with the dread disease and died.

2. ‹archaic› regarded with awe; greatly revered

• that dread being we dare oppose.

– origin Old English ādrǣdan, ondrǣdan, of West Germanic origin; related to Old High German intrātan.

dreaded /ˈdrɛdɪd/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. regarded with great fear or apprehension

• the dreaded news came that Joe had been wounded

• ‹humorous› the dreaded fax machine.

dreadful /ˈdrɛdfʊl, ˈdrɛdf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. causing or involving great suffering, fear, or unhappiness; extremely bad or serious

• there's been a dreadful accident.

2. extremely disagreeable

• the weather was dreadful.

3. (of a person) unwell or troubled

• I feel dreadful—I hate myself

• she looked quite dreadful and she was struggling for breath.

4. [ attrib.] — used to emphasize the degree to which something is the case, especially something regarded with sadness or disapproval

• this was all a dreadful mistake

• you're a dreadful flirt.

II. derivatives

dreadfulness /ˈdrɛdfʊlnəs, ˈdrɛdf(ə)lnəs /

noun

dreadfully /ˈdrɛdfəli / ‹chiefly Brit.›

adverb

1. [often as submodifier] — extremely

• you're dreadfully thin

• I'm dreadfully sorry!

2. very much

• I'll miss you dreadfully.

3. very badly

• the company has performed dreadfully.

dreadlocks /ˈdrɛdlɒks/

I. plural noun

a Rastafarian hairstyle in which the hair is washed but not combed and twisted while wet into tight braids or ringlets hanging down on all sides.

• a stately Rastafarian in dreadlocks nursed a dark ale.

II. derivatives

dreadlocked

adjective

dreadnought /ˈdrɛdnɔːt/

noun

1. ‹historical› a type of battleship introduced in the early 20th century, larger and faster than its predecessors and equipped entirely with large-calibre guns.
[named after Britain's HMS Dreadnought, which was the first to be completed (1906).]

2. ‹archaic› a fearless person.

3. ‹archaic› a heavy overcoat for stormy weather.

dream /driːm/

I. noun

1. a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep

• I had a recurrent dream about falling from great heights.

2. [in sing.] — a state of mind in which someone is or seems to be unaware of their immediate surroundings

• he had been walking around in a dream all day.

3. a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal

• I fulfilled a childhood dream when I became champion.

4. an unrealistic or self-deluding fantasy

• maybe he could get a job and earn some money—but he knew this was just a dream.

5. a person or thing perceived as wonderful or perfect

• her new man's an absolute dream

• it was a dream of a backhand.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. experience dreams during sleep

• I dreamed about her last night.

2. [with obj.] — see, hear, or feel (something) in a dream

• maybe you dreamed it

• [with clause] I dreamed that I was going to be executed.

3. indulge in daydreams or fantasies about something greatly desired

• she had dreamed of a trip to America.

4. [with negative] — contemplate the possibility of doing something or that something might be the case

• I wouldn't dream of foisting myself on you

• [with clause] I never dreamed anyone would take offence.

III. phrases

1. beyond one's wildest dreams

bigger or better than could be reasonably expected

• stockbrokers command salaries beyond the wildest dreams of most workers.

2. in your dreams

used ironically to assert that something desired is never likely to happen.

• in your dreams, man, in your dreams!

3. in one's wildest dreams

[with negative] — used to emphasize that a situation is beyond the scope of one's imagination

• she could never in her wildest dreams have imagined the summer weather in New York.

4. like a dream

‹informal› very well or successfully

• the car is still running like a dream.

5. live the dream

‹informal› have a lifestyle that is perceived as wonderful or perfect

• the couple seemed to be living the dream: three gorgeous children and a plush pad in Kensington.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. dream on

[in imperative] — ‹informal› used as an ironic comment on the unlikely nature of a plan or aspiration

• Dean thinks he's going to get the job. Dream on, Babe.

2. dream something up

imagine or invent something

• he's been dreaming up new ways of attracting customers.

V. derivatives

1. dreamful

adjective

‹literary›

2. dreamless /ˈdriːmləs /

adjective

– origin Middle English: of Germanic origin, related to Dutch droom and German Traum, and probably also to Old English drēam ‘joy, music’.

dreamboat /ˈdriːmbəʊt/

noun

‹informal› a very attractive person, especially a man.

dreamcatcher

noun

a small hoop containing a horsehair mesh decorated with feathers and beads, believed by American Indians to give its owner good dreams.

dreamer /ˈdriːmə/

noun

1. a person who dreams or is dreaming.

2. a person who is unpractical or idealistic

• a rebellious young dreamer.

Dreaming

noun

(in the mythology of some Australian Aboriginal peoples) Dreamtime or Alcheringa, especially as manifested in the natural world and celebrated in ritual.

dreaming spires

I. noun

a name for the city of Oxford.

– origin from ‘ Thyrsis’ (1866), a poem by Matthew Arnold.

Dreaming track Dreaming path

noun

a route along which Aboriginal Dreamtime ancestors travelled

• these paintings map Dreaming tracks across central Australia.

dreamland /ˈdriːmland/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — sleep regarded as a world of dreams

• she tries to lull herself into dreamland.

2. an imagined and unrealistically ideal world

• a digital dreamland where you'll pay bills with a click of the mouse.

dreamlike /ˈdriːmlʌɪk/

adjective

having the qualities of a dream; unreal

• she snapped out of her dreamlike state.

dreamscape

noun

a landscape or scene with the strangeness or mystery characteristic of dreams.

• surrealism's popular manifestations were the dreamscapes of Salvador Dali.

dream team

noun

a team of people perceived as the perfect combination for a particular purpose

• the two have been linked as the dream team that will revitalize New York Democrats.

dream ticket

noun

(Brit.) a pair of candidates standing together for political office who are ideally matched to attract widespread support.

Dreamtime /ˈdriːmtʌɪm/

noun

another term for Alcheringa.

dreamwork

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychoanalysis] the processes by which the unconscious mind alters the manifest content of dreams in order to conceal their real meaning from the dreamer.

dreamworld /ˈdriːmwɜːld/

noun

a fantastic or idealized view of life

• somebody who can live in a romantic dreamworld.

dreamy /ˈdriːmi/

I. adjective

1. having a magical or pleasantly unreal quality; dreamlike

• the atmosphere is tranquil and dreamy

• a slow dreamy melody.

2. ‹informal› delightful; gorgeous

• I bet he was really dreamy.

3. given to or indulging in daydreaming

• a dreamy boy who grew up absorbed in poetry.

II. derivatives

1. dreamily /ˈdriːmɪli /

adverb

2. dreaminess /ˈdriːmɪnəs /

noun

drear /drɪə/

I. adjective

literary term for dreary.

– origin early 17th cent.: abbreviation.

dreary /ˈdrɪəri/

I. adjective

depressingly dull and bleak or repetitive

• the dreary round of working, eating, and trying to sleep.

II. derivatives

1. drearily /ˈdrɪərɪli /

adverb

2. dreariness /ˈdrɪərɪnəs /

noun

– origin Old English drēorig ‘gory, cruel’, also ‘melancholy’, from drēor ‘gore’, of Germanic origin; related to German traurig ‘sorrowful’, also to drowsy, and probably to drizzle.

dreck /drɛk / drek

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› rubbish; trash

• this so-called art is pure dreck.

II. derivatives

1. dreckish

adjective

2. drecky

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from Yiddish drek ‘filth, dregs’, from a Germanic base shared by Old English threax; probably related to Greek skatos ‘dung’.

dredge^1 /drɛdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. clear the bed of (a harbour, river, or other area of water) by scooping out mud, weeds, and rubbish with a dredge.

• the lower stretch of the river had been dredged.

• (as noun dredging) the dredging and deepening of the canal.

2. bring up or clear (something) from a river, harbour, or other area of water with a dredge

• mud was dredged out of the harbour

• [no obj.] they start to dredge for oysters in November.

3. ( dredge something up) — bring something unwelcome and forgotten or obscure to people's attention

• I don't understand why you had to dredge up this story.

II. noun

an apparatus for bringing up objects or mud from a river or seabed by scooping or dragging.

– origin late 15th cent. (as a noun; originally in dredge-boat): perhaps related to Middle Dutch dregghe ‘grappling hook’.

dredge^2 /drɛdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. sprinkle (food) with a powdered substance such as flour or sugar

• dredge the bananas with sugar and cinnamon.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete dredge ‘sweetmeat, mixture of spices’, from Old French dragie, perhaps via Latin from Greek tragēmata ‘spices’. Compare with dragée.

dredger /ˈdrɛdʒə/

noun

a boat designed for dredging harbours or other bodies of water.

dree /driː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Scottish) ‹archaic› endure (something burdensome or painful).

• he dreed pain and dolour.

II. phrases

dree one's weird

submit to one's destiny.

– origin Old English drēogan, of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse drýgja ‘practise, perpetrate’.

D-region

noun

another term for D-layer.

dregs /drɛɡz/

I. plural noun

1. the remnants of a liquid left in a container, together with any sediment

• coffee dregs.

2. the most worthless part or parts of something

• the dregs of society.

II. derivatives

dreggy /ˈdrɛɡi /

adjective

– origin Middle English: probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Swedish drägg (plural).

dreich /driːx/

I. adjective

(Scottish) (especially of weather) dreary; bleak

• a cold, dreich early April day.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘patient, long-suffering’): of Germanic origin, corresponding to Old Norse drjúgr ‘enduring, lasting’.

dreidel /ˈdreɪd(ə)l / dreidl

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a small four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side, used in Jewish gambling games, especially at Hanukkah.

– origin 1930s: from Yiddish dreydl; compare with German drehen ‘to turn’.

Dreiser, Theodore /ˈdrʌɪsə/

(1871–1945), American novelist; full name Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser. His first novel, Sister Carrie (1900), caused controversy for its frank treatment of the heroine's sexuality and ambition. Other notable works: America is Worth Saving (1941).

drench /drɛn(t)ʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. wet thoroughly; soak

• I fell in the stream and was drenched.

2. cover (something) liberally or thoroughly

• cool patios drenched in flowers.

3. forcibly administer a drug in liquid form orally to (an animal).
(as noun drenching)

• three-times-a-year drenching for calves.

II. noun

1. a dose of medicine administered to an animal.

• a worming drench.

2. ‹archaic› a draught of a medicinal or poisonous liquid.

• a drench of sack.

– origin Old English drencan ‘force to drink’, drenc ‘a drink or draught’, of Germanic origin; related to German tränken (verb), Trank (noun), also to drink.

Drenthe /ˈdrɛntə/

a sparsely populated agricultural province in the NE Netherlands; capital, Assen.

Dresden^1 /ˈdrɛzd(ə)n German ˈdreːsdn//

a city in eastern Germany, the capital of Saxony, on the River Elbe; pop. 504,800 (est. 2006). Famous for its baroque architecture, it was almost totally destroyed by Allied bombing in 1945.

Dresden^2 /ˈdrɛzd(ə)n / Dresden china

noun — [ mass noun]

1. porcelain ware with elaborate decoration and delicate colourings, made originally at Dresden and (since 1710) at nearby Meissen.
[as modifier]

• a mantel filled with Dresden figures.

• a fine Dresden china cup.

dress /drɛs/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — put on one's clothes

• Graham showered and dressed quickly

• I'll go and get dressed.

2. [with adverbial] — wear clothes in a particular way or of a particular type

• she's nice-looking and dresses well

• ( be dressed) he was dressed in jeans and a thick sweater.

3. [with obj.] — put clothes on (someone)

• they dressed her in a white hospital gown.

4. put on clothes appropriate for a formal occasion

• we dressed for dinner every night.

5. [with obj.] — decorate (something) in an artistic or attractive way

• she'd enjoyed dressing the tree when the children were little.

6. decorate (a ship) with flags for a special occasion.

7. [with obj.] — treat or prepare (something) in a certain way, in particular:

8. clean, treat, or apply a dressing to (a wound).

• she washed the wound and dressed it with fresh bandages.

9. clean and prepare (food, especially poultry or shellfish) for cooking or eating
(as adj. dressed)

• dressed crab.

10. add a dressing to (a salad).

• dress the salad with vinaigrette.

11. apply a fertilizer to (an area of ground or a plant).

• the field was dressed with unrotted farmyard manure.

12. complete the preparation or manufacture of (leather or fabric) by treating its surface in some way.

• leather that had been dressed with alum.

13. smooth the surface of (stone)
(as adj. dressed)

• dressed Cotswold stone.

14. arrange or style (hair).

• Patrick dressed Michelle's hair in a sculptured, Japanese-type style.

15. [with obj.] — [Military] draw up (troops) in the proper alignment.

16. [no obj.] — (of troops) come into proper alignment.

17. (of a man) have the genitals habitually on one or the other side of the fork of the trousers

• do you dress to the left?

18. [with obj.] — make (an artificial fly) for use in fishing.
(as adj. dressed)

• a dressed wet fly.

II. noun

1. a one-piece garment for a woman or girl that covers the body and extends down over the legs.

• a white cotton dress.

• [as modifier] a dress designer.

2. [ mass noun] — clothing of a specified kind for men or women

• traditional African dress.

3. [as modifier] — denoting military uniform or other clothing used on formal or ceremonial occasions

• a dress suit.

III. phrases

1. dressed overall

(of a ship) decorated with a continuous line of flags from bow to stern.

• the marina was crammed full of yachts dressed overall.

2. dressed to kill

wearing glamorous clothes intended to create a striking impression.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. dress down

dress informally

• Sue dressed down in old jeans and a white blouse.

2. dress someone down

‹informal› reprimand someone.

• the president dressed down the media at the news conference.

3. dress up

a. dress in smart or formal clothes.

b. dress in a special costume for fun or as part of an entertainment

• he dressed up as a gorilla.

4. dress something up

present something in such a way that it appears better than it really is

• the company dressed up the figures a little.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘put straight’): from Old French dresser ‘arrange, prepare’, based on Latin directus ‘direct, straight’.

dressage /ˈdrɛsɑː(d)ʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art of riding and training a horse in a manner that develops obedience, flexibility, and balance.

• she was learning dressage on a black mare.

• [as modifier] Britain 's top dressage rider.

– origin 1930s: from French, literally ‘training’, from dresser ‘to train’.

dress circle

noun

(Brit.) the first level of seats above the ground floor in a theatre.

dress coat

noun

a coat with long tails at the back, worn by men on very formal occasions.

dresser^1 /ˈdrɛsə/

I. noun

1. a sideboard with shelves above for storing and displaying plates and kitchen utensils.

2. (N. Amer.) a chest of drawers.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a kitchen sideboard or table on which food was prepared): from Old French dresseur, from dresser ‘prepare’ (see dress).

dresser^2 /ˈdrɛsə/

noun

1. [with adj.] — a person who dresses in a specified way

• a snappy dresser.

2. a person whose job is to look after theatrical costumes and help actors to dress.

3. (Brit.) a person who assists a surgeon during operations.

4. a person who prepares, treats, or finishes a material or piece of equipment.

dressing /ˈdrɛsɪŋ/

noun

1. (also salad dressing) [ mass noun] — a sauce for salads, typically one consisting of oil and vinegar with herbs or other flavourings.

• vinaigrette dressing.

• [ mass noun] sprinkle each salad lightly with dressing.

2. (N. Amer.) stuffing

• turkey with apple dressing.

3. a piece of material used to cover and protect a wound.

• an antiseptic dressing.

4. [ mass noun] — size or stiffening used in the finishing of fabrics.

• fabrics finished with dressing will work successfully when cut an inch wide.

5. a fertilizing substance such as compost or manure spread over or ploughed into land.

• a dressing of blood, fish, and bone.

dressing case

noun

‹historical› a case used for toiletries.

• a lady's fitted dressing case in grained leather.

dressing-down

noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹informal› a severe reprimand

• the secretary received a public dressing-down.

dressing gown

noun

(Brit.) a long, loose robe, typically worn after getting out of bed or bathing.

dressing room

noun

1. a room in which actors or sports players change clothes before and after their performance or game.

2. a small room attached to a bedroom, used for dressing in and to store clothes.

dressing shed

noun

(Austral./NZ) a changing room at a swimming pool or sports ground

• they look mentally exhausted as they run out of the dressing shed.

dressing station

noun

a place for giving emergency treatment to troops injured in battle.

• the family received a letter from Joe written in a field dressing station.

dressing table

noun

a table with a mirror and drawers, used while dressing or applying make-up.

dress length

noun

a piece of material long enough to make a dress.

dressmaker /ˈdrɛsmeɪkə/

I. noun

a person whose job is making women's clothes.

II. derivatives

dressmaking /ˈdrɛsmeɪkɪŋ /

noun

dress parade

noun

a military parade in full dress uniform.

dress rehearsal

noun

the final rehearsal of a live show, in which everything is done as it would be in a real performance.

dress sense

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a good instinct for selecting garments which suit the wearer.

dress shield dress preserver

noun

a piece of waterproof material fastened in the armpit of a dress to protect it from perspiration.

dress shirt

noun

1. a man's white shirt worn with a bow tie and a dinner jacket on formal occasions.

2. (N. Amer.) a man's long-sleeved shirt, suitable for wearing with a tie.

dressy /ˈdrɛsi/

adjective

1. (of clothes) suitable for a smart or formal occasion.

• wear something dressy, Kate, we've got to go to a drinks party.

2. requiring or given to wearing dressy clothes

• the sweater can be worn under a blazer for more dressy events.

drew /druː/

past of draw.

drey /dreɪ/

I. noun

the nest of a squirrel, typically in the form of a mass of twigs in a tree.

– origin early 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

Dreyfus, Alfred /ˈdreɪfəs/

(1859–1935), French army officer, of Jewish descent. In 1894 he was falsely accused of providing military secrets to the Germans; his trial and imprisonment caused a major political crisis in France. He was eventually rehabilitated in 1906.

dribble /ˈdrɪb(ə)l/

I. verb

1. [no obj. and usu. with adverbial of direction] — (of a liquid) fall slowly in drops or a thin stream

• rain dribbled down the window.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — pour (a liquid) slowly in a thin stream

• he dribbled cream into his coffee.

3. [no obj.] — allow saliva to run from the mouth

• his mouth was open and he was dribbling.

4. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — (in soccer, hockey, and basketball) take (the ball) forwards past opponents with slight touches of the feet or the stick, or (in basketball) by continuous bouncing

• he attempted to dribble the ball from the goal area.

II. noun

1. a thin stream of liquid; a trickle

• a dribble of blood.

2. [ mass noun] — saliva running from the mouth.

• there was dribble down his chin.

3. (in soccer, hockey, and basketball) an act of taking the ball forward with repeated slight touches or bounces.

• a mesmerizing dribble by Daley took him through to confirm Villa's victory.

III. derivatives

1. dribbler /ˈdrɪb(ə)lə /

noun

2. dribbly

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: frequentative of obsolete drib, variant of drip. The original sense was ‘shoot an arrow short or wide of its target’, which was also a sense of drib.

driblet /ˈdrɪblɪt/

I. noun

1. a thin stream or small drop of liquid

• driblets of spittle run from her mouth.

2. a small or insignificant amount

• the prisoners were let out in driblets.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘small sum of money’): from obsolete drib (see dribble) + -let.

dribs and drabs /drɪbz (ə)n ˈdrabz/

I. plural noun — ( in dribs and drabs)

1. ‹informal› in small scattered or sporadic amounts

• more folk followed in dribs and drabs.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from obsolete drib (see dribble) and drab (by reduplication).

dried /drʌɪd/

past and past participle of dry.

driest

adjective

superlative of dry.

drift /drɪft/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. be carried slowly by a current of air or water

• the cabin cruiser started to drift downstream

• ‹figurative› excited voices drifted down the hall.

2. [with adverbial of direction] — walk slowly, aimlessly, or casually

• people began to drift away.

3. [with adverbial] — move passively, aimlessly, or involuntarily into a certain situation or condition

• I was drifting off to sleep.

4. (of a person or their attention) digress or stray to another subject

• I noticed my audience's attention drifting.

5. (especially of snow or leaves) be blown into heaps by the wind

• fallen leaves start to drift in the gutters

• (as adj. drifting) long stretches of drifting snow.

II. noun

1. [in sing.] — a continuous slow movement from one place to another

• there was a drift to the towns.

2. [ mass noun] — the deviation of a vessel, aircraft, or projectile from its intended or expected course as the result of currents or winds

• the pilot had not noticed any appreciable drift.

3. a steady movement or development from one thing towards another that is perceived as unwelcome

• the drift towards a more repressive style of policing.

4. [ mass noun] — a state of inaction or indecision.

• after so much drift, any expression of enthusiasm is welcome.

5. [Motor Racing] a controlled skid, used in taking bends at high speeds.

6. [in sing.] — the general intention or meaning of an argument or someone's remarks

• maybe I'm too close to the forest to see the trees, if you catch my drift.

• he didn't understand much Greek, but he got her drift.

7. a large mass of snow, leaves, or other material piled up or carried along by the wind.

• four sheep were dug out of the drift.

8. [ mass noun] — [Geology] glacial and fluvioglacial deposits left by retreating ice sheets.

9. a large spread of flowering plants growing together

• a drift of daffodils.

10. [Mining] a horizontal or inclined passage following a mineral vein or coal seam.

• the drift led to another smaller ore chamber.

11. (Brit.) ‹historical› an act of driving cattle or sheep.

12. an act of herding cattle within a forest to a particular place on an appointed day in order to determine ownership or to levy fines.

13. (S. African) a ford.

III. phrasal verbs

drift apart

(of two or more people) gradually become less intimate or friendly

• Lewis and his father drifted apart.

IV. derivatives

drifty

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘mass of snow, leaves, etc.’): originally from Old Norse drift ‘snowdrift, something driven’; in later use from Middle Dutch drift ‘course, current’, and (in sense 6 of the noun) South African Dutch drift ‘ford’; related to drive.

drifter /ˈdrɪftə/

noun

1. a person who is continually moving from place to place, without any fixed home or job.

2. a fishing boat equipped with a drift net.

driftfish

noun

a slender-bodied bottom-dwelling fish found in the deeper waters of warm seas.
●Family Nomeidae (or Stromateidae): several genera, in particular Ariomma.

drift ice

noun — [ mass noun]

1. detached pieces of ice drifting with the wind or ocean currents.

• the blue ocean was dotted with pans of drift ice.

drift net

I. noun

a large net for herring and similar fish, kept upright by weights at the bottom and floats at the top and allowed to drift with the tide.

II. derivatives

1. drift netter

noun

2. drift netting

noun

drift pin

noun

a steel pin driven into a hole in a piece of metal to enlarge, shape, or align the hole.

driftway /ˈdrɪftweɪ/

noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› a broad route along which cattle or sheep used to be driven to market.

driftwood /ˈdrɪftwʊd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. pieces of wood which are floating on the sea or have been washed ashore.

• a fire made of driftwood.

• [as modifier] beaches covered in driftwood logs.

drill^1 /drɪl/

I. noun

1. a tool or machine with a rotating cutting tip or reciprocating hammer or chisel, used for making holes.

2. a tool with a rotating tip used by a dentist for cutting away part of a tooth before filling it.

3. [ mass noun] — instruction or training in military exercises

• parade-ground drill.

4. intensive instruction or training in something, typically by means of repeated exercises

• tables can be mastered by drill and practice

• [ count noun] language-learning drills.

5. [ count noun] — a rehearsal of the procedure to be followed in an emergency

• air-raid drills.

6. ( the drill) — ‹informal› the correct or recognized procedure or way of doing something

• he didn't know the drill.

7. a predatory mollusc that bores into the shells of other molluscs in order to feed on the soft tissue.
●Family Muricidae, class Gastropoda: several genera and species, in particular the American oyster drill ( Urosalpinx cinerea), which is a serious pest of oyster beds.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. produce (a hole) in something by or as if by boring with a drill

• drill holes through the tiles for the masonry pins.

2. make a hole in (something) by boring with a drill

• a power tool for drilling wood.

3. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — make a hole in or through something by using a drill

• do not attempt to drill through a joist

• ‹figurative› his eyes drilled into her.

4. [no obj.] — sink a borehole in order to obtain oil or water

• BP has been licensed to drill for oil in the area

• (as noun drilling) drilling should begin next year.

5. (of a dentist) cut away part of (a tooth) before filling it.

• I didn't like having my teeth drilled, but extractions were worse.

6. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — ‹informal› (of a sports player) hit (a shot) hard and in a straight line

• he drilled a right-foot volley into the back of the net.

7. subject (someone) to military training exercises

• a sergeant was drilling new recruits.

8. [no obj.] — (of a person) take part in military training exercises

• the troops were drilling.

9. instruct (someone) in something by the means of repeated exercises or practice

• I reacted instinctively because I had been drilled to do just that.

10. ( drill something into) — cause (someone) to learn something by repeating it regularly

• his mother had drilled into him the need to pay for one's sins.

III. phrasal verbs

drill down

[Computing] access data which is in a lower level of a hierarchically structured database

• just click on a button and drill down until you find the level of detail you require

• [as modifier] a drill-down menu of topics.

IV. derivatives

driller /ˈdrɪlə /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Middle Dutch drillen ‘bore, turn in a circle’.

drill^2 /drɪl/

I. noun

1. a machine which makes small furrows, sows seed in them, and then covers the seed with earth.

2. a small furrow made by a drill.

• sprinkle the seeds along a four foot drill.

3. a row of plants sown in a drill

• drills of lettuces.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. sow (seed) with a drill

• crops drilled in autumn.

2. plant (the ground) in furrows
(as noun drilling)

• accurate ridging and drilling make hoeing much easier.

– origin early 18th cent. (as a noun in the sense ‘small furrow’): perhaps from drill^1.

drill^3 /drɪl/

I. noun

a dark brown baboon with a short tail and a naked blue or purple rump, found in the rainforests of West Africa.
● Mandrillus leucophaeus, family Cercopithecidae.

– origin mid 17th cent.: probably a local word. Compare with mandrill.

drill^4 /drɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a coarse twilled cotton or linen fabric.

• sturdy clothes in drill, denim and linen.

• top quality cotton drill with reinforced seams.

– origin early 18th cent.: abbreviation of earlier drilling, from German Drillich, from Latin trilix ‘triple-twilled’, from tri- ‘three’ + licium ‘thread’.

drilling rig

noun

a large structure with equipment for drilling an oil well.

drill press

noun

a machine tool for drilling holes, set on a fixed stand.

drill sergeant

noun

a non-commissioned officer who trains soldiers in military parade exercises.

drill stem

noun

a rotating rod or cylinder used in drilling.

drill string

noun

a structure consisting of coupled lengths of pipe or casing, which occupies the hole made in drilling for oil or gas.

drily /ˈdrʌɪli / dryly

adverb

1. in a matter-of-fact or ironically humorous way

• ‘How very observant’, he said drily.

2. in a dry way or condition

• Evans swallowed drily.

drink /drɪŋk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take (a liquid) into the mouth and swallow

• we sat by the fire, drinking our tea

• [no obj.] he drank thirstily.

2. [no obj.] — consume or be in the habit of consuming alcohol

• she doesn't drink or smoke

• (as noun drinking) Les was ordered to cut down his drinking.

3. [no obj.] ( drink up) — quickly consume the rest of a drink.

4. ‹informal› (of a plant or a porous substance) absorb (moisture).

• the seedlings apparently drink much more water than we had realized.

5. [no obj.] — (of wine) have a specified flavour or character when drunk

• this wine is really drinking beautifully.

6. ( drink something in) — watch or listen to something with eager pleasure or interest

• she strolled to the window to drink in the view.

II. noun

1. a liquid that can be swallowed as refreshment or nourishment

• fizzy drinks

• [ mass noun] a table covered with food and drink.

2. a quantity of liquid swallowed at one go

• he had a drink of water.

3. [ mass noun] — alcohol, or the habitual or excessive consumption of alcohol

• the effects of too much drink

• they both took to drink.

4. a glass of liquid, especially when alcoholic

• we went for a drink.

5. ( drinks) — a social gathering at which alcoholic drinks are served

• would you like to come for drinks on Sunday?

6. ( the drink) — ‹informal› the sea or another large area of water.

• he heaved the outboard motor into the drink.

III. phrases

1. be drinking in the last chance saloon

(Brit.) ‹informal› see last chance.

2. drink and drive

drive a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

3. drink deep

take a large draught or draughts of something

• ‹figurative› he learnt to drink deep of the Catholic tradition.

4. drink someone's health

express one's good wishes for someone by raising one's glass and drinking a small amount.

5. drink (a toast) to

celebrate or wish for the good fortune of someone or something by raising one's glass and drinking a small amount.

• let's drink to the success of our venture.

6. drink someone under the table

‹informal› consume as much alcohol as one's drinking companion without becoming as drunk.

7. drive someone to drink ‹often humorous›

trouble or disturb someone so much that they start to drink alcohol heavily

• a job with enough management crises and near-disasters to drive any sane person to drink.

8. I'll drink to that

uttered to express one's agreement with or approval of a statement.

9. in drink

when intoxicated

• we've hit each other before, in drink.

– origin Old English drincan (verb), drinc (noun), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch drinken and German trinken.

drinkable /ˈdrɪŋkəbl/

adjective

1. (of a liquid) fit to drink; potable

• a supply of drinkable water.

2. ‹informal› (of a drink) pleasant to taste; palatable

• a very drinkable red wine.

drink-driving /ˌdrɪŋkˈdrʌɪvɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the crime of driving a vehicle with an excess of alcohol in the blood.

• he recently served a four-month sentence for drink-driving.

II. derivatives

drink-driver /drɪŋkˈdrʌɪvə /

noun

drinker /ˈdrɪŋkə/

noun

1. a person who drinks a particular drink

• coffee drinkers.

2. a person who drinks alcohol, especially to excess

• a heavy drinker.

3. (also drinker moth) — a large brownish European moth, the caterpillar of which bears irritant hairs and is noted for drinking dew.
● Euthrix potatoria, family Lasiocampidae.

4. a container from which an animal can drink.

drinking age

noun

the minimum age at which it is legal for a person to buy alcohol

• he is still one year under the legal drinking age in Ontario

• most states had raised the drinking age to 21.

drinking chocolate

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a mixture of cocoa powder, milk solids, and sugar, added to hot milk to make a chocolate drink.

drinking fountain

noun

a device producing a small jet of water for drinking.

drinking game

noun

a game or contest involving the consumption of alcoholic drinks, typically as a penalty or in response to a specified cue or prompt

• the team retired to the local pub to drink beer, play drinking games, and sing the occasional song

• I've started a new drinking game: every time they mention baseball you have to take a drink.

drinking horn

noun

‹chiefly historical› a drinking container carved from an animal's horn.

drinking song

noun

a hearty song, typically concerning drink and having bawdy lyrics, which is sung while drinking alcohol.

drinking-up time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the UK) a short period (now twenty minutes) legally allowed for finishing drinks bought before closing time in a pub or bar.

drinking water

noun — [ mass noun]

1. water pure enough for drinking.

drip /drɪp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. let fall or be so wet as to shed small drops of liquid

• the tap won't stop dripping

• his hands were dripping with blood.

2. [with adverbial] — (of liquid) fall in small drops

• water dripped from her clothing.

3. [with obj.] — cause or allow (a liquid) to fall in small drops

• the candle was dripping wax down one side.

4. display a copious amount or degree of a particular quality or thing

• the women were dripping with gold and diamonds

• [with obj.] his voice dripped sarcasm.

II. noun

1. a small drop of a liquid

• she put the bucket on top of the dresser to catch the drips.

2. the action or sound of liquid falling steadily in small drops

• the drip, drip, drip of the leak in the roof.

3. (also drip feed) — [Medicine] an apparatus which passes fluid, nutrients, or drugs drop by drop into a patient's body on a continuous basis, usually intravenously

• he had been on a drip for several days.

4. ‹informal› a weak and ineffectual person.

• I hope that drip isn't still pursuing you.

5. [Architecture] a projection on a moulding, channelled to prevent rain from running down the wall below.
Compare with dripstone.

– origin Old English dryppan, drȳpen, of Germanic origin; related to Danish dryppe, also to drop.

drip-dry /ˌdrɪpˈdrʌɪ/

I. adjective

(of a fabric or garment) capable of drying without creasing when hung up after washing

• drip-dry shirts.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of fabric or a garment) become dry without forming creases when hung up after washing.

• the pleats will drip-dry and stay in.

2. [with obj.] — dry (fabric or a garment) without creases by hanging it up

• it's easy to wash and simple to drip-dry.

drip feed

I. noun

1. a device for introducing fluid drop by drop into a system, for example lubricating oil into an engine.

2. a medicinal drip.

II. verb

1. ( drip-feed) [with obj.] — introduce (fluid) drop by drop

• the oiler drip-feeds oil on to all drive chains.

2. supply (a patient) with fluid, nutrients, or drugs through a drip.

• the babies were drip-fed through their noses.

3. provide gradually and in small amounts

• their correspondence is being drip-fed to newspapers.

drip mat

noun

(Brit.) a small mat placed under a glass to protect the surface on which the glass is resting.

drip moulding

noun

another term for dripstone (sense 1).

dripping /ˈdrɪpɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun] ( drippings)

1. fat that has melted and dripped from roasting meat, used in cooking or eaten cold as a spread.

• bread and dripping.

2. ( drippings) — (US) wax, fat, or other liquid produced from something by the effect of heat.

• use the pan drippings to brush on the pork.

II. adjective

very wet
[as submodifier]

• dripping wet hair.

drippy /ˈdrɪpi/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› weak, ineffectual, or sloppily sentimental

• a drippy love song.

2. tending to drip

• drippy food.

II. derivatives

1. drippily

adverb

2. drippiness

noun

dripstone /ˈdrɪpstəʊn/

noun

1. [Architecture] a moulding over a door or window which deflects rain.

2. [ mass noun] — [Geology] rock deposited by precipitation from dripping water, such as that which forms stalactites and stalagmites.

drive /drʌɪv/

I. verb

1. [no obj., usu. with adverbial of direction] — operate and control the direction and speed of a motor vehicle

• he got into his car and drove off

• they drove back into town.

2. (of a motor vehicle) travel under the control of a driver

• a car drives up, and a man gets out

• a stream of black cars drove by.

3. [with obj.] — own or use (a specified type of car)

• Sue drives an estate car.

4. [no obj.] — be licensed or competent to drive a motor vehicle

• I take it you can drive?

5. [with obj.] — convey (someone) in a vehicle, especially a private car

• his wife drove him to Regent's Park.

6. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — propel or carry along by force in a specified direction

• the wind will drive you onshore.

7. [no obj.] — (of wind, rain, or snow) move or fall with great force

• the snow drove against him.

8. [with obj.] — (of a source of power) provide the energy to set and keep (an engine or piece of machinery) in motion

• turbines driven by steam.

9. [with obj.] — [Electronics] (of a device) power or operate (another device)

• the interface can be used to drive a printer.

10. [with obj.] — force (a stake or nail) into place by hitting or pushing it

• nails are driven through the boards.

11. [with obj. and adverbial] — bore (a tunnel).

• an engineer suggested driving a tunnel through the Judean hills.

12. [with obj.] — (in ball games) hit or kick (the ball) hard with a free swing of the bat, racket, or foot.

• from the free kick Owen drove the ball past the keeper.

13. [with obj.] — [Golf] strike (a ball) from the tee, typically with a driver.

• I'm driving the ball really well and my irons are good.

14. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — urge or force (animals or people) to move in a specified direction

• they drove a flock of sheep through the centre of the city

• the French infantry were driven back.

15. compel to leave

• troops drove out the demonstrators

• he wanted to drive me away.

16. [with obj.] — (of a fact or feeling) compel (someone) to act in a particular way, especially one that is considered undesirable or inappropriate

• he was driven by ambition

• [with obj. and infinitive] some people are driven to murder their tormentors.

17. [with obj.] — bring (someone) forcibly into a specified negative state

• the thought drove him to despair

• [with obj. and complement] my laziness drives my wife crazy.

18. [with obj.] — force (someone) to work to an excessive extent

• you're driving yourself too hard.

19. cause (something abstract) to happen or develop

• the consumer has been driving the economy for a number of years

• we need to allow market forces to drive growth in the telecommunications sector.

II. noun

1. a trip or journey in a car

• they went for a drive in the country.

2. [in names] — a street or road

• Hammond Drive.

3. (also driveway) — a short road leading from a public road to a house or other building.

• from the window he could see right down the weedy drive to the front gate.

4. [Psychology] an innate, biologically determined urge to attain a goal or satisfy a need

• her emotional and sexual drives.

5. [ mass noun] — determination and ambition to achieve something

• his drive helped Leeds to four Cup finals.

6. an organized effort by a number of people to achieve a purpose

• a recruitment drive by the police.

7. (Brit.) an organized gathering to play whist or another game, involving many players

• a whist drive.

8. [ mass noun] — the transmission of power to machinery or to the wheels of a motor vehicle.

• he experimented with chain drive to run the propeller.

9. (in a car with automatic transmission) the position of the gear selector in which the car will move forward, changing gears automatically as required

• he threw the car into drive.

10. [ count noun] — [Computing] short for disk drive.

• insert the disk into drive A.

11. (in ball games) a forceful stroke made with a free swing of the bat, racket, or foot against the ball.

• a hard drive to left field.

12. [Golf] a shot from the tee.

• Greg hit a good drive at the 18th.

13. an act of driving a group of animals to a particular destination.

• cattle were no longer taken on long drives, but were delivered by rail.

III. phrases

1. drive something home

see home.

2. drive a nail into the coffin of

severely harm (something that is already in a poor state)

• companies will be pushed to the brink, driving another nail in the coffin of British manufacturing.

3. let drive

attack with blows, missiles, or criticism.

• I let drive with all the most forceful arguments I could lay my tongue to.

4. what someone is driving at

the point that someone is attempting to make

• I don't understand what you're driving at.

IV. derivatives

1. drivability /ˈdrʌɪvəˌbɪlɪti / driveability

noun

2. drivable /ˈdrʌɪvəb(ə)l / driveable

adjective

– origin Old English drīfan ‘urge (a person or animal) to go forward’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch drijven and German treiben.

drive bay

noun

[Computing] a space inside a computer in which a floppy disk, hard disk, or disk drive can be accommodated.

drive belt

noun

a belt that transmits drive from a motor, engine, or line shaft to a moving part or machine tool.

drive-by ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

I. adjective

(of a shooting or other act) carried out from a passing vehicle

• a drive-by shooting.

II. noun

a shooting carried out from a passing vehicle.

• they had a drive-by and my daddy caught the bullets.

drive-by-wire steer-by-wire

noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. a semi-automatic and typically computer-regulated system for controlling the engine, handling, suspension, and other functions of a motor vehicle.
[as modifier]

• a drive-by-wire car.

drive chain

noun

an endless chain with links that engage with toothed wheels in order to transmit power from one shaft to another in an engine or machine tool.

drive-in /ˈdrʌɪvɪn/

I. adjective

denoting a facility such as a cinema or restaurant that one can visit without leaving one's car

• a drive-in cinema.

II. noun

a drive-in facility.

• he bit into a huge burger at the drive-in.

drivel /ˈdrɪv(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. nonsense

• don't talk such drivel!

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. talk nonsense

• he was drivelling on about the glory days.

2. ‹archaic› let saliva or mucus flow from the mouth or nose.

• the nurse leaves you to drivel, and never wipes your nose.

III. derivatives

driveller /ˈdrɪv(ə)lə / ‹US› driveler

noun

– origin Old English dreflian (in sense 2 of the verb), of uncertain origin; perhaps related to draff.

driveline /ˈdrʌɪvlʌɪn/

noun

another term for drivetrain.

driven /ˈdrɪvn/

I. verb

past participle of drive.

II. adjective

1. [in combination] — operated, moved, or controlled by a specified person or source of power

• a chauffeur-driven limousine

• wind-driven sand.

2. motivated or determined by a specified factor or feeling

• a market-driven response to customer needs.

3. (of a person) relentlessly compelled by the need to accomplish a goal; very hard-working and ambitious

• my husband is a driven man.

4. (of snow) piled into drifts or made smooth by the wind.

• ‹figurative› she was as pure as the driven snow.

drive-on drive-on/drive-off

adjective

denoting a ferry or train on to and from which motor vehicles may be driven.

driver /ˈdrʌɪvə/

I. noun

1. a person who drives a vehicle

• a taxi driver

• learner drivers.

2. a person who drives a specified kind of animal

• mule drivers.

3. a wheel or other part in a mechanism that receives power directly and transmits motion to other parts.

4. [Electronics] a device or part of a circuit that provides power for output.

5. [Computing] a program that controls the operation of a device such as a printer or scanner.

6. a factor which causes a particular phenomenon to happen or develop

• the hope of achieving such monopolies becomes the main driver of investment.

7. a golf club with a flat face and wooden head, used for driving from the tee.

II. phrases

in the driver's seat

see in the driving seat at driving.

III. derivatives

driverless /ˈdrʌɪvələs /

adjective

driver ant

noun

another term for army ant.

driver's license /ˈdrʌɪvəzlʌɪsns/

noun

North American term for driving licence.

driver's test

noun

North American term for driving test.

driveshaft /ˈdrʌɪvʃɑːft/

noun

a rotating shaft which transmits torque in an engine.

drive system

noun

the part of an engine, computer, or mechanical device which brings about its dynamic movement

• some mowers offer a drive system that adjusts to your walking pace

• the drive system is pretty basic.

drive-through

I. adjective

denoting a restaurant or other facility in which one can be served without leaving one's car.

• a drive-through car wash.

• drive-through restaurants.

II. noun

a drive-through facility.

drive time

noun

(especially in broadcasting) the parts of the day when many people commute by car
[as modifier]

• drive-time radio.

drivetrain

noun

the system in a motor vehicle which connects the transmission to the drive axles.

driving /ˈdrʌɪvɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (of rain or snow) blown by the wind with great force

• driving rain.

2. having a strong and controlling influence

• he was the driving force behind the plan

• a driving ambition.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the control and operation of a motor vehicle

• he was convicted of reckless driving.

III. phrases

in the driving (or driver's) seat

in control of a situation.

• all chairmen love being in the driving seat.

driving licence ‹N. Amer.› driver's license

noun

a document permitting a person to drive a motor vehicle

• I've got a full, clean driving licence.

driving range

noun

an area where golfers can practise drives.

driving test ‹N. Amer.› driver's test

noun

an official test of a motorist's competence which must be passed in order to get a driving licence.

• she had passed her driving test at the first attempt.

driving wheel

noun

1. any of the large wheels of a locomotive, to which power is applied either directly or via coupling rods.

2. a wheel transmitting motive power in machinery.

drizzle /ˈdrɪz(ə)l/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — light rain falling in very fine drops

• Scotland will be cloudy with patchy drizzle

• [in sing.] a steady drizzle has been falling since 3 a.m.

2. (in cookery) a thin stream of a liquid ingredient trickled over food

• raw mushrooms, thinly sliced and served with lemon, a little salt, and a drizzle of olive oil.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] ( it drizzles, it is drizzling, etc.) — rain lightly

• it's started to drizzle.

2. [with obj.] — (in cookery) trickle a thin stream of (a liquid ingredient) over food

• drizzle the clarified butter over the top.

III. derivatives

drizzly /ˈdrɪz(ə)li /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: probably based on Old English drēosan ‘to fall’, of Germanic origin; probably related to dreary.

DRM

abbreviation

digital rights management.

Dr Martens /ˈmɑːtɪnz / Doc Martens, Doctor Martens, DMs

I. plural noun

‹trademark› a type of heavy lace-up boot or shoe with an air-cushioned sole.

– origin 1970s: named after Klaus Maertens, German inventor of the sole.

Drogheda /ˈdrɔɪɪdə/

a port in the NE Republic of Ireland; pop. 35,090 (2006). In 1649 the inhabitants were massacred after refusing to surrender to Oliver Cromwell's forces.

drogue /drəʊɡ/

I. noun

1. a conical or funnel-shaped device with open ends, towed behind a boat, aircraft, or other moving object to reduce speed or improve stability.

2. an object resembling a drogue, used as an aerial target for gunnery practice or as a windsock.

3. (in tanker aircraft) a funnel-shaped part on the end of the hose into which a probe is inserted by an aircraft being refuelled in flight.

4. (also drogue parachute) — a small parachute used as a brake or to pull out a larger parachute or other object from an aircraft in flight or a fast-moving vehicle.

– origin early 18th cent. (originally a whaling term denoting a piece of stout board attached to a harpoon line, used to slow down or mark the position of a harpooned whale): perhaps related to drag.

droid /drɔɪd/

I. noun

1. (in science fiction) a robot.

2. a person regarded as lifeless or mechanical

• a marketing droid.

– origin 1970s: shortening of android.

droit /drɔɪt/

I. noun

[Law] ‹historical› a right or due.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin directus ‘straight, right, direct’.

droit de seigneur /ˌdrwʌ də sɛnˈjəː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the alleged right of a medieval feudal lord to have sexual intercourse with a vassal's bride on her wedding night.

– origin French, literally ‘lord's right’.

droll /drəʊl/

I. adjective

curious or unusual in a way that provokes dry amusement

• his unique brand of droll self-mockery.

II. noun

‹archaic› a jester or entertainer; a buffoon.

III. derivatives

1. drollery /ˈdrəʊləri /

noun

2. drollness /ˈdrəʊlnəs /

noun

3. drolly /ˈdrəʊlli /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent. (as an adjective): from French drôle, perhaps from Middle Dutch drolle ‘imp, goblin’.

dromaeosaurid /ˌdrəʊmɪə(ʊ)ˈsɔːrɪd / dromaeosaur /ˈdrəʊmɪə(ʊ)sɔː/

I. noun

a carnivorous bipedal dinosaur of a late Cretaceous family which included deinonychus and the velociraptors. They had a large slashing claw on each hind foot.
●Family Dromaeosauridae, suborder Theropoda, order Saurischia.

– origin 1970s: from modern Latin Dromaeosauridae, based on Greek dromaios ‘swift-running’ + sauros ‘lizard’.

drome /drəʊm/

I. noun

‹informal› ‹dated› an aerodrome.

– origin early 20th cent.: shortened form.

-drome

I. combining form

1. denoting a place for running or racing

• aerodrome.

2. denoting something that runs or proceeds in a certain way

• palindrome.

– origin from Greek dromos ‘course, running’ (see dromos).

dromedary /ˈdrɒmɪd(ə)ri, ˈdrʌmɪd(ə)ri/

I. noun

an Arabian camel, especially one of a light and swift breed trained for riding or racing.

– origin Middle English: from Old French dromedaire or late Latin dromedarius (camelus) ‘swift camel’, based on Greek dromas, dromad- ‘runner’.

dromond /ˈdrɒmənd, ˈdrʌmənd/

I. noun

‹historical› a large medieval ship of a kind used for war or commerce, chiefly in the Mediterranean.

– origin Middle English: via Old French and late Latin from late Greek dromōn ‘light vessel’, from Greek dromos ‘running’.

dromos /ˈdrɒmɒs/

I. noun

an avenue or passage leading into an ancient Greek temple or tomb, especially one between rows of columns or statues.

– origin Greek, ‘course, running, avenue’; related to dramein ‘to run’.

drone /drəʊn/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a continuous low humming sound

• in the far distance a machine droned.

2. speak tediously in a dull monotonous tone

• he reached for another beer while Jim droned on.

3. [with adverbial of direction] — move with a continuous humming sound

• traffic droned up and down the street.

II. noun

1. a continuous low humming sound

• he nodded off to the drone of the car engine.

2. ‹informal› a monotonous speech

• only twenty minutes of the hour-long drone had passed.

3. a continuous musical note of low pitch.

• the drone rose by a third to A.

4. a musical instrument, or part of one, sounding a continuous note of low pitch, in particular (also drone pipe) a pipe in a bagpipe or (also drone string) a string in an instrument such as a hurdy-gurdy or a sitar.

5. a male bee in a colony of social bees, which does no work but can fertilize a queen.

6. a person who does no useful work and lives off others.

• the University takes all the profit and redistributes it to drones like him.

7. a remote-controlled pilotless aircraft or missile.

– origin Old English drān, drǣn ‘male bee’, from a West Germanic verb meaning ‘resound, boom’; related to Dutch dreunen ‘to drone’, German dröhnen ‘to roar’, and Swedish dröna ‘to drowse’.

drone fly

noun

a hoverfly that resembles a honeybee. Its larva is the rat-tailed maggot.
● Eristalis tenax, family Syrphidae.

drongo /ˈdrɒŋɡəʊ/

I. noun

1. a songbird with glossy black plumage and typically a long forked tail and a crest, found in Africa, southern Asia, and Australia.
●Family Dicruridae and genus Dicrurus: several species.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Austral./NZ) a stupid or incompetent person.

• I gave that drongo fifty dollars and he only gave me change for ten!

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Malagasy. Sense 2 is said to be from the name of an Australian racehorse of the 1920s which consistently finished last or near last.

droob /druːb/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› an unprepossessing or contemptible person.

– origin 1930s: perhaps related to droop.

droog /druːɡ/

I. noun

‹informal› a young man belonging to a street gang.

• at the beginning of the film, a tramp is kicked to death by Alex and his droogs.

– origin 1962: coined by Anthony Burgess in A Clockwork Orange; alteration of Russian drug ‘friend’.

drookit /ˈdrʊkɪt / droukit

I. adjective

(Scottish) extremely wet; drenched.

– origin early 16th cent.: origin uncertain; cf. Old Norse drukna ‘to be drowned’.

drool /druːl/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. drop saliva uncontrollably from the mouth

• the baby begins to drool, then to cough.

2. ‹informal› make an excessive and obvious show of pleasure or desire

• I could imagine him as a schoolmaster being drooled over by the girls.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. saliva falling from the mouth.

• a fine trickle of drool leaked from the corner of his mouth.

– origin early 19th cent.: contraction of drivel.

droolworthy

adjective

1. ‹informal› extremely attractive or desirable

• up close he was even more droolworthy.

2. ‹informal› (of food or drink) smelling or looking delicious

• droolworthy pastries and baked goods.

droop /druːp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. bend or hang downwards limply

• a long black cloak drooped from his shoulders.

2. sag down from or as if from weariness or dejection

• his eyelids drooped and he became drowsy.

3. [with obj.] — cause to bend or hang downwards

• James hid his face in his hands and drooped his head.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. an act or instance of drooping; a limp or weary attitude

• the exhausted droop of her shoulders.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse drúpa ‘hang the head’; related to drip and drop.

droop-snoot

I. noun

‹informal› a downward-sloping nose of an aircraft or motor vehicle, especially one that is of variable pitch, giving an efficient aerodynamic profile.

II. derivatives

droop-snooted

adjective

droopy /ˈdruːpi/

I. adjective

1. hanging down limply; drooping

• a droopy moustache.

2. lacking strength or spirit

• she was a lovely girl in a rather droopy, Pre-Raphaelite way.

II. derivatives

1. droopily

adverb

2. droopiness

noun

drop /drɒp/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. let or make (something) fall vertically

• the fire was caused by someone dropping a lighted cigarette

• they dropped bombs on Caen during the raid.

2. deliver (supplies or troops) by parachute

• the airlift dropped food into the camp.

3. [Rugby] score (a goal) by a drop kick
(as adj. dropped)

• Botha responded with a superb dropped goal.

4. (of an animal) give birth to (young).

5. ‹informal› take (a drug, especially LSD) orally

• he dropped a lot of acid in the Sixties.

6. [no obj. and usu. with adverbial] — fall vertically

• the spoon dropped with a clatter from her hand.

7. (of a person) allow oneself to fall; let oneself down without jumping

• they escaped by climbing out of the window and dropping to the ground.

8. (of a person or animal) sink to or towards the ground

• he dropped to his knees in the mud.

9. ‹informal› collapse or die from exhaustion

• he looked ready to drop.

10. (of ground) slope steeply down

• the land drops away to the river.

11. make or become lower, weaker, or less
[with obj.]

• he dropped his voice as she came into the room

• [no obj.] pre-tax profits dropped by 37 per cent

• tourism has dropped off in the last few years.

12. abandon or discontinue (a course of action or study)

• the charges against him were dropped last year.

13. discard or exclude (someone or something)

• they were dropped from the team in the reshuffle.

14. ‹informal› stop associating with

• I was under pressure from family and friends to drop Barbara.

15. set down or unload (a passenger or goods), especially on the way to somewhere else

• he dropped the load off at a dealer's

• his mum dropped him outside and drove off to work.

16. [with obj. and adverbial] — put or leave in a particular place without ceremony or formality

• just drop it in the post when you've got time.

17. mention in passing, typically in order to impress

• she dropped a remark about having been included in the selection.

18. (Brit.) ‹informal› (of a DJ) select and play (a record)

• various guest DJs drop quality tunes both old and new.

19. ‹informal› release (a musical recording).

20. (in sport) fail to win (a point or a match)

• the club have yet to drop a point in the Second Division.

21. ‹informal› lose (money) through gambling

• he reckoned I'd dropped forty thousand pounds.

22. [Bridge] force or be forced to play (a relatively high card) as a loser under an opponent's higher card, because it is the only card in its suit held in the hand.

• East drops the 10 on the second round.

II. noun

1. a small round or pear-shaped portion of liquid that hangs or falls or adheres to a surface

• the first drops of rain splashed on the ground.

2. [often with negative] — a very small amount of liquid

• there was not a drop of water in sight.

3. [usu. with negative] — a small drink of spirits

• he doesn't touch a drop during the week.

4. ( drops) — liquid medication to be measured or applied in very small amounts

• eye drops.

5. [usu. in sing.] — an instance of falling or dropping

• they left within five minutes of the drop of the curtain.

6. an act of dropping supplies or troops by parachute

• the planes finally managed to make the drop.

7. a fall in amount, quality, or rate

• a significant drop in consumer spending.

8. an abrupt or steep fall or slope

• a sheer 1,500-foot drop.

9. ( the drop) — ‹informal› the relegation of a sports team to a lower league or division.

• they only just avoided the drop last season.

10. ( the drop) — [Bridge] the playing of a high card underneath an opponent's higher card, because it is the only card in its suit held in the hand.

• do you play for the drop now or finesse the 9?

11. ‹informal› a delivery

• I got to the depot and made the drop.

12. (US) a letter box.

13. a hiding place for stolen, illicit, or secret things

• the lavatory's water cistern could be used as a letter drop.

14. [usu. with modifier] — a small, round sweet or lozenge

• a chocolate drop.

15. (also drop earring) — an earring that hangs down from the earlobe

• she kept her look classic with satin pumps, swept-back hair, and silver drop earrings

• simple amethyst and diamond drops.

16. a section of theatrical scenery lowered from the flies; a drop cloth or drop curtain.

17. a trapdoor on a gallows, the opening of which causes the prisoner to fall and thus be hanged.

• warders, standing on planks, invariably flanked the prisoners on the drop.

18. ( the drop) — execution by hanging.

III. phrases

1. at the drop of a hat

‹informal› without hesitation or good reason

• he used to be very bashful, blushing at the drop of a hat.

2. drop one's aitches

see aitch.

3. drop asleep

fall gently asleep, especially without intending to.

• they were so tired that they were dropping asleep.

4. drop the ball

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› make a mistake; mishandle things

• I really dropped the ball on this one.

5. drop a brick

(Brit.) ‹informal› make an indiscreet or embarrassing remark

• he dropped a brick when he admitted that he knew where we were going.

6. drop a curtsy

(Brit.) make a curtsy.

• when she was presented to His Majesty she dropped a deep curtsy.

7. drop dead

a. die suddenly and unexpectedly

• she had seen her father drop dead of a heart attack.

b. [in imperative] — ‹informal› used as an expression of intense scorn or dislike.

• why don't you just drop dead?

8. drop a (or the) dime on

see dime.

9. drop one's guard

abandon one's habitual defensive or protective stance.

• you may feel that because you've been virtuous you can afford to drop your guard.

10. drop a hint (or drop hints)

give a hint or hints as if casually or unconsciously

• he was dropping hints that in future he would be taking a back seat in politics.

11. a drop in the ocean ( ‹or N. Amer.› bucket)

a very small amount compared with what is needed or expected

• the £550 million saving is likely to be a drop in the ocean.

12. drop someone a line

send someone a note or letter in a casual manner

• drop me a line at the usual address.

13. drop names

another term for name-drop (see name-dropping).

14. drop one's serve

(in tennis) lose a game in which one is serving.

15. drop a stitch

let a stitch fall off the end of a knitting needle.

16. drop one's trousers

deliberately let one's trousers fall down, especially in a public place.

• a clown performs the ultimate English joke—he drops his trousers.

17. have the drop on

‹informal› have the advantage over

• if your enemy gets the drop on you he can kill you.

18. have had a drop too much

‹informal› be drunk

• obstreperous squaddies who have had a drop too much.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. drop back/behind

fall back or get left behind

• the colt was struggling to stay with the pace and started to drop back.

2. drop by/in

call informally and briefly as a visitor

• they would unexpectedly drop in on us.

3. drop into

a. call casually and informally at (a place)

• he'd actually considered dropping into one of the pickup bars.

b. pass quickly and easily into (a habitual state or manner)

• she couldn't help dropping into a Geordie accent.

4. drop off

fall asleep easily, especially without intending to

• struggle as she might, she kept dropping off.

5. drop out

a. cease to participate in a race or competition.

b. abandon a course of study

• she had dropped out of college.

c. reject conventional society to pursue an alternative lifestyle.

• a child of the sixties who had temporarily dropped out.

d. [Rugby] restart play with a drop kick.

e. score a drop goal.

V. derivatives

droppable

adjective

– origin Old English dropa (noun), droppian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to German Tropfen ‘a drop’, tropfen ‘to drip’, also to drip and droop.

drop box

noun

a secured container or receptacle into which items such as returned books, keys, payments, or charity donations can be deposited.

drop capital drop initial

noun

a large capital letter at the beginning of a section of text, occupying more than the depth of one line.

drop cloth

noun

1. another term for drop curtain.

2. North American term for dust sheet.

drop curtain

noun

a curtain or painted cloth lowered vertically on to a theatre stage.

drop-dead /ˌdrɒpˈdɛd/

adjective

‹informal› used to emphasize how attractive someone or something is

• her drop-dead good looks

• [as submodifier] a drop-dead gorgeous Hollywood icon.

drop-down

adjective

1. dropping down or unfolding when required

• a drop-down bed.

2. [Computing] (of a menu) appearing below a menu title when it is selected, and remaining until used or dismissed.
Compare with pull-down.

drop-forged

I. adjective

(of a metal object) made by forcing hot metal into or through a die with a drop hammer.

• a precision drop-forged wrench.

II. derivatives

drop-forging

noun

drop goal

noun

[Rugby] a goal scored in open play by drop-kicking the ball over the crossbar, scoring three points (rugby union) or one point (rugby league).

drop hammer

noun

a large, heavy weight raised mechanically and allowed to drop, as used in drop-forging and piledriving.

drop handlebars dropped handlebars

plural noun

bicycle handlebars of which the handles are bent below the rest of the bar, used especially on racing cycles.

drophead

noun

(Brit.) a car having a fabric roof that can be folded down; a convertible.

• a small drophead with a V6 engine.

drop-in

adjective

1. visited on an informal basis without booking or appointments

• a drop-in disco.

2. (of an object such as a chair seat) designed to drop into position.

drop-in centre

noun

a place run by a welfare agency or charity where people may call casually for advice or assistance.

drop kick

I. noun

1. (chiefly in rugby) a kick made by dropping the ball and kicking it as it bounces up from the ground.

2. (chiefly in martial arts) a flying kick made against an opponent while dropping to the ground.

II. verb

( drop-kick) [with obj.] — kick using a drop kick.

• Mick drop-kicked the sleeping bag into the corner of the room.

drop-leaf

adjective

(of a table) having a hinged flap.

droplet /ˈdrɒplɪt/

noun

a very small drop of a liquid

• droplets of water.

drop-off /ˈdrɒpɒf/

noun

1. a decline or decrease

• a sudden drop-off in tourism.

2. (N. Amer.) a sheer downward slope; a cliff

• dizzy drop-offs on either side.

dropout /ˈdrɒpaʊt/

noun

1. a person who has abandoned a course of study or who has rejected conventional society to pursue an alternative lifestyle

• a college dropout.

2. [Rugby] the restarting of play with a drop kick.

3. a momentary loss of recorded audio signal or an error in reading data on a magnetic tape or disk, usually due to a flaw in the coating.

4. (usu. dropouts) — a U-shaped slot at the end of a fork or stay on a bicycle, made to receive the axle and enabling the wheel to be changed rapidly.

dropped kerb

noun

(Brit.) a small ramp built into the kerb of a pavement to make it easier for people using pushchairs or wheelchairs to pass from the pavement to the road.

dropper /ˈdrɒpə/

I. noun

1. a short glass tube with a rubber bulb at one end and a tiny hole at the other, for measuring out drops of medicine or other liquids.

• oils sold in bottles with a rubber-tipped dropper.

• an eye dropper.

2. (Austral./NZ) (S. African) a light vertical stave in a fence, especially a lath used to separate the wires of a wire fence.

3. [Fishing] a subsidiary line or loop of filament attached to a main line or leader.
[as modifier]

• a dropper line.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘a person who lets something drop’); sense 1 is first recorded in the late 19th cent.

droppings /ˈdrɒpɪŋz/

plural noun

the excrement of certain animals, such as rodents, sheep, birds, and insects.

• rat droppings.

drop punt

noun

[Australian Rules] a kick in which the ball is held vertically and dropped on to the foot

• his drop punt from 35 metres out never looked like missing.

drop scene

noun

1. a drop curtain used as part of stage scenery, especially one in front of which a scene is played while the setting is changed behind.

2. the last scene of a play.

drop scone

noun

a small, thick pancake made by dropping spoonfuls of batter on to a griddle or other heated surface.

dropseed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a grass that readily drops its seeds.
●Genus Sporobolus, family Gramineae: several species, including the widespread North American sand dropseed ( S. cryptandrus), which has a high yield of edible grain.

drop-ship

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide (goods) by direct delivery from the manufacturer to the retailer or customer.

• we drop-ship 2,955 bestselling speciality products.

• [no obj.] I drop-ship to your customers.

II. derivatives

drop shipment

noun

drop shot

noun

(chiefly in tennis or squash) a softly hit shot, usually with backspin, which drops abruptly to the ground.

drop shoulder dropped shoulder

noun

a style of shoulder on a garment cut so that the seam is positioned on the upper arm rather than the shoulder.

dropsical /ˈdrɒpsɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

affected with or characteristic of dropsy; oedematous.

• enormous dropsical ankles.

• ‹figurative› if Rubens's women are ample, these are dropsical.

– origin late 17th cent.: from dropsy^1, replacing earlier hydropic(al), via Latin from Greek hudrōps ‘dropsy’.

dropside

I. adjective

(of a cot or a truck) having a side that drops down to open.

II. noun

a side of a cot or truck that drops down to open.

drop-stitch

adjective

denoting an openwork pattern in knitted garments made by dropping a made stitch at intervals.

• a drop-stitch cardigan.

dropsy^1 /ˈdrɒpsi/

I. noun

old-fashioned or less technical term for oedema.

– origin Middle English: shortening of idropesie, earlier form of obsolete hydropsy, via Old French and Latin from Greek hudrōps ‘dropsy’, from hudōr ‘water’.

dropsy^2 /ˈdrɒpsi/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a tip or bribe

• McCloy's little dropsy for services rendered.

– origin 1930s: slang, elaborated form of slang drop ‘a bribe’.

drop tank

noun

an external fuel tank on an aircraft which can be jettisoned when empty.

drop test

I. noun

a test of the strength of an object, in which it is dropped under standard conditions or a set weight is dropped on it from a given height.

II. derivatives

drop-testing

noun

drop-top

noun

another term for drophead.

drop waist dropped waist

noun

a style of waistline on a dress cut so that the seam is positioned at the hips rather than the waist.

dropwort /ˈdrɒpwəːt/

I. noun

a Eurasian grassland plant with small white flowers and divided leaves, related to meadowsweet.
● Filipendula vulgaris, family Rosaceae.

– origin Middle English: so named because it has small drop-like fibrous tubers on its roots.

drop zone dropping zone

noun

a designated area into which troops or supplies are dropped by parachute or in which skydivers land.

drosera /ˈdrɒs(ə)rə/

I. noun

a sundew (insectivorous plant).
●Genus Drosera, family Droseraceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek droseros ‘dewy’ (from the appearance of the glistening hairs on the leaves).

droshky /ˈdrɒʃki/

I. noun

‹historical› a low four-wheeled open carriage of a kind formerly used in Russia.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Russian drozhki, diminutive of drogi ‘wagon’, from droga ‘shaft, carriage pole’.

drosophila /drɒˈsɒfɪlə/

I. noun

a small fruit fly, used extensively in genetic research because of its large chromosomes, numerous varieties, and rapid rate of reproduction.
●Genus Drosophila, family Drosophilidae: several species, in particular D. melanogaster.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek drosos ‘dew, moisture’ + philos ‘loving’.

dross /drɒs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. something regarded as worthless; rubbish

• there are bargains if you have the patience to sift through the dross.

2. foreign matter, dregs, or mineral waste, in particular scum formed on the surface of molten metal.

• alchemists tried to create gold from dross.

II. derivatives

drossy /ˈdrɒsi /

adjective

– origin Old English drōs (in the sense ‘scum on molten metal’); related to Dutch droesem and German Drusen ‘dregs, lees’.

Drottningholm /ˈdrɒtnɪŋˌhɒlm/

the winter palace of the Swedish royal family, on an island to the west of Stockholm.

drought /draʊt/

I. noun

1. a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water.

• the cause of Europe's recent droughts.

• [ mass noun] crops have failed because of drought.

2. [usu. with modifier] — a prolonged absence of something specified

• he ended a five-game goal drought.

3. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› thirst.

– origin late Old English drūgath ‘dryness’, of Germanic origin; compare with Dutch droogte; related to dry.

drought declared

adjective

(Austral.) (of a district) officially recognized as being affected by drought and eligible for relief payments, taxation concessions, and other benefits

• we will need a lot more rain before we take these shires off the drought declared list.

Droughtmaster /ˈdraʊtmɑːstə, ˈdraʊtmastə/

I. noun

(Austral.) an Australian breed of cattle that can withstand very dry conditions

• they reckon Droughtmasters are more intelligent than European breeds.

– origin 1950s: from drought + master^1.

drouth /draʊθ/

I. noun

dialect or literary form of drought.

II. derivatives

drouthy

adjective

Drouzhba /ˈdruːʒbə/

a resort town on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria.
Also called Sveti Konstantin.

drove^1 /drəʊv/

past of drive.

drove^2 /drəʊv/

I. noun

1. a herd or flock of animals being driven in a body

• a drove of cattle.

2. a large number of people or things doing or undergoing the same thing

• tourists have stayed away in droves this summer.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹historical› drive (livestock, especially cattle) to market.

• these three men discovered the coal on the Dulkaninna Creek while droving cattle.

III. derivatives

drover /ˈdrəʊvə /

noun

– origin Old English drāf, related to drīfan ‘to drive’.

drove road

noun

an ancient roadway along which cattle were driven to market.

drover's dog

noun

1. (Austral./NZ) a breed of farm dog used in herding cattle, typically a cross between a sheepdog and a mastiff or foxhound

• a yellow-fanged drover's dog had appeared on the side of the knoll.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a subordinate person considered unworthy of respect

• we don't know whether we're voting for the party leader or the drover's dog.

drown /draʊn/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. die through submersion in and inhalation of water

• a motorist drowned when her car plunged off the edge of a quay

• ( be drowned) two fishermen were drowned when their motor boat capsized.

2. [with obj.] — deliberately kill (a person or animal) by drowning

• he immediately drowned four of the dogs.

3. [with obj.] — submerge or flood (an area)

• when the ice melted the valleys were drowned.

4. [with obj.] — (of a sound) make (another sound) inaudible by being much louder

• his voice was drowned out by the approaching engine noise.

5. [no obj.] ( be drowning in) — be overwhelmed by a large amount of something

• both business and household sectors are drowning in debt

• art dealers are still drowning in a sea of paperwork.

6. [with obj.] ( drown something in) — cover or immerse food in

• good pizza is not eight inches thick and drowned in tomato sauce.

II. phrases

1. drown one's sorrows

forget one's problems by getting drunk.

• he bought a bottle of whisky to drown his sorrows.

2. like a drowned rat

extremely wet and bedraggled.

• she arrived at the church looking like a drowned rat.

– origin Middle English (originally northern): related to Old Norse drukkna ‘to be drowned’, also to drink.

drowned valley

noun

a valley partly or wholly submerged by a rise in sea level.

drowse /draʊz/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. be half asleep; doze intermittently

• he was beginning to drowse in his chair.

2. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› make sleepy.

• any birds which the heat has not utterly drowsed.

3. ‹archaic› be sluggish or inactive.

• let not your prudence drowse.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a light sleep; a condition of being half asleep.

• she awoke from a light drowse.

– origin late 16th cent.: back-formation from drowsy.

drowsiness /ˈdraʊzɪnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of being sleepy and lethargic; sleepiness

• this drug can cause drowsiness.

drowsy /ˈdraʊzi/

I. adjective

1. sleepy and lethargic; half asleep

• the wine had made her drowsy.

2. causing sleepiness

• the drowsy heat of the meadows.

3. (of a place) peaceful and quiet

• a drowsy suburb called Surrey Hills.

II. derivatives

drowsily /ˈdraʊzɪli /

adverb

– origin late 15th cent.: probably from the stem of Old English drūsian ‘be languid or slow’, of Germanic origin; related to dreary.

drub /drʌb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. hit or beat (someone) repeatedly.

• he was drubbed with tiresome regularity by his classmates.

2. ‹informal› defeat thoroughly in a match or contest

• the Cleveland Indians drubbed Baltimore 9–0.

– origin early 17th cent.: probably from Arabic ḍaraba ‘to beat, bastinado’. The first recorded uses in English are by travellers in the Near East referring specifically to the punishment of bastinado.

drubbing /ˈdrʌbɪŋ/

noun

1. a beating; a thrashing

• I'll give the scoundrels a drubbing if I can!

2. ‹informal› a resounding defeat in a match or contest.

• Scotland's 3-0 drubbing by France.

drudge /drʌdʒ/

I. noun

a person made to do hard menial or dull work

• she was little more than a drudge round the house.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹archaic› do hard menial work.

• her husband was drudging in the smoke of London.

– origin Middle English (as a noun): of unknown origin; perhaps related to drag.

drudgery /ˈdrʌdʒəri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. hard menial or dull work

• domestic drudgery.

drug /drʌɡ/

I. noun

1. a medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body

• a new drug aimed at sufferers from Parkinson's disease.

2. a substance taken for its narcotic or stimulant effects, often illegally.

• a cocaine-based drug.

• ‹figurative› mass adoration is a highly addictive drug.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. administer a drug to (someone) in order to induce stupor or insensibility

• they were drugged to keep them quiet.

2. add a drug to (food or drink).

3. [no obj.] — ‹informal› take illegally obtained drugs

• she was convinced he was out drinking and drugging.

III. phrases

1. do drugs

‹informal› take illegal drugs.

• people who don't drink or smoke or do drugs.

2. on drugs

a. taking medically prescribed drugs

• on drugs for high blood pressure.

b. under the influence of or habitually taking illegal drugs.

• all the criminals were on drugs.

– origin Middle English: from Old French drogue, possibly from Middle Dutch droge vate, literally ‘dry vats’, referring to the contents (i.e. dry goods).

drug abuse

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the habitual taking of illegal drugs.

drug addict /ˈdrʌɡadɪkt/

noun

a person who is addicted to an illegal drug.

drug baron drugs baron

noun

a person who controls an organization dealing in illegal drugs.

• Washington's foremost drug baron was arrested.

drug bust drugs bust

noun

‹informal› a seizure of illegal drugs by the police or other law-enforcement agency.

drug dealer

noun

a person who sells illegal drugs

• investigators are trying to find the drug dealer who supplied him with the heroin.

drug-driving

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the action or offence of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs, typically ones that are illegal

• police are about to crack down on drug-driving.

• 34,500 people were prosecuted for drug-driving.

II. derivatives

drug-driver /ˌdrʌɡˈdrʌɪvə /

noun

drug-free

adjective

1. (of a place) where no illegal drugs are used

• a drug-free zone.

2. (of a person) not taking illegal drugs.

• I've been drug-free since I came out of jail.

drugged /drʌɡd/

adjective

1. (of a person) unconscious or in a stupor as a result of taking or being given a drug

• in his drugged state.

2. (of food or drink) adulterated with a drug

• he offered them drugged wine.

drugger /ˈdrʌɡə/

noun

‹informal› ‹dated› a drug addict or habitual user of drugs

• a classroom full of bikers, druggers, and thugs.

drugget /ˈdrʌɡɪt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a coarse woven fabric used to make floor coverings.

2. [ count noun] — a floor covering made of drugget.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French droguet, from drogue in the sense ‘poor-quality article’.

druggist /ˈdrʌɡɪst/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a pharmacist or retailer of medicinal drugs.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French droguiste, from drogue ‘drug’.

druggy /ˈdrʌɡi / ‹informal›

I. adjective

caused by, involving, or given to taking illegal drugs

• a druggy haze

• the druggy world of rock and roll.

II. noun

a drug addict or habitual user of drugs.

– origin late 16th cent. (as an adjective): from drug + -y^1. The noun dates from the 1960s.

drug maker

noun

1. a company that manufactures medicinal drugs

• the world's second-largest drug maker cut its profit forecast for the rest of the year.

2. a person who produces illegal drugs

• today's operation breaks the grip that these drug makers and dealers have held on the neighbourhoods.

drug-related

adjective

associated with or caused by drugs, typically those obtained illegally

• he was charged with three drug-related offences

• the doctor had been at the centre of an investigation involving 31 drug-related deaths.

drug squad drugs squad

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a division of a police force investigating crimes involving illegal drugs.

drugstore /ˈdrʌɡstɔː/

noun

(N. Amer.) a pharmacy which also sells toiletries and other articles.

drugstore beetle

noun

another term for biscuit beetle.

drug test

noun

a test performed on blood or urine to determine the presence or absence of proscribed drugs and used especially to detect athletes using performance-enhancing drugs such as steroids.

Druid /ˈdruːɪd/

I. noun

1. a priest, magician, or soothsayer in the ancient Celtic religion.

2. a member of a present-day group claiming to represent or be derived from this religion.

II. derivatives

1. Druidic /druːˈɪdɪk /

adjective

2. Druidical /druːˈɪdɪk(ə)l /

adjective

3. Druidism /ˈdruːɪdɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin from Latin druidae, druides (plural), from Gaulish; related to Irish draoidh ‘magician, sorcerer’.

drum^1 /drʌm/

I. noun

1. a percussion instrument sounded by being struck with sticks or the hands, typically cylindrical, barrel-shaped, or bowl-shaped, with a taut membrane over one or both ends.

• a shuffling dance to the beat of a drum.

2. ( drums) — a drum kit.

• how to play guitar, drums, or keyboards.

3. ( drums) — the percussion section of a band or orchestra.

4. [in sing.] — a sound made by or resembling that of a drum

• the drum of their feet.

5. ‹historical› a military drummer.

6. a cylindrical container or receptacle

• a drum of powdered bleach.

7. a rotating cylindrical part in a washing machine, in which the washing is placed.

8. [Architecture] the circular vertical wall supporting a dome.

9. [Architecture] a stone block forming part of a column.

10. (Austral./NZ) a tramp's bundle of belongings.

11. (Brit.) ‹informal› a house or flat.

12. an evening or afternoon tea party of a kind that was popular in the late 18th and early 19th century.

• a drum at Lady Beresford's.

13. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a piece of reliable inside information

• he had got the drum that the police wouldn't lock us up.

[early 20th cent.: perhaps by association with the musical instrument used to give a signal.]

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — play on a drum.

• he channelled his energies into drumming with local groups.

2. make a continuous rhythmic noise

• she felt the blood drumming in her ears

• (as noun drumming) the drumming of hooves.

3. [with obj.] — beat (the fingers, feet, etc.) repeatedly on a surface, especially as a sign of impatience or annoyance

• waiting around an empty table, drumming their fingers.

4. (of a woodpecker) strike the bill rapidly on a dead trunk or branch, especially as a sound indicating a territorial claim.

• two greater spotted woodpeckers were drumming.

• (as noun drumming) the mechanical drumming of a woodpecker.

5. (of a snipe) vibrate the outer tail feathers in a diving display flight, making a throbbing sound.

• snipe should now be drumming all round the reserve.

6. [with obj.] — (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› give (someone) reliable information or a warning

• I'm drumming you, if they come I'm going.

[see sense 5 of the noun.]

III. phrases

1. beat (or bang) the drum of (or for)

be ostentatiously in support of

• he bangs the drum of the free market.

2. drum something home

another way of saying drum something into:

• they keep drumming this point home.

3. run a drum

[usu. with negative] — (Austral.) ‹informal› (of a racehorse) perform as predicted

• last year's winner didn't run a drum.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. drum something into

make (someone) learn something by constant repetition

• it had been drummed into them to dress correctly.

2. drum someone out

expel or dismiss someone with ignominy from a place or institution

• he was drummed out of the air force.

[with allusion to the formal military drum beat accompanying dismissal from a regiment.]

3. drum something up

attempt to obtain something by canvassing or soliciting

• the organizers are hoping to drum up support from local businesses.

– origin Middle English: from Middle Dutch or Low German tromme, of imitative origin.

drum^2 /drʌm/

I. noun

(Scottish) (Irish) a long, narrow hill, especially one separating two parallel valleys.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic and Irish druim ‘ridge’.

drum^3 /drʌm / drumfish

noun

a fish that makes a drumming sound by vibrating its swim bladder, found mainly in estuarine and shallow coastal waters. Also called croaker.
●Family Sciaenidae (the drum family): many species, including the black drum ( Pogonias cromis) of the western Atlantic. The drum family also includes the mulloway and a number of marine fishes that resemble salmon (e.g. the weakfish).

drum and bass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of dance music characterized by bare instrumentation consisting largely of electronic drums and bass, originating in Britain during the early 1990s.

drumbeat /ˈdrʌmbiːt/

noun

a stroke or pattern of strokes on a drum

• she was aware of a constant, faint drumbeat.

drum brake

noun

a type of vehicle brake in which brake shoes press against the inside of a drum on the wheel.

drumfire

noun — [ mass noun]

1. heavy continuous rapid artillery fire.
[ count noun]

• ‹figurative› a drumfire of criticism.

drumhead /ˈdrʌmhɛd/

I. noun

1. the membrane or skin of a drum.

2. a winter cabbage of a flat-topped variety.

3. ‹chiefly historical› the circular top of a ship's capstan, with holes into which bars are placed to turn it.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. carried out by or as if by an army in the field; improvised or summary

• a drumhead court martial.

drum kit

noun

a set of drums, cymbals, and other percussion instruments, used with drumsticks in jazz and popular music. The most basic components are a foot-operated bass drum, a snare drum, a suspended cymbal, and one or more tom-toms.

drumlin /ˈdrʌmlɪn/

I. noun

[Geology] a low oval mound or small hill, typically one of a group, consisting of compacted boulder clay moulded by past glacial action.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably from drum^2 + -lin from -ling.

drum machine

noun

a programmable electronic device able to imitate the sounds of a drum kit.

drum major

noun

1. a non-commissioned officer commanding the drummers of a regimental band.

2. the male leader of a marching band, who often twirls a baton.

3. a male member of a baton-twirling parading group.

drum majorette

noun

1. the female leader of a marching band, who often twirls a baton.

2. a female member of a marching band or other parading group.

drummer /ˈdrʌmə/

noun

1. a person who plays a drum or drums.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly US) a travelling sales representative

• a drummer in electronic software.

[from drum something up (see drum^1).]

3. (also silver drummer) — a deep-bodied marine fish with dark longitudinal stripes, found in shallow coastal waters of Australia.
● Kyphosus sydneyanus, family Kyphosidae.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a thief or burglar.

drum pad

noun

an electronic device with one or more flat pads which imitate the sounds of a drum kit when struck.

drum roll

noun

a rapid succession of beats sounded on a drum, often used to introduce an announcement or event.

• drum roll please … and the winner is ….

drumstick /ˈdrʌmstɪk/

noun

1. a stick, typically with a shaped or padded head, used for beating a drum.

2. the lower joint of the leg of a cooked chicken, turkey, or other fowl.

• a chicken drumstick.

drumstick primrose drumstick primula

noun

a Himalayan primula with a globular head of flowers on an erect stem.
● Primula denticulata, family Primulaceae.

drunk /drʌŋk/

I. verb

past participle of drink.

II. adjective — [ predic.]

1. affected by alcohol to the extent of losing control of one's faculties or behaviour

• he was so drunk he lurched from wall to wall

• she was drunk on vodka.

2. ( drunk with) — overcome with (a strong emotion)

• the crowd was high on euphoria and drunk with patriotism.

III. noun

1. a person who is drunk or who habitually drinks to excess.

• we staggered up the path like a couple of drunks.

2. ‹informal› a drinking bout; a period of drunkenness

• he used to go on these blind drunks.

IV. phrases

1. drunk and disorderly

creating a public disturbance under the influence of alcohol.

• arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

2. (as) drunk as a lord (or skunk)

extremely drunk.

drunkard /ˈdrʌŋkəd/

I. noun

a person who is habitually drunk.

– origin Middle English: from Middle Low German drunkert.

drunk driving drunken driving

I. noun

North American term for drink-driving.

II. derivatives

drunk driver

noun

drunken /ˈdrʌŋk(ə)n/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. drunk or intoxicated

• gangs of drunken youths roamed the streets.

2. habitually or frequently drunk

• his violent, drunken father.

3. caused by or showing the effects of drink

• the man's drunken, slurred speech.

– origin Old English, archaic past participle of drink.

drunkenly /ˈdrʌŋk(ə)nli/

adverb

in a drunk or intoxicated manner

• he stumbled drunkenly along the street.

drunkenness /ˈdrʌŋk(ə)nˌnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being drunk; intoxication

• a growing problem of drunkenness.

drunk tank

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a large prison cell for the detention of drunks.

• he woke up in the drunk tank.

drupe /druːp/

I. noun

1. [Botany] a fleshy fruit with thin skin and a central stone containing the seed, e.g. a plum, cherry, almond, or olive.

2. a small marine mollusc with a thick knobbly shell, found mainly in the Indo-Pacific.
●Genus Drupa, family Muricidae, class Gastropoda.

II. derivatives

drupaceous /druːˈpeɪʃəs /

adjective

drupe (sense 1)

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin drupa ‘overripe olive’, from Greek druppa ‘olive’.

drupel /ˈdruːp(ə)l/

I. noun

[Botany] any of the small individual drupes forming a fleshy aggregate fruit such as a blackberry or raspberry.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin drupella, diminutive of drupa ‘overripe olive’ (see drupe).

drupelet /ˈdruːplɪt/

noun

another term for drupel.

Drury Lane /ˈdrʊəri/

the site in London of the Theatre Royal, one of London's most famous theatres.

druse /druːz/

I. noun

1. [Geology] a rock cavity lined with a crust of projecting crystals.

2. the crust of crystals lining a druse.

3. [Botany] a rounded cluster of calcium oxalate crystals found in some plant cells.

II. derivatives

drusy

adjective

[Geology]

– origin early 19th cent.: via French from German Druse ‘weathered ore’.

druther /ˈdrʌðə / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. noun — (usu. one's druthers)

1. one's preference in a matter

• if I had my druthers, I would prefer to be a writer.

II. adverb

rather; by preference.

– origin late 19th cent.: from a US regional pronunciation of I'd rather, contraction of would rather.

Druze /druːz / Druse

I. noun

a member of a political and religious sect of Islamic origin, living chiefly in Lebanon and Syria. The Druze broke away from the Ismaili Muslims in the 11th century; they are regarded as heretical by the Muslim community at large.
[as modifier]

• Druze militia.

– origin from French, from Arabic durūz (plural), from the name of one of their founders, Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Darazī (died 1019).

dry /drʌɪ/

I. adjective

1. free from moisture or liquid; not wet or moist

• the jacket kept me warm and dry

• he wiped the table dry with his shirt.

2. (of paint, ink, etc.) having lost all wetness or moisture over a period of time

• wait until the paint is dry.

3. for use without liquid

• the conversion of dry latrines into the flushing type.

4. with little or no rainfall or humidity

• the West Coast has had two dry winters in a row.

5. (of a river, lake, or stream) empty of water as a result of lack of rainfall

• the river is always dry at this time of year.

6. (of a source) not yielding a supply of water or oil

• a dry well.

7. thirsty or thirst-making

• working in the hot sun is making me dry.

8. (of a cow or other domestic animal) no longer producing milk.

• the rye has been strip-grazed by dry cows.

• the cows went dry in the wintertime.

9. without grease or other moisturizer or lubricator

• cream conditioners for dry hair.

10. (of bread or toast) without butter or other spreads

• only dry bread and water.

11. (of information, writing, etc.) dully factual

• the dry facts of the matter.

12. unemotional, undemonstrative, or impassive

• it transformed him from a dry administrator into the people's hero.

13. (of a joke or sense of humour) subtle and expressed in a matter-of-fact way

• he delighted his friends with a dry, covert sense of humour.

14. prohibiting the sale or consumption of alcoholic drink

• the country is strictly dry, in accordance with Islamic law.

15. (of a person) no longer addicted to or drinking alcohol

• I heard much talk about how sobriety was more than staying straight or dry.

16. (of an alcoholic drink) not sweet

• a dry, medium-bodied red wine.

17. (Brit.) relating to political ‘dries’ sense 3 of the noun; rigidly monetarist.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. become dry

• waiting for the paint to dry

• do not let the soil dry out

• pools are left as the rivers dry up.

2. [with obj.] — cause to become dry

• they had washed and dried their hair.

3. [with obj.] — wipe tears from (the eyes)

• she dried her eyes and blew her nose.

4. (also dry up) — wipe dishes dry with a cloth after they have been washed.

• ‘I'll wash, Sara, you dry’.

5. [with obj.] (usu. as adj. dried) — preserve by allowing or encouraging evaporation of moisture from

• dried flowers.

6. ‹theatrical slang› forget one's lines

• a colleague of mine once dried in the middle of a scene.

III. noun

1. the process or an instance of drying.

2. ( the dry) — a dry or covered place.

3. (chiefly Austral.) the dry season

• the grass was yellowing and the dry had started.

4. (Austral.) a tract of waterless country

• the forty-mile dry.

5. (usu. dries) — (Brit.) a Conservative politician (especially in the 1980s) in favour of strict monetarist policies.

6. (US) a person in favour of the prohibition of alcohol.

• evangelical dries had seen to it that the nearest bottle of whiskey was miles away.

IV. phrases

1. come up dry

(N. Amer.) be unsuccessful

• experiments have so far come up dry.

2. (as) dry as a bone

extremely dry.

3. (as) dry as dust

a. extremely dry.

• his throat was dry as dust.

b. extremely dull; lacking emotion, expression, or interest

• what the students learned was as dry as dust.

4. there wasn't a dry eye (in the house)

(with reference to a play, film, or similar event) everyone in the audience was moved to tears.

V. phrasal verbs

1. dry an animal off

cease milking and reduce the rations of a cow or other animal so that it stops producing milk.

• cows are dried off about 90 days before calving.

2. dry out

‹informal› overcome alcoholism

• he intends to dry out and get his life back together again.

3. dry up

a. ‹informal› cease talking

• then he dried up, and Phil couldn't get another word out of him.

b. (of something perceived as a continuous flow or source) decrease and stop

• his commissions began to dry up.

VI. derivatives

dryish /ˈdrʌɪɪʃ /

adjective

– origin Old English drȳge (adjective), drȳgan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Middle Low German dröge, Dutch droog, and German trocken.

dryad /ˈdrʌɪəd, ˈdrʌɪad/

I. noun

1. (in folklore and Greek mythology) a nymph inhabiting a tree or wood.

2. a dark brown Eurasian butterfly with two prominent bluish eyespots on each forewing.
● Minois dryas, subfamily Satyrinae, family Nymphalidae.

– origin via Old French and Latin from Greek druas, druad- ‘tree nymph’, from drus ‘tree’.

dryad's saddle

noun

a common bracket fungus having a scaly yellowish-brown upper surface, found in both Eurasia and North America and edible when young.
● Polyporus squamosus, family Polyporaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

dryas /ˈdrʌɪəs/

I. noun

1. a plant of a genus that comprises the mountain avens.
●Genus Dryas, family Rosaceae.

2. ( Dryas) — [Geology] the first and third climatic stages of the late-glacial period in northern Europe, in which cold conditions prevailed and plants of the genus Dryas were abundant. The Older Dryas (about 15,000 to 12,000 years ago) followed the last ice retreat, and the Younger Dryas (about 10,800 to 10,000 years ago) followed the Allerød stage.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek druas (see dryad). The plant (sense 1) has leaves that resemble those of the oak (hence the association with dryads, being originally nymphs of the oak).

dry battery

noun

an electric battery consisting of one or more dry cells.

dry bible

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) a condition of cattle in drought-affected areas, in which the dried-out folds of the stomach resemble the pages of a book

• half the herd would die of dry bible.

dryblow /ˈdrʌɪbləʊ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) separate (particles of gold or another mineral) from the surrounding material using a current of air

• if we can't wash the gold, we'll have to dryblow it.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from dry + blow^1.

dry blower /ˈdrʌɪ bləʊə/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a prospector who uses a current of air to separate particles of gold or another mineral from the surrounding material

• the working tools of a dry blower are as simple or as complicated as the individual likes.

– origin late 19th cent.: from dry + blower.

dry bulb

noun

an ordinary exposed thermometer bulb, especially as used in conjunction with a wet bulb.

dry cell

noun

an electric cell in which the electrolyte is absorbed in a solid to form a paste, preventing spillage.

dry-clean /ˌdrʌɪˈkliːn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. clean (a garment) with an organic solvent, without using water

• I had my winter coat dry-cleaned recently

• (as noun dry-cleaning) premises which offered dry-cleaning.

II. derivatives

dry-cleaner /ˌdrʌɪˈkliːnə /

noun

dry cough

noun

a cough not accompanied by phlegm production.

dry-cure

verb — [with obj.]

1. cure (meat or fish) with salt rather than in liquid.
(as adj. dry-cured)

• delicious dry-cured salamis.

Dryden, John /ˈdrʌɪd(ə)n/

(1631–1700), English poet, critic, and dramatist of the Augustan Age. He is best known for Marriage à la mode (comedy, 1673), All for Love (a tragedy based on Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, 1678), and Absalom and Achitophel (verse satire in heroic couplets, 1681).

dry distillation

noun

another term for destructive distillation.

dry dock

I. noun

a dock which can be drained of water to allow the inspection and repair of a ship's hull.

• the company invested £40,000 in modernizing their dry dock.

• [ mass noun] the vessel will go into dry dock until late February.

II. verb

( dry-dock) [with obj.] — place (a ship) in a dry dock.
(as noun dry-docking)

• the vessel underwent its first dry-docking in six years.

dryer /ˈdrʌɪə / drier

noun

1. a machine or device for drying something, especially the hair or laundry.

• putting their sweaters in the big dryer.

2. a substance mixed with oil paint or ink to promote drying.

dry eye

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eye, due to inadequate tear secretion.

dry-eyed

adjective

(of a person) not crying

• Jill was dry-eyed and stoical under assault.

dry farming

noun

another term for dryland farming.

dry fly

noun

an artificial fishing fly which is made to float lightly on the water.
[as modifier]

• dry-fly fishing.

dry-fry

verb — [with obj.]

1. fry (food) in a pan without fat or oil.

• dry-fry the sesame seeds.

• (as adj. dry-fried) dry-fried egg.

dry goods

plural noun

1. solid commodities traded in bulk, such as tea, sugar, and grain.

2. (N. Amer.) drapery and haberdashery.

dry-heave

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. experience the reflex of vomiting; retch

• I puked and puked until I was dry-heaving.

II. noun

an instance or feeling of retching

• I feel the dry-heaves starting, the knee-jerk reaction to my anxiety attacks.

dry hole

noun

a well drilled for oil or gas but yielding none.

dry horrors

plural noun — ( the dry horrors)

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› the psychotic symptoms of withdrawal suffered by an alcoholic

• he wakes up alone in a police cell with a bad case of the dry horrors.

dry ice

noun — [ mass noun]

1. solid carbon dioxide.

2. the cold dense white mist produced by solid carbon dioxide in air, used for theatrical effects.

• you couldn't see him through the swirling mists of dry ice.

drying oil

noun

an oil that thickens or hardens on exposure to air, especially one used by artists in mixing paint.

• a varnish is a transparent coating based on drying oils, resins, and solvents.

dry land

noun — [ mass noun]

1. land as opposed to the sea or another body of water.

• the tide came in and cut off his route to dry land.

dryland farming dry farming

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a method of farming in semi-arid areas using drought-resistant crops and conserving moisture.

drylands

plural noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) an arid area; a region with low rainfall.
(as modifier dryland)

• dryland agriculture.

dry lease

I. noun

an arrangement covering the hire of an aircraft which does not include provision of a flight crew.

II. verb

( dry-lease) [with obj.] — hire (an aircraft) on the basis of a dry lease.

dry lining

noun

a lining to an interior wall that does not need to be plastered.

dry measure

noun

a measure of volume for loose dry goods such as grain, tea, and sugar.

dry milk

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (US) milk that has been preserved by evaporation and reduction to powder.

dry mounting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Photography] a process in which a print is bonded to a mount using a layer of shellac in a hot press.
[as modifier]

• a dry-mounting press.

dryness /ˈdrʌɪnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. absence or lack of moisture or liquid

• dryness of the mouth may occur while you are taking this medicine

• hand sanitizers contain ingredients that help prevent skin dryness.

2. lack or absence of rainfall or humidity

• the searing heat and dryness of the Sahara

• the sea retreated in periods of prolonged dryness.

3. lack of interest, excitement, or embellishment; dullness

• readers are repelled by the dryness of much of the matter

• it does little to rescue the ordinary moment from dryness and tedium.

4. the quality of being unemotional, undemonstrative, or impassive

• the dryness of his delivery

• a certain dryness of style.

5. the quality in an alcoholic drink of not being sweet

• there's a lovely dryness to this straw-coloured wine.

dry-nurse

noun

‹archaic› a woman who looks after a baby but does not breastfeed it.

Dryopithecus /ˌdrʌɪəˈpɪθɪkəs/

I. noun

a fossil anthropoid ape of the middle Miocene to early Pliocene periods, of a genus including the supposed common ancestor of gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans.
●Genus Dryopithecus, family Pongidae.

II. derivatives

dryopithecine /ˌdrʌɪəˈpɪθəsiːn /

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin, from Greek drus ‘tree’ + pithēkos ‘ape’.

dry painting

noun

another term for sand painting.

dry plate

noun

[Photography] a glass plate coated with a light-sensitive gelatin-based emulsion, used formerly as an improvement on the earlier wet plate.

dry point

noun

1. a steel needle for engraving on a bare copper plate without acid.

2. an engraving or print produced with a dry point needle.

3. [ mass noun] — engraving by means of a dry point needle.

dry-roasted dry-roast

adjective

roasted without fat or oil

• dry-roasted peanuts.

dry rot

noun

1. [ mass noun] — fungal timber decay occurring in poorly ventilated conditions in buildings, resulting in cracking and powdering of the wood.

2. (also dry rot fungus) — the fungus that causes dry rot decay.
● Serpula lacrymans, family Corticiaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

dry run

noun

‹informal› a rehearsal of a performance or procedure before the real one

• the president went through a dry run of his speech.

dry-salt

verb

another term for dry-cure.

dry-salter

noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› a dealer in dyes, gums, and drugs, and sometimes also in pickles and other preserved foodstuffs.

dry season

noun

a regular period of prolonged dry weather

• the best time to visit is during the winter dry season.

dry shampoo

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a shampoo in powder form, used without the addition of water.

dry shave

I. noun

a shave without shaving foam, typically one using an electric razor.

II. verb

( dry-shave) [no obj.] — shave without using shaving foam.

III. derivatives

dry-shaver

noun

dry-shod

adjective, adverb

without wetting one's shoes.
[as adj.]

• dry-shod evacuation involved getting into a lifeboat at deck level.

dry sink

noun

(N. Amer.) an antique kitchen cabinet with an inset basin.

dry slope dry-ski slope

noun

an artificial ski slope used for practice and training.
[as modifier]

• dry-slope skiing.

drystone

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) (of a stone wall) built without using mortar.

drysuit

noun

a waterproof rubber suit worn for water sports and diving, under which warm clothes can be worn.

dry valley

noun

a valley cut by water erosion but containing no permanent surface stream, typically one occurring in an area of porous rock such as limestone.

drywall

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) plasterboard.
[as modifier]

• drywall partitions.

dry wash

noun

(US) the dry bed of an intermittent stream.

dry well

noun

1. a shaft or chamber constructed in the ground in order to aid drainage, sometimes containing pumping equipment.

2. another term for dry hole.

Ds

symbol

the chemical element darmstadtium.

DS^1

abbreviation

1. [Music] dal segno.

2. [Military] directing staff.

3. document signed.

DS^2

I. noun

‹informal› a person's son (used in electronic communication)

• my DS rolls his eyes in disgust when I use these terms of affection.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation of darling son or dear son.

DSc

abbreviation

Doctor of Science.

DSC

abbreviation

(in the UK) Distinguished Service Cross, a decoration for distinguished active service at sea, instituted in 1914.

DSL

abbreviation

digital subscriber line, a technology for the high-speed transmission of digital information over standard telephone lines.

DSM

abbreviation

(in the UK) Distinguished Service Medal, a medal for distinguished service at sea, instituted in 1914.

DSO

abbreviation

(in the UK) Distinguished Service Order, a decoration for distinguished service awarded to officers of the army and navy, instituted in 1886.

DSP

abbreviation

1. (in genealogy) died without issue.
[from Latin decessit sine prole.]

2. (in computing and sound reproduction) digital signal processor or processing.

DSS

abbreviation

1. decision support system.

2. (formerly in the UK) Department of Social Security.

DST

abbreviation

daylight saving time.

DTD

abbreviation

[Computing] document type definition, a document that defines the tagging structure of an SGML or XML document.

DTI

abbreviation

(formerly in the UK) Department of Trade and Industry.

DTP /diːtiːˈpiː/

abbreviation

desktop publishing.

DTs /diːˈtiːz/

I. plural noun — (usu. the DTs)

1. ‹informal› delirium tremens.

• a terrible case of the DTs.

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation, originally in the singular form DT (now rare).

DTT

abbreviation

digital terrestrial television.

DTV

abbreviation

digital television.

DU

abbreviation

1. depleted uranium.

2. Dobson unit(s).

duad /ˈdjuːad/

I. noun

‹rare› a pair of people or things.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek duas, duad- ‘two’, probably influenced by Latin duo.

dual /ˈdjuːəl/

I. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — consisting of two parts, elements, or aspects

• their dual role at work and home

• dual-language texts in English and Italian.

2. [Grammar] (in some languages) denoting an inflection that refers to exactly two people or things (as distinct from singular and plural).

3. (in an aircraft) using dual controls.

• a dual flight.

4. (often dual to) — [Mathematics] (of a theorem, expression, etc.) related to another by the interchange of particular pairs of terms, such as ‘point’ and ‘line’.

II. noun

1. [Grammar] a dual form of a word.

2. [ mass noun] — the dual number.

3. [Mathematics] a theorem, expression, etc., that is dual to another.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) convert (a road) into a dual carriageway.

• though there are no plans to dual the road, a public consultation on the A64 is set to start before the end of the year.

IV. derivatives

1. dualize dualise

verb

2. dually

adverb

– origin late Middle English (as a noun denoting either of the two middle incisor teeth in each jaw): from Latin dualis, from duo ‘two’.

dual aspect

noun

a layout in a room or building in which windows on adjacent walls allow for views in more than one direction
[as modifier]

• a dual-aspect master bedroom.

dual carriageway

noun

(Brit.) a road with a dividing strip between the traffic in opposite directions and usually two or more lanes in each direction.

dual control

I. adjective

(of an aircraft or vehicle) having two sets of controls, one of which is used by the instructor

• a dual-control pilot trainer.

II. noun — (usu. dual controls)

1. two sets of controls in an aircraft or vehicle.

dual heritage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact of having parents from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds.

dual in-line package

noun

see DIP.

dualism /ˈdjuːəlɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the division of something conceptually into two opposed or contrasted aspects, or the state of being so divided

• a dualism between man and nature.

2. [Philosophy] a theory or system of thought that regards a domain of reality in terms of two independent principles, especially mind and matter ( Cartesian dualism).
Compare with idealism, materialism, monism.

3. the religious doctrine that the universe contains opposed powers of good and evil, especially seen as balanced equals.

4. (in Christian theology) the doctrine that Christ had two coexisting natures, human and divine.

5. the quality or condition of being dual; duality.

II. derivatives

1. dualist /ˈdjuːəlɪst /

noun, adjective

2. dualistic /djuːəˈlɪstɪk /

adjective

3. dualistically

adverb

– origin late 18th cent.: from dual, on the pattern of French dualisme.

duality /djuːˈalɪti/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the quality or condition of being dual

• this duality of purpose was discernible in the appointments.

2. [Mathematics] the property of two theorems, expressions, etc., of being dual to each other.

3. [Physics] the quantum-mechanical property of being regardable as both a wave and a particle.

4. an instance of opposition or contrast between two concepts or two aspects of something; a dualism

• his photographs capitalize on the dualities of light and dark, stillness and movement.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin dualitas, from dualis (see dual).

dual nationality

noun — [ mass noun]

1. citizenship of two countries concurrently.

• many of the Lebanese living in West Africa have dual nationality.

dual-purpose /ˌdjuːlˈpəːpəs/

adjective

serving two purposes or functions

• a dual-purpose hand and nail cream.

dual-use

adjective

(chiefly US) (of technology or equipment) designed or suitable for both civilian and military purposes.

duathlon /djuːˈaθlɒn, djuːˈaθlən/

I. noun

an athletic contest consisting of running and cycling events.

• Alex came first in the duathlon and second in the triathlon in the age group 16 to 19 years.

II. derivatives

duathlete

noun

– origin 1980s: blend of duo- and triathlon. Compare with biathlon.

dub^1 /dʌb/

I. verb

1. [with obj. and complement] — give an unofficial name or nickname to

• the media dubbed anorexia ‘the slimming disease’.

2. make (someone) a knight by the ritual touching of the shoulder with a sword

• he should be dubbed Sir Hubert.

3. [with obj.] — dress (an artificial fishing fly) with strands of fur or wool or with other material.
(as noun dubbing)

• prewaxed thread has dramatically eased the process of dubbing.

4. incorporate (fur, wool, or other materials) into a fishing fly.

5. [with obj.] — smear (leather) with grease.
Compare with dubbin.

– origin late Old English (in the sense ‘make a knight’): from Old French adober ‘equip with armour’, of unknown origin. Sense 2 is from the obsolete meaning ‘dress or adorn’.

dub^2 /dʌb/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide (a film) with a soundtrack in a different language from the original

• the film will be dubbed into French and Flemish.

2. add (sound effects or music) to a film or recording

• background sound can be dubbed in at the editing stage.

3. make a copy of (a sound or video recording).

4. transfer (a recording) from one medium to another.

5. combine (two or more sound recordings) into one composite soundtrack.
(as adj. dubbing)

• at the subsequent dubbing session these are amalgamated on to one track.

II. noun

1. an instance of dubbing sound effects or music

• the level of the dub can be controlled manually.

2. [ mass noun] — a style of popular music originating from the remixing of recorded music (especially reggae), typically with the removal of some vocals and instruments and the accentuation of bass guitar.

III. derivatives

dubby

adjective

– origin 1920s: abbreviation of double.

dub^3 /dʌb / ‹informal›

I. noun

(US) an inexperienced or unskilful person.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Golf] misplay (a shot).

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps from dub^1 in the obsolete technical sense ‘make blunt’.

dub^4 /dʌb/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( dub in/up)

1. (N. English) ‹informal› pay up; make a contribution.

– origin early 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

Dubai /d(j)uːˈbʌɪ/

I. a member state of the United Arab Emirates; pop. 1,775,000 (est. 2009).

II. the capital city of Dubai, a port on the Persian Gulf; pop. 1,770,500 (est. 2009).

Du Barry, Comtesse /d(j)uː ˈbari, French dy baʀi/

(1743–93), French courtier and mistress of Louis XV; born Marie Jeanne Bécu; known as Madame Du Barry. During the French Revolution she was arrested by the Revolutionary Tribunal and guillotined.

dubbin /ˈdʌbɪn / ‹Brit.›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. prepared grease used for softening and waterproofing leather.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. apply dubbin to (leather).
(as adj. dubbined)

• a player dressed in old baggy shorts and dubbined boots.

– origin early 19th cent.: alteration of dubbing, present participle of dub^1 (sense 3).

dubbing /ˈdʌbɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. material used for the bodies of artificial fishing flies, especially fur or wool on waxed silk.

– origin late 17th cent.: from dub^1 + -ing^1.

dubbo /ˈdʌbəʊ/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› an unsophisticated or unintelligent person, especially someone from the countryside; a bumpkin

• why was she working with such a bunch of dubbos?

– origin 1980s: from the name of a famous farming town in New South Wales.

Dubček, Alexander /ˈdʊbtʃɛk/

(1921–92), Czechoslovak statesman, First Secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party 1968–9. Dubček was the driving force behind the political reforms of 1968, which prompted the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and his removal from office. After the collapse of communism in 1989 he was elected speaker of the Federal Assembly in the new Czechoslovak parliament.

dubiety /djuːˈbʌɪɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the state or quality of being doubtful; uncertainty

• his enemies made much of the dubiety of his paternity.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from late Latin dubietas, from Latin dubium ‘a doubt’.

dubious /ˈdjuːbɪəs/

I. adjective

1. hesitating or doubting

• I was rather dubious about the whole idea.

2. not to be relied upon; suspect

• extremely dubious assumptions.

3. morally suspect

• timeshare has been brought into disrepute by dubious sales methods.

4. of questionable value

• he holds the dubious distinction of being relegated with every club he has played for.

II. derivatives

1. dubiously /ˈdjuːbɪəsli /

adverb

2. dubiousness /ˈdjuːbɪəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin dubiosus, from dubium ‘a doubt’, neuter of dubius ‘doubtful’.

dubitable /ˈdjuːbɪtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹rare› (of a belief, conclusion, etc.) open to doubt.

II. derivatives

dubitability

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin dubitabilis, from dubitare ‘to doubt’.

dubitation /ˌdjuːbɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› doubt or hesitation

• a judgement fenced around with proper scholarly dubitation.

II. derivatives

dubitative /ˈdjuːbɪtətɪv /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin dubitatio(n-), from dubitare ‘to doubt’.

Dublin /ˈdʌblɪn/

I. the capital city of the Republic of Ireland, situated on the Irish Sea at the mouth of the River Liffey; pop. 506,211 (2006). It was the birthplace of many writers, including Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, and James Joyce.
Irish name Baile Átha Cliath.

II. a county of the Republic of Ireland, in the province of Leinster; county town, Dublin.

Dublin Bay prawn

noun

1. another term for Norway lobster.

2. ( Dublin Bay prawns) — scampi.

Dubliner /ˈdʌblɪnə/

noun

a native or inhabitant of the Irish capital Dublin

• a suave Dubliner has taken centre stage.

dubnium /ˈdʌbnɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Db) — the chemical element of atomic number 105, a very unstable element made by high-energy atomic collisions.
See also hahnium, joliotium.

– origin 1990s: modern Latin, from Dubna in Russia, site of the Joint Nuclear Institute.

Du Bois, W. E. B. /duː ˈbɔɪz/

(1868–1963), American writer, sociologist, and political activist; full name William Edward Burghardt Du Bois. He was an important figure in campaigning for equality for black Americans and co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1909.

Dubonnet /d(j)uːˈbɒneɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a type of sweet red vermouth made in France.
[ count noun]

• Noel plumped for a Dubonnet.

– origin from the name of a family of French wine merchants.

dubplate

noun

an acetate or test pressing of a vinyl record, typically one featuring a dub version of a reggae song that is not yet on general release.

• the hottest tunes could be heard on dubplates prior to their official release.

Dubrovnik /dʊˈbrɒvnɪk/

a port and resort on the Adriatic coast of Croatia; pop. 26,500 (est. 2009). Its historic centre was damaged by Serb bombardment in the war of 1991–2, but has been restored.
Italian name (until 1918) Ragusa.

dubstep

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of dance music, typically instrumental, characterized by a sparse, syncopated rhythm and a strong bassline.

Dubuffet, Jean /duːˈbuːfeɪ, French dybyfɛ/

(1901–85), French painter. He rejected traditional techniques, incorporating materials such as sand and plaster in his paintings and producing sculptures made from rubbish.

ducal /ˈdjuːk(ə)l/

I. adjective

like or relating to a duke or dukedom

• the ducal palace in Rouen.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French, from duc ‘duke’.

ducat /ˈdʌkət/

I. noun

1. a gold coin formerly current in most European countries.

2. ( ducats) — ‹informal› money.

• their production of Hamlet has kept the ducats pouring in.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› an admission ticket.

– origin from Italian ducato, originally referring to a silver coin minted by the Duke of Apulia in 1190: from medieval Latin ducatus (see duchy). Sense 2 dates from the late 19th cent.

Duccio /ˈduːtʃɪəʊ, Italian ˈduttʃjo/

( c. 1255– c. 1320), Italian painter, founder of the Sienese school of painting; full name Duccio di Buoninsegna. The only fully documented surviving work by him is the Maestà for the high altar of Siena cathedral (completed 1311).

Duce /ˈduːtʃeɪ/

I. ( Il Duce)

1. the title assumed by Benito Mussolini in 1922.

– origin Italian, literally ‘leader’.

Duchamp, Marcel /djuːˈʃɒ̃, French dyʃɑ̃/

(1887–1968), French-born artist, a US citizen from 1955. A leading figure of the Dada movement and originator of conceptual art, he invented ‘ready-mades’, mass-produced articles selected at random and displayed as works of art—most famously a bicycle wheel and a urinal.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy /duːˈʃɛn / DMD

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a severe form of muscular dystrophy caused by a genetic defect and usually affecting boys.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after G. B. A. Duchenne (1806–75), the French neurologist who first described it.

duchess /ˈdʌtʃəs, ˈdʌtʃɛs/

I. noun

1. the wife or widow of a duke.

2. a woman holding a rank equivalent to duke in her own right.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› (especially among cockneys) an affectionate form of address used by a man to a girl or woman.

• ‘Spotted a likely one, duchess?’.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin ducissa, from Latin dux, duc- (see duke).

duchesse /duːˈʃɛs, ˈdʌtʃɪs, ˈdʌtʃɛs/

I. noun

1. (also duchesse satin) [ mass noun] — a soft, heavy, glossy kind of satin, usually of silk.
[as modifier]

• a mauve duchesse evening dress.

2. a chaise longue resembling two armchairs linked by a stool.

3. (also duchesse dressing table) — a dressing table with a pivoting mirror.

– origin late 18th cent. (in sense 2): from French, literally ‘duchess’.

duchesse lace

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of Brussels pillow lace characterized by bold floral patterns worked with a fine thread.

duchesse potatoes

plural noun

mashed potatoes mixed with egg yolk, formed into small shapes and baked.

duchy /ˈdʌtʃi/

I. noun

1. the territory of a duke or duchess; a dukedom.

2. ( the Duchy) — the royal dukedom of Cornwall or Lancaster.

– origin Middle English: from Old French duche, from medieval Latin ducatus, from Latin dux, duc- (see duke).

duck^1 /dʌk/

I. noun

1. a waterbird with a broad blunt bill, short legs, webbed feet, and a waddling gait.
●Family Anatidae (the duck family); domesticated ducks are mainly descended from the mallard or wild duck. The duck family also includes geese and swans, from which ducks are distinguished by their generally smaller size and shorter necks.

2. a female duck.
Contrasted with drake^1.

3. a duck as food
[ mass noun]

• a tangy stew of duck, lamb, and sausage.

4. a pure white thin-shelled bivalve mollusc found off the Atlantic coasts of America.
●Genus Anatina, family Mactridae.

5. (also duck boat) — an amphibious transport vehicle

• visitors can board an amphibious duck to explore the city.

[respelling of DUKW.]

II. phrases

1. get (or have) one's ducks in a row

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› get (or have) one's facts straight; get (or have) everything organized.

• I want to have my ducks in a row before I go in there and confront them.

2. like water off a duck's back

referring to a potentially hurtful remark which has no apparent effect on the person involved

• it was like water off a duck's back to Nick, but I'm sure it upset Paul.

3. take to something like a duck to water

take to something very readily

• he shows every sign of taking to University politics like a duck to water.

– origin Old English duce, from the Germanic base of duck^2 (expressing the notion of ‘diving bird’).

duck^2 /dʌk/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — lower the head or the body quickly to avoid a blow or missile or so as not to be seen

• spectators ducked for cover

• [with obj.] he ducked his head and entered.

2. [with obj.] — avoid (a blow or missile) by moving quickly

• he ducked a punch from an angry first baseman.

3. [with obj.] — ‹informal› evade or avoid (an unwelcome duty or undertaking)

• a responsibility which a less courageous man might well have ducked

• [no obj.] I was engaged twice and ducked out both times.

4. [with obj.] — push or plunge (someone) under water, either playfully or as a punishment

• Rufus grabbed him from behind to duck him under the surface.

5. [no obj.] — [Bridge] refrain from playing a winning card on a particular trick for tactical reasons.

• declarer ducked the opening spade lead.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a quick lowering of the head.

III. phrases

duck and dive

(Brit.) use one's ingenuity to deal with or evade a situation.

• she was all for a bit of ducking and diving, that's how everyone lived.

IV. derivatives

ducker /ˈdʌkə /

noun

– origin Middle English: of Germanic origin; related to Dutch duiken and German tauchen ‘dive, dip, plunge’, also to duck^1.

duck^3 /dʌk / ducks

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› dear; darling (used as an informal or affectionate form of address, especially among cockneys).

• it's time you changed, my duck.

• where've yer been, ducks!

– origin late 16th cent.: from duck^1.

duck^4 /dʌk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a strong linen or cotton fabric, used chiefly for work clothes and sails.

• cotton duck.

2. ( ducks) — trousers made of duck.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Middle Dutch doek ‘linen, linen cloth’; related to German Tuch ‘cloth’.

duck^5 /dʌk/

I. noun

[Cricket] a batsman's score of nought

• he was out for a duck.

II. phrases

break one's duck

a. [Cricket] score the first run of one's innings.

b. (Brit.) make one's first score or achieve a particular feat for the first time.

• it was not until injury time that the Dark Blues broke their duck.

– origin mid 19th cent.: short for duck's egg, used for the figure 0 because of its similar outline.

duckbill /ˈdʌkbɪl/

I. noun

an animal with jaws resembling a duck's bill, e.g. a platypus or a duck-billed dinosaur.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. shaped like a duck's bill

• duckbill pliers.

duck-billed dinosaur

noun

another term for hadrosaur.

duck-billed platypus

noun

see platypus.

duckboard /ˈdʌkbɔːd/

noun — (usu. duckboards)

1. a board consisting of a number of wooden slats joined together, placed so as to form a path over muddy ground or in a trench.

• he spread a tarpaulin over the duckboards.

duck-dive

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. dive head first under the water while swimming.

• they duck-dived through the waves.

II. noun

a dive made head first while swimming.

duck-egg blue /ˌdʌkɛɡ ˈbluː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft, turquoise-blue shade.

duck face

noun

‹informal› an exaggerated pouting expression in which the lips are thrust outwards, typically made by a person posing for a photograph

• the pop star pursed her lips into a duck face in one shot

• [as modifier] her duck face selfies.

duck hawk

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹dated› the peregrine falcon.

ducking stool

noun

‹historical› a chair fastened to the end of a pole, used formerly to plunge offenders into a pond or river as a punishment.

duckling /ˈdʌklɪŋ/

noun

1. a young duck.

2. [ mass noun] — the flesh of a young duck as food.

duck mussel

noun

a freshwater bivalve mollusc that is smaller and darker than the related swan mussel, found in rivers with sandy or gravelly beds.
● Anodonta anatina, family Unionidae.

duckpin

noun

1. (US) a short, squat bowling pin.

2. [treated as sing.] ( duckpins) — (US) a game played with duckpins.

ducks and drakes

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a game of throwing flat stones so that they skim along the surface of water.

II. phrases

play ducks and drakes with

trifle with; treat frivolously.

• who is this man, to play ducks and drakes with a scientific expedition?

– origin late 16th cent.: from the movement of the stone over the water.

duck's arse ‹US› duck's ass

noun

‹informal› a man's hairstyle, associated especially with the 1950s, in which the hair is slicked back on both sides and tapered at the nape.

duck-shove

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› avoid or evade (a responsibility or issue).
(as noun duck-shoving)

• this sniping and duck-shoving between county councils and the Electricity Commission should cease.

II. derivatives

duck shover

noun

duck soup

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› an easy task, or someone easy to overcome

• we had some great battles, but against me he was duck soup.

ducktail

noun

North American term for duck's arse.

duckwalk

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. walk with the body in a squatting posture.

• lowering himself off the bench, he duckwalked toward the stern.

II. noun

a walk with the body in a squatting posture.

duckweed /ˈdʌkwiːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tiny aquatic flowering plant that floats in large quantities on still water, often forming an apparently continuous green layer on the surface.
●Family Lemnaceae, in particular the genus Lemna.

Duckworth–Lewis

I. adjective

denoting a method of determining the runs total needed to win a one-day cricket match that is affected by rain or other interruptions.

– origin named after the English statisticians Frank Duckworth (born 1939) and Tony Lewis (born 1942), who invented the method.

ducky /ˈdʌki / ‹informal›

I. noun

(Brit.) dear (used as a form of address)

• come and sit down, ducky.

II. adjective

(chiefly N. Amer.) charming; delightful

• everything here is just ducky.

– origin early 19th cent.: from duck^3.

duco /ˈdjuːkəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) ‹trademark› a kind of paint, used especially on the body of a motor vehicle

• the stuff is amazing at removing gumtree sap from a car's duco.

– origin 1920s: a trademark of the DuPont company.

duct /dʌkt/

I. noun

1. a tube or passageway in a building or machine for air, liquid, cables, etc.

• leading the air through ducts in the floor.

• ventilation ducts.

2. (in the body) a vessel for conveying lymph or glandular secretions such as tears or bile.

3. (in a plant) a vessel for conveying water, sap, or air.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. convey through a duct

• a ventilation system that must be ducted through the wall.

III. derivatives

ductal

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘course’ or ‘direction’): from Latin ductus ‘leading, aqueduct’ from duct- ‘led’, from the verb ducere.

ductile /ˈdʌktʌɪl/

I. adjective

1. (of a metal) able to be drawn out into a thin wire.

2. able to be deformed without losing toughness; pliable, not brittle.

II. derivatives

ductility /dʌkˈtɪlɪti /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘malleable’): from Latin ductilis, from duct- ‘led’, from the verb ducere.

ducting /ˈdʌktɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of ducts.

• they scrambled along ducting and into the room.

2. tubing or piping forming a system of ducts.

• push the flat ducting through to the inside.

ductless /ˈdʌktləs/

adjective

[Anatomy] denoting a gland that secretes directly into the bloodstream, such as an endocrine gland or a lymph gland.

duct tape

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) strong cloth-backed waterproof adhesive tape.

– origin 1970s: originally used for repairing leaks in ducted ventilation and heating systems.

ductule /ˈdʌktjuːl/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a minute duct.

II. derivatives

ductular

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: Latin, diminutive of ductus ‘leading’.

ductus /ˈdʌktəs/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a duct.

• ductus venosus.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘leading’.

ductwork

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system or network of ducts.

dud /dʌd / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. a thing that fails to work properly or is otherwise unsatisfactory or worthless

• all three bombs were duds.

2. an ineffectual person.

• a complete dud, incapable of even hitting the ball.

3. ( duds) — clothes

• buy yourself some new duds.

II. adjective

1. not working or meeting standards; faulty

• a dud ignition switch.

2. counterfeit

• she was charged with issuing dud cheques.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› trick or swindle (someone)

• they became increasingly aware of their rights and how much they were being dudded.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘item of clothing’): of unknown origin.

dude /d(j)uːd / ‹informal chiefly N. Amer.›

I. noun

1. a man; a guy (often as a form of address)

• hey dude, what's up?

• if some dude smacked me, I'd smack him back.

2. a stylish and confident person

• cool dudes.

3. ‹dated› a dandy.

II. verb — [no obj.] ( dude up)

1. dress up elaborately

• my brother was all duded up in silver and burgundy.

III. derivatives

dudish /ˈd(j)uːdɪʃ /

adjective

– origin late 19th cent. (denoting a dandy): probably from German dialect Dude ‘fool’.

dudeen /duːˈdiːn/

I. noun

(Irish) ‹historical› a short clay tobacco pipe.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Irish dúidín, diminutive of dúd ‘pipe’.

dude ranch

noun

(in the western US) a cattle ranch converted to a holiday centre for tourists.

dudgeon /ˈdʌdʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of offence or deep resentment

• the manager walked out in high dudgeon.

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

Dudley /ˈdʌdli/

an industrial town in the west Midlands of England, near Birmingham; pop. 193,200 (est. 2009).

Dudley, Robert /ˈdʌdli/

Earl of Leicester ( c. 1532–88), English nobleman, military commander, and favourite of Elizabeth I.

due /djuː/

I. adjective

1. [ predic.] — expected at or planned for at a certain time

• the baby's due in August

• he is due back soon

• [with infinitive] talks are due to adjourn tomorrow.

2. (of a payment) required at a certain time

• the May instalment was due.

3. (of a person) having reached a point where the thing mentioned is required or owed

• she was due for a rise.

4. (of a thing) required or owed as a legal or moral obligation

• he was only taking back what was due to him

• you must pay any income tax due.

5. [ attrib.] — of the proper quality or extent

• driving without due care and attention.

II. noun

1. ( one's due/dues) — one's right; what is owed to one

• he thought it was his due.

2. ( dues) — an obligatory payment; a fee

• he had paid trade union dues for years.

III. adverb

(with reference to a point of the compass) exactly; directly

• we'll head due south again on the same road.

IV. phrases

1. due to

a. caused by or ascribable to

• his death was not due to any lack of care.

b. because of; owing to

• he had to withdraw due to a knee injury.

2. give someone their due

be fair to someone.

• give the man his due—he's a vegetarian and he generates his own electricity with wind towers.

3. in due course

at the appropriate time

• the range will be extended in due course.

4. pay one's dues

a. fulfil one's obligations.

• if she was the caring person she makes herself out to be she would insist on paying her dues.

b. experience difficulties before achieving success

• this drummer has paid his dues with the best.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘payable’): from Old French deu ‘owed’, based on Latin debitus ‘owed’, from debere ‘owe’. / usage: Due to in the sense ‘because of’, as in he had to retire due to an injury, has been condemned as incorrect on the grounds that due is an adjective and should not be used as a preposition; owing to is often recommended as a better alternative. However, the prepositional use, first recorded at the end of the 19th century, is now common in all types of literature and is regarded as part of standard English.

due date

noun

the date on which something falls due, especially the payment of a bill or the expected birth of a baby.

due diligence

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] reasonable steps taken by a person to avoid committing a tort or offence.

2. [Law] a comprehensive appraisal of a business undertaken by a prospective buyer, especially to establish its assets and liabilities and evaluate its commercial potential.

duel /ˈdjuːəl/

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly historical› a prearranged contest with deadly weapons between two people in order to settle a point of honour.

• twice he had seriously wounded men in duels.

2. ‹chiefly historical› (in modern use) a contest between two parties

• he won by a short head after a great final-furlong duel.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. fight a duel or duels.

• shall we duel over this?

• (as noun duelling) duelling had been forbidden for serving officers.

III. derivatives

1. dueller /ˈdjuːələ / ‹US› dueler

noun

2. duellist /ˈdjuːəlɪst / ‹US› duelist

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin duellum, archaic and literary form of bellum ‘war’, used in medieval Latin with the meaning ‘combat between two persons’, partly influenced by dualis ‘of two’. The original sense was ‘single combat used to decide a judicial dispute’; the sense ‘contest to decide a point of honour’ dates from the early 17th cent.

duello /djuːˈɛləʊ/

I. noun — ( the duello)

1. ‹historical› the custom of duelling or the established code governing duellists

• the laws of the duello as laid down in every civilized country.

2. ‹historical› a duel

• none shall fight duellos here.

– origin late 16th cent.: Italian, ‘duel’.

duende /duːˈɛndeɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a quality of passion and inspiration.

2. [ count noun] — a spirit.

– origin 1920s: from Spanish, contraction of duen de casa, from dueño de casa ‘owner of the house’.

duenna /duːˈɛnə/

I. noun

an older woman acting as a governess and companion in charge of girls, especially in a Spanish family; a chaperone.

– origin mid 17th cent.: earlier form of Spanish dueña, from Latin domina ‘lady, mistress’.

due process due process of law

noun — [ mass noun]

1. fair treatment through the normal judicial system, especially a citizen's entitlement to notice of a charge and a hearing before an impartial judge.

Duero /ˈdwero/

Spanish name for Douro.

duet /djuːˈɛt/

I. noun

1. a performance by two singers, instrumentalists, or dancers.

• performing duets with famous foreign artists.

2. a musical composition for two performers.

• a simple duet for two cellos.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. perform a duet.

• they duetted at the tribute concert.

• he duetted with Johnny on a ballad.

III. derivatives

duettist /djuːˈɛtɪst /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Italian duetto, diminutive of duo ‘duet’, from Latin duo ‘two’.

Dufay, Guillaume /djuːˈfʌɪ, French dyfaj/

( c. 1400–74), French composer. He made a significant contribution to the development of Renaissance polyphony.

duff^1 /dʌf/

I. noun — [usu. with modifier]

1. a flour pudding boiled or steamed in a cloth bag

• a currant duff.

– origin mid 19th cent.: northern English form of dough.

duff^2 /dʌf/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› of very poor quality

• duff lyrics.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› incorrect or false

• she played a couple of duff notes.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) (Scottish) decaying vegetable matter covering the ground under trees.

• generally the fires in this area burn the duff and underbrush and scorch a few trees.

– origin late 18th cent. (denoting something worthless): of unknown origin.

duff^3 /dʌf/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ( duff someone up) — ‹informal› (Brit.) beat someone up.

• I'm going to go round to his house with a bunch of mates and duff him up.

2. ‹informal› (Austral.) steal and alter brands on (cattle).

• complaining to the police that his stock was being duffed.

3. ‹informal› [Golf] (Brit.) mishit (a shot).

• he duffed the ball short of the green.

– origin early 19th cent.: of uncertain origin; sense 2 and sense 3 are probably back-formations from duffer^2 and duffer^1.

duff^4 /dʌf/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person's buttocks

• I did not get where I am today by sitting on my duff.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

duff^5 /dʌf/

I. noun — (in phrase up the duff)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› pregnant

• it looks like he's got her up the duff.

– origin 1940s (originally Australian): perhaps related to duff^1.

duffel /ˈdʌf(ə)l / duffle

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a coarse woollen cloth with a thick nap.
[as modifier]

• a duffel hat.

2. (N. Amer.) sporting or camping equipment.

• our duffel was already stacked by the cook tent.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Duffel, the name of a town in Belgium where the cloth was originally made.

duffel bag /ˈdʌflbaɡ/

I. noun

a cylindrical canvas bag closed by a drawstring and carried over the shoulder.

– origin early 20th cent. (originally US): from duffel (sense 2), originally denoting a bag for equipment.

duffel coat /ˈdʌflkəʊt/

noun

a coat made of duffel, typically hooded and fastened with toggles.

duffer^1 /ˈdʌfə/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› an incompetent or stupid person

• a complete duffer at languages.

2. ‹informal› (Austral./NZ) an unproductive mine.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Scots dowfart ‘stupid person’, from douf ‘spiritless’.

duffer^2 /ˈdʌfə/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a person who steals and alters the brands on cattle.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin; in use earlier as thieves' slang for ‘someone who sells trashy articles as if they were valuable’.

Duffy, Carol Ann

(b.1955), Scottish poet, Poet Laureate since 2009. She is the first woman to hold the post.

Du Fu /duː/

variant of Tu Fu.

Dufy, Raoul /ˈdjuːfi, French dyfi/

(1877–1953), French painter and textile designer. His characteristic style involved calligraphic outlines sketched on brilliant background washes.

dug^1 /dʌɡ/

past and past participle of dig.

dug^2 /dʌɡ/

I. noun — (usu. dugs)

1. the udder, teat, or nipple of a female animal.

2. ‹archaic› a woman's breast.

– origin mid 16th cent.: possibly of Old Norse origin and related to Swedish dägga, Danish dægge ‘suckle’.

dugite /ˈdjuːɡʌɪt/

I. noun

a highly venomous snake found in SW Australia, similar to the related brown snakes.
● Pseudonaja affinis, family Elapidae.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Nyungar dukayj.

dugong /ˈduːɡɒŋ, ˈdjuːɡɒŋ/

I. noun

a sea cow found on the coasts of the Indian Ocean from eastern Africa to northern Australia. It is distinguished from the manatees by its forked tail.
● Dugong dugon, family Dugongidae.

– origin early 19th cent.: based on Malay duyong.

dugout /ˈdʌɡaʊt/

noun

1. a trench that is dug and roofed over as a shelter for troops.

• the German gun crews kept in their dugouts.

2. an underground air-raid or nuclear shelter.

3. a low shelter at the side of a sports field for a team's coaches and substitutes.

4. (also dugout canoe) — a canoe made from a hollowed tree trunk.

duh /dəː/

exclamation

used to comment on a foolish or stupid action, especially someone else's.

DUI

abbreviation

(US) driving under the influence (of drugs or alcohol).

duiker /ˈdʌɪkə/

I. noun

1. a small African antelope that typically has a tuft of hair between the horns, found mainly in forests.
● Cephalophus and other genera, family Bovidae: several species, including the common duiker ( Sylvicapra grimmia), which is unusual in occurring in open savannah, and the very small blue duiker ( Philantomba monticola), prized for its skin.

2. (S. African) a cormorant.
●Genus Phalacrocorax, family Phalacrocoracidae; several species, in particular the long-tailed cormorant, P. africanus.

– origin late 18th cent.: from South African Dutch, from Dutch, literally ‘diver’, from the antelope's habit of plunging through bushes when pursued; related to duck^2.

Duisburg /ˈdjuːsbəːɡ, German ˈdysbʊrk/

an industrial city in NW Germany, in North Rhine-Westphalia; pop. 499,100 (est. 2006).

du jour /d(j)uː ˈʒʊə, French dy ʒuʀ/

I. adjective — [ postpositive]

1. ‹informal› used to describe something that is enjoying great but probably short-lived popularity or publicity

• black comedy is the genre du jour.

– origin French, literally ‘of the day’.

duke /djuːk/

I. noun

1. a male holding the highest hereditary title in the British and certain other peerages.

2. ‹chiefly historical› (in some parts of Europe) a male ruler of a small independent state.

3. ( dukes) — ‹informal› the fists, especially when raised in a fighting attitude.
[from rhyming slang Duke of Yorks ‘forks’ (= fingers).]

II. verb — [no obj.] ( duke it out)

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› fight it out.

– origin Old English (denoting the ruler of a duchy), from Old French duc, from Latin dux, duc- ‘leader’; related to ducere ‘to lead’.

duke cherry

noun

a cultivated cherry which is a hybrid between the sweet cherry and the sour cherry.
● Prunus × gondouinii, family Rosaceae.

dukedom /ˈdjuːkdəm/

noun

1. a territory ruled by a duke.

2. the rank of duke.

dukun /ˈduːkʌn/

I. noun

(SE Asian) a traditional healer believed to have spiritual and occult powers; a shaman.

– origin Indonesian.

DUKW

I. noun

an amphibious transport vehicle, especially as used by the Allies during the Second World War.
Also called duck^1.

– origin an official designation, being a combination of factory-applied letters referring to features of the vehicle.

dulcamara /ˌdʌlkəˈmɛːrə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an extract of woody nightshade, used in homeopathy especially for treating skin diseases and chest complaints.

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin (used as a specific epithet in Solanum dulcamara), from Latin dulcis ‘sweet’ + amara ‘bitter’.

dulcet /ˈdʌlsɪt/

I. adjective

(especially of sound) sweet and soothing (often used ironically)

• record the dulcet tones of your family and friends.

– origin late Middle English doucet, from Old French doucet, diminutive of doux, from Latin dulcis ‘sweet’. The Latin form influenced the modern spelling.

dulcian /ˈdʌlsɪən/

I. noun

1. an early type of bassoon made in one piece.

2. any of various organ stops, typically with 8-foot funnel-shaped flue pipes or 8- or 16-foot reed pipes.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German Dulzian, or a variant of dulciana.

dulciana /ˌdʌlsɪˈɑːnə/

I. noun

an organ stop, typically with small conical open metal pipes.

– origin late 18th cent.: via medieval Latin from Latin dulcis ‘sweet’.

dulcify /ˈdʌlsɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› sweeten

• cider pap dulcified with molasses.

2. ‹rare› calm or soothe

• the exquisite melody dulcifies whatever pain the singer's words express.

II. derivatives

dulcification /dʌlsɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘sweeten’): from Latin dulcificare ‘sweeten’, from dulcis ‘sweet’.

dulcimer /ˈdʌlsɪmə/

I. noun

a musical instrument with a sounding board or box, typically trapezoid in shape, over which strings of graduated length are stretched, played by plucking or especially by being struck with handheld hammers. The term hammered dulcimer is sometimes used, especially in the US, to distinguish these from plucked instruments such as the Appalachian dulcimer.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French doulcemer, probably from Latin dulce melos ‘sweet melody’.

dulcitone /ˈdʌlsɪtəʊn/

I. noun

a musical keyboard instrument in which a series of steel tuning forks are struck by hammers. It was invented in the late 19th century and was superseded by the celesta.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined by T. Machell, the instrument's inventor, from Latin dulcis ‘sweet’ + tonus ‘tone’.

dulia /djʊˈlʌɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Roman Catholic theology) the reverence accorded to saints and angels.
Compare with latria.

– origin late Middle English: via medieval Latin from Greek douleia ‘servitude’, from doulos ‘slave’.

dull /dʌl/

I. adjective

1. lacking interest or excitement

• your diet doesn't have to be dull and boring.

2. ‹archaic› (of a person) feeling bored and dispirited.

• she said she wouldn't be dull and lonely.

3. lacking brightness, vividness, or sheen

• his face glowed in the dull lamplight

• his black hair looked dull.

4. (of the weather) overcast; gloomy

• next morning dawned dull.

5. (of sound) not clear; muffled

• a dull thud of hooves.

6. (of pain) indistinctly felt; not acute

• there was a dull pain in his lower jaw.

7. (of an edge or blade) blunt.

• when cutting hard rock the edge soon became dull.

8. (of activity) sluggish or slow-moving

• shares closed weaker after a day of dull trading.

9. (of a person) slow to understand; stupid

• the voice of a teacher talking to a rather dull child.

10. ‹archaic› (of a person's senses) not perceiving things distinctly.

II. verb

make or become dull or less intense
[with obj.]

• time dulls the memory

• [no obj.] Albert's eyes dulled a little.

III. phrases

1. (as) dull as dishwater (or ditchwater)

(Brit.) extremely dull.

2. dull the edge of

cause to be less keenly felt; reduce the intensity of

• she'd have to find something to dull the edges of the pain.

IV. derivatives

1. dullish /ˈdʌlɪʃ /

adjective

2. dully /ˈdʌlˌli /

adverb

– origin Old English dol ‘stupid’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dol ‘crazy’ and German toll ‘mad, fantastic, wonderful’.

dullard /ˈdʌləd/

I. noun

a slow or stupid person.

• he was caricatured as a dupe and a dullard.

• [as modifier] his dullard cousin.

– origin Middle English: from Middle Dutch dullaert, from dul ‘dull’.

dull-coloured

adjective

of a dull colour such as light brown

• they argued the merits of dull-coloured uniforms to reduce visibility in the desert.

Dulles, John Foster /ˈdʌlɪs/

(1888–1959), American Republican statesman and international lawyer. He was the US adviser at the founding of the United Nations in 1945 and negotiated the peace treaty with Japan in 1951.

dullness /ˈdʌlnəs / ‹US› dulness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of interest or excitement

• tasks of such repetitive and numbing dullness

• a desert of unremitting flatness and dullness

• the dullness of domestic life.

2. lack of brightness, vividness, or sheen

• flowery options to brighten up the dullness of autumn

• the summer light cut into the dullness of the room

• the dullness of the colours.

3. the quality of being slow to understand; stupidity

• critical comments on the stupidity or dullness of those in authority

• dullness of comprehension.

4. the quality of not perceiving things distinctly

• you might notice mental dullness that feels like a hangover

• dullness of vision

• 70 per cent of clubbers suffer dullness of hearing or ringing in the ears.

dullsville /ˈdʌlzvɪl / ‹informal chiefly N. Amer.›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dull or monotonous place or condition.

II. adjective

dull or monotonous

• she has transformed their dullsville life.

dull-witted

adjective

slow to understand; stupid.

• a dogged, dull-witted plodder.

dulosis /djʊːˈləʊsis/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Entomology] the practice by slave-making ants of capturing the pupae of other ant species and rearing them as workers of their own colony.

II. derivatives

dulotic

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek doulōsis ‘slavery’, from doulos ‘slave’.

dulse /dʌls/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark red edible seaweed with flattened branching fronds.
● Rhodymenia palmata, division Rhodophyta. .

– origin early 17th cent.: from Irish and Scottish Gaelic duileasg.

Duluth /dəˈluːθ/

a port in NE Minnesota, at the western end of Lake Superior; pop. 84,284 (est. 2008).

duly /ˈdjuːli/

adverb

1. in accordance with what is required or appropriate; following proper procedure or arrangement

• a document duly signed and authorized by the inspector

• the ceremony duly began at midnight.

2. as might be expected or predicted

• I used the tent and was duly impressed.

dum /dʌm/

I. adjective

(Indian) cooked with steam

• dum aloo.

– origin from Hindi dam.

Duma /ˈduːmə/

noun

1. a legislative body in the ruling assembly of Russia and of some other republics of the former Soviet Union.

‘Duma’ originally denoted pre-19th century advisory municipal councils in Russia. It later referred to any of four elected legislative bodies established due to popular demand in Russia between 1906 and 1917. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a new Duma was set up in 1993 as the lower chamber of the Russian parliament.

Dumas /ˈdjuːmɑː, French dymɑ/

I. the name of two French novelists and dramatists:

II. Alexandre (1802–70); known as Dumas père. Although he was a pioneer of the romantic theatre in France, his reputation now rests on his historical adventure novels The Three Musketeers (1844–5) and The Count of Monte Cristo (1844–5).

III. Alexandre (1824–95), son of Dumas père; known as Dumas fils. He wrote the novel (and play) La Dame aux camélias (1848), which formed the basis of Verdi's opera La Traviata (1853).

du Maurier, Dame Daphne /djuː ˈmɒrɪeɪ/

(1907–89), English novelist, granddaughter of George du Maurier. Many of her popular novels and period romances are set in the West Country of England, where she spent most of her life. Notable works: Jamaica Inn (1936) and Rebecca (1938).

du Maurier, George /djuː ˈmɒrɪeɪ/

(1834–96), French-born novelist, cartoonist, and illustrator; full name George Louis Palmella Busson du Maurier. He is chiefly remembered for his novel Trilby (1894), which included the character Svengali and gave rise to the word Svengali for a person with a hypnotic influence on another.

dumb /dʌm/

I. adjective

1. [ predic.] — temporarily unable or unwilling to speak

• she stood dumb while he poured out a stream of abuse.

2. [ attrib.] — resulting in or expressed by speechlessness

• they stared in dumb amazement.

3. ‹dated› ‹offensive› (of a person) unable to speak, most typically because of congenital deafness

• he was born deaf, dumb, and blind.

4. (of animals) unable to speak as a natural state and thus regarded as helpless or deserving pity.

5. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) stupid

• a dumb question.

6. (of a computer terminal) able only to transmit data to or receive data from a computer; having no independent processing capability.
Often contrasted with intelligent.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ( dumb something down) — ‹informal› simplify or reduce the intellectual content of something so as to make it accessible to a larger number of people

• the producers categorically deny that they're dumbing down the show.

2. [no obj.] ( dumb down) — become less intellectually challenging

• the need to dumb down for mass audiences.

3. ‹literary› make dumb or unheard; silence

• a splendour that dazed the mind and dumbed the tongue.

III. phrases

1. dumb luck

pure chance

• finally, through dumb luck, it worked and I got a network connection.

2. play dumb

pretend to be unintelligent or unaware in order to deceive someone or gain an advantage

• ‘Hide what?’ Aubrey said, still playing dumb.

IV. derivatives

1. dumbly /ˈdʌmli /

adverb

2. dumbness /ˈdʌmnəs /

noun

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse dumbr and Gothic dumbs ‘mute’, also to Dutch dom ‘stupid’ and German dumm ‘stupid’. / usage: Although dumb meaning ‘not able to speak’ is the older sense, it has been overwhelmed by the newer sense (meaning ‘stupid’) to such an extent that the use of the first sense is now almost certain to cause offence. Alternatives such as speech-impaired should be used instead.

Dumbarton /dʌmˈbɑːt(ə)n/

a town in Scotland on the Clyde west of Glasgow, in West Dunbartonshire; pop. 19,500 (est. 2009).

dumb-ass

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› stupid; brainless

• dumb-ass politicians.

dumb-bell /ˈdʌmbɛl/

I. noun

1. a short bar with a weight at each end, used typically in pairs for exercise or muscle-building.

2. [as modifier] — shaped like a dumb-bell

• a dumb-bell molecule.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a stupid person.

– origin early 18th cent.: originally denoting an apparatus similar to that used to ring a church bell (but without the bell, so noiseless or ‘dumb’); sense 2 (dating from the 1920s) is an extended use by association with dumb ‘stupid’.

dumb blonde

noun

‹informal› a blonde-haired woman perceived in a stereotypical way as being attractive but unintelligent.

dumb cane

noun

a thick-stemmed plant with large variegated leaves, native to tropical America and widely grown as a houseplant.
●Genus Dieffenbachia, family Araceae: several species, in particular the Caribbean D. seguine, which has a poisonous sap that swells the tongue and destroys the power of speech.

dumbed-down

adjective

‹informal› simplified so as to be intellectually undemanding and accessible to a wide audience

• the dumbed-down nature of modern politics.

dumbfound /dʌmˈfaʊnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. greatly astonish or amaze

• she was dumbfounded at the sight that met her eyes

• [as adj.] a dumbfounded look on her face.

II. derivatives

dumbfoundedness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: blend of dumb and confound.

dumbhead /ˈdʌmhɛd/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a stupid person.

dumb iron

noun

‹historical› a curved side piece of a vehicle chassis, to which the front springs are attached.

dumbo /ˈdʌmbəʊ/

I. noun

‹informal› a stupid person.

– origin 1950s (originally US): from dumb + -o, popularized by the 1941 cartoon film Dumbo.

dumbphone

I. noun

a basic mobile phone that lacks the advanced functionality characteristic of a smartphone

• there are still six dumbphones out there for every smartphone.

– origin 1990s (first referring to a phone used to access the functionality of a more sophisticated system): from dumb and phone^1 (as opposed to smartphone).

dumb piano

noun

a dummy piano keyboard for exercising the fingers.

dumbshow /ˈdʌmʃəʊ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. gestures used to convey a meaning or message without speech; mime

• they demonstrated in dumbshow how the tea should be made.

2. [ count noun] — a piece of dramatic mime

• there were gags, spoofs, and dumbshows.

3. [ count noun] — (especially in English drama of the 16th and 17th centuries) a part of a play acted in mime to summarize, supplement, or comment on the main action.

dumbsize /ˈdʌmsaɪz/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly US) (of a company) reduce staff numbers to levels so low that work can no longer be carried out effectively.

• make smart changes—don't dumbsize.

– origin 1990s: humorously, on the pattern of downsize.

dumbstruck /ˈdʌmstrʌk/

adjective

so shocked or surprised as to be unable to speak

• he was dumbstruck with terror.

dumb waiter

noun

1. a small lift for carrying things, especially food and crockery, between the floors of a building.

2. (Brit.) a movable table, typically with revolving shelves, used in a dining room.

dumdum /ˈdʌmdʌm / dumdum bullet

I. noun

a kind of soft-nosed bullet that expands on impact and inflicts laceration.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Dum Dum, name of a town and arsenal in eastern India where such bullets were first produced.

dum-dum

I. noun

‹informal› a stupid person.

• the dum-dum at the back of the class.

– origin 1970s (originally US): reduplication of dumb.

Dumfries /dʌmˈfriːs/

a market town in SW Scotland, administrative centre of Dumfries and Galloway; pop. 30,900 (est. 2009).

Dumfries and Galloway

a council area in SW Scotland, formed in 1975; administrative centre, Dumfries.

Dumfriesshire /dʌmˈfriːsʃ(ɪ)ə/

a former county of SW Scotland, which became part of Dumfries and Galloway region in 1975.

dumka /ˈdʊmkə/

I. noun

a piece of Slavic music, originating as a folk ballad or lament, typically melancholy with contrasting lively sections.

– origin late 19th cent.: via Czech and Polish from Ukrainian.

dummy /ˈdʌmi/

I. noun

1. a model or replica of a human being

• a waxwork dummy.

2. a figure used for displaying or fitting clothes

• a tailor's dummy.

3. a ventriloquist's doll.

4. an object designed to resemble and serve as a substitute for the real or usual one

• tests using stuffed owls and wooden dummies

• [as modifier] a dummy torpedo.

5. (Brit.) a rubber or plastic teat for a baby to suck on.

6. a prototype or mock-up, especially of a book or the layout of a page.

7. a blank round of ammunition.

8. [as modifier] — [Grammar] denoting a word that has no semantic content but is used to maintain grammatical structure

• a dummy subject as in ‘it is’ or ‘there are’.

9. (chiefly in rugby and soccer) a feigned pass or kick intended to deceive an opponent.

10. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a stupid person.

11. [Bridge] the declarer's partner, whose cards are exposed on the table after the opening lead and played by the declarer.

12. [Bridge] the exposed hand of the declarer's partner.

13. an imaginary fourth player in whist
[as modifier]

• dummy whist.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly in rugby and soccer) feign a pass or kick in order to deceive an opponent

• Blanco dummied past a static defence.

III. phrases

sell someone a dummy

(chiefly in rugby and soccer) deceive an opponent by feigning a pass or kick.

IV. phrasal verbs

dummy up

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› keep quiet; give no information.

– origin late 16th cent.: from dumb + -y^1. The original sense was ‘a person who cannot speak’, then ‘an imaginary fourth player in whist’ (mid 18th cent.), whence ‘a substitute for the real thing’ and ‘a model of a human being’ (mid 19th cent.).

dummy run

noun

(Brit.) a practice or trial.

dumortierite /djʊˈmɔːtɪərʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rare blue or violet mineral occurring typically as needles and fibrous masses in gneiss and schist. It consists of an aluminium and iron borosilicate.

– origin late 19th cent.: from the name of V.-E. Dumortier (1802–76), French geologist, + -ite^1.

dump /dʌmp/

I. noun

1. a site for depositing rubbish.

2. a heap of rubbish left at a dump.

3. [usu. with modifier] — a place where a particular kind of waste, especially dangerous waste, is left

• a nuclear waste dump.

4. a place where weapons and other military equipment is stored

• an ammunitions dump.

5. ‹informal› an unpleasant or dreary place

• why are you living in a dump like this?

6. [Computing] an act of copying stored data to a different location, performed typically as a protection against loss.

7. a printout or list of the contents of a computer's memory, occurring typically after a system failure.

8. ‹informal› an act of defecation.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. deposit or dispose of (rubbish, waste, or unwanted material), typically in a careless or hurried way

• trucks dumped 1,900 tons of refuse here.

2. abandon (something) hurriedly in order to make an escape

• the couple dumped the car and fled.

3. put (something) down heavily or carelessly

• she dumped her knapsack on the floor.

4. ‹informal› abandon or desert (someone)

• Zoë was heartbroken when her boyfriend dumped her.

5. send (goods unsaleable in the home market) to a foreign market for sale at a low price

• these countries have been dumping cheap fertilizers on the UK market.

6. ‹informal› sell off (assets) rapidly

• investors dumped shares in scores of other consumer-goods firms.

7. [Computing] copy (stored data) to a different location, especially so as to protect against loss.

8. print out or list the contents of (a store), especially after a system failure.

III. phrasal verbs

dump on

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› criticize or abuse (someone); treat badly

• you get dumped on just because of your name.

– origin Middle English: perhaps from Old Norse; related to Danish dumpe and Norwegian dumpa ‘fall suddenly’ (the original sense in English); in later use partly imitative; compare with thump.

dump bin

noun

a promotional box in a shop for displaying books or other items.

dumpee /dʌmˈpiː/

noun

‹informal› a person whose partner has abruptly ended their sexual or romantic relationship.

• ‘get over it’ is easy to say, but painful to do—especially if you're the dumpee.

dumper /ˈdʌmpə/

noun

1. a person or thing that dumps something.

2. (also dumper truck) — (Brit.) a truck with a body that tilts or opens at the back for unloading.

3. (Austral./NZ) a large wave that breaks and hurls the swimmer or surfer on to the beach.

4. (N. Amer.) a large metal container for rubbish.

5. ( the dumper) — ‹informal› used in reference to a bad or unwanted state

• his career's in the dumper.

dumping ground

noun

a place where rubbish or unwanted material is left.

• ‹figurative› some estates have become dumping grounds for ‘problem’ families.

dumping syndrome

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a group of symptoms, including weakness, abdominal discomfort, and sometimes abnormally rapid bowel evacuation, occurring after meals in some patients who have undergone gastric surgery.

dumpling /ˈdʌmplɪŋ/

I. noun

1. a small savoury ball of dough (usually made with suet) which may be boiled, fried, or baked in a casserole.

2. a pudding consisting of apple or other fruit enclosed in a sweet dough and baked.

3. a small, fat person

• he was a 250-pound dumpling.

– origin early 17th cent.: apparently from the rare adjective dump ‘of the consistency of dough’, although dumpling is recorded much earlier.

dumps /dʌm(p)s/

I. plural noun — (in phrase (down) in the dumps)

1. ‹informal› (of a person) depressed or unhappy.

• she was feeling a bit down in the dumps.

– origin early 16th cent. (originally singular in the sense ‘a dazed or puzzled state’): probably a figurative use of Middle Dutch domp ‘haze, mist’.

dumpster /ˈdʌmpstə/

I. noun

(US) ‹trademark› a very large container for rubbish; a skip.

– origin 1930s: originally Dempster Dumpster, proprietary name (based on dump) given by the American manufacturers, Dempster Brothers of Knoxville, Tennessee.

dump truck

noun

(N. Amer.) a dumper truck.

dumpy /ˈdʌmpi/

I. adjective

(of a person) short and stout

• her plain, dumpy sister.

II. derivatives

1. dumpily

adverb

2. dumpiness /ˈdʌmpɪnəs /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from dumpling + -y^1.

Dumyat /dʊmˈjɑːt/

Arabic name for Damietta.

dun^1 /dʌn/

I. adjective

1. of a dull greyish-brown colour

• a dun cow.

2. ‹literary› dark or dusky

• when the dun evening comes.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a dull greyish-brown colour.

2. a horse with a sandy or sandy-grey coat, black mane, tail, and lower legs, and a dark dorsal stripe.

3. a subadult mayfly, which has drab coloration and opaque wings.

4. an artificial fishing fly made to resemble a dun.

– origin Old English dun, dunn, of Germanic origin; probably related to dusk.

dun^2 /dʌn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make persistent demands on (someone), especially for payment of a debt.

• after he left Oxford he was frequently dunned for his debts.

II. noun

1. ‹archaic› a debt collector or an insistent creditor.

2. ‹archaic› a demand for payment.

– origin early 17th cent. (as a noun): from obsolete Dunkirk privateer, from the French port of Dunkirk.

dun^3 /dʌn/

I. noun

[Archaeology] a stone-built fortified settlement in Scotland or Ireland, of a kind built from the late Iron Age to the early Middle Ages. The word is a frequent place-name element in Scotland and Ireland.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Irish dún, Scottish Gaelic dùn ‘hill or hill fort’.

dunam /ˈdʊnəm/

I. noun

a measure of land area used in parts of the former Turkish empire, including Israel (where it is equal to about 900 square metres).

– origin from modern Hebrew dûnām or Arabic dūnum, from Turkish dönüm, from dönmek ‘go round’.

dun-bar /dʌnˈbɑː/

noun

a variable European moth with darker lines and bands on the wings, found in wooded districts.
● Cosmia trapezina, family Noctuidae.

Dunbar, William /dʌnˈbɑː/

( c. 1456– c. 1513), Scottish poet. He was the author of satires such as the political allegory ‘The Thrissill and the Rois’ ( ‘The Thistle and the Rose’, 1503) and of elegies such as ‘Lament for the Makaris’.

Dunbar's number Dunbar number

I. noun

a theoretical limit to the number of people with whom any individual is able to sustain a stable or meaningful social relationship (usually considered to be roughly 150)

• even in the age of Facebook, the number of friends with whom you keep in touch is likely to be less than Dunbar's number.

– origin early 21st cent.: named after Robin Dunbar (b. 1947), the British anthropologist and psychologist who proposed the theory in the 1990s.

Dunbartonshire /dʌnˈbɑːt(ə)nʃ(ɪ)ə / Dumbartonshire

a former county of west central Scotland, on the Clyde, divided into East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire council areas.

Duncan, Isadora

(1878–1927), American dancer and teacher. She was a pioneer of modern dance, famous for her ‘free’ barefoot dancing. She died through being accidentally strangled when her scarf became entangled in the wheels of a car.

Duncan I

( c. 1010–40), king of Scotland 1034–40. He was killed in battle by Macbeth.

dunce /dʌns/

I. noun

a person who is slow at learning; a stupid person.

• he was baffled by arithmetic and they called him a dunce at school.

– origin early 16th cent.: originally an epithet for a follower of John Duns Scotus (see Duns Scotus, John), whose followers were ridiculed by 16th-cent. humanists and reformers as enemies of learning.

dunce's cap ‹N. Amer.› dunce cap

noun

a paper cone formerly put on the head of a dunce at school as a mark of disgrace.

Dundalk /dʌnˈdɔːk/

the county town of Louth, in the Republic of Ireland, a port on the east coast; pop. 29,037 (2006).

Dundee /dʌnˈdiː/

a city in eastern Scotland, on the north side of the Firth of Tay; pop. 141,600 (est. 2009).

Dundee cake

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a rich fruit cake, typically decorated on top with almonds.

dunderhead /ˈdʌndəhɛd/

I. noun

‹informal› a stupid person.

• show the dunderheads how the thing should be handled.

II. derivatives

dunderheaded

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: compare with obsolete Scots dunder, dunner ‘resounding noise’; related to din.

dune /djuːn/

I. noun

a mound or ridge of sand or other loose sediment formed by the wind, especially on the sea coast or in a desert

• a sand dune.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Middle Dutch dūne; related to Old English dūn ‘hill’ (see down^3).

dune buggy

noun

another term for beach buggy.

Dunedin /dʌˈniːdɪn/

a city and port in the South Island, New Zealand, founded in 1848 by Scottish settlers; pop. 118,683 (2006).

Dunfermline /dʌnˈfəːmlɪn/

a town in Fife, Scotland, near the Firth of Forth; pop. 51,500 (est. 2009).

dung /dʌŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the excrement of animals; manure.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of an animal) defecate.

2. [with obj.] — drop or spread dung on (a piece of ground).

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to German Dung, Swedish dynga, Icelandic dyngja ‘dung, dunghill, heap’, and Danish dynge ‘heap’.

dungaree /ˌdʌŋɡəˈriː/

I. noun

1. ( dungarees) — (chiefly Brit.) a garment consisting of trousers with a bib held up by straps over the shoulders, made of calico, denim, or a similar material and worn as casual or working clothes.

2. (N. Amer.) hard-wearing denim trousers.

3. [ mass noun] — a kind of coarse Indian calico.

– origin late 17th cent. (in sense 2): from Hindi duṅgrī.

Dungarvan /dʌnˈɡɑːv(ə)n/

a town on the south coast of the Republic of Ireland, the administrative centre of Waterford; pop. 7,813 (2006).

dung beetle

noun

a beetle whose larvae feed on dung, especially a scarab. The larger kinds place the dung in a hole before the eggs are laid, and some of them roll it along in a ball.
●Superfamily Scarabaeoidea, in particular families Scarabaeidae and Geotrupidae.

Dungeness crab /ˌdʌndʒəˈnɛs/

I. noun

a large crab found off the west coast of North America, where it is popular as food.
● Cancer magister, family Cancridae.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from Dungeness, the name of a fishing village on the coast of Washington State.

dungeon /ˈdʌn(d)ʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a strong underground prison cell, especially in a castle.

2. archaic term for donjon.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› imprison (someone) in a dungeon.

– origin Middle English (also with the sense ‘castle keep’): from Old French (perhaps originally with the sense ‘lord's tower’ or ‘mistress tower’), based on Latin dominus ‘lord, master’. Compare with donjon.

Dungeons and Dragons

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a fantasy role-playing game set in an imaginary world based loosely on medieval myth.

dung fly

noun

a hairy fly that lays its eggs in fresh dung.
●Families Scathophagidae and Sphaeroceridae: several species.

dunghill /ˈdʌŋhɪl / dungheap

noun

a heap of dung or refuse, especially in a farmyard.

dungworm

noun

an earthworm found in dung or compost, used by anglers as bait.

Dunhuang /dʊnˈhwaŋ/

a town in NW China, in Gansu province, located on the old Silk Road near the site of the earliest known Buddhist cave shrines (4th century AD).

dunite /ˈdʌnʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock consisting largely of olivine.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite^1.

dunk /dʌŋk/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — dip (bread or other food) into a drink or soup before eating it

• I dunked a biscuit into the cup of scalding tea.

2. immerse or dip in water

• he was dunked head first in the cold swimming pool.

3. [no obj.] — [Basketball] score by shooting the ball down through the basket with the hands above the rim.

II. noun

[Basketball] a shot downwards into the basket with the hands above the rim.

III. derivatives

dunker

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from Pennsylvanian German dunke ‘dip’, from German tunken ‘dip or plunge’.

Dunkard /ˈdʌŋkəd/

noun

another term for Dunker.

Dunker /ˈdʌŋkə/

I. noun

a member of the German Baptist Brethren, a sect of Baptist Christians founded in 1708 but living in the US since the 1720s.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Pennsylvanian German, from dunke (see dunk).

Dunkirk /dʌnˈkəːk/

I. a port in northern France; pop. 70,654 (2006). French name Dunkerque /dœ̃kɛʀk/.

Dunkirk was the scene of the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force in 1940. Forced to retreat to the Channel by the German breakthrough at Sedan, 335,000 Allied troops were evacuated by warships, requisitioned civilian ships, and a host of small boats, under constant attack from the air.

Dunkirk spirit

noun

(Brit.) stoicism and determination in a difficult or dangerous situation, especially as displayed by a group of people

• Yorkshire flood victims showed the Dunkirk spirit as they battled the rising water.

Dun Laoghaire /dʌn ˈlɪəri, ˈlɛːrə, Irish duːn ˈliːrʲə/

a ferry port and resort town in the Republic of Ireland, near Dublin; pop. 114,166 (2006).

dunlin /ˈdʌnlɪn/

I. noun

a migratory sandpiper with a downcurved bill and (in the breeding season) a reddish-brown back and black belly. It is the commonest small wader of the northern hemisphere.
● Calidris alpina, family Scolopacidae.

– origin mid 16th cent.: probably from dun^1 + -ling, from the greyish-brown winter colouring of its upper parts.

Dunlop /ˈdʌnlɒp, dʌnˈlɒp / Dunlop cheese

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a full-cream hard cheese originally made in Dunlop, near Ayr in Scotland.

Dunlop, John Boyd /ˈdʌnlɒp/

(1840–1921), Scottish inventor. He developed the first successful pneumatic bicycle tyre (1888), manufactured by the company named after him.

Dunmow flitch /ˈdʌnməʊ/

a side of bacon awarded at Great Dunmow in Essex on Whit Monday to any married couple who will swear that they have not quarrelled or repented of their marriage vows for at least a year and a day.

dunnage /ˈdʌnɪdʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. loose wood, matting, or similar material used to keep a cargo in position in a ship's hold.

2. ‹informal› a person's belongings, especially those brought on board ship.

– origin Middle English: of unknown origin.

dunnage bag

noun

a kitbag.

dunnart /ˈdʌnɑːt/

I. noun

a mouse-like insectivorous marsupial with a pointed snout and prominent eyes, found in Australia and New Guinea. Also called marsupial mouse.
●Genus Sminthopsis, family Dasyuridae: many species, including the common dunnart ( S. murina).

– origin 1920s: from Nyungar danart.

Dunnet Head /ˈdʌnɪt/

a headland on the north coast of Scotland, between Thurso and John o'Groats. It is the most northerly point on the British mainland.

dunno /ˈdʌnəʊ, dəˈnəʊ/

I. contraction

(I) do not know.

– origin mid 19th cent.: representing an informal pronunciation.

dunnock /ˈdʌnək/

I. noun

a small European songbird of the accentor family, with a dark grey head and a reddish-brown back. Also called hedge sparrow.
● Prunella modularis, family Prunellidae.

– origin Middle English: apparently from dun^1 (from its brown and grey plumage) + -ock.

dunny /ˈdʌni/

I. noun

1. (Scottish) an underground passage or cellar, especially in a tenement.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a toilet.

– origin early 19th cent. (in the sense ‘dung’): from dialect dunnekin ‘privy’, probably from dung + archaic slang ken ‘house’. Sense 1 is perhaps a different word.

dunny can

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a removable receptacle in an outside toilet

• each man had to be responsible for emptying his own dunny can.

dunny cart

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a vehicle for the collection and disposal of human excrement

• the dunny cart began its run with a load of empty lavatory pans.

dunny man

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a man who collects and disposes of human excrement

• milk was delivered by horse and cart and the dunny man collected their toilet waste.

Duns Scotus, John /dʌnz ˈskəʊtəs/

( c. 1265–1308), Scottish theologian and scholar. A profoundly influential figure in the Middle Ages, he was the first major theologian to defend the theory of the Immaculate Conception, and opposed St Thomas Aquinas in arguing that faith was a matter of will rather than something dependent on logical proofs.

Dunstable, John /ˈdʌnstəb(ə)l/

( c. 1390–1453), English composer. He was a significant early exponent of counterpoint.

Dunstan, St /ˈdʌnstən/

( c. 909–88), Anglo-Saxon prelate. As Archbishop of Canterbury he introduced the strict Benedictine rule into England and succeeded in restoring monastic life. Feast day, 19 May.

dunt /dʌnt / ‹chiefly Scottish›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. bump into or hit heavily.

• she dunted my father in the side with her elbow.

II. noun

a heavy dull-sounding blow.

– origin late Middle English: perhaps a variant of dint.

duo /ˈdjuːəʊ/

I. noun

1. a pair of people or things, especially in music or entertainment

• the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.

2. [Music] a duet

• two duos for violin and viola.

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2): via Italian from Latin duo ‘two’.

duo-

I. combining form

two; having two

• duopoly

• duotone.

– origin from Latin.

duodecimal /ˌdjuːə(ʊ)ˈdɛsɪm(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a system of counting or numerical notation that has twelve as a base.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the system of duodecimal notation.

III. derivatives

duodecimally

adverb

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin duodecimus ‘twelfth’ (from duodecim ‘twelve’) + -al.

duodecimo /ˌdjuːə(ʊ)ˈdɛsɪməʊ/

I. noun

1. a size of book in which each leaf is one twelfth of the size of the printing sheet.

2. a duodecimo book.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin ( in) duodecimo ‘in a twelfth’, from duodecimus ‘twelfth’.

duodenary /ˌdjuːəˈdiːnəri/

I. adjective

‹rare› relating to or based on the number twelve.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin duodenarius ‘containing twelve’, based on duodecim ‘twelve’.

duodenitis /ˌdjuːədiːˈnʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the duodenum.

duodeno- /ˌdjuːəˈdiːnəʊ / duoden-

combining form

[Anatomy] [Medicine] relating to the duodenum

• duodenitis.

duodenum /ˌdjuːəˈdiːnəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the first part of the small intestine immediately beyond the stomach, leading to the jejunum.

II. derivatives

duodenal /ˌdjuːəˈdiːn(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin, from duodeni ‘in twelves’, its length being equivalent to the breadth of approximately twelve fingers.

duologue /ˈdjuːəlɒɡ/

I. noun

a play or part of a play with speaking roles for only two actors.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from duo-, on the pattern of monologue.

duology /djuːˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun

a pair of related novels, plays, or films.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from duo- ‘two’, on the pattern of trilogy.

duomo /ˈdwəʊməʊ/

I. noun

an Italian cathedral.

– origin Italian, literally ‘dome’.

duopoly /djuːˈɒpəli/

I. noun

a situation in which two suppliers dominate the market for a commodity or service.

II. derivatives

duopolistic

adjective

– origin 1920s: from duo-, on the pattern of monopoly.

duotone /ˈdjuːətəʊn/

noun

1. a half-tone illustration made from a single original with two different colours at different screen angles.

2. [ mass noun] — the technique or process of making duotones

• the best images that duotone can produce.

dupatta /dʊˈpʌtə/

I. noun

a length of material worn arranged in two folds over the chest and thrown back around the shoulders, typically with a salwar kameez, by women from South Asia.

– origin from Hindi dupaṭṭā.

dupe^1 /djuːp/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deceive; trick

• the newspaper was duped into publishing an untrue story.

II. noun

a victim of deception

• men who were simply the dupes of their unscrupulous leaders.

III. derivatives

1. dupable /ˈdjuːpəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. duper

noun

3. dupery /ˈduːpəri /

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from dialect French dupe ‘hoopoe’, from the bird's supposedly stupid appearance.

dupe^2 /djuːp/

verb, noun

short for duplicate, especially in photography.
[as verb]

• how to dupe 35 mm slides on to 35 mm film.

• [as noun] black-and-white dupes.

dupion /ˈdjuːpɪən / silk dupion

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rough slubbed silk fabric woven from the threads of double cocoons.

2. an imitation of dupion made with other fibres.

– origin early 19th cent. (in the sense ‘double cocoon’): from French doupion, from Italian doppione, from doppio ‘double’.

duple /ˈdjuːp(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Music] (of rhythm) based on two main beats to the bar

• duple time.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin duplus, from duo ‘two’.

duplet /ˈdjuːplɪt/

I. noun

1. a set of two things.

2. [Music] a pair of equal notes to be performed in the time of three.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a dicing term in the sense of doublets (see doublet): from Latin duplus ‘duple’, on the pattern of doublet. Current senses date from the 1920s.

duplex /ˈdjuːplɛks/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a residential building divided into two apartments.

2. a flat on two floors.
[as modifier]

• a plush Mayfair duplex flat.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) (Austral.) a semi-detached house.

4. [Biochemistry] a double-stranded polynucleotide molecule.

II. adjective

1. having two parts, in particular

2. (N. Amer.) (of a house) consisting of two flats.

3. (N. Amer.) (of a flat) on two floors.

4. (of paper or board) having two differently coloured layers or sides.

5. (of a printer or its software) capable of printing on both sides of the paper.

6. (of a communications system, computer circuit, etc.) allowing the transmission of two signals simultaneously in opposite directions.

III. derivatives

duplexity

noun

‹rare›

– origin mid 16th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin duplex, duplic-, from duo ‘two’ + plicare ‘to fold’. The noun dates from the 1920s.

duplicate

I. adjective — [ attrib.] duplicate /ˈdjuːplɪkət /

1. exactly like something else, especially through having been copied

• a duplicate set of keys.

2. ‹technical› having two corresponding or identical parts.

II. noun — duplicate /ˈdjuːplɪkət /

1. one of two or more identical things

• books may be disposed of if they are duplicates.

2. a copy of an original

• locksmiths can make duplicates of most keys.

3. short for duplicate bridge.

4. ‹archaic› a pawnbroker's ticket.

III. verb — [with obj.] duplicate /ˈdjuːplɪkeɪt /

1. make or be an exact copy of

• information sheets had to be typed and duplicated

• they have not been able to duplicate his successes.

2. multiply by two; double

• the normal amount of DNA has been duplicated thousands of times.

3. do (something) again unnecessarily

• most of these proposals duplicated work already done.

IV. phrases

in duplicate

a. twice in exactly the same way.

b. consisting of two exact copies

• forms to complete in duplicate.

V. derivatives

duplicable

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘having two corresponding parts’): from Latin duplicat- ‘doubled’, from the verb duplicare, from duplic- ‘twofold’ (see duplex).

duplicate bridge

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a competitive form of bridge in which the same hands are played successively by different partnerships.

duplication /djuːplɪˈkeɪʃn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of duplicating something

• an attempt to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.

2. [ count noun] — [Genetics] a DNA segment in a chromosome which is a copy of another segment.

– origin late Middle English (used in the mathematical sense ‘multiplication by two’): from Old French, or from Latin duplicatio(n-), from duplicare ‘to double’ (see duplicate).

duplicator /ˈdjuːplɪkeɪtə/

noun

a machine or device for making copies of something, in particular a machine that makes copies of documents by means of fluid ink and a stencil.

duplicitous /djuːˈplɪsɪtəs/

I. adjective

1. deceitful

• a duplicitous philanderer.

2. [Law] (of a charge or plea) containing more than one allegation.

II. derivatives

duplicitously

adverb

duplicitousness /djuːˈplɪsɪtəsnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being duplicitous; deceitfulness

• he realizes the duplicitousness of his superiors' dealings.

duplicity /djuːˈplɪsɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. deceitfulness

• the president was accused of duplicity in his dealings with Congress.

2. ‹archaic› the state of being double.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French duplicite or late Latin duplicitas, from Latin duplic- ‘twofold’ (see duplex).

dupondius /djuːˈpɒndɪəs/

I. noun

a bronze or brass coin of the Roman Empire, equal to two asses or half a sesterce.

– origin Latin, from duo ‘two’ + pondo ‘by weight’.

duppy /ˈdʌpi/

I. noun

(W. Indian) a malevolent spirit or ghost.

– origin late 18th cent.: probably of West African origin.

du Pré, Jacqueline /d(j)uː ˈpreɪ/

(1945–87), English cellist. She made her solo debut at the age of 16 and became famous for her interpretations of cello concertos. Her performing career was halted in 1972 by multiple sclerosis.

Dupuytren's contracture /dʊːˈpwiːtrəns / Dupuytren's disease

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which there is fixed forward curvature of one or more fingers, caused by the development of a fibrous connection between the finger tendons and the skin of the palm.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Baron Guillaume Dupuytren (1777–1835), the French surgeon who first described the condition.

Duque de Caxias /ˌduːkeɪ də kəˈʃiːəʃ/

a city in SE Brazil, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro; pop. 842,686 (2007).

dur /dəː / der

exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to comment on a foolish or stupid action, especially someone else's.

dura^1 /ˈdjʊərə / dura mater

I. noun

[Anatomy] the tough outermost membrane enveloping the brain and spinal cord.

II. derivatives

dural

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from medieval Latin, literally ‘hard mother’, translation of Arabic al-'umm al-jāfiya ‘coarse mother’.

dura^2

noun

variant spelling of durra.

durability /dʒɔːrəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability to withstand wear, pressure, or damage

• the reliability and durability of plastics.

durable /ˈdjʊərəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. able to withstand wear, pressure, or damage; hard-wearing

• porcelain enamel is strong and durable

• ‹figurative› a durable peace can be achieved.

2. ‹informal› (of a person) having endurance

• the durable Smith lasted the full eight rounds.

II. noun — ( durables)

1. short for consumer durables.

III. derivatives

1. durableness /ˈdjʊərəb(ə)lnəs /

noun

2. durably /ˈdjʊərəb(ə)li /

adverb

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘steadfast’): via Old French from Latin durabilis, from durare ‘to last’ (see duration).

durable goods

plural noun

North American term for consumer durables.

Duralumin /djʊˈraljʊmɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a hard, light alloy of aluminium with copper and other elements.

– origin early 20th cent.: perhaps from Latin durus ‘hard’ + aluminium, but probably influenced by Düren, the name of the Rhineland town where such alloys were first produced.

duramen /djʊˈreɪmɛn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] the heartwood of a tree.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘hardness’, from durare ‘harden’.

durance /ˈdjʊər(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› imprisonment or confinement.

• ‹humorous› the actor's years of durance vile in soap operas.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘continuance’): from Old French, from durer ‘to last’, from Latin durare. The sense ‘imprisonment’ is first recorded in the early 16th cent.

Durango /djʊˈraŋɡəʊ/

I. a state of north central Mexico.

II. the capital city of the state of Durango; pop. 463,830 (2005).
Full name Victoria de Durango.

Duras, Marguerite /ˈdjʊərɑː, French dyʀa/

(1914–96), French novelist, film director, and dramatist; pseudonym of Marguerite Donnadieu. She is best known for the screenplay to Alain Resnais' film Hiroshima mon amour (1959) and for her semi-autobiographical novel L'Amant (1984).

duration /djʊˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

the time during which something continues

• bicycle hire for the duration of your holiday

• a flight of over eight hours' duration.

II. phrases

for the duration

a. until the end of something, especially a war.

b. ‹informal› for a very long time

• once she sits down on that settee, she'll be there for the duration.

III. derivatives

durational

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin duratio(n-), from durare ‘to last’, from durus ‘hard’.

durative /ˈdjʊərətɪv/

adjective

[Grammar] denoting or relating to continuing action.
Contrasted with punctual.

Durazzo /duˈrattso/

Italian name for Durrës.

Durban /ˈdəːb(ə)n/

a seaport and resort in South Africa, on the coast of KwaZulu-Natal; pop. 3,409,100 (est. 2009).
Former name (until 1835) Port Natal.

durbar /ˈdəːbɑː/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› the court of an Indian ruler.

2. ‹historical› a public reception held by an Indian prince or a British governor or viceroy in India.

– origin Urdu, from Persian darbār ‘court’.

durchkomponiert /ˌdʊəxˈkɒmpɒnɪət, German ˌdʊrçkɔmpoˈniːrt/

I. adjective

[Music] (of a composition, especially a song) not based on repeated sections or verses, especially having different music for each verse.
Also called through-composed.

– origin from German, from durch ‘through’ + komponiert ‘composed’ (because the music is different throughout).

Dürer, Albrecht /ˈdjʊərə, German ˈdyːrɐ/

(1471–1528), German engraver and painter. He was the leading German artist of the Renaissance, important for his technically advanced woodcuts and copper engravings and also noted for his watercolours and drawings.

duress /djʊ(ə)ˈrɛs, ˈdjʊərɛs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. threats, violence, constraints, or other action used to coerce someone into doing something against their will or better judgement

• confessions extracted under duress.

2. [Law] constraint illegally exercised to force someone to perform an act.

3. ‹archaic› forcible restraint or imprisonment.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘harshness, severity, cruel treatment’): via Old French from Latin duritia, from durus ‘hard’.

Durex /ˈdjʊərɛks/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹trademark› a contraceptive sheath; a condom.

– origin 1930s: name invented by the manufacturers, probably based on Latin durare ‘to last’.

Durey, Louis /djʊəˈreɪ, French dyʀe/

(1888–1979), French composer. A member until 1921 of the group Les Six, he later wrote music of a deliberate mass appeal, in accordance with communist doctrines on art. Notable works: La Longue marche (cantata, 1949).

Durga /ˈdʊəɡə / ‹Hinduism›

a fierce goddess, wife of Shiva, often identified with Kali. She is usually depicted riding a tiger or lion and slaying the buffalo demon, and with eight or ten arms.

Durgapur /ˌdʊəɡəˈpʊə/

a city in NE India, in the state of West Bengal; pop. 543,900 (est. 2009).

Durham /ˈdʌrəm/

I. a city on the River Wear; pop. 42,100 (est. 2009). It is famous for its 11th-century cathedral, which contains the tomb of the Venerable Bede, and its university.

II. (also County Durham) — a county of NE England; county town, Durham.

Durham quilt

noun

a quilt made by sewing together a piece of fabric, an inner wad, and a lining, the stitches making decorative patterns.

durian /ˈdʊərɪən/

I. noun

1. a spiny oval tropical fruit containing a creamy pulp. Despite its fetid smell it is highly valued for its flavour.

2. (also durian tree) — the large tree that bears the durian, native to Malaysia.
● Durio zibethinus, family Bombaceae.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Malay durian, from duri ‘thorn’.

duricrust /ˈdjʊərɪkrʌst/

I. noun

[Geology] a hard mineral crust formed at or near the surface of soil in semi-arid regions by the evaporation of groundwater.

• resistant bedrock or duricrusts appear at the surface.

• [ mass noun] he crunched over concrete and then duricrust.

– origin 1920s: from Latin durus ‘hard’ + crust.

during /ˈdjʊərɪŋ/

I. preposition

1. throughout the course or duration of (a period of time)

• the restaurant is open during the day

• the period during which he grew to adulthood.

2. at a particular point in the course of

• the stabbing took place during a row at a party.

– origin late Middle English: present participle of the obsolete verb dure ‘last, endure, extend’, via Old French from Latin durare ‘to last’ (see duration).

Durkheim, Émile /ˈdəːkhʌɪm, French dyʀkɛm/

(1858–1917), French sociologist, one of the founders of modern sociology. He became the first professor of sociology at the Sorbonne (1913). Notable works: The Division of Labour in Society (1893) and Suicide (1897).

durmast oak /ˈdəːmɑːst/

I. noun

another term for sessile oak.

– origin late 18th cent.: durmast perhaps originally an error for dunmast, from dun^1 + mast^2.

durn /dəːn/

verb, exclamation, adjective, adverb

US dialect form of darn^2.

durned

adjective, adverb

US dialect form of darned.

Duroc /ˈdjʊərɒk/

I. noun

a pig of a reddish breed developed in North America.

– origin early 19th cent.: from the name of a stallion that is said to have been bought by the breeder Isaac Frink on the same day as the pigs from which he developed the breed.

durra /ˈdʊrə, ˈdʊərə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. grain sorghum of the principal variety grown from NE Africa to India.
● Sorghum bicolor var. durra, family Gramineae; white durra is var. cernuum.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Arabic ḍura, ḍurra.

Durrell, Gerald /ˈdʌrəl/

(1925–95), English zoologist and writer, younger brother of Lawrence Durrell; full name Gerald Malcolm Durrell. In 1958 he founded a zoo (later the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust) devoted to the conservation and captive breeding of endangered species. Notable works: My Family and Other Animals (1956).

Durrell, Lawrence /ˈdʌrəl/

(1912–90), English novelist, poet, and travel writer, brother of Gerald Durrell; full name Lawrence George Durrell. He spent much of his life abroad, particularly in the Mediterranean. Notable works: Alexandria Quartet (four novels, 1957–60) and Prospero's Cell (travel, 1945).

Durrës /ˈdʊrəs/

a port and resort in Albania, on the Adriatic coast; pop. 132,700 (est. 2009).
Italian name Durazzo.

durry

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a cigarette.

– origin 1940s: of unknown origin.

durst /dəːst/

archaic or regional past of dare.

durum /ˈdjʊərəm / durum wheat

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of hard wheat grown in arid regions, having bearded ears and yielding flour that is used to make pasta.
[as modifier]

• durum semolina.

● Triticum durum, family Gramineae.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin, neuter of durus ‘hard’, used in the species name since 1798.

durwan /dəːˈwɑːn/

I. noun

(Indian) a porter or doorkeeper.

– origin late 18th cent.: Urdu darwān, from Persian.

durzi /ˈdəːzi/

I. noun

(Indian) a tailor.

– origin Urdu, from Persian darzī, from darz ‘sewing’.

Duse, Eleonora /ˈd(j)uːzeɪ/

(1858–1924), Italian actress, best known for her tragic roles, particularly in plays by Ibsen and Gabriele d'Annunzio.

Dushanbe /duːˈʃanbeɪ/

the capital of Tajikistan; pop. 553,000 (est. 2007).
Former name (1929–61) Stalinabad.

dusk /dʌsk/

I. noun

1. the darker stage of twilight

• dusk was falling rapidly

• working the land from dawn to dusk.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹literary› semi-darkness

• the dusk of the vestry.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹literary› grow dark
(as adj. dusking)

• he saw the lights blaze in the dusking sky.

III. adjective

‹literary› shadowy, dim, or dark.

• the dusk demesnes of night.

– origin Old English dox ‘dark, swarthy’ and doxian ‘darken in colour’, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German tusin ‘darkish’; compare with dun^1 The noun dates from the early 17th cent. The change in form from -x to -sk occurred in Middle English.

dusky /ˈdʌski/

I. adjective

1. darkish in colour

• dusky red

• a dusky complexion.

2. ‹dated› used in euphemistic or poetic reference to black or other dark-skinned people

• a dusky Moorish maiden.

3. ‹literary› dim

• dusky light came from a small window.

4. [ attrib.] — used in names of animals with dark coloration, e.g. dusky dolphin, dusky warbler.

II. derivatives

1. duskily

adverb

2. duskiness /ˈdʌskɪnəs /

noun

Dussehra /ˈdʌʃərə / Dasehra, Dusserah

I. noun

the tenth and final day of the Hindu festival of Navaratri, usually in October. In southern India it especially commemorates the victory of the god Rama over the demon king Ravana.

– origin from Hindi daśahrā, from Sanskrit daśaharā.

Düsseldorf /ˈdʊs(ə)ldɔːf, German ˈdYsldɔrf/

an industrial city of NW Germany, on the Rhine, capital of North Rhine-Westphalia; pop. 577,500 (est. 2006).

dust /dʌst/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — fine, dry powder consisting of tiny particles of earth or waste matter lying on the ground or on surfaces or carried in the air

• the car sent up clouds of dust.

2. [with modifier] — any material in the form of tiny particles

• coal dust.

3. [in sing.] — a fine powder

• he ground it into a fine dust.

4. [in sing.] — a cloud of dust.

5. ‹literary› a dead person's remains

• scatter my dust and ashes.

6. ‹literary› the mortal human body

• the soul, that dwells within your dust.

7. [in sing.] — an act of dusting

• a quick dust, to get rid of the cobwebs.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the dust or dirt from the surface of (something) by wiping or brushing it

• I broke the vase I had been dusting

• pick yourself up and dust yourself down

• [no obj.] she washed and dusted and tidied.

2. ( dust something down/off) — bring something out for use again after a long period of neglect

• a number of aircraft will be dusted off and returned to flight.

3. cover lightly with a powdered substance

• roll out on a surface dusted with icing sugar.

4. sprinkle (a powdered substance) on to something

• orange powder was dusted over the upper body.

5. (US) ‹informal› beat up or kill someone

• the officers dusted him up a little bit.

III. phrases

1. be done and dusted

‹informal› (of a project) be completely finished or ready.

2. dust and ashes

used to convey a feeling of great disappointment or disillusion about something

• the party would be dust and ashes if he couldn't come.

3. the dust settles

things quieten down

• she hoped that the dust would settle quickly and the episode be forgotten.

4. eat someone's dust

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› fall far behind someone in a competitive situation.

5. gather (or collect) dust

remain unused

• some professors let their computers gather dust.

6. leave someone/thing in the dust

surpass someone or something easily

• today's modems leave their predecessors in the dust.

7. not see someone for dust

find that a person has made a hasty departure.

8. kick up (a) dust

‹informal› create a disturbance.

IV. derivatives

dustless

adjective

– origin Old English dūst, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch duist ‘chaff’.

dustball

noun

(N. Amer.) a ball of dust and fluff.

• dustballs under the bed.

dust bath

noun

a bird's act of rolling in dust to clean its feathers.

dustbin /ˈdʌs(t)bɪn/

noun

(Brit.) a container for household refuse, especially one kept outside.

dustbin man

noun

(Brit.) a dustman.

dust bowl

noun

1. an area of land where vegetation has been lost and soil reduced to dust and eroded, especially as a consequence of drought or unsuitable farming practice.

2. ( the Dust Bowl) — an area of Oklahoma and other prairie states of the US affected by severe soil erosion in the early 1930s.

dust bunny

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a ball of dust and fluff.

Dustbuster

noun

‹trademark› (chiefly N. Amer.) a handheld vacuum cleaner.

dustcart /ˈdʌs(t)kɑːt/

noun

(Brit.) a vehicle used for collecting household refuse.

dustcoat /ˈdʌs(t)kəʊt/

noun

1. a coat worn for protection against dust.

2. another term for duster (sense 2).

dust cover

noun

a dust jacket or dust sheet.

dust devil

noun

a small whirlwind or air vortex over land, visible as a column of dust and debris.

• the wind kicked up dust devils in the street.

duster /ˈdʌstə/

noun

1. a cloth or pad for dusting furniture.

2. (also duster coat) — a woman's loose, lightweight full-length coat without buttons, of a style originally worn in the 1920s when travelling in an open car.

3. (N. Amer.) a short, light housecoat.

4. (US) ‹informal› a dust storm.

dustheap /ˈdʌsthiːp/

noun

a heap of household refuse.

• ‹figurative› this composer is not so easily consigned to the historical dustheap.

dusting powder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. powder for dusting over something, in particular talcum powder.

dust jacket

noun

a removable paper cover, generally with a decorative design, used to protect a book from dirt or damage.

dustman /ˈdʌs(t)mən/

noun

(Brit.) a man employed to remove household refuse from dustbins.

dustpan /ˈdʌs(t)pan/

noun

a flat handheld receptacle into which dust and waste can be swept from the floor.

• a dustpan and brush.

dust sheet

noun

(Brit.) a large sheet for covering furniture or flooring to protect it from dust or while decorating.

dust shot

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the smallest size of gunshot.

dust storm

noun

a strong, turbulent wind which carries clouds of fine dust, soil, and sand over a large area.

dust trap

noun

something on, in, or under which dust readily gathers.

• fabric-covered furniture acts as a dust trap.

dust-up

noun

‹informal› a fight or quarrel

• he'd had a dust-up with Vera.

dust wrapper

noun

another term for dust jacket.

dusty /ˈdʌsti/

I. adjective

1. covered with, full of, or resembling dust

• dusty old records

• a hot, dusty road.

2. (of a colour) dull or muted

• patches of pale gold and dusty pink.

3. staid and uninteresting

• a dusty old bore.

II. phrases

1. a dusty answer

(Brit.) a curt and unhelpful reply.

2. not so dusty

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› (of a person's health or situation) fairly good.

III. derivatives

1. dustily

adverb

2. dustiness /ˈdʌstɪnəs /

noun

dusty miller

I. noun

a plant of the daisy family with whitish or greyish foliage.
●Several species in the family Compositae, in particular the cultivated Artemisia stellerana of North America and Senecio cineraria of the Mediterranean.

– origin early 19th cent.: named from the fine powder on the flowers and leaves.

dutch

I. noun — (usu. one's old dutch)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› (especially among cockneys) one's wife.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation of duchess.

Dutch /dʌtʃ/

I. adjective

relating to the Netherlands or its people or their language.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the language of the Netherlands, spoken by some 20 million people.

2. (as plural noun the Dutch) — the people of the Netherlands collectively.

Dutch belongs to the West Germanic branch of Indo-European languages and is most closely related to German and English. It is also the official language of Suriname and is spoken in northern Belgium, where it is called Flemish.

III. phrases

1. go Dutch

share the cost of something, especially a meal, equally.

2. in Dutch

(US) ‹informal› ‹dated› in trouble

• he's been getting in Dutch at school.

– origin from Middle Dutch dutsch ‘Dutch, Netherlandish, German’: the English word originally denoted speakers of both High and Low German, but became more specific after the United Provinces adopted the Low German of Holland as the national language on independence in 1579.

Dutch auction

noun

a method of selling in which the price is reduced until a buyer is found.

• we aren't interested in quoting prices over the phone, because that only leads to a Dutch auction.

Dutch barn

noun

(Brit.) a farm building with a curved roof set over a steel, timber, or concrete frame without walls, used for storing hay.

Dutch cap

noun

1. a woman's lace cap with triangular flaps on each side, worn as part of Dutch traditional dress.

2. see cap^1 (sense 4 of the noun).

Dutch clover

noun

another term for white clover.

Dutch courage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. strength or confidence gained from drinking alcohol

• I'll have a couple of drinks to give me Dutch courage.

Dutch doll

noun

(Brit.) a jointed wooden doll.

Dutch door

noun

(N. Amer.) a stable door.

Dutch East India Company

a Dutch trading company founded in 1602 to protect Dutch trading interests in the Indian Ocean.

Dutch East Indies

former name (until 1949) for Indonesia.

Dutch elm disease

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fungal disease of elm trees that is spread by elm bark beetles. A virulent strain of the fungus which arose in North America has destroyed the majority of elms in southern Britain.
●The fungus is Ceratocystis ulmi, subdivision Ascomycotina.

Dutch Guiana

former name (until 1948) for Suriname.

Dutch hoe

noun

a hoe used with a pushing action just under the surface of the soil.

dutchie

I. noun

(W. Indian) a large, heavy cooking pot.

– origin from Dutch oven.

Dutch interior

noun

a painting of the interior of a Dutch house in a style characteristic of the work of 17th-century genre painters.

Dutch light

noun

a cold frame in which the glass is a single large pane.

Dutchman /ˈdʌtʃmən/

I. noun

1. a male native or inhabitant of the Netherlands, or a man of Dutch descent.

2. (S. African) ‹derogatory› an Afrikaner.

II. phrases

I'm a Dutchman

(Brit.) used to express one's disbelief or as a way of underlining an emphatic assertion

• if she's seventeen, I'm a Dutchman.

Dutchman's breeches

I. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a plant related to bleeding heart, but typically having pale yellow flowers.
●Genus Dicentra, family Fumariaceae: several species, in particular D. spectabilis.

– origin mid 19th cent.: so named because of the shape of the spurred flower.

Dutchman's pipe

noun

a vigorous climbing vine with hooked tubular flowers, native to eastern North America.
● Aristolochia durior, family Aristolochiaceae.

Dutch metal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alloy of copper and zinc used in imitation of gold leaf.

Dutch New Guinea

former name (until 1963) for Papua (sense 1).

Dutch oven

noun

1. a covered earthenware or cast-iron container for cooking casseroles.

2. ‹chiefly historical› a large cooking pot or metal box serving as a simple oven, heated by being placed under or next to hot coals.

3. (S. African) a brick or clay oven traditionally built into the side of a kitchen hearth or as a free-standing structure outside a house.

Dutch Reformed Church

I. a branch of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, formed during the Reformation. It was replaced in 1816 by the Netherlands Reformed Church.

II. the dominant branch of the Protestant Church among Afrikaners in South Africa.

Dutch tile

I. noun

a kind of glazed white tile painted with traditional Dutch motifs in blue or brown.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. Dutch-tiled)

1. decorate with Dutch tiles

• Dutch-tiled fireplaces.

Dutch treat

noun

an outing, meal, or other special occasion at which each participant pays for their share of the expenses.

Dutch uncle

noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a person giving firm but benevolent advice.

• some you can talk to like a Dutch uncle.

Dutch West India Company

a Dutch trading company founded in 1621 to develop Dutch trading interests in western India, South America, and West Africa.

Dutch wife

I. noun

a bolster used for resting the legs in bed.

– origin late 19th cent.: extended use of the term, earlier describing a rattan open frame used in the Dutch Indies to support the limbs in bed.

Dutchwoman /ˈdʌtʃwʊmən/

noun

a female native or inhabitant of the Netherlands, or a woman of Dutch descent

• the Dutchwoman said she had reclaimed Holland's national honour.

duteous /ˈdjuːtɪəs/

I. adjective

‹archaic› dutiful

• a duteous vassal.

II. derivatives

1. duteously

adverb

2. duteousness

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from duty, on the pattern of words such as bounteous.

dutiable /ˈdjuːtɪəb(ə)l/

adjective

liable to customs or other duties

• dutiable goods.

dutiful /ˈdjuːtɪfʊl, ˈdjuːtɪf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. conscientiously or obediently fulfilling one's duty

• a dutiful daughter.

2. motivated by duty rather than desire or enthusiasm

• dutiful applause

• a dutiful visit.

II. derivatives

dutifulness /ˈdjuːtɪfʊlnəs, ˈdjuːtɪf(ə)lnəs /

noun

dutifully /ˈdjuːtɪf(ə)li, ˈdʒuːtɪf(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a conscientious or obedient manner

• I dutifully reported the accident

• I dutifully obeyed his instructions.

2. in a manner motivated by duty rather than desire or enthusiasm

• we all dutifully applauded the support act

• she listened dutifully to Nate's excited talk.

duty /ˈdjuːti/

I. noun

1. a moral or legal obligation; a responsibility

• it's my duty to uphold the law

• she was determined to do her duty as a citizen

• [ mass noun] a strong sense of duty.

2. [as modifier] — (of a visit or other undertaking) done from a sense of moral obligation rather than for pleasure

• a fifteen-minute duty visit.

3. (often duties) — a task or action that one is required to perform as part of one's job

• the queen's official duties

• your duties will include operating the switchboard

• [ mass noun] Juliet reported for duty.

4. [ mass noun] — military service

• combat duty in the army.

5. [as modifier] — (of a person) engaged in their regular work

• a duty nurse.

6. [ mass noun] (also duties) — performance of prescribed church services by a priest or minister

• he was willing to take Sunday duties.

7. a payment levied on the import, export, manufacture, or sale of goods

• a 6 per cent duty on imports

• [ mass noun] goods subject to excise duty.

8. (Brit.) a payment levied on the transfer of property, for licences, and for the legal recognition of documents.

9. ‹technical› the measure of an engine's effectiveness in units of work done per unit of fuel.

II. phrases

1. do duty as (or for)

serve or act as a substitute for something else

• the rusting shack which did duty as the bridge.

2. on (or off) duty

engaged (or not engaged) in one's regular work

• there were only two doctors on duty that night

• an off-duty police officer saw the incident

• the doorman had gone off duty and the lobby was unattended.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French duete, from Old French deu (see due).

duty-bound

adjective — [with infinitive]

1. morally or legally obliged to do something

• legitimate news stories which the press is duty-bound to report.

duty cycle

noun

the cycle of operation of a machine or other device which operates intermittently rather than continuously.

duty-free /ˌdjuːtɪˈfriː/

I. adjective, adverb

1. exempt from payment of duty
[as adj.]

• the permitted number of duty-free goods

• [as adv.] most EC goods enter almost duty-free.

2. [as adj.] — (of a shop or area) selling or trading in goods that are exempt from payment of duty.

II. noun — [ mass noun] (also duty-frees)

1. goods that are exempt from payment of duty

• a bag of duty-free.

duty of care

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a moral or legal obligation to ensure the safety or well-being of others

• employers have a duty of care to their employees

• road authorities owe a duty of care to keep roads as safe as possible.

duty officer

noun

an officer, especially in the police or armed forces, who is on duty at a particular time.

duty-paid

adjective

on which the cost of duty has been met

• limits on duty-paid goods.

duumvir /djuːˈʌmvə/

I. noun

(in ancient Rome) each of two magistrates or officials holding a joint office.

– origin Latin, from duum virum ‘of the two men’.

duumvirate /djuːˈʌmvɪrət/

I. noun

a coalition of two people having joint authority or influence.

• real power will devolve into the hands of a duumvirate.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin duumviratus.

Duvalier, François /djuːˈvalɪeɪ/

(1907–71), Haitian statesman, President 1957–71; known as Papa Doc. His regime was noted for its oppressive nature, opponents being assassinated or forced into exile by his security force, the Tontons Macoutes. He was succeeded by his son Jean-Claude (b.1951), known as Baby Doc, who was overthrown in 1986.

duvet /ˈd(j)uːveɪ/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) a soft quilt filled with down, feathers, or a synthetic fibre, used instead of an upper sheet and blankets.

2. (also duvet jacket) — (chiefly Brit.) a thick down-filled jacket worn by mountaineers.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, literally ‘down’ (see down^2).

duvet day

noun

‹informal› an unscheduled extra day's leave from work, taken to alleviate stress or pressure and sanctioned by one's employer.

Du Vigneaud, Vincent /duː ˈviːnjəʊ/

(1901–78), American biochemist. He studied vitamins and hormones, especially insulin, methionine, and biotin. He isolated and synthesized oxytocin and vasopressin, for which he received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1955.

dux /dʌks/

I. noun

(chiefly Scottish) the top pupil in a school or class.

– origin mid 18th cent. (denoting the leading voice or instrument in a fugue or canon): from Latin, ‘leader’.

duxelles /ˈdʌks(ə)lz, dʊksɛl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a preparation of mushrooms sautéed with onions, shallots, garlic, and parsley and used to make stuffing or sauce.

– origin named after the Marquis d'Uxelles, a 17th-cent. French nobleman.

DV

abbreviation

‹formal› Deo volente

• this time next week (DV) I shall be among the mountains.

DVD /diːviːˈdiː/

I. noun

a type of compact disc able to store large amounts of data, especially high-resolution audiovisual material.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation of digital versatile disc (originally of digital video disc).

DVD-R

I. noun

a DVD which can be recorded on once only.

– origin abbreviation of DVD recordable.

DVD-ROM

I. noun

a DVD used in a computer for displaying data.

– origin abbreviation from DVD read-only memory.

DVD-RW DVD-RAM

I. noun

a DVD on which recordings can be made and erased a number of times.

– origin abbreviation of DVD rewritable (or random-access memory).

DVLA

abbreviation

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

DVM

abbreviation

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

Dvořák, Antonín /ˈdvɔːʒak, ˈdvɔːʒɑːk/

(1841–1904), Czech composer. Combining folk elements with the Viennese musical tradition, he wrote chamber music, operas, and songs, but is best known for his ninth symphony ( ‘From the New World’, 1892–5).

DVR

noun

short for digital video recorder.

DVT /diːviːˈtiː/

abbreviation

deep-vein thrombosis.

DW

I. noun

‹informal› a person's wife (used in electronic communication)

• my DW and I spent our anniversary at Meadow Lake Resort in Columbia Falls.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation of darling wife or dear wife.

dwaal /dwɑːl/

I. noun

(S. African) ‹informal› a dreamy, dazed, or absent-minded state

• you're in a real dwaal!

– origin Afrikaans.

dwale /dweɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› deadly nightshade or belladonna.

2. ‹archaic› a soporific drink formerly made from deadly nightshade or belladonna.

– origin Middle English: probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Danish dvale ‘deep sleep, stupor’, dvaledrik ‘sleeping draught’.

dwam /dwɑːm/

I. noun

(chiefly Scottish) a state of semi-consciousness or reverie.

• lying in bed, in the dwam before sleep.

• he had brooded himself into a black dwam.

– origin early 16th cent.: from the Germanic base of dwell; compare with Middle Dutch dwelm ‘stupefaction’, also with Old English dwolma ‘confusion’.

dwarf /dwɔːf/

I. noun

1. (in folklore or fantasy literature) a member of a mythical race of short, stocky human-like creatures who are generally skilled in mining and metalworking.

2. a person who is of unusually or abnormally small stature because of a medical condition; a person affected by dwarfism.

3. ‹offensive› a very short person.

4. [as modifier] — denoting something, especially an animal or plant, which is much smaller than the usual size for its type or species

• a dwarf conifer.

5. (also dwarf star) — [Astronomy] a star of relatively small size and low luminosity, including the majority of main sequence stars.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause to seem small or insignificant in comparison

• the buildings surround and dwarf All Saints church.

2. stunt the growth or development of
(as adj. dwarfed)

• the dwarfed but solid branch of a tree.

III. derivatives

dwarfish /ˈdwɔːfɪʃ /

adjective

– origin Old English dweorg, dweorh, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dwerg and German Zwerg.

dwarfism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in medical or technical contexts) unusually or abnormally low stature or small size.

dwarf planet

noun

[Astronomy] a celestial body resembling a small planet but lacking certain technical criteria that are required for it to be classed as such.

dweeb /dwiːb/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a boring, studious, or socially inept person.

II. derivatives

1. dweebish

adjective

2. dweeby

adjective

– origin 1980s: perhaps a blend of dwarf and early 20th-cent. feeb ‘a feeble-minded person’ (from feeble).

dwell /dwɛl/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [with adverbial of place] — ‹formal› live in or at a specified place

• groups of gypsies still dwell in these caves

• (as adj., in combination -dwelling) bottom-dwelling fish.

2. ( dwell on/upon) — think, speak, or write at length about (a particular subject, especially one that is a source of unhappiness, anxiety, or dissatisfaction)

• I've got better things to do than dwell on the past.

3. ( dwell on/upon) — (of one's eyes or attention) linger on (a particular object or place)

• she let her eyes dwell on them for a moment.

II. noun

‹technical› a slight regular pause in the motion of a machine.

– origin Old English dwellan ‘lead astray, hinder, delay’ (in Middle English ‘tarry, remain in a place’), of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch dwellen ‘stun, perplex’ and Old Norse dvelja ‘delay, tarry, stay’.

dweller /ˈdwɛlə/

noun

a person or animal that lives in or at a specified place

• city dwellers

• the majority of urban dwellers live in small apartments.

dwelling /ˈdwɛlɪŋ / dwelling place

noun

‹formal› a house, flat, or other place of residence.

• the proposed dwelling is out of keeping with those nearby.

dwelling house

noun

[Law] a house used as a residence rather than for business.

dwell time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› time spent in the same position, area, stage of a process, etc.

• the dwell time of the fibres in the drum.

• [as count noun] the dwell times of the different lasers.

DWEM

abbreviation

dead white European male.

DWI

abbreviation

(US) driving while intoxicated.

dwindle /ˈdwɪnd(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength

• traffic has dwindled to a trickle

• (as adj. dwindling) dwindling resources.

– origin late 16th cent.: frequentative of Scots and dialect dwine ‘fade away’, from Old English dwīnan, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch dwīnen and Old Norse dvína.

DWM

abbreviation

dead white male.

DWP

abbreviation

(in the UK) Department for Work and Pensions.

dwt

abbreviation

1. dead-weight tonnage

• a 40,000 dwt slipway.

2. pennyweight.

DX

abbreviation

[Telecommunications] distance or distant.

Dy

symbol

the chemical element dysprosium.

DY

I. abbreviation

Benin (international vehicle registration).

– origin from Dahomey.

dyad /ˈdʌɪad/

I. noun

1. ‹technical› something that consists of two elements or parts.

2. ‹technical› [Mathematics] an operator which is a combination of two vectors.

II. derivatives

dyadic

adjective

– origin late 17th cent. (originally denoting the number two or a pair): from late Latin dyas, dyad-, from Greek duas, from duo ‘two’. Current senses date from the late 19th cent.

dybbuk /ˈdɪbʊk/

I. noun

(in Jewish folklore) a malevolent wandering spirit that enters and possesses the body of a living person until exorcised.

– origin from Yiddish dibek, from Hebrew dibbūq, from dāḇaq ‘cling’.

dye /dʌɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a natural or synthetic substance used to add a colour to or change the colour of something

• blonde hair dye

• [ count noun] a black dye.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. add a colour to or change the colour of (something) by soaking it in a solution impregnated with a dye
[with complement]

• I dyed my hair blonde

• (as adj. dyed) dyed black hair.

2. [no obj.] — take colour well or badly during the dyeing process

• it's good material—it should dye well.

III. phrases

dyed in the wool

unchanging in a particular belief or opinion; inveterate

• she's a true blue dyed-in-the-wool Conservative.

[with allusion to the fact that yarn was dyed in the raw state, producing a more even and permanent colour.]

IV. derivatives

dyeable

adjective

– origin Old English dēag (noun), dēagian (verb). The noun is not recorded from Old English to the late 16th cent., when it was re-formed from the verb.

dye laser

noun

a tunable laser using the fluorescence of an organic dye.

dyeline

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a diazo copying or colouring process.

dyer /ˈdʌɪə/

noun

a person whose trade is the dyeing of cloth or other material.

dyer's greenweed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bushy yellow-flowered Eurasian plant of the pea family, which has become naturalized in North America. The flowers were formerly used to make a yellow or green dye.
● Genista tinctoria, family Leguminosae.

dyer's oak

noun

another term for valonia.

dyer's rocket

noun

another term for weld^2.

dyestuff /ˈdʌɪstʌf/

noun

a substance yielding a dye or that can be used as a dye, especially when in solution.

Dyfed /ˈdʌvɛd/

a former county of SW Wales 1974–96, which included the present counties of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire.

dying /ˈdʌɪɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. on the point of death

• he visited his dying mother.

2. occurring at or connected with the time that someone dies

• he strained to catch her dying words.

3. gradually ceasing to exist or function; in decline and about to disappear

• the making of valves is a dying art

• the dying embers of the fire.

4. (of a period of time) final; closing

• the dying moments of the match.

II. phrases

to (or until) one's dying day

for the rest of one's life

• he will regret that decision to his dying day.

– origin late 16th cent.: present participle of die^1.

dyke^1 /dʌɪk / dike

I. noun

‹informal› ‹offensive› a lesbian.

II. derivatives

dykey

adjective

– origin 1940s (earlier as bulldyke): of unknown origin.

dyke^2 /dʌɪk / dike

I. noun

1. a long wall or embankment built to prevent flooding from the sea.

2. [often in place names] — a low wall or earthwork serving as a boundary or defence

• Offa's Dyke.

3. a causeway.

4. a ditch or watercourse.

5. [Geology] an intrusion of igneous rock cutting across existing strata.
Compare with sill.

6. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› ‹dated› a toilet.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. dyked)

1. provide (land) with a wall or embankment to prevent flooding.

III. phrases

put one's finger in the dyke

attempt to stem the advance of something undesirable.
[from a story of a small Dutch boy who saved his community from flooding, by placing his finger in a hole in a dyke.]

– origin Middle English (denoting a trench or ditch): from Old Norse dík, related to ditch. Sense 1 of the noun has been influenced by Middle Low German dīk ‘dam’ and Middle Dutch dijc ‘ditch, dam’.

Dylan, Bob /ˈdɪlən/

(b.1941), American singer and songwriter; born Robert Allen Zimmerman. The leader of an urban folk-music revival in the 1960s, he became known for political and protest songs such as ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’ (1964). Notable albums: Highway 61 Revisited (1965) and Blood on the Tracks (1975).

dyn

abbreviation

dyne.

dynamic /dʌɪˈnamɪk/

I. adjective

1. (of a process or system) characterized by constant change, activity, or progress

• a dynamic economy.

2. [Physics] relating to forces producing motion.
Often contrasted with static.

3. [Linguistics] (of a verb) expressing an action, activity, event, or process.
Contrasted with stative.

4. denoting or relating to web pages that update frequently or are generated according to an individual's search terms

• the dynamic content of these sites keeps their audience informed and up to date.

5. (of a person) positive in attitude and full of energy and new ideas

• a dynamic young advertising executive.

6. [Electronics] (of a memory device) needing to be refreshed by the periodic application of a voltage.

7. [Music] relating to the volume of sound produced by an instrument, voice, or recording.

II. noun

1. a force that stimulates change or progress within a system or process

• evaluation is part of the basic dynamic of the project.

2. [Music] another term for dynamics (sense 3).

III. derivatives

dynamical /dʌɪˈnamɪk(ə)l /

adjective

– origin early 19th cent. (as a term in physics): from French dynamique, from Greek dunamikos, from dunamis ‘power’.

dynamically /dʌɪˈnamɪkli/

adverb

1. in a manner characterized by constant change, activity, or progress

• this situation can change dynamically on the timescale of minutes

• plants must respond dynamically to environmental changes.

2. in a way that relates to motion

• these bones act dynamically to allow oppositional grip.

3. [Computing] used in relation to web pages that update frequently or are generated according to an individual's search terms

• a robust, dynamically generated website

• dynamically linked versions of the browser.

4. in a positive, energetic, and innovative manner

• innovative openings were often dynamically charged

• the chairman will continue to act dynamically.

5. [Music] in a way that relates to the volume of sound produced by an instrument, voice, or recording

• the stereo mix is clearer and more dynamically sound

• the playing wasn't dynamically varied.

dynamic equilibrium

noun

a state of balance between continuing processes.

dynamic metamorphism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] metamorphism produced by mechanical forces.

dynamic pricing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of pricing items at a level determined by a particular customer's perceived ability to pay.

dynamic range

noun

1. the range of acceptable or possible volumes of sound occurring in the course of a piece of music or a performance.

2. the ratio of the largest to the smallest intensity of sound that can be reliably transmitted or reproduced by a particular sound system, measured in decibels.

dynamics /dʌɪˈnamɪks/

I. plural noun

1. [treated as sing.] — the branch of mechanics concerned with the motion of bodies under the action of forces.
Compare with statics.

2. [usu. with modifier] — the branch of any science in which forces or changes are considered

• chemical dynamics.

3. the forces or properties which stimulate growth, development, or change within a system or process

• the dynamics of changing social relations.

4. [Music] the varying levels of volume of sound in different parts of a musical performance.

II. derivatives

dynamicist

noun

dynamics (sense 1)

dynamic viscosity

noun

a quantity measuring the force needed to overcome internal friction in a fluid.

dynamism /ˈdʌɪnəmɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being characterized by vigorous activity and progress

• the dynamism and strength of the economy.

2. the quality of being dynamic and positive in attitude

• he was known for his dynamism and strong views.

3. [Philosophy] ‹chiefly historical› the theory that phenomena of matter or mind are due to the action of forces rather than to motion or matter.

II. derivatives

dynamist

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek dunamis ‘power’ + -ism.

dynamite /ˈdʌɪnəmʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a high explosive consisting of nitroglycerine mixed with an absorbent material and typically moulded into sticks.

2. something that could generate extreme reactions or have devastating repercussions

• that roads policy is political dynamite.

3. ‹informal› an extremely impressive or exciting person or thing

• both her albums are dynamite

• [as modifier] a chick with a dynamite figure.

4. ‹informal› ‹dated› a narcotic, especially heroin.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. blow up (something) with dynamite.

• he threatened to dynamite a major hydroelectric dam.

III. derivatives

dynamiter

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek dunamis ‘power’ + -ite^1.

dynamize /ˈdʌɪnəmʌɪz / dynamise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give power or energy to; make dynamic.

• the new businesses that so dynamized the state in the 1960s.

II. derivatives

dynamization

noun

dynamo /ˈdʌɪnəməʊ/

I. noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) a machine for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, typically by means of rotating coils of copper wire in a magnetic field.

2. (chiefly Brit.) ‹informal› an extremely energetic person

• she was a dynamo in London politics.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation of dynamo-electric machine, from Greek dunamis ‘power’.

dynamometer /ˌdʌɪnəˈmɒmɪtə/

I. noun

an instrument which measures the power output of an engine.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French dynamomètre, from Greek dunamis ‘power’ + French -mètre ‘(instrument) measuring’.

dynast /ˈdɪnəst, ˈdʌɪnəst, ˈdʌɪnast/

I. noun

a member of a powerful family, especially a hereditary ruler.

– origin mid 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek dunastēs, from dunasthai ‘be able’.

dynastic /dɪˈnastɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to a line of hereditary rulers of a country

• the last dynastic rulers of Rome

• dynastic monarchies.

2. relating to a succession of people from the same family who play a prominent role in business, politics, or another field

• the plot concerns the dynastic struggles of two brothers.

II. derivatives

dynastically

adverb

dynasty /ˈdɪnəsti/

I. noun

1. a line of hereditary rulers of a country

• the Tang dynasty.

2. a succession of people from the same family who play a prominent role in business, politics, or another field

• the Guinness dynasty.

– origin late Middle English: from French dynastie, or via late Latin from Greek dunasteia ‘lordship, power’, from dunastēs (see dynast).

dyne /dʌɪn/

I. noun

[Physics] a unit of force that, acting on a mass of one gram, increases its velocity by one centimetre per second every second along the direction that it acts.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from Greek dunamis ‘force, power’.

dyno

I. noun

1. short for dynamometer.

2. [Climbing] a rapid move across a rock face in order to reach a hold.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — measure (the output of an engine) with a dynamometer.

2. [no obj.] — (in mountaineering) climb using dynos.

dynode /ˈdʌɪnəʊd/

I. noun

[Electronics] an intermediate electrode which emits additional electrons in a photomultiplier or similar amplifying device.

– origin 1930s: from Greek dunamis ‘power’ + -ode^2.

dys- /dɪs/

I. combining form

bad; difficult (used especially in medical terms)

• dyspepsia

• dysphasia.

– origin from Greek dus-; related to German zer-, also to Old English to-.

dysaesthesia /dɪsɪsˈθiːzɪə / ‹US› dysesthesia

I. noun

[Medicine] an abnormal unpleasant sensation felt when touched, caused by damage to peripheral nerves.

– origin early 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek dusaisthēsia, from dys- ‘bad’ + aisthēsis ‘sensation’ + -ia^1.

dysarthria /dɪsˈɑːθrɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] difficult or unclear articulation of speech that is otherwise linguistically normal.

– origin late 19th cent.: from dys- ‘difficult’ + Greek arthron ‘joint or articulation’.

dyscalculia /ˌdɪskalˈkjuːlɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] severe difficulty in making arithmetical calculations, as a result of brain disorder.

dyscrasia /dɪsˈkreɪzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an abnormal or disordered state of the body or of a bodily part.
[ count noun]

• various blood dyscrasias.

• plasma cell dyscrasia.

II. derivatives

dyscrasic

adjective

– origin late Middle English (denoting an imbalance of physical qualities): via late Latin from Greek duskrasia ‘bad combination’, from dus- ‘bad’ + krasis ‘mixture’.

dysentery /ˈdɪs(ə)nt(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. infection of the intestines resulting in severe diarrhoea with the presence of blood and mucus in the faeces.

• a sudden attack of dysentery.

● Amoebic dysentery is caused by the protozoan Entamoeba histolytica, mainly in warm climates, and spread by contaminated water and food; bacterial dysentery is caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella and can also spread by contact (see shigella).

II. derivatives

dysenteric /dɪs(ə)nˈtɛrɪk /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French dissenterie, or via Latin from Greek dusenteria, from dusenteros ‘afflicted in the bowels’, from dus- ‘bad’ + entera ‘bowels’.

dysfunction /dɪsˈfʌŋ(k)ʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. abnormality or impairment in the operation of a specified bodily organ or system

• bowel dysfunction.

2. disruption of normal social relations

• inner-city dysfunction.

dysfunctional /dɪsˈfʌŋkʃənl/

I. adjective

1. not operating normally or properly

• the telephones are dysfunctional.

2. unable to deal adequately with normal social relations

• an emotionally dysfunctional businessman

• dysfunctional families.

II. derivatives

1. dysfunctionality

noun

2. dysfunctionally

adverb

dysgenic /dɪsˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

exerting a detrimental effect on later generations through the inheritance of undesirable characteristics

• dysgenic breeding.

dysgraphia /dɪsˈɡrafɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] inability to write coherently, as a symptom of brain disease or damage.

• patterns of acquired dysgraphia are beginning to be identified.

II. derivatives

dysgraphic

adjective

– origin 1930s: from dys- ‘difficult’ + Greek -graphia ‘writing’.

dyskinesia /ˌdɪskɪˈniːziə, ˌdɪskʌɪˈniːziə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormality or impairment of voluntary movement.
[ count noun]

• these dyskinesias generally increase on withdrawal of drug treatment.

dyslalia /dɪsˈleɪlɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inability to articulate comprehensible speech, especially when associated with the use of private words or sounds.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from dys- ‘difficult’ + Greek lalia ‘speech’.

dyslexia /dɪsˈlɛksɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but that do not affect general intelligence.

II. derivatives

dyslectic

adjective, noun

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from dys- ‘difficult’ + Greek lexis ‘speech’ (apparently by confusion of Greek legein ‘to speak’ and Latin legere ‘to read’).

dyslexic /dɪsˈlɛksɪk / dyslectic /dɪsˈlɛktɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or affected by dyslexia

• dyslexic children perform well in oral tests.

II. noun

a person who has dyslexia

• dyslexics can have difficulty writing by hand.

dysmenorrhoea /ˌdɪsmɛnəˈriːə / ‹US› dysmenorrhea

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] painful menstruation, typically involving abdominal cramps.

dysmorphia /dɪsˈmɔːfɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] deformity or abnormality in the shape or size of a specified part of the body

• muscle dysmorphia.

II. derivatives

dysmorphic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek dusmorphia ‘misshapenness, ugliness’, from dus-dys- + morphē ‘form’.

dyspareunia /ˌdɪspəˈruːnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] difficult or painful sexual intercourse.

– origin late 19th cent.: from dys- ‘difficult’ + Greek pareunos ‘lying with’.

dyspepsia /dɪsˈpɛpsɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. indigestion.

– origin early 18th cent.: via Latin from Greek duspepsia, from duspeptos ‘difficult to digest’.

dyspeptic /dɪsˈpɛptɪk/

I. adjective

having indigestion or a consequent air of irritable bad temper.

II. noun

a person who suffers from indigestion or bad temper.

dysphagia /dɪsˈfeɪdʒɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] difficulty or discomfort in swallowing, as a symptom of disease

• progressive dysphagia.

– origin late 18th cent.: modern Latin, from dys- + Greek phagia ‘eating’ (from phagein ‘eat’).

dysphasia /dɪsˈfeɪzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] language disorder marked by deficiency in the generation of speech, and sometimes also in its comprehension, due to brain disease or damage.

II. derivatives

dysphasic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek dusphatos ‘hard to utter’, from dus- ‘difficult’ + phatos ‘spoken’.

dysphemism /ˈdɪsfɪmɪz(ə)m/

noun

a derogatory or unpleasant term used instead of a pleasant or neutral one.
The opposite of euphemism.

dysphonia /dɪsˈfəʊnɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] difficulty in speaking due to a physical disorder of the mouth, tongue, throat, or vocal cords.

dysphoria /dɪsˈfɔːrɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] a state of unease or generalized dissatisfaction with life.

• adolescents with depression, dysphoria, mania, and anxiety disorders.

The opposite of euphoria.

II. derivatives

dysphoric

adjective, noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek dusphoria, from dusphoros ‘hard to bear’.

dysplasia /dɪsˈpleɪzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the enlargement of an organ or tissue by the proliferation of cells of an abnormal type, as a developmental disorder or an early stage in the development of cancer.

II. derivatives

dysplastic /dɪsˈplastɪk /

adjective

– origin 1930s: from dys- ‘bad’ + Greek plasis ‘formation’.

dyspnoea /dɪspˈniːə / ‹US› dyspnea

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] difficult or laboured breathing.

• many soldiers presented with acute dyspnoea.

II. derivatives

dyspnoeic

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek duspnoia, from dus- ‘difficult’ + pnoē ‘breathing’.

dyspraxia /dɪsˈpraksɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a developmental disorder of the brain in childhood causing difficulty in activities requiring coordination and movement.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek dus- ‘bad or difficult’ + praxis ‘action’.

dysprosium /dɪsˈprəʊzɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Dy) — the chemical element of atomic number 66, a soft silvery-white metal of the lanthanide series.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek dusprositos ‘hard to get at’ + -ium.

dysregulation /ˌdɪsrɛɡjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. abnormality or impairment in the regulation of a metabolic, physiological, or psychological process

• family dysfunction may contribute to emotional dysregulation

• [ count noun] the phenomenon of narcolepsy can be understood in terms of a dysregulation of rapid eye movement sleep.

dysrhythmia /dɪsˈrɪðmɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormality in a physiological rhythm, especially in the activity of the brain or heart.

• congestive heart failure and dysrhythmia.

• [ count noun] these drugs have been noted to cause cardiac dysrhythmias.

II. derivatives

1. dysrhythmic

adjective

2. dysrhythmical

adjective

dysthymia /dɪsˈθʌɪmɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] persistent mild depression.

• in some, at least 2 years of dysthymia lead to recurring major depression.

II. derivatives

dysthymic

adjective, noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek dusthumia.

dystocia /dɪsˈtəʊʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] [Veterinary Medicine] difficult birth, typically caused by a large or awkwardly positioned fetus, by smallness of the maternal pelvis, or by failure of the uterus and cervix to contract and expand normally.

• the incidence of dystocia or difficult calvings.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Greek dustokia, from dus- ‘difficult’ + tokos ‘childbirth’.

dystonia /dɪsˈtəʊnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a state of abnormal muscle tone resulting in muscular spasm and abnormal posture, typically due to neurological disease or a side effect of drug therapy.

II. derivatives

dystonic /dɪsˈtɒnɪk /

adjective

dystopia /dɪsˈtəʊpɪə/

I. noun

an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.
The opposite of utopia.

– origin late 18th cent.: from dys- ‘bad’ + utopia.

dystopian

I. adjective

relating to or denoting an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one

• the dystopian future of a society bereft of reason

• the utopian dream that became a dystopian nightmare.

II. noun

a person who advocates or describes an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad

• a lot of things those dystopians feared did not come true.

dystrophia myotonica /dɪsˌtrəʊfɪə mʌɪəˈtɒnɪkə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a form of muscular dystrophy in which myotonia also occurs.

dystrophic /dɪsˈtrəʊfɪk, dɪsˈtrɒfɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Medicine] affected by or relating to dystrophy, especially muscular dystrophy.

2. [Ecology] (of a lake) having brown acidic water that is low in oxygen and supports little life, owing to high levels of dissolved humus.
Compare with eutrophic and oligotrophic.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek dus- ‘bad’ + -trophia ‘nourishment’ + -ic.

dystrophin /dɪsˈtrəʊfɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a protein found in skeletal muscle, which is absent in sufferers from muscular dystrophy.
[ count noun]

• comparison of these regions and the dystrophins.

dystrophy /ˈdɪstrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] [Veterinary Medicine] a disorder in which an organ or tissue of the body wastes away.

• myotonic dystrophy.

• [ count noun] macular dystrophies damage the central portion of the retina.

See also muscular dystrophy.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin dystrophia, from Greek dus- ‘bad’ + -trophia ‘nourishment’.

dysuria /dɪsˈjʊərɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] painful or difficult urination.

• the dysuria associated with cystitis.

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek dusouria, from dus- ‘difficult’ + ouron ‘urine’.

dytiscid /dɪˈtɪskɪd, dɪˈtɪsɪd/

I. noun

[Entomology] a beetle of a family ( Dytiscidae) that comprises most water beetles.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Dytiscidae, from Dytiscus (genus name), from Greek dutikos ‘able to dive’, from duein ‘dive’.

DZ

abbreviation

1. Algeria (international vehicle registration).
[from Arabic Djazïr.]

2. drop zone.

• used parachutes were scattered across the DZ.

Dzaoudzi /ˈdzaʊdzi/

the former capital of the French island of Mayotte and of the Comoros; pop. 15,300 (est. 2007).

Dzaudzhikau /ˌdzaʊdʒɪˈkaʊ/

former name (1944–54) for Vladikavkaz.

DZD

abbreviation

Algerian dinar(s).

Dzerzhinsk /dzəːˈʒɪnsk/

a city in west central Russia, west of Nizhni Novgorod; pop. 247,500 (est. 2008).
Former names Chernorechye and Rastyapino.

Dzerzhinsky, Feliks /dzəːˈʒɪnski/

(1877–1926), Russian Bolshevik leader, of Polish descent; full name Feliks Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky. He was the organizer and first head of the post-revolutionary Soviet security police (the Cheka, later the OGPU).

dzo /ʒəʊ, zəʊ / dzho, zho

I. noun

a hybrid of a cow and a yak.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Tibetan ṃdso.

Dzongkha /ˈzɒŋkə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the official language of Bhutan, closely related to Tibetan.

– origin Tibetan.

e /iː/

symbol

1. ( €) — euro or euros.

2. (also e−) — [Chemistry] an electron.

3. ( e) — [Mathematics] the transcendental number that is the base of Napierian or natural logarithms, approximately equal to 2.71828.

E^1 /iː / e

noun

1. the fifth letter of the alphabet.

2. denoting the fifth in a set of items, categories, sizes, etc.

3. the fifth-highest class of academic mark.

• in O level about half of those entered obtained D or E grades.

4. ( e) — [Chess] denoting the fifth file from the left, as viewed from White's side of the board.

5. denoting the lowest-earning socio-economic category for marketing purposes.

6. ( E) — a shape like that of a capital E
[in combination]

• an E-shaped stately home.

7. ( E) — [Music] the third note of the diatonic scale of C major.

8. a key based on a scale with E as its keynote.

E^2 /iː/

I. abbreviation

1. East or Eastern

• 139° E.

2. ‹informal› the drug Ecstasy or a tablet of Ecstasy.

• people have died after taking E.

• being busted with three Es can lead to stiff penalties.

3. [in combination] — denoting products, in particular food additives, which comply with EU regulations.

• the yellow colouring tartrazine (E 102).

See also E-number.

4. [in combination] — (in units of measurement) exa- (10^18).

5. Spain (international vehicle registration).
[from Spanish España.]

II. symbol

1. [Physics] electric field strength.

2. [Physics] electromotive force.

3. [Physics] energy

• E = mc^2.

III. phrases

the three Es

economy, efficiency, and effectiveness.

• the research unit examines the effect of the three Es in the provision of social services.

e-1 /ɪ, ɛ/

prefix

variant spelling of ex-1 (as in elect, emit).

e-2 /iː/

I. prefix

denoting something in electronic form, especially the use of electronic data transfer for information exchange and financial transactions via the Internet

• e-cash

• e-business

• e-zine.

– origin from electronic, on the pattern of email.

ea.

abbreviation

each

• T-shirts for £9.95 ea.

each /iːtʃ/

I. determiner, pronoun

used to refer to every one of two or more people or things, regarded and identified separately
[as determiner]

• each battery is in a separate compartment

• each one of us was asked what went on

• [as pronoun] Derek had money from each of his five uncles

• they each have their own personality.

II. adverb

to, for, or by every one of a group (used after a noun or an amount)

• the cameras cost £35 each

• Paul and Bill have a glass each.

III. phrases

each and every

every single (used for emphasis)

• taking each and every opportunity

• I look forward to seeing each and every one of you.

– origin Old English ǣlc; related to Dutch elk and German jeglich, based on a West Germanic phrase meaning ‘ever alike’ (see aye^2, alike).

each other

pronoun

used to refer to each member of a group when each does something to or for other members

• they communicate with each other in French.

each-way

adjective, adverb

1. (Brit.) (of a bet) divided into two equal wagers, one backing a horse or other competitor to win and the other backing it to finish in the first three.
[as adj.]

• he could be worth an each-way bet.

• [as adv.] we put the same bet each way on a horse.

2. [as adj.] — (Brit.) to come first, second, or third in a race, considered from a betting point of view

• Travado has an each-way chance.

eager /ˈiːɡə/

I. adjective

1. strongly wanting to do or have something

• the man was eager to please

• young intellectuals eager for knowledge.

2. (of a person's expression or tone of voice) keenly expectant or interested

• small eager faces looked up and listened.

II. phrases

eager beaver /ˌiːɡə ˈbiːvə /

‹informal› a keen and enthusiastic person who works very hard.

– origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘pungent, sour’): from Old French aigre ‘keen’, from Latin acer, acr- ‘sharp, pungent’.

eagerly /ˈiːɡəli/

adverb

1. used to emphasize a strong desire to do or have something

• original illustrations are eagerly sought by collectors.

2. in a keenly expectant or interested manner

• fans of the show are eagerly awaiting the new season.

eagerness /ˈiːɡənəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. enthusiasm to do or to have something; keenness

• the player showed eagerness to play.

eagle /ˈiːɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a large bird of prey with a massive hooked bill and long broad wings, known for its keen sight and powerful soaring flight.
●Family Accipitridae: several genera, in particular Aquila.

2. a figure of an eagle, especially as a symbol of the US.

3. [Golf] a score of two strokes under par at a hole.
[as modifier]

• he also had an eagle three at the ninth.

[suggested by birdie.]

4. (US) a former gold coin worth ten dollars.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Golf] play (a hole) in two strokes under par

• he eagled the last to share fourth place.

– origin Middle English: from Old French aigle, from Latin aquila.

eagle eye

noun

a keen or close watch

• she was keeping an eagle eye on Leni.

eagle-eyed /ˌiːɡlˈʌɪd/

adjective

quick to notice things; observant

• an eagle-eyed reader spotted the error in last week's column.

eagle owl

noun

a very large Old World owl with ear tufts and a deep hoot.
●Genus Bubo, family Strigidae: several species.

eagle ray

noun

a large marine ray with long pointed pectoral fins, a long tail, and a distinct head.
●Family Myliobatidae: genera Myliobatis and Aetobatus, and several species.

eaglet /ˈiːɡlɪt/

noun

a young eagle.

eagre /ˈeɪɡə, ˈiːɡə/

I. noun

dialect term for bore^3.

– origin early 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

EAK

I. abbreviation

Kenya (international vehicle registration).

– origin from East Africa Kenya.

Eakins, Thomas /ˈiːkɪnz/

(1844–1916), American painter and photographer noted for his portraits and genre pictures of life in Philadelphia. His picture The Gross Clinic (1875) aroused controversy because of its explicit depiction of surgery.

Ealing Studios

a film studio in Ealing, West London, active 1929–55, but remembered chiefly for the comedies it made in the post-war decade.

-ean

I. suffix

forming adjectives and nouns such as Antipodean and Pythagorean.

– origin from Latin -aeus, -eus or Greek -aios, -eios, + -an.

ear^1 /ɪə/

I. noun

1. the organ of hearing and balance in humans and other vertebrates, especially the external part of this.

2. an organ sensitive to sound in other animals.

3. [in sing.] — an ability to recognize, appreciate, and reproduce sounds, especially music or language

• an ear for rhythm and melody.

4. used to refer to a person's willingness to listen to others

• she offers a sympathetic ear to worried pet owners.

The ear of a mammal is composed of three parts. The outer or external ear consists of a fleshy external flap and a tube leading to the eardrum or tympanum. The middle ear is an air-filled cavity connected to the throat, containing three small linked bones that transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The inner ear is a complex fluid-filled labyrinth including the spiral cochlea (where vibrations are converted to nerve impulses) and the three semicircular canals (forming the organ of balance).

II. phrases

1. be all ears

‹informal› be listening eagerly.

• I'm all ears, tell me about it.

2. bring something (down) about one's ears

bring misfortune on oneself

• she brought her world crashing about her ears.

3. one's ears are burning

one is subconsciously aware of being talked about or criticized.

• certain officials in the police department will find their ears are burning before long.

4. grin (or smile) from ear to ear

smile broadly.

• you'll come out of the show grinning from ear to ear.

5. have something coming out of one's ears

‹informal› have a substantial amount of something

• that man's got money coming out of his ears.

6. have someone's ear

have access to and influence with someone

• he claimed to have the prime minister's ear.

7. have (or keep) an ear to the ground

be well informed about events and trends.

• the good leader has his ear to the ground and will know when real doubts are growing.

8. in one ear and out the other

heard but quickly forgotten

• whatever he tells me seems to go in one ear and out the other.

9. listen with half an ear

not give one's full attention.

• her husband listened to her with half an ear as he watched television.

10. be out on one's ear

‹informal› be dismissed ignominiously.

• if this cheque bounces, you're out on your ear.

11. reach someone's ears

be heard or heard about by someone

• the sound of running feet reached my ears

• one of those stories reached our ears.

12. up to one's ears in

‹informal› very busy with

• I'm up to my ears in work here.

III. derivatives

1. eared /ɪəd /

adjective

[in combination]

• long-eared

2. earless /ˈɪələs /

adjective

– origin Old English ēare, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch oor and German Ohr, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin auris and Greek ous.

ear^2 /ɪə/

I. noun

1. the seed-bearing head or spike of a cereal plant.

2. (N. Amer.) a head of maize.

– origin Old English ēar, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch aar and German Ähre.

earache /ˈɪəreɪk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. pain inside the ear.

• I've got earache.

• [ count noun] a child complaining of an earache.

Also called otalgia.

earbashing /ˈɪəbaʃɪŋ/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a lengthy and reproachful speech

• I picked up the phone and gave him an earbashing.

II. derivatives

earbash

verb

earbud

noun — (usu. earbuds)

1. a very small headphone, worn inside the ear.

ear candle

noun

a hollow tube of wax-coated paper or other material, made for use in ear candling.

ear candling /ˈkand(ə)lɪŋ / ear coning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of alternative therapy in which the tapered end of an ear candle is placed in a person's ear while the other end of the candle is lit, in the belief that earwax and other impurities are drawn out of the ear canal by a partial vacuum created by the candle flame.

• the Spa menu includes colonics, ear candling, and body brushing performed with an oak-leaf broom.

ear candy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› light popular music that is pleasant and entertaining but intellectually undemanding.

ear defenders

plural noun

plugs or earmuffs which protect the eardrums from loud or persistent noise.

eardrum /ˈɪədrʌm/

noun

the membrane of the middle ear, which vibrates in response to sound waves; the tympanic membrane.

ear flap

noun

1. a flap of material on a hat or cap, covering the ear.

2. a part of an animal's outer ear which extends out from the head as a fleshy flap or lobe.

earful /ˈɪəf(ə)l/

noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹informal› a prolonged and angry reprimand

• executives got an earful about poor rail connections.

2. ‹informal› a loud blast of sound

• an earful of white noise.

Earhart, Amelia /ˈɛːhɑːt/

(1897–1937), American aviator. In 1932 she became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic solo. Her aircraft disappeared over the Pacific Ocean during a subsequent round-the-world flight with the loss of Earhart and her navigator.

earhole /ˈɪəhəʊl/

noun

1. the external opening of the ear.

• seals can close their earholes under water.

2. ‹informal› a person's ear

• a clip round the earhole.

earl /əːl/

I. noun

a British nobleman ranking above a viscount and below a marquess.

– origin Old English eorl, of Germanic origin. The word earl originally denoted a man of noble rank, as opposed to a churl, also specifically a hereditary nobleman next above the rank of thane. It was later an equivalent of jarl and, under Canute and his successors, applied to the governor of divisions of England such as Wessex. In the late Old English period, as the Saxon court came under Norman influence, the word was applied to any nobleman bearing the continental title of count .

earldom /ˈəːldəm/

noun

1. the rank or title of an earl.

2. ‹historical› the territory governed by an earl.

earless lizard

noun

a small, long-legged burrowing lizard without visible external ear openings, native to North America.
● Holbrookia texana, family Iguanidae.

Earl Grey

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of China tea flavoured with bergamot.

• a cup of Earl Grey.

• [as modifier] Earl Grey tea.

– origin probably named after the 2nd Earl Grey (1764–1845).

Earl Marshal

noun

(in the UK) the officer presiding over the College of Arms, with ceremonial duties on various royal occasions.

earlobe /ˈɪələʊb/

noun

a soft, rounded fleshy part hanging from the lower margin of the ear.

earlock

noun

a lock of hair over or above the ear.

• a small man with a white beard and scraggly earlocks.

earl palatine

noun

‹historical› an earl having royal authority within his country or domain.

early /ˈəːli/

I. adjective

1. happening or done before the usual or expected time

• we ate an early lunch.

2. belonging or happening near the beginning of a particular period

• an early goal secured victory

• she's in her early fifties.

3. done or occurring near the beginning of the day

• we agreed to meet at 6 am to get an early start.

4. denoting or belonging to the beginning of a historical period or cultural movement

• early impressionism.

5. occurring at the beginning of a sequence

• the earlier chapters of the book.

6. (of a plant or crop) flowering or ripening before other varieties

• early potatoes.

II. adverb

1. before the usual or expected time

• I want to finish work early today.

2. near the beginning of a period

• we lost a couple of games early in the season.

3. near the beginning of the day

• I wrote this piece early one morning.

4. ( earlier) — before the present time or before the time one is referring to

• you met my husband earlier.

III. noun — ( earlies)

1. potatoes which are ready to be harvested before the main crop.

2. ‹informal› early shifts

• she is on earlies.

IV. phrases

1. at the earliest

not before the time or date specified.

• the table won't be delivered until next week at the earliest.

2. early bird /əːli ˈbəːd /

‹humorous› a person who rises, arrives, or acts before the usual or expected time.

• he was always an early bird.

• [as modifier] many cruise lines offer early-bird discounts for people who plan ahead.

3. the early bird catches the worm

‹proverb› the person who takes the earliest opportunity to do something will gain the advantage over others.

4. early doors

(Brit.) ‹informal› early on, especially in a game or contest

• you should try to wind up their star player early doors.

[apparently originally with reference to admission to a music hall some time before the start of the performance.]

5. an early grave

a premature or untimely death

• he worked himself into an early grave.

6. the early hours

the time after midnight and before dawn.

• the bar stays open until the early hours.

7. an early night

an occasion when someone goes to bed before the usual time.

• I think I'll have an early night.

8. early (or earlier) on

at an early (or earlier) stage in a period

• they discovered early on that the published data were wrong.

9. it's (or these are) early days

(Brit.) ‹informal› it is too soon to be sure how a situation will develop.

• it's early days yet, but the centre has already doubled its workforce.

• it's still early days for the initiative.

V. derivatives

earliness /ˈəːlɪnəs /

noun

– origin Old English (as an adverb) ǣrlīce (see ere, -ly^2), influenced by Old Norse árliga. The adjective use dates from Middle English.

early adopter

noun

a person who starts using a product or technology as soon as it becomes available.

early closing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the practice of shutting business premises on a particular afternoon every week.
[as modifier]

• it's early-closing day.

early day motion

noun

(Brit.) (in the UK) a formal proposal submitted by a Member of Parliament for debate in the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity but at no fixed time. Early day motions are rarely actually debated: their main purpose is to draw attention to a particular subject or area of interest

• some 75 MPs have signed an early day motion calling for more Treasury research into the tax.

Early English /ɜːliˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

adjective

denoting the earliest stage of English Gothic church architecture, typical of the late 12th and 13th centuries and marked by the use of pointed arches and simple lancet windows without tracery.

• examples of Early English work include the abbeys of Glastonbury and Tintern.

early leaver

noun

a person who leaves early, especially a person who abandons a pension plan before the expected date.

early music

noun — [ mass noun]

1. medieval, Renaissance, and early baroque music, especially as revived and played on period instruments.

• a recital of early music.

• [as modifier] an Early Music society.

early retirement

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of leaving employment before the statutory age, especially on favourable financial terms.

• some will be forced to take early retirement.

• [ count noun] there is a surge of early retirements among demoralized staff.

earmark /ˈɪəmɑːk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. designate (funds or resources) for a particular purpose

• the cash had been earmarked for a big expansion of the programme.

2. designate a particular outcome for (someone or something)

• the yard has been earmarked for a complete overhaul.

3. mark the ear of (a domesticated animal) as a sign of ownership or identity.

II. noun

1. a characteristic or identifying feature

• this car has all the earmarks of a classic.

2. (US) a congressional directive that funds should be spent on a specific project.

3. a mark on the ear of a domesticated animal indicating ownership or identity.

earmuffs /ˈɪəmʌfs/

plural noun

a pair of soft fabric coverings, connected by a band across the top of the head, that are worn over the ears to protect them from cold or noise.

earn /əːn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. obtain (money) in return for labour or services

• he earns his living as a lorry driver

• [with two objs] earn yourself a few pounds.

2. [with two objs] — (of an activity) cause (someone) to obtain (money)

• this latest win earned them $50,000 in prize money.

3. (of capital invested) gain (money) as interest or profit.

• the dollars can be placed on deposit and earn interest.

4. gain deservedly in return for one's behaviour or achievements

• through the years she has earned affection and esteem.

II. phrases

1. earn one's corn

(Brit.) ‹informal› put in a lot of effort to show that one deserves one's wages.

2. earn one's keep

a. work in return for food and accommodation.

b. be worth the time or money spent on one.

• his media advisers were earning their keep.

III. phrasal verbs

earn something out

(of an author, book, recording artist, etc.) generate sufficient income through sales to equal the amount paid in an advance or royalty.

– origin Old English earnian, of West Germanic origin, from a base shared by Old English esne ‘labourer’.

earned income

noun — [ mass noun]

1. money derived from paid work.

• the basic rate of tax on earned income.

earned run

noun

[Baseball] a run scored without the aid of errors by the team in the field (i.e. by hits, walks, and outs that advance base runners).

earner /ˈəːnə/

I. noun — [with adj. or noun modifier]

1. a person who obtains money of a specified kind or level in return for labour or services

• higher rates of income tax for high earners.

2. an activity or product that brings in income of a specified kind or level

• tobacco is a major foreign currency earner.

II. phrases

a nice little earner

(Brit.) ‹informal› a profitable activity.

• Christmas parties have become a nice little earner for museums.

earnest^1 /ˈəːnɪst/

I. adjective

resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction

• an earnest student

• two girls were in earnest conversation.

II. phrases

in earnest

a. to a greater extent or more intensely than before

• work began again in earnest.

b. (of a person) sincere and serious in intention.

• Cameron looked at him to make sure he was in earnest.

– origin Old English eornoste (adjective), eornost (noun), of Germanic origin; related to German Ernst (noun).

earnest^2 /ˈəːnɪst/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a thing intended or regarded as a sign or promise of what is to come

• the very deliberateness of their disguise is an earnest of their real aloofness.

– origin Middle English ernes, literally ‘instalment paid to confirm a contract’, based on Old French erres, from Latin arra, shortened form of arrabo ‘a pledge’. The spelling was influenced by words ending in -ness; the final -t is probably by association with earnest^1.

earnestly /ˈəːnɪstli/

adverb

with sincere and intense conviction; seriously

• they earnestly hope to come back in the summer.

earnest money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly US) money paid to confirm a contract.

• the earnest money shall be enclosed along with the sealed tender documents.

earnestness /ˈəːnɪs(t)nəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sincere and intense conviction

• he tells his story with intense earnestness

• the deadly earnestness of the conversation.

earnings /ˈəːnɪŋz/

plural noun

1. money obtained in return for labour or services.

• he claimed damages for loss of earnings.

2. income derived from an investment or product

• export earnings.

earn-out

noun

a provision written into some financial transactions whereby the seller of a business will receive additional payments based on the future performance of the business sold.

Earp, Wyatt /əːp/

(1848–1929), American gambler and marshal; full name Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp. He is famous for the gunfight at the OK Corral (1881), in which Wyatt with his brothers and his friend Doc Holliday fought the Clanton brothers at Tombstone, Arizona.

earphone /ˈɪəfəʊn/

noun — (usu. earphones)

1. an electrical device worn on the ear to receive radio or telephone communications or to listen to a radio, MP3 player, etc.

earpiece /ˈɪəpiːs/

noun

1. the part of a telephone, radio receiver, or other aural device that is applied to the ear during use.

2. the part of a pair of glasses that fits around the ear.

ear-piercing

I. adjective

loud and shrill

• the alarm emits an ear-piercing screech.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of making holes in the lobes or edges of the ears to allow the wearing of earrings.

• facials, body massage, ear-piercing—it's all on offer.

• [ count noun] extra ear-piercings.

earplug /ˈɪəplʌɡ/

noun — (usu. earplugs)

1. a piece of wax, rubber, or cotton wool placed in the ear as protection against noise, water, or cold air.

earring /ˈɪərɪŋ/

noun

a piece of jewellery worn on the lobe or edge of the ear.

ear-shattering

adjective

extremely loud

• the ear-shattering noise of military jets taking off.

ear shell

noun

another term for abalone.

earshot /ˈɪəʃɒt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the range or distance over which one can hear or be heard

• she waited until he was out of earshot before continuing.

ear-splitting

adjective

extremely loud

• an ear-splitting crack of thunder.

earth /əːθ/

I. noun

1.
a. (also Earth) — the planet on which we live; the world

• the diversity of life on earth.

b. the surface of the world as distinct from the sky or the sea

• the pilot brought the plane gently back to earth.

c. the present abode of humankind, as distinct from heaven or hell.

• God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

The earth is the third planet from the sun in the solar system, orbiting between Venus and Mars at an average distance of 149.6 million km from the sun, and has one natural satellite, the moon. It has an equatorial diameter of 12,756 km, an average density 5.5 times that of water, and is believed to have formed about 4,600 million years ago. The earth, which is three-quarters covered by oceans and has a dense atmosphere of nitrogen and oxygen, is the only planet known to support life.

2. [ mass noun] — the substance of the land surface; soil

• a layer of earth.

3. [ count noun] — used in names of stable, dense, non-volatile inorganic substances, e.g. fuller's earth.

• these crayons are made with a mixture of native earths plus softeners such as China clay.

4. ‹literary› the substance of the human body.

• we now commit his body to the ground: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

5. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) electrical connection to the ground, regarded as having zero electrical potential

• ensure metal fittings are electrically bonded to earth.

6. the underground lair of a badger or fox.

7. one of the four elements in ancient and medieval philosophy and in astrology (considered essential to the nature of the signs Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn).
[as modifier]

• an earth sign.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) connect (an electrical device) with the ground

• the front metal panels must be soundly earthed.

2. [Hunting] drive (a fox) to its underground lair.

3. [no obj.] — (of a fox) run to its underground lair.

4. ( earth something up) — cover the root and lower stem of a plant with heaped-up earth.

• the stems can be earthed up when the plant is about one foot high.

III. phrases

1. come (or bring someone) back (down) to earth

return (or cause someone to return) to reality after a period of daydreaming or excitement.

• a sharp knock at the door brought him back to earth.

2. the earth

(Brit.) a very large amount

• her hat cost the earth.

3. the earth moved (or did the earth move for you?)

‹humorous› one had (or did you have?) an orgasm.

4. go to earth

a. (of a hunted animal) hide in an underground burrow.

• the fox would go to earth and stay there till dark.

b. go into hiding

• he'd gone to earth after that meeting.

5. like nothing on earth

‹informal› very strange

• they looked like nothing on earth.

6. on earth

used for emphasis, especially in questions and negative statements

• who on earth would venture out in weather like this?

– origin Old English eorthe, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch aarde and German Erde.

earth ball

noun

a fungus that forms a leathery yellowish-brown warty sphere which ruptures when mature to release the spores, growing typically on acid sandy soil in both Eurasia and North America.
●Genus Scleroderma, family Sclerodermataceae, class Gasteromycetes: several species.

earth-born

adjective

(of a human being, typically in contrast to a divine or alien being) born on earth; mortal.

earthbound /ˈəːθbaʊnd/

adjective

1. restricted to the earth

• a flightless earthbound bird.

2. limited to material existence as distinct from a spiritual or heavenly one

• her earthbound view of the sacrament.

3. moving towards the earth

• an earthbound spaceship.

earth closet

noun

(Brit.) a basic type of toilet with dry earth used to cover excrement.

earthen /ˈəːθ(ə)n/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of a floor or structure) made of compressed earth

• earthen mounds.

2. (of a pot) made of baked or fired clay.

• on shelves sat earthen jugs.

earthenware /ˈəːθ(ə)nwɛː/

noun — [ mass noun] [often as modifier]

1. pottery made of clay fired to a porous state which can be made impervious to liquids by the use of a glaze

• an earthenware jug.

earthfall /ˈəːθfɔːl/

noun

a collapse of a mass of earth from a mountain or cliff.

earthling /ˈəːθlɪŋ/

noun

(in science fiction) a word used by aliens to refer to an inhabitant of the earth.
[as modifier]

• this was perfectly normal earthling behaviour.

earth loop

noun

an unwanted electric current path in a circuit resulting in stray signals or interference, occurring for example when two earthed points in the same circuit have different potentials.

earthly /ˈəːθli/

I. adjective

1. relating to the earth or human life

• water is liquid at normal earthly temperatures.

2. relating to humankind's material existence as distinct from a spiritual or heavenly one

• all earthly happiness is but vanity.

3. [with negative] — ‹informal› used for emphasis

• there was no earthly reason why she should not come too.

II. phrases

not stand (or have) an earthly

(Brit.) ‹informal› have no chance at all

• she wouldn't stand an earthly if she tried to outrun him.

III. derivatives

earthliness /ˈəːθlɪnəs /

noun

earth mother

noun

1. (in mythology and primitive religion) a goddess symbolizing fertility and the source of life.

2. an archetypally nurturing and maternal woman.

earth mover

I. noun

a vehicle or machine designed to excavate large quantities of soil.

II. derivatives

earth moving

noun

earthnut /ˈəːθnʌt/

noun

1. a Eurasian plant of the parsley family, which has an edible roundish tuber and is found in woodland and acid pasture. Also called pignut, hognut.
● Conopodium majus, family Umbelliferae.

2. the almond-flavoured tuber of the earthnut.

3. (Brit.) another term for peanut.

earthquake /ˈəːθkweɪk/

noun

1. a sudden violent shaking of the ground, typically causing great destruction, as a result of movements within the earth's crust or volcanic action.

2. a great upheaval

• a political earthquake.

earth science

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of science dealing with the physical constitution of the earth and its atmosphere.

• undergraduates in earth science.

2. ( earth sciences) — the various branches of earth science, e.g. geology or meteorology.

earth-shattering earth-shaking

I. adjective

(in hyperbolic use) very important, shocking, or traumatic

• tell me this earth-shattering news of yours.

II. derivatives

earth-shatteringly

adverb

earthshine /ˈəːθʃʌɪn / earthlight

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Astronomy] the glow caused by sunlight reflected by the earth on the darker portion of a crescent moon.

earthslip /ˈəːθslɪp/

noun

a collapse of a mass of earth from a mountain or cliff.

earthstar

noun

a brownish woodland fungus with a spherical spore-containing fruiting body surrounded by a fleshy star-shaped structure, found in both Eurasia and North America.
●Family Geastraceae, class Gasteromycetes: Geastrum and other genera.

earth station

noun

a radio station located on the earth and used for relaying signals from satellites.

earthward /ˈəːθwəd / earthwards

adverb, adjective

towards the earth
[as adv.]

• when his parachute failed to open he fell earthward at 120 mph

• [as adj.] the bird's earthward plummet.

earthwork /ˈəːθwəːk/

noun

a large artificial bank of soil, especially one made as a defence in ancient times.

• Bronze Age earthworks.

earthworm /ˈəːθwəːm/

noun

a burrowing annelid worm that lives in the soil, important in aerating and draining the soil and in burying organic matter.
●Family Lumbricidae, class Oligochaeta: Lumbricus, Allolobophora, and other genera.

earthy /ˈəːθi/

I. adjective

1. resembling or suggestive of earth or soil

• an earthy smell.

2. (of a person or their language) direct and uninhibited, especially about sexual subjects or bodily functions.

• their good-natured vulgarity and earthy humour.

• she's very earthy and voluptuous.

II. derivatives

1. earthily

adverb

2. earthiness /ˈəːθɪnəs /

noun

ear trumpet

noun

a trumpet-shaped device formerly used as a hearing aid.

ear tuft

noun

each of a pair of tufts of longer feathers on the top of the head of some owls.

earwax /ˈɪəwaks/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the protective yellow waxy substance secreted in the passage of the outer ear.
Also called cerumen.

earwig /ˈɪəwɪɡ/

I. noun

a small elongated insect with a pair of terminal appendages that resemble pincers.
●Order Dermaptera: several families.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› eavesdrop on a conversation

• he looked behind him to see if anyone was earwigging.

2. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› influence (someone) by secret means.

• he was so sure to be earwigged in private that what he heard or said openly went for little.

– origin Old English ēarwicga, from ēare ‘ear’ + wicga ‘earwig’ (probably related to wiggle); the insect was once thought to crawl into the human ear.

earwitness /ˈiːəwɪtnəs/

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a witness whose testimony is based on what they personally heard.

earworm /ˈɪəwəːm/

noun

a catchy song or tune that runs continually through someone's mind.

ease /iːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. absence of difficulty or effort

• she gave up smoking with ease

• ease of use.

2. absence of rigidity or discomfort; poise

• I was always vexed by her self-contained ease.

3. freedom from worries or problems

• a life of wealth and ease.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — make (something unpleasant or intense) less serious or severe

• a huge road-building programme to ease congestion.

2. [no obj.] — become less serious or severe

• the pain doesn't usually ease off for several hours.

3. [no obj.] ( ease off/up) — do something with more moderation

• I'd ease up on the hard stuff if I were you.

4. make (something) happen more easily; facilitate

• Tokyo's dominance of government was deemed to ease efficient contact-making.

5. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move carefully or gradually

• I eased down the slope with care

• [with obj. and adverbial of direction] she eased off her shoes.

6. [with obj.] ( ease someone into) — introduce someone gradually to (an activity)

• he brought in someone new and eased them into the job.

7. [with obj.] ( ease someone out) — gradually exclude someone from a post, especially by devious or subtle manoeuvres

• after the scandal he was eased out of his job.

8. ( ease something away/down/off) — [Nautical] slacken a rope or sail slowly or gently.

9. [no obj.] — (of share prices, interest rates, etc.) decrease in value or amount

• shares eased 6p to 224p.

III. phrases

1. at (one's) ease

a. free from worry or awkwardness; relaxed

• she was never quite at ease with Phil.

b. ( at ease) — [Military] in a relaxed attitude with the feet apart and the hands behind the back (often as a command).

• all right, stand at ease!

2. ease someone's mind

alleviate someone's anxiety.

• concentrating on the stitching helped to ease her mind.

IV. derivatives

easer

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French aise, based on Latin adjacens ‘lying close by’, present participle of adjacere. The verb is originally from Old French aisier, from the phrase a aise ‘at ease’; in later use from the noun.

easeful /ˈiːzfʊl, ˈiːzf(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹literary› providing comfort or peace

• life was easeful at that time.

II. derivatives

easefulness

noun

easel /ˈiːz(ə)l/

I. noun

a wooden frame for holding an artist's work while it is being painted or drawn.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Dutch ezel ‘ass’. The word ‘horse’ is used in English in a similar way to denote a supporting frame.

easement /ˈiːzm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. [Law] a right to cross or otherwise use someone else's land for a specified purpose.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹literary› the state or feeling of comfort or peace

• time brings easement.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French aisement, from aisier (see ease).

easily /ˈiːzɪli/

adverb

1. without difficulty or effort

• he climbed the mountain easily

• Bradford is easily accessible by road.

2. more quickly or frequently than is usual

• they get bored easily.

3. without doubt; by far

• he was easily the bravest man I've ever met.

4. very probably

• the body could easily be that of an actress.

east /iːst/

I. noun — (usu. the east)

1. the direction towards the point of the horizon where the sun rises at the equinoxes, on the right-hand side of a person facing north

• a gale was blowing from the east

• the Atlantic Ocean to the east of Florida.

2. the compass point corresponding to east.

3. the eastern part of the world or of a specified country, region, or town

• a factory in the east of the city.

4. ( the East) — the regions or countries lying to the east of Europe, especially China, Japan, and India

• the protection of trade routes to the East.

5. ( the East) — ‹historical› the former communist states of eastern Europe.

• the centrally planned system of the East.

6. ( East) [as name] — [Bridge] the player sitting to the left of North and partnering West.

• East passes and you respond one heart.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. lying towards, near, or facing the east

• the hospital's east wing.

2. (of a wind) blowing from the east.

• a biting east wind.

3. of or denoting the eastern part of a specified region, town, or country

• East Fife

• East African.

4. situated in the part of a church containing the altar or high altar, usually the actual east.

• the liturgical east window is actually in the south wall.

III. adverb

to or towards the east

• travelling east, he met two men

• the river rises east of Brentford.

– origin Old English ēast-, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch oost and German ost, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin aurora, Greek auōs ‘dawn’.

East Africa

the eastern part of the African continent, especially the countries of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

East Anglia /ˈaŋɡlɪə/

a region of eastern England consisting of the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and parts of Essex and Cambridgeshire.

East Asia

I. the eastern part of the Asian continent, including China and Japan.

II. derivatives

East Asian

adjective

East Bengal

the part of the former Indian province of Bengal that was ceded to Pakistan in 1947, forming the greater part of the province of East Pakistan. It gained independence as Bangladesh in 1971.

eastbound /ˈiːstbaʊnd/

adjective

leading or travelling towards the east

• eastbound trains.

Eastbourne

a town on the south coast of England, in East Sussex; pop. 108,200 (est. 2009).

East Cape

a peninsular region of the North Island, New Zealand. Its tip forms the most easterly point of the island.

East Coast Fever

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feverish disease of cattle, prevalent in Africa and usually fatal.
●This disease is caused by a parasitic protozoan of the genus Theileria (phylum Sporozoa, kingdom Protista), which lives in the host's blood cells and is transmitted by the bite of the tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (family Ixodidae).

East End

the part of London east of the City as far as the River Lea, including the Docklands.

East Ender /ˌiːst ˈɛndə/

noun

a native or inhabitant of the east part of London

• an East Ender accent.

Easter /ˈiːstə/

I. noun

1. the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Christ and held (in the Western Church) between 21 March and 25 April, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.

2. the weekend from Good Friday to Easter Monday.

– origin Old English ēastre; of Germanic origin and related to German Ostern and east; perhaps from Ēastre, the name of a goddess associated with spring.

Easter bilby

I. noun

(Austral.) an imaginary creature that is said to bring gifts to children at Easter

• the Easter bilby scatters enough eggs so no one goes home empty-handed.

– origin 1990s: from bilby on the pattern of Easter bunny.

Easter bunny

noun

an imaginary rabbit said to bring gifts to children at Easter.

Easter Day Easter Sunday

noun

the day on which the festival of Easter is celebrated.

Easter egg

noun

1. an artificial chocolate egg or decorated hard-boiled egg given at Easter.

2. an unexpected or undocumented feature in a piece of computer software or on a DVD, included as a joke or a bonus.

Easter Eve

noun

the day immediately preceding Easter Day.
Also called Holy Saturday.

Easter Friday

noun

another term for Good Friday.

Easter Island

an island in the SE Pacific west of Chile; pop. 3,300 (est. 2009). It has been administered by Chile since 1888. The island, first settled by Polynesians in about AD 400, is famous for its large monolithic statues of human heads, believed to date from the period 1000 to 1600.

Easter lily

noun

(N. Amer.) a spring-flowering lily.
●Genus Lilium, family Liliaceae: several species, in particular the tall, white-flowered Japanese lily L. longiflorum.

easterly /ˈiːstəli/

I. adjective, adverb

1. in an eastward position or direction
[as adj.]

• he ordered an easterly course.

2. (of a wind) blowing from the east
[as adj.]

• the light easterly breeze.

II. noun

a wind blowing from the east.

• the water was grey with the usual garbage the easterlies always brought in.

Easter Monday

noun

the day after Easter Sunday, a public holiday in several countries.

eastern /ˈiːst(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — situated in, directed towards, or facing the east

• the eastern slopes of the mountain

• eastern Spain.

2. (of a wind) blowing from the east.

3. ( Eastern) — living in or originating from the regions or countries to the east of Europe

• an Eastern mystic.

4. relating to or characteristic of the East or its inhabitants

• Eastern philosophy and culture.

II. derivatives

easternmost /ˈiːst(ə)nˌməʊst /

adjective

– origin Old English ēasterne (as east, -ern).

Eastern bloc

the countries of eastern and central Europe which were under Soviet domination from the end of the Second World War until the collapse of the Soviet communist system in 1989–91.

Eastern Cape

a province of south-eastern South Africa, formerly part of Cape Province; capital, Bhisho.

Eastern Church Eastern Orthodox Church

I. another name for Orthodox Church.

II. any of the Christian Churches originating in eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Eastern Desert

another name for Arabian Desert.

Eastern Empire

the eastern part of the Roman Empire, after its division in AD 395.
See also Byzantine Empire.

easterner /ˈiːstənə/

noun

a native or inhabitant of the east of a region or country, especially of Europe or the US.

eastern hemisphere

the half of the earth containing Europe, Asia, and Africa.

eastern stater /ˌiːstən ˈsteɪtə/

noun

(Austral.) a person from an eastern state of Australia

• the city grew thanks to eastern staters who migrated for work around the burgeoning mines.

Eastern time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the standard time in a zone including the eastern states of the US and parts of Canada, specifically:
● standard time based on the mean solar time at the meridian 75° W, five hours behind GMT. ● Eastern time during daylight saving time, four hours behind GMT.

2. the standard time in a zone including eastern Australia, based on the mean solar time at the meridian 150° E. It is ten hours ahead of GMT, or nine hours ahead when summer time is observed.

Easter Rising

the uprising in Dublin and other cities in Ireland against British rule, Easter 1916. It ended with the surrender of the protesters, most of whose leaders were subsequently executed, but was a contributory factor in the establishment of the Irish Free State (1922).

Easter Saturday

noun

(in general use) the Saturday preceding Easter Day.
In formal church use called Holy Saturday or Easter Eve.

Eastertide /ˈiːstətʌɪd/

noun

the Easter period.

• she painted eggshells at Eastertide.

east-facing

adjective

facing the east

• place plants in an east-facing window

• east-facing beaches.

East Flanders

a province of northern Belgium; capital, Ghent.
See also Flanders.

East Germanic

I. adjective

relating to the extinct eastern group of Germanic languages, including Gothic.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the East Germanic group of languages.

East India

another name for East Indies (sense 2).

East India Company

a trading company formed in 1600 to develop commerce in the newly colonized areas of SE Asia and India. In the 18th century it took administrative control of Bengal and other areas of India, and held it until the British Crown took over in 1858 in the wake of the Indian Mutiny.

East Indiaman

noun

‹historical› a trading ship belonging to the East India Company.

East Indies

I. the islands of SE Asia, especially the Malay Archipelago.

II. ‹archaic› the whole of SE Asia to the east of and including India.

III. derivatives

East Indian

adjective

easting /ˈiːstɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. distance travelled or measured eastward, especially at sea.

• with the help of the following breeze, she ran 650 miles of her easting down.

2. [ count noun] — a figure or line representing eastward distance on a map (expressed by convention as the first part of a grid reference, before northing).

• the Japanese sent a message that accidentally left out an easting and a northing in the plain text.

East Kilbride /kɪlˈbrʌɪd/

a town in west central Scotland, in South Lanarkshire; pop. 74,600 (est. 2009).

East London

a port and resort in South Africa, on the coast of Eastern Cape; pop. 452,200 (est. 2009).

East Lothian

a council area and former county of east central Scotland.

Eastman, George

(1854–1932), American inventor and manufacturer of photographic equipment. He invented flexible roll film coated with light-sensitive emulsion, and, in 1888, the Kodak camera for use with it.

east-north-east

noun

the direction or compass point midway between east and north-east.

East Prussia

the north-eastern part of the former kingdom of Prussia, on the Baltic coast, later part of Germany and divided after the Second World War between the Soviet Union and Poland.

East Riding of Yorkshire

a unitary authority in NE England, formerly one of the traditional ridings or divisions of the county of Yorkshire.

East River

an arm of the Hudson River in New York City, separating Manhattan and the Bronx from Brooklyn and Queens.

East Sea

the name in Korea for the Japan, Sea of.

East Siberian Sea

a part of the Arctic Ocean lying between the New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island, to the north of eastern Siberia.

East Side

a part of Manhattan in New York City, lying between the East River and Fifth Avenue.

east-south-east

noun

the direction or compass point midway between east and south-east.

• Mars appears low in the east-southeast after dark.

East Sussex /iːstˈsʌsɪks/

a county of SE England; county town, Lewes.

East Timor

I.
1. a country occupying the eastern part of the island of Timor in the southern Malay Archipelago; pop. 1,131,600 (est. 2009); capital, Dili; languages, Portuguese, Indonesian, English, and indigenous languages.
Official name Timor Leste.

Formerly a Portuguese colony, the region declared itself independent in 1975. In 1976 it was invaded by Indonesia, which annexed and claimed it as the 27th state of Indonesia, a claim which was never recognized by the United Nations. The region became the scene of bitter fighting and of alleged mass killings by the Indonesian government and military forces. East Timor gained full independence following a referendum in 1999 and a formal declaration by the United Nations in 2002.

II. derivatives

East Timorese

noun, adjective

eastward /ˈiːstwəd/

I. adjective

lying towards, near, or facing the east.

• they followed an eastward course.

II. adverb

(also eastwards) — towards the east

• limestone plateaux extend eastward towards the river.

III. noun — ( the eastward)

1. the direction or region towards the east

• the wind has come round to the eastward.

IV. derivatives

eastwardly

adverb

east–west

adjective

1. extending between the east and the west

• freight leaving the port travels on an east–west axis

• [as adv.] there are several major rivers running east–west.

2. (also East–West) — relating to the relationship between the eastern and western parts of the world or of a country, region, or town

• East–West economic ties.

Eastwood, Clint

(b.1930), American film actor and director. He became famous with his role in A Fistful of Dollars (1964), the first cult spaghetti western; other successful films include Dirty Harry (1971). Films directed include Bird (1988) and the western Unforgiven (1992).

easy /ˈiːzi/

I. adjective

1. achieved without great effort; presenting few difficulties

• an easy way of retrieving information.

2. (of a period of time or way of life) free from worries or problems

• promises of an easy life in the New World.

3. (of a person) lacking anxiety or awkwardness; relaxed

• her easy and agreeable manner

• he never felt easy with her.

4. [ attrib.] — (of an object of attack or criticism) having no defence; vulnerable

• as a taxi driver he was an easy target.

5. ‹informal› ‹derogatory› (of a woman) very receptive to sexual advances

• her reputation at school for being easy.

II. adverb

‹archaic› (US) ‹informal› without difficulty or effort

• we all scared real easy in those days.

III. exclamation

be careful

• easy, girl—you'll knock me over!

IV. phrases

1. be easier said than done

be more easily talked about than put into practice

• going on an economy drive is easier said than done.

2. (as) easy as pie

see pie^1.

3. easy come, easy go

used especially in spoken English to indicate that a relationship or possession acquired without effort may be abandoned or lost without regret.

4. easy does it

used to advise someone to approach a task carefully and slowly.

• with father's wine in the back I mustn't drive too fast, so easy does it.

5. easy on the eye (or ear)

‹informal› pleasant to look at (or listen to).

• a charming village that is easy on the eye.

6. go (or be) easy on ‹informal›

a. refrain from being harsh with or critical of (someone).

• go easy on him, Rory, he's only little.

b. be sparing in one's use or consumption of

• go easy on fatty foods.

7. have it easy

‹informal› have no difficulties; be fortunate.

• they have had it easy for too long and have become complacent.

8. I'm easy

‹informal› said by someone when offered a choice to indicate that they have no particular preference.

9. of easy virtue

‹dated› ‹humorous› (of a woman) sexually promiscuous.

• she's cheap, a woman of easy virtue.

10. sleep (or rest) easy

go to sleep without (or be untroubled by) worries

• this insurance policy will let you rest easy.

11. stand easy!

[Military] used to instruct soldiers standing at ease that they may relax their attitude further.

12. take the easy way out

extricate oneself from a difficult situation by choosing the simplest rather than the most honourable course of action.

• she had taken the easy way out by returning the keys without a message.

13. take it easy

a. proceed in a calm and relaxed manner.

b. make little effort; rest.

V. derivatives

easiness /ˈiːzinəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘comfortable, tranquil’): from Old French aisie, past participle of aisier ‘put at ease, facilitate’ (see ease).

easy-breezy

adjective

1. (chiefly US) easy; simple

• easy-breezy recipes for salads and homemade salad dressings.

2. (chiefly US) light-hearted and relaxed

• an easy-breezy, feel-good summer film

• occasionally I wake up with that indefinable feeling of happiness and contentment, feeling easy-breezy.

easy-care

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (chiefly of man-made fabrics) requiring little effort to launder, and typically no ironing.

• a range of co-ordinating easy-care bed linen.

easy chair

noun

a large, comfortable chair, typically an armchair.

easy-fitting

adjective

(of clothes or shoes) not fitting tightly; comfortable

• an easy-fitting, pull-on jumper.

easy game

noun

another term for easy meat (see meat).

easy-going /iːzɪˈɡəʊɪŋ/

adjective

relaxed and tolerant in attitude or manner

• a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere.

easy listening

noun — [ mass noun]

1. popular music that is tuneful and undemanding.
[as modifier]

• easy-listening tunes.

easy money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. money obtained by dubious means or for little work.

easy-peasy /iːzɪˈpiːzi/

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› very straightforward and easy (used by or as if by children)

• easy-peasy questions.

– origin 1970s: reduplication of easy.

easy street

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› a state of financial comfort or security

• £50,000 a year will put one on easy street.

easy touch

noun

another term for soft touch (see soft).

easy-to-use

adjective

straightforward and simple to use

• an easy-to-use guide containing excellent tips.

eat /iːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. put (food) into the mouth and chew and swallow it

• he was eating a hot dog

• eat up all your peas

• [no obj.] she watched her son as he ate.

2. have (a meal)

• we ate dinner in a noisy cafe.

3. [no obj.] ( eat out) — have a meal in a restaurant.

• there were plenty of places to eat out in the city centre.

4. [no obj.] ( eat in) — have a meal at home.

5. ‹vulgar slang› (chiefly US) perform fellatio or cunnilingus on (someone).

II. noun — ( eats)

1. ‹informal› light food or snacks.

• these make great party eats.

III. phrases

1. eat someone alive ‹informal›

a. (of insects) bite someone many times

• we were eaten alive by mosquitoes.

b. exploit someone's weakness and completely dominate them.

• the defence lawyers would eat him alive on a written comment like that.

2. eat crow

see crow^1.

3. eat dirt

see dirt.

4. eat someone's dust

see dust.

5. eat one's heart out

a. suffer from excessive longing for someone or something unattainable.

• I could have stayed in London eating my heart out for you.

b. [in imperative] — ‹informal› used to indicate that one thinks someone will feel great jealousy or regret

• eat your heart out, those who missed the trip.

6. eat humble pie

see humble.

7. eat like a bird (or a horse)

‹informal› eat very little (or a lot).

• Dad had been eating like a bird before we came here.

8. eat someone out of house and home

‹informal› eat a lot of someone else's food.

• he would eat them out of house and home if he continued to run through biscuits at his present rate.

9. eat one's words

retract what one has said, especially in a humiliated way

• they will eat their words when I win.

10. have someone eating out of one's hand

have someone completely under one's control.

• the guys have the crowd eating out of their hand right away with a few jokes.

11. I'll eat my hat

‹informal› used to indicate that one thinks that something is extremely unlikely to happen

• if he comes back, I'll eat my hat.

12. what's eating you (or him or her)?

‹informal› what is worrying or annoying you (or him or her)?

• OK, Mr Linley, what's eating you?

IV. phrasal verbs

1. eat something away (or eat away at)

erode or destroy something gradually

• the acid began to eat away at the edge of her tunic

• ‹figurative› the knowledge of his affair still ate away at her.

2. eat into

a. another way of saying eat away at.

b. use up (profits, resources, or time)

• sales were hard hit by high interest rates eating into disposable income.

3. eat someone up

(usu. as adj. eaten up) — dominate the thoughts of someone completely

• I'm eaten up with guilt.

4. eat something up

use resources or time in very large quantities

• an operating system that eats up 200Mb of disk space.

– origin Old English etan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch eten and German essen, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin edere and Greek edein.

EAT

I. abbreviation

Tanzania (international vehicle registration).

– origin from East Africa Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika).

eatable /ˈiːtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

fit to be consumed as food

• eatable fruits.

II. noun — ( eatables)

1. items of food

• parcels of eatables and gifts.

eater /ˈiːtə/

noun

1. [with adj. or noun modifier] — a person or animal who consumes food in a specified way or of a specified kind

• I'm still a big eater.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› an eating apple.

eatery /ˈiːtəri/

noun

‹informal› a restaurant or cafe.

eat-in

adjective

(N. Amer.) (of a kitchen) designed for eating in as well as cooking.

eating apple

noun

an apple that is suitable for eating raw.

eating disorder

noun

any of a range of psychological disorders characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits (such as anorexia nervosa).

• she went into therapy, hoping to put an end to her chronic eating disorder.

eating house

noun

a restaurant.

EAU

I. abbreviation

Uganda (international vehicle registration).

– origin from East Africa Uganda.

eau de cologne /ˌəʊ də kəˈləʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a toilet water with a strong scent, originally made in Cologne.

• the drenching smell of eau de cologne.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, literally ‘water of Cologne’.

eau de Nil /əʊ də ˈniːl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a pale greenish colour.

• the room was furnished in eau de Nil.

• [as modifier] eau-de-Nil walls.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French eau-de-Nil, literally ‘water of the Nile’ (from the supposed resemblance in colour).

eau de toilette /əʊ də twɑːˈlet/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dilute form of perfume; toilet water.

• he smelt of good-quality eau de toilette.

• [ count noun] eight mini eaux de toilette.

– origin early 20th cent.: French, ‘toilet water’.

eau de vie /əʊ də ˈviː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. brandy.

• the cheese is marinated in eau de vie.

– origin from French eau-de-vie, literally ‘water of life’.

eaves /iːvz/

I. plural noun

the part of a roof that meets or overhangs the walls of a building.

• wild bees nest under the eaves.

• ( eave) under the eave and the window is a workbench.

– origin Old English efes (singular); of Germanic origin; related to German dialect Obsen, also probably to over.

eavesdrop /ˈiːvzdrɒp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. secretly listen to a conversation

• my father eavesdropped on my phone calls.

II. derivatives

eavesdropper /ˈiːvzdrɒpə /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: back-formation from eavesdropper (late Middle English) ‘a person who listens from under the eaves’, from the obsolete noun eavesdrop ‘the ground on to which water drips from the eaves’, probably from Old Norse upsardropi, from ups ‘eaves’ + dropi ‘a drop’.

eavestrough /ˈiːvztrɒf/

noun

(Canadian) a gutter fixed beneath the edge of a roof.

EB

abbreviation

[Computing] exabyte(s).

e-banking

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of banking in which the customer conducts transactions electronically via the Internet.

• it's hard to beat e-banking for the 24-hour convenience it offers Internet-literate customers.

II. derivatives

e-bank

noun

ébauche /eɪˈbəʊʃ/

I. noun

a rough or unfinished drawing or painting; a sketch.

– origin French.

eBay

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. buy or sell (goods) through the eBay website.

II. derivatives

eBayer

noun

– origin 1997: from the proprietary name of the website eBay (from E cho Bay Technology Group, the name of a company run by eBay's founder, Pierre Omidyar).

ebb /ɛb/

I. noun — (usu. the ebb)

1. the movement of the tide out to sea

• the tide was on the ebb

• [as modifier] the ebb tide.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of tidewater) move away from the land; recede

• the tide began to ebb.

Compare with flow.

2. (of an emotion or quality) gradually decrease

• my enthusiasm was ebbing away.

III. phrases

1. at a low ebb

in a weakened or depressed state

• the country was at a low ebb due to the recent war.

2. ebb and flow

a recurrent pattern of coming and going or decline and regrowth.

• the ebb and flow of state politics and power.

– origin Old English ebba (noun), ebbian (verb), of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch ebbe (noun), ebben (verb), and ultimately to of which had the primary sense ‘away from’.

EBD

abbreviation

emotional and behavioural difficulties (or disorder).
[as modifier]

• an EBD school.

e-bike

noun

a bike that can be powered by electricity as well as propelled by pedals.

• I loved my e-bike because it made hills easy.

e-billing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice by which invoices or bills are electronically delivered or presented to customers, rather than being sent by post.

EBIT

abbreviation

earnings before interest and tax.

EBITDA

abbreviation

earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (used as an indicator of the overall profitability of a business).

Ebla /ˈɛblə/

a city in ancient Syria, situated to the south-west of Aleppo. It became very powerful in the mid 3rd millennium BC, when it dominated a region corresponding to modern Lebanon, northern Syria, and SE Turkey.

E-boat /ˈiːbəʊt/

I. noun

a German torpedo boat used in the Second World War.

– origin from E- for enemy + boat.

Ebola /iːˈbəʊlə, əˈbəʊlə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an infectious and frequently fatal disease marked by fever and severe internal bleeding, spread through contact with infected body fluids by a filovirus ( Ebola virus), whose normal host species is unknown

• he developed symptoms similar to those of Ebola and sought medication at the hospital

• an outbreak of Ebola fever in the country may have killed up to 36 people.

– origin 1976: named after a river in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), near which the disease was first observed.

ebon /ˈɛb(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› dark brown or black; ebony
[as modifier]

• the ebon acid of the Styx.

Ebonics /ɛˈbɒnɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. American black English regarded as a language in its own right rather than as a dialect of standard English.

– origin 1970s: blend of ebony and phonics.

ebonite /ˈɛbənʌɪt/

I. noun

another term for vulcanite.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from ebony + -ite^1.

ebonized ebonised

I. adjective

(of furniture) given the appearance of ebony

• an ebonized casket.

II. derivatives

ebonize /ˈɛbənʌɪz /

verb

ebony /ˈɛb(ə)ni/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — heavy blackish or very dark brown timber from a mainly tropical tree.

2. [ mass noun] — a very dark brown or black colour
[as modifier]

• his ebony hair.

3. a tree of tropical and warm-temperate regions which produces ebony.
●Genera Diospyros and Euclea, family Ebenaceae: numerous species, in particular D. ebenum.

4. used in names of trees of other families which produce timber similar to ebony, e.g. Jamaican ebony.

– origin late Middle English: from earlier ebon (via Old French and Latin from Greek ebenos ‘ebony tree’), perhaps on the pattern of ivory.

e-book /ˈiːbʊk/

noun

an electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a computer or a specifically designed handheld device.

Eboracum /ɪˈbɔːrəkəm, ˌiːbəˈrɑːkəm/

Roman name for York.

EBRD

abbreviation

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (founded in 1991 to provide financial assistance to the former communist countries of eastern Europe).

ebrious /ˈiːbrɪəs/

I. adjective

‹rare› drunken or intoxicated

• those young sots with the ebrious faces.

II. derivatives

ebriose

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin ebrius + -ous.

Ebro /ˈiːbrəʊ, ˈɛbrəʊ/

the principal river of NE Spain, rising in the mountains of Cantabria and flowing 910 km (570 miles) south-eastwards into the Mediterranean Sea.

ebullience /ɪˈbʊlɪəns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being cheerful and full of energy; exuberance

• the ebullience of happy children.

ebullient /ɪˈbʌljənt, ɪˈbʊljənt/

I. adjective

1. cheerful and full of energy

• she sounded ebullient and happy.

2. ‹archaic› (of liquid or matter) boiling or agitated as if boiling

• misted and ebullient seas.

II. derivatives

1. ebulliently

adverb

2. ebulliency

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘boiling’): from Latin ebullient- ‘boiling up’, from the verb ebullire, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + bullire ‘to boil’.

ebullition /ˌɛbəˈlɪʃ(ə)n, ˌɛbʊˈlɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› ‹archaic› the action of bubbling or boiling.

• because the bath is now so cold, no further violent ebullition will occur.

2. [ count noun] — ‹technical› ‹archaic› a sudden outburst of emotion or violence

• an ebullition of pure hatred.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a state of agitation of the bodily humours): from late Latin ebullitio(n-), from ebullire ‘boil up’ (see ebullient).

e-business

noun

1. [ mass noun] — another term for e-commerce.

2. [ count noun] — a company that does all or most of its transactions through the Internet.

EBV

abbreviation

Epstein–Barr virus.

EC /iːˈsiː/

abbreviation

1. East Central (London postal district).

2. Ecuador (international vehicle registration).

3. European Commission.

4. European Community.

5. executive committee.

ecad /ˈiːkad/

I. noun

[Ecology] an organism that is modified by its environment.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek oikos ‘house’ + -ad^1.

e-card

noun

a digital version of a greetings card, typically accessed by the recipient via a hyperlink in an email.

• the next day she sent him an animated e-card that told him how special he was to her.

écarté

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. /eɪˈkɑːteɪ / — a card game for two players, originating in 19th-century France, in which thirty-two cards are used and certain cards may be discarded in exchange for others.

2. /ˌeɪkɑːˈteɪ / — [Ballet] a position in which the dancer, facing diagonally towards the audience, extends one leg in the air to the side with the arm of the same side raised above the head and the other arm extended to the side.

• do the écarté as though you were walking through clouds.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, past participle of écarter ‘discard, throw out’, from é ‘out’ + carte ‘card’.

e-cash /ˈiːkaʃ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. electronic financial transactions conducted in cyberspace via computer networks.

ECB

abbreviation

1. England and Wales Cricket Board.

2. European Central Bank.

ecbolic /ɛkˈbɒlɪk / ‹Medicine›

I. adjective

inducing contractions of the uterus leading to expulsion of a fetus.

• the ecbolic properties of Indian medicinal plants.

II. noun

an agent that induces contractions of the uterus.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Greek ekbolē ‘expulsion’ + -ic.

ecce /ˈɛkei, ˈɛtʃeɪ, ˈɛksi/

I. exclamation

lo!; behold!

– origin Latin.

Ecce Homo /ˌɛkeɪ ˈhɒməʊ, ˈhəʊməʊ/

I. noun

[Art] a painting of Christ wearing the crown of thorns.

• a fine Ecce Homo by Murillo.

– origin Latin, ‘behold the man’, the words of Pontius Pilate to the Jews after Jesus was crowned with thorns (John 19:5).

eccentric /ɪkˈsɛntrɪk, ɛkˈsɛntrɪk/

I. adjective

1. (of a person or their behaviour) unconventional and slightly strange

• he noted her eccentric appearance.

2. ‹technical› not placed centrally or not having its axis or other part placed centrally

• a servo driving an eccentric cam.

3. (of a circle) not centred on the same point as another.

4. (of an orbit) not circular.

II. noun

1. a person of unconventional and slightly strange views or behaviour

• he's seen as a local eccentric.

2. a disc or wheel mounted eccentrically on a revolving shaft in order to transform rotation into backward-and-forward motion, e.g. a cam in an internal-combustion engine.

III. derivatives

eccentrically /ɪkˈsɛntrɪk(ə)li, ɛkˈsɛntrɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (as a noun denoting a circle or orbit not having the earth precisely at its centre): via late Latin from Greek ekkentros, from ek ‘out of’ + kentron ‘centre’.

eccentric anomaly

noun

[Astronomy] the actual anomaly of a planet in an elliptical orbit.
Compare with mean anomaly.

eccentricity /ˌɛksɛnˈtrɪsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being eccentric.

• the eccentricity of his views.

2. [ count noun] (usu. eccentricities) — an eccentric act or habit

• her eccentricities were amusing rather than irritating.

3. ‹technical› deviation of a curve or orbit from circularity.

4. [ count noun] — a measure of the extent of deviation from circularity

• Halley's Comet has an eccentricity of about 0.9675.

ecchymosis /ˌɛkɪˈməʊsɪs/

I. noun

[Medicine] a discoloration of the skin resulting from bleeding underneath, typically caused by bruising.

• there are signs of ecchymosis.

• [ count noun] the infrequent association of bacterial sepsis with ecchymoses.

– origin mid 16th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek ekkhumōsis ‘escape of blood’, from ekkhumonathai ‘force out blood’.

Eccles.

abbreviation

Ecclesiastes (in biblical references).

Eccles, Sir John Carew /ˈɛk(ə)lz/

(1903–97), Australian physiologist, who demonstrated the way in which nerve impulses are conducted by means of chemical neurotransmitters. Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1963).

Eccles cake /ˈɛk(ə)lz/

I. noun

(Brit.) a round flat cake of sweetened pastry filled with currants.

– origin named after the town of Eccles near Manchester, England.

ecclesial /ɪˈkliːzɪ(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹formal› relating to or constituting a Church or denomination

• the modernization of ecclesial buildings.

– origin mid 17th cent. (rare before the 1960s): via Old French from Greek ekklēsia ‘assembly, church’ (see ecclesiastic).

ecclesiarch /ɪkˈliːzɪɑːk/

I. noun

‹archaic› a ruler of a Church.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek ekklēsia ‘church’ + arkhos ‘leader’.

Ecclesiastes /ɪˌkliːzɪˈastiːz/

a book of the Bible traditionally attributed to Solomon, consisting largely of reflections on the vanity of human life.

ecclesiastic /ɪˌkliːzɪˈastɪk / ‹formal›

I. noun

a priest or member of the clergy.

II. adjective

another term for ecclesiastical.

– origin late Middle English: from French ecclésiastique, or via late Latin from Greek ekklēsiastikos, from ekklēsiastēs ‘member of an assembly’, from ekklēsia ‘assembly, church’, based on ekkalein ‘summon out’.

ecclesiastical /ɪˌkliːzɪˈastɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to the Christian Church or its clergy

• the ecclesiastical hierarchy.

II. derivatives

ecclesiastically

adverb

ecclesiasticism /ɪkliːzɪˈastɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. adherence or over-attention to details of Church practice

• the ecclesiasticism that so often gets in the way of the gospel.

Ecclesiasticus /ɪˌkliːzɪˈastɪkəs/

a book of the Apocrypha containing moral and practical maxims, probably composed or compiled in the early 2nd century BC.

ecclesiology /ɪˌkliːzɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of churches, especially church building and decoration.

2. theology as applied to the nature and structure of the Christian Church.

II. derivatives

1. ecclesiological

adjective

2. ecclesiologist

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek ekklēsia ‘assembly, church’ + -logy.

Ecclus

abbreviation

Ecclesiasticus (in biblical references).

eccoprotic /ɛkəʊˈprɒtɪk/

I. noun

‹rare› a medicine which has a laxative effect.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek ekkoprōtikos, from ekkoproun ‘evacuate the bowels’, from ek- ‘out’ + kopros ‘dung’.

eccrine /ˈɛkrʌɪn, ˈɛkrɪn/

I. adjective

[Medicine] relating to or denoting multicellular glands which do not lose cytoplasm in their secretions, especially the sweat glands.
Compare with apocrine.

– origin 1930s: from Greek ekkrinein ‘secrete’, from ek- ‘out’ + krinein ‘sift, separate’.

ecdysiast /ɛkˈdɪzɪast/

I. noun

‹humorous› a striptease performer.

– origin 1940s: from Greek ekdusis ‘shedding’, on the pattern of enthusiast.

ecdysis /ˈɛkdɪsɪs, ɛkˈdʌɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] the process of shedding the old skin (in reptiles) or casting off the outer cuticle (in insects and other arthropods).

II. derivatives

ecdysial /ɛkˈdɪzɪəl /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek ekdusis, from ekduein ‘put off’, from ek- ‘out, off’ + duein ‘put’.

ecdysone /ˈɛkdɪsəʊn, ɛkˈdʌɪsəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a steroid hormone that controls moulting in insects and other arthropods.

– origin 1950s: from Greek ekdusis ‘shedding’ + -one.

ECG /iːsiːˈdʒiː/

abbreviation

electrocardiogram or electrocardiograph.

échappé /eɪˈʃapeɪ/

I. adjective — [ postpositive]

1. [Ballet] (of a movement) progressing from a closed position (first, third, or fifth) to an open position (second or fourth) of the feet.

– origin French, literally ‘escaped’.

echelon /ˈɛʃəlɒn, ˈeɪʃəlɒn/

I. noun

1. a level or rank in an organization, a profession, or society

• the upper echelons of the business world.

2. [Military] a formation of troops, ships, aircraft, or vehicles in parallel rows with the end of each row projecting further than the one in front.

• the regiment lined up shoulder to shoulder in three tight echelons.

• [ mass noun] there are two planes, lying in echelon with one another.

3. [often with modifier] — a part of a military force differentiated by position in battle or by function

• the rear echelon.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Military] arrange in an echelon formation.

• the Task Force would take the left, echeloned to be able to sweep in from the west.

• (as noun echeloning) the echeloning of fire teams.

– origin late 18th cent. (in sense 2 of the noun): from French échelon, from échelle ‘ladder’, from Latin scala.

echeveria /ˌɛtʃɪˈvɪərɪə/

I. noun

a succulent plant with rosettes of fleshy colourful leaves, native to warm regions of America and popular as pot plants.
●Genus Echeveria, family Crassulaceae: numerous species and cultivars.

– origin modern Latin, named after Anastasio Echeveri or Echeverría, 19th-cent. Mexican botanical illustrator.

echidna /ɪˈkɪdnə/

I. noun

a spiny insectivorous egg-laying mammal with a long snout and claws, native to Australia and New Guinea. Also called spiny anteater.
●Family Tachyglossidae, order Monotremata: two genera and species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek ekhidna ‘viper’, also the name of a mythical creature which gave birth to the Hydra; compare with ekhinos ‘sea urchin, hedgehog’.

echinacea /ˌɛkɪˈneɪsɪə/

I. noun

a North American plant of the daisy family, whose flowers have a raised cone-like centre which appears to consist of soft spines. It is used in herbal medicine, largely for its antibiotic and wound-healing properties.
●Genus Echinacea, family Compositae: several species.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek ekhinos ‘hedgehog’.

echinoderm /ɪˈkʌɪnə(ʊ)dəːm, ˈɛkɪnə(ʊ)dəːm/

noun

[Zoology] a marine invertebrate of the phylum Echinodermata, such as a starfish, sea urchin, or sea cucumber.

Echinodermata /ɪˌkʌɪnə(ʊ)dəˈmɑːtə, ˌɛkɪnə(ʊ)dəˈmɑːtə, ɪˌkʌɪnə(ʊ)ˈdəːmətə, ˌɛkɪnə(ʊ)ˈdəmɑːtə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a phylum of marine invertebrates which includes starfishes, sea urchins, brittlestars, crinoids, and sea cucumbers. They have fivefold radial symmetry, a calcareous skeleton, and tube feet operated by fluid pressure.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek ekhinos ‘hedgehog, sea urchin’ + derma ‘skin’.

echinoid /ˈɛkɪnɔɪd / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

an echinoderm of the class Echinoidea; a sea urchin.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting echinoids.

Echinoidea /ˌɛkɪˈnɔɪdɪə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a class of echinoderms that comprises the sea urchins.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from echinus.

echinus /ɪˈkʌɪnəs/

I. noun

1. [Zoology] a sea urchin.
●Genus Echinus, class Echinoidea: several species.

2. [Architecture] a rounded moulding below an abacus on a Doric or Ionic capital.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek ekhinos ‘hedgehog, sea urchin’.

Echiura /ˌɛkɪˈjʊ(ə)rə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a small phylum of worm-like marine invertebrates that comprises the spoonworms.

II. derivatives

1. echiuran

noun, adjective

2. echiuroid

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (earlier Echiuroidea), from Greek ekhis ‘viper’ + oura ‘tail’.

echo /ˈɛkəʊ/

I. noun

1. ( pl. echoes) — a sound or sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener

• the walls threw back the echoes of his footsteps.

2. a reflected radio or radar beam.

3. [ mass noun] — the deliberate introduction of reverberation into a sound recording.

4. [Linguistics] the repetition in structure and content of one speaker's utterance by another.

5. a close parallel to an idea, feeling, or event

• his love for her found an echo in her own feelings.

6. a characteristic that is suggestive of something else

• the cheese has a sharp rich aftertaste with echoes of salty, earthy pastures.

7. ‹archaic› a person who slavishly repeats the words or opinions of another.

• Clarendon, whom they reckoned the faithful echo of their master's intentions.

8. [Bridge] a play by a defender of a higher card in a suit followed by a lower one in a subsequent trick, used as a signal to request a further lead of that suit by their partner.

9. a code word representing the letter E, used in radio communication.

10. used in names of newspapers

• the South Wales Echo.

II. verb

1. [no obj., with adverbial] — (of a sound) be repeated or reverberate after the original sound has stopped

• their footsteps echoed on the metal catwalks.

2. (of a place) resound with or reflect back a sound

• the house echoed with shouts

• (as adj. echoing) an echoing corridor.

3. [with obj.] — repeat (someone's words or opinions), typically to express agreement

• these criticisms are echoed in a number of other studies

• [with direct speech] ‘A trip?’ she echoed.

4. [with obj.] — (of an object or event) be reminiscent of or have shared characteristics with

• a blue suit that echoed the colour of her eyes.

5. [with obj.] — [Computing] send a copy of (an input signal or character) back to its source or to a screen for display.

• for security reasons, the password will not be echoed to the screen.

6. [no obj.] — [Bridge] (of a defender) play a higher card followed by a lower one in the same suit, as a signal to request one's partner to lead that suit.

III. phrases

applaud (or cheer) someone to the echo

applaud (or cheer) someone enthusiastically.

• they recognized that this was a new star, and applauded him to the echo.

IV. derivatives

1. echoer

noun

2. echoey

adjective

3. echoless /ˈɛkəʊləs /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French or Latin, from Greek ēkhō, related to ēkhē ‘a sound’.

Echo /ˈɛkəʊ / ‹Greek Mythology›

a nymph deprived of speech by Hera in order to stop her chatter, and left able only to repeat what others had said.

echocardiogram /ˌɛkəʊˈkɑːdɪə(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

a test of the action of the heart using ultrasound waves to produce a visual display, for the diagnosis or monitoring of heart disease.

echocardiography /ˌɛkəʊkɑːdɪˈɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of ultrasound waves to investigate the action of the heart.

II. derivatives

1. echocardiograph

noun

2. echocardiographic

adjective

echo chamber

noun

an enclosed space for producing reverberation of sound.

• ‹figurative› locked inside the echo chamber of his mind, he gropes for solace.

echogram

noun

a recording of depth or distance under water made by an echo sounder.

echograph /ˈɛkəʊɡrɑːf/

noun

an instrument for recording echograms; an automated echo sounder.

echoic /ɛˈkəʊɪk/

I. adjective

1. of or like an echo.

• the echoic rooms of the old manor house.

2. [Linguistics] representing a sound by imitation.

II. derivatives

echoically

adverb

echolalia /ˌɛkəʊˈleɪlɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] meaningless repetition of another person's spoken words as a symptom of psychiatric disorder.

2. repetition of speech by a child learning to talk.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek ēkhō ‘echo’ + lalia ‘speech’.

echolocation /ˈɛkə(ʊ)lə(ʊ)ˌkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the location of objects by reflected sound, in particular that used by animals such as dolphins and bats.

echopraxia /ˌɛkəʊˈpraksɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychiatry] meaningless repetition or imitation of the movements of others as a symptom of psychiatric disorder.

– origin early 20th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek ēkhō ‘echo’ + praxis ‘action’.

echo sounder

I. noun

a device for determining the depth of the seabed or detecting objects in water by measuring the time taken for sound echoes to return to the listener.

II. derivatives

echo-sounding /ˈɛkəʊˌsaʊndɪŋ /

noun

echovirus ECHO virus

I. noun

[Medicine] any of a group of enteroviruses which can cause respiratory infections and a mild form of meningitis.

– origin 1950s: from echo (acronym from enteric cytopathogenic human orphan, because the virus was not originally assignable to any known disease) + virus.

echt /ɛxt/

I. adjective

authentic and typical

• Bart was an echt baseball fan.

II. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. authentically and typically

• echt-Viennese artists.

– origin German.

e-cigarette ‹informal› e-cig

noun

another term for electronic cigarette.

eclair /ɪˈklɛː, eɪˈklɛː/

I. noun

a long, thin individual cake of choux pastry filled with cream and topped with chocolate icing.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French éclair, literally ‘lightning’.

éclaircissement /ˌeɪklɛːˈsiːsmɒ̃/

I. noun

‹literary› an enlightening explanation of something that has hitherto been obscure or inexplicable.

• when the éclaircissement comes there will be a scene.

– origin French, from éclaircir ‘clear up’, from é (expressing a change of state) + clair (see clear).

eclampsia /ɪˈklam(p)sɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which one or more convulsions occur in a pregnant woman suffering from high blood pressure, often followed by coma and posing a threat to the health of mother and baby.
See also pre-eclampsia.

II. derivatives

eclamptic

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from French éclampsie, from Greek eklampsis ‘sudden development’, from eklampein ‘shine out’.

éclat /eɪˈklɑː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. brilliant display or effect

• he finished his recital with great éclat.

2. social distinction or conspicuous success

• she was quite unaware of the éclat of being ambassadress there.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from éclater ‘burst out’.

eclectic /ɪˈklɛktɪk/

I. adjective

1. deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources

• universities offering an eclectic mix of courses.

2. ( Eclectic) — [Philosophy] denoting or belonging to a class of ancient philosophers who did not belong to or found any recognized school of thought but selected doctrines from various schools of thought.

II. noun

a person who derives ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.

III. derivatives

1. eclectically

adverb

2. eclecticism /ɪˈklɛktɪsɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin late 17th cent. (as a term in philosophy): from Greek eklektikos, from eklegein ‘pick out’, from ek ‘out’ + legein ‘choose’.

eclipse /ɪˈklɪps/

I. noun

1. an obscuring of the light from one celestial body by the passage of another between it and the observer or between it and its source of illumination

• an eclipse of the sun.

2. a loss of significance or power in relation to another person or thing

• the election result marked the eclipse of the traditional right.

3. [Ornithology] a phase during which the distinctive markings of a bird (especially a male duck) are obscured by moulting of the breeding plumage.
[as modifier]

• eclipse plumage.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a celestial body) obscure the light from or to (another celestial body)

• Jupiter was eclipsed by the Moon.

2. deprive (someone or something) of significance or power

• the economy has eclipsed the environment as the main issue.

3. ‹literary› obscure or block out (light)

• a sea of blue sky violently eclipsed by showers.

III. phrases

in eclipse

a. losing or having lost significance or power

• his political power was in eclipse.

b. [Ornithology] (especially of a male duck) in its eclipse plumage.

• almost all the garganeys which reach Australia are in eclipse.

– origin Middle English: from Old French e(s)clipse (noun), eclipser (verb), via Latin from Greek ekleipsis, from ekleipein ‘fail to appear, be eclipsed’, from ek ‘out’ + leipein ‘to leave’.

eclipsing binary

noun

[Astronomy] a binary star whose brightness varies periodically as the two components pass one in front of the other.

ecliptic /ɪˈklɪptɪk/

I. noun

[Astronomy] a great circle on the celestial sphere representing the sun's apparent path during the year, so called because lunar and solar eclipses can only occur when the moon crosses it.

II. adjective

of an eclipse or the ecliptic.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek ekleiptikos, from ekleipein ‘fail to appear’ (see eclipse).

eclogite /ˈɛklɒdʒʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a metamorphic rock containing granular minerals, typically garnet and pyroxene.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Greek eklogē ‘selection’ (with reference to the selective content of the rock) + -ite^1.

eclogue /ˈɛklɒɡ/

I. noun

a short poem, especially a pastoral dialogue.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek eklogē ‘selection’, from eklegein ‘pick out’.

eclose /ɪˈkləʊz/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [Entomology] (of an insect) emerge as an adult from the pupa or as a larva from the egg.

• some larvae pupated and eclosed substantially earlier than average.

II. derivatives

eclosion /ɪˈkləʊʒ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 19th cent. (as eclosion): from French éclore ‘to hatch’, based on Latin ex- ‘out’ + claudere ‘to close’.

ECM

abbreviation

electronic countermeasures.

ECN

abbreviation

electronic communications network.

eco /ˈiːkəʊ/

adjective

‹informal› not harming the environment; eco-friendly

• with its rustic bamboo construction and solar-heated shower, the accommodation looked eco enough.

eco- /ˈiːkəʊ, ˈɛkəʊ/

combining form

representing ecology, ecological, etc.

Eco, Umberto /ˈɛkəʊ/

(b.1932), Italian novelist and semiotician. Notable works: The Name of the Rose (novel, 1981), Travels in Hyperreality (writings on semiotics, 1986), and Foucault's Pendulum (novel, 1989).

eco-activist

I. noun

a person engaged in vigorous social or political campaigns whose aim is to prevent damage to the environment.

• the smart, high-flying mothers have launched a group that aims to turn yummy mummies into banner-waving eco-activists.

II. derivatives

eco-activism

noun

ecocentrism

I. noun

another term for biocentrism.

II. derivatives

ecocentric

adjective

eco-chic

noun — [ mass noun]

1. concern with environmental issues, viewed as a fashion or fad

• eco-chic is all the rage!

2. design or clothing that reflects a concern with environmental issues

• almost overnight, the front lobby went from art deco to eco-chic

• [as modifier] an eco-chic hemp drawstring bag.

ecocide /ˈiːkə(ʊ)sʌɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. destruction of the natural environment, especially when deliberate.

• their crime is nothing less than attempted ecocide.

eco-driving

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of driving in such a way as to minimize fuel consumption and the emission of carbon dioxide

• all instructors and examiners have been coached in eco-driving

• [as modifier] you can save a lot of money by adopting a few simple eco-driving techniques.

eco-fashion

noun — [ mass noun]

1. clothing and other goods produced by methods that are not harmful to the environment, e.g. using materials that have been recycled or that have been grown without the use of pesticides.
[as modifier]

• her collection combines ethical concerns with beautifully structured pieces and is garnering plaudits from fashion insiders and eco-fashion enthusiasts.

ecofeminism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a philosophical and political theory and movement which combines ecological concerns with feminist ones, regarding both as resulting from male domination of society.

II. derivatives

ecofeminist

noun

ecofreak /ˈiːkəʊfriːk/

noun

‹informal› a person who is very concerned about preserving the environment.

• real ecofreaks will be delighted to learn that the plastic bits are recycled and recyclable.

eco-friendly /iːkəʊˈfrɛn(d)li/

adjective

not harmful to the environment

• I use only eco-friendly products.

eco-labelling /ˈiːkəʊleɪb(ə)lɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of marking products with a distinctive label so that consumers know that their manufacture conforms to recognized environmental standards.
[as modifier]

• the launch of a nationwide eco-labelling scheme.

II. derivatives

eco-label /ˈiːkəʊˌleɪb(ə)l /

noun

E. coli /ˈkəʊlʌɪ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a bacterium commonly found in the intestines of humans and other animals, some strains of which can cause severe food poisoning.
● Escherichia coli; a motile Gram-negative bacillus.

ecolodge /ˈiːkəʊlɒdʒ/

noun

a type of tourist accommodation designed to have the minimum possible impact on the natural environment in which it is situated.

ecological /iːkəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l, ɛkəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/

adjective

relating to or concerned with the relation of living organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings

• pollution is posing a serious threat to the ecological balance of the oceans

• one of the world's worst ecological disasters.

ecological footprint /ˌiːkəlɒdʒɪklˈfʊtprɪnt/

noun

the impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources.

ecologically /iːkəˈlɒdʒɪkli/

adverb

in a way that concerns the relation of living organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings

• Russia's vast forests are of global importance both economically and ecologically.

ecologist /ɪˈkɒlədʒɪst/

noun

an expert in or student of ecology

• a German ecologist studying the river habitat.

ecology /ɪˈkɒlədʒi, ɛˈkɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.

2. ( Ecology) — the political movement concerned with protection of the environment.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally as oecology): from Greek oikos ‘house’ + -logy.

e-commerce

noun — [ mass noun]

1. commercial transactions conducted electronically on the Internet.

econobox /ɪˈkɒnəbɒks/

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a car that is small and economical rather than luxurious or stylish.

econometrics /ɪˌkɒnəˈmɛtrɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of economics concerned with the use of mathematical methods (especially statistics) in describing economic systems.

II. derivatives

1. econometric /ɪˌkɒnəˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

2. econometrician /ɪˌkɒnəməˈtrɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

3. econometrist /ɪˌkəˈnɒmətrɪst /

noun

– origin 1930s: from economy, on the pattern of words such as biometrics.

economic /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk, ɛkəˈnɒmɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to economics or the economy

• the government's economic policy.

2. (of a subject) considered in relation to trade, industry, and the creation of wealth

• economic history.

3. justified in terms of profitability

• many organizations must become larger if they are to remain economic.

4. requiring fewer resources or costing less money

• solar power may provide a more economic solution.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French and Latin from Greek oikonomikos, from oikonomia (see economy). Originally a noun, the word denoted household management or a person skilled in this, hence the early sense of the adjective (late 16th cent.) ‘relating to household management’. Modern senses date from the mid 19th cent.

economical /iːkəˈnɒmɪk(ə)l, ɛkəˈnɒmɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. giving good value or return in relation to the money, time, or effort expended

• a small, economical car.

2. (of a person or lifestyle) careful not to waste money or resources.

• he was economical in all areas of life.

3. using no more of something than is necessary

• the cast are economical with their actions.

II. phrases

be economical with the truth

‹euphemistic› lie or deliberately withhold information.

• the government spokesman was often economical with the truth.

[mid 19th cent.: popularized by a statement given in evidence by Sir Robert Armstrong, British cabinet secretary, in the ‘Spycatcher’ trial (1986), conducted to prevent publication of a book by a former MI5 employee.]

economically /iːkəˈnɒmɪkli/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to economics or finance
[ sentence adverb]

• the region is important economically.

2. in a way that involves careful use of money or resources

• the new building was erected as economically as possible.

3. in a way that uses no more of something than is necessary.

• a precis aims to express a passage more economically.

Economic and Social Committee ESC

a consultative body of the European Union, set up in 1957 and composed of representatives of the member states. It meets in Brussels.

economic good

noun

[Economics] a product or service which can command a price when sold.

economic growth

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an increase in the amount of goods and services produced per head of the population over a period of time

• he believes that creativity holds the key to economic growth.

economic indicator

noun

a statistic used to predict future trends in a nation's economy.

economic man

noun

[Economics] a hypothetical person who behaves in exact accordance with their rational self-interest

• economic man is a rational actor—he measures costs against benefits.

economic migrant

noun

a person who travels from one country or area to another in order to improve their standard of living.

economic rationalism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) the theory that efficiency and productivity should be the primary measures of economic success

• we're reversing the damage done by economic rationalism to social wellbeing.

economic rationalist

noun

(Austral./NZ) a person who supports the theory that efficiency and productivity should be the primary measures of economic success

• like all economic rationalists, he regards subsidies and intervention as anathema to a modern economy.

economic rent

noun

[Economics] the extra amount earned by a resource (e.g. land, capital, or labour) by virtue of its present use.

economics /iːkəˈnɒmɪks, ɛkəˈnɒmɪks/

plural noun — [often treated as sing.]

1. the branch of knowledge concerned with the production, consumption, and transfer of wealth.

2. the condition of a region or group as regards material prosperity

• he is responsible for the island's modest economics.

economism /ɪˈkɒnəmɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. belief in the primacy of economic causes or factors.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French économisme, based on Greek oikonomia ‘household management’ (see economy).

economist /ɪˈkɒnəmɪst/

noun

an expert in economics.

economize /ɪˈkɒnəmʌɪz / economise

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. spend less; reduce one's expenses

• I have to economize where I can

• people on low incomes may try to economize on fuel.

II. derivatives

1. economization /ɪkɒnəmʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. economizer /ɪˈkɒnəmʌɪzə /

noun

economy /ɪˈkɒnəmi/

I. noun

1. the state of a country or region in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services and the supply of money

• he favours tax cuts to stimulate the economy.

2. a particular system or stage of an economy

• a free-market economy.

3. [ mass noun] — careful management of available resources

• fuel economy.

4. [as modifier] — offering good value for money

• an economy pack of soap flakes.

5. sparing or careful use of something

• a technique based on economy of effort.

6. [ count noun] (usu. economies) — a financial saving

• there were many economies to be made by giving up our London offices.

7. (also economy class) — the cheapest class of air or rail travel.

• we flew economy.

II. phrases

1. economy of scale

a proportionate saving in costs gained by an increased level of production.

• mergers may lead to economies of scale.

2. economy of scope

a proportionate saving gained by producing two or more distinct goods, when the cost of doing so is less than that of producing each separately.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘management of material resources’): from French économie, or via Latin from Greek oikonomia ‘household management’, based on oikos ‘house’ + nemein ‘manage’. Current senses date from the 17th cent.

economy-class syndrome

noun — [ mass noun]

1. deep-vein thrombosis said to be caused by periods of prolonged immobility on long-haul flights.

economy-size economy-sized

adjective

of a size which offers a large quantity for a proportionally lower cost

• an economy-size container.

e-content

noun — [ mass noun]

1. digital text and images designed for display on web pages.

eco-nut

noun

‹informal› ‹derogatory› a person who is very concerned about preserving the environment.

ecorat /ˈɛkəʊrat/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› an economic rationalist

• for the ecorats, the welfare state is basically the problem.

– origin 1990s: abbreviation of economic rationalist.

écorché /ˌɛkɔːˈʃeɪ/

I. noun

a painting or sculpture of a human figure with the skin removed to display the musculature.

– origin French, literally ‘flayed’.

ecoregion

noun

an area defined in terms of its natural features and environment.

eco-resort /ˈiːkəʊrɪˌzɔːt/

noun

a tourist resort whose facilities are intended to have a minimal impact on the local environment.

ecosphere /ˈiːkəʊsfɪə/

noun

1. the biosphere of the earth or other planet, especially when the interaction between the living and non-living components is emphasized.

2. [Astronomy] the region of space around a star where conditions are such that planets are theoretically capable of sustaining life.

ecossaise /ˌɛkɒˈseɪz/

I. noun

an energetic country dance in duple time in which couples form lines facing each other.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, feminine of écossais ‘Scottish’; the connection with Scotland is unclear.

ecosystem /ˈiːkəʊsɪstəm/

noun

1. [Ecology] a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

• the marine ecosystem of the northern Gulf had suffered irreparable damage.

2. [Ecology] (in general use) a complex network or interconnected system

• Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial ecosystem

• the entire ecosystem of film and video production will eventually go digital.

ecotage /ˈiːkətɑːʒ, ˈɛːkətɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. sabotage carried out for ecological reasons.

– origin 1970s: blend of ecological (see ecology) and sabotage.

eco-tax

noun

a tax levied on products, practices, or activities which are considered to be harmful to the environment

• the German coalition introduced an eco-tax on petrol to discourage motorists.

ecoterrorism /ˌiːkəʊˈterərɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. violence carried out to further environmentalist ends.

• continued ecoterrorism directed toward people and private property is a fact of life.

2. the action of causing deliberate environmental damage in order to further political ends.

• ecoterrorism on a vast scale is his version of a nuclear weapon.

II. derivatives

ecoterrorist /ˌiːkəʊˈtɛrərɪst /

noun

ecotone /ˈiːkə(ʊ)təʊn, ˈɛkə(ʊ)təʊn/

I. noun

[Ecology] a region of transition between two biological communities.

• ecotones between two habitats are often richer in species than either.

II. derivatives

ecotonal

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from eco- + Greek tonos ‘tension’.

ecotourism /ˌiːkəʊˈtʊərɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. tourism directed towards exotic natural environments, intended to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife.

II. derivatives

1. ecotour

noun, verb

2. ecotourist /ˌiːkəʊˈtʊərɪst /

noun

ecotown /ˈiːkəʊtaʊn/

noun

a new town designed to facilitate a lifestyle that has as little impact on the environment as possible.

ecotoxicology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of science that deals with the nature, effects, and interactions of substances that are harmful to the environment.

II. derivatives

1. ecotoxicological

adjective

2. ecotoxicologist

noun

ecotype /ˈiːkəʊtʌɪp/

noun

[Botany] [Zoology] a distinct form or race of a plant or animal species occupying a particular habitat.

eco-warrior

noun

a person actively involved in preventing damage to the environment.

e-crime

I. noun

another term for cybercrime.

• the survey found that fewer than a quarter of companies even reported e-crime to the police.

II. derivatives

e-criminal

noun

ecru /ˈeɪkruː, ɛˈkruː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the light fawn colour of unbleached linen.

• shades of white, black, and ecru.

• [as modifier] an ecru cardigan.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French écru ‘unbleached’.

ECSC

abbreviation

European Coal and Steel Community.

ecstasize /ˈɛkstəsʌɪz / ecstasise

verb — [no obj.]

1. go into ecstasies.

ecstasy /ˈɛkstəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement

• there was a look of ecstasy on his face

• [ count noun] they went into ecstasies over the view.

2. an emotional or religious frenzy or trance-like state, originally one involving an experience of mystic self-transcendence.

3. ( Ecstasy) — an illegal amphetamine-based synthetic drug with euphoric effects, originally produced as an appetite suppressant.
Also called MDMA.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French extasie, via late Latin from Greek ekstasis ‘standing outside oneself’, based on ek- ‘out’ + histanai ‘to place’.

ecstatic /ɪkˈstatɪk, ɛkˈstatɪk/

I. adjective

1. feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement

• ecstatic fans filled the stadium.

2. involving an experience of mystic self-transcendence

• an ecstatic vision of God.

II. noun

a person subject to mystical experiences.

III. derivatives

ecstatically /ɪkˈstatɪk(ə)li, ɛkˈstatɪk(ə)li /

adverb

ECT

abbreviation

electroconvulsive therapy.

ecto-

I. combining form

outer; external

• ectoderm.

– origin from Greek ektos ‘outside’.

ectoderm /ˈɛktə(ʊ)dəːm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] [Embryology] the outermost layer of cells or tissue of an embryo in early development, or the parts derived from this, which include the epidermis, nerve tissue, and nephridia.
Compare with endoderm and mesoderm.

II. derivatives

ectodermal /ɛktə(ʊ)ˈdəːm(ə)l /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from ecto- ‘outside’ + Greek derma ‘skin’.

ectogenesis /ˌɛktə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly in science fiction) the development of embryos in artificial conditions outside the womb.

ectomorph /ˈɛktə(ʊ)mɔːf/

I. noun

[Physiology] a person with a lean and delicate build of body.
Compare with endomorph and mesomorph.

II. derivatives

1. ectomorphic

adjective

2. ectomorphy

noun

– origin 1940s: ecto- from ectodermal (being the layer of the embryo giving rise to physical characteristics which predominate) + -morph.

-ectomy

I. combining form

denoting surgical removal of a specified part of the body

• appendectomy.

– origin from Greek ektomē ‘excision’, from ek ‘out’ + temnein ‘to cut’.

ectoparasite /ˌɛktəʊˈparəsʌɪt/

I. noun

[Biology] a parasite, such as a flea, that lives on the outside of its host.
Compare with endoparasite.

II. derivatives

ectoparasitic

adjective

ectopic /ɛkˈtɒpɪk/

I. adjective

[Medicine] in an abnormal place or position.

II. noun

an ectopic pregnancy.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin ectopia ‘presence of tissue, cells, etc. in an abnormal place’ (from Greek ektopos ‘out of place’) + -ic.

ectopic beat

noun

another term for extrasystole.

ectopic pregnancy

noun

a pregnancy in which the fetus develops outside the womb, typically in a fallopian tube.

• one in every 100 women run the risk of an ectopic pregnancy.

• [ mass noun] the dangers of ectopic pregnancy.

ectoplasm /ˈɛktə(ʊ)plaz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] ‹dated› the more viscous, clear outer layer of the cytoplasm in amoeboid cells.
Compare with endoplasm.

2. a supernatural viscous substance that supposedly exudes from the body of a medium during a spiritualistic trance and forms the material for the manifestation of spirits.

II. derivatives

ectoplasmic /ɛktə(ʊ)ˈplazmɪk /

adjective

Ectoprocta /ˌɛktə(ʊ)ˈprɒktə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] another term for Bryozoa.

II. derivatives

ectoproct

noun

– origin modern Latin (plural), from ektos ‘outside or external’ + prōktos ‘anus’.

ectotherm /ˈɛktəʊθəːm/

I. noun

[Zoology] an animal that is dependent on external sources of body heat.

II. derivatives

1. ectothermic

adjective

2. ectothermy

noun

ectropion /ɛkˈtrəʊpɪən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition, typically a consequence of advanced age, in which the eyelid is turned outwards away from the eyeball.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Greek, from ek- ‘out’ + trepein ‘to turn’.

ecu /ˈɛkjuː, ˈiːkjuː, ˈeɪkjuː, ˈɛkuː / ECU

I. noun

former term for euro^1.

– origin acronym from European currency unit.

Ecuador /ˈɛkwədɔː Spanish ekwaˈðor//

1. an equatorial republic in South America, on the Pacific coast; pop. 14,573,100 (est. 2009); languages, Spanish (official), Quechua; capital, Quito.

Ranges and plateaux of the Andes separate the coastal plain from the tropical forests of the Amazon basin. Formerly part of the Inca empire, Ecuador was conquered by the Spanish in 1534 and remained part of Spain's American empire until, after the first uprising against Spanish rule in 1809, independence was gained in 1822.

Ecuadorian /ˌɛkwəˈdɔːrɪən / Ecuadorean

I. adjective

relating to Ecuador or its people

• the Ecuadorian government.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Ecuador

• the Ecuadorians raced to victory, taking five out of the last six games.

ecumenical /ˌiːkjʊˈmɛnɪk(ə)l, ɛkjʊˈmɛnɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. representing a number of different Christian Churches.

• he was a member of ecumenical committees.

2. promoting or relating to unity among the world's Christian Churches

• the ecumenical movement.

II. derivatives

ecumenically

adverb

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘belonging to the universal Church’): via late Latin from Greek oikoumenikos from oikoumenē ‘the (inhabited) earth’.

Ecumenical Patriarch

noun

a title of the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople.

ecumenism /ɪˈkjuːmənɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the principle or aim of promoting unity among the world's Christian Churches.

eczema /ˈɛksɪmə, ˈɛkzɪmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a medical condition in which patches of skin become rough and inflamed with blisters which cause itching and bleeding.

II. derivatives

eczematous /ɛkˈziːmətəs, ɛkˈzɛmətəs /

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek ekzema, from ekzein ‘boil over, break out’, from ek- ‘out’ + zein ‘boil’.

ED

abbreviation

1. eating disorder.

2. (chiefly US) emergency department.

3. erectile dysfunction.

ed.

abbreviation

1. edited by.

• ‘Eighteenth-Century Women Poets’, ed. Roger Lonsdale.

2. edition.

3. editor.

-ed^1

I. suffix

1. forming adjectives:

2. (added to nouns) having; possessing; affected by

• talented

• diseased.

3. (added to nouns) characteristic of

• ragged.

4. from phrases consisting of adjective and noun

• bad-tempered

• three-sided.

– origin Old English -ede.

-ed^2

I. suffix

1. forming:

2. the past tense and past participle of weak verbs

• landed

• walked.

3. participial adjectives

• wounded.

– origin Old English -ed, -ad, -od.

edacious /ɪˈdeɪʃəs/

I. adjective

‹rare› relating to or given to eating.

II. derivatives

edacity /ɪˈdasɪti /

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin edax, edac- (from edere ‘eat’) + -ious.

Edam^1 /ˈiːdam/

a town in the Netherlands, to the north-east of Amsterdam; pop. 28,448 (2008) (with Volendam).

Edam^2 /ˈiːdam/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a round Dutch cheese, typically pale yellow with a red wax coating.

edamame /ˌɛdəˈmɑːmeɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Japanese dish of salted green soybeans boiled in their pods, typically served as a snack or appetizer.

– origin Japanese, literally ‘beans on a branch’.

edaphic /ɪˈdafɪk/

I. adjective

[Ecology] of, produced by, or influenced by the soil.

• long-term cultivation may cause near-irreversible edaphic changes.

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from Greek edaphos ‘floor’ + -ic.

edaphosaurus /ɪˈdafəsɔːrəs/

I. noun

a large herbivorous synapsid reptile of the late Carboniferous and early Permian periods, with long knobbly spines on its back supporting a sail-like crest.
●Genus Edaphosaurus, order Pelycosuria, subclass Synapsida.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek edaphos ‘floor’ + sauros ‘lizard’.

e-dating

noun

another term for online dating.

• even in the modern age, e-dating remains a risky business.

Edberg, Stefan /ˈɛdbəːɡ/

(b.1966), Swedish tennis player. He won the Australian Open in 1985 and won Wimbledon in 1990 and 1991.

Edda /ˈɛdə/

I. either of two 13th-century Icelandic books, the Elder or Poetic Edda (a collection of Old Norse poems on Norse legends) and the Younger or Prose Edda (a handbook to Icelandic poetry by Snorri Sturluson). The Eddas are the chief source of knowledge of Scandinavian mythology.

– origin either from the name of a character in the Old Norse poem Rigsthul, or from Old Norse óthr ‘poetry’.

Eddington, Sir Arthur Stanley

(1882–1944), English astronomer, considered the founder of astrophysics. He used Einstein's theory of relativity to explain the bending of light by gravity that he observed in the 1919 solar eclipse.

eddo /ˈɛdəʊ/

I. noun

a taro corm or plant of a West Indian variety with many edible cormlets.

– origin late 17th cent.: of West African origin.

eddy /ˈɛdi/

I. noun

1. a circular movement of water causing a small whirlpool.

• the current was forming foam-lipped eddies along the bank.

• eddies of controversy swirled around his theories.

2. a circular movement of wind, fog, or smoke.

• an eddy of chill air swirled into the carriage.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (of water, air, or smoke) move in a circular way

• the mists from the river eddied round the banks.

– origin late Middle English: probably from the Germanic base of the Old English prefix ed- ‘again, back’.

Eddy, Mary Baker

(1821–1910), American religious leader and founder of the Christian Science movement. Long a victim to various ailments, she believed herself cured by a faith healer, Phineas Quimby, and later evolved her own system of spiritual healing.

eddy current

noun

a localized electric current induced in a conductor by a varying magnetic field.

Eddystone Rocks /ˈɛdɪstən/

a rocky reef off the coast of Cornwall, 22 km (14 miles) SW of Plymouth. The reef was the site of the earliest lighthouse (1699) built on rocks fully exposed to the sea.

edelweiss /ˈeɪd(ə)lvʌɪs/

I. noun

a European mountain plant which has woolly white bracts around its small flowers and downy grey-green leaves.
● Leontopodium alpinum, family Compositae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German, from edel ‘noble’ + weiss ‘white’.

Eden /ˈiːd(ə)n / Garden of Eden

I. the place where Adam and Eve lived in the biblical account of the Creation, from which they were expelled for disobediently eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge.

II. (as noun an Eden) — a place or state of great happiness; an unspoilt paradise

• the lost Eden of his childhood.

– origin from late Latin (Vulgate), Greek Ēdēn (Septuagint), and Hebrew ‘Ēḏen; perhaps related to Akkadian edinu, from Sumerian eden ‘plain, desert’ (but believed to be related to Hebrew ‘ēḏen ‘delight’).

Eden, Anthony /ˈiːd(ə)n/

1st Earl of Avon (1897–1977), British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1955–7; full name Robert Anthony Eden. His premiership was dominated by the Suez crisis of 1956; widespread opposition to Britain's role in this led to his resignation.

Edenic /ɪˈdɛnɪk/

adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of the garden of Eden

• the story of the Edenic fall.

2. unspoilt and idyllic

• an Edenic world of economic prosperity.

Edentata /ˌiːdənˈtɑːtə, ˌiːdənˈteɪtə/

plural noun

[Zoology] another term for Xenarthra.

edentate /ˈiːdənteɪt/

I. noun

[Zoology] a mammal of an order distinguished by the lack of incisor and canine teeth, including the anteaters, sloths, and armadillos, all of which are native to Central and South America.
●Order Xenarthra (or Edentata).

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin edentatus, past participle of edentare ‘make toothless’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + dens, dent- ‘tooth’.

edentulous /ɪˈdɛntjʊləs/

I. adjective

[Medicine] [Zoology] lacking teeth.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin edentulus, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + dens, dent- ‘tooth’ + -ulous.

Edgar /ˈɛdɡə/

(944–75), king of England 959–75, younger brother of Edwy. He became king of Northumbria and Mercia in 957 when these regions renounced their allegiance to Edwy, succeeding to the throne of England on Edwy's death.

Edgar Britt /ˌɛdɡə ˈbrɪt/

I. noun

1. (Austral.) ‹informal› an act of defecating

• he raced out to the john for an Edgar Britt.

2. ( the Edgar Britts) — (Austral.) ‹informal› diarrhoea

• it gives you a violent headache and a good dose of the Edgar Britts.

– origin 1960s: rhyming slang for ‘shit’, from the name of the Australian jockey Edgar Britt.

edge /ɛdʒ/

I. noun

1. the outside limit of an object, area, or surface

• a willow tree at the water's edge

• she perched on the edge of a desk.

2. an area next to a steep drop

• the cliff edge.

3. [in sing.] — the point immediately before something unpleasant or momentous occurs

• the economy was teetering on the edge of recession.

4. the sharpened side of the blade of a cutting implement or weapon.

• a knife with a razor-sharp edge.

5. [in sing.] — an intense, sharp, or striking quality

• a flamenco singer brings a primitive edge to the music

• there was an edge of menace in his voice.

6. [in sing.] — a quality or factor which gives superiority over close rivals

• his cars have the edge over his rivals'.

7. the line along which two surfaces of a solid meet.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide with a border or edge

• the pool is edged with paving.

2. [with adverbial of direction] — move or cause to move gradually or furtively in a particular direction
[no obj.]

• she tried to edge away from him

• [with obj.] Hazel quietly edged him away from the others.

3. give an intense or sharp quality to

• the bitterness that edged her voice.

4. [Cricket] strike (the ball) with the edge of the bat; strike a ball delivered by (the bowler) with the edge of the bat.

• he edged a ball into his pad.

• [no obj.] Haynes edged to slip.

5. [no obj.] — ski with one's weight on the edges of one's skis.

• you will be edging early, controlling a parallel turn.

III. phrases

1. on edge

tense, nervous, or irritable.

• never had she felt so on edge before an interview.

2. on the edge of one's seat

‹informal› very excited and giving one's full attention to something.

• a faster-played sport would keep fans on the edge of their seats.

3. set someone's teeth on edge

(especially of a harsh sound) cause someone to feel intense discomfort or irritation.

• the grating sound set her teeth on edge.

4. take the edge off

reduce the intensity or effect of (something unpleasant or severe)

• the tablets will take the edge off the pain.

IV. phrasal verbs

edge someone out

a. narrowly defeat a rival or opponent

• Portugal edged out Holland in the semi-final.

• United edged out Rovers 4–2 on penalties.

b. remove a person from an organization or role by indirect means

• she was edged out of the organization by the director.

V. derivatives

1. edgeless /ˈɛdʒləs /

adjective

2. edger /ˈɛdʒə /

noun

– origin Old English ecg ‘sharpened side of a blade’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch egge and German Ecke, also to Old Norse eggja (see egg^2), from an Indo-European root shared by Latin acies ‘edge’ and Greek akis ‘point’.

edge city

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a relatively large urban area situated on the outskirts of a city, typically beside a major road.

– origin 1991: coined by J. Garreau in a book of the same name.

edge connector

noun

an electrical connector with a row of contacts, fitted to the edge of a printed circuit board to facilitate connection to external circuits.

edged /ɛdʒd/

adjective

1. (of an object, area, or surface) having an outside edge or boundary of a specified kind
[in combination]

• a regular square-edged tile.

2. (of an implement or weapon) having a sharpened blade for cutting

• edged tools used by carpenters

• [in combination] a single-edged razor blade.

Edgehill, Battle of /ɛdʒˈhɪl/

the first pitched battle of the English Civil War (1642), fought at the village of Edgehill in the west Midlands. The Parliamentary army attempted to halt the Royalist army's march on London; the battle ended with no clear winner and with heavy losses on both sides.

edge tool

noun

a handworked or machine-operated cutting tool.

edgeways /ˈɛdʒweɪz / ‹US› edgewise

I. adverb

with the edge uppermost or towards the viewer.

• an electric fan is quieter heard edgeways on than from in front or behind.

II. phrases

get a word in edgeways

[usu. with negative] — contribute to a conversation with difficulty because the other speaker talks incessantly.

• give him a bit of limelight and away he goes—no one else can get a word in edgeways.

Edgeworth, Maria /ˈɛdʒwəθ/

(1767–1849), English-born Irish novelist. Notable works: Castle Rackrent (1800) and Belinda (1801).

edging /ˈɛdʒɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. something forming an edge or border

• a chemise with lace edging.

2. the process of providing something with an edge or border.
[as modifier]

• new edging work has been carried out on the sides of the bank.

edgy /ˈɛdʒi/

I. adjective

1. tense, nervous, or irritable

• he became edgy and defensive.

2. (of a musical performance or piece of writing) having an intense or sharp quality.

• tremendously edgy brass playing.

3. ‹informal› at the forefront of a trend; experimental or avant-garde

• their songs combine good music and smart, edgy ideas.

II. derivatives

1. edgily /ˈɛdʒɪli /

adverb

2. edginess /ˈɛdʒɪnəs /

noun

EDI

abbreviation

electronic data interchange (a standard for exchanging information between computer systems).

edible /ˈɛdɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

fit to be eaten (often used to contrast with unpalatable or poisonous varieties)

• the shrub has small edible berries.

II. noun — ( edibles)

1. items of food.

• delicatessen, as the name suggests, means delicate edibles.

III. derivatives

edibility /ɛdɪˈbɪlɪti /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin edibilis, from Latin edere ‘eat’.

edible crab

noun

a large pinkish-brown European crab with black-tipped pincers, typically found in inshore waters and caught for food.
● Cancer pagurus, family Cancridae.

edible dormouse

noun

another term for fat dormouse.

edible frog

noun

a large green aquatic frog of mainland Europe, popular as food in some regions.
● Rana esculenta, family Ranidae.

edible-nest swiftlet

noun

a small Asian swift whose nest, constructed from solidified saliva, is used to make Chinese bird's-nest soup.
●Genus Aerodramus (or Collocalia), family Apodidae: two species.

edible snail

noun

a large snail which is widely collected or cultured for food, occurring chiefly in southern Europe.
● Helix pomatia, family Helicidae.

edict /ˈiːdɪkt/

I. noun

an official order or proclamation issued by a person in authority.

• Clovis issued an edict protecting Church property.

II. derivatives

edictal /ɪˈdɪkt(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Latin edictum ‘something proclaimed’, neuter past participle of edicere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + dicere ‘say, tell’.

edification /ˌɛdɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the moral or intellectual instruction or improvement of someone

• a video was filmed for the edification of clients.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin aedificatio(n-), from aedificare ‘build’ (see edify).

edifice /ˈɛdɪfɪs/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› a large, imposing building.

2. ‹formal› a complex system of beliefs

• the concepts on which the edifice of capitalism was built.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin aedificium, from aedis ‘dwelling’ + facere ‘make’.

edify /ˈɛdɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually.

• Rachel had edified their childhood with frequent readings from Belloc.

– origin Middle English: from Old French edifier, from Latin aedificare ‘build’, from aedis ‘dwelling’ + facere ‘make’ (compare with edifice). The word originally meant ‘construct a building’, also ‘strengthen’, hence to ‘build up’ morally.

edifying /ˈɛdɪfʌɪɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. providing moral or intellectual instruction

• edifying literature.

2. [with negative] — used to express one's disapproval of something

• seeing a person blind drunk is not an edifying sight.

II. derivatives

edifyingly

adverb

Edinburgh /ˈɛdɪnbərə/

the capital of Scotland, lying on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth; pop. 449,100 (est. 2009). The city grew up round the 11th-century castle built by Malcolm III on a rocky ridge which dominates the landscape.

Edinburgh, Duke of

see Philip, Prince.

Edinburgh Festival Edinburgh International Festival

an international festival of the arts held annually in Edinburgh since 1947. In addition to the main programme a flourishing fringe festival has developed.

Edison, Thomas /ˈɛdɪs(ə)n/

(1847–1931), American inventor; full name Thomas Alva Edison. He took out the first of more than a thousand patents at the age of 21. His inventions include automatic telegraph systems, the carbon microphone for telephones, the phonograph, and the carbon filament lamp.

edit /ˈɛdɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. prepare (written material) for publication by correcting, condensing, or otherwise modifying it

• Volume I was edited by J. Johnson.

2. choose material for (a film or radio or television programme) and arrange it to form a coherent whole
(as adj. edited)

• edited highlights of the match.

3. change (text) on a computer.

4. ( edit something out) — remove unnecessary or inappropriate material from a text, film, or radio or television programme.

• the film's sexually explicit scenes have been edited out.

5. be editor of (a newspaper or magazine).

• he began to edit the magazine in 1923.

II. noun

1. a change or correction made as a result of editing.

• the system has no word wrap feature—so even small edits involved extensive rekeying.

2. a version of written, recorded, or filmed material made as a result of editing

• a rough edit of some delightful Javanese gamelan music.

3. a featured selection of clothes, accessories, beauty products, etc. from a particular season or collection

• this is ELLE’s personal Autumn/Winter 2012 edit.

– origin late 18th cent. (as a verb): partly a back-formation from editor, reinforced by French éditer ‘to edit’ (from édition ‘edition’).

editable

adjective

(of text or software) in a format that can be edited by the user.

• the program will read an incoming fax and convert it into editable text.

edition /ɪˈdɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a particular form or version of a published text

• a paperback edition.

2. a particular version of a text maintained by regular revision

• a first edition.

3. the total number of copies of a book, newspaper, or other published material issued at one time.

• variations occurred after some of the edition had already been published.

4. a particular instance of a regular radio or television programme

• the Monday edition will be repeated on Wednesdays.

– origin late Middle English: from French édition, from Latin editio(n-), from edere ‘put out’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + dare ‘give’.

editio princeps /ɪˌdɪʃɪəʊ ˈprɪnsɛps/

I. noun

the first printed edition of a book.

– origin Latin, from editio(n-) ‘edition’ and princeps ‘chief, leader’ (from primus ‘first’).

editor /ˈɛdɪtə/

I. noun

1. a person who is in charge of and determines the final content of a newspaper, magazine, or multi-author book.

• the editor of The Times.

• a sports editor.

2. a person who commissions or prepares written or recorded material for publication or broadcast.

3. a computer program enabling the user to enter or alter text.

• you will be able to use the editor to make any changes you want.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘producer (of games), publisher’, from edit- ‘produced, put out’, from the verb edere.

editorial /ɛdɪˈtɔːrɪəl/

I. adjective

1. relating to the commissioning or preparing of material for publication

• the editorial team.

2. relating to the part of a newspaper or magazine which contains news, information, or comment as opposed to advertising.

• there are now fewer editorial pages.

II. noun

1. a newspaper article expressing the editor's opinion on a topical issue.

• the paper ran an editorial denouncing his hawkish stand.

2. [ mass noun] — the parts of a newspaper or magazine which are not advertising.

• we are giving readers more for their money—quality editorial and more colour.

III. derivatives

1. editorialist /ˌɛdɪˈtɔːrɪəlɪst /

noun

2. editorially /ˌɛdɪˈtɔːrɪəli /

adverb

editorialize /ˌɛdɪˈtɔːrɪəlʌɪz / editorialise

verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a newspaper, editor, or broadcasting organization) express opinions rather than just report the news.

• the BBC itself was not to editorialize about the news or matters of public policy.

editorship /ˈɛdɪtəʃɪp/

noun

the position of editor in charge of a newspaper, magazine, or multi-author book

• in 1877 Digby assumed the editorship of the Madras Times.

editress /ˈɛdɪtrəs/

noun

‹dated› ‹humorous› a female editor.

editrix

I. noun

another term for editress.

– origin early 20th cent.: from editor + -trix.

edit suite

noun

a room containing equipment for editing film or video material.

-edly

suffix

(forming adverbs) in a manner characterized by the action expressed by the formative verb

• agitatedly.

EDM

noun

(Brit.) short for early day motion:

• he tabled 113 EDMs during the parliamentary year

• the MP also put forward an EDM asking the House of Commons to note Sir Alex's outstanding contribution to football.

Edmonton /ˈɛdmənt(ə)n/

the capital of Alberta, Canada; pop. 730,372 (2006).

Edmund /ˈɛdmənd/

I. the name of two kings of England:

II. Edmund I (921–46), reigned 939–46. After succeeding Athelstan Edmund spent much of his reign trying to win his northern lands back from Norse control.

III. Edmund II ( c. 980–1016), son of Ethelred the Unready, reigned 1016; known as Edmund Ironside. Edmund led the resistance to Canute's forces in 1015, but was eventually defeated and forced to divide the kingdom with Canute. On Edmund's death Canute became king of all England.

Edmund, St

( c. 1175–1240), English churchman and teacher, Archbishop of Canterbury 1234–40; born Edmund Rich. Feast day, 16 November.

Edmund Campion, St

see Campion, St Edmund.

Edmund the Martyr, St

( c. 841–70), king of East Anglia 855–70. After the defeat of his army by the invading Danes in 870, tradition holds that he was captured and shot with arrows for refusing to reject the Christian faith or to share power with his pagan conqueror. Feast day, 20 November.

edn

abbreviation

edition.

Edo^1

former name for Tokyo.

Edo^2 /ˈɛdəʊ/

I. noun

1. a member of a people inhabiting the district of Benin in Nigeria.

2. [ mass noun] — the Benue-Congo language of the Edo, with about 1 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Edo or their language.

– origin the name of Benin City in Edo.

Edomite /ˈiːdəmʌɪt/

noun

a member of an ancient people living in Edom, a region south of the Dead Sea, in biblical times, traditionally believed to be descended from Esau.

EDP

abbreviation

electronic data processing.

EDT /iːdiːˈtiː/

abbreviation

Eastern Daylight Time (see Eastern time).

EDTA

abbreviation

[Chemistry] ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid, a crystalline acid with a strong tendency to form chelates with metal ions.
●Chem. formula: (CH_2COOH)2NCH_2CH_2N(CH_2COOH)2.

educable /ˈɛdʒʊkəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be educated

• we must have teachers who believe that every child is educable.

II. derivatives

educability

noun

educate /ˈɛdjʊkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give intellectual, moral, and social instruction to (someone), typically at a school or university

• she was educated at a boarding school.

2. provide or pay for instruction for (one's child), especially at a school.

• she had crises of conscience about how best to educate her youngest child.

3. give (someone) training in or information on a particular subject

• a plan to educate the young on the dangers of drugs

• [with obj. and infinitive] the need to educate people to conserve water.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin educat- ‘led out’, from the verb educare, related to educere ‘lead out’ (see educe).

educated /ˈɛdjʊkeɪtɪd/

adjective

1. having been educated
[in combination]

• a Harvard-educated lawyer.

2. resulting from or having had a good education

• educated tastes.

educated guess

noun

a guess based on knowledge and experience and therefore likely to be correct.

• a prognosis can necessarily be only an educated guess.

education /ɛdjʊˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university

• a course of education.

2. the theory and practice of teaching

• colleges of education.

3. [ count noun] — a body of knowledge acquired while being educated

• his education is encyclopedic and eclectic.

4. information about or training in a particular subject

• health education.

5. ( an education) — an enlightening experience

• Petrus is a good workman—it is an education to watch him.

II. derivatives

educationist /ɛdjʊˈkeɪʃ(ə)nɪst /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin educatio(n-), from the verb educare (see educate).

educational /ɛdjuˈkeɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to the provision of education.

• educational institutions.

• children with special educational needs.

2. intended or serving to educate or enlighten

• seeing an analyst was a very educational experience.

II. derivatives

educationalist /ɛdjʊˈkeɪʃ(ə)n(ə)lɪst /

noun

educationally /ˌɛdʒʊˈkeɪʃ(ə)nəli/

adverb

in a way that relates to the provision of education

• youngsters will benefit educationally and socially

• [as submodifier] students from the most educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.

educationese /ˌɛdjʊkeɪʃəˈniːz/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› jargon used by people involved in the field of education

• the document is filled with educationese.

educative /ˈɛdʒʊkətɪv/

adjective

intended or serving to educate or enlighten; educational

• a useful educative tool.

educator /ˈɛdʒʊkeɪtə/

noun

a person who provides instruction or education; a teacher

• the perspective of a professional educator.

educe /ɪˈdjuːs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› bring out or develop (something latent or potential)

• out of love obedience is to be educed.

2. ‹formal› infer (something) from data

• more information can be educed from these statistics.

II. derivatives

eduction /ɪˈdʌkʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin educere ‘lead out’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + ducere ‘to lead’.

edulcorate /ɪˈdʌlkəreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› make (something) more acceptable or palatable.

• the traditional folk song is today often edulcorated by unwarranted accompaniments.

II. derivatives

edulcoration /ɪdʌlkəˈrɛɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin edulcorat- ‘sweetened’, from the verb edulcorare, from Latin e (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + dulcor ‘sweetness’.

edutainment /ˌɛdjʊˈteɪnm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. computer games, television programmes, or other material, intended to be both educational and enjoyable.

• this edutainment video has a unique blend of comedy and chess instruction.

– origin 1980s: blend of education and entertainment.

Edw.

abbreviation

Edward.

Edward /ˈɛdwəd/

I. the name of six kings of England and also one of Great Britain and Ireland and one of the United Kingdom:

II. Edward I (1239–1307), son of Henry III, reigned 1272–1307; known as the Hammer of the Scots. His campaign against Prince Llewelyn ended with the annexation of Wales in 1284, but he failed to conquer Scotland, where resistance was led by Sir William Wallace and later Robert the Bruce.

III. Edward II (1284–1327), son of Edward I, reigned 1307–27. In 1314 he was defeated by Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn. In 1326 Edward's wife, Isabella of France, and her lover, Roger de Mortimer, invaded England; Edward was deposed in favour of his son and murdered.

IV. Edward III (1312–77), son of Edward II, reigned 1327–77. In 1330 he took control of his kingdom, banishing Isabella and executing Mortimer. He supported Edward de Baliol, the pretender to the Scottish throne, and started the Hundred Years War.

V. Edward IV (1442–83), son of Richard, Duke of York, reigned 1461–83. He became king after defeating the Lancastrian Henry VI. Edward was briefly forced into exile in 1470–1 by the Earl of Warwick but regained his position with victory at Tewkesbury in 1471.

VI. Edward V (1470– c. 1483), son of Edward IV, reigned 1483 but not crowned. Edward and his brother Richard (known as the Princes in the Tower) were probably murdered and the throne was taken by their uncle, Richard III.

VII. Edward VI (1537–53), son of Henry VIII, reigned 1547–53. His reign saw the establishment of Protestantism as the state religion.

VIII. Edward VII (1841–1910), son of Queen Victoria, reigned 1901–10. Although he played little part in government on coming to the throne, his popularity helped revitalize the monarchy.

IX. Edward VIII (1894–1972), son of George V, reigned 1936 but not crowned. Edward abdicated eleven months after coming to the throne in order to marry the American divorcee Mrs Wallis Simpson.

Edward, Lake

a lake on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), linked to Lake Albert by the Semliki River.

Edward, Prince

Edward Antony Richard Louis, Earl of Wessex (b.1964), third son of Elizabeth II. He married Sophie Rhys-Jones (b.1965) in 1999.

Edward, Prince of Wales

see Black Prince.

Edwardian /ɛdˈwɔːdɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the reign of King Edward VII

• the Edwardian era

• a fine Edwardian house.

II. noun

a person who lived during the Edwardian period.

Edwardiana /ɛdˌwɔːdɪˈɑːnə/

plural noun

articles, especially collectors' items, from the reign of Edward VII.

Edwards, Jonathan

(b.1966), English athlete; full name Jonathan David Edwards. He won a gold medal in the triple jump in the 1992 World Cup and in 1995 became the first person to break the 18-metre barrier in that event.

Edwards, Sir Gareth

(b.1947), Welsh rugby union player; full name Gareth Owen Edwards. An international player from 1967 to 1978, he was the youngest-ever Welsh captain when appointed in 1968.

Edward the Confessor, St

( c. 1003–66), son of Ethelred the Unready, king of England 1042–66. Famed for his piety, Edward founded Westminster Abbey, where he was eventually buried. Feast day, 13 October.

Edward the Elder

( c. 870–924), son of Alfred the Great, king of Wessex 899–924. His military successes against the Danes made it possible for his son Athelstan to become the first king of all England in 925.

Edward the Martyr, St

( c. 963–78), son of Edgar, king of England 975–8. Edward was faced by a challenge for the throne from supporters of his half-brother, Ethelred, who eventually had him murdered at Corfe Castle in Dorset. Feast day, 18 March.

Edwy /ˈɛdwi / Eadwig

(d.959), king of England 955–7. He was probably only 15 years old when he became king; after Mercia and Northumbria renounced him in favour of his brother Edgar, he ruled over only the lands south of the Thames.

ee

exclamation

northern English form of oh^1.

• ‘Ee, well, you do lead exciting lives,’ said Hilda.

-ee

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. denoting the person affected directly or indirectly by the action of the formative verb

• employee.

3. denoting a person described as or concerned with

• absentee.

4. denoting an object of relatively smaller size

• bootee.

– origin from Anglo-Norman French -é, from Latin -atus (past participial ending). Some forms are anglicized modern French nouns (e.g. refugee from réfugié).

EEA

abbreviation

European Economic Area, a free-trade zone created in 1994, composed of the states of the European Union together with Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.

EEC /iːiːˈsiː/

abbreviation

European Economic Community.

e-edition

noun

a digital edition of a printed book, newspaper, or journal, which can be read on a computer or mobile device

• a free e-edition is also available via the website.

EEG

abbreviation

electroencephalogram, electroencephalograph, or electroencephalography.

• EEG recordings.

eejit /ˈiːdʒɪt/

noun

‹informal› Irish and Scottish form of idiot.

• don't stand there like a gormless eejit!

eek

exclamation

‹informal› used to express alarm, horror, or surprise.

• it could be regarded as a bit of a novelty single—eek!

eel /iːl/

I. noun

1. a snake-like fish with a slender elongated body and poorly developed fins, proverbial for its slipperiness.

• the man was wanted in a dozen countries but was as slippery as an eel.

●Order Anguilliformes: many families, in particular Anguillidae, which comprises mainly freshwater eels that breed in the sea, including the common Anguilla anguilla of Europe and A. rostrata of America.

2. used in names of unrelated fishes that resemble the true eels, e.g. electric eel, moray eel.

II. derivatives

1. eel-like

adjective

2. eely

adjective

– origin Old English ǣl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch aal and German Aal.

Eelam /ˈiːləm/

the proposed homeland of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka, for which the Tamil Tigers separatist group have been fighting since the early 1980s.

eelgrass /ˈiːlɡrɑːs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a marine plant with long ribbon-like leaves which grows in European coastal waters.
● Zostera marina, family Zosteraceae.

2. North American term for tape-grass.

eelpout /ˈiːlpaʊt/

I. noun

a small broad-headed fish of cool or cold seas, having an elongated body and the dorsal and anal fins continuous with the tail.
●Family Zoarcidae: numerous genera and species, including the northern European viviparous blenny ( Zoarces viviparus).

– origin Old English ǣlepūta (see eel, pout^2).

eelworm /ˈiːlwəːm/

noun

a nematode, especially a small soil nematode that can become a serious pest of crops and ornamental plants.

Eem /iːm/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Geology] the most recent interglacial period of the Pleistocene in northern Europe, preceding the Weichsel glaciation and corresponding to the Ipswichian in Britain.

2. [Geology] the system of deposits laid down during the Eem interglacial period.

II. derivatives

Eemian

adjective, noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from the name of a river in the Netherlands.

e'en^1 /iːn/

adverb

literary form of even^1.

e'en^2 /iːn/

noun

Scottish form of even^2.

-een

I. suffix

(Irish) forming diminutive nouns such as colleen.

– origin from the Irish diminutive suffix -ín.

eensy /ˈiːnsi / eensy-weensy

adjective

‹informal› extremely small; tiny.

• an eensy-weensy picture.

EEPROM

I. noun

[Computing] a read-only memory whose contents can be erased and reprogrammed using a pulsed voltage.

– origin acronym from electrically erasable programmable ROM.

e'er /ɛː/

adverb

literary form of ever.

-eer

I. suffix

1. (forming nouns) denoting a person concerned with or engaged in an activity

• auctioneer.

2. (forming verbs) denoting concern or involvement with an activity

• electioneer.

– origin from French -ier, from Latin -arius; verbs are often back-formations (e.g. electioneer from electioneering).

eerie /ˈɪəri/

I. adjective

strange and frightening

• an eerie green glow in the sky.

II. derivatives

eeriness /ˈɪərɪnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (originally northern English and Scots in the sense ‘fearful’): probably from Old English earg ‘cowardly’, of Germanic origin; related to German arg.

eerily /ˈɪərɪli/

adverb

in a strange and frightening manner

• their footsteps echoed eerily

• [as submodifier] the streets are eerily quiet.

Eeyorish /ˈiːɔːrɪʃ / Eeyoreish

I. adjective

(Brit.) pessimistic or gloomy

• they were an Eeyorish bunch, always looking on the dark side of life.

– origin 1990s: from Eeyore, the name of a donkey in A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh (1926), characterized by his gloomy outlook on life.

ef-

prefix

variant spelling of ex-1 assimilated before f (as in efface, effloresce).

EFA

abbreviation

essential fatty acid.

• EFAs have many potential therapeutic applications.

eff /ɛf/

I. noun, verb

‹informal› used as a euphemism for ‘fuck’

• he told plenty of journalists to eff off.

II. phrases

eff and blind

(Brit.) ‹informal› use expletives; swear.

• I scrabbled for my clothes, effing and blinding.

[ blind from its use in expletives such as blind me (see blimey).]

– origin 1950s: the letter F represented as a word.

effable /ˈɛfəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹rare› able to be described in words.

• socialism is effable, which is what I like about it.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin effabilis, from effari ‘utter’.

efface /ɪˈfeɪs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. erase (a mark) from a surface

• with time, the words are effaced by the rain.

2. cause (a memory or emotion) to disappear completely.

• nothing could efface the bitter memory.

3. ( efface oneself) — make oneself appear insignificant or inconspicuous.

• to efface oneself is not the easiest of duties which the teacher can undertake.

II. derivatives

effacement /ɪˈfeɪsm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘pardon or be absolved from (an offence)’): from French effacer, from e- (from Latin ex- ‘away from’) + face ‘face’.

effect /ɪˈfɛkt/

I. noun

1. a change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause

• the lethal effects of hard drugs

• [ mass noun] politicians have some effect on the lives of ordinary people.

2. [ mass noun] — the state of being or becoming operative.

3. [ mass noun] — the extent to which something succeeds or is operative

• wind power can be used to great effect.

4. [with modifier] — [Physics] a physical phenomenon, typically named after its discoverer

• the Renner effect.

5. an impression produced in the mind of a person

• gentle music can have a soothing effect.

6. ( effects) — the lighting, sound, or scenery used in a play, film, or broadcast

• the production relied too much on spectacular effects.

7. ( effects) — personal belongings

• the insurance covers personal effects.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (something) to happen; bring about

• the prime minister effected many policy changes.

III. phrases

1. come into effect

come into force; start to apply

• similar legislation came into effect in Wales on the same date.

• the Kyoto Protocol officially came into effect last week.

2. for effect

in order to impress people

• I suspect he's controversial for effect.

3. in effect

a. in force

• a moratorium in effect since 1985 has been lifted.

b. in practice, even if not formally acknowledged

• the minister's powers allow him, in effect, to ban programmes.

4. put (or bring or carry) something into effect

cause something to apply or become operative

• they succeeded in putting their strategies into effect.

5. take effect

come into force; start to apply

• the ban is to take effect in six months.

6. to the effect that

used to refer to the general meaning of something written or spoken

• some comments to the effect that my essay was a little light on analysis.

7. to that effect

having that result, purpose, or meaning

• she thought it a foolish rule and put a notice to that effect in a newspaper.

8. with effect from

(Brit.) starting from (a specified date)

• he resigned with effect from 1 June

• the company said yesterday it would lay off all staff with immediate effect.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin effectus, from efficere ‘accomplish’, from ex- ‘out, thoroughly’ + facere ‘do, make’. Sense 3 of the noun, ‘personal belongings’, arose from the obsolete sense ‘something acquired on completion of an action’. / usage: For an explanation of the difference between effect and affect, see usage at affect^1.

effective /ɪˈfɛktɪv/

I. adjective

1. successful in producing a desired or intended result

• effective solutions to environmental problems.

2. (of a law, rule, or policy) operative

• the regulation will be effective from January.

3. [ attrib.] — existing in fact, though not formally acknowledged as such

• she has been under effective house arrest since September.

4. assessed according to actual rather than face value

• an effective price of £176 million.

II. noun

a soldier fit and available for service.

• when the battles broke out, he had a total of 920 effectives.

III. derivatives

effectivity

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin effectivus, from efficere ‘accomplish’ (see effect).

effective demand

noun

[Economics] the level of demand that represents a real intention to purchase by people with the means to pay.

effectively /ɪˈfɛktɪvli/

adverb

1. in such a manner as to achieve a desired result

• make sure that resources are used effectively.

2. actually but not officially or explicitly

• they were effectively controlled by the people they were supposed to be investigating

• [ sentence adverb] effectively, this means that companies will be able to avoid regulations.

effectiveness /ɪˈfɛktɪvnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the degree to which something is successful in producing a desired result; success

• the effectiveness of the treatment.

effective temperature

noun

[Physics] the temperature of an object calculated from the radiation it emits, assuming black-body behaviour.

effector /ɪˈfɛktə/

noun

[Biology] an organ or cell that acts in response to a stimulus
[as modifier]

• effector cells.

effectual /ɪˈfɛktʃʊəl/

I. adjective

1. (of something inanimate or abstract) successful in producing a desired or intended result; effective

• tobacco smoke is the most effectual protection against the midge.

2. [Law] (of a legal document) valid or binding.

II. derivatives

1. effectuality /ɪfɛktʃʊˈalɪti /

noun

2. effectually /ɪˈfɛktjʊəli /

adverb

3. effectualness /ɪˈfɛktʃʊəlnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin effectualis, from Latin effectus (see effect).

effectuate /ɪˈfɛktʃʊeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› put into force or operation

• school choice would effectuate a transfer of power from government to individuals.

II. derivatives

1. effectuation /ɪfɛktʃʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. effectuator

noun

‹rare›

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin effectuat- ‘caused to happen’, from the verb effectuare, from Latin effectus (see effect).

effeminate /ɪˈfɛmɪnət/

I. adjective

‹derogatory› (of a man) having characteristics regarded as typical of a woman; unmanly.

• he lisps and his handshake is effeminate.

II. derivatives

1. effeminacy /ɪˈfɛmɪnəsi /

noun

2. effeminately /ɪˈfɛmɪnətli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Latin effeminatus, past participle of effeminare ‘make feminine’, from ex- (expressing a change of state) + femina ‘woman’.

effendi /ɛˈfɛndi/

I. noun

1. a man of high education or social standing in an eastern Mediterranean or Arab country.

2. ‹historical› a title of respect or courtesy in Turkey.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Turkish efendi, from modern Greek aphentēs, from Greek authentēs ‘lord, master’.

efferent /ˈɛf(ə)r(ə)nt/

I. adjective

[Physiology] conducted or conducting outwards or away from something (for nerves, the central nervous system; for blood vessels, the organ supplied).

• efferent neurons carry impulses outwards to the effector organs.

The opposite of afferent.

II. noun

an efferent nerve fibre or vessel.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin efferent- ‘carrying out’, from the verb efferre, from ex- ‘out’ + ferre ‘carry’.

effervesce /ˌɛfəˈvɛs/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a liquid) give off bubbles.

• the waves seemed to effervesce as they swept by.

2. be vivacious and enthusiastic.

• managers are supposed to effervesce with praise and encouragement.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin effervescere, from ex- ‘out, up’ + fervescere ‘begin to boil’ (from fervere ‘be hot, boil’).

effervescence /ˌɛfəˈvɛs(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. bubbles in a liquid; fizz

• the effervescence of sparkling wine.

2. vivacity and enthusiasm

• he was filled with such effervescence.

effervescent /ɛfəˈvɛsənt/

I. adjective

1. (of a liquid) giving off bubbles; fizzy.

• an effervescent mixture of cheap wine, fruit flavours, sugar, and carbon dioxide.

2. vivacious and enthusiastic

• effervescent young people.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin effervescent- ‘boiling up’, from the verb effervescere (see effervesce).

effete /ɪˈfiːt/

I. adjective

1. affected, over-refined, and ineffectual

• effete trendies from art college.

2. no longer capable of effective action

• the authority of an effete aristocracy began to dwindle.

3. (of a man) weak or effeminate.

• he chatted away, exercising his rather effete charm.

II. derivatives

1. effetely

adverb

2. effeteness /ɪˈfiːtnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘no longer fertile’): from Latin effetus ‘worn out by bearing young’, from ex- ‘out’ + fetus ‘breeding’; related to fetus.

efficacious /ˌɛfɪˈkeɪʃəs/

I. adjective

‹formal› (of something inanimate or abstract) successful in producing a desired or intended result; effective

• this treatment was efficacious in some cases.

II. derivatives

1. efficaciously /ˌɛfɪˈkeɪʃəsli /

adverb

2. efficaciousness /ɛfɪˈkeɪʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin efficax, efficac- (from efficere ‘accomplish’: see effect) + -ious.

efficacy /ˈɛfɪkəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the ability to produce a desired or intended result

• there is little information on the efficacy of this treatment.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin efficacia, from efficax, efficac- (see efficacious).

efficiency /ɪˈfɪʃ(ə)nsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or quality of being efficient

• greater energy efficiency.

2. [ count noun] — an action designed to achieve efficiency

• the reforms will lead to efficiencies and savings.

3. [ count noun] — ‹technical› the ratio of the useful work performed by a machine or in a process to the total energy expended or heat taken in.

• the boiler has an efficiency of 45 per cent.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘the fact of being an efficient cause’): from Latin efficientia, from efficere ‘accomplish’ (see effect).

efficient /ɪˈfɪʃ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. (of a system or machine) achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense

• more efficient processing of information.

2. [in combination] — preventing the wasteful use of a particular resource

• an energy-efficient heating system.

3. (of a person) working in a well-organized and competent way.

• an efficient administrator.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘making, causing’, usually in efficient cause): from Latin efficient- ‘accomplishing’, from the verb efficere (see effect). The current sense dates from the late 18th cent.

efficient cause

noun

[Philosophy] an agent that brings a thing into being or initiates a change.

efficiently /ɪˈfɪʃ(ə)ntli/

adverb

1. in a way that achieves maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense

• it is essential to make sure businesses operate efficiently to maximize profits

• they recycle waste cheaply and efficiently.

2. in a well-organized and competent way

• he worked efficiently to accomplish the tasks set.

effigy /ˈɛfɪdʒi/

I. noun

1. a sculpture or model of a person

• a tomb effigy of Eleanor of Aquitaine.

2. a roughly made model of a person that is made in order to be damaged or destroyed as a protest.

• angry campaigners plan to burn an effigy of the social security minister.

II. phrases

burn someone in effigy

burn a model of a person as a protest.

• the minister was burned in effigy.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin effigies, from effingere ‘to fashion (artistically)’, from ex- ‘out’ + fingere ‘to shape’.

effing /ˈɛfɪŋ/

adjective, adverb

‹informal› used as a euphemism for ‘fucking’, for emphasis or to express annoyance

• give me an effing break!

• he is an effing awful prime minister.

effleurage /ˌɛfləːˈrɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of massage involving a repeated circular stroking movement made with the palm of the hand.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. massage with a circular stroking movement

• effleurage the shoulders and press gently.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from effleurer ‘skim the surface, stroke lightly’, literally ‘remove the flower or ‘outer beauty’ of something’.

effloresce /ˌɛfləˈrɛs/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a substance) lose moisture and turn to a fine powder on exposure to air.

2. (of salts) come to the surface of brickwork, rock, or other material and crystallize there.

3. (of a surface) become covered with salt particles.

4. reach an optimum stage of development

• simple concepts that effloresce into testable conclusions.

II. derivatives

1. efflorescence /ɛfləˈrɛs(ə)ns /

noun

2. efflorescent /ˌɛfləˈrɛs(ə)nt /

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin efflorescere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + florescere ‘begin to bloom’ (from florere ‘to bloom’, from flos, flor- ‘flower’).

effluence /ˈɛflʊəns/

I. noun

1. a substance that flows out from something.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of flowing out.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin effluentia, from Latin effluere ‘flow out’, from ex- ‘out’ + fluere ‘to flow’.

effluent /ˈɛflʊənt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. liquid waste or sewage discharged into a river or the sea

• industrial effluent

• [ count noun] contamination with trade effluents.

– origin late Middle English (in the adjective sense ‘flowing out’): from Latin effluent- ‘flowing out’, from the verb effluere (see effluence). The noun dates from the mid 19th cent.

effluvium /ɪˈfluːvɪəm/

I. noun

an unpleasant or harmful odour or discharge

• smoke and effluvia from factory chimneys.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, from effluere: ‘flow out’.

efflux /ˈɛflʌks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› the flowing out of a substance or particle.

• the same active efflux of sodium from the cytoplasm to the external medium.

2. ‹technical› material that is flowing out.

• the routing for the jet efflux also needs to be considered.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin effluxus, from effluere ‘flow out’.

effluxion /ɪˈflʌkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the expiration of a limited-time agreement or contract.

• the tenancy ended by effluxion of time.

2. ‹archaic› the action of flowing out.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, or from late Latin effluxio(n-), from effluere ‘flow out’.

effort /ˈɛfət/

I. noun

1. a vigorous or determined attempt

• in an effort to reduce inflation, the government increased interest rates.

2. the result of an attempt

• he was a keen gardener, winning many prizes for his efforts.

3. [ mass noun] — strenuous physical or mental exertion

• achieving independence requires some effort and self-discipline.

4. [with modifier] — the activities of a group of people with a common purpose

• the war effort.

5. ‹technical› a force exerted by a machine or in a process.

II. phrases

1. make an effort

attempt to do something

• make an effort to do some kind of abdominal exercise.

2. make every (or spare no) effort

try everything possible to achieve something

• the doctor spared no effort in helping my father.

3. with effort

with physical difficulty

• 'It's bad, sir', he said, controlling his voice with effort.

III. derivatives

1. effortful

adjective

2. effortfully

adverb

– origin late 15th cent.: from French, from Old French esforcier, based on Latin ex- ‘out’ + fortis ‘strong’.

effortless /ˈɛfətlɪs/

I. adjective

1. requiring no physical or mental exertion.

• I went up the steps in two effortless bounds.

• each skill is practised to the point that it becomes effortless.

2. achieved with admirable ease

• her effortless sense of style.

II. derivatives

effortlessness /ˈɛfətləsnəs /

noun

effortlessly /ˈɛfətləsli/

adverb

in a manner requiring no physical or mental exertion

• I watched the man effortlessly glide across the mountainside trail

• [as submodifier] effortlessly cool models.

effrontery /ɪˈfrʌnt(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. insolent or impertinent behaviour

• one juror had the effrontery to challenge the coroner's decision.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French effronterie, based on late Latin effrons, effront- ‘shameless, barefaced’, from ex- ‘out’ + frons ‘forehead’.

effulgent /ɪˈfʌldʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. ‹literary› shining brightly; radiant.

2. ‹literary› (of a person or their expression) emanating joy or goodness.

• standing there was my father with the most effulgent smile on his face.

II. derivatives

1. effulgence /ɪˈfʌldʒ(ə)ns /

noun

2. effulgently

adverb

– origin mid 18th cent. (earlier (mid 17th cent.) as effulgence): from Latin effulgent- ‘shining brightly’, from the verb effulgere, from ex- ‘out’ + fulgere ‘to shine’.

effuse /ɪˈfjuːz/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — give off (a liquid, light, smell, or quality).

• the gardens effuse spacious elegance.

2. [no obj.] — talk in an unrestrained, excited manner

• this was the type of material that they effused about.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin effusus, past participle of effundere ‘pour out’, from ex- ‘out’ + fundere ‘pour’.

effusion /ɪˈfjuːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an instance of giving off something such as a liquid or gas

• a massive effusion of poisonous gas

• [ mass noun] he studied the rates of effusion of gases.

2. [Medicine] an escape of fluid into a body cavity.

• middle ear effusions.

3. an act of talking or writing in an unrestrained or heartfelt way

• literary effusions.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin effusio(n-), from effundere ‘pour out’ (see effuse).

effusive /ɪˈfjuːsɪv/

I. adjective

1. showing or expressing gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner

• an effusive welcome.

2. [Geology] (of igneous rock) poured out when molten and later solidified.

3. relating to the eruption of large volumes of molten rock

• effusive volcanism.

II. derivatives

1. effusively /ɪˈfjuːsɪvli /

adverb

2. effusiveness /ɪˈfjuːsɪvnəs /

noun

Efik /ˈɛfɪk/

I. noun

1. a member of a people of southern Nigeria.

2. [ mass noun] — the Benue-Congo language of the Efik, closely related to Ibibio. It is used as a lingua franca and has about 3.5 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Efik or their language.

– origin the name in Efik.

e-fit

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹trademark› an electronic picture of the face of a person being sought by the police, created by a computer program from composite photographs of facial features.

– origin 1980s: from e-2 and fit^1 (noun), on the pattern of photofit.

EFL /iːɛfˈɛl/

abbreviation

English as a foreign language.

EFSF

abbreviation

European Financial Stability Facility.

eft /ɛft/

I. noun

1. ‹dialect› a newt.

2. [Zoology] the juvenile stage of a newt.

– origin Old English efeta, of unknown origin. Compare with newt.

EFTA /ˈɛftə/

abbreviation

European Free Trade Association.

EFTPOS /ˈɛftpɒz/

abbreviation

electronic funds transfer at point of sale.

e.g. /iːˈdʒiː/

I. abbreviation

for example.

• life events (e.g. birth, death and marriage).

– origin from Latin exempli gratia ‘for the sake of example’.

egad /ɪˈɡad/

I. exclamation

‹archaic› expressing surprise, anger, or affirmation.

– origin late 17th cent.: representing earlier A God.

egalitarian /ɪˌɡalɪˈtɛːrɪən/

I. adjective

believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities

• a fairer, more egalitarian society.

II. noun

a person who advocates or supports the principle of equality for all people.

• he was a social and political egalitarian.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French égalitaire, from égal ‘equal’, from Latin aequalis (see equal).

egalitarianism /ɪˌɡaləˈtɛːrɪənɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the doctrine that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities.

Egbert /ˈɛɡbət/

(d.839), king of Wessex 802–39. In 825 he won a decisive victory that temporarily brought Mercian supremacy to an end and foreshadowed the supremacy that Wessex later secured over all England.

Eger /ˈɛɡə/

a spa town in the north of Hungary, noted for the ‘Bull's Blood’ red wine produced in the surrounding region; pop. 56,429 (2009).

egest /ɪˈdʒɛst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› (of a cell or organism) excrete (waste matter).

• animals that feed near the surface will egest material at depth.

II. derivatives

egestion

noun

– origin late Middle English (as egestion): from Latin egest-, from the verb egerere ‘expel’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + gerere ‘bear, carry’.

egesta /ɪˈdʒɛstə/

I. plural noun

‹rare› waste matter discharged from the body, especially faeces and urine

• his egesta were often tinged with blood.

– origin early 18th cent.: Latin, neuter plural of egestus, past participle of egerere ‘expel’.

egg^1 /ɛɡ/

I. noun

1. an oval or round object laid by a female bird, reptile, fish, or invertebrate, usually containing a developing embryo. The eggs of birds are enclosed in a chalky shell, while those of reptiles are in a leathery membrane.

2. an infertile bird's egg, especially one from a chicken, used for food.

• scrambled eggs.

• [ mass noun] egg and bacon.

• [as modifier] an egg sandwich.

3. a thing resembling a bird's egg in shape

• chocolate eggs.

4. [Biology] the female reproductive cell in animals and plants; an ovum.

5. [Architecture] a decorative oval moulding, used alternately with triangular shapes
[as modifier]

• egg and dart moulding.

6. [with adj.] — ‹informal› ‹dated› a person of a specified kind

• the biography portrays him as a thoroughly bad egg.

II. phrases

1. don't put all your eggs in one basket

‹proverb› don't risk everything on the success of one venture.

• we need to be more tactical and not put all our eggs in one political basket.

2. go suck an egg

[as imperative] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› used as an expression of anger or scorn.

3. kill the goose that lays the golden eggs

destroy a reliable and valuable source of income.

• high taxes kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

[with allusion to one of Aesop's fables.]

4. lay an egg

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› be completely unsuccessful.

5. with egg on one's face

‹informal› appearing foolish or ridiculous

• don't underestimate this team, or you'll be left with egg on your face.

III. derivatives

eggless

adjective

– origin Middle English (superseding earlier ey, from Old English ǣg): from Old Norse.

egg^2 /ɛɡ/

I. verb — [with obj.] ( egg someone on)

1. encourage someone to do something foolish or risky.

• he liked to boast and she would egg him on shamelessly.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse eggja ‘incite’.

egg-and-spoon race

noun

a race, typically run by children, in which each runner has to hold an egg balanced in a spoon.

eggar /ˈɛɡə/

I. noun

a large brownish moth which is often active during the day.
●Many species in the family Lasiocampidae, including the oak eggar ( L. quercus).

– origin early 18th cent.: probably from egg^1 (from the shape of the caterpillar's cocoon) + -er^1.

egg beater

noun

1. a kitchen utensil used for beating ingredients such as eggs or cream.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a helicopter.

egg-bound

adjective

(of a hen) unable through weakness or disease to expel its eggs.

eggcorn

I. noun

a word or phrase that results from a mishearing or misinterpretation of another, an element of the original being substituted for one which sounds very similar (e.g. tow the line instead of toe the line).

– origin early 21st cent.: with reference to a misinterpretation of acorn.

egg cream

noun

(US) a drink consisting of milk and soda water, flavoured with syrup.

egg cup

noun

a small cup for holding a boiled egg upright while it is being eaten.

egg custard

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a custard made with milk and eggs, typically sweetened and baked.

egg-eating snake

noun

an Old World snake which swallows birds' eggs.
●Subfamily Dasypeltinae, family Colubridae: genus Dasypeltis (of Africa), and Elachistodon westermanni (of India).

egger /ˈɛɡə/

noun

a collector of birds' eggs.

• the RSPB maintains that eggers still pose a threat to wild birds.

egghead /ˈɛɡhɛd/

I. noun

‹informal› a highly academic or studious person; an intellectual.

• the TV egghead who brought science to the masses.

– origin by analogy with a bald head.

eggnog /ˈɛɡnɒɡ / ‹Brit.› egg flip

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a drink consisting of rum, brandy, or other alcohol mixed with beaten egg, milk, and sugar.

eggplant /ˈɛɡplɑːnt/

noun

(N. Amer.) another term for aubergine.

egg roll

noun

(N. Amer.) a Chinese-style snack similar to a spring roll, consisting of diced meat or prawns and shredded vegetables wrapped in a dough made with egg and deep-fried.

eggs and bacon

noun — [ mass noun]

1. any of a number of plants with yellow flowers marked with orange, red, or brown, supposedly suggestive of eggs and bacon, in particular:
● bird's-foot trefoil. ● a shrubby Australian bush plant ( Bossiaea and other genera, family Leguminosae).

eggs Benedict /ɛɡzˈbɛnɪdɪkt/

I. plural noun

a dish consisting of poached eggs and sliced ham on toasted muffins, covered with hollandaise sauce.

– origin late 19th cent.: of uncertain origin.

egg-shaped

adjective

having the oval shape of an egg

• a variety with white flowers and egg-shaped fruits.

eggshell /ˈɛɡʃɛl/

noun

1. the thin, hard outer layer of an egg, especially a hen's egg.

• Emily was peeling off her eggshell.

• [ mass noun] pieces of eggshell are being examined to study possible contamination.

2. [as modifier] — (of china) of extreme thinness and delicacy

• eggshell porcelains.

3. (also eggshell paint) [ mass noun] — a paint that dries with a slight sheen.

• the woodwork was painted in eggshell.

• [as modifier] an eggshell finish.

eggshell blond eggshell blonde

noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹humorous› a bald man

• I told him he was my favourite eggshell blond.

egg tempera

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an emulsion of pigment and egg yolk, used in tempera painting.

egg timer

noun

a device for timing the cooking of a boiled egg, traditionally a sealed glass container with a narrow neck in the middle through which, when the flask is inverted, sand flows for a fixed amount of time.

egg tooth

noun

a hard white protuberance on the beak or jaw of an embryo bird or reptile that is used for breaking out of the shell and is later lost.

egg white

noun

the clear, viscous substance round the yolk of an egg that turns white when cooked or beaten.

• beat the butter and sugar, then whisk in the egg whites.

• [ mass noun] brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

Also called albumen.

eggy^1 /ˈɛɡi/

adjective

rich in or covered with egg

• cod fried in an eggy batter.

eggy^2 /ˈɛɡi/

I. adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› annoyed; irritated.

– origin 1930s: from egg^2 + -y^1.

eggy bread

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› another term for French toast:

• eggy bread is quick to make for breakfast, lunch, or tea.

eglantine /ˈɛɡləntʌɪn/

I. noun

another term for sweet briar.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, from Provençal aiglentina, based on Latin acus ‘needle’ or aculeus ‘prickle’.

EGM

abbreviation

extraordinary general meeting.

Egmont, Mount /ˈɛɡmənt/

a volcanic peak in the North Island, New Zealand, rising to a height of 2,518 m (8,260 ft).
Official name Taranaki.

ego /ˈiːɡəʊ, ˈɛːɡəʊ/

I. noun

1. a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance

• he needed a boost to his ego.

2. [Psychoanalysis] the part of the mind that mediates between the conscious and the unconscious and is responsible for reality testing and a sense of personal identity.
Compare with id and superego.

3. [Philosophy] (in metaphysics) a conscious thinking subject.

II. derivatives

egoless

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘I’.

egocentric /ˌɛɡə(ʊ)ˈsɛntrɪk, ˌiːɡə(ʊ)ˈsɛntrɪk/

I. adjective

1. thinking only of oneself, without regard for the feelings or desires of others; self-centred

• egocentric loners with an overinflated sense of self-worth.

2. centred in or arising from a person's own individual existence or perspective

• egocentric spatial perception.

II. noun

an egocentric person.

III. derivatives

1. egocentrically

adverb

2. egocentricity /ˌɛɡə(ʊ)sɛnˈtrɪsɪti, ˌiːɡə(ʊ)sɛnˈtrɪsɪti /

noun

3. egocentrism /ɛːɡəʊˈsɛntrɪz(ə)m, iːɡəʊˈsɛntrɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from ego, on the pattern of words such as geocentric.

ego-ideal

noun

[Psychoanalysis] (in Freudian theory) the part of the mind which imposes on itself concepts of ideal behaviour developed from parental and social standards.

egoism /ˈɛɡəʊɪz(ə)m, ˈiːɡəʊɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for egotism.

2. [Philosophy] an ethical theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of morality.

II. derivatives

1. egoist /ˈɛɡəʊɪst, ˈiːɡəʊɪst /

noun

2. egoistic /ɛɡəʊˈɪstɪk, iːɡəʊˈɪstɪk /

adjective

3. egoistical /ɛɡəʊˈɪstɪk(ə)l, iːɡəʊˈɪstɪk(ə)l /

adjective

4. egoistically

adverb

– origin late 18th cent.: from French égoïsme and modern Latin egoismus, from Latin ego ‘I’. / usage: The words egoism and egotism are frequently treated as interchangeable, but there are distinctions which are worth noting. Egotism, the more commonly used term, means ‘the fact of being excessively conceited or absorbed in oneself’. Strictly speaking, egoism is a term used in Ethics to mean ‘a theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of moral behaviour’, although this sense is not dominant today; around 90 per cent of the citations for egoism in the Oxford English Corpus are for the meaning ‘excessive conceit’.

egomania /ɛɡə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪə, ɛɡə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. obsessive egotism or self-centredness.

egomaniac /ɛɡə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪak, iːɡə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪak/

I. noun

a person who is obsessively egotistical or self-centred

• he is a raving egomaniac.

II. derivatives

egomaniacal

adjective

ego-psychology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychology] a system of psychoanalytic developmental psychology concerned especially with personality.

II. derivatives

ego-psychologist

noun

egosurf

verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› search the Internet for instances of one's own name or links to one's own website.

• I decided to take a break and do a little egosurfing.

egotism /ˈɛɡətɪz(ə)m, ˈiːɛɡətɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact of being excessively conceited or absorbed in oneself

• in his arrogance and egotism, he underestimated Gill.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French égoïste, from Latin ego ‘I’. / usage: On the difference between egotism and egoism, see usage at egoism.

egotist /ˈɛɡətɪst/

noun

a person who is excessively conceited or absorbed in themselves; self-seeker

• he is a self-absorbed egotist.

egotistical /ˌɛɡəˈtɪstɪk(ə)l, ˌiːɡəˈtɪstɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

excessively conceited or absorbed in oneself; self-centred

• he's selfish, egotistical, and arrogant.

II. derivatives

1. egotistic /ˌɛɡəˈtɪstɪk, ˌiːɡəˈtɪstɪk /

adjective

2. egotistically

adverb

ego trip

noun

‹informal› an activity done in order to increase one's sense of self-importance

• driving that car was the biggest ego trip I'd ever had.

EGP

abbreviation

Egyptian pound(s).

egregious /ɪˈɡriːdʒəs/

I. adjective

1. outstandingly bad; shocking

• egregious abuses of copyright.

2. ‹archaic› remarkably good.

II. derivatives

1. egregiously

adverb

2. egregiousness

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin egregius ‘illustrious’, literally ‘standing out from the flock’, from ex- ‘out’ + grex, greg- ‘flock’. Sense 1 (late 16th cent.) probably arose as an ironical use.

egress /ˈiːɡrɛs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the action of going out of or leaving a place

• direct means of access and egress for passengers.

2. [ count noun] — a way out

• a narrow egress.

3. [Astronomy] another term for emersion.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly US) go out of or leave (a place).

• they'd egress the area by heading south-west.

III. derivatives

egression /iːˈɡrɛʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin egressus ‘gone out’, from the verb egredi, from ex- ‘out’ + gradi ‘to step’.

egressive /ɪˈɡrɛsɪv/

adjective

[Phonetics] (of a speech sound) produced using the normal outward-flowing airstream.

egret /ˈiːɡrɪt, ˈɛːɡrɪt/

I. noun

a heron with mainly white plumage, having long plumes in the breeding season.
●Genus Egretta (and Bubulcus), family Ardeidae: several species.

– origin Middle English: from Old French aigrette, from Provençal aigreta, from the Germanic base of heron.

Egypt /ˈiːdʒɪpt/

I. a country in NE Africa bordering on the Mediterranean Sea; pop. 78,866,600 (est. 2009); official language, Arabic; capital, Cairo.

The population of Egypt is concentrated chiefly along the fertile valley of the River Nile, the rest of the country being largely desert. Egypt's history spans 5,000 years: the ancient kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt were ruled successively by thirty-one dynasties, which may be divided into the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. Egypt was a centre of Hellenistic culture and then a Roman province before coming under Islamic rule and then becoming part of the Ottoman Empire. Modern Egypt became independent in 1922. From 1958 to 1961 Egypt was united with Syria as the United Arab Republic, a title it retained until 1971. Wars with Israel were fought in 1967 (the Six Day War) and 1973 (the Yom Kippur or October War); the countries signed a peace treaty in 1979. In 2011 a series of popular demonstrations led to President Hosni Mubarak leaving office.

Egyptian /ɪˈdʒɪpʃ(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. relating to Egypt or its people.

2. relating to the culture or language of ancient Egypt

• an Egyptian obelisk.

II. noun

1. a native of ancient or modern Egypt, or a person of Egyptian descent.

2. [ mass noun] — the Afro-Asiatic language used in ancient Egypt, attested from c. 3000 BC. It is represented in its oldest stages by hieroglyphic inscriptions and in its latest form by Coptic; it has been replaced in modern use by Arabic.

III. derivatives

1. Egyptianization

noun

2. Egyptianize Egyptianise

verb

Egyptian cobra

noun

a large nocturnal African cobra with a thick body and large head. Also called asp.
● Naja haje, family Elapidae.

Egyptian cotton

noun — [ mass noun]

1. fine-quality cotton of a kind developed in Egypt
[as modifier]

• luxurious Egyptian cotton sheets.

Egyptian goose

noun

a large African goose with a dark patch around the eye and either reddish-brown or greyish-brown upper parts.
● Alopochen aegyptiacus, family Anatidae.

Egyptian mongoose

noun

a mongoose occurring over much of Africa and parts of SW Asia and Iberia, noted for its destruction of crocodile eggs. Also called ichneumon.
● Herpestes ichneumon, family Herpestidae.

Egyptian plover

noun

an African bird of the courser family, with a striking pattern of black and white over a mainly bluish back and buff-coloured underparts. Also called crocodile bird.
● Pluvianus aegyptius, family Glareolidae.

Egyptian vulture

noun

a small white vulture with black wing tips, common in much of southern Eurasia and Africa.
● Neophron percnopterus, family Accipitridae.

Egyptology /ˌiːdʒɪpˈtɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the language, history, and culture of ancient Egypt.

II. derivatives

1. Egyptological

adjective

2. Egyptologist /iːdʒɪpˈtɒlədʒɪst /

noun

eh /eɪ/

I. exclamation

used to represent a sound made in speech, especially one used to express enquiry, surprise, or to elicit agreement

• ‘Eh? What's this?’.

II. phrases

eh up

(N. English) used as a greeting, to express surprise, or to attract someone's attention

• eh up, I'm talking to you!

– origin natural utterance: first recorded in English in the mid 16th cent.

Ehrenburg, Ilya /ˈɛːrənbəːɡ/

(1891–1967), Russian novelist and journalist; full name Ilya Grigorevich Ehrenburg. He became famous during the Second World War for his anti-German propaganda in Pravda and Red Star. His novels include The Thaw (1954), a work criticizing Stalinism.

Ehrlich, Paul /ˈɛːlɪx, German ˈeːɐlɪç/

(1854–1915), German medical scientist. One of the founders of modern immunology and chemotherapy, he developed techniques for staining specific tissues, believing that a disease organism could be destroyed by an appropriate magic bullet. The effective treatment of syphilis in 1911 proved his theories.

-eian /ɪən/

suffix

forming adjectives and nouns corresponding to nouns ending in -ey or -y (such as Bodleian corresponding to Bodley).

Eichmann, Adolf /ˈʌɪxmən, German ˈaɪçman/

(1906–62), German Nazi administrator who was responsible for administering the concentration camps; full name Karl Adolf Eichmann. In 1960 he was traced by Israeli agents and executed after trial in Israel.

eicosapentaenoic acid /ˌʌɪkɒsəˌpɛntiːˈnəʊɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a polyunsaturated fatty acid found especially in fish oils.
●Chem. formula: C_19H_29COOH.

– origin 1960s: from Greek eicosa- ‘twenty’ (the number of carbon atoms in the molecule) + penta- ‘five’ (the number of unsaturated bonds) + -ene + -oic on the pattern of methanoic.

Eid /iːd / Id

I. noun

1. a Muslim festival, in particular:

2. (in full Eid ul-Fitr) — the feast marking the end of the fast of Ramadan.
Also called Lesser Bairam.

3. (in full Eid ul-Adha) — the festival marking the culmination of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating the sacrifice of Abraham.
Also called Greater Bairam.

– origin from Arabic ‘īd ‘feast’, from Aramaic.

eider /ˈʌɪdə / eider duck

I. noun

a northern sea duck, of which the male is mainly black-and-white with a coloured head, and the female brown.
●Genus Somateria (and Polysticta), family Anatidae: four species.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Icelandic æthur, from Old Norse æthr.

eiderdown /ˈʌɪdədaʊn/

noun

1. (Brit.) a quilt filled with down (originally from the eider) or some other soft material.

2. ( eider down) [ mass noun] — small, soft feathers from the breast of the female eider.

eidetic /ʌɪˈdɛtɪk/

I. adjective

[Psychology] relating to or denoting mental images having unusual vividness and detail, as if actually visible.

• an eidetic memory.

II. derivatives

eidetically

adverb

– origin 1920s: coined in German from Greek eidētikos, from eidos ‘form’.

eidolon /ʌɪˈdəʊlɒn/

I. noun

1. ‹literary› an idealized person or thing.

2. ‹literary› a spectre or phantom.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek eidōlon, from eidos ‘form’.

eidos /ˈʌɪdɒs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anthropology] the distinctive expression of the cognitive or intellectual character of a culture or social group.

– origin 1930s: from Greek, literally ‘form, type, idea’, partly in contrast to ethos.

Eiffel, Alexandre Gustave /ˈʌɪf(ə)l, French ɛfɛl/

(1832–1923), French engineer, best known as the designer and builder of the Eiffel Tower and architect of the inner structure of the Statue of Liberty.

Eiffel Tower

a wrought-iron structure erected in Paris for the World Exhibition of 1889. With a height of 300 metres (984 ft), it was the tallest man-made structure for many years.

eigen- /ˈʌɪɡ(ə)n/

I. combining form

[Mathematics] [Physics] proper; characteristic

• eigenfunction.

– origin from German eigen ‘own’.

eigenfrequency

noun

[Mathematics] [Physics] one of the natural resonant frequencies of a system.

eigenfunction /ˈʌɪɡənˌfʌn(k)ʃ(ə)n/

noun

[Mathematics] [Physics] each of a set of independent functions which are the solutions to a given differential equation.

eigenstate

noun

[Physics] a quantum-mechanical state corresponding to an eigenvalue of a wave equation.

eigenvalue /ˈʌɪɡənˌvaljuː/

noun

1. [Mathematics] [Physics] each of a set of values of a parameter for which a differential equation has a non-zero solution (an eigenfunction) under given conditions.

2. [Mathematics] [Physics] any number such that a given matrix minus that number times the identity matrix has zero determinant.

eigenvector

noun

[Mathematics] [Physics] a vector which when operated on by a given operator gives a scalar multiple of itself.

Eiger /ˈʌɪɡə/

a mountain peak in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, which rises to 3,970 m (13,101 ft).

Eigg /ɛɡ/

an island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland to the south of Skye.

eight /eɪt/

I. cardinal number

1. (Roman numeral: viii or VIII) — equivalent to the product of two and four; one more than seven, or two less than ten; 8

• a committee of eight members

• eight of them were unemployed

• eight were acquitted.

2. a group of eight people or things

• the win placed Canada closer to the final eight.

3. eight years old

• children as young as eight.

4. eight o'clock

• the play is to begin at eight.

5. a size of garment or other merchandise denoted by eight.

6. an eight-oared rowing boat or its crew.

7. a playing card with eight pips.

II. phrases

have one over the eight

(Brit.) ‹informal› have one drink too many.
[probably from the assumption that the average person can drink eight pints of beer without getting drunk.]

– origin Old English ehta, eahta, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German acht, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin octo and Greek oktō.

eight ball

I. noun

1. (also eight-ball pool) [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) a variety of the game of pool.

2. [ count noun] — (N. Amer.) the black ball, numbered eight, in eight ball.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a portion of an illegal drug weighing an eighth of an ounce (3.54 g).

II. phrases

behind the eight ball

‹informal› at a disadvantage.

• don't let cash-flow crises put you behind the eight ball.

eighteen /eɪˈtiːn, ˈeɪtiːn/

I. cardinal number

1. (Roman numeral: xviii or XVIII) — equivalent to the product of two and nine; one more than seventeen, or eight more than ten; 18

• she wrote eighteen novels

• out of sixty batches checked, eighteen were incorrect

• eighteen of the guests were gathered.

2. a set or team of eighteen individuals.

3. eighteen years old

• he was barely eighteen.

4. a size of garment or other merchandise denoted by eighteen.

5. ( 18) — (Brit.) (of a film) classified as suitable for people of 18 years and over.

– origin Old English e(a)htatēne (see eight, -teen).

eighteenmo /eɪˈtiːnməʊ/

noun

another term for octodecimo.

eighteenth /ˌeɪˈtiːnθ/

ordinal number

1. constituting number eighteen in a sequence; 18th

• the eighteenth century

• her eighteenth birthday.

2. (as noun the eighteenth) — the last hole of a golf course

• he holed an eagle at the eighteenth.

3. each of eighteen equal parts into which something is or may be divided.

eightfold /ˈeɪtfəʊld/

I. adjective

1. eight times as great or as numerous

• an eightfold increase in expenditure.

2. having eight parts or elements

• an eightfold shape.

II. adverb

by eight times; to eight times the number or amount

• claims have grown eightfold in ten years.

eightfold path

noun

[Buddhism] the path to nirvana, comprising eight aspects in which an aspirant must become practised: right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration.

eighth /eɪtθ/

I. ordinal number

1. constituting number eight in a sequence; 8th

• in the eighth century

• the eighth of September

• seven men admitted conspiracy, an eighth admitted assisting an offender.

2. the eighth finisher or position in a race or competition

• she finished eighth of the eleven runners.

3. each of eight equal parts into which something is or may be divided

• an eighth of an inch.

II. derivatives

eighthly

adverb

eighth note

noun

[Music] (N. Amer.) a quaver.

eights

plural noun

a race for eight-oared rowing boats.

• he twice rowed in the university trial eights.

eightsome /ˈeɪts(ə)m / eightsome reel

noun

a lively Scottish dance for eight people.

eighty /ˈeɪti/

I. cardinal number

1. (Roman numeral: lxxx or LXXX) — equivalent to the product of eight and ten; ten less than ninety; 80

• eighty miles north

• a buffet for eighty

• eighty of the nurses fled.

2. ( eighties) — the numbers from 80 to 89, especially the years of a century or of a person's life

• his grandmother was in her eighties.

3. eighty years old

• he was over eighty at the time.

4. eighty miles an hour

• roaring down the highway doing eighty.

II. derivatives

1. eightieth /ˈeɪtɪəθ /

ordinal number

2. eightyfold

adjective, adverb

– origin Old English hunde(a)htatig, from hund (of uncertain origin) + e(a)hta ‘eight’ + -tig (see -ty^2); the first element was lost early in the Middle English period.

eighty-six

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› reject, discard, or destroy

• the only reason she hadn't eighty-sixed him before now was out of affection for his son.

– origin 1930s (as a noun, used in restaurants and bars to indicate that a menu item is unavailable or that a customer is not to be served): perhaps rhyming slang for nix^1.

Eijkman, Christiaan /ˈeɪkmən/

(1858–1930), Dutch physician. Eijkman's work resulted in a simple cure for the disease beriberi and led to the discovery of the vitamin thiamine. Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1929).

Eilat /eɪˈlat / Elat

a port and resort in Israel, at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba; pop. 46,600 (est. 2008). Founded in 1949 near the ruins of biblical Elath, it is Israel's only outlet to the Red Sea.

eina /ˈeɪnɑː / ‹S. African›

I. exclamation

used as an expression of pain or distress.

• prices are going through the roof—eina!

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. pain or trouble

• first aid without the eina.

– origin Afrikaans, perhaps from Khoikhoi llé, interjection expressing pain, + llná, interjection expressing surprise, or perhaps from a nasalized pronunciation of Nama interjection llei.

Eindhoven /ˈʌɪndˌhəʊv(ə)n/

a city in the south of the Netherlands; pop. 210,333 (2008). The city is a major producer of electrical and electronic goods.

Einfühlung /ˈʌɪnˌfuːləŋ, German ˈaɪnˌfyːlʊŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. empathy.

– origin German, from ein- ‘into’ + Fühlung ‘feeling’.

e-ink /ˈiːɪŋk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a type of electronic display for text that is intended to imitate the appearance of printed ink, typically used in e-readers

• like other devices employing e-ink, it only uses power when the pages are turned

• [as modifier] e-ink screens strain your eyes less if you read for extended periods.

einkorn /ˈʌɪnkɔːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an old kind of wheat with small bearded ears and spikelets that each contain one slender grain, used as fodder in prehistoric times but now rarely grown.
● Triticum monococcum, family Gramineae.

– origin early 20th cent.: from German, from ein ‘one’ + Korn ‘seed’.

Einstein, Albert /ˈʌɪnstʌɪn/

I.
1. (1879–1955), German-born American theoretical physicist, founder of the special and general theories of relativity.

2. (as noun an Einstein) — a genius.

• you won't have to be an Einstein to use it.

Einstein is often regarded as the greatest scientist of the 20th century. In 1905 he published his special theory of relativity and in 1915 he succeeded in incorporating gravitation in his general theory of relativity, which was vindicated when one of its predictions was observed during the solar eclipse of 1919. However, Einstein searched without success for a unified field theory embracing electromagnetism, gravitation, relativity, and quantum mechanics. He influenced the decision to build an atom bomb but after the war he spoke out passionately against nuclear weapons.

II. derivatives

Einsteinian

adjective

einsteinium /ʌɪnˈstʌɪnɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Es) — the chemical element of atomic number 99, a radioactive metal of the actinide series. Einsteinium does not occur naturally and was discovered in 1953 in debris from the first hydrogen bomb explosion.

– origin 1950s: from the name of Albert Einstein, Albert + -ium.

Einthoven, Willem /ˈʌɪntˌhəʊv(ə)n/

(1860–1927), Dutch physiologist. He devised the first electrocardiograph, through which he was able to identify specific muscular contractions in the heart.

Éire /ˈɛːrə/

the Gaelic name for Ireland, and the Irish name of the Republic of Ireland.

Eirene /ʌɪˈriːni / ‹Greek Mythology›

the goddess of peace.
Roman equivalent Pax.

Eisenhower, Dwight David /ˈʌɪz(ə)nˌhaʊə/

(1890–1969), American general and Republican statesman, 34th President of the US 1953–61; known as Ike. In the Second World War he was Supreme Commander of Allied Expeditionary Forces in western Europe 1943–5. As President, he adopted a hard line towards communism.

Eisenstadt /ˈʌɪz(ə)nˌʃtat/

a city in eastern Austria, capital of the state of Burgenland; pop. 12,366 (2006).

Eisenstein, Sergei /ˈʌɪz(ə)nˌstʌɪn/

(1898–1948), Soviet film director, born in Latvia; full name Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein. He is chiefly known for The Battleship Potemkin (1925), a commemoration of the Russian Revolution of 1905 celebrated for its pioneering use of montage.

eish /eɪʃ/

I. exclamation

(S. African) ‹informal› used to express surprise, annoyance, pain, etc.

• eish, I never winǃ

• woke up with cramp, eish.

– origin 1990s: from Tsotsitaal, a township patois.

eisteddfod /ʌɪˈstɛðvɒd, ʌɪˈstɛdvəd/

I. noun

a competitive festival of music and poetry in Wales.

– origin Welsh, literally ‘session’, from eistedd ‘sit’.

Eiswein /ˈʌɪsvʌɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. wine made from ripe grapes picked while covered with frost.

– origin from German, from Eis ‘ice’ + Wein ‘wine’.

either /ˈʌɪðə, ˈiːðə/

I. conjunction, adverb

1. used before the first of two (or occasionally more) given alternatives (the other being introduced by ‘or’)

• either I accompany you to your room or I wait here

• available in either black or white.

2. [ adverb, with negative] — used to indicate a similarity or link with a statement just made

• You don't like him, do you? I don't either

• it won't do any harm, but won't really help either.

3. for that matter; moreover

• I was too tired to go. And I couldn't have paid, either.

II. determiner, pronoun

1. one or the other of two people or things
[as determiner]

• there were no children of either marriage

• [as pronoun] their mortgage will be repaid if either of them dies.

2. [ determiner] — each of two

• the road was straight, with fields on either side.

III. phrases

either way

whichever of two given alternatives is the case.

• I'm not sure whether he is trying to be clever or controversial, but either way, such writing smacks of racism.

– origin Old English ǣgther, contracted form of ǣg(e)hwæther, of Germanic origin; ultimately related to aye^1 and whether. / usage: In good English writing style, it is important that either and or are correctly placed so that the structures following each word balance and mirror each other. Thus, sentences such as either I accompany you or I wait here and I'm going to buy either a new camera or a new video are correct, whereas sentences such as either I accompany you or John and I'm either going to buy a new camera or a video are not well-balanced sentences and should not be used in written English.

either/or /iːðəˈ(r)ɔː/

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. an unavoidable choice between alternatives

• an either/or situation.

ejaculate

I. verb — ejaculate /ɪˈdʒakjʊleɪt /

1. [no obj.] — (of a man or male animal) eject semen from the body at the moment of sexual climax.

2. [with direct speech] — ‹dated› say something quickly and suddenly

• ‘That will do!’ he ejaculated.

II. noun — [ mass noun] ejaculate /ɪˈdʒakjʊlət /

1. semen that has been ejected from the body.

• this fluid comprises between ten and 20 per cent of the total ejaculate.

• [ count noun] there are an estimated 300 million sperms in each ejaculate.

III. derivatives

1. ejaculator

noun

2. ejaculatory /ɪˈdʒakjʊleɪtəri /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin ejaculat- ‘darted out’, from the verb ejaculari, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + jaculari ‘to dart’ (from jaculum ‘dart, javelin’, from jacere ‘to throw’).

ejaculation /ɪˌdʒakjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of ejecting semen from the body.

2. ‹dated› something said quickly and suddenly.

eject /ɪˈdʒɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. force or throw (something) out in a violent or sudden way

• lumps of viscous lava were ejected from the volcano.

2. cause (something) to be expelled from a machine.

• he ejected the spent cartridge.

3. [no obj.] — (of a pilot) escape from an aircraft by being explosively propelled out of it

• he put the plane in a nosedive and ejected.

4. compel (someone) to leave a place

• angry supporters were forcibly ejected from the court.

5. dismiss (someone) from office

• he was ejected from office in July.

6. emit; give off

• plants utilize carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that animals eject.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin eject- ‘thrown out’, from the verb eicere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + jacere ‘to throw’.

ejecta /ɪˈdʒɛktə/

I. plural noun — [often treated as sing.]

1. [Geology] [Astronomy] material that is forced or thrown out, especially as a result of volcanic eruption, meteoritic impact, or stellar explosion.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘things thrown out’, neuter plural of ejectus ‘thrown out’, from eicere (see eject).

ejection /ɪˈdʒɛkʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of forcing or throwing something out; emission

• an explosive ejection of ash.

2. the action of forcing someone to leave a place or position; expulsion

• the forcible ejection of a table of rowdy drunks.

ejection seat

noun

a device that causes the ejection of a pilot from an aircraft in an emergency.

ejective /ɪˈdʒɛktɪv / ‹Phonetics›

I. adjective

denoting a type of consonant in some languages (e.g. Hausa) produced by sudden release of pressure from the glottis.

II. noun

an ejective consonant.

ejectment /ɪˈdʒɛktm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] ‹chiefly historical› the eviction of a tenant from property.

• the landlord shall serve a writ in ejectment.

2. [Law] ‹chiefly historical› the process by which an evicted tenant seeks to recover possession and damages

• he brought an action in ejectment against the rector.

ejector /ɪˈdʒɛktə/

noun

a device that causes something to be removed or to drop out.

• support guides fitted with ejectors assist in the removal of the board under test.

ejector seat /iˈdʒɛktəsiːt/

noun

another term for ejection seat.

ejido /ɛˈhiːdəʊ/

I. noun

(in Mexico) a piece of land farmed communally under a system supported by the state.
[as modifier]

• Mexico's unique ejido land tenancy system.

– origin Mexican Spanish, from Spanish, denoting common land on the road leading out of the village.

ejusdem generis /eɪˌ(j)ʊsdɛm ˈdʒɛnɛrɪs / eiusdem generis

I. adjective, adverb

1. [Law] of or as the same kind.

2. [as adj.] — [Law] denoting a rule for interpreting statutes and other writings by assuming that a general term describing a list of specific terms denotes other things that are like the specific elements.

– origin Latin.

ekdam /ɛkˈðʌm/

I. adverb

(Indian) ‹informal› completely; totally

• his bravado was ekdam finished.

– origin from Hindi ek ‘one’ + Urdu dam ‘breath’.

eke^1 /iːk/

I. verb — [with obj.] ( eke something out)

1. make an amount or supply of something last longer by using or consuming it frugally

• the remains of yesterday's stew could be eked out to make another meal.

2. manage to make a living with difficulty

• many traders barely eked out a living.

– origin Old English ēacian, ēcan (in the sense ‘increase’), of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse auka.

eke^2 /iːk/

I. adverb

archaic term for also.

• speak me thy name and eke thy place of birth.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin.

eke-name /ˈiːkneɪm/

I. noun

‹archaic› an additional name; a nickname.

– origin Middle English: from eke meaning ‘addition’ (see nickname).

EKG

I. abbreviation

(US) electrocardiogram or electrocardiograph.

– origin early 20th cent.: from German Elektrokardiogramm.

ekka /ˈɛkə/

I. noun

(Indian) a small vehicle with two wheels that is pulled by a horse.

– origin from Hindi ikkā, from Sanskrit eka ‘one’.

Ekman, Vagn Walfrid /ˈɛkmən/

(1874–1954), Swedish oceanographer. He recognized the importance of the Coriolis effect on ocean currents, showing that it can be responsible for surface water moving at an angle to the prevailing wind direction.

El

noun — ( the El)

1. (in the US) an elevated railway, especially that in Chicago.

2. a train running on an elevated railway.

• the El rumbled by.

el-Aaiún /ˌɛlʌɪˈuːn/

Arabic name for Laayoune.

elaborate

I. adjective — elaborate /ɪˈlab(ə)rət /

1. involving many carefully arranged parts or details; detailed and complicated in design and planning

• elaborate security precautions

• elaborate wrought-iron gates.

2. (of an action) lengthy and exaggerated

• he made an elaborate pretence of yawning.

II. verb — elaborate /ɪˈlabəreɪt /

1. [with obj.] — develop or present (a theory, policy, or system) in further detail

• the theory was proposed by Cope and elaborated by Osborn.

2. [no obj.] — add more detail concerning what has already been said

• he would not elaborate on his news.

3. [with obj.] — [Biology] (of a natural agency) produce (a substance) from its elements or simpler constituents.

• many amino acid and peptide hormones are elaborated by neural tissue.

III. derivatives

1. elaborateness /ɪˈlabərətnəs /

noun

2. elaborative

adjective

3. elaborator

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘produced by effort of labour’, also in sense 2 of the verb): from Latin elaborat- ‘worked out’, from the verb elaborare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + labor ‘work’.

elaborately /ɪˈlab(ə)rətli/

adverb

in a detailed and carefully arranged manner

• elaborately decorated cakes

• the press conferences have become elaborately staged events.

elaboration /ɪlab(ə)ˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of developing or presenting a theory, policy, or system in further detail

• his work led to the elaboration of a theory of evolution

• the concept needs more elaboration than a short essay allows.

2. the addition of more detail concerning what has already been said

• the speech lacked any elaboration on concrete measures taken

• this is a point requiring elaboration.

El Alamein, Battle of /ɛl ˈaləmeɪn/

a battle of the Second World War fought in 1942 at El Alamein in Egypt, 90 km (60 miles) west of Alexandria. The German Afrika Korps under Rommel was halted in its advance towards the Nile by the British 8th Army under Montgomery, giving a decisive British victory.

Elam /ˈiːlam/

an ancient state in SW Iran, established in the 4th millennium BC. Susa was one of its chief cities.

Elamite

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of ancient Elam.

2. [ mass noun] — the agglutinative language spoken in ancient Elam from the 3rd millennium to the 4th century BC, of which a few records in pictographic and cuneiform script survive.

II. adjective

relating to the ancient Elamites or their language.

elan /eɪˈlɒ̃, eɪˈlan / élan

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. energy, style, and enthusiasm

• they performed with uncommon elan onstage.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French élan, from élancer ‘to dart’, from é- ‘out’ + lancer ‘to throw’.

eland /ˈiːlənd/

I. noun

a large spiral-horned African antelope which lives in open woodland and grassland.
●Genus Tragelaphus, family Bovidae: the giant eland ( T. derbianus) and the common eland ( T. oryx).

– origin late 18th cent.: via Afrikaans from Dutch, ‘elk’, from obsolete German Elend, from Lithuanian élnis.

elapse /ɪˈlaps/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of time) pass or go by

• weeks elapsed before anyone was charged with the attack.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘slip away’): from Latin elaps- ‘slipped away’, from the verb elabi, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out, away’ + labi ‘to glide, slip’.

elasipod /ɪˈlasɪpɒd/

I. noun

[Zoology] an aberrant deep-water sea cucumber that lacks a respiratory tree. Most live on the seabed and have leg-like appendages, while some swim by means of webbed papillae.
●Order Elasipodida, class Holothuroidea.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Elasipoda, from Greek elasmos ‘beaten metal’ + pous, pod- ‘foot’.

elasmobranch /ɪˈlazmə(ʊ)braŋk/

I. noun

[Zoology] a cartilaginous fish of a group that comprises the sharks, rays, and skates. Compare with selachian.
●Subclass Elasmobranchii, class Chondrichthyes.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Elasmobranchii (plural), from Greek elasmos ‘beaten metal’ + brankhia ‘gills’.

elasmosaur /ɪˈlazmə(ʊ)sɔː/

I. noun

a Cretaceous plesiosaur with a long neck shaped like that of a swan.
●Family Elasmosauridae, infraorder Plesiosauria: several genera, including Elasmosaurus.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Elasmosaurus, from Greek elasmos ‘beaten metal’ + sauros ‘lizard’.

elastane /ɪˈlasteɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an elastic polyurethane material, used for hosiery, underwear, and other close-fitting clothing.

– origin 1970s: from elastic + -ane^2.

elastase /ɪˈlasteɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a pancreatic enzyme which digests elastin.

– origin 1940s: from elastic + -ase.

elastic /ɪˈlastɪk/

I. adjective

1. (of an object or material) able to resume its normal shape spontaneously after being stretched or compressed.

• a tourniquet of rubber tubing or other elastic material is placed around the upper arm.

2. able to encompass much variety and change; flexible and adaptable

• the definition of nationality is elastic in this cosmopolitan country.

3. [Economics] (of demand or supply) sensitive to changes in price or income.

• the labour supply is very elastic.

4. [Physics] (of a collision) involving no decrease of kinetic energy.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cord, tape, or fabric, woven with strips of rubber, which returns to its original length or shape after being stretched.

• a polythene bag tied with elastic.

III. derivatives

1. elastically

adverb

2. elasticize elasticise

verb

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally describing a gas in the sense ‘expanding spontaneously to fill the available space’): from modern Latin elasticus, from Greek elastikos ‘propulsive’, from elaunein ‘to drive’.

elasticated /ɪˈlastɪkeɪtɪd/

adjective

(Brit.) (of a garment or material) made elastic by the insertion of rubber thread or tape

• trousers with elasticated waists.

elastic band

noun

(Brit.) a rubber band.

elastic fibre

noun

[Anatomy] a yellowish fibre composed chiefly of elastin and occurring in networks or sheets which give elasticity to tissues in the body.

• the fibrous capsule contains elastic fibres and sensory nerves.

elasticity /ɛlaˈstɪsɪti, iːlaˈstɪsɪti, ɪlaˈstɪsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability of an object or material to resume its normal shape after being stretched or compressed; stretchiness

• aging can decrease the elasticity of your skin.

2. ability to change and adapt; adaptability.

3. [Economics] the degree to which a demand or supply is sensitive to changes in price or income.

• the price elasticity of electricity demand.

elastic limit

noun

[Physics] the maximum extent to which a solid may be stretched without permanent alteration of size or shape.

elastic modulus

noun

[Physics] the ratio of the force exerted upon a substance or body to the resultant deformation.

elastic sides

plural noun

(Austral./NZ) slip-on boots with elastic panels set into the ankles

• he pulled on a stout pair of elastic sides.

elastin /ɪˈlastɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an elastic, fibrous glycoprotein found in connective tissue.

– origin late 19th cent.: from elastic + -in^1.

elastomer /ɪˈlastəmə/

I. noun

a natural or synthetic polymer having elastic properties, e.g. rubber.

II. derivatives

elastomeric /ɪlastəˈmɛrɪk /

adjective

– origin 1930s: from elastic + -mer.

Elastoplast /ɪˈlastəplast, ɪˈlastəplɑːst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› adhesive sticking plaster for covering cuts and wounds.

– origin 1920s: from a blend of elastic and plaster.

elate /ɪˈleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. elated)

1. make (someone) ecstatically happy

• I felt elated at beating Dennis.

II. adjective

‹archaic› in high spirits; exultant or proud

• their elate and animated faces.

III. derivatives

1. elatedly

adverb

2. elatedness

noun

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): from Latin elat- ‘raised’, from the verb efferre, from ex- ‘out, from’ + ferre ‘to bear’. The verb dates from the late 16th cent.

elation /ɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. great happiness and exhilaration

• Richard's elation at regaining his health was short-lived.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French elacion, from Latin elat- ‘raised’, from the verb efferre (see elate).

E-layer

I. noun

a layer of the ionosphere able to reflect medium-frequency radio waves.

– origin 1930s: arbitrary use of the letter E, + layer.

Elba /ˈɛlbə/

a small island off the west coast of Italy, famous as the place of Napoleon's first exile (1814–15).

Elbasan /ˌɛlbəˈsɑːn/

an industrial town in central Albania; pop. 107,200 (est. 2009).

Elbe /ɛlb, ˈɛlbə/

a river of central Europe, flowing 1,159 km (720 miles) from the Czech Republic through Dresden, Magdeburg, and Hamburg to the North Sea.

Elbert, Mount /ˈɛlbət/

a mountain in Colorado, to the east of the resort town of Aspen. Rising to 4,399 m (14,431 ft), it is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains.

elbow /ˈɛlbəʊ/

I. noun

1. the joint between the forearm and the upper arm.

• she propped herself up on one elbow.

2. the part of the sleeve of a garment covering the elbow.

• I darned the elbows of my corduroy jacket.

3. a thing resembling an elbow, in particular a piece of piping bent through an angle.

• a cross-fitting with elbows and straight pipework.

II. verb — [with obj. and adverbial]

1. push or strike (someone) with one's elbow

• one player had elbowed another in the face.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move by pushing past people with one's elbows

• he elbowed his way through the crush.

3. treat (a person or idea) dismissively

• the issues which concerned them tended to be elbowed aside by men.

III. phrases

1. at one's elbow

close at hand; nearby.

• he was standing at her elbow, holding out her glass.

2. elbow-to-elbow

very close together.

• on the bank were dozens of anglers fishing elbow-to-elbow.

3. give someone the elbow

(Brit.) ‹informal› reject or dismiss someone.

• I tried to get her to give him the elbow.

• she decided to give tradition the elbow.

4. up to one's elbows in ‹informal›

a. with one's hands plunged in (something).

• I was up to my elbows in the cheese-potato mixture.

b. deeply involved in (a task or activity).

• we're going to get up to our elbows in the selection process.

– origin Old English elboga, elnboga, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch elleboog and German Ellenbogen (see also ell^1, bow^1).

elbow-bender

noun

‹informal› a heavy or habitual drinker

• a legendary elbow-bender even in the rock industry.

elbow grease

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› hard physical work, especially vigorous polishing or cleaning

• nothing would shift it however much elbow grease we used.

elbow room

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› adequate space to move or work in.

• a restaurant with more elbow room.

Elbrus /ɛlˈbruːs/

a peak in the Caucasus mountains, on the border between Russia and Georgia. Rising to 5,642 m (18,481 ft), it is the highest mountain in Europe.

Elburz Mountains /ɛlˈbʊəz/

a mountain range in NW Iran, close to the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. Damavand is the highest peak, rising to 5,604 m (18,386 ft).

Elche /ˈɛltʃeɪ/

a town in the province of Alicante in SE Spain; pop. 228,348 (2008).

eld /ɛld/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› old age.

2. ‹literary› former times; the past.

– origin Old English ieldu, eldu, of Germanic origin; related to elder^1 and old.

elder^1 /ˈɛldə/

I. adjective

1. (of one or more out of a group of associated people) of a greater age

• my elder daughter

• the elder of the two sons.

2. ( the Elder) — used to distinguish between related famous people with the same name

• Pitt the Elder.

II. noun

1. ( one's elders) — people who are older than one

• schoolchildren were no less fascinated than their elders.

2. ( one's elder) — a person who is older than one by a specified length of time

• she was two years his elder.

3. (often elders) — a leader or senior figure in a tribe or other group

• a council of village elders.

4. an official in the early Christian Church, or of various Protestant Churches and sects.

• he left the Church of which he had been an elder.

5. ‹historical› a member of a senate or governing body.

III. derivatives

eldership /ˈɛldəʃɪp /

noun

– origin Old English ieldra, eldra, of Germanic origin; related to German älter, also to eld and old.

elder^2 /ˈɛldə/

I. noun

1. a small tree or shrub with pithy stems, white flowers, and bluish-black or red berries.
●Genus Sambucus, family Caprifoliaceae: numerous species, in particular the common Eurasian S. nigra.

2. used in names of plants that resemble the elder in leaf or flower, e.g. ground elder.

– origin Old English ellærn; related to Middle Low German ellern, elderne.

elderberry /ˈɛldəbɛri, ˈɛldəb(ə)ri/

noun

1. the bluish-black or red berry of the elder, used for making jelly or wine.

2. an elder tree or shrub.

Elder Brother

noun

(in the UK) each of the thirteen senior members of Trinity House.

eldercare

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the care of elderly people who are unable to look after themselves.

elderflower /ˈɛldəflaʊə/

noun

the flower of the elder, used to make wines, cordials, and other drinks.
[as modifier]

• elderflower lemonade.

elder hand

noun

(in card games for two players, e.g. piquet) the player dealt to.

elderly /ˈɛldəli/

I. adjective

(of a person) old or ageing

• an elderly relative

• (as plural noun the elderly) specialist services for the elderly.

II. derivatives

elderliness

noun

elder statesman

noun

an experienced and well-respected politician or other public figure.

• he is the president everyone loves to cite as the model elder statesman.

• an elder statesman of the turf.

eldest /ˈɛldɪst/

I. adjective

(of one out of a group of related or otherwise associated people) of the greatest age; oldest

• Swift left the company to his eldest son, Charles.

– origin Old English ieldest, eldest, of Germanic origin; related to German ältest, also to eld and old.

eldest hand

noun

(in card games for three or more players) the first player dealt to, usually the player immediately to the left of the dealer.

el-Djem /ɛlˈdʒɛm/

a town in eastern Tunisia, noted for its well-preserved Roman amphitheatre.

El Dorado /ˌɛl dəˈrɑːdəʊ/

I. the name of a fictitious country or city abounding in gold, formerly believed to exist somewhere in the region of the Orinoco and Amazon Rivers.

II. (also eldorado) ( pl. El Dorados or eldorados) [as noun] — a place of great abundance.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘the gilded one’.

eldritch /ˈɛl(d)rɪtʃ/

I. adjective

weird and sinister or ghostly

• an eldritch screech.

– origin early 16th cent. (originally Scots): perhaps related to elf.

Eleanor of Aquitaine /ˌɛlɪnə əv ˌakwɪˈteɪn/

( c. 1122–1204), daughter of the Duke of Aquitaine, queen of France 1137–52 and of England 1154–89. She was married to Louis VII of France from 1137; in 1152, with the annulment of their marriage, she married the future Henry II of England.

e-learning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. learning conducted via electronic media, typically on the Internet

• successful e-learning depends on the self-motivation of individuals to study effectively

• [as modifier] e-learning software.

Eleatic /ˌɛlɪˈatɪk/

I. adjective

relating to Elea, an ancient Greek city in SW Italy, or the school of philosophers which flourished there in about the 5th century BC, including Xenophanes, Parmenides, and Zeno.

II. noun

an Eleatic philosopher.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin Eleaticus, from Elea.

elecampane /ˌɛlɪkamˈpeɪn/

I. noun

a plant which has yellow daisy-like flowers with long slender petals and bitter aromatic roots that are used in herbal medicine, native to central Asia.
● Inula helenium, family Compositae.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin enula (from Greek helenion ‘elecampane’) + campana probably meaning ‘of the fields’ (from campus ‘field’).

elect /ɪˈlɛkt/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — choose (someone) to hold public office or some other position by voting

• he was elected as councillor

• the members who were elected to the committee

• [with obj. and complement] they elected him leader.

2. [Christian Theology] (of God) choose (someone) in preference to others for salvation.

3. [with infinitive] — opt for or choose to do something

• more people elected to work at home.

II. adjective — (usu. as plural noun the elect)

1. (of a person) chosen or singled out

• one of the century's elect.

2. [Christian Theology] chosen by God for salvation.

• success was a sign that they were one of the elect.

• the elect group of saints which was predestined for heaven.

3. [ postpositive] — chosen for a position but not yet in office

• the President-Elect.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin elect- ‘picked out’, from the verb eligere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + legere ‘to pick’.

electable /ɪˈlɛktəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of a politician or party) having the qualities which make election likely or plausible

• he was the most electable candidate in the field.

II. derivatives

electability

noun

election /ɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a formal and organized choice by vote of a person for a political office or other position

• the 2008 local council elections

• [ mass noun] he agreed to stand for election.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of electing or the fact of being elected

• his election to the House of Representatives.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin electio(n-), from eligere ‘pick out’ (see elect).

electioneer /ɪˌlɛkʃəˈnɪə/

I. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun electioneering)

1. (of a politician or political campaigner) take part actively and energetically in a campaign to be elected to public office

• the election will not be lost or won as the result of a few weeks of electioneering.

II. noun

a campaigning politician during an election.

• he was now a national figure and a rumbustious electioneer.

elective /ɪˈlɛktɪv/

I. adjective

1. related to or working by means of election

• an elective democracy.

2. (of a person or office) appointed or filled by election

• he had never held elective office

• the National Assembly, with 125 elective members.

3. (of a body or position) possessing or giving the power to elect

• powerful Emperors manipulated the elective body.

4. (of surgical or medical treatment) chosen by the patient rather than urgently necessary.

• elective surgery.

5. (of a course of study) chosen by the student rather than compulsory.

• elective courses on this subject have always been oversubscribed.

II. noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) an optional course of study.

III. derivatives

electively

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French electif, -ive, from late Latin electivus, from elect- ‘picked out’, from the verb eligere (see elect).

elective affinity

I. noun

a correspondence with, or feeling of sympathy or attraction towards, a particular idea, attitude, or person.

• there is an elective affinity between this cultural vision and the religious vision of the Church.

– origin mid 18th cent. (as elective attraction): originally a technical term for the preferential combination of chemical substances, it was widely used figuratively in the 19th cent., notably by Goethe (in his novel Die Wahlverwandschaften ‘Elective Affinities’) and by Weber (in describing the correspondence between aspects of Protestantism and capitalism).

elector /ɪˈlɛktə/

I. noun

1. a person who has the right to vote in an election, especially one for members of a national parliament.

• close to 60 per cent of the 60,000 registered electors voted.

2. (in the US) a member of the electoral college.

3. [usu. as title] — ‹historical› a German prince entitled to take part in the election of the Holy Roman Emperor.

• the Elector of Brandenburg.

II. derivatives

electorship

noun

electoral /ɪˈlɛkt(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to elections or electors

• electoral reform.

II. derivatives

electorally /ɪˈlɛkt(ə)r(ə)li /

adverb

[ sentence adverb]

• the week had been, electorally, the most effective conference since the 1960s

electoral college

noun

1. (in the US) a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

2. a body of electors chosen by a larger group.

electoral roll electoral register

noun

in the UK, an official list of the people in a district who are entitled to vote in an election.

• all voters must be entered on the electoral roll, which is updated annually.

electoral vote

noun

1. (in the US) a vote cast by a member of the electoral college

• collectively, these three states account for 39 electoral votes.

2. ( the electoral vote) — the choice expressed collectively by the electoral college, which determines the winner of elections for president and vice president

• I'm following the polls from battleground states, which will determine the electoral vote.

electorate /ɪˈlɛkt(ə)rət/

noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.] — all the people in a country or area who are entitled to vote in an election.

• 75 per cent of the electorate voted for a Scottish parliament in some form.

2. (Austral./NZ) the area represented by one Member of Parliament.

3. ‹historical› the office or territories of a German elector.

Electra /ɪˈlɛktrə / ‹Greek Mythology›

the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. She persuaded her brother Orestes to kill Clytemnestra and Aegisthus (their mother's lover) in revenge for the murder of Agamemnon.

Electra complex /ɪˈlɛktrəkɒmplɛks/

noun

[Psychoanalysis] old-fashioned term for the Oedipus complex as manifested in young girls.

electress /ɪˈlɛktrəs/

noun — [usu. as title]

1. ‹historical› the wife of a German elector.

electret /ɪˈlɛktrɪt/

I. noun

[Physics] a permanently polarized piece of dielectric material, analogous to a permanent magnet.

– origin late 19th cent.: blend of electricity and magnet.

electric /ɪˈlɛktrɪk/

I. adjective

1. of, worked by, charged with, or producing electricity

• an electric cooker.

2. (of a musical instrument) amplified through a loudspeaker

• electric bass guitar.

3. having or producing a sudden sense of thrilling excitement

• the atmosphere was electric.

II. noun

1. ( electrics) — (Brit.) the system of electric wiring and parts in a house or vehicle

• there's something wrong with the electrics.

2. an electric train or other vehicle.

• diesels and electrics were included in the display of locomotives.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin electricus, from Latin electrum ‘amber’, from Greek ēlektron (because rubbing amber causes electrostatic phenomena).

electrical /ɪˈlɛktrɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. concerned with, operating by, or producing electricity

• electrical appliances.

2. (of a company or shop) manufacturing or selling electrical appliances.

II. noun — ( electricals)

1. electrical equipment or circuitry.

2. shares in companies manufacturing electrical goods.

electrically /ɪˈlɛktrɪkli/

adverb

by means of electricity

• electrically charged particles

• electrically operated doors.

electrical storm

noun

(also electric storm) — a thunderstorm or other violent disturbance of the electrical condition of the atmosphere.

electric-arc furnace

noun

a furnace which uses an electric arc as a heat source, especially for steel-making.

electric blanket

noun

an electrically wired blanket used for heating a bed.

electric blue

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a steely or brilliant light blue.

• the pot is decorated with circles of electric blue.

• [as modifier] an electric-blue sports car.

electric chair

noun

a chair in which convicted criminals are executed by electrocution, especially in parts of the US.

electric eel

noun

a large eel-like freshwater fish of South America, using pulses of electricity to kill prey, assist in navigation, and for defence.
● Electrophorus electricus, the only member of the family Electrophoridae.

electric eye

noun

‹informal› a photoelectric cell operating a relay when the beam of light illuminating it is obscured.

electric fence

noun

a fence through which an electric current can be passed, giving an electric shock to any person or animal touching it.

electric field

noun

[Physics] a region around a charged particle or object within which a force would be exerted on other charged particles or objects.

electric fire

noun

(Brit.) an electrically operated incandescent or convector heater, typically a portable one for domestic use.

electric guitar

noun

a guitar with a built-in pickup or pickups which convert string vibrations into electrical signals for amplification.

electrician /ˌɪlɛkˈtrɪʃ(ə)n, ˌɛlɛkˈtrɪʃ(ə)n, ˌiːlɛkˈtrɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

a person who installs and maintains electrical equipment.

electricity /ˌɪlɛkˈtrɪsɪti, ˌɛlɛkˈtrɪsɪti, ˌiːlɛkˈtrɪsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of energy resulting from the existence of charged particles (such as electrons or protons), either statically as an accumulation of charge or dynamically as a current.

2. the supply of electric current to a building for heating, lighting, or powering appliances

• the electricity was back on

• [as modifier] the regional electricity companies.

3. a state or feeling of thrilling excitement

• the atmosphere was charged with a dangerous sexual electricity.

electric organ

noun

1. an organ (keyboard) in which the sound is produced electrically rather than by pipes.

2. [Zoology] an organ in certain fishes which is used to produce an electrical discharge for stunning prey, sense the surroundings, or as a defence.

electric-powered electrically powered

adjective

powered by electricity.

electric puha

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (NZ) ‹humorous› cannabis, particularly when locally grown

• they spent the night smoking electric puha in the club.

– origin 1980s: from electric in the sense ‘producing thrilling excitement’ + puha.

electric ray

noun

a sluggish bottom-dwelling marine ray that typically lives in shallow water and can produce an electric shock for the capture of prey and for defence. Also called torpedo ray.
●Family Torpedinidae: several genera, in particular Torpedo, and many species.

electric shaver electric razor

noun

an electrical device for shaving, with oscillating or rotating blades behind a metal guard.

electric shock

noun

a sudden discharge of electricity through a part of the body.

• the lead singer got an electric shock from his mic.

electrification /ɪlɛktrɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of charging something with electricity

• I saw no evidence of electrification of the fence.

2. the conversion of a machine or system to the use of electrical power

• the electrification of the railways

• [as modifier] the Government's rural electrification programme.

electrify /ɪˈlɛktrɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. charge (a medium) with electricity; pass an electric current through
(as adj. electrified)

• an electrified fence.

2. convert (a machine or system, especially a railway line) to the use of electrical power.

• the east coast main line has been electrified.

3. (often as adj. electrifying) — cause a sudden sense of thrilling excitement in (someone)

• an electrifying performance.

II. derivatives

electrifier

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from electric + -fy.

electro /ɪˈlɛktrəʊ/

noun

1. short for electrotype or electroplate.

2. [ mass noun] — a style of dance music with a fast beat and synthesized backing track.

electro- /ɪˈlɛktrəʊ/

combining form

1. relating to or caused by electricity; involving electricity and …

• electroconvulsive

• electromagnetism.

2. relating to music characterized by the use of synthesizers or electronically created sounds

• electro-pop.

electro-acoustic

I. adjective

1. involving the direct conversion of electrical into acoustic energy or vice versa.

2. (of a guitar) having both a pickup and a reverberating hollow body.

II. noun

an electro-acoustic guitar.

electrocardiogram /ɪˌlɛktrəʊˈkɑːdɪəɡram / ECG

noun

[Medicine] a record or display of a person's heartbeat produced by electrocardiography.

electrocardiograph /ɪˌlɛktrəʊˈkɑːdɪəɡrɑːf / ECG

noun

a machine used for electrocardiography.

electrocardiography /ɪˌlɛktrəʊˌkɑːdɪˈɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the measurement of electrical activity in the heart and its recording as a visual trace (on paper or on an oscilloscope screen), using electrodes placed on the skin of the limbs and chest.

II. derivatives

electrocardiographic

adjective

electrocautery /ɪˌlɛktrəʊˈkɔːtəri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cautery using a needle or other instrument that is electrically heated.

electrochemistry /ɪˌlɛktrəʊˈkɛmɪstri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of chemistry that deals with the relations between electrical and chemical phenomena.

II. derivatives

1. electrochemical /ɪˌlɛktrəʊˈkɛmɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. electrochemically

adverb

3. electrochemist

noun

electrochromism /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈkrəʊmɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the property of certain dyes of changing colour when placed in an electric field.

II. derivatives

electrochromic

adjective

electrocoagulation /ɪˌlɛktrəʊkəʊˌaɡjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the coagulation of blood or other tissues by the local application of an electric current to produce concentrated heat.

electroconvulsive /ɪˌlɛktrəʊkənˈvʌlsɪv/

adjective

relating to the treatment of mental illness by the application of electric shocks to the brain.

• a course of electroconvulsive therapy.

electrocorticogram /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈkɔːtɪkə(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

[Physiology] a chart or record of the electrical activity of the brain made using electrodes in direct contact with it.

electrocute /ɪˈlɛktrəkjuːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. injure or kill (someone) by electric shock

• a man was electrocuted on the rail track.

– origin late 19th cent.: from electro-, on the pattern of execute.

electrocution /ɪlɛktrəˈkjuːʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the injury or killing of someone by electric shock

• they switched off the power supply to avoid any risk of electrocution

• death row inmates face either electrocution or lethal injection.

electrocyte /ɪˈlɛktrə(ʊ)sʌɪt/

noun

[Zoology] a modified muscle or nerve cell that generates electricity in the electric organ of certain fishes.

electrode /ɪˈlɛktrəʊd/

I. noun

a conductor through which electricity enters or leaves an object, substance, or region.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from electric + Greek hodos ‘way’, on the pattern of anode and cathode.

electrodermal /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈdəːməl/

adjective

relating to measurement of the electrical conductivity of the skin, especially as an indicator of someone's emotional responses.

electrodialysis /ɪˌlɛktrəʊdʌɪˈalɪsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] dialysis in which the movement of ions is aided by an electric field applied across the semipermeable membrane.

electrodynamics /ɪˌlɛktrəʊdʌɪˈnamɪks/

I. plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. the branch of mechanics concerned with the interaction of electric currents with magnetic fields or with other electric currents.

II. derivatives

electrodynamic

adjective

electroencephalogram /ɪˌlɛktrəʊɪnˈsɛf(ə)ləɡram, ɪˌlɛktrəʊɪnˈkɛf(ə)ləɡram/

noun

a test or record of brain activity produced by electroencephalography.

• I had an electroencephalogram and a number of other tests.

electroencephalograph /ɪˌlɛktrəʊɪnˈsɛf(ə)ləɡrɑːf, ɪˌlɛktrəʊɪnˈkɛf(ə)ləɡrɑːf/

noun

a machine used for electroencephalography.

electroencephalography /ɪˌlɛktrəʊɪnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfi, ɪˌlɛktrəʊɪnˌkɛfəˈlɒɡrəfi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the measurement of electrical activity in different parts of the brain and its recording as a visual trace (on paper or on an oscilloscope screen).

electrofish

verb — [with obj.]

1. fish (a stretch of water) using electrocution or a weak electric field.
(as noun electrofishing)

• electrofishing and netting showed a number of small bass in different sections of the lake.

electrogenic /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

[Physiology] producing a change in the electrical potential of a cell.

electro-hydraulic

adjective

relating to or denoting a hydraulic system that is powered or controlled electrically.

electrojet

noun

an intense electric current which occurs in a narrow belt in the lower ionosphere, especially in the region of strong auroral displays.

electrokinetic

adjective

relating to the flow of electricity.

electroless /ɪˈlɛktrəʊlɪs/

adjective

relating to or denoting nickel plating using chemical means, as opposed to electroplating.

electrolier /ɪˌlɛktrəˈlɪə/

I. noun

a chandelier in which the lights are electrical.

– origin late 19th cent.: from electro-, on the pattern of chandelier.

electroluminescence /ɪˌlɛktrəʊluːmɪˈnɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] luminescence produced electrically, especially by the application of a voltage.

II. derivatives

electroluminescent

adjective

electrolyse /ɪˈlɛktrəlʌɪz / ‹US› electrolyze

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. subject to or treat by electrolysis.

• when you electrolyse water it splits into its constituent hydrogen and oxygen.

II. derivatives

electrolyser

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from electrolysis, on the pattern of analyse.

electrolysis /ˌɪlɛkˈtrɒlɪsɪs, ˌɛlɛkˈtrɒlɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] chemical decomposition produced by passing an electric current through a liquid or solution containing ions.

2. the removal of hair roots or small blemishes on the skin by the application of heat using an electric current.

II. derivatives

1. electrolytic /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈlɪtɪk /

adjective

2. electrolytical

adjective

3. electrolytically

adverb

electrolyte /ɪˈlɛktrəlʌɪt/

I. noun

1. a liquid or gel which contains ions and can be decomposed by electrolysis, e.g. that present in a battery.

2. ( electrolytes) — [Physiology] the ionized or ionizable constituents of a living cell, blood, or other organic matter.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from electro- + Greek lutos ‘released’ (from luein ‘loosen’).

electromagnet /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈmaɡnɪt/

noun

[Physics] a soft metal core made into a magnet by the passage of electric current through a coil surrounding it.

electromagnetic /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)maɡˈnɛtɪk/

I. adjective

relating to the interrelation of electric currents or fields and magnetic fields.

II. derivatives

electromagnetically

adverb

electromagnetic radiation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] a kind of radiation including visible light, radio waves, gamma rays, and X-rays, in which electric and magnetic fields vary simultaneously.

electromagnetic spectrum

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the range of wavelengths or frequencies over which electromagnetic radiation extends.

electromagnetic units

plural noun

[Physics] a largely disused system of electrical units derived primarily from the magnetic properties of electric currents.

electromagnetism /ɪˌlɛktrəʊˈmaɡnɪtɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the phenomenon of the interaction of electric currents or fields and magnetic fields.

2. the branch of physics concerned with electromagnetism.

electromechanical /ɪˌlɛktrəʊmɪˈkanɪk(ə)l/

adjective

relating to or denoting a mechanical device which is electrically operated.

electrometer /ˌɪlɛkˈtrɒmɪtə/

I. noun

[Physics] an instrument for measuring electrical potential without drawing any current from the circuit.

II. derivatives

1. electrometric

adjective

2. electrometry

noun

electromotive /ɪˌlɛktrəˈməʊtɪv/

adjective

[Physics] producing or tending to produce an electric current.

electromotive force emf

noun

[Physics] a difference in potential that tends to give rise to an electric current.

electromyogram /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈmʌɪə(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

[Medicine] a record or display produced by electromyography.

electromyography /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)mʌɪˈɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the recording of the electrical activity of muscle tissue, or its representation as a visual display or audible signal, using electrodes attached to the skin or inserted into the muscle.

II. derivatives

1. electromyograph

noun

2. electromyographic

adjective

3. electromyographically

adverb

electron /ɪˈlɛktrɒn/

I. noun

1. [Physics] a stable subatomic particle with a charge of negative electricity, found in all atoms and acting as the primary carrier of electricity in solids.

The electron's mass is about 9 × 10−28g, 1,836 times less than that of the proton. Electrons orbit the positively charged nuclei of atoms and are responsible for binding atoms together in molecules, as well as for the electrical, thermal, optical, and magnetic properties of solids. Electric currents in metals and in semiconductors consist of a flow of electrons, and light, radio waves, X-rays, and much heat radiation are all produced by accelerating and decelerating electrons.

– origin late 19th cent.: from electric + -on.

electron beam

noun

[Physics] a stream of electrons in a gas or vacuum.

electron diffraction

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the diffraction of a beam of electrons by atoms or molecules, used especially for determining crystal structures.

electronegative /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈnɛɡətɪv/

I. adjective

1. [Physics] electrically negative.

2. [Chemistry] (of an element) tending to acquire electrons and form negative ions in chemical reactions.

II. derivatives

electronegativity /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˌnɛɡəˈtɪvəti /

noun

electron gun

noun

[Physics] a device for producing a narrow stream of electrons from a heated cathode.

electronic /ɪlɛkˈtrɒnɪk, ɛlɛkˈtrɒnɪk/

I. adjective

1. (of a device) having or operating with components such as microchips and transistors that control and direct electric currents

• an electronic calculator

• an electronic organ.

2. (of music) produced by electronic instruments.

• electronic dance music.

3. relating to electronics

• a degree in electronic engineering.

4. relating to electrons.

5. carried out or accessed by means of a computer or other electronic device, especially over a network

• the electronic edition of the newspaper

• electronic banking.

– origin early 20th cent.: from electron + -ic.

electronica /ɪlɛkˈtrɒnɪkə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a popular style of music deriving from techno and rave and having a more ambient, esoteric, or cerebral quality.

2. electronic devices or technology considered collectively.

– origin 1990s: from electronic + -a^2.

electronically /ˌɪlɛkˈtrɒnɪkli, ˌɛlɛkˈtrɒnɪkli/

adverb

1. by means of electronic equipment or devices

• the information can be recorded electronically

• electronically controlled access gates

• online services that can be accessed electronically.

2. in a way that relates to electrons

• molecules that can accept energy to form electronically excited states.

electronic cigarette

noun

a cigarette-shaped device containing a nicotine-based liquid that is vaporized and inhaled, used to simulate the experience of smoking tobacco

• more smokers are turning to electronic cigarettes to help them quit smoking.

electronic flash

noun

[Photography] a flash from a gas-discharge tube, used in high-speed photography.

electronic mail

noun

another term for email.

• messages are exchanged by electronic mail.

electronic organizer

noun

a pocket-sized computer used for storing and retrieving information such as addresses and appointments.

electronic publishing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the issuing of books and other material in machine-readable form rather than on paper.

electronics /ɪlɛkˈtrɒnɪks, ɛlɛkˈtrɒnɪks/

plural noun — [usu. treated as sing.]

1. the branch of physics and technology concerned with the design of circuits using transistors and microchips, and with the behaviour and movement of electrons in a semiconductor, conductor, vacuum, or gas.

• electronics is seen as a growth industry.

• [as modifier] electronics engineers.

2. [treated as pl.] — circuits or devices using transistors, microchips, and other components.

• the electronics have been incorporated inside a connector.

electronic signature

noun

[Computing] symbols or other data in digital form attached to an electronically transmitted document as verification of the sender’s intent to sign the document.

• the new rules will make electronic signatures acceptable and speed up the application process.

electronic skin

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a thin layer of material containing electronic sensors that is designed to mimic some of the properties of human skin, especially its sensitivity to pressure and temperature

• in experiments, the researchers laminated electronic skin on to a prosthetic hand.

electronic tagging

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the attaching of electronic markers to people or goods for monitoring purposes, e.g. to track offenders under house arrest or to deter shoplifters.

• the electronic tagging of remand prisoners has seen a sharp rise.

• [as modifier] electronic tagging equipment.

electron lens

noun

[Physics] a device for focusing a stream of electrons by means of electric or magnetic fields.

electron microscope

noun

[Physics] a microscope with high magnification and resolution, employing electron beams in place of light and using electron lenses.

electron optics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of physics that deals with the behaviour of electrons and electron beams in magnetic and electric fields.

electron pair

noun

1. [Chemistry] two electrons occupying the same orbital in an atom or molecule.

2. [Physics] an electron and a positron produced in a high-energy reaction.

electron spin resonance ESR

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] a spectroscopic method of locating electrons within the molecules of a paramagnetic substance.

electron tube

noun

[Physics] an evacuated or gas-filled tube in which a current of electrons flows between electrodes.

electronvolt /ɪˈlɛktrɒnvəʊlt, ɪˈlɛktrɒnvɒlt / eV

noun

[Physics] a unit of energy equal to the work done on an electron in accelerating it through a potential difference of one volt.

electro-oculogram /ɪˌlɛktrəʊˈɒkjələ(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

a record produced by electro-oculography.

electro-oculography /ɪˌlɛktrəʊɒkjəˈlɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the measurement of the electrical potential between electrodes placed at points close to the eye, used to investigate eye movements especially in physiological research.

II. derivatives

electro-oculographic

adjective

electro-optics

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of science that deals with the effect of electric fields on light and on the optical properties of substances.

II. derivatives

1. electro-optic

adjective

2. electro-optical

adjective

electro-osmosis

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. osmosis under the influence of an electric field.

II. derivatives

electro-osmotic

adjective

electrophilic /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈfɪlɪk/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] (of a molecule or group) having a tendency to attract or acquire electrons.
Often contrasted with nucleophilic.

II. derivatives

electrophile

noun

electrophoresis /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)fəˈriːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] [Chemistry] the movement of charged particles in a fluid or gel under the influence of an electric field.

II. derivatives

1. electrophorese

verb

2. electrophoretic /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)fəˈrɛtɪk /

adjective

3. electrophoretically

adverb

– origin early 20th cent.: from electro- + Greek phorēsis ‘being carried’.

electrophorus /ˌɪlɛkˈtrɒf(ə)rəs, ɛlɛkˈtrɒf(ə)rəs/

I. noun

[Physics] a device for repeatedly generating static electricity by induction.

– origin late 18th cent.: from electro- + Greek -phoros ‘bearing’.

electrophysiology /ɪˌlɛktrəʊfɪzɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of physiology that deals with the electrical phenomena associated with nervous and other bodily activity.

II. derivatives

1. electrophysiological

adjective

2. electrophysiologically

adverb

3. electrophysiologist

noun

electroplate /ɪˈlɛktrə(ʊ)pleɪt, ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈpleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as noun electroplating)

1. coat (a metal object) by electrolytic deposition with chromium, silver, or another metal.

• all the processes involved in electroplating.

• (as adj. electroplated) electroplated copper.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. electroplated articles.

III. derivatives

electroplater

noun

electroplax /ɪˈlɛktrəʊplaks / electroplaque /ɪˈlɛktrəʊplak/

noun

[Zoology] each of a number of flattened plates of protoplasm that make up the electric organ of certain fishes, e.g. the electric eel.

electroplexy /ɪˈlɛktrəplɛksi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹dated› electroconvulsive therapy.

– origin 1950s: from electro- + apoplexy.

electropolish /ɪˈlɛktrəʊˌpɒlɪʃ/

verb — [with obj.] (often as noun electropolishing)

1. give a shiny surface to (metal) using electrolysis.

• electropolished aluminium.

electropop

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of popular music characterized by the use of electronically created sounds, with a synthesizer as the primary instrument.

electroporation /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)pəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the action or process of introducing DNA or chromosomes into bacteria or other cells using a pulse of electricity to open the pores in the cell membranes briefly.

II. derivatives

electroporate

verb

electropositive /ɪlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈpɒzɪtɪv/

adjective

1. [Physics] electrically positive.

2. [Chemistry] (of an element) tending to lose electrons and form positive ions in chemical reactions.

electroreception

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the detection by an aquatic animal of electric fields or currents.

II. derivatives

electroreceptor

noun

electroretinogram /ɪˌlɛktrəʊˈrɛtɪnə(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

a record of the electrical activity of the retina, used in medical diagnosis and research.

electroscope /ɪˈlɛktrəskəʊp/

I. noun

[Physics] an instrument for detecting and measuring electricity, especially as an indication of the ionization of air by radioactivity.

II. derivatives

electroscopic

adjective

electro-selective pattern ESP

noun

[Photography] a mode of automatic light-metering in a camera which compensates for differences in the brightness of the central and peripheral portions of the image.

electroshock /ɪˈlɛktrə(ʊ)ʃɒk/

adjective

denoting or relating to medical treatment by means of electric shocks

• electroshock therapy.

electrostatic /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈstatɪk/

I. adjective

[Physics] relating to stationary electric charges or fields as opposed to electric currents.

II. derivatives

electrostatically

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from electro- + static, on the pattern of hydrostatic.

electrostatic precipitator

noun

a device that removes suspended dust particles from a gas or exhaust by applying a high-voltage electrostatic charge and collecting the particles on charged plates.

electrostatics /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈstatɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. [Physics] the study of stationary electric charges or fields as opposed to electric currents.

electrostatic units

plural noun

a system of units based primarily on the forces between electric charges.

electrosurgery /ɪlɛktrəʊˈsəːdʒəri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. surgery using a high-frequency electric current to heat and so cut tissue with great precision.

II. derivatives

electrosurgical

adjective

electrotechnology /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)tɛkˈnɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the science of the application of electricity in technology.

II. derivatives

1. electrotechnic

adjective

2. electrotechnical

adjective

3. electrotechnics /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈtɛknɪks /

noun

electrotherapy /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈθɛrəpi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of electric currents passed through the body to stimulate nerves and muscles, chiefly in the treatment of various forms of paralysis.

II. derivatives

1. electrotherapeutic

adjective

2. electrotherapeutical

adjective

3. electrotherapist /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈθɛrəpɪst /

noun

electrothermal /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈθəːm(ə)l/

adjective

[Physics] relating to heat derived from electricity.

electrotype /ɪˈlɛktrə(ʊ)tʌɪp/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as noun electrotyping)

1. make a copy of (something) by the electrolytic deposition of copper on a mould.

• the acid copper solution is largely employed in electrotyping.

II. noun

an electrotyped copy.

III. derivatives

electrotyper

noun

electrovalent /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈveɪl(ə)nt/

I. adjective

[Chemistry] (of bonding) resulting from electrostatic attraction between positive and negative ions; ionic.

II. derivatives

1. electrovalence /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈveɪl(ə)ns /

noun

2. electrovalency /ɪˌlɛktrə(ʊ)ˈveɪl(ə)nsi /

noun

– origin 1920s: from electro- + -valent, on the pattern of trivalent.

electroweak

adjective

[Physics] relating to or denoting electromagnetic and weak interactions regarded as manifestations of the same interaction.

electrum /ɪˈlɛktrəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a natural or artificial alloy of gold with at least 20 per cent of silver, used for jewellery, especially in ancient times.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek ēlektron ‘amber, electrum’.

electuary /ɪˈlɛktjʊ(ə)ri/

I. noun

‹archaic› a medicinal substance mixed with honey or another sweet substance.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin electuarium, probably from Greek ekleikton, from ekleikhein ‘lick up’.

eleemosynary /ˌɛlɪiːˈmɒsɪnəri, ˌɛlɪiːˈmɒzɪnəri/

I. adjective

‹formal› relating to or dependent on charity; charitable.

– origin late 16th cent. (as a noun denoting a place where alms were distributed): from medieval Latin eleemosynarius, from late Latin eleemosyna ‘alms’, from Greek eleēmosunē ‘compassion’ (see alms).

elegance /ˈɛlɪɡ(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being graceful and stylish in appearance or manner

• a slender woman with grace and elegance.

2. the quality of being pleasingly ingenious and simple; neatness

• the simplicity and elegance of the solution.

elegant /ˈɛlɪɡ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. graceful and stylish in appearance or manner

• she will look elegant in black

• an elegant, comfortable house.

2. (of a scientific theory or solution to a problem) pleasingly ingenious and simple

• the grand unified theory is compact and elegant in mathematical terms.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French, or from Latin elegans, elegant-, related to eligere ‘choose, select’ (see elect).

elegantly /ˈɛlɪɡ(ə)ntli/

adverb

1. in a graceful and stylish manner

• a handsome, elegantly dressed businessman

• tendrils of clouds glide elegantly across the sky.

2. in a pleasingly ingenious and simple manner

• an elegantly phrased argument

• he has elegantly solved the problem.

elegant variation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the stylistic fault of studiedly finding different ways to denote the same thing in a piece of writing, merely to avoid repetition.

elegiac /ˌɛlɪˈdʒʌɪək/

I. adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of an elegy

• haunting and elegiac poems.

2. wistfully mournful.

• she watched repeat serials, fixed on their moody and elegiac characterization.

II. plural noun — ( elegiacs)

1. verses in an elegiac metre.

III. derivatives

elegiacally

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from French élégiaque, or via late Latin, from Greek elegeiakos, from elegeia (see elegy).

elegiac couplet

noun

a pair of lines consisting of a dactylic hexameter and a pentameter, especially in Greek and Latin verse.

elegize /ˈɛlɪdʒʌɪz / elegise

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. write in a wistfully mournful way.

• but none, elegized the press, could take his place.

II. derivatives

elegist

noun

elegy /ˈɛlɪdʒi/

I. noun

1. (in modern literature) a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead.

2. (in Greek and Latin verse) a poem written in elegiac couplets, as notably by Catullus and Propertius.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French élégie, or via Latin, from Greek elegeia, from elegos ‘mournful poem’.

element /ˈɛlɪm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. an essential or characteristic part of something abstract

• the death had all the elements of a great tabloid story

• there are four elements to the proposal.

2. a small but significant amount of a feeling or quality

• it was the element of danger he loved in flying.

3. ( elements) — the rudiments of a subject

• legal training may include the elements of economics and political science.

4. (usu. with modifier often elements) — a group of people of a particular kind within a larger group

• extreme right-wing elements in the army.

5. [Mathematics] [Logic] an entity that is a single member of a set.

6. (also chemical element) — each of more than one hundred substances that cannot be chemically interconverted or broken down into simpler substances and are primary constituents of matter. Each element is distinguished by its atomic number, i.e. the number of protons in the nuclei of its atoms.

7. any of the four substances (earth, water, air, and fire) regarded as the fundamental constituents of the world in ancient and medieval philosophy.

8. ( the elements) — strong winds, heavy rain, or other kinds of bad weather

• there was no barrier against the elements.

9. a person's or animal's natural or preferred environment

• raised in Hawaii, the sea is his natural element.

10. a part in an electric kettle, heater, or cooker which contains a wire through which an electric current is passed to provide heat.

11. ( elements) — (in church use) the bread and wine of the Eucharist.

II. phrases

be in (or out of) one's element

be in (or not in) a situation or environment that one particularly likes and in which one can perform well

• he was always in his element when working around the house.

– origin Middle English (denoting fundamental constituents of the world or celestial objects): via Old French from Latin elementum ‘principle, rudiment’, translating Greek stoikheion ‘step, component part’.

elemental /ˌɛlɪˈmɛnt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. forming an essential or typical feature; fundamental

• failure is always apparent at this elemental level.

2. concerned with chemical elements or other basic components

• elemental analysis.

3. denoting uncombined chemical elements

• elemental sulphur.

4. related to or embodying the powers of nature

• a thunderstorm is the inevitable outcome of battling elemental forces.

5. (of an emotion) powerful and primitive

• a magical, elemental desire.

II. noun

a supernatural entity or force thought to be physically manifested by occult means.

• gods and elementals looked out upon the worshippers.

III. derivatives

1. elementalism

noun

2. elementally

adverb

– origin late 15th cent.: from medieval Latin elementalis, from elementum ‘principle, rudiment’ (see element).

elementary /ɛlɪˈmɛnt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. relating to the rudiments of a subject

• an elementary astronomy course.

2. of the most basic kind

• the elementary rights of citizenship.

3. straightforward and uncomplicated

• a series of elementary exercises.

4. not decomposable into elements or other primary constituents.

II. derivatives

1. elementarily

adverb

2. elementariness

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘composed of the four elements, earth, air, fire, and water’): from Latin elementarius, from elementum ‘principle, rudiment’ (see element). Current senses date from the mid 16th cent.

elementary school

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a primary school for the first six or eight grades.

2. (Brit.) ‹historical› a school where children were taught between the ages of five and thirteen.

elemi /ˈɛləmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an oleoresin obtained from a tropical tree and used in varnishes, ointments, and aromatherapy.
●This resin is obtained from several trees in the family Burseraceae, in particular Bursera simaruba (producing American elemi) and Canarium luzanicum (producing Manila elemi).

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps from Arabic al-lāmī.

elenchus /ɪˈlɛŋkəs/

I. noun

1. [Logic] a logical refutation.

2. (also Socratic elenchus) [ mass noun] — [Logic] the Socratic method of eliciting truth by question and answer, especially as used to refute an argument.

– origin mid 17th cent. (superseding late Middle English elench): via Latin from Greek elenkhos.

Eleonora's falcon /ˌɛlɪəˈnɔːrəz/

I. noun

a long-winged falcon that breeds on rocky islands and cliffs in the Mediterranean area, either resembling a dark hobby or with all-black plumage.
● Falco eleonorae, family Falconidae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after Eleonora of Arborea ( c. 1350–1404), a princess of Sardinia.

elephant /ˈɛlɪf(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a very large plant-eating mammal with a prehensile trunk, long curved ivory tusks, and large ears, native to Africa and southern Asia. It is the largest living land animal.
●Family Elephantidae, order Proboscidea: two species. See African elephant, Indian elephant.

2. a size of paper, typically 28 × 23 inches (approximately 711 × 584 mm).

II. phrases

the elephant in the room

a major problem or controversial issue which is obviously present but is avoided as a subject for discussion

• they've steadfastly ignored the elephant in the room: the ever-growing debt burden on graduates.

III. derivatives

elephantoid /ˌɛlɪˈfantɔɪd /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French elefant, via Latin from Greek elephas, elephant- ‘ivory, elephant’.

elephant bird

noun

a heavily built giant flightless bird, found in Madagascar until it was exterminated in about AD 1000. The eggs, which are still found occasionally, are the largest known. Also called aepyornis.
●Family Aepyornithidae, genera Aepyornis and Mullerornis: several species, including A. maximus, which is the heaviest known bird.

elephant fish

noun

a fish with a trunk-like snout or proboscis.
● a chimaera with a hook-like process on the snout (family Callorhinchidae and genus Callorhinchus). ● another term for elephant-snout fish.

elephant grass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a tall robust tropical African grass which is used for fodder and paper.
● Pennisetum purpureum, family Gramineae.

elephant hawkmoth

noun

a large pinkish hawkmoth with greenish-bronze markings. The foreparts of the caterpillar have eyespots and sometimes resemble an elephant's trunk.
●Genus Deilephila, family Sphingidae: several species, in particular the common D. elpenor.

elephantiasis /ˌɛlɪf(ə)nˈtʌɪəsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which a limb or other part of the body becomes grossly enlarged due to obstruction of the lymphatic vessels, typically by the nematode parasites which cause filariasis.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek, from elephas, elephant- ‘elephant’ + -iasis.

elephantine /ɛlɪˈfantʌɪn/

I. adjective

of, resembling, or characteristic of an elephant or elephants, especially in being large, clumsy, or awkward

• there was an elephantine thud from the bathroom.

– origin early 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek elephantinos, from elephas, elephant- ‘elephant’.

Elephant Pass

a narrow strip of land at the north end of Sri Lanka, linking the Jaffna peninsula with the rest of the island.

elephant seal

noun

a large seal that breeds on the west coast of North America and the islands around Antarctica. The male is much larger than the female and has a very thick neck and an inflatable snout.
●Genus Mirounga, family Phocidae: two species.

elephant shrew

noun

a small insectivorous African mammal with a long mobile snout, long hindlimbs, and a rat-like tail.
●Family Macroscelididae and order Macroscelidea: four genera and many species; sometimes placed in the order Insectivora.

elephant-snout fish

noun

an edible African freshwater fish with a downcurved snout that is typically elongated and trunk-like. Also called elephant fish.
●Family Mormyridae: several genera, in particular Mormyrus.

Eleusinian mysteries /ˌɛljuːˈsɪnɪən/

plural noun

the annual rites performed by the ancient Greeks at the village of Eleusis near Athens in honour of Demeter and Persephone.

elevate /ˈɛlɪveɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. raise or lift (something) to a higher position

• the exercise will naturally elevate your chest and head.

2. (of a priest) hold up (a consecrated host or chalice) for adoration.

• she ordered the bishop celebrating Mass in her chapel not to elevate the Host.

3. raise the axis of (a piece of artillery) to increase its range.

• the field guns were elevated twenty degrees.

4. raise to a more important or impressive level

• he was elevated to Secretary of State

• he has elevated bad taste into an art form.

5. increase the level of (something).

• the therapy can elevate serum amylase levels.

II. derivatives

elevatory

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin elevat- ‘raised’, from the verb elevare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out, away’ + levare ‘lighten’ (from levis ‘light’).

elevated /ˈɛlɪveɪtɪd/

adjective

1. situated or placed higher than the surrounding area

• this hotel has an elevated position above the village

• the elevated section of the M4.

2. (of a level or amount) higher or greater than normal

• an elevated temperature.

3. of a high intellectual or moral level

• the elevated canon of great literary texts.

4. having a high rank or social standing

• these parish gentry were conscious of their elevated status.

elevation /ˌɛlɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or fact of raising or being raised to a higher or more important level, state, or position

• her sudden elevation to the cabinet.

2. increase in the level of something.

• diabetics have been found to have more pronounced elevation of systolic blood pressure.

3. the raising of the consecrated elements for adoration at Mass.

• a prayer recommended for lay people at the elevation of the Host.

4. [Ballet] the ability of a dancer to attain height in jumps.

5. [ mass noun] — height above a given level, especially sea level

• the area has a topography that ranges from 1,500 to 3,000 metres in elevation.

6. [ count noun] — a high place or position

• an elevation of 300 metres.

7. the angle of something with the horizontal, especially of a gun or of the direction of a celestial object.

• as every gunner knows, increasing the elevation beyond five degrees can be a risky business.

8. a particular side of a building

• a burglar alarm was displayed on the front elevation.

9. a scale drawing showing the vertical projection of one side of a building.
Compare with plan (sense 3 of the noun).

II. derivatives

elevational

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin elevatio(n-), from elevare ‘raise’ (see elevate).

elevator /ˈɛlɪveɪtə/

I. noun

1. North American term for lift (sense 1 of the noun).

• in the elevator she pressed the button for the lobby.

2. a machine consisting of an endless belt with scoops attached, used for raising grain to an upper storey for storage.

3. (N. Amer.) a tall building used for storing grain.

• in the harbour a giant elevator stores prairie grain.

4. a hinged flap on the tailplane of an aircraft, typically one of a pair, used to control the motion of the aircraft about its lateral axis.

• first you trim the rudder, then the ailerons, and finally the elevator.

5. a muscle whose contraction raises a part of the body

• elevators of the upper lip.

6. (also elevator shoe) — (N. Amer.) ‹trademark› a shoe with a raised insole designed to make the wearer appear taller.

• something in his gait made me sure he was wearing elevator shoes.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting a muscle): modern Latin, from Latin elevare ‘raise’; in later use directly from elevate.

elevator music

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) bland recorded background music played in public places.

elevator pitch

I. noun

‹informal› (chiefly US) a succinct and persuasive sales pitch.

– origin from the idea of having to impress a senior executive during a brief ride in a lift (elevator).

eleven /ɪˈlɛv(ə)n/

I. cardinal number

1. (Roman numeral: xi or XI) — equivalent to the sum of six and five; one more than ten; 11

• the room was about eleven feet wide

• eighteen schools were founded, eleven of them in London.

2. eleven years old

• the eldest is only eleven.

3. eleven o'clock

• she often worked until eleven at night.

4. a size of garment or other merchandise denoted by eleven.

5. a group or unit of eleven people or things.

6. a sports team of eleven players

• at cricket I played in the first eleven.

II. phrases

up to eleven

‹informal› so as to reach or surpass the maximum level; to an extreme or intense degree

• turn the volume up to eleven

• I like my art cranked up to eleven.

[1984: coined in the film comedy This is Spinal Tap, with reference to a rock guitarist whose amplifier's volume control goes up to eleven rather than the usual ten.]

III. derivatives

elevenfold

adjective, adverb

– origin Old English endleofon, from the base of one + a second element (probably expressing the sense ‘left over’) occurring also in twelve; of Germanic origin and related to Dutch and German elf.

eleven-plus /ɪˌlɛvnˈplʌs/

noun

‹chiefly historical› (in the UK) an examination taken at the age of 11–12 to determine the type of secondary school a child should enter.

elevenses /ɪˈlɛv(ə)nzɪz/

plural noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a short break for light refreshments, usually with tea or coffee, taken at about eleven o'clock in the morning.

eleventh /ɪˈlɛv(ə)nθ/

I. ordinal number

1. constituting number eleven in a sequence; 11th

• the eleventh century

• February the eleventh.

2. [Music] an interval or chord spanning an octave and a fourth in the diatonic scale, or a note separated from another by this interval.

3. each of eleven equal parts into which something is or may be divided.

II. phrases

the eleventh hour

the latest possible moment

• the decision to send Eddie with the team was made at the eleventh hour.

elevon /ˈɛlɪvɒn/

I. noun

[Aeronautics] the movable part of the trailing edge of a delta wing.

– origin 1940s: blend of elevator and aileron (because the elevon combines the functions of both).

elf /ɛlf/

I. noun

a supernatural creature of folk tales, typically represented as a small, delicate, elusive figure in human form with pointed ears, magical powers, and a capricious nature.

• birthmarks were thought to be bruises left by elves.

• with his pointed chin, he might have been an elf out of story-land.

II. derivatives

1. elfish /ˈɛlfɪʃ /

adjective

2. elven

adjective

‹literary›

3. elvish /ˈɛlvɪʃ /

adjective

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to German Alp ‘nightmare’.

ELF

abbreviation

extremely low frequency.

elf cup scarlet elf cup

noun

a fungus of decaying wood, producing small groups of shallow short-stemmed cups with a scarlet interior, found in both Eurasia and North America.
● Sarcoscypha coccinea, family Sarcosomataceae, subdivision Ascomycotina.

elfin /ˈɛlfɪn/

I. adjective

1. (of a person or their face) small and delicate, typically with a mischievous charm

• her black hair suited her elfin face.

2. relating to elves

• an enchanted world of fairies in elfin glades.

II. noun

1. ‹archaic› an elf.

2. a small North American butterfly that is typically brownish with markings on the wing margins that give the impression of scalloped edges.
●Genus Incisalia, family Lycaenidae.

– origin late 16th cent.: from elf, probably suggested by Middle English elvene ‘of elves’, and by Elphin, the name of a character in Arthurian romance.

elf-locks

plural noun

‹literary› a tangled mass of hair.

elf owl

noun

a tiny owl that nests in cacti and trees in the arid country of the southern US and Mexico.
● Micrathene whitneyi, family Strigidae.

Elgar, Sir Edward /ˈɛlɡɑː/

(1857–1934), English composer; full name Sir Edward William Elgar. He is known particularly for the Enigma Variations (1899), the oratorio The Dream of Gerontius (1900), and for patriotic pieces such as the five Pomp and Circumstance marches (1901–30).

Elgin Marbles

I. a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures and architectural fragments, chiefly from the Parthenon in Athens, brought to England by the diplomat and art connoisseur Thomas Bruce (1766–1841), the 7th Earl of Elgin.

Carved under the direction of Phidias in the 5th century BC, the sculptures were brought from Greece between 1803 and 1812, when the country was under Turkish control. They are currently housed in the British Museum, but are the subject of a repatriation request from the Greek government, who do not accept the legality of the Turkish sale.

el-Giza /ɛlˈdʒiːzə/

another name for Giza.

Elgon, Mount /ˈɛlɡɒn/

an extinct volcano on the border between Kenya and Uganda, rising to 4,321 m (14,178 ft).

El Greco /ɛl ˈɡrɛkəʊ/

I. (1541–1614), Cretan-born Spanish painter; born Domenikos Theotokopoulos. El Greco's portraits and religious works are characterized by distorted perspective, elongated figures, and strident use of colour.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘the Greek’.

Eli /ˈiːlʌɪ/

(in the Bible) a priest who acted as a teacher to the prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 1–3).

Elia /ˈiːlɪə/

the pseudonym adopted by Charles Lamb in his Essays of Elia (1823) and Last Essays of Elia (1833).

elicit /ɪˈlɪsɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. evoke or draw out (a reaction, answer, or fact) from someone

• I tried to elicit a smile from Joanna

• the work elicited enormous public interest.

2. ‹archaic› draw forth (something that is latent or potential) into existence

• a corrupt heart elicits in an hour all that is bad in us.

II. derivatives

1. elicitation /ɪlɪsɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. elicitor

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin elicit- ‘drawn out by trickery or magic’, from the verb elicere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + lacere ‘entice, deceive’.

elide /ɪˈlʌɪd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. omit (a sound or syllable) when speaking
(as adj. elided)

• elided consonants.

2. join together; merge

• whole periods of time are elided into a few seconds of screen time.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘annul’, chiefly as a Scots legal term): from Latin elidere ‘crush out’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + laedere ‘to dash’.

eligibility /ˌɛlɪdʒɪˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of having the right to do or obtain something through satisfaction of the appropriate conditions

• your eligibility for benefits will depend on your income

• restrictions governing the eligibility of candidates.

eligible /ˈɛlɪdʒɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective — (often eligible for/to do something)

1. having the right to do or obtain something; satisfying the appropriate conditions

• customers who are eligible for discounts

• eligible candidates.

2. (of a person) desirable or suitable as a partner in marriage

• the world's most eligible bachelor.

II. derivatives

eligibly

adverb

– origin late Middle English: via French from late Latin eligibilis, from Latin eligere ‘choose’ (see elect).

eligible termination payment

noun

(Austral.) a lump sum, especially one received by a departing employee, which may be paid into an investment fund

• in this case, the amount is treated as an eligible termination payment.

Elijah /ɪˈlʌɪdʒə/

(9th century BC), a Hebrew prophet in the time of Jezebel who maintained the worship of Jehovah against that of Baal and other pagan gods.

eliminate /ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. completely remove or get rid of (something)

• a policy that would eliminate inflation.

2. exclude (someone or something) from consideration or further participation

• the police have eliminated Lawrence from their inquiries

• (as adj. eliminating) teams who had fought their way through the eliminating rounds.

3. expel (waste matter) from the body

• this diet claims to eliminate toxins from the body.

4. [Mathematics] remove (a variable) from an equation, typically by substituting another which is shown by another equation to be equivalent.

5. [Chemistry] generate (a simple substance) as a product in the course of a reaction involving larger molecules.

• the acid portion of one molecule reacts with the basic portion of the other, and water is eliminated.

II. derivatives

1. eliminable /ɪˈlɪmɪnəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. eliminator /ɪˈlɪmɪneɪtə /

noun

3. eliminatory /ɪˈlɪmɪnət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘drive out’): from Latin eliminat- ‘turned out of doors’, from the verb eliminare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + limen, limin- ‘threshold’.

elimination /ɪlɪmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the complete removal or destruction of something

• the elimination of extreme poverty is a key objective

• a global commitment to the elimination of nuclear weapons.

2. the exclusion of someone or something from consideration or further participation

• a 1-1 draw confirmed their elimination from the tournament

• [as modifier] after the initial elimination rounds, 16 boys qualified for the final.

3. the expulsion of waste matter from the body

• the treatment promotes the elimination of toxins.

4. [Mathematics] the removal of a variable from an equation, typically by substituting another which is shown by another equation to be equivalent

• Bezout's method of elimination.

5. [Chemistry] the generation of a simple substance as a product in the course of a reaction involving larger molecules

• a condensation reaction can link together two monosaccharide sugars to form a disaccharide with the elimination of water.

elimination diet

noun

a procedure used to identify foods which a person is intolerant of, in which all suspected foods are excluded from the diet and then reintroduced one at a time.

eliminationism /ɪlɪmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)nɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the belief or policy that a particular group of people should be expelled or eradicated

• a regime that stands for little other than racist eliminationism.

eliminationist /ɪlɪmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)nɪst/

I. adjective

denoting or relating to the belief or policy that a particular group of people should be expelled or eradicated

• their eliminationist rhetoric.

II. noun

an advocate or supporter of the belief or policy that a particular group of people should be expelled or eradicated

• she's a racist and an eliminationist.

ELINT /ɪˈlɪnt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. covert intelligence-gathering by electronic means.
[as modifier]

• two ELINT engineers and three FBI agents.

– origin 1960s (originally US): blend of electronic and intelligence.

Eliot, George /ˈɛlɪət/

(1819–80), English novelist; pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans. Her novels of provincial life are characterized by their exploration of moral problems and their development of the psychological analysis that marks the modern novel. Notable works: Adam Bede (1859), The Mill on the Floss (1860), and Middlemarch (1871–2).

Eliot, T. S. /ˈɛlɪət/

(1888–1965), American-born British poet, critic, and dramatist; full name Thomas Stearns Eliot. Associated with the rise of literary modernism, he was established as the voice of a disillusioned generation by The Waste Land (1922). Four Quartets (1943) revealed his increasing involvement with Christianity. Nobel Prize for Literature (1948).

ELISA /ɪˈlʌɪzə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Elisabethville /ɪˈlɪzəbəθˌvɪl/

former name (until 1966) for Lubumbashi.

Elisha /ɪˈlʌɪʃə/

(9th century BC), a Hebrew prophet, disciple and successor of Elijah.

elision /ɪˈlɪʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the omission of a sound or syllable when speaking (as in I'm, let's).

• the shortening of words by elision.

• [ count noun] conversational elisions.

2. [ count noun] — an omission of a passage in a book, speech, or film

• the movie's elisions and distortions have been carefully thought out.

3. the process of joining together or merging things, especially abstract ideas

• unease at the elision of so many vital questions.

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin elisio(n-), from Latin elidere ‘crush out’ (see elide).

Elista /ɛˈlɪstə/

a city in SW Russia, capital of the autonomous republic of Kalmykia; pop. 102,700 (est. 2008).

elite /eɪˈliːt, ɪˈliːt/

I. noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.]

a. a select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group or society

• the elite of Britain's armed forces

• [as modifier] an elite athlete

• an elite commando unit

• elite colleges and universities.

b. a group or class of people seen as having the most power and influence in a society, especially on account of their wealth or privilege

• the country's governing elite

• the silent majority were looked down upon by the liberal elite.

2. [ mass noun] — a size of letter in typewriting, with 12 characters to the inch (about 4.7 to the centimetre).

– origin late 18th cent.: from French élite ‘selection, choice’, from élire ‘to elect’, from a variant of Latin eligere (see elect). Sense 2 dates from the early 20th cent.

elitism /ɪˈliːtɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the belief that a society or system should be led by an elite.

• local government in the nineteenth century was the very essence of elitism.

2. the dominance of a society or system by an elite.

3. the superior attitude or behaviour associated with an elite

• he accused her of racism and white elitism.

elitist /ɪˈliːtɪst/

I. adjective

1. relating to or supporting the view that a society or system should be led by an elite

• older men with an elitist attitude about music

• the image of polo as an elitist sport.

2. demonstrating a superior attitude or behaviour associated with an elite

• some that say he is a spoiled, elitist snob.

II. noun

a person who believes that a society or system should be led by an elite

• critics portray him as an out-of-touch elitist.

elixir /ɪˈlɪksə, ɪˈlɪksɪə/

I. noun

1. a magical or medicinal potion

• an elixir guaranteed to induce love.

2. a preparation supposedly able to change metals into gold, sought by alchemists.

3. (also elixir of life) — a preparation supposedly able to prolong life indefinitely.

• ‹figurative› he finds world train travel something of an elixir of life.

4. a particular type of medicinal solution

• a cough elixir.

– origin late Middle English: via medieval Latin from Arabic al-'iksīr, from al ‘the’ + 'iksīr from Greek xērion ‘powder for drying wounds’ (from xēros ‘dry’).

Elizabeth, the Queen Mother

(1900–2002), wife of George VI; born Lady Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon. She married George VI in 1923, when he was Duke of York; they had two daughters, Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret.

Elizabeth I

(1533–1603), daughter of Henry VIII, queen of England and Ireland 1558–1603. Succeeding her Catholic sister Mary I, Elizabeth re-established a moderate form of Protestantism as the state religion. Her reign was dominated by the threat of a Catholic restoration and by war with Spain, culminating in the Armada of 1588. Although frequently courted, she never married.

Elizabeth II

(b.1926), daughter of George VI, queen of the United Kingdom since 1952; born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. She married Prince Philip in 1947; they have four children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward.

Elizabethan /ɪˌlɪzəˈbiːθ(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I

• an Elizabethan manor house.

II. noun

a person alive during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

elk /ɛlk/

I. noun

1. British term for moose.

2. North American term for wapiti.

– origin late 15th cent.: probably from Old English elh, eolh, with substitution of k for h.

elkhorn coral

noun

a coral with sturdy antler-like branches, found in shallow waters throughout the Caribbean.
● Acropora palmata, order Scleractinia.

elkhound

noun

a large hunting dog of a Scandinavian breed with a shaggy grey coat.

ell^1 /ɛl/

I. noun

a former measure of length (equivalent to six hand breadths) used mainly for textiles, locally variable but typically about 45 inches in England and 37 inches in Scotland.

– origin Old English eln, of Germanic origin; from an Indo-European root shared by Latin ulna (see ulna). Compare with elbow and also with cubit (the measure was originally linked to the length of the human arm or forearm).

ell^2 /ɛl/

noun

see L^1.

ellagic acid /ɛˈladʒɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a compound extracted from oak galls and various fruits and nuts. It has some ability to inhibit blood flow and retard the growth of cancer cells.
●A tetracyclic phenol; chem. formula: C_14H_6O_8.

– origin early 19th cent.: ellagic from French ellagique (an anagram of galle ‘gall nut’ + -ique), thus avoiding the form gallique, already in use.

Ellesmere Island /ˈɛlzmɪə/

I. the northernmost island of the Canadian Arctic.

– origin named after the British statesman Francis Egerton, Earl of Ellesmere (1800–57).

Ellesmere Port

a port in NW England on the estuary of the River Mersey; pop. 66,400 (est. 2009).

Ellice Islands /ˈɛlɪs/

former name for Tuvalu.

Ellington, Duke /ˈɛlɪŋtən/

(1899–1974), American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader; born Edward Kennedy Ellington. Coming to fame in the early 1930s, Ellington wrote over 900 compositions and was one of the first popular musicians to write extended pieces. Notable works: Mood Indigo (1930).

ellipse /ɪˈlɪps/

I. noun

a regular oval shape, traced by a point moving in a plane so that the sum of its distances from two other points (the foci) is constant, or resulting when a cone is cut by an oblique plane which does not intersect the base.

– origin late 17th cent.: via French from Latin ellipsis (see ellipsis).

ellipsis /ɪˈlɪpsɪs/

I. noun

1. the omission from speech or writing of a word or words that are superfluous or able to be understood from contextual clues.

• it is very rare for an ellipsis to occur without a linguistic antecedent.

• [ mass noun] an example of ellipsis.

2. a set of dots (…) indicating an ellipsis.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek elleipsis, from elleipein ‘leave out’.

ellipsoid /ɪˈlɪpsɔɪd/

I. noun

a three-dimensional figure symmetrical about each of three perpendicular axes, whose plane sections normal to one axis are circles and all the other plane sections are ellipses.

II. derivatives

ellipsoidal /ɛlɪpˈsɔɪd(ə)l /

adjective

elliptic /ɪˈlɪptɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or having the form of an ellipse.

II. derivatives

ellipticity /ɛlɪpˈtɪsɪti /

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from Greek elleiptikos ‘defective’, from elleipein ‘leave out, fall short’.

elliptical /ɪˈlɪptɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of speech or writing) using or involving ellipsis, especially so as to be difficult to understand.

• elliptical colloquial exchanges.

• she had completely misunderstood his elliptical declaration.

2. another term for elliptic.

II. derivatives

elliptically /ɪˈlɪptɪk(ə)li /

adverb

Ellis, Havelock

(1859–1939), English psychologist and writer, remembered as the pioneer of the scientific study of sex; full name Henry Havelock Ellis. His major work was the six-volume Studies in the Psychology of Sex (1897–1910, with a seventh volume added in 1928).

Ellis Island /ɛlɪsˈʌɪlənd/

an island in the bay of New York that from 1892 until 1943 served as an entry point for immigrants to the US, and later (until 1954) as a detention centre for people awaiting deportation.

Ellsworth, Lincoln /ˈɛlzwəθ/

(1880–1951), American explorer. He participated in a number of polar expeditions and was the first person to fly over both the North (1926) and South (1935) Poles.

Ellsworth Land

a plateau region of Antarctica between the Walgreen Coast and Palmer Land. It rises at the Vinson Massif, the highest point in Antarctica, to 5,140 m (16,863 ft).

elm /ɛlm / elm tree

I. noun

a tall deciduous tree which typically has rough serrated leaves and propagates from root suckers.
●Genus Ulmus, family Ulmaceae: several species, including the English elm ( U. procera).

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to German dialect Ilm, and Swedish and Norwegian alm.

El Niño /ɛl ˈniːnjəʊ/

I. noun

an irregularly occurring and complex series of climatic changes affecting the equatorial Pacific region and beyond every few years, characterized by the appearance of unusually warm, nutrient-poor water off northern Peru and Ecuador, typically in late December. The effects of El Niño include reversal of wind patterns across the Pacific, drought in Australasia, and unseasonal heavy rain in South America.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘the (Christ) child’, because of the occurrence near Christmas.

elocution /ˌɛləˈkjuːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the skill of clear and expressive speech, especially of distinct pronunciation and articulation.

• lessons in singing and elocution.

II. derivatives

1. elocutionary /ɛləˈkjuːʃ(ə)n(ə)ri /

adjective

2. elocutionist /ɛləˈkjuːʃ(ə)nɪst /

noun

– origin late Middle English (denoting oratorical or literary style): from Latin elocutio(n-), from eloqui ‘speak out’ (see eloquence).

elodea /ˌɛlə(ʊ)ˈdiːə, ɪˈləʊdɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an aquatic plant of a genus that includes Canadian pondweed.
●Genus Elodea, family Hydrocharitaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek helōdēs ‘marshy’.

Elohim /ɛˈləʊhɪm, ˈɛləʊhiːm/

I. noun

a name for God used frequently in the Hebrew Bible.

– origin from Hebrew 'ĕlōhīm (plural).

Elohist /ɛˈləʊhɪst/

I. the postulated author or authors of parts of the Hexateuch in which God is regularly named Elohim.
Compare with Yahwist.

– origin from Hebrew 'ĕlōhīm (see Elohim) + -ist.

elongate /ˈiːlɒŋɡeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. elongated)

1. make (something) longer, especially unusually so in relation to its width

• a slender, elongated neck.

2. [no obj.] — [chiefly Biology] become longer.

• the pup's globular body slowly elongates.

II. adjective

[Biology] long in relation to width; elongated

• elongate fishes.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘move away’): from late Latin elongat- ‘placed at a distance’, from the verb elongare, from Latin e- (variant of ex-) ‘away’ + longe ‘far off’, longus ‘long’.

elongation /iːlɒŋˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of lengthening something.

• the bird's tails become forked through elongation of their outer feathers.

• [ count noun] an elongation of the crater in the impact direction.

2. an elongated part.

3. the amount of extension of an object under stress, usually expressed as a percentage of the original length.

4. [Astronomy] the angular separation of a planet from the sun or of a satellite from a planet, as seen by an observer.

• Mercury reaches greatest elongation on the 1st, when it will be 27 degrees west of the Sun.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin elongatio(n-), from elongare ‘place at a distance’ (see elongate).

elope /ɪˈləʊp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. run away secretly in order to get married

• later he eloped with one of the housemaids.

II. derivatives

1. elopement /ɪˈləʊpm(ə)nt /

noun

2. eloper

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the general sense ‘abscond, run away’): from Anglo-Norman French aloper, perhaps related to leap.

eloquence /ˈɛləkwəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. fluent or persuasive speaking or writing

• a preacher of great power and eloquence.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin eloquentia, from eloqui ‘speak out’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + loqui ‘speak’.

eloquent /ˈɛləkwənt/

I. adjective

1. fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing

• an eloquent speech.

2. clearly expressing or indicating something

• the bus journey alone is eloquent of class inequality.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin eloquent- ‘speaking out’, from the verb eloqui (see eloquence).

eloquently /ˈɛləkw(ə)ntli/

adverb

in a fluent or persuasive manner

• commentators have spoken eloquently on both sides of the issue.

El Paso /ɛl ˈpasəʊ/

a city in western Texas on the Rio Grande, on the border with Mexico; pop. 613,190 (est. 2008).

El Salvador /ɛl ˈsalvədɔː Spanish el salβaˈðor//

I. a country in Central America, on the Pacific coast; pop. 7,185,200 (est. 2009); official language, Spanish; capital, San Salvador.

The territory was conquered by the Spanish in 1524 and gained its independence in 1821. Between 1979 and 1992 the country was devastated by a civil war marked by the activities of right-wing death squads and resistance by left-wing guerrillas; a UN-brokered peace accord was agreed in 1992.

Elsan /ˈɛlsan/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹trademark› a type of transportable chemical toilet.

– origin 1930s: apparently from the initials of Ephraim Louis Jackson (its manufacturer) and sanitation.

else /ɛls/

I. adverb

1. [with indefinite pronoun or adverb] — in addition; besides

• anything else you need to know?

• what else is there to do?

• they will offer low prices but little else.

2. [with indefinite pronoun or adverb] — different; instead

• isn't there anyone else you could ask?

• they took songs owned by someone else and used them without permission

• they moved on to somewhere else

• it's fate, destiny, or whatever else you like to call it.

3. short for or else:

• keep your mouth shut, else you might contradict my story.

II. phrases

or else

a. used to introduce the second of two alternatives

• he always had a cold or else was getting over an earache.

b. in circumstances different from those mentioned

• they can't want it, or else they'd request it.

c. used as a warning or threat

• you go along with this or else you're going to jail

• she'd better shape up, or else.

– origin Old English elles, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch els and Swedish eljest.

elsewhere /ɛlsˈwɛː, ˈɛlswɛː/

I. adverb

in, at, or to some other place or other places

• he is seeking employment elsewhere.

II. pronoun

some other place

• all Hawaiian plants originally came from elsewhere.

– origin Old English elles hwǣr (see else, where).

Elsinore /ˈɛlsɪnɔː/

a port on the NE coast of the island of Zealand, Denmark; pop. 61,053 (2009). It is the site of the 16th-century Kronborg Castle, which is the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Danish name Helsingør.

Elster /ˈɛlstə/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Geology] a Pleistocene glaciation in northern Europe, corresponding to the Anglian of Britain (and possibly the Mindel of the Alps).

2. [Geology] the system of deposits laid down at the time of the Elster glaciation.

II. derivatives

Elsterian /ɛlˈstɪərɪən /

adjective, noun

– origin 1930s: the name of a tributary of the River Elbe in Germany.

ELT /iːɛlˈtiː/

abbreviation

English language teaching.

Elton, Charles Sutherland /ˈɛlt(ə)n/

(1900–91), English zoologist. Elton pioneered the study of animal ecology, and his research into rodent populations found practical application in vermin control.

Éluard, Paul /ˈɛlʊɑː, French elyaʀ/

(1895–1952), French poet; pseudonym of Eugène Grindel. He was a leading figure in the surrealist movement.

eluate /ˈɛljuːət, ˈɛljeɪt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a solution obtained by elution.

– origin 1930s: from Latin eluere ‘wash out’ + -ate^1.

elucidate /ɪˈl(j)uːsɪdeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) clear; explain

• work such as theirs will help to elucidate this matter

• [with clause] in what follows I shall try to elucidate what I believe the problems to be.

II. derivatives

1. elucidative /ɪˈl(j)uːsɪdətɪv /

adjective

2. elucidator /ɪˈluːsɪdeɪtə /

noun

3. elucidatory /ɪˈl(j)uːsɪˌdeɪtəri /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin elucidat- ‘made clear’, from the verb elucidare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + lucidus ‘lucid’.

elucidation /ɪˌl(j)uːsɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. explanation that makes something clear; clarification

• work that led to the elucidation of the structure of proteins.

elude /ɪˈl(j)uːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. escape from or avoid (a danger, enemy, or pursuer), typically in a skilful or cunning way

• he tried to elude the security men by sneaking through a back door.

2. avoid compliance with (a law or penalty).

• we need to ensure that bad cases do not elude tough penalties.

3. (of an achievement or something desired) fail to be attained by (someone)

• sleep still eluded her.

4. (of an idea or fact) fail to be understood or remembered by (someone)

• the logic of this eluded most people.

II. derivatives

elusion /ɪˈl(j)uːʒ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘delude, baffle’): from Latin eludere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out, away from’ + ludere ‘to play’.

eluent /ˈɛljʊənt / eluant

I. noun

[Chemistry] a fluid used to elute a substance.

– origin 1940s: from Latin eluent- ‘washing out’, from the verb eluere (see elute).

Elul /ˈiːlʌl, ˈɛlʌl/

I. noun

(in the Jewish calendar) the twelfth month of the civil and sixth of the religious year, usually coinciding with parts of August and September.

– origin from Hebrew ’ĕlūl.

el-Uqsur /ɛlˈʊksʊə / al-Uqsur

Arabic name for Luxor.

elusive /ɪˈluːsɪv/

I. adjective

1. difficult to find, catch, or achieve

• success will become ever more elusive.

2. difficult to remember

• the elusive thought he had had moments before.

II. derivatives

1. elusively /ɪˈluːsɪvli /

adverb

2. elusiveness /ɪˈljuːsɪvnəs /

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin elus- ‘eluded’ (from the verb eludere) + -ive.

elusory /ɪˈluːs(ə)ri/

I. adjective

‹rare› difficult to find, catch, or achieve; elusive.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin elusorius, from Latin elus- ‘eluded’ (from the verb eludere).

elute /ɪˈl(j)uːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] remove (an adsorbed substance) by washing with a solvent, especially in chromatography.

• these protein bands were eluted and used as immunogen.

II. derivatives

elution /ɪˈl(j)uːʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin 1920s: from Latin elut- ‘washed out’, from the verb eluere, suggested by German eluieren.

elutriate /ɪˈl(j)uːtrɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] separate (lighter and heavier particles in a mixture) by suspension in an upward flow of liquid or gas.
(as adj. elutriated)

• the unelutriated cells showed a broad distribution of cell volume compared with the elutriated fractions.

II. derivatives

elutriation /ɪl(j)uːtrɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin elutriat- ‘washed out’, from the verb elutriare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + lutriare ‘to wash’.

elvan /ˈɛlv(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] hard intrusive igneous rock found in Cornwall, typically quartz porphyry.

– origin early 18th cent.: perhaps via Cornish from Welsh elfen ‘element’.

elver /ˈɛlvə/

I. noun

a young eel, especially when undergoing mass migration upriver from the sea.

– origin mid 17th cent.: variant of dialect eel-fare ‘the passage of young eels up a river’, also ‘a brood of young eels’, from eel + fare in its original sense ‘a journey’.

elves /ɛlvz/

plural form of elf.

Ely /ˈiːli/

a cathedral city in the fenland of Cambridgeshire, eastern England, on the River Ouse; pop. 15,600 (est. 2009).

Ely, Isle of

a former county of England extending over the northern part of present-day Cambridgeshire. Before widespread drainage it formed a fertile ‘island’ in the surrounding fenland.

Elysée Palace /eɪˈliːzeɪ/

a building in Paris which has been the official residence of the French President since 1870. It was built in 1718 and was occupied by Madame de Pompadour, Napoleon I, and Napoleon III.
French name Palais de l'Elysée.

Elysian /ɪˈlɪzɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of heaven or paradise

• Elysian visions.

II. phrases

the Elysian Fields

another name for Elysium.

Elysium /ɪˈlɪzɪəm / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. the place at the ends of the earth to which certain favoured heroes were conveyed by the gods after death.

II. (as noun an Elysium) — a place or state of perfect happiness.

– origin via Latin from Greek Elusion (pedion) ‘(plain) of the blessed’.

elytron /ˈɛlɪtrɒn/

I. noun

[Entomology] each of the two wing cases of a beetle.

– origin mid 18th cent. (denoting a sheath or covering, specifically that of the spinal cord): from Greek elutron ‘sheath’.

Elzevir /ˈɛlzəvɪə/

a family of Dutch printers. Fifteen members were active 1581–1712; Bonaventure (1583–1652) and Abraham (1592–1652) managed the firm in its prime.

em /ɛm/

I. noun

1. [Printing] a unit for measuring the width of printed matter, equal to the height of the type size being used.

2. [Printing] a unit of measurement equal to twelve points.

– origin late 18th cent.: the letter M represented as a word, since it is approximately this width.

'em /əm/

I. pronoun

short for them, especially in informal use:

• let 'em know who's boss.

– origin Middle English: originally a form of hem, dative and accusative third person plural pronoun in Middle English; now regarded as an abbreviation of them.

em- /ɪm, ɛm/

prefix

variant spelling of en-1, en-2 assimilated before b, p (as in emblazon, emplacement).

emaciated /ɪˈmeɪsɪeɪtɪd/

I. adjective

abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food

• she was so emaciated she could hardly stand.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin emaciat- ‘made thin’, from the verb emaciare, from e- (variant of ex-, expressing a change of state) + macies ‘leanness’.

emaciation /ɪˌmeɪsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being abnormally thin or weak

• thin to the point of emaciation.

email /ˈiːmeɪl / e-mail

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. messages distributed by electronic means from one computer user to one or more recipients via a network

• reading email has become the first task of the morning

• [ count noun] we received thousands of emails

• [as modifier] email messages.

2. the system of sending messages by electronic means

• a contract communicated by email.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. send an email to (someone).

• you can email me at my normal address.

• [no obj.] call, fax, or email for a free demo.

2. send (a message) by email.

• employees can email the results back.

III. derivatives

emailer

noun

– origin 1970s: abbreviation of electronic mail.

emalangeni

plural form of lilangeni.

emanate /ˈɛməneɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( emanate from)

1. (of a feeling, quality, or sensation) issue or spread out from (a source)

• warmth emanated from the fireplace

• she felt an undeniable charm emanating from him.

2. originate from; be produced by

• the proposals emanated from a committee.

3. [with obj.] — give out or emit (a feeling, quality, or sensation)

• he emanated a powerful brooding air.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin emanat- ‘flowed out’, from the verb emanare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + manare ‘to flow’.

emanation /ɛməˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. something which originates or issues from a source

• she saw the insults as emanations of his own tortured personality

• the commission is an emanation of the state.

2. [ mass noun] — the action or process of issuing from a source

• the risk of radon gas emanation.

3. a substance or form of radiation given off by something

• vaporous emanations wreathe the mill's foundations.

4. [Chemistry] ‹archaic› a radioactive gas formed by radioactive decay of a solid.

5. (in various mystical traditions) a being or force which is a manifestation of God.

• they believe that each human soul is an emanation of Godhood.

emancipate /ɪˈmansɪpeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. set free, especially from legal, social, or political restrictions

• the citizen must be emancipated from the obsessive secrecy of government.

2. [Law] set (a child) free from the authority of its parents.

• the plaintiffs had not been entirely emancipated from their father's control.

• (as adj. emancipated) an emancipated minor.

3. free (someone) from slavery.

• it is estimated that he emancipated 8,000 slaves.

II. derivatives

1. emancipator /ɪˈmansɪpeɪtə /

noun

2. emancipatory

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin emancipat- ‘transferred as property’, from the verb emancipare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + mancipium ‘slave’.

emancipated /ɪˈmansɪpeɪtɪd/

adjective

free from legal, social, or political restrictions; liberated

• emancipated young women.

emancipation /ɪˌmansɪˈpeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or process of being set free from legal, social, or political restrictions; liberation

• the social and political emancipation of women.

2. the freeing of someone from slavery.

• the early struggle for emancipation from slavery.

Emancipation Proclamation

(in the American Civil War) the announcement made by President Lincoln on 22 September 1862 emancipating all black slaves in states still engaged in rebellion against the Federal Union. Although implementation was strictly beyond Lincoln's powers, the declaration turned the war into a crusade against slavery.

emancipist /ɪˈmansɪpɪst/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› a convict who has served out their sentence or has been pardoned

• he married the daughter of a wealthy emancipist.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin emancipare ‘transfer as property’ + -ist (see emancipate).

emasculate /ɪˈmaskjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (usu. as adj. emasculated) — deprive (a man) of his male role or identity

• he feels emasculated, because he cannot control his sons' behaviour.

2. ‹archaic› castrate (a man or male animal).

3. [Botany] remove the anthers from (a flower).

4. make (someone or something) weaker or less effective

• the refusal to allow them to testify effectively emasculated the committee.

II. derivatives

1. emasculation /ɪmaskjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. emasculator

noun

3. emasculatory /ɪˈmaskjʊlət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin emasculat- ‘castrated’, from the verb emasculare, from e- (variant of ex-, expressing a change of state) + masculus ‘male’.

embalm /ɪmˈbɑːm, ɛmˈbɑːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often as noun embalming) — preserve (a corpse) from decay, originally with spices and now usually by arterial injection of a preservative

• the Egyptian method of embalming.

2. preserve (someone or something) in an unaltered state

• the band was all about revitalizing pop greats and embalming their legacy.

3. ‹archaic› give a pleasant fragrance to

• the buxom air, embalm'd with odours.

II. derivatives

1. embalmer /ɪmˈbɑːmə, ɛmˈbɑːmə /

noun

2. embalmment /ɪmˈbɑːmm(ə)nt, ɛmˈbɑːmm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French embaumer, from em- ‘in’ + baume ‘balm’, variant of basme (see balm).

embank /ɪmˈbaŋk, ɛmˈbaŋk/

verb — [with obj.]

1. construct a wall or bank of earth or stone in order to contain the course or flow of (a river).

• the government planned to dredge and embank stretches of the delta's main river.

2. construct a bank of earth or stone to carry (a road or railway) over low ground.
(as adj. embanked)

• the embanked railway line.

embankment /ɪmˈbaŋkm(ə)nt, ɛmˈbaŋkm(ə)nt/

noun

1. a wall or bank of earth or stone built to prevent a river flooding an area.
[in place names]

• Chelsea Embankment.

2. a bank of earth or stone built to carry a road or railway over an area of low ground.

• a railway embankment.

embargo /ɛmˈbɑːɡəʊ, ɪmˈbɑːɡəʊ/

I. noun

1. an official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country

• an embargo on grain sales

• an arms embargo.

2. an official ban on any activity.

• there is a complete embargo on taking photographs in court.

3. ‹historical› an order of a state forbidding foreign ships to enter, or any ships to leave, its ports

• an embargo laid by our Emperor upon all vessels whatsoever.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. impose an official ban on (trade or a country or commodity)

• all of these countries have been embargoed by the US.

2. officially ban the publication of

• documents of national security importance are routinely embargoed.

3. ‹archaic› seize (a ship or goods) for state service.

• they must embargo means of transport.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Spanish, from embargar ‘arrest’, based on Latin in- ‘in, within’ + barra ‘a bar’.

embark /ɪmˈbɑːk, ɛmˈbɑːk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. go on board a ship or aircraft

• he embarked for India in 1817.

2. [with obj.] — put or take on board a ship or aircraft

• the passengers were ready to be embarked.

3. ( embark on/upon) — begin (a course of action)

• she embarked on a new career.

II. derivatives

embarkation /ɛmbɑːˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French embarquer, from em- ‘in’ + barque ‘bark, ship’.

embarras de richesses /ɒmbaˌrɑː də riːˈʃɛs / embarras de choix /ˈʃwɑː/

I. noun

more options or resources than one knows what to do with

• he had presented us with an embarras de richesses of history and culture.

– origin French, ‘embarrassment of riches (or choice)’.

embarrass /ɪmˈbarəs, ɛmˈbarəs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to feel awkward, self-conscious, or ashamed

• she wouldn't embarrass either of them by making a scene.

2. ( be embarrassed) — be caused financial difficulties

• he would be embarrassed by estate duty.

3. ‹archaic› hamper or impede (a person or action)

• the state of the rivers will embarrass the enemy.

4. ‹archaic› make difficult or intricate; complicate.

• I do not apprehend that this case will be embarrassed by that decision.

– origin early 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French embarrasser, from Spanish embarazar, probably from Portuguese embaraçar (from baraço ‘halter’).

embarrassed /ɪmˈbarəst, ɛmˈbarəst/

I. adjective

1. feeling or showing embarrassment

• I felt quite embarrassed whenever I talked to her

• an embarrassed silence.

2. having or showing financial difficulties.

• he had to sort out the embarrassed financial affairs of his brother.

II. derivatives

embarrassedly

adverb

embarrassing /ɪmˈbarəsɪŋ, ɛmˈbarəsɪŋ/

adjective

causing embarrassment

• an embarrassing muddle.

embarrassingly /ɪmˈbarəsɪŋli, ɛmˈbarəsɪŋli/

adverb

in a manner or to a degree that causes self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness

• the lie was embarrassingly exposed last December

• [as submodifier] embarrassingly awful lyrics

• [ sentence adverb] another new student whose name, most embarrassingly, escapes me.

embarrassment /ɪmˈbarəsmənt, ɛmˈbarəsmənt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness

• I turned red with embarrassment.

2. [ count noun] — a person or thing causing feelings of embarrassment

• he was an embarrassment who was safely left ignored

• her extreme views might be an embarrassment to the movement.

3. financial difficulty

• his temporary financial embarrassment.

II. phrases

an embarrassment of riches (or choice)

more options or resources than one knows what to do with

• picking a highlight from such an embarrassment of riches is hard.

• there is an embarrassment of intellectual riches in the two anthologies.

• as consumers we have an embarrassment of choice.

embassage /ˈɛmbəsɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› the business or message of an envoy.
[ count noun]

• he listened to this late embassage.

• [ mass noun] envoys of uncertain embassage.

2. ‹archaic› a deputation sent to or on behalf of a head of state.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting the action of sending an envoy): from Old French ambasse ‘message or embassy’ + -age.

embassy /ˈɛmbəsi/

I. noun

1. the official residence or offices of an ambassador

• the Chilean embassy in Moscow.

2. the staff working in an embassy.

• the embassy denied any involvement in the murder.

3. ‹chiefly historical› a deputation or mission sent by one ruler or state to another.

• Worsley failed to be selected to join the embassy to Sweden.

– origin late 16th cent. (originally also as ambassy denoting the position of ambassador): from Old French ambasse, based on Latin ambactus ‘servant’. Compare with ambassador.

embattle /ɪmˈbat(ə)l, ɛmˈbat(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› make (an army) ready for battle

• it was three o'clock before the king's army was embattled.

2. ‹archaic› fortify (a building or place) against attack.

• fear builds castles and embattles cities.

– origin Middle English: from Old French embataillier.

embattled /ɪmˈbatld/

adjective

1. (of a place or people) involved in or prepared for war, especially because surrounded by enemy forces

• the embattled northern province.

2. (of a person) beset by problems or difficulties

• the worst may not be over for the embattled Chancellor.

3. (of a building or part of a building) having battlements

• the church has a low embattled tower.

4. [ postpositive] — [Heraldry] divided or edged by a line of square notches like battlements in outline.

embay /ɪmˈbeɪ, ɛmˈbeɪ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. (of the wind) force (a boat) into a bay

• ships were embayed between two headlands.

2. [chiefly Geology] enclose (something) in a recess or hollow.

3. (as adj. embayed) — formed into bays

• the embayed island.

embayment /ɛmˈbeɪm(ə)nt/

noun

a recess in a coastline forming a bay.

• the embayments that dent the southern Peloponnesian coasts.

embed /ɪmˈbɛd, ɛmˈbɛd / imbed

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. fix (an object) firmly and deeply in a surrounding mass

• he had an operation to remove a nail embedded in his chest.

2. implant (an idea or feeling) so that it becomes ingrained within a particular context

• the Victorian values embedded in Tennyson's poetry.

3. [Linguistics] place (a phrase or clause) within another clause or sentence.
(as adj. embedded)

• the embedded sentence has no overt introducer.

4. [Computing] incorporate (a text or code) within the body of a file or document.

• this is the standard way of embedding data in your program.

5. (often as adj. embedded) — design and build (a microprocessor) as an integral part of a system or device.

• it eliminates the need for an embedded controller on the plotter.

6. attach (a journalist) to a military unit during a conflict

• the CNN correspondent is now embedded with the US Navy aboard the USS Constellation

• (as adj. embedded) check out the excellent blog of embedded journalist Michael.

II. noun

a journalist who is attached to a military unit during a conflict.

III. derivatives

embedment

noun

embeddedness /ɪmˈbɛdɪdnəs, ɛmˈbɛdɪdnəs / imbeddedness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being firmly and deeply ingrained or fixed in place

• the cultural embeddedness of economic and political practices.

embellish /ɪmˈbɛlɪʃ, ɛmˈbɛlɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative details or features

• blue silk embellished with golden embroidery.

2. make (a statement or story) more interesting by adding extra details that are often untrue

• followers often embellish stories about their heroes.

II. derivatives

embellisher

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French embelliss-, lengthened stem of embellir, based on bel ‘handsome’, from Latin bellus.

embellishment /ɪmˈbɛlɪʃm(ə)nt, ɛmˈbɛlɪʃm(ə)nt/

noun

1. a decorative detail or feature added to something to make it more attractive

• architectural embellishments.

2. a detail, especially one that is untrue, added to a statement or story to make it more interesting.

• stripped of her embellishments, the core of hard fact was disappointingly small.

3. [ mass noun] — the action of adding decorative details.

• the embellishment of church interiors through the use of the visual arts.

ember /ˈɛmbə/

I. noun — (usu. embers)

1. a small piece of burning or glowing coal or wood in a dying fire

• the dying embers in the grate

• ‹figurative› the flickering embers of nationalism.

– origin Old English ǣmyrge, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German eimuria ‘pyre’, Danish emmer, Swedish mörja ‘embers’. The b was added in English for ease of pronunciation.

Ember day

I. noun

any of a number of days reserved for fasting and prayer in the Western Christian Church. Ember days traditionally comprise the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday following St Lucy's Day (13 December), the first Sunday in Lent, Pentecost (Whitsun), and Holy Cross Day (14 September), though other days are observed locally.

– origin Old English ymbren, perhaps an alteration of ymbryne ‘period’, from ymb ‘about’ + ryne ‘course’, perhaps influenced in part by ecclesiastical Latin quatuor tempora ‘four periods’ (on which the equivalent German Quatember is based).

embezzle /ɪmˈbɛz(ə)l, ɛmˈbɛz(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. steal or misappropriate (money placed in one's trust or belonging to the organization for which one works)

• she had embezzled £5,600,000 in company funds.

II. derivatives

embezzler /ɪmˈbɛz(ə)lə, ɛmˈbɛzlə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘steal’): from Anglo-Norman French embesiler, from besiler in the same sense (compare with Old French besillier ‘maltreat, ravage’), of unknown ultimate origin. The current sense dates from the late 16th cent.

embezzlement /ɛmˈbɛzlm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one's trust or belonging to one's employer

• charges of fraud and embezzlement.

Embioptera /ˌɛmbʌɪˈɒptərə/

I. plural noun

[Entomology] a small order of insects that comprises the web-spinners.

II. derivatives

embiopteran

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Embia (genus name) + Greek pteron ‘wing’.

embitter /ɪmˈbɪtə, ɛmˈbɪtə/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. embittered)

1. make (someone) feel bitter or resentful

• he died an embittered man.

II. derivatives

embitterment /ɪmˈbɪtəm(ə)nt, ɛmˈbɪtəm(ə)nt /

noun

emblazon /ɪmˈbleɪz(ə)n, ɛmˈbleɪz(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of place]

1. conspicuously inscribe or display a design on

• T-shirts emblazoned with the names of baseball teams.

2. depict (a heraldic device) on something

• the Queen's coat of arms is emblazoned on the door panel.

3. ‹archaic› celebrate or extol publicly

• their success was emblazoned.

II. derivatives

emblazonment

noun

emblem /ˈɛmbləm/

I. noun

1. a heraldic device or symbolic object as a distinctive badge of a nation, organization, or family

• America's national emblem, the bald eagle.

2. ( emblem of) — a thing serving as a symbol of a particular quality or concept

• our child would be a dazzling emblem of our love.

– origin late 16th cent. (as a verb): from Latin emblema ‘inlaid work, raised ornament’, from Greek emblēma ‘insertion’, from emballein ‘throw in, insert’, from em- ‘in’ + ballein ‘to throw’.

emblematic /ˌɛmbləˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

serving as a symbol of a particular quality or concept; symbolic

• this case is emblematic of a larger problem.

II. derivatives

1. emblematical

adjective

2. emblematically

adverb

emblematist /ɛmˈblɛmətɪst/

noun

a creator or user of emblems, especially in allegorical pictures.

emblematize /ɛmˈblɛmətʌɪz / emblematise

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› serve as a symbol of (a quality or concept).

• the poet sees her lover in terms that emblematize both beauty and poetic skill.

emblem book

noun

a book of a kind popular in medieval and Renaissance Europe, containing drawings accompanied by allegorical interpretations.

emblements /ˈɛmblɪm(ə)nts/

I. plural noun

[Law] ‹rare› the profit from crops that one has sown, regarded as personal property.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French emblaement, from emblaier ‘sow with corn’ (based on blé ‘corn’).

embodiment /ɪmˈbɒdimənt/

noun

1. a tangible or visible form of an idea, quality, or feeling

• she seemed to be a living embodiment of vitality.

2. [ mass noun] — the representation or expression of something in a tangible or visible form

• it was in Germany alone that his hope seemed capable of embodiment.

embody /ɪmˈbɒdi, ɛmˈbɒdi/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. be an expression of or give a tangible or visible form to (an idea, quality, or feeling)

• a national team that embodies competitive spirit and skill.

2. provide (a spirit) with a physical form.

• nothing of the personality of the Spirit as embodied in Jesus will be lost.

3. include or contain (something) as a constituent part

• the changes in law embodied in the Children Act.

4. ‹archaic› form (people) into a body, especially for military purposes.

• Livius embodied the population of the town.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from em- + body, on the pattern of Latin incorporare.

embolden /ɪmˈbəʊld(ə)n, ɛmˈbəʊld(ə)n/

verb — [with obj.]

1. give (someone) the courage or confidence to do something

• emboldened by the claret, he pressed his knee against hers.

2. cause (a piece of text) to appear in a bold typeface

• centre, embolden, and underline the heading.

embolectomy /ˌɛmbəˈlɛktəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. surgical removal of an embolus.

• some patients with this syndrome are unsuited for embolectomy.

• [ count noun] he had an embolectomy while in hospital.

embolism /ˈɛmbəlɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

[Medicine] obstruction of an artery, typically by a clot of blood or an air bubble.
[ mass noun]

• causes of cerebral embolism.

• [ count noun] one patient died of a pulmonary embolism.

– origin mid 19th cent.: via late Latin from Greek embolismos, from emballein ‘insert’.

embolization /ˌɛmbəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / embolisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the artificial or natural formation or development of an embolus.

embolus /ˈɛmbələs/

I. noun

a blood clot, air bubble, piece of fatty deposit, or other object which has been carried in the bloodstream to lodge in a vessel and cause an embolism.

II. derivatives

embolic /ɛmˈbɒlɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting something inserted or moving within another, specifically the plunger of a syringe): from Latin, literally ‘piston’, from Greek embolos ‘peg, stopper’. The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

embonpoint /ˌɒmbɒ̃ˈpwã/

I. noun

the plump or fleshy part of a person's body, in particular a woman's bosom.

• the lady of a certain age and uncertain embonpoint wore strapless black lace kept up by sheer determination.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French en bon point ‘in good condition’.

embosom /ɪmˈbʊz(ə)m, ɛmˈbʊz(ə)m/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› take or press (someone or something) to one's bosom; embrace.

• might he but pass the hours of shade embosomed by his Delphic maid.

2. ‹literary› surround (something) protectively.

• here is another fine meadow embosomed in the woods.

emboss /ɪmˈbɒs, ɛmˈbɒs/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. embossed)

1. carve, mould, or stamp a design on (a surface or object) so that it stands out in relief

• an embossed brass dish.

• the silverware is embossed with falcons.

2. carve, mould, or stamp (a design) on a surface or object

• a dull gold casing with the logo embossed on the front.

II. derivatives

embosser /ɪmˈbɒsə, ɛmˈbɒsə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from the Old French base of obsolete French embosser, from em- ‘into’ + boce ‘protuberance’.

embouchure /ˌɒmbʊˈʃʊə/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — [Music] the way in which a player applies their mouth to the mouthpiece of a brass or wind instrument, especially as it affects the production of the sound.

2. [ count noun] — the mouthpiece of a flute or a similar instrument.

3. ‹archaic› the mouth of a river or valley.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, from s'emboucher ‘discharge itself by the mouth’, from emboucher ‘put in or to the mouth’, from em- ‘into’ + bouche ‘mouth’.

embourgeoisement /ɒ̃ˈbʊəʒwɑːzmɒ̃, French ɑ̃buʀʒwazmɑ̃/

I. noun

the proliferation in a society of values perceived as characteristic of the middle class, especially of materialism.

– origin 1930s: French, from embourgeoiser ‘become or make bourgeois’.

embowel /ɪmˈbaʊ(ə)l, ɛmˈbaʊ(ə)l/

I. verb

archaic term for disembowel.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Old French emboweler, alteration of esboueler, from es- ‘out’ + bouel ‘bowel’.

embower /ɪmˈbaʊə, ɛmˈbaʊə/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› surround or shelter (a place or a person), especially with trees or climbing plants

• the house stood remote, embowered in trees.

embrace /ɪmˈbreɪs, ɛmˈbreɪs/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — hold (someone) closely in one's arms, especially as a sign of affection

• Aunt Sophie embraced her warmly

• [no obj.] the two embraced, holding each other tightly.

2. accept (a belief, theory, or change) willingly and enthusiastically

• besides traditional methods, artists are embracing new technology.

3. include or contain (something) as a constituent part

• his career embraces a number of activities—composing, playing, and acting.

II. noun

1. an act of holding someone closely in one's arms

• they were locked in an embrace.

2. used to refer to something which is regarded as surrounding, holding, or restricting someone

• totalitarianism has meant that no interest falls outside the embrace of the state.

3. [in sing.] — an act of accepting something willingly or enthusiastically

• their eager embrace of foreign influences.

III. derivatives

1. embraceable

adjective

2. embracement /ɪmˈbreɪsm(ə)nt, ɛmˈbreɪsm(ə)nt /

noun

3. embracer

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘encircle, surround, enclose’; formerly also as imbrace): from Old French embracer, based on Latin in- ‘in’ + bracchium ‘arm’.

embrasure /ɪmˈbreɪʒə, ɛmˈbreɪʒə/

I. noun

an opening in a wall or parapet which is bevelled or splayed out on the inside, typically one around a window or door.

II. derivatives

embrasured

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from obsolete embraser (earlier form of ébraser) ‘widen a door or window opening’, of unknown ultimate origin.

embrittle

I. verb

make or become brittle.
[with obj.]

• it was found that cotton and rayon could be made crease resisting, although the products were greatly embrittled.

• [no obj.] the joints do not embrittle in extreme cold.

II. derivatives

embrittlement

noun

embrocate /ˈɛmbrəkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› bathe (a diseased or painful part of the body) with liquid.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin embrocat-, from the verb embrocare, based on Greek embrokhē ‘lotion’.

embrocation /ˌɛmbrəˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a liquid used for rubbing on the body to relieve pain from sprains and strains.
[ mass noun]

• a bottle of embrocation.

• [ count noun] a range of embrocations, tinctures, syrups, and tisanes.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin embrocatio(n-), from the verb embrocare, based on Greek embrokhē ‘lotion’.

embroider /ɪmˈbrɔɪdə, ɛmˈbrɔɪdə/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — decorate (cloth) by sewing patterns on it with thread

• she embroidered a tablecloth

• (as adj. embroidered) an embroidered handkerchief

• [no obj.] she was teaching the girls how to embroider.

2. sew (a design) on cloth with thread
(as adj. embroidered)

• a chunky sweater with embroidered flowers.

3. add fictitious or exaggerated details to (an account) to make it more interesting

• she embroidered her stories with colourful detail.

II. derivatives

embroiderer /ɪmˈbrɔɪdərə, ɛmˈbrɔɪdərə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French enbrouder, from en- ‘in, on’ + Old French brouder, broisder ‘decorate with embroidery’, of Germanic origin.

embroidery /ɪmˈbrɔɪd(ə)ri, ɛmˈbrɔɪd(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art or pastime of embroidering cloth.

• my mother decided I should learn embroidery.

2. cloth decorated with embroidered designs.

• the bazaars stock a wide variety of embroidery.

• [ count noun] she frequently exhibited embroideries.

3. embellishment or exaggeration in the description of an event

• fanciful embroidery of the facts.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French enbrouderie, from enbrouder ‘embroider’.

embroil /ɪmˈbrɔɪl, ɛmˈbrɔɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. involve (someone) deeply in an argument, conflict, or difficult situation

• the organization is currently embroiled in running battles with pressure groups

• the film's about a journalist who becomes embroiled with a nightclub owner.

2. ‹archaic› bring into a state of confusion or disorder.

• what merit do you claim for having embroiled everything in which you are concerned?

II. derivatives

embroilment /ɪmˈbrɔɪlm(ə)nt, ɛmˈbrɔɪlm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from French embrouiller ‘to muddle’.

embryo /ˈɛmbrɪəʊ/

I. noun

1. an unborn or unhatched offspring in the process of development.

2. an unborn human, especially in the first eight weeks from conception, after implantation but before all the organs are developed.
Compare with fetus.

3. [Botany] the part of a seed which develops into a plant, consisting (in the mature embryo of a higher plant) of a plumule, a radicle, and one or two cotyledons.

4. a thing at a rudimentary stage that shows potential for development

• a simple commodity economy is merely the embryo of a capitalist economy

• [as modifier] an embryo central bank.

II. phrases

in embryo

at a rudimentary stage with the potential for development.

• the nations of modern Europe can be discerned in embryo by the end of the first millennium.

III. derivatives

1. embryonal /ˈɛmbrɪən(ə)l /

adjective

2. embryoid

adjective

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek embruon ‘fetus’, from em- ‘into’ + bruein ‘swell, grow’.

embryo-

combining form

representing embryo.

embryogenesis /ˌɛmbrɪə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the formation and development of an embryo.

II. derivatives

1. embryogenic

adjective

2. embryogeny /ˌɛmbrɪˈɒdʒəni /

noun

embryology /ˌɛmbrɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of biology and medicine concerned with the study of embryos and their development.

II. derivatives

1. embryologic

adjective

2. embryological /ˌɛmbrɪəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

3. embryologically

adverb

4. embryologist /ˌɛmbriˈɒlədʒɪst /

noun

embryonated /ˈɛmbrɪəneɪtɪd/

adjective

‹technical› (of an egg) having developed into an embryo.

• embryonated chicken eggs would support the growth of a variety of viruses.

embryonic /ˌɛmbrɪˈɒnɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to an embryo.

• slight differences in embryonic development.

2. (of a system, idea, or organization) in a rudimentary stage with potential for development

• the plan is still in its embryonic stages.

II. derivatives

embryonically

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from late Latin embryo, embryon- ‘embryo’ + -ic.

embus /ɪmˈbʌs, ɛmˈbʌs/

verb

[Military] board or put on to a bus.
[no obj.]

• troops had on arrival embussed for an unknown destination.

• [with obj.] there are drills for embussing a party.

emcee /ɛmˈsiː / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. a master of ceremonies.

• a tuxedoed emcee strode to the middle of the stage.

2. an MC at a club or party.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — act as a master of ceremonies at (an entertainment or large social occasion).

• he was scheduled to emcee Sunday's award show.

2. [no obj.] — perform as an MC
(as noun emceeing)

• a three-hour-long mix of DJ'ing and emceeing.

– origin 1930s (originally US): representing a pronunciation of MC.

em dash

noun

another term for em rule.

-eme

I. suffix

[Linguistics] forming nouns denoting linguistic units that are in systemic contrast with one other

• grapheme

• phoneme.

– origin abstracted from phoneme.

emend /ɪˈmɛnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make corrections and revisions to (a text).

• these studies show him collating manuscripts and emending texts.

2. alter (something that is incorrect)

• the year of his death might need to be emended to 652.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin emendare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + menda ‘a fault’. Compare with amend.

emendation /ˌiːmɛnˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of making a revision or correction to a text.

2. [ count noun] — a correction or revision to a text

• here are some suggested emendations.

emerald /ˈɛm(ə)r(ə)ld/

I. noun

1. a bright green precious stone consisting of a chromium-rich variety of beryl
[as modifier]

• an emerald necklace.

2. (also emerald green) [ mass noun] — a bright green colour

• the sea glistened in shades of emerald and jade.

3. (also emerald moth) — a slender-bodied green moth, the colour of which tends to fade as the moth ages.
●Several genera in the family Geometridae.

4. a hawker dragonfly with a metallic green body.
● Cordulia and other genera, family Corduliidae.

5. a small hummingbird with bright metallic green plumage and darker wings and tail, found mainly in the area of the Caribbean and Central America.
●Three genera, in particular Chlorostilbon and Amazilia, family Trochilidae: numerous species.

II. adjective

bright green in colour

• beyond the airport lay emerald hills.

– origin Middle English: from Old French e(s)meraud, ultimately via Latin from Greek ( s)maragdos, via Prakrit from Semitic (compare with Hebrew bāreqeṯ, from bāraq ‘flash, sparkle’).

emerald-cut

adjective

(of a gem) cut in a square shape with stepped facets.

Emerald Isle

( the Emerald Isle)

1. a name for Ireland

• the race took place in Galway, on the west coast of the Emerald Isle.

emerge /ɪˈməːdʒ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. move out of or away from something and become visible

• black ravens emerged from the fog.

2. (of an insect or other invertebrate) break out from an egg, cocoon, or pupal case.

• the larvae pupate among the roots of trees to emerge as the adults.

3. become apparent or prominent

• United have emerged as the bookies' clear favourite

• (as adj. emerging) established and emerging artists.

4. (of facts) become known

• reports of a deadlock emerged during preliminary discussions

• [with clause] it emerged that the PM and the Chancellor are still at loggerheads.

5. recover from or survive a difficult situation

• the economy has started to emerge from recession.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘become known, come to light’): from Latin emergere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out, forth’ + mergere ‘to dip’.

emergence /ɪˈməːdʒ(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of becoming visible after being concealed

• I misjudged the timing of my emergence.

2. the escape of an insect or other invertebrate from an egg, cocoon, or pupal case.

• the parasite's eggs hatch synchronously with the emergence of the wasp larvae.

3. the process of coming into existence or prominence

• the emergence of the environmental movement.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘unforeseen occurrence’): from medieval Latin emergentia, from Latin emergere ‘bring to light’ (see emerge).

emergency /ɪˈməːdʒ(ə)nsi/

I. noun

1. a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action

• personal alarms for use in an emergency

• [ mass noun] survival packs were carried in case of emergency.

2. [as modifier] — arising from or used in an emergency

• an emergency operation to save his sight

• around 1 in 8 adults have no savings at all, not even an emergency fund.

3. a person with a medical condition requiring immediate treatment.

• the hospital treated two hundred emergencies.

4. (N. Amer.) the department in a hospital which provides immediate treatment

• a doctor in emergency cleaned the wound.

5. ( the Emergency) — (Irish) ‹historical› the Second World War.

6. (Austral./NZ) a reserve runner in horse racing.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin emergentia, from Latin emergere ‘arise, bring to light’ (see emerge).

emergency cord

noun

a cord or chain on a train which a passenger may pull in an emergency, causing the train to brake.

emergency exit

noun

a designated way out of a building or vehicle, to be used for escape in the event of an emergency

• on the plane, I was extremely fortunate to be seated directly in front of an emergency exit.

emergency room

noun

(N. Amer.) the casualty department of a hospital.

emergency services

plural noun

(Brit.) the public organizations that respond to and deal with emergencies when they occur, especially the ambulance service, the police, and the fire brigade.

emergent /ɪˈməːdʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. in the process of coming into being or becoming prominent

• the emergent democracies of eastern Europe.

2. [Philosophy] (of a property) arising as an effect of complex causes and not analysable simply as the sum of their effects.

3. [Ecology] of or denoting a plant which is taller than the surrounding vegetation, especially a tall tree in a forest.

4. of or denoting a water plant with leaves and flowers that appear above the water surface.

II. noun

1. [Philosophy] an emergent property.

• knowledge is an emergent of this interactive process.

2. [Ecology] an emergent tree or other plant.

• emergents tower above the top canopy.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘occurring unexpectedly’): from Latin emergent- ‘arising from’, from the verb emergere (see emerge).

emeritus /ɪˈmɛrɪtəs, iːˈmɛrɪtəs/

I. adjective

(of the former holder of an office, especially a university professor) having retired but allowed to retain their title as an honour

• emeritus professor of microbiology

• [ postpositive] the National Gallery's director emeritus.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin, past participle of emereri ‘earn one's discharge by service’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of, from’ + mereri ‘earn’.

emerse /ɪˈməːs/

I. adjective

[Botany] denoting or characteristic of an aquatic plant reaching above the surface of the water.

• the emerse leaves when developed are heart-shaped.

Contrasted with submerse.

II. derivatives

emersed

adjective

– origin late 17th cent. (as emersed): from Latin emersus ‘arisen’, past participle of emergere (see emerge).

emersion /ɪˈməːʃ(ə)n, iːˈməːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of emerging from water after being submerged.

• some coral species can survive emersion for up to three hours.

2. [Astronomy] the reappearance of a celestial body after its eclipse or occultation.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin emersio(n-), from Latin emergere (see emerge).

Emerson, Ralph Waldo /ˈɛməs(ə)n/

(1803–82), American philosopher and poet. He evolved the concept of Transcendentalism, which found expression in his essay Nature (1836).

emery /ˈɛm(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a greyish-black form of corundum containing iron oxide or other impurities, used in powdered form as an abrasive.

2. [as modifier] — denoting materials coated with emery for polishing, smoothing, or grinding

• emery paper.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French émeri, from Old French esmeri, from Italian smeriglio, based on Greek smuris, smiris ‘polishing powder’.

emery board

noun

a strip of thin wood or card coated with emery or another abrasive and used as a nail file.

Emesa /ˈɛməsə/

a city in ancient Syria, on the River Orontes on the site of present-day Homs. It was famous for its temple to the sun god Elah-Gabal.

emesis /ˈɛmɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› the action or process of vomiting.

• the drug allows you to control emesis.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek, from emein ‘to vomit’.

emetic /ɪˈmɛtɪk/

I. adjective

(of a substance) causing vomiting.

II. noun

a medicine or other substance which causes vomiting.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek emetikos, from emein ‘to vomit’.

emetine /ˈɛmɪtiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alkaloid present in ipecacuanha and formerly used in the treatment of amoebic infections and as an emetic in aversion therapy.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek emetos ‘vomiting’ + -ine^4.

EMF

abbreviation

1. electromagnetic field(s).

2. ( emf) — electromotive force.

3. European Monetary Fund.

EMG

abbreviation

electromyogram or electromyography.

emic /ˈiːmɪk/

I. adjective

[Anthropology] studying or describing a particular language or culture in terms of its internal elements and their functioning rather than in terms of any existing external scheme.

• accurate ethnographic description from an internal or emic perspective, from the native point of view.

Often contrasted with etic.

– origin 1950s: abstracted from such words as phonemic (see phoneme) and systemic.

emigrant /ˈɛmɪɡr(ə)nt/

I. noun

a person who leaves their own country in order to settle permanently in another.

• she was a Polish emigrant who came to Scotland during the Second World War.

• [as modifier] emigrant workers.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin emigrant- ‘migrating from’, from the verb emigrare (see emigrate).

emigrate /ˈɛmɪɡreɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. leave one's own country in order to settle permanently in another

• Rose's parents emigrated to Australia.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin emigrat- ‘emigrated’, from the verb emigrare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + migrare ‘migrate’.

emigration /ˌɛmɪˈɡreɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the act of leaving one's own country to settle permanently in another; moving abroad

• mass emigration from Ireland to the United States.

émigré /ˈɛmɪɡreɪ/

I. noun

a person who has left their own country in order to settle in another, typically for political reasons.

• Soviet émigrés and defectors.

• [as modifier] émigré life.

– origin late 18th cent. (originally denoting a person escaping the French Revolution): French, past participle of émigrer ‘emigrate’.

Emi Koussi /ˌeɪmi ˈkuːsi/

a volcanic mountain in the Sahara, in northern Chad, the highest peak in the Tibesti Mountains.

Emilia-Romagna /ɛˌmiːljərəʊˈmɑːnjə, Italian eˈmilia roˈmaɲɲa/

a region of northern Italy; capital, Bologna.

eminence /ˈɛmɪnəns/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — fame or acknowledged superiority within a particular sphere

• her eminence in cinematography.

2. [ count noun] — an important or distinguished person

• the Lord Chancellor canvassed the views of various legal eminences.

3. ( His/Your Eminence) — a title or form of address given to a Roman Catholic cardinal

• His Eminence, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.

4. ‹formal› ‹literary› a piece of rising ground

• an eminence commanding the River Emme.

5. [Anatomy] a slight projection from the surface of the body.

• a swelling on the lower surface of the brain termed the median eminence.

– origin Middle English: from Latin eminentia, from eminere ‘jut, project’.

éminence grise /ˌɛmɪnɒ̃s ˈɡriːz/

I. noun

a person who exercises power or influence in a certain sphere without holding an official position.

• for years he has been an éminence grise operating in the shadows of party policy-making.

– origin 1930s: French, literally ‘grey eminence’. The term was originally applied to Cardinal Richelieu's grey-cloaked private secretary, Père Joseph (1577–1638).

eminent /ˈɛmɪnənt/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) famous and respected within a particular sphere

• one of the world's most eminent statisticians.

2. [ attrib.] — (of a positive quality) present to a notable degree

• the book's scholarship and eminent readability.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin eminent- ‘jutting, projecting’, from the verb eminere.

eminent domain

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the right of a government or its agent to expropriate private property for public use, with payment of compensation. In the UK it is used chiefly of international law, whereas in the US it is used of federal and state governments.

eminently /ˈɛmɪnəntli/

adverb — [often as submodifier]

1. to a notable degree; very

• an eminently readable textbook.

emir /ɛˈmiːə / amir

I. noun

1. a title of various Muslim (mainly Arab) rulers

• HRH the Emir of Kuwait.

2. ‹historical› a Muslim (usually Arab) military commander or local chief.

• emirs giving nominal allegiance to the caliph.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting a male descendant of Muhammad): from French émir, from Arabic 'amīr (see amir).

emirate /ˈɛmɪrət/

noun

the rank, lands, or reign of an emir.
[as name]

• the United Arab Emirates.

Emirati /ɛmɪˈrɑːti/

I. noun

a citizen or inhabitant of the United Arab Emirates

• the number of Emiratis marrying foreigners had risen by 10 per cent.

II. adjective

relating to the United Arab Emirates or its citizens

• Emirati families

• a menu of traditional Emirati fare.

emissary /ˈɛmɪs(ə)ri/

I. noun

a person sent as a diplomatic representative on a special mission.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin emissarius ‘scout, spy’, from emittere ‘send out’ (see emit).

emission /ɪˈmɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the production and discharge of something, especially gas or radiation

• the effects of lead emission on health

• [ count noun] cuts in carbon dioxide emissions.

2. [ count noun] — an ejaculation of semen.

• nocturnal emissions.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘emanation’): from Latin emissio(n-), from emiss- ‘sent out’, from the verb emittere (see emit).

emission nebula

noun

[Astronomy] a nebula that shines with its own light.

emission spectrum

noun

a spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by a source.
Compare with absorption spectrum.

emissions trading /ɪˈmɪʃnzˌtreɪdɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system by which countries and organizations receive permits to produce a specified amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which they may trade with others.

emissive /ɪˈmɪsɪv/

I. adjective

‹technical› having the power to radiate something, especially light, heat, or radiation.

II. derivatives

emissivity /iːmɪˈsɪvɪti /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘that is emitted’): from Latin emiss- ‘emitted, sent out’ (from the verb emittere) + -ive.

emit /ɪˈmɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. produce and discharge (something, especially gas or radiation)

• even the best cars emit carbon dioxide.

2. make (a sound)

• she emitted a sound like laughter.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin emittere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + mittere ‘send’.

emitter /ɪˈmɪtə/

noun

1. a thing which emits something.

• the country's largest emitter of airborne toxins.

• infrared emitters.

2. [Electronics] the region in a bipolar transistor that produces carriers of current.

Emmanuel /ɪˈmanjʊəl / Immanuel

the name given to Christ as the deliverer of Judah prophesied by Isaiah (Isa. 7:14, 8:8; Matt. 1:23).

emmenagogue /ɪˈmiːnəɡɒɡ, ɛˈmiːnəɡɒɡ/

I. noun

[Medicine] a substance that stimulates or increases menstrual flow.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Greek emmēna ‘menses’ + agōgos ‘eliciting’.

Emmental /ˈɛməntɑːl / Emmenthal

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of hard Swiss cheese with many holes in it, similar to Gruyère.

– origin from German Emmentaler, from Emmental, the name of a valley in Switzerland where the cheese was originally made.

emmer /ˈɛmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a long-established species of wheat with bearded ears and spikelets that each contain two grains, now grown mainly for fodder and breakfast cereals. Compare with einkorn, spelt^2.
● Triticum dicoccum, family Gramineae.

– origin early 20th cent.: from German, from Old High German amer ‘spelt’.

emmet /ˈɛmɪt/

I. noun

‹dialect› an ant.

– origin Old English ǣmete (see ant).

Emmy /ˈɛmi/

I. noun

(in the US) a statuette awarded annually to an outstanding television programme or performer.
[as modifier]

• an Emmy award.

– origin 1940s: said to be from Immy, short for image orthicon tube (a kind of television camera tube).

emo /ˈiːməʊ / emocore /ˈiːməʊkɔː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of rock music resembling punk but having more complex arrangements and lyrics that deal with more emotional subjects.

2. [ count noun] — an admirer of emo music or a member of the subculture associated with it

• I'm not one of those emos who are always crying—I just want to make that clear.

II. adjective

denoting or relating to emo and its associated subculture

• an emo band

• emo kids.

– origin 1990s: short for emotional hardcore.

emoji /ɪˈməʊdʒi/

I. noun

a small digital image or icon used to express an idea or emotion in electronic communication

• emoji liven up your text messages with tiny smiley faces.

– origin 1990s: Japanese, from e ‘picture’ + moji ‘letter, character’.

emollient /ɪˈmɒlɪənt/

I. adjective

1. having the quality of softening or soothing the skin.

• a rich emollient shampoo.

2. attempting to avoid confrontation or anger; calming or conciliatory

• the president's emollient approach to differences.

II. noun

a preparation that softens the skin.

• always moisturize exposed skin with an effective emollient.

III. derivatives

emollience

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin emollient- ‘making soft’, from the verb emollire, from e- (variant of ex- ‘out’) + mollis ‘soft’.

emolument /ɪˈmɒljʊm(ə)nt, ɛˈmɒljʊm(ə)nt/

I. noun — (usu. emoluments)

1. ‹formal› a salary, fee, or profit from employment or office

• the directors' emoluments.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin emolumentum, originally probably ‘payment to a miller for grinding corn’, from emolere ‘grind up’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out, thoroughly’ + molere ‘grind’.

Emona /ɪˈməʊnə/

Roman name for Ljubljana.

emote /ɪˈməʊt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (especially of an actor) portray emotion in a theatrical manner.

• the actors would emote for the camera.

II. derivatives

emoter

noun

– origin early 20th cent. (originally US): back-formation from emotion.

emoticon /ɪˈməʊtɪkɒn, ɪˈmɒtɪkɒn/

I. noun

a representation of a facial expression such as a smile or frown, formed by various combinations of keyboard characters and used in electronic communications to convey the writer's feelings or intended tone.

• flag your jokes with emoticons, such as a smiley face :-), to avoid misunderstandings.

– origin 1990s: blend of emotion and icon.

emotion /ɪˈməʊʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a strong feeling deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others

• she was attempting to control her emotions

• [ mass noun] his voice was shaky with emotion.

2. [ mass noun] — instinctive or intuitive feeling as distinguished from reasoning or knowledge

• responses have to be based on historical insight, not simply on emotion.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a public disturbance): from French émotion, from émouvoir ‘excite’, based on Latin emovere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + movere ‘move’. The current sense dates from the early 19th cent.

emotional /ɪˈməʊʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to a person's emotions

• gaining emotional support from relatives.

2. arousing or characterized by intense feeling

• an emotional speech.

3. (of a person) having feelings that are easily excited and openly displayed

• he was a strongly emotional young man.

II. derivatives

1. emotionalism /ɪˈməʊʃ(ə)n(ə)lɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. emotionalist

noun, adjective

3. emotionality /ɪməʊʃ(ə)ˈnalɪti /

noun

4. emotionalize emotionalise

verb

emotional intelligence

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically

• emotional intelligence is the key to both personal and professional success.

emotionally /ɪˈməʊʃ(ə)nəli/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to a person's emotions

• an opportunity for parent and child to connect emotionally

• Gill was emotionally unstable.

2. in a manner characterized by intense feeling

• staff reacted emotionally to the good news

• she spoke emotionally about her father.

emotional quotient

noun

the level of a person's emotional intelligence, often as represented by a score in a standardized test

• her emotional quotient was below average.

emotion-charged

adjective

(of an event, situation, etc.) filled with strong feelings or tension

• a thrilling, emotion-charged, five-set final

• the current emotion-charged discussion around parenting.

emotionless /ɪˈməʊʃnləs/

adjective

not showing any emotion; unemotional

• her voice was flat and emotionless.

emotive /ɪˈməʊtɪv/

I. adjective

1. arousing or able to arouse intense feeling

• animal experimentation is an emotive subject

• the issue has proved highly emotive.

2. expressing a person's feelings rather than being neutrally descriptive

• the comparisons are emotive rather than analytic.

II. derivatives

1. emotively

adverb

2. emotiveness /ɪˈməʊtɪvnəs /

noun

3. emotivity /ˌiːməʊˈtɪvɪti /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin emot- ‘moved’, from the verb emovere (see emotion). / usage: The words emotive and emotional share similarities but are not simply interchangeable. Emotive is used to mean ‘arousing intense feeling’, while emotional tends to mean ‘characterized by intense feeling’. Thus an emotive issue is one which is likely to arouse people's passions, while an emotional response is one which is itself full of passion. In sentences such as we took our emotive farewells the word emotive has been used in a context where emotional would be more appropriate.

emotivism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] an ethical theory which regards ethical and value judgements as expressions of feeling or attitude and prescriptions of action, rather than assertions or reports of anything.

II. derivatives

emotivist

noun

empanada /ˌɛmpəˈnɑːdə/

I. noun

a Spanish or Latin American pastry turnover filled with a variety of savoury ingredients and baked or fried.

– origin Spanish, feminine past participle (used as a noun) of empanar ‘roll in pastry’, based on Latin panis ‘bread’.

empanel /ɪmˈpan(ə)l, ɛmˈpan(ə)l / impanel

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. enlist or enrol (a jury).

2. enrol (someone) on to a jury.

• several of her friends have been empanelled.

II. derivatives

empanelment /ɪmˈpanlm(ə)nt, ɛmˈpanlm(ə)nt / impanelment

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French empaneller, from em- ‘in’ + Old French panel ‘panel’.

empath /ˈɛmpaθ/

noun

(chiefly in science fiction) a person with the paranormal ability to perceive the mental or emotional state of another individual.

empathetic /ɛmpəˈθɛtɪk/

I. adjective

showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another

• she's compassionate and empathetic towards her daughter

• I have been touched by the empathetic response to my bad luck.

II. derivatives

empathetically

adverb

empathic /ɛmˈpaθɪk/

I. adjective

showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another

• an attentive, empathic listener

• tears may elicit an empathic response in people.

II. derivatives

empathically

adverb

empathize /ˈɛmpəθʌɪz / empathise

verb — [no obj.]

1. understand and share the feelings of another

• counsellors need to be able to empathize with people.

empathy /ˈɛmpəθi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek empatheia (from em- ‘in’ + pathos ‘feeling’) translating German Einfühlung. / usage: People often confuse the words empathy and sympathy. Empathy means ‘the ability to understand and share the feelings of another’ (as in both authors have the skill to make you feel empathy with their heroines), whereas sympathy means ‘feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else's misfortune’ (as in they had great sympathy for the flood victims).

Empedocles /ɛmˈpɛdəkliːz/

( c. 493– c. 433 BC), Greek philosopher, born in Sicily. He taught that the universe is composed of fire, air, water, and earth, which mingle and separate under the influence of the opposing principles of Love and Strife. According to legend he leapt into the crater of Mount Etna in order that he might be thought a god.

empennage /ɛmˈpɛnɪdʒ/

I. noun

[Aeronautics] an arrangement of stabilizing surfaces at the tail of an aircraft.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, from empenner ‘to feather an arrow’, from em- ‘in’ + penne ‘a feather’ (from Latin penna).

emperor /ˈɛmp(ə)rə/

I. noun

1. a sovereign ruler of an empire

• he became emperor in 1930

• he is regarded as one of the greatest Roman emperors.

2. an orange and brown North American butterfly with a swift dodging flight, breeding chiefly on hackberries.
●Genus Asterocampa, subfamily Apaturinae, family Nymphalidae: several species, in particular the tawny emperor ( A. clyton). See also purple emperor.

II. phrases

the emperor's new clothes the emperor has no clothes

used in reference to a situation in which people believe or pretend to believe in the worth or importance of something that is worthless, or fear to point out an obvious truth that is counter to prevailing opinion

• is his white canvas a case of the emperor's new clothes or is it something beautiful, even moving?

• this is the first time that anyone has stripped his work of its rhetoric and shown that this particular emperor has no clothes.

[after the title of the story Kejserens nye klæder (1837) by the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen (first translated into English as The Emperor's New Clothes in 1846), in which an emperor is tricked into thinking he is wearing beautiful new clothes, which all his courtiers pretend to admire, until a boy points out that he is in fact naked.]

III. derivatives

emperorship

noun

– origin Middle English (especially representing the title given to the head of the Roman Empire): from Old French emperere, from Latin imperator ‘military commander’, from imperare ‘to command’, from in- ‘towards’ + parare ‘prepare, contrive’.

emperor moth

noun

a large moth of the silk moth family with eyespots on all four wings.
● Saturnia and other genera, family Saturniidae: several species, in particular the common European S. pavonia.

emperor penguin

noun

the largest penguin, which has a yellow patch on each side of the head and rears its young during the Antarctic winter.
● Aptenodytes forsteri, family Spheniscidae.

emphasis /ˈɛmfəsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. special importance, value, or prominence given to something

• they placed great emphasis on the individual's freedom

• [ count noun] different emphases and viewpoints.

2. stress given to a word or words when speaking to indicate particular importance.

• inflection and emphasis can change the meaning of what is said.

3. vigour or intensity of expression

• he spoke with emphasis and with complete conviction.

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek, originally ‘appearance, show’, later denoting a figure of speech in which more is implied than is said (the original sense in English), from emphainein ‘exhibit’, from em- ‘in, within’ + phainein ‘to show’.

emphasize /ˈɛmfəsʌɪz / emphasise

verb — [with obj.]

1. give special importance or value to (something) in speaking or writing

• they emphasize the need for daily, one-to-one contact between parent and child

• [with clause] I would emphasize that I am not an economist.

2. lay stress on (a word or phrase) when speaking.

• his father emphasized the wrong words in his sentence.

3. make (something) more clearly defined

• a hip-length jacket which emphasized her shape.

emphatic /ɪmˈfatɪk, ɛmˈfatɪk/

I. adjective

1. expressing something forcibly and clearly

• the children were emphatic that they would like to repeat the experience

• an emphatic movement of his hand.

2. (of an action or its result) definite and clear

• an emphatic World Cup win.

3. (of a word or syllable) bearing the stress.

4. [Linguistics] (of certain Arabic consonants) pronounced with both dental articulation and constriction of the pharynx.

II. noun

[Linguistics] an emphatic consonant.

– origin early 18th cent.: via late Latin from Greek emphatikos, from emphasis (see emphasis).

emphatically /ɪmˈfatɪkli/

adverb

1. in a forceful way.

• she closed the door behind her emphatically.

• ‘No way,’ he said emphatically.

2. [as submodifier] — without doubt; clearly

• Jane, though born in California, feels emphatically English

• [ sentence adverb] Greg is emphatically not a slacker.

emphysema /ˌɛmfɪˈsiːmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also pulmonary emphysema) — [Medicine] a condition in which the air sacs of the lungs are damaged and enlarged, causing breathlessness.

• smoking can lead to serious lung diseases such as emphysema.

2. [Medicine] a condition in which air is abnormally present within the body tissues.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in sense 2): via late Latin from Greek emphusēma, from emphusan ‘puff up’.

empire /ˈɛmpʌɪə/

I. noun

1. an extensive group of states or countries ruled over by a single monarch, an oligarchy, or a sovereign state
[in names]

• the Roman Empire.

2. [ mass noun] — supreme political power over several countries when exercised by a single authority

• he encouraged the Greeks in their dream of empire in Asia Minor.

3. an extensive sphere of activity controlled by one person or group

• the kitchen had once been the school dinner ladies' empire.

4. a large commercial organization owned or controlled by one person or group

• her business empire grew.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. denoting a style of furniture, decoration, or dress fashionable chiefly during the First Empire in France. The decorative style was neoclassical but marked by an interest in Egyptian and other ancient motifs.

2. (Brit.) ‹dated› denoting produce from the Commonwealth.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin imperium, related to imperare ‘to command’ (see emperor).

empire-building

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of obtaining more power, responsibility, or staff within an organization for the purposes of self-aggrandizement.

II. derivatives

empire builder /ˌɛmpʌɪə ˈbɪldə /

noun

Empire Day

noun

former name of Commonwealth Day.

empire line

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a style of women's clothing characterized by a waistline cut just under the bust and typically a low neckline, first popular during the First Empire

• empire-line dresses.

Empire State

informal name for the state of New York.

Empire State Building

a skyscraper on Fifth Avenue, New York City, which was for several decades the tallest building in the world. When first erected, in 1930–31, it measured 381 m (1,250 ft); it currently stands at approximately 443 m (1,454 feet).

Empire State of the South

informal name for the US state of Georgia.

empiric /ɛmˈpɪrɪk, ɪmˈpɪrɪk/

I. adjective

another term for empirical.

II. noun

1. ‹archaic› a person who, in medicine or other sciences, relies solely on observation and experiment.

2. ‹archaic› a quack doctor.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek empeirikos, from empeiria ‘experience’, from empeiros ‘skilled’ (based on peira ‘trial, experiment’).

empirical /ɛmˈpɪrɪk(ə)l, ɪmˈpɪrɪk(ə)l/

adjective

based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic

• they provided considerable empirical evidence to support their argument.

empirical formula

noun

[Chemistry] a formula giving the proportions of the elements present in a compound but not the actual numbers or arrangement of atoms.

empirically /ɛmˈpɪrɪkli, ɪmˈpɪrɪkli/

adverb

by means of observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic

• empirically tested methods

• only what was empirically verifiable could be accepted as true

• [ sentence adverb] empirically, the theory has a number of weaknesses.

empiricism /ɛmˈpɪrɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] the theory that all knowledge is based on experience derived from the senses. Stimulated by the rise of experimental science, it developed in the 17th and 18th centuries, expounded in particular by John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume.
Compare with phenomenalism.

empiricist /ɛmˈpɪrɪsɪst / ‹Philosophy›

I. noun

a person who supports the theory that all knowledge is based on experience derived from the senses

• most scientists are empiricists by nature.

II. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the theory that all knowledge is based on experience derived from the senses

• his radically empiricist view of science as a direct engagement with the world.

emplacement /ɪmˈpleɪsm(ə)nt, ɛmˈpleɪsm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a structure on or in which something is firmly placed.

• a machine bolted to a concrete emplacement.

2. a platform or defended position where a gun is placed for firing.

• a gun emplacement.

3. [ mass noun] — [chiefly Geology] the process or state of setting something in place or being set in place.

• the emplacement of granite intrusions.

• [ count noun] massive emplacements of magma.

II. derivatives

emplace

verb

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, from em- ‘in’ + place ‘a place’.

emplane enplane

verb

go or put on board an aircraft.
[no obj.]

• some travellers spend the night before emplaning the next day for New York.

• [with obj.] an airport that emplanes 100 passengers or more per day.

employ /ɪmˈplɔɪ, ɛmˈplɔɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give work to (someone) and pay them for it

• the firm employs 150 people

• [with obj. and infinitive] temporary staff can be employed to undertake the work

• (as adj. employed) 83 percent of employed people were working in full-time jobs.

2. keep occupied

• the newcomers are employed in developing the technology into a product.

3. make use of

• the methods they have employed to collect the data.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. the state of being employed for wages or a salary

• I started work in the employ of a grocer.

2. ‹archaic› employment

• her place of employ.

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as imploy): from Old French employer, based on Latin implicari ‘be involved in or attached to’, passive form of implicare (see imply). In the 16th and 17th cent. the word also had the senses ‘enfold, entangle’ and ‘imply’, derived directly from Latin; compare with implicate.

employable /ɪmˈplɔɪəb(ə)l, ɛmˈplɔɪəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. suitable for paid work

• they will emerge as highly employable graduates

• students with employable skills.

2. able to be used

• this report shows the attempts to incriminate me by whatever means employable.

II. derivatives

employability

noun

employee /ɛmplɔɪˈiː, ɛmˈplɔɪiː, ɪmˈplɔɪiː/

noun

a person employed for wages or salary, especially at non-executive level.

employer /ɪmˈplɔɪə, ɛmˈplɔɪə/

noun

a person or organization that employs people.

• the National Health Service was the largest employer in Europe.

employment /ɪmˈplɔɪm(ə)nt, ɛmˈplɔɪm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of having paid work

• a fall in the numbers in full-time employment.

2. the action of giving work to someone.

• the employment of a full-time tutor.

3. [ count noun] — a person's trade or profession.

• he travelled in a variety of employments.

4. the utilization of something

• economies can be made by the full employment of existing facilities.

employment agency

noun

a business that finds employers or employees for those seeking them.

employment office

noun

(in the UK) a government employment agency.

emporium /ɛmˈpɔːrɪəm, ɪmˈpɔːrɪəm/

I. noun

1. a large retail store selling a wide variety of goods.

2. ‹archaic› a centre of commerce; a market.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin, from Greek emporion, from emporos ‘merchant’, based on a stem meaning ‘to journey’.

empower /ɪmˈpaʊə, ɛmˈpaʊə/

verb — [with obj. and infinitive]

1. give (someone) the authority or power to do something

• members are empowered to audit the accounts of limited companies.

2. [with obj.] — make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights

• movements to empower the poor.

empowerment /ɛmˈpaʊəm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. authority or power given to someone to do something

• individuals are given empowerment to create their own dwellings.

2. the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights

• political steps for the empowerment of women

• a foundation to promote economic empowerment for poor communities.

empress /ˈɛmprəs/

I. noun

1. a female emperor.

• Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress at Delhi in 1877.

2. the wife or widow of an emperor.

• she became Empress of France as the wife of Napoleon III.

– origin Middle English: from Old French emperesse, feminine of emperere (see emperor).

empressement /ɒ̃ˈprɛsmɒ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› animated eagerness or friendliness; effusion.

• we are not overawed by the empressement with which they are presented.

– origin from French, from empresser ‘rush eagerly’.

Empson, Sir William /ˈɛmps(ə)n/

(1906–84), English poet and literary critic. His influential literary criticism includes Seven Types of Ambiguity (1930).

emptiness /ˈɛm(p)tɪnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of containing nothing

• the vast emptiness of space.

2. the quality of lacking meaning or sincerity; meaninglessness

• he realizes the emptiness of his statement.

3. the quality of having no value or purpose; futility

• feelings of emptiness and loneliness.

emptor /ˈɛmptə/

I. noun

‹rare› a person who makes a purchase; a buyer

• the gullible emptor had it coming for a long time.

– origin late 19th cent.: Latin, from emere ‘to buy’.

empty /ˈɛm(p)ti/

I. adjective

1. containing nothing; not filled or occupied

• she put down her empty cup

• the room was empty of furniture.

2. [Mathematics] (of a set) containing no members or elements.

3. (of words or a gesture) lacking meaning or sincerity.

• their promises were empty words.

4. having no value or purpose

• her life felt empty and meaningless.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove all the contents of (a container)

• we empty the till at closing time

• pockets were emptied of loose change.

2. remove (the contents) from a container

• he emptied out the contents of his briefcase.

3. [no obj.] — (of a place) be vacated by people in it

• the pub suddenly seemed to empty.

4. [no obj.] ( empty into) — (of a river) flow into (the sea or a lake).

• the river's southern stream emptied into the estuary.

III. noun

‹informal› a bottle or glass left empty of its contents.

• the barman collected the empties.

IV. phrases

1. be running on empty

have exhausted all of one's resources.

• he was running on empty and even the alcohol had worn off.

2. empty vessels make most noise (or sound)

‹proverb› those with least wisdom or knowledge are always the most talkative.

3. on an empty stomach

see stomach.

V. derivatives

emptily /ˈɛm(p)tɪli /

adverb

– origin Old English ǣmtig, ǣmetig ‘at leisure, empty’, from ǣmetta ‘leisure’, perhaps from ā ‘no, not’ + mōt ‘meeting’ (see moot).

empty calories

plural noun

calories derived from food containing no nutrients.

empty-handed /ˌɛmptɪˈhandɪd/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. having failed to obtain or achieve what one wanted

• the burglars fled empty-handed.

empty-headed

adjective

unintelligent and foolish

• an empty-headed bimbo.

empty nester

noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a parent whose children have grown up and left home.

empty-netter /ɛm(p)tiˈnɛtə/

noun

[Ice Hockey] ‹informal› a goal scored while the defending goalkeeper is not guarding their net

• he scored an empty-netter with 9.1 seconds left.

Empty Quarter

another name for Rub' al-Khali.

empty suit

noun

‹informal› (chiefly US) an important or wealthy man regarded as lacking substance, personality, or ability

• they're a bunch of Ivy League empty suits.

empurple /ɪmˈpəːp(ə)l, ɛmˈpəːp(ə)l/

verb

make or become purple
[no obj.]

• his face empurpled with fury.

empyema /ˌɛmpʌɪˈiːmə/

I. noun

[Medicine] the collection of pus in a cavity in the body, especially in the pleural cavity.
[ mass noun]

• the treatment of empyema.

• [ count noun] an empyema associated with liver abscesses.

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek empuēma, from empuein ‘suppurate’, from em- ‘in’ + puon ‘pus’.

empyrean /ˌɛmpʌɪˈriːən, ˌɛmpɪˈriːən, ɛmˈpɪrɪən/

I. adjective

of or relating to heaven.

• ‹figurative› the empyrean dictates of critical reasoning.

• ‹figurative› the third or empyrean heaven.

II. noun — ( the empyrean)

1. the highest part of heaven, thought by the ancients to be the realm of pure fire.

• the unapproachable splendour of the empyrean.

2. ‹literary› the visible heavens; the sky.

• we rose through the polluted air into the clear empyrean above.

III. derivatives

empyreal /ˌɛmpɪˈriːəl, ˌɛmpʌɪˈriːəl /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): via medieval Latin from Greek empurios, from en- ‘in’ + pur ‘fire’. The noun dates from the mid 17th cent.

em rule /ˈɛm ruːl/

noun

(Brit.) a long dash (—) used in punctuation.
Compare with en rule.

EMS

abbreviation

European Monetary System.

emu^1 /ˈiːmjuː/

I. noun

a large flightless fast-running Australian bird resembling the ostrich, with shaggy grey or brown plumage, bare blue skin on the head and neck, and three-toed feet.
● Dromaius novaehollandiae, the only member of the family Dromaiidae.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Portuguese ema. The word originally denoted the cassowary, later the greater rhea; current usage dates from the early 19th cent.

emu^2 /ˈiːmjuː/

abbreviation

1. (Brit.) electric multiple unit.

2. (Brit.) electromagnetic unit(s).

EMU

abbreviation

1. Economic and Monetary Union (or European Monetary Union).

2. (Brit.) electric multiple unit (train).

emu-bob

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Austral.) carry out a detailed search of an area

• the men form a line and emu-bob through the waist-high scrub

• [with obj.] after emu-bobbing the surroundings for potential clues, they return along the track.

– origin early 20th cent.: with allusion to the movements of an emu bending its neck towards the ground in search of food.

emu bush

noun

an Australian shrub that typically has reddish flowers and small oval fruits which are sometimes eaten by emus.
●Genus Eremophila, family Myoporaceae: several species.

emu dance

noun

(Austral.) an Aboriginal dance in which the movements of an emu are imitated

• his mother taught him the sacred emu dance.

emulate /ˈɛmjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. match or surpass (a person or achievement), typically by imitation

• most rulers wished to emulate Alexander the Great.

2. imitate

• hers is not a hairstyle I wish to emulate.

3. [Computing] reproduce the function or action of (a different computer, software system, etc.).

• the adaptor is factory set to emulate a Hercules graphics board.

II. derivatives

1. emulative /ˈɛmjʊlətɪv /

adjective

2. emulator /ˈɛmjʊleɪtə /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin aemulat- ‘rivalled, equalled’, from the verb aemulari, from aemulus ‘rival’.

emulation /ɛmjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. effort to match or surpass a person or achievement, typically by imitation

• their success is inspiring emulation from others

• a model worthy of emulation.

2. [Computing] reproduction of the function or action of a different computer, software system, etc.

• software emulation of complete systems

• [as modifier] an additional server is accessed via emulation software.

emulous /ˈɛmjʊləs/

I. adjective

1. ‹formal› seeking to emulate someone or something.

2. ‹formal› motivated by a spirit of rivalry

• emulous young writers.

II. derivatives

emulously

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘imitating’): from Latin aemulus ‘rival’. Current senses date from the mid 16th cent.

emulsifier /ɪˈmʌlsɪfʌɪə/

noun

1. a substance that stabilizes an emulsion, in particular an additive used to stabilize processed foods.

2. an apparatus used for making an emulsion by stirring or shaking a substance.

emulsify /ɪˈmʌlsɪfʌɪ/

I. verb

make into or become an emulsion
[with obj.]

• mustard helps to emulsify a vinaigrette.

II. derivatives

1. emulsifiable

adjective

2. emulsification /ɪmʌlsɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

emulsion /ɪˈmʌlʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a fine dispersion of minute droplets of one liquid in another in which it is not soluble or miscible.

• oil beaten to an emulsion with a half tablespoonful of vinegar.

2. a fine dispersion of one liquid or pureed food substance in another

• ravioli with pea and ginger emulsion.

3. (also emulsion paint) [ mass noun] — (Brit.) a type of paint used for walls, consisting of pigment bound in a synthetic resin which forms an emulsion with water.

• three coats of white emulsion.

4. a light-sensitive coating for photographic films and plates, containing crystals of a silver compound dispersed in a medium such as gelatin.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› paint with emulsion.

• if the lining paper is not opaque, the wall should also be emulsioned.

III. derivatives

emulsive /ɪˈmʌlsɪv /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a milky liquid made by crushing almonds in water): from modern Latin emulsio(n-), from the verb emulgere ‘milk out’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + mulgere ‘to milk’.

emu-wren

noun

a small Australian songbird of the fairy wren family, with a very long thin cocked tail consisting of only six feathers that have a coarse open structure resembling that of emu feathers.
●Genus Stipiturus, family Maluridae: three species.

en /ɛn/

I. noun

[Printing] a unit of measurement equal to half an em and approximately the average width of typeset characters, used especially for estimating the total amount of space a text will require.

– origin late 18th cent.: the letter N represented as a word, since it is approximately this width.

en-1 em-

I. prefix

1. (added to nouns) forming verbs meaning ‘put into or on’

• engulf

• embed.

2. (added to nouns and adjectives) forming verbs (often with the suffix -en) meaning ‘bring into the condition of’

• embolden

• encrust.

3. (added to verbs) in; into; on

• ensnare.

4. as an intensifier

• entangle.

– origin from French, from Latin in-. See also in-2, a commonly found by-form.

en-2 em-

I. prefix

within; inside

• empathy

• energy

• enthusiasm.

– origin from Greek.

-en^1

I. suffix

1. forming verbs:

2. (from adjectives) denoting the development, creation, or intensification of a state

• widen

• deepen.

3. from nouns (such as strengthen from strength).

– origin Old English -nian, of Germanic origin.

-en^2

I. suffix

1. forming adjectives from nouns:

2. made or consisting of

• earthen

• woollen.

3. resembling

• golden.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin.

-en^3 -n

I. suffix

1. forming past participles of strong verbs:

2. as a regular inflection

• spoken.

3. as an adjective

• mistaken

• torn.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin.

-en^4

I. suffix

forming the plural of a few nouns such as children, oxen.

– origin Middle English reduction of the earlier suffix -an.

-en^5

I. suffix

forming diminutives of nouns (such as chicken, maiden).

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin.

-en^6

I. suffix

1. forming feminine nouns

• vixen.

2. forming abstract nouns

• burden.

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin.

enable /ɪˈneɪb(ə)l, ɛˈneɪb(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [with infinitive] — give (someone) the authority or means to do something; make it possible for

• the evidence would enable us to arrive at firm conclusions.

2. make (something) possible

• each of them has wheels to enable easy transportation.

• the Department is leading the effort to enable a smooth and timely transition.

3. [chiefly Computing] make (a device or system) operational; activate.

• you can enable compression or even virus scanning prior to backup.

4. (as adj., in combination -enabled) — adapted for use with the specified application or system

• WAP-enabled mobile phones.

II. derivatives

enablement

noun

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as inable): from en-1, in-2, + able.

enabler /ɪˈneɪblə, ɛˈneɪblə/

noun

1. a person or thing that makes something possible

• the people who run these workshops are crime enablers

• Bluetooth is the ultimate enabler of the smart house that has been the darling of futurists since the 1939 World's Fair.

2. a person who encourages or enables negative or self-destructive behaviour in another

• he criticized her role as an enabler in her husband's pathological womanizing.

enabling act

noun

a statute empowering a person or body to take certain action, especially to make regulations, rules, or orders.

enact /ɪˈnakt, ɛˈnakt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a bill or other proposal) law

• legislation was enacted to attract international companies.

2. put into practice (an idea or suggestion).

• the pressure group's aim was to see the proposals enacted.

3. act out (a role or play) on stage.

• Mystery Plays were staged and enacted by members of the guilds.

4. ( be enacted) — take place

• walkers stopped to watch, aware that some tragedy was being enacted.

II. derivatives

1. enactable

adjective

2. enaction

noun

3. enactive

adjective

4. enactor

noun

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as inact): from en-1, in-2, + act, suggested by medieval Latin inactare, inactitare.

enactment /ɪˈnaktm(ə)nt, ɛˈnaktm(ə)nt/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the process of passing legislation.

• the enactment of equal pay legislation.

2. [ count noun] — a law that is passed.

• enactments covering food safety.

3. an instance of acting something out

• the story becomes an enactment of his fantasies.

4. [ mass noun] — [Psychoanalysis] the controlled expression and acceptance of repressed emotions or impulses in behaviour during therapy.

enamel /ɪˈnam(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an opaque or semi-transparent glossy substance that is a type of glass, applied by vitrification to metallic or other hard surfaces for ornament or as a protective coating.

• pieces of metalwork decorated with enamel.

• [as modifier] white enamel bowls.

• [ count noun] a dagger inlaid with bone and enamels.

2. [ count noun] — a work of art executed in enamel.

• a collection of ceramics and enamels.

3. the hard glossy substance that covers the crown of a tooth.

4. (also enamel paint) — a paint that dries to give a smooth, hard coat.

• one coat of enamel and three coats of varnish.

• [ count noun] a new super gloss enamel.

5. ‹dated› nail varnish.

II. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. enamelled)

1. coat or decorate (a metallic or hard object) with enamel

• an enamelled roasting tin.

III. derivatives

enameller

noun

– origin late Middle English (originally as a verb; formerly also as inamel): from Anglo-Norman French enamailler, from en- ‘in, on’ + amail ‘enamel’, ultimately of Germanic origin.

enamelware /ɪˈnam(ə)lwɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. enamelled kitchenware.

enamelwork /ɪˈnam(ə)l ˌwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the craft of inlaying or decorating metal objects with enamel.

• potters who specialized in enamelwork.

enamour /ɪˈnamə, ɛˈnamə / ‹US› enamor

I. verb — ( be enamoured of/with/by)

1. be filled with love for

• it is not difficult to see why Edward is enamoured of her.

2. have a liking or admiration for

• she was truly enamoured of New York.

– origin Middle English (formerly also as inamour): from Old French enamourer, from en- ‘in’ + amour ‘love’.

enanthema /ˌɛnənˈθiːmə/

I. noun

[Medicine] an ulcer or eruption occurring on a mucus-secreting surface such as the inside of the mouth.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from en-2 ‘within’ + a shortened form of exanthema.

enantiodromia /ɪˌnantɪə(ʊ)ˈdrəʊmɪə, ɛˌnantɪə(ʊ)ˈdrəʊmɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the tendency of things to change into their opposites, especially as a supposed governing principle of natural cycles and of psychological development.

• the remorseless enantiodromia between good luck and bad.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek, literally ‘running in opposite ways’.

enantiomer /ɪˈnantɪə(ʊ)mə, ɛˈnantɪə(ʊ)mə/

I. noun

[Chemistry] each of a pair of molecules that are mirror images of each other.

II. derivatives

1. enantiomeric

adjective

2. enantiomerically

adverb

– origin 1930s: from Greek enantios ‘opposite’ + -mer.

enantiomorph /ɪˈnantɪə(ʊ)mɔːf, ɛˈnantɪə(ʊ)mɔːf/

I. noun

each of two crystalline or other geometrical forms which are mirror images of each other.

II. derivatives

1. enantiomorphic

adjective

2. enantiomorphism /ɪnantɪə(ʊ)ˈmɔːfɪz(ə)m, ɛnantɪə(ʊ)ˈmɔːfɪz(ə)m /

noun

3. enantiomorphous

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek enantios ‘opposite’ + -morph.

enargite /ˈɛnɑːɡʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark grey mineral consisting of a sulphide of copper and arsenic.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek enargēs ‘clear’ (referring to evident cleavage) + -ite^1.

enarthrosis /ˌɛnɑːˈθrəʊsɪs/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a ball-and-socket joint.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek enarthrōsis, from enarthros ‘jointed’, from en- ‘inside’ + arthron ‘joint’.

enation /ɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

[Botany] an outgrowth from the surface of a leaf or other part of a plant.
[as modifier]

• pea enation virus.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin enatio(n-), from enasci ‘issue forth’.

en bloc /ɒ̃ ˈblɒk/

I. adverb

all together or all at the same time

• various private museums offered to purchase the trove en bloc.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French.

en brosse /ɒ̃ ˈbrɒs/

I. adjective — [ postpositive]

1. (of a person's hair) cut in a short and bristly style.

– origin French, ‘in the form of a brush’.

enc.

abbreviation

1. enclosed.

2. enclosure.

Encaenia /ɛnˈsiːnɪə/

I. noun

an annual celebration at Oxford University in memory of founders and benefactors.

– origin late 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek enkainia ‘dedication festival’ (based on kainos ‘new’).

encage /ɪnˈkeɪdʒ, ɛnˈkeɪdʒ/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› confine in or as in a cage.

• two little canary birds were encaged in her window.

encamp /ɪnˈkamp, ɛnˈkamp/

verb — [no obj.]

1. settle in or establish a camp

• we encamped for the night by a river.

encampment /ɪnˈkampm(ə)nt, ɛnˈkampm(ə)nt/

noun

1. a place with temporary accommodation consisting of huts or tents, typically for troops or nomads.

• a Bedouin encampment.

2. a prehistoric enclosed or fortified site, especially an Iron Age hill fort.

3. [ mass noun] — the action of setting up a camp.

encapsidate /ɪnˈkapsɪdeɪt, ɛnˈkapsɪdeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Biochemistry] enclose (a gene or virus particle) in a protein shell.

• each piece of dsRNA is encapsidated separately.

II. derivatives

encapsidation

noun

– origin late 20th cent.: from en-1 + capsid^2 + -ate^3.

encapsulate /ɪnˈkapsjʊleɪt, ɛnˈkapsjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. enclose (something) in or as if in a capsule

• the company would encapsulate the asbestos waste in concrete pellets.

2. [Computing] enclose (a message or signal) in a set of codes which allow transfer across networks.

• data requested is encapsulated and can be manipulated.

3. [Computing] provide an interface for (a piece of software or hardware) to allow or simplify access for the user.

• third-party vendors can encapsulate their tools to run with this software backplane.

4. express the essential features of (something) succinctly

• the conclusion is encapsulated in one sentence.

– origin late 19th cent. (also as incapsulate): from en-1, in-2 ‘into’ + Latin capsula (see capsule).

encapsulation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of enclosing something in or as if in a capsule

• encapsulation of contaminants within a solid glass-like matrix

• encapsulation of the iron prevents its interaction with food.

2. [Computing] the process of enclosing a message or signal in a set of codes which allow transfer across networks

• proper encapsulation of data for network transmission.

3. [Computing] the provision of an interface for a piece of software or hardware to allow or simplify access for the user.

4. the succinct expression or depiction of the essential features of something

• his encapsulation of the concept

• [ count noun] this article is an encapsulation of everything that is wrong with the economy.

encase /ɪnˈkeɪs, ɛnˈkeɪs / incase

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. enclose or cover in a case or close-fitting surround

• each was encased in a plastic shrink-wrap.

II. derivatives

encasement

noun

encash /ɪnˈkaʃ, ɛnˈkaʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) convert (a cheque, money order, bond, etc.) into money.

• after the payment of one year's contribution you may encash your bond at any time.

II. derivatives

1. encashable

adjective

2. encashment /ɪnˈkaʃm(ə)nt, ɛnˈkaʃm(ə)nt /

noun

encaustic /ɛnˈkɔːstɪk/

I. adjective

(in painting and ceramics) decorated by burning in colours as an inlay, especially using coloured clays or pigments mixed with hot wax.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the art or process of encaustic painting.

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek enkaustikos, from enkaiein ‘burn in’, from en- ‘in’ + kaiein ‘to burn’.

-ence

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. denoting a quality or an instance of it

• impertinence.

3. denoting an action or its result

• reference

• reminiscence.

– origin from French -ence, from Latin -entia, -antia (from present participial stems -ent-, -ant-). Since the 16th cent. many inconsistencies have occurred in the use of -ence and -ance.

enceinte^1 /ɒ̃ˈsãt/

I. noun

‹archaic› an enclosure or the enclosing wall of a fortified place.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French, from Latin incincta, feminine past participle of incingere ‘gird in’, from in- ‘in’ + cingere ‘to gird’.

enceinte^2 /ɒ̃ˈsãt/

I. adjective

‹archaic› pregnant.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French.

Enceladus /ɛnˈsɛlədəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a satellite of Saturn, the eighth closest to the planet and probably composed mainly of ice, discovered by W. Herschel in 1789 (diameter 500 km).

– origin named after a Greek mythological giant killed by Athene.

encephalic /ˌɛnsɪˈfalɪk, ɛnˈkɛf(ə)lɪk/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] relating to, affecting, or situated in the brain.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek enkephalos ‘brain’ (from en- ‘in’ + kephalē ‘head’) + -ic.

encephalitis /ɛnˌsɛfəˈlʌɪtɪs, ɛnˌkɛfəˈlʌɪtɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. inflammation of the brain, caused by infection or an allergic reaction.

II. derivatives

encephalitic

adjective

encephalitis lethargica /ɛnˌsɛfəˈlʌɪtɪs lɪˈθɑːdʒɪkə, ɛnˌkɛfəˈlʌɪtɪs lɪˈθɑːdʒɪkə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of encephalitis caused by a virus and characterized by headache and drowsiness leading to coma.
Also called sleepy sickness.

encephalization encephalisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] an evolutionary increase in the complexity or relative size of the brain, involving a shift of function from non-cortical parts of the brain to the cortex.

encephalo- /ɛnˈsɛf(ə)ləʊ, ɛnˈkɛf(ə)ləʊ/

I. combining form

relating to the brain

• encephalopathy.

– origin from Greek enkephalos.

encephalogram /ɛnˈsɛf(ə)lə(ʊ)ɡram, ɛnˈkɛf(ə)lə(ʊ)ɡram/

noun

[Medicine] an image, trace, or other record of the structure or electrical activity of the brain.

encephalography /ɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfi, ɛnˌkɛfəˈlɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] any of various techniques for recording the structure or electrical activity of the brain.

II. derivatives

1. encephalograph

noun

2. encephalographic

adjective

encephalomyelitis /ɛnˌsɛf(ə)ləʊmʌɪəˈlʌɪtɪs, ɛnˌkɛf(ə)ləʊmʌɪəˈlʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, typically due to acute viral infection.

encephalon /ɛnˈsɛfəlɒn, ɛˈkɛfəlɒn/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the brain.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Greek enkephalon ‘what is inside the head’, from en- ‘inside’ + kephalē ‘head’.

encephalopathy /ɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒpəθi, ɛnˌkɛfəˈlɒpəθi/

noun

[Medicine] a disease in which the functioning of the brain is affected by some agent or condition (such as viral infection or toxins in the blood).

• a picture of how these encephalopathies are transmitted.

• [ mass noun] patients with encephalopathy.

enchain /ɪnˈtʃeɪn, ɛnˈtʃeɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› bind with or as with chains.

• the statue of Louis XIV, with four slaves enchained.

• whenever he spoke all were enchained.

II. derivatives

enchainment

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French enchainer, based on Latin catena ‘chain’.

enchaînement /ɒ̃ˈʃɛnmɒ̃/

I. noun

[Ballet] a linked sequence of steps or movements constituting a phrase.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, ‘chaining together’.

enchant /ɪnˈtʃɑːnt, ɛnˈtʃɑːnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. fill (someone) with great delight; charm

• Isabel was enchanted with the idea.

2. (often as adj. enchanted) — put (someone or something) under a spell

• an enchanted garden.

II. derivatives

enchantedly

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘put under a spell’ and ‘delude’; formerly also as inchant): from French enchanter, from Latin incantare, from in- ‘in’ + cantare ‘sing’.

enchanter /ɪnˈtʃɑːntə, ɛnˈtʃɑːntə/

noun

a person who uses magic or sorcery, especially to put someone or something under a spell.

enchanter's nightshade

I. noun

a woodland plant with small white flowers and fruit with hooked bristles, native to Eurasia and the eastern US.
● Circaea lutetiana, family Onagraceae.

– origin late 16th cent.: believed by early botanists to be the herb used by Circe to charm Odysseus' companions.

enchanting /ɪnˈtʃɑːntɪŋ/

I. adjective

delightfully charming or attractive

• enchanting views

• Dinah looked enchanting.

II. derivatives

enchantingly /ɪnˈtʃɑːntɪŋli /

adverb

enchantment /ɪnˈtʃɑːntm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of great pleasure; delight

• the enchantment of the mountains.

2. the state of being under a spell; magic

• a world of mystery and enchantment.

enchantress /ɪnˈtʃɑːntrəs/

I. noun

1. a woman who uses magic to put someone or something under a spell.

2. a woman who is captivatingly attractive.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French enchanteresse, from enchanter (see enchant).

enchase /ɪnˈtʃeɪs, ɛnˈtʃeɪs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. decorate (a piece of jewellery or work of art) by inlaying, engraving, or carving.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French enchasser ‘set gems, encase’, from en- ‘in’ + chasse ‘a case’.

enchilada /ˌɛntʃɪˈlɑːdə/

I. noun

a tortilla served with chilli sauce and a filling of meat or cheese.

II. phrases

1. the big enchilada

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person or thing of great importance.

• New Hampshire is the big enchilada in American politics.

2. the whole enchilada

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› the whole situation; everything.

• high-tech gadgetry is the spice, but not the whole enchilada.

– origin Latin American Spanish, feminine past participle of enchilar ‘season with chilli’.

enchiridion /ˌɛnkʌɪˈrɪdɪən/

I. noun

‹formal› a book containing essential information on a subject.

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek enkheiridion, from en- ‘within’ + kheir ‘hand’ + the diminutive suffix -idion.

enchorial /ɪnˈkɔːrɪəl, ɛnˈkɔːrɪəl/

I. adjective

‹rare› denoting or relating to the kind of language used by ordinary people; colloquial or demotic.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek egkhōrios ‘in or of the country’ (from en- ‘within’ + khōra ‘country’) + -al.

encipher /ɪnˈsʌɪfə, ɛnˈsʌɪfə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (a message or piece of text) into a coded form.
(as adj. enciphered)

• an enciphered text.

II. derivatives

encipherment /ɪnˈsʌɪfəm(ə)nt, ɛnˈsʌɪfəm(ə)nt /

noun

encircle /ɪnˈsəːk(ə)l, ɛnˈsəːk(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. form a circle around; surround

• the town is encircled by fortified walls.

II. derivatives

encirclement /ɪnˈsəːk(ə)lm(ə)nt, ɛnˈsəːk(ə)lm(ə)nt /

noun

encl. enc.

abbreviation

1. enclosed.

2. enclosure.

en clair /ɒ̃ ˈklɛː/

I. adjective, adverb

(especially of a telegram or official message) in ordinary language, rather than in code or cipher.

– origin French, literally ‘in clear’.

enclasp /ɪnˈklɑːsp, ɛnˈklɑːsp/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› hold tightly in one's arms.

• her arms enclasped his neck.

enclave /ˈɛnkleɪv/

I. noun

1. a portion of territory surrounded by a larger territory whose inhabitants are culturally or ethnically distinct.

• the besieged Muslim enclave of Srebrenica.

2. a place or group that is different in character from those surrounding it

• the engineering department is traditionally a male enclave.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Old French enclaver ‘enclose, dovetail’, based on Latin clavis ‘key’.

enclitic /ɪnˈklɪtɪk, ɛnˈklɪtɪk/

I. noun

[Linguistics] a word pronounced with so little emphasis that it is shortened and forms part of the preceding word, for example n't in can't.
Compare with proclitic.

II. derivatives

enclitically

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek enklitikos, from enklinein ‘lean on’, from en- ‘in, on’ + klinein ‘to lean’.

enclose /ɪnˈkləʊz, ɛnˈkləʊz / inclose

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. surround or close off on all sides

• the entire estate was enclosed with walls

• (as adj. enclosed) a dark enclosed space.

2. ‹historical› fence in (common land) so as to make it private property.

• the open fields in the parish were enclosed in 1808.

3. (usu. as adj. enclosed) — seclude (a religious order or other community) from the outside world.

• a Mother Superior in an enclosed order.

4. place (something) in an envelope together with a letter.

• I enclose a copy of the job description.

5. ( enclose something in/within) — place an object inside (a container).

• the lamp was enclosed in a frosted glass globe.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘shut in, imprison’): from Old French enclos, past participle of enclore, based on Latin includere ‘shut in’.

enclosure /ɪnˈkləʊʒə, ɛnˈkləʊʒə / inclosure

I. noun

1. an area that is surrounded by a barrier

• a deer enclosure.

2. (Brit.) a section of a racecourse for a specified activity or group of people

• the members' enclosure.

3. a barrier that surrounds an area.

• the cemetery lay within a high walled enclosure.

4. a document or object placed in an envelope together with a letter.

5. [ mass noun] — ‹historical› the process or policy of fencing in wasteland or common land so as to make it private property, as pursued in much of Britain in the 18th and early 19th centuries.

• one of the chief effects of enclosure was to increase the number of landless workers.

6. the state of being enclosed, especially in a religious community.

• the nuns kept strict enclosure.

– origin late Middle English: from legal Anglo-Norman French and Old French, from enclos ‘closed in’ (see enclose).

encode /ɪnˈkəʊd, ɛnˈkəʊd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert into a coded form.

• using this technique makes it possible to encode and transmit recorded video information.

2. [Computing] convert (information or an instruction) into a particular form

• the amount of time required to encode a wav file to mp3 format.

3. [Biochemistry] (of a gene) be responsible for producing (a substance or behaviour).

• this is the gene that encodes the yeast mating type protein.

• [no obj.] such distortions can damage the genes encoding for the proteins that suppress tumor growth.

II. derivatives

encoder /ɪnˈkəʊdə, ɛnˈkəʊdə /

noun

encomiast /ɛnˈkəʊmɪast/

I. noun

‹formal› a person who publicly praises or flatters someone else.

II. derivatives

encomiastic /ɛnkəʊmɪˈastɪk /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek enkōmiastēs, from enkōmiazein ‘to praise’, from enkōmion (see encomium).

encomienda /ɛnˌkɒmɪˈɛndə/

I. noun

‹historical› a grant by the Spanish Crown to a colonist in America conferring the right to demand tribute and forced labour from the Indian inhabitants of an area.

– origin Spanish, ‘commission, charge’.

encomium /ɛnˈkəʊmɪəm/

I. noun

‹formal› a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly.

– origin mid 16th cent.: Latin, from Greek enkōmion ‘eulogy’, from en- ‘within’ + komos ‘revel’.

encompass /ɪnˈkʌmpəs, ɛnˈkʌmpəs/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — surround and have or hold within

• this area of London encompasses Piccadilly to the north and St James's Park to the south.

2. include comprehensively

• no studies encompass all sectors of medical care.

3. ‹archaic› cause to take place

• an act designed to encompass the death of the king.

II. derivatives

encompassment

noun

encopresis /ˌɛnkəʊˈpriːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] involuntary defecation, especially associated with emotional disturbance or psychiatric disorder.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek en- ‘in’ + kopros ‘dung’.

encore /ˈɒŋkɔː/

I. noun

a repeated or additional performance of an item at the end of a concert, as called for by an audience.

• everybody got up on stage for the final encore.

II. exclamation

again! (as called by an audience at the end of a concert).

• it was Louis who shouted ‘Bravo! Encore!’.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. call for a repeated or additional performance of (an item) at the end of a concert.

• several arias were encored.

2. [no obj.] — (of a performer) give an encore.

• he encored with a solo number.

– origin early 18th cent.: French, literally ‘still, again’.

encounter /ɪnˈkaʊntə, ɛnˈkaʊntə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. unexpectedly be faced with or experience (something hostile or difficult)

• we have encountered one small problem.

2. meet (someone) unexpectedly.

• what do we know about the people we encounter in our daily lives?

II. noun

1. an unexpected or casual meeting with someone or something

• she felt totally unnerved by the encounter.

2. a confrontation or unpleasant struggle

• his close encounter with death.

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘meet as an adversary’ and ‘a meeting of adversaries’; formerly also as incounter): from Old French encontrer (verb), encontre (noun), based on Latin in- ‘in’ + contra ‘against’.

encounter group

noun

(chiefly US) a group of people who meet to gain psychological benefit through close contact with one another.

encourage /ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒ, ɛnˈkʌrɪdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give support, confidence, or hope to (someone)

• we were encouraged by the success of this venture.

2. [with obj. and infinitive] — persuade (someone) to do or continue to do something by giving support and advice

• pupils are encouraged to be creative.

3. stimulate the development of (an activity, state, or belief)

• the intention is to encourage new writing talent.

II. derivatives

encourager /ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒə, ɛnˈkʌrɪdʒə /

noun

– origin Middle English (formerly also as incourage): from French encourager, from en- ‘in’ + corage ‘courage’.

encouragement /ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope

• thank you for all your support and encouragement.

2. persuasion to do or to continue something

• incentives and encouragement to play sports.

3. the act of trying to stimulate the development of an activity, state, or belief

• the encouragement of foreign investment.

encouraging /ɛŋˈkʌrɪdʒɪŋ, ɪŋˈkʌrɪdʒɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. giving someone support or confidence; supportive

• she gave me an encouraging smile.

2. positive and giving hope for future success; promising

• the results are very encouraging.

II. derivatives

encouragingly /ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒɪŋli, ɛnˈkʌrɪdʒɪŋli /

adverb

[as sentence adverb]

• encouragingly, there is more research being done today

• [as submodifier] the level of activity continues to be encouragingly high

encroach /ɪnˈkrəʊtʃ, ɛnˈkrəʊtʃ/

I. verb — [no obj.] (usu. encroach on/upon)

1. intrude on (a person's territory, rights, personal life, etc.)

• rather than encroach on his privacy she might have kept to her room.

2. advance gradually beyond usual or acceptable limits

• the sea has encroached all round the coast.

II. derivatives

encroacher /ɪnˈkrəʊtʃə, ɛnˈkrəʊtʃə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘obtain unlawfully, seize’; formerly also as incroach): from Old French encrochier ‘seize, fasten upon’, from en- ‘in, on’ + crochier (from croc ‘hook’, from Old Norse krókr).

encroachment /ɛŋˈkrəʊtʃm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. intrusion on a person's territory, rights, etc.

• minor encroachments on our individual liberties.

2. a gradual advance beyond usual or acceptable limits

• urban encroachment of habitat.

en croute /ɒ̃ ˈkruːt/

I. adjective, adverb

in a pastry crust
[as postpositive adj.]

• salmon en croute.

– origin French en croûte.

encrust /ɪnˈkrʌst, ɛnˈkrʌst / incrust

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover or decorate (something) with a hard surface layer

• the mussels encrust navigation buoys

• (as adj. encrusted) the dried and encrusted blood.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘cause to form a crust’): from French incruster or encroûter, both from Latin incrustare, from in- ‘into’ + crusta ‘a crust’.

encrustation /ˌɪnkrʌˈsteɪʃ(ə)n / incrustation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of encrusting or state of being encrusted.

2. [ count noun] — a crust or hard coating on the surface of something.

• the sides are white with encrustations of salt.

3. [ count noun] — [Architecture] a facing of marble on a building.

– origin early 17th cent. (originally as incrustation): from late Latin incrustatio(n-), from the verb incrustare (see encrust).

encrypt /ɛnˈkrɪpt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert (information or data) into a code, especially to prevent unauthorized access.

• all calls will be digitally encrypted to make eavesdropping impossible.

• (as adj. encrypted) encrypted data.

2. ( encrypt something in) — conceal data in (something) by converting it into a code.

• the password cannot be broken as it is encrypted in the hardware.

– origin 1950s (originally US): from en-1 ‘in’ + Greek kruptos ‘hidden’.

encryption /ɪŋˈkrɪpʃ(ə)n, ɛŋˈkrɪpʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of converting information or data into a code, especially to prevent unauthorized access

• I use encryption to protect sensitive information transmitted online.

encumber /ɪnˈkʌmbə, ɛnˈkʌmbə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. restrict or impede (someone or something) in such a way that free action or movement is difficult

• she was encumbered by her heavy skirts

• they had arrived encumbered with families.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘cause trouble to, entangle’; formerly also as incumber): from Old French encombrer ‘block up’, from en- ‘in’ + combre ‘river barrage’.

encumbrance /ɪnˈkʌmbr(ə)ns, ɛnˈkʌmbr(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. an impediment or burden.

• the horse raised its hind leg as if to rid itself of an encumbrance.

• [ mass noun] for parents, childhood is too long a period of encumbrance.

2. [Law] a mortgage or other claim on property or assets.

• details of encumbrances on property.

3. ‹archaic› a person, especially a child, who is dependent on someone else for support.

– origin Middle English (denoting an encumbered state; formerly also as incumbrance): from Old French encombrance, from encombrer ‘block up’ (see encumber).

-ency

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. denoting a quality

• efficiency.

3. denoting a state

• presidency.

– origin from Latin -entia (compare with -ence).

encyclical /ɛnˈsɪklɪk(ə)l, ɪnˈsɪklɪk(ə)l, ɛnˈsʌɪk(ə)l, ɪnˈsʌɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

a papal letter sent to all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as an adjective): via late Latin from Greek enkuklios ‘circular, general’, from en- ‘in’ + kuklos ‘a circle’.

encyclopedia /ɛnˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈpiːdɪə, ɪnˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈpiːdɪə / encyclopaedia

I. noun

a book or set of books giving information on many subjects or on many aspects of one subject and typically arranged alphabetically.

– origin mid 16th cent.: modern Latin, from pseudo-Greek enkuklopaideia for enkuklios paideia ‘all-round education’.

encyclopedic /ɛnˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈpiːdɪk, ɪnˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈpiːdɪk / encyclopaedic

adjective

1. comprehensive in terms of information

• he has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of food.

2. relating to encyclopedias or information suitable for an encyclopedia

• a dictionary with encyclopedic material.

encyclopedism /ɛnˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈpiːdɪz(ə)m, ɪnˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈpiːdɪz(ə)m / encyclopaedism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. comprehensive learning or knowledge.

encyclopedist /ɛnˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈpiːdɪst, ɪnˌsʌɪklə(ʊ)ˈpiːdɪst / encyclopaedist

noun

a person who writes, edits, or contributes to an encyclopedia.

encyst /ɪnˈsɪst, ɛnˈsɪst/

I. verb

[Zoology] enclose or become enclosed in a cyst.

• once the parasite is encysted the fish is heading for death.

• tapeworms are notorious in their ability to encyst in a great variety of hosts.

II. derivatives

1. encystation

noun

2. encystment /ɪnˈsɪstm(ə)nt, ɛnˈsɪstm(ə)nt /

noun

end /ɛnd/

I. noun

1. a final part of something, especially a period of time, an activity, or a story

• the end of the year

• Mario led the race from beginning to end.

2. a termination of a state or situation

• the party called for an end to violence

• one notice will be effective to bring the tenancy to an end.

3. a person's death

• I saw him in hospital a few days before the end.

4. ‹archaic› (in biblical use) an ultimate state or condition

• the end of that man is peace.

5. the furthest or most extreme part of something

• the church at the end of the road

• [as modifier] the end house.

6. (Brit.) a small piece that is left after use

• an ashtray full of cigarette ends.

7. a specified extreme of a scale

• homebuyers at the lower end of the market.

8. either of two places linked by a telephone call, letter, or journey

• ‘Hello,’ said a voice at the other end.

9. either of the halves of a sports field or court defended by one team or player.

• when they changed ends, the goals kept coming.

10. a part or person's share of an activity

• you're going to honour your end of the deal.

11. a goal or desired result

• each would use the other to further his own ends

• to this end, schools were set up for peasant women.

12. (in bowls and curling) a session of play in one particular direction across the playing area.

13. [American Football] a lineman positioned nearest the sideline.

• a defensive end.

II. verb

1. come or bring to a final point; finish
[no obj.]

• when the war ended, policy changed

• the chapter ends with a case study

• [with obj.] she wanted to end the relationship.

2. [no obj.] — reach a point and go no further

• the surfaced road ends at the farm.

3. [no obj.] — perform a final act

• the man ended by attacking a police officer.

4. [no obj.] ( end in) — have as its final part or result

• the match ended in a draw.

5. [no obj.] ( end up) — eventually come to a specified place or situation

• I ended up in Eritrea

• you could end up with a higher income.

III. phrases

1. all ends up

‹informal› completely.

2. at the end of the day

(Brit.) ‹informal› when everything is taken into consideration

• at the end of the day I'm responsible for what happens in the school.

3. be at (or have come to) an end

a. be finished or completed

• negotiations were virtually at an end.

b. (of a supply of something) become exhausted

• our patience has come to an end.

4. be at the end of

be close to having no more of (something)

• she was at the end of her patience.

5. be the end

(Brit.) ‹informal› be the limit of what one can tolerate

• you really are the end!

6. come to (or meet) a sticky end

(Brit.) be led by one's own actions to ruin or an unpleasant death.

• behave yourself or you will come to a sticky end!

7. end of story ‹Brit.› end of

‹informal› used to emphasize that there is nothing to add on a matter just mentioned

• Men don't cry in public. End of story.

8. end one's days (or life)

spend the final part of one's life in a specified place or state

• she ended her days in London.

9. an end in itself

a goal that is pursued in its own right to the exclusion of others.

• competition is not an end in itself.

10. end in tears

(Brit.) have an unhappy or unpleasant outcome

• this treaty will end in tears.

11. end it all

commit suicide.

• his life was meaningless without Coleen, so he would end it all.

12. the end justifies the means

wrong or unfair methods may be used if the overall goal is good.

• we excuse our greed by claiming that the end justifies the means.

13. the end of the road (or line)

the point beyond which progress or survival cannot continue

• if the damages award is not lowered it could be the end of the road for the publisher.

• they've been offered compensation and they'll accept, but only because they feel they've reached the end of the line.

14. the end of one's tether ( ‹or N. Amer.› rope)

(Brit.) having no patience or energy left to cope with something

• these individuals have reached the end of their tether.

15. the end of the world

a. the termination of life on the earth.

b. ‹informal› a complete disaster

• it's not the end of the world if we draw.

16. end on

a. with the end of an object facing towards one

• seen end on, their sharp summits point like arrows.

b. with the end of an object touching that of another

• stone tiles had been layered end on with incredible skill.

17. end to end

in a row with the end of one object touching that of another.

• bales were laid end to end for a delivery.

18. get (or have) one's end away

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› have sexual intercourse.

19. get one's end in

(Austral.) ‹vulgar slang› have sexual intercourse.

20. in the end

eventually or on reflection

• in the end, I saw that she was right.

21. keep (or hold) one's end up

(Brit.) ‹informal› perform well in a difficult or competitive situation.

• Michael had to keep his end up against attacks.

22. make an end of

cause (someone or something) to stop existing or die.

• we regret that the printers did not make an end of half-paid female labour.

23. make (both) ends meet

earn just enough money to live on.

• they were finding it hard to make ends meet.

24. never (or not) hear the end of

be continually reminded of (an unpleasant topic or cause of annoyance)

• a criminal court which admitted such a defence would never hear the end of it.

25. no end

‹informal› to a great extent; very much

• this cheered me up no end.

26. no end of

‹informal› a great deal of

• emotions can cause no end of problems.

27. on end

a. continuing without stopping for a specified period of time

• sometimes they'll be gone for days on end.

b. in an upright position

• he brushed his hair, leaving a tuft standing on end.

28. put an end to

cause (someone or something) to stop existing or die

• injury put an end to his career

• he decided to put an end to himself.

29. the sharp end ‹informal›

a. the most important or influential part of an activity or process

• he was born at the sharp end of history.

b. the most risky or unpleasant part of a system or activity

• businessmen are at the sharp end of the recession.

c. (Brit.) ‹humorous› the bow of a ship.

30. a —— to end all ——s

‹informal› used to emphasize how impressive or successful something is of its kind

• she is going to throw a party to end all parties.

31. without end

without a limit or boundary

• a war without end.

32. world without end

forever or infinitely.

• the long summer days stretched ahead, world without end.

– origin Old English ende (noun), endian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch einde (noun), einden (verb) and German Ende (noun), enden (verb).

-end

I. suffix

denoting a person or thing to be treated in a specified way

• dividend

• reverend.

– origin from Latin -endus, gerundive ending.

endanger /ɪnˈdeɪn(d)ʒə, ɛnˈdeɪn(d)ʒə/

verb — [with obj.]

1. put (someone or something) at risk or in danger

• he was driving in a manner likely to endanger life.

endangered /ɪnˈdeɪndʒəd/

adjective

(of a species) seriously at risk of extinction.

• legislation to protect endangered species.

• elephants are acutely endangered in East Africa.

endangered species

noun

a species of animal or plant that is seriously at risk of extinction

• special collections of rare and endangered species from Crete.

endangerment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of putting someone or something at risk or in danger

• prosecutors charged him with reckless endangerment of fellow passengers

• child endangerment.

end-around

noun

[American Football] an offensive play in which an end carries the ball round the opposing flank.

endarterectomy /ˌɛndɑːtəˈrɛktəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. surgical removal of part of the inner lining of an artery, together with any obstructive deposits, most often carried out on the carotid artery or on vessels supplying the legs.

• endarterectomy has proved successful.

• [ count noun] many carotid endarterectomies were unnecessary.

endarteritis /ˌɛndɑːtəˈrʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the inner lining of an artery.

en dash

noun

another term for en rule.

endear /ɪnˈdɪə, ɛnˈdɪə/

verb — [with obj.]

1. cause to be loved or liked

• Flora's spirit and character endeared her to everyone who met her.

endearing /ɪnˈdɪərɪŋ, ɛnˈdɪərɪŋ/

adjective

inspiring affection

• an endearing little grin.

endearingly /ɛnˈdɪərɪŋli/

adverb

in a manner that inspires affection

• he was admired by 'his boys', as he endearingly called them.

endearment /ɪnˈdɪəm(ə)nt, ɛnˈdɪəm(ə)nt/

noun

1. a word or phrase expressing love or affection.

• she was whispering endearments and repeatedly kissing him.

2. [ mass noun] — love or affection

• a term of endearment.

endeavour /ɪnˈdɛvə, ɛnˈdɛvə / ‹US› endeavor

I. verb — [no obj., with infinitive]

1. try hard to do or achieve something

• he is endeavouring to help the Third World.

II. noun

1. an attempt to achieve a goal
[with infinitive]

• an endeavour to reduce serious injury.

2. [ mass noun] — earnest, prolonged, and industrious effort

• enthusiasm is a vital ingredient in all human endeavour.

3. an enterprise or undertaking

• a portfolio of business endeavours.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘exert oneself’): from the phrase put oneself in devoir ‘do one's utmost’ (see devoir).

endemic /ɛnˈdɛmɪk/

I. adjective

1. (of a disease or condition) regularly found among particular people or in a certain area

• complacency is endemic in industry today.

2. [ attrib.] — (of an area) in which a particular disease is regularly found

• the persistence of infection on pastures in endemic areas.

3. (of a plant or animal) native or restricted to a certain place

• a marsupial endemic to north-eastern Australia.

II. noun

an endemic plant or animal.

• there are three types of island endemics.

III. derivatives

1. endemically /ɛnˈdɛmɪk(ə)li /

adverb

2. endemicity /ˌɛndɪˈmɪsɪti /

noun

3. endemism /ˈɛndɪmɪz(ə)m /

noun

endemic (sense 2 of the adjective)

– origin mid 17th cent. (as a noun): from French endémique or modern Latin endemicus, from Greek endēmios ‘native’ (based on dēmos ‘people’).

endenizen /ɪnˈdɛnɪz(ə)n, ɛnˈdɛnɪz(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a foreigner) a citizen of a particular place; naturalize.

– origin late16th cent.: from en-1 + denizen.

Enderby Land /ˈɛndəbi/

I. a part of Antarctica claimed by Australia.

– origin named by its discoverer, the English navigator John Biscoe (1794–1843), after the London whaling firm Enderby Brothers, where he was employed.

endergonic /ˌɛndəːˈɡɒnɪk/

I. adjective

[Biochemistry] (of a metabolic or chemical process) accompanied by or requiring the absorption of energy, the products being of greater free energy than the reactants.
The opposite of exergonic.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from endo- ‘within’ + Greek ergon ‘work’ + -ic.

Enders, John Franklin /ˈɛndəz/

(1897–1985), American virologist. With Frederick C. Robbins (1916–2003) and Thomas H. Weller (1915–2008) he devised a method of growing viruses in tissue cultures which led to the development of vaccines against mumps, polio, and measles. The three scientists shared a Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1954.

endgame /ˈɛn(d)ɡeɪm/

noun

the final stage of a game such as chess or bridge, when few pieces or cards remain.

• the game was adjourned after 41 moves in a rook and pawn endgame.

• ‹figurative› Clinton went into the 1992 endgame with a lead in more states than Carter in 1976.

endgate

noun

(N. Amer.) a tailboard.

end grain

noun

the grain of wood seen when it is cut across the growth rings.
[as modifier]

• end-grain woodblock flooring.

• the top is mahogany, with end grain visible.

endian

I. adjective — (usu. in phrase big-endian or little-endian)

1. [Computing] denoting or relating to a system of ordering bytes in a word, or bits in a byte, in which the most significant (or least significant) item is put first.

• big-endian vs. little-endian representation of data.

• a lot of communications and networking hardware is little-endian.

– origin 1980s: from Swift's Gulliver's Travels, in which big-endians and little-endians ate boiled eggs by breaking the ‘big’ end or ‘little’ end respectively.

ending /ˈɛndɪŋ/

I. noun

1. an end or final part of something

• the ending of the Cold War.

2. the furthest part of something

• a nerve ending.

3. the final part of a word, constituting a grammatical inflection or formative element.

• the student has to choose the right plural endings.

– origin Old English endung ‘termination, completion’ (see end, -ing^1).

endite /ˈɛndʌɪt/

I. noun

[Zoology] an inwardly directed lobe on a limb segment of an arthropod, especially on the protopodite of a crustacean limb.

– origin late 19th cent.: from endo- ‘within’ + -ite^1.

endive /ˈɛndʌɪv, ˈɛndɪv/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) an edible Mediterranean plant, the bitter leaves of which may be used in salads.
● Cichorium endivia, family Compositae. The varieties of endive are placed in two groups: curly endive, with curled leaves, and Batavian endive, with smooth leaves.

2. (also Belgian endive) — (N. Amer.) a chicory crown.

– origin late Middle English (also denoting the sowthistle): via Old French from medieval Latin endivia, based on Greek entubon.

endless /ˈɛndləs/

I. adjective

1. having or seeming to have no end or limit

• endless ocean wastes

• the list is endless.

2. countless; innumerable

• we smoked endless cigarettes.

3. (of a belt, chain, or tape) having the ends joined to form a loop allowing continuous action.
[in combination]

• endless-loop cassette tapes.

II. derivatives

endlessness

noun

– origin Old English endelēas (see end, -less).

endlessly /ˈɛn(d)ləsli/

adverb

in a way that has or seems to have no end or limit

• the original episodes were endlessly repeated

• [as submodifier] an endlessly fascinating subject.

endless screw

noun

the threaded cylinder in a worm gear.

endmember

noun

[Geology] a mineral or rock representing one end of a series having a range of composition.

endmost /ˈɛn(d)məʊst/

adjective

nearest to the end.

endnote /ˈɛn(d)nəʊt/

noun

a note printed at the end of a book or section of a book.

endo-

I. combining form

internal; within

• endoderm

• endogenous.

– origin from Greek endon ‘within’.

endocardial /ˌɛndə(ʊ)ˈkɑːdɪəl/

adjective

1. [Anatomy] [Medicine] relating to the endocardium.

2. [Anatomy] [Medicine] inside the heart.

endocarditis /ˌɛndəʊkɑːˈdʌɪtɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the endocardium.

II. derivatives

endocarditic

adjective

endocardium /ˌɛndəʊˈkɑːdɪəm/

I. noun

the thin, smooth membrane which lines the inside of the chambers of the heart and forms the surface of the valves.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from endo- ‘within’ + Greek kardia ‘heart’.

endocarp /ˈɛndə(ʊ)kɑːp/

I. noun

[Botany] the innermost layer of the pericarp which surrounds a seed in a fruit. It may be membranous (as in apples) or woody (as in the stone of a peach or cherry).

II. derivatives

endocarpic

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from endo- ‘within’ + a shortened form of pericarp.

endocentric /ˌɛndəʊˈsɛntrɪk/

adjective

[Linguistics] denoting or being a construction in which the whole has the same syntactic function as the head, for example big black dogs.
Contrasted with exocentric.

endocrine /ˈɛndə(ʊ)krʌɪn, ˈɛndə(ʊ)krɪn/

I. adjective

[Physiology] relating to or denoting glands which secrete hormones or other products directly into the blood

• the endocrine system.

– origin early 20th cent.: from endo- ‘within’ + Greek krinein ‘sift’.

endocrinology /ˌɛndəʊkrɪˈnɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of physiology and medicine concerned with endocrine glands and hormones.

II. derivatives

1. endocrinological

adjective

2. endocrinologist /ˌɛndəʊkrɪˈnɒlədʒɪst /

noun

endocytosis /ˌɛndəʊsʌɪˈtəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the taking in of matter by a living cell by invagination of its membrane to form a vacuole.

II. derivatives

endocytotic

adjective

endoderm /ˈɛndə(ʊ)dəːm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] [Embryology] the innermost layer of cells or tissue of an embryo in early development, or the parts derived from this, which include the lining of the gut and associated structures.
Compare with ectoderm and mesoderm.

II. derivatives

endodermal

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from endo- ‘within’ + Greek derma ‘skin’.

endodermis /ɛndəʊˈdəːmɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] an inner layer of cells in the cortex of a root and of some stems, surrounding a vascular bundle.

– origin early 20th cent.: from endo- ‘within’ + modern Latin dermis ‘skin’.

endogamy /ɛnˈdɒɡəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anthropology] the custom of marrying only within the limits of a local community, clan, or tribe.
Compare with exogamy.

2. [Biology] the fusion of reproductive cells from related individuals; inbreeding; self-pollination.

II. derivatives

endogamous /ɛnˈdɒɡəməs /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from endo- ‘within’ + Greek gamos ‘marriage’, on the pattern of polygamy.

endogenic /ˌɛndəʊˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

[Geology] formed or occurring beneath the surface of the earth.
Often contrasted with exogenic.

endogenous /ɛnˈdɒdʒɪnəs, ɪnˈdɒdʒɪnəs/

I. adjective

1. having an internal cause or origin.

• the expected rate of infection is endogenous to the system.

Often contrasted with exogenous.

2. [Biology] growing or originating from within an organism

• endogenous gene sequences.

3. [chiefly Psychiatry] (of a disease or symptom) not attributable to any external or environmental factor

• endogenous depression.

4. confined within a group or society.

II. derivatives

endogenously

adverb

endoglossic /ˌɛndə(ʊ)ˈɡlɒsɪk/

I. adjective

[Linguistics] denoting or relating to an indigenous language that is used as the first or official language in a country or community.
Compare with exoglossic.

– origin 1980s: from endo-, Greek glōssa ‘language, tongue’, and -ic.

endolithic /ˌɛndə(ʊ)ˈlɪθɪk/

adjective

[Biology] living in or penetrating into stone

• endolithic algae.

endolymph /ˈɛndə(ʊ)lɪmf/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anatomy] the fluid in the membranous labyrinth of the ear.

endometriosis /ˌɛndə(ʊ)miːtrɪˈəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition resulting from the appearance of endometrial tissue outside the womb and causing pelvic pain, especially associated with menstruation.

endometritis /ˌɛndə(ʊ)mɪˈtrʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the endometrium.

endometrium /ˌɛndə(ʊ)ˈmiːtrɪəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the mucous membrane lining the womb, which thickens during the menstrual cycle in preparation for possible implantation of an embryo.

II. derivatives

endometrial

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from endo- ‘within’ + Greek mētra ‘womb’.

endomorph /ˈɛndə(ʊ)mɔːf/

I. noun

[Physiology] a person with a soft round build of body and a high proportion of fat tissue.
Compare with ectomorph and mesomorph.

II. derivatives

1. endomorphic

adjective

2. endomorphy

noun

– origin 1940s: endo- from endodermal (being the layer of the embryo giving rise to the physical characteristics which predominate) + -morph.

endonuclease /ˌɛndəʊˈnjʊːklɪeɪz/

noun

[Biochemistry] an enzyme which cleaves a polynucleotide chain by separating nucleotides other than the two end ones.

endoparasite

I. noun

[Biology] a parasite, such as a tapeworm, that lives inside its host.
Compare with ectoparasite.

II. derivatives

endoparasitic

adjective

endopeptidase /ˌɛndəʊˈpɛptɪdeɪz/

noun

[Biochemistry] an enzyme which breaks peptide bonds other than terminal ones in a peptide chain.

endophora /ɛnˈdɒfərə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] the set of relationships among words having the same reference within a text, contributing to textual cohesion; anaphora and cataphora.
Compare with exophora.

II. derivatives

endophoric /ˌɛndəˈfɒrɪk /

adjective

– origin late 20th cent.: from endo- ‘within’, on the pattern of anaphora.

endophyte /ˈɛndəʊfʌɪt/

I. noun

[Botany] a plant, especially a fungus, which lives inside another plant.

II. derivatives

endophytic

adjective

endoplasm /ˈɛndə(ʊ)plaz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] ‹dated› the more fluid, granular inner layer of the cytoplasm in amoeboid cells.
Compare with ectoplasm (sense 1).

endoplasmic reticulum /ˌɛndəʊˈplazmɪk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] a network of membranous tubules within the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell, continuous with the nuclear membrane. It usually has ribosomes attached and is involved in protein and lipid synthesis.

endopodite /ɛnˈdɒpədʌɪt / endopod /ˈɛndə(ʊ)pɒd/

I. noun

[Zoology] the inner branch of the biramous limb or appendage of a crustacean.
Compare with exopodite, protopodite.

– origin late 19th cent.: from endo- ‘within’ + Greek pous, pod- ‘foot’ + -ite^1.

end organ

noun

1. [Anatomy] a specialized, encapsulated ending of a peripheral sensory nerve, which acts as a receptor for a stimulus.

2. another term for target organ.

endorphin /ɛnˈdɔːfɪn/

I. noun

any of a group of hormones secreted within the brain and nervous system and having a number of physiological functions. They are peptides which activate the body's opiate receptors, causing an analgesic effect.

– origin 1970s: blend of endogenous and morphine.

endorse /ɪnˈdɔːs, ɛnˈdɔːs / ‹US Law› indorse

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. declare one's public approval or support of

• the report was endorsed by the college.

2. recommend (a product) in an advertisement.

• he earns more money endorsing sports clothes than playing football.

3. sign (a cheque or bill of exchange) on the back to make it payable to someone other than the stated payee or to accept responsibility for paying it.

4. write (a comment) on a document

• the speed and accuracy achieved will be endorsed on the certificate.

5. (in the UK) mark (a driving licence) with the penalty points given as a punishment for a driving offence.

• his licence was endorsed with five points.

• she's had her licence endorsed.

6. ( endorse someone out) — (in South Africa under apartheid) order a black person to leave an urban area for failing to meet certain requirements of the Native Laws Amendment Act.

• a further 500,000 blacks had been endorsed out of urban areas under the pass laws.

II. derivatives

1. endorsable

adjective

2. endorser /ɪnˈdɔːsə, ɛnˈdɔːsə /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘write on the back of’; formerly also as indorse): from medieval Latin indorsare, from Latin in- ‘in, on’ + dorsum ‘back’.

endorsee /ˌɛndɔːˈsiː/

noun

a person to whom a cheque or bill of exchange is made payable instead of the stated payee.

endorsement /ɪnˈdɔːsm(ə)nt, ɛnˈdɔːsm(ə)nt / ‹US Law› indorsement

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of endorsing someone or something.

• the issue of full independence received overwhelming endorsement.

• cheques requiring endorsement.

• [ count noun] the package was regarded as an endorsement of the government's reform programme.

• the entertainer made millions from Pepsi endorsements.

2. (in the UK) a note on a driving licence recording the penalty points incurred for a driving offence.

3. a clause in an insurance policy detailing an exemption from or change in cover.

endoscope /ˈɛndəskəʊp/

noun

[Medicine] an instrument which can be introduced into the body to give a view of its internal parts.

endoscopy /ɛnˈdɒskəpi/

I. noun

[Medicine] a procedure in which an instrument is introduced into the body to give a view of its internal parts

• an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed gastritis

• [ mass noun] patients with alarm symptoms should undergo endoscopy.

II. derivatives

1. endoscopic

adjective

2. endoscopically

adverb

3. endoscopist /ɛnˈdɒskəpɪst /

noun

endoskeleton /ˈɛndəʊˌskɛlɪt(ə)n/

I. noun

[Zoology] an internal skeleton, such as the bony or cartilaginous skeleton of vertebrates.
Compare with exoskeleton.

II. derivatives

endoskeletal

adjective

endosperm /ˈɛndə(ʊ)spəːm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] the part of a seed which acts as a food store for the developing plant embryo, usually containing starch with protein and other nutrients.

endospore /ˈɛndə(ʊ)spɔː/

noun

1. [Biology] a resistant asexual spore that develops inside some bacteria cells.

2. [Biology] the inner layer of the membrane or wall of some spores and pollen grains.

endosymbiosis /ˌɛndəʊˌsɪmbɪˈəʊsɪs, ˌɛndəʊˌsɪmbʌɪˈəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] symbiosis in which one of the symbiotic organisms lives inside the other.

II. derivatives

1. endosymbiont

noun

2. endosymbiotic

adjective

endothelium /ˌɛndə(ʊ)ˈθiːlɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anatomy] the tissue which forms a single layer of cells lining various organs and cavities of the body, especially the blood vessels, heart, and lymphatic vessels. It is formed from the embryonic mesoderm.
Compare with epithelium.

II. derivatives

endothelial

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from endo- ‘within’ + Greek thēlē ‘nipple’.

endotherm /ˈɛndə(ʊ)θəːm/

I. noun

[Zoology] an animal that is dependent on or capable of the internal generation of heat.

II. derivatives

endothermy

noun

– origin 1940s: from endo- ‘within’, on the pattern of homeotherm.

endothermic /ˌɛndəʊˈθəːmɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Chemistry] (of a reaction or process) accompanied by or requiring the absorption of heat.
The opposite of exothermic.

2. (of a compound) requiring a net input of heat for its formation from its constituent elements.

3. [Zoology] (of an animal) dependent on or capable of the internal generation of heat.

II. derivatives

endothermal

adjective

endotoxin /ˈɛndəʊˌtɒksɪn/

noun

[Microbiology] a toxin present inside a bacterial cell that is released when it disintegrates.
Compare with exotoxin.

endotracheal /ˌɛndə(ʊ)ˈtreɪkɪəl, ˌɛndə(ʊ)trəˈkiːəl/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] situated or occurring within or performed by way of the trachea.

• an endotracheal tube.

II. derivatives

endotracheally

adverb

endow /ɪnˈdaʊ, ɛnˈdaʊ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give or bequeath an income or property to (a person or institution)

• he endowed the Church with lands.

2. establish (a university post, annual prize, etc.) by donating the funds needed to maintain it.

• he endowed three chairs at Liverpool University.

3. provide with a quality, ability, or asset

• he was endowed with tremendous physical strength.

4. ( be endowed) — ‹informal› have breasts or a penis of specified size

• the girl on page three is well endowed.

II. derivatives

endower

noun

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘provide a dower or dowry’; formerly also as indow): from legal Anglo-Norman French endouer, from en- ‘in, towards’ + Old French douer ‘give as a gift’ (from Latin dotare: see dower).

endowment /ɪnˈdaʊm(ə)nt, ɛnˈdaʊm(ə)nt/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of endowing something or someone

• he tried to promote the endowment of a Chair of Psychiatry.

2. [ count noun] — an income or form of property given or bequeathed to someone.

• university endowments.

3. (usu. endowments) — a quality or ability possessed or inherited by someone.

• his natural endowments were his height and intelligence.

• [ mass noun] differences in genetic endowment.

4. [usu. as modifier] — a form of life insurance involving payment of a fixed sum to the insured person on a specified date, or to their estate should they die before this date

• an endowment policy.

endowment mortgage

noun

(Brit.) a mortgage linked to an endowment insurance policy which is intended to repay the capital sum on maturity.

endpaper /ˈɛn(d)peɪpə/

noun

a leaf of paper at the beginning or end of a book, especially one fixed to the inside of the cover.

• green morocco covers and marbled endpapers.

end plate

noun

1. a flattened piece at or forming the end of something such as a motor or dynamo.

• the electromagnet assembly has a detachable end plate.

2. [Anatomy] each of the discoid expansions of a motor nerve where its branches terminate on a muscle fibre.

endplay ‹Bridge›

I. noun

a way of playing in the last few tricks which forces an opponent to make a disadvantageous lead.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. force (an opponent) to make an endplay.

• the eight of clubs was led with the intention of endplaying West.

end point

noun

the final stage of a period or process.

• two lines of evolution have converged on exactly the same end point from different starting points.

end product

noun

the final result of an activity or process, especially the finished article in a manufacturing process.

• the report is the end product of the survey.

• the unbroken line from supplier to end product.

end result

noun

the final result or outcome of an activity or process.

• we are on hand to help you achieve the best possible end result.

• headaches and tension are the end result of keeping anger bottled up.

endrin /ˈɛndrɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a toxic insecticide which is a stereoisomer of dieldrin.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from endo- ‘within’ + a shortened form of dieldrin.

end run

I. noun

1. [American Football] an attempt by the ball carrier to run around the end of the defensive line.

2. (N. Amer.) an evasive tactic or manoeuvre.

• they all engage in end runs around morality.

II. verb

( end-run) [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) evade; circumvent

• an attempt to end-run regulations for fire protection.

end-scraper

noun

[Archaeology] a prehistoric flint tool with a single working edge at one end of a blade or flake, at right angles to the long axis.

end-stage

adjective

denoting, relating to, or occurring in the final phase of a terminal illness

• he was suffering end-stage kidney failure

• patients with end-stage lung disease.

end standard

noun

a standard of length in the form of a metal bar or block whose end faces are the standard distance apart.

end-stopped

adjective

(of verse) having a pause at the end of each line.

end times

plural noun

(chiefly US) (in some religious beliefs) the period leading up to Judgement Day.

endue /ɪnˈdjuː, ɛnˈdjuː / indue

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› endow or provide with a quality or ability

• our sight would be endued with a far greater sharpness.

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘induct into an ecclesiastical living’): from Old French enduire, partly from Latin inducere ‘lead in’ (see induce), reinforced by the sense of Latin induere ‘put on clothes’.

endurable /ɪnˈdjʊərəb(ə)l, ɛnˈdjʊərəb(ə)l, ɪnˈdʒɔːrəb(ə)l, ɛnˈdʒɔːrəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be endured; bearable

• my journey was long but endurable.

II. derivatives

endurability

noun

endurance /ɪnˈdjʊər(ə)ns, ɛnˈdjʊər(ə)ns, ɪnˈdʒɔːr(ə)ns, ɛnˈdʒɔːr(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability to endure an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way

• she was close to the limit of her endurance.

2. the capacity of something to last or to withstand wear and tear.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘continued existence, ability to last’; formerly also as indurance): from Old French, from endurer ‘make hard’ (see endure).

endure /ɪnˈdjʊə, ɛnˈdjʊə, ɪnˈdʒɔː, ɛnˈdʒɔː/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — suffer (something painful or difficult) patiently

• it seemed impossible that anyone could endure such pain.

2. [no obj.] — remain in existence; last

• these cities have endured through time.

– origin Middle English: from Old French endurer, from Latin indurare ‘harden’, from in- ‘in’ + durus ‘hard’.

enduring /ɪnˈdjʊərɪŋ, ɛnˈdjʊərɪŋ, ɪnˈdʒɔːrɪŋ, ɛnˈdjɔːrɪŋ/

I. adjective

lasting over a period of time; durable

• he formed a number of enduring relationships with women.

II. derivatives

enduringly /ɪnˈdjʊərɪŋli, ɛnˈdjʊərɪŋli /

adverb

enduro /ɪnˈdjʊərəʊ, ɛnˈdjʊərəʊ/

I. noun

a long-distance race for motor vehicles or bicycles, typically over rough terrain, designed to test endurance.

– origin 1950s: from endurance + the informal suffix -o.

end user

noun

the person who actually uses a particular product.

endways /ˈɛndweɪz / endwise

adverb

1. with the end facing upwards, forwards, or towards the viewer

• a little town looking endways on to the river.

2. in a row with the end of one object touching that of another

• strips of rubber cemented endways.

Endymion /ɛnˈdɪmɪən / ‹Greek Mythology›

a remarkably beautiful young man, loved by the Moon (Selene). According to one story, he was put in an eternal sleep by Zeus for having fallen in love with Hera, and was then visited every night by Selene.

end zone

noun

[American Football] the rectangular area at the end of the field into which the ball must be carried or passed to score a touchdown.

ENE

abbreviation

east-north-east.

-ene

I. suffix

1. denoting an inhabitant

• Nazarene.

2. [Chemistry] forming names of unsaturated hydrocarbons containing a double bond

• benzene.

– origin from Greek -ēnos.

en échelon /ɒn ˈeɪʃ(ə)lɒ̃/

I. adjective, adverb

[chiefly Geology] in approximately parallel formation at an oblique angle to a particular direction.

– origin French, literally ‘in rung formation’.

enema /ˈɛnɪmə/

I. noun

a procedure in which liquid or gas is injected into the rectum, to expel its contents or to introduce drugs or permit X-ray imaging.

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek, from enienai ‘send or put in’, from en- ‘in’ + hienai ‘send’.

enemy /ˈɛnəmi/

I. noun

1. a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.

• the traditional enemies of his tribe.

• Nigel made many enemies.

• this man was her sworn enemy.

2. [treated as sing. or pl.] ( the enemy) — a hostile nation or its armed forces, especially in time of war

• the enemy shot down four helicopters

• [as modifier] enemy aircraft.

3. a thing that harms or weakens something else

• routine is the enemy of art.

II. phrases

1. be one's own worst enemy

act in a way contrary to one's own interests.

• I try my best, but he's his own worst enemy.

2. make an enemy of

cause (someone) to start feeling hostile to one

• you really don't want to make an enemy of your girlfriend's best mate.

– origin Middle English: from Old French enemi, from Latin inimicus, from in- ‘not’ + amicus ‘friend’.

Eneolithic /ˌiːnɪə(ʊ)ˈlɪθɪk/

I. adjective, noun

another term for Chalcolithic.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin aeneus ‘of bronze or copper’ + Greek lithos ‘stone’ + -ic.

energetic /ˌɛnəˈdʒɛtɪk/

I. adjective

1. showing or involving great activity or vitality

• moderately energetic exercise.

2. [Physics] relating to or characterized by energy (in the technical sense)

• energetic X-rays.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘powerfully effective’): from Greek energētikos, from energein ‘operate, work in or upon’ (based on ergon ‘work’).

energetically /ˌɛnəˈdʒɛtɪkli/

adverb

in a manner showing or involving great activity or vitality

• the girls dance energetically while the boys line the walls

• he energetically pursued his business activities.

energetics /ɛnəˈdʒɛtɪks/

plural noun

1. the properties of something in terms of energy.

• the energetics of the molecular collisions.

2. [treated as sing.] — the branch of science which deals with the properties of energy and the way in which it is redistributed in physical, chemical, or biological processes.

energize /ˈɛnədʒʌɪz / energise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give vitality and enthusiasm to

• people were energized by his ideas.

2. supply energy, typically kinetic or electrical energy, to (something).

• floor sensors are energized by standing passengers.

• ceramic cooktops cook food by energizing molecules both in the food and pan.

II. derivatives

energizer

noun

energumen /ˌɛnəˈɡjuːmən/

I. noun

‹archaic› a person believed to be possessed by the devil or a spirit.

– origin early 18th cent. (also denoting an enthusiast or fanatic): via late Latin from Greek energoumenos, passive participle of energein ‘work in or upon’.

energy /ˈɛnədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity

• changes in the levels of vitamins can affect energy and well-being.

2. ( energies) — a person's physical and mental powers.

• an alternative is to devote your energies to voluntary work.

3. power derived from the utilization of physical or chemical resources, especially to provide light and heat or to work machines

• nuclear energy.

4. [Physics] the property of matter and radiation which is manifest as a capacity to perform work (such as causing motion or the interaction of molecules).

• a collision in which no energy is transferred.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting force or vigour of expression): from French énergie, or via late Latin from Greek energeia, from en- ‘in, within’ + ergon ‘work’.

energy audit

noun

an assessment of the energy needs and efficiency of a building or buildings.

• an energy audit should be considered if energy costs exceed $100,000 annually.

energy drink

noun

a soft drink containing a high percentage of sugar, caffeine, or another stimulant, typically consumed during or after sporting activity or as a way of overcoming tiredness.

energy-saving

adjective

designed to make economical use of electricity, gas, or other forms of energy

• an energy-saving light bulb

• local authorities are keen to promote a range of energy-saving initiatives.

enervate

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. enervated or enervating) enervate /ˈɛnəveɪt /

1. make (someone) feel drained of energy or vitality

• enervating heat.

II. adjective — enervate /ɪˈnəːvət /

1. ‹literary› lacking in energy or vitality

• the enervate slightness of his frail form.

III. derivatives

enervative

adjective

‹rare›

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin enervat- ‘weakened (by extraction of the sinews)’, from the verb enervare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + nervus ‘sinew’.

enervation /ɛnəˈveɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of being drained of energy or vitality; fatigue

• a sense of enervation.

en face /ɒ̃ ˈfas/

I. adverb, adjective

facing forwards.

– origin French.

en famille /ɒ̃ faˈmiː/

I. adverb

with one's family, or as a family

• when they went out en famille, Steven always drove.

– origin French, literally ‘in family’.

enfant gâté /ˌɒ̃fɒ̃ ˈɡateɪ/

I. noun

‹dated› a person who is excessively flattered or indulged.

– origin French, literally ‘spoilt child’.

enfant terrible /ˌɒ̃fɒ̃ tɛˈriːbl(ə)/

I. noun

a person who behaves in an unconventional or controversial way.

• the enfant terrible of contemporary art.

– origin French, literally ‘terrible child’.

enfeeble /ɪnˈfiːb(ə)l, ɛnˈfiːb(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. enfeebled)

1. make weak or feeble

• trade unions are in an enfeebled state.

II. derivatives

enfeeblement /ɪnˈfiːb(ə)lm(ə)nt, ɛnˈfiːb(ə)lm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French enfeblir, from en- (expressing a change of state) + feble ‘feeble’.

enfeoff /ɪnˈfiːf, ɪnˈfɛf, ɛnˈfiːf, ɛnˈfɛf/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (under the feudal system) give (someone) freehold property or land in exchange for their pledged service.

• he enfeoffed trustees with the lands.

• (as adj. enfeoffed) the enfeoffed knights and overlords.

II. derivatives

enfeoffment /ɪnˈfiːfm(ə)nt, ɪnˈfɛfm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French enfeoffer, from Old French en- ‘in’ + fief ‘fief’. Compare with feoffment.

en fête /ɒ̃ ˈfɛt/

I. adverb, adjective

holding or prepared for a party or celebration.

– origin French, ‘in festival’.

enfetter /ɪnˈfɛtə, ɛnˈfɛtə/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› restrain (someone) with shackles.

• ‹figurative› his soul is so enfettered to her love.

enfilade /ˌɛnfɪˈleɪd/

I. noun

1. a volley of gunfire directed along a line from end to end.

• they were mown down by an enfilade of artillery.

2. a suite of rooms with doorways in line with each other.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. direct a volley of gunfire along the length of (a target).

• a sweeping crossfire enfiladed our riflemen.

– origin early 18th cent. (denoting the position of a military post commanding the length of a line): from French, from enfiler ‘thread on a string, pierce from end to end’, from en- ‘in, on’ + fil ‘thread’.

enflesh

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› give bodily form to; make real or concrete.

II. derivatives

enfleshment

noun

enfleurage /ˌɒ̃fləˈrɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the extraction of essential oils and perfumes from flowers using odourless animal or vegetable fats.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from enfleurer ‘saturate with the perfume from flowers’.

enflurane /ɛnˈflʊəreɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a volatile organic liquid used as a general anaesthetic.
●A halogenated ether; chem. formula: CHF_2OCF_2CHFCl.

– origin 1970s: from en- (of unknown origin) + fluoro- + -ane^2.

enfold /ɪnˈfəʊld, ɛnˈfəʊld/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. surround; envelop

• he shut off the engine and silence enfolded them.

2. hold or clasp (someone) lovingly in one's arms.

• he enfolded her in his arms and stroked her hair.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘involve, entail, imply’; formerly also as infold): from en-1, in-2 ‘within’ + fold^1.

enforce /ɪnˈfɔːs, ɛnˈfɔːs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. compel observance of or compliance with (a law, rule, or obligation)

• the role of the police is to enforce the law.

2. cause (something) to happen by necessity or force

• there is no outside agency to enforce cooperation between the players.

3. ‹archaic› press home (a demand or argument).

• my father spoke like a preacher enforcing a precept of religion.

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘strive’ and ‘impel by force’; formerly also as inforce): from Old French enforcir, enforcier, based on Latin in- ‘in’ + fortis ‘strong’.

enforceable /ɪnˈfɔːsəbl, ɛnˈfɔːsəbl/

I. adjective

(of a law, rule, or obligation) able to be imposed so that it must be complied with

• a binding and enforceable contract

• there was no legally enforceable right of residency.

II. derivatives

enforceability

noun

enforced /ɪnˈfɔːst/

I. adjective

caused by necessity or force; compulsory

• a period of enforced idleness.

II. derivatives

enforcedly

adverb

enforcement /ɪnˈfɔːsm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the act of compelling observance of or compliance with a law, rule, or obligation

• the strict enforcement of environmental regulations.

enforcement notice

noun

[English Law] a notification to remedy a breach of planning legislation.

enforcer /ɪnˈfɔːsə/

noun

1. a person or group that compels observance of or compliance with a law, rule, or obligation

• the city police's role as enforcers of traffic rules will increase

• [with modifier] we will encourage law enforcers to take strict measures against those involved in corruption.

2. ‹informal› a person who imposes their will by violence and intimidation

• gangland enforcers linked to a drugs gang.

3. [Sport] ‹informal› a strong, aggressive, or intimidating player whose role is to protect teammates or dominate an area of the field of play

• the broad-chested former Liverpool defensive enforcer.

enfranchise /ɪnˈfran(t)ʃʌɪz, ɛnˈfran(t)ʃʌɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give the right to vote to

• a proposal that foreigners should be enfranchised for local elections.

2. ‹historical› give (a town) the right to be represented in Parliament.

3. ‹historical› free (a slave).

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as infranchise): from Old French enfranchiss-, lengthened stem of enfranchir, from en- (expressing a change of state) + franc, franche ‘free’.

enfranchisement /ɛnˈfran(t)ʃɪzm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the giving of a right or privilege, especially the right to vote

• the World War hastened the enfranchisement of women.

2. ‹historical› liberation from imprisonment or slavery.

3. [Law] ‹Brit.› the action of making land freehold

• legal costs attributable to the enfranchisement of leasehold properties.

ENG

abbreviation

electronic news-gathering.

engage /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒ, ɛnˈɡeɪdʒ/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — occupy or attract (someone's interest or attention)

• he ploughed on, trying to outline his plans and engage Sutton's attention

• I told him I was otherwise engaged.

2. ( engage someone in) — involve someone in (a conversation or discussion).

• they attempted to engage Anthony in conversation.

3. [no obj.] ( engage in or be engaged in) — participate or become involved in

• organizations engage in a variety of activities

• some are actively engaged in crime.

4. ( engage with) — establish a meaningful contact or connection with

• the teams needed to engage with local communities.

5. [with obj.] — arrange to employ or hire (someone)

• he was engaged as a trainee copywriter.

6. [with infinitive] — pledge or enter into a contract to do something

• he engaged to pay them £10,000 against a bond.

7. ‹dated› reserve (accommodation, a place, etc.) in advance.

• she had offered to engage a room in the house of the woman.

8. (with reference to a part of a machine or engine) move into position so as to come into operation
[no obj.]

• the clutch will not engage

• [with obj.] the driver engaged the gears and pulled out into the road.

9. [with obj.] — (of fencers or swordsmen) bring (weapons) together preparatory to fighting.

10. enter into combat with (an enemy).

• tank and infantry units engaged the enemy.

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as ingage): from French engager, ultimately from the base of gage^1. The word originally meant ‘to pawn or pledge something’, later ‘pledge oneself (to do something’), hence ‘enter into a contract’ (mid 16th cent.), ‘involve oneself in an activity’, ‘enter into combat’ (mid 17th cent.), giving rise to the notion ‘involve someone or something else’.

engagé /ˌɒ̃ɡaˈʒeɪ/

I. adjective

(of a writer or artist) committed to a particular aim or cause.

– origin French, past participle of engager (see engage).

engaged /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒd, ɛnˈɡeɪdʒd/

adjective

1. [ predic.] — busy; occupied.

2. (Brit.) (of a telephone line) unavailable because already in use.

• she rang Mrs Tavett but the line was engaged.

3. (of a toilet) already in use.

4. having formally agreed to marry.

• Keith and I had got engaged four months before.

• she was engaged to a lecturer.

• the newly engaged couple.

5. [Architecture] (of a column) attached to or partly let into a wall.

engaged tone engaged signal

noun

(Brit.) a sound indicating that a telephone line is engaged.

engagement /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒm(ə)nt, ɛnˈɡeɪdʒm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a formal agreement to get married.

• she'd broken off her engagement to Paul.

2. the duration of an agreement to get married

• a good long engagement to give you time to be sure.

3. an arrangement to do something or go somewhere at a fixed time

• a dinner engagement.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of engaging or being engaged

• Britain's continued engagement in open trading.

5. a fight or battle between armed forces.

• the war's most significant engagements were fought to keep these sea lanes open.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the general sense ‘a legal or moral obligation’): French, from engager ‘to pledge’ (see engage).

engagement ring

noun

a ring traditionally given by a man to a woman when they agree to marry.

engaging /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒɪŋ, ɛnˈɡeɪdʒɪŋ/

I. adjective

charming and attractive

• an engaging smile.

II. derivatives

engagingly /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒɪŋli, ɛnˈɡeɪdʒɪŋli /

adverb

Engelmann spruce /ˈɛŋɡ(ə)lmən / Engelmann's spruce

I. noun

a tall spruce found in the mountains of western North America and Mexico.
● Picea engelmannii, family Pinaceae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after George Engelmann (1809–84), American botanist.

Engels, Friedrich /ˈɛŋɡ(ə)lz/

(1820–95), German socialist and political philosopher. He collaborated with Marx in the writing of the Communist Manifesto (1848) and translated and edited Marx's later work. Engels's own writings include The Condition of the Working Classes in England in 1844 (1845).

engender /ɪnˈdʒɛndə, ɛnˈdʒɛndə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause or give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition)

• the issue engendered continuing controversy.

2. ‹archaic› (of a father) beget (offspring).

– origin Middle English (formerly also as ingender): from Old French engendrer, from Latin ingenerare, from in- ‘in’ + generare ‘beget’ (see generate).

engine /ˈɛndʒɪn/

I. noun

1. a machine with moving parts that converts power into motion.

• the roar of a car engine.

• [as modifier] engine failure.

2. a thing that is the agent or instrument of a particular process

• exports used to be the engine of growth.

3. (also railway engine) — a locomotive.

4. a fire engine.

5. ‹historical› a mechanical device or instrument, especially one used in warfare

• a siege engine.

II. derivatives

1. engined

adjective

[in combination]

• a twin-engined helicopter

2. engineless

adjective

– origin Middle English (formerly also as ingine): from Old French engin, from Latin ingenium ‘talent, device’, from in- ‘in’ + gignere ‘beget’; compare with ingenious. The original sense was ‘ingenuity, cunning’ (surviving in Scots as ingine), hence ‘the product of ingenuity, a plot or snare’, also ‘tool, weapon’, later specifically denoting a large mechanical weapon; whence a machine (mid 17th cent.), used commonly later in combinations such as steam engine, internal-combustion engine.

engine driver

noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› a person who drives a railway locomotive.

engineer /ɛndʒɪˈnɪə/

I. noun

1. a person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or structures.

2. a person qualified in a branch of engineering, especially as a professional

• an aeronautical engineer.

3. a person who controls an engine, especially on an aircraft or ship.

4. (N. Amer.) a train driver.

5. a skilful contriver or originator of something

• the prime engineer of the approach.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. design and build (a machine or structure)

• the men who engineered the tunnel.

2. modify (an organism) by manipulating its genetic material
(as adj., with submodifier engineered)

• genetically engineered plants.

3. skilfully arrange for (something) to occur

• she engineered another meeting with him.

– origin Middle English (denoting a designer and constructor of fortifications and weapons; formerly also as ingineer): in early use from Old French engigneor, from medieval Latin ingeniator, from ingeniare ‘contrive, devise’, from Latin ingenium (see engine); in later use from French ingénieur or Italian ingegnere, also based on Latin ingenium, with the ending influenced by -eer.

engineering /ɛndʒɪˈnɪərɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of science and technology concerned with the design, building, and use of engines, machines, and structures.

2. a field of study or activity concerned with modification or development in a particular area

• software engineering.

3. the action of working artfully to bring something about

• if not for his shrewd engineering, the election would have been lost.

engineering brick

noun

a brick made of semi-vitreous material, which is strong and impervious to water or frost.

engineering science engineering sciences

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the parts of science concerned with the physical and mathematical basis of engineering and machine technology.

engine room

noun

the part of a ship or building in which the engines are housed.

• ‹figurative› this region was the engine room of the economic boom.

enginery /ˈɛndʒɪn(ə)ri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› engines collectively; machinery.

engine turning

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the decoration of metal or ceramic objects with regular engraved patterns using a lathe.

II. derivatives

engine-turned

adjective

engirdle /ɪnˈɡəːd(ə)l, ɛnˈɡəːd(ə)l / engird

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› surround; encircle

• railways engirdled this tract of country.

englacial /ɪnˈɡleɪʃ(ə)l, ɪnˈɡleɪsɪəl, ɛnˈɡleɪʃ(ə)l, ɛnˈɡleɪsɪəl/

adjective

situated, occurring, or formed inside a glacier.

England /ˈɪŋɡlənd/

I. a country forming the largest and southernmost part of Great Britain and of the United Kingdom, and containing the capital, London; pop. 51,446,000 (est. 2008).

England was conquered by the Romans in the first century AD, when it was inhabited by Celtic peoples, and was a Roman province until the early 5th century. During the 3rd–7th centuries Germanic-speaking tribes, traditionally known as Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, established a number of independent kingdoms. England emerged as a distinct political entity in the 9th century before being conquered by William, Duke of Normandy, in 1066.

English /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

I. adjective

relating to England or its people or language.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the language of England, now widely used in many varieties throughout the world.

2. (as plural noun the English) — the people of England.

3. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) spin or side given to a ball, especially in pool or billiards.

• put more English on the ball.

English is the principal language of Great Britain, the US, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries. There are some 400 million native speakers, and it is the medium of communication for many millions more: it is the most widely used second language in the world. It belongs to the West Germanic group of Indo-European languages, though its vocabulary has been much influenced by Norman French and Latin.

– origin Old English Englisc (see Angle, -ish^1). The word originally denoted the early Germanic settlers of Britain (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes), or their language (now called Old English).

English bond

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Building] a bond used in brickwork consisting of alternate courses of stretchers and headers.

English breakfast full English breakfast

noun

a substantial breakfast including hot cooked food such as bacon and eggs.

English Canadian

I. noun

a Canadian whose principal language is English.

II. adjective

relating to English-speaking Canadians.

English Channel /ɪŋɡlɪʃˈtʃanl/

the sea channel separating southern England from northern France. It is 35 km (22 miles) wide at its narrowest point. A railway tunnel beneath it linking England and France was opened in 1994 (the Channel Tunnel).

English Civil War

I. the war between Charles I and his Parliamentary opponents, 1642–9.

Civil war broke out after Charles refused to accede to a series of demands made by Parliament. The king's forces (the Royalists or Cavaliers) were decisively defeated by the Parliamentary forces (or Roundheads) at the Battle of Naseby (1645), and an attempt by Charles to regain power in alliance with the Scots was defeated in 1648. Charles himself was tried and executed by Parliament in 1649.

English English

noun — [ mass noun]

1. English language as used England, as distinct from that used elsewhere.

English Heritage

(in the UK) a body responsible since 1983 for England's ancient monuments, listed buildings, and conservation areas.

English horn

noun

[Music] (chiefly N. Amer.) another term for cor anglais.

Englishman /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃmən/

I. noun

a male native or inhabitant of England, or a man of English descent.

II. phrases

an Englishman's home is his castle

(Brit.) ‹proverb› an English person's home is a place where they may do as they please and from which they may exclude anyone they choose.

English mustard

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of mustard made from mustard seeds milled to a powder, having a very hot taste and typically bright yellow in colour.

Englishness /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being English or of having characteristics regarded as typically English

• a deep vein of Englishness runs through his work

• he combined cultural Englishness with political cosmopolitanism.

English Pale the Pale

I. a small area round Calais, the only part of France remaining in English hands after the Hundred Years War. It was recaptured by France in 1558.

II. that part of Ireland over which England exercised jurisdiction before the whole country was conquered. Centred on Dublin, it varied in extent at different times from the reign of Henry II until the full conquest under Elizabeth I.

– origin Pale from pale^2.

English rose

noun

an attractive English girl with a delicate, fair-skinned complexion regarded as typically English.

English setter

noun

a setter of a breed with a long white or partly white coat.

Englishwoman /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃwʊmən/

noun

a female native or inhabitant of England, or a woman of English descent.

englobe /ɪnˈɡləʊb/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› enclose in or shape into a globe.

• I was snugly englobed in my mobile unit, a world within a world.

engorge /ɪnˈɡɔːdʒ, ɛnˈɡɔːdʒ/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — cause to swell with blood, water, or another fluid

• the river was engorged by a day-long deluge.

2. ( engorge oneself) — ‹archaic› eat to excess.

• you touch not one dish, leaving them afterwards for your servants to engorge themselves therewith.

II. derivatives

engorgement /ɪnˈɡɔːdʒm(ə)nt, ɛnˈɡɔːdʒm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘gorge; eat or fill to excess’): from Old French engorgier ‘feed to excess’, from en- ‘into’ + gorge ‘throat’.

engraft /ɪnˈɡrɑːft, ɛnˈɡrɑːft / ingraft

I. verb

another term for graft^1.

II. derivatives

engraftment

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (formerly also as engraff, ingraft): from en-1, in-2 ‘into’ + graft^1.

engrailed

I. adjective

[chiefly Heraldry] having semicircular indentations along the edge.
Compare with invected.

– origin late Middle English (as verb engrail): from Old French engresler ‘make thin’, from en- (expressing a change of state) + gresle ‘thin’, from Latin gracilis.

engram /ˈɛnɡram/

I. noun

a hypothetical permanent change in the brain accounting for the existence of memory; a memory trace.

II. derivatives

engrammatic

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: coined in German from Greek en- ‘within’ + gramma ‘letter of the alphabet’.

engrave /ɪnˈɡreɪv, ɛnˈɡreɪv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut or carve (a text or design) on the surface of a hard object

• my name was engraved on the ring.

2. cut or carve a text or design on (a hard object).

• the crystal glasses were engraved with the Queen's cipher.

3. cut (a design) as lines on a metal plate for printing.

• his drawings of public buildings were engraved by Edward Rooker.

4. ( be engraved on or in) — be permanently fixed in (one's memory or mind)

• the image would be forever engraved in his memory.

II. phrases

be engraved in stone

see stone.

III. derivatives

engraver /ɪnˈɡreɪvə /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (formerly also as ingrave): from en-1, in-2 ‘in, on’ + grave^3, influenced by obsolete French engraver.

engraving /ɪnˈɡreɪvɪŋ, ɛnˈɡreɪvɪŋ/

noun

1. a print made from an engraved plate, block, or other surface.

• the scene is depicted in a contemporary engraving by William Hogarth.

2. [ mass noun] — the process or art of engraving a design on a hard surface, especially to make a print.

• the quality of his engraving established new standards.

engross /ɪnˈɡrəʊs, ɛnˈɡrəʊs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often be engrossed in) — absorb all the attention or interest of

• they seemed to be engrossed in conversation

• the notes totally engrossed him

• (as adj. engrossing) the most engrossing parts of the book.

2. ‹archaic› gain or keep exclusive possession of.

• the country had made the best of its position to engross trade.

3. [Law] produce (a legal document, especially a deed or statute) in its final form.

• the solicitors will submit a draft conveyance and engross the same after approval.

II. derivatives

engrossingly

adverb

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as ingross): based on en-1, in-2 ‘in’ + late Latin grossus ‘large’. Sense 1 is from Old French en gros, from medieval Latin in grosso ‘wholesale’; sense 2 comes from Anglo-Norman French engrosser, medieval Latin ingrossare, from Old French grosse, medieval Latin grossa ‘large writing’, with reference to clerks writing out documents in large, clear writing.

engrossment /ɛŋˈɡrəʊsm(ə)nt/

noun

[Law] the final version of a legal document, especially a deed or statute.

engulf /ɪnˈɡʌlf, ɛnˈɡʌlf/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a natural force) sweep over (something) so as to surround or cover it completely

• the cafe was engulfed in flames

• ‹figurative› Europe might be engulfed by war.

2. powerfully affect (someone); overwhelm

• a feeling of anguish so great that it threatened to engulf him.

II. derivatives

engulfment

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (formerly also as ingulf): from en-1, in-2 ‘in, on’ + gulf.

enhance /ɪnˈhɑːns, ɪnˈhans, ɛnˈhɑːns, ɛnˈhans/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. intensify, increase, or further improve the quality, value, or extent of

• his refusal does nothing to enhance his reputation.

– origin Middle English (formerly also as inhance): from Anglo-Norman French enhauncer, based on Latin in- (expressing intensive force) + altus ‘high’. The word originally meant ‘elevate’ (literally and figuratively), later ‘exaggerate, make appear greater’, also ‘raise the value or price of something’. Current senses date from the early 16th cent.

enhancement /ɪnˈhɑːnsm(ə)nt, ɛnˈhɑːnsm(ə)nt, ɛnˈhansm(ə)nt/

noun

an increase or improvement in quality, value, or extent

• this programme of enhancements will improve the daily experience of passengers

• [ mass noun] the enhancement of civic amenities.

enhancer

noun

1. a person or thing that enhances something

• a sweetener and flavour enhancer.

2. [Genetics] a DNA sequence that increases the level of transcription of a gene that is located nearby on the same chromosome.

enharmonic /ˌɛnhɑːˈmɒnɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Music] relating to or denoting notes which are the same in pitch (in modern tuning) though bearing different names (e.g. F sharp and G flat or B and C flat).

• double flats and double sharps are replaced by their enharmonic equivalents in harp music.

2. [Music] of or having intervals smaller than a semitone (e.g. between notes such as F sharp and G flat, in systems of tuning which distinguish them).

II. derivatives

enharmonically

adverb

– origin early 17th cent. (designating ancient Greek music based on a tetrachord divided into two quarter-tones and a major third): via late Latin from Greek enarmonikos, from en- ‘in’ + harmonia ‘harmony’.

enigma /ɪˈnɪɡmə/

I. noun

a person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand

• Madeleine was still an enigma to him.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek ainigma, from ainissesthai ‘speak allusively’, from ainos ‘fable’.

enigmatic /ˌɛnɪɡˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious

• he took the money with an enigmatic smile.

II. derivatives

1. enigmatical

adjective

2. enigmatically /ɛnɪɡˈmatɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from French énigmatique or late Latin aenigmaticus, based on Greek ainigma ‘riddle’ (see enigma).

enisle /ɛnˈʌɪl, ɪnˈʌɪl/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› isolate on or as if on an island.

• in the sea of life enisled, we mortal millions live alone.

Eniwetok /ɛˈniːwəˌtɔːk, ˌɛnɪˈwiːtɔːk / Enewetak

an uninhabited island in the North Pacific, one of the Marshall Islands. Cleared of its native population, it was used by the US as a testing ground for atom bombs from 1948 to 1954.

enjambed /ɪnˈdʒam, ɛnˈdʒam/

I. adjective

(of a line, couplet, or stanza of verse) ending part-way through a sentence or clause which continues in the next.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French enjamber ‘stride over’ + -ed^2.

enjambement /ɪnˈdʒam(b)m(ə)nt, ɛnˈdʒam(b)m(ə)nt, ɒ̃ˈʒɒ̃bmɒ̃ / enjambment

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in verse) the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.

• he uses enjambment less than many poets.

• [ count noun] flat language and clumsy enjambments.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from enjamber ‘stride over, go beyond’, from en- ‘in’ + jambe ‘leg’.

enjoin /ɪnˈdʒɔɪn, ɛnˈdʒɔɪn/

I. verb — [with obj. and infinitive]

1. instruct or urge (someone) to do something

• the code enjoined members to trade fairly.

2. [with obj.] — prescribe (an action or attitude) to be performed or adopted

• the charitable deeds enjoined on him by religion.

3. [with obj.] ( enjoin someone from) — [Law] prohibit someone from performing (a particular action) by issuing an injunction.

• he was enjoined from using the patent.

II. derivatives

enjoinment /ɪnˈdʒɔɪnm(ə)nt, ɛnˈdʒɔɪnm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin Middle English (formerly also as injoin): from Old French enjoindre, from Latin injungere ‘join, attach, impose’, from in- ‘in, towards’ + jungere ‘to join’.

enjoinder

noun

[Law] a prohibition ordered by an injunction.

enjoy /ɪnˈdʒɔɪ, ɛnˈdʒɔɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. take delight or pleasure in (an activity or occasion)

• I enjoy watching good films.

2. ( enjoy oneself) — have a pleasant time

• I could never enjoy myself, knowing you were in your room alone.

3. [no obj., in imperative] — ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) used to urge someone to take pleasure in what is being offered or is about to happen

• Bake until the filling starts to bubble and the crust turns golden brown. Enjoy!

4. possess and benefit from

• the security forces enjoy legal immunity from prosecution.

II. derivatives

enjoyer

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French enjoier ‘give joy to’ or enjoïr ‘enjoy’, both based on Latin gaudere ‘rejoice’.

enjoyable /ɪnˈdʒɔɪəb(ə)l, ɛnˈdʒɔɪəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of an activity or occasion) giving delight or pleasure

• they had an enjoyable afternoon.

II. derivatives

1. enjoyability

noun

2. enjoyableness

noun

3. enjoyably /ɪnˈdʒɔɪəbli, ɛnˈdʒɔɪəbli /

adverb

enjoyment /ɪnˈdʒɔɪmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or process of taking pleasure in something

• the enjoyment of a good wine.

2. [ count noun] — a thing that gives pleasure

• one of his particular enjoyments was campfire singing.

3. the action of possessing and benefiting from something.

enkephalin /ɛnˈkɛf(ə)lɪn / encephalin

I. noun

[Biochemistry] either of two peptide compounds occurring naturally in the brain, related to the endorphins and having similar physiological effects.

– origin 1970s: from Greek enkephalos ‘brain’ (from en- ‘in’ + kephalē ‘head’) + -in^1.

enkindle /ɪnˈkɪnd(ə)l, ɛnˈkɪnd(ə)l/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› set on fire.
(as adj. enkindled)

• the glare from its enkindled roof illumined its innermost recesses.

2. ‹literary› arouse or inspire (an emotion)

• fresh remembrance of vexation must still enkindle rage.

enlace /ɪnˈleɪs, ɛnˈleɪs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› entwine or entangle.

• a web of green enlaced the thorn trees.

– origin Middle English: from Old French enlacier, based on Latin laqueus ‘noose’.

enlarge /ɪnˈlɑːdʒ, ɛnˈlɑːdʒ/

I. verb

1. make or become larger or more extensive
[with obj.]

• recently my son enlarged our garden pond

• (as adj. enlarged) an enlarged spleen.

2. [with obj.] — develop a larger print of (a photograph).

• very often a favourite photograph is enlarged and framed.

II. phrasal verbs

enlarge on/upon

speak or write about (something) in greater detail

• I would like to enlarge on this theme.

– origin Middle English (formerly also as inlarge): from Old French enlarger, from en- (expressing a change of state) + large ‘large’.

enlargement /ɪnˈlɑːdʒm(ə)nt, ɛnˈlɑːdʒm(ə)nt/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or state of enlarging or being enlarged.

• talks on the enlargement of the EU.

• [ count noun] nine new stores and two major enlargements are planned.

2. a photograph that is larger than the original negative or an earlier print.

enlarger /ɪnˈlɑːdʒə/

noun

[Photography] an apparatus for enlarging or reducing negatives or positives.

enlighten /ɪnˈlʌɪt(ə)n, ɛnˈlʌɪt(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (someone) greater knowledge and understanding about a subject or situation

• Christopher had not enlightened Francis as to their relationship.

2. give (someone) spiritual knowledge or insight.

• the Holy Spirit enlightened the Apostles.

3. ‹archaic› shed light on (an object).

• the sun enlightened some such clouds near him.

II. derivatives

enlightener

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘make luminous’; formerly also as inlighten): in early use from Old English inlīhtan ‘to shine’; later from en-1, in-2 (as an intensifier) + lighten^2 or the noun light^1.

enlightened /ɪnˈlʌɪt(ə)nd/

adjective

1. having or showing a rational, modern, and well-informed outlook

• the more enlightened employers offer better terms.

2. spiritually aware.

• we become enlightened in our relationship with God.

enlightenment /ɪnˈlʌɪt(ə)nm(ə)nt, ɛnˈlʌɪt(ə)nm(ə)nt/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of enlightening or the state of being enlightened

• Robbie looked to me for enlightenment.

2. the action or state of attaining or having attained spiritual knowledge or insight, in particular (in Buddhism) that awareness which frees a person from the cycle of rebirth.

• the key to enlightenment is the way of the Buddha.

3. ( the Enlightenment) — a European intellectual movement of the late 17th and 18th centuries emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tradition. It was heavily influenced by 17th-century philosophers such as Descartes, Locke, and Newton, and its prominent figures included Kant, Goethe, Voltaire, Rousseau, and Adam Smith.

enlist /ɪnˈlɪst, ɛnˈlɪst/

I. verb

1. enrol or be enrolled in the armed services
[no obj.]

• he enlisted in the Royal Naval Air Service

• [with obj.] hundreds of thousands of recruits had been enlisted.

2. [with obj.] — engage (a person or their help or support)

• the company enlisted the help of independent consultants.

II. derivatives

1. enlistee

noun

2. enlister

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (formerly also as inlist): from en-1, in-2 ‘in, on’ + list^1, perhaps suggested by Dutch inlijsten ‘put on a list’.

enlisted man

noun

(US) a member of the armed forces below the rank of officer.

enlistment /ɛnˈlɪs(t)m(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of enrolling or being enrolled in the armed services

• the army relied on voluntary enlistment.

2. the engagement of a person to provide help or support

• his enlistment of young people in his campaign

• the enlistment of students in the protests could lead to conflict.

enliven /ɪnˈlʌɪv(ə)n, ɛnˈlʌɪv(ə)n/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) more entertaining, interesting, or appealing

• the wartime routine was enlivened by a series of concerts.

2. make (someone) more cheerful or animated

• the visit had clearly enlivened my mother.

II. derivatives

1. enlivener

noun

2. enlivenment

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘restore to life, give life to’; formerly also as inliven): from 16th-cent. enlive, inlive (in the same sense), from en-1, in-2 (as an intensifier) + life.

en masse /ɒ̃ ˈmas/

I. adverb

in a group; all together

• the cabinet immediately resigned en masse.

– origin late 18th cent.: French, ‘in a mass’.

enmesh /ɪnˈmɛʃ, ɛnˈmɛʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. be enmeshed in)

1. cause to become entangled in something

• whales enmeshed in drift nets.

2. involve (someone) in a difficult situation from which it is hard to escape

• he is enmeshed in an adulterous affair.

II. derivatives

enmeshment

noun

enmity /ˈɛnmɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state or feeling of active opposition or hostility

• decades of enmity between the two countries

• [ count noun] family feuds and enmities.

– origin Middle English: from Old French enemi(s)tie, based on Latin inimicus (see enemy).

ennead /ˈɛnɪad/

I. noun

‹rare› a group or set of nine.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Greek enneas, ennead-, from ennea ‘nine’.

enneagram /ˈɛnɪəɡram/

I. noun

a nine-sided figure used in a particular system of analysis to represent the spectrum of possible personality types.

– origin from Greek ennea ‘nine’ + -gram^1.

Ennis /ˈɛnɪs/

the county town of Clare, in the Republic of Ireland; pop. 20,142 (2006).

Enniskillen /ˌɛnɪsˈkɪlɪn/

a town in Northern Ireland; pop. 15,600 (est. 2009). The old spelling Inniskilling is preserved as a regimental name in the British army, commemorating the defence of Enniskillen by its townsmen against the supporters of the deposed King James II in 1689.

Ennius, Quintus /ˈɛnɪəs/

(239–169 BC), Roman epic poet and dramatist. He was largely responsible for the creation of a native Roman literature based on Greek models, but only fragments of his many works survive.

ennoble /ɪˈnəʊb(ə)l, ɛˈnəʊb(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (someone) a noble rank or title.

• they receive life baronies on appointment unless they are already ennobled.

2. lend greater dignity or nobility of character to

• the theatre is a moral instrument to ennoble the mind.

II. derivatives

ennoblement /ɪˈnəʊb(ə)lm(ə)nt, ɛˈnəʊb(ə)lm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (formerly also as innoble): from French ennoblir, from en- (expressing a change of state) + noble ‘noble’.

ennui /ɒnˈwiː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.

• he succumbed to ennui and despair.

– origin mid 18th cent.: French, from Latin in odio(n-), from mihi in odio est ‘it is hateful to me’. Compare with annoy.

Enoch /ˈiːnɒk/

I. (in the Bible) the eldest son of Cain.

II. the first city, built by Cain (Gen. 4:17).

III. a Hebrew patriarch, father of Methuselah.

enoki /ɪˈnəʊkɪ / enoki mushroom

I. noun

an edible Japanese mushroom, growing in clusters, with slender stems and small caps.
● Flammulina velutipes, family Agaricaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

– origin 1980s: from Japanese enoki-take, from enoki ‘nettle tree’ + take ‘mushroom’.

enormity /ɪˈnɔːmɪti/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] ( the enormity of) — the great or extreme scale, seriousness, or extent of something perceived as bad or morally wrong

• a thorough search disclosed the full enormity of the crime.

2. (in neutral use) large size or scale

• I began to get a sense of the enormity of the task.

3. a grave crime or sin

• the enormities of war.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin enormitas, from enormis, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + norma ‘pattern, standard’. The word originally meant ‘deviation from legal or moral rectitude’ and ‘transgression’. Current senses have been influenced by enormous. / usage: Enormity traditionally means ‘the extreme scale or seriousness of something bad or morally wrong’, as in residents of the town were struggling to deal with the enormity of the crime. Today, however, a more neutral sense as a synonym for hugeness or immensity, as in he soon discovered the enormity of the task, is common. Some people regard this use as wrong, arguing that enormity in its original sense meant ‘a crime’ and should therefore continue to be used only of contexts in which a negative moral judgement is implied. Nevertheless, the sense is now broadly accepted in standard English, although it generally relates to something difficult, such as a task, challenge, or achievement.

enormous /ɪˈnɔːməs/

I. adjective

very large in size, quantity, or extent

• enormous sums of money

• the possibilities are enormous.

II. derivatives

enormousness /ɪˈnɔːməsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin enormis ‘unusual, huge’ (see enormity) + -ous.

enormously /ɪˈnɔːməsli/

adverb

to a very great degree or extent; considerably

• quality of life varies enormously from one place to another

• [as submodifier] she has been enormously successful.

enosis /ɪˈnəʊsɪs, ˈɛnəsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the political union of Cyprus and Greece, as an aim or ideal of certain Greeks and Cypriots.

– origin 1920s: from modern Greek henōsis, from hena ‘one’.

enough /ɪˈnʌf/

I. determiner, pronoun

1. as much or as many as required
[as determiner]

• too much work and not enough people to do it

• there was just enough room for two cars

• [as pronoun] getting enough of the right things to eat

• [as postpositive adj.] there will be time enough to tell you when we meet.

2. used to indicate that one is unwilling to tolerate any more of something undesirable
[as determiner]

• we've got enough problems without that

• [as pronoun] I've had enough of this arguing

• that's enough, pack it in.

II. adverb

1. to the required degree or extent (used after an adjective, adverb, or verb)

• before he was old enough to shave

• you're not big enough for basketball.

2. to a moderate degree; fairly

• he can get there easily enough

• he seems nice enough.

3. [with sentence adverb] — used for emphasis

• curiously enough, there is no mention of him.

III. phrases

1. enough is as good as a feast

‹proverb› moderation is more satisfying than excess.

2. enough is enough

no more will be tolerated.

• someone has got to stand up and say enough is enough.

3. enough said

there is no need to say more; all is understood.

– origin Old English genōg, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch genoeg and German genug.

enounce /ɪˈnaʊns/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› utter or pronounce (words)

• hers was the only voice able to enounce words that reached his ears.

2. ‹rare› state (a proposition, theory, etc.) in definite terms

• the principles enounced in his Notes On Cinematography.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French énoncer, from Latin enuntiare (see enunciate).

en papillote /ɒ̃ ˈpapɪjɒt/

I. adjective, adverb

(of food) cooked and served in a paper wrapper
[as postpositive adj.]

• fish en papillote.

– origin French.

en passant /ɒ̃ paˈsɑːnt, ˈpasɒ̃/

I. adverb

1. by the way; incidentally

• the singular distinction of being mentioned, en passant, in an Act of Parliament.

2. [Chess] by the en passant rule.

II. phrases

en passant rule (or law)

[Chess] the rule that a pawn making a first move of two squares instead of one may nevertheless be immediately captured by an opposing pawn on the fifth rank.

– origin early 17th cent.: French, literally ‘in passing’.

en pension /ɒ̃ ˈpɒ̃sjɒ̃/

I. adverb, adjective

as a boarder or lodger in a small hotel or private house.

– origin French (see pension^2).

en plein air /ˌɒ̃ plɛn ˈɛː/

adverb

(chiefly with reference to painting) in the open air.

• a group of works executed en plein air during the artist's stay in Rome.

See also plein-air.

en poste /ɒ̃ pɒst/

I. adverb

in an official diplomatic position at a particular place.

• the first two years of my parents' marriage were spent en poste at the French Embassy in Warsaw.

– origin French.

en primeur /ˌɒ̃ prɪˈməː, French ɑ̃ pʀimœʀ/

I. adjective, adverb

(of wine) newly produced and made available.
[as adj.]

• since 1986 I have been buying en primeur claret every year.

• [as adv.] some merchants are offering 1989 clarets en primeur.

– origin French, literally ‘as being new’.

enprint /ˈɛnprɪnt/

I. noun

(Brit.) a standard-sized photographic print produced by printing the whole of a negative to a moderate enlargement.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from enlarged print.

en prise /ɒ̃ ˈpriːz/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. [Chess] (of a piece or pawn) in a position to be taken.
[as complement]

• I had her knight en prise.

– origin early 19th cent.: French.

enqueue

verb — [with obj.]

1. [Computing] add (an item of data awaiting processing) to a queue of such items.

enquire /ɪnˈkwʌɪə/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — (chiefly Brit.) ask for information from someone
[no obj.]

• he enquired about cottages for sale

• [with clause] I enquired where he lived

• [with direct speech] ‘How well do you know Berlin?’ he enquired of Hencke.

2. [no obj.] ( enquire after) — (chiefly Brit.) ask about the health and well-being of (someone)

• Angus enquired after her parents.

3. [no obj.] ( enquire for) — (chiefly Brit.) ask to see or speak to (someone).

• that was Mr Paul enquiring for you—I told him he couldn't come in.

4. [no obj.] ( enquire into) — (chiefly Brit.) investigate; look into

• the task of political sociology is to enquire into the causes of political events.

II. derivatives

enquirer /ɪnˈkwʌɪərə /

noun

– origin Middle English enquere, from Old French enquerre, based on Latin inquirere (based on quaerere ‘seek’). / usage: The traditional distinction between enquire and inquire is that enquire is used for general senses of ‘ask’ while inquire is reserved for uses meaning ‘make a formal investigation’. In practice, however, there is little discernible distinction in the way the two words are used today in British English, although inquiry is commoner than enquiry in the sense ‘a formal investigation’. In all senses inquire and inquiry are the more usual forms in US English, whereas enquire and enquiry are chiefly restricted to British English.

enquiring /ɪnˈkwʌɪərɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. showing an interest in learning new things

• an open, enquiring mind.

2. (of a look) suggesting that information is sought

• he sent her an enquiring glance.

II. derivatives

enquiringly /ɪnˈkwʌɪərɪŋli /

adverb

enquiry /ɪnˈkwʌɪri/

noun

1. an act of asking for information

• the police were making enquiries in all the neighbouring pubs

• [ mass noun] her mind was buzzing with possible lines of enquiry.

2. an official investigation.

enquiry agent

noun

(Brit.) ‹dated› a private detective.

enrage /ɪnˈreɪdʒ, ɛnˈreɪdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) very angry

• the students were enraged at these new rules.

– origin late 15th cent. (formerly also as inrage): from French enrager, from en- ‘into’ + rage ‘rage, anger’.

enraged /ɪnˈreɪdʒd/

adjective

very angry; furious

• an enraged mob screamed abuse.

en rapport /ˌɒ̃ raˈpɔː/

I. adverb

having a close and harmonious relationship.

• his improvisation indicates that he is en rapport with the rhythm of the band.

– origin French (see rapport).

enrapt

adjective

fascinated; enthralled

• the enrapt audience.

enrapture /ɪnˈraptʃə, ɛnˈraptʃə/

verb — [with obj.]

1. give intense pleasure or joy to

• Ruth was enraptured by the sleeping child.

enrich /ɪnˈrɪtʃ, ɛnˈrɪtʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. improve or enhance the quality or value of

• her exposure to museums enriched her life in France.

2. (usu. as adj. enriched) — increase the proportion of a particular isotope in (an element), especially that of the fissile isotope U-235 in uranium, so as to make it more powerful or explosive

• enriched uranium.

3. make (someone) wealthy or wealthier

• top party members had enriched themselves.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘make wealthy’): from Old French enrichir, from en- ‘in’ + riche ‘rich’.

enrichment /ɛnˈrɪtʃm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of improving or enhancing the quality or value of something

• enrichment of the soil for more plant growth

• environments where youth can experience cultural enrichment.

2. an increase in the proportion of a particular isotope in an element, especially that of the fissile isotope U-235 in uranium, so as to make it more powerful or explosive

• a centrifuge plant for uranium enrichment

• [as modifier] the enrichment process used to make nuclear fuel rods.

3. the process of making someone wealthy or wealthier

• the policy was denounced as a means of enrichment of a small elite.

enrobe /ɪnˈrəʊb, ɛnˈrəʊb/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› dress in a robe or vestment.

2. coat (an item of food) in chocolate, a sauce, etc.

enrol /ɪnˈrəʊl, ɛnˈrəʊl / ‹US› enroll

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — officially register as a member of an institution or a student on a course

• he enrolled in drama school

• [with obj.] all entrants will be enrolled on new-style courses.

2. [with obj.] — recruit (someone) to perform a service

• a campaign to enrol more foster carers.

3. ‹archaic› write the name of (someone) on a list or register.

• our Seamen and their numbers were carefully enrolled.

4. [with obj.] — [Law] ‹historical› enter (a deed or other document) among the rolls of a court of justice.

• the endowment of religious houses cannot be measured simply by the licences enrolled in chancery.

II. derivatives

1. enrollee

noun

2. enroller

noun

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as inroll): from Old French enroller, from en- ‘in’ + rolle ‘a roll’ (names being originally written on a roll of parchment).

enrolment /ɪnˈrəʊlm(ə)nt / ‹US› enrollment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of enrolling or being enrolled

• the amount due must be paid on enrolment in October

• [ count noun] enrolments for teacher training have dropped off sharply.

2. [ count noun] — (N. Amer.) the number of people enrolled at a school or college.

• a record enrolment of 690 students.

en route /ɒn ˈruːt/

I. adverb

during the course of a journey; on the way

• he stopped in Turkey en route to Geneva.

– origin late 18th cent.: French (see route).

en rule /ˈɛn ruːl/

noun

(Brit.) a short dash (–) used in punctuation, in particular between figures to show a range (for example, 1939–45).
Compare with em rule.

ENSA /ˈɛnsə/

I. an organization which arranged variety entertainment for the British armed services during the Second World War.

– origin acronym from Entertainments National Service Association.

Enschede /ˈɛnskəˌdeɪ/

a city in the Netherlands; pop. 154,753 (2008).

ensconce /ɪnˈskɒns, ɛnˈskɒns/

I. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of place]

1. establish or settle (someone) in a comfortable, safe place

• Agnes ensconced herself in their bedroom.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the senses ‘fortify’ and ‘shelter within or behind a fortification’; formerly also as insconce): from en-1, in-2 ‘in’ + sconce^2.

ensemble /ɒnˈsɒmb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a group of musicians, actors, or dancers who perform together

• a Bulgarian folk ensemble.

2. a piece of music or passage written for performance by a whole cast, choir, or group of instruments.

• Cherubini's numbers, with solos and ensembles intermingled, have a freedom and originality.

3. [ mass noun] — the coordination between performers executing an ensemble passage

• a high level of tuning and ensemble is guaranteed.

4. a group of items viewed as a whole rather than individually

• the buildings in the square present a charming provincial ensemble.

5. [usu. in sing.] — a set of clothes chosen to harmonize when worn together.

• her elegant pink and black ensemble put most outfits in the shade.

6. [chiefly Physics] a group of similar systems, or different states of the same system, often considered statistically.

• we would have to adopt a picture in which there is an ensemble of all possible universes with some probability distribution.

– origin late Middle English (as an adverb (long rare) meaning ‘at the same time’): from French, based on Latin insimul, from in- ‘in’ + simul ‘at the same time’. The noun dates from the mid 18th cent.

ensepulchre /ɪnˈsɛpəlkə, ɛnˈsɛpəlkə / ‹US› ensepulcher

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› place in a tomb; bury.

– origin early 19th cent.: from en-1 + sepulchre.

ensheath

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [chiefly Biology] enclose (an organism, tissue, structure, etc.) in a sheath.

• the axons are ensheathed by Schwann cells.

II. derivatives

ensheathment

noun

enshrine /ɪnˈʃrʌɪn, ɛnˈʃrʌɪn/

I. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of place]

1. place (a revered or precious object) in an appropriate receptacle

• relics are enshrined under altars.

2. preserve (a right, tradition, or idea) in a form that ensures it will be protected and respected

• the right of all workers to strike was enshrined in the new constitution.

II. derivatives

enshrinement

noun

enshroud /ɪnˈʃraʊd, ɛnˈʃraʊd/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› envelop completely and hide from view

• heavy grey clouds enshrouded the city.

ensiform /ˈɛnsɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

[chiefly Botany] shaped like a sword blade; long and narrow with sharp edges and a pointed tip.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin ensis ‘sword’ + -form.

ensiform cartilage

noun

another term for xiphoid process.

ensign /ˈɛnsʌɪn/

I. noun

1. a flag or standard, especially a military or naval one indicating nationality.

2. ‹archaic› a sign or emblem of a particular thing

• all the ensigns of our greatness.

3. ‹historical› a standard-bearer.

4. the lowest rank of commissioned officer in the US and some other navies, above chief warrant officer and below lieutenant.
[as title]

• a copy of Ensign Smith's report.

5. ‹historical› the lowest rank of commissioned infantry officer in the British army.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French enseigne, from Latin insignia ‘signs of office’ (see insignia). Compare with ancient^2.

ensilage /ˈɛnsɪlɪdʒ, ɛnˈsʌɪlɪdʒ/

I. noun

another term for silage.

II. verb

another term for ensile.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from ensiler (see ensile).

ensile /ɛnˈsʌɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. put (grass or another crop) into a silo or silage clamp in order to preserve it as silage.

• the grass was ensiled with sugar beet plus an inoculant.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French ensiler, from Spanish ensilar, from en- ‘in’ + silo ‘silo’.

enslave /ɪnˈsleɪv, ɛnˈsleɪv/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) a slave.

• the practice of enslaving prisoners of war eventually died out.

2. cause (someone) to lose their freedom of choice or action

• they were enslaved by their need to take drugs.

II. derivatives

enslaver

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘make (a person) subject to a superstition, passion, etc.’; formerly also as inslave): from en-1, in-2 (as an intensifier) + slave.

enslavement /ɛnˈsleɪvm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of making someone a slave; subjugation

• the enslavement of millions of Africans.

ensnare /ɪnˈsnɛː, ɛnˈsnɛː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. catch in or as in a trap

• they were ensnared in city centre traffic.

II. derivatives

ensnarement

noun

ensnarl

verb — [with obj.]

1. cause to become caught up in complex difficulties or problems.

Ensor, James /ˈɛnsɔː/

Baron (1860–1949), Belgian painter and engraver, noted for his macabre subjects; full name James Sydney Ensor. His work is significant both for symbolism and for the development of 20th-century expressionism.

ensorcell /ɪnˈsɔːs(ə)l, ɛnˈsɔːs(ə)l / ‹US› ensorcel

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› enchant; fascinate.

• he was a child when the power of a mythic image first ensorcelled him.

II. derivatives

ensorcellment

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French ensorceler, alteration of ensorcerer, from sorcier ‘sorcerer’.

ensoul

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. endow with a soul.
[as adj.]

• an ensouled fetus.

II. derivatives

ensoulment

noun

enstatite /ˈɛnstətʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a translucent crystalline mineral that occurs in some igneous rocks and stony meteorites. It consists of magnesium silicate and is a member of the pyroxene group.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek enstatēs ‘adversary’ (because of its refractory nature) + -ite^1.

ensue /ɪnˈsjuː, ɛnˈsjuː/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. happen or occur afterwards or as a result

• the difficulties which ensued from their commitment to Cuba

• (as adj. ensuing) there were repeated clashes in the ensuing days.

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as insue): from Old French ensivre, from Latin insequi, based on sequi ‘follow’.

en suite /ɒn ˈswiːt/

I. adjective, adverb

1. (Brit.) (of a bathroom) immediately adjoining a bedroom and forming part of the same set of rooms
[as adj.]

• all rooms have en-suite facilities

• [as adv.] each bedroom has a small bathroom en suite.

2. [as adj.] — (Brit.) (of a bedroom) having an en-suite bathroom

• there are twenty-five luxurious en-suite bedrooms

• all rooms are en suite with colour TV.

II. noun

an en-suite bathroom

• the en-suite is fully tiled in black and white and has a double shower.

– origin late 18th cent. (in the sense ‘in agreement or harmony’): from French, literally ‘in sequence’.

ensure /ɪnˈʃɔː, ɪnˈʃʊə, ɛnˈʃʊə, ɛnˈʃɔː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make certain that (something) will occur or be the case
[with clause]

• the client must ensure that accurate records are kept.

2. make certain of obtaining or providing (something)

• legislation to ensure equal opportunities for all.

3. [no obj.] ( ensure against) — make sure that (a problem) does not occur.

• only by researching stocks thoroughly can a client ensure against being misled.

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘convince’ and ‘make safe’): from Anglo-Norman French enseurer, alteration of Old French aseurer, earlier form of assurer (see assure). Compare with insure. / usage: On the difference between ensure and insure, see usage at insure.

enswathe /ɪnˈsweɪð, ɛnˈsweɪð/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› envelop or wrap in a garment or piece of fabric.

• then did they bathe thee in a fresh, pure stream and enswathed thy limbs in a white robe.

ENT /iːɛnˈtiː/

abbreviation

ear, nose, and throat (as a department in a hospital).

-ent

I. suffix

1. (forming adjectives) denoting an occurrence of action

• refluent.

2. denoting a state

• convenient.

3. (forming nouns) denoting an agent

• coefficient.

– origin from French, or from the Latin present participial verb stem -ent- (see also -ant).

entablature /ɛnˈtablətʃə, ɪnˈtablətʃə/

I. noun

[Architecture] the upper part of a classical building supported by columns or a colonnade, comprising the architrave, frieze, and cornice.

– origin early 17th cent. (formerly also as intablature): from Italian intavolatura ‘boarding’ (partly via French entablement ‘entablement’), from intavolare ‘board up’ (based on tavola ‘table’).

entablement /ɛnˈteɪb(ə)lm(ə)nt, ɪnˈteɪb(ə)lm(ə)nt/

I. noun

[Architecture] a platform supporting a statue, above the dado and base.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘entablature’): from French, based on table ‘table’.

entail /ɪnˈteɪl, ɛnˈteɪl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. involve (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence

• a situation which entails considerable risks.

2. [Logic] have as a logically necessary consequence.

3. [Law] limit the inheritance of (property) over a number of generations so that ownership remains within a particular family or group

• her father's estate was entailed on a cousin.

4. ‹archaic› cause to experience or possess (something) permanently or inescapably

• I cannot get rid of the disgrace which you have entailed upon us.

II. noun

1. [Law] a limitation of the inheritance of property to certain heirs over a number of generations.

• the damage being done in England by entails.

• [ mass noun] landed property was governed by primogeniture and entail.

2. [Law] a property bequeathed under an entail.

• the spinning mills were not part of the entail.

III. derivatives

entailment /ɪnˈteɪlm(ə)nt, ɛnˈteɪlm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late Middle English (referring to settlement of property; formerly also as intail): from en-1, in-2 ‘into’ + Old French taille ‘notch, tax’ (see tail^2).

entamoeba /ˌɛntəˈmiːbə / ‹US› entameba

I. noun

an amoeba that typically lives harmlessly in the gut, though one kind can cause amoebic dysentery.
●Genus Entamoeba, phylum Rhizopoda, kingdom Protista.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek entos ‘within’ + amoeba.

entangle /ɪnˈtaŋɡ(ə)l, ɛnˈtaŋɡ(ə)l/

verb — [with obj.]

1. cause to become twisted together with or caught in

• fish attempt to swim through the mesh and become entangled.

2. involve (someone) in difficulties or complicated circumstances from which it is difficult to escape

• they were suspicious of becoming entangled in a civil war.

entanglement /ɪnˈtaŋɡ(ə)lm(ə)nt, ɛnˈtaŋɡ(ə)lm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of entangling or being entangled

• many dolphins die from entanglement in fishing nets.

2. [ count noun] — a complicated or compromising relationship or situation

• romantic entanglements.

3. [ count noun] — an extensive barrier, typically made of barbed wire and stakes, erected to impede enemy soldiers or vehicles.

• the attackers were caught up on wire entanglements.

entasis /ˈɛntəsɪs/

I. noun

[Architecture] a slight convex curve in the shaft of a column, introduced to correct the visual illusion of concavity produced by a straight shaft.

– origin mid 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek, from enteinein ‘to stretch or strain’.

Entebbe /ɛnˈtɛbi/

a town in southern Uganda, on the north shore of Lake Victoria; pop. 73,100 (est. 2009). It was the capital of Uganda during the period of British rule, from 1894 to 1962.

entelechy /ɛnˈtɛləki, ɪnˈtɛləki/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] the realization of potential.

2. [Philosophy] the supposed vital principle that guides the development and functioning of an organism or other system or organization.

• such self-organization required a special biological force—entelechy.

• [ count noun] an entelechy generating a work of art from within.

– origin late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek entelekheia (used by Aristotle), from en- ‘within’ + telos ‘end, perfection’ + ekhein ‘be in a certain state’.

entellus /ɪnˈtɛləs, ɛnˈtɛləs / entellus monkey

I. noun

another term for hanuman.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the name of an aged Trojan in Virgil's Aeneid.

entelodont /ɛnˈtɛlədɒnt/

I. noun

a large pig-like mammal of the Oligocene epoch with two bony knobs on its lower jaw.
●Suborder Suina, order Artiodactyla.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek entelēs ‘perfect’ + odous, odont- ‘tooth’.

entente /ɒnˈtɒnt, ɒ̃ˈtɒ̃t / entente cordiale /ˌkɔːdɪˈɑːl/

I. noun

1. a friendly understanding or informal alliance between states or factions

• the emperor hoped to bring about an entente with Russia.

2. a group of states in an informal alliance.

• the unsuccessful scheme to lure Greece into the war on the side of the entente.

3. ( the Entente Cordiale) — the understanding between Britain and France reached in 1904, forming the basis of Anglo-French cooperation in the First World War.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French entente (cordiale) ‘(friendly) understanding’.

enter /ˈɛntə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. come or go into (a place)

• she entered the kitchen

• [no obj.] the door opened and Karl entered.

2. [no obj.] — used as a stage direction to indicate when a character comes on stage

• enter Hamlet.

3. come or be introduced into

• the thought never entered my head.

4. penetrate (something)

• the bullet entered his stomach.

5. (of a man) insert the penis into the vagina of (a woman).

• then he entered her, harsh in his passion.

6. begin to be involved in

• in 1941 America entered the war.

7. become a member of or start working in (an institution or profession)

• he entered the army as a cadet.

8. register as a competitor or participant in a tournament, race, or examination

• they won every race they entered

• the horse was entered in the Martell Cup at Aintree.

9. start or reach (a stage or period of time) in an activity or situation

• the election campaign entered its final phase.

10. [no obj.] — (of a particular performer in an ensemble) start or resume playing or singing.

11. write or key (information) in a book, computer, etc.

• children can enter the data into the computer.

12. [Law] submit (a statement) in an official capacity

• a solicitor entered a plea of guilty on her behalf.

II. noun

(also enter key) — a key on a computer keyboard which is used to perform various functions, such as executing a command or selecting options on a menu.

III. phrases

1. enter someone's head (or mind)

(of a thought or idea) occur to someone

• the thought never entered my head!

2. enter into force

come into effect

• the treaty entered into force in 1975.

3. enter into the spirit of something

begin to enjoy and feel part of a lively event or atmosphere

• people entered into the spirit of the occasion.

4. enter someone's life

(of a person or thing) start to play a significant part in someone's existence

• Shiona had been sixteen when Jake entered her life.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. enter into

a. become involved in (an activity or situation)

• they have entered into a relationship.

b. undertake to bind oneself by (an agreement or other commitment)

• the council entered into an agreement with a private firm.

c. form part of or be a factor in

• medical ethics also enter into the question.

2. enter on/upon

a. ‹formal› begin (an activity or job); start to pursue (a particular course in life)

• he entered upon a turbulent political career.

b. [Law] (as a legal entitlement) go freely into (property) as or as if the owner.

• the tenant shall have licence to enter upon the premises.

– origin Middle English: from Old French entrer, from Latin intrare, from intra ‘within’.

enteral /ˈɛntər(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Medicine] involving or passing through the intestine, either naturally via the mouth and oesophagus, or through an artificial opening.
Often contrasted with parenteral.

II. derivatives

enterally

adverb

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek enteron ‘intestine’ + -al, partly as a back-formation from parenteral.

enteric /ɛnˈtɛrɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or occurring in the intestines.

• the complexity of the enteric nervous system.

• enteric pathogens.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek enterikos, from enteron ‘intestine’.

enteric fever

noun

another term for typhoid or paratyphoid.

enteritis /ˌɛntəˈrʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the intestine, especially the small intestine, usually accompanied by diarrhoea.

entero-

I. combining form

relating to the intestine

• enterovirus.

– origin from Greek enteron.

enterococcus /ˌɛntərəʊˈkɒk(ə)s/

noun

a streptococcus of a group that occurs naturally in the intestine but causes inflammation and blood infection if introduced elsewhere in the body (e.g. by injury or surgery).
●Genus Streptococcus (or Enterococcus); Gram-positive cocci.

enterocoel /ˈɛntərəʊˌsiːl/

I. noun

[Zoology] a coelom or coelomic cavity, present in some invertebrates, which has developed from the wall of the archenteron.

II. derivatives

1. enterocoelic

adjective

2. enterocoely

noun

enterocolitis /ˌɛntərəʊkəˈlʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of both the small intestine and the colon.

enterocyte /ˈɛntərə(ʊ)sʌɪt/

noun

[Physiology] a cell of the intestinal lining.

enterohepatic /ˌɛntərəʊhɪˈpɑtɪk/

adjective

[Physiology] relating to or denoting the circulation of bile salts and other secretions from the liver to the intestine, where they are reabsorbed into the blood and returned to the liver.

enteropathy /ˌɛntəˈrɒpəθi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a disease of the intestine, especially the small intestine.

enterostomy /ˌɛntəˈrɒstəmi/

noun

1. an ileostomy or similar surgical operation in which the small intestine is diverted to an artificial opening in the abdominal wall or in another part of the intestine.

2. an opening in the abdominal wall formed during an enterostomy.

enterotomy /ˌɛntəˈrɒtəmi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the surgical cutting open of the intestine.

enterotoxaemia /ˌɛntərəʊtɒkˈsiːmiə / ‹US› enterotoxemia

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [chiefly Veterinary Medicine] blood poisoning caused by an enterotoxin.

enterotoxigenic /ˌɛntərəʊˌtɒksɪˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

[Medicine] (of bacteria) producing an enterotoxin.

enterotoxin /ˌɛntərəʊˈtɒksɪn/

noun

[Medicine] a toxin produced in or affecting the intestines, such as those causing food poisoning or cholera.

enterovirus /ˈɛntərəʊˌvʌɪrəs/

noun

[Medicine] any of a group of RNA viruses (including those causing polio and hepatitis A) which typically occur in the gastrointestinal tract, sometimes spreading to the central nervous system or other parts of the body.

enterprise /ˈɛntəprʌɪz/

I. noun

1. a project or undertaking, especially a bold or complex one

• a joint enterprise between French and Japanese companies.

2. [ mass noun] — initiative and resourcefulness

• success came quickly, thanks to a mixture of talent, enterprise, and luck.

3. a business or company

• a state-owned enterprise.

4. [ mass noun] — entrepreneurial economic activity.

• an economic environment which encourages enterprise.

• [as modifier] local enterprise agencies.

II. derivatives

enterpriser

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, ‘something undertaken’, feminine past participle (used as a noun) of entreprendre, based on Latin prendere, prehendere ‘to take’.

enterprise agreement

noun

(Austral.) a formal agreement on pay and conditions established jointly by employers and employees in an individual workplace

• the new enterprise agreement has been accepted by a strong majority.

enterprise bargaining

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) negotiations on pay and conditions conducted between the employer and employees in an individual workplace

• the union had intimidated customers to gain leverage during enterprise bargaining.

enterprise culture

noun

a capitalist society in which taking on financial risks in the hope of profit is encouraged.

enterprise zone

noun

an area in which state incentives such as tax concessions are offered to encourage business investment.

enterprising /ˈɛntəprʌɪzɪŋ/

I. adjective

having or showing initiative and resourcefulness

• some enterprising teachers have started their own recycling programmes.

II. derivatives

enterprisingly /ˈɛntəprʌɪzɪŋli /

adverb

entertain /ɛntəˈteɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide (someone) with amusement or enjoyment

• a tremendous game that thoroughly entertained the crowd.

2. receive (someone) as a guest and provide them with food and drink

• a private dining room where members could entertain groups of friends.

• [no obj.] Sunday lunchtime is the best time to entertain.

3. give attention or consideration to (an idea or feeling)

• Washington entertained little hope of an early improvement in relations.

– origin late Middle English: from French entretenir, based on Latin inter ‘among’ + tenere ‘to hold’. The word originally meant ‘maintain, continue’, later ‘maintain in a certain condition, treat in a certain way’, also ‘show hospitality’ (late 15th cent.).

entertainer /ɛntəˈteɪnə/

noun

a person, such as a singer, dancer, or comedian, whose job is to entertain others.

• she is one of Hollywood's highest-paid entertainers.

• street entertainers.

entertaining /ɛntəˈteɪnɪŋ/

I. adjective

providing amusement or enjoyment

• a charming and entertaining companion.

II. derivatives

entertainingly /ˌɛntəˈteɪnɪŋli /

adverb

entertainment /ɛntəˈteɪnm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of providing or being provided with amusement or enjoyment

• everyone just sits in front of the television for entertainment.

2. [ count noun] — an event, performance, or activity designed to entertain others

• a theatrical entertainment.

3. the action of receiving a guest or guests and providing them with food and drink.

• the suite provides the setting for entertainment on the grand scale.

enthalpy /ˈɛnθ(ə)lpi, ɛnˈθalpi/

I. noun

1. (Symbol: H) — [Physics] a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the total heat content of a system. It is equal to the internal energy of the system plus the product of pressure and volume.

2. [Physics] the change in enthalpy associated with a particular chemical process.

• most compounds have negative enthalpies of formation.

– origin 1920s: from Greek enthalpein ‘warm in’, from en- ‘within’ + thalpein ‘to heat’.

enthral /ɪnˈθrɔːl, ɛnˈθrɔːl / ‹US› enthrall

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. capture the fascinated attention of

• she had been so enthralled by the adventure that she had hardly noticed the cold.

2. (also inthrall) — ‹archaic› enslave.

• it is as hard and dangerous to inthrall a people that would live free.

II. derivatives

enthralment /ɪnˈθrɔːlm(ə)nt, ɛnˈθrɔːlm(ə)nt / ‹US› enthrallment

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘enslave’; formerly also as inthrall): from en-1, in-2 (as an intensifier) + thrall.

enthralling /ɪnˈθrɔːlɪŋ, ɛnˈθrɔːlɪŋ/

adjective

capturing and holding one's attention; fascinating

• an enthralling best-seller.

enthrone /ɪnˈθrəʊn, ɛnˈθrəʊn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. install (a monarch or bishop) on a throne, especially during a ceremony to mark the beginning of their rule.

• the new archbishop was enthroned in York Minster.

• ‹figurative› he was enthroned as the guru of the avant-garde.

II. derivatives

enthronement /ɪnˈθrəʊnm(ə)nt, ɛnˈθrəʊnm(ə)nt /

noun

enthuse /ɪnˈθjuːz, ɛnˈθjuːz/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. express eager enjoyment, interest, or approval regarding something

• they both enthused over my new look.

2. [with obj.] — make (someone) interested and eagerly appreciative

• public art is a tonic that can enthuse alienated youth.

usage: The verb enthuse is a back-formation from the noun enthusiasm and, like many verbs formed from nouns in this way (especially those originating from the US), is regarded by traditionalists as unacceptable. It is difficult to see why: back-formation is a perfectly respectable means for creating new words in the language (verbs like classify, commentate, and edit were also formed as back-formations from nouns, for example) and enthuse itself has been in English since the early 19th century. Compare with usage at impact.

enthusiasm /ɪnˈθjuːzɪaz(ə)m, ɛnˈθjuːzɪaz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval

• her energy and enthusiasm for life

• few expressed enthusiasm about the current leaders.

2. [ count noun] — something that arouses enthusiasm

• the three enthusiasms of his life were politics, religion, and books.

3. ‹archaic› ‹derogatory› religious fervour supposedly resulting directly from divine inspiration, typically involving speaking in tongues and wild, uncoordinated movements of the body.

– origin early 17th cent. (in sense 2): from French enthousiasme, or via late Latin from Greek enthousiasmos, from enthous ‘possessed by a god, inspired’ (based on theos ‘god’).

enthusiast /ɪnˈθjuːzɪast, ɛnˈθjuːzɪast/

I. noun

1. a person who is very interested in a particular activity or subject

• a sports car enthusiast.

2. ‹archaic› ‹derogatory› a person of intense and visionary Christian views.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a person believing that he or she is divinely inspired): from French enthousiaste or ecclesiastical Latin enthusiastes ‘member of a heretical sect’, from Greek enthousiastēs ‘person inspired by a god’, from the adjective enthous (see enthusiasm).

enthusiastic /ɪnˌθjuːzɪˈastɪk, ɛnˌθjuːzɪˈastɪk/

I. adjective

having or showing intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval

• he could be wildly enthusiastic about a project.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek enthousiastikos, from enthous ‘possessed by a god’ (see enthusiasm).

enthusiastically /ɛnˌθjuːzɪˈastɪkli/

adverb

in a way that shows intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval

• the report was enthusiastically welcomed by all groups

• the audience applauded enthusiastically.

enthymeme /ˈɛnθɪmiːm/

I. noun

[Logic] an argument in which one premise is not explicitly stated.

– origin mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek enthumēma, from enthumeisthai ‘consider’, from en- ‘within’ + thumos ‘mind’.

entice /ɪnˈtʌɪs, ɛnˈtʌɪs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. attract or tempt by offering pleasure or advantage

• a show which should entice a new audience into the theatre

• [with obj. and infinitive] the treat is offered to entice the dog to eat.

II. derivatives

enticer

noun

– origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘incite, provoke’; formerly also as intice): from Old French enticier, probably from a base meaning ‘set on fire’, based on an alteration of Latin titio ‘firebrand’.

enticement /ɪnˈtʌɪsm(ə)nt, ɛnˈtʌɪsm(ə)nt/

noun

1. something used to attract or to tempt someone; a lure

• financial enticements.

2. [ mass noun] — the quality of being attractive or tempting

• despite the enticement of low prices, sales fell sharply from 2000's record level.

enticing /ɪnˈtʌɪsɪŋ, ɛnˈtʌɪsɪŋ/

I. adjective

attractive or tempting; alluring

• an enticing prospect.

II. derivatives

enticingly /ɪnˈtʌɪsɪŋli, ɛnˈtʌɪsɪŋli /

adverb

entire /ɪnˈtʌɪə, ɛnˈtʌɪə/

I. adjective

1. [ attrib.] — with no part left out; whole

• my plans are to travel the entire world.

2. without qualification or reservations; absolute

• an ideological system with which he is in entire agreement.

3. not broken, damaged, or decayed.

4. (of a male horse) not castrated.

5. [Botany] (of a leaf) without indentations or division into leaflets.

II. noun

an uncastrated male horse.

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as intire): from Old French entier, based on Latin integer ‘untouched, whole’, from in- ‘not’ + tangere ‘to touch’.

entirely /ɪnˈtʌɪəli, ɛnˈtʌɪəli/

adverb

1. completely (often used for emphasis)

• the traffic seemed to consist entirely of black cabs

• [as submodifier] we have an entirely different outlook.

2. solely

• eight coaches entirely for passenger transport.

entirety /ɪnˈtʌɪərəti, ɛnˈtʌɪərəti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the whole of something

• she would have to stay in her room for the entirety of the weekend.

II. phrases

in its entirety

as a whole; completely

• the poem is too long to quote in its entirety here.

– origin Middle English: from Old French entierete, from Latin integritas, from integer ‘untouched, whole’ (see entire). Compare with integrity.

entisol /ˈɛntɪsɒl/

I. noun

[Soil Science] a soil of an order comprising mineral soils that have not yet differentiated into distinct horizons.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from entire + -sol.

entitle /ɪnˈtʌɪt(ə)l, ɛnˈtʌɪt(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often be entitled to) — give (someone) a legal right or a just claim to receive or do something

• employees are normally entitled to redundancy pay

• [with obj. and infinitive] the landlord is entitled to require references.

2. give (something) a particular title

• a satire entitled ‘The Rise of the Meritocracy’.

3. [with obj. and complement] — ‹archaic› give (someone) a specified title expressing their rank, office, or character

• they entitled him Sultan.

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as intitle): via Old French from late Latin intitulare, from in- ‘in’ + Latin titulus ‘title’.

entitled

adjective

believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment

• kids who feel so entitled and think the world will revolve around them

• his pompous, entitled attitude.

entitlement /ɪnˈtʌɪt(ə)lmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact of having a right to something

• full entitlement to fees and maintenance should be offered.

2. the amount to which a person has a right

• her annual leave entitlement.

3. the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment

• no wonder your kids have a sense of entitlement

• [as modifier] this entitlement mentality is completely out of control.

4. [ count noun] — (US) a government scheme that provides benefits to any individual meeting certain eligibility requirements

• Social Security, Medicare, and other entitlements are going broke.

entity /ˈɛntɪti/

I. noun

1. a thing with distinct and independent existence

• Church and empire were fused in a single entity.

2. [ mass noun] — existence; being

• entity and nonentity.

II. derivatives

entitative

adjective

[chiefly Philosophy]

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting a thing's existence): from French entité or medieval Latin entitas, from late Latin ens, ent- ‘being’ (from esse ‘be’).

entomb /ɪnˈtuːm, ɛnˈtuːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. place (a dead body) in a tomb.

• mummified bodies were entombed in the pyramids of Egypt.

2. bury or trap within something

• many people died, most entombed in collapsed buildings.

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as intomb): from Old French entomber, from en- ‘in’ + tombe ‘tomb’.

entombment /ɪnˈtuːmˌm(ə)nt, ɛnˈtuːmˌm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the placing of a dead body in a tomb; interment

• the entombment of Christ.

entomo- /ˈɛntəməʊ/

I. combining form

of an insect; relating to insects

• entomophagous.

– origin from Greek entomon, neuter (denoting an insect) of entomos ‘cut up, segmented’.

entomologist /ˌɛntəˈmɒlədʒɪst/

noun

a person who studies or is an expert in the branch of zoology concerned with insects

• entomologists have identified 800,000 different insect species.

entomology /ˌɛntəˈmɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of zoology concerned with the study of insects.

II. derivatives

entomological /ˌɛntəməˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French entomologie or modern Latin entomologia, from Greek entomon (denoting an insect) + -logia (see -logy).

entomophagy /ˌɛntəˈmɒfədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of eating insects, especially by people.

II. derivatives

1. entomophagist

noun

2. entomophagous /ˌɛntəˈmɒfəɡəs /

adjective

entomophilous /ˌɛntəˈmɒfɪləs/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a plant or flower) pollinated by insects.

II. derivatives

entomophily

noun

Entoprocta /ˌɛntə(ʊ)ˈprɒktə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a small phylum of sedentary aquatic invertebrates that resemble moss animals. They have a rounded body on a long stalk, bearing a ring of tentacles for filtering food from the water.

II. derivatives

entoproct

noun

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Greek entos ‘within’ + prōktos ‘anus’, the anus being within the ring of tentacles.

entoptic /ɪnˈtɒptɪk, ɛnˈtɒptɪk/

I. adjective

(of visual images) occurring or originating inside the eye.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek entos ‘within’ + optic.

entourage /ˈɒntʊrɑːʒ, ˌɒntʊ(ə)ˈrɑːʒ/

I. noun

a group of people attending or surrounding an important person

• an entourage of loyal courtiers.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from entourer ‘to surround’.

entr'acte /ˈɒntrakt, ˈɒ̃trakt/

I. noun

1. an interval between two acts of a play or opera.

2. a piece of music or a dance performed during an interval.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from (earlier form of entracte), from entre ‘between’ + acte ‘act’.

entrails /ˈɛntreɪlz/

I. plural noun

1. a person's or animal's intestines or internal organs, especially when removed or exposed.

• a priest would find omens in the steaming entrails of a sacrificed animal.

2. the innermost parts of something

• digging copper out of the entrails of the earth.

– origin Middle English: from Old French entrailles, from medieval Latin intralia, alteration of Latin interanea ‘internal things’, based on inter ‘among’.

entrain^1 /ɪnˈtreɪn, ɛnˈtreɪn/

verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹formal› board a train.

• arriving in Bombay, they entrain and travel up the country.

entrain^2 /ɪnˈtreɪn, ɛnˈtreɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a current or fluid) incorporate and sweep along in its flow.

• convection does not entrain liquids very far.

2. ‹formal› cause or bring about as a consequence.

• the triumph of a revolution was measured in terms of the social revision it entrained.

3. [Biology] (of a rhythm or something which varies rhythmically) cause (another) gradually to fall into synchronism with it.

• electrical control is entrained throughout the stomach via adjacent muscle cells.

II. derivatives

entrainment

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘bring on as a consequence’): from French entraîner, from en- ‘in’ + traîner ‘to drag’.

entrain^3 /ɒ̃ˈtrã/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› enthusiasm or animation.

– origin French, from the phrase être en train (de) ‘be in the process (of), be in action’.

entrammel /ɪnˈtram(ə)l, ɛnˈtram(ə)l/

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› entangle; trap.

• she had entrammelled herself in terrible evil bonds.

entrance^1 /ˈɛntr(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. an opening, such as a door, passage, or gate, that allows access to a place.

• the southern entrance of the palace.

• the entrance to a tunnel.

• [as modifier] an entrance hall.

2. [usu. in sing.] — an act or instance of entering somewhere

• at their abrupt entrance he rose to his feet

• their entrance into the political arena.

3. [usu. in sing.] — the coming of an actor or performer on to a stage

• her final entrance is as a triumphant princess.

4. [ mass noun] — the right, means, or opportunity to enter somewhere or be a member of an institution, society, or other body

• about fifty people attempted to gain entrance

• [as modifier] an entrance examination.

II. phrases

make an (or one's) entrance

a. (of an actor or performer) come on stage.

b. enter somewhere in a conspicuous or impressive way

• she slowly counted to ten before making her entrance.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘right or opportunity of admission’): from Old French, from entrer ‘enter’.

entrance^2 /ɪnˈtrɑːns, ɛnˈtrɑːns/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. fill (someone) with wonder and delight, holding their entire attention

• I was entranced by the city's beauty

• (as adj. entrancing) an entrancing girl.

2. cast a spell on

• Orpheus entranced the wild beasts.

II. derivatives

1. entrancement /ɪnˈtrɑːnsm(ə)nt, ɛnˈtrɑːnsm(ə)nt /

noun

2. entrancingly /ɪnˈtrɑːnsɪŋli, ɛnˈtrɑːnsɪŋli /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent. (formerly also as intrance): from en-1, in-2 ‘into’ + trance.

entrance hall

noun

the room or space immediately inside the main door of a large or grand building

• on the ground floor there was an impressive entrance hall leading to the various living rooms.

entranceway

noun

a door or corridor at the entrance to a building.

entrance wound

noun

another term for entry wound.

entrant /ˈɛntr(ə)nt/

I. noun

a person or group that enters or takes part in something.

• the prize will be awarded to the entrant who wins the tiebreak.

• the company is a new entrant into an established market.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a person taking legal possession of land or property): from French, literally ‘entering’, present participle of entrer (see enter).

entrap /ɪnˈtrap, ɛnˈtrap/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. catch in or as in a trap

• discarded fishing lines can entrap wildlife.

2. trick (someone) into committing a crime in order to secure their prosecution.

• he argued that his client had been entrapped by an undercover police officer.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French entraper, from en- ‘in’ + trappe ‘a trap’.

entrapment /ɪnˈtrapm(ə)nt, ɛnˈtrapm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being caught in or as in a trap

• the feeling of entrapment grows as the roads close and the power goes out

• nerve entrapment often occurs in throwing sports.

2. the action of tricking someone into committing a crime in order to secure their prosecution

• his style of investigation constitutes entrapment.

en travesti /ɒ̃ ˌtravɛˈstiː/

I. adverb, adjective

dressed as a member of the opposite sex for a theatrical role.
[as adv.]

• a leading tenor en travesti.

– origin French, literally ‘(dressed) in disguise’.

entreat /ɪnˈtriːt, ɛnˈtriːt/

I. verb

1. [ reporting verb] — ask someone earnestly or anxiously to do something
[with obj. and infinitive]

• his friends entreated him not to go

• (as adj. entreating) his entreating eyes.

2. [with obj.] — ask earnestly or anxiously for (something)

• a message had been sent, entreating aid for the Navahos.

3. [with obj. and adverbial] — ‹archaic› treat (someone) in a specified manner

• the King, I fear, hath ill entreated her.

II. derivatives

entreatingly /ɪnˈtriːtɪŋli, ɛnˈtriːtɪŋli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘treat, act towards (someone)’; formerly also as intreat): from Old French entraitier, based on traitier ‘to treat’, from Latin tractare ‘to handle’.

entreaty /ɪnˈtriːti, ɛnˈtriːti/

I. noun

an earnest or humble request

• the king turned a deaf ear to his entreaties.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘treatment, management’; formerly also as intreaty): from entreat, on the pattern of treaty.

entrechat /ˈɒ̃trəʃɑː/

I. noun

[Ballet] a vertical jump during which the dancer repeatedly crosses the feet and beats them together.

– origin French, from Italian (capriola) intrecciata ‘complicated (caper)’.

entrecôte /ˈɒntrəkəʊt/

I. noun

a boned steak cut off the sirloin.

– origin French, from entre ‘between’ + côte ‘rib’.

entrée /ˈɒntreɪ/

I. noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) the main course of a meal.

2. (Brit.) a dish served between the first and main courses at a formal dinner.

3. the right to enter or join a particular sphere or group

• an actress with an entrée into the intellectual society of Berlin.

• her beauty and charm rapidly gained her entrée to high society.

• [ mass noun] their connections and relative wealth gave them entree to all of the most select entertainments.

– origin early 18th cent. (denoting a piece of instrumental music forming the first part of a suite): French, feminine past participle of entrer ‘enter’ (see entry).

entremets /ˌɒntrəˈmeɪ/

I. noun

a light dish served between two courses of a formal meal.

– origin French, from entre ‘between’ + mets ‘dish’.

entrench /ɪnˈtrɛn(t)ʃ, ɛnˈtrɛn(t)ʃ/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — establish (an attitude, habit, or belief) so firmly that change is very difficult or unlikely

• ageism is entrenched in our society.

2. establish (someone) in a position of great strength or security.

• by 1947 de Gaulle's political opponents were firmly entrenched in power.

• (as adj. entrenched) the more powerful and entrenched classes and groups.

3. apply extra legal safeguards to (a right guaranteed by legislation).

• steady progress was made in entrenching the individual rights of noblemen.

4. [with obj.] — establish (a military force) in trenches or other fortified positions.

• the corps was now fully entrenched on the Right Bank.

5. [no obj.] ( entrench on/upon) — ‹archaic› encroach or trespass on.

• concessions which entrenched so deeply on the honour and dignity of the Crown.

II. derivatives

entrenchment /ɪnˈtrɛn(t)ʃm(ə)nt, ɛnˈtrɛn(t)ʃm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘place within a trench’): from en-1, in-2 ‘into’ + trench.

entrenched /ɪnˈtrɛn(t)ʃt, ɛnˈtrɛn(t)ʃt/

adjective

(of an attitude, habit, or belief) firmly established and difficult or unlikely to change; ingrained

• an entrenched resistance to change.

entre nous /ˌɒ̃trə ˈnuː/

I. adverb

between ourselves; privately

• entre nous, the old man's a bit of a case.

– origin French.

entrepôt /ˈɒntrəpəʊ/

I. noun

a port, city, or other centre to which goods are brought for import and export, and for collection and distribution.

• Hong Kong has long been an entrepôt between east and west.

• the oil terminal was built as an entrepôt for north sea crude.

– origin early 18th cent.: French, from entreposer ‘to store’, from entre ‘among’ + poser ‘to place’.

entrepreneur /ˌɒntrəprəˈnəː/

I. noun

1. a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit.

• many entrepreneurs see potential in this market.

2. a promoter in the entertainment industry.

• the music entrepreneur pulled back from financing a screenplay Hopper had written.

II. derivatives

entrepreneurism

noun

– origin early 19th cent. (denoting the director of a musical institution): from French, from entreprendre ‘undertake’ (see enterprise).

entrepreneurial /ˌɒntrəprəˈnəːrɪəl, ˌɒntrəprəˈnjʊərɪəl/

I. adjective

characterized by the taking of financial risks in the hope of profit; enterprising

• an entrepreneurial culture

• our entrepreneurial spirit thrives on meeting the next challenge.

II. derivatives

1. entrepreneurialism

noun

2. entrepreneurially

adverb

entrepreneurship /ɒntrəprəˈnəːʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of setting up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit

• the new business opportunities have encouraged entrepreneurship on a grand scale.

entresol /ˈɒntrəsɒl/

I. noun

a low storey between the ground floor and the first floor of a building; a mezzanine floor.

– origin early 18th cent.: French, from Spanish entresuelo, from entre ‘between’ + suelo ‘storey’.

entropion /ɪnˈtrəʊpɪən, ɛnˈtrəʊpɪən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a condition in which the eyelid is rolled inward against the eyeball, typically caused by muscle spasm or by inflammation or scarring of the conjunctiva (as in diseases such as trachoma), and resulting in irritation of the eye by the lashes (trichiasis).

– origin late 19th cent.: from en-2 ‘inside’, on the pattern of ectropion.

entropy /ˈɛntrəpi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: S) — [Physics] a thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a system's thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in the system.

• the second law of thermodynamics says that entropy always increases with time.

• [ count noun] the sum of the entropies of all the bodies taking part in the process.

2. lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder

• a marketplace where entropy reigns supreme.

3. (in information theory) a logarithmic measure of the rate of transfer of information in a particular message or language.

II. derivatives

1. entropic /ɛnˈtrɒpɪk /

adjective

2. entropically

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from en-2 ‘inside’ + Greek tropē ‘transformation’.

entrust /ɪnˈtrʌst, ɛnˈtrʌst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. assign the responsibility for doing something to (someone)

• I've been entrusted with the task of getting him safely back.

2. put (something) into someone's care or protection

• you persuade people to entrust their savings to you.

II. derivatives

entrustment /ɪnˈtrʌstm(ə)nt, ɛnˈtrʌstm(ə)nt /

noun

entry /ˈɛntri/

I. noun

1. an act of going or coming in

• the door was locked, but he forced an entry.

2. a place of entrance, such as a door or lobby.

• the entry to a block of flats.

3. ‹dialect› a passage between buildings.

4. [ mass noun] — the right, means, or opportunity to enter a place or be a member of something

• people seeking entry to Australia.

5. [ mass noun] — the action of entering something

• more young people are postponing their entry into full-time work.

6. [Music] the point at which a particular performer in an ensemble starts or resumes playing or singing.

• a fluffed entry.

7. [Bridge] a card providing an opportunity to transfer the lead to a particular hand.

• the diamonds are still not established, so South must gamble on finding an extra entry to the dummy.

8. (also entry into possession) [ mass noun] — [Law] the action of taking up the legal right to property.

9. an item written or printed in a diary, list, account book, or reference book.

• the entries in the cash book.

10. [ mass noun] — the action of recording an item in a diary, list, etc.

• sophisticated features to help ensure accurate data entry.

11. a person or thing competing in a race or competition

• from the hundreds of entries we received, twelve winners were finally chosen.

12. [in sing.] — the number of competitors in a particular race or competition.

• another large international entry is anticipated for this year's event.

13. [ mass noun] — the action of participating in a race or competition.

• entry is open to people of all ages.

• [as modifier] the entry fee is only £6 per team.

14. the forward part of a ship's hull below the waterline, considered in terms of breadth or narrowness.

– origin Middle English: from Old French entree, based on Latin intrata, feminine past participle of intrare (see enter).

entry form

noun

an application form for a competition.

entryism /ˈɛntrɪɪz(ə)m / entrism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the infiltration of a political party by members of another group, with the intention of subverting its policies or objectives.

• cases of alleged entryism have been reported in many constituencies.

II. derivatives

entryist

noun

entry-level

adjective

1. (of a product) suitable for a beginner or first-time user; basic

• entry-level computers.

2. at the lowest level in an employment hierarchy.

• he was hired as an entry-level research assistant.

entryphone /ˈɛntrɪfəʊn/

noun

(Brit.) ‹trademark› a type of intercom at the entrance to a building by which visitors are required to identify themselves before the door is unlocked by an internal device.

entryway /ˈɛntrɪwɛɪ/

noun

(N. Amer.) a way in to somewhere or something; an entrance.

entry wound

noun

a wound made by a bullet or other missile at the point where it entered the body.

ents /ents/

I. plural noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› social and leisure activities organized for the benefit of students, holidaymakers, etc.

• getting involved in running ents can be fun.

– origin 1970s: abbreviation of entertainments.

entwine /ɪnˈtwʌɪn, ɛnˈtwʌɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. wind or twist together; interweave

• they lay entwined in each other's arms

• ‹figurative› the nations' histories were closely entwined.

II. derivatives

entwinement

noun

enucleate /ɪˈnjuːklɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Biology] remove the nucleus from (a cell).
(as adj. enucleated)

• replication will occur in enucleated cells.

2. surgically remove (a tumour or gland, or the eyeball) intact from its surrounding capsule.

• when an eyeball is enucleated, as much of the optic nerve as possible should be removed.

II. adjective

[Biology] (of a cell) lacking a nucleus.

III. derivatives

enucleation /ɪnjuːklɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘clarify, explain’): from Latin enucleat- ‘extracted, made clear’, from the verb enucleare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + nucleus ‘kernel’ (see nucleus).

E-number /ˈiːnʌmbə/

noun

1. (Brit.) a code number preceded by the letter E, denoting food additives numbered in accordance with EU directives.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a food additive.

enumerable /ɪˈnjuːm(ə)rəb(ə)l/

adjective

[Mathematics] able to be counted by one-to-one correspondence with the set of all positive integers.

enumerate /ɪˈnjuːməreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. mention (a number of things) one by one

• there is not space to enumerate all his works.

2. ‹formal› establish the number of

• 6,079 residents were enumerated in 241 establishments.

II. derivatives

enumerative /ɪˈnjuːmərətɪv /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin enumerat- ‘counted out’, from the verb enumerare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + numerus ‘number’.

enumeration /ɪnjuːməˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of mentioning a number of things one by one

• the complete enumeration of all possible genetic states

• [ count noun] it is not necessary to give an exhaustive enumeration of the circumstances.

2. ‹formal› the action of establishing the number of something

• detailed enumeration of the income of the household

• [ count noun] a complete enumeration of residents in the area.

enumerator

noun

a person employed in taking a census of the population.

• census enumerators.

enunciate /ɪˈnʌnsɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. say or pronounce clearly

• she enunciated each word slowly.

2. express (a proposition, theory, etc.) in clear or definite terms

• a written document enunciating this policy.

II. derivatives

1. enunciation /ɪnʌnsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. enunciative /ɪˈnʌnsɪətɪv /

adjective

3. enunciator /ɪˈnʌnsɪeɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (as enunciation): from Latin enuntiat- ‘announced clearly’, from the verb enuntiare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + nuntiare ‘announce’ (from nuntius ‘messenger’).

enure /ɪˈnjʊə, ɪˈnjɔː/

verb

1. [no obj.] ( enure for/to) — [Law] (of a right or other advantage) belong or be available to.

• a release given to one of two joint contractors enures to the benefit of both.

2. variant spelling of inure.

enuresis /ˌɛnjʊəˈriːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] involuntary urination, especially by children at night.

• nocturnal enuresis can be due to a urinary tract infection.

II. derivatives

enuretic /ˌɛnjʊəˈrɛtɪk /

adjective, noun

– origin early 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek enourein ‘urinate in’, from en- ‘in’ + ouron ‘urine’.

envelop /ɪnˈvɛləp, ɛnˈvɛləp/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. wrap up, cover, or surround completely

• a figure enveloped in a black cloak

• ‹figurative› a feeling of despair enveloped him.

II. derivatives

envelopment /ɪnˈvɛləpm(ə)nt, ɛnˈvɛləpm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin late Middle English (formerly also as invelop(e)): from Old French envoluper, from en- ‘in’ + a second element (also found in develop) of unknown origin. / usage: Envelop is a verb, stressed on the second syllable and meaning ‘wrap completely’. The noun meaning ‘paper container for a letter’ is envelope, stressed on the first syllable.

envelope /ˈɛnvələʊp, ˈɒnvələʊp/

I. noun

1. a flat paper container with a sealable flap, used to enclose a letter or document.

2. a covering or containing structure or layer

• the external envelope of the swimming pool.

3. the outer metal or glass housing of a vacuum tube, electric light, etc.

• the switch itself is a glass envelope filled with rare gases and containing two contacts.

4. the structure within a balloon or non-rigid airship containing the gas.

5. [Microbiology] a membrane which forms the outer layer of certain viruses.

6. [Electronics] a curve joining the successive peaks of a modulated wave.

7. [Mathematics] a curve or surface tangent to each of a family of curves or surfaces.

II. phrases

1. the back of an envelope

used in reference to calculations or plans of the most sketchy kind

• a proposal drawn up on the back of an envelope.

2. push the envelope (or the edge of the envelope)

approach or extend the limits of what is possible

• these are extremely witty and clever stories that consistently push the envelope of TV comedy.

[originally aviation slang, relating to graphs of aerodynamic performance.]

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘wrapper, enveloping layer’; originally as envelope): from French enveloppe, from envelopper ‘envelop’. The sense ‘covering of a letter’ dates from the early 18th cent.

envenom /ɪnˈvɛnəm, ɛnˈvɛnəm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› put poison on or into; make poisonous.

• ‹figurative› tribal rivalries envenom the bitter civil war.

– origin Middle English (formerly also as invenom): from Old French envenimer, from en- ‘in’ + venim ‘venom’.

envenomate

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Zoology] [Medicine] (of a snake, spider, insect, etc.) poison by biting or stinging.

• these observations suggest that the spiders envenomate their prey.

II. derivatives

envenomation

noun

en ventre sa mère /ɒ̃ ˌvɒ̃trə sa ˈmɛː/

I. adverb, adjective

[Law] in the mother's womb.

– origin French.

Enver Pasha /ˌɛnvə ˈpɑːʃə/

(1881–1922), Turkish political and military leader. A leader of the Young Turks in 1908, he came to power as part of a ruling triumvirate following a coup d'état in 1913.

enviable /ˈɛnvɪəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

arousing or likely to arouse envy

• the firm is in the enviable position of having a full order book.

II. derivatives

enviably /ˈɛnvɪəbli /

adverb

envious /ˈɛnvɪəs/

I. adjective

feeling or showing envy

• I'm envious of their happiness

• an envious glance.

II. derivatives

enviously /ˈɛnvɪəsli /

adverb

– origin Middle English: from Old French envieus, from envie ‘envy’, on the pattern of Latin invidiosus ‘invidious’.

enviro /ɪnˈvʌɪrəʊ/

I. noun

short for environmentalist.

II. adjective

short for environmental.

environ /ɪnˈvʌɪrən, ɛnˈvʌɪrən/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› surround; enclose.

• the stone circle was environed by an expanse of peat soil.

– origin Middle English (formerly also as inviron): from Old French environer, from environ ‘surroundings’, from en ‘in’ + viron ‘circuit’ (from virer ‘to turn, veer’).

environment /ɪnˈvʌɪrənm(ə)nt, ɛnˈvʌɪrənm(ə)nt/

noun

1. the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates

• survival in an often hostile environment.

2. [usu. with modifier] — the setting or conditions in which a particular activity is carried on

• a good learning environment.

3. [with modifier] — [Computing] the overall structure within which a user, computer, or program operates

• a desktop development environment.

4. ( the environment) — the natural world, as a whole or in a particular geographical area, especially as affected by human activity.

• the impact of pesticides on the environment.

• [as modifier] a parliamentary environment committee.

environmental /ɪnvʌɪrənˈmɛnt(ə)l, ɛnvʌɪrənˈmɛnt(ə)l/

adjective

1. relating to the natural world and the impact of human activity on its condition

• acid rain may have caused major environmental damage.

2. aiming or designed to promote the protection of the natural world

• environmental tourism.

3. relating to or arising from a person's surroundings

• environmental noise.

environmental audit

noun

an assessment of the extent to which an organization is observing practices which minimize harm to the environment.

• many of the leading companies carry out environmental audits of their activities.

environmentalism /ɛnˌvʌɪr(ə)nˈmɛnt(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. concern about and action aimed at protecting the environment

• he claims to embrace modern environmentalism and an ecological approach.

2. the theory that environment, as opposed to heredity, has the primary influence on the development of a person or group.

environmentalist /ɪnˌvʌɪrənˈmɛnt(ə)lɪst, ɛnˌvʌɪrənˈmɛnt(ə)lɪst/

noun

1. a person who is concerned about protecting the environment.
[as modifier]

• the environmentalist movement.

2. a person who considers that environment, as opposed to heredity, has the primary influence on the development of a person or group.

environmentally /ɛnvʌɪrənˈmɛnt(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to the natural world and the impact of human activity on its condition

• alternatives to environmentally damaging pesticides

• measures designed to promote environmentally friendly farming

• the village was suffering economically, socially, and environmentally.

2. in a way that relates to a person's surroundings
[ sentence adverb]

• environmentally speaking, it's a good job change for me.

environmentally friendly

adjective

not harmful to the environment

• cycling is an environmentally friendly form of transport.

Environmentally Sensitive Area ESA

noun

(in the UK) an area officially designated as containing landscapes or wildlife that would be threatened by unrestricted development.

environmentally unfriendly

adjective

harmful to the environment

• the water industry is badly affected by the environmentally unfriendly activities of others.

environs /ɪnˈvʌɪrənz, ɛnˈvʌɪrənz, ˈɛnvɪrənz/

I. plural noun

the surrounding area or district

• the picturesque environs of the loch.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, plural of environ (see environ).

envisage /ɪnˈvɪzɪdʒ, ɛnˈvɪzɪdʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. contemplate or conceive of as a possibility or a desirable future event

• the Rome Treaty envisaged free movement across frontiers.

2. form a mental picture of (something not yet existing or known)

• he knew what he liked but had difficulty envisaging it.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French envisager, from en- ‘in’ + visage ‘face’.

envision /ɛnˈvɪʒ(ə)n/

verb — [with obj.]

1. imagine as a future possibility; visualize

• she envisioned the admiring glances of guests seeing her home.

envoi /ˈɛnvɔɪ / envoy

I. noun

1. a short stanza concluding a ballade.

2. ‹literary› an author's concluding words.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French envoi, from envoyer ‘send’ (see envoy).

envoy /ˈɛnvɔɪ/

I. noun

1. a messenger or representative, especially one on a diplomatic mission.

• the UN special envoy to Yugoslavia.

• a peace envoy.

2. (also envoy extraordinary) — a minister plenipotentiary, ranking below ambassador and above chargé d'affaires.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French envoyé, past participle of envoyer ‘send’, from en voie ‘on the way’, based on Latin via ‘way’.

envy /ˈɛnvi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck

• she felt a twinge of envy for the people on board.

2. ( the envy of) — a person or thing that inspires envy

• France has a film industry that is the envy of Europe.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable thing belonging to (someone else)

• he envied people who did not have to work at the weekends

• [with two objs] I envy Jane her happiness.

2. desire for oneself (something belonging to another)

• a lifestyle which most of us would envy.

III. derivatives

envier

noun

– origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘hostility, enmity’): from Old French envie (noun), envier (verb), from Latin invidia, from invidere ‘regard maliciously, grudge’, from in- ‘into’ + videre ‘to see’.

enwrap /ɪnˈrap, ɛnˈrap/

verb — [with obj.]

1. wrap; envelop.

• the book jacket enwraps a plain blue paper binding.

2. engross or absorb (someone)

• they were enwrapped in conversation.

enwreathe

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› surround or envelop (something).

• the lofty battlements, thickly enwreathed with ivy.

• ‹figurative› it was not at all a distressed blush, for it was inwreathed with smiles and dimples.

Enzed /ɛnˈzɛd/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› New Zealand or a New Zealander.

II. derivatives

Enzedder

noun

– origin representing a pronunciation of the initials NZ.

enzootic /ˌɛnzəʊˈɒtɪk/

I. adjective

(of a disease) regularly affecting animals in a particular district or at a particular season.

• enzootic hepatitis.

Compare with epizootic, endemic (sense 1 of the adjective).

– origin late 19th cent.: from en-2 ‘within’ + Greek zōion ‘animal’ + -ic.

enzyme /ˈɛnzʌɪm/

I. noun

1. [Biochemistry] a substance produced by a living organism which acts as a catalyst to bring about a specific biochemical reaction.

Most enzymes are proteins with large complex molecules whose action depends on their particular molecular shape. Some enzymes control reactions within cells and some, such as the enzymes involved in digestion, outside them.

II. derivatives

1. enzymatic

adjective

2. enzymic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: coined in German from modern Greek enzumos ‘leavened’, from en- ‘within’ + Greek zumē ‘leaven’.

enzymology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of biochemistry concerned with enzymes.

II. derivatives

1. enzymological

adjective

2. enzymologist

noun

EOC

abbreviation

(in the UK) Equal Opportunities Commission.

Eocene /ˈiːə(ʊ)siːn/

I. adjective

1. [Geology] relating to or denoting the second epoch of the Tertiary period, between the Palaeocene and Oligocene epochs.

2. (as noun the Eocene) — [Geology] the Eocene epoch or the system of rocks deposited during it.

The Eocene epoch lasted from 56.5 to 35.4 million years ago. It was a time of rising temperatures, and there was an abundance of mammals, including the first horses, bats, and whales.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek ēōs ‘dawn’ + kainos ‘new’.

EOF

abbreviation

[Computing] end of file.

eohippus /ˌiːəʊˈhɪpəs/

I. noun

former term for hyracotherium.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek ēōs ‘dawn’ + hippos ‘horse’.

eo ipso /ˌeɪəʊ ˈɪpsəʊ/

I. adverb

‹formal› by that very act or quality; thereby

• such a grand theory would eo ipso give an account of how we communicate using language.

– origin Latin, ablative of id ipsum ‘the thing itself’.

EOKA /eɪˈəʊkə/

I. a Greek-Cypriot liberation movement active in Cyprus in the 1950s and in the early 1970s, which fought for the independence of Cyprus from Britain and for its eventual union with Greece.

– origin acronym from Greek Ethnikē Organōsis Kupriakou Agōnos ‘National Organization of Cypriot Struggle’.

eolith /ˈiːə(ʊ)lɪθ/

I. noun

[Archaeology] a roughly chipped flint found in Tertiary strata, originally thought to be an early artefact but probably of natural origin.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek ēōs ‘dawn’ + lithos ‘stone’.

Eolithic /ˌiːə(ʊ)ˈlɪθɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Archaeology] ‹dated› relating to or denoting a period at the beginning of the Stone Age, preceding the Palaeolithic and characterized by the earliest crude stone tools.

2. (as noun the Eolithic) — [Archaeology] ‹dated› the Eolithic period.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French éolithique, from Greek ēōs ‘dawn’ + lithikos (from lithos ‘stone’).

Eos /ˈiːɒs / ‹Greek Mythology›

the Greek goddess of the dawn.
Roman equivalent Aurora.

eosin /ˈiːə(ʊ)sɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a red fluorescent dye that is a bromine derivative of fluorescein, or one of its salts or other derivatives.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek ēōs ‘dawn’ + -in^1.

eosinophil /ˌiːə(ʊ)ˈsɪnəfɪl/

noun

[Physiology] a white blood cell containing granules that are readily stained by eosin.

eosinophilia /ˌiːə(ʊ)ˌsɪnəˈfɪliə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an increase in the number of eosinophils in the blood, occurring in response to some allergens, drugs, and parasites, and in some types of leukaemia.

eosinophilic /ˌiːə(ʊ)ˌsɪnəˈfɪlɪk/

adjective

1. [Physiology] (of a cell or its contents) readily stained by eosin.

2. [Medicine] relating to or marked by eosinophilia.

EOT

abbreviation

1. [Computing] end of tape.

2. [Telecommunications] end of transmission.

-eous

I. suffix

(forming adjectives) resembling; displaying the nature of

• aqueous

• erroneous.

– origin from the Latin suffix -eus + -ous.

EP

abbreviation

1. electroplate.

2. European Parliament.

• a member of the EP.

3. extended-play (of a record or CD)

• an EP of remixes.

4. extreme pressure (used in grading lubricants).

Ep.

abbreviation

Epistle.

ep- /ɛp, ɪp, iːp/

prefix

variant spelling of epi- shortened before a vowel or h (as in eparch, ephod).

e.p.

abbreviation

[Chess] en passant.

EPA

abbreviation

(in the US) Environmental Protection Agency.

epact /ˈiːpakt/

I. noun

the number of days by which the solar year exceeds the lunar year.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting the age of the moon in days at the beginning of the calendar year): from French épacte, via late Latin from Greek epaktai (hēmerai) ‘intercalated (days)’, from epagein ‘bring in’, from epi ‘in addition’ + agein ‘bring’.

eparch /ˈɛpɑːk/

I. noun

the chief bishop of an eparchy.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting the governor of an administrative division of Greece): from Greek eparkhos, from epi ‘above’ + arkhos ‘ruler’.

eparchy /ˈɛpɑːki/

I. noun

a province of the Orthodox Church.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek eparkhia, from eparkhos (see eparch).

épater /eɪˈpateɪ, French epate/

I. verb — (in phrase épater les bourgeois)

1. shock people who have attitudes or views perceived as conventional or complacent.

• the artist was trying to épater les bourgeois again with ‘Altar’, made of bloodstained stretchers.

– origin French.

epaulette /ˈɛpəlɛt, ˈɛpɔːlɛt, ˌɛpəˈlɛt / ‹US› epaulet

I. noun

an ornamental shoulder piece on an item of clothing, especially on the coat or jacket of a military uniform.

• an army greatcoat with fancy epaulettes and brass buttons.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French épaulette, diminutive of épaule ‘shoulder’, from Latin spatula in the late Latin sense ‘shoulder blade’.

epaxial /ɛˈpaksɪəl/

adjective

[Anatomy] [Zoology] situated on the dorsal side of an axis

• epaxial muscles.

épée /ˈeɪpeɪ, ˈɛpeɪ/

I. noun

a sharp-pointed duelling sword, used, with the end blunted, in fencing.

II. derivatives

épéeist /ˈeɪpeɪɪst, ˈɛpeɪɪst /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: French, ‘sword’, from Old French espee (see spay).

epeirogeny /ɪˌpʌɪˈrɒdʒəni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] the regional uplift of an extensive area of the earth's crust.

II. derivatives

1. epeirogenesis /ɪˌpʌɪrəˈdʒɛnɪsɪs /

noun

2. epeirogenic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek ēpeiros ‘mainland’ + -geny.

ependyma /ɛˈpɛndɪmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anatomy] the thin membrane of glial cells lining the ventricles of the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord.

II. derivatives

ependymal

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek ependuma, from ependuein ‘put on over’.

epenthesis /ɛˈpɛnθɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the insertion of a sound or letter within a word, e.g. the b in thimble.

II. derivatives

epenthetic

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek, from epentithenai ‘insert’, from epi ‘in addition’ + en- ‘within’ + tithenai ‘to place’.

epergne /ɪˈpəːn/

I. noun

an ornamental centrepiece for a dining table, typically used for holding fruit or flowers.

– origin early 18th cent.: perhaps an altered form of French épargne ‘saving, economy’.

epexegesis /ɛˌpɛksɪˈdʒiːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the addition of words to clarify meaning.

II. derivatives

1. epexegetic /ɛˌpɛksɪˈdʒɛtɪk /

adjective

2. epexegetical

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek epexēgēsis, from epi ‘in addition’ + exēgēsis ‘explanation’ (see exegesis).

Eph.

abbreviation

Epistle to the Ephesians (in biblical references).

ephah /ˈiːfə/

I. noun

an ancient Hebrew dry measure equivalent to the bath (of about 40 litres or 9 gallons).

– origin from Hebrew 'ēp̱āh, probably from Egyptian.

ephebe /ɛˈfiːb, ɪˈfiːb, ˈɛfiːb/

I. noun

(in ancient Greece) a young man of 18–20 years undergoing military training.

II. derivatives

ephebic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.ː via Latin from Greek ephēbos ‘adolescent boy’, from epi ‘near to’ + hēbē ‘youth, early manhood’.

ephebophile /ɛˈfiːbə(ʊ)fʌɪl, ɪˈfiːbə(ʊ)fʌɪl/

I. noun

an adult who is sexually attracted to adolescents.

II. derivatives

ephebophilia

noun

– origin 1960s: from Greek ephēbos ‘adolescent boy’ (see ephebe) + -phile.

ephedra /ɛˈfɛdrə/

I. noun

an evergreen shrub of warm arid regions which has trailing or climbing stems and tiny scale-like leaves.
●Family Ephedraceae and genus Ephedra.

– origin modern Latin, from Latin, ‘equisetum’ (which it resembles), from Greek.

ephedrine /ˈɛfədriːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a crystalline alkaloid drug obtained from some ephedras. It causes constriction of the blood vessels and widening of the bronchial passages, and is used to relieve asthma and hay fever.
●Chem. formula: C_10H_15NO.

– origin late 19th cent.: from ephedra + -ine^4.

ephemera /ɪˈfɛm(ə)rə, ɪˈfiːm(ə)rə/

I. plural noun

1. things that exist or are used or enjoyed for only a short time.

• there were papers, letters, old boxes—all sorts of ephemera.

2. collectable items that were originally expected to have only short-term usefulness or popularity

• Mickey Mouse ephemera.

– origin late 16th cent.: plural of ephemeron, from Greek, neuter of ephēmeros ‘lasting only a day’. As a singular noun the word originally denoted a plant said by ancient writers to last only one day, or an insect with a short lifespan, and hence was applied (late 18th cent.) to a person or thing of short-lived interest. Current use has been influenced by plurals such as trivia and memorabilia.

ephemeral /ɪˈfɛm(ə)r(ə)l, ɪˈfiːm(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. lasting for a very short time.

• fashions are ephemeral: new ones regularly drive out the old.

• works of more than ephemeral interest.

2. (chiefly of plants) having a very short life cycle.

• chickweed is an ephemeral weed, producing several generations in one season.

II. noun

an ephemeral plant.

• ephemerals avoid the periods of drought as seeds.

III. derivatives

1. ephemerality /ɪfɛm(ə)ˈralɪti, ɪfiːm(ə)ˈralɪti /

noun

2. ephemerally

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek ephēmeros (see ephemera) + -al.

ephemeris /ɪˈfɛm(ə)rɪs, ɪˈfiːm(ə)rɪs/

I. noun

[Astronomy] [Astrology] a table or data file giving the calculated positions of a celestial object at regular intervals throughout a period.

• you can compute an ephemeris for any comet that is discovered and plot an accurate finder chart.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin, from Greek ephēmeros ‘lasting only a day’.

ephemerist

noun

a person who collects ephemera.

ephemeris time

noun

time on a scale defined by the orbital period rather than the axial rotation of the earth.

Ephemeroptera /ɪˌfɛməˈrɒptərə, ɪˌfiːməˈrɒptərə/

I. plural noun

1. [Entomology] an order of insects that comprises the mayflies.

2. ( ephemeroptera) — [Entomology] insects of the order Ephemeroptera; mayflies.

• various species of ephemeroptera.

II. derivatives

ephemeropteran

noun, adjective

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Ephemera (genus name) + pteron ‘wing’.

Ephesians, Epistle to the /ɪˈfiːʒ(ə)nz/

a book of the New Testament ascribed to St Paul consisting of an epistle to the Church at Ephesus.

Ephesus /ˈɛfɪsəs/

an ancient Greek city on the west coast of Asia Minor, in present-day Turkey, site of the temple of Diana, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was an important centre of early Christianity; St Paul preached there and St John is traditionally said to have lived there.

ephialtes /ɛfɪˈaltiːz/

I. noun

‹rare› a nightmare.

– origin early 17th cent.: Greek ephialtēs, possibly from ephiallesthai ‘leap on’.

ephod /ˈiːfɒd, ˈɛfɒd/

I. noun

(in ancient Israel) a sleeveless garment worn by Jewish priests.

– origin late Middle English: from Hebrew 'ēp̱ōḏ.

ephor /ˈɛfɔː/

I. noun

(in ancient Greece) each of five senior Spartan magistrates.

II. derivatives

ephorate

noun

– origin from Greek ephoros ‘overseer’, from epi ‘above’ + the base of horan ‘see’.

ephyra /ˈɛfɪrə/

I. noun

[Zoology] a larval jellyfish, after separation from the scyphistoma.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek Ephura, denoting a Nereid and an Oceanid.

epi- ep-

I. prefix

1. upon

• epigraph.

2. above

• epicontinental.

3. in addition

• epiphenomenon.

– origin from Greek epi ‘upon, near to, in addition’.

epibenthos /ˌɛpɪˈbɛnθɒs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Ecology] the flora and fauna living on the surface of the bottom of a sea or lake.

II. derivatives

epibenthic

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek epi ‘upon’ + benthos ‘depth of the sea’.

epiblast /ˈɛpɪblast/

noun

[Embryology] the outermost layer of an embryo before it differentiates into ectoderm and mesoderm.

epic /ˈɛpɪk/

I. noun

1. a long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the past history of a nation.

2. [ mass noun] — the genre of epics

• the romances display gentler emotions not found in Greek epic.

3. a long film, book, or other work portraying heroic deeds and adventures or covering an extended period of time

• a Hollywood biblical epic.

4. ‹informal› an exceptionally long and arduous task or activity

• the business of getting hospital treatment soon became an epic.

II. adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of an epic or epics

• our national epic poem Beowulf.

2. heroic or grand in scale or character

• his epic journey around the world

• a tragedy of epic proportions.

3. ‹informal› particularly impressive or remarkable

• the gig last night was epic

• these CEOs are paid salaries and bonuses in the millions despite their epic failures.

III. derivatives

1. epical

adjective

2. epically

adverb

– origin late 16th cent. (as an adjective): via Latin from Greek epikos, from epos ‘word, song’, related to eipein ‘say’.

epicanthic

adjective

denoting a fold of skin from the upper eyelid covering the inner angle of the eye, typical in many peoples of eastern Asia and found as a congenital abnormality elsewhere.

epicardium /ˌɛpɪˈkɑːdɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anatomy] a serous membrane that forms the innermost layer of the pericardium, attached to the muscles of the wall of the heart.

II. derivatives

epicardial

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from epi- ‘above’ + Greek kardia ‘heart’, on the pattern of pericardium.

epicarp /ˈɛpɪkɑːp/

I. noun

[Botany] the outermost layer of the pericarp.

– origin early 19th cent.: from epi- + a shortened form of pericarp.

epicedium /ˌɛpɪˈsiːdɪəm/

I. noun

‹formal› a funeral ode.

II. derivatives

epicedian

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally in the anglicized form epicede and the Greek form epicedeon): from Latin, from Greek epikēdeion, neuter of epokēdeios ‘of a funeral’ (based on kēdos ‘care, grief’).

epicene /ˈɛpɪsiːn/

I. adjective

1. having characteristics of both sexes or no characteristics of either sex; of indeterminate sex

• the sort of epicene beauty peculiar to boys of a certain age.

2. effeminate; effete

• the actor infused the role with an epicene languor.

– origin late Middle English (as a grammatical term): via late Latin from Greek epikoinos (based on koinos ‘common’).

epicentre /ˈɛpɪsɛntə / ‹US› epicenter

I. noun

1. the point on the earth's surface vertically above the focus of an earthquake.

2. the central point of something, typically a difficult or unpleasant situation

• the epicentre of labour militancy was the capital itself.

II. derivatives

epicentral

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek epikentros ‘situated on a centre’, from epi ‘upon’ + kentron ‘centre’.

epiclesis /ɛpɪˈkliːsɪs/

I. noun

[Christian Church] the part of the Eucharistic prayer in which the presence of the Holy Spirit is invoked to bless the elements or the communicants.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek epiklēsis, from epikalein ‘call on’, from epi- + kalein ‘call’.

epicondyle /ˌɛpɪˈkɒndɪl/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a protuberance above or on the condyle of a long bone, especially either of the two at the elbow end of the humerus.

II. derivatives

epicondylar

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French épicondyle, modern Latin epicondylus (see epi-, condyle).

epicondylitis /ˌɛpɪkɒndɪˈlʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a painful inflammation of tendons surrounding an epicondyle; tennis elbow.

epicontinental

adjective

denoting those areas of sea or ocean overlying the continental shelf.

epicormic /ˌɛpɪˈkɔːmɪk/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a shoot or branch) growing from a previously dormant bud on the trunk or a limb of a tree.

– origin early 20th cent.: from epi- ‘upon’ + Greek kormos ‘tree trunk’.

epicotyl /ˌɛpɪˈkɒtɪl/

noun

[Botany] the region of an embryo or seedling stem above the cotyledon.

epicritic /ˌɛpɪˈkrɪtɪk/

I. adjective

[Physiology] relating to or denoting those sensory nerve fibres of the skin which are capable of fine discrimination of touch or temperature stimuli.
Often contrasted with protopathic.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek epikritikos ‘giving judgement over’, from epi ‘upon or over’ + krinein ‘to judge’.

Epictetus /ˌɛpɪkˈtiːtəs/

( c. 55– c. 135 AD), Greek philosopher. Originally a slave, he preached the common brotherhood of man and advocated a Stoic philosophy.

epicure /ˈɛpɪkjʊə, ˈɛpɪkjɔː/

I. noun

a person who takes particular pleasure in fine food and drink.

• they see themselves as epicures—delighting in food that is properly prepared.

II. derivatives

epicurism /ˈɛpɪkjʊəˌrɪz(ə)m, ˈɛpɪkjɔːˌrɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin late Middle English (denoting a disciple of Epicurus): via medieval Latin from Greek Epikouros ‘Epicurus’.

Epicurean /ˌɛpɪkjʊ(ə)ˈriːən/

I. noun

1. a disciple or student of the Greek philosopher Epicurus.

2. ( epicurean) — a person devoted to sensual enjoyment, especially that derived from fine food and drink.

II. adjective

1. relating to Epicurus or his ideas

• Epicurean philosophers.

2. ( epicurean) — relating to or suitable for an epicure

• epicurean feasts.

Epicureanism /ɛpɪkjʊ(ə)ˈriːənɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an ancient school of philosophy founded in Athens by Epicurus. The school rejected determinism and advocated hedonism (pleasure as the highest good), but of a restrained kind: mental pleasure was regarded more highly than physical, and the ultimate pleasure was held to be freedom from anxiety and mental pain, especially that arising from needless fear of death and of the gods.

Epicurus /ˌɛpɪˈkjʊərəs/

(341–270 BC), Greek philosopher, founder of Epicureanism. His physics is based on Democritus' theory of a materialist universe composed of indestructible atoms moving in a void, unregulated by divine providence.

epicuticle /ˈɛpɪˌkjuːtɪk(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] [Zoology] the thin, waxy protective outer layer covering the surfaces of some plants, fungi, and insects and other arthropods.

II. derivatives

epicuticular

adjective

epicycle /ˈɛpɪˌsʌɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. [Geometry] a small circle whose centre moves round the circumference of a larger one.

2. [Geometry] ‹historical› an epicycle used to describe planetary orbits in the Ptolemaic system.

II. derivatives

epicyclic

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or via late Latin from Greek epikuklos, from epi ‘upon’ + kuklos ‘circle’.

epicycloid /ˌɛpɪˈsʌɪklɔɪd/

I. noun

[Mathematics] a curve traced by a point on the circumference of a circle rolling on the exterior of another circle.

II. derivatives

epicycloidal /ˌɛpɪsʌɪˈklɔɪd(ə)l /

adjective

Epidaurus /ˌɛpɪˈdɔːrəs/

an ancient Greek city and port on the NE coast of the Peloponnese. Greek name Epídhavros /ɛˈpiðavrɔs/.

epideictic /ˌɛpɪˈdeɪktɪk, ˌɛpɪˈdʌɪktɪk/

I. adjective

‹formal› characterized by or designed to display rhetorical or oratorical skill.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek epideiktikos (based on deiknunai ‘to show’).

epidemic /ɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/

I. noun

1. a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time

• a flu epidemic.

2. a sudden, widespread occurrence of an undesirable phenomenon

• an epidemic of violent crime.

II. adjective

of the nature of an epidemic

• shoplifting has reached epidemic proportions.

Compare with endemic, pandemic, epizootic.

– origin early 17th cent. (as an adjective): from French épidémique, from épidémie, via late Latin from Greek epidēmia ‘prevalence of disease’, from epidēmios ‘prevalent’, from epi ‘upon’ + dēmos ‘the people’.

epidemiological epidemiologic

adjective

relating to the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution, and control of diseases

• epidemiological studies of the effect of pesticides on humans.

epidemiologist /ˌɛpɪdiːmɪˈɒlədʒɪst/

noun

a person who studies or is an expert in the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases

• epidemiologists are warning of a new pandemic.

epidemiology /ˌɛpɪdiːmɪˈɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health.

II. derivatives

epidemiologic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek epidēmia ‘prevalence of disease’ + -logy.

epidermis /ˌɛpɪˈdəːmɪs/

I. noun

1. the outer layer of cells covering an organism, in particular:

2. [Zoology] [Anatomy] the surface epithelium of the skin of an animal, overlying the dermis.

3. [Botany] the outer layer of tissue in a plant, except where it is replaced by periderm.

II. derivatives

1. epidermal /ˌɛpɪˈdəːməl /

adjective

2. epidermic

adjective

3. epidermoid

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek, from epi ‘upon’ + derma ‘skin’.

epidermolysis /ˌɛpɪdəːˈmɒlɪsɪs / epidermolysis bullosa /bʊˈləusə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] loosening of the epidermis, with extensive blistering of the skin and mucous membranes, occurring either after injury or as a spontaneous and potentially dangerous condition, particularly in children.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek epidermisepidermis + -o- + lusis ‘loosening’.

epidiascope /ˌɛpɪˈdʌɪəskəʊp/

I. noun

an optical projector capable of giving images of both opaque and transparent objects.

– origin early 20th cent.: from epi- + dia- + -scope.

epididymis /ˌɛpɪˈdɪdɪmɪs/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a highly convoluted duct behind the testis, along which sperm passes to the vas deferens.

II. derivatives

epididymal

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek epididumis, from epi ‘upon’ + didumos ‘testicle’ (from duo ‘two’).

epidote /ˈɛpɪdəʊt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a lustrous yellow-green crystalline mineral, common in metamorphic rocks. It consists of a basic, hydrated silicate of calcium, aluminium, and iron.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French épidote, from Greek epididonai ‘give additionally’ (because of the length of the crystals).

epidural /ˌɛpɪˈdjʊər(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] [Medicine] on or around the dura mater, in particular (of an anaesthetic) introduced into the space around the dura mater of the spinal cord.

II. noun

an epidural anaesthetic, used especially in childbirth to produce loss of sensation below the waist.

– origin late 19th cent.: from epi- ‘upon’ + dura^1 + -al.

epifauna

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Ecology] animals living on the surface of the seabed or a riverbed, or attached to submerged objects or aquatic animals or plants.
Compare with infauna.

II. derivatives

epifaunal

adjective

epifluorescence /ˌɛpɪflʊəˈrɛs(ə)ns, ˌɛpɪflɔːˈrɛs(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Optics] the fluorescence of an object in an optical microscope when irradiated from the viewing side.

epigastrium /ˌɛpɪˈɡastrɪəm/

I. noun

[Anatomy] the part of the upper abdomen immediately over the stomach.

II. derivatives

epigastric /ˌɛpɪˈɡastrɪk /

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek epigastrion, neuter of epigastrios ‘over the belly’, from epi ‘upon’ + gastēr ‘belly’.

epigeal /ˌɛpɪˈdʒiːəl/

I. adjective

1. [Botany] growing on or close to the ground.
Compare with hypogeal.

2. [Botany] (of seed germination) with one or more seed leaves appearing above the ground.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek epigeios (from epi ‘upon’ + gē ‘earth’) + -al.

epigene /ˈɛpɪdʒiːn/

I. adjective

[Geology] taking place or produced on the surface of the earth.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French épigène, from Greek epigenēs, from epi ‘upon’ + genēs (see -gen).

epigenesis /ˌɛpɪˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the theory, now generally held, that an embryo develops progressively from an undifferentiated egg cell.
Often contrasted with preformation.

II. derivatives

epigenesist

noun, adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from epi- ‘in addition’ + genesis.

epigenetic /ˌɛpɪdʒəˈnɛtɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Biology] relating to or arising from non-genetic influences on gene expression

• epigenetic carcinogens.

2. relating to or of the nature of epigenesis.

3. [Geology] formed later than the surrounding or underlying rock formation.

II. derivatives

epigenetically

adverb

epigenetics /ˌɛpɪdʒəˈnɛtɪks/

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. [Biology] the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself

• epigenetics has transformed the way we think about genomes.

epiglottis /ˌɛpɪˈɡlɒtɪs/

I. noun

a flap of cartilage behind the root of the tongue, which is depressed during swallowing to cover the opening of the windpipe.

II. derivatives

1. epiglottal

adjective

2. epiglottic /ˌɛpɪˈɡlɒtɪk /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Greek epiglōttis, from epi ‘upon, near to’ + glōtta ‘tongue’.

epigone /ˈɛpɪɡəʊn/

I. noun

a less distinguished follower or imitator of someone, especially an artist or philosopher.

• the humdrum compositions of some of Beethoven's epigones.

– origin mid 18th cent.: plurals from French épigones and Latin epigoni, from Greek epigonoi ‘those born afterwards’ (based on gignesthai ‘be born’).

epigram /ˈɛpɪɡram/

I. noun

1. a pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever and amusing way.

• a Wildean epigram.

2. a short poem, especially a satirical one, with a witty or ingenious ending.

II. derivatives

1. epigrammatist /ɛpɪˈɡramətɪst /

noun

2. epigrammatize /ɛpɪˈɡramətʌɪz / epigrammatise

verb

– origin late Middle English: from French épigramme, or Latin epigramma, from Greek, from epi ‘upon, in addition’ + gramma (see -gram^1).

epigrammatic /ˌɛpɪɡrəˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

in the style of an epigram; concise, clever, and amusing

• an epigrammatic style.

II. derivatives

epigrammatically

adverb

epigraph /ˈɛpɪɡrɑːf/

I. noun

1. an inscription on a building, statue, or coin.

2. a short quotation or saying at the beginning of a book or chapter, intended to suggest its theme.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting the heading of a document or letter): from Greek epigraphē, from epigraphein ‘write on’.

epigraphy /ɪˈpɪɡrəfi, ɛˈpɪɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study and interpretation of ancient inscriptions.

2. epigraphs collectively.

II. derivatives

1. epigrapher

noun

2. epigraphic /ɪpɪˈɡrafɪk, ɛpɪˈɡrafɪk /

adjective

3. epigraphical

adjective

4. epigraphically

adverb

5. epigraphist /ɪˈpɪɡrəfɪst, ɛˈpɪɡrəfɪst /

noun

epigynous /ɪˈpɪdʒɪnəs, ɛˈpɪdʒɪnəs/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a plant or flower) having the ovary enclosed in the receptacle, with the stamens and other floral parts situated above.
Compare with hypogynous, perigynous.

II. derivatives

epigyny

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin epigynus, from epi- ‘upon, above’ + Greek gunē ‘woman’ + -ous.

epilation /ˌɛpɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the removal of hair by the roots.

II. derivatives

1. epilate

verb

2. epilator

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from French épiler, from é- (expressing removal) + Latin pilus ‘strand of hair’, on the pattern of depilation.

epilepsy /ˈɛpɪlɛpsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French épilepsie, or via late Latin from Greek epilēpsia, from epilambanein ‘seize, attack’, from epi ‘upon’ + lambanein ‘take hold of’.

epileptic /ˌɛpɪˈlɛptɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or suffering from epilepsy

• he had an epileptic fit.

II. noun

a person who has epilepsy.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French épileptique, via late Latin from Greek epilēptikos, from epilēpsia (see epilepsy).

epileptogenic /ˌɛpɪlɛptə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

[Medicine] capable of causing an epileptic attack.

• penicillin is a potent epileptogenic agent.

epilimnion /ˌɛpɪˈlɪmnɪən/

I. noun

the upper layer of water in a stratified lake.

– origin early 20th cent.: from epi- ‘above’ + Greek limnion (diminutive of limnē ‘lake’).

epilithic /ˌɛpɪˈlɪθɪk/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a plant) growing on the surface of rock.

• most seaweeds are epilithic.

– origin early 20th cent.: from epi- ‘upon’ + Greek lithos ‘stone’ + -ic.

epilogue /ˈɛpɪlɒɡ / ‹US› epilog

I. noun

a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened.

• ‹figurative› a disastrous epilogue to the rest of his career.

– origin late Middle English: from French épilogue, via Latin from Greek epilogos, from epi ‘in addition’ + logos ‘speech’.

epimedium /ˌɛpɪˈmiːdɪəm/

I. noun

a creeping plant of a genus which includes barrenwort.
●Genus Epimedium, family Berberidaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek epimēdion.

epimer /ˈɛpɪmə/

I. noun

[Chemistry] each of two isomers with different configurations of atoms about one of several asymmetric carbon atoms present.

II. derivatives

1. epimeric /ɛpɪˈmɛrɪk /

adjective

2. epimerism /ɪˈpɪmərism, ɛˈpɪmərism /

noun

epimerize /ɪˈpɪmərʌɪz, ɛˈpɪmərʌɪz / epimerise

verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] convert from one epimeric form into the other.

• enzymes which activate phenylalanine and epimerize it to the D-isomer.

epimeron /ˌɛpɪˈmɪːrən/

I. noun

(in insects) the posterior part of the side wall of a thoracic segment.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from epi- ‘near’ + Greek mēros ‘thigh’.

epimysium /ˌɛpɪˈmɪsɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anatomy] a sheath of fibrous elastic tissue surrounding a muscle.

– origin modern Latin, from epi- ‘upon’ + Greek mus ‘muscle’.

epinephrine /ˌɛpɪˈnɛfrɪn, ˌɛpɪˈnɛfriːn/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] another term for adrenaline.

– origin late 19th cent.: from epi- ‘above’ + Greek nephros ‘kidney’ + -ine^4.

epinician /ˌɛpɪˈnɪsɪən/

I. adjective

denoting an ancient Greek lyric poem celebrating a victory.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek epinikion, neuter (used as a noun) of epinikios ‘relating to victory’, + -an.

Epipalaeolithic /ˌɛpɪpalɪə(ʊ)ˈlɪθɪk / ‹US› Epipaleolithic

I. adjective

1. [Archaeology] relating to or denoting a Stone Age period that shows features of both the Palaeolithic and the Mesolithic and may be transitional between them.

2. (as noun the Epipalaeolithic) — [Archaeology] the Epipalaeolithic period.

– origin early 20th cent.: from epi- ‘upon, in addition’ + Palaeolithic.

epiphany /ɪˈpɪf(ə)ni, ɛˈpɪf(ə)ni/

I. noun

1. ( Epiphany) — the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12).

2. the festival commemorating the Epiphany on 6 January.

3. a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization.

II. derivatives

epiphanic /ɛpɪˈfanɪk /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Greek epiphainein ‘reveal’. The sense relating to the Christian festival is via Old French epiphanie and ecclesiastical Latin epiphania.

epiphenomenon /ˌɛpɪfəˈnɒmɪnən/

I. noun

1. a secondary effect or by-product, in particular:

2. [Medicine] a secondary symptom, occurring simultaneously with a disease or condition but not directly related to it.

3. a mental state regarded as a by-product of brain activity.

II. derivatives

epiphenomenal

adjective

epiphora /ɪˈpɪf(ə)rə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] excessive watering of the eye.

2. [Rhetoric] another term for epistrophe.

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2): via Latin from Greek epi ‘upon’ + pherein ‘to bear or carry’.

epiphyllum /ˌɛpɪˈfɪləm/

I. noun

a cactus with flattened stems and large, fragrant red or yellow flowers.
●Genus Epiphyllum, family Cactaceae: several species.

– origin modern Latin, from epi- ‘upon’ + Greek phullon ‘leaf’.

epiphysis /ɪˈpɪfɪsɪs, ɛˈpɪfɪsɪs/

I. noun

1. the end part of a long bone, initially growing separately from the shaft.
Compare with diaphysis.

2. another term for pineal.

II. derivatives

epiphyseal /ˌɛpɪˈfɪzɪəl/

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek epiphusis, from epi ‘upon, in addition’ + phusis ‘growth’.

epiphyte /ˈɛpɪfʌɪt/

I. noun

[Botany] a plant that grows on another plant, especially one that is not parasitic, such as the numerous ferns, bromeliads, air plants, and orchids growing on tree trunks in tropical rainforests.

II. derivatives

1. epiphytal /ɛpɪˈfʌɪt(ə)l /

adjective

2. epiphytic /ɛpɪˈfɪtɪk /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from epi- ‘in addition’ + Greek phuton ‘plant’.

EPIRB

abbreviation

emergency position-indicating radio beacon.

Epirus /ɪˈpʌɪərəs/

I. a coastal region of NW Greece; capital, Ioánnina.
Greek name Ipiros.

II. an ancient country of which the modern region of Epirus corresponds to the south-western part, extending northwards to Illyria and eastwards to Macedonia and Thessaly.

episcopacy /ɪˈpɪskəpəsi, ɛˈpɪskəpəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. government of a Church by bishops.

2. ( the episcopacy) — the bishops of a region or church collectively.

3. the office of a bishop.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin episcopatus ‘episcopate’, on the pattern of prelacy.

episcopal /ɪˈpɪskəp(ə)l, ɛˈpɪskəp(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. of a bishop or bishops

• episcopal power.

2. (of a Church) governed by or having bishops.

II. derivatives

1. episcopalism

noun

2. episcopally

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from French épiscopal or ecclesiastical Latin episcopalis, from episcopus ‘bishop’, from Greek episkopos ‘overseer’ (see bishop).

Episcopal Church

the Anglican Church in Scotland and the US.

episcopalian /ɪˌpɪskəˈpeɪlɪən, ɛˌpɪskəˈpeɪlɪən/

I. adjective

1. of or advocating government of a Church by bishops.

2. of or belonging to an episcopal Church.

II. noun

1. a person who advocates government of a Church by bishops.

2. ( Episcopalian) — a member of the Episcopal Church.

III. derivatives

episcopalianism /ɪpɪskəˈpeɪlɪənɪz(ə)m /

noun

episcopate /ɪˈpɪskəpət, ɛˈpɪskəpət/

I. noun

1. the office of a bishop.

2. ( the episcopate) — the bishops of a church or region collectively.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin episcopatus ‘made a bishop’, from episcopus ‘bishop’, from Greek episkopos ‘overseer’ (see bishop).

episcope /ˈɛpɪskəʊp/

noun

an optical projector which gives images of opaque objects.

episematic /ˌɛpɪsɪˈmatɪk/

I. adjective

[Zoology] (of coloration or markings) serving to help recognition by animals of other individuals of the same species.

– origin late 19th cent.: from epi- ‘upon’ + Greek sēma ‘sign’ + -atic.

episiotomy /ɪˌpiːsɪˈɒtəmi, ɛˌpiːsɪˈɒtəmi/

I. noun

a surgical cut made at the opening of the vagina during childbirth, to aid a difficult delivery and prevent rupture of tissues.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek epision ‘pubic region’ + -tomy.

episode /ˈɛpɪsəʊd/

I. noun

1. an event or a group of events occurring as part of a sequence; an incident or period considered in isolation

• the whole episode has been a major embarrassment.

2. a finite period in which someone is affected by a specified illness

• acute psychotic episodes.

3. each of the separate instalments into which a serialized story or radio or television programme is divided.

• the final episode of the series.

4. [Music] a passage containing distinct material or introducing a new subject.

• this change is followed by an episode in this new key.

5. a section between two choric songs in Greek tragedy.

– origin late 17th cent. (denoting a section between songs in Greek tragedy): from Greek epeisodion, neuter of epeisodios ‘coming in besides’, from epi ‘in addition’ + eisodos ‘entry’ (from eis ‘into’ + hodos ‘way’).

episodic /ˌɛpɪˈsɒdɪk/

I. adjective

1. containing or consisting of a series of separate parts or events

• an episodic narrative.

2. occurring occasionally and at irregular intervals

• volcanic activity is highly episodic in nature.

3. (of a programme or story) broadcast or published as a series of instalments.

• episodic television is a difficult medium to write for.

II. derivatives

episodically

adverb

episome /ˈɛpɪsəʊm/

noun

[Microbiology] a genetic element inside some bacterial cells, especially the DNA of some bacteriophages, that can replicate independently of the host and also in association with a chromosome with which it becomes integrated.
Compare with plasmid.

epistasis /ɪˈpɪstəsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Genetics] the interaction of genes that are not alleles, in particular the suppression of the effect of one such gene by another.

II. derivatives

epistatic /ˌɛpɪˈstatɪk /

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek, literally ‘stoppage’, from ephistanai ‘to stop’.

epistaxis /ˌɛpɪˈstaksɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] bleeding from the nose.

– origin late 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek, from epistazein ‘bleed from the nose’, from epi ‘upon, in addition’ + stazein ‘to drip’.

epistemic /ˌɛpɪˈstiːmɪk, ˌɛpɪˈstɛmɪk/

I. adjective

relating to knowledge or to the degree of its validation.

II. derivatives

epistemically

adverb

– origin 1920s: from Greek epistēmē ‘knowledge’ (see epistemology) + -ic.

epistemological /ɪˌpɪstɪməˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Philosophy] relating to the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope, and the distinction between justified belief and opinion

• what epistemological foundation is there for such an artificial discrimination?

II. derivatives

epistemologically

adverb

epistemology /ɪˌpɪstɪˈmɒlədʒi, ɛˌpɪstɪˈmɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope, and the distinction between justified belief and opinion.

II. derivatives

epistemologist

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek epistēmē ‘knowledge’, from epistasthai ‘know, know how to do’.

episternum /ˌɛpɪˈstəːnəm/

noun

1. [Zoology] a bone between the clavicles, especially (in mammals) the upper part of the sternum.

2. [Zoology] (in insects) the anterior part of the side wall of a thoracic segment.

epistle /ɪˈpɪs(ə)l/

I. noun

1. ‹formal› ‹humorous› a letter.

• activists firing off angry epistles.

2. ‹formal› ‹humorous› a poem or other literary work in the form of a letter or series of letters.

3. ( Epistle) — ‹formal› ‹humorous› a book of the New Testament in the form of a letter from an Apostle

• St Paul's Epistle to the Romans.

4. ‹formal› ‹humorous› an extract from an Epistle (or another New Testament book not a Gospel) that is read in a church service.

– origin Old English, via Latin from Greek epistolē, from epistellein ‘send news’, from epi ‘upon, in addition’ + stellein ‘send’. The word was reintroduced in Middle English from Old French.

epistolary /ɪˈpɪst(ə)ˌləri/

I. adjective

1. relating to the writing of letters.

2. (of a literary work) in the form of letters

• an epistolary novel.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French épistolaire or Latin epistolaris, from epistola (see epistle).

epistrophe /ɪˈpɪstrəfi, ɛˈpɪstrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek epistrophē, from epistrephein ‘to turn around’, from epi ‘in addition’ + strephein ‘to turn’.

epistyle /ˈɛpɪstʌɪl/

I. noun

[Architecture] an architrave.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the Latin form epistylium): from French épistyle or via Latin, from Greek epistulion, from epi ‘upon’ + stulos ‘pillar’.

epitaph /ˈɛpɪtɑːf, ˈɛpɪtaf/

I. noun

1. a phrase or form of words written in memory of a person who has died, especially as an inscription on a tombstone.

• ‹figurative› a poignant epitaph to his creative career.

2. something by which a person, time, or event will be remembered

• the story makes a sorry epitaph to a great career.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French epitaphe, via Latin from Greek epitaphion ‘funeral oration’, neuter of ephitaphios ‘over or at a tomb’, from epi ‘upon’ + taphos ‘tomb’.

epitaxy /ˈɛpɪtaksi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Crystallography] the natural or artificial growth of crystals on a crystalline substrate that determines their orientation.

II. derivatives

epitaxial /ɛpɪˈtaksɪəl /

adjective

– origin 1930s: from French épitaxie, from Greek epi ‘upon’ + taxis ‘arrangement’.

epithalamium /ˌɛpɪθəˈleɪmɪəm/

I. noun

a song or poem celebrating a marriage.

II. derivatives

epithalamic /ˌɛpɪθəˈlamɪk /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek epithalamion, from epi ‘upon’ + thalamos ‘bridal chamber’.

epithalamus /ˌɛpɪˈθaləməs/

noun

[Anatomy] a part of the dorsal forebrain including the pineal gland and a region in the roof of the third ventricle.

epithelial /ˌɛpɪˈθiːlɪ(ə)l/

adjective

[Anatomy] relating to or denoting the thin tissue forming the outer layer of a body's surface and lining the alimentary canal and other hollow structures

• the epithelial cells lining the gut

• ovarian epithelial tumours.

epithelium /ˌɛpɪˈθiːlɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anatomy] the thin tissue forming the outer layer of a body's surface and lining the alimentary canal and other hollow structures.

2. [Anatomy] the part of the epithelium derived from embryonic ectoderm and endoderm, as distinct from endothelium and mesothelium.

– origin mid 18th cent.: modern Latin, from epi- ‘above’ + Greek thēlē ‘teat’.

epithet /ˈɛpɪθɛt/

I. noun

1. an adjective or phrase expressing a quality or attribute regarded as characteristic of the person or thing mentioned

• old men are often unfairly awarded the epithet ‘dirty’.

2. an epithet used as a term of abuse

• the woman begins to hurl racial epithets at them.

II. derivatives

1. epithetic

adjective

2. epithetical

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from French épithète, or via Latin from Greek epitheton, neuter of epithetos ‘attributed’, from epitithenai ‘add’, from epi ‘upon’ + tithenai ‘to place’.

epitome /ɪˈpɪtəmi, ɛˈpɪtəmi/

I. noun

1. ( the epitome of) — a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type

• she looked the epitome of elegance and good taste.

2. a summary of a written work; an abstract.

3. ‹archaic› a thing representing something else in miniature.

II. derivatives

1. epitomic

adjective

2. epitomist /ɪˈpɪtəmɪst /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek epitomē, from epitemnein ‘abridge’, from epi ‘in addition’ + temnein ‘to cut’.

epitomize /ɪˈpɪtəmʌɪz, ɛˈpɪtəmʌɪz / epitomise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. be a perfect example of

• the company epitomized the problems faced by British industry.

2. ‹archaic› give a summary of (a written work).

• for the benefit of our readers, we will epitomize the pamphlet.

II. derivatives

epitomization

noun

epitope /ˈɛpɪtəʊp/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] the part of an antigen molecule to which an antibody attaches itself.
Also called antigenic determinant.

– origin 1960s: from epi- ‘upon’ + Greek topos ‘place’.

epizoic /ˌɛpɪˈzəʊɪk/

I. adjective

[Biology] (of a plant or animal) growing or living non-parasitically on the exterior of a living animal.

II. derivatives

epizoite /ɛpɪˈzəʊʌɪt /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from epi- ‘upon’ + Greek zōion ‘animal’ + -ic.

epizoon /ˌɛpɪˈzəʊɒn/

I. noun

[Zoology] an animal that lives on the body of another animal, especially as a parasite.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from epi- ‘upon’ + Greek zōion ‘animal’.

epizootic /ˌɛpɪzəʊˈɒtɪk/

I. adjective

(of a disease) temporarily prevalent and widespread in an animal population.

• epizootic, endemic, and contagious diseases.

Compare with enzootic, epidemic.

– origin late 18th cent. (as an adjective): from French épizootique, from épizootie, from Greek epi ‘upon’ + zōion ‘animal’.

EPLF

abbreviation

Eritrean People's Liberation Front.

e pluribus unum /eɪ ˌplʊərɪbʊs ˈjuːnʊm/

I. noun

out of many, one (the motto of the US).

– origin Latin.

EPNS

abbreviation

electroplated nickel silver.

EPO

abbreviation

1. erythropoietin, especially when isolated as a drug for medical use or for illegal use by athletes.

2. European Patent Office.

epoch /ˈiːpɒk, ˈɛpɒk/

I. noun

1. a particular period of time in history or a person's life

• the Victorian epoch.

2. the beginning of a period in the history of someone or something.

• these events marked an epoch in their history.

3. [Geology] a division of time that is a subdivision of a period and is itself subdivided into ages, corresponding to a series in chronostratigraphy

• the Pliocene epoch.

4. [Astronomy] an arbitrarily fixed date relative to which planetary or stellar measurements are expressed.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the Latin form epocha; originally in the general sense of a date from which succeeding years are numbered): from modern Latin epocha, from Greek epokhē ‘stoppage, fixed point of time’, from epekhein ‘stop, take up a position’, from epi ‘upon, near to’ + ekhein ‘stay, be in a certain state’.

epochal /ˈɛpɒk(ə)l/

adjective

forming or characterizing an epoch; epoch-making.

• the epochal scale of change in the East.

• the beginning of Jesus's human life is an epochal event.

epoch-making

adjective

of major importance; likely to have a significant effect on a particular period of time.

• the meeting is an epoch-making event for peace and stability.

• an epoch-making book.

epode /ˈɛpəʊd/

I. noun

1. a form of lyric poem written in couplets, in which a long line is followed by a shorter one.

2. the third section of an ancient Greek choral ode, or of one division of such an ode.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French épode, or via Latin epodos, from Greek epōidos, from epi ‘upon’ + ōidē (see ode).

eponym /ˈɛpənɪm/

I. noun

1. a person after whom a discovery, invention, place, etc., is named or thought to be named.

2. a name or noun formed after a person.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek epōnumos ‘given as a name, giving one's name to someone or something’, from epi ‘upon’ + onoma ‘name’.

eponymous /ɪˈpɒnɪməs/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) giving their name to something

• the eponymous hero of the novel.

2. (of a thing) named after a particular person or group

• their eponymous debut LP.

II. derivatives

eponymously

adverb

EPOS /ˈiːpɒz, ˈiːpɒs/

abbreviation

electronic point of sale (used in reference to the electronic recording of information on goods sold by a retailer).
[as modifier]

• EPOS systems.

epoxide /ɪˈpɒksʌɪd/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an organic compound whose molecule contains a three-membered ring involving an oxygen atom and two carbon atoms.

– origin 1930s: from epi- ‘in addition’ + oxide.

epoxy /ɪˈpɒksi, ɛˈpɒksi/

I. noun

(also epoxy resin) [ mass noun] — an adhesive, plastic, or other material made from a class of synthetic thermosetting polymers containing epoxide groups.

II. adjective

consisting of epoxy

• epoxy cement.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. glue (something) using epoxy resin.

• the wire is epoxied to the top of the nut.

– origin early 20th cent.: from epi- ‘in addition’ + oxy-2.

EPROM /ˈiːprɒm/

I. noun

[Computing] a read-only memory whose contents can be erased by ultraviolet light or other means and reprogrammed using a pulsed voltage.

– origin 1970s: acronym from erasable programmable ROM.

EPS

abbreviation

earnings per share.

epsilon /ˈɛpsɪlɒn, ɛpˈsʌɪlɒn/

I. noun

1. the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet ( Ε, ε), transliterated as ‘e’.

2. [as modifier] — denoting the fifth in a series of items, categories, etc.

• epsilon and gamma globins diverged about 100 million years ago.

3. ( Epsilon) [followed by Latin genitive] — [Astronomy] the fifth star in a constellation

• Epsilon Carinae.

II. symbol

( ε) — permittivity.

– origin Greek, ‘bare or simple E’, from psilos ‘bare’.

Epsom /ˈɛpsəm/

a town in Surrey, SE England; pop. 35,000 (est. 2009). The annual Derby and Oaks horse races are held at its racecourse on Epsom Downs.

Epsom salts /ɛpsəmˈsɔːlts/

I. plural noun

crystals of hydrated magnesium sulphate used as a purgative or for other medicinal use.
●Chem. formula: MgSO_4.7H_2O.

– origin mid 18th cent.: named after the town of Epsom, where it was first found occurring naturally.

EPSRC

abbreviation

(in the UK) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

Epstein, Brian /ˈɛpstʌɪn/

(1934–67), English businessman and music journalist, manager of the Beatles.

Epstein, Sir Jacob /ˈɛpstʌɪn/

(1880–1959), American-born British sculptor. A founder member of the Vorticist group, he later had great success in his modelled portraits of the famous, in particular his Einstein (1933).

Epstein–Barr virus EBV

I. noun

[Medicine] a herpesvirus causing glandular fever and associated with certain cancers, for example Burkitt's lymphoma.

– origin 1960s: named after Michael A. Epstein (born 1921), British virologist, and Y. M. Barr (born 1932), Irish-born virologist.

epyllion /ɪˈpɪlɪən, ɛˈpɪlɪən/

I. noun

a narrative poem that resembles an epic poem in style, but which is notably shorter.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek epullion, diminutive of epos ‘word, song’, from eipein ‘say’.

EQ^1

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the levels of frequency response of an audio signal, or controls which allow their adjustment

• judicious use of EQ helps me create a space for each sound

• [as modifier] you can save your own EQ settings.

– origin 1970s: short for equalization or equalizer.

EQ^2

I. noun

short for emotional intelligence or emotional quotient:

• EQ enables us to use feelings to boost and complement our IQ

• he had a high IQ but a low EQ.

– origin 1940s: on the pattern of IQ.

equable /ˈɛkwəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. not easily disturbed or angered; calm and even-tempered.

• he could look sterner than his equable temperament would suggest.

2. not varying or fluctuating greatly

• an equable climate.

II. derivatives

1. equability /ɛkwəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. equably /ˈɛkwəbli /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘fair, equitable’): from Latin aequabilis, from aequare ‘make equal’ (see equate).

equal /ˈiːkw(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. being the same in quantity, size, degree, or value

• add equal amounts of water and flour

• 1 litre is roughly equal to 1 quart.

2. (of people) having the same status, rights, or opportunities.

• people are born free and equal.

• a society where women and men are equal partners.

3. uniform in application or effect; without discrimination on any grounds

• a dedicated campaigner for equal rights.

4. evenly or fairly balanced

• it was hardly an equal contest.

5. ( equal to) — having the ability or resources to meet (a challenge)

• the players proved equal to the task.

II. noun

a person or thing that is the same as another in status or quality

• we all treat each other as equals

• entertainment facilities without equal in the British Isles.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. be the same as in number or amount

• four plus six divided by two equals five

• the total debits should equal the total credits.

2. match or rival in performance or extent

• he equalled the world record of 9.93 seconds.

3. be equivalent to

• his work is concerned with why private property equals exploitation.

IV. phrases

1. (the) first among equals

the person or thing having the highest status in a group.

• the clerk was regarded as first among equals by the other chief officers.

2. on equal terms

with the same advantages and disadvantages

• all companies should be able to compete on equal terms.

3. other (or all) things being equal

provided that other factors or circumstances remain the same

• it follows that, other things being equal, the price level will rise.

4. some —— are more equal than others

although members of a society or group appear to be equal, in reality some receive better treatment than others

• evidently, some communities are more equal than others.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin aequalis, from aequus ‘even, level, equal’. / usage: It is widely held that adjectives such as equal and unique should not be modified and that it is incorrect to say more equal or very unique, on the grounds that these are adjectives which refer to a logical or mathematical absolute. For more discussion of this question, see usage at unique.

equalitarian /ɪˌkwɒlɪˈtɛːrɪən, iːˌkwɒlɪˈtɛːrɪən/

I. noun

another term for egalitarian.

II. derivatives

equalitarianism

noun

equality /ɪˈkwɒlɪti, iːˈkwɒlɪti/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities

• an organization aiming to promote racial equality.

2. [Mathematics] a symbolic expression of the fact that two quantities are equal; an equation.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin aequalitas, from aequalis (see equal).

Equality State

informal name for Wyoming.

equalize /ˈiːkwəlʌɪz / equalise

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — make the same in quantity, size, or degree throughout a place or group

• the purpose is to equalize the workload among tutors.

2. make uniform in application or effect

• Britain is required to equalize pension rights between men and women.

3. [no obj.] — (Brit.) level the score in a match by scoring a goal

• Morgan equalized ten minutes into the second half.

II. derivatives

equalization /iːkwəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘be equal to’): from equal + -ize, partly suggested by French égaliser.

equalizer /ˈiːkwəlʌɪzə / equaliser

noun

1. a thing which has an equalizing effect

• education is the great equalizer.

2. (Brit.) a goal that levels the score in the game.

• his second goal was the equalizer.

3. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a weapon, especially a gun.

4. [Electronics] a passive network designed to modify a frequency response, especially to compensate for distortion.

equally /ˈiːkw(ə)li/

I. adverb

1. in the same manner or to the same extent

• all children should be treated equally

• [as submodifier] follow-up discussion is equally important.

2. in amounts or parts that are the same in size

• the money can be divided equally between you.

3. [ sentence adverb] — in addition and having the same importance (used to introduce a further comment)

• not all who live in inner cities are poor; equally, many poor people live outside inner cities.

usage: The construction equally as, as in follow-up discussion is equally as important, is relatively common but is condemned on the grounds of redundancy. Either word can be used alone and be perfectly correct, e.g. follow-up discussion is equally important or follow-up discussion is as important.

equal marriage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the situation in which same-sex couples have the same legal right to marry as opposite-sex couples

• she has been a vocal supporter of equal marriage

• [as modifier] in June, equal marriage laws were finally approved.

equal opportunities equal opportunity

plural noun

the right to be treated without discrimination, especially on the grounds of one's sex, race, or age.

• legislation concerning race relations and equal opportunities.

• equal opportunity in education.

• [as modifier] an equal opportunity policy.

equals sign equal sign

noun

the symbol =.

equanimity /ˌɛkwəˈnɪmɪti, ˌiːkwəˈnɪmɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation

• she accepted both the good and the bad with equanimity.

– origin early 17th cent. (also in the sense ‘fairness, impartiality’): from Latin aequanimitas, from aequus ‘equal’ + animus ‘mind’.

equanimous /ɪˈkwanɪməs, iːˈkwanɪməs/

I. adjective

calm and composed.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin aequanimus, from aequus ‘equal’ + animus mind.

equant /ˈiːkwənt/

I. noun

[Astronomy] ‹historical› (in the Ptolemaic system) an imaginary circle introduced with the purpose of reconciling the planetary movements with the hypothesis of uniform circular motion.

II. adjective

[Geology] (of a crystal or particle) having its different diameters approximately equal, so as to be roughly cubic or spherical in shape.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin aequant- ‘making equal’, from the verb aequare.

equate /ɪˈkweɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often equate something to/with)

1. consider (one thing) to be the same as or equivalent to another

• customers equate their name with quality.

2. [no obj.] ( equate to/with) — (of one thing) be the same as or equivalent to (another)

• that sum equates to half a million pounds today.

3. cause (two or more things) to be the same in quantity or value

• the level of prices will move to equate supply and demand.

II. derivatives

equatable

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘make equal, balance’): from Latin aequat- ‘made level or equal’, from the verb aequare, from aequus (see equal). Current senses date from the mid 19th cent.

equation /ɪˈkweɪʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [Mathematics] a statement that the values of two mathematical expressions are equal (indicated by the sign =).

2. [ mass noun] — the process of equating one thing with another

• the equation of science with objectivity.

3. ( the equation) — a situation in which several factors must be taken into account

• money also came into the equation.

4. [Chemistry] a symbolic representation of the changes which occur in a chemical reaction, expressed in terms of the formulae of the molecules or other species involved.

II. phrases

equation of the first (or second etc.) order

[Mathematics] an equation involving only the first derivative, second derivative, etc.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin aequatio(n-), from aequare ‘make equal’ (see equate).

equational /ɪˈkweɪʒ(ə)n(ə)l/

adjective

another term for equative.

equation of state

noun

[Chemistry] an equation showing the relationship between the values of the pressure, volume, and temperature of a quantity of a particular substance.

equation of time

noun

the difference between mean solar time (as shown by clocks) and apparent solar time (indicated by sundials), which varies with the time of year.

equative /ɪˈkweɪtɪv/

adjective

[Grammar] denoting or relating to a sentence or other structure in which one term is identified with another, as in the winner is Jill.

equator /ɪˈkweɪtə/

I. noun

1. a line notionally drawn on the earth equidistant from the poles, dividing the earth into northern and southern hemispheres and constituting the parallel of latitude 0°.

2. [Astronomy] short for celestial equator.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin aequator, in the phrase circulus aequator diei et noctis ‘circle equalizing day and night’, from Latin aequare ‘make equal’ (see equate).

equatorial /ˌɛkwəˈtɔːrɪəl/

I. adjective

of, at, or near the equator

• equatorial regions.

II. derivatives

equatorially

adverb

Equatorial Guinea /ɛkwətɔːriəlˈɡɪni/

I. a small country of West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea, comprising several offshore islands and a coastal settlement between Cameroon and Gabon; pop. 633,400 (est. 2009); languages, Spanish (official), local Niger–Congo languages, pidgin; capital, Malabo (on the island of Bioko). Formerly a Spanish colony, the country became fully independent in 1968. It is the only independent Spanish-speaking state in the continent of Africa.

II. derivatives

Equatorial Guinean

adjective, noun

equatorial mount equatorial mounting

noun

[Astronomy] a telescope mounting with one axis aligned to the celestial pole, which allows the movement of celestial objects to be followed by motion about this axis alone.
Compare with altazimuth (sense 1).

equatorial telescope

noun

an astronomical telescope on an equatorial mount.

equerry /ɪˈkwɛri, ˈɛkwəri/

I. noun

1. an officer of the British royal household who attends or assists members of the royal family.

• he became equerry to the Duke of Kent.

2. ‹historical› an officer of the household of a prince or noble who had charge over the stables.

– origin early 16th cent. (formerly also as esquiry): from Old French esquierie ‘company of squires, prince's stables’, from Old French esquier ‘esquire’, perhaps associated with Latin equus ‘horse’. The historical sense is apparently based on Old French esquier d'esquierie ‘squire of stables’.

eques /ˈɛkweɪz/

singular form of equites.

equestrian /ɪˈkwɛstrɪən, ɛˈkwɛstrɪən/

I. adjective

1. relating to horse riding

• his amazing equestrian skills.

2. depicting or representing a person on horseback

• an equestrian statue.

3. (in ancient Rome) relating or belonging to the wealthy class known as the equites (see equites).

II. noun

1. a rider or performer on horseback.

2. (in ancient Rome) a member of the equites (see equites).

– origin mid 17th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin equester ‘belonging to a horseman’ (from eques ‘horseman, knight’, from equus ‘horse’) + -ian.

equestrianism /ɪˈkwestrɪəˌnɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the skill or sport of horse riding. As an Olympic sport it is divided into three categories: showjumping, dressage, and three-day eventing (combining showjumping, dressage, and cross-country riding).

equestrienne /ɪˌkwɛstrɪˈɛn/

I. noun

a female rider or performer on horseback.

– origin mid 19th cent.: alteration of equestrian, on the pattern of feminine nouns such as Parisienne.

equi- /ˈiːkwi, ˈɛkwi/

I. combining form

equal; equally

• equiangular

• equidistant.

– origin from Latin aequi-, from aequus ‘equal’.

equiangular /ˌiːkwɪˈaŋɡjʊlə, ɛiːkwɪˈaŋɡjʊlə/

adjective

having equal angles.

equiangular spiral

noun

[Geometry] a spiral such that the angle between the tangent and the radius vector is the same for all points of the spiral.
Also called logarithmic spiral.

equid /ˈɛkwɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a mammal of the horse family ( Equidae).

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Equidae (plural), from Latin equus ‘horse’.

equidistant /ˌiːkwɪˈdɪst(ə)nt, ˌɛːkwɪˈdɪst(ə)nt/

I. adjective

at equal distances

• the line joins together all points which are equidistant from the two axes.

II. derivatives

1. equidistance /ˌiːkwɪˈdɪstəns, ˌɛkwɪˈdɪstəns /

noun

2. equidistantly

adverb

equifinal /ˌɛkwɪˈfʌɪn(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹technical› having the same end or result.

II. derivatives

equifinality

noun

equilateral /ˌiːkwɪˈlat(ə)r(ə)l, ˌɛkwɪˈlat(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

having all its sides of the same length

• an equilateral triangle.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French équilateral or late Latin aequilateralis, from aequilaterus ‘equal-sided’ (based on Latin latus, later- ‘side’).

equilibrate /ˌiːkwɪˈlʌɪbreɪt, ɪˈkwɪlɪbreɪt, iːˈkwɪlɪlʌɪbreɪt, ɪˈkwɪlɪlʌɪbreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹technical› bring into or keep in equilibrium.

• the epithelial cells were equilibrated after collection.

2. [no obj.] — ‹technical› approach or attain a state of equilibrium.

• the tissue samples were allowed to equilibrate with the liquid.

II. derivatives

equilibration /ˌiːkwɪˌlʌɪˈbreɪʃ(ə)n, ɪˌkwɪlɪˈbreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin aequilibrat- ‘made to balance’, from the verb aequilibrare, from aequi- ‘equally’ + libra ‘balance’.

equilibrist /ɪˈkwɪlɪˌbrɪst, iːˈkwɪlɪˌbrɪst, ˌiːkwɪˈlɪbrɪst, ˌɛkwɪˈlɪbrɪst/

I. noun

‹dated› an acrobat who performs balancing feats, especially a tightrope walker.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from equilibrium + -ist.

equilibrium /ˌiːkwɪˈlɪbrɪəm, ˌɛkwɪˈlɪbrɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state in which opposing forces or influences are balanced

• the task is the maintenance of social equilibrium.

2. a state of physical balance

• I stumbled over a rock and recovered my equilibrium.

3. a calm state of mind

• his intensity could unsettle his equilibrium.

4. [Chemistry] a state in which a process and its reverse are occurring at equal rates so that no overall change is taking place

• ice is in equilibrium with water.

5. [Economics] a situation in which supply and demand are matched and prices stable.

• the market is in equilibrium.

• [as modifier] the equilibrium level of income.

II. derivatives

equilibrial

adjective

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘well-balanced state of mind’): from Latin aequilibrium, from aequi- ‘equal’ + libra ‘balance’.

equilibrize /ɪˈkwɪlɪbrʌɪz / equilibrise

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› ‹rare› counteract or equal the effect or importance of; balance.

equine /ˈiːkwʌɪn, ˈɛːkwʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. relating to or affecting horses or other members of the horse family

• equine infectious anaemia.

2. resembling a horse

• her somewhat equine features.

II. noun

a horse or other member of the horse family.

• they compared the behaviour of humans and equines.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin equinus, from equus ‘horse’.

equinoctial /ˌiːkwɪˈnɒkʃ(ə)l, ˌɛkwɪˈnɒkʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. happening at or near the time of an equinox.

• equinoctial gales.

2. having a day and night of equal length.

3. at or near the equator.

• the equinoctial region of the ocean.

II. noun

(also equinoctial line) — another term for celestial equator.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘relating to equal periods of day and night’): via Old French from Latin aequinoctialis, from aequinoctium (see equinox).

equinoctial point

noun

either of two points at which the ecliptic cuts the celestial equator.

equinox /ˈiːkwɪnɒks, ˈɛkwɪnɒks/

I. noun

1. the time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length (about 22 September and 20 March).

2. another term for equinoctial point.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French equinoxe or Latin aequinoctium, from aequi- ‘equal’ + nox, noct- ‘night’.

equip /ɪˈkwɪp/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. supply with the necessary items for a particular purpose

• all bedrooms are equipped with a colour TV

• they equipped themselves for the campaign.

2. prepare (someone) mentally for a particular situation or task

• I don't think he's equipped for the modern age.

II. derivatives

equipper

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from French équiper, probably from Old Norse skipa ‘to man (a ship)’, from skip ‘ship’.

equipage /ˈɛkwɪpɪdʒ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› the equipment for a particular purpose.

2. ‹historical› a carriage and horses with attendants.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting the crew of a ship): from French équipage, from équiper ‘equip’.

equipartition /ˌiːkwɪpɑːˈtɪʃ(ə)n / equipartition of energy

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the equal distribution of the kinetic energy of a system among its various degrees of freedom.

2. [Physics] the principle that equipartition exists for a system in thermal equilibrium.

II. derivatives

equipartitioned

adjective

equipment /ɪˈkwɪpm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the necessary items for a particular purpose

• suppliers of office equipment.

2. the process of supplying someone or something with necessary equipment

• the construction and equipment of new harbour facilities.

3. mental resources

• they lacked the intellectual equipment to recognize the jokes.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French équipement, from équiper ‘equip’.

equipoise /ˈɛkwɪpɔɪz, ˈiːkwɪpɔɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. balance of forces or interests

• this temporary equipoise of power.

2. [ count noun] — a counterbalance or balancing force

• capital flows act as an equipoise to international imbalances in savings.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. balance or counterbalance (something).

• as a piece of language it is as delicately equipoised as any.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from equi- ‘equal’ + the noun poise^1, replacing the phrase equal poise.

equipollent /ˌiːkwɪˈpɒl(ə)nt, ˌɛkwɪˈpɒl(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹archaic› equal or equivalent in power, effect, or significance.

II. derivatives

equipollence /ˌiːkwɪˈpɒləns, ˌɛkwɪˈpɒləns /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French equipolent, from Latin aequipollent- ‘of equal value’, from aequi- ‘equally’ + pollere ‘be strong’.

equipotent /ˌiːkwɪˈpəʊt(ə)nt, ˌɛkwɪˈpəʊt(ə)nt/

adjective

‹technical› (chiefly of chemicals and medicines) equally powerful; having equal potencies.

• the controlled studies compared doses of benzodiazepines that were equipotent in regard to efficacy.

equipotential /ˌiːkwɪpəˈtɛnʃ(ə)l, ˌɛːkwɪpəˈtɛnʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Physics] (of a surface or line) composed of points all at the same potential.

II. noun

an equipotential line or surface.

equiprobable

I. adjective

[Mathematics] [Logic] (of two or more things) equally likely to occur; having equal probability.

II. derivatives

equiprobability

noun

equisetum /ˌɛkwɪˈsiːtəm/

I. noun

[Botany] a plant of a genus that comprises the horsetails.
●Genus Equisetum, family Equisetaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Latin equus ‘horse’ + saeta ‘bristle’.

equitable /ˈɛkwɪtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. fair and impartial

• the equitable distribution of resources.

2. [Law] valid in equity as distinct from law.

• the difference between legal and equitable rights.

• the beneficiaries have an equitable interest in the property.

II. derivatives

1. equitability

noun

2. equitableness

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French équitable, from équité (see equity).

equitably /ˈɛkwɪtəbli/

adverb

in a fair and impartial manner

• wealth is equitably distributed

• obligations and resources must be shared equitably.

equitant /ˈɛkwɪt(ə)nt/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a leaf) having its base folded and partly enclosing the leaf next above it, as in an iris.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin equitant- ‘riding on horseback’, from the verb equitare.

equitation /ˌɛkwɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the art and practice of horsemanship and horse riding.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French équitation or Latin equitatio(n-), from equitare ‘ride a horse’, from eques, equit- ‘horseman’ (from equus ‘horse’).

equites /ˈɛkwɪteɪz/

I. plural noun

(in ancient Rome) a class of citizens who originally formed the cavalry of the Roman army and at a later period were a wealthy class of great political importance.

– origin Latin, plural of eques ‘horseman’.

equity /ˈɛkwɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being fair and impartial

• equity of treatment.

2. [Law] a branch of law that developed alongside common law and is concerned with fairness and justice, formerly administered in special courts.

• if there is any conflict between the principles of common law and equity, equity prevails.

3. the value of the shares issued by a company

• he owns 62% of the group's equity.

4. ( equities) — stocks and shares that carry no fixed interest.

• trading in equities is governed by market rules.

5. the value of a mortgaged property after deduction of charges against it.

• people who have built up a significant amount of equity in their homes.

6. ( Equity) — (in the UK, US, and several other countries) a trade union to which all professional actors must belong
[as modifier]

• an Equity card.

– origin Middle English: from Old French equité, from Latin aequitas, from aequus ‘equal’.

equity of redemption

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the right of a mortgagor over the mortgaged property, especially the right to redeem the property on payment of the principal, interest, and costs.

equity release

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the use of financial arrangements that provide the owner of a house or other property with funds derived from the value of the property while enabling them to continue using it

• boosting your capital or income through equity release may mean you lose some or all of your state benefits

• [as modifier] equity release schemes.

equivalence /ɪˈkwɪv(ə)l(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the condition of being equal or equivalent in value, worth, function, etc.

• knowledge of equivalence of units is required.

• [ count noun] precise equivalences between qualifications across Europe.

II. derivatives

equivalency

noun

equivalence class

noun

[Mathematics] [Logic] the class of all members of a set that are in a given equivalence relation.

equivalence principle

noun

[Physics] a basic postulate of general relativity, stating that at any point of space–time the effects of a gravitational field cannot be experimentally distinguished from those due to an accelerated frame of reference.

equivalence relation

noun

[Mathematics] [Logic] a relation between elements of a set which is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive and which defines exclusive classes whose members bear the relation to each other and not to those in other classes.

equivalent /ɪˈkwɪv(ə)l(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. equal in value, amount, function, meaning, etc.

• one unit is equivalent to one glass of wine.

2. ( equivalent to) — having the same or a similar effect as

• some regulations are equivalent to censorship.

3. [Mathematics] belonging to the same equivalence class.

II. noun

1. a person or thing that is equal to or corresponds with another in value, amount, function, meaning, etc.

• the French equivalent of the Bank of England.

2. (also equivalent weight) — [Chemistry] the mass of a particular substance that can combine with or displace one gram of hydrogen or eight grams of oxygen, used in expressing combining powers, especially of elements.

III. derivatives

equivalently

adverb

– origin late Middle English (describing persons who were equal in power or rank): via Old French from late Latin aequivalent- ‘being of equal worth’, from the verb aequivalere, from aequi- ‘equally’ + valere ‘be worth’.

equivocacy /ɪˈkwɪvəkəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the state or quality of being ambiguous or open to more than one interpretation

• the equivocacy of the term helps him in his argumentation.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin aequivocus (see equivocal) + -acy.

equivocal /ɪˈkwɪvək(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous

• the equivocal nature of her remarks.

2. (of a person) using ambiguous or evasive language

• he has always been equivocal about the meaning of his lyrics.

3. uncertain or questionable in nature

• the results of the investigation were equivocal.

II. derivatives

1. equivocality /ɪkwɪvəˈkalɪti /

noun

2. equivocally /ɪˈkwɪvək(ə)li /

adverb

3. equivocalness /ɪˈkwɪvək(ə)lnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from late Latin aequivocus, from Latin aequus ‘equally’ + vocare ‘to call’.

equivocate /ɪˈkwɪvəkeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself

• the government have equivocated too often in the past.

II. derivatives

1. equivocator /ɪˈkwɪvəkeɪtə /

noun

2. equivocatory

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘use a word in more than one sense’): from late Latin aequivocat- ‘called by the same name’, from the verb aequivocare, from aequivocus (see equivocal).

equivocation /ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself; prevarication

• I say this without equivocation.

equivoque /ˈiːkwɪvəʊk, ˈɛkwɪvəʊk / equivoke

I. noun

1. ‹rare› an expression capable of having more than one meaning; a pun.

2. [ mass noun] — ‹rare› the fact of having more than one meaning; ambiguity.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective in the sense ‘equivocal’): from Old French equivoque or late Latin aequivocus (see equivocal).

Equuleus /ɛˈkwʊlɪəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a small northern constellation (the Foal or Little Horse), perhaps representing the brother of Pegasus. It has no bright stars.

– origin Latin.

er /əː, ə/

I. exclamation

expressing hesitation

• ‘Would you like some tea?’ ‘Er … yes … thank you.’.

– origin natural utterance: first recorded in English in the mid 19th cent.

Er

symbol

the chemical element erbium.

ER /iːˈɑː/

abbreviation

1. (N. Amer.) emergency room.

2. King Edward.
[from Latin Edwardus Rex.]

3. Queen Elizabeth.
[from Latin Elizabetha Regina.]

-er^1

I. suffix

1. denoting a person or thing that performs a specified action or activity

• farmer

• sprinkler.

2. denoting a person or thing that has a specified attribute or form

• foreigner

• two-wheeler.

3. denoting a person concerned with a specified thing or subject

• milliner

• philosopher.

4. denoting a person belonging to a specified place or group

• city-dweller

• New Yorker.

– origin Old English -ere, of Germanic origin.

-er^2

I. suffix

forming the comparative of adjectives (as in bigger) and adverbs (as in faster).

– origin Old English suffix -ra (adjectival), -or (adverbial), of Germanic origin.

-er^3

I. suffix

forming frequentative verbs such as glimmer, patter.

– origin Old English -erian, -rian, of Germanic origin.

-er^4

I. suffix

forming nouns used informally, usually by distortion of the root word

• footer

• rugger.

– origin probably an extended use of -er^1; originally Rugby School slang, later adopted at Oxford University, then extended into general use.

-er^5

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. such as sampler. Compare with -ar^1.
[ending corresponding to Latin -aris.]

3. such as butler, danger.
[ending corresponding to Latin -arius, -arium.]

4. such as border.
[ending corresponding (via Old French -eure) to Latin -atura.]

5. such as laver. See laver^2.
[ending corresponding (via Old French -eor) to Latin -atorium.]

6. equivalent to -or^1.

– origin via Old French or Anglo-Norman French (see above).

-er^6

I. suffix

[chiefly Law] (forming nouns) denoting verbal action or a document effecting such action

• disclaimer

• misnomer.

– origin from Anglo-Norman French (infinitive ending).

era /ˈɪərə/

I. noun

1. a long and distinct period of history

• his death marked the end of an era

• leading photographers of the Victorian era.

2. a system of chronology dating from a particular event

• the dawn of the Christian era.

3. [Geology] a major division of time that is a subdivision of an aeon and is itself subdivided into periods

• the Mesozoic era.

4. ‹archaic› a date or event marking the beginning of a new and distinct period of time.

• the landing of this English governor was an era in their lives.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin aera, denoting a number used as a basis of reckoning, an epoch from which time is reckoned, plural of aes, aer- ‘money, counter’.

eradicate /ɪˈradɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. destroy completely; put an end to

• this disease has been eradicated from the world.

II. derivatives

1. eradicable /ɪˈradɪkəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. eradicant

noun

3. eradicator

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘pull up by the roots’): from Latin eradicat- ‘torn up by the roots’, from the verb eradicare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + radix, radic- ‘root’.

eradicated

adjective — [ postpositive]

1. [Heraldry] (of a tree or plant) depicted with the roots exposed.

eradication /ɪˌradɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the complete destruction of something

• the eradication of poverty.

erase /ɪˈreɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. rub out or remove (writing or marks)

• graffiti had been erased from the wall.

2. remove all traces of; destroy or obliterate

• over twenty years the last vestiges of a rural economy were erased

• the magic of the landscape erased all else from her mind.

3. remove recorded material from (a magnetic tape or medium); delete (data) from a computer's memory.

• the tape could be magnetically erased and reused.

• the file has been erased from the hard disk.

II. derivatives

1. erasable /ɪˈreɪzəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. erasement

noun

‹rare›

– origin late 16th cent. (originally as a heraldic term meaning ‘represent the head or limb of an animal with a jagged edge’): from Latin eras- ‘scraped away’, from the verb eradere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + radere ‘scrape’.

erased

adjective — [ postpositive]

1. [Heraldry] (of a head or limb) depicted as cut off in a jagged line.

• a stag's head erased.

eraser /ɪˈreɪzə/

noun

a piece of soft rubber or plastic used to rub out something written.

Erasmus, Desiderius /ɪˈrazməs/

( c. 1469–1536), Dutch humanist and scholar; Dutch name Gerhard Gerhards. He was the foremost Renaissance scholar of northern Europe, paving the way for the Reformation with his satires on the Church, including the Colloquia Familiaria (1518). However, he opposed the violence of the Reformation and condemned Luther in De Libero Arbitrio (1523).

Erastianism /ɪˈrastɪəˌnɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the doctrine that the state should have supremacy over the Church in ecclesiastical matters (wrongly attributed to Erastus).

II. derivatives

Erastian

noun, adjective

Erastus /ɪˈrastəs/

(1524–83), Swiss theologian and physician; Swiss name Thomas Lieber; also Liebler or Lüber. Professor of medicine at Heidelberg from 1558, he opposed the imposition of a Calvinistic system of Church government in the city. The doctrine of Erastianism was later wrongly attributed to him.

erasure /ɪˈreɪʒə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the removal of writing, recorded material, or data.

2. the removal of all traces of something; obliteration

• the erasure of prior history.

Erato /ˈɛrətəʊ / ‹Greek & Roman Mythology›

I. the Muse of lyric poetry and hymns.

– origin Greek, literally ‘lovely’.

Eratosthenes /ˌɛrəˈtɒsθəniːz/

( c. 275–194 BC), Greek scholar, geographer, and astronomer. The first systematic geographer of antiquity, he accurately calculated the circumference of the earth and attempted (less successfully) to determine the size and distance of the sun and of the moon.

erbium /ˈəːbɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Er) — the chemical element of atomic number 68, a soft silvery-white metal of the lanthanide series.

– origin mid 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Ytt erb y, in Sweden, where it was first found. Compare with ytterbium.

ere /ɛː/

I. preposition, conjunction

‹literary› ‹archaic› before (in time)
[as prep.]

• we hope you will return ere long.

– origin Old English ǣr, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch eer and German eher.

e-reader

noun

a handheld device on which electronic versions of books, newspapers, magazines, etc. can be read.

Erebus /ˈɛrəbəs / ‹Greek Mythology›

the primeval god of darkness, son of Chaos.

Erebus, Mount

I. a volcanic peak on Ross Island, Antarctica. Rising to 3,794 m (12,452 ft), it is the world's most southerly active volcano.

– origin named after the Erebus, the ship of Sir James Ross's expedition to the Antarctic.

Erech /ˈɛrɛk/

biblical name for Uruk.

Erechtheum /ɪˈrɛkθɪəm/

a marble temple of the Ionic order built on the Acropolis in Athens c. 421–406 BC, with shrines to Athene, Poseidon, and Erechtheus, a legendary king of Athens.

erect /ɪˈrɛkt/

I. adjective

1. rigidly upright or straight

• she stood erect with her arms by her sides.

2. (of the penis, clitoris, or nipples) enlarged and rigid, especially in sexual excitement.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. put together and set upright (a building, wall, or other structure)

• the guest house was erected in the eighteenth century

• the police had erected roadblocks.

2. create or establish (a theory or system)

• the party that erected the welfare state.

III. derivatives

1. erectable

adjective

2. erectly /ɪˈrɛktli /

adverb

3. erectness /ɪˈrɛktnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin erect- ‘set up’, from the verb erigere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + regere ‘to direct’.

erectile /ɪˈrɛktʌɪl/

adjective

1. able to become erect

• erectile spines.

2. denoting tissues which are capable of becoming temporarily engorged with blood, particularly those of the penis or other sexual organs.

• erectile tissue.

3. relating to the capability of the penis or other sexual organs to become erect

• men with erectile dysfunction.

erection /ɪˈrɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of erecting a structure or object

• fees will be levied for the erection of monuments.

2. [ count noun] — a building or other upright structure.

• she looked round the cafe, a bleak concrete erection.

3. an enlarged and rigid state of the penis, typically in sexual excitement.

• men who cannot get an erection.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin erectio(n-), from erigere ‘set up’ (see erect).

erector /ɪˈrɛktə/

noun

1. a person or thing that erects something.

2. a muscle which maintains an erect state of a part of the body or an erect posture of the body.

• a spinal erector.

3. ( Erector) — (N. Amer.) ‹trademark› a construction toy consisting of components for making model buildings and vehicles.
[as modifier]

• an Erector set.

E-region

noun

another term for E-layer.

eremite /ˈɛrɪmʌɪt/

I. noun

a Christian hermit or recluse.

II. derivatives

1. eremitic /ɛrɪˈmɪtɪk /

adjective

2. eremitical /ɛrɪˈmɪtɪk(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French eremite from late Latin eremita (see hermit).

erethism /ˈɛrɪθɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessive sensitivity or rapid reaction to stimulation of a part of the body, especially the sexual organs.

2. a state of abnormal mental excitement or irritation.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French éréthisme, from Greek erethismos, from erethizein ‘irritate’.

erewhile /ɛːˈwʌɪl/

I. adverb

‹archaic› a while before; some time ago.

• my eyes, erewhile fixed on the arch, were now attracted to the semicircle of chairs.

– origin Middle English: from ere + while.

Erewhonian /ɛrɪˈwəʊnɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the book Erewhon (1872) by Samuel Butler or the utopia it describes

• the views of an Erewhonian prophet concerning the rights of animals.

II. noun

an inhabitant of Erewhon

• his Erewhonians destroy most of their machines to preserve their humanity.

– origin late 19th cent.: from the title of Erewhon (a partial reversal of Nowhere) + -ian.

erf /əːf/

I. noun

(S. African) a plot of land.

– origin Dutch, originally in the sense ‘inheritance’.

Erfurt /ˈɛːfʊət, German ˈɛrfʊrt/

an industrial city in central Germany, capital of Thuringia; pop. 202,700 (est. 2006).

erg^1 /əːɡ/

I. noun

[Physics] a unit of work or energy, equal to the work done by a force of one dyne when its point of application moves one centimetre in the direction of action of the force.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek ergon ‘work’.

erg^2 /əːɡ/

I. noun

an area of shifting sand dunes in the Sahara.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from Arabic ‘irk, ‘erg.

ergative /ˈəːɡətɪv / ‹Grammar›

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting a case of nouns (in some languages, e.g. Basque and Eskimo) that identifies the doer of an action as the object rather than the subject of a verb.

2. (in English) denoting verbs which can be used both transitively and intransitively to describe the same action, with the object in the former case being the subject in the latter, as in I boiled the kettle and the kettle boiled.
Compare with inchoative.

II. noun

1. an ergative word.

2. ( the ergative) — the ergative case.

III. derivatives

ergativity

noun

– origin 1950s: from Greek ergatēs ‘worker’ (from ergon ‘work’) + -ive.

ergo /ˈəːɡəʊ/

I. adverb

therefore

• she was the sole beneficiary of the will, ergo the prime suspect.

– origin Latin.

ergocalciferol /ˌəːɡə(ʊ)kalˈsɪfərɒl/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] another term for calciferol, vitamin D2.

– origin 1950s: blend of ergot and calciferol.

ergodic /əːˈɡɒdɪk/

I. adjective

[Mathematics] relating to or denoting systems or processes with the property that, given sufficient time, they include or impinge on all points in a given space and can be represented statistically by a reasonably large selection of points.

II. derivatives

ergodicity

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from German ergoden, from Greek ergon ‘work’ + hodos ‘way’ + -ic.

ergometer /əːˈɡɒmɪtə/

noun

an apparatus which measures work or energy expended during a period of physical exercise.

• the subject's anaerobic power was determined by having them pedal a bicycle ergometer.

ergometrine /ˌəːɡə(ʊ)ˈmɛtriːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] an alkaloid present in ergot. An amide of lysergic acid, it has oxytocic activity and is given to control bleeding after childbirth.

– origin 1930s: from ergot + Greek mētra ‘womb’ + -ine^4.

ergonomic /ˌəːɡəˈnɒmɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or designed for efficiency and comfort in the working environment

• ergonomic keyboard design

• workstations with ergonomic chairs

• the ergonomic hazards of computer use.

II. derivatives

ergonomically /əːɡəˈnɒmɪkli /

adverb

ergonomics /ˌəːɡəˈnɒmɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of people's efficiency in their working environment.

II. derivatives

ergonomist /əːˈɡɒnəmɪst /

noun

– origin 1950s: from Greek ergon ‘work’, on the pattern of economics.

ergosphere /ˈəːɡəʊsfɪə/

noun

[Astronomy] a postulated region round a black hole, from which energy could escape.

ergosterol /əːˈɡɒstərɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a compound present in ergot and many other fungi. A steroid alcohol, it is converted to vitamin D_2 when irradiated with ultraviolet light.

– origin early 20th cent.: from ergot, on the pattern of cholesterol.

ergot /ˈəːɡɒt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a fungal disease of rye and other cereals in which black elongated fruiting bodies grow in the ears of the cereal. Eating contaminated food can result in ergotism.
●The fungus is Claviceps purpurea, subdivision Ascomycotina.

2. the fruiting bodies of the ergot fungus, used as a source of certain medicinal alkaloids, especially for inducing uterine contractions or controlling post-partum bleeding.

3. a small horny protuberance on the back of each of a horse's fetlocks.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from Old French argot ‘cock's spur’ (because of the appearance produced by the disease).

ergotamine /əːˈɡɒtəmiːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a compound present in some kinds of ergot. An alkaloid, it causes constriction of blood vessels and is used in the treatment of migraine.

ergotism /ˈəːɡətɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. poisoning produced by eating food affected by ergot, typically resulting in headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, and gangrene of the fingers and toes.

erhu /əːˈhuː / erh hu

I. noun

a Chinese two-stringed musical instrument held in the lap and played with a bow.

– origin early 20th cent.: Chinese, from èr ‘two’ + hú ‘bowed instrument’.

erica /ˈɛrɪkə/

I. noun

a plant of the genus Erica (family Ericaceae), especially (in gardening) heather.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek ereikē.

ericaceous /ˌɛrɪˈkeɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. [Botany] relating to or denoting plants of the heather family ( Ericaceae).

2. [Botany] (of compost) suitable for heathers and other lime-hating plants.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Ericaceae (plural), from the genus name Erica (see erica).

Ericsson, John /ˈɛrɪks(ə)n/

(1803–89), Swedish engineer whose inventions included a steam railway locomotive to rival Stephenson's Rocket, and the marine screw propeller (1836).

Ericsson, Leif /ˈɛrɪks(ə)n / Ericson, Eriksson

(970–1020), Norse explorer, son of Eric the Red. He sailed westward from Greenland ( c. 1000) and visited land variously identified as Labrador, Newfoundland, or New England, which he named Vinland because of the vines he claimed to have found growing there.

Eric the Red

( c. 940– c. 1010), Norse explorer. He left Iceland in 982 in search of land to the west, exploring Greenland and establishing a Norse settlement there in 986.

Eridanus /ɛˈrɪdənəs / ‹Astronomy›

I. a long straggling southern constellation (the River), said to represent the river into which Phaethon fell when struck by Zeus' thunderbolt.

– origin Latin.

Erie, Lake /ˈɪəri/

one of the five Great Lakes of North America, situated on the border between Canada and the US. It is linked to Lake Huron by the Detroit River and to Lake Ontario by the Welland Ship Canal and the Niagara River, which is its only natural outlet.

erigeron /ɪˈrɪdʒərɒn, ɛˈrɪdʒərɒn/

I. noun

a widely distributed herbaceous plant of the daisy family, which is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental.
●Genus Erigeron, family Compositae.

– origin modern Latin, from Latin, ‘groundsel’ (the original sense in English), from Greek ērigerōn, from ēri ‘early’ + gerōn ‘old man’ (because the plant flowers early in the year, and some species bear grey down).

Erin /ˈɛrɪn, ˈɪərɪn/

archaic or literary name for Ireland.

Erinys /ɛˈrɪnɪs/

I. noun

(in Greek mythology) a Fury.

– origin from Greek Erinus.

eristic /ɛˈrɪstɪk / ‹formal›

I. adjective

1. of or characterized by debate or argument.

2. (of an argument or arguer) aiming at winning rather than at reaching the truth.

II. noun

1. a person given to debate or argument.

2. [ mass noun] — the art or practice of debate or argument.

III. derivatives

eristically

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek eristikos, from erizein ‘to wrangle’, from eris ‘strife’.

Eritrea /ˌɛrɪˈtreɪə/

I.
1. an independent state in NE Africa, on the Red Sea; pop. 5,647,200 (est. 2009); language, Tigre and Cushitic languages; capital, Asmara.

Eritrea was an Italian colony from 1890 to 1952, when it became part of Ethiopia. After a long guerrilla war it became internally self-governing in 1991 and fully independent in 1993.

– origin from Italian, from Latin Mare Erythraeum ‘the Red Sea’.

Eritrean /ɛrɪˈtreɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of Eritrea or its people

• the Eritrean capital.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of Eritrea

• Eritreans maintain a strong national identity.

erk /əːk/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a male member of the RAF of the lowest rank.

II. exclamation

expressing panic or dismay

• Erk! What's that?

– origin 1920s: of unknown origin.

Erlanger, Joseph /ˈəːlaŋə/

(1874–1965), American physiologist. Collaborating with Herbert Gasser, he showed that the velocity of a nerve impulse is proportional to the diameter of the fibre. Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1944, shared with Gasser).

Erlenmeyer flask /ˈəːlənˌmʌɪə/

I. noun

a conical flat-bottomed laboratory flask with a narrow neck.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after Emil Erlenmeyer (1825–1909), German chemist.

Erl King /ˈəːl kɪŋ/

I. noun

(in Germanic mythology) a bearded giant or goblin believed to lure little children to the land of death.

– origin late 18th cent.: from German Erlkönig ‘alder-king’, a mistranslation of Danish ellerkonge ‘king of the elves’.

ERM

abbreviation

Exchange Rate Mechanism.

ermine /ˈəːmɪn/

I. noun

1. a stoat, especially when in its white winter coat.

2. [ mass noun] — the white fur of the stoat, used for trimming garments, especially the ceremonial robes of judges or peers.

• the men were dressed in costly ermine and sable-edged cloaks.

3. [ mass noun] — [Heraldry] fur represented as black spots on a white ground, as a heraldic tincture.
[ postpositive]

• on a canton ermine a lion rampant sable.

4. (also ermine moth) — a stout-bodied moth that has cream or white wings with black spots.
●Genus Spilosoma, family Arctiidae: several species.

II. derivatives

ermined /ˈəːmɪnd /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French hermine, probably from medieval Latin (mus) Armenius ‘Armenian (mouse)’.

ermines /ˈəːmɪnz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Heraldry] fur resembling ermine but with white spots on a black ground.

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps from Old French hermines, plural of herminet, diminutive of hermine ‘ermine’.

erminois /ˌəːmɪˈnɔɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Heraldry] fur resembling ermine but with black spots on a gold ground.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French, from hermine ‘ermine’.

ERN

abbreviation

Eritrean nakfa(s).

-ern

I. suffix

forming adjectives such as northern.

– origin Old English -erne, of Germanic origin.

erne /əːn/

I. noun

‹literary› the sea eagle.

– origin Old English earn ‘eagle’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch arend.

Ernie /ˈəːni/

I. noun

(in the UK) the computer that randomly selects the prizewinning numbers of Premium Bonds.

– origin 1950s: acronym from electronic random number indicator equipment.

Ernst, Max /əːnst, ɛːnst/

(1891–1976), German artist. He was a leader of the Dada movement and developed the techniques of collage, photomontage, and frottage. He is probably best known for surrealist paintings such as L'Eléphant de Célèbes (1921).

erode /ɪˈrəʊd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of wind, water, or other natural agents) gradually wear away (soil, rock, or land)

• the cliffs on this coast have been eroded by the sea.

2. [no obj.] — (of soil, rock, or land) be gradually worn away by natural agents.

• soft sedimentary rocks have eroded away.

3. gradually destroy or be gradually destroyed
[with obj.]

• this humiliation has eroded what confidence Jean has.

4. [Medicine] (of a disease) gradually destroy (bodily tissue).

• many had their upper incisors missing and their maxillae eroded.

• (as adj. eroding) vascular injury due to eroding ulcers.

II. derivatives

erodible

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from French éroder or Latin erodere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out, away’ + rodere ‘gnaw’.

erogenous /ɪˈrɒdʒɪnəs, ɛˈrɒdʒɪnəs/

I. adjective

(of a part of the body) sensitive to sexual stimulation

• erogenous zones.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Eros + -genous.

Eros /ˈɪərɒs/

I. [Greek Mythology] the god of love, son of Aphrodite.
Roman equivalent Cupid.

II. [ mass noun] — sexual love or desire.

• Eros drives us to transcend ourselves through desire.

III. [ mass noun] — (in Freudian theory) the life instinct.
Often contrasted with Thanatos.

IV. [ mass noun] — (in Jungian psychology) the principle of personal relatedness in human activities, associated with the anima.
Often contrasted with Logos.

V. [Astronomy] asteroid 433, discovered in 1898, which comes at times nearer to the earth than any celestial body except the moon.

– origin Latin, from Greek, literally ‘sexual love’.

erosion /ɪˈrəʊʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of eroding or being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agents

• the problem of soil erosion.

2. the gradual destruction or diminution of something

• the erosion of support for the party.

3. [Medicine] the gradual destruction of tissue or tooth enamel by physical or chemical action.

• the total area of haemorrhagic erosion.

4. [ count noun] — [Medicine] a place where surface tissue has been gradually destroyed

• patients with gastric erosions.

II. derivatives

1. erosional /ɪˈrəʊʒ(ə)n(ə)l /

adjective

2. erosive /ɪˈrəʊsɪv /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: via French from Latin erosio(n-), from erodere ‘wear or gnaw away’ (see erode).

erotic /ɪˈrɒtɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or tending to arouse sexual desire or excitement

• her book of erotic fantasies.

II. derivatives

erotically /ɪˈrɒtɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French érotique, from Greek erōtikos, from erōs, erōt- ‘sexual love’.

erotica /ɪˈrɒtɪkə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. erotic literature or art.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek erōtika, neuter plural of erōtikos (see erotic).

eroticism /ɪˈrɒtɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality or character of being erotic

• a disturbing blend of violence and eroticism.

2. sexual desire or excitement.

eroticize /ɪˈrɒtɪsʌɪz / eroticise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (something or someone) erotic qualities.

• we will explore why certain symbols and body shapes are eroticized.

• porn eroticizes immorality.

• (as adj. eroticized) eroticized images.

II. derivatives

eroticization

noun

erotism /ˈɛrətɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. sexual desire or excitement; eroticism.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek erōs, erōt- ‘sexual love’ + -ism.

eroto- /ɪˈrɒtəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to eroticism

• erotomania.

– origin from Greek erōs, erōt- ‘sexual love’.

erotogenic /ɪˌrɒtəˈdʒɛnɪk / erotogenous /ˌɛrəˈtɒdʒɪnəs/

adjective

another term for erogenous.

erotology /ˌɛrəˈtɒlədʒi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of sexual love and behaviour.

erotomania /ɪˌrɒtə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessive sexual desire.

2. [Psychiatry] a delusion in which a person (typically a woman) believes that another person (typically of higher social status) is in love with them.

II. derivatives

erotomaniac /ɪˌrɒtə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪak /

noun

ERP

abbreviation

enterprise resource planning, the management of all the information and resources involved in a company's operations by means of an integrated computer system.
[as modifier]

• ERP systems.

err /əː/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹formal› be mistaken or incorrect; make a mistake

• the judge had erred in ruling that the evidence was inadmissible.

2. (often as adj. erring) — ‹formal› sin; do wrong

• he had been as solicitous as an erring husband.

II. phrases

1. err on the right side

act so that the least harmful of possible mistakes or errors is the most likely to occur.

• last year's boom was the result of a miscalculation, which erred on the right side.

2. err on the side of

display more rather than less of (a specified quality) in one's actions

• it is better to err on the side of caution.

3. to err is human, to forgive divine

‹proverb› it is human nature to make mistakes oneself while finding it hard to forgive others.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘wander, go astray’): from Old French errer, from Latin errare ‘to stray’.

errand /ˈɛr(ə)nd/

I. noun

1. a short journey undertaken in order to deliver or collect something, especially on someone else's behalf

• she asked Tim to run an errand for her.

2. the purpose or object of an errand

• she knew that if she stated her errand she would not be able to see him.

II. phrases

errand of mercy

a journey or mission carried out to help someone in difficulty or danger.

• a mountaineer and his St Bernard setting off on an errand of mercy.

– origin Old English ǣrende ‘message, mission’, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German ārunti, and obscurely to Swedish ärende and Danish ærinde.

errand boy

noun

‹dated› a boy employed in a shop or office to make deliveries and run other errands.

errant /ˈɛr(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. ‹formal› ‹humorous› erring or straying from the accepted course or standards

• an errant husband coming back from a night on the tiles.

2. not in the right place; having moved from the correct position or course

• an errant strand of hair

• fear of being hit by an errant bullet.

3. [often postpositive] — ‹archaic› ‹literary› travelling in search of adventure

• that same lady errant.

See also knight errant.

4. [Zoology] (of a polychaete worm) of a predatory kind that moves about actively and is not confined to a tube or burrow.

II. derivatives

1. errancy /ˈɛr(ə)nsi /

noun

errant (sense 1)

2. errantry /ˈɛr(ə)ntri /

noun

errant (sense 2)

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): sense 1 from Latin errant- ‘erring’, from the verb errare; sense 2 from Old French errant ‘travelling’, present participle of errer, from late Latin iterare ‘go on a journey’, from iter ‘journey’. Compare with arrant.

erratic /ɪˈratɪk/

I. adjective

not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable

• her breathing was erratic.

II. noun

(also erratic block or boulder) — [Geology] a rock or boulder that differs from the surrounding rock and is believed to have been brought from a distance by glacial action.

• the source of stone for the whetstones may have been glacial erratics.

III. derivatives

erraticism

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French erratique, from Latin erraticus, from errare ‘to stray, err’.

erratically /ɪˈratɪkli/

adverb

in a manner that is not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictably

• he had been seen driving erratically minutes before the accident

• you're having mood swings and behaving erratically.

erratum /ɛˈrɑːtəm/

I. noun

1. an error in printing or writing.

2. ( errata) — a list of corrected errors appended to a book or published in a subsequent issue of a journal.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘error’, neuter past participle of errare ‘err’.

Er Rif /ɛː ˈrɪf/

another name for Rif Mountains.

erroneous /ɪˈrəʊnɪəs, ɛˈrəʊnɪəs/

I. adjective

wrong; incorrect

• employers sometimes make erroneous assumptions.

II. derivatives

erroneousness /ɪˈrəʊnɪəsnəs, ɛˈrəʊnɪəsnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin erroneus (from erro(n-) ‘vagabond’, from errare ‘to stray, err’) + -ous.

erroneously /ɪˈrəʊnɪəsli/

adverb

in a mistaken way; incorrectly

• he was erroneously reported dead

• some erroneously believe the law will protect them.

error /ˈɛrə/

I. noun

1. a mistake

• spelling errors

• an error of judgement.

2. [ mass noun] — the state or condition of being wrong in conduct or judgement

• goods dispatched to your branch in error

• the crash was caused by human error.

3. [ mass noun] — ‹technical› a measure of the estimated difference between the observed or calculated value of a quantity and its true value.

II. phrases

see the error of one's ways

realize or acknowledge one's wrongdoing.

• he quickly sees the error of his ways and turns into a figure of saintly humility.

III. derivatives

errorless

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin error, from errare ‘to stray, err’.

error bar

noun

[Mathematics] a line through a point on a graph, parallel to one of the axes, which represents the uncertainty or error of the corresponding coordinate of the point.

error correction

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] the automatic correction of errors that arise from the incorrect transmission of digital data.
[as modifier]

• error-correction protocols.

error-free

adjective

containing no mistakes; faultless

• the program and the design are error-free

• an error-free performance.

error message

noun

[Computing] a message displayed on a monitor screen or printout indicating that an incorrect instruction has been given or that there is an error resulting from faulty software or hardware.

error-prone

adjective

tending to make or cause errors

• a complex and error-prone process.

error-ridden

adjective

full of mistakes

• sloppily researched and error-ridden journalism.

-ers

I. suffix

forming colloquial nouns and adjectives such as Twickers (for Twickenham), brekkers (for breakfast), preggers (for pregnant), etc.

– origin extension of -er^4.

ersatz /ˈəːsats, ˈɛːsats/

I. adjective

1. (of a product) made or used as a substitute, typically an inferior one, for something else

• ersatz coffee.

2. not real or genuine

• ersatz emotion.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German, literally ‘replacement’.

Erse /əːs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› the Scottish or Irish Gaelic language.

• we found her chatting happily to an Irish monk in Erse.

• [as modifier] Erse songs and tales.

– origin early Scots form of Irish.

erst /əːst/

I. adverb

‹archaic› long ago; formerly

• the friends whom erst you knew.

– origin Old English ǣrest, superlative of ǣr (see ere).

erstwhile /ˈəːstwʌɪl/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. former

• the erstwhile president of the company.

II. adverb

‹archaic› formerly

• Mary Anderson, erstwhile the queen of America's stage.

Erté /ˈɛːteɪ/

(1892–1990), Russian-born French fashion designer and illustrator; born Romain de Tirtoff. During the First World War his garments became internationally famous through his decorative magazine illustrations, and in the 1920s he became a noted art deco designer.

Ertebølle /ˈɛːtəˌbəːlə/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Archaeology] a late Mesolithic culture in the western Baltic (4th millennium BC), the final phases of which show Neolithic influence in the form of permanent coastal fishing and collecting sites and the use of skin boats.

– origin named after Ertebølle in Jutland, Denmark.

erubescent /ˌɛrʊˈbɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹rare› reddening; blushing.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin erubescent- ‘blushing’, from the verb erubescere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + rubescere ‘redden’ (from rubere ‘be red’).

erucic acid /ɪˈruːsɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a solid compound present in mustard and rape seeds.
●An unsaturated fatty acid: chem. formula: C_21H_41COOH.

– origin mid 19th cent.: erucic from Latin eruca ‘rocket’ (denoting the plant) + -ic.

eructation /ˌiːrʌkˈteɪʃ(ə)n, ˌɪrʌkˈteɪʃ(ə)n, ɛrʌkˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

‹formal› a belch.

• I heard what sounded like a half-stoppered eructation.

• [ mass noun] the only complaint that still tormented her was eructation.

II. derivatives

1. eruct /ˌiːˈrʌkt, ɪˈrʌkt /

verb

‹rare›

2. eructate /ˌiːˈrʌkteɪt, ɪˈrʌkteɪt /

verb

‹rare›

– origin late Middle English: from Latin eructatio(n-), from the verb eructare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + ructare ‘belch’.

erudite /ˈɛrʊdʌɪt/

I. adjective

having or showing great knowledge or learning.

• Ken could turn any conversation into an erudite discussion.

• she was very erudite.

II. derivatives

eruditely /ˈɛrʊdʌɪtli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Latin eruditus, past participle of erudire ‘instruct, train’ (based on rudis ‘rude, untrained’).

erudition /ˌɛrʊˈdɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of having or showing great knowledge or learning; scholarship

• he was known for his wit, erudition, and teaching skills.

erupt /ɪˈrʌpt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a volcano) become active and eject lava, ash, and gases

• Mount Pinatubo began erupting in June.

2. be ejected from an active volcano

• hot lava erupted from the crust.

3. (of an object) explode with fire and noise

• smoke bombs erupted everywhere.

4. break out suddenly and dramatically

• fierce fighting erupted between the army and guerrillas

• noise erupted from the drawing room.

5. give vent to anger, amusement, etc. in a sudden and noisy way

• the soldiers erupted in fits of laughter.

6. (of a spot, rash, or other mark) suddenly appear on the skin.

• a boil had erupted on her temple.

7. (of the skin) suddenly develop a spot, rash, or mark.

• his skin erupts with hives.

8. (of a tooth) break through the gums during normal development.

• the lower incisors had erupted.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin erupt- ‘broken out’, from the verb erumpere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + rumpere ‘burst out, break’.

eruption /ɪˈrʌpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. an act or instance of erupting

• the eruption of Vesuvius.

2. a sudden outbreak of something, typically something unwelcome or noisy

• a sudden eruption of street violence.

3. a spot, rash, or other mark appearing suddenly on the skin.

• irritable skin eruptions.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin eruptio(n-), from the verb erumpere (see erupt).

eruptive /ɪˈrʌptɪv/

adjective

1. relating to or formed by volcanic activity

• a history of the eruptive activity in an area.

2. producing or characterized by eruptions

• an acute eruptive disease.

eruv /ˈɛrʊv/

I. noun

[Judaism] an urban area enclosed by a wire boundary which symbolically extends the private domain of Jewish households into public areas, permitting activities within it that are normally forbidden in public on the Sabbath.

– origin from Hebrew ‘ērūḇ, from a base meaning ‘mixture’.

-ery -ry

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. denoting a class or kind

• confectionery

• greenery.

3. denoting an occupation, a state, a condition, or behaviour

• archery

• bravery

• slavery.

4. with depreciatory reference

• knavery

• tomfoolery.

5. denoting a place set aside for an activity or a grouping of things, animals, etc.

• orangery

• rookery.

– origin from French -erie, based on Latin -arius and -ator.

eryngium /ɪˈrɪndʒɪəm/

I. noun

a plant of the genus Eryngium in the parsley family, especially (in gardening) sea holly.

– origin late 16th cent.: modern Latin, from Latin eryngion, from a diminutive of Greek ērungos ‘sea holly’.

eryngo /ɪˈrɪŋɡəʊ/

I. noun

another term for sea holly or eryngium.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Italian and Spanish eringio, from Latin eryngion (see eryngium).

erysipelas /ˌɛrɪˈsɪpɪləs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an acute, sometimes recurrent disease caused by a bacterial infection, characterized by large raised red patches on the skin.
●This is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, a Gram-positive coccus.

– origin late Middle English: via Latin from Greek erusipelas; perhaps related to eruthros ‘red’ and pella ‘skin’.

erysipeloid /ˌɛrɪˈsɪpəlɔɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] dermatitis of the hands due to bacterial infection, occurring mainly among handlers of meat and fish products.
●This is caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a Gram-positive bacterium occurring either as slightly curved rods or as filaments.

erythema /ˌɛrɪˈθiːmə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] superficial reddening of the skin, usually in patches, as a result of injury or irritation causing dilatation of the blood capillaries.

II. derivatives

1. erythemal

adjective

2. erythematous

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: from Greek eruthēma, from eruthainein ‘be red’, from eruthros ‘red’.

erythrism /ˈɛrɪθrɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Zoology] a congenital condition of abnormal redness in an animal's fur, plumage, or skin.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek eruthros ‘red’ + -ism.

erythritol /ɪˈrɪθrɪtɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a sweet substance extracted from certain lichens and algae. It is used medicinally as a vasodilator.
●A tetrahydric alcohol; chem. formula: C_4H_10O_4.

– origin late 19th cent.: from erythrite (earlier name for erythritol) + -ol.

erythro-

I. combining form

(used commonly in zoological and medical terms) red

• erythrocyte.

– origin from Greek eruthros ‘red’.

erythroblast /ɪˈrɪθrə(ʊ)blast/

I. noun

[Physiology] an immature erythrocyte, containing a nucleus.

II. derivatives

erythroblastic

adjective

erythroblastosis /ɪˌrɪθrə(ʊ)blasˈtəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the abnormal presence of erythroblasts in the blood.

2. (also erythroblastosis fetalis) — [Medicine] another term for haemolytic disease of the newborn.

erythrocyte /ɪˈrɪθrə(ʊ)sʌɪt/

I. noun

a red blood cell, which (in humans) is typically a biconcave disc without a nucleus. Erythrocytes contain the pigment haemoglobin, which imparts the red colour to blood, and transport oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the tissues.

II. derivatives

erythrocytic

adjective

erythrogenic /ɪˌrɪθrə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

[Medicine] (of a bacterial toxin) causing inflammation and reddening of the skin.

• erythrogenic toxin is responsible for the rash of scarlet fever.

erythroid /ˈɛrɪθrɔɪd/

adjective

[Physiology] relating to erythrocytes.

• erythroid precursors in the bone marrow.

erythroleukaemia /ɪˌrɪθrə(ʊ)luːˈkiːmɪə / ‹US› erythroleukemia

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a rare acute form of leukaemia in which there is proliferation of immature red and white blood cells.

erythromycin /ɪˌrɪθrə(ʊ)ˈmʌɪsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] an antibiotic used in the treatment of infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria. It is similar in its effects to penicillin.
●This is obtained from the streptomycete bacterium Streptomyces erythreus.

– origin 1950s: from elements of the modern Latin taxonomic name Streptomyces erythreus + -in^1.

erythronium /ˌɛrɪˈθrəʊnɪəm/

I. noun

a plant of a genus which includes dog's-tooth violet.
●Genus Erythronium, family Liliaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek (saturion) eruthronion ‘red-flowered (orchid)’.

erythropoiesis /ɪˌrɪθrə(ʊ)pɔɪˈiːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the production of red blood cells.

II. derivatives

erythropoietic

adjective

erythropoietin /ɪˌrɪθrə(ʊ)pɔɪˈɛtɪn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a hormone secreted by the kidneys that increases the rate of production of red blood cells in response to falling levels of oxygen in the tissues.

Erzgebirge /ˈɛːtsɡəˌbɪəɡə, German ˈeːɐtsɡəˌbɪrɡə, ˈɛrtsɡəˌbɪrɡə/

a range of mountains on the border between Germany and the Czech Republic.
Also called the Ore Mountains.

Erzurum /ˈɛːzʊrʊm/

a city in NE Turkey, capital of a mountainous province of the same name; pop. 338,100 (est. 2007).

Es

symbol

the chemical element einsteinium.

ES

abbreviation

El Salvador (international vehicle registration).

-es^1

I. suffix

1. forming plurals of nouns ending in sibilant sounds

• boxes

• kisses.

2. forming plurals of certain nouns ending in -o

• potatoes

• heroes.

– origin variant of -s^1.

-es^2

I. suffix

1. forming the third person singular of the present tense:

2. in verbs ending in sibilant sounds

• pushes.

3. in verbs ending in -o (but not -oo)

• goes.

– origin variant of -s^2.

ESA

abbreviation

1. (in the UK) Environmentally Sensitive Area.

2. European Space Agency.

Esaki, Leo /ɛˈzɑːki/

(b.1925), Japanese physicist. He investigated and pioneered the development of quantum-mechanical tunnelling of electrons in semiconductor devices, and designed the tunnel diode (also called the Esaki diode). Nobel Prize for Physics (1973).

Esau /ˈiːsɔː/

(in the Bible) the elder of the twin sons of Isaac and Rebecca, who sold his birthright to his brother Jacob and was tricked out of his father's blessing by his brother (Gen. 25, 27).

Esbjerg /ˈɛsbjəːɡ/

a port in Denmark, on the west coast of Jutland; pop. 71,025 (2009). It has ferry links with Britain and the Faroe Islands.

ESC

abbreviation

Economic and Social Committee.

escabeche /ˌɛskəˈbɛʃ, ˈɛskəbɛʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dish of fish that is fried then marinated in vinegar and spices.

– origin Spanish.

escadrille /ˌɛskəˈdrɪl/

I. noun

a French squadron of aircraft.

– origin French, literally ‘flotilla, flight’.

escalade /ˌɛskəˈleɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› the scaling of fortified walls using ladders, as a form of military attack.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, or from Spanish escalada, escalado, from medieval Latin scalare ‘to scale, climb’, from Latin scala ‘ladder’.

escalate /ˈɛskəleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. increase rapidly

• the price of tickets escalated

• (as adj. escalating) the escalating cost of health care.

2. make or become more intense or serious
[no obj.]

• the disturbance escalated into a full-scale riot

• [with obj.] we do not want to escalate the war.

– origin 1920s (in the sense ‘travel on an escalator’): back-formation from escalator.

escalation /ɛskəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. a rapid increase; a rise

• cost escalations.

2. an increase in the intensity or seriousness of something; an intensification

• an escalation of violence

• [ mass noun] the present escalation of global warming.

escalator /ˈɛskəleɪtə/

I. noun

a moving staircase consisting of an endlessly circulating belt of steps driven by a motor, which conveys people between the floors of a public building.

– origin early 20th cent. (originally US, as a trade name): from escalade ‘climb a wall by ladder’ (from escalade), on the pattern of elevator.

escalator clause escalation clause

noun

a clause in a contract that allows for a rise in wages or prices under certain conditions.

escallonia /ˌɛskəˈləʊnɪə/

I. noun

an evergreen South American shrub with pink or white flowers.
●Genus Escallonia, family Grossulariaceae.

– origin modern Latin, named after Escallon, an 18th-cent. Spanish traveller who discovered the plants.

escallop /ɪˈskaləp, ɛˈskaləp, ɪˈskɒləp, ɛˈskɒləp/

I. noun

1. variant spelling of escalope.

2. another term for scallop (sense 2 of the noun).

3. [Heraldry] a scallop shell as a charge.

II. verb

another term for scallop (sense 3 of the verb).

– origin late 15th cent. (in sense 2 of the noun): from Old French escalope ‘shell’. Compare with escalope and scallop.

escalope /ɪˈskaləp, ˈɛskələʊp / escallop

I. noun

a thin slice of meat without any bone, typically a special cut of veal from the leg that is coated, fried, and served in a sauce.

– origin French; compare with escallop and scallop.

escapade /ˈɛskəpeɪd, ˌɛskəˈpeɪd/

I. noun

an act or incident involving excitement, daring, or adventure.

• he told of their escapade with a ‘borrowed’ truck.

• schoolgirl escapades.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘an escape’): from French, from Provençal or Spanish, from escapar ‘to escape’, based on medieval Latin ex- ‘out of’ + cappa ‘cloak’. Compare with escape.

escape /ɪˈskeɪp, ɛˈskeɪp/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — break free from confinement or control

• two burglars have just escaped from prison

• (as adj. escaped) escaped convicts.

2. [with obj.] — elude or get free from (someone)

• he drove along the dual carriageway to escape police.

3. succeed in avoiding or eluding something dangerous or unpleasant

• the driver escaped with a broken knee

• [with obj.] a baby boy narrowly escaped death.

4. (of a gas, liquid, or heat) leak from a container

• the CFCs have escaped into the atmosphere.

5. [with obj.] — (of words or sounds) issue involuntarily or inadvertently from (someone)

• a sob escaped her lips.

6. [with obj.] — fail to be noticed or remembered by (someone)

• the name escaped him

• it may have escaped your notice, but this is not a hotel.

7. [with obj.] — [Computing] interrupt (an operation) by means of the escape key.

8. cause (a subsequent character or characters) to be interpreted differently.

II. noun

1. an act of breaking free from confinement or control

• the gang had made their escape

• [ mass noun] he could think of no way of escape, short of rudeness.

2. an act of avoiding something dangerous or unpleasant

• the baby was fine, but it was a lucky escape.

3. a means of escaping from somewhere
[as modifier]

• he had planned his escape route.

4. a garden plant or pet animal that has gone wild and (especially in plants) become naturalized.

• it is not a native of Britain, though often occurring as an escape.

5. a form of temporary distraction from reality or routine

• romantic novels should present an escape from the dreary realities of life.

6. a leakage of gas, liquid, or heat from a container.

• a lid prevents the escape of poisonous gases.

• [with modifier] a gas escape.

7. (also escape key) — [Computing] a key on a computer keyboard which either interrupts the current operation or causes subsequent characters to be interpreted differently.

III. phrases

1. escape the clutches (or grip) of

break free from the control or grasp of.

• thank heavens she'd escaped his clutches in time.

2. make good one's escape

succeed in breaking free from confinement

• by the time they had given chase, she had made good her escape.

IV. derivatives

1. escapable

adjective

2. escaper

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French eschaper, based on medieval Latin ex- ‘out’ + cappa ‘cloak’. Compare with escapade.

escape clause

noun

a contract provision which specifies the conditions under which a party can be freed from an obligation.

escapee /ˌɛskeɪˈpiː, ɪˈskeɪpiː/

noun

a person who has escaped from somewhere, especially prison.

escape hatch

noun

1. a hatch for use as an emergency exit, especially from a submarine, ship, or aircraft.

2. a means of retreat from or avoidance of a difficulty or problem

• you shouldn't rush into marriage, looking at divorce as an escape hatch if things don't work out.

escape mechanism

noun

[Psychology] a mental process which enables a person to avoid acknowledging unpleasant or threatening aspects of reality.

• some use drugs as an escape mechanism while incarcerated.

escapement /ɪˈskeɪpm(ə)nt, ɛˈskeɪpm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a mechanism in a clock or watch that alternately checks and releases the train by a fixed amount and transmits a periodic impulse from the spring or weight to the balance wheel or pendulum.

• a lever escapement.

2. a mechanism in a typewriter that shifts the carriage a small fixed amount to the left after a key is pressed and released.

3. the part of the mechanism in a piano that enables the hammer to fall back as soon as it has struck the string.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French échappement, from échapper ‘to escape’.

escape road

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a slip road, especially on a racing circuit, for a vehicle to turn into if the driver is unable to negotiate a bend or slope safely.

escape velocity

noun

the lowest velocity which a body must have in order to escape the gravitational attraction of a particular planet or other object.

escape wheel

noun

a toothed wheel in the escapement of a watch or clock.

escapism /ɪˈskeɪpɪz(ə)m, ɛˈskeɪpɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy.

• virtual reality offers a form of escapism.

escapist /ɪˈskeɪpɪst/

I. noun

a person who seeks distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially in the form of entertainment or fantasy

• the perfect escapist's paradise, almost as remote as a desert island.

II. adjective

providing or seeking distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially in the form of entertainment or fantasy

• I was ready for a good escapist read

• the escapist desires of the moviegoing public.

escapologist /ˌɛskəˈpɒlədʒɪst/

I. noun

an entertainer specializing in freeing themselves from the confinement of such things as ropes, handcuffs, and chains.

II. derivatives

escapology /ˌɛskəˈpɒlədʒi /

noun

escargot /ɛˈskɑːɡəʊ, ɛˈskɑːɡəʊ/

I. noun

the edible snail, especially as an item on a menu.

– origin French, from Old French escargol, from Provençal escaragol.

escarole /ˈɛskərəʊl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) an endive of a variety with broad undivided leaves and a slightly bitter flavour, used in salads.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, from Italian scar(i)ola, based on Latin esca ‘food’.

escarp /ɪˈskɑːp/

I. noun

‹archaic› a steep bank or slope, especially that of a ditch in a fortification

• the reconstruction of escarps at the fortress of Gibraltar.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French escarpe, from Italian scarpa ‘slope’. Compare with scarp.

escarpment /ɪˈskɑːpm(ə)nt, ɛˈskɑːpm(ə)nt/

I. noun

a long, steep slope, especially one at the edge of a plateau or separating areas of land at different heights.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French escarpement, escarpe ‘scarp’, from Italian scarpa ‘slope’. Compare with scarp.

Escaut /ɛsˈko/

French name for Scheldt.

-esce

I. suffix

forming verbs, often denoting the initiation of action

• coalesce

• effervesce.

– origin from or suggested by Latin verbs ending in -escere.

-escent

I. suffix

forming adjectives denoting a developing state or action

• coalescent

• fluorescent.

II. derivatives

-escence

suffix

forming corresponding nouns.

– origin from French, or from Latin -escent- (present participial stem of verbs ending in -escere).

eschar /ˈɛskɑː/

I. noun

[Medicine] a dry, dark scab or falling away of dead skin, typically caused by a burn, an insect bite, or infection with anthrax.

– origin late Middle English: from French eschare or late Latin eschara ‘scar or scab’, from Greek (see also scar).

eschatology /ˌɛskəˈtɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the part of theology concerned with death, judgement, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind.

• Christian hope is concerned with eschatology, or the science of last things.

II. derivatives

1. eschatological /ˌɛskətəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l, ɛskatəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. eschatologist

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek eskhatos ‘last’ + -logy.

eschaton /ˈɛskətɒn/

I. noun — ( the eschaton)

1. [Theology] the final event in the divine plan; the end of the world.

• the gift of eternal life at the eschaton.

– origin 1930s: from Greek eskhaton, neuter of eskhatos ‘last’.

escheat /ɪsˈtʃiːt, ɛsˈtʃiːt / ‹chiefly historical›

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the reversion of property to the state, or (in feudal law) to a lord, on the owner's dying without legal heirs.

• the Crown's right of escheat was lost.

• [ count noun] they totally abolished escheats.

2. [ count noun] — an item of property affected by escheat.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of land) revert to a lord or the state by escheat.

• a private chase which had escheated to the King.

2. [with obj.] (usu. as adj. escheated) — hand over (land) as an escheat.

• a number of escheated royal honours.

– origin Middle English: from Old French eschete, based on Latin excidere ‘fall away’, from ex- ‘out of, from’ + cadere ‘to fall’.

Escher, M. C. /ˈɛʃə/

(1898–1972), Dutch graphic artist; full name Maurits Corneille Escher. His prints are characterized by their sophisticated use of visual illusion and paradoxical perspective.

eschew /ɪsˈtʃuː, ɛsˈtʃuː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deliberately avoid using; abstain from

• he appealed to the crowd to eschew violence.

II. derivatives

eschewal

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French eschiver, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to German scheuen ‘shun’, also to shy^1.

eschscholzia /ɪsˈʃɒlzɪə, ɛʃˈʃɒlzɪə / eschscholtzia /ɛʃˈʃɒltsɪə/

I. noun

a North American poppy which is cultivated for its bright yellow, orange, or red flowers.
●Genus Eschscholzia, family Papaveraceae: several species, in particular the California poppy.

– origin modern Latin, named in honour of Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz (1793–1831), Russian-born botanist and traveller.

Escoffier, Georges-Auguste /ɛˈskɒfɪeɪ/

(1846–1935), French chef. He gained an international reputation while working in London at the Savoy Hotel (1890–9) and later at the Carlton (1899–1919).

escolar /ˌɛskəˈlɑː/

I. noun

a large, elongated predatory fish occurring in tropical and temperate oceans throughout the world. Also called snake mackerel.
●Family Gempylidae: several genera and species.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, literally ‘scholar’, so named because the ringed markings around the eyes resemble spectacles.

Escorial /ˌɛskɒrɪˈɑːl/

a monastery and palace in central Spain, near Madrid, built in the late 16th century by Philip II.

escort

I. noun — escort /ˈɛskɔːt /

1. a person, vehicle, or group accompanying another for protection or as a mark of rank

• a police escort

• [ mass noun] he was driven away under armed escort.

2. a man who accompanies a woman to a particular social event.

• Louise and her escort were given the best table.

3. a person, typically a woman, who may be hired to accompany someone socially
[as modifier]

• an escort agency.

4. ‹euphemistic› a prostitute.

II. verb — [with obj.] escort /ɪˈskɔːt, ɛˈskɔːt /

1. accompany (someone or something) somewhere as an escort

• he escorted her back to her hotel.

– origin late 16th cent. (originally denoting a body of armed men escorting travellers): from French escorte (noun), escorter (verb), from Italian scorta, feminine past participle of scorgere ‘to conduct, guide’, based on Latin ex- ‘out of’ + corrigere ‘set right’ (see correct).

escoveitch /ˈɛskəvɪtʃ / escovitch

noun

West Indian term for escabeche.

escritoire /ˌɛskriːˈtwɑː/

I. noun

a small writing desk with drawers and compartments.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin scriptorium ‘writing room’ (see scriptorium).

escrow /ˈɛskrəʊ / ‹Law›

I. noun

1. a bond, deed, or other document kept in the custody of a third party and taking effect only when a specified condition has been fulfilled.

2. [usu. as modifier] — a deposit or fund held in trust or as a security

• an escrow account.

3. [ mass noun] — the state of being kept in custody or trust until a specified condition has been fulfilled

• the board holds funds in escrow.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) place in custody or trust until a specified condition has been fulfilled.

• those funds are escrowed for the purpose of improving municipal services.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Old French escroe ‘scrap, scroll’, from medieval Latin scroda, of Germanic origin; related to shred.

escudo /ɛˈsk(j)uːdəʊ, ɛˈʃk(j)uːdəʊ/

I. noun

the basic monetary unit of Portugal and the Cape Verde Islands, equal to 100 centavos (replaced in Portugal by the euro in 2002).

– origin Spanish and Portuguese, from Latin scutum ‘shield’.

esculent /ˈɛskjʊlənt / ‹formal›

I. adjective

fit to be eaten; edible.

II. noun

a thing, especially a vegetable, which is fit to be eaten.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin esculentus, from esca ‘food’, from esse ‘eat’.

escutcheon /ɪˈskʌtʃ(ə)n, ɛˈskʌtʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a shield or emblem bearing a coat of arms.

2. (also escutcheon plate) — a flat piece of metal for protection and often ornamentation, around a keyhole, door handle, or light switch.

II. phrases

1. a blot on one's escutcheon

a stain on one's reputation or character.

2. escutcheon of pretence

a small shield within a coat of arms, bearing another coat or device to which the bearer has a claim, especially one to which a man's wife is heiress.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Anglo-Norman French escuchon, based on Latin scutum ‘shield’.

Esd.

abbreviation

Esdras, either in the Apocrypha or the Vulgate (in biblical references).

Esdras /ˈɛzdrəs/

I. either of two books of the Apocrypha. The first is mainly a compilation from Chronicles, Nehemiah, and Ezra; the second is a record of angelic revelation.

II. (in the Vulgate) the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

ese /ˈɛseɪ / ése

I. noun

(US) ‹informal› (in Spanish-speaking regions) used as a form of address for a man

• I told him all about you, ese.

– origin Mexican Spanish.

ESE

abbreviation

east-south-east.

-ese

I. suffix

1. forming adjectives and nouns:

2. denoting an inhabitant or language of a country or city

• Maltese

• Viennese.

3. ‹often derogatory› (especially with reference to language) denoting character or style

• journalese

• officialese.

– origin from Old French -eis, based on Latin -ensis.

e-security

noun

another term for cybersecurity.

esemplastic /ˌɛsɛmˈplastɪk/

I. adjective

‹rare› moulding into one; unifying.

• Coleridge defines imagination as the esemplastic power.

II. derivatives

esemplastically

adverb

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek es ‘into’ + hen (neuter of heis ‘one’) + -ic; formed irregularly by Coleridge, probably suggested by German Ineinsbildung, in the same sense.

eserine /ˈɛsɛriːn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] another term for physostigmine.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French ésérine, from Efik esere.

e-shop

noun

a website or application by means of which goods or services are sold over the Internet

• I run my own e-shop selling changing bags.

e-shopping

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or activity of buying goods or services over the Internet

• the rapid growth in e-shopping has been the focus of much public debate.

e-signature

noun

[Computing] short for electronic signature.

• the notification bears the e-signature of the director.

esker /ˈɛskə/

I. noun

[Geology] a long ridge of gravel and other sediment, typically having a winding course, deposited by meltwater from a retreating glacier or ice sheet.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Irish eiscir.

Eskimo /ˈɛskɪməʊ/

I. noun

1. a member of an indigenous people inhabiting northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and eastern Siberia, and traditionally living by hunting seals and other Arctic animals and birds and by fishing.

2. [ mass noun] — either of the two main languages of the Eskimo people (Inuit and Yupik), comprising a major division of the Eskimo-Aleut family.

II. adjective

relating to the Eskimos or their languages.

– origin via French Esquimaux, possibly from Spanish esquimao, esquimal, from Montagnais ayas̆kimew ‘person who laces a snowshoe’, probably applied first to the Micmac and later to the Eskimo (see husky^2). / usage: In recent years the word Eskimo has come to be regarded as offensive (partly through the associations of the now discredited etymology ‘one who eats raw flesh’). The peoples inhabiting the regions from the central Canadian Arctic to western Greenland prefer to call themselves Inuit: see usage at Inuit. The term Eskimo, however, continues to be the only term which can be properly understood as applying to the people as a whole and is still widely used in anthropological and archaeological contexts.

Eskimo-Aleut

I. adjective

relating to the family of languages comprising Inuit, Yupik, and Aleut.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Eskimo-Aleut family of languages.
[as modifier]

• the Eskimo-Aleut languages.

Eskimo curlew

noun

a small New World curlew with a striped head, formerly common in the arctic tundra but now close to extinction.
● Numenius borealis, family Scolopacidae.

Eskimo pie

noun

(US) ‹trademark› a bar of chocolate-coated ice cream.

Eskimo roll

noun

a complete rollover in canoeing, from upright to capsized to upright.

esky /ˈɛski/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹trademark› a portable insulated container for keeping food or drink cool.

– origin 1960s: probably from Eskimo, by association with a cold climate.

esky lid

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a bodyboard

• where'd you get the esky lid?

– origin 1990s: from esky + lid, because of a supposed resemblance between a bodyboard and the lid of a coolbox.

esky lidder

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a person who rides a bodyboard

• they think esky lidders don't belong in the world of serious surfing.

ESL /iːɛsˈɛl/

abbreviation

English as a second language.

ESN

abbreviation

1. ‹dated› educationally subnormal.

2. electronic serial number, a unique number programmed into a mobile phone which identifies it.

ESOL /ˈiːsɒl/

abbreviation

English for speakers of other languages.

esoteric /ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk, ˌiːsəˈtɛrɪk/

I. adjective

intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest

• esoteric philosophical debates.

II. derivatives

1. esoterically

adverb

2. esotericism /ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪsɪz(ə)m, ˌiːsəˈtɛrɪsɪz(ə)m /

noun

3. esotericist

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek esōterikos, from esōterō, comparative of esō ‘within’, from es, eis ‘into’. Compare with exoteric.

esoterica /ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪkə, ˌiːsəˈtɛrɪkə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. esoteric or highly specialized subjects or publications.

• a professor of such esoterica as angelology and comparative shamanism.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Greek esōterika, neuter plural of esōterikos ‘esoteric’.

ESP

abbreviation

1. [Photography] electro-selective pattern.

2. electrostatic precipitator.

3. extrasensory perception.

esp.

abbreviation

especially.

espada /ɛˈspɑːdə/

I. noun

a scabbardfish, especially as caught for food in Madeira and elsewhere.

– origin via Portuguese from Spanish, from Latin spatha ‘sword’.

espadrille /ˈɛspədrɪl, ˌɛspəˈdrɪl/

I. noun

a light canvas shoe with a plaited fibre sole.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from Provençal espardi(l)hos, from espart ‘esparto’, from Latin spartum (see esparto).

espalier /ɪˈspaljə, ɛˈspaljə/

I. noun

1. a fruit tree or ornamental shrub whose branches are trained to grow flat against a wall, supported on a lattice.

2. a lattice for an espaliered tree or shrub.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. train (a tree or shrub) to grow flat against a wall.

• fruit trees were espaliered some thirty feet apart.

• (as adj. espaliered) espaliered fruit trees.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian spalliera, from spalla ‘shoulder’, from Latin spatula (see spatula), in late Latin ‘shoulder blade’.

España /esˈpaɲa/

Spanish name for Spain.

esparto /ɛˈspɑːtəʊ, ɛˈspɑːtəʊ / esparto grass

I. noun

a coarse grass with tough narrow leaves, native to Spain and North Africa. It is used to make ropes, wickerwork, and good-quality paper.
● Stipa tenacissima, family Gramineae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, via Latin from Greek sparton ‘rope’.

especial /ɪˈspɛʃ(ə)l, ɛˈspɛʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. better or greater than usual; special

• these traditions are of especial interest to feminists.

2. for or belonging chiefly to one person or thing

• her outburst was for my especial benefit.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin specialis ‘special’, from species (see species).

especially /ɪˈspɛʃ(ə)li, ɛˈspɛʃ(ə)li/

I. adverb

1. used to single out one person or thing over all others

• he despised them all, especially Sylvester

• a new song, written especially for Jonathan.

2. to a great extent; very much

• he didn't especially like dancing

• [as submodifier] sleep is especially important in growing children.

usage: There is some overlap in the uses of especially and specially. In the broadest terms, both words mean ‘particularly’ and the preference for one word over the other is linked with particular conventions of use rather than with any deep difference in meaning. For example, there is little to choose between written especially for Jonathan and written specially for Jonathan and neither is more correct than the other. On the other hand, in sentences such as he despised them all, especially Sylvester, substitution of specially is found in informal uses but should not be used in written English, while in the car was specially made for the occasion substitution of especially is somewhat unusual. Overall, especially is by far the commoner of the two, occurring twenty times as frequently as specially in the Oxford English Corpus.

Esperance doctor /ˈɛspərəns ˌdɒktə/

I. noun

(Austral.) a cool sea breeze

• the sand dunes have been pushed to fantastic heights by the unforgiving Esperance doctor.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Esperance, a coastal town in Western Australia.

Esperanto /ˌɛspəˈrantəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an artificial language devised in 1887 as an international medium of communication, based on roots from the chief European languages. It retains the structure of these languages and has the advantage of grammatical regularity and ease of pronunciation.

II. derivatives

Esperantist /ˌɛspəˈrantɪst /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from the name Dr Esperanto, used as a pen name by the inventor of the language, Ludwik L. Zamenhof (1858–1917), Polish physician; the literal sense is ‘one who hopes’ (based on Latin sperare ‘to hope’).

espial /ɪˈspʌɪ(ə)l, ɛˈspʌɪ(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› the action of watching or catching sight of something or someone

• he withdrew from his point of espial.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘spying’): from Old French espiaille, from espier ‘espy’.

espionage /ˈɛspɪənɑːʒ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of spying or of using spies, typically by governments to obtain political and military information.

• the camouflage and secrecy of espionage.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French espionnage, from espionner ‘to spy’, from espion ‘a spy’.

Espírito Santo /ɛˌspɪrɪtuː ˈsantuː/

a state of eastern Brazil, on the Atlantic coast; capital, Vitória.

esplanade /ˌɛspləˈneɪd, ˌɛspləˈnɑːd/

I. noun

1. a long, open, level area, typically beside the sea, along which people may walk for pleasure.

2. an open, level space separating a fortress from a town.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting an area of flat ground on top of a rampart): from French, from Italian spianata, from Latin explanatus ‘flattened, levelled’, from explanare (see explain).

e-sport

noun

a multiplayer video game played competitively for spectators, typically by professional gamers

• millions of people enjoy watching e-sports

• it's the most popular PC game and currently the most popular e-sport

• [as modifier] the largest e-sports tournament in the world finished yesterday in Seattle.

espousal /ɪˈspaʊz(ə)l, ɛˈspaʊz(ə)l/

I. noun

1. [in sing.] — an act of adopting or supporting a cause, belief, or way of life

• his espousal of Western ideas.

2. ‹archaic› a marriage or engagement.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French espousaille, from Latin sponsalia ‘betrothal’, neuter plural of sponsalis (adjective), from sponsare ‘espouse, betroth’ (see espouse).

espouse /ɪˈspaʊz, ɛˈspaʊz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. adopt or support (a cause, belief, or way of life)

• the left has espoused the causes of sexual and racial equality.

2. ‹archaic› marry.

• Edward had espoused the lady Grey.

3. ( be espoused to) — (of a woman) be engaged to (a particular man).

• she was secretly espoused to his son, Peter.

• a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph.

II. derivatives

espouser

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘take as a spouse’): from Old French espouser, from Latin sponsare, from sponsus ‘betrothed’, past participle of spondere.

espressivo /ˌɛsprɛˈsiːvəʊ/

I. adverb, adjective

[Music] (especially as a direction) with expression of feeling.
[as adj.]

• a Viennese espressivo style.

– origin Italian, from Latin expressus ‘distinctly presented’.

espresso /ɛˈsprɛsəʊ/

I. noun

a type of strong black coffee made by forcing steam through ground coffee beans.

• he bought an espresso and a couple of croissants.

• [as modifier] roadside espresso bars.

– origin from Italian (caffè) espresso, literally ‘pressed out (coffee)’. / usage: The spelling expresso is not used in the original Italian and is strictly incorrect, although it is common.

esprit /ɛˈspriː, French ɛspʀi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being lively, vivacious, or witty.

– origin French, from Latin spiritus ‘spirit’.

esprit de corps /ɛˌspriː də ˈkɔː French ɛspʀi də kɔʀ//

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of pride and mutual loyalty shared by the members of a group.

• they developed some esprit de corps through athletics competitions.

• [ count noun] to have an esprit de corps is important for any choir.

– origin French, literally ‘spirit of the body’.

esprit de l'escalier /ɛˌspriː də lɛˈskaljeɪ, French ɛspʀi də lɛskalje/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. used to refer to the fact that a witty remark or retort often comes to mind after the opportunity to make it has passed.

– origin French, literally ‘wit of the staircase’ (i.e. a witty remark coming to mind on the stairs leading away from a gathering).

espy /ɪˈspʌɪ, ɛˈspʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› catch sight of

• she espied her daughter rounding the corner.

– origin Middle English: from Old French espier, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to Dutch spieden and German spähan. Compare with spy.

Esq. /ɪsˈkwʌɪə/

abbreviation

Esquire.

-esque

I. suffix

(forming adjectives) in the style of; resembling

• carnivalesque

• Dantesque.

– origin from French, via Italian -esco from medieval Latin -iscus.

Esquimau

noun

archaic spelling of Eskimo.

Esquipulas /ˌɛskiːˈpuːlas/

a town in SE Guatemala, near the border with Honduras; pop. 25,000 (est. 2009). Noted for the image of the ‘Black Christ of Esquipulas’ in its church, the town is a centre of pilgrimage.

esquire /ɪˈskwʌɪə, ɛˈskwʌɪə / esq.

I. noun

1. ( Esquire) — (Brit.) a polite title appended to a man's name when no other title is used, typically in the address of a letter or other documents

• J. C. Pearson Esquire.

2. (N. Amer.) a title appended to the surname of a lawyer (of either sex).

3. ‹historical› a young nobleman who, in training for knighthood, acted as an attendant to a knight.

4. an officer in the service of a king or nobleman.

5. [as title] — a landed proprietor or country squire.

• the lord of the manor, Richard Bethell Esquire.

II. phrases

esquire of the (king's) body

‹historical› an officer in charge of dressing and undressing the king.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French esquier, from Latin scutarius ‘shield-bearer’, from scutum ‘shield’; compare with squire. Sense 2 was the original denotation, sense 1 being at first a courtesy title given to such a person.

esquisse /ɛsˈkiːs/

I. noun

a rough or preliminary sketch.

– origin French, from Italian schizzo ‘sketch’.

ESR

abbreviation

[Physics] electron spin resonance.

ESRC

abbreviation

(in the UK) Economic and Social Research Council.

-ess^1

I. suffix

forming nouns denoting female gender

• abbess

• adulteress

• tigress.

– origin from French -esse, via late Latin from Greek -issa. / usage: The suffix -ess has been used since the Middle Ages to form nouns denoting female persons, using a neutral or a male form as the base (as hostess and actress from host and actor, for example). Despite the apparent equivalence between the male and female pairs of forms, they are rarely equivalent in terms of actual use and connotation in modern English (consider the differences in meaning and use between manager and manageress or poet and poetess). In the late 20th century, as the role of women in society changed, some of these feminine forms became problematic and were seen as old-fashioned, sexist, and patronizing (e.g. poetess, authoress, editress). The ‘male’ form is increasingly being used as the ‘neutral’ form, where the gender of the person concerned is simply unspecified.

-ess^2

I. suffix

forming abstract nouns from adjectives, such as largess.

– origin Middle English via French -esse from Latin -itia.

essay

I. noun — essay /ˈɛseɪ /

1. a short piece of writing on a particular subject.

2. ‹formal› an attempt or effort

• a misjudged essay in job preservation.

3. a trial design of a postage stamp yet to be accepted.

II. verb — [with obj.] essay /ɛˈseɪ /

1. ‹formal› attempt or try

• Donald essayed a smile.

– origin late 15th cent. (as a verb in the sense ‘test the quality of’): alteration of assay, by association with Old French essayer, based on late Latin exagium ‘weighing’, from the base of exigere ‘ascertain, weigh’; the noun (late 16th cent.) is from Old French essai ‘trial’.

essayist /ˈɛseɪɪst/

noun

a person who writes essays, especially as a literary genre.

essayistic /ɛseɪˈɪstɪk/

adjective

characteristic of or used in essays.

• the overlap between essayistic and novelistic writing.

esse /ˈɛsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] essential nature or essence.

• two traditions, each of whose esse is opposition to the central tenets of the other.

See also in esse.

– origin Latin, ‘to be’ (used as a noun).

Essen /ˈɛs(ə)n/

an industrial city in the Ruhr valley, in NW Germany; pop. 583,200 (est. 2006).

essence /ˈɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, which determines its character

• conflict is the essence of drama.

2. [ count noun] — [Philosophy] a property or group of properties of something without which it would not exist or be what it is.

• Locke's scepticism about our ability to penetrate to the real essences of things.

3. an extract or concentrate obtained from a plant or other matter and used for flavouring or scent

• vanilla essence.

II. phrases

1. in essence

basically and without regard for peripheral details; fundamentally

• in detail the class system is complex but in essence it is simple.

2. of the essence

critically important

• time will be of the essence during negotiations.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin essentia, from esse ‘be’.

Essene /ˈɛsiːn/

I. noun

a member of an ancient Jewish ascetic sect of the period from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD in Palestine, who lived in highly organized groups and held property in common. The Essenes are widely regarded as the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

– origin from Latin Esseni (plural), from Greek Essēnoi, perhaps from Aramaic.

essential /ɪˈsɛnʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. absolutely necessary; extremely important
[with infinitive]

• it is essential to keep up-to-date records

• fibre is an essential ingredient of our diet.

2. [ attrib.] — fundamental or central to the nature of something or someone

• the essential weakness of the plaintiff's case.

3. (of an amino acid or fatty acid) required for normal growth but not synthesized in the body and therefore necessary in the diet.

4. [Medicine] (of a disease) with no known external stimulus or cause; idiopathic

• essential hypertension.

II. noun — (usu. essentials)

1. a thing that is absolutely necessary

• we only had the bare essentials in the way of equipment.

2. ( essentials) — the fundamental elements or characteristics of something

• he was quick to grasp the essentials of an opponent's argument.

III. derivatives

1. essentiality /ɪsɛnʃɪˈalɪti /

noun

2. essentialness

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘in the highest degree’): from late Latin essentialis, from Latin essentia (see essence).

essentialism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] a belief that things have a set of characteristics which make them what they are, and that the task of science and philosophy is their discovery and expression; the doctrine that essence is prior to existence.
Compare with existentialism.

2. [Philosophy] the view that all children should be taught on traditional lines the ideas and methods regarded as essential to the prevalent culture.

3. [Philosophy] the view that categories of people, such as women and men, or heterosexuals and homosexuals, or members of ethnic groups, have intrinsically different and characteristic natures or dispositions.

II. derivatives

essentialist

noun, adjective

essentially /ɪˈsɛnʃ(ə)li/

adverb

used to emphasize the basic, fundamental, or intrinsic nature of a person or thing
[ sentence adverb]

• essentially, they are amateurs.

essential oil

noun

a natural oil typically obtained by distillation and having the characteristic odour of the plant or other source from which it is extracted.

Essequibo /ˌɛsɪˈkiːbəʊ/

a river in Guyana, rising in the Guiana Highlands and flowing about 965 km (600 miles) northwards to the Atlantic.

Essex /ˈɛsɪks/

a county of SE England; county town, Chelmsford.

Essex girl

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› a brash, materialistic young woman of a type supposedly found in Essex or surrounding areas in the south-east of England.

est /ɛst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system for self-improvement aimed at developing a person's potential through intensive group awareness and training sessions.

– origin 1970s (originally US): acronym from Erhard Seminars Training, from the name of Werner Erhard (born 1935), the American businessman who devised the technique.

EST /iːɛsˈtiː/

abbreviation

Eastern Standard Time (see Eastern time).

est.

abbreviation

1. established.

2. estimated.

-est^1

I. suffix

forming the superlative of adjectives (such as shortest, widest), and of adverbs (such as soonest).

– origin Old English -ost-, -ust-, -ast-.

-est^2 -st

I. suffix

‹archaic› forming the second person singular of verbs

• canst

• goest.

– origin Old English -est, -ast, -st.

establish /ɪˈstablɪʃ, ɛˈstablɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. set up on a firm or permanent basis

• the scheme was established in 1975.

2. initiate or bring about (contact or communication)

• the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992.

3. achieve permanent acceptance or recognition for

• the principle of the supremacy of national parliaments needs to be firmly established

• he had established himself as a film star.

4. introduce (a character, set, or location) into a film or play and allow its identification

• establish the location with a wide shot.

5. show (something) to be true or certain by determining the facts
[with clause]

• the police established that the two passports were forgeries.

6. [Bridge] ensure that one's remaining cards in (a suit) will be winners (if not trumped) by playing off the high cards in that suit.

• the right plan would be to establish dummy's diamonds.

II. derivatives

establisher /ɪˈstablɪʃə, ɛˈstablɪʃə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (recorded earlier as stablish): from Old French establiss-, lengthened stem of establir, from Latin stabilire ‘make firm’, from stabilis (adjective) ‘stable’.

established /ɪˈstablɪʃt/

I. adjective

1. having existed or done something for a long time and therefore recognized and generally accepted

• the ceremony was an established event in the annual calendar

• an established artist.

2. (of a plant) having taken root; growing well.

• thick, established plants can be pruned by cutting out about one third of all stems.

3. (of a Church or religion) recognized by the state as the national Church or religion.

• America had no established Church.

II. phrases

the Established Church

the Church of England or of Scotland.

establishment /ɪˈstablɪʃm(ə)nt, ɛˈstablɪʃm(ə)nt/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of establishing something or being established

• the establishment of an independent government.

2. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› a marriage.

• her chief solicitude was to procure an affluent establishment for their daughter.

3. a business organization, public institution, or household

• hotels or catering establishments.

4. (usu. the Establishment) — a group in a society exercising power and influence over matters of policy, opinion, or taste, and seen as resisting change.

• he scandalized the Establishment of his day.

• [as modifier] she became an establishment figure.

5. [with adj. or noun modifier] — an influential group within a specified profession or area of activity

• rumblings of discontent among the medical establishment.

6. ( the Establishment or the Church Establishment) — the ecclesiastical system organized by law.

7. the Church of England or of Scotland.

establishmentarian /ɪˌstablɪʃm(ə)nˈtɛːrɪən/

I. adjective

adhering to, advocating, or relating to the principle of an established Church.

• establishmentarian politics.

II. noun

a person adhering to or advocating the principle of an established Church.

III. derivatives

establishmentarianism

noun

estafette /ɛstəˈfɛt/

I. noun

‹historical› a mounted courier

• an estafette was forwarded to the Lord Lieutenant, to inform him of the news.

– origin early 17th cent.: French, from Italian staffetta, diminutive of staffa ‘stirrup’.

estaminet /ɛˈstamɪneɪ, French ɛstamine/

I. noun

a small cafe selling alcoholic drinks.

– origin French, from Walloon staminé ‘byre’, from stamo ‘a pole for tethering a cow’, probably from German Stamm ‘stem’.

estancia /ɛˈstansɪə/

I. noun

a cattle ranch in Latin America or the southern US.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Spanish, literally ‘station’, from medieval Latin stantia, based on Latin stare ‘to stand’.

estate /ɪˈsteɪt, ɛˈsteɪt/

I. noun

1. an area or amount of land or property, in particular:

2. (Brit.) an area of land and modern buildings developed for residential, industrial, or commercial purposes.

3. an extensive area of land in the country, usually with a large house, owned by one person, family, or organization.

4. all the money and property owned by a particular person, especially at death

• in his will, he divided his estate between his wife and daughter.

5. a property where coffee, rubber, grapes, or other crops are cultivated.

• large coffee estates.

• L'Ormarin's wine estate.

6. (also estate of the realm) — a class or order regarded as forming part of the body politic, in particular (in Britain), one of the three groups constituting Parliament, now the Lords spiritual (the heads of the Church), the Lords temporal (the peerage), and the Commons. They are also known as the three estates.

• the unions are no longer an estate of the realm.

7. ‹dated› a particular class or category of people in society

• the spiritual welfare of all estates of men.

8. ‹archaic› ‹literary› a particular state, period, or condition in life

• programmes for the improvement of man's estate

• the holy estate of matrimony.

9. (Brit.) short for estate car.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘state or condition’): from Old French estat, from Latin status ‘state, condition’, from stare ‘to stand’.

estate agency

noun

1. (Brit.) a company or business that sells and rents out buildings and land for clients.

• I work in an estate agency.

2. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) the activity or profession of selling and renting out buildings and land for clients.

• the regulations apply to firms involved in surveying, valuing, and estate agency.

estate agent /ɛˈsteɪt ˌeɪdʒ(ə)nt/

noun

(Brit.) a person whose job involves selling and renting out buildings and land for clients.

estate car

noun

(Brit.) a car with a large carrying area behind the seats, accessed by a door at the rear.

estate duty

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹historical› a former death duty levied on property from 1889. It was replaced in 1975 by capital transfer tax and in 1986 by inheritance tax.

estate tax

noun

(US) another term for inheritance tax.

esteem /ɪˈstiːm, ɛˈstiːm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. respect and admiration

• he was held in high esteem by colleagues.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. respect and admire

• many of these qualities are esteemed by managers

• (as adj., with submodifier esteemed) a highly esteemed scholar.

2. ‹formal› consider; deem
[with two objs]

• I should esteem it a favour if you could speak to them.

– origin Middle English (as a noun in the sense ‘worth, reputation’): from Old French estime (noun), estimer (verb), from Latin aestimare ‘to estimate’. The verb was originally in the Latin sense, also ‘appraise’ (compare with estimate), used figuratively to mean ‘assess the merit of’. Current senses date from the 16th cent.

ester /ˈɛstə/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an organic compound made by replacing the hydrogen of an acid by an alkyl or other organic group. Many naturally occurring fats and essential oils are esters of fatty acids.

II. derivatives

esterify /ɛˈstɛrɪfʌɪ /

verb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German, probably from a blend of Essig ‘vinegar’ and Äther ‘ether’.

esterase /ˈɛstəreɪz/

noun

[Biochemistry] an enzyme which hydrolyses particular esters into acids and alcohols or phenols.
[with modifier]

• soybean esterase.

Esth.

abbreviation

Esther (in biblical references).

Esther /ˈɛstə/

I. (in the Bible) a woman chosen on account of her beauty by the Persian king Ahasuerus (generally supposed to be Xerxes I) to be his queen. She used her influence with him to save the Israelites in captivity from persecution.

II. a book of the Bible containing an account of events in the life of Esther; a part survives only in Greek and is included in the Apocrypha.

Estima /ɛˈstiːmə/

noun

a Dutch potato of a yellow-fleshed variety.

estimable /ˈɛstɪməb(ə)l/

I. adjective

worthy of great respect.

• she was shown into that estimable woman's presence.

II. derivatives

estimably

adverb

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘able to be estimated or appraised’; earlier in inestimable): via Old French from Latin aestimabilis, from aestimare ‘to estimate’.

estimate

I. verb — [with obj.] estimate /ˈɛstɪmeɪt /

1. roughly calculate or judge the value, number, quantity, or extent of

• the aim is to estimate the effects of macroeconomic policy on the economy

• [with clause] it is estimated that smoking causes 100,000 premature deaths every year

• (as adj. estimated) an estimated cost of $1,000 million.

II. noun — estimate /ˈɛstɪmət /

1. an approximate calculation or judgement of the value, number, quantity, or extent of something

• at a rough estimate, staff are recycling a quarter of paper used.

2. a written statement indicating the likely price that will be charged for specified work or repairs.

• compare costs by getting estimates from at least two firms.

3. a judgement of the worth or character of someone or something

• his high estimate of the poem.

III. derivatives

estimative /ˈɛstɪmətɪv /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin aestimat- ‘determined, appraised’, from the verb aestimare. The noun originally meant ‘intellectual ability, comprehension’ (only in late Middle English), later ‘valuing, a valuation’ (compare with estimation). The verb originally meant ‘to think well or badly of someone or something’ (late 15th cent.), later ‘regard as being, consider to be’ (compare with esteem).

estimation /ɛstɪˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a rough calculation of the value, number, quantity, or extent of something

• estimations of protein concentrations.

2. [usu. in sing.] — a judgement of the worth or character of someone or something

• the pop star rose in my estimation.

– origin late Middle English (originally in the sense ‘comprehension, intuition’, also ‘valuing, a valuation’): from Latin aestimatio(n-), from aestimare ‘determine, appraise’ (see estimate).

estimator /ˈɛstɪmeɪtə/

noun

1. [Statistics] a rule, method, or criterion for arriving at an estimate of the value of a parameter.

2. [Statistics] a quantity used or evaluated as an estimate of the value of a parameter.

3. [Statistics] a person who estimates the price, value, number, quantity, or extent of something.

estoile /ɪˈstɔɪl, ɛˈstɔɪl/

I. noun

[Heraldry] a star with wavy points or rays, usually six in number.

– origin late 16th cent.: via Old French from Latin stella ‘star’.

Estonia /ɪˈstəʊnɪə/

I. a Baltic country on the south coast of the Gulf of Finland; pop. 1,299,400 (est. 2009); languages, Estonian (official), Russian; capital, Tallinn.

Previously ruled by the Teutonic Knights and then by Sweden, Estonia was ceded to Russia in 1721. It was proclaimed an independent republic in 1918 but was annexed by the USSR in 1940 as a constituent republic, the Estonian SSR. With the break-up of the Soviet Union Estonia regained its independence in 1991.

Estonian /ɪˈstəʊnɪən, ɛˈstəʊnɪən/

I. adjective

relating to Estonia or its people or their language.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Estonia, or a person of Estonian descent.

2. [ mass noun] — the Finno-Ugric language of Estonia, which is closely related to Finnish and is spoken by about a million people.

estop /ɪˈstɒp/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. be estopped from)

1. [Law] bar or preclude by estoppel.

• the company may be estopped from denying either statement.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘stop up, dam, plug’): from Old French estopper ‘stop up, impede’, from late Latin stuppare, from Latin stuppa ‘tow, oakum’. Compare with stop and stuff.

estoppel /ɪˈstɒp(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the principle which precludes a person from asserting something contrary to what is implied by a previous action or statement of that person or by a previous pertinent judicial determination.

• the case had been one of estoppel.

• [ count noun] that fact is not sufficient to raise an estoppel.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French estouppail ‘bung’, from estopper (see estop).

Estoril /ˌɛʃtəˈrɪl/

a resort on the Atlantic coast of Portugal; pop. 24,000 (est. 2009).

estovers /ɪˈstəʊvəz, ɛˈstəʊvəz/

I. plural noun — (usu. common/right of estovers)

1. (Brit.) ‹chiefly historical› the right to take wood from land one does not own, especially land of which one is the tenant or lessee.

• they exercised their rights of common and estovers of dead and dry wood in the forest.

– origin late 15th cent.: plural of Anglo-Norman French estover, noun use of a verb meaning ‘be necessary’, based on Latin est opus ‘it is necessary’.

estrange /ɪˈstreɪn(d)ʒ, ɛˈstreɪn(d)ʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to be no longer on friendly terms with someone

• he became estranged from his father.

2. (as adj. estranged) — (of a wife or husband) no longer living with their spouse

• his estranged wife.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French estranger, from Latin extraneare ‘treat as a stranger’, from extraneus ‘not belonging to the family’, used as a noun to mean ‘stranger’. Compare with strange.

estrangement /ɪˈstreɪn(d)ʒm(ə)nt, ɛˈstreɪn(d)ʒm(ə)nt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact of no longer being on friendly terms or part of a social group

• the growing estrangement of the police from their communities.

2. the fact of no longer living with one's spouse or partner; separation.

• a parent's rights in the event of divorce or estrangement.

estreat /ɪˈstriːt, ɛˈstriːt / ‹Law chiefly historical›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. enforce the forfeit of (a surety for bail or other recognizance).

• the Court may order the recognizance to be estreated.

II. noun

a copy of a court record for use in the enforcement of a fine or forfeiture of a recognizance.

• new calendars were introduced to record estreats.

III. derivatives

estreatment

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French estraite, feminine past participle of estraire, from Latin extrahere ‘draw out’ (see extract).

Estremadura /ˌɛʃtrəməˈdʊərə/

a coastal region and former province of west central Portugal.

estuary /ˈɛstjʊ(ə)ri/

I. noun

the tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide meets the stream.

II. derivatives

1. estuarial

adjective

2. estuarine /ˈɛstjʊ(ə)rʌɪn /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a tidal inlet of any size): from Latin aestuarium ‘tidal part of a shore’, from aestus ‘tide’.

Estuary English

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the UK) a type of accent identified as spreading outwards from London and containing features of both received pronunciation and London speech.

• the upper-class young already talk Estuary English.

estufa /ɛˈstuːfə/

I. noun

1. a heated chamber in which Madeira wine is stored and matured.

2. (US) an underground chamber in which a fire is kept permanently alight, used as a place of assembly by Pueblo Indians.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Spanish, probably based on Greek tuphos ‘steam or smoke’.

e.s.u.

abbreviation

electrostatic unit(s).

esurient /ɪˈsjʊərɪənt, ɛˈsjʊərɪənt/

I. adjective

‹archaic› ‹humorous› hungry or greedy.

II. derivatives

esuriently

adverb

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin esurient- ‘being hungry’, from the verb esurire, from esse ‘eat’.

Esztergom /ˈɛstəɡɒm/

a town and river port on the Danube in Hungary; pop. 30,928 (2009).

ET

abbreviation

1. (in North America) Eastern time.

2. Egypt (international vehicle registration).

3. extraterrestrial.

-et^1

I. suffix

forming nouns which were originally diminutives

• baronet

• hatchet

• tablet.

– origin from Old French -et, -ete.

-et^2 -ete

I. suffix

forming nouns such as comet, and often denoting people

• athlete

• poet.

– origin from Greek -ētēs.

eta /ˈiːtə/

I. noun

1. the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet ( Η, η), transliterated as ‘e’ or ‘ē’.

2. ( Eta) [followed by Latin genitive] — [Astronomy] the seventh star in a constellation

• Eta Carinae.

– origin from Greek ēta.

ETA^1 /ˌiːtiːˈeɪ/

abbreviation

estimated time of arrival, in particular the time at which an aircraft or ship is expected to arrive at its destination.

ETA^2 /ˈɛtə/

I. a Basque separatist movement in Spain, founded in 1959, which is waging a terrorist campaign for an independent Basque state.

– origin Basque acronym, from Euzkadi ta Azkatasuna ‘Basque homeland and liberty’.

etagere /ˌɛtəˈʒɛː / étagère /ɛtəˈʒɛː/

I. noun

a piece of furniture with open shelves for displaying ornaments.

– origin French étagère, from étage ‘shelf’.

e-tailer /ˈiːteɪlə/

I. noun — ( in the US)

1. ‹trademark› a retailer selling goods via electronic transactions on the Internet.

– origin 1990s: blend of e-2 and retailer.

et al. /ɛt ˈal/

I. abbreviation

and others (used especially in referring to academic books or articles that have more than one author)

• the conclusions of Gardner et al.

– origin from Latin et alii.

etalon /ˈɛtəlɒn/

I. noun

[Physics] a device consisting of two reflecting glass plates, employed for measuring small differences in the wavelength of light using the interference it produces.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French étalon, literally ‘standard of measurement’.

ETB

abbreviation

Ethiopian birr(s).

etc. /ɛtˈsɛtərə / &c.

adverb

short for et cetera.

et cetera /ɛt ˈsɛt(ə)rə / etcetera

I. adverb

1. used at the end of a list to indicate that further, similar items are included

• we're trying to resolve problems of obtaining equipment, drugs, et cetera.

2. indicating that a list is too tedious or clichéd to give in full

• we've all got to do our duty, pull our weight, et cetera, et cetera.

– origin Latin, from et ‘and’ and cetera ‘the rest’ (neuter plural of ceterus ‘left over’). / usage: A common mispronunciation of et cetera involves replacing the t in et with a k. This follows a process known as assimilation by which sounds become easier for the speaker to articulate.

etceteras /ɛtˈsɛtərəːs/

plural noun

unspecified or typical extra items

• she began to pack her compact, comb, and other etceteras.

etch /ɛtʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. engrave (metal, glass, or stone) by coating it with a protective layer, drawing on it with a needle, and then covering it with acid to attack the parts the needle has exposed, especially in order to produce prints from it
(as adj. etched)

• etched glass windows.

2. use the etching process to produce (a print or design).

• the gallery has 12,000 prints engraved and etched by celebrated masters.

• the image is etched into the metal plate.

3. (of an acid or other solvent) corrode or eat away the surface of (something).

• caustic soda etches glass.

• tiny droplets in the glaze emulsion were etched away by acid.

4. selectively dissolve the surface of (a semiconductor or printed circuit) with a solvent, laser, or stream of electrons.

• ballistic electron emission microscopy is used to etch templates for even smaller circuits.

5. cut or carve (a text or design) on a surface

• her initials were etched on the table flap.

6. mark (a surface) with a carved text or design

• a Pictish stone etched with mysterious designs

• ‹figurative› her face was etched with tiredness.

7. cause to stand out or be clearly defined or visible

• the outline of the town was etched against the sky.

8. ( be etched) — (of an experience, image, etc.) be permanently fixed in someone's memory

• the events remain etched in the minds of all who witnessed them.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of etching something.

• semiconductor production processes such as plasma etch.

• [ count noun] acetic acid gives a more selective etch.

III. derivatives

etcher /ˈɛtʃə /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Dutch etsen, from German ätzen, from a base meaning ‘cause to eat’; related to eat.

etchant /ˈɛtʃ(ə)nt/

noun

an acid or corrosive chemical used in etching; a mordant.

etching /ˈɛtʃɪŋ/

noun

1. a print produced by the process of etching

• etchings of animals and wildflowers.

2. [ mass noun] — the art or process of producing etched plates or objects.

• the artist dispensed with the medium of etching.

• a dozen cycles of etching interspersed with the implantation of ions.

-ete

suffix

variant spelling of -et^2 (as in athlete).

eternal /ɪˈtəːn(ə)l, iːˈtəːn(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. lasting or existing forever; without end

• the secret of eternal youth

• fear of eternal damnation.

2. (of truths, values, or questions) valid for all time; essentially unchanging

• eternal truths of art and life.

3. ‹informal› seeming to last or persist forever, especially on account of being tedious or annoying

• eternal nagging demands

• she is an eternal optimist.

4. used to emphasize expressions of admiration, gratitude, etc.

• to his eternal credit, he maintained his dignity throughout.

5. ( the Eternal) — used to refer to an everlasting or universal spirit, as represented by God.

• a man entirely under the sway of the Eternal and not of the material.

II. phrases

1. the Eternal City

a name for the city of Rome.

2. eternal life

[Christian Theology] spiritual existence after death of the body.

• the belief in eternal life.

3. eternal triangle /ɪˌtəːn(ə)l ˈtrʌɪaŋɡl, iːˌtəːn(ə)l ˈtrʌɪaŋɡl /

see triangle (sense 2).

III. derivatives

1. eternality /ɪˌtəːˈnalɪti, iːˌtəːˈnalɪti /

noun

2. eternalize /ɪˈtəːnəlʌɪz, iːˈtəːnəlʌɪz / eternalise

verb

3. eternalness

noun

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin aeternalis, from Latin aeternus, from aevum ‘age’.

eternally /ɪˈtəːn(ə)li, iˈtəːn(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a way that continues or lasts forever; permanently
[as submodifier]

• his eternally optimistic attitude.

• we must be eternally vigilant.

2. ‹informal› in an annoying or tedious way that seems to last forever; constantly

• he was prattling on eternally.

3. [as submodifier] — used to emphasize expressions of admiration, gratitude, etc.

• I shall be eternally grateful.

eternity /ɪˈtəːnɪti, iːˈtəːnɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. infinite or unending time

• their love was sealed for eternity

• this state of affairs has lasted for all eternity.

2. a state to which time has no application; timelessness.

• the encounter between time and eternity.

• symbolic inklings of eternity.

3. [Theology] endless life after death

• immortal souls destined for eternity.

4. used euphemistically to refer to death

• he could have crashed the car and taken them both to eternity.

5. ( an eternity) — ‹informal› a period of time that seems very long, especially on account of being tedious or annoying

• a silence that lasted an eternity.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French eternite, from Latin aeternitas, from aeternus ‘without beginning or end’ (see eternal).

eternity ring

noun

a ring given as a symbol of lasting affection, typically set with an unbroken circle of gems.

• a gold and diamond eternity ring.

eternize /ɪˈtəːnʌɪz, iːˈtəːnʌɪz / eternise

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› make eternal; cause to live or last forever.

Etesian wind /ɪˈtiːʒɪən, ɪˈtiːz-, ɪˈtiːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

another term for meltemi.

– origin early 17th cent.: Etesian from Latin etesius ‘annual’ (from Greek etēsios, from etos ‘year’) + -an.

ETF

noun

short for exchange-traded fund:

• investments in ETFs have not fallen.

eth /ɛð / edh

I. noun

an Old English letter, ð or Ð, representing the dental fricatives /ð/ and . It was superseded by the digraph th, but is now used as a phonetic symbol for the voiced dental fricative /ð/.
Compare with thorn (sense 3).

– origin from Danish edh, perhaps representing the sound of the letter.

ETH

abbreviation

Ethiopia (international vehicle registration).

-eth^1

suffix

variant spelling of -th^1 (as in fiftieth).

-eth^2 -th

I. suffix

‹archaic› forming the third person singular of the present tense of verbs

• doeth

• saith.

– origin Old English -eth, -ath, -th.

ethacrynic acid /ˌɛθəˈkrɪnɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a powerful diuretic drug used in the treatment of fluid retention, especially that associated with heart, liver, and kidney disorders.
●Alternative name: 2,3-dichloro-4-(2-ethylacryloyl)phenoxy)acetic acid; chem. formula: C_13H_12Cl_2O_4.

– origin 1960s: ethacrynic from elements of the systematic name (see above).

ethambutol /ɛˈθambjʊtɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic compound with bacteriostatic properties, used in combination with other drugs in the treatment of tuberculosis.
●A derivative of ethylenediamine; chem. formula: C_10H_24N_2O_2.

– origin 1960s: from eth(yl) + am(ine) + but(an)ol.

ethanal /ˈɛθ(ə)nal/

I. noun

systematic chemical name for acetaldehyde.

– origin late 19th cent.: blend of ethane and aldehyde.

ethanamide /ɪˈθanəmʌɪd/

noun

systematic chemical name for acetamide.

ethane /ˈiːθeɪn, ˈɛθeɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless, odourless, flammable gas which is a constituent of petroleum and natural gas. It is the second member of the alkane series.
●Chem. formula: C_2H_6.

– origin late 19th cent.: from ether + -ane^2.

ethanediol /ˈiːθeɪnˌdʌɪɒl, ˈɛθeɪnˌdʌɪɒl/

noun

systematic chemical name for ethylene glycol.

ethanoic acid /ˌɛθəˈnəʊɪk/

noun

systematic chemical name for acetic acid.

ethanol /ˈɛθənɒl/

I. noun

a colourless volatile flammable liquid which is produced by the natural fermentation of sugars; alcohol

• yeast used in making beer metabolizes the sugar into ethanol

• hybrid cars powered by ethanol and petrol are now outselling traditional petrol-engined vehicles in the country.

– origin early 20th cent.: blend of ethane and alcohol.

Ethelred /ˈɛθəlrɛd/

I. the name of two English kings:

II. Ethelred I (d.871), king of Wessex and Kent 865–71, elder brother of Alfred. His reign was marked by the continuing struggle against the invading Danes. Alfred joined Ethelred's campaigns and succeeded him on his death.

III. Ethelred II ( c. 969–1016), king of England 978–1016; known as Ethelred the Unready. Ethelred's inability to confront the Danes after he succeeded his murdered half-brother St Edward the Martyr led to his payment of tribute to prevent their attacks. In 1013 he briefly lost his throne to the Danish king Sweyn I.
[ Unready, later form of obsolete unredy ‘badly advised’.]

ethene /ˈɛθiːn/

I. noun

systematic chemical name for ethylene.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from ether + -ene.

ether /ˈiːθə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a pleasant-smelling colourless volatile liquid that is highly flammable. It is used as an anaesthetic and as a solvent or intermediate in industrial processes.
●Alternative names: diethyl ether, ethoxyethane; chem. formula: C_2H_5OC_2H_5.

2. [ count noun] — any organic compound with a similar structure to ether, having an oxygen atom linking two alkyl or other organic groups

• methyl t -butyl ether.

3. (also aether) — ‹chiefly literary› the clear sky; the upper regions of air beyond the clouds

• nasty gases and smoke disperse into the ether.

4. ( the ether) — ‹informal› air regarded as a medium for radio

• choral evensong still wafts across the ether.

5. (also aether) — [Physics] ‹archaic› a very rarefied and highly elastic substance formerly believed to permeate all space, including the interstices between the particles of matter, and to be the medium whose vibrations constituted light and other electromagnetic radiation.

• the motion of the planets would be retarded by the ether through which they moved.

II. derivatives

etheric /iːˈθɛrɪk, ˈiːθ(ə)rɪk /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or via Latin from Greek aithēr ‘upper air’, from the base of aithein ‘burn, shine’. Originally the word denoted a substance believed to occupy space beyond the sphere of the moon. Sense 3 arose in the mid 17th cent. and sense 1 in the mid 18th cent.

ethereal /ɪˈθɪərɪəl / etherial

I. adjective

1. extremely delicate and light in a way that seems not to be of this world

• her ethereal beauty.

2. heavenly or spiritual

• ethereal, otherworldly visions.

3. [Chemistry] (of a solution) having diethyl ether as a solvent.

• sodium is dissolved in ethereal solutions of aromatic ketones.

II. derivatives

1. ethereality /ɪθɪərɪˈalɪti /

noun

2. etherealize /ɪˈθɪərɪəlʌɪz / etherealise

verb

3. ethereally

adverb

– origin early 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek aitherios (from aithēr ‘ether’) + -al.

etherize /ˈiːθ(ə)rʌɪz / etherise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹chiefly historical› anaesthetize (a person or animal) with ether.

• the blood samples were obtained from a pair of etherized frogs.

• ‹figurative› I read it, feeling faintly etherized.

II. derivatives

etherization /iːθ(ə)rʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

Ethernet /ˈiːθənɛt/

I. noun

[Computing] a system for connecting a number of computer systems to form a local area network, with protocols to control the passing of information and to avoid simultaneous transmission by two or more systems.

– origin 1970s: blend of ether and network.

etheromaniac /ˌiːθ(ə)rə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪak/

noun

‹dated› a person addicted to the use of ether as a drug.

ethic /ˈɛθɪk/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a set of moral principles, especially ones relating to or affirming a specified group, field, or form of conduct

• the puritan ethic was being replaced by the hedonist ethic.

II. adjective

‹rare› relating to moral principles or the branch of knowledge dealing with these.

• the ethic question is of wider import.

– origin late Middle English (denoting ethics or moral philosophy; also used attributively): from Old French éthique, from Latin ethice, from Greek (hē) ēthikē (tekhnē) ‘(the science of) morals’, based on ēthos (see ethos).

ethical /ˈɛθɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to moral principles or the branch of knowledge dealing with these

• ethical issues in nursing

• ethical standards.

2. morally good or correct

• can a profitable business ever be ethical?

3. avoiding activities or organizations that do harm to people or the environment

• an expert on ethical investment

• switching to more ethical products

• adopt ethical shopping habits

• ethical holidays.

4. [ attrib.] — (of a medicine) legally available only on a doctor's prescription and usually not advertised to the general public.

• all types of drugs, including ethical drugs and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals.

II. derivatives

ethicality /ɛθɪˈkalɪti /

noun

ethical hacker

I. noun

a person who hacks into a computer network in order to test or evaluate its security, rather than with malicious or criminal intent

• ethical hackers are becoming a mainstay of the effort to make corporate networks more secure.

II. derivatives

ethical hacking

noun

ethically /ˈɛθɪkli/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to moral principles

• to be spiritual may be interpreted both ethically and religiously

• [as submodifier] MPs accused of ethically questionable behaviour.

2. in a morally good or correct manner

• we will act ethically in our relations with the public.

3. in a way that avoids activities or organizations that do harm to people or the environment

• she was keen to see her money invested ethically

• ethically produced T-shirts.

ethicize /ˈɛθɪsʌɪz / ethicise

verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) ethical

• ethicizing the struggle.

ethics /ˈɛθɪks/

I. plural noun

1. [usu. treated as pl.] — moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity

• medical ethics also enter into the question.

2.
a. [usu. treated as sing.] — the branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles.

• neither metaphysics nor ethics is the home of religion.

Schools of ethics in Western philosophy can be divided, very roughly, into three sorts. The first, drawing on the work of Aristotle, holds that the virtues (such as justice, charity, and generosity) are dispositions to act in ways that benefit both the person possessing them and that person's society. The second, defended particularly by Kant, makes the concept of duty central to morality: humans are bound, from a knowledge of their duty as rational beings, to obey the categorical imperative to respect other rational beings. Thirdly, utilitarianism asserts that the guiding principle of conduct should be the greatest happiness or benefit of the greatest number.

II. derivatives

ethicist

noun

ethidium bromide /ɛˈθɪdɪəm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a purple synthetic dye used in the treatment of trypanosome blood infection, to stain DNA, and to destroy the superhelical structure of DNA. It is a derivative of phenanthridine.

Ethiopia /ˌiːθɪˈəʊpɪə/

I. a country in NE Africa, on the Red Sea; pop. 85,237,300 (est. 2009); languages, Amharic (official), several other Afro-Asiatic languages; capital, Addis Ababa.
Former name Abyssinia.

Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, having a recorded civilization that dates from the 2nd millennium BC. Little known to Europeans until the late 19th century, it was invaded and conquered by Italy in 1935. The emperor Haile Selassie was restored by the British in 1941 and ruled until overthrown in a Marxist coup in 1974. The subsequent period was marked by civil war, fighting against separatist guerrillas in Eritrea and Tigray, and by repeated famines; after the fall of the government in 1991 a multiparty system was adopted. / – origin via Latin from Greek Aethiops, from aithein ‘to burn’ + ōps ‘the face’.

Ethiopian /iːθɪˈəʊpɪən/

I. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Ethiopia, or a person of Ethiopian descent.

2. ‹archaic› a black person.

II. adjective

1. relating to Ethiopia or its people.

2. [Zoology] relating to or denoting a zoogeographical region comprising Africa south of the Sahara, together with the tropical part of the Arabian peninsula and (usually) Madagascar. Distinctive animals include the giraffes, hippopotamuses, aardvark, elephant shrews, tenrecs, and lemurs.
Also called Afrotropical.

Ethiopic /ˌiːθɪˈɒpɪk/

I. noun

another term for Ge'ez.

II. adjective

in or relating to Ge'ez.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as an adjective): via Latin from Greek aithiopikos, from Aethiops (see Ethiopia).

ethmoid /ˈɛθmɔɪd / ethmoid bone

I. noun

[Anatomy] a square bone at the root of the nose, forming part of the cranium, and having many perforations through which the olfactory nerves pass to the nose.
[as modifier]

• ossification in the ethmoid region.

II. derivatives

ethmoidal

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Greek ēthmoeidēs, from ēthmos ‘a sieve’.

ethnarch /ˈɛθnɑːk/

I. noun

‹historical› the ruler of a nation or people

• the ethnarch of Judea.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek ethnarkhēs, from ethnos ‘nation’ + arkhēs ‘ruling’.

ethnic /ˈɛθnɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to a population subgroup (within a larger or dominant national or cultural group) with a common national or cultural tradition

• ethnic and cultural rights and traditions

• leaders of ethnic communities.

2. relating to national and cultural origins

• pupils from a wide variety of ethnic origins.

3. denoting origin by birth or descent rather than by present nationality

• ethnic Indian populations.

4. characteristic of or belonging to a non-Western cultural tradition

• ethnic jewellery

• folk and ethnic music.

5. ‹archaic› neither Christian nor Jewish; pagan or heathen.

II. noun

‹dated› ‹offensive› a member of an ethnic minority.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a person not of the Christian or Jewish faith): via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek ethnikos ‘heathen’, from ethnos ‘nation’. Current senses date from the 19th cent. / usage: Ethnic is sometimes used in a euphemistic way to refer to non-white people as a whole, as in a radio station which broadcasts to the ethnic community in Birmingham. Although this usage is quite common, especially in journalism, it is better expressed by more accurate terms such as ‘black’, ‘Asian’, etc. Use of the word as a noun is often regarded as offensive, especially in British English, and is best avoided.

ethnically /ˈɛθnɪkli/

adverb

with reference to birth, origins, or cultural background

• a racially and ethnically diverse society.

ethnic cleansing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the mass expulsion or killing of members of one ethnic or religious group in an area by those of another.

ethnic group

noun

a community or population made up of people who share a common cultural background or descent

• the largest of six ethnic groups inhabiting the area of northern Sumatra.

ethnicity /ɛθˈnɪsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition

• the interrelationship between gender, ethnicity, and class

• [ count noun] the diverse experience of women of different ethnicities.

ethnic minority

noun

a group within a community which has different national or cultural traditions from the main population.

ethno- /ˈɛθnəʊ/

I. combining form

ethnic; ethnological

• ethnocentric

• ethnology.

– origin from Greek ethnos ‘nation’.

ethnoarchaeology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the social organization and other ethnological features of present-day societies on the basis of their material culture, in order to draw conclusions about past societies from their material remains.

II. derivatives

1. ethnoarchaeological

adjective

2. ethnoarchaeologist

noun

ethnobotany

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the scientific study of the traditional knowledge and customs of a people concerning plants and their medical, religious, and other uses.

II. derivatives

1. ethnobotanic

adjective

2. ethnobotanical

adjective

3. ethnobotanist

noun

ethnocentric /ˌɛθnə(ʊ)ˈsɛntrɪk/

I. adjective

evaluating other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture.

II. derivatives

1. ethnocentrically

adverb

2. ethnocentricity

noun

ethnocentrism /ˌɛθnə(ʊ)ˈsɛntrɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture.

II. derivatives

ethnocentrist

adjective, noun

ethnocide /ˈɛθnə(ʊ)sʌɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the deliberate and systematic destruction of the culture of an ethnic group.

• ethnocide is being carried out against the indigenous people by the destruction of our way of life.

ethnocultural

adjective

relating to or denoting a particular ethnic group.

• in 1945 the French and English were still the dominant ethnocultural groups in Canada.

ethnogenesis /ˌɛθnə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

noun

the formation or emergence of an ethnic group.

• attempts to reconstruct the ethnogenesis of the peoples of Siberia.

ethnographic /ɛθnəˈɡrafɪk / ethnographical

I. adjective

relating to the scientific description of peoples and cultures with their customs, habits, and mutual differences

• ethnographic research in European border communities.

II. derivatives

ethnographically

adverb

ethnography /ɛθˈnɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the scientific description of peoples and cultures with their customs, habits, and mutual differences.

II. derivatives

ethnographer /ɛθˈnɒɡrəfə /

noun

ethnohistory

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of anthropology concerned with the history of peoples and cultures, especially non-Western ones.

• experts on Minoan ethnohistory.

II. derivatives

1. ethnohistorian

noun

2. ethnohistoric

adjective

3. ethnohistorical

adjective

ethnolinguistics /ˌɛθnəʊlɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the branch of linguistics concerned with the relations between linguistic and cultural behaviour.

II. derivatives

ethnolinguist

noun

ethnology /ɛθˈnɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the characteristics of different peoples and the differences and relationships between them.

II. derivatives

1. ethnologic /ɛθnəˈlɒdʒɪk /

adjective

2. ethnological /ɛθnəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

3. ethnologically

adverb

4. ethnologist /ɛθˈnɒlədʒɪst /

noun

ethnomethodology /ˌɛθnəʊˌmɛθəˈdɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a method of sociological analysis that examines how individuals use everyday conversation to construct a common-sense view of the world.

II. derivatives

1. ethnomethodological

adjective

2. ethnomethodologist

noun

ethnomusicology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the music of different cultures, especially non-Western ones.

II. derivatives

1. ethnomusicologic

adjective

2. ethnomusicological

adjective

3. ethnomusicologist

noun

ethnoscience

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the different ways the world is perceived and categorized in different cultures.

ethogram /ˈiːθəɡram/

I. noun

[Zoology] a catalogue or table of all the different kinds of behaviour or activity observed in an animal.

– origin 1930s: from Greek ēthos ‘nature, disposition’ + -gram^1.

ethology /iːˈθɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the science of animal behaviour.

2. the study of human behaviour and social organization from a biological perspective.

II. derivatives

1. ethological /iːθəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l /

adjective

2. ethologist /iːθˈɒlədʒɪst /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: via Latin from Greek ēthologia, from ēthos (see ethos).

ethos /ˈiːθɒs/

I. noun

the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its attitudes and aspirations

• a challenge to the ethos of the 1960s.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin, from Greek ēthos ‘nature, disposition’, (plural) ‘customs’.

ethoxyethane /iːˌθɒksɪˈiːθeɪn/

noun

systematic chemical name for diethyl ether (see ether (sense 1)).

ethyl /ˈɛθʌɪl, ˈɛθɪl, ˈiːθʌɪl, ˈiːθɪl/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Chemistry] of or denoting the hydrocarbon radical —C_2H_5, derived from ethane and present in many organic compounds

• ethyl acetate

• an ethyl group.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German, from Äther ‘ether’ + -yl.

ethyl acetate

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless volatile liquid with a fruity smell, used as a plastics solvent and in flavourings and perfumes.
●Chem. formula: CH_3COOC_2H_5.

ethyl alcohol

noun

another term for ethanol.

ethylbenzene

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless flammable liquid hydrocarbon, used in the manufacture of styrene.
●Chem. formula: C_6H_5C_2H_5.

ethylene /ˈɛθɪliːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a flammable hydrocarbon gas of the alkene series, occurring in natural gas, coal gas, and crude oil and given off by ripening fruit. It is used in chemical synthesis, especially in the manufacture of polythene.
●Alternative name: ethene; chem. formula: C_2H_4.

ethylenediamine /ˌɛθɪliːndʌɪˈeɪmiːn, ˌɛθɪliːndʌɪˈamiːn, ˌɛθɪliːnˈdʌɪəmiːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a viscous liquid used in making detergents and emulsifying agents.
●Chem. formula: NH_2CH_2CH_2NH_2.

ethylene glycol

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless viscous hygroscopic liquid used as an antifreeze, in the manufacture of polyesters, and in the preservation of ancient waterlogged timbers.
●Alternative name: ethanediol; chem. formula: CH_2(OH)CH_2OH.

ethylene oxide

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a flammable toxic gas used as an intermediate and fumigant.
●An epoxide; chem. formula: (CH_2)2O.

ethyne /ˈiːθʌɪn, ˈɛθʌɪn/

noun

systematic chemical name for acetylene.

etic /ˈɛtɪk/

I. adjective

[Anthropology] studying or describing a particular language or culture in a way that is general, non-structural, and objective in its perspective.

• is there a valid cross-cultural etic definition of violence?

Often contrasted with emic.

– origin 1950s: abstracted from phonetic.

-etic

I. suffix

forming adjectives and nouns such as pathetic, peripatetic.

– origin from Greek -ĕtikos or -ētikos.

e-ticket

noun — ( in the US)

1. ‹trademark› a right to travel or attend an event that is recorded electronically when the purchase is made, without the issuing of a paper ticket.

etiolate /ˈiːtɪəleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a plant) pale through lack of light

• the seedling had been etiolated by having been grown in darkness.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French étioler, from Norman French étieuler ‘grow into haulm’: see -ate^3.

etiolated /ˈiːtɪəˌleɪtɪd/

I. adjective

1. (of a plant) pale and drawn out due to a lack of light.

• etiolated leaf segments.

• the girl might have grown etiolated and bland like grass under stone.

2. having lost vigour or substance; feeble

• a tone of etiolated nostalgia.

II. derivatives

etiolation /iːtɪəˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from etiolate + -ed^2.

etiquette /ˈɛtɪkɛt, ɛtɪˈkɛt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group.

• the rules of etiquette are changing.

• [with modifier] court etiquette was now familiar to Joan.

• [as modifier] etiquette books.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French étiquette ‘list of ceremonial observances of a court’, also ‘label, etiquette’, from Old French estiquette (see ticket).

Etna, Mount /ˈɛtnə/

a volcano in eastern Sicily, rising to 3,323 m (10,902 ft). It is the highest and most active volcano in Europe.

Eton /ˈiːt(ə)n / Eton College

a boys' public school in southern England, on the River Thames opposite Windsor, founded in 1440 by Henry VI to prepare scholars for King's College, Cambridge.

Eton collar /ˈiːt(ə)n/

noun

a broad, stiff white collar worn outside the coat collar, especially with an Eton jacket.

Eton crop

noun

a short hairstyle worn by women in the 1920s.

• my mother had the first Eton crop.

Etonian /iːˈtəʊnɪən/

I. noun

a past or present member of Eton College

• an Old Etonian.

II. adjective

relating to or typical of Eton College.

• he is in many ways anti-establishment, irritated by Etonian complacency.

Eton jacket /ˈiːt(ə)n/

noun

a short jacket reaching only to the waist, typically black and having a point at the back, formerly worn by pupils of Eton College.

Eton mess

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (chiefly Brit.) a dessert consisting of a rough mixture of whipped cream, pieces of meringue, and fruit, typically strawberries.

Etosha Pan /ɪˈtɒʃə/

a depression in the plateau of northern Namibia, filled with salt water and having no outlets, extending over an area of 4,800 sq. km (1,854 sq. miles).

étouffée /ˌeɪtuːˈfeɪ/

noun

(US) a spicy Cajun stew made with vegetables and seafood.

etrier /ˈeɪtrɪeɪ/

I. noun

[Climbing] a short rope ladder with a few rungs of wood or metal.

– origin 1950s: from French étrier ‘stirrup’.

Etruria /ɪˈtrʊərɪə/

an ancient state of central Italy, situated between the Rivers Arno and Tiber and corresponding approximately to modern Tuscany and parts of Umbria. It was the centre of the Etruscan civilization.

Etrurian /ɪˈtrʊərɪən/

adjective, noun

another term for Etruscan.

Etruscan /ɪˈtrʌsk(ə)n/

I. adjective

relating to ancient Etruria, its people, or their language. The Etruscan civilization was at its height c. 500 BC and was an important influence on the Romans, who had subdued the Etruscans by the end of the 3rd century BC.

II. noun

1. a native of ancient Etruria.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of ancient Etruria, which was written in an alphabet derived from Greek but is not related to any known language.

– origin from Latin Etruscus + -an.

et seq. et seqq.

I. adverb

and what follows (used in page references)

• see volume 35, p. 329 et seq.

– origin from Latin et sequens ‘and the following’, or from et sequentes, et sequentia ‘and the following things’.

-ette

I. suffix

1. forming nouns:

2. denoting relatively small size

• kitchenette.

3. denoting an imitation or substitute

• flannelette.

4. denoting female gender

• suffragette.

– origin from Old French -ette, feminine of -et^1. / usage: The use of -ette as a feminine suffix for forming new words is relatively recent: it was first recorded in the word suffragette at the beginning of the 20th century and has since been used to form only a handful of well-established words, including usherette and drum majorette, for example. In the modern context, where the tendency is to use words which are neutral in gender, the suffix -ette is not very productive and new words formed using it tend to be restricted to the deliberately flippant or humorous, as, for example, ladette and punkette.

étude /ˈeɪtjuːd, eɪˈtjuːd/

I. noun

a short musical composition, typically for one instrument, designed as an exercise to improve the technique or demonstrate the skill of the player.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘study’.

etui /ɛˈtwiː/

I. noun

‹dated› a small ornamental case for holding needles, cosmetics, and other articles.
[as modifier]

• exquisite etui cases fitted with scissors, bodkin, and thimble.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French étui, from Old French estui ‘prison’, from estuier ‘shut up, keep’. Compare with tweezers.

-etum

I. suffix

(forming nouns) denoting a collection or plantation of trees or other plants

• arboretum

• pinetum.

– origin from Latin.

etymological /ˌɛtɪməˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to the origin and historical development of words and their meanings

• an etymological dictionary

• the etymological roots of the word are of interest.

II. derivatives

etymologically /ˌɛtɪməˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)li /

adverb

etymologize /ɛtɪˈmɒlədʒʌɪz / etymologise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give or trace the etymology of (a word).

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin etymologizare, from Latin etymologia (see etymology).

etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history.

• the decline of etymology as a linguistic discipline.

2. [ count noun] — the origin of a word and the historical development of its meaning.

• the etymology of the word ‘devil’.

II. derivatives

etymologist /ɛtɪˈmɒlədʒɪst /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ethimologie, via Latin from Greek etumologia, from etumologos ‘student of etymology’, from etumon, neuter singular of etumos ‘true’.

etymon /ˈɛtɪmɒn/

I. noun

a word or morpheme from which a later word is derived.

• they both derive from the same etymon.

– origin late 16th cent. (denoting the original form of a word): via Latin from Greek etumon ‘true thing’ (see etymology).

Eu

symbol

the chemical element europium.

EU /iːˈjuː/

abbreviation

European Union.

eu-

I. combining form

well; easily

• eupeptic

• euphony.

– origin from Greek eu ‘well’, from eus ‘good’.

eubacterium /ˌjuːbakˈtɪərɪəm/

I. noun

1. a bacterium of a large group typically having simple cells with rigid cell walls and often flagella for movement. The group comprises the ‘true’ bacteria and cyanobacteria, as distinct from archaea.
●Division (or subkingdom) Eubacteria, kingdom Monera; this group is sometimes taken to exclude non-rigid forms such as spirochaetes and mycoplasmas.

2. a bacterium found mainly in the intestines of vertebrates and in the soil.
●Genus Eubacterium; Gram-positive, anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria.

II. derivatives

eubacterial

adjective

Euboea /juːˈbiːə/

an island of Greece in the western Aegean Sea, separated from the mainland by only a narrow channel at its capital, Chalcis.
Greek name Évvoia.

eucalyptus /ˌjuːkəˈlɪptəs / eucalypt

I. noun

1. a fast-growing evergreen Australasian tree that has been widely introduced elsewhere. It is valued for its timber, oil, gum, resin, and as an ornamental tree. Also called gum^1, gum tree.
●Genus Eucalyptus, family Myrtaceae: numerous species.

2. (also eucalyptus oil) [ mass noun] — the oil from eucalyptus leaves, chiefly used for its medicinal properties.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek eu ‘well’ + kaluptos ‘covered’ (from kaluptein ‘to cover’), because the unopened flower is protected by a cap.

eucatastrophe /ˌjuːkəˈtastrəfi/

I. noun

‹rare› a sudden and favourable resolution of events in a story; a happy ending.

– origin mid 20th cent.: said to have been coined by Tolkien.

Eucharist /ˈjuːk(ə)rɪst/

I. noun

1. the Christian service, ceremony, or sacrament commemorating the Last Supper, in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed.

• we went to an early morning Eucharist.

• the daily celebration of the Eucharist.

2. the consecrated elements, especially the bread.

• he was wheeled close to the altar to receive the Eucharist.

The bread and wine are referred to as the body and blood of Christ, though much theological controversy has focused on how substantially or symbolically this is to be interpreted. The service of worship is also called Holy Communion or (chiefly in the Protestant tradition) the Lord's Supper or (chiefly in the Catholic tradition) the Mass. See also consubstantiation, transubstantiation.

II. derivatives

1. Eucharistic

adjective

2. Eucharistical /juːk(ə)ˈrɪstɪk(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French eucariste, based on ecclesiastical Greek eukharistia ‘thanksgiving’, from Greek eukharistos ‘grateful’, from eu ‘well’ + kharizesthai ‘offer graciously’ (from kharis ‘grace’).

euchologion /juːkəˈləʊdʒɪən / euchology /juːˈkɒlədʒi/

I. noun

a book of prayers used in the Orthodox Church

• several manuscript examples of the Greek Euchologion are preserved in the Vatican library.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Greek eukhologion, from eukhē ‘prayer’.

euchre /ˈjuːkə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a North American card game for two to four players, played with the thirty-two highest cards, the aim being to win at least three of the five tricks played.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (in euchre) gain the advantage over (another player) by preventing them from taking three tricks.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› deceive, outwit, or cheat (someone)

• they euchred Congress out of $50 billion.

3. ( be euchred) — (Austral.) ‹informal› be exhausted or ruined.

– origin early 19th cent.: from German dialect Jucker(spiel).

euchromatin /juːˈkrəʊmətɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Genetics] chromosome material which does not stain strongly except during cell division. It represents the major genes and is involved in transcription.
Compare with heterochromatin.

II. derivatives

euchromatic

adjective

Euclid /ˈjuːklɪd/

( c. 300 BC), Greek mathematician. His great work Elements of Geometry, which covered plane geometry, the theory of numbers, irrationals, and solid geometry, was the standard work until other kinds of geometry were discovered in the 19th century.

Euclidean /juːˈklɪdɪən/

adjective

1. relating to or denoting the system of geometry based on the work of Euclid and corresponding to the geometry of ordinary experience.

• Euclidean geometry.

2. of such a nature that the postulates of the Euclidean system of geometry are valid.

• all points on a Euclidean circle are equidistant from the centre.

• Euclidean space.

Compare with non-Euclidean.

eucrite /ˈjuːkrʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a highly basic form of gabbro containing anorthite or bytownite with augite.

2. [ count noun] — [Geology] a stony meteorite which contains no chondrules and consists mainly of anorthite and augite.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek eukritos ‘easily discerned’, from eu- ‘well’ + kritos ‘separated’ (from krinein ‘to separate’).

eucryphia /juːˈkrɪfɪə/

I. noun

a shrub or small tree with glossy dark green leaves and large white flowers, native to Australia and South America.
●Genus Eucryphia, family Eucryphiaceae.

– origin modern Latin, from Greek eu ‘well’ + -kruphos ‘hidden’ (with reference to its joined sepals).

eucy /ˈjuːki/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a eucalyptus

• I'm looking for a medium-sized quick-growing eucy

• [as modifier] the eucy oil industry.

– origin 1970s: abbreviation of eucalyptus + -y^2.

eudaemonic /ˌjuːdɪˈmɒnɪk / eudemonic

I. adjective

‹rare› conducive to happiness.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek eudaimonikos, from eudaimōn ‘happy’ (see eudaemonism).

eudaemonism /juːˈdiːmənɪz(ə)m / eudemonism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of ethics that bases moral value on the likelihood of actions producing happiness.

II. derivatives

1. eudaemonist

noun

2. eudaemonistic

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Greek eudaimonismos ‘system of happiness’, from eudaimōn ‘happy’, from eu ‘well’ + daimōn ‘guardian spirit’.

eudiometer /ˌjuːdɪˈɒmɪtə/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a graduated glass tube in which mixtures of gases can be made to react by an electric spark, used to measure changes in volume during chemical reactions.

II. derivatives

1. eudiometric /ˌjuːdɪəˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

2. eudiometrical

adjective

3. eudiometry /juːdɪˈɒmətri /

noun

– origin late 18th cent. (denoting an instrument used to measure amounts of oxygen, thought to be greater in fine weather): from Greek eudios ‘clear, fine’ (weather), from eu ‘well’ + dios ‘heavenly’.

eugenics /juːˈdʒɛnɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the science of improving a population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics.

II. derivatives

1. eugenic /juːˈdʒɛnɪk /

adjective

2. eugenically

adverb

3. eugenicist /juːˈdʒɛnɪsɪst /

noun, adjective

4. eugenist

noun, adjective

Eugénie /juːˈʒeɪni/

(1826–1920), Spanish empress of France 1853–70 and wife of Napoleon III; born Eugénia María de Montijo de Guzmán. She contributed much to her husband's court and was an important influence on his foreign policy.

eugenol /ˈjuːdʒɪnɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless or pale yellow liquid compound present in oil of cloves and other essential oils and used in perfumery.
●Alternative name: 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol; chem. formula: C_10H_12O_2.

– origin late 19th cent.: from eugenia (genus name of the tree from which oil of cloves is obtained, named in honour of Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663–1736)) + -ol.

euglena /juːˈɡliːnə/

I. noun

[Biology] a green single-celled freshwater organism with a flagellum, sometimes forming a green scum on stagnant water.
●Genus Euglena, division Euglenophyta (or phylum Euglenophyta, kingdom Protista).

– origin modern Latin, from eu- ‘well’ + Greek glēnē ‘eyeball, socket of joint’.

euglenoid /juːˈɡliːnɔɪd / ‹Biology›

I. noun

a flagellated single-celled organism of a group that comprises euglena and its relatives.
●Division (or phylum) Euglenophyta.

II. adjective

1. relating to euglenoids.

2. (of cell locomotion) achieved by peristaltic waves that pass along the cell, characteristic of the euglenoids.

euhedral /juːˈhiːdr(ə)l/

adjective

[Geology] (of a mineral crystal in a rock) bounded by faces corresponding to its regular crystal form, not constrained by adjacent minerals.

eukaryote /juːˈkarɪəʊt / eucaryote

I. noun

[Biology] an organism consisting of a cell or cells in which the genetic material is DNA in the form of chromosomes contained within a distinct nucleus. Eukaryotes include all living organisms other than the eubacteria and archaea.
Compare with prokaryote.

II. derivatives

eukaryotic

adjective

– origin 1960s: from eu- ‘easily (formed)’ + karyo- ‘kernel’ + -ote as in zygote.

eulachon /ˈjuːləkɒn/

I. noun

another term for candlefish.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Lower Chinook.

Euler, Leonhard /ˈɔɪlə/

(1707–83), Swiss mathematician. Euler attempted to elucidate the nature of functions, and his study of infinite series led his successors, notably Abel and Cauchy, to introduce ideas of convergence and rigorous argument into mathematics.

Euler, Ulf Svante von /ˈɔɪlə/

(1905–83), Swedish physiologist, the son of Hans Euler-Chelpin. He was the first to discover a prostaglandin, which he isolated from semen. Euler also identified noradrenaline as the principal chemical neurotransmitter of the sympathetic nervous system. Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1970).

Euler-Chelpin, Hans von /ˌɔɪləˈkɛlpɪn/

(1873–1964), German-born Swedish biochemist; full name Hans Karl August Simon von Euler-Chelpin. He worked mainly on enzymes and vitamins, and explained the role of enzymes in the alcoholic fermentation of sugar. Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1929).

Euler's constant

I. noun

[Mathematics] a constant used in numerical analysis, approximately equal to 0.577216. It represents the limit of the series 1 + ½ + ⅓ + ¼ … 1/ n − ln n as n tends to infinity. It is not known whether this is a rational number or not.

– origin mid 19th cent.: named after L. Euler (see Euler, Leonhard).

Euler's formula

noun

the geometrical formula V − E + F = 2, where V, E, and F are the numbers of vertices, edges, and faces of any simple convex polyhedron or of an equivalent topological graph.

eulogium /juːˈləʊdʒɪəm/

I. noun

another term for eulogy.

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin, ‘praise’.

eulogize /ˈjuːlədʒʌɪz / eulogise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. praise highly in speech or writing

• he was eulogized as a rock star

• a plaque that eulogizes the workers.

II. derivatives

1. eulogist /ˈjuːlədʒɪst /

noun

2. eulogistic /juːləˈdʒɪstɪk /

adjective

3. eulogistically

adverb

eulogy /ˈjuːlədʒi/

I. noun

a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly, especially a tribute to someone who has just died

• a eulogy to the Queen Mother.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘high praise’): from medieval Latin eulogium, eulogia (from Greek eulogia ‘praise’), apparently influenced by Latin elogium ‘inscription on a tomb’ (from Greek elegia ‘elegy’). The current sense dates from the late 16th cent.

Eumenides /juːˈmɛnɪdiːz / ‹Greek Mythology›

I. a name given to the Furies. The Eumenides probably originated as well-disposed deities of fertility, whose name was given to the Furies either by confusion or euphemistically.

– origin via Latin from Greek, from eumenēs ‘well disposed’, from eu ‘well’ + menos ‘spirit’.

eunuch /ˈjuːnək/

I. noun

1. a man who has been castrated, especially (in the past) one employed to guard the women's living areas at an oriental court.

2. an ineffectual person

• a nation of political eunuchs.

– origin Old English, via Latin from Greek eunoukhos, literally ‘bedroom guard’, from eunē ‘bed’ + a second element related to ekhein ‘to hold’.

euonymus /juːˈɒnɪməs/

I. noun

a shrub or small tree that is widely cultivated for its autumn colours and bright fruit.
●Genus Euonymus, family Celastraceae: numerous species, including the spindle tree.

– origin modern Latin (named by Linnaeus), from Latin euonymos, from Greek euōnumos ‘having an auspicious or honoured name’, from eus ‘good’ + onoma ‘name’.

eupepsia /juːˈpɛpsɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› good digestion; absence of indigestion.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Greek eupepsia, from eupeptos (see eupeptic).

eupeptic /juːˈpɛptɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or having good digestion or a consequent air of healthy good spirits.

– origin late 17th cent. (in the sense ‘helping digestion’): from Greek eupeptos, from eu ‘well, easily’ + peptein ‘to digest’.

euphausiid /juːˈfɔːzɪɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a shrimp-like planktonic marine crustacean of an order which includes krill.
●Order Euphausiaceae, subclass Malacostraca.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Euphausia (genus name from Greek eu ‘well’ + phainein ‘to show’ + ousia ‘substance’) + -id^2.

euphemism /ˈjuːfəmɪz(ə)m/

I. noun

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing

• the jargon has given us ‘downsizing’ as a euphemism for cuts.

The opposite of dysphemism.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek euphēmismos, from euphēmizein ‘use auspicious words’, from eu ‘well’ + phēmē ‘speaking’.

euphemistic /juːfɪˈmɪstɪk/

adjective

using or of the nature of a euphemism

• the euphemistic terms she uses to describe her relationships.

euphemistically /juːfəˈmɪstɪkli/

adverb

by means of a mild or indirect word or expression instead of one considered too harsh or blunt

• punitive legislation euphemistically called ‘welfare reform’.

euphemize /ˈjuːfəmˌʌɪz / euphemise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. refer to (something unpleasant or embarrassing) by means of a euphemism.

• the song uses a vocabulary of euphemized profanity and obscenity.

• [no obj.] the impulse to euphemize is causing the syllables to multiply.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek euphēmizein ‘use auspicious words’ (see euphemism).

euphonious /juːˈfəʊnɪəs/

I. adjective

(of sound, especially speech) pleasing to the ear

• a stream of fine, euphonious phrases.

II. derivatives

euphoniously

adverb

euphonium /juːˈfəʊnɪəm/

I. noun

a valved brass musical instrument of tenor pitch, resembling a small tuba.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Greek euphōnos ‘having a pleasing sound’ + -ium.

euphony /ˈjuːf(ə)ni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being pleasing to the ear.

• the poet put euphony before mere factuality.

2. the tendency to make phonetic change for ease of pronunciation.

II. derivatives

1. euphonic /juːˈfɒnɪk /

adjective

2. euphonize /ˈjuːfənʌɪz / euphonise

verb

– origin late Middle English: from French euphonie, via late Latin from Greek euphōnia, from euphōnos ‘well sounding’ (based on phōnē ‘sound’).

euphorbia /juːˈfɔːbɪə/

I. noun

a plant of a genus that comprises the spurges.
●Genus Euphorbia, family Euphorbiaceae.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin euphorbea, named after Euphorbus, Greek physician to the reputed discoverer of the plant, Juba II of Mauretania (1st cent. BC).

euphoria /juːˈfɔːrɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness

• in his euphoria, he had become convinced he could defeat them.

– origin late 17th cent. (denoting well-being produced in a sick person by the use of drugs): modern Latin, from Greek, from euphoros ‘borne well, healthy’, from eu ‘well’ + pherein ‘to bear’.

euphoriant /juːˈfɔːrɪənt/

I. adjective

(chiefly of a drug) producing a feeling of euphoria.

II. noun

a euphoriant drug.

euphoric /juːˈfɒrɪk/

I. adjective

characterized by or feeling intense excitement and happiness

• a euphoric sense of freedom.

II. derivatives

euphorically

adverb

euphrasia /juːˈfreɪzɪə/

I. noun

1. a plant of the genus Euphrasia in the figwort family, especially eyebright.

2. [ mass noun] — a preparation of eyebright used in herbal medicine and homeopathy, especially for treating eye problems.

– origin early 18th cent.: via medieval Latin from Greek, literally ‘cheerfulness’, from euphrainein ‘gladden the mind’.

Euphrates /juːˈfreɪtiːz/

a river of SW Asia which rises in the mountains of eastern Turkey and flows through Syria and Iraq to join the Tigris, forming the Shatt al-Arab waterway.

euphuism /ˈjuːfjʊɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› an artificial, highly elaborate way of writing or speaking.

II. derivatives

1. euphuist /ˈjuːfjʊɪst /

noun

2. euphuistic /juːfjʊˈɪstɪk /

adjective

3. euphuistically

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from Euphues, the name of a character in John Lyly's prose romance of the same name (1578–80), from Greek euphuēs ‘well endowed by nature’, from eu ‘well’ + the base of phuē ‘growth’.

euploid /ˈjuːplɔɪd/

I. adjective

[Genetics] having an equal number of all the chromosomes of the haploid set.

II. derivatives

euploidy

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from eu- + -oid as in diploid, haploid.

EUR

abbreviation

Euro(s).

Eurasia /ˌjʊ(ə)ˈreɪʒə, ˌjʊ(ə)ˈreɪʃə/

a term used to describe the total continental land mass of Europe and Asia combined.

Eurasian /jʊ(ə)ˈreɪʒ(ə)n, jʊ(ə)ˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. of mixed European (or European-American) and Asian parentage.

2. relating to Eurasia.

II. noun

a person of mixed European (or European-American) and Asian parentage.

usage: In the 19th century the word Eurasian was normally used to refer to a person of mixed British and Indian parentage. In its modern uses, however, the term is more often used to refer to a person of mixed white American and SE Asian parentage.

Euratom /ˌjʊ(ə)ˈratəm/

abbreviation

European Atomic Energy Community.

eureka /ˌjʊ(ə)ˈriːkə/

I. exclamation

a cry of joy or satisfaction when one finds or discovers something.

• The answer hit me. ‘Eureka!’ I cried.

• [as noun] there weren't many eurekas but science is moving steadily.

• [as modifier] the eureka moment for him came when he was hill-walking.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› an alloy of copper and nickel used for electrical filaments and resistance wire.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek heurēka ‘I have found it’ (from heuriskein ‘find’), said to have been uttered by Archimedes when he hit upon a method of determining the purity of gold. The noun dates from the early 20th cent.

eurhythmic /jʊ(ə)ˈrɪðmɪk/

I. adjective

‹rare› (especially of architecture or art) in or relating to harmonious proportion.

– origin mid 19th cent.: based on Greek euruthmia ‘proportion’ + -ic.

eurhythmics /jʊ(ə)ˈrɪðmɪks / eurhythmy, ‹US› eurythmics, eurythmy

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a system of rhythmical physical movements to music used to teach musical understanding (especially in Steiner schools) or for therapeutic purposes, evolved by Émile Jaques-Dalcroze.

– origin early 20th cent.: from eu- ‘well’ + rhythm + -ics.

EURIBOR /ˈjʊərɪbɔː, ˈjɔːrɪbɔː/

abbreviation

‹trademark› Euro interbank offered rate, the basic rate of interest used in lending between banks on the European Union interbank market and also used as a reference for setting the interest rate on other loans.

Euripides /ˌjʊ(ə)ˈrɪpɪdiːz/

(480– c. 406 BC), Greek dramatist. His nineteen surviving plays show important innovations in the handling of traditional myths, such as the introduction of realism, an interest in feminine psychology, and the portrayal of abnormal and irrational states of mind. Notable works: Medea, Hippolytus, Electra, Trojan Women, and Bacchae.

euro^1 /ˈjʊərəʊ/

noun

the single European currency, which replaced the national currencies of France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Luxembourg, Austria, Finland, the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands in 2002. Seventeen member states of the European Union now use the euro.

euro^2 /ˈjʊərəʊ/

I. noun

the common wallaroo (see wallaroo).

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Adnyamathanha yuru.

Euro /ˈjʊərəʊ/

adjective

‹informal› relating to Europe or the European Union

• a Euro court.

• the single is currently storming the Euro charts.

Euro- /ˈjʊərəʊ/

combining form

1. European; European and …

• Euro-American.

2. relating to Europe or the European Union

• a Euro-MP.

euro area

noun — ( the euro area)

1. the member states of the European Union whose currency is the euro

• concerns about rising prices in the euro area.

Eurobond /ˈjʊərəʊbɒnd/

noun

an international bond issued in Europe or elsewhere outside the country in whose currency its value is stated (usually the US or Japan).

Eurocentric /jʊərəʊˈsɛntrɪk/

I. adjective

focusing on European culture or history to the exclusion of a wider view of the world; implicitly regarding European culture as pre-eminent.

• the classical, Eurocentric view of how mathematics developed.

II. derivatives

1. Eurocentricity

noun

2. Eurocentrism /ˌjʊərəʊˈsɛntrɪz(ə)m /

noun

Eurocommunism /jʊərəʊˈkɒmjʊnɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a political system advocated by some communist parties in western European countries, which stresses independence from the former Soviet Communist Party and advocates the preservation of many elements of Western liberal democracy.

II. derivatives

Eurocommunist

adjective, noun

Eurocrat /ˈjʊərə(ʊ)krat/

noun

‹informal› ‹chiefly derogatory› a bureaucrat in the administration of the European Union.

eurocreep /ˈjʊərəʊkriːp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› the gradual acceptance of the euro in European Union countries that have not yet officially adopted it as their national currency.

Eurocurrency /ˈjʊərə(ʊ)ˌkʌr(ə)nsi/

noun

1. a form of money held or traded outside the country in whose currency its value is stated (originally US dollars held in Europe).

• the Swiss franc has an important role as a Eurocurrency.

• [ mass noun] a sterling deposit held in Paris would count as Eurocurrency.

2. a single currency for use by the member states of the European Union.

• the prime minister said the time was not yet right for Britain to join the new Eurocurrency.

Eurodollar /ˈjʊərəʊˌdɒlə/

noun

a US dollar held in Europe or elsewhere outside the US.

• the Eurodollar market.

euroland /ˈjʊərə(ʊ)land/

noun

another term for eurozone.

Euromarket /ˈjʊərəʊˌmaːkɪt/

noun

1. a financial market which deals with Eurocurrencies.

2. the European Union regarded as a single commercial or financial market.

Euro-MP /ˈjʊərəʊɛmˌpiː/

noun

a member of the European Parliament.

• the Euro-MP for Cleveland and Yorkshire North.

Europa /ˌjʊ(ə)ˈrəʊpə/

I. [Greek Mythology] a princess of Tyre who was courted by Zeus in the form of a bull. She was carried off by him to Crete, where she bore him three sons (Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon).

II. [Astronomy] one of the Galilean moons of Jupiter, the sixth-closest satellite to the planet, having a network of dark lines on a bright icy surface (diameter 3,138 km).

Europe /ˈjʊərəp/

I. a continent of the northern hemisphere, separated from Africa to the south by the Mediterranean Sea and from Asia to the east roughly by the Bosporus, the Caucasus Mountains, and the Ural Mountains. Europe contains approximately 20 per cent of the world's population.

II. the European Union

• the Prime Minister who took Britain into Europe.

III. (Brit.) the mainland of continental Europe as distinct from the British Isles

• A Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe.

Europe, Council of

an association of European states founded in 1949 to safeguard the political and cultural heritage of Europe and promote economic and social cooperation. One of the Council's principal achievements is the European Convention on Human Rights.

European /jʊərəˈpiːən/

I. adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of Europe or its inhabitants.

• twentieth-century European art.

• the culture and history of the European peoples.

2. relating to the European Union

• a single European currency.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Europe.

2. a national of a state belonging to the European Union.

3. a person who is committed to the European Union

• they claimed to be the party of good Europeans.

4. a person of European parentage.

III. derivatives

Europeanism /ˌjʊərəˈpiːənɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin from French européen, from Latin europaeus, based on Greek Eurōpē ‘Europe’.

European Atomic Energy Community Euratom

an institution established in 1957 to aid the exploitation of nuclear discoveries in Europe.

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

a bank established in London in 1991 to help the former communist countries of eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union make the transition to the free-market system.

European Coal and Steel Community ECSC

an organization established in 1952 to regulate pricing, transport, and tariffs for the coal and steel industries of the member countries.

European Commission

a group, appointed by agreement among the governments of the European Union, which initiates Union action and safeguards its treaties. It meets in Brussels.

European Commission for Human Rights

an institution of the Council of Europe, set up under the European Convention on Human Rights to examine complaints of alleged breaches of the Convention. It is based in Strasbourg.

European Community EC

I. an economic and political association of certain European countries, incorporated since 1993 in the European Union.

The European Community was formed in 1967 from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom); it comprises also the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Court of Justice. Until 1987 it was still commonly known as the EEC. The name ‘European Communities’ is still used in legal contexts where the three distinct organizations are recognized. See also European Union.

European Convention on Human Rights

an international agreement set up by the Council of Europe in 1950 to protect human rights. Under the Convention were established the European Commission for Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights.

European Council

a grouping of the heads of government of the European Union countries, inaugurated in 1975, which meets two or three times a year.

European Court of Human Rights

an institution of the Council of Europe, set up to protect human rights in conjunction with the European Commission for Human Rights. The Court, based in Strasbourg, is called to give judgement in cases where the Commission has failed to secure a settlement.

European Court of Justice

an institution of the European Union, with thirteen judges appointed by its member governments, meeting in Luxembourg. Established in 1958, it exists to safeguard the law in the interpretation and application of Community treaties.

European Economic Community EEC

an institution of the European Union, an economic association of western European countries set up by the Treaty of Rome (1957). The original members were France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
See also European Community and European Union.

European Free Trade Association EFTA

a customs union of western European countries, established in 1960 as a trade grouping without the political implications of the European Economic Community. The original members were Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.

European Investment Bank

a bank set up in 1958 by the Treaty of Rome to finance capital investment projects promoting the balanced development of members of the European Community. It is based in Luxembourg.

Europeanize /jʊərəˈpiːənʌɪz / Europeanise

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. Europeanized)

1. give (someone or something) a European character or scope

• a highly Europeanized city.

2. transfer to the control or responsibility of the European Union.

• one scenario involves Europeanizing the British and French nuclear forces.

II. derivatives

Europeanization /ˌjʊərəpiːənʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

European Monetary System EMS

a monetary system inaugurated by the European Community in 1979 to coordinate and stabilize the exchange rates of the currencies of member countries, as a prelude to monetary union. It is based on the use of the Exchange Rate Mechanism.

European Monetary Union /ˈjʊərəpiːənˈmʌnɪtriˈjuːniən / EMU

a European Union programme intended to work towards full economic unity in Europe based on the phased introduction of a common currency (the euro). The programme was announced in 1989; the second stage came into effect on 1 January 1994 under the terms of the Maastricht Treaty, and in 2002 the euro replaced the currencies of twelve European Union countries (see euro^1).

European Parliament

the Parliament of the European Union, originally established in 1952. From 1958 to 1979 it was composed of representatives drawn from the parliaments of member countries, but since 1979 direct elections have taken place every five years. Through the Single European Act (1987) it assumed a degree of sovereignty over national parliaments. It meets in Strasbourg, and its committee is in Brussels.

European plan

noun

(N. Amer.) a system of charging for a hotel room only, without meals.
Often contrasted with American plan.

European Recovery Program

official name for the Marshall Plan.

European Space Agency ESA

an organization set up in 1975 to coordinate the national space programmes of the collaborating countries. It is based in Paris.

European Union EU

I. an economic and political association of certain European countries as a unit with internal free trade and common external tariffs.

The European Union was created on 1 November 1993, with the coming into force of the Maastricht Treaty. It encompasses the old European Community (EC) together with two intergovernmental ‘pillars’ for dealing with foreign affairs and with immigration and justice. The terms European Economic Community (EEC) and European Community (EC) continue to be used loosely to refer to what is now the European Union. The European Union consists of 28 member states, 16 of which use the common currency unit, the euro.

Europhile /ˈjʊərə(ʊ)fʌɪl/

noun

a person who admires Europe or is in favour of participation in the European Union.

Europhobe /ˈjʊərə(ʊ)fəʊb/

noun

a person having a strong dislike of Europe or opposing participation in the European Union.

europium /jʊ(ə)rˈəʊpɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Eu) — the chemical element of atomic number 63, a soft silvery-white metal of the lanthanide series. Europium oxide is used with yttrium oxide as a red phosphor in colour television screens.

– origin early 20th cent.: modern Latin, based on Europe.

Europoort /ˈjʊərəʊpɔːt/

a major European port in the Netherlands, near Rotterdam.

Europop

noun — [ mass noun]

1. pop music from continental Europe with simple melodies and lyrics, often sung in English.

Eurosceptic /ˈjɔːrəʊˌskɛptɪk/

I. noun

a person who is opposed to increasing the powers of the European Union.

II. derivatives

1. Eurosceptical

adjective

2. Euroscepticism /ˈjʊərəʊskɛptɪsɪz(ə)m /

noun

Eurostar /ˈjʊərəʊstɑː/

noun

‹trademark› the high-speed passenger rail service that links London with various European cities via the Channel Tunnel.

Eurotrash /ˈjʊərə(ʊ)traʃ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› rich European socialites, especially those living or working in the United States.

• you saw the same people at every soirée—the old money, the new money, the Eurotrash.

• [as modifier] a Eurotrash cafe in Beverly Hills.

Eurovision /ˈjʊərəvɪʒ(ə)n/

a network of European television production administered by the European Broadcasting Union.

eurozone /ˈjʊərə(ʊ)zəʊn/

noun

the economic region formed by those member countries of the European Union that have adopted the euro.

eury-

I. combining form

denoting a wide variety or range of something specified

• eurytopic.

– origin from Greek eurus ‘wide’.

euryapsid /ˌjʊərɪˈapsɪd/

I. noun

a Mesozoic marine reptile of a group characterized by a single upper temporal opening in the skull, including the nothosaurs, plesiosaurs, and ichthyosaurs.
●Sometimes placed in a subclass Euryapsida, though this taxon is no longer widely recognized.

– origin from Greek eurus ‘wide’ + apsis, apsid- ‘arch’.

Eurydice /ˌjʊəˈrɪdɪsi / ‹Greek Mythology›

the wife of Orpheus. After she was killed by a snake Orpheus secured her release from the underworld on the condition that he did not look back at her on their way back to the world of the living. But Orpheus did look back, whereupon Eurydice disappeared.

euryhaline /ˌjʊərɪˈheɪlʌɪn, ˌjʊərɪˈheɪliːn/

I. adjective

[Ecology] (of an aquatic organism) able to tolerate a wide range of salinity.
Often contrasted with stenohaline.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek eurus ‘wide’ + halinos ‘of salt’.

eurypterid /ˌjʊ(ə)ˈrɪptərɪd/

I. noun

a giant fossil marine arthropod of a group occurring in the Palaeozoic era. They are related to horseshoe crabs, and resemble large scorpions with a terminal pair of paddle-shaped swimming appendages.
●Subclass Eurypterida, class Merostomata, subphylum Chelicerata.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Eurypterus (genus name), from eury- + Greek pteron ‘wing’ + -id^2.

eurythermal /ˌjʊərɪˈθəːm(ə)l/

adjective

[Ecology] (of an organism) able to tolerate a wide range of temperatures.
Often contrasted with stenothermal.

eurytopic /ˌjʊərɪˈtɒpɪk/

adjective

[Ecology] (of an organism) able to tolerate a wide range of habitats or ecological conditions.
Often contrasted with stenotopic.

Eusebio /juːˈseɪbɪəʊ/

(1942–2014), Mozambican-born Portuguese footballer; born Ferraira da Silva Eusebio. He was a forward who played largely for the Portuguese club Benfica.

Eusebius /juːˈsiːbɪəs/

( c. 264– c. 340 AD), bishop and Church historian; known as Eusebius of Caesarea. His Ecclesiastical History is the principal source for the history of Christianity (especially in the Eastern Church) from the age of the Apostles until 324.

Euskara /ˈjuːskərə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Basque language.

– origin the name in Basque.

eusocial /juːˈsəʊʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

[Zoology] denoting social organisms (e.g. the honeybee) in which a single female or caste produces the offspring and non-reproductive individuals cooperate in caring for the young.

II. derivatives

eusociality

noun

eusol /ˈjuːsɒl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an antiseptic solution of chlorinated lime and boric acid.

– origin early 20th cent.: from E(dinburgh) U(niversity) sol(ution), with reference to the university's Pathology Department, where it was developed.

Eustachian tube /juːˈsteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

[Anatomy] a narrow passage leading from the pharynx to the cavity of the middle ear, permitting the equalization of pressure on each side of the eardrum.

– origin mid 18th cent.: named after Bartolomeo Eustachio (died 1574), the Italian anatomist who identified and described it.

eustasy /ˈjuːstəsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a change of sea level throughout the world, caused typically by movements of parts of the earth's crust or melting of glaciers.

II. derivatives

eustatic /juːˈstatɪk /

adjective

– origin 1940s: back-formation from eustatic, coined in German from Greek eu ‘well’ + statikos ‘static’.

Euston Road /ˈjuːstən/

I. noun — [as modifier]

1. relating to or denoting a group of English post-impressionist realistic painters of the 1930s, whose members included William Coldstream (1908–87) and Victor Pasmore (1908–98).

– origin from the name of a road in London, site of a former School of Drawing and Painting (1938–9).

eutectic /juːˈtɛktɪk / ‹Chemistry›

I. adjective

relating to or denoting a mixture of substances (in fixed proportions) that melts and freezes at a single temperature that is lower than the melting points of the separate constituents or of any other mixture of them.

• the eutectic mixture melts at 183°C.

• silver and copper form a eutectic system.

II. noun

1. a eutectic mixture.

2. short for eutectic point.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Greek eutēktos ‘easily melting’, from eu ‘well, easily’ + tēkein ‘melt’.

eutectic point eutectic temperature

noun

[Chemistry] the temperature at which a particular eutectic mixture freezes or melts.

eutectoid /juːˈtɛktɔɪd / ‹Metallurgy›

I. adjective

relating to or denoting an alloy which has a minimum transformation temperature between a solid solution and a simple mixture of metals.

II. noun

a eutectoid mixture or alloy.

Euterpe /juːˈtəːpi / ‹Greek & Roman Mythology›

I. the Muse of flutes.

– origin Greek, literally ‘well pleasing’.

euthanasia /ˌjuːθəˈneɪzɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘easy death’): from Greek, from eu ‘well’ + thanatos ‘death’.

euthanize /ˈjuːθənʌɪz / euthanise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (N. Amer.) put (an animal) to death humanely.

• older dogs may find loving homes instead of being euthanized.

– origin 1970s: formed irregularly from euthanasia + -ize.

Eutheria /juːˈθɪərɪə/

I. plural noun

[Zoology] a major group of mammals that comprises the placentals. Compare with Metatheria.
●Infraclass Eutheria, subclass Theria.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from eu- ‘well, prospering’ + Greek thērion ‘wild beast’.

eutherian ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a mammal of the major group Eutheria, which excludes the marsupials and monotremes.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting eutherians.

euthyroid /juːˈθʌɪrɔɪd/

adjective

[Medicine] having a normally functioning thyroid gland.

• these hormones feedback on the pituitary, resulting in the desired euthyroid steady state.

eutrophic /juːˈtrəʊfɪk, juːˈtrɒfɪk/

I. adjective

[Ecology] (of a lake or other body of water) rich in nutrients and so supporting a dense plant population, the decomposition of which kills animal life by depriving it of oxygen.
Compare with dystrophic and oligotrophic.

– origin early 18th cent. (denoting a medicine promoting good nutrition): from Greek eutrophia, from eu ‘well’ + trephein ‘nourish’. The current sense dates from the 1930s.

eutrophication /ˌjuːtrəfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to run-off from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life.

II. derivatives

eutrophicate

verb

eV

abbreviation

electronvolt(s).

EV

noun

(chiefly US) an electric vehicle

• most EVs are capable of quick acceleration.

EVA

abbreviation

1. ethyl vinyl acetate, a material used as cushioning in running shoes, consisting of a rubbery copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate.

2. (in space) extravehicular activity.

evacuant /ɪˈvakjʊənt/

I. adjective

(of a medicine or treatment) acting to induce some kind of bodily discharge.

II. noun

an evacuant medicine, such as a laxative, an emetic, or a sudorific.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin evacuant- ‘emptying (the bowels’), from the verb evacuare, later in the more general sense ‘remove (contents)’.

evacuate /ɪˈvakjʊeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove (someone) from a place of danger to a safer place

• several families were evacuated from their homes.

2. leave or cause the occupants to leave (a place of danger)

• fire alarms forced staff to evacuate the building

• [no obj.] nearly five million had to evacuate because of air terror.

3. (of troops) withdraw from (a place)

• the last British troops evacuated the Canal Zone.

4. ‹technical› remove air, water, or other contents from (a container)

• when it springs a leak, evacuate the pond.

5. empty (the bowels or another bodily organ).

• patients evacuated their bowels before dialysis.

6. discharge (faeces or other matter) from the body.

• the bowel functions to evacuate solid waste products.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘clear the contents of’): from Latin evacuat- ‘(of the bowels) emptied’, from the verb evacuare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + vacuus ‘empty’.

evacuation /ɪˌvakjʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of evacuating a person or a place

• there were waves of evacuation during the blitz

• [ count noun] a full-scale evacuation of the city centre.

2. the action of emptying the bowels or another bodily organ.

• patients with a feeling of incomplete evacuation.

• [ count noun] those who required an evacuation of retained products.

3. [ count noun] — a quantity of matter discharged from the bowels or another bodily organ.

• the evacuations of cholera victims are almost colourless.

4. ‹technical› the action of emptying a container of air, water, or other contents.

• techniques for evacuation of gas combustion fumes.

evacuative

adjective, noun

another term for evacuant.

evacuee /ɪˌvakjuːˈiː/

I. noun

a person evacuated from a place of danger.

• his experiences as a wartime evacuee.

• [as modifier] evacuee children.

– origin early 20th cent. (originally in the French form): from French évacué, past participle of évacuer, from Latin evacuare (see evacuate).

evade /ɪˈveɪd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. escape or avoid (someone or something), especially by guile or trickery

• friends helped him to evade capture for a time.

2. (of an abstract thing) elude (someone)

• sleep still evaded her.

3. avoid giving a direct answer to (a question)

• he denied evading the question.

4. avoid dealing with or accepting (something unpleasant or morally or legally required)

• he never sought to evade responsibility for his actions.

5. escape paying (tax or duty), especially by illegitimate presentation of one's finances.

• she was sentenced on three counts of conspiracy to evade taxes.

6. act contrary to the intention of (a law or rule), especially while complying with its letter.

• suppliers can evade or manipulate regulations.

II. derivatives

1. evadable /ɪˈveɪdəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. evader

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from French évader, from Latin evadere from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + vadere ‘go’.

evaginate /ɪˈvadʒɪneɪt/

I. verb

[Biology] [Physiology] (with reference to a tubular or pouch-shaped organ or structure) turn or be turned inside out.
[no obj.]

• the sacs evaginate and come to lie externally.

II. derivatives

evagination

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin evaginat- ‘unsheathed’, from the verb evaginare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + vagina ‘sheath’.

evaluate /ɪˈvaljʊeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. form an idea of the amount, number, or value of; assess

• the study will assist in evaluating the impact of recent changes

• [with clause] a system for evaluating how well the firm is performing.

2. [Mathematics] find a numerical expression or equivalent for (an equation, formula, or function).

• substitute numbers in a simple formula and evaluate the answer.

II. derivatives

evaluator

noun

– origin mid 19th cent. (earlier (mid 18th cent.) as evaluation): from French évaluer, from es- (from Latin ex-) ‘out, from’ + Old French value ‘value’.

evaluation /ɪˌvaljʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the making of a judgement about the amount, number, or value of something; assessment

• the evaluation of each method

• [ count noun] an initial evaluation of the programme.

evaluative /ɪˈvaljʊətɪv/

adjective

based on or relating to an assessment to form an idea of the value of something

• supervisors are making evaluative judgements of their work

• you will need to demonstrate analytical and evaluative skills.

evanesce /ˌiːvəˈnɛs, ɛvəˈnɛs/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹literary› pass out of sight, memory, or existence.

• water moves among reeds, evanesces, shines.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin evanescere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + vanus ‘empty’.

evanescent /ɛvəˈnɛs(ə)nt, iːvəˈnɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. ‹chiefly literary› soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence; quickly fading or disappearing

• the evanescent Arctic summer.

2. [Physics] denoting a field or wave which extends into a region where it cannot propagate and whose amplitude therefore decreases with distance.

II. derivatives

1. evanescence /ɛvəˈnɛs(ə)ns, iːvəˈnɛs(ə)ns /

noun

2. evanescently

adverb

– origin early 18th cent. (in the sense ‘almost imperceptible’): from Latin evanescent- ‘disappearing’, from the verb evanescere (see evanesce).

evangel /ɪˈvan(d)ʒɛl, ɪˈvan(d)ʒ(ə)l/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› the Christian gospel.

2. any of the four Gospels.

3. North American term for evangelist.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘gospel’): from Old French evangile, via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek euangelion ‘good news’, from euangelos ‘bringing good news’, from eu- ‘well’ + angelein ‘announce’.

evangelical /iːvanˈdʒɛlɪk(ə)l, ɛvanˈdʒɛlɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. of or according to the teaching of the gospel or the Christian religion.

2. of or denoting a tradition within Protestant Christianity emphasizing the authority of the Bible, personal conversion, and the doctrine of salvation by faith in the Atonement.

3. zealous in advocating or supporting a particular cause

• she was evangelical about organic farming.

II. noun

a member of the evangelical tradition in the Christian Church.

III. derivatives

1. evangelic

adjective

2. evangelicalism /ˌiːvanˈdʒɛlɪk(ə)lɪz(ə)m, ɛvanˈdʒɛlɪk(ə)lɪz(ə)m /

noun

3. evangelically /ˌiːvanˈdʒɛlɪk(ə)li, ˌɛvanˈdʒɛlɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: via ecclesiastical Latin from ecclesiastical Greek euangelikos, from euangelos (see evangel).

evangelism /ɪˈvan(d)ʒ(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness.

2. zealous advocacy or support of a particular cause.

• I arrived in a state of high evangelism.

evangelist /ɪˈvan(d)ʒ(ə)lɪst/

I. noun

1. a person who seeks to convert others to the Christian faith, especially by public preaching.

• an American television evangelist.

2. a layperson engaged in Christian missionary work.

• a local evangelist working with a youth mission.

3. a zealous advocate of a particular cause

• he has become an evangelist for the European Union.

4. the writer of one of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John)

• St John the Evangelist.

– origin Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French évangéliste, via ecclesiastical Latin from ecclesiastical Greek euangelistēs, from euangelizesthai ‘evangelize’.

evangelistic /ɪˌvan(d)ʒ(ə)ˈlɪstɪk/

adjective

1. seeking to convert others to the Christian faith; missionary

• an evangelistic preacher.

2. zealously advocating a particular cause; campaigning

• an almost evangelistic zeal for the product.

evangelize /ɪˈvan(d)ʒ(ə)lʌɪz / evangelise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convert or seek to convert (someone) to Christianity.

• some small groups have been evangelized by Protestant missionaries.

2. [no obj.] — preach the gospel.

• the Church has a mission to evangelize and declare the faith.

II. derivatives

1. evangelization /ɪvan(d)ʒ(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. evangelizer

noun

– origin late Middle English: from ecclesiastical Latin evangelizare, from Greek euangelizesthai, from euangelos (see evangel).

evanish /ɪˈvanɪʃ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹rare› vanish or die away

• like the rainbow's lovely form evanishing amid the storm.

– origin Middle English: from Old French evaniss-, lengthened stem of the verb evanir ‘vanish’, from Latin evanescere ‘die away’.

Evans, Dame Edith

(1888–1976), English actress; full name Dame Edith Mary Evans. She appeared in a wide range of Shakespearean and contemporary roles but is particularly remembered as Lady Bracknell in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.

Evans, Gil

(1912–88), Canadian jazz pianist, composer, and arranger; born Ian Ernest Gilmore Green. In 1947 he began a long association with Miles Davis, producing albums such as Porgy and Bess (1958) and Sketches of Spain (1959).

Evans, Sir Arthur

(1851–1941), English archaeologist; full name Sir Arthur John Evans. His excavations at Knossos (1899–1935) resulted in the discovery of the Bronze Age civilization of Crete, which he named Minoan after the legendary Cretan king Minos.

Evans-Pritchard, Sir Edward /ˌɛv(ə)nzˈprɪtʃəd/

(1902–73), English anthropologist; full name Sir Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard. He is noted for his studies of the Azande and Nuer peoples of Sudan, with whom he lived in the 1920s and 1930s.

evaporate /ɪˈvapəreɪt/

I. verb

1. turn from liquid into vapour
[no obj.]

• cook until most of the liquid has evaporated

• [with obj.] this gets the oil hot enough to evaporate any moisture.

2. lose or cause to lose moisture or solvent as vapour
[with obj.]

• the solution was evaporated to dryness.

3. [no obj.] — (of something abstract) cease to exist

• the militancy of earlier years had evaporated in the wake of defeat.

II. derivatives

1. evaporable /ɪˈvap(ə)rəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. evaporator /ɪˈvapəreɪtə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin evaporat- ‘changed into vapour’, from the verb evaporare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + vapor ‘steam, vapour’.

evaporated milk /ɪˌvapəreɪtɪd ˈmɪlk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a processed form of milk that has had some of the liquid removed by evaporation.

evaporating dish

noun

[Chemistry] a small ceramic dish in which liquids are heated over a flame so that they evaporate, leaving a solid residue.

evaporation /ɪˌvapəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of turning from liquid into vapour

• snow cover prevents evaporation of water from the soil.

2. the process of something abstract ceasing to exist

• thousands of employees witnessed the rapid evaporation of their retirement plans

• the police's attempt to dictate public policy led to a sudden evaporation of support.

evaporative /ɪˈvap(ə)rətɪv/

I. adjective

relating to or involving evaporation

• evaporative water loss.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin evaporativus, from evaporare ‘change into vapour’ (see evaporate).

evaporative cooling

noun — [ mass noun]

1. reduction in temperature resulting from the evaporation of a liquid, which removes latent heat from the surface from which evaporation takes place. This process is employed in industrial and domestic cooling systems, and is also the physical basis of sweating.

evaporite /ɪˈvapərʌɪt/

I. noun

[Geology] a natural salt or mineral deposit left after the evaporation of a body of water.

• non-marine evaporites include borax.

• [as modifier] evaporite deposits.

– origin 1920s: alteration of evaporate (see also -ite^1).

evapotranspiration /ɪˌvapəʊtranspɪˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants.

evasion /ɪˈveɪʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of evading something

• their adroit evasion of almost all questions.

2. [ count noun] — an indirect answer; a prevaricating excuse

• the protestations and evasions of a witness.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘prevaricating excuse’): via Old French from Latin evasio(n-), from evadere (see evade).

evasive /ɪˈveɪsɪv/

I. adjective

1. tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation, especially by responding only indirectly

• she was evasive about her phone number.

2. directed towards avoidance or escape

• they decided to take evasive action.

II. derivatives

1. evasively /ɪˈveɪsɪvli /

adverb

2. evasiveness /ɪˈveɪsɪvnəs /

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin evas- ‘evaded’ (from the verb evadere) + -ive.

eve /iːv/

I. noun

1. the day or period of time immediately before an event or occasion

• on the eve of her departure he gave her a little parcel.

2. the evening or day before a religious festival

• the service for Passover eve.

3. ‹chiefly literary› evening

• a bitter winter's eve.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘close of day’): short form of even^2.

Eve /iːv/

(in the Bible) the first woman, companion of Adam and mother of Cain and Abel.

evection /ɪˈvɛkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Astronomy] regular variation in the eccentricity of the moon's orbit around the earth, caused mainly by the sun's attraction.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘elevation, exaltation’): from Latin evectio(n-), from evehere ‘carry out or up’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + vehere ‘carry’.

Eve hypothesis African Eve hypothesis

noun

the hypothesis (based on study of mitochondrial DNA) that modern humans have a common female ancestor who lived in Africa around 200,000 years ago.

Evelyn, John /ˈiːvlɪn/

(1620–1706), English diarist and writer. He is remembered chiefly for his Diary (published posthumously in 1818), which describes such important historical events as the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London.

even^1 /ˈiːv(ə)n/

I. adjective

1. flat and smooth

• prepare the site, then lay an even bed of mortar.

2. in the same plane or line; level

• run a file along the saw to make all of the teeth even with each other.

3. equal in number, amount, or value

• an even gender balance among staff and students.

4. equally balanced

• the first half of the match was fairly even.

5. having little variation in quality; regular

• they travelled at an even and leisurely pace.

6. (of a person's temper or disposition) equable; calm

• she was known to have an even temper and to be difficult to rile.

7. (of a number, such as 2, 6, or 108) divisible by two without a remainder.

• a meter that reads only in even numbers.

• any number doubled is even.

8. bearing a number that is divisible by two without a remainder

• headers can be placed on odd or even pages or both.

II. verb

make or become even
[with obj.]

• she cut the hair again to even up the ends

• it's not exactly revenge I want, but I'd like things evened up

• [no obj.] thereafter prices evened out.

III. adverb

1. used to emphasize something surprising or extreme

• they have never even heard of the United States

• they wore fur hats, even in summer.

2. used in comparisons for emphasis

• he knows even less about it than I do.

IV. phrases

1. even as

at the very same time as

• even as he spoke their baggage was being unloaded.

2. an even break

‹informal› a fair chance

• the fact is suckers never get an even break.

3. an even chance

an equal likelihood of success or failure

• the team has an even chance of winning.

4. even if

a. despite the possibility that; no matter whether

• always try everything even if it turns out to be a dud.

b. despite the fact that

• he is a great President, even if he has many enemies.

5. even now (or then)

a. now (or then) as well as before

• even now, after all these years, it upsets me.

b. in spite of what has (or had) happened

• even then he never raised his voice to me.

c. at this (or that) very moment

• very likely you are even now picking up the telephone to ring.

6. even so

in spite of that; nevertheless

• not the most exciting of places, but even so I was having a good time.

7. even though

despite the fact that

• even though he was bigger, he never looked down on me.

8. get (or be) even

‹informal› inflict similar trouble or harm on someone to that which they have inflicted on oneself

• I'll get even with you for this.

9. of even date

[Law] ‹formal› of the same date.

10. on an even keel

a. (of a ship or aircraft) not listing or tilting to one side.

b. (of a person or situation) functioning normally after a period of difficulty

• getting her life back on to an even keel after their break-up had been difficult.

V. derivatives

evenness /ˈiːv(ə)nnəs /

noun

– origin Old English efen (adjective), efne (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch even, effen and German eben.

even^2 /ˈiːv(ə)n/

I. noun

‹archaic› ‹literary› the end of the day; evening

• bring it to my house this even.

– origin Old English ǣfen, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch avont and German Abend.

Even /eɪˈvɛn/

I. noun

1. a member of an indigenous people living in the Kamchatka peninsula of eastern Siberia.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Even, a Tungusic language with about 6,000 speakers, closely related to Evenki.

II. adjective

relating to the Even or their language.

even-aged

adjective

[Forestry] (of woodland) composed of trees of approximately the same age.

evenfall /ˈiːv(ə)nfɔːl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› the onset of evening; dusk

• he kindles his lamp at evenfall.

even-handed

I. adjective

fair and impartial in treatment or judgement

• an even-handed approach to industrial relations.

II. derivatives

1. even-handedly

adverb

2. even-handedness

noun

evening /ˈiːv(ə)nɪŋ/

I. noun

1. the period of time at the end of the day, usually from about 6 p.m. to bedtime

• it was seven o'clock in the evening

• [as modifier] the evening meal.

2. an evening characterized by a particular event or activity

• some pubs hold Irish music evenings.

3. [as modifier] — prescribed by fashion as suitable for relatively formal social events held in the evening

• a couple in evening dress.

II. adverb

( evenings) — ‹informal› in the evening; every evening

• Saturday evenings he invariably fell asleep.

III. exclamation

‹informal› short for good evening.

– origin Old English ǣfnung ‘dusk falling, the time around sunset’, from ǣfnian ‘approach evening’, from ǣfen (see even^2).

evening class

noun

a class held in the evening, forming part of a course for adults.

• evening classes in creative writing.

eveninger /ˈiːv(ə)nɪŋə/

noun

(Indian) ‹informal› an evening newspaper

• interviews in a Mumbai eveninger.

evening paper

noun

a newspaper published after about midday.

evening prayer

noun — (usu. evening prayers)

1. a formal act of worship held in the evening.

• the master read evening prayers to the assembled family and servants.

• the muezzin calling for the evening prayers.

2. (in the Anglican Church) the service of evensong.

evening primrose

noun

a plant with pale yellow flowers that open in the evening.
●Genus Oenothera, family Onagraceae: numerous species.

evening primrose oil

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an oil extracted from the seeds of the evening primrose. It contains gamma-linolenic acid and is used in complementary and alternative medicine, especially in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome

• at night I take evening primrose oil, vitamin E, and St John's wort.

evening star

noun — ( the evening star)

1. the planet Venus, seen shining in the western sky after sunset.

evening suit

noun

a man's formal suit to be worn in the evening.

• he was dressed in an immaculate evening suit and a crisp white shirt.

Evenki /eɪˈvɛnki/

I. noun

1. a member of an indigenous people living scattered through the wastes of northern Siberia.
Also called Tungus.

2. [ mass noun] — the Tungusic language of the Evenki, which has about 15,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Evenki or their language.

evenly /ˈiːvnli/

adverb

1. so as to present a flat or uniform surface or line

• scoop cream onto the cake and spread evenly.

2. in equal numbers, amounts, or values

• the jackpot will be split evenly among the holders of the three tickets.

3. with each having an equal chance

• the match was evenly balanced throughout the first half

• an evenly contested game.

4. with equal space or time between each; regularly

• a series of evenly spaced dots

• he was breathing evenly, fast asleep.

5. calmly and without strong emotion or variation

• he speaks evenly and softly.

6. used to indicate a number that is divisible by two without a remainder

• signals are numbered evenly, 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.

even money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in betting) odds offering an equal chance of winning or losing, with the amount won being the same as the stake

• players bet on each throw for even money

• [as modifier] Romany King swept past the even-money favourite Paco's Boy.

2. [as modifier] — (of a chance) equally likely to happen or not; fifty-fifty

• above those engines there was an even-money chance of being heard.

evens /ˈiːv(ə)nz/

plural noun

(Brit.) another term for even money:

• the colt was 4-6 favourite after opening at evens.

evensong /ˈiːv(ə)nsɒŋ/

I. noun

(in the Christian Church) a service of evening prayers, psalms, and canticles, conducted according to a set form, especially that of the Anglican Church

• choral evensong.

– origin Old English ǣfensang, originally applied to the pre-Reformation service of vespers (see even^2, song).

even-steven even-stevens

I. adjective, adverb

‹informal› used in reference to fair and equal competition or distribution of resources
[as adv.]

• I split the money with my wife even-steven.

– origin mid 19th cent.: rhyming phrase, used as an intensive.

event /ɪˈvɛnt/

I. noun

1. a thing that happens or takes place, especially one of importance

• the momentous political events of the late 1980s.

2. a planned public or social occasion

• staff have been holding a number of events to raise money for charity.

3. each of several particular contests making up a sports competition

• he repeated the success in the four-lap, 600 cc event.

4. [Physics] a single occurrence of a process, e.g. the ionization of one atom.

II. phrases

1. in any event at all events

whatever happens or may have happened

• in any event, I was not in a position to undertake such a task.

2. in the event

as it turns (or turned) out

• he was sent on this important and, in the event, quite fruitless mission.

3. in the event of ——

if —— happens

• this will reduce the chance of serious injury in the event of an accident.

4. in the event that

if; should it happen that

• he planned to start a business, in the event that he lost his job.

5. in that event

if that happens

• in that event, the US would incline toward a lifting of the arms embargo.

III. derivatives

1. eventless

adjective

2. eventlessness

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin eventus, from evenire ‘result, happen’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + venire ‘come’.

even-tempered

adjective

not easily annoyed or made angry

• he was a gentle and even-tempered man.

eventer /ɪˈvɛntə/

I. noun

(Brit.) a horse or rider that takes part in eventing.

– origin 1970s: from event, in three-day event (see eventing).

event-filled

adjective

containing many interesting or exciting events; eventful

• this is proving to be an event-filled tournament

• the show attracted more than 26,000 visitors over four event-filled days.

eventful /ɪˈvɛntfʊl, ɪˈvɛntf(ə)l/

I. adjective

marked by interesting or exciting events

• his long and eventful life.

II. derivatives

1. eventfully

adverb

2. eventfulness

noun

event horizon

noun

1. [Astronomy] a notional boundary around a black hole beyond which no light or other radiation can escape.

2. [Astronomy] a point of no return

• we're nearing the event horizon of the presidential election.

eventide /ˈiːv(ə)ntʌɪd/

I. noun

‹archaic› ‹literary› the end of the day; evening

• the moonflower opens its white, trumpet-like flowers at eventide.

– origin Old English ǣfentīd (see even^2, tide).

eventing /ɪˈvɛntɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an equestrian sport in which competitors must take part in each of several contests, usually cross-country, dressage, and showjumping.

• he will begin his eventing career in March.

– origin 1960s: from event, in three-day event, horse trials held on three consecutive days.

eventive /ɪˈvɛntɪv/

adjective

[Linguistics] (of the subject or object of a sentence) denoting an event.

even-toed ungulate

noun

a hoofed mammal of an order which includes the ruminants, camels, pigs, and hippopotamuses. Mammals of this group have either two or four toes on each foot. Compare with odd-toed ungulate.
●Order Artiodactyla: three suborders. See also ruminant, tylopod.

eventual /ɪˈvɛn(t)ʃʊ(ə)l/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. occurring or existing at the end of or as a result of a process or period of time

• it's impossible to predict the eventual outcome of the competition.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to an event or events’): from Latin eventus (see event), on the pattern of actual.

eventuality /ɪˌvɛn(t)ʃʊˈalɪti/

noun

a possible event or outcome

• be prepared for all eventualities.

eventually /ɪˈvɛntʃuəli/

adverb — [ sentence adverb]

1. in the end, especially after a long delay, dispute, or series of problems

• eventually, after midnight, I arrived at the hotel.

eventuate /ɪˈvɛn(t)ʃʊeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹formal› occur as a result

• you never know what might eventuate.

2. ( eventuate in) — ‹formal› lead to as a result

• circumstances that eventuate in crime.

II. derivatives

eventuation

noun

– origin late 18th cent. (originally US): from event, on the pattern of actuate.

ever /ˈɛvə/

I. adverb

1. [usu. with negative or in questions] — at any time

• nothing ever seemed to ruffle her

• don't you ever regret giving up all that money?

2. used in comparisons for emphasis

• they felt better than ever before

• our biggest ever range.

3. at all times; always

• ever the man of action, he was impatient with intellectuals

• caravan holidays remain as popular as ever

• they lived happily ever after

• [in combination] he toyed with his ever-present cigar.

4. [with comparative] — increasingly; constantly

• having to borrow ever larger sums.

5. used for emphasis in questions expressing astonishment or outrage

• who ever heard of a grown man being frightened of the dark?

• why ever did you do it?

II. phrases

1. ever again

[usu. with negative] — at any time in the future

• I never have to set foot inside a classroom ever again

• I honestly cannot imagine ever again working in an office for someone else.

2. ever and anon

‹archaic› occasionally

• ever and anon the stillness is rent by the scream of a gibbon.

[from Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (V. ii. 101).]

3. ever since

throughout the period since

• she had lived alone ever since her husband died.

4. ever so/such

(Brit.) ‹informal› very; very much

• I am ever so grateful

• she's ever such a pretty cat

• thanks ever so.

5. for ever /fə(r) ˈɛvə, ˌfɔː(r) ˈɛvə /

see forever.

6. yours ever ever yours

a formula used to end an informal letter, before the signature.

– origin Old English ǣfre, of unknown origin.

ever-changing

adjective

constantly changing or developing

• the key is adapting to the ever-changing conditions

• ever-changing technology.

Everest, Mount /ˈɛvərɪst/

I. a mountain in the Himalayas, on the border between Nepal and Tibet. Rising to 8,848 m (29,028 ft), it is the highest mountain in the world; it was first climbed in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
Tibetan name Qomolungma.

– origin named after Sir George Everest (1790–1866), British surveyor general of India.

Everglades /ˈɛvəɡleɪdz/

a vast area of marshland and coastal mangrove in southern Florida, part of which is protected as a national park.

evergreen /ˈɛvəɡriːn/

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting a plant that retains green leaves throughout the year

• the glossy laurel is fully hardy and evergreen

• evergreen shrubs.

Often contrasted with deciduous.

2. having an enduring freshness, success, or popularity

• this symphony is an evergreen favourite.

II. noun

1. a plant that retains green leaves throughout the year

• evergreens planted to cut off the east wind.

2. a person or thing of enduring freshness, success, or popularity.

• Monty Python and other TV evergreens.

evergreen oak

noun

the holm oak.

Evergreen State

informal name for the state of Washington.

everlasting /ɛvəˈlɑːstɪŋ/

I. adjective

lasting forever or a very long time

• the damned would suffer everlasting torment

• an everlasting reminder of this evening.

II. noun

1. ( the everlasting) — ‹literary› eternity.

2. (also everlasting flower) — a flower of the daisy family with a papery texture, retaining its shape and colour after being dried, especially a helichrysum.
Also called immortelle.

III. derivatives

1. everlastingly /ɛvəˈlɑːstɪŋli /

adverb

2. everlastingness

noun

evermore /ɛvəˈmɔː/

adverb

(chiefly used for rhetorical effect or in ecclesiastical contexts) always

• we pray that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us.

ever-present

I. adjective

existing or occurring at all times; always there

• his face is always half-obscured by his ever-present baseball cap

• it is a city where the threat of violent death is ever-present.

II. noun

a person who is always present over a particular period of time, especially in a sports team

• Fletcher was an ever-present in the side last season.

ever-ready

adjective

permanently accessible, available, or prepared

• Roxie's ever-ready smile.

ever-shifting

adjective

constantly changing, especially in an unpredictable way

• a kaleidoscopic vision of an ever-shifting landscape.

evert /ɪˈvəːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Biology] [Physiology] turn (a structure or organ) outwards or inside out.

• the brown hyena deposits chemicals by everting an anal pouch.

• (as adj. everted) the characteristic facial appearance of full, often everted lips.

II. derivatives

1. eversible

adjective

2. eversion /ɪˈvəːʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘upset, overthrow’): from Latin evertere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + vertere ‘to turn’. The current sense dates from the late 18th cent.

Evert, Chris /ˈɛvət/

(b.1954), American tennis player; full name Christine Marie Evert. She won both the US and French Open championships six times and three Wimbledon titles (1974; 1976; 1981).

every /ˈɛvri/

I. determiner

1. used before a singular noun to refer to all the individual members of a set without exception

• the hotel assures every guest of personal attention

• [with possessive determiner] the children hung on his every word.

2. used before an amount to indicate how often something happens

• tours are every thirty minutes

• they had every third week off.

3. (used for emphasis) all possible; the utmost

• you have every reason to be disappointed.

II. phrases

1. every bit as

(in comparisons) quite as

• the planning should be every bit as enjoyable as the event itself.

2. every inch

see inch^1.

3. every last (or every single)

used to emphasize that every member of a group is included

• unbelievers, every last one of them.

4. every man has his price

‹proverb› everyone is open to bribery if the inducement offered is large enough.

5. every now and again (or now and then)

from time to time; occasionally.

• I used to see him every now and then.

6. every other (or every second)

each alternate in a series

• I train with weights every other day

• the auctions are held every second week.

7. every so often

from time to time; occasionally.

• every so often I need a laugh to stay sane.

8. every time

without exception

• Maris Piper potatoes cook beautifully every time.

9. every which way ‹informal›

a. in all directions

• my feet went every which way.

b. by all available means

• since then he has tried every which way to avoid contact with his ex.

– origin Old English ǣfre ǣlc (see ever, each).

everybody /ˈɛvrɪbɒdi/

pronoun

every person

• everybody agrees with his views.

everyday /ˈɛvrɪdeɪ, ɛvrɪˈdeɪ/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. happening or used every day; daily

• everyday chores like shopping and housework.

2. commonplace

• everyday drugs like aspirin.

II. adverb

each day; daily

• I get up at six every day.

usage: The adjective everyday, meaning ‘happening or used every day’ or ‘commonplace’ ( everyday chores), is written as one word, whereas the adverb meaning ‘each day, daily’ ( I get up at six every day) is written as two.

Everyman /ˈɛvrɪman/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. an ordinary or typical human being

• at £1.80 a dozen, the oysters are Everyman's treat

• he is a kind of Everyman, who rises to heroism in the face of adversity.

– origin early 20th cent.: the name of the principal character in a 15th-cent. morality play.

everyone /ˈɛvrɪwʌn/

I. pronoun

every person

• everyone needs time to unwind.

• he knew everyone in the business.

usage: See usage at every one.

every one

I. pronoun

each one.

usage: The pronoun everyone, meaning ‘every person,’ is spelled as one word: everyone had a great time at the party. The pronoun every one, meaning ‘each one,’ is spelled as two words: he visited every one of those countries many times.

everyplace /ˈɛvrɪpleɪs/

adverb

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› everywhere.

everything /ˈɛvrɪθɪŋ/

I. pronoun

1. all things

• they did everything together.

2. all things of importance

• I lost everything in the crash.

3. the most important thing or aspect

• money isn't everything.

4. the current situation; life in general

• how's everything?

• everything is going okay.

II. phrases

1. and everything

‹informal› used to refer vaguely to other things associated with what has been mentioned

• you'll still get paid and everything.

2. have everything

‹informal› possess every attraction or advantage

• she was articulate, she was fun—it seemed to me she had everything.

everywhere /ˈɛvrɪwɛː/

I. adverb

1. in or to all places

• I've looked everywhere

• everywhere she went she was feted.

2. common or widely distributed

• sandwich bars are everywhere.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. all places or directions

• everywhere was in darkness.

III. phrases

everywhere else

in all other places.

• they are the same machines used everywhere else in the world.

– origin Middle English: formerly also as two words.

Everywoman /ˈɛvrɪwʊmən/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. an ordinary or typical woman

• Lorna is rich and privileged, hardly Everywoman.

– origin early 20th cent: on the pattern of Everyman.

eve-teasing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Indian) the making of unwanted sexual remarks or advances by a man to a woman in a public place.

II. derivatives

eve-teaser

noun

– origin 1960s: from Eve + tease.

evict /ɪˈvɪkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. expel (someone) from a property, especially with the support of the law

• a single mother and her children have been evicted from their home.

II. derivatives

evictor /ɪˈvɪktə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘recover property by legal process’): from Latin evict- ‘overcome, defeated’, from the verb evincere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + vincere ‘conquer’.

eviction /ɪˈvɪkʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of expelling someone from a property; expulsion

• the forced eviction of residents.

evidence /ˈɛvɪd(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid

• the study finds little evidence of overt discrimination.

2. [Law] information drawn from personal testimony, a document, or a material object, used to establish facts in a legal investigation or admissible as testimony in a law court

• without evidence, they can't bring a charge.

3. signs or indications of something

• there was no obvious evidence of a break-in.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. be or show evidence of

• the quality of the bracelet, as evidenced by the workmanship, is exceptional.

III. phrases

1. call someone in evidence

[Law] summon someone as a witness.

2. give evidence

[Law] give information and answer questions formally and in person in a law court or at an inquiry.

• the person concerned may refuse to give evidence.

3. in evidence

noticeable; conspicuous

• his dramatic flair is still very much in evidence.

4. turn King's (or Queen's ‹or US› state's) evidence

[Law] (of a criminal) give information in court against one's partners in order to receive a less severe punishment.

• in exchange for not being prosecuted he agreed to turn Queen's evidence.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin evidentia, from evident- ‘obvious to the eye or mind’ (see evident).

evident /ˈɛvɪd(ə)nt/

I. adjective

clearly seen or understood; obvious

• she ate the biscuits with evident enjoyment.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin evidens, evident- ‘obvious to the eye or mind’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + videre ‘to see’.

evidential /ˌɛvɪˈdɛnʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹formal› of or providing evidence

• the evidential bases for her argument.

II. derivatives

1. evidentiality

noun

2. evidentially

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin evidentialis, from Latin evidentia (see evidence).

evidentiary /ˌɛvɪˈdɛnʃ(ə)ri/

adjective

[chiefly US Law] another term for evidential.

evidently /ˈɛvɪd(ə)ntli/

adverb

1. in a way that is clearly seen or understood; obviously

• a work so evidently laden with significance.

2. [ sentence adverb] — it would seem that

• evidently Mrs Smith thought differently.

3. used as an affirmative response

• ‘Were they old pals or something?’ ‘Evidently.’.

evil /ˈiːv(ə)l, ˈiːvɪl/

I. adjective

1. profoundly immoral and wicked

• his evil deeds

• no man is so evil as to be beyond redemption.

2. (of a force or spirit) embodying or associated with the forces of the devil.

• we were driven out of the house by an evil spirit.

3. harmful or tending to harm

• the evil effects of high taxes.

4. (of a smell or sight) extremely unpleasant

• a bathroom with an ineradicably evil smell.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. profound immorality and wickedness, especially when regarded as a supernatural force

• his struggle against the forces of evil.

2. [ count noun] — a manifestation of this, especially in people's actions

• the evil that took place last Thursday.

3. [ count noun] — something which is harmful or undesirable

• sexism, racism, and all other unpleasant social evils.

III. phrases

1. the evil eye

a gaze or stare superstitiously believed to cause harm.

• he gave me the evil eye as I walked past.

2. the Evil One

‹archaic› the Devil.

3. give someone (the) evils

(Brit.) ‹informal› glare at someone

• I looked at the girl he'd been eyeing up and I gave her the evils.

4. put off the evil day (or hour)

postpone something unpleasant for as long as possible.

• it is too easy for children to put off the evil day when they have to get down to work.

5. speak evil of

slander

• it is a sin to speak evil of the king.

IV. derivatives

1. evilly /ˈiːv(ə)li /

adverb

2. evilness /ˈiːv(ə)lnəs /

noun

– origin Old English yfel, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch euvel and German Übel.

evildoer /ˈiːv(ə)lˌduːə/

I. noun

a person who commits profoundly immoral and wicked deeds.

• his concept of justice demanded vengeance against evildoers.

II. derivatives

evildoing /ˈiːv(ə)lˌduːɪŋ /

noun

evil-looking

adjective

wicked or frightening in appearance

• a huge man with evil-looking eyes

• an evil-looking mask.

evil-minded

adjective

having wicked or harmful intentions; malicious

• evil-minded people are using him to get into power

• invasion of their liberty by evil-minded rulers.

evil-smelling

adjective

having an extremely unpleasant smell

• an evil-smelling cesspit.

evince /ɪˈvɪns/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› reveal the presence of (a quality or feeling); indicate

• the news stories evinced the usual mixture of sympathy and satisfaction.

II. derivatives

1. evincement

noun

‹archaic›

2. evincible

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘prove by argument or evidence’): from Latin evincere ‘overcome, defeat’ (see evict).

evirate /ˈiːvɪreɪt, ˈɛːvɪreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› castrate (a man or male animal).

2. ‹rare› deprive (a man) of his male role or identity; emasculate.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin evirat-, from the verb evirare (from e-, expressing a change of state, + vir ‘man’): see -ate^3.

eviscerate /ɪˈvɪsəreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› disembowel (a person or animal)

• the goat had been skinned and neatly eviscerated.

2. ‹formal› deprive (something) of its essential content

• myriad little concessions that would eviscerate the project.

3. ‹formal› [Surgery] remove the contents of (the eyeball).

II. derivatives

evisceration /ɪvɪsəˈreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin eviscerat- ‘disembowelled’, from the verb eviscerare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + viscera ‘internal organs’.

eviternity /ˌiːvɪˈtəːnɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› eternal existence.

II. derivatives

eviternal

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin aeviternus ‘eternal’ + -ity.

evocation /ɛvəˈkeɪʃ(ə)n, iːvəˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the act of bringing or recalling a feeling, memory, or image to the conscious mind

• the vivid evocation of stillness in the title poem

• the evocation of deep emotions.

2. [ count noun] — an account or work of art that brings or recalls a feeling, memory, or image to the conscious mind

• his 560-page epic is a detailed, moving evocation of childhood.

3. the action of eliciting a response

• the mutual evocation of responses through body language.

4. the action of invoking a spirit or deity

• the evocation of wandering spirits.

evocative /ɪˈvɒkətɪv/

I. adjective

bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind

• powerfully evocative lyrics

• the building's cramped interiors are highly evocative of past centuries.

II. derivatives

1. evocatively /ɪˈvɒkətɪvli /

adverb

2. evocativeness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin evocativus, from evocat- ‘called forth’, from the verb evocare (see evoke).

evoke /ɪˈvəʊk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. bring or recall (a feeling, memory, or image) to the conscious mind

• the sight evoked pleasant memories of his childhood.

2. elicit (a response)

• the Green Paper evoked critical reactions from various bodies.

3. invoke (a spirit or deity).

• Akasha is evoked in India when a house is being built to ensure its completion.

II. derivatives

evoker

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin evocare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of, from’ + vocare ‘to call’.

evolute /ˈiːvəl(j)uːt, ˈɛvəl(j)uːt/

I. noun

[Mathematics] a curve which is the locus of the centres of curvature of another curve (its involute).

II. adjective

[Zoology] [Botany] rolled outwards at the edges

• an evolute shell.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin evolutus, past participle of evolvere ‘roll out’ (see evolve).

evolution /ˌiːvəˈluːʃ(ə)n, ˈɛvəluːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1.
a. the process by which different kinds of living organism are believed to have developed from earlier forms during the history of the earth.

The idea of organic evolution was proposed by some ancient Greek thinkers but was long rejected in Europe as contrary to the literal interpretation of the Bible. Lamarck proposed a theory that organisms became transformed by their efforts to respond to the demands of their environment. Lyell demonstrated that geological deposits were the cumulative product of slow processes over vast ages. This helped Darwin towards a theory of gradual evolution over a long period by the natural selection of those varieties of an organism slightly better adapted to the environment and hence more likely to produce descendants. Combined with the later discoveries of the cellular and molecular basis of genetics, Darwin's theory of evolution has, with some modification, become the dominant unifying concept of modern biology.

2. the gradual development of something

• the forms of written languages undergo constant evolution.

3. [Chemistry] the giving off of a gaseous product, or of heat.

• the evolution of oxygen occurs rapidly in this process.

4. [ count noun] — a pattern of movements or manoeuvres

• flocks of waders often perform aerial evolutions.

5. [Mathematics] ‹dated› the extraction of a root from a given quantity.

II. derivatives

1. evolutional

adjective

2. evolutionally

adverb

3. evolutive /iːˈvɒljuːtɪv /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin evolutio(n-) ‘unrolling’, from the verb evolvere (see evolve). Early senses related to movement, first recorded in describing a ‘wheeling’ manoeuvre in the realignment of troops or ships. Current senses stem from a notion of ‘opening out’, giving rise to the sense ‘development’.

evolutionary /ˌiːvəˈluːʃ(ə)n(ə)ri, ˌɛvəˈluːʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting the process by which different kinds of living organism are believed to have developed from earlier forms during the history of the earth

• Darwinian evolutionary theory

• chance enters into the evolutionary process in the form of naturally occurring random mutations.

2. relating to the gradual development of something

• updating technology is an evolutionary process.

3. relating to a pattern of movements or manoeuvres

• evolutionary tactics

• he was in command of the evolutionary squadron.

II. derivatives

evolutionarily

adverb

evolutionist /iːvəˈluːʃ(ə)nɪst, ɛːvəˈluːʃ(ə)nɪst/

I. noun

a person who believes in the theories of evolution and natural selection.

II. adjective

relating to the theories of evolution and natural selection

• an evolutionist model.

III. derivatives

evolutionism /ˌiːvəˈluːʃ(ə)nɪz(ə)m, ɛvəˈluːʃ(ə)nɪz(ə)m /

noun

evolve /ɪˈvɒlv/

I. verb

1. develop gradually
[no obj.]

• the company has evolved into a major chemical manufacturer

• the Gothic style evolved from the Romanesque

• [with obj.] each school must evolve its own way of working.

2. (with reference to an organism or biological feature) develop over successive generations as a result of natural selection
[no obj.]

• the domestic dog is thought to have evolved from the wolf.

3. [with obj.] — [Chemistry] give off (gas or heat).

• the energy evolved during this chemical change is transferred to water.

II. derivatives

1. evolvable

adjective

2. evolvement /ɪˈvɒlvm(ə)nt /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the general sense ‘make more complex, develop’): from Latin evolvere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + volvere ‘to roll’.

Évros /ˈɛvrɒs/

Greek name for the Maritsa.

Évvoia /ˈɛvia/

Greek name for Euboea.

evzone /ˈɛvzəʊn/

I. noun

a kilted soldier belonging to a select Greek infantry regiment.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Greek euzōnos, from Greek, ‘dressed for exercise’ (from eu- ‘fine’ + zōnē ‘belt’), because of their uniform, which includes a fustanella.

ew /ˈɪəuː, ˈiːuː / eww

I. exclamation

‹informal› used to express disgust or distaste

• ew, I'd hate to think what has been trampled into that carpet

• eww, how can you eat that?

– origin 1970s: imitative.

e-waste

noun — [ mass noun]

1. discarded electronic appliances such as mobile phones, computers, and televisions.

ewe /juː/

I. noun

a female sheep.

– origin Old English eowu, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch ooi and German Aue.

Ewe /ˈeɪweɪ/

I. noun

1. a member of a West African people of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

2. [ mass noun] — the language of the Ewe, belonging to the Kwa group. It has about 3 million speakers.

II. adjective

relating to or denoting the Ewe or their language.

– origin the name in Ewe.

ewe neck

I. noun

a horse's neck of which the upper outline curves inwards instead of outwards.

II. derivatives

ewe-necked

adjective

ewer /ˈjuːə/

I. noun

a large jug with a wide mouth, formerly used for carrying water.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, variant of Old French aiguiere, based on Latin aquarius ‘of water’, from aqua ‘water’.

ex^1 /ɛks/

I. preposition

1. (Brit.) (of goods) sold direct from

• carpet tiles offered at a special price, ex stock.

2. (N. Amer.) (of goods) without charges to the purchaser until removed from

• ex warehouse.

3. (Brit.) not including

• the cost is £5,000 ex VAT.

– origin mid 19th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin, ‘out of’.

ex^2 /ɛks/

I. noun

‹informal› a former husband, wife, or other partner in a relationship

• I don't want my ex to spoil what I have now.

– origin early 19th cent.: independent usage of ex-1.

Ex.

abbreviation

Exodus (in biblical references).

ex-1 /ɛks / e-

I. prefix

1. out

• exclude

• excite.

2. upward

• extol.

3. thoroughly

• excruciate.

4. denoting removal or release

• excommunicate

• exculpate.

5. forming verbs which denote inducement of a state

• exasperate.

6. forming nouns which denote a former state

• ex-husband

• ex-convict.

– origin from Latin ex ‘out of’. / usage: Ex- is also found assimilated as ef- before f.

ex-2 /ɛks/

I. prefix

out

• exodus

• exorcism.

– origin from Greek ex ‘out of’.

exa-

I. combining form

(used in units of measurement) denoting a factor of 10^18

• exajoule.

– origin from (h)exa- (see hexa-), based on the supposed analogy of tera- and tetra-.

exabyte EB

noun

[Computing] a unit of information equal to one quintillion (10^18) or, strictly, 2^60 bytes.

exacerbate /ɪɡˈzasəbeɪt, ɛkˈsasəbeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse

• the exorbitant cost of land in urban areas only exacerbated the problem

• the strong pound has exacerbated the situation by making it much harder for UK companies to compete on price.

II. derivatives

exacerbation /ɪɡzasəˈbeɪʃ(ə)n, ɪksasəˈbeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin exacerbat- ‘made harsh’, from the verb exacerbare, from ex- (expressing inducement of a state) + acerbus ‘harsh, bitter’. The noun exacerbation (late Middle English) originally meant ‘provocation to anger’.

exact /ɪɡˈzakt, ɛɡˈzakt/

I. adjective

1. not approximated in any way; precise

• the exact details were still being worked out.

2. accurate or correct in all details

• an exact replica, two feet tall, was constructed.

3. (of a person) accurate and careful about minor details

• she was an exact, clever manager.

4. (of a subject of study) permitting precise measurements as a basis for rigorously testable theories

• psychomedicine isn't an exact science yet.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. demand and obtain (something) from someone

• he exacted promises that another Watergate would never be allowed to happen.

2. inflict (revenge) on someone.

• she exacts a cruel revenge for his rejection.

III. derivatives

1. exactable /ɪɡˈzaktəb(ə)l, ɛɡˈzaktəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. exactitude /ɪɡˈzaktɪtjuːd, ɛɡˈzaktɪtjuːd /

noun

3. exactor /ɪɡˈzaktə, ɛɡˈzaktə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (as a verb): from Latin exact- ‘completed, ascertained, enforced’, from the verb exigere, from ex- ‘thoroughly’ + agere ‘perform’. The adjective dates from the mid 16th cent. and reflects the Latin exactus ‘precise’.

exacta /ɪɡˈzaktə/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) another term for perfecta.

– origin 1960s: from American Spanish quiniela exacta ‘exact quinella’.

exacting /ɪɡˈzaktɪŋ, ɛɡˈzaktɪŋ/

I. adjective

making great demands on one's skill, attention, or other resources

• the exacting standards laid down by the organic food industry.

II. derivatives

1. exactingly

adverb

2. exactingness

noun

exaction /ɪɡˈzakʃ(ə)n, ɛɡˈzakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the action of demanding and obtaining something from someone, especially a payment

• he supervised the exaction of tolls at various ports.

2. [ count noun] — ‹formal› a sum of money exacted from someone.

• the billions flow in through 28 taxes and countless smaller exactions.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin exactio(n-), from exigere ‘ascertain, perfect, enforce’ (see exact).

exactly /ɪɡˈzak(t)li, ɛɡˈzak(t)li/

I. adverb

1. used to emphasize the accuracy of a figure or description

• they met in 1989 and got married exactly two years later.

2. in exact terms; without vagueness

• what exactly are you looking for?

3. used as a reply to confirm or agree with what has just been said

• ‘You mean that you're going to tell me the truth?’ ‘Exactly.’.

II. phrases

not exactly ‹informal›

a. not at all

• that too was not exactly convincing.

b. not quite but close to being

• not exactly agitated, but disturbed.

exactness /ɛɡˈzak(t)nəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being accurate or correct; precision

• it is impossible to calculate with mathematical exactness.

exaggerate /ɪɡˈzadʒəreɪt, ɛɡˈzadʒəreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. represent (something) as being larger, better, or worse than it really is

• she was apt to exaggerate any aches and pains

• [no obj.] I couldn't sleep for three days—I'm not exaggerating.

2. (as adj. exaggerated) — enlarged or altered beyond normal proportions

• exaggerated features such as a massive head and beetling brows.

II. derivatives

1. exaggeratedly /ɪɡˈzadʒəreɪtɪdli, ɛɡˈzadʒəreɪtɪdli /

adverb

2. exaggerative /ɪɡˈzadʒərətɪv, ɛɡˈzadʒərətɪv /

adjective

3. exaggerator /ɪɡˈzadʒəreɪtə, ɛɡˈzadʒəreɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin exaggerat- ‘heaped up’, from the verb exaggerare, from ex- ‘thoroughly’ + aggerare ‘heap up’ (from agger ‘heap’). The word originally meant ‘pile up, accumulate’, later ‘intensify praise or blame’, giving rise to current senses.

exaggeration /ɪɡˌzadʒəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. a statement that represents something as better or worse than it really is

• it would be an exaggeration to say I had morning sickness, but I did feel queasy.

2. [ mass noun] — the action of making exaggerations

• he was prone to exaggeration.

exalt /ɪɡˈzɔːlt, ɛɡˈzɔːlt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. think or speak very highly of (someone or something)

• the party will continue to exalt their hero.

2. raise to a higher rank or position

• this naturally exalts the peasant above his brethren in the same rank of society.

3. make noble in character; dignify

• romanticism liberated the imagination and exalted the emotions.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin exaltare, from ex- ‘out, upward’ + altus ‘high’.

exaltation /ɛɡzɔːlˈteɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkszɔːlˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling or state of extreme happiness

• she was in a frenzy of exaltation and terror.

2. the action of elevating someone in rank or power

• the exaltation of Jesus to the Father's right hand.

3. the action of praising someone or something highly

• the exaltation of the army as a place for brotherhood.

4. [ count noun] — ‹rare› a flock of larks

• what a sound an exaltation of larks must make.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘the action of raising high’): from late Latin exaltatio(n-), from Latin exaltare ‘raise aloft’ (see exalt).

exalté /ɪɡˈzɔːlteɪ / ‹literary›

I. noun

a person who is elated or impassioned.

• a band of young exaltés chanting appeals to passers-by.

II. adjective

inspiring or stimulating.

• in the exalté atmosphere of the Bateau Lavoir his writing flourished.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, ‘lifted up’, past participle of exalter.

exalted /ɪɡˈzɔːltɪd/

I. adjective

1. (of a person or their rank or status) at a high or powerful level

• it had taken her years of infighting to reach her present exalted rank.

2. of a noble, elevated, or lofty nature

• his exalted hopes of human progress.

3. in a state of extreme happiness

• I felt exalted and newly alive.

II. derivatives

1. exaltedly

adverb

2. exaltedness

noun

exam /ɪɡˈzam, ɛɡˈzam/

noun

1. short for examination (sense 2).

• he was likely to fail his exams again.

• [as modifier] exam results.

2. [with adj. or noun modifier] — (N. Amer.) a medical test of a specified kind

• routine eye exams.

examinant /ɪɡˈzamɪnənt, ɛɡˈzamɪnənt/

I. noun

a person conducting a judicial or academic examination.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin examinant- ‘weighing, testing’, from the verb examinare (see examine).

examination /ɪɡˌzamɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n, ɛɡˌzamɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a detailed inspection or study

• an examination of marketing behaviour

• a medical examination is conducted without delay.

2. [ mass noun] — the action or process of conducting an examination

• the role of the planning system has come under increasing critical examination.

3. a formal test of a person's knowledge or proficiency in a subject or skill

• he scraped through the examinations at the end of his first year.

4. [Law] the formal questioning of a defendant or witness in court.

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘testing (one's conscience) by a standard’): via Old French from Latin examinatio(n-), from examinare ‘weigh, test’ (see examine).

examination-in-chief

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] the questioning of a witness by the party which has called that witness to give evidence, in support of the case being made.
Compare with cross-examine.

examination paper

noun

a set of printed questions used as a test of proficiency or knowledge.

examine /ɪɡˈzamɪn, ɛɡˈzamɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. inspect (someone or something) thoroughly in order to determine their nature or condition

• a doctor examined me and said I might need a caesarean

• this forced us to examine every facet of our business.

2. test the knowledge or proficiency of (someone) by requiring them to answer questions or perform tasks

• the colleges set standards by examining candidates.

3. [Law] formally question (a defendant or witness) in court.
Compare with cross-examine.

II. derivatives

1. examinable /ɪɡˈzamɪnəb(ə)l, ɛɡˈzamɪnəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. examinee /ɪɡzamɪˈniː, ɛɡzamɪˈniː /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French examiner, from Latin examinare ‘weigh, test’, from examen ‘examination’.

examiner /ɪɡˈzamɪnə/

noun

1. a person whose job is to inspect something; an inspector

• a police vehicle examiner.

2. a person who sets and marks examinations to test people's knowledge or proficiency

• exams are marked by external examiners.

exam paper

noun

short for examination paper.

example /ɪɡˈzɑːmp(ə)l, ɛɡˈzɑːmp(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a thing characteristic of its kind or illustrating a general rule

• advertising provides a good example of an industry where dreams have faded.

2. a written problem or exercise designed to illustrate a rule.

• a workbook and a data set will enable the researcher to follow worked examples.

3. a person or thing regarded in terms of their fitness to be imitated

• it is important that parents should set an example

• he followed his brother's example and deserted his family.

II. verb — ( be exampled)

1. be illustrated or exemplified

• the extent of Allied naval support is exampled by the navigational specialists provided.

III. phrases

1. for example

used to introduce something chosen as a typical case

• many, like Hilda, for example, come from very poor backgrounds.

2. make an example of

punish as a warning or deterrent to others.

• he had been imprisoned so that the air force could make an example of him.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin exemplum, from eximere ‘take out’, from ex- ‘out’ + emere ‘take’. Compare with sample.

exanimate /ɪkˈsanɪmət, ɛkˈsanɪmət/

I. adjective

‹rare› showing no sign of life; lifeless

• his exanimate body.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin exanimatus ‘deprived of life’, from ex- ‘out’ + animatus (see animate).

ex ante /ɛks ˈanti/

I. adjective, adverb

based on forecasts rather than actual results
[as adj.]

• an ex ante estimate.

– origin modern Latin, from Latin ex ‘from, out of’ + ante ‘before’.

exanthema /ɪkˈsanθɪmə, ˌɛksanˈθiːmə/

I. noun

[Medicine] a skin rash accompanying a disease or fever.
[ mass noun]

• other symptoms are allergic contact dermatitis and generalized exanthema.

• [ count noun] the diagnosis of the common exanthemata.

II. derivatives

1. exanthematic

adjective

2. exanthematous

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: via late Latin from Greek exanthēma ‘eruption’, from ex- ‘out’ + antheein ‘to blossom’ (from anthos ‘flower’).

exaptation /ˌɛksapˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] the process by which features acquire functions for which they were not originally adapted or selected.

2. [ count noun] — [Biology] a character or feature which evolved by the process of exaptation.

– origin 1980s: from ex-1 + aptation as in adaptation.

exarch /ˈɛksɑːk/

I. noun

1. (in the Orthodox Church) a bishop lower in rank than a patriarch and having jurisdiction wider than the metropolitan of a diocese.

2. ‹historical› a governor of a distant province under the Byzantine emperors.

– origin late 16th cent.: via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek exarkhos, from ex- ‘out of’ + arkhos ‘ruler’.

exarchate /ˈɛksɑːkeɪt/

I. noun

‹historical› a Byzantine province governed by an exarch.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin exarchatus, from ecclesiastical Latin exarchus, from Greek (see exarch).

exasperate /ɪɡˈzasp(ə)reɪt, ɛɡˈzasp(ə)reɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. irritate intensely; infuriate

• this futile process exasperates prison officers.

II. derivatives

exasperatedly

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin exasperat- ‘irritated to anger’, from the verb exasperare (based on asper ‘rough’).

exasperating /ɪɡˈzɑːsp(ə)reɪtɪŋ, ɛɡˈzɑːsp(ə)reɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

intensely irritating; infuriating

• they suffered a number of exasperating setbacks.

II. derivatives

exasperatingly /ɪɡˈzɑːspəreɪtɪŋli, ɛɡˈzɑːspəreɪtɪŋli /

adverb

exasperation /ɪɡˌzɑːspəˈreɪʃ(ə)n, ɛɡˌzɑːspəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of intense irritation or annoyance

• she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Excalibur /ɛksˈkalɪbə/

(in Arthurian legend) King Arthur's magic sword.

ex cathedra /ˌɛks kəˈθiːdrə/

I. adverb, adjective

with the full authority of office (especially that of the Pope, implying infallibility as defined in Roman Catholic doctrine).
[as adv.]

• for an encyclical to be infallible the Pope must speak ex cathedra.

• [as adj.] this papal judgement is not ex cathedra.

– origin Latin, ‘from the (teacher's) chair’, from ex ‘from’ and cathedra ‘seat’ (from Greek kathedra).

excavate /ˈɛkskəveɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (a hole or channel) by digging.

• the cheapest way of doing this was to excavate a long trench.

2. dig out material from (the ground).

• the ground was largely excavated by hand.

3. extract (material) from the ground by digging

• a large amount of gravel would be excavated to form the channel.

4. remove earth carefully from (an area) in order to find buried remains

• the site was excavated in 1975.

5. reveal or extract (buried remains) while excavating an area

• clothing and weapons were excavated from the burial site.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin excavat- ‘hollowed out’, from the verb excavare, from ex- ‘out’ + cavare ‘make or become hollow’ (from cavus ‘hollow’).

excavation /ɛkskəˈveɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of excavating something, especially an archaeological site

• the methods of excavation have to be extremely rigorous.

2. [ count noun] — a site that is being or has been excavated.

• inside the excavation were the bones of some huge creature.

excavator /ˈɛkskəveɪtə/

noun

1. a person who excavates an archaeological site.

2. a large machine for digging and moving earth.

exceed /ɪkˈsiːd, ɛkˈsiːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. be greater in number or size than (a quantity, number, or other measurable thing)

• production costs have exceeded £60,000.

2. go beyond what is allowed or stipulated by (a set limit)

• the Tribunal's decision clearly exceeds its powers under the statute.

3. be better than; surpass

• economic growth exceeded expectations this year.

II. derivatives

exceedance

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘go over a boundary or specified point’): from Old French exceder, from Latin excedere, from ex- ‘out’ + cedere ‘go’.

exceeding /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋ, ɛkˈsiːdɪŋ / ‹archaic›

I. adjective

very great

• she spoke warmly of his exceeding kindness.

II. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. extremely; exceedingly

• an ale of exceeding poor quality.

exceedingly /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋli, ɛkˈsiːdɪŋli/

adverb

1. [as submodifier] — extremely

• the team played exceedingly well.

2. ‹archaic› to a great extent

• the supply multiplied exceedingly.

excel /ɪkˈsɛl, ɛkˈsɛl/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. be exceptionally good at or proficient in an activity or subject

• she excelled at landscape painting.

2. ( excel oneself) — (Brit.) perform exceptionally well

• the keeper excelled himself to keep out an Elliott header.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin excellere, from ex- ‘out, beyond’ + celsus ‘lofty’.

excellence /ˈɛks(ə)l(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being outstanding or extremely good

• awards for excellence

• a centre of academic excellence.

2. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› an outstanding feature or quality.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin excellentia, from the verb excellere ‘surpass’ (see excel).

excellency /ˈɛks(ə)l(ə)nsi/

I. noun

1. ( His, Your, etc. Excellency) — a title or form of address given to certain high officials of state, especially ambassadors, or of the Roman Catholic Church

• His Excellency the Indian Consul General.

2. ‹archaic› an outstanding feature or quality.

• the characteristic excellencies of Wordsworth's poetry are listed.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘excellence’): from Latin excellentia, from excellere ‘surpass’ (see excel). Sense 1 dates from the mid 16th cent.

excellent /ˈɛks(ə)l(ə)nt/

I. adjective

extremely good; outstanding

• the lorry was in excellent condition

• their results are excellent.

II. exclamation

used to indicate approval or pleasure

• ‘What a lovely idea! Excellent!’.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘outstanding’ in either a good or bad way): from Old French, from Latin excellent- ‘being pre-eminent’, from excellere (see excel). The current appreciatory sense dates from the early 17th cent.

excellently /ˈɛks(ə)l(ə)ntli/

adverb

in an extremely good or outstanding way

• all the actors performed excellently

• the remains were excellently preserved.

excelsior /ɛkˈsɛlsɪɔː/

I. noun

1. used in the names of hotels and products to indicate superior quality

• they stayed at the Excelsior.

2. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) softwood shavings used for packing fragile goods or stuffing furniture.

– origin late 18th cent. (as an exclamation): from Latin, comparative of excelsus, from ex- ‘out, beyond’ + celsus ‘lofty’.

excentric /ɪkˈsɛntrɪk, ɛkˈsɛntrɪk/

I. adjective

[chiefly Biology] not placed centrally or arranged symmetrically about a centre

• a distinct excentric nucleus.

II. derivatives

excentrically

adverb

except /ɪkˈsɛpt, ɛkˈsɛpt/

I. preposition

not including; other than

• I was naked except for my socks

• they work every day except Sunday.

II. conjunction

1. used before a statement that forms an exception to one just made

• I didn't tell him anything, except that I needed the money

• our berets were the same except mine was blue.

2. ‹archaic› unless

• she never offered advice, except it were asked of her.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› specify as excluded from a category or group

• five classes of advertisement are excepted from control.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin except- ‘taken out’, from the verb excipere, from ex- ‘out of’ + capere ‘take’.

excepted

adjective — [ postpositive]

1. excluded from the category or group specified

• most museums (the Getty excepted) have small acquisitions budgets.

excepting /ɪkˈsɛptɪŋ, ɛkˈsɛptɪŋ/

preposition

‹formal› except for; apart from

• excepting a scratched door, the car was in good condition.

exception /ɪkˈsɛpʃ(ə)n, ɛkˈsɛpʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a person or thing that is excluded from a general statement or does not follow a rule

• he always plays top tunes, and tonight was no exception

• the administrator made an exception in the Colonel's case and waived the normal visiting hours.

II. phrases

1. the exception proves the rule

‹proverb› the fact that some cases do not follow a rule proves that the rule applies in all other cases.

2. take exception to

object strongly to

• many viewers took great exception to the programme's content.

3. with the exception of

except; not including.

• all water sports, with the exception of scuba diving, are complimentary.

4. without exception

with no one or nothing excluded.

• almost without exception, all the residents are opposed to this vandalism.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin exceptio(n-), from excipere ‘take out’ (see except).

exceptionable /ɪkˈsɛpʃ(ə)nəb(ə)l, ɛkˈsɛpʃ(ə)nəb(ə)l/

adjective

‹formal› open to objection; causing disapproval or offence

• his drawings are almost the only exceptionable part of his work.

exceptional /ɪkˈsɛpʃ(ə)n(ə)l, ɛkˈsɛpʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. unusual; not typical

• late claims will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances.

2. unusually good; outstanding

• a child of exceptional ability.

II. noun — (usu. exceptionals)

1. an item in a company's accounts arising from its normal activity but much larger or smaller than usual.
Compare with extraordinary.

III. derivatives

exceptionality /ɪksɛpʃ(ə)ˈnalɪti, ɛksɛpʃ(ə)ˈnalɪti /

noun

exceptionalism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the belief that something is exceptional, especially the theory that the peaceful capitalism of the US constitutes an exception to the general economic laws governing national historical development.

exceptionally /ɪkˈsepʃ(ə)nəli/

adverb

1. to a greater degree than normal; unusually
[as submodifier]

• the weather was exceptionally mild for the time of the year.

2. only in unusual circumstances

• the court allows half an hour in most cases, one hour exceptionally for a very important case.

excerpt

I. noun — excerpt /ˈɛksəːpt /

1. a short extract from a film, broadcast, or piece of music or writing.

• she read out excerpts from an article in the Times.

II. verb — [with obj.] excerpt /ɪkˈsəːpt, ɛkˈsəːpt /

1. take (a short extract) from a text

• the notes are excerpted from his forthcoming biography.

2. take an excerpt or excerpts from (a text)

• a book excerpted in this week's Time magazine.

III. derivatives

1. excerptible

adjective

2. excerption /ɛkˈsəːpʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a verb): from Latin excerpt- ‘plucked out’, from the verb excerpere, from ex- ‘out of’ + carpere ‘to pluck’.

excess /ɪkˈsɛs, ɛkˈsɛs, ˈɛksɛs/

I. noun

1. an amount of something that is more than necessary, permitted, or desirable

• are you suffering from an excess of stress in your life?

2. the amount by which one quantity or number exceeds another.

• as regards other cancers in this age group, there is a small excess during 1984—90.

3. [ mass noun] — the action of exceeding a permitted or acceptable limit

• there is no issue as to excess of jurisdiction.

4. [ mass noun] — lack of moderation, especially in eating or drinking

• bouts of alcoholic excess.

5. ( excesses) — outrageous or immoderate behaviour

• the worst excesses of the French Revolution.

6. (Brit.) a part of an insurance claim to be paid by the insured.

• we will deduct the excess from the loss and then pay up to the policy limit.

II. adjective — [ attrib.] excess /ˈɛksɛs /

1. exceeding a prescribed or desirable amount

• trim any excess fat off the meat.

2. (Brit.) required as extra payment

• the full excess fare had to be paid.

III. phrases

1. in (or to) excess

exceeding the proper amount or degree

• she insisted that he did not drink to excess.

2. in excess of

more than

• a top speed in excess of 20 knots.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin excessus, from excedere ‘go out, surpass’ (see exceed).

excess baggage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. luggage weighing more than the limit allowed on an aircraft and liable to an extra charge.

excessive /ɪkˈsɛsɪv, ɛkˈsɛsɪv/

I. adjective

more than is necessary, normal, or desirable; immoderate

• he was drinking excessive amounts of brandy.

II. derivatives

excessiveness /ɪkˈsɛsɪvnəs, ɛkˈsɛsɪvnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French excessif, -ive, from medieval Latin excessivus, from Latin excedere ‘surpass’ (see exceed).

excessively /ɛkˈsɛsɪvli/

adverb

to a greater degree or in greater amounts than is necessary, normal, or desirable; inordinately

• they don't drink excessively

• [as submodifier] excessively high taxes.

exchange /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ, ɛksˈtʃeɪndʒ/

I. noun

1. an act of giving one thing and receiving another (especially of the same kind) in return

• negotiations should lead to an exchange of land for peace

• [ mass noun] opportunities for the exchange of information.

2. a visit or visits in which two people or groups from different countries stay with each other or do each other's jobs
[as modifier]

• an exchange visit to Germany.

3. [ mass noun] — the changing of money to its equivalent in the currency of another country.

• they provided me with currency exchange at competitive rates.

4. [ count noun] — a system or market in which commercial transactions involving currency, shares, etc. can be carried out within or between countries.

5. [ count noun] — a building or institution used for the trading of a particular commodity or commodities

• the old Corn Exchange.

6. a short conversation or an argument

• there was a heated exchange.

7. short for telephone exchange.

8. [Chess] a move or short sequence of moves in which both players capture material of comparable value, or particularly in which one captures a rook in return for a knight or bishop.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. give something and receive something of the same kind in return

• we exchanged addresses

• he exchanged a concerned glance with Stephen.

2. give or receive one thing in place of another

• we regret that tickets cannot be exchanged

• he exchanges his cigarette ends for food.

3. [no obj.] — exchange contracts.

III. phrases

1. exchange contracts

(Brit.) (of a buyer) sign a legal contract with the vendor of a property or piece of land, making the purchase legally binding and enforceable.

2. in exchange

as a thing exchanged

• he carried bags of groceries in exchange for a nickel.

IV. derivatives

1. exchangeability /ɪkstʃeɪndʒəˈbɪlɪti, ɛkstʃeɪndʒəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. exchangeable /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒəb(ə)l, ɛksˈtʃeɪndʒəb(ə)l /

adjective

3. exchanger /ɪkˈstʃeɪndʒə, ɛkˈstʃeɪndʒə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French eschange (noun), eschangier (verb), based on changer (see change). The spelling was influenced by Latin ex- ‘out, utterly’ (see ex-1).

exchange control

noun

a governmental restriction on the movement of currency between countries.

exchange rate /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒreɪt / rate of exchange

noun

the value of one currency for the purpose of conversion to another.

• the exchange rate of the dollar against the Deutschmark.

• [as modifier] exchange rate fluctuations.

Exchange Rate Mechanism ERM

an arrangement within the European Monetary System that allows the value of participating currencies to fluctuate to a defined degree in relation to each other so as to control exchange rates. Each currency is given a rate of exchange with the euro, from which it is allowed to fluctuate by no more than a specified amount; if it moves beyond this the government in question must alter its economic policies or reset the currency's rate with the euro.

exchange-traded fund

noun

a type of investment fund that is traded on a stock exchange

• two exchange-traded funds that own biotechnology stocks both fell about 4% this week.

exchange transfusion

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the simultaneous removal of a patient's blood and replacement by donated blood, used in treating serious conditions such as haemolytic disease of the newborn.

exchequer /ɪksˈtʃɛkə, ɛksˈtʃɛkə/

I. noun

1. a royal or national treasury.

• an important source of revenue to the sultan's exchequer.

2. ( Exchequer) — (Brit.) the account at the Bank of England in which is held the Consolidated Fund, into which tax receipts and other public monies are paid.

• each of the protesters will be liable to a fixed fine, which could raise £200m for the Exchequer.

3. ( Exchequer) — (Brit.) ‹historical› the former government office responsible for collecting revenue and making payments on behalf of the sovereign, auditing official accounts, and trying legal cases relating to revenue.

– origin Middle English: from Old French eschequier, from medieval Latin scaccarium ‘chessboard’, from scaccus (see check^1). The original sense was ‘chessboard’. Current senses derive from the Norman department of state dealing with the royal revenues, named Exchequer from the chequered tablecloth on which accounts were kept by means of counters. The spelling was influenced by Latin ex- ‘out’ (see ex^1). Compare with chequer.

excimer /ˈɛksɪmə/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an unstable excited molecule which is formed by the combination of two smaller molecules and rapidly dissociates with emission of radiation, utilized in some kinds of laser.

– origin 1960s: blend of excited and dimer.

excipient /ɛkˈsɪpɪənt/

I. noun

an inactive substance that serves as the vehicle or medium for a drug or other active substance.

• excipients are things like colouring agents, preservatives, and fillers.

– origin early 18th cent. (as an adjective in the sense ‘that takes exception’): from Latin excipient- ‘taking out’, from the verb excipere.

excise^1 /ˈɛksʌɪz/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. a tax levied on certain goods and commodities produced or sold within a country and on licences granted for certain activities

• the rate of excise duty on spirits.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. excised)

1. charge excise on (goods)

• excised goods.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the general sense ‘a tax or toll’): from Middle Dutch excijs, accijs, perhaps based on Latin accensare ‘to tax’, from ad- ‘to’ + census ‘tax’ (see census).

excise^2 /ɪkˈsʌɪz, ɛkˈsʌɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut out surgically

• the precision with which surgeons can excise brain tumours

• (as adj. excised) excised tissue.

2. remove (a section) from a text or piece of music

• the clauses were excised from the treaty.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘notch or hollow out’): from Latin excis- ‘cut out’, from the verb excidere, from ex- ‘out of’ + caedere ‘to cut’.

exciseman /ˈɛksʌɪzmən/

noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› an official responsible for collecting excise duty and preventing infringement of the excise laws (especially by smuggling).

excision /ɪkˈsɪʒ(ə)n, ɛkˈsɪʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of excising something

• the excision of the carcinoma.

II. derivatives

excisional

adjective

excitable /ɪkˈsʌɪtəb(ə)l, ɛkˈsʌɪtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. responding too readily to something new or stimulating; easily excited

• a rather excitable young man.

2. (of tissue or a cell) responsive to stimulation.

• these alkaloids act on nerve cells to make them more excitable.

II. derivatives

1. excitability /ɪksʌɪtəˈbɪlɪti, ɪksʌɪtəˈbɪləti /

noun

2. excitably

adverb

excitant /ˈɛksɪt(ə)nt, ɪkˈsʌɪt(ə)nt, ɛkˈsʌɪt(ə)nt/

noun

[Biology] a substance which elicits an active physiological or behavioural response.

• what happens when chemical excitants flood into the brain?

excitation /ˌɛksɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› the application of energy to something, in particular:

2. [Physics] the process in which an atom or other particle adopts a higher energy state when energy is supplied

• thermal excitation.

3. [Physiology] the state of enhanced activity of a cell, organism, or tissue which results from its stimulation.

• these neurotransmitters can produce excitation or inhibition.

4. the application of current to the winding of an electromagnet to produce a magnetic field.

• continuous rotation of the motor by sequential excitation of the phase windings.

• [as modifier] two parallel coils with opposing excitation windings.

5. the application of a signal voltage to the control electrode of an electron tube or the base of a transistor.

6. the action of exciting or the state of being excited; excitement

• a state of sexual excitation.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from late Latin excitatio(n-), from excitare ‘rouse, call forth’ (see excite).

excitative /ɪkˈsʌɪtətɪv/

adjective

‹rare› causing excitation.

excitatory /ɪkˈsʌɪtət(ə)ri, ɛkˈsʌɪtət(ə)ri/

adjective

[chiefly Physiology] characterized by, causing, or constituting excitation

• the excitatory action of these impulses.

excite /ɪkˈsʌɪt, ɛkˈsʌɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to feel very enthusiastic and eager

• flying still excites me

• Gould was excited by these discoveries.

2. arouse (someone) sexually

• his Mediterranean vibrancy excited and stimulated her.

3. give rise to (a feeling or reaction)

• the ability to excite interest in others.

4. produce a state of increased energy or activity in (a physical or biological system)

• the energy of an electron is sufficient to excite the atom.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘incite someone to do something’): from Old French exciter or Latin excitare, frequentative of exciere ‘call out or forth’. Sense 1 dates from the mid 19th cent.

excited /ɪkˈsʌɪtɪd/

adjective

1. very enthusiastic and eager

• they were excited about the prospect

• the excited children.

2. sexually aroused.

3. [Physics] of or in an energy state higher than the normal or ground state.

• the excited atom returns to its former energy state and emits light or other radiation.

excitedly /ɛkˈsʌɪtɪdli/

adverb

in a very enthusiastic and eager manner

• he talked excitedly about his future marriage plans

• they excitedly waved and blew kisses.

excitement /ɪkˈsʌɪtmənt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness

• her cheeks were flushed with excitement.

2. [ count noun] — something that arouses a feeling of excitement

• the excitements of the previous night.

3. sexual arousal.

exciter /ɪkˈsʌɪtə, ɛkˈsʌɪtə/

noun

a thing that produces excitation, in particular a device that provides a magnetizing current for the electromagnets in a motor or generator.

exciting /ɪkˈsʌɪtɪŋ, ɛkˈsʌɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

causing great enthusiasm and eagerness

• one of the most exciting matches I've ever seen.

II. derivatives

1. excitingly /ɪkˈsʌɪtɪŋli, ɛkˈsʌɪtɪŋli /

adverb

2. excitingness

noun

exciton /ˈɛksɪtɒn, ɪkˈsʌɪtɒn/

I. noun

[Physics] a mobile concentration of energy in a crystal formed by an excited electron and an associated hole.

– origin 1930s: from excitation + -on.

exclaim /ɪkˈskleɪm, ɛkˈskleɪm/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. cry out suddenly in surprise, strong emotion, or pain
[with direct speech]

• ‘Well I never,’ she exclaimed

• she looked in the mirror, exclaiming in dismay at her appearance.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French exclamer or Latin exclamare, from ex- ‘out’ + clamare ‘to shout’.

exclamation /ˌɛkskləˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

a sudden cry or remark expressing surprise, strong emotion, or pain

• an exclamation of amazement.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin exclamatio(n-), from exclamare ‘shout out’ (see exclaim).

exclamation mark ‹N. Amer.› exclamation point

noun

a punctuation mark (!) indicating an exclamation.

exclamatory /ɪkˈsklamət(ə)ri, ɛkˈsklamət(ə)ri/

adjective

(of a cry or remark) expressing surprise, strong emotion, or pain.

exclave /ˈɛkskleɪv/

I. noun

a portion of territory of one state completely surrounded by territory of another or others, as viewed by the home territory.
Compare with enclave.

– origin late 19th cent.: from ex-1 ‘out’ + a shortened form of enclave.

exclosure /ɪkˈskləʊʒə, ɛkˈskləʊʒə/

I. noun

[Forestry] an area from which unwanted animals are excluded.

– origin 1920s: from ex-1 ‘out’ + closure, on the pattern of enclosure.

exclude /ɪkˈskluːd, ɛkˈskluːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. deny (someone) access to a place, group, or privilege

• the public were excluded from the board meeting.

2. keep (something) out of a place

• apply flux to exclude oxygen.

3. expel (a pupil) from school.

4. remove from consideration

• one cannot exclude the possibility of a fall in house prices.

5. prevent the occurrence of

• clauses seeking to exclude liability for loss or damage.

II. phrases

law (or principle) of the excluded middle

[Logic] the principle that one (and one only) of two contradictory propositions must be true.

III. derivatives

1. excludable

adjective

2. excluder

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin excludere, from ex- ‘out’ + claudere ‘to shut’.

excluding /ɪkˈskluːdɪŋ/

preposition

not taking someone or something into account; except

• the holiday cost £180, excluding accommodation.

exclusion /ɪkˈskluːʒ(ə)n, ɛkˈskluːʒ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of excluding or the state of being excluded

• he had a hand in my exclusion from the committee.

2. [ count noun] — an item or eventuality specifically not covered by an insurance policy or other contract

• exclusions can be added to your policy.

II. phrases

to the exclusion of

so as to exclude something specified

• don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin exclusio(n-), from excludere ‘shut out’ (see exclude).

exclusionary

adjective

1. relating to or characterized by the exclusion of something, especially from a contract or group

• exclusionary membership policies

• there should be no exclusionary language.

2. relating to an item or eventuality specifically not covered by an insurance policy or other contract

• an exclusionary rule barring liability of the police for negligence.

exclusionary rule

noun

(US) [Law] a law that prohibits the use of illegally obtained evidence in a criminal trial.

exclusion clause

noun

a contractual provision disclaiming liability for a particular eventuality.

exclusionist

I. adjective

acting to bar someone or something from a place, group, or privilege

• an exclusionist foreign policy.

II. noun

a person favouring the exclusion of someone or something from a place, group, or privilege.

exclusion order

noun

(Brit.) an official order excluding a person from a particular place, especially to prevent a crime being committed.

exclusion principle

noun

another term for Pauli exclusion principle.

exclusion zone

noun

an area into which entry is forbidden, especially by ships or aircraft of particular nationalities.

• aircraft had violated the air exclusion zone.

exclusive /ɪkˈskluːsɪv, ɛkˈskluːsɪv/

I. adjective

1. excluding or not admitting other things

• an exclusive focus on success and making money

• the list is not exclusive.

2. unable to exist or be true if something else exists or is true

• mutually exclusive options.

3. (of terms) excluding all but what is specified.

4. restricted to the person, group, or area concerned

• the couple had exclusive possession of the flat

• the problem isn't exclusive to Dublin.

5. (of an item or story) not published or broadcast elsewhere

• an exclusive interview.

6. catering for or available to only a few, select customers; high class and expensive

• one of Britain's most exclusive clubs.

7. ( exclusive of) — not including

• prices are exclusive of VAT.

II. noun

an item or story published or broadcast by only one source.

III. derivatives

exclusiveness /ɪkˈskluːsɪvnəs, ɛkˈskluːsɪvnəs /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (as a noun denoting something that excludes): from medieval Latin exclusivus, from Latin excludere ‘shut out’ (see exclude).

Exclusive Brethren

plural noun

the more rigorous of two principal divisions of the Plymouth Brethren (the other is the Open Brethren). The Exclusive Brethren greatly restrict their contact with outsiders and modern technology.

exclusive economic zone

noun

an area of coastal water and seabed within a certain distance of a country's coastline, to which the country claims exclusive rights for fishing, drilling, and other economic activities.

exclusively /ɪkˈskluːsɪvli/

adverb

1. to the exclusion of others; only

• paints produced exclusively for independent retailers

• [as submodifier] exclusively female concerns.

2. as the only source

• I can exclusively reveal that Gail shares a birthday with Rod Stewart.

exclusive OR

noun

1. [Electronics] a Boolean operator working on two variables that has the value one if one but not both of the variables is one.
Also called XOR.

2. (also exclusive OR gate) — [Electronics] a circuit which produces an output signal when a signal is received through one and only one of its two inputs.

exclusivism /ɪkˈskluːsɪvɪz(ə)m, ɛkˈskluːsɪvɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or policy of excluding a person or group from a place, group, or privilege.

II. derivatives

exclusivist /ɪkˈskluːsɪvɪst, ɛkˈskluːsɪvɪst /

adjective, noun

exclusivity /ˌɛkskluːˈsɪvɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of excluding or not admitting other things

• these banks maintain their exclusivity by setting minimum entry standards

• the event was criticized for its gender exclusivity.

2. the inability to exist or be true if something else exists or is true

• those that maintain exclusivity of religion—that is, one particular religion is the only true religion.

3. restriction to a particular person, group, or area

• those inside the circle cultivate an air of exclusivity

• [as modifier] we have exclusivity agreements with companies.

4. the fact of an item or story not being published or broadcast elsewhere

• there is no sense in us sharing coverage, and we would insist on exclusivity

• agents and publishers can demand exclusivity.

5. the state of catering for or being affordable by only a few, select customers

• the hotel's emphasis is on exclusivity and luxury.

excogitate /ɪksˈkɒdʒɪteɪt, ɛksˈkɒdʒɪteɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› think out, plan, or devise

• all the rubrics, forms, and functions remained to be excogitated.

II. derivatives

excogitation /ɪkskɒdʒɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkskɒdʒɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin excogitat- ‘found by process of thought’, from the verb excogitare, from ex- ‘out’ + cogitare ‘think’.

excommunicant /ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪk(ə)nt/

I. noun

an excommunicated person.

– origin late 16th cent.: based on ecclesiastical Latin excommunicare (see excommunicate), with irregular use of the suffix -ant.

excommunicate

I. verb — [with obj.] excommunicate /ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt /

1. officially exclude (someone) from participation in the sacraments and services of the Christian Church.

• Martin Luther was excommunicated by the Pope.

II. adjective — excommunicate /ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkət /

1. excommunicated.

• an excommunicate bishop.

III. noun — excommunicate /ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkət /

1. an excommunicated person.

• the arrest of excommunicates.

IV. derivatives

1. excommunicative /ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtɪv /

adjective

2. excommunicator /ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtə /

noun

3. excommunicatory /ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkətri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from ecclesiastical Latin excommunicat- ‘excluded from communication with the faithful’, from the verb excommunicare, from ex- ‘out’ + Latin communis ‘common to all’, on the pattern of Latin communicare (see communicate).

excommunication /ˌɛkskəmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of officially excluding someone from participation in the sacraments and services of the Christian Church

• he appealed against the papal sentence of excommunication.

ex-con /ɛksˈkɒn/

I. noun

‹informal› an ex-convict.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation.

excoriate /ɪkˈskɔːrɪeɪt, ɛkˈskɔːrɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Medicine] damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin).

• the discharge is acrid and excoriates the skin of the nose.

2. ‹formal› criticize (someone) severely

• he excoriated the government for censorship.

II. derivatives

excoriation /ɪkskɔːrɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkskɔːrɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin excoriat- ‘skinned’, from the verb excoriare, from ex- ‘out, from’ + corium ‘skin, hide’.

excrement /ˈɛkskrɪm(ə)nt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. waste matter discharged from the bowels; faeces.

II. derivatives

excremental /ˌɛkskrɪˈmɛnt(ə)l /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French excrément or Latin excrementum, from excernere ‘to sift out’ (see excrete).

excrescence /ɪkˈskrɛs(ə)ns, ɛkˈskrɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun

1. a distinct outgrowth on a body or plant, resulting from disease or abnormality.

• the males often have a strange excrescence on the tip of the snout.

2. an unattractive or superfluous object or feature

• the building is a sixties excrescence foisted on an otherwise flawless street.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin excrescentia, from excrescere ‘grow out’, from ex- ‘out’ + crescere ‘grow’.

excrescent /ɪkˈskrɛs(ə)nt, ɛkˈskrɛs(ə)nt/

adjective

1. forming or constituting an excrescence.

2. (of a speech sound) added without etymological justification (e.g. the -t at the end of the surname Bryant).

excreta /ɪkˈskriːtə, ɛkˈskriːtə/

I. noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. waste matter discharged from the body, especially faeces and urine.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘things sifted out’, neuter plural of excretus, past participle of excernere (see excrete).

excrete /ɪkˈskriːt, ɛkˈskriːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a living organism or cell) separate and expel as waste (a substance, especially a product of metabolism)

• excess bicarbonate is excreted by the kidney.

II. derivatives

1. excreter

noun

2. excretive /ɪkˈskriːtɪv, ɛkˈskriːtɪv /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin excret- ‘sifted out’, from the verb excernere, from ex- ‘out’ + cernere ‘sift’.

excretion /ɪkˈskriːʃ(ə)n, ɛkˈskriːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in living organisms and cells) the process of eliminating or expelling waste matter.

2. [ count noun] — a product excreted by a living organism or cell

• bodily excretions.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French excrétion or Latin excretio(n-), from excernere ‘sift out’ (see excrete).

excretory /ɪkˈskriːtəri, ɛkˈskriːtəri/

adjective

relating to or concerned with excretion

• the excretory organs.

excruciate /ɪkˈskruːʃɪeɪt, ɛkˈskruːʃɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› torment (someone) physically or mentally

• I stand back, excruciated by the possibility.

II. derivatives

excruciation /ɪkskruːʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkskruːʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin excruciat- ‘tormented’, from the verb excruciare (based on crux, cruc- ‘a cross’).

excruciating /ɪkˈskruːʃieɪtɪŋ/

adjective

1. intensely painful

• excruciating back pain.

2. very embarrassing, awkward, or tedious

• he explained the procedure in excruciating detail.

excruciatingly /ɛkˈskruːʃɪeɪtɪŋli/

adverb

1. to an intensely painful degree

• it stings excruciatingly.

2. [as submodifier] — used to emphasize how embarrassing, awkward, or tedious something is

• the day passed excruciatingly slowly

• I was excruciatingly shy at that age.

exculpate /ˈɛkskʌlpeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› show or declare that (someone) is not guilty of wrongdoing

• the article exculpated the mayor.

II. derivatives

1. exculpation /ɛkskʌlˈpeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. exculpatory /ɪksˈkʌlpət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin exculpat- ‘freed from blame’, from the verb exculpare, from ex- ‘out, from’ + Latin culpa ‘blame’.

excurrent /ɪkˈskʌr(ə)nt, ɛkˈskʌr(ə)nt/

I. adjective

[chiefly Zoology] (of a vessel or opening) conveying fluid outwards.

• the excurrent siphon.

The opposite of incurrent.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin excurrent- ‘running out’, from the verb excurrere.

excursion /ɪkˈskəːʃ(ə)n, ɛkˈskəːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a short journey or trip, especially one taken as a leisure activity

• an excursion to London Zoo.

2. ‹technical› a movement of something along a path or through an angle.

• large excursions of the hip and knee joint.

• a gantry controlled the radial and tangential excursion of each detector.

3. a deviation from a regular activity or course

• the firm's disastrous excursion into the US electrical market.

II. derivatives

excursionist /ɪkˈskəːʃ(ə)nɪst, ɛkˈskəːʃ(ə)nɪst /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘act of running out’, also ‘sortie’ in the phrase alarums and excursions (see alarum): from Latin excursio(n-), from the verb excurrere ‘run out’, from ex- ‘out’ + currere ‘to run’.

excursive /ɪkˈskəːsɪv, ɛkˈskəːsɪv/

I. adjective

‹formal› tending to deviate from a course or activity; digressive.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin excurs- ‘digressed, run out’ (from the verb excurrere) + -ive, perhaps influenced by discursive.

excursus /ɪkˈskəːsəs, ɛkˈskəːsəs/

I. noun

1. a detailed discussion of a particular point in a book, usually in an appendix.

2. a digression in a written text.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘excursion’, from excurrere ‘run out’.

excusable /ɪkˈsjuːzəb(ə)l, ɛkˈsjuːzəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be justified or forgiven; forgivable

• the error is excusable.

II. derivatives

excusably /ɪkˈskjuːzəbli, ɛkˈskjuːzəbli /

adverb

excusal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or fact of excusing or being excused, typically from an official duty or requirement

• if any members of the jury felt unable to serve that long, they would be considered for excusal.

excuse

I. verb — [with obj.] excuse /ɪkˈskjuːz, ɛkˈskjuːz /

1. seek to lessen the blame attaching to (a fault or offence); try to justify

• he did nothing to hide or excuse Jacob's cruelty.

2. forgive (someone) for a fault or offence

• you must excuse my brother

• he could be excused for feeling that he was born at the wrong time.

3. overlook or make allowances for

• sit down—excuse the mess.

4. (of a fact) serve to mitigate (a person or act)

• his ability excuses most of his faults.

5. release (someone) from a duty or requirement

• it will not be possible to excuse you from attendance

• [with two objs] may I be excused hockey?

6. (used in polite formulas) allow (someone) to leave a room or gathering

• and now, if you'll excuse us, duty calls.

7. ( excuse oneself) — say politely that one is leaving.

• I had to excuse myself and go out of the room.

8. ( be excused) — (used by school pupils) be allowed to leave the room, especially to go to the toilet.

• please, Miss, can I be excused?

II. noun — excuse /ɪkˈskjuːs, ɛkˈskjuːs /

1. a reason or explanation given to justify a fault or offence

• there can be no excuse for any further delay

• the excuse that half the team failed to turn up.

2. a reason put forward to conceal the real reason for an action; a pretext

• as an excuse to get out of the house she went to post a letter.

3. (US) a note written by a doctor or parent excusing a pupil from school.

4. ( an excuse for) — ‹informal› a poor or inadequate example of

• that pathetic excuse for a man!

III. phrases

1. excuse me

a. used as a polite apology in various contexts, such as when attempting to get someone's attention, asking someone to move so that one may pass, or interrupting a speaker.

b. (N. Amer.) used to ask someone to repeat what they have just said.

2. make one's excuses

say politely that one is leaving or cannot be present.

• Will made his excuses and retired to his room.

IV. derivatives

excusatory /ɪkˈskjuːzətri /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French escuser (verb), from Latin excusare ‘to free from blame’, from ex- ‘out’ + causa ‘accusation, cause’.

excuse-me

noun

‹informal› a social dance in which participants may interrupt other pairs in order to change partners.

ex-directory /ˌɛksdʌɪˈrɛkt(ə)ri/

adjective

(Brit.) (of a person or telephone number) not listed in a telephone directory or available through directory enquiries, at the wish of the subscriber.

ex div.

abbreviation

ex dividend.

ex dividend /ɛksˈdɪvɪdɛnd/

adjective, adverb

(of stocks or shares) not including the next dividend.

exeat /ˈɛksɪat/

I. noun

(Brit.) a permission from a college, boarding school, or other institution for temporary absence.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin, ‘let him or her go out’, third person singular present subjunctive of exire (see exit).

exec /ɪɡˈzɛk, ɛɡˈzɛk/

I. noun

‹informal› an executive

• top Hollywood execs.

– origin late 19th cent.: abbreviation.

execrable /ˈɛksɪkrəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

extremely bad or unpleasant

• execrable cheap wine.

II. derivatives

execrably /ˈɛksɪkrəbli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘expressing or involving a curse’): via Old French from Latin execrabilis, from exsecrari ‘to curse’ (see execrate).

execrate /ˈɛksɪkreɪt/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — feel or express great loathing for

• they were execrated as dangerous and corrupt.

2. [no obj.] — ‹archaic› curse; swear.

II. derivatives

1. execration /ɛˈksɪkreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. execrative /ˈɛksɪkrətɪv /

adjective

3. execratory

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin exsecrat- ‘cursed’, from the verb exsecrari, based on sacrare ‘dedicate’ (from sacer ‘sacred’).

executable /ɪɡˈzɛkjʊtəb(ə)l, ɛɡˈzɛkjʊtəb(ə)l / ‹Computing›

I. adjective

(of a file or program) able to be run by a computer.

II. noun

an executable file or program.

executant /ɪɡˈzɛkjʊt(ə)nt, ɛɡˈzɛkjʊt(ə)nt / ‹formal›

I. noun

1. a person who puts something into effect

• executants of the royal will.

2. an artist or musician.

• she could play, though not an advanced executant.

II. adjective

relating to artistic creation or the performance of music

• music is both an art and an executant skill.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French exécutant ‘carrying out’, present participle of exécuter (see execute).

execute /ˈɛksɪkjuːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. put (a plan, order, or course of action) into effect

• the corporation executed a series of financial deals.

2. produce (a work of art).

• not only does she execute embroideries, she designs them too.

3. perform (a skilful action or manoeuvre)

• they had to execute their dance steps with the greatest precision.

4. [Law] make (a legal instrument) valid by signing or sealing it.

5. [Law] carry out (a judicial sentence, the terms of a will, or other order)

• police executed a search warrant.

6. [Computing] carry out an instruction or program.

7. carry out a sentence of death on (a legally condemned person)

• he was convicted of treason and executed.

8. kill (someone) as a political act.

• he would be executed if he fell into rebel hands.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French executer, from medieval Latin executare, from Latin exsequi ‘follow up, punish’, from ex- ‘out’ + sequi ‘follow’.

execution /ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the carrying out of a plan, order, or course of action

• he was fascinated by the entire operation and its execution.

2. the technique or style with which an artistic work is produced or carried out

• the film is entirely professional in its execution.

3. [Law] the putting into effect of a legal instrument or order.

• obligation to pay the deposit before the execution of the lease.

4. [Law] seizure of the property or person of a debtor in default of payment.
[ count noun]

• sixty-seven executions were ordered against goods.

5. [Computing] the performance of an instruction or program.

6. the carrying out of a sentence of death on a condemned person

• the execution of juveniles is prohibited by international law

• [ count noun] there were mass arrests and executions.

7. the killing of someone as a political act.

• they were held captive for two days and threatened with execution.

executioner /ɛksɪˈkjuːʃ(ə)nə/

noun

an official who carries out a sentence of death on a condemned person.

executive /ɪɡˈzɛkjʊtɪv, ɛɡˈzɛkjʊtɪv/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. relating to or having the power to put plans or actions into effect

• an executive chairman

• executive authority.

2. denoting or relating to the part of a political administration with responsibility for putting into effect laws drawn up by the legislature

• the executive branch of government.

Often contrasted with legislative.

II. noun

1. a person with senior managerial responsibility in a business.

• account executives.

• the chief executive.

2. [as modifier] — suitable for a senior business executive

• an executive house.

3. an executive committee or other body within an organization

• the union executive.

4. ( the executive) — the branch of a government responsible for putting decisions or laws into effect.

III. derivatives

executively

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin executivus, from exsequi (see execute).

executive council

noun

1. a council with executive power.

2. ( Executive Council) — (in Australia) a body presided over by the Governor General or Governor and consisting of ministers of the Crown, which gives legal form to cabinet decisions.

executive officer

noun

1. an officer with executive power.

• a former executive officer with the civil service.

2. (in naval vessels and some other military contexts) the officer who is second in command to the captain or commanding officer.

executive order

noun

(US) [Law] a rule or order issued by the President to an executive branch of the government and having the force of law.

executive privilege

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the privilege, claimed by the President for the executive branch of the US government, of withholding information in the public interest.

executive session

noun

(US) a closed meeting of a governing body.

executor /ɪɡˈzɛkjʊtə, ɛɡˈzɛkjʊtə/

I. noun

1. [Law] a person or institution appointed by a testator to carry out the terms of their will.

• Hugh appointed him an executor of his will.

• the executors of the late John B. Smith.

2. a person who produces something or puts something into effect

• the makers and executors of policy.

II. derivatives

1. executorial /ɪɡzɛkjʊˈtɔːrɪəl, ɛɡzɛkjʊˈtɔːrɪəl /

adjective

‹rare›

2. executorship

noun

3. executory /ɪɡˈzɛkjʊt(ə)ri, ɛɡˈzɛkjʊt(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Anglo-Norman French from Latin execut- ‘carried out’, from exsequi (see execute).

executrix /ɪɡˈzɛkjuːtrɪks, ɛɡˈzɛkjuːtrɪks/

I. noun

[Law] a female executor of a will.

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin, from Latin executor (see executor).

exedra /ˈɛksɪdrə, ɪkˈsiːdrə, ɛkˈsiːdrə/

I. noun

[Architecture] a room, portico, or arcade with a bench or seats where people may converse, especially in ancient Roman and Greek buildings.

– origin Latin, from Greek ex- ‘out of’ + hedra ‘seat’.

exegesis /ˌɛksɪˈdʒiːsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture

• the task of biblical exegesis.

II. derivatives

1. exegetic /ˌɛksɪˈdʒɛtɪk /

adjective

2. exegetical /ˌɛksɪˈdʒɛtɪk(ə)l /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek exēgēsis, from exēgeisthai ‘interpret’, from ex- ‘out of’ + hēgeisthai ‘to guide, lead’.

exegete /ˈɛksɪdʒiːt/

I. noun

a person who interprets text, especially scripture.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Greek exēgētēs, from exēgeisthai ‘interpret’.

exemplar /ɪɡˈzɛmplə, ɛɡˈzɛmplə/

I. noun

a person or thing serving as a typical example or appropriate model

• the place is an exemplar of multicultural Britain.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French exemplaire, from late Latin exemplarium, from Latin exemplum ‘sample, imitation’ (see example).

exemplary /ɪɡˈzɛmpləri, ɛɡˈzɛmpləri/

I. adjective

1. serving as a desirable model; very good

• exemplary behaviour.

2. (of a punishment) serving as a warning or deterrent

• exemplary sentencing may discourage the violent minority.

3. [Law] (of damages) exceeding the amount needed for simple compensation.

II. derivatives

1. exemplarily /ɪɡˈzɛmplərɪli, ɛɡˈzɛmplərɪli /

adverb

2. exemplariness /ɪɡˈzɛmplərɪnəs, ɛɡˈzɛmplərɪnəs /

noun

3. exemplarity

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin exemplaris, from Latin exemplum ‘sample, imitation’ (see example).

exemplify /ɪɡˈzɛmplɪfʌɪ, ɛɡˈzɛmplɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. be a typical example of

• the best dry sherry is exemplified by the fino of Jerez.

2. illustrate or clarify by giving an example.

• he exemplified his point with an anecdote.

II. derivatives

exemplification /ɪɡzɛmplɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n, ɛɡzɛmplɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin exemplificare, from Latin exemplum ‘sample’ (see example).

exemplum /ɪɡˈzɛmpləm, ɛɡˈzɛmpləm/

I. noun

an example or model, especially a story told to illustrate a moral point.

– origin Latin.

exempt /ɪɡˈzɛm(p)t, ɛɡˈzɛm(p)t/

I. adjective

free from an obligation or liability imposed on others

• these patients are exempt from all charges

• [in combination] a tax-exempt savings plan.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. free (a person or organization) from an obligation or liability imposed on others

• they were exempted from paying the tax.

III. noun

a person who is exempt from something, especially the payment of tax.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin exemptus ‘taken out, freed’, past participle of eximere.

exemption /ɪɡˈzɛmpʃn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of freeing or state of being free from an obligation or liability imposed on others

• vehicles that may qualify for exemption from tax.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin exemptio(n-), from eximere ‘take out, free’.

exenterate /ɪkˈsɛntəreɪt, ɛkˈsɛntəreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹formal› remove the contents of (part of the body); eviscerate.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin exenterat- ‘disembowelled’, from the verb exenterare, from ex- ‘out’ + Greek enteron ‘intestine’.

exenteration /ɪkˌsɛntəˈreɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkˌsɛntəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] complete surgical removal of the eyeball and other contents of the eye socket, usually in cases of malignant cancer.

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally in the sense ‘disembowelment’): from Latin exenterat- ‘removed’, from the verb exenterare (suggested by Greek exenterizein), from ex- ‘out of’ + enteron ‘intestine’.

exequatur /ˌɛksɪˈkweɪtə/

I. noun

an official recognition by a government of a consul or other representative of a foreign state, authorizing them to exercise office.

– origin Latin, literally ‘let him or her perform’.

exequial /ɪkˈsiːkwɪəl, ɛkˈsiːkwɪəl/

I. adjective

‹rare› relating to a funeral.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin exsequialis, from exsequiae ‘funeral ceremonies’, from exsequi ‘to follow after’: see -al.

exequy /ˈɛksɪkwi/

I. noun — ( exequies)

1. ‹formal› funeral rites

• he attended the exequies for the dead pope.

2. ( exequy) — ‹literary› a funeral ode.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin exsequias, accusative of exsequiae ‘funeral ceremonies’, from exsequi ‘follow after’.

exercise /ˈɛksəsʌɪz/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — activity requiring physical effort, carried out to sustain or improve health and fitness

• exercise improves your heart and lung power

• [ count noun] loosening-up exercises.

2. an activity carried out for a specific purpose

• an exercise in public relations.

3. [ count noun] — a task set to practise or test a skill

• there are exercises at the end of each book to check comprehension.

4. (often exercises) — a military drill or training manoeuvre.

• training exercises with the Kuwaiti army.

5. ( exercises) — (N. Amer.) ceremonies

• Bar Mitzvah exercises.

6. [ mass noun] — the use or application of a faculty, right, or process

• the exercise of authority.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. use or apply (a faculty, right, or process)

• control is exercised by the Board

• anyone receiving a suspect package should exercise extreme caution.

2. [no obj.] — engage in physical activity to sustain or improve health and fitness

• she still exercised every day.

3. [with obj.] — exert (part of the body) to promote or improve muscular strength

• raise your knee to exercise the upper leg muscles.

4. [with obj.] — cause (an animal) to take exercise

• she exercised her dogs before breakfast.

5. occupy the thoughts of; worry or perplex

• Macdougall was greatly exercised about the exchange rate.

III. derivatives

1. exercisable /ɛksəˈsʌɪzəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. exerciser /ˈɛksəsʌɪzə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘application of a right’): via Old French from Latin exercitium, from exercere ‘keep busy, practise’, from ex- ‘thoroughly’ + arcere ‘keep in or away’.

exercise bike

noun

a stationary piece of exercise equipment resembling an ordinary bicycle.

exercise book

noun

1. (Brit.) a booklet with blank pages for students to write schoolwork in.

2. (N. Amer.) a book containing printed exercises for the use of students.

exercise price

noun

[Stock Exchange] the price per share at which the owner of a traded option is entitled to buy or sell the underlying security.

exercise yard

noun

an enclosed area used for physical exercise in a prison.

exercycle

I. noun

‹trademark› an exercise bike.

– origin 1930s: blend of exercise and bicycle.

exergonic /ˌɛksəːˈɡɒnɪk/

I. adjective

[Biochemistry] (of a metabolic or chemical process) accompanied by the release of energy.
The opposite of endergonic.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from ex-2 ‘out of’ + Greek ergon ‘work’ + -ic.

exergue /ɪkˈsəːɡ, ɛkˈsəːɡ, ˈɛksəːɡ/

I. noun

a small space or inscription below the principal emblem on a coin or medal, usually on the reverse side.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin exergum, from ex- ‘out’ + Greek ergon ‘work’ (probably as a rendering of French hors d'oeuvre ‘something lying outside the work’).

exert /ɪɡˈzəːt, ɛɡˈzəːt/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — apply or bring to bear (a force, influence, or quality)

• the moon exerts a force on the Earth

• how much control can he exert over his own life?

2. ( exert oneself) — make a physical or mental effort

• he needs to exert himself to try to find an answer.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘perform, practise’): from Latin exserere ‘put forth’, from ex- ‘out’ + serere ‘bind’.

exertion /ɪɡˈzɜːʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. physical or mental effort

• she was panting with the exertion

• [ count noun] a well-earned rest after their exertions.

2. the application of a force, influence, or quality

• the exertion of authority.

Exeter /ˈɛksɪtə/

a city in SW England, the county town of Devon, on the River Exe; pop. 109,200 (est. 2009). Exeter was founded by the Romans, who called it Isca.

exeunt /ˈɛksɪʌnt/

I. verb

used as a stage direction in a play to indicate that a group of actors leave the stage

• exeunt Hamlet and Polonius.

II. phrases

exeunt omnes /ˌɛksɪˌʌnt ˈɒmneɪz /

used to indicate that all the actors leave the stage.

– origin late 15th cent.: Latin, literally ‘they go out’, third person plural present tense of exire.

exfiltrate

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. withdraw (troops or spies) surreptitiously, especially from a dangerous situation.

• US special forces agents have all been exfiltrated from Iran.

II. derivatives

exfiltration

noun

– origin 1980s (earlier (late 19th cent.) as exfiltration): perhaps suggested by infiltration, infiltrate.

exfoliant /ɪksˈfəʊlɪəŋt, ɛksˈfəʊlɪəŋt/

I. noun

a cosmetic product designed to remove dead cells from the surface of the skin.

• cosmetic companies urge you to buy clarifying lotions, toners, or exfoliants.

• [as modifier] a mild exfoliant effect.

– origin 1980s: from exfoliate + -ant.

exfoliate /ɪksˈfəʊlɪeɪt, ɛksˈfəʊlɪeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a material) be shed from a surface in scales or layers

• the bark exfoliates in papery flakes.

2. [with obj.] — cause (a surface) to shed material in scales or layers

• salt solutions exfoliate rocks on evaporating.

3. [with obj.] — wash or rub (a part of the body) with a granular substance to remove dead skin cells

• exfoliate your legs to get rid of dead skin.

4. [with obj.] — shed (material) in scales or layers

• diagnosing cancer from cells exfoliated into the intestine.

II. derivatives

1. exfoliation /ɪksfəʊlɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, ɛksfəʊlɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. exfoliative

adjective

3. exfoliator /ɛksˈfəʊlieɪtə /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin exfoliat- ‘stripped of leaves’, from the verb exfoliare, from ex- ‘out, from’ + folium ‘leaf’.

ex-govie /eksˈɡʌvi/

I. noun

(Austral.) a privately owned house or flat which was originally built and leased by the government

• ex-govies are often run down but may be in a good area.

– origin 1970s: abbreviation of ex-government.

ex gratia /ɛks ˈɡreɪʃə/

I. adverb, adjective

(with reference to payment) done from a sense of moral obligation rather than because of any legal requirement
[as adj.]

• an ex gratia payment.

– origin Latin, literally ‘from favour’, from ex ‘from’ and gratia (see grace).

exhalation /ɛksəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process or action of exhaling.

• the gas produced at the end of exhalation from deep within the lung.

2. [ count noun] — an expiration of air from the lungs

• he let his breath out in a long exhalation of relief.

3. [ count noun] — an amount of vapour or fumes given off by something.

• moist exhalations from the sea.

• [ mass noun] the nocturnal exhalation of vapours from decaying vegetable matter.

exhale /ɪksˈheɪl, ɛksˈheɪl/

I. verb

1. breathe out
[no obj.]

• she sat back and exhaled deeply

• [with obj.] he exhaled the smoke towards the ceiling.

2. [with obj.] — give off (vapour or fumes)

• the jungle exhaled mists of early morning.

II. derivatives

exhalable

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘be given off as vapour’): from Old French exhaler, from Latin exhalare, from ex- ‘out’ + halare ‘breathe’.

exhaust /ɪɡˈzɔːst, ɛɡˈzɔːst/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) feel very tired

• her day out had exhausted her.

2. use up (resources or reserves) completely

• the country has exhausted its treasury reserves.

3. expound on or explore (a subject or options) so fully that there is nothing further to be said or discovered

• she seemed to have exhausted all permissible topics of conversation.

4. expel (gas or steam) from or into a particular place.

• you should never exhaust bathroom air into your attic.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. waste gases or air expelled from an engine, turbine, or other machine in the course of its operation

• buses spewing out black clouds of exhaust

• [as modifier] exhaust fumes.

2. [ count noun] — the system through which exhaust gases are expelled
[as modifier]

• an exhaust pipe.

III. derivatives

1. exhauster /ɪɡˈzɔːstə, ɛɡˈzɔːstə /

noun

2. exhaustibility /ɪɡzɔːstəˈbɪlɪti, ɛɡzɔːstəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

3. exhaustible /ɪɡˈzɔːstəb(ə)l, ɛɡˈzɔːstəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘draw off or out’): from Latin exhaust- ‘drained out’, from the verb exhaurire, from ex- ‘out’ + haurire ‘draw (water), drain’.

exhausted /ɪɡˈzɔːstɪd/

I. adjective

1. very tired

• she returned home, exhausted from work.

2. (of resources or reserves) completely used up

• Kirov spat, his patience suddenly exhausted.

3. (of a place) no longer productive as a result of being drained of resources

• exhausted peat workings.

II. derivatives

exhaustedly

adverb

exhausting /ɪɡˈzɔːstɪŋ, ɛɡˈzɔːstɪŋ/

I. adjective

making one feel very tired; very tiring

• a long and exhausting journey.

II. derivatives

exhaustingly

adverb

exhaustion /ɪɡˈzɔːstʃ(ə)n, ɛɡˈzɔːstʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of extreme physical or mental tiredness

• he was pale with exhaustion.

2. the action of using something up or the state of being used up

• the rapid exhaustion of fossil fuel reserves.

3. [Logic] the process of establishing a conclusion by eliminating all the alternatives.

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin exhaustio(n-), from Latin exhaurire ‘drain out’ (see exhaust).

exhaustive /ɪɡˈzɔːstɪv, ɛɡˈzɔːstɪv/

I. adjective

including or considering all elements or aspects; fully comprehensive

• the guide outlines every bus route in exhaustive detail.

II. derivatives

exhaustiveness /ɪɡˈzɔːstɪvnəs, ɛɡˈzɔːstɪvnəs /

noun

exhaustively /ɛɡˈzɔːstɪvli/

adverb

in a way that includes or considers all elements or aspects; comprehensively

• the book is a scholarly study, exhaustively researched.

exhibit /ɪɡˈzɪbɪt, ɛɡˈzɪbɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. publicly display (a work of art or item of interest) in an art gallery or museum or at a trade fair

• only one sculpture was exhibited in the artist's lifetime.

2. [no obj.] — (of an artist) display one's work to the public in an art gallery or museum

• she was invited to exhibit at several French museums.

3. publicly display the work of (an artist) in an art gallery or museum

• no foreign painters were exhibited.

4. manifest clearly (a quality or a type of behaviour)

• he could exhibit a saintlike submissiveness.

5. show as a sign or symptom

• patients with alcoholic liver disease exhibit many biochemical abnormalities.

II. noun

1. an object or collection of objects on public display in an art gallery or museum or at a trade fair

• the museum is rich in exhibits.

2. (N. Amer.) an exhibition.

• people flocked to the exhibit in record-breaking numbers.

3. [Law] a document or other object produced in a court as evidence.

• many exhibits, including the cockpit voice recordings, will be produced in court.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘submit for consideration’, also ‘present a document as evidence in court’): from Latin exhibit- ‘held out’, from the verb exhibere, from ex- ‘out’ + habere ‘hold’.

exhibition /ɛksɪˈbɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a public display of works of art or items of interest, held in an art gallery or museum or at a trade fair

• an exhibition of French sculpture

• [ mass noun] he never lent his treasures out for exhibition.

2. a display or demonstration of a skill

• fields which have been ploughed with a supreme exhibition of the farm worker's skills.

3. a display of a quality or emotion

• a false exhibition of concern for smaller nations.

4. [usu. as modifier] — (in sport) a game whose outcome does not affect a team's standing, typically one played before the start of a regular season

• an exhibition match.

5. (Brit.) a scholarship awarded to a student at a school or university, usually after a competitive examination.

• Brasenose awarded him a senior Hulme exhibition.

II. phrases

make an exhibition of oneself

behave in a very foolish or ill-judged way in public.

• she looked around the bar to see if she was making an exhibition of herself.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘maintenance, support’; hence sense 4, mid 17th cent.): via Old French from late Latin exhibitio(n-), from Latin exhibere ‘hold out’ (see exhibit).

exhibitioner /ɛksɪˈbɪʃ(ə)nə/

noun

(Brit.) a student who has been awarded an exhibition (scholarship).

exhibitionism /ɛksɪˈbɪʃ(ə)nɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. extravagant behaviour that is intended to attract attention to oneself.

2. [Psychiatry] a mental condition characterized by the compulsion to display one's genitals in public.

exhibitionist /ˌɛksɪˈbɪʃ(ə)nɪst/

I. noun

a person who behaves in an extravagant way in order to attract attention

• I am something of an exhibitionist.

II. adjective

behaving extravagantly in order to attract attention.

III. derivatives

1. exhibitionistic

adjective

2. exhibitionistically

adverb

exhibitor /ɪɡˈzɪbɪtə, ɛɡˈzɪbɪtə/

noun

a person who displays works of art or other items of interest at an exhibition.

• the trade fair attracted 89 exhibitors and 37,000 visitors.

exhilarate /ɪɡˈzɪləreɪt, ɛɡˈzɪləreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (someone) feel very happy, animated, or elated

• she was exhilarated by the day's events

• (as adj. exhilarated) all this hustle and bustle makes me feel exhilarated.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin exhilarat- ‘made cheerful’, from the verb exhilarare, from ex- (expressing inducement of a state) + hilaris ‘cheerful’.

exhilarating /ɪɡˈzɪləreɪtɪŋ, ɛɡˈzɪləreɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

making one feel very happy, animated, or elated; thrilling

• an exhilarating two-hour rafting experience.

II. derivatives

exhilaratingly

adverb

exhilaration /ɪɡzɪləˈreɪʃ(ə)n, ɛɡzɪləˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of excitement, happiness, or elation

• they felt the exhilaration of victory.

exhort /ɪɡˈzɔːt, ɛɡˈzɔːt/

I. verb — [with obj. and infinitive]

1. strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something

• I exhorted her to be a good child

• [with direct speech] ‘Come on, you guys,’ exhorted Linda.

II. derivatives

1. exhortative /ɪɡˈzɔːtətɪv, ɛɡˈzɔːtətɪv /

adjective

2. exhortatory /ɪɡˈzɔːtət(ə)ri, ɛɡˈzɔːtət(ə)ri /

adjective

3. exhorter

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French exhorter or Latin exhortari, from ex- ‘thoroughly’ + hortari ‘encourage’.

exhortation /ɛɡzɔːˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

an address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something

• exhortations to consumers to switch off electrical appliances

• [ mass noun] no amount of exhortation had any effect.

exhumation /ɛks(h)juːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of digging up something buried, especially a corpse

• the exhumation of bodies was ordered following protests by the villagers

• the exhumation of a prisoners' mass grave.

2. [Geology] the exposure of a land surface that was formerly buried

• the exhumation of rock to the surface.

exhume /ɛksˈ(h)juːm, ɪɡˈzjuːm/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. dig out (something buried, especially a corpse) from the ground

• the bodies were exhumed on the orders of a judge.

2. [Geology] expose (a land surface) that was formerly buried

• various landforms have been exhumed from beneath a covering of Triassic sediments.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin exhumare, from ex- ‘out of’ + humus ‘ground’.

ex-husband

noun

a man to whom someone was formerly married, from whom they are now divorced.

ex hypothesi /ˌɛks hʌɪˈpɒθəsʌɪ/

I. adverb

according to the hypothesis proposed.

– origin modern Latin, from ex ‘from’ and hypothesi, ablative of late Latin hypothesis (see hypothesis).

exigence /ˈɛksɪdʒ(ə)ns, ˈɛɡzɪdʒ(ə)ns/

noun

another term for exigency.

exigency /ˈɛksɪdʒ(ə)nsi, ˈɛɡzɪdʒ(ə)nsi, ɪɡˈzɪdʒ(ə)nsi, ɛɡˈzɪdʒ(ə)nsi/

I. noun

an urgent need or demand

• women worked long hours when the exigencies of the family economy demanded it

• [ mass noun] he put financial exigency before personal sentiment.

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin exigentia, from Latin exigere ‘enforce’ (see exact).

exigent /ˈɛksɪdʒ(ə)nt, ˈɛɡzɪdʒ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹formal› pressing; demanding.

• the exigent demands of her contemporaries' music took a toll on her voice.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin exigent- ‘completing, ascertaining’, from the verb exigere (see exact).

exigible /ˈɛksɪdʒɪb(ə)l, ˈɛɡzɪdʒɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

(of a tax, duty, or other payment) able to be charged or levied.

• Canadian courts are still reluctant to hold that partial interests in goods are exigible.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, from exiger ‘demand, exact’, from Latin exigere (see exact).

exiguous /ɪɡˈzɪɡjʊəs, ɛɡˈzɪɡjʊəs/

I. adjective

‹formal› very small in size or amount

• my exiguous musical resources.

II. derivatives

exiguity /ɪɡzɪˈɡjuːɪti, ɛɡzɪˈɡjuːɪti /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin exiguus ‘scanty’ (from exigere ‘weigh exactly’) + -ous.

exile /ˈɛksʌɪl, ˈɛɡzʌɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being barred from one's native country, typically for political or punitive reasons

• he knew now that he would die in exile.

2. [ count noun] — a person who lives away from their native country, either from choice or compulsion

• the return of political exiles.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. expel and bar (someone) from their native country, typically for political or punitive reasons

• a corrupt dictator who had been exiled from his country

• (as adj. exiled) supporters of the exiled King.

– origin Middle English: the noun partly from Old French exil ‘banishment’ and partly from Old French exile ‘banished person’; the verb from Old French exiler; all based on Latin exilium ‘banishment’, from exul ‘banished person’.

exilic /ɪɡˈzɪlɪk, ɪkˈzɪlɪk, ɛɡˈzɪlɪk, ɛkˈzɪlɪk/

adjective

relating to a period of exile, especially that of the Jews in Babylon in the 6th century BC.

exine /ˈɛksɪn, ˈɛksʌɪn/

I. noun

[Botany] the decay-resistant outer coating of a pollen grain or spore.

– origin late 19th cent.: perhaps from ex-2 ‘out’ + Greek is, in- ‘fibre’.

exist /ɪɡˈzɪst, ɛɡˈzɪst/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. have objective reality or being

• dossiers existed on almost everyone of prominence

• there existed no organization to cope with espionage.

2. occur or be found, especially in a particular place or situation

• two conflicting stereotypes of housework exist in popular thinking.

3. live, especially under adverse conditions

• a minority of people exist on unemployment benefit alone

• how am I going to exist without you?

– origin early 17th cent.: probably a back-formation from existence.

existence /ɪɡˈzɪst(ə)ns, ɛɡˈzɪst(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or state of living or having objective reality

• the organization has been in existence for fifteen years.

2. continued survival

• she kept the company alive when its very existence was threatened.

3. [ count noun] — a way of living

• our stressed-out urban existence.

4. [ count noun] — (in certain beliefs) any of a person's successive earthly lives.

• a person may be reaping the consequences of evil deeds sown in previous existences.

5. all that exists

• he believed in the essential unity of all existence.

6. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› something that exists; a being.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from late Latin existentia, from Latin exsistere ‘come into being’, from ex- ‘out’ + sistere ‘take a stand’.

existent /ɪɡˈzɪst(ə)nt, ɛɡˈzɪst(ə)nt/

adjective

‹formal› having reality or existence

• the technique has been existent for some years.

existential /ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to existence.

2. [Philosophy] concerned with existentialism.

3. [Logic] (of a proposition) affirming or implying the existence of a thing.

II. derivatives

existentially

adverb

– origin late 17th cent.: from late Latin existentialis, from existentia (see existence).

existentialism /ɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃ(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a philosophical theory or approach which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will.

– origin translating Danish existents-forhold ‘condition of existence’ (frequently used by Kierkegaard), from existential.

existentialist /ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃ(ə)lɪst/

I. noun

a person who advocates the philosophical theory of existentialism.

II. adjective

relating to or supporting the philosophical theory of existentialism

• existentialist writers.

existential quantifier

noun

[Logic] a formal expression used in asserting that something exists of which a stated general proposition can be said to be true.

existing /ɪɡˈzɪstɪŋ/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. in existence or operation at the current time

• opponents of the existing political system.

exit /ˈɛksɪt, ˈɛɡzɪt/

I. noun

1. a way out of a building, room, or passenger vehicle

• she slipped out by the rear exit

• an emergency exit.

2. a place for traffic to leave a major road or roundabout.

• she slowed for a roundabout, taking the second exit.

3. an act of leaving a place

• he made a hasty exit from the room.

4. a departure from a particular situation

• Australia's early exit from the World Cup.

5. ‹literary› a person's death.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. go out of or leave a place

• he exited from the changing rooms

• the bullet entered her back and exited through her chest

• [with obj.] queues of vehicles tried to exit the airfield.

2. ( exit) — used as a stage direction in a play to indicate that an actor leaves the stage

• exit Pamela.

3. leave a particular situation

• organizations which do not have freedom to exit from unprofitable markets.

4. ‹literary› die.

5. [Computing] terminate a process or program

• this key enables you to temporarily exit from a LIFESPAN option.

6. [Bridge] relinquish the lead.

• declarer must cash his top spades and exit with ♦2.

III. derivatives

exitless

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a stage direction): from Latin exit ‘he or she goes out’, third person singular present tense of exire, from ex- ‘out’ + ire ‘go’. The noun (late 16th cent.) is from Latin exitus ‘going out’, from the verb exire, and the other verb uses (early 17th cent.) derive from it.

exit examination exit exam

noun

(N. Amer.) a test which a student is required to pass in order to complete a course of study

• the exit examination requires the demonstration of knowledge and skills in clinical emergency medicine

• California's high school exit exam.

exit interview

noun

an interview held with an employee about to leave an organization, typically in order to discuss the employee's reasons for leaving and their experience of working for the organization

• in his exit interview, he suggested to HR that a counsellor within the office would have been a great help.

exit line

noun

1. a line spoken by an actor immediately before leaving the stage.

2. a parting remark.

• ‘You've got lipstick all over your face.’ And using that as an exit line she stalked out.

exit poll

noun

an opinion poll of people leaving a polling station, asking how they voted.

exit strategy

noun

a pre-planned means of extricating oneself from a situation that is likely to become difficult or unpleasant.

• it is vital that all investors have some sort of exit strategy.

exit visa exit permit

noun

a document giving authorization to leave a particular country.

exit wound

noun

a wound made by a bullet or other missile passing out of the body.

ex libris /ɛks ˈlɪbrɪs, ˈliːb-, ˈlʌɪb-, ˈliːbriːs/

I. adverb

used as an inscription on a bookplate to show the name of the book's owner

• ex libris Edith Wharton.

II. noun

a bookplate inscribed to show the name of the book's owner.

– origin Latin, literally ‘out of the books or library (of someone)’.

Exmoor /ˈɛksmɔː, ˈɛksmʊə/

an area of moorland in north Devon and west Somerset, SW England, rising to 520 m (1,706 ft) at Dunkery Beacon. The area is designated a national park.

Exmoor pony

noun

a pony of a small hardy breed, typically bay, brown, or dun in colour with a light muzzle.

ex nihilo /ɛks ˈnʌɪhɪləʊ/

I. adverb

‹formal› out of nothing

• he went on to create a paradise ex nihilo.

– origin Latin.

exo-

I. prefix

external; from outside

• exodermis.

– origin from Greek exō ‘outside’.

exoatmospheric

adjective

operating or taking place outside the atmosphere.

• an exoatmospheric re-entry vehicle.

exobiology

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of science that deals with the possibility and likely nature of life on other planets or in space.

II. derivatives

1. exobiological

adjective

2. exobiologist

noun

exocarp /ˈɛksəʊkɑːp/

noun

[Botany] the outer layer of the pericarp of a fruit.

exocentric /ˌɛksəʊˈsɛntrɪk/

adjective

[Linguistics] denoting or being a construction which has no explicit head, for example John slept.
Contrasted with endocentric.

Exocet /ˈɛksə(ʊ)sɛt/

I. noun

‹trademark› a French-made guided anti-ship missile.

– origin 1970s: from French, literally ‘flying fish’, via Latin from Greek ekōkoitos ‘fish that comes up on the beach’ (literally ‘out of bed’).

exocrine /ˈɛksə(ʊ)krʌɪn, ˈɛksə(ʊ)krɪn/

I. adjective

[Physiology] relating to or denoting glands which secrete their products through ducts opening on to an epithelium rather than directly into the blood.

• pancreatic exocrine secretion.

– origin early 20th cent.: from exo- ‘outside’ + Greek krinein ‘sift’.

exocytosis /ˌɛksəʊsʌɪˈtəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biology] a process by which the contents of a cell vacuole are released to the exterior through fusion of the vacuole membrane with the cell membrane.

II. derivatives

exocytotic

adjective

Exod.

abbreviation

Exodus (in biblical references).

exodermis /ˌɛksə(ʊ)ˈdəːmɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Botany] a specialized layer in a root beneath the epidermis or velamen.

– origin early 20th cent.: from exo- ‘outside’, on the pattern of endodermis, epidermis.

exodus /ˈɛksədəs/

I. noun

1. a mass departure of people

• the annual exodus of sun-seeking Canadians to Florida.

2. ( the Exodus) — the departure of the Israelites from Egypt.

• the Passover festival celebrates the Exodus.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Greek (see Exodus).

Exodus /ˈɛksədəs / Exod.

I. the second book of the Bible, which recounts the departure of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, their journey across the Red Sea and through the wilderness led by Moses, and the giving of the Ten Commandments. The events have been variously dated by scholars between about 1580 and 1200 BC.

– origin Old English, via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek exodos, from ex- ‘out of’ + hodos ‘way’.

exoenzyme

noun

[Biochemistry] an enzyme which acts outside the cell that produces it.

ex officio /ˌɛks əˈfɪʃɪəʊ/

I. adverb, adjective

by virtue of one's position or status
[as adj.]

• an ex officio member of the committee.

– origin Latin, from ex ‘out of, from’ + officium ‘duty’.

exogamy /ɪkˈsɒɡəmi, ɛkˈsɒɡəmi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Anthropology] the custom of marrying outside a community, clan, or tribe.
Compare with endogamy.

2. [Biology] the fusion of reproductive cells from distantly related or unrelated individuals; cross-pollination.

II. derivatives

exogamous /ɪkˈsɒɡəməs, ɛkˈsɒɡəməs /

adjective

exogenic /ˌɛksə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/

adjective

[Geology] formed or occurring on the surface of the earth.
Often contrasted with endogenic.

exogenous /ɪkˈsɒdʒɪnəs, ɛkˈsɒdʒɪnəs/

I. adjective

1. having an external cause or origin.

• technological changes exogenous to the oil industry.

Often contrasted with endogenous.

2. [Biology] growing or originating from outside an organism

• an exogenous hormone.

3. [chiefly Psychiatry] (of a disease or symptom) attributable to an agent or organism outside the body

• exogenous depression.

4. relating to an external group or society

• exogenous marriage.

II. derivatives

exogenously

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin exogena (denoting an exogenous plant, suggested by classical Latin indigena ‘native’) + -ous.

exoglossic /ˌɛksə(ʊ)ˈɡlɒsɪk/

I. adjective

[Linguistics] denoting or relating to a non-indigenous language that is used as an official or second language in a particular country or community.
Compare with endoglossic.

– origin 1980s: from exo-, Greek glōssa ‘language, tongue’, and -ic.

exon^1 /ˈɛksən/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] a segment of a DNA or RNA molecule containing information coding for a protein or peptide sequence.
Compare with intron.

II. derivatives

exonic

adjective

– origin 1970s: from expressed (see express^1) + -on.

exon^2 /ˈɛksɒn/

I. noun

(Brit.) each of the four officers acting as commanders of the Yeomen of the Guard.

– origin mid 18th cent.: representing the pronunciation of French exempt ‘free from’, from Latin exempt- ‘taken out’, from the verb eximere, so named because these officers were exempt from normal duties.

exonerate /ɪɡˈzɒnəreɪt, ɛɡˈzɒnəreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of an official body) absolve (someone) from blame for a fault or wrongdoing

• an inquiry exonerated those involved

• they should exonerate these men from this crime.

2. ( exonerate someone from) — release someone from (a duty or obligation).

• Pope Clement V exonerated the king from his oath to the barons.

II. derivatives

exonerative /ɪɡˈzɒnərətɪv, ɛɡˈzɒnərətɪv /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin exonerat- ‘freed from a burden’, from the verb exonerare, from ex- ‘from’ + onus, oner- ‘a burden’.

exoneration /ɪɡzɒnəˈreɪʃ(ə)n, ɛɡzɒnəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of officially absolving someone from blame; vindication

• the defendants' eventual exoneration.

2. the release of someone from a duty or obligation.

exonuclease /ˌɛksəʊˈnjuːklɪeɪz/

noun

[Biochemistry] an enzyme which removes successive nucleotides from the end of a polynucleotide molecule.

exopeptidase /ˌɛksəʊˈpɛptɪdeɪz/

noun

[Biochemistry] an enzyme which breaks the terminal peptide bond in a peptide chain.

exophora /ɪkˈsɒf(ə)rə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] reference in a text to something external to it, which is only fully intelligible in terms of information about the extralinguistic situation.
Compare with endophora.

II. derivatives

exophoric /ˌɛksə(ʊ)ˈfɒrɪk /

adjective

exophthalmic /ˌɛksɒfˈθalmɪk/

adjective

[Medicine] having or characterized by protruding eyes.

exophthalmic goitre

noun

another term for Graves' disease.

exophthalmos /ˌɛksɒfˈθalmɒs / exophthalmus, exophthalmia /ˌɛksɒfˈθalmɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] abnormal protrusion of the eyeball or eyeballs.

– origin early 17th cent.: from modern Latin exophthalmus, from Greek exophthalmos ‘having prominent eyes’, from ex- ‘out’ + ophthalmos ‘eye’.

exoplanet /ˈɛksəʊplanɪt/

noun

a planet which orbits a star outside the solar system.

exopodite /ɛkˈsɒpədʌɪt / exopod /ˈɛksə(ʊ)pɒd/

I. noun

[Zoology] the outer branch of the biramous limb or appendage of a crustacean.
Compare with endopodite, protopodite.

– origin late 19th cent.: from exo- ‘outside’ + Greek pous, pod- ‘foot’ + -ite^1.

exor

abbreviation

an executor (of a will).

exorbitant /ɪɡˈzɔːbɪt(ə)nt/

I. adjective

(of a price or amount charged) unreasonably high

• some hotels charge exorbitant rates for phone calls.

II. derivatives

1. exorbitance /ɪɡˈzɔːbɪt(ə)ns /

noun

2. exorbitantly /ɪɡˈzɔːbɪt(ə)ntli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (originally describing a legal case that is outside the scope of a law): from late Latin exorbitant- ‘going off the track’, from exorbitare, from ex- ‘out from’ + orbita ‘course, track’.

exorcise /ˈɛksɔːsʌɪz / exorcize

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. drive out or attempt to drive out (a supposed evil spirit) from a person or place

• an attempt to exorcise an unquiet spirit.

2. rid (a person or place) of a supposed evil spirit

• infants were exorcised prior to baptism.

3. completely remove (something unpleasant) from one's mind or memory

• she wanted to exorcise some of the pain.

– origin late Middle English: from French exorciser or ecclesiastical Latin exorcizare, from Greek exorkizein, from ex- ‘out’ + horkos ‘oath’. The word originally meant ‘conjure up an evil spirit’; the current sense dates from the mid 16th cent.

exorcism /ˈɛksɔːsɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the expulsion or attempted expulsion of a supposed evil spirit from a person or place.

• the rite of exorcism.

• ‹figurative› an exorcism of the authoritarian past.

II. derivatives

exorcist /ˈɛksɔːsɪst /

noun

– origin late Middle English: via ecclesiastical Latin from ecclesiastical Greek exorkismos, from exorkizein ‘exorcize’.

exordium /ɪɡˈzɔːdɪəm, ɛɡˈzɔːdɪəm/

I. noun

‹formal› the beginning or introductory part, especially of a discourse or treatise.

II. derivatives

exordial /ɪɡˈzɔːdɪəl, ɛɡˈzɔːdɪəl /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin, from exordiri ‘begin’, from ex- ‘out, from’ + ordiri ‘begin’.

exoskeleton /ˈɛksəʊˌskɛlɪt(ə)n/

I. noun

[Zoology] a rigid external covering for the body in some invertebrate animals, especially arthropods.
Compare with endoskeleton.

II. derivatives

exoskeletal

adjective

exosphere /ˈɛksə(ʊ)sfɪə/

I. noun

[Astronomy] the outermost region of a planet's atmosphere.

II. derivatives

exospheric

adjective

exostosis /ˌɛksɒsˈtəʊsɪs/

I. noun

[Medicine] a benign outgrowth of cartilaginous tissue on a bone.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Greek, from ex- ‘out’ + osteon ‘bone’.

exoteric /ˌɛksə(ʊ)ˈtɛrɪk/

I. adjective

‹formal› intended for or likely to be understood by the general public.

– origin mid 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek exōterikos, from exōterō ‘outer’, comparative of exō ‘outside’.

exothermic /ˌɛksə(ʊ)ˈθəːmɪk/

I. adjective

1. [Chemistry] (of a reaction or process) accompanied by the release of heat.
The opposite of endothermic (sense 1).

2. [Chemistry] (of a compound) formed from its constituent elements with a net release of heat.

II. derivatives

exothermically

adverb

– origin late 19th cent.: from French exothermique.

exotic /ɪɡˈzɒtɪk, ɛɡˈzɒtɪk/

I. adjective

1. originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign country

• exotic birds

• they loved to visit exotic places.

2. attractive or striking because colourful or out of the ordinary

• youths with exotic haircuts

• (as noun the exotic) there was a touch of the exotic in her appearance.

3. (especially of metals or fuels) of a kind not ordinarily encountered; specially produced.

• exotic chemicals such as oil hydrocarbons.

II. noun

an exotic plant or animal

• he planted exotics in the sheltered garden.

III. derivatives

exotically /ɪɡˈzɒtɪk(ə)li, ɛɡˈzɒtɪk(ə)li /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek exōtikos ‘foreign’, from exō ‘outside’.

exotica /ɪɡˈzɒtɪkə, ɛɡˈzɒtɪkə/

I. plural noun

objects considered interesting because they are out of the ordinary, especially because they originated in a distant foreign country.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin, neuter plural of exoticus ‘foreign’ (see exotic).

exotic dancer

noun

a striptease dancer.

exoticism /ɪɡˈzɒtɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being attractive or striking through being colourful or unusual

• the luxury and exoticism of the new decor.

2. style or traits considered characteristic of a distant foreign country

• she exudes an aura of oriental exoticism.

exoticize /ɪɡˈzɒtɪsʌɪz, ɛɡˈzɒtɪsʌɪz / exoticise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. portray (someone or something unfamiliar) as exotic or unusual; romanticize or glamorize

• importantly, the film doesn't exoticize the East

• (as adj. exoticized) when class is addressed in the art world, it is often in the context of exoticized poverty.

II. derivatives

exoticization

noun

– origin 1960s: from exotic + -ize.

exotoxin

noun

[Microbiology] a toxin released by a living bacterial cell into its surroundings.
Compare with endotoxin.

exp

abbreviation

1. experience (usually in the context of job advertisements)

• previous exp an advantage.

2. ( Exp.) — experimental (in titles of periodicals).

• J. Exp. Biol.

3. expiry

• exp date.

4. [Mathematics] the exponential function raising e to the power of the given quantity

• it is reduced by exp (−U).

5. [Photography] exposures.

• £4.45 for 24 exp.

expand /ɪkˈspand, ɛkˈspand/

I. verb

1. become or make larger or more extensive
[no obj.]

• their business expanded into other hotels

• [with obj.] the work began as a short story and was later expanded into a novel.

2. [no obj.] — [Physics] (of the universe) undergo a continuous change whereby, according to theory based on observed red shifts, all the galaxies recede from one another.

3. [no obj.] ( expand on) — give a fuller version or account of

• the minister expanded on the government's proposals.

4. [no obj.] — become less reserved in character or behaviour

• Alice opened and expanded in this normality.

II. derivatives

1. expandability

noun

2. expandable /ɪkˈspandəb(ə)l, ɛkˈspandəb(ə)l /

adjective

3. expander /ɪkˈspandə, ɛkˈspandə /

noun

4. expansibility /ɪkspandəˈbɪlɪti, ɛkspandəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

5. expansible /ɪkˈspansəb(ə)l, ɛkˈspansəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin expandere ‘to spread out’, from ex- ‘out’ + pandere ‘to spread’.

expanded /ɪkˈspandɪd/

adjective

1. being or having been enlarged or extended, in particular:

2. denoting materials which have a light cellular structure

• expanded polystyrene.

3. denoting sheet metal slit and stretched into a mesh, used to reinforce concrete and other brittle materials.

• the curved soffit is finished with a strip of expanded metal mesh.

4. relatively broad in shape

• the expanded fins of the ray.

expanse /ɪkˈspans, ɛkˈspans/

I. noun

1. a wide continuous area of something

• the green expanse of the forest.

2. the distance to which something expands or can be expanded

• the moth has a wing expanse of 20 to 24 mm.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin expansum ‘something expanded’, neuter past participle of expandere (see expand).

expansile

adjective

[Physics] relating to or capable of expansion.

expansion /ɪkˈspanʃ(ə)n, ɛkˈspanʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of becoming larger or more extensive

• the rapid expansion of suburban London

• [ count noun] a small expansion of industry.

2. the political strategy of extending a state's territory by encroaching on that of other nations

• German expansion in the 1930s.

3. [ count noun] — a thing formed by the enlargement or broadening of something

• the book is an expansion of a lecture given last year.

4. the increase in the volume of fuel on combustion in the cylinder of an engine, or the piston stroke in which this occurs.

– origin early 17th cent.: from late Latin expansio(n-), from Latin expandere (see expand).

expansionary /ɪkˈspanʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/

adjective

(of a policy or action) intended to result in economic or political expansion

• an expansionary budget.

expansion bolt

noun

a bolt that expands when inserted, no thread being required in the surrounding material.

expansion card expansion board

noun

[Computing] a circuit board that can be inserted in a computer to give extra facilities or memory.

expansionism /ɪkˈspanʃənɪzəm/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the policy of territorial or economic expansion.

• the need to oppose German expansionism.

expansionist /ɪkˈspanʃ(ə)nɪst/

I. noun

a follower or advocate of a policy of territorial or economic expansion

• he was an aggressive expansionist.

II. adjective

relating to or characteristic of a policy of territorial or economic expansion

• the imperial government became increasingly bent on expansionist policies.

III. derivatives

expansionistic

adjective

expansion joint

noun

a joint that makes allowance for thermal expansion of the parts joined without distortion.

expansion slot

noun

[Computing] a place in a computer where an expansion card can be inserted.

expansive /ɪkˈspansɪv, ɛkˈspansɪv/

I. adjective

1. covering a wide area in terms of space or scope; extensive

• expansive beaches.

2. (of a person or their manner) relaxed and genially frank and communicative

• he was in an expansive mood.

3. tending towards economic or political expansion

• expansive domestic economic policies.

II. derivatives

1. expansively /ɪkˈspansɪvli, ɛkˈspansɪvli /

adverb

2. expansiveness /ɪkˈspansɪvnəs, ɛkˈspansɪvnəs /

noun

expansivity /ɛkspanˈsɪvɪti/

noun

[Physics] the amount a material expands or contracts per unit length due to a one-degree change in temperature.

ex parte /ɛks ˈpɑːteɪ/

I. adjective, adverb

[Law] with respect to or in the interests of one side only or of an interested outside party.

– origin Latin, ‘from a side’.

expat /ɛksˈpat/

noun, adjective

‹informal› short for expatriate.

expatiate /ɪkˈspeɪʃɪeɪt, ɛkˈspeɪʃɪeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( expatiate on)

1. speak or write in detail about

• she expatiated on working-class novelists.

II. derivatives

expatiation /ɪkspˈeɪʃɪeɪ(ə)n, ɛkspˈeɪʃɪeɪ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘roam freely’): from Latin exspatiari ‘move beyond one's usual bounds’, from ex- ‘out, from’ + spatiari ‘to walk’ (from spatium ‘space’).

expatriate

I. noun — expatriate /ɪksˈpatrɪət, ɪksˈpeɪtrɪət, ɛksˈpatrɪət, ɛksˈpeɪtrɪət /

1. a person who lives outside their native country

• American expatriates in London.

2. ‹archaic› an exile.

II. adjective — expatriate /ɪksˈpatrɪət, ɪksˈpeɪtrɪət, ɛksˈpatrɪət, ɛksˈpeɪtrɪət /

1. denoting or relating to a person living outside their native country

• expatriate workers.

III. verb — [with obj.] expatriate /ɪksˈpatrɪeɪt, ɪksˈpeɪtrɪeɪt, ɛksˈpeɪtrɪeɪt, ɛksˈpatrɪeɪt /

1. send (a person or money) abroad

• we expatriated the prisoners of war immediately after the end of the war

• people that have illegally expatriated funds.

• money found to have been expatriated to Singapore banks.

• the poet was then expatriated from France.

• [no obj.] candidates should be willing to expatriate.

IV. derivatives

expatriation /ɛksˌpatrɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, ɛksˌpeɪtrɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent. (as a verb): from medieval Latin expatriat- ‘gone out from one's country’, from the verb expatriare, from ex- ‘out’ + patria ‘native country’.

expect /ɪkˈspɛkt, ɛkˈspɛkt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. regard (something) as likely to happen

• it's as well to expect the worst

• [with obj. and infinitive] the hearing is expected to last a week

• [with clause] one might expect that Hollywood would adjust its approach.

2. regard (someone) as likely to do or be something
[with obj. and infinitive]

• they were not expecting him to continue.

3. believe that (someone or something) will arrive soon

• Celia was expecting a visitor.

4. require (something) as rightfully due or appropriate in the circumstances

• we expect great things of you.

5. require (someone) to fulfil an obligation
[with obj. and infinitive]

• we expect employers to pay a reasonable salary.

6. ( I expect) — ‹informal› used to indicate that one supposes something to be so but has no firm evidence

• they're just friends of his, I expect

• [with clause] I expect you know them?

II. phrases

1. be expecting (a baby)

‹informal› be pregnant.

• his wife was expecting again.

2. (only) to be expected

completely normal

• he had a few lines about the eyes, but at forty-seven that was only to be expected.

3. what can (or do) you expect?

used to emphasize that there was nothing unexpected about a person or event, however disappointed one might be.

• What do you expect? He was just like all the others, only you were too thick to see it.

III. derivatives

1. expectable /ɪkˈspɛktəb(ə)l, ɛkˈspɛktəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. expectably

adverb

3. expectedly

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘defer action, wait’): from Latin exspectare ‘look out for’, from ex- ‘out’ + spectare ‘to look’ (frequentative of specere ‘see’).

expectancy /ɪkˈspɛkt(ə)nsi, ɛkˈspɛkt(ə)nsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of thinking or hoping that something, especially something good, will happen

• they waited with an air of expectancy

• [ count noun] our expectancies about the future.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin exspectantia, from exspectare ‘look out for’ (see expect).

expectant /ɪkˈspɛkt(ə)nt, ɛkˈspɛkt(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. having or showing an excited feeling that something is about to happen, especially something good

• expectant crowds arrived early.

2. [ attrib.] — used to describe a pregnant woman or a man who is about to become a father

• an expectant mother.

II. noun

‹archaic› a person who anticipates receiving something, especially high office.

• some devoted themselves to the wearer of the crown, and others to the expectant.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin exspectant- ‘expecting’, from the verb exspectare (see expect).

expectantly /ɛkˈspɛkt(ə)ntli/

adverb

with an excited feeling that something is about to happen, especially something good

• she waited expectantly for his answer

• he looked expectantly at his friend.

expectation /ɛkspɛkˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a strong belief that something will happen or be the case

• reality had not lived up to expectations

• [ mass noun] I sat down in expectation of a feast of nostalgia.

2. a belief that someone will or should achieve something

• students had high expectations for their future.

3. ( expectations) — ‹archaic› one's prospects of inheritance.

4. [Mathematics] another term for expected value.

II. phrases

manage expectations manage someone's expectations

seek to prevent disappointment by establishing in advance what can realistically be achieved or delivered by a project, undertaking, course of action, etc.

• as the White House tries to paint a rosy economic picture, they are also trying to manage expectations

• the company needs to be very sure it has a hit or it should start managing its customers' expectations.

expected utility

noun

[Mathematics] [Economics] a predicted utility value for one of several options, calculated as the sum of the utility of every possible outcome each multiplied by the probability of its occurrence.

expected value

noun

[Mathematics] a predicted value of a variable, calculated as the sum of all possible values each multiplied by the probability of its occurrence.

expectorant /ɪkˈspɛkt(ə)r(ə)nt, ɛkˈspɛkt(ə)r(ə)nt/

I. noun

a medicine which promotes the secretion of sputum by the air passages, used to treat coughs.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin expectorant- ‘expelling from the chest’, from the verb expectorare (see expectorate).

expectorate /ɪkˈspɛktəreɪt, ɛkˈspɛktəreɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cough or spit out (phlegm) from the throat or lungs.

• she was expectorating dirty coloured sputum.

• [no obj.] a sign asks visitors not to expectorate in the sinks.

II. derivatives

expectoration /ɪkspɛktəˈreɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkspɛktəˈreɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘enable sputum to be coughed up’, referring to medicine): from Latin expectorat- ‘expelled from the chest’, from the verb expectorare, from ex- ‘out’ + pectus, pector- ‘breast’.

expediency /ɪkˈspiːdɪənsi, ɛkˈspiːdɪənsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being convenient and practical despite possibly being improper or immoral; convenience

• an act of political expediency.

expedient /ɪkˈspiːdɪənt, ɛkˈspiːdɪənt/

I. adjective

1. (of an action) convenient and practical although possibly improper or immoral

• either side could break the agreement if it were expedient to do so.

2. (of an action) suitable or appropriate

• holding a public enquiry into the scheme was not expedient.

II. noun

a means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but possibly improper or immoral

• the current policy is a political expedient.

III. derivatives

1. expedience /ɪkˈspiːdɪəns, ɛkˈspiːdɪəns /

noun

2. expediently /ɪkˈspiːdɪəntli, ɛkˈspiːdɪəntli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Latin expedient- ‘extricating, putting in order’, from the verb expedire (see expedite).

expediential /ɪkˌspiːdɪˈɛnʃ(ə)l, ɛkˌspiːdɪˈɛnʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

involving or based on what is expedient

• an expediential policy.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from expedient + -ial.

expedite /ˈɛkspɪdʌɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (an action or process) happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly

• he promised to expedite economic reforms.

II. derivatives

expediter expeditor

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘perform quickly’): from Latin expedire ‘extricate (originally by freeing the feet), put in order’, from ex- ‘out’ + pes, ped- ‘foot’.

expedition /ɛkspɪˈdɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a journey undertaken by a group of people with a particular purpose, especially that of exploration, research, or war

• an expedition to the jungles of the Orinoco.

2. the people involved in an expedition

• many of the expedition have passed rigorous courses.

3. ‹informal› a short trip made for a particular purpose

• a shopping expedition.

4. [ mass noun] — ‹formal› promptness or speed in doing something

• the landlord shall remedy the defects with all possible expedition.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin expeditio(n-), from expedire ‘extricate’ (see expedite). Early senses included ‘prompt supply of something’ and ‘setting out with aggressive intent’. The notions of ‘speed’ and ‘purpose’ are retained in current senses. Sense 1 dates from the late 16th cent.

expeditionary /ɛkspɪˈdɪʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. of or forming an expedition, especially a military expedition

• an expeditionary force.

expeditious /ˌɛkspɪˈdɪʃəs/

I. adjective

done with speed and efficiency

• an expeditious investigation.

II. derivatives

expeditiousness /ˌɛkspɪˈdɪʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from expedition + -ous.

expeditiously /ˌɛkspɪˈdɪʃəsli/

adverb

with speed and efficiency

• the directors will move expeditiously to reach a conclusion.

expel /ɪkˈspɛl, ɛkˈspɛl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. officially make (someone) leave a school or other organization

• she was expelled from school.

2. force (someone) to leave a place

• eight diplomats were expelled from Norway for espionage.

3. force out (something), especially from the body

• she expelled a shuddering breath.

II. derivatives

1. expellable

adjective

2. expellee

noun

3. expeller

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin expellere, from ex- ‘out’ + pellere ‘to drive’.

expend /ɪkˈspɛnd, ɛkˈspɛnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. spend or use up (a resource such as money or energy)

• the energy expended in sport could be directed into other areas.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin expendere, from ex- ‘out’ + pendere ‘weigh, pay’. Compare with spend.

expendable /ɪkˈspɛndəb(ə)l, ɛkˈspɛndəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. of relatively little significance, and therefore able to be abandoned or destroyed

• the region is expendable in the wider context of national politics.

2. (of an object) designed to be used only once and then abandoned or destroyed

• unmanned and expendable launch vehicles.

II. derivatives

1. expendability /ɪkspɛndəˈbɪlɪti, ɛkspɛndəˈbɪlɪti /

noun

2. expendably

adverb

expenditure /ɪkˈspɛndɪtʃə, ɛkˈspɛndɪtʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of spending funds

• the expenditure of taxpayers' money.

2. an amount of money spent

• cuts in public expenditure.

3. the use of energy, time, or other resources

• work is the expenditure of energy.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from expend, suggested by obsolete expenditor ‘officer in charge of expenditure’, from medieval Latin, from expenditus, irregular past participle of Latin expendere (see expend).

expense /ɪkˈspɛns, ɛkˈspɛns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the cost incurred in or required for something

• conference rooms were equipped at great expense

• book into the best hotel you can find and hang the expense.

2. ( expenses) — the costs incurred in the performance of one's job or a specific task

• his hotel and travel expenses.

3. [ count noun] — a thing on which one is required to spend money

• tolls are a daily expense.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. offset (an item of expenditure) as an expense against taxable income.

• up to $17,500 in capital expenditures can be expensed in the year they were incurred.

2. ‹informal› charge (something) to an expense account

• I can expense the refreshments.

III. phrases

1. at someone's expense

a. paid for by someone.

• the document was printed at the taxpayer's expense.

b. with someone as the victim, especially of a joke

• my friends all had a good laugh at my expense.

2. at the expense of

so as to cause harm to or neglect of

• the pursuit of profit at the expense of the environment.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, alteration of Old French espense, from late Latin expensa (pecunia) ‘(money) spent’, from Latin expendere ‘pay out’ (see expend).

expense account

noun

an arrangement under which money spent in the course of business is later reimbursed by one's employer.
[as modifier]

• the press were still sleeping off their expense-account excesses.

expensive /ɪkˈspɛnsɪv, ɛkˈspɛnsɪv/

I. adjective

costing a lot of money

• keeping a horse is expensive

• an expensive bottle of wine.

II. derivatives

expensiveness /ɪkˈspɛnsɪvnəs, ɛkˈspɛnsɪvnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘lavish, extravagant’): from Latin expens- ‘paid out’, from the verb expendere (see expend), + -ive.

expensively /ɪkˈspɛnsɪvli/

adverb

in a way that costs a lot of money

• expensively dressed guests

• expensively produced adverts.

experience /ɪkˈspɪərɪəns, ɛkˈspɪərɪəns/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — practical contact with and observation of facts or events

• he had learned his lesson by painful experience

• she spoke from experience.

2. the knowledge or skill acquired by a period of practical experience of something, especially that gained in a particular profession

• you should have the necessary experience in health management.

3. an event or occurrence which leaves an impression on someone

• audition day is an enjoyable experience for any seven-year old.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. encounter or undergo (an event or occurrence)

• the company is experiencing difficulties.

2. feel (an emotion or sensation)

• an opportunity to experience the excitement of New York.

III. derivatives

1. experienceable

adjective

2. experiencer

noun

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin experientia, from experiri ‘try’. Compare with experiment and expert.

experienced /ɪkˈspɪərɪənst, ɛkˈspɪərɪənst/

adjective

having gained knowledge or skill in a particular field over time

• an experienced social worker

• she was experienced in marketing.

experiential /ɪkˌspɪərɪˈɛntʃ(ə)l, ɛkˌspɪərɪˈɛntʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

involving or based on experience and observation

• the experiential learning associated with employment.

II. derivatives

experientially

adverb

– origin early 19th cent.: from experience, on the pattern of words such as inferential.

experiment /ɪkˈspɛrɪm(ə)nt, ɛkˈspɛrɪm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact

• a laboratory which carried out experiments on pigs

• [ mass noun] I have tested this by experiment.

2. a course of action tentatively adopted without being sure of the outcome

• the previous experiment in liberal democracy had ended in disaster.

II. verb — [no obj.] experiment /ɪkˈspɛrɪmɛnt /

1. perform a scientific procedure, especially in a laboratory, to determine something

• experimenting on animals causes suffering.

2. try out new ideas or methods

• the designers experimented with new ideas in lighting.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin experimentum, from experiri ‘try’. Compare with experience and expert.

experimental /ɪkˌspɛrɪˈmɛnt(ə)l, ɛkˌspɛrɪˈmɛnt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of a new invention or product) based on untested ideas or techniques and not yet established or finalized

• an experimental drug.

2. relating to scientific experiments

• experimental results.

3. (of art or an artistic technique) involving a radically new and innovative style

• experimental music.

4. ‹archaic› based on experience as opposed to authority or conjecture

• an experimental knowledge of God.

II. derivatives

1. experimentalism /ɪkˌspɛrɪˈmɛnt(ə)lɪz(ə)m, ɛkˌspɛrɪˈmɛnt(ə)lɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. experimentalist /ɪkspɛrɪˈmɛnt(ə)lɪst, ɛkˌspɛrɪˈmɛnt(ə)lɪst /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘having personal experience’, also ‘experienced, observed’): from medieval Latin experimentalis, from Latin experimentum (see experiment).

experimentally /ɪkˌspɛrɪˈmɛnt(ə)li/

adverb

1. by means of scientific experiment

• the existence of the electron was demonstrated experimentally.

2. in a tentative way, without being sure of the outcome

• I glanced down at my left shoulder, rotating it experimentally.

3. ‹archaic› as the result of experience as opposed to authority or conjecture

• to whom does God experimentally reveal the eternal purpose of His grace?

experimental psychology

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the branch of psychology concerned with the scientific investigation of the responses of individuals to stimuli in controlled situations.

experimentation /ɪkspɛrɪmɛnˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of performing a scientific procedure, especially in a laboratory, to determine something

• experimentation on the brain and the nerves

• after experimentation in the laboratory, the first vines of the new clone were planted.

2. the action or process of trying out new ideas, methods, or activities

• It was a period of innovation and experimentation with new decorative techniques

• experimentation with drugs has been associated with boredom

• a flair for musical experimentation.

experimenter /ɪkˈspɛrɪmɛntə/

noun

1. a person who performs a scientific procedure, especially in a laboratory, to determine something

• each participant was tested by a trained experimenter.

2. a person who tries out new ideas, methods, or activities

• early experimenters with structure and harmony.

experimenter effect

noun

an influence exerted by the experimenter's expectations or other characteristics on the results of an experiment, especially in psychology.

expert /ˈɛkspəːt/

I. noun

a person who is very knowledgeable about or skilful in a particular area

• an expert in health care

• a financial expert.

II. adjective

having or involving a great deal of knowledge or skill in a particular area

• he had received expert academic advice

• I have a friend who is very expert at the language.

III. derivatives

expertness /ˈɛkspəːtnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (as an adjective): from French, from Latin expertus, past participle of experiri ‘try’. The noun use dates from the early 19th cent. Compare with experience and experiment.

expertise /ˌɛkspəːˈtiːz/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. expert skill or knowledge in a particular field

• technical expertise.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from expert (see expert).

expertize /ˈɛkspətʌɪz / expertise

verb — [no obj.]

1. give an expert opinion on something.
(as adj. expertizing)

• a certificate from an expertizing committee.

expertly /ˈɛkspəːtli/

adverb

in a highly skilful or knowledgeable manner

• Dylan sings and dances expertly

• this is a tight, expertly crafted movie.

expert system

noun

[Computing] a piece of software which uses databases of expert knowledge to offer advice or make decisions in such areas as medical diagnosis.

expert witness

noun

[Law] a person whose level of specialized knowledge or skill in a particular field qualifies them to present their opinion about the facts of a case during legal proceedings.

expiate /ˈɛkspɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make amends or reparation for (guilt or wrongdoing)

• their sins must be expiated by sacrifice.

II. derivatives

1. expiable /ˈɛkspɪəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. expiator /ˈɛkspɪeɪtə /

noun

3. expiatory /ˈɛkspɪət(ə)ri, ˌɛkspɪˈeɪt(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘end (rage, sorrow, etc.) by suffering it to the full’): from Latin expiat- ‘appeased by sacrifice’, from the verb expiare, from ex- ‘out’ + piare (from pius ‘pious’).

expiation /ɛkspɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing; atonement

• an act of public expiation.

expiration /ˌɛkspɪˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the ending of the fixed period for which a contract is valid

• the expiration of the lease.

2. the end of a period of time

• the expiration of three years.

3. ‹technical› the exhalation of breath from the lungs.

• at the end of expiration there is still a slight inflation in the lungs.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a vapour or exhalation): from Latin exspiratio(n-), from the verb exspirare (see expire).

expiratory /ɛksˈpʌɪrət(ə)ri/

adjective

relating to the exhalation of air from the lungs.

expire /ɪkˈspʌɪə, ɛkˈspʌɪə/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a document, authorization, or agreement) come to the end of the period of validity

• his driving licence expired.

2. (of a period of time) come to an end

• the three-year period has expired.

3. (of a person) die.

• the lady had expired bearing her lord a son.

4. [with obj.] — ‹technical› exhale (air) from the lungs.
(as adj. expired)

• the volume of expired air.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French expirer, from Latin exspirare ‘breathe out’, from ex- ‘out’ + spirare ‘breathe’.

expiree /ɛkspʌɪˈriː/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› a convict whose term of sentence has expired

• there is no Act to prevent an expiree going away from the colony.

– origin early 19th cent.: from expire + -ee.

expiry /ɪkˈspʌɪri, ɛkˈspʌɪri/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) the end of the period for which something is valid

• the expiry of the patent

• [as modifier] an expiry date.

2. the end of a fixed period of time.

• the expiry of the six-month period.

3. ‹archaic› death.

explain /ɪkˈspleɪn, ɛkˈspleɪn/

I. verb — [ reporting verb]

1. make (an idea or situation) clear to someone by describing it in more detail or revealing relevant facts
[with clause]

• they explained that their lives centred on the religious rituals

• [with direct speech] ‘It's a device of great age,’ the professor explained

• [with obj.] he explained the situation.

2. give a reason so as to justify or excuse (an action or event)
[with obj.]

• Cassie found it necessary to explain her blackened eye

• [with clause] he makes athletes explain why they made a mistake

• [no obj.] I explained about Maureen calling round.

3. [with obj.] — be the cause of or motivating factor for

• her father's violence explains her pacifism

• [with clause] this would explain why so many adult children still live with their parents.

4. ( explain something away) — minimize the significance of an embarrassing fact or action by giving an excuse or justification.

• they know stories about me that I can't explain away.

II. phrases

explain oneself

a. expand on what one has said in order to make oneself clear.

b. excuse or justify one's motives or conduct

• he was too panicked to stay and explain himself to the policeman.

III. derivatives

explainable /ɪkˈspleɪnəb(ə)l, ɛkˈspleɪnəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin explanare, based on planus ‘plain’.

explainer /ɪkˈspleɪnə(r), ɛkˈspleɪnə(r)/

noun

1. a person who explains a concept, topic, situation, etc.

• an excellent teacher and explainer

• scientists often aren't the best explainers.

2. a statement, article, or video that provides an explanation of a concept, topic, situation, etc.

• if you're confused, Reuters has a quick explainer on how the Italian election works

• can you give us an explainer of what sub-prime means?

• [as modifier] learn more about gravity and how it affects all objects in space with this terrific explainer video.

explanandum /ˌɛkspləˈnandəm/

I. noun

[Philosophy] another term for explicandum.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘something to be explained’, neuter gerundive of explanare.

explanans /ˌɛkspləˈnanz/

I. noun

[Philosophy] another term for explicans.

– origin 1940s: Latin, ‘explaining’, from the verb explanare.

explanation /ɛkspləˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a statement or account that makes something clear

• the birth rate is central to any explanation of population trends.

2. a reason or justification given for an action or belief

• Freud tried to make sex the explanation for everything

• [ mass noun] my application was rejected without explanation.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin explanatio(n-), from the verb explanare (see explain).

explanatory /ɪkˈsplanəˌt(ə)ri, ɛkˈsplanəˌt(ə)ri/

I. adjective

serving to explain something

• explanatory notes.

II. derivatives

explanatorily

adverb

explant ‹Biology›

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. explanted) explant /ɪksˈplɑːnt, ɛksˈplɑːnt /

1. transfer (living cells, tissues, or organs) from animals or plants to a nutrient medium.

• explanted tissues.

II. noun — explant /ˈɛksplɑːnt /

1. a cell, organ, or piece of tissue which has been transferred in this way.

III. derivatives

explantation /ɛksplɑːnˈteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from modern Latin explantare, from ex- ‘out’ + plantare ‘to plant’.

expletive /ɪkˈspliːtɪv, ɛkˈspliːtɪv/

I. noun

1. an oath or swear word.

• he was greeted by a stream of expletives.

2. [Grammar] a word or phrase used to fill out a sentence or a line of verse without adding to the sense.

II. adjective

[Grammar] (of a word or phrase) serving to fill out a sentence or line of verse.

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): from late Latin expletivus, from explere ‘fill out’, from ex- ‘out’ + plere ‘fill’. The noun sense ‘word used merely to fill out a sentence’ (early 17th cent.) was applied specifically to a swear word in the early 19th cent.

explicable /ɪkˈsplɪkəb(ə)l, ɛkˈsplɪkəb(ə)l, ˈɛksplɪˌkəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be accounted for or understood

• differences in schools were not explicable in terms of differences in intake.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, or from Latin explicabilis, from explicare (see explicate).

explicandum /ˌɛksplɪˈkandəm/

I. noun

[Philosophy] the fact, thing, or expression which is to be explained or explicated.
Compare with explicans.

– origin mid 19th cent.: Latin, ‘something to be explained’, neuter gerundive of explicare.

explicans /ˌɛksplɪˈkanz/

I. noun

[Philosophy] the explanation or explication given for a fact, thing, or expression.
Compare with explicandum.

– origin late 19th cent.: Latin, present participle of explicare ‘explain’.

explicate /ˈɛksplɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. analyse and develop (an idea or principle) in detail

• an attempt to explicate the relationship between crime and economic forces.

2. analyse (a literary work) in order to reveal its meaning.

• these essays seek to explicate and contextualize Kristeva's writings.

II. derivatives

1. explicative /ɛkˈsplɪkətɪv, ˈɛksplɪkeɪtɪv /

adjective

2. explicator

noun

3. explicatory /ɛkˈsplɪkət(ə)ri, ˈɛksplɪkeɪt(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin explicat- ‘unfolded’, from the verb explicare, from ex- ‘out’ + plicare ‘to fold’.

explication /ɛksplɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of analysing and developing an idea or principle in detail

• this term is meaningless without further explication and analysis

• [ count noun] his explications of scientific concepts.

2. the process of analysing a literary work in order to reveal its meaning

• careful reading and explication of classical texts.

explicit /ɪkˈsplɪsɪt, ɛkˈsplɪsɪt/

I. adjective

1. stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt

• the arrangement had not been made explicit.

2. (of a person) stating something in an explicit manner

• let me be explicit.

3. describing or representing sexual activity in a graphic fashion

• a sexually explicit blockbuster.

II. noun

the closing words of a manuscript, early printed book, or chanted liturgical text. Compare with incipit.
[Middle English: late Latin, ‘here ends’, or abbreviation of explicitus est liber ‘the scroll is unrolled’.]

III. derivatives

explicitness /ɪkˈsplɪsɪtnəs, ɛkˈsplɪsɪtnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (as an adjective): from French explicite or Latin explicitus, past participle of explicare ‘unfold’ (see explicate).

explicitly /ɛkˈsplɪsɪtli/

adverb

1. in a clear and detailed manner, leaving no room for confusion or doubt

• the essay should state explicitly how the facts support the thesis

• she has explicitly rejected the theory of patriarchy.

2. (in reference to representations of sexual activity) graphically and vividly
[as submodifier]

• explicitly erotic images.

explode /ɪkˈspləʊd, ɛkˈspləʊd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. burst or shatter violently and noisily as a result of rapid combustion, excessive internal pressure, or other process

• an ammunition lorry exploded with a roar

• [with obj.] Britain had not yet exploded her first nuclear weapon.

2. ‹technical› undergo a violent expansion in which much energy is released as a shock wave

• lead ensures that petrol burns rather than explodes.

3. (as adj. exploded) — (of a diagram) showing the components of a mechanism in the normal relative positions but slightly separated from each other.

• an exploded diagram of the rifle's parts.

4. (of a violent emotion or a situation) arise or develop suddenly

• tension which could explode into violence at any time.

5. (of a person) suddenly give expression to violent emotion, especially anger

• he exploded with rage

• [with direct speech] ‘This is ludicrous!’ she exploded.

6. ( explode into) — suddenly begin to move or start a new activity

• workers exploded into action as trade revived.

7. increase suddenly in size, number, or extent

• the use of this drug exploded in the nineties.

8. [with obj.] — show (a belief or theory) to be false or unfounded

• the myths that link smoking with glamour need to be exploded.

II. derivatives

exploder

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘reject scornfully’): from Latin explodere ‘drive out by clapping, hiss off the stage’, from ex- ‘out’ + plaudere ‘to clap’. Sense 4 is derived from the original sense of the word. Sense 1 (late 18th cent.) evolved via an old sense ‘expel with violence and sudden noise’, perhaps influenced by obsolete displode ‘burst with a noise’.

exploit

I. verb — [with obj.] exploit /ɪkˈsplɔɪt, ɛkˈsplɔɪt /

1. make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource)

• 500 companies sprang up to exploit this new technology.

2. make use of (a situation) in a way considered unfair or underhand

• the company was exploiting a legal loophole.

3. benefit unfairly from the work of (someone), typically by overworking or underpaying them

• women are exploited in the workplace.

II. noun — exploit /ˈɛksplɔɪt /

1. a bold or daring feat.

• despite a series of colourful exploits, his agents obtained little intelligence of value.

2. a software tool designed to take advantage of a flaw in a computer system, typically for malicious purposes such as installing malware

• if someone you don't know tweets you a link, it's either spam, an exploit, or probably both.

III. derivatives

1. exploitable /ɪkˈsplɔɪtəb(ə)l, ɛkˈsplɔɪtəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. exploiter /ɪkˈsplɔɪtə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French esploit (noun), based on Latin explicare ‘unfold’ (see explicate). The early notion of ‘success, progress’ gave rise to the sense ‘attempt to capture’, ‘military expedition’, hence the current sense of the noun. Verb senses (mid 19th cent.) are from modern French exploiter.

exploitation /ɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or fact of treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work

• the exploitation of migrant workers.

2. the action of making use of and benefiting from resources

• the Bronze Age saw exploitation of gold deposits.

3. the fact of making use of a situation to gain unfair advantage for oneself

• the Government's exploitation of the fear of crime.

exploitative /ɪkˈsplɔɪtətɪv / exploitive

adjective

making use of a situation or treating others unfairly in order to gain an advantage or benefit

• an exploitative form of labour.

exploration /ɛkspləˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of exploring an unfamiliar area

• space exploration

• [ count noun] an exploration of the African interior.

2. the action of searching an area for natural resources

• onshore oil and gas exploration.

3. thorough examination of a subject

• some changes in the care-giving situation may need exploration

• [ count noun] an exploration of society and human nature.

II. derivatives

explorational

adjective

exploratory /ɪkˈsplɒrət(ə)ri, ɛkˈsplɒrət(ə)ri/

I. adjective

relating to or involving exploration or investigation

• surgeons performed an exploratory operation

• exploratory talks.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin exploratorius, from Latin explorare (see explore).

explore /ɪkˈsplɔː, ɛkˈsplɔː/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. travel through (an unfamiliar area) in order to learn about it

• he explored the Fontainebleau forest

• ‹figurative› the project encourages children to explore the world of photography.

2. [no obj.] ( explore for) — search for resources such as mineral deposits.

• the company has been granted licences to explore for petroleum.

3. inquire into or discuss (a subject) in detail

• he sets out to explore fundamental questions.

4. examine or evaluate (an option or possibility)

• the firm will explore joint development projects.

5. examine by touch

• her fingers explored his hair.

6. [Medicine] surgically examine (a wound or part of the body) in detail.

• he decided to explore the lesion to establish the diagnosis.

II. derivatives

explorative /ɪkˈsplɒrətɪv, ɛkˈsplɒrətɪv /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘investigate (why)’): from French explorer, from Latin explorare ‘search out’, from ex- ‘out’ + plorare ‘utter a cry’.

explorer /ɛkˈsplɔːrə/

noun

a person who explores a new or unfamiliar area

• a polar explorer.

explosion /ɪkˈspləʊʒ(ə)n, ɛkˈspləʊʒ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a violent shattering or blowing apart of something, as is caused by a bomb.

• three explosions damaged buildings at the barracks.

• an explosion of methane gas.

2. ‹technical› a violent expansion in which energy is transmitted outwards as a shock wave.

3. a sudden outburst of something such as violent emotion, especially anger

• an explosion of anger inside the factory.

4. a sudden increase in amount or extent

• an explosion in the adder population.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin explosio(n-) ‘scornful rejection’, from the verb explodere (see explode).

explosive /ɪkˈspləʊsɪv, ɛkˈspləʊsɪv/

I. adjective

1. able or likely to shatter violently or burst apart

• an explosive device.

2. (of a vocal sound) produced with a sharp release of air.

• Ruth let out an explosive sound of disbelief.

3. likely to cause an outburst of anger or controversy

• Marco's explosive temper

• the idea was politically explosive.

4. (of an increase) sudden and dramatic

• the explosive growth of personal computers in the 1980s.

II. noun — (often explosives)

1. a substance which can be made to explode, especially any of those used in bombs or shells.

• stocks of explosives.

• [ mass noun] a car full of explosive.

III. derivatives

explosiveness /ɪkˈspləʊsɪvnəs, ɛkˈspləʊsɪvnəs /

noun

explosive bolt

noun

a bolt that can be released by being blown out of position by an integral explosive charge.

explosive cyclogenesis

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Meteorology] the rapid fall of barometric pressure in a particular area, especially by at least 24 millibars over a 24-hour period at or north of 60° latitude

• last week's explosive cyclogenesis over the Atlantic was due to a clash of cold Arctic air with warmer air from the south.

– origin 1940s: see cyclogenesis.

explosively /ɛkˈspləʊsɪvli/

adverb

1. in the violent manner of an explosion

• some volcanoes erupt explosively while others just simmer along.

2. with an outburst of anger or controversy

• residents reacted explosively to the rumours.

3. (with reference to an increase) suddenly and dramatically

• house prices have risen explosively over the past two years

• the quiet town has grown explosively.

expo /ˈɛkspəʊ/

I. noun

a large international exhibition.

– origin 1960s (referring to the World Fair held in Montreal in 1967): abbreviation of exposition.

exponent /ɪkˈspəʊnənt, ɛkˈspəʊnənt/

I. noun

1. a person who supports an idea or theory and tries to persuade people of its truth or benefits

• an early exponent of the teachings of Thomas Aquinas.

2. a person who demonstrates a particular skill to a high standard

• he's the world's leading exponent of country rock guitar.

3. [Mathematics] a quantity representing the power to which a given number or expression is to be raised, usually expressed as a raised symbol beside the number or expression (e.g. 3 in 2^3 = 2 × 2 × 2).

4. [Linguistics] a linguistic unit that realizes another, more abstract unit.

– origin late 16th cent. (as an adjective in the sense ‘expounding’): from Latin exponent- ‘putting out’, from the verb exponere (see expound).

exponential /ˌɛkspəˈnɛnʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (of an increase) becoming more and more rapid

• the social security budget was rising at an exponential rate.

2. [Mathematics] of or expressed by a mathematical exponent

• an exponential curve.

– origin early 18th cent.: from French exponentiel, from Latin exponere ‘put out’ (see expound).

exponential function

noun

[Mathematics] a function whose value is a constant raised to the power of the argument, especially the function where the constant is e.

exponential growth

noun — [ mass noun]

1. growth whose rate becomes ever more rapid in proportion to the growing total number or size.

• the exponential growth of the world's population.

exponentially /ˌɛkspəˈnɛnʃ(ə)li/

adverb

1. (with reference to an increase) more and more rapidly

• our business has been growing exponentially.

2. [Mathematics] by means of or as expressed by a mathematical exponent

• values distributed exponentially according to a given time constant

• the coefficients show an exponentially decaying trend.

exponentiation /ˌɛkspənɛnʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Mathematics] the operation of raising one quantity to the power of another.

II. derivatives

exponentiate

verb

exponible /ɪkˈspəʊnɪb(ə)l, ɛkˈspəʊnɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹rare› (of a proposition) capable of or requiring explanation

• motion is and must ever remain to us something nameable but not exponible.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from medieval Latin exponibilis, from the verb exponere (see expound).

export

I. verb — [with obj.] export /ɪkˈspɔːt, ɛkˈspɔːt, ˈɛkspɔːt /

1. send (goods or services) to another country for sale

• nearly all the bananas produced were exported to Britain.

2. spread or introduce (ideas and beliefs) to another country

• the Greeks exported Hellenic culture around the Mediterranean basin.

3. [Computing] transfer (data) in a format that can be used by other programs.

• the information can be exported to a database.

II. noun — (usu. exports) export /ˈɛkspɔːt /

1. a product or service sold abroad

• wool and mohair were the principal exports.

2. ( exports) — sales of goods or services abroad, or the revenue from such sales

• meat exports.

3. [ mass noun] — the selling and sending out of goods or services to other countries

• the export of Western technology.

4. [as modifier] — of a high standard suitable for export

• export ales.

III. derivatives

1. exportability

noun

2. exportable /ɛkˈspɔːtəb(ə)l /

adjective

3. exportation /ɛkˌspɔːˈteɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘take away’): from Latin exportare, from ex- ‘out’ + portare ‘carry’. Current senses date from the 17th cent.

exporter /ɪkˈspɔːtə/

noun

1. a person, country, or company that sends goods or services to another country for sale

• Brazil is the world's largest producer and exporter of sugar

• a major oil exporter to the United States.

2. a person or group spreading or introducing ideas and beliefs to another country

• charges have been levelled against the West since its ascension as an exporter of ideas

• Japan has only begun to be an exporter of culture in the last couple of decades.

export surplus

noun

the amount by which the value of a country's exports exceeds that of its imports.

expose /ɪkˈspəʊz, ɛkˈspəʊz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) visible by uncovering it

• at low tide the sands are exposed.

2. (as adj. exposed) — unprotected, especially from the weather

• the coast is very exposed to the south-west.

3. (often expose someone to) — cause someone to be vulnerable or at risk

• many newcomers are exposing themselves to injury.

4. ( expose someone to) — introduce someone to (a subject or area of knowledge)

• students were exposed to statistics in high school.

5. ( expose oneself) — publicly and indecently display one's genitals.

• police are hunting a man who exposed himself to a schoolgirl.

6. leave (a child) in the open to die.

7. reveal the true, objectionable nature of (someone or something)

• he has been exposed as a liar and a traitor.

8. make (something embarrassing or damaging) public

• the situation exposed a conflict within the government.

9. subject (photographic film) to light when operating a camera.

• all over Europe, thousands of miles of film are exposed for holiday snaps.

II. derivatives

exposer

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French exposer, from Latin exponere (see expound), but influenced by Latin expositus ‘put or set out’ and Old French poser ‘to place’.

exposé /ɪkˈspəʊzeɪ, ɛkˈspəʊzeɪ/

I. noun

a report in the media that reveals something discreditable

• a shocking exposé of a medical cover-up.

– origin early 19th cent.: from French, ‘shown, set out’, past participle of exposer (see expose).

exposition /ɛkspəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory

• a systematic exposition of the idea of biodiversity.

2. a large public exhibition of art or trade goods.

• the exposition will feature exhibits by 165 companies.

3. [Music] the part of a movement, especially in sonata form, in which the principal themes are first presented.

4. [ mass noun] — ‹archaic› the action of making something public.

• the country squires dreaded the exposition of their rustic conversation.

II. derivatives

expositional

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Latin expositio(n-), from the verb exponere ‘expose, publish, explain’.

expositor /ɪkˈspɒzɪtə, ɛkˈspɒzɪtə/

I. noun

a person that explains complicated ideas or theories.

• a lucid expositor of difficult ideas.

– origin Middle English: via Old French or late Latin, from Latin exposit- ‘exposed, explained’, from exponere (see expound).

expository /ɪksˈpɒzɪtri/

adjective

intended to explain or describe something

• an expository prologue.

ex post /ɛks ˈpəʊst/

I. adjective, adverb

based on actual results rather than forecasts
[as adj.]

• the ex post trade balance.

– origin modern Latin, from ex ‘from’ and post ‘after’.

ex post facto /ˌɛks pəʊst ˈfaktəʊ/

I. adjective, adverb

with retrospective action or force
[as adj.]

• ex post facto laws.

– origin erroneous division of Latin ex postfacto ‘in the light of subsequent events’.

expostulate /ɪkˈspɒstjʊleɪt, ɛkˈspɒstjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. express strong disapproval or disagreement

• he found Fox expostulating with a young man.

II. derivatives

1. expostulation /ɪkspɒstjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkspɒstjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. expostulator

noun

3. expostulatory /ɪkˈspɒstjʊlət(ə)ri, ɛkˈspɒstjʊlət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘demand how or why, state a complaint’): from Latin expostulat- ‘demanded’, from the verb expostulare, from ex- ‘out’ + postulare ‘demand’.

exposure /ɪkˈspəʊʒə, ɛkˈspəʊʒə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of having no protection from something harmful

• the dangers posed by exposure to asbestos.

2. a physical condition resulting from being outside in severe weather without adequate protection

• they were suffering from exposure.

3. experience of something

• his exposure to the banking system.

4. the action of placing oneself at risk of financial losses, e.g. through making loans or underwriting insurance.

• New Delhi increased its exposure to hard loans.

• [ count noun] an $8-million loan exposure to the real estate industry.

5. the revelation of something secret, especially something embarrassing or damaging

• she took her life for fear of exposure as a spy.

6. the publicizing of information or an event

• scientific findings receive regular exposure in the media.

7. the action of exposing a photographic film to light

• a camera which would give a picture immediately after exposure

• [ count noun] trial exposures made with a UV filter.

8. [ count noun] — the quantity of light reaching a photographic film, as determined by shutter speed and lens aperture.

• an exposure of 0.5 seconds at f/5.6.

9. [ count noun] — the direction in which a building faces; an outlook

• the exposure is perfect—a gentle slope to the south-west.

– origin early 17th cent.: from expose, on the pattern of words such as enclosure.

exposure meter

noun

[Photography] a light meter.

expound /ɪkˈspaʊnd, ɛkˈspaʊnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. present and explain (a theory or idea) in detail

• he was expounding a powerful argument

• [no obj.] he declined to expound on his decision.

2. explain the meaning of (a literary or doctrinal work)

• the abbess expounded the scriptures to her nuns.

II. derivatives

expounder /ɪkˈspaʊndə, ɛkˈspaʊndə /

noun

– origin Middle English expoune (in the sense ‘explain (what is difficult)’): from Old French espon-, present tense stem of espondre, from Latin exponere ‘expose, publish, explain’, from ex- ‘out’ + ponere ‘put’. The origin of the final -d (recorded from the Middle English period) is uncertain.

ex-president

noun

a former president of a particular country or organization

• Finland's ex-president

• an ex-president of the National Farmers' Union.

express^1 /ɪkˈsprɛs, ɛkˈsprɛs/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. convey (a thought or feeling) in words or by gestures and conduct

• he expressed complete satisfaction.

2. ( express oneself) — say what one thinks or means

• with a diplomatic smile, she expressed herself more subtly.

3. [Mathematics] represent (a number, relation, or property) by a figure, symbol, or formula

• constants can be expressed in terms of the Fourier transform.

4. press out (liquid or air).

• she must withdraw to express her milk in private.

5. [Genetics] cause (an inherited characteristic or gene) to appear in a phenotype

• the genes are expressed in a variety of cell lines.

II. derivatives

1. expresser

noun

2. expressible /ɪkˈsprɛsəb(ə)l, ɛkˈsprɛsəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘press out, obtain by squeezing’, used figuratively to mean ‘extort’): from Old French expresser, based on Latin ex- ‘out’ + pressare ‘to press’.

express^2 /ɪkˈsprɛs, ɛkˈsprɛs/

I. adjective

1. operating at high speed, in particular

2. (of a train or other form of public transport) making few intermediate stops and reaching its destination quickly

• an express train bound for Innsbruck

• an express bus service.

• an express elevator.

3. denoting a service in which letters or packages are delivered by a special service to ensure speed or security

• an express letter.

• an express airmail service.

II. adverb

by express train or delivery service

• I got my wife to send my gloves express to the hotel.

III. noun

1. (also express train) — a train that stops at few stations and travels quickly.

• we embarked for the south of France on an overnight express.

2. a special delivery service

• the books arrived by express.

3. an express rifle.

IV. verb — [with obj.]

1. send by express messenger or delivery

• I expressed my clothes to my destination.

– origin early 18th cent. (as a verb): extension of express^3; sense 1 of the noun from express train, so named because it served a particular destination without intermediate stops, reflecting an earlier sense of express ‘done or made for a special purpose’, later interpreted in the sense ‘rapid’. Senses relating to express delivery date from the institution of this postal service in 1891.

express^3 /ɪkˈsprɛs, ɛkˈsprɛs, ˈɛksprɛs/

I. adjective

1. stated explicitly, not merely implied

• it was his express wish that the celebration should continue.

2. specifically identified to the exclusion of anything else

• the schools were founded for the express purpose of teaching deaf children.

3. ‹archaic› (of a likeness) exact.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French expres, from Latin expressus ‘distinctly presented’, past participle of exprimere ‘press out’, from ex- ‘out’ + primere ‘press’.

expression /ɪkˈsprɛʃ(ə)n, ɛkˈsprɛʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of making known one's thoughts or feelings

• the prisoners developed a dialect as an everyday means of expression

• [ count noun] she accepted his expressions of sympathy.

2. the conveying of feeling in a work of art or in the performance of a piece of music.

• the testimony of musicians who worked with him proves that his overwhelming concern was with expression.

3. [ count noun] — a look on someone's face that conveys a particular emotion

• a sad expression.

4. [ count noun] — a word or phrase, especially an idiomatic one, used to convey an idea

• we have an expression, ‘You don't get owt for nowt.’.

5. [Mathematics] a collection of symbols that jointly express a quantity

• the expression for the circumference of a circle is 2πr.

6. the production of something by pressing it out

• essential oils obtained by distillation or expression.

7. [Genetics] the appearance in a phenotype of a characteristic or effect attributed to a particular gene.

• expression of the TAT gene is restricted to the parenchymal cells.

II. derivatives

expressional

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin expressio(n-), from exprimere ‘press out, express’. Compare with express^1.

expressionism /ɪkˈsprɛʃ(ə)nɪz(ə)m, ɛkˈsprɛʃ(ə)nɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of painting, music, or drama in which the artist or writer seeks to express the inner world of emotion rather than external reality.

Expressionists characteristically reject traditional ideas of beauty or harmony and use distortion, exaggeration, and other non-naturalistic devices in order to express emotional states. The paintings of El Greco and Grünewald exemplify expressionism in this broad sense, but the term is also used of a late 19th and 20th century European and specifically German movement tracing its origins to Van Gogh, Edvard Munch, and James Ensor, which insisted on the primacy of the artist's feelings and mood, often incorporating violence and the grotesque.

expressionist /ɪkˈsprɛʃ(ə)nɪst, ɛkˈsprɛʃ(ə)nɪst/

I. noun

a painter, writer, or composer who is an exponent of expressionism, seeking to express through their work the inner world of emotion rather than external reality

• the American abstract expressionist, Jackson Pollock.

II. adjective

relating to expressionism or its exponents

• he placed emphasis on an expressionist style

• an exhibition of abstract expressionist paintings.

III. derivatives

1. expressionistic /ɪkˌsprɛʃ(ə)ˈnɪstɪk, ɛkˌsprɛʃ(ə)ˈnɪstɪk /

adjective

2. expressionistically

adverb

Expressionists characteristically reject traditional ideas of beauty or harmony and use distortion, exaggeration, and other non-naturalistic devices in order to express emotional states. The paintings of El Greco and Grünewald exemplify expressionism in this broad sense, but the term is also used of a late 19th and 20th century European and specifically German movement tracing its origins to Van Gogh, Edvard Munch, and James Ensor, which insisted on the primacy of the artist's feelings and mood, often incorporating violence and the grotesque.

expressionless /ɪkˈsprɛʃ(ə)nlɪs/

I. adjective

(of a person's face or voice) not conveying any emotion; unemotional

• her face was expressionless.

II. derivatives

1. expressionlessly

adverb

2. expressionlessness

noun

expression mark

noun

[Music] a word or phrase on a musical score which indicates the expression required of a performer.

expressive /ɪkˈsprɛsɪv, ɛkˈsprɛsɪv/

I. adjective

1. effectively conveying thought or feeling

• she has big expressive eyes.

2. ( expressive of) — conveying (a specified quality or idea)

• the spires are expressive of religious aspiration.

II. derivatives

1. expressively /ɪkˈsprɛsɪvli, ɛkˈsprɛsɪvli /

adverb

2. expressiveness

noun

3. expressivity /ɪksprɛˈsɪvɪti, ɛksprɛˈsɪvɪti /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘tending to press out’): from French expressif, -ive or medieval Latin expressivus, from exprimere ‘press out’ (see express^3). Compare with express^1.

express lift

noun

a fast-moving lift which does not stop at every floor.

expressly /ɪkˈsprɛsli, ɛkˈsprɛsli/

adverb

1. explicitly; clearly

• she was expressly forbidden to use the stove.

2. for a specific purpose; solely

• the house was expressly built for entertaining.

express rifle

noun

a rifle that discharges a bullet at high speed, used in big-game hunting.

expressway /ɪkˈsprɛsweɪ, ɛkˈsprɛsweɪ/

noun

(N. Amer.) an urban motorway.

expropriate /ɪksˈprəʊprɪeɪt, ɛksˈprəʊprɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of the state or an authority) take (property) from its owner for public use or benefit

• their assets were expropriated by the government.

2. dispossess (someone) of property

• the measures expropriated the landlords.

II. derivatives

expropriator

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin expropriat- ‘taken from the owner’, from the verb expropriare, from ex- ‘out, from’ + proprium ‘property’, neuter singular of proprius ‘own’.

expropriation /ɛksprəʊprɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action by the state or an authority of taking property from its owner for public use or benefit

• the decree provided for the expropriation of church land and buildings

• the expropriation of assets by the government.

2. the action of dispossessing someone of property

• a popular movement aiming at the expropriation of the landowners and the overthrow of the autocracy.

expulsion /ɪkˈspʌlʃ(ə)n, ɛkˈspʌlʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of forcing someone to leave an organization

• his expulsion from the union

• [ count noun] a rise in the number of pupil expulsions.

2. the action or process of forcing someone to leave a place

• the expulsion of two diplomats from the embassy.

3. the action of forcing something out of the body.

• oxytocin causes expulsion of milk from the lactating mammary gland.

II. derivatives

expulsive /ɪkˈspʌlsɪv, ɛkˈspʌlsɪv /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin expulsio(n-), from expellere ‘drive out’ (see expel).

expunge /ɪkˈspʌn(d)ʒ, ɛkˈspʌn(d)ʒ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. obliterate or remove completely (something unwanted or unpleasant)

• the kind of man that could expunge an unsatisfactory incident from his memory.

II. derivatives

1. expunction /ɪkˈspʌŋ(k)ʃ(ə)n, ɛkˈspʌŋ(k)ʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. expungement

noun

3. expunger

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin expungere ‘mark for deletion by means of points’, from ex- ‘out’ + pungere ‘to prick’.

expurgate /ˈɛkspəːɡeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. expurgated)

1. remove matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from (a text or account)

• an expurgated English translation.

II. derivatives

1. expurgation /ɛkspəːˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. expurgator /ˈɛkspəːɡeɪtə /

noun

3. expurgatory /ɛkˈspəːɡət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘purge of excrement’): from Latin expurgat- ‘thoroughly cleansed’, from the verb expurgare, from ex- ‘out’ + purgare ‘cleanse’.

exquisite /ˈɛkskwɪzɪt, ɪkˈskwɪzɪt/

I. adjective

1. extremely beautiful and delicate

• exquisite, jewel-like portraits.

2. intensely felt

• the most exquisite kind of agony.

3. highly sensitive or discriminating

• her exquisite taste in painting.

II. noun

‹literary› a man who is affectedly concerned with his clothes and appearance; a dandy.

III. derivatives

exquisiteness /ɛkˈskwɪzɪtnəs, ɪkˈskwɪzɪtnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘precise’): from Latin exquisit- ‘sought out’, from the verb exquirere, from ex- ‘out’ + quaerere ‘seek’.

exquisitely /ˈɛkskwɪzɪtli, ɪkˈskwɪzɪtli/

adverb

1. in an extremely beautiful and delicate manner

• exquisitely crafted sculptures

• she sings exquisitely.

2. [often as submodifier] — in an intensely felt manner

• the exquisitely painful portrait of a marriage collapsing.

3. in a highly sensitive or discriminating manner

• she was always exquisitely attuned to her mother's moods.

exsanguination /ɪkˌsaŋɡwɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkˌsaŋɡwɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the action of draining a person, animal, or organ of blood.

• regional anaesthesia with exsanguination of the limb.

2. [Medicine] severe loss of blood.

• no patient died from immediate exsanguination.

II. derivatives

exsanguinate

verb

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin exsanguinatus ‘drained of blood’ (from ex- ‘out’ + sanguis, sanguin- ‘blood’) + -ion.

exsanguine /ɪkˈsaŋɡwɪn, ɛkˈsaŋɡwɪn/

I. adjective

‹literary› bloodless; anaemic.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from ex-1 ‘out’ + Latin sanguis, sanguin- ‘blood’.

exsert /ɪkˈsəːt, ɛkˈsəːt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. exserted)

1. [Biology] cause to protrude

• an exserted stigma.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin exsert- ‘put forth’, from the verb exserere (see exert).

ex-service

adjective

(Brit.) denoting or relating to former members of the armed forces

• ex-service personnel.

ex-serviceman /ɛk(s)ˈsəːvɪsmən/

noun

(Brit.) a man who was formerly a member of the armed forces.

ex-servicewoman /ɛk(s)ˈsəːvɪsˌwʊmən/

noun

(Brit.) a woman who was formerly a member of the armed forces.

ex silentio /ˌɛks sɪˈlɛnʃɪəʊ/

I. adjective, adverb

(with reference to an argument or theory) based on lack of contrary evidence.

– origin Latin, ‘from silence’.

exsolve /ɪkˈsɒlv, ɛkˈsɒlv/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [Geology] (of a mineral) separate out from solid solution in a rock.

• the homogeneous alloys exsolved into metallic phases.

2. [with obj.] (usu. as adj. exsolved) — [Geology] form (a mineral) by the process of exsolution.

• coarsely exsolved ilmenites.

II. derivatives

exsolution

noun

– origin mid 20th cent.: (originally as exsolution) from ex-1 + solution.

exsufflation /ˌɛksəˈfleɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the removal of material from a body cavity (especially the lung) by blowing

• only 7.7% of patients required exsufflation or drainage.

2. ‹rare› the action or process of breathing out; exhalation.

3. [Theology] the action of blowing as a form of exorcism or to symbolize renunciation of the devil

• sometimes the exorcist used the rite of exsufflation.

– origin early 16th cent.: late Latin, from the verb exsufflare, from ex- ‘out’ + sufflare ‘to blow’.

ext.

abbreviation

1. extension (in a telephone number).

2. exterior.

3. external.

extant /ɪkˈstant, ɛkˈstant, ˈɛkst(ə)nt/

I. adjective

still in existence; surviving

• an extant letter.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘able to be publicly seen or reached’): from Latin exstant- ‘being visible or prominent, existing’, from the verb exstare, from ex- ‘out’ + stare ‘to stand’.

extemporaneous /ɪkˌstɛmpəˈreɪnɪəs, ɛkˌstɛmpəˈreɪnɪəs/

I. adjective

another term for extemporary.

II. derivatives

1. extemporaneously /ɪkˌstɛmpəˈreɪnɪəsli, ɛkˌstɛmpəˈreɪnɪəsli /

adverb

2. extemporaneousness /ɪkˌstɛmpəˈreɪnɪəsnəs, ɛkˌstɛmpəˈreɪnɪəsnəs /

noun

extemporary /ɪkˈstɛmp(ə)(rə)ri, ɛkˈstɛmp(ə)(rə)ri/

I. adjective

spoken or done without preparation

• an extemporary prayer.

II. derivatives

1. extemporarily /ɪkˈstɛmp(ə)(rə)rɪli, ɛkˈstɛmp(ə)(rə)rɪli /

adverb

2. extemporariness

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from extempore, on the pattern of temporary.

extempore /ɪkˈstɛmp(ə)ri, ɛkˈstɛmp(ə)ri/

I. adjective, adverb

spoken or done without preparation
[as adj.]

• extempore public speaking

• [as adv.] he recited the poem extempore.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin ex tempore ‘on the spur of the moment’ (literally ‘out of the time’).

extemporize /ɪkˈstɛmpərʌɪz, ɛkˈstɛmpərʌɪz / extemporise

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. compose or perform something such as music or a speech without preparation; improvise

• he extemporized at the piano

• [with obj.] she was extemporizing touching melodies.

II. derivatives

extemporization /ɪkstɛmpərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkstɛmpərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

extend /ɪkˈstɛnd, ɛkˈstɛnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause to cover a wider area; make larger

• the car park has been extended.

2. cause to last longer

• they asked the government to extend its period of deliberation.

3. straighten or spread out (the body or a limb or device) at full length

• hold the index finger down with the thumb extended

• (as adj. extending) a case with wheels and an extending handle.

4. [no obj.] — spread from a central point to cover a wider area

• the damage extended 400 yards either side of the shop.

5. [no obj.] — occupy a specified area

• the mountains extend over the western end of the island.

6. [no obj.] ( extend to) — be applicable to

• her generosity did not extend to all adults.

7. hold (something) out towards someone

• I nod and extend my hand.

8. offer or make available

• she extended an invitation to her to stay.

9. cause (someone or something) to exert the utmost effort

• horses have the strength of character to extend themselves to their utmost limit.

II. derivatives

1. extendability

noun

2. extendable /ɪkˈstɛndəb(ə)l, ɛkˈstɛndəb(ə)l /

adjective

3. extendibility

noun

4. extendible /ɪkˈstɛndəb(ə)l, ɛkˈstɛndəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin extendere ‘stretch out’, from ex- ‘out’ + tendere ‘stretch’.

extended /ɪkˈstɛndɪd, ɛkˈstɛndɪd/

adjective

1. made larger; enlarged

• an extended kitchen and new balcony.

2. lasting longer than is usual or expected; prolonged

• an extended period of time.

extended family

noun

a family which extends beyond the nuclear family to include grandparents and other relatives.

extended-play

adjective

(of a record) that plays for longer than most singles.

extender /ɪkˈstɛndə, ɛkˈstɛndə/

noun

1. a person or thing that extends something.

2. a substance added to a product such as paint or glue, to dilute its colour or increase its bulk.

3. [Photography] another term for extension tube.

extensible /ɪkˈstɛnsɪb(ə)l, ɛkˈstɛnsɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

able to be extended; extendable

• an extensible architecture designed to accommodate changes.

II. derivatives

extensibility /ɪkstɛnsɪˈbɪlɪti, ɛkstɛnsɪˈbɪlɪti /

noun

extensile /ɪkˈstɛnsʌɪl, ɛkˈstɛnsʌɪl/

I. adjective

capable of being stretched out or protruded.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin extens- ‘stretched out’ (from the verb extendere) + -ile.

extension /ɪkˈstɛnʃ(ə)n, ɛkˈstɛnʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a part that is added to something to enlarge or prolong it

• the railway's southern extension.

2. a room or rooms added to an existing building.

• they hope to demolish the store and build a bar extension.

3. ( extensions) — lengths of artificial hair woven into a person's own hair to create a very long hairstyle.

4. [ mass noun] — the action or process of enlarging or extending something

• the extension of the President's powers.

5. an application of an existing system or activity to a new area

• direct marketing is an extension of telephone selling.

6. an additional period of time given to someone to hold office or fulfil an obligation.

• the initial term of appointment is for one year, but an extension of two years is envisaged.

7. (Brit.) permission granted to licensed premises for the sale of alcoholic drinks until later than usual.

• drinks were served until the early hours of the morning, without any extension having been granted.

8. [Computing] an optional suffix to a filename, typically consisting of a full stop followed by several characters, indicating the file's content or function.

9. ( also extension lead or cable; also extension cord) — (Brit.) (US) a length of electric cable which permits the use of appliances at some distance from a fixed socket.

10. a subsidiary telephone on the same line as the main one.

• you can listen on the extension in the bedroom.

11. a subsidiary telephone in a large building, on a line leading from the main switchboard but having its own additional number.

• contact Liz McDonald on extension 3514.

12. [ mass noun] — the action of moving a limb from a bent to a straight position

• seizures with sudden rigid extension of the limbs.

13. [Ballet] the ability of a dancer to raise one leg above their waist, especially to the side

• she has amazing extension.

14. [Medicine] the application of traction to a fractured or dislocated limb or to an injured spinal column to restore it to its normal position.

15. the lengthening of a horse's stride at a particular pace.

16. [as modifier] — denoting instruction by a university or college arranged for people who are not full-time students

• a postgraduate extension course.

17. [Logic] the range of a term or concept as measured by the objects which it denotes or contains.
Often contrasted with intension.

18. [Physics] [Philosophy] the property of occupying space

• nature, for Descartes, was pure extension in space.

II. phrases

by extension

taking the same line of argument further

• the study shows how television and, by extension, the media, alter political relationships.

III. derivatives

extensional

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin extensio(n-), from extendere ‘stretch out’ (see extend).

extension tube

noun

[Photography] a tube fitted to a camera between the body and lens to shorten the distance of closest focus of an object so that close-up pictures can be taken.

extensive /ɪkˈstɛnsɪv, ɛkˈstɛnsɪv/

I. adjective

1. covering or affecting a large area

• an extensive garden.

2. large in amount or scale

• an extensive collection of silver.

3. (of agriculture) obtaining a relatively small crop from a large area with a minimum of capital and labour

• extensive farming techniques.

Often contrasted with intensive (sense 1 of the adjective).

II. derivatives

extensiveness /ɪkˈstɛnsɪvnəs, ɛkˈstɛnsɪvnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from French extensif, -ive or late Latin extensivus, from extens- ‘stretched out’, from the verb extendere (see extend).

extensively /ɪkˈstɛnsɪvli, ɛkˈstɛnsɪvli/

adverb

1. in a way that covers or affects a large area

• the house was extensively damaged by the fire

• her husband travelled extensively in his job.

2. to a large or detailed degree

• he has written extensively about the project

• the article was extensively researched.

extensometer /ˌɛkstɛnˈsɒmɪtə/

I. noun

an instrument for measuring the deformation of a material under stress.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin extens- ‘extended’ (from the verb extendere) + -meter.

extensor /ɪkˈstɛnsə, ɛkˈstɛnsə / extensor muscle

I. noun

[Anatomy] a muscle whose contraction extends or straightens a limb or other part of the body.
Often contrasted with flexor.

– origin early 18th cent.: from late Latin, from extens- ‘stretched out’, from the verb extendere (see extend).

extent /ɪkˈstɛnt, ɛkˈstɛnt/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. the area covered by something

• an enclosure ten acres in extent.

2. the size or scale of something

• the extent of global warming.

3. the particular degree to which something is or is believed to be the case

• everyone will have to compromise to some extent

• decision-making was to a large extent outside his control.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘valuation of property, especially for taxation’): from Anglo-Norman French extente, from medieval Latin extenta, feminine past participle of Latin extendere ‘stretch out’ (see extend).

extenuate /ɪkˈstɛnjʊeɪt, ɛkˈstɛnjʊeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (as adj. extenuating) — (of a factor or situation) acting in mitigation to lessen the seriousness of guilt or an offence

• hunger and poverty are not treated by the courts as extenuating circumstances.

2. (usu. as adj. extenuated) — ‹literary› make (someone) thin

• drawings of extenuated figures.

II. derivatives

1. extenuation /ɪkstɛnjʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkstɛnjʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. extenuatory /ɪkˈstɛnjʊət(ə)ri, ɛkˈstɛnjʊət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘make thin’): from Latin extenuat- ‘made thin’, from the verb extenuare (based on tenuis ‘thin’).

exterior /ɪkˈstɪərɪə, ɛkˈstɪərɪə/

I. adjective

1. forming, situated on, or relating to the outside of something

• exterior and interior walls.

2. coming from outside

• exterior noise.

3. (in filming) outdoor

• exterior locations.

II. noun

1. the outer surface or structure of something

• a jar with floral designs on the exterior.

2. the outer structure of a building

• the museum has a modern exterior.

3. a person's behaviour and demeanour, especially when at variance with their true character

• beneath that assured exterior, she's vulnerable.

4. (in filming) an outdoor scene.

• an ideal spot to film exteriors.

III. derivatives

1. exteriority /ɪkstɪərɪˈɒrɪti, ɛkstɪərɪˈɒrɪti /

noun

2. exteriorly /ɪkˈstɪərɪəli, ɛkˈstɪərɪəli /

adverb

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin, comparative of exter ‘outer’.

exterior angle

noun

[Geometry] the angle between a side of a rectilinear figure and an adjacent side extended outward.

exteriorize /ɪkˈstɪərɪərʌɪz, ɛkˈstɪərɪərʌɪz / exteriorise

I. verb

make exterior; give exterior form to.

• what the Greeks did do was exteriorize their intellectual life, make it convivial and explicit.

II. derivatives

exteriorization /ɪkˌstɪərɪərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkˌstɪərɪərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / exteriorisation

noun

exterminate /ɪkˈstəːmɪneɪt, ɛkˈstəːmɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. destroy completely

• after exterminating the entire population, the soldiers set fire to the buildings.

2. kill (a pest)

• they use poison to exterminate moles.

II. derivatives

1. exterminator /ɪkˈstəːmɪneɪtə, ɛkˈstəːmɪneɪtə /

noun

2. exterminatory /ɪkˈstəːmɪnət(ə)ri, ɛkˈstəːmɪnət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘drive out’): from Latin exterminat- ‘driven out’, from the verb exterminare, from ex- ‘out’ + terminus ‘boundary’. The sense ‘destroy’ (mid 16th cent.) comes from the Latin of the Vulgate.

extermination /ɪkˌstəːmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkˌstəːmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. killing, especially of a whole group of people or animals

• the near extermination of the buffalo herds.

2. complete destruction.

extern /ɪkˈstəːn, ɛkˈstəːn/

I. noun

1. (N. Amer.) a non-resident doctor or other worker in a hospital.

2. a student participating in a temporary training programme in a workplace

• she worked as a judicial extern for two US federal judges.

3. (in a strictly enclosed order of nuns) a sister who does not live exclusively within the enclosure and goes on outside errands.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (SE Asian) banish (someone considered politically undesirable) from a region or district

• he was externed for inciting communal tension in the city.

III. derivatives

externment

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (as an adjective in the sense ‘external’): from French externe or Latin externus, from exter ‘outer’. The word was used by Shakespeare to mean ‘outward appearance’; current noun senses date from the early 17th cent.

external /ɪkˈstəːn(ə)l, ɛkˈstəːn(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. belonging to or forming the outer surface or structure of something

• the external walls.

2. relating to or denoting a medicine or similar substance for use on the outside of the body

• for external application only.

3. coming or derived from a source outside the subject affected

• for many the Church was a symbol of external authority

• the child learns to form conceptions of the external world.

4. coming from or relating to a country or institution other than the main subject

• a department of external affairs.

5. for or concerning students registered with and taking the examinations of a university but not resident there

• external degrees.

6. [Computing] (of hardware) not contained in the main computer; peripheral.

7. (of storage) using a disk or tape drive rather than the main memory.

II. noun — ( externals)

1. the outward features of something

• the place has all the appropriate externals, such as chimneys choked with ivy.

2. inessential or superficial features.

• photographs can only show externals.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin, from Latin exter ‘outer’.

external ear

noun

the parts of the ear outside the eardrum, especially the pinna.

externalism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessive regard for outward form in religion.

• religion needs to be questioned for its negative attitudes, hypocrisy, and externalism.

2. [Philosophy] the view that mental events and acts are essentially dependent on the world external to the mind, in opposition to the Cartesian separation of mental and physical worlds.

II. derivatives

externalist

noun, adjective

externality /ˌɛkstəːˈnalɪti/

noun

1. [Economics] a consequence of an industrial or commercial activity which affects other parties without this being reflected in market prices, such as the pollination of surrounding crops by bees kept for honey.

2. [ mass noun] — [Philosophy] the fact of existing outside the perceiving subject.

externalize /ɪkˈstəːn(ə)lʌɪz, ɛkˈstəːn(ə)lʌɪz / externalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give external existence or form to

• elements of the internal construction were externalized on to the facade.

2. express (a thought or feeling) in words or actions

• an urgent need to externalize the experience.

3. [Psychology] project (a mental image or process) on to a figure outside oneself

• such neuroses are externalized as interpersonal conflicts.

4. [Economics] fail or choose not to incorporate (costs) as part of a pricing structure, especially social and environmental costs resulting from a product's manufacture and use.

II. derivatives

externalization /ɪkstəːn(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkstəːn(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

externally /ɪkˈstəːn(ə)li, ɛkˈstəːn(ə)li/

adverb

1. with reference to the outer surface or structure of something; outside

• the antenna should be mounted externally, perhaps on the roof.

2. (used in reference to a medicine or similar substance) on the outside of the body

• the oil is externally applied to treat bruises and rheumatic complaints.

3. used to indicate that something occurs or comes from a source outside the institution, country, or subject affected

• most exam papers are marked externally

• externally funded projects.

4. [Computing] using a disk or tape drive rather than the main memory

• all data that has been stored externally will be easy to retrieve.

externship /ɪkˈstəːnʃɪp, ɛkˈstəːnʃɪp/

noun

(N. Amer.) a temporary training programme in a workplace, especially one offered to students as part of a course of study

• an eight-week externship.

exteroceptive /ˌɛkstərə(ʊ)ˈsɛptɪv/

I. adjective

[Physiology] relating to stimuli that are external to an organism.
Compare with interoceptive.

II. derivatives

1. exteroception

noun

2. exteroceptivity

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: probably a blend of exterior or external and receptive.

exteroceptor /ˈɛkstərə(ʊ)ˌsɛptə/

noun

[Physiology] a sensory receptor which receives external stimuli.
Compare with interoceptor.

extinct /ɪkˈstɪŋkt, ɛkˈstɪŋkt/

I. adjective

1. (of a species, family, or other larger group) having no living members

• trilobites and dinosaurs are extinct.

2. no longer in existence

• an extinct language

• the sort of girls' school that is now extinct.

3. (of a title of nobility) having no valid claimant.

• the baronetcy became extinct.

4. (of a volcano) not having erupted in recorded history.

• the islands are the remains of extinct volcanoes.

5. no longer alight

• his now extinct pipe.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘no longer alight’): from Latin exstinct- ‘extinguished’, from the verb exstinguere (see extinguish).

extinction /ɪkˈstɪŋ(k)ʃ(ə)n, ɛkˈstɪŋ(k)ʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or process of being or becoming extinct

• the extinction of the great auk

• [ count noun] mass extinctions.

2. the wiping out of a debt.

• a private debt extinction fund.

3. [Physics] reduction to zero in the intensity of light or other radiation as it passes through a medium, due to absorption, reflection, or scattering.

• ultraviolet extinction.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin exstinctio(n-), from exstinguere ‘quench’ (see extinguish).

extinguish /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ, ɛkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (a fire or light) to cease to burn or shine

• firemen were soaking everything to extinguish the blaze.

2. put an end to; destroy

• hope is extinguished little by little.

3. subdue or reduce (someone) to silence

• a look which would have extinguished any man.

4. cancel (a debt) by full payment

• the debt was absolutely extinguished.

5. [Law] render (a right or obligation) void.

• rights of common pasture were extinguished.

II. derivatives

1. extinguishable /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəb(ə)l, ɛkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. extinguishment /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃm(ə)nt, ɛkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃm(ə)nt /

noun

[Law]

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin exstinguere, from ex- ‘out’ + stinguere ‘quench’. Compare with distinguish.

extinguisher /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃə, ɛkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃə/

noun

short for fire extinguisher.

extirpate /ˈɛkstəːpeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. eradicate or destroy completely

• timber wolves were extirpated from New England more than a century ago.

II. derivatives

1. extirpation /ɛkstəːˈpeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. extirpator /ˈɛkstəpeɪtə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (as extirpation): from Latin exstirpare, from ex- ‘out’ + stirps ‘a stem’.

extol /ɪkˈstəʊl, ɛkˈstəʊl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. praise enthusiastically

• he extolled the virtues of the Russian peoples.

II. derivatives

extoller /ɪkˈstəʊlə, ɛkˈstəʊlə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin extollere, from ex- ‘out, upward’ + tollere ‘raise’.

extort /ɪkˈstɔːt, ɛkˈstɔːt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. obtain (something) by force, threats, or other unfair means

• he attempted to extort money from the company.

II. derivatives

1. extorter

noun

2. extortive

adjective

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin extort- ‘wrested’, from the verb extorquere, from ex- ‘out’ + torquere ‘to twist’.

extortion /ɪkˈstɔːʃ(ə)n, ɛkˈstɔːʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats.

• he used bribery and extortion to build himself a huge, art-stuffed mansion.

• [as modifier] extortion rackets.

II. derivatives

extortioner /ɪkˈstɔːʃ(ə)nə, ɛkˈstɔːʃ(ə)nə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from late Latin extortio(n-), from Latin extorquere ‘wrest’ (see extort).

extortionate /ɪkˈstɔːʃ(ə)nət, ɛkˈstɔːʃ(ə)nət/

I. adjective

1. (of a price) much too high; exorbitant

• £2,700 for that guitar is extortionate.

2. using or given to extortion

• the extortionate power of the unions.

II. derivatives

extortionately

adverb

[as submodifier]

• lobster is extortionately expensive here

extortionist /ɪkˈstɔːʃ(ə)nɪst, ɛkˈstɔːʃ(ə)nɪst/

noun

a person who tries to obtain something through force or violence; a racketeer

• he is a blackmailer and an extortionist.

extra /ˈɛkstrə/

I. adjective

added to an existing or usual amount or number

• they offered him an extra thirty-five cents an hour

• a lot of extra work is involved.

II. adverb

1. [as submodifier] — to a greater extent than usual; especially

• he is trying to be extra good.

2. in addition

• installation will cost about £60 extra.

III. noun

1. an item in addition to what is usual or strictly necessary

• I had an education with all the extras.

2. an item for which an additional charge is made

• the price includes all major charges—there are no hidden extras.

3. a person engaged temporarily to fill out a crowd scene in a film or play.

• the film used an army of extras.

4. [Cricket] a run scored other than from a hit with the bat, credited to the batting side rather than to a batsman.

5. ‹dated› a special issue of a newspaper.

• she stood under an awning and read the extra.

– origin mid 17th cent. (as an adjective): probably a shortening of extraordinary, suggested by similar forms in French and German.

extra- /ˈɛkstrə/

I. prefix

1. outside; beyond

• extracellular

• extraterritorial.

2. beyond the scope of

• extracurricular.

– origin via medieval Latin from Latin extra ‘outside’.

extracellular /ɛkstrəˈsɛljʊlə/

I. adjective

[Biology] situated or taking place outside a cell or cells

• extracellular space in the cortex.

II. derivatives

extracellularly

adverb

extrachromosomal element /ˌɛkstrəˌkrəʊməˈsəʊm(ə)l ˌɛləm(ə)nt/

noun

[Genetics] the DNA of a cytoplasmic organelle, such as a mitochondrion or chloroplast, responsible for cytoplasmic inheritance.

extracorporeal /ˌɛkstrəkɔːˈpɔːrɪəl/

adjective

1. [chiefly Surgery] situated or occurring outside the body.

• extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

2. [chiefly Surgery] denoting a technique of lithotripsy using shock waves generated externally.

extra cover

noun

1. [Cricket] a fielding position between cover point and mid-off but further from the wicket.

2. [Cricket] a fielder at extra cover.

extract

I. verb — [with obj.] extract /ɪkˈstrakt, ɛkˈstrakt /

1. remove or take out, especially by effort or force

• the fossils are extracted from the chalk.

2. obtain (a substance or resource) from something by a special method

• lead was extracted from the copper.

3. obtain (something such as money or information) from someone unwilling to give it

• I won't let you go without trying to extract a promise from you.

4. select (a passage from a text, film, or piece of music) for quotation, performance, or reproduction

• the table is extracted from the report.

5. derive (an idea) from a body of information

• there are few attempts to extract generalities about the nature of the disciplines.

6. [Mathematics] calculate (a root of a number).

• early computers had an instruction to extract a square root.

II. noun — extract /ˈɛkstrakt /

1. a short passage taken from a text, film, or piece of music

• an extract from a historical film.

2. a preparation containing the active ingredient of a substance in concentrated form

• natural plant extracts

• [ mass noun] a shampoo with extract of camomile.

III. derivatives

1. extractability

noun

2. extractable /ɪkˈstraktəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin extract- ‘drawn out’, from the verb extrahere, from ex- ‘out’ + trahere ‘draw’.

extraction /ɪkˈstrakʃ(ə)n, ɛkˈstrakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of extracting something, especially using effort or force

• mineral extraction

• [ count noun] a dental extraction.

2. [with adj.] — the ethnic origin of someone's family

• a worker of Polish extraction.

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin extractio(n-), from Latin extrahere ‘draw out’ (see extract).

extractive /ɪkˈstraktɪv, ɛkˈstraktɪv/

adjective

of or involving extraction, especially the extensive extraction of natural resources without provision for their renewal

• extractive industry.

extractor /ɪkˈstraktə, ɛkˈstraktə/

noun — [often with modifier]

1. a machine or device used to extract something

• a juice extractor.

2. [as modifier] — denoting a device used to extract odours and stale air from an area

• the engine room's extractor fans.

extracurricular /ɛkstrəkəˈrɪkjʊlə/

I. adjective

1. (of an activity at a school or college) pursued in addition to the normal course of study

• extracurricular activities include sports, music, and gym clubs.

2. ‹often humorous› outside the normal routine, especially that provided by a job or marriage

• Harriet's extracurricular sweetheart.

II. derivatives

extracurricularly

adverb

extraditable /ˈɛkstrəˌdʌɪtəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. (of a crime) making an accused or convicted person liable to extradition

• possession of explosives will be an extraditable offence.

2. (of an accused or convicted person) liable to extradition.

• he was a Bolivian, and therefore extraditable from Panama.

extradite /ˈɛkstrədʌɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. hand over (a person accused or convicted of a crime) to the jurisdiction of the foreign state in which the crime was committed

• Brazil refused to extradite him to Britain.

– origin mid 19th cent.: back-formation from extradition.

extradition /ɛkstrəˈdɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of extraditing a person accused or convicted of a crime

• they fought to prevent his extradition to the US

• [ count noun] emergency extraditions.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from ex- ‘out, from’ + tradition ‘delivery’.

extrados /ɪkˈstreɪdɒs, ɛkˈstreɪdɒs/

I. noun

[Architecture] the upper or outer curve of an arch.
Often contrasted with intrados.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French, from Latin extra ‘outside’ + French dos ‘back’ (from Latin dorsum).

extradural /ˌɛkstrəˈdjʊər(ə)l/

adjective

[Medicine] another term for epidural.

extrafamilial /ˌɛkstrəfəˈmɪljəl/

adjective

outside the family.

extrafloral

adjective

[Botany] (of a nectary) situated outside a flower, especially on a leaf or stem.

extragalactic /ˌɛkstrəɡəˈlaktɪk/

adjective

[Astronomy] situated, occurring, or originating outside the Milky Way galaxy

• extragalactic radio sources.

extrajudicial /ˌɛkstrədʒuːˈdɪʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. [Law] (of a sentence) not legally authorized

• there have been reports of extrajudicial executions.

2. [Law] (of a settlement, statement, or confession) not made in court.

• an extrajudicial offer does not carry the same penalty in expenses.

II. derivatives

extrajudicially

adverb

extra large

adjective

of a very large size relative to similar items of the same type

• an extra-large pizza

• the bedrooms are extra large.

extralegal /ˌɛkstrəˈliːɡ(ə)l/

adjective

(of an action or situation) beyond the province of the law.

• there were extralegal means through which to render the NAACP impotent.

extralimital /ˌɛkstrəˈlɪmɪt(ə)l/

adjective

[chiefly Biology] situated, occurring, or derived from outside a particular area.

extralinguistic /ˌɛkstrəlɪŋˈɡwɪstɪk/

adjective

not involving or beyond the bounds of language

• extralinguistic reality.

extramarital /ˌɛkstrəˈmarɪt(ə)l/

I. adjective

(especially of sexual relations) occurring outside marriage

• an extramarital affair.

II. derivatives

extramaritally

adverb

extramundane /ɛkstrəˈmʌndeɪn/

adjective

‹rare› outside or beyond the physical world.

extramural /ˌɛkstrəˈmjʊər(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. (Brit.) (of a course of study) arranged for people who are not full-time members of a university or other educational establishment

• extramural education.

2. additional to one's work or course of study

• extramural activities.

3. outside the walls or boundaries of a town or city

• the extramural cemetery in Brighton.

II. derivatives

extramurally

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin extra muros ‘outside the walls’ + -al.

extramusical

adjective

extrinsic to a piece of music or outside the field of music.

• his advice was to listen for the music—not for extramusical meanings.

extraneous /ɪkˈstreɪnɪəs, ɛkˈstreɪnɪəs/

I. adjective

1. irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with

• one is obliged to wade through many pages of extraneous material.

2. of external origin

• when the transmitter pack is turned off no extraneous noise is heard.

3. separate from the object to which it is attached

• other insects attach extraneous objects or material to themselves.

II. derivatives

1. extraneously /ɪkˈstreɪnɪəsli, ɛkˈstreɪnɪəsli /

adverb

2. extraneousness /ɪkˈstreɪnɪəsnəs, ɛkˈstreɪnɪəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin extraneus + -ous.

extranet /ˈɛkstrənɛt/

I. noun

an intranet that can be partially accessed by authorized outside users, enabling businesses to exchange information over the Internet in a secure way.

• where intranets embrace employees within a company, extranets extend outwards to offer similar functions to those working closely with the business but separate from it.

– origin 1990s: from extra- + net^1 by analogy with intranet.

extraordinaire /ɪkˌstroːdɪˈnɛː/

I. adjective — [ postpositive]

1. ‹informal› outstanding in a particular capacity

• the noted Hollywood middleman extraordinaire.

– origin 1940s: French, ‘extraordinary’.

extraordinarily /ɪkˈstrɔːd(ɪ)n(ə)rɪli, ɛkˈstrɔːd(ɪ)n(ə)rɪli/

adverb

1. in a very unusual or remarkable way

• he was able to show us how people can behave extraordinarily

• [ sentence adverb] extraordinarily, he escaped with a scratch.

2. [as submodifier] — to a remarkable degree; extremely

• he did a good job in extraordinarily difficult circumstances

• it is a simple story, extraordinarily well told.

extraordinary /ɪkˈstrɔːd(ə)n(ə)ri, ɛkˈstrɔːd(ə)n(ə)ri, ˌɛkstrəˈɔːdɪn(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. very unusual or remarkable

• the extraordinary plumage of the male

• [with clause] it is extraordinary that no consultation took place.

2. unusually great

• young children need extraordinary amounts of attention.

3. [ attrib.] — (of a meeting) specially convened

• an extraordinary session of the Congress.

4. [ postpositive] — (of an official) specially employed in addition to the usual staff

• an Ambassador Extraordinary.

II. noun — (usu. extraordinaries)

1. an item in a company's accounts not arising from its normal activities.
Compare with exceptional.

III. derivatives

extraordinariness /ɛkstrəˈɔːdɪnərɪnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin extraordinarius, from extra ordinem ‘outside the normal course of events’.

extraordinary general meeting EGM

noun

(Brit.) a meeting of the members or shareholders of a club, company, or other organization, held at short notice, especially in order to consider a particular matter.

extraordinary ray

noun

[Optics] (in double refraction) the light ray that does not obey the ordinary laws of refraction.
Compare with ordinary ray.

extrapolate /ɪkˈstrapəleɪt, ɛkˈstrapəleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. extend the application of (a method or conclusion) to an unknown situation by assuming that existing trends will continue or similar methods will be applicable

• the results cannot be extrapolated to other patient groups

• [no obj.] it is always dangerous to extrapolate from a sample.

2. estimate or conclude (something) by extrapolating

• the figures were extrapolated from past trends.

3. [Mathematics] extend (a graph, curve, or range of values) by inferring unknown values from trends in the known data.

• the low-temperature results can be extrapolated to room temperature.

• (as adj. extrapolated) a set of extrapolated values.

II. derivatives

1. extrapolative

adjective

2. extrapolator

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from extra- ‘outside’ + a shortened form of interpolate.

extrapolation /ɪkstrapəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of estimating or concluding something by assuming that existing trends will continue or a current method will remain applicable

• sizes were estimated by extrapolation

• caution is advised in the interpretation and extrapolation of results

• [ count noun] the figure is an extrapolation from prior data.

2. [Mathematics] the extension of a graph, curve, or range of values by inferring unknown values from trends in the known data

• extrapolation of the logarithmic curve yielded an estimate of 66 species.

extraposition /ˌɛkstrəpəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Grammar] the placing of a word or group of words outside or at the end of a clause, while retaining the sense. The subject is often postponed and replaced by it at the start, as in it's no use crying over spilt milk rather than crying over spilt milk is no use.

extrapyramidal /ˌɛkstrəpɪˈramɪd(ə)l/

adjective

[Anatomy] [Medicine] relating to or denoting motor nerves that descend from the cortex to the spine but are not part of the pyramidal system

• extrapyramidal symptoms.

extrasensory perception /ɛkstrəˈsɛns(ə)ri / ESP

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the supposed faculty of perceiving things by means other than the known senses, e.g. by telepathy.

extrasolar /ˌɛkstrəˈsəʊlə/

adjective

outside the solar system

• extrasolar planets.

extra special

adjective

particularly good or significant

• today's celebrations are extra special as they mark the centennial

• this year he got his mother an extra-special gift.

extrasystole /ˌɛkstrəˈsɪst(ə)li/

noun

[Medicine] a heartbeat outside the normal rhythm, as often occurs in normal individuals.

extraterrestrial /ˌɛkstrətəˈrɛstrɪəl/

I. adjective

of or from outside the earth or its atmosphere

• searches for extraterrestrial intelligence.

II. noun

a hypothetical or fictional being from outer space.

extraterritorial /ˌɛkstrətɛrɪˈtɔːrɪəl/

I. adjective

1. (of a law or decree) valid outside a country's territory.

• an extraterritorial decree of assassination from abroad.

2. denoting the freedom of embassy staff from the jurisdiction of the territory of residence.

• foreign embassies have extraterritorial rights.

3. situated outside a country's territory

• extraterritorial industrial zones.

II. derivatives

extraterritoriality /ˌɛkstrətɛrɪˌtɔːrɪˈalɪti /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin extra territorium ‘outside the territory’ + -al.

extra time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a further period of play added on to a game if the scores are equal.

• England won in extra time.

extratropical /ˌɛkstrəˈtrɒpɪk(ə)l/

adjective

[Meteorology] situated or occurring outside the tropics.

• extratropical cyclones.

extrauterine /ˌɛkstrəˈjuːtərʌɪn/

adjective

[Medicine] existing, formed, or occurring outside the uterus

• the first hour of extrauterine life.

extravagance /ɪkˈstravəɡ(ə)ns, ɛkˈstravəɡ(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of restraint in spending money or using resources

• his reckless extravagance with other people's money.

2. [ count noun] — a thing on which too much money has been spent or which has used up too many resources

• salmon trout is an unnecessary extravagance.

3. excessive elaboration

• the extravagance of the decor.

II. derivatives

extravagancy /ɪkˈstravəɡ(ə)nsi, ɛkˈstravəɡ(ə)nsi /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin extravagant- ‘diverging greatly’, from the verb extravagari (see extravagant).

extravagant /ɪkˈstravəɡ(ə)nt, ɛkˈstravəɡ(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. lacking restraint in spending money or using resources

• it was rather extravagant to buy both.

2. resulting from or showing a lack of restraint in spending money or resources

• extravagant gifts like computer games.

3. exceeding what is reasonable or appropriate; excessive or elaborate

• extravagant claims about the merchandise.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘unusual, unsuitable’): from medieval Latin extravagant- ‘diverging greatly’, from the verb extravagari, from Latin extra- ‘outside’ + vagari ‘wander’.

extravagantly /ɪkˈstravəɡ(ə)ntli, ɛkˈstravəɡ(ə)ntli/

adverb

1. with a lack of restraint in spending money or using resources

• he lived extravagantly and fell deeply into debt.

2. in an excessive or elaborate way

• extravagantly decorated ceilings painted with stars and angels.

3. to a large degree and with extreme feeling

• as a child, Mozart was extravagantly praised

• he was extravagantly admired for his versatility.

extravaganza /ɪkˌstravəˈɡanzə, ɛkˌstravəˈɡanzə/

I. noun

an elaborate and spectacular entertainment or production

• an extravaganza of dance in many forms.

– origin mid 18th cent. (in the sense ‘extravagance in language or behaviour’): from Italian estravaganza ‘extravagance’. The change was due to association with words beginning with extra-.

extravasate /ɪkˈstravəseɪt, ɛkˈstravəseɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. extravasated)

1. [chiefly Medicine] let or force out (a fluid, especially blood) from the vessel that contains it into the surrounding area.

• this established the presence of extravasated blood.

• [no obj.] some cells may extravasate and form secondary tumours.

II. derivatives

extravasation /ɪkstravəˈseɪʃ(ə)n, ɛkstravəˈseɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from extra- ‘outside’ + Latin vas ‘vessel’ + -ate^3.

extravascular /ˌɛkstrəˈvaskjʊlə/

adjective

[Medicine] situated or occurring outside the vascular system

• extravascular fluid.

extravehicular /ˌɛkstrəvɪˈhɪkjʊlə/

adjective

relating to work performed in space outside a spacecraft.

• extravehicular activity.

extra virgin

adjective

denoting a particularly fine grade of olive oil made from the first pressing of the olives and containing a maximum of one per cent oleic acid.

extrema

plural form of extremum.

Extremadura /ˌɛkstrəməˈd(j)ʊərə/

an autonomous region of western Spain, on the border with Portugal; capital, Mérida.
Spanish name Estremadura .

extreme /ɪkˈstriːm, ɛkˈstriːm/

I. adjective

1. reaching a high or the highest degree; very great

• extreme cold.

2. not usual; exceptional

• in extreme cases the soldier may be discharged.

3. very severe or serious

• expulsion is an extreme sanction.

4. (of a person or their opinions) far from moderate, especially politically

• groups of his more extreme supporters rioted in front of parliament.

5. denoting or relating to a sport performed in a hazardous environment and involving great risk.

• extreme sports like snowboarding.

6. [ attrib.] — furthest from the centre or a given point

• the extreme north-west of Scotland.

II. noun

1. either of two abstract things that are as different from each other as possible

• we represented opposite extremes of college society—he a member of the Old Guard, I one of the radicals.

2. the highest or most extreme degree of something

• extremes of temperature.

3. a very severe or serious measure

• the extreme of applying for poor relief.

4. [Logic] the subject or predicate in a proposition, or the major or minor term in a syllogism (as contrasted with the middle term).

III. phrases

1. extremes meet

‹proverb› opposite extremes have much in common.

2. go (or take something) to extremes

take an extreme course of action; do something to an extreme degree

• they took a commendable anti-ageist policy to extremes.

3. in the extreme

to an extreme degree.

• the reasoning was convoluted in the extreme.

IV. derivatives

extremeness /ɪkˈstriːmnəs, ɛkˈstriːmnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: via Old French from Latin extremus ‘outermost, utmost’, superlative of exterus ‘outer’.

extremely /ɪkˈstriːmli, ɛkˈstriːmli/

adverb — [as submodifier]

1. to a very great degree; very

• this is an extremely difficult thing to do.

extreme unction

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in the Roman Catholic Church) a former name for the sacrament of anointing of the sick, especially when administered to the dying.

extremism /ɪkˈstriːmɪz(ə)m, ɛkˈstriːmɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the holding of extreme political or religious views; fanaticism

• the dangers of religious extremism.

extremist /ɪkˈstriːmɪst, ɛkˈstriːmɪst/

noun

‹chiefly derogatory› a person who holds extreme political or religious views, especially one who advocates illegal, violent, or other extreme action

• right-wing extremists

• [as modifier] extremist groups.

extremity /ɪkˈstrɛmɪti, ɛkˈstrɛmɪti/

I. noun

1. the furthest point or limit of something

• the peninsula's western extremity.

2. ( extremities) — the hands and feet

• tingling and numbness in the extremities.

3. [ mass noun] — the degree to which something is extreme

• the extremity of the violence concerns us.

4. a condition of extreme adversity

• the terror of an animal in extremity.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French extremite or Latin extremitas, from extremus ‘utmost’ (see extreme).

extremophile /ɛksˈtrɛməfʌɪl/

noun

[Biology] a microorganism, especially an archaean, that lives in conditions of extreme temperature, acidity, alkalinity, or chemical concentration.

extremum /ɪkˈstriːməm, ɛkˈstriːməm/

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Mathematics] the maximum or minimum value of a function.

• extremum principles.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin, neuter of extremus ‘utmost’ (see extreme).

extricate /ˈɛkstrɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. free (someone or something) from a constraint or difficulty

• he was trying to extricate himself from official duties.

II. derivatives

1. extricable /ˈɛkstrɪkəb(ə)l /

adjective

2. extrication /ɛkstrɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘unravel, untangle’): from Latin extricat- ‘unravelled’, from the verb extricare, from ex- ‘out’ + tricae ‘perplexities’.

extrinsic /ɪkˈstrɪnsɪk, ɛkˈstrɪnsɪk/

I. adjective

1. not part of the essential nature of someone or something; coming or operating from outside

• a complex interplay of extrinsic and intrinsic factors

• reasons extrinsic to the music itself.

2. (of a muscle, such as an eye muscle) having its origin some distance from the part which it moves.

II. derivatives

extrinsically

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘outward’): from late Latin extrinsecus ‘outward’, from Latin extrinsecus ‘outwardly’, based on exter ‘outer’; the ending was altered under the influence of -ic.

extropy /ˈɛkstrəpi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the pseudoscientific principle that life will expand indefinitely and in an orderly, progressive way throughout the entire universe by the means of human intelligence and technology.

• a subculture of technocrats thriving in the US calls the life force ‘extropy’.

II. derivatives

extropian

adjective, noun

– origin 1980s: from ex-1 ‘out’ + a shortened form of entropy.

extrorse /ɛksˈtrɔːs/

I. adjective

1. [Botany] [Zoology] turned outwards.
The opposite of introrse.

2. [Botany] [Zoology] (of anthers) releasing their pollen on the outside of the flower.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from late Latin extrorsus ‘outwards’ (adverb).

extrovert /ˈɛkstrəvəːt / extravert

I. noun

1. an outgoing, socially confident person.

2. [Psychology] a person predominantly concerned with external things or objective considerations.
Compare with introvert.

II. adjective

relating to, denoting, or typical of an extrovert

• his extrovert personality made him the ideal host.

III. derivatives

extroversion /ɛkstrəˈvəːʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from extro- (variant of extra-, on the pattern of intro-) + Latin vertere ‘to turn’. / usage: The original spelling extravert is now rare in general use but is found in technical use in psychology.

extroverted /ˈɛkstrəvəːtɪd / extraverted

adjective

outgoing and socially confident

• she is extroverted, confident, and gives rousing lectures

• Margaret possesses a gregarious, extraverted personality.

extrude /ɪkˈstruːd, ɛkˈstruːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. thrust or force out

• lava was being extruded from the volcano.

2. shape (a material such as metal or plastic) by forcing it through a die.
(as adj. extruded)

• extruded and die-cast aluminium.

II. derivatives

1. extrudable

adjective

2. extrusile

adjective

3. extrusion /ɪkˈstruːʒ(ə)n, ɛkˈstruːʒ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin extrudere, from ex- ‘out’ + trudere ‘to thrust’.

extrusive /ɪkˈstruːsɪv/

adjective

[Geology] relating to or denoting rock that has been extruded at the earth's surface as lava or other volcanic deposits.

exuberance /ɪɡˈz(j)uːb(ə)r(ə)ns, ɛɡˈz(j)uːb(ə)r(ə)ns/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness; ebullience

• a sense of youthful exuberance.

2. the quality of growing profusely; luxuriance

• plants growing with wild exuberance.

exuberant /ɪɡˈz(j)uːb(ə)r(ə)nt, ɛɡˈz(j)uːb(ə)r(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness

• a noisy bunch of exuberant youngsters.

2. characterized by a vigorously imaginative artistic style

• exuberant, over-the-top sculptures.

3. ‹literary› growing luxuriantly or profusely

• exuberant foliage.

II. derivatives

exuberantly /ɪɡˈz(j)uːb(ə)r(ə)ntli, ɛɡˈz(j)uːb(ə)r(ə)ntli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘overflowing, abounding’): from French exubérant, from Latin exuberant- ‘being abundantly fruitful’, from the verb exuberare (based on uber ‘fertile’).

exudate /ˈɛɡzjʊdeɪt/

I. noun

1. [Medicine] a mass of cells and fluid that has seeped out of blood vessels or an organ, especially in inflammation.

2. [Botany] [Entomology] a substance secreted by a plant or insect.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin exsudat- ‘exuded’, from the verb exsudare.

exude /ɪɡˈzjuːd, ɛɡˈzjuːd/

I. verb

1. (with reference to moisture or a smell) discharge or be discharged slowly and steadily
[with obj.]

• the beetle exudes a caustic liquid

• [no obj.] slime exudes from the fungus.

2. [with obj.] — (of a person) display (an emotion or quality) strongly and openly

• Sir Thomas exuded goodwill.

3. (of a place) have a strong atmosphere of

• the building exudes an air of tranquillity.

II. derivatives

1. exudation /ɪɡzjuːˈdeɪʃ(ə)n, ɛɡzjuːˈdeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. exudative /ɪɡˈzjuːdətɪv, ɛɡˈzjuːdətɪv /

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin exsudare, from ex- ‘out’ + sudare ‘to sweat’.

exult /ɪɡˈzʌlt, ɛɡˈzʌlt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. show or feel triumphant elation or jubilation

• exulting in her escape, Lisa closed the door behind her.

II. derivatives

exultingly /ɪɡˈzʌltɪŋli, ɛɡˈzʌltɪŋli /

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin exsultare, frequentative of exsilire ‘leap up’, from ex- ‘out, upward’ + salire ‘to leap’.

exultant /ɪɡˈzʌltənt, ɛkˈzʌltənt/

I. adjective

triumphantly happy

• he waved to the exultant crowds.

II. derivatives

1. exultancy

noun

2. exultantly /ɪɡˈzʌltəntli, ɛɡˈzʌltəntli /

adverb

exultation /ˌɛɡz(ʌ)lˈteɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a feeling of triumphant elation or jubilation; rejoicing

• she laughs in exultation.

Exuma Cays /ɪkˈsuːmə keɪz, ɪkˈsuːmə kiːz/

a group of some 350 small islands in the Bahamas.

exurb /ˈɛksəːb/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a prosperous area beyond a city's suburbs.

• the exurbs of New York City.

II. derivatives

1. exurban

adjective

2. exurbanite

noun, adjective

– origin 1955: coined by A. C. Spectorsky (1919–72), American author, either from Latin ex ‘out of’ + urbs ‘city’, or as a back-formation from the earlier adjective exurban.

exurbia /ɛkˈsəːbɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the exurbs collectively; the area beyond the suburbs.

– origin 1955 (originally US, see exurb) ‘out of’ + -urbia, on the pattern of suburbia.

exuviae /ɪɡˈzjuːvɪiː, ɛɡˈzjuːvɪiː/

I. plural noun — [also treated as sing.]

1. [Zoology] the cast or sloughed skin of an animal, especially of an insect larva.

II. derivatives

exuvial /ɪɡˈzjuːvɪəl, ɛɡˈzjuːvɪəl /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘animal skins, spoils of the enemy’, from exuere ‘divest oneself of’.

exuviate /ɪɡˈzjuːvɪeɪt, ɛɡˈzjuːvɪeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹technical› shed (a skin or shell).

II. derivatives

exuviation /ɪɡzjuːvɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, ɛɡzjuːvɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent.: from exuviae + -ate^3.

ex-voto /ɛks ˈvəʊtəʊ/

I. noun

an offering given in order to fulfil a vow.

• on the walls hung dozens of ex-votos.

• [as modifier] a collection of ex-voto offerings.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin ex voto ‘from a vow’.

ex-wife

noun

a woman to whom someone was formerly married, from whom they are now divorced.

ex-works

adjective, adverb

(Brit.) direct from the factory or place of manufacture.
[as adj.]

• ex-works prices.

• [as adv.] all orders are shipped ex-works.

exxy /ˈɛksɪ / exy

adjective

(Austral.) ‹informal› expensive

• these places whip your flabby tummy into shape using fancy (and exxy) techniques

• while exxier than high-street brands, they are good quality.

-ey

suffix

variant spelling of -y^2 (as in Charley, Limey).

eyas /ˈʌɪəs/

I. noun

a young hawk, especially (in falconry) an unfledged nestling taken from the nest for training.

– origin late 15th cent. (originally nyas): from French niais, based on Latin nidus ‘nest’. The initial n was lost by wrong division of a nyas; compare with adder^1.

eye /ʌɪ/

I. noun

1.
a. each of a pair of globular organs of sight in the head of humans and vertebrate animals

• my cat is blind in one eye

• closing her eyes, she tried to relax.

b. the visual or light-detecting organ of many invertebrate animals that corresponds to the eye of humans and vertebrate animals.

c. the region of the face surrounding the eyes

• her eyes were swollen with crying.

d. used to refer to someone's power of vision and in descriptions of the direction of someone's gaze

• his sharp eyes had missed nothing.

e. used to refer to someone's opinion or attitude towards something

• in the eyes of his younger colleagues, Mr Arnett was an eccentric

• to European eyes, it may seem that the city is overcrowded.

The basic components of the vertebrate eye are a transparent cornea, an adjustable iris, a lens for focusing, a sensitive retina lining the back of the eye, and a clear fluid- or jelly-filled centre. The most primitive animals only have one or two eyespots, while many other invertebrates have several simple eyes or a pair of compound eyes.

2. a thing resembling an eye in appearance, shape, or relative position, in particular:

3. a rounded eye-like marking on an animal, such as those on the tail of a peacock; an eyespot.

4. a round, dark spot on a potato from which a new shoot can grow.

• withered potatoes sprouting at the eyes.

5. the centre of a flower, especially when distinctively coloured.

• delicate flowers of light blue colour, with white or yellow eyes.

6. (also eye of the storm or eye of the hurricane) — the calm region at the centre of a storm or hurricane.

• the smaller the eye, the more intense the winds.

7. ( eyes) — [Nautical] the extreme forward part of a ship.

• it was hanging in the eyes of the ship.

8. the small hole in a needle through which the thread is passed.

• strands of glass tiny enough to pass through the eye of a needle.

9. a small metal loop into which a hook is fitted as a fastener on a garment.

10. [Nautical] a loop at the end of a rope, especially one at the top end of a shroud or stay.

11. (S. African) the source of a spring or river.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. look at closely or with interest

• Rose eyed him warily.

2. ( eye someone up) — ‹informal› look at someone in a way that reveals a particular, especially sexual, interest

• Margot saw the women eyeing up her boyfriend.

III. phrases

1. all eyes are on ——

used to convey that a particular person or thing is currently the focus of public interest

• over the next few weeks all eyes will be on the pound.

2. be all eyes

be watching eagerly and attentively.

3. before (or in front of or under) one's (very) eyes

right in front of one (used for emphasis)

• he saw his life's work destroyed before his very eyes.

4. cannot take one's eyes off

be unable to stop looking at someone or something because they are so interesting, attractive, etc.

• I'm telling you, I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

5. clap (or lay or set) eyes on

‹informal› see

• I'd never clapped eyes on the guy before.

6. close (or shut) one's eyes to

refuse to acknowledge (something unpleasant)

• he couldn't close his eyes to the truth—he had cancer.

7. an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth

used to refer to the belief that retaliation in kind is the appropriate way to deal with an offence or crime.

• other people took his wife, he took the wives of others—it was an eye for an eye.

[with biblical allusion to Exod. 21: 24.]

8. the eye of the wind

the direction from which the wind is blowing.

• he swung the boat into the eye of the wind.

• a heading of up to 75° from the wind's eye.

9. eyes front (or left or right)

a military command to turn the head in the direction stated.

• ‘Eyes front!’ he screamed at the men before him.

10. eyes out

(NZ) ‹informal› as fast or as hard as possible

• If you're going eyes out, watch out for those struggling to keep the pace

• the whole team went eyes out from the start.

11. eyes out on stalks

used to emphasize the extreme degree of someone's eager curiosity.

• when I read about his arrest my eyes popped out on stalks.

12. a ——'s-eye view

a view from the position or standpoint of a ——

• seeing a story from a child's-eye view.

See also bird's-eye view, worm's-eye view.

13. get (or keep) one's eye in

(Brit.) become (or remain) able to make good judgements about a task or activity in which one is engaged

• I've got my eye in now; I'm landing them just where I want them.

14. give someone the eye

‹informal› look at someone with clear sexual interest.

• this blonde was giving me the eye.

15. half an eye

used in reference to a slight degree of perception or attention

• he kept half an eye on the house as he worked.

16. have an eye for

be able to recognize, appreciate, and make good judgements about

• applicants should have an eye for detail.

17. have (or keep) one's eye on

a. keep under careful observation.

• I've got my eye on you—any nonsense and you're for it!

b. ( have one's eye on) — hope or plan to acquire

• there was a vacant bishopric which the Dean had his eye on.

18. have (or with) an eye to

a. have (or having) as one's objective

• with an eye to transatlantic business, he made a deal in New York.

b. consider (or be considering) prudently

• the charity must have an eye to the future.

19. have (or with) an eye to (or for or on) the main chance

look or be looking for an opportunity to take advantage of a situation for personal gain

• a developer with an eye on the main chance.

20. have eyes bigger than one's stomach (or belly)

have asked for or taken more food than one can actually eat.

21. (only) have eyes for

be (exclusively) interested in or attracted to

• he has eyes for no one but you.

22. have eyes in the back of one's head

know what is going on around one even when one cannot see it.

• you need to have eyes in the back of your head to cope with a two-year-old.

23. hit someone in the eye (or between the eyes)

‹informal› be very obvious or impressive

• he wouldn't notice talent if it hit him right between the eyes.

24. keep an eye on

keep under careful observation.

• dealers are keeping an eye on the currency markets.

25. keep an eye out (or open)

look out for something with particular attention.

• keep an eye out for his car.

26. keep one's eyes open (or peeled ‹or Brit.› skinned)

be on the alert; watch carefully or vigilantly for something.

• keep your eyes peeled for a phonebox.

27. make eyes at someone

look at someone with clear sexual interest.

• Doyle was making eyes at the girl, who was extremely pretty.

28. more to someone/thing than meets the eye

see meet^1.

29. my eye (or all my eye and Betty Martin)

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› used to indicate surprise or disbelief.
[said to be originally nautical slang.]

30. one in the eye for

a disappointment or setback for (someone or something)

• this success for Manchester is one in the eye for London.

31. open someone's eyes

cause someone to realize or discover something

• the letter finally opened my eyes to the truth.

32. pull the wool over someone's eyes

see wool.

33. see eye to eye

be in full agreement

• the boss and I do not always see eye to eye.

34. turn a blind eye

see blind.

35. a twinkle (or gleam) in someone's eye

something that is as yet no more than an idea or dream

• the scheme is only a gleam in the developer's eye.

36. up to the (or one's) eyes (in) ‹informal›

a. extremely busy.

• I'm up to my eyes this morning.

b. used to emphasize the extreme degree of an unpleasant situation

• the council is up to its eyes in debt.

37. what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over

‹proverb› if you're unaware of an unpleasant fact or situation you can't be troubled by it.

38. with one's eyes open with open eyes

fully aware of the possible difficulties or consequences

• I went into this job with my eyes open.

39. with one's eyes shut (or closed)

a. without having to make much effort; easily.

• I could do it with my eyes shut.

b. without considering the possible difficulties or consequences

• she didn't go to Hollywood with her eyes closed.

40. with one eye on

giving some but not all one's attention to

• I sat with one eye on the clock, waiting for my turn.

IV. derivatives

eyeless /ˈʌɪləs /

adjective

– origin Old English ēage, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch oog and German Auge.

eyeball /ˈʌɪbɔːl/

I. noun

the round part of the eye of a vertebrate, within the eyelids and socket.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› look or stare at closely

• we eyeballed one another.

III. phrases

1. eyeball to eyeball

face to face with someone, especially in an aggressive way.

• he wheeled round to confront John eyeball to eyeball.

• [as modifier] an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation.

2. give someone the hairy eyeball

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› stare at someone in a disapproving or angry way, especially with one's eyelids partially lowered.

• not one, but two security guards started giving me the hairy eyeball.

3. up to the (or one's) eyeballs

‹informal› used to emphasize the extreme degree of an undesirable situation

• he's up to his eyeballs in debt.

eyebath /ˈʌɪbɑːθ/

noun

(Brit.) a small container used for applying cleansing solutions to the eye.

eyeblack

noun

old-fashioned term for mascara.

eye bolt

noun

a bolt or bar with an eye at the end for attaching a hook or ring to.

eyebright /ˈʌɪbrʌɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a small white-flowered plant of dry fields and heaths, traditionally used as a remedy for eye problems.
●Genus Euphrasia, family Scrophulariaceae: several species.

eyebrow /ˈʌɪbraʊ/

I. noun

the strip of hair growing on the ridge above a person's eye socket.

• he had eyes of blue beneath bushy eyebrows.

II. phrases

raise one's eyebrows (or an eyebrow)

show surprise or mild disapproval.

• Romanov merely raised his eyebrows at the discourtesy.

eyebrow pencil

noun

a cosmetic pencil for defining or accentuating the eyebrows.

eye candy

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› visual images that are superficially attractive and entertaining but intellectually undemanding

• this movie looks like tasty eye candy.

eye-catching /ˈʌɪˌkatʃɪŋ/

I. adjective

immediately appealing or noticeable; striking

• an eye-catching poster.

II. derivatives

1. eye-catcher

noun

2. eye-catchingly

adverb

eye chart

noun

a chart used in measuring the sharpness of a person's vision, typically consisting of a number of rows of letters of decreasing size

• I could only read the top line of the eye chart.

eye contact

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state in which two people are aware of looking directly into one another's eyes

• make eye contact with your interviewers.

eyecup /ˈʌɪkʌp/

noun

1. a piece of an optical device such as a microscope, camera, or pair of binoculars which is contoured to provide a comfortable rest against the user's eye.

2. another term for optic cup.

3. North American term for eyebath.

eyed /ʌɪd/

adjective — [in combination]

1. having eyes of the type or number specified

• a blue-eyed blonde

• a one-eyed cat

• Wendy woke up bleary-eyed.

eye dog

noun

(NZ) a dog that can control sheep using its gaze

• your father ever train up a good eye dog?

eye drops

plural noun

liquid medication to be applied in very small amounts to the eyeball.

eye fillet

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) a tender boneless cut of beef from the underside of the sirloin

• it is easy to compliment the quality of the eye fillet.

– origin 1950s: from eye in the sense ‘mass of lean meat’.

eyeful /ˈʌɪfʊl, ˈʌɪf(ə)l/

noun — [in sing.]

1. ‹informal› a long steady look at something.

• when Granny catches anyone staring, she says to them ‘Had your eyeful yet?’.

2. ‹informal› an eye-catching person or thing

• she was quite an eyeful.

3. ‹informal› a quantity or piece of something thrown or blown into the eye

• an eyeful of woodworm fluid.

eyeglass /ˈʌɪɡlɑːs/

noun

1. a single lens for correcting or assisting defective eyesight, especially a monocle.

2. ( eyeglasses) — (N. Amer.) another term for glasses.

3. another term for eyepiece.

eyehole /ˈʌɪhəʊl/

noun

a hole to look through.

• hoods can be customized to adjust the eyeholes.

eyelash /ˈʌɪlaʃ/

noun

each of the short curved hairs growing on the edges of the eyelids, serving to protect the eyes from dust.

eyelet /ˈʌɪlɪt/

I. noun

1. a small round hole in leather or cloth for threading a lace, string, or rope through.

2. a metal ring used to reinforce an eyelet in leather or cloth.

3. a small hole ornamented with stitching around its edge, used as a form of decoration in embroidery.
[as modifier]

• the white eyelet duvet.

4. a small hole or slit in a wall for looking through.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make eyelets in (fabric).
(as adj. eyeleted)

• her dress is of the whitest fabric, all eyeleted, embroidered, sashed.

– origin late Middle English oilet, from Old French oillet, diminutive of oil ‘eye’, from Latin oculus. The change in the first syllable in the 17th cent. was due to association with eye.

eye level

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the level of the eyes looking straight ahead

• pictures hung at eye level.

eyelid /ˈʌɪlɪd/

noun

each of the upper and lower folds of skin which cover the eye when closed.

eyeline

noun

a person's line of sight.

• I asked Helena to stand in my eyeline.

eyeliner /ˈʌɪlʌɪnə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a cosmetic applied as a line round the eyes to accentuate them.

• her eyes were made up with heavy black eyeliner.

• [ count noun] a range of eyeliners, eye shadows, and mascaras.

eye-opener /ˈʌɪˌəʊp(ə)nə/

noun

1. ‹informal› an event or situation that proves to be unexpectedly enlightening

• a visit to the docks can be a fascinating eye-opener.

2. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) an alcoholic drink taken early in the day.

eye-opening

adjective

(of an event or situation) unexpectedly enlightening

• this documentary should be an eye-opening experience to all.

eyepatch /ˈʌɪpatʃ/

noun

a patch worn to protect an injured eye.

eye pencil

noun

a cosmetic pencil for defining or accentuating the eyes.

eyepiece /ˈʌɪpiːs/

noun

the lens or group of lenses that is closest to the eye in a microscope, telescope, or other optical instrument.
Also called ocular.

eye-popping

adjective

‹informal› astonishing or strikingly impressive

• the company has doubled its assets to an eye-popping $113 billion.

eye rhyme

noun

a similarity between words in spelling but not in pronunciation, for example love and move.

eye-rolling

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of rolling one's eyes, typically as an expression of exasperation, disbelief, or disapproval

• there's been plenty of eye-rolling and head-shaking over the pronouncements.

II. adjective

causing someone to roll their eyes in exasperation, disbelief, or disapproval

• the lines are delivered with eye-rolling attempts at whimsy and satire.

III. derivatives

eye-rollingly

adverb

eyeshade /ˈʌɪʃeɪd/

noun

a translucent visor used to protect the eyes from strong light.

• the stereotype of the forger as the chap with the green eyeshade and specs.

eyeshadow /ˈʌɪʃadəʊ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a coloured cosmetic applied to the eyelids or to the skin around the eyes to accentuate them.

eyeshot /ˈʌɪʃɒt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the distance for which one can see

• he is within eyeshot.

eyesight /ˈʌɪsʌɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a person's ability to see

• poor eyesight ended his plans for a naval career.

eye socket

noun

the cavity in the skull which encloses an eyeball with its surrounding muscles.
Also called orbit.

eyesore /ˈʌɪsɔː/

noun

a thing that is very ugly, especially a building.

• the office crumbled into an eyesore.

eye splice

noun

a splice made by turning the end of a rope back on itself and interlacing the strands, thereby forming a loop.

eyespot /ˈʌɪspɒt/

noun

1. [Zoology] a light-sensitive pigmented spot on the bodies of invertebrates such as flatworms, starfishes, and microscopic crustaceans, and also in some unicellular organisms.

2. a rounded eye-like marking on an animal, especially on the wing of a butterfly or moth.

3. [ mass noun] — a fungal disease of cereals and other cultivated grasses, characterized by yellowish oval spots on the leaves and stems.
●The fungus is typically Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides, subdivision Deuteromycotina.

eyestalk

noun

[Zoology] a movable stalk that bears an eye near its tip, especially in crabs, shrimps, and related crustaceans, and in some molluscs.

eye strain

noun — [ mass noun]

1. fatigue of the eyes, such as that caused by reading or looking at a computer screen for too long.

• avoid eye strain and have your sight checked regularly.

eyestripe

noun

a stripe on a bird's head which encloses or appears to run through the eye.

Eyetie /ˈʌɪtʌɪ/

I. adjective, noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› Italian or an Italian.

– origin 1920s: abbreviation of 19th-cent. Eyetalian, representing a humorous pronunciation of Italian.

eye tooth

I. noun

a canine tooth, especially one in the upper jaw.

II. phrases

give one's eye teeth for (or to be)

do anything in order to have or be something

• many women would give their eye teeth to be married to him.

eyewash /ˈʌɪwɒʃ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cleansing lotion for a person's eye.

2. ‹informal› insincere talk; nonsense

• all that stuff about blood being thicker than water was a lot of eyewash.

eyewater /ˈaɪwɔːtə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› (W. Indian) water secreted by the eyes; tears.

eye-watering

I. adjective

1. causing the eyes to water

• eye-watering Scotch bonnet chillies.

2. (especially of a figure or amount) extremely high or large

• an eye-watering 22% rise in business rates

• eye-watering pre-tax losses of £38.5 million.

II. derivatives

eye-wateringly

adverb

[as submodifier]

• his eye-wateringly expensive divorce settlement

eyewear

noun — [ mass noun]

1. things worn on the eyes, such as spectacles and contact lenses.

eyewitness /ˈʌɪwɪtnəs/

noun

a person who has seen something happen and can give a first-hand description of it
[as modifier]

• eyewitness accounts of the London blitz.

eye worm

noun

either of two parasitic nematode worms which affect the eyes of mammals:
● a filarial worm of equatorial Africa, infesting humans and other primates, causing loiasis and sometimes passing across the cornea ( Loa loa, class Phasmida). ● a nematode that occurs in the region of the eyelid and tear duct, found chiefly in hoofed mammals (genus Thelazia, class Phasmida).

eyot /ˈeɪət/

noun

another term for ait.

eyra /ˈeɪrə/

I. noun

a reddish-brown form of the jaguarundi (cat).

– origin early 17th cent.: from Spanish, from Tupi eirara, irara.

eyre /ɛː/

I. noun

‹historical› a circuit court held in medieval England by a judge (a justice in eyre) who rode from county to county.

• in 1221 six justices went on eyre (or circuit) in the western counties.

– origin Middle English: from Old French eire, from Latin iter ‘journey’.

Eyre, Edward John /ɛː/

(1815–1901), British-born Australian explorer and colonial statesman. He undertook explorations in the interior deserts of Australia (1840–1) and later served as Lieutenant Governor of New Zealand and Governor of Jamaica.

Eyre, Lake

I. a lake in South Australia, Australia's largest salt lake.

– origin named after the explorer E. J. Eyre (see Eyre, Edward John).

eyrie /ˈɪəri, ˈʌɪri, ˈɛːri / ‹N. Amer.› aerie

I. noun

a large nest of an eagle or other bird of prey, built high in a tree or on a cliff.

– origin late 15th cent.: from medieval Latin aeria, aerea, eyria, probably from Old French aire, from Latin area ‘level piece of ground’, in late Latin ‘nest of a bird of prey’.

eyrir /ˈeɪriːr/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Iceland, equal to one hundredth of a krona.

– origin Icelandic, from Old Norse, literally ‘ounce (of silver etc.), money’, probably from Latin aureus ‘golden, a golden coin’.

Eysenck, Hans /ˈʌɪsɛŋk/

(1916–97), German-born British psychologist; full name Hans Jürgen Eysenck. He was noted for his strong criticism of Freudian psychoanalysis and for his ideas concerning the assessment of intelligence and personality (published in Race, Intelligence, and Education, 1971).

Ezek.

abbreviation

Ezekiel (in biblical references).

Ezekiel /ɪˈziːkɪəl/

I. a Hebrew prophet of the 6th century BC who prophesied the forthcoming destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation and inspired hope for the future well-being of a restored state.

II. a book of the Bible containing Ezekiel's prophecies.

e-zine /ˈiːziːn/

noun

a magazine only published in electronic form on a computer network.

Ezra /ˈɛzrə/

I. a Jewish priest and scribe who played a central part in the reform of Judaism in the 5th or 4th century BC, continuing the work of Nehemiah and forbidding mixed marriages.

II. a book of the Bible telling of Ezra, the return of the Jews from Babylon, and the rebuilding of the Temple.

f

I. abbreviation

1. [Grammar] feminine.

2. [in combination] — (in units of measurement) femto- (10−15).

• the detection limits of the enzymatic activity tests are between 10 and 500 fg per test.

3. (in textual references) folio.

4. [Music] forte.

5. (in racing results) furlong(s).

• 2 m 3 f.

6. [Chemistry] denoting electrons and orbitals possessing three units of angular momentum

• f-orbitals.

[ f from fundamental, originally applied to lines in atomic spectra.]

II. symbol

1. focal length

• apertures of f/5.6 to f/11.

See also f-number.

2. [Mathematics] a function of a specified variable

• the value of f(x).

3. [Electronics] frequency.

F^1 /ɛf / f

noun

1. the sixth letter of the alphabet.

2. denoting the next after E in a set of items, categories, etc.

3. the sixth highest or lowest class of academic marks (also used to represent ‘Fail’).

• they are guaranteed F's if they goof around.

4. ( f) — [Chess] denoting the sixth file from the left, as viewed from White's side of the board.

5. (usu. F) — [Music] the fourth note of the diatonic scale of C major.

6. a key based on a scale with F as its keynote.

F^2 /ɛf/

I. abbreviation

1. Fahrenheit

• 60°F.

2. farad(s).

3. ( F) — [Chemistry] faraday(s).

4. (in racing results) favourite.

• 2nd Miss Prism 2–1 F.

5. female.

6. fighter (in designations of US aircraft types)

• the F117 Stealth fighter.

7. [Biology] filial generation.

8. (Brit.) fine (used in describing grades of pencil lead)

• an F pencil.

9. (in motor racing) formula

• an F1 driver.

10. franc(s).

• $1.00 = F5.9645 as at April 29.

11. France (international vehicle registration).

12. (in tables of sports results) goals or points for.

II. symbol

1. the chemical element fluorine.

2. [Physics] force

• F=ma.

F2F

abbreviation

‹informal› face-to-face

• F2F communication.

FA^1 /ɛfˈeɪ/

abbreviation

(in the UK) Football Association, the governing body of soccer in England.

• the FA Premier League.

FA^2

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› short for Fanny Adams (sense 1):

• he knows sweet FA about football.

FAA

abbreviation

1. (in the US) Federal Aviation Administration.

2. (in the UK) Fleet Air Arm.

fab^1 /fab/

I. adjective

‹informal› fabulous; wonderful.

• I admired the fab photography.

II. phrases

the Fab Four

‹informal› the Beatles.

• behind-the-scenes pictures of the Fab Four on tour.

III. derivatives

1. fabbo

adjective

2. fabby

adjective

– origin 1960s: abbreviation.

fab^2 /fab / ‹Electronics›

I. noun

1. a microchip manufacturing plant.

• the process will reduce the environmental damage caused by chip fabs.

2. a process in a microchip manufacturing plant.

• it can only be made using five-layer fabs.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. produce (a microchip).

Fabergé, Peter Carl /ˈfabəʒeɪ/

(1846–1920), Russian goldsmith and jeweller, of French descent. He is famous for the intricate Easter eggs that he made for Tsar Alexander III and other royal households.

Fabian /ˈfeɪbɪən/

I. noun

a member or supporter of the Fabian Society, an organization of socialists aiming to achieve socialism by gradual rather than revolutionary means.

II. adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of the Fabians

• the Fabian movement.

2. employing a cautiously persistent and dilatory strategy to wear out an enemy

• Fabian tactics.

III. derivatives

1. Fabianism /ˈfeɪbɪəˌnɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. Fabianist

noun

– origin late 18th cent.: from the name of Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus (see Fabius).

Fabius /ˈfeɪbɪəs/

(d.203 BC), Roman general and statesman; full name Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus; known as Fabius Cunctator. After Hannibal's defeat of the Roman army at Cannae in 216 BC, Fabius successfully pursued a strategy of caution and delay in order to wear down the Carthaginian invaders. This earned him his nickname, which means ‘delayer’.

fable /ˈfeɪb(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral.

• the fable of the sick lion and the wary fox.

2. a supernatural story incorporating elements of myth and legend.

• he had conjured up a monster fit for any fable.

3. [ mass noun] — myth and legend

• the unnatural monsters of fable.

4. a false statement or belief.

• believers accused the cosmologists of inventing fables on the birth of the universe.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹archaic› tell fictitious tales

• I do not dream nor fable.

2. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› invent (an incident, person, or story).

• men soon fabled up their Histories into Miracle and Wonder.

III. derivatives

fabler /ˈfeɪb(ə)lə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French fable (noun), from Latin fabula ‘story’, from fari ‘speak’.

fabled /ˈfeɪbəld/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. famous, especially by reputation

• a fabled art collection.

2. mythical; imaginary

• the fabled kingdom.

fabless

I. adjective

denoting or relating to a company which designs microchips but contracts out their production rather than owning its own factory.

• the advantage for the fabless firms is that they can get into the chip business without having to spend billions on manufacture.

– origin 1980s: from fab^2 + -less.

fabliau /ˈfablɪəʊ/

I. noun

a metrical tale, typically a bawdily humorous one, of a type found chiefly in early French poetry.

• one may dispute that the French fabliaux are pornographic.

• [as modifier] a distinctive feature of fabliau language.

– origin from Old French (Picard dialect) fabliaux, plural of fablel ‘short fable’, diminutive of fable.

Fablon /ˈfablɒn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› flexible self-adhesive plastic sheeting used for covering table tops and working surfaces.

Fabre, Jean Henri /ˈfabrə, French fɑbʀ/

(1823–1915), French entomologist. Fabre became well known for his meticulous observations of insect behaviour, notably the life cycles of dung beetles, oil beetles, and solitary bees and wasps.

Fabriano, Gentile da

see Gentile da Fabriano.

fabric /ˈfabrɪk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. cloth produced by weaving or knitting textile fibres

• heavy cream fabric

• [ count noun] stretch fabrics.

2. the walls, floor, and roof of a building.

• decay and neglect are slowly eating away at the building's fabric.

3. the body of a car or aircraft.

• we heard creaking and rushing noises in the car's fabric.

4. the basic structure of a society, culture, activity, etc.

• the multicultural fabric of Canadian society.

– origin late 15th cent.: from French fabrique, from Latin fabrica ‘something skilfully produced’, from faber ‘worker in metal, stone, etc.’ The word originally denoted a building, later a machine, the general sense being ‘something made’, hence sense 1 (mid 18th cent., originally denoting any manufactured material). Sense 2 dates from the mid 17th cent.

fabricate /ˈfabrɪkeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. invent (something) in order to deceive

• officers fabricated evidence.

2. construct or manufacture (an industrial product), especially from prepared components

• you will have to fabricate an exhaust system.

II. derivatives

fabricator /ˈfabrɪkeɪtə /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin fabricat- ‘manufactured’, from the verb fabricare, from fabrica ‘something skilfully produced’ (see fabric).

fabrication /fabrɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of manufacturing or inventing something

• the assembly and fabrication of electronic products.

2. [ count noun] — an invention; a lie

• the story was a complete fabrication.

Fabricius, Johann Christian /faˈbrɪʃəs/

(1745–1808), Danish entomologist. Fabricius studied for two years under Linnaeus, and named and described some 10,000 new species of insect.

fabric softener ‹Brit.› fabric conditioner

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a liquid used when washing clothes and other laundry to soften the fabric and reduce static.

• the quilt was still lightly scented with the fabric softener she uses.

• [ count noun] always use a fabric conditioner after washing.

Fabry–Pérot interferometer /ˌfabrɪˈpɛrəʊ/

I. noun

an interferometer that incorporates an etalon, used chiefly in astronomy.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after Charles Fabry (1867–1945) and Alfred Pérot (1863–1925), French physicists.

fabulate /ˈfabjʊleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. relate invented stories.

• we fabulate; we make up a story to cover the facts we can't accept.

II. derivatives

1. fabulation

noun

2. fabulator

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin fabulat- ‘narrated as a fable’, from the verb fabulari, from fabula (see fable).

fabulist /ˈfabjʊlɪst/

I. noun

1. a person who composes or relates fables.

2. a liar, especially one who invents elaborately dishonest stories.

• a born fabulist, with an imagination unfettered by the laws of logic and probability.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French fabuliste, from Latin fabula (see fable).

fabulous /ˈfabjʊləs/

I. adjective

1. extraordinary, especially extraordinarily large

• fabulous riches.

2. ‹informal› very good; wonderful

• a fabulous two-week holiday.

3. having no basis in reality; mythical

• fabulous creatures.

II. derivatives

1. fabulosity /fabjʊˈlɒsɪti /

noun

2. fabulousness

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘known through fable’): from French fabuleux or Latin fabulosus ‘celebrated in fable’, from fabula (see fable).

fabulously /ˈfabjʊləsli/

adverb

1. ‹informal› extremely well; wonderfully

• we all seemed to be getting on fabulously

• the fabulously named village of Nether Wallop

• a fabulously decorated room.

2. [as submodifier] — ‹informal› to an extraordinary degree; immensely

• they worked really hard and did fabulously well

• fabulously glamorous models.

facade /fəˈsɑːd / façade

I. noun

1. the principal front of a building, that faces on to a street or open space.

• the house has a half-timbered facade.

2. a deceptive outward appearance

• her flawless public facade masked private despair.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French façade, from face ‘face’, on the pattern of Italian facciata.

face /feɪs/

I. noun

1. the front part of a person's head from the forehead to the chin, or the corresponding part in an animal.

• she was scarlet in the face and perspiring profusely.

2. an expression shown on the face

• the happy faces of these children.

3. an aspect of something

• the unacceptable face of social drinking.

4. the surface of a thing, especially one that is presented to the view or has a particular function, in particular:

5. [Geometry] each of the surfaces of a solid.

• the faces of a cube.

6. a vertical or sloping side of a mountain or cliff

• the north face of the Eiger.

7. the side of a planet or moon facing the observer.

• we can often see the dark face of the moon by earthshine.

8. the front of a building.

• a series of loggias make up the face of the church.

9. the plate of a clock or watch bearing the digits or hands.

• a dial like the face of a clock.

10. the distinctive side of a playing card.

• she scattered a deck of cards face down.

11. the obverse of a coin.

12. [with adj.] — a person of a particular type

• this season's squad has a lot of old faces in it.

13. short for typeface.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. be positioned with the face or front towards (someone or something)

• he turned to face her.

2. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — have the face or front pointing in a specified direction

• the house faces due east.

3. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (of a soldier) turn in a particular direction

• the men had faced about to the front.

4. confront and deal with or accept

• honesty forced her to face facts

• [no obj.] he was too old to face up to the responsibilities of his position.

5. have (a difficult situation) in prospect

• each defendant faced a maximum sentence of 10 years.

6. (of a problem or difficult situation) present itself to and require action from (someone)

• the difficulties facing British farming.

7. ( face someone/thing down) — overcome someone or something by a show of determination

• he climbed atop a tank to face down a coup.

8. cover the surface of (something) with a layer of a different material

• the external basement walls were faced with granite slabs.

III. phrases

1. face down (or downwards)

with the face or surface turned towards the ground

• he lay face down on his bed.

2. someone's face fits

(Brit.) someone has the necessary qualities for something

• if your face didn't fit they could get rid of you within twelve months.

3. face the music

be confronted with the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.

• we would later have to face the music over our bold moves.

4. the face of the earth

used for emphasis, to refer to the existence or disappearance of someone or something

• he's just disappeared off the face of the earth.

5. face up (or upwards)

with the face or surface turned upwards to view

• place the panel face up before cutting.

6. get out of someone's face

[usu. as imperative] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› stop harassing or annoying someone.

• shut up and get out of my face.

7. have the face to do something

(Brit.) ‹dated› have the effrontery to do something.

8. in one's face

directly at or against one; as one approaches

• she slammed the door in my face.

9. in face (or the face) of

a. when confronted with

• her resolution in the face of the enemy.

b. despite

• reform had been introduced in the face of considerable opposition.

10. in-your-face /ɪnjəˈfeɪs /

‹informal› blatantly aggressive or provocative; impossible to ignore or avoid

• an in-your-face advertising campaign.

11. lose face

be humiliated or come to be less highly respected.

• the code of conduct required that he strike back or lose face.

12. loss of face

humiliation.

• he could step aside now without loss of face.

13. make (or pull) a face (or faces)

produce a facial expression that shows dislike or some other negative emotion, or that is intended to be amusing

• Anna pulled a funny face at the girl.

14. off one's face

‹informal› very drunk or under the influence of illegal drugs.

• I had a great time going out clubbing and getting off my face.

15. on the face of it

without knowing all of the relevant facts; apparently

• on the face of it, these improvements look to be insignificant.

16. put a brave (or bold) face on something

act as if something unpleasant is not as bad as it really is

• he was putting a brave face on it but she knew he was shattered.

17. put one's face on

‹informal› apply make-up to one's face.

• Paula spent two minutes putting on her face first thing.

18. save face

avoid humiliation.

• allowing the guerrillas to save face and disarm.

19. save someone's face

enable someone to avoid humiliation.

• he might be pretending to help her to save his face in front of Katarina.

20. set one's face against

resist with determination

• he had set his face against the idea.

21. throw something back in someone's face

reject something in a brusque or ungracious manner

• she'd given him her trust and he'd thrown it back in her face.

22. to one's face

openly in one's presence

• if you've got something to say to me, say it to my face.

IV. phrasal verbs

face off

(chiefly N. Amer.) take up an attitude of confrontation, especially at the start of a fight or game

• close to a million soldiers face off in the desert.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin facies ‘form, appearance, face’.

faceache /ˈfeɪseɪk/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› an ugly or miserable-looking person.

• listen faceache, your mum's going to kill you if you go back to the house looking like that.

Facebook /ˈfeɪsbʊk/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. spend time using the social networking website Facebook

• If the boss knew how much time you spent shopping online or Facebooking, do you think he or she would be happy?

2. [with obj.] — contact (someone) via Facebook

• Jean Facebooked me later.

3. [with obj.] — post (information or a piece of data) on Facebook

• I just Facebooked the link to this video.

II. derivatives

Facebooker

noun

– origin early 21st cent.: from Facebook, the proprietary name of the social networking website.

face card

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) another term for court card.

face-centred

adjective

[Crystallography] denoting a crystal structure in which there is an atom at each vertex and at the centre of each face of the unit cell.

facecloth /ˈfeɪsklɒθ/

noun

1. a small towelling cloth for washing one's face.

2. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) smooth-surfaced woollen cloth.

face cream

noun — [ mass noun]

1. cosmetic cream applied to the face to improve the complexion.

faced /feɪst/

adjective

1. [in combination] — having a face or expression of a specified kind

• a pimply-faced teenager

• a burly, square-faced doorman

• sad-faced children.

2. [in combination] — having a surface or front of a specified kind

• a heavy, square-faced hammer

• a stone-faced building.

3. [Geometry] (of a solid) having a specified number of surfaces

• a twelve-faced solid.

4. (of a piece of stone or other material) having a smoothed or polished surface

• walls and pillars had faced stone on the outer surfaces.

5. (of a playing card) turned face up

• he gets the faced card as his first card.

face flannel

noun

(Brit.) a facecloth.

face guard

noun

a protective covering or mask for the face, worn especially when playing sport or working with hazardous substances

• the player was wearing a specially designed face guard to protect his fractured cheekbone.

faceless /ˈfeɪsləs/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) remote and impersonal; anonymous

• the faceless bureaucrats who made the rules.

2. (of a building or place) characterless and dull.

• the faceless sprawl of south London.

II. derivatives

facelessness

noun

facelift /ˈfeɪslɪft/

noun

1. a cosmetic surgical operation to remove unwanted wrinkles by tightening the skin of the face.

2. a procedure carried out to improve the appearance of something

• the station has undergone a multimillion pound facelift.

face mask /ˈfeɪsmɑːsk/

noun

1. a protective mask covering the nose and mouth or nose and eyes.

2. another term for face pack.

face-off

noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) a direct confrontation between two people or groups

• last night's vice presidential face-off.

2. [Ice Hockey] the start of play, in which the puck is dropped by the referee between two opposing players.

face pack

noun

(Brit.) a cosmetic preparation spread over the face and left for some time to cleanse and improve the condition of the skin.

• she was applying a face pack.

• weekly face packs are beneficial.

face paint

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. bold-coloured paint used to decorate the face.

• they were wearing headdresses and face paint.

II. derivatives

1. face-painter

noun

2. face-painting

noun

facepalm ‹informal›

I. noun — [often as exclamation]

1. a gesture in which the palm of one's hand is brought to one's face as an expression of dismay, exasperation, embarrassment, etc.

• I'm pretty sure said friend now thinks Anne and I are dating—facepalm!

• you have to see this one to believe it—it definitely merits the double facepalm.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. bring the palm of one's hand to one's face as an expression of dismay, exasperation, embarrassment, etc.

• did anyone else facepalm during this scene?

faceplate

noun

1. an enlarged end or attachment on the end of the mandrel on a lathe, with slots and holes on which work can be mounted.

2. the transparent window of a diver's or astronaut's helmet.

3. the part of a cathode ray tube that carries the phosphor screen.

4. a plate protecting a piece of machinery.

face powder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. flesh-tinted cosmetic powder used to improve the appearance of the face by reducing shine and concealing blemishes.

facer /ˈfeɪsə/

noun

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) a blow to the face.

• I wish I'd landed him a facer!

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) a sudden difficulty.

• I didn't know they'd gone; it's a bit of a facer, isn't it?

face-saving

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the preserving of one's reputation, credibility, or dignity.

• his statement was a foolish attempt at face-saving.

• [as modifier] the government made a face-saving compromise with the Finance Ministry.

II. derivatives

face-saver /ˈfeɪsseɪvə /

noun

facet /ˈfasɪt, ˈfasɛt/

I. noun

1. one side of something many-sided, especially of a cut gem.

• a blue and green jewel that shines from a million facets.

2. a particular aspect or feature of something

• a philosophy that extends to all facets of the business.

3. [Zoology] any of the individual units (ommatidia) that make up the compound eye of an insect or crustacean.

II. derivatives

faceted /ˈfasɪtɪd, ˈfasɛtɪd /

adjective

[in combination]

• a multifaceted approach

– origin early 17th cent.: from French facette, diminutive of face ‘face, side’ (see face).

facetiae /fəˈsiːʃɪiː/

I. plural noun

1. ‹dated› pornographic literature.

2. ‹archaic› humorous or witty sayings.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin, plural of facetia ‘jest’, from facetus ‘witty’.

face time

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› time spent in face-to-face contact with someone.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› time spent being filmed or photographed by the media.

facetious /fəˈsiːʃəs/

I. adjective

treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humour; flippant

• a facetious remark.

II. derivatives

1. facetiously /fəˈsiːʃəsli /

adverb

2. facetiousness /fəˈsiːʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (in the general sense ‘witty, amusing’): from French facétieux, from facétie, from Latin facetia ‘jest’, from facetus ‘witty’.

face-to-face /ˌfeɪstəˈfeɪs/

adjective, adverb

1. (of two people) close together and facing each other
[as adj.]

• a face-to-face conversation

• [as adv.] the two men stood face-to-face.

2. [as adv.] — in direct confrontation

• he brings his readers face-to-face with situations they would rather not confront.

facety /ˈfeɪsti/

I. adjective

(W. Indian) rude, arrogant, or excessively bold.

• She thinks she's it, her nose up in the air or looking down it at you. She's well facety!

– origin probably from obsolete English facey, perhaps influenced by feisty.

face validity

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the degree to which a procedure, especially a psychological test or assessment, appears effective in terms of its stated aims.

• there is a high reliance on face validity and relatively little systematic evaluation is carried out.

face value

noun

1. the value printed or depicted on a coin, banknote, postage stamp, ticket, etc., especially when less than the actual value.

• touts offer tickets priced at many times their face value.

• [ count noun] the coins are traded for the metal they contain, rather than their face values.

2. the apparent worth or implication of something

• her lie was unconvincing, but he took it at face value.

faceworker

noun

a miner who works at the coalface.

facial /ˈfeɪʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

of or affecting the face

• facial expressions.

II. noun

a beauty treatment for the face.

• the offer includes a facial, make-up, and manicure.

III. derivatives

facially

adverb

– origin early 17th cent. (as a theological term meaning ‘face to face, open’): from medieval Latin facialis, from facies (see face). The current sense of the adjective dates from the early 19th cent.

facial hair

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a growth of hair on a man's chin, cheeks, or upper lip

• men with lots of facial hair.

facialist /ˈfeɪʃ(ə)lɪst/

noun

a person who gives facials and other beauty treatments for the face.

facial nerve

noun

[Anatomy] each of the seventh pair of cranial nerves, supplying the facial muscles and the tongue.

-facient

I. combining form

producing a specified action or state

• abortifacient.

– origin from Latin facient- ‘doing, making’.

facies /ˈfeɪʃɪiːz/

I. noun

1. [Medicine] the facial expression of an individual that is typical of a particular disease or condition.

• adenoidal facies are characterized by an open mouth gape.

2. [Geology] the character of a rock expressed by its formation, composition, and fossil content.

• a sedimentary investigation of the area led to the postulation of five distinct facies.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting the face): from Latin, ‘form, appearance, face’.

facile /ˈfasʌɪl, ˈfasɪl/

I. adjective

1. ignoring the true complexities of an issue; superficial

• facile generalizations.

2. (of a person) having a superficial or simplistic knowledge or approach

• a man of facile and shallow intellect.

3. (of success, especially in sport) easily achieved

• a facile seven-lengths victory.

II. derivatives

1. facilely

adverb

2. facileness

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘easily accomplished’): from French, or from Latin facilis ‘easy’, from facere ‘do, make’.

facilitate /fəˈsɪlɪteɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (an action or process) easy or easier

• schools were located in the same campus to facilitate the sharing of resources.

II. derivatives

1. facilitative

adjective

2. facilitatory

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from French faciliter, from Italian facilitare, from facile ‘easy’, from Latin facilis (see facile).

facilitation /fəsɪlɪˈteɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of facilitating something.

• third-party facilitation seeks to promote the resolution of conflict.

2. [Physiology] the enhancement of the response of a neuron to a stimulus following prior stimulation.

• the response is dependent on the frequency of stimulation and on neuromuscular facilitation.

facilitator /fəˈsɪlɪteɪtə/

noun

a person or thing that makes an action or process easy or easier

• a true educator acts as a facilitator of learning

• a programme run by trained facilitators.

facilities management facility management

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the maintenance of an organization's buildings and equipment

• she is director of operations for facilities management.

II. derivatives

facilities manager

noun

facility /fəˈsɪlɪti/

I. noun

1. a place, amenity, or piece of equipment provided for a particular purpose

• cooking facilities

• facilities for car parking

• a manufacturing facility.

2. a special feature of a service or machine, which offers the opportunity to do or benefit from something

• an overdraft facility.

3. [usu. in sing.] — a natural ability to do or learn something well and easily

• he had a facility for languages.

4. [ mass noun] — absence of difficulty or effort

• the pianist played with great facility.

– origin early 16th cent. (denoting the means or unimpeded opportunity for doing something): from French facilité or Latin facilitas, from facilis ‘easy’ (see facile).

facing /ˈfeɪsɪŋ/

I. noun

1. a piece of material sewn on the inside of a garment, especially at the neck and armholes, to strengthen it.

2. ( facings) — the cuffs, collar, and lapels of a military jacket, contrasting in colour with the rest of the garment.

• the regiment's uniforms had orange facings.

3. an outer layer covering the surface of a wall.

• the bricks were used as a facing on a concrete core.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. positioned so as to face

• two facing pages

• [in combination] two large front-facing windows.

facinorous /fəˈsɪn(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

‹archaic› extremely wicked.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin facinorosus, from facinus, facinor- ‘(bad) deed’, from facere ‘do, make’.

facsimile /fakˈsɪmɪli/

I. noun

1. an exact copy, especially of written or printed material.

• a facsimile of the manuscript.

• [as modifier] facsimile editions.

2. another term for fax^1.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make a copy of.

• the ride was facsimiled for another theme park.

III. phrases

in facsimile

as an exact copy.

• thirty pages are reproduced in facsimile.

– origin late 16th cent. (originally as fac simile, denoting the making of an exact copy, especially of writing): modern Latin, from Latin fac! (imperative of facere ‘make’) and simile (neuter of similis ‘like’).

fact /fakt/

I. noun

1. a thing that is known or proved to be true

• the most commonly known fact about hedgehogs is that they have fleas

• [ mass noun] a body of fact.

2. ( facts) — information used as evidence or as part of a report or news article.

• even the most inventive journalism peters out without facts, and in this case there were no facts.

3. ( the fact that) — used to refer to a particular situation under discussion

• despite the fact that I'm so tired, sleep is elusive.

4. [ mass noun] — [chiefly Law] the truth about events as opposed to interpretation

• there was a question of fact as to whether they had received the letter.

II. phrases

1. before (or after) the fact

before (or after) the committing of a crime

• an accessory before the fact.

2. facts and figures

precise details.

• he presents the facts and figures of his case openly and honestly.

3. a fact of life

something that must be accepted and cannot be changed, however unpalatable

• baldness is a fact of life for a lot of men.

4. the facts of life

information about sexual functions and practices, especially as given to children.

5. the fact of the matter

the truth.

• the fact of the matter is that few such cases reach the magistrates' courts.

6. in (point of) fact

used to emphasize the truth of an assertion, especially one opposite to what might be expected or what has been asserted

• the brook trout is in fact a char.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin factum, neuter past participle of facere ‘do’. The original sense was ‘an act’, later ‘a crime’, surviving in the phrase before (or after) the fact. The earliest of the current senses (‘truth, reality’) dates from the late 16th cent.

fact-based

adjective

based on or concerned with true events or experiences

• fact-based movies

• the analysis must be fact-based and empirical.

fact-check

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. investigate (an issue) in order to verify the facts

• I didn't fact-check the assertions in the editorial

• reporters can't be expected to fact-check every quotation.

II. derivatives

fact checker

noun

fact file

noun

a collection of information about a particular subject or product

• read the fact file on boa constrictors on page 8.

fact-finding /ˈfaktfʌɪndɪŋ/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (especially of a committee or its activity) having the purpose of establishing the facts of an issue

• a fact-finding mission.

II. noun

the discovery and establishment of the facts of an issue.

III. derivatives

factfinder /ˈfaktfʌɪndə /

noun

facticity /fakˈtɪsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality or condition of being fact

• the facticity of death.

faction^1 /ˈfakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a small organized dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics

• the left-wing faction of the party.

2. [ mass noun] — dissension within an organization.

• a council increasingly split by faction.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting the action of doing or making something): via French from Latin factio(n-), from facere ‘do, make’.

faction^2 /ˈfakʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a literary and cinematic genre in which real events are used as a basis for a fictional narrative or dramatization.

• the current vogue for faction seems about to overwhelm narrative history.

– origin 1960s: blend of fact and fiction.

-faction

I. combining form

in nouns of action derived from verbs ending in -fy (such as liquefaction from liquefy).

– origin from Latin factio(n)-, from facere ‘do, make’.

factional /ˈfakʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating or belonging to a faction

• factional leaders.

2. characterized by dissent

• factional conflicts.

II. derivatives

1. factionalism /ˈfakʃ(ə)n(ə)lˌɪz(ə)m /

noun

2. factionally

adverb

factionalize /ˈfakʃ(ə)nəlʌɪz / factionalise

verb — [no obj.]

1. (especially of a political party or other organized group) split or divide into factions

• there was a tendency for students to factionalize.

factious /ˈfakʃəs/

I. adjective

relating or inclined to dissension

• a factious country.

II. derivatives

1. factiously

adverb

2. factiousness /ˈfakʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French factieux or Latin factiosus, from factio (see faction^1).

factitious /fakˈtɪʃəs/

I. adjective

artificially created or developed

• a largely factitious national identity.

II. derivatives

1. factitiously /fakˈtɪʃəsli /

adverb

2. factitiousness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the general sense ‘made by human skill or effort’): from Latin facticius ‘made by art’, from facere ‘do, make’.

factitive /ˈfaktɪtɪv/

I. adjective

[Linguistics] (of a verb) having a sense of causing a result and taking a complement as well as an object, as in he appointed me captain.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin factitivus, formed irregularly from Latin factitare, frequentative of facere ‘do, make’.

factive

adjective

[Linguistics] denoting a verb that assigns the status of an established fact to its object (normally a clausal object), e.g. know, regret, resent.
Contrasted with contrafactive, non-factive.

factoid /ˈfaktɔɪd/

noun

1. an item of unreliable information that is reported and repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact.

• he addresses the facts and factoids which have buttressed the film's legend.

2. (N. Amer.) a brief or trivial item of news or information.

• how does the brain retain factoids that you remember from a history test at school?

factor /ˈfaktə/

I. noun

1. a circumstance, fact, or influence that contributes to a result

• his skill was a factor in ensuring that so much was achieved

• she worked fast, conscious of the time factor.

2. [Biology] a gene that determines a hereditary characteristic

• the Rhesus factor.

3. a number or quantity that when multiplied with another produces a given number or expression.

• an amount that exceeds it by a factor of 1000 or more.

4. [Mathematics] a number or algebraic expression by which another is exactly divisible.

5. a level on a scale of measurement.

6. (with numeral) a sunscreen of the sun protection factor specified

• factor 30 sun cream.

7. [Physiology] any of a number of substances in the blood, mostly identified by numerals, which are involved in coagulation.
See factor VIII.

8. an agent who buys and sells goods on commission.

• his father was chief factor for the Hudson's Bay Company.

9. a company that buys a manufacturer's invoices at a discount and takes responsibility for collecting the payments due on them.

10. (Scottish) a land agent or steward.

• the house became home to the estate factor.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Mathematics] another term for factorize.

• last year researchers factored a number 155 digits long.

2. (of a company) sell (its invoices) to a factor.

• they collected rents while he factored these forfeited estates.

III. phrasal verbs

factor something in (or out)

include (or exclude) something as a relevant element when making a decision

• when the psychological costs are factored in, a different picture will emerge.

IV. derivatives

factorable

adjective

– origin late Middle English (meaning ‘doer’, also in the Scots sense ‘agent’): from French facteur or Latin factor, from fact- ‘done’, from the verb facere.

factor VIII factor eight

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] a blood protein (a beta globulin) involved in clotting. A deficiency of this causes one of the main forms of haemophilia.

factorage /ˈfakt(ə)rɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the commission or charges payable to a factor.
[as modifier]

• they refused to pay the factorage fee.

factor analysis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Statistics] a process in which the values of observed data are expressed as functions of a number of possible causes in order to find which are the most important.

factor cost

noun

the cost of an item of goods or a service in terms of the various factors which have played a part in its production or availability, and exclusive of tax costs.

factorial /fakˈtɔːrɪəl/

I. noun

1. (Symbol: !) — [Mathematics] the product of an integer and all the integers below it; e.g. factorial four ( 4!) is equal to 24.

2. [Mathematics] the product of a series of factors in an arithmetical progression.

II. adjective

[chiefly Mathematics] relating to a factor or factorial.

• a factorial design.

III. derivatives

factorially

adverb

factorize /ˈfaktərʌɪz / factorise

I. verb

[Mathematics] (with reference to a number) resolve or be resolvable into factors.
[with obj.]

• all matrices can be factorized.

• [no obj.] f factorizes completely into linear factors.

II. derivatives

factorization /faktərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

factory /ˈfakt(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. a building or group of buildings where goods are manufactured or assembled chiefly by machine.

• a clothing factory.

• [as modifier] factory workers.

2. [with modifier] — a person or organization that continually produces a great quantity of something specified

• the group have become a rock-and-roll hit factory.

3. ‹historical› an establishment for traders carrying on business in a foreign country.

• he is chaplain to the British factory at St Petersburg.

– origin late 16th cent. (in sense 2): via Portuguese feitoria from medieval Latin factoria, from Latin factor (see factor). Sense 1 based on late Latin factorium, literally ‘oil press’.

Factory Acts

(in the UK) a series of laws regulating the operation of factories, designed to improve the working conditions of employees, especially women and children.

factory farming

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of rearing livestock using highly intensive methods, by which poultry, pigs, or cattle are confined indoors under strictly controlled conditions.

II. derivatives

factory farm

noun

factory floor

noun

the workers in a company or industry, rather than the management.

factory inspector

noun

an official employed to ensure that factories operate in accordance with official regulations

• factory inspectors noticed that workers were suffering from bad chest conditions.

factory-made

adjective

manufactured in a factory rather than made by hand

• nowadays, most people wear factory-made clothes.

factory ship

noun

a fishing or whaling ship, or a ship accompanying a fishing or whaling fleet, with facilities for immediate processing of the catch.

factory shop ‹chiefly N. Amer.› factory outlet

noun

a shop in which goods, especially surplus stock, are sold directly by the manufacturers at a discount.

factory system

noun

‹historical› the production of manufactured goods on a large scale using machines in factories, introduced in Britain in the late 18th century

• the factory system became the dominant form of industrial organization throughout the 19th century.

factory unit

noun

an individual building on an area of land developed as a site for factories

• on the opposite side of the road are a number of factory units.

factory worker

noun

a person employed in a factory

• 200 factory workers have been made redundant.

factotum /fakˈtəʊtəm/

I. noun

an employee who does all kinds of work

• he was employed as the general factotum.

– origin mid 16th cent. (originally in the phrases dominum (or magister factotum), translating roughly as ‘master of everything’, and Johannes factotem ‘John do-it-all’ or ‘Jack of all trades’): from medieval Latin, from Latin fac! ‘do!’ (imperative of facere) + totum ‘the whole thing’ (neuter of totus).

fact sheet

noun

a paper giving useful information about a particular issue, especially one discussed on a television or radio programme.

• a free teacher's fact sheet on glue ear.

factual /ˈfaktʃʊəl/

I. adjective

1. concerned with what is actually the case

• a mixture of comment and factual information.

2. actually occurring

• cases mentioned are factual.

II. derivatives

1. factuality

noun

2. factualness

noun

factually /ˈfaktʃ(ə)li/

adverb

with regard to what is actually the case; in relation to fact

• his assertion is factually incorrect

• the evidence is legally and factually insufficient.

factum /ˈfaktəm/

I. noun

[Law] (chiefly Canadian) a statement of the facts of a case.

• the factum of the intervener shall not exceed 20 pages.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘something done or made’.

facture /ˈfaktʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of the execution of a painting; an artist's characteristic handling of the paint

• Manet's sensuous facture.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘construction, workmanship’): via Old French from Latin factura ‘formation, manufacture’, from facere ‘do, make’. The current sense dates from the late 19th cent.

facula /ˈfakjʊlə/

I. noun

1. a bright region on the surface of the sun, linked to the subsequent appearance of sunspots in the same area.

2. a bright spot on the surface of a planet.

II. derivatives

facular

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from Latin, diminutive of fax, fac- ‘torch’.

facultative /ˈfak(ə)lˌtətɪv/

I. adjective

1. occurring optionally in response to circumstances rather than by nature.

• facultative adjustment in relation to competitive abilities.

2. [Biology] capable of but not restricted to a particular function or mode of life

• a facultative parasite.

Often contrasted with obligate.

II. derivatives

facultatively

adverb

– origin early 19th cent.: from French facultatif, -ive, from faculté (see faculty).

faculty /ˈfak(ə)lti/

I. noun

1. an inherent mental or physical power

• her critical faculties

• the faculty of sight.

2. an aptitude for doing something

• his faculty for taking the initiative.

3. a group of university departments concerned with a major division of knowledge

• the Faculty of Arts

• the law faculty.

4. [in sing.] — the teaching or research staff of a group of university departments viewed as a body.

• there were then no tenured women on the faculty.

5. ‹dated› the members of a particular profession, especially medicine, considered collectively.

6. a licence or authorization from a Church authority.

• the vicar introduced certain ornaments without the necessary faculty to do so.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French faculte, from Latin facultas, from facilis ‘easy’, from facere ‘make, do’.

faculty board

noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the decision-making body of a university faculty

• Leavis was invited to join the English faculty board in 1954

• she is Chair of the Faculty Board.

Faculty of Advocates

(in the UK) the society constituting the Scottish Bar.

FA Cup

the major annual knockout competition for soccer clubs in England and Wales, first held in 1872.

fad /fad/

I. noun

1. an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived; a craze

• some regard green politics as no more than the latest fad.

2. an arbitrary like or dislike

• his fads about the type of coffee he must have.

II. derivatives

1. faddish /ˈfadɪʃ /

adjective

2. faddishly

adverb

3. faddishness /ˈfadɪʃnəs /

noun

4. faddism

noun

5. faddist /ˈfadɪst /

noun

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally dialect): probably the second element of fidfad, contraction of fiddle-faddle. Compare with faddy.

FAD

abbreviation

[Biochemistry] flavin adenine dinucleotide, a coenzyme derived from riboflavin and important in various metabolic reactions.

faddy /ˈfadi/

I. adjective

(Brit.) having many arbitrary and often unusual likes and dislikes about food

• a faddy eater.

II. derivatives

1. faddily

adverb

2. faddiness /ˈfadɪnəs /

noun

fade /feɪd/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. gradually grow faint and disappear

• the light had faded and dusk was advancing

• the noise faded away

• ‹figurative› hopes of peace had faded.

2. lose or cause to lose colour or brightness
[no obj.]

• his fair hair had faded to a dusty grey

• (usu. as adj. faded) faded jeans.

3. (of a flower) lose freshness and wither.

4. ( fade away) — (of a person) gradually become thin and weak, especially to the point of death

• without help, those of us who are ill will surely fade away and die.

5. (of a racehorse, runner, etc.) lose strength and cease to perform well

• she faded near the finish.

6. (of a vehicle brake) become temporarily less efficient as a result of frictional heating.

• the brakes faded, needing a firmer push to bring the car to halt.

7. [with adverbial] — (with reference to film and television images) come or cause to come gradually into or out of view, or to merge into another shot
[no obj.]

• fade into scenes of rooms strewn with festive remains

• [with obj.] some shots have to be faded in.

8. (with reference to recorded sound) increase or decrease in volume or merge into another recording
[no obj.]

• they let you edit the digital data, making it fade in and out

• [with obj.] he skilfully fades the guitar lines up and down.

9. [Golf] (of the ball) deviate to the right (or, for a left-handed golfer, the left), typically as a result of spin given to the ball.

• the ball faded toward an area left of the green.

10. [with obj.] — (of a golfer) cause (the ball) to deviate.

• he had to fade the ball around a light pole.

11. [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› (in craps) match the bet of (another player)

• Lovejoy faded him for twenty-five cents.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the process of becoming less bright

• the sun can cause colour fade.

2. [ count noun] — an act of causing a film or television image to darken and disappear gradually

• a fade to black would bring the sequence to a close.

3. [Golf] a shot causing the ball to deviate to the right (or, for a left-handed golfer, the left).

• when they get to the 18th the ideal shot is a fade.

III. derivatives

fadeless /ˈfeɪdləs /

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘grow weak’): from Old French fader, from fade ‘dull, insipid’, probably based on a blend of Latin fatuus ‘silly, insipid’ and vapidus ‘vapid’.

fade-in

noun

a film-making and broadcasting technique whereby an image is made to appear gradually or the volume of sound is gradually increased from zero.

• the film begins with a fade-in to an exterior scene.

fade-out

noun

a film-making and broadcasting technique whereby an image is made to disappear gradually or the sound volume is gradually decreased to zero.

• the fade-out before each ad break.

fader

noun

a device for varying the volume of sound, the intensity of light, or the gain on a video or audio signal.

fade-up

noun

an instance of increasing the brightness of an image or the volume of a sound.

fado /ˈfɑːdəʊ/

I. noun

1. a type of popular Portuguese song, usually with a melancholy theme and accompanied by mandolins or guitars.

2. [ mass noun] — the music for a fado.

– origin Portuguese, literally ‘fate’.

faecal /ˈfiːk(ə)l / ‹US› fecal

adjective

relating to or resembling faeces

• discharge of fecal matter

• fecal incontinence.

faeces /ˈfiːsiːz / ‹US› feces

I. plural noun

waste matter remaining after food has been digested, discharged from the bowels; excrement.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, plural of faex ‘dregs’.

Faenza /fɑːˈɛntsə/

a town in Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy; pop. 56,922 (2008). The town gave its name to the type of pottery known as faience.

faerie /ˈfeɪəri, ˈfɛːri / faery

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› ‹literary› fairyland

• the world of faerie.

2. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› ‹literary› a fairy.

– origin late 16th cent. (introduced by Spenser): pseudo-archaic variant of fairy.

faff /faf / ‹Brit. informal›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. spend time in ineffectual activity

• we can't faff around forever.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. a great deal of ineffectual activity

• there was the usual faff of getting back to the plane.

– origin late 18th cent. (originally dialect in the sense ‘blow in puffs’, describing the wind): imitative. The current sense may have been influenced by dialect faffle ‘stammer, stutter’, later ‘flap in the wind’, which came to mean ‘fuss, dither’ at about the same time as faff (late 19th cent.).

fag^1 /faɡ / ‹Brit.›

I. noun

1. [in sing.] — ‹informal› a tiring or unwelcome task

• it's too much of a fag to drive all the way there and back again.

2. a junior pupil at a public school who does minor chores for a senior pupil.

• a fag at school who has suffered a well-earned beating.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› work hard, especially at a tedious task

• he didn't have to fag away in a lab to get the right answer.

2. ‹informal› (of a public-school pupil) do minor chores for a senior pupil

• the lower boys in each house fagged for members of the Library.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a verb in the sense ‘grow weary’): of unknown origin. Compare with flag^4.

fag^2 /faɡ/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹offensive› a male homosexual.

II. derivatives

faggy

adjective

– origin 1920s: short for faggot (sense 3 of the noun).

fag^3 /faɡ/

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a cigarette.

• she's got a fag in her mouth, and she's squinting her eyes against the smoke.

– origin late 19th cent.: elliptically from fag end.

fag end

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a cigarette end.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› the last part of something, especially when regarded as less important or interesting

• the fag end of the Indian cricket season.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘remnant’): from 15th-cent. fag ‘a flap’, of unknown origin. The current sense dates from the early 20th cent.

fagged /faɡd/

adjective — [ predic.]

1. (chiefly Brit.) extremely tired; exhausted

• we were all absolutely fagged out.

faggot /ˈfaɡət/

I. noun

1. (usu. faggots) — (Brit.) a ball or roll of seasoned chopped liver, baked or fried.

2. ( fagot) — (US) a bundle of sticks bound together as fuel.

3. a bundle of iron rods bound together for reheating, welding, and hammering into bars.

4. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹offensive› a male homosexual.

5. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› an unpleasant or contemptible woman.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› bind in or make into faggots.

2. (in embroidery) join by faggoting.

III. derivatives

faggoty

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘bundle of sticks for fuel’): from Old French fagot, from Italian fagotto, based on Greek phakelos ‘bundle’.

faggoting /ˈfaɡətɪŋ / ‹US› fagoting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. embroidery in which threads are fastened together in bundles

• a black silk dress with tiers of faggoting.

fag hag

noun

‹informal› ‹offensive› a heterosexual woman who spends much of her time with homosexual men.

fah /fɑː / fa

I. noun

1. [Music] (in tonic sol-fa) the fourth note of a major scale.

2. [Music] the note F in the fixed-doh system.

– origin Middle English: representing (as an arbitrary name for the note) the first syllable of famuli, taken from a Latin hymn (see solmization).

fahlerz /ˈfɑːlɛːts/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a grey crystalline copper-containing mineral, of which tetrahedrite and tennantite are the typical forms.

– origin late 18th cent.: from German, from fahl ‘ash-coloured’ + Erz ‘ore’.

Fahr.

abbreviation

Fahrenheit.

Fahrenheit /ˈfar(ə)nhʌɪt / F

I. adjective — [ postpositive when used with a numeral]

1. of or denoting a scale of temperature on which water freezes at 32° and boils at 212° under standard conditions.

• the temperature was steady at 65° Fahrenheit.

II. noun

(also Fahrenheit scale) — the Fahrenheit scale of temperature.

– origin mid 18th cent.: named after Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit (1686–1736), German physicist.

faience /fʌɪˈɑːns, fʌɪˈɑːɒ̃s/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. glazed ceramic ware, in particular decorated tin-glazed earthenware of the type which includes delftware and maiolica.
[as modifier]

• faience figurines.

2. [Architecture] moulded glazed or unglazed terracotta blocks used structurally or as cladding.

– origin late 17th cent. (originally denoting pottery made at Faenza): from French faïence, from Faïence, the French name for Faenza.

fail /feɪl/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. be unsuccessful in achieving one's goal

• he failed in his attempt to secure election

• [with infinitive] they failed to be ranked in the top ten.

2. [with obj.] — be unsuccessful in (an examination or interview)

• she failed her finals.

3. [with obj.] — (of a person or a commodity) be unable to meet the standards set by (a test of quality or eligibility)

• a player has failed a drugs test.

4. [with obj.] — judge (a candidate in an examination or test) not to have passed.

• the criteria used to pass or fail the candidate.

5. neglect to do something
[with infinitive]

• the firm failed to give adequate risk warnings.

6. [with infinitive] — behave in a way contrary to expectations by not doing something

• commuter chaos has again failed to materialize.

7. [with obj.] — desert or let down (someone)

• at the last moment her nerve failed her.

8. cease to work properly; break down

• a lorry whose brakes had failed.

9. become weaker or of poorer quality

• the light began to fail

• (as adj. failing) his failing health.

10. (of rain or a crop or supply) be insufficient when needed or expected.

• the drought means crops have failed.

11. (of a business or a person) cease trading because of lack of funds.

• he lost his savings when the store failed.

II. noun

1. a mark which is not high enough to pass an examination or test.
[as modifier]

• a fail grade.

2. ‹informal› a mistake, failure, or instance of poor performance

• their customer service is a massive fail

• [ mass noun] his first product demo was full of fail.

III. phrases

1. too big to fail

(of a financial organization or other business) so important to the economy of a country that a government or central bank must take measures to prevent it from ceasing to trade or going bankrupt.

• he caused a stir earlier this month when he said that no company was too big to fail.

2. without fail

with no exception; always

• he writes every week without fail.

– origin Middle English: from Old French faillir (verb), faille (noun), based on Latin fallere ‘deceive’.

failed /feɪld/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of an undertaking or a relationship) not achieving its end or not lasting; unsuccessful

• a failed coup attempt.

2. (of a person) unsuccessful in a particular activity

• a failed writer.

3. (of a business) unable to continue owing to financial difficulties.

• a failed transport company.

4. (of a mechanism) not functioning properly

• an aircraft with a failed engine.

failed state

noun

a state whose political or economic system has become so weak that the government is no longer in control

• if we turn our back on the developing world we will see more failed states.

failing /ˈfeɪlɪŋ/

I. noun

a weakness, especially in a person's character; a shortcoming

• pride is a terrible failing.

II. preposition

in the absence of; if not

• she longed to be with him and, failing that, to be alone.

faille /feɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a soft, light-woven fabric having a ribbed texture, originally of silk.
[as modifier]

• a black faille pinafore.

• [ count noun] they wove a wool faille.

– origin mid 16th cent. (denoting a kind of hood or veil worn by women): from Old French. The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

failover

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] a procedure by which a system automatically transfers control to a duplicate system when it detects a fault or failure.
[as modifier]

• the second server went into failover mode within a minute.

fail-safe /ˈfeɪlseɪf/

I. adjective

1. causing a piece of machinery to revert to a safe condition in the event of a breakdown or malfunction

• a forklift truck with a fail-safe device.

2. unlikely or unable to fail

• there is no guaranteed fail-safe procedure.

II. noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. a system or plan that comes into operation in the event of something going wrong or that is in place to prevent such an occurrence.

• stewards positioned around the track as a fail-safe.

fáilte /ˈfɑːltə, Irish ˈfɑːlʲtʲə / ‹Scottish Irish›

I. exclamation

welcome.

II. noun

an act or instance of welcoming someone.

– origin Irish.

failure /ˈfeɪljə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of success

• an economic policy that is doomed to failure.

2. [ count noun] — an unsuccessful person or thing

• bad weather had resulted in crop failures.

3. the neglect or omission of expected or required action

• their failure to comply with the basic rules.

4. [ count noun] — a lack or deficiency of a desirable quality

• a failure of imagination.

5. the action or state of not functioning

• symptoms of heart failure

• [ count noun] a chance engine failure.

6. [ count noun] — a sudden cessation of power.

• a sudden power failure.

7. [ count noun] — the collapse of a business.

• business failures rose by 53%.

– origin mid 17th cent. (originally as failer, in the senses ‘non-occurrence’ and ‘cessation of supply’): from Anglo-Norman French failer for Old French faillir (see fail).

fain /feɪn / ‹archaic›

I. adjective — [with infinitive]

1. pleased or willing under the circumstances

• the traveller was fain to proceed.

2. compelled by the circumstances; obliged

• he was fain to acknowledge that the agreement was sacrosanct.

II. adverb

gladly

• I am weary and would fain get a little rest.

– origin Old English fægen ‘happy, well pleased’, of Germanic origin, from a base meaning ‘rejoice’; related to fawn^2.

fainéant /ˈfeɪneɪɒ̃/

I. noun

‹archaic› an idle or ineffective person.

II. adjective

idle or ineffective.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, from fait ‘does’ + néant ‘nothing’.

faint /feɪnt/

I. adjective

1. (of a sight, smell, or sound) barely perceptible

• the faint murmur of voices.

2. (of a hope or chance) possible but unlikely; slight

• there is a faint chance that the enemy may flee.

3. lacking conviction or enthusiasm; feeble

• she sent him a faint answering smile.

4. [ predic.] — feeling weak and dizzy and close to losing consciousness

• the heat made him feel faint.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. lose consciousness for a short time because of a temporarily insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain.

• I fainted from loss of blood.

2. ‹archaic› grow weak or feeble; decline.

• the fires were fainting there.

III. noun — [in sing.]

1. a sudden loss of consciousness

• she hit the floor in a dead faint.

IV. phrases

not have the faintest

‹informal› have no idea

• I haven't the faintest what it means.

V. derivatives

faintness /ˈfeɪntnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘feigned’, also ‘feeble, cowardly’, surviving in faint heart): from Old French faint, past participle of faindre (see feign). Compare with feint^1.

faint heart

I. noun

a person who lacks courage or conviction.

• those faint hearts who have unkindly suggested that we won't win promotion.

II. phrases

faint heart never won fair lady

‹proverb› timidity will prevent you from achieving your objective.

faint-hearted /ˌfeɪntˈhɑːtɪd/

I. adjective

lacking courage; timid

• they were feeling faint-hearted at the prospect of war

• (as plural noun the faint-hearted) litigation is not for the faint-hearted.

II. derivatives

1. faint-heartedly /ˌfeɪntˈhɑːtɪdli /

adverb

2. faint-heartedness

noun

fainting fit

noun

a sudden temporary loss of consciousness

• he has been experiencing dizzy spells and fainting fits.

faintly /ˈfeɪntli/

adverb

1. in a faint manner; indistinctly

• she smiled faintly.

2. [as submodifier] — slightly

• his faintly ridiculous air.

fair^1 /fɛː/

I. adjective

1. treating people equally without favouritism or discrimination

• the group has achieved fair and equal representation for all its members

• a fairer distribution of wealth.

2. just or appropriate in the circumstances

• to be fair, this subject poses special problems

• it's not fair to take it out on her.

3. ‹archaic› (of a means or procedure) not violent.

• try first by fair means.

4. (of hair or complexion) light; blonde

• a pretty girl with long fair hair.

5. (of a person) having a light complexion or hair

• he's very fair with blue eyes.

6. considerable though not outstanding in size or amount

• he did a fair bit of coaching.

7. moderately good

• he believes he has a fair chance of success.

8. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› complete; utter

• this cow is a fair swine.

9. (of weather) fine and dry

• a fair autumn day.

10. (of the wind) favourable

• they set sail with a fair wind.

11. ‹archaic› beautiful

• the fairest of her daughters.

12. (of words) specious despite being initially attractive.

• the Sophists have plenty of brave words and fair devices.

II. adverb

1. without cheating or trying to achieve unjust advantage

• no one could say he played fair.

2. [as submodifier] — ‹dialect› to a high degree

• she'll be fair delighted to see you.

III. noun

‹archaic› a beautiful woman.

• pursuing his fair in a solitary street.

IV. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹dialect› (of the weather) become fine

• looks like it's fairing off some.

V. phrases

1. all's fair in love and war

‹proverb› in certain highly charged situations, any method of achieving your objective is justifiable.

2. by fair means or foul

‹literary› ‹humorous› using whatever means are necessary.

• they were determined to win, by fair means or foul.

3. fair and square

a. (Brit.) with absolute accuracy

• he got you fair and square in his gunsight.

b. honestly and straightforwardly

• we won the match fair and square.

4. a fair cow

(Austral.) ‹informal› a particularly unpleasant or difficult situation or thing

• this heat's a fair cow.

5. a fair deal

equitable treatment.

• you will always get a fair deal when you book with us.

6. fair dinkum

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› see dinkum.

7. fair dos

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to request just treatment or accept that it has been given

• Fair dos—you don't believe I've been idle all this time?

8. fair enough

‹informal› used to admit that something is reasonable or acceptable.

• ‘I can't come because I'm working late.’ ‘Fair enough.’.

9. fair game

a person or thing that is considered a reasonable target for criticism, exploitation, or attack.

• when it came to practical jokes, he regarded anybody as fair game.

10. fair go

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› used for emphasis or to request someone to be reasonable or fair

• Fair go! How can I ask a thing like that?

11. fair name

‹dated› a good reputation.

• the fair name of the squadron.

12. the fair (or fairer) sex

‹dated› ‹humorous› women.

13. fair's fair

‹informal› used to request just treatment or assert that a situation is just

• Fair's fair—we were here first.

14. for fair

(US) ‹informal› ‹dated› completely and finally

• I hope we'll be rid of him for fair.

15. in a fair way to do something

likely to achieve something

• you are in a fair way to have cured yourself.

16. it's a fair cop

(Brit.) ‹informal› an admission that the speaker has been caught doing wrong and deserves punishment.

17. no fair

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› unfair (often used in or as a petulant protestation).

• no fair—we're the only kids in the whole school who don't get to watch TV on school nights.

18. be set fair

(Brit.) (of the weather) be fine and likely to stay fine for a time.

• ‹figurative› conditions were set fair for stable political and economic development.

VI. derivatives

fairish /ˈfɛːrɪʃ /

adjective

– origin Old English fæger ‘pleasing, attractive’, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German fagar.

fair^2 /fɛː/

I. noun

1. a gathering of stalls and amusements for public entertainment.

• I won a goldfish at the fair.

2. a periodic gathering for the sale of goods.

3. an exhibition to promote particular products

• the European Fine Art Fair.

4. (N. Amer.) an annual competitive exhibition of livestock, agricultural products, etc., held by a town, county, or state.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘periodic gathering for the sale of goods’): from Old French feire, from late Latin feria, singular of Latin feriae ‘holy days’ (on which such fairs were often held).

fair^3 /fɛː/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. faired)

1. streamline (a vehicle, boat, or aircraft) by adding fairings.

• it is fully faired and race ready.

– origin Old English in the senses ‘beautify’ and ‘appear or become clean’. The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

Fairbanks

the name of two American actors. Douglas (Elton) (1883–1939, born Julius Ullman) co-founded United Artists in 1919 and became famous for his swashbuckling film roles. His son Douglas (1909–2000, known as Douglas Fairbanks Jr) played similar roles.

fair copy

noun

written or printed matter transcribed or reproduced after final correction.

• he made a fair copy of the letters.

Fairfax, Thomas

3rd Baron Fairfax of Cameron (1612–71), English Parliamentary general. He was appointed commander of the New Model Army in 1645 and won the Battle of Naseby. Fairfax later helped to secure the restoration of Charles II.

fairground /ˈfɛːɡraʊnd/

noun

an outdoor area where a fair is held.
[as modifier]

• fairground attractions.

fair-haired /fɛːˈhɛːd/

adjective

1. having light-coloured hair.

2. (N. Amer.) (of a person) favourite; cherished

• the critics' fair-haired boy of the moment.

fairies' bonnets

plural noun

a small toadstool with a grooved, yellowish-brown, thimble-shaped cap, growing in large clusters on rotten wood or in soil.
● Coprinus disseminatus, family Coprinaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

fairing^1 /ˈfɛːrɪŋ/

noun

an external metal or plastic structure added to increase streamlining on a high-performance car, motorcycle, boat, or aircraft.

• there were lights set into the fairing at the front of the bike.

fairing^2 /ˈfɛːrɪŋ/

noun

‹archaic› a small present bought at a fair.

Fair Isle

I. one of the Shetland Islands, lying about halfway between Orkney and the main Shetland group.

II. a shipping forecast area in the NE Atlantic off the north coast of Scotland, including Orkney and Shetland.

III. [as noun] [usu. as modifier] — denoting traditional multicoloured geometric designs used in woollen knitwear

• Fair Isle sweaters.

fairlead /ˈfɛːliːd/

noun

a ring mounted on a boat to guide a rope, keeping it clear of obstructions and preventing it from cutting or chafing.

fairly /ˈfɛːli/

I. adverb

1. with justice

• he could not fairly be accused of wasting police time.

2. [usu. as submodifier] — to a moderately high degree

• I was fairly certain she had nothing to do with the affair.

3. actually (used to emphasize something surprising or extreme)

• he fairly snarled at her.

II. phrases

fairly and squarely

another term for fair and square (see fair^1).

fair-minded /fɛːˈmʌɪndɪd/

I. adjective

impartial in judgement; just

• a fair-minded employer.

II. derivatives

1. fair-mindedly

adverb

2. fair-mindedness

noun

fairness /ˈfɛːnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. impartial and just treatment or behaviour without favouritism or discrimination

• part of my role is to ensure fairness to all parties

• I was impressed with her fairness and firm hand as manager.

2. the quality of having light-coloured hair or a pale complexion

• descriptions emphasize the fairness of her skin.

3. ‹archaic› beauty

• the maiden allows her fairness to lead her to trouble.

fairness opinion

noun

[Finance] a professional opinion, provided by an investment bank or other third party, about whether the price offered in a merger or acquisition deal is reasonable

• the takeover is subject to a number of conditions, including financing, the company's receipt of a fairness opinion, and regulatory approval.

fair play /ˌfɛː ˈpleɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. respect for the rules or equal treatment of all concerned.

• he's a player recognized for his sense of fair play.

• they were demanding fair play in the allocation of housing and jobs.

II. phrases

fair play to someone

(Brit.) used as an expression of approval when someone has done something praiseworthy or the right thing under the circumstances

• he must have decided to bring the children up himself—fair play to him.

fair-sized fair-size

adjective

of a considerable though not outstanding size

• the local derby clash drew a fair-sized crowd.

fair-skinned

adjective

(of a person) having pale or relatively pale skin

• a fair-skinned woman with blue eyes.

fair-spoken

adjective

‹archaic› (of a person) courteous and pleasant.

fair trade /ˌfɛəˈtreɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. trade between companies in developed countries and producers in developing countries in which fair prices are paid to the producers
[as modifier]

• fair trade coffee.

fair use

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in US copyright law) the doctrine that brief excerpts of copyright material may, under certain circumstances, be quoted verbatim for purposes such as criticism, news reporting, teaching, and research, without the need for permission from or payment to the copyright holder

• whether or not six seconds of the song in a user-generated video constitutes fair use is something for a court to decide.

fairwater

noun

a structure that improves the streamlining of a ship to assist its smooth passage through water.

fairway /ˈfɛːweɪ/

noun

1. the part of a golf course between a tee and the corresponding green, where the grass is kept short.

• keep the ball on the fairways.

• [ mass noun] a stretch of fairway.

2. a navigable channel in a river or harbour.

• the removal of pile and swing moorings to ease the congested fairway.

3. a regular course or track followed by ships.

• bonfires will be lit along one of the old sea fairways.

fair-weather friend

noun

a person whose friendship cannot be relied on in times of difficulty.

fairy /ˈfɛːri/

I. noun

1. a small imaginary being of human form that has magical powers, especially a female one.

• she believed she had had fairies at the bottom of her garden.

• [as modifier] fairy gold.

2. a Central and South American hummingbird with a green back and long tail.
●Genus Heliothryx, family Trochilidae: two species.

3. ‹informal› ‹offensive› a male homosexual.

II. phrases

away with the fairies

(Brit.) ‹informal› giving the impression of being mad, distracted, or in a dreamworld.

III. derivatives

fairylike /ˈfɛːrɪˌlʌɪk /

adjective

– origin Middle English (denoting fairyland, or fairies collectively): from Old French faerie, from fae, ‘a fairy’, from Latin fata ‘the Fates’, plural of fatum (see fate). Compare with fay.

fairy bread

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) sweet bread sprinkled with hundreds and thousands

• there'll be activities for the children, and vanilla scones and fairy bread.

– origin 1920s: perhaps from the title of a poem of 1885 by Robert Louis Stevenson.

fairy cake

noun

(Brit.) a small individual sponge cake, usually with icing or other decoration.

fairy dust

noun — [ mass noun]

1. used to refer to a hypothetical substance with magical properties that brings great success, good luck, or happiness

• their whole life has been sprinkled with fairy dust.

fairy floss

noun

Australian term for candyfloss.

fairy fly

noun

a minute parasitic wasp which lays its eggs in the eggs of other insects.
●Family Mymaridae, order Hymenoptera: numerous genera.

fairy godmother

noun

1. a female character in some fairy stories who has magical powers and brings good fortune to the hero or heroine.

2. a person who comes to the aid of someone in difficulty.

• I see no hope of a fairy godmother prepared to solve our financial problems.

fairyland /ˈfɛːrɪland/

noun

1. the imaginary home of fairies.

2. a beautiful place.

• in the evening the streets become a fairyland.

• [as modifier] a fairyland castle.

3. an imagined ideal place.

• this can seem like fairyland in our kind of violent world.

fairy lights

plural noun

(Brit.) small coloured electric lights used for decoration, especially at festivals such as Christmas.

fairy penguin

noun

a small penguin with bluish plumage found on the south coasts of Australia and New Zealand.
● Eudyptula minor, family Spheniscidae.

fairy queen

noun

(in stories) a queen of the fairies

• Willow is taken to the fairy queen of the forest.

fairy ring

noun

a circular area of grass that is darker in colour than the surrounding grass due to the growth of certain fungi. They were popularly believed to have been caused by fairies dancing.

fairy shrimp

noun

a small transparent crustacean which typically swims on its back, using its legs to filter food particles from the water.
●Order Anostraca, class Branchiopoda: many species, including brine shrimps.

fairy story /ˈfɛəristɔːri/

noun

1. a children's tale about magical and imaginary beings and lands.

2. an untrue account.

• they deserve honest treatment, not fairy stories.

fairy tale

noun

1. a fairy story.

2. [often as modifier] — something resembling a fairy story in being magical, idealized, or extremely happy

• a fairy-tale romance.

3. a fabricated story, especially one intended to deceive.

fairy tern

noun

a small white tropical tern which lays its single egg on a narrow ledge or on the bare branch of a tree. When flying against a bright sky the wings appear somewhat translucent, allowing the bone structure to be seen.
● Gygis alba, family Sternidae.

fairy wren

noun

a small Australian songbird with a long cocked tail, the male of which has partly or mainly blue plumage.
●Genus Malurus, family Maluridae: several species, in particular the common superb fairy wren or blue wren ( M. cyaneus).

Faisal /ˈfʌɪs(ə)l/

I. the name of two kings of Iraq:

II. Faisal I (1885–1933), reigned 1921–33. A British-sponsored ruler, he was also supported by fervent Arab nationalists. Under his rule Iraq achieved full independence in 1932.

III. Faisal II (1935–58), grandson of Faisal I, reigned 1939–58. He was assassinated in a military coup, after which a republic was established.

Faisalabad /ˈfʌɪsələˌbad/

an industrial city in Punjab, Pakistan; pop. 2,793,700 (est. 2009). Until 1979 it was known as Lyallpur.

faisandé /ˈfɛzɒ̃deɪ/

I. adjective

‹literary› affected; artificial.

• the overripe, faisandé aspect of certain productions lacking in instinct and in juice.

– origin French, literally ‘(of game) hung until high’.

fait accompli /ˌfeɪt əˈkɒmpli French fɛt akɔ̃pli//

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it

• the results were presented to shareholders as a fait accompli.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘accomplished fact’.

faith /feɪθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. complete trust or confidence in someone or something

• this restores one's faith in politicians.

2. strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.

• bereaved people who have shown supreme faith.

3. [ count noun] — a particular religion

• the Christian faith.

4. [ count noun] — a strongly held belief

• men with strong political faiths.

II. exclamation

(chiefly Irish) said to express surprise or emphasis

• faith, I was shown the door myself and came home.

III. phrases

break (or keep) faith

be disloyal (or loyal)

• an attempt to make us break faith with our customers.

– origin Middle English: from Old French feid, from Latin fides.

faith crime

noun

a crime, typically one involving violence, motivated by prejudice against a particular religion

• there was a rise in faith crimes last year.

faithful /ˈfeɪθfʊl, ˈfeɪθf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. remaining loyal and steadfast

• the city has always been faithful to the Conservative party

• employees who had notched up decades of faithful service.

2. (of a spouse or partner) never having a sexual relationship with anyone else

• her husband was faithful to her.

3. (of an object) reliable

• my faithful compass.

4. true to the facts or the original

• the film was faithful to the book.

II. noun — (as plural noun the faithful)

1. those who are faithful to a particular religion or political party

• a muezzin called the faithful to prayer.

faithfully /ˈfeɪθfʊli, ˈfeɪθf(ə)li/

I. adverb

1. in a loyal manner.

• he swore that he would serve the king faithfully.

2. in a manner that is true to the facts or the original

• she translated the novel as faithfully as possible.

II. phrases

yours faithfully

(Brit.) a formula for ending a formal letter in which the recipient is not addressed by name.

faithfulness /ˈfeɪθf(ʊ)lnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being faithful; fidelity

• faithfulness in marriage.

faith healing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. healing achieved by religious belief and prayer, rather than by medical treatment.

II. derivatives

faith healer

noun

faithless /ˈfeɪθləs/

I. adjective

1. disloyal, especially to a spouse or partner

• her faithless lover.

2. without religious faith.

• they were ungodly and faithless.

II. derivatives

1. faithlessly

adverb

2. faithlessness /ˈfeɪθləsnəs /

noun

faith school /ˈfeɪθskuːl/

noun

a school intended for students of a particular religious faith.

fajitas /fəˈhiːtəz, fəˈdʒiːtəz/

I. plural noun

a dish of Mexican origin consisting of strips of spiced beef or chicken, chopped vegetables, and grated cheese, wrapped in a soft tortilla and often served with sour cream.

– origin Mexican Spanish, literally ‘little strips’.

fake^1 /feɪk/

I. adjective

1. not genuine; imitation or counterfeit

• she got on the plane with a fake passport

• a fake Cockney accent.

2. (of a person) claiming to be something that one is not

• a fake doctor.

II. noun

1. a thing that is not genuine; a forgery or sham

• fakes of Old Masters.

2. a person who falsely claims to be something.

• I felt sure that some of the nuns were fakes.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. forge or counterfeit (something)

• she faked her spouse's signature.

2. pretend to feel or have (an emotion, illness, or injury)

• Rob faked suspicion, a jealous concern.

3. make (an event) appear to happen

• he faked his own death.

4. ( fake someone out) — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› trick or deceive someone.

IV. derivatives

1. faker /ˈfeɪkə /

noun

2. fakery /ˈfeɪkəri /

noun

– origin late 18th cent. (originally slang): origin uncertain; perhaps ultimately related to German fegen ‘sweep, thrash’. Compare with fig^2.

fake^2

I. noun, verb

variant spelling of flake^4.

– origin late Middle English (as a verb): of unknown origin.

fake tan

I. noun

1. an artificial suntan

• she had short blonde hair and a fake tan.

2. [ mass noun] — a lotion containing chemicals that react with the skin to produce an artificial suntan

• it's time to dust off the ball gowns and slap on some fake tan.

II. derivatives

fake-tanned

adjective

fakie /ˈfeɪki/

I. noun

(in skateboarding or snowboarding) a movement in which the board is ridden backwards.

II. adverb

with a movement in which the board is ridden backwards.

• once you can do it forwards, try it fakie.

fakir /ˈfeɪkɪə, ˈfakɪə / faquir

I. noun

a Muslim (or, loosely, a Hindu) religious ascetic who lives solely on alms.

– origin early 17th cent.: via French from Arabic faqīr ‘needy man’.

Falabella /ˌfaləˈbɛlə/

I. noun

a horse of a miniature breed, the adult of which does not usually exceed 75 cm in height.

– origin late 20th cent.: named after Julio Falabella (died 1981), an Argentinian breeder.

falafel /fəˈlaf(ə)l, fəˈlɑːf(ə)l / felafel

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Middle Eastern dish of spiced mashed chickpeas or other pulses formed into balls or fritters and deep-fried, usually eaten with or in pitta bread.

– origin from colloquial Egyptian Arabic falāfil, plural of Arabic fulful, filfil ‘pepper’.

Falange /fəˈlan(d)ʒ, Spanish faˈlaŋxe/

I. the Spanish Fascist movement that merged with traditional right-wing elements in 1937 to form the ruling party, the Falange Española Tradicionalista, under General Franco. It was formally abolished in 1977.

II. derivatives

1. Falangism

noun

2. Falangist

noun, adjective

– origin Spanish, from Latin phalanx, phalang- (see phalanx).

Falasha /fəˈlɑːʃə/

I. noun

a member of a group of people in Ethiopia who hold the Jewish faith but use Ge'ez rather than Hebrew as a liturgical language. The Falashas were not formally recognized as Jews until 1975, and many of them were airlifted to Israel in 1984–5 and after.

– origin Amharic, literally ‘exile, immigrant’.

falcate /ˈfalkeɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] [Zoology] curved like a sickle; hooked

• the mandibles are falcate.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin falcatus, from falx, falc- ‘sickle’.

falcated teal

I. noun

a small duck that is native to China and NE Asia.
● Anas falcata, family Anatidae.

– origin early 18th cent.: named from the long sickle-shaped inner secondary feathers of the male.

falchion /ˈfɔːl(t)ʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

‹historical› a broad, slightly curved sword with the cutting edge on the convex side.

– origin Middle English fauchon, from Old French, based on Latin falx, falc- ‘sickle’. The -l- was added in the 16th cent. to conform with the Latin spelling.

falciform /ˈfalsɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

[Anatomy] [Zoology] curved like a sickle; hooked

• the falciform ligament.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin falx, falc- ‘sickle’ + -iform.

falciparum /falˈsɪpərəm / falciparum malaria

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the most severe form of malaria
[as modifier]

• the falciparum parasite.

●This is caused by infection with Plasmodium falciparum.

– origin 1930s: modern Latin, from Latin falx, falc- ‘sickle’ + -parum (from -parus ‘bearing’).

falcon /ˈfɔː(l)k(ə)n, ˈfɒlk(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a diurnal bird of prey with long pointed wings and a notched beak, typically catching prey by diving on it from above. Compare with hawk^1 (sense 1 of the noun).
●Family Falconidae, in particular the genus Falco: many species, including the peregrine, hobby, merlin, and kestrel.

2. [Falconry] a female falcon, especially a peregrine.
Compare with tercel.

– origin Middle English faucon (originally denoting any diurnal bird of prey used in falconry): from Old French, from late Latin falco, from Latin falx, falc- ‘sickle’, or of Germanic origin and related to Dutch valk and German Falke. The -l- was added in the 15th cent. to conform with the Latin spelling.

falconer /ˈfɔː(l)k(ə)nə, ˈfɒlk(ə)nə/

I. noun

a person who keeps, trains, or hunts with falcons, hawks, or other birds of prey.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French fauconier, from faucon (see falcon).

falconet /ˈfɔː(l)k(ə)nɪt/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a light cannon.

2. a very small falcon of Asia and South America, typically having bold black-and-white plumage.
●Genus Microhierax (and Spiziapteryx), family Falconidae: six species.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Italian falconetto, diminutive of falcone ‘falcon’, from Latin falco (see falcon). Sense 2 is from falcon + -et^1.

falconry /ˈfɔː(l)k(ə)nri, ˈfɒlk(ə)nri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the keeping and training of falcons or other birds of prey; the sport of hunting with such birds.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French fauconnerie, from faucon (see falcon).

Faldo, Nick /ˈfaldəʊ/

(b.1957), English golfer; full name Sir Nicholas Alexander Faldo. He won the British Open championship in 1987, 1990, and 1992 and the US Masters Tournament in 1989, 1990, and 1996.

faldstool /ˈfɔːldstuːl/

I. noun

1. a folding chair used by a bishop when not occupying the throne or when officiating in a church other than his own.

2. a small movable folding desk or stool for kneeling at prayer.

– origin late Old English fældestōl, of Germanic origin, from the base of fold^1 and stool, influenced by medieval Latin faldistolium, from Germanic.

fale /ˈfɑːleɪ/

noun

a Samoan house with open sides and a thatched roof.

Falkirk /ˈfɔːlkəːk, ˈfɒlkəːk/

a town in central Scotland, administrative centre of Falkirk council area; pop. 33,900 (est. 2009). Edward I defeated the Scots here in 1298.

Falkland Islands /ˈfɔːlklənd, ˈfɒlk- / the Falklands

I. a group of islands in the South Atlantic, forming a British overseas territory; pop. 3,100 (est. 2008); capital, Stanley (on East Falkland).

II. derivatives

Falkland Islander Falklander

noun

The group consists of two main islands and over a hundred smaller ones, about 500 km (300 miles) east of the Strait of Magellan. The Falklands were occupied and colonized by Britain in 1832–3, following the expulsion of an Argentinian garrison. Argentina refused to recognize British sovereignty and continues to refer to the islands by their old Spanish name, the Malvinas.

Falkland Islands Dependencies

an overseas territory of the UK in the South Atlantic, consisting of the South Sandwich Islands and South Georgia, which is administered from the Falkland Islands.

Falklands War

I. an armed conflict between Britain and Argentina in 1982.

On the orders of General Galtieri's military junta, Argentinian forces invaded the Falkland Islands in support of their claim to sovereignty. In response Britain sent a task force of ships and aircraft, which forced the Argentinians to surrender six weeks after its arrival.

fall /fɔːl/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial]

1. move from a higher to a lower level, typically rapidly and without control

• bombs could be seen falling from the planes

• my purse fell out of my bag

• (as adj. falling) she was injured by a falling tree.

2. ( fall off) — become detached and drop to the ground

• my sunglasses fell off and broke on the pavement.

3. hang down

• hair that was allowed to fall to the shoulders.

4. (of land) slope downwards

• the land fell away in a steep bank.

5. [no obj.] — (of someone's eyes or glance) be directed downwards.

• Albert's eyes fell, and he blushed.

6. [no obj.] — (of someone's face) show dismay or disappointment by appearing to droop

• her face fell as she thought about her life with George.

7. (of a person) lose one's balance and collapse

• she fell down at school today.

8. throw oneself to the ground

• she fell to her knees and began to weep.

9. (of a tree or structure) collapse to the ground

• after the earthquake, part of the city fell down.

10. ( fall over) — ‹informal› (of computer hardware or software) stop working suddenly; crash.

• the program fell over once when I clicked on the wrong control.

11. decrease in number, amount, intensity, or quality

• imports fell by 12 per cent

• we're worried that standards are falling.

12. (of a measuring instrument) show a lower reading

• the barometer had fallen a further ten points.

13. ( fall away) — (in sport) play less well.

• when he faded the whole team fell away.

14. be captured or defeated

• their mountain strongholds fell to enemy attack.

15. [Cricket] (of a wicket) be taken by the bowling side.

• more wickets fell.

16. die in battle

• an English leader who had fallen at the hands of the Danes.

17. [no obj.] — (of a government or leader) lose office or be overthrown.

18. [no obj.] — ‹archaic› yield to temptation

• it is their husbands' fault if wives do fall.

19. pass into a specified state, situation, or position

• many of the buildings fell into disrepair

• [with complement] she fell pregnant.

20. occur or take place

• when night fell we crawled back to our lines

• her birthday fell on May Day.

21. ( fall to doing something) — begin to do something

• he fell to musing about how it had happened.

22. be drawn accidentally into

• you must not fall into this common error.

23. be classified in the way specified

• canals fall within the Minister's brief.

II. noun

1. an act of falling or collapsing

• his mother had a fall as she alighted from a train.

2. [Wrestling] a move which pins the opponent's shoulders on the ground for a count of three.

3. a downward difference in height between parts of a surface.

• at the corner of the massif this fall is interrupted by other heights of considerable stature.

4. a thing which falls or has fallen

• in October came the first fall of snow

• a rock fall.

5. a sudden onset or arrival

• the fall of darkness.

6. (usu. falls) — a waterfall or cascade.

• we camped upriver from the falls.

• [in names] Niagara Falls.

7. ‹literary› a downward turn in a melody

• that strain again, it had a dying fall.

8. the way in which something falls or hangs

• the fall of her hair.

9. ( falls) — the parts or petals of a flower which bend downwards, especially the outer perianth segments of an iris.

10. a decrease in size, number, rate, or level

• a big fall in unemployment.

11. a defeat or downfall

• the fall of the government.

12. a person's moral decline.

13. ( the Fall or the Fall of Man) — the lapse of humankind into a state of sin, ascribed in traditional Jewish and Christian theology to the disobedience of Adam and Eve as described in Genesis.

14. (also Fall) — (N. Amer.) autumn.

• that fall Roosevelt was elected to his first term.

15. ‹rare› a flock of woodcock

• there is a fall of woodcock in the round wood above the dell.

III. phrases

1. be riding (or heading) for a fall

‹informal› be acting in a reckless way that is likely to end in trouble or disaster.

• with your present attitude, you're riding for a fall.

2. fall between two stools

see stool.

3. fall foul ( ‹or N. Amer.ଢ afoul) of

come into conflict with

• one of his songs has fallen foul of censorship regulations.

4. fall in (or into) line

conform with others.

• she defiantly pledges not to fall into line with the masses.

[with reference to military formation.]

5. fall in (or out of) love (with someone)

see love.

6. fall into place

(of a series of events or facts) begin to make sense

• once he knew what to look for, the theory fell quickly into place.

7. fall on stony ground

see stony.

8. fall over oneself to do something

‹informal› be excessively eager to do something

• critics fell over themselves to compliment him.

9. fall prey to

see prey.

10. fall short (of)

a. (of a missile) fail to reach its target.

b. be deficient or inadequate

• the total vote fell short of the required two-thirds majority.

11. fall to pieces

see fall apart .

12. fall victim to

see victim.

13. take the fall

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› incur blame or punishment in the place of another person.

• he kept his mouth shut and let McFarlane take the fall.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. fall about

(Brit.) ‹informal› laugh uncontrollably.

• audiences used to fall about when he shrugged his shoulders.

2. fall apart (or to pieces)

a. break up, come apart, or disintegrate

• their marriage is likely to fall apart.

b. (of a person) lose one's capacity to cope

• Angie fell to pieces because she had lost everything.

3. fall back

move or turn back; retreat.

• the enemy fell back into a defensive position.

4. fall back on

have recourse to when in difficulty

• they normally fell back on one of three arguments.

5. fall behind

a. fail to keep up with one's competitors.

• Britain has fallen behind in the space business.

b. fail to meet a commitment to make a regular payment

• borrowers falling behind with their mortgage repayments.

6. fall down

be inadequate or unsuccessful; fail

• the deal fell down because there were a lot of unanswered questions.

7. fall for ‹informal›

a. fall in love with.

• she fell for a handsome younger man.

b. be deceived by (something)

• he didn't expect Duncan to fall for a cheap trick like that.

8. fall in

take one's place in a military formation

• the soldiers fell in by the side of the road.

9. fall in with

a. meet by chance and become involved with

• he fell in with thieves.

b. agree to

• Rob was happy to fall in with her plans.

10. fall on (or upon)

a. attack fiercely or unexpectedly

• the army fell on the besiegers.

b. seize enthusiastically

• she fell on the sandwiches as though she had not eaten in weeks.

c. (of someone's eyes or gaze) be directed towards

• her gaze fell on the mud-stained coverlet.

d. be the responsibility of

• the cost of tuition should not fall on the student.

11. fall out

a. (of the hair, teeth, etc.) become detached and drop out.

• the chemotherapy made my hair fall out.

b. have an argument

• he had fallen out with his family.

c. leave one's place in a military formation, or on parade.

• the two policemen at the rear fell out of the formation.

d. happen; turn out

• matters fell out as Stephen arranged.

12. fall through

come to nothing; fail

• the project fell through due to lack of money.

13. fall to

a. (of a task) become the duty or responsibility of

• it fell to me to write to Shephard.

b. (of property) revert to the ownership of.

• land unclaimed after due notice given falls to the lord of the manor.

– origin Old English fallan, feallan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vallen and German fallen; the noun is partly from the verb, partly from Old Norse fall ‘downfall, sin’.

Falla, Manuel de /ˈfʌɪjə/

(1876–1946), Spanish composer and pianist. He composed the ballets Love, the Magician (1915) and The Three-Cornered Hat (1919); the latter was produced by Diaghilev, with designs by Picasso.

fallacious /fəˈleɪʃəs/

I. adjective

based on a mistaken belief

• fallacious arguments.

II. derivatives

1. fallaciously /fəˈleɪʃəsli /

adverb

2. fallaciousness /fəˈleɪʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: from Old French fallacieux, from Latin fallaciosus, from fallacia (see fallacy).

fallacy /ˈfaləsi/

I. noun

1. a mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound arguments

• the notion that the camera never lies is a fallacy.

2. [Logic] a failure in reasoning which renders an argument invalid.

• Kraft exposes three fallacies in this approach.

3. [ mass noun] — faulty reasoning

• the potential for fallacy which lies behind the notion of self-esteem.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘deception, guile’; gradually superseding Middle English fallace): from Latin fallacia, from fallax, fallac- ‘deceiving’, from fallere ‘deceive’.

fallalery /faˈlal(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› tawdry finery.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from obsolete fal-lal ‘piece of finery or frippery’, perhaps from French falbalafurbelow.

fallaway

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. [Basketball] a shot made while the shooter jumps or falls away from the basket.

• Jordan hit a fallaway jumper with five minutes left.

fallback /ˈfɔːlbak/

noun

1. an alternative plan that may be used in an emergency.

• compulsory powers should be retained as a fallback.

2. a reduction or decrease.

• the offering will hit the market after a fallback from record highs.

fallback position

noun

an alternative course of action that may be taken if the original plan fails

• it's important to have a fallback position.

fallen /ˈfɔːlən/

I. verb

past participle of fall.

II. adjective

1. [Theology] having sinned

• fallen human nature.

2. ‹dated› (of a woman) regarded as having lost her honour through engaging in a sexual relationship outside marriage.

• a fallen woman with a chequered past.

3. (of a soldier) killed in battle

• fallen heroes.

III. derivatives

fallenness

noun

fallen angel

noun

(in Christian, Jewish, and Muslim tradition) an angel who rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven.

• the fallen angel Lucifer.

• ‹figurative› a book about anti-heroes, fallen angels, and faded stars.

faller

noun

1. (Brit.) a person or thing that falls, in particular:

2. a horse that falls during a race, especially at a fence in a steeplechase.

• the horse was one of three fallers in the Novice Chase.

3. a company whose shares have lost value on the stock market.

• the firm was a notable faller against the general trend.

4. (N. Amer.) a person who fells trees for a living.

• he bought a chainsaw and became a faller.

fallfish

noun

a North American freshwater fish resembling the chub.
● Semotilus corporalis, family Cyprinidae.

fall guy

noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a scapegoat.

• he contends that he is innocent, that he was set up as a fall guy.

fallibilism /ˈfalɪbɪˌlɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] the principle that propositions concerning empirical knowledge can be accepted even though they cannot be proved with certainty.

II. derivatives

fallibilist

noun, adjective

fallibility /ˌfalɪˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the tendency to make mistakes or be wrong

• technology is not a cure for human fallibility

• studies on the fallibility of memory and perception.

fallible /ˈfalɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

capable of making mistakes or being wrong

• experts can be fallible.

II. derivatives

fallibly

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin fallibilis, from Latin fallere ‘deceive’.

falling-out /ˌfɔːlɪŋˈaʊt/

noun

a quarrel or disagreement

• the two of them had a falling-out.

falling sickness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. archaic term for epilepsy.

falling star

noun

a meteor or shooting star.

fall line

noun

1. ( the fall line) — [Skiing] the route leading straight down any particular part of a slope.

• study the fall line and plan your turns.

2. a narrow zone that marks the geological boundary between an upland region and a plain, distinguished by the occurrence of falls and rapids where rivers and streams cross it.

fall-off falling-off

noun

a decrease in something

• a fall-off in work caused by the recession.

fallopian tube /fəˌləʊpɪən ˈtjuːb/

I. noun

(in a female mammal) either of a pair of tubes along which eggs travel from the ovaries to the uterus.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Fallopius, Latinized form of the name of Gabriello Fallopio (1523–62), the Italian anatomist who first described them.

fallout /ˈfɔːlaʊt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. radioactive particles that are carried into the atmosphere after a nuclear explosion and gradually fall back as dust or in precipitation.
[as modifier]

• a fallout shelter.

2. [usu. with modifier] — airborne substances resulting from an industrial process or accident

• acid fallout from power stations.

3. the adverse results of a situation or action

• he's prepared to take calculated risks regardless of political fallout.

fallout shelter

noun

a building or other structure designed to protect people from radioactive fallout after a nuclear explosion

• once the survivors have emerged from their fallout shelters, their suffering is often only beginning.

fallow^1 /ˈfaləʊ/

I. adjective

1. (of farmland) ploughed and harrowed but left for a period without being sown in order to restore its fertility or to avoid surplus production

• incentives for farmers to let land lie fallow.

2. (of a period of time) characterized by inaction; unproductive

• long fallow periods when nothing seems to happen.

3. (of a sow) not pregnant.

II. noun

a piece of fallow land.

• a great estate was usually divided between fallows, grazed stubble, and wheat.

• [ mass noun] strips of summer fallow.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. leave (land) fallow for a period.

• fallow the ground for a week or so after digging.

IV. derivatives

fallowness /ˈfaləʊnəs /

noun

– origin Old English fealgian ‘to break up land for sowing’, of Germanic origin; related to Low German falgen.

fallow^2 /ˈfaləʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a pale brown or reddish yellow colour.
[ count noun]

• possible feather colours include fallows, pieds, and yellows.

– origin Old English falu, fealu, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vaal and German fahl, falb.

fallow deer

noun

a Eurasian deer with branched palmate antlers, typically having a white-spotted reddish-brown coat in summer.
● Cervus dama, family Cervidae.

false /fɔːls, fɒls/

I. adjective

1. not according with truth or fact; incorrect

• he was feeding false information to his customers

• the allegations were false.

2. not according with rules or law

• false imprisonment.

3. made to imitate something in order to deceive

• the trunk had a false bottom

• a false passport.

4. artificial

• false eyelashes.

5. not sincere

• a horribly false smile.

6. illusory; not actually so

• sunscreens give users a false sense of security.

7. [ attrib.] — used in names of plants, animals, and gems that superficially resemble the thing properly so called, e.g. false oat.

8. disloyal; unfaithful

• a false lover.

II. phrases

false position

a situation in which one is compelled to act in a manner inconsistent with one's true nature or principles.

III. derivatives

falseness

noun

– origin Old English fals ‘fraud, deceit’, from Latin falsum ‘fraud’, neuter past participle of fallere ‘deceive’; reinforced or re-formed in Middle English from Old French fals, faus ‘false’.

false acacia

noun

a North American tree with compound leaves and dense hanging clusters of fragrant white flowers, widely grown as an ornamental.
● Robinia pseudoacacia, family Leguminosae.

false alarm

noun

a warning given about something that fails to happen.

• the fire bells were a false alarm.

false bedding

noun

[Geology] another term for cross-bedding.

false bottom

noun

a hidden compartment formed by a partition close to the bottom of a suitcase, box, or other container, in which objects may be concealed

• the cocaine was hidden in the false bottom of her suitcase.

false card ‹Bridge›

I. noun

a card played in order to give one's opponents a misleading impression of one's strength in the suit led.

II. verb

( false-card) [with obj.] — play (a false card).

• by false-carding ♠5 from hand, declarer may persuade West to continue the suit.

• [no obj.] he was false-carding with the ace.

false colour

noun — [ mass noun]

1. colour added during the processing of a photographic or computer image to aid interpretation of the subject.

• the map is shown in false colour.

• [ count noun] the camera records each element in a false colour corresponding to distance.

false consciousness

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (especially in Marxist theory) a way of thinking that prevents a person from perceiving the true nature of their social or economic situation.

false cypress

noun

a conifer of a genus that includes Lawson's cypress.
●Genus Chamaecyparis, family Cupressaceae.

false dawn

noun

1. a promising situation which comes to nothing

• after so many false dawns, Britain was finally enjoying an export-led boom.

2. a transient light which precedes the rising of the sun by about an hour, commonly seen in Eastern countries.

false economy

noun

an apparent financial saving that in fact leads to greater expenditure.

• do not skimp on batteries, it is a false economy.

• tools are expensive, but it is often a false economy to go for the cheapest.

false face

noun

a mask, especially as traditionally worn ceremonially by some North American Indian peoples.

false friend

I. noun

a word or expression that has a similar form to one in a person's native language, but a different meaning (for example English magazine and French magasin ‘shop’).

– origin translating French faux ami.

false fruit

noun

a fruit formed from other parts of the plant as well as the ovary, especially the receptacle, such as the strawberry or fig.
Also called pseudocarp.

false-hearted

adjective

deceitful or unfaithful

• shame on you and your devious, false-hearted marketing.

false helleborine false hellebore

noun

a herbaceous plant of the lily family which resembles a helleborine, with pleated leaves and a tall dense spike of small flowers, found in north temperate regions.
●Genus Veratrum, family Liliaceae: many species.

falsehood /ˈfɔːlshʊd, ˈfɒlshʊd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being untrue

• the truth or falsehood of the many legends which surround her.

2. [ count noun] — a lie.

• a downright falsehood.

3. lying

• the right to sue for malicious falsehood.

false imprisonment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being imprisoned without legal authority

• he sought damages from the police for wrongful arrest and false imprisonment.

falsely /ˈfɔːlsli/

adverb

1. not in accordance with truth or fact; incorrectly

• the police falsely accused him of murder

• the deaths were falsely attributed to influenza.

2. not in accordance with rules or law; dishonestly

• he admitted two counts of falsely claiming expenses

• he was offered money to testify falsely against me.

3. in an insincere or artificial manner

• she smiled falsely.

4. in an illusory manner; not actually so

• testing will yield falsely reassuring results.

false memory

noun

[Psychology] an apparent recollection of an event that did not actually occur, especially one of childhood sexual abuse that arises during psychotherapy or psychoanalysis

• subjects can be very confident about the accuracy of their false memories.

false memory syndrome

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Psychology] a condition in which a person has an apparent recollection of an event that did not actually occur, especially one of childhood sexual abuse that arises during psychotherapy or psychoanalysis

• she later retracted her allegations in what came to be seen as a case of false memory syndrome.

false move

noun

an unwise or careless action that could have dangerous consequences

• one false move would lead to nuclear war.

false negative

noun

a test result which wrongly indicates that a particular condition or attribute is absent

• it's possible to have a false negative—the test says you aren't pregnant when you are

• [as modifier] premature assessments may give false negative results.

false positive

noun

a test result which wrongly indicates that a particular condition or attribute is present

• stress testing, a routine diagnostic tool used in detecting heart disease, results in a significant number of false positives in women

• [as modifier] the computer-aided system may return false positive results.

false pretences

plural noun

behaviour intended to deceive others

• he obtained money by false pretences.

false rib

noun

another term for floating rib.

false scorpion

noun

a minute arachnid which has pincers but no long abdomen or sting, occurring abundantly in leaf litter. Also called pseudoscorpion.
●Order Pseudoscorpiones.

false start

noun

1. an invalid start to a race, usually due to a competitor beginning before the official signal has been given.

2. an unsuccessful attempt to begin something.

• she had finally found a job she liked, after various false starts.

false step

noun

1. a slip or stumble

• one false step and we would have fallen in the sea.

2. a careless or unwise act; a mistake.

• she made her first false step when she agreed to come back.

false teeth

plural noun

another term for dentures (see denture).

false topaz

noun

another term for citrine.

falsetto /fɔːlˈsɛtəʊ, fɒlˈsɛtəʊ/

I. noun

1. [Music] a method of voice production used by male singers, especially tenors, to sing notes higher than their normal range

• he sang in a piercing falsetto.

2. [Music] a singer using the falsetto method of voice production.

3. [Music] a voice or sound that is unusually high.

• Philip answered in a prim falsetto.

• [as modifier] a falsetto voice.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Italian, diminutive of falso ‘false’, from Latin falsus (see false).

false vampire

noun

a large carnivorous bat that includes rodents, reptiles, and other small vertebrates among its prey:
● an Old World bat (three species in the family Megadermatidae, including the large Australian ghost bat, Macroderma gigas). ● a tropical New World bat ( Vampyrum spectrum, family Phyllostomidae).

false widow false widow spider

noun

a spider resembling the black widow, some species of which are moderately poisonous to humans.
●Genus Steatoda, family Theridiidae: numerous species, in particular S. nobilis, the bite of which can be painful, native to Madeira and the Canary Islands and naturalized in parts of Europe and elsewhere.

falsework

noun — [ mass noun]

1. temporary framework structures used to support a building during its construction.

falsies /ˈfɔːlsɪz, ˈfɒlsɪz/

plural noun

1. ‹informal› pads of material in women's clothing used to increase the apparent size of the breasts.

2. ‹informal› false eyelashes.

• individual lashes look more natural than full falsies.

falsification /ˌfɔːlsɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n, ˌfɒlsɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of falsifying information or a theory

• an investigation into fraud and the falsification of records.

falsifier /ˈfɔːlsɪfʌɪə/

noun

a person who alters evidence or gives a false account

• the judge described him as a falsifier of history.

falsify /ˈfɔːlsɪfʌɪ, ˈfɒlsɪfʌɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. alter (information, a document, or evidence) so as to mislead

• a laboratory which was alleged to have falsified test results.

2. prove (a statement or theory) to be false

• the hypothesis is falsified by the evidence.

3. fail to fulfil (a hope, fear, or expectation)

• changes falsify individual expectations.

II. derivatives

1. falsifiability

noun

2. falsifiable /ˈfɔːlsɪfʌɪəb(ə)l, ˈfɒlsɪfʌɪəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2): from French falsifier or medieval Latin falsificare, from Latin falsificus ‘making false’, from falsus ‘false’.

falsity /ˈfɔːlsɪti, ˈfɒlsɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact of being untrue, incorrect, or insincere

• he exposed the falsity of the claim.

Falstaffian /fɔːlˈstɑːfɪən, fɒlˈstɑːfɪən/

adjective

relating to or resembling Shakespeare's character Sir John Falstaff in being fat, jolly, and debauched

• a Falstaffian gusto for life.

Falster /ˈfɑːlstə/

a Danish island in the Baltic Sea, south of Zealand.

falter /ˈfɔːltə, ˈfɒltə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. lose strength or momentum

• the music faltered, stopped, and started up again

• (as adj. faltering) his faltering career.

2. speak hesitantly
[with direct speech]

• ‘A-Adam?’ he faltered.

3. move unsteadily or hesitantly

• he faltered and finally stopped in mid-stride.

II. derivatives

1. falterer

noun

2. falteringly /ˈfɔːltərɪŋli, ˈfɒltərɪŋli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘stammer’ and ‘stagger’): perhaps from the verb fold^1 (which was occasionally used of the faltering of the legs or tongue) + -ter as in totter.

Falun Gong /ˌfalən ˈɡɒŋ / Falun Dafa /ˈdafə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a spiritual exercise and meditation regime with similarities to t'ai chi ch'uan, practised predominantly in China.

2. a Taoist-Buddhist sect practising Falun Gong.

– origin 1990s: Chinese, literally ‘wheel of law’, from fǎ ‘law’ + lún ‘wheel’ (+ gōng ‘skill’ or dàfǎ ‘great method’).

fame /feɪm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being known by many people

• the song's success rocketed him to stardom and fame.

II. phrases

of —— fame

having a particular famous association; famous for having or being ——

• the village is the birthplace of Mrs Beeton, of cookery fame.

– origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘reputation’, which survives in house of ill fame): via Old French from Latin fama.

famed /feɪmd/

I. adjective

1. known about by many people; renowned

• he is famed for his eccentricities.

2. ‹archaic› widely reported or rumoured.

– origin Middle English: past participle of archaic fame (verb), from Old French famer, from Latin fama.

familia /fəˈmɪlɪə/

I. noun

‹historical› a household or religious community under one head, regarded as a unit.

• they expelled him and his household familia from the place.

– origin Latin.

familial /fəˈmɪljəl/

I. adjective

relating to or occurring in a family or its members

• the familial Christmas dinner.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French, from Latin familia ‘family’.

familiar /fəˈmɪlɪə/

I. adjective

1. well known from long or close association

• their faces will be familiar to many of you

• a familiar voice.

2. often encountered or experienced; common

• the situation was all too familiar.

3. ( familiar with) — having a good knowledge of

• ensure that you are familiar with the heating controls.

4. in close friendship; intimate

• she had not realized they were on such familiar terms.

5. informal or intimate to an inappropriate degree.

• he was being overly familiar with Gloria.

II. noun

1. (also familiar spirit) — a demon supposedly attending and obeying a witch, often said to assume the form of an animal.

• her familiars were her two little griffons that nested in her skirts.

2. a close friend or associate.

3. (in the Roman Catholic Church) a person rendering certain services in a pope's or bishop's household.

III. derivatives

familiarly

adverb

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘intimate’, ‘on a family footing’): from Old French familier, from Latin familiaris, from familia ‘household servants, family’, from famulus ‘servant’.

familiarity /fəmɪlɪˈarɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. close acquaintance with or knowledge of something

• his familiarity with the works of Thomas Hardy.

2. the quality of being well known from long or close association

• the reassuring familiarity of his parents' home.

3. relaxed friendliness or intimacy between people

• familiarity allows us to give each other nicknames.

4. inappropriate informality or intimacy

• the unnecessary familiarity made me dislike him at once.

II. phrases

familiarity breeds contempt

‹proverb› extensive knowledge of or close association with someone or something leads to a loss of respect for them or it.

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘close relationship’ and ‘sexual intimacy’): via Old French from Latin familiaritas, from familiaris ‘familiar, intimate’ (see familiar).

familiarize /fəˈmɪlɪərʌɪz / familiarise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give (someone) knowledge or understanding of something

• the need to familiarize pupils with dictionaries and their structures.

2. make (something) better known or more easily grasped

• exercises which will help to familiarize the terms used.

II. derivatives

familiarization /fəmɪlɪərʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

familist /ˈfamɪlɪst/

I. adjective

relating to or advocating a social framework centred on family relationships.

• a familist ideology which harks back to peasant origins.

II. derivatives

familistic

adjective

Familist /ˈfamɪlɪst/

noun

a member of the Christian sect of the 16th and 17th centuries called the Family of Love, which asserted the importance of love and the necessity for absolute obedience to any government.

famille /faˈmiː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. Chinese enamelled porcelain of particular periods in the 17th and 18th centuries with a specified predominant colour: famille jaune /ʒəʊn/ (yellow), famille noire /nwɑː/ (black), famille rose /rəʊz/ (red), or famille verte /vɛːt/ (green).

• the coloured wares include versions of Chinese famille rose.

• [as modifier] a fine famille verte saucer dish.

– origin French, literally ‘family’.

family /ˈfamɪli, ˈfam(ə)li/

I. noun

1. [treated as sing. or pl.] — a group consisting of two parents and their children living together as a unit.

• she moved in with her boyfriend's family.

• [as modifier] the family home.

2. a group of people related by blood or marriage

• friends and family can provide support

• I could not turn him away, for he was family.

3. the children of a person or couple being discussed

• she has the sole responsibility for a large family.

4. ‹informal› a local organizational unit of the Mafia or other large criminal group.

5. all the descendants of a common ancestor

• the house has been owned by the same family for 300 years.

6. a group of peoples from a common stock.

7. a group of related things.

• all manuscripts that share this reading constitute a family.

8. [Biology] a principal taxonomic category that ranks above genus and below order, usually ending in -idae (in zoology) or -aceae (in botany).

• the cabbage family.

9. all the languages ultimately derived from a particular early language, regarded as a group

• the Austronesian language family.

10. [Mathematics] a group of curves or surfaces obtained by varying the value of a constant in the equation generating them.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. designed to be suitable for children as well as adults

• a family newspaper.

III. phrases

1. in the family way

‹informal› pregnant.

• he would disgrace them by getting a girl in the family way.

2. sell (or sell off) the family silver

part with a valuable resource for immediate advantage.

• the suggestion that privatization is selling off the family silver.

– origin late Middle English (in sense 2 of the noun; also denoting the servants of a household or the retinue of a nobleman): from Latin familia ‘household servants, family’, from famulus ‘servant’.

family allowance

noun

1. (Brit.) former term for child benefit.

2. (Austral.) an untaxed allowance paid by the government to the parent or guardian of a child

• the uncertainty of the situation meant they were sometimes overpaid family allowance.

Formerly called child endowment.

family bible

noun

a bible designed to be used at family prayers, typically one with space on its flyleaves for recording important family events.

family business family firm

noun

a business that is owned or run by members of a single family

• he took over the family business after his father's death.

family butcher

noun

(Brit.) an independent butcher selling meat to local customers

• many villages and small towns are losing family butchers.

family circle

noun

the members of a particular family, regarded as a group

• the existence of these papers was unknown outside the family circle.

family court

noun

[Law] a court of law that hears cases involving domestic issues such as divorce and child custody

• the organization represents children in the family courts

• [as modifier] a family court judge.

family credit

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (formerly in the UK) a regular payment by the state to a family with an income below a certain level.

Family Division

(in the UK) the division of the High Court dealing with adoption, divorce, and other family matters.

family doctor family practitioner

noun

a doctor based in the community who treats patients with minor or chronic illnesses and refers those with serious conditions to a hospital.

family entertainment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. entertainment that is suitable for children as well as adults

• the film provides some decent, old-fashioned family entertainment.

family-friendly

adjective

suitable for or aimed at families with children

• a family-friendly restaurant

• the company has always operated family-friendly policies

• the film is fun and family-friendly.

family jewels

I. plural noun

1. valuable items of jewellery belonging to a particular family and handed down from one generation to the next

• the Astor family jewels.

2. ‹humorous› a man's genitals.

II. phrases

sell (or sell off) the family jewels

part with or sell valuable or precious resources for the sake of immediate profit or advantage

• Rangers have been systematically selling off the family jewels.

family man

noun

a man with a wife (or long-term partner) and children, especially one who enjoys home life.

• I'm very much a family man and need to be close to those I love.

family name

noun

1. a surname.

2. a family's good reputation

• he won't disgrace the family name.

family-owned

adjective

(of a business) owned or run by members of a single family

• many family-owned businesses are small

• there's nothing pretentious about this family-owned bakery.

family planning

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of controlling the number of children one has and the intervals between their births, particularly by means of contraception or voluntary sterilization
[as modifier]

• family-planning clinics.

2. contraception.

• the morning-after pill should never be used as a regular method of family planning.

family planning clinic

noun

a clinic that provides advice and treatment relating to contraception and sexual health

• condoms are available free from family planning clinics.

family practice

noun

1. [ mass noun] — (chiefly N. Amer.) the work of a doctor who provides primary health care to members of the local community

• applicants must have experience in occupational medicine or family practice.

• [as modifier] a family practice doctor.

2. [ count noun] — (chiefly N. Amer.) the business or premises of a doctor providing primary health care to members of the local community

• he noticed an increase in patients in this age group at his family practice in Miami.

family room

noun

1. (Brit.) a room in a pub in which children are allowed, in the company of an adult or adults.

2. (N. Amer.) a living room used by all family members for recreation and relaxation.

family-sized family-size

adjective

large enough to suit or satisfy a whole family

• there is plenty of space for a family-sized dining table

• a family-sized bucket of boneless chicken.

family tree

noun

a diagram showing the relationship between people in several generations of a family.

family unit

noun

the members of a family, especially parents and children, considered as a single entity within society

• I've seen how drug use is directly responsible for the erosion of the family unit.

family values

plural noun

values supposedly learned within a traditional family unit, typically those of high moral standards and discipline.

family viewing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the watching of films or television programmes by adults and children together

• this programme is not suitable for family viewing.

2. films or television programmes that are suitable for children as well as adults

• parents who complain about the dearth of half-decent family viewing.

famine /ˈfamɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. extreme scarcity of food

• drought resulted in famine throughout the region

• [ count noun] the famine of 1921–2.

2. [ count noun] — a shortage

• the cotton famine of the 1860s.

3. ‹archaic› hunger.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from faim ‘hunger’, from Latin fames.

famish /ˈfamɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› reduce (someone) to extreme hunger

• they had famished the city into surrender.

2. [no obj.] — ‹archaic› be extremely hungry.

– origin Middle English: from obsolete fame ‘starve, famish’, from Old French afamer, based on Latin fames ‘hunger’.

famished /ˈfamɪʃt/

I. adjective

‹informal› extremely hungry.

• I'm famished—is there anything to eat?

• the evacuees were famished, having had no food for 12 hours.

– origin late Middle English: past participle of the verb famish, from Middle English fame ‘starve’, from Old French afamer, based on Latin fames ‘hunger’.

famous /ˈfeɪməs/

I. adjective

1. known about by many people

• a famous star

• the country is famous for its natural beauty.

2. ‹informal› excellent

• Galway stormed to a famous victory.

II. phrases

1. famous for being famous

having no recognizable reason for one's fame other than high media exposure.

• television reporters are now often more famous for being famous than for their work.

2. famous for fifteen minutes

see fifteen minutes of fame at fifteen.

3. famous last words

said as an ironic comment on an overconfident assertion that may later be proved wrong.

• ‘I'll be perfectly OK on my own.’ ‘Famous last words,’ she thought to herself.

III. derivatives

famousness /ˈfeɪməsnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Old French fameus, from Latin famosus ‘famed’, from fama (see fame).

famously /ˈfeɪməsli/

adverb

1. ‹informal› excellently

• we got on famously.

2. in a way that is widely known

• they have famously reclusive lifestyles.

famulus /ˈfamjʊləs/

I. noun

‹historical› an assistant or servant, especially one working for a magician or scholar.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘servant’.

fan^1 /fan/

I. noun

1. an apparatus with rotating blades that creates a current of air for cooling or ventilation.

• a couple of ceiling fans, lazily turning.

• the kitchen may need to be fitted with an extractor fan.

2. a small sail for keeping the head of a windmill towards the wind.

3. a handheld device, typically folding and shaped like a segment of a circle when spread out, that is waved so as to cool the person holding it.

• the girls were giggling behind their fans.

4. a thing resembling an open fan.
[as modifier]

• fan vaulting.

5. a fan-shaped alluvial or talus deposit at the foot of a slope.

• there are great waste fans at the foot of the Andes in the desert.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — cool (someone or something) by waving an object to create a current of air

• he fanned himself with his hat.

2. (of breath or a breeze) blow gently on

• his breath fanned her skin as he leant towards her.

3. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — brush or drive away with a waving movement

• a veil of smoke which she fanned away with a jewelled hand.

4. [no obj.] — [Baseball] [Ice Hockey] swing unsuccessfully at the ball or puck.

• he had fanned 37 times in 83 at-bats.

5. [Baseball] strike out (a batter).

• Norris fanned nine batters with his screwball.

6. [with obj.] — increase the strength of (a fire) by blowing on it or stirring up the air near it

• fanned by an easterly wind, the fire spread rapidly.

7. cause (a belief or emotion) to become stronger or more widespread

• a fury fanned by press coverage.

8. [no obj.] ( fan out) — disperse or radiate from a central point to cover a wide area

• the arriving passengers began to fan out through the town in search of lodgings.

9. spread out or cause to spread out into a semicircular shape
[no obj.]

• a dress made of tiny pleats that fanned out as she walked

• [with obj.] a wind fanned her hair out behind her.

III. phrases

fan the flames (of something)

cause an emotion such as anger or hatred to become stronger

• instead of being a calming force you fanned the flames of hostility.

IV. derivatives

1. fan-like

adjective

2. fanner /ˈfanə /

noun

– origin Old English fann (as a noun denoting a device for winnowing grain), fannian (verb), from Latin vannus ‘winnowing fan’. Compare with vane.

fan^2 /fan/

I. noun

a person who has a strong interest in or admiration for a particular person or thing

• football fans

• I'm a fan of this author.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally US): abbreviation of fanatic.

Fanakalo /ˌfanaɡaˈlɒ, ˈfanaɡalɒ / Fanagalo

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (S. African) a lingua franca developed and used by the southern African mining companies, composed of frequently corrupted elements of the Nguni languages, English, and Afrikaans.

– origin 1940s: from Nguni fana ka lo, from fana ‘be like’ + the possessive suffix -ka + lo ‘this’.

fanal /ˈfeɪn(ə)l/

I. noun

‹archaic› a lighthouse or beacon for guiding ships.

– origin mid 17th cent.: French, from Italian fanale.

fanatic /fəˈnatɪk/

I. noun

1. a person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for an extreme religious or political cause.

• religious fanatics.

2. ‹informal› a person with an obsessive interest in and enthusiasm for a particular activity

• a fitness fanatic.

II. adjective

filled with or expressing excessive zeal

• his eyes had a fanatic iciness.

III. derivatives

fanaticize /fəˈnatɪsʌɪz / fanaticise

verb

– origin mid 16th cent. (as an adjective): from French fanatique or Latin fanaticus ‘of a temple, inspired by a god’, from fanum ‘temple’. The adjective originally described behaviour that might result from possession by a god or demon, hence the earliest sense of the noun ‘a religious maniac’ (mid 17th cent.).

fanatical /fəˈnatɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. filled with excessive and single-minded zeal

• fanatical revolutionaries.

2. obsessively concerned with something

• her husband was fanatical about tidiness.

II. derivatives

fanatically /fəˈnatɪk(ə)li /

adverb

fanaticism /fəˈnatɪsɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being fanatical

• the dangers of religious fanaticism.

fan base

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fans of a particular well-known person, group, team, etc. considered as a distinct social grouping

• they tried to widen their fan base by flirting with grunge.

fan belt

noun

(in a motor-vehicle engine) a belt that transmits motion from the driveshaft to the radiator fan and the dynamo or alternator.

fanboy ‹informal›

I. noun

a male fan, especially one who is obsessive about comics, music, film, or science fiction.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a male fan) behave in an obsessive or overexcited way

• he fanboyed out meeting his idol on the red carpet.

fanciable /ˈfansiəbl/

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› sexually attractive.

• she was voted best female solo artist and the most fanciable female.

fancier /ˈfansɪə/

noun — [with modifier]

1. a connoisseur or enthusiast of something, especially someone who has a special interest in or breeds a particular animal

• a pigeon fancier.

fanciful /ˈfansɪfʊl, ˈfansɪf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. over-imaginative and unrealistic

• ever more fanciful proposals were raised.

2. existing only in the imagination

• fanciful lunar inhabitants.

3. highly ornamental or imaginative in design

• a fanciful Art Nouveau bar.

II. derivatives

1. fancifully /ˈfansɪfʊli, ˈfansɪf(ə)li /

adverb

2. fancifulness /ˈfansɪˌfʊlnəs, ˈfansɪˌf(ə)lnəs /

noun

fan club

noun

an organized group of fans of a particular well-known person, group, team, etc.

• members of the Justin Bieber fan club.

fancy /ˈfansi/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› feel a desire or liking for

• do you fancy a drink?

2. find sexually attractive.

• I really fancy him.

3. ( fancy oneself) — ‹informal› have an unduly high opinion of oneself, or of one's ability in a particular area

• he fancied himself as an amateur psychologist.

4. (Brit.) regard (a horse, team, or player) as a likely winner
[with obj. and infinitive]

• I fancy him to win the tournament.

5. [with clause] — imagine; think

• he fancied he could smell the perfume of roses.

6. [in imperative] — (chiefly Brit.) used to express surprise at something

• fancy meeting all those television actors!

II. adjective

1. elaborate in structure or decoration

• the furniture was very fancy

• a fancy computerized system.

2. sophisticated or expensive in a way that is intended to impress

• fancy hotels and restaurants.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) (especially of foodstuffs) of high quality

• fancy molasses.

4. (of a flower) of two or more colours.

• all pelargoniums, from scented-leaf species to fancy hybrids, thrive in hot sunshine.

5. (of an animal) bred to develop particular points of appearance

• fancy goldfish.

6. ‹archaic› (of a drawing, painting, or sculpture) created from the imagination rather than from life.

• I used to take a seat and busy myself in sketching fancy vignettes.

III. noun

1. a superficial or transient feeling of liking or attraction

• this was no passing fancy, but a feeling he would live by.

2. ‹dated› a person or thing that one finds attractive

• people jostled to ride alongside their fancy.

3. a favourite in a race or other sporting contest

• the filly is already a leading fancy for next year's races.

4. ( the fancy) — ‹dated› enthusiasts for a sport, especially boxing or racing, considered collectively.

• pony carts went round the racecourse loaded with the fancy.

5. [ mass noun] — the faculty of imagination

• he is prone to flights of fancy.

6. [ count noun] — an unfounded or tentative belief or idea

• I've a fancy they want to be alone.

7. (also fancy cake) — (Brit.) a small iced cake.

• chocolate fancies.

8. (in 16th and 17th century music) a composition for keyboard or strings in free or variation form.

IV. phrases

1. as (or when or where) the fancy takes one

according to one's inclination

• you could move about as the fancy took you.

2. fancy one's (or someone's) chances

believe that one (or someone else) is likely to be successful

• we fancy our chances in the replay.

3. take (or catch) someone's fancy

appeal to someone.

• she'll grab any toy that takes her fancy.

4. take a fancy to

become fond of, especially without an obvious reason.

• she took a fancy to me.

V. derivatives

1. fancily /ˈfansɪli /

adverb

2. fanciness

noun

– origin late Middle English: contraction of fantasy.

fancy dress

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an unusual or amusing costume worn to a social event to make someone look like, for example, a famous person or well-known fictional character.

• schoolchildren were in the procession in fancy dress.

• [as modifier] a fancy dress competition.

fancy footwork

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› skilful movement of one's feet, especially in dancing or sport

• they performed foxtrots with fancy footwork and great panache.

fancy-free

adjective

not emotionally involved with or committed to anyone

• her recent divorce meant that she was footloose and fancy-free.

fancy goods

plural noun

items for sale that are purely or chiefly ornamental.

fancy man

noun

1. ‹informal› ‹often derogatory› a woman's lover.

• it's not right she should be flouncing around with her fancy man.

2. ‹archaic› a pimp.

fancy-pants

adjective

‹informal› superior or high-class in a pretentious way

• a fancy-pants restaurant.

fancy woman ‹Brit.› fancy piece

noun

‹informal› ‹often derogatory› a man's lover.

• it's common knowledge about John and his fancy women.

fancywork /ˈfansɪwəːk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ornamental needlework, crochet, or knitting, as opposed to plain or purely functional stitches.

fan dance

noun

a dance in which the female performer is apparently nude and remains partly concealed throughout by large fans.

fandangle /fanˈdaŋɡ(ə)l/

I. noun

‹archaic› a useless or purely ornamental thing

• a solo with no end of shakes and trills and fandangles.

– origin mid 19th cent.: perhaps from fandango, influenced by newfangle.

fandango /fanˈdaŋɡəʊ/

I. noun

1. a lively Spanish dance for two people, typically accompanied by castanets or tambourine.

2. an elaborate or complicated process or activity

• the Washington inaugural fandango.

– origin mid 18th cent.: Spanish, of unknown origin.

fandom /ˈfandəm/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the state or condition of being a fan of someone or something

• my 17 years of sports fandom

• an extensive questionnaire determined levels of Harry Potter fandom on a scale of one to five.

2. [ count noun] — the fans of a particular person, team, fictional series, etc. regarded collectively as a community or subculture

• the Breaking Bad fandom

• of course, every fandom has its extreme members.

– origin late 19th cent.: from fan^2 + -dom.

fane /feɪn/

I. noun

‹archaic› a temple or shrine.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin fanum.

fanfare /ˈfanfɛː/

I. noun

1. a short ceremonial tune or flourish played on brass instruments, typically to introduce something or someone important.

• a specially composed fanfare announced the arrival of the Duchess.

2. [ mass noun] — media attention or elaborate ceremony

• the studio released this film with great fanfare but no commercial success.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, ultimately of imitative origin.

fanfaronade /ˌfanfarəˈneɪd, ˌfanfarəˈnɑːd/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — arrogant or boastful talk.

• he almost smiled at this fanfaronade—the idea was ludicrous.

2. a fanfare.

• ‹figurative› a fanfaronade of media attention.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French fanfaronnade, from fanfaron ‘braggart’, from fanfare (see fanfare).

fanfic

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. short for fan fiction.

– origin 1970sː abbreviation.

fan fiction

noun — [ mass noun]

1. fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from, a particular TV series, film, etc.

fang^1 /faŋ/

I. noun

1. a large sharp tooth, especially a canine tooth of a dog or wolf.

• the dog was bounding towards him, its fangs bared.

2. the tooth of a venomous snake, by which poison is injected.

• the snake buries its fangs in its victim's neck.

3. the biting mouthpart of a spider.

• the spider kills its victims with venomous fangs.

II. derivatives

1. fanged /ˈfaŋd /

adjective

2. fangless

adjective

– origin late Old English (denoting booty or spoils), from Old Norse fang ‘capture, grasp’; compare with vang. A sense ‘trap, snare’ is recorded from the mid 16th cent.; both this and the original sense survive in Scots. The current sense (also mid 16th cent.) reflects the same notion of ‘something that catches and holds’.

fang^2 /faŋ / ‹Austral. informal›

I. verb

drive at high speed
[no obj.]

• let's fang up to the beach!

II. noun

a high-speed drive in a car.

– origin 1960s: from the name of J. M. Fangio (see Fangio, Juan Manuel).

Fang /faŋ / Fan

I. noun

1. a member of a people inhabiting parts of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.

2. [ mass noun] — the Bantu language of the Fang, with over 500,000 speakers.

II. adjective

relating to the Fang or their language.

– origin French, probably from Fang Pangwe.

Fangio, Juan Manuel /ˈfandʒɪəʊ/

(1911–95), Argentinian motor-racing driver. He first won the world championship in 1951 and then held the title from 1954 until 1957.

fangirl ‹informal›

I. noun

a female fan, especially one who is obsessive about comics, film, music, or science fiction.

• your average fangirl, despite the implication of the name, is a grown-up.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a female fan) behave in an obsessive or overexcited way

• I'm still fangirling over this casting.

fango /ˈfaŋɡəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [usu. as modifier]

1. mud from thermal springs in Italy, used in curative treatment at spas and health farms

• fango mud baths.

– origin early 20th cent.: Italian, literally ‘mud’.

fan heater

noun

an electric heater in which a fan drives air over a hot element and back into the room.

fan jet

noun

another term for turbofan.

fankle /ˈfaŋk(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Scottish) entangle

• the tape got fankled in the motorbike's front wheels.

– origin late Middle English: from Scots fank ‘coil of rope’ + -le^4.

fan letter

noun

a letter sent to a famous person from one of their fans

• as a teenager I wrote him a fan letter.

fanlight /ˈfanlʌɪt/

noun

1. a small semicircular or rectangular window over a door or another window.

2. another term for skylight.

fan magazine

noun

another term for fanzine:

• he began working for film studios and fan magazines, photographing the stars.

fan mail

noun

letters sent to a famous person from their fans.

Fannie Mae /fani ˈmeɪ / ‹informal›

I. the Federal National Mortgage Association, a US corporation that trades in mortgages.

– origin 1940s: elaboration of the acronym FNMA, suggested by the given names Fanny and Mae. Compare with Freddie Mac.

fanny /ˈfani/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› a woman's genitals.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person's buttocks.

II. verb — [no obj.] ( fanny about (or around))

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› mess around and waste time.

• they were fannying about in the street.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

Fanny Adams /fanɪˈadəmz/

I. noun

1. (also sweet Fanny Adams) — (Brit.) ‹informal› nothing at all

• I know sweet Fanny Adams about mining.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a nautical term for tinned meat or stew.

– origin late 19th cent. (in sense 2): black humour, from the name of a murder victim c. 1870. Sense 1 dates from the early 20th cent., and is sometimes understood as a euphemism for fuck all.

fanny pack

noun

North American term for bumbag.

fan oven fan-assisted oven

noun

(Brit.) an oven with a fan inside that circulates hot air so that the food cooks more evenly and more quickly

• preheat the oven to 200°C (fan oven 180°C).

fan palm

noun

a palm with large lobed fan-shaped leaves.
● Chamaerops and other genera, family Palmae: many species, including the dwarf fan palm ( C. humilis), which is the only palm native to Europe.

fan-shaped

adjective

having the shape of an open fan, like a segment of a circle

• a tall-growing palm with fan-shaped leaves.

fantabulous /fanˈtabjʊləs/

I. adjective

‹informal› excellent; wonderful

• a fantabulous prize.

– origin 1950s: blend of fantastic and fabulous.

fantail /ˈfanteɪl/

I. noun

1. a fan-shaped tail or end.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) the overhanging part of the stern of a boat, especially a warship.

• the skipper assigned me to duty on the fantail.

3. (also fantail pigeon) — a domestic pigeon of a broad-tailed variety.

4. (also fantail flycatcher) — a flycatcher with a long tapering tail that is often fanned out, found mainly in SE Asia and Australasia.
●Genus Rhipidura, family Monarchidae: numerous species.

II. derivatives

fan-tailed

adjective

fan-tailed warbler fantail warbler

noun

a small Old World warbler with streaked plumage and a stubby boldly marked tail.
●Genus Cisticola, family Sylviidae: several species, in particular C. juncidis, found from western Europe to Australia. See also cisticola.

fan-tan /ˈfantan/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Chinese gambling game in which players try to guess the remainder after the banker has divided a number of hidden objects into four groups.

2. a card game in which players build on sequences of sevens.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Chinese fān tān, literally ‘repeated divisions’.

fantasia /fanˈteɪzɪə, ˌfantəˈziːə/

I. noun

1. a musical composition with a free form and often an improvisatory style.

2. a musical composition based on several familiar tunes.

3. a thing composed of a mixture of different forms or styles

• the theatre is a kind of Moorish and Egyptian fantasia.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Italian, ‘fantasy’, from Latin phantasia (see fantasy).

fantasist /ˈfantəsɪst/

noun

a person who imagines or dreams about something desired

• a serial liar and fantasist who had boasted of many affairs

• a fantasist with delusions of grandeur.

fantasize /ˈfantəsʌɪz / fantasise

verb — [no obj.]

1. indulge in daydreaming about something desired

• he sometimes fantasized about emigrating.

2. [with obj.] — imagine (something that one wants to happen)

• one might fantasize the death of someone seen as a threat.

fantasizer /ˈfantəsʌɪzə / fantasiser

noun

a person who indulges in daydreaming or fantasizing

• some fantasizers superimpose their daydreams on to their daily tasks.

fantast /ˈfantast / phantast

I. noun

‹archaic› (N. Amer.) an impractical, impulsive person; a dreamer.

• the accusation was passed to the national press from the mouths of liars and fantasts.

– origin late 16th cent. (formerly also as phantast): originally via medieval Latin from Greek phantastēs ‘boaster’, from phantazein or phantazesthai (see fantastic); in modern use from German Phantast.

fantastic /fanˈtastɪk/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› extraordinarily good or attractive

• they did a fantastic job

• your support has been fantastic.

2. of an extraordinary size or degree

• she had spent a fantastic amount of cash.

3. imaginative or fanciful; remote from reality

• fantastic hybrid creatures.

4. (of an object) seeming more appropriate to the imagination than to reality; strange or exotic

• a fantastic, maze-like building.

II. derivatives

1. fantastical /fanˈtastɪk(ə)l /

adjective

fantastic (sense 2)

2. fantasticality

noun

fantastic (sense 2)

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘unreal’): from Old French fantastique, via medieval Latin from Greek phantastikos, from phantazein ‘make visible’, phantazesthai ‘have visions, imagine’, from phantos ‘visible’ (related to phainein ‘to show’). From the 16th to the 19th cents the Latinized spelling phantastic was also used.

fantastically /fanˈtastɪkli/

adverb

1. ‹informal› extraordinarily well

• every single player performed fantastically.

2. to an extraordinary degree

• his power was increasing fantastically

• [as submodifier] a fantastically expensive gift.

3. in a strange or exotic way

• the whole show was fantastically twisted.

fantasticate

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› make (something) seem fanciful or fantastic.

• I do not think I have fantasticated these accounts.

II. derivatives

fantastication

noun

fantasy /ˈfantəsi, ˈfantəzi/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the faculty or activity of imagining impossible or improbable things

• his researches had moved into the realms of fantasy.

• [as modifier] a fantasy world.

2. [ count noun] — a fanciful mental image, typically one on which a person often dwells and which reflects their conscious or unconscious wishes

• the notion of being independent is a child's ultimate fantasy.

3. [ count noun] — an idea with no basis in reality

• it is a misleading fantasy to suggest that the bill can be implemented.

4. a genre of imaginative fiction involving magic and adventure, especially in a setting other than the real world.

5. [Music] a fantasia.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹literary› imagine the occurrence of; fantasize about.

• it is ludicrous to fantasy ‘disinventing’ the hydrogen bomb.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French fantasie, from Latin phantasia, from Greek ‘imagination, appearance’, later ‘phantom’, from phantazein ‘make visible’. From the 16th to the 19th cents the Latinized spelling phantasy was also used.

fantasy football

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a competition in which participants select imaginary teams from among the players in a league and score points according to the actual performance of their players.

fantasy land

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a place that is unreal or imaginary or that excites wonder

• I live in the real world, not fantasy land

• [in sing.] you step out of the realm of reality and enter a fantasy land.

• living in a fantasy land of endless prosperity and happiness.

• [as modifier] the restaurant is famous for its fantasy-land decor of twinkling lights and glitzy mirrors.

Fante /ˈfanti / Fanti

I. noun

1. a member of a people of southern Ghana.

2. [ mass noun] — the dialect of Akan spoken by the Fante.

II. adjective

relating to the Fante or their language.

– origin the name in Akan.

fantod /ˈfantɒd/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a state or attack of uneasiness or unreasonableness

• people calling me Ray just gives me the fantods.

– origin mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

fan worm

noun

a tube-dwelling marine bristle worm which bears a fan-like crown of filaments that are typically brightly coloured and project from the top of the tube, filtering the water for food particles.
●Families Sabellidae and Serpulidae, class Polychaeta: numerous species, including the peacock worm.

fanzine /ˈfanziːn/

I. noun

a magazine, usually produced by amateurs, for fans of a particular performer, group, or form of entertainment.
[with modifier]

• a football fanzine.

– origin 1940s (originally US): blend of fan^2 and magazine.

FAO

abbreviation

1. Food and Agriculture Organization.

2. for the attention of.

fap /fap/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹vulgar slang› (of a man) masturbate.

II. derivatives

fapper

noun

– origin 1990s: imitative.

FAQ /ɛfeɪˈkjuː/

I. noun

a list of questions and answers relating to a particular subject, especially one giving basic information for users of a website.

– origin 1990s: acronym from frequently asked questions.

far /fɑː/

I. adverb

1. [often with adverbial] — at, to, or by a great distance (used to indicate the extent to which one thing is distant from another)

• the house was not too far away

• the mountains far in the distance glowed in the sun.

2. over a large expanse of space or time

• he had not travelled far

• ‹figurative› that's why we have come so far and done as well as we have.

3. by a great deal

• he is able to function far better than usual.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. situated at a great distance in space or time

• the far reaches of the universe.

2. more distant than another object of the same kind

• he was standing in the far corner.

3. distant from a point seen as central; extreme

• the far north of Scotland

• the success of the far Right.

III. phrases

1. as far as

a. for as great a distance as

• the river stretched away as far as he could see.

b. for a great enough distance to reach

• I decided to walk as far as the village.

c. to the extent that

• as far as I am concerned it is no big deal.

2. be a far cry from

be very different to

• he is a far cry from the telegenic legislators who increasingly prowl Capitol Hill.

3. by far

by a great amount

• this was by far the largest city in the area.

4. far and away

by a very large amount

• he is far and away the most accomplished player.

5. far and near

everywhere.

• people came from far and near to the party.

6. far and wide

over a large area.

• expanding industry sucked in labour from far and wide.

7. far be it from (or for) me to

used to express reluctance to do something which one thinks may be resented

• far be it from me to speculate on his reasons.

8. far from

tending to the opposite of what is expected

• conditions were far from satisfactory.

9. far gone

a. in a bad or worsening state

• a few frames from the original film were too far gone to salvage.

b. ‹informal› very intoxicated or ill.

• everyone was far gone by now.

c. advanced in time

• when he awoke the day was far gone.

10. far off /fɑː(r) ˈɒf /

remote in time or space

• a far-off country.

• shared memories of those far-off days.

11. go far

a. achieve a great deal

• everyone was sure he would go far.

b. be worth or amount to much

• the money would not go far at this year's prices.

12. go so far as to do something

do something regarded as extreme

• surely they wouldn't go so far as to break in?

13. go too far

exceed the limits of what is reasonable or acceptable.

• she's been causing trouble—one of these days she'll go too far.

14. how far

a. used to ask how great a distance is

• they wanted to know how far he could travel.

b. to what extent

• he was not sure how far she was committed.

15. so far

a. to a certain limited extent

• jabs and pills can protect you only so far.

b. (of a trend that seems likely to continue) up to this time

• diplomatic activity so far has failed.

16. (in) so far as (or that)

to the extent that

• the play was a great success so far as attendance was concerned.

17. so far so good

progress has been satisfactory up to now.

• ‘How's the job going?’ ‘So far so good.’.

18. a —— too far

a —— regarded as being one step or stage beyond what is safe, sensible, or desirable

• the statement appears to be a claim too far.

– origin Old English feorr, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch ver, from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit para and Greek pera ‘further’.

farad /ˈfarad / F

I. noun

the SI unit of electrical capacitance, equal to the capacitance of a capacitor in which one coulomb of charge causes a potential difference of one volt.

– origin mid 19th cent.: shortening of faraday. The term was originally proposed as a unit of electrical charge.

faradaic /ˌfarəˈdeɪɪk / faradic

I. adjective

produced by or associated with electrical induction.

– origin late 19th cent.: from the name of Michael Faraday, Michael + -ic.

faraday /ˈfarədeɪ / F

I. noun

[Chemistry] a unit of electric charge equal to Faraday's constant.

– origin early 20th cent.: coined in German from the name of Faraday, Michael.

Faraday, Michael /ˈfarədeɪ/

(1791–1867), English physicist and chemist. He contributed significantly to the field of electromagnetism, discovering electromagnetic induction and demonstrating electromagnetic rotation (the key to the electric dynamo and motor). Faraday also discovered the laws of electrolysis and set the foundations for the classical field theory of electromagnetic behaviour.

Faraday cage

noun

[Physics] an earthed metal screen surrounding a piece of equipment to exclude electrostatic and electromagnetic influences.

Faraday effect

noun

[Physics] the rotation of the plane of polarization of electromagnetic waves in certain substances in a magnetic field.

Faraday's constant

noun

[Chemistry] the quantity of electric charge carried by one mole of electrons (equal to roughly 96,490 coulombs).
Compare with faraday.

Faraday's law

noun

1. [Physics] a law stating that when the magnetic flux linking a circuit changes, an electromotive force is induced in the circuit proportional to the rate of change of the flux linkage.

2. [Chemistry] a law stating that the amount of any substance deposited or liberated during electrolysis is proportional to the quantity of electric charge passed and to the equivalent weight of the substance.

faradic /fəˈradɪk/

adjective

another term for faradaic.

Farah, Mo /ˈfarə/

(b.1983), British long-distance runner, born in Somalia; full name Mohamed Farah. He won the Olympic gold medal for both the 5,000 metres and the 10,000 metres in 2012.

farandole /ˌfar(ə)nˈdəʊl, ˈfar(ə)ndəʊl/

I. noun

‹historical› a lively Provençal dance in which the dancers join hands and wind in and out in a chain.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from modern Provençal farandoulo.

farang /faˈraŋ/

I. noun

(among Thais) a European or other foreigner.

– origin Thai, from frank^2.

faraway /ˈfɑːrəweɪ, fɑːrəˈweɪ/

adjective

1. distant in space or time

• exotic and faraway locations.

2. seeming remote from one's immediate surroundings

• she had a faraway look in her eyes.

farce /fɑːs/

I. noun

1. a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations.

• he toured the backwoods in second-rate farces.

2. [ mass noun] — the dramatic genre represented by farces.

• the choreographed confusion of real farce.

3. an event or situation that is absurd or disorganized

• the debate turned into a drunken farce.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French, literally ‘stuffing’, from farcir ‘to stuff’, from Latin farcire. An earlier sense of ‘forcemeat stuffing’ became used metaphorically for comic interludes ‘stuffed’ into the texts of religious plays, which led to the current usage.

farceur /fɑːˈsəː/

I. noun

1. a writer of or performer in farces.

2. a comedian.

• the show unearthed a generation of gifted farceurs and mimics.

– origin late 17th cent.: French, from obsolete farcer ‘act farces’.

farcical /ˈfɑːsɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

relating to or resembling farce, especially because of absurd or ridiculous aspects

• he considered the whole idea farcical

• a farcical situation.

II. derivatives

1. farcicality /fɑːsɪˈkalɪti /

noun

2. farcically /ˈfɑːsɪk(ə)li /

adverb

farcy /ˈfɑːsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. glanders in horses (or a similar disease in cattle) in which there is inflammation of the lymph vessels, causing nodules ( farcy buds or buttons).

– origin late Middle English: from Old French farcin, from late Latin farciminum, from farcire ‘to stuff’ (because of the appearance of the swollen nodules).

fardel /ˈfɑːd(ə)l/

I. noun

‹archaic› a bundle or collection

• a fardel of stories, personages, emotions.

– origin Middle English: from Old French.

far-distant

adjective

remote in time or space

• this won't be possible until some time in the far-distant future

• travel to far-distant lands.

fare /fɛː/

I. noun

1. the money paid for a journey on public transport.

• we should go to Seville, but we cannot afford the air fare.

2. a passenger paying to travel in a taxi.

• the taxi driver was anxious to pick up a fare.

3. [ mass noun] — a range of food of a particular type

• traditional Scottish fare.

4. something offered to the public, typically as a form of entertainment

• those expecting conventional Hollywood fare will be disappointed.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. [with adverbial] — perform in a specified way in a particular situation or over a particular period

• the party fared badly in the elections.

2. ‹archaic› happen; turn out

• beware that it fare not with you as with your predecessor.

3. [with adverbial of direction] — ‹archaic› travel

• a knight fares forth.

– origin Old English fær, faru ‘travelling, a journey or expedition’, faran ‘to travel’, also ‘get on (well or badly’), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch varen and German fahren ‘to travel’, Old Norse ferja ‘ferry boat’, also to ford. Sense 1 of the noun stems from an earlier meaning ‘a journey for which a price is paid’. Noun sense 2 was originally used with reference to the quality or quantity of food provided, probably from the idea of faring well or badly.

Far East

China, Japan, and other countries of east Asia.

Far Eastern

adjective

relating to or characteristic of the Far East or its inhabitants

• Far Eastern languages and cultures.

fare dodger

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a person who travels on public transport without paying the required fare

• the train companies are cracking down on fare dodgers.

fare-dodging

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› the action or practice of travelling on public transport without paying the required fare

• there were posters on the bus about fare dodging and I began to get a guilty conscience.

fare-paying

adjective

(of a passenger) paying a fare for a journey, especially on public transport

• the first tilting train carrying fare-paying passengers has travelled to Manchester.

fare stage

noun

(Brit.) a section of a bus or tram route for which a fixed price is charged.

fare-thee-well fare-you-well

noun — (in phrase to a fare-thee-well)

1. (US) to perfection; thoroughly

• coated in aspic and decorated to a fare-thee-well.

farewell /fɛːˈwɛl/

I. exclamation

used to express good wishes on parting.

• Farewell Albert!

II. noun

1. an act of parting or of marking someone's departure

• the dinner had been arranged as a farewell.

2. [ mass noun] — parting good wishes

• he had come on the pretext of bidding her farewell.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Austral./NZ) mark the departure or retirement of (someone) with a ceremony or party.

– origin late Middle English: from the imperative of fare + the adverb well^1.

Farewell, Cape

I. the southernmost point of Greenland.
Danish name Kap Farvel.

II. the northernmost point of the South Island, New Zealand. The cape was named by Captain James Cook as the last land sighted before he left for Australia in March 1770.

farfalle /fɑːˈfaleɪ, fɑːˈfali/

I. plural noun

small pieces of pasta shaped like bows or butterflies' wings.

– origin Italian, plural of farfalla ‘butterfly’.

far-fetched /ˌfɑːˈfɛtʃt/

adjective

unlikely and unconvincing; implausible

• the theory sounded bizarre and far-fetched.

far-flung

adjective

1. distant or remote

• the far-flung corners of the world.

2. widely distributed

• newsletters provided an important link to a far-flung membership.

Fargo, William

see Wells, Fargo & Co.

Faridabad /fəˈriːdəbad/

an industrial city in northern India, south of Delhi, in the state of Haryana; pop. 1,464,100 (est. 2009).

farina /fəˈrʌɪnə, fəˈriːnə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. flour or meal made of cereal grains, nuts, or starchy roots.

2. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› a powdery substance.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, from far ‘corn’.

farinaceous /ˌfarɪˈneɪʃəs/

I. adjective

consisting of or containing starch.

• farinaceous foods.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from late Latin farinaceus, from farina.

farkleberry /ˈfɑːk(ə)lˌb(ə)ri, ˈfɑːk(ə)lˌbɛri/

I. noun

a shrub or small tree with thick leathery leaves and inedible black berries, native to the south-eastern US.
● Vaccinium arboreum, family Ericaceae.

– origin mid 18th cent.: probably an alteration of whortleberry.

farl /fɑːl/

I. noun

a bread roll of Scottish origin made of oatmeal or flour, typically triangular in shape.

– origin late 17th cent.: from obsolete fardel ‘quarter’, contraction of fourth deal (i.e. deal^1 in the earlier sense ‘portion, share’).

farm /fɑːm/

I. noun

1. an area of land and its buildings, used for growing crops and rearing animals.

• a farm of 100 acres.

• [as modifier] farm workers.

2. a farmhouse

• a half-timbered farm.

3. [with modifier] — a place for breeding a particular type of animal or producing a specified crop

• a fish farm.

4. [with modifier] — a place devoted to producing or promoting something

• an energy farm.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — make one's living by growing crops or keeping livestock

• he has farmed organically for years.

2. [with obj.] — use (land) for growing crops and rearing animals.

• marshes are being drained in order to farm the land.

3. [with obj.] — breed or grow (a type of livestock or crop) commercially

• ostriches are farmed in South Africa and Australia

• (as adj. farmed) farmed salmon.

4. [with obj.] ( farm someone/thing out) — send out or subcontract work to others

• it saves time and money to farm out some writing work to specialized companies.

5. arrange for a child to be looked after by someone, usually for payment.

• the babies are farmed out for five years.

6. ‹dated› send a sports player temporarily to another team in return for a fee.

• he was farmed out in 1938 and '39 and came back for two games in 1940.

7. [with obj.] — ‹historical› allow someone to collect and keep the revenues from (a tax) on payment of a fee.

• the customs had been farmed to the collector for a fixed sum.

III. phrases

1. buy back the farm

(Austral./NZ) retrieve the capital assets of a country from foreign ownership

• a government guarantee that in some areas we will buy back the farm.

2. from farm to fork (or table)

a. used to refer to the various processes in the food chain from agricultural production to consumption

• a catering industry initiative that allows certified traceability of fresh meat and eggs from farm to fork

• [as modifier] each of these countries has farm-to-fork legislation.

b. (chiefly US) used to refer to locally grown or produced food
[as modifier]

• in San Francisco, farm-to-fork eating is a year-round affair.

3. sell off the farm

(Austral./NZ) sell the capital assets of a country to foreign interests

• the government is happy to keep selling off the farm.

IV. derivatives

farmable /ˈfɑːməb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French ferme, from medieval Latin firma ‘fixed payment’, from Latin firmare ‘fix, settle’ (in medieval Latin ‘contract for’), from firmus ‘constant, firm’; compare with firm^2. The noun originally denoted a fixed annual amount payable as rent or tax; this is reflected in sense 3 of the verb, which later gave rise to ‘to subcontract’ (sense 2 of the verb). The noun came to denote a lease, and, in the early 16th cent., land leased for farming. The verb sense ‘grow crops or keep livestock’ dates from the early 19th cent.

farman

noun

another term for firman.

farmer /ˈfɑːmə/

I. noun

1. a person who owns or manages a farm.

2. ‹historical› a person to whom the collection of taxes was contracted for a fee.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French fermier, from medieval Latin firmarius, firmator, from firma (see farm). Sense 1 originally denoted a bailiff or steward who farmed land on the owner's behalf, or a tenant farmer.

farmer's lung

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of pneumonitis caused by an allergic reaction to spores in mouldy hay.

farmers' market

noun

a market where local farmers and growers sell their produce directly to the public.

farmhand /ˈfɑːmhand/

noun

a worker on a farm.

farmhouse /ˈfɑːmhaʊs/

noun

a house attached to a farm, especially the main house in which the farmer lives.
[as modifier]

• a farmhouse kitchen.

farmhouse loaf

noun

a loaf of white bread, oval or rectangular in shape, with a rounded top.

farming /ˈfɑːmɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity or business of growing crops and raising livestock.

• land was enclosed for arable farming.

• [with modifier] sheep farming.

farm labourer ‹US› farm laborer

noun

a person doing unskilled manual work on a farm

• he began his working life as a farm labourer.

farmland /ˈfɑːmland/

noun — [ mass noun] (also farmlands)

1. land used for farming.

farm produce

noun — [ mass noun]

1. crops and other agricultural products sold by farmers

• the shop has been selling local farm produce since it opened

• [as modifier] farm produce prices have fallen.

farm shop

noun

(Brit.) a shop which sells produce from a farm directly to the public

• buying from farm shops and farmers' markets helps sustain the rural economy.

farm stay

noun

1. a farm offering accommodation to paying guests

• holiday apartments, farm stays, and B&Bs are found throughout the island.

2. a period spent staying on a farm as a paying guest

• Invergargill is the perfect place to do a farm stay.

farmstead /ˈfɑːmstɛd/

noun

a farm and its buildings.

farm team

noun

(N. Amer.) a minor-league baseball team that provides players as needed to an affiliated major-league team.

farmworker /ˈfɑːmwəːkə/

noun

a person employed to work on a farm.

farmyard /ˈfɑːmjɑːd/

noun

1. a yard surrounded by farm buildings.

2. [as modifier] — denoting coarse speech or behaviour

• he insulted them in farmyard language.

Farnborough /ˈfɑːnbərə/

a town in southern England, in Hampshire; pop. 56,800 (est. 2009). Noted as a centre of aviation, it is the site of an air show held every other year.

Farne Islands /fɑːn/

a group of seventeen small islands off the coast of Northumberland, noted for their wildlife.

Farnese, Alessandro^1 /fɑːˈneɪzeɪ, fɑːˈneɪzi, Italian farˈnese/

see Paul III.

Farnese, Alessandro^2 /fɑːˈneɪzeɪ, fɑːˈneɪzi/

Duke of Parma (1545–92), Italian general and statesman. While in the service of Philip II of Spain he acted as Governor General of the Netherlands (1578–92). He captured Antwerp in 1585, securing the southern Netherlands for Spain.

farness /ˈfɑːnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the condition of being far off; distance or remoteness

• across the Monmouthshire lowlands and into the farness of the mountains.

Far North

the northernmost part of the earth or of a particular country or region

• the great white bear of the Far North.

faro /ˈfɛːrəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a gambling card game in which players bet on the order in which the cards will appear.

– origin early 18th cent. (originally as pharaoh or pharo): from French pharaon (see pharaoh), said to have been the name of the king of hearts.

Faro /ˈfɑːrəʊ/

a seaport on the south coast of Portugal, capital of the Algarve; pop. 58,739 (2007).

Faroe Islands /ˈfɛːrəʊ / Faeroe Islands, the Faroes

a group of islands in the North Atlantic between Iceland and the Shetland Islands, belonging to Denmark but partly autonomous; pop. 48,900 (est. 2009); languages, Faroese (official), Danish; capital, Tórshavn. The shipping forecast area Faroes covers this area of the Atlantic.

Faroese /ˌfɛːrəʊˈiːz / Faeroese

I. adjective

relating to the Faroe Islands or their people or language.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of the Faroes, or a person of Faroese descent.

2. [ mass noun] — the official language of the Faroes, a Scandinavian language closely related to Icelandic.

farouche /fəˈruːʃ/

I. adjective

sullen or shy in company.

• how farouche you are—I refuse to stay and talk to you any longer.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, alteration of Old French forache, based on Latin foras ‘out of doors’.

Farouk /faˈruːk/

(1920–65), king of Egypt, reigned 1936–52. Farouk's defeat in the Arab–Israeli conflict of 1948, together with the general corruption of his reign, led to a military coup in 1952, masterminded by Nasser. Farouk was forced to abdicate in favour of his infant son, Fuad.

far out

adjective

1. unconventional or avant-garde

• a far-out psychic technique.

2. [often as exclamation] — ‹informal› excellent

• it's really far out!

Farquhar, George /ˈfɑːkə/

(1678–1707), Irish dramatist. He was a principal figure in Restoration comedy. Notable works: The Recruiting Officer (1706) and The Beaux' Stratagem (1707).

farrago /fəˈrɑːɡəʊ/

I. noun

a confused mixture

• a farrago of fact and myth about Abraham Lincoln.

II. derivatives

farraginous /fəˈrɑːdʒɪnəs /

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘mixed fodder’, from far ‘corn’.

far-ranging

adjective

having important and widely applicable effects or implications

• a public inquiry would address far-ranging issues

• decisions that had far-ranging consequences

• these new sites are yielding far-ranging benefits for millions of citizens.

far-reaching /ˌfɑːˈriːtʃɪŋ/

adjective

having important and widely applicable effects or implications

• a series of far-reaching political reforms.

Farrell, J. G. /ˈfarəl/

(1935–79), English novelist; full name James Gordon Farrell. Notable works: The Siege of Krishnapur (1973) and The Singapore Grip (1978).

Farrell, J. T. /ˈfarəl/

(1904–79), American novelist; full name James Thomas Farrell. He achieved fame with his trilogy about Studs Lonigan, a young Chicago Catholic of Irish descent, which began with Young Lonigan (1932).

farrier /ˈfarɪə/

I. noun

a smith who shoes horses.

II. derivatives

farriery /ˈfarɪəri /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French ferrier, from Latin ferrarius, from ferrum ‘iron, horseshoe’.

farrow /ˈfarəʊ/

I. noun

1. a litter of pigs.

2. an act of giving birth to a litter of pigs.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (of a sow) give birth to (piglets)

• the pig is one of a litter of nine farrowed in July.

– origin Old English fearh, færh ‘young pig’, of West Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek porkos and Latin porcus ‘pig’.

farruca /fəˈruːkə/

I. noun

a type of flamenco dance.

– origin 1930s: Spanish, feminine of farruco ‘of Galicia or Asturias’, from Farruco, pet form of the given name Francisco.

far-seeing

adjective

having shrewd judgement and an ability to predict and plan for future eventualities.

• when working out your budget, be as precise and far-seeing as possible.

Farsi /ˈfɑːsiː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the modern Persian language, the official language of Iran, with over 20 million speakers.
[as modifier]

• a Farsi expression.

– origin from Arabic fārsī, from Fārs, from Persian Pārs ‘Persia’. Compare with Parsee.

far-sighted /ˌfɑːˈsʌɪtɪd/

I. adjective

1. showing a prudent awareness of future possibilities

• far-sighted ideas on education.

2. (N. Amer.) long-sighted.

II. derivatives

1. far-sightedly

adverb

2. far-sightedness /ˌfɑːˈsʌɪtɪdnəs /

noun

Far South

the southernmost part of the earth or of a particular country or region

• the balmy warmth of the late winter in the Far South.

fart /fɑːt / ‹informal›

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. emit wind from the anus.

2. ( fart around (or also fart about)) — waste time on silly or trivial things.

II. noun

1. an emission of wind from the anus.

2. a boring or contemptible person

• he was such an old fart.

– origin Old English (recorded in the verbal noun feorting ‘farting’) of Germanic origin; related to German farzen, furzen.

farter /ˈfa:tə/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a person who breaks wind

• I could have put up with a snorer or a farter.

2. ‹informal› (Austral.) a bed or a sleeping bag

• he much prefers to be out of bed, rather than being in the farter where he belongs.

II. phrases

hit the farter

(Austral.) ‹informal› go to sleep

• I must hit the farter earlier.

farthermost /ˈfɑːðəməʊst/

adjective

variant form of furthermost.

farthest /ˈfɑːðɪst/

adjective, adverb

variant form of furthest.

farthing /ˈfɑːðɪŋ/

I. noun

1. a former monetary unit and coin of the UK, withdrawn in 1961, equal to a quarter of an old penny.

2. [usu. with negative] — the least possible amount

• she didn't care a farthing for the woman.

– origin Old English fēorthing, from fēortha ‘fourth’, perhaps on the pattern of Old Norse fjórthungr ‘quarter’.

farthingale /ˈfɑːðɪŋɡeɪl/

I. noun

‹historical› a hooped petticoat or circular pad of fabric around the hips, formerly worn under women's skirts to extend and shape them.

– origin early 16th cent. (formerly also as vardingale): from French verdugale, alteration of Spanish verdugado, from verdugo ‘rod, stick’, from verde ‘green’.

fartlek /ˈfɑːtlɛk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Athletics] a system of training for distance runners in which the terrain and pace are continually varied.

– origin 1940s: from Swedish, from fart ‘speed’ + lek ‘play’.

fart sack

noun

(N. Amer.) (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a bed or a sleeping bag

• get out of the fart sack, the coffee is on

• I stretched my fart sack out on the dirt floor.

Far West

I. the regions of North America in the Rocky Mountains and along the Pacific coast.

II. former term for Midwest.

FAS

abbreviation

fetal alcohol syndrome.

fasces /ˈfasiːz/

I. plural noun

‹historical› a bundle of rods with a projecting axe blade, carried by a lictor in ancient Rome as a symbol of a magistrate's power, and used as an emblem of authority in Fascist Italy.

– origin Latin, plural of fascis ‘bundle’.

fascia /ˈfeɪʃɪə, ˈfeɪʃə / ‹chiefly Brit.› facia

I. noun

1. a board or other flat piece of material covering the ends of rafters or other fittings.

• a further piece of chipboard acts as a fascia to disguise the ceiling fixtures.

2. (Brit.) a signboard on the upper part of a shopfront showing the name of the shop.

• the use of consistent graphics on shop fascias.

3. (in classical architecture) a long flat surface between mouldings on an architrave.

4. (Brit.) the dashboard of a motor vehicle.

• the interior boasts a Mercedes-like fascia.

5. a board or panel of controls on any piece of equipment.

6. ( pl. fasciae) /ˈfaʃə/ — [Anatomy] a thin sheath of fibrous tissue enclosing a muscle or other organ.

• the diagnosis of Dupuytren's contracture is usually very easy because the palmar fascia is obviously thickened.

7. a covering, typically a detachable one, for the front part of a mobile phone.

II. derivatives

fascial

adjective

fascia (sense 3)

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘band, door frame’, related to fasces. Compare with fess^1.

fasciated /ˈfaʃɪeɪtɪd, ˈfaʃɪətɪd/

I. adjective

[Botany] showing abnormal fusion of parts or organs, resulting in a flattened ribbon-like structure.

II. derivatives

fasciation

noun

– origin mid 18th cent. (in the sense ‘banded’): from Latin fasciatus (past participle of fasciare ‘swathe’, from fascia ‘band’) + -ed^1.

fascicle /ˈfasɪk(ə)l/

I. noun

1. (also fascicule) — a separately published instalment of a book or other printed work.

2. (also fasciculus) ( pl. fasciculi) — [Anatomy] [Biology] a bundle of structures, such as nerve or muscle fibres or conducting vessels in plants.

II. derivatives

1. fascicled

adjective

2. fascicular

adjective

3. fasciculate /faˈsɪkjʊlət /

adjective

– origin late 15th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin fasciculus, diminutive of fascis ‘bundle’.

fasciculation /faˌsɪkjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. [Medicine] a brief spontaneous contraction affecting a small number of muscle fibres, often causing a flicker of movement under the skin.

2. [ mass noun] — [chiefly Biology] arrangement in bundles.

fasciitis /ˌfasɪˈʌɪtɪs, ˌfaʃɪˈʌɪtɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of the fascia of a muscle or organ.

fascinate /ˈfasɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. attract the strong attention and interest of (someone)

• I've always been fascinated by computers

• (as adj. fascinated) a crowd of fascinated onlookers.

2. ‹archaic› (especially of a snake) deprive (prey) of the ability to resist or escape by the power of a gaze.

• the serpent fascinates its prey.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘bewitch’): from Latin fascinat- ‘bewitched’, from the verb fascinare, from fascinum ‘spell, witchcraft’.

fascinating /ˈfasɪneɪtɪŋ/

I. adjective

extremely interesting

• a fascinating book.

II. derivatives

fascinatingly /ˈfasɪneɪtɪŋli /

adverb

fascination /ˌfasɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the power to fascinate someone; the quality of being fascinating

• television has always held a fascination for me.

2. the state of being fascinated

• he had a lifelong fascination with science.

usage: The two senses of fascination each take a different preposition. A person has a fascination with something they are very interested in ( her fascination with the royal family), whereas something interesting holds a fascination for a person ( words have always held a fascination for me). The Oxford English Corpus shows that the distinction is often blurred today, but it should be maintained in careful writing.

fascinator /ˈfasɪneɪtə/

noun

1. a woman's light, decorative headpiece consisting of feathers, flowers, beads, etc. attached to a comb or hair clip.

2. a fascinating person.

fascine /faˈsiːn/

I. noun

a bundle of rods or plastic pipes bound together, used in construction or military operations for filling in marshy ground or other obstacles and for strengthening the sides of embankments, ditches, or trenches.

– origin late 17th cent.: via French from Latin fascina, from fascis ‘bundle’.

fascioliasis /ˌfasɪəˈlʌɪəsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] infestation of a human or an animal with the liver fluke.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Fasciola hepatica, the name of the liver fluke (from Latin fasciola ‘small bandage’) + -iasis.

fascism /ˈfaʃɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization.

2. (in general use) extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practices.

• this is yet another example of health fascism in action.

The term Fascism was first used of the totalitarian right-wing nationalist regime of Mussolini in Italy (1922–43); the regimes of the Nazis in Germany and Franco in Spain were also Fascist. Fascism tends to include a belief in the supremacy of one national or ethnic group, a contempt for democracy, an insistence on obedience to a powerful leader, and a strong demagogic approach.

– origin 1920s: from Italian fascismo, from fascio ‘bundle, political group’, from Latin fascis (see fasces).

fascist /ˈfaʃɪst/

I. noun

1. an advocate or follower of the political philosophy or system of fascism

• he went to Spain to fight against the fascists

• Eastern European fascists could win power only with support from the Nazis.

2. a person who is extremely right-wing or authoritarian

• fascists made death threats against immigrants and asylum seekers.

3. a person who is very intolerant or domineering in a particular area

• I'm a bit of a spelling fascist, but still have blind spots over words like ‘privilege’ or ‘separate’

• if I were being a culinary fascist, I would possibly moan about the overdone cooked tomatoes.

II. adjective

of or relating to fascism

• a military coup threw out the old fascist regime.

– origin early 20th cent.: Italian fascista, from fascio (see fascism).

fascistic /fəˈʃɪstɪk/

adjective

having or relating to extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practices

• religious nationalism can lead to fascistic tendencies

• the party's most overtly fascistic elements.

fash /faʃ/

I. verb — ( fash oneself)

1. (Scottish) feel upset or worried

• she'll be coming soon, don't fash yourself.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from early modern French fascher, based on Latin fastus ‘disdain, scornful contempt’.

fashion /ˈfaʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a popular or the latest style of clothing, hair, decoration, or behaviour

• the latest Parisian fashions.

2. [ mass noun] — the production and marketing of new styles of clothing and cosmetics
[as modifier]

• a fashion magazine.

3. a manner of doing something

• the work is done in a rather casual fashion.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make into a particular form

• the bottles were fashioned from green glass.

2. ( fashion something into) — use materials to produce (something)

• the skins were fashioned into boots and shoes.

III. phrases

1. after a fashion

to a certain extent but not perfectly

• he could read after a fashion.

2. after (or in) the fashion of

in a manner similar to

• she took servants for granted after the fashion of wealthy girls.

3. in (or out of) fashion

popular (or unpopular) and considered (or not considered) to be smart at the time in question.

• the Sixties look is back in fashion.

• extreme designs go out of fashion as quickly as they come in.

IV. derivatives

fashioner

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘make, shape, appearance’, also ‘a particular make or style’): from Old French façon, from Latin factio(n-), from facere ‘do, make’.

-fashion /ˈfaʃ(ə)n/

combining form

1. in the manner of something specified

• the masts extend concertina-fashion.

2. in the style associated with a specified place or people

• American-fashion.

fashionable /ˈfaʃ(ə)nəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. characteristic of, influenced by, or representing a current popular style

• fashionable clothes.

2. (of a person) dressing or behaving according to the current trend.

• they risked being scoffed at by their more fashionable friends.

3. (of a place) frequented by fashionable people

• a fashionable Manhattan restaurant.

II. derivatives

1. fashionability

noun

2. fashionableness /ˈfaʃ(ə)nəb(ə)lnəs /

noun

fashionably /ˈfaʃ(ə)nəbli/

I. adverb

in a manner characteristic of, influenced by, or representing a current popular style or trend

• an elegant and fashionably dressed woman

• fashionably refurbished flats.

II. phrases

fashionably late

deliberately arriving after an event has started, especially in order to prove one's social status

• I arrived at the party fashionably late.

fashion buyer

noun

a person employed to select and purchase clothes and accessories for a large retail store to stock

• the response from fashion buyers, the press, and the public has been incredible.

fashion-conscious

adjective

aware of the latest fashions and wanting to wear fashionable clothes and accessories

• a fashion-conscious 16-year-old.

fashion designer

noun

a person who designs high-fashion clothing

• the new look will be designed by Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli.

fashion editor

noun

a person responsible for the fashion content in a newspaper or magazine

• she's the senior fashion editor at Marie Claire.

fashion-forward

adjective

(of a person or style of clothing) very fashionable

• the clothing line of choice for fashion-forward women.

fashion house

noun

a company specializing in the design and sale of high-fashion clothing and accessories

• world-renowned fashion house Louis Vuitton.

fashionista /ˌfaʃəˈniːstə/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a designer of haute couture.

2. ‹informal› a devoted follower of fashion.

– origin 1990s: from fashion + -ista.

fashion magazine

noun

a magazine devoted to fashion, especially the latest styles of clothes, accessories, etc.

• she looked like she belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine.

fashion model

noun

a person employed to display fashionable clothes by wearing them

• they both dressed like fashion models.

fashion parade

noun

an event in which a series of people appear one after another modelling clothes for an audience

• the pupils took part in a fashion parade

• music festivals are more of a fashion parade than anything else these days.

fashion plate

noun

1. a person who dresses very fashionably.

2. a picture, typically in a magazine, illustrating a new or current fashion in clothes.

fashion show

noun

an event at which collections of newly designed clothing are modelled for an audience

• the front row seats at a Calvin Klein fashion show.

fashion victim

noun

‹informal› a person who follows popular fashions slavishly.

• the military style great coat is the item fashion victims are queueing up for this season.

Fassbinder, Rainer Werner /ˈfasbɪndə, German ˈfasbɪndɐ/

(1946–82), German film director. His films dealt largely with Germany during the Second World War and post-war West German society. Notable films: The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972) and The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979).

fast^1 /fɑːst/

I. adjective

1. moving or capable of moving at high speed

• a fast and powerful car.

2. taking place at high speed; taking a short time

• the journey was fast and enjoyable.

3. performing or able to perform a particular action quickly

• a fast reader.

4. (of a surface) allowing or producing high-speed movement

• a wide, fast road.

5. [Sport] (of a playing field) likely to make the ball bounce or run quickly or to allow competitors to reach a high speed.

6. [ predic. or as complement] — (of a clock or watch) showing a time ahead of the correct time

• I keep my watch fifteen minutes fast.

7. firmly fixed or attached

• he made a rope fast to each corner.

8. (of friends) close and loyal.

• they remained fast friends.

9. [Photography] (of a film) needing only a short exposure.

• a 35-mm colour film which is ten times faster than Kodacolor II.

10. (of a lens) having a large aperture and therefore suitable for use with short exposure times.

11. (of a dye) not fading in light or when washed.

• the dyes are boiled with the yarn to produce a fast colour.

12. engaging in or involving activities characterized by excitement, extranvagance, and risk-taking

• the fast life she led in London.

13. (also farse) — (W. Indian) (of a person) prone to act in an unacceptably familiar way

• Mammy said, ‘Stop asking questions, you too damn farse.’.

II. adverb

1. at high speed

• he was driving too fast.

2. within a short time

• we're going to have to get to the bottom of this fast.

3. so as to be hard to move; securely

• the ship was held fast by the anchor chain.

4. so as to be hard to wake

• they were too fast asleep to reply.

III. phrases

1. fast and furious

lively and exciting.

2. fast worker

‹informal› a person who makes rapid progress or achieves results quickly, especially in love affairs.

3. pull a fast one

‹informal› trick someone

• he had been trying to pull a fast one on his producer.

– origin Old English fæst ‘firmly fixed, steadfast’ and fæste ‘firmly’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vast and German fest ‘firm, solid’ and fast ‘almost’. In Middle English the adverb developed the senses ‘strongly, vigorously’ (compare with run hard), and ‘close, immediate’ (just surviving in the archaic fast by; compare with hard by), hence ‘closely, immediately’ and ‘quickly’; the idea of rapid movement was then reflected in adjectival use.

fast^2 /fɑːst/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance.

• the ministry instructed people to fast.

2. ( be fasted) — ‹technical› be deprived of all or some kinds of food, especially for medical or experimental reasons.

• all patients were fasted before surgery.

II. noun

an act or period of fasting

• a five-day fast.

– origin Old English fæstan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vasten and German fasten, also to Old Norse fasta, the source of the noun.

fastback /ˈfɑːs(t)bak/

noun

a car with a rear that slopes continuously down to the bumper.

fastball

noun

1. a baseball pitch thrown at or near a pitcher's maximum speed.

2. another term for fast-pitch softball.

fast break

noun

a swift attack from a defensive position in basketball, soccer, and other ball games.
[as modifier]

• the best fast-break team in the League.

fast breeder fast breeder reactor

noun

a breeder reactor in which the neutrons causing fission are not slowed by any moderator.

fast-casual

adjective

(N. Amer.) denoting or relating to a type of high-quality self-service restaurant offering dishes that are prepared to order and more expensive than those available in a typical fast-food restaurant

• the fast-casual spot offers wraps, rice bowls, house-made soups, and salads

• fast-casual dining is on the rise in Tampa Bay.

fast day

noun

a day when one abstains from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance

• the Greek Orthodox calendar has many feast days, fast days, and name days.

fasten /ˈfɑːs(ə)n/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — close or do up securely

• the tunic was fastened with a row of gilt buttons.

2. [no obj., with adverbial] — be closed or done up in a particular manner

• a blue nightie that fastens down the back.

3. [with obj. and adverbial] — fix or hold in place

• she fastened her locket round her neck.

4. ( fasten something off) — secure the end of a thread with stitches or a knot.

• work the stitch and fasten off the thread.

5. [no obj.] ( fasten on/upon) — single out (someone or something) and concentrate on them or it obsessively

• the critics fastened upon two sections of the report.

6. [with obj.] ( fasten something on/upon) — direct one's eyes, thoughts, etc. intently at

• his gaze was fastened on his daughter

• [no obj.] his eyes seemed to fasten on her.

II. derivatives

fastener /ˈfɑːsnə /

noun

– origin Old English fæstnian ‘make sure’, also ‘immobilize’, of West Germanic origin; related to fast^1.

fastening /ˈfɑːs(ə)nɪŋ/

noun

a device that closes or secures something

• a fly-front fastening.

Fastext /ˈfɑːstɛkst/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a facility in certain televisions to store some teletext pages in advance, displaying them instantly when requested by the user.

– origin late 20th cent.: contraction of fast teletext.

fast-flowing

adjective

flowing swiftly

• a fast-flowing river.

fast follower

noun

a company that quickly imitates the innovations of its competitors

• its successful model of evolving from fast follower to market leader

• [as modifier] fast-follower strategies.

fast food

noun — [ mass noun]

1. easily prepared processed food served in snack bars and restaurants as a quick meal or to be taken away
[as modifier]

• a fast-food restaurant.

fast forward /ˌfɑːst ˈfɔːwəd/

I. noun

1. a control on a tape or video recorder for winding the tape forward rapidly.

• she played the fast forward so the figures jerked about wildly.

• [as modifier] the fast-forward button.

2. a facility for cueing audio equipment by allowing the tape to be played at high speed during fast-forward wind and stopped at the desired place.

II. verb

1. ( fast-forward) [with obj.] — wind (a tape) forward rapidly.

• people avoid commercial breaks by fast-forwarding material recorded off-air.

2. [no obj.] — move speedily forward in time

• the text fast-forwards to 1990.

fast-growing

adjective

increasing in size at a rapid rate

• the fast-growing organic food market

• fast-growing crops

• one of the fastest growing economies in Europe.

fast ice

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ice that covers seawater but is attached to land.

fastidious /faˈstɪdɪəs/

I. adjective

1. very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail

• she dressed with fastidious care.

2. very concerned about matters of cleanliness

• the child seemed fastidious about getting her fingers dirty.

II. derivatives

1. fastidiously /faˈstɪdɪəsli /

adverb

2. fastidiousness /faˈstɪdɪəsnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin fastidiosus, from fastidium ‘loathing’. The word originally meant ‘disagreeable’, later ‘disgusted’. Current senses date from the 17th cent.

fastie /ˈfa:sti/

noun

1. ‹informal› a particularly fast person or thing

• the fastie's engine delivers 0-100km/h acceleration in just 3.7 seconds.

2. ‹informal› (Austral.) an act of deception; a trick

• they are fixing to pull a fastie.

fastigiate /faˈstɪdʒɪət, faˈstɪdʒɪeɪt/

I. adjective

[Botany] (of a tree or shrub) having the branches more or less parallel to the main stem.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin fastigium ‘tapering point, gable’ + -ate^2.

fastigium /faˈstɪdʒɪəm/

I. noun

1. the apex or summit of something.

2. [Architecture] the ridge or gable end of a roof.

– origin late 17th cent.ː Latin (see fastigiate).

fast lane

I. noun

1. a lane of a motorway or dual carriageway for use by traffic that is overtaking or moving more quickly than the rest.

2. a situation in which life is hectic or highly pressured

• his face showed the strain of a life lived in the fast lane

• [as modifier] a youth culture of fast-lane living.

II. phrases

life in the fast lane

an exciting and eventful lifestyle, especially one bringing wealth and success.

• he's shunning life in the fast lane for the green grass of home.

fast-living

I. adjective

engaging in a lifestyle characterized by excitement, extravagance, and risk-taking

• he was a fast-living genius who died too young

• a fast-living set who have made a career of gambling.

II. noun — [ mass noun] ( fast living)

1. a lifestyle characterized by excitement, extravagance, and risk-taking

• she has a reputation for fast living.

fast-moving

adjective

rapid in movement, action, or progress

• a fast-moving train switching tracks at high speed

• a taut, fast-moving detective story.

fastness /ˈfɑːs(t)nəs/

I. noun

1. a secure place well protected by natural features

• a remote Himalayan mountain fastness.

2. [ mass noun] — the ability of a material or dye to maintain its colour without fading or washing away

• the dyes differ in their fastness to light.

– origin Old English fæstnes (see fast^1, -ness).

Fastnet /ˈfɑːs(t)nɛt/

I. a rocky islet off the SW coast of Ireland.

II. a shipping forecast area covering the Celtic Sea off the south coast of Ireland as far as the latitude of the Scilly Isles.

fast neutron

noun

a neutron with high kinetic energy, especially one released by nuclear fission and not slowed by any moderator.

fast-paced

adjective

(of a narrative or series of events) moving or developing very quickly

• a fast-paced thriller.

fast-pitch softball fast-pitch

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a variety of the game of softball, featuring fast underhand pitching.

fast reactor

noun

a nuclear reactor in which fission is caused mainly by fast neutrons.

fast-talk

verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) pressurize (someone) into doing something using rapid or misleading speech

• heroin dealers tried to fast-talk him into a quick sale

• (as adj. fast-talking) a fast-talking confidence trickster.

fast track /ˈfast trak/

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a route or method which provides for more rapid results than usual

• a career in the fast track of the Civil Service.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. accelerate the progress of (a person or project)

• the board voted to fast-track the stadium plan.

fast-twitch

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. [Physiology] (of a muscle fibre) contracting rapidly, thus providing strength rather than endurance.

fat /fat/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a natural oily substance occurring in animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs

• whales and seals insulate themselves with layers of fat.

2. a fatty substance made from animal or plant products, used in cooking

• sizzling fat

• [ count noun] a diet high in animal fats.

3. the presence of excess fat in a person or animal

• he was a tall man, running to fat.

4. [Chemistry] any of a group of natural esters of glycerol and various fatty acids, which are solid at room temperature and are the main constituents of animal and vegetable fat.

• some 40 per cent of our daily calories are derived from dietary fats.

Compare with oil.

II. adjective

1. (of a person or animal) having a large amount of excess flesh

• the driver was a fat wheezing man.

2. (of an animal bred for food) made plump for slaughter.

3. containing much fat

• fat bacon.

4. (of coal) containing a high proportion of volatile oils.

5. large in bulk or circumference

• a fat cigarette.

6. ‹informal› (especially in the context of financial reward) substantial

• a fat profit

• a fat cheque.

7. ‹informal› used ironically to express the belief that something is unlikely or does not exist

• fat chance she had of influencing Guy's decisions.

III. verb

‹archaic› make or become fat
(as adj. fatted)

• a fatted duck.

IV. phrases

1. the fat is in the fire

something has happened that will inevitably cause trouble.

• if she gets hold of the information the fat will really be in the fire.

2. kill the fatted calf

produce one's best food to celebrate, especially at a prodigal's return.
[with biblical allusion to Luke 15.]

3. live off (or on) the fat of the land

have the best of everything.

• landlords and merchants lived off the fat of the land.

V. derivatives

1. fatless /ˈfatləs /

adjective

2. fatly /ˈfatli /

adverb

3. fattish /ˈfatɪʃ /

adjective

– origin Old English fǣtt ‘well fed, plump’, also ‘fatty, oily’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vet and German feist.

Fatah /ˈfatə / al-Fatah

I. a Palestinian political and military organization founded in 1958 by Yasser Arafat and others to bring about the establishment of a Palestinian state. It dominated the Palestine Liberation Organization from the 1960s, but more recently has been challenged by more extreme groups, and in 2006 was defeated by Hamas in the elections for the Palestinian National Authority.

– origin Arabic, literally ‘victory’.

fatal /ˈfeɪt(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. causing death

• a fatal accident.

2. leading to failure or disaster

• there were three fatal flaws in the strategy.

– origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘destined by fate’ and ‘ominous’): from Old French, or from Latin fatalis, from fatum (see fate).

fatalism /ˈfeɪt(ə)lɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable.

• fatalism can breed indifference to the human costs of war.

2. a submissive attitude to events, resulting from a fatalistic attitude.

• he experienced a sense of fatalism that kept his fear at bay.

II. derivatives

fatalist /ˈfeɪtəlɪst /

noun

fatalistic /feɪtəˈlɪstɪk/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable

• many have an almost fatalistic attitude towards their own health

• he gives a fatalistic shrug at the bleak future.

II. derivatives

fatalistically /feɪtəˈlɪstɪk(ə)li /

adverb

fatality /fəˈtalɪti, feɪˈtalɪti/

I. noun

1. an occurrence of death by accident, in war, or from disease

• 80 per cent of pedestrian fatalities occur in built-up areas.

2. [ mass noun] — helplessness in the face of fate

• a sense of fatality gripped her.

– origin late 15th cent. (denoting the quality of causing death or disaster): from French fatalité or late Latin fatalitas, from Latin fatalis ‘decreed by fate’, from fatum (see fate). Sense 1 dates from the mid 19th cent.

fatally /ˈfeɪt(ə)li/

adverb

1. with death as a result

• 21,000 soldiers died or were fatally wounded.

2. in a way that leads to failure or disaster

• the whole concept is fatally flawed

• the revelation fatally undermined the prosecution's case

• [as submodifier] Katharine's sister is fatally attractive to men.

Fata Morgana /ˌfɑːtə mɔːˈɡɑːnə/

I. noun

a mirage.

• the war sometimes seemed unreal, more Fata Morgana than memory.

– origin Italian, literally ‘fairy Morgan’; originally referring to a mirage seen in the Strait of Messina between Italy and Sicily and attributed to Morgan le Fay, whose legend and reputation were carried to Sicily by Norman settlers.

fatback /ˈfatbak/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — (N. Amer.) fat from the upper part of a side of pork, especially when dried and salted in strips.

2. (US) informal term for menhaden.

fatberg /ˈfatbəːɡ/

I. noun

(chiefly Brit.) a very large mass of solid waste in a sewerage system, consisting especially of congealed fat and personal hygiene products that have been flushed down toilets

• repairs on 20 metres of damaged pipe affected by the fatberg started on Monday.

– origin early 21st cent.: from fat and iceberg.

fat body

noun

[Zoology] each of a number of small white structures in the body of an animal, especially an insect, which act as a store of fats and glycogen.

fat camp

noun

a residential course for overweight children, promoting exercise and healthy eating to facilitate weight loss.

fat cat

noun

‹informal› ‹derogatory› a wealthy and powerful person, especially a business person or politician
[as modifier]

• a fat-cat developer.

fat dormouse

noun

a squirrel-like burrowing dormouse found in Europe and Asia Minor, sometimes farmed or hunted for food. Also called edible dormouse.
● Myoxus glis, family Myoxidae.

fate /feɪt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the development of events outside a person's control, regarded as predetermined by a supernatural power

• fate decided his course for him

• his injury is a cruel twist of fate.

2. [ count noun] — the course of someone's life, or the outcome of a situation for someone or something, seen as outside their control

• he stared at the faces of the committee, trying to guess his fate.

3. [in sing.] — the inescapable death of a person

• the guards led her to her fate.

4. ( the Fates) — [Greek & Roman Mythology] the three goddesses who preside over the birth and life of humans. Each person was thought of as a spindle, around which the three Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos) would spin the thread of human destiny.

5. ( Fates) — another term for Norns.

II. verb — ( be fated)

1. be destined to happen, turn out, or act in a particular way
[with infinitive]

• the regime was fated to end badly.

III. phrases

1. a fate worse than death

see death.

2. seal someone's fate

make it inevitable that something unpleasant will happen to someone.

• he had cheated the boss and sealed his own fate.

IV. derivatives

fatedness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Italian fato or (later) from its source, Latin fatum ‘that which has been spoken’, from fari ‘speak’.

fateful /ˈfeɪtfʊl, ˈfeɪtf(ə)l/

I. adjective

having far-reaching and often disastrous consequences or implications

• a fateful oversight.

II. derivatives

1. fatefully

adverb

2. fatefulness

noun

fat farm

noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a health farm for people who are overweight.

• times have changed at fat farms—the accent's more on pampering than starving.

fat finger ‹informal›

I. noun

used to refer to clumsy or inaccurate typing, typically resulting from one finger striking two keys at the same time

• the programming problem turned out to be a case of fat finger

• [as modifier] his texts are full of fat-finger mistakes.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. type (something) inaccurately

• you may have fat-fingered your password.

III. derivatives

fat-fingered

adjective

fat-free /fatˈfriː/

adjective

(of a food) not containing animal or vegetable fats

• virtually fat-free yogurt.

fathead /ˈfathɛd/

I. noun

‹informal› a stupid person.

• you're a fathead who doesn't understand a joke.

II. derivatives

1. fat-headed /ˌfatˈhɛdɪd /

adjective

2. fat-headedness

noun

fat hen

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a herbaceous plant with mealy edible leaves, often considered to be a weed.
● Chenopodium alba, family Chenopodiaceae.

– origin late 18th cent.: said to be so named because the seeds were eaten by poultry.

father /ˈfɑːðə/

I. noun

1. a man in relation to his child or children.

• how like your father you are.

• the art collection was bequeathed to him by his adoptive father.

2. a male animal in relation to its offspring.

3. ( fathers) — ‹literary› ancestors.

4. an important male figure in the origin and early history of something

• he's held to be the father of abstract art.

5. a man who provides care and protection

• the prince is widely regarded as the father of the nation.

6. the oldest member or doyen of a society or other body.

7. ( the Father) — (in Christian belief) the first person of the Trinity; God.

8. ( Father) — used as a title of respect for an old and venerable man or for something personified as such a man

• Father Thames.

9. (also Father) — (often as a title or form of address) a priest

• pray for me, father.

10. ( Fathers or Fathers of the Church) — early Christian theologians (in particular of the first five centuries) whose writings are regarded as especially authoritative.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. be the father of

• he fathered three children.

2. (usu. as noun fathering) — treat with the protective care associated with a father

• the two males share the fathering of the cubs.

3. be the source or originator of

• a culture which has fathered half the popular music in the world.

4. ( father someone/thing on) — assign the paternity of a child or responsibility for a book, idea, or action to

• a collection of Irish stories was fathered on him.

III. phrases

1. how's your father ‹Brit. informal›

a. used euphemistically to refer to sexual intercourse.

b. used euphemistically to refer to a penis.

2. like father, like son

‹proverb› a son's character or behaviour can be expected to resemble that of his father.

IV. derivatives

fatherlike /ˈfɑːðəlʌɪk /

adjective, adverb

– origin Old English fæder, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vader and German Vater, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin pater and Greek patēr.

Father Christmas ‹Brit.›

an imaginary figure said to bring presents for children on the night before Christmas Day, conventionally pictured as a jolly old man with a long white beard and red clothes.
Also called Santa Claus.

father confessor

noun

1. a priest who hears confessions and gives absolution and spiritual counsel

• the Father Confessor of the convent.

2. a person, typically an older man, to whom one confides private matters

• he is the chief policy adviser and father confessor to the prime minister.

father figure

noun

an older man who is respected for his paternal qualities and may be an emotional substitute for a father.

• his life was anchored by the rock-like presence of a reassuring father figure.

fatherhood /ˈfɑːðəhʊd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being a father

• the joys of fatherhood had softened him.

father-in-law /ˈfɑːðərɪnlɔː/

noun

the father of one's husband or wife.

fatherland /ˈfɑːðəland/

noun

1. a person's native country, especially when referred to in patriotic terms.

• those arrested for terrorism were considered traitors to the fatherland.

2. ( the Fatherland) — ‹historical› Germany during the period of Hitler's control.

fatherless /ˈfɑːðələs/

I. adjective

having no father because he is dead or absent from the home

• at thirty-eight, she was left with six fatherless children

• children growing up in fatherless households.

II. derivatives

fatherlessness

noun

fatherly /ˈfɑːðəli/

I. adjective

relating to, resembling, or characteristic of a father, especially in being protective and affectionate

• he gave me such a kind and fatherly look.

II. derivatives

fatherliness /ˈfɑːðəlɪnəs /

noun

father of the chapel

noun

(Brit.) the shop steward of a printers' trade union.

• she appealed to the father of the chapel on the grounds of wrongful dismissal.

Father of the House

noun

(in the UK) the member of the House of Commons with the longest continuous service.

Father's Day

noun

a day of the year on which fathers are particularly honoured by their children. It was first observed in the state of Washington in 1910; in the US, South Africa, and Britain, it is usually the third Sunday in June, in Australia, the first Sunday in September.

fathership /ˈfɑːðəʃɪp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the state of being someone's father.

fathom /ˈfað(ə)m/

I. noun

a unit of length equal to six feet (1.8 metres), chiefly used in reference to the depth of water

• sonar says that we're in eighteen fathoms.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [usu. with negative] — understand (a difficult problem or an enigmatic person) after much thought

• the locals could not fathom out the reason behind his new-found prosperity

• [with clause] he couldn't fathom why she was being so anxious.

2. measure the depth of (water)

• an attempt to fathom the ocean.

III. derivatives

fathomable /ˈfað(ə)məb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Old English fæthm, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vadem, vaam and German Faden ‘six feet’. The original sense was ‘something which embraces’, (plural) ‘the outstretched arms’; hence, a unit of measurement based on the span of the outstretched arms, later standardized to six feet.

Fathometer /faˈðɒmɪtə/

noun

(US) ‹trademark› a type of echo sounder.

fathomless /ˈfað(ə)mləs/

adjective

unable to be measured or understood; extremely deep

• staring into a pair of cold, fathomless grey eyes

• the fathomless depths of the novel.

fatidic /feɪˈtɪdɪk, fəˈtɪdɪk/

I. adjective

‹rare› having a prophetic quality

• this inadvertent statement may also be fatidic.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin fatidicus, from fatum ‘fate’ + -dicus (from dicere ‘say’).

fatigue /fəˈtiːɡ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — extreme tiredness resulting from mental or physical exertion or illness

• he was nearly dead with fatigue.

2. a reduction in the efficiency of a muscle or organ after prolonged activity.

• buccinator and orbicularis oris muscles showing signs of fatigue.

3. [with modifier] — a lessening in one's response to or enthusiasm for something, caused by overexposure

• votes were showing signs of election fatigue.

4. weakness in metal or other materials caused by repeated variations of stress

• metal fatigue.

5. ( fatigues) — menial non-military tasks performed by a soldier, sometimes as a punishment

• we're on cookhouse fatigues, sir.

6. (also fatigue party) [ count noun] — a group of soldiers ordered to do menial tasks.

7. ( fatigues) — loose clothing, typically khaki, olive drab, or camouflaged, of a sort worn by soldiers on active duty

• battle fatigues.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone) to feel exhausted

• they were fatigued by their journey.

2. reduce the efficiency of (a muscle or organ) by prolonged activity.

• different sensory fibres within the normal retina could be selectively fatigued.

3. weaken (a metal or other material) by repeated variations of stress.

• the nails have become rusted through or fatigued.

III. derivatives

1. fatiguability fatigability

noun

2. fatiguable fatigable

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘task that causes weariness’): from French fatigue (noun), fatiguer (verb), from Latin fatigare ‘tire out’, from ad fatim, affatim ‘to satiety or surfeit’.

Fatiha /ˈfɑːtɪə, ˈfatɪə / Fatihah

I. noun

the short first sura of the Koran, used by Muslims as an essential element of ritual prayer.

– origin from Arabic al-Fātiḥah ‘the opening (sura)’, from fātiḥa ‘opening’, from fataḥa ‘to open’.

Fatima /ˈfatɪmə/

( c. 606–32 AD), youngest daughter of the prophet Muhammad and wife of the fourth caliph, Ali. The descendants of Muhammad trace their lineage through her; she is revered especially by Shiite Muslims as the mother of the imams Hasan and Husayn.

Fátima /ˈfatɪmə/

a village in west central Portugal, north-east of Lisbon; pop. 8,500 (est. 2008). It became a centre of Roman Catholic pilgrimage after the reported sighting in the village in 1917 of the Virgin Mary.

Fatimid /ˈfatɪmɪd/

I. noun

a member of a dynasty which ruled in parts of northern Africa, Egypt, and Syria from 909 to 1171, and founded Cairo as its capital in 969.

II. adjective

relating to the Fatimids.

III. derivatives

Fatimite

noun, adjective

– origin from Arabic Fāṭima (see Fatima, from whom the dynasty is said to descend) + -id^3.

fatling /ˈfatlɪŋ/

noun

a young animal that has been fattened in readiness for slaughter.

fatness /ˈfatnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or quality of having a large amount of excess flesh

• there is a widespread popular belief that adult fatness begins in childhood.

2. ‹informal› the quality of being substantial, especially financially

• the fatness of their bank account

• ought not the job be more important than the fatness of the pay cheque?

fat-shame

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (someone judged to be fat or overweight) to feel humiliated by making mocking or critical comments about their size

• I get sick to my stomach thinking of all the people who took to Twitter to fat-shame her

• a friend of mine got fat-shamed by a skinny hipster bartender there.

II. derivatives

fat-shamer

noun

fat shaming

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or practice of humiliating someone judged to be fat or overweight by making mocking or critical comments about their size

• the star endured fat shaming and cyberbullying for the weight she gained while pregnant

• evidence shows that fat shaming actually leads to people gaining weight.

II. adjective

expressing mocking or critical comments about someone judged to be fat or overweight

• she refuses to resort to extreme dieting because of fat-shaming bullies

• the loudmouth TV personality received widespread criticism for her fat-shaming tweets.

fatso /ˈfatsəʊ/

noun

‹informal› ‹derogatory› a fat person.

fat-soluble

adjective

able to be dissolved in fats or oils

• fat-soluble vitamins.

fatstock /ˈfatstɒk/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) livestock that has been fattened for slaughter.

fat tax

noun

‹informal› a proposed tax on foods or drinks judged to be unhealthy and whose consumption is believed to be linked to rising obesity levels.

• critics say a fat tax would hit the poor hardest because they spend 30 per cent of their income on food.

fatten /ˈfat(ə)n/

verb

make or become fat or fatter
[with obj.]

• he could do with some good food to fatten him up

• [no obj.] Irish cattle fatten up quickly.

fattening /ˈfat(ə)nɪŋ/

adjective

(of a foodstuff) liable to make a person overweight.

fattism /ˈfatɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. prejudice or discrimination against people who are fat.

II. derivatives

fattist

noun, adjective

fattoush /faˈtuːʃ / fatoush

I. noun

a Middle Eastern salad dish consisting of tomatoes, cucumber, and other vegetables together with croutons made from toasted pitta bread.

– origin Arabic fattūš.

fatty /ˈfati/

I. adjective

1. containing a large amount of fat

• go easy on fatty foods

• fatty tissue.

2. [Medicine] (of a disease or lesion) marked by abnormal deposition of fat in cells

• fatty degeneration of the liver.

II. noun

‹informal› a fat person (often as a nickname).

• many former fatties have found a pattern of eating that keeps them slim.

III. derivatives

fattiness /ˈfatɪnəs /

noun

fatty acid

noun

[Chemistry] a carboxylic acid consisting of a hydrocarbon chain and a terminal carboxyl group, especially any of those occurring as esters in fats and oils.

fatty oil

noun

another term for fixed oil.

fatuous /ˈfatjʊəs/

I. adjective

silly and pointless

• a fatuous comment.

II. derivatives

1. fatuity /fəˈtjuːɪti /

noun

2. fatuously /ˈfatjʊəsli /

adverb

3. fatuousness /ˈfatjʊəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin fatuus ‘foolish’ + -ous.

fatwa /ˈfatwɑː/

I. noun

a ruling on a point of Islamic law given by a recognized authority.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Arabic fatwā, from 'aftā ‘decide a point of law’. Compare with mufti^1.

faubourg /ˈfəʊbʊəɡ, French fobuʀ/

I. noun — [usu. in place names]

1. a suburb, especially one in Paris

• the Faubourg Saint-Germain.

– origin French (earlier faux-bourg ‘false borough’), perhaps an alteration of forsborc, literally ‘outside the town’, but perhaps based on Middle High German phâlburgere ‘burghers of the pale’, i.e. people living outside the city wall but still inside the palisade.

fauces /ˈfɔːsiːz/

I. plural noun

[Anatomy] the arched opening at the back of the mouth leading to the pharynx.

II. derivatives

faucial /ˈfɔːʃ(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, ‘throat’.

faucet /ˈfɔːsɪt/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) a tap.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a bung for the vent hole of a cask, or a tap for drawing liquid from a container): from Old French fausset, from Provençal falset, from falsar ‘to bore’. The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

faugh /fɔː/

I. exclamation

expressing disgust

• ‘Faugh! This place stinks!’.

– origin natural exclamation: first recorded in English in the mid 16th cent.

faujdar /ˈfɔːdʒɪdɑː / faujidar

I. noun

(Indian) a police officer.

– origin late 17th cent. (in the sense ‘Mogul state official in charge of the police’): from Persian fawjdār ‘military commander’, from Arabic fawj ‘troop’ + Persian -dār ‘holding, holder’.

Faulkner, William /ˈfɔːknə/

(1897–1962), American novelist. His works deal with the history and legends of the American South and have a strong sense of a society in decline. Notable works: The Sound and the Fury (1929), As I Lay Dying (1930), and Absalom! Absalom! (1936). Nobel Prize for Literature (1949).

fault /fɔːlt, fɒlt/

I. noun

1. an unattractive or unsatisfactory feature, especially in a piece of work or in a person's character

• my worst fault is impatience.

2. a break or other defect in an electric circuit or piece of machinery

• a fire caused by an electrical fault.

3. a misguided action or habit

• the fault of the keen therapist is to start to intervene during the assessment phase.

4. (in tennis and similar games) a service of the ball not in accordance with the rules.

5. (usu. faults) — (in showjumping) a penalty point imposed for an error.

6. [ mass noun] — responsibility for an accident or misfortune

• if books were not selling, it wasn't the fault of the publishers

• it was his fault she had died.

7. [Geology] an extended break in a rock formation, marked by the relative displacement and discontinuity of strata on either side of a particular plane.

• a landscape broken by numerous faults.

• [as modifier] the fault plane dips northwards.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] [usu. with negative] — criticize for inadequacy or mistakes

• her superiors could not fault her dedication to the job

• you cannot fault him for the professionalism of his approach.

2. [no obj.] — ‹archaic› do wrong

• the people of Caesarea faulted greatly when they called King Herod a god.

3. ( be faulted) — [Geology] (of a rock formation) be broken by a fault or faults

• the continental crust has been thinned and faulted as a result of geological processes

• (as noun faulting) a complex pattern of faulting.

III. phrases

1. at fault

a. responsible for an undesirable situation; in the wrong

• we recover compensation from the person at fault.

b. defective

• he suspected that his calculator was at fault.

2. find fault

make an adverse criticism or objection, sometimes unfairly

• he finds fault with everything I do.

3. —— to a fault

displaying the specified commendable quality to an almost excessive extent

• you're kind and generous to a fault.

– origin Middle English faut(e) ‘lack, failing’, from Old French, based on Latin fallere ‘deceive’. The -l- was added (in French and English) in the 15th cent. to conform with the Latin word, but did not become standard in English until the 17th cent., remaining silent in pronunciation until well into the 18th.

fault-finding

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. continual criticism, typically concerning trivial things.

• the traditional manager will attempt to get results by fault-finding.

2. the investigation of the cause of malfunction in machinery, especially electronic equipment.

II. derivatives

fault-finder /ˈfɔːltfʌɪndə /

noun

faultless /ˈfɔːltləs, ˈfɒlt-/

I. adjective

free from defect or error

• your logic is faultless.

II. derivatives

1. faultlessly /ˈfɔːltləsli, ˈfɒltləsli /

adverb

2. faultlessness

noun

fault line

noun

1. a line on a rock surface or the ground that traces a geological fault.

2. a divisive issue or difference of opinion that is likely to have serious consequences

• religion is now the great fault line of American politics.

fault plane

noun

[Geology] the flat surface of rock along which a geological fault occurs

• one block rests above the fault plane, the other below it.

faulty /ˈfɔːlti, ˈfɒlti/

I. adjective

1. not working or made correctly; having defects

• a faulty brake.

2. (of reasoning and other mental processes) mistaken or misleading because of flaws

• faulty logic.

3. having or displaying weaknesses

• her character was faulty.

II. derivatives

1. faultily /ˈfɔːltɪli, ˈfɒltɪli /

adverb

2. faultiness /ˈfɔːltɪnəs, ˈfɒltɪnəs /

noun

faun /fɔːn/

I. noun

[Roman Mythology] one of a class of lustful rural gods, represented as a man with a goat's horns, ears, legs, and tail.

– origin late Middle English: from the name of the pastoral god Faunus.

fauna /ˈfɔːnə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the animals of a particular region, habitat, or geological period

• the flora and fauna of Siberia

• [ count noun] the local Mesozoic rocks and their faunas.

2. [ count noun] — a book or other work detailing the animal life of a region.

II. derivatives

1. faunal /ˈfɔːn(ə)l /

adjective

2. faunistic /fɔːˈnɪstɪk /

adjective

– origin late 18th cent.: modern Latin application of Fauna, the name of a rural goddess, sister of Faunus.

faunal emblem

noun

(Austral.) an animal adopted as an official symbol of a State or Territory

• Victoria's faunal emblem since 1968, the reclusive marsupial has had a troubled past.

faunal region

noun

another term for zoogeographical region.

Fauntleroy /ˈfɔːntlərɔɪ / Little Lord Fauntleroy

I. noun

an excessively well-mannered or elaborately dressed young boy.

– origin from the name of the boy hero of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886).

Faunus /ˈfɔːnəs / ‹Roman Mythology›

an ancient Italian pastoral god, grandson of Saturn, associated with wooded places.

Fauré, Gabriel /ˈfɔːreɪ, French foʀe/

(1845–1924), French composer and organist; full name Gabriel Urbain Fauré. His best-known work is the Requiem (1887) for solo voices, choir, and orchestra; he also wrote songs, piano pieces, chamber music, and incidental music for the theatre.

Faust /faʊst / Faustus /ˈfaʊstəs/

(died c. 1540), German astronomer and necromancer. Reputed to have sold his soul to the Devil, he became the subject of a drama by Goethe, an opera by Gounod, and a novel by Thomas Mann.

Faustian /ˈfaʊstɪən/

adjective

relating to or resembling Faust, a German astronomer and necromancer reputed to have sold his soul to the Devil

• modern celebrities enter into a Faustian pact with the general public.

faute de mieux /fəʊt də ˈmjəː French fot də mjø//

I. adverb

for want of a better alternative.

• women often couldn't pay the fines, and sheriffs could end up imprisoning them faute de mieux.

– origin French.

fauteuil /fəʊˈtəːi/

I. noun

a wooden seat in the form of an armchair with open sides and upholstered arms.

• a set of six Louis XV fauteuils.

– origin French, from Old French faudestuel, from medieval Latin faldistolium (see faldstool).

Fauve /fəʊv, French fov/

noun

a member of a group of French painters who favoured Fauvism
[as modifier]

• the Fauve movement.

Fauvism /ˈfəʊvɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of painting with vivid expressionistic and non-naturalistic use of colour that flourished in Paris from 1905 and, although short-lived, had an important influence on subsequent artists, especially the German expressionists. Matisse was regarded as the movement's leading figure.

II. derivatives

Fauvist

noun, adjective

– origin French fauvisme, from fauve ‘wild beast’. The name originated from a remark of the French art critic Louis Vauxcelles at the Salon of 1905; coming across a quattrocento-style statue in the midst of works by Matisse and his associates, he is reputed to have said, ‘Donatello au milieu des fauves!’ (‘Donatello among the wild beasts’).

faux /fəʊ/

I. adjective

1. made in imitation; artificial

• a rope of faux pearls

• a faux-fur jacket.

2. not genuine; fake or false

• their faux concern for the well-being of the voters didn't fool many

• [as submodifier] his faux-macho banter caused offence.

– origin French, ‘false’.

fauxhawk /ˈfəʊhɔːk/

I. noun

a hairstyle in which a section of hair running from the front to the back of the head stands erect, intended to resemble a Mohican haircut (in which the sides of the head are shaved)

• the opening drew a primarily male audience sporting ironic T-shirts and fauxhawks.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of faux and Mohawk (sense 3 of the noun).

faux naïf /ˌfəʊ nʌɪˈiːf, French fo naif/

I. adjective

artificially or affectedly simple or naive

• faux-naif pastoralism.

II. noun

a person who pretends to be ingenuous.

• the speaker in these stories sounds authentically ten years old, never lapsing into the coyness of the faux naif.

– origin from French faux ‘false’ + naïf ‘naive’.

faux pas /fəʊ ˈpɑː French fo pa//

I. noun

an embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation.

• ‘I was suddenly sick in the back of their car’—it was years before he could confess his faux pas to them.

– origin French, literally ‘false step’.

fava bean /ˈfɑːvə / faba bean

I. noun

North American term for broad bean.

– origin Italian fava, from Latin faba ‘bean’.

fave

noun, adjective

‹informal› short for favourite.
[as noun]

• a playlist of classic disco faves.

• [as adj.] my fave team has to be Nottingham Forest.

favela /faˈvɛlə/

I. noun

a Brazilian shack or shanty town; a slum.

• rapidly growing populations in the favelas of the great urban centres.

– origin Portuguese.

favicon /ˈfavɪkɒn, ˈfeɪvɪkɒn/

I. noun

an icon associated with a particular website, typically displayed in the address bar of a browser accessing the site or next to the site name in a user's list of bookmarks.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of favourites and icon.

favour /ˈfeɪvə / ‹US› favor

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — approval, support, or liking for someone or something

• training is looked upon with favour by many employers.

2. overgenerous preferential treatment

• he was accused of showing favour to one of the players.

3. [ count noun] — ‹archaic› a thing such as a badge or knot of ribbons that is given or worn as a mark of liking or support.

4. an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual

• I've come to ask you a favour.

5. ( one's favours) — ‹dated› used with reference to a woman allowing a man to have sexual intercourse with her

• she had granted her favours to him.

6. (also party favour) — a small inexpensive gift given to guests at a party.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. feel or show approval or preference for

• slashing public spending is a policy that few politicians favour.

2. give unfairly preferential treatment to

• critics argued that the policy favoured the private sector.

3. work to the advantage of

• natural selection has favoured bats.

4. ( favour someone with) — (often used in polite requests) give someone (something desired)

• please favour me with an answer.

5. ‹dated› (N. Amer.) ‹informal› resemble (a parent or other relative) in facial features

• she's pretty, and she favours you.

6. treat (an injured limb) gently, not putting one's full weight on it

• he favours his sore leg.

III. phrases

1. do someone a favour

a. do something for someone as an act of kindness

• he did us a big favour by postponing his departure for a couple of weeks.

b. ( do me a favour) [in imperative] — (Brit.) ‹informal› used to express brusque dismissal of a remark

• ‘Are you some kind of social worker?’ ‘Do me a favour!’.

2. do someone no favours

‹informal› do something that is unhelpful to someone

• you won't do yourself any favours by getting worked up.

3. in (or out of) favour

meeting with (or having lost) approval

• they were not in favour with the party.

4. in one's favour

to one's advantage

• events were moving in his favour.

5. in favour of

a. to be replaced by

• he stepped down as leader in favour of his rival.

b. in support or to the advantage of

• members have voted in favour of strike action

• the judge decided in favour of the defendant.

IV. derivatives

favourer

noun

– origin Middle English (in the noun sense ‘liking, preference’): via Old French from Latin favor, from favere ‘show kindness to’ (related to fovere ‘cherish’).

favourable /ˈfeɪv(ə)rəb(ə)l / ‹US› favorable

I. adjective

1. expressing approval

• the exhibitions received favourable reviews.

2. giving consent

• their demands rarely received a favourable response.

3. to the advantage of someone or something

• favourable conditions for vegetation growth

• the settlement was favourable to the unions.

4. (of a wind) blowing in the direction of travel.

• by sailing towards the land first you will find more favourable wind.

5. suggesting a good outcome

• a favourable prognosis.

II. derivatives

favourableness /ˈfeɪv(ə)rəb(ə)lnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin favorabilis, from favor (see favour).

favourably /ˈfeɪv(ə)rəbli / ‹US› favorably

adverb

1. with approval

• the audience responded very favourably.

2. to the advantage of someone or something

• the deal will work out favourably for the company.

favoured /ˈfeɪvəd / ‹US› favored

adjective

preferred or recommended

• she was his favoured candidate

• the most favoured destination of visitors to Canada.

favourite /ˈfeɪv(ə)rɪt / ‹US› favorite

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. preferred to all others of the same kind

• their favourite Italian restaurant.

II. noun

1. a person or thing that is preferred to all others of the same kind or is especially well liked

• my favourite is tandoori chicken

• the song is still a favourite after 20 years

• you could always fall back on that old favourite, the omelette.

2. the competitor thought most likely to win a game or contest, especially by people betting on the outcome

• the team are strong favourites.

3. a record of the address of a website or other data made to enable quick access; a bookmark.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. record the address of (a website or other data) to enable quick access in future

• you can see who else favourited the same pictures.

IV. phrases

favourite son /ˌfeɪv(ə)rɪt ˈsʌn /

a. a famous man who is particularly popular in his native area

• Essex's favourite son will open at Lord's to launch the cricket season.

b. (US) a person supported as a presidential candidate by delegates from the candidate's home state.

• he hoped to strengthen his position as Maryland's favourite son.

– origin late 16th cent. (as a noun): from obsolete French favorit, from Italian favorito, past participle of favorire ‘to favour’, from Latin favor (see favour).

favouritism /ˈfeɪv(ə)rɪtɪz(ə)m / ‹US› favoritism

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another.

• my parents would vehemently deny showing favouritism towards one child in particular.

2. the state or condition of being the competitor thought most likely to win a sporting contest

• the horse shares favouritism with her French-trained rival at 6-1.

favrile glass /fəˈvriːl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a richly coloured iridescent glass, developed by L. C. Tiffany.

– origin late 19th cent.: formed as a trademark from the obsolete adjective fabrile ‘of a craftsman’.

Fawkes, Guy /fɔːks/

(1570–1606), English conspirator. He was hanged for his part in the Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605. The occasion is commemorated annually on Bonfire Night with fireworks, bonfires, and the burning of a guy.

fawn^1 /fɔːn/

I. noun

1. a young deer in its first year.

• a six-month-old roe fawn.

2. [ mass noun] — a light brown colour.

• soft shades of pale green and fawn.

• [as modifier] a fawn dress.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a deer) produce young.

• the forest was closed for hunting when the does were fawning.

III. phrases

in fawn

(of a deer) pregnant.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French faon, based on Latin fetus ‘offspring’; compare with fetus.

fawn^2 /fɔːn/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a person) give a servile display of exaggerated flattery or affection, typically in order to gain favour

• congressmen fawn over the President.

2. (of a dog) show slavish devotion, especially by rubbing against someone

• the dogs started fawning on me.

– origin Old English fagnian ‘make or be glad’, of Germanic origin; related to fain.

fawner /ˈfɔːnə/

noun

a person who gives a servile display of exaggerated flattery or affection

• the consummate fawner was able to sway a president with false deference.

fawning /ˈfɔːnɪŋ/

I. adjective

displaying exaggerated flattery or affection; obsequious

• fawning adoration

• fawning interviews with Hollywood celebs.

II. derivatives

fawningly

adverb

fax^1 /faks/

I. noun

1. an exact copy of a document made by electronic scanning and transmitted as data by telecommunications links.

• we got a three-page fax from her assistant.

2. [ mass noun] — the production or transmission of faxes

• he received the report by fax.

3. (also fax machine) — a machine for transmitting and receiving faxes.

• the equipment consists of four word processors, a fax, and a photocopier.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. send (a document) by fax.

• please fax the agreement to me.

2. contact (someone) by fax

• to obtain a brochure fax the agent.

– origin 1940s: abbreviation of facsimile.

fax^2 /faks/

plural noun

non-standard spelling of ‘facts’

• food fax.

fax message

noun

a communication sent and received by fax

• she sent a fax message on headed paper.

fax number

noun

a number assigned to a particular fax machine and used in making connections to it

• what is your fax number?

fay /feɪ/

I. noun

‹literary› a fairy.

• elves and evil fays.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French fae, faie, from Latin fata ‘the Fates’, plural of fatum (see fate). Compare with fairy.

fayalite /ˈfeɪəlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a black or brown mineral which is an iron-rich form of olivine and occurs in many igneous rocks.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Fayal (the name of an island in the Azores) + -ite^1.

fayre /ˈfɛː/

noun

(Brit.) pseudo-archaic spelling of fair^2 and fare (sense 2 of the noun).

faze /feɪz/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› disturb or disconcert (someone)

• she was not fazed by his show of anger.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally US): variant of dialect feeze ‘drive or frighten off’, from Old English fēsian, of unknown origin. / usage: Faze has no connection with the word phase and should not be spelled with a ph-, although this is a common error: almost a quarter of citations for the word in the Oxford English Corpus are for the incorrect spelling.

fazenda /fəˈzɛndə/

I. noun

an estate or large farm in Portugal, Brazil, and other Portuguese-speaking countries.

– origin Portuguese; compare with Spanish hacienda.

fazendeiro /ˌfazɛnˈdɛːrəʊ/

I. noun

a person who owns or occupies a fazenda.

– origin Portuguese.

FB

abbreviation

Facebook.

• I've made contact with her on FB and we are e-mailing.

• I came across their FB page, and two clicks later I'd joined up.

FBA

abbreviation

Fellow of the British Academy.

FBI /ɛfbiːˈʌɪ/

abbreviation

(in the US) Federal Bureau of Investigation.

F-bomb

noun

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) used as a euphemism for the word ‘fuck’, with reference to the latter's taboo status and potential to shock or offend

• I got caught on air dropping the F-bomb.

FBT

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) short for fringe benefit tax:

• table 3 shows the FBT payable for a vehicle worth $30,000.

FC

abbreviation

1. (Brit.) Football Club

• Liverpool FC.

2. (in the UK) Forestry Commission.

FCC

abbreviation

(in the US) Federal Communications Commission.

FCO

abbreviation

(in the UK) Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

FD

I. abbreviation

Defender of the Faith.

– origin from Latin Fidei Defensor.

FDA /ɛfdiːˈeɪ/

abbreviation

(in the US) Food and Drug Administration.

FDC

abbreviation

first-day cover.

FDDI

abbreviation

fibre distributed data interface, a communications, cabling, and hardware standard for high-speed optical-fibre networks.

FDI

abbreviation

foreign direct investment.

FDIC

abbreviation

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a body which underwrites most private bank deposits in the US.

FDR

the nickname of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (see Roosevelt, Franklin D.).

Fe

I. symbol

the chemical element iron.

– origin from Latin ferrum.

FE /ɛfˈiː/

abbreviation

(in the UK) further education.

fealty /ˈfiːəlti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› a feudal tenant's or vassal's sworn loyalty to a lord

• they owed fealty to the Earl rather than the King.

2. ‹historical› formal acknowledgement of loyalty to a lord.

• a property for which she did fealty.

– origin Middle English: from Old French feau(l)te, fealte, from Latin fidelitas (see fidelity).

fear /fɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm

• I cowered in fear as bullets whizzed past

• fear of unemployment is paralysing the economy

• [ count noun] he is prey to irrational fears.

2. [ count noun] ( fear for) — a feeling of anxiety concerning the outcome of something or the safety of someone

• police launched a hunt for the family amid fears for their safety.

3. the likelihood of something unwelcome happening

• she observed the other guests without fear of attracting attention.

4. ‹archaic› a mixed feeling of dread and reverence

• the love and fear of God.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or harmful

• I hated him but didn't fear him any more

• [with clause] farmers fear that they will lose business.

2. [no obj.] ( fear for) — feel anxiety on behalf of

• I fear for the city with this madman let loose in it.

3. [with infinitive] — avoid doing something because one is afraid

• she eventually feared to go out at all.

4. used to express regret or apology

• I shall buy her book, though not, I fear, the hardback version.

5. ‹archaic› regard (God) with reverence and awe.

• he urged his listeners to fear God.

III. phrases

1. for fear of (or that)

to avoid the risk of (or that)

• no one dared refuse the order for fear of losing their job.

2. never fear

used to reassure someone

• we shall meet again, never fear.

3. no fear

(Brit.) ‹informal› used as an emphatic expression of denial or refusal

• ‘Are you coming with me?’ ‘No fear—it's too exciting here.’.

4. put the fear of God in (or into) someone

make someone very frightened.

• she hoped the threat would put the fear of God in him.

5. without fear or favour

impartially.

• take all your decisions without fear or favour.

– origin Old English fǣr ‘calamity, danger’, fǣran ‘frighten’, also ‘revere’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch gevaar and German Gefahr ‘danger’.

fearful /ˈfɪəfʊl, ˈfɪəf(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. feeling or showing fear or anxiety

• they are fearful of the threat of nuclear war

• [with clause] he's fearful that his career is over.

2. causing or likely to cause people to be afraid; horrifying

• a fearful accident.

3. ‹informal› very great

• he was in a fearful hurry.

II. derivatives

fearfulness /ˈfɪəfʊlnəs, ˈfɪəf(ə)lnəs /

noun

fearfully /ˈfɪəf(ə)li, ˈfɪəfʊli/

adverb

1. in an anxious manner; apprehensively

• he glanced over his shoulder fearfully.

2. [as submodifier] — dreadfully; extremely

• she was fearfully worried for the welfare of her family.

fearless /ˈfɪəlɪs/

adjective

showing a lack of fear

• a fearless crusader for animal rights.

fearlessly /ˈfɪələsli/

adverb

with a lack of fear

• he fearlessly challenges the Government's version of events

• I tackled fearlessly on the rugby pitch.

fearlessness /ˈfɪələsnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of fear

• she quickly earned a reputation for fearlessness, despite her stature.

fearmongering

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of deliberately arousing public fear or alarm about a particular issue

• his campaign for re-election was based on fearmongering and deception.

II. derivatives

fearmonger

noun

fearsome /ˈfɪəs(ə)m/

I. adjective

frightening, especially in appearance

• the cat mewed, displaying a fearsome set of teeth.

II. derivatives

1. fearsomely /ˈfɪəs(ə)mli /

adverb

2. fearsomeness

noun

feart /ˈfɪət / feared

adjective

(Scottish) afraid

• ye're feart to stand out from the crowd.

feasibility /fiːzɪˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or degree of being easily or conveniently done

• the feasibility of screening athletes for cardiac disease.

feasibility study

noun

an assessment of the practicality of a proposed plan or method.

• a feasibility study into the possibility of harnessing natural water power.

feasible /ˈfiːzɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. possible and practical to do easily or conveniently

• the Dutch have demonstrated that it is perfectly feasible to live below sea level.

2. likely; probable

• the most feasible explanation.

II. derivatives

feasibly /ˈfiːzɪb(ə)li /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French faisible, from fais-, stem of faire ‘do, make’, from Latin facere.

feast /fiːst/

I. noun

1. a large meal, typically a celebratory one

• a wedding feast.

2. a plentiful supply of something enjoyable

• the concert season offers a feast of classical music.

3. an annual religious celebration.
[as modifier]

• a feast day.

4. a day dedicated to a particular saint

• the feast of St John.

5. (Brit.) an annual village festival.

• the feast was the highlight of the village year.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. eat and drink sumptuously

• the men would congregate and feast after hunting.

2. ( feast on) — eat large quantities of

• we sat feasting on barbecued chicken and beer.

3. [with obj.] — give (someone) a plentiful and delicious meal

• they feasted the deputation.

III. phrases

1. ghost (or skeleton) at the feast

a person or thing that brings gloom to an otherwise pleasant occasion.

2. feast one's eyes on

gaze at with pleasure.

3. feast or famine

either too much of something or too little.

• your cash flow has been feast or famine recently.

IV. derivatives

feaster /ˈfiːstə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French feste (noun), fester (verb), from Latin festa, neuter plural of festus ‘joyous’. Compare with fete and fiesta.

feast day

noun

a day on which a celebration, especially an annual Christian one, is held.

• on feast days a High Mass was sung.

• the feast day of Saint Mark.

Feast of Dedication

noun

another name for Hanukkah.

Feast of Tabernacles

noun

another name for Succoth.

Feast of Weeks

noun

another name for Shavuoth.

feat /fiːt/

I. noun

an achievement that requires great courage, skill, or strength

• the new printing presses were considerable feats of engineering.

– origin late Middle English (in the general sense ‘action or deed’): from Old French fait, from Latin factum (see fact).

feather /ˈfɛðə/

I. noun

1. any of the flat appendages growing from a bird's skin and forming its plumage, consisting of a partly hollow horny shaft fringed with vanes of barbs.

• the waxwing has very bright feathers and a prominent crest.

• Sally-Anne, dolled up in ostrich feathers and pearls.

2. ( feathers) — a fringe of long hair on the legs of a dog, horse, or other animal.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — rotate the blades of (a propeller) about their own axes in such a way as to lessen the air or water resistance.

2. vary the angle of attack of (rotor blades).

3. [Rowing] turn (an oar) so that it passes through the air edgeways

• he turned, feathering one oar slowly.

4. [no obj., with adverbial] — float or move like a feather

• the green fronds feathered against a blue sky.

5. [with obj.] — blend or smooth delicately

• feather the paint in, in a series of light strokes.

6. [no obj.] — (of ink, lipstick, etc.) separate into tiny lines after application
(as noun feathering)

• a long-lasting formula that resists feathering and protects the lips.

7. short for feather cut.

III. phrases

1. a feather in one's cap

an achievement to be proud of.

• beating him would be a feather in my cap.

2. feather one's (own) nest

make money for oneself in an opportunistic or selfish way.

• he may have decided to feather his nest by blackmail.

3. (as) light as a feather

extremely light and insubstantial.

IV. derivatives

featherless /ˈfɛðərləs /

adjective

– origin Old English fether, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch veer and German Feder, from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit patra ‘wing’, Latin penna ‘feather’, and Greek pteron, pterux ‘wing’.

featherback /ˈfɛðəbak/

noun

a tropical freshwater fish native to southern Asia and Africa, with a strongly humped back, a small feather-like dorsal fin, and a long anal fin that runs from the belly to the tail. Also called knifefish.
●Family Notopteridae: four genera and several species, in particular the large edible Notopterus chitala of Asia.

feather bed /ˈfɛðəbɛd/

I. noun

a bed that has a mattress stuffed with feathers.

II. verb

( feather-bed) [with obj.] — (chiefly Brit.) provide (someone) with excessively favourable economic or working conditions.

• apart from the fees he earns, a practising barrister is not feather-bedded in any way.

feather-brain

I. noun

a silly or absent-minded person.

• You feather-brain! Surely you checked when you booked the holiday?

II. derivatives

feather-brained /ˈfɛðəbreɪnd /

adjective

feather cut

I. noun

a hairstyle with wispy feather-like points

• my mother tried to give me a feather cut.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut (hair) into wispy feather-like points
[as adj.]

• black feather-cut hair.

feather duster

noun

1. a long-handled brush with a head made of feathers, used for dusting.

2. (also feather duster worm) — (US) another term for fan worm.

feathered /ˈfɛðəd/

adjective

1. (of a bird) covered with feathers
[in combination]

• black-feathered ostriches.

2. decorated with feathers

• a feathered hat.

feathered friend

noun — (usu. feathered friends)

1. ‹informal› a bird.

• don't feed your feathered friends very dry bread or salty food.

feather edge

noun

a fine edge produced by tapering a board, plank, or other object.

feather foot

I. noun

(Austral.) (among Aborigines) a man empowered to carry out vengeance or punishment; a kadaitcha

• the elders said the feather feet had taken him away.

– origin 1960s: from the coverings of feathers which such people are said to wear in order to disguise their tracks.

feather-headed

adjective

(of a person) disorganized and foolish

• they think that because I am pretty, I'm shallow and feather-headed.

feathering /ˈfɛð(ə)rɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the plumage of a bird or part of a bird.

2. the feathers of an arrow.

3. fringes of hairs on the appendages or body of a dog.

4. feather-like markings or structure

• traditional finishes such as marbling and feathering.

5. [Architecture] cusping in tracery.

6. the action of varying the angle of propellers, rotor blades, or oars so as to reduce air or water resistance.

feather-light

adjective

extremely light

• a feather-light touch.

feather star

noun

an echinoderm (marine invertebrate) with a small disc-like body, long feathery arms for feeding and movement, and short appendages for grasping the surface.
●Order Comatulida, class Crinoidea.

feather stitch

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ornamental zigzag sewing.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as noun feather-stitching)

1. sew (something) using feather stitch.

feathertail glider

noun

an Australian pygmy possum with a flap of skin between the fore- and hindlimbs for gliding, and a feathery tail.
● Acrobates pygmaeus, family Burramyidae. Alternative name: flying mouse.

featherweight /ˈfɛðəweɪt/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — a weight in boxing and other sports intermediate between bantamweight and lightweight. In the amateur boxing scale it ranges from 54 to 57 kg.

2. [ count noun] — a featherweight boxer or other competitor.

3. a very light person or thing.

4. a person or thing not worth serious consideration

• he is an intellectual featherweight.

feathery /ˈfɛð(ə)ri/

I. adjective

having, covered with, or resembling feathers

• wisps of feathery blonde hair.

II. derivatives

featheriness /ˈfɛðərɪnəs /

noun

feature /ˈfiːtʃə/

I. noun

1. a distinctive attribute or aspect of something

• a well-appointed house with interesting decorative features

• one salient feature of the case has been overlooked.

2. (usu. features) — a part of the face, such as the mouth or eyes, making a significant contribution to its overall appearance

• a dark-haired man with strong, regular features.

3. [Linguistics] a distinctive characteristic of a linguistic unit, especially a speech sound or vocabulary item, that serves to distinguish it from others of the same type.

4. a newspaper or magazine article or a broadcast programme devoted to the treatment of a particular topic, typically at length

• a special feature on children's reference books.

5. (also feature film) — a full-length film intended as the main item in a cinema programme.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. have as a prominent attribute or aspect

• the hotel features a large lounge, a sauna, and a coin-operated solarium.

2. have as an important actor or participant

• the film featured Glenn Miller and his Orchestra.

3. [no obj.] ( feature in) — be a significant characteristic of or take an important part in

• his later paintings feature prominently in the exhibition.

– origin late Middle English (originally denoting the form or proportions of the body, or a physical feature): from Old French faiture ‘form’, from Latin factura (see facture).

feature article

noun

a newspaper or magazine article that deals in depth with a particular topic

• today's issue has a feature article on childhood obesity.

feature-complete

adjective

[Computing] denoting a version of a piece of software having all the functionality intended for the final version but requiring some improvements and fixes before release

• a feature-complete Beta 3 of Windows 2000 is due later this quarter.

featured /ˈfiːtʃəd/

adjective

1. [in combination] — having distinctive attributes or aspects of a specified kind

• the front of the chassis is well featured

• the complexities of a fully featured computer.

2. [in combination] — having facial parts, such as the mouth, nose, and eyes, of a specified kind

• this blond, blue-eyed, regular-featured queen

• my aunt was a tall, hard-featured lady.

3. (of a newspaper or magazine article, broadcast programme, or show) made a special attraction

• our featured interview for this issue

• he was the featured guest artist.

feature-length

adjective

of the length of a typical feature film or programme

• a feature-length documentary.

featureless /ˈfiːtʃələs/

adjective

lacking distinctive attributes or aspects

• a featureless landscape of snow and ice.

feature phone

noun

a mobile phone that incorporates features such as the ability to access the Internet and store and play music but lacks the advanced functionality of a smartphone.

featurette /fiːtʃəˈrɛt/

noun

a short feature film or programme.

feature writer

noun

a person who writes feature articles for a newspaper or magazine

• she worked for the Evening Standard as a feature writer.

Feb.

abbreviation

February.

febrifuge /ˈfɛbrɪfjuːdʒ/

I. noun

a medicine used to reduce fever.

• she employed a risky febrifuge and the fever finally broke.

II. derivatives

febrifugal /ˌfɛbrɪˈfjuːɡ(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: from French fébrifuge, from Latin febris ‘fever’ + fugare ‘drive away’. Compare with feverfew.

febrile /ˈfiːbrʌɪl/

I. adjective

1. having or showing the symptoms of a fever

• a febrile illness.

2. characterized by a great deal of nervous excitement or energy

• the febrile atmosphere of the city.

II. derivatives

1. febrilely

adverb

2. febrility

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French fébrile or medieval Latin febrilis, from Latin febris ‘fever’.

February /ˈfɛbrʊəri, ˈfɛbjʊəri/

I. noun

the second month of the year, in the northern hemisphere usually considered the last month of winter

• even in February the place is busy

• the coldest February in 40 years.

– origin Middle English feverer, from Old French feverier, based on Latin februarius, from februa, the name of a purification feast held in this month. The spelling change in the 15th cent. was due to association with the Latin word. / usage: Note that February is spelled with an r following the Feb-. Precise speakers insist that this r should be pronounced, but this is not easy, and most people replace the r following Feb- with a y sound: Feb-yoo- rather than Feb-roo-. This is now becoming the accepted standard.

Fechner, Gustav Theodor /ˈfɛxnə, German ˈfɛçnɐ/

(1801–87), German physicist and psychologist. Fechner hoped to make psychology a truly objective science and coined the termed psychophysics to define his study of the quantitative relationship between degrees of physical stimulation and the resulting sensations.

feck

I. exclamation

(Irish) ‹informal› used to to express annoyance, frustration, impatience, or surprise.

II. derivatives

fecking

adjective, adverb

– origin 1990s: euphemism for fuck (exclamation).

feckless /ˈfɛkləs/

I. adjective

lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible

• her feckless younger brother.

II. derivatives

1. fecklessly

adverb

2. fecklessness /ˈfɛkləsnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: from Scots and northern English dialect feck (from effeck, variant of effect) + -less.

feculent /ˈfɛkjʊl(ə)nt/

I. adjective

of or containing dirt, sediment, or waste matter

• their feet were forever slipping on feculent bog.

II. derivatives

feculence /ˈfɛkjʊl(ə)ns /

noun

– origin late 15th cent.: from French féculent or Latin faeculentus, from faex, faec- ‘dregs’.

fecund /ˈfɛk(ə)nd, ˈfiːk(ə)nd/

I. adjective

1. producing or capable of producing an abundance of offspring or new growth; highly fertile

• a lush and fecund garden.

2. producing many new ideas

• her fecund imagination.

3. ‹technical› capable of bearing children.

– origin late Middle English: from French fécond or Latin fecundus.

fecundability /fɪˌkʌndəˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] [Zoology] the probability of a woman or female animal conceiving within a given period of time, especially during a specific month or menstrual cycle.

fecundate /ˈfɛk(ə)ndeɪt, ˈfiːk(ə)ndeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› fertilize.

• there were no insects to fecundate flowering plants.

2. ‹literary› make fruitful.

• he actuates and fecundates our souls.

II. derivatives

fecundation /fɛk(ə)nˈdeɪʃ(ə)n, fiːk(ə)nˈdeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin fecundat- ‘made fruitful’, from the verb fecundare, from fecundus ‘fruitful’.

fecundity /fɪˈkʌndɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability to produce an abundance of offspring or new growth; fertility

• multiply mated females show increased fecundity

• age-related decline in female fecundity.

2. the ability to produce many new ideas

• the immense fecundity of his imagination made a profound impact on European literature.

fed /fɛd/

past and past participle of feed.

Fed /fɛd/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› (US) a federal agent or official, especially a member of the FBI.

• I don't think he has any friends since he grassed to the Feds.

2. ( the feds) — ‹informal› (Brit.) the police

• her two older brothers had got a restraining order put on them by the feds.

3. (usu. the Fed) — ‹informal› (US) short for Federal Reserve.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation of federal. The abbreviation fed had previously been used in the late 18th cent. to denote a member of the Federalist Party, who advocated a union of American colonies after the War of Independence.

fedayeen /ˌfɛdəˈjiːn, fəˈdɑːjiːn / fidayeen

I. plural noun

Arab guerrillas operating especially against Israel.

• he attempted to obtain clemency for members of the Islamic fedayeen.

– origin 1950s: from colloquial Arabic fidā'iyīn, plural of classical Arabic fidā'ī ‘one who gives his life for another or for a cause’, from fadā ‘to ransom someone’. The singular fedai (from Arabic and Persian fidā'ī) had previously been used (late 19th cent.) to denote an Ismaili Muslim assassin.

federacy /ˈfɛd(ə)rəsi/

I. noun

1. a group of states with a central government but independence in internal affairs; a federation.

2. [ mass noun] — the state of being joined by a treaty.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from federate + -acy, on the pattern of confederacy.

federal /ˈfɛd(ə)r(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. having or relating to a system of government in which several states form a unity but remain independent in internal affairs

• a federal Europe.

2. relating to or denoting the central government as distinguished from the separate units constituting a federation

• the health ministry has sole federal responsibility for health care.

3. ( Federal) — (US) ‹historical› of the Northern states in the Civil War.

II. derivatives

1. federalization

noun

2. federalize /ˈfɛd(ə)r(ə)lʌɪz / federalise

verb

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin foedus, foeder- ‘league, covenant’ + -al.

Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI

an agency of the US federal government that deals principally with internal security and counter-intelligence and that also conducts investigations in federal law enforcement. It was established in 1908 as a branch of the Department of Justice, but was substantially reorganized under the controversial directorship (1924–72) of J. Edgar Hoover.

federal case

noun

1. (US) [Law] a criminal case that falls under the jurisdiction of a federal court.

2. ‹informal› a matter of great concern

• I'm not trying to make a federal case out of this, Christine, but you've got to do something.

federal holiday

noun

a public holiday established by the federal government of a country

• there's no mail today because it's a federal holiday.

federalism /ˈfɛdərəlɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the federal principle or system of government.

• idealists who were committed to European federalism.

federalist /ˈfɛd(ə)rəlɪst/

I. noun

1. a person who advocates or supports a system of government in which several states unite under a central authority

• the ideas of the European federalists.

2. ( Federalist) — (US) a member or supporter of the Federalist Party

• they captured the legislative and the executive branches of the federal government from the Federalists.

II. adjective

1. relating to or denoting a system of government in which several states unite under a central authority

• the federalist structure of the American system of government.

2. ( Federalist) — (US) denoting or pertaining to the Federalist Party

• it was not a weapon that could reach the Federalist judges.

Federalist Party

an early political party in the US, joined by George Washington during his presidency (1789–97) and in power until 1801. The party's emphasis on strong central government was extremely important in the early years after independence, but by the 1820s it had been superseded by the Democratic Republican Party.

federally /ˈfɛd(ə)rəli/

adverb

by means of the central government as distinguished from the separate units constituting a federation

• federally funded projects

• the federally administered health insurance programme.

Federal Republic of Germany

I. former name for West Germany (see Germany).

II. the official name of Germany.

Federal Reserve

(in the US) the banking authority that performs the functions of a central bank and is used to implement the country's monetary policy, providing a national system of reserve cash available to banks.

federate

I. verb — federate /ˈfɛdəreɪt /

1. (with reference to a number of states or organizations) form or be formed into a single centralized unit, within which each state or organization keeps some internal autonomy
[no obj.]

• in 1901 the six colonies federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia

• [with obj.] he resisted British attempts to federate Barbados with neighbouring islands

• (as adjective federated) a federated state consisting of 15 union republics.

II. adjective — federate /ˈfɛd(ə)rət /

1. relating to a federated state or organization

• federate armies.

III. derivatives

federative /ˈfɛd(ə)rətɪv /

adjective

– origin early 18th cent. (as an adjective): from late Latin foederatus, based on foedus, foeder- ‘league, covenant’.

Federated States of Micronesia

full name for Micronesia (sense 2).

federation /fɛdəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a group of states with a central government but independence in internal affairs
[in names]

• the Russian Federation.

2. an organization or group within which smaller divisions have some degree of internal autonomy
[in names]

• the World Chess Federation.

3. [ mass noun] — the action of forming states or organizations into a single group with centralized control

• a first step in the federation of Europe.

II. derivatives

federationist

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: from French fédération, from late Latin foederatio(n-), from the verb foederare ‘to ally’, from foedus ‘league’.

Federation style

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of Australian architecture popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries

• the hotel was built in 1925, in Federation style.

Federation wheat

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) an early-maturing variety of wheat

• the average yield per acre for Federation wheat was 63 bushels.

Federer, Roger /ˈfɛdərə/

(b.1981), Swiss tennis player. In 2012 he won his seventh Wimbledon title, this being his 17th grand slam singles title.

fedora /fɪˈdɔːrə/

I. noun

a low, soft felt hat with a curled brim and the crown creased lengthways.

– origin late 19th cent. (originally US): from Fédora, the title of a drama (1882) written by the French dramatist Victorien Sardou (1831–1908).

fed up

I. adjective

‹informal› annoyed, unhappy, or bored, especially with a situation that has existed for a long time

• I am fed up with being put down and made to feel stupid.

II. phrases

fed up to the teeth (or back teeth)

(Brit.) extremely annoyed or unhappy

• I'm fed up to the back teeth with the mess he's landed us in.

fee /fiː/

I. noun

1. a payment made to a professional person or to a professional or public body in exchange for advice or services

• they were faced with legal fees of £3000.

2. money paid as part of a special transaction, for example for a privilege or for admission to something

• an annual membership fee.

3. (usu. fees) — money regularly paid to a school or similar institution for continuing services

• tuition fees have now reached $9000 a year.

4. [Law] ‹historical› an estate of land, especially one held on condition of feudal service.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› make a payment to (someone) in return for services.

III. phrases

hold something in fee

[Law] ‹historical› hold an estate in return for feudal service to a superior.

– origin Middle English: from an Anglo-Norman French variant of Old French feu, fief, from medieval Latin feodum, feudum, ultimately of Germanic origin. Compare with feu, feud, and fief.

feeb /fiːb/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a feeble-minded person.

• no way such feebs could be of any help.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation of feeble.

feebate

I. noun

a system of charges and rebates whereby energy-efficient or environmentally friendly practices are rewarded while failure to adhere to such practices is penalized.
[as modifier]

• a feebate scheme rewards buyers of fuel-efficient cars and penalizes those who purchase gas-guzzlers.

– origin 1990s: blend of fee and rebate^1.

feeble /ˈfiːb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. lacking physical strength, especially as a result of age or illness

• by now, he was too feeble to leave his room.

2. (of a sound) faint

• her feeble cries of pain.

3. lacking strength of character

• I know it's feeble but I've never been one to stand up for myself.

4. failing to convince or impress

• a feeble excuse.

II. derivatives

feebleness /ˈfiːb(ə)lnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French fieble, earlier fleible, from Latin flebilis ‘lamentable’, from flere ‘weep’.

feeble-minded

I. adjective

1. unable to make intelligent decisions or judgements; foolish or stupid.

2. ‹dated› (of a person) having less than average intelligence.

II. derivatives

1. feeble-mindedly

adverb

2. feeble-mindedness /ˌfiːb(ə)lˈmʌɪndɪdnəs /

noun

feebly /ˈfiːbli/

adverb

1. in a way that lacks strength or force

• I smiled feebly

• many, from fear, cried out feebly.

2. in a way that fails to convince or impress

• he feebly attempted to defend the challenge

• Plan D, a feebly disguised version of Plan C.

feed /fiːd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. give food to

• did you remember to feed the cat?

• [with two objs] she fed him bits of biscuit.

2. [no obj.] — (especially of an animal or baby) take food; eat something

• the baby will feed according to her needs.

3. ( feed someone/thing up) — (Brit.) give a person or animal large amounts of food

• you look as though you need feeding up.

4. provide an adequate supply of food for

• the island's simple agriculture could hardly feed its inhabitants.

5. [no obj.] ( feed on/off) — derive regular nourishment from (a particular substance)

• the bird feeds on cliff-top vegetation

• ‹figurative› his powerful mind fed off political discussion.

6. give fertilizer to (a plant).

• feed the lawn in spring and autumn.

7. put fuel on (a fire).

8. encourage the growth of

• I could feed my melancholy by reading Romantic poetry.

9. ‹informal› satisfy (a drug habit)

• users who commit crime to feed their habit.

10. supply with material or power

• a radial circuit fed by a 20 amp fuse

• the pond is fed by a small stream.

11. put into a machine

• the programs are fed into the computer

• Kevin fed coins into the jukebox.

12. insert further coins into (a meter) to extend the time for which it operates.

13. [with two objs] — supply (someone) with (information, ideas, etc.)

• I think he is feeding his old employer commercial secrets.

14. [with two objs] — prompt (an actor) with (a line)

• you were still in the wings feeding Micky his lines.

15. (in ball games) pass (the ball) to a player.

16. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — cause to pass gradually and steadily, typically through a confined space

• make holes through which to feed the cables.

17. [no obj.] ( feed through) — (of a new factor or development) begin to be effective or influential; have an impact on someone or something

• it could take time for higher earnings and dividends to feed through to investors.

II. noun

1. an act of giving food, especially to animals or a baby, or of having food given to one

• the baby's morning feed.

2. ‹informal› a meal

• I gave him a big feed of rashers and eggs and mashed potatoes.

3. [ mass noun] — food for domestic animals

• the crops are grown for animal feed

• cow feed.

4. a device or pipe for supplying material to a machine

• a paper feed.

5. the supply of raw material to a machine or device
[as modifier]

• a feed pipe.

6. a broadcast distributed by a satellite or network from a central source to a large number of radio or television stations

• a satellite feed from Washington.

7. [Computing] a facility for notifying the user of a blog or other frequently updated website that new content has been added

• most blogs and news sites offer RSS feeds of their latest content.

8. a line or prompt given to an actor on stage.

9. an actor who gives a feed to a fellow performer.

III. phrases

off one's feed

‹informal› having no appetite.

IV. phrasal verbs

feed back

(of an electrical or other system) produce feedback.

– origin Old English fēdan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch voeden and food.

feedback /ˈfiːdbak/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. information about reactions to a product, a person's performance of a task, etc. which is used as a basis for improvement.

2. the modification or control of a process or system by its results or effects, for example in a biochemical pathway or behavioural response.
See also negative feedback, positive feedback.

3. the return of a fraction of the output signal from an amplifier, microphone, or other device to the input of the same device; sound distortion produced by this.

feedbag /ˈfiːdbaɡ/

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a strong canvas or leather bag containing fodder, hung from a horse's head so as to enable it to feed; a nosebag

• I refilled her water trough and feedbag.

2. (N. Amer.) a small lightweight bag containing food and drink, given to riders during a cycling race

• a helper was trying to hand out the feedbags to the riders.

feed box

noun

an open container in which food for animals is placed

• he keeps a mineral block in the feed box for the calves to lick.

feed dog

noun

the mechanism in a sewing machine which feeds the material under the needle.

feeder /ˈfiːdə/

noun

1. a person or animal that eats a particular food or in a particular manner

• a plankton feeder.

2. a container filled with food for birds or mammals.

3. (Brit.) a child's feeding bottle.

4. (Brit.) a bib for an infant.

5. [Fishing] short for swimfeeder.

6. a person or thing that supplies something, in particular:

7. a device supplying material to a machine

• the automatic sheet feeder holds up to 10 sheets of paper.

8. a tributary stream.

9. [usu. as modifier] — a branch road or railway line linking outlying districts with a main communication system.

10. a main carrying electricity to a distribution point.

11. [usu. as modifier] — a school, sports team, etc. from which members move on to one more advanced

• a sixth-form college and its feeder schools.

feeder school

noun

a school from which many or most students progress to a particular higher-level educational institution

• the school takes pupils from six main feeder schools

• a feeder school for Eton and Harrow.

feedforward

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the modification or control of a process using its anticipated results or effects.
[as modifier]

• feedforward correction capabilities.

feeding bottle /ˈfiːdɪŋ ˌbɒt(ə)l/

noun

(Brit.) a bottle fitted with a teat for giving milk or other drinks to babies and very young children.

feeding frenzy

noun

1. an aggressive and competitive group attack on prey by a number of sharks or piranhas.

2. an episode of frantic competition or rivalry for something

• the remark caused a media feeding frenzy.

feeding time

noun

the usual time at which an animal or baby is fed or takes food

• we were lucky enough to walk by the lions' enclosure at feeding time

• in the kitchen, three high seats are lined up in a row, ready for feeding time.

feed-in tariff

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a payment made to households or businesses generating their own electricity through the use of methods that do not contribute to the depletion of natural resources, proportional to the amount of power generated.

feedlot

noun

an area or building where livestock are fed or fattened up.

feed pipe

noun

a pipe for supplying raw material or fuel to a machine or device

• cracks in an oil feed pipe caused an engine to explode.

feedstock

noun — [ mass noun]

1. raw material to supply or fuel a machine or industrial process.
[ count noun]

• the advantage of efficient technology and low-cost feedstocks.

feedstuff /ˈfiːdstʌf/

noun — (usu. feedstuffs)

1. a food provided for cattle and other livestock.

• agricultural feedstuffs for pigs and cattle.

feedthrough /ˈfiːdθruː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the passage or transfer of something through or beyond a specified point or stage

• the feedthrough to further education.

2. an electrical connector used to join two parts of a circuit on opposite sides of something, such as a circuit board or an earthing screen.

fee farm

noun

1. [Law] ‹chiefly historical› an estate or land held in fee simple subject to a perpetual fixed rent.

2. [ mass noun] — [Law] ‹chiefly historical› the tenure of a fee farm or farms.

3. [ mass noun] — [Law] ‹chiefly historical› the rent paid for the tenure of a fee farm or farms.

feel /fiːl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. be aware of (a person or object) through touching or being touched

• she felt someone touch her shoulder

• you can feel the soft grass beneath your feet.

2. be aware of (something happening) through physical sensation

• she felt the ground give way beneath her.

3. examine or search by touch

• he touched her head and felt her hair

• [no obj.] he felt around for the matches.

4. [no obj.] — be capable of sensation

• the dead cannot feel.

5. [no obj., with complement] — give a sensation of a particular physical quality when touched

• the wool feels soft.

6. ( feel something out) — ‹informal› investigate something cautiously

• they want to feel out the situation.

7. ( feel someone up) — ‹informal› fondle someone surreptitiously and without their consent, for one's own sexual stimulation.

8. experience (an emotion or sensation)

• I felt a sense of excitement

• [no obj., with complement] she started to feel really sick

• it felt odd to be alone again

• [no obj.] we feel very strongly about freedom of expression.

9. [no obj., with complement] — consider oneself to be in a particular state or exhibiting particular qualities

• he doesn't feel obliged to visit every weekend

• she felt such a fool.

10. [no obj.] ( feel up to) — have the strength and energy to do or deal with

• after the accident she didn't feel up to driving.

11. [usu. with negative] ( feel oneself) — be healthy and well

• Ruth was not quite feeling herself.

12. be strongly affected by

• he didn't feel the loss of his mother so keenly

• investors who have felt the effects of the recession.

13. [no obj.] ( feel for) — have compassion for

• poor woman—I do feel for her.

14. [with clause] — have a belief or impression, especially without an identifiable reason

• she felt that the woman positively disliked her.

15. hold an opinion

• I felt I could make a useful contribution.

II. noun — [usu. in sing.]

1. an act of touching something to examine it.

2. [ mass noun] — the sense of touch

• he worked by feel rather than using his eyes.

3. a sensation given by an object or material when touched

• nylon cloth with a cotton feel.

4. the impression given by something

• a cafe with a cosmopolitan feel.

III. phrases

1. feel one's age

become aware that one is growing older and less energetic.

2. feel free (to do something)

have no hesitation or shyness (often used as an invitation or for reassurance)

• feel free to say what you like.

3. feel like (doing) something

be inclined to have or do

• I feel like celebrating.

4. feel one's oats

see oat.

5. feel the pinch

see pinch.

6. feel the pulse of

see pulse^1.

7. feel small

see small.

8. feel one's way

a. find one's way by touch rather than sight

• he felt his way back to the stairs.

b. proceed cautiously, especially in a situation that is unfamiliar

• she was new in the job, still feeling her way.

9. get a (or the) feel for (or of)

become accustomed to

• you can explore to get a feel of the place.

10. have a feel for

have a sensitive appreciation or an intuitive understanding of

• you have to have a feel for animals.

11. make oneself (or one's presence) felt

have a noticeable effect or influence

• the economic crisis began to make itself felt.

– origin Old English fēlan, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch voelen and German fühlen.

feeler /ˈfiːlə/

noun

1. an animal organ such as an antenna or palp that is used for testing things by touch or for searching for food.

2. a tentative proposal intended to ascertain someone's attitude or opinion

• he has already put out feelers to local employers.

feeler gauge

noun

a gauge consisting of a number of thin blades for measuring narrow gaps or clearances.

feel-good /ˈfiːlɡʊd/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. causing a feeling of happiness and well-being

• a feel-good movie.

II. phrases

feel-good factor

(Brit.) a widespread feeling of well-being and financial security, especially viewed as a factor in increased consumer spending.

III. derivatives

feel-goodism

noun

feeling /ˈfiːlɪŋ/

I. noun

1. an emotional state or reaction

• a feeling of joy.

2. ( feelings) — the emotional side of someone's character; emotional responses or tendencies to respond

• I don't want to hurt her feelings.

3. [ mass noun] — strong emotion

• ‘God bless you!’ she said with feeling.

4. an idea or belief, especially a vague or irrational one
[with clause]

• he had the feeling that he was being watched.

5. an attitude or opinion

• a feeling grew that justice had not been done

• if you have strong feelings about the proposal, you should contact the Office at once.

6. [ mass noun] — the capacity to experience the sense of touch

• a loss of feeling in the hands.

7. the sensation of touching or being touched by a particular thing

• the feeling of the water against your skin.

8. ( feeling for) — a sensitivity to or intuitive understanding of

• she says I have a feeling for medicine.

II. adjective

showing emotion or sensitivity

• she was a feeling child.

III. phrases

one's better feelings

one's conscience.

IV. derivatives

feelingless

adjective

feelingly /ˈfiːlɪŋli/

adverb

(of the expression of a feeling or opinion) in a heartfelt way

• ‘Thank goodness,’ she said feelingly.

fee-paying

adjective

1. (of a school or similar institution) charging fees for continuing services

• many families were making sacrifices to send children to fee-paying schools.

2. required to pay a fee or fees for a service

• fee-paying students

• fee-paying patients.

fee simple /fiːˈsɪmp(ə)l/

noun

[Law] a permanent and absolute tenure in land with freedom to dispose of it at will, especially a freehold tenure, which is the main type of land ownership.

feet /fiːt/

plural form of foot.

fee tail

I. noun

[Law] ‹chiefly historical› a type of tenure in land with restrictions (entailments) regarding the line of heirs to whom it may be willed.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French fee tailé (see fee, tail^2).

feh /fɛ/

exclamation

(in Jewish use) conveying disapproval, displeasure, or disgust

• The greatest writer in the English language? Feh!

Fehling's solution /ˈfeɪlɪŋz / Fehling's reagent

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an alkaline solution of copper(II) sulphate and a tartrate, used in a laboratory test for sugars.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after the German chemist Hermann von Fehling (1812–85).

feign /feɪn/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. pretend to be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury)

• she feigned nervousness.

– origin Middle English: from Old French feign-, stem of feindre, from Latin fingere ‘mould, contrive’. Senses in Middle English (taken from Latin) included ‘make something’, ‘invent a story, excuse, or allegation’, hence ‘make a pretence of a feeling or response’. Compare with fiction and figment.

feigned

adjective

simulated or pretended; insincere

• her eyes widened with feigned shock.

feijoa /feɪˈ(d)ʒəʊə, fɛˈ(d)ʒəʊə, fiːˈ(d)ʒəʊə/

I. noun

1. an evergreen shrub or small tree that bears edible green fruit resembling guavas. It is native to tropical South America and cultivated in New Zealand for its fruit.
●Genus Feijoa, family Myrtaceae: two species.

2. the fruit of the feijoa.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, named after J. da Silva Feijó (1760–1824), Brazilian naturalist.

feijoada /feɪˈ(d)ʒwaðə, feɪˈ(d)ʒwadə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Brazilian or Portuguese stew of black beans with pork or other meat and vegetables, served with rice.

– origin Portuguese, from feijão, from Latin phaseolus ‘bean’.

feint^1 /feɪnt/

I. noun

1. a deceptive or pretended blow, thrust, or other movement, especially in boxing or fencing

• a brief feint at the opponent's face.

2. a mock attack or movement in warfare, made in order to distract or deceive an enemy.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a deceptive or distracting movement, especially during a fight

• Adam feinted with his right and then swung a left.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French feinte, past participle (used as a noun) of feindre ‘feign’.

feint^2 /feɪnt/

I. adjective

denoting paper printed with faint lines as a guide for handwriting.

– origin mid 19th cent.: variant of faint.

feis /fɛʃ/

I. noun

an Irish or Scottish festival of music and dancing.

– origin Irish feis, fess ‘meeting, assembly’.

feisty /ˈfʌɪsti/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› (of a person, typically one who is relatively small) lively, determined, and courageous

• a love story with a feisty heroine who's more than a pretty face.

2. ‹informal› touchy and aggressive

• he got a bit feisty and tried to hit me.

II. derivatives

1. feistily

adverb

2. feistiness

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from earlier feist, fist ‘small dog’, from fisting cur or hound, a derogatory term for a lapdog, from Middle English fist ‘break wind’, of West Germanic origin. Compare with fizzle.

Feldenkrais method /ˈfɛld(ə)nkrʌɪs/

I. noun

a system designed to promote bodily and mental efficiency and well-being by conscious analysis of neuromuscular activity via exercises which improve flexibility and coordination and increase ease and range of motion.

– origin 1930s: named after Moshe Feldenkrais (1904–84), Russian-born physicist and mechanical engineer.

feldspar /ˈfɛldspɑː / felspar

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an abundant rock-forming mineral typically occurring as colourless or pale-coloured crystals and consisting of aluminosilicates of potassium, sodium, and calcium.

– origin mid 18th cent.: alteration of German Feldspat, Feldspath, from Feld ‘field’ + Spat, Spath ‘spar’ (see spar^3). The form felspar is by mistaken association with German Fels ‘rock’.

feldspathic /fɛldˈspaθɪk/

adjective

[Geology] (of a mineral or rock) of the nature of or containing feldspar.

feldspathoid /ˈfɛl(d)spəˌθɔɪd/

I. noun

[Geology] any of a group of minerals chemically similar to feldspar but containing less silica, such as nepheline and leucite.

II. derivatives

feldspathoidal /fɛl(d)spəˌˈθɔɪd(ə)l /

adjective

felicific /ˌfiːlɪˈsɪfɪk/

I. adjective

[Philosophy] relating to or promoting increased happiness

• the institution of a rule against murder is in general felicific.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin felicificus, from felix, felic- ‘happy’.

felicitate /fɪˈlɪsɪteɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. congratulate

• the award winner was felicitated by the cultural association.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘regard as or pronounce happy or fortunate’): from late Latin felicitat- ‘made happy’, from the verb felicitare, from Latin felix, felic- ‘happy’.

felicitations /fəlɪsɪˈteɪʃ(ə)nz/

plural noun

words expressing praise for an achievement or good wishes on a special occasion.

• it is my honour to extend the felicitations of the president of France to you.

felicitous /fɪˈlɪsɪtəs/

I. adjective

1. well chosen or suited to the circumstances

• a felicitous phrase.

2. pleasing and fortunate

• the view was the room's only felicitous feature.

II. derivatives

1. felicitously /fəˈlɪsɪtəsli /

adverb

2. felicitousness

noun

felicity /fɪˈlɪsɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. intense happiness

• domestic felicity.

2. the ability to find appropriate expression for one's thoughts

• he exposed the kernel of the matter with his customary elegance and felicity.

3. [ count noun] — a particularly effective feature of a work of literature or art

• a book full of minor felicities.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French felicite, from Latin felicitas, from felix, felic- ‘happy’.

felid /ˈfiːlɪd/

I. noun

[Zoology] a mammal of the cat family ( Felidae); a wild cat.

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin Felidae (plural), from Latin feles ‘cat’.

feline /ˈfiːlʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. relating to or affecting cats or other members of the cat family

• feline leukaemia.

2. resembling or suggestive of a cat

• he moved with feline grace.

II. noun

a cat or other member of the cat family.

III. derivatives

felinity /fɪˈlɪnɪti /

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin felinus, from feles ‘cat’.

Felipe VI /fɛˌliːpeɪ ðə ˈsɪksθ/

(b.1968), king of Spain from 2014; full name Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y de Grecia. His father Juan Carlos abdicated in his favour in 2014.

felix culpa /ˌfiːlɪks ˈkʌlpə, ˌfeɪlɪks ˈkʊlpɑː/

I. noun

1. (in Christian theology) the sin of Adam viewed as fortunate, because it brought about the blessedness of the Redemption.

2. an apparent error or disaster with happy consequences.

– origin Latin, literally ‘happy fault’.

Felixstowe /ˈfiːlɪkstəʊ/

a port on the east coast of England, in Suffolk; pop. 31,400 (est. 2009).

fell^1 /fɛl/

past of fall.

fell^2 /fɛl/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cut down (a tree).

• 33 million trees are felled each day.

2. knock down

• Whitlock felled him with one punch.

3. (also flat-fell) — stitch down (the edge of a seam) to lie flat.
(as adj. flat-felled)

• a flat-felled seam.

II. noun

an amount of timber cut.

– origin Old English fellan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vellen and German fällen, also to fall.

fell^3 /fɛl/

I. noun

a hill or stretch of high moorland, especially in northern England
[in place names]

• Cross Fell.

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse fjall, fell ‘hill’; probably related to German Fels ‘rock’.

fell^4 /fɛl/

I. adjective

‹literary› of terrible evil or ferocity; deadly

• the fell disease that was threatening her sister.

II. phrases

in (or at) one fell swoop

all in one go

• in one fell swoop they exceeded the total number of tries scored last year.

[from Shakespeare's Macbeth (IV. iii. 219).]

– origin Middle English: from Old French fel, nominative of felon ‘wicked (person)’ (see felon^1).

fell^5 /fɛl/

I. noun

‹archaic› an animal's hide or skin with its hair.

– origin Old English fel, fell, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vel and German Fell, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin pellis and Greek pella ‘skin’.

fella /ˈfɛlə / fellah

noun

1. non-standard spelling of fellow, used in representing speech in various dialects:

• you can't blame the wee fella.

2. ‹informal› a person's boyfriend or lover

• she took a fancy to her best friend's fella.

fellah /ˈfɛlə/

I. noun

an Egyptian peasant.

– origin from Arabic fallāḥ ‘tiller of the soil’, from falaḥa ‘till the soil’.

fellate /fɛˈleɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. perform fellatio on (a man).

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin fellat- ‘sucked’, from the verb fellare.

fellatio /fɛˈleɪʃɪəʊ, fɛˈlɑːtɪəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. oral stimulation of a man's penis.

II. derivatives

fellator /fɛˈleɪtə /

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, from Latin fellare ‘to suck’.

feller^1 /ˈfɛlə/

noun

non-standard spelling of fellow, used in representing speech in various dialects.

feller^2 /ˈfɛlə/

noun

a person who cuts down trees.

Fellini, Federico /fəˈliːni/

(1920–93), Italian film director. He rose to international fame with La Strada (1954), which won an Oscar for best foreign film. Other major films include La Dolce vita (1960), a satire on Rome's high society.

fellmonger /ˈfɛlmʌŋɡə/

I. noun

a dealer in hides or skins, particularly sheepskins

• this gateway was used by a fellmonger for drying wool.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Austral.) remove (wool) from a sheepskin

• 1,100 bales of wool have been fellmongered on the premises.

– origin mid16th cent.: from fell^5 + -monger.

fellmongery /ˈfɛlmʌŋɡəri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) the preparation of animal skins for leather-making

• the firm has a long-standing tradition of fellmongery.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from fellmonger + -y^3.

felloes /ˈfɛləʊz / fellies /ˈfɛliz/

I. plural noun

the outer rim of a wheel, to which the spokes are fixed.

– origin Old English felg (singular); related to Dutch velg and German Felge; of unknown ultimate origin.

fellow /ˈfɛləʊ/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a man or boy

• he was an extremely obliging fellow.

2. (usu. fellows) — a person in the same position, involved in the same activity, or otherwise associated with another

• he was learning with a rapidity unique among his fellows.

3. a thing of the same kind as or otherwise associated with another

• the page has been torn away from its fellows.

4. a member of a learned society.

• a fellow of the Geological Society.

5. (Brit.) an incorporated senior member of a college

• a tutorial fellow.

6. (also research fellow) — an elected graduate receiving a stipend for a period of research.

7. a member of the governing body in some universities.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. sharing a particular activity, quality, or condition with someone or something

• they urged the troops not to fire on their fellow citizens.

– origin late Old English fēolaga ‘a partner or colleague’ (literally ‘one who lays down money in a joint enterprise’), from Old Norse félagi, from fé ‘cattle, property, money’ + the Germanic base of lay^1.

fellow being

noun

another person or other living creature considered in relation to oneself

• all his life he showed compassion towards his fellow beings.

fellow citizen

noun

a person from one's own city or country

• people were recruited to spy and report on their fellow citizens.

fellow countryman

noun

a person from one's own country

• they did not want to shoot their fellow countrymen.

fellow countrywoman

noun

a woman from one's own country

• Williams plays fellow countrywoman Sloane Stephens in the next round.

fellow creature

noun

another animal or person considered in relation to oneself

• I felt horrified that we could treat our fellow creatures in such ways.

fellow feeling

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sympathy and fellowship existing between people based on shared experiences or feelings.

• a common culture could help unite the classes and promote fellow feeling.

• he had a shy manner which evoked a fellow feeling in me.

fellow human being

noun

another person, considered as sharing the condition of being a member of the human race

• she couldn't let a fellow human being die.

fellow man

noun — ( one's fellow man/men)

1. other people in general

• this has restored my faith in my fellow man

• his every move in life was for the benefit of his fellow men.

fellowship /ˈfɛlə(ʊ)ʃɪp/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — friendly association, especially with people who share one's interests

• they valued fun and good fellowship as the cement of the community.

2. [ count noun] — a group of people meeting to pursue a shared interest or aim.

3. [ count noun] — a guild or corporation.

4. the status of a fellow of a college or society

• a fellowship in mathematics.

fellow traveller

I. noun

1. a person who travels with another

• the flight attendant asked my fellow travellers to turn off their phones.

2. a person who is not a member of a particular group or political party (especially the Communist Party), but who sympathizes with the group's aims and policies

• he was certainly a fellow traveller—in the political context of the Thirties this was unremarkable.

II. derivatives

fellow-travelling

adjective

fellow worker

noun

a person with whom one works

• he was held in high regard by his fellow workers.

Fell pony

noun

a large pony, typically black, of a breed with a long wavy mane and tail.

fell-walking

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of walking or rambling on the fells.

II. derivatives

fell-walker

noun

felo de se /ˌfiːləʊ deɪ ˈseɪ, ˌfɛ-/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. suicide.

• the inquest brought in a verdict of felo de se, and the felon was ordered to be buried in the cross-way.

– origin from Anglo-Latin, literally ‘felon of himself’; formerly a criminal act in the UK.

felon^1 /ˈfɛlən/

I. noun

a person who has committed a felony.

II. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. ‹archaic› cruel; wicked.

– origin Middle English: from Old French, literally ‘wicked, a wicked person’ (oblique case of fel ‘evil’), from medieval Latin fello, fellon-, of unknown origin. Compare with felon^2.

felon^2 /ˈfɛlən/

I. noun

archaic term for whitlow.

– origin Middle English: perhaps a specific use of felon^1; medieval Latin fello, fellon- had the same sense.

felonious /fɛˈləʊnɪəs, fɪˈləʊnɪəs/

I. adjective

1. relating to or involved in crime

• they turned their felonious talents to the smuggling trade.

2. [Law] relating to or of the nature of felony.

• his conduct was felonious.

II. derivatives

feloniously

adverb

felonry /ˈfɛlənri/

I. noun

(Austral.) ‹historical› convicts and ex-convicts regarded as a social class

• the felonry have become rampant and insolent.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from felon^1 + -ry.

felony /ˈfɛləni/

I. noun

1. a crime regarded in the US and many other judicial systems as more serious than a misdemeanour

• he pleaded guilty to six felonies

• [ mass noun] an accusation of felony.

In the US the distinction between felonies and misdemeanours usually depends on the penalties or consequences attaching to the crime. In English law felony originally comprised those offences (murder, wounding, arson, rape, and robbery) for which the penalty included forfeiture of land and goods. Forfeiture was abolished in 1870, and in 1967 felonies and misdemeanours were replaced by indictable and non-indictable offences.

– origin Middle English: from Old French felonie, from felon (see felon^1).

felsic /ˈfɛlsɪk/

I. adjective

[Geology] relating to or denoting a group of light-coloured minerals including feldspar, feldspathoids, quartz, and muscovite.

• felsic volcanic rocks.

Often contrasted with mafic.

– origin early 20th cent.: from feldspar + a contraction of silica.

felt^1 /fɛlt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of cloth made by rolling and pressing wool or another suitable textile accompanied by the application of moisture or heat, which causes the constituent fibres to mat together to create a smooth surface.
[as modifier]

• a felt hat.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make into felt; mat together.

• the fibres are shredded and felted together.

2. [no obj.] — become matted

• care must be taken in washing, or the wool will shrink and felt.

3. cover with felt
(as adj. felted)

• a felted roof.

III. derivatives

felty

adjective

– origin Old English, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vilt, also to filter.

felt^2 /fɛlt/

past and past participle of feel.

felt-tip pen /ˌfɛltˌtɪp ˈpɛn / felt-tipped pen, felt tip

noun

a pen with a writing point made of felt or other tightly packed fibres.

felucca /fɛˈlʌkə/

I. noun

a small boat propelled by oars or lateen sails or both, used on the Nile and formerly more widely in the Mediterranean region.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Italian feluc(c)a, probably from obsolete Spanish faluca, of Arabic origin.

felwort /ˈfɛlwəːt/

I. noun

a European gentian of dry grassland, which produces mauve flowers in the autumn.
● Gentianella amarella, family Gentianaceae.

– origin Old English feldwyrt (see field, wort).

FEMA

abbreviation

(in the US) Federal Emergency Management Agency.

female /ˈfiːmeɪl/

I. adjective

1. of or denoting the sex that can bear offspring or produce eggs, distinguished biologically by the production of gametes (ova) which can be fertilized by male gametes

• a herd of female deer.

2. relating to or characteristic of women or female animals

• a female audience

• female names.

3. (of a plant or flower) having a pistil but no stamens.

4. (of parts of machinery, fittings, etc.) manufactured hollow so that a corresponding male part can be inserted.

II. noun

a female person, animal, or plant.

III. phrases

the female of the species ‹humorous›

women or a woman

• it was one of those subtle hints that the female of the species sometimes use.

IV. derivatives

femaleness

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French femelle, from Latin femella, diminutive of femina ‘a woman’. The change in the ending was due to association with male, but the words male and female are not linked etymologically.

female circumcision

noun — [ mass noun]

1. another term for female genital mutilation.

female condom

noun

a contraceptive device made of thin rubber, inserted into a woman's vagina before sexual intercourse.

female genital mutilation female genital cutting

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice, traditional in some cultures, of partially or totally removing the external genitalia of girls and young women for non-medical reasons. It is illegal in many countries.

female impersonator

noun

a male entertainer whose performance consists of dressing and acting like a woman.

female-oriented ‹chiefly Brit.› female-orientated

adjective

biased towards, dominated by, or designed for women

• female-oriented websites.

female-to-male

I. adjective

1. relating to or denoting interaction or transfer between a female and a male

• female-to-male HIV infection.

2. denoting or relating to a person who is born female and subsequently adopts the identity or appearance of a male, especially one who has undergone gender reassignment

• female-to-male transsexuals.

II. noun

a person who is born female and subsequently adopts the identity or appearance of a male, especially one who has undergone gender reassignment

• the programme follows two male-to-females and two female-to-males as they transition from one gender to the other.

feme covert /fiːm ˈkʌvət/

I. noun

[Law] ‹historical› a married woman.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Anglo-Norman French, literally ‘a woman covered (i.e. protected by marriage)’.

femerell /ˈfɛm(ə)rɪl/

I. noun

‹historical› a louvre or covered opening on the roof of a kitchen or hall, for ventilation or to allow smoke to escape.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French fumeril ‘louvre’.

feme sole /fiːm ˈsəʊl / femme sole

I. noun

[Law] ‹historical› a woman without a husband, especially one that is divorced.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Anglo-Norman French feme soule ‘a woman alone’.

feminal /ˈfɛmɪn(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹archaic› relating to a woman.

II. derivatives

feminality

noun

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin feminalis, from Latin femina ‘woman’.

feminazi /ˈfɛmɪnɑːtsi/

I. noun

‹derogatory› a radical feminist.

– origin 1990s: blend of feminist and Nazi.

femineity /ˌfɛmɪˈniːɪti, ˌfɛmɪˈneɪɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› the quality of being feminine.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin femineus ‘womanish’ (from femina ‘woman’) + -ity.

feminine /ˈfɛmɪnɪn/

I. adjective

1. having qualities or an appearance traditionally associated with women, especially delicacy and prettiness

• the snowdrops gave a feminine touch to the table.

2. relating to women; female

• he enjoys feminine company.

3. [Grammar] of or denoting a gender of nouns and adjectives, conventionally regarded as female.

II. noun — ( the feminine)

1. the female sex or gender

• the association of the arts with the feminine.

2. [Grammar] a feminine word or form.

III. derivatives

1. femininely /ˈfɛmɪnɪnli /

adverb

2. feminineness

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin femininus, from femina ‘woman’.

feminine rhyme

noun

[Prosody] a rhyme between stressed syllables followed by one or more unstressed syllables (e.g. stocking / shocking, glamorous / amorous).
Compare with masculine rhyme.

femininity /ˌfɛmɪˈnɪnɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being female; womanliness

• she celebrates her femininity by wearing make-up and high heels.

feminism /ˈfɛmɪnɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the advocacy of women's rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.

The issue of rights for women first became prominent during the French and American revolutions in the late 18th century. In Britain it was not until the emergence of the suffragette movement in the late 19th century that there was significant political change. A ‘second wave’ of feminism arose in the 1960s, with an emphasis on unity and sisterhood; seminal figures included Betty Friedan and Germaine Greer.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French féminisme.

feminist /ˈfɛmənɪst/

I. noun

a person who supports feminism.

II. adjective

relating to or supporting feminism

• feminist literature.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French féministe, from Latin femina ‘woman’.

feminity

I. noun

‹rare› femininity.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French feminite, from medieval Latin feminitas, from Latin femina ‘woman’.

feminize /ˈfɛmɪnʌɪz / feminise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) more characteristic of or associated with women

• as office roles changed, clerical work was increasingly feminized.

2. induce female sexual characteristics in (a male).

II. derivatives

feminization /fɛmɪnʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

femme /fɛm / fem

I. noun

‹informal› a lesbian who takes a traditionally feminine sexual role.
Often contrasted with butch.

– origin 1960s: French, ‘woman’.

femme fatale /ˌfam fəˈtɑːl/

I. noun

an attractive and seductive woman, especially one who will ultimately cause distress to a man who becomes involved with her.

• a femme fatale who plays one man off against another in pursuit of money.

– origin early 20th cent.: French, literally ‘disastrous woman’.

femocrat /ˈfɛmə(ʊ)krat/

I. noun

(Austral.) a female government official who advocates feminist policies

• the report's author is Australia's senior femocrat.

– origin 1980s: blend of feminist and bureaucrat.

femto- /ˈfɛmtəʊ/

I. combining form

(used in units of measurement) denoting a factor of 10−15

• femtosecond.

– origin from Danish or Norwegian femten ‘fifteen’.

femtocell /ˈfɛmtəʊsɛl/

I. noun

a very small mobile phone base station which is connected to the phone network via the Internet, typically used in areas where the mobile signal is weak and considered to be smaller than a picocell.

– origin early 21st cent.: from femto- (in the sense 'extremely small') and cell (sense 5).

femtosecond fs

noun

one quadrillionth of a second.

femur /ˈfiːmə/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] the bone of the thigh or upper hindlimb, articulating at the hip and the knee.

2. [Zoology] the third segment of the leg in insects and some other arthropods, typically the longest and thickest segment.

II. derivatives

femoral /ˈfɛm(ə)r(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin femur, femor- ‘thigh’.

fen^1 /fɛn/

I. noun

1. a low and marshy or frequently flooded area of land

• a native species of fens and damp meadows

• [ mass noun] 55 acres of fen.

2. ( the Fens) — the flat low-lying areas of eastern England, mainly in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, and Norfolk, formerly marshland but largely drained for agriculture since the 17th century.

3. [ mass noun] — [Ecology] wetland with alkaline, neutral, or only slightly acid peaty soil.
Compare with bog.

II. derivatives

fenny /ˈfɛni /

adjective

– origin Old English fen(n), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch veen and German Fenn.

fen^2 /fʌn/

I. noun

a monetary unit of China, equal to one hundredth of a yuan.

– origin from Chinese fēn ‘a hundredth part’.

fenberry

noun

another term for cranberry.

fence /fɛns/

I. noun

1. a barrier, railing, or other upright structure, typically of wood or wire, enclosing an area of ground to prevent or control access or escape.

2. a large upright obstacle in steeplechasing, showjumping, or cross-country.

3. a guard or guide on a plane, saw, or other tool.

4. ‹informal› a person who deals in stolen goods.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. surround or protect with a fence

• our garden was not fully fenced.

2. ( fence something in/off) — enclose or separate an area with a fence

• a small plantation of young trees had been fenced off.

3. ( fence someone/thing out) — use a barrier to exclude someone or something

• walkers may find themselves fenced out of the moor.

4. ‹informal› buy or sell (stolen goods).

• after stealing your ring, he didn't even know how to fence it.

5. [no obj.] — engage in the sport of fencing.

6. conduct a discussion or argument in an evasive way

• twelve months of fencing with McLaren had taken a toll his nerves.

III. phrases

1. mend (one's) fences

see mend.

2. outside the fences

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› beyond settled country

• I understood that anything outside the fences belonged to nobody.

3. over the fence

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› unreasonable or unacceptable.

4. side of the fence

used to refer to either of the opposing positions or interests involved in a particular situation

• whatever side of the fence you are on, the debate on conventional versus organic farming is not going to disappear.

5. sit on the fence

avoid making a decision or choice.

IV. derivatives

1. fenceless /ˈfɛnsləs /

adjective

2. fencer /ˈfɛnsə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘defending, defence’): shortening of defence. Compare with fencible and fend.

fence-mending

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of making peace with a person or group

• the two countries have some fence-mending to do

• [as modifier] he hopes that a fence-mending trip will bring the hostilities to an end.

fence post

noun

a timber or metal post set in the ground as a supporting part of a fence.

fencerow /ˈfɛnsrəʊ/

noun

(N. Amer.) an uncultivated strip of land on each side of and below a fence.

• wayside fencerows, vacant lots, or roadside ditches.

fence strainer

noun

(Austral./NZ) a device which tightens fence wire between posts

• to make a good job of this a fence strainer may be used at the end of each wire.

fencible /ˈfɛnsɪb(ə)l/

I. noun — (usu. fencibles)

1. ‹historical› a soldier belonging to a British militia which could be called up only for service on home soil.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘fit or suitable for defence’): shortening of defensible. Compare with fence, fend.

fencing /ˈfɛnsɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport of fighting with swords, especially foils, épées, or sabres, according to a set of rules, in order to score points against an opponent.
[as modifier]

• a fencing foil.

2. the action of conducting a discussion or argument in an evasive way.

3. a series of fences

• security fencing.

4. material used for the construction of fences

• chestnut is still in demand for fencing.

5. the erection of fences.

6. the jumping of fences by a racehorse.
[as modifier]

• the horse makes his fencing debut today.

fend /fɛnd/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] ( fend for oneself) — look after and provide for oneself, without any help from others

• she left her 14-year-old daughter to fend for herself.

2. [with obj.] ( fend someone/thing off) — defend oneself from a blow, attack, or attacker

• Meredith tried frantically to fend him off

• ‹figurative› he fended off the awkward questions.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘defend’): shortening of defend. Compare with fence and fencible.

fender /ˈfɛndə/

noun

1. a low frame bordering a fireplace to prevent burning coals from falling out.

2. a plastic cylinder, tyre, piece of old rope or matting, etc., hung over a ship's side to protect it against impact.

3. (N. Amer.) the mudguard or area around the wheel well of a vehicle.

Fender, Leo /ˈfɛndə/

(1907–91), American guitar-maker. He pioneered the production of electric guitars, designing the first solid-body electric guitar to be widely available.

fender bender

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a minor collision between motor vehicles.

• he was involved in a fender bender while driving without a license.

fenestella /ˌfɛnɪˈstɛlə/

I. noun

[Architecture] a niche in a wall south of a church's altar, holding the piscina and often the credence.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, diminutive of fenestra ‘window’.

fenestra /fɪˈnɛstrə/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] [Zoology] a small natural hole or opening, especially in a bone. The mammalian middle ear is linked by the fenestra ovalis to the vestibule of the inner ear, and by the fenestra rotunda to the cochlea.

2. [Medicine] an artificial opening.

3. an opening in a bandage or cast.

4. a perforation in a forceps blade.

5. a hole made by surgical fenestration.

– origin early 19th cent. (as a botanical term denoting a small scar left by the separation of the seed from the ovary): from Latin, literally ‘window’.

fenestrate /ˈfɛnəstrət, fɪˈnɛstrət/

I. adjective

[Botany] [Zoology] having small window-like perforations or transparent areas.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin fenestratus ‘provided with openings’, from the verb fenestrare.

fenestrated /ˈfɛnəˌstreɪtɪd, fɪˈnɛstreɪtɪd/

I. adjective

1. provided with a window or windows

• the fenestrated heights of nearby buildings.

2. [chiefly Anatomy] having perforations, apertures, or transparent areas

• the capillaries have a fenestrated epithelium.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin fenestrare (see fenestrate) + -ed^1.

fenestration /ˌfɛnɪˈstreɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Architecture] the arrangement of windows in a building.

2. [Botany] [Zoology] the condition of being fenestrate.

3. [Medicine] a surgical operation in which a new opening is formed, especially in the bony labyrinth of the inner ear to treat certain types of deafness.

fen-fire

noun

a will-o'-the-wisp.

feng shui /ˌfʌŋ ˈʃweɪ, ˌfɛŋ ˈʃuːi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (in Chinese thought) a system of laws considered to govern spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to the flow of energy (chi), and whose favourable or unfavourable effects are taken into account when siting and designing buildings.

– origin Chinese, from fēng ‘wind’ and shuǐ ‘water’.

Fenian /ˈfiːnɪən/

I. noun

1. a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a 19th-century revolutionary nationalist organization among the Irish in the US and Ireland. The Fenians staged an unsuccessful revolt in Ireland in 1867 and were responsible for isolated revolutionary acts against the British until the early 20th century, when they were gradually eclipsed by the IRA.

2. ‹offensive› (chiefly in Northern Ireland) a derogatory term for a Catholic or Irish nationalist.

II. derivatives

Fenianism

noun

– origin from Old Irish féne, the name of an ancient Irish people, confused with fíann, fianna (see Fianna Fáil).

fening /ˈfɛnɪŋ/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Bosnia and Herzegovina, equal to one hundredth of a marka.

– origin Bosnian feninga, from pfennig.

fenland /ˈfɛnlənd/

noun — [ mass noun] (also fenlands)

1. land consisting of fens

• thousands of acres of fenland.

2. (usu. the Fenland) — the Fens of eastern England.

fennec /ˈfɛnɛk / fennec fox

I. noun

a small pale fox with large pointed ears, native to the deserts of North Africa and Arabia.
● Vulpes zerda, family Canidae.

– origin late 18th cent.: via Arabic from Persian fanak, fanaj.

fennel /ˈfɛn(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an aromatic yellow-flowered European plant of the parsley family, with feathery leaves.
● Foeniculum vulgare, family Umbelliferae: two subspecies, a hardy perennial ( dulce), the seeds and leaves of which are used as culinary herbs, and the annual Florence fennel ( azoricum), with swollen leaf bases which are eaten as a vegetable.

– origin Old English finule, fenol, from Latin faeniculum, diminutive of faenum ‘hay’.

Fennoscandia /ˌfɛnəʊˈskandɪə/

a land mass in NW Europe comprising Scandinavia, Finland, and the adjacent area of NE Russia.

fentanyl /ˈfɛntənʌɪl, ˈfɛntənɪl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic opiate drug which is a powerful painkiller and tranquillizer.

– origin 1960s: apparently from fen- (representing phen-) + -t- + an- + -yl.

fenugreek /ˈfɛnjʊɡriːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white-flowered herbaceous plant of the pea family, with aromatic seeds that are used for flavouring, especially ground and used in curry powder.
● Trigonella foenum-graecum, family Leguminosae.

– origin Old English fenogrecum (superseded in Middle English by forms from Old French fenugrec), from Latin faenugraecum, from faenum graecum ‘Greek hay’ (the Romans used the dried plant as fodder).

feodary /ˈfjuːdəri/

noun

‹historical› a feudal tenant.

feoffee /fɛˈfiː, fiːˈfiː/

I. noun

1. a trustee invested with a freehold estate to hold in possession for a purpose, typically a charitable one.

2. ‹historical› (in feudal law) a person to whom a grant of freehold property is made.

– origin late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French feoffe ‘enfeoffed’, past participle of feoffer, variant of Old French fieffer (see feoffment).

feoffment /ˈfiːfm(ə)nt, ˈfɛfm(ə)nt/

I. noun

‹historical› (in feudal law) a grant of ownership of freehold property to someone.

II. derivatives

feoffor /ˈfiːfə, ˈfɛfə /

noun

– origin Middle English: from an Anglo-Norman French variant of Old French fieffer ‘put in legal possession’, from fief (see fee and fief).

feral /ˈfɛr(ə)l, ˈfɪərəl/

I. adjective

1. (especially of an animal) in a wild state, especially after escape from captivity or domestication

• a feral cat.

2. resembling or characteristic of a wild animal

• his teeth were bared in a feral snarl.

3. (of a young person) behaving in a wildly undisciplined and antisocial way

• gangs of feral youths.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin fera ‘wild animal’ (from ferus ‘wild’) + -al.

ferberite /ˈfəːbərʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a black mineral consisting of ferrous tungstate, typically occurring as elongated prisms.

– origin early 19th cent.: named after Rudolph Ferber (1743–90), Swedish mineralogist, + -ite^1.

fer de lance /ˌfɛː də ˈlɑːns/

I. noun

a large and dangerous pit viper native to Central and South America.
●Genus Bothrops, family Viperidae: several species, in particular B. atrox.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘iron (head) of a lance’.

Ferdinand /ˈfəːdɪnənd/

of Aragon (1452–1516), king of Castile 1474–1516 and of Aragon 1479–1516; known as Ferdinand the Catholic. His marriage to Isabella of Castile in 1469 ensured his accession (as Ferdinand V) to the throne of Castile with her. Ferdinand subsequently succeeded to the throne of Aragon (as Ferdinand II) and was joined as monarch by Isabella. They instituted the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 and supported Columbus's expedition in 1492. Their capture of Granada from the Moors in the same year effectively united Spain as one country.

feretory /ˈfɛrət(ə)ri/

I. noun

1. ‹rare› a portable shrine containing the relics of a saint.

2. ‹rare› a chapel containing a feretory.

– origin Middle English: from Old French fiertre, via Latin from Greek pheretron ‘bier’, from pherein ‘bear, carry’.

Ferguson, Sir Alex /ˈfəːɡəs(ə)n/

(b.1941), Scottish football manager and footballer; full name Alexander Chapman Ferguson. He managed Manchester United from 1986 to 2013, winning the Premier League Championship thirteen times, the European Champions League twice, and the FA Cup five times.

feria /ˈfɛrɪə/

I. noun

(in Spain and Spanish-speaking America) a fair.

– origin Spanish, from Latin, literally ‘holiday’.

ferial /ˈfɪərɪəl, ˈfɛərɪəl/

I. adjective

[Christian Church] denoting an ordinary weekday, as opposed to one appointed for a festival or fast.

– origin late Middle English: from medieval Latin ferialis, from Latin feria ‘holiday’. In late Latin feria was used with a prefixed ordinal number to mean ‘day of the week’ (e.g. secunda feria ‘second day, Monday’), but Sunday (Dominicus) and Saturday (Sabbatum) were usually referred to by their names; hence feria came to mean ‘ordinary weekday’.

feringhee /fəˈrɪŋɡi / feringhi

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly derogatory› (in India and other parts of Asia) a foreigner, especially one with white skin.

2. ‹archaic› a person of Indian–Portuguese parentage.

– origin via Urdu from Persian firangī, from the base of Frank.

ferity /ˈfɛrɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹literary› the state or quality of being wild or savage.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French ferite or Latin feritas, from feras ‘wild’.

Ferlinghetti, Lawrence /ˌfəːlɪŋˈɡɛti/

(b.1919), American poet and publisher; born Lawrence Ferling; full name Lawrence Monsanto Ferlinghetti. Identified with San Francisco's beat movement, he founded the publishing house City Lights, which produced works such as Allen Ginsberg's Howl (1957). Notable works: A Coney Island of the Mind (1958).

Ferm.

abbreviation

Fermanagh.

Fermanagh /fəˈmanə/

one of the Six Counties of Northern Ireland, since 1973 an administrative district; chief town, Enniskillen.

Fermat, Pierre de /ˈfəːmɑː, French fɛʀma/

(1601–65), French mathematician. His work on curves led directly to the general methods of calculus introduced by Newton and Leibniz. He is also recognized as the founder of the theory of numbers.

fermata /fəːˈmɑːtə/

I. noun

1. [Music] a pause of unspecified length on a note or rest.

2. [Music] a sign indicating a prolonged note or rest.

– origin Italian, from fermare ‘to stop’.

Fermat's last theorem

noun

[Mathematics] a conjecture by Fermat that if n is an integer greater than 2, the equation x n + y n = z n has no positive integral solutions. Fermat noted that he had ‘a truly wonderful proof’ of the conjecture, but never wrote it down. In 1995 a general proof was published by the Princeton-based British mathematician Andrew Wiles.

ferment

I. verb — ferment /fəˈmɛnt /

1. [no obj.] — (of a substance) undergo fermentation

• the drink had fermented, turning some of the juice into alcohol.

2. [with obj.] — cause the fermentation of (a substance).

3. [with obj.] — incite or stir up (trouble or disorder)

• the politicians and warlords who are fermenting this chaos.

II. noun — ferment /ˈfəːmɛnt /

1. [ mass noun] — agitation and excitement among a group of people, typically concerning major change and leading to trouble or violence

• a period of political and religious ferment.

2. ‹archaic› a fermenting agent or enzyme.

III. derivatives

fermentable /fəˈmɛntəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ferment (noun), fermenter (verb), based on Latin fermentum ‘yeast’, from fervere ‘to boil’.

fermentation /fəːmɛnˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the chemical breakdown of a substance by bacteria, yeasts, or other microorganisms, typically involving effervescence and the giving off of heat.

• the fermentation of organic matter by micro-organisms in the gut.

2. the fermentation process involved in the making of beers, wines, and spirits, in which sugars are converted to ethyl alcohol.

3. ‹archaic› agitation; excitement

• I had found Paris in high fermentation.

II. derivatives

fermentative /fəːˈmɛntətɪv /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from late Latin fermentatio(n-), from Latin fermentare ‘to ferment’ (see ferment).

fermenter ‹US› fermentor

noun

1. a container in which fermentation takes place.

2. an organism which causes fermentation.

fermi /ˈfəːmi/

I. noun

a unit of length equal to 10−15 metre (one femtometre), used in nuclear physics. It is similar to the diameter of a proton.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after E. Fermi (see Fermi, Enrico).

Fermi, Enrico /ˈfəːmi, ˈfɛːmi, Italian ˈfermi/

(1901–54), Italian-born American atomic physicist, who directed the first controlled nuclear chain reaction in 1942. Nobel Prize for Physics (1938).

Fermi–Dirac statistics /ˌfɛmiˈdɪrak stəˌtɪstɪks/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. [Physics] a type of quantum statistics used to describe systems of fermions.

– origin 1920s: named after E. Fermi (see Fermi, Enrico) and P. A. M. Dirac (see Dirac, Paul).

fermion /ˈfəːmɪɒn/

I. noun

[Physics] a subatomic particle, such as a nucleon, which has half-integral spin and follows the statistical description given by Fermi and Dirac.
Compare with boson.

– origin 1940s: from the name of Fermi, Enrico + -on.

fermium /ˈfəːmɪəm/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: Fm) — the chemical element of atomic number 100, a radioactive metal of the actinide series. Fermium does not occur naturally and was discovered in 1953 in the debris of the first hydrogen bomb explosion.

– origin 1950s: from the name of Fermi, Enrico + -ium.

fern /fəːn/

I. noun

a flowerless plant which has feathery or leafy fronds and reproduces by spores released from the undersides of the fronds. Ferns have a vascular system for the transport of water and nutrients.
●Class Filicopsida, division Pteridophyta.

II. derivatives

1. fernery /ˈfəːnəri /

noun

2. ferny /ˈfəːni /

adjective

– origin Old English fearn, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch varen and German Farn.

Fernando Póo /fəˌnandəʊ ˈpəʊ/

former name (until 1973) for Bioko.

fernbird

noun

a secretive warbler found only in New Zealand, with dark streaked plumage.
● Megalurus punctatus, family Sylviidae.

fernbrake

I. noun

a bed or thicket of ferns.

– origin Old English fearnbraca (plural): see fern, brake^4.

fern gully

noun

(Austral.) a small valley in a forest where tree ferns are abundant

• at this point the track enters a fern gully.

ferocious /fəˈrəʊʃəs/

I. adjective

1. savagely fierce, cruel, or violent

• a ferocious beast

• a ferocious battle.

2. ‹informal› very great; extreme

• a ferocious headache.

II. derivatives

ferociousness /fəˈrəʊʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin ferox, feroc- ‘fierce’ + -ious.

ferociously /fɪˈrəʊʃəsli/

adverb

1. in a savagely fierce, cruel, or violent manner

• the dogs barked ferociously

• her novel was ferociously attacked when published.

2. [as submodifier] — to a very great degree; extremely

• a bookish, ferociously intelligent young girl

• he's the most ferociously loyal friend.

ferocity /fəˈrɒsɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state or quality of being ferocious

• the ferocity of the storm caught them by surprise

• [ count noun] she hated him with a ferocity that astonished her.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, or from Latin ferocitas, from ferox, feroc- ‘fierce’.

-ferous -iferous

I. combining form

having, bearing, or containing (a specified thing)

• Carboniferous

• pestiferous.

II. derivatives

1. -ferously

combining form

in corresponding adverbs.

2. -ferousness

combining form

in corresponding nouns.

– origin from French -fère or Latin -fer ‘producing’, from ferre ‘to bear’.

ferox /ˈfɛrɒks / ferox trout

I. noun

a brown trout of a very large variety, occurring in large deep lakes in NW Europe.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Salmo ferox, literally ‘fierce salmon’, former name of the variety.

Ferranti, Sebastian Ziani de /fəˈranti/

(1864–1930), English electrical engineer. He was one of the pioneers of electricity generation and distribution in Britain, his chief contribution being the use of high voltages for economical transmission over a distance.

Ferrara /fəˈrɑːrə, Italian ferˈrara/

a city in northern Italy, capital of a province of the same name; pop. 130,486 (est. 2009). Ferrara grew to prominence in the 13th century under the rule of the powerful Este family.

Ferrari, Enzo /fəˈrɑːri, Italian ferˈrari/

(1898–1988), Italian car designer and manufacturer. In 1929 he founded the company named after him, producing a range of high-quality sports and racing cars. Since the early 1950s Ferraris have won more world championship Grands Prix than any other car.

ferrate /ˈfɛreɪt/

I. noun

[Chemistry] a salt in which the anion contains both iron (typically ferric iron) and oxygen.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin ferrum ‘iron’ + -ate^1.

Ferrel's law /ˈfɛrəlz/

I. noun

[Meteorology] a law stating that Coriolis forces deflect winds and freely moving objects to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere.

– origin early 20th cent.: named after William Ferrel (1817–91), American meteorologist.

ferret /ˈfɛrɪt/

I. noun

1. a domesticated polecat used chiefly for catching rabbits. It is typically albino in coloration, but sometimes brown. See polecat-ferret.
● Mustela furo, family Mustelidae; descended mainly from the European polecat.

2. an assiduous search for something

• he had a quick ferret around.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a person) hunt with ferrets, typically for rabbits
(as noun ferreting)

• ferreting is increasing in popularity.

2. [with obj.] — clear (a hole or area of ground) of rabbits with ferrets.

3. [no obj.] — rummage about in a place or container in search of something

• he shambled over to the desk and ferreted around.

4. [with obj.] ( ferret something out) — discover information by means of an assiduous search or investigation

• she had the ability to ferret out the facts.

III. derivatives

1. ferreter

noun

2. ferrety /ˈfɛrɪti /

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Old French fuiret, alteration of fuiron, based on late Latin furo ‘thief, ferret’, from Latin fur ‘thief’.

ferret-badger

noun

a small tree-climbing badger found in SE Asia, having a long tail and a brownish coat with conspicuous facial markings.
●Genus Melogale, family Mustelidae: three species.

ferri- /ˈfɛri/

I. combining form

[Chemistry] of iron with a valency of three; ferric.
Compare with ferro-.

– origin from Latin ferrum ‘iron’.

ferriage /ˈfɛrɪɪdʒ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› the action of transporting someone or something by ferry.

2. ‹archaic› the fare paid for a journey by ferry.

ferric /ˈfɛrɪk/

I. adjective

1. relating to iron.

2. [Chemistry] of iron with a valency of three; of iron(III).
Compare with ferrous.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin ferrum ‘iron’ + -ic.

ferricyanide

noun

[Chemistry] a salt containing the anion Fe(CN)63−.

Ferrier, Kathleen /ˈfɛrɪə/

(1912–53), English contralto. She is particularly famous for her performance in 1947 of Mahler's song cycle Das Lied von der Erde.

ferrimagnetic

I. adjective

[Physics] (of a substance) displaying a weak form of ferromagnetism associated with parallel but opposite alignment of neighbouring atoms. In contrast with antiferromagnetic materials, these alignments do not cancel out and there is a net magnetic moment.

II. derivatives

ferrimagnetism

noun

Ferris wheel /ˈfɛrɪs/

I. noun

a fairground ride consisting of a giant vertical revolving wheel with passenger cars suspended on its outer edge.

– origin late 19th cent.: named after George Ferris (1859–96), the American engineer who invented it.

ferrite /ˈfɛrʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a ceramic compound consisting of a mixed oxide of iron and one or more other metals which has ferrimagnetic properties and is used in high-frequency electrical components such as aerials.

2. [Metallurgy] a form of pure iron with a body-centred cubic crystal structure, occurring in low-carbon steel.

II. derivatives

ferritic /fɛˈrɪtɪk /

adjective

ferrite (sense 2)

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin ferrum ‘iron’ + -ite^1.

ferritin /ˈfɛrɪtɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a protein produced in mammalian metabolism which serves to store iron in the tissues.

– origin 1930s: from ferri- + -t- (for ease of pronunciation) + -in^1.

ferro- /ˈfɛrəʊ/

I. combining form

1. containing iron

• ferroconcrete.

2. [Chemistry] of iron with a valency of two; ferrous.
Compare with ferri-.

– origin from Latin ferrum ‘iron’.

ferrocene /ˈfɛrəsiːn/

I. noun

[Chemistry] an orange crystalline compound whose molecule has a sandwich structure in which two planar cyclic hydrocarbon ligands enclose an iron atom.
●Chem. formula: Fe(C_5H_5)2.

– origin 1950s: from ferro- ‘containing iron’ + -cene from c(yclopentadi)ene.

ferroconcrete /fɛrəʊˈkɒŋkriːt/

noun — [ mass noun] [often as modifier]

1. concrete reinforced with steel

• a ferroconcrete storage tank.

ferrocyanide /ˌfɛrəʊˈsʌɪənʌɪd/

noun

[Chemistry] a salt containing the anion Fe(CN)64−.

ferroelectric /ˌfɛrəʊɪˈlɛktrɪk / ‹Physics›

I. adjective

(of a substance) exhibiting permanent electric polarization which varies in strength with the applied electric field.

II. noun

a ferroelectric substance.

III. derivatives

ferroelectricity

noun

ferrofluid

noun — [often as modifier]

1. a fluid containing a magnetic suspension

• ferrofluid cooling.

ferromagnesian /ˌfɛrə(ʊ)maɡˈniːʒ(ə)n, ˌfɛrə(ʊ)maɡˈniːziən/

adjective

[Geology] (of a rock or mineral) containing iron and magnesium as major components.

ferromagnetic /ˌfɛrə(ʊ)maɡˈnɛtɪk/

I. adjective

[Physics] (of a body or substance) having a high susceptibility to magnetization, the strength of which depends on that of the applied magnetizing field, and which may persist after removal of the applied field. This is the kind of magnetism displayed by iron, and is associated with parallel magnetic alignment of neighbouring atoms.

II. derivatives

ferromagnetism /ˌfɛrə(ʊ)ˈmaɡnɪtɪz(ə)m /

noun

ferrous /ˈfɛrəs/

I. adjective

1. (chiefly of metals) containing or consisting of iron.

2. [Chemistry] of iron with a valency of two; of iron(II).
Compare with ferric.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin ferrum ‘iron’ + -ous.

ferrous sulphate ferrous sulphate

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a pale green iron salt used in inks, tanning, water purification, and treating anaemia.
●Alternative name: iron(II) sulphate; chem. formula (crystals): FeSO_4.7H_2O.

ferruginous /fɛˈruːdʒɪnəs/

I. adjective

1. containing iron oxides or rust

• a band of ferruginous limestone.

2. reddish brown; rust-coloured

• the ferruginous earth of southern Brazil.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin ferrugo, ferrugin- ‘rust, dark red’ (from ferrum ‘iron’) + -ous.

ferruginous duck

noun

a Eurasian diving duck related to the pochard, the male of which has mainly dark red-brown breeding plumage.
● Aythya nyroca, family Anatidae.

ferrule /ˈfɛruːl, ˈfɛr(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a ring or cap, typically a metal one, which strengthens the end of a handle, stick, or tube and prevents it from splitting or wearing.

2. a metal band strengthening or forming a joint.

– origin early 17th cent.: alteration (probably by association with Latin ferrum ‘iron’) of obsolete verrel, from Old French virelle, from Latin viriola, diminutive of viriae ‘bracelets’.

ferry /ˈfɛri/

I. noun

1. (also ferry boat) — a boat or ship for conveying passengers and goods, especially over a relatively short distance and as a regular service.

2. a service using another mode of transport, especially aircraft, to convey passengers or goods.

II. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of direction]

1. convey in a ferry or other ship or boat, especially across a short stretch of water.

2. transport from one place to another on short or regular trips

• ambulances ferried the injured to hospital.

III. derivatives

ferryman /ˈfɛrɪman, ˈfɛrimən /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse ferja ‘ferry boat’, of Germanic origin and related to fare.

fertile /ˈfəːtʌɪl/

I. adjective

1. (of soil or land) producing or capable of producing abundant vegetation or crops

• the fertile coastal plain.

2. producing many new and inventive ideas

• her fertile imagination.

3. (of a situation) encouraging a particular activity or feeling

• conditions at the time provided fertile ground for revolutionary movements.

4. (of a person, animal, or plant) able to conceive young or produce seed.

5. (of a seed or egg) capable of becoming a new individual.

6. [Physics] (of nuclear material) able to become fissile by the capture of neutrons.

– origin late Middle English: via French from Latin fertilis, from ferre ‘to bear’.

Fertile Crescent

a crescent-shaped area of fertile land in the Middle East extending from the eastern Mediterranean coast through the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to the Persian Gulf. It was the centre of the Neolithic development of agriculture (from 7000 BC), and the cradle of the Assyrian, Sumerian, and Babylonian civilizations.

fertility /fəˈtɪlɪti, fəːˈtɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being fertile; productiveness

• improve the soil fertility by adding compost.

2. the ability to conceive children or young

• anxiety and stress affect fertility in both men and women.

fertility cult

noun

a pagan religious system of some agricultural societies in which seasonal rites are performed with the aim of ensuring good harvests and the future well-being of the community.

fertility drug

noun

a drug used to enhance the ability to produce offspring, especially by improving the production or quality of eggs or sperm

• I got pregnant with the twins after finally starting a course of fertility drugs.

fertility treatment

noun — [ mass noun]

1. medical treatment intended to enhance the ability to produce offspring

• the couple were undergoing fertility treatment

• [ count noun] she became pregnant after four years of fertility treatments.

fertilization /ˌfəːtɪlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / fertilisation

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of fertilizing an egg or a female animal or plant, involving the fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote.

2. the action or process of applying a fertilizer to soil or land.

fertilize /ˈfəːtɪlʌɪz / fertilise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. cause (an egg, female animal, or plant) to develop a new individual by introducing male reproductive material.

2. make (soil or land) more fertile or productive by adding suitable substances to it.

II. derivatives

fertilizable

adjective

fertilizer /ˈfəːtɪlʌɪzə / fertiliser

noun

a chemical or natural substance added to soil or land to increase its fertility.

• sewage sludge could be a valuable fertilizer for use in British forests.

Fertö Tó /ˌfɛrtø ˈtoː/

Hungarian name for Neusiedler See.

ferula /ˈfɛrjʊlə/

I. noun

1. a tall large-leaved Eurasian plant of a genus that includes asafoetida and its relatives.
●Genus Ferula, family Umbelliferae.

2. rare term for ferule.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, ‘giant fennel, rod’.

ferule /ˈfɛruːl/

I. noun

‹historical› a flat ruler with a widened end, formerly used for beating children.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the giant fennel): from Latin ferula (see ferula).

fervent /ˈfəːv(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. having or displaying a passionate intensity

• a fervent supporter of the revolution.

2. ‹archaic› hot, burning, or glowing.

II. derivatives

fervency /ˈfəːvənsi /

noun

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin fervent- ‘boiling’, from the verb fervere. Compare with fervid and fervour.

fervently /ˈfəːv(ə)ntli/

adverb

very enthusiastically or passionately

• he fervently believes he's doing the right thing

• I fervently opposed the change.

fervid /ˈfəːvɪd/

I. adjective

1. intensely enthusiastic or passionate, especially to an excessive degree

• his fervid protestations of love.

2. ‹literary› hot, burning, or glowing.

II. derivatives

fervidly

adverb

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘glowing, hot’): from Latin fervidus, from fervere ‘to boil’. Compare with fervent and fervour.

fervour /ˈfəːvə / ‹US› fervor

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — intense and passionate feeling

• he talked with all the fervour of a new convert.

2. ‹archaic› intense heat.

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin fervor, from fervere ‘to boil’. Compare with fervent and fervid.

Fescennine /ˈfɛsənʌɪn/

I. adjective

‹literary› (of words or behaviour) obscene or scurrilous in nature

• Fescennine licence.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin Fescenninus ‘relating to Fescennia’, a place in Etruria which was famous for bawdy verse in ancient times.

fescue /ˈfɛskjuː/

I. noun

any of a number of narrow-leaved grasses:
● a perennial grass that is a valuable pasture and fodder species (genus Festuca, family Gramineae). ● an annual grass that typically occurs on drier soils such as on dunes and heathland (genus Vulpia, family Gramineae).

– origin Middle English festu, festue ‘straw, twig’, from Old French festu, based on Latin festuca ‘stalk, straw’. The change of -t- to -c- occurred in the 16th cent.; the current sense dates from the mid 18th cent.

fess^1 /fɛs / fesse

I. noun

[Heraldry] an ordinary in the form of a broad horizontal stripe across the middle of the shield.

II. phrases

in fess

[Heraldry] across the middle third of the field.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Old French fesse, alteration of faisse, from Latin fascia ‘band’. Compare with fascia.

fess^2 /fɛs/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( fess up)

1. ‹informal› confess; own up

• ‘Fess up,’ she demanded. ‘What were you doing in Peter's private office?’.

– origin early 19th cent.: shortening of confess.

Fessenden, Reginald Aubrey /ˈfɛs(ə)nd(ə)n/

(1866–1932), Canadian-born American pioneer of radio-telephony, who invented the heterodyne receiver.

fess point

noun

[Heraldry] a point at the centre of a shield.

fest /fɛst/

I. noun

‹informal› a festival or gathering devoted to a particular activity or interest

• an annual food and wine fest

• the fest will include 37 feature films.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German Fest ‘festival’.

-fest /fɛst/

I. combining form

in nouns denoting a festival or gathering of a specified kind

• a media-fest

• a gabfest.

– origin from German Fest ‘festival’.

festa /ˈfɛstə/

I. noun

(in Italy and other Mediterranean countries) a religious or other festival.

– origin early 19th cent.: from Italian, ‘festival’, from Latin.

festal /ˈfɛst(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹chiefly archaic› relating to or characteristic of a celebration or festival

• plum pudding was originally served on festal days as a main course.

II. derivatives

festally

adverb

– origin late 15th cent.: via Old French from late Latin festalis, from Latin festum, (plural) festa ‘feast’.

fester /ˈfɛstə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a wound or sore) become septic; suppurate
(as adj. festering)

• a festering abscess.

2. (of food or rubbish) become rotten and offensive to the senses

• piles of mouldy grey paper festered by the sink.

3. (of a negative feeling or a problem) become worse or more intense, especially through long-term neglect or indifference

• below the surface, the old antagonisms festered.

4. (of a person) deteriorate physically and mentally in isolated inactivity

• remand prisoners are left to fester in our jails while they wait for trial.

– origin late Middle English: from the rare word fester ‘fistula’, later ‘festering sore’, or Old French festrir (verb), both from Old French festre (noun), from Latin fistula ‘pipe, reed, fistula’.

festival /ˈfɛstɪv(ə)l/

I. noun

1. a day or period of celebration, typically for religious reasons

• traditional Jewish festivals.

2. an organized series of concerts, plays, or films, typically one held annually in the same place

• a major international festival of song.

– origin Middle English (as an adjective): via Old French from medieval Latin festivalis, from Latin festivus, from festum, (plural) festa ‘feast’.

festivalgoer /ˈfɛstɪv(ə)lˌɡəʊə/

noun

a person attending a music festival, film festival, etc.

• a cheering crowd of festivalgoers

• the majority of festivalgoers purchase tickets weeks in advance of the screenings.

Festival of Britain

a festival celebrated with lavish exhibitions and shows throughout Britain in May 1951 to mark the centenary of the Great Exhibition of 1851.

festival of lights

noun

1. another term for Hanukkah.

2. another term for Diwali.

Festival of the Dead

noun

another term for Bon.

festive /ˈfɛstɪv/

I. adjective

1. relating to a festival, especially Christmas

• the festive season is fast approaching.

2. cheerful and jovially celebratory

• the sombre atmosphere has given way to a festive mood.

II. derivatives

1. festively

adverb

2. festiveness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin festivus, from festum, (plural) festa ‘feast’.

festivity /fɛˈstɪvɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the celebration of something in a joyful and exuberant way

• a time of great rejoicing and festivity.

2. ( festivities) — activities or events celebrating a special occasion

• the traditional Christmas and New Year festivities.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French festivite or Latin festivitas, from festivus ‘festive’, from festum, (plural) festa ‘feast’.

festoon /fɛˈstuːn/

I. noun

1. a chain or garland of flowers, leaves, or ribbons, hung in a curve as a decoration.

2. a carved or moulded ornament representing a festoon.

3. a Eurasian butterfly or moth patterned with dark arcs on a lighter background:
● a large yellowish butterfly with black and red markings ( Zerynthia and other genera, family Papilionidae). ● a small brown moth ( Apoda avellana, family Limacodidae).

II. verb — [with obj.] (often be festooned with)

1. adorn (a place) with chains, garlands, or other decorations

• the staffroom was festooned with balloons and streamers.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French feston, from Italian festone ‘festal ornament’, from festum, (plural) festa ‘feast’.

festoon blind

noun

a window blind consisting of vertical rows of horizontally gathered fabric that may be drawn up into a series of ruches.

Festschrift /ˈfɛstˌʃrɪft/

I. noun

a collection of writings published in honour of a scholar.

• on his sixtieth birthday he received a Festschrift with contributions from over thirty colleagues.

– origin late 19th cent.: from German, from Fest ‘celebration’ + Schrift ‘writing’.

FET

abbreviation

field-effect transistor.

feta /ˈfɛtə / feta cheese, fetta

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a white salty Greek cheese made from the milk of ewes or goats.

– origin from modern Greek pheta.

fetal /ˈfiːt(ə)l/

adjective

1. relating to a fetus

• nutrients essential for normal fetal growth.

2. denoting a posture characteristic of a fetus, with the back curved forwards and the limbs folded in front of the body.

fetal alcohol syndrome

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a congenital syndrome associated with excessive consumption of alcohol by the mother during pregnancy, and characterized by retardation of mental development and of physical growth, particularly of the skull and face.

fetch^1 /fɛtʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. go for and then bring back (someone or something) for someone

• he ran to fetch help

• [with two objs] she fetched me a cup of tea.

2. ‹archaic› bring forth (blood or tears)

• kind offers fetched tears from me.

3. ‹archaic› take a (breath); heave (a sigh).

4. achieve (a particular price) when sold

• the land could fetch over a million pounds.

5. [with two objs] — ‹informal› inflict (a blow or slap) on (someone)

• that brute Cullam fetched him a wallop.

6. ‹informal› ‹dated› cause great interest or delight in (someone)

• that air of his always fetches women.

II. noun

1. the distance travelled by wind or waves across open water.

2. the distance a vessel must sail to reach open water.

3. ‹archaic› a stratagem or trick.

III. phrases

fetch and carry

perform a succession of menial tasks for someone as if one was their servant.

IV. phrasal verbs

fetch up

‹informal› arrive or come to rest somewhere, typically by accident or unintentionally

• all four of them fetched up in the saloon bar of the Rose and Crown.

V. derivatives

fetcher

noun

– origin Old English fecc(e)an, variant of fetian, probably related to fatian ‘grasp’, of Germanic origin and related to German fassen.

fetch^2 /fɛtʃ/

I. noun

the apparition or double of a living person, formerly believed to be a warning of that person's impending death.

– origin late 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

fetching /ˈfɛtʃɪŋ/

I. adjective

attractive

• a fetching little garment of pink satin.

II. derivatives

fetchingly /ˈfɛtʃɪŋli /

adverb

fete /feɪt / fête

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a public function, typically held outdoors and organized to raise funds for a charity, including entertainment and the sale of goods and refreshments

• a church fete.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) a celebration or festival.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. honour or entertain (someone) lavishly

• she was an instant celebrity, feted by the media.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘festival, fair’): from French, from Old French feste (see feast).

fête champêtre /ˌfɛt ʃɒ̃ˈpɛtr(ə), French fɛt ʃɑ̃pɛtʀ/

I. noun

an outdoor entertainment such as a garden party.

• banners announce a religious procession followed by a fête champêtre.

– origin French, literally ‘rural festival’.

fête galante /ˌfɛt ɡaˈlɒ̃t, French fɛt ɡalɑ̃t/

I. noun

1. an outdoor entertainment or rural festival, especially as depicted in 18th-century French painting.

2. a painting in the fête galante genre.

– origin French, literally ‘elegant festival’.

fetich /ˈfɛtɪʃ/

noun

archaic spelling of fetish.

feticide /ˈfiːtɪsʌɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. destruction or abortion of a fetus.

fetid /ˈfɛtɪd, ˈfiːtɪd / foetid

I. adjective

smelling extremely unpleasant

• the fetid water of the marsh.

II. derivatives

1. fetidly /ˈfɛtɪdli, ˈfiːtɪdli /

adverb

2. fetidness /ˈfɛtɪd, ˈfiːtɪdnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin fetidus (often erroneously spelled foetidus), from fetere ‘to stink’. Compare with fetor.

fetish /ˈfɛtɪʃ/

I. noun

1. a form of sexual desire in which gratification is linked to an abnormal degree to a particular object, item of clothing, part of the body, etc.

• a man with a fetish for surgical masks

• a foot fetish.

• some may have fetishes, like dressing up in women's clothes.

• Victorian men developed fetishes focusing on feet, shoes, and boots.

2. an excessive and irrational devotion or commitment to a particular thing

• men will never understand a woman's fetish for shoes and handbags

• the western fetish for all things North African.

3. an inanimate object worshipped for its supposed magical powers or because it is considered to be inhabited by a spirit.

– origin early 17th cent. (originally denoting an object used by the peoples of West Africa as an amulet or charm): from French fétiche, from Portuguese feitiço ‘charm, sorcery’ (originally an adjective meaning ‘made by art’), from Latin facticius (see factitious).

fetishism /ˈfɛtɪʃɪz(ə)m/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of sexual behaviour in which gratification is linked to an abnormal degree to a particular object, activity, part of the body, etc.

• erotic fetishism

• foot fetishism.

2. excessive and irrational devotion or commitment to a particular thing

• a critique of the new technological fetishism

• the fetishism of consumer goods.

3. worship of an inanimate object for its supposed magical powers or because it is considered to be inhabited by a spirit

• the fetishism of Aboriginality.

fetishist /ˈfɛtɪʃɪst/

noun

1. a person whose sexual desire or gratification is linked to an abnormal degree to a particular object, activity, part of the body, etc.

• there are plenty of foot fetishists online.

2. a person who has an excessive and irrational devotion or commitment to a particular thing

• a clothes fetishist

• a fetishist about accuracy.

fetishistic /fɛtɪˈʃɪstɪk/

adjective

1. relating to sexual fetishism

• a fetishistic obsession with leather outfits.

2. having an excessive and irrational devotion or commitment to a particular thing

• their almost fetishistic attention to detail.

fetishize fetishise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) the object of a sexual fetish

• women's bodies are so intensely fetishized.

2. have an excessive and irrational commitment to (something)

• an author who fetishizes privacy.

II. derivatives

fetishization

noun

fetlock /ˈfɛtlɒk / fetlock joint

I. noun

the joint of a horse's or other quadruped's leg between the cannon bone and the pastern.

– origin Middle English: ultimately of Germanic origin; related to German Fessel ‘fetlock’, also to foot.

feto-

combining form

representing fetus.

fetor /ˈfiːtə / foetor

I. noun

a strong, foul smell

• the fetor of decay.

– origin late 15th cent.: from Latin, from fetere ‘to stink’. Compare with fetid.

fetter /ˈfɛtə/

I. noun — (usu. fetters)

1. a chain or manacle used to restrain a prisoner, typically placed around the ankles

• he lay bound with fetters of iron.

2. a restraint or check on someone's freedom to act

• the fetters of convention.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. restrain with chains or manacles, typically around the ankles
(as adj. fettered)

• a ragged and fettered prisoner.

2. confine or restrict (someone)

• he was not fettered by tradition.

– origin Old English feter, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch veter ‘a lace’, from an Indo-European root shared by foot.

fetterlock /ˈfɛtəlɒk/

noun

a D-shaped fetter for tethering a horse by the leg, now only as represented as a heraldic charge.

fettle /ˈfɛt(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. condition

• Marguerite was in fine fettle.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. trim or clean the rough edges of (a metal casting or a piece of pottery) before firing.

2. (N. English) make or repair (something).

– origin late Middle English (as a verb in the general sense ‘get ready, prepare’, specifically ‘prepare oneself for battle, gird up’): from dialect fettle ‘strip of material, girdle’, from Old English fetel, of Germanic origin; related to German Fessel ‘chain, band’.

fettler

noun

1. (Brit.) a person who does repair or maintenance work on a railway.

2. a person who fettles metal castings or pottery.

fettuccine /ˌfɛtʊˈtʃiːni/

I. plural noun

pasta made in ribbons.

– origin from Italian, plural of fettuccina, diminutive of fetta ‘slice, ribbon’.

fetus /ˈfiːtəs / ‹Brit.› foetus

I. noun

an unborn or unhatched offspring of a mammal, in particular, an unborn human more than eight weeks after conception.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin fetus ‘pregnancy, childbirth, offspring’. / usage: The spelling foetus has no etymological basis but is recorded from the 16th century and until recently was the standard British spelling in both technical and non-technical use. In technical usage fetus is now the standard spelling throughout the English-speaking world, but foetus is still found in British English outside technical contexts.

feu /fjuː / ‹Scots Law›

I. noun

1. a perpetual lease at a fixed rent.

2. a piece of land held by a feu lease.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. grant (land) on a feu ease.

– origin late 15th cent. (originally denoting a feudal tenure in which an annual payment was made in lieu of military service): from Old French (see fee).

feud /fjuːd/

I. noun

1. a prolonged and bitter quarrel or dispute

• his long-standing feud with Universal Pictures.

2. a state of prolonged mutual hostility, typically between two families or communities, characterized by murderous assaults in revenge for previous injuries

• a savage feud over drugs money.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. be engaged in a prolonged and bitter quarrel or dispute

• Hoover feuded with the CIA for decades.

– origin Middle English fede ‘hostility, ill will’, from Old French feide, from Middle Dutch, Middle Low German vēde, of Germanic origin; related to foe.

feudal /ˈfjuːd(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. according to, resembling, or denoting the system of feudalism.

• the feudal system.

2. absurdly outdated or old-fashioned

• his view of patriotism was more than old-fashioned—it was positively feudal.

II. derivatives

1. feudalization /fjuːd(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

2. feudalize /ˈfjuːd(ə)lʌɪz / feudalise

verb

3. feudally /ˈfjuːd(ə)li /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin feudalis, from feudum (see fee).

feudalism /ˈfjuːdəlɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labour, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection.

II. derivatives

1. feudalist /ˈfjuːd(ə)lɪst /

noun

2. feudalistic /fjuːdəˈlɪstɪk /

adjective

feudality /fjuːˈdalɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹archaic› the principles and practice of the feudal system.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French féodalité, from féodal, from medieval Latin feudalis ‘feudal’, from feudum (see fee).

feudatory /ˈfjuːdət(ə)ri / ‹historical›

I. adjective

owing feudal allegiance to another

• a feudatory state.

II. noun

a person who holds land under the conditions of the feudal system.

– origin late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin feudatorius, from feudare ‘enfeoff’, from feudum (see fee).

feu de joie /ˌfəː də ˈʒwɑː/

I. noun

a rifle salute fired by soldiers on a ceremonial occasion, each soldier firing in succession along the ranks to make a continuous sound.

– origin French, literally ‘fire of joy’.

feudist

noun

(US) a person taking part in a feud.

Feuerbach, Ludwig /ˈfɔɪəˌbɑːx, German ˈfɔyɐˌbax/

(1804–72), German materialist philosopher; full name Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach. In his best-known work, The Essence of Christianity (1841), he argued that the dogmas and beliefs of Christianity are figments of human imagination, fulfilling a need inherent in human nature.

feuilleté /fəːjəˈteɪ/

I. noun

a puff pastry case with a sweet or savoury filling.

– origin French, ‘flaky’.

feuilleton /ˈfəːɪtɒ̃/

I. noun

1. a part of a newspaper or magazine devoted to fiction, criticism, or light literature.

• her sharp wit has made her one of Russia's masters of the literary feuilleton.

2. an article printed in a feuilleton.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, from feuillet, diminutive of feuille ‘leaf’.

fever /ˈfiːvə/

I. noun

1. an abnormally high body temperature, usually accompanied by shivering, headache, and in severe instances, delirium

• she had a slight fever

• [ mass noun] quinine was used to reduce malarial fever.

2. a state of nervous excitement or agitation

• I was mystified, and in a fever of expectation.

3. [ mass noun] [with modifier] — the excitement felt by a group of people about a particular public event

• election fever reaches its climax tomorrow.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› bring about a high body temperature or a state of nervous excitement in

• a heart which sin has fevered.

– origin Old English fēfor, from Latin febris; reinforced in Middle English by Old French fievre, also from febris.

fevered /ˈfiːvəd/

adjective

1. having or showing the symptoms associated with a dangerously high temperature

• they mopped his fevered brow.

2. feeling or displaying an excessive degree of nervous excitement, agitation, or energy

• my fevered adolescent imagination.

feverfew /ˈfiːvəfjuː/

I. noun

a small bushy aromatic Eurasian plant of the daisy family, with feathery leaves and daisy-like flowers, used in herbal medicine to treat headaches.
● Tanacetum parthenium, family Compositae.

– origin Old English feferfuge, from Latin febrifuga, from febris ‘fever’ + fugare ‘drive away’. Compare with febrifuge.

fever grass

noun

West Indian term for lemongrass.

feverish /ˈfiːv(ə)rɪʃ/

I. adjective

1. having or showing the symptoms of a fever

• she felt sick and feverish

• a feverish cold.

2. characterized by or displaying a frenetic excitement or energy

• the next couple of weeks were spent in a whirl of feverish activity.

II. derivatives

feverishness /ˈfiːv(ə)rɪʃnəs /

noun

feverishly /ˈfiːv(ə)rɪʃli/

adverb

1. in a manner that shows the symptoms of a fever

• water trickled from his hair and he began shivering feverishly.

2. in a frenetically excited or energetic manner

• a feverishly anticipated major sports tournament

• they all set to work feverishly.

feverous

adjective

1. ‹archaic› tending to cause fever.

2. ‹archaic› feverish.

fever pitch

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a state of extreme excitement

• the football crowd was at fever pitch

• [in sing.] a fever pitch of nervous excitement.

fever tree

noun

any of a number of trees which are believed to either cause or cure fever, in particular:
● a North American tree used in the treatment of malaria during the civil war ( Pinckneya pubens, family Rubiaceae). ● a southern African tree which was formerly believed to cause malaria ( Acacia xanthophloea, family Leguminosae).

few /fjuː/

I. determiner, pronoun, adjective

1. ( a few) — a small number of
[as determiner]

• may I ask a few questions?

• [as pronoun] I will recount a few of the stories told me

• there are hundreds of applicants but only a few are selected.

2. used to emphasize how small a number of people or things is
[as determiner]

• he had few friends

• [as pronoun] few thought to challenge these assumptions

• very few of the titles have any literary merit

• a club with as few as 20 members

• [ comparative] a population of fewer than two million

• [as adj.] sewing was one of her few pleasures

• [ superlative] ask which products have the fewest complaints.

II. noun — (as plural noun the few)

1. the minority of people; the elect

• art is not just for the few.

2. ( the Few) — (Brit.) the RAF pilots who took part in the Battle of Britain.
[alluding to a speech of Sir Winston Churchill (20 August, 1940).]

III. phrases

1. every few

once in every small group of (typically units of time)

• she visits every few weeks.

2. few and far between

scarce; infrequent

• my inspired moments are few and far between.

3. a good few

(Brit.) a fairly large number of

• we sat there for a good few minutes.

4. have a few

‹informal› drink enough alcohol to be slightly drunk.

5. no fewer than

used to emphasize a surprisingly large number

• there are no fewer than seventy different brand names.

6. not a few

a considerable number

• virtually every soul star, and not a few blues singers, learned to sing in church.

7. quite a few

a fairly large number

• quite a few people got the wrong impression.

8. some few

some but not many.

– origin Old English fēawe, fēawa, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German fao, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin paucus and Greek pauros ‘small’. / usage: Fewer versus less: strictly speaking, the rule is that fewer, the comparative form of few, is used with words denoting people or countable things ( fewer members; fewer books). Less, on the other hand, is used with mass nouns, denoting things which cannot be counted ( less money; less bother). It is regarded as incorrect in standard English to use less with count nouns, as in less people or less words, although this is one of the most widespread errors made by native speakers. It is not so obvious which word should be used with than. Less is normally used with numerals ( a score of less than 100) and with expressions of measurement or time ( less than two weeks; less than four miles away), but fewer is used if the things denoted by the number are seen as individual items or units ( there were fewer than ten contestants).

fey /feɪ/

I. adjective

1. giving an impression of vague unworldliness or mystery

• a rather fey romantic novelist.

2. having supernatural powers of clairvoyance.

3. ‹archaic› (chiefly Scottish) fated to die or at the point of death.

II. derivatives

1. feyly

adverb

2. feyness

noun

– origin Old English fǣge (in the sense ‘fated to die soon’), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch veeg and to German feige ‘cowardly’.

Feydeau, Georges /ˈfeɪdəʊ, French fɛdo/

(1862–1921), French dramatist. His name has become a byword for French bedroom farce. He wrote some forty plays, including Hotel Paradiso (1894) and Le Dindon (1896).

Feynman, Richard Phillips /ˈfʌɪnmən/

(1918–88), American theoretical physicist, noted for his work on quantum electrodynamics. Nobel Prize for Physics (1965).

Feynman diagram

noun

[Physics] a diagram showing electromagnetic interactions between subatomic particles.

fez /fɛz/

I. noun

a flat-topped conical red hat with a black tassel on top, worn by men in some Muslim countries (formerly the Turkish national headdress).

II. derivatives

fezzed

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from Turkish fes (perhaps via French fez), named after Fez, once the chief place of manufacture.

Fez /fɛz / Fès

a city in northern Morocco, founded in 808; pop. 977,946 (2004).

ff

abbreviation

[Music] fortissimo.

ff.

abbreviation

1. folios.

2. following pages.

FFS

exclamation

‹vulgar slang› for fuck's sake! (used as an expression of annoyance).

FGM

noun

short for female genital mutilation.

Fg Off

abbreviation

(in the UK) Flying Officer.

f-hole

noun

either of a pair of soundholes resembling an ∫ and a reversed ∫ in shape, cut in the front of musical instruments of the violin family, and some other stringed instruments such as semi-acoustic electric guitars or mandolins.

FHSA

abbreviation

(in the UK) Family Health Services Authority, a body responsible for running general health services, such as those provided by general practitioners, dentists, and opticians, for a particular area.

FIA

I. the international governing body for motor-racing events.

– origin acronym from French Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile.

fiacre /fɪˈɑːkrə, fɪˈɑːkə/

I. noun

‹historical› a small four-wheeled carriage for public hire.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, named after the Hôtel de St Fiacre in Paris, where such vehicles were first hired out.

fiancé /fɪˈɒnseɪ, fɪˈɑːnseɪ, fɪˈɒ̃seɪ/

I. noun

a man to whom a woman is engaged to be married.

• my fiancé and I were childhood sweethearts.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, past participle of fiancer ‘betroth’, from Old French fiance ‘a promise’, based on Latin fidere ‘to trust’.

fiancée /fɪˈɒnseɪ, fɪˈɑːnseɪ, fɪˈɒ̃seɪ/

noun

a woman to whom a man is engaged to be married.

• he went back to the valley to marry his fiancée.

fianchetto /ˌfɪənˈtʃɛtəʊ, ˌfɪəntˈkɛtəʊ / ‹Chess›

I. noun

the development of a bishop by moving it one square to a long diagonal of the board.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. develop (a bishop) by moving it one square to a long diagonal of the board.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Italian, diminutive of fianco ‘flank’, ultimately of Germanic origin.

Fianna Fáil /fɪˌanə ˈfɔɪl, Irish ˌfʲiənə ˈfaːlʲ/

I. one of the two main political parties of the Republic of Ireland. Larger and traditionally more republican than its rival Fine Gael, it was formed in 1926 in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 by Eamon de Valera together with some of the moderate members of Sinn Fein.

– origin Irish, from fianna ‘band of warriors’ (applied to the soldiers of Finn MacCool; compare with Fenian) and Fáil, genitive of Fál, an ancient name for Ireland. The phrase Fianna Fáil was used in 15th-cent. poetry in the neutral sense ‘people of Ireland’, but the founders of the political party interpreted it to mean ‘soldiers of destiny’.

fiasco /fɪˈaskəʊ/

I. noun

a complete failure, especially a ludicrous or humiliating one

• his plans turned into a fiasco.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Italian, literally ‘bottle, flask’, in the phrase far fiasco, literally ‘make a bottle’, figuratively ‘fail in a performance’: the reason for the figurative sense is unexplained.

fiat /ˈfiːat, ˈfʌɪat/

I. noun

1. a formal authorization or proposition; a decree

• the reforms left most prices fixed by government fiat.

2. an arbitrary order.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, ‘let it be done’, from fieri ‘be done or made’.

fiat money

noun — [ mass noun]

1. inconvertible paper money made legal tender by a government decree.

fib /fɪb/

I. noun

a lie, typically an unimportant one

• why did you tell him such a dreadful fib?

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. tell a fib.

III. derivatives

fibber /ˈfɪbə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps a shortening of obsolete fible-fable ‘nonsense’, reduplication of fable.

Fibonacci, Leonardo /ˌfɪbəˈnɑːtʃi/

( c. 1170– c. 1250), Italian mathematician; known as Fibonacci of Pisa. Fibonacci popularized the use of the ‘new’ Arabic numerals in Europe. He made many original contributions in complex calculations, algebra, and geometry, and pioneered number theory and indeterminate analysis, discovering the Fibonacci series.

Fibonacci series

noun

[Mathematics] a series of numbers in which each number ( Fibonacci number) is the sum of the two preceding numbers. The simplest is the series 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc.

fibre /ˈfʌɪbə / ‹US› fiber

I. noun

1. a thread or filament from which a vegetable tissue, mineral substance, or textile is formed

• the basket comes lined with natural coco fibres.

2. a substance formed of fibres

• ordinary synthetics don't breathe as well as natural fibres

• [ mass noun] high strength carbon fibre.

3. a thread-like structure forming part of the muscular, nervous, connective, or other tissue in the human or animal body

• there were degenerative changes in muscle fibres

• ‹figurative› she wanted him with every fibre of her being.

4. (also moral fibre) [ mass noun] — strength of character

• a weak person with no moral fibre.

5. [ mass noun] — dietary material containing substances such as cellulose, lignin, and pectin, that are resistant to the action of digestive enzymes.

II. derivatives

1. fibred

adjective

[in combination]

• long-fibred wools

2. fibreless /ˈfʌɪbələs /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘lobe of the liver’, (plural) ‘entrails’): via French from Latin fibra ‘fibre, filament, entrails’.

fibreboard /ˈfʌɪbəbɔːd / ‹US› fiberboard

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a building material made of wood or other plant fibres compressed into boards.

fibrefill /ˈfʌɪbəfɪl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. synthetic material used for padding and insulation in garments and soft furnishings such as cushions and duvets.

fibreglass /ˈfʌɪbəɡlɑːs / ‹US› fiberglass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a reinforced plastic material composed of glass fibres embedded in a resin matrix.

2. a textile fabric made from woven glass filaments.

fibre-optic /ˌfʌɪbərˈɒptɪk / ‹US› fiber-optic

adjective

consisting of or using thin flexible fibres with a glass core through which light signals can be sent with very little loss of strength

• high-speed fibre-optic broadband.

fibre-optic cable ‹US› fiber-optic cable

noun

a cable consisting of one or more thin flexible fibres with a glass core through which light signals can be sent with very little loss of strength

• digital cable TV is delivered via a network of high-speed fibre-optic cables

• [ mass noun] in total, 86 kms of underground fibre-optic cable are to be laid.

fibre optics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the use of thin flexible fibres of glass or other transparent solids to transmit light signals, chiefly for telecommunications or for internal inspection of the body.

2. [treated as pl.] — fibres and associated devices used in fibre optics.

fibrescope /ˈfʌɪbəskəʊp / ‹US› fiberscope

noun

a fibre-optic device for viewing inaccessible internal structures, especially in the human body.

fibre tip

noun

a pen with a writing point made of tightly packed fibres which hold the ink.

fibril /ˈfʌɪbrɪl/

I. noun

‹technical› a small or slender fibre

• each muscle fibre is subdivided into smaller fibrils.

II. derivatives

1. fibrillar

adjective

2. fibrillary

adjective

– origin mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin fibrilla, diminutive of Latin fibra (see fibre).

fibrillate /ˈfʌɪbrɪleɪt, ˈfɪbrɪleɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a muscle, especially in the heart) make a quivering movement due to uncoordinated contraction of the individual fibrils.

• the atria ceased to fibrillate when the temperature was reduced.

2. (of a fibre) split up into fibrils.

3. [with obj.] — break (a fibre) into fibrils.

II. derivatives

fibrillation /fʌɪbrɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

fibrin /ˈfʌɪbrɪn, ˈfɪbrɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] an insoluble protein formed from fibrinogen during the clotting of blood. It forms a fibrous mesh that impedes the flow of blood.

II. derivatives

1. fibrinoid

adjective

2. fibrinous /ˈfʌɪbrɪnəs, ˈfɪbrɪnəs /

adjective

– origin early 19th cent.: from fibre + -in^1.

fibrinogen /fʌɪˈbrɪnədʒ(ə)n, fɪˈbrɪnədʒ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Biochemistry] a soluble protein present in blood plasma, from which fibrin is produced by the action of the enzyme thrombin.

fibrinolysis /ˌfʌɪbrɪˈnɒlɪsɪs, ˌfɪbrɪˈnɒlɪsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physiology] the enzymatic breakdown of the fibrin in blood clots.

II. derivatives

fibrinolytic

adjective

fibro /ˈfʌɪbrəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) a mixture of sand, cement, and cellulose fibre, used in sheets for building.

2. [ count noun] — (Austral.) a house constructed mainly of fibro sheets.

– origin 1950s: abbreviation of fibro-cement.

fibro- /ˈfʌɪbrəʊ/

I. combining form

relating to or characterized by fibres

• fibroblast

• fibroma.

– origin from Latin fibra ‘fibre’.

fibroadenoma /ˌfʌɪbrəʊadɪˈnəʊmə/

noun

[Medicine] a tumour formed of mixed fibrous and glandular tissue, typically occurring as a benign growth in the breast.

fibro and iron /ˌfʌɪbrəʊ ən(d) ˈʌɪən/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) fibro-cement and galvanized iron when used in combination as building materials

• instead of fibro and iron the walls were red brick.

fibroblast /ˈfʌɪbrə(ʊ)blast/

noun

[Physiology] a cell in connective tissue which produces collagen and other fibres.

fibro-cement /ˈfʌɪbrəʊsəˌmɛnt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) a building material in sheet form, consisting of a compressed mixture of sand, cement, and cellulose fibre

• lovely homes made of wood and fibro-cement are rising up everywhere

• [as modifier] they were accommodated in weatherboard and fibro-cement cottages.

fibrocystic /ˌfʌɪbrə(ʊ)ˈsɪstɪk/

adjective

[Medicine] (of a disease) characterized by the development of fibrous tissue and cystic spaces, typically in the pancreas or the breast.

fibroid /ˈfʌɪbrɔɪd/

I. adjective

of or characterized by fibres or fibrous tissue.

II. noun

[Medicine] a benign tumour of muscular and fibrous tissues, typically developing in the wall of the womb.

fibroin /ˈfʌɪbrəʊɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a protein which is the chief constituent of silk.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from fibro- + -in^1.

fibrolite /ˈfʌɪbrə(ʊ)lʌɪt/

noun

another term for sillimanite.

fibroma /fʌɪˈbrəʊmə/

I. noun

[Medicine] a benign fibrous tumour of connective tissue.

II. derivatives

fibromatous /fʌɪˈbrəʊmətəs /

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin fibra (see fibre) + -oma.

fibromyalgia /ˌfʌɪbrəʊmʌɪˈaldʒɪə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rheumatic condition characterized by muscular or musculoskeletal pain with stiffness and localized tenderness at specific points on the body.

fibrosarcoma /ˌfʌɪbrəʊsɑːˈkəʊmə/

I. noun

[Medicine] a sarcoma in which the predominant cell type is a malignant fibroblast.

II. derivatives

fibrosarcomatous

adjective

fibrosis /fʌɪˈbrəʊsɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the thickening and scarring of connective tissue, usually as a result of injury.

II. derivatives

fibrotic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin fibra (see fibre) + -osis.

fibrositis /ˌfʌɪbrəˈsʌɪtɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] inflammation of fibrous connective tissue, typically affecting the back and causing stiffness and pain.

II. derivatives

fibrositic

adjective

fibrous /ˈfʌɪbrəs/

I. adjective

consisting of or characterized by fibres

• a good fibrous root system.

II. derivatives

1. fibrously

adverb

2. fibrousness /ˈfʌɪbrəsnəs /

noun

fibster /ˈfɪbstə/

noun

‹archaic› a person who tells lies.

fibula /ˈfɪbjʊlə/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] the outer and usually smaller of the two bones between the knee and the ankle (or the equivalent joints in other terrestrial vertebrates), parallel with the tibia.

2. [Archaeology] a brooch or clasp.

II. derivatives

fibular

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘brooch’, perhaps related to figere ‘to fix’. The bone is so named because the shape it makes with the tibia resembles a clasp, the fibula being the pin.

-fic -ific

I. suffix

(forming adjectives) producing; making

• prolific

• soporific.

II. derivatives

-fically

suffix

forming corresponding adverbs.

– origin from French -fique or Latin -ficus from facere ‘do, make’.

-fication -ification

I. suffix

forming nouns of action from verbs ending in -fy (such as simplification from simplify).

– origin from French, or from Latin -fication- (from verbs ending in -ficare).

fiche /fiːʃ/

noun

short for microfiche.

Fichte, Johann Gottlieb /ˈfɪxtə, German ˈfɪçtə/

(1762–1814), German philosopher. A pupil of Kant, he postulated that the ego is the basic reality and that the world outside it is posited by the ego in defining and delimiting itself. His political addresses had some influence on the development of German nationalism and the overthrow of Napoleon.

fichu /ˈfiːʃuː/

I. noun

a small triangular shawl, worn round a woman's shoulders and neck.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, from ficher ‘to fix, pin’.

fickle /ˈfɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

changing frequently, especially as regards one's loyalties or affections

• celebs trying to appeal to an increasingly fickle public.

II. derivatives

fickly

adverb

– origin Old English ficol ‘deceitful’, of Germanic origin.

fickleness /ˈfɪklnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. changeability, especially as regards one's loyalties or affections

• the fickleness of youth.

fictile /ˈfɪktʌɪl, ˈfɪktɪl/

I. adjective

1. ‹technical› made of earth or clay by a potter.

2. ‹technical› relating to pottery or its manufacture.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin fictilis, from fict- ‘formed, contrived’, from the verb fingere.

fiction /ˈfɪkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — literature in the form of prose, especially novels, that describes imaginary events and people.

2. something that is invented or untrue

• they were supposed to be keeping up the fiction that they were happily married.

3. a belief or statement which is false, but is often held to be true because it is expedient to do so

• the notion of the country being a democracy is a polite fiction.

II. derivatives

fictionist /ˈfɪkʃ(ə)nɪst /

noun

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘invented statement’): via Old French from Latin fictio(n-), from fingere ‘form, contrive’. Compare with feign and figment.

fictional /ˈfɪkʃənl/

I. adjective

relating to or occurring in fiction; invented for the purposes of fiction

• fictional texts

• a fictional character.

II. derivatives

1. fictionality

noun

2. fictionalization

noun

3. fictionalize /ˈfɪkʃ(ə)nəlʌɪz / fictionalise

verb

4. fictionally

adverb

fictioneer /fɪkʃəˈnɪə/

noun

a writer or inventor of fiction

• he was a fictioneer of extraordinary invention.

fiction writer

noun

a person who writes fiction, especially novels and short stories

• the short story is a fiction writer's greatest challenge.

fictitious /fɪkˈtɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. not real or true; imaginary or fabricated

• reports of a deal were dismissed as fictitious by the Minister.

2. occurring in or invented for fiction.

II. derivatives

1. fictitiously /fɪkˈtɪʃəsli /

adverb

2. fictitiousness /fɪkˈtɪʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin ficticius (from fingere ‘contrive, form’) + -ous (see also -itious^2).

fictive /ˈfɪktɪv/

I. adjective

1. created by the imagination

• the novel's fictive universe.

2. relating to the writing of fiction

• the obviously fictive genres, poetry, drama and the novel.

II. derivatives

fictiveness

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (but rare before the 19th cent.): from French fictif, -ive or medieval Latin fictivus, from Latin fingere ‘contrive, form’.

ficus /ˈfiːkəs, ˈfʌɪkəs/

I. noun

a tree, shrub, or climber of a large genus that includes the figs and the rubber plant, growing in tropical and warm climates.
●Genus Ficus, family Moraceae.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘fig, fig tree’.

fid /fɪd/

I. noun

1. [Nautical] a square wooden or iron bar which takes the weight of a topmast stepped to a lower mast by being passed through holes in both masts.

2. [Nautical] a conical pin or spike used in splicing rope.

– origin early 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

Fid. Def.

abbreviation

Fidei Defensor.
See Defender of the Faith.

fiddle /ˈfɪd(ə)l/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a violin.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) an act of defrauding, cheating, or falsifying

• a major mortgage fiddle.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› a small task that seems awkward and unnecessarily complex

• inserting a tape is a bit of a fiddle.

4. [Nautical] a ledge or raised rim that prevents things from rolling or sliding off a table in rough seas.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — touch or fidget with something in a restless or nervous way

• Lena fiddled with her cup.

2. tinker with something in an attempt to make minor adjustments or improvements

• he fiddled with the blind, trying to prevent the sun from shining in her eyes.

3. ( fiddle around) — pass time aimlessly, without doing or achieving anything of substance.

4. [with obj.] — ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) falsify (figures, data, or records), typically in order to gain money

• everyone is fiddling their expenses.

5. [no obj.] — ‹informal› play the violin.

III. phrases

1. fiddle while Rome burns

be concerned with relatively trivial matters while ignoring the serious or disastrous events going on around one.

2. (as) fit as a fiddle

in very good health.

3. on the fiddle

(Brit.) ‹informal› engaged in cheating or swindling.

4. play second fiddle

have a subordinate role to someone or something; be treated as less important than someone or something

• he resented playing second fiddle to his younger brother.

– origin Old English fithele, denoting a violin or similar instrument (originally not an informal or depreciatory term), related to Dutch vedel and German Fiedel, based on Latin vitulari ‘celebrate a festival, be joyful’, perhaps from Vitula, the name of a Roman goddess of joy and victory. Compare with viol.

fiddleback

noun

1. [usu. as modifier] — a thing shaped like the back of a violin, with the sides deeply curved inwards, especially the back of a chair or the front of a chasuble.

2. [ mass noun] — a rippled effect in the grain of fine wood, often exploited when making the backs of violins
[as modifier]

• fiddleback mahogany.

fiddle-de-dee /fɪd(ə)ldɪˈdiː/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [often as exclamation]

1. ‹dated› nonsense.

• ‘Oh fiddle-de-dee! You know that very well,’ she answered.

– origin late 18th cent.: from fiddle + a reduplication without meaning.

fiddle-faddle /ˈfɪd(ə)lfad(ə)l/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. trivial matters; nonsense.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. mess about; fuss.

• you haven't time to fiddle-faddle about like that.

– origin late 16th cent.: reduplication of fiddle.

fiddlehead

noun

1. (also fiddlehead fern or fiddlehead green) — (N. Amer.) the young, curled, edible frond of certain ferns.

2. a scroll-like carving at a ship's bows.

fiddle pattern

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a design of spoons and forks, with handles shaped like the body of a violin.

fiddler /ˈfɪdlə/

I. noun

1. ‹informal› a person who plays the violin, especially one who plays folk music.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person who cheats or swindles, especially one indulging in petty theft.

– origin Old English fithelere, from fithele (see fiddle).

fiddler crab

noun

a small amphibious crab, the males of which have one greatly enlarged claw which they wave in territorial display and courtship.
●Genus Uca, family Ocypodidae.

Fiddler's Green

an imaginary paradise to which sailors are conveyed after death, traditionally a place of wine, women, and song.

fiddlestick ‹informal›

I. exclamation — ( fiddlesticks)

1. nonsense.

II. noun

a violin bow.

fiddling /ˈfɪdlɪŋ/

adjective

annoyingly trivial or petty

• fiddling little details.

fiddly /ˈfɪdli/

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› complicated or detailed and awkward to do or use

• replacing the battery is fiddly.

Fidei Defensor /ˌfʌɪdɪʌɪ dɪˈfɛnsɔː, ˌfiːdeɪiː/

I. noun

Latin term for Defender of the Faith.

– origin Latin.

fideism /ˈfʌɪdɪɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the doctrine that knowledge depends on faith or revelation.

II. derivatives

1. fideist

noun

2. fideistic

adjective

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin fides ‘faith’ + -ism.

fidelity /fɪˈdɛlɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support

• his fidelity to liberal ideals.

2. sexual faithfulness to a spouse or partner.

3. the degree of exactness with which something is copied or reproduced

• the 1949 recording provides reasonable fidelity.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French fidelite or Latin fidelitas, from fidelis ‘faithful’, from fides ‘faith’. Compare with fealty.

fidelity insurance

noun — [ mass noun]

1. insurance taken out by an employer against losses incurred through dishonesty by employees.

fidget /ˈfɪdʒɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make small movements, especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness or impatience

• the audience began to fidget and whisper.

2. be impatient or uneasy
[with infinitive]

• he was fidgeting to get back to his shop.

II. noun

1. a person who fidgets.

2. (usu. fidgets) — a state of mental or physical restlessness or unease

• Captain Osborne had the fidgets.

III. derivatives

fidgeter

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: from obsolete or dialect fidge ‘to twitch’; perhaps related to Old Norse fikja ‘move briskly, be restless or eager’.

fidget pie

I. noun

(Brit.) a savoury pie containing onions, apples, bacon, and sometimes potatoes.

– origin late 18th cent. (as fitchet-pie): perhaps from fitchet, a dialect word for ‘polecat’, because of the strong, unpleasant odour of the pie during cooking. The change in spelling of the first word was due to association with fidget.

fidgety /ˈfɪdʒɪti/

I. adjective

inclined to fidget; restless or uneasy

• I get nervous and fidgety at the dentist.

II. derivatives

fidgetiness /ˈfɪdʒɪtɪnəs /

noun

Fido^1 /ˈfʌɪdəʊ/

I. noun

‹informal› a generic name for a pet dog.

– origin from Latin fidō ‘I trust’.

Fido^2 /ˈfʌɪdəʊ / ‹historical›

I. noun

a system for enabling aircraft to land, involving the dispersal of fog by means of petrol burners on the ground. It was developed by the Allies during the Second World War.

– origin acronym from Fog Intensive Dispersal Operation.

fiducial /fɪˈdjuːʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

‹technical› (especially of a point or line) assumed as a fixed basis of comparison.

– origin late 16th cent.: from late Latin fiducialis, from fiducia ‘trust’, from fidere ‘to trust’.

fiduciary /fɪˈdjuːʃ(ə)ri/

I. adjective

1. [Law] involving trust, especially with regard to the relationship between a trustee and a beneficiary

• the company has a fiduciary duty to shareholders.

2. ‹archaic› held or given in trust

• fiduciary estates.

3. [Finance] (of a paper currency) depending for its value on securities (as opposed to gold) or the reputation of the issuer.

II. noun

a trustee.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘something inspiring trust; credentials’): from Latin fiduciarius, from fiducia ‘trust’, from fidere ‘to trust’.

fidus Achates /ˌfʌɪdəs əˈkeɪtiːz/

I. noun

a faithful friend or devoted follower.

• accompanied by three guides and his fidus Achates, Bruce set out.

– origin Latin, literally ‘faithful Achates’ (see Achates).

fie /fʌɪ/

I. exclamation

‹archaic› ‹humorous› used to express disgust or outrage.

• Alas, my lord, that you should confuse your bride with another. Fie, I say!

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin fi, an exclamation of disgust at a stench.

fief /fiːf/

I. noun

1. [Law] ‹historical› an estate of land, especially one held on condition of feudal service; a fee.

2. a person's sphere of operation or control.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French (see fee).

fiefdom /ˈfiːfdəm/

noun

1. [Law] ‹historical› a fief.

2. a territory or sphere of operation controlled by a particular person or group

• a mafia boss who has turned the town into his private fiefdom.

field /fiːld/

I. noun

1. an area of open land, especially one planted with crops or pasture, typically bounded by hedges or fences

• a wheat field

• a field of corn.

2. a piece of land used for a particular purpose, especially an area marked out for a game or sport

• a football field.

3. a large area of land or water completely covered in a particular substance, especially snow or ice.

• an ice field.

4. an area rich in a natural product, typically oil or gas.

• a gas field.

5. a place where a subject of scientific study or of artistic representation can be observed in its natural location or context.

6. (usu. the field) — an area which is or is to become the scene of a battle or campaign.

• a field of battle.

7. ‹archaic› a battle

• many a bloody field was to be fought.

8. a particular branch of study or sphere of activity or interest

• we talked to professionals in various fields.

9. [Computing] a part of a record, representing an item of data.

10. [Linguistics] [Psychology] a general area of meaning within which individual words make particular distinctions.

11. a space or range within which objects are visible from a particular viewpoint or through a piece of apparatus.
See also field of vision.

12. (usu. the field) — all the participants in a contest or sport

• he destroyed the rest of the field with a devastating injection of speed.

13. [Cricket] fielders collectively, or the manner in which they are spread over the pitch

• he sees the ball early and strokes it through the gap in the field.

14. a fielder.

15. [Physics] the region in which a particular condition prevails, especially one in which a force or influence is effective regardless of the presence or absence of a material medium.

16. the force exerted or potentially exerted in a field.

• the variation in the strength of the field.

17. [Mathematics] a system subject to two binary operations analogous to those for the multiplication and addition of real numbers, and having similar commutative and distributive laws.

18. [Heraldry] the surface of an escutcheon or of one of its divisions.

19. an area on a flag with a single background colour

• fifty white stars on a blue field.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — [chiefly Cricket] [Baseball] attempt to catch or stop the ball and return it after it has been hit by the batsman or batter, thereby preventing runs being scored or base runners advancing.

2. [with obj.] — catch or stop (the ball) and return it.

• his swinging bunt was fielded by the Chicago catcher.

3. [with obj.] — send out (a team or individual) to play in a game

• Leeds fielded a team of youngsters.

4. (of a political party) put up (a candidate) to stand in an election

• the Ecology party fielded 109 candidates.

5. deploy (an army)

• Russia was committed to fielding 800,000 men.

6. [with obj.] — deal with (a difficult question, telephone call, etc.).

III. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. carried out or working in the natural environment, rather than in a laboratory or office

• field observations and interviews.

2. (of military equipment) light and mobile for use on campaign

• field artillery.

3. used in names of animals or plants found in the open country, rather than among buildings or as cultivated varieties, e.g.: field mouse.

4. denoting a game played outdoors on a marked field.

IV. phrases

1. hold the field

remain the most important.

• the principles of quantum theory hold the field as the convincing account of the physics of the microworld.

2. in the field

a. on campaign; (while) engaged in combat or manoeuvres

• troops in the field.

b. away from the laboratory, office, or studio; engaged in practical work in a natural environment.

• like other vulcanologists, Wright works in the field with active and even erupting volcanoes.

3. keep the field

‹archaic› continue a military campaign.

4. lead the field

a. be the leader in a race.

b. be the best or most popular

• the brand leads the field in vegetarian ready meals.

5. play the field

‹informal› indulge in a series of sexual relationships without committing oneself to anyone.

6. take the field

a. (of a sports team) go on to a field to begin a game.

b. start a military campaign.

– origin Old English feld (also denoting a large tract of open country; compare with veld), of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch veld and German Feld.

Field, John

(1782–1837), Irish composer and pianist. He is noted for the invention of the nocturne and for his twenty compositions in this form.

field ambulance

noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› a mobile field hospital or army unit responsible for treating wounded soldiers close to the battlefield

• he landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915 as a stretcher bearer with the 3rd Field Ambulance.

field bean

noun

a bean plant closely related to the broad bean but with smaller seeds, grown to improve soil fertility and for stockfeed.
● Vicia faba, family Leguminosae.

field book

noun

a book in which a surveyor writes down measurements and other technical notes taken in the field.

field boot

noun

a close-fitting, knee-length military boot.

field cornet

I. noun

1. (S. African) ‹historical› a civilian official invested with the rank and responsibilities of a military officer and with judicial powers enabling him to act as a local administrator and magistrate.

2. (S. African) ‹historical› a rank in the army equivalent to that of lieutenant.

– origin translating South African Dutch veld kornet, from veld ‘field’ + kornet, specifying a military rank.

fieldcraft

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the techniques involved in living, travelling, or making military or scientific observations in the field, especially while remaining undetected.

field cricket

noun

a European cricket that lives in a burrow in grassland and has a musical bird-like chirp.
● Gryllus campestris, family Gryllidae.

field day

noun

1. [in sing.] — an opportunity for action or success, especially at the expense of others

• the newspapers had a field day as the case came to court.

2. [Military] a review or an exercise, especially in manoeuvring.

3. (N. Amer.) a day devoted to athletics or other sporting events and contests.

4. (Austral./NZ) a day set aside for the display of agricultural machinery.

field drain

noun

an underground pipe for draining fields

• the volume of water is forcing old stone field drains to the limit.

field-effect transistor

noun

[Electronics] a transistor in which most current is carried along a channel whose effective resistance can be controlled by a transverse electric field.

field emission

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Physics] the emission of electrons from the surface of a conductor under the influence of a strong electrostatic field, as a result of the tunnel effect.

fielder /ˈfiːldə/

noun

[chiefly Cricket] [Baseball] a player on the fielding team, especially one other than the bowler or pitcher.

field events

plural noun

athletic sports other than races, such as throwing and jumping events.
Compare with track events.

fieldfare /ˈfiːldfɛː/

I. noun

a large migratory thrush with a grey head, breeding in northern Eurasia.
● Turdus pilaris, family Turdidae.

– origin late Old English feldefare, perhaps from feld ‘field’ + the base of faran ‘to travel’ (see fare).

field glasses

plural noun

binoculars for outdoor use.

field goal

noun

1. [American Football] a goal scored by a place kick, scoring three points.

2. [Basketball] a goal scored while the clock is running and the ball is in play.

field grey

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dark shade of grey, the regulation colour of the uniform of a German infantryman.

field guide

noun

a book for the identification of animals, birds, flowers, or other things in their natural environment.

field gun

noun

a light mounted gun suitable for use on a battlefield

• they came under intense fire from enemy field guns

• [as modifier] a field gun crew.

field hand

noun

‹chiefly historical› a person, especially a US slave, employed as a farm labourer.

field hospital

noun

a temporary hospital set up near a battlefield to provide emergency care for the wounded.

field house

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a large building that provides space for many different sports facilities

• in 1992, the field house added two new wood floor basketball courts.

2. (N. Amer.) a building adjacent to a sports field, equipped with changing rooms

• the Panthers emerged from their field house to begin an early morning practice.

Fielding, Henry

(1707–54), English novelist. He provoked the introduction of censorship in theatres with his political satire The Historical Register for 1736. He then turned to writing picaresque novels, notably Joseph Andrews (1742) and Tom Jones (1749). Fielding was also responsible for the formation of the Bow Street Runners in 1749.

field kitchen

noun

a mobile cooking facility equipped to provide hot food to troops or refugees

• the squadron deployed its own field kitchen to provide fresh rations.

field mark

noun

a visible mark or characteristic that can be used in identifying a bird or other animal in the field.

field marshal

noun

the highest rank of officer in the British army.

field mouse long-tailed field mouse

noun

another term for wood mouse.

field mushroom

noun

the common edible mushroom, which is widely grown commercially.
● Agaricus campestris, family Agaricaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

field mustard

noun

another term for charlock.

field notes

plural noun

notes made by a person who is engaged in fieldwork.

field officer

noun

1. a person in an organization with a position of responsibility involving practical activities in a particular area or region.

2. [Military] a major, lieutenant colonel, or colonel.

field of honour

noun

the place where a duel or battle is fought.

Field of the Cloth of Gold

the scene of a meeting between Henry VIII of England and Francis I of France near Calais in 1520, for which both monarchs erected elaborate temporary palaces, including a sumptuous display of golden cloth. Little of importance was achieved, although the meeting symbolized Henry's determination to play a full part in European dynastic politics.

field of vision

noun

the entire area that a person or animal is able to see when their eyes are fixed in one position.

field pea

noun

a pea plant of a variety grown chiefly for stockfeed or as green manure.

field rank

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the rank attained by a military field officer.

Fields, Dame Gracie

(1898–1979), English singer and comedienne; born Grace Stansfield. During the 1930s she enjoyed great success with English music-hall audiences, and went on to star in a series of popular films.

Fields, W. C.

(1880–1946), American comedian; born William Claude Dukenfield. Having made his name as a comedy juggler he became a vaudeville star, appearing in the Ziegfeld Follies revues between 1915 and 1921. Notable films: The Bank Dick (1940).

fieldsman /ˈfiːldzmən/

noun

1. [Cricket] (Brit.) a fielder.

2. an agent or salesman working for a company.

field sports

plural noun

outdoor sports, especially hunting, shooting, and fishing.

fieldstone

noun — [ mass noun] [often as modifier]

1. stone used in its natural form

• a fieldstone fireplace.

field strength

noun

[Physics] the intensity of an electric or magnetic field

• MRI experiments were conducted at field strength of 0.47 T.

field study

noun

a research project carried out in the natural location or context of the subject of study, rather than in a laboratory or office

• field studies indicate the importance of feathers in nest lining.

field telegraph

noun

‹historical› a movable telegraph for use on campaign.

field test

I. noun

a test carried out in the environment in which a product or device is to be used.

II. verb

( field-test) [with obj.] — test (a product or device) in the environment in which it is to be used.

field theory

noun

[Physics] a theory that explains physical phenomena in terms of a field and the manner in which it interacts with matter or with other fields.

field trial

noun

1. a field test.

2. a competition for gun dogs to test their levels of skill and training in retrieving or pointing.

field trip

noun

a trip made by students or research workers to study something at first hand.

field vole

noun

a vole with a dark shaggy coat and short tail, found abundantly in the grasslands of northern Eurasia. Also called short-tailed vole.
● Microtus arvalis, family Muridae.

field walking

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a technique for finding or studying archaeological sites by walking systematically across a ploughed field collecting artefacts on the surface.

fieldwork /ˈfiːldwəːk/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — practical work conducted by a researcher in the natural environment, rather than in a laboratory or office.

2. ‹rare› a temporary fortification.

II. derivatives

fieldworker /ˈfiːəldwəːkə /

noun

fiend /fiːnd/

I. noun

1. an evil spirit or demon.

2. ( the fiend) — ‹archaic› the Devil.

3. a very wicked or cruel person

• Britain's most notorious sex fiend.

4. ‹informal› an enthusiast or devotee of a particular thing

• a football fiend.

II. derivatives

fiendlike

adjective

– origin Old English fēond ‘an enemy, the devil, a demon’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vijand and German Feind ‘enemy’.

fiendish /ˈfiːndɪʃ/

I. adjective

1. extremely cruel or unpleasant

• fiendish methods of torture.

2. ‹informal› extremely awkward or complex

• a fiendish problem.

II. derivatives

1. fiendishly /ˈfiːndɪʃ(ə)li /

adverb

[as submodifier]

• a fiendishly clever plan

2. fiendishness /ˈfiːndɪʃnəs /

noun

fierce /fɪəs/

I. adjective

1. having or displaying a violent or ferocious aggressiveness

• fierce fighting continued throughout the day.

2. (of the weather or temperature) powerful and destructive

• fierce storms lashed the country.

3. showing a heartfelt and powerful intensity

• his fierce loyalty

• there was fierce local opposition to the plans.

4. (of a mechanism) having a jolting and powerful abruptness of action

• the fire door had a fierce pneumatic return.

II. adverb

(Irish) ‹informal› very; extremely

• he was fierce proud.

III. phrases

something fierce

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› to a great and almost overwhelming extent

• I missed the country something fierce.

IV. derivatives

fierceness /ˈfɪəsnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French fiers ‘fierce, brave, proud’, from Latin ferus ‘untamed’.

fiercely /ˈfɪəsli/

adverb

1. in a savagely violent or aggressive manner

• the army clashed fiercely with militants.

2. in a powerful and destructive manner

• the wind was blowing fiercely

• the fire was already burning fiercely.

3. with a heartfelt and powerful intensity

• campaigners have fiercely opposed the proposals

• [as submodifier] they are fiercely independent.

fieri facias /ˌfʌɪərʌɪ ˈfeɪʃɪas/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Law] a writ to a sheriff for executing a judgement.

– origin Latin, ‘cause to be made or done’.

fiery /ˈfʌɪəri/

I. adjective

1. consisting of fire or burning strongly and brightly

• the sun was a fiery ball low on the hills

• ‹figurative› a fiery pepper sauce.

2. having the bright colour of fire

• the car was painted a fiery red.

3. having a passionate and quick-tempered nature

• a fiery, imaginative Aries.

4. showing strong emotion, typically anger

• a fiery speech.

II. derivatives

1. fierily /ˈfʌɪərɪli /

adverb

2. fieriness /ˈfʌɪərɪnəs /

noun

fiery cross

noun

1. a burning wooden cross carried as a symbol by the Ku Klux Klan.

2. ‹historical› a wooden cross, charred and dipped in blood, used among Scottish clans to summon men to battle.

fiesta /fɪˈɛstə/

I. noun

1. (in Spanish-speaking countries) a religious festival

• the yearly fiesta of San Juan.

2. an event marked by festivities or celebration
[in names]

• the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

– origin Spanish, from Latin festum, (plural) festa (see feast).

FIFA /ˈfiːfə/

I. the international governing body of soccer, formed in 1904 and based in Zurich, Switzerland.

– origin acronym from French Fédération Internationale de Football Association.

fi. fa.

abbreviation

fieri facias.

fife /fʌɪf/

I. noun

a kind of small shrill flute used with the drum in military bands.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹archaic› play the fife.

III. derivatives

fifer /ˈfʌɪfə /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from German Pfeife ‘pipe’, or from French fifre from Swiss German Pfifer ‘piper’.

Fife /fʌɪf/

a council area and former county of east central Scotland; administrative centre, Glenrothes.

fife rail

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly historical› a rail round the mainmast of a sailing ship, holding belaying pins.

2. ‹chiefly historical› the rail on top of the bulwark at the edge of a sailing ship's poop or forecastle.

– origin early 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

FIFO /ˈfʌɪfəʊ/

abbreviation

first in, first out (chiefly with reference to methods of stock valuation and data storage).
Compare with LIFO.

fifteen /fɪfˈtiːn, ˈfɪftiːn/

I. cardinal number

1. (Roman numeral: xv or XV) — equivalent to the product of three and five; one more than fourteen, or five more than ten; 15

• all fifteen bedrooms have private facilities

• fifteen feet high

• fifteen of Howard's troops were killed.

2. a size of garment or other merchandise denoted by fifteen.

3. fifteen years old

• she must be fifteen by now.

4. a team of fifteen players, especially in rugby.

5. ( 15) — (Brit.) (of a film) classified as suitable for people of 15 years and over.

6. ( the Fifteen) — ‹historical› the Jacobite rebellion of 1715.

II. phrases

fifteen minutes of fame (or famous for fifteen minutes)

used with reference to a brief period of fame enjoyed by an ordinary person.
[from a remark made by Andy Warhol in 1968, predicting that in the future, everyone would be ‘world famous for fifteen minutes’.]

– origin Old English fīftēne, fīftīene (see five, -teen).

fifteenth /fɪfˈtiːnθ/

ordinal number

1. constituting number fifteen in a sequence; 15th

• August the fifteenth

• the fifteenth century

• on the fifteenth floor.

2. an organ stop sounding a register of pipes two octaves (fifteen notes) above the diapason.

3. each of fifteen equal parts into which something is or may be divided.

fifth /fɪfθ/

I. ordinal number

1. constituting number five in a sequence; 5th

• the fifth century BC

• her mother had just given birth to another child, her fifth

• the world's fifth-largest oil exporter

• the fifth of November.

2. the fifth finisher or position in a race or competition

• he finished fifth.

3. (in some vehicles) the fifth (and typically highest) in a sequence of gears.

• in my panic I changed from third to fifth.

4. (chiefly Brit.) the fifth form of a school or college.

5. fifthly (used to introduce a fifth point or reason)

• fourth, it can aid the process of life review, and fifth, it is an enjoyable and stimulating experience.

6. [Music] an interval spanning five consecutive notes in a diatonic scale, in particular an interval of three tones and a semitone (e.g. C to G)

• strings tuned a fifth apart.

7. [Music] the note which is higher by a fifth than the root of a diatonic scale.

8. (US) ‹informal› a fifth of a gallon, as a measure of alcoholic drink, or a bottle of this capacity

• a fifth of whisky.

9. each of five equal parts into which something is or may be divided.

II. phrases

take (or plead) the Fifth

(in the US) exercise the right, guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, of refusing to answer questions in order to avoid incriminating oneself

• I'm sure his lawyers are telling him to take the Fifth.

[short for take the Fifth Amendment.]

III. derivatives

fifthly /ˈfɪfθli /

adverb

Fifth Amendment

I. noun

an amendment to the US Constitution that contains a number of provisions relating to criminal law, including guarantees of due process and of the right to refuse to answer questions in order to avoid incriminating oneself

• she has since refused to testify before Congress, invoking the Fifth Amendment.

II. phrases

take (or plead) the Fifth Amendment

(in the US) exercise the right, guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, of refusing to answer questions in order to avoid incriminating oneself

• he took the Fifth Amendment when questioned about the apparently flawed bankruptcy filing.

fifth column

I. noun

a group within a country at war who are sympathetic to or working for its enemies.

II. derivatives

fifth columnist

noun

– origin The term dates from the Spanish Civil War, when General Mola, leading four columns of troops towards Madrid, declared that he had a fifth column inside the city.

fifth-generation

adjective

denoting a proposed new class of computer or programming language employing artificial intelligence.

Fifth-monarchy-man

I. noun

‹historical› a member of a 17th-century sect expecting the immediate Second Coming of Christ and repudiating all other government.

– origin from Fifth Monarchy, denoting the last of the five great empires prophesied by Daniel (Dan. 2:44).

fifth position

noun

1. [Ballet] a posture in which the feet are placed turned outwards, one immediately in front of but touching the other so that the toe of the back foot just protrudes beyond the heel of the front foot.

2. a position of the arms in which they are held curved in front of the body, at hip level, waist level, or above the head, with the palms facing the body.

3. [Music] a position of the left hand on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument nearer to the bridge than the fourth position, enabling a higher set of notes to be played.

fifth-rate

adjective

of the poorest possible quality

• a fifth-rate TV journalist shooting a documentary.

Fifth Republic

the republican regime established in France with de Gaulle's introduction of a new constitution in 1958.

fifth wheel

noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) an extra wheel for a four-wheeled vehicle.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) ‹informal› a superfluous person or thing.

3. (chiefly N. Amer.) a coupling between a vehicle used for towing and a trailer.

4. (also fifth-wheel trailer) — (chiefly N. Amer.) a trailer with accommodation for camping out.

5. (chiefly N. Amer.) ‹historical› a horizontal turntable over the front axle of a carriage as an extra support to prevent its tipping.

fiftieth /ˈfɪftɪəθ/

ordinal number

1. constituting number fifty in a sequence; 50th

• they celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary

• his fiftieth birthday.

2. each of fifty equal parts into which something is or may be divided

• a fiftieth of a second.

fifty /ˈfɪfti/

I. cardinal number

1. (Roman numeral: l or L) — the number equivalent to the product of five and ten; half of one hundred; 50

• only fifty per cent of the aircraft were serviceable

• about fifty of us filed in

• a fifty-pound salmon.

2. ( fifties) — the numbers from 50 to 59, especially the years of a century or of a person's life

• Elvis is the icon of the Fifties.

3. fifty years old

• she looked about fifty.

4. fifty miles an hour

• I was doing about fifty.

5. a size of garment or other merchandise denoted by fifty.

6. a fifty-pound note or fifty-dollar bill.

II. derivatives

fiftyfold

adjective, adverb

– origin Old English fīftig (see five, -ty^2).

fifty-fifty /ˌfɪftiˈfɪfti/

I. adjective

1. the same in share or proportion; equal

• fifty-fifty partners.

2. used to refer to one of two possibilities that are equally likely to happen

• he has a fifty-fifty chance of surviving the operation.

II. adverb

in two amounts or parts that are the same in size; equally

• they divided the spoil fifty-fifty.

fifty-year rule

noun

(Brit.) ‹historical› a rule that public records may be open to inspection after a lapse of fifty years. Superseded in the UK in 1968 by the thirty-year rule.

fig^1 /fɪɡ/

I. noun

1. a soft pear-shaped fruit with sweet dark flesh and many small seeds, eaten fresh or dried.

2. (also fig tree) — the deciduous Old World tree or shrub which bears figs.
● Ficus carica, family Moraceae.

3. used in names of other plants of the genus Ficus, e.g. strangling fig, weeping fig.

II. phrases

not give (or care) a fig

not have the slightest concern about

• Elaine didn't give a fig for Joe's comfort or his state of mind.

– origin Middle English: from Old French figue, from Provençal fig(u)a, based on Latin ficus.

fig^2 /fɪɡ / ‹informal›

I. noun — (in phrase full fig)

1. smart clothes, especially those appropriate to a particular occasion or profession

• a soldier walking up the street in full fig.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› dress up (someone) to look smart

• he was figged out as fine as fivepence, with white trousers and rings and chains.

– origin late 17th cent. (as a verb): variant of obsolete feague ‘liven up’ (earlier ‘whip’); perhaps related to German fegen ‘sweep, thrash’; compare with fake^1. An early sense of the verb was ‘fill the head with nonsense’; later (early 19th cent.) ‘cause (a horse) to be lively and carry its tail well (by applying ginger to its anus)’; hence ‘smarten up’.

fig. /fɪɡ/

abbreviation

figure

• see fig.34.

figbird

noun

a gregarious fruit-eating Australasian bird of the oriole family, the male of which has a green back and a yellow or green breast.
● Sphecotheres viridis, family Oriolidae; formerly treated as several species.

figgy /ˈfɪɡi/

adjective

made with or having the taste or smell of figs

• pork served with figgy jam

• a sweet, figgy fragrance.

figgy pudding

noun

(chiefly Brit.) a rich boiled pudding made with flour, suet, figs, and other dried fruit, traditionally eaten at Christmas

• we are supposed to tuck a shilling into a traditional figgy pudding.

fight /fʌɪt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — take part in a violent struggle involving the exchange of physical blows or the use of weapons

• the men were fighting

• protesters fought with police

• Cameron fought back as hard as he could.

2. engage in a war or battle

• those who had fought for King and country

• [with obj.] the country is still fighting a civil war.

3. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› command, manage, or manoeuvre (troops, a ship, or military equipment) in battle

• General Hill fights his troops well.

4. quarrel or argue

• they were fighting over who pays the bill.

5. [with obj.] — take part in a boxing match against (an opponent)

• McCracken will fight Sheffield's Martin Smith.

6. [with obj.] — struggle to overcome, eliminate, or prevent

• a churchman who has dedicated his life to fighting racism

• the company intends to fight the decision.

7. [no obj.] — strive to achieve or do something

• I will fight for a fairer society

• for several days, doctors fought to save his life.

8. endeavour vigorously to win (an election or other contest).

9. attempt to repress (a feeling or its expression)

• she had to fight back tears of frustration.

10. ( fight one's way) — move forward with difficulty, especially by pushing through a crowd

• she watched him fight his way across the room.

II. noun

1. a violent confrontation or struggle

• he'd got into a fight with some bouncers outside a club.

2. a boxing match.

3. a battle or war

• Britain might have given up her fight against Germany.

4. a vigorous struggle or campaign for or against something

• their fight for control of the company

• a long fight against cancer.

5. an argument or quarrel

• he'd had another fight with Katie.

6. [ mass noun] — the inclination or ability to fight or struggle

• Ginny felt the fight trickle out of her.

III. phrases

1. fight fire with fire

use the weapons or tactics of one's enemy or opponent, even if one finds them distasteful.

2. fight like cat and dog

(of two people) be continually arguing with one another.

• we fought like cat and dog the whole time we were together.

3. fight a losing battle

be fated to fail in one's efforts

• the police are fighting a losing battle against a rising tide of crime.

4. fight shy of

be unwilling to undertake or become involved with

• MacMillan has never fought shy of controversy.

5. make a fight of it

put up a spirited show of resistance in a fight or contest.

• United certainly made a fight of it in the second half.

6. fight or flight

the instinctive physiological response to a threatening situation, which readies one either to resist forcibly or to run away.

7. put up a fight

offer resistance to an attack.

IV. phrasal verbs

fight someone/thing off

defend oneself against an attack by someone or something

• Candice fought her assailant off

• ‹figurative› well-fed people are better able to fight off infectious disease.

– origin Old English feohtan (verb), feoht(e), gefeoht (noun), of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vechten, gevecht and German fechten, Gefecht.

fightback /ˈfʌɪtbak/

noun

(Brit.) a great effort to gain a position of strength made by a person or group who seem likely to lose a contest

• a storming second-half fightback from Chelsea.

fighter /ˈfʌɪtə/

noun

1. a person or animal that fights

• the distinction between civilian populations and fighters.

2. a person who does not easily admit defeat in spite of difficulties or opposition

• there'll be months of physiotherapy but medical staff say she's a fighter.

3. a fast military aircraft designed for attacking other aircraft
[as modifier]

• World War II fighter planes.

fighter-bomber

noun

an aircraft serving as both a fighter and bomber.

fighter jet

noun

a fast jet-powered military aircraft designed for attacking other aircraft

• above us, F-16 fighter jets patrolled the skies.

fighter pilot

noun

a pilot who flies a fast military aircraft designed for attacking other aircraft

• he was one of the RAF's most experienced fighter pilots.

fighting /ˈfʌɪtɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of fighting; violence or conflict

• terrible fighting broke out in the streets.

II. adjective

displaying or engaging in violence, combat, or aggression

• he was a fighting man

• he put up his fists and took a fighting stance.

fighting chair

noun

(N. Amer.) a fixed chair on a boat used by a person trying to catch large fish.

fighting chance

noun

a possibility of success if great effort is made

• they still have a fighting chance of clinching the title.

fighting cock

noun

a cock bred and trained for cockfighting

• owners of fighting cocks sometimes wager $35 on a match.

fighting fish Siamese fighting fish

noun

a small labyrinth fish native to Thailand, the males of which fight vigorously. It has been bred in a variety of colours for aquaria.
● Betta splendens, family Belontiidae.

fighting fit

adjective

in excellent health

• Mary had responded to treatment and seemed fighting fit.

fighting fund

noun

(Brit.) money raised to finance a campaign, especially one supporting a political or social cause.

• the action group launched a fighting fund to pay legal costs if defeated.

fighting top

noun

‹historical› a platform high on a warship's mast on which guns or marksmen can be stationed.

fighting words

plural noun

1. ‹informal› words indicating a willingness to fight or challenge a person or thing.

2. ‹informal› (US) insulting or provocative words, especially of an ethnic, racial, or sexist nature, considered unacceptable or illegal by certain institutions and afforded less protection than free speech.

fig leaf

I. noun

1. a leaf of a fig tree, often used for concealing the genitals in paintings and sculpture.

2. a thing intended to conceal a difficulty or embarrassment

• the amendment was just a fig leaf intended to cover the cracks in the party.

– origin early 16th cent.: with reference to the story of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:7).

figment /ˈfɪɡm(ə)nt/

I. noun

a thing that someone believes to be real but that exists only in their imagination

• it really was Ross and not a figment of her overheated imagination.

– origin late Middle English (denoting an invented statement or story): from Latin figmentum, related to fingere ‘form, contrive’. Compare with feign and fiction. The current sense dates from the early 17th cent.

figmental /fɪɡˈmɛnt(ə)l/

adjective

existing only in the imagination; fictitious

• a figmental enemy.

fig parrot

noun

a very small short-tailed Australasian parrot, with mainly green plumage and a coloured head, feeding on soft fruit. Also called lorilet.
●Genera Opopsitta and Psittaculirostris, family Psittacidae: five species.

figura /fɪˈɡjʊərə/

I. noun

(in literary theory) a person or thing representing or symbolizing a fact or ideal.

– origin Latin, literally ‘figure’ (representing an early use of figure to denote an emblem or type).

figural /ˈfɪɡjʊr(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. another term for figurative.

2. (in postmodernist writing) relating to or denoting a form of signification which relies on imagery and association rather than on rational and linguistic concepts.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from late Latin figuralis, from figura ‘form, shape’ (see figure).

figurant /ˈfɪɡjʊr(ə)nt/

I. noun

a supernumerary actor who has little or nothing to say.

– origin French, present participle of figurer ‘to figure’.

figuration /ˌfɪɡəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ornamentation by means of figures or designs.

2. [Music] the use of florid counterpoint.

• the figuration of the accompaniment comes out too strongly.

• [ count noun] in modern music we have small ostinato figurations.

3. allegorical representation

• the figuration of ‘The Possessed’ is much more complex.

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘outline’ and ‘making of arithmetical figures’): from Latin figuratio(n-), from figurare ‘to form or fashion’, from figura (see figure).

figurative /ˈfɪɡ(ə)rətɪv/

I. adjective

1. departing from a literal use of words; metaphorical

• a figurative expression.

2. (of an artist or work of art) representing forms that are recognizably derived from life.

II. derivatives

figurativeness /ˈfɪɡ(ə)rətɪvnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from late Latin figurativus, from figurare ‘to form or fashion’, from figura (see figure).

figuratively /ˈfɪɡ(ə)rətɪvli/

adverb

1. used to indicate a departure from a literal use of words; metaphorically

• we left a lot of people literally and figuratively in the dark

• [ sentence adverb] I did bump into— figuratively speaking—quite a few interesting people.

2. in a style representing forms that are recognizably derived from life

• Chinese art influenced her to paint figuratively.

figure /ˈfɪɡə/

I. noun

1. a number, especially one which forms part of official statistics or relates to the financial performance of a company

• the trade figures

• by 1998, this figure had risen to 14 million.

2. a numerical symbol, especially any of the ten in Arabic notation

• the figure 7.

3. one of a specified number of digits making up a larger number, used to give a rough idea of the order of magnitude
[in combination]

• a six-figure sum of money.

4. an amount of money

• a figure of two thousand pounds.

5. ( figures) — arithmetical calculations

• she has no head for figures.

6. a person's bodily shape, especially that of a woman and when considered to be attractive

• she had always been so proud of her figure.

7. a person seen indistinctly or from a distance

• a dark figure emerged from the shadows.

8. a representation of a human or animal form in drawing or sculpture

• starkly painted figures.

9. a person of a particular kind, especially one who is important or distinctive in some way

• Williams became something of a cult figure.

10. a shape which is defined by one or more lines in two dimensions (such as a circle or a triangle), or one or more surfaces in three dimensions (such as a sphere or a cuboid), either considered mathematically in geometry or used as a decorative design

• a red ground with white and blue geometrical figures.

11. a diagram or illustrative drawing, especially in a book or magazine

• figure 1 shows an ignition circuit.

12. (in skating) a movement or series of movements following a prescribed pattern and often beginning and ending at the same point.

13. a pattern formed by the movements of a group of people, for example in country dancing, as part of a longer dance or display.

14. ‹archaic› the external form or shape of something.

15. [Music] a short succession of notes producing a single impression; a brief melodic or rhythmic formula out of which longer passages are developed.

16. [Logic] the form of a syllogism, classified according to the position of the middle term.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. have a significant part or role in a situation or process

• the issue of nuclear policy figured prominently in the talks

• human rights do not figure high on their agenda.

2. [with obj.] — (N. Amer.) calculate or work out (an amount or value) arithmetically

• my accountant figured my tax wrong.

3. [with clause] — ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) think, consider, or expect to be the case

• I figured that I didn't have much of a chance

• [with obj.] for years, teachers had figured him for a dullard.

4. (of a recent event or newly discovered fact) be perfectly understandable and only to be expected

• well, she supposed that figured.

5. [with obj.] — represent in a diagram or picture.

• varieties of this Cape genus are figured from drawings made there.

6. (usu. as adj. figured) — embellish (something) with a pattern

• the floors were covered with figured linoleum.

III. phrases

1. figure of fun

a person who is considered ridiculous.

2. lose (or keep) one's figure

lose (or retain) a slim and attractive bodily shape.

3. put a figure on

give a price or exact number for.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. figure on

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› expect (something) to happen or be the case

• anyone thinking of salmon fishing should figure on paying $200 a day.

2. figure something out

‹informal› solve or discover the cause of a problem

• he was trying to figure out why the camera wasn't working.

3. figure someone out

reach an understanding of a person's actions, motives, or personality.

V. derivatives

figureless

adjective

– origin Middle English (in the senses ‘distinctive shape of a person or thing’, ‘representation of something material or immaterial’, and ‘numerical symbol’, among others): from Old French figure (noun), figurer (verb), from Latin figura ‘shape, figure, form’; related to fingere ‘form, contrive’.

figured bass

noun

[Music] a bass line with the intended harmonies indicated by figures rather than written out as chords, typical of continuo parts in baroque music.

figure-ground

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. [Psychology] [Art] relating to or denoting the perception of images by the distinction of objects from a background from which they appear to stand out, especially in contexts where this distinction is ambiguous.

• the figure-ground phenomenon.

figurehead /ˈfɪɡəhɛd/

noun

1. a carving, typically a bust or a full-length figure, set at the prow of an old-fashioned sailing ship.

2. a nominal leader or head without real power.

figure-hugging

adjective

(of a garment) fitting closely to the contours of a woman's body

• a low-cut, figure-hugging dress.

figure of eight ‹N. Amer.› figure eight

noun

an object or movement having the shape of the number eight.

• the humpback whale described a figure of eight around a shoal of fish.

• [as modifier] a figure-of-eight knot.

figure of merit

noun

a numerical expression taken as representing the performance or efficiency of a given device, material, or procedure.

figure of speech

noun

a word or phrase used in a non-literal sense for rhetorical or vivid effect.

figure skating

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport of skating in prescribed patterns from a stationary position.

II. derivatives

figure skater

noun

figurine /ˈfɪɡəriːn/

I. noun

a statuette, especially one of a human form.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, from Italian figurina, diminutive of figura, from Latin figura (see figure).

fig wasp

noun

a minute Old World wasp which lays its eggs inside the flower of the wild fig. It was introduced into the New World to effect cross-fertilization of the cultivated fig.
● Blastophaga psenes, family Agaonidae, superfamily Chalcidoidea.

figwort /ˈfɪɡwəːt/

I. noun

a widely distributed herbaceous plant with purplish-brown two-lobed flowers. It was formerly considered to be effective in the treatment of scrofula.
●Genus Scrophularia, family Scrophulariaceae (the figwort family): several species. Plants of this family have distinctive two-lobed flowers and include the snapdragons, toadflaxes, foxgloves, mulleins, monkey flowers, and speedwells.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from obsolete fig ‘piles’ + wort. The word originally denoted the pilewort or lesser celandine, which was used as a treatment for piles; the current sense dates from the late 16th cent.

Fiji /ˈfiːdʒi/

I. a country in the South Pacific consisting of a group of some 840 islands, of which about a hundred are inhabited; pop. 944,700 (est. 2009); languages, English (official), Fijian, Hindi; capital, Suva.

First visited by Abel Tasman in 1643, the Fiji Islands became a British Crown Colony in 1874 and an independent Commonwealth state in 1970. In 1987, following a coup, Fiji became a republic and withdrew from the Commonwealth, rejoining in 1997.

Fijian /fiːˈdʒiːən/

I. adjective

relating to Fiji, its people, or their language.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Fiji, or a person of Fijian descent.

2. [ mass noun] — the Austronesian language of the indigenous people of Fiji.

FIL

I. noun

‹informal› a person's father-in-law

• my in-laws helped tremendously—my MIL prepared food and my FIL helped move boxes and furniture.

– origin 1960s: abbreviation.

filament /ˈfɪləm(ə)nt/

I. noun

1. a slender thread-like object or fibre, especially one found in animal or plant structures

• each myosin filament is usually surrounded by 12 actin filaments.

2. [Botany] the slender part of a stamen that supports the anther.

3. [Astronomy] a narrow streamer from the sun's chromosphere or in its corona.

4. a conducting wire or thread with a high melting point, forming part of an electric bulb or thermionic valve and heated or made incandescent by an electric current.

II. derivatives

1. filamentary /fɪləˈmɛnt(ə)ri /

adjective

2. filamented

adjective

3. filamentous

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, or from modern Latin filamentum, from late Latin filare ‘to spin’, from Latin filum ‘thread’.

filaria /fɪˈlɛːrɪə/

I. noun

a thread-like parasitic nematode worm which is transmitted by biting flies and mosquitoes, causing filariasis and related diseases.
●Superfamily Filarioidea, class Phasmida.

II. derivatives

filarial

adjective

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin Filaria (former genus name), from Latin filum ‘thread’.

filariasis /fɪˌlɛːrɪˈeɪsɪs, ˌfɪləˈrʌɪəsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a tropical disease caused by the presence of filarial worms, especially in the lymph vessels where heavy infestation can result in elephantiasis.

filature /ˈfɪlətʃə/

I. noun

1. a place where silk is obtained from silkworm cocoons.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of obtaining silk from the cocoons of silkworms.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French, from Italian filatura, from filare ‘to spin’.

filbert /ˈfɪlbət/

I. noun

1. a cultivated hazel tree that bears edible oval nuts.
●Genus Corylus, family Betulaceae: several species, in particular the Kentish cob ( Corylus maxima).

2. the nut of the filbert tree.
Also called cob^1.

3. (also filbert brush) — a brush with bristles forming a flattened oval head, used in oil painting.

– origin Middle English fylberd, from Anglo-Norman French philbert, dialect French noix de filbert (so named because it is ripe about 20 August, the feast day of St Philibert).

filch /fɪltʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› pilfer or steal (something, especially an item of small value) in a casual way

• they filched milk off morning doorsteps.

II. derivatives

filcher /ˈfɪltʃə /

noun

– origin Middle English: of unknown origin.

file^1 /fʌɪl/

I. noun

1. a folder or box for holding loose papers together and in order for easy reference

• a file of correspondence.

2. a collection of information about a particular person or thing

• MI5 were keeping a file on him.

3. [Computing] a collection of data, programs, etc. stored in a computer's memory or on a storage device under a single identifying name

• you can save the file to your hard disk.

4. (Canadian) a number of issues and responsibilities relating to a particular policy area

• what progress has the Prime Minister made on the unity file?

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. place (a document) in a cabinet, box, or folder in a particular order

• the contract, when signed, is filed

• ‹figurative› he still had the moment filed away in his memory.

2. submit (a legal document, application, or charge) to be placed on record by the appropriate authority

• criminal charges were filed against the firm

• [no obj.] the company had filed for bankruptcy.

3. (of a reporter) send (a story) to a newspaper or news organization.

III. phrases

on file

in a file or filing system.

IV. derivatives

filer /ˈfʌɪlə /

noun

– origin late Middle English (as a verb meaning ‘string documents on a thread or wire to keep them in order’): from French filer ‘to string’, fil ‘a thread’, both from Latin filum ‘a thread’. Compare with file^2.

file^2 /fʌɪl/

I. noun

1. a line of people or things one behind another

• files of tourists stream up the narrow lanes of Mont St Michel.

2. [Military] a small detachment of troops

• a file of English soldiers had ridden out from Perth.

3. [Chess] each of the eight rows of eight squares on a chessboard running away from the player towards the opponent.
Compare with rank^1 (sense 2 of the noun).

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (of a group of people) walk one behind the other, typically in an orderly and solemn manner

• the mourners filed into the church.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French file, from filer ‘to string’.

file^3 /fʌɪl/

I. noun

a tool with a roughened surface or surfaces, typically of steel, used for smoothing or shaping a hard material.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. smooth or shape with a file

• never file your nails from the centre to the sides.

2. ( file something away/off) — remove something by grinding it off with a file.

III. derivatives

filer /ˈfʌɪlə /

noun

– origin Old English fīl, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vijl and German Feile.

filé /ˈfiːleɪ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) pounded or powdered sassafras leaves used to flavour and thicken soup, especially gumbo.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, past participle of filer ‘to twist’.

file cabinet

noun

(N. Amer.) another term for filing cabinet.

file card

noun

a small card on which information is recorded, typically stored alphabetically with others in a card index

• Nabokov used a system of file cards to create his plot structures.

file clerk

noun

(N. Amer.) another term for filing clerk:

• I entered the company as a file clerk seven years ago.

file copy

noun

1. a copy of a letter or document which is kept on file

• the original and a file copy were retained for the record.

2. [Computing] an operation in which data is copied to another location

• the program lets you smoothly perform a file copy while Windows is booting.

file extension

noun

[Computing] a string of characters attached to a filename, usually preceded by a full stop and indicating the format of the file.

filefish

I. noun

a fish with a dorsal spine and rough scales, related to the triggerfishes and occurring in tropical and sometimes temperate seas.
●Numerous genera and species, family Balistidae (or Monacanthidae).

– origin late 18th cent.: from file^3 (because of its rough skin, suggesting the surface of a file).

file manager

noun

[Computing] a program used to organize, list, and locate files and directories on a computer

• the app has a built-in file manager to grab email attachments.

filename /ˈfʌɪlneɪm/

noun

an identifying name given to a computer file.

file server

noun

[Computing] a device which controls access to separately stored files, as part of a multi-user system.

file-sharing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of making computer files available to other users of a network, in particular the illicit sharing of music and video via the Internet.

• tough deterrence schemes will need to be implemented to ensure that higher broadband speeds do not lead to a colossal increase in illegal file-sharing.

• [as modifier] a file-sharing application.

file shell

noun

a free-swimming bivalve mollusc, the shell of which is typically white and has a rough, ribbed external surface.
●Family Limidae.

file snake

noun

1. a widespread but rarely seen nocturnal African constricting snake which is triangular in cross section with rough scales, giving it the appearance of a three-cornered file.
●Genus Mehelya, family Colubridae; several species.

2. another term for wart snake.

filet /ˈfiːleɪ, ˈfɪlɪt/

noun

1. French spelling of fillet, used especially in the names of French or French-sounding dishes:

• filet de boeuf.

2. [ mass noun] — a kind of net or lace with a square mesh.
[late 19th cent.: from French, ‘net’.]

filet mignon /ˌfiːleɪ ˈmiːnjɒ̃/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a small tender piece of beef from the end of the undercut.

– origin French, literally ‘dainty fillet’.

filial /ˈfɪlɪəl/

I. adjective

1. relating to or due from a son or daughter

• a display of filial affection.

2. [Biology] denoting the offspring of a cross.
See also F^1 (sense 1).

II. derivatives

filially

adverb

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from ecclesiastical Latin filialis, from filius ‘son’, filia ‘daughter’.

filiation /ˌfɪlɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact of being the child of a particular parent or parents

• relationships based on ties of filiation as opposed to marriage.

2. the fact of being descended or derived from something

• the filiation of many of his ideas from those developed by Carpenter.

3. the relation of one thing to another from which it is derived or descended in some respect

• the filiation of Old Norse manuscripts.

– origin late Middle English: from French, from ecclesiastical and medieval Latin filiatio(n-), from Latin filius ‘son’, filia ‘daughter’.

filibeg /ˈfɪlɪbɛɡ / philibeg

I. noun

(Scottish) ‹chiefly historical› a kilt.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic feileadh-beag ‘little kilt’, from feileadh ‘plaid’ and beag ‘little’.

filibuster /ˈfɪlɪbʌstə/

I. noun

1. an action such as prolonged speaking which obstructs progress in a legislative assembly in a way that does not technically contravene the required procedures.

2. ‹historical› a person engaging in unauthorized warfare against a foreign state.

II. verb — [no obj.] (often as noun filibustering)

1. act in an obstructive manner in a legislative assembly, especially by speaking at inordinate length

• several measures were killed by Republican filibustering.

2. [with obj.] — obstruct (proposed legislation) with a filibuster.

– origin late 18th cent.: from French flibustier, first applied to pirates who pillaged the Spanish colonies in the West Indies. In the mid 19th cent. (via Spanish filibustero), the term denoted American adventurers who incited revolution in several Latin American states, whence sense 2 of the noun. The verb was used to describe tactics intended to sabotage US congressional proceedings, whence sense 1 of the noun.

filicide /ˈfɪlɪsʌɪd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the killing of one's son or daughter

• maternal filicide.

2. [ count noun] — a person who kills their son or daughter.

– origin mid 17th cent. from Latin filius ‘son’, filia ‘daughter’ + -cide.

Filicopsida /ˌfɪlɪˈkɒpsɪdə/

I. plural noun

[Botany] a class of pteridophyte plants that comprises the ferns.

– origin modern Latin (plural), from Latin filix, filic- ‘fern’ + opsis ‘appearance’.

filiform /ˈfʌɪlɪfɔːm/

I. adjective

[Biology] thread-like

• the antennae are filiform.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin filum ‘thread’ + -iform.

filigree /ˈfɪlɪɡriː / filagree

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ornamental work of fine (typically gold or silver) wire formed into delicate tracery
[as modifier]

• filigree earrings

• ‹figurative› pine needles draped with a delicate filigree of mist.

– origin late 17th cent. (earlier as filigreen, filigrane): from French filigrane, from Italian filigrana (from Latin filum ‘thread’ + granum ‘seed’).

filigreed /ˈfɪləɡriːd / filagreed

adjective

ornamented with or resembling filigree work

• white filigreed stockings.

filing /ˈfʌɪlɪŋ/

noun — (usu. filings)

1. a small particle rubbed off by a file when smoothing or shaping something

• iron filings.

filing cabinet

noun

a large piece of office furniture, typically made of metal, with deep drawers for storing documents.

filing clerk

noun

a person employed in an office to file or retrieve documents

• he had a summer job as a filing clerk for York City Council.

filing system

noun

a method for organizing and storing documents or information

• using a digital filing system reduces the office space needed to store papers.

Filioque /ˌfiːlɪˈəʊkwiː/

I. the word inserted in the Western version of the Nicene Creed to assert the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son as well as from the Father, which is not admitted by the Eastern Church. It was one of the central issues in the Great Schism of 1054.

– origin Latin, literally ‘and from the Son’.

Filipina /ˌfɪlɪˈpiːnə/

I. noun

a female Filipino.

– origin Spanish.

Filipino /ˌfɪlɪˈpiːnəʊ / Pilipino

I. adjective

relating to the Philippines, the Filipinos, or their language.

II. noun

1. a native or inhabitant of the Philippines, or a person of Filipino descent.

2. [ mass noun] — the national language of the Philippines, a standardized form of Tagalog.

– origin Spanish, from las Islas Filipinas ‘the Philippine Islands’.

Fílippoi /ˈfilipi/

Greek name for Philippi.

fill /fɪl/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — cause (a space or container) to become full or almost full

• I filled up the bottle with water

• the office was filled with reporters.

2. block up (a cavity in a tooth) with cement, amalgam, or gold.

3. [no obj.] — become full

• Elinor's eyes filled with tears

• the dining car filled up.

4. [no obj.] ( fill up) — fill the fuel tank of a car.

5. become an overwhelming presence in; pervade

• a pungent smell of garlic filled the air.

6. cause (someone) to experience a strong emotion or feeling

• his presence filled us with foreboding.

7. [no obj.] — (of a sail) curve out tautly from its supports as the wind blows into it.

8. (of the wind) blow into (a sail), causing it to curve outwards.

9. appoint a person to hold (a vacant post)

• the board contacted him to say they had already filled the position.

10. hold and perform the expected duties of (a post or role)

• he had filled the post in an acting capacity for some time.

11. satisfy or fulfil (a want or need)

• community land trusts are a way to fill the pressing need for housing.

12. occupy or take up (a period of time)

• the next few days were filled with meetings.

13. (chiefly N. Amer.) be supplied with the items described in (a prescription or order).

14. (in poker) complete (a good hand) by drawing the necessary cards.

II. noun

1. ( one's fill) — an amount of something which is as much as one wants or can bear

• we have eaten our fill

• I've had my fill of surprises for one day.

2. an amount of something which will occupy all the space in a container

• a fill of tobacco.

3. [ mass noun] — material, typically loose or compacted, which fills a space, especially in building or engineering work

• loose polystyrene fill.

4. [ mass noun] — the action of filling something, especially of shading in a region of a computer graphics display.

5. (in popular music) a short interjected phrase on a particular instrument.

III. phrases

1. fill the bill

see bill^1.

2. fill one's boots

‹informal› have as much of something as one wants; do something to the full

• fill your boots with spicy Szechuan food for under five bucks a plate.

3. fill someone's shoes (or boots)

‹informal› take over someone's function or duties and fulfil them satisfactorily.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. fill in

act as a substitute for someone when they are unable to do their job

• my producer will have to have someone standing by to fill in for me.

2. fill someone in

a. inform someone more fully of a matter

• they filled me in on all the latest news from Cambridge.

b. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› hit or punch someone

• I filled in a chap and took his money.

3. fill something in

a. (chiefly Brit.) add information to complete a form or other official document

• simply fill in the application form and return it to your local branch.

b. complete a drawing by adding colour or shade to the spaces within an outline

• incised letters, filled in with gold.

c. occupy one's spare time, typically while waiting for something else to happen

• with all the shops to keep you occupied, you'll have no problem filling in a couple of hours.

4. fill out

(of a person) put on weight to a noticeable extent.

5. fill something out ‹chiefly N. Amer.›

a. add information to complete an official form or document.

b. give more details about something

• further research will fill out these early findings.

– origin Old English fyllan (verb), fyllu (noun) of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vullen and German füllen (verbs), Fülle (noun), also to full^1.

fille de joie /ˌfiː də ˈʒwɑː/

I. noun

‹euphemistic› a prostitute.

– origin French, literally ‘girl of pleasure’.

filler^1 /ˈfɪlə/

noun

1. [usu. in combination] — a thing put in a space or container to fill it

• these plants are attractive gap-fillers or ground cover.

2. [ mass noun] — a substance used for filling cracks or holes in a surface, especially before painting it

• wood filler.

3. [ mass noun] — material used to fill a cavity or increase bulk

• foam filler.

4. an item serving only to fill space or time in a newspaper, broadcast, or recording.

5. a word or sound filling a pause in an utterance or conversation (e.g. er, well, you know).

6. a linguistic unit that fills a particular slot in syntactic structure.

7. [in combination] — a person or thing that fills a space or container

• supermarket shelf-fillers.

8. [ mass noun] — (US) the tobacco blend used in a cigar.

filler^2 /ˈfɪlə/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Hungary, equal to one hundredth of a forint.

– origin from Hungarian fillér.

filler cap

noun

a cap closing the pipe leading to the petrol tank of a motor vehicle.

fillet /ˈfɪlɪt/

I. noun

1. a fleshy boneless piece of meat from near the loins or the ribs of an animal

• a chicken breast fillet

• [ mass noun] roast fillet of lamb.

2. (also fillet steak) — a beef steak cut from the lower part of a sirloin.

3. a boned side of a fish.

4. a band or ribbon worn round the head, especially for binding the hair.

5. [Architecture] a narrow flat band separating two mouldings.

6. [Architecture] a small band between the flutes of a column.

7. a roughly triangular strip of material which rounds off an interior angle between two surfaces.

8. (in bookbinding) a plain line impressed on the cover of a book.

9. a roller used to impress a fillet on the cover of a book.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. remove the bones from (a fish).

2. cut (fish or meat) into boneless strips.

III. derivatives

filleter

noun

– origin Middle English (denoting a band worn round the head): from Old French filet ‘thread’, based on Latin filum ‘thread’.

fill-in

noun

a person or thing acting or serving in place of another; a substitute

• she could be a competent short-term fill-in

• [as modifier] a college student working as a fill-in doorman.

filling /ˈfɪlɪŋ/

I. noun

1. a quantity of soft material that fills or is used to fill something

• duvets with synthetic fillings.

2. a piece of metal or other material used to fill a cavity in a tooth

• a gold filling.

3. an edible substance placed between the layers of a sandwich, cake, or other foodstuff

• a Swiss roll with a chocolate filling.

4. (N. Amer.) another term for weft^1.

II. adjective

(of food) leaving one with a pleasantly satiated feeling

• the full English breakfast was delicious and also very filling.

filling station

noun

a petrol station.

fillip /ˈfɪlɪp/

I. noun

1. something which acts as a stimulus or boost to an activity

• the halving of car tax would provide a fillip to sales.

2. ‹archaic› a movement made by bending the last joint of the finger against the thumb and suddenly releasing it; a flick of the finger.

3. a slight smart stroke or tap inflicted with a flick of the finger.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹archaic› propel (a small object) with a flick of the fingers.

2. ‹archaic› strike slightly and smartly.

• he filliped him over the nose.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘make a fillip with the fingers’): symbolic; compare with flick, flip^1.

fillis /ˈfɪlɪs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) loosely twisted string, used especially for tying up plants.

– origin early 20th cent.: from French filasse ‘tow’.

fillister /ˈfɪlɪstə/

I. noun

1. a rebate for holding a sash window.

2. (also fillister plane) — a rebate plane.

– origin early 19th cent.: perhaps from French feuilleret.

fill light

noun

a supplementary light used in photography or filming that does not change the character of the main light and is used chiefly to lighten shadows.

Fillmore, Millard

(1800–74), American Whig statesman, 13th President of the US 1850–3. He was an advocate of compromise on the slavery issue, but his unpopular enforcement of the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act hastened the end of the Whig Party.

fill-up

noun

an instance of filling something, especially the fuel tank of a car.

• drivers are never far from a fill-up.

filly /ˈfɪli/

I. noun

1. a young female horse, especially one less than four years old.

2. ‹humorous› a lively girl or young woman.

– origin late Middle English: from Old Norse fylja, of Germanic origin; related to foal.

film /fɪlm/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a thin flexible strip of plastic or other material coated with light-sensitive emulsion for exposure in a camera, used to produce photographs or motion pictures

• he had already shot a whole roll of film

• [ count noun] a new range of films and cameras.

2. material in the form of a very thin flexible sheet

• clear plastic film between the layers of glass.

3. [ count noun] — a thin layer covering a surface

• she quickly wiped away the light film of sweat.

4. ‹archaic› a fine thread or filament

• films of silk.

5. a story or event recorded by a camera as a set of moving images and shown in a cinema or on television

• a horror film

• [as modifier] a film director.

6. [ mass noun] — cinema considered as an art or industry

• a critical overview of feminist writing on film.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — capture on film as part of a series of moving images; make a film of (a story, event, or book)

• she glowered at the television crew who were filming them.

2. [no obj.] — become or appear to become covered with a thin layer of something

• his eyes had filmed over.

III. derivatives

filmdom

noun

film (sense 2 of the noun)

– origin Old English filmen ‘membrane’, of West Germanic origin; related to fell^5.

film archive

noun

a collection of films that have been preserved because of their historical or cultural interest

• the Arts Council is planning to put its film archive online.

film award

noun

an award given in recognition of an achievement in the film industry

• the movie has already won several international film awards

• [as modifier] the film award season is upon us.

film badge

noun

a device containing photographic film which registers the wearer's exposure to radiation.

film buff

noun

‹informal› a person who is very interested in and knowledgeable about films

• my husband and I are great film buffs.

film camera

noun

1. a camera used in making a film for the cinema

• the clip was shot using a classic 16mm film camera.

2. a camera that uses photographic film, in contrast to a digital camera

• a lot of camera stores don't even carry film cameras anymore.

film club

noun

a group of people who meet regularly to watch films

• he started a film club at university.

film critic

I. noun

a person who reviews films, especially one who does so professionally

• even film critics can change their opinion over time.

II. derivatives

film criticism

noun

film director

noun

a person who controls the making of a film and supervises the actors and technical crew

• the Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar.

film festival

noun

an organized event at which many films are shown

• the film will have its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival

• a free, four-day film festival which will feature some of the greatest films ever made.

filmgoer /ˈfɪlmˌɡəʊə/

I. noun

a person who goes to the cinema, especially on a regular basis.

II. derivatives

film-going

noun, adjective

filmi /ˈfɪlmi/

adjective

(Indian) related to or characteristic of the Mumbai (Bombay) film industry

• a filmi magazine.

filmic /ˈfɪlmɪk/

adjective

relating to films or cinematography

• he has reconceived the stage production in filmic terms.

film industry

noun

the area of commercial activity concerned with the production and distribution of films

• Emma works in the film industry

• the relationship between the US, UK, and European film industries.

film library

noun

a collection of films, especially one kept for research or for borrowing or renting

• a film library of more than 5,000 titles.

film magazine

noun

a magazine devoted to films and cinema

• her face is a very familiar one in the film magazines.

film-maker

noun

a person who directs or produces films for the cinema or television.

film-making /ˈfɪlmˌmeɪkɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the direction or production of films for the cinema or television

• the best emerging talent in independent film-making

• a brilliant piece of film-making

• [as modifier] the film-making process.

film music

noun — [ mass noun]

1. music used in a film to accompany the action and create atmosphere

• both of these composers are most famous for writing film music.

film noir /fɪlm ˈnwɑː French film nwaʀ//

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style or genre of cinematographic film marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, and menace. The term was originally applied (by a group of French critics) to American thriller or detective films made in the period 1944–54 and to the work of directors such as Orson Welles, Fritz Lang, and Billy Wilder.

2. [ count noun] — a film marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, and menace.

– origin French, literally ‘black film’.

filmography /fɪlˈmɒɡrəfi/

I. noun

a list of films by one director or actor, or on one subject.

– origin 1960s: from film + -graphy, on the pattern of bibliography.

film poster

noun

a poster used to advertise a film

• the walls of his bedroom are covered in film posters.

film premiere

noun

the first public showing of a film

• she enjoys a glittering social life, attending film premieres and art gallery openings.

film producer

noun

a person responsible for the financial and managerial aspects of making a film

• she is one of Australia's leading film producers.

film production

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process or activity of producing films

• Mumbai is one of the largest centres of film production in the world

• [as modifier] a film production company.

2. [ count noun] — a film viewed in terms of its making

• she has also designed costumes for film productions.

film rights

plural noun

the exclusive right to make a film based on a particular book or other work

• Miramax bought the film rights to one of her novels.

film script

noun

the written text of a film, including instructions for the actors and directions for filming; a screenplay

• they have now adapted their film script for the stage.

film sequence

noun

a short piece of film or section of a longer film, depicting a particular action, event, etc.

• we all have film sequences that stick in our minds.

filmsetting /ˈfɪlmsɛtɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Printing] the setting of material to be printed by projecting it on to photographic film from which the printing surface is prepared.

II. derivatives

1. filmset /ˈfɪlmsɛt /

verb

2. filmsetter /ˈfɪlmsɛtə /

noun

film show

noun

an act or instance of showing a film to an audience, typically to accompany a talk or entertainment

• prior to the tour of the dam, we saw a film show of how it was built.

film star

noun

an actor or actress who is famous for playing leading roles in films.

filmstrip /ˈfɪlmstrɪp/

noun

a series of transparencies in a strip for projection.

film studio

noun

1. a film production company

• summer is the time when film studios roll out their big-budget blockbusters.

2. a place where cinema films are made or produced

• they converted a disused hockey arena into a 20,000 square foot film studio.

filmy /ˈfɪlmi/

I. adjective

1. (especially of fabric) thin and translucent

• filmy white voile.

2. covered with or as with a thin layer of something

• her eyes were dull and filmy.

II. derivatives

1. filmily /ˈfɪlmɪli /

adverb

2. filminess /ˈfɪlmɪnəs /

noun

filmy fern

noun

a small fern of damp shady places, with wiry creeping stems and delicate forked fronds which are only one cell thick. They occur chiefly in tropical and subtropical regions.
●Family Hymenophyllaceae: Hymenophyllum and other genera.

filo /ˈfiːləʊ / phyllo

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a kind of dough that can be stretched into very thin sheets, used in layers to make both sweet and savoury pastries, especially in eastern Mediterranean cookery
[as modifier]

• filo pastry.

– origin 1950s: from modern Greek phullo ‘leaf’.

Filofax /ˈfʌɪlə(ʊ)faks/

I. noun

‹trademark› a loose-leaf notebook for recording appointments, addresses, and notes.

– origin 1930s: representing a colloquial pronunciation of file of facts.

filopodium /ˌfʌɪlə(ʊ)ˈpəʊdɪəm/

I. noun

[Biology] a long, slender, tapering pseudopodium, as found in some protozoans and in embryonic cells.

II. derivatives

filopodial

adjective

– origin early 20th cent.: from Latin filium ‘thread’ + podium.

filoselle /ˈfɪlə(ʊ)sɛl/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. floss silk, or silk thread resembling this, used in embroidery.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, from Italian filosello, of uncertain ultimate origin.

filovirus /ˈfiːləʊˌvʌɪrəs/

noun

a filamentous RNA virus of a genus which causes severe haemorrhagic fevers in humans and primates, and which includes the Ebola and Marburg viruses.

fils^1 /fɪls/

I. noun

a monetary unit of Iraq, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Yemen, equal to one hundredth of a riyal in Yemen and one thousandth of a dinar elsewhere.

– origin from a colloquial pronunciation of Arabic fals, denoting a small copper coin.

fils^2 /fiːs, French fis/

I. noun

used after a surname to distinguish a son from a father of the same name

• Alexandre Dumas fils.

Compare with père.

– origin French, ‘son’.

filter /ˈfɪltə/

I. noun

1. a porous device for removing impurities or solid particles from a liquid or gas passed through it

• an oil filter.

2. a filter tip
[as modifier]

• a cheap filter cigarette.

3. a screen, plate, or layer of a substance which absorbs light or other radiation or selectively absorbs some of its components

• filters can be used in photography to reduce haze.

4. a device for suppressing electrical or sound waves of frequencies not required.

5. [Computing] a piece of software that processes data before passing it to another application, for example to reformat characters or to remove unwanted types of material.

6. (Brit.) an arrangement whereby vehicles may turn left (or right) while other traffic waiting to go straight ahead or turn right (or left) is stopped by a red light
[as modifier]

• a filter lane.

7. a traffic light signalling a filter arrangement.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — pass (a liquid, gas, light, or sound) through a device to remove unwanted material

• the eye filters out ultraviolet radiation.

2. process or assess (items) in order to reject those that are unwanted

• you'll be put through to a secretary whose job it is to filter calls

• the brain has the ability to filter out information it considers non-essential.

3. [Computing] process or treat with a filter.

4. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move slowly in a specified direction

• the players filtered out on to the pitch.

5. (of light or sound) enter a place slowly or in small quantities

• sunlight filtered in through the thin curtains.

6. (of information) gradually become known

• the news began to filter in from the hospital.

7. (Brit.) (of traffic) be allowed to pass to the left or right at a junction while traffic going straight ahead is halted.

– origin late Middle English (denoting a piece of felt): from French filtre, from medieval Latin filtrum ‘felt used as a filter’, of West Germanic origin and related to felt^1.

filterable filtrable

adjective

1. capable of passing through a filter.

2. capable of being separated out by a filter

• filterable solids.

filter bed

noun

a tank or pond containing a layer of sand or gravel, used for filtering large quantities of liquid.

filter cake

noun

a deposit of insoluble material left on a filter.

filter cigarette filtered cigarette

noun

a type of cigarette with an absorbent section at the end that removes impurities from the inhaled smoke

• a standard pack of filter cigarettes.

filter coffee filtered coffee

noun — [ mass noun]

1. coffee made by allowing water to pass through a paper or mesh filter containing ground coffee

• a very nice cup of filter coffee.

filter-feeding

I. adjective

[Zoology] (of an aquatic animal) feeding by filtering out plankton or nutrients suspended in the water.

II. derivatives

filter-feeder

noun

filter paper

noun

a piece of porous paper for filtering liquids, used especially in chemical processes and coffee-making.

filter press

noun

a device consisting of a series of cloth filters fixed to frames, used for the large-scale filtration of liquid under pressure.

filter pump

noun

a pump used to purify water in a pool, pond, or tank

• the pool comes with a filter pump.

filter tip

I. noun

1. a filter attached to a cigarette for removing impurities from the inhaled smoke.

2. a cigarette with a filter tip.

II. derivatives

filter-tipped /ˈfɪltəˌtɪpt /

adjective

filth /fɪlθ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. disgusting dirt

• stagnant pools of filth.

2. obscene and offensive language or printed material

• some calls were vitriolic, accusing us of publishing pornography and filth.

3. corrupt behaviour; decadence.

4. used as a term of abuse for a person or people one greatly despises

• you and all the others like you are filth.

5. (as plural noun the filth) — (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› the police.

– origin Old English fȳlth ‘rotting matter, rottenness’, also ‘corruption, obscenity’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vuilte, also to foul.

filthy /ˈfɪlθi/

I. adjective

1. disgustingly dirty

• a filthy hospital with no sanitation.

2. obscene and offensive

• filthy language.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› (of weather) very unpleasant

• it looked like being a filthy night.

4. ‹informal› angry and bad-tempered

• he arrived at the meeting half an hour late and in a filthy temper.

5. ‹informal› contemptible (used for emphasis)

• you filthy liar.

II. adverb — [as submodifier]

1. ‹informal› to an extreme extent

• he has become filthy rich.

III. derivatives

1. filthily /ˈfɪlθɪli /

adverb

2. filthiness /ˈfɪlθɪnəs /

noun

filtrate /ˈfɪltreɪt/

I. noun

a liquid which has passed through a filter.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹rare› filter.

• the remaining alkali is filtrated.

– origin early 17th cent.: from modern Latin filtrat- ‘filtered’, from the verb filtrare, from medieval Latin filtrum (see filter).

filtration /fɪlˈtreɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of filtering something

• small particles are difficult to remove without filtration.

fimbria /ˈfɪmbrɪə/

I. noun

1. [chiefly Anatomy] a series of threads or other projections resembling a fringe.

2. (usu. fimbriae) — [chiefly Anatomy] an individual thread in a fimbria, especially a finger-like projection at the end of the fallopian tube near the ovary.

II. derivatives

fimbrial

adjective

– origin mid 18th cent.: from late Latin, ‘border, fringe’.

fimbriated /ˈfɪmbrɪeɪtɪd / fimbriate

I. adjective

1. [Biology] having a fringe or border of hair-like or finger-like projections.

2. [Heraldry] having a narrow border, typically of a specified tincture.

– origin late 15th cent. (in sense 2): from Latin fimbriatus (from fimbria ‘fringe’) + -ed^1.

fin /fɪn/

I. noun

1. a flattened appendage on various parts of the body of many aquatic vertebrates, including fish and cetaceans, and some invertebrates, used for propelling, steering, and balancing.

2. an underwater swimmer's flipper.

3. a small flattened projecting surface or attachment on an aircraft, rocket, or car, for providing aerodynamic stability.

4. a flattened projection on a device, used for increasing heat transfer.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. swim under water by means of flippers

• we finned along the side of the wreck.

III. derivatives

1. finless

adjective

2. finned /ˈfɪnd /

adjective

[in combination]

• long-finned pike

– origin Old English finn, fin, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vin and probably ultimately to Latin pinna ‘feather, wing’.

finagle /fɪˈneɪɡ(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly US) obtain by dishonest or devious means

• Ted attended all the football games he could finagle tickets for.

2. [no obj.] — ‹informal› (chiefly US) act in a dishonest or devious manner

• they wrangled and finagled over the fine points.

II. derivatives

finagler /fɪˈneɪɡ(ə)lə /

noun

– origin 1920s (originally US): from dialect fainaigue ‘cheat’; perhaps from Old French fornier ‘deny’.

final /ˈfʌɪn(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. coming at the end of a series

• the final version of the report was presented.

2. reached or designed to be reached as the outcome of a process or a series of actions and events

• the final cost will easily run into six figures.

3. allowing no further doubt or dispute

• the decision of the judging panel is final.

II. noun

1. the last game in a sports tournament or other competition, which will decide the winner of the tournament.

2. ( finals) — a series of games constituting the final stage of a competition

• the World Cup finals.

3. ( finals) — (Brit.) a series of examinations at the end of a degree course

• she was doing her history finals.

4. ( final) — (N. Amer.) an examination at the end of a term, school year, or particular class.

5. [Music] the principal note in a mode.

6. ( finals) — the final approach of an aircraft to the runway it will be landing on.

• the plane piloted by Richards was on finals.

III. phrases

the final straw

see straw.

– origin Middle English (in the adjectival sense ‘conclusive’): from Old French, or from Latin finalis, from finis ‘end’. Compare with finish.

final approach

noun

the part of an aircraft's flight in which it descends directly towards a runway for landing

• his international flight is on final approach into Detroit.

final cause

noun

[Philosophy] the purpose or aim of an action or the end towards which a thing naturally develops.

final clause

noun

[Grammar] a clause expressing purpose or intention (e.g. one introduced by in order that or lest).

final demand

noun

a creditor's last request for payment of money owed, before taking punitive measures.
[as modifier]

• final-demand letters.

final dividend

noun

a dividend calculated at the end of a financial year based on the company's annual profits

• the airline is paying a final dividend of 5 cents a share.

final drive

noun

the last part of the transmission system in a motor vehicle.

finale /fɪˈnɑːli, fɪˈnɑːleɪ/

I. noun

the last part of a piece of music, an entertainment, or a public event, especially when particularly dramatic or exciting

• the finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

• a fireworks finale

• the festival ends with a grand finale.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Italian, from Latin finalis (see final).

final invoice

noun

a statement of the total money owed for goods or services that is sent once work has been completed or goods supplied

• the customer failed to pay the final invoice.

finalism

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the doctrine that natural processes, for example evolution, are directed towards some goal.

II. derivatives

finalistic

adjective

finalist /ˈfʌɪn(ə)lɪst/

noun

1. a competitor or team in the final or finals of a competition.

2. a student taking finals.

finality /fʌɪˈnalɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the fact or impression of being final and irreversible

• the abrupt finality of death.

2. a tone or manner which indicates that no further comment or argument is possible

• ‘No,’ she said with finality.

3. [ count noun] — an action or event that ends something irreversibly

• death is the ultimate finality.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French finalité, from late Latin finalitas, from Latin finalis (see final).

finalize /ˈfʌɪn(ə)lʌɪz / finalise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. complete or agree on a finished and definitive version of

• efforts intensified to finalize plans for post-war reconstruction.

II. derivatives

finalization /fʌɪn(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

finally /ˈfʌɪnəli/

adverb

1. after a long time, typically when there has been difficulty or delay

• he finally arrived to join us.

2. as the last in a series of related events or items

• a referendum followed by local, legislative and, finally, presidential elections.

3. [ sentence adverb] — used to introduce a final point or reason

• finally, it is common knowledge that travel broadens the horizons.

4. in such a way as to put an end to doubt and dispute

• the need to dispel finally the belief that auditors were clients of the company.

final notice

noun

a formal declaration or warning that action will be taken against a party in an arrangement if an obligation is not completed by a specified time

• she received a final notice threatening to come to her flat and turn off the electricity supply.

final salary scheme final salary pension scheme

noun

(Brit.) a company pension scheme in which employees' pension payments are calculated according to their length of service and their salary at the time of retirement.

final solution

I. noun

the Nazi policy of exterminating European Jews. Introduced by Heinrich Himmler and administered by Adolf Eichmann, the policy resulted in the murder of 6 million Jews in concentration camps between 1941 and 1945.

– origin translation of German Endlösung.

finance /ˈfʌɪnans, fʌɪˈnans, fɪˈnans/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the management of large amounts of money, especially by governments or large companies
[as modifier]

• the firm's finance department.

2. monetary support for an enterprise

• the clearing banks are important sources of finance.

3. ( finances) — the monetary resources and affairs of a state, organization, or person

• the club's finances are stretched to the limit.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide funding for (a person or enterprise)

• the health service is financed almost entirely by the taxpayer.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, from finer ‘make an end, settle a debt’, from fin ‘end’ (see fine^2). The original sense was ‘payment of a debt, compensation, or ransom’; later ‘taxation, revenue’. Current senses date from the 18th cent., and reflect sense development in French.

finance bill

noun

a legislative bill proposing changes to taxes, duties, etc.

• this year's finance bill introduced new certification requirements for hotels.

finance company ‹Brit.› finance house

noun

a company concerned primarily with providing money, e.g. for hire-purchase transactions.

finance director

noun

a person who is in charge of a company's monetary resources

• the company has just appointed a new finance director.

financial /fʌɪˈnanʃ(ə)l, fɪˈnanʃ(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to finance

• an independent financial adviser.

2. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› possessing money.

3. (W. Indian) (Austral./NZ) (of a member of a club or society) paid-up.

II. noun — ( financials)

1. the finances or financial situation of an organization or individual

• he needs to pay serious attention to his financials, particularly cash flow.

2. shares in financial companies.

• at the end of the year fund managers sell their worst-performing stocks—and financials have fared badly this year.

financial adviser

noun

a person whose job is to provide financial advice to clients

• just about all financial advisers will recommend that you invest your money in some sort of stock market-linked product.

financial analyst

noun

a person whose job is to assess the financial condition of a business or asset to determine whether it is a sound investment

• most of the financial analysts agree there are other reasons for this merger.

financial backer

noun

a person or institution that provides monetary support for someone or something

• the financial backers of the venture.

financial intermediary

noun

an institution, such as a bank, building society, or unit-trust company, that holds funds from lenders in order to make loans to borrowers.

financialization /fɪˌnanʃ(ə)lʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process by which financial institutions, markets, etc., increase in size and influence

• the rise in personal debt is bound up with the increasing financialization of the economy.

financially /fʌɪˈnanʃ(ə)li, fɪˈnanʃ(ə)li/

adverb

in a way that relates to finance

• he does not benefit financially from sales of the book

• [as submodifier] the company is now financially stable.

financial planner

noun

a person whose job is to manage the personal finances of clients

• he hired a financial planner to make sure he was doing everything required to retire comfortably and meet his family's financial needs.

financial services

plural noun

professional services involving the investment, lending, and management of money and assets

• the firm provides a range of financial services, including tax preparation, insurance coverage, and investment portfolios

• [as modifier] the financial services sector.

Financial Times index

another term for FTSE index.

financial year

noun

(Brit.) a year as reckoned for taxing or accounting purposes, for example the British tax year, reckoned from 6 April.

financier /fʌɪˈnansɪə, fɪˈnansɪə/

I. noun

a person concerned in the management of large amounts of money on behalf of governments or other large organizations.

– origin early 17th cent.: from French, from finance (see finance).

finback /ˈfɪnbak / finback whale

noun

another term for fin whale.

finca /ˈfɪŋkə/

I. noun

(in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries) a country estate; a ranch.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Spanish, from fincar ‘cultivate’, perhaps from Latin figere ‘fix, fasten, plant’.

finch /fɪn(t)ʃ/

I. noun

a seed-eating songbird that typically has a stout bill and colourful plumage.
●The true finches belong to the family Fringillidae (the finch family), which includes chaffinches, canaries, linnets, crossbills, etc. Many other finches belong to the bunting, waxbill, or sparrow families.

– origin Old English finc, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vink and German Fink.

find /fʌɪnd/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. discover or perceive by chance or unexpectedly

• Lindsey looked up to find Niall watching her

• the remains of a headless body had been found.

2. discover after a deliberate search

• I can't find my keys

• the sailor and his crew were found safe and well last night.

3. ( find oneself) — discover oneself to be in a particular situation

• phobia sufferers often find themselves virtual prisoners in their own home.

4. succeed in obtaining (something)

• he's still struggling to find the money for the trip.

5. summon up (a quality, especially courage) with an effort

• I found the courage to speak.

6. [no obj.] — (of hunters or hounds) discover game, especially a fox.

• Lady Montego heard the new halloo—they had found.

7. identify (something) as being present

• vitamin B12 is found in dairy products

• a rare species found only in the Italian Alps.

8. discover or experience to be the case
[with obj. and infinitive]

• the majority of staff find the magazine to be informative and useful

• [with clause] she found that none of the local nursery schools had an available slot.

9. ascertain by study, calculation, or inquiry

• the class are encouraged to find their own solutions to problems.

10. ( find oneself) — discover the fundamental truths about one's own character and identity.

11. [with obj. and complement] — experience or regard (something) in a specified way

• both men found it difficult to put ideas into words.

12. [Law] (of a court) officially declare to be the case
[with obj. and complement]

• he was found guilty of speeding

• [with clause] the court found that a police lab expert had fabricated evidence.

13. reach or arrive at by a natural or normal process

• water finds its own level.

14. ( find one's way) — reach one's destination, typically without first knowing how to get there

• she'll never find her way to the house on her own.

15. (of a letter) reach (someone).

II. noun

1. a discovery of something valuable, typically something of archaeological interest

• he made his most spectacular finds in the Valley of the Kings.

2. a person who is discovered to be useful or interesting in some way

• Ted had turned out to be a real find.

3. [Hunting] the finding of a fox.

III. phrases

1. all found /ɔːl ˈfaʊnd /

(Brit.) ‹dated› (of an employee's wages) with board and lodging provided free.

• your wages would be five shillings all found.

2. find fault

see fault.

3. find favour

be liked or prove acceptable

• the ballets did not find favour with the public.

4. find one's feet

a. stand up and become able to walk.

b. become confident or successful in a particular field or activity

• it was in in Germany that Kennedy found his feet as a performer.

5. find God

experience a religious conversion or awakening.

6. find in favour of

see find for .

7. find it in one's heart to do something

allow or force oneself to do something

• Seb could not find it in his heart to dislike Plunkett.

IV. phrasal verbs

1. find against

[Law] (of a court) make a decision against or judge to be guilty.

2. find for (or find in favour of)

[Law] (of a court) make a decision in favour of, or judge to be innocent

• the Court of Exchequer found for the plaintiffs.

3. find someone out

detect a person's immoral or offensive actions

• she would always find him out if he tried to lie.

4. find something out (or find out about something)

discover a fact

• he hadn't time to find out what was bothering her.

V. derivatives

findable /ˈfʌɪndəb(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Old English findan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vinden and German finden.

finder /ˈfʌɪndə/

I. noun

1. a person that finds someone or something.

2. a small telescope attached to a large one to locate an object for observation.

3. the viewfinder of a camera.

II. phrases

finders keepers (losers weepers)

‹informal› used to assert that whoever finds something by chance is entitled to keep it.

fin de siècle /ˌfã də ˈsjɛkl(ə)/

I. adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of the end of a century, especially the 19th century

• fin-de-siècle art.

2. decadent

• there was a fin-de-siècle air in London's clubland last night.

II. noun

the end of a century, especially the 19th century.

– origin French, ‘end of century’.

finding /ˈfʌɪndɪŋ/

noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action of finding someone or something

• a local doctor reported the finding of numerous dead rats.

2. (often findings) — information discovered as the result of an inquiry or investigation

• the researchers' findings were published in Nature.

3. [Law] a verdict or decision made by a judge or jury.

4. ( findings) — (N. Amer.) small articles or tools used in making garments, shoes, or jewellery.

find-spot

noun

[Archaeology] the place where an object is found.

fine^1 /fʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. of very high quality; very good of its kind

• this was a fine piece of film-making

• fine wines.

2. worthy of or eliciting admiration

• what a fine human being he is

• a fine musician.

3. good; satisfactory

• relations in the group were fine.

4. used to express one's agreement with or acquiescence to something

• anything you want is fine by me, Linda

• he said such a solution would be fine.

5. in good health and feeling well

• ‘I'm fine, just fine. And you?’.

6. (of the weather) bright and clear

• it was another fine winter day.

7. imposing or impressive in appearance

• Donleavy was a fine figure of a man.

8. (of speech or writing) sounding impressive and grand but ultimately insincere

• fine words seemed to produce few practical benefits.

9. denoting or displaying a state of good, though not excellent, preservation in stamps, books, coins, etc.

10. (of gold or silver) containing a specified high proportion of pure metal

• the coin is struck in .986 fine gold.

11. very thin or narrow

• a fine nylon thread

• fine flyaway hair.

12. (of a point) sharp.

• I sharpened the leads to a fine point.

13. made or consisting of small particles

• the soils were all fine silt.

14. of delicate or intricate workmanship or structure

• fine bone china.

15. (of something abstract) subtle and therefore perceived only with difficulty and care

• there is a fine distinction between misrepresenting the truth and lying.

16. (of a physical faculty) sensitive and discriminating

• he has a fine eye for the detail and texture of social scenery.

17. [Cricket] directed or stationed behind the wicket and close to the line of flight of the ball when it is bowled.

II. noun — ( fines)

1. very small particles found in mining, milling, etc.

III. adverb

1. ‹informal› in a satisfactory or pleasing manner; very well

• ‘And how's the job-hunting going?’ ‘Oh, fine.’

• mother and baby are both doing fine.

2. [Cricket] behind the wicket and close to the line of flight of the ball when it is bowled.

IV. verb

1. [with obj.] — clarify (beer or wine) by causing the precipitation of sediment during production.

2. [no obj.] — (of liquid) become clear.

3. make or become thinner
[no obj.]

• she'd certainly fined down—her face was thinner.

4. [no obj.] ( fine up) — (N. English) (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› (of the weather) become bright and clear.

V. phrases

1. cut it (or things) fine

allow a very small margin of something, especially time

• boys who have cut it rather fine are scuttling into chapel.

2. do someone fine

suit or be enough for someone.

3. fine feathers make fine birds

‹proverb› beautiful or expensive clothes may make the wearer seem more impressive than is really the case.

4. a fine line

a subtle distinction between two concepts or situations

• there's a fine line between humour and inappropriateness

• the president has been treading a fine line on immigration.

5. the finer points of

the more complex or detailed aspects of

• he went on to discuss the finer points of his work.

6. ——'s finest

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› the police of a particular city

• Moscow's finest.

7. one's finer feelings

one's feelings of honour, loyalty, or duty; one's conscience or sense of morality.

8. one's finest hour

the time of one's greatest success.

9. fine words butter no parsnips

‹proverb› nothing is achieved by empty promises or flattery.

10. not to put too fine a point on it

to speak bluntly

• not to put too fine a point on it, your Emily is a liar.

[figuratively, with reference to the sharpening of a weapon, tool, etc.]

11. one fine day

at some unspecified or unknown time

• one fine day he decided to take an apartment in Rome.

VI. derivatives

fineness /ˈfʌɪnnəs /

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French fin, based on Latin finire ‘to finish’ (see finish).

fine^2 /fʌɪn/

I. noun

a sum of money exacted as a penalty by a court of law or other authority

• a parking fine.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. punish (someone) for an illegal or illicit act by making them pay a sum of money

• she was fined £1500 for driving offences.

III. derivatives

fineable

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French fin ‘end, payment’, from Latin finis ‘end’ (in medieval Latin denoting a sum paid on settling a lawsuit). The original sense was ‘conclusion’ (surviving in the phrase in fine); also used in the medieval Latin sense, the word came to denote a penalty of any kind, later specifically a monetary penalty.

fine^3 /fiːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. French brandy of high quality made from distilled wine rather than from pomace.

2. short for fine champagne.

fine^4 /ˈfiːneɪ/

I. noun

(in musical directions) the place where a piece of music finishes (when this is not at the end of the score but at the end of an earlier section which is repeated at the end of the piece).

– origin Italian, from Latin finis ‘end’.

fine art

I. noun

1. (also fine arts) [ mass noun] — creative art, especially visual art whose products are to be appreciated primarily or solely for their imaginative, aesthetic, or intellectual content

• the convergence of popular culture and fine art.

2. an activity requiring great skill or accomplishment

• the fine art of drinking tequila.

II. phrases

have (or get) something down to a fine art

achieve a high level of skill or accomplishment in a particular activity through experience

• Mike had got the breakfast routine down to a fine art.

fine champagne /ˌfiːn ʃɒ̃ˈpɑːnj(ə)/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. brandy from the Champagne district of the Cognac region of which half or more of the content comes from the central Grande Champagne.

– origin French, ‘fine (brandy from) Champagne’.

fine chemicals

plural noun

chemical substances prepared to a very high degree of purity for use in research and industry.

fine-draw

verb — [with obj.]

1. sew together (two pieces of cloth or edges of a tear) so that the join is imperceptible

• a table cover composed of cloth fine-drawn together.

fine-drawn

adjective

1. extremely thin.

2. subtle.

fine-edged

adjective

(of a knife or tool) having a sharp cutting edge

• a fine-edged diamond scalpel.

Fine Gael /ˌfiːnə ˈɡeɪl, Irish ˌfʲinʲə ˈɡeːl/

I. one of the two major political parties of the Republic of Ireland (the other being Fianna Fáil). Founded in 1923 as Cumann na nGaedheal, it changed its name in 1933. It has advocated the concept of a united Ireland achieved by peaceful means.

– origin Irish, literally ‘tribe of Gaels’.

fine-grained

adjective

1. (chiefly of wood) having a fine or delicate arrangement of fibres.

2. (chiefly of rock) consisting of small particles.

3. involving great attention to detail

• fine-grained analysis.

fine leg

noun

1. [Cricket] a fielding position behind the batsman on the leg side, between long leg and square leg.

2. [Cricket] a fielder at fine leg.

finely /ˈfʌɪnli/

adverb

1. in a very skilled manner; excellently

• a finely crafted movie

• a finely proportioned Gothic church

• finely tailored suits.

2. in a manner worthy of or eliciting admiration

• Miss Bingley was dressed very finely.

3. into very thin or small pieces

• slice the onions finely

• finely chopped almonds.

4. with a very sharp point

• a rod of finely sharpened iron.

5. made or consisting of small particles or threads

• the flesh is smooth and finely textured

• finely woven linen.

6. with delicate or intricate workmanship or structure

• finely detailed mosaic pictures

• a finely worked tapestry.

7. in a subtle or sensitive manner

• we are trying to judge answers too finely

• the contest for the presidency is finely balanced

• they both turn in finely nuanced performances.

fine needle aspiration

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a procedure in which a thin needle is used to draw cells or fluid from a lump or mass under the skin.

fine print

noun

another term for small print.

finery^1 /ˈfʌɪn(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. expensive or ostentatious clothes or decoration

• officers in their blue, gold, and scarlet finery.

– origin late 17th cent.: from fine^1, on the pattern of bravery.

finery^2 /ˈfʌɪn(ə)ri/

I. noun

‹historical› a hearth where pig iron was converted into wrought iron.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French finerie, from Old French finer ‘refine’.

fines herbes /fiːnz ˈɛːb/

I. plural noun

mixed herbs used in cooking, especially fresh herbs chopped as a flavouring for omelettes.

– origin French, literally ‘fine herbs’.

fine-spun

adjective

(especially of fabric) fine or delicate in texture.

finesse /fɪˈnɛs/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — impressive delicacy and skill

• orchestral playing of great finesse.

2. great subtlety and tact in handling or manipulating people or difficult situations

• clients want advice and action that calls for considerable finesse.

3. (in bridge and whist) an attempt to win a trick with a card that is not a certain winner, typically by playing it as the third card in a trick in the hope that any card that could beat it is in the hand of the opponent who has already played.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. bring about or deal with (something) by using great delicacy and skill

• Karen spent ten months finessing the financing for the property.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) slyly attempt to avoid blame or censure when dealing with (a situation or problem)

• despite the administration's attempts to finesse its mishaps, the public remained wary.

3. (in bridge and whist) play (a card) in the hope of winning a trick with it because any card that could beat it is in the hand of the opponent who has already played.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘purity, delicacy’): from French, related to fine^1.

fine structure

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the composition of an object, substance, or energy phenomenon as viewed on a small scale and in considerable detail.

2. [Physics] the presence of groups of closely spaced lines in spectra corresponding to slightly different energy levels.

fine-structure constant

noun

[Physics] a fundamental and dimensionless physical constant, equal to approximately 1/137, which occurs in expressions describing the fine structure of atomic spectra.

fine-tooth comb fine-toothed comb

noun

1. a comb with narrow teeth that are close together.

2. [in sing.] — used with reference to a very thorough search or analysis of something

• they went through the house with a fine-tooth comb.

See also toothcomb.

fine-tune /ˈfʌɪntjuːn/

verb — [with obj.]

1. make small adjustments to (something) in order to achieve the best or a desired performance

• they can fine-tune the computer programs to focus on a small region of space.

finfoot

noun

a grebe-like waterbird with a long bill, neck, and tail, and lobed feet.
●Family Heliornithidae: three genera and species, one each in Africa, Asia, and America. See also sungrebe.

Fingal /ˈfɪŋɡ(ə)l/

a character in an epic poem by the Scottish poet James Macpherson (1736–96), based on the legendary Irish hero Finn MacCool but fictionally transformed and depicted as fighting both the Norse invaders and the Romans from an invented kingdom in NW Scotland.

Fingal's Cave

a cave on the island of Staffa in the Inner Hebrides, noted for the clustered basaltic pillars that form its cliffs. It is said to have been the inspiration of Mendelssohn's overture The Hebrides (also known as Fingal's Cave).

finger /ˈfɪŋɡə/

I. noun

1. each of the four slender jointed parts attached to either hand (or five, if the thumb is included).

• she raked her hair back with her fingers.

2. a part of a glove intended to cover a finger.

3. a measure of spirits in a glass, based on the breadth of a finger

• two fingers of brandy.

4. an object that has roughly the long, narrow shape of a finger

• a shortbread finger.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. touch or feel with the fingers

• the thin man fingered his moustache.

2. play (a musical instrument) with the fingers, especially in a tentative or casual manner

• a woman fingered a lute.

3. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) inform on (someone) to the police

• he was fingered by a supergrass and charged with murder.

4. identify or select

• the additive had been fingered as a possible human health risk.

5. [Music] play (a passage) with a particular sequence of positions of the fingers.
See also fingering^1.

6. mark (music) with signs showing which fingers are to be used.

III. phrases

1. be all fingers and thumbs

(Brit.) ‹informal› be clumsy or awkward in one's actions.

2. get (or pull) one's finger out

(Brit.) ‹informal› stop hesitating or wasting time and start to act.

3. get one's fingers burned/burnt (or burn one's fingers)

(especially in a financial context) suffer unpleasant consequences as a result of one's actions, discouraging one from trying a similar action again.

4. give someone the finger

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› make a gesture with the middle finger raised as an obscene sign of contempt.

5. have a finger in every pie

be involved in a large and varied number of activities or enterprises.

6. have a finger in the pie

be involved in a matter, especially in an annoyingly interfering way.

7. have (or keep) one's finger on the pulse

be aware of all the latest news or developments

• he keeps his finger on the pulse of world music.

8. lay a finger on someone

touch someone, especially with the intention of harming them.

9. put the finger on

‹informal› inform against (someone) to the authorities.

10. put something on the long finger

(Irish) postpone consideration of something; put something off

• don't put retirement planning on the long finger.

11. put one's finger on something

identify something exactly

• he cannot put his finger on what has gone wrong.

12. snap (or click) one's fingers

make a sharp clicking sound by bending the last joint of the middle finger against the thumb and suddenly releasing it, typically in order to attract attention in a peremptory way or to accompany the beat of music.

13. twist (or wind or wrap) someone around one's little finger

see little finger.

14. work one's fingers to the bone

see bone.

IV. derivatives

fingerless

adjective

– origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vinger and German Finger.

finger alphabet

noun

a form of sign language using the fingers to spell out words.

finger biscuit

noun

a biscuit with a long, narrow shape

• a packet of sponge finger biscuits.

fingerboard /ˈfɪŋɡəbɔːd/

noun

a flat or roughly flat strip on the neck of a stringed instrument, against which the strings are pressed to shorten the vibrating length and produce notes of higher pitches.

finger bowl

noun

a small bowl containing water for rinsing the fingers during or after a meal.

finger buffet

noun

a buffet consisting of food of a kind that may be easily eaten with the fingers.

finger chip

noun

Indian term for chip (sense 2 of the noun).

finger cymbal

noun

a small cymbal that can be attached to a finger or thumb, worn in pairs that are struck together to provide a rhythmic accompaniment to dancing

• we did a dance with finger cymbals.

finger-dry

verb — [with obj.]

1. dry and style (hair) by repeatedly running one's fingers through it.

• the longer style is moussed then finger-dried.

fingered /ˈfɪŋɡəd/

adjective

1. [in combination] — having or using a finger or fingers of a specified kind

• her long-fingered hands.

2. (of written music) marked with figures showing what finger is to be used for producing each note.

fingerfish

I. noun

a small silvery fish with a deep laterally compressed body, occurring in warm inshore and estuarine waters and popular in aquaria. Also called moonfish.
●Family Monodactylidae and genus Monodactylus: several species.

– origin late 18th cent.: from the genus name monodactylus, literally ‘single finger’.

finger food

noun — [ mass noun]

1. food served in such a form and style that it can conveniently be eaten with the fingers.

fingerhold /ˈfɪŋɡəhəʊld/

noun

1. a small indentation or projection where a person can lodge a finger to support themselves.

2. a tenuous grasp on something

• the script gives her no more than a fingerhold on the story

• the final fingerhold on fame.

finger hole

noun

1. a hole in a wind instrument that may be covered or left open to change pitch when playing

• the instrument has seven finger holes.

2. an opening through which a person puts their fingers, especially to improve grip

• an umbrella that has a handle with finger holes.

fingering^1 /ˈfɪŋɡ(ə)rɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a manner or technique of using the fingers, especially to play a musical instrument.

2. [ count noun] — an indication of fingering in a musical score.

fingering^2 /ˈfɪŋɡ(ə)rɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹dated› fine wool for hand knitting.

– origin early 17th cent. (as fingram): perhaps from French fin grain ‘fine grain’. Compare with grogram and grosgrain.

finger jam finger lock

noun

[Climbing] a handhold formed by wedging a finger in a crack in the rock.

finger language

noun — [ mass noun]

1. language expressed by means of the finger alphabet.

finger-licking

adjective

(chiefly N. Amer.) very tasty; delicious
[as submodifier]

• finger-licking good.

fingerling /ˈfɪŋɡəlɪŋ/

I. noun

a salmon parr.

– origin early 18th cent.: from finger (with reference to its transverse dusky bars) + -ling.

fingermark /ˈfɪŋɡəmɑːk/

noun

a mark left on a surface by a dirty or greasy finger.

• this cleaner takes fingermarks and smudges off painted woodwork.

fingernail /ˈfɪŋɡəneɪl/

noun

the flattish horny part on the upper surface of the tip of each finger.

finger paint

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. thick paint designed to be applied with the fingers, used especially by young children.

II. verb — [no obj.] (usu. as noun finger-painting)

1. (especially of children) apply paint with the fingers.

fingerpick

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. play (a guitar or banjo) using the fingernails or small plectrums worn on the fingertips to pluck the strings

• he was fingerpicking an acoustic guitar

• (as noun fingerpicking) fingerpicking accentuates the tone of guitars.

2. play (a tune) on a guitar or banjo by using the fingernails or small plectrums on the fingertips to pluck the strings.

• he softly fingerpicked the opening notes.

II. noun

a plectrum worn on a fingertip.

III. derivatives

fingerpicker

noun

fingerplate /ˈfɪŋɡəpleɪt/

noun

a piece of metal or porcelain fixed to a door above the handle to prevent fingermarks on the surface of the door itself.

fingerpost /ˈfɪŋɡəpəʊst/

noun

a post at a road junction from which signs project in the direction of the place or route indicated.

fingerprint /ˈfɪŋɡəprɪnt/

I. noun

1. an impression or mark made on a surface by a person's fingertip, able to be used for identifying individuals from the unique pattern of whorls and lines on the fingertips.

2. a distinctive identifying characteristic

• the faint chemical fingerprint of plastic explosives.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. record the fingerprints of

• I was booked, fingerprinted, and locked up for the night.

fingerstall /ˈfɪŋɡəstɔːl/

noun

a cover to protect a finger, used in some handicrafts or when a finger is injured.

fingertip /ˈfɪŋɡətɪp/

I. noun

1. the tip of a finger.

2. [as modifier] — using or operated by the fingers

• police made a fingertip search of the area.

II. phrases

1. at one's fingertips

(especially of information) readily available; accessible

• until we have more facts at our fingertips, there is no use in speculating.

2. by one's fingertips

only with difficulty

• the prime minister clung on to power by his fingertips.

3. to one's fingertips

(Brit.) completely

• he is a professional to his fingertips.

fingertip control

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability of a device to be operated by just the fingers

• the front buttons give fingertip control.

2. ( fingertip controls) — a set of controls that can be operated by the fingers

• the car manufacturer has put fingertip controls for the stereo on the steering wheel.

finger-wagging

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of reprimanding or warning someone

• the government is unable to resist such finger-wagging

• [as modifier] a finger-wagging speech.

finger wave

noun

a wave set in wet hair using the fingers.

fingle /ˈfɪŋɡ(ə)l/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (W. Indian) handle or finger (something); touch all over.

• doh fingle them mango if you're not buying.

– origin blend of obsolete fangle ‘to trifle’ and the verb finger.

finial /ˈfɪnɪəl, ˈfʌɪnɪəl/

I. noun

1. a distinctive section or ornament at the apex of a roof, canopy, etc. on a building.

• curving gables topped by sculptured finials.

2. an ornament at the top, end, or corner of an object

• ornate curtain poles with decorative finials.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French fin or Latin finis ‘end’.

finical /ˈfɪnɪk(ə)l/

I. adjective

another term for finicky.

II. derivatives

1. finicality

noun

2. finically /ˈfɪnɪk(ə)li /

adverb

3. finicalness /ˈfɪnɪk(ə)lnəs /

noun

– origin late 16th cent. (probably originally university slang): probably from fine^1 + -ical, perhaps suggested by Middle Dutch fijnkens ‘accurately, neatly, prettily’.

finicking

I. adjective

another term for finicky.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from finical + -ing^2.

finicky /ˈfɪnɪki/

I. adjective

1. (of a person) fussy about their needs or requirements

• a finicky eater.

2. showing or requiring great attention to detail

• his finicky copperplate hand.

– origin early 19th cent.: from finical + -y^1.

fining

noun — (usu. finings)

1. a substance used for clarifying liquid, especially beer or wine.

• the process is interrupted to add hops, caramel, and finings.

2. [ mass noun] — the process of clarifying wine or beer.
[as modifier]

• a fining agent.

finis /ˈfiːnɪs, ˈfɪnɪs, ˈfʌɪnɪs/

I. noun

the end (printed at the end of a book or shown at the end of a film).

– origin late Middle English: from Latin.

finish /ˈfɪnɪʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. bring (a task or activity) to an end; complete

• they were straining to finish the job

• [with present participle] we finished eating our meal.

2. consume or get through the final amount or portion of (something, especially food or drink)

• Seagram finished off a margarita as he waited.

3. [no obj.] — (of a period or activity) come to an end

• the war has finished but nothing has changed.

4. [no obj.] — end a period of time or course of action by doing something or being in a particular position

• he finished up as one of Britain's greatest architects.

5. [no obj.] — reach the end of a race or other competition

• the first four horses to finish

• [with complement] Falkirk finished fifth in the Scottish Premier League.

6. [no obj.] — (Brit.) (in soccer) score a goal or goals

• Dean finished well to put his team ahead.

7. kill, destroy, or comprehensively defeat

• the English men-at-arms finished them off in hand-to-hand combat.

8. reduce to utter exhaustion or helplessness.

9. complete the manufacture or decoration of (an article) by giving it an attractive surface appearance

• the interior was finished with American oak.

10. complete the fattening of (livestock) before slaughter.

• over 100,000 head of cattle are finished every year.

• (as adj. finished) a reduction in prices for finished cattle.

11. ‹dated› prepare (a girl) for entry into fashionable society.

• where were you finished?

II. noun

1. [usu. in sing.] — an end or final part or stage of something

• a bowl of raspberries was the perfect finish to the meal

• I really enjoyed the film from start to finish.

2. a point or place at which a race or competition ends

• he surged into a winning lead 200 metres from the finish.

3. [ mass noun] — the manner in which the manufacture of an article is completed in detail

• the car's popularity is helped by its high-quality finish and strong diesel engine.

4. [ count noun] — the surface appearance of a manufactured material or object, or the material used to produce this

• lightweight nylon with a shiny finish.

5. the final taste impression of a wine or beer

• the wine has a lemony tang on the finish.

III. phrases

to the finish

until the complete defeat of one of the parties involved

• Linfield clinched their first championship in a thrilling fight to the finish.

IV. phrasal verbs

finish with

a. (Brit.) have no more need for or nothing more to do with

• they give me the newspaper when they've finished with it.

b. ‹informal› end an emotional relationship with

• ‘I've finished with Tom,’ Gloria said.

– origin Middle English: from Old French feniss-, lengthened stem of fenir, from Latin finire, from finis ‘end’.

finished /ˈfɪnɪʃt/

adjective

1. (of a task or activity) brought to an end; completed

• a preparatory drawing for the finished painting.

2. (of a person) no longer useful or valued; ruined

• he was told he was finished at the club.

3. (of a person's work) expert or accomplished

• his highly finished craftsmanship

• she gave a fine finished performance.

finisher /ˈfɪnɪʃə/

noun

1. a person or thing that finishes something, in particular:

2. a person who reaches the end of a race or other competition.

• all finishers will receive a commemorative medal.

3. (Brit.) (in soccer) a goalscorer

• he is one of the best finishers at the club.

4. a worker or machine performing the last operation in a manufacturing process.

• he worked in a cloth mill as a finisher.

5. an animal that has been fattened ready for slaughter
[as modifier]

• finisher pigs.

finishing line /ˈfɪnɪʃɪŋ ˌlʌɪn / ‹chiefly N. Amer.› finish line

noun

a line marking the end of a race.

• they crossed the finishing line.

finishing post

noun

a post marking the end point of a race

• the horses proceed past the finishing post

• ‹figurative› I can see the finishing post of my time in teaching.

finishing school /ˈfɪnɪʃɪŋ skuːl/

noun

a private college where girls are prepared for entry into fashionable society.

finishing touch finishing stroke

noun — (usu. finishing touches)

1. a final detail or action completing and enhancing a piece of work

• now they're putting the finishing touches to a new album.

Finisterre, Cape /ˌfɪnɪˈstɛː/

a promontory of NW Spain, forming the westernmost point of the mainland. The shipping forecast area formerly known as Finisterre was renamed Fitzroy in 2002.

finite /ˈfʌɪnʌɪt/

I. adjective

1. limited in size or extent

• every computer has a finite amount of memory.

2. [Grammar] (of a verb form) having a specific tense, number, and person.

II. derivatives

1. finitely /ˈfʌɪnʌɪtli /

adverb

2. finiteness /ˈfʌɪnʌɪtnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin finitus ‘finished’, past participle of finire (see finish).

finite state grammar

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Linguistics] a deliberately oversimplified form of generative grammar, which generates sentences by working through word by word in a strictly linear fashion. It was used by Chomsky to illustrate the need for more complex features, such as transformations, to account adequately for real language.

finitism /ˈfʌɪnʌɪtɪz(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Philosophy] [Mathematics] rejection of the belief that anything can actually be infinite.

II. derivatives

finitist

noun, adjective

finito /fɪˈniːtəʊ/

I. adjective — [ predic.]

1. ‹informal› finished

• it's all done—finito.

– origin Italian.

finitude /ˈfɪnɪtjuːd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹formal› the state of having limits or bounds

• one quickly senses the finitude of his patience.

fink /fɪŋk / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. noun

1. an unpleasant or contemptible person.

2. a person who informs on people to the authorities

• he was assumed by some to be the management's fink.

3. ‹dated› a strike-breaker.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. ( fink on) — inform on (someone) to the authorities

• there was no shortage of people willing to fink on their neighbours.

2. ( fink out) — fail to do something promised or expected.

• administration officials had finked out.

• we felt like he finked out on us.

3. cease to function

• your immune system begins finking out and you get sick.

– origin late 19th cent.: of unknown origin; perhaps from German, literally ‘finch’, but also a pejorative term. Students started to refer to non-members of fraternities as finks, probably by association with the freedom of wild birds as opposed to caged ones. The term was later generalized to denote those not belonging to organizations such as trade unions.

fin keel

noun

a boat's keel shaped like an inverted dorsal fin.

Finland /ˈfɪnlənd/

I. a country on the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Russia; pop. 5,250,300 (est. 2009); official languages, Finnish and Swedish; capital, Helsinki.
Finnish name Suomi.

The northern third of the country lies within the Arctic Circle. Long an area of Swedish–Russian rivalry, Finland was ceded to Russia in 1809, becoming an independent republic after the Russian Revolution. Wars with the Soviet Union were fought in 1939–40 and 1941–4. Finland joined the European Union in 1995.

Finland, Gulf of

an arm of the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia, extending eastwards to St Petersburg in Russia.

Finlandization /ˌfɪnləndʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n / Finlandisation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› the process or result of being obliged for economic reasons to favour, or at least not oppose, the interests of the former Soviet Union despite not being politically allied to it.

II. derivatives

Finlandize Finlandise

verb

– origin 1960s: translation of German Finnlandisierung, referring to the case of Finland after 1944.

Finn /fɪn/

I. noun

a native or inhabitant of Finland or a person of Finnish descent.

– origin Old English Finnas (plural), originally applied more widely to denote a people of Scandinavia and NE Europe speaking a Finno-Ugric language.

finnan /ˈfɪnən / finnan haddock

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. haddock cured with the smoke of green wood, turf, or peat.

– origin early 18th cent.: alteration of Findon, the name of a fishing village near Aberdeen in Scotland, but sometimes confused with the Scottish river and village of Findhorn.

finnesko /ˈfɪnəskəʊ/

I. noun

a boot of tanned reindeer skin with the hair on the outside.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Norwegian finnsko, from Finn (see Finn) + sko (see shoe).

Finney, Sir Tom /ˈfɪni/

(1929–2014), English footballer; full name Thomas Finney. He played for Preston North End as a winger and won 76 caps for England between 1946 and 1958.

Finnic /ˈfɪnɪk/

adjective

1. relating to or denoting a group of Finno-Ugric languages including Finnish and Estonian.

2. relating to or denoting the group of peoples which includes the Finns.

Finnish /ˈfɪnɪʃ/

I. adjective

relating to the Finns or their language.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the language of the Finns, spoken by about 4.6 million people in Finland, and also in parts of Russia and Sweden. It is a Finno-Ugric language related to Estonian, and more distantly to Hungarian, and is noted for its morphological complexity.

Finn MacCool /ˌfɪn məˈkuːl / ‹Irish Mythology› Finn Mac Cumhaill

the warrior hero of a cycle of legends about a band of warriors defending Ireland. Father of the legendary Irish warrior and bard Ossian, he is supposed to have lived in the 3rd century AD.
See also Fingal.

Finno-Ugric /ˌfɪnəʊˈuːɡrɪk, ˌfɪnəʊˈjuːɡrɪk / Finno-Ugrian /ˌfɪnəʊˈuːɡrɪən, ˌfɪnəʊˈjuːɡrɪən/

I. adjective

relating to the major group of Uralic languages, which includes Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian (Magyar), and several north central Asian languages.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the Finno-Ugric group of languages.

finny /ˈfɪni/

adjective

‹literary› relating to or resembling a fish

• members of the finny tribe.

fino /ˈfiːnəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a light-coloured dry sherry.

2. sherry on which a covering of flor (yeast) is developed during production, used to make commercial fino and manzanilla sherries.
Compare with oloroso.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘fine’, based on Latin finire ‘to finish’ (see finish).

finocchio /fɪˈnɒkɪəʊ/

I. noun

another term for Florence fennel (see fennel).

– origin early 18th cent.: from Italian, from a popular Latin variant of Latin faeniculum (see fennel).

fintech /ˈfɪntɛk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. computer programs and other technology used to support or enable banking and financial services

• fintech is one of the fastest-growing areas for venture capitalists

• [as modifier] fintech startups.

– origin early 21st cent.: abbreviation of financial technology (earlier in the names of various companies).

fin whale

noun

a large rorqual with a small dorsal fin, a dark grey back, and white underparts. Also called finback, common rorqual.
● Balaenoptera physalus, family Balaenopteridae.

fioritura /fɪˌɔːrɪˈt(j)ʊərə/

I. noun

[Music] an embellishment of a melody, especially as improvised by an operatic singer.

– origin Italian, literally ‘flowering’, from fiorire ‘to flower’.

fipple /ˈfɪp(ə)l/

I. noun

the mouthpiece of a recorder or similar wind instrument which is blown endwise, in which a thin channel cut through a block directs a stream of air against a sharp edge. The term has been applied to various parts of this, including the block and the channel.

– origin early 17th cent.: perhaps related to Icelandic flipi ‘horse's lip’.

fipple flute

noun

a flute, such as a recorder, played by blowing endwise.

fiqh /fiːk/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the theory or philosophy of Islamic law, based on the teachings of the Koran and the traditions of the Prophet.

– origin Arabic, literally ‘understanding’.

fir /fəː/

I. noun

(also fir tree) — an evergreen coniferous tree with upright cones and flat needle-shaped leaves, typically arranged in two rows. Firs are an important source of timber and resins. Compare with pine^1 (sense 1).
●Genus Abies, family Pinaceae: many species.

II. derivatives

firry

adjective

– origin late Middle English: probably from Old Norse fyri- (recorded in fyriskógr ‘fir wood’).

fir cone

noun

(Brit.) the dry fruit of a fir tree or other conifer.

fire /ˈfʌɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a process in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke; combustion or burning

• his house was destroyed by fire.

2. [ count noun] — a destructive burning of something

• a fire at a hotel.

3. [ count noun] — a collection of fuel, especially coal or wood, burnt in a controlled way to provide heat or a means for cooking

• we had a bath in a tin tub by the fire.

4. (also electric fire or gas fire) [ count noun] — (chiefly Brit.) a domestic heating appliance that uses electricity or gas as fuel.

• she was freezing and keeping the fire low to save money.

5. one of the four elements in ancient and medieval philosophy and in astrology (considered essential to the nature of the signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius)
[as modifier]

• a fire sign.

6. a burning sensation
[ count noun]

• the whisky lit a fire in the back of his throat.

7. fervent or passionate emotion or enthusiasm

• the fire of their religious conviction.

8. ‹literary› a glowing or luminous quality

• their soft smiles light the air like a star's fire.

9. the shooting of projectiles from weapons, especially bullets from guns

• a burst of machine-gun fire.

10. strong criticism or antagonism

• he directed his fire against policies promoting American capital flight.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. discharge a gun or other weapon in order to propel (a bullet or projectile)

• he fired a shot at the retreating prisoners

• they fired off a few rounds.

2. discharge (a gun or other weapon)

• another gang fired a pistol through the window of a hostel

• [no obj.] troops fired on crowds.

3. [no obj.] — (of a gun) be discharged.

• the first gun fired.

4. direct (questions or statements, especially unwelcome ones) towards someone in rapid succession

• they fired questions at me for what seemed like ages.

5. ( fire something off) — send a message aggressively

• he fired off a letter informing her that he regarded the matter with the utmost seriousness.

6. ‹informal› dismiss (an employee) from a job

• I had to fire men who've been with me for years

• you're fired!

7. supply (a furnace, engine, etc.) with fuel.

• liquefied petroleum gas can fire room heaters.

8. [no obj.] — (of an internal-combustion engine) undergo ignition of its fuel when started

• the engine fired and she pushed her foot down on the accelerator.

9. (usu. fire something up) — start (an engine or other device)

• with a flick of his wrist he fired up the chainsaw

• he fired up the laptop to find the address of his hostel.

10. ‹archaic› set fire to

• I fired the straw.

11. stimulate or excite (the imagination or an emotion)

• India fired my imagination.

12. fill (someone) with enthusiasm

• he was fired up for last season's FA Cup final.

13. [no obj.] ( fire up) — ‹archaic› show sudden anger

• If I were to hear anyone speak slightingly of you, I should fire up in a moment.

14. bake or dry (pottery, bricks, etc.) in a kiln.

• methane gas is being used to fire bricks at a nearby factory.

III. phrases

1. breathe fire

be extremely angry

• I don't want an indignant boyfriend on my doorstep breathing fire.

2. catch fire

a. begin to burn.

• the driver had got out before the car had caught fire.

b. become interesting or exciting

• the show never caught fire.

3. fire and brimstone

the supposed torments of hell

• his father was preaching fire and brimstone sermons.

4. fire away

‹informal› used to give someone permission to begin speaking, typically to ask questions

• ‘I want to clear up some questions which have been puzzling me.’ ‘Fire away.’.

5. fire in the (or one's) belly

a powerful sense of ambition or determination.

• he lacks the fire in his belly necessary to seek the presidency.

6. fire on all cylinders

work or function at a peak level of performance

• neither conductor nor orchestra are really firing on all cylinders.

7. go on fire

(Scottish) (Irish) begin to burn; catch fire.

• an oil rig went on fire.

8. go through fire (and water)

face any peril.

9. light a fire under

(N. Amer.) stimulate (someone) to work or act more quickly or enthusiastically.

• claiming that Congress doesn't work hard enough is a good way to light a fire under his colleagues.

10. on fire

a. in flames; burning.

• the house was on fire.

b. in a state of excitement

• Wright is now on fire with confidence.

11. set fire to set something on fire

cause to burn; ignite.

• the town's police station was set on fire.

12. set the world on fire (also set the world alight)

do something remarkable or sensational

• the film hasn't exactly set the world on fire.

• the team includes great players who could set the world alight.

13. take fire

start to burn.

• petrol from the upturned car flooded across the street and took fire.

14. under fire

a. being shot at

• observers sent to look for the men came under heavy fire.

b. being rigorously criticized

• the president was under fire from all sides.

15. where's the fire?

‹informal› used to ask someone why they are in such a hurry or state of excitement.

• ‘Where's the fire?’ he demanded, as Sergeant Ellers turned on the siren.

IV. derivatives

1. fireless

adjective

2. firer

noun

– origin Old English fȳr (noun), fȳrian ‘supply with material for a fire’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vuur and German Feuer.

fire alarm

noun

a device making a loud noise that gives warning of a fire.

• a fire alarm went off and the building had to be evacuated.

fire-and-forget

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (of a missile) able to guide itself to its target once fired.

fire ant

noun

a tropical American ant that has a painful and sometimes dangerous sting.
●Genus Solenopsis, family Formicidae: several species, in particular the South American S. invicta, which has become a serious pest in the south-eastern US.

firearm /ˈfʌɪərɑːm/

noun

a rifle, pistol, or other portable gun.

• Jones pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with criminal intent.

fireback /ˈfʌɪəbak/

noun

1. the back wall of a fireplace.

2. a metal plate covering the back wall of a fireplace.

3. (also fireback pheasant) — a SE Asian pheasant, the male of which has mainly grey or blue plumage with a reddish rump.
●Genus Lophura, family Phasianidae: three species.

fireball /ˈfʌɪəbɔːl/

noun

1. a ball of flame or fire

• a crashed petrol tanker exploded in a fireball.

2. a large bright meteor.

3. ‹historical› a ball filled with combustibles or explosives, fired at an enemy or enemy fortifications.

4. a person with a fiery temper or a great deal of energy.

fireballer

I. noun

[Baseball] a pitcher who throws a very good fastball.

II. derivatives

fireballing

adjective

fire balloon

noun

a balloon made buoyant by the heat of a fire burning at its mouth.

firebase /ˈfʌɪəbeɪs/

noun

an area in a war zone in which artillery can be massed to provide heavy firepower to support other military units

• the soldiers in our company built a firebase.

fire bell

noun

a bell, typically an electric one, that rings to give warning of a fire

• the building's fire bell cut the conversation short

• ‹figurative› he sees the soaring price of housing as fire bells of inflation.

fire-bellied toad

noun

a warty European aquatic toad, the underside of which is vividly marked in red, orange, yellow, black, and white.
●Genus Bombina, family Discoglossidae: in particular B. bombina.

fire blanket

noun

a sheet of flexible material, typically woven fibreglass, used to smother a fire in an emergency.

fireblight /ˈfʌɪəblʌɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a serious bacterial disease of plants of the rose family, especially fruit trees, giving the leaves a scorched appearance.
●The bacterium is the Gram-negative Erwinia amylovora.

fireboat /ˈfʌɪəbəʊt/

noun

a boat carrying firefighters and equipment for fighting large fires on board ships and in waterside areas

• the city dispatched a fireboat as a precaution.

firebomb /ˈfʌɪəbɒm/

I. noun

a bomb designed to cause a fire.
[as modifier]

• a firebomb attack.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. attack or destroy with a firebomb

• two bookshops and a newspaper office have been firebombed.

firebox /ˈfʌɪəbɒks/

noun

the chamber of a steam engine or boiler in which the fuel is burnt.

firebrand /ˈfʌɪəbrand/

noun

1. a piece of burning wood.

2. a person who is very passionate about a particular cause

• a political firebrand.

firebrat

noun

a fast-moving brownish bristletail (wingless insect) that frequents warm places indoors.
● Thermobia domestica, family Lepismatidae, order Thysanura.

firebreak /ˈfʌɪəbreɪk/

noun

an obstacle to the spread of fire, such as a strip of open space in a forest.

• we passed into a conifer forest and followed firebreaks downhill.

• a fire-resistant door designed to be a firebreak.

firebrick /ˈfʌɪəbrɪk/

noun

a brick capable of withstanding intense heat, used especially to line furnaces and fireplaces.

fire brigade

noun

(Brit.) an organized body of people trained and employed to extinguish fires.

• neighbours smelt smoke and called the fire brigade.

firebug /ˈfʌɪəbʌɡ/

noun

‹informal› an arsonist.

fire certificate

noun

a certificate confirming that statutory fire regulations have been complied with in a building.

fire chief

noun

1. a person in charge of a group of firefighters

• fire chiefs monitored firefighters from outside a burning building.

2. (N. Amer.) the person in charge of a fire department

• the mayor, the fire chief, and the accountants have moved to occupy office space across the street.

fireclay /ˈfʌɪəkleɪ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. clay capable of withstanding high temperatures, chiefly used for making firebricks.

fire company

noun

North American term for fire brigade.

fire control

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of aiming and firing heavy weapons.

2. the prevention and monitoring of accidental fires.

fire coral

noun

a colonial coral-like hydrozoan, the heavy external skeleton of which forms reefs. The polyps bear nematocysts which can inflict painful stings.
●Genus Millepora, order Hydroida (or Milleporina), class Hydrozoa.

fire cover

noun — [ mass noun]

1. rescue and support available to an area in the event of a fire occurring

• a cut in local fire cover.

firecracker /ˈfʌɪəkrakə/

noun

1. a loud, explosive firework; a banger.

2. an outstanding, exciting, or attractive person or thing

• the book was solidly excellent but hardly a literary firecracker.

firecrest /ˈfʌɪəkrɛst/

noun

a very small warbler related to the goldcrest, having a red and orange crest and occurring mainly in Europe.
● Regulus ignicapillus, family Sylviidae.

fire-damaged

adjective

damaged or harmed by fire

• a contractor to repair your fire-damaged home.

firedamp /ˈfʌɪədamp/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. methane, especially as forming an explosive mixture with air in coal mines.

fire department

noun

(N. Amer.) the department of a local or municipal authority in charge of preventing and fighting fires.

firedog /ˈfʌɪədɒɡ/

noun

one of a pair of decorative metal supports for wood burning in a fireplace.

fire door

noun

1. a fire-resistant door to prevent the spread of fire.

2. a door to the outside of a building used only as an emergency exit.

firedrake

I. noun

[Germanic Mythology] a dragon.

– origin Old English fȳr-draca, from fȳr (see fire) + draca ‘dragon’, from Latin draco.

fire drill

noun

1. a practice of the emergency procedures to be used in case of fire.

2. a primitive device for kindling fire, consisting of a pointed stick which is twirled in a hole in a flat piece of soft wood.

fire-eater

noun

1. an entertainer who appears to eat fire.

2. ‹dated› a person prone to quarrelling or fighting.

fire engine

noun

a vehicle carrying firefighters and equipment for fighting large fires.

fire escape

noun

a staircase or other apparatus used for escaping from a building on fire.

fire exit

noun

a designated way out of a building or passenger vehicle in the event of a fire occurring

• everyone knew where their nearest fire exit was.

fire extinguisher

noun

a portable device that discharges a jet of water, foam, gas, or other material to extinguish a fire.

firefight /ˈfʌɪəfʌɪt/

noun

[Military] a battle using guns rather than bombs or other weapons.

firefighter /ˈfʌɪəfʌɪtə/

noun

a person whose job is to extinguish fires.

firefighting /ˈfʌɪəˌfʌɪtɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action or process of extinguishing fires, as a person's job.

2. (in business) the practice of dealing with problems as they arise rather than planning strategically to avoid them.

firefinch

noun

a small African songbird of the waxbill family, the male of which has mainly pink or reddish plumage.
●Genus Lagonosticta, family Estrildidae: several species.

firefish

noun

1. a scorpionfish with venomous spines.
●Genera Pterois and Dendrochirus, family Scorpaenidae.

2. a pink- or red-coloured fish related to the wormfishes.
●Subfamily Ptereleotrinae, family Microdesmidae.

firefly /ˈfʌɪəflʌɪ/

noun

a soft-bodied beetle related to the glow-worm, the winged male and flightless female of which both have luminescent organs. The light is chiefly produced in flashes and typically functions as a signal between the sexes.
●Family Lampyridae: many species, especially in the tropics, and including the European Luciola lusitanica.

fireguard /ˈfʌɪəɡɑːd/

noun

1. a protective screen or grid placed in front of an open fire.

2. (N. Amer.) a firebreak in a forest.

fire hazard

noun

a material, substance, or action that increases the likelihood of an accidental fire occurring

• the large number of dead trees poses a fire hazard

• smoking in toilets is a fire hazard.

fire hose

noun

1. a broad hosepipe used in extinguishing fires.

2. (usu. firehose) — [Computing] an unfiltered, real-time stream of data produced by a social media website or other online service

• two companies with access to Twitter's firehose of tweets.

firehouse /ˈfʌɪəhaʊs / firehall

noun

(N. Amer.) a fire station.

fire hydrant

noun

a fitting in a street or other public place with a nozzle by which a fire hose may be attached to a water main

• a parked car was blocking a fire hydrant.

fire insurance

noun — [ mass noun]

1. insurance taken out to cover the cost of damage caused by fire

• homeowners wisely pay for fire insurance.

fire irons

plural noun

implements for tending a domestic fire, typically tongs, a poker, and a shovel.

fireless cooker

noun

‹historical› an insulated container capable of maintaining a temperature at which food can be cooked.

firelight /ˈfʌɪəlʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. light from a fire in a fireplace.

• the room was lit only by firelight.

II. derivatives

firelit

adjective

– origin Old English fȳr-lēoht (see fire, light^1).

firelighter /ˈfʌɪəlʌɪtə/

noun

(Brit.) a piece of flammable material used to help start a fire.

fire line

noun

(N. Amer.) a firebreak in a forest.

firelock /ˈfʌɪəlɒk/

noun

‹historical› a musket in which the priming is ignited by sparks.

fireman /ˈfʌɪəmən/

noun

1. a male firefighter.

2. a person who tends a furnace or the fire of a steam engine or steamship.

firemaster

noun

(Scottish) the chief officer of a fire brigade.

Firenze /fiˈrɛntse/

Italian name for Florence.

Fire of London

the huge and devastating fire which destroyed some 13,000 houses over 400 acres of London between 2 and 6 September 1666, having started in a bakery in Pudding Lane.
Also called Great Fire.

fire opal

noun

another term for girasol (sense 1).

firepit

noun

a pit dug into the ground or made from stones, in which a fire for cooking food is made.

fireplace /ˈfʌɪəpleɪs/

noun

1. a place for a domestic fire, especially a grate or hearth at the base of a chimney.

• Tess cleared the ashes from the fireplace.

• a big open fireplace with a brick surround.

• a cast-iron stove was installed in the old fireplace.

2. a structure surrounding a fireplace.

• a chipped tile fireplace.

fireplug /ˈfʌɪəplʌɡ/

noun

1. (US) a hydrant for a fire hose.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a short, stocky person, especially an athlete.

• a feisty fireplug who played six seasons as a league catcher.

firepower /ˈfʌɪəpəʊə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the destructive capacity of guns, missiles, or a military force (used with reference to the number and size of guns available)

• the enormous disparity in firepower between the two sides

• ‹figurative› he combines intellectual firepower with persuasive charm.

fire practice

noun

(Brit.) a fire drill.

fireproof /ˈfʌɪəpruːf/

I. adjective

able to withstand fire or great heat

• a fireproof dish.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) fireproof

• nearby museum buildings will be fireproofed.

fire-raiser

I. noun

(Brit.) an arsonist.

II. derivatives

fire-raising /ˈfʌɪəˌreɪzɪŋ /

noun

fire regulation

noun — (usu. fire regulations)

1. a legal requirement intended to ensure safety in case of accidental fire occurring

• you will have to comply with fire regulations at every point in the construction of your conversion.

fire-resistant

adjective

(especially of a fabric) treated so as to be non-flammable

• homes built with fire-resistant materials.

fire risk

noun

a material, substance, or action that increases the likelihood of an accidental fire occurring

• electric wiring is a potential fire risk

• [ mass noun] additional safety features reduce fire risk.

fire salamander

noun

a robust short-tailed nocturnal salamander that has black skin with bright red, orange, and yellow markings, native to upland forests of Europe, NW Africa, and SW Asia.
● Salamandra salamandra, family Salamandridae.

fire sale

noun

1. a sale of goods remaining after the destruction of commercial premises by fire.

2. a sale of goods or assets at a very low price, typically when the seller is facing bankruptcy.

fire screen

noun

a protective screen placed in front of an open fire.

fire service

noun

(Brit.) an organization responsible for preventing and fighting fires.

firesetter /ˈfʌɪəsɛtə/

noun

an arsonist.

fireship /ˈfʌɪəʃɪp/

noun

‹historical› a ship loaded with burning material and explosives and set adrift to ignite and blow up an enemy's ships.

fireside /ˈfʌɪəsʌɪd/

noun

the area round a fireplace (used especially with reference to a person's home or family life).

• he preferred the warmth of his own fireside and the simple pleasures of a good cigar and a glass of brandy.

• [as modifier] a fireside armchair.

fireside chat

noun

an informal conversation.

fire starter

noun

North American term for firelighter.

fire station

noun

the headquarters of a fire brigade, where fire engines and other equipment are housed.

fire step

noun

a step or ledge on which soldiers in a trench stand to fire.

fire stick

noun

1. a flaming baton used in juggling

• there were people walking on stilts and juggling with fire sticks.

2. (Austral.) a smouldering stick carried for use in lighting fires, especially by Aborigines

• he put some grass under the wood and applied the fire stick to it.

fire-stick farming

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral.) a method of vegetation control by burning, used by Aboriginals

• Cooloola's vegetation patterns were probably shaped by the fire-stick farming of its Aboriginal inhabitants.

fire stone

noun — [ mass noun]

1. stone that can withstand fire and great heat, used especially for lining furnaces and ovens.

firestorm /ˈfʌɪəstɔːm/

noun

a very intense and destructive fire (typically one caused by bombing) in which strong currents of air are drawn into the blaze from the surrounding area making it burn more fiercely

• firestorms after a nuclear exchange

• ‹figurative› the incident ignited a firestorm of controversy.

firethorn

noun

another term for pyracantha.

fire tongs

plural noun

tongs for handling pieces of coal and wood when tending a fire.

fire tower

noun

a tower built to create an elevated point from which to watch for fires, especially forest fires

• a traditional wooden fire tower.

fire trail

noun

(N. Amer.) (Austral.) a track through forest or bush for use in fighting fires.

fire trap

noun

a building which would be extremely dangerous if a fire should start due to a lack of precautions such as fire exits.

fire tree

noun

(NZ) another term for pohutukawa.

fire truck /ˈfʌɪə trʌk/

noun

US term for fire engine.

fire-walking

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the practice of walking barefoot over a substance such as hot stones or wood ashes, often as part of a traditional ceremony.

II. derivatives

fire-walker

noun

firewall /ˈfʌɪəwoːl/

I. noun

1. a wall or partition designed to inhibit or prevent the spread of fire.

2. [Computing] a part of a computer system or network which is designed to block unauthorized access while permitting outward communication.

3. another term for Chinese wall.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Computing] protect (a network or system) from unauthorized access with a firewall.
(as adj. firewalled)

• a firewalled network.

• (as noun firewalling) our security products offer integral firewalling.

fire warden

noun

(N. Amer.) a person employed to prevent or extinguish fires, especially in a town, camp, or forest.

fire-watcher

I. noun

a person keeping watch for fires, especially forest fires or those caused by bombs.

II. derivatives

fire-watching

noun

firewater /ˈfʌɪəwɔːtə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› strong alcoholic drink.

fireweed

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a plant that springs up on burnt land, especially the rosebay willowherb.

FireWire

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹trademark› a standard high-performance serial bus for connecting digital devices together or to a computer
[as modifier]

• a FireWire port.

firewood /ˈfʌɪəwʊd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. wood that is burnt as fuel.

firework /ˈfʌɪəwəːk/

noun

1. a device containing gunpowder and other combustible chemicals which causes spectacular effects and explosions when ignited, used for display or in celebrations

• they were oohing and aahing as if they were watching the fireworks

• [as modifier] a firework display.

2. ( fireworks) — an outburst of anger, or a display of great skill or energy

• when you put these men together you're bound to get fireworks.

Fireworks Night

noun

(Brit.) another term for Bonfire Night.

firie /ˈfʌɪri/

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a firefighter.

• there's always a firie nearby to rescue you or your house from flames.

firing /ˈfʌɪərɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of setting fire to something

• the deliberate firing of 600 oil wells.

2. the discharging of a gun or other weapon

• the prolonged firing caused heavy losses

• [ count noun] no missile firings were planned.

3. the baking or drying of pottery or bricks in a kiln.

• the colours had suffered in the firing and were dull from overheating.

4. the dismissal of an employee from a job

• the recent firing of the head of the department

• [ count noun] a series of firings and resignations.

II. phrases

the firing line

a. the front line of troops in a battle.

b. a situation where one is subject to criticism or blame because of one's responsibilities or position

• the referee in the firing line is an experienced official.

firing party

noun

1. a group of soldiers detailed to fire the salute at a military funeral.

2. another term for firing squad.

firing pin

noun

the part of a firearm's mechanism that strikes the primer of a cartridge to ignite the charge and fire the weapon

• seven of my riflemen did not have firing pins.

firing squad

noun

a group of soldiers detailed to shoot a condemned person.

firing step

noun

another term for fire step.

firkin /ˈfəːkɪn/

I. noun

1. a small cask formerly used for liquids, butter, or fish.

2. a unit of liquid volume equal to half a kilderkin (usually 9 imperial gallons or about 41 litres).

– origin Middle English ferdekyn, probably from the Middle Dutch diminutive of vierde ‘fourth’ (a firkin originally contained a quarter of a barrel).

firm^1 /fəːm/

I. adjective

1. having a solid, almost unyielding surface or structure

• the bed should be reasonably firm, but not too hard.

2. solidly in place and stable

• no building can stand without firm foundations

• ‹figurative› he was unable to establish the shop on a firm financial footing.

3. having steady but not excessive power or strength

• you need a firm grip on the steering.

4. showing resolute determination and strength of character

• parents should be firm with children and not give in to their demands.

5. strongly felt and unlikely to change

• he retains a firm belief in the efficacy of prayer.

6. steadfast and constant

• we became firm friends.

7. decided upon and fixed or definite

• she had no firm plans for the next day.

8. (of a currency, shares, etc.) having a steady value or price which is more likely to rise than fall

• the pound was firm against the dollar.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make more solid or resilient

• how can I firm up a sagging bustline?

2. fix (a plant) securely in the soil.

• don't tread around bushes to firm them.

3. make (an agreement or plan) explicit and definite

• the agreements still have to be firmed up.

4. [no obj.] — (of a price) rise slightly to reach a level considered secure

• he believed house prices would firm by the end of the year

• [with complement] the shares firmed 15p to 620p.

III. adverb

in a resolute and determined manner

• the Chancellor has held firm to tough economic policies

• she will stand firm against the government's proposal.

IV. phrases

1. be on firm ground

be sure of one's facts or secure in one's position.

2. a firm hand

strict discipline or control.

• children need a firm hand from day one.

– origin Middle English: from Old French ferme, from Latin firmus.

firm^2 /fəːm/

I. noun

1. a business concern, especially one involving a partnership of two or more people

• state support for small firms

• a law firm.

2. a group of hospital doctors working as a team, headed by a consultant.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› an organized group of football supporters known for their aggressive attitudes towards rival fans.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Spanish and Italian firma, from medieval Latin, from Latin firmare ‘fix, settle’ (in late Latin ‘confirm by signature’), from firmus ‘firm’; compare with farm. The word originally denoted one's autograph or signature; later (mid 18th cent.) the name under which the business of a firm was transacted, hence the firm itself (late 18th cent.).

firmament /ˈfəːməm(ə)nt/

I. noun

‹literary› the heavens or sky

• thunder shakes the firmament

• ‹figurative› one of the great stars in the American golfing firmament.

II. derivatives

firmamental /fəːməˈmɛnt(ə)l /

adjective

– origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin firmamentum, from firmare ‘fix, settle’.

firman /ˈfəːmən, fəːˈmɑːn / farman

I. noun

1. an oriental sovereign's edict.

2. a grant or permit.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Persian firmān, Sanskrit pramāṇa ‘right measure, standard, authority’.

firmly /ˈfəːmli/

adverb

1. with little possibility of movement; securely

• the door remained firmly shut

• ‹figurative› his work is rooted firmly in Chinese culture.

2. in a way that uses steady power or strength

• I had her wrist grasped firmly in my hand

• stop the bleeding by pressing firmly.

3. with resolute determination and strength of character

• the council is firmly committed to raising standards in education.

4. without doubt; definitely

• I firmly believe that we could do better

• his reputation is now firmly established.

firmness /ˈfəːmnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of having a solid, almost unyielding surface or structure

• he tested the firmness of the mattress

• I felt the firmness of his upper arm.

2. the application of steady but not excessive power or strength

• the firmness of his hand on my chest

• he sang with a wonderful firmness of tone.

3. resolute determination and strength of character

• his firmness of purpose gained him a devoted following.

4. the state of being fixed, definite, or constant

• so certain were we of the firmness of our plan

• the continuing firmness of oil prices.

firmware /ˈfəːmwɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] permanent software programmed into a read-only memory.

firn /ˈfɪən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. crystalline or granular snow, especially on the upper part of a glacier, where it has not yet been compressed into ice.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German, from Old High German firni ‘old’; related to Swedish forn ‘former’.

firni /ˈfɪəni/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a sweet Indian dish of thickened milk, dried fruit, and ground rice.

– origin from Hindi firnī, from Persian.

first /fəːst/

I. ordinal number

1. coming before all others in time or order; earliest; 1st

• his first wife

• the first of five daughters

• many valuable drugs have been recognized first as poisons.

2. never previously done or occurring

• her first day at school.

3. coming or encountered next after a specified or implied time, event, etc.

• the first house I came to.

4. before doing something else specified or implied

• Do you mind if I take a shower first?

5. for the first time

• she first picked up a guitar out of sheer boredom.

6. ‹informal› the first occurrence of something notable

• we travelled by air, a first for both of us.

7. the first in a sequence of a vehicle's gears

• he stuck the car in first and revved.

8. [Baseball] first base

• he made it all the way home from first.

9. (chiefly Brit.) the first form of a school or college.

10. foremost in position, rank, or importance

• the doctor's first duty is to respect this right

• a first prize of £250

• career women who put work first

• football must come first.

11. firstly; in the first place (used to introduce a main point or reason)

• first, it is wrong that the victims should have no remedy.

12. in preference; rather (used when strongly rejecting a suggestion or possibility)

• she longed to go abroad, but not at this man's expense—she'd die first!

13. the first finisher or position in a race or competition.

14. [in titles] — having precedence over all others of a similar kind

• First Lord of the Admiralty.

15. (Brit.) a place in the top grade in an examination, especially that for a degree

• chaps with firsts from Oxbridge.

16. (Brit.) a person who has received the top grade in an examination for a degree.

17. ( the firsts) — the best or main team of a sports club.

• he was asked to play for the firsts.

18. ( firsts) — goods of the best quality

• factory firsts, seconds, and discontinued styles.

19. with a specified part or person in a leading position

• the car plunged nose first into the river.

20. [often with infinitive] — the most pressing, likely, or suitable

• his first problem is where to live

• he is the first to admit he was not the best of patients.

21. [Music] performing the highest or chief of two or more parts for the same instrument or voice

• the first violins.

II. phrases

1. at first

at the beginning; in the initial stage or stages

• at first Hugo tried to be patient.

2. at first glance

see glance^1.

3. at first hand

see first-hand.

4. at first instance

see instance.

5. at first sight

see sight.

6. (the) first among equals

see equal.

7. first blood

see blood.

8. first come, first served

used to indicate that people will be dealt with strictly in the order in which they arrive or apply

• tickets are available on a first come, first served basis.

9. first and foremost

most importantly; more than anything else

• he considered himself first and foremost a writer.

10. first and last

fundamentally; on the whole

• museums are first and last about curatorship.

11. first of all

a. before doing anything else

• first of all, let me ask you something.

b. most importantly

• German unity depends first of all on the German people.

12. first off /ˈfəːst ˌɒf /

‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) as a first point; firstly

• first off, I owe you a heck of an apology.

13. first past the post /fəːst pɑːst ðə ˈpəʊst /

a. (of a contestant, especially a horse) winning a race by being the first to reach the finishing line.

• Aliysa was first past the post in the 1989 Oaks.

b. [ attrib.] — (Brit.) denoting an electoral system in which a candidate or party is selected by achievement of a simple majority

• our first-past-the-post electoral system.

14. first thing

early in the morning; before anything else

• I have to meet Josh first thing tomorrow.

15. first things first

important matters should be dealt with before other things.

• I suggest we get our priorities right—first things first.

16. first up

a. (Brit.) first of all.

b. (Austral./NZ) at the first attempt.

17. from the (very) first

from the beginning

• he should have realized it from the first.

18. from first to last

from beginning to end; throughout

• it's a fine performance that commands attention from first to last.

19. in the first place

a. as the first consideration or point

• political reality was not quite that simple—in the first place, divisions existed within the parties.

b. at the beginning; to begin with

• I should have told you in the first place.

20. of the first order (or magnitude)

excellent or considerable of its kind

• it is a media event of the first order.

21. of the first water

see water.

– origin Old English fyr(e)st; of Germanic origin, related to Old Norse fyrstr and German Fürst ‘prince’, from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit prathama, Latin primus, and Greek prōtos.

first aid

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. help given to a sick or injured person until full medical treatment is available
[as modifier]

• a first-aid kit.

II. derivatives

first-aider /ˌfəːstˈeɪdə /

noun

first aid kit

noun

a small box containing items such as bandages, plasters, and antiseptic wipes for use in giving help to a sick or injured person until full medical treatment is available

• he swam ashore with the first aid kit to administer emergency casualty care.

first aid officer

noun

a person trained to give basic medical help and nominated to administer this as required in an organization or at a public event

• first aid officers take care of those who have collapsed from exhaustion.

First Australian

noun

(Austral.) an Aboriginal person

• the prospect of the beliefs and practices of the First Australians dying out is unsettling.

first base

noun

1. [Baseball] the first of the four stations that must be reached in turn to score a run

• she made an awkward turn at first base and injured her right ankle.

2. ‹informal› used to refer to the first step towards achieving an objective

• some of the projects will not get past first base.

3. ‹informal› used to refer to a preliminary stage of sexual intimacy, typically characterized as kissing

• Clara had let me get to first base a few times.

First Boer War

see Boer Wars.

firstborn /ˈfɜːstbɔːn/

I. adjective

denoting the first child born to a particular person

• the firstborn child of the queen.

II. noun

a person's first child

• their firstborn arrived.

First Cause

noun

[Philosophy] a supposed ultimate cause of all events, which does not itself have a cause, identified with God.

first class

I. noun — [in sing.]

1. a set of people or things grouped together as the best

• the first class of the orders of chivalry.

2. [ mass noun] — the best and most expensive seating or accommodation in a train, aircraft, or ship

• a seat in first class.

II. adjective, adverb

1. of the best quality or in the highest division
[as adj.]

• the hotel offers first-class accommodation.

2. relating to the best seating or accommodation in a train, aircraft, or ship
[as adj.]

• a first-class carriage

• [as adv.] you can travel first class on any train.

3. relating to a class of mail given priority
[as adj.]

• first-class mail

• [as adv.] send it first class.

4. (Brit.) relating to the highest division in the results of a university examination

• a first-class honours degree.

5. [as adj.] — (of cricket) played between sides of recognized stature and with matches of two innings per side.

First Consul

the title held by Napoleon Bonaparte from 1799 to 1804, when he became Emperor of France.

first cost

noun

another term for prime cost.

first course

noun

a small savoury dish forming the first of the successive parts of a meal

• the first course was either lobster soup or a mushroom salad.

first-day cover

noun

an envelope bearing a stamp or set of stamps postmarked on their day of issue.

first-degree /ˌfəːstdɪˈɡriː/

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. [Medicine] denoting burns that affect only the surface of the skin and cause reddening.

2. [Law] (chiefly N. Amer.) denoting the most serious category of a crime, especially murder

• he was convicted of first-degree murder.

first-degree relative

noun

[Law] a person's parent, sibling, or child.

first down

noun

[American Football] the score achieved by a team who have kept possession of the ball by advancing at least ten yards in a series of four downs.

first edition

noun

the earliest edition of a book or other printed work

• a first edition of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’.

First Empire

the period of the reign of Napoleon I as emperor of the French (1804–15).

first-ever

adjective

happening or experienced for the first time

• the first-ever private manned space flight

• it was her first-ever marathon.

first finger

noun

the finger next to the thumb; the forefinger; the index finger.

First Fleet

a fleet of eleven ships, under Captain Arthur Phillip (1738–1814), that sailed from England in 1787 carrying convicts, marines, and officials to establish a convict settlement in New South Wales.

First Fleeter /fəːst ˈfliːtə/

noun

(Austral.) one of the first settlers who sailed to Australia from England in 1787

• many of the First Fleeters acquired dingoes as pets.

first floor

noun

1. (Brit.) the floor of a building above the ground floor.

2. (N. Amer.) the ground floor of a building.

first-foot

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. be the first person to cross the threshold of the house of (someone) in the New Year, in accordance with a Scottish custom.

• they set out to first-foot their neighbours.

II. noun

the first person to cross a householder's threshold in the New Year.

III. derivatives

first-footer

noun

first fruits

plural noun

1. the first agricultural produce of a season, especially when given as an offering to God.

2. the initial results of an enterprise or endeavour

• the first fruits of the companies' collaboration.

first gear

noun

1. the lowest in a set of gears on a vehicle, used when travelling very slowly.

2. used in reference to a failure to make progress

• in a scrappy first half neither team seemed to get out of first gear.

first grade

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the first year of formal education

• we had been friends since first grade.

2. (N. Amer.) the set of pupils grouped together for teaching in the first year of formal education

• every kid in the first grade will receive a card.

first-hand /ˌfəːstˈhand/

I. adjective, adverb

(of information or experience) from the original source or personal experience; direct
[as adj.]

• first-hand accounts of activities behind the enemy lines

• [as adv.] data which is obtained first-hand from customers.

II. phrases

at first hand

directly or from personal experience

• scientists observed the process at first hand.

first intention

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] the healing of a wound by natural contact of the parts involved

• healing by first intention.

First International

see international (sense 2 of the noun).

First Lady

noun

1. the wife of the President of the US or other head of state.

2. (usu. first lady) — the leading woman in a particular activity or profession

• the first lady of rock.

first language

noun

a person's native language.

• she speaks Tiwa as her first language.

first lieutenant

noun

1. a naval officer with executive responsibility for a ship or other command.

2. a rank of officer in the US army or air force, above second lieutenant and below captain.

first light

noun

the time when light first appears in the morning; dawn

• you are to set off at first light.

firstling /ˈfəːs(t)lɪŋ/

noun — (usu. firstlings)

1. ‹archaic› the first agricultural produce or animal offspring of a season.

firstly /ˈfəːs(t)li/

adverb

used to introduce a first point or reason

• firstly it is wrong and secondly it is extremely difficult to implement.

first mate

noun

the officer second in command to the master of a merchant ship.

first minister

noun

the leader of the ruling political party in some regions or countries.

first name

I. noun

a personal name given to someone at birth or baptism and used before a family name.

II. phrases

on first-name terms

having a friendly and informal relationship

• staff and pupils were on first-name terms.

First Nation

noun

(in Canada) an indigenous American Indian community officially recognized as an administrative unit by the federal government or functioning as such without official status.

• the Siksika First Nation in Alberta.

• (as modifier First Nations) the First Nations peoples of Canada.

first night

noun

the first public performance of a play or show

• tickets for the first night sold out fast

• [as modifier] some of the numbers appeared to be under-rehearsed, but maybe they were suffering first-night nerves.

first-nighter

noun

a person who attends a first night.

first offender

noun

a person who is convicted of a criminal offence for the first time.

first officer

noun

1. the first mate on a merchant ship.

2. the second in command to the captain on an aircraft.

first-order

adjective

1. relating to the simplest or most fundamental level of organization, experience, or analysis; primary or immediate

• for a teacher, of course, drama must be a first-order experience.

2. ‹technical› having an order of one, especially denoting mathematical equations involving only the first power of the independent variable or only the first derivative of a function.

• a simple first-order differential equation.

first person

noun

1. see person (sense 2).

2. ( the first person) — a type of narrative in which the protagonist relates their story using the first person, i.e. using the pronoun ‘I’.

first-person shooter

noun

a type of video game whose gameplay involves shooting enemies and other targets and in which a player views the action as though through the eyes of the character they are controlling

• blast through hordes of aliens in this sci-fi first-person shooter

• [as modifier] first-person shooter games.

first position

noun

1. [Ballet] a posture in which the feet are placed turned outwards with the heels touching.

2. a position of the arms in which both are held curved in front of the body at waist level, with the palms facing the body.

3. [Music] the position of the hand on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument furthest from the bridge.

first post

noun

(in the British armed forces) the first of two bugle calls giving notice of the hour of retiring at night.

first principles

plural noun

the fundamental concepts or assumptions on which a theory, system, or method is based

• I think we have to start again and go right back to first principles.

first-rate

adjective

1. of the best class or quality; excellent

• first-rate musicians.

2. in good health or condition; very well

• I think you look first-rate.

first reading

noun

the first presentation of a bill to a legislative assembly, to permit its introduction.

first refusal

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the privilege of deciding whether to accept or reject something before it is offered to others

• group employees have first refusal on the tickets.

First Republic

the republican regime in France from the abolition of the monarchy in 1792 until Napoleon's accession as emperor in 1804.

first responder

noun

(N. Amer.) a person whose job entails being the first on the scene of an emergency, such as a firefighter or police officer.

first school

noun

(Brit.) a school for children from five to nine years old.

first sergeant

noun

(in the US army) the highest-ranking non-commissioned officer in a company or equivalent unit.

First State

informal name for Delaware^1.

first strike

noun

an attack with nuclear weapons designed to destroy the enemy's nuclear weapons before use.

• a pre-emptive first strike.

• [as modifier] a first-strike weapon.

first-time buyer

noun

a person buying a house or flat who has not previously owned a home and therefore has no property to sell.

first-timer

noun

a person who is doing something for the first time

• the 21-year-old fashion designer is a first-timer at Montreal Fashion Week.

First World

noun

the industrialized capitalist countries of western Europe, North America, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
Compare with Second World and Third World.

First World problem

noun

‹informal› a relatively trivial or minor problem or frustration (implying a contrast with serious problems such as those that may be experienced in the developing world)

• it's a First World problem, but still if you're staying at a 5-star resort you expect some decent service.

First World War

I. a war (1914–18) in which the Central Powers (Germany and Austria–Hungary, joined later by Turkey and Bulgaria) were defeated by an alliance of Britain and its dominions, France, Russia, and others, joined later by Italy and the US.

Political tensions over the rise of the German Empire were the war's principal cause, although it was set off by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by a Bosnian Serb nationalist in Sarajevo, an event used as a pretext by Austria for declaring war on Serbia. Most of the fighting took place on land in Europe and was generally characterized by long periods of bloody stalemate; the balance eventually shifted in the Allies' favour in 1917 when the US joined the war. Total casualties of the war are estimated at 10 million killed. One of the consequences of the war was the collapse of the German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, and Ottoman empires.

firth /fəːθ/

I. noun

a narrow inlet of the sea; an estuary
[in place names]

• the Moray Firth.

– origin Middle English (originally Scots), from Old Norse fjǫrthr (see fjord).

Firth, J. R.

(1890–1960), English linguist; full name John Rupert Firth. Firth was noted for his contributions to linguistic semantics and prosodic phonology and for his insistence on studying both speech sounds and words in context. He was a major influence on the development of systemic grammar.

fisc /fɪsk/

I. noun

1. [Roman History] the public treasury of Rome or the emperor's privy purse.

2. ‹archaic› (N. Amer.) a public treasury or exchequer.

3. (also fisk) — (Scottish) ‹archaic› the public treasury to which estates lapse by escheat.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, or from Latin fiscus ‘rush basket, purse, treasury’.

fiscal /ˈfɪsk(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. relating to government revenue, especially taxes

• monetary and fiscal policy.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) relating to financial matters

• the domestic fiscal crisis.

3. (N. Amer.) denoting a financial year

• the budget deficit for fiscal 1996.

II. noun

1. ‹archaic› a legal or treasury official in some countries.

2. (Scottish) ‹archaic› short for procurator fiscal.

3. (also fiscal shrike) — an African shrike (songbird) with black-and-white plumage.
●Genus Lanius, family Laniidae: several species.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from French, or from Latin fiscalis, from fiscus ‘purse, treasury’ (see fisc).

fiscal cliff

noun

a situation in which a particular set of financial factors cause or threaten sudden and severe economic decline

• the massive new spending programme threatens to send our nation over a fiscal cliff, leading to even higher taxes and fewer jobs.

fiscal drag

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Economics] the deflationary effect of a progressive taxation system on a country's economy. As wages rise, a higher proportion of income is paid in tax.

fiscality

noun

fiscal policy or considerations.

fiscally /ˈfɪsk(ə)li/

adverb

1. in a way that relates to government revenue, especially taxes

• I wouldn't call any of our party leaders fiscally conservative.

2. (chiefly N. Amer.) in a way that relates to financial matters

• one of the nation's most fiscally challenged states.

fiscal year

noun

North American term for financial year.

Fischer, Bobby /ˈfɪʃə/

(1943–2008), American chess player; full name Robert James Fischer. He defeated Boris Spassky in 1972 to take the world championship, which he held until 1975.

Fischer, Emil Hermann /ˈfɪʃə/

(1852–1919), German organic chemist. He studied the structure of sugars, other carbohydrates, and purines, and synthesized many of them. He also confirmed that peptides and proteins consist of chains of amino acids. Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1902).

Fischer, Hans /ˈfɪʃə, German ˈfɪʃɐ/

(1881–1945), German organic chemist. He determined the structure of the porphyrin group of many natural pigments, including the red oxygen-carrying part of haemoglobin, the green chlorophyll pigments found in plants, and the orange bile pigment bilirubin. Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1930).

Fischer-Dieskau, Dietrich /ˌfɪʃəˈdiːskaʊ/

(1925–2012), German baritone. He is noted for his interpretations of German lieder, in particular Schubert's song cycles.

fish^1 /fɪʃ/

I. noun

1. a limbless cold-blooded vertebrate animal with gills and fins living wholly in water

• the huge lakes are now devoid of fish.

2. [ mass noun] — the flesh of fish as food.

• a dinner of meat, dried fish, and bread.

3. ( the Fish or Fishes) — the zodiacal sign or constellation Pisces.

4. used in names of invertebrate animals living wholly in water, e.g. cuttlefish, shellfish, jellyfish.

5. ‹informal› a torpedo.

6. [with adj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› a person who is strange in a specified way

• he is generally thought to be a bit of a cold fish.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. catch or try to catch fish, typically by using a net or hook and line

• he was fishing for pike

• I've told the girls we've gone fishing.

2. [with obj.] — catch or try to catch fish in (a particular body of water)

• many of the lochs we used to fish are now affected by forestry.

3. search by groping or feeling for something concealed

• he fished for his registration certificate and held it up to the policeman's torch.

4. try subtly or deviously to elicit a response or some information from someone

• I was not fishing for compliments.

5. [with obj.] ( fish something out) — pull or take something out of water or a receptacle

• the body of a woman had been fished out of the river.

III. phrases

1. all's fish that comes to the net

‹proverb› you can or should take advantage of anything that comes your way.

2. a big fish

an important or influential person

• he became a big fish in the world of politics.

3. a big fish in a small pond

a person who is important only within the limited scope of a small field or group.

4. drink like a fish

drink excessive amounts of alcohol.

• he stayed sober—except on Sundays when he would lock himself away and drink like a fish.

5. a fish out of water

a person in a completely unsuitable environment or situation.

• senior bankers are fish out of water when it comes to international lending.

6. have other (or bigger) fish to fry

have other (or more important) matters to attend to.

• the currency markets have had other fish to fry, with all attention focused on the dollar and yen.

7. like shooting fish in a barrel

very easy

• picking cultivated berries is like shooting fish in a barrel.

8. neither fish nor fowl (nor good red herring)

of indefinite character and difficult to identify or classify.

9. there are plenty more fish in the sea

used to console someone whose romantic relationship has ended by pointing out that there are many other people with whom they may have a successful relationship in the future.

IV. derivatives

1. fishable

adjective

2. fishlike

adjective

– origin Old English fisc (as a noun denoting any animal living exclusively in water), fiscian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vis, vissen and German Fisch, fischen. / usage: The normal plural of fish is fish ( a shoal of fish; he caught two huge fish). The older form fishes is still used, when referring to different kinds of fish ( freshwater fishes of the British Isles).

fish^2 /fɪʃ/

I. noun

1. a flat plate that is fixed on a beam or across a joint in order to give additional strength.

2. a long, slightly curved piece of wood that is lashed to a ship's damaged mast or spar as a temporary repair.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mend or strengthen with a fish.

2. join (rails in a railway track) with a fishplate.

– origin early 16th cent.: probably from French fiche, from ficher ‘to fix’, based on Latin figere.

fish and chips

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a dish of fried fish fillets served with chips.

fish and chip shop

noun

(Brit.) a cafe selling fried fish fillets and chips to be eaten elsewhere

• I was a regular customer at my local fish and chip shop.

fish bone

noun

any of the bones forming the skeleton of a fish, especially one of the sharp slender bones attached to the backbone

• remove fish bones before eating.

fishbowl /ˈfɪʃbəʊl/

noun

a round glass bowl for keeping pet fish in.

fishcake /ˈfɪʃkeɪk/

noun

a patty of shredded fish and mashed potato, typically coated in batter or breadcrumbs and fried.

fish eagle

noun

an eagle that catches and feeds on fish.
●Genus Haliaetus, family Accipitridae: two or three species, in particular the white-headed African fish eagle ( H. vocifer).

fisher /ˈfɪʃə/

I. noun

1. a person who catches fish for a living or for sport

• he was an enthusiastic fisher and hunter

• an experienced trout fisher will be on hand to guide and advise.

2. a large brown marten valued for its fur, found in North American woodland where it frequently preys on porcupines. Also called pekan in North America.
● Martes pennanti, family Mustelidae.

– origin Old English fiscere ‘fisherman’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch visser and German Fischer, also to fish^1.

Fisher

a shipping forecast area in the North Sea off northern Jutland and the mouth of the Skagerrak.

Fisher, Sir Ronald Aylmer

(1890–1962), English statistician and geneticist. Fisher made major contributions to the development of statistics, publishing influential books on statistical theory, the design of experiments, statistical methods for research workers, and the relationship between Mendelian genetics and evolutionary theory.

Fisher, St John

(1469–1535), English churchman. In 1504 he became bishop of Rochester and earned the disfavour of Henry VIII by opposing his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. When he refused to accept the king as supreme head of the Church, he was condemned to death. Feast day, 22 June.

fisherfolk

plural noun

people who catch fish for a living.

fisherman /ˈfɪʃəmən/

noun

a person who catches fish for a living or for sport.

fisherman bat

noun

another term for bulldog bat.

fisherman's bend

noun

a knot tied by making a full turn round something (typically the ring of an anchor), a half hitch through the turn, and a half hitch round the standing part of the rope.

fisherman's knot

noun

a knot used to join two small ropes by tying an overhand knot in the end of each around the opposite standing part.

fisherman's rib fisherman knit

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of thick ribbed knitting.

fisherwoman

noun

a woman who catches fish, especially for a living.

fishery /ˈfɪʃ(ə)ri/

noun

1. a place where fish are reared for commercial purposes.

2. a fishing ground or area where fish are caught.

3. [ mass noun] — the occupation or industry of catching or rearing fish.

fisheye /ˈfɪʃʌɪ/

noun

1. (also fisheye lens) — a very wide-angle lens with a field of vision covering up to 180°, the scale being reduced towards the edges.

2. (US) ‹informal› a suspicious or unfriendly look

• Wally gave him the fisheye.

3. a defect in metal causing a spot to stand out brightly against its surroundings.

fish farm

I. noun

a place where fish are bred for commercial purposes.

II. derivatives

1. fish farmer

noun

2. fish farming

noun

fish finger ‹N. Amer.› fish stick

noun

(Brit.) a small oblong piece of flaked or minced fish coated in batter or breadcrumbs and fried or grilled.

fish food

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ground dried fish or plant matter used as feed for fish

• I'd bought some fish food to feed the carp.

fish hawk

noun

another term for osprey.

fishing /ˈfɪʃɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of catching fish, either for food or as a sport.

• the area is renowned for its excellent deep-sea fishing.

• [as modifier] fishing boats.

II. phrases

fishing expedition

a search or investigation undertaken with the hope, though not the stated purpose, of discovering information

• they worried about an FBI fishing expedition.

fishing boat

noun

a boat used in catching fish for food

• gulls are attracted to fishing boats.

fishing cat

noun

a small wild cat found in wetland habitats in India and SE Asia, having a light brown coat with dark spots, a ringed tail, and slightly webbed paws.
● Felis viverrina, family Felidae.

fishing fly

noun

a natural or artificial flying insect used as bait in fishing.

fishing ground

noun — (also fishing grounds)

1. an area of sea used for catching fish for food

• the islands are surrounded by rich fishing grounds.

fishing industry

noun

the economic activity concerned with catching fish for food

• 80,000 jobs rely on the fishing industry in the Bay State alone.

fishing line

noun

a long thread of silk or nylon attached to a baited hook, with a sinker or float, and used for catching fish.

fishing net

noun

a large piece of open-meshed material used for catching fish from a boat

• smaller fish are often caught in deep-sea fishing nets that are only after much bigger ones.

fishing pole

noun

(N. Amer.) a fishing rod, especially a simple one with no reel.

fishing rod

noun

a long, tapering rod to which a fishing line is attached, typically on a reel.

fishing tackle

noun — [ mass noun]

1. equipment required for the sport of catching fish, typically including a rod and line

• heavy fishing tackle is required to land the fish.

fishing village

noun

a village located on the coast whose main local industry is catching fish for food

• Padstow, a historic fishing village on Cornwall's quiet northern coast.

fish kettle

noun

an oval pan for cooking a whole fish.

fish knife

noun

a blunt knife with a broad blade for eating or serving fish.

fish ladder

noun

a series of pools built like steps to enable fish to ascend a dam or waterfall.

fish louse

noun

an aquatic crustacean which is a parasite of fish, typically attached to the skin or gills:
● a free-swimming crustacean with a shield-like carapace and a pair of suckers (class Branchiura: several genera, in particular Argulus). ● an elongated crustacean that becomes permanently attached to the host and typically highly modified (class Copepoda: several orders and numerous species).

fish market

noun

a market where fish is sold

• we have a very good fish market.

fishmeal /ˈfɪʃmiːl/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ground dried fish used as fertilizer or animal feed.

fishmonger /ˈfɪʃmʌŋɡə/

noun

a person or shop that sells fish for food.

fishnet /ˈfɪʃnɛt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a fabric with an open mesh resembling a fishing net
[as modifier]

• black fishnet stockings.

fisho /ˈfiʃəʊ/

I. noun

(Austral./NZ) ‹informal› a person who catches or sells fish

• the local fishos have dropped off the best of last night's catch.

– origin early 20th cent.: from fish^1 + -o.

fish paste

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a savoury spread made with fish

• you'll get a lot of protein from tins of sardines or jars of fish paste.

fish pedicure

noun

a cosmetic treatment in which one places one's feet in a tank containing small fish which nibble away dead or calloused skin.

fishplate /ˈfɪʃpleɪt/

noun

1. a flat piece of metal used to connect adjacent rails in a railway track.

2. a flat piece of metal with ends like a fish's tail, used to position masonry.

fish pond

noun

a pond in which live fish are kept.

fish restaurant

noun

a restaurant which specializes in serving dishes prepared with fish

• the fish restaurants on the far left of the port are the best.

fish shop ‹N. Amer.› fish store

noun

a shop that sells fish for food

• most cannot afford to buy snapper in fish shops or supermarkets

• the best fish stores in Toronto deal in an abundant array of offshore delicacies.

fish slice

noun

(Brit.) a kitchen utensil with a broad flat blade for lifting fish and fried foods.

fishtail /ˈfɪʃteɪl/

I. noun

1. [usu. as modifier] — an object which is forked like a fish's tail

• fishtail battlements.

2. an uncontrolled sideways movement of the back of a motor vehicle

• he hit the brake, sending the car into a fishtail that carried him across the street.

II. verb — [no obj.] [usu. with adverbial of direction]

1. (of a vehicle) make an uncontrolled sideways movement

• the vehicle fishtailed from one side of the road to the other.

fish tank

noun

a transparent container of water in which live fish and other water creatures and plants are kept; an aquarium

• keep indoor fish tanks out of direct sunlight.

fishway

noun

another term for fish ladder.

fishwife /ˈfɪʃwʌɪf/

noun

1. a coarse-mannered woman who is prone to shouting.

• the screech of a fishwife.

2. ‹archaic› a woman who sells fish.

fishy /ˈfɪʃi/

I. adjective

1. relating to or resembling fish or a fish

• a fishy smell.

2. ‹informal› arousing feelings of doubt or suspicion

• I'm convinced there is something fishy going on.

II. derivatives

1. fishily /ˈfɪʃɪli /

adverb

2. fishiness

noun

fissile /ˈfɪsʌɪl/

I. adjective

1. (of an atom or element) able to undergo nuclear fission

• a fissile isotope.

2. (chiefly of rock) easily split.

• flat-bedded and very highly fissile shale.

II. derivatives

fissility /fɪˈsɪlɪti /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘easily split’): from Latin fissilis, from fiss- ‘split, cracked’, from the verb findere.

fission /ˈfɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. division or splitting into two or more parts

• the party dissolved into fission and acrimony.

2. [Biology] reproduction by means of a cell or organism dividing into two or more new cells or organisms

• bacteria divide by transverse binary fission.

3. short for nuclear fission.

• the fission of uranium atoms in a chain reaction.

• [as modifier] a fission product.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (chiefly of atoms) undergo fission

• these heavy nuclei can also fission.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin fissio(n-), from findere ‘to split’.

fissionable /ˈfɪʃ(ə)nəb(ə)l/

adjective

another term for fissile.

• the fissionable material with which to construct nuclear weapons.

fission bomb

noun

another term for atom bomb.

fission-track dating

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a technique for establishing the age of a mineral sample from its uranium content. It involves microscopically counting tracks produced by uranium fission fragments and then establishing the existing concentration of uranium by counting again after irradiating the sample with neutrons.

fissiparous /fɪˈsɪp(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

1. inclined to cause or undergo division into separate parts or groups.

• the fissiparous tendencies innate in tribalism.

• she was unsuccessful in holding a fissiparous membership together.

2. [Biology] (of an organism) reproducing by fission

• small fissiparous worms.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin fissus, past participle of findere ‘split’, on the pattern of viviparous.

fissure /ˈfɪʃə/

I. noun

1. a long, narrow opening or line of breakage made by cracking or splitting, especially in rock or earth.

• the bacteria survive around vents or fissures in the deep ocean floor.

2. [Anatomy] a long, narrow opening, e.g. any of the spaces separating convolutions of the brain.

3. a state of incompatibility or disagreement

• a fissure between philosophy and reality.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. fissured)

1. split or crack (something) to form a long, narrow opening

• low cliffs of fissured Silurian rock.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin fissura, from findere ‘to split’.

fist /fɪst/

I. noun

a person's hand when the fingers are bent in towards the palm and held there tightly, typically in order to strike a blow or grasp something.

• she pummelled him furiously with her fists.

• Karr clenched his fists.

II. verb

1. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — strike with the fist

• he fisted a goal-bound shot over the bar.

2. [with obj.] — clench (the hand or fingers) into a fist

• she fisted her hands on her hips.

3. (also fist-fuck) [with obj.] — ‹vulgar slang› penetrate (a person's anus or vagina) with one's fist.

III. phrases

1. make a —— fist of

‹informal› do something to the specified degree of success

• they're all solid citizens, all capable of making a good fist of being an MP.

2. shake one's fist

gesture angrily with one's clenched fist

• ‘Stupid fool!’ he shouted, shaking his fist.

IV. derivatives

fisted

adjective

[in combination]

• a bare-fisted combat

– origin Old English fȳst, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vuist and German Faust.

fist bump ‹informal chiefly US›

I. noun

a gesture of greeting or affirmation in which two people lightly tap each other's clenched fist

• fist bumps and high fives were exchanged amongst the crowd.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. greet (someone) by lightly tapping their clenched fist with one's own

• politicians were soon fist-bumping one another on TV chat shows

• [no obj.] two lawyers walked into the hall and fist-bumped before getting on the elevator.

fist fight

I. noun

a fight with the fists.

II. derivatives

fist fighting

noun

fistful /ˈfɪs(t)fʊl/

noun

as much as a person can hold in their clenched hand

• the man took a fistful of cash from the drawer

• he grabbed fistfuls of my hair and tugged at it.

fistic /ˈfɪstɪk/

adjective

‹humorous› relating to boxing.

fisticuffs /ˈfɪstɪkʌfs/

I. plural noun

fighting with the fists.

• the result was an outbreak of fisticuffs.

– origin early 17th cent.: probably from obsolete fisty ‘relating to the fists or to fist fighting’ + cuff^2.

fist pump ‹informal chiefly US›

I. noun

a gesture of triumph or affirmation in which the forearm is raised with fist clenched, then swung downward toward the body in a vigorous pumping motion

• his 25-foot birdie was greeted with fist pumps and high fives.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. swing one's clenched fist and raised forearm downward toward the body in a vigorous pumping motion as a gesture of triumph or affirmation

• ‘Yes!’ Rachel yelped and fist-pumped from behind her laptop

• [with obj.] if that were the case, we'd be fist-pumping the air in delight.

fistula /ˈfɪstjʊlə/

I. noun

[Medicine] an abnormal or surgically made passage between a hollow or tubular organ and the body surface, or between two hollow or tubular organs.

II. derivatives

1. fistular /ˈfɪstjʊlə /

adjective

2. fistulous

adjective

– origin late Middle English: from Latin, ‘pipe, flute, fistula’. Compare with fester.

fit^1 /fɪt/

I. adjective

1. [ predic.] — of a suitable quality, standard, or type to meet the required purpose

• the house was not fit for human habitation

• [with infinitive] is the water clean and fit to drink?

2. having the requisite qualities or skills to undertake something competently
[with infinitive]

• the party was fit to govern.

3. suitable and correct according to accepted social standards

• a fit subject on which to correspond.

4. [with infinitive] — ‹informal› having reached such an extreme condition as to be on the point of doing the thing specified

• he baited even his close companions until they were fit to kill him.

5. ‹informal› ready

• well, are you fit?

6. in good health, especially because of regular physical exercise

• my family keep fit by walking and cycling

• ‹figurative› the measures would ensure a leaner, fitter company.

7. (Brit.) ‹informal› sexually attractive; good-looking.

• who's this fit babe?

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. be of the right shape and size for

• those jeans still fit me

• [no obj.] the shoes fitted better after being stretched.

2. (usu. be fitted for) — try clothing on (someone) in order to make or alter it to the correct size

• she was about to be fitted for her costume.

3. [no obj., with adverbial of place] — be of the right size, shape, or number to occupy a particular place

• Fiona says we can all fit in her car.

4. install or fix (something) into place

• they fitted smoke alarms to their home.

5. (often be fitted with) — provide (something) with a particular component or article

• most tools can be fitted with a new handle.

6. join or cause to join together to form a whole
[no obj.]

• their bodies fitted together perfectly

• [with obj.] many physicists tried to fit together the various pieces of the puzzle.

7. be compatible or in agreement with; match

• the landlord had not seen anyone fitting that description.

8. be suitable or appropriate for

• the punishment should fit the crime.

9. (of an attribute, qualification, or skill) make (someone) suitable to fulfil a particular role or undertake a particular task

• an MSc fits the student for a professional career.

III. noun

1. the particular way in which something, especially a garment or component, fits

• the dress was a perfect fit.

2. the particular way in which things match

• a close fit between teachers' qualifications and their teaching responsibilities.

3. [Statistics] the correspondence between observed data and the values expected by theory.

IV. phrases

1. (as) fit as a fiddle

see fiddle.

2. fit for purpose

(of an institution, facility, etc.) well equipped or well suited for its designated role or purpose.

3. fit like a glove

see glove.

4. fit the bill

see bill^1.

5. fit to be tied

‹informal› very angry.

• Daddy was fit to be tied when I separated from Hugh.

6. fit to bust

‹informal› with great energy

• they laughed fit to bust.

7. see (or think) fit

consider it correct or acceptable to do something

• why did the company see fit to give you the job?

V. phrasal verbs

1. fit in

a. be socially compatible with other members of a group

• he feels he should become tough to fit in with his friends.

b. be in harmony with other elements in a situation

• her project fitted in with the organization's general aims.

c. (also fit into) — constitute part of a situation or larger structure

• I don't think I fit into his plans for next season.

2. fit someone/thing in (or into)

a. find room or have sufficient space for someone or something

• can you fit any more water into the jug?

b. succeed in finding time in a busy schedule to see someone or do something

• I could fit you in at 3.45 this afternoon.

3. fit someone/thing out (or up)

provide someone or something with the necessary equipment, clothes, or other items for a particular situation

• the cabin had been fitted out to a high standard.

4. fit someone up

(Brit.) ‹informal› incriminate someone by falsifying evidence against them.

VI. derivatives

fitly /ˈfɪtli /

adverb

– origin late Middle English: of unknown origin.

fit^2 /fɪt/

I. noun

1. a sudden attack of convulsions and/or loss of consciousness, typical of epilepsy and some other medical conditions

• the child had frequent fits.

2. a sudden short period of uncontrollable coughing, laughter, etc.

3. a sudden burst of intense emotion

• he had killed her in a fit of jealous rage.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. have an epileptic fit

• he started fitting uncontrollably.

III. phrases

1. give someone a fit

‹informal› greatly shock or anger someone.

2. have (or throw) a fit

‹informal› be very shocked or angry.

3. in fits (of laughter)

‹informal› highly amused

• he had us all in fits.

4. in (or by) fits and starts

with irregular bursts of activity

• the economy was recovering in fits and starts.

– origin Old English fitt ‘conflict’, in Middle English ‘position of danger or excitement’, also ‘short period’; the sense ‘sudden attack of illness’ dates from the mid 16th cent.

fit^3 /fɪt / fytte

I. noun

‹archaic› a section of a poem.

– origin Old English fitt, perhaps the same word as fit^2, or related to German Fitze ‘skein of yarn’, in the obsolete sense ‘thread with which weavers mark off a day's work’.

fitch /fɪtʃ/

I. noun

1. old-fashioned term for polecat.

2. [ mass noun] — the fur of a polecat.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the fur of a polecat): from Middle Dutch visse ‘polecat’. Compare with fitchew.

fitché /ˈfɪtʃeɪ / fitchy, fitched

I. adjective

[Heraldry] (of a cross) having the foot extended into a point.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French fiché, past participle of ficher ‘to fix’.

fitchew /ˈfɪtʃuː/

I. noun

archaic term for polecat.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French ficheau, fissel, diminutive related to Middle Dutch visse. Compare with fitch.

fitful /ˈfɪtfʊl, ˈfɪtf(ə)l/

I. adjective

active or occurring spasmodically or intermittently; not regular or steady

• a few hours' fitful sleep

• business was fitful.

II. derivatives

fitfulness /ˈfɪtfʊlnəs, ˈfɪtfəlnəs /

noun

fitfully /ˈfɪtf(ə)li, ˈfɪtfʊli/

adverb

not regularly or continuously; intermittently

• he slept fitfully.

fitment /ˈfɪtm(ə)nt/

noun — (usu. fitments)

1. (Brit.) a fixed item of furniture or piece of equipment, especially in a house.

fitna /ˈfɪtnə / fitnah

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Islam] unrest or rebellion, especially against a rightful ruler.

– origin Arabic fitnah ‘rebellion, strife’.

fitness /ˈfɪtnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the condition of being physically fit and healthy

• disease and lack of fitness are closely related

• [as modifier] a fitness test.

2. [Biology] an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.

• if sharp teeth increase fitness, then genes causing teeth to be sharp will increase in frequency.

3. ( fitness for/to do) — the quality of being suitable to fulfil a particular role or task

• the medical board assessed his fitness for active service.

fitness consultant

noun

a person who provides expert advice professionally regarding someone's physical fitness and health

• he is one of professional golf's top fitness consultants.

fitness fanatic

noun

‹informal› a person with an obsessive interest in and enthusiasm for maintaining their physical fitness and health

• she is a fitness fanatic who puts in gruelling sessions of yoga almost every day.

fitness suite

noun

(Brit.) a room with exercise equipment in a leisure centre or similar building.

fitness test

noun

an examination to assess someone's physical fitness and health, especially to determine their ability to perform in a sporting fixture following injury or illness

• Gray failed a late fitness test on his injured ankle.

fitness training

noun — [ mass noun]

1. exercise undertaken to improve or maintain one's physical fitness and health

• a lot of people are incorporating boxing in their fitness training.

fit-out

noun

an act of providing the necessary equipment for a house or flat, especially the final decoration and fitments.

• they perform fit-outs to accommodate new tenants.

fitted /ˈfɪtɪd/

adjective

1. made or shaped to fill a space or to cover something closely or exactly

• the blouse has a fitted bodice

• navy-blue fitted sheets.

2. (Brit.) (of a carpet) cut and laid to cover a floor completely.

3. (chiefly Brit.) (of furniture) built to be fixed into a particular space

• a fitted wardrobe.

4. (chiefly Brit.) (of a room) equipped with matching units of fitted furniture

• a fitted kitchen.

5. attached to or provided with a particular component or article

• a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.

6. ( fitted for/to do) — having the appropriate qualities or skills to do something

• I don't think he was fitted for the job.

fitted sheet

noun

a fabric sheet with elasticated corners designed to fit tightly over a mattress

• this set includes a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases.

fitter /ˈfɪtə/

noun

1. a person who puts together or installs machinery, engine parts, or other equipment

• a qualified gas fitter

• kitchen fitters.

2. a person who supervises the cutting, fitting, or alteration of garments or shoes.

fitting /ˈfɪtɪŋ/

I. noun

1. (often fittings) — a small part on or attached to a piece of furniture or equipment

• the wooden fittings were made of walnut.

2. ( fittings) — (chiefly Brit.) items, such as a cooker or shelves, which are fixed in a building but can be removed when the owner moves

• little remains of the house's Victorian fittings.

Compare with fixture (sense 1).

3. [ mass noun] — the action of fitting something

• the fitting of new engines by the shipyard.

4. [ count noun] — an occasion when one tries on a garment that is being made or altered for one

• she's coming tomorrow for a fitting.

II. adjective

1. suitable or appropriate under the circumstances; right or proper

• a fitting reward

• [with clause] it was fitting that his last innings for Middlesex should bring him his highest first-class score.

2. [in combination] — fitted around or to something or someone in a specified way

• loose-fitting trousers.

III. derivatives

fittingness /ˈfɪtɪŋnəs /

noun

fittingly /ˈfɪtɪŋli/

adverb

in a way that is suitable or appropriate under the circumstances

• obituaries fittingly described him as a master of figures

• [ sentence adverb] perhaps fittingly, Scotland has its share of outdoor clothing firms.

fitting room

noun

a room in a shop in which one can try on clothes before deciding whether to purchase them.

fitting shop

noun

a part of a factory where machine parts are put together.

Fittipaldi, Emerson /ˌfɪtɪˈpaldi/

(b.1946), Brazilian motor-racing driver. He was the Formula One world champion in 1972 and 1974, and won the Indianapolis 500 in 1989.

fit-up

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› an instance of incriminating someone by falsifying evidence against them.

• the team's manager has been the victim of a fan's fit-up.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a temporary stage or other piece of theatrical equipment.

Fitzgerald, Edward /fɪtsˈdʒɛr(ə)ld/

(1809–83), English scholar and poet. Notable works: The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám (translation, 1859).

Fitzgerald, Ella /fɪtsˈdʒɛr(ə)ld/

(1917–96), American jazz singer, known for her distinctive style of scat singing.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott /fɪtsˈdʒɛr(ə)ld/

(1896–1940), American novelist; full name Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald. His novels, in particular The Great Gatsby (1925), provide a vivid portrait of the US during the jazz era of the 1920s.

FitzGerald contraction FitzGerald–Lorentz contraction

I. noun

[Physics] the shortening of a moving body in the direction of its motion, especially at speeds close to that of light.

– origin named after George. F. FitzGerald (1851–1901), Irish physicist, and H. A. Lorentz (see Lorentz, Hendrik Antoon), who independently postulated the theory in 1892.

Fitzrovia /fɪtsˈrəʊvɪə/

I. an area of central London between Bloomsbury and Marylebone, near the British Museum, traditionally associated with writers and bohemians.

– origin 1950s: Latinized form from Fitzroy Square, on the model of Belgravia.

Fitzroy /ˈfɪtsrɔɪ/

a shipping forecast area covering part of the Atlantic off NW Spain, west of the Bay of Biscay. Formerly (until 2002) called Finisterre (see Finisterre, Cape).

Fiume /ˈfjume/

Italian name for Rijeka.

five /fʌɪv/

I. cardinal number

1. (Roman numeral: v, V) — equivalent to the sum of two and three; one more than four, or half of ten; 5

• five minutes later she came back

• five of Sweden's top financial experts.

2. a group or unit of five people or things

• the bulbs are planted in threes or fives.

3. five years old

• Vic moved to Darlington when he was five.

4. five o'clock

• we left at half past five.

5. a size of garment or other merchandise denoted by five.

6. a playing card or domino with five pips.

II. phrases

five a day

used in reference to nutritional guidelines recommending the consumption of at least five portions of fruit or vegetables each day

• have you had your five a day today?

• overall, just one in five Americans meets the five-a-day minimum.

– origin Old English fīf, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vijf and German fünf, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin quinque and Greek pente.

five-alarm

adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (US) ‹informal› (of a fire) very large or fierce.

2. (US) ‹informal› (of food, such as chillies) extremely pungent or hot.

five-and-dime five-and-dime store, five-and-ten

noun

1. (N. Amer.) a shop selling a wide variety of inexpensive household and personal goods.

2. ‹historical› a shop where all the articles were priced at five or ten cents.

five-a-side /ˌfʌɪvəˈsʌɪd/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) a form of soccer with five players in each team, typically played on an indoor pitch
[as modifier]

• a five-a-side tournament.

five-corner five-corners

noun

1. an Australian shrub that has stiff pointed leaves, tubular flowers, and five-cornered fruit.
●Genus Styphelia, family Epacridaceae: several species.

2. the pentagonal fruit of the five-corner shrub.

five-door

adjective

(of a vehicle) having four doors to provide access to passenger seating, and a fifth door at the back that opens upwards to provide easy access for loading

• the company is introducing a five-door hatchback.

five-eighth

noun

[Rugby] (chiefly Austral./NZ) a player positioned between the scrum half and the three-quarters.

five finger five fingers

noun

any of a number of plants with leaves that are divided into five leaflets or with flowers that have five petals, such as cinquefoil.

five-finger discount

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› an act of shoplifting.

five-finger exercise

noun

1. an exercise on the piano for all the fingers on both hands.

2. an easy task.

fivefold /ˈfʌɪvfəʊld/

I. adjective

1. five times as great or as numerous

• a fivefold increase in funding.

2. having five parts or elements

• fivefold rotational symmetry.

II. adverb

by five times; to five times the number or amount

• the unemployment rate rose almost fivefold.

five hundred

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a form of euchre (card game) in which making 500 points wins a game.

five Ks

plural noun — ( the five Ks)

1. see Khalsa.

Five Nations

plural noun

1. [treated as sing.] — former name for Six Nations (sense 1).

2. the Iroquois confederacy as originally formed, including the Mohawk, Oneida, Seneca, Onondaga, and Cayuga peoples.
Compare with Six Nations (sense 2).

five o'clock shadow

noun

a dark appearance on a man's chin and face caused by the slight growth of beard that has occurred since he shaved in the morning.

Five Pillars of Islam

the five duties expected of every Muslim: profession of the faith in a prescribed form, observance of ritual prayer, giving alms to the poor, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and performing a pilgrimage to Mecca.
See hajj, salat, sawm, shahada, and zakat.

fiver /ˈfʌɪvə/

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› a five-pound note.

2. (N. Amer.) a five-dollar bill.

fives /fʌɪvz/

I. plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. a game, played especially in the UK, in which a ball is hit with a gloved hand or a bat against the walls of a court with three walls ( Eton fives) or four walls ( Rugby fives).

– origin mid 17th cent.: plural of five used as a singular noun; the significance is unknown.

five-second rule

noun

‹humorous› a notional rule stating that food which has been dropped on the ground will still be uncontaminated with bacteria and therefore safe to eat if it is retrieved within five seconds

• was I right to apply the five-second rule to the three slices of ham that left a damp, greasy ring on the kitchen floor?

five senses

plural noun

the faculties of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch.

fivesome /ˈfʌɪvs(ə)m/

noun

a group of five people.

five-spice five-spice powder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a blend of five powdered spices, typically fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and peppercorns, used in Chinese cuisine.

five-star

adjective

1. having five stars in a grading system in which this denotes the highest standard

• a five-star restaurant.

[early 20th cent.: from a system used to grade hotels, the highest grade being indicated by five asterisks or stars.]

2. having or denoting the highest military rank, distinguished in the US armed forces by five stars on the uniform

• a five-star general.

fivestones

noun

(Brit.) a game of jacks played with five pieces of metal or stone and usually no ball.

5:2 diet

noun

a diet that involves eating normally for five days out of a seven-day period and greatly restricting the amount of food eaten on the other two days

• I've been on the 5:2 diet for seven weeks.

five-year plan

noun

(especially in the former Soviet Union) a government plan for economic development over five years. The first such plan in the Soviet Union was inaugurated in 1928.

fix /fɪks/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [with obj. and adverbial of place] — fasten (something) securely in a particular place or position

• they had candles fixed to their helmets

• ‹figurative› her words have remained fixed in my memory.

2. ( fix something on/upon) — direct one's eyes, mind, or attention steadily or unwaveringly towards

• Ben nodded, his eyes fixed on the ground.

3. [no obj.] ( fix on/upon) — (of a person's eyes, attention, or mind) be directed steadily or unwaveringly towards

• her gaze fixed on Jess.

4. ( fix someone with) — look at someone unwaveringly

• Cowley fixed him with a cold stare.

5. decide or settle on (a specific price, date, course of action, etc.)

• no date has yet been fixed for a hearing.

6. arrange (something) on a permanent basis

• the rate of interest is fixed for the life of the loan.

7. establish the exact location of (something) by using radar or visual bearings or astronomical observation

• having made landfall, he fixed his position.

8. settle the form of (a language).

9. assign or determine (a person's liability or responsibility) for legal purposes

• there are no facts which fix the defendant with liability.

10. mend or repair

• you've forgotten to fix that shelf.

11. put (a bad or unwelcome situation) right

• the international community should not rely on the UN to fix the world's problems.

12. ( fix something up) — do the necessary work to improve or adapt something

• we were trying to fix up the house so that it became vaguely comfortable.

13. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) tidy or neaten (something, especially one's hair, clothes, or make-up).

• Laura was fixing her hair.

14. make arrangements for (something); organize

• Harry's fixed up a meeting

• [no obj.] I've fixed for you to see him on Thursday.

15. ( fix someone up) — ‹informal› arrange for someone to have something; provide someone with something

• I'll fix you up with a room.

16. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) prepare or arrange for the provision of (food or drink)
[with two objs]

• Ruth fixed herself a cold drink.

17. ( be fixing to do something) — (US) ‹dialect› be intending or planning to do something

• I'm fixing to call the state patrol.

18. make (a dye, photographic image, or drawing) permanent.

• he perfected a process of fixing a photographic likeness on a silver plate.

19. [Biology] preserve or stabilize (a specimen) with a chemical substance prior to microscopy or other examination

• specimens were fixed in buffered formalin.

20. (of a plant or microorganism) assimilate (nitrogen or carbon dioxide) by forming a non-gaseous compound

• lupins fix gaseous nitrogen in their root nodules.

21. ‹informal› influence the outcome of (something, especially a race, match, or election) by illegal or underhand means

• the club attempted to fix last Thursday's league match.

22. take revenge on or punish (someone)

• that little swine–I'll fix him next time.

23. [no obj.] — ‹informal› take an injection of a narcotic drug.

24. (N. Amer.) castrate or spay (an animal).

II. noun

1. [in sing.] — ‹informal› a difficult or awkward situation from which it is hard to extricate oneself; a predicament

• how on earth did you get into such a fix?

2. ‹informal› a dose of a narcotic drug to which one is addicted

• he hadn't had his fix.

3. an experience of something from which one derives great pleasure or stimulation

• get your coffee fix at home with this state-of-the-art espresso-maker.

4. a measure taken to resolve a problem or correct a mistake; a solution or remedy

• making everything easier for the car driver would only be a short-term fix

• the company is working on a fix but suggests users consider technical workarounds in the meantime.

5. a position determined by visual or radio bearings or astronomical observations.

• the radio operator received the distress call and calculated the fix.

6. [in sing.] — ‹informal› a dishonest or underhand arrangement

• obviously, his appointment was a fix.

III. phrases

get a fix on

a. determine the position of (something) by visual or radio bearings or astronomical observation.

b. ‹informal› assess or determine the nature or facts of

• it is hard to get a fix on their ages.

IV. derivatives

fixable

adjective

– origin late Middle English: partly from Old French fix ‘fixed’, partly from medieval Latin fixare ‘to fix’, both from Latin fixus, past participle of figere ‘fix, fasten’. The noun dates from the early 19th cent.

fixate /fɪkˈseɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (often be fixated on/upon) — cause (someone) to develop an obsessive attachment to someone or something

• he became fixated on the idea of a Third World War.

2. [no obj.] ( fixate on/upon) — develop a fixation with

• erotomaniacs are convinced that the person they have fixated on loves them in return.

3. (in Freudian theory) arrest (a person or their libidinal energy) at an immature stage, causing an obsessive attachment.

• an individual may have been fixated at one stage of development.

4. ‹technical› direct one's eyes towards

• subjects fixated a central point.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin fixus, past participle of figere (see fix) + -ate^3.

fixation /fɪkˈseɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. an obsessive interest in or feeling about someone or something

• our fixation with diet and fitness.

2. [Psychoanalysis] (in Freudian theory) the arresting of part of the libido at an immature stage, causing an obsessive attachment

• fixation at the oral phase might result in dependence on others.

3. the action or process of fixing or being fixed

• sand-dune fixation.

4. the process by which some plants and microorganisms assimilate nitrogen or carbon dioxide.

• his work on nitrogen fixation in plants.

– origin late Middle English (originally as an alchemical term denoting the process of reducing a volatile spirit or essence to a permanent bodily form): from medieval Latin fixatio(n-), from fixare (see fix).

fixative /ˈfɪksətɪv/

I. noun

1. a chemical substance used to preserve or stabilize biological material prior to microscopy or other examination.

• an alcoholic fixative.

• [ mass noun] ten double drops of fixative.

2. a substance used to stabilize the volatile components of perfume.

• sandalwood is regarded by many perfumers as a good fixative.

3. a liquid sprayed on to a pastel or charcoal drawing to fix colours or prevent smudging.

• he sprayed his design with fixative.

4. a substance used to keep things in position or stick them together

• the swift glues these thin twigs to a wall using its own saliva as a fixative.

II. adjective

(of a substance) used to fix or stabilize something.

fixed /fɪkst/

I. adjective

1. fastened securely in position

• a fixed iron ladder down the port side.

2. (of a person's expression) held for a long time without changing, especially to conceal other feelings

• a fixed smile.

3. (especially of a price, rate, or time) predetermined and not able to be changed

• loans are provided for a fixed period.

4. (of a view or idea) firm or inflexible

• the fixed assumptions of the Cold War.

5. (of a sports contest) having the outcome dishonestly predetermined

• the fight's fixed—the ref has your card marked.

6. ( fixed for) — ‹informal› situated with regard to

• how's the club fixed for money now?

II. derivatives

1. fixedly /ˈfɪksɪdli /

adverb

2. fixedness /ˈfɪksɪdnəs /

noun

fixed assets /fɪkst ˈasɛts/

plural noun

assets which are purchased for long-term use and are not likely to be converted quickly into cash, such as land, buildings, and equipment.
Compare with current assets.

fixed capital

noun — [ mass noun]

1. capital invested in fixed assets.

fixed charge

noun

a liability to a creditor which relates to specific assets of a company.
Compare with floating charge.

fixed costs /ˌfɪkst ˈkɒsts/

plural noun

business costs, such as rent, that are constant whatever the amount of goods produced.

fixed-doh fixed-do

adjective

denoting a system of solmization in which C is called ‘doh’, D is called ‘ray’, etc., irrespective of the key in which they occur.
Compare with movable-doh.

fixed focus

noun

a camera focus that cannot be adjusted, typically used with a small-aperture lens having a large depth of field.

fixed idea

noun

another term for idée fixe.

fixed income

noun

an income from a pension or investment that is set at a particular figure and does not vary like a dividend or rise with the rate of inflation.
[as modifier]

• fixed-income securities.

fixed-line

adjective

denoting or relating to telecommunications systems using cables laid across land, as opposed to cellular radio systems.

fixed odds

plural noun

odds in betting (especially on soccer results) that are predetermined, as opposed to a pool system or a starting price.

fixed oil

noun

a non-volatile oil of animal or plant origin.

fixed point

noun

1. [Physics] a well-defined reproducible temperature which can be used as a reference point, e.g. one defined by a change of phase.

2. [as modifier] — [Computing] denoting a mode of representing a number by a single sequence of digits whose values depend on their location relative to a predetermined radix point.

• these computers perform arithmetic in fixed-point binary format.

Often contrasted with floating-point.

fixed-rate

adjective

denoting or relating to a loan or savings account with an interest rate that remains at a set level for a specified period of time

• 80 per cent of home buyers now opt for fixed-rate mortgages.

fixed-wing

adjective

denoting aircraft of the conventional type as opposed to those with rotating wings, such as helicopters.

fixer /ˈfɪksə/

noun

1. a person who makes arrangements for other people, especially of an illicit or devious kind.

2. [ mass noun] — a substance used for fixing a photographic image.

fixer-upper

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a house in need of repairs (used chiefly in connection with the purchase of such a house).

• $225,000 was a bargain-basement price—even for a fixer-upper.

fixie

I. noun

a single-gear bicycle that has no freewheel, so that its wheels cannot move unless power is applied to the pedals.

– origin early 21st cent.: from fixed-wheel bicycle or fixed-gear bicycle.

fixing /ˈfɪksɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of fastening something in place

• the fixing of additional strengthening steelwork.

2. ( fixings) — (Brit.) screws, bolts, or other items used to fasten or assemble building material, furniture, or equipment

• masonry fixings.

• bikes can be mounted on roof bars with special fixings.

3. the process of deciding or planning something

• the fixing of the date of the hearing

• the fixing of a fair and reasonable price.

4. ( fixings) — (N. Amer.) the ingredients necessary to make a dish or meal

• have all the fixings ready before starting.

5. ( fixings) — (N. Amer.) apparatus or equipment for a particular purpose

• picnic fixings.

6. the action of mending or repairing something

• the roof needs fixing

• problems in need of fixing.

7. ‹informal› the illegal or underhand influencing of the outcome of something such as a race, match, or election

• police investigating the alleged fixing of horse races

• several laws restricted the fixing of retail prices.

fixit

I. noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. ‹informal› an act of repairing or putting something right

• a fixit shop.

2. ‹informal› a person known for repairing things or putting things in order

• he pictured himself as a Mr Fixit.

– origin early 20th cent.: from Little Miss Fixit, the title of a musical show.

fixity /ˈfɪksɪti/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the state of being unchanging or permanent

• the fixity of his stare.

– origin mid 17th cent. (denoting the property of a substance of not evaporating or losing weight when heated): partly from obsolete fix ‘fixed’, partly from French fixité.

fixture /ˈfɪkstʃə/

I. noun

1. a piece of equipment or furniture which is fixed in position in a building or vehicle

• plumbing fixtures.

2. ( fixtures) — articles attached to a house or land and considered legally part of it so that they normally remain in place when an owner moves

• the hotel retains many original fixtures and fittings.

Compare with fitting (sense 1 of the noun).

3. ‹informal› a person or thing that is well established in a particular place or situation

• the midfielder is set to become a permanent fixture in the England line-up.

4. (Brit.) a sporting event arranged to take place on a particular date

• the team's last away fixture of the season.

– origin late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘fixing, becoming fixed’): alteration (first found in Shakespeare) of obsolete fixure (from late Latin fixura, from Latin figere ‘to fix’), with t inserted on the pattern of mixture.

fixture list

noun

a list of the dates and teams involved in the scheduled sporting events for a particular sport or team

• the Premier League fixture list

• Liverpool face a tough fixture list.

fizgig /ˈfɪzɡɪɡ/

I. noun

1. ‹archaic› a silly or flirtatious young woman.

2. ‹archaic› a kind of small firework.

3. (Austral.) ‹informal› a police informer.

– origin early 16th cent.: probably from fizz + obsolete gig ‘flighty girl’. Compare with gig^1 and whirligig.

fizz /fɪz/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a liquid) produce bubbles of gas and make a hissing sound

• his lemonade was still fizzing at the top of the glass.

2. make a buzzing or crackling sound

• carbide lamps fizzed in the darkness.

3. [with adverbial] — move with or display excitement, exuberance, or liveliness

• anticipation began to fizz through his veins.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of being fizzy; effervescence

• the champagne had lost its fizz.

2. ‹informal› an effervescent drink, especially sparkling wine

• a glass of your favourite fizz.

3. exuberance or liveliness

• she saw I had lost some of my fizz.

– origin mid 17th cent.: imitative.

fizzer

noun

1. ‹informal› (Brit.) an outstandingly lively, energetic, or excellent thing

• that fizzer of a letter.

2. ‹informal› (Austral./NZ) a failure or fiasco

• the greatest fizzer in the history of Australian politics.

fizzle /ˈfɪz(ə)l/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a feeble hissing or spluttering sound

• the strobe lights fizzled and flickered.

2. end or fail in a weak or disappointing way

• their threatened revolt fizzled out at yesterday's meeting.

II. noun

1. a feeble hissing or spluttering sound.

2. a failure.

• in the end the fireworks were a fizzle.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘break wind quietly’): probably imitative (compare with fizz), but perhaps related to Middle English fist (see feisty). Current senses date from the 19th cent.

fizzy /ˈfɪzi/

I. adjective

1. (of a drink) containing bubbles of gas; effervescent

• fizzy mineral water.

2. full of energy or exuberance; lively

• fizzy new wave pop.

II. derivatives

1. fizzily

adverb

2. fizziness /ˈfɪzɪnəs /

noun

FJD

abbreviation

Fijian dollar(s).

fjord /fjɔːd, ˈfiːɔːrd / fiord

I. noun

a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs, as in Norway, typically formed by submergence of a glaciated valley.

– origin late 17th cent.: Norwegian, from Old Norse fjǫrthr. Compare with firth.

FKP

abbreviation

Falkland Islands pound(s).

FL

abbreviation

1. Florida (in official postal use).

2. Liechtenstein (international vehicle registration).
[from German Fürstentum Liechtenstein ‘Principality of Liechtenstein’.]

fl.

abbreviation

1. floor.

2. floruit.

3. fluid.

Fla

abbreviation

Florida.

flab /flab/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹informal› soft loose flesh on a person's body; fat.

– origin 1950s: back-formation from flabby.

flabbergast /ˈflabəɡɑːst/

I. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. flabbergasted)

1. ‹informal› surprise (someone) greatly; astonish

• this news has left me totally flabbergasted.

– origin late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

flabby /ˈflabi/

I. adjective

1. (of a part of a person's body) soft, loose, and fleshy

• this exercise helps to flatten a flabby stomach.

2. having soft, loose flesh; overweight.

3. lacking strength, vitality, or effectiveness

• flabby, colourless prose.

II. derivatives

1. flabbily

adverb

2. flabbiness /ˈflabɪnəs /

noun

– origin late 17th cent.: alteration of earlier flappy.

flaccid /ˈflasɪd, ˈflaksɪd/

I. adjective

1. (of part of the body) soft and hanging loosely or limply, especially so as to look or feel unpleasant

• she took his flaccid hand in hers.

2. (of plant tissue) drooping or inelastic through lack of water.

3. lacking vigour or effectiveness

• the flaccid leadership campaign was causing concern.

II. derivatives

1. flaccidity /fləˈsɪdɪti, fləkˈsɪdɪti /

noun

2. flaccidly /ˈflasɪdli, ˈflaksɪdli /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from French flaccide or Latin flaccidus, from flaccus ‘flabby’.

flack^1 /flak / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. noun

a publicity agent.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. publicize or promote

• each author is flacking his ‘exclusive’ account of the whole mess.

III. derivatives

flackery /ˈflakəri /

noun

– origin 1940s: of unknown origin.

flack^2

noun

variant spelling of flak.

flacon /ˈflakɔ̃, ˈflak(ə)n/

I. noun

a small stoppered bottle, especially one for perfume.

– origin early 19th cent.: French, ‘flask’.

flag^1 /flaɡ/

I. noun

1. a piece of cloth or similar material, typically oblong or square, attachable by one edge to a pole or rope and used as the symbol or emblem of a country or institution or as a decoration during public festivities

• the American flag.

2. used in reference to one's home country or its system of beliefs and values

• he pledged allegiance to the flag.

3. the ensign carried by a flagship as an emblem of an admiral's rank

• Hawke first hoisted his flag at Spithead.

4. a small piece of cloth attached at one edge to a pole and used as a marker or signal in various sports

• the flag's up.

5. a drawing or symbol resembling a flag, used as a marker

• golf courses are indicated by a numbered flag on the map.

6. a small paper badge given to people who donate to a charity appeal in the street.

7. a mechanism that can be raised to indicate that a taxi is for hire.

8. [Computing] a variable used to indicate a particular property of the data in a record.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark (an item) for attention or treatment in a specified way

• the spellcheck program flags any words that are not in its dictionary.

2. draw attention to

• cancer was flagged up as a priority area for research.

3. ( flag someone/thing down) — signal to a vehicle or driver to stop, especially by waving one's arm

• she flagged down a police patrol car.

4. ( flag someone/thing off) — wave a flag at someone or something as a starting signal

• the vintage car fiesta will be flagged off by the minister for tourism.

5. [no obj.] — (of an official) raise a flag to draw the referee's attention to a breach of the rules in soccer, rugby, and other sports

• the goalkeeper brought down Hendrie and a linesman immediately flagged.

6. provide or decorate with a flag or flags.

7. register (a vessel) in a particular country, under whose flag it then sails.

III. phrases

1. fly the flag

a. (of a ship) be registered in a particular country and sail under its flag.

b. (also show or carry or wave the flag) — represent or demonstrate support for one's country, political party, or organization, especially when one is abroad

• he will be flying the flag for British fashion on the Paris catwalks.

2. put the flags (or flag) out

celebrate

• temperatures are increasing again—that's why we're putting out the flags.

3. show the flag

(of a naval vessel) make an official visit to a foreign port, especially as a show of strength.

4. wrap oneself in the flag

(chiefly N. Amer.) make an excessive show of one's patriotism, especially for political ends.

IV. derivatives

flagger

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps from obsolete flag ‘drooping’, of unknown ultimate origin.

flag^2 /flaɡ/

I. noun

a flat stone slab, typically rectangular or square, used for paving.

– origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘turf, sod’): probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Icelandic flag ‘spot from which a sod has been cut’ and Old Norse flaga ‘slab of stone’.

flag^3 /flaɡ/

I. noun

1. a plant with sword-shaped leaves that grow from a rhizome:
● a plant of the iris family (genus Iris, family Iridaceae). See yellow flag (sense 2) ● see sweet flag.

2. the long slender leaf of a flag.

– origin late Middle English: related to Middle Dutch flag and Danish flæg; of unknown ultimate origin.

flag^4 /flaɡ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. become tired or less enthusiastic or dynamic

• if you begin to flag, there is an excellent cafe to revive you

• (as adj. flagging) an attempt to resurrect his flagging career.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘flap about loosely, hang down’): related to obsolete flag ‘hanging down’.

flag boat

noun

a boat serving as a mark in sailing matches.

flag captain

noun

the captain of a flagship.

flag carrier

noun

an airline owned or formerly owned by a specified state

• the European Commission blocked its attempt to buy Aer Lingus shortly after the Irish flag carrier was privatised.

flag day

noun

1. (Brit.) a day on which money is collected for a charity in the street and donors are given small paper badges to show they have contributed.

2. ( Flag Day) — (in the US) 14 June, the anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes in 1777.

flagellant /ˈfladʒ(ə)l(ə)nt, fləˈdʒɛl(ə)nt/

I. noun

a person who subjects themselves or others to flogging, either as a religious discipline or for sexual gratification.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin flagellant- ‘whipping’, from the verb flagellare, from flagellum ‘whip’ (see flagellum).

flagellate^1 /ˈfladʒ(ə)leɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. flog (someone), either as a religious discipline or for sexual gratification

• he flagellated himself with branches.

II. derivatives

1. flagellator /ˈfladʒ(ə)leɪtə /

noun

2. flagellatory /ˈflət(ə)ri /

adjective

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin flagellat- ‘whipped’, from flagellare.

flagellate^2 /ˈfladʒ(ə)lət, ˈfladʒ(ə)leɪt / ‹Zoology›

I. noun

a protozoan that has one or more flagella used for swimming.
●Several phyla in the kingdom Protista (formerly subphylum Mastigophora, phylum Protozoa), including forms such as euglena that are sometimes regarded as algae.

II. adjective

(of a cell or single-celled organism) bearing one or more flagella.

• motile flagellate cells.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from flagellum + -ate^2.

flagellation /fladʒəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

flogging or beating, either as a religious discipline or for sexual gratification

• pursuing the path of penance and flagellation.

flagellum /fləˈdʒɛləm/

I. noun

[Biology] a slender thread-like structure, especially a microscopic whip-like appendage which enables many protozoa, bacteria, spermatozoa, etc. to swim.

II. derivatives

flagellar

adjective

– origin early 19th cent. (denoting a whip or scourge): from Latin, diminutive of flagrum ‘scourge’.

flageolet^1 /ˌfladʒəˈlɛt, ˈfladʒəlɪt, ˈfla(d)ʒəleɪ/

I. noun

1. (also French flageolet) — a very small flute-like instrument resembling a recorder but with four finger holes on top and two thumb holes below.

2. another term for tin whistle.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, diminutive of Old French flageol, from Provençal flaujol, of unknown origin.

flageolet^2 /ˈfla(d)ʒəleɪ, ˌfladʒəˈlɛt/

I. noun

a French kidney bean of a small variety used in cooking.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, based on Latin phaseolus ‘bean’.

flagfall /ˈflaɡfɔːl/

I. noun

1. (Austral.) (SE Asian) a fixed initial charge incurred at the start of a taxi journey, as part of the overall fare

• passengers were slugged with a $3.60 surcharge on New Year's Eve, on top of the $4.20 flagfall

• the air-conditioned taxis charge a flagfall of 35 baht.

2. a fixed charge incurred when making a phone call, regardless of the length of the call

• their standard calling rates are slightly higher, at 99c per minute with a 40c flagfall

• [ mass noun] there's no flagfall, no connection fee, no monthly charges, and no lock-in contracts.

3. (chiefly Brit.) (in horse racing or motor racing) the start or end of a race, as signified by the lowering of a flag

• the 16–1 outsider led from flagfall

• Morris maintained his advantage but Charlie was a fighting second, just a tenth of a second behind at flagfall.

– origin late 19th cent.: from flag^1 + fall; in sense 1 flag refers to a mechanism in a taximeter that was raised to indicate that a taxi was for hire and lowered to activate the taximeter.

flagfish /ˈflaɡfɪʃ/

noun

any of a number of small fish with prominent or boldly marked fins, in particular:
● a colourful freshwater fish with spots and iridescent scales, native to Florida ( Jordanella floridae, family Cyprinodontidae). ● a marine fish with a dark-barred tail, of shallow Indo-Pacific waters ( Kuhlia taeniurus, family Kuhliidae).

flag-flying

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the vigorous demonstration of support for one's country, political party, or organization, especially when one is abroad.

• the obvious flag-flying and general razzmatazz.

• [as modifier] a flag-flying cruise.

flagged /ˈflaɡd/

adjective

paved with flat stone slabs

• a large, flagged vestibule

• [in combination] the garden has a stone-flagged patio.

flagitious /fləˈdʒɪʃəs/

I. adjective

‹formal› (of a person or their actions) criminal; villainous.

II. derivatives

1. flagitiously

adverb

2. flagitiousness /fləˈdʒɪʃəsnəs /

noun

– origin late Middle English: from Latin flagitiosus, from flagitium ‘importunity, shameful crime’, from flagitare ‘demand earnestly’.

flag lieutenant

noun

a lieutenant acting as an admiral's aide-de-camp.

flagman /ˈflaɡmən/

noun

a person who gives signals with a flag, especially at horse races or on railway lines.

flag of convenience

noun

a flag of a country under which a ship is registered in order to avoid financial charges or restrictive regulations in the owner's country.

flag officer

noun

an admiral, vice admiral, or rear admiral, or the commodore of a yacht club.

flag of truce

noun

a white flag indicating a desire for a truce.

flagon /ˈflaɡ(ə)n/

I. noun

1. a large container in which drink is served, typically with a handle and spout

• a silver flagon.

2. the amount of liquid held in a flagon

• a flagon of beer.

3. a container similar to a flagon used to hold the wine for the Eucharist.

4. a large bottle in which wine or cider is sold, typically holding 1.13 litres (about 2 pints).

– origin late Middle English: from Old French flacon, based on late Latin flasco, flascon-, of unknown origin. Compare with flask.

flagon wagon

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a vehicle used to transport alcoholic drink to an Aboriginal settlement

• the flagon wagons run less regularly than they used to.

flagpole /ˈflaɡpəʊl/

I. noun

a pole used for flying a flag.

II. phrases

run something up the flagpole (to see who salutes)

test the popularity of a new idea or proposal

• the idea was first run up the flagpole in 1997.

flag rank

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the rank attained by flag officers.

flagrant /ˈfleɪɡr(ə)nt/

I. adjective

(of an action considered wrong or immoral) conspicuously or obviously offensive

• a flagrant violation of the law.

II. derivatives

flagrancy /ˈfleɪɡr(ə)nsi /

noun

– origin late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘blazing, resplendent’): from French, or from Latin flagrant- ‘blazing’, from the verb flagrare.

flagrantly /ˈfleɪɡr(ə)ntli/

adverb

in a conspicuously or obviously offensive way

• authorities are flagrantly violating the law by refusing to comply.

flagship /ˈflaɡʃɪp/

noun

1. the ship in a fleet which carries the commanding admiral.

2. the best or most important thing owned or produced by a particular organization

• this bill is the flagship of the government's legislative programme

• [as modifier] the company's flagship store in Paris.

flagstaff /ˈflaɡstɑːf/

noun

another term for flagpole.

flagstone /ˈflaɡstəʊn/

I. noun

a flat stone slab, typically rectangular or square, used for paving.

• there was a carpet on the flagstones of the hall.

• [as modifier] a flagstone terrace.

II. derivatives

flagstoned

adjective

flag-waving

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the expression of patriotism in a populist and emotional way
[as modifier]

• flag-waving conservatism.

II. derivatives

flag-waver

noun

flail /fleɪl/

I. noun

1. a threshing tool consisting of a wooden staff with a short heavy stick swinging from it.

2. a device similar to a flail, used as a weapon or for flogging.

3. a machine having a similar action to a flail, used for threshing or slashing
[as modifier]

• a flail hedge trimmer.

II. verb

1. wave or swing wildly
[no obj.]

• his arms flailed as he sought to maintain his balance.

2. [no obj.] — flounder; struggle uselessly

• I was flailing about in the water.

3. [with obj.] — beat or flog (someone).

• he escorted them, flailing their shoulders with his cane.

4. (Brit.) cut (vegetation) with a flail

• the modern practice of flailing hedges every year with mechanical cutters.

– origin Old English, of West Germanic origin, based on Latin flagellum ‘whip’ (see flagellum); probably influenced in Middle English by Old French flaiel or Dutch vlegel.

flair /flɛː/

I. noun

1. [in sing.] — a special or instinctive aptitude or ability for doing something well

• she had a flair for languages

• [ mass noun] none of us had much artistic flair.

2. [ mass noun] — stylishness and originality

• she dressed with flair.

– origin late 19th cent.: from French, from flairer ‘to smell’, based on Latin fragrare ‘smell sweet’. Compare with fragrant.

flak /flak / flack

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. anti-aircraft fire.

2. strong criticism

• you must be strong enough to take the flak if things go wrong.

– origin 1930s: from German, abbreviation of Fliegerabwehrkanone, literally ‘aviator-defence gun’.

flake^1 /fleɪk/

I. noun

1. a small, flat, very thin piece of something, typically one which has broken away or been peeled off from a larger piece

• he licked the flakes of croissant off his finger.

2. a snowflake.

• the snow was coming down in thick flakes.

3. [Archaeology] a piece of hard stone chipped off for use as a tool by prehistoric humans.
[as modifier]

• flake tools.

4. [ mass noun] — thin pieces of crushed, dried food or bait for fish.

5. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› a crazy or eccentric person.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — come or fall away from a surface in flakes

• the paint had been flaking off for years.

2. lose small fragments from the surface

• my nails have started to flake at the ends.

3. [with obj.] — separate (food) into flakes or thin pieces
(as adj. flaked)

• flaked almonds.

4. [no obj.] — (of food) come apart in flakes or thin pieces

• cook until the fish flakes easily.

– origin Middle English: the immediate source is unknown, the senses perhaps deriving from different words; probably of Germanic origin and related to flag^2 and flaw^1.

flake^2 /fleɪk/

I. noun

a rack or shelf for storing or drying food such as fish.

– origin Middle English (denoting a wicker hurdle): perhaps of Scandinavian origin and related to Old Norse flaki, fleki ‘wicker shield’ and Danish flage ‘hurdle’.

flake^3 /fleɪk/

I. verb — [no obj.] ( flake out)

1. ‹informal› fall asleep; drop from exhaustion.

• he got back in time to flake out until morning.

– origin late 15th cent. (in the senses ‘become languid’ and (of a garment) ‘fall in folds’): variant of obsolete flack and the verb flag^4. The current sense dates from the 1940s.

flake^4 /fleɪk / ‹Nautical› fake

I. noun

a single turn of a coiled rope or hawser.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. lay (a rope) in loose coils in order to prevent it tangling

• a cable had to be flaked out.

2. lay (a sail) down in folds either side of the boom.

– origin early 17th cent. (as a noun): of unknown origin; compare with German Flechte in the same sense.

flake white

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a pure white pigment made from flakes of white lead.

flak jacket

noun

a sleeveless jacket made of heavy fabric reinforced with metal, worn as protection against bullets and shrapnel.

flaky /ˈfleɪki / flakey

I. adjective

1. breaking or separating easily into flakes

• she ate flaky rolls spread with cherry jam.

2. ‹informal› liable to act in an unconventional or eccentric way

• a game-show host with a penchant for flaky blondes.

3. (of a device or software) prone to break down; unreliable.

II. derivatives

1. flakiness

noun

2. flakily

adverb

flaky pastry

noun — [ mass noun]

1. pastry consisting of thin light layers when baked.

flam /flam/

I. noun

[Music] one of the basic patterns (rudiments) of drumming, consisting of a stroke preceded by a grace note.

– origin late 18th cent.: probably imitative.

flambé /ˈflɒmbeɪ/

I. adjective

1. [ postpositive] — (of food) covered with spirits and set alight briefly

• crêpes flambé.

2. denoting or characterized by a lustrous red copper-based porcelain glaze with purple streaks.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover (food) with spirits and set it alight briefly.

– origin late 19th cent.: French, literally ‘singed’, past participle of flamber, from flambe ‘a flame’.

flambeau /ˈflambəʊ/

I. noun

1. ‹historical› a flaming torch, especially one made of several thick wicks dipped in wax.

2. ‹historical› a large candlestick with several branches.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from French, from flambe ‘a flame’.

Flamborough Head /ˈflamb(ə)rə/

a rocky promontory on the east coast of England, in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

flamboyance /flamˈbɔɪəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the tendency to attract attention because of one's exuberance, confidence, and stylishness

• he had a reputation for flair and flamboyance

• critics dismiss his flamboyance and excess as indulgent.

2. the quality of being bright, colourful, and very noticeable

• the stunning tones give the show a lot of visual flamboyance.

II. derivatives

flamboyancy

noun

flamboyant^1 /flamˈbɔɪənt/

I. adjective

1. (of a person or their behaviour) tending to attract attention because of their exuberance, confidence, and stylishness

• the band's flamboyant lead singer.

2. bright, colourful, and very noticeable

• a flamboyant bow tie.

3. [Architecture] of or denoting a style of French Gothic architecture marked by wavy flame-like tracery and ornate decoration.
Compare with rayonnant.

II. derivatives

flamboyantly /flamˈbɔɪəntli /

adverb

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘flaming, blazing’, present participle of flamboyer, from flambe ‘a flame’.

flamboyant^2 /flamˈbɔɪənt/

I. noun

a Madagascan tree with bright red flowers and leaves composed of numerous leaflets, planted as a street tree in the tropics.
● Delonix regia, family Leguminosae.

– origin late 19th cent.: probably a noun use of the French adjective flamboyant ‘blazing’ (see flamboyant^1).

flame /fleɪm/

I. noun

1. a hot glowing body of ignited gas that is generated by something on fire

• the car was engulfed in flames

• [ mass noun] a sheet of flame blocked my escape.

2. a thing compared to a flame's ability to burn fiercely or be extinguished

• the flame of hope flickered and died

• there's nothing like a holiday to rekindle the flames of passion.

3. [ mass noun] — a brilliant orange-red colour like that of flames
[in combination]

• a flame-red Alfa Romeo.

4. [Computing] ‹informal› a vitriolic or abusive message posted on the Internet or sent by email, typically in quick response to another message

• send out an unsolicited email and you could possibly receive thousands of flames.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — burn and give off flames

• a great fire flamed in an open fireplace

• ‹figurative› hope flamed in her.

2. [with obj.] — set (something) alight

• warm the whisky slightly, pour over the lobster, and flame it.

3. shine or glow like a flame

• her thick hair flamed against the light.

4. (of a person's face) suddenly become red with intense emotion, especially anger or embarrassment

• Jess's cheeks flamed.

5. [with obj.] — [Computing] ‹informal› direct a vitriolic or abusive message at (someone) on the Internet or via email

• your opinions and mine are probably different, but please don't flame me.

III. phrases

1. burst into flame (or flames)

suddenly begin to burn fiercely

• the car crashed into a tree and burst into flames.

2. go up in flames

be destroyed by fire

• last night two factories went up in flames.

3. old flame /ˌəʊldˈfleɪm /

‹informal› a former lover.

IV. phrasal verbs

flame out

a. (of a jet engine) lose power through the extinction of the flame in the combustion chamber.

b. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) fail badly or conspicuously

• he and the rest of the team flamed out in the last three minutes.

V. derivatives

1. flameless /ˈfleɪmləs /

adjective

2. flame-like

adjective

3. flamer /ˈfleɪmə /

noun

[Computing]

4. flamy flamey

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French flame (noun), flamer (verb), from Latin flamma ‘a flame’.

flame-coloured ‹US› flame-colored

adjective

of a brilliant orange-red colour

• she is proud of her flame-coloured hair.

flame gun

noun

a device for producing a jet of flame, used especially for destroying weeds.

flame-haired

adjective

having red hair

• a flame-haired beauty.

flamen /ˈfleɪmɛn, ˈflɑːmɛn/

I. noun

[Roman History] a priest serving a particular deity.

– origin Latin.

flamenco /fləˈmɛŋkəʊ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a style of Spanish music, played especially on the guitar and accompanied by singing and dancing.

2. a style of spirited, rhythmical dance performed to flamenco music, often with castanets.

– origin late 19th cent.: Spanish, ‘like a Gypsy’, literally ‘Fleming’, from Middle Dutch Vlaminc.

flame of the forest

noun

a tropical tree which bears showy bright red flowers, in particular:
● an Asian tree of the pea family ( Butea monosperma, family Leguminosae). ● another term for flamboyant^2.

flameout /ˈfleɪməʊt/

noun

1. an instance of the flame in the combustion chamber of a jet engine being extinguished, with a resultant loss of power.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a complete or conspicuous failure

• his first-round flameout at the US Open.

flameproof /ˈfleɪmpruːf/

I. adjective

1. (especially of a fabric) treated so as to be non-flammable.

2. (of cookware) able to be used either in an oven or on a hob

• a flameproof casserole.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) flameproof.

flame retardant

I. noun

a substance that prevents or inhibits the outbreak of fire

• flame retardants are in many upholstered furnishings.

II. adjective

(especially of a fabric or substance) treated so as to be non-flammable

• flame-retardant chemicals.

flamethrower /ˈfleɪmθrəʊə/

noun

a weapon that sprays out burning fuel.

flame tree

noun

any of a number of trees with brilliant red flowers, in particular:
● an Australian bottle tree ( Brachychiton acerifolius, family Sterculiaceae). ● another term for flamboyant^2.

flame war

noun

‹informal› a lengthy exchange of angry or abusive messages between users of an Internet message board or forum.

• when people engage in flame wars, they often do battle from behind the cloak of anonymity.

flaming /ˈfleɪmɪŋ/

adjective

1. [ attrib.] — burning fiercely and emitting flames

• they dragged her away from the flaming car.

2. very hot

• flaming June.

3. of a bright orange or red colour

• her flaming hair.

4. passionate or violent

• a flaming row.

5. [ attrib.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› used for emphasis to express annoyance

• where's that flaming taxi?

6. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹chiefly derogatory› (of a gay man) having a manner or appearance regarded as stereotypically homosexual.

flamingo /fləˈmɪŋɡəʊ/

I. noun

a tall wading bird with mainly pink or scarlet plumage and long legs and neck. It has a heavy bent bill that is held upside down in the water in order to filter-feed on small organisms.
●Family Phoenicopteridae: three genera and four species, in particular the greater flamingo ( Phoenicopterus ruber).

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Spanish flamengo, earlier form of flamenco (see flamenco); associated, because of its colour, with Latin flamma ‘a flame’.

flammable /ˈflaməb(ə)l/

I. adjective

easily set on fire

• the use of highly flammable materials.

II. derivatives

flammability /flaməˈbɪlɪti /

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin flammare, from flamma ‘a flame’. / usage: The words flammable and inflammable actually mean the same thing: see usage at inflammable.

flammulated owl /ˈflamjʊleɪtɪd/

noun

a small reddish-grey migratory American owl which sometimes occurs in loose colonies.
● Otus flammeolus, family Strigidae.

Flamsteed, John /ˈflamstiːd/

(1646–1719), English astronomer. He was the first Astronomer Royal at the Royal Greenwich Observatory and produced the first star catalogue (for use in navigation).

flan /flan/

I. noun

1. a baked dish consisting of an open-topped pastry case with a savoury or sweet filling.

• an egg and bacon flan.

• [as modifier] a fluted flan tin.

2. a disc of metal such as one from which a coin is made.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from French (originally denoting a round cake) from Old French flaon, from medieval Latin flado, fladon-, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlade ‘custard’.

Flanders /ˈflɑːndəz/

a region in the south-western part of the Low Countries, now divided between Belgium (where it forms the provinces of East and West Flanders), France, and the Netherlands. It was a powerful medieval principality and the scene of prolonged fighting during the First World War.

Flanders poppy

noun

a red poppy used as an emblem of the Allied soldiers who fell in the First World War.

Flandrian /ˈflɑːndrɪən/

I. adjective

1. [Geology] relating to or denoting the current (Holocene or Recent) stage in northern Europe, especially when treated as an interglacial period.

2. (as noun the Flandrian) — [Geology] the Flandrian interglacial or the system of deposits laid down during it.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Flanders + -ian.

flânerie /flanˈriː, French flanʀi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. aimless idle behaviour.

– origin French, from flâner ‘saunter, lounge’.

flâneur /flaˈnəː French flanœʀ//

I. noun

a man who saunters around observing society.

– origin French, from flâner ‘saunter, lounge’.

flange /flan(d)ʒ/

I. noun

a projecting flat rim, collar, or rib on an object, serving for strengthening or attachment or (on a wheel) for maintaining position on a rail.

• the flanges that held the tailpipe to the aircraft.

II. derivatives

1. flanged /flan(d)ʒd /

adjective

2. flangeless

adjective

– origin late 17th cent.: perhaps based on Old French flanchir ‘to bend’.

flanger /ˈflan(d)ʒə/

noun

an electronic device which alters a sound signal by introducing a cyclically varying phase shift into one of two identical copies of the signal and recombining them, used especially in popular music to alter the sound of an instrument.

flanging /ˈflandʒɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the provision of a flange or flanges on an object.

2. the alteration of sound using a flanger.

flank /flaŋk/

I. noun

1. the side of a person's or animal's body between the ribs and the hip

• leaning against his horse's flanks.

2. a cut of meat from the flank of an animal

• a thick flank of beef.

3. the side of a large object or structure

• the northern flank of the Rockies.

4. the right or left side of a body of people such as an army, a naval force, or a soccer team

• the left flank of the Russian Third Army.

5. the right or left side of a gaming area such as a chessboard.

6. (also flank forward) — [Rugby] another term for wing forward.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. be on each or on one side of

• the three defendants stood in the dock, flanked by police officers

• cherry-red sofas flanked the enormous fireplace.

2. (usu. as adj. flanking) — guard or strengthen (a military force or position) from the side

• massive walls, defended by four flanking towers.

3. (usu. as adj. flanking) — attack down or from the sides, or rake with gunfire from the sides

• a flanking attack from the north-east.

III. phrases

in flank

[Military] at the side

• they were to hit the tail of the column in flank.

– origin late Old English, from Old French flanc, of Germanic origin.

flanker /ˈflaŋkə/

noun

1. a person or thing situated on the flank of something, in particular:

2. [Rugby] another term for wing forward.

3. [American Football] an offensive back who is positioned to the outside of an end.

4. [Military] a fortification guarding or menacing the side of a force or position.

5. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a trick or swindle

• he's certainly pulled a flanker on the army.

flannel /ˈflan(ə)l/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — a kind of soft woven fabric, typically made of wool or cotton and slightly milled and raised
[as modifier]

• a check flannel shirt.

2. ( flannels) — men's trousers made of flannel.

• he was dressed in a tweed jacket and grey flannels.

3. short for flannelette.

4. (Brit.) a small piece of towelling used for washing oneself.

5. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) ‹informal› bland fluent talk indulged in to avoid addressing a difficult subject or situation directly

• a simple admittance of ignorance was much to be preferred to any amount of flannel.

II. verb — [no obj.] (often as noun flannelling)

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› use bland fluent talk to avoid addressing a difficult subject or situation directly.

– origin Middle English: probably from Welsh gwlanen ‘woollen article’, from gwlân ‘wool’.

flannelboard

noun

a board covered with flannel to which paper or cloth cut-outs will stick, used as a toy or a teaching aid.

flannelette /ˌflanəˈlɛt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a napped cotton fabric resembling flannel
[as modifier]

• a flannelette nightdress.

flannelgraph

noun

another term for flannelboard.

flannelled ‹US› flanneled

adjective — [usu. in combination]

1. wearing flannel trousers

• a rather stout boy, grey-flannelled, pulling off a school cap.

flannelmouth

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a person who talks too much, especially in a boastful or deceitful way.

flannie /ˈflani/

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a flannelette shirt

• in a blue flannie and jeans, she contrasts sharply with the elegant decor of her surroundings.

flap /flap/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — (of a bird) move (its wings) up and down when flying or preparing to fly

• a pheasant flapped its wings

• [no obj.] gulls flapped around uttering their strange cries.

2. [no obj.] — (of something loosely fastened) flutter or wave around

• lines of washing flapped in the wind.

3. move (something) up and down or to and fro

• he flapped the envelope in front of my face.

4. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — strike at (something) loosely, especially to drive it away

• she flapped my hands away as she sat up.

5. [no obj.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› be agitated or panicky

• it's all right, Mother, don't flap.

II. noun

1. a thin, flat piece of cloth, paper, metal, etc. that is hinged or attached on one side only and covers an opening or hangs down from something

• the flap of the envelope

• he pushed through the tent flap.

2. a hinged or sliding section of an aircraft wing used to control lift

• flaps are normally moved by the hydraulics.

3. an act of flapping something, typically a wing or arm, up and down or from side to side

• the surviving bird made a few final despairing flaps.

4. [in sing.] — ‹informal› a state of agitation; a panic

• your Gran was in a flap, worrying she'd put her foot in it.

5. a large broad mushroom.

6. [Phonetics] a type of consonant produced by allowing the tip of the tongue to strike the palate very briefly.

III. phrases

someone's ears are flapping

(Brit.) ‹informal› someone is trying to a listen to a conversation between other people.

IV. derivatives

flappy

adjective

– origin Middle English: probably imitative.

flapdoodle /ˈflapduːd(ə)l/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› (chiefly US) nonsense

• four hundred pages of mystical flapdoodle.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly US) a foolish person.

– origin mid 19th cent.: an arbitrary formation.

flapjack /ˈflapdʒak/

I. noun

1. (Brit.) a sweet dense cake made from oats, golden syrup, and melted butter, served in rectangles.

2. (N. Amer.) a pancake.

– origin early 17th cent. (in sense 2): from flap (in the dialect sense ‘toss a pancake’) + jack^1; sense 1 dates from the 1930s and is probably a regional coinage.

flapper /ˈflapə/

noun

‹informal› (in the 1920s) a fashionable young woman intent on enjoying herself and flouting conventional standards of behaviour.

flapshell flap-shelled turtle

noun

a soft-shelled turtle, native to India and Africa, with flaps of skin on the lower shell that fold to protect the hindlimbs and tail, and flexible margins to the upper shell that protect the head and limbs.
●Genera Lissemys and other genera, family Trionychidae: several species, in particular the Indian flapshell ( L. punctata).

flap valve flapper valve

noun

a valve opened and closed by a plate hinged at one side.

flare /flɛː/

I. noun

1. a sudden brief burst of bright flame or light

• the flare of the match lit up his face.

2. a device producing a very bright flame, used especially as a signal or marker

• a distress flare

• [as modifier] a flare gun.

3. [in sing.] — a sudden burst of intense emotion

• she felt a flare of anger within her.

4. a sudden recurrence of an inflammation or other medical condition

• corticosteroid treatment for colitis flares.

5. [Astronomy] a sudden explosion in the chromosphere and corona of the sun or another star, resulting in an intense burst of radiation.
See also solar flare.

6. [ mass noun] — [Photography] extraneous illumination on film caused by internal reflection in the camera.

7. a gradual widening in shape, especially towards the hem of a garment.

8. ( flares) — trousers whose legs get progressively wider from the knees down.

9. [ mass noun] — an upward and outward curve of a ship's bows, designed to throw the water outwards when in motion.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. burn or shine with a sudden intensity

• the bonfire crackled and flared up

• behind him, lightning flared.

2. (of a situation or emotion) suddenly become intense or violent

• tempers flared as supporters scuffled with other passengers

• the controversy flared up again in 2003.

3. ( flare up) — (of a person) suddenly become angry

• she flared up, shouting at Geoffrey.

4. (often as adj. flared) — gradually become wider at one end

• a flared skirt

• the dress flared out into a huge train.

5. (of a person's nostrils) dilate.

• his head lifted fractionally, his nostrils flaring.

6. [with obj.] — (of a person) cause (the nostrils) to dilate.

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘spread out one's hair’): of unknown origin. Current senses date from the 17th cent.

flarepath /ˈflɛəpɑːθ/

noun

an area illuminated to enable an aircraft to land or take off.

flare star

noun

[Astronomy] a dwarf star which displays spasmodic outbursts of radiation, believed to be due to extremely intense flares.

flare-up /ˈflɛːrʌp/

noun

a sudden outburst of something, especially violence or hostility

• a flare-up between the two countries.

flash^1 /flaʃ/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — shine in a bright but brief, sudden, or intermittent way

• lightning flashed overhead

• an irritating neon sign flashed on and off

• (as adj. flashing) a police car with a flashing light.

2. [with obj.] — cause to shine briefly or suddenly

• the oncoming car flashed its lights.

3. [with obj.] — shine or show a light to send (a signal)

• red lights started to flash a warning.

4. [with obj.] — give (a swift look)

• Carrie flashed a glance in his direction

• [with two objs] she flashed him a withering look.

5. (of a person's eyes) indicate sudden emotion, especially anger

• she glared at him, her eyes flashing.

6. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move or pass very quickly

• a look of terror flashed across Kirov's face

• ‹figurative› a sudden thought flashed through his mind.

7. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — send (news or information) swiftly by means of telegraphy or telecommunications

• the story was flashed around the world.

8. [with obj.] — display (information or an image) suddenly on a television or computer screen or electronic sign, typically briefly or repeatedly

• the screen flashed up a menu.

9. [no obj.] — (of information or an image) be displayed briefly or repeatedly on a screen

• the election results flashed on the screen.

10. ‹informal› hold up or show (something, often proof of one's identity) quickly before replacing it

• she opened her purse and flashed her ID card.

11. ‹informal› make a conspicuous display of (something) so as to impress or attract attention

• they flashed huge wads of money about.

12. [no obj.] — ‹informal› (of a man) show one's genitals briefly in public.

II. noun

1. a sudden brief burst of bright light

• a flash of lightning.

2. a patch or sudden display of a bright colour

• the woodpecker swooped from tree to tree with a flash of yellow, green, and red.

3. (Brit.) a coloured patch of cloth on a uniform used as the distinguishing emblem of a regiment, formation, or country.

• a short man with the black flashes of the tank units.

4. a coloured band on the packaging of a product used to catch the consumer's eye

• on-pack flashes offer a free ‘Taste of the Caribbean’.

5. a pre-drawn design for a tattoo.

6. a sudden or brief manifestation or occurrence of something

• she had a flash of inspiration.

7. a newsflash.

8. a camera attachment that produces a brief very bright light, used for taking photographs in poor light

• an electronic flash

• [ mass noun] if in any doubt use flash.

9. ( Flash) ( in the US) [ mass noun] — [Computing] ‹trademark› a platform for producing and displaying animation and video in web browsers.

10. [ mass noun] — ‹informal› ostentatious stylishness or display of wealth

• workwear represents a move away from Eighties designer flash.

11. [ mass noun] — excess plastic or metal forced between facing surfaces as two halves of a mould close up, forming a thin projection on the finished object.

• flap wheels are ideal for grinding off fibreglass flash.

12. a rush of water, especially down a weir to take a boat over shallows.

III. adjective

1. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) ostentatiously stylish or expensive

• a flash new car.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) ostentatiously displaying one's wealth

• he's a bit flash and refers to his gold card a few times too many.

3. ‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) ‹archaic› relating to the language used by criminals or prostitutes.

IV. phrases

1. flash in the pan

a thing or person whose sudden but brief success is not repeated or repeatable

• our start to the season was just a flash in the pan.

[with allusion to priming of a firearm, the flash arising from an explosion of gunpowder within the lock.]

2. in (or like) a flash

very quickly; immediately

• she was out of the back door in a flash.

3. (as) quick as a flash

(especially of a person's response or reaction) very quickly

• quick as a flash he was at her side.

V. phrasal verbs

flash over

a. make an electric circuit by sparking across a gap.

b. (of a fire) spread instantly across a gap because of intense heat.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘splash water about’): probably imitative; compare with flush^1 and splash.

flash^2 /flaʃ/

I. noun

(Brit.) a water-filled hollow formed by subsidence, especially any of those due to rock salt extraction in or near Cheshire.

• sandpits and flashes also attract visiting birds.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘a marshy place’): from Old French flache, variant of Picard and Norman dialect flaque, from Middle Dutch vlacke. The current sense dates from the late 19th cent.

flashback /ˈflaʃbak/

noun

1. a scene in a film, novel, etc. set in a time earlier than the main story

• in a series of flashbacks, we follow the pair through their teenage years

• [ mass noun] the movie tells the story in flashback.

2. a disturbing sudden vivid memory of an event in the past, typically as the result of psychological trauma or taking LSD.

3. a flame moving rapidly back through a combustible vapour

• cooling the area prevented a flashback.

flashboard

noun

a board used for sending more water from a mill dam into a mill race.

flashbulb /ˈflaʃbʌlb/

noun

a bulb for a flashgun, of a type that is used only once.

flash burn

noun

a burn caused by sudden intense heat, e.g. from a nuclear explosion.

flash card /ˈflaʃ kɑːd/

noun

a card containing a small amount of information, held up for pupils to see, as an aid to learning.

flash crash

noun

[Stock Exchange] ‹informal› an extremely rapid decline in the price of one or more commodities or securities, typically one caused by automated trading

• high frequency trading can trigger a flash crash.

flashcube /ˈflaʃkjuːb/

noun

‹chiefly historical› a set of four flashbulbs arranged in a cube and operated in turn.

flash drive

noun

a small electronic device containing flash memory that is used for storing data or transferring it to or from a computer, digital camera, etc.

flasher /ˈflaʃə/

noun

1. an automatic device causing a light to flash on and off rapidly.

2. a signal using a flashing device, for example a car's indicator.

3. ‹informal› a man who exposes his genitals in public.

flash flood

noun

a sudden local flood, typically due to heavy rain.

flash-freeze

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. freeze (food or other material) very rapidly so as to prevent the formation of ice crystals.

II. derivatives

flash-freezer

noun

flash-fry

verb — [with obj.]

1. fry (food) briefly and at a very high temperature.

flashgun /ˈflaʃɡʌn/

noun

a device which gives a brief flash of intense light, used for taking photographs indoors or in poor light.

flashing /ˈflaʃɪŋ/

I. noun

a strip of metal used to stop water penetrating the junction of a roof with another surface

• flashings around chimneys

• [ mass noun] the lead flashing on the roof.

– origin late 18th cent.: from the earlier synonym flash (of unknown origin) + -ing^1.

flash jack

noun

(Austral.) ‹informal› a man who dresses or behaves ostentatiously

• we don't like flash jacks hanging round our girls.

flash lamp

noun

a portable flashing electric lamp such as a flashgun.

flashlight /ˈflaʃlʌɪt/

noun

1. (chiefly N. Amer.) an electric torch.

2. a flashing light used for signals and in lighthouses.

3. another term for flashgun.

flash memory

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Computing] a kind of memory that retains data in the absence of a power supply.

flash mob /ˈflaʃmɒb/

I. noun

a large public gathering at which people perform an unusual or seemingly random act and then disperse, typically organized by means of the Internet or social media

• equipped with cameras and LED lights, a flash mob of 135 people appeared out of nowhere to put on a performance.

II. derivatives

1. flash mobber

noun

2. flash mobbing

noun

flashover /ˈflaʃəʊvə/

noun

1. a high-voltage electric short circuit made through the air between exposed conductors.

2. an instance of a fire spreading very rapidly through the air because of intense heat.

flash photography

noun — [ mass noun]

1. photography involving the use of a camera attachment that produces a brief very bright light, used in poor light

• flash photography is not permitted.

flash photolysis

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] the use of a very intense flash of light to bring about decomposition or dissociation in a heated gas, usually as a means of generating and studying short-lived molecules.

flashpoint /ˈflaʃpɔɪnt/

noun

1. a place, event, or time at which violence or hostility flares up

• the conflict reached a flashpoint last year.

2. [Chemistry] the temperature at which a particular organic compound gives off sufficient vapour to ignite in air.

• this particular resin is very volatile and has a fairly low flashpoint.

flash tube

noun

a gas-discharge tube used, especially in photography, to provide an electronic flash when a current is suddenly passed through it.

flashy /ˈflaʃi/

I. adjective

ostentatiously attractive or impressive

• he always had a flashy car.

II. derivatives

1. flashily /ˈflaʃɪli /

adverb

2. flashiness /ˈflaʃɪnəs /

noun

flask /flɑːsk/

I. noun

1. a container for liquids, in particular:

2. a narrow-necked glass container, typically conical or spherical, used in a laboratory to hold reagents or samples.

3. a narrow-necked bulbous glass container, typically with a covering of wickerwork, for storing wine or oil.

4. (Brit.) a vacuum flask.

5. a hip flask.

6. the contents of a flask

• a flask of coffee.

7. an extremely strong lead-lined container for transporting or storing radioactive nuclear waste.

8. ‹historical› short for powder flask.

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘cask’): from medieval Latin flasca. From the mid 16th cent. the word denoted a case of horn, leather, or metal for carrying gunpowder. The sense ‘glass container’ (late 17th cent.) was influenced by Italian fiasco, from medieval Latin flasco. Compare with flagon.

flat^1 /flat/

I. adjective

1. having a level surface; without raised areas or indentations

• he sat down on a flat rock

• trim the surface of the cake to make it completely flat.

2. (of land) without hills

• thirty-five acres of flat countryside.

3. (of an expanse of water) calm and without waves.

4. not sloping

• the flat roof of a garage.

5. having a broad level surface but little height or depth; shallow

• a flat rectangular box

• a flat cap.

6. (of shoes) without heels or with very low heels.

7. lacking emotion; dull and lifeless

• ‘I'm sorry,’ he said, in a flat voice.

8. (of a person) without energy or enthusiasm

• his sense of intoxication wore off until he felt flat and weary.

9. (of trade, prices, etc.) not showing much activity; sluggish

• the UK housing market was flat.

10. (of a colour) uniform

• a flat shade of grey.

11. (of a photograph or negative) lacking contrast.

12. (of a sparkling drink) having lost its effervescence.

• she sipped some of the flat champagne.

13. (of something kept inflated, especially a tyre) having lost some or all of its air, typically because of a puncture.

14. (Brit.) (of a battery) having exhausted its charge.

15. [ attrib.] — (of a fee, wage, or price) the same in all cases, not varying with changed conditions or in particular cases

• a flat fare of £2.50.

See also flat rate.

16. (of a denial, contradiction, or refusal) completely definite and firm; absolute

• the request was met with a flat refusal.

17. (of musical sound) below true or normal pitch.

18. [ postpositive] — (of a key) having a flat or flats in the signature.

19. [ postpositive] — (of a note) a semitone lower than a specified note

• E flat.

20. ( Flat) — relating to flat racing

• the Flat season.

II. adverb

1. in or to a horizontal position

• he was lying flat on his back

• she had been knocked flat by the blast.

2. lying in close juxtaposition, especially against another surface

• his black curly hair was blown flat across his skull.

3. so as to become smooth and even

• I hammered the metal flat.

4. ‹informal› completely; absolutely

• I thought you'd turn me down flat

• [as submodifier] Myers was flat broke.

5. used with an expression of time to emphasize how quickly something can be done or has been done

• you can prepare a healthy meal in ten minutes flat.

6. below the true or normal pitch of musical sound.

• it wasn't a question of singing flat, but of simply singing the wrong notes.

III. noun

1. [in sing.] — the flat part of something

• she placed the flat of her hand over her glass.

2. (usu. flats) — an area of low level ground, especially near water

• the shingle flats of the lake.

3. (N. Amer.) a shallow container in which seedlings are grown and sold.

4. a shoe with a very low heel or no heel.

• she wore black leggings, a white strapless dress, and a pair of electric blue flats.

5. a railway wagon with a flat floor and no sides or roof; a flatcar.

6. (often flats) — an upright section of stage scenery mounted on a movable frame.

7. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a flat tyre.

• I've got a flat—there were nails under the wheel.

8. ( the Flat) — (Brit.) flat racing.

9. a musical note lowered a semitone below natural pitch.

10. the sign ♭, indicating a flat.

IV. verb — [with obj.]

1. (usu. as adj. flatted) — [Music] (N. Amer.) lower (a note) by a semitone

• ‘blue’ harmony emphasizing the flatted third and seventh.

2. ‹archaic› make flat; flatten

• flat the loaves down.

V. phrases

1. fall flat

fail completely to produce the intended or expected effect

• his jokes fell flat.

2. fall flat on one's face

fail in an embarrassingly obvious way

• we might fall flat on our faces and end up bankrupt.

3. (as) flat as a pancake

see pancake.

4. flat out /ˌflat ˈaʊt /

a. as fast or as hard as possible

• the whole team is working flat out to satisfy demand.

b. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) without hesitation or reservation

• she flat out said she didn't trust her fellow board members

• (as adj. flat-out) flat-out perjury.

c. lying stretched out, especially asleep or in a state of exhaustion.

• he lay flat out, breathing heavily.

5. on the flat ‹Brit.›

a. on level ground as opposed to uphill

• the car wouldn't go uphill or overtake on the flat.

b. ( on the Flat) — (of a horse race) on an open course as opposed to one with jumps.

6. that's flat

‹informal› used to indicate that one has reached a decision and will not be persuaded to change one's mind

• he won't leave and that's flat.

VI. derivatives

flattish

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old Norse flatr.

flat^2 /flat/

I. noun

(chiefly Brit.) a set of rooms forming an individual residence, typically on one floor and within a larger building containing a number of such residences

• a block of flats.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of place]

1. (Austral./NZ) live in or share a flat

• Zoë flats in Auckland.

III. phrases

go flatting

(Austral./NZ) leave one's family home to live in a flat

• in my third year I left home and went flatting with David.

IV. derivatives

flatlet /ˈflatlət /

noun

– origin early 19th cent. (denoting a floor or storey): alteration of obsolete flet ‘floor, dwelling’, of Germanic origin and related to flat^1.

flatbed /ˈflatbɛd/

noun

1. a long flat area or structure

• the flatbed of a truck.

2. a vehicle with a flat load-carrying area
[as modifier]

• a flatbed truck.

3. [as modifier] — denoting a letterpress printing machine in which the forme is carried on a horizontal surface

• a flatbed press.

4. [Computing] a scanner, plotter, or other device which keeps paper flat during use.

flatbill

noun

a tropical American bird of the tyrant flycatcher family, with a wide flat bill and mainly olive-green plumage.
●Genera Ramphotrigon and Rhynchocyclus, family Tyrannidae: several species.

flatbill flycatcher

noun

another term for boatbill (sense 2).

flatboat

noun

a boat with a flat bottom for transport in shallow water.

flat-bottomed

adjective

(chiefly of a boat or container) having a flat base

• these flat-bottomed barges were once used by local merchants.

flatbread

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a type of flat, thin bread that is typically unleavened.

flatbug /ˈflatbʌɡ/

noun

a broad very flat bug that typically lives on or under loose bark.
●Family Aradidae, suborder Heteroptera: several species.

flat cap

noun

a soft hat with a low, flat crown and a peak

• he sometimes wears a tweed flat cap.

flatcar /ˈflatkɑː/

noun

(N. Amer.) a railway freight wagon without a roof or sides.

flat-chested

adjective

(of a woman) having small breasts.

flatette /flaˈtɛt/

I. noun

(Austral.) a very small apartment

• she was renting a downstairs flatette.

– origin early 20th cent.: from flat^2 + -ette.

flat file

noun

[Computing] a file having no internal hierarchy.

flatfish /ˈflatfɪʃ/

noun

a flattened marine fish that swims on its side with both eyes on the upper side. They live typically on the seabed and are coloured to resemble it.
●Order Pleuronectiformes: several families, in particular Bothidae (left-eye flounders), Pleuronectidae (right-eye flounders), and Soleidae (soles).

flatfoot /ˈflatfʊt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (also flat feet) — a condition in which the foot has an arch that is lower than usual

• various surgical techniques are used to correct adult-acquired flatfoot

• he had a severe case of flat feet and complained of back problems.

Also called pes planus.

2. ( pl. flatfoots or flatfeet) — ‹informal› ‹dated› a police officer

• FBI flatfoots and Mafia goons.

flat-footed /flatˈfʊtɪd/

I. adjective

1. having a condition in which the foot has an arch that is lower than usual

• a flat-footed, overweight colonel.

2. ‹informal› unprepared

• many local companies were caught flat-footed by international competition.

3. ‹informal› inelegant, awkward, or uninspired

• a flat-footed prose style.

II. derivatives

1. flat-footedly

adverb

2. flat-footedness

noun

flatform /ˈflatfɔːm/

I. noun

(Brit.) a flat shoe with a high, thick sole

• a pair of tan flatforms

• [as modifier] flatform shoes.

– origin early 21st cent.: blend of flat^1 and platform.

flat-four

I. adjective

(of an engine) having four horizontal cylinders, two on each side of the crankshaft.

II. noun

a flat-four engine.

flathead

noun

1. an edible tropical marine fish that has a pointed flattened head with the eyes positioned on the top, typically burrowing in the seabed with just the eyes showing.
●Family Platycephalidae: several genera and species.

2. ( Flathead) — a member of certain North American Indian peoples such as the Chinook, Choctaw, and Salish, named from their supposed practice of flattening their children's heads artificially.

3. [as modifier] — (US) (of an engine) having the valves and spark plugs in the cylinder block rather than the cylinder head, which is essentially a flat plate.

4. (of a vehicle) having a flathead engine.

5. [as modifier] — (US) (of a screw) countersunk.

flat iron

noun

‹historical› an iron used for pressing clothes which was heated on a hotplate or fire.

Flat jockey

noun

(Brit.) a jockey who rides in horse races over courses with no jumps

• he remains one of the leading Flat jockeys.

flatland /ˈflatland/

noun — [ mass noun] (also flatlands)

1. land with no hills, valleys, or mountains.

• the flatlands of Lincolnshire.

• [ count noun] a sandy flatland dotted with marshes.

flat-leaved parsley flat, flat-leaf parsley

noun — [ mass noun]

1. parsley of a variety with large flat leaves, popular in southern Europe.
Also called Italian parsley.

flatline /ˈflatlʌɪn/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹informal› (of a person) die.

• they injected themselves with a deadly drug and flatlined.

2. (of a project or undertaking) fail

• her career has flatlined about three times already.

3. fail to increase; remain static

• their share of the vote has flatlined at about 3%.

II. derivatives

flatliner

noun

– origin 1980s: from flat^1 + line^1 (with reference to the continuous straight line displayed on a heart monitor, indicating death).

flatly /ˈflatli/

adverb

1. showing little interest or emotion

• ‘You'd better go’ she said flatly.

2. in a firm and unequivocal manner; absolutely

• they flatly refused to play.

3. in a smooth and even way

• I applied the paint flatly.

4. [Photography] without marked contrast of light and dark

• the photographs were lit very flatly.

flatmate /ˈflatmeɪt/

noun

(Brit.) a person who shares a flat with others

• my flatmate moved out a month ago.

flatness /ˈflatnəs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of having a level surface without raised areas or indentations

• the flatness of the external surface

• I am transfixed by the flatness of her stomach.

2. lack of hills in a landscape

• the flatness of the desert stretched out uninterrupted for miles

• extensive areas of relative flatness.

3. lack of emotion or enthusiasm; dullness

• neither the editing nor the score do much to help the film's emotional flatness

• there's no escaping the flatness of the characters.

4. lack of activity of trade, prices, etc.; sluggishness

• investors seem content with progress, despite the flatness of revenue and profits.

5. loss of effervescence in a sparkling drink.

6. loss of air in something inflated, such as a tyre.

7. (Brit.) the condition of a battery having exhausted its charge.

8. the quality of a musical sound being below normal pitch

• the flatness of the vocals.

flat-pack /ˈflatpak/

I. noun

1. [often as modifier] — (Brit.) a piece of furniture or other equipment that is sold in pieces packed flat in a box for easy transport and is assembled by the buyer

• a flat-pack bookcase.

2. [Electronics] a package for an integrated circuit consisting of a rectangular sealed unit with a number of horizontal metal pins protruding from its sides.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. flat-packed)

1. pack (a self-assembly item) flat in a box

• this workstation is provided flat-packed.

flat race

I. noun

a horse race over a course with no jumps, as opposed to a steeplechase or hurdles.

II. derivatives

flat racing

noun

flat rate

noun

1. a charge or level of payment that is the same in all cases

• clients are charged a flat rate of £250 annually

• [as modifier] the flat-rate state pension.

2. a rate of taxation that is not progressive, but remains at the same proportion on all amounts.

• a tax levied at a flat rate of 7.65 per cent.

flat screen

noun — [usu. as modifier]

1. a television or computer screen that is perfectly flat rather than slightly curved and that has a slim casing

• a flat-screen TV.

Flat season

noun

(Brit.) the fixed time in the year when horse racing over courses with no jumps takes place

• the new Flat season begins in March.

flat sheet

noun

an ordinary sheet for a bed as distinct from a fitted one.

flat spin

noun

1. [Aeronautics] a spin in which an aircraft descends in tight circles while remaining almost horizontal.

2. [in sing.] — (Brit.) ‹informal› a state of agitation or panic

• a scandal has put the university into a flat spin.

flatten /ˈflat(ə)n/

I. verb

1. make or become flat or flatter
[with obj.]

• her hair had been flattened by the storm

• [no obj.] after Kendal, the countryside begins to flatten out.

2. [with obj. and adverbial of place] — press (oneself or one's body) against a surface

• Guy flattened himself against the wall.

3. [with obj.] — raze (a building or settlement) to the ground

• the entire town centre was flattened by the 500 lb bomb.

4. ‹informal› strike (someone) so as to make them fall down

• Flynn flattened him with a single punch.

5. ‹informal› defeat heavily in a contest

• they flattened Bridgend by forty-two points to fifteen.

6. ‹informal› humiliate or depress (someone)

• the controversy has flattened everybody here.

7. [with obj.] — [Music] lower (a note) in pitch by a semitone.

II. phrasal verbs

flatten out

a. (of an increasing quantity or rate) show a less marked rise; slow down.

• over the last two years our sales increase has flattened out.

b. make an aircraft fly horizontally after a dive or climb

• he flattened out and made a fine three-point landing.

III. derivatives

flattener

noun

flatter /ˈflatə/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. lavish praise and compliments on (someone), often insincerely and with the aim of furthering one's own interests

• she was flattering him in order to avoid doing what he wanted.

2. cause (someone) to feel honoured and pleased
[with obj. and infinitive]

• I was very flattered to be given the commission

• [with obj. and clause] she felt flattered that he was confiding in her.

3. ( flatter oneself) — choose to believe something favourable about oneself, typically when this belief is unfounded

• ‘Don't flatter yourself! I wasn't doing it for your benefit!’.

4. give an unrealistically favourable impression of

• the final scoreline flattered England.

5. (of a colour or a style of clothing) cause (someone) to appear to the best advantage

• the fuchsia shade flattered her pale skin.

6. ‹archaic› please (the ear or eye)

• the beauty of the stone flattered the clergyman's eyes.

II. phrases

flatter to deceive

appear promising but ultimately disappoint.

– origin Middle English: perhaps a back-formation from flattery.

flatterer /ˈflat(ə)rə/

noun

a person who lavishes praise, often insincerely; a sycophant

• he is not allowing flatterers to deceive him.

flattering /ˈflatərɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. full of praise and compliments

• the article began with some flattering words about us.

2. pleasing or gratifying
[with infinitive]

• it was flattering to have a pretty girl like Fiona so obviously fond of him.

3. enhancing someone's appearance

• I don't think anything sleeveless is very flattering.

II. derivatives

flatteringly /ˈflatərɪŋli /

adverb

flattery /ˈflat(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. excessive and insincere praise, given especially to further one's own interests

• she allowed no hint of flattery to enter her voice.

– origin Middle English: from Old French flaterie, from flater ‘stroke, flatter’, probably of Germanic origin and related to flat^1.

flattie flatty

noun

1. ‹informal› a flat-heeled shoe.

2. ‹informal› a flatfish.

3. ‹informal› a flatboat.

4. ‹informal› ‹dated› a police officer.
[late 19th cent.: informal abbreviation of flatfoot.]

flat-top

noun

1. a man's hairstyle in which the hair is cropped short so that it bristles up into a flat surface.

2. an acoustic guitar that has a flat rather than a curved front.

3. (US) ‹informal› an aircraft carrier.

flat-topped

adjective

having a level upper surface

• it is one of the world's largest flat-topped mountains.

flatulence /ˈflatjʊl(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the accumulation of gas in the alimentary canal

• foods that may cause flatulence.

2. inflated or pretentious speech or writing; pomposity

• the flatulence characterizing his writings.

II. derivatives

flatulency

noun

flatulent /ˈflatjʊl(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. suffering from or marked by an accumulation of gas in the alimentary canal.

• treat flatulent cows with caustic soda.

2. related to or causing an accumulation of gas in the alimentary canal

• the flatulent effect of beans.

3. inflated or pretentious in speech or writing

• his flatulent oratory.

II. derivatives

flatulently

adverb

– origin late 16th cent.: via French from modern Latin flatulentus, from Latin flatus ‘blowing’ (see flatus).

flatus /ˈfleɪtəs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› gas in or from the stomach or intestines, produced by swallowing air or by bacterial fermentation.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘blowing’, from flare ‘to blow’.

flatware /ˈflatwɛː/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. relatively flat items of crockery such as plates and saucers.

2. (N. Amer.) domestic cutlery.

flatwater

noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) slowly moving water in a river, as opposed to rapids.

flat white

noun

a type of coffee made with espresso and hot steamed milk, but without the froth characteristic of a cappuccino.

• I stumbled into one of those trendy bookshops with cafes and ordered a large flat white.

flatworm /ˈflatwəːm/

noun

a worm of a phylum which includes the planarians together with the parasitic flukes and tapeworms. They are distinguished by having a simple flattened body which lacks blood vessels, and a digestive tract which, if present, has a single opening.
●Phylum Platyhelminthes: several classes.

flat-woven

I. adjective

(of a carpet or rug) woven so as not to form a projecting pile.

II. derivatives

flat-weave

noun

Flaubert, Gustave /ˈfləʊbɛː, French flobɛʀ/

(1821–80), French novelist and short-story writer. A dominant figure in the French realist school, he achieved fame with his first published novel, Madame Bovary (1857). Its portrayal of the adulteries and suicide of a provincial doctor's wife caused Flaubert to be tried for immorality (and acquitted).

flaunching /ˈflɔːntʃɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sloping fillet of cement or mortar embedding the base of a chimney pot.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from flaunch meaning ‘flange’, (as verb) ‘slope towards the top’: perhaps based on Old French flanchir ‘to bend’, from flanc(he) ‘flank’.

flaunt /flɔːnt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. display (something) ostentatiously, especially in order to provoke envy or admiration or to show defiance

• newly rich consumers eager to flaunt their prosperity.

2. ( flaunt oneself) — dress or behave in a sexually provocative way.

II. derivatives

1. flaunter

noun

2. flaunty

adjective

– origin mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin. / usage: Flaunt and flout may sound similar but they have different meanings. Flaunt means ‘display ostentatiously’, as in visitors who liked to flaunt their wealth, while flout means ‘openly disregard a rule or convention’, as in new recruits growing their hair and flouting convention. It is a common error, recorded since around the 1940s, to use flaunt when flout is intended, as in the young woman had been flaunting the rules and regulations. In the Oxford English Corpus the second and third commonest objects of flaunt, after wealth, are law and rules.

flauta /ˈflaʊtə/

I. noun

a Mexican dish consisting of a tortilla that is rolled around a filling of meat and cheese and then fried

• I ordered the flautas and a margarita.

– origin Spanish, literally ‘flute’.

flautist /ˈflɔːtɪst/

I. noun

a flute player.

– origin mid 19th cent. (superseding 17th-cent. flutist in British English use): from Italian flautista, from flauto ‘flute’.

flavescent /fləˈvɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

‹formal› yellowish or turning yellow.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin flavescent- ‘turning yellow’, from the verb flavescere, from flavus ‘yellow’.

Flavian /ˈfleɪvɪən/

I. adjective

relating to a dynasty (AD 69–96) of Roman emperors including Vespasian and his sons Titus and Domitian.

II. noun

a member of the Flavian dynasty.

– origin from Latin Flavianus, from Flavius, a given name used by this dynasty.

flavin /ˈfleɪvɪn/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] any of a group of naturally occurring pigments including riboflavin. They have a tricyclic aromatic molecular structure.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin flavus ‘yellow’ + -in^1.

flavivirus /ˈfleɪvɪvʌɪrəs/

noun

any of a group of RNA viruses, mostly having arthropod vectors, which cause a number of serious human diseases including yellow fever, dengue, various types of encephalitis, and hepatitis C.

flavone /ˈfleɪvəʊn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] a colourless crystalline compound which is the basis of a number of white or yellow plant pigments.
●A tricyclic aromatic compound; chem. formula: C_15H_10O_2.

2. [ count noun] — [Chemistry] any of the plant pigments of which flavone is the basis.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Latin flavus ‘yellow’ + -one.

flavonoid /ˈfleɪvənɔɪd/

noun

[Chemistry] any of a large class of plant pigments having a structure based on or similar to that of flavone.

flavoprotein /ˌfleɪvə(ʊ)ˈprəʊtiːn/

I. noun

[Biochemistry] any of a class of conjugated proteins that contain flavins and are involved in oxidation reactions in cells.

– origin 1930s: blend of flavin and protein.

flavorous

adjective

‹dated› having a pleasant or pungent flavour.

flavour /ˈfleɪvə / ‹US› flavor

I. noun

1. the distinctive taste of a food or drink

• the yoghurt comes in eight fruit flavours

• [ mass noun] adding sun-dried tomatoes gives the sauce extra flavour.

2. (chiefly US) a substance used to alter or enhance the taste of food or drink; a flavouring.

3. [in sing.] — an indication of the essential character of something

• the extracts give a flavour of the content and tone of the conversation.

4. [in sing.] — a distinctive quality or atmosphere

• whitewashed walls and red pantiles gave the resort a Mediterranean flavour.

5. a kind, variety, or sort

• various flavours of firewall are evolving.

6. [Physics] a quantized property of quarks which differentiates them into at least six varieties (up, down, charmed, strange, top, bottom).
Compare with colour.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. alter or enhance the taste of (food or drink) by adding a particular ingredient

• chunks of chicken flavoured with herbs.

III. phrases

flavour of the month

a person or thing that enjoys a short period of great popularity

• American sitcoms are currently flavour of the month.

IV. derivatives

1. flavourful /ˈfleɪvəfʊl, ˈfleɪvəf(ə)l /

adjective

2. flavourless /ˈfleɪvələs /

adjective

3. flavoursome /ˈfleɪvəsəm /

adjective

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘fragrance, aroma’): from Old French flaor, perhaps based on a blend of Latin flatus ‘blowing’ and foetor ‘stench’; the -v- appears to have been introduced in Middle English by association with savour. Sense 1 of the noun dates from the late 17th cent.

flavoured /ˈfleɪvəd / ‹US› flavored

adjective

1. (of food or drink) having a particular flavour
[in combination]

• the peanut oil is light but fairly full-flavoured.

2. (of food or drink) having been given a particular taste by the addition of a flavouring
[in combination]

• chicken breasts poached in lemon-flavoured stock.

3. [in combination] — having a particular distinctive quality

• the band knocked out some fine rock 'n' roll-flavoured singles.

flavouring /ˈfleɪv(ə)rɪŋ / ‹US› flavoring

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a substance used to give a different, stronger, or more agreeable taste to food or drink

• vanilla flavouring

• [ count noun] only natural flavourings are allowed.

flaw^1 /flɔː/

I. noun

1. a mark, blemish, or other imperfection which mars a substance or object

• a flaw in the glass.

2. a fault or weakness in a person's character

• he had his flaws, but he was still a great teacher.

3. a mistake or shortcoming in a plan, theory, etc. which causes it to fail or reduces its effectiveness

• there were fundamental flaws in the case for reforming local government.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mar, weaken, or invalidate (something)

• the computer game was flawed by poor programming.

– origin Middle English: perhaps from Old Norse flaga ‘slab’. The original sense was ‘a flake of snow’, later, ‘a fragment or splinter’, hence ‘a defect or imperfection’ (late 15th cent.).

flaw^2 /flɔː/

I. noun

‹literary› a squall of wind; a short storm.

– origin early 16th cent.: probably from Middle Dutch vlāghe, Middle Low German vlāge.

flawed /flɔːd/

adjective

1. having or characterized by a fundamental weakness or imperfection

• a fatally flawed strategy.

2. (of a person) having a weakness in character

• a flawed hero.

flawless /ˈflɔːləs/

I. adjective

without any imperfections or defects; perfect

• her smooth flawless skin

• a British accent that was almost flawless.

II. derivatives

flawlessness /ˈflɔːləsnəs /

noun

flawlessly /ˈflɔːləsli/

adverb

in a manner free from imperfections or defects; perfectly

• the system works flawlessly

• a flawlessly executed campaign.

flax /flaks/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a blue-flowered herbaceous plant that is cultivated for its seed (linseed) and for textile fibre made from its stalks.
● Linum usitatissimum, family Linaceae.

2. textile fibre obtained from the flax plant

• a mill for the preparation and spinning of flax.

3. used in names of other plants of the flax family (e.g. purging flax) or plants that yield similar fibre (e.g. false flax).

4. another term for New Zealand flax.

– origin Old English flæx, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlas and German Flachs, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin plectere and Greek plekein ‘to plait, twist’.

flaxen /ˈflaks(ə)n/

adjective

1. made of flax.

2. ‹literary› (especially of hair) of the pale yellow colour of dressed flax.

flaxen-haired

adjective

having pale yellow hair

• a flaxen-haired girl.

flax lily

noun

a New Zealand plant that yields valuable fibre and is also grown as an ornamental. Also called New Zealand flax.
● Phormium tenax, family Agavaceae.

Flaxman, John /ˈflaksmən/

(1755–1826), English sculptor and draughtsman, noted for his church monuments and his engraved illustrations to Homer (1793).

flaxseed

noun

another term for linseed.

flay /fleɪ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. strip the skin off (a corpse or carcass)

• the captured general was flayed alive.

2. strip (the skin) off a corpse or carcass

• she flayed the white skin from the flesh.

3. whip or beat (someone) so harshly as to remove their skin

• he flayed them viciously with a branch.

4. criticize severely and brutally

• he flayed the government for not moving fast enough on economic reform.

II. derivatives

flayer /ˈfleɪə /

noun

– origin Old English flēan, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch vlaen.

F-layer

I. noun

the highest and most strongly ionized region of the ionosphere.

– origin 1920s: arbitrary use of F + layer.

flea /fliː/

I. noun

a small wingless jumping insect which feeds on the blood of mammals and birds. It sometimes transmits diseases through its bite, including plague and myxomatosis.
●Order Siphonaptera: several families and many species, including the human flea ( Pulex irritans).

II. phrases

1. (as) fit as a flea

in very good health.

2. a flea in one's ear

a sharp reproof

• she expected to be sent away with a flea in her ear.

– origin Old English flēa, flēah, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlo and German Floh.

fleabag /ˈfliːbaɡ/

noun

1. ‹informal› a dirty or shabby person or animal, typically one infested with fleas.

2. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) a seedy or dilapidated hotel.

fleabane

noun

a herbaceous plant of the daisy family, reputed to drive away fleas.
● Pulicaria, Erigeron, and other genera, family Compositae: in particular the yellow-flowered common fleabane ( P. dysenterica).

flea beetle

noun

a small jumping leaf beetle that can be a pest of plants such as crucifers.
● Phyllotreta and other genera, family Chrysomelidae.

flea bite

noun

1. a small red mark on the skin caused by the bite of a flea.

2. a very minor insignificant inconvenience or cost

• the proposed energy tax amounted to little more than a flea bite.

flea-bitten

adjective

1. bitten by or infested with fleas.

2. shabby, dilapidated, or disreputable

• a flea-bitten Miami Beach hotel.

flea circus

noun

a novelty show of performing fleas.

flea collar

noun

a collar for a cat or dog that is impregnated with insecticide to kill or deter fleas.

fleadh /ˈflɑː/

I. noun

a festival of Irish or Celtic music, dancing, and culture.

– origin from Irish fleadh ceoil ‘music festival’.

flea market

noun

a street market selling second-hand goods.

fleapit /ˈfliːpɪt/

noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a dingy, dirty place, especially a run-down cinema.

flea powder

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a powdered insecticide used to kill or deter fleas

• treating pets with flea powder helps control the spread of infected fleas.

fleawort

noun

a Eurasian plant related to ragwort, reputed to drive away fleas.
●Genus Senecio, family Compositae: several species, in particular S. integrifolius.

flèche /fleɪʃ, flɛʃ/

I. noun

a slender spire, typically over the intersection of the nave and the transept of a church.

– origin mid 19th cent.: French, literally ‘arrow’.

flechette /fleɪˈʃɛt, flɛˈʃɛt/

I. noun

a type of ammunition resembling a small dart, shot from a gun.

– origin First World War: from French fléchette, diminutive of flèche ‘arrow’.

fleck /flɛk/

I. noun

1. a very small patch of colour or light

• his blue eyes had grey flecks in them

• flecks of sunshine.

2. a small particle or speck of something

• brushing a few flecks of dandruff from his suit.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. mark or dot with small patches of colour or particles of something

• the minarets are flecked with gold leaf.

– origin late Middle English (as a verb): perhaps from Old Norse flekkr (noun), flekka (verb), or from Middle Low German, Middle Dutch vlecke.

Flecker, James Elroy

(1884–1915), English poet; full name James Herman Elroy Flecker. Notable works: The Golden Journey to Samarkand (collection, 1913) and Hassan (play, 1922).

fled /flɛd/

past and past participle of flee.

fledge /flɛdʒ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a young bird) develop wing feathers that are large enough for flight.

• the young fledge around four weeks after hatching.

2. [with obj.] — bring up (a young bird) until its wing feathers are developed enough for flight.

• they fledged twenty-four chicks in fourteen months.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from the obsolete adjective fledge ‘ready to fly’, from Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlug ‘quick, agile’, also to fly^1.

fledged /flɛdʒd/

adjective

1. (of a young bird) having wing feathers that are large enough for flight; able to fly.

• a recently fledged bird.

2. [in combination] — (of a person or thing) having just taken on the role specified

• a newly fledged Detective Inspector.

3. ‹chiefly literary› (of an arrow) fitted with feathers.

fledgling /ˈflɛdʒlɪŋ / fledgeling

I. noun

1. a young bird that has just fledged.

2. [usu. as modifier] — a person or organization that is immature, inexperienced, or underdeveloped

• the country's fledgling democracy.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from the obsolete adjective fledge (see fledge), on the pattern of nestling.

flee /fliː/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. run away from a place or situation of danger

• to escape the fighting, his family fled from their village.

2. [with obj.] — run away from (someone or something)

• he was forced to flee the country.

– origin Old English flēon, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlieden and German fliehen.

fleece /fliːs/

I. noun

1. the woolly covering of a sheep or goat.

• as the sheep came on board, we grabbed their long shaggy fleeces.

• [ mass noun] he clutched the ram by two handfuls of thick fleece.

2. the wool shorn from a sheep in a single piece at one time.

• the shed can be used for storing fleeces.

3. [Heraldry] a representation of a fleece suspended from a ring.

4. [ mass noun] — a soft warm fabric with a texture similar to sheep's wool, used as a lining material.
[as modifier]

• a reversible fleece jacket.

5. a jacket or other garment made from a fleece fabric.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› obtain a great deal of money from (someone), typically by overcharging or swindling them

• the city's cab drivers are notorious for fixing fares and fleecing tourists.

2. ‹literary› cover as if with a fleece

• the sky was half blue, half fleeced with white clouds.

– origin Old English flēos, flēs, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlies and German Vlies.

fleeced /ˈfliːst/

adjective

1. (of a sheep or goat) having a woolly covering

• heavily fleeced sheep hunkered down for shelter

• [in combination] a golden-fleeced ram.

2. (of a garment) lined with a soft warm fabric with a texture similar to sheep's wool
[in combination]

• a white-fleeced jacket.

fleece-picker

noun

(Austral./NZ) (in sheep shearing) a worker who sorts the offcuts of wool trimmed from fleeces

• at 14 he was working as a fleece-picker.

fleecy /ˈfliːsi/

I. adjective

1. made of or lined with a soft, warm fabric

• a fleecy sweatshirt.

2. white and fluffy-looking

• little fleecy clouds.

II. derivatives

1. fleecily

adverb

2. fleeciness

noun

fleer /flɪə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹literary› laugh impudently or jeeringly.

II. noun

‹archaic› an impudent or jeering look or speech.

– origin late Middle English: probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Norwegian and Swedish dialect flira ‘to grin’.

fleet^1 /fliːt/

I. noun

1. a group of ships sailing together, engaged in the same activity, or under the same ownership

• the small port supports a fishing fleet

• a fleet of battleships.

2. ( the fleet) — a country's navy

• the US fleet.

3. a number of vehicles or aircraft operating together or under the same ownership

• a fleet of ambulances took the injured to hospital.

– origin Old English flēot ‘ship, shipping’, from flēotan ‘float, swim’ (see fleet^4).

fleet^2 /fliːt/

I. adjective

‹chiefly literary› fast and nimble in movement

• a man of advancing years, but fleet of foot.

II. derivatives

1. fleetly

adverb

2. fleetness

noun

– origin early 16th cent.: probably from Old Norse fljótr, of Germanic origin and related to fleet^4.

fleet^3 /fliːt/

I. noun

1. ‹dialect› a marshland creek, channel, or ditch.

2. ( the Fleet) — a stream, now wholly underground, running into the Thames east of Fleet Street.

3. ‹historical› a prison that stood near the Fleet.

– origin Old English flēot, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vliet, also to fleet^4.

fleet^4 /fliːt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. ‹literary› move or pass quickly

• a variety of expressions fleeted across his face.

2. [with obj.] — ‹literary› pass (time) rapidly.

• we fleeted the time carelessly.

3. ‹literary› fade away; be transitory

• the cares of boyhood fleet away.

– origin Old English flēotan ‘float, swim’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlieten and German fliessen, also to flit and float.

fleet^5 /fliːt / ‹dialect›

I. adjective

(of water) shallow.

II. adverb

at or to a small depth.

– origin early 17th cent.: perhaps based on an Old English cognate of Dutch vloot ‘shallow’ and related to fleet^4.

Fleet Admiral

noun

the highest rank of admiral in the US navy.

Fleet Air Arm ‹historical›

the aviation service of the Royal Navy.

fleet-footed

adjective

nimble and fast on one's feet

• the fleet-footed sprinter ran full out.

fleeting /ˈfliːtɪŋ/

I. adjective

lasting for a very short time

• for a fleeting moment I saw the face of a boy.

II. derivatives

fleetingness

noun

fleetingly /ˈfliːtɪŋli/

adverb

for a very short time

• only fleetingly does she let any strain show.

Fleet Street

a street in central London in which the offices of national newspapers were located until the mid 1980s (often used to refer to the British Press)

• the hottest story in Fleet Street.

flehmen /ˈfleɪmən/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a behavioural response found in many male mammals when they detect particular smells from females, characterized by a curling of the upper lip and a raising of the head.

– origin German (verb), ‘(of a horse) curl the lip in sexual excitement’.

Fleming /ˈflɛmɪŋ/

I. noun

1. a native of Flanders.

2. a member of the Flemish-speaking people inhabiting northern and western Belgium.
Compare with Walloon.

– origin late Old English Flæmingi, from Old Norse, reinforced by Middle Dutch Vlāming, related to Vlaanderen ‘Flanders’.

Fleming, Ian /ˈflɛmɪŋ/

(1908–64), English novelist; full name Ian Lancaster Fleming. He is known for his spy novels whose hero is the secret agent James Bond.

Fleming, Sir Alexander /ˈflɛmɪŋ/

(1881–1955), Scottish bacteriologist. In 1928, Fleming discovered the effect of penicillin on bacteria. Twelve years later Howard Florey and Ernst Chain established its therapeutic use as an antibiotic. Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1945, shared with Florey and Chain).

Fleming, Sir John Ambrose /ˈflɛmɪŋ/

(1849–1945), English electrical engineer, chiefly remembered for his invention of the thermionic valve (1900).

Fleming's left-hand rule

I. noun

[Physics] a mnemonic concerning the behaviour of a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field, according to which the directions of the magnetic field, the current, and the force exerted on the conductor are indicated respectively by the first finger, second finger, and thumb of the left hand when these are held out perpendicular to each other.

– origin 1920s: proposed by J. A. Fleming (see Fleming, Sir John Ambrose).

Fleming's right-hand rule

noun

[Physics] a mnemonic concerning the behaviour of a conductor moving in a magnetic field, according to which the directions of the magnetic field, the induced current, and the motion of the conductor are indicated respectively by the first finger, second finger, and thumb of the right hand when these are held out perpendicular to each other.

Flemish /ˈflɛmɪʃ/

I. adjective

relating to Flanders, its people, or their language.

II. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the Dutch language as spoken in Flanders. It is one of the two official languages of Belgium.

2. ( the Flemish) [as plural noun] — the people of Flanders.

– origin Middle English: from Middle Dutch Vlāmisch, related to Vlaanderen ‘Flanders’.

Flemish bond

noun

[Building] a pattern of bricks in a wall in which each course consists of alternate headers and stretchers.

flense /flɛns / flench /flɛn(t)ʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. slice the skin or fat from (a carcass, especially that of a whale).

• I flensed and butchered the whale.

• (as adj. flensing) flensing knives.

2. strip (skin or fat) from a carcass

• the skin had been flensed off.

II. derivatives

flenser

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from Danish flensa.

flesh /flɛʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the soft substance consisting of muscle and fat that is found between the skin and bones of a human or an animal

• she grabbed Anna's arm, her fingers sinking into the flesh.

2. the flesh of an animal, regarded as food

• the food an animal eats will affect the taste and texture of its flesh.

3. the edible pulpy part of a fruit or vegetable

• halve the avocados and scrape out the flesh.

4. the skin or surface of the human body with reference to its appearance or sensory properties

• she gasped as the cold water hit her flesh.

5. ( the flesh) — the human body and its physical needs and desires, especially as contrasted with the mind or the soul

• I have never been one to deny the pleasures of the flesh.

6. flesh colour.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] ( flesh out) — put weight on

• he had fleshed out to a solid 220 pounds.

2. [with obj.] ( flesh something out) — add more details to something which only exists in a draft or outline form

• the arguments were fleshed out by the minister.

3. [with obj.] — stimulate (a hound or hawk) to hunt by feeding it a piece of flesh from a recently killed animal.

• I have fleshed my bloodhound.

4. ‹literary› accustom to bloodshed or warfare

• he fleshed his troops with enterprises against the enemy's posts.

5. [with obj.] (often as noun fleshing) — remove the flesh adhering to (a skin or hide).

• after fleshing, the hide is soaked again.

III. phrases

1. all flesh

all human and animal life.

2. go the way of all flesh

die or come to an end.

• the film has gone the way of all flesh after being slated by the critics.

3. flesh and blood

a. used to refer to a person's physical body and their needs and frailties, often as opposed to their mind or soul

• the strain on his self-control had been more than flesh and blood could endure.

b. ( one's flesh and blood) — a near relative or one's close family

• he felt as much for that girl as if she had been his own flesh and blood.

4. in the flesh

in person or (of a thing) in its actual state

• they decided that they should meet Alexander in the flesh.

5. lose flesh

‹archaic› become thinner.

6. make someone's flesh crawl (or creep)

another way of saying make someone's skin crawl (see skin).

7. one flesh

used to refer to the spiritual and physical union of two people in a relationship, especially marriage

• my body is his, his is mine: one flesh.

[with biblical allusion to Gen. 2:24.]

8. put flesh on (the bones of) something

add more details to something

• he has yet to put flesh on his ‘big idea’.

9. put on flesh

put on weight.

10. sins of the flesh

‹archaic› ‹humorous› sins related to physical indulgence, especially sexual gratification.

IV. derivatives

fleshless /ˈflɛʃ(ə)ləs /

adjective

– origin Old English flǣsc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlees and German Fleisch.

flesh colour

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a light brownish pink.

II. derivatives

flesh-coloured /ˈflɛʃˌkʌləd /

adjective

flesh-eating

adjective

1. (of an animal or plant) carnivorous

• flesh-eating carrion crows

• a flesh-eating pitcher plant.

2. (of a disease or microorganism) destructive to body tissue

• flesh-eating bacteria.

3. (of a supernatural creature) feeding on human flesh

• flesh-eating zombies.

fleshed /flɛʃt/

adjective — [in combination]

1. having flesh of a specified kind

• thick white-fleshed fish

• soft-fleshed fruits.

flesher /ˈflɛʃə/

noun

1. (chiefly Scottish) a butcher.

2. (N. Amer.) a knife for fleshing hides.

flesh fly

noun

a fly that breeds in carrion, typically producing live young which are deposited on a carcass.
●Family Sarcophagidae: Sarcophaga and other genera.

fleshings /ˈflɛʃɪŋz/

plural noun

flesh-coloured tights worn by actors.

fleshly /ˈflɛʃli/

I. adjective

1. relating to human desire or bodily appetites; sensual

• fleshly pleasures.

2. having an actual physical presence.

– origin Old English flǣsclic (see flesh, -ly^1).

fleshpots /ˈflɛʃpɒts/

I. plural noun

places providing luxurious or hedonistic living

• he had lived the life of a roué in the fleshpots of London and Paris.

– origin early 16th cent.: with biblical allusion to the fleshpots of Egypt (Exod. 16:3).

flesh side

noun

the side of a hide that adjoined the flesh.

flesh wound

noun

a wound that breaks the skin but does not damage bones or vital organs.

fleshy /ˈflɛʃi/

I. adjective

1. (of a person or part of the body) having a substantial amount of flesh; plump

• her fleshy arms.

2. (of plant or fruit tissue) soft and thick

• fleshy, greeny-grey leaves.

3. resembling flesh in appearance or texture

• normally, the tissue is fleshy pink.

II. derivatives

fleshiness /ˈflɛʃɪnəs /

noun

fletch /flɛtʃ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide (an arrow) with feathers for flight.

• most arrows are fletched with 3- to 5-inch feathers.

II. noun

each of the feathered vanes of an arrow
[in combination]

• a four-fletch arrow.

– origin mid 17th cent.: alteration of fledge, probably influenced by fletcher.

fletcher

I. noun

‹chiefly historical› a person who makes and sells arrows.

– origin Middle English: from Old French flechier, from fleche ‘arrow’.

Fletcher, John

(1579–1625), English dramatist. A writer of Jacobean tragicomedies, he wrote some fifteen plays with Francis Beaumont, including The Maid's Tragedy (1610–11).

fletching

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the feathers of an arrow.

• it has good-sized fletching.

• [ count noun] he repairs damaged fletchings.

fleur-de-lis /ˌfləːdəˈliː / fleur-de-lys

I. noun

1. [Art] [Heraldry] a stylized lily composed of three petals bound together near their bases. It is especially known from the former royal arms of France, in which it appears in gold on a blue field.

2. a European iris.
●Genus Iris, family Iridaceae, in particular I. × germanica ‘Florentina’ (with bluish-white flowers) or I. pseudacorus (the yellow flag).

– origin Middle English: from Old French flour de lys ‘flower of the lily’.

fleuron /ˈflʊərɒn, ˈfləːrɒn/

I. noun

1. a flower-shaped ornament or motif, used especially on buildings, coins, and books.

2. a small piece of puff pastry used for garnishing.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French floron, from flour (see flower).

Flevoland /ˈfleɪvəʊland/

a province of the Netherlands, created in 1986 and reclaimed from the Zuider Zee during the 1950s and 1960s.

flew /fluː/

past of fly^1.

flews /fluːz/

I. plural noun

the thick hanging lips of a bloodhound or similar dog.

– origin late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

flex^1 /flɛks/

I. verb

1. (with reference to a limb or joint) bend or become bent
[with obj.]

• she saw him flex his ankle and wince

• [no obj.] it's important to prevent the damaged wrist from flexing.

2. [with obj.] — cause (a muscle) to stand out by contracting or tensing it

• a group of bodybuilders flexed their muscles.

3. [no obj.] — (of a muscle) contract or be tensed

• a muscle flexed in his jaw.

4. [no obj.] — (of a material) be capable of warping or bending and then reverting to shape

• set windows in rubber so they flex during an earthquake.

5. (as adj. flexed) — [Archaeology] relating to or denoting a practice of burying a corpse with the legs drawn up under the chin.

II. phrases

flex one's muscles

see muscle.

– origin early 16th cent.: from Latin flex- ‘bent’, from the verb flectere.

flex^2 /flɛks/

I. noun

(Brit.) a flexible insulated cable used for carrying electric current to an appliance.

– origin early 20th cent.: abbreviation of flexible.

flexibility /ˌflɛksɪˈbɪlɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality of bending easily without breaking

• players gained improved flexibility in their ankles.

2. the ability to be easily modified

• I enjoyed the flexibility of the schedule.

3. willingness to change or compromise

• the government has shown flexibility in applying its policy.

flexible /ˈflɛksɪb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. capable of bending easily without breaking

• flexible rubber seals.

2. able to be easily modified to respond to altered circumstances

• small businesses which are dependent on flexible working hours.

3. (of a person) ready and able to change so as to adapt to different circumstances

• you can save money if you're flexible about where your room is located.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin flexibilis, from flectere ‘to bend’.

flexible response

noun

a reaction that can be easily modified to respond to altered circumstances

• a flexible response regarding agricultural subsidies is now needed.

flexibly /ˈflɛksɪbli/

adverb

1. in a way that can change so as to adapt to different circumstances

• the ability of governments to respond flexibly to changing economic circumstances

• most women who have children want to work flexibly.

2. in a way that bends easily without breaking

• the robot can move flexibly and smoothly over uneven surfaces.

flexile /ˈflɛksʌɪl/

I. adjective

‹archaic› pliant and flexible

• the serpent's flexile body.

II. derivatives

flexility /flɛkˈsɪlɪti /

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin flexilis, from flectere ‘to bend’.

flexion /ˈflɛkʃ(ə)n / flection

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of bending or the condition of being bent, especially the bending of a limb or joint

• flexion of the fingers.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin flexio(n-), from flectere ‘to bend’.

flexitarian /flɛksəˈtɛːrɪən/

I. noun

a person who has a primarily vegetarian diet but occasionally eats meat or fish

• in my close social circle I have a vegetarian, a pescatarian, and a flexitarian

• [as modifier] a flexitarian diet.

– origin 1990s: blend of flexible and vegetarian.

flexitime /ˈflɛksɪtʌɪm / ‹N. Amer.› flextime

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a system of working a set number of hours with the starting and finishing times chosen within agreed limits by the employee

• a 35-hour week with flexitime.

– origin 1970s: blend of flexible and time.

flexo /ˈflɛksəʊ/

I. noun

short for flexography.

II. adjective

short for flexographic (see flexography).

flexography /flɛkˈsɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a rotary relief printing method using rubber or plastic plates and fluid inks or dyes for printing on fabrics and impervious materials such as plastics, as well as on paper.

II. derivatives

flexographic

adjective

– origin 1950s: from Latin flexus ‘a bending’ (from the verb flectere) + -graphy.

flexor /ˈflɛksə / flexor muscle

noun

1. [Anatomy] a muscle whose contraction bends a limb or other part of the body.
Often contrasted with extensor.

2. [Anatomy] any of a number of specific muscles in the arm, hand, leg, or foot.

flexuous /ˈflɛksjʊəs/

I. adjective

‹chiefly literary› full of bends and curves

• he put an arm around her flexuous waist.

II. derivatives

1. flexuosity /flɛksjʊˈɒsɪti /

noun

2. flexuously

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin flexuosus, from flexus ‘a bending’, from the verb flectere.

flexure /ˈflɛkʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹technical› [chiefly Anatomy] [Geology] the action of bending or curving, or the condition of being bent or curved.

2. [ count noun] — ‹technical› [chiefly Anatomy] [Geology] a bent or curved part

• these lesser hills were flexures of the San Andreas system.

II. derivatives

flexural

adjective

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin flexura, from flectere ‘to bend’.

flexwing

noun

a collapsible fabric delta wing, as used in hang-gliders
[as modifier]

• a flexwing microlight.

flibbertigibbet /ˌflɪbətɪˈdʒɪbɪt/

I. noun

a frivolous, flighty, or excessively talkative person.

– origin late Middle English: probably imitative of idle chatter.

flic^1

I. noun

[Computing] a data file containing computer animations.

– origin usage of the cinematographic sense of flick.

flic^2

I. noun

‹informal› a French policeman.

– origin French.

flick /flɪk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. strike or propel (something) with a sudden quick movement of the fingers

• Max flicked his bow tie

• Ursula flicked some ash off her sleeve.

2. make or cause to make a sudden quick movement
[with obj.]

• the horse flicked its tail

• [no obj.] the tip of his tongue flicked out.

3. turn (an electrical device) on or off

• he flicked on the air conditioning

• Urquart flicked the switch and she blinked in the harsh light.

4. [with obj.] — move (an object) rapidly up and down so as to strike something or someone

• the driver flicked his whip and the cab moved off.

II. noun

1. a sudden quick movement

• the flick of a switch

• a flick of the wrist.

2. the sudden release of a bent finger or thumb, especially to propel a small object

• he sent his cigarette spinning away with a flick of his fingers.

3. a light, sharp, quickly retracted blow, especially with a whip.

4. ( a flick through) — a quick look through (a book, magazine, etc.)

• a quick flick through the family album.

5. ‹informal› a cinema film

• a Hollywood action flick.

6. ( the flicks) — (Brit.) the cinema

• fancy a night at the flicks?

7. ‹rare› a group of hares or rabbits.

III. phrases

give someone the flick (or get the flick)

‹informal› (chiefly Austral.) reject someone (or be rejected) in a casual or offhand way.

IV. phrasal verbs

flick through

look quickly through a book, magazine, etc.

• she was flicking through a copy of Vogue.

V. derivatives

flicky

adjective

– origin late Middle English: symbolic, fl- frequently beginning words denoting sudden movement.

flicker^1 /ˈflɪkə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of light or a source of light) shine unsteadily; vary rapidly in brightness

• the interior lights flickered, and came on.

2. (of a flame) burn fitfully, alternately flaring up and dying down

• the candle flickered again

• (as adj. flickering) the flickering flames cast long shadows.

3. (of an emotion) be felt or shown briefly or faintly

• amusement flickered briefly in his eyes.

4. make small, quick movements

• her eyelids flickered

• [with complement] Forster's eyes flickered open.

II. noun

1. an unsteady movement of a flame or light causing rapid variations in brightness

• the flicker of a candle flame caught our eyes.

2. [ mass noun] — fluctuations in the brightness of a film or television image such as occur when the number of frames per second is too small for persistence of vision.

3. a tiny movement

• the flicker of an eyelid.

4. a brief feeling or indication of emotion

• a flicker of a smile passed across her face.

– origin Old English flicorian, flycerian ‘to flutter’, probably of Germanic origin and related to Low German flickern and Dutch flikkeren.

flicker^2 /ˈflɪkə/

I. noun

an American woodpecker that often feeds on ants on the ground.
●Genus Colaptes, family Picidae: several species, in particular the common flicker ( C. auratus).

– origin early 19th cent.: imitative of its call.

flick knife

noun

(Brit.) a knife with a blade that springs out from the handle when a button is pressed.

flick roll

noun

another term for snap roll.

flight /flʌɪt/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or process of flying through the air

• an eagle in flight

• the history of space flight.

2. [ count noun] — an act of flying; a journey made through the air or in space, especially a timetabled journey made by an airline

• a return flight from Gatwick to Berlin.

3. the movement or trajectory of a projectile or ball through the air.

• the golfer's swing is obviously critical to the ball's flight.

4. [as modifier] — relating to or denoting archery in which the main concern is shooting long distances

• short, light flight arrows.

5. a flock or large body of birds or insects in the air, especially when migrating

• flights of whooper swans.

6. a group of aircraft operating together, especially an RAF or USAF unit of about six aircraft

• he dispatched the Hurricanes in three flights.

7. [ mass noun] — the action of fleeing

• the enemy were now in flight

• [in sing.] a headlong flight from reality.

8. the selling of currency or shares by many investors

• an anti-inflationary move aimed at stemming the flight of capital.

9. ‹literary› the swift passage of time

• the never-ending flight of future days.

10. a series of steps between floors or levels

• I climbed the three flights of stairs which led to his office.

11. a series of hurdles across a racetrack.

12. a sequence of locks by which a canal ascends an incline.

13. an extravagant or far-fetched idea or thought process

• his research assistant was prone to flights of fancy.

14. the tail of a dart.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) (in soccer, cricket, etc.) deliver (a ball) with well-judged trajectory and pace

• he flighted a free kick into the box.

2. provide (an arrow or dart) with feathers or vanes

• shafts of wood flighted with a handful of feathers.

3. shoot (wildfowl) in flight.
(as noun flighting)

• duck and geese flighting.

III. phrases

1. in full flight

a. escaping as fast as possible.

• soon the infantry were in full flight.

b. having gained momentum in a run or activity

• Yorke was brought down in full flight.

2. put someone/thing to flight

cause someone or something to flee.

• the hussars would have been put to flight.

3. take flight

a. take off and fly.

• the ducks took flight.

b. (also take to flight) — flee

• many Huguenots took flight from France.

– origin Old English flyht ‘action or manner of flying’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlucht and fly^1. This was probably merged in Middle English with an unrecorded Old English word related to German Flucht and to flee, which is represented by sense 3 of the noun.

flight attendant

noun

a steward or stewardess on an aircraft.

flight bag

noun

a small zipped shoulder bag carried by air travellers.

flight capital

noun — [ mass noun]

1. money transferred abroad to avoid taxes or inflation or provide for possible emigration.

flight case

noun

a sturdy case used for transporting equipment.

flight control

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the activity of directing the movement of aircraft.

2. [ count noun] — a flap or other control surface on an aircraft.

flight crew

noun — [treated as sing. or pl.]

1. the personnel who are responsible for the operation of an aircraft during flight.
[treated as sing.]

• the flight crew aims to ensure you enjoy your trip.

• [treated as pl.] the flight crew were fined for not having entry visas.

flight deck

noun

1. the cockpit of a large aircraft.

2. the deck of an aircraft carrier, used for take-off and landing.

flight engineer

noun

a member of a flight crew responsible for the aircraft's engines and other systems during flight.

flight envelope

noun

the range of combinations of speed, altitude, angle of attack, etc., within which a flying object is aerodynamically stable.

flight feather

noun

any of the large primary or secondary feathers in a bird's wing, supporting it in flight.
Also called remex.

flightless /ˈflʌɪtləs/

I. adjective

(of a bird or an insect) naturally unable to fly.

• Galapagos has the world's only flightless cormorant.

II. derivatives

flightlessness

noun

flight lieutenant

noun

a rank of officer in the RAF, above flying officer and below squadron leader.

flight line

noun

1. the part of an airport around the hangars where aircraft can be parked and serviced.

2. a line of flight

• the birds move in well-defined flight lines to the feeding grounds.

flight log

noun

an official record of events during the flight of an aircraft

• the flight log indicates that the last contact made with the plane was at 3.22 pm.

flight number

noun

the identifying number of a timetabled journey by an aircraft

• I couldn't see my flight number on the departure boards.

flight path

noun

the actual or planned course of an aircraft or spacecraft.

flight plan

noun

[Aeronautics] a written account of the details of a particular proposed flight.

flight recorder

noun

a device in an aircraft that records technical details during a flight, used in the event of an accident to discover its cause.

flight risk

noun

a person thought likely to leave the country before a trial or bail hearing

• police can detain suspects without charges if they are considered flight risks.

flightseeing /ˈflʌɪtsiːɪŋ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (N. Amer.) the activity of viewing places of interest from an aircraft.

– origin 1940s (originally US): blend of flight and sightseeing.

flight sergeant

noun

a rank of non-commissioned officer in the RAF, above sergeant and below warrant officer.

flight simulator

noun

a machine designed to resemble an aircraft's cockpit, with computer-generated images that mimic the pilot's view and the aircraft's motion, used for training pilots.

flight test

I. noun

a flight of an aircraft, rocket, or equipment to see how well it functions.

II. verb

( flight-test) [with obj.] — test (an aircraft or rocket) by flying it.
(as noun flight-testing)

• it was undergoing cold-weather flight-testing.

flighty /ˈflʌɪti/

I. adjective

fickle and irresponsible

• her mother was a flighty Southern belle.

II. derivatives

1. flightily /ˈflʌɪtɪli /

adverb

2. flightiness /ˈflʌɪtɪnəs /

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: from flight + -y^1.

flimflam /ˈflɪmflam / ‹informal›

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — nonsensical or insincere talk

• pseudo-intellectual flimflam.

2. a confidence trick

• flimflams perpetrated against us by our elected officials.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. swindle (someone) with a confidence trick

• the tribe was flimflammed out of its land.

III. derivatives

1. flimflammer

noun

2. flimflammery

noun

– origin mid 16th cent.: symbolic reduplication.

flimsy /ˈflɪmzi/

I. adjective

1. insubstantial and easily damaged

• a flimsy barrier.

2. (of clothing) very light and thin

• the flimsy garment fell from her.

3. (of a pretext or account) weak and unconvincing

• a pretty flimsy excuse.

II. noun

1. (Brit.) a document, especially a copy, made on very thin paper

• credit-card flimsies.

2. [ mass noun] — (Brit.) very thin paper

• sheets of yellow flimsy.

III. derivatives

1. flimsily /ˈflɪmzɪli /

adverb

2. flimsiness /ˈflɪmzɪnəs /

noun

– origin early 18th cent.: probably from flimflam.

flinch /ˈflɪn(t)ʃ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. make a quick, nervous movement of the face or body as an instinctive reaction to fear or pain

• she flinched at the acidity in his voice

• he had faced death without flinching.

2. ( flinch from) — avoid doing or becoming involved in (something) through fear or anxiety

• I rarely flinch from a fight when I'm sure of myself.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. an act of flinching.

• ‘Don't call me that,’ he said with a flinch.

III. derivatives

1. flincher /ˈflɪn(t)ʃə /

noun

2. flinching /ˈflɪn(t)ʃɪŋ /

adjective

3. flinchingly

adverb

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘slink or sneak off’): from Old French flenchir ‘turn aside’, of West Germanic origin and related to German lenken ‘to guide, steer’.

flinders

I. plural noun

small fragments or splinters

• the panel has been smashed to flinders.

– origin late Middle English: probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Norwegian flindra ‘chip, splinter’.

Flinders, Matthew

(1774–1814), English explorer. He explored the coast of New South Wales (1795–1800) and circumnavigated Australia (1801–3) for the Royal Navy, charting much of the west coast of the continent for the first time.

Flinders bar

I. noun

a bar of soft iron placed vertically in or near the housing of a ship's compass to correct deviation caused by the local magnetic field of the ship.

– origin late 19th cent.: name after Captain Matthew Flinders, Matthew.

Flinders Island

the largest island in the Furneaux group, situated in the Bass Strait between Tasmania and mainland Australia.

fling /flɪŋ/

I. verb — [with obj. and adverbial of direction]

1. throw or hurl forcefully

• he picked up the debris and flung it away

• she flung herself down on his bed

• ‹figurative› I was flung into jail.

2. move or push (something) suddenly or violently

• he flung back the bedclothes

• [with obj. and complement] Jennifer flung open a door.

3. ( fling oneself into) — start or engage in (an activity or enterprise) with great energy and enthusiasm

• he flung himself into his athletics.

4. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — go quickly and angrily

• Lisa had flung out of the house without so much as a glance at him.

II. noun

1. a short period of enjoyment or wild behaviour

• one final fling before a tranquil retirement.

2. a short, spontaneous sexual relationship

• I had a fling with someone when I was at college.

3. short for Highland fling.

III. derivatives

flinger

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘go violently’): perhaps related to Old Norse flengja ‘flog’. The main verb sense is based on an earlier sense ‘reckless movement of the body’ and dates from the early 19th cent.

flint /flɪnt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a hard grey rock consisting of nearly pure silica (chert), occurring chiefly as nodules in chalk.

• houses built of brick and flint.

• [as modifier] flint implements.

2. [ count noun] — a piece of flint, especially as flaked or ground in ancient times to form a tool or weapon.

• the early settlers also found a ready supply of flints in the chalk cliffs.

3. [ count noun] — a piece of flint used with steel to produce an igniting spark, e.g. in a flintlock gun, or (in modern use) a piece of an alloy used similarly, especially in a cigarette lighter.

• he struck a light with his flint.

– origin Old English; related to Middle Dutch vlint and Old High German flins.

flint corn

noun — [ mass noun]

1. maize of a variety that has hard slightly translucent grains.

flint glass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a pure lustrous kind of glass originally made with flint.

flintlock /ˈflɪntlɒk/

noun

1. an old-fashioned type of gun fired by a spark from a flint.

2. the lock on a flintlock gun.

Flintshire /ˈflɪntʃ(ɪ)ə/

a county of NE Wales; administrative centre, Mold. It was part of Clwyd from 1974 to 1996.

flinty /ˈflɪnti/

I. adjective

1. of, containing, or reminiscent of flint

• flinty soil

• a flinty wine.

2. (of a person or their expression) very hard and unyielding

• a flinty stare.

II. derivatives

1. flintily

adverb

2. flintiness /ˈflɪntɪnəs /

noun

flip^1 /flɪp/

I. verb

1. turn over or cause to turn over with a sudden quick movement
[no obj.]

• the plane flipped over and then exploded

• [with obj.] the six-foot wave flipped the dinghy over.

2. [with obj. and adverbial] — move, push, or throw (something) with a sudden quick movement

• she flipped off her dark glasses

• she flipped a few coins on to the bar.

3. [with obj.] — turn (an electrical appliance or switch) on or off

• he flipped a switch and the front door opened.

4. [with obj.] — toss (a coin) to decide an issue

• given those odds one might as well flip a coin.

5. [no obj.] — ‹informal› suddenly lose control or become very angry

• he had clearly flipped under the pressure

• she would have flipped out if someone had done this to her.

6. suddenly become very enthusiastic

• I walked into a store, saw the guitar on the wall, and just flipped.

7. [with obj.] — buy and sell (something, especially shares or property) quickly in order to make a profit

• individual investors often flip the shares they buy within days, even hours.

II. noun

1. a sudden quick movement

• she dismissed his qualms with a flip of her hand.

2. an act or instance of turning over or being turned over in the air

• he celebrates his goals with an acrobatic flip

• ‹figurative› Alex's heart did a little flip inside her chest.

3. ( a flip through) — a quick look through a book, magazine, etc.

• a quick flip through my cookery books.

4. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a quick tour or pleasure trip

• I did a flip round the post-show party.

[derived from an earlier sense ‘short flight in an aircraft’.]

III. adjective

glib or flippant

• he couldn't get away with flip, funny conversation.

IV. exclamation

‹informal› used to express mild annoyance.

V. phrases

1. flip burgers

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› work as a cook in a fast-food restaurant.

2. flip one's lid ( ଡor chiefly N. Amer.› one's wig)

‹informal› suddenly lose control or become very angry.

VI. phrasal verbs

flip through

look quickly through (a book, magazine, etc.)

• McLeish flipped through his notes.

– origin mid 16th cent. (as a verb in the sense ‘make a flick with the finger and thumb’): probably a contraction of fillip.

flip^2 /flɪp/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a drink of heated, sweetened beer and spirit.

2. another term for eggnog.

– origin late 17th cent.: perhaps from flip^1 in the sense ‘whip up’.

flip chart

noun

a large pad of paper bound so that each page can be turned over at the top to reveal the next, used on a stand at presentations.

flip chip

noun

[Computing] a chip on one side of which all the connections are in the form of contacts which can be made simultaneously by pressing the chip against the matching substrate and applying heat or pressure.

flip-flop /ˈflɪpflɒp/

I. noun

1. a light sandal, typically of plastic or rubber, with a thong between the big and second toe.

2. (N. Amer.) a backward handspring.

3. ‹informal› an abrupt reversal of policy

• his flip-flop on taxes.

4. [Electronics] a switching circuit which works by changing from one stable state to another, or through an unstable state back to its stable state, in response to a triggering pulse.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. [with adverbial of direction] — move with a flapping sound or motion

• she flip-flopped off the porch in battered trainers.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› make an abrupt reversal of policy

• the candidate flip-flopped on a number of issues.

– origin mid 17th cent. (in the general sense ‘something that flaps or flops’): imitative reduplication of flop.

flippancy /ˈflɪp(ə)nsi/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. lack of respect or seriousness; frivolousness

• she was infuriated by his careless flippancy.

flippant /ˈflɪp(ə)nt/

I. adjective

not showing a serious or respectful attitude

• a flippant remark.

II. derivatives

flippantly /ˈflɪpəntli /

adverb

– origin early 17th cent.: from flip^1 + -ant, perhaps on the pattern of heraldic terms such as couchant and rampant. Early senses included ‘nimble’ and ‘talkative’, hence ‘playful’, giving rise to the current use ‘lacking seriousness’.

flipper /ˈflɪpə/

noun

1. a broad flat limb without fingers, used for swimming by various sea animals such as seals, whales, and turtles.

2. a flat rubber attachment worn on the foot for underwater swimming.

3. a pivoted arm in a pinball machine, controlled by the player and used for sending the ball back up the table.

flipping /ˈflɪpɪŋ/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› used for emphasis or to express mild annoyance

• are you out of your flipping mind?

• [as submodifier] it's flipping cold today.

– origin early 20th cent.: from flip^1 + -ing^2.

flippy

adjective

(of a skirt) flared and relatively short, so as to flick up as the wearer walks.

flip side

noun

1. ‹informal› the less important side of a pop single; the B-side.

2. ‹informal› another aspect or version of something, especially its reverse or its unwanted concomitant

• our recent pessimism is the flip side of an exaggerated optimism.

flip-top

I. adjective

having or denoting a lid or cover that can be easily flipped open.

• a flip-top rubbish bin.

II. noun

a flip-top lid or cover.

flirt /fləːt/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — behave as though sexually attracted to someone, but playfully rather than with serious intentions

• she began to tease him, flirting with other men in front of him.

2. ( flirt with) — experiment with or show a superficial interest in (an idea, activity, or movement) without committing oneself to it seriously

• a painter who had flirted briefly with Cubism.

3. ( flirt with) — deliberately expose oneself to (danger or difficulty)

• the need of some individuals to flirt with death.

4. [with obj.] — (of a bird) wave or open and shut (its wings or tail) with a quick flicking motion.

• a moorhen stepped out of the reeds, flirting its white tail.

5. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — move quickly to and fro with a fluttering motion

• the lark was flirting around the site.

II. noun

a person who habitually flirts

• Jim was an outrageous flirt.

– origin mid 16th cent.: apparently symbolic, the elements fl- and -irt both suggesting sudden movement; compare with flick and spurt. The original verb senses were ‘give someone a sharp blow’ and ‘sneer at’; the earliest noun senses were ‘joke, jibe’ and ‘flighty girl’ (defined by Dr Johnson as ‘a pert young hussey’), with a notion originally of cheeky behaviour, later of playfully amorous behaviour.

flirtation /flɜːˈteɪʃn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. behaviour that demonstrates a playful sexual attraction to someone

• Fabia was in no mood for his light-hearted flirtation.

2. [ count noun] — a short or casual relationship

• she had had plenty of flirtations—now she had fallen in love.

3. a short period of casual experimentation with or interest in a particular idea or activity

• his brief flirtation with the avant-garde in the 1920s.

flirtatious /flɜːˈteɪʃəs/

I. adjective

1. behaving in such a way as to suggest a playful sexual attraction to someone

• she was beautiful and very flirtatious.

2. expressing a playful sexual attraction

• a flirtatious smile.

II. derivatives

1. flirtatiously

adverb

2. flirtatiousness /flɜːˈteɪʃəsnəs /

noun

flirty /ˈfləːti/

adjective

suggesting or expressing a playful sexual attraction

• she is extremely flirty and vivacious

• dates full of flirty banter.

flit /flɪt/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. move swiftly and lightly

• small birds flitted about in the branches

• ‹figurative› the idea had flitted through his mind.

2. [no obj.] — (chiefly Scottish) (N. English) move house or leave one's home, typically secretly so as to escape creditors or obligations.

II. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› an act of moving house or leaving one's home, typically secretly so as to escape creditors or obligations

• moonlight flits from one insalubrious dwelling to another.

– origin Middle English (in the Scots and northern English sense): from Old Norse flytja; related to fleet^4.

flitch /flɪtʃ/

I. noun

1. a slab of timber cut from a tree trunk, usually from the outside.

2. (also flitch plate) — the strengthening plate in a flitch beam.

3. ‹chiefly dialect› a side of bacon.

– origin Old English flicce, originally denoting the salted and cured side of any meat, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Low German vlicke.

flitch beam

noun

a compound beam made of an iron plate between two slabs of wood.

flitter /ˈflɪtə/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. move quickly in an apparently random or purposeless manner

• her fingers flittered over the sheets.

II. noun

a fluttering movement

• the flash and flitter of coloured wings.

– origin late Middle English: frequentative of flit.

flittermouse

I. noun

old-fashioned term for bat^2 (sense 1).

– origin mid 16th cent.: on the pattern of Dutch vledermuis or German Fledermaus.

flivver /ˈflɪvə/

I. noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a cheap car or aircraft, especially one in bad condition.

– origin early 20th cent.: of unknown origin.

flixweed /ˈflɪkswiːd/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a Eurasian plant with small yellow flowers and finely divided leaves, which was formerly thought to cure dysentery.
● Descurainia sophia, family Cruciferae.

– origin late 16th cent.: from obsolete flix (variant of flux) + weed.

FLN

abbreviation

Front de Libération Nationale.

float /fləʊt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. rest or move on or near the surface of a liquid without sinking

• she relaxed, floating gently in the water.

2. [with obj. and adverbial] — cause (a buoyant object) to rest or move on or near the surface of a liquid

• trees were felled and floated downstream.

3. be suspended freely in a liquid or gas

• fragments of chipped cartilage floated in the joint.

4. [with adverbial of direction] — move or hover slowly and lightly in a liquid or the air; drift

• clouds floated across a brilliant blue sky.

5. ( float about/around) — (of a rumour, idea, etc.) circulate

• the notion was floating around Capitol Hill.

6. move in a casual or leisurely way

• Araminta floated down the stairs.

7. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — (in sport) make (the ball) travel lightly and effortlessly through the air

• he floated the kick into the net.

8. [with obj.] — put forward (an idea) as a suggestion or test of reactions.

9. offer the shares of (a company) for sale on the stock market for the first time.

10. (of a currency) fluctuate freely in value in accordance with supply and demand in the financial markets

• a policy of letting the pound float.

11. [with obj.] — allow (a currency) to float.

II. noun

1. a thing that is buoyant in water, in particular:

2. a small object attached to a fishing line to indicate by moving when a fish bites.

3. a cork or buoy supporting the edge of a fishing net.

4. a light object held for support by a person learning to swim.

5. a hollow or inflated organ enabling an organism (such as the Portuguese man-of-war) to float in the water.

6. a hollow structure fixed underneath an aircraft enabling it to take off and land on water.

7. a floating device on the surface of a liquid which forms part of a valve apparatus controlling flow in and out of the enclosing container, e.g. in a water cistern or a carburettor.

8. (Brit.) a small vehicle or cart, especially one powered by electricity.

9. a platform mounted on a truck and carrying a display in a procession

• a carnival float.

10. (Brit.) a sum of money used for change at the beginning of a period of trading in a shop or stall etc., or for minor expenditures.

11. a hand tool with a rectangular blade used for smoothing plaster.

12. (chiefly N. Amer.) a soft drink with a scoop of ice cream floating in it

• ice-cream floats.

13. (in critical path analysis) the period of time by which the duration of an activity may be extended without affecting the overall time for the process.

III. phrases

float someone's boat

‹informal› appeal to or excite someone, especially sexually.

– origin Old English flotian (verb), of Germanic origin and related to fleet^4, reinforced in Middle English by Old French floter, also from Germanic.

floatable /ˈfləʊtəb(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. capable of floating.

2. (chiefly US) (of water) able to support floating objects; deep enough to float in.

II. derivatives

floatability

noun

float arm

noun

the hinged arm attached to the ball float in the ballcock of a water cistern.

float chamber

noun

the cavity in a carburettor containing a device which floats on the surface of the fuel and seals off the flow as the level rises.

floatel /fləʊˈtɛl / flotel

I. noun

1. a floating hotel, especially a boat used as a hotel.

2. an accommodation vessel for workers on an offshore oil rig.

– origin 1950s: blend of float and hotel; compare with boatel.

floater /ˈfləʊtə/

noun

1. a person or thing that floats.

2. a loose particle within the eyeball which is apparent in one's field of vision.

3. a floating voter.

4. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) a person who frequently changes occupation or residence.

5. (N. Amer.) a worker who is required to do a variety of tasks as the need for each arises.

6. (Brit.) ‹informal› ‹dated› a mistake; a gaffe.

7. (US) an insurance policy covering loss of articles without specifying a location.

float glass

noun — [ mass noun]

1. plate glass made by allowing it to solidify on a layer of molten metal.

floating /ˈfləʊtɪŋ/

adjective

1. buoyant or suspended in water or air

• a floating platform.

2. not settled permanently; fluctuating or variable

• floating exchange rates.

floating charge

noun

a liability to a creditor which relates to the company's assets as a whole and may become fixed in particular circumstances (such as liquidation).
Compare with fixed charge.

floating cloche

noun

a lightweight material (such as polypropylene film) placed over growing plants to protect them, unsupported except by the plants themselves.

floating debt

noun

a debt which is repayable in the short term.
Compare with funded debt.

floating dock

noun

a floating structure used as a dry dock.

floating kidney

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a condition in which the kidneys are abnormally movable.

floating-point

noun — [as modifier]

1. [Computing] denoting a mode of representing numbers as two sequences of bits, one representing the digits in the number and the other an exponent which determines the position of the radix point.

• speeds of more than one million floating-point operations per second.

Often contrasted with fixed point (sense 2).

floating restaurant

noun

a restaurant located on a pontoon or on a boat converted for the purpose of cooking and serving meals

• a floating restaurant built in the hull of an old fishing boat.

floating rib

noun

any of the lower ribs which are not attached directly to the breastbone.
Also called false rib.

floating vote

noun

(Brit.) the vote of a person who has not decided which way to vote in an election, or one who does not consistently vote for the same political party

• the last-ditch campaigns focus on winning the increasing floating votes.

floating voter

noun

(Brit.) a person who has not decided which way to vote in an election, or one who does not consistently vote for the same political party.

• the party leader stepped up his efforts to appeal to floating voters.

floatplane /ˈfləʊtpleɪn/

noun

an aircraft equipped with floats for landing on water; a seaplane.

float valve

noun

a ball valve.

floaty

I. adjective

(especially of a woman's garment or a fabric) light and flimsy

• elegant floaty dresses.

II. derivatives

floatiness

noun

floc /flɒk/

I. noun

‹technical› a loosely clumped mass of fine particles.

– origin 1920s: abbreviation of flocculus.

floccinaucinihilipilification /ˌflɒksɪˌnɔːsɪˌnɪhɪlɪˌpɪlɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹rare› the action or habit of estimating something as worthless.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin flocci, nauci, nihili, pili (words meaning ‘at little value’) + -fication. The Latin elements were listed in a well-known rule of the Eton Latin Grammar. / usage: Floccinaucinihilipilification is one of a number of very long words that occur very rarely in genuine use. For more details see usage at antidisestablishmentarianism.

floccose /ˈflɒkəʊs/

I. adjective

[chiefly Botany] covered with or consisting of woolly tufts.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from late Latin floccosus, from Latin floccus ‘flock’.

flocculant /ˈflɒkjʊl(ə)nt/

noun

a substance which promotes the clumping of particles, especially one used in treating waste water.

flocculate /ˈflɒkjʊleɪt/

I. verb

‹technical› form or cause to form into small clumps or masses
[no obj.]

• it tends to flocculate in high salinities

• [with obj.] both units contain magnets that are claimed to flocculate algae.

II. derivatives

flocculation

noun

– origin late 19th cent.: from modern Latin flocculus ‘floccule’ + -ate^3.

floccule /ˈflɒkjuːl/

I. noun

a small clump of material that resembles a tuft of wool.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin flocculus, diminutive of floccus ‘flock’.

flocculent /ˈflɒkjʊl(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. having or resembling tufts of wool

• the first snows of winter lay thick and flocculent.

2. having a loosely clumped texture

• a brown flocculent precipitate.

II. derivatives

flocculence

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin floccus ‘tuft of wool’ + -ulent.

flocculus /ˈflɒkjʊləs/

I. noun

1. [Anatomy] a small egg-shaped lobe on the undersurface of the cerebellum.

2. [Astronomy] a small cloudy wisp on the surface of the sun.

3. a floccule.

– origin late 18th cent.: modern Latin, diminutive of Latin floccus (see floccus).

floccus /ˈflɒkəs/

I. noun

a tuft of wool or similar clump of fibres or filaments.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘lock or tuft of wool’. Compare with flock^2.

flock^1 /flɒk/

I. noun

1. a number of birds of one kind feeding, resting, or travelling together

• a flock of gulls.

2. a number of domestic animals, especially sheep, goats, or geese, that are kept together

• a flock of sheep.

3. a large number or crowd of people

• a flock of paparazzi tailed them all over London.

4. a group of children or pupils in someone's charge.

5. a Christian congregation or body of believers, especially one under the charge of a particular minister

• Thomas addressed his flock.

[alluding to the metaphor of Christ or a Christian pastor as a shepherd.]

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of birds) congregate in a flock

• sandgrouse are liable to flock with other species.

2. [with adverbial] — move or go together in a crowd

• tourists flock to Oxford in their thousands.

– origin Old English flocc, of unknown origin. The original sense was ‘a band or body of people’: this became obsolete, but has been reintroduced as a transferred use of the sense ‘a number of animals kept together’.

flock^2 /flɒk/

I. noun — [ mass noun] [often as modifier]

1. a soft material for stuffing cushions, quilts, and other soft furnishings, made of wool refuse or torn-up cloth

• flock mattresses.

2. powdered wool or cloth, used in making flock wallpaper.

3. [ count noun] — a lock or tuft of wool or cotton.

II. derivatives

flocky /ˈflɒki /

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French floc, from Latin floccus (see floccus).

flockmaster /ˈflɒkmɑːstə/

noun

a sheep farmer.

flock wallpaper

noun — [ mass noun]

1. wallpaper sized and sprinkled with powdered wool to make a raised pattern.

Flodden, Battle of /ˈflɒd(ə)n / Flodden Field

a decisive battle of the Anglo-Scottish war of 1513, at Flodden, a hill near the Northumbrian village of Branxton. A Scottish army under James IV was defeated by a smaller but better-led English force and suffered heavy losses, including the king and most of his nobles.

floe /fləʊ / ice floe

I. noun

a sheet of floating ice.

– origin early 19th cent. (superseding flake^1 in this sense): probably from Norwegian flo, from Old Norse fló ‘layer’.

flog /flɒɡ/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. beat (someone) with a whip or stick as a punishment

• the men had been flogged and branded on the forehead

• (as noun flogging) public floggings.

2. ‹informal› promote or talk about (something) repetitively or at excessive length

• the issue has been flogged to death already.

3. (Brit.) ‹informal› sell or offer for sale

• he made a fortune flogging beads to hippies.

4. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — (Brit.) ‹informal› make one's way with strenuous effort

• by 10 pm we had flogged up the slopes to Grey Crag.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› an arduous climb or struggle

• a long flog up the mountainside.

III. phrases

flog a dead horse

(Brit.) waste energy on a lost cause or unalterable situation.

– origin late 17th cent. (originally slang): perhaps imitative, or from Latin flagellare ‘to whip’, from flagellum ‘whip’.

flogger /ˈflɒɡə/

noun

1. a person who whips or flogs another.

2. (Brit.) ‹informal› a person who sells something.

3. (also flogging brush) — a brush used in interior decorating to give a marbled or woodgrain effect.

flokati /flɒˈkɑːti / flokati rug

I. noun

a Greek woven woollen rug with a thick loose pile.

– origin mid 20th cent.: from modern Greek phlokatē ‘peasant's blanket’.

flood /flʌd/

I. noun

1. an overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limits, especially over what is normally dry land

• the villagers had been cut off by floods and landslides

• [as modifier] a flood barrier.

2. ( the Flood) — the biblical flood brought by God upon the earth because of the wickedness of the human race (Gen. 6 ff.).

3. the inflow of the tide.

4. ‹literary› a river, stream, or sea.

5. an outpouring of tears

• she burst into floods of tears.

6. an overwhelming quantity of things or people happening or appearing at the same time

• his column provoked a flood of complaints

• floods of tourists come each year to marvel at the sights.

7. short for floodlight.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. cover or submerge (an area) with water in a flood

• the dam burst, flooding a small town

• (as noun flooding) a serious risk of flooding.

2. [no obj.] — become covered or submerged by a flood

• part of the vessel flooded

• ‹figurative› Sarah's eyes flooded with tears.

3. (usu. be flooded out) — (of a flood) force (someone) to leave their home.

4. (of a river) become swollen and overflow (its banks).

5. fill or suffuse completely

• she flooded the room with light

• [no obj., with adverbial of direction] sunlight flooded in at the windows.

6. overfill the carburettor of (an engine) with petrol, causing the engine to fail to start.

7. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] — arrive in overwhelming amounts or quantities

• congratulatory messages flooded in

• ‹figurative› his old fears came flooding back.

8. [with obj.] — overwhelm with large amounts or quantities

• our switchboard was flooded with calls.

9. [no obj.] — (of a woman) experience a uterine haemorrhage.

III. phrases

be in (full) flood

a. (of a river) be overflowing its banks.

b. ( be in full flood) — be progressing or talking vigorously or enthusiastically

• discussion was already in full flood and refused to be dammed.

• she was in full flood about the glories of bicycling.

– origin Old English flōd, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vloed and German Flut, also to flow.

flood control

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the prevention of the overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limits, or the restriction of the effects of such an overflow

• most of the reservoirs were constructed for flood control.

flood damage

noun — [ mass noun]

1. physical harm caused by the effects of the overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limits

• the money will go towards repairing flood damage to the A174 road to Sandsend.

floodgate /ˈflʌdɡeɪt/

noun

1. a gate that can be opened or closed to admit or exclude water, especially the lower gate of a lock.

2. ( the floodgates) — a last restraint holding back an outpouring of something powerful or substantial

• his lawsuit could open the floodgates for thousands of similar claims.

flood level

noun

the height reached by a body of water resulting from the overflow of a river beyond its normal limits

• drier weather means flood levels are expected to fall.

floodlight /ˈflʌdlʌɪt/

I. noun

1. a large, powerful light, typically one of several used to illuminate a sports ground, a stage, or the exterior of a building.

2. [ mass noun] — the illumination provided by a floodlight

• a tennis court where you can play by floodlight.

II. verb — [with obj.] (usu. as adj. floodlit)

1. illuminate (a building or outdoor area) with floodlights

• floodlit football pitches.

flood mark

noun

a mark left or reached by the waters of a flooded river or other body of water

• the tide peaked at 61 inches, well past the 40-inch flood mark.

floodplain /ˈflʌdpleɪn/

noun

an area of low-lying ground adjacent to a river, formed mainly of river sediments and subject to flooding.

flood tide

noun

1. an incoming tide.

2. an overwhelming quantity or amount of people or things

• the trickle of tourists has become a flood tide.

floodwater /ˈflʌdwɔːtə / floodwaters

noun — [ mass noun]

1. water left by flooding.

floodway /ˈflʌdweɪ/

noun

(N. Amer.) a channel built to take the floodwaters of a river

• the floodway is used every second spring on average.

floor /flɔː/

I. noun

1. the lower surface of a room, on which one may walk

• a wooden floor.

2. the bottom of the sea, a cave, or an area of land

• the ocean floor

• the valley floor.

3. ‹informal› the ground

• the best way to play is to pass the ball on the floor.

4. a minimum level of prices or wages

• share prices have gone through the floor.

5. all the rooms or areas on the same level of a building; a storey
[as modifier, in combination]

• a third-floor flat.

6. ( the floor) — (in a legislative assembly) the part of the house in which members sit and from which they speak.

7. the right or opportunity to speak next in debate

• other speakers have the floor.

8. (in the Stock Exchange) the large central hall where trading takes place
[as modifier]

• a floor trader.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. provide (a room or area) with a floor

• a room floored in yellow wood

• (as adj., in combination -floored) a stone-floored building.

2. ‹informal› knock (someone) to the ground, especially with a punch.

• the champion floored Close with an uppercut.

3. baffle (someone) completely

• that question floored him.

III. phrases

1. from the floor

(of a speech or question) delivered by an individual member at a meeting, not by a representative on the platform

• questions from the floor will be invited.

2. take the floor

a. begin to dance on a dance floor.

b. speak in a debate or assembly.

– origin Old English flōr, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vloer and German Flur.

floor area

noun

the extent or measurement of the floor in a room or building

• a large bungalow with a floor area of 1250 square feet.

floorboard /ˈflɔːbɔːd/

noun

1. a long plank making up part of a wooden floor in a building.

2. (N. Amer.) the floor of a motor vehicle.

floorcloth /ˈflɔːklɒθ/

noun

1. (Brit.) a cloth used for washing a floor.

2. (N. Amer.) a thin canvas rug or similar light floor covering.

floor covering

noun

a piece of material used to protect or decorate a floor

• vinyl floor coverings can be warm on your feet.

floor exercise

noun — (usu. floor exercises)

1. a routine of gymnastic exercises performed without the use of apparatus.

flooring /ˈflɔːrɪŋ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the boards or other material of which a floor is made.

floor lamp

noun

(chiefly N. Amer.) a standard lamp.

floor leader /ˈflɔː liːdə/

noun

(US) the leader of a party in a legislative assembly.

floor-length

adjective

(especially of clothing) reaching down to the floor

• a floor-length skirt.

floorman

noun

a person who supervises the gaming tables in a casino.

floor manager

noun

1. the stage manager of a television production.

2. a member of staff in a large store who supervises other shop assistants.

floorpan /ˈflɔːpan/

noun

the lower part of the body of a motor vehicle, forming the floor of the passenger compartment.

floor plan

noun

a scale diagram of the arrangement of rooms in one storey of a building.

floor polish

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a manufactured substance used for polishing uncarpeted floors.

floor polisher

noun

an appliance for polishing floors

• heavy equipment such as vacuum cleaners or floor polishers.

floor show

noun

an entertainment presented on the floor (as opposed to the stage) of a nightclub, restaurant, or similar venue.

floor space

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a continuous area or expanse of floor which is free or available

• static shelving takes up valuable floor space

• [ count noun] the whole installation takes up a floor space of about 6m x 3m.

floorwalker /ˈflɔːwɔːkə/

noun

(N. Amer.) a shopwalker.

floozy /ˈfluːzi / floosie, floozie

I. noun

‹informal› a girl or a woman who has many casual sexual partners.

• they were attacked for canoodling with floozies in nightclubs.

– origin early 20th cent.: perhaps related to flossy or to dialect floosy ‘fluffy’.

flop /flɒp/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. [with adverbial] — fall, move, or hang in a loose and ungainly way

• his blond hair flopped over his eyes.

2. sit or lie down heavily and suddenly, especially when very tired

• Liz flopped down into the armchair.

3. ‹informal› rest or sleep in a specified place

• I'm going to flop here for the night.

4. ‹informal› [chiefly Basketball] (of a player) deliberately fall or stumble in order to give the appearance of having been fouled by an opponent

• nearly everyone watching the game in Chicago believed James flopped

• (as noun flopping) the league introduced a system to penalize flopping.

5. ‹informal› (of a performer or show) be completely unsuccessful; fail totally

• the show flopped in London.

II. noun

1. a heavy, loose, and ungainly movement, or a sound made by it

• they hit the ground with a flop.

2. ‹informal› a total failure

• the play had been a flop.

3. ‹informal› (chiefly US) a cheap place to sleep.

– origin early 17th cent.: variant of flap.

-flop

I. combining form

[Computing] floating-point operations per second (used as a measure of computing power)

• a gigaflop computer.

– origin acronym; originally spelled -flops ( s = second) but shortened to avoid misinterpretation as plural.

flophouse /ˈflɒphaʊs/

noun

‹informal› (chiefly US) a dosshouse.

• they are living in a flophouse and discovering that the streets are not paved with gold.

flopper /ˈflɒpə/

noun

‹informal› [chiefly Basketball] a player who deliberately falls or stumbles in order to give the appearance of having been fouled by an opponent

• because no one wants to reward a flopper, many referees are hesitant to call fouls.

flopperoo

I. noun

‹informal› a complete failure, especially with theatre, cinema, or TV audiences or critics.

– origin 1930s: from the verb flop + -eroo, suffix in the sense ‘large, unexpected’.

floppy /ˈflɒpi/

I. adjective

tending to flop or hang loosely

• his dark floppy hair.

II. noun

(also floppy disk) — a flexible removable magnetic disk (typically encased in a hard plastic shell) for storing data.

III. derivatives

1. floppily

adverb

2. floppiness

noun

floppy drive

noun

a device which allows a computer to read from and write on to floppy disks

• what sealed the fate of the floppy drive was the introduction and immediate popularity of the USB.

flor

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. yeast allowed to develop in a whitish film on the surface of dry (fino) sherries and similar wines during fermentation.

– origin late 19th cent.: from Spanish, literally ‘flower’.

flor.

abbreviation

floruit.

flora /ˈflɔːrə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the plants of a particular region, habitat, or geological period

• Britain's native flora.

Compare with fauna.

2. [ count noun] — a book or other work detailing the plants of a particular region or habitat.

– origin late 18th cent.: from Latin flos, flor- ‘flower’.

Flora /ˈflɔːrə / ‹Roman Mythology›

the goddess of flowering plants.

floral /ˈflɔːr(ə)l, ˈflɒr(ə)l/

I. adjective

1. of flowers

• floral tributes.

2. decorated with or depicting flowers

• a floral pattern.

3. [Botany] of flora or floras

• faunal and floral evolution.

II. noun

a fabric with a floral design.

III. derivatives

florally

adverb

– origin mid 18th cent.: from Latin flos, flor- ‘flower’ + -al.

floral kingdom

noun

another term for phytogeographical kingdom.

Floréal /ˈflɔːrɪəl, French flɔʀeal/

I. noun

the eighth month of the French Republican calendar (1793–1805), originally running from 20 April to 19 May.

– origin French, from Latin floreus ‘flowery’, from flos, flor- ‘flower’.

floreat /ˈflɒrɪat/

I. exclamation

used before a name to express one's desire that the specified institution or person will flourish.

– origin Latin, ‘let flourish …’, originally used in floreat Etona, the motto of Eton College.

Florence /ˈflɒrəns/

a city in west central Italy, the capital of Tuscany, on the River Arno; pop. 365,659 (2008). Florence was a leading centre of the Italian Renaissance from the 14th to the 16th century, especially under the rule of the Medici family during the 15th century.
Italian name Firenze.

Florentine /ˈflɒr(ə)ntʌɪn/

I. adjective

1. relating to Florence.

2. ( florentine) [ postpositive] — (of a dish) served on a bed of spinach

• eggs florentine.

II. noun

1. a native or citizen of Florence.

2. a biscuit consisting mainly of nuts and preserved fruit, coated on one side with chocolate.

– origin Middle English (as a noun): from French Florentin(e) or Latin Florentinus, from Florentia ‘Florence’.

flore pleno /ˌflɔːreɪ ˈpleɪnəʊ, ˌflɔːri/

I. adjective

(of a plant variety) double-flowered.

– origin Latin, literally ‘with a full flower’.

Flores /ˈflɔːrɛs/

the largest of the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia.

florescence /flɔːˈrɛs(ə)ns, fləˈrɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the process of flowering.

• the Hieracia are erect throughout the process of florescence.

2. the process of developing richly and fully

• the great florescence of Classical poetry, music, and drama.

– origin late 18th cent.: from modern Latin florescentia, from Latin florescere ‘begin to flower’, based on flos, flor- ‘flower’.

floret /ˈflɒrɪt, ˈflɔːrɪt/

I. noun

1. [Botany] one of the small flowers making up a composite flower head.

2. [Botany] a small flower.

3. [Botany] one of the flowering stems making up a head of cauliflower or broccoli.

– origin late 17th cent.: from Latin flos, flor- ‘flower’ + -et^1.

Florey, Howard Walter /ˈflɔːri/

Baron (1898–1968), Australian pathologist. With Ernst Chain he isolated and purified penicillin; in 1945 they shared a Nobel Prize with Alexander Fleming.

Florianópolis /ˌflɔːrɪəˈnɒpəlɪs/

a city in southern Brazil, on the Atlantic coast, capital of the state of Santa Catarina; pop. 396,723 (2007).

floriated /ˈflɔːrɪeɪtɪd/

adjective

decorated with floral designs.

floribunda /ˌflɒrɪˈbʌndə, ˌflɔːrɪˈbʌndə/

I. noun

a plant, especially a rose, which bears dense clusters of flowers.

– origin late 19th cent.: modern Latin, feminine (used as a noun) of floribundus ‘freely flowering’, from Latin flos, flor- ‘flower’, influenced by Latin abundus ‘copious’.

florican /ˈflɔːrɪkan/

I. noun

a small Asian bustard (bird), the male of which has mainly black plumage with white wings.
●Family Otidae: the Bengal florican ( Houbaropsis begalensis) and the lesser florican ( Sypheotides indica).

– origin late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

floriculture /ˈflɒrɪˌkʌltʃə, ˈflɔːrɪˌkʌltʃə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the cultivation of flowers.

II. derivatives

1. floricultural /flɒrɪˌˈkʌltʃ(ə)r(ə)l, flɔːrɪˌˈkʌltʃ(ə)r(ə)l /

adjective

2. floriculturist /flɒrɪˌˈkʌltʃ(ə)rɪst, flɔːrɪˌˈkʌltʃ(ə)rɪst /

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: from Latin flos, flor- ‘flower’ + culture, on the pattern of horticulture.

florid /ˈflɒrɪd/

I. adjective

1. having a red or flushed complexion

• a stout man with a florid face.

2. excessively intricate or elaborate

• a florid, baroque building.

3. (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical devices

• his florid and exciting prose.

4. [Medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form

• florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder.

II. derivatives

1. floridity /flɒˈrɪdɪti /

noun

2. floridly

adverb

3. floridness

noun

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin floridus, from flos, flor- ‘flower’.

Florida /ˈflɒrɪdə/

a state forming a peninsula of the south-eastern US; pop. 18,328,340 (est. 2008); capital, Tallahassee. Explored by Ponce de León in 1513, it was purchased from Spain by the US in 1819; it became the 27th state of the Union in 1845.

Florida Keys

a chain of small islands off the tip of the Florida peninsula. Linked to each other and to the mainland by a series of causeways and bridges forming the Overseas Highway, the islands extend south-westwards over a distance of 160 km (100 miles).

Florida room

noun

(N. Amer.) a room built at the back of a house and partly or wholly glazed, typically with a brick or tile floor and a drinks bar.

Floridian /flɒˈrɪdɪən/

I. adjective

relating to or characteristic of the US state of Florida or its inhabitants

• a famous Floridian businessman.

II. noun

a native or inhabitant of the US state of Florida

• it made me very proud to be a Floridian.

floriferous /flɒˈrɪf(ə)rəs, flɔːˈrɪf(ə)rəs/

I. adjective

(of a plant) producing many flowers.

– origin mid 17th cent.: from Latin florifer (from flos, flor- ‘flower’, + -fer ‘producing’) + -ous.

florilegium /ˌflɒrɪˈliːdʒɪəm, flɔːrɪˈliːdʒɪəm/

I. noun

a collection of literary extracts; an anthology.

– origin early 17th cent.: modern Latin, literally ‘bouquet’ (from Latin flos, flor- ‘flower’ + legere ‘gather’), translation of Greek anthologion (see anthology).

florin /ˈflɒrɪn/

I. noun

1. a former British coin and monetary unit worth two shillings.

2. an English gold coin of the 14th c., worth six shillings and eight old pence.

3. a foreign coin of gold or silver, especially a Dutch guilder.

4. the basic monetary unit of Aruba, equal to 100 cents.

– origin via Old French from Italian fiorino, diminutive of fiore ‘flower’, from Latin flos, flor-. The word originally denoted a gold coin issued in Florence, bearing a fleur-de-lis (the city's emblem) on the reverse.

Florio, John /ˈflɔːrɪəʊ/

( c. 1553–1625), English lexicographer, of Italian descent. He produced an Italian–English dictionary entitled A Worlde of Wordes (1598) and translated Montaigne's essays into English (1603).

florist /ˈflɒrɪst/

I. noun

a person who sells and arranges cut flowers.

II. derivatives

floristry

noun

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin flos, flor- ‘flower’, on the pattern of French fleuriste or Italian florista.

floristic /fləˈrɪstɪk/

I. adjective

[Botany] relating to the study of the distribution of plants.

• floristic research.

• floristic diversity.

II. derivatives

floristically

adverb

floristics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. [Botany] the branch of phytogeography concerned with the study of plant species present in an area.

floruit /ˈflɒrʊɪt, ˈflɔːrʊɪt / fl., flor.

I. verb

used in conjunction with a specified period or set of dates to indicate when a particular historical figure lived, worked, or was most active.

II. noun

the period during which a historical figure lived or worked.

• they place Nicander's floruit in the middle of the 2nd century BC.

– origin Latin, literally ‘he or she flourished’, from florere ‘to flourish’.

flory /ˈflɔːri / fleury

I. adjective — [ predic. or postpositive]

1. [Heraldry] decorated with fleurs-de-lis.

2. [Heraldry] (of a cross) having the end of each limb splayed out into three pointed lobes.

II. phrases

flory counter-flory

decorated with fleurs-de-lis set in alternating directions.

– origin late Middle English: from Old French floure, from flour ‘flower’.

floss /flɒs/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the rough silk enveloping a silkworm's cocoon.

2. (also floss silk) — untwisted silk fibres used in embroidery.

3. the silky down in maize and other plants.

• milkweed floss.

4. short for dental floss.

II. verb

1. [with obj.] — clean between (one's teeth) with dental floss.

2. [no obj.] — ‹US informal› behave in a flamboyant manner; show off.

– origin mid 18th cent.: from French (soie) floche ‘floss (silk)’, from Old French flosche ‘down, nap of velvet’, of unknown origin.

flossy /ˈflɒsi/

adjective

1. of or like floss

• short flossy curls.

2. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› excessively showy

• she cultivated flossy friends.

flotation /fləʊˈteɪʃ(ə)n / floatation

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of floating in a liquid or gas

• the body form is modified to assist in flotation.

2. the separation of small particles of a solid by their different capacities to float.

3. the capacity to float; buoyancy.

4. the process of offering a company's shares for sale on the stock market for the first time.

– origin early 19th cent.: alteration of floatation (from float) on the pattern of French flottaison. The spelling flot- was influenced by flotilla.

flotation device

noun

an object used to provide or maintain buoyancy in water

• all who remain missing are believed to be wearing flotation devices.

flotation tank

noun

a lightproof, soundproof tank of salt water in which a person floats as a form of deep relaxation.

flotilla /fləˈtɪlə/

I. noun

a small fleet of ships or boats

• a flotilla of cargo boats.

– origin early 18th cent.: from Spanish, diminutive of flota ‘fleet’.

flotsam /ˈflɒts(ə)m/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the wreckage of a ship or its cargo found floating on or washed up by the sea.
Compare with jetsam.

2. people or things that have been rejected or discarded as worthless

• the room was cleared of boxes and other flotsam.

II. phrases

flotsam and jetsam

useless or discarded objects.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Anglo-Norman French floteson, from floter ‘to float’.

flounce^1 /flaʊns/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. go or move in an exaggeratedly impatient or angry manner

• he stood up in a fury and flounced out.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. an exaggerated action intended to express annoyance or impatience

• she left the room with a flounce.

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps of Scandinavian origin and related to Norwegian flunsa ‘hurry’, or perhaps symbolic, like bounce or pounce.

flounce^2 /flaʊns/

I. noun

a wide ornamental strip of material gathered and sewn to a skirt or dress; a frill.

II. verb — (as adj. flounced)

1. trimmed with a flounce or flounces

• a flounced skirt.

III. derivatives

flouncy

adjective

– origin early 18th cent.: from an alteration of obsolete frounce ‘a fold or pleat’, from Old French fronce, of Germanic origin; related to ruck^2.

flounder^1 /ˈflaʊndə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. struggle or stagger clumsily in mud or water

• he was floundering about in the shallow offshore waters.

2. struggle mentally; show or feel great confusion

• she floundered, not knowing quite what to say.

3. be in serious difficulty

• many firms are floundering.

II. derivatives

flounderer

noun

– origin late 16th cent.: perhaps a blend of founder^3 and blunder, or perhaps symbolic, fl- frequently beginning words connected with swift or sudden movement.

flounder^2 /ˈflaʊndə/

I. noun

1. a small flatfish that typically occurs in shallow coastal water.
●Families Pleuronectidae and Bothidae: several species, in particular the edible Platichthys flesus of European waters.

2. ( flounders) — a collective term for flatfishes other than soles.
See flatfish.

– origin Middle English: from Old French flondre, probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Danish flynder.

flour /ˈflaʊə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a powder obtained by grinding grain, typically wheat, and used to make bread, cakes, and pastry.

2. fine, soft powder obtained by grinding the seeds or roots of starchy vegetables

• manioc flour.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. sprinkle (something, especially a work surface or cooking utensil) with a thin layer of flour.

2. (US) grind (grain) into flour.

– origin Middle English: a specific use of flower in the sense ‘the best part’, used originally to mean ‘the finest quality of ground wheat’. The spelling flower remained in use alongside flour until the early 19th cent.

flour beetle

noun

a small brown darkling beetle that is a widespread pest of flour and other cereal products.
●Genera Tribolium, Gnathocerus, and others, family Tenebrionidae: several species.

flourish /ˈflʌrɪʃ/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a living organism) grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly congenial environment

• wild plants flourish on the banks of the lake.

2. develop rapidly and successfully

• the organization has continued to flourish.

3. [with adverbial] — be working or at the height of one's career during a specified period

• the caricaturist and wit who flourished in the early years of this century.

4. [with obj.] — wave (something) about to attract attention

• ‘Happy New Year!’ he yelled, flourishing a bottle of whisky.

II. noun

1. a bold or extravagant gesture or action, made especially to attract attention

• with a flourish, she ushered them inside.

2. an elaborate rhetorical or literary expression.

3. an ornamental flowing curve in handwriting or scrollwork

• letters with an emphatic flourish beneath them.

4. an impressive and successful act or period

• United produced a late second-half flourish.

5. [Music] a fanfare played by brass instruments

• a flourish of trumpets.

6. an ornate musical passage.

7. an extemporized addition played especially at the beginning or end of a composition.

III. derivatives

flourisher

noun

– origin Middle English: from Old French floriss-, lengthened stem of florir, based on Latin florere, from flos, flor- ‘a flower’. The noun senses ‘ornamental curve’ and ‘florid expression’ come from an obsolete sense of the verb, ‘adorn’ (originally with flowers).

flourishing /ˈflʌrɪʃɪŋ/

adjective

developing rapidly and successfully; thriving

• a flourishing career.

flour mill

noun

1. a building equipped with machinery for grinding grain into flour

• the flour mill is three levels high with two sets of mill stones.

2. a machine for grinding grain into flour

• the community has built a grain store and purchased a flour mill.

floury /ˈflaʊəri/

I. adjective

1. of, resembling, or covered with flour

• Maggie wiped her floury hands on her apron.

2. (of a potato) having a soft, fluffy texture when cooked.

II. derivatives

flouriness

noun

flout /flaʊt/

I. verb

1. [with obj.] — openly disregard (a rule, law, or convention)

• the advertising code is being flouted.

2. [no obj.] — ‹archaic› mock; scoff

• the women pointed and flouted at her.

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps from Dutch fluiten ‘whistle, play the flute, hiss (in derision)’; German dialect pfeifen auf, literally ‘pipe at’, has a similar extended meaning. / usage: Flout and flaunt do not have the same meaning: see usage at flaunt.

flow /fləʊ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a liquid, gas, or electricity) move steadily and continuously in a current or stream

• from here the river flows north

• ventilation channels keep the air flowing.

2. (of the sea or a tidal river) move towards the land; rise.
Compare with ebb.

3. [with adverbial of direction] — go from one place to another in a steady stream, typically in large numbers

• people flowed into the huge courtyard.

4. proceed or be produced continuously and effortlessly

• talk flowed freely around the table.

5. (of clothing or hair) hang loosely in an easy and graceful manner

• her red hair flowed over her shoulders.

6. be available in copious quantities

• their talk and laughter grew louder as the excellent brandy flowed.

7. ( flow from) — be caused by

• there are certain advantages that may flow from that decision.

8. (of a solid) undergo a permanent change of shape under stress, without melting.

II. noun

1. [in sing.] — the action or fact of moving along in a steady, continuous stream

• the flow of water into the pond.

2. the rate or speed at which something flows

• under the ford the river backs up, giving a deep sluggish flow.

3. the rise of a tide or a river.
Compare with ebb.

4. a steady, continuous stream or supply of something

• a constant flow of people

• the flow of words was interrupted by painful sobs.

5. (Scottish) a watery swamp; a morass.

6. the gradual permanent deformation of a solid under stress, without melting.

III. phrases

1. go with the flow

‹informal› be relaxed and accept a situation, rather than trying to alter or control it.

2. in full flow

a. talking fluently and showing no sign of stopping.

b. performing vigorously and enthusiastically.

3. in mid flow

in the process of talking fluently

• the diplomats stopped her in mid flow, explaining they had to go to an important meeting.

– origin Old English flōwan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vloeien, also to flood.

flow chart flow diagram

noun

1. a diagram of the sequence of movements or actions of people or things involved in a complex system or activity.

2. a graphical representation of a computer program in relation to its sequence of functions (as distinct from the data it processes).

flower /ˈflaʊə/

I. noun

1. the seed-bearing part of a plant, consisting of reproductive organs (stamens and carpels) that are typically surrounded by a brightly coloured corolla (petals) and a green calyx (sepals).

2. a flower together with its stalk, picked for use as a decoration

• a bunch of flowers.

3. [ mass noun] — the state or period in which a plant's flowers have developed and opened

• the roses were just coming into flower.

4. (N. English) ‹informal› used as a friendly form of address, especially to a young girl or woman

• all right then, flower?

5. ( the flower of) — the finest individuals out of a number of people or things

• he wasted the flower of French youth on his dreams of empire.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a plant) produce flowers; bloom

• Michaelmas daisies can flower as late as October.

2. [with obj.] — induce (a plant) to produce flowers.

3. be in or reach an optimum stage of development; develop fully and richly

• she flowered into as striking a beauty as her mother

• (as noun flowering) the flowering of Viennese intellectual life.

III. derivatives

1. flowerless /ˈflaʊələs /

adjective

2. flower-like

adjective

– origin Middle English flour, from Old French flour, flor, from Latin flos, flor-. The original spelling was no longer in use by the late 17th cent. except in its specialized sense ‘ground grain’ (see flour).

flower arrangement

noun

a decorative display of cut flowers

• wild flowers make for some of the prettiest flower arrangements.

flower arranger

noun

a person who creates decorative displays with cut flowers

• the spectacular displays were put up by 400 flower arrangers.

flower arranging

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the craft or activity of creating decorative displays with cut flowers

• she runs courses in flower arranging

• [as modifier] contestants must also show culinary and flower-arranging skills.

flower bed

noun

a garden plot in which flowers are grown.

flower beetle

noun

any of a number of beetles that frequent flowers, in particular:
● an elongated beetle with soft wing cases (chiefly of the family Melyridae). ● a day-flying chafer (family Scarabaeidae). ● a small dark beetle that frequently occurs in large numbers (family Nitidulidae).

flower children

plural noun

‹historical› hippies who wore flowers as symbols of peace and love.

flowered /ˈflaʊəd/

adjective

1. having a floral design

• flowered curtains.

2. [in combination] — (of a plant) bearing flowers of a specified kind or number

• yellow-flowered japonica.

flowerer /ˈflaʊərə/

noun

a plant that flowers at a specified time or in a specified manner

• bedding plants and other summer flowerers.

floweret /ˈflaʊərɪt/

noun

a floret, especially of cauliflower or broccoli.

flower garden

noun

a garden in which flowering plants are grown

• most homes have colourful flower gardens in front.

flower girl /ˈflaʊəɡɜːl/

noun

1. (Brit.) ‹dated› a woman or girl who sells flowers, especially in the street.

2. a young girl who carries flowers or scatters them in front of the bride at a wedding.

flower head

noun

a compact mass of flowers at the top of a stem, especially a capitulum.

flowering /ˈflaʊərɪŋ/

adjective

1. (of a plant) in bloom

• a window box of flowering geraniums.

2. capable of producing flowers, especially in contrast to a similar plant with the flowers inconspicuous or absent

• flowering dogwood.

3. [in combination] — producing flowers at a specified time or of a specified type

• winter-flowering heathers.

flowering cherry

noun

an ornamental tree grown for its spring blossom, the fruit not being considered edible.
●Genus Prunus, family Rosaceae: several species, in particular P. serrulata and its hybrids.

flowering currant

noun

an ornamental shrub grown for its clusters of small pinkish-red flowers.
●Genus Ribes, family Grossulariaceae: several species, in particular R. sanguineum.

flowering plant

noun

a plant that produces flowers; an angiosperm.

flowering rush

noun

a tall rush-like plant with long, narrow leaves and pinkish flowers, living in shallow slow-moving water and native to Eurasia.
● Butomus umbellatus, the only member of the family Butomaceae.

flowerpecker

noun

a very small songbird with a short bill and tail, feeding chiefly on insects in flowers and found in Australasia and SE Asia.
●Family Dicaeidae (the flowerpecker family): two genera, especially Dicaeum. The flowerpecker family also includes the pardalotes and the mistletoe bird.

flowerpot /ˈflaʊəpɒt/

noun

a small container, typically with sloping sides and made from plastic or earthenware, used for growing a plant in.

flower power

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ‹historical› the ideas of the flower children, especially the promotion of peace and love as means of changing the world.

flower seller

noun

a person who sells flowers, typically from a stall on a street

• flower sellers shouted their wares.

flower shop

noun

a shop where cut flowers are sold

• she was in the flower shop looking at all the blooms.

flower show

noun

an event at which flowers are displayed and judged for awards

• the Glass House plays host to the prestigious annual flower show.

flowers of sulphur flowers of sulfur

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. [Chemistry] a fine yellow powdered form of sulphur produced by sublimation.

flowers of zinc

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. finely powdered zinc oxide.

flower stall

noun

a stand in a street or market from which cut flowers are sold

• the pavements are lined with colourful flower stalls.

flowery /ˈflaʊəri/

I. adjective

1. covered with flowers or having a floral design

• a flowery meadow

• flowery wallpaper.

2. smelling of flowers

• her flowery perfume.

3. (of speech or writing) full of elaborate or literary words and phrases.

• flowery prose.

II. derivatives

floweriness /ˈflaʊərɪnəs /

noun

flowing /ˈfləʊɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. (especially of long hair or clothing) hanging or draping loosely and gracefully

• a long flowing gown of lavender silk.

2. (of a line or contour) smoothly continuous

• the flowing curves of the lawn.

3. graceful and fluent

• a flowing prose style.

II. derivatives

flowingly

adverb

flowing sheet

noun

[Sailing] a sheet (rope) that has been eased to allow free movement in the wind.

flow line

noun

a route followed by a product through successive stages of manufacture or treatment.

flowmeter /ˈfləʊmiːtə/

noun

an instrument for measuring the rate of flow of water, gas, or fuel, especially through a pipe.

flown /fləʊn/

past participle of fly^1.

flow-on

noun

(Austral./NZ) a wage adjustment or an improvement in working conditions made as a consequence of one already made in a similar or related occupation.

flowsheet /ˈfləʊʃiːt/

noun

another term for flow chart.

flowstone

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] rock deposited as a thin sheet by precipitation from flowing water.

FLQ

I. abbreviation

(in Canada) Front de Libération du Québec, a Quebec separatist terrorist organization, especially active in the 1960s and early 1970s.

– origin French.

Flt Lt

abbreviation

Flight Lieutenant.

Flt Sgt

abbreviation

Flight Sergeant.

flu /fluː/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. influenza

• she was in bed with flu.

– origin mid 19th cent.: abbreviation.

flub /flʌb / ‹N. Amer. informal›

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. botch or bungle (something)

• she glanced at her notes and flubbed her lines.

II. noun

a thing badly or clumsily done; a blunder.

• the textbooks are littered with flubs.

– origin 1920s: of unknown origin.

fluctuant /ˈflʌktjʊənt/

I. adjective

‹literary› ‹technical› fluctuating; unstable.

– origin mid 16th cent.: from Old French ‘undulating’, from Latin fluctuare ‘undulate’.

fluctuate /ˈflʌktʃʊeɪt, ˈflʌktjʊeɪt/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. rise and fall irregularly in number or amount

• trade with other countries tends to fluctuate from year to year

• (as adj. fluctuating) a fluctuating level of demand.

– origin mid 17th cent. (earlier (late Middle English) as fluctuation): from Latin fluctuat- ‘undulated’, from the verb fluctuare, from fluctus ‘flow, current, wave’, from fluere ‘to flow’.

fluctuation /ˌflʌktʃʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n, ˌflʌktjʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

an irregular rising and falling in number or amount; a variation

• fluctuations in the yearly values could be caused by a variety of factors.

• the current fluctuation in energy prices.

flue /fluː/

I. noun

1. a duct for smoke and waste gases produced by a fire, a gas heater, a power station, or other fuel-burning installation.

2. a channel for conveying heat.

– origin late Middle English (denoting the mouthpiece of a hunting horn): of unknown origin. Current senses date from the late 16th cent.

flue-cure

verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. flue-cured)

1. cure (tobacco) using heat from pipes or flues connected to a furnace.

• flue-cured leaves were increasingly popular with tobacco chewers.

flue gas

noun

a mixture of gases produced by the burning of fuel or other materials in power stations and industrial plants and extracted via ducts

• the company uses a biological process to treat flue gases from steel plants.

fluellen /flʊˈɛlɪn/

I. noun

a small creeping Eurasian plant with yellow and purple flowers, widely occurring in cornfields.
●Genus Kickxia, family Scrophulariaceae: two species.

– origin mid 16th cent.: alteration of Welsh llysiau Llywelyn ‘Llewelyn's herbs’; compare with Fluellen, used by Shakespeare to represent the Welsh name Llywelyn.

fluence^1 /ˈfluːəns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Brit.) ‹informal› mysterious, magical, or hypnotic power

• you've put the fluence on me, haven't you?

– origin early 20th cent.: shortening of influence.

fluence^2 /ˈfluːəns/

I. noun

[Physics] a stream of particles crossing a unit area, usually expressed as the number of particles per second.

• the model computes the expected proton fluences from solar events.

• [ mass noun] an ion beam of low fluence.

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘a flowing, a stream’): from French, from Latin fluentia, from fluere ‘to flow’.

fluency /ˈfluːənsi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the quality or condition of being fluent, in particular:

2. the ability to speak or write a particular foreign language easily and accurately

• fluency in Spanish is essential.

3. the ability to express oneself easily and articulately.

– origin early 17th cent.: from Latin fluentia, from fluere ‘to flow’.

fluent /ˈfluːənt/

I. adjective

1. able to express oneself easily and articulately

• a fluent speaker and writer on technical subjects.

2. able to speak or write a particular foreign language easily and accurately

• she became fluent in French and German.

3. (of a foreign language) spoken accurately and with facility

• he spoke fluent Spanish.

4. smoothly graceful and effortless

• his style of play was fast and fluent.

5. able to flow freely; fluid

• a fluent discharge from the nose.

– origin late 16th cent.: from Latin fluent- ‘flowing’, from the verb fluere.

fluently /ˈfluːəntli/

adverb

1. with an ability to express oneself easily and articulately

• he writes fluently and authoritatively

• she speaks fluently and convincingly on the need for more controls.

2. (with reference to speaking or reading a particular foreign language) with ease and accuracy

• children learned to read fluently by the end of the year

• he can converse fluently in Filipino.

3. in a smoothly graceful and effortless manner

• Smith batted fluently to hit 11 fours off 115 balls

• Moscow Flyer jumped fluently at Aintree to record a six-length victory.

4. in a way that progresses smoothly

• the game ran fluently.

flue pipe

noun

1. a pipe acting as a flue.

2. an organ pipe into which the air enters directly without striking a reed.

fluey /ˈfluːi/

adjective

(Brit.) ‹informal› suffering from flu

• when I woke up I felt really fluey.

fluff /flʌf/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — soft fibres from fabrics such as wool or cotton which accumulate in small light clumps

• he brushed his sleeve to remove the fluff.

2. any soft downy substance, especially the fur or feathers of a young mammal or bird.

3. entertainment or writing perceived as trivial or superficial

• the film is a piece of typical Hollywood fluff.

4. ‹informal› a mistake made in speaking or playing music, or by an actor in delivering their lines.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. make (something) appear fuller and softer by shaking or brushing it

• I fluffed up the pillows.

2. ‹informal› fail to perform or accomplish (something) successfully or well

• the extra fluffed his only line.

– origin late 18th cent.: probably a dialect alteration of 16th-cent. flue ‘down, nap, fluff’, apparently from Flemish vluwe.

fluffy /ˈflʌfi/

I. adjective

1. of, like, or covered with fluff

• a fluffy kitten

• fluffy white clouds.

2. (of food) light in texture and containing air

• cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

3. ‹informal› frivolous or silly; lacking depth or seriousness

• a fluffy blonde in leopard-skin pedal-pushers.

II. derivatives

1. fluffily

adverb

2. fluffiness /ˈflʌfɪnəs /

noun

flugelhorn /ˈfluːɡ(ə)lhɔːn/

I. noun

a valved brass musical instrument like a cornet but with a fuller tone.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from German Flügelhorn, from Flügel ‘wing’ + Horn ‘horn’.

fluid /ˈfluːɪd/

I. noun

a substance that has no fixed shape and yields easily to external pressure; a gas or (especially) a liquid

• body fluids

• [ mass noun] a bottle of cleaning fluid.

II. adjective

1. (of a substance) able to flow easily

• the paint is more fluid than tube watercolours.

2. smoothly elegant or graceful

• her movements were fluid and beautiful to watch.

3. not settled or stable; likely or able to change

• our plans are still fluid

• the fluid political situation of the 1930s.

4. (of a clutch or coupling) using a liquid to transmit power.

III. derivatives

fluidly

adverb

– origin late Middle English (as an adjective): from French fluide or Latin fluidus, from fluere ‘to flow’.

fluidics /fluːˈɪdɪks/

I. plural noun — [often treated as sing.]

1. the study and technique of using small interacting flows and fluid jets for functions usually performed by electronic devices.

II. derivatives

fluidic

adjective

fluidity /fluːˈɪdɪti/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the ability of a substance to flow easily

• lead especially assists in the fluidity of the molten metal.

2. smooth elegance or grace

• they moved with supreme skill and graceful fluidity.

3. the state of being unsettled or unstable; changeability

• tactical considerations can change rapidly given the fluidity of the situation.

fluidize /ˈfluːɪdʌɪz / fluidise

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹technical› give (a finely divided solid) the characteristics of a fluid by passing a gas upwards through it.

• the massive kimberlite was fluidized and carried upwards at low temperatures.

II. derivatives

fluidization /fluːɪdʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

fluidized bed

noun

a layer of a fluidized solid, used in chemical processes and in the efficient burning of coal for power generation.
[as modifier]

• fluidized bed combustion.

fluid mechanics

plural noun — [treated as sing.]

1. the study of forces and flow within fluids.

fluid ounce fl. oz

noun

1. (Brit.) a unit of capacity equal to one twentieth of a pint (approximately 0.028 litre).

2. (also fluidounce) — (US) a unit of capacity equal to one sixteenth of a US pint (approximately 0.03 litre).

fluidram /ˈfluːɪdram/

noun

(US) a fluid drachm.
See drachm.

fluke^1 /fluːk/

I. noun

an unlikely chance occurrence, especially a surprising piece of luck

• their victory was a bit of a fluke.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. achieve (something) by luck rather than skill.

– origin mid 19th cent. (originally a term in games such as billiards denoting a lucky stroke): perhaps a dialect word.

fluke^2 /fluːk/

I. noun

1. a parasitic flatworm which typically has suckers and hooks for attachment to the host. Some species are of veterinary or medical importance.
●Classes Trematoda and Monogenea, phylum Platyhelminthes. See digenean and monogenean.

2. ‹chiefly dialect› (N. Amer.) a flatfish, especially a flounder.

– origin Old English flōc (in sense 2), of Germanic origin; related to German flach ‘flat’.

fluke^3 /fluːk/

I. noun

1. a broad triangular plate on the arm of an anchor.

2. either of the lobes of a whale's tail.

– origin mid 16th cent.: perhaps from fluke^2 (because of the shape).

fluky /ˈfluːki / flukey

I. adjective

obtained or achieved more by chance than skill

• a fluky goal.

II. derivatives

1. flukily

adverb

2. flukiness

noun

flu-like /ˈfluːlʌɪk/

adjective

(of an illness) resembling influenza

• she went to bed complaining of severe flu-like symptoms.

flume /fluːm/

I. noun

1. an artificial channel conveying water, typically used for transporting logs or timber.

2. a winding tubular water slide or chute at a swimming pool or amusement park.

– origin Middle English (denoting a river or stream): from Old French flum, from Latin flumen ‘river’, from fluere ‘to flow’. The sense ‘artificial channel’ dates from the mid 18th cent.; ‘water chute for amusement’ is a late 20th-cent. usage.

flummery /ˈflʌm(ə)ri/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. meaningless or insincere flattery or conventions

• she hated the flummery of public relations.

2. a sweet dish made with beaten eggs, milk, sugar, and flavourings.

– origin early 17th cent. (denoting a dish made with oatmeal or wheatmeal boiled to a jelly): from Welsh llymru; perhaps related to llymrig ‘soft, slippery’.

flummox /ˈflʌməks/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› perplex (someone) greatly; bewilder

• I was completely flummoxed by the whole thing.

– origin mid 19th cent.: probably of dialect origin; flummock ‘to make untidy, confuse’ is recorded in western counties and the north Midlands.

flummoxed /ˈflʌməkst/

adjective

bewildered or perplexed

• he became flummoxed and speechless.

flump /flʌmp/

I. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. fall or sit down heavily

• I flumped back into bed.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. the action or sound of a heavy fall.

• the rocks hit the ground with a flump.

– origin early 17th cent.: imitative.

flung /flʌŋ/

past and past participle of fling.

flunk /flʌŋk/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) fail to reach the required standard in (an examination, test, or course of study)

• I flunked biology in the tenth grade.

2. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) judge (an examination candidate) to have failed to reach the required standard.

3. [no obj.] ( flunk out) — ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) (of a student) leave or be dismissed from school or college as a result of failing to reach the required standard

• Tip flunked out of Caltech and moved back home.

– origin early 19th cent. (in the general sense ‘back down, fail utterly’; originally US): perhaps related to funk^1 or to US flink ‘be a coward’, perhaps a variant of flinch.

flunkey /ˈflʌŋki / flunky

I. noun

1. ‹chiefly derogatory› a liveried manservant or footman.

2. ‹chiefly derogatory› a person who performs relatively menial tasks for someone else, especially obsequiously.

II. derivatives

flunkeyism /ˈflʌŋkɪɪz(ə)m /

noun

– origin mid 18th cent. (originally Scots): perhaps from flank in the sense ‘a person who stands at one's flank’.

fluoresce /flʊəˈrɛs, flɔːˈrɛs/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. shine or glow brightly due to fluorescence

• the molecules fluoresce when excited by ultraviolet radiation.

– origin late 19th cent.: back-formation from fluorescence.

fluorescein /ˈflʊərəsiːn, ˈflʊərəsɪn, ˈflɔːrəsiːn, ˈflɔːrəsɪn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Chemistry] an orange dye with a yellowish-green fluorescence, used as an indicator and tracer.
●A derivative of resorcinol and phthalic anhydride; chem. formula: C_20H_12O_5.

– origin late 19th cent.: from fluorescence + -in^1.

fluorescence /flʊəˈrɛs(ə)ns, flɔːˈrɛs(ə)ns/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the visible or invisible radiation produced from certain substances as a result of incident radiation of a shorter wavelength such as X-rays or ultraviolet light.

2. the property of absorbing light of short wavelength and emitting light of longer wavelength.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from fluorspar (which fluoresces), on the pattern of opalescence.

fluorescent /flʊəˈrɛs(ə)nt, flɔːˈrɛs(ə)nt/

I. adjective

1. (of a substance) having or showing fluorescence

• a fluorescent dye.

2. containing a fluorescent tube

• fluorescent lighting.

3. vividly colourful

• a fluorescent T-shirt.

II. noun

a fluorescent tube or lamp.

III. derivatives

fluorescently

adverb

fluorescent screen

noun

a transparent screen coated with fluorescent material to show images from X-rays.

fluorescent tube fluorescent bulb

noun

a glass tube which radiates light when phosphor on its inside surface is made to fluoresce by ultraviolet radiation from mercury vapour.

fluoridate /ˈflʊərɪdeɪt, ˈflɔːrɪdeɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. add traces of fluorides to (something)
(as adj. fluoridated)

• fluoridated toothpaste.

II. derivatives

fluoridation /flʊərɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n, flɔːrɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n /

noun

– origin 1940s: back-formation from earlier fluoridation.

fluoride /ˈflʊərʌɪd, ˈflɔːrʌɪd/

I. noun

1. [Chemistry] a compound of fluorine with another element or group, especially salt of the anion F− or an organic compound with fluorine bonded to an alkyl group.

2. [ mass noun] — sodium fluoride or another fluorine-containing salt added to water supplies or toothpaste in order to reduce tooth decay.

– origin early 19th cent.: from fluorine + -ide.

fluorinate /ˈflʊərɪneɪt, ˈflɔːrɪneɪt/

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. [Chemistry] introduce fluorine into (a compound).

2. another term for fluoridate.

II. derivatives

fluorination

noun

fluorine /ˈflʊəriːn, ˈflɔːriːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Symbol: F) — the chemical element of atomic number 9, a poisonous pale yellow gas of the halogen series. It is the most reactive of all the elements, causing very severe burns on contact with skin.

– origin early 19th cent.: from fluor (see fluorspar) + -ine^4.

fluorite /ˈflʊərʌɪt, ˈflɔːrʌɪt/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. a mineral consisting of calcium fluoride which typically occurs as cubic crystals, colourless when pure but often coloured by impurities.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from fluor (see fluorspar) + -ite^1.

fluoro- /ˈflʊərəʊ, ˈflɔːrəʊ/

combining form

1. representing fluorine.

2. representing fluorescence.

fluorocarbon /ˌflʊərə(ʊ)ˈkɑːb(ə)n, ˌflɔːrə(ʊ)ˈkɑːb(ə)n/

noun

[Chemistry] a compound formed by replacing one or more of the hydrogen atoms in a hydrocarbon with fluorine atoms.

fluorochrome

noun

a chemical that fluoresces, especially one used as a label in biological research.

fluorography /flʊəˈrɒɡrəfi, flɔːˈrɒɡrəfi/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. photography in which the image is formed by fluorescence, used chiefly in biomedical research.

II. derivatives

fluorograph

noun

fluorometer /flʊəˈrɒmɪtə, flɔːˈrɒmɪtə / fluorimeter

I. noun

an instrument for measuring the intensity of fluorescence, used chiefly in biochemical analysis.

II. derivatives

1. fluorometric

adjective

2. fluorometrically

adverb

3. fluorometry

noun

fluoropolymer /ˈflʊərəʊˌpɒlɪmə, ˈflɔːrəʊˌpɒlɪmə/

noun

an organic polymer containing fluorine atoms, such as PTFE.

fluoroquinolone /ˌflʊərəʊˈkwɪnələʊn, ˌflɔːrəʊˈkwɪnələʊn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. an antibiotic used especially in the treatment of systemic infections.

fluoroscope

I. noun

an instrument with a fluorescent screen used for viewing X-ray images without taking and developing X-ray photographs.

II. derivatives

1. fluoroscopic

adjective

2. fluoroscopy

noun

fluorosis /flʊəˈrəʊsɪs, flɔːˈrəʊsɪs/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a chronic condition caused by excessive intake of fluorine compounds, marked by mottling of the teeth and, if severe, calcification of the ligaments.

fluorspar /ˈflʊəspɑː, ˈflɔːspɑː/

I. noun

another term for fluorite.

– origin late 18th cent.: from fluor ‘a flow, a mineral used as a flux, fluorspar’ (from Latin fluor, from fluere ‘to flow’) + spar^3.

fluoxetine /fluːˈɒksətiːn/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic compound which inhibits the uptake of serotonin in the brain and is taken to treat depression.
Also called Prozac .

– origin 1970s: from fluo(rine) + ox(y) + -etine (perhaps from e + a blend of toluene and amine).

flurried /ˈflʌrid/

adjective

agitated, nervous, or anxious

• Jack was never flurried.

flurry /ˈflʌri/

I. noun

1. a small swirling mass of something, especially snow or leaves, moved by sudden gusts of wind

• a flurry of snow.

2. a sudden short period of activity or excitement

• there was a brief flurry of activity in the hall.

3. a number of things arriving or happening suddenly and during the same period

• a flurry of editorials hostile to the government.

II. verb — [no obj., with adverbial of direction]

1. (especially of snow or leaves) be moved in small swirling masses by sudden gusts of wind

• gusts of snow flurried through the door.

2. (of a person) move quickly in a busy or agitated way

• the waiter flurried between them.

– origin late 17th cent.: from obsolete flurr ‘fly up, flutter, whirr’ (imitative), probably influenced by hurry.

flush^1 /flʌʃ/

I. verb

1. [no obj.] — (of a person's skin, face, etc.) become red and hot, typically as the result of illness or strong emotion

• Rachel flushed angrily.

2. [with obj.] — make red and hot

• a wave of colour flushed his cheeks.

3. glow or cause to glow with warm colour or light
[with obj.]

• the sky was flushed with the gold of dawn.

4. [with obj.] — cleanse (something, especially a toilet) by causing large quantities of water to pass through it

• she flushed the loo

• the nurse flushed out the catheter.

5. [no obj.] — (of a toilet) be cleansed by flushing.

• Cally heard the toilet flush.

6. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — remove or dispose of (an object or substance) by flushing

• I flushed the pills down the lavatory

• the kidneys require more water to flush out waste products.

7. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — cause (a liquid) to flow through something

• 0.3 ml of saline is gently flushed through the tube.

8. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — drive (a bird, especially a game bird, or an animal) from its cover

• the grouse were flushed from the woods.

9. cause to be revealed; force into the open

• they're trying to flush him out of hiding.

10. [no obj.] — (of a plant) send out fresh shoots

• the plant had started to flush by late March.

II. noun

1. a reddening of the face, skin, etc., typically caused by illness or strong emotion

• a flush of embarrassment rose to her cheeks.

2. an area of warm colour or light

• the bird has a pinkish flush on the breast.

3. [in sing.] — a sudden rush of intense emotion

• I was carried away in a flush of enthusiasm.

4. a period when something is new or particularly fresh and vigorous

• he is no longer in the first flush of youth.

5. a sudden abundance or spate of something

• the frogs feast on the great flush of insects.

6. a fresh growth of leaves, flowers, or fruit.

7. an act of cleansing something, especially a toilet, with a sudden flow of water.

• an old-fashioned toilet uses six or seven gallons a flush.

8. the device used for flushing a toilet.

• he pressed the flush absent-mindedly.

9. [as modifier] — denoting a type of toilet that has a flushing device.

10. a sudden flow

• the melting snow provides a flush of water.

11. the action of driving an animal or game bird from its cover

• labradors retrieve the birds after the flush.

III. derivatives

1. flushable

adjective

2. flusher /ˈflʌʃə /

noun

– origin Middle English (in the sense ‘move rapidly, spring up’, especially of a bird ‘fly up suddenly’): symbolic, fl- frequently beginning words connected with sudden movement; perhaps influenced by flash^1 and blush.

flush^2 /flʌʃ/

I. adjective

1. completely level or even with another surface

• the gates are flush with the adjoining fencing.

2. (of printed text) not indented or protruding

• each line is flush with the left-hand margin.

3. (of a door) having a smooth surface, without indented or protruding panels or mouldings.

4. [ predic.] — ‹informal› having plenty of something, especially money

• the banks are flush with funds.

5. (of money) plentiful

• the years when cash was flush.

II. adverb

1. so as to be level or even

• the screw must fit flush with the surface.

2. so as to be directly centred; squarely

• Hodson caught him flush on the jaw with a straight right.

III. verb — [with obj.]

1. fill in (a joint) level with a surface.

IV. derivatives

flushness

noun

– origin mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘perfect, lacking nothing’): probably related to flush^1.

flush^3 /flʌʃ/

I. noun

(in poker or brag) a hand of cards all of the same suit.

– origin early 16th cent.: from French flux (formerly flus), from Latin fluxus ‘a flow’ (see flux: the use in cards can be compared with English run).

flush^4 /flʌʃ/

I. noun

[Ecology] a piece of wet ground over which water flows without being confined to a definite channel.

– origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘marshy place’): variant of flash^2.

flushed /flʌʃt/

adjective

1. (of a person's skin) red and hot, typically as the result of illness or strong emotion

• her flushed cheeks.

2. (of a person) excited or elated by something

• flushed with success, I was getting into my stride.

Flushing /ˈflʌʃɪŋ/

a port in the SW Netherlands; pop. 44,798 (2008).
Dutch name Vlissingen.

fluster /ˈflʌstə/

I. verb — [with obj.] (often as adj. flustered)

1. make (someone) agitated or confused

• Rosamund seemed rather flustered this morning.

II. noun — [in sing.]

1. an agitated or confused state

• the main thing is not to get all in a fluster.

III. derivatives

flusteredness

noun

– origin early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘make slightly drunk’): perhaps of Scandinavian origin and related to Icelandic flaustra ‘hurry, bustle’.

flute /fluːt/

I. noun

1. a wind instrument made from a tube with holes that are stopped by the fingers or keys, held vertically or horizontally (in which case it is also called a transverse flute) so that the player's breath strikes a narrow edge. The modern orchestral form is a transverse flute, typically made of metal, with an elaborate set of keys.

2. an organ stop with wooden or metal flue pipes producing a tone similar to that of a flute.

3. [Architecture] an ornamental vertical groove in a column.

4. a trumpet-shaped frill on a dress or other garment.

5. a tall, narrow wine glass

• a flute of champagne.

II. verb

1. [no obj.] — ‹literary› play a flute or pipe.

2. speak in a melodious way

• ‘What do you do?’ she fluted.

3. [with obj.] — make flutes or grooves in.

III. derivatives

flute-like

adjective

– origin Middle English: from Old French flahute, probably from Provençal flaüt, perhaps a blend of flaujol ‘flageolet’ + laüt ‘lute’.

fluted /ˈfluːtɪd/

adjective

having flutes or grooves; ridged

• fluted pillars.

fluting /ˈfluːtɪŋ/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — sound reminiscent of that of a flute

• the silvery fluting of a blackbird.

2. a groove or set of grooves forming a surface decoration

• a hollow stem with vertical flutings.

II. adjective

reminiscent of the sound of a flute

• the golden, fluting voice filled the room.

flutist /ˈfluːtɪst/

noun

US term for flautist.

flutter /ˈflʌtə/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a bird or other winged creature) fly unsteadily or hover by flapping the wings quickly and lightly

• a couple of butterflies fluttered around the garden.

2. [with obj.] — (of a bird or other winged creature) flap (its wings) quickly and lightly.

3. move with a light irregular or trembling motion

• flags of different countries fluttered in the breeze

• (as adj. fluttering) a fluttering banner.

4. [with adverbial of direction] — (of a person) move restlessly or uncertainly

• Mavis fluttered about nervously.

5. (of a pulse or heartbeat) beat feebly or irregularly.

II. noun

1. an act of fluttering

• there was a flutter of wings at the window.

2. a state or sensation of tremulous excitement

• her insides were in a flutter.

3. [ mass noun] — [Medicine] disturbance of the rhythm of the heart that is less severe than fibrillation.

4. [ mass noun] — [Aeronautics] undesired oscillation in a part of an aircraft under stress.

5. [ mass noun] — [Electronics] rapid variation in the pitch or amplitude of a signal, especially of recorded sound.
Compare with wow^2.

6. (Brit.) ‹informal› a small bet

• a flutter on the horses.

III. phrases

flutter one's eyelashes

open and close one's eyes rapidly in a coy, flirtatious manner.

IV. derivatives

1. flutterer

noun

2. flutteringly

adverb

3. fluttery

adjective

– origin Old English floterian, flotorian, a frequentative form related to fleet^4.

flutter-tonguing

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the action of vibrating the tongue (as if rolling an r) in playing a wind instrument to produce a whirring effect.

fluty /ˈfluːti / flutey

adjective

reminiscent of the sound of a flute

• a drawn-out fluty whistle.

fluvial /ˈfluːvɪəl/

I. adjective

[chiefly Geology] of or found in a river.

• fluvial processes.

• fluvial deposits.

– origin Middle English: from Latin fluvialis, from fluvius ‘river’, from fluere ‘to flow’.

fluviatile /ˈfluːvɪəˌtʌɪl/

I. adjective

‹technical› of, found in, or produced by a river

• fluviatile sediments.

– origin late 16th cent.: from French, from Latin fluviatilis, from fluviatus ‘moistened’, from fluvius ‘river’.

fluvio- /ˈfluːvɪəʊ/

I. combining form

river; relating to rivers

• fluvioglacial.

– origin from Latin fluvius ‘river’.

fluvioglacial /fluːvɪəʊˈɡleɪʃ(ə)l, fluːvɪəʊˈɡleɪsɪəl/

adjective

[Geology] relating to or denoting erosion or deposition caused by flowing meltwater from glaciers or ice sheets.

fluviolacustrine /ˌfluːvɪə(ʊ)ləˈkʌstrʌɪn, ˌfluːvɪə(ʊ)ləˈkʌstrɪn/

adjective

[Geology] (of sediments) produced by both rivers and lakes.

fluviometer /ˌfluːvɪˈɒmɪtə/

noun

an instrument for measuring the rise and fall of rivers.

fluvoxamine /fluːˈvɒxəmiːn/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Medicine] a synthetic antidepressant drug which acts by prolonging the effect of the neurotransmitter serotonin on the brain.

flux /flʌks/

I. noun

1. [ mass noun] — the action or process of flowing or flowing out

• the flux of ions across the membrane.

2. [Physics] the rate of flow of a fluid, radiant energy, or particles across a given area.

3. the amount of radiation or particles incident on an area in a given time.

4. the total electric or magnetic field passing through a surface.

5. [Medicine] an abnormal discharge of blood or other matter from or within the body.

6. (usu. the flux) — ‹archaic› diarrhoea or dysentery.

7. [ mass noun] — continuous change

• the whole political system is in a state of flux.

8. a substance mixed with a solid to lower its melting point, used especially in soldering and brazing metals or to promote vitrification in glass or ceramics.

9. a substance added to a furnace during metal-smelting or glass-making which combines with impurities to form slag.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. treat (a metal object) with a flux to promote melting.

– origin late Middle English: from Latin fluxus, from fluere ‘to flow’.

flux density

noun

the amount of magnetic, electric, or other flux passing through a unit area.

fluxgate /ˈflʌksɡeɪt/

noun

[Physics] a device consisting of one or more soft iron cores each surrounded by primary and secondary windings, used for determining the characteristics of an external magnetic field from the signals produced in the secondary windings.
[as modifier]

• a fluxgate compass.

fluxion /ˈflʌkʃ(ə)n/

I. noun

[Mathematics] ‹dated› a function corresponding to the rate of change of a variable quantity; a derivative.

– origin late 17th cent.: from French, or from Latin flux- ‘flowed’, from the verb fluere.

fluxional /ˈflʌkʃ(ə)n(ə)l/

adjective

1. subject to flux.

2. [Mathematics] ‹dated› relating to fluxions.

fly^1 /flʌɪ/

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a bird, bat, or insect) move through the air using wings

• close the door or the moths will fly in

• the bird can fly enormous distances.

2. (of an aircraft or its occupants) travel through the air

• I fly back to London this evening.

3. [with obj.] — control the flight of (an aircraft)

• he flew Hurricanes in the war.

4. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] — transport in an aircraft

• helicopters flew the injured to hospital.

5. [with obj.] — accomplish (a purpose) in an aircraft

• pilots trained to fly combat missions.

6. [with obj.] — release (a bird) to fly, especially a hawk for hunting or a pigeon for racing.

7. [usu. with adverbial of direction] — move or be hurled quickly through the air

• balls kept flying over her hedge

• he was sent flying by the tackle.

8. ( past flied) — [Baseball] hit a ball high into the air

• he flied out to the left field.

9. [with adverbial] — wave or flutter in the wind

• she ran after him, her hair flying behind her.

10. (with reference to a flag) display or be displayed on a flagpole
[with obj.]

• vessels which flew the Spanish flag

• [no obj.] flags were flying at half mast.

11. [usu. with adverbial of direction] — go or move quickly

• she flew along the path

• his fingertips flew across the keyboard.

12. ‹informal› depart hastily

• I must fly!

13. (of time) pass swiftly

• the evening had just flown by.

14. (of accusations or insults) be exchanged swiftly and heatedly

• the accusations flew thick and fast.

15. (of a report) be circulated swiftly and widely

• rumours were flying around Manchester.

16. ‹archaic› run away.

• those that fly may fight again.

17. [with obj.] — ‹archaic› escape from in haste

• you must fly the country for a while.

18. (N. Amer.) ‹informal› be successful

• that idea didn't fly with most other council members.

II. noun

1. ( flies) — an opening at the crotch of a pair of trousers, closed with a zip or buttons and typically covered with a flap.

2. a flap of material covering the opening or fastening of a garment or of a tent.

3. ( the flies) — the space over the stage in a theatre.

4. [Baseball] short for fly ball.

5. ( pl. usu. flys) — (Brit.) ‹historical› a one-horse hackney carriage.

6. (Austral./NZ) ‹informal› an attempt

• we decided to give it a fly.

III. phrases

1. fly the coop

‹informal› make one's escape.

2. fly the flag

see flag^1.

3. fly high

be very successful; prosper.

4. fly in the face of

be openly at variance with (what is usual or expected)

• a need to fly in the face of convention.

5. fly into a rage (or temper)

become suddenly or violently angry.

6. fly a kite

‹informal› try something out to test public opinion.

7. fly the nest

a. (of a young bird) leave its nest on becoming able to fly.

b. ‹informal› (of a young person) leave their parents' home to set up home elsewhere.

8. fly off the handle

‹informal› lose one's temper suddenly and unexpectedly.
[figuratively, with reference to the loose head of an axe.]

9. go fly a kite

[in imperative] — (N. Amer.) ‹informal› go away.

10. on the fly

a. while in motion or progress

• producers were able to schedule the day's Olympic coverage on the fly.

b. [Computing] during the running of a computer program without interrupting the run.

IV. phrasal verbs

fly at

a. attack verbally or physically

• Robbie flew at him, fists clenched.

b. (of a hawk) pursue and attack, or habitually pursue (prey).

V. derivatives

flyable

adjective

– origin Old English flēogan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vliegen and German fliegen, also to fly^2.

fly^2 /flʌɪ/

I. noun

1. a flying insect of a large order characterized by a single pair of transparent wings and sucking (and often also piercing) mouthparts. Flies are of great importance as vectors of disease. See also Diptera.
●Order Diptera: numerous families.

2. [usu. in combination] — used in names of flying insects of other orders, e.g. butterfly, dragonfly, firefly.

3. [ mass noun] — an infestation of flying insects on a plant or animal

• cattle to be treated for warble fly.

4. a natural or artificial flying insect used as bait in fishing, especially a mayfly.

II. phrases

1. die (or drop) like flies

die or collapse in large numbers.

2. drink with the flies

(Austral./NZ) drink alone.

3. a fly in the ointment

a minor irritation that spoils the success or enjoyment of something.

4. fly on the wall

a. an unnoticed observer of a particular situation.

b. [as modifier] — denoting a film-making technique whereby events are recorded realistically with minimum interference rather than acted out under direction

• a fly-on-the-wall documentary.

5. like a blue-arsed fly

(Brit.) ‹vulgar slang› in an extremely hectic or frantic way.

6. (there are) no flies on ——

used to emphasize a person's cleverness and astuteness

• no flies on Phyllis—she paid six months in advance.

7. wouldn't hurt (or harm) a fly

used to emphasize how inoffensive and harmless a person or animal is.

8. you (can) catch more flies with honey than (with) vinegar

‹proverb› it is more effective to be polite and flattering than to be hostile or demanding.

– origin Old English flȳge, flēoge, denoting any winged insect, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlieg and German Fliege, also to fly^1.

fly^3 /flʌɪ/

I. adjective

1. ‹informal› (Brit.) knowing and clever

• she's fly enough not to get tricked out of it.

2. ‹informal› (N. Amer.) fashionably attractive and impressive

• a fly dude.

II. derivatives

flyness

noun

– origin early 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

fly agaric

noun

a poisonous toadstool which has a red cap with fluffy white spots, growing particularly among birch trees. It contains hallucinogenic alkaloids and has long been used by the indigenous peoples of NE Siberia.
● Amanita muscaria, family Amanitaceae, class Hymenomycetes.

fly ash

noun — [ mass noun]

1. ash produced in small dark flecks by the burning of powdered coal or other materials and carried into the air.

flyaway /ˈflʌɪəweɪ/

adjective

(of a person's hair) fine and difficult to control.

• the gel is designed to smooth down flyaway hair.

flyback /ˈflʌɪbak/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. the return of the scanning spot in a cathode ray tube to the starting point.

fly ball

noun

[Baseball] a ball batted high into the air.

• he lifted a fly ball to right centre that should have been caught.

flyblow /ˈflʌɪbləʊ/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. flies' eggs contaminating food, especially meat.

flyblown /ˈflʌɪbləʊn/

adjective

1. contaminated through contact with flies and their eggs and larvae

• flyblown meat.

2. infested with flies; dirty and unpleasant

• the flyblown pool halls of his youth.

fly boy

noun

(N. Amer.) ‹informal› a pilot, especially one in the air force.

flybridge

noun

an open deck above the main bridge of a vessel such as a yacht or cabin cruiser, typically equipped with duplicate controls.

fly-by

noun

1. a flight past a point, especially the close approach of a spacecraft to a planet or moon for observation.

2. another term for fly-past.

fly-by-night /ˈflʌɪbʌɪnʌɪt/

I. adjective — [ attrib.]

1. unreliable or untrustworthy, especially in business or financial matters

• cheap suits made by fly-by-night operators.

II. noun

(also fly-by-nighter) — an unreliable or untrustworthy person.

fly-by-wire

noun — [often as modifier]

1. a semi-automatic and typically computer-regulated system for controlling the flight of an aircraft or spacecraft

• sophisticated fly-by-wire technology.

flycatcher /ˈflʌɪkatʃə/

noun

a perching bird that catches flying insects, especially in short flights from a perch.
●Typical Old World flycatchers belong to the family Muscicapidae. Many others belong to the Old World family Monarchidae ( monarch and paradise flycatchers) and the New World family Tyrannidae ( tyrant flycatchers), while some belong to families Eopsaltridae (Australasia), Platysteiridae (Africa), and Bombycillidae (America).

fly door

noun

(chiefly Austral./NZ) a door fitted with a fine mesh that allows ventilation and keeps out flying insects

• the fly door allowed a view down the passage to the front.

fly-drive /ˈflʌɪdrʌɪv/

I. adjective

denoting a package holiday which includes a flight and car rental at the destination.

II. noun

a fly-drive holiday.

flyer /ˈflʌɪə / flier

I. noun

1. a person or thing that flies, especially in a particular way

• frequent flyers.

2. a person who flies something, especially an aircraft.

3. ‹informal› a fast-moving person or thing

• his free kick was a real flyer.

4. a small handbill advertising an event or product.

5. short for flying start.

6. (chiefly N. Amer.) a speculative investment.

II. phrases

take a flyer

(chiefly N. Amer.) take a chance.

fly fishing

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. the sport of fishing using a rod and an artificial fly as bait.

II. derivatives

fly-fish

verb

fly half

noun

[Rugby] another term for stand-off half.

fly-in

noun

1. a meeting or other event attended by people who arrive by air

• a helicopter fly-in.

2. an act of transporting people or goods by air

• one or two fly-ins to remote lakes.

fly-in, fly-out

adjective

(Austral./NZ) involving or having a commute by air to a remote workplace

• many mines require fly-in, fly-out staff to work nine consecutive 12-hour days

• lucrative fly-in, fly-out work.

flying /ˈflʌɪɪŋ/

I. adjective

1. moving or able to move through the air with wings

• a flying ant.

2. moving rapidly, especially through the air

• one passenger was cut by flying glass.

3. done while launching oneself at someone

• he took a flying kick at a policeman.

4. hasty; brief

• a flying visit.

5. used in names of animals that can glide by using wing-like membranes or other structures, e.g. flying squirrel.

II. noun — [ mass noun]

1. flight, especially in an aircraft

• she hates flying.

III. phrases

1. go flying

‹informal› (chiefly Brit.) fall or be knocked over

• Rob tripped over a branch and went flying.

2. with flying colours

with distinction

• Sylvia had passed her exams with flying colours.

flying boat

noun

a large seaplane that lands with its fuselage in the water.

flying bomb

noun

a small pilotless aircraft with an explosive warhead, especially a V-1.

flying bridge

noun

another term for flybridge.

flying buttress /ˌflʌɪɪŋ ˈbʌtrɪs/

noun

[Architecture] a buttress slanting from a separate column, typically forming an arch with the wall it supports.

flying cane toad

noun

(Austral.) ‹humorous› a name for any bird regarded as a pest, especially the mynah

• we should breed more of these eagles to cull the flying cane toads.

flying change

noun

a movement in riding in which the leading leg in the canter position is changed without loss of speed while the horse is in the air.

flying disc flying disk

noun

a concave plastic disc designed for skimming through the air as an outdoor game or amusement

• rotating your upper body to throw the flying disc helps to improve the flexibility of your spine.

flying doctor

noun

(in Australia) a doctor who uses radio communication and travels by aircraft to visit patients in remote areas of the country.

flying dragon

noun

another term for flying lizard.

Flying Dutchman

I. a legendary ghostly ship supposedly seen in the region of the Cape of Good Hope and presaging disaster.

II. the captain of the Flying Dutchman.

flying fish

noun

a fish of warm seas which leaps out of the water and uses its wing-like pectoral fins to glide over the surface for some distance.
●Family Exocoetidae: several genera and species, in particular Exocoetus volitans.

flying fox

noun

1. a large fruit bat with a foxlike face, found in Madagascar, SE Asia, and northern Australia.
● Pteropus and two other genera, family Pteropodidae: numerous species.

2. (Austral./NZ) an overhead cable and apparatus for transporting materials over difficult terrain.

flying frog

noun

a nocturnal arboreal Asian frog which is able to glide between trees using the large webs between its extended toes.
● Polypedates leucomystax, family Rhacophoridae.

flying gang

noun

(Austral.) a team of railway maintenance workers

• he was camped in the railway grounds with the flying gang.

flying gurnard

noun

a bottom-dwelling marine fish that has bony armour on the skull and large brightly coloured pectoral fins. It moves through the water with a gliding or flying motion.
●Family Dactylopteridae: two genera and several species.

flying jacket ‹N. Amer.› flight jacket

noun

a short jacket similar to a bomber jacket, typically of leather and with a warm lining or collar and several pockets.

flying lemur

noun

a nocturnal tree-dwelling SE Asian mammal resembling a lemur, with a membrane between the fore- and hindlimbs for gliding from tree to tree. Also called colugo.
●Family Cynocephalidae and genus Cynocephalus, order Dermoptera: two species.

flying lizard

noun

an arboreal SE Asian lizard which has expanding membranes along the sides of the body, used for gliding between trees. Also called dragon, flying dragon.
●Genus Draco, family Agamidae: several species.

flying machine

noun

an aircraft, especially an early or unconventional one.

• he had experimented with flying machines as early as 1893.

flying mouse

noun

1. another term for feathertail glider.

2. [Computing] a mouse that can be lifted from the desk and used in three dimensions.

flying officer

noun

a rank of commissioned officer in the RAF, above pilot officer and below flight lieutenant.

flying phalanger

noun

a small Australasian marsupial with a membrane between the fore- and hindlimbs for gliding. Also called glider.
●Genera Petaurus and Petauroides, family Petauridae: five species.

flying picket

noun

(Brit.) a person who, with others, travels to picket any workplace where there is an industrial dispute.

flying saucer

noun

a disc-shaped flying craft supposedly piloted by aliens; a UFO.

• a theory that friendly aliens in a flying saucer had landed in the village.

flying snake

noun

a greenish semi-arboreal SE Asian snake which can glide down from a tree in a stiff horizontal position, with the belly hollowed to slow its descent.
● Chrysopelea ornata, family Colubridae.

flying squad

noun

(Brit.) a division of a police force or other organization which is capable of reaching an incident quickly.

• the gang were caught by the Flying Squad.

• a medical flying squad.

flying squirrel

noun

a small squirrel that has skin joining the fore- and hindlimbs for gliding from tree to tree.
●Subfamily Pteromyinae, family Sciuridae (many species in SE Asia, northern Eurasia, and North America), and family Anomaluridae (several species in Africa; see also scaly-tailed squirrel).

flying start

noun

1. a start of a race or time trial in which the starting point is passed at speed.

2. a good beginning, especially one giving an advantage over competitors

• the team got off to a flying start in last year's rally.

flying suit

noun

a one-piece garment worn by the pilot and crew of a military or light aircraft.

flying tackle

noun

[Sport] an attempt to gain possession of the ball or to seize and stop a player in possession of the ball, performed while launching oneself at the opposing player

• a flying tackle from O'Shaughnessy brought him down.

flying visit

noun

a very short visit

• the teenager had a tight schedule on his flying visit to the city he still calls home.

flying wing

noun

an aircraft with little or no fuselage and no tailplane.

fly kick ‹chiefly Rugby›

I. noun

a kick made while running.

II. verb — [with obj.]

1. kick (the ball) while running.

flyleaf /ˈflʌɪliːf/

noun

a blank page at the beginning or end of a book.

flyman

noun

[Theatre] a person positioned in the flies to raise and lower scenery.

Flynn

I. noun — (in phrase be in like Flynn)

1. ‹informal› (chiefly N. Amer.) (Austral.) act quickly and impetuously; seize an opportunity.

– origin 1940s: probably from Errol Flynn (see Flynn, Errol), known for his wild behaviour.

Flynn, Errol

(1909–59), Australian-born American actor; born Leslie Thomas Flynn. He was best known for his roles as the swashbuckling hero of romantic costume dramas in films such as Captain Blood (1935) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

fly orchid

noun

a European woodland orchid with flowers that resemble flies.
● Ophrys insectifera, family Orchidaceae.

flyover /ˈflʌɪəʊvə/

noun

1. (chiefly Brit.) a bridge carrying one railway line or road over another.

2. (N. Amer.) a low flight by one or more aircraft over a specific location.

3. another term for fly-past.

4. [as modifier] — (US) ‹informal› ‹derogatory› denoting central regions of the US regarded as less significant than the East or West coasts

• his appeal extends way beyond the Bible Belt and the flyover states.

flypaper /ˈflʌɪpeɪpə/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. sticky, poison-treated strips of paper that are hung indoors to catch and kill flies.

• there was flypaper dangling from the lamp.

• [ count noun] flypapers hung in every room.

fly-past /ˈflʌɪpɑːst/

noun

(Brit.) a ceremonial flight of aircraft past a person or a place.

• a fly-past by an RAF formation.

fly-pitcher

I. noun

(Brit.) ‹informal› a street trader.

II. derivatives

fly-pitching

noun

fly-post

I. verb — [with obj.]

1. (Brit.) put up (advertising posters) in unauthorized places.

II. derivatives

fly poster

noun

– origin early 20th cent.: from on the fly at fly^1.

fly-poster

noun

1. (Brit.) an advertising poster put up in an unauthorized place.

2. (Brit.) a person who fly-posts.

flysch /flɪʃ/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. [Geology] a sedimentary deposit consisting of thin beds of shale or marl alternating with coarser strata such as sandstone or conglomerate.

– origin mid 19th cent.: from Swiss German dialect.

flysheet /ˈflʌɪʃiːt/

noun

1. (Brit.) a fabric cover pitched outside and over a tent to give extra protection against bad weather.

2. a tract or circular of two or four pages.

flyspeck /ˈflʌɪspɛk/

I. noun

1. a tiny stain made by the excrement of an insect.

2. a thing which is contemptibly small or insignificant

• a sleepy flyspeck of a town.

II. derivatives

flyspecked

adjective

fly spray

noun

a substance sprayed from an aerosol that kills flying insects.

fly strike

noun — [ mass noun]

1. infestation of an animal with blowfly maggots.

fly swatter fly swat

noun

an implement used for swatting insects.

fly-tip

I. verb — [no obj.]

1. (Brit.) illegally dump waste.

II. derivatives

fly tipper

noun

– origin 1960s: from on the fly at fly^1.

flyway

noun

[Ornithology] a route regularly used by large numbers of migrating birds.

flyweight /ˈflʌɪweɪt/

noun — [ mass noun]

1. a weight in boxing and other sports intermediate between light flyweight and bantamweight. In the amateur boxing scale it ranges from 48 to 51 kg.

2. [ count noun] — a flyweight boxer or other competitor.

flywheel /ˈflʌɪwiːl/

noun

a heavy revolving wheel in a machine which is used to increase the machine's momentum and thereby provide greater stability or a reserve of available power.

flywire /ˈflʌɪwʌɪə/

I. noun — [ mass noun]

1. (Austral./NZ) fine wire mesh designed to keep out flying insects

• mosquitoes, combined with a shortage of flywire, upset the new arrivals.

– origin early 19th cent.: from fly^2 + wire.

flywire door

noun

(Austral.) a door fitted with a fine mesh that allows ventilation and keeps out flying insects

• he eased the flywire door open and stepped inside.

fm

abbreviation

fathom(s).

Fm

symbol

the chemical element fermium.

FM

abbreviation

1. Field Marshal.

2. frequency modulation
[as modifier]

• an FM radio station.

FMCG

abbreviation

fast-moving consumer goods
[as modifier]

• the FMCG sector.

FML

abbreviation

‹vulgar slang› fuck my life! (used to express dismay at a frustrating or irritating personal situation).

FMV

abbreviation

full-motion video.

fnarr fnarr /fnɑː ˈfnɑː / fnar fnar

I. exclamation

(Brit.) ‹informal› used to represent sniggering, typically at a sexual innuendo

• That's some package! (Said the bishop to the actress, fnarr fnarr).

– origin 1980s: perhaps imitative of the sound of suppressed laughter.

FNQ

abbreviation

(Austral.) Far North Queensland

• they're planning a two-week holiday in FNQ.

f-number

I. noun

[Photography] the ratio of the focal length of a camera lens to the diameter of the aperture being used for a particular shot (e.g. f8, indicating that the focal length is eight times the diameter).

– origin early 20th cent.: from f (denoting the focal length) and number.

FO

abbreviation

1. Flying Officer.

2. Foreign Office.

fo.

abbreviation

folio.

Fo, Dario /fəʊ/

(b.1926), Italian dramatist. Notable works: Accidental Death of an Anarchist (political satire, 1970) and Open Couple (farce, 1983). Nobel Prize for Literature (1997).

FOAF FOF

abbreviation

friend of a friend, denoting a story or rumour which has no definite source and cannot be authenticated

• investigations never do succeed in finding the FOAF who started any of these yarns.

foal /fəʊl/

I. noun

a young horse or related animal.

II. verb — [no obj.]

1. (of a mare) give birth to a foal.

2. ( be foaled) — (of a foal) be born.

III. phrases

in (or with) foal

(of a mare) pregnant.

– origin Old English fola, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch veulen and German Fohlen, also to filly.

foam /fəʊm/

I. noun